Hong Kong: CE meets research assessors Chief Executive Carrie Lam today met the Research Group, the Research Assessment Exercise Group and the panels under the University Grants Committee (UGC) to discuss their experience in completing the Research Assessment Exercise 2020. The meeting was conducted via video conferencing in which Mrs Lam also briefed them on Hong Kong's latest developments in advancing basic scientific research with the support of the country. The Research Assessment Exercise 2020 came amid the severe COVID-19 epidemic. Noting that the assessments were conducted in strict accordance with international standards, Mrs Lam said she was encouraged by the outstanding performance of the eight UGC-funded universities in the exercise, which is testimony to the international recognition of Hong Kong's research quality. Research projects completed between October 2013 and September 2019 by the eight universities could participate in the Research Assessment Exercise 2020 regardless of their source of funding. Assessments were conducted by 361 distinguished international scholars and research end users from various academic fields, of which about 70% were non-local scholars from around the world. About 16,000 items of research output, 340 research impact case studies and 190 research environment submissions in 13 areas across 41 disciplines were assessed. Among the research projects assessed, 25% were judged to be world leading and a further 45% were judged to be internationally excellent. The Chief Executive introduced to the participants of the assessment exercise the latest developments of basic scientific research in Hong Kong. Mrs Lam said that the capability of Hong Kong in innovation and technology (I&T) has been fully recognised by the central authorities with clear support for Hong Kong to develop as an international I&T hub in the National 14th Five-Year Plan. While noting that Hong Kong has faced unprecedented challenges in the past two years, she said the city's development has been put back on the right track with the support of the central government and added that academic freedom and institutional autonomy are more robust than before. This story has been published on: 2021-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. RTHK: Japan's vaccine chief Kono to join leadership race Japan's popular coronavirus vaccination minister, Taro Kono, is set to announce his candidacy on Friday to lead the ruling party and, by extension, become the next prime minister. Kono becomes the third candidate to throw his hat in the ring for the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which opened up last week when Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he would step down. Kono appears to have an edge over former foreign minister Fumio Kishida and former internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi in the race. Nearly a third of respondents in a poll by major domestic media last week said the Georgetown University-educated Kono, 58, was the most suitable to succeed Suga. Kono said he had informed Suga of his intention to run, media said, several hours before a news conference at which he is set to make a formal announcement. The winner of the September 29 vote of grass-roots party members and its lawmakers is virtually assured the premiership because the LDP has a majority in parliament's lower house. The new leader will then steer the party in a lower house election that must be held by November 28. Lawmakers are counting on the new leader to boost the party's support after Suga's ratings hit record lows. Kishida is reasonably popular and can count on the support of his faction of the party, while Takaichi, hoping to become Japan's first woman prime minister, has support on the party's conservative flank, including that of influential former prime minister Shinzo Abe. One remaining question is whether former defence minister Shigeru Ishiba, who is also well-liked among party members, will run on his own or back Kono. While Suga's support was undermined by his haphazard handling of the coronavirus pandemic, Kono, who has been in charge of a rocky vaccination rollout, has remained popular, particularly among younger voters. That is partly thanks to his ability to reach out to the public through Twitter, where he has 2.3 million followers - a rarity in heavily scripted Japanese politics dominated by older men less adept with social media. Some in the LDP feel Kono is too young, given the average age of prime ministers taking office since 2000 was about 62. Their concerns include his lone-wolf style in a system that runs on consensus, and an outspoken streak that can occasionally see him challenge the party line. This story has been published on: 2021-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: Deputy President ramps up North West vaccine programme Deputy President David Mabuza on Thursday visited Rustenburg as Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on COVID-19 Vaccines to encourage all South Africans to get their jab. Vaccinating is the only way that will make us to be safe from COVID-19 disease, Deputy President Mabuza said. The North West province has reportedly achieved about 20.1% vaccination coverage of the target population, placing it as the third lowest performing province. The Bojanala District, which constitutes close to half the total population of the province, is currently the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is for this reason the Deputy President, accompanied by members of the IMC, conducted an oversight visit to the area. He was welcomed by North West Premier Bushy Maape and the provinces senior officials at Rustenburgs Orbit TVET College where he was briefed about the provincial vaccination programme. The Deputy President interacted with students at the institution, encouraging them to be inoculated at the vaccination site at the college. I have always wanted to get vaccinated but unfortunately was always busy with school work. I thank the Deputy President for making it possible for me to vaccinate, Thato Mokoena, a student at the college told SAnews. Israel Medupi, who also received his jab during the Deputy Presidents tour of the vaccination site, said he was thankful for the opportunity. Deputy President Mabuza also visited the Rustenburg taxi rank and Rustenburg Mall where he encouraged commuters and shoppers to go and vaccinate at a nearby vaccine site. To make our country safe from the pandemic, it starts with you, if you get vaccinated, all of us will be safe, he said. Paul Matemane, one of the citizens who got their jab at the malls vaccination site on Thursday, encouraged others to vaccinate. If all of us we could vaccinate, there wont be too many deaths, people will be safe from COVID-19, he said. The Presidency said all provinces remain key to ensuring that the target of population immunity is reached by 31 December 2021. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Hong Kong: Legal talent secondments set A ceremony to launch the Secondment of Young Professionals from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to International Law Organisations was held today. It was hosted by the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong SAR to support the Department of Justice's efforts to put in place programmes to second local legal talent to international organisations. Speaking at the event, Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng thanked the ministry for facilitating the secondment programmes between the Hong Kong SAR and international organisations, thereby enabling local young legal talent to take part in the international arena. It truly reflects the care of the country towards the Hong Kong youth, while demonstrating the unique advantages of 'one country, two systems'. I also hope that young legal talent would seize the precious opportunities to gain different exposure, and proactively integrate into and contribute to national development in the future. Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong SAR Commissioner Liu Guangyuan supplemented that the secondments mark an achievement of national diplomacy to the benefit of the youth and that he hopes the young talent will gain knowledge and experience by taking part in the international arena and bring glory to the country and Hong Kong. The department noted that with the central government's staunch support and the Hong Kong SAR Government's hard work, the secondment programmes have achieved substantive progress recently. The number of positions available is historically high and some positions are open to non-government officers, which is different from the previous programmes, it added. Last December, the department signed a memorandum of understanding with the Hague Conference on Private International Law, under which one of its counsels and a solicitor in private practice will start a six-month secondment this month and in February 2022. In May 2021, it signed another pact with the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law for a secondment programme that is open to legal professionals in both the public and private sectors. In addition, an agreement was reached with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in June this year for the secondment of one of the department's officers to the bank's legal department for 12 months, which started on August 23. The department said that it will continue to explore secondment opportunities with other renowned international organisations to enable Hong Kong legal professionals to gain valuable work experience and receive training in international law. This story has been published on: 2021-09-10. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Hanoi speeds up Covid-19 vaccination Many districts in Hanoi have conducted Covid-19 vaccinations, including during the evening, to ensure that all people aged from 18 will be given the first shot before September 15. At around 8 pm on Thursday, around 1,400 people gathered at Vietnam Soviet Friendship Labour Cultural Palace to wait for their Covid-19 vaccination. They are from Tran Hung Dao, Hang Gai and Cua Nam wards in Hoan Kiem District. A number of foreigners were also vaccinated at the same place on Thursday evening. All people were asked to ensure safe distances for Covid-19 prevention. People were given a blood pressure examination before the vaccination and those with high blood pressure had to take a rest before being checked again. The AstraZeneca vaccine was used for the vaccination. Tran Hung, 75, from Hang Thiec Street said that he was very happy when being vaccinated against Covid-19. People were requested to stay at the place for around 30 minutes after the vaccination. After that, when people did not display any reactions, they were given the vaccination certification and could return home. Anyone who showed reactions were supported and monitored by medical staff. Pham Tuan Long, chairman of Hoan Kiem District, said that to date 80% of the local population aged from 18 had received their first shot. Commentary: Foreign brands should abide by Chinese laws while operating in China 17:51, September 09, 2021 By Zi Chuan ( People's Daily Online Xiji (Shanghai) Trading Co., a Canada Goose-affiliated company in China was recently fined 450,000 yuan ($69,750) by the market regulator in Shanghai, for falsely advertising goods or services. This sounded an alarm for foreign enterprises operating in China that they should abide by Chinese laws and never cheat consumers. After the trading company opened an official flagship store for Canada Goose on Tmall in September 2018, it quickly reaped the favor of Chinese consumers as it advertised that its down coats displayed the best quality. However, the company came into the spotlight after a Shanghai market regulator announced an investigation in which they found that among all the types of down clothing that the company sold, nearly 70 percent comprise jackets made with ordinary duck down, which was inconsistent with the advertisements claiming that all of its down coats contained Hutterite down feathers. Hutterite down comes from duck and geese feathers collected from Hutterite communities in northern Canada. Chinas advertising law clearly stipulates that an advertising shall not cheat or mislead consumers through the use of false or misleading content. This is a bottom line for all enterprises to stick to and it must not be crossed. In this regard, the Canadian company deserves the punishment. An honest business will choose to go further and do better, and win the trust of consumers. Canada Goose is a luxury down clothing brand with the prices for its down jackets becoming higher and higher year-by-year. Though most consumers might not know what Hutterite means, they are still willing to buy the products under the influence of the advertisements. In 2020, the webpage for Canada Gooses Tmall flagship store was viewed 181 million times, and the sales volume reached 167 million yuan, which partly reflected the recognition and love for the brand among Chinese consumers. This time, however, the brand has betrayed consumer trust. It is a rule that those who fool consumers are doomed to lose the market, and those who hurt consumer feelings will sooner or later regret their behaviors. The tricks of the trading company, including emphasizing the origin of Hutterite produced feathers to highlight the warmth of the down, and adopting a narrative, which seems professional to innocent consumers, to advertise their products, along with the application of superlative language, are all banned under Chinas advertising law. They might have fooled some consumers, but they eventually were seen through by the market regulator, leading to the company being punished by the law. All enterprises, Chinese or foreign-invested, must abide by the countrys laws and be honest to Chinese consumers. In addition, consumers must understand that foreign brands do not always stand for high quality, and foreign down jackets are not necessarily warmer than Chinese brands. While shopping, consumers should stay rational so that there is no place in the market for dishonest brands. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Western politicians must stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs 23:19, September 09, 2021 By Zhong Sheng ( People's Daily Citizens pose for a photo during an activity themed on National Security Education Day at the Hong Kong Police College in south China's Hong Kong, on April 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Gang) The common will of the Hong Kong society to safeguard the rule of law brooks no misinterpretation. Once again, we sternly warn some western politicians that they must obey international law and the basic norms governing international relations, stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs, and cease disturbing Hong Kong's rule of law. The Hong Kong police on Wednesday took decisive actions and arrested relevant members of the anti-China group Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China in accordance with law. Such law-based arrest, which prevented the anti-China group from expanding and making further troubles, is totally justifiable and unquestionable. The discrediting remarks on this matter made by certain western politicians on Twitter, a "regular" trick of them, are just ridiculous. It's obvious that these hypocritical politicians that hold double standard are supporting neither the law nor the justice. They are in no position to meddle in Hong Kong affairs, and are never able to help Hong Kong end chaos, resume stability, and achieve prosperity. People in Hong Kong are becoming increasingly aware that they cannot become a puppet of external forces that work for certain western politicians to contain the development of China. They also have a clear picture in their mind of how Hong Kong should develop itself. From the illegal "Occupy Central" movement to the turbulence over the proposed legislative amendments two years ago, organizations such as the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China have constantly fanned up the so-called "achieving justice by violating the law," turning massive adolescents into violent criminals and placing the Hong Kong society into chaos with the "mutual destruction" strategy. However, Hong Kong citizens have already seen through the evil plots of these organizations, and understand that these anti-China rioters must be brought to justice if Hong Kong wants long-term stability and security. It's clear how the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China colluded with external hostile forces, sought for "mutual destruction," and seriously undermined national interests and the fundamental interests of Hong Kong. Trying to get away with legal sanctions by fanning up confrontation and hatred and refusing to submit relevant data to the Hong Kong police, the organization has exactly revealed its illegality and serious violation of laws. The national security law in Hong Kong definitely works. The decisive action taken by the Hong Kong police against the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China proved that anyone that challenges the law will be punished by it. The reactions of some western politicians mirrored their rising dejection and even frustration. They are reluctant to see their loss of the anti-China rioters that they had long supported, the robust vitality of the national security law in Hong Kong, and the disappearing opportunities for the anti-China rioters to make troubles. Again and again, they disturbed Hong Kong's rule of law and blatantly interfered in China's domestic affairs with irresponsible and groundless accusations against China. However, what are remembered today are the chaos and tragedies taking place in the airport of Kabul, Afghanistan, a place that was once "illuminated" by the "American democratic lighthouse." The US just taught the Afghans what "American arrogance," "American trampling, " and "American abandoning" are. It's a common consensus in Hong Kong that the special administrative region must safeguard national sovereignty, protect its dignity, enhance the rule of law and guarantee the social order. Such consensus is even more valuable given what had happened in the past and in other countries. The further investigation into the illegal practices of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China by the government of the Hong Kong special administrative region and the Hong Kong police, and their efforts to take legal actions against the principals of the organization, will help eliminate the poisonous leftovers of various devious theories and safeguard the authority of the national security law in Hong Kong and the dignity of the rule of law. No noise, interference or oppression is able to shake the firm determination of the Chinese central government and the government of the Hong Kong special administrative region to safeguard national security, or waver China's resolution to fully and faithfully implement the one country, two systems" principle. The common will of the Hong Kong society to safeguard the rule of law brooks no misinterpretation. Once again, we sternly warn some western politicians that they must obey international law and the basic norms governing international relations, stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs, and cease disturbing Hong Kong's rule of law. (Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.) (Web editor: Du Mingming, Liang Jun) Xi calls for advancing BRICS cooperation to combat virus, uphold multilateralism Xinhua) 08:09, September 10, 2021 Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the 13th BRICS summit via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 9, 2021. Xi delivered an important speech at the summit. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on BRICS countries to promote global solidarity against COVID-19, uphold true multilateralism and enhance economic cooperation for mutual benefits. Addressing the 13th BRICS summit via video link in Beijing, Xi said BRICS should stay resolved, strengthen unity and further enhance the quality of practical cooperation. The virtual summit of the emerging-market bloc that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa was convened as the COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc around the world, the road to global economic recovery remains bumpy and tortuous, and the international order is going through profound and complex changes. "Facing these challenges, we the BRICS countries must step forward to make an active contribution to world peace and development and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind," Xi said. GLOBAL SOLIDARITY AGAINST PANDEMIC In order to enhance global cooperation on vaccines and realize the equitable access of vaccines for all, Xi announced at the summit that on top of the 100 million U.S. dollars donation to COVAX, China will donate an additional 100 million doses of vaccines to fellow developing countries within this year. To date, China has provided more than one billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations, and will strive to provide a total of two billion doses by the end of this year. Speaking highly of China's efforts in combating COVID-19 pandemic, B.R. Deepak, professor and sinologist at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, said China has effectively controlled the pandemic by adopting swift measures, and at the same time, it also offered its assistance not only to the BRICS countries but various other nations in the world. At the summit, Xi also called on BRICS countries to support each other's COVID response, share relevant information and COVID control experience, and uphold a science-based approach to tracing the origins of the virus, and oppose politicization and stigmatization. Ruan Zongze, executive vice president of the China Institute of International Studies, said China's proposal for enhancing BRICS cooperation on fighting COVID-19 will help build the global immunity barrier as BRICS covers a vast region with a huge population. Closer BRICS cooperation on vaccines also marked another concrete step China has taken to fulfill its pledge to make the vaccines a global public good, promote equitable distribution and boost global anti-epidemic efforts, Ruan added. CHAMPIONING MULTILATERALISM "We need to promote the practice of true multilateralism, adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law," Xi said, calling on BRICS countries to make good use of BRICS mechanisms such as the meeting of foreign ministers and the meeting of high representatives for security, better coordinate their position on major international and regional issues, and send out an even bigger, collective voice of BRICS countries. Wang Lei, director of the Center for BRICS Cooperation Studies at Beijing Normal University, said Xi's remarks serve as a reminder for the BRICS countries to enhance coordination on international and regional issues, take an active part in the global governance and propose BRICS solutions for many global challenges. Deepak said that notwithstanding the challenges it has faced internally and externally, BRICS has achieved remarkable development to grow as a major economic bloc contributing tremendously to global economic governance, and has emerged as a fine example of multilateralism especially with the establishment of mechanisms like BRICS University League and BRICS New Development Bank. The above mentioned achievements have resulted from multilateral cooperation, and has contributed to improving the global governance, he said. CLOSER COOPERATION FOR WIN-WIN "We need to promote openness and innovation-driven growth to facilitate a steady global recovery," Xi said, adding that BRICS members should strengthen economic cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefits, earnestly implement the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2025, and expand cooperation in such areas as trade and investment, technology and innovation, and green and low-carbon development. BRICS represents more than 26 percent of the world's landmass, 42 percent of the global population and over 20 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), which puts it in a good position to play a vital role in dealing with this changing world. Somododa Fikeni, a political analyst from South Africa, said the world expects BRICS to contribute significantly to the global economic recovery amid the lingering pandemic. In order to further enhance practical cooperation among BRICS members, Xi announced China welcomes the substantive progress made in expanding the membership of the BRICS New Development Bank, and proposed to hold a forum on the development of industrial Internet and digital manufacturing, a BRICS high-level meeting on climate change and a BRICS forum on big data for sustainable development, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges in the spirit of mutual learning, including opening an online training course for media professionals of the five countries in the future. Deepak said the expanding of the institutional mechanism such as the BRICS New Development Bank, which has approved about 80 projects in all of its members since its operations, demonstrates that the economic cooperation among BRICS countries will grow and the world looks forward to a bigger role of the bank in supporting the development of its members and in global economic and financial affairs. China will take over as the chair of BRICS and host the 14th BRICS summit next year. China looks forward to working with BRICS partners to deepen cooperation in all areas and build a closer and more results-oriented partnership to meet common challenges and create a better future, Xi said. Full text of Chinese President Xi Jinping's remarks at 13th BRICS Summit (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) IAEA plans to inspect contaminated water release plan at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant in December Xinhua) 08:15, September 10, 2021 File photo taken on Oct. 12, 2017 shows huge tanks that store contaminated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. (Photo/Xinhua) The Japanese government decided in April to start discharging radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the sea from around spring of 2023. The decision triggered strong criticism from neighboring countries. TOKYO, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will dispatch a team of experts to Japan's Fukushima Prefecture in December to review the country's plan to dump radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the sea, an IAEA official said Thursday. The plan was proposed after China and South Korea, as well as local fishing communities, have voiced strong criticism against releasing the contaminated water accumulated at the plant since the 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami catastrophe in northeastern Japan. "The agency is firmly committed to ensuring that the review is comprehensive and objective and that the results are conveyed to the international community," Lydie Evrard, head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security of the IAEA, said at an online news conference. The Japanese government decided in April to start discharging the water into sea from around spring of 2023. The decision has received strong criticism from China and other neighboring countries. China has expressed serious concerns about Japan's decision to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear station, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian saying that China urged the Japanese side to take a responsible attitude and treat the issue of nuclear waste disposal with caution. Meanwhile, South Korea has also voiced its "grave concerns", with Foreign Ministry spokesman Choi Young-sam saying "it will be difficult to accept if the Japanese side decides to release the contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant without sufficient consultations." People protest against Japan's decision to dump radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul, South Korea, April 14, 2021. (Photo by Xu Ruxi/Xinhua) Evrard said the IAEA will select the inspection team members from 11 countries including China and South Korea. IAEA staff may travel to Japan sometime next year to present the results before the actual discharge of the nuclear water, she said. Water pumped into the ruined reactors at the Fukushima plant to cool the melted fuel, mixed with rain and groundwater, which has also been contaminated, is being treated using an advanced liquid processing system to remove most contaminants. However, substances like tritium -- a radioactive byproduct of nuclear reactors -- are hard to filter out. According to some marine experts, traces of ruthenium, cobalt, strontium, and plutonium isotopes in the wastewater also raise concerns. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) China launches Zhongxing-9B satellite Xinhua) 08:18, September 10, 2021 A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying the Zhongxing-9B satellite blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Sept. 9, 2021. (Photo by Bai Xiaofei/Xinhua) XICHANG, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- China successfully launched a new direct broadcast satellite (DBS) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province Thursday. The satellite, Zhongxing-9B, was launched at 7:50 p.m. (Beijing Time) by a Long March-3B carrier rocket and entered the planned orbit successfully. The new DBS is designed to run for 15 years and will be operated by the China Satellite Communications Co., Ltd., said the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Zhongxing-9B, equipped with specially designed transponders, can support the transmission of 4K and 8K high-definition video programs and provide high-quality live broadcast transmission services for major events such as the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. In addition, the new DBS will provide timely and reliable communication services for emergency rescue and disaster relief. This launch marked the 388th mission for the Long March series carrier rockets. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Chinese premier urges GMS countries to broaden cooperation Xinhua) 08:20, September 10, 2021 Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends the seventh summit of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Economic Cooperation via video link, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday called on Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries to broaden the areas of cooperation and jointly promote sustainable and inclusive development within the subregion. Li made the remarks via video link at the seventh summit of the GMS Economic Cooperation, which was hosted by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen. Also attending the video summit were Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh, Myanmar's State Administration Council Chair Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and the Asian Development Bank President Masatsugu Asakawa. Noting that the current COVID-19 pandemic is still fluctuating globally, and instability and uncertainty in the global economy are increasing, Li said the economic recovery and sustainable growth of countries in the subregion are facing new challenges. "We should build consensus, enhance political mutual trust, broaden cooperation areas, improve cooperation levels, and jointly promote the sustainable and inclusive development of the subregion," Li said. Li called on the GMS countries to deepen cooperation on water resources for the benefit of coastal nations. They should also work together to prevent and control the pandemic, strengthen trade and investment, and jointly promote economic recovery, said Li. Since last year, China has been providing the five Mekong countries with annual hydrological data on the Lancang River, and has taken the initiative in launching the Lancang-Mekong water resource cooperation information-sharing platform website. "We are willing to jointly hold the second Lancang-Mekong water resource cooperation ministerial meeting and cooperation forum, and strengthen the capacity of integrated river basin management and water resource management through solidarity and cooperation," he said. In terms of COVID-19 prevention and control, Li vowed to continue providing vaccines and other medical aid within China's capacity by making the Mekong River countries a priority, and to carry out cooperation on epidemic surveillance and infectious disease prevention, making use of the special funds for public health that have been established. Li called for strengthening trade and investment by speeding up the ratification and implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and implementing the protocol on upgrading the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, so as to inject vitality into countries' development. "We should leverage the exemplary role of the upcoming operation of the China-Laos railway, speed up the construction of the China-Thailand railway, the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway and other major projects, and advance the building of a regional power-coordination center," he said. In terms of sustainable development, Li called for strengthening cooperation on tackling climate change and environmental protection, as well as discussing new models of tourism cooperation in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. "We should draw on each other's respective strengths and make concerted efforts to promote the coordinated development of the GMS Economic Cooperation and the Lancang-Mekong cooperation mechanisms through upholding openness and inclusiveness," he said. "We welcome enterprises from all countries to invest in China," Li said, adding that domestic and foreign enterprises will be treated equally, and China's development will bring new development opportunities to the Mekong River countries. China is willing to work with the Mekong River countries to promote regional economic integration, safeguard regional peace and stability, and make new contributions to subregional integrated development and common prosperity, he stressed. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Commentary: The hypocrisy of Western politicians' concern over Hong Kong Xinhua) 08:22, September 10, 2021 BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The recent preposterous accusations by a bunch of Western politicians against the Hong Kong police's law-based arrests of some members of a notorious anti-China group have once again revealed their hypocrisy on issues related to the Chinese city. Hong Kong is a society under the rule of law. No organization or individual has any privilege above the law. The Hong Kong police's operations are in line with the national security law, and have defended the sanctity of the rule of law. A year after the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong, the city has returned from chaos to stability and tranquility. The law has deterred anti-China forces in Hong Kong and blocked the intervention of external forces. However, as stability returns to Hong Kong, some Western politicians are getting increasingly agitated. The reason is that they want to continue intervening in Hong Kong affairs and stirring up chaos there so as to disrupt China's development. Those Western politicians have been used to tap human rights, democracy or freedom of speech as excuses to justify unlawful groups and individuals in Hong Kong. Their remarks and actions have already exposed their sinister intention to sabotage the rule of law in Hong Kong, obstruct the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's law-based governance, and undermine the city's long-term peace and stability. The double standards held by those Western politicians have also been brought into the sunlight. While those Western politicians attempt to justify the criminal actions that put Hong Kong's stability in jeopardy, Western governments have never been weak in cracking down on acts that challenge national security, unity and social stability in their own countries. The United States itself has the world's strictest national security laws, which applies to every inch of its territory. Washington has been relentless in cracking down on national security crimes and even willfully abuses the pretext of national security to undermine the legitimate rights and interests of other countries. With the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong, the city has already built up a solid law-based fortress against anti-China and destabilizing forces. The people in Hong Kong can now continue to enjoy their basic rights and freedom in accordance with the law. As for those ill-intentioned Western politicians, no matter how hard they will try in the future, their scheme of intervention will always be doomed to fail. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) First Chinese COVID-19 vaccine plant in Europe starts construction Xinhua) 08:25, September 10, 2021 Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (2nd L, Front) attends the ceremony of laying the foundation stone for a COVID-19 vaccine production factory in Belgrade, Serbia, on Sept. 9, 2021. Construction of the first Chinese COVID-19 vaccine production facility in Europe started in Serbia on Thursday. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua) BELGRADE, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Construction of the first Chinese COVID-19 vaccine production facility in Europe started in Serbia on Thursday. The factory is planned to produce 30 million vaccine doses annually starting in April 2022, and is expected to supply Serbia and several countries in the region and Europe with the Chinese-developed Sinopharm vaccines. The foundation stone for the new factory was laid by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in the presence of Chinese Ambassador Chen Bo, according to a press release from the president's office. Vucic said that he was proud that Serbia, together with partners from China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was "trying and seems to be able to solve some global problems." "This is not a partnership of interest but a proof of friendship," Vucic said. Back in January this year, Serbia started a mass vaccination campaign with the Sinopharm jab, which has been most widely used among Serbian citizens along with products from other manufacturers. In June, Serbia started to produce Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine at the Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera "Torlak" in Belgrade. Chinese vaccines, including Sinopharm and Sinovac, have been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for emergency use. Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday while addressing the 13th BRICS summit via video link that China will strive to provide a total of 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the world by the end of this year, noting that China, to date, has provided more than 1 billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations. Since the pandemic broke out, China has sent medical aid and batches of vaccines to Serbia and helped build two "Fire Eye" laboratories for PCR testing. Chinese doctors spent months helping set up prevention measures in the country. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Chinese FM meets Lao counterpart via video Xinhua) 09:16, September 10, 2021 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday met with Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith via video link. Wang said the two sides have helped each other in the fight against the pandemic and celebrated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year. He added that their bilateral trade has grown substantially, the China-Laos railway is nearing completion, and the community of shared future is full of vitality. The two sides should continue to carry out celebrations of the 60th anniversary of their establishment of diplomatic ties and the Year of China-Laos Friendship to enrich the connotation of the China-Laos community with a shared future and pass on china-Laos friendship from generation to generation, Wang added. Saleumxay said Laos is ready to work with China to push for new progress in the construction of the Laos-China Economic Corridor and ensure the opening of the Laos-China railway within this year to benefit the two peoples. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) China to release national crude oil reserves Xinhua) 09:19, September 10, 2021 BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's state reserves authority Thursday announced it would release crude oil from its national reserves to alleviate stress on businesses over rising raw material costs. The National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration said the release, to be implemented in batches, mainly targets domestic enterprises that practice refining-petrochemical integration. Since the beginning of this year, bulk commodity prices have surged due to factors including the overseas spreading of COVID-19 and the imbalances of supply and demand, weighing on medium and small firms. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics Thursday showed China's producer price index, which measures costs for goods at the factory gate, went up 9.5 percent year on year in August, faster than the 9 percent year-on-year increase registered in July. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Daily marijuana use among U.S. college students reaches 40-year high: study Xinhua) 09:22, September 10, 2021 CHICAGO, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Daily marijuana use increased in 2020 to an all-time high among U.S. college students over the past four decades, according to the University of Michigan's (UM) annual national Monitoring the Future (MTF) panel study released on the UM website Wednesday. Daily marijuana use, defined as using on 20 or more occasions in the past 30 days, increased to 7.9 percent in 2020 among 19 to 22-year-old full-time college students, showing a significant increase of 3.3 percentage points over the past five years. Among same-aged young adults not in college, daily use was 13 percent in 2020, below the all-time high of 15 percent in 2019, representing a non-statistically significant decline in 2020. Meanwhile, annual use of marijuana last year was at historic high levels of 44 percent since the early 1980s among college students and of 43 percent among same-aged youth not in college. Another main finding is that the use of hallucinogens, including LSD, psilocybin mushrooms and other psychedelic substances, continued to increase, especially among college students. Annual use of any hallucinogen increased 8.6 percent for college students from 2019 to 2020, the highest since 1982. Among same-aged young adults not in college, annual use was 9.8 percent in 2020, the highest in two decades. A third main finding is that college drinking declined in 2020, perhaps due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among college students, both 30-day use and 30-day drunkenness decreased significantly between 2019 and 2020 to 56 percent and 28 percent, respectively. Cigarette use among young adults continues its long-term decline, with past 30-day use at a new all-time low of 4.1 percent in 2020 for college students, showing a significant 3.8 percentage point decline from 2019; it also reached a new all-time low of 13 percent in 2020 for non-college respondents in 2020, the study found. The ongoing MTF study has been tracking college students and same-aged youth not in college every year since 1980. The new findings are from surveys conducted between March 30, 2020, just after the national shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, through Nov. 30, 2020. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) China's poverty alleviation efforts set example for developing countries: Malaysian official Xinhua) 09:32, September 10, 2021 KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's efforts in poverty alleviation have set an example that can guide the rest of the developing world as they seek the similar success, a Malaysian official said on Thursday. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Economic Affairs Mustapa Mohamed said China's achievements offer lessons for other countries, and are even more important today as much of the world struggles to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. "COVID-19 has exacerbated the issue of poverty globally," the Malaysian official said in his keynote speech at the virtual International Forum on New Inclusive Asia 2021 held Thursday. The official said Malaysia could learn from the Chinese experience in formulating its own poverty alleviation strategies in its national development plans, with poverty alleviation being one of its key objectives. "China provides the world, especially those of us from developing countries, an example of how economic and social policies can take hundreds of millions out of poverty. The message is clear. If China can do it, so can we," he noted. "In the upcoming draft Malaysia plan, which is a socio-economic development plan that charts the next five years of Malaysia's economic development journey, poverty alleviation will be one of our main priority areas, curbing poverty and improving the living standards among the downtrodden," he told participants in the forum. The forum was organized by Center for New Inclusive Asia, Malaysia with this year's theme being "Poverty Alleviation in China - Lessons For Developing Countries". Center for New Inclusive Asia founding chairman Ong Tee Keat said China has made strides forward despite the pressures of COVID-19, being able to eradicate absolute poverty last year, bucking the trend that the rest of the world was facing. "It managed to hit the target 10 years ahead of the United Nations for meeting the sustainable development goal of poverty eradication," he said. For his part, Tang Rui, minister of the Chinese embassy in Malaysia, said at the forum that China is willing to share its experience in poverty alleviation. "Nowadays people all around the world are in distress due to the pandemic, with many casualties or falling back into poverty. The international community needs to unite and cooperate now more than ever," he said. "China is willing to enhance poverty alleviation exchanges and cooperation with Malaysia as well as the international community, work together to accelerate the progress of international poverty reduction, and make greater contributions in building a community with a shared future for mankind," he said. The virtually held forum was attended by officials and experts from a number of countries including China, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Pakistan, focusing on topics of China's success story in poverty alleviation, the 2030 sustainable development goals as well as poverty alleviation in developing countries and lessons from China. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Cambodian parliament ratifies RCEP, world's biggest free trade pact Xinhua) 09:39, September 10, 2021 PHNOM PENH, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The National Assembly of Cambodia on Thursday ratified the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's largest free trade agreement (FTA), which comprises 15 Asia-Pacific countries. Ninety-three lawmakers, who were present during the parliamentary session, unanimously adopted the pact, which will be next reviewed by the Senate before being submitted to King Norodom Sihamoni for endorsement. Signed on Nov. 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega trade deal between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Cambodian Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak said the Cambodian government has projected that the RCEP accord will boost the country's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2 percent, exports by 7.3 percent and investment by 23.4 percent. "The RCEP agreement will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region, further expand regional value chains and create more employment and market opportunities for peoples and businesses in the region," he told the parliament. "It also gives support to the world on the multilateral free trade system," he added. Cheam Yeap, chairman of the National Assembly's Commission of Economy, Finance, Banking and Audit, said that the pact will enter into force 60 days after six ASEAN member states and three of the non-ASEAN signatories ratified the agreement. "This agreement will create an open trade and investment atmosphere for the region and will ultimately contribute to global economic growth and development," he said. Covering a region with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of 26.2 trillion U.S. dollars, or about 30 percent of global GDP, the RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Once in effect, the deal will eliminate tariffs on as much as 90 percent of goods traded between its signatories over the next 20 years. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Cambodian PM commends China for providing vaccines to countries for COVID-19 fight Xinhua) 09:41, September 10, 2021 PHNOM PENH, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Thursday commended China for providing vaccines to other countries including Cambodia to fight against COVID-19. "As we currently combat the spread of COVID-19, I would like to take this opportunity to commend the People's Republic of China for her role in providing vaccines to fight against the COVID-19 outbreaks for countries in the region," he said during the opening session of the seventh Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit via video link. "I would also like to express my profound thank again to the People's Republic of China for her donation of COVID-19 vaccines to the Cambodian people," he added. Hun Sen also expressed his gratitude to the international community through the World Health Organization's COVAX program, as well as to other bilateral partners for sharing and providing vaccines to Cambodia. "These reflect our friendship and solidarity in time of crisis, as I used to say 'Love each other in times of need, know good friends in times of trouble'," he said. "It is this friendship and solidarity that contribute to every effort made by the Royal Government to return Cambodia to normalcy and recover her economy after the COVID-19 crisis." Hun Sen stressed that solidarity under the spirit of multilateralism is essential to ensure robust socio-economic recovery in the post-COVID-19 pandemic. He said currently, although it is expected that the COVID-19 crisis will ease in the near future due to the surging momentum of global vaccination programs, the world remains at risk with a new wave of COVID-19 pandemics caused by the Delta variant which continues to disrupt public health systems, tourism and global supply chain. "In this context, it is crucial that we accelerate and deepen our solidarity under the spirit of multilateralism in order to ensure robust socioeconomic recovery after the crisis," he said. For Cambodia, Hun Sen said the government has made its best efforts in controlling the COVID-19 crisis with the rollout of the nationwide vaccination campaign and enforcement of public health and administrative measures. "Nevertheless, this new wave of COVID-19 pandemic has had severe impacts on Cambodia's economy, most notably in the areas of textiles, tourism, and other service sectors, which brings about uncertainty in her recovery for 2021," he said. "In this context, I believe that our joint efforts are essential for our post-crisis recovery and growth especially with the adoption of the GMS COVID-19 Response and Recovery Plan 2021-2023 which will enable us to launch timely responses that will pave the way for smooth operations of supply chains, trade, investment, tourism and public health in our region," he added. Held once every three years, the GMS summit took part via video conference by the leaders of the six GMS countries. It focuses on high-priorities subregional projects in the fields of transport, energy, telecommunication, environment, human resource development, tourism, trade, private sector investment, and agriculture. The GMS countries include Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Interview: China-ASEAN dialogue relations promote economic exchanges, create business opportunities, says Malaysian business leader Xinhua) 09:50, September 10, 2021 KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The dialogue relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) established 30 years ago have promoted economic and trade exchanges and created huge business opportunities in the region, a Malaysian business leader said. Ng Yih Pyng, deputy president of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM), told Xinhua ahead of the 18th China-ASEAN Expo that the achievements of the partnership are fully in line with the common aspirations of China and ASEAN countries, including Malaysia. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the dialogue relations between China and ASEAN. "Malaysia was among the first ASEAN countries to establish diplomatic relations with China. The bilateral relations have a long history. China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for the past 12 years. Although the COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on the world, the bilateral economic and trade between Malaysia and China have maintained stable development," Ng said. According to the Chinese Customs, bilateral trade between China and Malaysia recorded a 35.2-percent increase for the first eight months of 2021 to reach 108.28 billion U.S. dollars. Ng said that in recent years, China has made great progress in many fields, including digital economics, technological innovation, energy regeneration, intelligent transportation and e-commerce, to which the Malaysian government has also attached great importance in its own development strategy. "We hope to learn more from China, (so we) can promote the technological exchanges between the two countries and achieve common development," he said, adding that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RECP) free trade deal, which was signed in November 2020, has opened a new chapter for the development of China-ASEAN relations. The RCEP groups together the 10 ASEAN members -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- plus Japan, China, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. On the upcoming 18th China-ASEAN Expo, Ng said the ACCCIM has never been absent in the past 17 years. "Despite the pandemic, this year we will still attend the 'Cloud Expo'. We will try our best to promote Malaysia-China economic and trade exchanges under the new normal," he said. The 18th China-ASEAN Expo will be held on Sept. 10-13 in Nanning, the capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Enterprises from over 40 countries, regions to attend 18th China-ASEAN Expo Xinhua) 09:51, September 10, 2021 Aerial photo taken on Nov. 26, 2020 shows the view of Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center, the venue of the 17th China-ASEAN Expo, and its neighboring buildings in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) NANNING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Enterprises from more than 40 countries and regions are expected to attend the 18th China-ASEAN Expo scheduled from Sept. 10 to 13 in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. This year's expo, which will be held both online and offline, will see the participation of 397 foreign companies, according to the organizer of the event. A total of 148 economic and trade promotion activities and 26 high-level forums will be held during the expo, in a bid to deepen China-ASEAN cooperation in multiple fields and consolidate the high-level dialogue platform between the two sides, said Jin Yuan, an official with the Ministry of Commerce. The expo will have a total exhibition area of 102,000 square meters, approximately the same as the earlier editions, Jin said. This year marks the 30th anniversary of dialogue relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The 18th China-ASEAN Expo is expected to help expand the platform functions of the expo. It will also further serve the Belt and Road construction and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) China starts campaign for cultivating skilled workers 09:52, September 10, 2021 By Li Xinping ( People's Daily Students at a vocational school in Qianxi city, southwest Chinas Guizhou province, learn to maintain and repair automobiles, June 24, 2021. (Peoples Daily Online/Luo Xingxiang) Chinas Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) has lately issued guidelines to initiate a campaign for training skilled workers. According to the guidelines, the country plans to increase the number of skilled labor by over 40 million by the end of 2025, and will ensure its proportion in the countrys total employed population rises to 30 percent by then. Besides, the country intends to bring the proportion of highly skilled personnel in skilled workers to 35 percent in its eastern provinces, and lift that in the central and western regions by two to three percentage points by 2025. Highly skilled workers can turn research findings and designs into actual products, contribute to scientific and technological innovation and breakthroughs and undertake many other important tasks, noted Chen Lixiang, deputy head of the Chinese Society for Technical and Vocational Education. Chinas technological advances in equipment manufacturing in recent years couldnt have been achieved without the wisdom of high-caliber innovation teams made up of personnel including skilled workers, Chen said. As of the end of last year, the number of skilled workers in China exceeded 200 million, among whom nearly 30 percent, or about 58 million, were highly skilled. However, there remains a prominent scarcity of skilled labor in the country, with the number of vacancies for highly skilled workers being over twice that of job seekers. Research conducted by Chinas Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Ministry of Education shows ten major fields of manufacturing will suffer from a shortage of nearly 30 million skilled workers by 2025, Chen warned. To ensure that the goals and tasks set out in the guidelines will be achieved, the document specified 20 measures related to endeavors including perfecting relevant systems and policies, advancing vocational education, involving companies in skills training, and enhancing international cooperation in the aspect, which cover the cultivation, employment and evaluation of and incentives for skilled workers. In order to push ahead with high-quality vocational training, 155 prefecture-level cities in 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps in China have offered electronic coupons for training courses this year, allowing impoverished laborers, the unemployed, college graduates and staff members in companies to improve their professional skills with the electronic coupons received through their social security accounts. Data suggest that nearly 1.76 million electronic coupons had been issued and 84,300 of them had been used by mid-April. The guidelines stressed continuously implementing a new type of apprenticeship system with Chinese characteristics for companies. On the basis of the traditional one, the new type of apprenticeship system highlights vocational training jointly carried out by training institutions and companies, policy support and government subsidies, Chen pointed out. Under the new apprenticeship system, companies can cut costs of talent cultivation, apprentices can be better prepared for jobs, and vocational schools and institutions can get involved in the practices of companies, according to Chen. In 2020, Kunshan, east Chinas Jiangsu province, opened its first session of training courses under the new apprenticeship system. The training courses were totally free, said Zhou Qiang, an apprentice attending the courses, adding that those certificated as senior technicians after the training can receive a subsidy of 8,000 yuan ($1,238) from the government. We have also learned from and adopted advanced countries successful experience and practices in training, employing, and evaluating skilled workers, and promoted mutual recognition of vocational qualification certificates among countries, said a MOHRSS official, adding that the ministry will continuously advance relevant work to ensure the success of the 46th World Skills Competition to be held in Shanghai in 2022. According to the guidelines, companies can independently determine the scope for evaluating occupations (types of work), set grades for positions requiring professional skills, develop and formulate evaluation standards and norms, and adopt methods for carrying out evaluation of skilled talents. By the end of May, more than 5,200 enterprises and over 1,800 social organizations in China had been authorized to identify occupational skill levels, and about 2.3 million skilled workers had been rated qualified and received their certificates. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Chinese craftsman creates inside painting works Xinhua) 09:58, September 10, 2021 Photo taken on Sept. 4, 2021 shows inside painting works of Wang Ziyong at a museum featuring inside painting in Taocheng District of Hengshui City, north China's Hebei Province. Inside painting, or inner painting, is a traditional Chinese art form. It originally involves tiny snuff bottles which have pictures and calligraphy painted on the inside surface of the bottle. Snuff bottle paintings are produced by manipulating a specialized brush through the neck of the bottle. The process of painting, which is totally reversed inside the bottle, requires absolute precision from the artist. Wang Ziyong, 52, an inside painting craftsman, studied inside painting with his father Wang Ruicheng since childhood. After graduating from college, Wang returned to Hengshui City and devoted himself to the artwork. Thanks to years of practice, he quickly developed his own style. In order to better paint the color highlights and handle details, Wang developed a new type of brush, which improved the drawing efficiency. He also developed different styles to create inside painting, not only inside snuff bottles, but also inside pencil vases, crystal balls, tea sets and folding screens. In 1995, he gave up the traditional workshop-style production mode of inside painting and established a modern enterprise, integrating development, design, production, processing and sales of the artwork. In 2003, with the help of his father, Wang founded a museum in Hebei themed on inside paintings, showing the historical development and creative process of the art. In 2006, inside painting was added to the list of national intangible cultural heritages. In 2012, Wang Ziyong was named the inheritor of provincial intangible cultural heritage projects. During all these years, Wang has won many prizes with his innovative artwork, and offered training to 38 apprentices, trying to make this traditional skill shine a new light. "I hope more people can feel the charm of Hengshui inside painting in the future," Wang said. (Xinhua/Jin Haoyuan) (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Investigation of U.S. labs necessary for COVID-19 origins tracing: S. African media Xinhua) 10:01, September 10, 2021 JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- It is a great irony that while the United States blames China for the coronavirus and tries to play up the lab leak theory, it has refused to allow investigations into its own biowarfare activities which potentially pose a danger to the world, wrote a senior editor with the South African news and information website Independent Online (IOL). Shannon Ebrahim, group foreign editor for Independent Media which own the IOL, said in an opinion article recently that the World Health Organization (WHO) released a joint WHO-China study on the origins of COVID-19, which found that a leak from the Wuhan laboratory was highly unlikely. "The US was part of the WHO-China study group, but continues to cast aspersions on the authenticity of the report. But more than 80 countries have supported the joint WHO-China study," she wrote. Ebrahim said the United States has continued to make a case about China's culpability, "but the U.S. report, which was released on August 27, has been widely criticised for having politicised the issue, and being anti-science." "While the U.S. continues to create a narrative around China, it hides the fact that it is the largest funder and implementer of coronavirus research worldwide," Ebrahim added. She pointed out that the United States has over 200 bio labs outside the country, but the international community knows nothing about whether the activities in those laboratories are consistent with the Biological Weapons Convention. "A security incident at any one of them could have catastrophic consequences for the world," she said. China has made a request for the WHO to investigate U.S. Fort Detrick biological lab and the University of North Carolina in terms of COVID-19 origins tracing, but this has so far been denied, the columnist said. "Given the many questions that still exist around the origins of COVID-19, such investigations are imperative in order to make proper and accurate findings," she added. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Chinese vice premier urges better use of foreign investment Xinhua) 10:04, September 10, 2021 XIAMEN, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua called for efforts to better use foreign investment Thursday. Hu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at a meeting in Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province. China supports foreign-funded enterprises to seek better development, encourages them to increase expenditure on research and development, and will channel more foreign investment into advanced manufacturing and modern services sectors, Hu said. Efforts will be made to foster a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment, and improve services for foreign-funded firms, Hu added. The vice premier also stressed further increasing foreign investment, optimizing its structure and boosting the confidence of foreign-funded companies. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) 3D printing technology propels intelligent construction Xinhua) 10:05, September 10, 2021 Photo taken on Aug. 30, 2021 shows the 3D-printed park at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center in south China. (China MCC20 Group Corp., Ltd./Handout via Xinhua) SHENZHEN, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- A 3D-printed park with a total area of 5,523 square meters and a greening rate of 88 percent was recently unveiled at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center in south China. Sculptures, benches, flower beds, retaining walls and kerbs in the park have all been completed using concrete construction technology of robotic 3D printing, with a self-developed software control platform, printing toolhead and concrete printing materials. The 3D printing technology has propelled intelligent construction to move from laboratory to the industry. Users can input the digitally designed model into the system, where the digital model will be automatically processed into control signals of the printing equipment. The concrete mixture then reaches the nozzle at the front end of the mechanical arm through the extrusion device and is finally printed under signal control. According to a report by Askci, a market consultation firm based in Shenzhen, the scale of China's 3D printing industry reached 20.3 billion yuan (3.14 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020, accounting for 24 percent of the global total and an increase of 31 percent compared with 2019. And it is estimated to reach 25.1 billion yuan in 2021, up 24 percent from last year. As a form of intelligent construction, concrete construction technology of robotic 3D printing boasts great advantages, said Xu Weiguo, professor at the School of Architecture of Tsinghua University, who led the technical support team. The technology saves time and human effort, Xu said, adding that the park was constructed in just two and a half months. It is also environment friendly. For example, the machine-made sand, one of the recyclable construction materials used in the concrete mixture, is made from waste grains of sand, he said. Compared with reinforced concrete, 3D printing is relatively cheap since the building simulation stage will solve technical problems in advance and come up with the optimum construction method, Xu added. Xu and his team have explored intelligent construction in other formats as well. They have attempted to print huts that can be opened and closed based on the weather in the suburbs of Zhangjiakou City, a landscape bridge in Shanghai that can accommodate at least four adults per square meter at the same time, and low-cost, sustainable and affordable housing in Africa. The intelligent construction is still in its infancy, but the digitalization of the construction industry has bright prospects, said Zhang Yu, an official with the construction bureau of Shenzhen's Bao'an district. With the rising labor costs, manpower will be replaced with robots and intelligent systems, Zhang said, adding the integration of digital design and construction has the potential to redefine the future of architecture. Xu's team is working on the construction technology and production materials, aiming to achieve breakthroughs in high-performance concrete materials and printing high-rise buildings. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Taiwan entertainers welcome to boost career on mainland: spokesperson Xinhua) 10:08, September 10, 2021 BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- A mainland spokesperson on Thursday expressed support for cross-Strait cultural exchanges and welcomed entertainers from Taiwan to develop their career on the mainland. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the statement in response to the remarks of Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen related to an actress from the island who had worked on the mainland. By obstructing career development of Taiwan entertainers on the mainland, some political forces and media in Taiwan have attempted to undermine cultural exchanges across the Strait, trigger confrontation between people on both sides and worsen cross-Strait relations, Zhu said. "I hope people of Taiwan can see through such attempts that aim to alienate them from people on the mainland," Zhu said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Commissioner's office of Chinese foreign ministry urges British politicians to stop vilifying national security law in Hong Kong Xinhua) 10:09, September 10, 2021 Photo taken on June 29, 2020 shows a billboard about the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Wang Shen) The spokesperson said the relevant members of the "Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China" refused to comply with lawful requests of the Hong Kong police, and the police arrested them in accordance with the implementation rules of the national security law in Hong Kong. To those British politicians, the national security law in Hong Kong is an eyesore, which laid bare their intention of interfering with the rule of law in Hong Kong, obstructing the law-based governance of the HKSAR government and undermining Hong Kong's peace and stability. HONG KONG, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Thursday strongly disapproved and firmly opposed the tweet by British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab about the Hong Kong police's arrest of members of a notorious anti-China group in accordance with law. A few Western politicians ignored facts and confused black and white, the spokesperson of the office said, adding that to those politicians, the national security law in Hong Kong is an eyesore, which laid bare their intention of interfering with the rule of law in Hong Kong, obstructing the law-based governance of the HKSAR government and undermining Hong Kong's peace and stability. That is gross interference into Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs at large, the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the relevant members of the "Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China" refused to comply with lawful requests of the Hong Kong police, and the police arrested them in accordance with the implementation rules of the national security law in Hong Kong. It is a necessary move to safeguard the authority of the national security law in Hong Kong, demonstrating that laws shall be observed and rigorously enforced, the spokesperson said. The national security law in Hong Kong protects the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents, but any rights and freedoms have clear borderlines defined by law, the spokesperson said, stressing that those who cross the red lines will be punished by law and no one has the privilege to be above law. The spokesperson pointed out that major positive changes have taken place in Hong Kong since the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong. People enjoy a peaceful life, social justice is upheld, and the Hong Kong society is back on track, the spokesperson said. Opinion polls showed that the majority of Hong Kong residents have greater confidence in the future of "one country, two systems" and believe that the freedoms and rights enshrined in the HKSAR Basic Law have not been impacted in any way, the spokesperson said. Facts have proved that the national security law in Hong Kong protects the safety, stability and tranquillity of Hong Kong and ensures the steady and sustained implementation of "one country, two systems," the spokesperson said, adding that anyone who truly supports the rule of law in Hong Kong and hopes for prosperity and stability of Hong Kong will applaud the law. The spokesperson stressed that Hong Kong is part of China and Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs. The Chinese side urged the politicians to immediately stop supporting anti-China destabilizing forces in Hong Kong, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and its rule of law, and stop meddling with China's internal affairs in any form. Otherwise, they will be firmly counterattacked by the Chinese people, said the spokesperson. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) China's regulator stresses opening-up, cross-border cooperation Xinhua) 10:13, September 10, 2021 BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's securities regulator has pledged to roll out more measures to expand opening-up, while calling for strengthening cross-border regulatory cooperation. China will study and introduce relevant measures to further expand opening-up, including expanding the country's Stock Connect programs and increasing the supply of international futures products, according to Yi Huiman, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission. Major global financial centers, with developed capital markets, should offer services to global investors and facilitate cross-border financing and investment, Yi noted, stressing that the centers should not be used as the platform and tool for governments to suppress other countries. Adhering to the principles of mutual respect, effective communication, mutual benefit and win-win results, China will carry out pragmatic cooperation with relevant parties in areas including the supervision of China-concept stocks, cross-border audit supervision and law-enforcement cooperation, Yi said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Xi places great hopes on Chinese educators, education Xinhua) 10:53, September 10, 2021 BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday celebrated its 37th Teachers' day. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has placed high hopes on people working in the education sector and pointed out the direction for the future development of Chinese education. The following are the main points of some remarks he made in this regard: -- A good teacher should be one who has both profound knowledge to share and moral integrity to lead. -- Educators should set an example for students to study, do things, and pursue integrity, helping them grow into well-rounded people. -- Teaching is one of the most honorable professions. All educators must cherish the teaching profession and the glory that it brings them, be strict with themselves, and improve with continuous efforts. -- The social norms of respecting teachers and valuing education should be promoted within the Party and the entire society to foster an enabling environment in which outstanding individuals want to teach, teachers can live out their talents, and great educators keep emerging. -- Education is of vital importance to the nation and the Party. -- Chinese education is capable of nurturing maestros. We should have faith in that. In the meantime, we should concretely improve Chinese education with broader visions and efforts to draw on others' experiences. -- We must fast-track developing equal education for everyone to ensure every individual, no matter male or female, living in cities or villages, rich or poor, and regardless of locality or ethnicity, has access to quality education. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) U.S. intelligence report on origins of COVID-19 misleading, says Ethiopian official Xinhua) 12:44, September 10, 2021 ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. intelligence agency's report on the origins of COVID-19 is misleading and can be cited as a showcase for politicizing scientific issues, a senior Ethiopian ruling party official has said. In a recent interview with Xinhua, Bikila Hurisa, head of Ethiopia's ruling Prosperity Party's public and international relations, said the origins tracing of COVID-19 should be left to neutral and professional researchers, dismissing the matter as a non-intelligence issue. "COVID-19 origin(s) tracing is a scientific endeavor and process. Let the world's scientific researchers come together, stand independently and conduct an in-depth scientific investigation to find out the real origins of COVID-19," he said. "Finger pointing and blaming one another will neither solve the problem of the origin(s) of COVID-19 nor halt the spread of the pandemic," Hurisa said, highlighting that no country will benefit from such a blame game. China has managed to contain the spread of the virus in a short period of time, thanks to the country's commitment, leadership and governance, Hurisa said, adding that this was a major contribution China has made to the world amid the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. He added that the world can learn from China's success in putting COVID-19 under control, not least its strong leadership and effective supply of medical equipment and vaccines. Ethiopia has received much help, such as medical supplies and technical assistance, from China to fight the pandemic, Hurisa said. "We are looking into China's experience in how to successfully prevent COVID-19, (and in its) vaccination process and post-pandemic efforts to regenerate the economy," noted the official. With the support of the Chinese government, Ethiopia has reduced the risk of possible deaths as well as economic and social crises, he said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Ecuadorian president thanks China for helping achieve COVID-19 vaccination goal Xinhua) 13:11, September 10, 2021 QUITO, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso on Thursday thanked China for providing the South American country with COVID-19 vaccines to help his government achieve the goal of immunizing 9 million people in 100 days. "We must especially thank China, its president, the government and the Chinese people, who understood our urgency and provided us with over 65 percent of the vaccines that we applied in the first phase of our vaccination plan," Lasso said during a celebration marking the milestone, calling the plan a "success." "The world did not let us down," said Lasso, who has been in office since May 24. "There was solidarity, and we reached our goal at an accelerated pace." On Sept. 1, the government reported that it had fully vaccinated 9 million people, representing 52 percent of the total population and 75 percent of those aged over 16. According to the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health, most of the vaccines administered in the country were developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech, and the country's vaccination drive is also being reinforced with vaccines made by Chinese pharmaceutical firm CanSino. Noting that Ecuador now has sufficient vaccines, Lasso said in order to fully reactivate the country, the focus will now be on herd immunity, or getting 85 percent of the total population vaccinated, which is expected to be reached by the end of the year. During the event, Adrian Diaz, acting representative of the Pan American Health Organization in Ecuador, also recognized the successful achievement of the Ecuadorian government in meeting its vaccination goal. As of Wednesday, Ecuador had accumulated 504,781 COVID-19 cases and 22,881 deaths. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Chinese peoples willingness to travel overseas increases: survey People's Daily Online) 15:02, September 10, 2021 A report on travel trends in China focusing on Europe has indicated that the willingness of Chinese people to travel abroad is gradually increasing, with the consumer spending outlook being relatively bright, China.org.cn reported. Tourists take selfie in the old city of Toledo, Spain, Sept. 22, 2020. Tourism in Toledo has been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo/Xinhua) The report is based on a survey jointly carried out by the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions and the China Tourism Academy (CTA), the latter of which serves as the data center for Chinas Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The survey collected 5,335 questionnaires from respondents in Chinas 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities who have travelled outside Asia over the past three years, containing a series of information, such as peoples travel willingness, the transportation modes that they prefer to take, and concerns regarding vaccine passports, among others. The report was released at a seminar on China-Europe travel trends held on Sept. 8 at the Dutch Embassy in Beijing. While delivering a speech at the meeting, Dai Bin, head of the CTA, said that confidence in the tourism market is recovering, and the revival of the sector is irreversible. Earlier at the BRICS Tourism Ministers Meeting, a senior official at Chinas Ministry of Culture and Tourism expressed that China would study the plan to relax restrictions on inbound and outbound travel at an appropriate time in accordance with the situation of the global pandemic. In the speech, Dai expressed hope that the pandemic will be contained around the globe as soon as possible so that people around the world can travel freely. At that time, the people of Europe will be able to travel to China via the New Silk Road to learn more about the ancient, modern and open country. During the seminar, the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions also released a report on outbound travel trends in Europe. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) You started Geneva Watch Days in 2020. The second edition has just finished. Will you be repeating it in 2022? Where the traditional watch fairs failed, the Geneva Watch Days have proved to be more agile, more flexible and completely decentralised. Every brand is free to take part or not, and to set up their exhibit wherever they wish: in a boutique, a hotel or a manufacture. The main tent is open to the public, and its completely free. Everything is managed by the brands themselves, which each designate their own project manager. Together, we decide on security protocols, hospitality provisions, promotion, etc. In the event of a health crisis or other unexpected issue, its very easy to change the date, because theres no organising entity that has to cover its fixed costs. We win together, or we lose together. The Geneva Watch Days have become a brand in their own right; it would be entirely possible to export the concept to other cities. Were discussing it now. The third edition will probably take place at the end of August 2022 in Geneva, just before the most important time of the year for luxury watch sales September to January and many retailers appreciate that. Before that, Bulgari will have an exhibition in Geneva in the spring, when all the brands will be there. But we havent yet decided whether well welcome our clients at Watches & Wonders or in the city. Octo Roma Worldtimer from Bulgari WorldTempus/Jordy Bellido How has Bulgari adapted to the health crisis, which is lasting longer than we had hoped? To the extent that practically all our shops around the world have been able to reopen, barring some periodic closures, the situation is far more positive than it was. Indeed, watch exports have returned to the levels we saw in July 2019, which wasnt a bad year. And Bulgari is part of that. Weve recorded double-digit growth since the start of the year, boosted by the launch of the Aluminium collection. This range has attracted a new, younger clientele just entering the luxury segment, and Aluminium is perfectly suited to them. The Seduttori, which we launched last year, has performed a similar function for women, and the Octo remains extremely resilient. To support this growth, we left our workshops open during the summer vacation period, when the watch industry typically takes a holiday, in order to keep up our production capacity. In fact, Id like to thank all our employees who agreed to work during this period. The main consequence of the public health crisis has been the cessation of retail travel; luxury shopping tourism was a big deal for the Chinese, who could afford to fly business class with what they saved in VAT on their luxury purchases. At the end of the day, this market segment is highly volatile, because its also at the mercy of exchange rates and customs duties. Bulgari, like many other brands, has decided to redress the balance by refocusing on local clients. In terms of our shops in Europe and the United States, weve taken huge strides in this direction. Were cautiously optimistic that our results for 2021 will exceed those of 2019. Divina Mosaica Minute Repeater Bulgari Have you observed any new consumption patterns among your clientele? Not really in terms of their tastes, but more in terms of their expectations. They are far more interested in finding out whats behind the product. Ethics, transparency and sustainability have become much more important, particularly with younger clients. Today, Bulgari must be not only a great watch and jewellery brand in terms of quality; it must also be a model of generosity and transparency. When comparing equivalent products between brands, young clients rank honesty very highly in their selection criteria. The Octo Finissimo left an indelible mark on the last decade. What will be the next driver of Bulgari watches? First of all, I think we should drop the expectation that we need to set a new record every year! With seven world records and 60 international awards, the Octo Finissimo will, in the coming decade, remain the most decorated watch in the history of watchmaking, and the watch that earned Bulgari its watchmaking legitimacy. We earned that achievement. We reached our goal. But weve ruled nothing out for 2022 and 2023. If you compare us with the car industry, the Octo Finissimo range in titanium is equivalent to a supercar: extreme, high-performance, produced in limited quantities. But the majority of market value comes from GT cars. Our GT range is the Octo Finissimo in steel. Polished and satin-brushed, with a screw-down crown and a depth rating of 100 metres, these watches have a more familiar style, they can be worn every day, and they are produced in greater volumes. But they owe their success to the Supercar the one that broke the mould. And lets not forget that the Octo Roma, with its extraordinary case, has huge potential. All our grand complications are in the Octo Roma line, which is exceptionally versatile, going from the SoloTempo at CHF 5,500 to the Grande Sonnerie at CHF 900,000. We demonstrated the amazing diversity of the Octo Roma at the Geneva Watch Days, with the WorldTimer at CHF 8,150 and the Papillon Central Tourbillon at CHF 124,000, which is aimed at a core market that appreciates watches of a certain weight and size. These generate sales volumes; they are complementary to the Octo Finissimo, whose more extreme characteristics appeal to a more exclusive clientele. Octo Papillon Central Tourbillon Bulgari What was your favourite piece from the Geneva Watch Days? For women, Im totally in love with the Divina Mosaica Minute Repeater! The mosaic tile effect, combined for the first time with red sapphire on the dial of the Diva, is a stunning combination. I think this collection will be immensely successful. In the field of jewellery watches, its highly innovative, legitimate and unique in terms of the colours and gemstones used. This platform could evolve in the future to encompass other precious stones and colours, making it a very colourful collection. For men, I think the Octo Roma Papillon Central Tourbillon is an utterly exceptional watch, as it should be for CHF 124,000! Its simple and very elegant, but also sophisticated, with its jumping hours, the two butterfly hands for the minutes, and the 180 rotation every hour, when one butterfly hand replaces the other. The timepiece is very distinctive, but its style remains understated, focused as it is around its central tourbillon. This will be one of Bulgaris headline watches for the year. Gerald Genta Arena Retrograde with Smiling Disney Mickey Mouse from Bulgari WorldTempus/Jordy Bellido You have also just released a new Gerald Genta design. Yes, the Arena Retro Mickey Mouse is the third watch since the brand was relaunched. We chose the Arena case because of its distinctive character, paired with the retrograde movement that weve decided will be used exclusively for Gerald Genta. It is made by the Bulgari manufacture. Mickey Mouses arm, which points to the retrograde hours, adds a playful touch to this highly accessible watch. The limited series of 150, available exclusively from online shop, is almost sold out. In the context of our contract with Walt Disney, this model will probably be followed by other limited series with other Disney characters. The GPHG celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Youve been on the stage to receive prizes on several occasions (for Bulgari and, previously, TAG Heuer) which meant the most to you? The Aiguille dOr, naturally, because very few of us have won it. It was particularly remarkable for TAG Heuer, because at the time the brand wasnt necessarily recognised as a Haute Horlogerie watchmaker. The innovations we made throughout that period convinced the jury to award this supreme distinction to TAG Heuer. Obviously, Im very proud of all the awards Ive won with my teams at Bulgari, sometimes two at a time. I hope well win an Aiguille dOr for Bulgari one day! Leading Italian comic book publisher Sergio Bonelli Editore and prestigious Swiss watch-maker Eberhard & Co. are celebrating the 60th anniversary of cartoon hero Zagor - the Spirit with the Hatchet - an iconic character created in 1961 by author Guido Nolitta (aka Sergio Bonelli), with an exclusive limited edition of the Zagor chronograph. Swiss high-end watchmaking craftsmanship meets legendary action hero Zagor in a unique object that combines the cartoons distinctive draughtsmanship with the high-quality standards of a lim-ited-edition luxury timepiece, available in only 120 numbered pieces. We very much wanted to enter into a partnership with Sergio Bonelli Editore because it is an Ital-ian publishing house with a remarkable history, born from the genius of a true creative, who has developed internationally-recognised characters," explains Mario Peserico, CEO of Eberhard Italia. "We appreciate the positive values of a character like Zagor, who fights to maintain peace, who takes the side of the weak, and whose distinctive traits are putting his power at the service of a good cause, his yearning for justice and his selfless-ness. A cartoon hero who is celebrating an important anniversary in 2021, and whose reputation and audience has steadily grown over the last 60 years, making it a collector's item. Eberhard & Co., founded in 1887 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, has its own, very remarkable history, marked by models that to this day maintain an unalloyed allure, and has also been capable of cre-ating iconic watches in modern new editions with a vintage flavour. Thanks to Zagor, we are ap-proaching the world of cartoon fans, and Zagor aficionados in particular, who are always eager for news about their favourite comics. Zagor chronograph Eberhard & Co. "The Zagor limited-edition wristwatch is as rare a surprise as it is unexpected," says Davide Bonelli, Sergio Bonelli Editore's CEO. "At our headquarters in Via Buonarroti 38, Milan, we have been eagerly awaiting 2021, a year that marks a number of important milestones for our publishing house. Starting from the 80th anniversary of its foundation by my grandfather Gianluigi Bonelli, who later handed over the baton first to my grandmother Tea and then to my father Sergio. An entrepreneurial story brimming with the emotions linked to the adventures of our characters, among them Zagor, born from my fathers imagination and Gallieno Ferris draughtsmanship. In June, Zagor will reach the prestigious milestone of a sixty-years pres-ence in the news-stands. Among the many celebrations planned for the occasion, a prestigious and exclusive product such as this watch created with genuine enthusiasm by Eberhard & Co. does stand out. The limited-edition wristwatch of the Spirit with the Hatchet, born from the association of high-quality Swiss craftsmanship with comics art. The 2021 International (Bozhou) TCM Expo and the 37th National (Bozhou) TCM Trade Fair kicked off in Bozhou, a city in east Chinas Anhui province, on Thursday. 223 companies attended the expo, displaying traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), scented tea and alcoholic products in two main exhibition areas in the Bozhou Municipal Administrative Service Center. More exhibitions were staged during the expo, including the TCM cultural exhibition and the exhibition on achievements made by local TCM industry clusters. In addition, 220 firms took part in the expo via its online platform. The city has stepped up efforts to industrialize and modernize TCM and make it go global in recent years. Chinese medicinal crops, covering an area of 1.213 million mu (80, 867 hectares), were planted in 2020. Meanwhile, the output of a total of more than 200 TCM producers stood at 35.22 billion yuan ($5.46 billion), up 10.3 percent from a year earlier. The city recorded 106 billion yuan in the volume of online and offline trade of Chinese herbal medicine, ranking first in China. Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the 13th BRICS summit via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 9, 2021. Xi delivered an important speech at the summit. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) China to donate additional 100 million vaccine doses to developing nations China will donate an additional 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to developing countries this year on top of its $100 million donation to the COVAX global vaccine initiative to contribute further to global anti-pandemic cooperation, President Xi Jinping said on Thursday. Xi made the remark when addressing the 13th BRICS Summit via video link in Beijing. BRICS refers to the emerging markets bloc that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. China has so far provided more than 1 billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations, and it will strive to provide a total of 2 billion doses by the end of this year, he said. Noting that COVID-19 is still raging globally, the road to global recovery remains bumpy and the international order is undergoing profound and complex changes, Xi called on the BRICS countries to work together to meet common challenges. Xi underlined the need to promote global solidarity against COVID-19, uphold a science-based approach to tracing its origins, oppose politicization and stigmatization, and boost the research, production and equitable distribution of vaccines as a global public good. "We need to pursue practical cooperation on vaccines, including joint research and production and mutual recognition of standards, and to facilitate the early launch of the BRICS Vaccine R&D Center in a virtual format," he said. To maintain steady global recovery, Xi called for promoting openness and innovation-driven growth and pushing for economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all. BRICS countries should strengthen economic cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefit, Xi said, and they need to earnestly implement the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2025, and expand cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, technology and innovation, and green and low-carbon development. "China proposes to host a BRICS high-level meeting on climate change and a BRICS forum on big data for sustainable development," he said. Leaders (left) of the BRICS countries-Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africatake part in the summit, which was hosted by India this year. HUANG JINGWEN/YUE YUEWEI/XINHUA Calling for promoting the practice of true multilateralism, Xi urged BRICS countries to consolidate their strategic partnership, support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests, and jointly safeguard their sovereignty, security and development interests. "We need to make good use of BRICS mechanisms, such as the meeting of foreign ministers and the meeting of high representatives for security, better coordinate our position on major international and regional issues, and to send out an even bigger, collective voice of BRICS countries," he said. Xi also called for strengthening people-to-people exchanges among the five countries, saying that China will hold a series of activities for this purpose. Next year, China will host the 14th BRICS Summit and the country looks forward to working with its BRICS partners to comprehensively deepen cooperation in various fields and build an even closer and more pragmatic partnership to cope with common challenges, Xi said. The summit adopted a declaration, in which the five countries reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing intra-BRICS cooperation based on political and security exchanges, economic and financial exchanges, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges. Leaders of the BRICS countries vowed to oppose unilateralism and hegemony as well as politicizing the tracing of the origins of the pandemic, and they reiterated their commitment to strengthening communication and coordination on major international and regional issues, jointly coping with climate change and building a community with a shared future for mankind. They also expressed their support for China in hosting the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on teachers to provide good guidance to students, as he greeted teachers across the country ahead of China's Teachers' Day that falls on Friday this year. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a reply letter to representatives of model teaching units named after late geophysicist Huang Danian, a professor at Jilin University. Huang helped China make advances in deep-earth exploration. A good teacher should be one who has both profound knowledge to share and moral integrity to lead, said Xi, urging model teachers, along with all their colleagues in colleges and universities across China, to continue to cultivate their virtue, focus on teaching and keep on innovating. Xi said teachers shall provide good guidance to students and nurture them into capable young people who have good and all-round moral, intellectual, physical and aesthetical grounding and are well-prepared to join the socialist cause. Following Xi's important instruction on learning from Huang's exemplary deeds, the Ministry of Education in 2017 started to identify and honor model teaching units. The first 201 such units were selected from 200 colleges and universities. Enditem The Chinese government on Wednesday unveiled a plan for the green development of the country's agricultural sector over the next five years. The plan, jointly issued by six departments including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, identified resource protection, pollution control, restoration of agricultural ecology and the development of a low-carbon agricultural industrial chain as the key tasks for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). The plan set quantitative objectives for the agriculture sector to be achieved by 2025, which include attaining an overall pass rate of over 98 percent in routine quality and safety tests of agricultural products. By Liu Min and Liu Dan ORENBURG, Russia, Sept.10 -- The Peace Mission-2021 joint anti-terrorism exercise of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states will kick off on September 11. The Chinese participating troops are arriving at the exercise area successively, and the construction of field camp is also underway. The field camp area was a barren meadow when the first echelon of the Chinese troops arrived by train on September 6. In the following three days, command post, communications hub, power station, medical aid station and living facilities were built simultaneously. At present, a fully functional field camp that meets the actual combat requirements has begun to take shape. It is learnt that the field camp of the Chinese participating troops was designed and build by the Chinese side with all the materials and equipment used were delivered from China along with the troops by railway. The field camps of the other seven participating countries were constructed by the Russia, the host country of the exercise. BEIJING, Sept. 10 -- General Li Zuocheng, member of China's Central Military Commission (CMC) and chief of the Joint Staff Department under the CMC, took a video call from General Sir Nick Carter, UK's Chief of the Defence Staff, on September 10. Gen. Li said that the phone conversation between Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson last year has pointed out the direction of development for the China-UK comprehensive strategic partnership in the new decade. The military relations between the two countries have maintained stable development in the recent years, and both sides have conducted sound exchanges and cooperation in the fields of defense strategy consultation and international peacekeeping, Li added. In the future, the two militaries should strengthen strategic communication, maintain exchange mechanism, expand pragmatic cooperation in a bid to promote the sound and steady development of mil-to-mil relations, Li said. Gen. Carter said that the UK appreciates the anti-pandemic assistance China has provided for international community and the positive efforts China has made to maintain the regional and world peace, the British military is willing to enhance cooperation with the Chinese military and jointly meet the global challenges. Leaders of the BRICS nations discussed Afghanistan at a virtual summit Thursday, with participants underscoring the importance of preventing terrorists from using Afghan soil to stage attacks on other countries. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the five-nation group that comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The talks come weeks after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan led to a geopolitical shift in Asia. Russian President Vladimir Putin, China's President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro joined Modi for the online summit. Speaking at the opening of the summit, Putin said the withdrawal of the United States and its allies from Afghanistan "has led to a new crisis" and the "entire international community will have to clear up the mess as a result." He said the situation stemmed from "irresponsible attempts to impose alien values from outside and this intention to build so-called democracy" without taking into account historical features and traditions resulting in "destabilization and chaos." In wrapping up the summit, the BRICS nations called for "refraining from violence and settling the situation by peaceful means to ensure stability in the country." Afghanistan is of major concern to three of the five countries in the group -- Russia, India and China. Putin said the country should not become a threat to its neighbors or a source of terrorism and drug trafficking. In late August, the U.S. completed a withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan to end a 20-year war. Observers say China and Russia will use the opportunity to step into the void left by the U.S., although Moscow is wary of the Islamist ideology of the Taliban and the threat posed by foreign militant groups to Central Asia. Speaking alongside al-Qahtani, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that experts from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have been working to get airport systems back up and running for commercial flights. Mujahid said he expected the entire airport operation to be in place soon, enabling both domestic as well as international flights to resume. Qatar's special envoy Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani spoke to reporters at the Hamid Karzai International Airport Thursday, stressing that it was not an evacuation flight but stating that Americans and other Westerners were on board. The Qatari envoy said there may be another flight Friday and people should "feel that this is normal." Upon landing in Doha, the passengers, including several children, boarded an airport bus, which took them to a holding facility where they will wait for flights to their home countries, AFP reported. One of the passengers told the Agence France-Presse his family had little notice from the U.S. State Department about the flight. "We got in contact with the State Department, they gave me a call this morning and said to go to the airport," said the father, who asked not to be named. Both Reuters and AFP reported the flight carried 113 passengers, among them 43 Canadians and 13 Dutch nationals, their foreign ministries said. One of the evacuees seemed relieved to leave Kabul behind. "I didn't even fall asleep and we landed," said one Canadian passenger who gave her name only as Elaha, according to AFP. "The situation in Kabul was unpredictable and very uncomfortable." Horne added that the U.S. will "continue these efforts to facilitate the safe and orderly travel of American citizens, lawful permanent residents, and Afghans who worked for us and wish to leave Afghanistan." "Today, the United States government facilitated the departure of U.S citizens and lawful permanent residents on a chartered Qatar Airways flight from Hamid Karzai International Airport. We can confirm that flight has safely landed in Qatar," said National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne in a statement. "The Taliban have been cooperative in facilitating the departure of American citizens and lawful permanent residents on charter flights from HKIA. They have shown flexibility, and they have been businesslike and professional in our dealings with them in this effort. This is a positive first step." Taliban authorities allowed a Qatari charter flight to leave for Doha from the Kabul airport Thursday, the first flight for evacuees to take off since the United States ended its military operation in Afghanistan on Aug. 31. In a statement to VOA, a State Department spokesperson declined to provide additional details regarding the Thursday flight out of Kabul. "As we have said, our efforts to assist U.S. citizens and others to whom we have a special commitment are ongoing, but we aren't in a position to share additional details at this time," the spokesperson said. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha, earlier this week seeking support for the evacuation of Americans and at-risk Afghans left behind in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. The administration said it also has been working with the Qataris to get flights operational from Kabul. "We're working through all of these components, and it's the reason why the secretary of State is on the ground, in the region, discussing and negotiating as we speak," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told VOA Wednesday. Thousands Left Behind However, there are many at-risk Afghans as well as some Americans still stranded in Afghanistan, said Hazami Barmada, an independent humanitarian assisting in evacuation efforts. Estimates vary of how many Afghans qualify for special visas for their work with the United States or because of their status as vulnerable groups but they are believed to number in the thousands. As of Thursday evening local time in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, at least one flight of 705 people, including nine Americans, nine U.S. legal permanent residents and 170 holders of the Special Immigrant Visa are still waiting for the green light to depart, Barmada told VOA. SIVs, as theyre commonly referred to, are visas for Afghans working as interpreters and other positions supporting the 20-year U.S. operation there. "We understand that there's a lot of negotiations happening currently between the State Department and the Taliban from what we understand, through the negotiator. And we're really hoping that our flights are not left behind, especially since they've already had the promise of departure," Barmada said. It is unclear how many charter flights are awaiting departure in Mazar-e-Sharif. A State Department official said they are aware of only two charter planes in Afghanistan trying to leave. On Wednesday U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken laid the blame for the delayed departures on the Taliban. "As of now, the Taliban are not permitting the charter flights to depart," Blinken told reporters at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. "We've made clear to all parties, we made clear to the Taliban, that these charters need to be able to depart, and we continue every day, virtually every hour, to work on that." Concerns regarding foreign nationals unable to leave Afghanistan are "misplaced," VOA was told Thursday by Bilal Karimi, a member of Taliban Cultural Commission. "Routine commercial flights remain suspended but as soon as they are resumed anyone intending to leave or come into the country and has with valid documents, passports and visas will be free to do so," he said. Charter Flights Confusion While the U.S. insists it has no role in preventing flights from departing, the administration also maintains that the lack of American personnel on the ground and inability to verify passengers' documentation and flight manifests tare among the main reasons these flights have not been able to take off. "So, a number of these planes, they may have a handful of American citizens, but they may have several hundred individuals where we don't have manifests for them, we don't know what the security protocols are for them, we don't know what their documentation is," the White House press secretary told reporters Wednesday. "Are we going to allow a plane with hundreds of people, where we don't know who they are, we don't know what security protocols have been put in place, to land on a U.S. military base?" Psaki asked. Blinken acknowledged "a fair amount of confusion" around charter flights and said the United States government is "working to do everything in our power to support those flights and to get them off the ground." The Taliban took control of Kabul on Aug. 15, marking the end of a stunning military campaign that overran most of Afghanistan. The return to power of the fundamentalist movement has worried thousands of Afghans, mostly educated and those who worked with international forces, that they may face Taliban reprisals. These locals want to leave the country, but Taliban leaders are urging them to remain and help them in the reconstruction of Afghanistan to prevent an economic meltdown. The Taliban announced their "caretaker" government Tuesday, but some of their controversial actions, including an alleged crackdown on journalists and anti-Taliban protests, already have raised doubts about whether the Islamist movement will live up to its commitments to protect human rights and not retaliate against former Afghan government officials. This scuppers any residual hopes the South Korean government had to form a unified Korean team ahead of next year's presidential election here. A Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson only said, "We'll continue to look for ways to make progress towards peace on the Korean Peninsula." North Korea has been banned from Olympics until the end of 2022 as punishment for refusing to field a team for the Tokyo Summer Olympics amid of the coronavirus pandemic. That means it will miss out on the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics next February. In a press conference on Wednesday, IOC President Thomas Bach said that North Korea has been suspended through 2022 for its no-show in Tokyo. "The exclusion could be extended," he added. "They were violating the Olympic Charter and did not fulfill their obligation as stated in the Olympic Charter to participate." It stipulates that national Olympic committees have the obligation to "send competitors, team officials and other team personnel" to every games. That means North Korea can get no financial support of any kind from the IOC until the end of next year and will also forfeit money it was due from previous Olympics. "The unspecified amount -- potentially millions of dollars -- had been withheld because of international sanctions," AP reported. Bach said, however, that individual North Korean athletes who qualify to compete in Beijing could still be accepted by a separate decision later. But a government official here said, "There's no chance of North Korea doing what Russia did" after it was banned from the Tokyo Olympics over a doping scandal but sent individual athletes instead. North Korea would be too terrified of its athletes defecting. The Japanese government has issued yet another directive in a creeping campaign to disclaim all responsibility for World War II atrocities by fiddling with the euphemism for wartime sex slaves. The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology earlier this year decreed that school textbooks are no longer to refer to the Imperial Army's sex slaves as "military comfort women" but call them "comfort women" instead. The aim is to conceal the fact that the Imperial Army itself was behind the drafting of Korean and other Asian women into sexual slavery. The Japanese revisionist right claims the victims were prostitutes and any abuses that took place were the fault of independent contractors rather than the Japanese government. Tokyo has been tying itself into knots over the issue for decades. Following a Japanese government study in 1993, then-Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono made a famous statement that admitted that the Imperial Army forced women into prostitution at brothels run by the military during World War II. The statement has hung like a millstone around the neck of subsequent rightwing governments. According to Japanese media, the Cabinet on April 27 declared it was in principle upholding the statement, but that it would be "preferable" to refer to the victims as "comfort women" or "ianfu," a euphemism for prostitutes, instead of "jugun ianfu" or "comfort women following the army." The Cabinet was caving in to the demands of rightwing lawmakers who felt that mentioning "jugun" in the context besmirched the honor of the military. At the same meeting, it also decided that it is improper to say wartime forced laborers from Korea were mobilized "by force" to work in Japanese manufacturing lines and mines. They are now described as "conscripted." Following the Cabinet decision, 29 middle and high school textbooks will no longer use the terms. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe created a new standard requiring a unified government view and Cabinet approval for the screening of school textbooks. One textbook publisher decided to keep using the term "military comfort women" but add a note that the Japanese government believes "comfort women" to be the proper term. Previous Japanese governments have acknowledged the role of the Imperial Army and apologized for the "deep wounds" it caused to the honor and dignity of the Korean victims. But since the mid-2000s, increasingly chauvinistic governments have tried to backpedal at every opportunity. North Korean troops in colorful hazmat uniforms paraded through Pyongyang in the small hours of Thursday morning to mark the country's 73rd anniversary. No strategic weapons like intercontinental ballistic missiles or submarine-launched ballistic missiles were displayed during the parade in Kim Il-sung Square, but there were service dogs, mounted troops, tractors, and motorcycles. Greeted with a 21-gun salute, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wore a brightly colored suit and a tie on the podium and was holding hands of a little boy and a little girl. He did not deliver a speech. In his stead, Ri Il-hwan, a secretary of the Workers Party, said the regime "will firmly defend the dignity and the fundamental interests of our people and solve everything our own way with our own efforts on the principle of self-reliance and self-development under any circumstances." Marching in the front of the parade were a contingent of Pyongyang municipal party members who had taken the lead in recent flood restoration efforts, followed by red guards from the provinces. A mechanized unit of red guards drove motorcycles and tractors carrying conventional weapons such as 122-mm multiple rocket launchers and anti-tank missiles. A midnight dance party by young men and women followed and fireworks crackled in the night sky. The regime seemed to focus on tightening controls and displaying the people's loyalty to Kim rather than a show of force to the outside world. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. 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It was great being out in the community and sharing art with everyone during last weekends Artsapalooza Festival and Experience. Its something I havent done in a very long time, thanks to COVID-19. Even though I was out on the square looking at art, I never truly felt comfortable, even as a responsible fully vaccinated mask-wearing American. I crossed a few items off of my to-do list because they were indoors as well, like the 48 Hour Film Festival at Sun King Brewery. I really wanted to find out if Kokomo has a possible Spike Lee or Greta Gerwig in our midst. But I just didnt feel safe. Im both excited to see art coming back to life and unsure its the right time, as the delta variant surges across the country. Ive skipped some visits to the movie theater because it didnt feel right to do such a thing just yet. I was disappointed to see Phoebe Bridgers and other musicians go out on tour in a pandemic, yet I still contemplated buying a ticket for her Indianapolis show this week. Thankfully it sold out to keep the temptation away. And she did move the show to the TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park, an outdoors venue, and is requiring attendees to show proof of vaccination or a recent COVID test. So, until this past weekend, art and culture has been a solitary experience for me, like it has for most others. I never really minded. Im a recluse at heart. When the pandemic began, I turned to video games like The Elder Scrolls Online, Red Dead Redemption 2 Online and Animal Crossing: New Horizons to cope with what was going on. In the fall I moved on to books, using the time to catch up on my list of authors I hadnt experienced yet, like Emily St. John Mandel, reading new fiction by Indiana writers like Clint Smiths The Skeleton Melodies, finally completing Frank Herberts Dune on my fourth attempt. I also revisited favorite writers like Neil Gaiman, Stephen King and Sarah Blake. Oh how I wish there was a literary component to Artsapalooza, but then again everything would be indoors. So maybe next year? Please? I held my own David Lynch film festival. I watched Avengers: Infinity War again and totally didnt cry all through my Avengers: Endgame rewatch. I saw Hamilton so many times that I should be able to rap Guns and Ships as fast as Daveed Diggs without missing a beat (I cant do that). Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Im in the music phase of the pandemic now. As I watch COVID numbers rise I turn towards the gloom and doom of The Cure and Nine Inch Nails and obsess over newer acts likes Chelsea Wolfe and Lingua Ignota. And I listen to David Bowie. Always David Bowie. I want to go to a concert again. I want to sit in a crowded movie theater and be awed alongside an audience by an unexpected plot twist or a flash of special effects. I want to attend readings at IUPUI and Ball State and get my books signed by the visiting writers. But for now I have Artsapalooza, and I am very thankful for that. Local artist Sherry Temby told me just a couple of weeks ago that people need to fill their hearts and souls with more than just what exists on a digital screen. After interviewing so many artists recently and seeing so much art in person this past weekend, my heart and soul feel very full. How has art and culture helped you cope with the pandemic? Josh Flynn is a reporter with the Kokomo Perspective. Contact him at josh.flynn@kokomoperspective.com Teenage writers meeting at library Hey teens, do you like to write stories? Do you want the chance to sharpen your creative writing skills and receive feedback from your peers? Then join the Kokomo-Howard County Public Librarys Teen Writers Group! Well meet from 5 to 6 p.m. every Thursday starting Sept. 2 at KHCPL Main. Library launches Create With Me The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library has a new program: Create With Me. It provides an opportunity for children 4 and up and their accompanying adult to create a piece of art together. Collaborative art projects are the perfect way to connect with your kids. Theres growing evidence that enjoying playful and creative activities is good for us. Join us any time between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11, at KHCPL South, to create an abstract piece of art using a scraping tool to push and pull a variety of paint colors across the paper. Registration is required. Register online at KHCPL.org under Events. Kokomo Symphonic Society begins Strings Instruction The Kokomo Symphonic Society begins its Strings Instruction and Kokomo Symphony Youth Orchestra (KSYO) on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. Registration for classes starts at 4:00p.m. Classes will be held at Grace United Methodist Church (219 W. Mulberry St.). Classes include instruction for the violin, viola, cello and bass and are taught at the beginning level (4:30-5:15 p.m.) and Intermediate level (5:15-6 p.m.). Highest level students are part of the KSYO and rehearsals are on Sundays from 4:30-6:30p.m. Youth Director Sean Carey is available to meet with students before classes begin to help students determine what class is best for them. For more information contact Jennifer Rollins at 765-236-0251. Kokomo artists place in photography show Local photographers won awards at the Honeywell Centers 2021 Photography Show. Stephen Bolinger placed first place in the color category for his work Red. He also took first place and third place in the black and white category, with Calla Lilly placing first overall and Girl with Hat rounding out the top three selected works. Tamara Roe received an honorable mention. The works will be exhibited in the Clark Gallery (located in the Honeywell Center) through Sept. 27 (8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri). The Photography Show is sponsored by Nicole A. Howard Photography. Craft Corner at South Library The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library offers Craft Corner to provide teens and adults with a free craft time. Drop in between 1 and 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11, at KHCPL South for a scraper painting project. Using a scraping tool, well push and pull paint across paper to create an abstract piece of art. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Registration is required. Register online at KHCPL.org under Events. Bikers 4 Bridges fundraiser Sept. 19 The 14th annual Bridges Outreach Ride will be Sunday, Sept. 19. And the second annual Cruise-In returns as well. The fundraiser benefits Bridges Outreach. Registration is at noon Sept. 19 at Walt Moss Barber Shop, 301 N. Main St. Kickstands up at 1:30 p.m. The Bikers 4 Bridges ride will be escorted by the Kokomo Police Department. Free T-shirts will be available for the first 50 bikers. Free pizza and drinks will be offered to participants at the barbershop. For more information, call Doug Newman at 765-271-9692. 4th Annual Northwestern Invitational Brings Marching Bands to Kokomo Northwestern Band Boosters invite the public to attend its fourth annual Marching Band Invitational Contest on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. The contest begins at 3:50 p.m. at Northwestern Tiger Field with the playing of the national anthem, which will be performed by Northwestern teacher Brett Davis. Fifteen bands will compete, with Attica\Covington and Northwestern playing in judged exhibition. The Northwestern Invitational gives marching band enthusiasts an easy opportunity to see many of the local marching bands in action. Eastern, Lewis Cass, Maconaquah, Taylor, Tri-Central and Western will also compete at the event. Storywalk at Russiaville Branch RUSSIAVILLE - The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library offers storywalks for families with children! Bring your kids and stroll through the Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom at KHCPL Russiaville to read Tomie DePaolas The Knight and the Dragon between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 9. When youre done, stop inside for a surprise. If there is inclement weather, the storywalk will be inside the library. Pirate Day at Main Library Parents of kindergarteners through fifth-graders, bring your kids to the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library for a day of pirate fun! During Pirate Day at the Library, well make pirate accessories, hunt for treasures, and learn to talk like a pirate. Join us from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 16, at KHCPL Main. Dress in your favorite pirate gear for extra fun. Registration is required. Register online at KHCPL.org under Events. Addison Rae has signed a multi-picture deal with Netflix. The 20-year-old social media star has landed a movie deal with the streaming giant following the success of Hes All That, which premiered on Netflix two weeks ago and marked Addisons acting debut. The deal will mean Netflix will partner with the TikTok star to develop new films specifically for her to star in, as well as giving her executive producer roles on some projects. In a press release, she said: "Getting the opportunity to work with Netflix was such a pinch-me moment, and now to be able to continue the relationship is beyond my wildest dreams. I'm thrilled to be able to collaborate with this incredible team and am excited to develop projects while continuing to strengthen my skills as an actress." While Naketha Mattocks, director of family film at Netflix, added: "Addison Rae's charm and promise is undeniable as evidenced by He's All That and her already passionate fan base. We're thrilled to be part of this next phase of her burgeoning career as an actress." Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Meanwhile, Addison recently said people dont take her seriously because of her career beginnings on social media. She said: People have a lot to say about Did she work for it, does she deserve it, does she even like to act? That was the most difficult part for me to comprehend, because I do love acting and Ive done it my entire life, but people dont know that. In a way, I am trying to prove myself. Like, Hey, I do love this, this is a passion of mine. And thats very hard. And the beauty thinks she has to work much harder to be taken seriously as an actress because of her route to fame. She explained: Its hard to love something and have a passion for it, then feel like you constantly have to prove yourself I have to work that much harder to be taken seriously. Zachary Scott Cox, 31, Sharpsville, passed away peacefully on September 4, 2021, at IU Hospital in Bloomington surrounded by his family. He was born in Kokomo on December 12, 1989, to Jeffrey S. and Jana L. Cox, who survive. He was a 2008 graduate of Tri-Central Community Schools and attended IU Kokomo. Zach was a very lovable, generous, sensitive man. He liked a big truck, an old camo four-wheeler and a loyal dog but he dearly loved his God, his family and his friends. One of his biggest joys in life was helping people. His heart went out to both friends and strangers in need. It was not uncommon for him to find work, food, shelter or money for anyone who was struggling. He was truly a jack-of-all-trades and never hesitated to lend a helping hand to anyone who asked. Zach was deeply loved and loved deeply in return. We will feel his absence acutely. We will miss him profoundly. We will always cherish the memories we have of him. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Zach is now safely in the arms of Jesus, Our Savior. We thank God for the gift of him even though the time was far too short. We have assurance, however, that we WILL be reunited one day in Heaven where we will all be happy, healthy and whole, praise God! Zach is survived by his sisters, Jenna (Conrad) Schrock and nephews Brayden, Maddox and Rowen, (Westfield) and Janel (Corey) Littlejohn and nephews Winfield and Webber and niece Wellesley, (Indianapolis). He is also survived by his beloved grandparents Janice and Philip Strohl (Carmel) and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Texas and Florida. Contributions may be made to the Alzheimers Foundation of America (ALZFDN.org) in honor of his late grandmother Joyce M. Schisler or Cancerresearch.org in honor of his late grandfather Jerry L. Hicks. A graveside service will be held at Sharpsville Cemetery on Friday, September 10 at 11:00 a.m. Stout & Son Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Messages of condolence may be left online at www.stoutandson.com. CARMEL, Ind., Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- KAR Auction Services, Inc. d/b/a KAR Global (NYSE: KAR), a leading global wholesale used vehicle digital marketplace operator, will host a virtual Analyst Day on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. ET. The event is expected to conclude at 2:00 p.m. ET. During the event, Chief Executive Officer Peter Kelly, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Eric Loughmiller and other members of management will discuss the current market outlook and provide an in-depth review of KAR Global's strategic direction, operating model, financial performance and long-term roadmap. An interactive Q&A session will follow the presentations. The event is designed for financial analysts and institutional investors. The live webcast will be available via the investor relations section of karglobal.com and a replay of the webcast and supplemental slide deck will be made available after the event. KAR Contacts: Media Inquiries: Analyst Inquiries: Tobin Richer Mike Eliason (317) 665-0366 (317) 249-4559 tobin.richer@karglobal.com mike.eliason@karglobal.com About KAR Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute KAR Auction Services, Inc. d/b/a KAR Global (NYSE: KAR) provides sellers and buyers across the global wholesale used vehicle industry with innovative, technology-driven remarketing solutions. KAR Global's unique end-to-end platform supports whole car, financing, logistics and other ancillary and related services, including the sale of nearly 3.1 million units valued at over $40 billion through our auctions in 2020. Our integrated physical, online and mobile marketplaces reduce risk, improve transparency and streamline transactions for customers in about 75 countries. Headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, KAR Global has employees across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Uruguay, United Kingdom and Europe. For more information and the latest KAR Global news, go to www.karglobal.com and follow us on Twitter @KARspeaks. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kar-auction-services-inc-to-host-virtual-analyst-day-301372626.html SOURCE KAR Auction Services CROWN POINT The Lake County Council is poised to decide Tuesday whether to require face masks be worn by all students attending any elementary, middle or high school in the county, including private and charter schools. Dr. Chandana Vavilala, the county health officer, is recommending the mask mandate to protect students and their families from COVID-19 as coronavirus case counts and hospitalizations near peak levels last seen in November and December 2020, prior to the availability of the free COVID-19 vaccine. "Multiple studies have shown the benefits of (an) in-classroom model of education for all children and an aggressive masking program is our current best option to keeping students in the schoolhouse," Vavilala said. However, a new Indiana law, enacted in April by the Republican-controlled General Assembly, bars Vavilala from unilaterally imposing a school mask mandate; the county council must consent to any health order more stringent than state requirements, as this one is. WATCH NOW: East Chicago school nurses sing COVID-19 prevention song The seven council members agreed Thursday they would vote on Vavilala's recommendation at the council's regular meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Lake County Government Center in Crown Point, where masks are required for entry under a directive issued last month by the Lake County Commissioners. Four votes are needed to put Vavilala's mask order into effect. At least one member, Councilman Christian Jorgensen, R-St. John, already has indicated he's opposed to the school mask mandate. He said any decision on requiring masks should be made by each school board based on local circumstances, rather than having the county compel every school to do the same thing when it comes to protecting their students from COVID-19. "If we do not validate the (health) order, the school boards still have the opportunity the local body elected to run the schools can bring the issue up or not bring the issue up," Jorgensen said. "It would be their decision. That's what the school board is for." Many of the largest school districts in Lake County, including Crown Point, Hammond, Hanover, Highland, Hobart, Lake Central, Lake Station, Munster and Tri-Creek, already require face masks for most or all of their students, faculty, staff and building visitors. After some initial controversy and protests, several districts quickly enacted mask mandates last week after Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb issued an executive order permitting asymptomatic students attending schools where everyone is masked to skip the 14-day quarantine previously required after exposure to someone with COVID-19. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Prior to the executive order, hundreds of students and staff in several Region school districts already were quarantined just days into the new school year, potentially further setting back their education after last year's virtual learning and other COVID-19 disruptions. Masks also are required at the schools in East Chicago and Gary. The health officers in both cities, who operate independently of the county health officer, previously issued face mask orders that each were ratified by their respective city councils. If Vavilala's order likewise is approved by the Lake County Council it would take effect immediately and is due to expire Sept. 30. Watch Now: Riding Shotgun With NWI Paramedics Lake County currently is classified as "orange" by the Indiana Department of Health, which means it's "approaching high spread" of the coronavirus and soon may join the 21 Indiana counties with the highest-possible "red" designation. Altogether, 68 of the state's 92 counties are orange, and just three, including Porter County, remain at "yellow." No Indiana counties retain the best-possible "blue" rating due in large part to the higher contagion associated with the prominent delta variant of COVID-19. Hoosiers age 12 and up can protect themselves from COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death by getting the free COVID-19 vaccine without an appointment at 1,148 locations statewide, including most retail pharmacies, health clinics and hospitals. A full list of vaccine sites is available online at ourshot.in.gov. Proposed Lake County health order Get to know these new Indiana laws enacted in 2021 SHREVEPORT, La. and CARMEL, Ind., Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The XLerate Group announces the addition of a new member to its auction family with the acquisition of Greater Shreveport-Bossier Auto Auction (GSBAA). GSBAA is highly respected by dealers and is the XLerate Group's tenth acquisition. XLerate Group now operates under fourteen auction brands with fixed site and mobile sales in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. XLerate's CEO Cam Hitchcock stated, "GSBAA is the latest step in XLerate's strategy to grow our business, footprint and service offerings by acquiring high-quality independent sales with strong operating management and demonstrated high service levels. Steve Chiasson and Keith Hightower started GSBAA in 2008 and have since expanded and relocated the sale." GSBAA services dealers and consignors in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas. Matt Chiasson, son of GSBAA co-founder Steve Chiasson, will continue to run GSBAA as its GM. Chuck Tapp, EVP of XLerate commented that, "We are pleased to officially welcome Matt and GSBAA into the XLerate family. Matt is a proven operator with a keen focus on customer service. He has an intimate knowledge of the regional customer base and their expectations." "GSBAA's customers and employees will be well served by the resources and depth of product offerings that come with being part of the XLerate Group. I look forward to expanding GSBAA's base of business and continuing to drive its strategic growth," added Matt Chiasson. Steve Chiasson, co-owner of GSBAA, says "Keith Hightower and I are excited for our dealers and our auction family. Joining the XLerate Group gives GSBAA capabilities and relationships it did not have as a single auction. During our time in this industry, we have had the pleasure of working with so many great people. We say "Thank You!" to everyone who has worked for, done business with, and continues to do business with GSBAA." GSBAA has dealer consignment and fleet/lease sales each Wednesday at its Shreveport, LA facility. The auction operates a four-lane arena and wash bay on approximately 23 acres (www.gsbaa.com). Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute ABOUT THE XLERATE GROUP: XLerate Group Auctions are a leading group of independent auctions with over 20 different simulcast online/physical sales combined with remote and off-site dealer sales, in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin. wwwXLerategroup.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xlerate-group-acquires-greater-shreveport-bossier-auto-auction-301372907.html SOURCE XLerate Group Press Release September 10, 2021 Dispatch from Crame No. 1144: Sen. Leila M. de Lima on the Ombudsman's proposal to penalize comments on SALNs If an alien from another planet landed on the Philippines for the first time, it would think that the Office of the Ombudsman was created to defend and protect abusive and corrupt public officials from the citizenry, instead of the other way around. Because that is what Ombudsman Samuel Martires projects to be the mission of his office: to protect public officials from the public, instead of investigating their wrongdoing. Martires even makes it a point to propose a law penalizing citizens who would comment on the SALNs of public officials (in the off chance that they are even given access to it by the Ombudsman), forgetting all the Constitutional Law lessons he has learned from law school and wrote about as a Supreme Court Justice on what is otherwise well-known to everybody else as the freedom of speech, the unconstitutionality of prior restraint statutes, and finally, the purpose of the constitutional mandate on the filing of SALNs. Because of his defense of public officials and their SALN from the public, Martires has come out with another inane question. How come, he asks, everybody is interested in the SALN of the President, when corruption is widespread and endemic among all other public officials? Well, because the President is the highest official of the land, and therefore the people are more interested in his honesty and integrity than the rest of officialdom. Under his watch, Martires has undeniably stood the Office of the Ombudsman on its head, lacking the requisite zeal in running after corrupt public officials and even perceived to be protecting instead of investigating them. If it was all left to him, perhaps, I am sure he won't even investigate and prosecute the suspects in the Pharmally heist, especially if they include his patron Duterte. For Ombudsman Martires, his job as Ombudsman is clear: keep the President's SALN away from the public, as he has already done after denying the request made by my lawyers, and protect the interests of public officials, rather than that of the public. He must have read a different Article on Public Accountability in the 1987 Constitution, because nothing there remotely supports Martires' musings on what he thinks his job is as Ombudsman. (Access the handwritten version, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatchno1144) Press Release September 10, 2021 De Lima lauds PH move to welcome Afghan refugees, pushes for swift passage of bill protecting refugees and stateless persons Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima lauded Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. for spearheading efforts to welcome Afghan refugees to the Philippines following the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan. De Lima, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, said she hopes the legislative chamber will now give priority to her Proposed Senate Bill (SB) No. 379 seeking to promote and protect the rights of refugees and stateless persons in the country. "I commend Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. in spearheading the efforts to accept Afghan nationals who are seeking asylum after the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan. This gesture is a breath of fresh air amid the current depressing state of the world, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic," she said. "It's not surprising to me that this notable act of humanity is made while Locsin is at the helm of DFA. He's got a heart for refugees and humanitarian causes. Welcoming these fleeing Afghan refugees into the country will not only save their lives, but also of their future and culture, including their beliefs that the Taliban seeks to destroy," she added. Locsin, on Twitter, confirmed that the Philippines started taking in Afghan refugees on Sept. 8. "We stay steady where others waver: tonight we welcome Afghan nationals including women & kids seeking refuge. Our doors are open to those fleeing conflict, persecution, sexual abuse and death," he said. Locsin, however, declined to give further information to ensure the refugees' "safety and privacy," saying that "the matter is closed." "It is hard to imagine any other stance being taken in the face of such a humanitarian crisis, not to mention the fact that the Philippines is a signatory to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons," noted Senator De Lima. "It is, in no way, an easy situation for anyone, especially the current pandemic situation the world is facing. But it is during difficult situations that the true strength and commitment of a government to doing what is right that is tested." In response to the current situation, De Lima urged her colleagues in the Senate to take notice and support the passing of her proposed Senate Bill No. 379, otherwise known as the Refugees and Stateless Persons Protection Act. Under SB No. 379, which De Lima first filed during the 17th Congress as SB No. 1854, she proposed the creation of the Refugees and Stateless Persons Protection Board (Protection Board) as the central authority to determine the status of refugees and stateless persons and their eligibility for protection. De Lima also sought to strengthen the government's cooperation and coordination with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Commission on Human Rights and other relevant institutions and agencies. "Ang mga refugees ay biktima ng panggigipit, pang-aabuso at pagmamalupit sa kanilang bansa," she stressed. "Sa ibang dako ng mundo, milyon-milyon pa rin ang naiipit sa deka-dekaang hidwaan, binabangungot ng takot at dahas; marami pa rin ang mga magulang na ang tanging inaasam lang ay mailayo at mailigtas ang mga anak mula sa kaguluhan, at may mga batang ni hindi pa nakatutuntong sa paaralan, walang masilungan at matuluyang tahanan," she added. In welcoming refugees, the lady Senator from Bicol said Filipinos need to stay true to their nature as a warm and hospital people. "Ipakita po natin ang totoo at mabuting katangian ng mga lahing Pilipinoang pusong mapagmalasakit at bukas-palad na pagtulong sa kapwa. We also have to do our share as a responsible member of a global community who needs to lean into each other in times of hardships and difficulty," she said. Back in May 2015, De Lima proposed that the Philippines, along with fellow ASEAN member-states, should send rescue ships to help the Rohingya refugees or "boat people" still stranded in the seas, and save their lives. She issued a statement opposing the initially reported plans to turn away refugees who cannot present travel documents. She clarified that, while the lack of travel documents would normally warrant exclusion proceedings, "asylum seekers cannot always be expected to obtain travel documents particularly where the agent of persecution is the state. Hence, their situation deserves to be treated and examined in a different context." She pointed out that, despite lack of passports "a process is in place" to grant "genuine asylum seekers" the protection of the Philippine government, referring to the Department of Justice's Department Circular No. 058, issued in October 2012, titled "Establishing the Refugee and Stateless Status Determination Procedure," which was an achievement hailed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in November 2012 as making the Philippines "the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to establish a procedure to protect both refugees and stateless people." De Lima then had occasion to point out that the Philippines has a strong tradition of aiding and welcoming refugees and asylum seekers dating even before the 1954 Convention. She cited the admission of 1,500 Jewish refugees who had been denied asylum in other countries during World War II, and up to 2,700 Vietnamese boat people also sought refuge in Philippines in the 1970s. "The Philippines is willing to share to other Southeast Asian countries its experience in the management of asylum seekers," De Lima said. De Lima's statements were recognized by then UNHCR Representative in the Philippines, Bernard Kerblat, and the International Organization for Migration in the Philippines (IOM). As Senator, she also supported a draft resolution submitted to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) expressing serious concerns over the humanitarian crisis affecting the Rohingya people in Myanmar. Press Release September 10, 2021 Bong Go supports digitalization of financial transactions amid pandemic as he continues to push for passage of his E-governance bill Senator Christopher "Bong" Go emphasized the necessity of financial transaction digitalization in the face of the pandemic, asserting that it will not only aid the country's economic recovery but also keep people safe. "Nandyan na ang internet bagamat kailangan rin itong maimprove pa. Meron na tayong teknolohiya na available sa atin. Gamitin natin para makatulong sa pagbangon ng bansa mula dito sa krisis na ito at sa patuloy na pag-unlad," said Go. "Sa katunayan niyan, isa tayo sa pinakaunang bansa na nag-introduce ng konsepto ng 'mobile money services.' Gamit itong services na ito, nagagawa na natin ang mga money transactions, katulad ng fund transfers at remittances, pagbabayad ng bills, at pagbili ng mga produkto," he further explained. Governor Benjamin Diokno of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas indicated in a Senate briefing on September 9 that the country's objective is to have at least 50% of all financial transactions in digital form by 2023. Filipinos are always exploring various types of financial access and payment services, according to the BSP, especially with the rise of the internet and the simplicity and security it provides. "Filipinos have been at the forefront of adopting technology to improve their lives. Mas ligtas, mas convenient, at mas maayos," said Go. However, Go stated that the government must play a role in the digital era transition. This is why he introduced Senate Bill No. 1738, also known as the E-Governance Act. Under such a measure, the government will collaborate with citizens, the private sector, and other stakeholders to better serve its mission and bring the government closer to the people by using the power and potential of information and communications technology. SBN 1738 will provide for the establishment of an integrated, interconnected, and interoperable information and resource-sharing and communications network spanning the entirety of the national and local government, an internal records management information system, an information database, and digital portals for the delivery of public services. The measure likewise pushes for the digitization of paper-based and other traditional modes of workflows for a more efficient and transparent public service. The heads of government agencies are also mandated to comply with the requirements of the bill, including related standards for all ICT infrastructure, systems, equipment, designs, and other technologies promulgated by the Department of Information and Communications Technology. The bill also provides for the establishment of the Integrated Government Network which will act as the primary means for the sharing and communication of resources, information, and data through and on digital and electronic platforms across all of the government. The IGN will also act as the government's primary and focal information management tool and communications network. The measure then creates a corporate body to be known as Philippine Infostructure Management Corporation for the purpose of ensuring the proper and efficient operations and management of the country's ICT assets, as well as a training institution in recognition of the critical role of educating both the public and the government in ICT. Go highlights that this proposed measure will accelerate the digital transformation by removing the delays and other issues that come with traditional governance in communications, resource sharing, and information sharing. More importantly, Go stressed that, through e-governance, the public will feel that the government is actually and truly at their fingertips. "Nagbabago na po ang panahon. Meron na tayong makabagong pamamaraan ng pamumuhay. Meron na tayong makabagong teknolohiya. Hindi dapat nagpapahuli ang ating gobyerno. In fact, the government should spearhead the country's transition to the digital age," he said. "Bukod pa rito, mababawasan rin ang red tape at corruption kung mapapabilis ang mga proseso at transaksyon sa gobyerno. Mailalapit natin lalo ang serbisyo diretso sa taumbayan," he added. Governor Reeves asks citizens to hold a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Saturday to remember lives lost during the terrorist attacks. Pictured above, a patriotic display can be seen on the front lawn of Harold Rutherford's, a Vietnam veteran, home on Lambert Cove in Hernando Friday afternoon. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is attending participating at a defense show in London in a move to attract international clients to its nascent military industries, Zawya reports. The General Authority of Military Industries (GAMI), the kingdoms defense regulator is present at the biennial event and will promote investment opportunities and explore long-term partnerships with international companies. We are open to forming strategic partnerships that will help the military industries sectors development and growth, Ahmad Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, governor of GAMI, said. He also added that, GAMI is keen in enhancing domestic capabilities and fostering collaboration between local and foreign suppliers. GAMI created the Military Industry Marketplace, which is open to local and international companies who wish to pursue investments or partnerships, Zawya notes. 74 investment opportunities have been identified by the regulator across six areas of the military industries sector. Defense and Security Equipment International (DSEI) will take place in London from on Sept. 14 to 17. King Mohammed VI appointed the winner in 2021 parliamentary election Aziz Akhannouch as Prime Minister and tasked him of forming a new government. RNI won 102 seats followed by PAM with 86 and Istiqlal party with 81 seats. The PJD party came eighth with only 13 seats, reflecting a resounding electoral defeat from 125 seats in 2016. Following the resounding defeat, the PJD leaders resigned collectively from the general secretariat including Saad Dine El Otmani. In his first public appearance since results were announced, Akhannouch said he will implement an ambitious social and economic reform program in implementation of Royal vision. He welcomed the high turnout rate which was a victory for democracy. Akhannouch said that talks to form a coalition will be on the basis of his partys program which aims to improve health sector, education and spur economic recovery. Your browser does not support the video tag. [September 09, 2021] Teradata Highlights its New Strategy and Plan to Deliver Sustainable Growth and Value Creation Teradata (NYSE: TDC) highlighted the Company's successful cloud-first transformation and ongoing strategic initiatives to deliver sustainable growth and value creation at its Investor Day held virtually today. "Over the course of the last year, we have embarked on a journey to cloud-first and today, we are a new, reimagined Teradata (News - Alert) - a profitable growth company with the right strategy, technology and team to win in a large and growing market," said Steve McMillan, Teradata President and CEO. "We have long been trusted by our customers but what sets Teradata apart is our unique ability to provide a true hybrid, multi-cloud solution, delivering the best price performance at scale in the industry." McMillan continued, "This year we continuously focused on delivering on our commitments, including building our recurring revenue streams into sustainable and profitable revenue and free cash flow. All of which positions us to achieve over $1 billion in Cloud ARR(1) and approximately $550 million in free cash flow(2) in fiscal 2025 and deliver significant long-term value to our shareholders." A Reimagined Teradata At the Investor Day event, Teradata's new leadership team outlined its three foundational cornerstones for long-term growth and value creation: Well-positioned to win in a large and rapidly growing market in the cloud supported by patented technology and differentiated hybrid, multi-cloud capabilities; in a large and rapidly growing market in the cloud supported by patented technology and differentiated hybrid, multi-cloud capabilities; Strong position in the enterprise market, with expanded focus on the global 10,000 companies across seven key verticals; and with expanded focus on the global 10,000 companies across seven key verticals; and Industry-leading management team and more than 7,000 global workforce with rich knowledge and deep expertise. Continued Strong Financial Performance Through Fiscal 2025 and Beyond Teradata today provided financial targets through fiscal 2025, including: More than $1 billion in Cloud ARR, representing over 50% in total ARR in fiscal 2025 (1) ; ; Approximately $550 million free cash flow in fiscal 2025 (2) ; ; Low 20% non-GAAP operating margin in fiscal 2025 (3) ; and ; and Implementing a returns-based capital return program of at least 50% of free cash flow annually through fiscal 2025(2). For fiscal 2022, the company preliminarily estimates: At least 70% growth in Cloud ARR year-over-year (1) ; ; Non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share in the range of $1.60 to $1.70 (3) ; and ; and Free cash flow of approximately $400 million(2). Non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share in fiscal 2022 is expected to be impacted primarily by upfront recurring revenue recognized in fiscal 2021. Reaffirmation of 2021 Financial Outlook Teradata also today reaffirmed its outlook for fiscal 2021, which was previously provided in its second-quarter 2021 financial results press release issued on August 5, 2021: Public cloud ARR is expected to increase by at least 100% year-over-year (1) ; ; Total ARR is expected to grow at a mid-to-high-single-digit percentage year-over-year (1) ; ; Recurring revenue is expected to grow at a high-single-digit to low-double-digit percentage year-over-year; Total revenue is expected to grow at a low-single-digit to mid-single-digit percentage year-over-year; GAAP earnings per diluted share is expected to be in the range of $0.78 to $0.82; Non-GAAP earnings per diluted share, excluding stock-based compensation expense, reorganization-related expenses, and other special items, is expected to be in the range of $1.92 to $1.96 (3); Cash flow from operations is expected to be at least $440 million; and Free cash flow is expected to be at least $400 million(2). Webcast Replay and Supplemental Material To access the replay of today's virtual Investor Day event and presentation materials, visit the investor relations page of Teradata's website at http://investor.teradata.com. 1. Annual recurring revenue (ARR) is defined as the annual value at a point in time of all recurring contracts, including subscription, cloud, software upgrade rights, and maintenance. ARR does not include managed services and third-party software. Cloud ARR represents public cloud ARR, which is defined as the annual value at a point in time of all contracts related to public cloud implementations of Teradata Vantage and does not include ARR related to private or managed cloud implementations. 2. Free cash flow is a non-GAAP measure. As described below, the Company believes that free cash flow is a useful non-GAAP measure for investors. Teradata defines free cash flow as cash provided by / used in operating activities, less capital expenditures for property and equipment, and additions to capitalized software. Free cash flow does not have a uniform definition under GAAP and, therefore, Teradata's definition may differ from other companies' definitions of this measure. Teradata's management uses free cash flow to assess the financial performance of the Company and believes it is useful for investors because it relates the operating cash flow of the Company to the capital that is spent to continue and improve business operations. In particular, free cash flow indicates the amount of cash generated after capital expenditures for, among other things, investment in the Company's existing businesses, strategic acquisitions, strengthening the Company's balance sheet, repurchase of the Company's stock and repayment of the Company's debt obligations, if any. Free cash flow does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures since there may be other nondiscretionary expenditures that are not deducted from the measure. This non-GAAP measure is not meant to be considered in isolation to, as a substitute for, or superior to, results determined in accordance with GAAP, and should be read only in conjunction with our condensed consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. The following table reconciles Teradata's projected cash provided by operating activities under GAAP to projected free cash flow for fiscal 2021. (in millions) 2021E Cash provided by operating activities (GAAP) =$440 Less capital expenditures for: Expenditures for property and equipment (=35) Additions to capitalized software (=5) Total capital expenditures (=40) Free Cash Flow (non-GAAP measure) =$400 For estimates of free cash flow for fiscal 2022 and fiscal 2025, Teradata is not providing a reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP measure (cash provided by operating activities estimate) as non-GAAP adjustments relate to events that have not yet occurred and would be unreasonably burdensome to forecast. 3. Teradata reports its results in accordance with GAAP. However, as described below, the Company believes that certain non-GAAP measures such as non-GAAP earnings per diluted share, or EPS, and non-GAAP operating margin, which exclude certain items (as well as free cash flow) are useful for investors. Our non-GAAP measures are not meant to be considered in isolation to, as substitutes for, or superior to, results determined in accordance with GAAP, and should be read only in conjunction with our condensed consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. Each of our non-GAAP measures do not have a uniform definition under GAAP and therefore, Teradata's definition may differ from other companies' definitions of these measures. The following tables reconcile Teradata's projected EPS under GAAP to the Company's projected non-GAAP EPS for fiscal 2021, which exclude certain specified items. Our management internally uses supplemental non-GAAP financial measures, such as gross profit, operating income, operating margin, net income, and EPS, excluding certain items, to understand, manage and evaluate our business and support operating decisions on a regular basis. The Company believes such non-GAAP financial measures (1) provide useful information to investors regarding the underlying business trends and performance of the Company's ongoing operations, (2) are useful for period-over-period comparisons of such operations and results, that may be more easily compared to peer companies and allow investors a view of the Company's operating results excluding stock-based compensation expense and special items, (3) provide useful information to management and investors regarding present and future business trends, and (4) provide consistency and comparability with past reports and projections of future results. Earnings Per Share: 2021 FY Guidance GAAP Earnings $0.78 - $0.82 Excluding: Stock-based compensation expense 0.95 Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets 0.03 Acquisition, integration, reorganization related, and other costs 0.42 Income tax adjustments (*) (0.26) Non-GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share $1.92 - $1.96 * Represents the income tax effect of the pre-tax adjustments to reconcile GAAP to Non-GAAP income based on the applicable jurisdictional statutory tax rate of the underlying item. Including the income tax effect assists investors in understanding the tax provision associated with those adjustments and the effective tax rate related to the underlying business and performance of the Company's ongoing operations. For non-GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share preliminary estimate for fiscal 2022, Teradata is not providing a reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP measure (GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share preliminary estimate for fiscal 2022) as non-GAAP adjustments relate to events that have not yet occurred and would be unreasonably burdensome to forecast. In addition, for the non-GAAP operating margin target for fiscal 2025, Teradata is not providing a reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP measure (GAAP operating margin target for fiscal 2025) as non-GAAP adjustments relate to events that have not yet occurred and would be unreasonably burdensome to forecast. Note to Investors This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements generally relate to opinions, beliefs, and projections of expected future financial and operating performance, business trends, and market conditions, among other things. These forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including the factors discussed in this release and those relating to: the global economic environment and business conditions in general or on the ability of our suppliers to meet their commitments to us, or the timing of purchases by our current and potential customers; the rapidly changing and intensely competitive nature of the information technology industry and the data analytics business; fluctuations in our operating results; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of our business transformation program or other restructuring and cost saving initiatives; risks inherent in operating in foreign countries, including foreign currency fluctuations; risks associated with the ongoing and uncertain impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition and operating results, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our customers and suppliers; risks associated with data privacy, cyberattacks and maintaining secure and effective internal information technology and control systems; the timely and successful development, production or acquisition, availability and/or market acceptance of new and existing products, product features and services; tax rates; turnover of workforce and the ability to attract and retain skilled employees; protecting our intellectual property; the availability and successful exploitation of new alliance and acquisition opportunities; subscription arrangements may be cancelled or fail to be renewed; the impact on our business and financial reporting from changes in accounting rules; and other factors described from time to time in Teradata's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and subsequent quarterly reports on Forms 10-Q, as well as the Company's annual report to stockholders. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made as of September 9, 2021, and Teradata does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. About Teradata Teradata is the connected multi-cloud data platform for enterprise analytics company. Our enterprise analytics solve business challenges from start to scale. Only Teradata gives you the flexibility to handle the massive and mixed data workloads of the future, today. Learn more at Teradata.com. The Teradata logo is a trademark, and Teradata is a registered trademark of Teradata Corporation and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and worldwide. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210909006102/en/ [ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ] Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on September 10, 2021 2021/09/10 CCTV: The 13th BRICS Summit was held via video link yesterday. Could you share with us China's initiatives and proposals for advancing BRICS cooperation? Zhao Lijian: President Xi Jinping put forward the following five proposals aimed to advance the high-quality development of BRICS practical cooperation. First, strengthen public health cooperation in the spirit of solidarity. We need to support each other's COVID response, pursue practical cooperation on vaccines, including joint research and production and mutual recognition of standards, and facilitate an early launch of the BRICS Vaccine R&D Center in virtual format. Second, strengthen international cooperation on vaccines in the spirit of equitable access for all. China has provided more than one billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations, and will strive to provide a total of two billion doses by the end of this year. On top of the US$100 million donation to COVAX, China will donate an additional 100 million doses of vaccines to fellow developing countries within this year. Third, strengthen economic cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefit. China proposes to host a BRICS high-level meeting on climate change and a BRICS forum on big data for sustainable development. We look forward to active participation of BRICS countries in activities held by the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution innovation center launched in Xiamen. We welcome the substantive progress made in expanding the membership of the New Development Bank (NDB). Fourth, strengthen political and security cooperation in the spirit of fairness and justice. We need to consolidate the BRICS strategic partnership, support each other on issues concerning our respective core interests, better coordinate our positions on major international and regional issues, and send out an even bigger, collective voice of BRICS countries. Fifth, strengthen people-to-people exchanges in the spirit of mutual learning. China suggests setting up a BRICS alliance for vocational education to organize vocational skills competitions. Going forward, China will host the BRICS seminar on governance and the BRICS forum on people-to-people and cultural exchanges. We look forward to welcoming athletes from BRICS countries and around the world to demonstrate their sporting skills and achieve excellent performance. As China takes over the BRICS chairmanship next year, we look forward to working hand in hand with BRICS partners to deepen cooperation across the board, forge a closer and more results-oriented partnership, address common challenges and create a better future. CGTN: On September 8, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the first Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the Afghan Issue among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan. We noted that a joint statement was issued after the meeting. There is keen attention, both in and outside China, on this joint voice from Afghanistan's neighboring countries. Could you tell us what messages have been extended in this joint statement? Zhao Lijian: On September 8, the first Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the Afghan Issue among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan was held via video link. This is the first time that the foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighboring countries have jointly discussed Afghanistan-related matters, which is necessary and timely and has positive effects. As neighbors who share a border with Afghanistan, we are more eager than anyone else to see Afghanistan get out of war and chaos, and resume peace and development. The joint statement is an important outcome of the Foreign Ministers' Meeting. It reflects the consensus and common will of the six countries, and sends a positive, strong and clear message to the international community. The core essence includes the following: There is no military solution to the Afghan issue. We call on the Afghan side to form an open and inclusive political structure, practice moderate and sound internal and external policies, adopt friendly policies towards its neighbors, make a clean break with all terrorist organizations and not allow terrorist organizations including ETIM to maintain a foothold on Afghanistan's territory. Afghanistan's neighboring countries will stand united with the Afghan people, support Afghanistan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and stay committed to helping Afghanistan achieve peace, security, national reconciliation, stability and development. We are ready to keep ports open for Afghanistan and committed to continue providing medical supplies as well as technical and other assistance for the fight against COVID-19. We will continue our coordination and cooperation on drug control, immigration and other issues and continue to help strengthen economic and trade connectivity in Afghanistan and the region, call on the international community to help with Afghanistan's peace and reconstruction, and agree to hold more Foreign Ministers' Meetings among Afghanistan's neighboring countries and set up relevant mechanisms. This Foreign Ministers' Meeting is the first trial by Afghanistan's neighboring countries to work closely in response to the evolving situation in the country. It also signifies the establishment of a coordination and cooperation mechanism of its neighboring countries. This mechanism and other existing multilateral mechanisms related to the Afghanistan issue are not mutually exclusive, and can form synergy by complementing each other. All participating parties support the continued operation of this unique mechanism so that countries can share policy propositions, coordinate their positions and jointly address challenges through this platform. International public opinion attaches great importance to this meeting and the joint statement. It believes the move marks that Afghanistan's neighbors have found the greatest common denominator in seeking a solution to the Afghan issue and sends a clear message to the international community that the neighboring countries support the building of a peaceful, stable, prosperous and friendly Afghanistan, and will hopefully create a favorable external environment for Afghanistan's peace and reconstruction. Prasar Bharati: You have just talked about the 13th BRICS Summit held yesterday under India's chairmanship. Would you like to comment on the initiatives, BRICS partnership and different agreements of these countries under India's chairmanship in the last one year? Zhao Lijian: I just briefed you on the 13th BRICS Summit. We recognize and appreciate India's contributions during its chairmanship in the past year, including hosting this summit. Global Times: Suhail Shaheen, spokesman for the Taliban Political Office in Qatar, said in an interview on September 9 that many East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) members have left Afghanistan and he did not see that "anyone, in any place" will be able to stay in Afghanistan. He also said "First, we will not allow any training on our territory. Second, we will not allow any fundraising for those who intend to carry out a foreign agenda. Third, we will not allow the establishment of any recruitment center in Afghanistan." However, he did not answer directly whether the Taliban will extradite ETIM members to China. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: We noted these further statements by the Afghan Taliban on the ETIM issue in the Global Times exclusive interview. The ETIM is an international terrorist organization designated by the UN Security Council. It is a direct threat to China's national security and territorial integrity, a scourge affecting regional security and stability and a tumor festering in Afghanistan. Afghanistan and the rest of the international community share the responsibility to firmly reject, curb, crack down on and eradicate the ETIM. China has expressed serious concerns over the ETIM to the Afghan Taliban on multiple occasions. The Afghan Taliban attaches importance to this and has made solemn pledges. We hope they will honor their words, make a clean break with the ETIM and other terrorist groups, and take effective measures to resolutely crack down on these terrorist organizations within its territory. In the meantime, they should step up coordination and cooperation with neighboring countries to forestall spillover effects, and prevent Afghanistan from becoming a hotbed, harbor or source of terrorist forces. China News Service: Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton, when speaking to the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia, said that the world is "grappling with a regional environment far more complex and far less predictable than at any time since the Second World War"; the geopolitical climate had "echoes of the 1930s"; China has grown increasingly "coercive", driven by a "zero-sum mentality", and is undermining the sovereignty of other nations and the global rules-based order. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: The Australian government official openly hyped up the so-called China threat, and wantonly criticized and attacked China. This fully exposed his Cold War mentality and ideological bias. It runs counter to the trend of peace, development and cooperation in today's world, and is detrimental to regional peace and stability as well as Australia's interests. China firmly rejects his extremely dangerous and irresponsible remarks. China is committed to the path of peaceful development and to developing friendly cooperative relations with other countries on the basis of the five principles of peaceful co-existence. We always contribute to world peace and development and uphold international order. We firmly uphold the UN-centered international system and basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. That being said, we oppose the imposition of rules set by a few countries on the international community. The responsibility for the current difficulties in China-Australia relations rests solely with the Australian side. China has never infringed upon Australia's sovereignty. It is Australia that has time and again violated international law and basic norms of international relations and grossly interfered in China's domestic affairs, provoking tension and confrontation as if it wished for nothing more than trouble. The international community can see plainly who is driven by "zero-sum mentality" and being coercive. We hope Australian politicians will stop sensationalizing the so-called China threat and seeing China as the "imagined enemy", or else the stone they are lifting will end up falling on their feet. Shenzhen TV: The head of Taiwan's so-called foreign affairs department Joseph Wu wrote that China's mainland has pressured the UN and its agencies to exclude Taiwan by misusing and misinterpreting the Resolution 2758 (XXVI) adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971 as a legal basis. He added that only Taiwan's democratically elected government can represent its people on the international stage. Do you have any response to that? Zhao Lijian: What Joseph Wu said is purely "Taiwan independence" remarks. There is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. China's representation at the UN certainly includes Taiwan. On the issue of the Taiwan region's participation in activities of international organizations, China's position is consistent and clear. It must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle, which is an important principle established by UNGA Resolution 2758. This Resolution has already recognized the representatives of the government of the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations in political, legal and procedural sense, so there is no such issue of "misusing and misinterpreting" whatsoever. We urge the DPP authorities to stop pushing for de jure independence and political manipulation, otherwise they are just inviting further humiliation. Beijing Daily: Recently several Indian media outlets got a slap in the face for running fake news. Some of them cited video game images and video clips and photos of US fighter jets as evidence of a "full-fledged Pakistani invasion" of Afghanistan, drawing criticism from foreign media and the Indian people. Indian media's concoction of fake news had been exposed time and again. Does China have any comment on this? Zhao Lijian: China always holds that news reporting should show respect for facts. We firmly oppose fabrication of fake news in breach of professional ethics in the name of press freedom. The international community should strengthen cooperation in combating disinformation to jointly safeguard a healthy, rational and objective environment for public opinion. Phoenix TV: The coming September 11 will mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 incident. Do you have any comment? What's your view on the current international counter-terrorism situation? Zhao Lijian: Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 incident. In the past two decades, important progress has been made in international counter-terrorism cooperation. However, the situation remains complex and grave. Terrorism is a common scourge that afflicts the entire human society. To combat it is the shared responsibility of the international community. All countries must join forces for the same purpose, coordinate policies, give full play to the UN's central coordinating role in international counter-terrorism cooperation, attach importance to eradicating the breeding ground of terrorism, tackle prominent issues such as terrorists' abuse of new and emerging technologies, and also stay on high alert to terrorist forces' instigation of terrorist activities by taking advantage of COVID-19. Double standard must be abandoned to crack down on terrorism. Terrorists are terrorists, period. To designate terrorists based on selfish political interests is to condone terrorist activities and hamstring international counter-terrorism cooperation. Ideology cannot be the criteria when it comes to fighting terrorism. We firmly reject attacks and smears against other countries' legitimate counter-terrorism and deradicalization measures under the pretext of protecting ethnic minorities and religious freedom. We also reject the pursuit of selfish geopolitical gains through condoning or using terrorist organizations. The Afghan war waged by the US after 9/11 lasted 20 years. But it has not only failed in removing the terrorist threat, but has actually witnessed the dramatic increase of Afghanistan-based terrorist organizations and foreign terrorists. As the culprit of the Afghan issue, the US should learn some hard lessons. The end of US military intervention should mark the beginning of the US earnestly assuming its due responsibilities. The US is more obligated than any other country to provide the Afghan people with economic, livelihood and humanitarian assistance, help Afghanistan realize stability and prevent chaos on the basis of respecting its sovereignty and independence, curb the threat of terrorism and achieve sound development. Macau Monthly: A group of 13 Republican lawmakers represented by Cathy Rodgers, a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, on September 9 raised concerns about US approval for Chinese telecommunications company Huawei to buy chips for its auto components business in a letter. They asked US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg if he was concerned "Huawei will ... gather information on Americans and our transportation infrastructure". Does China have any comment? Zhao Lijian: These thieving US politicians have the nerve to call others thieves. The Chinese people are indignant! When it comes to stealing and gathering information, the US is the true world champion. Global tapping scandals such as the PRISM program have proven that the US deserves the title empire of hacking more than any other country. It is not the US that should be concerned, but rather other countries. Chinese businesses maintain a good record on information security. Huawei has openly announced to the whole world its readiness to sign no-backdoor agreements and to launch cybersecurity assessment centers in any country to receive external testing. I wonder if US companies dare to do the same. We urge the US lawmakers to actually serve their constituencies instead of smearing others and engaging in political manipulation. Bloomberg: I just like to ask about the telephone call between President Xi Jinping and US President Biden. Could you offer some more details? Also in relation to the working groups meetings going forward, they said there would be a step up in that activity. Could you help us understand that a little bit more concretely? What should we be looking out for in the coming weeks and months to show that today's telephone call actually has yielded some results? Zhao Lijian: China and the United States are respectively the biggest developing country and the biggest developed country. Whether they can handle their relationship well bears on the future of the world. It is a question of the century to which the two countries must provide a good answer. When China and the United States cooperate, the two countries and the world will benefit; when China and the United States are in confrontation, the two countries and the world will suffer. Getting the relationship right is not an option, but something we must do and must do well. With the international community facing many common challenges, China and the United States need to show broad vision and shoulder great responsibilities. The two countries should look ahead and press forward, demonstrate strategic courage and political resolve, and bring China-U.S. relations back to the right track of stable development as soon as possible for the good of the people in both countries and around the world. Both presidents agreed that in-depth communication between them on China-U.S. relations and major international issues is very important for steering the bilateral ties in the right direction. They agreed to maintain frequent contact by multiple means and instruct officials at the working level to intensify the work, conduct extensive dialogue and create conditions for the further development of China-U.S. relations. As to the specifics you asked for, I have nothing more to add. SCMP: President Biden said that the US side has no intention to change the one-China policy. Do you have any comment on this statement? Are you satisfied with it? Zhao Lijian: The Taiwan question is the most important and sensitive issue in China-US relations. The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-US relations. As President Xi stressed during the call, on the basis of respecting each other's core concerns and properly managing differences, China and the US should continue engagement and dialogue to advance coordination and cooperation to inject more positive dynamics into the relationship. President Biden said during the phone call that the US side has no intention to change the one-China policy. ****** Today is Teacher's Day in China. Respecting teachers and valuing education is a fine tradition of the Chinese nation. Students will always be grateful to their teachers and keep with them the guidance wherever they go. To all teachers: Happy Teacher's Day! The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over the Danube Delta - the second largest river delta in Europe. The Danube Delta is a labyrinth of water and land shared between Romania and Ukraine, made up of countless lakes, channels and islands lying at the end of the 2860 km-long river of the same name. The Danube River rises in the Black Forest mountains in Germany and along its course, passes through 10 countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine before emptying into the Black Sea. The Danube Delta covers an area of some 4300 sq km and is known for its abundance of birdlife, as it hosts more than 300 species of birds as well as 45 species of freshwater fish in its numerous lakes and marshes. In 1991, the Romanian part of the Danube Delta became part of UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. In this true-colour image, captured in April 2020, the vast reed beds can be seen in shades of brown which is typical during this time of year. The Danube is visible (in the left of the image) before splitting into the various channels and branches that flow through the reeds and grassland before reaching the Black Sea. The distinct light-green colours in the sea are likely due to sediment being carried by the river. Just south of the Danube Delta lie the lagoons of Razim (Razelm) and Sinoe, visible in emerald green owing to a high concentration of algae. This lagoon complex was formed with the help of the Danube's alluvial deposits and the gradual eastward movement of the coastal currents caused by the advancement of the delta. In the top-right of the image lies the Sasyk, or Kunduk, Lagoon in southern Ukraine. The site has been designated as Ramsar Wetland Site as it is important for migrating, breeding and moulting waterbirds. Data gathered by the Sentinel-2 satellites are used for monitoring land use and changes, land management, agriculture, forestry and natural disasters (floods, forest fires, landslides and erosion). Offering colour vision for the Copernicus programme, Sentinel-2 delivers optical images from the visible to short-wave infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum. - Download the full high-resolution image. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Most often, communications delays between the International Space Station crew and ground are nearly unnoticeable as they are routed from one Tracking and Data Relay Satellite to another as the station orbits about 250 miles above Earth. As NASA prepares to explore the Moon, about 240,000 miles away, and eventually Mars, which averages about 245 million miles away, NASA is developing tools to increase astronaut autonomy to operate spacecraft or systems without assistance from the Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston because communication delays from Earth will last longer. The T2 Augmented Reality (T2AR) project demonstrates how station crew members can inspect and maintain scientific and exercise equipment critical to maintaining crew health and achieving research goals without assistance from ground teams. To kick off the T2AR activities in orbit in April, astronaut Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was tasked with maintenance for one of the space station crew's pieces of exercise equipment, the T2 Treadmill. The inspection procedure is typically available as a PDF document to be accessed on a computer or tablet, which can be hard to hold while also operating tools or flashlights or examining equipment in a tight space. This time, no extra handheld instructions or communication with ground teams in Mission Control were necessary since the information was all in plain sight. Using the Microsoft HoloLens augmented reality (AR) goggles and armed with novel procedure tracking software NASA developed, Noguchi had step-by-step guidance and cues to assist in the work without referring to a separate screen. T2AR is the first in-space operational use of the HoloLens in combination with custom-built AR software, which enables an astronaut to perform unassisted maintenance and inspections on a major piece of crew support hardware. This investigation builds on the Sidekick experiment former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly conducted in 2016. This novel demonstration used 3D directional cues to direct the astronaut's gaze to the proper work sites and displayed the procedure instructions. The device followed an astronaut's verbal instructions to navigate procedures and displayed AR cues and procedure text over the hardware as appropriate for the procedure step being performed. The system also provided supplemental information, such as instructional videos and system overlays, to assist in performing the procedure. "AR tools hold the promise of allowing us to pre-package guidance and expertise," says International Space Station associate scientist Bryan Dansberry at Johnson. "The space station is the perfect platform to test out AR systems and refine these tools so they will be ready when future astronauts need them. Closer to home, these tests help to mature software and AR technology now so expertise and support are available in remote locations around the world." Since that first activity with Noguchi, astronaut Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA astronaut Megan McArthur have also used the AR application aboard the space station. The tests provided researchers with information about how the technology does and does not work to assist crew inspection maintenance procedures. With the completion of this maintenance activity, nine more test sessions remain in the technology demonstration plan. While this demonstration was currently limited to the critical T2 Treadmill, the platform is designed to be used across a wide variety of space station needs in the future, leading to increased crew efficiency and activity execution accuracy. In addition to use on the space station, this technology could aid astronauts on future journeys to the Moon and Mars, when communication delays are greater, by allowing them to conduct tasks without waiting for further direction from Earth. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems division sponsors this technology demonstration aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA's Moon and Mars exploration approach. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Effect of harmful radiation on an astronaut protected by 10 gram per square centimeter aluminum shielding. The picture on the left illustrates 100 protons hitting the spacecraft with energies of 100 megaelectronvolts. On the right, there are only 10 protons coming in, but with 10 times more energy. The blue lines indicate primary protons, with the resulting secondary particles shown in red (neutrons), yellow (gamma rays), and cyan (electrons). The green dots indicate particle-matter interactions. Credit: Dr. Mikhail Dobynde/Skoltech Skoltech alumnus Dr. Mikhail Dobynde and his colleagues from the U.S. and Germany have identified a window of opportunity for human spaceflight to Mars and back in the mid-2030s. According to simulations run by the team, that period will be favorable in terms of the relative positions of the planets and solar activity, with the radiation emitted by the sun offsetting the more dangerous cosmic rays from the interstellar space. The findings are reported in Space Weather. - Beating 1 Sievert: Optimal Radiation Shielding of Astronauts on a Mission to Mars With a renewed interest in human spaceflight, national space agencies and private corporations are eyeing the moon and Mars as the most enticing destinations for the coming decades. But while the news about the space race between Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX might make it look like earlier launch dates are always better launch dates, space weather actually has a major say in when a certain mission is possible or feasible. The radiation hazard in space is a major concern in any long-term mission. It is more than unhealthy for the astronauts, and there is a limit to how much shielding a spaceship can be fitted with before it gets too heavy and expensive to launch. This is why Skoltech researcher Dr. Mikhail Dobynde and his co-authors suggest adapting to space weather as opposed to going against it. A spacecraft on a course from the Earth to Mars and back is exposed to cosmic rays coming from interstellar space and to energetic particles emitted by our own sun, which operates under the so-called 11-year cycle: Every 11 years, the sun exhibits a maximum in its activity, emitting the most radiation. While this might appear counterintuitive, flying a spacecraft to Mars during the solar maximum is actually not a bad idea at all. The reason is that solar energetic particles are easy enough to shield from, and putting up with their outbursts provides an unexpected benefit: The flux of radiation from the sun actually wards off the more harmful galactic cosmic rays. The researchers ran a simulation predicting radiation levels inside a spacecraft. The study accounts for 28 kinds of hazardous particles of interstellar origin and 10 emitted by the sun during solar flares. These are all ions -- positively charged atomic nuclei with ripped off electrons -- with the difference that potentially heavier and more dangerous species can come in from outside the solar system. To give you an idea of how nasty these galactic rays can be, they can actually bump into the atoms making up the spacecraft hard enough to cause a nuclear reaction and make the ship itself radioactive! In that sense, solar radiation is the astronaut's best friend. "We have identified the optimal combination of spacecraft shielding and the launch date which enables the longest flight duration. Our calculations show that the best time to start a human flight to Mars and back is during the decaying phase of solar activity. If the average shielding is 10 cm of aluminum, the mission could last up to four years without exceeding the allowed radiation risk limit. Since the next solar max is coming up fairly soon -- somewhere around the year 2025 -- Mars might just have to wait until the mid-2030s," commented the study's first author, Dr. Mikhail Dobynde of Skoltech. The study also featured researchers from the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, the University of Potsdam, the University of California at Los Angeles, and MIT. The authors continue their studies on the efficiency of different shielding materials and the radiation environments on the surface of Mars and the moon. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. In recent years, meteorologists and climate scientists have been awed by the rapid intensification of several tropical cyclones around the world--a phenomenon that is believed to become more likely in a warming world. This week, Super Typhoon Chanthu provided another stark example of how quickly a storm can strengthen. Chanthu first became a tropical depression in the early afternoon on September 6, 2021. Within 48 hours, it had increased to super typhoon strength. Wind speeds accelerated from 50 kilometers (30 miles) per hour to 260 kilometers (160 miles) per hour. According to NOAA scientist Sam Lillo, only five storms on record have intensified at such a rate. In the late morning on September 9, 2021, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite acquired this natural-color image of Chanthu as it churned the Philippine Sea. By 11 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (1500 Universal Time) on September 9, the typhoon was about 550 kilometers (300 nautical miles) east-northeast of Manila, with sustained winds of 220 kilometers (140 miles) per hour. Significant wave heights in the open ocean were approaching 14 meters (45 feet). Chanthu is a relatively compact storm by the standards of most hurricanes and typhoons. Meteorologist Jeff Masters noted: "Chanthu is a very small storm, and small tropical cyclones are capable of very rapid intensity changes, both strengthening and weakening." According to NOAA scientists, Chanthu had a tiny "pinhole" eye for much of September 8. The typhoon, named Kiko in the Philippines, is predicted to pass just north of the island of Luzon as a category 4 storm. It is likely to arrive at Taiwan on September 11 or 12. The Philippines is still drying out from Typhoon Conson (Jolina), which moved through earlier this week. The U.S. National Hurricane Center defines "rapid intensification" as an increase of maximum sustained winds by at least 35 miles per hour within 24 hours. Some key ingredients for rapid intensification of tropical cyclones include high sea surface temperatures, excess ocean heat content (a measure of the water temperature below the surface), and low vertical wind shear. Warm waters go hand-in-hand with warm, humid air, and both provide vital energy and moisture for hurricanes. Vertical wind shear is the difference in the speed and direction of lower level and upper level winds. High shear rips the tops off of developing hurricanes and weakens them, while low shear allows storms to build. NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Michael Carlowicz. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. As trainer Kathy Cecchin waited in the paddock for Desperate Mans North America Cup elimination last week, her husband, John, asked how the horse was doing. If quiet is good, hes good, Cecchin replied. If asleep is better, hes great. Desperate Man, a $20,000 yearling purchase who in his earliest days in Cecchins stable acquired the tongue-in-cheek nickname 'Slick', demonstrated his usual relaxed disposition by snoozing away prior to his elimination. Fortunately for Cecchin, he wasnt caught napping when it was time to go. In the first of two eliminations, Desperate Man finished second by a length to Bulldog Hanover, charging home in a race-best :25.4 after being last in the six-horse field at the halfway point. The time for the mile was 1:49. On Saturday, Desperate Man will start the $1 million North America Cup final for 3-year-old pacers from post six at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Regular driver Trevor Henry will be in the sulky. Desperate Man is 6-1 on the morning line, fourth choice behind Bulldog Hanover (9-5), second elimination winner Perfect Sting (2-1), and second elim runner-up Whichwaytothebeach (9-2). We are happy, thrilled, and feel blessed to be here, Cecchin said. Im very nervous. Its a great field. They are all great horses. They didnt get here by luck. Everybody worked hard to get here. Desperate Man is a son of Shadow Play out of Dreamlands Latte, who is a full sister to Grand Slam Woman. Cecchin was looking for a foal out of a sister to Grand Slam Woman because the mare produced a successful pacer co-owned by her daughter Nikki and son-in-law Paul Davies named Outlawgrabbingears. Outlawgrabbingears and Paul Davies winning at Century Mile Outlawgrabbingears and Paul Davies winning at Century Mile He is an amazing horse for them, Cecchin said about Outlawgrabbingears, who was Albertas two-year-old male pacer of the year in 2018 and has banked $330,855 lifetime. I was looking to find a yearling that was related to him. I picked Desperate Man strictly based on his pedigree. Cecchin did not attend the 2019 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, but Henry was among a group that examined Desperate Man and gave the thumbs up. Jim Fleming bid for Cecchin and signed the ticket after getting the horse for $20,000. I thought he would sell for more; I was so surprised, Cecchin said. I had taken some little forays into the yearling market before and never had enough money. We didnt know we got him until the results came up. When it said Jimmy Fleming was the purchaser, first I was so excited, I was crying. Then at 2 oclock in the morning, I was lying in bed thinking Id lost my mind. What was I thinking? What was I doing? Nobody thought he would be anything like this. He is very special. Desperate Man got his nickname Slick because, as Cecchin said with a laugh, he was anything but. He was very babyish for the longest time, Cecchin said. He was big and kind of fumbly gaited and just kind of flopped around. He never showed that he was brilliant or anything like that. Then Desperate Man made his first qualifying start. He won in 1:57.2 at Mohawk, pacing his final quarter in :26, with Henry driving. There wasnt a lot of expectations, Cecchin said. When he came home in 26 seconds flat, everybody was all of a sudden like, oh, OK. Thats pretty darn good. As a two-year-old, Desperate Man hit the board in five of six races, winning three. All of his wins were in Ontario Sires Stakes Gold divisions. This season, the gelding has won one of eight races, with three seconds and a third. His victory came July 25 in another Gold division, where he defeated Meadowlands Pace champ Lawless Shadow and Bulldog Hanover. In his three most recent starts, he finished second twice to Bulldog Hanover and once to Whichwaytothebeach. Hes not a horse that can make his own luck, Cecchin said, noting Desperate Man rarely races near the lead. But we have the utmost faith in Trevor that he will work out the best possible trip, and then whatever happens, happens. If hes not good enough, hes not good enough. Its not going to change our opinion of him. Cecchin said Desperate Mans best quality is that hes smart, not to mention very chill. Hes almost extremely lazy, said Cecchin, who grew up in western Canada and is a third-generation horseperson. People laugh at him in the post parade. Its funny. He just dawdles along. Sometimes he stops, looks around. You see the other colts, and theyre very racy. He doesnt get too worked up. Desperate Man is the only horse Kathy trains while John has three horses at the moment. The Cecchins, who had their first date in the kitchen at Mohawk, have been together 30 years and have a 45-acre farm in Arthur, Ontario, about an hour north of the racetrack. The Cecchins share ownership of Desperate Man with Nikki and Paul, who also are based at the familys farm. Nikki and Pauls share of Desperate Man was a wedding gift to the couple. In addition, Henry and his wife Shannon are longtime friends of the family. They have horses at the Cecchins farm and often enjoy holiday celebrations together. Im really glad we are all sharing this, Cecchin said. It certainly makes it much more special. And we have a lot of friends and family coming out Saturday to support (Desperate Man), which is very touching. It means a great deal to us that people are going to come out and cheer. This is a ride of a lifetime, that is for sure. If it has a fairytale ending, that would really be the ticket. I dont know if it can, but it would sure be something. The Pepsi North America Cup is Race 11 on Saturdays jam-packed stakes card that also includes the $392,000 Peaceful Way final for two-year-old trotting fillies (Race 3), the $240,000 Goodtimes for three-year-old trotters (Race 7), the $425,000 Fan Hanover final for three-year-old pacing fillies (Race 8), the $640,000 William Wellwood Memorial for two-year-old trotters (Race 10) and two divisions of the Champlain for two-year-old pacers (Race 4 for open pacers, Race 9 for pacing fillies). First race post time is 6:30 p.m. To view complete entries for Saturday's harness racing card at Woodbine Mohawk Park and complimentary past performance pages, click on the following links: Saturday Entries -- Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT). (USTA) Twenty years ago, the terrorist group al-Qaida carried out the deadliest attack on US soil the world had ever seen. Overnight, al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden became the most notorious terrorist to date. Inspired by pan-Islamist ambitions and outraged by US foreign presence and intervention in the Middle East, this was the highlight of al-Qaidas campaign to shatter the notion of US hegemony and invincibility. Their ultimate aim was to bring back the umma, the community of all Muslims once united by a political authority. Al-Qaida first appeared on the terrorism radar in 1998 when it carried out simultaneous bombings on the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 224 people and wounding more than 4,000. In October 2000, al-Qaida rammed a small boat filled with explosives into the USS Cole in the port of Aden, Yemen, killing 17 US navy personnel. Following the strike on 9/11, so they reckoned, the US would withdraw their military forces from Muslim lands and end their support for its autocratic rulers, ushering in a modern day caliphate. I have only a few words for America and its people, bin Laden declared in the aftermath of the attack. Neither the United States nor he who lives in the United States will enjoy security before we can see it as a reality in Palestine and before all the infidel armies leave the land of Mohammed. Bin Ladens expectations turned out to be a serious miscalculation. Instead of withdrawing military forces, the then US president, George W. Bush, moved swiftly to declare a global war on terror, calling on world leaders to join the US in its response. In October 2001, when a US-led coalition went into Afghanistan to hunt down al-Qaida and oust the Taliban, who had allowed the organisation to operate in the country since 1996, bin Laden was caught off-guard. There was no strategy in place to ensure al-Qaidas survival. Evolution of al-Qaida The 9/11 attacks turned out to be a short-lived victory for al-Qaida. Within weeks of the Talibans collapse, the majority of its leaders and fighters were captured or killed. Those who managed to escape, including bin Laden, went into hiding in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan, an autonomous area bordering Afghanistan. Story continues For ten years, until he was killed by US special forces on May 2, 2011, bin Laden tried but failed to revive al-Qaida and influence its legacy. The next phase (and arguably the biggest mistake) of the war on terror was the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The ousting of the Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein, who had viewed jihadist activity with disdain, led to a political vacuum allowing al-Qaida to rise under terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Upon his death in a US bomb strike in June 2006, al-Qaida in Iraq would become the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) and ultimately merge into the Islamic State (IS). The highly publicised creation of al-Qaida franchises in Iraq and elsewhere including Egypt, North Africa and Yemen, among others, seemed to indicate the revival of al-Qaida. These franchise leaders, all deeply involved in their respective local disputes, had much to gain from acquiring the infamous brand of al-Qaida. The appearance of the black al-Qaida flag in diverse corners of the world sent shockwaves to Washington. Terrorism experts in the west speculated about the reemergence of the group and the severity of its threat with precious little agreement amongst them. Hidden away, bin Laden and the senior leaders of al-Qaida had little influence over the running of the new franchises. This is evident in terrorism researcher Nelly Lahouds careful reading of the Abottabad letters, files of internal communications recovered by US special operations forces during their raid on bin Ladens compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad. In the letters, bin Laden lamented his brothers had become a liability for global jihad during the last year of his life. The new generation of jihadis, he concluded, had lost their way. Upon bin Ladens death in 2011, senior members of al-Qaida vowed to continue the global jihad, promising the worst attacks the world had ever seen. While the vocal threats put al-Qaida back on the international terrorism radar, action never followed. The group formally continued to operate under the command of its new leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. However, it it had no influence over IS, which was beginning to operate with impunity in areas across Iraq and Syria, and orchestrate suicide attacks in Europe. By 2014, IS under the lead of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had replaced al-Qaida as the terrorist group most worrying to the west. Within five years, on October 27 2019 al-Baghdadi was also killed in a US military operation. IS was assumed to be, at least temporarily, defeated. It reemerged spectacularly on 26 August 2021 when IS-K, a local affiliate, claimed responsibility for the Kabul airport attack that claimed the lives of up to 170 people including 13 US service members the deadliest incident for US troops in Afghanistan in a decade. On August 30 2021 the US completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan, marking the end of Americas longest war. Less than a week later, the Taliban announced a new government and declared it an Islamic emirate. Sarajuddin Haqqani, a US most wanted terrorist is the new acting interior minister. On the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks al-Qaida might be defeated, but it is clear that jihadism and the ambition to (re)create a caliphate are here to stay. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The Conversation Christina Hellmich does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Turkey Doubles Down on Ataturk's Genocidal Legacy International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on September 8, schools in the Greek Cypriot Republic of Cyprus were ordered to remove from a curriculum textbook language that praised modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk as a "hero." Turkey has reacted with threats and objection, a response stemming from its continued denial of its Christian genocide towards Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians. It was this genocide that paved the way for the founding of modern Turkey, and also the illegal Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus in 1974. Today, Turkey exports genocide across the world through military expansionism. "It's not possible for books being used for instruction in our schools to portray Kemal Ataturk as a paradigm of a moral leader who 'benefited the people,'" the Greek Cypriot Education Ministry said in a statement. "Because, as it's well known, Ataturk and the Young Turks are responsible for crimes against people like the Armenian Genocide, of the Pontian Greeks, the Assyrians." George Gigicos, Chairman of The Orthodox Public Affairs Committee (OPAC) stated, "We stand with the Republic of Cyprus -- an island of a millennia-old Hellenic heritage. The revisionist history that casts the death throes of the Ottoman Empire and the creation of the Turkish State as a peaceful transition -- without reference or regard to the annihilation and displacement of millions of Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Orthodox Christians -- is the same propaganda that casts the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 as an act of so-called 'self-defense.' The mass destruction of Christian churches and shrines in Turkish-occupied Cyprus tell the truth. Turkish Cypriots -- a direct legacy of Ottoman occupation -- were never in danger or threatened by the Hellenic majority. They lived in peace and harmony in one country until 1974 and should do so again without interference from outside forces." Turkish aggression, harassment, and discrimination towards Greek Cypriots continues today. For example, a cultural activist and refugee victim of the 1974 invasion recently attempted to return home in the Turkish-occupied part of the island. The German magazine Der Spiegel joined her undercover in this attempt and wrote about the continued trauma of Turkey's actions toward Cyprus. Observing one of many experiences during their journey with her, they wrote, "It's her church, at the end of Esperidon Street. The door is nailed shut. Tasoula Hadjitofi sticks her head through a hole where there was once a windowpane. She sees the bench where she sat as a child and the iconostasis she used to pray in front of. The icons are missing from the iconostasis. Tasoula Hadjitofi rattles the door. Then she freezes. She hears the engine of an approaching car, the driver shifts up a gear. She throws herself down on the flagstones of the church and lies there, her face in her hands. The car leaves a cloud of dust." The genocide that Ataturk participated in is the same genocide that destroyed the lives of thousands of Greek Cypriots in 1974. It is a continuation of the same genocide displayed today by Turkey across the region. In August, ICC warned in the report, Turkey's Overflowing Influence: Religious Freedom Implications, "If this is how Turkey treats vulnerable communities outside of its own borders, then how much more so within." Claire Evans, ICC's Regional Manager for the Middle East, said "We are watching Turkey flex its military and diplomatic muscles throughout the region, particularly right now in Afghanistan. Just a few weeks ago, Turkey's President Erdogan stood in Cyprus and said that Turkey and the Taliban are the same. For the victims of the 1974 invasion, this is true. The trauma is still real, the consequences still exist. The ideology of Ataturk destroyed their lives; it is not right to bully genocide victims into praising someone whose viewpoint and actions brought only death and despair. Turkey still illegally occupies northern Cyprus, and they make it clear that they view their work in Cyprus as unfinished business. We should be concerned. And we should support the victims in their right to acknowledge the truth of their own history and current lives." by Vladimir Rozanskij Kremlin and Chinese have invested heavily in Guinean mines, supporting deposed President Alpha Conde. The role of the Russians in the international traffic of cocaine, which also passes through Guinea. Suspicions that the US and Europe favored the coup to weaken Russia and China. Moscow (AsiaNews) - The September 5 coup d'etat in Guinea has upended the global aluminum market plunging Russia and China into troubled waters. The African country is the supplier of a quarter of global bauxite production, a sector of the Guinean economy in which the Russians have invested heavily in recent years. A group of soldiers led by Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya deposed President Alpha Conde, in office since 2010. Guinea's head of state had amended the Constitution to grant himself a third term. Not only the Chinese, but also various Russian oligarchs and politicians had bet heavily on Conde. Evgenij Prigozin, known as "Putin's cook" had also taken part in the organization of the referendum for the constitutional change: a specialist in disinformation and spreading of "trolls" on the Internet to support the campaigns of his boss, Prigozin's teams of cyberbullies have been active for years in many African countries. There is a heated competition between Russia and China for the exploitation of iron ore and various components of the Guinean subsoil. The Baowu group, one of China's leaders in steel production, had its hands on one of Guinea's major mining sites, the Simandou mine. In this field, one of the main players in the country is also the Rusal of Oleg Deripaska, a powerful Russian oligarch. Called "the Kremlin's wallet," and sanctioned several times by the U.S., he owns several mineral deposits in Guinea. Conakry is the main supplier of bauxite to Deripaska's empire, which immediately raised an alarm about the possible consequences of the recent coup. The Conakry regime was well known to businessmen around the world for its widespread practice of corruption, which eventually provoked the military's revolt. In addition to the selling off of subsoil resources, Guinea is also notable for its important role in international drug trafficking. Shipments of cocaine from Latin America, destined for the European market, pass through West Africa. In addition to Guinea, other transit countries are Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde. The drug barons have long been on very good terms with the Russians: in 2013, the German newspaper Der Spiegel had pointed to Guinea as the main crossroads for international cocaine smuggling. In 2019, authorities in Cape Verde had blocked a Russian cargo ship moving from Guinea with 10 tons of cocaine. One of the versions circulated in the Russian media, much like Prigozin's trolls, explains the Guinean events as a factor of the Russian-Chinese trade war. The Chinese would have supported Conde to obtain privileges, failing which they would have conspired with the military to depose him. Another variant instead attributes to the Russians the betrayal of the president, for his preferences towards the Chinese. There is also the version for which the U.S. would have intervened, to blow up the plans of the two contenders. The Ukrainian site dsnews.ua recalls that under the presidency of Donald Trump, the Pentagon was tasked with weakening the influence of Russia and China in Africa. The European Union would have had the same purpose, especially after the 2019 elections. These goals would have been confirmed after the election of Joe Biden. Colonel Doumbouya is very close to France: from Moscow's perspective, he would be the executor of this plan of the West against the Russian-Chinese East, in a great international game on the skin of Africans. The US president does not want the competition to become an open conflict. Xi wants to reset bilateral relations. COVID-19, environment, North Korea and Afghanistan are possible areas of cooperation. The US Navy challenges the Chinese near the Spratly islands, which are the source of a dispute between China and other countries in the region. Washington (AsiaNews) Joe Biden wants to ensure that competition between the United States and China does not degenerate into conflict. Xi Jinping wants the United States to bring bilateral relations back on an even keel. These are the main aspects of this mornings telephone conversation (Beijing time) between the presidents of the United States and China, the first since last February. Biden initiated the call as part of his effort to responsibly manage the competition between the United States and the PRC[*], reads the official statement from the White House. The Chinese leader instead told his US counterpart that the two countries can cooperate on climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery, as well as major international and regional issues. Without making it explicit, the last reference is in all likelihood to North Koreas nuclear programme and the Afghan crisis, which according to the Chinese was caused by the rapid withdrawal of US forces. On the ground however, the two powers are increasingly confrontational. On Wednesday, the US destroyer USS Benfold sailed within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef, near the Spratly Islands, claimed by China. Chinas territorial claims extend to almost the whole South China Sea, a position deemed without basis by an international court and rejected by Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei and partly by Indonesia, with US support. Having a US warship sail near Mischief Reef is an open challenge in Beijing. Chinese authorities recently adopted a regulation requiring foreign vessels to notify them of their entry into waters China claims to be within its jurisdiction. In late August, Quad[] countries conducted joint naval exercises off Guam in the western Pacific. This was the first phase of the annual Malabar drill, involving the navies of the United States, Japan, Australia and India. The simulations have become increasingly complex over the years, and clearly target Beijing, which is involved in various confrontations with Washington, Tokyo, Canberra and Delhi. For China, the Quad is a potential Asian NATO. China itself has multiplied military exercises to improve its ability to take islands, operations that could involve the South China Sea and East China Sea, as well as Taiwan. Since the start of the year, Chinas Navy has conducted 20 exercises, up from 13 last year. [*] PRC, Peoples Republic of China. [] Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. by Shafique Khokhar An operation to clear illegal settlements in the heart of the archdiocese has led to the demolition of several places of worship, including the St Joseph Catholic Church, forcing the faithful to pray amid the ruins. There is concern for families who lost their homes, while new evictions are planned. Karachi (AsiaNews) The St Joseph Catholic Church in St Philip parish, Archdiocese of Karachi, has been demolished in late August. Fouzia Bibi, a local Catholic woman, remembers the day it happened. When they demolished our church, we were all in tears and we could not stop them, she said. There were too many policemen to stop the crowd who wanted to stop the destruction. During the demolition, the bulldozers knocked down the walls and the pillars and the roof collapsed due to lack of support. The St Joseph church was one of the buildings demolished on 25 August during the evictions in Sadiq Nagar, along the Gujjar Nala, a stream that runs through the Archdiocese of Karachi, Pakistans most populous city. Local media have described the operation as an anti-encroachment campaign by the government to clear out several illegal settlements in the area. Various places of worship were affected. Three churches affiliated with the Philadelphia Evangelical Church, a Pentecostal denomination, were completely demolished, while half of St Joseph's Catholic Church collapsed. Many houses were also torn down or rendered uninhabitable. Last Sunday we celebrated Mass among the ruins of the demolished church, Fouzia Bibi said. This was possible thanks to the local Caritas that provided tarpaulins and other materials to cover and shelter at least part of the church. Many parishioners said they were willing to rebuild the walls of the building and support the families most affected by the eviction. Meanwhile, the number of homeless families increases from week to week and the situation could get worse in the coming days. In fact, a team of engineers from the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is planning a new inspection to evaluate the next stage in the eviction programme. The coastal city has received a lot of Chinese investment in recent years. Inside the China Project compound, at least 8,000 people are held prisoner, trained to commit Internet fraud. A Khmer Times investigation found that criminals are moving their activities to other parts of the country. Phnom Penh (AsiaNews/Agencies) From the outside they look like a dozen square buildings, residential complexes for Cambodian or foreign workers. In reality, the China Project hosts 8,000 to 10,000 slaves, people recruited by deception, held prisoner and forced to commit Internet fraud. Every Chinese person who spends more than a couple of months in Sihanoukville knows about it. They call it China City, an anonymous source told the Khmer Times. A group of entrepreneurs who bought the entire area after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen banned gambling in 2019 is behind the crime syndicate. Sihanoukville has changed in recent years. Before Chinese investments poured in, it was a sleepy coastal town in southern Cambodia. After Chinese President Xi Jinping launched his mega infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Western tourists were thrown out to make room for the Chinese. Signs in Khmer and English have disappeared, replaced by signs in Mandarin. Hotels, restaurants and casinos now form many small Chinatowns. The city is BRIs first port of call with the Chinese investing US$ 4.2 billion in local power plants and offshore oil fields. China also provided US0 million in aid to modernise Cambodias military. Perhaps this is why China Project bosses can act undisturbed. China City is the worst of the worst, the source told the Khmer Times. They are protected by the police. The only reason the cops will go in there is a strong tip-off about drugs. Its a very clear line in the sand, he added. According to the Cambodian newspaper, most slaves are Chinese, but many come from Southeast Asia. Scammed with fake job offers, their passport seized, taught how to create realistic social profiles to trick people into investing in fake cryptocurrencies, they are groomed to engage in criminal behaviour. Whoever gets to turn social media interactions into WhatsApp or WeChat contacts gets a reward, such as having sex with East European women, who are also held prisoner. According to some witnesses, one scammer managed to steal up to US$ 400,000 from a single individual. Some of these modern-day slaves are forced to find new recruits for the China Project through the same fraudulent methods with which they were first tricked. An anonymous police officer reported that near the China Project, law enforcement officers find bodies every other week, but cannot separate murders and suicides. Sometimes bodies have messages written on their arms indicating that the death was not by suicide. The husband of a former China Project employee said that his wife had been referred to the company through an agency as a call centre employee. Everything was okay in the beginning, he explained. Then They said they would train her near the airport. Eventually, the company picked up my wife from my house and took her to the training centre. But when they were on their way, they said that they had to take her to a trainer in Sihanoukville. The woman quickly realised that it was a scam and that people in Europe were being scammed. She immediately said that she wanted to resign but the people there did not allow her to leave. They wanted to sell her to another company. Other sources confirm that people are sold and then moved to other buildings. And going to the Cambodian police with such a story will not change things. I told the story to the police but they didnt take any action, the husband said. I didnt give any money but they wanted ,000 at first. When some news websites talked about what happened, she was released. Following the Khmer Times investigation, local real estate agents reported receiving many requests for housing from companies in the city. It appears that the crime bosses are now moving to O'tres, Victory Hill, near the seaport and downtown Sihanoukville. Some are thought to be looking at Battambang province and even the capital Phnom Penh. For Interior Minister K. Shanmugam a "safe haven" is what is needed to "train and radicalize." This feeds the terror network in a medium- to long-term process. The big "concern" of international security agencies. The attack in Auckland is already a wake-up call. Singapore (AsiaNews/Agencies) - With the rise to power of the Taliban in Afghanistan, security agencies and experts are raising the alarm for a possible escalation of terrorist acts in Asia. This was stated today by Singapore's Minister of Justice and Home Affairs K. Shanmugam, who recalled how in the past Quranic students have offered hospitality and safe haven to members of jihadist movements in Southeast Asia, including from the city-state itself. Interviewed on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers, the minister stressed that there is nothing like a "safe haven," a place to "train and radicalize" to fuel international terrorism. Even the Islamic State (IS, formerly Isis) and al-Qaeda, he recalled, were able to count on these areas in which to train and propagate extremist ideology. "Afghanistan," continued K. Shanmugam - Afghanistan provided a safe haven for training persons from Southeast Asia, including from Singapore; and it provided a safe haven for training, access to weapons, people become hardened because there's training on fighting, and that makes it very dangerous.Will that happen again? A lot of people fear that. I fear that that might happen again. So yes, I think the prospect of increased terrorism in the region, I think many security agencies and serious people are concerned about it." In recent days the international community has welcomed with great caution, and some fear, the announcement of the new Afghan government, which includes leading figures of global terrorism and former Guantanamo detainees. A million U.S. bounty hangs over Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. "In day-to-day terms, I would not say that the events in Afghanistan have led to an immediate increase in the security threat - but this is a strategic issue; it's a mid-term to a longer-term issue and we'll need to be prepared for that," K. Shanmugam points out. Such as the September 3 Auckland attack in which an extremist inspired by Isis of Sri Lankan origin, already arrested and convicted on several occasions and released two months ago, stabbed six people before being killed by police. "In Singapore," the minister concluded, "tthis man would have been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA). He would not have been released two months ago, and we would have tried to rehabilitate him early, and he may well be living now,." The official candidacy will be announced today at a press conference. In the past, Kono, who runs the national vaccine campaign, has gone against the mainstream of the Liberal Democratic Party and is ahead in the polls. The U.N. atomic agency has promised to review plan to release water treated at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Tokyo (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Administrative Reform Minister Taro Kono will participate in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race. He reported this himself to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who in recent weeks announced his resignation. The two held a meeting this morning and Kono, who is in charge of the vaccination campaign in Japan and is very popular in the polls, will announce his candidacy at a press conference later today. He would be the third GOP figure to do so, following former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and former Communications Minister Sanae Takaichi. Internal party elections will be held on Sept. 29 to elect Suga's successor. Kono has gone against the party's mainstream in the past, calling for Japan to abandon nuclear power and also allow women from the imperial family to ascend the throne. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today promised a "comprehensive" and "objective" review of Japan's plan to release treated water at the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea. Tons of radioactive water accumulated in the plant's reservoirs following the 2011 accident. The IAEA approved the release of the diluted liquid, which it says is similar to wastewater disposal at other nuclear plants. The Japanese government's decision in April to proceed with the spill (which could begin in March 2023) sparked anger from neighboring countries, which fear environmental and human health damage. But it has also generated strong opposition from local fishing communities, worried about losing (again) the trust of consumers after years of reassurances about the safety of their products. Patient volumes in the emergency room rapidly declined during the first surge of the coronavirus pandemic when much about the disease was unknown. Elective surgeries were halted in Maryland and elsewhere in the country from March to May 2020 in anticipation of demands COVID-19 would place on the health care system, a decision that hurt the financial health of hospitals that often operate on thin margins. Contained within them are copies of arguably the three most important founding documents in early American history: the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They stand next to what some historians have called the fourth-most important document, a copy of the resignation speech of George Washington who resigned his military commission in the State House on Dec. 23, 1783. Changes to telehealth, such as reimbursing at full price for virtual appointments, were possible when Maryland was under a state of emergency order. But Gov. Larry Hogan ended the state of emergency Aug. 15, meaning some COVID-19 telehealth options expired on that date, Maryland Department of Health spokesman David McCallister wrote in an email Friday. Under the Preserve Telehealth Act of 2021, insurers, such as Medicaid, are required to provide coverage for telehealth services, regardless of the patients location, he also wrote. To qualify for the grants, businesses must be located in Harford County and have been established before March 9, 2020, the administration said. Because of state requirements, priority will be given to businesses that have not received previous COVID-relief grants from the Maryland Department of Commerce, the Maryland Department of Labor or Harford County. Those with 20 or fewer employees, excluding the owner, will also get priority. Police had described the males condition as critical, prompting homicide detectives to assume the investigation into the shooting before he died. As an Ahmadi Muslim Imam, I often get asked, Why dont Muslims do more to condemn 9/11? Such people dont realize that the bulk of the worlds 1.8 billion Muslims find militant Islamic groups despicable. In fact, on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Ahmadi Muslims in America are shedding their blood not to take life, but to save it (Muslim Americans shouldnt have to feel and act this way: 20 years later, reflecting on the 9/11 attacks and hate that followed, Sept. 9). Contract documents show the city has discretion to override events planned for MECU Pavilion, which sits on city property and is run by a contractor. A 2016 request for proposals for that contract allows the city to object to a performer if the city has a reasonable and good faith basis to believe the performance likely will result in damage to the facility or damage the reputation of the city. Comment Policy Calaveras Enterprise does not actively monitor comments. However, staff does read through to assess reader interest. When abusive or foul language is used or directed toward other commenters, those comments will be deleted. If a commenter continues to use such language, that person will be blocked from commenting. We wish to foster a community of communication and a sharing of ideas, and we truly value readers' input. Atanga Nji and Police Boss Mbarga Nguele Screenshot from amateur video "It should be made abundantly clear that from the foregone, if an individual is caught assaulting a Police Officer, they shall face the heavy arm of the Law," Cameroon's Minister of Territorial Administration, Atanga Nji Paul said Friday. Speaking at a joint press conference alongside Martin Mbarga Nguele, Delegate General for National Security, Atanga Nji warned that there is no point trying to escape after assaulting a police officer "because a hungry snake shall come for you in your hideout." Both officials used Friday's joint press conference to denounce recent assaults on police officers on duty. Atanga Nji observed that for quite some time now, the public in general and administrative authorities in particular have been decrying violence, sometimes physical, against police officers exercising their duties all over the national territory. "This irresponsible behaviour towards the Police is inacceptable. It should be underscored that the Police is at the service of the population, and more specifically at the service of each and everyone," he said. Under the Very Esteemed Guidance of the Head of State, His Excellency Paul BIYA, represented by the Delegate General for National Security, the Territorial Administration Minister said the Cameroonian Police is a well-structured and well-organized corps, present at all levels of the Republic: Regions, Divisions and Subdivisions. Day and night, they work relentlessly to ensure the security of persons and their property, he said. "In the event of any disagreement between a police officer and an individual, a complaint should be addressed to the Police hierarchy," the Minister advised. "When the accusations against a police officer are founded, only the Police hierarchy is empowered to apply sanctions against the defaulting officer, in accordance with the internal regulations of the corps and in line with the Laws in force." Therefore, he cautioned, no citizen or person, regardless of their social status, for whatsoever reason, has the right to assault a police officer on duty. "That could be considered as jungle justice which we all know has no place in Cameroon," said Atanga Nji. "Insulting or assaulting a police officer on duty or refusing to obey instructions is inacceptable. The Delegate General for National Security, here present, has always given a listening ear to alleged or founded excesses of Police officers. I would like to reiterate, once and for all, that the police uniform belongs to the State and not to the individual wearing it. Therefore, it has to be given due respect by all and sundry." "To publicly attack a police officer or any other security officer on duty shall hereafter be considered as a casus belli," the Minister furthered. He gave Regional Governors strict instructions on how to handle irresponsible persons who attack Police officers on duty. "Such disrespectful and derogatory behaviours towards security officers shall be sanctioned accordingly, as provided for by the law," the Minister thundered. In this regard, Atanga Nji restated the provisions of Section 156 of Law No. 2016/007 of 12 July 2016 relating to the Penal Code, amended and suplemented by Law No. 2019/020 of 24 December 2019, for everyone to get abreast with. SECTION 156: Assault on Public Servant (1) Whoever uses force on a public servant or otherwise interferes with him, shall be punished with imprisonment for from 1 (one) month to 3 (three) years and with fine of from CFAF 5 000 (five thousand) to CFAF 100 000 (one hundred thousand). (2) Where the force or interference is premeditated, or where it results, intentionally or otherwise, in harm within the meaning of Sections 277 or 280 of this Code, the punishment shall be imprisonment for from five (05) to ten (10) years and fine of from CFAF20 000 (twenty thousand) to CFAF 500 000 (five hundred thousand). (4) Where the force or interference results unintentionally in death, the punishment shall be imprisonment for life. (5) Where the force or interference is intended to cause death, the punishment shall be death. "Under the enlightened leadership of the Head of State, His Excellency Paul BIYA, Cameroon is a State of Law. Let us respect our laws. Let us respect our security forces who are there to protect us and our property," said Atanga Nji. Jonas Panik was known as the person who got into work first and left last. A.J. Panik has taken that mentality with him to the academy, he said. It helps him when there is an assignment to complete or a task to finish, he said. Theres always something he can do to help someone else. The chaos of that stretch of 2012, during which Baltimore-area temperatures surged into the triple digits, prompted investigations and reforms that utility leaders, regulators and critics say have improved the states ability to bounce back from a similar crisis. But they say further steps depend on how much we are willing to spend to harden the system, and how extreme a risk we are willing to plan for. Thats for personal reasons, whether that be personal safety or they just dont think they need it because theyre young and healthy and dont think theyre high risk, Rose said. I support everybodys personal decisions to whether they want to get vaccinated or not I will not tell anyone whether they should get vaccinated. Mike understood science, how to do research, and he could communicate them to others, said Wilbur Bill Long, a biology department colleague of Dr. Browns for 39 years. He was a wonderful and an excellent man who had a high sense of right and wrong and stood up for it. The students loved him and they were always number one. They would flock to his classes. Catching a zebra is no easy task. Taylor said they get spooked very easily, so the owner has set up video cameras that are used to watch wildlife and is putting up a few panels of fencing each day in an area where the zebras will come to eat some grain hes put there. By tracking them on the video, Taylor said the owner can tell when theyre most likely to come and eat and plans to catch them then. Taylor said Thursday that the animals were spotted on the cameras between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. over the past few days as they were eating in the area with fence panels, and authorities hope they keep coming back to the spot so they can eventually be caught. Another plane crashed into the Pentagon building in Northern Virginia and the last crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania It is believed that the hijackers on the last plane crashed in that location, rather than their unknown target, after the passengers and crew attempted to retake control of the flight deck. In addition to providing a cost savings, the solar farm can offset CO2 emissions from 515 homes electricity use for one year, according to Standard Solar. U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin said utilizing solar energy is just one way communities can help mitigate climate change, and that effort is an urgent issue. This is unacceptable to the members of the board, and we anticipate that our community at large joins us in the sentiment that this behavior will not be tolerated, Gauthier said in the video. No one should have to fear being assaulted at their workplace. But it has been 20 years, and it is important to start thinking about it as part of history and understand how it affected the country. For some, it was the spurring action that encouraged them to enlist. The message that I would convey to them is that we always, and I say this in a collective we, not just the Marine Corps, not just the Navy, but were always going to be called to some sort of duty and your preparation at Annapolis, is whats going to set you up, at least your foundation, for success or failure in that call, Ragsdale said. There is almost no limit, said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, adding that his mother had called a few hours earlier to say she had heard gunshots fired near her home. The problem is no one is really pushing back. To the extent that there is a moderate sect of the Republican Party, they are not vocal. And I think it has allowed for this gross radicalization. Its dangerous for American politics. Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley serves as CEO and is compensated $98,000 per year plus benefits. (By comparison, the Mayor of Rockville gets about $32,000 per year and their four Council Members earn $5500 each vs the eight Annapolis Council Members who will soon receive $19,000 per year, each.) The Mayors Office has a staff of eight including various political-appointees. The total budget for the Mayors Office is $1.25 million. We also have a city manager who receives $180,000 plus benefits. The manager answers to and serves at the pleasure of the mayor. The budget for the City Managers Office is $1.05 million. Overall, between the mayors and city managers offices, Annapolis tax-payers are burdened with $2.3 million of overhead to manage a City of just 39,000 residents! Welcome to Sophi Knows. September 11 has come and gone but should stay in our minds every day. We came together as a nation and should strive for that again. Like it or not, COVID-19 remains a problem for CSKT Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. We lost many staff, and there was a reorganization that in effect doubled peoples workloads, said Sheila Majumdar, 35, an editor in the museums publications department and a member of the union organizing committee. The disconnect between what is reality in our day-to-day work and what leadership thinks is going on is just baffling. With more runways and less delays, OHare will be well equipped to successfully handle the rebounding passenger and long-term air travel traffic and well prepared for the future redevelopment of the airport terminals, which we are also extraordinarily excited about, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said at an event highlighting the project Thursday. Second, these investments will catalyze airport-related economic growth within Chicago and the surrounding communities. Asked about the forthcoming ad, Gov. Abbotts press secretary Renae Eze said in a statement: The Texas economy is booming. People and businesses vote with their feet, and month after month they are choosing to move to Texas more than any other state in the country. Businesses are relocating to and investing in the Lone Star State at a record pace because weve built a framework that allows free enterprise to flourish and hardworking Texans to prosper. Students who leave campus do not face additional requirements upon their return. As of this month, all students are required to get tested twice a week for COVID-19, Armstrong said. Under a statewide order from Gov. J.B. Pritzker, staff members at all public schools are required to be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. The friend got away from Soto and ran outside where a police vehicle happened to be driving by, the prosecutor said. He flagged down the police car and officers saw he had lacerations in his neck and hands. Officers called an ambulance and tried to stop the bleeding, Scaduto said. Lightfoot has faced a complicated balancing act on the pandemic. She has encouraged residents to get vaccinated and warned about possible restrictions if the city sees spikes, then followed through with a mask mandate after initially issuing a recommendation. But she also has made a point of emphasizing her desire to keep the city as open as possible. At times, it has led to some mixed messaging. It is an expansion of the work the community safety team originally did to include a community safety team community involvement integration with the gang investigations, which is a new feature that we didnt have before, Brown said. It was my concern with the saturation team, the gang enforcement team, the gun team, we had no community service component at all, and I thought that was short sighted. I believe every member of this police department needs to be involved in some type of community engagement for us to really gain the trust of people in communities. Holmes was out with multiple people, including the 36-year-old man who was later wounded. Shortly after midnight, Ford and Holmes were arguing over money. The 36-year-old man elected to pay the money that was owed to Ford by Holmes. He refused it. Ford threatened to shoot Holmes before leaving the area. She described her preschool-aged son as an eager scholar who would wake her up early to go to school. She said he was excited for his trip from Alabama to Chicago and kept asking when the plane would arrive so that his holiday adventures could begin. The least, the most minimum they could do is put a life ring up there to help people in distress. Im infuriated, Diaz said. I know theres attorneys that talk for them, but I get upset. Dont they have kids; arent they mothers, fathers? And how would they feel if (it were) their son? Because believe me, you never think about this until it hits home. And it can happen to anyone. Police found a 19-year-old shot in the head and lying unresponsive in the street just after 2 a.m. in the 2000 block of South Lumber Street in the Near South Side, according to police. He was transported to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital by the fire department and was later pronounced dead. Karen Lamanna was a paramedic on an EMS unit summoned from the Bronx. She and her partner got separated amid the confusion of Manhattans unfamiliar streets. But she made her way to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal where, she heard, pleasure craft and tugs were arriving. She bandaged civilian victims before they were ferried to hospitals on Staten Island or New Jersey. Is there more work to be done? For sure. And I think that was something that we reiterated in the debate back in the spring, that this wasnt going to be the last time we were ever going to look at ethics, state Rep. Kelly Burke, D-Evergreen Park, recently told the Tribune. So I guess its just surprising to me that this strategy was employed by the Republicans to stop the bill from becoming law. Never mind lawyers worrying about liability, or kvetching over what behavior is or is not encouraged, or existing city regulations, or the nervous passing of the buck to different city departments. A great mayor knows when all of that has to be ignored. A great mayor understands the arrival of a moment when a few overcompensated heads have to be knocked together and the boss has to say, in essence, Thanks for your thoughts but enough, now. If yall want to keep your jobs, you need to make this happen in hours, not weeks. Many of the people Joe Reagan served with in the Army joined after 9/11, or even because of it, said the director of military and veteran outreach at Wreaths Across America, a group that honors military service and sacrifice. For Reagan, when he enlisted in 2005, memories of 9/11 were still fresh. Although it was not the sole reason he joined the military, he said 9/11 impacted him and his decision. We are deeply concerned about Ald. Gardiners apparent recurrent use of sexist and homophobic language toward one of his colleagues and toward multiple women who work in and around City Council, the groups statement reads in part. In addition to being a legislative body, the City Council is a workplace for hundreds of people. All of us have an obligation to ensure our work environment is safe and inclusive, especially for women. That means we must all speak up and speak out against any effort by a member of this body to demean, disparage or inflict inappropriate retaliation on individuals who work in this space. Whats keeping us from doing more right now? Do we not know what needs to be done? said Rep. Blaine Wilhour of Beecher City, one of five Republicans who voted against the plan in the spring. Whats keeping us from giving the legislative inspector general the power that the last three say that they need to be the proper watchdogs over this body? Fitzgerald, then a commander with the Park Forest Police Department, would eventually get to the seminar by driving, as all air traffic was grounded in the wake of the terrorist attacks, but soon afterward he was in New York City volunteering to help. Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Chicago Tribune. Another gold mask discovered at the Sanxingdui Ruins site in Guanghan, Sichuan province, is the biggest of its kind unearthed at the site so far and further illustrates the custom of the ancient Shu people to use gold items, experts said. The mask, which is relatively intact, is 37.2 centimeters wide, 16.5 cm high and weighs about 100 grams. It was discovered at the No 3 pit, the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archeology Research Institute said on Thursday. Earlier this year, a likewise eye-catching gold mask was found at the No 5 pit. The institute announced the discovery of 1,771 cultural relics from the No 3 and No 4 pits, of which 557 are relatively intact and the rest are fragments. Among the items, the gold mask is a highlight. Gold items were found at the Sanxingdui Ruins site as early as 1986, including gold foil pieces that show how the precious metal was used by the ancient Shu people. Shu was an ancient state in what is now Sichuan. Xu Feihong, a Shanghai University lecturer who is in charge of the excavation of the No 3 pit, told chinanews.com that the gold mask was found in June. After restoration, it turned out to be the biggest complete golden mask found at the site, with fine texture and quality. Relatively intact relics from the pits include 314 bronze objects and 147 elephant tusks. A unique bronze artifact from the No 3 pit features a man carrying a bronze vessel known as a zun that has a round rim and a square body, said Ran Honglin, an archaeologist at the institute. Three bronze figures, with their palms pressed together and their heads twisted to the right, have been excavated from the No 4 pit. These three bronze figures are a unique find among Sanxingdui items in terms of their shape and decorative pattern, and they provide further material for studying the bronze casting technology of the Shu people as well as their art, religious beliefs, social system and cultural exchanges with surrounding areas, Ran said. Radiocarbon dating has shown that the No 3 and No 4 pits, at 3,000 to 3,200 years old, go back to the late Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC), he said. The digging of the No 3 pit undertaken by Shanghai University and Ran's institute started on Jan 9 and is expected to be completed in the next two months. Excavation of the No 4 pit, which the institute began in October last year, was completed on Aug 19. The Sanxingdui Ruins site, which is 40 kilometers north of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, covers 12 square kilometers. Archaeological discoveries show it was a highly developed and prosperous cultural hub established between 2,800 and 4,800 years ago. The site was discovered by accident in 1929 when Yan Daocheng, a villager in Guanghan, unearthed a pit full of jade and stone artifacts while repairing a sewage ditch at the side of his house. From the 1930s onward, many archaeologists have conducted excavations at the location. A breakthrough came in the 1980s, when the remains of large palaces and parts of the eastern, western and southern city walls and two large sacrificial pits, now known as the No 1 and No 2 pits, were found. The findings confirmed that the site housed the ruins of an ancient city that was the political, economic and cultural center of the Shu Kingdom. Chen Xiandan, a leading archaeologist in Chengdu who took part in excavations of the site in the 1980s, said that before the excavation work was carried out, it was thought that Sichuan had a history of just 3,000 years. Thanks to this work, it is now believed that civilization in what is now Sichuan goes back 5,000 years. Grand celebration for avant-garde dramas and performing arts, the Wuzhen Theatre Festival is back with a wide array of performances and activities running from October 15 to 24 after a year of delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, the organizers announced on Monday. Performers, directors, viewers and visitors are descending on Wuzhen, an ancient water town in east China's Zhejiang Province, to exchange ideas, share inspirations and celebrate arts during the 10-day festival. The event, one of the premier festivals in Asia, is in its eighth edition this year, offering a wider selection of shows for theater lovers and performing arts enthusiasts, with a total of 24 productions featuring 66 performances as well as a series of forums and workshops. The appealing lineup includes award-winning playwright Stan Lai's new piece "Ago," a remake of French classic "Le Rouge et le Noir" ("The Red and the Black") by Meng Jinghui Theatre Studio, "Reflection" by Xiexin Dance Theater, as well as a Tibetan language version of "Hamlet" helmed by renowned veteran theatrical actor Pu Cunxin. Under the theme "Mao" ("Burgeoning", ), this year's extravaganza will spotlight Chinese theater and performing arts, showcasing a rich collection of Chinese plays and theatrical styles. Lai, who is also the co-founder and director of the festival, unveiled this year's official poster designed by renowned graphic artist Huang Hai at a press conference on Monday, noting that the bamboo shoot-shaped design illustrated a vivid, thriving theatrical landscape. Excellent works from different prestigious theater festivals, such as the Festival d'Avignon, will be screened during the period, though foreign performers are absent this year given the pandemic. Despite the physical absence of foreign troupes, this year's festival will see a significant number of brand new, creative works and bold remakes from rising theater talents at home, such as Liu Xiaoye, Zhao Xiaosu, Ding Yiteng and Yang Zhefen. Many of them are top winners of previous editions of the Emerging Theater Artists Competition, a major part of the festival, and these new directorial voices are likely to bring new ideas and approaches to the theater arena, celebrated actor-director and festival co-founder Huang Lei told CGTN. This year's contest will see a total of 18 shortlisted entries, selected from a record 571 over the past two years, make their debuts and vie for the trophy in the West Warehouse Theatre, offering the public a closer look at the fantasy worlds of young stage artists. The annual theatrical extravaganza is beginning with the highly competitive ticket-snatching process as usual. Tickets for the shows will be available from 10 a.m. on September 16 on multiple channels, including the festival's official website. A musical featuring a Chinese Canadian architect's affection for cities will debut at the Shanghai Grand Theater on Sept 22 and 23. Peter Guo-hua Fu, the playwright, producer, and director of the musical "West East Park", said that he derived the story idea for the musical from one of his architecture works. Fu is the general manager of KFS Architects Inc Canada, which has designed commercial and residential projects spanning a combined 5 million square meters in Shanghai. Two years ago, Fu, who returned to Shanghai in 2001 to start a business, was invited to work on a cultural and art landmark complex in Hengqin, an island of Zhuhai city, Guangdong province. He said that the design team eventually decided on the idea of "dancing on the building". "The two super high-rise buildings seem like two people embracing and dancing, and the other three high rises also form a scene mimicking a three-person dance. The entire complex forms a cheerful rhythm," he said. After completing the complex design, he decided to translate the idea into a musical, allowing the audience to see the architects' process of creating architectural works, said Fu. "Shanghai put forward the vision of building itself into a place where people will feel comfortable strolling along streets. As an architect, I can show my affection for the city through designing buildings as well as creating musicals and writing books," he said. In the musical, the story of the leading actor and actress starts from their days as students at at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Fu also works as a professor at its school of architecture. The musical, said Fu, is his way of paying tribute to both the university, which celebrates its second centenary, and the school, which celebrates its 120th anniversary, this year. You are here: Business China's state reserves authority Thursday announced it would release crude oil from its national reserves to alleviate stress on businesses over rising raw material costs. The National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration said the release, to be implemented in batches, mainly targets domestic enterprises that practice refining-petrochemical integration. Since the beginning of this year, bulk commodity prices have surged due to factors including the overseas spreading of COVID-19 and the imbalances of supply and demand, weighing on medium and small firms. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics Thursday showed China's producer price index, which measures costs for goods at the factory gate, went up 9.5 percent year on year in August, faster than the 9 percent year-on-year increase registered in July. Officials from China's Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao said on Thursday that they will join hands in implementing plans for developing cooperation zones. China's central authorities have recently issued a general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone and a new plan for further developing a Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation zone. The government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) welcomes the Shenzhen-Hong Kong plan, said Lee Ka-chiu, chief secretary for administration of the HKSAR government. Lee said the HKSAR government is confident in leveraging the institutional advantage brought by the "one country, two systems" principle, adding that the HKSAR will participate in developing the modern service industry of the cooperation zone to explore growing space for its professional-service business. Cheong Weng Chon, secretary for administration and justice of the Macao SAR, also said the regional government welcomes the Guangdong-Macao plan, and is grateful to the central authorities. Cheong said the zone will become a new platform to boost Macao's appropriate economic diversification, a new space that makes the lives and work of Macao residents more convenient, a new model to enrich the practice of "one country, two systems," as well as a new high-ground for building the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The two zones bring new major historical opportunities for the reform and development of Guangdong province in the new development stage, said Lin Keqing, executive vice governor of the province. A mainland spokesperson on Thursday expressed support for cross-Strait cultural exchanges and welcomed entertainers from Taiwan to develop their career on the mainland. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the statement in response to the remarks of Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen related to an actress from the island who had worked on the mainland. By obstructing career development of Taiwan entertainers on the mainland, some political forces and media in Taiwan have attempted to undermine cultural exchanges across the Strait, trigger confrontation between people on both sides and worsen cross-Strait relations, Zhu said. "I hope people of Taiwan can see through such attempts that aim to alienate them from people on the mainland," Zhu said. You are here: China The 2021 HPP Investor Matching Meeting, organized by the Haidian Pioneer Park (HPP), a high-tech business incubator, wrapped up in Beijing on Thursday. The meeting, which aims to connect investors and high-quality projects, attracted over 100 startup teams working in the fields of artificial intelligence, new-generation information technology, and health and medicine. Around 40 teams made their way into the final round to 10-minute-long, one-on-one meetings with investors to introduce their teams, technologies, operations, and future plans. Zhao Xinliang, director of the HPP, said the park is dedicated to aligning enterprises with investors through roadshows, project promotions, and investor matchmaking events to meet the financing needs of the businesses in the park. So far, the HPP has helped companies to acquire equity funds worth over 15 billion yuan (US$2.33 billion) and recommended nearly 300 companies to be listed on Beijing's fourth board market, Zhao said. The annual matchmaking event was launched in 2017 and has helped over 280 businesses to connect with over 150 institutional investors. Flash Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday called on Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries to broaden the areas of cooperation and jointly promote sustainable and inclusive development within the subregion. Li made the remarks via video link at the seventh summit of the GMS Economic Cooperation, which was hosted by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen. Also attending the video summit were Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh, Myanmar's State Administration Council Chair Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and the Asian Development Bank President Masatsugu Asakawa. Noting that the current COVID-19 pandemic is still fluctuating globally, and instability and uncertainty in the global economy are increasing, Li said the economic recovery and sustainable growth of countries in the subregion are facing new challenges. "We should build consensus, enhance political mutual trust, broaden cooperation areas, improve cooperation levels, and jointly promote the sustainable and inclusive development of the subregion," Li said. Li called on the GMS countries to deepen cooperation on water resources for the benefit of coastal nations. They should also work together to prevent and control the pandemic, strengthen trade and investment, and jointly promote economic recovery, said Li. Since last year, China has been providing the five Mekong countries with annual hydrological data on the Lancang River, and has taken the initiative in launching the Lancang-Mekong water resource cooperation information-sharing platform website. "We are willing to jointly hold the second Lancang-Mekong water resource cooperation ministerial meeting and cooperation forum, and strengthen the capacity of integrated river basin management and water resource management through solidarity and cooperation," he said. In terms of COVID-19 prevention and control, Li vowed to continue providing vaccines and other medical aid within China's capacity by making the Mekong River countries a priority, and to carry out cooperation on epidemic surveillance and infectious disease prevention, making use of the special funds for public health that have been established. Li called for strengthening trade and investment by speeding up the ratification and implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and implementing the protocol on upgrading the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, so as to inject vitality into countries' development. "We should leverage the exemplary role of the upcoming operation of the China-Laos railway, speed up the construction of the China-Thailand railway, the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway and other major projects, and advance the building of a regional power-coordination center," he said. In terms of sustainable development, Li called for strengthening cooperation on tackling climate change and environmental protection, as well as discussing new models of tourism cooperation in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. "We should draw on each other's respective strengths and make concerted efforts to promote the coordinated development of the GMS Economic Cooperation and the Lancang-Mekong cooperation mechanisms through upholding openness and inclusiveness," he said. "We welcome enterprises from all countries to invest in China," Li said, adding that domestic and foreign enterprises will be treated equally, and China's development will bring new development opportunities to the Mekong River countries. China is willing to work with the Mekong River countries to promote regional economic integration, safeguard regional peace and stability, and make new contributions to subregional integrated development and common prosperity, he stressed. Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on BRICS countries to promote global solidarity against COVID-19, uphold true multilateralism and enhance economic cooperation for mutual benefits. Addressing the 13th BRICS summit via video link in Beijing, Xi said BRICS should stay resolved, strengthen unity and further enhance the quality of practical cooperation. The virtual summit of the emerging-market bloc that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa was convened as the COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc around the world, the road to global economic recovery remains bumpy and tortuous, and the international order is going through profound and complex changes. "Facing these challenges, we the BRICS countries must step forward to make an active contribution to world peace and development and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind," Xi said. Global solidarity against pandemic In order to enhance global cooperation on vaccines and realize the equitable access of vaccines for all, Xi announced at the summit that on top of the 100 million U.S. dollars donation to COVAX, China will donate an additional 100 million doses of vaccines to fellow developing countries within this year. To date, China has provided more than one billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations, and will strive to provide a total of two billion doses by the end of this year. Speaking highly of China's efforts in combating COVID-19 pandemic, B.R. Deepak, professor and sinologist at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, said China has effectively controlled the pandemic by adopting swift measures, and at the same time, it also offered its assistance not only to the BRICS countries but various other nations in the world. At the summit, Xi also called on BRICS countries to support each other's COVID response, share relevant information and COVID control experience, and uphold a science-based approach to tracing the origins of the virus, and oppose politicization and stigmatization. Ruan Zongze, executive vice president of the China Institute of International Studies, said China's proposal for enhancing BRICS cooperation on fighting COVID-19 will help build the global immunity barrier as BRICS covers a vast region with a huge population. Closer BRICS cooperation on vaccines also marked another concrete step China has taken to fulfill its pledge to make the vaccines a global public good, promote equitable distribution and boost global anti-epidemic efforts, Ruan added. Championing multilateralism "We need to promote the practice of true multilateralism, adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law," Xi said, calling on BRICS countries to make good use of BRICS mechanisms such as the meeting of foreign ministers and the meeting of high representatives for security, better coordinate their position on major international and regional issues, and send out an even bigger, collective voice of BRICS countries. Wang Lei, director of the Center for BRICS Cooperation Studies at Beijing Normal University, said Xi's remarks serve as a reminder for the BRICS countries to enhance coordination on international and regional issues, take an active part in the global governance and propose BRICS solutions for many global challenges. Deepak said that notwithstanding the challenges it has faced internally and externally, BRICS has achieved remarkable development to grow as a major economic bloc contributing tremendously to global economic governance, and has emerged as a fine example of multilateralism especially with the establishment of mechanisms like BRICS University League and BRICS New Development Bank. The above mentioned achievements have resulted from multilateral cooperation, and has contributed to improving the global governance, he said. Closer cooperation for win-win "We need to promote openness and innovation-driven growth to facilitate a steady global recovery," Xi said, adding that BRICS members should strengthen economic cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefits, earnestly implement the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2025, and expand cooperation in such areas as trade and investment, technology and innovation, and green and low-carbon development. BRICS represents more than 26 percent of the world's landmass, 42 percent of the global population and over 20 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), which puts it in a good position to play a vital role in dealing with this changing world. Somododa Fikeni, a political analyst from South Africa, said the world expects BRICS to contribute significantly to the global economic recovery amid the lingering pandemic. In order to further enhance practical cooperation among BRICS members, Xi announced China welcomes the substantive progress made in expanding the membership of the BRICS New Development Bank, and proposed to hold a forum on the development of industrial Internet and digital manufacturing, a BRICS high-level meeting on climate change and a BRICS forum on big data for sustainable development, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges in the spirit of mutual learning, including opening an online training course for media professionals of the five countries in the future. Deepak said the expanding of the institutional mechanism such as the BRICS New Development Bank, which has approved about 80 projects in all of its members since its operations, demonstrates that the economic cooperation among BRICS countries will grow and the world looks forward to a bigger role of the bank in supporting the development of its members and in global economic and financial affairs. China will take over as the chair of BRICS and host the 14th BRICS summit next year. China looks forward to working with BRICS partners to deepen cooperation in all areas and build a closer and more results-oriented partnership to meet common challenges and create a better future, Xi said. Flash Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday met with Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith via video link. Wang said the two sides have helped each other in the fight against the pandemic and celebrated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year. He added that their bilateral trade has grown substantially, the China-Laos railway is nearing completion, and the community of shared future is full of vitality. The two sides should continue to carry out celebrations of the 60th anniversary of their establishment of diplomatic ties and the Year of China-Laos Friendship to enrich the connotation of the China-Laos community with a shared future and pass on china-Laos friendship from generation to generation, Wang added. Saleumxay said Laos is ready to work with China to push for new progress in the construction of the Laos-China Economic Corridor and ensure the opening of the Laos-China railway within this year to benefit the two peoples. Flash Construction of the first Chinese COVID-19 vaccine production facility in Europe started in Serbia on Thursday. The factory is planned to produce 30 million vaccine doses annually starting in April 2022, and is expected to supply Serbia and several countries in the region and Europe with the Chinese-developed Sinopharm vaccines. The foundation stone for the new factory was laid by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in the presence of Chinese Ambassador Chen Bo, according to a press release from the president's office. Vucic said that he was proud that Serbia, together with partners from China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was "trying and seems to be able to solve some global problems." "This is not a partnership of interest but a proof of friendship," Vucic said. Back in January this year, Serbia started a mass vaccination campaign with the Sinopharm jab, which has been most widely used among Serbian citizens along with products from other manufacturers. In June, Serbia started to produce Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine at the Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera "Torlak" in Belgrade. Chinese vaccines, including Sinopharm and Sinovac, have been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for emergency use. Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday while addressing the 13th BRICS summit via video link that China will strive to provide a total of 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the world by the end of this year, noting that China, to date, has provided more than 1 billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations. Since the pandemic broke out, China has sent medical aid and batches of vaccines to Serbia and helped build two "Fire Eye" laboratories for PCR testing. Chinese doctors spent months helping set up prevention measures in the country. Flash The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will dispatch a team of experts to Japan's Fukushima Prefecture in December to review the country's plan to dump radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the sea, an IAEA official said Thursday. The plan was proposed after China and South Korea, as well as local fishing communities, have voiced strong criticism against releasing the contaminated water accumulated at the plant since the 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami catastrophe in northeastern Japan. "The agency is firmly committed to ensuring that the review is comprehensive and objective and that the results are conveyed to the international community," Lydie Evrard, head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security of the IAEA, said at an online news conference. The Japanese government decided in April to start discharging the water into sea from around spring of 2023. The decision has received strong criticism from China and other neighboring countries. China has expressed serious concerns about Japan's decision to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear station, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian saying that China urged the Japanese side to take a responsible attitude and treat the issue of nuclear waste disposal with caution. Meanwhile, South Korea has also voiced its "grave concerns", with Foreign Ministry spokesman Choi Young-sam saying "it will be difficult to accept if the Japanese side decides to release the contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant without sufficient consultations." Evrard said the IAEA will select the inspection team members from 11 countries including China and South Korea. IAEA staff may travel to Japan sometime next year to present the results before the actual discharge of the nuclear water, she said. Water pumped into the ruined reactors at the Fukushima plant to cool the melted fuel, mixed with rain and groundwater, which has also been contaminated, is being treated using an advanced liquid processing system to remove most contaminants. However, substances like tritium -- a radioactive byproduct of nuclear reactors -- are hard to filter out. According to some marine experts, traces of ruthenium, cobalt, strontium, and plutonium isotopes in the wastewater also raise concerns. Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that relevant government agencies of China and the United States could advance collaboration and tap more cooperation potential, so as to add more positive factors to the bilateral relationship. In a phone conversation with his U.S. counterpart, Joseph R. Biden, Xi suggested that on the basis of respecting each other's core concerns and properly managing differences, the two sides continue with contact and dialogue, and advance coordination and cooperation on climate change, epidemic prevention and control, economic recovery as well as major international and regional issues. NEWS PROVIDED BY The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights Sept. 10, 2021 NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on what 9/11 means to him: The 20th anniversary of 9/11 carries great significance to all Americans (at least those who are patriotic), but it has a special meaning for Christians. First some thoughts on the fateful day. On September 11, 2001, I was in my Manhattan office typing away when I heard a male staffer scream. It was around 8:50 a.m. He said something about the World Trade Center (the Twin Towers could easily be seen by looking south from our 34th floor office). A big hole, with smoke coming out, could be seen in one of the high floors of the two buildings. I thought that some errant pilot had crashed into it, so I told everyone to go back to work. Minutes later there was another scream, and this time I saw the immediate aftermath of the crash. I also knew we were at war. This was no accidentthis was Islamists at war with America. We witnessed the towers go down, one floor after another, collapsing like pancakes. No one could leave New York. The police had cordoned off the Penn Station area where our office is. I surveyed the staff and noticed that some were freaking out. So I said we are leaving. I told them we were going for pizza and beerjust sitting around staring out the window was not healthy. At the pizza joint we could not escape what happened. TVs were on in every corner. I said a prayer, and some Jewish men sitting nearby joined in with us. We later departed and made our way home. So why is 9/11 special to Christians? For weeks on end, all we saw on TV in New York were ceremonies and funerals for the first responders. We lost 343 firefighters, including the department chief of the FDNY, first deputy commissioner, one of the marshals, and a Catholic chaplain, Father Mychal Judge. We also lost 60 police officers from various units. A year later I asked staff members to call various New York fire departments, and the NYPD, to see if they had any official statistics, based on religion, of who died. No official data were available, but the most common estimates were that 85-90 percent were Catholic. This was not surprising. After all, TV coverage of the funerals were almost all at Catholic churches. New York City, being heavily Catholic and Jewish, was always known for its high concentration of Catholics in the FDNY and NYPD. Today, roughly 70 percent of the armed forces is comprised of Christians; non-Christians are underrepresented. Among veterans, religious Americans, most of whom are Christian, are overrepresented. Indeed, one-in-five religious Americans are veterans. This is about twice the proportion found among those who have no religious affiliation. Indeed, those with no religion are 50-60 percent less likely to have served in the armed forces. Religious Americans are also more generous in contributing to charities, and this includes those who gave to a 9/11 organization or event. According to Arthur C. Brooks, one of the nation's premier chroniclers of charitable giving, "People who never attended church were 11 percentage points less likely than regular churchgoers to give to a 9/11 cause (56 to 67 percent)." If people of faith, especially Christians, have given so much to our nation, why are they treated with such derision by left-wing activists and pundits? Why are they maliciously compared to the vicious barbarians known as the Taliban? Just last month, MSNBC host Joy Reid warned of the "religious right," saying the nation was threatened by those "dreaming of a theocracy that would impose a particular brand of Christianity on American society." Actor Tim Russ of "Star Trek" fame fumed that "The Taliban are as fanatical about their beliefs and culture as the millions of people right here in the U.S. who believe in religion, conspiracy theories, and alternate reality." He previously said that the U.S. "already has Sharia law," which he identified as "Christian Sharia Law." Michael Moore said that upon the evacuation of Americans from Afghanistan, it was time to defend our nation "against our own domestic Taliban." The left-wing activist previously identified them as Christians. We at the Catholic League have also been called the Taliban, even though, to my knowledge, no one who has worked here has ever walked the streets with a machete or thrown a homosexual off a building. No matter, in 2010, because I merely objected to a publicly funded artistic attack on Catholics, a professor of "Queer Studies" labeled the Catholic League the "American Taliban." As a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, I am proud of my country. I am also proud to be a Catholic. It means a lot to me that Christians have had such a big role in defending us. But I have nothing but contempt for those who besmirch their efforts. It is sickening to note that among those who have benefited the most from the sacrifices of the military are those who never served a day in their life but are quick to trash conservative Christians. The Michael Moores of this world are the real disgrace, not faithful Americans who continue to protect them. INDONESIA, 10 SEPTEMBER 2021 Today, online gambling games are much higher in demand because online gambling games give an opportunity to play all gambling games in their comfort zone. 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Website : http://188.166.242.53/ Join Edith Salas of Salas Properties & host Jenn Barlow as they visit the Coronado Shores community. The towers have amazing views including the world famous Hotel del Coronado, downtown San Diego, San Diego Bay, the City of Coronado, Point Loma, and the Pacific Ocean. Mr. Todt was never advised that counsel would be appointed to him at no cost if he could not afford an attorney, Schmer wrote. ... Detective Miller did not advise Mr. Todt that anything he said could be used in court against him and that if he could not afford a lawyer and wanted one, one would be provided for him at no cost. The Associated Press reached out to a wide range of companies on Thursday. Many didnt have immediate responses while others noted that they already require vaccinations. Walmart, the nations largest private employer, was one of the first major companies to mandate vaccines for some of its workers. Walmart said in late July that it was requiring that all workers at its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, as well as its managers who travel within the U.S.; be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. WEST HAVEN, CT - 07.15.2019 - PRESSER - West Haven fire chief James O'Brien, at left, and New Haven fire chief John Alson listen to the testimony of Johnny Dye, 79, of New Haven, whose son, Michael John Dye, 53, an NYPD detective, was recently diagnosed with brain cancer. As an NYPD patrolman, Michael John Due responded to the 9/11 attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The elder Dye joined Sen. Richard Blumenthal, (D-CT) and 9/11 first responders at a press conference on Monday morning in West Haven to call for the passage of legislation which would make permanent the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund and remove any limits on the fund?s appropriation. The fund provides provide compensation for any individual who suffered physical harm or was killed as a result of the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001 or the debris removal efforts that took place in the immediate aftermath of those crashes. PATRICK RAYCRAFT | praycraft@courant.com (Patrick Raycraft / Hartford Courant) The emcee for the ceremony was Brian E. Mattiello, a former Republican state legislator who has been a direct contact between the families and state government for the past two decades. While working in the state budget office and later as chief of staff in 2004 under then-Gov. John G. Rowland, Mattiello was given the highly sensitive task of consoling scores of grieving families immediately after the 9/11 tragedy. As the years went on, Mattiello still maintained ties with the families and has continued attending the annual ceremony. Delicate negotiations have been underway the last 10 days as Blumenthal has been trying to help passengers who have been waiting for days at the international airport in Mazar-e Sharif, the countrys fourth-largest city. Others hoping to leave are in hiding and would head to the airport at the last minute if the chartered flights are cleared to leave, Blumenthal said. This novel, A Slow Fire Burning Paula Hawkinss third gets off to an intriguing start. Miriam turns out to be one of several female protagonists with a link to the deceased. This being a Hawkins novel, those characters are all prime suspects with both the means and the motive for murder. They have dark secrets, disturbing thoughts, unhealed wounds and desperate urges to settle old scores. But which one was crazed enough to kill, and why? It tolled for United Airlines Flight 175s crash into the South Tower at 9:03, for the passengers whose phone calls from United Flight 77 alerted officials at 9:24 that it, too had been hijacked. The bell tolled again for the planes 9:37 plunge into the Pentagon, and again for the 10:07 crash of hijacked United Flight 93 into a field in Pennsylvania as passengers and crew fought to keep the terrorists from completing their deadly plan. In 2009, his parents, Karen and James Hiles, were sentenced to federal prison for embezzling more than $2 million from a real estate developer who employed Karen. She received seven years and 11 months; James got two years and six months. Both were also ordered to pay back the full amount of stolen money. We are at the beginning of a new era. We are more interconnected and interdependent than ever before. You are the leaders in this new era, Harris said. Our nation and our world will require the smart people that you are to lead on issues that require dedication, and a development of skills around science and technology and engineering. I remember all the teachers next to me gasping and saying, Oh my God, were under attack. After that, we went back to our classroom and turned the TV on, and thats when we got to see what was really happening and gravity of what was going on in New York and elsewhere in the northeast. Lubbock, TX (79409) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Lubbock, TX (79409) Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Lubbock, TX (79409) Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Local mosquito control staff shared these examples of where mosquitoes can lay eggs on a residential property. FILE - In this Feb. 17, 2021 file photo, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey addresses the media in Minneapolis. A judge struck down ballot language Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021, that would replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new agency, saying the wording was misleading and unworkable. Mayor Frey, who had opposed the rejected wording, said the council now has another opportunity to deliver language that accurately and fairly reflects the proposal. President Joe Biden won't get to the completion of his presidential term, according to renowned international professor Joe Siracusa, who cautioned the 78-year-old leader that the job "ages people." Professor Joseph Siracusa, a political scientist, warned that the position of president "ages people," noting that many presidents appear healthier and more alert after their term in the White House. On the other hand, Professor Siracusa predicted that Joe Biden would not serve out his presidential term, citing concerns about his capacity to rule at his advanced age. The expert think Kamala Harris would replace Biden Professor Siracusa said that vice-president Kamala Harris might be ready to replace Biden if he steps down. Still, he disputed conspiracy theories that the elderly president was chosen just to allow Harris to take office. Speaking on Sky News Australia, Professor Siracusa predicted that Biden would depart the White House before his tenure was over, citing a string of blunders ranging from public gaffes to the bungled Afghanistan exit. At 78 years old, Biden is the oldest US president in history, and he is followed by Donald Trump, who was 70 at the time of his inauguration, Express.co reported. The most recent edition of a survey that had previously been favorable to the White House reveals that more Americans disapprove of Joe Biden's job as president than ever before. According to the latest Economist /YouGov, Biden's approval rating has plummeted to only 39%, while his disapproval has risen to 49%, following the White House's catastrophic departure from Afghanistan. That chasm is nearly as wide as the one experienced by former President Donald Trump, and the survey showed Biden's low popularity rating is on par with Trump's at this point in his presidency. Read Also: Donald Trump Beats Joe Biden in 2024 Presidential Election Poll After Afghanistan Chaos, Civil Unrest Brexit Warning Since Afghanistan withdrawal, Biden's approval rating plummeted According to the poll, Biden's base has turned against him the most. Among Democrats, Biden's popularity rating has plummeted the greatest. For nearly the entire first year of his presidency, almost nine out of 10 of them had supported Biden's performance, as per Washington Examiner. "More Americans than ever before disapprove of Joe Biden's performance as president," according to the poll analysis. Democrats are also becoming anxious about the economy and believe the country is on the wrong track. Since the commencement of the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan last month, which resulted in the deaths of 13 US military members and left hundreds of US civilians trapped without military evacuation help, the president's support rating has been on the decrease. Per Daily Mail, Democrats are also turning against the president, with approval of Biden slipping from 86 percent in August to 77 percent on Wednesday, according to a new survey. Only 13% of Democrats disapprove of Biden's handling of the presidency as a whole. According to the survey, six out of ten Americans believe the country is on the wrong track with Biden in the White House. When the results were split by party, 51% of Democrats thought the country was usually heading in the right direction, compared to only 9% Republicans. The drop is most likely due to the poor handling of the Afghan troop withdrawal, but it might also be linked to other recent events, such as the repeal of COVID-19 mask mandates when vaccination rates dropped over the summer. Related Article: Joe Biden Receives Hostile Welcome in New Jersey; Protesters Call The President Worthless as He Visits Storm-Damaged Northeast @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. One Qatar Airways flight with the help of a U.S. Special Representative got out, as the Taliban allowed 200 foreigners to leave Kabul. This comes as planes were not allowed to leave the airport. One reason is the alleged lack of cooperation from the State Department, which caused a delay in humanitarian rescue. The trapped flights are causing concern for all nations as many are still in the country. An earlier rescue by US Rep. Markwayne Mullin and Rep. Ronny Jackson to get a family out, which the US Government abandoned, was reported. They had to escape overland and the dangerous rescue but said the US government only assisted at the last moment, cited the New York Post. Commercial flight allowed to depart Kabul Taliban allowed the chartered Qatar Airways flight to leave the fallen capital of Kabul on Thursday, with 200 nationals with 30 Americans who got out luckily, reported the Daily Mail. This flight from Kabul to Doha was one of the recent escapes when the present administration did not allow an extension of August 31. Reports say the flight got permission to leave the airport after claims of lousy coordination of the US State Department and the Taliban stranding planes in another airport. Narrow approval of the flight One top US official asked not to be identified to the media how many were on the plane, and two senior officials allowed the flight to leave. The Taliban enables the foreigners to depart was fortunate for those onboard compared to other flights. Read Also: US Republican Charged that Biden Lied Big Time Over the Evacuation of US Citizens with Recording as Proof. Those who got out were Americans, green card holders, with nationals from Germany, Hungary, and Canadians left after several days. One of the passengers, Irfan Popalzai, 12, was with his mother and five siblings, where they live in Maryland, who was caught up after the airport was shut. The information mentioned that U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad could convince the Talibs to let the flight leave last Thursday, remarked the unknown official. According to the special envoy of Qatar, Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani stated the flight out marked the resumption of commercial flight after the shutdown on August 31, when the Jihadis had control, noted KATV. He added that restrictions might be letting up as another flight departs on Friday, saying life is normalizing in the country. The other airport with a grounded plane at the Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport prompted fears that they would be trapped and hostage by the Jihadis. Number of the stranded individual cannot be confirmed A circulating email leaked alleging that the State Department is actively blocking private flights from picking up stranded citizens and allies. The Administration says that only 100 Americans are left, but the lack of people on the ground makes confirmation difficult. Republicans said it has information that 500 US citizens want out, opposed to the administration's claim. Six planes are waiting to take out everyone from the country, stopped from taking off when the Taliban finally allowed 200 foreigners to leave. Related Article: Biden State Dept Takes Rescue Credit of American Family in Afghanistan, GOP Rep. Mullin Debunks Claim Saying They Tried to Sabotage It @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. During a military parade to commemorate North Korea's 73rd anniversary, Kim Jong Un appeared to be in better shape than ever. The cause for the Supreme Leader's weight loss is unknown; some speculate that it is related to failing health, while others speculate that it is politically driven or just a desire to lose weight. North Korea had a nighttime military parade instead of the customary missiles, with troops dressed in orange hazmat suits, tractors, and fire engines taking center stage. The 73rd anniversary of the country's founding included rows of people parading in orange hazmat suits with medical-grade masks, ostensibly to show support for anti-coronavirus operations. Slim-looking Kim Jong Un appears in a military parade It happened against the background of an escalating economic crisis, with self-imposed coronavirus border restrictions exacerbating food, medical, and gasoline shortages in the isolated state. According to the official KCNA news agency, a slim-looking Kim Jong Un was seen amid the unmasked throng smiling at onlookers and hugging children during the ceremony, which began at midnight on Wednesday in Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Plaza. It's striking how much healthier Kim Jong Un is looking in these photos from yesterday. However he is doing it -- and there are theories -- he looks a lot better than he did a few months ago. pic.twitter.com/DKqCOFSBF8 Martyn Williams (@martyn_williams) September 9, 2021 The leader, who usually wears a Mao suit to public occasions, wore a Western-style suit and tie to the ceremony and did not give a speech, as per Daily Mail. On Thursday, the governing Workers' Party's newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, released photos of hazmat-suited members of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards, the country's largest civilian defense force. In June, the tightly controlled state media published a story claiming that his apparent weight loss had left him "looking emaciated" and had broken the nation's heart, Sky News reported. According to an unnamed resident of Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, recent photos of Kim Jong Un have angered people across the country. Analysts noticed a weight drop in the leader, who is thought to be 37 years old, when he resurfaced on state media in early June after being out of the public eye for over a month. NK News, a website located in Seoul, released enlarged photos of him tightening the strap on his favorite watch, which is said to be worth $12,000. Related Article: Afghan Father Forced to Sell Daughter to Save Rest of Family From Starvation as Millions Face Crisis in Afghanistan Under Taliban Regime North Korea's leader rumored underwent heart surgery According to Christopher Green, a Korean expert at Leiden University in the Netherlands, state media may be emphasizing his weight to demonstrate unity with citizens facing food shortages. The government implemented strict COVID-19-related border controls, slowing trade and exacerbating economic issues. Kim Jong Un, who is renowned for his passion for good food and heavy drinking, looks to have shed a significant amount of weight in a short period. When he failed to present for the April 15 celebrations of the North Korean state's founder, his grandfather Kim Il Sung, speculation about his health intensified. Per Newsweek via MSN, he resurfaced in early May 2020, during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, at the opening of a fertilizer facility north of Pyongyang. Kim Jong Un was rumored to have been severely sick after undergoing heart surgery. Kim's father and grandparents also died of heart illness, and many specialists believe the leader's weight puts him at risk for cardiovascular disease. The dictator's shrinking waistline came under attention when photographs of the 37-year- old at the event were shared online. Related Article: Kim Jong Un Rejects 3 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Offer, Urges North Korea to Redouble Efforts of Combatting the Pandemic in "Our Style" @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. United States President Joe Biden's nominee to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), David Chipman, announced his withdrawal on Thursday after widespread criticism from moderate senators. The eldest son of former President Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., aggressively lobbied against Biden's nominee. The situation comes after many Republicans condemned Chipman, who is a former longtime ATF special agent, for supporting certain gun regulations. David Chipman's Withdrawal Chipman supported reformed background checks and crackdowns on illegal firearm trafficking across the United States. The nominee's confirmation depended on support from Democrats from red states, including West Virginia's Joe Manchin and Montana's Jon Tester. However, these lawmakers have faced increasing pressure from right-winged politicians. In a related incident, Trump Jr., targeted those lawmakers by publishing op-ed articles in Montana and West Virginia newspapers. The Republican called Chipman "the greatest threat" to the country's Second Amendment rights. He added by saying that the Biden nominee would destroy the amendment, Business Insider reported. "We would be taking a guy whose current job is to advocate for guns being taken away from law-abiding citizens, and actually give him the power to do it," Trump Jr. wrote in the articles. The former president's son is a businessman and political activist who opposes nearly all gun restrictions in the country. In a statement on Thursday, Biden said that Chipman served the ATF as an agency for 25 years and provided distinguished service to the country. He said that Republicans in Congress unfortunately made it clear that they were using gun crime as a political talking point instead of trying to fix the issue. Read Also: Kellyane Conway, Sean Spicer, And Other Trump Appointees Refuse To Resign; Joe Biden Accused of Politicizing Military Boards The Democrat said that was the reason why Republican lawmakers supported gun manufacturers and the majority of the American people in opposing measures such as universal background checks. During his speech, Biden thanked Chipman and said he was grateful for the former ATF agent's work to fight gun violence, Fox News reported. Serving at the ATF Chipman's withdrawal from the ATF nomination comes as Democratic lawmakers have struggled to fight back against GOP resistance to measures that aim to curb the use of guns in the United States. The country has recently recorded a massive surge in gun violence that has taken the lives of many residents. Two bills were passed by the House that would have led to the expansion of background checks on firearm sales, including one that would also target private and commercial transactions. However, the lack of support from moderate Democrats, including Manchin and Tester, makes it increasingly difficult to pass into law. In his bio on the website for Giffords, Chipman "disrupted firearms trafficking operations in Virginia that were supplying illegal guns to New York City, served as a member of ATF's version of SWAT, and was named the Special Agent in Charge of ATF's Firearms Programs," during his time with the bureau. The agency has become increasingly visible after recent gun violence crimes and mass shootings that have plagued the United States. The ATF wrote on its website that it was dedicated to protecting communities from violent criminals and criminal organizations and prevent the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, CNN reported. Related Article: Biden To Announce 6 New Steps Against COVID-19; POTUS Plans To Include Mandating Vaccination @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Tests of a robotic unmanned Ghost Ship 'Ranger' developed for use by the US Navy have added another maritime-based weapon system. The introduction of these ships to the Navy with the capability of unleashing missiles for offense or defense without losing precious manpower is one of its advantages. The Department of Defense (DoD) has reportedly caused a furor over the test, which was not expected to be done so early. Carrying a load of missiles at a set location then following is programming based on the mission. It was seen to get more missiles for offense or defense purposes, especially with the threat of Chinese missiles falling like hail on carrier strike groups. Unmanned Ghost Ship 'Ranger' minimizes casualties The robotic ship known as 'Ranger' will help keep more marines alive in war and a simple way to add more vessels to naval strike groups. A concept similar to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used in the middle east by US forces, these ships are expendable but allow precise payload delivery on a chosen target, reported the Express UK. Such a fearsome capability of the robotic unmanned Ghost Ship 'Ranger' is owned by the US even before other countries powers themselves to develop it. On Twitter, the DoD posted a video of the ghost vessel's recent test. It is part of the Ghost Fleet Overlord Unmanned Surface Vessel program of the US military. #ICYMI: Ghost Fleet Overlord Unmanned Surface Vessel NOMAD recently completed a +4,000nm #autonomous transit to join the RANGER USV. Learn more about the transit and @USNavy/Strategic Capabilities Office partnership that made it happen: https://t.co/TrtAipOyav pic.twitter.com/6RqYmX7YyP Department of Defense (@DeptofDefense) July 14, 2021 Read Also: US Drone Strike Mistakenly Kills Family, Children in Kabul Instead of a Vehicle Carrying ISIS-K Members The video shows the robotic ship as it sails on the sea. On the deck are missiles launchers that fire the SM-6 missile. The maritime drone fired a single missile. Its main missile is the SM-6 or Standard Missile, which is made for naval use and costs $5million each. AI controlled drones Despite a move to control the use of killer drones in most conflicts, Russia simply does not agree in imposing controls or rules in its use, noted Defense One. As a weapons system, these naval missiles are usable against all aircraft and even a cruise missile, plus being able to bombard surface targets on land or sea. The DoD states the concept of an adaptable missile system that can be mounted on several platforms, including the robotic unmanned surface vehicle (USV), which adds more to modern combat strategies using drones. Phantom fleet of unmanned ships The ghost fleet is under development under the advanced capacities of the DoD's Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) in the Ghost Fleet Overlord Program. This program is in the second part of its development that is expected to finish in 2022. At the beginning of 2020, the robot ship had sailed 4,700 nautical miles with no human on the vessel. One of its initial voyages was from the Gulf Coast to the California Coast. All were autonomous, except for the trip to the Panama Canal with a crew. Jay Dryer, director of the SCO, called it a fantastic feat for AI-ships in the US Navy. Dryer added it shows how the agency combines developed technologies to get more available capacities and capabilities to US forces. One of the demos for the robotic Ranger drone ship was in the dawn Blitz drills with Naval and Marines units. It was 98% zero human input. The robotic unmanned Ghost Ship 'Ranger' USV worked for 130 hours and sailed 950 nautical miles primarily by Artificial Intelligence. Related Article: US Army Killer Drones Can Kill Enemy Air Defenses, Slam Them @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country during the violent Taliban takeover of the region, defended his choice to leave, arguing that he escaped the militant group to "keep the guns silent." Ghani said his leaving Afghanistan was urged by palace security personnel who deemed his presence could start "horrific street-to-street fighting." A similar situation was observed in the country in the 1990s when a civil war broke out in Kabul, the nation's capital city. Afghan President's Fleeing of Country "Leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life, but I believed it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her six million citizens," Ghani said on a Twitter post on Wednesday. The former Afghan president left the country on Aug. 15 and traveled to the United Arab Emirates at a time when the Taliban group marched into Kabul and took over the government. The insurrection group stormed the Presidential Palace and posted photos online to mark their latest and quick conquest of the nation following U.S. President Joe Biden's withdrawal of American troops, the New York Post reported. Thousands of Afghan residents flooded the Hamid Karzai International Airport in the following days after Ghani's disappearance in a desperate attempt to flee the country as well. Biden was also forced to deploy more soldiers to evacuate stranded American citizens from Kabul airport. However, some are seeing Ghani's statements as a way for him to avoid taking responsibility for leaving and seemingly abandoning the Afghan people to save his own life. In his statement, the former Afghan president said now was not the time to criticize the events of his departure. Ghani said he would address the issues and questions at a later time. Read Also: Joe Biden Won't Be Able To Finish Presidential Term as More Americans Turn Against the President, International Expert Claims Amid the controversies, Ghani is also accused of fleeing Afghanistan with a hoard of cash that he earned from rampant corruption. The rumors began between Afghans and analysts, who said that the 72-year-old former president had millions of dollars in cash that he brought with him to the United Arab Emirates, Yahoo News reported. Allegations of Corruption In his address, Ghani denied the accusations, calling them baseless and completely and categorically false. He said that while corruption was plaguing Afghanistan, he has been working to fight the issue since he was seated to be the nation's president. Many U.S. and former Afghan officials said there were multiple instances where corruption and bribery were rampant within Ghani's office and family. The former president said he would welcome an official audit or financial investigation under UN auspices when the situation allowed. The alleged corruption in Afghanistan involved money meant to be used as payment for military soldiers being taken and pocketed by senior officials. Many critics said that the Afghan military's swift surrender to Taliban forces amid the takeover was due to a total lack of confidence that Ghani and his government would support them. In his letter's closing paragraph, Ghani offered his appreciation and respect for the sacrifice that all Afghans took, especially the troops and their families who fought to protect their country, in the last 40 years, CNBC reported. Related Article: Afghan Father Forced to Sell Daughter to Save Rest of Family From Starvation as Millions Face Crisis in Afghanistan Under Taliban Regime @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. President Joe Biden stepped up his administration's COVID-19 vaccination drive on Thursday, announcing two new initiatives targeted at getting employees vaccinated as part of a six-point strategy to fight the pandemic. Mandatory Vaccination to Private Sector and Federal Employees In a recently published article in USA Today, Biden introduced a new Labor Department regulation that would mandate that all companies with 100 or more workers be vaccinated or tested at least once a week. If businesses fail to comply with the recent move, they will be fined up to $14,000 for every violation. Furthermore, the President issued an executive order mandating most government employees and contractors to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, strengthening a prior policy established in July that required vaccines but allowed for alternative choices. Moreover, those same businesses will be required by the government to provide paid time off for workers to be vaccinated. Employers will be subject to the new regulation as part of a slew of new tough measures taken by the Biden administration to fight the worldwide pandemic, according to a published article in The Hill. Read Also: Child Tax Credit To Be Extended Until 2024; Lawmakers Are Weighing Extension of $300 Monthly Benefits New Strategy Dubbed as "Path Out of the Pandemic" Aims To Redouble the Efforts of the Government The administration's efforts to fight the danger of the delta variant of COVID-19 have been redoubled under the new national plan, entitled "Path Out of the Pandemic." The administration has stumbled through a summer characterized by increasing illnesses and Republican governors' strong opposition to public health initiatives. Biden's address comes as he is under pressure to do more to combat the pandemic. The delta variant has fuelled a fresh surge, with around 150,000 new cases and over 1,000 fatalities each day, after decreasing earlier this summer, according to a published report in The New York Times. Biden is also significantly increasing the number of vaccinations required of healthcare employees. Last month, the government announced that all staff at approximately 15,000 nursing facilities will be required to be vaccinated in order to receive Medicare and Medicaid money, affecting nearly 1.3 million people. The regulation will be published later this month. Significant Information in the New Plan Workers in most other healthcare facilities that receive Medicare or Medicaid payment, including large hospitals, will be required to get vaccinated under the new proposal. The regulations would impact 50,000 providers and about 17 million employees, but authorities did not know when they would go into force. According to a senior administration official, government workers would have 75 days to get completely vaccinated under a new executive order to be issued by the president, with limited exceptions for religious or medical reasons. There will be no option for testing. The order will affect about 100 million people. In a published article in The Wall Street Journal, all teachers and employees at Head Start and Early Head Start programs, as well as schools and youth programs run by the Department of Defense and the Bureau of Indian Education, will be required to get vaccines. Furthermore, President Biden will also encourage states to vaccinate all teachers and school personnel, as well as schools to do COVID-19 testing on a regular basis, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Related Article: Biden To Announce 6 New Steps Against COVID-19; POTUS Plans To Include Mandating Vaccination @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A grand jury in Georgia has declined to indict a teen boy who claimed he killed his father because "his father had enough of abusing his mother." Tucker Gales, then 15, was arrested for the shooting death of Wesley Gales, 66, on October 28. Because of the continuous abuse, he acknowledged to Columbia County Sheriff's officers that he shot his father in the head with a.22-caliber Marlin rifle. The 15-year-old used a.22 rifle to shoot his father in the head, who had previously been arrested for domestic violence. Tucker admitted to shooting his father when sheriffs arrived at the house. Court opted not to charge the boy who shot his father dead The Georgia teen stated he "had enough" of his father abusing his mother and that he had been abused by him. The teen was detained and transported to jail on suspicion of murder but was released on bail and permitted to return home while prosecutors considered whether or not to prosecute him. The matter was handed over to a grand jury, but on Wednesday, the grand jury opted not to press charges against the boy. The decision, according to District Attorney Bobby Christine, reflects "[the] community's collective wisdom." Friends of the family have started petitions and a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the teenager's legal defense fund. The page raised $10,000 out of a total goal of $75,000, as per Daily Mail. Wesley's ex-wife, Deborah, was also subjected to some of the abuse described in previous local media stories. He kicked her in the groin and struck her in one incident of assault. For a 15-year-old child, that scenario looks hopeless, and he felt he had to take matters into his own hands, and our hearts are aching for him, Sarah Hensley, the mother of one of Tucker's friends, previously told WJBF. Another buddy said that he would frequently arrive at school with bruises on his arms. Read Also: Ohio Judge Reverses Court Order Forcing Hospital to Administer Ivermectin in Treating COVID-19 Patient Teen "had enough" of an abusive father The grand jury convening on Wednesday saw no reason to indict Tucker Gales, according to Columbia County District Attorney Bobby Christine. The judgment is the final word on the subject, he added. A history of domestic abuse was revealed in court documents, including a guilty plea in May 2020 to domestic abuse and child cruelty charges stemming from an event in May. Wesley Gales was given a 12-month probationary period. The older Gales was accused of hitting his wife Deborah in the eye, kicking her in the head, and tossing a DVD player down the hall during that encounter. Deborah Gales contacted 911 in September 2020 to say that her husband had threatened to shoot her and her son. Wesley Gales has rejected the claims, and police have decided not to press charges due to contradictory accounts. There had been prior allegations dating back to at least 2011, but none of them had resulted in Wesley Gales being imprisoned. Following Tucker Gales' arrest, community people flooded social media with support, and a local attorney offered to accept his case on a pro bono basis, Crime Online reported. Related Article: New York Man Pleads Not Guilty in Killing 2-Year-Old Boy by Burning Genitals with Blowtorch, Suffocating, and Beating Him @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Since the Taliban took control last month, UN personnel in Afghanistan have been more harassed and intimidated, according to Deborah Lyons, the United Nations special envoy for Afghanistan. Staff and Women Employees of United Nations Experienced Harassment and Intimidation from Taliban In a recently published article in MSN News, U.N. special envoy on Afghanistan Deborah Lyons told the Security Council on Thursday that they are increasingly worried about the harassment and intimidation that Taliban group is doing against their staff. However, they will do everything possible to make sure the safety of their national staff and keep them away from any forms of harm and danger. Lyons also added that they cannot do their job to serve and protect the Afghan people if intimidation and harassment continue. Jeffrey DeLaurentis, a senior US ambassador, informed the council that not only have U.N. employees been harassed, but female employees have been banned from working in the office or forced to work with a male companion, according to a published report in The Hill. Read Also: Taliban Allegedly Hold Americans and Afghan Allies as Hostage; Militant Group Won't Let the Plane Leave Kabul International Airport Taliban Asked To Respect Human Rights In a published article in Reuters, international pressure has been applied on the Taliban to respect human rights, particularly women's rights, amid fears that women would be denied access to education and employment under the rule. DeLaurentis said as he informed the council that "To call these reported incidents 'outrageous' would be an understatement. All U.N. staff members must be able to conduct their work without undue burden and without discrimination as to who they are." Meanwhile, in the country, classes have resumed, with ladies and men divided by a curtain. It can be remembered that the Taliban pledged to show equality among men and women but the recent activities in the country show that they were not following their oath. In fact, there have been a series of protests organized by women Afghans asking the Taliban to let them participate and have positions in the new interim government. No Women in the Taliban Interim Government The Taliban proclaimed their new temporary administration after two decades in the wilderness, telling the world that they had reformed and were ready to be inclusive. However, the caretaker Cabinet, which is completely made up of men, is made up of long-time hard-line members of the militant organization, including a US-designated terrorist. The lack of inclusiveness was noticed by a State Department spokeswoman, but Kate Clark, co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, a policy research group headquartered in Kabul, said it was unsurprising, according to a published report in NBC News. Furthermore, Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesperson, said that this is a temporary government, but did not specify how long the members would serve or how permanent officials will be chosen. The Taliban issued a three-page statement criticizing the government, but it made no mention of women, according to a report published in Yahoo News. The militants pledged to safeguard minorities and the impoverished, as well as to offer Sharia-compliant education to all Afghans. They also said that Afghanistan's land would not be used to threaten the security of any other nation. Related Article: US Does Not Recognize Taliban Interim Government Yet, All Men Cabinet Includes US-Designated Terrorist @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Biden administration has a solution for the increasing number of rowdy airline passengers who refuse to wear masks while flying. They'll have to pay twice as much in penalties. The government's newest effort to curb the spread of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 includes a plan to increase financial penalties for individuals who break federal laws mandating masks on commercial aircraft. President Joe Biden also mentioned the surge in reported incidents involving rowdy passengers who have been opposing mask regulations, which have gone viral. Biden administration enforces mask mandates in Airlines Until at least January 18, the federal government has enforced masks on all air and ground modes of public transportation. According to the Transportation Security Administration, penalties for infractions have ranged from $250 for the first offense to $1,500 for repeat offenders. Biden's announcement of increased mask penalties is part of a larger strategy to halt the spread of COVID-19. Other steps include a requirement that federal employees and contractors who do business with the government be vaccinated, as well as a request that the Department of Labor create a regulation requiring vaccines for firms with more than 100 employees. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there have been 4,184 reports of disruptive passengers this year, with 752 judged significant enough to trigger investigations. Even with over four months left in the year, such queries have already surpassed those of any prior year, Bloomberg via MSN reported. Resentment over federal mask regulations, tiredness after the COVID-19 pandemic, and increasing political differences all contributed to a significant number, making some plane cabins a proxy battleground in the so-called cultural wars. Airlines have had enough of unmasked and rowdy customers snarling, grouching, and fumbling their way over the friendly skies. The Transportation Security Administration announced a significant modification to its rules on Thursday: the tripling of penalty for passengers who refuse to comply with federal mask requirements for flights. First-time offenders will face fines ranging from $500 to $1,000, while repeat offenders would face fines ranging from $1,000 to $3,000. The Federal Aviation Administration revealed statistics in July indicating that three out of every four of the more than 4,000 unruly-passenger citations issued on flights this year were issued to persons who disobeyed mask regulations on purpose, as per Daily Beast. Read Also: Joe Biden Won't Be Able To Finish Presidential Term as More Americans Turn Against the President, International Expert Claims Passengers with kids struggle with the Airline mask mandate Flying with little children is difficult at the best of times, but it's considerably more difficult during a pandemic. Passengers claim that airlines do not treat them fairly. When Ryan Whitney Harris, her husband, their 7-year-old daughter, and their 3-year-old son flew from Los Angeles to Nashville, Tennessee, on June 6, she assumed this was the case. Per Business Insider, she was in tears when Southwest Airlines flight attendants arrested her because her kid couldn't keep his mask on. Every activity of the family was monitored, according to Harris. The parent claimed she offered her son a bag of candy so he would simply eat and the airline personnel would leave them alone. She, on the other hand, claimed that they had never been. Those who do not comply with the mask rules would be refused travel, according to federal laws. But, when it comes to little children, are airlines being heavy handed? Related Article: Arkansas Prisoners Claim Doctor Gives Unproven COVID-19 Treatment Ivermectin to Run Secret Experiments @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Biden and Xi held a "broad, strategic conversation" in their first meeting since February, according to the White House late Thursday. Biden Initiated their First Call Since February In a recently published article in FOX News, a White House official said that Pres. Joe Biden initiated the call towards his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. The call was made to ensure that both countries will not have any forms of conflict amid the tensions they face in different issues. Officials from the Biden administration have been in tight bilateral discussions with Beijing for months, despite years of strained relations between the two countries. Officials said Biden's goal on the conversation was to establish guardrails for healthy competition rather than to seek results or agreements. The official said, "Biden knows history will judge both leaders in how they manage this competition and takes this seriously. While we remain in a competitive space, we don't want that to veer into conflict," He also acknowledged that the U.S. is in a competitive posture against China, according to a published article in MSN News. Read Also: US Warns China Its Obligation To Defend Philippines Taiwan The Two Leaders Talked Over Phone For Approximately 90 Minutes According to a senior administration official, the call's tone, which lasted about 90 minutes and was taken from the president's home within the White House, was familiar and honest, as it had been in previous discussions between the two leaders. The discussion was "wide-ranging," according to the source, and touched on various global problems. According to the person, Biden and Xi spoke about how important it is for the two leaders to have private talks, Newstral reports. Furthermore, the official emphasized the significance of open lines of communication, the opportunity to debate where interests converge and ideals divide, and the capacity to engage on both sets of problems openly and straightforwardly," breaking down the guardrails and limits put forth by Biden. Disagreements of the U.S. and China Both nations disagree on several important topics, one of which is human rights and democracy. The United States accuses China of genocide against the Uighur people in the Xinjiang region. It also claims that Beijing is infringing on Hong Kong's democratic rights through a newly enacted security legislation, which opponents claim is being used to suppress dissent. Meanwhile, China has frequently warned the United States to stay out of its domestic affairs, accusing Washington of "smearing" the governing Communist Party. China is also retaliating against what it perceives as U.S. naval intrusion in the South China Sea, which it regards as Chinese territory. In a published article on Sioux County Radio, one of their main points of contention is the conflict in Afghanistan. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin criticized the U.S. departure from Afghanistan earlier this week, claiming that their soldiers had "wreaked havoc." He also accused the United States of causing severe harm to the Afghan people. Needless to say, since Biden's first conversation with Xi as president in February, another senior administration official told a news outlet that the Biden administration has engaged with Chinese officials in "several settings," but that those Chinese officials have not been serious about diplomatic engagement, but rather "propaganda." Related Article: US-China Tensions Rise After Tumultuous Meeting Regarding Chinese Genocide But Continued Talks Still Possible @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The US Navy's USS Benfold conducted sailed close to Mischief Reef, which China claimed as its property, but the US and Allies denied their claims. Chinese Peoples Liberation Army says the ship crossed and violated their territory, but the US denied it because it followed international law. Beijing claims that building structure on reefs gives China the right to claim isles that technically belong to another nation. It has militarized the South China Sea and its surrounding seas, prompting navies to challenge them, especially the US Navy, and recently the USS Queen Elizabeth. China's new maritime rules in the South China Sea Mischief Reef is getting reclaimed by China by building structures on it to justify its claims. This, in turn, draws in ships that proclaim Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs), reported the Express UK. Reports indicate that the People's Liberation Army Navy is in the seas, west of the Peninsula of Leizhou, to conduct live rounds in a series of drills on Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday, the Southern Theatre Command of the PLA Navy was part of exercises for amphibious landings. Recently, China publicized its new maritime rules that all foreign vessels should follow when coming into their claims, including Mischief Reef and the Spratly's, which is contested. These drills announced by Beijing come after the USS Benfold that came within 12-nautical miles close the Mischief reefs, noted the Hindustan Times. China called it a wrong move, but the US just refuted it. Read Also: Beijing Says the UK Seems to Be Asking for a "Beating" After Carrier Queen Elizabeth Entered South China Sea The 7th Fleet A spokesman of the 7th Fleet's answer back to the Chinese about its maritime laws is that its claims are untrue. Next, the PLA Navy said it warned the US warship to leave the area. Specifically, the statement said the PLA Southern Theatre Command's joint forces tracked the intruder and monitored its path, then warned it to leave the area, cited AP News. The US Navy simply answered back to the PLA Navy, harshly stating their statement was not valid. Saying the USS Benfold did the FONOPs following the rules of international law. Next, it went ahead with its path of normal operations. On many occasions, even during the pandemic, the PLA has pursued its agenda while the coronavirus burdens other countries. One explanation about China's claims is that international law is governed by the Law of the Sea Convention, which defines territories. The US contests that Mischief Reef, when covered at the high time by the sea, if not built up, should not have a Territorial Sea at all. Even if the land is reclaimed, building installation, even with the facilities on the reef, will not change the fact it is still submerged at times. This definition disqualifies it. Since 2017, China has made several military complexes in the Spratlys, with the Mischief Reef included, that are not lawful. It worsens as Beijing is illegally taking these reefs and belligerent to other countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Whenever US navy warships go by these isles, the PLAN is very loud in condemning these vessels. Passage of the USS Carl Vinson was confirmed via intelligence, passing the Bashi channel last Monday. The new law states that foreign vessels must give notice when passing with the USS Benfold steaming close to the Mischief Reef, challenging Chinese claims. Related Article: Brexit UK a Prominent Military Force in the South China Sea Conflict @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. China's top anti-corruption agency has detained a senior banker from a major policy bank for inquiry. He Xingxiang, vice-president of China Development Bank (CDB) and a member of its party committee, is being investigated by the Communist Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) for suspected severe violations of discipline and law, a euphemism for corruption. Since 2012, the 58-year-old has become the third top CDB official to face a corruption investigation under President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign. Under the supervision of the State Council, China's cabinet, CDB, one of the country's three major policy banks, provides loans worth trillions of yuan. It is critical in funding significant domestic infrastructure projects as well as key international investments, like those made under the Belt and Road Initiative. He worked at Bank of China, one of China's four state-owned commercial banks, before becoming vice-president of Agricultural Development Bank, another of China's policy banks, and the third is the Export-Import Bank of China, which supports the country's massive trade financing requirements. China Development Bank vice president violates discipline and law The confinement of Hu Huaibang, the former chairman and party leader of the CDB, was sentenced to life in jail eight months ago for accepting bribes of 85.5 million yuan (about $13.2 million). Hu's inquiry was one of the most high-profile corruption instances in the banking industry, as per The South China Morning Post. It prompted concerns about state-owned banks after official media revealed that Hu had extended billions of dollars in credit to former CEFC China Energy Chairman Ye Jianming's firm through an intermediary, former Gansu party secretary Wang Sanyun. Hu Xiaogang, the former vice president of China Orient Asset Management Co, one of the country's four biggest bad debt managers, was also investigated by CCDI in June. China hanged Lai Xiaomin, the former chairman of the troubled China Huarong Asset Management Co, in January after a court found him guilty of accepting bribes for 1.79 billion yuan ($277 million). Per Yahoo Finance, aside from ramping up their anti-corruption operations, authorities have been focusing on cleaning up financial hazards that have accrued over time. Wang was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2019 for taking bribes worth 66.9 million yuan. Ye was apprehended by the CCDI in 2018, but his location is unknown. Yao Zhongmin, the former CDB deputy party head and chairman of the supervisory board, was sentenced to 14 years in jail in 2016 for accepting bribes worth 36.2 million yuan. The CCDI has detained or prosecuted 22 top officials of deputy provincial or ministerial level or above this year, including financial heavyweight Cai E'sheng, former vice-chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, who was held in July. Read Also: North Korea's Kim Jong Un Shocks Experts with Dramatic Slim Appearance as Weight Loss Continue in the Wake of Rumored Health Scares Xi Jinping's crackdown in every industry The instructions have been abrupt, dramatic, and frequently perplexing. Chinese officials prohibited "American Idol"-style competitions and events starring males considered too effeminate last week. Zhao Wei, one of China's wealthiest actresses, had her films, television shows, and news references removed from the Internet as if she never existed just days before. A prohibition on for-profit tutoring destroyed China's multibillion-dollar private education business over the summer, and new rules have wiped $1 trillion off Chinese tech stocks since their February peak. "Xi Jinping Thought" is taught in academic settings, while international games and applications like Animal Crossing and Duolingo have been taken off shop sales as China's digital moguls strive to give more to President Xi Jinping's anti-inequality drive. Over the last several months, China's government has unleashed a dizzying regulatory blitz that has hit nearly every industry, as per The Washington Post. As Xi Jinping prepares to run for a controversial third term in 2022, his sprawling "rectification" campaign, which includes such disparate targets as ride-hailing services, education, insurance, and even the amount of time children can spend playing video games, is redrawing the boundaries of business and society in China. Related Article: China, Russia Ditch US Dollars in Expanded Trade Settlements in Favor of National Currencies @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Although no date has been announced, rumors about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's baby girl's christening are already in full gear. Lilibet has been kept away from prying eyes and her privacy has been protected by the couple, who have been extremely active in the media recently from their Californian house. The couple is now pushing for a christening ceremony at the private chapel at Windsor Castle, as she is now older than her brother Archie was when he was baptized. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's attitude of entitlement may appear stunning to some. They appear blissfully ignorant of the havoc they have wreaked on the Queen, the monarchy, and the Royal Family as a result of their actions. After all, their strained relationship with the royal family since their retirement as working royals, as well as their readiness to make disparaging accusations on television, have left lasting wounds. Meghan Markle, Prince Harry prepare for Lilibet's baptism in the UK Some believe that the once-close brothers William and Harry's damaged relationship are irreversible, Irish Mirror reported. However, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their staff of advisers in the United States appear blissfully unaware of the harm they've done, including claims that the Firm harbors a racist and is unconcerned about mental health. Lilibet Diana, who bears the Queen's pet name and the name of Prince Harry's mother Diana, was born in June in California. Although royal expert Robert Jobson believes it would be "breathtaking" for Meghan and Harry to expect any type of royal affair, it is unclear where she would be baptized, as per The Sun. Many saw Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to name their second child Lilibet as an attempt to mend their relationship with the Royal Family. According to the BBC, the couple did not consult the Queen on the name Lilibet, which the Sussexes later denied. Buckingham Palace remained silent after that, leading many to believe it was because they supported the BBC's account of events. Despite the uncomfortable mix-up, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have launched a bold pitch for a meeting with the Queen in the United Kingdom in the coming weeks. They have volunteered to travel in to see Queen Elizabeth, which would be the Duchess' first visit to the UK since Megxit in March 2020, and Her Majesty's first chance to see her great-granddaughter. As he and Meghan prepare for Lilibet's christening, Prince Harry is said to have made "olive branch" calls to his relatives. Senior employees, on the other hand, are believed to be taken aback by the request for a meeting, which comes months after the pair slammed the Royal Family in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Read Also: Kris Wu Allegedly Tries to Sell Properties Amid Video Spreading With Striking Resemblance to The Idol Visiting Hospital Royal family to speak out in Prince Philip documentary Per Express.co, Meghan Markle will not appear in the Royal Family's BBC tribute video to Prince Philip. The one-hour special, which will premiere later this month, will include more than a dozen members of the Royal Family. Prince Harry, along with Prince Charles, Prince William, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, and Zara Tindall, is one of the royals featured in the tribute video, having left royal responsibilities last year to start a new life in California with Meghan. The Duchess of Sussex, as well as Kate Middleton and other Queen's spouses and Philip's grandkids, will not be included in the show. On BBC One on September 22 at 9 pm, Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers will broadcast. The celebration was supposed to take place in June to commemorate Philip's 100th birthday, but the monarch's beloved spouse died two months before his birthday. "Poignant recollections, lots of humor, and countless fresh insights into the character and impact of this royal pioneer," according to the BBC. Related Article: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Allegedly Furious Over Prince Charles' Future Monarchy Plans That Would Prevent Archie To Become Prince @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Marvel "What If...?" Episode 5 really took a dark turn. In this reality, a more radical interpretation of our favorite superheroes leaves them undead. Here's what went down during the grisly episode. 'What If...?' Episode 5 Recap: Zombie Avengers The previous episodes of "What If...?" explored the fates of Peggy Carter, T'Challa, and Doctor Strange after their Nexus events. This time around, the fans are introduced to a more infamous version of the Marvel superheroes: Zombie Avengers. Before continuing with the rest of the article, be warned that there will be spoilers ahead. What If Episode 5 spoilers without context. #WhatIf pic.twitter.com/EcdNxORjDR The Marvel Bulletin (@marvelbulletin_) September 8, 2021 The "timeline" of the episode diverges with the events of "Ant-Man and the Wasp" from the main MCU timeline, CNet said. In this one, however, Janet Van Dyne picked up a zombie virus while she was trapped in the Quantum Realm. Hank Pym rescued his long-lost love and wife and brougt her back to Earth--but that also meant bringing the zombie virus. Scott Lang was the first victim and it did not take long for the virus to overwhelm Earth's mightiest heroes, Looper said. The zombie versions of the iconic heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, Doctor Strange, Hawkeye, Falcon, and Wong ruthlessly gorged on the flesh of just about everyone. WHAT IF EPISODE 5 SPOILERS#WhatIf #ZombieAvengers - - - - - it's safe to assume that when anything goes wrong, you can always blame hank pym pic.twitter.com/W12iRXoLy1 ethan | saw shang-chi (@wandapilots) September 8, 2021 The surviving heroes--Spider-Man, Bruce Banner, the Wasp, Okoye, Bucky Barnes,and Sharon Carter--team up to secure a cure. But it wasn't easy. In a very bleak turn of events, when the surviving heroes head to Camp Lehigh in New Jersey, they were met with droves of zombies. With not many options, the Wasp sacrificed herself so the rest can make it to the base. It turns out Vision survived the zombie attacks thanks to the Mind Stone embedded in his brain, and he used this "immunity" to work on a cure with the goal to not only save others but especially his true love: Wanda Maximoff AKA the Scarlet Witch who was very much a flesh-eating zombie at this point. what if episode 5 zombies wanda maximoff maneater nelly furtado fancam edit pic.twitter.com/UitWFnp62d jess media (@cleocazosgf) September 8, 2021 To sustain his dear true love, Vision has been feeding survivors to Scarlet Witch, who he has kept in the depths of the base. One of the survivors Vision has been using? Black Panther, who Buck discovered in a back room with a missing leg. Unfortunately, Wanda's chaotic magic makes her untreatable. Spider-Man, Black Panther and Doctor Strange's Cloak of Levitation escape Camp Lehigh to travel to Wakanda and transmit the power of the Mind Stone to the world. But here is where it gets grimmer, Thanos also contracted the zombie virus and has come into possession of the five other infinity stones. What our surviving heroes did was unwittingly deliver the last Stone for Thanos to gain ultimate power. What an episode. WHAT IF? Episode 5 Review: FANTASTIC EPISODE! This show only gets better. They really been sticking to darker theme episodes these last few weeks and Im all for it. Peter was definitely the main character throughout the episode. The ending was INSANE! Overall rating 10/10! pic.twitter.com/DLXdMFqmnX TheMCUVerse (@TheRealMCUVerse) September 8, 2021 Read Also: 'Shang-Chi' Post Credit Scene, Reviews: Best Reactions, Marvel Easter Eggs, and MORE Easter Eggs in 'What If...?' Episode 5 With all the incredibly gruesome and bleak events that transpired in the episode, Marvel still managed to drop a few Easter Eggs for the fans. In this episode, Peter Parker made a reference to his late Uncle Ben for the first time ever in the MCU. Perhaps the much-anticipated "Spider-Man: No Way Home" will dive deeper into Uncle Ben's character in the MCU. Vision's fierce and questionable actions all for the sake of his one true love Wanda is very similar to Wanda's questionable hostage of a whole town to create a fake life with him in her series "WandaVision," Cnet pointed out. WHAT IF EPISODE 5 SPOILERS#WhatIf #ZombieAvengers - - - - - MARVEL COULD YOU STOP KILLING VISION EVERY CHANCE YOU GET pic.twitter.com/Y6UsbgffVO ethan | saw shang-chi (@wandapilots) September 8, 2021 The zombie virus is revealed to overload the brain's limbic system and if you don't know your brain anatomy like the rest of us, it's what controls our behavioral and emotional responses in relation to feeding and other basic survival instincts in particular. Wanda was not able to sink her teeth into Hulk's skin because it's enhanced by his gamma rays. In a respectful nod to the late Chadwick Boseman, T'Challa says this: "In my culture, death is not the end. They are still with us, as long as we do not forget them." Catch the next episode of "What If...?" on September 15 on Disney Plus. A new episode of "What If...?" goes live every Wednesday. Related Article: 'Lego Star Wars' Halloween Special Trailer, 3 Stories Revealed: How to Watch Terrifying Tales on Disney Plus The 2022 Toyota Tundra was recently spotted undisguised on a public parking lot. A fan snapped photos of the new pickup truck, featuring its exterior design. Notably, the Toyota Tundra seen was a regular, non-TRD model. YouTuber Gear Runner spied the Toyota Tundra 2022 in Destin, Florida. He captured six photos of the vehicle featuring two side shots, one front view, one back view, and two interior previews. Analysts spotted many details and clues from the photo. 2022 Toyota Tundra Exterior Design and Specs Carscoops mentioned how the truck showed T-shaped headlights, C-shaped tailgates, stamped fenders, kinked windows and a full-height front grille. The Toyota logo was prominently stamped on top with a "Tundra" lettering on its grille. Fog lamps and the adaptive cruise control radar are also integrated into the front grille. On the 2022 Toyota Tundra side-view, the car was designed with chrome trims on its handles and chrome finish on its front grille. The vehicle is equipped with 20-inch wheels designed with silver and dark grey accents. YouTuber Automotive Press noted that the emblem on its c-pillar is a limited-edition indicator for the vehicle. The front and back crease over its body is considered a "legendary signature design" in Toyota. The YouTuber associated it with "muscles bulging out the body." The vehicle spotted was a double cab version of Toyota Tundra, implying a smaller passenger compartment but longer trunk bed. Notably, the photos showcase the sliding rear window on its back, based on the tiny glass square at the center. The car also has new fender lights with a radial shape. Lastly, the back of the vehicle has chrome highlights on its bumper. The back view photo of the car revealed a Toyota Tundra CrewMax version parked beside it. The latter is a bigger vehicle featuring four full-sized doors with two truck bed variants (shot and long). Read Also: Tesla Model S Plaid Sets New Speed Record in Nurburgring; Elon Musk Tweets Exciting Next Step! 2022 Toyota Tundra Engine and Other Features Carscoops also speculated a new 2022 Toyota Tundra V8 engine instead of the V6. The engine is called "iForce MAX," which is teased to produce more power than the outgoing 5.7L V8's 381 hp (386 PS / 284 kW) and 401 lb-ft (544 Nm) of torque on most Toyota engines. Predictions said the 2022 Toyota engine could create 409 hp (415 PS / 305 kW) and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque. Lastly, it is worth noting that Toyota mentioned plans to bring electrification on its pickup truck lineup. With the 2022 Toyota Tundra still in development, the vehicle would likely have a hybrid engine variant. Keep in mind that these are unofficial leaks and spy photos captured for the Toyota Tundra 2022. Details are subject to change depending on Toyota's development plans. Full details for the 2022 Toyota Tundra might be available by the end of this year. Related Article: 3D-Printed Car Spotted at IAA 2021: Photos, Full Specs and Design of XEV YoYo Electric Vehicle Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki. Korea Times file By Lee Kyung-min The Ministry of Strategy and Finance said a program offering educational subsidies should be revised to reduce revenue from taxes allocated to local governments, since the number of students in Korea is on a rapid decline due to the country's persistently-low birthrate. The recommendation coincides with a deterioration of the government's fiscal soundness brought on and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has drafted 115 trillion won ($98 billion) over the course of six supplementary budgets since the beginning of the pandemic, mostly for emergency policy and cash assistance for low-income earners and small businesses. A ministry official published an opinion in a monthly report on the government's fiscal plan, Thursday, underscoring the urgent need to redesign the overall educational financing grant system in response to changing demographics. This is in line with the ministry's budget bureau, which is discussing ways to improve the system to streamline the education budget for elementary and secondary school students and to use money saved to offer lifelong education and vocational training. By law, at least 20.79 percent of the government's total tax revenue should be spent on municipal education offices for the education of students and educators as well as administrative purposes. Currently, up to 70 percent of their budget comes from the central government. No discretion is allowed for the change in the amount set by law governing mandatory education, a reason why critics have long argued that the rule is overprotective of local education offices and that finances should be reviewed to fully reflect demand as defined by the number of students. The claim has merit, since the amount of money allocated would increase as long as the country grows as measured by GDP, leading to a waste of government revenue at the expense of taxpayers. This is backed further by the local educational budget rising to a record amount, while the number of students is on a steep decline. Education grants for local municipalities rose to 53.5 trillion won last year, significantly up from 39.4 trillion won in 2015. The figure inched up to 59.6 trillion won this year and is expected to jump to a record 64.3 trillion won in 2022. Data from Statistics Korea showed the number of pre-schoolers, and elementary and secondary school students combined stood at 6.71 million last year, down from 7.56 million in 2015. The figure is expected to drop to as low as 4.88 million in 2035, from 5.97 million in 2025. The Ministry of Education said in June that it was inappropriate to argue that local educational finances should be reduced only because of the number of students, since schools and educational facility maintenance needs must be considered. The budget amount carried over to the next school year was 6.6 trillion won in 2019 and 4.4 trillion won last year. gettyimagesbank By Lee Kyung-min Tightened private spending sparked by an increase in COVID-19 infections by the Delta variant is expected to continue throughout the latter half of the year, adding pressure on the Bank of Korea to refrain from a further key rate hike. The renewed dilemma will be further compounded by slower-than-expected U.S. economic growth as indicated by the assessment in the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest Beige Book report. Korea has been relatively insulated from the health crisis, due chiefly to containment efforts and high public participation as illustrated by the number of people wearing face masks in public places. But the spread of the highly-infectious Delta variant has prompted health officials to retain the highest Level 4 social distancing measures. Small businesses in the services industries, including those subject to gathering bans, meanwhile, are edging closer to bankruptcy and the tightening of overall consumption is a major roadblock to an economic recovery. The Korea Economic Research Institute said in a report released Thursday that the country's private consumption will remain weak in the latter half of the year due to the prolonged fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Private consumption is expected to grow 2.8 percent this year, impacted by downward pressures including rising interest payment burdens due to the central bank rate hike of 25 basis points last month. The latest assessment stymied a recovery in private consumption in the first half, fanned mostly by expectations of an earlier-than-hoped economic rebound anchored in part by rising asset prices including stocks and real estate, and the country's efforts to contain the spread of the virus. But as the prospect of achieving herd immunity before the year's end becomes elusive despite vaccination efforts edging up, the country's growth rate may remain in the low 3 percent range, the think tank said. "If the current spread does not stabilize and the delay in vaccinations sees no improvement, the country's GDP growth will slow," the report said. The grim assessment is gaining traction, after the Fed reported Wednesday (local time) in its Beige Book that the U.S. economy "downshifted slightly" in August. The U.S. central bank said this was due to a pullback in the services industries, including dining, travel and tourism, fueled by the renewed surge of Delta variant infections. Goldman Sachs economists recently revised down their forecast for U.S. growth to 5.7 percent this year, Monday (local time), down from 6 percent made at the end of August. "The recovery of the Korean economy is underpinned almost entirely by strong exports and fiscal spending. Private consumption tightening is concerning since it is directly linked to how the ordinary citizens feel about their financial condition, a reason why the central bank will need to closely monitor data points arriving in the coming months before raising the key rate," Seoul National University economist Lee In-ho said. Author Lee Jung-myung / Courtesy of Lee Jung-myung Award-winning author Lee Jung-myung speaks about his latest novel 'Broken Summer' By Kang Hyun-kyung Best-selling author Lee Jung-myung's daily habits are quite different from those of other Korean novelists. Unlike many other writers, he's not a night owl. Waking up early in the morning, like a full-time salaried worker, he works from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in his studio near his home in Seoul, researching topics that interest him to get inspiration for future book projects, writing stories and editing drafts. Prior to his career transition into a full-time author in 1997, Lee worked as a journalist for daily newspapers and a monthly magazine over a decade. "It's interesting to know that the two-word Chinese characters referring to a reporter means a person who writes. So writers and reporters are basically doing almost the same work," he told The Korea Times. The soft-spoken man said his career transition was so smooth that he himself didn't have any difficulties in adapting to being a novelist after leaving journalism. Lee is the master of gripping stories. Out of 11 novels he has published over the past two decades since his literary debut, several of them are best-sellers. His strong presence in book sales seems to be the result of his decades of a consistent, steady and thorough work habit. "Broken Summer" by Lee Jung-myung Lee's latest novel, "Broken Summer," released in May by publishing house EunHaengNaMu, became an instant best-seller. More good news came months later. In August, the New York-based literary agency, Barbara J. Zitwer Agency, closed a deal with Liza Danton of Amazon Crossing for a translation of "Broken Summer." This is Lee's third novel to be published worldwide in English, following his 2012 thriller "The Investigation" which captivated European readers. His historical fiction "Painter of the Wind" will be published worldwide by Harriet Press in English later this year. Lee is one of the rare Korean authors who is popular among European readers. "The Investigation," translated by award-winning Korean American translator Chi-Young Kim and published by Pan Macmillan, is a historical work of fiction about a real figure, poet Yun Dong-ju, and begins with a murder case of a prison guard in Fukuoka in 1944. The thriller was nominated for the United Kingdom's Independent Foreign Fiction Prize in 2015 and selected among the final six books for Italy's Premio Bancarella literary award. Lee's 'The Investigation' A photo taken after the arrival of Mexico's first generation of Korean immigrants, who worked in the plantations of the Yucatan Peninsula, May 12, 1905 / Yonhap By Park Han-sol The cover of "Flor Negra (Black Flower)" (2021), written by Kim Young-ha and translated by Ko Hye-sun and Francisco Carranza Romero / Courtesy of Panorama Editorial In April 1905, just five years before Korea fell under Japanese colonial occupation, 1,033 people from all ages and walks of life flocked to Jemulpo Harbor in present-day Incheon to climb aboard a ship en route to the land of new hopes and possibilities, called Mexico. But the feeling of excitement quickly turned to misery as their trip led them to begin working under the grueling heat at the haciendas (plantations) of the Yucatan Peninsula, where henequen fiber was extracted from the Agave fourcroydes plant to produce textiles. Subject to low wages as well as harsh working and living conditions, their dreams of returning to their homeland in a few years with a hefty sum were shattered. Kim Young-ha's 2003 Korean-language novel, "Black Flower," which tells the story of these first-generation Korean immigrants' harrowing journey and settlement in a foreign land, was published recently in Mexico in Spanish. Kim wrote the book after conducting extensive field research in Mexico's capital city and Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan, as well as in Guatemala's Tikal and Antigua regions. As the recipient of the prestigious Dong-in Literary Prize in 2004, he is credited with skillfully weaving the modern history of Mexico's religion, culture and social structure into the narrative, which revolves around the lives of the Korean migrant workers. "Flor Negra" was translated from Korean into Spanish by Ko Hye-sun, a professor emeritus at Dankook University, and her husband, Francisco Carranza Romero. Although the book has appeared in multiple languages in the past, including English, Portuguese, Chinese, French, German and Polish, this time is the first that it was published in Spanish in Mexico. During an online presentation, Thursday joined by the director of the Korean Cultural Center in Mexico City, the publisher's representative, translators and a local researcher of Korean immigration history Kim expressed appreciation for the book's Spanish translation and publication in Mexico in a video message. "Out of all of the books that I have written so far, 'Black Flower' is the one I hold dearest to my heart," he said. "Since the narrative is primarily set in Mexico, for a long time, I've wished for the novel to be published there and am happy to see that this has been finally done." He added that its story of diaspora remains relevant today, as people continue to undergo many trials and tribulations to fit into a certain cultural identity different from that of their native land. "Although this is a tale of Koreans in the early 20th century, I believe there are many parts of the story that can resonate with the readers of Mexico and other countries." The Korean Cultural Center in Mexico City announced that it plans to distribute "Flor Negra" in the near future to major universities, as well as to the Association of Korean Descendants in Mexico. In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, waves to participants as they gather for a group photo, in a celebration of the nation's 73rd anniversary at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, Sept. 9. AP-Yonhap North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a mausoleum of his late grandfather and national founder Kim Il-sung, and late father and former leader Kim Jong-il to mark the 73rd anniversary of the country's founding, state media reported Friday. Kim and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the bodies of the late leaders lie in state, the Korean Central News Agency said. "At the halls where the President and the Chairman lie in state, the General Secretary and his wife extended the best wishes of immortality to the great leaders who built the genuine people's country, the prosperous socialist country, and bequeathed it down to the future generations by dedicating all their lives," the KCNA said. Ri's public appearance is believed to be the first in nearly four months since she attended a performance of the art groups of servicemen's families from large combined units of the Korean People's Army in May. Kim's trip to the mausoleum comes after the North held a scaled-down military parade at midnight featuring artillery-carrying tractors rather than intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and other strategic weapons. Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim, was also spotted paying tribute at the Kumsusan Palace in the fifth row, according to video footage released by the state-run Korean Central Television later in the day. However, she did not appear in any photos or video clips of Thursday's military parade. It is unusual for her to skip the North's military parade, as she has attended all parades on major anniversaries since 2015. At a military parade in celebration of the eighth congress of the North's ruling Workers' Party in January this year, she was spotted dressed in a long black leather coat similar to that of leader Kim's. South Korea's unification ministry said it will keep an eye on Kim Yo-jong's status at the upcoming political events, such as the Supreme People's Assembly meeting later this month. Accompanying Kim on the visit to the Kumsusan were top officials, including Choe Ryong-hae, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, and Jo Yong-won, secretary for organizational affairs of the party's Central Committee. North Korea's military chief, Pak Jong-chon, who was recently elected a member of the Presidium of the ruling Workers' Party, also paid tribute. The KCNA said Kim held a photo session with the participants of the parade and expressed appreciation for fully demonstrating the "fighting efficiency and unity of paramilitary and public security forces of our state." He also voiced his expectation the participants would "fulfill their honorable mission and duty of defending the country and building socialism, while holding a rifle in one hand and a hammer, a sickle or a writing brush in the other hand." Several celebratory events took place across the country to mark the founding anniversary, including dancing parties for the youth and members of the women's union, in an apparent effort to drum up domestic support amid a worsening economy from the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and international sanctions. (Yonhap) The foreign ministry has expressed regrets over Tokyo's approval of textbooks that refer to victims of wartime sexual slavery as "comfort women," instead of "military comfort women," in what critics say is a move to whitewash its past atrocities. On Wednesday, Japan's education ministry reportedly approved five publishers' plans to change the term for wartime sex slaves and remove the expression "forced conscription" in reference to those forced to work against their will. "It is very regrettable that the ministry approved the textbook publishers' recent applications for the removal or change of related expressions," the foreign ministry said, calling for Tokyo to show "sincerity" in addressing historical issues between the two countries. The ministry stressed the forced nature of the mobilization, recruitment and transfer of the military comfort women is an "undeniable fact" backed by victims' firsthand accounts, and Tokyo itself has already acknowledged the past misdeed. The ministry also pointed out Tokyo had acknowledged the forced labor victims were brought "against their will and forced to work under harsh conditions" during a 2015 session of the UNESCO's World Heritage Committee. Tokyo's approval of the envisioned changes in textbooks came about five months after its Cabinet adopted a position against the current expressions for the victims of sexual slavery and forced labor amid strains in relations between South Korea and Japan over wartime history and trade. (Yonhap) A A National Assembly worker clears out documents from the office of Rep. Lee Nak-yon of the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea, Thursday, a day after Lee announced he would quit his Assembly seat to focus on the presidential election. Joint Press Corps By Nam Hyun-woo The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is at a loss after its former leader and current presidential contender Lee Nak-yon announced that he will abandon his National Assembly seat. The primary contender said that he made the decision in order to concentrate fully on his presidential campaign and to show his strong determination to win in the presidential election by becoming the party's single candidate. However, criticism has arisen concerning the move, as it means that he will not be able to fulfill his duty as a lawmaker representing his constituency of Jongno District in Seoul. The current DPK leadership is also expressing concerns that the decision may harm the liberal party's unity by aggravating competition among the contenders. Lee announced his resignation from his Assembly seat Wednesday after the DPK primary votes in Daejeon, Sejong and South and North Chungcheong provinces from Sept. 4 to 5 ended in a landslide victory for his rival, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung. "In order to protect the DPK's values and those of democracy, I decided to give up my position in the National Assembly for the sake of successfully retaining power," Lee said. "I will pay off the debt I owe to democracy and to the DPK, the Republic of Korea, Honam and Seoul's Jongno District, by throwing everything I have into the party retaining power." The day after the announcement, Lee cleared his belongings out of his office at the Assembly. The leaders of the DPK have been trying to persuade Lee to rescind his decision. During an interview with broadcaster YTN, Thursday, DPK spokesman Ko Young-jin said, "The leadership of the party, including Chairman Song Young-gil and floor leader Yun Ho-jung, is working to dissuade Lee." "Though we can feel that Lee has a strong commitment to winning the presidency, it is important for the party to stay together in order to face the presidential election as one team," Ko said. According to the law on procedures at the National Assembly, for a lawmaker's resignation to be accepted, the issue should be introduced by the Assembly speaker for a vote at a plenary session. Then it requires the attendance of more than half of the Assembly members, as well as the approval of more than half of the attendees. Given the fact that the DPK holds the majority in the 300-seat Assembly, Lee's resignation requires the agreement of the majority of the DPK Assembly members. Lee's move is already becoming a target of criticism. Choo Mi-ae, the former justice minister and a DPK presidential contender, said in a statement, "Lee made a thoughtless decision." "It was a thoughtless and rash decision that forgot what kind of symbolism Jongno has for the DPK and our supporters," the statement read. "The choice to elect the DPK lawmaker was made by the people, and it is not a kind of bet that can be arbitrarily wagered on for the primary." Democratic Party of Korea presidential contender Rep. Lee Nak-yon speaks at the opening ceremony of a local farmers' market store in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, Friday. Yonhap Japan should sincerely apologize for past misdeeds Japan has come under growing criticism for its attempts to whitewash its past misdeeds by denying and distorting undeniable historical facts. On Wednesday, Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology endorsed the request of five publishers to change the terms for wartime sexual slavery and forced labor during World War II. The publishers plan to change the expression of "military comfort women" into "comfort women" and "forced conscription" into "mobilization" in referring to those forced into sexual slavery and others to toil against their will. Their plans come after the Japanese government held meetings with them in April and asked them to change such expressions, saying they were "inappropriate" and could elicit misunderstandings. The deletion of "military" in reference to the comfort women is apparently an attempt to deny the Japanese Imperial Army's involvement in the issue. The removal of the word, "forced," in referring to the conscription of workers is also a bid to whitewash the country's past wrongdoings. Yet, these attempts run against the numerous testimonies and accounts by many of the victims and some perpetrators about these atrocities. For starters, Japan's Kono Statement in 1993, released by then-Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono, acknowledged the fact that the Japanese Imperial Army had forced women to work in brothels before and during World War II. "They lived in misery at comfort stations amidst a coercive atmosphere," the statement read. Many testimonies show that Koreans were also forced to work harshly in very miserable conditions. The Japanese government admitted this fact in the process of registering Hashima Island, also called Gunkanjima, meaning "Battleship Island," to be approved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2015. The Japanese government unveiled a plan to set up a facility in memory of the Koreans whom it agreed had been coerced to work in extremely severe conditions. Yet, contrary to its pledge, Japan has attempted to establish a public relations center for the island as a symbol of Japan's rapid industrialization, while concealing its role as a site of forced labor and wartime crimes. UNESCO expressed regret over this move by Japan and called for a repeal of the plan. Japan's attempts to whitewash its past misdeeds including its colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula and other imperial aggression has been routine especially among conservatives there. Worse still, such moves have been intensifying to the extent of being reflected in actual government policies since the administration of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. We have to express concern over the increasing tendency toward further outdated conservatism in Japan. The Japanese government should stop attempts to bolster such a trend. It is totally improper for Japan to change these expressions and justify its past wrongdoings in an apparent bid to whitewash its history of war crimes. Japan should make efforts to reflect sincerely on and apologize for its shameful misdeeds of the past. Only when it faces the historical facts squarely, can Japan improve its current frosty relations with Korea. By Kim Hyun-bin Koo Dong-hui, son of LS Group Chairman Koo Ja-yeol, is spearheading a hydrogen drive as one of the conglomerate's future growth engines. Koo recently joined the so-called Hydrogen Committee created by leading conglomerates including Hyundai Motor Group, SK Group and POSCO Group. Koo Ja-hui Koo plans to utilize his position as the CEO of E1, which imports and distributes liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as well as running LPG filling stations, to begin to establish both a hydrogen distribution network and value chain. According to industry sources, Friday, the company has been transforming three LPG filling stations in the capital region to also offer hydrogen. E1 inked a memorandum of understating (MOU) with the Ministry of Environment to speed up the establishment of dual LPG and hydrogen filling stations in the capital region. The company is also constructing dual hydrogen, LPG filling stations in other regions of the country. Koo attended the formation of the Hydrogen Committee at the Korea H2 Business Summit at KINTEX in Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday, along with the leaders of the involved conglomerates including Hyundai Motor Group, SK Group and Lotte Group. They formed the committee to boost the cutting of carbon emissions and to gain a leading position in the global hydrogen industry that is predicted to become a 3,000 trillion won market by 2050. The official launch ceremony was attended by Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin and Hanwha Group President Kim Dong-kwan who are among the 15 cooperating firms' executives. E1 distributes nearly half of the local LPG imports and will be in charge of establishing a hydrogen supply network. Currently, it operates 350 LPG filling stations nationwide, among which 100 are fully owned by the company. Koo has swiftly climbed the corporate ladder since joining the company, being promoted to CEO of E1 in March this year. He has been in charge of the group's future businesses, having his grip within the conglomerate cemented. Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin participates in a Value Creation Meeting held at the company's headquarters in Seoul on Jan. 13. Courtesy of Lotte Group By Kim Jae-heun Lotte Group's retail unit, Lotte Shopping, has been selected as a de-facto strategic investor to acquire Hanssem, the country's largest furniture company, along with local private equity fund (PEF) IMM PE. Lotte Shopping will also obtain the preemptive right to take over the furniture company when the PEF sells it. Lotte Shopping and IMM PE are said to have agreed to meet and sign a stock purchase agreement next week. "Our board of directors made a decision to invest 300 billion won in a private equity fund to be established by IMM PE to acquire Hanssem," a Lotte Shopping official said. "In order for the investment to actually take place, IMM PE has to proceed with its plan first. If not, we will not transfer the money." Investment banks here predict that IMM PE and Lotte Shopping will have to pay a maximum 1.5 trillion won to acquire 30.21 percent of Hanssem's controlling stake owned by Cho Chang-geol, the honorary chairman of Hanssem, and affiliated persons. Lotte Shopping will acquire 5 percent to 6 percent of Hanssem's share if it invests 300 billion won as planned. Its retail subsidiary expects to create synergy with its department stores and Hanssem after the deal is closed. Hanssem is the No. 1 interior design company in Korea and could help Lotte Shopping strengthen its competitiveness in the furniture market. "Taking over Hanssem will help Lotte allocate space for furniture stores in our retail channels as well as create synergy at the group level in collaboration with Hi-Mart and Lotte Engineering and Construction," a Lotte Shopping official said. LX Hausys, another industrial and interior material giant, also showed strong interest in IMM PE's Hanssem buyout as acquiring the furniture firm could help it grow into a general interior firm. However, IMM PE chose Lotte over LX Hausys after reviewing various conditions offered. Lotte Group's main rival, Shinsegae, was also rumored to have reviewed investing in Hanssem, but decided to drop out. Lotte Group has been quiet in the merger and acquisition scene in the first half of the year its last acquisition was in 2015 when it took over KT rental and a Samsung chemical affiliate. gettyimagesbank This April 8, 2019, file photo shows the headquarters of the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. The head of the WHO Europe was Friday pessimistic about vaccines' ability to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. AP-Yonhap The head of the WHO Europe was Friday pessimistic about vaccines' ability to put an end to the Covid pandemic, as new variants dash hopes of reaching herd immunity. Faced with the possibility that the virus may be around for many years, health officials must now "anticipate how to gradually adapt our vaccination strategy," in particular on the question of additional doses, Hans Kluge told reporters. In May, the WHO director had said "the pandemic will be over once we reach 70 percent minimum coverage in vaccination." Asked by AFP if that figure was still a target or whether more people would need to be vaccinated, Kluge acknowledged that the situation had changed due to new, more transmissible variants, such as Delta. "I think it brings us to the point that the aim of a vaccination is first and foremost to prevent more serious disease, and that's mortality," he said. "If we consider that Covid will continue to mutate and remain with us, the way influenza is, then we should anticipate how to gradually adapt our vaccination strategy to endemic transmission and gather really precious knowledge about the impact of additional jabs," he added. Epidemiologists now suggest that it is unrealistic that herd immunity can be reached solely with the use of vaccines, though they remain crucial to contain the pandemic. High vaccination rates are also necessary to "to unload the pressure from healthcare systems" that desperately need to treat other diseases pushed to the backburner by Covid, Kluge said. The Delta variant is considered to be 60 percent more transmissible than the previous dominant variant Alpha, and twice as contagious as the original virus. The more contagious the virus, the higher the bar for reaching herd immunity, which is when enough people are immune that the virus stops circulating. That can be obtained either by vaccination or natural infection. (AFP) You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close On 9 September Honduras attorney generals office confirmed thatand, both accused of corruption linked to the purchase of seven mobile hospitals in relation to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, would face trial on 30 November. End of preview - This article contains approximately 388 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options On 9 September Colombias information technology and communications minister,tendered her resignation after being embroiled in a corruption scandal. End of preview - This article contains approximately 354 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options On 9 September, a Mexican delegation hailed as a success the relaunch of the US-Mexico High-Level Economic Dialogue (HLED), which was held in Washington DC that same day. End of preview - This article contains approximately 383 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options Close (Photo : AdobeStock ) Big truck crashes may result in catastrophic and severe injuries. More often than not, people involved in these crashes are gravely injured and may require immediate medical attention. However, if you're involved in a truck accident and are lucky to incur minor injuries only, there are several steps you can take to help you get the justice you deserve. No matter what the causes of truck accidents, you can preserve your rights by taking the following steps: 1. Alert The Authorities When involved in big truck crashes, you should remain at the accident scene. Ensure that you're safe, and, if possible, go to a safer place. If someone is badly injured in the crash, alert the authorities and call the emergency hotline immediately. Once the officers arrive, they'll assess the current situation, create an accident report, and will instruct you on the next actions you should take. If you have minor injuries and don't require immediate medical attention, don't forget to request a copy of your accident report to have a record or evidence in case you have to go to court due to the crash. 2. Seek Medical Attention In most cases, responders will check your injuries. Because your adrenaline is high, you might think that you don't need medical help. However, regardless of your injuries, it's better to get a medical evaluation to check for injuries or concussions that might not be apparent after a crash. In fact, you may suffer from a traumatic brain injury without realizing it. So, if you don't want that to happen, seek medical attention. 3. Know The Parties Involved And Exchange Information Ensure that you obtain information from the other parties and try to get the names of the possible witnesses. You'll need these pieces of information to determine the responsible party and get fair compensation, whether or not you're at fault. This step may become handy, mainly if the other party is an uninsured driver. When getting information, make sure to get the driver's personal information, including their name, address, and contact number. You should also get the insurance company information and truck company name. 4. Take Photos Taking photos is essential as they serve as evidence. Besides, there's no better way to show the severity of truck crashes than the scene's photos. If possible, take pictures soon after the accident has taken place. It's also vital to remember to take photos of the vehicles involved, plus their plate numbers. You should also take photos of the debris from the crash and document your injuries as well. 5. Report The Crash To Your Insurance Company Another thing you should do when involved in big truck crashes is to report the incident to your insurance company. The trucking company and its insurance provider will be searching for ways to deny liability and put the blame on you. If you report the crash to your insurance company immediately, they'll take steps to protect you from the other insurance company. Just ensure to provide details that are only listed in your police report. You don't have an obligation to provide further information. 6. Never Sign Anything When dealing with insurance adjusters or companies, never sign anything. Even if it's tempting to take the other party's offer, you might not get the fair compensation or settlement you deserve. Before agreeing with any settlement, listen to their proposition and consult your lawyer. Also, you have to note that anything you share or say can be used against you and may hurt your case. So, when insurance adjusters show up or contact you to get information, don't give a statement and let your hired lawyer do the job for you. 7. Hire Or Contact Your Lawyer Before accepting any offer or moving forward with a case, reach out or hire a lawyer specializing in truck accidents. This legal expert can provide you with the knowledge and tools necessary to help you deal with your case. Lawyers also know your rights and can help you fight for them. They're aware of the laws and regulations in the trucking industry, as well as the possible causes of truck accidents. With their years of experience and expertise, you can be sure that you're in good hands, enabling you to prove your case in court better. 8. Avoid Social Media Never share photos or any information related to your accident. In today's digital world, anything you post can be screenshot by anyone and may be used against you by the other party. So, avoid social media while your case is still ongoing. Conclusion Crashes involving big trucks can be more complicated than the collision involving smaller vehicles. This is especially true if the parties involved the driver's trucking company, employer, manufacturer, or shipper. There are also some federal regulations associated with trucking, so it's more than just following the road laws. Therefore, make sure to hire the best lawyer to get fair settlement and the justice you deserve. 2015 Latinos Post. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Want to join the growing Health Care IT industry and work in a fantastic team culture? Perhaps, you too, desire the friendly, casual, hardworking, and client-focused environment offered by our 100+ employee company located in the Champlain Mill in Winooski, VT. Physicians Computer Company (PCC) has designed, developed, and supported our award-winning pediatric software for over 30 years. As our electronic health record solution is driving greater demand for our services, we need to expand our team. PCC is seeking to fill the following positions: Rapid Response Team Member Rapid Response Team members are the friendly, responsive voices clients first hear when they reach PCC Support. They are responsible for answering client calls, entering and managing their service needs into our help desk software, and helping to solve their questions and problems. They interpret all issues reported by clients into actionable support items, answering and resolving those which can be addressed quickly and passing others on to the appropriate PCC teams for follow-up and resolution. Client Advocate Client Advocates work with PCC Clients located around the country. They enjoy actively engaging clients in regular communication to gain an understanding of the practice's goals and ensure they are utilizing PCC's programs and services that are available to assist in meeting them. Client Advocates foster a personal relationship with each client so they experience the value of a partnership with PCC. They share client findings and feedback with others at PCC to further PCC's efforts to understand the needs of the pediatric medical office. Experience successfully managing a portfolio of accounts is a plus. These positions require strong technical expertise along with exceptional customer service and communication skills. They also travel* to our client sites to assist with software configuration and training. Prior experience in the healthcare industry is desired, but not required. *In order to keep our employees and families safe, PCC employees have been working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are slowly opening our office and expect our Winooski office will be fully reopened this Fall. Employees will have a hybrid remote/in-office work option. To learn more about PCC, this role and how to apply, please click APPLY NOW below. The deadline for submitting your application is Sep 24, 2021 As a Benefit Corporation, we place a high value on client, employee, and community relationships. Our company offers a friendly, informal, and professional work environment. PCC offers competitive benefits as well as some uncommon perks. No phone calls, please. AA/EOE recblid 6mv5l7z2pretysu0hu6ip9xe5gbl8r Magnolia, AR (71754) Today Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 87F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 69F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. The yellow-shaded portions of this map of Arkansas are areas described as abnormally dry. Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. While the pandemic has disrupted the everyday lives of countless people and many businesses, its caused business for online retailers to surge. Fell said his facility, which primarily stores clothing and shoes that will be sent across the country, now ships out 1.5 million packages every week with another 1.5 million packages arriving over the same time. He estimated that marked a 50% increase from normal periods before the pandemic. Business could pick up even further as people begin their holiday shopping in the weeks ahead, Fell said. Browne, 57, of Allentown, was driving a Harley-Davidson south on U.S. Highway 285 near Bailey, Colorado, about 30 miles southwest of Denver, when he drove off the left side of the road for an unknown reason, Master Trooper Gary Cutler said. The crash happened around 3:30 p.m. Mannes caused a stir in 2018 by tagging along on the campaign trail with Democrat Scott Wallace, who was trying to unseat U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. Mannes said he was a reporter filing a story for the Bucks County Courier-Times. He was actually being paid to do fieldwork for Fitzpatricks campaign, which later said it knew nothing about Mannes tailing Wallace. The search was exhausting and, in the end, turned up no survivors. But WERT, born in disaster, has turned out to be a blessing. It has been activated for other disasters, including the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Haitian earthquake in 2010. Most recently, it was on standby during Hurricane Ida. State Horticulture Farmers Day under PMKSY celebrated in Kiphire RM Tripathi speaking on the occasion of horticulture farmers day at Kiphire. DIMAPUR | Publish Date: 9/9/2021 2:04:41 PM IST District Horticulture Officer (DHO) Kiphire office on September 9 celebrated Horticulture Farmers Day on the theme, per drop more crop under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) programme. A press release by DHO Kiphire office stated that guest of honour, SM commandant 41 Assam Rifles, RM Tripathi encouraged the farmers to cultivate more horticulture crops like chilli, vegetables and other locally grown crops that gives fast return. Vegetables Growers Association, Nagaland president, Chumlongse Sangtam exhorted to the growers to preserve seeds and also to cultivate more crops that has got local market demand. Chairperson of the programme, DHO Kiphire, Senti Longchar welcomed the participants and highlighted on the importance of the programme. Senior scientist KVK Kiphire, Dr. N Khumdemo Ezung was the main resource person during the technical session. The programme was attended by 35 vegetable growers from 11 villages of the district. Free distribution of winter vegetable seeds was also carried out during the programme under NEC and MIDH programmes. Regional C-in-C of Kuki based armed group killed in shootout in Manipur Correspondent IMPHAL, Sep 10 | Publish Date: 9/10/2021 1:46:37 PM IST A top commander of a Kuki based militant group was killed and his personal bodyguard nabbed in a brief shootout in Manipurs Churachandpur district on Friday. The police identified the slain top leader as self-styled commander-in-chief Letminthang Haokip alias Boithang of Socialist Democratic Front of Kukiland (SDFK). His nabbed personal body who sustained bullet injuries in the shootout was identified as Lunkhosei Chongloi. He has been admitted at a hospital in Imphal where he was referred from Churachandpur district hospital. The security forces recovered three 9mm pistols with magazines, two hand-held radio sets, 282 rounds of 9mm ammunition and one Honda Activa brand scooter during further search in the house, the police claimed. The top commander was killed in a counter insurgency operation launched by a combined team of Churachandpur district police and troops of 31 Assam Rifles at Khominthang village in New Lamka area of the district early today morning, the police said. The operation was launched based on input regarding the movement and presence of the commander-in-chief of the armed militant group, the police added. The combined team who rushed to the area cordoned off a specific house where they suspected the commander taking shelter with one of his cadres. When the security forces surrounded the house, the militants fired some rounds of gunshots from inside the house. The security forces retaliated with maximum care to avoid collateral damage, the police said. As soon as the firing stopped, the security forces entered the house and found one person lying dead and another with bullet injuries. The dead person was later identified as Letminthang Haokip alias Boithang, the commander-in-chief of Socialist Democratic Front of Kukiland (SDFK), while the injured as Lunkhosei Chongloi, the personal bodyguard of the deceased C-in-C. He was immediately rushed to Churachandpur district hospital from where he was shifted to JNIMS hospital after being administered with first aid, the police said. SDFK is one the few Kuki-based militant groups not included among the groups under suspension of operation truce with the government. The police and security forces in the district have been keeping a close watch on the movement and presence of the C-in-C of the group not included among the Kuki armed groups under suspension of operation. The police said that there have been collecting inputs about the activities of the SDKF cadres led by the C-in-C who were indulging in threatening and serving extortion demand letters to various village chiefs, shops and other business establishments in and around the Churachandpur town especially in Tuibong Bazar areas in the past one month. There are also two cases registered against the commander-in-chief in Churachandpur police station, the police claimed. Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-09 21:51:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Relatives of a prison fire victim hold the coffin after it is handed over from police to family in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sept. 10, 2021. The number of inmates killed in the fire at a prison in Tangerang, a town near Indonesian capital Jakarta, has risen by three to 44, the Law and Human Rights Ministry reported on Thursday. (Photo by Edy Susanto/Xinhua) JAKARTA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The number of inmates killed in the fire at a prison in Tangerang, a town near Indonesian capital Jakarta, has risen by three to 44, the Law and Human Rights Ministry reported on Thursday. "Three people died today after being hospitalized due to severe burns," Rika Aprianti, a spokesperson for the ministry's prison department, told Xinhua. Currently, five inmates are still under medical treatment at a hospital, including one who broke his leg after jumping from a height of two meters amid the conflagration. The fire broke out on Wednesday at Block C2 of the overcrowded prison, which held up to 2,072 inmates with the designed capacity of 600 people. The fire spread in locked detention rooms and killed 41 people on the same day, including two prisoners from South Africa and Portugal. Medics struggled to identify the bodies because of the serious burns. Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly said on Wednesday that it's suspected that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-09 23:02:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People return to their homes in Syria's southern province of Daraa, on Sept. 9, 2021. Thousands of people started returning to their homes in Daraa on Thursday following the army's entry to the formerly rebel-held areas, state news agency SANA reported. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua) DAMASCUS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people started returning to their homes in Syria's southern province of Daraa on Thursday following the army's entry to the formerly rebel-held areas, state news agency SANA reported. The army entered the al-Balad area in Daraa and hoisted the Syrian flag following the rebels, who rejected to reconcile with the army, evacuated to the rebel-held areas in northern Syria, it said. The authorities in Daraa removed roadblocks and opened the roads for the return of the people to their homes as the bomb squads combed areas previously taken by the rebels, it added. The entry of the army to the al-Balad area is part of a Russian-mediated agreement to end months-long tension in Daraa. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recently placed the number of internally displaced people in Daraa province as a result of the recent tension at 38,600, including almost 15,000 women and over 20,400 children. The Syrian army entered Daraa in 2018 after the rebels there were dislodged to the rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib. However, the tension has continued in Daraa with attacks taking place occasionally. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-09 23:29:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday met with Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith via video link. Wang said the two sides have helped each other in the fight against the pandemic and celebrated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year. He added that their bilateral trade has grown substantially, the China-Laos railway is nearing completion, and the community of shared future is full of vitality. The two sides should continue to carry out celebrations of the 60th anniversary of their establishment of diplomatic ties and the Year of China-Laos Friendship to enrich the connotation of the China-Laos community with a shared future and pass on china-Laos friendship from generation to generation, Wang added. Saleumxay said Laos is ready to work with China to push for new progress in the construction of the Laos-China Economic Corridor and ensure the opening of the Laos-China railway within this year to benefit the two peoples. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 00:20:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (1st L) lays a wreath to mark the 60th death anniversary of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold at the UN Headquarters in New York on Sept. 9, 2021. The UN General Assembly on Thursday held an informal commemorative event to mark the 60th anniversary of the tragic death of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN General Assembly on Thursday held an informal commemorative event to mark the 60th anniversary of the tragic death of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold. Dag Hammarskjold is a reference and an inspiration. His wisdom and humanity, his unimpeachable integrity and single-minded devotion to duty set the highest standard for public service, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the event. "Dag Hammarskjold was at home in the literature of half a dozen languages. But he was perhaps most fluent in the language of our common humanity -- recognizing diversity as richness, promoting dialogue, tolerance, and mutual understanding," he told the event. "He was tireless in finding creative solutions to the most intricate and combustible problems of his time. And he remains a lodestar to this day. The values he embodied, the ideals for which he fought, and the strategies he championed remain guiding lights pointing the UN true north: to stand together in global solidarity, to place human rights at the center, to focus on prevention -- multilateral in approach, sustainable in impact." Dag Hammarskjold had a vision for the United Nations to become both the measure and the vehicle of humanity's most generous impulses. And he advanced it in practical ways -- shaping the world body into an active force in making and keeping peace, nurturing and sharpening its obligation to act, said Guterres. "He showed us what the UN could become, and what the world around it should become: united in purpose and together in the pursuit of peace. He never wavered in his conviction that our United Nations -- while imperfect -- remained indispensable in this pursuit of a more just world. And he summoned us all to keep reaching higher." UN General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir, who presided over Thursday's event, said Dag Hammarskjold's legacy does not end with the buildings named in his honor. "His legacy lies in the Charter of the United Nations, in the ideals instilled within the United Nations family, in the lives saved by our Blue Helmet UN peacekeepers," said Bozkir. Dag Hammarskjold, the second UN secretary-general, died on Sept. 18, 1961, in a plane crash en route to cease-fire negotiations in Africa. The circumstances of the plane crash are subject to UN investigation. Earlier on Thursday, Guterres laid a wreath in memory of Dag Hammarskjold. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 04:51:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas gives a speech during his visit in Tripoli, Libya, on Sept. 9, 2021. Heiko Maas on Thursday announced the reopening of the German Embassy in Tripoli after years of closure. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua) TRIPOLI, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Thursday announced the reopening of the German Embassy in the Libyan capital Tripoli after years of closure. "In the presence of German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, accompanied by German Ambassador Michael Ohnmacht, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs Mohamed Khalil, and a number of Libyan officials, the headquarters of the German Embassy in Tripoli was reopened today," said the German Embassy in Tripoli. "This event comes within the framework of strengthening relations between the two countries and deepening our efforts to help the Libyans build a better future. Germany remains a committed partner and will continue to work for peace in Libya," the embassy said. The German embassy in Tripoli, along with many other foreign missions in Libya, was evacuated in 2014 because of the armed conflict and insecurity. Mass met with Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah on Thursday in Tripoli, where they discussed the latest developments in Libya and the upcoming elections. The meeting touched upon "the latest developments in Libya and the possibility of moving forward toward the elections to be held later this year, as well as any challenges that the elections may face," said a statement issued by the Libyan government's information office. In February, the UN-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) selected a new executive authority of a unity government and a presidency council, ending years of political division in the country. The new executive authority's main task is to prepare for the general elections scheduled for Dec. 24 this year, as approved by the LPDF. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 16:40:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Vendors sell Hilsa fish at a fish landing station in Chandpur, Bangladesh, Sept. 7, 2021. (Xinhua) CHANDPUR, Bangladesh, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Thanks to a good harvest and high prices, fishermen in Bangladesh's Chandpur district where the world's most famous silvery transboundary Hilsa fish comes from are now all smiles. Huge catches of Hilsas, Bangladesh's national fish, are being netted in marine and coastal areas across Bangladesh especially in Chandpur, some 115 km southeast of Dhaka, during the ongoing peak fishing season. Chandpur is considered one of the biggest trading hubs of Hilsas in Bangladesh mainly due to the skyrocketing popularity of Hilsas from Padma River, one of the three major rivers in the country. Wholesalers in the market said they are very happy with plenty of Padma's Hilsas which fetch home some extra money for them. Noor Alam, who has been doing fish trading for about 20 years, said the fishing season starts from May after good fishing, said Alam, proprietor of Saju Fish. "At that time I do fairly good business. I make profit by doing business," he said. According to the trader, this is a seasonal business that runs for four to five months. Abdul Bari Jamadar Manik, the president of Chandpur Matsya (fish) Banik (businessmen) Samiti (association) Limited said this fish landing station at Chandpur is about 200 to 250 years old. "About four or five thousand people are involved with this Hilsa trading (here) in Chandpur," said Manik. "Hilsa is very important for the local economy of Chandpur and for the economy of entire Bangladesh," he added. According to a recent study by the international fisheries organization WorldFish, Bangladesh currently produces 86 percent of the world's total Hilsas followed by India, Myanmar, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Pakistan. According to the report, Hilsa production in Bangladesh in recent years has increased remarkably following the measures including setting up of Hilsa sanctuaries in various rivers. Hilsas move from the Bay of Bengal to Bangladesh rivers including the Padma and the Meghna for spawning. No matter how favorable the environment is in other rivers or reservoirs, Hilsas would return to their birthplaces where their mothers had laid the eggs and they grew up as spawns, the study revealed. "Hilsa is Bangladesh's one of the flagship fish species," said Md Anisur Rahman, the chief scientific officer and Hilsa researcher at Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute Riverine Station Chandpur. Rahman who started researching Hilsa in 1988 said its contribution to the GDP of Bangladesh is more than 1 percent. He said Hilsa is the kingfish in Bangladesh and it has secured recognition as the geographical indication (GI) product of Bangladesh in 2017. He said many countries including China have expressed interest to join Bangladesh's research efforts to increase Hilsa production, and a Japanese team wants to work on it after a visit. He said steps are underway to create more byproducts for value addition. "What more can be done about value additions and livelihoods are under research and the field of research is growing," he said. Traders say the ones meant for export weighing 1 kg to 1,200 grams are now selling for around 40,000 takas (about 465 U.S. dollars) per maund in the market. "We, the people of Chandpur, are known for Hilsa. We're doing Hilsa business (for generations) and earning our livelihoods by doing this," Noor Alam said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 20:49:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Students dance on the stage on Teachers' Day at a primary school in Qianxi City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Sept. 10, 2021. Sept. 10 marks the Teachers' Day in China. Schools throughout the country celebrate the festival via various thematic activities to express the gratitude for teachers. (Photo by Fan Hui/Xinhua) Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 20:46:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The 2021 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit is scheduled to take place from Sept. 26 to 28 in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang Province, according to a press conference Friday. Themed "Towards a New Era of Digital Civilization -- Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace," the summit will be held both online and offline this year, according to Zhao Zeliang, deputy head of the Cyberspace Administration of China. Nearly 2,000 representatives from governments, international organizations, industry associations, leading global enterprises, universities and research institutes from over 80 countries and regions, will attend the conference in-person or virtually, Zhao said. This year's event will feature 20 sub-forums to discuss new digital-technology trends such as 5G, artificial intelligence and open-source ecology, as well as major topics of cyberspace governance and development, including data management, internet-enabled charity, poverty alleviation and global anti-pandemic efforts. The three-day event will also feature a global internet competition, an internet expo and a ceremony to announce this year's leading internet scientific and technological achievements, along with a section showcasing excellent projects on jointly building a community with a shared future in cyberspace. Two reports, namely "World Internet Development Report 2021" and "China Internet Development Report 2021," will also be released during the event. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 23:05:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- The two presidents had candid, in-depth and extensive strategic communication and exchanges on China-U.S. relations and relevant issues of mutual interest. -- Xi pointed out that whether they can handle their relationship well bears on the future of the world, and it is a question of the century to which the two countries must provide a good answer. -- The two countries should bring China-U.S. relations back to the right track of stable development as soon as possible, said Xi. BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday morning took a phone call from his U.S. counterpart, Joseph R. Biden, and the two leaders had candid, in-depth and extensive strategic communication and exchanges on China-U.S. relations and relevant issues of mutual interest. Xi first expressed sympathy to Biden and the American people over the human and economic toll in multiple places in the United States caused by Hurricane Ida. Biden appreciated the expression of sympathy. Xi pointed out that for some time, due to the U.S. policy on China, the China-U.S. relationship has run into serious difficulty, which serves neither the fundamental interests of the people of the two countries, nor the common interests of countries around the world. Photo taken on Sept. 24, 2015 shows the national flags of China (R) and the United States as well as the flag of Washington D.C. on the Constitution Avenue in Washington, capital of the United States. (Xinhua/Bao Dandan) Noting that China and the United States are respectively the biggest developing country and the biggest developed country, Xi pointed out that whether they can handle their relationship well bears on the future of the world, and it is a question of the century to which the two countries must provide a good answer. When China and the United States cooperate, the two countries and the world will benefit; when China and the United States are in confrontation, the two countries and the world will suffer, he said, adding that getting the relationship right is not optional, but something we must do and must do well. Highlighting an ancient Chinese poem that "Mountains and rivers may block the way, yet another village will appear amidst willow trees and blooming flowers," Xi noted that since the ice was broken in bilateral relations in 1971, China and the United States have cooperated with each other and delivered tangible benefits to countries around the world. With the international community facing many common challenges, China and the United States need to show broad vision and shoulder great responsibilities, he said, adding that the two countries should look ahead and press forward, demonstrate strategic courage and political resolve, and bring China-U.S. relations back to the right track of stable development as soon as possible for the good of the people in both countries and around the world. Elaborating on China's position on climate change and other issues, Xi stressed that China continues to prioritize ecological conservation and pursues a green and low-carbon path to development, and has taken the initiative to actively shoulder international responsibilities befitting China's national conditions. Aerial photo taken on Oct. 23, 2019 shows heliostats of a molten-salt solar thermal power plant in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Ma Ning) On the basis of respecting each other's core concerns and properly managing differences, the relevant departments of the two countries may continue their engagement and dialogue to advance coordination and cooperation on climate change, COVID-19 response and economic recovery as well as on major international and regional issues, Xi said. In the meantime, the two sides may tap more potential of cooperation to inject more positive dynamics into the relationship, he added. For his part, Biden, noting that the world is changing fast, said that the U.S.-China relationship is the most consequential relationship in the world, and the future of the bulk of the world will depend on how the United States and China get on with each other. The two countries have no interest in letting competition veer into conflict, and the U.S. side has no intention to change the one-China policy, he said. A container ship of China's COSCO Shipping docks at a new container terminal of the Port of Long Beach in California, the United States, Aug. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Gao Shan) The U.S. side, he added, is prepared to have more candid exchanges and constructive discussions with China to identify key and priority areas where cooperation is possible, avoid miscommunication, miscalculation and unintended conflict, and get U.S.-China relations back on track. He said the U.S. side looks forward to more discussions and cooperation with China to reach more common positions on climate change and other important issues. Both presidents agreed that in-depth communication between them on China-U.S. relations and major international issues is very important for steering the bilateral ties in the right direction. They agreed to maintain frequent contact by multiple means and instruct officials at the working level to intensify the work, conduct extensive dialogue and create conditions for the further development of China-U.S. relations. Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-11 00:27:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Visitors tour the Germany exhibition booth during the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Tiancong) BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The China-Germany relationship will continue to make new progress, as long as both sides hold on to consolidating and deepening mutual trust, treating each other as equals and focusing on cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Xi noted that he and Merkel have maintained highly frequent and efficient exchanges since last year, which has played an important leading role in the development of China-Germany and China-European Union (EU) relations, and also demonstrated the high-level mutual trust between the two countries. Xi said he highly appreciates the fact that Merkel has been actively committed to promoting Germany's and the EU's practical cooperation and friendly exchanges with China. Aerial photo shows a China-Europe freight train bound for Duisburg of Germany departing from Tuanjiecun Railway Station in southwest China's Chongqing, Jan. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Tang Yi) Over recent years, China-Germany relations have generally maintained smooth development, with cooperation in various fields showing strong resilience amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought a genuine sense of fulfillment to the people in both countries, he said. The two countries, he added, have helped China and the EU to complete their investment agreement negotiations on schedule, and worked together to uphold multilateralism, safeguard free trade, and actively tackle climate change, jointly making positive contributions to maintaining world peace and stability. The fundamental reason for the great achievements of China-Germany relations, he said, lies in the fact that the two countries respect each other, seek common ground while reserving differences, focus on win-win cooperation and pursue complementation of their respective advantages. Xi expressed his hope that Germany will encourage the EU to adhere to the right policy on China, treat differences objectively and address them rationally, so as to promote the sustained and sound development of China-EU relations. Visitors look at a giant panda cub at Zoo Berlin in Berlin, capital of Germany, May 28, 2020. (Photo by Binh Truong/Xinhua) For her part, Merkel said that over recent years there are many aspects in the development of Germany-China and EU-China relations that are worth summing up. She said she is willing to maintain close communication with the Chinese side and make joint efforts to push Germany and China as well as the EU and China to bridge gaps through dialogue and properly handle their differences. The EU-China investment agreement is beneficial for both sides, she said, adding that she hopes it can be smoothly ratified and put into effect as soon as possible. Germany hopes to strengthen vaccine cooperation with China, she added. Merkel shared her view on the current situation in Afghanistan, and expressed her hope to work with China to strengthen communication and coordination within the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks. Xi stressed that China advocates coexistence and mutual learning among different civilizations, opposes interference in other countries' internal affairs, and stands ready to make constructive efforts with the international community, including Germany, to truly realize peace and stability in Afghanistan. Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 19:30:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and visiting Estonian leader Kersti Kaljulaid have agreed to partner in championing for the protection of multilateralism on the global stage. According to a statement issued by the Kenyan presidency on Friday, the two leaders said the multilateralism system guarantees fairness and justice in the global stage, and vowed to use the two countries' non-permanent membership on the UN Security Council to jointly advance multilateralism. "We are actually together in the United Nations Security Council and we all know why small nations are elected to the Security Council. This is because we adhere to international rules and regulations," Kaljulaid was quoted as saying on Thursday evening in Nairobi, during a cocktail party held in her honor by Kenyatta. The two agreed to pursue common goals such as regional and global peace, climate change and the gender agenda. Kaljulaid said she had been impressed by Kenya's use of digital technologies in public service delivery, and advised Nairobi to consider tightening its cyber security protocols to ensure that the systems are tamper proof. Estonia will partner with Kenya in pushing for global issues that affect small countries, especially climate change, cyber security and peace, she said. The Estonian leader said her country is determined to forge a strong technology partnership with Kenya that will see the two countries share expertise in the area. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 19:53:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LUSAKA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on Friday opened parliament with a pledge that his government will ensure the transformation of the economy and the unity of the country. He said economic transformation will be the over-arching framework that will bring together interventions in the various sectors of the economy to create jobs and reduce poverty. In his address to the first session of the 13th National Assembly under the theme, "Creating a United, Progressive and Equitable Zambia: Restoring Economic Growth and Safeguarding Livelihoods," Hichilema said his government is determined to accelerate economic growth to improve people's living standards. "We have indeed inherited an economy that is in dire straits and requires bold and decisive action to be taken to ensure recovery. We need the support of every citizen to achieve our development agenda," he said. Rebuilding the economy will be top on the government's agenda, Hichilema said. The government, he said, is determined to meet the basic needs of every citizen and create a conducive environment for Zambia to become a prosperous middle-income country. Hichilema emphasized the importance of bringing stability to the economy and accelerating growth. Politics should be used to unite people and not to divide them, he said, adding that the tribal divisions must be done away with. "We need to focus on what unites us and not what divides us as a people. We are determined to usher in an era where politics are used to strengthen rather than weaken our unity," Hichilema said. He said the government will revise the current mining tax regime so that Zambia could have a stable taxation system to spur investment in the sector. The government will ensure a fair sharing of benefits from the mining sector for the investors and local people, Hichilema said. He said the government will introduce a specialized fast-track recovery mechanism to deal with plunders of public resources. Hichilema said his government will wage a war against corruption, and warned that there will be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption for past, present and future misdeeds. The government will restore the rule of law and protect the rights and liberties of people, he said, adding that there will now be no more "savagery behavior." Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 22:04:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) has suspended the membership of Guinea after the West African nation had been gripped by a military coup. The peace and security council of AU on Friday decided to suspend the West African nation from all activities of the Union, according to the tweet by the AU political affairs, peace and security commission. The Economic Community for Western African States (ECOWAS) on Thursday suspended Guinea's membership of the West African regional bloc. Stating that it has endorsed the decision by ECOWAS, the AU peace and security council has called on the UN Security Council to endorse the communique of ECOWAS by which the bloc has suspended Guinea's membership. It has also called on the Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat to engage all stakeholders in the region on the situation. On Sunday, Mamady Doumbouya, a lieutenant colonel, announced that his forces arrested Guinea's President Alpha Conde and dissolved the government and national institutions. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 22:13:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JUBA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has fired his foreign minister Beatrice Khamisa Wani, replacing her with Mayiik Ayii Deng who once served as minister for presidential affairs. Khamisa, who was appointed last year when the transitional unity government was formed, was relieved of her duties through a presidential decree Thursday evening aired on state broadcaster South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC). No reasons were given for the sacking of the foreign minister. South Sudanese parties including the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army-In-opposition (SPLM/A-IO) led by now First Vice President Riek Machar are implementing the 2018 revitalized peace deal signed in Ethiopia to end more than six years of conflict. The conflict that broke out in December 2013 following a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his then-deputy Riek Machar left tens of thousands of people killed and more than 2 million people displaced both internally and externally. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 23:56:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- It's more important to urgently find solutions to tackle the coronavirus head-on rather than to understand the genesis of the virus, said a leading South African scientist, cited by an article published Wednesday on South Africa's Independent Online website. Salim Abdool Karim, a clinical infectious diseases epidemiologist, who is also former chairman of South Africa's Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19, underscored the need for solutions to tackle the scourge, as close to 5 million people around the world have died of COVID-19, according to the opinion article. The article, titled "Ignore the 'noise' around the origins of COVID-19 and confront the pandemic head-on," said that Karim's warning came as discussions over the origins of COVID-19 take center stage ahead of solutions, which inevitably divide opinions. The article commended Karim as "a sober voice amid the noise" as the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency presented a report on the origins of the pandemic recently. "The U.S. has remained a hotbed of hostility and misinformation," it said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-11 04:34:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RABAT, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Friday has appointed Aziz Akhannouch, president of the National Rally of Independents (RNI), as the new prime minister with the task to form a new government, a statement by the Royal Cabinet announced. This appointment takes place in accordance with the constitutional provisions, and on the basis of the results of the legislative elections on Sept. 8, 2021, the statement added. Aziz Akhannouch, 61 years old, served as Minister of Agriculture from 2007 to 2017. His party the RNI dominated the legislative, municipal and regional elections on Sept. 8. Wednesday's elections put an end to the rule of the Justice and Development Party, which has run a coalition government since 2011. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 22:32:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LONDON, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic on Friday called for compromise from Britain and the European Union (EU) in the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol. Sefcovic made the comment when speaking at Queen's University in Belfast during his two-day visit to Northern Ireland. Sefcovic said the overarching priority has always been the people of Northern Ireland and the protection of the peace process. "As you know, the UK published their command paper on July 21. And we have been engaging constructively with our UK partners on what can be done to limit the impact of the protocol on everyday life in Northern Ireland, while maintaining its access to the EU's single market," he said. "The EU and the UK must continue these discussions in order to reach an understanding," he said. Northern Ireland is at the center of the post-Brexit trade dispute between Britain the EU. As part of the Brexit deal, the Northern Ireland Protocol stipulates that Northern Ireland remains in the EU single market and customs union to avoid a hard border between the region and the Republic of Ireland. However, this leads to a new "regulatory" border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson said on Thursday that the full impact of the protocol has not yet been felt partly because of the grace period, and warned against any future additional checks at the ports in region that arise from the protocol. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-11 01:03:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Visiting Libyan Prime Minister of the interim Government of National Unity Abdul Hamid Dbeibah (C-L) attends a welcome ceremony held by Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela (C-R) in Valletta, Malta, on Sept. 10, 2021. Malta and Libya on Friday signed an agreement that will pave the way for the resumption of flight services between the two countries after a seven-year hiatus. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua) VALLETTA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Malta and Libya on Friday signed an agreement that will pave the way for the resumption of flight services between the two countries after a seven-year hiatus. The announcement was made at the press conference by Libyan Prime Minister of the interim Government of National Unity Abdul Hamid Dbeibah following talks with Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela in Valletta. Describing it as a "special agreement," Dbeibah said that the agreement will allow the resumption of air travel between Malta and various airports in Libya "with full respect of civil aviation protocols." Flights between Malta and Libya were stopped in 2014, when unrests began in the North African country. Malta's national airline, Air Malta, flew to Libya for the first time in July as part of assessments for more regular flights. The two prime ministers also discussed bilateral relations, migration, health and economic issues as well as the possibility of Malta being used as a training center of Libyan forces. Abela said at the press conference that Malta and Libya can collaborate in several fields, such as health, energy, border control, immigration and the fight against organized crime. He described Libya as a "trusted friend" and said he was determined to improve cooperation between the two countries in the coming months and years. Abela identified the energy sector as one where new opportunities for both countries can be created. He recalled that Malta has opened its embassy in Tripoli and has now started processing visa applications. "Malta is ready to do anything to ensure that stability and peace reign in Libya, and then if that continues to reign, as brothers, we can address our common challenges," Abela said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 18:24:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Getting the China-U.S. relationship right is not optional, but something the two sides must do and must do well. That is a point Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed in a phone conversation on Friday with his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, and also a premise both sides need to bear in mind when managing their relations. It is true that China and the United States differ in ideology, social system, history and culture. However, if history is any guide, differences are not necessarily hindrances to the development of China-U.S. relations. The two countries both stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. And the world will reap so much good if the biggest developing country and the biggest developed one can join their hands. Unfortunately, the China-U.S. relationship has over the past several years run into serious difficulties due to Washington's misguided policy towards China. And it seems that the current U.S. administration has yet to dispel various deep-seated misperceptions of China, and is still taking its cue from its predecessor on handling interaction with Beijing. China has always been clear and consistent on which direction bilateral relations should take. As Xi said on Friday, the two sides should look ahead and press forward, demonstrate strategic courage and political resolve, and bring China-U.S. relations back to the right track of stable development as soon as possible. To that end, relevant departments of the two countries, on the basis of respecting each other's core concerns and properly managing differences, may continue their engagement and dialogue, and advance coordination and cooperation on climate change, COVID-19 response and economic recovery as well as on major international and regional issues. It is high time that Washington started to view China's development in an objective and rational way, and take concrete actions to create favorable conditions for the healthy development of bilateral relations. In this age of expanding global interdependence, whether China and the United States can handle their relationship well is a question of the century. To that, Washington must join Beijing in providing a good answer. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 19:28:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- It was far beyond Ali al-Saadi's imagination that the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which happened in a place far away from his hometown Iraq, would have brought about the most terrifying experience to him and his family. As part of its efforts to unleash a global war on terrorism in response to the attacks, the United States invaded Iraq, leaving hundreds of thousands of people killed and towns and cities devastated, including the northern city of Mosul, al-Saadi's home. "My house was destroyed, and I have a child who was disabled during the bombardment when my house fell on us," he said. The bombardment carried out by the U.S.-led coalition in 2016 and 2017 left the old city completely destroyed. Al-Saadi is just one of the millions of people in the Middle East whose life has been turned into one tragedy after another following the so-called "War on Terror," which started 20 years ago. SCARS OF WAR During the past two decades, the wars and military actions carried out by the United States and its allies have unsettled much of the world, particularly the Middle East. A Brown University study found that at least 800,000 people have died in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria and Yemen since the United States launched the War on Terror. That number only includes lives directly lost "through bombs and bullets" in major hotspots, according to the study. In Iraq alone, 184,382 to 207,156 civilians were directly killed in war-related violence between the start of the U.S. invasion in March 2003 and October 2019, the study said. At the same time, U.S. forces allegedly used rounds of depleted uranium in their battles across Iraq, posing hazards to the health of local people. Moreover, the War on Terror has also turned tens of millions into refugees. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 5.6 million people have fled Syria since 2011 while millions of others are displaced inside the country. PERSISTING TERRORISM Instead of bringing about stability and reducing the levels of terrorism as promised, the War on Terror thrust the Middle East into greater violence, chaos and insecurity. In Syria, the U.S. intervention was launched under the pretext of fighting radical groups such as the Islamic State. However, Syrian political expert Imad Salem said the U.S. existence in the region only brought about "destruction and catastrophes." Muhammad Omari, another Syrian political expert, said terrorist threats still exist in Syria and terrorist groups are "covered by foreign powers," which constantly provide them with arms and gear to prolong their existence and further destabilize the country. Omari said the frequency of terrorism and extremism were much lower before U.S. forces entered Syria than after. Hashim al-Shamma, a researcher in politics at the Iraqi Center for Legal Development, said the United States created "a failed and conflicting state" in Iraq and its "democracy banner" had not achieved anything positive. "Under the slogan of combating terrorism, the United States is trying to extend its control all over the world," al-Shamma said. EXPANDED CHAOS Experts believe that the War on Terror caused a spillover effect in some Middle Eastern countries. Mostafa Amin, researcher on the affairs of terrorism and columnist at Egypt's Rosa El Youssef newspaper, said the United States had a role in "creating a state of massive chaos in the Middle East region" following the 9/11 attacks. "The beginning was Afghanistan, then the chaos was transferred to Iraq, then Syria and then the rest of the Arab states in what was later called 'the Arab Spring,'" he said, adding that the results were the fall of governments and serious repercussions in the economic, political and social conditions inside those countries. A sure conclusion, Salem said, is that the War on Terror has created instability, destruction and a lack of security in the Middle East. Enditem President Mnangagwa has appointed new ambassadors to represent Zimbabwe in Germany, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Sweden. Ambassador Alice Mashingaidze goes to Germany, Ambassador Lovemore Mazemo to the UAE and Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga to Sweden. The appointments by the President were gazetted yesterday in a notice by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda. Ambassador Mashingaidze has served in Sweden and Belgium before, while Ambassador Mazemo has served in Nigeria and has recently been the chief director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Ambassador Misihairabwi-Mushonga, the non-career diplomat among the appointees, has been a long serving opposition MDC Member of the House of Assembly and before her appointment was a proportional representative MP, so will be replaced by her party. During the Government of National Unity from 2009 to 2013, she served as Minister of Regional Integration and International Cooperation. Herald For the first time in the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) history, the Sword of Honour, an award for exceptional performance in flying training was yesterday presented to a female officer graduate Air Lieutenant Gamuchirai Maria Mbigi. For her exploits, she became the leader of her class, which had 15 graduates who were commissioned and presented with wings by President Mnangagwa at Josiah Tungamirai Airbase in Gweru yesterday. Let this be an inspiration to the girl child. With hard work and focus, nothing is impossible, the President said. Out of the 15 graduates, four were female and top awards were swept by the female officer. In an interview, Air Lt Mbigi said she was determined to soar higher. This has boosted my confidence and I am happy that I can be an inspiration to other young ladies that you can achieve anything if you are dedicated, hard working and disciplined. They need to know that no matter how challenging a career is, they can do it if they put their mind to it. Initially, class 68 which graduated yesterday had 20 cadets. Four fell by the wayside while one of the cadets perished in an air crash along with a flight instructor this year. We are treated the same (during training), there is nothing different, you just have to feel you are in it, you are not segregated neither do you feel different, said Air Lt Mbigi. The Gweru-born 25-year-old pilot said she likes to overcome challenges, no matter how big they were and that is what drove her to apply to become a trainee pilot. I personally like challenges. Being a pilot is quite challenging, it needs you to be dedicated, to be disciplined, to be focused, she said. Drawing inspiration from Chipo Matimba, who joined the AFZ as an officer cadet and trainee pilot in 1994, and became the first woman to successfully complete a pilot training course in the AFZ in 1996, Air Lt Mbigi said for any young woman, there was no limit to the sky. Chipo used to be here as a pilot then she moved to the civilian world, but she was an inspiration to us. She was a good fighter jet pilot. Here, you hear people talking about her in a good way and that drove me to want to be like her, she said. But how exactly did Air Lt Mbigi find her way to Josiah Tungamirai Airbase as a cadet with a mission to take to the skies? I saw an advertisement and I said let me go for it because I thought it was challenging, she said. Born in 1996 in Gweru, Air Lt Mbigi grew up in the mining town of Shurugwi, which is just a few kilometres from the Midlands capital. She did her Form 1 to 4 at Tongogara High School. I proceeded to A-Level at Holy Cross Mission in Chirumhanzi, soon after I saw an advert and I applied to the Air Force of Zimbabwe, she said. Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who witnessed the pilot graduation, was full of praises for Air Lt Mbigi. She said: We want to congratulate the girl child, who has demonstrated that they can perform better than the boy child. Minister Muchinguri said the Government was determined to give women equal opportunities and urged fellow women to take up challenging tasks. By according women equal opportunities within the air force itself, we are sending a very clear message that the Government is keen to give everyone regardless of sex, equal opportunities, she said. As the graduates, who were dressed in the AFZ azure colours marched in synchronised motion, proud parents cheered on, with one remarking that the Air Force way was the only way she could ensure her child became a pilot. The other way is too expensive for many. Air Lt Mbigis father, Mr Godfrey Mbigi said he was very proud of his daughters feat. She is my last born in a family of seven and she has done us proud. She was very disciplined, intelligent, very reserved and we hope she will continue on the right track as she serves the country in her capacity as a pilot in the AFZ, he said. Herald A magistrate in Zimbabwe has said that the body of former President Robert Mugabe can be exhumed after a traditional leader said that his burial had violated cultural practices. Mugabe, who died aged 95 in 2019, was buried in a courtyard of his family homestead. But after a local court hearing in May, the traditional leader said the internment broke local custom, the Reuters news agency reported at the time. "I give powers to those who are permitted by law to exhume the late Robert Mugabe's remains from Kutama and rebury them at the National Heroes Acre in Harare," a copy of the ruling in the local Shona language quoted by Reuters said. Mugabe's family challenged that ruling, but a magistrate has dismissed the challenge. The family is likely to appeal to the High Court, the BBC's Shingai Nyoka says. Mugabe led Zimbabwe from independence in 1980 to 2017, when he was overthrown. His family says he remained bitter after being ousted from power and did not want to be buried at the national shrine. BBC The government, however, pushed back on the decision, expressing concern about further delaying the trial given the number of witnesses they intend to call. About 200 people, including those who received inaccurate test results from Theranos some of them relating to conditions such as HIV, cancer and miscarriages are slated to take the stand over the course of what is expected to be a three-month trial. The vintage candy horrors do not stop there. You can get rolls of Necco Wafers, too, which are now back in production. They are bland and chalky, though I will admit I have always kind of liked them. I wouldnt go out of my way to buy them, but on Halloween they did not join the pile of Mary Janes and Bit-O-Honeys that I put into my brothers bag when he wasnt looking. Saitta ruled on Wednesday that the judges need not be an agreement over who will do the job. That means one judge can hire a public administrator who could then be fired by the other judge. DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats claim in their lawsuit that the city of New York first enacted the price cap in May 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The companies believed the cap would be temporary. The city capped the rate that third-party platforms could charge restaurants at 15% of an online order for delivery services and 5% for all other services, including marketing. The device was placed outside the door of the womans neighbor. No one in that apartment was harmed, police said. The woman was also not hurt, nor was another adult and two children in her apartment. Its such a shock, Whites mother, asking her name not be printed, told the Daily News at the time. I cant even think about him being dead. Johnson whose family is from Haverhill, Mass. was at Rikers far longer than he should have been because city Department of Correction officials failed to bring him to up to three court appearances during the cruel month he languished in the islands Anna M. Kross Center, his parents say. The 33-year-old manager was shot in the head and killed, while a co-worker was also shot in the back as the gunman walked in the business and opened fire, a video of the incident showed. Gonzalez and the gunman spoke briefly before the shooter raised his gun and squeezed off several shots. Brittany saved my life that night. I wanted to kill myself, and I called her, and she saved me. She reminded me I have a godson and people who love me and asked, Did I want to put them through what I went through? That shook me to my core. I kind of put all my stuff aside and cried myself to sleep, she said. We have identified this as a vulnerable weekend, Hochul said. Youll see more people. Youll see individuals with long arms. Youll see them looking a little bit militarized. But the idea is to let anyone know that you mess with New York, therell be consequences. Anyone with information regarding Zamora Carrandis whereabouts can contact Miami polices homicide unit at 305-603-6350. Those wishing to remain anonymous but potentially eligible for a reward which could reach up to $5,000 can contact Miami Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 or via the Crime Stoppers site. I realized it wasnt going to be easy when I came here as the first African American to attend Auburn, but I didnt think it would take this long, Franklin said during commencement in December. It feels pretty good. Im glad I could do something to help other people, and my mom and dad always taught us that, when you do something in life, try to do something that will help others as well. Long before she became known up and down the Great White Way by the mononym Liz, she graduated from Manhattanville College in 1952, earned a masters degree in English literature from Columbia University and got her first industry job as an assistant for Proscenium Productions, based at the Cherry Lane Theater. The couple began arguing after Parsons girlfriend hid his guns from him because he was intoxicated and had talked about using the weapons on himself, deputies said. The woman told investigators that Parsons became aggressive after she hid the guns, so she left the house to get away from him. The governor filed an emergency appeal Wednesday after a judge ruled mask mandates were legal. But Politico reports Fridays ruling makes way, once more, for Floridas Department of Education to penalize the 13 school districts that call for students to wear masks without parental consent. This was at least the 20th child to die in a hot car this year in the U.S., according to the website KidsandCars.org. Texas, which has now seen two such incidents in 2021, is the state with the highest number of children killed in hot cars, with a total of 145 deaths since 1991, according to the group. Given the uncertainty of Covid-19, weve decided against attempting to forecast a new date for a full reopening of our US work sites in favor of opening US work sites as soon as were able to do so safely based on public health guidance, said Microsofts corporate vice president Jared Spataro in the blog post. He was also known for a comedy magic act in which he portrayed an inept magician who called himself The Amazing Metrano. That landed him a 1970 visit to The Tonight Show, where he performed for Johnny Carson when the show still filmed in New York. Its terrible what Bob did to Morris Blacks body. And those pictures are awful. I know some of you turned away from them. Some of you couldnt look at them. Theyre that bad. But what we had in Galveston was a jury that was intelligent enough, intellectual enough to realize and to separate what happened to Morris Blacks body after he was dead from the manner in which he died, DeGuerin said. Lawyer Sidney Powell and her team of attorneys that unsuccessfully challenged the results of the 2020 election in Michigan could be forced to round up more than $200,000 in legal costs, according to the Detroit Times. The state of Michigan and the city of Detroit submitted filings Wednesday indicating Powells antics cost them $204,156 in legal fees, the Detroit News reported. Were just telling them that we are here, we love them and were going to support them as much as we can, she told the news station. And were just trying to get help for them because these kids they didnt ask for this, they didnt expect this. The driver of the SUV is the grandmother of a student at the school. Her grandchild was in the car with her at the time of the incident. The womans son said that his mom and his child are both at home and are recovering from the mental strain that this situation brought upon them. The fact that Avery misrepresented the facts is immaterial to deciding his Brady and ineffectiveness claims. We point them out because of the high-profile because of the high-profile nature of this case . . . and the resulting need, where misrepresentations are particularly egregious, to note where Averys arguments wholly stray from the facts. As Democrats on Capitol Hill craft an ambitious spending bill they hope will strengthen the social safety net, a cadre of powerful New York politicians banded together in the Bronx on Friday to call for at least $5 billion in community funding to curb gun violence. Igor Fruman who worked with Giuliani on a shady quest in 2019 to find politically compromising material on Biden in Ukraine admitted in Manhattan Federal Court that he funneled at least $25,000 from the Russian to Democrats and Republicans in hopes of acquiring marijuana distribution licenses in several states. Foreigners are banned from making political contributions under campaign finance law. Given my career of fighting for statehood for the district, which includes years of explaining the importance of having consent of the governed, and given my recent opposition to fences, I can understand why the charge was made, Holmes said in a serious-looking statement issued on her official stationery. Our concern is that those countries most deeply affected by the climate crisis and those countries suffering from the lack of support by rich nations in providing vaccines will be left out of the talks and conspicuous in their absence at COP26, the network wrote. There has always been an inherent power imbalance within the UN climate talks and this is now compounded by the health crisis. The 738-foot ship, which sails under the Panamanian flag, did not even stop canal traffic, the Suez Canal Authority said. Because it got stuck at a point in the canal where there are two lanes of water, other ships were simply diverted to the lane where there wasnt a 700-foot ship blocking the path. David was wearing his New York Guard uniform, and it was covered with dust. He was a JAG officer for the New York Guard, which usually supplemented his work as a partner in a New York law firm. The day before, the Guard had asked for volunteers who were willing to be put on active duty to help in the aftermath of the attack. David had volunteered. He was glad to have something to do, some way to actively participate. His job was to guard the pile, while the rescue workers looked for survivors. For many days they searched. There were no survivors. Next week represents a major milestone in New York Citys recovery from COVID-19. On Monday, when the school buses head out to all corners of the city and kids walk their route to school with groups of friends, those of us who were here for the worst months of the pandemic will look on and smile. What at times felt unimaginable is here. Schools will return in full. That is something we all wanted and something we should celebrate, but we cannot mistake this milestone for more than it is. The public health risk is far less for our kids, and the last year has shown us that learning belongs in the classroom, not over Zoom. Horwitz, 34, appeared in 15 movies using the screen name Zach Avery, according to his IMDb page. But he really made his money by convincing friends and investors to back his fraudulent company, 1inMM Capital, beginning in 2015. His guilty plea this week comes after Jennifer Hough, who has accused Petty of rape, filed a lawsuit in August against both Minaj and her husband, who were married in 2019. She accused the couple of attempting to intimidate her into recanting her rape allegation by inflicting emotional distress. In another instance, Hough claimed the Bang, Bang rapper offered her $500,000 to walk back her allegation. Jim Carrey stars as the titular Truman whose life, unbeknown to him, is watched on televisions worldwide. Think Kardashians but in real time, with zero consent from the reality moguls, and with every friend and significant other actually a hired actor. Even storms and sunshine were generated by a seemingly omnipotent crew. Once Truman starts to catch on, the content suffers and Ed Harris megalomaniacal creator-executive producer will do whatever it takes to keep the show afloat. AdventHealth spokesperson Jeff Grainger issued a statement Friday that reiterated the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines but said the system is waiting for implementation details: Based on scientific evidence and what we see in our hospitals every day, COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at reducing both the risk of becoming infected and spreading the infection to others. As part of our commitment to protecting the health and well-being of our team members, patients and communities, we strongly encourage all of our team members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. We are waiting for details on how the federal vaccine mandate will be implemented. Orange County residents wait in line for COVID-19 testing at the Orange County Health Services services drive-thru site at the former Clarcona Elementary School campus on Damon Road in Apopka, Friday, August 20, 2021. The site is one of three hosted by OCHS, is open 7 days a week 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and provides both PCR/molecular and rapid/antigen tests. No appointments are required; the site is drive-thru only with no walk-ups permitted. Coronavirus infections in Florida continue to remain high, with a 13.5% positivity rate reported statewide. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) I could not have gotten here without community. I could not have gotten here without the actions of nonprofits, the action of community advocates, the actions of county governments in helping me change my life around, Meade said. I think its only fitting the two things we highlight on Desmond Meade Day are second chances and community service. The bodies of Massania Malcolm and her 1-year-old daughter Jordania sat inside the vehicle for probably a couple of days, after a shooting on Tuesday that also involved Malcolms boyfriend and a friend that was staying with them, Mina said at a news conference. When he returned around 30 minutes later, the victim found Crowder standing by an open trunk of his vehicle, according to the press release. The victim told detectives Crowder pulled what looked to be a shotgun, pointed it at him, and fired off a shot. Just like last year in the school re-opening litigation, the First District Court of Appeal has reinstated Floridas ability to protect the freedom for parents to make the best decisions for their children while they make their own ruling on the appeal, said Taryn Fenske, another DeSantis spokesperson, in an email. In this case, Books attorney said there was considerable doubt that his client was drunk at the accident scene. Book suffered from medical conditions that explained his inability to pass a field sobriety test, and he didnt need to take a breath test because there was no reasonable cause to suspect he was drunk, said defense lawyer David Bogenschutz. Under the latest effort to clean the lake with the algae harvester, water is sucked at a rate of about 100 gallons per minute from the top six inches of Lake Jesup and into a holding tank. Various coagulants are then added to bind with the algae cells and separate them from the water into gooey clumps. Micro-bubbles of air is also pumped into the water to cause the algae to float to the surface where it is skimmed off. For starters, it could crack down on local and state government bureaucrats who deliberately thwart the publics requests for information. These days, its common for public records demands to simply go unanswered, or get slow-walked, or require the payment of massive fees that many people cant afford. The penalties for those abuses ought to be far more severe and more common. This summer is the product of a 1.1-degree Celsius increase in temperature from pre-industrial levels. As the latest IPCC report points out, the best possible scenario is halting the Earths warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius, which the Biden administration says it aims to do. This means that even if every country in the world began taking action on climate tomorrow, the climate disasters will continue to get worse for at least three decades. When the people elected Worrell last year, they chose someone who has a history working to bring about equity in the criminal-justice system. During her campaign, opponents tried to smear her as a radical anti-police activist. Now that she is in office, shes being accused of going too easy on cops. Maybe she is neither of those things, and she is just doing exactly what the job demands upholding the law, equally, even when it hurts. Once upon a time, a few GOP lawmakers believed in keeping such promises. Guys like former Manatee County state Sen. Michael Bennett, who scoffed at the idea of raiding the trust fund back in 2003. The first word of that is trust, Bennett said back then. People have a right to trust that the money will be there. Everything was underestimated, he said. But not only underestimated. I dont know that he cares. I mean, honestly, when you look at everything that he has said during this delta variant, [it] says to me, I dont really care what the numbers are, Im going to do what Im going to do. Im not listening to any serious, legitimate medical experts. I have been honored to serve as Chair of the Senate Committee on Children, Families and Elder Affairs and for the opportunity to lead the Florida Senate in shaping smart, out-of-the-box policy to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults, Book said in a statement. This work does not stop with the end of my chairmanship I have been doing it far before entering the Senate, and will continue long after I leave. The quartet will be the first all-civilian crew in space, riding in the SpaceX Dragon Resilience, which previously flew on the Crew-1 mission for NASA to the International Space Station. It will launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket from KSCs Launch Pad 39-A targeting liftoff no earlier than 8 p.m. Wednesday. The exact window has yet to be announced by SpaceX, but will be narrowed down to five hours within three days of launch. Plans are for the flight, which will orbit at 335 miles altitude, to last three days before returning to a yet-to-be-determined splashdown site off the coast of Florida either in the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico. Oswego, NY (13126) Today Thunderstorms during the morning followed by occasional showers this afternoon. High 72F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) Weekly COVID-19 cases in Africa fell by more than 20% the sharpest seven-day decline in two months as the third wave pandemic tapers off Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - An Ivorian army MI-24 helicopter on a reconnaissance mission on the northern border of the country lost contact with the control station on Friday, the General Staff of the Army announced Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - In its 11th communique read Thursday on national television, the ruling National Committee for Rally and Development (CNRD) in Guinea, has temporarily prohibited withdrawal operations on bank accounts of several entities and senior executives of the country Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - US special envoy to Libya Richard Norland has reaffirmed his country's support for the efforts of the Government of National Unity (GNU) to stabilise the political, economic and security situation and pave the way for elections planned for December New York, US (PANA) - The President of the UN General Assembly, told reporters on Thursday, that the world is far behind in being able to solve the greatest global challenges and achieve the SDGs If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East Businessman to go on trial for siphoning $76 mln from self-regulating construction organizations RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 17:56 10/09/2021 ST. PETERSBURG, September 10 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) Businessman Alexey Eliseyev will face trial for alleged siphoning 5.6 billion rubles (about $76 million) from self-regulating construction organizations. The criminal case against Eliseyev was forwarded to the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg, the United Press Service of St. Petersburg Courts told RAPSI. Earlier, businessman Alexey Shuvalov, a co-conspirator in the case, was given a 4-year suspended sentence. Prosecutors claim that the theft scheme was organized by Eliseyev and Shuvalov. They founded self-regulating construction organizations and invited companies specializing in construction, engineering, architectural and construction design to join. These self-regulating construction organizations collected entrance fees, membership fees, contributions, and created compensation funds. Then the self-regulating construction organizations entered into sham agreements, and the money was withdrawn to the accounts of shell firms. Eliseyev went to Spain to flee justice where he established Nord-West Capital company transfer the stolen money, according to prosecutors. He was arrested in 2018, and in 2020 extradited to Russia. At the same time, the Dzerzhinsky District Court is hearing a case against the former head of the North-West Department of the Russian Federal Service for Environmental, Technological, and Nuclear Supervision Rostekhnadzor Grigory Slabikov and his daughter Elena Slabikova. The investigation into this high-profile case began in the summer of 2017. Slabikov stands charged with assisting in the registration as SROs of companies controlled by members of the criminal group, and also exercising general patronage, preventing inspections, and received at least a million rubles (about $14,000 at the current exchange rate) for each operation. Investigators allege that Slabikova was an intermediary in the transfer of money to her father. Also among the defendants in the case are entrepreneurs Yulia Kamenskaya and Ekaterina Goltseva. Earlier, the court sentenced to 3 years of conditional imprisonment entrepreneur Marat Kayumov, who, as the court established, was the director of the SRO Union Standard-Research and the general director of ZAO Financial company StandardInvest; the man ensured the execution of contracts, carried out settlement operations, bank transfers, opened accounts with credit institutions. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form By SA Commercial Prop News Commenting on the funding deal, Standard Bank's Head of Real Estate Finance Wholesale, Vanessa Murray says this is a key win for the bank in KwaZulu-Natal and the Durban market. Standard Bank Group, Africas biggest lender by assets and earnings, has granted R1 billion to Shree Property Holdings, to enable the company refinance existing loan facilities and acquire new properties to add to its industrial property portfolio in KwaZulu-Natal. Shree Property Holdings, whose founder and owner is Pran Shree, has been banked by Standard Bank for over 25 years. The organisation has strategically refinanced its operations for additional development and acquisitions. The Shree Property Holdings portfolio comprises of more than 30 properties located in three key industrial nodes within Durbans South Industrial Basin, Riverhorse Valley and the Dube Trade Port regions. This is a key win for Standard Bank in the KwaZulu-Natal and Durban market and is testament to our long-standing relationship with Shree Property Holdings, said Vanessa Murray, Head of Real Estate Finance Wholesale at Standard Bank. This is a client that we have grown with for over a quarter century, and assisted in growing his business from an initial cold-storage and distribution operation, with a key presence in the fruit industry, into a multi-billion rand property and development business, Murray says. Standard Banks stated objective is to partner with clients who have outstanding business acumen in their respective fields, and who have developed strong property portfolios with good quality tenants located in strategic regional and national nodes. The banks partnership with Shree Property Holdings will see it realign its banking offering to enable the developer to grow locally, as well as into Africa and internationally. Shree Property Holdings has been successful in securing only blue-chip tenants, with the likes of Samsung, DHL, Unilever and Tongaat-Hulett to name a few. This international profile of tenants is now growing across borders with great interest, and Shree Property Holdings being able to provide world-class warehousing solutions. The evolution of our partnership with Standard Bank will enable us to take our business to the next level and further enhance our footprint both locally and abroad, said Pran Shree, Chief Executive Officer of Shree Property Holdings. We have already acquired land in Mauritius, USA, India, and the UK, and we are looking to leverage these properties into future growth opportunities, Mr Shree said. With the commencement of Shree Property Holdings internationalisation strategy into the SADC regions, the company begins with construction in the third quarter of 2015 at the Mauritius Airport. This will be its springboard onto the global platform. Together, Standard Bank Group and Shree Property Holdings would be able to drive business activity and investment opportunities to and from Durban. As of 31 December 2014, Standard Bank Group had total assets of R1 907 billion (about USD 165 billion), while its market capitalisation was R232,2 billion (about USD20 billion). The auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated under the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic across states on Friday, marking the beginning of the 10-day festival also called Vinayaka Chaturthi in many parts of the country. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that in his prayers to Lord Ganesh, he urged the deity to rid Goa and the rest of the world of Coronavirus. Speaking to reporters after performing puja at his residence in North Goa, Sawant urged the people of the state to ensure that they take the second Covid vaccine jab. "I wish you a lot of joy on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. I performed puja along with my family. Celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at home and in public with big enthusiasm, while also observing the Covid protocols. We have to defeat this scourge too. I pray to God to rid Goa, India and the world of Corona," Sawant said. Ganesh Chaturthi is the most popular Hindu festival in Goa. "We have completed 100 per cent of the first dose of vaccination. I also urge the people of Goa to take the second dose after completion of 84 days, so that we can declare Goa as a state which has completed 100 per cent coverage of both the doses," Sawant added. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao also greeted people on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi and appealed to them to celebrate the festival by following Covid appropriate behaviour. "I extend heartiest festive greetings and wishes to all the people of Telangana on the auspicious occasion of Vinayaka Chaturthi," the Governor said in her message. "I pray and wish that Lord Ganesh, worshipped as the remover of obstacles, may clear all the hurdles in our path to unity, peace, progress and prosperity of our state and our nation," she added. The Governor wished that the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations bring health, prosperity, joy and happiness to all. She also appealed to people to celebrate the festival by following the Covid appropriate behaviour. The Chief Minister also greeted the people of the state on the occasion of Vinayaka Chaturthi, saying that Ganapathi is worshipped to ensure success in all the endeavors without any impediments, and in Hindu tradition, Vinayaka is given utmost importance as a deity who removes obstacles. The Chief Minister also advised the people to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in an environmentally-friendly manner with utmost devotion and enthusiasm. Rao said the state government has taken all measures to avoid inconvenience to the people during immersion at the end of the festivities. He also prayed to the God to shower prosperity on the people of the state. Tamil Nadu also celebrated Vinayaka Chathurthi on Friday with people across the state performing poojas of the idol of Lord Ganesh. Special prayers were conducted at the grandly-decorated Ganesh temples by the temple priests. Many houses also wore a festive look as several people held special prayers at home too. The aroma of 'kozhakattai', a rice flour and jaggery dumpling, wafted through many of the kitchen windows. After offering prayers on the occasion, neighbours and friends got together to share 'kozhakattais'. This time, public celebrations have been banned by the state government owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/10/2021 -- According to a new market research report "Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis, by Offering (Network as a Service and Security as a Service), Organization Size (SMEs and Large Enterprises), Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026" published by MarketsandMarkets, in the post-COVID-19 scenario, the secure access service edge (SASE) market size projected to grow from USD 1.2 Billion in 2021 to USD 4.1 Billion by 2026, recording a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 26.4% from 2021 to 2026. Key factors that are driving the market growth include the growing preference for remote working in the wake of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the rising need for a unified network security architecture with the capabilities of SD-WAN, FWaaS, SWG, CASB, and ZTNA solutions. Browse in-depth TOC on "Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Market" 144- Tables 43- Figures 192- Pages Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=220384224 By offering, Security as a service segment is expected to grow at a higher CAGR than the Network as a service (NaaS) segment during the forecast period. According to Zscaler, Security as a service is a way to deliver security technologies, which are traditionally found in enterprise data centers or regional gateways, as a cloud service. Security as a service has become an important enabler of business in the world because it provides secure access to applications and services, no matter where they are hosted or where users connect. NaaS services can range from managed software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) and network access, including wireless to security, unified communications services, and more, either in a public cloud or on virtualized customer premise equipment (vCPE). Based on Vertical, BFSI segment is estimated to lead the market in 2021. The BFSI vertical has been at the forefront in adopting SD-WAN, as it enables the banking institutions to provide a broad spectrum of services to customers at sustainable costs. The BFSI vertical is facing bandwidth and security issues while connecting regional offices such as branch offices and data centers. The SASE platforms have built-in security features that secure hybrid networks for widespread use. By region, North America is expected to account for the largest market share during the forecast period. The North American region has the presence of several prominent market players delivering advanced solutions to all the industry verticals in the regions. Apart from the geographical presence, strategic investments, partnerships, and significant R&D activities are thereby contributing to the hefty deployments of SASE solutions. North America is considered the most mature market in terms of adopting SASE solutions, due to factors such as the rise in cloud security measures and authentication frauds. Speak to Analyst @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=220384224 Market Players Major players, namely, include Cisco Systems Inc. (US), VMware Inc. (US), Fortinet, Inc (US), Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (US), Akamai Technologies, Inc. (US), Zscaler, Inc. (US), Cloudflare, Inc. (US), Cato Networks (Israel), Versa Networks, Inc. (US), Forcepoint (US), Broadcom, Inc. (US), Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Israel), McAfee, LLC (US), Citrix Systems, Inc. (US), Netskope (US), Perimeter 81 Ltd. (Israel), Open Systems (Switzerland), Aryaka Networks, Inc. (US), Proofpoint, Inc. (US), Secucloud Network GmbH (Deutschland), Aruba Networks (US), Juniper Networks, Inc. (US), Verizon Communications, Inc. (US), SonicWall (US), Barracuda Networks, Inc. (US), and Twingate (US). About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/secure-access-service-edge.asp System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f6399a71c90)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6399a81d98)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f6399a71c90)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6399a81d98)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f6398f30d80)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6399a81d98)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6399a81d98)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f639897af68)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f6399a8eed0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f6399a8eed0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f6399378d08)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f63993575f8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f6399378d08)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f63993575f8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f63992cb570)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f63993575f8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f63993575f8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f639897b350)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f6399355c30)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f6399355c30)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f6388e03458)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6399299218)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f6388e03458)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6399299218)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f63992b0df0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6399299218)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f6399299218)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f639897a620)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f639923fd30)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f639923fd30)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Homestead, FL (33030) Today Mostly cloudy early with scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 88F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Isolated thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Homestead, FL (33030) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 87F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. 20th Anniversary of 9/11 ARRL The national association for Amateur Radio honors the memories of those who died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, including these radio amateurs: Steven A. Steve Jacobson, N2SJ, 53, of New York City (WTC); William V. Bill Steckman, WA2ACW, 56, of West Hempstead, New York (WTC); Michael G. Jacobs, AA1GO, 54, an ARRL member from Danbury, Connecticut (WTC); Lt. Robert D. Bob Cirri, Sr., KA2OTD, 39, an ARRL member from Nutley, New Jersey and Port Authority police officer who was helping to evacuate workers from the building when it collapsed; William R. Bill Ruth, W3HRD, 57, of Mt. Airy, Maryland (Pentagon); Gerard J. Rod Coppola, KA2KET, 46, of New York City (WTC); and Winston A. Grant, KA2DRF, 59, of West Hempstead, New York (WTC). An assembly of articles, stories, and messages from the November 2001 issue of QST magazine is available at tinyurl.com/ARRL-QST-9-11. Several special events will commemorate the attacks of September 11, 2001, and honor the victims. Saturday, September 11, 1200 2359 UTC, the Somerset County Amateur Radio Club and Nittany Amateur Radio Club will activate N3M. Frequencies: 14.293, 7.293, and 3.993 MHz. QSL c/o Nittany Amateur Radio Club, P.O. Box 614, State College, PA 16801. Saturday, September 11, 1400 1900 UTC, the Harrisburg (PA) Radio Amateurs Club (HRAC) will operate W3M. Frequencies: 7.265 and 14.265 MHz. For a certificate, visit www.w3uu.org/w3mqsl/. Saturday, September 11, 1200 2400 UTC, the Pentagon Amateur Radio Club (PARC) will sponsor special event station K4P. Operation will be in the General-class portions of 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters on CW and RTTY. There will be a special QSL card available via PARC, P.O. Box 2322, Arlington, VA 22202. For more information, contact Gary Sessums, KC5QCN. Saturday, September 11, 1400 UTC 2400 UTC, members of the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club (GSBARC), and the Northeast Wireless Radio Club will activate special event call sign W2T. Through September 13, 1600 0200 UTC, members of the American Legion Post 10 Amateur Radio Club, Albany, Oregon, will be active as N7F. QSL with SASE to American Legion Post 10, 1215 Pacific Blvd. SE, Albany, OR 97321. Email for more information. Through September 13, 0000 0003 UTC, the Wireless Association of New York City, Staten Island, will activate WA2NYC. Frequencies: 28.450, 21.350, 14.340, and 7.238 MHz. D-STAR Reflector XLX020B will be monitored at the top of the hour QSL to Wireless Association of New York City, 233 Wolverine St., Staten Island, NY 10306. Email for more information. Through September 14, N3U will be on the air from Pennsylvania to remember all victims of 9/11. QSL via W3PN. Operation will be mostly on SSB and CW, with some digital activity. Search the Special Events calendar on the ARRL website for more details on these operations. ARRL ARRL Board of Directors bestows awards The ARRL Board granted several awards at its July 2021 meeting. The ARRL Doug DeMaw, W1FB Technical Excellence Award went to Steve Franke, K9AN; Bill Somerville, G4WJS, and Joe Taylor, K1JT for their July/August 2020 QEX article, The FT4 and FT8 Communications Protocols. The DeMaw award honors the author of an article or article series judged to possess the highest degree of technical merit in ARRL periodicals for the past year. John Levo, W8KIW, of Hillsboro, Ohio, was designated as the recipient of the 2021 ARRL Philip J. McGan Memorial Silver Antenna Award. This award honors a Public Information Officer who successfully promotes all aspects of Amateur Radio that enhance the understanding of Amateur Radios contributions to education, public safety, and recreation. The Board said Levos efforts over time have captured the many avenues of opportunities of Amateur Radio as a hobby, an education tool, and a service for public safety. The 2021 ARRL Technical Service Award 2021 award recipient is James Baxter, KUA, of Branson, Missouri. The Board said Baxter exemplifies the spirit of this award due to his diligent work assisting hundreds of hams get on the air, particularly with FT8, and by spending countless hours on web sessions with them to work out their configuration issues, show them best practices, and to help track down RFI issues. The Board bestowed the 2021 ARRL Technical Innovation Award on Steve Haynal, KF7O; Wojciech Kaczmarski, SP5WWP, and Roger Clark, VK3KYY. Haynal was cited as the instrumental and driving force behind the Hermes Lite 5 W HF SDR transceiver as a fully open-source hardware and software project. Kaczmarski was recognized for developing the open-source digital radio communication protocol M17, leading to the development of DroidStar (an Android application) by Doug McLain, AD8DP. Clark was cited for spearheading a successful effort to augment a low-cost handheld radio for use by visually impaired operators, significantly lowering the cost of entry for such amateurs. The 2021 Herb S. Brier Instructor of the Year Award went to David Ritter, ND4MR. ARRL sponsors this award in conjunction with the Lake County Indiana Amateur Radio Club in Briers memory to recognize superior Amateur Radio instruction and recruitment. An ARRL Member for nearly 40 years, Ritter is an ARRL Registered Instructor and a full-time faculty member at Wilkes Community College in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, where hes been the lead and sole Technician licensing course instructor since 2010. Source: http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-board-of-directors-bestows-awards August 2021 Volunteer Monitor Program report The ARRL has released the amateur radio monitor program report for August in addition to the Advisory Notices and referrals to the FCC an amateur in Roseville, California, was sent a Good Operator commendation The Volunteer Monitor (VM) Program is a joint initiative between ARRL and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enhance compliance in the Amateur Radio Service. This is the VM Program Report for August 2021. Licensees in Pawcatuck, Connecticut; Wamego, Kansas; Valley Cottage, New York; Long Valley, New Jersey; Columbia, South Carolina, and Maryville, Tennessee, were sent Advisory Notices concerning operation on frequencies that were set aside for Haiti earthquake emergency communications by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 2 Emergency Coordinator. Licensees in Prineville, Winston, Silver Lake, and Roseburg, Oregon; Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Houston, Texas, were sent Advisory Notices concerning failure to identify, as required by Section 97.119(a) of the FCC Amateur Radio Service, pursuant to a nationwide rule compliance review of operations on 3.819 MHz and 3.953 MHz. A former licensee in Seabrook, Texas, was sent an Advisory Notice concerning operation with an expired license. An FT8 operator in Orion, Michigan, was sent to an Advisory Notice reminding him of the 200 W power limit on 30 meters. A licensee in New Caney, Texas, was sent a final notice that his case was being referred to the FCC for license revocation or deletion of voice privileges from his license. A Good Operator commendation was sent to an operator in Roseville, California, for Exemplary Amateur Procedure on May 21, 2021, during the 40-meter California Rescue Communications Net. The revised total for VM monitoring in July was 5,746 hours the highest number of hours monitored since the inception of the VM Program. The IT staff at ARRL Headquarters completed work on an automated system for Volunteer Monitors to report monthly monitoring hours and Incident Reports. Thanks to Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, Volunteer Monitor Program Administrator Source ARRL http://www.arrl.org/news/august-2021-volunteer-monitor-program-report Louisiana ARES returning to normal status in storm-affected parishes Louisiana ARES Section Emergency Coordinator James Coleman, AI5B, said this week that Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) teams in his Section 'should now be on normal status, with the affected parishes status as appropriate for local conditions.' Emergency Coordinators in some hard-hit parishes have activated volunteers for relief and recovery operations. More than 30 parishes were affected by the storm, although cell telephone outages in the affected area stood at 3.7% as of September 8 and recovering rapidly. All 911 systems were reported operational as of September 8. The Louisiana ARES Emergency Net now is on standby. If it becomes necessary, the net will be active from 2 PM to 6 PM CDT on 7.255 MHz, and from 6 PM to 10 PM CDT on 3.878 MHz, Colemans report said. The Louisiana Traffic Net is operating 7 days a week at 6 PM CDT on 3.910 MHz. ARRL Headquarters shipped Ham Aid kits to Louisiana Region 3 for use during their recovery efforts. Region 3 District Emergency Coordinator (DEC) Miriam Barrett, KG5BNH, and St. Mary Parishs Emergency Coordinator Jacki Price, KA5LMZ, have coordinated their efforts to assist the Council on Aging in Terrebonne Parish. The Ham Aid kits include equipment for HF, VHF, and UHF, including hand-held transceivers and base station antennas. The W5RAR VHF repeater (146.805 MHz) was in use over a four-parish area La Fourche, St. Charles, St. John, and Terrebonne, which suffered significant wireless system damage as well as a 911 system outage in St. John Parish. The St. Charles emergency operations center was transmitting requests via the LWARN 440-MHz linked repeater system to WB5LHS. A communications team in support of Florida Baptist Disaster Relief established operations in a communications trailer at the Metairie Baptist Church. The Jefferson Parish Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with DEC Nick Frederick, W4NDF, and the City of Kenner EOC with Mary Vernoy, WB5IOE, assisting maintained a VHF net. Kenners fiber optic cable that provided internet was cut by Entergy so it could access one of its lines for repair. That left two erratic cellphones and a VHF net as the only communications Kenner had with Jefferson Parish. Vernoy had to climb onto the roof of the EOC to pick up the 2-meter antenna that had been knocked down by wind. She was cheered by the arrival of the Baptist team from Florida. Gordon Gibby, KX4Z, reported that Metairie was hard-hit, with power out and boil water notices, although the areas around hospitals have had power restored. Hams can be a big benefit by partnering with organizations like Florida Baptist and work to meet their specific communications needs, said Gibby, who has connections with the Florida group and drove from Florida to help out for a day. He said hams were somewhat embedded within the volunteer organization. A report from Tangipahoa Parish said that as weather conditions deteriorated on August 29 the day Hurricane Ida made landfall local repeaters lost power and went on battery backup. Two repeaters were lost when a tower collapsed. Formal weather nets were not conducted to conserve power for emergency transmissions only. As of September 6, both the WB5NET and W5TEO repeaters remained on battery pack-up power and conserving power. Elmer Tatum, N5EKF, reports that, as of September 8, all of the repeaters in Ascension Parish Region 2 remain off the air, and two of them the 145.31 and 146.985 repeaters sustained damage. The 147.225 repeater has no power. Two radio amateurs at the state emergency operations center staffed the EOC for some 20 hours straight. Tatum relieved them on Monday, August 30, and passed quite a few messages for the St. Charles EOC via the 146.805 and 444.350 repeaters, including one request for an ambulance. Some parish emergency operations centers passed traffic via VHF simplex. ARES Region 2 Assistant District Emergency Coordinator Michael Nolan, KD5MLD, reported that four Region 2 objectives were accomplished during the storm, all involving major challenges. These included establishing amateur radio communication with the state EOC, Region 2 EOC, and the American Red Cross; requesting implementation of auxiliary communication rapid response teams to assist served agencies; promoting to parish EOCs the value of real-time situation reports from radio amateurs operating from their homes, and to educating amateur radio emergency operators to become embedded with their served agencies prior to activation. Thanks to Louisiana ARES Section Emergency Coordinator James Coleman, AI5B http://www.arrl.org/news/louisiana-ares-returning-to-normal-status-in-storm-affected-parishes The dream is making government more efficient, making government more effective, enabling decisions that are based on evidence and scientific knowledge to oversee public policy. by Victor Cherubim Liberia and Ethiopia rank number 175 and 173 respectively in the UN Human Development Index, while Singapore stands at No.11. Where does Sri Lanka fit in this list, or does it matter? HDI is a summary measure for assessing long term progress in three basic dimensions of human development. First, is Life expectancy a long and healthy life Second, is access to Knowledge the expected years of schooling and third, is the Standard of Living measured by GNI (Gross National Income) or per capita income using purchasing power? In short, it shouldnt be a total surprise that human development is in one way or other related to our level of happiness or does it? Contentment Economists David Blanchflower and Andrew Oswald started noting patterns in life satisfaction studies in the 1990s that contentment declines during adulthood and hits rock bottom in our 40s before rising again.This dip according to them is due to the burdens of middle age: job stress, money worries and caring responsibilities. Another idea is that as we age and time horizons get shorter, we tend to invest in the things that are most important to us it is not money, but relationships. We have also heard of the saying, its not what you know, but who you know, that matters? The idea that money cant buy you happiness, has prevailed for many centuries. Even recent studies have showed that earning above what we needed to cover our basic needs and keep us comfortable was futile, and could even make us less happy, more as the pandemic couldnt distinguish between rich or poor. It is debateable if Coronavirus did get rid of the well to do more than the poor, because of their lifestyle? However, a contrary study published in 2021 by Matthew Killingworth of the University of Pennsylvania now suggests that the more money we have, the happier we are. It has to do with the state of the world after the pandemic, the inequality of income, besides the mental health of populations around the world. It is the suggestion that rich people are able to spend their money on buying more free time and investing in rather novel experiences, than poor people who constantly buy stuff to boost their happiness or their feel good factor, but are depressed by their perceived status. What the rich say and the poor listen? Warren Buffet the American billionaire had it right when he said: I want to give my kids enough that they could do anything, but not so much that they could do nothing. What impacts us most comes from our relationships, job satisfaction, inner happiness and enjoying of life. But a Sri Lankan in London recently commented: Dont tell that to people in Sri Lanka as money in the bank with the exchange rate of UK Pound Sterling to the SL Rupee standing at Rs.330/- and rising makes them feel vulnerable, if not inferior and weak, to want the same standard of living as their neighbour. Relative deprivation Relative deprivation and absolute, abject poverty both have a very deep impact over our happiness, or so it seems. There is the feeling that wealth instils a sense of freedom, a superiority complex. Does relative wealth makes us care less about other peoples problems or even other peoples feelings. We do notice people on lower incomes are more empathic to others, especially at crisis situations. I have often wondered whether happiness and contentment psychologically cause good health or is it the other way round. After all, it could be that people who have robust immune systems, or have inbuilt higher levels of mood improvement brain chemicals within to create the necessary antibody to attack the viruses. Researchers state that by leveraging algorithms and unorthodox data sources as well as developing tools using GPS data to track the spread of H1N1 influenza in Mexico, Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and malaria in Mozambique, as well as modelling human behaviour, scientists now are able to predict the spread of Corona virus. The dream is making government more efficient, making government more effective, enabling decisions that are based on evidence and scientific knowledge to oversee public policy. The future of everything? What will be the impact on our generation and future generations on our existing and finer systems of modern life? It might be a little difficult to feel that we have a grip on things. We have obligations to deal with in the here and now. Health, and wellness are both two sides of the same. The here and now in my opinion, is more important than what the future holds. Perhaps, it is a blinkered view from my perspective. Taxes, debt, public spending and mortality rates are all at or near us. David Rice, electrical engineer, suggested in a report sent to board members Tuesday that the timeline for the inspection program be changed from every 40 years and every 10 years after to 30 years and every five or 10 years after a measure that has also been suggested by Miami-Dade County officials. At first we were very devastated, but at all times we felt confident that God will do justice, Fernandez said. And what we want is for him [Abraham] to reestablish himself, to assume his responsibility and try to correct the situation. We do not wish him or his family any harm. Palm Beach County also plans public events, seeking to form a consensus about confronting past and current injustices. In one of the more vivid acknowledgements, the county will transport a six-foot steel monument bearing the lynched mens names from the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Ala. The memorial, which opened in 2018, houses a powerful display with more than 800 rust-colored steel monuments hanging from above, one for each county in the United States where a lynching took place. The names of each lynched person in each county, totaling more than 4,400, is engraved on the markers, which appear to float above as visitors walk underneath. It seems to me the law has been ignored in this case, but I still believe the will of the voters in this matter should have been controlling and will continue to fight on behalf of the voters to see this matter through to the end, he said. But protecting the rights of those unmasked children could mean some children with disabilities are prevented from attending from school, the letter said. If they are, that would violate federal laws that protect against discrimination based on disability and guarantee children with disabilities the right to be educated in a regular education environment as much as possible, Goldberg wrote. Water is what a storm needs, and it doesnt have to be ocean water, Shay said. I had never thought about the brown ocean concept before, but after seeing Ida maintain for a while, there had to be some impact, and that area is a lot like the Everglades. Scherer is also expected to rule in the coming days on a state motion to block the defense from using alleged failures by the school system, justice system and mental health professionals as mitigating factors the jury can consider to reject the death penalty. Mental health is expected to form a key part of the defense strategy at the trial, though the Public Defenders Office has not said whether he will pursue an insanity defense. I cant go into what she said or anything like that, Johnson said. But to put it the best way, Id say (she was in) shock, probably. Youre a Navy chief one day, and the next day, youre in jail. The evidence clearly shows that children have become infected exponentially since the spread of the delta variant this summer, the filing said. This daily possible exposure to a more contagious COVID strain the delta variant in a school setting which allows parents to opt-out their children from wearing masks without any medical reason is an irreparable harm to appellees (the plaintiffs) children. Appellees children have the option of either staying at home to avoid COVID, or they must go to school, which schools cannot require masks pursuant to the executive order, and expose themselves to COVID on a daily basis. Either option presents an irreparable harm to appellees children. According to the 11 p.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Larry is expected to bring hurricane-force winds, dangerous storm surge and heavy rainfall to southeastern Newfoundland Friday night. After that, its winds are expected to drop below the 74 miles per hour threshold for a hurricane. The federal government offered the money in April to help struggling families catch up from a spike in food costs over the summer because schools or child care facilities were closed and could not offer kids free or reduced-price meals. For many low-income children in Florida, the food they get in school is the best nutrition they receive. DeSantis resolutely ignored the program. I will tell you, as much as I am willing to defend our liberty at all costs, there is nothing that I would dread doing more than having to pick up arms against a fellow American. And the way that we can have recourse against that is if we all passionately demand that we have election security in all 50 states, he said. The huge plume of smoke from the Sierra Bermeja wildfire on the south coast of Spain has been picked up clearly on a satellite image from space. The blaze, which is still not controlled, has already spread over a 3,600-hectare area between the municipalities of Estepona, Benahavis, Jubrique and Genalguacil. The image, showing the smoke over the Alboran Sea and even reaching the African coast being pushed by the prevailing winds, was recorded by the Sentinel 3 satellite, and shared on the Twitter account of the weather expert Jose Luis Escudero (@tormentayrayos), who writes a blog for SUR. Spains Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has also recorded the formation of pyrocumulus (fire cloud) over the area of the blaze on their rain radar. In large forest fires, as well as during volcanic eruptions, these vertically developing cumuliform clouds are formed, consisting of very hot air, mixed with gases and smoke and ash particles from the burning plant matter. As the smoke column gains height and reaches atmospheric levels where the environment is cold enough droplets of water, falling as showers, are formed. As Jose Luis Escudero explains, these clouds can also generate "electrical activity and lightning in the area." Pedro Sanchez, the prime minister of Spain, and Juanma Moreno, president of the Junta de Andalucia, have had a telephone conversation about the state of the fire in Sierra Bermeja, which has swept through several municipalities in Malaga province. They have agreed to the deployment of the national Military Emergency Unit (UME) if the teams on the ground deem it necessary. The Juntas head told Sanchez that a forest firefighter had died in the battle against the fire, before Moreno spoke later with the relatives of the deceased 44-year-old, to convey his condolences. Juanma Moreno will visit the fires Advanced Command Post this Friday afternoon, 10 September. The blaze has so far destroyed some 3,600 hectares across the municipalities of Jubrique, Genalguacil, Estepona and Benahavis. / SUR There are almost 300 Infoca specialist firefighters mobilised to quell the flames, supported by up to 30 aircraft including planes, helicopters and an extra four hydroplanes. The German laboratory BioNTech, creator of the first coronavirus vaccine together with the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer, has developed a specific formula to vaccinate children aged between 5 and 11 years old. The company has announced "we are starting production," in a statement published in Der Spiegel this Friday, 10 September, by Ozlem Tureci, co-founder of BioNTech and one of the scientists involved in the development of its vaccines. "In the coming weeks we will present to the authorities around the world the results of our study with children aged 5 to 11 years and we will request their authorisation, as well as here in Europe", added the expert, who said that "the vaccine is the same as that of adults, but not so highly dosed and the amount to be administered is also less. The results and conclusions of the study have already been drawn up and the only thing left to do is to finalise their presentation to the regulatory authorities. "Everything looks very good, everything is going according to plan," says Ugur Sahin, Ozlem Tureci's husband and co-founder of the German laboratory, in the same interview. He added that by the end of the year they also hope to have the results of studies carried out with children and babies from six months to five years of age. The two German scientists, of Turkish origin, also call on the authorities to try to convince those reluctant to be vaccinated to be jabbed in the coming weeks. "Society has about 60 days left to avoid a severe winter," warns Sahin, who stresses that "we must do everything possible to vaccinate the largest number of people in those two months." The FDA approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, Aug. 23 draws opinions of those looking to stop the spread of COVID-19. if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi... Every year, the Iowa Falls School District receives about $300,000 through its voter-approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy. The money has been used to pay for everything from classroom technology and buildings renovations, to artificial turf on the football field. On Tuesday, Sept. 14, voters will be asked to consider extending the levy for another 10 years. Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), a leading infrastructure solutions provider, has welcomed Egypt as its newest member state. Egypts accession expands AFCs footprint in North Africa, after Morocco joined in June this year. As a member, Egypt will enjoy benefits including increased investment allocation, preferred access to AFCs structuring and lending solutions, reduced debt costs for projects, and access to advisory and project development services. Egypts Prime Minister Dr Mostafa Madbouly, said the North Africas most populous nation was committed to become the 32nd member of the regions leading infrastructure solutions provider, opening up a potential $1 billion of investments. "With the increasing importance of public-private partnerships in advancing the African continent and Egypt in particular, we are pleased to accede to membership of a renowned and trusted pan-African institution like AFC," remarked Dr Madbouly. "We are already in discussions with AFC on pipeline projects, some of which includes supporting Covid-19 vaccine manufacture, working closely with the Ministry of Transportation to fund the high speed train and the Cairo Monorail projects, as well as a collaboration with The Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE) to fund renewable projects, and we look forward to executing these projects in line with the countrys Vision 2030," he added. AFC has already invested over $100 million in infrastructure projects in Egypt, including the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation and Carbon Holdings, a petrochemicals conglomerate. The corporation has identified a further $600 million worth of projects across the renewables, natural gas, as well as the transport and logistics sectors and expects to invest over $1 billion in total. AFCs President & CEO Samaila Zubairu, led a delegation of senior AFC executives for meetings in Cairo in July with senior government officials, including Prime Minister Madbouly and Minister of Finance Dr. Mohamed Maait, who signed the instrument of adherence to AFC membership. "We had several meetings with key government stakeholders in Cairo and their urgency in driving the next phase of development is consistent with AFCs support for resilient and sustainable infrastructure that will benefit not only Egypt but the entire continent," said Zubairu. "I look forward to working with our partners to strengthen manufacturing on the continent, in particular, the production of Covid-19 vaccines," he added.-TradeArabia News Service New Delhi, Sep 10 (UNI) BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra on Friday took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his concern for Kashmiri Pandits and said their woes were because of the politics of appeasement of the Congress party and its allies. "Congress for its petty vote bank politics sacrificed not only the Kashmiri Pandits but also the development of Kashmir. There was a time when on behest of the Nehru-Gandhi family the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh even hugged separatist leaders. The problems of Jammu and Kashmir are the legacy of the Gandhi family," Patra said while reacting to the Gandhi scion's remark in Jammu that he too was a Kashmiri Pandit and was pained by the plight of Kashmiri Pandits and Kashmiris. Referring to the abrogation of Article 370, the BJP spokesperson said, "Congress leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary had then said that it being a bilateral affair should not be discussed without the mandate of Pakistan. This is the real nature of the Congress party ... shedding crocodile tears while during its tenure Kashmir was destroyed.' Chinese Ambassador condemns ban barring him from UK Parliamentary events 15 Sep 2021 | 5:58 PM London, Sep 15 (UNI/SPUTNIK) The new Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Zheng Zeguang, banned from participating in parliamentary events by the Speakers in the House of Commons and Lords, condemned this "shortsighted, reckless and cowardly move." "The decision of the UK Parliament reflects the narrow and parochial mindset of some individuals in the UK. It is a shortsighted, reckless and cowardly move. We despise and strongly condemn this," a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in London said. see more.. India slams Pakistan at UNHRC, says does not need lessons from 'the worst abuser of human rights 15 Sep 2021 | 5:57 PM Geneva/New Delhi, Sep 15 (UNI) India on Wednesday slammed Pakistan for misuse of the UN Human Rights Council platform to propagate its false and malicious propaganda against the country, and said that it does not need lessons from a failed State like Pakistan which is the epicentre of terrorism and the worst abuser of Human Rights. see more.. IS bride asks UK people for forgiveness, prepared to face terror charges 15 Sep 2021 | 5:54 PM London, Sep 15 (UNI/SPUTNIK) -Shamima Begum, who was 15 when she traveled to Syria in 2015 to marry a member of the Islamic State terrorist organization (IS, banned in Russia) and was later stripped of her UK citizenship, asked the British people to forgive her and said she was prepared to face terror charges in the UK in order to return to her country. see more.. Uganda reinstates mandatory COVID-19 testing for inbound travelers 15 Sep 2021 | 5:43 PM Kampala, Sep 15 (UNI/XINHUA) Uganda has reinstated mandatory COVID-19 testing for inbound travelers, a top official said on Wednesday. see more.. Chennai, Sep 10 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, AIADMK Coordinator O Panneerselvam and co-coordinator Edappadi Palaniswami and PMK leaders today greeted new Governor R N Ravi. President Ram Nath Kovind in a series of gubernatorial changes last night appointed Nagaland Governor Ravi as the next Governor of Tamil Nadu, in place of Mr Banwarilal Purohit, who was made full time Governor of Punjab. Mr Stalin in a tweet said "my respects and greetings to Mr R N Ravi on his appointment as the TN Governor." Mr Stalin hoped that Mr. Ravis arrival would provide an impetus to growth and prosperity of the State. "Tamil Nadu welcomes you", he added. The Chief Minister also said that With love and affection, we are sending off outgoing Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who was appointed as the Governor of Punjab. Mr Panneerselvam, in his greetings, said "on behalf of the AIADMK, I welcome the appointment of Thiru R.N. Ravi, a retired IPS Officer who played a crucial role in the Naga peace talks, as the Governor of Tamil Nadu." His appointment will certainly boost the development and fortune of Tamil Nadu to a great extent. "I wish him all success", he said in a tweet. Mr Panneerselvam also said "I would like to place my sincere thanks to the outgoing Governor Shri Banwarilal Purohit who offered his skills, knowledge and support that helped Tamil Nadu to achieve success." His cordial ties with AIADMK are highly commendable, he said. "I wish him all the very best for his new assignment as the Governor of Punjab. I hope his broad mindedness will definitely help the State of Punjab to reach new heights in the years to come", he said. Mr Palaniswami also took to twitter to greet the new TN Governor. After stupendously serving as IPS Officer in Kerala and as Governor of Nagaland, Mr Ravi is now set to take charge as the new Governor of Tamil Nadu. "I wish him all the best". He also greeted outgoing Governor Mr Purohit on his appointment as the next Governor of Punjab. PMK Founder Dr S Ramadoss and Youth Wing leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Anbumani Ramadoss also greeted Mr Ravi on his appointment as the new TN Governor. UNI GV 1144 UW Board of Trustees to Meet Sept. 15-17 The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees will receive updates on enrollment, COVID-19, academic program reviews and budget reductions during the boards regular meeting Wednesday-Friday, Sept. 15-17. The meeting will take place in person at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center. UWs pandemic protocols on wearing of masks and physical distancing will be observed. There will be limited seating for members of the public to observe the meeting in person, but public sessions of the board and its committees may be observed by the public at https://wyolinks.uwyo.edu/trusteessept/. Several committees of the board will meet through the day Wednesday in the Gateway Center, before they move to the Wyoming Union Ballroom for President Ed Seidels 3 p.m. State of the University address, and recognition of newly tenured and promoted faculty members. Thursdays meeting of the full board will begin at 8 a.m. with an executive session. The public session is expected to begin at 9 a.m. Seidel is scheduled to give an update on UWs COVID-19 response at 9:30 a.m., followed by a report on fall semester enrollment by Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Kyle Moore. Public testimony will be accepted at 11 a.m. Thursday. Those wishing to offer verbal testimony should go to www.uwyo.edu/trustees/public-comment/web_form.html to fill out the web form. The deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14. The update on program reviews and budget reductions is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Fridays meeting begins with an executive session at 8 a.m. The public session is scheduled to start at about 8:30 a.m. The complete agenda, along with a report that includes background information on agenda items, is available at www.uwyo.edu/trustees/2021-meeting-materials/september_15-17_2021_meeting.html. UW President to Give State of the University Speech Wednesday University of Wyoming President Ed Seidel will provide updates on key issues and initiatives and outline future plans during his State of the University address Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 3 p.m. in the Wyoming Union Ballroom. Additionally, newly tenured and promoted faculty members will be recognized. And, leaders of the Faculty Senate, Staff Senate and Associated Students of UW will provide reports on accomplishments for the past year and goals for the future. Members of the campus community and the public are invited to attend the event, which also will be available for live or recorded viewing at http://wyolinks.uwyo.edu/uwaddress/. Those attending in person are reminded of UWs requirement for masks indoors when 6-foot distancing cant be maintained. UW employees have been granted two hours of release time to attend the event. The scheduling of release time should be a collaborative discussion between employee and supervisor to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the unit. UW Student Wins $1,000 in Community Vaccination Incentive Drawing A University of Wyoming student from Cheyenne is the first winner of a weekly $1,000 prize for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in an Albany County vaccination incentive program. Cole Munari, a senior studying management with minors in economics and honors, won the prize in the program, You Call the Shots, organized by a coalition of community members with the support of local businesses. This is a separate effort from UWs student vaccination reporting incentive program. Winning this drawing was a huge surprise, and an amazing one at that, says Munari, who received the vaccine due to highly vulnerable family members and for safety in general for myself and others. As a student who is full time and works in customer service, I wanted to have all aspects of my life protected from the virus that flipped our world upside down. I would recommend vaccination for fellow students for the obvious reason of public safety, the movement to a new normal with vaccinations being common, and allowing for our community to move forward, Munari adds. More vaccinations and reporting can help facilitate our university to get back to what college was when I started my freshman year. You Call the Shots offers weekly raffles and other prizes of up to $2,500 for local residents to roll up their sleeves and make Laramie a safer place to work and live. Albany County residents 12 and older can register to be part of the drawings at https://cityoflaramie.org/1185/Vaccine-Project. Every Monday through Oct. 4, there will be one weekly drawing for a $1,000 cash award. Multiple grand prize packages, including a $2,500 cash prize, will be awarded in October. Entries are open to Albany County residents who have received their first vaccine shots. The full course of vaccination is required in order to redeem prizes; winners will be required to show proof of vaccination. Prize winners will be announced on social media every Friday following the weekly drawings. Additionally, while supplies last, $25 gift cards will be given to those who receive the vaccine at the time of vaccination at these locations: Albany Community Health Clinic, Grand Avenue Urgent Care, Ivinson Medical Group, Pole Mountain Pharmacy, Ridleys, Stitches Acute Care and Walmart. Partners in You Call the Shots are Albany County Public Health, the city of Laramie, the Downtown Clinic, Downtown Laramie, Ivinson Memorial Hospital, the Laramie Chamber Business Alliance, United Way of Albany County, UW and Wyoming 2-1-1. ELIZABETH URBAN is News Editor for The Vidette. Urban can be contacted at emurba1@ilstu.edu. Follow Urban on Twitter at @eliizabethurban. IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of digital media, please contribute to this most important cause. Thank you. The Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean Patrick OMalley, during his tour of Havana on Thursday. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today Cloudy with showers. High 76F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Overcast with rain showers at times. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 07:38:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday expressed the hope that Afghanistan would be able to make the right choice and find a development path that is suited to its national conditions. The Taliban have announced the formation of an interim government in Afghanistan -- a necessary step toward restoring order and post-war reconstruction. The Taliban have said the interim government was set up to restore social and economic order as soon as possible, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. "We hope that the Taliban will learn lessons from history, honor its commitments, unite all ethnic groups and factions, build a broad-based and inclusive political architecture, pursue moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, protect the rights and interests of women and children, resolutely combat terrorist groups, and develop friendly and cooperative relations with other countries, no least its neighbors," he said. "Today, Afghanistan stands at a historic crossroads. We sincerely hope that Afghanistan can make the right choice and find a development path that is suited to its national conditions," he told the Security Council. China welcomes UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' convening of an international conference on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan slated for Monday in Geneva, and hopes that the international community, major donor countries in particular, will step up assistance to Afghanistan, said Geng. At the same time, the international community should help Afghanistan tap into its advantages in natural endowment, geographical location and human resources, carry out regional cooperation and connectivity activities, promote economic and social development, and improve the well-being of its people, he said. One of the major causes for the current economic difficulties in Afghanistan is the freezing of Afghan overseas assets. These assets belong to Afghanistan and should be used for Afghanistan, not as leverage for threat or restraints, he said. The situation in Afghanistan is closely related to the peace and development of the entire region. Over the years, Afghanistan's neighbors and countries in its vicinity have actively supported Afghanistan's peace, reconciliation and reconstruction process, and made enormous efforts to promote peace and development in Afghanistan, said Geng. These countries are on the front lines of the fight against terrorism spillover, cross-border drug smuggling, and refugee and migrant exodus. The international community should understand these countries' difficulties, respect their sacrifices and support their efforts, he said. A foreign ministers' meeting was held Wednesday among Afghanistan's six neighbors, during which in-depth discussions were held on such topics as the current situation in Afghanistan, epidemic prevention and control, port opening, migratory regulations and control, humanitarian aid, counter-terrorism and security, cooperation in drug control and other issues. A series of consensuses were formed, whereby all agreed to focus on common concerns and strengthen communication and coordination, so as to create an enabling external environment for restoring stability in Afghanistan, he said. As a neighbor, China has always respected the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, adhered to non-interference in its affairs and pursued a friendly policy toward all people of Afghanistan. To meet the immediate needs of the Afghan people, China will donate, for the first batch, 3 million doses of vaccines, to be followed by another 200 million RMB yuan (31 million U.S. dollars) worth of food supplies, vaccines and medicines on an emergency basis. When the security and other conditions are met, China is poised to help Afghanistan build projects that will help improve livelihoods, and in so doing, support Afghanistan in its peaceful reconstruction and economic development. Under the current circumstances, China supports the United Nations in playing a bigger role in alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and helping the country achieve a smooth transition and embark on the path of peaceful development at an early date, he said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 09:15:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- A United Nations (UN) high-ranking official on Thursday called on the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan to respect the rights of women. "Women have a right to peaceful protest and to a life free of violence. In taking control of Afghanistan, the Taliban authorities assume a duty to respect and protect these rights," Pramila Patten, officer-in-charge of UN Women, said in a statement. "I am shocked and outraged by the images of women in Afghanistan being whipped, hit with shock batons and beaten simply for exercising their right to peaceful protest. I stand in solidarity with all Afghan women who are fighting for the respect of their fundamental rights and freedoms," said Patten. "I call again upon the Taliban to adhere to their duty to ensure the full rights of all women and girls in Afghanistan, to ensure the immediate cessation of this wholly unacceptable normalization of violence against them and to monitor and investigate these violations so that perpetrators are held accountable whenever and wherever such violence occurs," she said. There can be little credibility for promises made by the Taliban authorities to respect the rights of women and girls while such flagrant violations take place with impunity. There must be urgent action to ensure that women can fully, equally and safely exercise their right to participation in the public and political life of Afghanistan, she added. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 16:58:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 death toll in Mongolia has exceeded 1,000, the country's health ministry said Friday. The country's death toll increased to 1,007 with 15 more COVID-19 fatalities in the past 24 hours, the highest single-day growth since July 3, the ministry said in a statement. Meanwhile, Mongolia reported 2,009 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, including an imported case, bringing the national tally to 249,408. More than 60,300 COVID-19 patients are now being treated across the country, with 344 in very serious condition, the ministry said. Mongolian health authorities have explained that the country's current COVID-19 resurgence is due to the Delta wave and mass gatherings. The highly contagious Delta variant of the virus is spreading fast across the country and has been detected in the capital Ulan Bator and 20 of the country's 21 provinces. Since a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign was launched in February, almost 65 percent of the country's total population has received two vaccine doses. In late August, the Asian country began offering a booster or third dose of vaccine to frontline workers, those in education, people aged over 55, and those suffering from chronic diseases. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 17:19:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese Ambassador to Vanuatu Zhou Haicheng (R) and Vanuatu's Minister of Education and Training Samson Samsen shake hands during a ceremony of signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly promote the Chinese language education in the Pacific island country at Port Vila, Vanuatu, Sept. 10, 2021.(Xinhua) SYDNEY, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China and Vanuatu signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at Port Vila on Friday to jointly promote the Chinese language education in the Pacific island country. According to the MOU, the two countries' education ministries will cooperate on Chinese language education in primary and secondary schools in Vanuatu. Based on consensus through consultations, China could select and send experts to Vanuatu to coordinate and assist in developing policy documents and frameworks such as the curriculum, syllabus and testing schemes for the joint program, help Vanuatu build a pool of Chinese language teachers, and develop Chinese language textbooks and learning materials. Both sides will also jointly monitor and evaluate the teaching performance of the program, encourage educational and academic institutions from both countries to conduct theoretical and applied research, and hold academic conferences on topics related to the program. Chinese Ambassador to Vanuatu Zhou Haicheng, who signed the MOU on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of Education with Vanuatu's Minister of Education and Training Samson Samsen, said the Chinese language teaching program is a fruit of the China-Vanuatu comprehensive strategic partnership, and a new breakthrough and opportunity for the bilateral educational cooperation. Zhou said the Chinese side will strengthen cooperation with Vanuatu's Ministry of Education and Training, schools and institutions to implement the MOU, and help the country train a large number of people who can speak Chinese and understand China. "The signing of this MOU will further solidify popular support for the development of China-Vanuatu relations and create tremendous opportunities for the younger generations of Vanuatu. I wish more Vanuatu youths will become Chinese enthusiasts and good-will ambassadors for China-Vanuatu friendship and relations," he said. Zhou added that the Chinese side will continue to support Chinese language teaching in Vanuatu, and promote the China-Vanuatu educational cooperation and comprehensive strategic partnership to a new high. Samsen acknowledged the continuous support from the Chinese side, and described the MOU as another milestone for the bilateral people-to-people and cultural exchanges. He said the Chinese language is globally used for business exchanges, therefore, such partnership agreement in the education sector will facilitate a better development of the young people of Vanuatu, and will strengthen mutual exchange between the two countries. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 17:41:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The 18th China-ASEAN Expo, a trade event aiming at advancing regional cooperation and development, kicked off on Friday in Nanning, the capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as this year marks the 30th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. The expo, held both online and offline, expanded its exhibition area for foreign countries to about 20,000 square meters this year, up 13.4 percent compared to the prior expo, according to the organizer. Since China established a dialogue relationship with ASEAN in 1991, the China-ASEAN relationship has grown into the most successful and vibrant model for cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and an exemplary effort in building a community with a shared future for mankind, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in 2020. Xi has, on various bilateral and multilateral occasions, called for greater cooperation between China and ASEAN partners. The following are some highlights of his remarks in this regard. July 26, 2021 In a congratulatory message to Nguyen Xuan Phuc on his re-election as Vietnam's president, Xi said that in the face of transformations rarely seen in a century and the once-in-a-century COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides have stuck to their shared ideals and convictions, acted on the original aspiration of solidarity and friendship, and taken concrete actions to enrich and update their comprehensive strategic cooperation. Xi said that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Vietnam relations, adding that he is ready to work with Vietnamese leaders and comrades to strengthen strategic guidance for the relationship between both parties and both nations in the new era, and make continuous progress towards the goal of building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that bears strategic significance. April, 2021 Calling for joint efforts to build the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, Xi stressed the importance of strengthening China-ASEAN cooperation and carrying out solid work on pilot free trade zones. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during his inspection trip to south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in late April. April 20, 2021 In a phone conversation with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Xi said that in the face of profound changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century, China stands ready to join hands with Indonesia to enhance strategic mutual trust, deepen strategic consensus, strengthen strategic coordination, uphold multilateralism, safeguard fairness and justice, promote global climate governance, defend the common interests of developing countries, and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Nov. 27, 2020 China continues to regard ASEAN as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and a key region in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said via video when addressing the opening ceremony of the 17th China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit held in Nanning. Xi suggested that the two sides enhance strategic mutual trust and further synergize their development plans. Stressing the need to deepen cooperation on the digital economy, Xi said China and ASEAN could create more highlights of cooperation in such areas as smart city, 5G, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, big data, blockchain and telemedicine, and strengthen the protection of data security and policy communication and coordination. Aug. 29, 2019 At present, the international and regional situations are undergoing profound and complex changes. However, peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit are still an irresistible trend of the times, Xi said as he met with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. Xi said he is willing to work with Duterte to continue to grasp the trend of the times from a strategic and long-term perspective, to lead the sound development of bilateral ties. Xi said it is necessary to continue to promote the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Philippine "Build, Build, Build" program, and implement major cooperative projects in such areas as infrastructure construction, industrial parks, telecommunications and energy. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 17:43:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JAKARTA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian police on Friday arrested three suspected terrorists in separate operations in the national capital Jakarta and Bekasi in West Java province. The National Police's spokesman Ahmad Ramadhan said that these suspects were allegedly affiliated with a homegrown terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), which is linked to Al-Qaeda. Ramadhan said that further investigations are underway. The JI group was behind the 2002 Bali bombings which killed more than 200 people on the holiday island. The group was declared an illegal organization in 2018. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 17:48:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BISHKEK, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- An investigation by U.S. intelligence agencies into the origins of COVID-19 is another attempt to pin the blame on China, Iskhak Masaliev, leader of the Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan, told Xinhua on Thursday. The international community has been fighting the coronavirus for nearly two years now, yet some states continue to politicize its origins, said Masaliev, also an ex-member of the Kyrgyz Parliament. "In particular, the United States for some reason imagined that the virus was of artificial origin and was invented in China with the aim of spreading it in order to undermine the health of mankind ... This is a very incorrect approach, since the USA was famous for creating artificial hotbeds of tension between states and peoples," Masaliev said. The Kyrgyz politician said that the United States is trying to dictate its will onto the entire world by accusing China of fabricating the virus in order to spread it around the planet. "Intelligence agencies have been tasked with investigating the origin of the virus. This suggests that the customer initially would like to see that China is guilty of this," Masaliev said, adding how broad consensus points to a virus not of artificial origins. "Excessive politicization and the search for enemies are the most thankless thing and will not lead to good," he added. Hailing China's success in fighting the pandemic, he said that China's measures to contain the virus have been the most effective. "The world medical community should actively study its experience," Masaliev said, citing international cooperation as a way to defeat COVID-19. The World Health Organization and government leaders should work together in this direction, he added. "In this case, we can prevent humanity from new types of diseases," Masaliev said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-10 23:04:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Friday that the China-ASEAN dialogue relations have brought about development in all fields and prosperity for the nations and the people of ASEAN and China. He made the remarks during the opening session of the 18th China-ASEAN Expo via videoconference. Hun Sen expressed his pleasure and congratulations to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. He said the resounding success achieved during the past 30 years has become concrete foundation for ASEAN and China in laying out a great path and creating new opportunities for achieving a shared prosperous and inclusive future. "Going forward, I am of the view that China and ASEAN must continue working together in the fight against and overcoming COVID-19 pandemic so as to sustain socio-economic activities and people's livelihood," Hun Sen said. He added that the fight against this global pandemic requires solidarity, trust, joint planning as well as action in a prudent manner under a multilateral mechanism with respect for international law and sovereignty of each country. "In addition, China-ASEAN must continue promoting cooperation in all sectors, especially finance and trade, in order to accelerate the socio-economic recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis through widening the openness of market and flows of free trade, as well as facilitation of investment flows," he said. Meanwhile, Hun Sen extended his deep gratitude to the government and the people of China for the assistance to Cambodia through all forms of supports, including COVID-19 treatment techniques, medical equipment, and COVID-19 vaccines. "At the same time, I highly commend the government and the people of China for the active participation and its leading role in the fight against the COVID-19 at the global level, via the production and distribution of vaccines, provision of medical equipment as well as experience-sharing on prevention, care and treatment for the COVID-19 patients," he said. The 18th China-ASEAN Expo is being held online and offline in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, from Sept. 10 to 13 under the theme "Sharing Opportunities Created by the New Land-Sea Corridor, Building the China-ASEAN Community with a Shared Future". ASEAN refers to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Enditem El ministro @RoberthoSanchez se presenta, de manera virtual, en la Sesion extraordinaria de la Comision de Comercio Exterior y Turismo del @congresoperu. pic.twitter.com/n2Nwd0xvlD One of the trip's main objectives will be boosting economic recovery to overcome social exclusion and fight the pandemic within a framework of macroeconomic stability, as well as reducing social gaps, protecting the environment, and fighting corruption. It must be noted that the Head of State's first trip overseas emphasizes Peru's commitment to multilateralism and the need to strengthen it as a sphere to face transnational challenges concertedly, as is the case of the fight against COVID-19, while placing international attention on social issues, such as universal access to education, health, and food in line with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This event will be followed by his visit to Washington D.C. (U.S.) to appear on September 20 before the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) , where he will hold a meeting with the Secretary-General of the aforementioned hemispheric organization, Luis Almagro Attorney General Zoraida Avalos has filed a constitutional complaint against former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (2016-2018) for his performance in granting a humanitarian pardon to Alberto Fujimori in 2017, in exchange for avoiding an impeachment process against himself. Published: 9/10/2021 YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Expert on Georgian studies Jony Melikyan gave an interview to ARMENPRESS, commenting on the recent official visit of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Georgia. Talking about the overall dynamics of the Armenian-Georgian relations, the expert said he has an impression that Tbilisi is sending response signals to Yerevan with the wish to further deepen the bilateral ties. In the past there have always been signals from Yerevan to transform, revise and further deepen the relations with Georgia, but the response of Tbilisi has not been so concrete or has been given in a different manner. But today it can already be stated clearly that there are signals, and they are mutual, only concrete programs are needed, the implementation of which will revise and transform our relations, Jony Melikyan said. He emphasized that its very important that Armenia identifies its friends from the partners and tries to form a joint agenda with them especially now when security issues in the region are not solved yet. According to Melikyan, the Armenian-Georgian relations are within this context and the fact that the two sides are trying to give a new dynamics to their relations is very important. The meeting with the Georgian Prime Minister both in an open and closed format, the extended-format talks attended also by ministers, as well as the meeting with the Georgian President were very important. And its also important that this visit is followed by certain steps which will upgrade the bilateral agenda, will bring new projects and directions to the development agenda of the bilateral relations, the expert said. Jony Melikyan states that such visits enable to review and summarize the works done so far and outline the future plans. He says that Pashinyans visit was directed to this, to revise the Armenian-Georgian relations, to discuss the new developments in the region and initiate new programs. It was also mentioned. In my view, that interest is two-sided, both sides are interested. Both Yerevan and Tbilisi will work on this direction and will bring their contribution to the implementation of such projects, Jony Melikyan said. The expert notes that the security component has always had a special place in the Armenian-Georgian talks. Before September 27, 2020, Yerevan was informing Tbilisi about all developments related to the Karabakh conflict, presenting its positions. The Artsakh issue is not closed, but in line with this, Armenia, based on the November 9 statement, announces that it is ready for the establishment of regional stability and will contribute to the development of the region. The talk is about different infrastructure , unblocking. Yerevans message is very clear: at this stage Armenia will do everything for the region to be more stable and safe, to develop, which will allow, including Armenia, to get economic benefit and solve all problems caused by the war. Neighbors and first of all Georgia will use this process, Jony Melikyan said. The expert also explained why Georgia is actively interested in the implementation of major economic and transportation projects with Armenia. He notes that if the agreements on resumption of communications between Armenia and Azerbaijan are fulfilled, Georgia will lose its monopoly position as a country providing transit communication and roads. Therefore, he said, in order to compensate the future economic losses, Georgia is trying not to be left out from regional developments. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan paid a two-day official visit to Georgia on September 8. Interview by Aram Sargsyan Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian today received Ambassador of France to Armenia Jonathan Lacote on the occasion of the completion of his diplomatic mission, the Presidential Office told Armenpress. President Sarkissian highly appreciated the Ambassadors diplomatic service in Armenia and thanked for his personal efforts aimed at deepening the Armenian-French traditional friendly relations. Thank you for your active and productive work during the diplomatic mission in Armenia, the President told the French Ambassador. He handed a letter of gratitude to the French Ambassador, highlighting his great contribution to the friendship between the two countries and peoples. In his turn Jonathan Lacote highly valued the trust of the Armenian President towards him as an Ambassador and his activity. He stated that he has been and will remain as one of Armenias best friends and will continue bringing his contribution to the deepening of the Armenian-French friendly ties. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Russia doesnt plan to pull out its peacekeeping forces from Nagorno Karabakh, military expert Vladimir Evseev told ARMENPRESS when asked to comment the former commander of the troops Lt. General Rustam Muradovs latest statement. I think Russia doesnt plan to pull out peacekeepers upon the completion of the 5-year term. But of course everything will depend on the current situation. Azerbaijan will certainly try to somehow drive out Russian peacekeepers, but I dont think theyll succeed, the Russian analyst said. Lt. General Rustam Muradov, who led the Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno Karabakh since the signing of the ceasefire and who was only recently replaced by Major General Mikhail Kosobokov, told TASS that a decision on extending the missions term will be made when the 5-year term is completed. Muradov mentioned that he assesses highly the peacekeeping activities, and noted that this assessment is given by the civilian population of Artsakh. In this context, Evseev said that almost a year since the end of the war Azerbaijan basically hasnt yet mastered the territories it occupied. I dont see how Azerbaijan is [mastering] Karabakh. This isnt visible. There is some military mastering, but the territories arent being populated. Turns out the 7000 Azerbaijanis which Azerbaijan lost in the war died for nothing. Turns out they captured territories where no one lives. In this case, what was the point in taking so many casualties? What do Arabs for example do in Nagorno Karabakh? Why did they appear there? There are many questions. Therefore I think its too early to speak about what could happen in 4 years. But in any case I think Russia doesnt plan to pull out its peacekeepers. This is my personal opinion, Evseev said. Interview by Aram Sargsyan Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. President of the Republic of Artsakh convened a working consultation on September 10. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Presidents Office, during the meeting, the issues related to granting the status of a participant of the defense of Artsakh during the war unleashed by Azerbaijan in 2020 were discussed. Samvel Shahramanyan, Chairman of the Interdepartmental Commission in charge for the above-mentioned issues, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Artsakh, made a report on the work done. President Harutyunyan instructed the responsible bodies to clarify the approaches and procedures for granting the status, excluding unfair decisions. He added that a pragmatic and realistic approach was needed to the issue of integration on the whole. "Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that an extremely pragmatic and realistic approach was needed. Goals are set in union programs that are virtually complete and ready for signing. This is what we will focus on, these are the main goals of the further improvement of integration processes," the spokesman said. As reported on Thursday, at the meeting between Putin and Lukashenko in the Kremlin all 28 union programs of the two countries were coordinated. The Russian president noted that during the talks agreements were reached on conducting a joint macroeconomic policy, the integration of payment systems, expanded cooperation on information security, in the spheres of customs, taxes, energy and in other directions. The difficulties of preventing the spread of Covid-19's Delta variant are being laid bare in New Zealand as it continues a tightrope walk to elimination. Daily case numbers in New Zealand continue to fall: 11 cases were reported on Friday, down from a peak of 83 on August 29. Experts and Jacinda Ardern's government attribute the fall to the tough-as-nails lockdown ordered back on August 17 after the identification of just one case. On Friday, Auckland hits day 24 of lockdown which will be reassessed next Monday. The consensus is it will be extended. The goal is to eliminate Covid-19 in the community, bringing daily case numbers to zero. "I hate the idea of even one preventable death," Ms Ardern said. However, new evidence suggests this lockdown could have been avoided. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern continues to push towards Covid Zero. Source: Getty Testing requirement removed before passenger from NSW flight tested positive Investigative reporting from NZ outlet Newsroom has shown Ms Ardern's government removed the requirement for pre-departure testing for the flight that provided the outbreak's index case. In July and August, New Zealand green-lit a string of flights to bring home stranded Kiwis from NSW during its Delta outbreak. On the August 7 flight was a man who tested positive to Covid-19 the next day. Genomic sequencing has shown him to be the index case for New Zealand's outbreak - which has infected 879 people and killed one person to date. It's not clear the man would have tested positive in a pre-departure test, however the hurdle's removal means authorities will never know. Since Newsroom's reporting, the government has re-established the requirement for pre-departure testing. Questions remain as NZ edges closer to elimination This week in Auckland, the centre of the outbreak, two incidents at Middlemore Hospital show how hard getting to Covid Zero again could be. Last Sunday, a patient was admitted to the hospital and shared a room with other patients before testing positive to Covid-19. Story continues The hospital tallied up 149 contacts who needed to isolate as a result, including patients who still required care, and staff in an already stretched health system. Thankfully, all contacts returned a day three negative test, with Counties Manukau chief medical officer Peter Watson telling Radio NZ "there's no suspicion of any (further Covid-19) cases as a consequence". Royal New Zealand Navy personnel help at the Northern police Covid-19 checkpoint between Auckland and Northland on September 8. Source: Getty Those close contacts will also produce a day five and day 12 test. On Thursday, a second exposure event occurred at the same hospital. Dr Watson said a person presented at the emergency department for a separate issue, only to test positive for Covid-19 after receiving treatment. That person answered all of the screening questions in the negative, didn't have any Covid-positive contacts and hadn't been to a location of interest - and was only tested "out of an abundance of caution". The exposure has produced another 36 contacts - patients and staff - who must now isolate and get tested. "It's a real challenge," he said. "We are going to continue to have many patients and visitors and staff every day come into our hospital. "We have to be incredibly vigilant in our use of PPE and screening ... while we're in level four, we need people to stay home and get swabbed." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. "Having the ability to get the data, interpret the data and then begin to work with a bipartisan group in hopes of beginning to draw these lines is exactly what we should be doing," said Jack Martins, the vice-chair of the commission. Imamura outlined the principles that will guide the redistricting process. Those principles include ensuring that districts are similar in terms of population, that they are contiguous and compact and "should not be drawn to discourage competition." Charles Nesbitt, a former state Assembly minority leader who now serves on the commission, reminded his colleagues of the constitutional amendment. Voters approved the amendment in 2014. "The fact that the constitution has been changed, the fact that there was public support for the change, I think, came from a certain disgust over long, long-term partisan gerrymandering," Nesbitt said. He urged his fellow commissioners to "avoid becoming another partisan group." At least seven commissioners on the 10-member panel must approve the redistricting plan before it is sent to the state Legislature. To clear the state Legislature, it must receive the support of two-thirds of the Assembly and Senate. Gov. Kathy Hochul would need to sign the plan. The 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks will be remembered at a few public events in Cayuga County this year. The city of Auburn will host a ceremony beginning at 8:40 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, on the south lawn of Memorial City Hall, 24 South St., Auburn. The wreath will be laid at 8:46 a.m., the time American Airlines Flight 11 was crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Mayor Michael Quill and members of Auburn City Council will be in attendance. The Old Wheeler bell atop city hall will toll at that time, as well as the times of the attacks on the South Tower (9:03 a.m.) and the Pentagon (9:37 a.m.), the collapse of the South Tower (9:59 a.m.), the crashing of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to seize control of the plane from hijackers (10:03 a.m.) and the collapse of the North Tower (10:28 a.m.). Then, from noon to 6 p.m., a 9/11 20th Anniversary Remembrance will be held on Deauville Island at Emerson Park in Owasco. The event will include food, music and family activities. At 7 p.m., the Auburn fire and police departments will host a 20th anniversary remembrance at 7 p.m. at Falcon Park, 130 N. Division St., Auburn. Elected leaders and speakers will be in attendance. For more information, visit fb.me/e/D1YqdmM0. Messages seeking comment were left with Reyes' relatives. Da Silva previously admitted that he and Reyes got into a violent fight at her apartment in late January 2019, about nine months after they broke up. During a court hearing last year, he said he bound her feet and arms, put tape over her mouth and put in her in a suitcase while she was still alive. Da Silva said he dumped the suitcase in a wooded area of Greenwich, where it was found a week after the fight. A medical examiner said Reyes had suffocated and died of homicidal asphyxia. Da Silva's lawyers said he fled political and economic turmoil in his native Venezuela in 2017 to make a better life for himself in the U.S. He was living in New York City and worked as a short-order cook and cashier at a restaurant when he killed Reyes, according to court documents. Federal authorities say he overstayed his visa and was in the country illegally. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Soon after being sworn into her new job, Gov. Kathy Hochul's made clear that she will employ a much more collaborative leadership style than her predecessor. Rather than impose decisions from the governor's office with little or no input from anyone outside the inner circle, which is what Andrew Cuomo did throughout his tenure, Hochul promised to actively engage with her cabinet and other key leaders. Those are the people on the ground living the reality of policy decisions that are made by the governor and Legislature. They should be given a strong voice in how their agencies operate. A great place for Hochul to employ this leadership style is at the New York State Fairgrounds, and specifically, with respect to the wisdom of running the state fair for 18 days. In 2019, Cuomo declared that the fair would add five days in a quest to make it the biggest in the nation. Instead, in its first run with the new schedule, the fair experienced its worst attendance in more than three decades. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting scaling back of the fair's vendors and transportation, had much to do with this year's dramatic fall. But there was also a palpable sense among vendors, staff and visitors that this fair was just too long. As Ford Motor decides to stop making cars in India, the auto dealers' body Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has sought the Centre's intervention to stop foreign carmakers to shut shop unilaterally, leaving its dealer network in quandary. FADA has urged Centre to pass law to protect the dealers from such unforeseen decisions taken by foreign OEMs. To ensure the dealers linked to Ford Motor, FADA wants the Centre to pass the Franchisee Protection Act as soon as possible. The law, when passed will provide a cushion to dealers in case any OEM decides to shut shop and ship out of India. The demand for this law has been long-standing, especially after three US-based vehicle manufacturers, including General Motors and Harley Davidson took similar decisions in the last few years. (Also read: Ford Motor may be down, but not completely out in India) Vinkesh Gulati, President of FADA, said, "FADA has been requesting Government of India to roll out Franchisee Protection Act as due to its unavailability, Auto Dealers are not adequately compensated like their counterparts in Mexico, Brazil, Russia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Italy, Australia, Sweden and many other countries, where this law exists. After General Motors, Man Trucks, Harley Davidson, UM Lohia and multiple fly by night Electric Vehicle Players, Ford India is the 5th biggest exit from Indian markets since 2017. (Also read: Are you a Ford car owner? Here is what you should do now) FADA said that the Parliamentary Committee on Industry had recommended the Ministry of Heavy Industries that the Centre should enact the Franchise Protection Act for dealers in the country so that it is a win-win for both OEMs as well as the network of dealers, as well as beneficial to customers in the long run. Earlier, FADA had expressed its shock at Ford Motor's decision on Thursday. Vinkesh Gulati, President of FADA, said, "The dealers also carry demo vehicles which run into the 100's in numbers. Moreover, the company also appointed multiple dealers until five months back. Such dealers will be at the biggest financial loss in their entire life!" (Also read - General Motor to Harley Davidson: Foreign OEMs who left India for good) "While Ford India employs 4,000 people, dealerships employ around 40,000 people without displacing them from their home locations thus being continuously skilled and up-skilled all this while. Ford India Dealers currently hold about a 1,000 vehicles which amount to about 150 Cr via inventory funding from reputed Indian banks. They also carry Demo Vehicles which are 100s in number. Moreover, Ford India also appointed multiple dealers until 5 months back. Such Dealers will be at the biggest financial loss in their entire life," he added. (Also read - Escort to Freestyle: Ford's India journey so far at a glance) Gulati also said that Anurag Mehrotra, Ford India President and MD, had called him personally post the carmaker's decision to assure that its dealers will be adequately compensated. There are nearly 170 dealers serving Ford Motor with 391 outlets across the country which have been set up at an investment of 2,000 crore. Four Japanese automakers see two-digit drop in Aug. China sales amidst chip shortage Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Amid the industry-wide chip shortage, four Japanese automakers all logged double-digit decrease in their China sales last month. Honda Motor was the one suffering the steepest drop in August. In terms of year-to-date sales, Mazda Motor was still the only one posting decrease. According to Kyodo, Toyota Motor saw its monthly China sales fall 11.9% from a year earlier in August, the biggest decrease it suffered so far this year. Due to the decline in Aug. sales, the increase in the year-to-date sales of Toyota Motor's China business shrank to 18.7%, versus the 24.2% growth in Jan.-Jul. volume. In early August, Toyota suspended production at one assembly line in Guangzhou, China, which it operates with its Chinese joint-venture partner GAC Group, according to a person familiar with the matter. After being reached for comment, Toyota China said the shutdown was a fact and it had adjusted its production schedule due to the shortage of chip-related components. Despite the sales downturn, Toyota still kept enriching the product lineup for its Chinese market. On August 27, FAW-Toyota put the Crown Kluger SUV onto the market, aiming to filling in the gap in market deployment of premium cars. Kluger; photo credit: FAW-Toyota The Kluger is the first model under Crown, which was just claimed by FAW-Toyota as a premium car brand in mid-July. Its advent is expected to help the joint venture strengthen its presence in HEV segment and achieve the 1 million-unit annual sales goal by 2022. Affected by the coronavirus resurgence and auto parts supply constraints, Honda Motor's China unit posted a 38.3% year-on-year slump in August with 91,694 new vehicles delivered. Of those, 17,376 vehicles were equipped with the hybrid powertrain system Sport Hybrid. Accord; photo credit: GAC Honda Both GAC Honda and Dongfeng Honda logged two-digit decrease in Aug. deliveries. The joint venture with GAC Group delivered 52,451 new vehicles, representing a 26.3% decline from a year earlier. Meanwhile, 39,243 consumers took delivery of Dongfeng Honda's vehicles, a 49.4% plunge year-over-year. Honda Motor has never released sales of all-electric vehicles for Chinese market. The company plans to introduce 10 Honda-brand BEV models within five years. The first production model based on the Honda SUV e: prototype is scheduled to go on sale in spring 2022. According to a media report released in mid-August, Honda will invest about 3 billion yuan ($464.16 million) in an existing factory of GAC Honda to increase its NEV capacity in China. The plan is to add capacity of 120,000 NEVs, with production starting as early as February 2024. X-Trail; photo credit: Dongfeng Nissan As of August 2021, Nissan Motor posted year-on-year decrease in monthly China sales for the fourth consecutive month. The external factors accountable for the decline in Aug. sales were still the coronavirus pandemic, shortage of raw material, and natural disaster, the same as the reason the company gave in July. Last month, Dongfeng Motor Company Limited (DFL)'s passenger vehicle unit, namely, Dongfeng Nissan, delivered 113,166 new vehicles, which were 10.6% fewer than that of the prior-year period. The deliveries of Nissan-branded vehicles stood at 90,018 units, including 15,023 seventh-generation Altimas, 47,937 Sylphys, 5,126 Tiidas, 9,228 X-Trails, and 13,349 Qashqais. Meanwhile, DFL also delivered 5,808 new vehicles under Venucia brand, representing a 13.7% year-on-year growth. During the past four months, the whole auto industry is facing a myriad of challenges due to external factors, which will also lay many uncertaines in the auto market for the rest of this year, said DFL's president Shohei Yamazaki. Despite the challenges, Nissan Motor still kept launching new products to meet demands of Chinese consumers. The all-new X-Trail hit the market on Jul. 30 as Nissan's most globalized strategy model. Besides, presale of the Venucia Online V kicked off at the 2021 Chengdu Motor Show. Mazda Motor Corporation's China deliveries dip 27.7% over a year earlier, suffering two-digit decrease in monthly sales for five straight months. The decrease in its year-to-date deliveries widened to 7.2%, versus the 4.1% drop in the Jan.-Jul. volume. Changan Mazda saw its July deliveries flop 28.6% to 8,790 units, while FAW-Mazda encountered a 25.4% year-on-year decline with 3,738 vehicles delivered. Mazda3 Axela; photo credit: Changan Mazda With a delivery volume of 5,846 units, the Mazda3 Axela was still the best-selling model in August. In the meantime, the deliveries of the Mazda CX-4 and CX-5 reached 2,046 units and 1,727 units respectively. Mazda Motor's China unit is going through a significant business restructure. Changan Mazda last month filed a request with China's top market regulator to acquire 100% stake in FAW Mazda Motor Sales Co. Ltd. (FMSC) and have signed several agreements with Mazda Motor, and FAW Group for the transaction. As part of solutions for the business merger, FAW Group will acquire 5% stake in Changan Mazda at an assessed consideration of the 60% equity interests it holds in FMSC. As Mazda Motor's only China joint venture in the future, Changan Mazda will see great expansion of its production lineups and dealership network. The combination of Changan Mazda and FMSC's sales channels would start at the end of August this year, a local media outlet said last month, citing a dealer of FMSC. Nevertheless, the existing sale and after-sale services for FMSC's consumers will not be affected temporarily. Shanghai to launch policies to shore up FCV industry development Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Shanghai plans to issue policies to support the development of fuel cell vehicle (FCV) industry, Qiu Wenjin, Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Development & Reform Commission, said on Sept. 9 at a press conference. Maxus EUNIQ 7; photo credit: SAIC Maxus The plan was revealed about two weeks after the metropolis announced a city cluster led by Shanghai was approved to participate in a state-run demonstration program for FCVs. According to a post on the WeChat of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization (SMCEI), Shanghai will join hands with 6 cities (regions), including Suzhou, Nantong, Jiaxing, Zibo, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and Ordos to make breakthroughs in FCV-related core components, roll out high-end FCV models, and hammer out relevant industrial standards. Under the four-year program, the Shanghai-led conurbation aims to add nearly 100 hydrogen-filling stations, reach an output worth 100 billion yuan ($15.49 billion) per year, and deploy nearly 10,000 FCVs. Aside from Shanghai, both the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and Guangdong province have also been permitted to join China's FCV pilot program. According to a local media outlet, the complete list of the city clusters included in the significant program is expected to be released before October 1. Beijing Hyundai denies selling plant to Xiaomi Beijing (Gasgoo)- Insiders of Beijing Hyundai stated that the rumored sale of the companys second plant in Beijing to Xiaomi is false report, as the company has no such plans, a local media outlet reported. The rumor was also denied by Beijing Hyundai and Hyundai China. the manufacture plant; photo credit: Beijing Hyundai On September 8th, reports said that Hyundai Motor Group was considering putting up its No.2 Beijing plant for sale. It was a step forward in adjusting the groups strategy in China, the largest auto market in the world. Sources pointed out that Hyundai Motor will be shifting its focus to EVs and luxury models to turn around its years of disappointing sales in China. According to the reports, the biggest automaker in Korea was in talks with potential buyers for its second Beijing plant that produces the Sonata, the Avante, and the Tucson SUV. Potential buyers of the plant were several Chinese EV manufacturers, and Xiaomi, one of Chinas tech giants and newcomers to automaking. Xiaomi EV company has officially completed its business registration in September with headquarters located in Beijing, making the rumored purchase of the No.2 Beijing Hyundai plant more plausible. In May, Chinas EV startup, Li Auto, was reportedly reaching an agreement with Beijing Hyundai to take over Hyundais first Beijing plant. The selling of Hyundais production plants was not unexpected, as the groups market share continued to drop in China. Due to the surging demand for domestic brands cost-effective vehicles and European luxury models, Hyundais sales volume has taken a hit. Last year, the groups China sales totaled 660,000 vehicles, half of the sales volume in 2016 (1.79 million vehicles), causing a $1.72 billion loss to the group, leading the groups China market shares to decline to 3.5%. Gasgoo Daily: Asias largest Tesla delivery center opened in Beijing With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information. Asias largest Tesla delivery center opened in Beijing On September 9th, Asias largest single Tesla starts to operate a delivery center in Xiedao, Beijing, with 12,000 square meters, Teslas largest one in Asia, making it the first Tesla center in Beijing that integrates sales, deliveries, and leisure for a high-efficiency service experience. the Xiedao delivery center; photo credit: Tesla BYD reaches strategic agreement with the government of Henan Province On September 9th, a strategic agreement was made between BYD and the government of Henan Province. BYD will further their partnership in the auto and electronic component field, NEV promotion, PV storage and integration, and smart traffic system. The partners will push Henans modernization by the synergetic development of talents innovation, digitization, intelligent manufacturing, and green energy. Li Auto opens second retail center in Hefei Li Auto opened another retail center at the Yintai shopping center, in Hefei, Anhui Province. Great Wall Motor enters into partnership with Chongqing Expressway Group On September 9th, Great Wall Motor joined hands with Chongqing Expressway Group in a strategic partnership to co-develop the auto and traffic integration, shine a new light on both industries, and better assist the development of the belt and road initiatives. Aiways U6 gets green light for production In a document from MIIT, the Aiways U6 EV was granted permission to be produced. The testing and mass production progress are on track for the U6. Shanghai to launch policies to shore up FCV industry development Shanghai plans to issue policies to support the development of fuel cell vehicle (FCV) industry, Qiu Wenjin, Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Development & Reform Commission, said on Sept. 9 at a press conference. Beijing Hyundai denies selling plant to Xiaomi Insiders of Beijing Hyundai stated that the rumored sale of the companys second plant in Beijing to Xiaomi is false report, as the company has no such plans, a local media outlet reported. The rumor was also denied by Beijing Hyundai and Hyundai China. China auto sales decline widens to 17.8% in August Vehicle sales in China declined for a fourth consecutive month in August, according to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). NIO Chinas two Hefei-based subsidiaries record growth in registered capital The registered capital of NIO Automobile (Anhui) Co.,Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of NIO Holding Ltd., increased by 3 billion yuan ($464.684 million) to 9 billion yuan ($1.394 billion) on September 8, according to the business information provider Qichacha. Chery Holdings YTD exportation volume skyrockets 163% YoY Due to the worldwide chip shortage, Chery Holdings sold 67,182 vehicles in August, edging up only 3.3% yearly. From January to August, the groups auto sales cumulated to 575,597 vehicles, up 61.6% compared to the same period of last year. GAC Group says thermal efficiency of its first hydrogen engine expected to hit 44% GAC Group announced on Sept. 9 its first self-developed hydrogen engine was successfully ignited a few days ago, indicating that the company has ushered in the zero-emission era for engines. Hesai partners with Neolix for self-driving vehicle application in new retail Chinas advanced LiDAR technology leader, Hesai Technology, has joined hands with Neolix Technologies, an unmanned vehicle startup, in a strategic agreement. Per the agreement, Neolix will purchase Hesais LiDAR solutions and put them to use on the companys driverless vehicles. Xiaomi said to debut first car in 2024 Tech giant Xiaomi plans to debut its first EV model in 2024, sources close to the matter told a local media outlet. Xiaomi EV will be releasing a new model each year three years after the debut of its first vehicle in 2024 and expects a three-year sales volume of 900,000 vehicles. Xiaomi Group gave no comment regarding the matter. China's homegrown PV deliveries in Aug. drop 3.3% month on month Shanghai (Gasgoo)- In August 2021, around 1.477 million locally-produced PVs (referring to cars, MPVs, SUVs and minibuses) were handed over to consumers in China, representing a year-on-year drop of 14.7% and a month-on-month decline of 3.3%, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). As for the month-on-month decline, the CPCA said it was an abnormal phenomenon as Chinese Aug. PV deliveries of previous years usually showed increase of 6% to 10% compared to July. The association did not attribute the unusual decrease to the coronavirus resurgence occurring in Nanjing in July, while it said the surge of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia, which led to the interruption of chip supplies in August, largely frustrated domestic automakers and dealerships. As the car shopping demands outstripped car supply, PV retail sales in China represented downward movement from the previous month. The car, MPV, SUV, and minibus segments all posted two-digit year-on-year decrease in August retail sales. Compared to July, the car deliveries still inched up 1.7% despite the overall downturn. The deliveries of luxury PVs reached around 200,000 units in August, dropping 19% year on year, while climbing 3% from a month earlier and growing 9% compared to August in 2019. The stable performance hinted at the robust demands of replacing old cars with premium ones. In August, the demands of lower-priced electric vehicles vigorously grew over a month ago as parents planned to buy a second car for their families to pick up children at school and college students wanted to have a car to practice driving skill, said the CPCA. Last month, there were roughly 600,000 consumers taking delivery of the PVs under China's self-owned brands, representing a 6% increase year on year and a 10% growth compared to August in 2019. The market share of Chinese indigenous brands reached 42.1% in August by retail sales, 8.3 percentage points higher than that of the year-ago period. According to the CPCA, such Chinese local brands as BYD, GAC AION, and SAIC PV Motor scored high growth in August thanks to their robust sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs). The combined deliveries of mainstream joint-venture brands reached about 650,000 units in August, down 27% and 4% year on year and month on month respectively, while also dipped 22% compared to the same period in 2019. Among the top 10 automakers by domestic PV retail sales of August, FAW-VW and SAIC VW were still the top 2 automakers with sales topping 100,000 units. On the top 10 automakers list, there were 6 companies recording year-on-year decrease, including the top 3. BYD, which was rarely seen on the top 10 list, ranked eighth with its Aug. deliveries rocketing 88.1% year on year. Last month, China PV wholesales slid 12.6% over a year earlier to 1.547 million units. Except the minibus, the other three segments all faced year-on-year drop in Aug. wholesale volume. Regarding the August PV wholesales, the top 7 automakers all suffered year-on-year decline. SAIC VW, which disappeared on the top 10 automakers list in July, moved up to the champion place. Compared to July, SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW) climbed 5 spots to be the runner-up. BYD was also the No. 8 automaker with its August wholesales surging 90.1%. SAIC Motor PV ranked ninth with a wholesale volume of 65,000 units. Context for the contemporary On Wednesday evening, Naim was on campus in front of a crowd filled with NAU students, faculty members and NAU President Jose Luis Cruz Rivera to give a lecture on the current events in Afghanistan. His focus was to provide historical context beyond the images and information that were shared by the media as the tragedy in Afghanistan unfolded. The event, titled Afghanistan: A Tragedy beyond Taliban and U.S., was presented by the NAU Department of History and featured a presentation from Naim, followed by a 45-minute Q-and-A session. In just under an hour, Naim gave the audience a deep dive into the complex political roots of Afghanistan, explaining along the way how and why the country finds itself in the present situation. He said the fog of conflict and war have constituted a misconception on the current thinking of Afghanistan. Let me give you an example. In the 19th century when India was colonized by the British and the British were in India, Afghanistan was considered part of South Asia. In the 20th century during the Cold War, Afghanistan was then considered part of Central Asia as a satellite of the Soviet. Now, during the War on Terror, Afghanistan suddenly became a part of the Middle East, Naim said. City officials discussed another $1 million with the council that is budgeted to support premium pay for those working in jobs directly tied to public health and safety. At the meeting, City Manager Greg Cliffton outlined recent retention struggles the citys 911 dispatch unit is facing. In addition, we seem to have about a 30 percent vacancy in our police department and we seem to be losing more than we are gaining, Clifton said. All of these measures are being looked upon as temporary until we get our staffing levels somewhat back to where they can operate efficiently. Infrastructure improvements are something the city might look to use ARPA funding for as well. The budget outlines $1.5 million for improvements to the citys water and wastewater systems, in addition to bolstering cyber security and bringing fiber internet projects. After city councils input Tuesday, the draft proposal for the ARPA funding is likely to return to the council with many changes and additional programs before it is approved. Councilmembers suggested the addition of additional programs, such as food support. Well continue the conversation with the council and we will continue to refine and change the allocations as we go further into this next year, Tadder said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Where the defendant was traveling and where he was at certain times and dates is going to be crucial to this case, Barker said. Dishman, a retired Army sergeant major, said he has consulted or reviewed cell phone data records for law enforcement hundreds of times in the U.S. and teaches courses on the technology for investigative purposes. He agreed that the cellphone data shouldn't be considered alone. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} I'm using this as bread-crumb activity, he said. The motion was one of several that Brown Nichols took up during a hearing Thursday that will continue Friday afternoon. She didn't immediately rule on all of the requests, including one from the defense to determine whether statements that Gooch made to a detective were lawfully obtained. She said she needed more time to listen to the interview. Brown Nichols denied a request from Barker to admit evidence that Gooch might have targeted Mennonites in burglaries as a teenager in Wisconsin. A childhood friend of Gooch's testified Thursday that he didn't recall Gooch saying he disliked Mennonites. Gooch and Krause didn't know each other, and prosecutors aren't sure why he would have targeted her. Luke Air Force Base in metropolitan Phoenix is about a seven-hour drive from Farmington. ST. ANTHONY, Idaho (AP) A judge has decided an Idaho woman charged with conspiring with her new husband to kill her two children is still not fit to participate in her own court proceedings. District Judge Steven Boyce made the decision Wednesday to extend Lori Vallow Daybells time in a state mental hospital by at least 180 days. The East Idaho News reports Daybell was committed to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare on June 8 after a mental health professional said she was not competent to stand trial. Last month, Boyce asked for a progress report on her condition after getting letters asking for her commitment to be extended. Daybell and her husband Chad Daybell are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder, among other crimes. The charges are in relation to the deaths of 7-year-old Joshua JJ Vallow, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan two of Loris kids and Chads first wife, Tammy Daybell. The childrens bodies were found in Chad Daybells backyard in Idaho in 2020. The Media Line Shared security concerns and growing economic ties have yet to lead to a warm peace between the two peoples When Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty in March 1979, there was hope for warm relations between two countries that shared a bloody past. Disappointment quickly replaced the dream. While war was no longer an option, there was no love lost between Israelis and Egyptians. Shared interests continue to provide the glue for the historic agreement and the relationship is important enough to both sides for them to maintain it. Yet, more than 40 years later, it seems unlikely a friendship that crosses realpolitik will be forged. The relationship is unprecedented between non-warring countries in the world, Dr. Udi Balanga, an expert on Egypt from Bar-Ilan Universitys Department of Middle Eastern Studies, told The Media Line. It is not one between adversaries. In the decades since President Anwar Sadat flew to Jerusalem and spoke to the Knesset about the importance of peace in the Middle East, the optimism has long since subsided. Still, the Egyptian-Israeli relationship is an important cornerstone of both countries foreign policy, one that neither is quick to relinquish despite the many challenges they have faced over the years. In 1982, when then-Egyptian Foreign Minister Boutros Boutros-Ghali defined the peace with Israel as cold, he probably did not think the characterization would stick. He, like many others, may have thought the agreement would not stick either. This is a peace between regimes, not between people, and is based largely on mutual security interests, Balanga said. These have remained constant throughout the years, but so has the attitude toward the peace being cold. Fast-forward to 2021 and while the term cold peace is often used with regret, it has proven to be one of the more stable relationships in the volatile neighborhood that is the Middle East. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett recently received an invitation to visit Cairo and meet with President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi in the coming weeks. It will be the first public visit by an Israeli leader in a decade and it is a signal of the strength of the relationship, despite it being constantly put to the test. There is a huge gap between the security and defense relations, which are excellent, and the civilian relations, said Balanga. At the level of the peoples, the relations are very poor. For Egypt, Israel provides a gateway to the White House. For Israel, a stable border with Egypt lets it focus on the threats it has on other borders. Also, a strong Arab ally is a critical part of its foreign and defense policies. As the US scales down its involvement in the Middle East, Israel and Egypt could be brought closer together in an effort to stave off mutual enemies. For all of these reasons, security and intelligence cooperation has remained constant and highly fruitful. However, tourism between the sides has never really flourished and while, COVID-19 aside, hundreds of thousands of Israelis enjoy visiting Egypts historical sites and pristine beaches every year, Egyptians do not flock to Israel. Only a few thousand of them enter as tourists annually. Bureaucratic procedures imposed on Egyptians in order to travel to Israel make it cumbersome but also signal continuous hesitation in the government toward such ties. Trade between the countries has gradually increased. Four Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZs) shared by Israel, Egypt and the US, have enhanced trade between Egypt and Israel. Signed in 2004, the QIZ agreement gives Egypt duty-free exports to the US of products manufactured in both countries. The agreement came many years after the peace accord was signed, a testament to the very gradual ripening of ties. A deal between Israel and Egypt that allows for the transport of Israeli natural gas through Egypt to Europe was signed earlier this year. In recent years, there are more and more economic ties between the countries, said Dr. Nimrod Goren, head of Mitvim The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies. There are also increasing civilian aspects to the relations. It looks like there is a decision on the Egyptian side that the relations can be upgraded and given more visibility. Trade relations have weathered many storms. While ambassadors have been mutually sent home in protest many times, the economic ties continued to exist throughout. Still, the relationship is characterized by a constant tension between the peoples. While the government and the defense establishment on both sides are mostly successful in operating alongside the strain that often rises, the mutual interests do not interest the average Egyptian or Israeli and certainly do not bring them closer. For years, Israel was isolated in the Arab world. Its first peace agreement was with Egypt and with it came a lot of hope. With great expectations came disappointment among Israelis. There is no Egyptian will to create normalization. For Israel this was always the aim, said Balanga. Israel wanted to promote bilateral relations on many levels and the aim was for normalization. The Egyptian media and education system still generate and disseminate much anti-Israel content. Leading intellectuals are Israels staunchest critics within Egypt, often spreading incitement and conspiracy theories about the Jewish state. This has a major influence on public opinion. Generation after generation of Egyptians still see Israel as an enemy state, said Balanga. Israel is seen as a very strong state in the region and this is viewed as a threat. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has long been at the core of the disagreements between the countries. Egypt sees itself as the guardian of the Palestinian cause, putting it at loggerheads with Israel, especially in times of escalation in the Palestinian territories. Violent protests in front of the Israeli Embassy in Cairo have occurred on many occasions. The Palestinian issue is important to both public opinion and the government in Egypt, said Goren. This is deeply rooted in how Egypt sees itself in the region. Egypt plays a critical role in any escalation Israel has with the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, often mediating between the sides. Egypt also enforces a strict blockade on the Strip, similar to Israels. Albeit for its own interests, the Egyptian blockade is a demonstration of agreement regarding Hamas rule in Gaza. The recent improvement in the relationship is also a result of regional shifts and perhaps the sidelining of the Palestinian issue. The Abraham Accords, which paved the way for normalization between Israel and four Arab nations, have perhaps signaled to Egypt that it can also move forward with the relationship. And the recently enhanced economic ties may spill over and lead to better ties between the peoples. Any progress in the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians could help Egypt and Israel strengthen their ties, but as the stalemate continues, this is highly unlikely. Israel has a much healthier attitude to the relations now, not looking only at the security interests, but strengthening other aspects, said Goren. Still, there needs to be openness in Egypt in order to increase interactions between the people. We will not be seeing a love story here, he said. Administration officials suspect that some of the rhetoric in those high-profile meetings was more about playing to a domestic audience through the press than sending a message to the White House. With that in mind, Biden highlighted the importance of two leaders ability to have private conversations and be clear about their priorities, the administration official said. Biden from the start of his presidency has sought to put greater focus on China, rallying allies to speak in a more unified voice about Beijings human rights record, its trade practices and its militarys increasingly assertive behavior that has unnerved U.S. allies in the Pacific. He sees Beijing as the most significant economic competitor to the United States and a growing national security concern. But the president has also expressed hope that his long-running working relationship with Xi, one that dates back to when he served as Barack Obamas vice president, could pay dividends in the two nations cooperating on certain critical issues. The two spent time on the call reminiscing about their time traveling together when they were both vice presidents, the administration official said. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A judge has scheduled hearing for Monday on an effort to keep a charter amendment on the future of policing off the ballot in Minneapolis. Attorneys for former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels and others filed the motion late Wednesday, saying the council failed when it approved new ballot language Tuesday to solve the problems that led Hennepin County Judge Jamie Anderson to order the measure stricken from the ballot earlier in the day. They said it remains unclear precisely what the amendment will do and how the changes could be implemented within 30 days of the election. The court calendar posted Friday shows that Anderson has scheduled a hearing for 9 a.m. Monday. City attorneys urged the court to reject the motion, calling it a political effort to prevent voters from deciding. They said the new language is almost identical to what Samuels' attorneys requested. YORKVILLE, Ill. (AP) A man who accused Dennis Hastert of child sexual abuse then sued the former U.S. House speaker for refusing to pay $1.8m in exchange for his silence will be named in court if his case goes to trial this month, a judge ruled. The man has been referred to only as James Doe in court papers since the breach of contract lawsuit was filed in 2016. But during a hearing on Thursday, Kendall County Chief Judge Robert Pilmer agreed with Hastert's attorney that the man's name must be made public at trial, the Chicago Tribune reported. The man says Hastert paid him only about half of the promised $3.5 million in hush money. An attorney for Hastert's accuser has said publicizing his name would cause great psychological damage to him in the form of shame and embarrassment. After the ruling, attorney Kristi Brown said she and her client were disappointed but had prepared for such a decision. "It doesnt change that we intend to go forward with the trial, she said. Jury selection is scheduled to begin Sept. 20. Western wildfires are spreading farther. Theyre burning hotter. And now theyre climbing higher. Between 1984 and 2017, high-elevation fires saw a median altitude increase of more than 250 meters, according to a study published this summer by researchers from McGill University, Boise State University and the University of California, Merced. In the Middle Rockies, which extend into Wyoming, wildfires are advancing even faster. The flames have soared more than 500 meters nearly one-third of a mile upslope since 1984. Fire activity in the mountaintops has accelerated at a faster rate than in the forests below, the study found. Warmer weather caused by climate change is quickening both snowmelt and evaporation in the mountains, drying out dense forests that used to be too wet to burn. Lower-elevation forest is fire-adapted, said Mojtaba Sadegh, an associate professor in the civil engineering department at Boise State University and one of the authors of the study. There is a distance between conifer trees in the low elevations. In the high elevations, trees are dense, they're close to one another, they're intertwined. There is reason for concern, experts say. More than half the currently irrigated land in portions of western Texas, eastern New Mexico and the Oklahoma Panhandle could be lost by the end of the century with 80% of those losses by 2060, according to a study published last year. But areas throughout the aquifer also are vulnerable. The central part could lose up to 40% of irrigated area by 2100, with more than half the losses in the next 40 years. Those losses might be slowed as farmers adapt to lower water levels, researchers say. But the projections underscore the need for planning and incentives in vulnerable areas. New Dust Bowl Zone The USDA has identified a Dust Bowl Zone that covers parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas vulnerable to severe wind erosion and where grasslands conservation is a priority. Already, reestablishing native vegetation in the sandy soil over the Ogallala has proven difficult where irrigation ceased on former Kansas farmland. The same is true on land outside the Ogallala previously irrigated by rivers, including in Colorados Arkansas River Valley, where agricultural land dried out before native grasses could be established. Biden announced his plan on Thursday that would cover roughly two-thirds of U.S. workers, as many as 100 million Americans, as the delta variant wrests away the country's grip on the pandemic obtained after vaccines became widely available. The plan includes a mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly. Workers at health facilities that receive federal funding will also have to be fully vaccinated, the Associated Press reported. Federal employees and contractors who refuse to get vaccinated could be disciplined. The man has three degrees in Irish history and is also well-versed when it comes to Butte Irish history. He talked about such early 20th century Irish dignitaries as Douglas Hyde and Eamon de Valera, both of whom were Mining City visitors and would each later hold the title of president of Ireland. Butte was a major stop for Irish politicians, he explained. This was the place to be. Mulhall takes his ambassadorship quite seriously and believes one of his major duties is to connect with Irish America. He explained that many of those long-ago immigrants arrived in stress but were able, in time, to create opportunities throughout the U.S. The Irish dug the canals, built the railways, and worked the mines, he explained, and changed the fabric of America. While researching Butte, he learned just how much the towns Irish immigrant population contributed to its growth. A big chapter of Irish America happened in Butte, he said. Mulhall humbly told his audience that Ireland owes its freedom, in part, to the immigrants who never forgot their homeland, including those who settled in Butte. The team said weather conditions Wednesday could meet the criteria for a Haines Index of 6. The Haines Index measures the potential for dry, unstable air to contribute to the development of large or erratic wildfires. A Haines Index of 6 means a high potential for an existing fire to become large or exhibit erratic fire behavior. The fire behavior analyst for Team 6 said a wind-driven Alder Creek Fire could throw embers across the Big Hole River and Highway 43 and initiate fires in dry grass and sagebrush. As of about 3 p.m. Wednesday, winds were picking up in the vicinity of the Alder Creek Fire but no critical alerts had been issued, said Julie Thomas, a public information officer working the fire. Beaverhead County officials moved earlier this week to evacuate 17 homes near Alder Creek. Winfield said he was told that police from Anaconda-Deer Lodge County had spoken to residents of the Bear Gulch area about the possible need to evacuate. Police Chief Bill Sather did not return phone calls Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Haystack Fire continued to burn east of Interstate 15 between Butte and Basin. The lightning-caused fire is believed to have started July 31 and is estimated to be about 166 acres. HONG KONG (AP) Three leaders of the group that organized an annual Tiananmen candlelight vigil were being held in custody Friday after they were charged with subversion under Hong Kong's national security law, as authorities intensify a crackdown on dissent in the city. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China's chairman Lee Cheuk-yan, as well as vice-chairs Albert Ho and Chow Hang-tung were charged with inciting subversion of state power under the national security law. The alliance itself was also charged with subversion. Chow was denied bail, days after she was arrested for failing to comply with a police request for information. Lee and Ho are currently serving jail sentences for their roles in unauthorized assemblies in 2019. The next court hearing for the case is scheduled for Oct. 28. For the past 30 years, the alliance organized the candlelight vigil that saw tens of thousands of people mass in the city's Victoria Park to commemorate China's bloody military crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijings Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. It was the only large-scale public commemoration of the crackdown on Chinese soil, featuring crowds of people lighting candles and singing songs to support democracy. My news team was frantically trying to parse the fire hose of information coming from New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. Our colleagues in our Washington bureau were scrambling to cover the carnage at the Pentagon as the city erupted in chaos. We did not have a bureau in New York and were relying on the Associated Press for most of the live updates from there. Meanwhile, my TV screen had turned into a hellish version of the movie Groundhog Day. The footage of the two World Trade Center towers collapsing was so horrific, so unbelievable, and so historic that the cable networks kept showing it in an endless loop every five minutes or so all day, every day. I didnt have the option to turn the TV off, as many home viewers likely did when they had had enough and needed to sit back and process what they had just seen. So I kept updating the news and reliving the nightmare, over and over again. The day the Internet broke The biggest problem that online news providers had to deal with that day, and in the coming days, was a massive brownout our websites would not load, and readers could not access them. We had to strip our websites of images and graphics to get them to load, on a day when the images were the story. Montana's Republican Party has distinguished itself once again with another anti-business law. House Bill 702 is by far one of the worst. House Bill 702 pushed by Republicans and signed by the governor makes Montana the only state in the country to knowingly violate the property rights of business owners. The bill prohibits private business, including mine, from deciding whether our employees should be vaccinated or not. It also implies that unvaccinated employees can't be quarantined unless vaccinated employees are too. Even the outspoken Republican Governor of South Dakota rejected such nonsense. She says a bill like ours might be a slippery slope towards excessive regulation. She has said that conservatives should give businesses the freedom to make such decisions. Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell has said businesses and local school boards should be allowed to mandate vaccines. The sponsor of HB702 Montana House Republican Jennifer Carlson claims in her campaign literature to be for property rights. Well Representative, stay the hell out of my business! I don't tell you how to run your farm. The pandemic has shown Montanans the critical importance that small business plays in both our local and national economies. It was critical for entrepreneurs to immediately change their business models and pivot to a new way of selling their products and services overnight. The U.S. Small Business Administration is highlighting the resilience of Americas entrepreneurs and the renewal of the small business economy as they build back better from the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic. Though beating the pandemic is still front and center in moving our economy forward, our nation is still vulnerable to a variety of natural disasters including wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and drought. History has shown that up to 25 percent of businesses that close because of disaster never reopen. All Montana businesses should develop a workable crisis preparedness plan that takes into consideration what we learned over the last 18 months from the pandemic. The following are six simple business strategies a business can use for future crises. - Evaluate your exposure. Know your community and the types of disasters most likely to impact your business. Consider your facilitys proximity to flood plains, wildfire areas, rivers and streams, and other hazards. Of course, the COVID 19 pandemic should be the first exposure issue on the list. Listening to Betancourt describe his midden studies is like attending a college science class. This summer, Claire Veseth, an Idaho master naturalist from Boise, was hiking with friends at the City of Rocks and noticed large middens hanging from the rocks. I tapped it with my hiking pole and I said, this stuff is hard as a rock, Veseth said. Then we noticed the silver tag below it with a little circle nailed into the rock. It said 576 on it. I said somebody is looking at these things. Veseth contacted Betancourt and learned of his studies of middens at City of Rocks and elsewhere. We asked him about the midden 576 and he said one layer was 4,100 years old, give or take 15 years, and the other layer was 4,900 years old give or take, Veseth said. I was tickled to find out all this information. It makes me wonder what Im missing in all these other places Ive been to see. Essentially, the crystalized urine becomes a time capsule, a snapshot of what the ecology was like at the time the pack rat lived and gathered. A sample piece of midden dated to 10,000 years ago is on display at the City of Rocks visitors center in Almo. McEvoy said the testing's value is in its representation of viral transmission within a community, independent of whether people are individually tested. More than a year of data collection has boosted researchers' confidence in the method's effectiveness, he said. "From one sample, you can tell what's happening in a community in a given point in time, and I think that's useful," especially as people might grow "fed up" with testing, he said. "In a perfect world, I would love to have this behind us and we have no more infections and December is just great," he said. "I don't think it's going to track that way. It's going to be with us for a while, and so we're going to start those conversations of what do we do come January? Do we continue on testing? Is NDSU going to be part of the mix? I know they've been integral in this and they've been excellent to work with." Ranchers must have verifiable feed losses due to drought and must own at least 25 animal unit equivalents of dairy cattle, beef cattle, bison, sheep or goats. Transportation costs for feed incurred between April 8 and Nov. 30 will be eligible. Feed must be used for the producers own livestock operation. For complete details including what is considered "feed," go to www.nd.gov/ndda/eftap. Ranchers with questions can email haytransport@nd.gov or call 1-844-642-4752. Applications will be available on the department's website at www.nd.gov/ndda in mid-September and will close Dec. 15. Decreasing dam releases Decreasing releases from the Garrison Dam this month have made it necessary for Missouri River users to remove boats, recreational vehicles and docks in the water. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be dropping releases from the dam due to drought conditions. The releases will decrease from 21,000 cubic feet per second to 18,000 cubic feet per second by Sept. 12, then to 16,000 cubic feet per second by Sept. 16, then to 13,000 cubic feet per second later in September. The releases are likely to make boat ramps and river access unusable, according to Burleigh County Emergency Management. See bit.ly/3jBboCE for the Corps' weekly update. Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A planned reduction in releases out of Garrison Dam could reduce Missouri River water levels by as much 2 feet in coming weeks. The drop will affect private boat docks and marinas along the river and likely call into service public low water boat ramps that have been unused for more than a decade. State and federal officials discussed the reductions and the effects Friday at a virtual meeting hosted by U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is planning to slow releases at Garrison from 20,000 cubic feet per second to 18,000 cubic feet per second over the next three weeks, then down to 13,500 cubic feet per second in the next several weeks. The 2-foot drop along the Missouri River is a stage that will hold until the river ices over, said John Remus, Missouri River Water Management Division chief for the Corps. The reductions are fairly typical of dry years and similar to what we experienced last fall, Remus said. The immediate effect could be a loss of access to the river for some people, especially pontoon owners who keep their boat in a bay. North Dakota officials have hailed the sale as a savior for hundreds of jobs at the power plant near Underwood, the largest in the state, and at an associated coal mine. Coal Creek Station has operated for more than 40 years and employs 260 workers. The mine has about 500 workers. Rainbow Energy has promised to incorporate technology to capture carbon dioxide emissions from the plant, and to also use the line to transmit wind energy. Instead of deciding on the permit transfer, the Minnesota regulators gave Nexus 30 days to submit a decommissioning plan in case the line is ever shut down permanently. They also want financial assurances that the company can meet its commitments if that happens, and more information on the sources for the power that the line would carry. Commission staff would then set a schedule for submitting replies and public comments. I'm not trying to throw a wrench into this agreement but I have a duty, Tuma said. I feel that I just need a little bit more information. Tuma and other speakers alluded to how construction of the line was the subject of bitter protests by farmers in the 1970s over land use and energy needs. The State Patrol was deployed to restore order. The protests drew a young college professor, Paul Wellstone, and launched him on a career of grassroots activism that carried him into the U.S. Senate. Williston 2021 reminds me of Frisco, Texas, 2000. But, Williston doesnt have a Dallas or Fort Worth next door, making the explosive growth in housing, recreational facilities, an entirely new airport, etc., even more impressive. Having gone from 14,000 to 33,000 people in just 11 years, it is likely that two out of three residents are not Williston natives. Here is one stat I found that is just mind boggling: 22% of the people in Williston are not in the same house they occupied one year ago. We then drove up to Crosby where we found a really cool Pioneer Village and a service station that traditionally hires young ladies to pump gas and clean your windshield. I commented that I had not had anyone pump my gas since the last time I was in New Jersey. The woman at the adjacent pump overheard me and said the young lady on duty was her niece and that she and two of her sisters had worked there years ago. We ventured just beyond the Crosby Country Club to where GPS showed we were on the border. With no fences or signs anywhere in sight, it is quite a contrast to our southern border and a real tribute to the relationship with our northern neighbors. q q q What were doing here is not rocket science it really is just arithmetic. -- Grand Forks GOP Sen. Ray Holmberg, who is serving on his fifth redistricting panel. q q q "This is not about partisan politics ... this is about representation. This is about having equal access to electing somebody that knows the community." -- Native Vote Executive Director Nicole Donaghy on the importance of making legislative redistricting a fair process. q q q I think that the politicization of every aspect of the pandemic from vaccines to masks has created what some are calling the death of the expert. Because of lack of trust in the news sources, people are believing their own sources and their own networks. I think its just the fact of the matter. -- Gov. Doug Burgum on coronavirus vaccine hesitancy. q q q UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Congratulations! President Joe Biden has brought the U.S. out of a 20-year war! He should announce that accomplishment to the world by deleting $1 billion from the U.S. budget. The area from which he could select the amount could be determined by a meeting with both political parties in both Houses of Congress. Quickly! The money should come from a limited number of departments in our government. NORTH DAKOTA Our appreciation! We can demonstrate our agreement with this great decision. Gov. Doug Burgum can suggest departments withhold $1 million from our two-year North Dakota budget. He does not have the authority to change the budget but he can encourage department managers to disagree with the budget amount provided by the Legislature for their activity. Quickly! The money should come from a limited number of departments in our government. The Governor can meet with leaders from both political parties from both Houses of the Legislature to agree jointly on specific projects and amounts to be included in the $1 million amount. OTHER STATES The arrests come after multiple social groups have had no choice but to disband amid increasing pressure from the National Security Laws, which bans anything the Chinese Communist Party, or CCP, perceives to be a threat to national security. [] Several members of a Hong Kong group that organizes an annual vigil for the commemoration of the Tiananmen Square Massacre were arrested on Sept. 8 after they refused to provide information for a police investigation. The group, The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Democratic Movements in China, has been under investigation since Aug. 25. Hong Kong authorities requested information, due on Sept. 7, on its membership, finances, and activities. The Alliance said the police inquired whether the group was colluding, with foreign powers, which is an offense punishable under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law, or NSL. The New York Times reported that at least four members of the group were detained on Sept. 8, including its vice chairwoman, Chow Hang Tung. Her arrest was documented live on Facebook for the general public to witness, as Ms. Chow posted updates and asked, Does anybody have any parting words theyd like to share with me? Any words of farewell for me? Chow asked, while police is presumably pressing her door bell. pic.twitter.com/a0Iq1sUxJw Alvin Lum (@alvinllum) September 7, 2021 Sept. 7 was the deadline Hong Kong authorities set for information on the Alliance. Hong Kong police wanted compliance from the group, but instead the Alliance sent back a formal rejection. After the Alliances rejection, Chris Tang, Hong Kongs security secretary, promised Hong Kong authorities would respond quickly. Many questions and speculations have been brought against the Alliance, including if it had acted as a foreign agent by receiving funds from overseas. Tang defends the arrests, saying its very clearly stated in the law that foreign agents include those who receive money or support from overseas political parties or political organizations, and then act to the benefit of those foreign organizations. The arrests come after multiple social groups have had no choice but to disband amid increasing pressure from the NSL, which bans anything the Chinese Communist Party, or CCP, perceives to be a threat to national security. Since the NSLs passage in June 2020, police have arrested over 150 citizens, numerous social groups have disbanded and businesses have dissolved due to the laws harsh and broad restrictions. Among the shuttered social groups are the Civil Rights Human Front, or CRHF, a group similar to the Alliance that organized of large scale pro-democracy protests, as well as the Hong Kong Speech Therapists Union, whose executives were arrested for publishing a childrens book that portrays democratic ideals. The NSL has crippled businesses, as well. Just last week, one of the last prominent pro-democracy outlets, Next Digital Media, announced its closure for the safety of its employees and affiliates. The CCPs intimidation and intense restrictions have not only quashed free expression, the CCP has also hamstrung Hong Kong social life and economic enterprise, two integral components of a prosperous society. They are trying to intimidate the people who participate in social movements, Chow said to reporters on Sept. 5. In addition, she pushed back against claims that the Alliance colluded with foreign powers, saying if you must say we are agents of anything, we are the agents of the Hong Kong peoples conscience. The vigil that the Alliance organized annually commemorated the Tiananmen Square Massacre, an event that took place on June 4, 1989, when Chinese troops murdered student protesters and activists. Each year, thousands of participants flocked to Victoria Park to remember those who were killed by police. Last year, the vigil was banned on the grounds that it violated COVID regulations. This years vigil was largely blocked by police, who intimidated individuals and groups from participating. By missing the governments deadline to cooperate with investigations, members of the Alliance now may face up to six months in jail and HK$100,000 in fines. Is it possible for a government to respect economic freedom while also playing a more or less significant role in providing certain material goods to its citizens? Prudence provides an answer. [] What is the relationship between freedom and government redistribution? Can the two coexist? Some believe there is a negative correlation between the two because free economies are often associated with less government intervention. Others might argue that freedom and significant state intervention go hand in hand, because a strong government is necessary to protect property rights and standards of social welfare increase as countries get wealthier (and countries that are economically free are typically wealthier). It turns out that the answer is more complicated. For example, Singapore and the United States both consistently rank high on The Heritage Foundations Index of Economic Freedom, an annual review of sovereign states and their economic freedom based on 12 different indicators. In 2021, Singapore ranked first, with the United States close behind in 20th place. Yet their approaches to the governments role in health care coverage are significantly different. Singapore has universal health care coverage through a three-pronged approach called the 3Ms. MediShield Life consists of basic health insurance, which covers costly medical bills. It is subsidized based on personal income and is mandatory for all citizens and permanent residents. MediSave offers an account for personal and employer contributions, which is used to cover out-of-pocket health care expenses. For those unable to cover their out-of-pocket health care expenses with MediSave, the government provides a safety net through MediFund. The United States does not have universal health care coverage, but it does provide three programs to govern health care costs for select groups. Medicare offers universal free health care for the elderly (those above the age of 65). Medicaid offers free health care for the poor and disabled. The Childrens Health Insurance Program provides free insurance for children, specifically those whose families do not qualify for Medicaid. What explains the difference in their approaches to health care, when these countries have very similar rankings on economic freedom? The answer is prudence. In his book On Ordered Liberty, Samuel Gregg follows the thought of medieval philosopher St. Thomas Aquinas, arguing that the common good of the state is instrumental inasmuch as it is directed to assisting the integral fulfillment of persons. One way of prudentially discerning the role of State institutions in a given situation is to ask ourselves what the State can generally do well and what it cannot, writes Gregg. This may be determined by identifying the deficiencies of other groups and asking when no other community, save the State, is able to render the assistance that will remedy the deficiency until the wanting social organization can reassume its appropriate role. Differences in cultures and norms between different nations result in different situations, which, in accordance with the virtue of prudence, may mean that different entities (such as the state, employers, family, etc.) may contribute to providing material welfare for human persons in different ways. Governments can do this while still respecting the many aspects which are essential to the fulfillment of persons based on the natural law, and thus are essential to the political common good (e.g., private property rights sustained by the rule of law, which are a part of economic freedom). Thus, it is possible for a government to respect economic freedom and human flourishing while also playing a more or less significant role in providing certain material goods to its citizens. The imperative to allow for the flourishing of persons necessarily rules out many kinds of regimes and policies which are incompatible with human nature, such as communism or nationalist socialism. However, there is a wide range of regimes and policies which are compatible with human nature, and these can be considered and adopted while still respecting human flourishing. About 2 dozen students pushed into their school in Manchester, Michigan egged on by their anti-masking parents, past Manchester Superintendent Brad Bezeau Tuesday in defiance of the county's mask mandate. Clearly these parents don't give two rips about the safety of anyone else in the building who might be high risk or just would rather avoid getting sick. Their kids are more important and a mask is an affront to their civil liberties apparently. Well, those students were cordoned off in a separate area from the rest of the school to do independent work for the day. I'm sure that tapped into their full potential, versus wearing a mask and being part of an actual classroom. Nice win. via MLive: "It did get vocal and students did begin pressing against the door for entry without masks, obviously not being compliant," Bezeau said. "I wouldn't want to block students or anything like that, so that's certainly how they got past us, but we were doing our due diligence and making sure that they understood that entering the building without a mask isn't in compliance." The district coordinated with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office to ensure compliance of the order, Bezeau said. Video of the incident that was shared on social media shows a sheriff's deputy explaining to parents that the mask order was issued by the health department and was a policy of the school district. The officer noted, however, that he was "not putting masks on anybody." Listen to the one guy instructing the kids to be "kind and respectful" just after urging them to be anything but by pushing their way in. Kind and respectful might take into account not breathing potentially harmful germs in others faces when it is easily avoidable. 19-year-old Tevin DuMont, a handsome lad with a fairy gift of charm, hails from a family of con artists but will do anything to protect his younger brother and sister from their horrible parents' risk-taking. When his mother crosses the Cravans with her theft of a flower, she volunteers Tevin to pay off her debt. McBride offers amusing details of Merit dealing with her Beast form: "Merit ignored the comment, using her tail to grasp the handle of the silver coffeepot so she could pour Ellery a fresh cup, freeing her hands to make herself a cup of tea at the same time. The curse had many downsides - delicate china teapots and dishes were hard to keep intact. She was a nightmare to keep clothed. Her claws caught on silk finery, and whether her mother liked it or not, allowances had to be made for her tail." McBride's narrative is rollicking fun, offering suspense, romance, a vividly described world of fairies and mages and con artists, a dastardly villain and such inspired touches as a suitor turned into an ostrich. PICTURE BOOK Have you seen Gordon? by Adam Jay Epstein, illustrated by Ruth Chan; Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers ($17.99) Sept. 28 publication. Adam Jay Epstein offers food for thought in this hilarious spoof of the classic "where's Waldo" picture book idea, featuring the fun, colorful, busy illustrations of Ruth Chan, of a cityscape, a crowded beach, a passing train, an amusement park, a parade, a ski slope. Gordon refuses to hide ("I'm proud of who I am. From now on, I want to stand out.") as the frustrated narrator struggles to find someone to cooperate. Jean Westmoore Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Harold Wilken is a steadfast believer in letting nature take its course. Under his watch, Janies Farm Organics in Danforth, Illinois, has transitioned from conventional farming practices such as the use of pesticides and GMOs into a 100% organic operation growing yellow and white hybrid corn, soybeans, wheat and rye, and he couldnt be prouder. Down on the farm Raised in a farming family that dates back several generations, Wilken was riding tractors with his dad at the tender age of 2 years old. His great-grandfather founded what would today be considered an organic, biodiverse farm on Illinois land in 1882. After learning the industry through years of working in the fields, Wilken decided it was time to break away and start his own farming operation in 1982; he would pursue traditional growing methods for the 23 years that followed. I rented a piece of land from an older lady who was willing to give a young farmer like me a chance, he says. When I took my first herbicide bill to her, she looked at it and told me that if I could just figure out how to do things the natural way, she wouldn't have to pay it. Her words were very prophetic, and theyve stuck with me through the years. Opting to go organic Wilkens decision to take the farm in an organic direction came about as a result of several life-changing events that occurred in quick succession. Already disillusioned with GMOs and losing faith in conventional farming practices, he was directly sprayed with dangerous pesticide chemicals when a hose broke in 1990, leading to health issues. Then, in 2001, Wilkens beloved daughter Janie passed away in a tragic car accident at age 15. When Wilkens neighbor Herman Brockman sent a condolence letter and offered him the opportunity to transition his adjacent acreage into an organic farm, it seemed like a sign. Thereve been lots of unexplained coincidences that I credit to Janie putting together for me on the other side, Wilken says. I think back on the things that have happened in the 20 years since shes been gone and the people whove helped us get through it, and it really all started because of Hermans letter. Wilkens initial move toward organic farming was met with skepticism from some of his peers and even within his own family due to concerns about reduced yields, increased weeds and other worries. My father started using pesticides back in the 1960s, and he thought they were the saving grace of agriculture, Wilken says. He passed before I completed my first transition crop, but he definitely did not approve of my decision. Feeling there had to be a better, more natural way to go, Wilken attempted non-GMO crop rotation for a few years, but it wasnt until he went fully organic in 2005 that he finally began to feel a true sense of peace. The soil was just dead, he says. It takes 36 months from the last application of herbicide to cycle out enough for the land to be considered organic, but I think it takes more like 60 months to really restore the soil to good health through crop rotation and cover cropping. These practices are what add nutrients; increase water absorption; prevent erosion; and suppress weeds, insects and soil-borne plant diseases. Ready, set, grow Since 2005, Janies Farm has flourished from its original 700-acre footprint into 3,200 acres of land co-owned by a group of farmers who work collaboratively to support the organic movement. Together with his son, Ross Wilken; nephew, Tim Vaske; and neighbor, Ryan Wolfe, Wilken currently owns a 450-acre spread on which he grows his organic crops. Janies Farms growing season continues nearly year-round, starting with putting in cover crops as early as January and planting corn in mid-May through wheat harvest beginning in July until the last corn is picked in November. The organic products ultimately find their way to distributors, large and small food companies, breweries and distilleries, often personally delivered in a truck driven by Wilken himself. For the mill, we service a customer radius in an area about four and a half hours out from the farm, going as far as Ann Arbor, Detroit, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and a bit into Louisville, he says. Through a recent partnership with Tom Luhrs Family Farm in Imperial, Nebraska, Wilken and his team hope to expand the selection of heirloom variety grains Janies Farm can offer to its customers even farther. Run of the mill While loading a semitruck with wheat for a trip to New York in 2016, Wilkens own wheels started turning as he contemplated his next move. The following year, a broker contacted him looking for someone to mill flour, which planted more seeds of inspiration. After installing custom, Danish-made Engsko machinery, Janies Mill started stone-grinding whole-kernel flours in 2017. In another serendipitous twist, Herman Brockmans daughter, Jill, came on board to manage the mill; and his other Chicago-based daughter introduced Wilken to Hewn Bakery in Evanston to do some product testing and development, laying the foundation for a productive business relationship that continues to this day. When we started out, we were doing 3 or 4,000 pounds of flour a week, Wilken says. Now, were producing between 5,000 to 7,000 per day. Our wholesale efforts are growing, and we did a booming retail package business during the pandemic. Were so proud that were able to provide jobs on the farm and in our mill that help keep our rural community healthy economically, environmentally and socially. What lies ahead Looking toward the future, Wilken is aiming to double the Janies Mill production capacity and keep looking for markets that allow the farm to work directly with customers. As the demand for transparency increases and savvy consumers want to know more about the origins of the food theyre eating, he hopes that more farmers will join the organic movement. The landowners have got to be the ones who change the landscape, he says. As some are now taking over family farms, theyre coming to the realization that they want to work with people who are conscious of land stewardship and reflect their values. Wilken would also like to see leaders within the farming community devote more time and attention to the bigger picture of transitioning soil from conventionally treated to organic. I think well do the environment more good by getting land transitioned from conventional to organic than by taking organic acres to the next level, like in regenerative agriculture, he says. Then well really start to see a benefit to the environment. Another lawsuit alleged that Donohue sexually abused a 14-year-old altar boy in 1987 at the former Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Lakeview. The parish is now called St. John Paul II. Buffalo Diocese board clears priest of abuse allegation; bishop permanently suspends another For the second time, a Diocese review board has found abuse claims made against the Rev. Paul M. Nogaro in a Child Victims Act lawsuit to be unsubstantiated. Donohue was pastor of St. Mary Parish in Mayville and St. Isaac Jogues Parish in Sherman prior to his retirement, and most recently was assisting in various parishes. Wopperer was pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church from 1988 until his retirement in 2008 and was occasionally assisting in several parishes. Sciera was pastor of Precious Blood Church in Buffalo for many years and has been retired and living in Florida. Sciera had a personal friendship with Pope John Paul II, now St. John Paul II, and served for many years on the board of the John Paul II Foundation, a position that brought him regularly to Rome for meetings. Beiter, former pastor of St. Patrick Church in Brocton, was not currently in active ministry due to declining health. More than 900 child sex abuse claims were filed against the Buffalo Diocese in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of New York by a deadline on Aug. 14. The diocese sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2020, following a crush of more than 250 Child Victims Act lawsuits alleging abuse by priests and other employees. Lawsuits have accused 230 priests who served in the Buffalo Diocese of molesting children. The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. "Unless Erie County can develop complementary legislation that focuses around gun violence and the lives that are lost due to firearms, I cannot in good faith support a local law that expands the use of it for recreational use, especially for children," said Legislature Chairwoman April Baskin, D-Buffalo. Earlier this year, New York adopted a law that allows 12- and 13-year-old children to hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow in the presence of a licensed, experienced adult. But it is up to each county to opt into the law. All other Western New York counties have opted in. +3 Counties consider law that lets kids ages 12-13 hunt deer with guns New York has adopted a law this year that allows 12- and 13-year-old children to hunt deer with a firearm or crossbow in the presence of a licensed, experienced adult. But it's up to individual counties to opt into the law, making it an issue for every county in Western New York. Children as young as 12 already were permitted to hunt with adult oversight and may use firearms to shoot small game, which includes game birds, squirrels, rabbits and coyotes. But they were limited to regular compound bow hunting for deer. Until this year, New York was the only state to forbid children at this age from hunting big game with a firearm. The adopted 2021 state budget changed that by including a provision to permit children 12 and 13 to use a rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader or crossbow with supervision if counties opt into the state's three-year pilot program. Rockland County is now the only county in the state that hasn't opted in. The state law bars Westchester and Suffolk counties from being able to opt in. "These fights were continuation of things that were going on in the community and they brought them into school," Laurrie said. There were no serious injuries from those fights, he said. The last fight occurred around 4 p.m. and was between two girls while students were waiting for buses at the performing arts center because it was raining. "The student that was injured was taken to the hospital and is doing OK today," the superintendent said. The other student was charged with assault and harassment, he added. Officers from Niagara Falls Police, Niagara County and Erie County Sheriff's Departments, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York State Police and New York State Parks Police responded to the school Friday. The district also hired more security officers, bringing the total to eight, Laurrie said. Student backpacks were checked Friday, and the outside police agencies brought four K-9 units that searched the school and did not find weapons, he said. With these changes, the Water Authority is growing its legal staff by one full-time position, for a total of nine full- and part-time jobs. The title of senior associate attorney is new and created explicitly for Murphy, who is now focusing more exclusively on municipal agreements and other related legal work, Carney said. Aside from staff lawyers, the authority also pays outside attorneys to handle authority business. "We didnt want to lose talent like that," Schad said. "Shes been extremely helpful to us." Murphy, Carney and Schad were part of the leadership team faced with overhauling the Water Authority and instituting reform measures after a state agency that oversees public authorities formally censured the Erie County Water Authority and its board in 2018 for repeatedly breaking laws and best practices regarding openness, transparency and independent oversight and governance. State agency censures Water Authority, seeks removal of commissioner The damning 20-page report paints the commissioners as ill-informed, naively trusting of decisions made by authority staff, and hostile and willfully resistant to public requests for Since then, the authority has operated with far more transparency, with the board maintaining more direct authority over departments. The board has also consistently raised water rates on businesses and residents to cover costs associated with a long-term strategic plan for investments in the county's aging water delivery system. "You were compelled to do that because of the outrage," she said to Brown. "Yes, I'm going to be honest, and yes on an increase in taxes." "Cutting taxes means we will not fund municipal services like trash collection and snowplowing," she said. "Let's stop pulling wool over our eyes." But the mayor shot back, noting he had "held the line on taxes or cut taxes" during his tenure. He also ridiculed Walton's claim of a 3% tax increase as "modest," noting a home valued at $100,000 would be assessed an additional $300 a year. "It's a shell game with Ms. Walton," he said. "It doesn't add up." "I either held the line on taxes or cut taxes in the City of Buffalo," he added. The packed audience at the library's Eva Doyle Auditorium also saw the campaign debut of two write-in candidates Jaz Miles and Benjamin Carlisle. They ignored each other while peppering Brown for staying too long in office or questioning Walton's self-identification as a democratic socialist. But most of the attention centered on Walton and Brown. Walton questioned why her opponent was even on the debate stage after losing the primary, while Brown constantly painted her as "unqualified" for such an executive post. Katie Lathrop was a third-grader at Union Pleasant Elementary in Hamburg when the 9-11 attack happened in 2001. For schoolchildren, it might have been a day that stands, marked, in their memories. For those going about workdays, it turned in ways they never could have imagined. Into confusion. Into terror. For others, it came as a call to action, or a new sense of what their work teaching, in one instance might truly mean. On Sept. 11, 2001 20 years ago today Western New Yorkers, and Americans, experienced a range of reactions. When The Buffalo News called on readers to send in their thoughts on what they underwent that day they reflected on lives that turned, in a moment, into wholly different spheres. Below is a sampling of what readers of The News sent, reflecting on this moment 20 years ago, still so fresh in their minds. Read on, to see how 20 years can seem like the shortest of spans, in how it is able to dim life-changing moments. *** Hamburg woman remembers teachers huddled, worried I was 8 years old and a third-grader at Union Pleasant Elementary in Hamburg when 9/11 happened. I remember our teacher was picking us up from our morning music class and asked us to wait at the end of the hall while she spoke to our music teacher. As we were waiting, I looked back and saw the obvious worry in their faces. When we returned to our classroom, our teacher told us all what had happened and had tried to get the news on our class television but was unable so she turned on the radio. We all listened but being so young, I dont think we fully grasped the magnitude of the situation. Later that afternoon at my babysitters, we all sat in front of the television and watched the devastating aftermath. Ill never forget that day and I will remember it for the rest of my life. Katie Lathrop, Orchard Park *** Grand Island teacher overcome by colleagues' response That day, I truly experienced what the legal phrase; in loco parentis, "in the place of a parent means for teachers. Our schools Safety Team decided to let each teacher know what was happening and if coverage was needed for personal concerns. All the teachers remained with their students! All except a student teacher who never returned to education. She said she couldnt stay to watch over the children when she was so scared. Teachers who are meant to teach are willing to protect their students. I was overcome with how truly we as teachers are there to safeguard our students. At the same time, I stayed calm knowing my own childrens Ken-Ton teachers were caring for them, too. I was proud to be a member of the teaching profession and to be my students in loco parentis! Kathy Brown, Tonawanda *** National Guard member began preparing for anything I was on my way to class at Monroe Community College in Rochester when I heard over the radio what had happened. I made a U-turn and headed back to my apartment. I sat there watching with my roommates and waited for the phone to ring as I was a member of the National Guard. Two years removed from active duty in field artillery, I was mentally preparing to help in any way. Later that day, I received the call and reported to the flight facility. I spent the next two nights there and the next 16 years in the New York Army National Guard. I went to Iraq in 2004 and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 2015 with many adventures in between. I retired shortly thereafter in 2016. The bond with fellow soldiers from that night in the flight facility probably solidified my standing as a lifer in the military. Shawn McKirchy, Sergeant First Class, Retired U.S. Army/NY Army National Guard, Amherst *** Buffalo council candidate recalls a race lost, battle won Sept. 11, 2001, was Primary Day and my campaign workers were scattered across the Lovejoy district passing out literature to help me get elected to the Common Council. About 9 a.m., my daughter and I went to cast our votes. We came out of the booth and one of the workers told us that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. We rushed home in time to see the plane go into the second tower. I called family members who were coming in to help and they were unaware of what was happening. Our group, all patriots, were shocked. On Sept. 14 we had a rally in support of our first responders, who we had always supported, and attracted over 450 people. We took the campaign to the write-in vote. Unfortunately, I did not win. That day of horror reinforced my support of all the first responders for their continued bravery and the love for my family who are always ready to help when needed. Marge Thielman Hastreiter, Buffalo *** Home-schooled student experienced attacks through television Unlike most 13-year-olds, I was home-schooled, which meant that I was home all day and able to see the coverage in real time. I will never forget that day. It was scary and I'm not sure I have ever felt fear like that again in my life. My whole day was spent watching the TV, waiting for real-time updates. There was real concern for where the president was and uncertainty like I was unaccustomed to. One thing that sticks with me was the joining of bipartisan members of Congress to sing "God Bless America" on the steps of the Capitol. It was unity unlike we have seen in a long time in this country. It was a day that shaped my life and politics forever. Jacob Rachwal, Hamburg *** Nursing home workers watched in silent horror My co-worker, the other unit manager RN in our 2-unit nursing home, and I were searching for a missing resident from one of our assisted-living buildings in another town. She was found and we decided to stop for breakfast before returning to work. I listen only to NPR in my car, but because we were chatting, I turned it off. As we entered our building, relaxed and laughing, we stopped when we saw our management team silently watching a news report on the TV in the living room. Someone had just flown a plane into a World Trade Center building and the videos were terrible. The story hadn't been fleshed out yet, items such as phone calls from the plane outlining who held the plane hostage, and we stood in horror and sadness. But what haunts me is not the second plane flying into the other World Trade Center building, but the moment after when the buildings turned to dust as they collapsed. I thought of all those people who hadn't escaped, and the simultaneous stunning of every American and for that matter, those watching all over the world seeing these buildings just ... disappear. The silence in the room spoke our shock. I will never forget the stories of calls being made from the buildings to loved ones saying goodbye and describing the unbelievable way the day had turned so fatal. I was days away from my 50th birthday. Becky Arcese, Depew *** National Disaster reservist headed to ground zero I remember the day well. I was a military reservist and a member of the National Disaster Medical System. I assumed I would become a responder in one capacity or another. I left for New York City the next day and spent the next two weeks working to identify those that lost their lives. Thinking of those that lost family and friends was the most difficult aspect of my work. I thought daily of the children losing a parent and all the victims. It was overwhelming. I am supposed to be somewhat stoic in my duty, but it was not possible. I have never forgotten. When I do speak of the event, I try to control my emotions, but most importantly I want people to know how precious life is, and to never take for granted those you love nor your own life. You never know the time or the place. Raymond G. Miller, Buffalo The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Mercy Hospital workers holding strike authorization vote Communication Workers of America said Tuesday that the Catholic Health hospital system is refusing to address severe understaffing that threatens patient care. Longer ago, there was a nurses strike at Buffalo General Hospital in 1983 that lasted 79 days. And a nurses strike at DeGraff Memorial Hospital in North Tonawanda in 1987 lasted 13 weeks. Now, unionized workers at Mercy Hospital, including nurses and staff, are in the spotlight. Of the CWA members at the hospital who cast ballots, 97% voted in favor of giving their union the power to call a strike if a new deal isn't reached when the current one expires. Catholic Health is "disappointed" that the CWA is threatening to strike at Mercy Hospital, but has a contingency plan in place to keep the South Buffalo hospital open and operating if a walkout occurs, said JoAnn Cavanaugh, a Catholic Health spokeswoman. "A strike in any work situation is an absolute last resort, but that is especially true in a hospital," said Debora Hayes, the CWA's area director. Negotiations between the union and Catholic Health are continuing, with six contracts covering 2,500 workers set to expire Sept. 30 at a total of three facilities. By previous agreement between the two sides, Mercy Hospital is the only one of the three facilities where a strike could take place. The CWA represents about 2,000 workers at Mercy Hospital. The potential for breakthrough infections due to the Delta variant is part of the reason why the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has been recommending that even fully vaccinated individuals continue to wear masks while indoors in areas of "substantial" or "high" transmission, which includes all of New York State. The Erie County Health Department reported that the vast majority of vaccinated people who tested positive for the virus in Erie County in recent weeks had some type of symptoms, as did those who were unvaccinated. And far more individuals are likely walking around thinking they have allergies or a cold who are actually spreading Covid-19. "The Delta variant is very highly transmissible, as transmissible as the chicken pox was before we had vaccines," said Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein. "Even fully vaccinated people have to be cautious about infection. So we have to, again, go back to our strong and effective non-pharmaceutical interventions to protect ourselves against infection. So masks." She and Winkelstein held a video news conference on Friday cautioning people to again socially distance and wear masks as cold weather approaches. Last year, before vaccinations were available, the onset of cool, fall weather led a major spike in cases. The evil acts conducted by extremists claiming to be Muslims have nothing to do with the real teachings of Islam. The very meaning of Islam is peace, security and giving a guarantee of protection against all forms of harm and evil. His Holiness derives this message of universal peace from the Holy Quran, which states, Whosoever killed a person, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind; and whoso gave life to one, it shall be as if he had given life to all mankind (Chapter 5, Verse 33). But talk is cheap. What are you people doing to fix the problem? you may ask. Well, Ahmadi Muslims in America are shedding their blood not to take life, but to save it. In 2011, on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Ahmadi Muslims in America launched the Muslims for Life campaign. We partnered with national and regional blood centers to host several thousand interfaith drives across America. To date, our blood drives have yielded a collection of more than 70,000 pints of blood and have helped save as many as 200,000 lives. As I reflect back on the tragedies of Sept. 11, 2001, I am reminded of the reason I chose to make America my home. And, I guess my reasons are similar to the millions who have preceded me: Escape from persecution, pursuit of educational and technological excellence, live under rule of law and, above all, enjoy the freedoms that are guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution freedoms that one cannot even imagine if one lives under occupation. I learned early on how we became E Pluribus Unum (out of many; One), as inscribed on the Great Seal of the United States. To American Muslims that seemed to change on that fateful day when 19 terrorists with hatred of America attacked our homeland, killing 2,977 innocent victims. The trajectory of Muslim discourse in country abruptly changed for the worse. Instead of being the educated and a successful group of citizens, Muslims suddenly became suspect in the eyes of fellow citizens. The official casualty count from the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 was 2,753 people dead in the World Trade Centers Twin Towers, 184 at the Pentagon and 40 aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which brave passengers caused to crash in Pennsylvania. The figures, horrific as they are, underestimate the toll. Twenty years after that tragic day, we know that millions of lives were changed by the events and its aftermath. Those old enough will never forget the raw images of planes hitting the twin towers, and the death and destruction that ravaged New York City. Acts of heroism that followed the tragedy showed America at its best. The term first responders became a permanent part of our vocabulary. More than 400 firefighters, police officers, medical workers and others perished trying to help others in the World Trade Center. Thousands of other responders including police and firefighters from Western New York went to Manhattan to help at ground zero. A new spirit of patriotism followed the attacks. Approval ratings were high for President George W. Bush and New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. However, many of the policies pursued by the U.S. government in response to the attacks have diminished our standing in the world and left the country more divided than ever. Sept. 11-19 Early antlerless deer season in specified WMUs 3M, 3R, 8A, 8F, 8G, 8J, 8N, 9A and 9F. Archery-only hunters will also be able to hunt in WMUs 1C, 3S, 4J and 8C. Deer Management Permits and Deer Management Assistance Program tags only for this new license year may be used for the special hunt. Special regulations are now in effect. For more information, check out dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28605.html#deer. Sept. 11-12 Hamburg Gun Show at the Hamburg Fairgrounds, 5820 South Park Ave., Hamburg. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Cost of admission is $7. Kids under 12 can attend for free when accompanied by a paying adult. For more information, contact Bruce Johnson at 542-9929. You can also check out the website at NFGShows.com. Sept. 12 Allied Sportsmen Fourth Annual All Deer Archery Hunting Tune Up, 12846 Clinton St., Alden. $12 per round. 15 deer 3-D targets out to 35 yards under various hunting scenarios. For more info, contact John Floriano at 725-5822 or Kevin Ulrich at 430-1059. Sept. 12- WNY Environmental Federation meeting at Hoaks Restaurant, Hamburg, starting at 1 p.m. A screen with the electoral ballot after the draw for the order in which presidential candidates will appear on it for the November elections (AFP via Getty Images) Taiwan has accused China of taking advantage of elections in Honduras to create controversy and attempting to undermine Taipeis long-standing ties with the Latin American nation, as Taiwan scrambles to save 80 years of diplomatic ties with the country. Honduras main left-wing opposition party, Liberty and Refoundation Party (LIBRE), led by ousted former president Manuel Zelaya, has said it will immediately open diplomatic and economic relations with China if it claims victory in the 28 November elections. Taiwans foreign ministry said Beijing was trying to undermine Taipei's diplomatic ties with the Central American country. "Recently, it has even used the democratic election in our ally to create controversial topics and the false image of unstable diplomatic relations between our country and Honduras," the ministry said. Pushing back against Chinas "brutal suppression" of Taiwans diplomatic ties, it said that the government will "take concrete actions to demonstrate our countrys assistance to the development of Honduras economic and social affairs, and strive for the support of Honduras ruling and opposition parties for Taiwan. Earlier this week, Taiwans foreign ministry warned Honduras against "flashy and false" promises by Beijing and its ploys to sabotage Taiwans diplomatic relations with allies. The ministry said it was closely monitoring the ongoing developments and pledged to continue to strengthen their bilateral ties of 80 years. Honduras, the central American country, is one of just 15 countries that maintains formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which considers Taiwan as a breakaway province and has vowed to take control of the island again. In recent months, Taipei has also accused Beijing of attempting to lure away its allies by its vaccine diplomacy amid coronavirus pandemic. Chinas efforts to form close ties with Taiwans remaining allies have caused alarm in Washington, which has been concerned about its growing influence in Central America and Caribbean - a key diplomatic battleground. Story continues China has won over at least seven of Taiwans allies. The list of countries includes three Latin American nations which are: Panama, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. Read More China announces 22m emergency aid to Afghanistan, including millions of vaccines Chinese principal eats leftover from students plate, warns against food wastage Pro-China group is moving to exploit US divisions over Covid, report says Mongolia is to launch film production incentives from early next year. The move adds to the attractions of a varied and little-exploited country. The countrys parliament in Ulaanbaatar approved the measures in late August in the hope of expanding its creative industries. More from Variety We have been promoting Mongolia as a location since 2017 when we joined AFCNet [the Asian Film Commissions Network]. Now we have a government that is willing and planning for development of the content industries, Orgil Makhaan, president of the Mongolian National Film Commission told Variety. There is no reason why, over time, Mongolia cannot be the next New Zealand or Iceland. . - Credit: Mongolian National Film CommissionMongolian National Film Commission Primary among the package of measures is the establishment of a 30% location incentive scheme for qualifying and accredited film and television productions that take place in the country. Open to productions with a minimum spend of $500,000, the system is a cash rebate that is not linked to the tax system or other credits. A similar 30% rebate system is also being established for film and TV projects which use a substantial number of Mongolian personnel for post-production. Story continues The new law introduces two other rebates: a 10% cultural incentive available to productions that highlight Mongolian culture and heritage; and a 5% foreign crew and talent incentive. Significantly, the three schemes may be combined to generate rebates of 45% for particular projects that tick all the boxes. Alternatively, for those which dont meet all the criteria, there will also be a newly available 20% Mongolia Film Incentive. This applies to local or joint-film productions that promote Mongolian culture and heritage to international audiences. (Mongolia currently has no bi-lateral co-production treaties, meaning that all multinational projects are constructed as privately contracted joint ventures.) Several jurisdictions in Asia have introduced production incentive schemes over the past few years, including Malaysia, Thailand, The Philippines and Qingdao in China. Some schemes may be small in scale, but locations managers report that studio production heads expect to be able to access soft money schemes and that without them their locations and allied industries were at a disadvantage. For now, the Mongolian incentive scheme has no ceiling, meaning that even a mega-budget Hollywood tentpole could qualify for a 30% rebate. In practice, government is expected to set aside a specified budget that will be available from when the schemes become operational on Jan. 1, 2022. Wed love to have a Marvel or Loki film shoot here. In practice, wed probably try to work out something of good for both parties, said Makhaan. The country has already been accessed by shows including Netflix-Studio Dragon Korean series Crash Landing on You and Sink or Swim. We are working hard to make sure that all the details are ready by January. Accessing the scheme is likely to require a Mongolian partner or the establishment of a local company. And wed expect the production to use some local crew, though having an international cast is not going to be a problem, said Makhaan. We also have until January to establish the way that the cultural incentive will. Qualification may be through a point system, as in some other countries, though this has not been finalized, said Makhaan. We expect it to be overseen by an eleven-person committee, that involves three or four government representatives and the majority from the film industry. . - Credit: Mongolian National Film CommissionMongolian National Film Commission Since joining AFCNet, Mongolia has pitched itself at locations expos in Los Angeles and Busan. As the country diversifies its economy away from a heavy dependence on mining, it is re-branding itself as a modern nomadic society, and one that is open to soft-power and cross-border co-operation. Makhaan says that selling points include: Mongolias ease of connection (1.5 hours flight from Beijing, 3 hours from Seoul and 7 hours from Berlin); sunshine on 80% of days, even in winter; four distinct seasons; cityscapes reminiscent of ex-Soviet Bloc architecture; and hugely varied landscapes (deserts, icy mountains, steppe-grasslands, dense forests). We dont have New York-like streets or marine locations, though, with a massive freshwater lake, we come close on that front. And we have pretty much everything else, said Makhaan. Now we have the location incentives too. . - Credit: Mongolian National Film CommissionMongolian National Film Commission Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. How to Clip Click and hold your mouse button on the page to select the area you wish to save or print. You can click and drag the clipping box to move it or click and drag in the bottom right corner to resize it. When you're happy with your selection, click the checkmark icon next to the clipping area to continue. JUNEAU, Alaska Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said President Joe Bidens effort to require millions of U.S. workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is ill conceived, divisive, and un-American. At a time in which we are called to work together, forced medical procedures run counter to our collective sense of fairness and liberty, the Republican said in a statement. My administration is aggressively identifying every tool at our disposal to protect the inherent individual rights of all Alaskans. The statement did not describe what that might entail. Dunleavy has butted heads with the Biden administration on resource development issues. Dunleavy has faced some criticism in Alaska for not mandating masks or for not implementing a new disaster declaration to deal with a recent surge in COVID-19 cases. He has instead asked lawmakers to act on legislation aimed at addressing staffing concerns raised by health care facilities. In his statement Friday, Dunleavy said that it is clear from the data and empirical evidence over the last year that the vaccine is the most effective way to fight COVID-19. From what we are seeing in our hospitals, the very ill are mostly those who are unvaccinated. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque should "stand in the corner" after showing "very rude" behavior during Tuesday's online meeting of the country's pandemic response task force with health experts, Senator Risa Hontiveros said. "Well, diyan sa very rude na official na iyan, dapat talaga stand in the corner...Stand in the corner, Secretary Roque," the opposition senator told CNN Philippines' The Source on Friday. [Translation: To that very rude official, he must stand in the corner. Stand in the corner, Secretary Roque.] She added that Roque "owes the doctors an apology." In one of the videos obtained on Friday by journalist Marlon Ramos of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Roque can be seen shouting as he is talking about the "economic ramifications" of a hard lockdown. READ: Duterte's spokesman berates doctors worried about easing quarantine rules Ramos, citing his sources, said Roque lost his cool after Philippine College of Physicians President Maricar Limpin appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force to reconsider its decision to relax quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila amid soaring cases. Limpin told CNN Philippines she was surprised by Roque's reaction, which she described as "uncalled for" and "unprofessional." For his part, Roque said he just got "emotional," as he apologized for the way he reacted to Limpin's plea, but not for what he said. "I apologize kung na-offend po kayo sa manner... But the message remains clear: Kinakailangan naman po pakinggan din natin ang hanay ng nagugutom," he said in a media briefing. [Translation: I apologize if you got offended by the manner. But the message remains clear: We need to listen to the hungry.] Despite Roque's apology, Limpin believes "the President should actually remove him from office." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) Former presidential adviser and Chinese businessman Michael Yang was found to have aided Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. in paying and securing suppliers of COVID-19 equipment to the country. Pharmally head Huang Tzu Yen, a Singaporean national, admitted that the company borrowed money from Yang to pay for the supplies after it bagged the multi-billion-peso procurement contract with the government last year. "I just wish to state on record that we did receive Mr. Michael Yang's help...we borrowed money from him," Huang told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee in a hearing on Friday. Huang made the revelation while asking the committee to reconsider its decision to cite his colleague, Pharmally Director Linconn Ong, in contempt due to evasiveness. Both Huang and Ong said they could not recall how much the company borrowed from Yang. Pharmally is under scrutiny due to what lawmakers call its "questionable" qualifications to purchase millions of COVID-19 supplies. It had a capital of only 625,000 and was only six months old when it became the country's top medical supplier in the pandemic. Lying under oath Huang's revelation runs contrary to Yang's earlier statement, where he maintained he had no relations with Pharmally - other than introducing them to at least four Chinese suppliers. He said he was not involved in their negotiations. "Mr. Yang said under oath he had nothing to do with Pharmally except to introduce them to suppliers. Mr. Yang has been very evasive and lied under oath before this committee," Senator Ping Lacson said. Yang - who appeared in the Senate hearing for the first time - said through a Filipino interpreter that he did not work with Pharmally to obtain the contracts. They only spoke afterwards when Pharmally faced difficulties. Earlier, Ong also said Yang assisted them by guaranteeing suppliers they will be paid once Pharmally receives its payment from the government for the delivery of COVID-19 supplies. The supplies, which included personal protective equipment and test kits, were later alleged to be overpriced. Yang also reasoned that there were two Pharmally firms: Pharmally Biological in 2017, and Pharmally Pharmaceutical which the Senate is investigating. He said he had been referring to the former. The committee ruled not to lift the standing arrest warrant against Yang due to his evasiveness during the probe. "We cannot get a clear answer," Lacson said. Yang was already facing a warrant after missing several Senate hearings. In a video of a 2017 meeting in Davao City with President Rodrigo Duterte, Yang was seen with Pharmally officials, which is why he was invited to the Senate for questioning. Yang said he has not talked business with Duterte after 2017. However, Senator Risa Hontiveros surmised there may be more to Yang and Duterte's relationship than what is being told. Duterte had previously defended Yang, saying he was only the "middleman" for the government and a foreign company providing medical goods. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) The Philippines will impose travel restrictions on nine countries and territories after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the "red list" on Friday. The countries covered are Azerbaijan, Guadeloupe, Guam, Israel, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Saint Lucia, and Switzerland. The travel restrictions for persons going and coming from these countries and territories will start noon of Sunday, Sept. 12. All passengers coming from or who have been to the "red list" areas within 14 days before their arrival in the Philippines will be barred from entering from noon of Sept. 12 to 11:59 p.m. of Sept. 18. Returning Filipinos from government-initiated or non-government repatriation programs are exempted. Those who will arrive from the nine countries and territories before noon of Sept. 12 will be allowed to enter the Philippines - subject to a 14-day quarantine period. The first 10 days will be at a quarantine facility and the last four days will be under home quarantine supervised by their respective local government units. COVID-19 swab tests will also be conducted on the seventh day of their quarantine. Transiting passengers are exempted from the latest government directive, provided they stayed only in the airport. The Philippine government has yet to give a reason for the travel restrictions imposed on these nine countries and territories. (CNN) With more than 75 million eligible Americans still not vaccinated, hospitals in many states overwhelmed and fears that cases could grow further in the fall, experts and officials are scrambling to slow the COVID-19 pandemic. "The one thing that we do know for sure... 160,000 cases a day is not where we want to be," the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN's Anderson Cooper on Thursday. "Unfortunately, that is where we are right now." Speaking to Axios, Fauci said suppressing the virus is the "endgame" to the pandemic. Ideally, the US would get cases as low as possible, but a reasonable goal would be to get below 10,000 a day, he said. In mid-June, before the surge in cases driven by the more transmissible Delta variant, the US reached a seven-day average of about 11,000 new cases a day, according to Johns Hopkins University data. On Thursday, President Joe Biden outlined a plan that imposes stringent new vaccine rules on federal workers, large employers and health care staff -- requirements that could apply to as many as 100 million Americans. "We've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us," Biden said, his tone hardening toward Americans who still refuse to receive a vaccine despite ample evidence of their safety and full approval of one -- the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine -- from the US Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Todd Rice of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville called the move necessary. He said his hospital's staff has been pushed to the brink and he worries about cases climbing in cooler months, which typically see higher rates of respiratory problems. "The key to getting out of this is to get people vaccinated," Rice told CNN's Jim Sciutto on Friday morning. "We have to do something to try to increase our vaccination numbers." Dr. Paul Offit, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital Of Philadelphia, said that Biden's announcement was an important step and that he "put his finger right on what the problem is right now in this country." And some experts pushed for more. "I loved the speech; I wish he had gone further. I wanted the president to restrict travel this holiday season to people who've been vaccinated," CNN medical analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner said. However, many Republican governors -- some in states with high hospitalizations and low vaccination rates -- condemned the strategy. Some even said they would challenge the action in court. "To be clear: the vaccine is the best tool we have to combat the pandemic but heavy-handed mandates are the wrong approach," Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said in a tweet Thursday. But even with both vaccination and mitigation measures in place, the endgame might not be complete eradication, said Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. "Basically, it's going to end the day that we have achieved enough level of population immunity, that the virus essentially becomes a nuisance and no longer a threat," Jha said Thursday. Vaccines still as effective against Delta variant, CDC says Since Delta has been the dominant coronavirus strain, overall estimates of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness are "similar to those during the months before Delta became predominant," according to a study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Friday. The CDC analyzed thousands of COVID-19 hospitalizations among adults in nine states between June and August, beginning on the date the Delta variant accounted for more than half of sequenced cases in the state. The Moderna vaccine was the most effective in reducing hospitalization, the study found. Among all ages, the Moderna vaccine had a 95% effectiveness, while the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine had an 80% effectiveness and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had a 60% effectiveness. Overall, vaccine effectiveness was lower among those age 75 and older, "which had not been observed previously" in this sample network. The study found vaccine effectiveness overall to be 89% among adults under the age of 75, but 76% among those age 75 and older. West Virginia is facing an all-pandemic high with 252 patients currently in the ICU and 141 patients on ventilators, Gov. Jim Justice announced in a news conference Friday. "We lost another 38 people since Wednesday. We're going to continue to lose people in this surge without any questions," the governor said. "A high percentage of the folks in the hospitals are unvaccinated." How the US is tackling the virus Changes to the COVID-19 response begin Friday, when the maximum fine for violating the federal requirement to wear a face mask when traveling will double to a range of $500-$3,000, up from $250-$1,500. And to help COVID-19 patients who are impacted by the Delta variant surge, the US is going to increase the availability of new treatments, including monoclonal antibodies, Biden said. He said the treatments "have been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization by up to 70% for unvaccinated people." Also on Thursday, the New York Police Department confirmed Thursday that any employee who does not get vaccinated or provide proof of a recent negative Covid test will not be allowed to work and will not get paid. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also previously announced that any new hires for any New York City agencies will be required to be fully vaccinated. Having workers chose between vaccination or weekly testing will likely increase vaccination, White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said Thursday. "It's not convenient for most to get tested once per week," he added. Data expected on children's vaccines in the fall The vaccination effort is largely aimed at US adults, but with school getting started around the country, many experts and parents are concerned about how children will be protected from the virus. Children have a lower risk of serious symptoms from COVID-19 but are not any less likely than adults to get infected in the first place, Fauci said in a New York Times interview released Thursday. "So, we're seeing more children in the hospital now because the Delta variant is more readily transmissible among everybody -- adults and children," Fauci said. Throughout Florida's 15 largest school districts, at least 34,085 students and 6,347 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 during the 2021-22 school year, according to a CNN analysis. In Kentucky, 39 of the state's 171 public school districts have had to close at some point during the 2021-22 school year due to an increase cases, quarantines and/or staff shortages, Joshua Shoutla, a spokesman for the Kentucky School Boards Association told CNN in a statement Thursday morning. The Los Angeles Unified School District hopes to curb spread among students by requiring all eligible children to be vaccinated by the end of the calendar year, the school board of education decided in a unanimous vote. Children under the age of 12 are currently not eligible to be vaccinated. But those 12 and older can get the Pfizer's vaccines under an emergency use authorization. According to a CNN analysis of the latest CDC data, about 43% of all 12- to 17-year-olds in the US are fully vaccinated. Data on Moderna's vaccine for younger age groups will likely be ready in late October or early November, following Pfizer's data which is expected by the end of September, Fauci told the New York Times. After the data are presented, Fauci said it is "very likely" the companies will apply for an emergency use authorization. This story was first published on CNNcom, "This is what a US endgame for Covid-19 should look like, Fauci says." (CNN) -- Ford is ending production in India and taking a hit of $2 billion as it retrenches from the country. In an announcement Thursday, the company said that roughly 4,000 employees will be laid off and manufacturing will end immediately. CEO Jim Farley said the move was "difficult but necessary" to achieve long-term growth. "Despite investing significantly in India, Ford has accumulated more than $2 billion of operating losses over the past 10 years and demand for new vehicles has been much weaker than forecast," Farley said. Ford's India head, Anurag Mehrotra, said that the unit has not been able to find a "sustainable path forward to long-term profitability that includes in-country vehicle manufacturing." He added that the decision was "reinforced by years of accumulated losses, persistent industry overcapacity and lack of expected growth in India's car market." Ford has long struggled in India. The automaker began operations there in 1995, and has invested more than $2 billion in the country over the past 25 years. Two plants in the cities of Sanand and Chennai will shutter in the coming months and the company will "work closely" with employees affected by the closures. In 2019, Ford reached a deal with local rival Mahindra to transfer most of its Indian business into a new joint venture, but the deal fell apart late last year. The companies cited "fundamental changes in global economic and business conditions" caused in part by the pandemic. Ford is the latest US carmaker to cut back its India business in recent years. General Motors announced in 2017 that it would stop selling cars in the country. This story was first published on CNN.com "Ford is ending production in India and taking a $2 billion hit in the process". (CNN) On a sunny May day in 2012, Google cofounder Sergey Brin walked down King Street in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood with a pair of black, lens-free smart glasses on his face. He was trying out Google Glass about a month before the company publicly unveiled the device. But he wasn't actually doing anything with it, because it was out of batteries. (I know, because I saw him walking down the street that day, and asked him.) Google Glass eventually flopped as a consumer product, with some wearers of the gadget dubbed "Glassholes" for the perceived creepiness of the device and its prism-shaped over-eye display. But it set the stage for years of wonderment and bewilderment about smart glasses: What should they look like? What will we do with them? And who even wants to wear them, anyway? In the nearly a decade since, many tech companies (including Amazon, Bose, and Snap) have tried to answer these questions in different ways, but none have truly popularized the idea of smart eyewear. On Wednesday, Facebook became the latest to offer an attempt for public consumption: glasses called Ray-Ban Stories, created with Ray-Ban (the brand is owned by eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica). Facebook hopes they'll be worn to take pictures and short videos, listen to music, and make phone calls, by anyone 13 or older. The glasses, which Facebook had teased in the past, start at $299 and come in three styles, including the iconic Ray-Ban Wayfarer, and five hues (all the colors, including blue and green, are on the darker end of the spectrum). Initially, they're being sold at some Ray-Ban stores and at Ray-Ban.com, and are available to buyers in six countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. By looking, for the most part, not just like a normal pair of glasses, but like a classic, popular style, Ray-Ban Stories solves one of the biggest issues facing Google Glass and many other chunky, funky smart glasses of the past. The electronics are so well hidden that there are just a few hints that something is different about these specs: there's a camera embedded in the edge of each side of the frame, for instance. But on a pair of shiny Wayfarers they seem to melt into the frame itself. Hind Hobeika, a product manager for augmented-reality devices at Facebook Reality Labs, told me Ray-Ban Stories are "the first smart glasses that people will want to wear." Facebook lent me a pair of Ray-Ban Stories with sunglass lenses so I could decide for myself. After about a week of trying them out, it's clear the glasses look and feel very much like a regular pair of shades. But Facebook and Ray-Ban may not fully appreciate the enormous challenge that remains in convincing people to buy and use such a wearable device, particularly when its capabilities seem more neat than essential. They felt a lot like sunglasses The first thing I noticed when putting the sunglasses on is that they felt a lot like, well, sunglasses. Sure, there's a power button hidden inside the glasses' left temple, a slim button for taking pictures and videos on top of the right temple, a slender speaker built into each, and a front-facing LED light that shines white when you take a picture or video. There's a touchpad on the right temple, too, though you can't see it. But the glasses only weigh a bit more (five grams, according to Facebook) than a standard pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers, which makes them comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They're not annoying to charge, either: similar to Snap's Spectacles, they can do so while sitting in their included case. Like many other smart glasses released in the wake of Google Glass, they don't have a display. Ray-Ban Stories are surprisingly good for listening to music or making phone calls. The audio sounded crisp and dynamic during a nature walk, while not obscuring the sounds of birds and squirrels. I was a bit self-conscious while listening to tunes, though, since I could tell that anyone within a few feet could hear bits of the music. I also had trouble using the touchpad, which often interpreted my attempts to turn the volume up as pausing the music, or turned it down rather than up. The glasses were most fun to wear while playing with my kids at the park, as playground shenanigans (such as creeping inside a tunnel meant for 5-year-olds) make it tricky to pull out a smartphone to capture moments. I was able to take a number of photos and videos of my kids that are usually tough to catch while we're roughhousing. Yet while a selling point of the glasses is letting you stay immersed in a moment while capturing it, I often had the opposite experience while taking still photos. Many times, even though I was staring right at an object a flower, a slice of pizza I either couldn't capture the whole thing, couldn't center the image, or couldn't get the close-up I wanted. At one point, I stuck my head into the reeds at my local park to get closer to a frog; I looked silly and didn't get a great shot in the end. Ray-Ban Stories rely on a companion smartphone app called Facebook View to let you see, edit and share images and videos. It was easy to send pictures to friends via the app, and I was able to create cute video montages of my kids with a few taps. (Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted a video to his Facebook page on Monday showing him paddling a boat while wearing Ray-Ban Stories, but the glasses are not splash or water resistant, so you'll want to keep them out of the pool.) Was I turning into a Facehole? Even while pushing a computer that sits on your face and looks quite similar to regular glasses, Facebook and Ray-Ban are emphasizing the importance of making other people aware that you may be recording them (Hobeika noted that the company consulted with numerous privacy experts and groups while building the product, including the Future of Privacy Forum and the National Network to End Domestic Violence). The glasses can only take videos up to 30 seconds long, and the LED on the front of the glasses is meant to be visible from 25 feet away; it shines the whole time you're taking a video. You can turn on Facebook Assistant through the View app to use voice commands for taking photos and videos a way to make it painfully obvious that you're capturing the world around you but not for anything else, like controlling music playback. (In order to do things such as turn music volume up via voice command while wearing the glasses, I had to summon Siri on my iPhone.) Despite these efforts, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was getting away with something while wearing Ray-Ban Stories in public. As far as I could tell, nobody noticed anything unusual about the glasses while chasing my kids around a busy playground, even when I was taking numerous short videos. (It was impossible for me to tell, but perhaps the bright sunlight made the glasses' white LED less noticeable.) I walked into stores with them on, took pictures of myself in mirrors, and nobody even blinked. It would have been easy to use these glasses to invade other people's privacy. Was this accidentally furtive photo- and video-taking turning me into a Facehole? I spoke with Jeremy Greenberg, policy counsel at the Future of Privacy Forum and one of the people Facebook spoke with while developing Ray-Ban Stories, about my experience. He said there's "definitely some concerns" that people didn't appear to notice that I was capturing pictures and videos something that would be more obvious if I had pulled out my phone. "It'll be interesting to see, if this technology becomes widespread, will folks sort of develop that cultural understanding that their image might be taken, video might be taken?" he asked. "It's really 'time will tell.'" And after days of trying them out, I still didn't have the sense that I (or anyone, really) needs Ray-Ban Stories. You may need eyeglasses or sunglasses, and a smartphone, too. But it's going to be tough for Facebook to convince most people that they have to have a gadget that can replicate a few of their phone's features while sitting on their face even one that looks this good. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Facebook and Ray-Ban are rolling out smart glasses that actually look cool. Will anyone buy them?" I was 11 years old when I heard the rumor that Steve Burns, the original host of Blues Clues, died of a drug overdose. Or was it a car crash? Whatever it was, I remember believing it for a long time. But of course, this was back in 2002, when fact checks werent tweeted out in real-time. Rumors like these passed from person to person, mutating as they went. Most of my peers who cared enough about Blues Clues all seemed to know about Steves unfortunate demise. It was almost like an urban legend, like the one about the half-man half-snake that lives underneath a trap door in the department store of Robinsons Galleria. But Steve is very much alive, and the rumor has been debunked many, many times for the past two decades. And the video posted yesterday by Nick Jr. in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Blues Clues proves just as much. I wasnt a fan of Blues Clues. To be frank, I even detested it at times. Once I hit puberty, right around the time I was waiting for normal body parts to arrive (Mia Thermopolis, The Princess Diaries, 2001), I felt above baby shows like the one hosted by Steve. Too old for the Thinking Chair, MAAAAIL!!!, and Blue Skidoo, We Can Too. Unfortunately, my shows were second priority to my little sister Yannas child-friendly programming. Which is to say we fought over Blues Clues a lot, among other things. My little sister and I shared so many things: a room, toys, books, and even birthday parties (I was born May 18, while her birthday falls on May 20). So I wasnt about to give up precious TV time for another half hour of Steve chasing his dog around his house. I obviously lost this one. Everything I know about French couple Mr. Salt, Mrs. Pepper, then only child Paprika (is she Spanish?), and Magenta I know against my will. Im 30 now and Yanna is 25, but there are days I feel a lot older when I think about how this pandemic has aged me. Speaking of aging, I found out just today that the day Steve left for college on the show, he was actually way beyond college age. The real Steve was 29 years old and he allegedly left the show because he was balding. When my fiance showed me the video of Steve the day it came out, I felt my heart tighten a little. Steves voice is a lot lower and hes obviously very bald, but it was Steve alright. Down to the green striped shirt and the way he pauses enigmatically before following up with great, as if he could hear me responding through the screen, a screen I dont have to share with Yanna anymore. Here he is, talking to me like the adult I think I am, joking about the way we used to freak out about the mail. My sister and I dont fight as much, not really. We fight over who gets to use the car or if one of us forgot to pay for the association dues for the month. We no longer fight for TV because weve since cut our cable subscription for a family Netflix account. We also no longer share a room, but that only happened when I started going to college. But seeing Steve brought me back to that little house on a hill, the purple mailbox, Shovel and Pail peeking out from the side of the house. Back to a time when our family was still whole, before COVID-19, before my parents left for the United States to pay for our college tuition. Back to a time when our fights were just simply, plainly, child's play. The author with her sister. I shared the video with Yanna, accompanied by a little baby photo of the two of us that our eldest sister had serendipitously dug up just the other day. In it, Im nine years old, my sister is four. She has her little arm around me while I hold up Blue, Mr. Salt, Mrs. Pepper, and Paprika. Youre really my best friend, she jokes. I guess so, I said. Im super glad were still friends, says Steve from my screen, and I feel a tear welling up. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) Ombudsman Samuel Martires proposed to enforce stringent penalties against individuals commenting on the Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) of government officials. I want to reconcile (Republic Act) 6713 with (Republic Act) 3019 on the SALN, provide safety nets so that a SALN can be published, but no person should be allowed to comment on the SALN of a particular government official or employee," Martires said during the House committee on appropriations budget hearing for his office. What I'm proposing is to make stringent penalties that anyone who makes a comment on the SALN of a particular government official or employee must likewise be liable for at least an imprisonment of not less than five years, he added. R.A. 6713 is the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, while R.A. 3019 is the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. A section of RA 6713 states that it is unlawful for anyone to obtain or use any statement, like SALNs, filed under the law for any purpose contrary to morals or public policy; or any commercial purpose other than by news and communications media for dissemination to the general public. Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate pointed out that the Ombudsmans proposal is dangerous since those making commentaries are also guaranteed of the freedom of expression under the Constitution. Martires remained firm, saying he will not yield to public opinion to release the SALN of any public official since this will violate Memorandum Circular No. 1, which he issued last year. The circular requires consent from the owner of the SALN for its release. I am sorry to say that. I am willing to be removed from office to defend the memorandum circular I issued, he said. Malacanang earlier said it is up to the Ombudsman to release the SALN of President Rodrigo Duterte. The President last released his SALN in 2017. He declared a net worth of 28.5 million. Ombudsman protecting top officials from the public? For detained Senator Leila de Lima, Martires' actions show he wants "to protect public officials from the public, instead of investigating their wrongdoing." His proposal to penalize those who would comment on SALNs would mean he has forgotten all Constitutional Law lessons he learned and wrote as a Supreme Court Justice, De Lima added. During the hearing, Martires also questioned the public's interest on the SALN of top officials, specifically of Duterte. De Lima hit back, saying: "Well, because the President is the highest official of the land, and therefore the people are more interested in his honesty and integrity than the rest of officialdom." "Under his watch, Martires has undeniably stood the Office of the Ombudsman on its head, lacking the requisite zeal in running after corrupt public officials and even perceived to be protecting instead of investigating them. If it was all left to him, perhaps, I am sure he won't even investigate and prosecute the suspects in the Pharmally heist, especially if they include his patron Duterte," the senator added. "For Ombudsman Martires, his job as Ombudsman is clear: keep the President's SALN away from the public, as he has already done after denying the request made by my lawyers, and protect the interests of public officials, rather than that of the public," De Lima said. CNN Philippines correspondent Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report. (CNN) -- Anxiety is high among parents as more kids head back to school without the protection of a Covid-19 vaccine for at least a few more months. Parents have a reason to be concerned. After months of declining cases, the virus is finding the unvaccinated. Adolescents as young as 12 can be vaccinated against Covid-19, but younger children aren't eligible yet. Children made up more than a quarter of the reported cases for the week ending September 2. "After declining in early summer, child cases have increased exponentially, with over 750,000 cases added between August 5 and September 2," the American Academy of Pediatrics said Tuesday. The most recent weekly case number marks about a 250% increase since the week of July 22-29, when the AAP counted 71,726 new cases in children. Children have largely been spared the worst of Covid-19 -- hospitalizations and deaths are more rare for children than for adults -- although children's hospitals are filling up in Covid-19 hotspots around the country. A kids' vaccine cannot come soon enough, but the process is taking longer than some initially expected. "We had really hoped that maybe we would have something in place before we tried to bring kids back into the school classroom, but, unfortunately, we haven't been able to do that," said Dr. Emily Chapman, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Children's Minnesota. Timeline for younger children's Covid-19 vaccines Trial data are still being gathered for Covid-19 vaccines for younger children. Once the vaccine companies have trial results, they'll need to submit the information to the US Food and Drug Administration, which will assess the vaccines for authorization. Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former FDA commissioner who now sits on the board of Covid-19 vaccine maker Pfizer, said earlier this month on CBS' Face the Nation that the company will likely be able to file the data for 5-11-year-olds for authorization "at some point in September" and then file the application for an emergency use of the vaccine "potentially as early as October." "That'll put us on a time frame where the vaccines could be available at some point late fall, more likely early winter depending on how long FDA takes to review the application," Gottlieb said. There's no official timetable once a company submits to the FDA. Emergency use considerations can take several weeks. "There's always something that makes things not the way we think," said Dr. Stanley Perlman, who is on the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee and is also a pediatrician and professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Iowa Health Care. "Obviously, we want it done as soon as possible, but we want it done right." When asked earlier this month whether a Covid-19 vaccine will be authorized for young children before Thanksgiving, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that he hopes so, but he does not want to get ahead of the FDA. "They should be getting the data, at least in one of the companies, by the end of September," noted Fauci. "Then the data will be presented to the FDA, and the FDA will make a determination whether they will grant that under an emergency use authorization or some other mechanism." CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a National Parent Teacher Association town hall earlier this month that she is hopeful the Pfizer vaccine will be available for kids in 2021. "Everybody is looking at this with urgency. Everyone recognizes how important it is for those children to have access to vaccines," she said when asked about the timeline. "My understanding of the timeline is pretty consistent with what is being said: the middle of fall is my understanding, early fall is when we will anticipate seeing the data, and then it will lie with the hands of the FDA. And I'm hopeful for the end of the year." Data for 2-to-5-year-olds could arrive soon after the older kids' data. For the youngest children, Pfizer told CNN it could potentially have enough research by October or November, and shortly thereafter ask the FDA to authorize emergency use. Moderna's trial is underway, but is a few months behind Pfizer. Johnson & Johnson doesn't expect its multiple trials in children to even start until the fall. Why a vaccine for younger children takes longer Hundreds of millions of adults have been vaccinated, proving that the Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective, but those results are not a substitute for the research needed in kids. "As much as we would like to go ahead and start vaccinating our children now, it's most important that we take this time to ensure that the science is rigorous," said Minnesota's Chapman. For the kid's version of the Covid-19 vaccine, scientists use results from the adult trials and a full pediatric trial. Having the adult research speeds up the process. For people as young as 12, Perlman explains, the companies didn't have to enroll the 30,000 people it needed for adult trials because it could do what's called "immunobridging." The data showed that for this age group, the immune response was the equivalent of adults'. Companies take a similar approach with the younger kids, but in early August, the FDA asked for six months of follow-up safety data, instead of the two months it asked for with adults. It also asked Pfizer and Moderna to double the number of children ages 5 to 11 in clinical trials. Vaccine advisers to the CDC said in June there is a likely association between the mRNA Covid-19 vaccines and extremely rare cases of heart inflammation in adolescents and young adults, but the benefits of vaccination still clearly outweigh the risks. The inflammation cases appeared to be mild, and they resolved quickly on their own or with minimal treatment. At Texas Children's Hospital, interim pediatrician-in-chief Dr. James Versalovic said it was no problem to recruit more kids for the Pfizer and Moderna trials. Many trial sites have long waiting lists. The trial expansion, though, added at least a month more to the research process. "We all agreed it was worthwhile, just to make the trials even more robust data to provide that additional level of reassurance to parents across the country. It does lengthen the trial, but just a bit," Versalovic said. 'Children are not small adults' Children's vaccine trials actually start in adults. "Typically, every vaccine candidate, even for other conditions, would be evaluated first in adult patients and then in progressively younger ages," explained Dr. Kari Simonsen, who is leading the trial of the Pfizer vaccine at Children's Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha. "We can't make assumptions about the safety or tolerability of medicines in children being the same as for adults," she said. It's because of biology. "As we are fond of saying in pediatrics: Children are not small adults. Children are children," said Versalovic. "Their bodies are developing and will react differently, and we need to treat them differently." When it gets to the kids' phase of the testing, scientists make their best educated guess on what dose would be safe and generate an immune response. The levels and timing is based on development stages. "By and large our children have very active and responsive immune systems, and so we suspect that smaller doses of vaccine will trigger an adequate response in a child to successfully fight off infection," said Chapman. As with any vaccine testing, it must go through a three-phase trial before the FDA can authorize it. The first phase tests to see if the vaccine is safe in about 20 to 100 healthy kids. Since these are expedited trials, scientists have combined phases 2 and 3 of the trials so they can do more steps in parallel, Versalovic said. In these phases, scientists monitor safety and test to see if the children's immune systems respond to the vaccine. At this step, scientist recruit hundreds or even thousands of children. Some get vaccine, some get placebo and results are compared. Only after these steps are complete can a company ask the FDA for authorization or approval. If the FDA signs off on it, the vaccine gets another set of expert eyes with the CDC's Advisory Council on Immunization Practices. That committee also puts together a formal recommendation around the delivery, storage, timing, distribution, and administration of the vaccine. The committee's recommendation becomes official when the CDC director reviews and approves it. In these intervening months, the experts say, children can stay Covid-19 free. Adults, though, will have to help them. "Best thing we can do for them is surround them with adults who are vaccinated," Chapman said. "And surround them with people who are masking and keep their masks on as much as possible." This story was first published on CNN.com "Why a Covid-19 vaccine for younger children is taking longer than a vaccine for adults". I thought I could control things, Johnson said. I thought, oh, I could use a little bit here. Its going to take away what Im feeling or its going to make me feel better. Waking up in the hospital really put into perspective that this is going to kill me. Through Problem-Solving Court, Johnson said hes learned how to keep steady employment, utilize healthier coping skills, hold himself accountable and give back to the community. When I was in the program, I had a two-bedroom house, me and my wife had a vehicle. I never really had that before in my life, Johnson said. Johnson now resides in Norfolk. He said he has been sober for six months and free of meth and marijuana for two years. Its an impressive feat, Kracl said. He has a good job, hes working at the grocery store warehouse up in Norfolk. Things are going well for him. Were really excited. Johnson said graduating from the program was a proud moment because it helps show others that everybody deserves a second chance. Im really grateful for the things I have today, Johnson said. The friends I have in recovery, getting back the relationship I have with my family because Ive hurt them over and over and over again but theyve shown me nothing but unconditional love through all of this. Its just such a blessing. Hannah Schrodt is the news editor of The Columbus Telegram. Reach her via email at hannah.schrodt@lee.net. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Disney's strategies are especially closely watched because of its enormous sway in the industry as the largest Hollywood studio. Disney accounted for 38% of domestic moviegoing in 2019. But its commitment to theatrical releases was sure to be a huge relief for cinema owners and a sign of some normality returning to moviegoing this fall. Day-and-date releases proliferated during the pandemic while studios turned to boosting their in-home streaming services and compensating for diminished ticket sales. Theater owners have said that sacrifices many millions in box office and may deter from a movie's cultural impact. And, lately, the box-office returns even during the recent coronavirus surge have been promising. Disney's Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings smashed the record for Labor Day openings last weekend, earning $90 million over the four-day weekend. Many in the industry have taken that as proof of the power of a theater-only release, and a positive sign for the fall movie season. Sony Pictures immediately after moved up the release of its Marvel sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Following the tremendous box office success of our summer films which included five of the top eight domestic releases of the year, we are excited to update our theatrical plans for the remainder of 2021, said Kareem Daniel, chairman of Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, in a statement. As confidence in moviegoing continues to improve, we look forward to entertaining audiences in theaters, while maintaining the flexibility to give our Disney+ subscribers the gift of Encanto this holiday season. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. There is reason for concern, experts say. More than half the currently irrigated land in portions of western Texas, eastern New Mexico and the Oklahoma Panhandle could be lost by the end of the century with 80% of those losses by 2060, according to a study published last year. But areas throughout the aquifer also are vulnerable. The central part could lose up to 40% of irrigated area by 2100, with more than half the losses in the next 40 years. Those losses might be slowed as farmers adapt to lower water levels, researchers say. But the projections underscore the need for planning and incentives in vulnerable areas. NEW DUST BOWL ZONE The USDA has identified a Dust Bowl Zone that covers parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas vulnerable to severe wind erosion and where grasslands conservation is a priority. Already, reestablishing native vegetation in the sandy soil over the Ogallala has proven difficult where irrigation ceased on former Kansas farmland. The same is true on land outside the Ogallala previously irrigated by rivers, including in Colorados Arkansas River Valley, where agricultural land dried out before native grasses could be established. South Korea: Four Exchanges Safe but USD 2.6B Closure Storm Brewing Source: Adobe/Gavin There is mixed news for the crypto exchange industry in South Korea, where it looks like the fate of the four biggest trading platforms is now secure but customers of smaller exchanges could be caught up in a USD 2.6bn maelstrom. After a new crypto law came into force earlier this year, exchanges have been told that they must register with the regulatory Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) by September 24 or close or suspend their business operations. To do so, they need to fulfill a number of criteria, including securing information security management system (ISMS) certification and real-name authenticated banking contracts for their customers. The latter has proved extremely problematic for most exchanges. The market leader Upbit last month became the first to submit its documentation to the FIU and has now been joined by Bithumb, reported Yonhap and Money Today, after Bithumb finally sealed an extension to its deal with its existing banking partner NongHyup Bank (NH). The big four already have banking deals in place and have all been offering real-name banking services for several years on six-month contracts with their partner banks. However, all four of the groups deals had been due to expire on September 24. But it looks like the rest of the big four will also submit their paperwork ahead of the deadline. Earlier this week, South Korean crypto industry sources told Cryptonews.com that rivals Korbit and Coinone would also file before the week is done and were waiting on official green-lights from their banking partners (NH in the case of Coinone and Shinhan Bank in the case of Korbit). This has proven to be the case: Kuki News reported that NH and Shinhan have now agreed to extend these deals, with a Korbit official stating that the exchange would likely file with the FIU before the end of September 10, or on Monday (September 13). Coinone was quoted as stating it was still hopeful of filing before the end of today. Furthermore, the same media outlet hinted that all was not yet lost for other larger exchanges such as Gopax and GDAC, which it claimed were still in talks with banks. Regardless, banks, which have been told they will need to absorb the risk of hacks and money-laundering cases registered on exchange platforms, are proving reluctant to sign on the dotted line. And YTN reported that the scale of damages from what the media are calling an incoming pile of exchange closures in the nation could hit the USD 2.6bn mark. The Korea Fintech Industry Association has warned that trading in 42 altcoins will effectively be wiped out, with at least 30 exchanges facing imminent closure. But Korea Universitys Kim Hyung-joong, one of the nations leading blockchain academics, stated that the USD 2.6bn figure had been calculated on the basis of exchanges listed on platforms like CoinMarketCap. Plenty of smaller domestic exchanges, he noted, were not listed meaning the losses to investors could rise yet higher than that. The police, YTN concluded, suspect many operators will attempt to embezzle or refuse to refund their customers. The central police agency this week told agencies across the country to set up dedicated crypto units. ____ Learn more: - 24 Crypto Exchanges to Close in South Korea and 18 More Could Follow - Think Tank Tells South Korean Banks: Start Offering Crypto Custody Services - S Korean MP Tells Govt: Dont Let a Crypto Monopoly Emerge - A Crypto Coin Run Could Be Brewing in South Korea HARRISBURG Republicans in Pennsylvanias state Senate are pushing forward what the GOP calls a forensic investigation of last years presidential election, scheduling a Senate committee meeting for next Wednesday to vote on subpoenas. It is another sign that Pennsylvania Republicans will follow in the footsteps of Arizonas Senate GOP, whose widely discredited and partisan election audit began with subpoenas in search of fraud to legitimize former President Donald Trumps baseless conspiracy theories that the election was rigged against him. The newly scheduled meeting came after the top Republican in the chamber, President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, said Friday that he wants to issue subpoenas for information and testimony from top state election officials and the states voter registration system. In his statement, Corman also said the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee which plans to meet Wednesday should take other steps necessary to get access to ballots and other voting materials to begin a full forensic audit of the 2020 General Election. In its online agenda, the Republican-controlled committee said it will meet to consider a motion to authorize the issuance of subpoenas, but did not give further details. Like any historical event, 9/11 will become distilled to mean different things to different people, Edward Kaplan said. It will become shorthand. We will say the same word, but it will mean different things. Graduates of Bismarck High School will gather to reminisce this weekend. The all-class reunion is Saturday from 2-6 p.m. in the high school gym. We have the all-school reunion every two years, said Jerry Freeman, class of 67 and member of the reunion committee. It's a really neat event. The program will start at 3:30 p.m. but the doors open at 2 p.m. and stay open until 6 p.m. for alumni to enjoy refreshments and catch up with classmates. State Senator Elaine Freeman Gannon, class of 71, will be inducted into the Bismarck Hall of Fame. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Gannon was an educator for 32 years, then served in the Missouri House of Representatives for District 115 from 2012 to 2020. She was elected to the Missouri Senate for District 3 in 2020. It was pretty exciting when I heard that and she's very deserving, said Freeman, who is Gannons brother. She's had an outstanding career: her education career, plus being a (state) representative and now a (state) senator. Shes very much committed to community-wide projects and food pantries. It's a remarkable career that Elaine has had. Gannon and Freeman come from a family of 11 kids, who all went to Bismarck schools. This flag consists of 10 elements to symbolize the complex events of Sept. 11 in a simple way students can understand. For almost 20 years, this flag has been raised in hundreds of schools on Patriot Day, the annual anniversary of Sept. 11. Each piece of the foundations steel from World Trade Center Tower 1 is an artifact that allows students to touch a piece of history. With your passion, enthusiasm and support, we believe this project can ignite a movement across the country that changes the way our nation remembers the fateful date of Sept. 11, 2001, said John Riley, president of FFF. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} FFFs 2021 board of directors voted unanimously to invite West County to participate in the National Freedom Flag and World Trade Center Steel Educational Project after they read a Daily Journal article. The piece of steel and the flag will be unveiled at Fridays special Patriot Day ceremony at West County High School. The district will also honor local first responders including firemen, police officers and EMT personnel. Thousands of Missouri children have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the new school year began, and at least one rural school closed for cleaning after an outbreak. A map on the state's COVID-19 dashboard breaks down virus cases among people aged 5-19 within each school district's geographic boundaries, including non-public school children who live within the district. The map shows nearly two dozen districts with at least 41 new cases over the past 14 days. Combined, those districts alone have seen 2,964 illnesses. They include 173 cases in Kansas City and 172 in St. Louis city. Double-digit cases are reported in dozens of other districts. The total number of illnesses among students and staff statewide isn't posted on the dashboard. A Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education spokeswoman said a few small districts in northwest and southeast Missouri have temporarily halted in-person learning because of outbreaks, but she didn't have information on how many. The fight over mask requirements continues to cause disruptions in schools and at school board meetings. On Tuesday night, three people were issued citations after confrontations when a tense school board meeting broke up in Cass County. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} In February 2020, before much of the U.S. had understood the threat of COVID-19, the two filmmakers had already embarked on the film with Faucis participation. (Tobias had initially sought a film about him as early as December 2018.) The project unfolded in relative secrecy. We tried to be quiet, said Tobias. It was also something he said from the very beginning around the more intense period in March [2020]. He said: I do not want to draw attention to myself. What I care about is the health of Americans and the rest of the world. Hoffman and Tobias ultimately filmed with the 80-year-old Fauci and his family for about a year, though because of COVID concerns they didnt begin interviewing him until the fall of last year. They ultimately conducted six sit-down interviews with Fauci. The filmmakers initial plans to profile a pivotal, lesser-known figure had long before changed. By then, of course, it was an incredible story and everyone knew Tonys name, said Tobias, whose film lingers on the array of trinkets bobbleheads, candles, T-shirts adorned with Faucis face, along with an unlikely campaign to make him People magazines Sexiest Man Alive. In a later public comment section, attorney Jeff Fogel accused Brown of interfering in one of his civil lawsuits involving police misconduct. According to Fogel, Brown called his client, LaQuinn Gilmore, and urged him to drop Fogel. Gilmore was the victim of an unlawful detention earlier this year, which has resulted in the firing of a city police officer and a lawsuit. Do you think thats within the confines of the chairman of the board for this body? Is that appropriate? Fogel asked. Though Brown mostly refrained from directly addressing claims and questions posed during public comment sections, he did respond to Fogel and said that Gilmore was a longtime friend and he was concerned with comments Fogel had made about the case. Following this revelation, board member Deirdre Gilmore, who is LaQuinn Gilmores mother, spoke about the frustrations she has with the PBAs apparent involvement with the CRB and Brackneys termination. I think its thanks to the PBA that we lost the chief, and my take on all of this is that the reason they got rid of her is because theres never been any accountability in this city, the beautiful-ugly city that is Charlottesville, Deirdre Gilmore said. Walker did not respond to a request for comment. Magill told The Daily Progress she hopes the community did not interpret her behavior the way Walker did. Everyones entitled to their opinion. Im never ever going to tell anyone how to feel. I wish my actions werent interpreted that way. I do care about all the citizens here, and I do want to make this a more equitable city. Im sorry if the recent City Council meeting and recent decisions by the city government made people feel like I dont believe that, Magill said. But I do firmly believe the city manager, the deputy city managers and the council do want to work towards reducing the impact generations of systemic racism have had in our policies. And I do believe that race has to be looked at with every single issue, Magill said. There are times when Ive disagreed with the mayor on things. I dont believe that I have a better understanding of racism in America by any means. I do my best to listen, and I do my best to make decisions on the knowledge that I have. Hill shared her thoughts on Walkers post in a statement to The Progress. Rubin also consulted his wife, a clinical psychologist at the University of Virginia who works with people who have experienced trauma, about how to properly convey the effects of trauma in an age-appropriate way. A lot of this came through in what the tree feels and experiences. I asked her, If the tree was someone that came into your practice, what would you expect the tree to say? What would the recovery look like? And she walked me through that, he said. One of the big decisions they made to relay this was to give the tree the job of providing shade and refuge in the story. That was something thats kind of good for kids to understand, the tree kind of had a purpose when it was down in lower Manhattan, and then it kind of had to find a different purpose when it came back. The tree was very concerned with its spot. And thats kind of how we approached it. We thought of the tree as a person. How would a person react? And I tried to tell that story as simply as possible, Rubin said. Rubins goal is for the book to help families and educators open conversations with children about the events of 9/11. Its not the void they hoped it would be, Mercer said. The void apparently was used to help place the stone in 1887, which was the first piece of the stone work on the monument. The rest of the pedestal was constructed around it. If the time capsule is ever discovered, it will be taken to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources for opening and care. But Brumfield estimated theres a 90% chance its contents have been ruined by water seeping into the box. Even if it isnt discovered, a new time capsule will be placed in the pedestals cornerstone. Richmond sculptor Paul DiPasquale designed a 12x6x6 stainless steel box to house the artifacts. The box was sealed with silicone and pumped with argon to prevent water and air damage. There are no plans to identify it with a sign. If the pedestal is eventually removed and a new statue or work of art is placed in the circle, the capsule will be buried underground at that location, said Tori Noles Feyrer, a member of the governors staff. The state has tasked the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the city of Richmond to reimagine Monument Avenue and a concept is due Sept. 1, 2022. The state wont remove the pedestal until after the VMFA has completed its project. Memories of Sept. 11, 2001 are cemented into the minds of Americans everywhere. But those memories arent as vivid and emotional for the average citizen as they are for the first responders from that day. David Solomon was working as a crew chief on an ambulance in New York City. He remembers getting a call from dispatch that a plane had hit the North tower of the World Trade Center. He said his crew assumed it was a small plane. Solomon could have never imagined what he was about to see. We pulled up, there were bodies, there were people jumping it was really bad, Solomon said. He added that he saw a couple holding hands jumping out of the building. Solomon is the commander of American Legion Post 10 in Albany. He will never forget what he experienced on 9/11 and he hopes Americans wont either. Pieces of cement were falling as Solomon walked through soot and asbestos. Bodies were piling up. He felt helpless as he took in the immense amount of damage and death. I couldnt help more people, he said. You never want the feeling that you didnt help enough. That was the feeling I was left with. The priority number one for my organization is to step up, scale up our humanitarian work to help those displaced... Winter is coming. It is very cold in Afghanistan during winter, Grandi said. He said: And in order to do that, UNHCR, like other humanitarian organizations, will engage, will discuss with the Taliban. We will discuss with anybody that controls an area where there are people in need. The UNHCR chief made the comment in the Turkish province of Gaziantep, near the border with Syria, at the end of a four-day visit to the Turkey. Turkey, which already hosts some 3.7 Syrian refugees and some 300,000 Afghan migrants, has expressed concern over the potential of large numbers of Afghans heading its way. ISLAMABAD Pakistans foreign minister says the international community is not in a hurry to recognize the Taliban government, although it has a desire to engage with it. Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke at a joint news conference after holding talks with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares in the capital, Islamabad. 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe How many games will the Broncos win during the 2021 season? You voted: International rating agency S&P maintained Bharti Airtels credit rating of BBB-, and upgraded outlook to stable from negative, indicating the companys improved financial status and ability to pay back debt. The stable outlook reflects our view that Airtel will actively manage its leverage such that its ratio of funds from operations (FFO) to debt will stay well above 20% on a sustained basis while maintaining its competitive position, S&P Global said. The Global rating agency said that Bharti Airtel's Indian mobile segment is likely to continue growing at a healthy rate, but there is the absence of across-the-board tariff hikes and is taking place at a slower pace than in fiscal 2021. The board of the company last month approved a proposal to raise upto INR 21,000 crore (USD 2.9bn) through the rights issue. Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal had recently said the company's INR 21,000 crore fundraising will enable the firm to shift from "business as usual" to a higher gear to tap opportunities, improve leverage position, and chase profitable growth by speeding investments in 5G, fibre and data centres. The ratings expect Airtels upcoming mega-funds raise via rights issue to alleviate the likely impact from upcoming 5G spectrum liabilities, which is necessary for the telcos competitiveness. We believe the rights issue aims to preemptively build financial capacity for Airtel ahead of upcoming 5G investments, given the absence of other immediate funding needs, it added. S&P said Airtels improving operating fundamentals should improve its margins and Ebitda and mitigate the potential effect on leverage from expected 5G spectrum investments. It added that Airtels upcoming rights issue also mitigates this risk. Statement by Minister Simon Coveney in response to the speech by DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson Statement Responding to the speech by DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson this morning, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney T.D said: "We take unionist concerns in relation to the protocol seriously and we have consistently sought to listen and engage with those concerns, just as we have with the perspectives of everyone across Northern Ireland. The Taoiseach and Tanaiste met with Jeffrey Donaldson to discuss these issues in detail in the last two weeks. "However, no positive agenda is served by blocking practical North/South Cooperation or by the breakdown of the other institutions of the Good Friday Agreement. "The North South Ministerial Council has an important agenda this autumn including on improving health services, managing environmental challenges, cooperating in education and investing in infrastructure. As we emerge from the Covid pandemic, we should be focussed on working together to support communities and businesses across the island. "We believe people want to see a positive commitment from everyone to resolve issues, not the creation of any new cliff edges or instability. "The EU is already listening closely to concerns in Northern Ireland and is ready to work in good faith to minimise friction. "Vice President Sefcovic is in Belfast today listening to voices across the whole of Northern Ireland society and business and engaging on the issues, and the opportunities, around the Protocol. "Ireland has been, and will continue to be, a strong voice at EU level to encourage solutions and I look forward to speaking to Vice President Sefcovic tomorrow to engage further on the detail. Our focus should be on achieving positive progress. We remain confident that solutions do exist, within the parameters of the Protocol, for the issues that have arisen." ENDS Press Office 9 September 2021 | Statement by Ambassador Byrne Nason at the UNSC Briefing on the situation in Yemen Statement I want to thank our briefers and in particular Entesar for your frank and eloquent contribution today. We should never forget the tragic human consequences of this conflict. I salute your courage and commitment in carrying out such vital work on the ground in Marib. I want to welcome our new Special Envoy Hans Grundberg. Hans, you can be assured of Irelands full support for you and your team as you embark on the challenging task ahead. We call on all actors to engage constructively and in good faith with the Special Envoy. I will make three points today. First, The fighting in Yemen needs to end and end now. The Houthi offensive on Marib is unacceptable. Its impact on the people of Marib, particularly its women and girls, is horrific. Thousands of Yemenis have been uprooted and displaced, as Entesar has so vividly described today. Cross-border attacks on civilian infrastructure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia must end. Escalating violence elsewhere in the country, including in Taiz and Hudaydah, is deeply concerning. Constructive engagement by all parties on a nationwide ceasefire is needed urgently now to allow for a political dialogue under the auspices of the new Envoy to take place. Second, Yemen continues to struggle with the devastating humanitarian consequences of this protracted conflict. Famine-like conditions are a reality for many Yemenis as we have heard, and pose a very real threat to millions of others. The conflict has far-reaching economic consequences, such as the inadequate passage of fuel through Yemens Red Sea ports, which compound the ongoing crisis and undermine the humanitarian response. The longstanding issue of irregular salary payments for civil servants has left millions of doctors, nurses, and teachers struggling to feed their families. Lets be clear. Yemenis are not starving because there is no food. They are starving because they cannot afford it. We urge the parties with the power and means to do so to ensure that an adequate flow of fuel and commodities reaches those who so desperately need it. Finally, The consistent pattern of womens exclusion from the political process in Yemen cannot continue. Entesar has exemplified today why women belong at every table, during peace talks and in the government. Day in day out, women are working to build peace in Yemen. From enhancing the role of political parties in local peacebuilding, to developing local conflict-resolution mechanisms with tribal actors, Yemeni women like Entesar are waging peace, not war. Entesars work with children, who suffer enormously as a result of this conflict, is essential to building sustainable peace. All Yemenis, regardless of gender, age, or background, need to be given the chance to play a substantial role in shaping their own future. This requires full respect for human rights, as well as accountability for human rights abuses. These include conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence, and violations of international humanitarian law. This is not rhetoric. These violations are weaponised to prevent ordinary Yemenis, women in particular, from participating fully in political and public life. Colleagues, Sitting around this table, we have a responsibility, collectively and individually, to act in the face of such immense suffering. Today, we heard clarion calls to action. Let us not only hear these calls, but rather heed them. We owe this at the very least, to the millions of Yemenis, who have clearly already suffered too much. Thank you. Previous Item | Next Item Statement by Minister Simon Coveney at the UN Security Council on the Situation in Afghanistan Statement Firstly Id like to say a thank you to Special Representative Deborah Lyons and the exceptional UNAMA and UN Country teams for your essential work, and commitment, to the Afghan people. I want to also thank Wazhma for powerfully detailing how violence and intimidation is impacting the people of her country - destroying lives, inciting fear, and exacerbating existing challenges, especially for women and girls. Malala thank you for so clearly reminding us of whats at stake for future generations of Afghan children, particularly girls. Im sure you never thought you would see the country take a backward step like we have seen in recent weeks. We meet today at a pivotal moment for Afghanistan; a country facing a serious humanitarian and human rights crisis. The world has watched in horror at the violence and chaos in recent weeks. Millions of Afghans require urgent support, including those recently displaced by conflict, violence and intimidation. And they are in their millions. Collectively, we can avert a humanitarian tragedy in Afghanistan. But it will take an enormous effort. I urge the Taliban to facilitate full, safe and unimpeded access to humanitarian organisations and all of their personnel, regardless of gender. They should be able to carry out their life saving, and life sustaining work, without interference or fear. To ensure this access - and the right of Afghans and foreign citizens to safely leave Afghanistan it is vital that Kabul airport and Afghanistans land borders are fully open and operational. The international community has a responsibility to continue to support humanitarian relief efforts. Ireland will play its part, including through participating at the High Level Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan on 13th September. As we build on our announcement last month of emergency funding to UNHCR, in recognition of our responsibility to Afghan refugees and host countries. Afghanistan also faces a governance crisis. Participation in political and civic life is the right of all Afghans - women, men, young people, minorities and civil society. A government that does not harness the full strength, talent and diversity of the Afghan people that does not allow for the right to peaceful protest and for free and independent media - cannot lay the groundwork for a peaceful and secure Afghanistan into the future. We know from our own experience in Ireland that the full, equal and meaningful participation of women is a prerequisite for sustainable peace and political stability. Ireland urges this Council to place clear priority on womens involvement in the processes that shape their future. We owe this much to the women peacebuilders, many of who have given everything and are risking their lives for peace. The rights of women and girls to full and equal access to education; to healthcare; to freedom of movement in their own country; and to participate fully in public life - these are universal rights. These are not rights which are reserved only for women and girls from certain countries, or of certain ethnicities, or from certain religious traditions. These are rights that belong equally to all 7 billion of the worlds population. Quite simply, women and girls in Afghanistan must be treated as equal citizens. It has been said time and again around this table that only an inclusive, negotiated, political settlement offers a sustainable future for all the Afghan people. Frankly, we have seen no evidence of this in the approach of the Taliban so far. What they have said, and what they have done, seem to me to be two very different things. Those who have seized power now bear the ultimate responsibility to ensure the safety, security and human rights of the Afghan people. Any new administration must adhere to Afghanistans obligations under international law, including international humanitarian, refugee and human rights law. I call on the members of this Council to send an unequivocal message: that those who violate international laws and perpetrate human rights violations must be and will be - held accountable by the international community. The events of 26 August left us in no doubt that terrorism remains a present danger in Afghanistan. I want to express, from this chair, the deep sympathies of the Irish people to the families of those killed and injured in the horrifying attack at Kabul Airport. Afghanistan must never again become a haven for international terrorism. I repeat the demand of this Council that Afghan territory not be used to threaten or attack any country, to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan and finance and terrorist acts. The Taliban must unequivocally break ties with all international terrorist organisations or continue to face sanction and isolation. The fundamental responsibility of this Council is to the maintenance of international peace and security, and to uphold the Charter of the United Nations. If we are not attempting to do that, we need to ask ourselves a serious question in terms of what this Councils role really is. The adoption of Resolution 2593 last week was a positive first step, clearly demonstrating the expectations of the international community. And a statement of unity and intent from this Council. But this Council can, and must, do more. It is essential that we act with clarity, with determination and perhaps most importantly, with unity. At this time of uncertainty, UN operations in Afghanistan are more essential than they have ever been. UNAMAs mandate expires on September 17th. Ireland is actively engaging with fellow Council members to ensure that UNAMAs vital activities continue, and to allow them to work on next steps. This is surely a moment for the Council to stand united. That unity will be vital to achieve consensus on a mandate that supports a peaceful, equal and inclusive future for all Afghans. That unity will be vital if we are to influence decisions of Taliban leaders currently deciding on the future of their own country. We have heard in this chamber today, from Deborah, from Wazhma and from Malala, the reality of what the Afghan people face. Your testimonies will stay with every person in this chamber, and serve I hope as a reminder of this Councils responsibilities. We all have an obligation to act together and not to fail the people of Afghanistan. Thank you Previous Item | Next Item Moscow, ID (83843) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 71F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 39F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Ongoing COVID-19 tests will be given at the Coffee County Health Department on Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. To schedule an appointment, call 334-347-9574. The DAV van service for local veterans will make runs to Montgomery and Tuskegee on Mondays and Fridays. The van will leave from the Hardees restaurant on Rucker Boulevard in Enterprise at 5 a.m. and from the Dothan Civic Center at 5:30 a.m. Due to COVID restrictions, there is only space for four riders each trip. Veterans who need rides to VA hospitals in Montgomery or Tuskegee can call 334-308-2480 to reserve a seat on the Enterprise van or 334-446-0866 for the Dothan van. The Enterprise YMCA will hold square dancing classes every Monday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the main building located on Highway 27 across from Hobby Lobby in Enterprise. Singles and couples are welcome, dancing experience not required! For more information, call 334-237-0466 or 334-347-4513. Enterprise Parks and Recreation is hosting senior aerobics at the Enterprise Farmers Market Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Make new friends, enjoy fun music and get moving! Jackson Hospital Administrator Brooke Donaldson and its Board of Trustees President Keith Williams were successful Tuesday in asking that the city of Marianna table until next month a decision on whether to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, a non-binding economic development agreement, with a possible competitor of the hospital. In addition to in-patient services, the hospital has an outpatient services array. The hospital offers orthopedic and general outpatient surgeries, among other things. The agreement being considered by the city also proposes incentives to be offered by the Jackson County government. Williams said later that he and the hospital leaders are grateful for the citys delay of a decision and that, no matter the eventual outcome, hope beyond all else to keep good relationships with the city and county entities. Currently code-named Project Skeleton, to protect the identity of the business and to honor non-disclosure agreements with it, as is common at this stage of economic development projects, the governments representatives are barred from discussing the matter much degree beyond official measures being considered. Flood-prone Houston and storm-battered Louisiana are in the path. The hurricane could bring up to 20 inches of rain to parts of the Gulf Coast. Get the latest and follow a map of the storm's path. Hundreds of first responders, mostly firefighters, lost their lives that day while saving countless others. Others who survived the initial event are still dying today because of exposure to toxic fumes in the towers. Capt. Jeremy Alley was sweating when he finished the stair climb in full gear. On his climb, he carried with him badges with the faces of four first responders who perished on 9/11 hed received while participating in stair climbs in Panama City. These are the four that I climb for, he said as held up the badges. Because of the high-risk nature of his job, Alley said he also climbed for his fellow firefighters who have died. With the brotherhood and sisterhood, we remember each other every day, Alley said. Whenever we get on the trucks, thats who we do it for. We do it for each other and thats why were here as a crew and thats when we walked as a crew is we hold each other close. First responders will climb in shifts until 8 a.m. Saturday, at which time a Patriots Day ceremony will begin in the Civic Center, a joint effort by the City of Dothan and Houston County. Sable Riley is a Dothan Eagle staff writer and can be reached at sriley@dothaneagle.com or 334.712.7915. Support her work and that of other Eagle journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at dothaneagle.com . Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Winchester said he planned to make it look like Williams had drowned. But after pushing him overboard, Williams did not get dragged underwater by his duck-hunting equipment. So Winchester said he shot him in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun. He then dragged his body to shore, put him in the back of his truck and drove back to Tallahassee. He eventually buried him later in the day alongside a small lake located north of town. Without a body, Denise Williams petitioned to have her husband declared dead due to accidental drowning. Winchester and Denise Williams married in 2005, but the relationship soured and they divorced in 2016. The case broke after Winchester kidnapped Denise Williams at gunpoint in 2016, authorities said. He eventually made a deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to 20 years in prison for that crime. He later led authorities to the remains of Mike Williams and testified against Denise Williams in exchange for immunity in that case. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Tallahassee (Fla.) Democrat. "People are heading out more because of whats happening in Sydney and Melbourne. They want to enjoy life because we dont know whats ahead, Guazzelli said. While there's some frustration in Western Australia over hassles from the border restrictions such as not being able to see family elsewhere, the premiers pandemic response has earned him record approval ratings and a celebrity status within his state that is extraordinary in Australian politics. Some supporters have even gotten tattoos of the image of McGowan. His appeal is particularly strong with the young, many of whom are enjoying a thriving bar and nightclub scene. You have to feel sorry for young people in other parts of the world who have missed out on the nightlife, so I feel lucky to have been able to live my life, said Sean McDonald, a 23-year-old college student. A lack of concern about the virus in Western Australia is reflected in the lowest vaccination rate in the country, at 36.3%, followed by Queensland at 36.4%. The national vaccination rate is 40.4%. Western Australia and Queensland blame their late rollouts on the federal governments failure to provide more vaccines earlier. Workers are seen at seafood processing factory Trung Son Corp in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by VnExpress/An Phuong Factories in HCMC that are reopening after two months of suspension due to Covid-19 are having trouble recruiting workers who have settled down in their hometown. Seafood processor Trung Son Corp in Ho Chi Minh City has recently resumed operating after 70 days of suspension, but with only about 10 percent of its employees. With 119 workers compared to the pre-pandemic level of nearly 900, the company would only able to operate at half capacity by the end of the year, said deputy director Le Minh Tam. The outbreaks in HCMC have caused 300 employees of Trung Son to contract the novel coronavirus while the remainder had to be isolated in quarantine facilities. After the difficult time most workers have left the city for their hometowns and have been able to find jobs there. "The emotional attachment with their family makes them not want to return to work," Tam said, adding those who stayed in the city have also found other jobs. Precision manufacturer Nidec Vietnam in Thu Duc City is in a similar plight as it has been shut down since mid-July, putting nearly 6,000 workers out of jobs. It has now resumed operation with a plan to recruit 3,000 workers but is still 1,000 short, according to the companys labor union chairman Luu Kim Hong. Even with the perks of free Covid-19 tests, hotel accommodation, 70 percent salaries during suspension, and a daily stipend of VND140,000 ($6.16), workers remain uninterested as they prefer to stay in their hometowns for their own safety and that of their families, he said. Trung Son and Nidec Vietnam are two of 1,600 companies in 17 industrial parks and manufacturing zones in HCMC set to face major labor shortage upon resumption. At least 20,000 workers across industrial parks have left the city for their hometowns, according to an estimation by the Ho Chi Minh City Export Processing Zone and Industrial Park Authority Business Association (HBA). There are also tens of thousands of workers who reside in HCMCs neighboring provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong and Long An, who cannot return to work in the city due to mobility restrictions, it said. It is very difficult for this group of workers to receive two vaccination doses so they can return to work when the economy resumes, said Nguyen Van Be, HBA chairman. Footwear maker Samho Vietnam in HCMCs Cu Chi District has been struggling to recruit employees after failing to provide them support during suspension. The company stopped paying salaries on July 31 due to financial difficulties. It has asked the government to provide support of VND3.7 trillion to each worker but the petition has not been approved. "Workers have no support to live in the city. Most of them are trying to survive here and will leave for their hometowns once restrictions are relaxed," said Nguyen Thanh An, chairman of the companys union labor. The footwear industry in Vietnam has over 1.5 million workers employed by 2,000 companies, and the suspension of over 90 percent of them have sent many to their hometowns, intensifying labor shortages, said Phan Thi Thanh Xuan, deputy chairwoman of the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso). Companies want to bring their workers back but uncertainties about when the economy would fully reopen make them hesitant in signing new contracts, she said. The government should order localities to bring workers back to HCMC, she added. HCMC has 1.2 million factory workers, and 320,000 of them work in industrial parks and manufacturing zones. As of Sep. 1, over 10,600 companies employing nearly 14,000 workers were operating with limited capacity. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal both recommend 'My First Day' as one of the picture books to purchase for the new school year. 'Hanh Trinh Dau Tien' (My First Day) is written and illustrated by KAA, the pen name of Saigon-based author-illustrator pair Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien. It tells the story of how a young boy named An from the Mekong Delta region makes his first trip to school by himself during the rainy season. "This is the first time Ive made this trip on my own, weaving through floodwaters and forests," the boy said. In the book, An is confronted by many obstacles, from giant crested waves, heavy rainfall and eerie forests where fear takes hold of him. As he paddles down past obstacles such as snakes and crocodiles, the jungle "calls your name, asks you to be brave." Wall Street Journal wrote the book has "lush and sweeping illustrations" and is a sumptuous picture book affirming that "however children may get to class, jitters on the first day are universal." Meanwhile, New York Times said the words and images show "how tiny humans are in relation to nature, and how much some will risk to get an education." The two Vietnamese artists created the book in 2014 to participate in the "Scholastic Picture Book Award" competition in Singapore, where it surpassed hundreds of other stories sent back from all over Asia to win the top prize. The book was published in Vietnamese in 2018. The English version of the book was released by American published Penguin Random House in February. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Since the beginning of the year, Saudi Arabia has endured more than 240 attacks from the Houthis, who have endangered the Saudi people alongside more than 70,000 U.S. citizens residing in Saudi Arabia. The Mekong River links some 70 million people in Southeast Asia who rely on the river for their livelihood, transportation, and energy needs. But because problems at any point affect millions of people downstream, nearly three decades ago Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam formed the Mekong River Commission, or MRC, an intergovernmental organization for regional dialogue and cooperation on water resources management and sustainable development. The United States formally supports the MRC as a Development Partner. In July 2009, the United States, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam formed the Lower Mekong Initiative to advance sustainable economic growth in the region. In 2020, the Lower Mekong Initiative expanded and became the Mekong-U.S. Partnership, growing integrated sub-regional cooperation among the five regional partner countries, with support from the United States. Thus, the United States established itself as a committed partner in addressing trans-boundary challenges faced by the Mekong region. With our Mekong partners, we are strengthening good governance, economic independence, and sustainable development by promoting transparent, rules-based policies, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a written statement. Indeed, the Partnership is part of broader U.S. support for the regions ASEAN-centered architecture. Over the years, it has improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the Mekong region. Nonetheless, with the passage of time come new challenges made more complex by their transnational reach, such the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. To combat the prevailing threat of the last two years COVID-19 the United States delivered 8.5 million vaccines and close to $60 million in assistance to date to countries in the Mekong subregion, and we will continue to work closely with local health authorities in pandemic preparedness and mitigation. We provide these vaccine doses free of charge with no political or economic strings attached, said Secretary Blinken on August 3 at the Mekong-U.S. Partnership ministerial meeting. This coming year, we can look forward together to expanded engagement on issues that affect not just the Mekong region, but the globe, including supporting womens empowerment, strengthening health systems to prepare for the next pandemic, and raising our climate ambition, he said. The Mekong-U.S. Partnership is putting into action President Bidens view that we can only meet todays accelerating global challenges by working together. As we combat the pandemic and recharge our economies, Mekong-region countries can count on the United States and the Friends of the Mekong. Todays youth are far more than future leaders, creators, explorers and movers. Young people are, in fact, some of our strongest partners in securing peace and progress on the ground, said USAID Administrator Samantha Power. In everything from advocating on behalf of the marginalized and people with disabilities, to embracing and employing clean energy and sustainable farming techniques, to driving peaceful movements for democracy on nearly every continent - young people are not waiting for change- young people are driving change. And they are documenting it as they go, she said. Theyre not just making a difference; theyre telling stories of impact and progress. Theyre communicating urgency. Theyre generating awareness with compelling images and persuasive messages. They are better at this than my generation and other generations that have come before them; they are inspiring others to follow their example. Last August 12, USAID launched the Global Leadership and Education Advancing Development, or Global LEAD Initiative, to engage one million young people as partners in their own countries development. In addition to expanding new programming around education, civic engagement and leadership, this initiative and USAID offered young people a chance to share the impact of their projects to the world through the #WatchOurImpact Global LEAD Digital Storytelling Contest. Young people were urged to submit an original, three-minute video or slideshow that told the story of their youth-led actions to advance local, national, or global development. The five winners that were chosen on August 2, and on August 12, took part in the Global LEAD #WatchOurImpact Dialogue. Best Overall Video winner was S. Abida Bhirawasiwi for his documentary on a group of Philippine, Indonesian and Malaysian youth who are working to mitigate the enormous environmental impact caused by disposable mask waste. The Most Inspirational Video prize went to Ineza Umuhoza Grace of Rwanda, whose video, Power of a Voice to Drive Impact in the Community, dealt with young changemakers impacting climate change. Most Impactful Video, Creating Safe Spaces to Provide Learning Opportunities, belongs to Chaima Amraoui [Male] of Tunisia. Beatrice Ndisha Mwanjala of Kenya won Best Overall Slideshow for An Arid of Affli ction, describing how her arid homeland shaped her destiny. And 3-D Animated Videos for COVID-19 Response in Tanzania by Padili James won for most engaging video. Despite the enormity of the challenges that lie ahead, said Administrator Power, USAID sees in its youth partners a willingness and capacity, not just to make an impact, but to inspire others to join the cause. Recounting memorable scenes, the president reviewed Belmondo's long career more than 80 films over six decades. The star worked with a variety of major French directors. Jean-Luc Godards 1960 movie Breathless (A Bout de Souffle in its original French title) brought both men lasting acclaim. Belmondo, affectionately known as Bebel, played roles from thug to police officer, thief to priest, Cyrano de Bergerac to unshakable secret agent. He was also a gifted athlete who often did his own stunts. For his family, Belmondo was still more. With his constant smile and positive outlook, he is an eternal sun, said his grandson, Victor, in a tribute. Have fun with your buddies, he concluded in a reference to Belmondo's friends who predeceased him. Many fans inside and outside the Invalides donned rakish caps like those that have come to identify Belmondo, or concocted outfits to resemble him in his film roles. Hats off to the artist because hes really a guy who deserves that we be here for him and thank him for the panache he had in all his films, said Frederic Zamparini, 55, in an outlandish costume like what Belmondo wore in the 1980 French-Italian comedy Le Guignolo red polka-dot briefs and top hat. ELKO Cashman Equipment Co. representatives will be taking 90 years of their companys history with them when they attend the 2021 MINExpo next week in Las Vegas. Big Jim Cashman, an entrepreneur and pioneer in Southern Nevada, began his business activities in the early part of the last century as a stage line operator out of Searchlight. From Searchlight he relocated to Las Vegas to own and operate a General Motors car dealership in downtown Las Vegas on Fremont Street near the Union train station. Further business pursuits included a regional airline serving Las Vegas. With the need for water control, storage, energy and irrigation, a monumental concrete dam project was proposed and planned for the Colorado River in the Boulder Canyon just south of Las Vegas in the late 1920s. President Calvin Coolidge signed the bill for this massive federal project. A consortium of six large national construction contractors was awarded the job. Known as the Six Companies, they needed a massive amount of equipment and a huge skilled construction trade workforce. Boulder City was created to accommodate this. ELKO Three additional schools have been identified to be experiencing outbreaks in Elko County. As of Thursday afternoon, Adobe Middle School, Liberty Peak Elementary School and Spring Creek Middle School have reported an excess of ten positive cases of COVID-19 within their schools. This announcement comes only a day after Elko High School, Flag View Intermediate School and Spring Creek High School were also identified as having a school-wide outbreak. As a result, students in attendance are required to wear a face covering when indoors per Nevada Declaration of Emergency Directive 048. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} I understand the concerns parents and students have with masks, but the practice of wearing one in our schools is one more step we can take to alleviating positive cases and close contacts within our schools, said Interim Superintendent Jeff Zander. The District reminds the community that keeping schools open to in-person learning remains its top priority. CARSON CITY (AP) All 17 counties in Nevada will be subject to an indoor mask mandate by the end of the week, health officials said Wednesday. An emergency directive from Gov. Steve Sisolak requires counties adopt mask requirements for indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor spaces in line with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention if they surpass thresholds for COVID-19 transmission. Rural Eureka County is the state's only jurisdiction currently not subject to a mask requirement, but reported high transmission for the second week in a row, triggering the mandate for Friday, Sept. 10. The reintroduction of masks and the debut of vaccine requirements in venues like sporting events, conventions and some schools have been met with resistance throughout the state. In the Las Vegas area, the president of the school board says she has received death threats since the district approved a requirement for employees to get COVID-19 vaccinations. Clark County School District Board of Trustees President Linda Cavazos said on Twitter that the threats had very disturbing images" but that she and her colleagues were continuing to do their jobs, KVVU-TV reported Wednesday. Both Biden and Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak have adopted more aggressive postures regarding vaccines and particularly the segments of the population that remain unvaccinated. DuAne Young, Sisolak's policy director, appealed to employees' dedication to public service and sense of duty, which he said should prevent what he called insubordination. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Employees of the Nevada Department of Corrections warned the board of health that the requirement could prompt mass resignations, exacerbate staff shortages and make it impossible to operate prisons. Since at least December, correctional officers have warned that they would quit before being forced to be vaccinated. Correctional officer Michael Dante said up to 75% of staff at High Desert State Prison in southern Nevada weren't vaccinated. If they say, OK, you dont have a job anymore,' then 75% of your workforce is gone. Then that means the National Guard is going to have to come in and run the prison. Thats going to be a mess itself, he said. The requirement comes as Nevada reaches another coronavirus milestone topping 400,000 known cases of COVID-19 this week since the pandemic began. Gilbert has previously filed several unsuccessful and ongoing lawsuits against Sisolak, the state and Clark County School District challenging mask mandates and other restrictions intended to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 including a lawsuit filed in November 2020 on behalf of Central Cinema of Ely in White Pine County challenging the constitutionality of Sisolaks emergency directives. I just think that this stuff with the kids, and with anything thats happening with them testing, masking, any vaccines, anything like that should be a matter of choice and not the governor forcing any kind of mandate down anybodys throat, Gilbert told the commissioners. Gilbert suggested two different options to help the county push back against COVID-19 restrictions: He could represent a business or two that are tired of having to wear a mask or tired of their employees having to get tested or vaccinated, or he could represent the county itself. Gilbert noted that litigation on behalf of the county, rather than a local businesses, might have a diminished chance of succeeding at the district court level. All voted in favor of impeaching Trump for his role in inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Trump met with Hageman last month as he assessed the potential candidate pool, hoping an early endorsement would help clear the field and prevent a crowded primary that might be advantageous to Cheney's reelection bid. At least half a dozen other Republicans have announced their intentions to run. Hageman was an early supporter of Cheneys unsuccessful attempt in 2013 and 2014 to oust popular U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi. But in a statement from her campaign, she said she is taking on Cheney, who has angered Wyoming voters and was censured by the Wyoming Republican Party earlier this year, largely for her support of the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. The people of Wyoming deserve leaders who reflect their views and values, but Liz Cheney betrayed us because of her personal war with President Trump, who won Wyoming by massive majorities twice, Hageman said. Cheney has lost the trust of the people of our state, just as she has lost any ability to be a leader for us in Washington, D.C." But there is another side to this balancing act. When I returned to the office, I was able to have lunch with an old friend. We discussed the death of his father and the birth of his first grandchild. He asked how I was coping with tragedy in my own family. The bonds were strong, the hugs and handshakes irreplaceable. More than half of those surveyed by the staffing agency Randstad said the main thing they missed about the office was interacting with co-workers. This was particularly true for younger employees, who are more likely to live alone and lack family support systems. The mental health repercussions of this could be serious, with not just productivity at stake, but the well-being of the younger employees themselves, reports Tech.Co. A smart businessman who runs a financial services firm told me that while his senior people were fine working remotely, it was much harder for new employees who didnt understand the culture or values of the company. Another executive pointed out that while he could maintain ties with existing clients online, initiating new business relationships and establishing a level of trust required in-person contact. On that day 20 years ago this week, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld declared war on Pentagon bureaucracy, saying that it was a threat to national security and a matter of life and death. A day later, the nations security would be breached and there would be a new threat that truly was a matter of life and death. On that day two decades ago, Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware delivered a speech warning that Americas role in the world was in danger of being undermined by Washingtons willingness to go it alone and its readiness to make unilateral decisions in what we perceive to be our own self-interest. A day later, events would be set in motion in which the country was willing largely to go it alone and make unilateral military decisions. On that day, American warplanes attacked farms sheltering three surface-to-air missile sites 100 miles southeast of Baghdad in Iraq. A day later, those sites, and other military installations throughout the country, would be in fresh danger from a newly mobilized American military. Almost all other defenses can be countered by the lefts own ideology. No one can tell a person what they can do with their own bodies. That is obviously not true. What about a vaccination? What about being drafted into a war? Whose body are we talking about? When is a fetus not part of the mothers body? At its first heartbeat? When it could live outside of the womb? One of the first functions of any government is to protect life. The first oath of a doctor is to do no harm. Depending upon its definition, abortion does not protect life and requires doctors to perform procedures potentially harmful to a person to prevent a natural function. What about the issue of equity? Depending upon the source, Blacks have an abortion rate three to five times higher than whites. If a fetus is a life, then Black lives dont matter. What about the sincere beliefs of others? In a culture that puts safe space signs to protect college students from even hearing something with which they might disagree, what about the feelings of people who see abortion as a type of murder? Because outdoor Dutch oven cooking utilizes hot coals, Nevada Outdoor School encourages people to practice Leave No Trace and refrain from cooking directly on the ground as it can scar and damage the earth. Plus, having a cook table saves the back! A cook table needs to be inflammable and able to withstand heat. The cook table needs to be large enough to allow for space around the Dutch oven and between each oven if cooking with more than one. The cook table needs to be at a height that you can lift your ovens onto the surface and be able to remove and replace lids easily. Having a table that can accommodate a windscreen is also helpful, especially in the afternoon winds of Nevada. Nice-to-haves are shelves and hooks for keeping tongs, gloves and other equipment. Finally, the clean-up of a cast-iron Dutch oven is important so it is ready-for-action the next time your stomach grumbles for some amazing food. Though there are differing opinions on whether or not to use dish soap, this is how Nevada Outdoor School cares for our Dutch ovens as recommended by our dear friend Terry Bell, The Dutch Diva. Wipe down the Dutch oven, removing as much food as possible. Next, add a small amount of water and a few drops of dish soap and scrub off any remaining food particles with a plastic scrub brush. Rinse and dry thoroughly. If you do not have the chance to clean your Dutch ovens immediately after use and you are left with dry, baked on food, you can fill it with water and bring to a boil, being sure to cover places that have residue that may be left. After water boils, allow it to cool and then scrub the interior using a dish scrubber or plastic spatula. After a good scrub, rinse well and dry. Heating up the pot to thoroughly dry is not a bad idea to remove all moisture. Finally, after your cast-iron pot is clean and dry, rub in a small amount of cooking oil or Camp Chef Cast Iron Conditioner using a paper towel. Store with a paper towel hanging over the edge of the pot and under the lid to wick out any environmental moisture that the ovens may be exposed to. California Governor, Gavin Newsom, is in the midst of a recall election, posing the question as to how many times a governor has been recalled in California, if ever. The recall election began with a petition, which was signed by 1.5 million people. The petition did not mention the coronavirus pandemic, and was actually extended due to the pandemic. However, Democrat Gavin Newsoms handling of the pandemic did result in an increase in signatures. Originally, the petition referenced high taxes for conservatives, homelessness, and other matters. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are campaigning for Newsom in California. Has a California governor ever been recalled? 2003 was the first year that a governor in California was recalled. Gray Davis was elected in 1998 as the governor of California and was reelected in 2002. A year later, Davis was recalled and replaced by republican candidate, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Why did the 2003 recall happen? 55% of California voters were in favor of recalling Gray Davis. The outrage came from people who did not agree with how Davis handled the electricity crisis. In the early 2000s, California had a limited electricity supply due to the deregulated electricity industry. Debts began to increase, and the state utilities were no longer being sold the electricity, which led to blackouts. While Davis said the blame was on the utilities companies, people in California began to get frustrated with the governor, eventually leading to his recall. Davis did not sign the bill that led to the crisis, but people grew angry with the governors slow and ineffective response. Davis approval rating significantly decreased as a result of the situation. In 2021, California was one of 21 states that permitted recall elections. However, the 2003 recall was the first and only time a governor has ever been recalled in California. Since 1911, recalls have been allowed in Californias political system. Though only one recall has successfully taken place, 179 recalls have been proposed since 1913. We are approaching the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, which took the lives of thousands of innocent people and emergency officials. Many of these victims still suffer daily from the trauma experienced in the attacks, the sense of survivors guilt, and the injuries they sustained. How many people died in the attacks? 2,997 people were killed in the September 11th attacks on the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and in the United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed into a Pennsylvania field. 19 hijackers committed murder-suicide in the four attacks. How many firefighters died in the attacks? Following the attacks, emergency officials rushed to rescue people trapped in the towers. 412 emergency workers and 343 firefighters ended up getting killed in the 9/11 attacks. Over 6000 people were injured on September 11, 2001 in the attacks. Some survived thanks to the bravery shown by the firefighters that rescued them and others were able to escape the towers before they collapsed. The names of all of the people who died on September 11th can be seen in a memorial located where the World Trade center complex once stood in New York City. The Pentagon and the Twin Towers were symbols of the United States, globalization, and power, and that is likely why they were chosen as the target of the attacks by the extremist terrorist group, Al-Qaeda. 20 years after the attacks, victims are still being identified. Two victims have recently been identified, one of whom was Dorothy Morgan, of Hempstead, New York. The other victim has not been publicly named per request by his family. Dr. Barbara A. Sampson, the chief medical examiner, made a statement saying, Twenty years ago, we made a promise to the families of World Trade Center victims to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to identify their loved ones, and with these two new identifications, we continue to fulfill that sacred obligation. The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner says that more identifications can be expected thanks to new DNA technology. Headlines - New details emerge over a fourth stimulus check and the reconciliation bill. (Full story) - Conservative Democrats hinder chances that the Child Tax Credit be extended. (Full story) - Many unemployed look for other federal aid available to the jobless. (Full story) - Senator Manchin proposes work requirement for Child Tax Credit. - Will the expanded Child Tax Credit be extended through to 2025? (Full story) - Ways and Means Committee releases details of credits, benefits in $3.5tn reconciliation bill (Full story) - Some states are distributing their own stimulus payments (Find out more) Useful information / links California Golden State Stimulus checks: - How you can track your Golden State Stimulus payment Unemployment: - What state schemes are there for Americans who have lost unemployment benefits? (Find out more) Child Tax Credit: - IRS due to send out next Child Tax Credit payment on Wednesday 15 September (How to opt out of monthly CTC) Take a look at some of our related news articles: Ten days since the final US withdrawal, international flights have resumed from Kabul airport. The flight, of more than 200 people, included a sizeable portion of US citizens and Afghans eligible to come to America. Ten US citizens and 11 green-card holders made Thursdays flight, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. More are expected in the coming days and weeks. There had been fears of the Taliban preventing flights to leave Kabul, as mooted by Republicans earlier in the week. Although the flights were delayed for a significant amount of time, the resumption of flights points to an allowance by the Taliban for letting people leave the country. There still remains around 100 Americans still in the country, and the state department says they are doing all they can diplomatically to get them out of Afghanistan. How many Americans are still in Afghanistan? Its estimated that there are less than 200 Americans remaining in Afghanistan, and its likely closer to 100, according to Secretary Blinken. He said that they face a painful choice and many are dual citizens with deep roots and extended family in the country. The State Department will be trying to determine whether they wanted to leave. However, American green-card holders number in the hundreds, but it is unknown whether they will be able to escape the clutches of the Taliban. What's the plan to get them out? The American plan hinges upon support from the Qatari government. The gulf nation operated the latest flight to Doha and, from there, subsequent flights can take people to America. In an interview with CNN, Biden's chief of staff Ron Klain said the government would be "looking to get Americans on those flights." Qatar and Turkey helped rebuild the airport after it had been damaged in the fighting. Qatari envoy Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani said another 200 passengers will leave Afghanistan on Friday. The hope of support from the Qatari government has not gone down well with sections of American society, who are unhappy that American lives could be at risk with no proper plan, rather than hope, to help them. This visit is aimed at implementing the foreign policy set by the 13th National Party Congress, contributing to further promoting the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries. Vietnamese Ambassador to Finland Dang Thi Hai Tam (Photo: VNA) From September 10-11, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue is expected to discuss with Finnish leaders on bilateral cooperation and strategic cooperation fields, directions to strengthen legislative collaboration as well as international and regional issues of mutual concern. The two sides will also talk how to control the COVID-19 pandemic, including cooperation in the supply of vaccines, drugs and medical supplies. Within the framework of the visit, there will be many investment promotion and business connectivity activities between the two countries. Since Vietnam and Finland established diplomatic relations on January 25, 1973, the bilateral traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation have been maintained and developed well. Economy, trade and investment are the top priority areas of Finland in its relations with Vietnam. Finland now ranks 70th out of 140 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. It has provided non-refundable aid for the Southeast Asian country with a total amount of about 340 million USD since 1973. In recent years, as Vietnam became a middle-income country, Finland does not provide more non-refundable aid to Vietnam in particular and to other countries around the world in general, but only continues providing aid to complete all ongoing programmes. According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Finland Dang Thi Hai Tam, Finland considers Vietnam an important partner in Southeast Asia. She proposed the two sides bring into full play the complementarity of the two economies for a new stage in economic development. The Vietnamese community in Finland is very honoured and proud to welcome the top legislator to Finland, Tam said, adding that the visit is a source of encouragement for and reflects the attention the Party and State pay to the Vietnamese community in Finland. Currently, Finnish businesses and organisations have many initiatives and solutions that can help Vietnam develop further and Vietnam is also an attractive market for Finnish businesses, she added./. Ukraine welcomes foreign business and investment, but strategic enterprises must remain under state control, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said. "I know that Chinese business is entering Ukraine, I would like any business to enter Ukraine more, invest more, this is true. As for Ukraine's strategic enterprises that have existed over the past ten years, some of them in terms of shares, were transferred to some Chinese partners, we stopped this by the decision of the National Security and Defense Council. That is, strategic enterprises should be in Ukraine. Business is business, and security is security. This concerns the Motor Sich enterprise, etc. We have such cases," Zelensky said at the Yalta European Strategy Forum in the YES Brainstorming 2021 format in Kyiv on Friday. At the same time, the President pointed out that Ukraine has the largest trade turnover with China and noted that he would like the trade turnover between Ukraine and China to be even greater. "I would like the Ukrainian business to export more to China, because the market is large. Why not?" Zelensky said. According to the President, the conversation about Ukraine's relations with China is "about strategic relations, about strategic economic partners." YES Brainstorming is a new format event for the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation. The topic of the meeting "Post-COVID = Pre-Disaster? Steps to Survival." Lekhim intends to launch phase one of its plant in Uzbekistan in 2023 top manager The pharmaceutical company Lekhim plans to launch phase one of its plant in Uzbekistan in 2023 and open ampoule production, Chairman of the supervisory board of the Lekhim Group Valeriy Pechaev has said. "In 2020, we created the Lekhim enterprise in Tashkent to sell domestic medicines and to organize production in Uzbekistan. The main thing was to find a site for production," he told Interfax-Ukraine. According to Pechaev, the company managed to find a plot of 3 hectares on the outskirts of Tashkent for the construction of the plant. The site is located three kilometers from the territory where the Uzbek government plans to organize a pharmaceutical cluster, but does not apply to it. "We have selected a site, received a permit for perpetual use of land, developed and agreed on a project to master the entire territory and started construction in the spring of this year," he said. Pechaev said that since 2020, Lekhim has invested $2.5 million in this project, the total investment until 2023 will be about $10-12 million, and the total cost of the project is about $ 40 million. "Now, we are financing the project from our own funds, but in 2023 we are planning to attract investments from the EBRD. We have long-standing good relations with them. We think that in 2022, when the buildings and structures are ready, we will attract them to buy equipment," he said. Pechaev said that Lekhim plans to attract financing from the EBRD, which will amount to about 30% of the charter capital. In the future, Lekhim plans to use EBRD loans in construction. The project includes the creation of an ampoule production with an annual capacity of 150 million ampoules, the production of cephalosporin antibiotics with a capacity of about 15-20 million bottles and the production of solid forms of drugs (tablets, capsules) with a capacity of up to 1 billion pieces. "The first stage, I think, will be launched at the end of 2023. It will be ampoule production. In addition, first of all, we will introduce an administrative building, a central laboratory of the plant, an energy workshop and a production workshop itself with an area of 4,500 square meters for three lines of injectable drugs. Each line produces 50 million ampoules. We will launch one line," he said. Pechaev said that in 2024, Lekhim plans to start building a facility to manufacture solid forms and antibiotics. The company plans to annually produce products worth about $60 million in Uzbekistan. The plant will focus on the regional market, its products will be supplied, in particular, to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan and other countries of the region. Pechaev said that "Uzbekistan today is a country with almost 35 million people, rich in natural resources, cheap gas and oil and, what is important, with a favorable investment climate and the protection of foreign investments declared by the state." "Therefore, today in Uzbekistan there is such a boom in investments and a fairly low cost of production," he said. Pechaev said that Lekhim also has a trade office in Lithuania, but there is no talk of organizing a production facility there yet. In addition, the chairman of the supervisory board said that the company is currently also implementing two projects in Ukraine: the construction of a plant for manufacturing cephalosporin antibiotics in injectable and solid forms in Obukhiv (Kyiv region), as well as the launch of vaccine production at the Kharkiv Lekhim plant. "I think that we will launch the plant in Obukhiv by the end of 2021. We plan to launch vaccine production in Kharkiv in the first quarter of 2022," he said. Pechaev said that the capacity of vaccine production will be about 40 million syringes per year. The facility will produce vaccines against COVID-19 and influenza vaccines using technology transferred to Lekhim by China's Sinovac Life Sciences. "China has transferred both technologies to us for the production of a vaccine against COVID-19 and for the production of a vaccine against influenza. We have already declared this in the Ministry of Health and asked to make a state procurement order with us for 2022 for 17 million doses of vaccines against COVID-19 and 3 million doses flu vaccines," he said. Pechaev said that further plans for the development of vaccine production will depend on the epidemiological situation. "I think the coronavirus will never end, and we will just do the annual flu vaccinations," he said. At the same time, Pechaev suggested that over time, the technology of inactivated vaccines against COVID-19, which is used to produce the CoronaVac vaccine, will replace the technologies by which other vaccines against COVID-19 are produced. He said that since the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic, Lekhim has delivered 10.2 million doses of CoronaVac vaccine to Ukraine, including 1.9 million vaccines purchased through the state-owned enterprise Medical Procurement of Ukraine and 8.3 million doses purchased through the U.K. procurement agency Crown Agents. Qatar Airways plane has evacuated a Ukrainian woman with a child from Afghanistan, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko said. "On September 9, the first commercial flight took off from Kabul International Airport after the transfer of power in Afghanistan to the Taliban. Qatar Airways took out more than a hundred people. The vast majority are foreigners. On behalf of Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the Foreign Ministry agreed with the Qatari side on the possibility of evacuating Ukrainian citizens on this flight. Our Embassy in Tajikistan offered Ukrainians in Afghanistan to leave for Doha and then return to Ukraine by commercial airlines. Only two Ukrainians agreed: a mother and her minor child," Nikolenko told Interfax-Ukraine on Friday. He noted that according to the agreement, the Qatari side provided their transportation to Doha and temporary accommodation in Qatar free of charge. "The flight arrived in Doha at 20:00 yesterday. Citizens underwent PCR testing and are awaiting results. In case of negative results, they will be able to return to Ukraine in the near future. Today, a consul is to visit our citizens to provide them with the necessary consular assistance," added Nikolenko. The Crimea Platform, initiated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, is a new tool for the formation of regional and global security, which meets the goals of the Strategy of Ukraine's Foreign Policy Activity, said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. "Our state is creating new alliances and actively forming a new architecture of global and regional security. The Crimea Platform, the Lublin Triangle with Poland and Lithuania, the Associated Trio with Georgia and Moldova, Quadriga with Turkey - these are all completely new instruments, thanks to which Ukraine emphasizes its leadership role and increases our authority in the world arena. We no longer wait for decisions and signals from others, we do not 'sit back' on the sidelines, but act proactively," Kuleba said, speaking at the Verkhovna Rada on Friday. He recalled that 47 countries and international organizations took part in the inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform, which testifies to the unprecedented mobilization of the world community in support of Ukraine and the creation of the first real mechanism that leads to the de-occupation of the peninsula. "Defending Crimea, we are defending the independent path of Ukraine, our conciliarity and the right to independently decide our fate. The battle for Crimea is a battle for Ukraine," the minister said. According to Kuleba, the refusal to actively de-occupy Crimea will lead to the loss of Ukraine's sovereignty and become a failure on the historic "test of maturity." "That is why the de-occupation of the peninsula will be a priority for Ukraine's international activities, my work and the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until we return Crimea," he stressed. The minister also recalled the systemic violations of human rights by Russia in the occupied Crimea, illegal searches and arrests of the Crimean Tatar community and activists. "Moscow's reaction indicates that the Crimea Platform poses a real threat to Russia's intentions to continue the occupation. The Kremlin has taken direct revenge and intimidation. Such emotional actions confirm the moral defeat of Moscow, and the number of participants in the Crimea Platform - the defeat of its diplomacy," he said. Kuleba specified that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, together with foreign partners, is actively working on the immediate release of Nariman Dzhelyal and other representatives of the Crimean Tatar people, all the prisoners of the Kremlin. "The pain and suffering of our compatriots, their families is very difficult. But Russia will not be able to intimidate or stop us. The Crimean platform is an unconditional victory for Ukraine," he stressed. A possible future meeting of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with Russian President Vladimir Putin will be complicated, said Leonid Kuchma, the second president of Ukraine, ex-head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG). "Everything is possible in life. The main thing is the desire of our president ... We will be waiting for a signal from the other side. But this meeting is too complicated from all points of view. It seems to me that I could be wrong - the conversation will be in different languages," Kuchma said in an interview with journalists at the YES Brainstorming forum. According to him, it is not yet clear whether Putin is ready to meet in the framework of problems that now exist in Ukrainian-Russian relations and to take "specific steps." Kuchma added that the big question is whether it is worth "just going nowhere and coming with nothing." YES Brainstorming is a new format event for the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation. The topic of the meeting is entitled "After COVID Means Before the Disaster? Steps to Survival." The annual meetings of the Yalta European Strategy, a public organization that would facilitate the process of Ukraine's accession to the EU, have been held since 2004 at the initiative of Victor Pinchuk. YES meetings have become an open platform for discussing new ideas and views on the development paths of Europe, Ukraine and the whole world. Analysis-Biden has a chance to make the Fed's board look more like America The Federal Reserve Board building on Constitution Avenue is pictured in Washington, U.S., (Photo : REUTERS/Brendan McDermid) As U.S. President Joe Biden assesses whether to reappoint Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and nominate as many as three others to the central bank's powerful board, he has the opportunity to revamp a leadership team long criticized for being too white and too male. The stakes are high for an institution that has failed to reflect the racial, ethnic and gender makeup of the United States, and recently promised to do better. The Fed sets monetary policy, a primary lever in controlling the cost of money and the availability of credit, in a nation where the wealth held by the median white household is nearly eight times that of the typical Black household. Advertisement There are seven seats on the Fed Board of Governors, six of which are currently filled. Just two of the six governors are women, and all of them are white. There have been just three Black board members in the Fed's nearly 108-year history. Powell's predecessor, Janet Yellen, now Treasury Secretary, was the first-ever woman leader of the Fed. In addition to deciding about Powell, whose term ends in February, Biden will have the chance to appoint a new vice chair for supervision, which is a top regulatory role overseeing banks, a separate vice chair who works closely with the Fed chair, and the open spot on the board. He could, theoretically, create a Fed board that has more women than men for the first time in history, a nod to the country's 51% female population. Or he could create one that mirrors the United States' 40% minority population. "It's a huge opportunity that Biden has to shape the personnel and the policy of the Fed both at the top and all the way down," said Claudia Sahm, a former Fed economist and a senior fellow at the Jain Family Institute. BRAINARD, COOK, SPRIGGS Before President Donald Trump, Fed chairs were generally reappointed to another four-year term if they wished to serve, as part of bipartisan tradition. Trump broke tradition by dismissing Janet Yellen. Biden has been under pressure by some Democrats not to renominate Powell, a Republican they see as insufficiently tough on regulating banks and in addressing climate change. However Powell has been broadly praised for the Fed's swift and sweeping response to the COVID-19 pandemic, enjoys bipartisan support in Congress and is reportedly backed by Yellen. During his first term he has called attention to racial inequities and the outsized effects of the pandemic on women and minorities. Democrats' narrow control of the Senate makes any switch at the top uncertain, particularly to a more progressive chair who Republicans are likely to oppose stridently. If he keeps Powell, Biden is expected to nominate women and non-white appointees to other roles at the Board, assuming Vice Chair Randal Quarles and Vice Chair Richard Clarida, both Trump appointees, are replaced when their terms expire in October and January, respectively. Among a diverse group of candidates, Biden is said to be considering Lisa Cook, a Michigan State University economics professor who has written extensively about racial disparities, for one of the Board seats. William Spriggs, an economics professor at Howard University and the chief economist for the AFL-CIO, may also be in contention. It's been 15 years since the Fed has had a Black board member. Sarah Bloom Raskin, formerly a Fed governor and Treasury official, is also reported to be on some lists for a vice chair position. There may also be promotions from within. Fed Governor Lael Brainard, appointed by Obama and favored by some Democrats advocating for change, could be tapped to either replace Powell or become vice chair for supervision when the latter slot opens up. The White House declined to comment. Diversity is a key consideration for the administration's postings, a person familiar with the matter said. FED'S SLOW PROGRESS If Biden doesn't appoint more people of color and women to the Board of Governors, it would be a setback for the central bank after slow but steady progress over the last few years in diversifying its 12 regional Fed banks. It could also cause political blowback for a president who has promised to promote diversity at all levels of government. The Fed has stated "diversity and inclusion is of the highest priority for the Federal Reserve Board." Almost all Fed policymakers now agree that a wide range of backgrounds and views leads to better decision-making in monetary policy and understanding of the U.S. economy as a whole. In 2015, Neel Kashkari was the second Indian-American to lead a regional bank, at the Minneapolis Fed. Raphael Bostic was chosen to head up the Atlanta Fed in 2017, the first Black regional president in history. Bostic, and San Francisco Fed chief Mary Daly, appointed in 2018, are the first two openly gay regional bank presidents. In the next two years a quarter of the 12 Fed bank presidents will reach mandatory retirement age. Currently seven of them are white men, three are white women, and two are non-white. Biden's choices could help the central bank pay closer attention to racial and gender disparities in the labor market and the economy overall, especially as it recovers from the pandemic, analysts say. "If they get it right, they have a Fed Board... that looks and thinks and understands the world through the eyes of working Americans," said Benjamin Dulchin, director of the Fed Up Campaign at the Center for Popular Democracy, a progressive advocacy group. U.S. FDA says it needs more time to decide on Juul, other e-cigarettes A woman holds a Juul e-cigarette while walking in New York, U.S., (Photo : REUTERS/Brendan McDermid) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it needs more time to decide whether e-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc and other major manufacturers can sell their products in the United States. The agency had been expected to make a decision by Thursday, a year after Juul and other e-cigarette brands, including British American Tobacco Plc's Vuse and Imperial Brands Plc's Blu, faced a deadline to file applications showing their products provided a net benefit to public health. Advertisement A federal judge set a September 2020 deadline for the e-cigarette makers and gave companies a one-year grace period to remain on the market without FDA enforcement, while the agency reviewed applications. The agency on Thursday said it continues to "work expeditiously on the remaining applications," adding many are "in the final stages of review." It said products that have not been authorized by the FDA - a category that now includes Juul after the one-year grace period - "are subject to enforcement action at the FDA's discretion." The agency said it will work "as quickly as possible to provide regulatory certainty" and is prioritizing enforcement of e-cigarette products that have not applied for FDA authorization. The FDA's scientific review of e-cigarettes will decide whether they are effective in getting smokers to quit and, if so, whether the benefits to smokers outweigh the health damage to new users - including teenagers - who never smoked. REGULATORY GRAY AREA E-cigarettes have operated in a regulatory gray area for years. The products, which vaporize a nicotine-laced liquid, have been available in the United States since at least 2007, but the FDA did not formally get jurisdiction over the industry until May 2016. During that time, Juul and dozens of competitors introduced products that were grandfathered into the market because they were already being sold before the regulation took effect. The 2016 rule required e-cigarette makers to file extensive applications to the FDA by August 2018 demonstrating the public health benefits of their products, along with data on potential toxins. Under the administration of Donald Trump, the FDA pushed back the application date to 2022, but public health groups sued in federal court and succeeded in getting the deadline moved up to last year. In June, FDA acting Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock told a congressional panel the agency had received applications for 6.5 million products from more than 550 companies, and said reviewing all submissions by Sept. 9 "will be challenging." In August, the agency denied marketing applications for nearly 55,000 flavored e-cigarette products from three small companies for failing to provide evidence they appropriately protect public health. The FDA has so far denied applications from more than 100 companies, but has not made a decision on Juul or other major tobacco industry players. Teenage use of e-cigarettes has surged in recent years, a trend that largely coincided with the rise in popularity of Juul in 2017 and 2018. E-cigarette use among high school students grew from 11.7% in 2017 to 27.5% in 2019, before declining to 19.6% last year, according to a federal survey. A Reuters investigation in 2019 detailed how Juul's developers used tobacco industry research and patents to formulate a smooth but potent blend of liquid nicotine that became a key factor in its popularity among teenagers. (https://reut.rs/3hgWDmI) Facing a backlash from parents, teachers and regulators, including state attorneys general, Juul stopped selling its popular fruit- and mint-flavored nicotine pods in 2019, ahead of an FDA ban on such flavors in early 2020. Over the last two years, Juul has tried to repair its relationship with regulators and the public by taking a lower profile. It stopped print, TV and online advertising in 2019, and pulled back on its international expansion plans to focus on winning regulatory approval in the United States. Federal survey data from last year showed that Juul's popularity among teenagers declined significantly from 2019, but was offset by increases in teenage use of other brands. Juul was still the most popular brand among teenagers, according to the survey. French Republican guards carry the flag-draped coffin of late actor Jean-Paul Belmondo during a ceremony and a national tribute at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris, France (Photo : REUTERS/Eric Gaillard) France staged a grand farewell to Jean-Paul Belmondo on Thursday, saying the charismatic actor and New Wave legend who died on Monday aged 88 would live forever on film screens. Pallbearers carried Belmondo's coffin, covered in the French tricolour flag, into the courtyard of Les Invalides military museum in Paris, where Napoleon is buried, for an official tribute. Advertisement Known affectionately to the French people as Bebel, Belmondo was long one of France's most popular actors, having switched to mainstream movies after rocketing to international fame as a star of New Wave cinema in the role of an existential gangster in Jean-Luc Godard's "A bout de souffle" ("Breathless") in 1959. "He was the friend everyone dreamed of having," President Emmanuel Macron said in a speech at the tribute. "He never stopped renewing himself, reinventing himself, and in doing so conquering successive generations," Macron said, adding: "Adieu Bebel." "Where he is, I'm sure he is smiling, as always," his grandson Victor Belmondo, a budding actor, said at the ceremony in the courtyard of the Invalides, where a large picture of his grandfather, with his trademark jocular smile, stood. Belmondo's family, cabinet ministers and celebrities including Oscar winner Jean Dujardin and many other French actors, as well as fans, attended the ceremony. Belmondo's appeal, a mixture of sensitivity, warmth and unselfconscious ease, created a new romanticism that landed him roles in the films of French New Wave directors including Francois Truffaut, Alain Resnais and Louis Malle. Belmondo switched in the 1960s to mainstream films and became one of France's leading comedy and action heroes. A Tesla service center is shown in Costa Mesa, California, U.S. (Photo : REUTERS/Mike Blake) Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk has asked employees to "go super hardcore" to make up for production challenges early in the third quarter and "ensure a decent Q3 delivery number," according to an internal email seen by Reuters. "The end of quarter delivery wave is unusually high this time, as we suffered (like the whole industry) from extremely severe parts shortages earlier this quarter," he said in the email sent on Wednesday. Advertisement He said Tesla built "a lot of cars with missing parts that needed to be added later." "This is the biggest wave in Tesla history," he said, referring to its end of quarter delivery push. Tesla posted record quarterly vehicle deliveries for the April-June quarter, but Musk said in July that its output growth for the rest of this year would be determined by the global chip shortage situation, which "remained quite serious." Musk has traditionally sent out emails to employees near the end of almost every quarter urging employees to boost deliveries, and sometimes hinting at its delivery targets. LFP BATTERY Tesla has recently started U.S. sales of a Model 3 version with different, lithium iron phosphate batteries, which it said will help bring forward vehicle deliveries. The LFP battery is currently used in Tesla's China-made Model 3 and Model Ys that are sold there and exported to Europe and other countries. Tesla said customers who switch to Model 3 with an LFP battery would be able to receive the model sooner than the original delivery date of year-end. "Due to limited supply and strong customer demand, we are introducing the Model 3 Standard Range Plus battery pack, which we already released in Europe and Asia, to North America," it said in an email to some customers and seen by Reuters. The Egyptian-Turkish diplomatic ties could be restored this year in case the outstanding issues are overcome, the Egyptian premier said Thursday, only one day after both countries wrapped up the latest round of bilateral talks meant to normalise the long-frayed ties. In an interview with Bloomberg, PM Mostafa Madbouly said there are some outstanding issues between the two countries despite the movement that has taken place in the last few months, in reference to the exploratory talks between both countries. Egypt and Turkey started in May exploratory talks for the first time after nearly eight years of frozen relations in a bid to mend fences damaged since the 2013 ouster of late Muslim Brotherhood president Mohamed Morsi, who was backed by the government of Tayyip Erdogan, Turkeys president and then prime minister. The two countries are also at odds over some regional issues, atop of which is Libya a neighbouring country to Egypt due to Turkey's introduction to thousands of paid Syrian fighters into its lands. Madbouly reiterated that Turkeys involvement in Libya remains a key issue for Egypt, saying "no other countries should be physically interfering in Libya." The oil-rich country was gripped by violence and political turmoil following the ouster and murder of its leader Muammar Gaddafi on the heels of a NATO-backed uprising. In recent years, Libya was torn between warring administrations, one in the east and one in the west, before the two camps signed a ceasefire in Geneva last year. Also, an interim government was established earlier this year to guide the country towards the planned polls slated for December. However, the presence of foreign fighters and mercenaries in the Libyan land, including the Turkish fighters, is still one of the challenging issues in the way of the planned elections. Egypt has repeatedly called for the immediate exit of all foreign forces and mercenaries from the North African country that shares a 1,115 kilometre-long border and whose stability is viewed as critical to Egypts national security. The Egyptian calls are in line with other international and regional powers's demands in order to firm up the ceasefire that came into effect in October. Madbouly said in his interview that Egypt is working to help Libyans reach their goal of deciding their own future. "We would like to leave Libyans to decide," their future, he appended. Madbouly's remarks come hours after Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told Bloomberg TV that Egypt is eager to find a resolution and a formula for restoring normal relations with Ankara, albeit he said that "more work needs to be done" to reach such a step. "When Egypt is 'satisfied' that outstanding issues have been resolved, the door will be open for further progress," Shoukry said. The exploratory talks between Egypt and Turkey come as Ankara seeks to end its differences, which have been impacting its economy, with regional powers over several crises in the region. The first round of the exploratory talks was held in Cairo with the presence of Egyptian and Turkish diplomatic officials. The round was described by both sides as "frank and in-depth." Ankara hosted on Tuesday and Wednesday the second round of talks, where both sides agreed to continue engaging in exploratory talks in the future. Harbouring members and leading figures of the Muslim Brotherhood which was designated as a terrorist group in Egypt after 2013 as well as allowing them to voice their anti-Egyptian government rhetoric on Turkish TV channels are deemed among the essential reasons behind the deterioration of the Egyptian Turkish ties. Over the past months, Ankara has reportedly requested the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated channels based in Istanbul dim their criticism of Egypt's government, as Turkey seeks to repair ties with Cairo. Also, Turkey in late August has reportedly prevented two Muslim Brotherhood members accused by Egyptian authorities of masterminding the assassination of former Egyptian prosecutor-general Hisham Barakat in 2015 from leaving its lands. Short link: Egypt is going to receive its first shipment of Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in the second half of September, sources in the Ministry of Health and Population told Ahram Arabic portal on Friday. In late July, Health Minister Hala Zayed announced that UNICEF granted Egypt 63 special refrigerators to store doses of Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and that the units can store nearly 619,000 doses of the vaccine. Egypt already has a stock of coronavirus vaccines from AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sputnik, Johnson & Jonson and locally produced Sinovac. According to health ministry, ten million citizens in the country have been partially or fully vaccinated, with the campaign intensifying its efforts in an aim to innoculate 40 million by the end of 2021. Short link: Egypts Health Minister Hala Zayed discussed cooperation on Thursday with Moderna pharmaceutical company representatives to provide its Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Egypt, the ministry of health said. In a video conference meeting, the minister also discussed ways to produce the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine locally in Egypt to provide vaccines to Africa countries in cooperation with international pharmaceuticals. She added that Egypt was looking forward to allocating production lines in VACSERA factories to produce the vaccine locally, inviting Moderna officials to visit Egypt and to see the production capabilities of VACSERA factories in 6th of October city. From their side, Moderna representatives stated that the company was ready to provide Egypt with shipments of the vaccine. They also updated the health ministry on their future plans concerning vaccine production. Egypts VACSERA started producing Chinas Sinovac locally in late July. Russias Sputnik vaccine will also be produced locally after an agreement with a private sector company. Currently Egypts stock of coronavirus vaccines comprise AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sputnik, Sinovac and Johnson & Johnson. According to source in the Health ministry, Egypt is going to receive Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in the second half of September. Minister Hala Zayed stated last week that ten million people have been vaccinated in Egypt so far. Currently the government is intensifying its mass vaccination campaign in order to reach its target of vaccinating 40 million people by the end of the year. Short link: Thousands of Menoufiya residents on Friday took part in a massive funeral procession for business tycoon Mahmoud El-Araby held in his hometown. Araby, founder and chairman of El-Araby Industrial Group, died on Thursday at the age of 89. He was a pioneer of Egyptian industry, active since the mid-1970s, and was the president of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce. His company, the Al-Araby Group, is one of the largest industrial groups in the country. Araby was popular in the Nile Delta governorate for his huge philanthropy activity. Menoufiya governor Ibrahim Abu Laimoun mourned Araby as a national industry icon and a loyal son of the city. Short link: The African Union said on Friday it was suspending Guinea after a coup in the West African country that saw its president Alpha Conde arrested. The pan-African body said on Twitter that it "decides to suspend the Republic of Guinea from all AU activities and decision-making bodies". The move came after Guinean special forces seized power on Sunday and arrested Conde, who had come under increasing fire for perceived authoritarianism. The AU had on Sunday condemned the military takeover and called for the release of Conde, who became the country's first democratically elected president in 2010. Its move came a day after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also suspended Guinea and said it was sending a mission to the country to evaluate the situation there. The AU's Political Affairs, Peace and Security Council said it called on AU Commission chief Moussa Faki to "engage with stakeholders in the region" on the crisis. Short link: Moscow announced Friday the completion of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which critics say will increase Europe's dependence on Russian gas and bypasses a key EU ally, Ukraine. Nord Stream 2 is expected to double natural gas supplies from Russia to Germany, but it has divided European capitals and raised tensions between the bloc and Washington. The head of the Gazprom energy giant, Alexei Miller, announced Friday that construction was "fully completed," a company statement said. A key controversy is that the pipeline diverts supplies from an existing route through Ukraine and is expected to deprive the EU's partner of crucial transit fees from Russia. Ukraine -- in conflict with Russia since Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea -- has warned Europe that the pipeline could be used by Moscow as "a dangerous geopolitical weapon". "Ukraine will fight this political project, before and after its completion and even after the gas is turned on," Sergiy Nykyforov, the spokesman of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, told AFP. But Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said critics should end efforts to block the project and instead agree "mutually beneficial terms" for its operation. "It is clear to everyone, including critics of Nord Stream 2 and those who desperately opposed its construction, that it cannot be stopped," Zakharova said on the Telegram messenger app. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for the project to be launched "as soon as possible" and dismissed criticism, saying that "everyone" would benefit from it. Running from Russia's Baltic coast to northeastern Germany, the underwater, 1,200-kilometre (745-mile) pipeline follows the same route as Nord Stream 1, which was completed over a decade ago. Like its predecessor, Nord Stream 2 will be able to pipe 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year to Europe, increasing the continent's access to relatively cheap natural gas at a time of falling domestic production. - US pushback - Gazprom has a majority stake in the 10-billion-euro ($12 billion) project. Germany's Uniper and Wintershall, France's Engie, the Anglo-Dutch firm Shell and Austria's OMV are also involved. Former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder serves as chairman of the Nord Stream's shareholders committee. Russia and Germany insist Nord Stream 2 is a purely commercial project, but analysts disagree about the project's economic benefits. A 2018 report by German think-tank DIW said it was unnecessary and undertaken based on forecasts that "significantly overestimate" demand in Germany and Europe. Germany -- Europe's top economy -- imports around 40 percent of its gas from Russia, and Berlin believes the pipeline has a role to play in Germany's transition away from coal and nuclear energy. The United States has warily given the green light for the project. Like predecessors Barack Obama and Donald Trump, US President Joe Biden objected to the project, saying it is a bad deal for Europe and a security risk. But critics of this argument pointed out that the US also wants to boost sales of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe. US sanctions on Russian vessels laying the pipeline succeeded in delaying Nord Stream 2, angering Germany. But Biden, eager to rebuild transatlantic ties that were badly strained by Trump, unexpectedly waived sanctions in May on the Russian-controlled company behind the project. Analysts saw the move as an olive branch to Berlin, whose support Washington is counting on in the face of other challenges, including a rising China. Zelensky has said the sanctions waiver is a win for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reaffirming support for Ukraine, Biden hosted Zelensky at the White House in early September. After the meeting, Zelensky told reporters Biden had assured him the United States would impose sanctions on the pipeline if there were "violations" from Russia that would create problems for Ukraine's energy security. Short link: Lebanon's prime minister-designate, Najib Mikati, was expected at the presidential palace Friday for a meeting that could yield a much-delayed cabinet lineup, the presidency said. Mikati was due to meet President Michel Aoun at 1:30 pm (1030 GMT), a top presidency official told AFP. The Lebanon 24 news website owned by Mikati said he was adamant a new government would be announced shortly afterwards but the summer was marked by a series of false hopes and botched deals. Mikati, who has been prime minister twice before and is the country's richest man, was designated on July 26 to form a government after his two predecessors threw in the towel. Lebanon has been run by a caretaker government since August 10, 2020 when the current premier Hassan Diab and his cabinet resigned en masse following a deadly explosion at Beirut port. Lebanon can no longer provide mains electricity to its citizens for more than a few hours a day, nor can it afford to buy the fuel needed to power generators. Very few of the international community's demands for a broad programme of reforms have yet been met, hampering the disbursement of foreign assistance. Further stalling the bankrupt state's recapitalisation has been the government's failure to engage the International Monetary Fund and discuss a fully-fledged rescue plan. Short link: Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi will meet Iran's president on Sunday in Tehran to discuss issues including energy and Iran-Saudi relations, a government source said Friday. The visit will mark Kadhemi's first meeting with Ebrahim Raisi since the ultra-conservative president took office last month, and comes ahead of Iraq's October 10 legislative polls. Kadhemi will raise "issues of security, energy, and relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran" with Raisi, a government source said, requesting anonymity. Oil-rich Iraq has been caught for years in a delicate balancing act between its two main allies, the United States and neighbouring Iran. The Islamic republic exerts major clout in Iraq through allied armed groups within the Hashed al-Shaabi, a powerful state-sponsored paramilitary network. Iraq is highly dependent on Iranian imports, and the Islamic republic supplies a third of Iraq's gas and electricity needs. However, Baghdad currently owes Tehran six billion dollars for energy supplied. Baghdad has also been brokering talks since April between US ally Riyadh and Tehran on mending ties severed in 2016. Last month Iraq hosted a summit of regional leaders, attended by the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia as well as French president Emmanuel Macron. Sunday's meeting is also expected to address the issue of visas for Iranian pilgrims travelling to Shiite holy sites in Iraq. Iraqi authorities late Thursday announced new quotas for foreign pilgrims for the Arbaeen pilgrimage in the Shiite shrine city of Karbala later this month. Kadhemi's office said that 60,000 Iranian pilgrims would be allowed to attend, up from 30,000 previously announced. Arbaeen marks the end of the 40-day mourning period for the killing of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, by the forces of the caliph Yazid in 680 AD. The number of visas issued to foreign pilgrims permitted has dropped sharply in the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. Kadhemi, who came to power in May last year after months of unprecedented mass protests against a ruling class seen as corrupt, inept and subordinate to Tehran, had called for early parliamentary elections in response to demands by pro-democracy activists. Short link: Mired in what the World Bank calls one of the worst economic crises since the mid-19th century, Lebanon finally got a new government Friday after 13 months of deadlock. Here is a recap of the country's escalating crisis: - Dollar shortages - Protesters take to the streets of central Beirut against economic hardship on September 29, 2019. Among the worst hit are petrol station owners who need dollars to pay their suppliers. But media reports say banks and exchange offices are limiting dollar sales for fear of running out of the US currency on which the country relies. - Last straw - Mass protests follow a government announcement on October 17 of a planned tax on voice calls made over messaging services such as WhatsApp. Many see the tax as the last straw, with some demanding "the fall of the regime". The government of prime minister Saad Hariri scraps the tax the same day. But protests continue over the ensuing weeks, culminating in huge demonstrations calling for the overhaul of a ruling class in place for decades and accused of systematic corruption. Hariri's government resigns in late October. - Eurobond default - Lebanon, with a $92 billion debt burden equivalent to nearly 170 percent of its gross domestic product, announces in March 2020 that it will default on a payment for the first time in its history. In April, after three nights of violent clashes, then-prime minister Hassan Diab says Lebanon will seek International Monetary Fund help after the government approves an economic rescue plan. But talks with the IMF quickly go off the rails. - Catastrophic explosion - A massive explosion on August 4 at Beirut port devastates entire neighbourhoods of the capital, kills more than 200 people, injures at least 6,500 and leaves hundreds of thousands homeless. The government says the blast appears to have been caused by a fire that ignited tonnes of ammonium nitrate left unsecured in a warehouse for six years. Popular anger -- kept on hold by the Covid pandemic -- erupts. Top officials are investigated over the explosion, but no politicians are arrested. - Political impasse - Diab's government resigns in August after just over seven months in office. Diplomat Mustapha Adib is named new premier but bows out after less than a month, and Hariri, already prime minister three times, is named in October. - One of worst crises - Authorities announce in February 2021 that bread prices will rise by around a fifth. In June, the World Bank says Lebanon's economic collapse is likely to rank among the world's worst financial crises since the mid-19th century. Later that month protesters try to storm central bank offices in the northern city of Tripoli and Sidon in the south after the Lebanese pound plunges to a new record low on the black market. As the currency has lost 90 percent of its value, entire sections of society have sunk into poverty. Days later the government hikes fuel prices by more than 30 percent. Medicine importers say in July they have run out of key drugs. - New government - After nine months of horse-trading, Hariri steps aside on July 15, saying he is unable to form a government. Billionaire Najib Mikati, Lebanon's richest man and already twice prime minister, is tasked with forming a new cabinet on July 26, sparking both protests and scepticism. A new government is announced Friday ending a 13-month vacuum. Short link: Israeli occupation police shot and fatally wounded a Palestinian "assailant" Friday during an attempted stabbing in the Old City of annexed east Jerusalem, police and hospital sources said. The incident comes at a time of heightened tensions after six Palestinian prisoners broke out of an Israeli jail this week. Palestinian armed groups had called for a "Day of Rage" on Friday in support of the prisoners as Israeli security forces continued their manhunt. Israeli police reported an "attempted knife attack" near the Lions' Gate, one of the entrances to Jerusalem's Old City. "Police and border guards responded by shooting" the assailant, a 50-year-old resident of east Jerusalem, police said in a statement. Hadassah hospital where he was taken pronounced his death shortly after arrival. The official Palestinian Wafa news agency identified the man as Hazem Joulani, a doctor from Jerusalem. An Israeli officer was lightly wounded by bullet fragments during the incident, police said. Israel and the occupied West Bank have seen a string of anti-Israeli attacks since late 2015, often lone-wolf stabbings by desperate young Palestinians but also car-rammings and occasional shootings. Israel has poured troops into the West Bank since Monday's breakout by six prisoners from the high security Gilboa prison in northern Israel through a tunnel dug beneath a sink in a cell. Palestinians have celebrated the breakout with demonstrations in both the West Bank and the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Short link: The offensive by Houthi rebels in Yemen's northern Marib province "must stop," the UN Security Council was told Friday by the organisation's new envoy for the country, Hans Grundberg from Sweden. "Civilians, including the many internally displaced persons who sought refuge in Marib, live in constant fear of violence and renewed displacement," the newly-appointed official said. "The UN and the international community has been clear in its message: The offensive must stop." The offensive in the Marib region has been going on since the beginning of 2020 and has "killed thousands of young Yemenis," the envoy said. "The fighting must stop, the violence has to come to an end," he insisted. The province of Marib, the last bastion of government power in the war-torn north of the country, is regularly the scene of violent clashes. "The peace process has been stalled for too long. The conflict parties have not discussed a comprehensive settlement since 2016," Grundberg said. He said he would soon travel to Saudi Arabia to meet Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, and planned to see the Houthis as well. Talks are also planned with Saudi, Omani, Emirati, Kuwaiti, Iranian and Egyptian officials, he said. The conflict in Yemen, triggered in 2014 by a rebel offensive, has killed tens of thousands of people according to NGOs, and brought millions more to the brink of starvation. Grundberg said he would soon travel to Saudi Arabia to meet Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, and planned to see the Houthis as well. Short link: Outgoing German chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Paris next week for a final working dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron, her spokesman said Friday. The talks next Thursday will focus on "current international issues, first and foremost Afghanistan, as well as European political issues," the spokesman, Steffen Seibert, told reporters. The two leaders will give statements to the media before they sit down for discussions and a meal. Merkel, in power since 2005, is leaving politics later this year after Germany's September 26 general election. Berlin and Paris are frequently called the twin engines of European integration but Merkel and Macron have not always been in agreement about the speed and intensity of increased cooperation among the EU's 27 member states. Macron, who has frequently set a more ambitious agenda than Merkel on that front, hosted the two leading candidates to succeed her this week. In an indication of how closely Paris is watching the German race for its effect on a partnership crucial to Europe's future, the president held separate talks with Armin Laschet from Merkel's conservative party and Social Democrat Olaf Scholz, the current frontrunner. Macron will be eager to get down to work with the new leader as Paris takes over the EU presidency in January 2022, ahead of France's own elections next year. Short link: Russia and Belarus kickstarted joint military drills on Friday, with NATO-member Poland warning of possible "provocations" as tensions rise on the EU's eastern border. Moscow said 200,000 personnel will take part in the week-long Zapad-2021 military exercise in Belarus, western Russia and the Baltic Sea. The defence ministry released footage of coordinated drills with rows of Russian warships firing artillery, military jets flying in formation and columns of tanks advancing over rugged terrain. On the eve of the exercise, Russian President Vladimir Putin said they were "not directed against anyone". His isolated Belarus counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, said the countries are "not doing anything that our opponents are not". The strongman pair -- both in power for more than two decades -- spoke in the Kremlin on Thursday after agreeing to deepen the integration of their ex-Soviet countries, including militarily. The exercises have worried the EU's eastern flank that borders Belarus and Russia, which has recently accused the Minsk regime of purposefully sending migrants over their borders. Poland has introduced a state of emergency along its eastern border, the first time the measure has been used since the fall of Communism. Ahead of the drills, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warned of possible "provocations" and said the exercises were one reason Warsaw introduced the state of emergency. Warsaw's Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak told Polish media on Friday that the country was prepared for possible "borderline incidents". The country has deployed troops to build a barbed wire fence along the border after a growing number of migrants -- mostly from the Middle East -- have tried to cross into it from Belarus. Closer military ties Brussels suspects the influx is being deliberately engineered by Lukashenko as a form of retaliation against increasingly stringent EU sanctions on his regime. Putin on Thursday said EU leaders had asked him to intervene, but the Russian leader said Moscow had "nothing to do with it". He said Poland should take in any Afghan citizens trying to cross its border. "You can blame anything on Belarus, but at least take in the Afghans," the Russian leader said. Putin accused the EU of having no problem in talking to the Taliban, but not to Lukashenko, who is in power "as a result of a vote, whether you like it or not". Putin has extended a helping hand to Lukashenko since unprecedented protests against him last year over an election widely seen as rigged. The Kremlin chief has long sought political integration with Belarus. On Thursday, the Russian leader said he had discussed "building a single defence space" with Belarus and agreed on a range of economic policies integrating the two countries. Russia's Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin went to Minsk on Friday to discuss the plans with his Belarus counterparts. The Kremlin said on Friday that Putin would visit Belarus in November. Lukashenko said Belarusians had no need to worry and that Russia would not "swallow" his country. Russia and Belarus sought to present a unified front in their confrontation with the West. Short link: The UN on Friday condemned the Taliban's increasingly violent response to peaceful protests, including using live rounds that killed several people, and warned that nearly all Afghan households weren't getting enough to eat. "We call on the Taliban to immediately cease the use of force towards, and the arbitrary detention of, those exercising their right to peaceful assembly and the journalists covering the protests," said Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the United Nations human rights office. Her office said armed fighters had been using live ammunition and whips to disperse crowds, killing at least four people since mid-August. The Islamist hardliners who swept into power on August 15 have pledged a more moderate brand of rule than in their notoriously oppressive 1996-2001 reign. But they have shown clear signs that they will not tolerate opposition. Earlier this week armed Taliban militants dispersed hundreds of protesters in cities across Afghanistan, including in Herat, where two people were shot dead. Shamdasani said the rights office had also received credible reports that a man and a boy were shot dead as Taliban gunmen sought to disperse crowds during national flag-raising ceremonies held last month. "Firearms must never be used except in response to an imminent threat of death or serious injury," she said. On Wednesday, at least five journalists were arrested and two severely beaten for several hours. "One journalist was reported to have been told, as he was being kicked in the head, that you are lucky you have not been beheaded," she said. "(There is) lots of intimidation of journalists who are trying to simply do their job," she said. The Taliban moved to snuff out any further civil unrest late Wednesday, saying protests would need prior authorisation from the justice ministry. The following day, they ordered telecommunications companies to block internet on mobile phone service in some areas of Kabul, Shamdasani said. Parents skip meals for kids Meanwhile the World Food Programme warned that a massive 93 percent of households in the conflict-wracked country were not consuming a sufficient amount of food. "Three in four families are already reducing portion sizes or borrowing food," according to random phone surveys carried out from August 21 to September 5 in all of the country's 34 provinces, said WFP Deputy Regional Director for Asia Pacific Anthea Webb. "Parents are skipping meals entirely to allow children to eat," she said. "The proportion of households resorting to extreme coping strategies has doubled -- a clear sign that many families are teetering on the edge of absolute destitution," she warned. The UN is seeking to raise some 600 million dollars from donors for Afghanistan at a Geneva conference that starts next Monday. Short link: Political and academic discourse dealing with the phenomena of extremism and radical Islamism in the Arab world, Afghanistan and other areas where Islamist groups are widespread forgets the historical roots of the political employment of Islam during the colonial period and notably by the British against nationalist movements seeking independence. This was done in Egypt during the British occupation, and later these same British agents moved from the British intelligence service to its American counterpart, which in turn attempted to employ Islam along with the regimes relying on it to back their legitimacy in order to confront Communism and the Soviet Union and the liberating role that former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel-Nasser was playing in the Arab region. The Islamic alliance emerged as an attempt to circumvent this nationalist role. Later, Islam and the Islamist movements were used through the Arab role in supporting Afghan groups fighting Soviet forces in Afghanistan and facilitating the travel of great numbers of fighters to Peshawar in neighbouring Pakistan through the assistance of the intelligence services. The Al-Qaeda organisation was formed, and it helped to found other organisations, including the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria and Iraq. Attempting to employ religion and Islamist political groups against political and security threats to the Americans and British is a dangerous game. No matter how many fighters are recruited to these groups, the loyalty of the majority of them, together with that of their leaders, cannot be guaranteed. Religion cannot be made loyal to a particular regime or superpower such as the US. This was also seen in Egypt, when the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamist groups were used against the leftists, Nasserists and some liberals in the 1970s and soon became the states biggest threat. Equivalents to this were seen in Sudan during the rule of former president Jaafar Mohamed Al-Numeiri after his shift to Islamism in accordance with the National Islamic Front led by Hassan Al-Turabi. He put his opponents on trial in line with the Sharia (Islamic Law) and executed Mahmoud Mohamed Taha, leader of the Republican Party. Al-Turabi then hatched a coup and overthrew Numeiri by using the Islamist Movements grassroots in the Sudanese army under the leadership of Omar Al-Bashir. Al-Turabis sons then overthrew their teacher by allying with Al-Bashir, whose rule as president of Sudan continued for 30 years. In the Tunisian case, former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali employed Islam in some of his political practices and used the Salafis to confront the Islamic Tendency Movement led by Rachid Al-Ghannouchi in exile in Britain. However, that Salafism later expanded and became a supporter of the Islamic Tendency Movement, which later became the Ennahda Movement. Following the Tunisian uprising in 2011, the number of Tunisian jihadists going to Syria and Iraq amounted to more than 4,000, many of them engaging in operations led by IS. In the Algerian case, the Islamisation of the regime was implemented against the cultural, linguistic and educational heritage of French colonialism in the country. This in turn gave way to the expansion of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), which, highly organised, employed Islam in criticising the National Liberation Front (FLN) that had led the independence struggle against France, Sonatrach, the state-owned oil company, and the military, notably by pointing to widespread unemployment among the countrys young people. The Islamic Salvation Front then won the first round of the general elections held in Algeria in 1992, and when these were cancelled this led to the outbreak of civil war and the subsequent Black Decade in the country that claimed an enormous number of lives. In all such cases of the politicisation of Islam, the results have been similar in showing the regimes failure to control it, whether domestically or in employing it in international conflicts against the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan or against liberation movements in the Arab region. This can be attributed to the fact that religious narratives are characterised by a plurality of doctrines and schools as well as by different jurisprudential opinions and conflicts in choosing between them. It is easy to embrace an opinion and apply it to prevalent political, social and economic circumstances in a certain historical period, saying that that opinion, whatever it may be, stipulates siding with certain ideas and considering them to be part of true religion and belief. As a result, various such religious opinions have been used to support the ideology of one group or another, requiring the selection of traditional commentaries supporting them, whether such and such an opinion belongs to a particular historical group like the Kharijites, for example, or to one of their followers or to one of the followers of the followers and so on within a particular doctrine or religious school and then building upon it by commentary and construction and applying it to todays social and political reality. Such opinions have been used by the Muslim Brotherhood, Islamic Jihad, the Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya and the Al-Tawafuq wa-l-Tabayun groups. Some groups have relied on general principles and commentaries, like the Muslim Brotherhood and its leader Hassan Al-Banna before the group shifted towards the ideas of Brotherhood ideologue Sayed Qutb in the 1960s, whose ideas derived from those of Abu Al-Alaa Al-Mawdudi on the Indian sub-continent. Meanwhile, the Arab political authorities employ the official religious institutions to confront the Islamist groups in their views of Islam or use them against regimes they deem to be opponents. The medieval jurist Ibn Taymiyas jurisprudence and commentaries have been used against different Arab regimes at different times, for example. The historical lesson is that employing Islamism and radical Islamist groups in international conflicts has led to the eruption of brutal violence in conflict areas, with these groups slipping out of the control of the countries supporting them. This has also been seen in the case of the United States using the Islamist groups for its own political purposes in fighting the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s and in other ways up until the present. *A version of this article appears in print in the 9 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Short link: It has been 20 years since the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon on 9/11 and 20 years since the start of the US war on terror. It has been 20 years filled with lessons on how to combat radicalisation and violent extremism. The experience of the US military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq and subsequent failures to build nation-states able to prevent the rise of armed and hostile insurgencies shows us the limitations of a militarised approach to building enduring peace and security. The passage of the Authorisation for Use of Military Force (AUMF) by the US Congress in September 2001 authorised the use of US armed forces against those responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Over the last 20 years, the AUMF has been cited almost 40 times by successive US presidents as the justification for counter-terrorism activities in multiple countries including Afghanistan, Cuba, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Iraq, Kenya, Libya, the Philippines, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, according to the Congressional Research Service, making the war on terror not only the longest US war, but also one that is extremely geographically expansive. The US must decide if the war on terror is succeeding. As it has done recently in Afghanistan, the US can decide to withdraw its forces from such countries at any time. But countries with local insurgent threats face a very different situation. The image of US forces leaving Afghanistan while the Taliban reclaimed Kabul grabbed the worlds attention last month, exemplifying the limitations of the US ability to effect long-term change. US President Joe Biden made a clear distinction between the US strategy to combat terrorism and counter-insurgency that has clear relevance to the reality in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. On 16 August, he said the US mission should have been narrowly focused on counter-terrorism not counter-insurgency. This distinction is not just about splitting hairs but is about an assessment of the type of threat extremist groups pose to the US. The US faces violent non-state actors that try to wreak havoc by using extreme violence. But these non-state actors are not trying to take control of US territories. Neither Al-Qaeda nor the Islamic State (IS) group are looking to take control of Hawaii, declare it an independent state and impose extremist policies over the population, for example. In the MENA region, we face a very different reality. The IS groups mission is to take territorial control over the cities and towns where we live and work, making it literally an existential threat to our very way of life. The use of terror tactics both by terrorist and insurgent groups has created some conflation between the two. The difference between the threat the US faces from IS and the threat it poses to us means we have divergent long-term goals. While both counter-terrorism (CT) strategies and counter-insurgency (COIN) strategies include stopping attacks, CT uses mainly strategic communication, investigative and judicial actions, while COIN requires more robust strategies. In the MENA region, we use a CT framework to prosecute a political ideology, not just criminal acts. This is in essence asking the criminal justice system to interpret, judge and change hearts and minds and not just adjudicate criminal acts. This is like using a hammer to paint a sunset. It isnt very practical. For violent groups to succeed in imposing their authority over a population, they need the support, or at least the compliance, of the local community. Violent groups use the threat of extreme violence to terrify a population into submission. This is true of both criminal gangs and insurgents. Not only do we need to hold those who have criminal intent accountable, but we also need to ensure that communities and individuals are able to withstand catastrophe and rebuild after a crisis, be it a natural disaster or one brought about as a result of warmongers. Community resilience is the measure of a communitys ability to use resources to withstand and recover from dire situations. Resilient communities have proven to be a bulwark to all forms of crisis. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the concept of resilience is the capacity of communities to face a wide range of rapid-onset shocks and slow-onset stresses. Resilience begins after the basic needs of community members are met, including food, water, shelter and healthcare. The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development seeks to meet these basic needs through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 1 to SDG 8 tackle everything from poverty and hunger to access to clean water and affordable energy, creating the foundation for a resilient community. The SDGs also go beyond basic needs, since the core of sustainability is to protect the environment and our natural and human resources. In doing so, we develop communities that are able to manage their resources more efficiently, fulfilling a key component of resilience. The SDGs also include improving community cohesion and promoting peace through building strong institutions and accountability mechanisms (SDG 16). Community resilience is specifically addressed in SDG 11, which focuses on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Sustainability is not only a policy to tackle climate change. It is built on the need to create strong communities through holistic solutions that not only protect us from disasters, but also help us withstand and recover from calamities, including from extremist groups. Sustainability may not prevent attacks, but it can create conditions where radical ideas cannot take hold, and a community can come together to reject extremist views. Sustainability should build on organic structures and localise disaster-response strategies, therefore creating communities that can bounce back quickly once a threat is removed. Sustainability is a coherent and wide-ranging strategy to help us address many of the problems we face today, including countering violent extremism and insurgents. *A version of this article appears in print in the 9 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt court sentences sacked judge, two others to 15 years in prison for kidnapping, raping girl El-Sayed Gamal El-Din, , Thursday 9 Sep 2021 The girl was tricked by the dismissed judge and two of his friends to travel to the North Coast, where she was raped by two defendants at the private villa owned by the third A Cairo court sentenced on Thursday a sacked judge and two others to 15 years in prison each for kidnapping and raping a woman at a private villa on the country's North Coast. The woman, who was working at a real estate financing office owned by the second defendant, himself a friend of the former judge, was tricked into travelling to the North Coast under the pretext of organising a real estate conference, according to the prosecution. The real estate office's owner persuaded the woman to stay with him at a villa owned by the Judge's second friend, the third defendant in the case, due to the lack of vacant rooms in the North Coast's hotels. The judge and the first defendant assaulted and raped the woman inside the room, as per the investigation. The police intervened the following day after being called by a neighbour who saw the woman trying to flee while two men the judge and his first friend chased her. In order to cover up the incident, the sacked judge tried to offer the victim a large sum of money and marry her using an informal or unregistered marriage certificate which is locally known as an urfi (customary)marriage that predated the incident Egypt has been cracking down on sex crimes, encouraging victims of sexual assaults to come forward. Last year, a bill proposed by the justice ministry to keep the identity of sex crime victims confidential was approved. The government has recently passed laws stiffening jail sentences and fines for sexual offenders. https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/422774.aspx Egypt's health minister discusses vaccine cooperation with Moderna representatives Ahram Online , Friday 10 Sep 2021 The minister also discussed ways to produce the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine locally in Egypt to provide vaccines to Africa in cooperation with international pharmaceuticals Egypts Health Minister Hala Zayed discussed cooperation on Thursday with Moderna pharmaceutical company representatives to provide its Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Egypt, the ministry of health said. In a video conference meeting, the minister also discussed ways to produce the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine locally in Egypt to provide vaccines to Africa countries in cooperation with international pharmaceuticals. She added that Egypt was looking forward to allocating production lines in VACSERA factories to produce the vaccine locally, inviting Moderna officials to visit Egypt and to see the production capabilities of VACSERA factories in 6th of October city. From their side, Moderna representatives stated that the company was ready to provide Egypt with shipments of the vaccine. They also updated the health ministry on their future plans concerning vaccine production. Egypts VACSERA started producing Chinas Sinovac locally in late July. Russias Sputnik vaccine will also be produced locally after an agreement with a private sector company. Currently Egypts stock of coronavirus vaccines comprise AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sputnik, Sinovac and Johnson & Johnson. According to source in the Health ministry, Egypt is going to receive Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in the second half of September. Minister Hala Zayed stated last week that ten million people have been vaccinated in Egypt so far. Currently the government is intensifying its mass vaccination campaign in order to reach its target of vaccinating 40 million people by the end of the year. https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/422792.aspx KYODO NEWS - Sep 10, 2021 - 23:37 | World, All Some 10 Afghans, local staff at Japan's agencies in Afghanistan and or their families, have left the country and entered neighboring Pakistan by land on their own, multiple diplomatic sources said Friday. The locals, who were among about 500 evacuation seekers left in the war-torn country as Japan's Self-Defense Forces dispatched to Kabul airport for an evacuation mission were ordered to withdraw on Aug. 31, will head for Japan on Sunday at the earliest, the sources said. Japan had evacuated just one Japanese and 14 Afghans at the request of the United States after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in mid-August after 20 years of warfare. It is believed that this will be the first time for Afghans to be evacuated to Japan after the Taliban's takeover. There is information they include local staff of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, but details have not been disclosed. According to the diplomatic sources, the Afghans will head to Japan from Pakistan via Doha in the Gulf state of Qatar. The Japanese government set up a temporary office of its embassy in Afghanistan in Qatar on Sept. 1, and it is expected to be responsible for evacuation support. Related coverage: Afghan locals left behind by Japan feel anger, hopelessness Japan sets up Doha office for talks with Taliban delegates Kyodo stringer recounts harrowing days before leaving Afghanistan KYODO NEWS - Sep 10, 2021 - 15:27 | All, World U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed Thursday to engage in areas where they both agree and disagree, the White House said, but they were apparently divided over how to ease lingering tensions between the world's two major powers. The agreement was reached during their second phone talks since Biden took office in January, with the White House saying that their discussion touched on the "responsibility of both nations to ensure competition does not veer into conflict." Xi, however, was quoted by the country's state-run media as telling Biden that U.S. policy toward Beijing has caused serious difficulties in bilateral ties. Biden and Xi held talks ahead of a summit of the so-called Quad grouping of four democracies -- the United States, Japan, India and Australia. The four countries' leaders are expected to exchange views on how to tackle security and the economic threat from China. The White House said in a statement, "The two leaders had a broad, strategic discussion in which they discussed areas where our interests converge, and areas where our interests, values and perspectives diverge." "They agreed to engage on both sets of issues openly and straightforwardly," it added, without referring to how Biden's administration has been trying to work together with the Chinese leadership. Xi was quoted by the state-run media as telling Biden that the United States should respect China if Washington wants to promote dialogue with Beijing about matters such as the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic and climate change. Earlier this month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told U.S. climate envoy John Kerry during the U.S. official's visit to Tianjin in northeastern China that bilateral strains would make it difficult for them to join hands in the climate field. All eyes are on whether Biden and Xi will hold their first direct meeting since the current U.S. administration was launched, on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Italy in late October. During Thursday's conversation, which Reuters reported lasted 90 minutes, Biden underscored the United States' "enduring interest in peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and the world," the White House said. The talks between the U.S. and Chinese leaders took place as the Biden administration has completed its withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan to end the longest U.S. war in history, hoping to focus more on new challenges posed by autocratic nations. The United States, Japan, Australia and India are making arrangements to hold their first-ever in-person summit meeting later this month, according to sources familiar with Japan-U.S. relations, a move that could be seen as part of efforts to push back China's growing assertiveness in the region. The first Biden-Xi phone talks took place in February. Biden at that time raised a number of thorny issues including Beijing's coercive economic practices, human rights abuses against the Muslim Uyghur minority in the Xinjiang region and "increasingly assertive actions" toward Taiwan. But the White House statement released Thursday did not clarify whether Biden specifically mentioned his concerns over the Xinjiang situation or Taiwan during the more recent phone talks. Related coverage: China urges IT firms to adhere to new regulations on online games Chinese President Xi vows to set up stock exchange in Beijing China tells U.S. prolonged tensions would hurt climate cooperation KYODO NEWS - Sep 10, 2021 - 23:31 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Japan will start discussing as early as next week whether to administer third shots of coronavirus vaccine, potentially by the end of the year, amid the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, sources familiar with the matter said Friday. Health experts on a government subcommittee on the coronavirus vaccine are expected to take up the matter as well as the possibility of combining doses of vaccines produced by different manufacturers. Three COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer Inc., Moderna Inc. and AstraZeneca Plc are currently available in Japan, which are all administered in two doses. The vaccine makers have said third shots would be necessary to increase protection, with a number of breakthrough cases in which fully vaccinated people have contracted COVID-19 reported in Japan and abroad. Taro Kono, the minister in charge of Japan's vaccination rollout, said late last month the health ministry is weighing cross vaccination to help ease supply concerns and accelerate the country's inoculation program. Studies show that COVID-19 antibodies decrease six months after second shots have been administered and vaccine efficacy against the Delta variant becomes lower over time. The discussions will take place after World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this week that some wealthy countries should suspend their ongoing or planned administration of third shots until at least the end of the year to ensure vaccine supplies for developing countries. Vaccinations in Japan have picked up pace in recent months, nearly catching up with the United States. As of Thursday, 61.9 percent of the Japanese population had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 49.8 percent two doses. The government is aiming to complete the full vaccination of all eligible people who wish to be inoculated by early November, and the administration of third shots would start sometime after that. Some countries have already selected target populations for booster shots, such as 12-year-old or older in Israel, 18 or older in the United States, and elderly and immunocompromised people in France and Germany. The government has signed contracts to receive an additional 50 million doses of Moderna's vaccine as well as 150 million doses from Novavax Inc. and is discussing an additional 120 million doses with Pfizer. The vaccine doses will be used if the government decides to administer booster shots. New Delhi: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said it was the "best time" for India to hold talks with Pakistan as the neighbouring country's new Prime Minister Imran Khan is being touted as a "proxy" their army. If initiated now, she said, the talks between the two neighbours at this time could prove "beneficial". "If Imran is a proxy of the Pak army then this is the best time to talk. When Imran Khan says he is ready to talk, to open corridors, then I think army is also on the same page...," Mufti said at the 'Agenda Aaj Tak' event here. ALSO READ | J-K: Centre likely to implement Presidents rule after December 19 She said the "best bargain" for India, vis-a-vis the Kashmir issue, was during the time when Pervez Musharraf was the President of Pakistan as during that time ceasefire was initiated at the border and the Muzaffarabad route was opened up. "The talks could be beneficial now....why should we not talk?" she asked. The PDP leader also said her party will "join hands" with any political party that will support the "resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue." "If we can join hands with the BJP, we can do so with anyone for resolution of the J-K issue," she said. Mufti said her Peoples Democratic Party (PDS) going with the BJP, during the last political regime in the state, was "suicidal" and that she was "disappointed" that this experiment to begin the political process in the state did not work. Asked if she had any lessons to learn, Mufti replied in the negative. "They (the BJP) didn't teach me any lesson. I stood my ground...(in taking decisions). We experimented (through the PDP-BJP alliance) for the people of Kashmir but that did not work," she said. She said there was a huge difference between former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's regime and the current one under PM Narendra Modi. "Vajpayee was spontaneous and down to earth...he never looked back or over his shoulder. He was a statesman. Today's NDA is more focussed in winning elections," Mufti said. "God save! they have not given voting rights to cows," she said in an apparent dig on the BJP. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: After Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan on Wednesday waived short-term crop loans from cooperative banks and loans of up to Rs 2 lakh taken by farmers from other banks. The state government will bear a burden of Rs 18,000 crore. The Congress, which won the recent assembly elections, had promised in its manifesto to waive farm loans. Congress president Rahul Gandhi had said this would be done within 10 days of the pary coming to power in the state. Ashok Gehlot told reporters the scheme will apply to farmers in debt till November 30. It's done! Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh have waived farm loans. We asked for 10 days. We did it in 2. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 19, 2018 A roadmap has been prepared so that the officers face no problem in following the decision, Gehlot said. Gehlot attended office the first time on Wednesday but has held meetings with officials at his home after being sworn in on Monday. Farmers' short-term crop loans from cooperative banks will be waived. Along with this, farmers' loans of up to Rs 2 lakh from nationalised and other banks will also be waived, he said. Targeting the previous government, Gehlot said it had waived short-term crop loan of only up to Rs 50,000 taken from cooperative banks. Now the Rs 50,000-limit has been removed, Gehlot said referring to the scheme the BJP government had announced earlier this year. He said the Vasundhara Raje government's scheme would have cost Rs 8,000 crore, but only Rs 2,000 were actually spent in writing off the loans. The remaining burden has been passed on to the new Congress government, he claimed. Gehlot said farmers unable to pay back their loans were committing suicide in the state. The chief minister took charge of his office in the morning after offering flowers at an idol of Mahatma Gandhi and praying at a Ganesh temple on the secretariat premises. After meetings with officials, he visited Governor Kalyan Singh and then returned to his office for another round of meetings. Chief Secretary D B Gupta, Principal Secretary to CM Kuldeep Ranka and officials from finance, cooperative and other departments attended the meetings. On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi had said the opposition will not rest till the Narendra Modi government waives farm loans across the country. In similar moves, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel on Monday, the day they took oaths. The Baghel government waived off farm loans of up to Rs 6,100 crore and increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy from Rs 1700 to Rs 2500 per quintal. "Congress President Rahul Gandhi had announced that farm loans will be waived within 10 days and that Minimum Support Price (MSP) for maize will be increased to Rs 2500 from Rs 1700 per quintal. These two decisions have been taken today," Baghel had said. Earlier in the day, Kamal Nath cleared the proposal of waiving farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh as promised by Congress president Rahul Gandhi ahead of assembly polls. Briefing the media at the state secretariat after taking charge as new chief minister, Nath said, "After taking the oath, I have cleared the first file related to writing off loans up to Rs two lakh". Nath was sworn in as the 18th chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. It is widely believed the promise of farm loan waiver made by Rahul Gandhi helped the Congress to sweep both the heartland states where it was out of power for 15 long years. In a nerve-wracking see-saw battle with the BJP, Congress on December 11 bagged 114 assembly seats and secured the support of seven more MLAs, Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and four independent MLAs, to cross the simple majority mark of 116 in the 230- member Madhya Pradesh Assembly. In Chhattisgarh, it was a clean sweep for the Congress with wins in 68 out of the 90 assembly constituencies. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted a record 463 tonnes of material using 16 fixed-wing aircraft from Chandigarh and dropped at airfields and drop zones in Ladakh region on Tuesday. Termed as Exercise Bahubali, the 'Rapid Airlift Capability' of the Indian Air Force was evaluated. The operation was conducted by the Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force. The 16 aircraft included seven C-17 Globemaster transport planes, while the rest were Ilyushin-76 Gajraj and AN-32 aircraft. The entire operation was completed in less than 6 hours. The exercise to airlift approximately 500 tonnes of cargo in a single wave was undertaken to assess the capability of the force towards rapid and heavy airlift. Exercise Bahubali also demonstrates Indias ability to rapidly moving troops and equipment over long distances to respond to sudden developments in the Indo-Pacific region, reported the Hindustan Times. The IAF generally moves about 3,000 tonnes a month, however, during Exercise Bahubali, the IAF moved nearly 540 tonnes in just six hours, a senior defence ministry official not authorised to speak to media said to explain the significance of the exercise. The exercise involved 16 fixed-wing transport aircraft comprising C-17 Globemaster, the Ilyushin-76 Gajraj and the medium-lift tactical aircraft, Antonov-32. All aircraft were loaded and took off from Chandigarh airbase early in the morning. The entire wave (all aircraft taking flight in one go) was accomplished in little less than six hours. The heavy aircraft, including the 7 Globemasters, landed at the Leh Air Force Station in Ladakh, which is located at 10,700 feet from the sea level. The smaller AN-32 planes were used for drops in the forward areas of the region. Air Marshall NJS Dhillon, SASO of Western Air Command, said, "Rapid air mobility is a key component of modern warfare. This assumes greater significance in short and intense wars. This is very true in India's context, especially when related to air mobility to airfields in the Ladakh region." The operation was conducted under the command of Dhillon. The IAF deployed eight US C-17 Globe Masters, around four Russian made IL-76 both heavy lift aircraft and another four Russian made medium-lift aircraft: AN-32. The strategic heavy lift aircraft, which are under the command of the Air Headquarters, were deployed with the Western Air Command. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A major fire broke out at the luxury hotel Trident in south Mumbai late Wednesday night, according to a fire brigade official. Soon after the incident fire brigade personnel have rushed to the spot and have been trying to douse the flame. No casualty has been reported in the incident so far. "Fire breaks out in Trident Hotel at Nariman Point. More details awaited. #Maharashtra," the news agency ANI reported. Visuals from Mumbai: Fire breaks out in Trident Hotel at Nariman Point. More details awaited. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/PtEEoW3MB1 ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2018 Earlier on the day, another fire broke out at ESIC Kamgar Hospital in Andheri where at least nine people, including a six-month-old baby, were killed in a similar incident on Monday. More than 175 people, mostly patients and visitors, were rescued in the Monday tragedy. Read | Fire at Chartered Accountants of India building in Delhi More than 170 people, including some children, are currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals across Mumbai. Shila Murvekar died at Seven Hills hospital this afternoon and with this, the death toll reached nine, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said. The year 2018 continues to prove disastrous for Mumbai when it comes to combating fire incidents. There have been over 49,000 incidents of fire in Mumbai in the last one decade, which claimed over 600 lives and injured several others, according to a statement released by the Maharashtra government. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : A division bench of Calcutta High Court on Friday quashed its single bench order allowing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to carry out Rath Yatras in West Bengal. The division bench headed by Chief Justice Debasish Kar Gupta the BJPs Rath Yatra case back to the single bench and directed it to consider intelligence inputs by state agencies. On Thursday, a single bench of the Calcutta High Court had allowed the BJP to carry out "Save Democracy" political procession across the state ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The High Court decision has come as a blow to the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government, that had denied permission for the rath yatras. The state government had told the court that the permission was denied following intelligence inputs expressing fear of a breach of communal harmony. Also Read | BJP gets Calcutta High Court nod to carry out 'rath yatras' in West Bengal Appearing for the state government, Advocate General Kishore Dutta had Wednesday submitted an intelligence report in a sealed cover and said the issues stated in the BJP's brochure publicising the "rath yatra" were communally sensitive in nature. In the defence, BJP counsel SK Kapoor cited Mahatma Gandhi's Dandi March during the British rule to make a case for the yatra. "In the worst days of the British period, Mahatma Gandhi held the Dandi march. But now the West Bengal government says it won't allow a political procession," Kapoor argued. He further added that the West Bengal government was denying a political party from organising procession a right guaranteed by the Constitution of the country. However, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government had then moved to the division bench of Calcutta High Court seeking to stay the procession of the saffron party. The TMC has been accusing the saffron party of spreading communal tension in a bid to make inroads into the state politics. Also Read | BJP holds law violation programmes in Bengal, protests TMC's refusal to allow Rath Yatra Both the parties have been at loggerheads after the state government's refused to grant the BJP permission to carry out the procession. The denial also irked BJP president Amit Shah, who had openly challenged that "nobody can stop rath yatras in the state". Shah had claimed that the permission was not granted because CM Banerjee was "terrified" that the BJP would expand its base in the state. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: The US has slapped fresh sanctions on 12 Russian individuals and entities for their alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election and the brazen use of a military-grade nerve agent in an assassination attempt inside Americas closest ally. They were involved in a wide range of malign activities, including attempts to interfere in the 2016 US elections, cyber-enabled attempts to undermine international organisations and the brazen use of a chemical weapon in an assassination attempt abroad, the State Department said. Several of these people were related to Project Lakhta, a broad Russian effort which includes the Internet Research Agency that has sought to interfere in political and electoral systems worldwide, the State Department said. As a result of this action, any person determined to knowingly engage in a significant transaction with any of these persons will be subject to the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) Section 231 sanctions, the State Department said. In addition, the Treasury Department designated several members of Russias Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and individuals and entities related to Project Lakhta, including the 12 persons added to the List of Specified Persons (LSP). Read More | Israel urges UN to condemn Hezbollah over tunnels Treasury also designated Victor Boyarkin for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of Oleg Deripaska. According to the State Department, the sanctions and listings undertaken are one part of an aggressive stand against the irresponsible acts directed by the Government of the Russian Federation. Russian intelligence services cyber operations continue to seek to undermine democratic elections and delegitimise international organisations, it alleged. Additionally, it is clear that Russian intelligence operatives used a military grade nerve agent to carry out an assassination attempt inside the borders of Americas closest ally, a violation of Russias obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, the State Department charged. We will not tolerate attempts to interfere in our democratic process, and we will side with our allies and partners against Russian subversion and destabilisation. We will continue to work with our allies and partners to take collective action in response to irresponsible and malicious acts supported by Russia and its intelligence agencies, it added. Also Read | US likely to go to war with North Korea, China and Iran, say reports Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal was poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent in the UK in March, leading to a major diplomatic standoff with Russia. The 66-year-old former Russian double agent and his daughter Yulia, 33, were found unconscious on a shopping centre bench in the Salisbury town on March 4. They were hospitalised in critical condition after he was found poisoned and spent weeks in critical condition. Earlier this month, Special Counsel Rober Muller, who is probing the allegations of Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election and collusion with the Trump campaign, filed two separate court papers, none of which directly answered the question of direct involvement of President Donald Trump in the alleged Russian interference. Trump has repeatedly said that his campaign never colluded with the Russians. So far, more than 30 people have been charged or pleaded guilty in Muellers investigation which Trump calls a witch hunt. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: An assistant vice president working for Genpact India committed suicide at his residence in a highrise apartment in Sector 137 of Noida on Tuesday, the police said. The senior executive allegedly killed himself after being suspended from his job over sexual harassment allegations. In the purported suicide note addressed to his wife, he said that all the allegations were untrue. The body of 35-year-old Swaroop Raj was found hanging from the ceiling fan at their apartment in the Paramount Floraville society by his wife around 11.30 pm when she returned from work. In the suicide note, he explained what made him take the extreme step. Swaroop Raj belonged to Gurugram and lived in the Noida society with his wife. They had been married for two years. Two female employees from Genpact had accused him of sexual harassment on December 12 and the company had suspended him on December 18 till the investigations in the case were complete. In his purported suicide note, he denied the allegations and said that even he was proven innocent, his reputation had been tarnished for life and he wouldn't be able to return to the office. He also wrote that he loved his wife dearly and that she should be strong and live with respect. Watch Video #MeToo | Here's the suicide letter of Genpact India senior vice president who hanged himself after two female employees had accused him of sexual harassment Full story: https://t.co/6GnOCuSSEB pic.twitter.com/NknA2AO8NS News Nation (@NewsNationTV) December 20, 2018 Read More | Zee Rajasthan anchor Radhika Kaushik dies after falling from her apartment balcony The police were informed about the incident by Swaroop's wife. "The company in his suspension letter said he would be barred from participating in any official work until the investigation against him was completed. In his note, the man denied all allegations and wrote that even if he is proven innocent, his reputation has been tarnished," said Munish Chauhan, station house officer, Surajpur police station. Also Read | '13 Reasons Why' may up suicide risk among vulnerable teens: Study According to his LinkedIn profile, he had joined Genpact in 2007 as a process developer and made his way up the corporate ladder he was promoted to the position of the assistant vice president recently. #NNPoll | Genpact executive #SwaroopRaj, who committed suicide over sexual harassment allegations, says society will look at him with suspicion even if he comes clean: Has the #MeToo movement gone too far? News Nation (@NewsNationTV) December 20, 2018 According to police, allegations against the man were being investigated by an internal complaints committee, and he had been suspended for the duration. They are investigating everything from the suspension letter to the suicide note. The body of the deceased has been sent for a post-mortem examination A spokesperson for Genpact confirmed that executive was on suspension. "It is with deep sorrow that we confirm the news of an employee's untimely death. Our heart goes out to his family at this tragic time. We had received a complaint against him and had put him on temporary suspension pending the outcome of the investigation," a spokesperson said. The police said that they have not received any complaint from the victim's family. "We are in receipt of an alleged complaint of sexual harassment against you from two female employees. You are hereby suspended pending investigation while the Company investigates the said matter. During the said period you will not be required to report for duty and not expected to work from home. However, you cannot join any other employment all other terms of employment shall continue to strictly apply to you," a suspension letter dated December 18, 2018 issued to Swaroop Raj read. Here's the full suspension letter that was handed over to Swaroop Raj by Genpact: Kolkata: The BJPs West Bengal unit on Wednesday organised law violation programme in various parts of the state to protest the Trinamool Congress (TMC) governments refusal to allow the proposed Rath Yatra programme in the state. BJP activists clashed with the police in Howrah, South Dinajpur and Hooghly district after the party was denied permission for a protest meeting. We are forced to hold law violation programmes because the police and the administration are behaving like cadres of the TMC. We were denied permission to hold our Save Democracy rally. Now when we want to organise protest meeting, that too has been denied, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said while addressing the law violation programme in Howrah. We are a political party which is running the government at the Centre. The state government is behaving in such a way as if we are a party of extremists. We are a party of nationalist forces, he said. Read | Lok Sabha election 2019: West Bengal Congress likely to go it alone It is only in West Bengal that opposition parties are not allowed to hold rallies, Ghosh said. BJP president Amit Shah was scheduled to flag off three chariots from different parts of the state. The chariots were meant to travel across the states 42 parliamentary constituencies over the next one-and-a-half months before concluding in Kolkata, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was likely to address a rally. The Rath Yatra was scheduled to start from Cooch Behar district on December 7 but was stalled, following which the BJP had moved the high court. A division bench of the Calcutta High Court had directed the state chief secretary, home secretary and the director general of police to hold a meeting with three representatives of the BJP by December 12 and take a decision on the rally by December 14. After the meeting, the Mamata Banerjee-led government had on Saturday denied permission for the Rath Yatra on the ground that it might cause communal tension before the coming Lok Sabha polls. BJP then again knocked on the Calcutta High Courts door. Read | Grand Alliance a myth, Shiv Sena to remain with NDA in Maharashtra, says BJP president Amit Shah As part of its protest programme, the party had organised a rally in Arambagh area of Hooghly district on Monday. The BJP leaders have also threatened to organise a law violation campaign in the state if they are stopped from holding the protest rallies. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday hit back at the Congress over the computer snooping diktat, saying the Opposition was overreacting on the issue. In his response to Congress leader Anand Sharma in Rajya Sabha, Jaitley said, On 20 December, same order of authorisation was repeated that was existing since 2009. You are making a mountain where a molehill does not exist. The BJP leaders response came after Sharmas severe criticism of the Narendra Modi government for allowing investigative agencies to snoop on people computer. It is the ultimate assault on fundamental rights and the right to privacy. It is also in direct conflict with the Supreme Court judgment that the right to privacy is a fundamental right, the Congress leader told reporters in Delhi. A home ministry order signed by Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Thursday allowed 10 central agencies authorisation of interception, monitoring, and decryption of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer. Also Read | Stalker Sarkar: Opposition slams Modi government for snooping diktat According to the government diktat, the subscriber or service provider or any person in charge of the computer resource will be bound to extend all facilities and technical assistance to the agencies. Failing to do so will invite seven-year imprisonment and fine. The Opposition parties-led by the Congress slammed the Modi government for the ultimate assault on fundamental rights. Criticising the move, the Congress party said, From Modi Sarkar to stalker sarkar, clearly the string of losses has left the BJP government desperate for information. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma described the move ultimate assault on the Right to Privacy. Several other Opposition parties, including the CPI(M), the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), said that they will collectively oppose the Narendra Modi governments diktat issued on Thursday. Also Read | Our phones are being tapped by Modi govt, says Ghulam Nabi Azad Another BJP leader and Union Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, defended the move, saying the decision was taken in the national interest. This has been done in national security interest. It has been done under the law made by the Manmohan Singh government in 2009. Each case of interception and the decision is to be approved Union Home Secretary, Prasad said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Benchmark indices witnessed a sharp selloff in afternoon trade Friday as heavyweights in realty, banking, IT and auto sectors bled as investors began booking profits in bluechip stocks. Negative global cues amid fears of a potential US government shutdown and rising tension between the US and China, too, weighed on investor sentiment in Mumbai. After plummeting over 400 points, the 30-share Sensex was trading 372.44 points, or 1.02 per cent, lower at 36,059.23 at 1100 hrs. The index had finished 52.66 points, or 0.14 per cent, lower at 36,431.67 Thursday. The NSE Nifty, too, was trading 120.25 points, or 1.10 per cent, lower at 10,831.45. Top losers include Maruti, Infosys, Asian Paints, ICICI Bank, Wipro, Bajaj Auto, Reliance Industries, HDFC and TCS, cracking up to 3 per cent. While the gainers include Tata Motors, Tata Steel, SBI and NTPC, rising up to 2 per cent. Domestic and other Asian stocks followed Wall Street that fell sharply after US President Donald Trumps demand for border wall funds pushed the federal government closer to a shutdown. Also Read | Prices of petrol, diesel marginally slashed on Friday, check December 21 rates in your city here The White House said Trump will not travel to Florida Friday for the Christmas holiday if the government is shutting down. More than 8,00,000 federal workers will be facing furloughs or forced to work without pay if a resolution is not reached before funding expires at midnight Friday. Meanwhile, China accused the US of fabricating facts after the US Justice Department indicted two hackers tied to Chinese security services who allegedly targeted companies and agencies in a dozen countries, adding fuel to the rift between the two countries, experts said. The rupee, meanwhile, weakened against the US dollar, and was trading at 69.89 a dollar. Brent crude, the international benchmark, was trading 0.66 per cent higher at USD 54.71 per barrel. On a net basis, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 386.44 crore Thursday, and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 87.96 crore, provisional data available with BSE showed. Also Read | Rupee slips 37 paise to 70.07 against US dollar in early trade Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kongs Hang Seng was down 0.14 per cent, Japans Nikkei fell 1.46 per cent and Shanghai Composite Index edged lower by 1.16 per cent. On Wall Street, the US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 464.06 points, or 1.99 per cent, lower at 22,859.60 Thursday. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in theA AgustaWestland case, has been sent to judicial custody till December 28 by a Delhi Court on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, theA Delhi court reserved for December 22 its order on bail plea of Michel arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case. The counsel for 57-year-old British national told Special Judge Arvind Kumar that he was not required for custodial interrogation and no purpose will be served by keeping him in further custody. "My handwriting has already already been taken. There were no original documents with the CBI to match it with. I have volunteered to provide all the documents," Michel's counsel Aljo K Joseph told the court. Alleged middleman Christian Michel sent to judicial custody till December 28 by Delhi Court #AgustaWestland (file pic) pic.twitter.com/dtJ0jAJW57 a ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2018 He was in CBI custody for 15 days. Michel was arrested in the UAE and extradited to India on December 4. The next day, he was produced in the court, which allowed his five-day custodial interrogation by the CBI which was later extended by five more days. Michel is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. Both the agencies notified an Interpol red corner notice (RCN) against him after the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him. A The CBI opposed the bail application, saying Michel might flee as he had already tried to escape from Dubai just before his extradition. The probe agency said that Michel was an influential person having links with people from the ministry and other bureaucrats and politicians, many of who are its witnesses in the case. "We brought him with so much difficulty. Some new facts have emerged and we need to have follow ups on those. He has not been a cooperative witness. A lot more to be unearthed of out own. He has no roots in India here. He has property etc but he may sell them and go away," the probe agency said. The court had earlier extended by four days the CBI custody of Michel on the ground that he needed to be confronted with various documents in the case. The CBI had said that he was required to be taken to the premises of Pawan Hans India Ltd in Mumbai to verify his version of his alleged attempted negotiations to buy back WG-30 helicopters, to identify the shipper and to confront the officials of Pawan Hans India.A (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland case, who had been sent to judicial custody till December 28 by a Delhi Court on Wednesday, moved a Delhi court on Friday seeking to be lodged in a separate cell in Tihar Jail. The application, filed through advocate Aljo K Joseph and Vishnu Shankar, sought a direction to the "Superintendent of Tihar Jail to allocate a separate cell to accused Christian James Michel". Michel was arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and extradited to India on December 4. He was then sent to CBI custody for 15 days. He was produced in the court on December 5, which allowed his five-day custodial interrogation by the CBI which was later extended by five more days. Michel is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. Both the agencies notified an Interpol red corner notice (RCN) against him after the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him. Read More | AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel sent to judicial custody till December 28 The CBI opposed the bail application, saying Michel might flee as he had already tried to escape from Dubai just before his extradition. The probe agency said that Michel was an influential person having links with people from the ministry and other bureaucrats and politicians, many of who are its witnesses in the case. "We brought him with so much difficulty. Some new facts have emerged and we need to have follow-ups on those. He has not been a cooperative witness. A lot more to be unearthed of our own. He has no roots in India here. He has property etc but he may sell them and go away," the probe agency said. Also Read | Congress rattled after Christian Michels extradition, sent team to save him: BJP The court had earlier extended by four days the CBI custody of Michel on the ground that he needed to be confronted with various documents in the case. The CBI had said that he was required to be taken to the premises of Pawan Hans India Ltd in Mumbai to verify his version of his alleged attempted negotiations to buy back WG-30 helicopters, to identify the shipper and to confront the officials of Pawan Hans India. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The United States has defeated the Islamic State group in Syria, US President Donald Trump claimed on Wednesday, adding that it was the only reason he kept troops in the country. Earlier there were reports that the US military, in a stunning reversal of policy, was considering a total withdrawal of its some 2,000 troops from the Middle Eastern country. Taking to Twitter, Trump confirmed the news, upending the assumptions about a longer-term US military presence in Syria. Earlier, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other senior officials had pitched for a long-term US military presence to ensure Islamic State cannot reemerge in the country. "We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," Trump wrote on Twitter. We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018 Read | Amid rift with United States, Iran President Hassan Rouhani threatens to cut off Gulf oil It's been a quite long time that Trump has been expressing a strong desire to bring troops home from Syria, while the US State Department officials have fretted about leaving Syria, keeping in mind the countrys brutal civil war, which has claimed thousands of innocent lives in the past. The deliberations came at a time when Ankara has threatened to launch an operation against the Kurdish militia, known as the YPG (Kurdish People's Protection Units) in Syria. In a situation like this, the Pentagon, however, has not confirmed the US troop pullout from the country and promised to continue its work in the region. "At this time, we continue to work by, with and through our partners in the region," Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said. Read | Donald Trump's new spelling mistake is making Twitter sing with memes again! In Syria, IS fighters are holding out in what remains of the pocket that once included Hajin, including the villages of Al-Shaafa and Sousa. Most US forces are stationed in northern Syria, though a small contingent is based at a garrison in Al-Tanaf, near the Jordanian and Iraqi border. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : The Delhi High court on Friday rejected Sajjan Kumar's plea seeking more time to surrender after he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. Following his conviction in the case, the High Court had ordered him to surrender by December 31. On Thursday, Sajjan Kumar had moved an application before the Delhi High Court and sought a months time to surrender, saying that he has eight grandchildren and needs time to settle personal matters. However, a bench of Justices S Muralidhar and Vinod Goel said it saw no grounds to grant him the relief and dismissed the plea. On December 17, the same bench had found the 73-year-old former Congress leader guilty of killing five Sikhs in Delhi a day after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984. The court observed that the mass killings of Sikhs between November 1 and 4, 1984 in Delhi and the rest of the country in the aftermath of Indira Gandhis assassination was carnage of unbelievable proportions. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi says he supports punishment to those involved in 1984 anti-Sikh riots What happened in the aftermath of the assassination of the then PM was carnage of unbelievable proportions in which over 2,700 Sikhs were murdered in Delhi alone. Law and order clearly broke down and it was literally a free for all situation. Aftershocks of that still being felt, the High Court said while reading out the judgment. Besides Sajjan Kumar, Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and former Congress councilor Balwan Khokhar have been sentenced to life imprisonment, while Kishan Khokkar and former legislator Mahender Yadav have been sentenced to 10 years in prison. In October this year, the Delhi High Court had reserved its order on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) plea challenging Sajjan Kumars acquittal by the trial court. The trial court had acquitted Kumar but awarded life sentence to former Congress councilor Balwan Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal. Also Read | Carnage of unbelievable proportion: Delhi High Court's observation on 1984 anti-Sikh riots More than 3,000 Sikhs were brutally killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots following Indira Gandhis assassination. Congress leaders Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar were accused of masterminding the riots. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: An erroneous approach of the trial court led to "miscarriage of justice" for a man convicted of allegedly raping his minor daughter 17 years ago, but justice was finally delivered to him when the Delhi High Court acquitted him on Wednesday 10 months after he died while maintaining his innocence until the end. The high court noted that neither the probe nor the trial was fair in the case, lodged following a complaint by his daughter, which resulted in him being sentenced to 10 years in jail. Justice RK Gauba said the accused "had been crying foul from day one" by claiming that some boy had abducted and seduced his daughter, who was found to be pregnant when the FIR of rape was lodged in January 1996, but the investigating agency and the trial court paid no heed to his contentions. The father had asked for a DNA test of the foetus by taking samples from the boy in question as well, but the police did not listen and the trial court did not issue any directions for such an investigation, the high court noted. "The investigation was clearly one-sided. At this distance in time, this court can only deplore the inaction on the part of all concerned. In the considered view of this court, there are many a fact and circumstance which have unfortunately been glossed over by the trial court but which render the account given by the prosecutrix to be wholly improbable and unreliable. "Additionally, this court is of the view that neither the investigating agency nor the trial court was fair to the appellant at any stage of the process, this also vitiating the result of the probe and the trial," the high court said in its judgement acquitting the man, who died in February this year. His wife had continued with the appeal. The high court said that the prosecution and the trial court picked out "easy solutions" and the need for a deeper probe, as demanded by the man right from the start, was given a go-by. "The defence evidence, particularly of the close members of the family was discarded. It is sad to note that the trial judge blindly accepted the prosecution story without going into the aspects which render it highly improbable, virtually impossible. "The erroneous approach of the trial court has led to a serious miscarriage of justice in the present case unreasonably holding the biological father of raping his own daughter in the teeth of loaded circumstances showing her to be of wayward ways and possibly in liaison with a male acquaintance," it said. It also noted that the kidnapping FIR lodged by the father, after the then 16-year-old girl went missing, was closed without any probe after she lodged a complaint that he had been raping her since 1991. Referring to the facts narrated by the girl before the trial court, the high court observed that "there was no inhibition" on the girl to report the matter and since according to her the rape began from 1991, nothing stopped her from communicating it to her mother, her siblings or other elders in the family. "The delay is indeed inordinate and there are no justifiable reasons for failure to lodge protest.. The conduct is undoubtedly unnatural and highly improbable," the high court said adding that if she had been raped in 1991 when she was just 12-years-old, then the consequent physical complications and pain would have been apparent, especially to the mother. On the aspect of no DNA test being carried out by the police, the high court said "the investigating agency and the prosecution appeared to have taken the stand that there was no need for it as from their perspective, it was an open and shut case, there being no reason why the daughter would accuse the father of such acts. "This was neither a fair probe nor a fair trial. The boy was never brought in for DNA testing." According to the girl's complaint, her father, who was an electrician in the Military Engineer Services, had first raped her in 1991 when they were living in Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and her mother had gone to her brother-in-law's funeral. Thereafter, whenever he found her alone he used to rape her and this continued after they came back to Delhi, she had alleged. Her version was opposed by her father and mother as well as her elder brother and sister, who had claimed in the trial court that she was poor in studies, was of wayward nature, complaints were being received against her and therefore, her formal schooling was discontinued and she was sent for sewing classes run by an NGO, the high court noted. It also observed that the father had also produced before the trial court his service records which indicated that in 1991 when his wife was away, he was posted in the field and did not get any leave. His family resided 40 km away. The high court also noted that the police made no effort to ascertain whether the boy in question was involved in any manner, even though the mother had testified in the trial court that her daughter had claimed she was molested by him a few days before her disappearance. The high court said that the possibility of physical intimacy between the boy and the girl "required a deeper probe. Unfortunately, there has been none". "On the foregoing facts, and in the circumstances, this court is not convinced by the conclusions reached by the trial court. The approach of the trial judge having been wholly misdirected and erroneous, the judgment of conviction cannot be allowed to stand," the high court said in its 22-page decision. New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday left the TwitteratiA going gaga as one of her latest tweets make people wondering the meaning of the same. While some claim it to be a One Time Password, others suggest that her tweet is featuring the Pin Code of a country. Earlier, in a similar incident in 2017, theA Union Ministry of Finance tweeted "Sawa we h we s see see", which also took the confusion right up to the 'covfefe' levels. Taking to Twitter, Sushma wrote, "638781", without any further clue for her followers.A However, the cryptic tweet was later deleted from the official handle of Swaraj after taking the social media by storm for over 20 minutes this afternoon. In a related note, when our team searched in Google, it learned that 638781 is a postal code of Singapore. Swaraj, who is known for her active social media participation, earlier found herself at theA receiving end of trolls with many of her followers posting abusive comments on her Twitter handle. The External Affairs Minister,A who has earned the reputation of cutting the red tape of the government machinery to help people over Twitter, was in for a rude shock at that time. She was being targeted for the action against a passport officer who was in the eye of the storm for allegations about harassing an interfaith couple. However, a daring Sushma decided to turn the tables on the trolls by naming and shaming them. Here is howA Twitterati reacted over the cryptic tweet from the EAM's twitter handle on Saturday: In a RGB color space,A hex #638781A is composed of 38.8% red, 52.9% green and 50.6% blue. Whereas in a CMYK color space, it is composed of 26.7% cyan, 0% magenta, 4.4% yellow and 47.1% black. It has a hue angle of 170 degrees, a saturation of 15.4% and a lightness of 45.9%.A YZ a OEEECYOOEES ECYE (@priiyanshu_) December 22, 2018 638781 Cases regarding MoEA has been resolved and still counting. CongratulationsYZYZS. a Raviraj Sanas (@RavirajSanas) December 22, 2018 What is 638781 a Dr. Manish Kr.Mishra (@ManishK25536436) December 22, 2018 Earlier, SwarajA had declared that she will not contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.A She cited health grounds as the reason behind her decision to give the upcoming general elections a miss. She is a Lok Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh's Vidisha.A The External Affairs Minister has been suffering from diabetes for quite a long time. In 2016, Swaraj had suffered kidney failure and underwent the transplant at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).A Who is Sushma Swaraj? Known for her eloquence and powerful speeches, Sushma Swaraj was first elected to the Haryana Legislative Assembly in 1977 and became the Labour and Employment minister in the Devi Lal-led government. She was again elected to the Haryana Legislative Assembly in 1987 and became the Education, Food and Civil Supplies minister. Swaraj was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1996 from South Delhi constituency. She had defeated Congress party's Kapil Sibal. She was also made the Information and Broadcasting minister in 1996 under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. However, the government collapsed in just 13 days. Sushma Swaraj was again elected to the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998 from South Delhi. She was made the Cabinet minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. In October 1998, she was sent to Delhi by the BJP top leadership to replace Sahib Singh Verma as the chief minister. However, Swaraj could not prevent the party from a humiliating defeat at the hands of Congress party under the leadership of Sheila Dikshit. She was elected from Hauz Khas but later resigned from it and retained her Lok Sabha seat. In 1999, Swaraj was given the responsibility to take on Congress president Sonia Gandhi from Congress bastion Bellary in Karnataka. She had lost the election but garnered approximately 45 per cent of total votes polled. She was again made the Information and Broadcasting minister in 2000. She took charge of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry in 2003. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Amid the speculations of a possible alliance between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit has said that she will accept whatever the Congress president Rahul Gandhi decides. Whatever the High Command decides, we will accept it, Dikshit, a staunch critic of AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, was quoted as saying by ANI. According to sources, sworn enemies AAP and Congress are in touch to explore possibilities of a pre-poll alliance in the national capital for the seven Lok Sabha constituencies. Although there were no official words from any of the party leaders, sources claimed behind the door talks are on between the bitter rivals. Both, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party shared an intense rivalry at least until August this year when Arvind Kejriwal said that voting for the Grand Old Party was like voting for the BJP. The AAP had also boycotted the election of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman in August this year, saying that the Congress party had not asked for its support for the joint Opposition candidate. Also Read | SP, BSP dump Congress from Grand Alliance in Uttar Pradesh, finalise seat-sharing pact: Sources However, the talks of the possible alliance between the parties got traction after the AAP attended a meeting of Opposition parties last week where the Congress was also in attendance. Also, the AAP was invited to attend the oath-taking ceremony of three Congress chief ministers in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Although local Congress leadership in the national capital is not too keen to join hands with Arvind Kejriwals party, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is ready to go to any extent to stop the BJP from coming in power. In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had decimated that the Congress and the AAP by winning all the seven constituencies - Chandani Chowk, North East Delhi, East Delhi, New Delhi, North West Delhi, West Delhi, South Delhi. The vote share of the BJP 46.40 pe cent but the combined vote share of the Congress and the AAP was 48 per cent, 1.60 per cent more than what the saffron party had got in 2014. Also Read | Kejriwal hits out at PM Modi over CBI charge sheet against AAP minister Satyendra Jain Now given the sharp decline in Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity and his governments failure to deliver on its promises, if the Congress and AAP join hands, it is likely to wrest most of the seats from the BJP. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: OnePluss next flagship smartphone is expected to launch in May or June next year but one image has been leaked over the internet ahead of its official launch. The leaked image features executives sitting in a boardroom and discussing over the smartphone. As per some reports, the smartphones over which executives are having discussion may be either a prototype of OnePlus 5G or OnePlus 7. Even the company has confirmed its plans to launch its first 5G phone next year and the phone in the leaked image may be the one. In the image, a big circular shaped camera region is visible at the back of the handset with two camera lens and a LED flash. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau can also be seen holding and taking a look at the back of the smartphone. Also Read | Reliance Jio vs Airtel: Best prepaid data pack under Rs 300 The leaked image was posted by a tipster Ishan Agarwal, who along with the picture also wrote, EXCLUSIVE! Here's your first look at an upcoming OnePlus Device I don't know much about. This image shows the device in prototype/designing stage and it is not final but this is probably how the device may end up looking. That's Pete (CEO of OP) in the img and the device itself. Currently, OnePlus 5, OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T are available in the Indian market. The mian attraction of these handsets is its heavy duty performance due to powerful and big RAM. Recently, one image of an upcoming special edition was also leaked over the social media, called OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition. The graphics of all-new OnePlus 6T McLaren will be inspired by the luxury automaker. As per some of the images leaked over the internet, OnePlus 6T McLaren will have an orange colour frame around it along with the McLaren name on the back panel. However, the basic design and dimensions of the handset will be same as that of OnePlus 6T. Also Read | PUBG Mobile 0.10.0 update now live, know new features and more Another interesting thing about the smartphone which grabbed all the eyeballs is its 10GB RAM. Earlier, the company had launched OnePlus 5T Star Wars Edition and OnePlus 6 Marvel Avengers Edition. New Delhi: The US government is heading for a partial shutdown till President Donald Trump and Congress can reach a mutual consensus on their long-running battle over Trump's demand for a wall on the border with Mexico. Funding for a range of federal agencies expired on Friday midnight. Donald Trump is insisting on a $ 5.7 bn deal to build his long-promised US border wall. The shutdown means the departments of homeland security, transportation, agriculture, national parks and forests will close. Earlier, a substitute spending bill was passed in order to keep federal agencies open until February 8 but the agreement did not include funding for Donald Trump's wall. More than half of the 1,700 people who work for the executive office of the president would be would be put on temporary leave. ALSO READ | After Syria, Donald Trump to pull half of US troops from Afghanistan Following the House's vote on Thursday night, Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen said, "I now urge the Senate to pass this continuing resolution and prevent a government shutdown." On Friday, Donald Trump had said at the White House that chances of a shutdown are probably pretty good, adding, Were going to get a wall. Republican Senator Lamar Alexander said, We had a reasonable path and there was every indication from the president that he would sign it." President Trump has thrown a temper tantrum and now has us careening toward a Trump shutdown over Christmas, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor. Youre not getting the wall today, next week or on January 3rd, when Democrats take control of the House, Schumer added. ALSO READ | US welcomes India 'reinvigorating' its ties with Maldives More than 420,000 federal employees deemed essential would continue to work without pay during a partial shutdown, including about 41,000 law enforcement and corrections officers and nearly 150,000 Homeland Security employees. Those working without pay three days before Christmas would include about 53,000 TSA workers, 54,000 Customs and Border Protection agents and officers and 42,000 Coast Guard employees, according to a report by Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Donald Trump made a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking a key campaign promise in the 2016 election, when he said it would be paid for by Mexico. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Barely hours after a resolution demanding the withdrawal of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna raked up a political storm across India, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Somnath Bharti defended its move, saying that the lines on Rajiv Gandhi was not part of the original resolution which was distributed to its MLAs and he himself later proposed the amendment and passed on to party MLA Jarnail Singh. Taking to Twitter, Bharti wrote, "In connection with a dispute about a line on Sri Rajiv Gandhi in the resolution passed in assembly today, I confirm that the line was not part of original resolution distributed to MLAs n it was me who suggested the line as an amendment n passed on to Sri Jarnail Singh Ji ". "Jarnail ji did not propose that amendment and never put that for the vote. Amendments are always put to vote separately and unless passed that can not be a part of the passed resolution. First I talked about this in my speech and then suggested this amendment and party had no opportunity to see the same," he added. "I further clarify that amendment I proposed was not put to vote as an amendment n hence there is no question of passing the same. Hope this answers the dispute conclusively," Bharti clarified in a series of tweets. I further clarify that amendment I proposed was not put to vote as an amendment n hence there is no question of passing the same. Hope this answers the dispute conclusively. Adv. Somnath Bharti (@attorneybharti) December 21, 2018 Read | Delhi Assembly passes resolution demanding to take back Rajiv Gandhis Bharat Ratna, AAP takes a U-turn The AAP legislators have been accusing former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi of justifying the killing of innocent Sikhs in the 1984 riots. The 1984 anti-Sikh riots, or what the Sikh community calls genocide, erupted in India with thousands of Sikhs being killed following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi's mother and former prime minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31. On November 19, AAP leader and lawyer HS Phoolka along with BJP secretary released the video of the speech delivered by Rajiv Gandhi on Indira Gandhis birth anniversary at Boat Club. In an apparent reference to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots the former prime minister said that "when a big tree falls, the earth shakes". Addressing a press conference Phoolka said, "A prime minister who justifies the killing of innocent citizens, definitely does not deserve Bharat Ratna. We, therefore, call upon the government to withdraw the Bharat Ratna conferred upon Rajiv Gandhi". The 1984 anti-Sikh riots case has been hogging the limelight in the media ever since Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in early December has been convicted in connection with the decade-old violence against Sikhs. Several AAP MLAs were equivocal in slamming the Congress for not taking action against their leaders who were allegedly involved in the riots. Read | BJP offers 5 Lok Sabha seats to Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP in Bihar, 1 in UP: Sources Union Home Minister Arun Jaitley also took a swipe at the Congress for choosing Kamal Nath for the post of Madhya Pradesh chief minister, alleging that Sikhs consider Nath "culpable" in the 1984 violence against the community. In an apparent reference to Nath, Jaitley said it is an irony that the verdict against Sajjan Kumar has come on a day when a Congress chief minister, who is held culpable by the Sikh community, is taking an oath. Congress leader Sajjan Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots on December 17, the same day when Kamal Nath took oath as the new chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday termed the Bulandshahr violence earlier this month a "political conspiracy", and said his government should be thanked and praised for its action following the clashes. "Those who wanted to create anarchy... the intentions of those who instigated riots after cow slaughter have been foiled," Adityanath told reporters after the Assembly was adjourned for the day amid opposition ruckus. The chief minister added the state government made sure law and order prevailed in its aftermath, and that anybody who is raising fingers at the government should, thank and applaud it. The day's proceedings in both the Houses of the state legislature were marred by continued uproar and sloganeering by the opposition Samajwadi Party and the Congress over various issues, including the plight of farmers and the law and order in the state, including the recent Bulandshahr violence. Also Read | Police arrest 3 people in Bulandshahr for alleged cow slaughter, killers of cop Subodh Kumar Singh still at large He said the state government will maintain rule of law at all cost. "Those who are cowards and not in a position to face a direct fight...they are embracing each other seeing that their political ground is receding...the state government will not allow any such conspiracy and will deal with it sternly," the chief minister said. Adityanath had earlier termed the Bulandshahr violence an accident. Wednesday was the second day of the brief Winter Session of the state legislature spread over four sittings. Five persons have been arrested on Tuesday for their alleged roles in the mob violence and the cow slaughtering cases in Bulandshahr that had claimed two lives, including that of an on-duty inspector and a civilian, officials said. Also Read | Bulandshahr Violence: Ex-bureaucrats demand UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's resignation Three of them have been arrested by the Bulandshahr police for their involvement in the cow slaughtering case, while two accused were nabbed by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) for the subsequent violence on December 3, the officials said. Police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and civilian Sumit Kumar, 20, were killed of bullet shots during the mob violence on December 3. One of the main suspects among the 27 named in the FIR, local Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Raj, is still absconding, while an Army jawan, Jitendra Malik, has been arrested and remanded in custody. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition seeking directions to use red ant chutney to treat the coronavirus. Yes, last Thursday, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition and said, "It cannot order the use of traditional medicine or home remedies for covid-19 treatment across the country.'' In fact, last Thursday, a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Vikram Nath, and Hima Kohli said, "Look, there are many traditional medicines, even in our homes, traditional medicine. You also have to bear the consequences of these treatments yourself, but we cannot ask you to implement this traditional medicine all over the country.'' Let me tell all of you that the bench directed Odisha tribal community member Nayadhar Padhiyal to get an anti-Covid-19 vaccine and dismissed the petition filed by him. Meanwhile, advocate Anirudh Sangneria, appearing for the petitioner, said the Odisha High Court had dismissed the petition and challenged the verdict. Last Thursday, the bench said, "The problem started when the High Court asked the Director General, Ministry of AYUSH and The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to take a decision on the proposal to use red ant chutney as a treatment for Covid-19 within three months. We want to finish it. We do not want to hear a Special Permission Petition under Article 136 of the Constitution. Therefore, the Special Permission Petition is rejected.'' What has been said in the petition- Yes, in fact, the petition says that chutney made by mixing red ant and green chilies is used as a medicine in tribal areas of the country including Odisha and Chhattisgarh in fever, cough, cold, fatigue, respiratory problems, and other diseases. Not only that, the petition claimed that red ant chutney is rich in medicinal properties and contains formic acid, protein, calcium, vitamin B12, and zinc and needs to be tested in the treatment of covid-19. Maharashtra: Ganpati festival will not be celebrated with grandeur, know the guideline here Reserve Bank optimistic about 9.5-pc FY22 GDP growth for FY22 being met : Shaktikanta Das V-shaped recovery in Q 1st shows strong macroeconomic fundamentals: Finance Ministry Nepal: In a major boost for bilateral power trade, Nepal and India have signed an investment agreement for the construction of the second Butwal-Gorakhpur 400 KV cross-border transmission line. A joint venture (JV) and shareholder agreement have been inked between the Nepal Electricity Authority and the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, in New Delhi on Thursday, according to the Nepal Electricity Authority. The agreement was signed by NEA Managing Director Kulman Ghising and PGCIL Executive Director Y.K. Dixit. An agreement on implementing the transmission line is also a prerequisite for the multi-million dollar MCC-Nepal compact -- viewed by many in Nepal as a counter-initiative under the Indo-Pacific Strategy of the US against China's Belt and Road Initiative -- to become effective. After completing the project, Nepal, and India can easily trade around 2,000 MW of energy from this dedicated transmission line. The proposed transmission line is a key component of the USD 630 million "Nepal Compact", an agreement between the Nepal government and the US' Millennium Challenge Corporation to fund electricity and road projects of strategic importance in Nepal. Nepal's Council of Ministers has already approved the NEA's proposal to invest 50 per cent shares in the company to be set up for the construction of the Butwal-Gorakhpur cross-border transmission line. Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor likely to step down next week Yogi govt bans sale of liquor, meat in 10km radious of Mathura-Vrindavan area Govt employees to be sent on compulsory leave if not a single vaccine dose taken: Punjab CM New Delhi: In its latest Monthly Economic Review, the Finance Ministry expressed The V-shaped recovery in the first quarter of 2021-22, despite the brutal second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, is a testimony to India's strong macroeconomic fundamentals, according to the Finance Ministry. The Finance Ministry also expressed concern over high incidence of COVID-19 cases in Kerala and Maharashtra and underlined the need for strengthening pandemic control and management in these two states. The Indian economy grew by 20.1 percent in the first quarter of the current financial year reaffirming, "India's resilient V-shaped recovery despite an intense second wave," it said. Hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, the economy had dipped by 24.4 percent during the first quarter of the previous fiscal. Going forward, the report said the agriculture sector continues to offer comfortable prospects with Kharif sowing at 101 percent of normal levels as of September 3, despite a 9 percent deficient monsoon so far in the year. Record-high paddy procurement and increasing tractor sales augur well for strengthened rural demand in the coming months, it said, adding, Industry is steadily gaining lost ground with June's IIP witnessing a broad-based growth, having recovered close to 95 percent of pre-pandemic levels of June 2019. Karnataka attracted countrys maximum share of FDI: Minister Nepal Govt seeks to draw USD 10 billion investments in 5 yrs India is expected to post strong GDP growth in coming quarters: S&P Global The proposed Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant has been the talk of the town over the past few weeks in Nepal. Various groups have staged multiple protests across the country, mostly in Kathmandu. Protests have taken place near the Parliament building, the US Embassy and the prime ministers residence too. The US governments Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Government of Nepal on September 14, 2017, signed a $500 million compact to spur economic growth and reduce poverty in Nepal. The agreement was signed by Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, the then finance minister under the Sher Bahadur Deuba government, on behalf of Nepal. However, it is yet to be passed by the House of Representatives due to concerns raised by politicians, lawmakers and the general public. The parliamentary endorsement is a mandatory requirement for the deals implementation. With hints coming from the government that the issue will be discussed in the forthcoming session of the House of Representatives, protests have intensified in the country. Further, MCCs vice-president Fatema Z Sumar and deputy vice-president Johnathon Brooks have arrived in Kathmandu on September 9 and met senior political leaders of Nepal from both ruling and opposition sides. This has caused a hullaballoo as everyone seems to be talking about the MCC. Opinions vary from one individual to other. But, what exactly is this whole issue about? We try to answer today. What is the MCC? The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) says it is an innovative and independent US foreign assistance agency that is helping lead the fight against global poverty. It was created by the US Congress in January 2004 with the aim of providing time-limited grants promoting economic growth, reducing poverty, and strengthening institutions. How is it different from other aid programmes? The compact aims to create jobs in the market and promote growth through infrastructure. The projects will use Nepali human resources to undertake the project. Through this, it also wants to incentivise policy and institutional reform to create a better future. How much is Nepal receiving? The compact is giving USD 500 million (approximately Rs 58.5 billion, to Nepal as a grant. However, if Nepals House of Representatives passes the compact, Nepal will have to pledge USD 130 million for the projects that will be carried out through the MCC grant. If accepted, this will be the largest grant Nepal has ever received. What projects will the funds be used for? The funds will be used for projects related to energy and roadways. According to the plan, USD 500 million will be used to set up a 400KV transmission line on the Lapsiphedi-Galchhi-Damauli-Sunawal power corridor. As per the deal, the funds will be spent on setting up a 400KV transmission line running 400 kilometres on the Lapsiphedi-Galchhi-Damauli-Sunawal power corridor. Three substations will also be built that will connect to Nepal-India cross-border transmission line with India in Rupandhei. The remaining USD 130 million will be used to maintain roads along the East-West Highway. How long does Nepal have to complete the project? Five years. Compacts must be implemented within five years from the entry into force date, and there is no possibility of receiving extra funding. MCC Vice-President Fatema Z Sumar arrives in Kathmandu on an official visit, on Thursday, September 9, 2021. Photo: Aryan Dhimal What is the controversy all about then? After the agreement was signed, the MCC deal was registered at the House of Representatives for ratification. But, it has not been presented for the Houses approval yet. Lawmakers from the erstwhile Nepal Communist Party, which is now split into three parties, in the past have not been happy with some of the provisions that are mentioned in the agreement and want amendments. In February 2020, a three-member high-level task force of the party had suggested the country should not get into it without amendments. Reports suggest, Dev Gurung, the then partys chief whip, had requested the then speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara to delay the compacts ratification. The issue grew deeper when David J Ranz, a US State Department official, during his visit to Nepal in May 2019, said the MCC was a crucial part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy. After that, leaders within NCP started to raise concerns, after which the compact could never be put before the House for ratification. Bhim Rawal of the CPN-UML is a major leader who has time and raised his voice against the ratification of the compact. He says without amendments, the compact will be dangerous for Nepal. He says that the MCC is above Nepal law and constitution and that the government should present all the documents of the agreement before the House. He claims that only a section of the agreement has been put before the House and adds that the government is hiding the rest of it. He further questions the need for ratification when other grants and loans did not need to be ratified in the past. His other concern is about sovereignty coming under threat as Nepali officials had to take orders from an international organisation to work on a project in Nepal. People say that this will change the face of the country. But, weve been wasting billions of rupees in Nepal. Major corporations are avoiding tax. There are ways that we can build a better future. For that, we dont have to disregard sovereignty, he said speaking at the House of Representatives last month. What amendments are sought? Rawal and other opponents of the deal have not given exact details, but they say amendments will do good for the national interest. Rawal says unless that is done, Nepal will not get to use the transmission line and that there are many vague statements that mean the line could be used by the MCC for years to come. Will the MCC amend some provision? The MCC has made it clear that the signed MCC Nepal Compact cannot be amended at this time. Will US send troops to Nepal? Nepali politicians claim that the US will send troops to Nepal. But, the MCC says the deal is not a military alliance nor is it part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy. But, it apparently contradicts Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for South Asia at the US Department of State David J Ranz 2019 statement. This has caused most of the problems in the case of Nepal. What is the Indo-Pacific Strategy? The Indo-Pacific Strategy is a programme of the US Department of Defense. According to a report published in June 2019, the strategy envisions a linkage between security, governance and economics but it did not state anything about a military alliance. However, various US officials have stated that the MCC is part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy which has caused a lot of problem. But, these officials have clearly stated that ratifying the MCC does not mean that Nepal will have to join a military alliance. Has any country said no to the MCC? Yes. The Sri Lankan government has decided not to sign the $480 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement with the US, taking into consideration the recommendations of a committee that found some of its features threaten the national security and welfare of the island nation. What do economists and stakeholders say? Most economists say there is no harm in accepting the grant. They say that it will be helpful for the future development of the country as it also deals with capacity building and training. Swarnim Wagle claims that the issue has been used for political agendas. He says that a proper discourse needs to take place for people to discuss the pros and cons of the compact. Also, the vice-chairperson of the National Planning Commission, economist Biswo Poudel in an interview with Kantipur says people who were against MCC did not understand what the compact was about. He further adds these people are objecting but are not trying to find an alternative to the MCC. He says the project will help in the upliftment of Nepal. Former Nepal Electricity Authority MD Hitendra Dev Shakya tells Nepali Times that the MCC project will form a backbone of Nepals electricity grid; and by linking it to the Indian grid, it will be more robust and flexible, allowing load sharing and management. The MCC-funded transmission lines are also critical for meeting Kathmandu valleys future demand growth, to transfer the power generated in eastern Nepal to the western half of the country during the monsoon, and from west to east in the winter. Foreign affairs experts say that the reason why the MCC has been caught in limbo is domestic competition between Nepals leaders and international geopolitics. Experts think that Nepal might be trying to please China by not ratifying the compact. Is Nepal trying to please China by withdrawing from the MCC? This is unclear. But, with most communist leaders against it, it is likely. However, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi said that Beijing welcomes any international assistance to Nepal if it is for economic cooperation. Kathmandu, September 10 The Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government has presented a replacement bill in the House of Representatives on Friday so as to amend the annual Nepal budget plan 2021/22 that former finance minister Bishnu Paudel had presented in an ordinance. CPN-UMLs Paudel had presented the budget on May 29, days after the KP Sharma Oli government dissolved the House of Representatives. With the Supreme Court reinstating the House and a new government in place, Paudels successor Janardan Sharma had said he would bring a replacement bill to amend the budget provisions. Accordingly, he presented the bill in the House today when lawmakers of the CPN-UML were chanting slogans against the government and Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota in protest. Here are six major announcements made by Minister Sharma. 1. Reduced size Photo: Pexels/ Cottonbro Whereas Paudels plan was worth Rs 1.647 trillion, Sharma revised the size with the plan of spending Rs 1.632 trillion only. It means the budget plan marked a reduction of around Rs 15 billion. 2. Reduction in the amount expected in loans Minister Sharma said, on the income side also, the government reduced the proposed internal and foreign debt by Rs 37 billion. 3. Added social security provisions Representational file Retaining the increase in social security allowances as announced in the previous plan, the government has introduced the following new provisions: Families of martyrs killed in different political protests: Rs 3,000 a month Patients of cancer, kidney diseases and paralysis due to spinal cord injury: Rs 5,000 a month 4. New provisions targeted at the poor File: Volunteers distribute food to the needy at Khulamanch as the Covid-19 crisis left many people jobless in Kathmandu. 10 free lunch spaces for the poor in Kathmandu Rs 10,000 grant to each of 500,000 poor families whose bread-winners had lost livelihood opportunities due to the Covid-19 pandemic 5. Additional budget for Covid-19 vaccines File: A senior citizen is vaccinated against Covid-19. The minister announced the government would allocate additional Rs 5 billion for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines. This fund would be generated by cutting down the allocations proposed for meeting and visit allowances, according to Sharma. 6. Reviving Melamchi project by mid-April President Bidya Devi Bhandari launches the distribution of Melamchi water in Kathmandu, on Friday, April 2, 2021. Photo: Aryan Dhimal The government said it would revive the Melamchi Water Supply Project closed due to floods and landslides and ensure the project would deliver water to Kathmandu by mid-April 2022. Kathmandu, September 9 The Ministry of Health and Population has informed that Nepals Covid-19 tally has reached 860,806 as of Thursday afternoon. The ministry said 1,271 new cases were confirmed in the country in the past 24 hours. In this period, 8,898 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which returned 1,058 returned positive. Likewise, 3,046 people underwent antigen tests for the virus, of which an additional 213 tested positive. Of total tests, 11.89 per cent of the PCR and 6.99 per cent of antigen samples returned positive, keeping the overall per-day positivity rate at 10.64 per cent. As of today, there are 26,886 active cases across the country. Of them, 1,792 are hospitalised, 458 in intensive care units and 139 on ventilators. In the past 24 hours, 1,845 people have achieved recovery whereas 14 deaths have been reported. Of the total cases so far, 735,006 people have achieved recovery. Likewise, 10,903 died, according to the ministry. The countrys recovery rate is 94.9 per cent and the death rate is 1.5 per cent. Meanwhile, 92,169 people were vaccinated today. Home Just In Suicide prevention helplines in Nepal have helped many people, but there is still a big room to improve In the last fiscal year 2020/21, Nepal Police recorded 7,141 suicide cases. Of them, 3,938 of the suicide victims were men, 2,449 women, and the remaining children. The data of Nepal Police alone showcase the number of suicides has increased by 14.2 per cent from the previous fiscal year 2019/20 despite efforts for suicide prevention from both governmental and non-governmental sectors. As one of the significant parts of the suicide prevention strategies, several helplines are in operation in Nepal with an aim of providing empathetic support and anonymous advice to individuals having suicidal thoughts. While these helplines have benefitted many callers by deterring suicidal thoughts in them and asking them to seek medical support, their ideal effectiveness is still in doubt due to a lack of a proper integrated system and strategies for suicide prevention, which requires multi-sectoral roles, view helpline operators, mental health experts, and other stakeholders. Focus on empathetic support, but not enough follow-ups Photo: Andreas Nadler/Flickr According to Dr Rabi Shakya, the chief of the Department of Psychiatry, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, around three calls come to the hospitals helpline in a day on an average asking for support. The Patan Hospital has been operating the 24-hour suicide prevention helpline since 2016 as a part of its suicide prevention strategy. While reviewing the data of phone calls received from the suicidal individuals of the last six months, the number of male callers is higher than that of women, Shakya informs. Most of them are young people. There is a team of eight doctors at the hospital to handle such calls. Yet, there is no such system as follow-ups. We assume that the caller has halted their decision of killing themselves once they hang up the phone, though we dont know their decision, Shakya says, Our main goal is to provide therapy-based counselling and convince them to seek medical help and visit the hospital. Unfortunately, we dont conduct the follow-ups for any caller. Neither do we have any rescue team. If some caller comes to visit us for medical support, we suppose that the helpline has been effective, informs Shakya. An official at the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital shares the primary objective of the suicide prevention helpline there, officially started a year ago, is to provide emotional ventilation along with maintaining confidentiality and stressing on their problem-solving techniques. Likewise, Parbati Shrestha, a project coordinator at the Transcultural Psychosocial Organisation Nepal (TPO Nepal), a suicide prevention NGO, says, on average, her organisation receives about eight calls per day. There are three psychologists working full-time who are responsible to counsel the callers. They listen to their problems, ask their expectations, and build trust that everything the caller is sharing will be kept confidential so that they can open up more comfortably. The psychologist tries to know if their problems are related to any mental health issues or if they have taken any medical support to cope with that problem. Based on the conversation, psychologists analyse if the caller requires regular support or not and conduct follow-ups of such callers and provide regular support. If necessary, we link them to psychiatrists as well. Assessing efficacy According to Shrestha, many individuals having suicidal thoughts hesitate to seek support from health facilities and share their issues with their family and friends due to the social stigma relating to mental health problems and suicide. Therefore, suicide prevention helplines that maintain the confidentiality of the callers can be effective. Psychologist Kripa Sigdel says brief interventions have been effective in reducing suicidal thoughts in callers globally. In the countries like Nepal where there is a social stigma surrounding suicide, this works quite better, she argues. However, the question lies about the supervision of the helplines. Sigdel doubts if there has been any monitoring about the effectiveness of the helplines, if they are conducting follow-ups, and if they have supported the callers with coping techniques and a lot more. It is very significant to think and work on the next steps after the calls. For example, after ending the calls, the concerned stakeholders should think about how and where to send them for counselling or how to provide regular support to them, she views. Accordingly, in some cases that require physical intervention, Shrestha of the TPO says her organisation immediately alerts the police while keeping the callers engaged and rescue them on time. Of 616 calls the suicide prevention helpline number 1166 operated jointly by the Mental Hospital and the TPO, about 137 people have come to seek support from psychologists, she informs. Likewise, in about 120 calls received by the suicide prevention helpline operated by the TUTH and handled by a team of three psychologists and nine psychiatric doctors all around the clock, around 38 of cent of calls are from inside the Kathmandu valley. Of them, five callers have visited the TUTH for medical support, informs the TUTH official. Meanwhile, stating that the awareness of mental health issues including suicide prevention and helplines is much city-centric, psychologist Sigdel suggests the country needs to improve the effectiveness of existing helplines instead of adding numbers. Then, it will be easier to keep the data and conduct checks and balances. Also, this topic should always be brought into discourses, Sigdel advises. Meanwhile, Shrestha and Shakya stress the need for a multi-sectoral role to combat this major health concern. Shrestha explains, Many people do not still realise or acknowledge suicide as a mental health issue for which a person can seek medical support, in the presence of social stigma and absence of awareness. In order to fight such stigma and prevent suicides, all the sectors are media, NGOs, the government, academic institutions, pesticides distributor, and other stakeholders should work actively and in integration. Government efforts To improve the effectiveness of such helplines, the government has endorsed the National Mental Health Strategy and Action Plan that has included suicide prevention as one of its prime components. We have been working according to this plan only. At the same time, we acknowledge and support the efforts carried out by non-governmental sectors in suicide prevention and mental health issues, shares Dr Phanindra Prasad Baral, the chief of the mental health section at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division under the Ministry of Health. According to SSP Basanta Kunwar, the Nepal Police spokesperson, police personnel have also been rescuing people who have attempted to kill themselves after getting informed by various people and groups including the service helpline operators as well. In case you need help: Nepali Hindu women and girls have just got done with Teej, often deemed as the greatest festival of Hindu women. As they celebrated the festival, temples, roads, rooftops, and courtyards turned red with most of the revellers clad in glittery and stylish red attires such as saris, kurtas, and lehengas. As time is moving, there, of course, are some colour variations and blending of traditional clothes with modern designs. Like the physical world, the virtual world of social media pages is also flooded with photos and videos of Nepali women and girls dressed up in beautiful outfits and dancing, visiting temples, worshipping, and enjoying Teej. It seems the festival is not an occasion of expressing religious devotion as perceived traditionally but just a fashion opportunity. And, true it is. For many of the young generation, what matters to them more every Teej is the kind of attires they get in the market instead of the devotion they offer to Lord Shiva. (And, it is not wrong, anywaydont rush to your judgements.) In recent times, when fashion has taken over the minds of many Nepali people, many fashion enthusiasts see Teej as a fashion opportunity to showcase their love and interest in clothing, giving a significant boom to the market momentum. Meanwhile, some are concerned that it has been so for only those who have money. A different reason to celebrate the festival Bindu Adhikari, 24, a native of Bara, currently lives in Tasmania, Australia with her husband. Adhikari, who describes herself as someone who loves dressing up and wearing makeup, shares, I love dressing and makeover myself even its not any festival or party. Hence, Teej is a great occasion for me to showcase my love and interest in dressing and makeovers. Bindu Adhikari, a Nepali woman current in Australia, during the Teej celebration. Photo: Courtesy Bindu Adhikari She further adds, Besides, it is a great opportunity for having parties and get-togethers with family and friends although I have never fasted on Teej. I think people have different reasons to celebrate the festival. Prajita Rajbanshi, 20, from Kathmandu, also shares similar feelings. Rajbanshi says, I have been celebrating Teej since I had had my first period. I do fast on this day and enjoy this festival religiously and culturally. But, Teej has also been a great time and has given a reason for me to wear beautiful outfits and do makeup and shine. Sushila Kandel from Baglung agrees, My family has three women. Although none of us fasts on Teej, we do enjoy other aspects such as friends and family gathering, dancing, and most of all wearing beautiful traditional wear with some modern twist, jewellery, makeup, and being beautiful. The market momentum As per Kandel, she spent around Rs 15,000 for her, her mother, and her sisters overall dresses, jewellery, and makeup for this Teej. She says, This Teej, we three wore identical saris and matching jewellery. It feels good as we rarely repeat Teej outfits. Likewise, Adhikari also mentions, I wore a sari this Teej day because I love traditional wear, especially sari. While choosing saris, I do somehow follow trends keeping my own style intact. Stating that she has spent approximately AUD 2,000 on her clothing and accessories this Teej, she adds, Usually, I dont repeat clothes during Teej. And this year too, I didnt repeat at all. But, I repeated some accessories. Money matters Girls and women are seen dancing at the Pashupatinath area, in Kathmandu, on Thursday, September 9, 2021. On the other hand, Bibhuti Regmi, 20, from Bhaktapur has never celebrated Teej and has neither taken fast. She thinks, Teej is a religious occasion, but the way we are celebrating it has destroyed its essence. These days, it feels like a fashion show where the people having money show off and those who cant afford such dresses feel ashamed. Adding to this, Sandhya Thapa Chhetri, 36, from Butwal thinks, It is all about individual choice. Teej might be a fashion occasion for those having money. Those who dont have money will wear their simple daily wear and worship. She further continues, Teej is a simple day for me. To date, I have not even bought a single bangle for Teej, let alone buying clothes for Teej only. Although I dont do puja every day, I do Teej puja at home; Im not a ritualistic person, but I like to keep fasting in Teej for my husband and family. Manisha Gyawali, from Kathmandu, also started celebrated Teej in her childhood, following her mother. She shares, I always celebrate Teej fasting, and wearing my mummys red sari, mehendi, red bindi, bangles, and dhago. I never buy any outfits for Teej. She is not happy that many have forgotten to enjoy the originality of this festival and are more concerned about following the fashion trends. MEXICO CITY, Sept 10 (Reuters) - A planned proposal by Mexican telecoms giant America Movil, controlled by the family of billionaire Carlos Slim, to spin off some assets into a new company has to do with its Latin American towers, a spokesman for the company said on Friday. The spin-off to create a new public company will be proposed to shareholders in an extraordinary meeting on Sept. 29, a filing with Mexico's stock exchange on Friday showed. America Movils board of directors approved in February the asset reorganization plan for its regional towers https://www.reuters.com/article/us-america-movil-results-idUSKBN2A92YN, creating a spin-off entity focused on the development, construction and locations of the towers for mobile services, the company said. The company has between 35,000 and 37,000 towers in the region. America Movil previously said it expected to complete the reorganization this year. (Reporting by Cassandra Garrison and Ana Isabel Martinez; Editing by Mark Porter) President Joe Biden on Friday told opponents of his administration's Covid vaccine mandates to "have at it" with legal challenges, lamenting that the issue has grown so politicized. "I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids, so cavalier with the health of their communities," he said. On Thursday, Biden announced a series of vaccine mandates that will affect over 100 million Americans: all federal employees and contractors, workers at companies with over 100 employees, federal workers who are employed at a health care provider receiving Medicare or Medicaid funding, and employees at schools receiving Head Start funding, among others. Republican governors have already announced their intent to challenge these mandates, including Brian Kemp of Georgia and Kristi Noem of South Dakota. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose state has lifted virtually all pandemic mitigation measures, said in a press conference that he opposes "mandates of any kind." In remarks Friday at a school in Washington, Biden vented his frustration with governors who have been unwilling to more aggressively compel their states' residents to get vaccinated. Biden added that there's "not a scientist in this field" who would say that his proposals, including the vaccine requirements, aren't common sense. "If these governors wont help us beat the pandemic, Ill use my power as president to get them out of the way," he said in his Thursday address. In a Friday afternoon press conference, press secretary Jen Psaki defended the right of the Biden administration under the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Act. "It requires the Department of Labor to take action when it finds grave risk to workers. And certainly a pandemic that has killed more than 600,000 people and where 25 percent of eligible people have not yet been vaccinated, poses a grave risk." Story continues Psaki also addressed Biden's frustration toward unvaccinated Americans. "We didn't anticipate, I will say, that when there was a vaccine approved under a Republican president, that the Republican president took, that there would be such hesitation, opposition, vehement opposition, in some cases, by so many people of his own party in this country," she said Friday. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this report misstated when President Joe Biden made remarks at a school in Washington. He made remarks on Friday. - This blockchain-based certificate is free and secure, as it leverages a technological process highly reliable for user data accuracy and privacy. - Vitalpass will record and certify the vaccination status of Colombian citizens and connect with other vaccination passports globally. BOGOTA, Colombia, Sept. 10, 2021 /CNW/ -- Vitalpass, the COVID-19 digital vaccination passport co-created by Auna Ideas Foundation and Koibanx and developed leveraging Algorand's blockchain, has been chosen by the Colombian government as its official immunization certificate. Colombia is the first country in Latin America to adopt this technology, joining the ranks of others already doing this, including Singapore, Japan, South Korea and New York City . This initiative has been made possible thanks to Auna's commitment to vaccination in Colombia and Peru, and through partnerships with local and national governments. A milestone in Colombia and Latin America, Vitalpass has been co-designed by the Innovation and HealthTech division of Auna Ideas as part of their commitment to provide comprehensive health solutions. This digital vaccination passport is free and cannot be falsified, since it creates a permanent and inalterable record on Algorand Blockchain, which is a public, decentralized network that was purpose-built for global applications that can scale to mass adoption. Vitalpass was developed with the technological support of Koibanx, a LATAM company with more than 6 years of experience implementing blockchain-based asset tokenization and transactional solutions for the financial and government sectors. "The use of blockchain technology makes this digital passport one of the safest and most reliable tools to guarantee the transparent process of vaccination in Colombia, because the information cannot be changed, erased or manipulated, thus ensuring the validity of the certificate against cases of forgery, double vaccination, or others," said Dr. Andres Vasquez, Director of Biomedical Innovation and Health-Tech at Auna Ideas. Story continues Auna Ideas Foundation has granted the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Colombia free and perpetual rights to deploy VitalPass as the country's tool to certify its citizens' COVID-19 vaccination before any national or international agency. Similar agreements are expected to be signed with other governments in Latin America. Vitalpass is part of the Commontrust Network, where multiple organizations worldwide joined efforts to give patients digital access to their health data using open, interoperable and verifiable standards. In addition, negotiations are underway to connect with GreenPass, the European Union's COVID-19 digital immunization certification system. With this initiative, Auna, through the Auna Ideas Foundation, reaffirms its commitment to fight COVID-19 and to leverage innovation to transform the healthcare experience of an increasing number of families in Latin America. Auna Ideas Foundation Auna Ideas is an open platform for scientific research, innovation in Health-Tech, health training, and social development in our continent with the support of AUNA. Since 2008 Auna seeks to transform health care and wellness in Latin America. With a presence in Peru and Colombia with more than 7,500 collaborators, they offer comprehensive health care to members and patients at every moment of their lives. They have a network of clinics and wellness centers, transversal health services, insurance products; all of this, with the support of the most advanced medical and academic research and a first-class team. ABOUT KOIBANX Since 2015 Koibanx has helped banks and financial institutions integrate crypto into their banking cores while connecting financial products through Blockchain infrastructure. Payments, factoring, and the tokenization of a variety of financial assets can be executed more efficiently and securely on the Koibanx platform. The company seeks to connect the LATAM financial industry over a shared infrastructure for the benefit of all players. For more information, visit https://www.koibanx.com. ABOUT ALGORAND Algorand is building the technology to power the Future of Finance (FutureFi), the convergence of traditional and decentralized models into a unified system that is inclusive, frictionless, and secure. Founded by Turing Award-winning cryptographerSilvio Micali, Algorand developed a blockchain infrastructure that offers the interoperability and capacity to handle the volume of transactions needed for defi, financial institutions and governments to smoothly transition into FutureFi. The technology of choice for more than 700 global organizations, Algorand is enabling the simple creation of next generation financial products, protocols and exchange of value. For more information, visit www.algorand.com. Algorand, Inc. algorand@dittopr.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/colombian-government-selects-vitalpass-co-created-by-auna-ideas-and-built-on-algorand-blockchain-as-the-nations-official-digital-vaccination-passport-301373442.html SOURCE Algorand Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2021/10/c2614.html ROSELAND, N.J., Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- XO Appliances is thrilled to welcome Chef David Burke to the XO family. His expertise as one of the most respected chefs in modern American cuisine, along with his love of creating innovative fine food, make him a perfect ambassador for our brand. CEO of XO, Craig Friedman says, "David Burke has identified himself as being a true lover of fine food and understands how it is about the experience. Our luxury appliances are built to provide customers with that perfect restaurant quality addition to their own outdoor experiences. The opportunity for a non-professional consumer to be able to tap into the same tools that the pros use is a game-changer. We felt that David Burke would be the best guy to put XO to the test and show people all the great things that could be done with our appliances." Named an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2021 New Jersey, Burke has restaurants at seven locations across the state. At 26, Burke's kitchen mastery won him the executive chef position of New York City's legendary River Cafe. He became the first American to win the prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Diplome d'Honneur. He subsequently won Japan's Nippon Award for Excellence and the Robert Mondavi Award of Excellence. Burke was also awarded a coveted three-star New York Times review for the River Cafe and became a guest on TV's Top Chef. Discussing the XO partnership, Burke says, "XO has gone to great lengths to manufacture restaurant quality equipment. I've opened more than 25 successful restaurants around the world and know a bit about equipment. After using XO Appliances, I am now a proud owner. The XO equipment in my yard is better than in some of my restaurants! They are not only functional every piece is to be admired like fine art. XO doesn't fail to deliver." XO looks forward to sharing the cooking experiences Burke will be having with them. This will include exclusive monthly recipes developed by him for our customers to recreate on their own. Customers can take advantage of the professional tricks he'll be using to get the maximum benefit from cooking with XO appliances, thereby allowing people to take their own outdoor experiences to a whole new level. Enjoy XO, with love. Story continues Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/david-burke-new-jersey-native-and-leading-pioneer-in-american-cuisine-becomes-brand-ambassador-for-xo-appliances-301371919.html SOURCE XO Appliances (Corrects to clarify asylum seekers were apprehensive about persecution in their home country, not Hong Kong, in paragraphs 10-11) By Joyce Zhou HONG KONG, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Guide Michael Tsang was able to take tourists freely around Asia's financial hub in 2019, introducing them to the citys protest movement, explaining "one country, two systems" and showing them scenes of economic inequality. Since the coronavirus pandemic cut off foreign visitors and a sweeping national security law passed last year limited what Tsang's tours could show, his business has been hit hard. So he shifted to attract local residents with activism tours, including the citys LGBT movement and refugee community. During an August tour he took 30 people to a drag show with a person called "MissTina UglyHaira" who styles herself after singer Christina Aguilera. Prancing up and down a bar in the city's Soho district in high heels and a mesh top, Tina details some of her life stories before lip syncing and gyrating for the audience, who applaud loudly. Karen Lai, who said she had a "very conservative" upbringing, called the experience eye opening. I realised it is nothing like my parents said, said Lai, 29. Tsang, who quit his finance job in 2016 to start Hong Kong Free Tours, said he wanted to help bring harmony to society and engage people from different facets of life. The tours, which also show the citys disappearing heritage, religious diversity, socio-economic inequality and housing crisis, are a far cry from typical shopping and foodie trips. Society is so polarised these days, so we try to do something to try and resolve the issue, he told Reuters. One of Tsangs tours visits the citys famed Chungking Mansions, a labyrinthine complex with ethnic restaurants, guesthouses and stores selling everything from cheap phones to burqas. Social worker Jeffrey Andrews, a Hong Kong resident of Indian descent, introduced tour goers to small family-owned businesses inside the complex and met asylum seekers who took refuge in the city. Story continues For the asylum seekers, Andrews explained that some were apprehensive to share their personal journey as the topics were often sensitive, including touching on political and religious persecution in their home countries. "Its really representing the diversity in Hong Kong...its what we are aiming for - people to connect, Andrews said. Sally See, 22, said that besides showing her new things, the tour covered lots of topics that Hong Kongers rarely talk about. "We get to meet strangers and talked with more people," she said. "I think its really fun, especially now we are stuck in Hong Kong, so I feel like I am a tourist again." (Writing by Farah Master; Editing by Gerry Doyle) * Peru cenbank hikes interest rate by 50bps * Mexican industrial production rises as does Brazil retail sales * LATAM Airlines slumps 8% * Brazil's CSN rises on $1 billion deal with Holcim By Susan Mathew Sept 10 (Reuters) - Most Latin American currencies and stocks firmed on Friday in line with global markets on signs that the United States and China are attempting to repair frayed ties, while Peru's sol hit an over two-week high following an interest rate rise overnight. The sol rose 0.5% after a 50 basis points hike by the central bank on Thursday to 1%. This is the second rate hike in a row as the country battles a post pandemic pick-up in inflation. The bank said it expects inflation to return within target in the next 12 months. It said that Thursday's hike does not necessarily imply "a cycle of successive rate hikes", but it also took off from its statement the need to maintain an expansionary monetary policy stance. "We read these two statements as hinting the intention to move the policy rate towards neutrality but not necessarily through a front-loaded continuous rate normalization cycle," Goldman Sachs analysts wrote in a note. "Additional near-term rate hikes are likely given the deterioration of the current and prospective inflation and exchange rate outlook." Several emerging market central banks have embarked on a hiking cycle to stave off inflation, with Russia's 25bps hike on Friday being the latest. Mexico's peso extended gains to a third straight session, up 0.4%, bolstered by positive industrial production data, while Brazil's real extended previous session's strong gains as retail sales rose in July. News of a phone call between the presidents of the United States and China was welcomed after the severely strained ties between the two nations under former U.S. President Donald Trump had led to a trade war that slowed global growth and hammered markets. The Brazilian real was set to end a very volatile week about 0.3% lower. Overnight it jumped 2.4% after President Jair Bolsonaro stepped back from his feud with the Supreme Court. A trucker's strike, which has disrupted routes for export items, will end on Sunday, he said. Among stocks, Brazilian steelmaker CSN rose almost 3% after agreeing to by world's largest cement maker Holcim's Brazil business for $1 billion. Chile's LATAM Airlines slumped 8%. Latin America's largest carrier said it has received several offers to fund its exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Each of the offers are worth more than $5 billion, less than the company's claims estimates of between $8 billion and $9.9 billion. A source said LATAM has no intention of pursuing a sale of any of its business units. Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies at xx GMT: Stock indexes Latest Daily % change MSCI Emerging Markets 1313.20 1.02 MSCI LatAm 2423.36 1.34 Brazil Bovespa 115899.08 0.47 Mexico IPC 51608.02 0.41 Chile IPSA 4468.04 1.38 Argentina MerVal 0.00 0 Colombia COLCAP 1322.09 -0.05 Currencies Latest Daily % change Brazil real 5.2090 0.34 Mexico peso 19.8542 0.32 Chile peso 790.7 0.38 Colombia peso 3837.48 0.10 Peru sol 4.0846 0.15 Argentina peso 98.0800 -0.02 (interbank) (Reporting by Susan Mathew in Bengaluru; Editing by Angus MacSwan) FILE PHOTO: Smartphone with Epic Games logo is seen in front of Apple logo in this illustration By Jan Wolfe and Mike Scarcella WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. judge stopped short of labeling Apple Inc an "illegal monopolist" on Friday, but the closely-watched ruling provides a roadmap for similar claims against the iPhone maker in the future, legal experts said. Ruling on an antitrust case brought by Epic Games, creator of the online game "Fortnite," U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said Epic did not present sufficient evidence of Apple having unlawful monopoly power in the relevant market, which she defined as "digital mobile gaming transactions." But the California judge made clear that the decision was limited to the facts before her. "While the Court finds that Apple enjoys considerable market share of over 55% and extraordinarily high profit margins, these factors alone do not show antitrust conduct," Gonzalez Rogers said. "The Court does not find that it is impossible; only that Epic Games failed in its burden to demonstrate Apple is an illegal monopolist." The judge did find that Apple's rules on its lucrative App Store business violated California state competition laws. The question of whether Apple abused monopoly power "remains very much unsettled," said Joshua Paul Davis, a professor of antitrust law at the University of San Francisco School of Law. "Given how controversial these issues are right now, I would expect this not to be the final say," he said. In her ruling, Gonzalez Rogers noted that Epic Games had "overreached" in a trial earlier this year by trying to define the relevant market as all app distribution and in-app payments on iPhones. "As a consequence, the trial record was not as fulsome with respect to antitrust conduct in the relevant market as it could have been," Gonzalez Rogers said. Apple's legal team said it was still reviewing whether to appeal the decision. "We're extremely pleased with this decision," Apple's General Counsel Katherine L. Adams told reporters. "It underscores the merit of our business, both as an economic and competitive engine." Story continues Valarie Williams, a partner at law firm Alston & Bird, called Gonzalez Rogers' decision a "road map" to future plaintiffs pursuing monopoly claims against Apple. Future plaintiffs could bring a case that adopts Gonzalez Rogers's market definition and introduces additional evidence, Williams said. Sam Weinstein, a professor of antitrust law at Cardozo School of Law, agreed the judge's ruling could encourage other market participants to learn from Epic's case and try to launch a stronger blow against Apple. Language in the ruling could even signal that the judge thinks "it's only a matter of time" before Apple becomes a monopoly, Weinstein said. "This is only one particular piece of litigation framed in one particular way," said Davis. "The court was pretty explicit that different litigants could come forward with different evidence...and that could potentially change the result." (Reporting by Jan Wolfe and Mike Scarcella; Additional reporting by Stephen Nellis and Diane Bartz; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Sonya Hepinstall) Illuminated drones form figures inspired by the bitcoin logo at a reception hosted by American cryptocurrency developer and billionaire Brock Pierce on the first day of bitcoins implementation as a currency in El Salvador, in El Sunzal Beach on 7 September, 2021 (AFP via Getty Images) In the same week that El Salvador officially introduced bitcoin as a form of legal tender, two more countries have moved towards broader acceptance of the cryptocurrency. Ukraine passed a draft law to legalise cryptocurrencies the day after El Salvadors Bitcoin Law came into effect on 7 September, with a view to open up the crypto market to businesses and investors by next year. The same day, Panamanian Congressman Gabriel Silva announced a bill titled Crypto Law: Making Panama Compatible with the digital economy, blockchain, crypto assets, and the internet. This bill aims to offer legal, regulatory, and fiscal certainty to the use, holding and issuance of digital value and crypto assets in the Republic of Panama. Follow all the latest crypto market updates with The Independents live blog The Bitcoin Law made El Salvador the first country in the world to adopt bitcoin as an official currency, but experts predict the emerging trend among other developing economies means it may not be the last. Tuesday was a momentous day for crypto adoption in the world, Santiago Alvarado, vice president of crypto platform Bitso, which supports El Salvadors Chivo bitcoin wallet, told The Independent. The move to adopt bitcoin as legal tender is rooted in hope for a better future, and a fundamental part of its success will depend on citizens learning about the benefits cryptocurrencies have to offer, such as secure, fast, and efficient payments. The benefits offered by bitcoin cheaper remittance fees, a hedge against inflation, and less reliance on the US dollar as a reserve currency need to be weighed against any potential issues that come with rolling it out on a national scale. Within hours of El Salvadors launch, the price of bitcoin crashed by around 15 per cent, effectively devaluing the holdings of Salvadorans. Other countries will likely want to see how well El Salvadors crypto punt plays out before they make the same move, though they may not wait long if they want to reap the benefits of being one of the early adopters. Story continues There is now pressure on competing nations to acquire bitcoin even if only as a reserve asset as its design massively incentivises early adoption, tweeted former NSA analyst and crypto advocate Edward Snowden. Latecomers may regret hesitating. Industry figures expect other countries, particularly in Central and South America, to make further announcements later this year that could lead to increased bitcoin adoption. We expect to see a tipping point very early in the adoption process, where if enough central banks adopt bitcoin it will be the logical reaction of further central banks to follow immediately, said Sebastian Markowsky, chief security officer of bitcoin ATM provider Coinsource. This is a small step for bitcoin but a huge step for the industry. This was originally expected to happen towards the end of the year, now that this has made news for quite some time and the fact that many other countries are actively looking at similar scenarios, we expect further news until the end of this year. Read More How bad is bitcoin for the environment really? Amazon responds to bitcoin rumour that sent crypto market surging Bitcoin family travels world storing crypto in six secret locations By Abhinav Ramnarayan LONDON, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Greek government bond yields fell for a second session in a row on Friday as the ECB's cautious stance supercharged Southern Europe but especially Greece, the biggest beneficiary of the central banks pandemic emergency purchasing programme (PEPP). The European Central Bank said on Thursday it would trim emergency bond purchases but was keen to stress it wasn't about to close the money taps, with ECB chief Christine Lagarde saying: "The lady isn't tapering." Greece was included in ECB bond purchases under the central bank's COVID-19 response for the first time since asset purchases began in 2014, having been barred previously because of its lack of an investment grade rating. "There's quite a widespread assumption that the ECB will ease further in December - either an increase of the asset purchase programme or just extend the PEPP by three or six months," said ING rates strategist Antoine Bouvet. "If they extend PEPP that is obviously supportive for Greek government bonds in particular. In general we remain bullish on Southern European debt on the back of ECB support." Greek and Italian government bonds led a broad rally in euro zone debt on Thursday, with 10-year yields falling seven basis points each. Greek 10-year yields fell a further 3.5 bps on Friday morning to 0.754%. Five-year yields headed back towards the 0 mark in early trade, and were trading at 0.017% at 0745 GMT. This reverses some of the sharp yield rises in the run-up to Thursday's ECB meeting as investors bet that rising inflation in the single currency bloc might lead the ECB to claw back some of its extraordinary stimulus. Other euro zone bond yields were broadly unchanged after having fallen on Thursday in response to the ECB meeting. Germany's 10-year government bond yield, the benchmark for the bloc, was flat at -0.366%, while Italian yields rose 2 bps to 0.688%, after having fallen eight bps on Thursday. Industrial production data from France, Spain and Italy are due out later on Friday, when a number of ECB policymakers are expected to speak, though analysts believe they will refrain from rocking the boat after a smooth meeting on Thursday. (Reporting by Abhinav Ramnarayan Editing by Mark Heinrich) Natural gas markets have gone back and forth around the $5.00 level, an area that has been important more than once, and of course will attract a lot of headlines as it is such a big round figure. This of course attracts a lot of attention in general, and therefore a lot of headlines will cross terminals that have people scrambling. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that the candlestick is a little bit hesitant to break above there, which would be natural given the fact that it would be so important. NATGAS Video 10.09.21 That being said, there is a lot of demand out there for natural gas and at this point it would not surprise me at all if we were to take off. Nonetheless, there is a bit of a parabolic move at work here, so I think a pullback makes quite a bit of sense. The $4.60 level begins a significant support zone down to the $4.50 level. Breaking down below that then opens up more support at the $4.20 level. That being said, I do not expect to get all the way down to this region. With particularly concerning about this is that this is historically a very weak time of the year. As colder temperatures head into the United States and Europe of the next few months, one has to wonder whether or not the supply constraints can be fixed? Russia has been playing games by holding back some of the gas heading to Europe, in order to get the Nord Stream 2 pipeline blade. I suspect eventually this game ends but right now it is obvious that you cannot be a seller. For a look at all of todays economic events, check out our economic calendar. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: Keynoted by bestselling author Scott Galloway, Opticon21 will address how organizations can adapt to change to reach their potential, drive outcomes and deliver excellent digital experiences NEW YORK, September 09, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading provider of digital experience platform solutions, Optimizely, today announced it will be hosting Opticon21, a global, virtual event for digital business leaders looking to take their organizations from stable to adaptive. The event, focused on helping brands get on the path to potential, will stream live in three regions: on September 21 in North America, September 22 in Europe and September 23 in Asia Pacific. Those interested in attending can register for free. As customer behaviors and preference evolve, organizations must adapt. Too often, a multiple of challenges prevent this growth, keeping businesses as stable and reactive. At Opticon21, attendees across departments including marketers, merchandisers, developers and content editors will learn not only how to survive in the current environment, but to thrive by adapting to change. Headlining a roster of impressive speakers, Scott Galloway will discuss the unique moment facing brands today in an address titled "Post-Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity." The bestselling author, cohost of Pivot Podcast and professor of marketing at NYU Stern School of Business is known to be a savvy thinker with provocative takes and accurate predictions about business and technology. In his keynote, Galloway will explore the changing business landscape, the origins of those changes long before the pandemic, how theyll continue to shape our lives and more. "Customer and digital experience are increasingly becoming synonymous," said Alex Atzberger, CEO of Optimizely. "Were proud to partner with leading global businesses to help them adapt their digital experiences to ever changing customer expectations and replace assumptions with knowing. At Opticon21, we look forward to discussing how marketing and product teams can come together on one platform to develop content-driven digital experiences that produce incredible outcomes." Story continues Speakers will address topics including "the new era of DXP" and "how digitally-savvy consumers choose who they do business with," along with customer keynotes and Optimizelys product vision roadmap. Joining Optimizely leaders on the virtual stage will be additional industry-leading speakers, including: Alex Corey, Managing Director, Revenue, Products & Strategy, Alaska Airlines Joan King, SVP of eCommerce & International Optimization, Crate & Barrel Dawn Baker, Head of Platform Engineering, Fitbit Brendan Witcher, VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester Casey McGee, VP of Global ISV Sales, Microsoft and more! Dont forget to register for free. For every Opticon21 registration, Optimizely will donate to WWF-Netherlands, UNICEF and Australian Red Cross as part of attendees collective effort to support these amazing organizations. About Optimizely At Optimizely, we're on a mission to help people unlock their digital potential. With our leading digital experience platform (DXP), we equip teams with the tools and insights they need to create and optimize in new and novel ways. Now, companies can operate with data-driven confidence to create hyper-personalized experiences. Building sophisticated solutions has never been simpler. Optimizely's 900+ partners and 1100+ employees in offices around the globe are proud to help more than 9,000 brands, including Toyota, Santander, eBay, KLM and Mazda, enrich their customer lifetime value, increase revenue and grow their brands. Learn more at optimizely.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210909005153/en/ Contacts Media Contacts: Matt Erickson Sr. Manager of Global PR & Thought Leadership +1 952-261-6022 Matthew.Erickson@optimizely.com Kally Lavoie PAN Communications optimizely@pancomm.com TAIPEI and SAN DIEGO, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Senhwa Biosciences, Inc. (TPEx: 6492), a drug development company focusing on first-in-class therapeutics for oncology, rare diseases, and novel coronaviruses, announced that their first patient has been successfully dosed, in a Phase 1b clinical study of Pidnarulex as a potential treatment for solid tumors with Homologous Recombination (HR) gene mutations, at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Canada. This new Phase 1b open-label, multi-center Expansion study (in both US and Canada) was designed to determine a tolerable dose of Pidnarulex in patients with selected solid tumors with BRCA1/2, PALB2, and other HR gene mutations. This dose will be used in future Phase II trials. "We are very excited to begin enrollment in our Phase 1b clinical trial for evaluating Pidnarulex in patients with BRCA1/2, PALB2 and other homologous recombination gene mutations. This is an important milestone and marks a new paradigm in the treatment of cancers with specific pathogenic mutations," stated Dr. John Soong, Chief Medical Officer of Senhwa Biosciences. In a previous Phase 1 trial, Pidnarulex demonstrated clinically significant and lasting benefits in patients with specific tumor biomarkers, such as BRCA1/2, and PALB2 mutations and that were also resistant to platinum and other chemotherapeutics. This past May, the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) issued new guidance for patients and doctors, advising that individuals with PALB2 mutations be surveilled similarly to individuals with BRCA mutations. The experts have identified the PALB2 mutation as the third most important breast cancer gene after BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, as it also increases a patient's risk of developing ovarian and pancreatic cancer. "The new guidelines for the PALB2 mutation not only raises the public's awareness and provides guidance regarding how to manage that risk, but also validates that our hard work is going in the right direction," said Tai-Sen Soong, Chief Executive Officer of Senhwa Biosciences. Story continues While BRCA1/2 deficient tumor cells are more sensitive to PARP inhibitor (PARPi) treatments, PARPi resistance is not uncommon in clinical use. According to an article published on Molecular Cancer in 2020, more than 40% of BRCA1/2 deficient patients fail to respond to PARPi alone. By targeting the G-quadruplex DNA structure instead, Senhwa's Pidnarulex also has great potential as an alternative treatment for patients who have developed resistance to PAPRi or other chemotherapies. About Pidnarulex (CX-5461) Specific mutations within the HR pathway may be exploited by Pidnarulex through a "synthetic lethality" approach by targeting the DNA repair defects in HR Deficient tumors. Specifically, Pidnarulex is designed to stabilize DNA G-quadruplexes of cancer cells, which leads to disruption of the cell's replication fork. While acting in concert with HR pathway deficiencies, such as BRCA1/2 mutations, replication forks stall and cause DNA breaks, ultimately resulting in cancer cell death. About Senhwa Biosciences Senhwa Biosciences, Inc. is a leading clinical-stage company focused on developing first-in-class, next-generation DNA Damage Response therapeutics for patients with unmet medical needs in oncology. Headquartered in Taiwan, with an operational base in San Diego, California, Senhwa is well-positioned to oversee the development of its compounds. Development is currently focused on two lead products, Silmitasertib (CX-4945) and Pidnarulex (CX-5461), both with novel mechanisms of action as anti-cancer drugs for the treatment of multiple indications. Clinical trials are currently ongoing in Australia, Canada, United States, South Korea, and Taiwan. Visit Senhwa Biosciences website for more details: www.senhwabio.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/senhwa-announces-first-patient-successfully-dosed-in-phase-1b-expansion-study-of-pidnarulex-to-treat-solid-tumors-with-specific-homologous-recombination-gene-mutations-301373194.html SOURCE Senhwa Biosciences, Inc. NEW YORK, Sept. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of SelectQuote, Inc. (SelectQuote or the Company) (NYSE: SLQT). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether SelectQuote and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On May 11, 2021, SelectQuote held a conference call in connection with its third quarter 2021 financial results during which it disclosed that its fourth quarter results would be impacted by a negative cohort and tail adjustment due to lower second-term persistency for the 2019 cohort. On this news, SelectQuotes stock price fell $5.50 per share, or 20.07%, to close at $21.90 per share on May 12, 2021. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com . CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 Ultra-low cost carrier celebrates expansion of service in Jamaica with fares as low as $129 CAD all-in TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2021 /CNW/ - Swoop today announced new non-stop service between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Kingston Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) in Jamaica. As part of the airline's winter schedule, the new service will operate twice weekly, beginning December 8, 2021. To celebrate today's announcement, Swoop is offering a limited quantity of introductory one-way fares between Kingston and Toronto starting from just $129 CAD all-in. Swoop Logo | FlySwoop.com (CNW Group/Swoop) "We are thrilled to be expanding our presence in Jamaica with the introduction of service to Kingston to connect friends and families this holiday season and year ahead," said Bert van der Stege, Head of Commercial & Finance, Swoop. "Our travellers have embraced our always affordable flights to Jamaica and we look forward to building on our success in the region with our new non-stop service connecting Toronto and Kingston." The ultra-low cost carrier (ULCC) is also set to resume service between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Montego Bay Sangster International Airport (MBJ) tomorrow at 7:00 am EST. Swoop's return to Montego Bay marks the beginning of the airline's restoration of its international network, with flights to the U.S. and Mexico set to resume through the fall. "The return of Swoop to MBJ is a welcome one and we are elated at Swoop's commitment to ensure that passengers from our second largest market, Canada, and specifically the province of Ontario, have a low-cost option when visiting Jamaica to see family and friends or those who wish to vacation on our beautiful island," said Shane Munroe, CEO of MBJ Airports Ltd. "We continue to prioritize the health and safety of our citizens and visitors in keeping with our mission of providing a "Safety-Assured" environment welcoming travellers safely to our island of Jamaica." Story continues Details of Swoop Service to Kingston and Montego Bay, Jamaica Route Planned Start Date Peak Weekly Frequency Total one-way price (CAD) Base fare (CAD) Taxes and fees (CAD) NEW Toronto (YYZ) Kingston (KIN) December 8, 2021 2x weekly $129 CAD $13.44 $115.56 NEW Kingston (KIN) Toronto (YYZ) December 8, 2021 2x weekly $129 CAD $6.36 $122.64 Toronto (YYZ) Montego Bay (MBJ) September 11, 2021 3x weekly $129 CAD $13.44 $115.56 Montego Bay (MBJ) Toronto (YYZ) September 11, 2021 3x weekly $129 CAD $30.94 $98.06 Special introductory fares are limited quantity. Book by Sep 15, 2021 (11:59 p.m. ET) or while seats last, for travel between October 2, 2021 and January 18, 2022. Blackout dates between December 11, 2021 and January 6, 2022. To learn more about Swoop please visit FlySwoop.com and for information on how Swoop is ensuring a safe and healthy travel experience visit FlySwoop.com/traveller-safety. Additional Quotes "The Jamaica Tourist Board is thrilled to see Swoop returning to the destination with the resumption of its Montego Bay flight this month, in addition to the exciting launch of the airline's new Kingston service this December," said Angella Bennett, Regional Director, Canada, Jamaica Tourist Board. "Swoop is an important airline partner for us in the Ontario market and we truly value their continued support and confidence in the destination. Whether you're looking for sun and sand or a cultural city escape, Jamaica is ready to welcome customers for a safe and seamless getaway this fall and winter season." "We're excited to support the introduction of this new route as well as Swoop's resumption of flights to Montego Bay," said Janik Reigate, Director, Strategic Customer Relationships, Greater Toronto Airports Authority. "Swoop passengers will find Toronto Pearson has many measures in place to protect their health and safety throughout the airport, such as improved air quality, low and no-touch check-in and bag drop and contactless shopping and dining options." About Swoop Swoop is on a mission to make travel more affordable and accessible for all Canadians. Established in 2018 as an independent subsidiary of the WestJet Group of Companies, Swoop is Canada's ultra-not-expensive airline. Offering scheduled service to destinations in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean, Swoop's unbundled fares put travellers in control of purchasing only the products and services they desire. Swoop's modern fleet of nine Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft, equipped with in-seat power and Wi-Fi connectivity has safely carried more than 3 million travellers in three years of operation. Flyswoop.com allows travellers to quickly and easily book flights, manage bookings, check-in, view boarding passes, track flights and access Wi-Fi service in-flight. SOURCE Swoop Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2021/10/c7180.html U.S. House committee moves to block Rio Tinto's Resolution mine FILE PHOTO: Arizona copper fight reflects tough choices as America tries to go green By Ernest Scheyder (Reuters) - A U.S. House of Representatives committee has voted to include language in a wider budget reconciliation package that would block Rio Tinto Ltd from building its Resolution copper mine in Arizona. The San Carlos Apache tribe and other Native Americans say the mine would destroy sacred land (https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-mining-resolution-idCNL1N2LO28S) where they hold religious ceremonies. Elected officials in nearby Superior, Arizona, say the mine is crucial for the region's economy. The House Natural Resources Committee late on Thursday folded the Save Oak Flat Act into the $3.5 trillion reconciliation spending measure. The full House could reverse the move and the legislation (https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senates-reconciliation-process-its-not-way-it-sounds-2021-08-10) faces an uncertain fate in the U.S. Senate, If approved, the bill would reverse a 2014 decision by former President Barack Obama and Congress that set in motion a complex process (https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-mining-resolution-idCNL1N2LO28S) to give Rio federally-owned Arizona land that contains more than 40 billion pounds of copper in exchange for acreage that Rio owns nearby. Former President Donald Trump gave the land swap final approval (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mining-resolution/outgoing-trump-admin-oks-land-swap-for-rio-tintos-arizona-copper-mine-idUSKBN29K22P) before leaving office in January, but successor Joe Biden reversed that decision (https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/us-forest-service-blocks-land-swap-rio-tintos-arizona-copper-mine-2021-03-01/), leaving the project in limbo. The final reconciliation budget is expected to include funding for solar, wind and other renewable energy projects that require immense volumes of copper. Electric vehicles use twice as much copper as those with internal combustion engines. The Resolution mine could fill about 25% of the demand for U.S. copper. Story continues Superior Mayor Mila Besich, a Democrat, said the project seems increasingly stuck in "bureaucratic purgatory." "This move seems contradictory to what the Biden administration is trying to do to address climate change," said Besich. "I hope the full House does not allow that language to stay in the final bill." Rio said it would continue consultation with local communities and tribes. Rio Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm plans to visit Arizona later this year. Representatives for the San Carlos Apache and BHP Group Ltd, which is a minority investor in the project, could not immediately be reached for comment. (Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 9, 2021 /CNW/ -- vivo today officially debuted its X70 series of professional photography flagship smartphones starting in several markets around the world. The X70 series consisting of the X70, X70 Pro and X70 Pro+ marks the next chapter in vivo's global imaging partnership with ZEISS and their joint pursuit of creating the ultimate mobile photography experience. Aside from encompassing new portrait photography modes by ZEISS and the latest mobile imaging technology, the vivo X70 series lineup is fitted with next-level specs to provide the optimal user experience. The vivo X70 series, co-engineered with ZEISS As a longstanding pioneer of the industry, vivo is bringing joy to users worldwide by heightening the standards of mobile photography and smartphone innovation with the X70 series. Starting today, the vivo X70 series is gradually rolling out in markets such as India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, and more, expanding its regional presence across APAC and the Middle East. The availability and specifications of each X70 series device may differ according to local market conditions and consumer preferences. Advancing Mobile Imaging Together with ZEISS Reflecting vivo's commitment to spearheading the field of smartphone photography, the X70 series is thoroughly ingrained with premium mobile imaging software and hardware capabilities co-engineered with ZEISS, a legend in the world of optics for 175 years. "Once again, vivo is breaking boundaries by delivering exceptional mobile photography advancements jointly developed with ZEISS, a global leader in optics and opto-electronics," said Spark Ni, Senior Vice President and CMO of vivo. "Smartphones are trustworthy tools for users to capture memories, a digital gateway to tell their own stories and share those creations with the world. With the X70 series, vivo is actively closing the gap between mobile and professional photography by infusing user-oriented innovation with cutting-edge technology." Story continues The vivo X70 series incorporates top-notch computational imaging features inside and out, resulting in an intuitive photography experience that enables users to capture or record remarkably natural-looking photographs or videos. On the camera specs front, the entire X70 lineup has 32MP front cameras, while rear quad-camera arrays have been installed on both the X70 Pro+ (50MP + 48MP + 12MP + 8MP) and the X70 Pro (50MP + 12MP+ 12MP + 8MP), with the X70 using a tri-camera system (40MP + 12MP + 12MP). In addition to the Biotar Portrait Style's legendary swirly bokeh, vivo has supplemented three groundbreaking ZEISS Style Portrait features inspired by the iconic, classic lenses Distagon, Planar and Sonnar for X70 series users to shoot with. "Distagon" style gives off an anamorphic look, offering dynamic perspective effects for critical architecture and interior photography that exudes Hollywood filmmaking aesthetics. The "Planar" adaption introduces classic bokeh effects, revealing true characteristics and conveying genuine expressions through portrait photography. "Sonnar" mode is known for its creamy bokeh, making it well suited for portraiture with depth and clarity to document authentic events. The entire vivo X70 lineup has achieved certified compliance to ZEISS T* Coating, collectively reducing reflections and enhancing light transmission to reduce ghosting, stray light and other image artifacts for guaranteed imaging brilliance. The recognizable ZEISS logo and ZEISS T* Coating label are stamped on the X70 series' rear camera array, while a ZEISS Vario-Tessar trademark has been subtly engraved on its protruding flashlight panel. High-End Professional Photography Flagship The X70 series includes new technologies as well as the latest iterations of vivo's iconic multi-modal photography and videography features, allowing users to thoroughly manifest their creativity in high-definition and produce vivid multi-media content with no compromises on quality. At the top of the line, the X70 Pro+ boasts the new Imaging Chip V1 and High-Transmittance Glass Lens. The new imaging chip, self-designed by vivo, employs an AI system to apply NR (noise reduction) and MEMC (motion estimation, motion compensation) effects across the board. The upgraded singular glass lenses ensure extra-low dispersion for improved image quality. The X70 Pro+ combines its 50MP Ultra-Sensing GN1 Sensor and 48MP Sony IMX598 Ultra-Wide Gimbal Camera with 360 Horizon Leveling Stabilization technology, resulting in unshakable stability even during extreme action-packed shooting sequences. Meanwhile, the X70 Pro and X70 models utilize an Ultra-Sensing Gimbal Camera coupled with Gimbal Stabilization 3.0 technology for users to capture steady images or videos in dynamic motion. VIS 5-Axis Ultra Stable Video technology has been furnished on the X70 Pro and X70, integrating enhanced OIS with EIS to transition the X/Y-axis with Z-axis rotation for well-rounded stability. Owing to the high-performing device imaging capabilities, a suite of vivo's multi-modal photography and videography features including Real-Time Extreme Night Vision, Super Night Video, Pure Night View, Pro Cinematic Mode and more are available on the X70 series for users to unleash their potential and explore a multitude of new visual aesthetics. Top-Line Performance Gains As vivo's premium flagship revolutionizing mobile imaging, the X70 series lineup consists of three powerhouse devices with specs that can satisfy even the most demanding high-performance smartphone user. The X70 Pro+ is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus 5G Mobile Platform, while the X70 Pro and X70 devices run on the MediaTek Dimensity 1200-vivo chip to provide unrivaled CPU and GPU performance. These power-efficient integrated processors allow users to get the most out of 5G connectivity every day[1], with the X70 Pro+ harnessing an upgraded version of LPDDR5 while the other two models use LPDDR4X and UFS 3.1 for lightning quick sequential reading and writing speeds. Despite its sleek and compact form factor, the vivo X70 Pro+ is equipped with a sizeable 4500 mAh (TYP) battery and vivo standard charger (FlashCharge Adapter 11V / 5A) that supports 55W FlashCharge and, for the first time, Qi-compatible 50W Wireless FlashCharge technology. Meanwhile, the X70 Pro and X70 models hold 4450 mAh (TYP) batteries or 4400 mAh (TYP) batteries respectively, along with a vivo standard charger (FlashCharge 11V / 4A) that supports 44W FlashCharge technology for long-lasting performance.[2] The X70 Pro+ is decked with a 6.783-inch WQHD Display made of E5 High-Brightness Luminescent Materials. With support for a native 1 billion color display, up to 2K resolution, and a high pixel density of 517 PPI, the X70 Pro+ is optimized for true-to-life user sensory experiences. The X70 Pro and X70 devices are outfitted with 6.56-inch displays that can peak at 120Hz refresh rates and 240Hz response rates for smooth scrolling and viewing. The X70 Pro+ is certified with an IP68 rating, becoming the inaugural vivo smartphone to attain the authoritative global standard of protectivity. Offering splash, liquid, and dust resistance, the device is ideal for users who live life on the fly. Perennial Design and Seamless Interface To live up to the expectations of an ultimate professional photography flagship smartphone, vivo has gone all out on the X70 series and spared no effort to ensure timeless style with a formidable build. Fluorite AG a revolutionary industrial design process developed by vivo has been utilized to shroud the X70 series devices in crystallized glass with a prismatic surface that exudes fluorescent effects under the light. The rear quad-camera array of the X70 Pro+ is veiled by a Ceramic Window that spans almost half of the entire device body, exhibiting its grand status as the high-end model of the X series and pinnacle of contemporary mobile photography technology. Alternatively, the X70 Pro and X70 rear cameras are encased within vivo's new Cloud Valley design, a concept that boldly divides the camera array and flashlight into two opposing panels. The X70 Pro+ is available in Enigma Black, while the X70 Pro and X70 models are available in Cosmic Black or Aurora Dawn colorways. Cosmic Black is inspired by the eternal vigor and exuberant vitality of our universe, a colorway symbolic of vast and deep darkness dotted by glittering silver hues to represent the stars during a pitch-black night. Aurora Dawn is an homage to the iridescent radiance of the Northern Lights in the polar sky, an eye-catching and gorgeous complexion. The X70 series is the first vivo lineup to come with Funtouch OS 12, providing a more efficient, immersive, and personalized user experience. Funtouch OS 12 comes with a new set of widgets for users to organize and customize their home screens, redefining how apps display important information without users opening the app, allowing them to customize their phone experience and gain quick access to what matters to them. A hassle-free music experience is also created with the newly launched Nano Music Player, enabling users to access their favorite music from different apps like Spotify and JOOX, with one click and within one widget on the home screen. [1] Disclaimer: The coverage and services of 5G networks are subject to the actual deployment of local operators. [2] Disclaimer: The actual charging power is adjusted dynamically according to changing user scenarios and subject to actual use. About vivo vivo is a technology company that creates great products based on a design-driven value, with smart devices and intelligent services as its core. The company aims to build a bridge between humans and the digital world. Through unique creativity, vivo provides users with an increasingly convenient mobile and digital life. Following the company's core values, which include Benfen*, design-driven and user orientation, vivo has implemented a sustainable development strategy, with the vision of becoming a healthier, longer-lasting world-class corporation. While recruiting and developing the best local talents, vivo is supported by a network of 10 R&D centers in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Nanjing, Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Xi'an, Taipei, Tokyo and San Diego, focusing on the development of state-of-the-art consumer technologies, including 5G, artificial intelligence, industrial design, photography and other up-and-coming technologies. vivo has also set-up five production hubs (including brand authorized manufacturing center), across China, South- and Southeast Asia, with an annual production capacity of nearly 200 million smartphones. As of now, vivo has branched out its sales network across more than 50 countries and regions, and is loved by more than 400 million users worldwide. *"Benfen" is a term describing the attitude on doing the right things and doing things right which is the ideal description of vivo's mission to build technology for good. Please stay informed of vivo's news at https://www.vivo.com/en/about-vivo/news Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vivo-announces-x70-series-global-launch-advancing-professional-mobile-photography-with-zeiss-301373129.html SOURCE vivo Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2021/09/c6410.html Job openings reached a record high last month and the number of workers voluntarily quitting ticked upward, according to a JOLTS survey released this week that points to a persistent labor shortage with wide-ranging effects for the U.S. economy. The trend of worker departures known to some as the "big resignation" has benefited home goods retailer Williams-Sonoma (WSM), says CEO Laura Alber. In a new interview, Alber described the surge in quitting as a "big migration," since the company has attracted workers who recently left other jobs. While Alber acknowledged that Williams-Sonoma has lost some workers, she credited the company for helping workers prepare for bigger roles elsewhere. "In some cases, there's the big resignation," she says. "But for us, it may be the big migration because we're getting great talent right now." "We're really seeing a lot of people who want to come work for us, and across a wide array of disciplines," she adds. "There's a lot of things we do to keep this talent pipeline full." Williams-Sonoma, which employs 16,000 people across brands like West Elm and Pottery Barn, weathered the COVID-19 downturn last spring with a shift from relying primarily on brick-and-mortar sales to focusing on e-commerce. Second-quarter earnings for Williams-Sonoma, released late last month, beat revenue expectations, while e-commerce accounted for 65% of total company revenue, just a slight drop from the 70% share of sales the company reached last year, Alber said. Despite the shift in its business model, Williams-Sonoma refused to furlough store employees amid COVID-19 lockdowns last year, Alber said, noting that the move cultivated loyalty among workers that has helped bolster retention in the current labor climate. "We kept paying everybody and the respect we showed them converted to innovation and passion back to us in terms of their ability to shift into work that they can do from home," she says. Story continues "For example, our store people started doing design chat at home, virtual design services, and we have people in the office who helped in our care center," she says. "That kind of innovation that is a big part of the success in keeping our teams together," she adds. In this Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021 file photo, a now hiring sign is displayed at a CD One Price Cleaners in Schaumburg, Ill. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File) Alber, who ran a small business selling hats while a student at the University of Pennsylvania, joined Williams-Sonoma in 1995 as a senior buyer in the Pottery Barn catalog division. She has served as CEO since 2010. Speaking to Yahoo Finance, Alber said she considers it a positive sign when workers leave Williams-Sonoma for more advanced positions elsewhere. "We're a talent factory," she says. "So a lot of our great people have gone off to run other companies and do great things." "I always see that sort of as a compliment that we've done our job in getting them ready for a bigger job," she adds. Read more: Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit. It's important, Gardner says, that students hear about those who died, the aftermath, related deaths that came later, and the lessons learned. We made that pledge to never forget, he says. Corey Winchester, a high school history teacher in Evanston, Illinois, tries to teach about Sept. 11 not as just a moment in time but something that were still interacting with and a lesson about perspectives. That means he might make connections to it while teaching about internment of Japanese-Americans or the Vietnam War, he says. For some teachers, incorporating personal stories helps drive home the wide impact of 9/11. Liz Prince is having her fifth graders at DeSoto Central Elementary school in Southaven, Mississippi, record an interview with someone they know about a Sept. 11 experience, then share it with classmates. She also ordered books to help with age-appropriate explanations about places that were targeted and people who died. But Prince says shes not ready to discuss Afghanistan, which she considers too political for her classroom. Fredericksburg Police Chief Brian Layton told the crowd of about 100 guests who attended the memorial service, the attacks on 9/11 were meant to break Americas spirit and resolve. Instead, America came together as one, said Layton. Patriotism prevailed. Layton said across the country, Americans were inspired by the selfless acts of first responders who risked their lives to save complete strangers. He also said it was a time when young men and women were quickly signing up to join the military to serve their country. We saw people putting one another first through service and small acts of kindness, said Layton. I believe the kindness we gave one another in the aftermath was a way for us to honor those we lost on 9/11 and show that love is stronger than hate. Jason Hillman of Fredericksburg came to the event to also remember those killed on 9/11. At that time, Hillman was a 27-year-old resident physician working in an intensive care unit when he saw the events unfold on a hospital TV. As a military veteran, Hillman said he was in shock and disbelief, but also troubled that terrorism had finally reached American soil. Hillman said the tragedy instantly united the nation, but now he thinks much of that unity has faded. Nearly two-thirds of the more than 200 companies responding to a mid-July survey in the tech-centric Bay Area said they are expecting their workers to come into the office two or three days each week. Before the pandemic, 70% of these employers required their workers to be in the office, according to the Bay Area Council, a business policy group that commissioned the poll. Even Zoom, the Silicon Valley videoconferencing service that saw its revenue and stock price soar during the pandemic, says most of its employees still prefer to come into the office part of the time. "There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to returning to the office," Kelly Steckelberg, Zoom's chief financial officer, recently wrote in a blog post. But the biggest tech companies, which have profited even more than Zoom as the pandemic that made their products indispensable for many workers, aren't giving employees much choice in the matter. Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have made it clear that they want most of their workers together at least a few days each week to maintain their culture and pace of innovation. That well-worn creed sounds like backward thinking to Ed Zitron, who runs a public relations firm representing technology companies and which has been fully remote since it launched in 2012. Winsome Sears, the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor, let go of approximately six people on her campaign team on Wednesday. Mike Allers, who was Sears' press secretary but is now out of a job, said he was notified by a representative of the Richmond political consulting company Creative Direct, which had been working with the Sears campaign for a few weeks. Campaigns retool all the time," Sears said in an interview late Wednesday. "Were trying to be more lean and thats it. There is no big story here. Campaigns retool. Glenns has retooled," she said, referring to GOP gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin. "Everybody elses has retooled. Im just doing it a little bit later. Also let go was campaign manager CJ Jordan, Allers said, saying that approximately six people were affected. Allers said he wasn't sure what led to the decision, had enjoyed working on the campaign and was disappointed. "I was not told," he said. Sears declined to get into specifics. Sears faces Democrat Hala Ayala in the Nov. 2 election, in which former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, faces GOP nominee Youngkin at the top of the ticket. GOOD COPS protect and serve. They do not lie to put an innocent teenager in prison, brandish a gun to silence a concerned citizen, or use a chokehold to injure an elderly military veteran. Unfortunately, bad cops have done all these things and then claimed immunity to escape liability. When courts let them off the hook, blocking lawsuits against the officers, more people suffer than just the individuals deprived of their constitutional rights. All government employees pay a price as confidence in public institutions deteriorates. The 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer shows declining scores across all sectors, but the biggest losses are for government. Overall, only 42 percent of Americans say they trust the government to do the right thing. Meanwhile, a 2020 Gallup survey shows confidence in police at record lows. The cases of Hamdi Mohamud, Kevin Byrd and Jose Oliva show why. Mohamud, a Somali refugee living in Minnesota, went to prison when she was 16 based on one officers lies, manipulation and false testimony. Mohamud did nothing wrong, yet she spent nearly two of her high school years at a federal facility hundreds of miles from home. Granted, there are people who dont have the money or transportation to get out other than going to church on Sundays. Some churches have offered Souls to Polls service to take those citizens to the polling places after church. Mostly, this has been the domain of Black churches, whose members trend strongly Democratic. But not all the electoral board members who turned thumbs-down to Sunday voting are Dems. In fact, Spotsylvania County, which is the reddest of the lot, is one of the few local jurisdictions to allow Sunday absentee voting. Throughout the nation, there are movements afoot to limit voting participation. Then there are those who seem to feel that their candidates have little chance of winning if everyone who can vote does. But new laws passed during the COVID pandemic have made voting in the commonwealth a whole lot easier than ever before. Starting on Sept. 17, voters in Virginia can request a no-excuse absentee mail-in ballot online, and they have 45 days to fill it out and mail, fax or email it in. They can also vote early in person at their local registrars office or a satellite voting location. And they can still vote on a Sunday if they want to, just not in person in most local jurisdictions. Virginia has come far in recent times to put poll taxes and other obvious barriers to the ballot box in the rearview mirror. But merely declining to offer absentee voting on Sundays is hardly a step backward into those dark days. I was just getting back to work after having had some vacation time. Now, I had some post-vacation blues. I read a daily devotion that morning. It dealt with the men of Ephraim in the Old Testament. In Psalm 78:9 it says: The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle. If I remember correctly, the devotional said how we must not run like those guys did but stand firm and face the battle. Looking back, it almost seems prophetic, but at the time I recall it simply being inspirational as I headed out the door to work unaware of how the day would unfold. I was in the newsroom when our photographer Mike Buckley came in saying a plane had smashed into one of towers. Before long, wed learn that a second plane had flown into the other. Tracy Buffington had been our executive editor since August. I remember telling him that I thought this would be our top story. He already knew that and started work on what would be a special edition, which wed produce that night. Dear Reader, Welcome to Gandhara's weekly newsletter. This briefing brings you the best of our reporting from Afghanistan and Pakistan. If youre new to the newsletter or havent subscribed yet, you can do so here. The Taliban revives its emirate The Taliban proved its critics right by announcing a caretaker government exclusively made up of the movements hard-line old guard this week. More significantly, it restored its Islamic Emirate as the Taliban supreme leader vowed to uphold their interpretation of Islamic rules and Shari'a law in the country. The announcement, however, came as a disappointment -- if not exactly a surprise -- to those outside the Talibans ranks. Many inside Afghanistan and most countries have either refused to recognize the government or are waiting to see what comes next. The administration lacks diversity, and it is telling that 30 of the 33 cabinet members are Pashtuns, with one Uzbek and two Tajiks as well. There are no women, Shia, Hazara, Baluch, Turkmen, or members of Afghanistans non-Muslim minorities despite repeated Taliban pledges to deliver an inclusive administration. The Talibans new government tells us that they only consider themselves entitled to running an Islamic government, Kabul researcher Ali Adili told us. This is an ethnically homogeneous, mullahcratic government. Consider Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Sunni cleric who will now be the supreme leader of the theocracy. [Akhundzada] is a religious figure who commands tremendous respect because of his religious credentials, said Afghan journalist Sami Yousafzai, indicating that he will be the likely inspiration for Taliban policies. He was a senior Taliban judge and a close confidant to the movements founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar. The Taliban cabinet includes key figures whose reputations precede them. Most notable perhaps is Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, de facto prime minister responsible for the governments day-to-day running, who is on a UN sanctions list. Washington has designated others such as the Talibans interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, and his uncle Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani, refugees minister, as global terrorists carrying rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to their arrest. The Taliban, as Afghans remember all too well, has its own brand of justice. The militants shadow courts are set to become Afghanistans official judicial system based on their strict interpretation of Islamic law. Soon we will see floggings for adultery and public intoxication, and we will see them executing people for murder, predicted Haroun Rahimi, an exiled Afghan legal scholar. New measure and dissent Some Afghans have made it clear that a return to any of the Talibans hallmark policies is simply not acceptable to them. Women are at the forefront of the nonviolent protests that have erupted across many Afghan cities. Demanding their rights and gains not be sacrificed in the name of a Taliban-style interpretation of Islamic law and decrying the Talibans new edicts on limiting education, placing bans on work, and strict new dress codes, Afghan women have been making a powerful statement of resistance. Women wearing black veils do not represent Afghan culture, said Samira Hamidi, an exiled womens rights activist who fled Afghanistan due to threats by the Taliban. It is a clear sign of repression in the life of women and girls. Not only are the militants not keen to hear what women have to say, they apparently cant bear even to look at womens faces. They fired their guns into the air to disperse protests, set off tear gas, and lashed those who crossed their path. Two journalists who were covering the womens protests were detained for several hours and severely beaten. At least one video on social media appeared to show the Taliban backing off from protesters. Then came the announcement that all protests have been outlawed for the time being, which drew swift condemnation from rights groups who warned that the rush to stifle protests and media poses a looming threat to the Afghan public. But some Afghans, for the time being, are refusing to back down. The day after the ban on protests, Kabuls streets rang with chants of We want freedom outside the Pakistani Embassy -- where demonstrators rallied against what they called Pakistans interference in Afghanistan -- and across the provinces of Parwan, Nimruz, Kunduz, and Kapisa. Most of the demonstrations demanded that the Taliban end its offensive in Panjshir , which the Islamist group claimed was seized this week after its fighters overran the provinces capital and major towns. Violence and arrests were reported as the Taliban sought to rein in the growing dissent. Its tactics, however, will likely only serve to raise up even more of the voices that the militants want to silence. (Listen to a sample of what women from across Afghanistan are telling Radio Azadis call-in programs focusing on their rights.) Afghan exodus continues Educated and skilled Afghans continue to flee their country in anticipation of the militants reneging on their promises of a blanket amnesty, imposing more draconian laws, or simply failing to gain recognition and the international aid and economic prosperity that come with it. On September 9, the first civilian flight since the Taliban took over Kabul airport, mainly evacuating people with foreign passports to Qatar, raised hopes that the Taliban would allow the evacuation of foreigners and vulnerable Afghans to proceed. Western governments have been pushing for such flights since the Taliban refused to let chartered planes take hundreds stranded in Mazar-e Sharif. Radio Azadi continues to bring you stories of those who have braved great risks to flee the Taliban regime or helped others do so. In a video interview, one of Afghanistans top pop stars, Aryana Sayeed, who made a dramatic escape from Kabul, says she is worried for the artists remaining in Afghanistan. What can they do, the performers who earned their bread through their art? she asks. Another Azadi video profiles Zala Zazai, a female police officer who says she is worried about the fate of her colleagues. The international community invested a lot in increasing the presence of Afghan women in [society] and government, she noted. It should not abandon these women now. These women should not be sacrificed. The exodus is erasing entire communities from Afghanistan. The evacuation of 35 ethnic Kazakh Afghan nationals by Kazakhstan this week further shrinks the community, which only has several hundred members. With the departure of Zablon Simintov, the last Afghan Jew, his countrys once-thriving Jewish community has ceased to exist. If you have decided to leave then it is difficult to stay, he told Radio Azadi in March of his plans to flee if the Taliban regained power. Other minorities, such as Afghanistans Hindu and Sikh community, face the same prospects. Preventing a humanitarian catastrophe A much bigger displacement crisis, however, is snowballing inside Afghanistan where the UN estimates nearly half a million people have been forced to leave their country this year. "Now that the Taliban became the government, its their responsibility to solve people's problems," one young woman who fled her home in Balkh to seek shelter in Kabul just before it fell to the Taliban told us. "We don't have a home to return to and we don't have food." (Watch our video from Zaranj in Nimroz Province, where the Iranian currency is now being used for most transactions.) In a desperate appeal, the UNs special envoy warned against cutting off money to the Taliban government because the Afghan economy could collapse. Her appeal was echoed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who urged a sustained dialogue with the Taliban to extend our solidarity to a people who suffer greatly, where millions and millions risk dying of hunger. The Taliban wants to keep the humanitarian aid flowing to Afghanistan and celebrated a UN pledge to maintain assistance for the Afghan people. After a meeting in Kabul with senior Taliban representatives, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross has also pledged to continue working in Afghanistan. Pakistans long game The protests in Kabul this week took aim, among other things, at the murky relations between Islamabad and the Taliban. Many took issue with the visit to Kabul by Faiz Hameed, head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which renewed questions of whether Pakistans spy services are able to influence one of the worlds most secretive Islamist movements. That relationship, however, is due to change now that Taliban leaders no longer need their sanctuaries in Pakistan. Much the same way that Qatar has [been] a key intermediary between the Taliban and the West, Pakistan wants to replicate a similar role between China, Central Asia, Russia, and the Taliban, said Ibraheem Bahiss, an Afghanistan consultant with the International Crisis Group. But Ayesha Siddiqa, an expert on the Pakistani military, worries that the establishments quest to shape Afghanistan by supporting the Taliban will eventually turn domestic. There will be a greater push for Pakistan to become a theocracy just like the Taliban [is creating in Afghanistan], she noted. Longstanding ally China, which worries about the prospects of increasing militancy in its neighborhood, is likely to keep Islamabads ambitions in check. Beijing needs to be careful not to be sucked into Afghanistan and the wider region, which are viewed as a strategic trap, noted Andrew Small, author of a book about relations between Beijing and Islamabad. For now, Chinas aim is to minimize the risks, not solve the problems. I hope you found this weeks newsletter useful, and I encourage you to forward it to your colleagues. If you havent subscribed yet, you can do so here. I encourage you to visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Yours, Abubakar Siddique Twitter: @sid_abu P.S.: You can always reach us at gandhara@rferl.org. NUR-SULTAN -- Kazakhstan says it has evacuated a group of ethnic-Kazakh Afghan nationals from Kabul to the Central Asian nation as countries continue to try and move people out of the war-torn country following the Taliban's seizure of power. The Kazakh Foreign Ministry said a military cargo plane landed late on September 9 at the Almaty airport with 35 ethnic-Kazakh Afghans on board. Foreign Ministry spokesman Aibek Smadiyarov told RFE/RL that the plane also brought from Kabul four Kazakh citizens, one Kyrgyz national, and one Afghan citizen who holds a Kazakh permanent residence permit. Last month, Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev ordered the government to organize the evacuation of ethnic-Kazakh Afghan nationals from Kabul. Since Taliban militants took control of almost all of Afghanistan last month, many Afghans have urged Kazakh authorities to take them to Kazakhstan, claiming to be ethnic Kazakhs. Earlier in August, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said a special commission had been established at the Kazakh consulate in Kabul to look into each request by someone claiming to be ethnic Kazakh. According to Kazakh officials, there are about 200 ethnic-Kazakh Afghans in Afghanistan. But ethnic Kazakhs who immigrated to Kazakhstan from Afghanistan through a special state program to attract ethnic Kazakhs from abroad launched after the Central Asian nation gained independence in 1991, told RFE/RL that the number of ethnic-Kazakh Afghan citizens still in Afghanistan is much higher. Kazakhs in Afghanistan are mostly relatives of Kazakhs who fled the Soviets in the 1920-1930s. Many of them speak Dari and/or Uzbek. KABUL -- Hundreds of Afghans with bold placards and loud microphones are spilling into the streets of major cities every day, directly challenging the militant Islamist group, the Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan last month. Leading the charge have been women, who are defying Taliban threats and violence to demand their rights, their representation in government, and their roles in the deeply religious and conservative country of 38 million. The Taliban has inherited a country that has been transformed since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, with millions of girls returning to school and women joining the workforce as reporters, judges, and ministers, though the biggest changes took place in urban areas. During the Talibans repressive regime from 1996 to 2001, women were forced to cover themselves from head to toe, banned from working outside their homes, and required to be accompanied by a male relative if they went outside. Education was limited to pre-adolescent girls. The message carried in the protests now, as seen on large posters carried by protesters, is We are not the women of the 1990s. "Since the Taliban have returned, women dont know whether they will be able to work or if they will still have their fundamental rights, Samira, one of the organizers of the female-led protests in Kabul, told RFE/RLs Radio Azadi. That's why we felt the need to start a protest movement to enable women to speak up for their rights and for what they have achieved over the last 20 years, she added. Sign Of Repression Since seizing control of Kabul on August 15, the Taliban has tried to project a more moderate image to convince Afghans and the international community that it has changed. At its first press conference in Kabul, the Taliban vowed to protect womens rights -- but within their own fundamentalist interpretation of Islamic Sharia law. The militants have not shown any signs that their views have changed since they first ruled Afghanistan two decades ago, and their actions thus far have betrayed their initial pledges. The Taliban has already reimposed some of the same repressive laws and retrograde policies that defined its extremist former rule. The Taliban formed a new, all-male government on September 7 that is made up exclusively of senior militants. It did not include any women, even in secondary roles. The Taliban said women were not suited to serve in the cabinet. The militants also abolished the Womens Affairs Ministry and reestablished the feared Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. In the 1990s, that ministry was responsible for enforcing the Taliban's morality laws, including its strict dress code and gender segregation in society. The ministrys dreaded police were notorious for publicly beating offenders, including women. The Taliban has advised women to largely remain indoors for their own safety. The militants have also ordered tens of thousands of former female government workers not to return to work even as their male colleagues went back. Many girls schools have also remained shut across the country. At universities and colleges, the Taliban is enforcing a new dress code and separating men and women in what activists have described as practices alien to Afghan culture and a clear sign of repression. Meanwhile, the Taliban has violently cracked down on the independent media, banned unsanctioned rallies, and detained, beaten, and killed former police officers, soldiers, and government officials. The militants have also reportedly carried out reprisal killings, cut off communication lines, and imposed a humanitarian blockade in Panjshir Province, a vast valley north of Kabul that is the last pocket of resistance against the militants. Educated And More Informed As the Taliban rolls back freedoms and use brute force to crush dissent, Afghans have taken to the streets of a dozen cities and towns in recent weeks to vent their anger. At the forefront of the nonviolent resistance to the Taliban have been young women and female activists. Afghan women are not going to accept a return to repression and discrimination, said Samira Hamidi, a prominent Afghan womens rights activist. Today, Afghan women are more educated and informed about their rights. Scores of women in Kabul, the western city of Herat, and the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif have defied the Talibans ban on protests and its heavy-handed tactics. Smaller rallies have been held in the northern provinces of Parwan and Kapisa, the central provinces of Ghor and Daikundi, and the southwestern province of Nimroz. Armed Taliban fighters have shot at and killed protesters, fired warning shots in the air, and have used rifle butts and whips to beat and disperse the women, most of whom had donned Islamic head scarves. But that has not dissuaded women from returning to the streets demanding their right to education, work, and security. Among them is Sadat, who was among the women who protested in Kabul on September 7. "I saw a Talib beating one of our friends with a rifle butt, she told Radio Azadi. I tried to stop him from beating our friend and he started to beat me. They hit my head with a metal bar. I have five stitches on my head now. They beat women so badly!" Written by Frud Bezhan in Prague with contributions from RFE/RL Radio Azadi correspondents in Afghanistan. Their names are being withheld for their safety. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Sunny. High near 85F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 56F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba The Biden administration has repeatedly said it wants to completely shut down detainee operations at Guantanamo Bay, but large-scale construction is still underway at the naval base's "Camp Justice" to support the planned trial against the alleged plotters behind al Qaeda's terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Wendy Kelly, the chief of operations for the Office of Military Commissions, agreed in a discussion with reporters that the Expeditionary Legal Complex, the island war court at the base, was her "brainchild." The legal complex was constructed in 2007 and first used in 2008. When asked by the Washington Examiner how the military commissions at Guantanamo Bay have responded to Biden's desire to shut detainee operations down and whether she believed that a 9/11 trial will actually happen, Kelly gave the same answer: "OMC will follow the direction and guidance of the Department of Defense leadership. We continue to proceed towards trial." The detention facilities and terror court are just one part of the large naval base at Guantanamo Bay. It is possible some detainee operations are quietly winding down behind the scenes, but the construction at Camp Justice is visible and ongoing. Camp Justice is located on an unused airfield at the naval base. It is also the site where 9/11 pretrial hearings are being held and where a trial, if it occurs, will take place. In the two decades since 19 al Qaeda terrorists crashed hijacked planes into the World Trade Center and killed nearly 3,000 people, the five men believed to be responsible for the planning and execution of the attack have yet to stand trial. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, dubbed "KSM" and described as "the principal architect of the 9/11 attacks" is being tried alongside four co-defendants. Kelly said numerous construction projects to support the military commissions were ongoing and that "each project has separate timelines" but "all will be ready before trial begins." She added that "OMC is constructing additional classified office space for the trial participants, a second sensitive compartmented information facility courtroom to allow multiple cases to proceed simultaneously, and additional billeting." That included the purchase of individual housing units "similar to stand-alone studio apartments," said Kelly, that will be installed between November and March. The media will stay in tents that have already been built and which Kelly said will be ready by Christmas. The New York Times reported in October that the Defense Logistics Agency ordered the prefabricated housing "for $11.6 million." The outlet added that "the prison is staffed with an undisclosed number of contractors, civilian Pentagon employees, and 1,500 U.S. troops" at "costs that in 2019 exceeded $13 million per year." Kelly said, "There were still a significant number of requirements which could not be met without acquiring new facilities," and, "We elected to acquire relocatable buildings in lieu of permanent structures to save time and money." The 9/11 case has been delayed many times following unfavorable Supreme Court decisions under President George W. Bush and an abandoned effort by President Barack Obama to try the men in a New York City federal court, with President Donald Trump vowing to keep it open and President Joe Biden now quietly working to end detainee operations at Guantanamo Bay. Approximately 780 total suspected terrorists are known to have been detained at Guantanamo Bay since 2002, and it is believed that 39 suspected terrorists remain, according to the New York Times Guantanamo Docket tracker. When asked in February about Biden's intention to shut down the Guantanamo Bay prison, press secretary Jen Psaki said: "That certainly is the goal, and our intention." She reiterated that in June and July. House Republicans who fought in the global war on terror told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in January they had "serious reservations" about the push to close the detention camp. Meanwhile, more than six dozen House Democrats sent Biden a letter in August urging him to close the prison. In early September, Democrats blocked Republican amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act that would have barred high-value Guantanamo Bay detainees from being brought to the U.S. Kelly contended: "By the time trial starts, Camp Justice will become a residential area for over 200 people, with a mixture of billeting including the Individual Housing Units, OMC Containerized Housing Units, and tents." She said there would even be "a small Naval Exchange" set up at Camp Justice "so that people can buy necessary items, food, and beverages without having to travel to the main Naval Exchange on the base." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released an unclassified report in December on the terrorist "recidivism" of detainees that had been released. ODNI said that of the 729 detainees that had been transferred out of Guantanamo Bay as of August last year, 125, or 17.1%, were confirmed to be re-engaging in terrorism, while 104, or 14.3%, were suspected of it. Four of the so-called "Taliban Five" have been named to key roles in the Taliban's new "caretaker" government in Afghanistan after the militant leaders were released from detention at Guantanamo Bay by the Obama administration in a prisoner exchange for U.S. Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl. Original Location: Biden wants to shut Gitmo down, but construction for 9/11 trial ramps up Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, one of the most conservative Republicans in Congress, said his party will in the future use the same investigative and subpoena powers that Democrats are using for the Jan. 6 committee, but will do so with fairness and transparency. Local firefighters will climb the Manitou Incline in their full gear on Saturday to honor those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11 attacks. Firefighters and military personnel from all over Colorado, El Paso County and other states will hike up nearly one mile with 2,000 elevation gain on the Incline for the sixth year in a row. It (the Incline) was the closest representation to the Twin Towers that I could find, said organizer RJ Gerry. Firefighters always carry up a flag with all the names of first responders who lost their lives in the attacks, include the 343 firefighters. With the 20th anniversary and the recent events in Afghanistan, local firefighters want the community to always remember Sept. 11. The group is leaving the base of the Incline around 7 a.m. Saturday. Other hikers are welcome to join the climb. Read more at kktv.com. Heidi Ganahl, elected statewide to the University of Colorado Board of Regents, will end the mystery of her political future at an event Tuesday in El Paso County. She's saving the news until then. The event is being planned in Monument, but the time and location have not yet been disclosed. As Colorado's only Republican statewide officeholder, Ganahl is widely speculated to be the consensus GOP candidate to take on incumbent Gov. Jared Polis, who is seeking a second term next year. At various times, observers have speculated that she might run for state treasurer, which has long been a springboard to higher office for Colorado politicians see Roy Romer, Bill Owens, Gail Schoettler, Cary Kennedy and Walker Stapleton. Polis, a wealthy tech entrepreneur with deep, self-funding pockets, won't be in play in four years. More remotely, Ganahl has been sized up to take on U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet in the Democrat's reelection bid next year. Im making a big announcement on Tuesday in the town where I grew up, Monument," Ganahl told Colorado Politics on Thursday night. "I love Colorado and our future is too important to risk. "Were headed in the wrong direction. The cost of living is skyrocketing. Crime is rising beyond anything weve seen and our kids are struggling there is a mental health crisis in our state. Its time to fight for the Colorado way of life we love and miss. Ganahl has written op-eds for The Denver Gazette taking particular aim at the incumbent governor. "Ive always thought of a CEO (i.e., governor) as someone who is a leader, an inspiration to the team and most of all someone who makes the organization work," she wrote on Aug. 10. "On this count Polis has failed and failed and failed. And the fast and furious stories documenting this are buried." On July 5, she broadened her criticism to include Democratic-backed laws she argued are job-killers, especially for women. "In other words, Colorado needs the jobs that Polis and his party have turned away with their regulatory overreach," she wrote. In a June 10 speech to a Republican club in Jefferson County, Ganahl attacked Polis on numerous fronts, including accusations the governor had hamstrung Colorado residents and businesses by piling on restrictions during the pandemic. Republicans, she said, have a different approach. "If youre concerned about COVID, protect yourself, don't knock everyone else down and call them 'selfish bastards,' like Polis did," Ganahl said. "And if you want a check, earn it. If you want to go to college, pay for it. If someone says things you find offensive, challenge them with respect, don't ban them and run into a safe space." Ganahl is the founder of the national Camp Bow Wow dog day care franchise. which she sold in 2014, as well as an author and podcast host. She founded the Fight Back Foundation, an incubator for entrepreneurs working on social issues confronting children, and is a former chair of the Job Creators Network and a former board member for the Common Sense Institute, a Denver-based business-oriented think tank. Ganahl's Tuesday announcement could coincide with President Joe Biden's visit to Denver to talk about the Democrats' economic agenda. U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet of Denver and Rep. Joe Neguse of Lafayette have emerged as two of the most members of Congress on preserving public lands in Colorado, and the title of Biden's initiative, America the Beautiful, gets its name from the beloved song first drafted by Katharine Lee Bates after her visit to the top of Pikes Peak in 1893. Darcy Schoening was appointed this week to the Monument Board of Trustees, filling a board vacancy left by Jamy Unruh. The board voted 4-2 to appoint Schoening, former owner of Dexs Dogs in Palmer Lake, to fill the open seat after Unruh resigned last month. Trustees Ron Stephens and Mitch LaKind were the two no votes, with Laurie Clark, Kelly Elliott, Jim Romanello and Mayor Don Wilson voting yes. Schoening bested fellow candidates Kenneth Kimple, Sean White, Isabella Mathews and Amy Yocom-Vos for the seat. Schoening was sworn in immediately following the vote. Her term will expire in November 2022. Originally from the Chicago area, Schoening has lived in Jackson Creek for more than a year and has been an El Paso County resident for more than five years, she said. A mother of two and a community volunteer, Schoening is a member of the Home and School Association at St. Peter Catholic School, as well as organizations including the Sunrise Republican Women, El Paso County Republican Women and Pikes Peak Firearms, according to a resume she submitted to the board. She previously owned Dexs Depot in Palmer Lake, which closed in 2020, and has worked in various roles with Advent Health Partners, ambulance manufacturer Tri-Star and Hilton Hotels in Tennessee and Indiana. Im excited to be on the board and get the opportunity to make the town better, Schoening said by phone Friday. Not that its not already great. In a cover letter addressed to the board detailing her interest in the position, Schoening called herself a champion of limited government, but said it was important to listen to the voice of the people. To that end, Schoening said she wants to host weekly coffee chats where residents can share their thoughts and concerns on town issues. Schoening told trustees Tuesday the two most pressing issues the town faces are water availability and police services. Much of El Paso County relies on groundwater pumped from the Denver Basin in the northern and central parts of the county, but that supply is diminishing, and water districts are working to find solutions for a more sustainable water supply. For example, Colorado Springs Utilities, Monument and six groundwater districts have suggested treating and reusing that water to help ease the pressure on groundwater. While I dont claim to be a water expert, I think its going to take excellent leadership and being able to listen to the engineers, listen to the attorneys, find the appropriate solutions, Schoening told the board. Monument also needs to find ways to fund police services to respond to homelessness and crime, she said. The towns population increased by 34% in the past 10 years and police calls went up 53%, town staff have previously said, but Monument has struggled to identify additional funding for the department. This is an issue we cannot ignore, Schoening told the board this week. Residents this November will decide whether to raise the local sales tax by half a percent, from 3% to 3.5%, to create a dedicated funding source for the department. Proponents have said this move will allow police to meet growing public safety needs and bring the number of police officers in line with population growth. In November 2020, voters struck down a similar ballot question, with more than 57% of residents voting against raising the sales tax. Schoening said Friday she would also like to help the town navigate through COVID-19 mandates that are coming down or could come down from the federal and state governments. Its going to take a lot of public outreach to find a balance between making people feel safe while also making sure our constitutional rights arent violated, she said. As 'buy now, pay later' surges, a third of U.S. users fall behind on payments FILE PHOTO: Robert Durst looks at jurors as he appears in an Inglewood courtroom with his attorneys for closing arguments in the his murder trial at the Inglewood Courthouse in California, U.S., September 8, 2021. Al Sieb/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo FILE PHOTO: Connie and Gavin Neal emerge from a polling place after casting their votes on Election Day, in Punxsutawney, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, U.S., November 3, 2020. REUTERS/Alan Freed FILE PHOTO: Deborah Lyons, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations for Afghanistan makes a statement during the 2020 Afghanistan Conference at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland November 24, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Gov. Jared Polis said Friday that he backs President Joe Bidens vaccine-or-testing mandate on large businesses, comparing it to protocols he implemented over the course of the summer for state workers in Colorado. Bidens plan, unveiled Thursday, requires vaccination for federal workers and contractors and either vaccination or regular testing for private sector workers at businesses meeting a 100-worker threshold. Polis in mid-August asked the state Board of Health to engage in expedited rulemaking" to require health care workers, including staff in long-term care facilities, be vaccinated against COVID-19. He also announced that staff working in state-run facilities who interface with those particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 must be inoculated by the end of September, while other state workers who are unvaccinated must wear a mask at work and submit to regular testing. The president's actions are in some ways similar to what Colorado did a few weeks before, Polis said. We, as an employer, are implementing that for ourselves, just as employers of all sizes are. But while the governor was broadly supportive of Bidens move, he said he didnt yet have details from the federal government on how the presidents plan would be implemented. This is a very normal way of doing things, he said. The announcement is made and that starts the process of how they can receive input and actually do the fine print on how all these rules are implemented. Polis support for the measure comes as COVID-19 hospitalizations are surging and hospital capacity is shrinking in the state. According to Scott Bookman, the COVID-19 incident commander at the state Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado as of Friday stood at 902 COVID-19 hospitalizations, with roughly 80% of those cases stemming from unvaccinated individuals. That represents the second highest amount of COVID hospitalizations at any point in this pandemic, he said. It has now eclipsed the first wave that we saw in the spring of 2020. That isnt technically true, as the state COVID-19 dashboard shows hospitalizations in the lead-up and aftermath of the December 2020 peak eclipsed current rates. The current rate does represent the second-highest peak of hospitalizations, COVID and otherwise, during the pandemic. According to Bookman, the difference between the current surge and past waves is vaccinations. Those who have been vaccinated have been given the opportunity to go out and live their lives, he said. What comes with that is additional cases of trauma, additional heart attacks, additional strokes. We have seen people who have delayed receiving care over the course of the pandemic because they were afraid to go to their doctor. The surge in hospitalizations also comes with fewer than 200 ICU beds available in Colorado. With only 197 beds available, Bookman added hospitals are beginning to implement their surge plans, cancel elective surgeries and close clinics and outlying facilities to meet staffing needs. We cannot stress enough the state that our hospitals are currently in today, the stress that they are feeling, the impact that this wave is having on them, he said. Polis in the past has stressed that diminished hospital capacity would be the factor he weighs most heavily in considering new COVID-19 restrictions. But he said Friday the current rate was not enough to spur executive action. While it should ring alarm bells that we have 197 ICU beds available, that is different from states that have zero ICU beds available, he said. We do have ICU beds available, we do have a higher vaccination rate than many of the states that are suffering from overwhelming of their hospitals. We will continue to watch the data on a day-to-day basis. That vaccination rate, Polis announced, now stands at 75% of the eligible population who have received at least one dose. The overall percentage of those who have been fully vaccinated is at 58%. Some hospitals are reaching very close to their capacity limits and that wouldn't be happening if people were vaccinated, he said. You have 25% of the population that is 80% of the hospitalizations, and they have worse outcomes, higher death rates, longer hospitals stays. I'm strongly encouraging you if you haven't yet: get vaccinated. Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist, delivered slightly more positive news, noting at the briefing that the overall number of cases was down. Even that was tinged with a note of warning, though. I do want to urge some caution in interpreting this data. One of the things that we often see following holiday weekends are some data aberrations, Herlihy said. While this is certainly encouraging news to see that these case counts are going down in the last couple of days, I want too urge caution and not over interpret what we're seeing right now. Four teenagers were killed and a fifth was flown to a Colorado Springs hospital after an SUV collided with a semi-truck in Prowers County in southeastern Colorado on Wednesday night, the Colorado State Patrol said. The teens were in a Ford Explorer going south on U.S. 287 just after 9:30 p.m. It was hit by a northbound semi-truck near Prowers County Road 196 near Wiley after the driver of the Explorer tried to turn left in front of the semitruck, troopers said. The Explorer's 16-year-old male driver and three passengers a 16-year-old male, a 15-year-old male and a 14-year-old female were killed in the crash, troopers said. A 15-year-old male passenger was flown to a Colorado Springs hospital. The surviving teenager was in critical condition Thursday morning, Wiley School District superintendent Jeff Bollinger said. The Wiley School canceled classes Thursday and offered grief counseling to students and school staff members, Bollinger said. The semi-truck driver, a 25-year-old man, was taken to a hospital and later released. A 50-year-old passenger in the sleeper berth of the semi-truck was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, troopers said. New presidents often find themselves tested early in their administration; their performance is revealing to allies and enemies alike. Iraq War veteran Skyler Nelson has been named the 2021 El Paso County Veteran of the Year in recognition of her work advocating for veterans. Im honored to be standing up here and to even be considered among those veterans, Nelson said as she accepted the award Thursday during a ceremony at Bear Creek Regional Park, praising fellow finalists Al Batey, Roger Fortin and Andrew Gilbert. Theyre doing amazing things. Nelson joined the Army when she was 17 and served in Iraq as a chaplain assistant. While in Iraq, Nelson contracted tuberculosis and spent 10 months battling the disease, which left her with lung and nerve damage. She was medically discharged in 2012 after five and a half years in the Army, she said. On Thursday Nelson credited winning the honor to her mentor, Command Sgt. Maj. Scott Allen Bailey, who died while on active duty in November 2017, three months shy of his planned retirement. When I joined the Army, I was just a kid who didnt know anything about life or the military, but Scott took me under his wing and taught me more than I ever could have imagined, Nelson said. "He helped me throughout my career and even after it ended. Nelson recalled how Bailey ensured her husband, who was also serving active duty then, could spend as much time as possible with her as she underwent treatment for tuberculosis. When he noticed Nelson was struggling with her transition back into civilian life I was depressed and angry, and I felt like my life had no purpose, Nelson told the crowd Bailey called her regularly and enlisted the help of a friend to take Nelson out for coffee and physically check in on her, she said. It wasnt just me though, that he treated this way, Nelson said. "He went above and beyond to make sure that his soldiers were taken care of. Since serving in the Army, Nelson has volunteered countless hours advocating for fellow veterans, volunteering with several veteran services organizations and working with local leaders to provide services to homeless veterans, El Paso County Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez said Thursday as he introduced her as one of four award finalists. Nelson works as the community outreach coordinator for K9s for Veterans Abroad, helping raise thousands of dollars to provide free service dogs to veterans. She also works with Homes for All Veterans, The Green Beret Foundation and Mental Health Colorado, among other local nonprofits; advocates for homeless veterans and Gold Star families; and is a member of the Spacious Skies Charter School board, working to start a private school that assists special needs children, Gonzalez said. Nelson is also a graduate student at Pepperdine University, where she is studying to become a clinical psychologist, and is working on a veteran housing project near Fort Carson in honor of Bailey, she said. Previous Veteran of the Year award winners include Nanette Brede Mueller, Duane K.L. France, Victor M. Fernandez and Leo F. Martinez. Redistricting battles kick off in state courts The legal battle over redistricting started in Texas this year even before lawmakers sat down to draw new state and congressional district maps. On Sept. 1, two Democratic state lawmakers filed a lawsuit aiming to stop the Republican-controlled legislature from shaping districts for two years. They argued that, under the state constitution, the legislature must wait until its next regular session after census redistricting data is released to draw the new maps. The U.S. Census Bureau released that data in August; Texas next regular session is in 2023. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott called a special session for later this month to redraw the maps. But if Democrats succeed, a three-judge panel would be tasked with drawing the new maps before the March primary election. For nearly 20 years Texas Republicans have manipulated the redistricting process to disenfranchise minority voters and Democrats to maintain a tenuous hold on the state legislature, but that all ends now, said Texas Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt in a news release. She filed the suit along with Democratic state Sen. Roland Gutierrez and the Tejano Democrats, a political organization. Abbotts office did not respond to a request for comment. Texas is only one of many states facing increased legal wrangling this redistricting cycle. So far, some 49 redistricting suits have been filed in state and federal courts in at least 22 states, according to University of Colorado Law School professor Doug Spencer, whos been tracking cases on the All About Redistricting website hosted by Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. Delayed census redistricting data, which normally would have been released in March but faced pandemic setbacks, has been the main reason cited in most lawsuits filed so far. But experts say increased public interest and access to online redistricting tools, coupled with court rulings from the previous redistricting cycle, could mean a record number of challenges to maps being drawn with the new data. The U.S. Supreme Court in recent years has issued several decisions dealing with redistricting, including rulings related to the consideration of race in drawing district maps, the use of total population tallies in apportionment and the constitutionality of independent redistricting commissions. The rulings in these cases will affect redistricting processes across the nation, said Wendy Underhill, director of the elections and redistricting program at the National Conference of State Legislatures, a nonpartisan group that tracks state legislation. It is likely that most states will have at least some lawsuits, because redistricting tends to make people think that there's winners and losers, said Underhill. And if you're the loser, you're going to give it at least a shot at going to the court. Census delays Some states, including Illinois and Oklahoma, were forced to use census population estimates rather than wait for redistricting data based on actual population counts to meet their states constitutional deadlines. That has led to lawsuits. The Illinois Constitution gives the General Assembly until June 30 in the year following a decennial census to file maps of new state election districts. State lawmakers drew Senate, House and appellate court district maps in late May, and Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker approved them in early June. Republican leaders filed a federal lawsuit arguing the state redistricting plan approved by the Democratic-led legislature is unconstitutional because it is based on census estimates rather than the official figures released in August. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed another lawsuit on behalf of a group of registered voters arguing the same thing. The cases were consolidated and are pending. Lawmakers in Oklahoma who used census estimates to redraw House districts earlier this year said they will try again because the data they used varied from the population count, according to news reports. The Oklahoma Supreme Court last year nixed a ballot initiative brought by advocacy groups including the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma that wanted an independent commission to be responsible for redistricting this cycle. In other states with tight deadlines, including California, where lawmakers had until Aug. 15 to redraw congressional and state district maps, lawmakers have asked the courts for extensions to complete the process. Judges in Colorado and Maine also awarded lawmakers more time to redraw district maps. In July, the Michigan Supreme Court denied the newly created Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission an extension to adopt a redistricting plan. The state constitution mandates that the commission adopt a plan by Nov. 1, but before then each map must be made available for public comment for 45 days. At the end of August, the commission had drawn seven out of 38 state Senate districts and 18 out of 110 state House districts, according to news reports. If the commission does not finish drawing state and congressional maps by Sept. 17, that could lead to additional litigation. New technology Greater public interest and access to data also could lead to more lawsuits this cycle, said Adam Podwitz-Thomas, senior legal strategist for the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, a nonpartisan research group that developed a tool capable of exposing suspected partisan gerrymandering. In past cycles, redistricting authorities mostly worked behind closed doors with little scrutiny, Podwitz-Thomas said. Public input is legally mandated in only 25 states, but most states have held hearings and accepted public maps in previous cycles, according to the project website. At least 12 states are providing online tools for residents interested in drawing and submitting their own maps this cycle, according to Stateline research. However, Flory still hopes one of the two projects will be complete before the end of the year. The 600 block of Buddy Holly Place will be rebid separately from the 400 block of Main Avenue project, with a new bid-letting date of Thursday, Sept. 16, with hopes to have construction begin by the end of the month and completed by the end of October. The 400 block of Main Avenue is still a project on the councils radar but will be pushed back to next year with hopes to have it complete before June 1, though no official timetable was given yet by city council. The two alley projects are part of a Clear Lake City Council initiative to repair alleys across the city; the city council set aside $300,000 for those projects. The two alleyways will not take up the entirety of the money budgeted by the city council, with the estimated cost of construction ranging from $143,511 to $166,191, depending on if decorative PCC and bollards are used. +4 Clear Lake City Council takes steps toward Sea Wall restoration The city council reviewed a handful of projects at its Monday night meeting and spent time acknowledging the fire departments 150th anniversary. Assessment issues When discussing the final schedule for assessments for the East Main Avenue Street reconstruction project, a city council member raised issues regarding two property owners receiving incorrect assessments from the city. According to Flory, "around 90" property owners received assessments for the project. "If the worry is intrusive beyond the stressor, that's anxiety," said Ackrill, who was not involved in the study. "If the sadness is a mood that you can't shift beyond the situation, that's depression." The researchers also found women were more likely than men to report higher psychological distress during the pandemic especially anxiety. Women tend to be the household caretakers, even when gender roles are more balanced than they were in the past, said John Duffy, a clinical psychologist and family therapist in Chicago, who was not involved in the study. "They take on not only their fears, concerns and anxieties, but also those around them," Duffy said. Higher psychological distress before the pandemic was associated with higher levels of distress during the pandemic. They found that for men, elevated psychological distress before the pandemic was associated with an 11-fold increase in depression. That compared to a 6-fold increase in depression for women who had elevated psychological distress before the pandemic. The operation of moving debris from Ground Zero to the landfill went on 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With the use of ... barges to move debris over water and trucks to move debris up to the site, the landfill forensic operations to search through the debris became more efficient to include the use of several site conveyor belts and more inspectors and workers, he said. As the various procedures and processes improved, FEMA eventually budgeted $72 million and considered a much shorter duration. Parks said there were 1.2 million tons of debris that needed to be transported after the 110 floors of both World Trade Center towers fell to become six stories of rubble. To the surprise of everyone, the project was completed in nine months at a cost of $62 million. By the end of September, the Corps of Engineers took over the lead from FEMA in all operations, and everything changed with many improvements, according to Parks. Going back In 2012 Parks had a private tour of the site. He visited the memorial, which was open to the public, and the museum, which was still under construction. He and his wife, along with her niece, were able to sign a structural steel beam on the 90th floor. RINGGOLD On Friday morning, Dan River Middle School hosted a 9/11 ceremony to remember those who died in the nightmarish terror attacks 20 years ago including the first responders who gave the ultimate sacrifice to save survivors and to reflect on the healing of the United States in the days after. Because of COVID-19, the ceremony was broadcasted to classrooms instead of students gathering outside as previously planned in the yearly event that pays tribute to first responders and military members. Opening the ceremony, Hargrave Military Academy presented the posting of colors prior to Steve Johnson, a retired Pittsylvania County teacher, singing the national anthem. Dan River Middle physical education teacher Earl Glass provided opening remarks and reflected on the initial reactions of the terrorist attacks and the following days. A video was then presented showing photos of the 9/11 attack and the aftermath for the first responders and military members who attended. Andrew Coughlan, a native of Jacksonville, Fla., was designated as the keynote speaker for this years ceremony. Coughlan served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army from 2002 until his medical retirement in 2006. Blue Ridge Rock Festival begins BLAIRS For Josh Gorg, the four-day Blue Ridge Rock Festival is a much-needed event. Its finally something to do since COVID, Gorg, of Pennsylvania, said while walking along Carson Lester Lane on the way to the festival. It looks like they did a half-way decent job organizing it and the band lineup looks very well put together. Happening through Sunday, the event is slated to be the biggest event ever in Pittsylvania County. More than 35,000 are expected to attend the festival, with 20,000 of those camping and remaining on site for the entire event. With personnel and bands, total attendance could be as high as 40,000. More than 180 bands are expected to perform on six stages at the venue, according to the events website. Acts include Anthrax, Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Megadeth, Bush, Lamb of God, Cypress Hill, Seether, Ludacris, T-Pain, Body Count, Lil John and Rev Run (from Run-DMC). The sold-out event has booked up hotel rooms throughout the region on the dates of the festival. On Thursday, northbound traffic on U.S. 29 was backed up south from R & Smith Road all the way to the Blairs Fire & Rescue station, up the exit ramp and back to the 29 bypass. Missing the World Trade Center But since America was attacked, respect has grown for firemen, law enforcement officers and rescue workers. And not just in New York City or Washington D.C. Here in Caswell County, N.C., we appreciate more those who respond in emergencies and work to keep us safe. There is renewed respect for everyone who takes pride in their work: like linemen for the power company who keep things going, telephone technicians who keep the lines of communication open, teachers who show our kids the way, politicians who want to do the right thing, health care workers, postal clerks, truck drivers, mothers and children everywhere, you can see it and feel it 9/11 has recharged us and the power of that spirit makes the world a better place. But nothing will bring back my favorite New York City landmark. Living in Manhattan from 73 to 83 gave me the chance to get to know the World Trade Center. For a time, I rode a bicycle delivering packages all over the west side of town. The WTC was a routine stop. It was a marvel. It marked the city as the greatest on earth. The towers were so tall they created their own weather. Currents of wind would swirl and draft between and around the towers. I once lost a yellow packing slip to an updraft. The sheet blew off a package and was sucked up the side of one of the towers and out of sight in seconds. Standing at the base looking up, the exterior ribs of the building took your breath away. But discovering the express elevators to the restaurant at the top called, Windows on the World, remains my favorite memory of living in New York. I had to show my brother. The elevator was big enough to hold a truck. Press the 110th floor! With no one else there, when the doors closed, we would lie down flat on our backs on the elevator floor. And like being in the space shuttle, we would be launched to the top. The indicator floor lights flashed by tens as we zoomed up pulling Gs..10th, 20th, 30th, up and up and up, our bodies would compress as we screamed. When the bell sounded as the car hit the 110th floor, we would stand up quick, catch our breath and try to get presentable for anyone at the door getting on to go down. I gave a few more friends the memorable ride knowing I had discovered something special. A secret thrill. Walmart will end its quarterly bonuses for US store workers in January after it raises its hourly minimum wage from $11 to $12, eliminating a longstanding perk for workers. Walmart, the largest private employer in the United States, has for decades paid the bonuses to its approximately 1.2 million hourly store workers based on store performance. The end of the practice means that while many workers will see their hourly pay rise in January, their total compensation next year may not look as rosy as initially perceived when Walmart announced those increases last week. Walmart said that the elimination of quarterly bonuses will not cancel out the wage hike. The company said they make up a portion of the pay hikes for workers and they will be rolled into employees' higher hourly pay. Walmart has also paid out additional bonuses to workers during the pandemic. "The overwhelming majority of our associates say their hourly wage is the most important part of their pay and by folding the bonus into the overall pay raise, associates receive consistent, predictable pay," Walmart spokesperson Anne Hatfield said in an email. Biden has done more to harm American interests and security than perhaps any other U.S. president. He sounds and looks weak because he is weak. This has not gone unnoticed by terrorists, as well as Iran, China, Russia and others who do not wish us well. Perhaps the most discouraging part of Bidens remarks was his continuing obsession with blaming former President Donald Trump for the Afghanistan debacle. True, Trump floated the idea of inviting unreliable Taliban leaders to Washington and even Camp David to reach a deal to end the war, though he never did. Critics apparently forget that Bill Clinton did invite Yassir Arafat to Camp David. The treaty then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo concluded with the Taliban worked. No U.S. soldiers were killed during an 18-month period. There were probably two reasons. First, the Taliban thought they could patiently wait out America, because based on our withdrawal from Vietnam, they believed we would not stay forever, and second, because Trump had specific requirements for the Taliban to meet or the deal would be off. It is hard to imagine, as much as Trump wanted to stop endless wars, that he would abandon Afghanistan altogether without at least a minimal U.S. presence to deter terrorists who wish to again attack America. At least one group awarded the Medal of Honor has stood the test of time. All 53 sailors and Marines involved in cutting underwater communications cables in Cuba during the Spanish-American War received the honor. A few months later in the same war, Lt. Col. Theodore Roosevelt earned a Medal of Honor for leading his Rough Riders in the battle for San Juan Hill. Over 100 years later, President Bill Clinton presented the posthumous award to Roosevelts family. At least one Medal of Honor was rejected by the recipient. Captain Charles Liteky, a Catholic priest, who served as an Army chaplain in Vietnam. After the war, he left the priesthood and married a former nun. The activist couple strongly opposed and protested against U.S. policy in Central America. Liteky wrote President Reagan a letter in protest and left his Medal of Honor at the Vietnam War Memorial. For 64 years, it appeared Chief Petty Officer Peter Tomichs Medal of Honor would go unclaimed. A Croatian immigrant, the World War I veteran went down on the USS Utah during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He left no family members. After many years of international research by retired Admiral J. Robert Lunney and his family at their own expense Tomichs extended family was located. His Medal of Honor was presented aboard the USS Enterprise in 2006. JAMESTOWN A lockdown drill at Jamestown Middle School Thursday afternoon quickly turned real when a student was seen with a BB gun, a school system spokesman said. The lockdown spread to other local schools, including Ragsdale High School and Guilford Technical Community College. Around 2:30 p.m., Jamestown Middle was in the midst of a lockdown drill when a student told a staff member they had seen someone with a weapon, said Janson Silvers, a spokesman for Guilford County Schools. Guilford County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Lori Poag called the report a "false alarm." Deputies responded to a report of an armed suspect, but quickly verified there was no threat, she said. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} A student who had a BB gun was found, but Silvers said the child was not threatening anyone with it. Silvers could not say whether or not the BB gun was inside or outside the school building, or how and why the student had it. In a Facebook post, GTCC said it received word of a "potential threat of an armed individual" on the Ragsdale High School campus just before 3 p.m. The final day of the Greensboro Folk Festival drew to close as the final acts took the stage one last time. Despite the heat, many continued t Could we have been as cool and as purposeful as she and her fellow crew members and passengers, knowing that these were very likely their last breaths and heartbeats? Many called spouses and family members and told them they loved them. And then they took on the terrorists. Lets roll, one of their leaders, Todd Beamer, famously said. The passenger manifest for Flight 93 had had an almost mystical quality. William Cashman was an iron worker who had helped to build the World Trade Center. One of Bradshaws fellow flight attendants, CeeCee Lyles, had been a policewoman in a previous career. Donald Peterson and his wife, Joan Hadley Peterson, were crisis counselors. Several other passengers were emergency medical technicians. Yet another had his pilots license. But if every act of heroism on 9/11 got the movie it deserved, wed have hundreds of them: The police officers and firefighters who ran toward the burning towers. The many Americans who left their jobs and families and enlisted as soldiers, almost immediately. And so many more ordinary people who did extraordinary things, cradling strangers in their arms in an eerie shower of toxic dust as the unspeakable unfolded around them. Jose Espinoza stands for a photo with his family and City Council. Espinoza received recognition for saving his neighbor, Bob Depedro, when his house burned down in August. Shelli Barker helped place 413 American flags in Civic Park to honor the first responders who lost their lives on 9/11. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} A digital innovation center is proposed to include a 3-D printer for modeling in various disciplines, and supplies for creation of objects in both arts and sciences. The Sandbox, an existing room that allows students to network their laptops and display shared work on the walls, will be improved. A digital innovation center will be part of this new center for experimentation on campus. The building will also provide a space for late-night and early morning study for those who need that scheduling. Carroll officials said these upgrades will create a model academic library and a regionally unique facility. The Kansas-based Sunderland Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Ash Grove Cement Co., which had one of its 12 cement plants in Clancy prior to selling it to a Dublin, Ireland-based company in 2018. Its mission is to improve quality of life by reinvesting in the communities where the Ash Grove Cement Co. operated. In 2003, Carroll College received the foundations first gift to higher education in Montana a $10,000 grant for the Civil Engineering Building. Helena has received state ARPA funds for one of the citys three proposed water infrastructure projects. Gov. Greg Gianfortes office announced Thursday a total of nearly $150 million in the American Rescue Plan Act funds for water and sewer infrastructure projects statewide. Out of around $35 million requested, Helena received $2 million for its water systems improvement project and did not receive money for its other two projects, according to City Manager Rachel Harlow-Schalk. With funds devoted toward constructing new systems and improving existing ones, more Montana communities will have access to reliable, sustainable water and wastewater systems, Gianforte said in a press release. Per state infrastructure commission recommendations, the governor said he would fund 73 top-ranked competitive grant projects at no more than $2 million per project, along with minimum allocation grants. Harlow-Schalk noted recent city water restrictions, when the city saw abnormally high demand on its treated water system, in underlining Helenas need. Helena is very behind in our water infrastructure, Harlow-Schalk said. We need to invest more in our system. Saturday marks the 20-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. A number of local ceremonies and events are scheduled to commemorate the somber date: 9/11 Flag of Honor Rocky Mountain Development Council and AmeriCorps Seniors invite the community to attend the inaugural 9/11 Flag of Honor Across America Memorial. The event, intended to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost 20 years ago, is set to include an address from Helena Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Mike Chambers. AmeriCorps volunteers will then read 50 names of 9/11 victims, which will be followed by a moment of silence. On display will be a 9/11 Flag of Honor, an American flag containing the names of all 2,983 victims. The event is part of a nationwide effort, and the names of the other victims of the attacks will be read aloud by other participating communities. The event is scheduled to take place at 9:02 a.m. Saturday on the walking mall behind Rocky Mountain Development Council, 200 S. Cruse Ave. Montana Attorney General's ceremony Robert Durst said he put his wife on a train bound for New York City after a weekend at their lakeside home in Westchester County and never saw or heard from her again. He has admitted lying about having cocktails with neighbors that night and speaking with his wife by phone after she reached their Manhattan penthouse. DeGuerin said there is no credible evidence to support the prosecution theory that Berman had impersonated Kathie Durst the next day to phone in sick at the medical school she attended. Prosecutors said the call made it appear Kathie Durst was alive after she was last seen by her husband. If you remove the emotions that the prosecution has played upon that Bob Durst is a bad guy and Bob Durst lies and that Bob Durst will lie about anything and look at what the evidence or lack of evidence is, then you see theres no evidence, DeGuerin said. During his many days on the stand, Durst said he had lied under oath and would lie to get out of trouble. He said he had not killed Berman or his wife, but said he would lie if he had done so. DeGuerin said it was like the trick question: Have you quit beating your wife? DECATUR A 635,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility is being developed on Decaturs northeast side, it was announced Friday. The facility, which will employ up to 75 people, will be located at 4250 North Commercial Crossing in the citys logistics corridor. The Atkins Group (TAG) is thrilled to be starting construction on Cardinal Warehouse in Decatur. The site is positioned perfectly for logistics with quick convenient access to I-72. To reach this stage, TAG is grateful for the cooperation and support from the city of Decatur, Macon County and the EDC, said Mark Dixon, president of TAG. We greatly appreciate The Atkins Group for selecting Decatur for this exciting project, said Nicole Bateman, president of the EDC. This new facility not only creates jobs in our community but also highlights Decaturs position as an emerging logistics and distribution center. Construction has started at the site and is expected to wrap up next summer. Recommended for you This project shows that Decatur remains a key location for industrial expansion and logistics, and that the citys planning for a logistics corridor is paying off, said Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe. The city and Macon County worked together closely with all parties to move this project forward, especially in making modifications to the future beltway plans to accommodate the project. The Atkins Group, a family-owned business based in Urbana, has real estate holdings consisting of residential, farm, industrial, office and commercial properties. TAG currently invests and manages real estate properties in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and California. "Were ready for them, Moore Wolfe said. They will be right on the beltway, right on the interstate. Moore Wolfe said transportation is important for emerging companies, such as the TAG facility. The new facility will be located near various transportation hubs, including Interstate 72, Decatur Airport and railroad lines. The facility will be used as an example of the citys progress. It gives us more ammunition as we go to Washington to get more money, as we talk to state lawmakers about investing in this part of the community, Moore Wolfe said. According to Bateman, companies in the market for new locations have a checklist they follow. They want quick turnarounds, they want shovel-ready sites, they need things ready to go, she said. They are making decisions much quicker these days. Roads, sewer, water, high speed internet and other utilities are important to a company during the real estate search, Bateman said. The EDC promotes the citys location as a benefit for other companies. If your distribution network is the whole Midwest, we have a great reach from Decatur, she said. You can reach St. Louis, Indianapolis, Chicago, youre going to reach larger markets in a one-day truck drive, more so than you can from the Chicago area. Decatur has several locations available for potential businesses, according to Bateman. We have some very fantastic sites that are great for manufacturing, great for logistics and distribution, and many opportunities to develop Decatur and Macon County, she said. Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The gas explosion at Norfolk & Western rail yard on July 19, 1974, killed seven railroad workers and injured more than 100 people. It rema DECATUR The Macon County Health Department on Thursday said one man in his 50s with COVID-19 has died. Health officials also announced 106 new COVID-19 cases in Macon County since the departments Wednesday report. This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases to 13,745 since the start of the pandemic, said county health educator Adrienne Newman. The most recent statistics show there have been 220 COVID-related deaths in Macon County since the pandemic began, and 32 residents were hospitalized with virus as of Thursday. The health department is offering the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine next week at the following times and locations: Richland Community College (Enter at the flag poles), 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15. Must return to Richland Community College Wednesday, Oct. 6, to receive the second dose. Macon County Health Department, 1221 E. Condit St., Decatur, 1 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 15. Must return to MCHD Wednesday, Oct. 6, to receive the second dose. Recommended for you Bring insurance card and photo ID if possible. Minors must be accompanied by an adult parent or guardian. If someone other than a parent or legal guardian is planning to bring a child, the permission and proxy form will need to be filled out and signed by the parent or legal guardian ahead of time. Forms are available on the health department's website. Individuals who are pregnant or nursing should not attend unless they have a doctors note or if they have previously received a COVID-19 vaccine of any kind. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DECATUR The Macon County Health Department reported 72 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases to 13,817 since the start of the pandemic, said county health educator Krystle Tempel. The most recent statistics show there have been 220 COVID-related deaths in Macon County since the pandemic began, and 34 residents were hospitalized with the virus as of Friday. The health department and the the Illinois Department of Public Health also announced Friday there have been 324 variant COVID-19 cases in Macon County. The most prevalent is the UK variant, with 143 cases. There also have been 87 cases of the Brazil/Gamma variants, 81 cases of the Delta variant, six cases of the California variant (B.1.429), four cases of the South Africa variant, two cases of the Mu variant and one case of the California variant (B.1.427). The health department is offering the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine next week at the following times and locations: Richland Community College (Enter at the flag poles), 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15. Must return to Richland Community College Wednesday, Oct. 6, to receive the second dose. Macon County Health Department, 1221 E. Condit St., Decatur, 1 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 15. Must return to MCHD Wednesday, Oct. 6, to receive the second dose. Recommended for you Bring insurance card and photo ID if possible. Minors must be accompanied by an adult parent or guardian. If someone other than a parent or legal guardian is planning to bring a child, the permission and proxy form will need to be filled out and signed by the parent or legal guardian ahead of time. Forms are available on the health department's website. Individuals who are pregnant or nursing should not attend unless they have a doctors note or if they have previously received a COVID-19 vaccine of any kind. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. When it comes to how he feels about big tech, Jeff Bartos didnt mince his words. From shadow-banning conservatives, censoring content online, biased fact-checking, and now funneling millions of dollars into our elections its become clearer than ever: Big Tech must be reined in, Bartos, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania, wrote on Twitter on July 1. But even as the suburban Philadelphia businessman parroted a popular Republican talking point, he and his wife also were enjoying the financial benefits that come with investing in such big tech titans as Alphabet Inc., which owns Google, and Apple. Financial disclosure forms that Bartos filed with the U.S. Senate as a requirement for his bid for the GOP nomination in 2022, show that he and his wife jointly and individually hold hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock in the Silicon Valley giants. Bartos isnt alone. Disclosure forms filed by Val Arkoosh, whos Bartos neighbor in heavily Democratic Montgomery County, whos also running, similarly show individual and joint investments in Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft that run to the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Arkoosh also serves on Montgomery Countys Board of Commissioners. Recommended for you As they head into the thick of one of the most closely watched U.S. Senate contests in the country, the filings underline the tightrope that the hopefuls walk as they talk tough on the outsized influence of big tech, but also see their wealth enlarged by their sizable investments. Both are part of a large field of Republican and Democratic candidates vying to replace Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, who is retiring in 2022. In a wide-ranging interview, Bartos kept up his drumbeat of criticism, even as he defended his investments. If anything, it proves Im not afraid to state my convictions, even if its against my financial interests, he said. I can advocate for policies that I think are right. As a shareholder, who owns stock, I believe that the company needs to change for the better. He added that its the responsibility, and the duty of shareholders to lodge such criticisms. Bartos, who accused social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook of behaving like Democratic super PACs for what he believes are unreasonable restraints on speech by conservatives, says hed support looking at anti-trust action if these companies dont take a hard look at what theyre doing and change their policies. Its a familiar grievance. Republican state lawmakers across the country, including Pennsylvania, began pushing legislation that would punish social media companies for policing content on their websites, the Associated Press reported. The efforts began surfacing not long after former President Donald Trump was banished from Twitter and Facebook for spreading baseless claims of election fraud on the platforms. Arkoosh, whose campaign declined an interview request, said through a spokesperson that she believes members of Congress owning or trading stocks is a conflict of interest. Arkoosh supports legislation to bar members of Congress from owning and trading stocks, and if elected, would put her eligible assets into a blind trust. the spokesperson, Rachel Petri, said in an emailed statement. And while theyre on opposite sides of the aisle, Arkooshs and Bartos respective criticisms of Big Tech mirror national trends that have Republicans and Democrats uniting on an issue at a time where bipartisan agreement on most issues is elusive at best and impossible at worst. In June, for instance, a bipartisan cadre of lawmakers on Capitol Hill rolled out a package of antitrust bills. That spirit of bipartisanship has not prevented the issue from being politicized in Pennsylvania or elsewhere. In a statement, Brad Bainum, a spokesman for the progressive super PAC American Bridge, said it was classic politician behavior for anti-Big Tech Jeff Bartos to own hundreds of thousands in tech company stocks. If he somehow manages to get out of this messy GOP primary, its clear Bartos cant be trusted to represent Pennsylvania families in Washington, Bainum said. But with most Americans harboring the same skepticism, even as they, too, pad their retirement portfolios with Big Tech stocks, one veteran observer said he doubts the average voter will share in that outrage. Even though you own stock in Alphabet, you can still say Google should be reined in because its anti-competitive, Republican consultant Christopher Nicholas said. Or theres Amazon, which is on both sides of the equation. (Political journalists) will notice, but Mr. and Mrs. Pennsylvania will not be overly concerned about it. That appears to be what Bartos is banking on as he heads into a competitive campaign season. The reality is that as (voters) parse through stuff, (they will) understand it through the lens of common sense, he said. John L. Micek is editor-in-chief of The Pennsylvania Capital-Star in Harrisburg, Pa. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Windell Ely said he was reminded of the Old Testament story of Joseph, who told the Israelites to make sure his bones were taken home to the Promised Land after his death. It was no easy task, but Josephs loved ones saw his wishes fulfilled, carrying his body inside a coffin from Egypt, through the Wilderness of Sinai for 40 years, to Israel, where they had to conquer enemies that held the mountain where Joseph was to be buried. This is a huge thing that the nation has paid the price, Windell Ely said. That the people have set aside time and worked and put all their labor in to bring the bones of Stewart back home, where his heart was. Home, the place that, like Joseph, is where he wanted his bones buried no other place in the world. Windell Ely, who is a Vietnam veteran, said it was his duty to bear witness for both the dead and the living. Witness [so] that we never forget how dangerous this life is for all of us. We will never forget the dead, because if we do, then we actually kill them a second time. So, in the end, all thats left when we die from this place are our memories. My memory is of a young hero in my family that gave his life for this country. They fought, they died [so] that all of us could be free today. Weve got to remember the cost of war because its a great cost to have freedom like we have. On the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, Heath wrote to George Bush to ask if he would be guest speaker at that years program. Heath received a call from a staff member who said he was committed to attend a similar program in New York City. Since then, Heath and the former president have swapped letters, he said. Heath sent him one of the Virginia flags that flew atop the steel beam when it was being transported to Southwest Virginia. According to Heath, the flag is exhibited in the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas, Texas. According to Heath, Marion participates in commemorative events that many small towns in the region do not observe. We just commemorated the National Spirit of 45 Day, the second Sunday in August that recognizes the end of World War II, Heath said. These are benchmark moments in American history and they are still part of our living history. We need to stand up and say this is important to us. As mayor, Helms hopes members of the community and visitors will take time to participate in the program and remember the many people who lost their lives or were injured in the tragedy. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The reduced bonds angered the family of the victim. Now (Eric and Tangela Parker) get to go see their family, Marlows husband Justin Marlow said following the bond hearing. I cant see my wife unless I go to the graveyard. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Justin Marlow said it was unreal that Tangela Parker was given a bond. Witnesses seen her do this and she gets to go home to her family? he said. My biggest concern is when this all happened and we knew that (Tangela Parker) had fled, there was a point we didnt think she would ever get caught, Michelle Marlows daughter Makayla Mak Marlow said. I have no doubt in my mind her parents could not stop her if she did this again. Mak Marlow said her goal is to make sure everyone knows who Tangela Parker is and what happened to Michelle Marlow. Keep her face out there, she said. Keep my moms face out there. Keep the story going. The more people that see it the better I want people to know who she (Tangela Parker) is and what she did. Mak Marlow said she hopes the case will go to trial. There was so many witnesses. So many people saw this happen. There is so much background behind this. The American people are somewhat conflicted about what they have seen out of Afghanistan the last couple of weeks, Gibbs said. For Biden, its a moment to try to reset some of that. Remind people of what it is to be commander in chief and what it means to be the leader of the country at a moment of such significance. The president will commemorate the solemn anniversary on Saturday by paying his respects at the trio of sites where the hijacked planes struck, puncturing the United States air of invincibility and resulting in the deaths of 3,000 Americans. While the ceremonies dont call for him to make public remarks, Biden released a video Friday to remember those who lost their lives, comfort their families and honor the courage and sacrifice of first responders and servicemembers over the last 20 years. He delivered an impassioned appeal for the nation to set aside its differences and reclaim the spirit of cooperation that sprung up in the days following the attacks. Unity is what makes us who we are America at its best, Biden said. "To me thats the central lesson of September 11, he added. Unity is our greatest strength. " " Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama during a prayer session at the Tsuglagkhang Temple in Dharamshala, India. Shyam Sharma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism and former political ruler of the Tibetan people. He's believed to be the 14th reincarnation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, an enlightened being that has chosen to be reborn so he can serve mankind. Plucked from a small farming village at just 2 years old, the Dalai Lama has spent his life spreading his message of compassion and seeking freedom for his homeland of Tibet. The Dalai Lama is a political refugee, forced to flee Tibet in 1959 when the Chinese government violently suppressed a Tibetan uprising. Since then, he has lived in exile in Dharamsala, India, and acted as the head of the Tibetan government in exile until 2011, when he handed over all political duties to a democratically elected Tibetan cabinet and parliament. For Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike, the Dalai Lama is an inspirational figure whose message of peace, kindness and compassion is a guidepost to daily life. He has written or coauthored more than 110 books, each filled with practical wisdom about finding joy, peace and meaning in an often dark and confusing world. To help us choose five essential quotes from the Dalai Lama's ocean of writings and speeches, we reached out to Travis Hellstrom, editor of "The Dalai Lama Book of Quotes: A Collection of Speeches, Quotations, Essays & Advice from His Holiness" and "Questions for the Dalai Lama: Answers on Love, Success, Happiness, & the Meaning of Life." Advertisement 1. "I always consider myself first and foremost to be a monk. A Buddhist monk. Dalai Lama comes after that." The Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his nonviolent struggle to win independence for Tibet. He has met with presidents, popes and dignitaries on every continent. Yet when asked to describe himself, he chooses arguably the humblest label, a monk. Why? Hellstrom thinks it's because so much of what the Dalai Lama represents and how he lives his life is rooted in his daily practices of meditation, study and prayer a spiritual routine shared by all Buddhist monks. The Dalai Lama travels extensively, but when he's home in Dharamsala, he keeps monk hours. He wakes up at 3 a.m., showers, and sits in prayer and meditation until 5 a.m., when he has a light breakfast and listens to the BBC World News. From 6 to 9 a.m., it's more prayer and meditation. When his workday is over, the Dalai Lama has tea at 5 p.m., followed by evening prayer and meditation and then bedtime at 7 p.m. The Dalai Lama says that he relies on this monastic spiritual practice to keep his mind focused and to direct his actions. "I myself am a Buddhist monk," he said at the Global Buddhist Congregation in 2011. "Every morning, as soon as I wake up, I remember Buddha and recite some of Buddha's teachings, sort of shaping my mind. Then the rest of my day I should spend according to those principles: being honest, truthful, compassionate, peaceful, nonviolent." There's power in understanding that the warmth and compassion exuded by the Dalai Lama doesn't come naturally, but is a product of decades of daily mindful practice. "Every day, he prepares himself mentally to be the kind of presence that everyone's expecting 100-percent present, focused and ready to be as compassionate and kind as he can be, no matter what happens," Hellstrom says. Bonus quote: "I speak to you as just another human being; as a simple monk. If you find what I say useful, then I hope you will try to practice it." Advertisement 2. "I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy." Buddhism has an interesting take on happiness. According to the Four Noble Truths taught by Buddha, our existence is mired in suffering emotional suffering, psychological suffering, physical suffering. The only way to free yourself from this suffering and obtain happiness is by ridding yourself of the source of all suffering, which is desire and attachment. Easy, right? Hardly. Perhaps it's because the Dalai Lama knows how difficult it is for humans to extinguish things like greed, ignorance and hatred that he prescribes a more manageable path to happiness. "From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion," the Dalai Lama wrote. "The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. This helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the ultimate source of success in life." While the Dalai Lama recognizes that "genuine happiness comes from within" and is a product of a calm and compassionate mind, he also recognizes the infectious power of a smile, a hug or even a joke to spark that happiness in others. "Even though he's experienced more than his fair share of suffering, the Dalai Lama models a type of lightheartedness and kindness that's very powerful for people and very moving," Hellstrom says. "People feel different in his presence. It's the reason he draws stadiums full of people who want to see him. To me that speaks to his life-cultivating presence and his care for other people." Bonus quote: "Life's purpose of happiness can be gained only if people cultivate the basic human values of compassion, caring and forgiveness." " " The Dalai Lama preaches about kindness because it's a principle everyone can put into practice. Shyam Sharma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images Advertisement 3. "My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism and a learned scholar of Buddhist philosophy and practice. Yet when he writes books and delivers speeches, you seldom hear him say, "Buddhism teaches this..." or "In Buddhism, we believe that..." It's clear that he wants his message to resonate with people regardless of their religious (or areligious) background. "It's so genius the way he looks at things," says Hellstrom. "He chooses a word like kindness because everybody can relate to it and anyone can put it into practice. We can always, in any moment, choose compassion and choose kindness. It pulls us out of our own ego, centers us in the moment and puts us in service to others." Bonus quote: "Some people, when we talk about compassion and love, think it is a religious matter. Compassion is the universal religion." Advertisement 4. "Be a nice person. Be a good person." Once again, these words from the Dalai Lama are so simple and straightforward that they border on being childish. But maybe that's what he's going for. As Albert Einstein (probably) said: "If you can't explain it to a 6-year-old, you don't understand it yourself." Only after a lifetime pondering the nature of a "good" life could the Dalai Lama explain his guiding philosophy so simply. In Buddhism, being a truly good person is a little more complicated than "being nice." The Buddha taught his disciples to follow what's called the Noble Eightfold Path, which includes admonitions to practice "right speech," "right action" and "right livelihood." In Buddhism, being "good" means behaving ethically and honestly in business dealings and personal relationships, but also cultivating a compassion for all living things. The Dalai Lama takes this last responsibility seriously. Being a "nice" and "good" person ultimately comes down to treating others as you would like to be treated, and seeking their happiness as much as or even more than your own. "Now, when you recognize that all beings are equal in both their desire for happiness and their right to obtain it, you automatically feel empathy and closeness for them," wrote the Dalai Lama. "Through accustoming your mind to this sense of universal altruism, you develop a feeling of responsibility for others: the wish to help them actively overcome their problems... As long as they are human beings experiencing pleasure and pain just as you do, there is no logical basis to discriminate between them or to alter your concern for them if they behave negatively." Bonus quote: "No matter what the circumstances, no matter what kind of tragedy I am facing, I practice compassion. This gives me inner strength and happiness. This gives me the feeling that my life is useful." " " The Dalai Lama may be the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, but he has a fun sense of humor too. Kunal Patil/Hindustan Times via Getty Images Advertisement 5. "Meditation is the key to spiritual growth." Have you ever tried to meditate? It looks so easy. All you have to do is sit there and breathe and quiet your mind. What's so hard about that? Everything, it turns out. The mind is like a monkey after three cups of coffee, jumping from thought to thought and easily distracted. Calming down the "monkey mind" is a skill that takes years of practice. But what's the point of meditation? Why does the Dalai Lama, after all these years, still start and end his days with hours of meditation? Hellstrom says that the basic idea of meditation is to separate objective physical reality from the subjective version being generated by our thoughts, desires and fears. "Meditation helps you be aware of what's actually happening I'm sitting, I'm breathing, the wind is blowing, the sun is shining. These are things that are really happening," says Hellstrom. "Everything else is being created inside my mind." Hellstrom says that focusing on the breath is such an effective technique because breathing is one of the body's only functions that's both involuntary and voluntary. By taking control of the breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply, it offers a way to escape the whirling mind for a minute and center on the moment. "Let the monkey mind quiet down for just two breaths," says Hellstrom. "It'll be really hard at first, but over time you might get to five breaths or 10. When the monkey stops jumping from branch to branch, then you're having a conversation with your own mind and trying to help it be less afraid, judgmental and so on." The hope is that by learning how to calm the mind and not focus obsessively on your own anxieties and selfish desires, that you will increase in patience, compassion for others and love. For an advanced course, check out the Dalai Lama's thoughts on "Training the Mind" at his website. Bonus quote: "Training the mind to think differently, through meditation, is one important way to avoid suffering and be happy." HowStuffWorks earns a small affiliate commission when you purchase through links on our site. Now That's Cool The Dalai Lama also has a silly side. Check out his antics at a European news conference in 2016. With a general goal to produce more renewable energy, windmills and solar panels have become an increasingly common sight when driving through rural landscapes. While these energy sources are more environmentally friendly, do we have a firm grasp on their economic impact if they take agricultural land out of production? Joe Lawrence of Cornell University Extension discussed solar energy during a University of Minnesota Extensions The Moos Room podcast. He explained that agricultural land is a low-hanging fruit when it comes to placing solar energy installations. Our prime ag soils are also prime sites for something like solar because they are already clear, generally flat land, he shared. Its the easy place to start. Lawrence said the incentives that are in place and the goals set by different states and federally to move toward renewable energy have almost created a land rush as people and companies look for spaces to locate windmills and solar panels. There are lots of environmental benefits, but we also need to think about it from an economic standpoint, he said. This can be somewhat difficult to evaluate, as the value and productivity of a renewable energy source like solar power can be geographically dependent. Lawrence also recognized that some renewable projects can be lucrative to a landowner, making it hard to turn down the opportunity to host a renewable energy site even if it displaces farmland. Still, there is the bigger picture of the economic impact that agriculture production has on a community. Using dairy in New York as an example, Lawrence shared a study showing that for every $1 of gross milk sales, $2.29 is circulated in the local economy. Based on numbers from the 2020 Cornell Dairy Farm Business Summary and the fact that it takes about 2 acres to support a cow and its replacement, he estimated a local economic impact from dairy of $5,400 per acre. If we were going to convert any acre out of agriculture, we should look at that $5,400 value and ask ourselves, Will this new use of the land generate more than $5,400 an acre in economic activity in the community? Lawrence recommended. This same thinking could be used for any land use conversion, not just the switch to solar energy. Values would also vary depending on milk price, soil type, and region of the country. I support renewable energy in general, Lawrence stated, but I do think we could be more strategic in planning this out. His advice to listeners was to weigh both the environmental and economic benefits and not put the cart before the horse. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2021 September 06, 2021 The N.C. Senate has passed House Bill 890, an all-encompassing measure that could help distillers succeed in a crowded and burgeoning industry. The bill passed the Senate on third reading, 35-7, Wednesday, Sept. 8, with a couple of technical amendments. The bill, in large part, aims to level the playing field for distillers, making rules more consistent with those governing breweries and wineries. H.B. 890 now heads back to the House for concurrence. The move, among many things, would allow people to order online and pick products up from state Alcoholic Beverage Control stores, expand the size of growlers from two liters to four, loosen rules for tours in N.C. distilleries, and allow distillers to sell their products at festivals. As it stands, distilleries cant open if a local ABC is not open. This bill changes that, allowing distilleries to offer tours, tastings, and cocktails from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., although to think a distiller would hold such hours isnt realistic. The bill would also establish a spirituous liquor council, basically a distillers version of the N.C. Wine and Grape Council. RALEIGH Doctors and hospital leaders have been saying for weeks that the surge of COVID-19 patients this summer has been largely among the unvaccinated. Now theyre beginning to share the numbers in ways they hope will inspire more people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Hospitals have begun publishing charts and graphics on their websites and on social media that convey what portion of their COVID-19 patients have been vaccinated and what portion have not. The numbers show that the overwhelming majority of those hospitalized with COVID-19 have not been vaccinated, which is especially true for those needing intensive care. The rationale is to provide simple and visual information for the public that reflects reality, said Alan Wolf, spokesman for UNC Health, the 12-hospital system based in Chapel Hill. The evidence shows that youre much less likely to end up in the hospital, much less likely to end up in the ICU and much less likely to die from this virus if youve been vaccinated. UNC posted a graphic on social media Thursday with the number of COVID patients at the UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, UNC Rex in Raleigh and seven other hospitals across the state. It showed nearly 88% of the 401 COVID-19 patients and 96% of those patients who were in ICUs were unvaccinated. MATTOON The Coles-Moultrie Emergency Communication Center is seeking a new director. Current Director James Calvert, who was appointed in December, said he notified the board Aug. 13 that he plans to resign. Calvert said he is still serving in this administration post in the meantime and has offered to remain on duty to help train the new director, but the training decision is up to the board. He said he cannot comment further at this time due to pending negotiations with the board over his severance package. The Emergency Telephone System Board has set an Oct. 7 deadline for applicants. Board Chair Dan Ensign said their hiring committee will narrow down the candidates to three finalists, interview them, and then present a proposed new director to the board for a vote. He said they hope to have a new director before Jan. 1. "We are not going to rush into it. We are going to take our diligent time to get the right candidate," Ensign said. He referred questions to the current director about his resignation. Applicants are asked to send their resume and cover letter to Sam Gaines, vice chair of the 911 board. Coles-Moultrie 911 Assistant Director Amanda Williams, who has served in this post since 2002, has been working remotely since July from Florida, where her husband accepted a job. Gaines said Williams' remote work has been going fine so far. The board discussed the remote work agreement that the director authorized at its Aug. 10 meeting and gave notice that it does not want this contract extended past its Dec. 31 expiration. Ensign said he is not sure yet how the assistant director position will be filled after Dec. 31, but the board could advertise for candidates if needed. Seven 911 dispatchers recently sent a letter to the newspaper expressing their support for Calvert and Williamson, saying they are both capable and supportive managers. The dispatchers said remote administration work has been done flawlessly in the past and has enabled Williams to continue assisting Calvert in his first year as director. "There is still a lot of work and tasks that go into being director that don't come up in everyday work, and Amanda has the knowledge to help him through that with her 19.5 years of experience," the dispatchers wrote. "There also lies the want and need for her to still be working to assure we are provided the best management possible and by taking that one straw (Williamson) away, you are weakening the entire structure." Contact Rob Stroud at 217-238-6861. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Pouring salt into an open wound for people without work: once the 13 regular state benefit weeks run out, N.C. claimants have to wait another 39 weeks before they can file again. One thing to remember is that although all of the enhanced federal benefits expired, that expiration is for benefit weeks starting after the week ending on Sept. 4, said John Quinterno, principal with South by North Strategies Ltd., a Chapel Hill research company specializing in economic and social policy. People with eligible claims for prior weeks still are eligible for benefits for those weeks. That might include people who lost a job at the very end of August, or those with prior claims that are pending or under administrative review for some reason. Michael Walden, an economics professor at N.C. State University, said the uptick in claims is likely due to a reduction in business optimism and expansion plans as the delta variant continues. Those who could apply for assistance prior to the ending of the federal supplement would likely have done so as quickly as they could in order to receive the federal help while it lasted. As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, the PEUC program had provided $1.75 billion and PUA program $1.23 billion. The way Bush administration officials made the case for intervening in Iraq sowed seeds of division that blossomed into todays rancid politics. They painted utterly unrealistic portraits of what the war would achieve (we will, in fact, be greeted as liberators, Vice President Dick Cheney famously said), and savaged critics in partisan terms. When Bush announced the invasion on March 19, 2003, a sidebar report in the next days Washington Post was headlined: GOP to Hammer Democratic War Critics. The pre-9/11 sense of American invincibility and that too-brief interlude after the onslaught when it felt like we were all in this together gave way to bitterness, division and new doubts about the countrys capacities. This is why we should not be surprised by a Post-ABC News poll this week that found 46% of Americans say that the events of Sept. 11 changed the country for the worse while only 33% said they changed it for the better. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Krause had found another chance to call his wife while walking, but it was nonetheless an emotional moment when he and his wife finally met at home. Krauses son, who was 8, came home from school but hadnt heard what had happened. The school he attended had many children of Defense Department parents, and school officials had kept the news from the children so they could get the news from their parents. Krause is a 1981 graduate of Wake Forest University. Following graduation, he spent nine years in the U.S. Army working in intelligence, a job that took him to work in the Pentagon. In 1990 he became a civilian Defense Department employee, continuing to work in the Pentagon and specializing in Latin America. Defense Department employees are a dedicated bunch: Told by then-secretary Donald Rumsfeld to report to work the next day, the Pentagon employees dutifully arrived for work. Krauses office was among one of the very closest ones to the boundary between parts of the Pentagon that were usable and areas that received extensive water damage; further in, fire damage and destruction. The lawsuit said Thompson was not driving dangerously or recklessly and did not have any weapons. When Bross approached the drivers side door, Thompson pulled out his cellphone to either record it or have it handy in case he needed to call someone, the lawsuit alleged. Then Bross asked Thompson to get out of the car, and Yates was on the passenger side door. The lawsuit said when Yates saw Thompson with the cellphone, Yates started yelling at Thompson to hand over the phone. At the same time, Bross started yelling at Thompson to give him the phone and telling him to get out of the car. Then, according to the lawsuit, Bross opened the door and yanked Thompson out of the car, pulling Yates through the car. The lawsuit alleged that Thompson was slammed to the ground, landing on his jaw. His hand holding the cellphone was pinned underneath, the lawsuit said. Bross got on Thompsons back, kneeling on his head and demanding to see the hand with the phone in it, the lawsuit said. Thompson offered up his free hand and one of the officers said, Youre not in charge. The N.C. Court of Appeals upheld a decision from a lower court that found that Stokes County Board of Education was not liable for an incident in which a van driver sexually assaulted a disabled student 21 times over two days in December 2015. The court said that the school system could have prevented the assault if the van had a safety monitor, but added that court precedent prevented them from holding the school system liable partly because the system outsourced its transportation services to an independent contractor. JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) An Alaska state lawmaker requested an excusal from the state Senate until mid-January, citing the challenges of traveling to Juneau from Anchorage after she was suspended from flying on Alaska Airlines earlier this year. Republican Sen. Lora Reinbold on Thursday requested the excusal from Saturday through Jan. 15. She said she was unaware of any other airline flying to the state capital during that period. Her request was accepted by the Republican-led Senate without any objections. Juneau is accessible by air or water, including via the state-run ferry system. Lawmakers are in their third special session of the year, which is due to end Tuesday unless legislators finish earlier. It's not clear if any other special sessions will be held before the next regular session begins in January. Lawmakers can request excusals from the House or Senate floors for such things as personal or state business. The Legislature has yet to finalize a dividend amount to pay residents this year. Delta Air Lines provides seasonal service to and from Juneau, which the company said began in late May this year and ends this weekend. Another large employer, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, last week announced that 81% of its faculty members and 74% of staff were fully vaccinated. Melissa Lee, a spokeswoman for the University of Nebraska system, which employs about 16,000 people statewide, said university officials will evaluate what the announcement means for state and local agencies before making any decisions on how to proceed. Brad Moline, president and CEO of Allo Communications, said vaccination is a personal issue to him because his father had polio and was lucky to recover without long-term complications. "Vaccines are a positive solution for my family. When I and then my kids started school, vaccines were required," Moline said. "I don't view the COVID vaccine differently, as vaccines have been a positive part of my life for almost 55 years." Despite Moline's personal view of vaccines, the company has chosen not to mandate them for employees. "We are closely following the Presidents announcement and look forward to seeing the details when they are available on how the proposals will be implemented," he said. A former Lincoln man was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison Thursday for randomly stabbing a Black man in the neck at a restaurant in Oregon in 2019 in a manic episode. Nolan Levi Strauss, 27, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, previously pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime. According to court records, on the morning of Dec. 21, 2019, a 48-year-old Black man was sitting in the lobby waiting to turn in a job application at an Arbys restaurant in Ontario, Oregon, when Strauss approached him from behind and cut him across his neck. Following a struggle for the knife, the man freed himself, and Strauss was detained by a maintenance employee, who said Strauss told him he did it because the man was Black, "and I dont like Black people. The victim, Ronnell Hughes, was life-flighted to Boise, Idaho, for emergency surgery. The cut to his jugular vein required 50 stitches. Strauss spent time in the Oregon State Hospital until June 2020, when a judge found him mentally fit for a state court case against him to proceed. Three months later, a grand jury indicted him with a hate crime involving an attempt to kill. At sentencing, Hughes said he was seeing Strauss face for the first time in the courtroom. Lincoln Public Schools does not expect any major disruptions after an online post surfaced calling for students and teachers to walk out of school Friday as part of nationwide protests against masks in schools. The district sent out a message to staff Thursday after a post on the Facebook group No Mask Lincoln directed parents and teachers to take part in the protest and pull children out of school at 10 a.m. Friday. "Parents and teachers are encouraged to take part in this peaceful protest against masks and mandates," the post reads. "Keep the kids home or walk/take them out at 10:00!" No Mask Lincoln has about 6,300 members. District officials were not aware of any other similar posts in Lincoln. Groups across the country have called for similar protests online under the hashtag #walkoutusa to oppose masks in schools, which have divided districts and transformed once-sleepy boardrooms into political battlegrounds. But whether the call to arms will actually generate a mass exodus of students Friday is unclear. Yamashita's books blend fiction and nonfiction, the printed word and illustrations, and narrative forms ranging from manifestos to shooting scripts. She can weave decades of history through a single residence, like in I Hotel, a finalist for the National Book Award in 2010, or even through an isolated event. In her short story Colono:scopy," a patient undergoing a common medical procedure has visions of Walter Cronkite, Godzilla, the mushroom clouds of World War II and the building of the Transcontinental Railroad in the 19th century. Yamashita opens up her narratives as widely as she can but is careful about what she reveals. She long resisted writing about her relatives, remembering when her mother personally intervened to keep a magazine from publishing an essay about the family. For I Hotel, she interviewed former residents of the International Hotel and allowed some to review her manuscript before it was published. I brought them over to the house and we had a barbecue and we fed them. And I said, 'OK, here are the parts in which your stories were used, and I'd like you to take a look and I will delete anything you don't want in there,'" she explained. So when we get to dessert, this man gets up and walks around the table, then walks around the table in the other direction, and he goes off to the bathroom. And my friend said, You got him. You got him good. And then he came back and said, Mrs. Lee, let me tell you about Mrs. Lee. I had made this character up entirely, but he said You need to know a few more stories about Mrs. Lee." Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Doug Bereuter was scheduled to go the Pentagon that Tuesday morning for breakfast with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Instead, he would be driving past the Pentagon that morning, glancing at the west side of the iconic structure, which was on fire as he headed down Interstate 395 to the Arlington exit on his way home. As he neared the exit, he encountered Arlington Fire Department personnel barreling down the same side of the median on their way to the Pentagon, which had been struck by American Airlines Flight 77 after it was hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001, a date now carved deep into history and memory. Bereuter, who represented Lincoln in the U.S. House of Representatives as Nebraska's 1st District Republican congressman from 1979 to 2004, has other memories of that day in 2001 -- as do all Americans older than college age. There was his morning meeting with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont that had been rescheduled from the previous day. It never occurred. There was the personal agony that Bereuter and his wife, Louise, felt that Tuesday morning as the twin towers collapsed, one by one, onto the streets of Manhattan. Bereuter's sister-in-law worked in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Its been two decades since that horrific morning when an assault from the sky caused New Yorks two iconic towers to erupt in flames and left an entire nation feeling it was under attack. The gas masks, the bottles of water, the wads of bills and the other protective measures stockpiled in the ensuing weeks to prepare for the next emergency are mostly forgotten. Though terrorists still strike as they did in killing 13 U.S. service members and nearly 200 Afghans during the recent withdrawal from Afghanistan -- enhanced domestic security and alertness have kept the American homeland safe. Still, 9/11 stands as one of those significant crossroads in U.S. history, a fearsome prelude for a series of 21st century blows to our well-being, though its death toll of 3,000 pales alongside the pandemic that has killed more than 200 times that many Americans and several million elsewhere. For many of us who lived through it, it will always be one of those days vividly etched in memory, like when assassins gunned down John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The 20th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001 -- the day suicide attackers crashed planes into the World Trade Center towers and Pentagon, and the final plane, destined for the Capitol, went down in a field in Pennsylvania -- brings much time for remembrance and reflection. We must remember the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks, including 400 first responders. We must remember the lives lost in the pursuit of justice and the hunt for the terrorists behind the plot. We must remember the way our nation responded -- with unity and a uniquely American mixture of tears and toughness. But it's fair to reflect, too: How have we changed? What did we learn? What lessons stuck? Set aside airline security and American diplomacy, both obvious and well documented by the history books. What about us? We, the people? In the days after 9/11, the nation came together -- pushed by crisis to set aside divisions for the good of a nation. Twenty years ago, our nation wrestled with political issues, racism, economic and social equity, LGBTQIA+ tolerance, though they may have had different names two decades ago. I am amazed that yet another public issue is being made into a political nightmare. Plenty of abortions have been performed on Republican women. It is not a political issue. It is a human issue. One might even argue that in this day and age of pregnancy prevention being so plentiful, abortions are no longer an acceptable way to prevent pregnancy. Why label it political? Very few things in life are black and white. This applies to abortions. The woman who feels abortion is her only option is desperate, not haphazardly looking to kill her baby. It does not matter what political party she belongs to. Looking at human issue through a political lens only separates and divides us. It really does nothing to resolve any issues. It just leads to finger pointing on each side. Pauley Ahmed, Lincoln Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 MADISON Pediatricians and public health officials say a common respiratory disease that most children can easily deal with is spreading earlier than usual in Wisconsin. The disease, called respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is common in kids under age 2 and usually results in mild symptoms. But it can be severe in infants and older adults. The symptoms for RSV are similar to that of COVID-19, so officials say testing for COVID-19 is important so children can stay home if needed. University of Wisconsin Health pediatrician Greg DeMuri told Wisconsin Public Radio that some children are getting both illnesses at once, which can extend recovery time and make it hard to diagnose what is wrong. We dont know if that is worse than just COVID alone or just RSV alone. Theres some inclination it might be, and it certainly complicates the situation, said DeMuri. Cases of RSV usually increase in the winter, but in Wisconsin, RSV cases started climbing in July and have going up ever since. The most current Weekly Respiratory Report from the state Department of Health Services says that as of Aug. 21, 1,630 patients had been tested for RSV and 298 were positive. The Taliban government currently does not have access to the Afghanistan central banks $9 billion in reserves, most of which is held by the New York Federal Reserve. These reserves were blocked amid last months political turmoil in Afghanistan. WASHINGTON U.S. veterans groups hope that news that private evacuation flights are starting up again for Western citizens in Kabul means Afghans considered at risk for past work with Americans will soon be able to leave again as well. Republican and Democratic lawmakers, veterans groups and other American organizations and individuals have been pressing the Biden administration to do more to get out those vulnerable Afghans. They include thousands of Afghans who used to work with the U.S. military, and are eligible for what are known as Special Immigrant Visas. James Miervaldis, a spokesman with a veterans group, No One Left Behind working on behalf of those Afghans, called the news, Awesome. Well start getting SIVs booked up. 1. Yes. COVID-19 can only be stopped through vaccinations. A mandate is needed. 2. Yes. This is a major step, but were facing a national emergency. It is a justifiable move. 3. No. The government is right to promote vaccinations, but not to require them. 4. No. This is government overreach and legally questionable. A mandate is wrong. 5. Unsure. Its in the publics interest, but mandates infringe on individuals rights. Vote View Results But the liberal arts college in northeast Lincoln has enrolled more than 400 students in its first-year class for the seventh consecutive year. Roughly one-fourth of the first-year students identify as ethnic minorities, and about 28% come to campus from outside of Nebraska, a spokesman said. NWU also saw its second largest number of transfer students enroll this year. A total of 65 students transferred to the campus, including 18 students through a transfer agreement with SCC. Concordia University reported an enrollment drop of 1.6% from last year, bringing its fall headcount to 1,172 students. The Lutheran-affiliated university in Seward welcomed 366 new students to campus this fall, which is slightly fewer than the 375 who enrolled at Concordia for the first time in 2020, but more than the 339 first-year students in 2019. Concordia also reports 447 graduate students this fall, including 141 students who are finishing their degrees after Concordia Portland closed its doors in Oregon last year. Union College, also in Lincoln, as well as Hastings College and Midland University in Fremont, will count their students later this week. Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS VALDOSTA, Ga. (AP) Tropical depression Mindy dumped rain along the Georgia and South Carolina seacoasts Thursday during a trek across land before moving well out over the Atlantic Ocean. Mindy was a brief-lived tropical storm that had formed Wednesday in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. The storm made landfall Wednesday night in St. Vincent Island, Florida and then was downgraded to a depression that dumped rain across the Florida Panhandle and into south Georgia and South Carolina. The storm was in the Atlantic on Thursday evening about 110 miles (175 kilometers) east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, and moving east-northeast at 23 mph (37 kph) with top sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph), forecasters said. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said gradual weakening was expected and Mindy is forecast to become a remnant low sometime Friday. Florida's Big Bend area was already saturated from rain dumped by Hurricanes Elsa and Ida. Some residents in low-lying Dixie County have had to move out of their homes, which were flooded before Mindy brought more rain. Diane Van Hook has been living at a hotel for weeks because her property is flooded and theres no electricity in her home. Other wells at the research site showed no detectable amounts of pesticides. In an Aug. 20 email to Yoder, Tom Buell, administrator for the Department of Environment and Energys Monitoring and Remediation Division, said further testing of the well was being done. Those results have not yet been made public. Although the concentrations are minuscule -- equal to roughly one drop in a 14,000-gallon pool -- the results show how quickly the compounds can move through the environment, said Shannon Bartelt-Hunt, chair of UNLs Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the College of Engineering. These are compounds that are fairly mobile in water, they dont stick to soil as much as some other types of compounds, and the soils there are more transmissible, Bartelt-Hunt said, referring to the sandy soils in the Todd Valley, the ancient channel of the Platte River that cuts across Saunders County. Its a sign things from the surface are moving vertically, she added. But whether vertical movement is happening on AltEns property or is occurring where pesticide-contaminated stormwater is running away from the site toward the Platte River is unknown and in need of further study, Bartelt-Hunt said. After months of anticipation and build up, former President Donald Trump officially endorsed Harriet Hageman in the race against Rep. Liz Cheney. The endorsement came in a Thursday statement from Trump, which followed Hageman's own announcement two hours earlier that she was running. "Unlike RINO Liz Cheney, Harriet is all in for America First," Trump said in the endorsement. "Harriet has my Complete and Total Endorsement in replacing the Democrats number one provider of sound bites, Liz Cheney." Hageman, a property rights attorney, was formerly a close Cheney ally: She worked on the leadership team of both her 2013 Senate race and 2016 House race, in addition to donating a total of $2,000 to both those races combined. Trump's hunt for a formidable Cheney challenger began after Cheney voted to impeach the former president and continually spoke out against his unfounded claims concerning election fraud and the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Trump has been alluding to endorsing a challenger for a few months and finally chose Hageman after meeting with her in mid-August. Several other challengers have already announced they would seek Cheney's seat. Several courted Trump's endorsement, but in the end, were unsuccessful. Wisconsin Association of School Boards Executive Director John Ashley has released the following statement: Weve become increasingly alarmed at the recent reports of personal threats of violence and harassment directed at school board members across the state. Civil disagreement and protest are cornerstones of our democracy but attempts to intimidate school board members and physically disrupt school board proceedings are not acceptable. Being passionate about the well-being of our children is commendable and the public is welcome to voice displeasure or disagreement with their school boards. However, threatening to physically harm school board members or their family members, shouting profanities during school board meetings or attempting to prevent school boards from executing their constitutional governing role crosses a line and should not be tolerated by our communities. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} On behalf of the nearly 3,000 school board members in Wisconsin, were calling for school board meetings to be held in a civil, respectful manner. And we are asking for assistance by all civic and organizational leaders to help ensure that their local governments are able to govern. Six public libraries in Vernon County are partnering with the Driftless Writing Center for the fifth annual Vernon County Reads adult reading program. Since late summer residents have been encouraged to stop by their local public library to check out the books in the Loon Lake Mystery series by Wisconsin author Victoria Houston. On Thursday, Oct. 7, the annual Vernon County Reads program will conclude with a presentation by Victoria Houston at the Westby Area Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Admission to the event is free of charge. Tickets will be available at the door or can be reserved at wapac.ludus.com. Copies of the books in the series will be available for purchase at the book signing immediately following the program. Houston was born and raised in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, in the heart of the fishing culture that backgrounds her mysteries. Having been gone for more than 30 years, Houston moved back to Rhinelander in 1996 where she enjoys hunting, fishing, and writing mystery books. Houstons mystery series was featured in a story on the front page of The Wall Street Journal and on NPRs Talk of the Nation. Both can be seen/heard on the website: www.victoriahouston.com. She has also written or co-authored more than seven non-fiction books With the beginning of a new school year in the area, History Alive Project volunteers thought it good to flash back to a Westby district one-room school that had its beginnings in 1887. Having the school in the Westby area was a great importance to early Westby immigrants. The minutes of a meeting held in April of 1887, described the work that planned to be done on the School property and how much it would cost. And so the Leum one-room school became a reality as classes began in the fall of that same year. This first Leum School building was built on a little knoll and today there is no evidence of the School located anywhere on the property on Lovaas Ridge. By 1902, there were seven months of school held with two weeks of Christmas vacation written into the teaching contract; the contract also expressly read for the hire of a female teacher. That year, a belfry was built and a bell added. In 1907, parents wanted eight months of school to be held. That year a heat and ventilation system was added at a cost of $95; a new outhouse was also placed on the property that year. The La Crosse Common Council has unanimously approved spending nearly $60 million in projects and equipment next year, one of the biggest pieces of the citys overall annual budget. The 2022 Capital Improvement Project Budget maps out spending $59,879,075 on a variety of things, from parks to trails, library improvements and maintenance projects, studies and investments in neighborhoods, new fire equipment and more. Some of the largest pieces of the budget this year are streets projects, including some major overhauls in-part supported by the state and federal government. Of those projects is the much-anticipated reconstruction of La Crosse Street. The pothole-ridden thoroughfare has long been troublesome for drivers in the community, but fixing it has been put off for some years since it is also a state highway. But next year, the road will finally get its makeover with the approval of this budget. The total cost will be $4,490,800, more than half of which will be covered by a federal grant. The remaining will be funded by the city. From West Avenue through Losey Boulevard will be repaved with concrete, and the infrastructure to withstand flooding events will be updated, as well as other needs. She looks forward to moving on into a productive life, McMahon told the judge. Leutners family declined to speak during the hearing. Leutner declined to comment when reached by phone later Friday afternoon. As part of Weier's release conditions, a case manager will monitor her medication for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and a personality disorder. Her cellphone won't be able to access the internet, and she won't be allowed to use social media at all. She also wont be allowed to consume alcohol or drugs, enter a bar, possess a weapon or have any contact with Leutner or her family. Deputy District Attorney Ted Szczupakiewicz said he had no objections to the release conditions. The attack happened in May 2014, after Weier and Geyser invited Leutner to a sleepover. The next day they lured Leutner into the woods at a Waukesha park. Weier and Geyser left Leutner for dead, but she managed to crawl out of the woods and a passing bicyclist found her. Police found Weier and Geyser later that day walking on Interstate 94 in Waukesha. They told investigators said they attacked Leutner because they thought it would make them Slender Mans servants and prevent him from killing their families. After the stabbing they began walking to Slender Man's mansion, they said. MADISON, Wis. A Wisconsin woman who admitted to helping stab a classmate to please the horror character Slender Man will be freed Monday from a mental health institution, a judge ruled Friday. Anissa Weier, 19, will be released after spending almost four years at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute. She will be subject to constant GPS monitoring and receive outpatient psychiatric treatment under the conditions of her release. Waukesha County Judge Michael Bohren said the report prepared for Weiers release was fair and provides for the protection of the community as well as for the victim, Payton Leutner, and for Weier herself. Weier and friend Morgan Geyser lured classmate Leutner into a park in the Milwaukee suburb of Waukesha following a sleepover in May 2014. Geyser stabbed Leutner multiple times, while Weier urged her on. All three girls were 12 at the time. They left Leutner for dead but a passing bicyclist found her. She suffered 19 stab wounds and barely survived. Police found Weier and Geyser later that day walking on Interstate 94 in Waukesha. They said they were traveling to Slender Mans mansion and attacked Leutner because they thought it would make them Slender Mans servants and prevent him from killing their families. JUNEAU, Alaska Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said President Joe Bidens effort to require millions of U.S. workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is ill conceived, divisive, and un-American. At a time in which we are called to work together, forced medical procedures run counter to our collective sense of fairness and liberty, the Republican said in a statement. My administration is aggressively identifying every tool at our disposal to protect the inherent individual rights of all Alaskans. The statement did not describe what that might entail. Dunleavy has butted heads with the Biden administration on resource development issues. Dunleavy has faced some criticism in Alaska for not mandating masks or for not implementing a new disaster declaration to deal with a recent surge in COVID-19 cases. He has instead asked lawmakers to act on legislation aimed at addressing staffing concerns raised by health care facilities. In his statement Friday, Dunleavy said that it is clear from the data and empirical evidence over the last year that the vaccine is the most effective way to fight COVID-19. From what we are seeing in our hospitals, the very ill are mostly those who are unvaccinated. As Governor, and as someone who had COVID and has been vaccinated, I will continue to recommend that Alaskans speak to their healthcare providers and discuss the merits of the vaccine based on their individual healthcare needs, he said. MORE ON THE PANDEMIC: Virus claims Black morticians, leaving holes in communities Biden presses states to require vaccines for all teachers Court: DeSantis ban on school mask mandates back in force South Africa vaccinates some kids in test of Chinese vaccine Key parts of Bidens plan to confront delta variant surge See AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: JACKSON, Miss. - Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said Friday that President Joe Bidens new federal vaccine requirements are clearly unconstitutional and that he believes Biden issued the mandate to distract Americans from the fallout over his decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan. This is the same bait and switch, Reeves said at a press conference outside the Governors Mansion in Jackson. Biden wants us to talk about anything but Afghanistan, and sadly, hes willing to trample on the rights of 100 million Americans to try to help himself politically. That, to me, is disgusting. Reeves said a member of the executive branch of government does not have the authority to mandate workers be vaccinated. Its clearly unconstitutional for the president, to unilaterally with one signature, decide something of this magnitude, he said. He said he expects the Supreme Court to strike down the requirement and that Mississippi will join other states in filing a lawsuit. In essence, what the president saying is... hard-working Americans many of whom work here and live here in Mississippi hard-working Mississippians have to choose between either injecting themselves with something and potentially having the ability to earn a living to produce food for their family, he said. Thats a ridiculous choice. HELENA, Mt. -- Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has promised to fight the new federal vaccine mandate in court. The Republican said on Friday that once the full guidelines for the mandate are released, he will file a lawsuit to strike it down. President Joe Biden announced Thursday the vaccine mandate that could affect as many as 100 million Americans, including all workers in businesses with 100 or more employees. The new mandate appears to conflict with a Montana law passed earlier this year that makes it illegal for private employers to mandate vaccines as a condition for employment. But University of Montana law professor Anthony Johnston says federal law will take precedence over state law if there is a direct conflict. DETROIT A major health care provider in southeastern Michigan says 92% of its employees have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by a Friday deadline and another 3% have gotten a first shot. Under Henry Ford Health Systems policy, employees will be suspended if they dont get at least one dose by midnight or schedule an appointment. They will lose their jobs if theyre not fully vaccinated by Oct. 1. There are some exceptions. Henry Ford Health says in a statement: We remain confident that vaccination, along with masking, remains the most powerful tool we have against the pandemic. Separately, a lawsuit challenging the vaccine policy was suddenly dropped Friday ahead of a hearing in federal court. The Detroit-based health system employs more than 30,000 workers and has five acute care hospitals, four in the Detroit area and one in Jackson. It has treated thousands of COVID-19 patients. MONTGOMERY, Ala. Alabamas chief health officer says a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations appears to have stabilized but the state still faces a real crisis of an overwhelming number of patients needing intensive care, nearly all of whom arent vaccinated. Dr. Scott Harris, head of the Alabama Department of Public Health reports that after threatening to reach an all-time high for coronavirus hospitalizations, state hospitals have seen a slight decline in recent days. He says hes thankful that there has been a little bit of a plateau over the last week. ... The numbers arent great. But the numbers at least have not continued to go up, he said. Still, Harris says, demand for intensive care beds is exceeding the states capacity. Patients who normally would be treated in ICU wards are instead in emergency rooms, normal beds or even gurneys left in hallways. HONOLULU Hawaii Gov. David Ige is requiring government contractors and visitors to state facilities to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. State contractors must attest to their employees vaccination status or provide weekly tests for unvaccinated staff. Contractors also must wear masks and maintain physical distance while on state property. The order also applies to visitors to state facilities, but not to beaches or outdoor state properties. Inmates at correctional facilities, patients at state hospitals and children under 12 or students attending state public or charter schools are exempt, as are travelers arriving at airports. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that Iges executive order takes effect Monday. Hawaii has had a recent record surge of new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. The on-again, off-again ban imposed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to prevent mandated masks for Florida school students is back in force. The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Friday that a Tallahassee judge shouldnt have lifted an automatic stay two days ago that halted enforcement of the mask mandate ban. The upshot is the state can resume its efforts to impose financial penalties on the 13 Florida school boards currently defying the mask ban. The U.S. Department of Education has begun a grant program for school districts that lose money for implementing mandatory masks and other coronavirus safety measures. DeSantis has argued the new Parents Bill of Rights law gives parents the authority to determine whether their children should wear a mask to school. School districts with mandatory mask rules allow an opt-out only for medical reasons, not parental discretion. Charles Gallagher, attorney for parents challenging the DeSantis ban, says in a tweet, students, parents and teachers are back in harms way. SALT LAKE CITY Thirteen Utah hospitals will postpone many non-emergency surgeries starting next week, citing health care workers overwhelmed by surging coronavirus cases. Intermountain Healthcare announced Friday that the hospitals will postpone non-urgent procedures for several weeks starting Sept. 15. The announcement comes a week after state hospital leaders made emotional pleas for vaccinations and universal masking to stem a virus surge fueled by the delta variant. There were 516 people hospitalized for COVID-19 and ICUs were 93% full in Utah on Thursday, according to state data. Thats nearing its previous peak in December when ICUs were 104% full and 606 people were hospitalized. About 62% of Utah residents age 12 and older have been fully vaccinated. Utah reported 10 deaths on Thursday, bringing the confirmed total to 2,703. JACKSON, Miss. Doctors who spread misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine could have their license to practice medicine suspended or revoked, according to a new policy adopted by the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure. The policy says doctors have an ethical and professional responsibility to practice medicine in the best interest of their patients and share factual and scientifically grounded information with them. Spreading inaccurate COVID-19 vaccine information contradicts that responsibility, threatens to further erode public trust in the medical profession and puts all patients at risk, it reads. Mississippi ranks among the lowest in the country with just 38% of its 3 million residents fully vaccinated. The department of health reported 1,892 confirmed cases and 35 deaths on Friday. Mississippi has registered at least 460,000 cases and 8,905 confirmed deaths. WASHINGTON President Joe Biden is calling some Republican governors cavalier for resisting new federal vaccine requirements he hopes will contain the surging delta variant. Biden visited Brookland Middle School on Friday, just a short drive from the White House. He was making the case for new federal rules that could impact 100 million Americans. All employers with more than 100 workers must be vaccinated or tested weekly for the virus, affecting about 80 million Americans. About 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also must be fully vaccinated. I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids, so cavalier with the health of their communities, Biden said during the visit. This isnt a game Republicans and some union officials say hes overreaching his authority. Asked about potential legal challenges to the new vaccine requirements, Biden responded, Have at it. ATLANTA Protests from faculty members continue at Georgias public universities, although leaders of the state's university system are not backing down from their position that schools cant require masks or vaccines. Acting Chancellor Teresa MacCartney says those policies arent going to change, noting the system will follow the lead of Gov. Brian Kemp and Republican lawmakers who control the university systems purse strings. We are fulfilling our institutional missions to deliver higher education and services for students in a way that is best for them, MacCartney said. Those expectations have been made clear since before the semester started. It should be no surprise. There are consequences for those not following through and doing their jobs. The remarks earned a round applause from regents, who were mostly unmasked. They were surrounded by dozens of university presidents and administrators, who were mostly masked. MacCartney spoke Thursday, the same day faculty groups at the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State University passed resolutions calling for mask and vaccine mandates. WASHINGTON Senior Democratic senators are pressing Medicare to make information on nursing home COVID-19 vaccination rates easily accessible for consumers. Although the Biden administration is requiring vaccination for all nursing home staff, Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania say it could take months. Theyre asking Medicare to post vaccination rates among residents and staff of individual facilities on its Care Compare website. These data reside on entirely separate (government) websites, the senators wrote Medicare head Chiquita Brooks-LaSure on Friday. Even if a person could find these websites, the vaccination data for individual facilities are not prominently displayed, creating additional barriers. Medicare officials say theyre working on the problem. The senators cited an Associated Press report on outbreaks attributed to unvaccinated staff. Wyden and Casey chair the Finance and Aging committees, respectively. PARIS France has announced new restrictions for U.S. travelers who are not vaccinated against the coronavirus. Starting Sunday, unvaccinated travelers from the U.S. who previously could enter with only a recent negative test must now show pressing grounds for travel. These grounds also apply broadly to returning French citizens, legal residents, relatives of French citizens, foreign health professionals coming to assist in the fight against COVID-19, transportation and diplomatic workers, and people transiting through the country. The restrictions do not apply to fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. The decision follows the European Unions recommendation last week that its 27 nations reinstate restrictions on U.S. tourists because of rising coronavirus infections there. JOHANNESBURG South Africa has started vaccinating children and adolescents as part of the global Phase 3 clinical trials of Chinas Sinovac Biotech shot for children 6 months to 17 years. The global study will enroll 2,000 participants in South Africa and 12,000 others in Kenya, the Philippines, Chile and Malaysia. The first children in South Africa were inoculated at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in the capital Pretoria to kick off the trials. The Sinovac company says others will get shots at six different sites across the country. South Africa has recorded 6,270 infections and 175 confirmed deaths in the last 24 hours. The 2.8 million total infections account for more than 35% of cases in Africa. The nation has 84,327 confirmed deaths. COPENHAGEN, Denmark Denmarks high vaccination rate has enabled the Scandinavian country to become one of the first European Union nations to lift all domestic restrictions. The return to normality has been gradual, but as of Friday, the digital pass a proof of having been vaccinated is no longer required when entering nightclubs, the last virus safeguard to fall. More than 80% of people above age 12 have had the two shots. As of midnight, the Danish government no longer considers COVID-19 a socially critical disease. Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said last month that the epidemic is under control but warned: we are not out of the epidemic and the government will act as needed if necessary. BERLIN Germanys standing committee on vaccination is recommending that pregnant women get vaccinated against COVID-19. The committee said Friday that after evaluating the available evidence, it is issuing a draft recommendation that women from the second trimester of pregnancy onward and breastfeeding mothers get two doses of an mRNA vaccine. It also recommended that all those of child-bearing age who havent yet been vaccinated get inoculated so they are protected from the coronavirus before any pregnancy. About two-thirds of Germanys population has received at least one vaccine dose and 61.9% have been fully vaccinated. The pace of vaccinations has slowed to a crawl recently, and officials are keen to encourage more people to get the shots before the winter. LONDON A leading scientist behind the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine says booster shots may be unnecessary for many people. Oxford University Professor Sarah Gilbert tells The Telegraph newspaper that immunity from the vaccine is holding up well, even against the delta variant. She says that while older adults and those who are immune-compromised may need boosters, the standard two-dose regimen should protect most people. Gilbert says the worlds priority should be to get more vaccines to countries with limited supplies. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, a panel of experts that advises the British government, is expected to make recommendations in the coming days on the scale of any booster program. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 866-366-3723, uses a risk-based inspection reporting process for restaurants and other food handlers. Dough Head Waffles LLC, 2328 Wood St., Sept. 4. Pass. No violations. Just A Little, 2535 Mill Road, Elizabethtown, non-routine special event, Sept. 4. Pass. No violations. Piper Belles BBQ, P.O. Box 561, Mount Joy, non-routine special event, Sept. 4. Pass. No violations. Grammaws Soft Pretzels, 307 Manor Ridge Drive, Akron, Sept. 3. Fail. Food facility is using a two-compartment sink for warewashing, rather than the required three compartment sink. Food facility has an employee who held a certified food manager certificate; however, the certificate has expired and is no longer valid. Food facility has taken the course and is awaiting results. Hilltop Barbeque MFF3 (Green Dragon), 955 N. State St., Ephrata, Sept. 3. Pass. Chemicals stored on the same shelf as food spray. Food employee in food area wearing watch. Food facility has an employee who held a certified food manager certificate; however, the certificate has expired and is no longer valid. The Bishops View (T4), 1600 Lancaster Ave., Columbia, Sept. 3. Pass. Food facility has an employee who held a certified food manager certificate; however, the certificate has expired and is no longer valid. Food facility has 90 days to enroll in a state recognized food safety manager course. Coffee And Cream, 101 N. Front St., Columbia, complaint, Sept. 2. Pass. Prepackaged bagels and other baked items are not labeled to clearly indicate any Big 8 allergen ingredients and/or the allergen warning statement. Conestoga Restaurant, 1501 E. King St., Sept. 2. Pass. Torn rubber door gaskets on the bain-marie and the double door refrigerator. Soap was not available at the hand-wash sink in the mens restroom. Food facility does not have available quat sanitizer test strips or test kit to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration. Moist residue around ice chute of the ice machine; cleaned. Giant Food Store 6563, 100 Townsedge Drive, Quarryville, complaint, Sept. 2. Pass. Ribs and meat loaf were held at 118 F, in the hot food bar, rather than 135 F or above as required. Peking Chinese Restaurant, 144 Townsedge Drive, Quarryville, complaint, Sept. 2. Pass. Three fly strips placed over the food prep table with the potential to contaminate food; removed. Soup was held at 118 F, rather than 135 F or above as required. Food facility has an employee who held a certified food manager certificate; however, the certificate has expired and is no longer valid. The rear screen door is not tight fitting and does not prevent the entry of insects or rodents. A large quantity of cardboard boxes on the floor in the small lobby area. Food facility does not employ a certified food employee as required. Dumplings and soup, which were cooled, was only reheated to 121 F for hot holding and not 165 F for 15 seconds as required. River Trail Brewing, 38-40 W. Front St., Marietta, opening, Sept. 2. Pass. Door handle of one fryer broken making this no longer smooth and easily cleanable. Two pairs of tongs hung clean with food debris. The light intensity in the walk-in cooler/dry storage area is not at least 10 foot candles. Flooring in kitchen and in keg cooler made of concrete but is not smooth and easily cleanable. West Earl Fire Company, No. 1, 14 School Lane, Brownstown, Sept. 2. Pass. An irreversible thermometer or thermal labels were not available for monitoring the rinse temperature of the stationary-rack mechanical dishwasher. A Plus 40245H, 1404 N. Reading Road, Reamstown, Sept. 1. Pass. Ice machine not cleaned at a frequency to prevent the presence of mold. Beanies Bar & Grill, 78 W. Main St., Mount Joy, Sept. 1. Pass. Floor in kitchen area with chipping paint and in back prep area with raw concrete. Wings placed hot in the walk-in cooler in containers greater than 4 inches deep, which is not a proper cooling method. One reach-in freezer with broken door handle. Two buckets label detergent with sanitizer. BJs Wholesale Club No. 19, 110 Centerville Road, Sept. 1. Pass. Produce cooler: Static dust on the fan guards. Meat department: The hand-wash sink in the processing room was blocked by a large container for salvage and not accessible at all times for employee use. A spray bottle of sanitizer stored on a shelf, next to spices. Sanitizer stored on a table next to clean tenderizers. Dairy cooler: Torn rubber door gaskets on the cooling unit. Brecknock Elementary School, 361 School Road, Denver, Sept. 1. Pass. No violations. Dollar General No. 16233, 1933 Lancaster Pike, Peach Bottom, Sept. 1. Pass. No violations. Giovannis Italian Restaurant, 188 E. Main St., Reinholds, Sept. 1. Pass. Clean food equipment and/or utensils in dish area, stored wet in a manner that does not allow for draining and/or air-drying (wet-nesting). Chicken breasts that had been cleaned and skinned were at 46 F, in the walk in box, rather than 41 F or below as required. The walk-in box was at 40 F which indicated that meat was allowed to go above 41 F during processing and it was contained in a manner that did not allow rapid chilling. Assorted containers on drying shelf with food residue and was not clean to sight and touch. Kountry Korner Drive-In, 610 Route 897, Reinholds, Sept. 1. Pass. Clean food equipment and/or utensils in dish area, stored wet in a manner that does not allow for draining and/or air-drying (wet-nesting). Assorted containers on drying shelf were to have food residue and were not clean to sight and touch. Mr. Frosty MFF2, 1313 Veranda Way, Sept. 1. Pass. Food facility has an employee who held a certified food manager certificate; however, the certificate has expired and is no longer valid. The food facility has 90 days to enroll in a state-recognized food safety course. Mr. Frosty/Commissary, 1313 Veranda Way, Sept. 1. Pass. No violations. Robert Fulton Fire Company Auxiliary, 2271 Robert Fulton Highway, Peach Bottom, Sept. 1. Pass. No violations. The BBQ Shack, 705 Graystone Road, Building 2, Manheim, Sept. 1. Pass. Employee drinks stored in reach-in cooler stored next to and with facility foods. Scissors and towel in hand-wash sink indicated other use other than hand-washing. Chicken pieces stored above a case of water in reach-in cooler, Clean stored dishes stored in a metal pan that is soiled. Food employees not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets, hats, or beard covers. Two Cousins Pizza, 1633 Lincoln Highway East, change of owner, Sept. 1. Pass. Equipment in good repair loose door hinges and torn door gaskets on the pizza bain-marie unit. Adamstown Elementary School, 256 W. Main St., Adamstown, Aug. 31. Pass. No violations. China One, 427 W. Main St., New Holland, Aug. 31. Fail. Food employee could not wash hands due to a large pot in the hand-wash sink. Egg rolls, cooked noodles, cut vegetables in the walk-in cooler stored open with no covering. Raw chicken and beef stored above raw vegetables and open containers of sauces. In-use cleaver stored between table edges and the bain-marie, an area not easily cleanable & sanitized. Fried breaded chicken being stored on the cardboard lids from raw chicken shipping boxes. Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature-control-for-safety food (egg rolls, cooked chicken and pork) prepared in the food facility and held for more than 24 hours, located in the walk-in cooler, is not being date-marked. Cardboard used to line a shelf in the walk-in cooler and on shelves used to store pots and pans. Single-service, single-use articles stored directly on the floor, and not 6 inches above the floor. No sign or poster posted at the hand-wash sink in the restrooms to remind food employees to wash their hands. A large pot was in the hand-wash sink indicating other uses other than hand-washing. The person in charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this noncompliant inspection. Corner Butcher, 705 Graystone Road, near Building 1, Manheim, Aug. 31. Fail. Food facility does not have a three-compartment sink for manual warewashing. Floor lamination peeling. Falafely Good, 705 Graystone Road, near building 1, Manheim, Aug. 31. Pass. Food facility has an employee who held a certified food manager certificate; however, the certificate has expired and is no longer valid. Chicken thawing at room temperature on the counter top, which is not an approved thawing method. Fireside Cafe, 158 Toddy Drive, East Earl, Aug. 31. Pass. Two containers of white milk being used for consumer consumption with expired sell-by date; discarded. Hahns Seafood & Sandwich, 705 Graystone Road, Building 1, Manheim, Aug. 31. Pass. Fryer basket with loose and hanging wires. Replace or repair. Knepps Caramel Corn, 705 Graystone Road, Building 2, Manheim, Aug. 31. Pass. Fan with excessive static dust accumulation, interior of popcorn machine (top) with accumulation of grease. Facility hand-wash sink is broken and has a temporary hand-wash sink set up, at time of inspection no hot water was available. Food employees in food area, not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets, hats or beard covers. Manetas Park Snack Bar, 2270 N. Reading Road, Denver, Aug. 31. Pass. No violations. Paradise Tea & Coffee, 705 Graystone Road, Building 1, Manheim, Aug. 31. Pass. No violations. Smiths Candies At Roots Market, 705 Graystone Road, Building 2, Manheim, Aug. 31. Pass. No violations. Soul Sensation, 3441 Columbia Ave., opening, Aug. 31. Pass. No violations. Stovers Produce Auction, 705 Graystone Road, Building 9, Manheim, follow-up, Aug. 31. Pass. Lot No. 269 with cold temperature-control-for-safety foods at 57-68 F rather than the required temperature of 41 F. Turkey Hill No. 324, 168 Toddy Lane East Earl, Aug. 31. Pass. Excess grease accumulation under the fryer and on the side of the flat top grill. Moist residue accumulation on the self serve unit soda nozzles. One quart of white milk was offered for sale with expired sell-by date; discarded. The warewash area of the food facility is extremely dirty and in need of cleaning. Dark moist residue accumulation on the milk and beverage racks in the walk-in cooler. Brass Eagle Restaurant & Bar, 5725 Lincoln East Highway, Gap, Aug. 30. Pass. Milk was held at 51 F, in the small refrigerator at the waitress station, rather than 41 F or below as required; discarded. Plumbing system not maintained in good repair the drain pipe is leaking at the ice holding bin located in the downstairs bar area. Food facility does not have available chlorine sanitizer test strips or test kit to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration of the low temperature dish machine. Equipment in good repair the small refrigerator located at the waitress station is not maintaining the minimum required temperature of 41 F or less. Moist residue accumulation on the upstairs bar soda gun; cleaned. Burger King No. 4084, 1408 Lititz Pike, Aug. 30. Fail. Cardboard beneath rubber mats, being used to line the floor of the walk-in cooler and the walk-in freezer. Cardboard is not easily cleanable. Spillage and moldy food on the floor in the walk-in cooler. Grime on the floor behind the ice maker. Food crumbs and debris at the floor/wall juncture throughout the facility. Water leaking from plumbing beneath two bowls of the three compartment resulting in standing water. Holes in the cement of the mop sink. The mop sink is no longer smooth and easily cleanable. A gross amount of the facilitys trash on the ground on the opposite side of the outside wall. Old unused equipment stored in the redeeming area, should be removed from food facility. A bottle of oven cleaner and a bottle of sanitizer stored hanging from the shelf above clean food equipment. Food employee preparing food, wearing a watch. Food employees preparing food, not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets or hats. Several plastic food containers, black food trays for hot holding, stored as clean, with food residue, greasy, and not clean to sight and touch. A dead mouse behind the chicken cooler. The person in charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this noncompliant inspection. Clean food equipment on the storage rack, stored wet in a manner that does not allow for draining and/or air-drying (wet-nesting). The side door of the outside dumpster was open while not in use. China One, 105 Doe Run Road, Manheim, Aug. 30. Pass. Raw shelled eggs stored above sauces in walk-in cooler. Exit/entrance door located in the prep area of the food facility has a gap and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents and other animals. Cardboard being used to line shelves, which is an absorbent material and not easily cleanable. An employees open beverage container was in prep area, a food preparation area. Food employee eating or tasting food in the cook-line area. Bulk ingredients stored in plastic tubs with no common name. Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips or test kit to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration. Food employees in cook-line area not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets, hats or beard covers. Wet wiping cloths in food prep and cook-line area, not being stored in sanitizer solution. DK Smoking BBQ MFF3, 160 Harristown Road, Paradise, Aug. 30. Pass. No violations. Firehouse Subs, 120 Rohrerstown Road, Suite 8A, complaint, Aug. 30. Pass. Food employee preparing food, wearing an arm bracelet. Roots Beer Distributor, 537 W. Main St., Mount Joy, Aug. 30. Pass. No violations. Springville Foods, 5450 Friendship Lane, Kinzers, Aug. 30. Pass. Current water report indicates Coliform is present; another water report needs to be taken and the results sent to the inspector. Walk-in cooler condensing unit fan covers have moist black residue accumulation. Exterior doors in the warehouse are open and there is no screening in place and does not prevent the entry of rodents and insects. Waltz Vineyards, 1599 Old Line Road, Manheim, Aug. 30. Pass. No violations. Weis Markets No. 041, 1204 Millersville Pike, Aug. 30. Pass. Sandwich prep area: A bucket of egg rolls in the double-door cooler, stored open with no covering. Cooked chicken, already cooled, in the walk-in cooler, stored open with no covering. Deli and produce departments: Water leaking from the plumbing of the middle sink of the three compartment sink. Deli department: A cutting board stored behind the faucet, not a clean and sanitized area. a bottle of grease cleaner, stored on a table next to single-service items (to-go boxes). Single-service, single-use articles (plastic food containers) stored directly on the floor, and not 6 inches above the floor. Meat department: An excessive amount of condensation on the ceiling. Mildew on the ceiling tiles from being wet from the condensation. An excessive amount of condensation on the ceiling. Mildew on the ceiling tiles from being wet from the condensation. Editor's Note Twenty years after the deadliest terror attack on American soil, we remember. Saturday marks two decades since 9/11. Children who were born at the turn of the 21st century and who have no memory of the devastation in New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., are now adults who have never lived in a country not at war. For a nation, 9/11 is a moment that defined us, a moment that split our lives into before and after. Two decades later, how do the different generations see 9/11? Someone who remembers the day vividly versus someone who has only seen the devastation in photos? In 1991, when Shannon Hickey was just 7 months old, she was very sick with a rare condition called biliary atresia, in which the livers bile ducts are blocked. The treatment required a transplant, and Hickeys mother, Kelly Lynch, gladly donated the left lobe of her liver as part of an experimental transplant program at the University of Chicago. Mom and daughter spent three months recuperating in Chicago. Each night, a close family friend provided spiritual counseling to Lynch. That friend, Father Mychal Judge, was a Catholic priest who knew Shannons family. Her maternal grandfather served as an altar boy at Judges New Jersey church. The prayers and the doctors in Chicago were successful. To celebrate, Shannons family marked each Jan. 29 as a second birthday of sorts, complete with cake and presents. Then, 9/11 happened. The terrorist attacks touched every American in some way. For Hickeys family, it hit particularly hard: Father Mychal, who was a chaplain for the New York Fire Department, died that day. Judge, 68, rushed to the World Trade Center and was in the lobby of the north tower, praying and helping. When the south tower collapsed, flying debris killed Judge, making him the first officially recorded victim of the attacks. (Judge can be seen in a documentary made by French brothers Jules and Gedeon Naudet, who were embedded with firefighters on Sept. 11 and were first-hand witnesses to the towers collapse.) Socks for the homeless When the first transplant anniversary came around after 9/11, the then-11-year-old Shannon decided she wanted to do something to honor Judge. Knowing that Judge had long ministered to New York Citys homeless and those who use the breadline at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Hickey, who now goes by her married last name of Lapp, thought that helping the homeless would be a fitting way to honor Judge. I was an 11-year-old who liked socks, Lapp, now 31 and living in Manheim Borough, recalled in a July interview. I like socks, and the homeless might like socks. Hickeys family was living in Landisville at the time of the attacks. Lapps mother said her daughters simple, touching generosity was profound. In the moment, (my daughter) showed a way for us to grieve in a beautiful way. And a way to move forward, Lynch said. It was a beautiful gift. Judges ministry and her own Catholic upbringing had already been influencing Lapp. She and family members would bring bagged lunches to give to the homeless when they traveled to New York to visit Judge at St. Francis. It was always instilled in me to give back, Lapp said. I was always kind of exposed to the homeless. It was always instilled in me that we were very lucky and privileged to have the life we do. The first year, Lapp collected more than 1,100 pairs of socks. On Feb. 2, 2002, Lapp, her mother, dad, siblings and grandparents distributed about 400 pairs at St. Francis. Other socks went to a Franciscan soup kitchen in Philadelphia and what was then known as Water Street Rescue Mission in Lancaster. The gesture might have been a one-time tribute, but a man in the breadline asked Lapps grandmother if they happened to have any underwear. They did not, but that planted the seed for what would become the formation of the Mychals Message charity and subsequent projects, such as Blessed Bloomers, which began collecting underwear for the homeless in 2002, after returning from their first sock distribution. Thats still going on. On this Sept. 11, Lynch, her mother, Sharon Hickey, Shannons grandmother, and others plan to distribute more than 500 packages each containing one T-shirt, two different pieces of candy, a Father Mychal prayer card and, of course, two pairs of socks. We are dealing with people with mental illnesses, people who are down on their luck. People who are addicts, people who are gamblers. People have lost their families, Lynch said. We have never ever had any problems. And we have had nothing but grateful hearts. Lapp said Mychals Message changed her life. I was just an 11-year-old with an idea and it just blossomed into a much larger thing than I really imagined, Lapp said. Lapp recalled seeing then President George Bush on TV after the attacks asking Americans to help one another. It felt like he was talking to me. OK, this is what we have to do, she said. Perhaps that was the seed for Mychals Message. As Lapps charity work continued, she wrote to the president several times to let him know she was trying to do her part. In 2004, White House staff responded to one of her letters. She was a front-row guest during the presidents speech on education at the Valley Forge Convention Center in September 2004. In an LNP article from then, Lapp told a reporter that Bush introduced her during the speech and told a group of students, "Kids, look at her and follow her example." In 2007, as a Lancaster Catholic High School junior, Lapp was one of 24 people invited to sit in first lady Laura Bushs box for the State of the Union address. I really used opportunities to use my voice for the voiceless, Lapp said. An enduring message Nearly 20 years after their first trip to New York to give away socks in Judges memory, the Hickeys and Lapps continue their work, quietly. The family had a motto, Lapp said: We never want Mychals Message to get bigger than the dining room table. Mychals Message has no paid employees, just volunteers predominantly, lately, Lapps mother and grandmother and other family members. Thats because Lapp started her own family. (Lapp will not be going to New York this year in part because of caring for her children and because of concerns about the pandemic: she is immunocompromised.) We always wanted 100% of a donation to go to the homeless, Lapp said. Some years ago, Lapp recalled, an elderly woman sent a $5 bill. Thats all she could give. So, it would never be right of us to have overhead or anything, Lapp said. To date, Mychals Message has distributed more than 576,500 items: More than 50,000 pairs of socks, more than 28,000 pairs of underwear and more than 262,500 prayer cards, which are included with donations, and contain the words to a prayer Judge wrote: Lord, take me where You want me to go Let me meet who You want me to meet Tell me what You want me to say and Keep me out of your way. The family has gone to New York to distribute items in person every year except 2019, when Shannon was in the hospital for the birth of her second child, Isaac, and in 2020, because of the pandemic. Still, they arranged for items to be distributed. Mychals Message also expanded beyond distributing items in New York. Its given 10 baby strollers to a charity in Minneapolis, 250 coats to a Native American mission in New Mexico, and it gives money to a scholarship at a school in Greenwood, Mississippi, in memory of a Franciscan priest who went to school with Father Judge, to name a few. We go where the Holy Spirit guides us, Lynch said. We connect the dots in life. We give to places whose mission aligns with Mychals Message. We want to break down all barriers and meet people where they are. Said Lapp, I feel fortunate to have the ability to be able to do this. I feel fortunate to have a family whos backed me from the beginning. Lapp, Lynch and grandmother all said they learn from the homeless they encounter through their donations on 9/11 some of whom recognize them from previous years. One thing they learned. No apples. One year early on, the family brought apples, oranges and bananas to give out along with the socks and underwear. The apples went largely untouched. And so I asked one of the guys on the line: We want to know, what is it you need? Lynch said. He said, We dont have good teeth and we cant eat an apple. And he said the bananas are potassium for us. Lapp said while giving needed items to the homeless is important, I think almost equally as important is noticing them, talking to them and letting them feel seen and heard that is so important. Weve talked to a lot of homeless men and women. And theyve said that: that theres countless people in a full days time that have just walked by them. Contemplating the 9/11 anniversary Lapp and her husband, Jesse, have three children, the most recent of whom, Claire, was born two months premature in April, in a complicated pregnancy. To conceive, Lapp had to switch anti-rejection medication that shed been on since her liver transplant. But while the medication enabled her to get pregnant, her body went into acute liver rejection. While she was hospitalized to treat that, she developed meningitis. Luke is 3, and their middle child, Isaac, will turn 2 on Sept. 12. Lapp had gone into the hospital five weeks early with Isaac, on Sept. 11, 2019. I said (to the doctors) do whatever you can do to make sure this baby isnt born on Sept. 11, she recalled. The physical effects of Claires birth mean Lapp cant risk the trip to New York this Saturday. Her mother hinted at how tough not being able to go could be for her daughter. On 9/11, I dont think any of us could imagine being anywhere else except in New York, Lynch said. Its just a special, holy place on 9/11 to remember the lives that were lost and to see all the good that has come since 9/11. Mychals Message has been a gift for all of us and its opened our eyes to the needs that are right here in our hometowns, in our neighborhoods in New York and Philly, and elsewhere, Lynch said. Lapp said Sept. 11 is always a tough day. I wonder if there will ever be a day that there wont be tears for me and my family. There will always be that sadness. But Mychals Message allows us to move past the grief, Lapp said. I feel like we took something so tragic and harmful and made something good out of it, Lapp said. She said she thinks Judge would also be proud. I think hed be really happy that were keeping his legacy and his mission going, she said. He was such a giving person. The Donegal school board, facing pressure from parents vehemently against government mask mandates, voted Thursday to extend its grace period for families seeking a medical exemption to the Pennsylvania Department of Healths school mask order, which went into effect this week. The decision mirrors those made by other school districts across the county. Most recently, Penn Manor and Pequea Valley school districts agreed to give families extra time to present a doctors note in order to let their children attend school without a mask. Donegal parents will now have until Sept. 27 a week later than the initial deadline to present evidence that their child should be exempt from the school mask order, which all Pennsylvania school districts are expected to follow. Pennsylvania Department of Education guidance states schools should treat requests the same way they would when determining whether a student is eligible under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act or the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which establishes a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities. Mark O'Neill, a spokesperson for the state Department of Health, said earlier this week that schools "should follow the spirit and intent of the masking order and require students, teachers and staff to wear masks." Schools should follow the same protocols as they would implementing other directives concerning the health and safety of students, he said. Failing to do so could result in a lawsuit, he said. The school mask orders timing aligns with an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in Lancaster County. Over the past week, the countys three hospitals have had an average of 75 COVID-19 inpatients, up from 61 the previous week. On Wednesday, the patient count stood at 85, which was the most since late April. From Aug. 25 to Sept. 5, the county had 19 COVID-19 deaths, up from just six in the preceding 12 days. On this pace, Lancaster County could be on track for 40 to 50 COVID-19 deaths in September. Thats more than the last three months combined. An intense meeting About 100 residents attended the Donegal school board meeting, which was moved to the Donegal High School auditorium to accommodate the anticipated crowd. The school board's vote was 8-1, with Debra Sturgis casting the lone dissenting vote. It was unclear which board member voted against the measure, because the board did not perform a roll-call vote, and each board member was wearing a mask. The vote came after an intense public comment period in which about two dozen residents spoke their mind about the mask requirement. The vast majority of commenters were against the mandate. Many of them expressed fear over government control, with one resident comparing the mask requirement to slavery and another saying the state will go after peoples guns if they get away with mandating masks in schools. The fearful rhetoric regarding COVID needs to stop. Its just an (excuse) to enact government control, JoAnna Stabeley said. Do we want to be slaves or do we remember who we are as free Americans and fight back? If we keep bowing to the knees of this government, theyre going to use the health officials to go after our Second Amendment rights, our guns, Emmanuel Hoffer said. Tom Jones, in the same vein, said the true issue at hand related to the school mask requirement is the incremental loss of our personal freedom and individual sovereignty. He said the government is requiring masks now. He guessed vaccinations are next. Brace yourselves, he said. Jones received a standing ovation from the crowd when he concluded his speech. Another resident said shes received 310 signatures on a petition for Donegal to return to its original mask-optional approach. There were several instances where people among the crowd interrupted the speaker, prompting Overlander to remind the person speaking to address the board, not the crowd. This happened particularly when pro-mask parents spoke up. James Bouder, one of a select few residents who spoke in support of a mask requirement, implored the board to enforce the school mask order. Were entering the realm of indisputability that masks are an important piece of ensuring the safety of our students, staff and faculty. During a brief board discussion on masks, board member Ron Melleby pulled the mask down to his chin and asked community members to hang in there. The government hasnt placed us between a rock and a hard place, he said. They placed us under a rock. And, for the last 10 days, we have tried to navigate from under the rock. The Manheim Township school board also met Thursday, but masks were not a topic of discussion. A farmers plan to build a 40,000-bird duck barn in Colerain Township was halted Thursday evening, when two of three local zoning officials voted to deny a special exception needed to move the project toward construction. It was a decision celebrated by dozens of local residents, who have spent the past few weeks campaigning against the duck barn, fearful that it would cause pollution and threaten quality of life. On Thursday, J. Lloyd Kreider was the only Zoning Hearing Board member to vote in favor of granting the needed exception, with his colleagues Bob Stanley and Douglas Eaby voting to deny. Its such a relief, resident Mary Dziedzic said, referring to the decision. However, Dziedzic a leader in opposing the project said shes not celebrating yet, guessing that the farmer, Dwayne Peifer, is likely to appeal the decision. Phone messages left for Peifer on Thursday, before and after the decision, were not returned. Peifer had proposed the barn for construction atop farmland at Liberty Lane and Mount Eden Road in southeastern Lancaster County. There, a planned 63-foot-wide by 640-foot-long barn would house meat birds, which he would grow as a contractor for Joe Jurgielewicz & Son Ltd., a major duck producer based in neighboring Berks County, he said last month. Harvested ducks would mostly be sold for use in high-end restaurants in bigger cities, where demand for them is high, Peifer said last month, outlining his plan for the property in the 500 block of Mount Eden Road. They need ducks. They need the meat, he said at that time. Concentrated animal feeding operation Though the area is zoned for agricultural uses, a special exception is needed before the barn can be built because its deemed a concentrated animal feeding operation, a designation that refers to the large number of birds that would inhabit the space. Its that definition that has troubled residents like Becky Kleinz of Liberty Lane, whove been circulating articles and information about concentrated feeding operations, highlighting reports that show how related manure production can contribute to both air and water pollution. Those potential pollutants could threaten both human and environmental health, Kleinz has said, including in a letter sent recently to local officials and lawmakers, which claims that "extremely offensive odors and dust" from a concentrated feeding operation "could be medically harmful to residents." Peifer had said last month that he intended to follow all local, state and federal environmental regulations and seek out all required permits. However, leaders at the nearby Chester Water Authority also issued a public letter, warning of potential threats to local water bodies, including the downstream Octoraro Reservoir a source of drinking water for the authoritys customers in Chester and Delaware counties. Gables Run also flows just east of the proposed barn site. An authority representative said he could not comment at Thursdays zoning hearing where the decision was made. But Kleinz spoke up, explaining she was pleased with the outcome, especially because she wasnt expecting a denial. I was pretty surprised, she said. Decision explained Though there was almost no discussion prior to the decision, Stanley spoke afterward, explaining that he voted to deny the exception because he felt that Peifer and his representatives failed to submit documents that proved the operation would not be detrimental to neighbors and the surrounding area. Its incomplete, Stanley said of Peifers application for a special exception. Eaby said he too was worried about the propertys proximity to Gables Run, but primarily his vote to deny stemmed from concerns about the ducks that would be housed in the barn. Industrial farming is inhumane for the animals, Eaby said. That was before criticizing local residents who he believed worried more about how the barn might impact their property values and quality of life than they did about the ducks wellbeing. All I heard is you complaining about yourself, Eaby said, addressing the crowd gathered at the local municipal building for the hearing. Additionally, local residents had raised concerns about increased truck traffic from deliveries and pickups to and from a completed duck barn. Last month, Peifer said local opponents need to come to terms with the fact that they chose to live in and near an area designated for farming. The thing I tell people is that if we are producing a product for people to eat, there is going to be a smell, Peifer said. Animals produce manure. Its part of the process. Farming the ducks on a portion of his 450-acre farm, he said, would create a new revenue stream to offset a downturn in the dairy industry that has threatened the profitability of his existing 220-cow dairy operation. Also thankful the exception was denied, resident Peggy Borrelli said she wanted to make it clear that she and her peers are not anti-farming. Theyre simply against the concentrated nature of Peifers proposal, she said. This is way beyond a herd of cows, said Borrelli of Mount Eden Road. After the Thursday decision, the Zoning Hearing Boards solicitor, Thomas L. Goodman said Peifer has the right to appeal the decision, and he has 30 days to do so. Update: Nicole L. Gill-Schlegel was found and safely returned home on Sept. 11, Elizabethtown Borough police said in a news release. Previously reported: Elizabethtown Borough police are searching for a woman who hasnt been seen by her family in more than a week. Nicole L. Gill-Schlegel, 46, of Elizabethtown, hasnt been seen by her family since Aug. 31, police said in a news release Wednesday. She was last seen driving a dark gray Saturn Aura with a Pennsylvania license plate. Friday morning, Elizabethtown police chief Ed Cunningham said that police have not yet located her. Gill-Schlegel may have been seen leaving Your Place Pizza and Pub in Hershey around 7 p.m. on Saturday, according to the news release. Anyone with information which could assist in finding Gill-Schlegel is urged to contact Elizabethtown Borough police at 717-367-1835. Joys Antiques is a little bit of a Little Britain landmark. Owner Joy Kushlan, 82, landed there somewhat by chance. The daughter of an appliance repairman, she spent her childhood in Connecticut, California and Florida, which is where she met her husband, Art. He joined the Navy and away they went to homes across the country. While her husband was serving as a personnel officer at the U.S. Naval Training Center Bainbridge in the early 1970s toward the end of that Port Deposit, Maryland, installations operation the Kushlans rented a stone farmhouse south of Quarryville. They had five children and decided Solanco schools would be a better fit than Maryland schools, particularly for their dyslexic son. But they wanted to own a house and, after spending some time doing flea markets, also wanted somewhere to open an antiques store. Kushlan says her husband spotted a two-in-one opportunity during his daily commute. A new Little Britain Store was being built next to the old Little Britain Store, which at that time was on the ground floor of an old house one of the first in the Southern End to have gas lighting and running water. He stopped to ask the houses owner his plans, which he learned involved moving out and converting the house into apartments. But the owner asked the man in the Navy uniform to stop back to be sure. He did and learned apartments were starting to look like a hassle. So he told Art, I guess its for sale, Kushlan says. That was 1973. The rest is history a history thats involved decades of Kushlan sitting in that house greeting customers. Depending on the day, those might include neighborhood Amish boys sprawled out on the floor admiring vintage fishing equipment, home renovation types sorting through boxes of antique hardware, or hardcore tool collectors who keep Joys on their rotation. Joys doesnt have set hours. Kushlan urges customers to call first because the sign out front says by chance or appointment. But cruise through the four-way stop at the intersection of Little Britain Road and Route 272 and more often than not youll see Joys open sign glowing. Among the exceptions are times when the Kushlans are instead out hitting yard sales or auctions to replenish their stock. They mainly stick to ones in Lancaster County these days. Their once regular go-to in Maryland is no longer worth it, she says. That auction still offers decent furniture finds. But Joys Antiques has been out of the furniture business for years and now focuses on a small item selection. And thats not showing up down there, she says. Not if its any good. Theyre sitting at home selling it online. Kushlan isnt. Were an old-fashioned mom-and-pop shop. We dont do eBay, she says. I hate wrapping and mailing. Nor is Kushlan a fan of tedious auctions. Shes learned long ago which ones to avoid. When the auctioneer is just hammerin and hammerin and talking and talking. Then hell tell a joke. Then well get back to it, she says. Pfffft. Its a waste of my time. When the auctioneer sells fast? Somebodys not paying attention, she adds. A bargain slips through. Thats exactly what happened with one recent find now perched atop an old postcard rack. This is really cool. Didnt know what it was when we bought it, she says. Internet research revealed the answer to be a Navy hat box. I told my husband, I think thats military, she says. That auctioneer never paid any attention to it. He just said, Heres this neat, painted tin. While speed is key on the buying side, Kushlan has plenty of patience when selling. Chances are no matter what it is, it will move eventually, she says, adding that one day the price on the tag will be too much of a bargain for someone to pass up. Somebody bought my western saddle yesterday. A girl that rides at the place down the street, she says. She doesnt have a horse I think shes planning on getting a horse to put under it. Dishes dont bring what they used to, she says. Decoys are doing well. These are hot, Kushlan says, motioning to boxes filled with records. The kids want them, she says. These are 50 cents each and I sell a couple hundred dollars a year out of these boxes. Nothing much surprises Kushlan about the cyclical and sometimes fickle world of antiques and collectibles. She said she learned not to let it soon after opening the shop. Kushlan shakes her head, chuckles and grins as she describes those early 70s days. I said Id do this for 15 years she says. Were still here. LOS ANGELES (AP) In two months, Larry Elder went from conservative talk radio host to leader of the Republican field in the California recall election that could remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office, drawing national headlines, attracting enthusiastic fans to his rallies and quickly banking millions for his first campaign. Voting concludes Tuesday, and polling suggests Newsom has a solid edge to hold his job. Yet, win or lose, Elders star turn within his party is prompting chatter about his political future in the strongly Democratic state, where long-suffering Republicans have been looking for a breakthrough candidate after failing to win a statewide race in 15 years. Elder, seeking to become the state's first Black governor, has managed to outshine his GOP rivals in the polls by hewing to a conservative-libertarian message that does not appeal to many moderate or liberal voters. He has run as an outsider and given no sign he intends to shift his strategy in the contest's closing days while alarming groups across the Democratic spectrum, including environmentalists, women's rights advocates and fellow Blacks. On Wednesday, Elder conspicuously didnt answer directly when asked if he would consider a 2022 rematch against Newsom, should the Democratic incumbent survive the recall. Newsom already has said he plans to seek a second term. A lot of people have invested their hopes and dreams in me, Elder told reporters in Los Angeles on Wednesday after predicting he would win. A lot of people feel that I can make California better. The direction he takes ultimately will be influenced by what happens in the election -- an upset win would vault him into the national spotlight, a weaker-than-expected showing could dampen talk about his influence in the party and future prospects. The 69-year-old lawyer and author emerged as a GOP luminary of the moment by employing an aggressive style honed during decades on talk radio. He relentlessly attacked Newsom and his handling of the pandemic and progressive policies on immigration, climate change and other issues. Elder called the race a longshot from the start -- Democrats hold every statewide office, dominate the Legislature and congressional delegation, and boast a nearly 2-to-1 edge in registered voters. Republican consultant John Peschong said I think hes building a movement. Peschong, who advised rival GOP candidate Doug Ose before the former congressman withdrew for health reasons, said Elder's campaign has a grassroots component to it that signifies hes going to be continuing to run, no matter what happens next week." Republican fundraiser Charles Moran said Elder brought an energy to the contest that has been absent for the GOP in high-profile races in California for years - perhaps dating to the tenure of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was elected governor in a 2003 recall election. Hes reignited an excitement and passion and a hope for California Republicans that we have not seen in a while, Moran said. Thats why I think there is something more to this. ... Its been a rocket launch for him. Elder hasn't wavered in his positions during the campaign. He is still a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, a reviled figure in California outside his conservative base. He is critical of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision on abortion and supports expanding oil extraction, positions out of step with a majority of voters in the state. He has spoken in opposition to the minimum wage, is critical of gun control and has promised to erase state vaccine and mask mandates. Elder's campaign has drawn support from his 2 million followers on social media, remnants of the Trump coalition and evangelicals, although that together represents a modest slice of California's 22 million voters. Elder, an Ivy Leaguer who grew up in a LAs rough South Central neighborhood, also made efforts to build support within the states growing Asian and Latino communities that typically lean Democratic. Part of his appeal is hes different: A first-time candidate and Black man in a party that is largely older and white, who isnt afraid to challenge the states dominant Democratic orthodoxy. He also benefitted from a lackluster GOP field that includes former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who is still trying to raise his name recognition outside his home city, and businessman John Cox, who lost a landslide to Newsom in 2018. However, Elders campaign also came with controversy. A former fiancee said Elder was emotionally abusive in their relationship. Elder disputes the notion of systemic racism in America and is critical of Black Lives Matter, positions that have put him in conflict with many other Blacks. In a July interview with conservative political commentator Candace Owens, Elder said you could make an argument" that slave owners as well as slaves were owed reparations after the Civil War. His reasoning was that the government took away the owners property." This week, his walking tour of homeless encampments in LAs Venice Beach neighborhood was cut short after a woman bicyclist wearing a gorilla mask threw an egg toward Elder and then took a swing at a member of his entourage. The confrontation set off strong reactions on Twitter, with conservatives charging the incident wasn't immediately branded a racist attack because Elder is a conservative. A white woman dressed as a gorilla threw an egg at Larry Elder today, accusing him not of being a true black person. Democrats are racist, tweeted Charlie Kirk, president of the conservative group Turning Point USA. Elder is doing a bus tour of the state in the campaign's final days. His challenge is expanding his support beyond those who voted for Trump. The former president won 6 million votes in California last November more than any Republican presidential candidate before him but just over 34% of the statewide vote share in Joe Biden's landslide win. Recent polling by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California on the critical first question in the recall whether to remove Newsom found those supporting his ouster at just 39%. That figure is roughly in line with the vote share for GOP candidates in recent statewide races in 2018, no Republicans seeking top offices were able to break 40% of the vote -- suggesting that represents a ceiling for Republicans and conservative-leaning moderates and independents. In a deeply divided electorate the challenge for Republican candidates ... is how do you appeal to enough moderates and independent voters to make up the difference in a state that his heavily Democratic? said pollster Mark Baldassare, president of the policy institute. The U.S. on Friday halted U.S.-bound flights of Afghan evacuees, pulling some off planes, after discovering a few cases of measles among new arrivals in the United States. A U.S. government document viewed by The Associated Press warned the development would have a severe impact on an evacuation that since Aug. 15 has moved many thousands of people out of Taliban-held Afghanistan, but also been grindingly drawn out for Afghan evacuees and Americans alike, and was plagued by attacks and other deadly violence. The decision was made by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the halt stemmed from discovery of measles among four Afghans who had arrived in the United States. It was not immediately clear from Psaki's remarks whether the stop applied to flights from all transit sites overseas, or only two of the biggest ones, in Qatar and in Germany. Customs and Border Protection spokespeople did not immediately respond to questions, including how long the halt would last. The development had American officials overseas Friday removing from planes Afghan families who already had struggled through a grueling, dangerous escape to safety after Kabul fell to the Taliban on Aug. 15. Afghans faced Taliban checkpoints and crushing crowds to enter the Kabul airport. A suicide attack at an airport gate killed 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. military members. A government document viewed by The Associated Press said the halt would severely impact operations at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, one of the biggest transit sites. It also said U.S.-bound flights would stop from the U.S. al-Udeid base in Qatar. Many thousands of Afghan evacuees airlifted out of Kabul are still en route to new homes in the United States. Some face relocation for further screening in Kosovo. The government document said the flight halt announced Friday would an adverse effect on the nearly 10,000 evacuees at Ramstein. It noted many have been there more than 10 days and are increasingly fatigued. Germany had set a 10-day limit for Afghans to stay at the U.S. base, but the time has appeared more as a guideline than a hard deadline. Some German politicians and media grumbled when some Afghans asked for asylum after reaching Germany. Germany and Qatar, along with Italy, Spain, Kosovo, Kuwait and other countries, agreed to temporarily host U.S. processing sites for evacuees after Kabul fell, after allies initially balked over worries of getting stuck with U.S. security problems. Refugee groups have criticized the Biden administration for not bringing the Afghan evacuees to U.S. territory for screening. Processing at many of the transit sites largely appears to be taking place in a peaceful and orderly fashion. It was not clear Friday if the halt would affect evacuation flights from Kabul itself. Friday was only the second day that the Taliban have allowed evacuation flights to leave the country, after the frantic U.S. military-led airlifts ended with the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 30. National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said Friday that 32 Americans and U.S. green-card holders had left Afghanistan on Friday, 19 on a Qatar Airways flight and 13 others by land. The U.S. government believes about 100 American citizens remain in Afghanistan, a State Department spokeswoman, Jalina Porter, said. It was the same number the U.S. had given before this week's evacuation flights took out Americans. Porter said she could not immediately explain why the number had not changed. Vaccination campaigns prevent major measles outbreaks in the United States, but measles can be a deadly disease for adults and children in countries where violence or other obstacles block immunization. Hundreds of Afghan children have died of measles in some recent years. Psaki said the United States was requiring measles vaccinations for entry to the United States, and that Afghans were receiving other immunizations at U.S. military bases before heading to new homes around the country. Officials were exploring vaccinating people while still overseas, she said. Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report. Lebanon After a yearlong hiatus, Lebanon Catholic School plans to return for the 2021-22 academic year under the new name Our Lady of the Cross School. Principal Deb Waters announced the K-12 schools return on the LCS Family Facebook page Aug. 3 following a successful bid on a new building. The next day, a follow-up post revealed the new site will be at the former Youth for Christ building on Grace Ave. in North Lebanon Township. Our Lady of the Cross School has yet to complete the settlement process for the Youth for Christ building, including inspection, appraisal and closing of the property. Lebanon Catholic, formerly located at 1400 Chestnut St. in Lebanon, shuttered at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. In the livestream announcement, Waters thanked the community supporting Lebanon Catholic. LC Family, your patience and your prayers have buoyed and continued to motivate the board and I cant tell you how important they are to them, she said. Bishop William Gainer of the Diocese of Harrisburg cited financial debt and poor enrollment as reasons for the schools initial closure. Since then, a group of students, staff, family, alumni and community members formed the Lebanon Catholic (LC) Strong, with an elected board and designated foundation, to preserve Catholic education in Lebanon County. Because the Diocese declined to continue financial support, the group intends to seek financial independence as a private school. The school will charge tuition but aims to stay affordable, according to the LC Strong website. Pre-K, Kindergarten and grades 9-12 will cost $5,000 a year, grades 1-5 will cost $4,000 a year and grades 6-8 will cost $4,500 a year. Registration for pre-K to 12th grade opened Aug. 9 and classes will begin on Sept. 13. Until then, Waters asked for prayer and volunteers to prepare the new building for academics. Our Lady of the Cross School is also accepting donations at the LC Strong website. If anyone has loaves and fishes to give, Waters joked that the school will need them. Time is of the essence if were going to get this thing off the ground for the coming school year which is the hope and the excitement and the prayer, she said. Efforts to reach officials at Lebanon Catholic School were unsuccessful. When: Salisbury Township supervisors meeting, Sept. 7. What happened: Township supervisors approved a $2 per hour wage increase for all township road crew employees. Township Manager Kirsten Peachey said the increase is justified by the threat of other construction industry jobs that offer higher pay. Why its important: Board members said they hope the wage increase will attract new workers and encourage current employees to stay, which they noted has been difficult in the current competitive labor market. Quotables: Were having difficulty hiring. Were working with a slimmed down crew. The guys have been having to work extra hard. ... We cant afford to lose any (employees) that we have, Peachey said. We cannot take the chance for somebody to leave. Were down one person anyway. We have made the decision to increase our wages at this time in order to eliminate that, Secretary/Treasurer Lester Houck said. Background: Salisbury Township road crew employees currently earn anywhere from $20 to $27 per hour, depending on their specific job and seniority level. All township road crew employees are required to have a Class A commercial drivers license. Friday, September 10, 2021 From The Guam Daily Post: Sens. Telo Taitague, Sabina Perez and Joanne Brown and Speaker Therese Terlaje have introduced Bill 179-36, legislation that would require adoption agencies to be licensed by the Department of Public Health and Social Services, and mandate the agency to adopt interim rules and other licensure requirements. Public Law 36-39 streamlines the adoption process and also incorporates adoption agencies into the process. P.L. 36-40 expands the Newborn Infant Safe Haven Act by allowing a mother to relinquish custody of the child to emergency medical service personnel under certain parameters. The law also inserts adoption agencies into the chain of custody for infants relinquished under the Safe Haven Act. The Bill addresses the abuse issues among adoption agencies. Currently, anyone can open adoption agencies and this opens the door for fraud and abuse. Following the Haiti earthquake in 2010, 47 children were adopted. It was discovered the children weren't orphans, and those who 'found' them were child traffickers," Bill 179 stated, quoting an article from an unnamed local media organization. Read more here. https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/family_law/2021/09/guam-licensure-requirement-of-child-adoption-agencies.html Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said Wednesday he fled the country last month to avoid more violence in the streets of Kabul. As Taliban fighters took control of the city August 16, Ghani left Afghanistan for the United Arab Emirates in a helicopter. He denied taking government money as he left. I left at the urging of palace security, who advised me that to remain risked setting off the same horrific street-to-street fighting the city had suffered during the civil war of the 1990s, Ghani said in a statement. Leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life, but I believed it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6 million citizens. The 72-year-old Ghani said he worked for 20 years to create a democratic government in Afghanistan. But he admitted that he, like other Afghan governments of the past, had failed to create stability and prosperity. The United Arab Emirates said it welcomed Ghani on humanitarian grounds. Ghani said he would give more detailed reasons for why he fled in the near future. He denied accusations that he left Afghanistan with millions of dollars. Russias RIA news agency reported that he fled Kabul with four cars and a helicopter full of cash. He had to leave some cash behind because he could not fit it all in, RIA reported. Afghanistans ambassador to Tajikistan also accused Ghani of taking $169 million in government cash. The charges are false, Ghani said in his statement. He added that he and his wife have been responsible in their personal finances and has publicly declared all his money and property. Ghani said he would welcome a United Nations review of his finances or another independent investigation. In an interview with Afghanistans TOLO news channel, the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked if he helped Ghani flee the country. Blinken replied, What he told me in that conversation the night before he fled is that he was prepared to fight to the death." Im Dan Novak. Ken Bredemeier reported this story for VOA News. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. ___________________________________________________________ Words in This Story palace n. a very large and impressive house horrific n. causing horror or shock stability n. the quality or state of something that is not easily changed or likely to change prosperity n. the state of being successful usually by making a lot of money New evidence suggests that the desert of the Arabian Peninsula once had water and plants that brought early humans and large animals from Africa. Until 10 years ago, scientists trying to rebuild the story of early human movements out of Africa knew little about the Arabian Peninsula. Much more is known about early human settlements in the Levant region. The Levant is the area that includes modern-day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and parts of Syria. Archaeological research has been carried out there for more than one hundred years. But a recent study published in Nature suggests that the Arabian Peninsula may have served as a bridge between Africa and Eurasia. Michael Petraglia is one of the writers of the study. He is an archaeologist at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena, Germany. The research team included scientists from Germany, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Britain and other countries. He said, Arabia has not been part of the story of early human migration because so little work was done there before. Huw Groucutt is also based at the Max Planck Institute. He travels to archaeological places in the northern Arabian Peninsula where rolling sand dunes, or hills, extend as far as the eye can see. Scientists started to look closely for archeological remains in the region after satellite images showed signs of prehistoric lakes in the areas that are now desert. We noticed color patterns made by ancient lakes sand dunes are kind of orange-colored, while ancient lakes are tinted white or gray, said Groucutt. Over the past 10 years, archeologists have found stone tools from several periods of prehistoric settlement by early human groups. The oldest was from 400,000 years ago. Researchers found that, during several periods in the past, the region had lakes and was covered with grassland, or savannah. Study of rocks and soil from the ancient lakes and remains of animals like hippopotamuses, or hippos, suggest water was available. The researchers said early humans and animals moved from northeast Africa into the Arabian Peninsula during these windows of welcoming climate. Petraglia said, flowing rivers and lakes, surrounded by grasslands and savannah, would have attracted animals and then the early humans that were in pursuit of them. Hippos require bodies of water several meters deep to live. Remains of other animals, including ostriches and antelopes, show a strong biological connection to northeast Africa, he said. Rick Potts directs the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonians National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. He said the research has combined archaeology and climate records going back 400,000 years. It showed that early humans moved across the land when the climate changed. Potts was not involved in the new study. But he said the periods in which there were and were not humans in the area followed changes in climate. Im Gregory Stachel. Christina Larson reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. ________________________________________________ Words in This Story region n. a part of a country or of the world that is different or separate from other parts in some way archaeological adj. related to the science that deals with past human life and activities and the study of bones, tools and objects of ancient people pattern n. something that happens in a regular and repeated way pursuit n. the act of following or chasing someone or something President Joe Biden announced measures Thursday to require an estimated 100 million unvaccinated Americans to get injections of a COVID-19 vaccine. Biden said people who work for the U.S. government will be required to get the shot. In addition, he said businesses that employ 100 people or more will need to ask their employees to get vaccinated or require them to show a negative test result once every week. Biden said he heard that many Americans were waiting for the vaccines to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Last month, the agency approved the vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech. Biden sharply criticized Americans who have not gotten vaccinated. He said the U.S. is in a pandemic of the unvaccinated, and added: the time for waiting is over. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 650,000 Americans have died. Earlier in 2021, some U.S. government agencies, including the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Health and Human Services, said their employees had to get vaccinated. Recently, the U.S. Department of Defense said all U.S. military members needed to be vaccinated. Those actions covered about 2.5 million federal workers. Thursdays announcement means another 2 million people will be required to get vaccinated. More than 177 million Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. But since the appearance of the delta variant in the U.S., the number of cases has climbed to about 140,000 per day. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said about 1,000 people are dying from the coronavirus daily in the U.S. Biden called the situation totally unacceptable. Experts say most of the cases are in unvaccinated people. Dr. Leana Wen is a health policy professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She said the United States cannot accept this to be the new normal. She noted the number of cases is 300 percent higher today than on the same day last year. If the numbers continue, she said 500,000 people will die from COVID-19 each year. Surely no one wants that, she added. In his announcement, Biden also asked places that hold sporting and musical events to require fans to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test. He also said healthcare workers whose employers receive support from government programs will need to be vaccinated. All the requirements will affect close to 100 million workers. Unvaccinated workers will have 75 days to follow the governments advice. The Associated Press spoke with representatives of two big federal labor groups. They both said the workers affected should be able to have a say in the rules. One called the presidents requirement ill conceived. At one point, Biden asked: what more is there to wait for? Biden also said the government would work to make testing easier by asking stores to sell tests to people so people can test themselves at home. He said the tests would be low cost. Bidens announcement included other measures that he thinks will help the U.S. get through the problems caused by COVID-19. In addition to the new vaccine and testing requirements, the Biden administration offered plans to pay money to schools. It has proposed fines for those who do not wear masks. It also has spoken in support of booster shots for people who are already vaccinated. In June, the virus seemed to be under control in the U.S. The U.S. recorded 400,000 infections in that month. It only took three days to reach that number last week. Biden said he understands the U.S. is having a problem. Were in a tough stretch, and it could last for a while, he said, but added that most Americans are doing the right thing. Im Dan Friedell. Zeke Miller wrote this story for the Associated Press. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. Do you think the U.S. government should make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for all adults? Tell us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________ Words in This Story shot n. an injection into the body with a needle negative adj. not showing the presence of an infection variant n. something that is different in some way from others of the same kind proof n. something that shows something is correct or has been done conceive v. to think of or create in the mind booster adj. something that makes something strong or increases its effects stretch n. a period of time Saturday, September 11, is the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States. Around 3000 people were killed on that day in 2001, when al-Qaida agents hijacked and crashed airplanes in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. People across the U.S. will share their thoughts and feelings about that day on the anniversary. News shows and other media will observe the day with special programming. People will talk about what they remember about the day, the effects the attacks had on them, the U.S. reaction, and more. Such discussions often use verbs in simple and progressive forms. In todays Everyday Grammar, we will explore the grammar behind such structures. Lets begin with a few important terms and ideas. Verb Forms English has several verb forms; two of them are the simple and progressive forms. The simple verb form is often the first verb form that English learners study. Consider the following statements: I want to read about English grammar. I love English grammar. Here, the verbs want and love are in their simple present forms. Their past forms are wanted and loved. Now consider a person who is in the middle of an action reading a grammar book. That person might say, I am reading about English grammar. Here the verb read is in its progressive form I am reading. The past progressive form is I was reading. In general, English speakers are more likely to use simple verbs than progressive verbs in everyday discussions. But discussions about memories and past experiences will likely involve verb forms of both kinds, as we will see. Discussions about September 11th - Simple Form of Verb Lets first explore how simple forms might appear in discussions about September 11. Consider this example. Imagine you are listening to an American news program. You might hear something like the following discussion: Do you remember where you were on September 11? I was at work. I heard about the attacks during my morning coffee break. Or you might hear a discussion with a person who is not old enough to remember the day: Do you remember where you were on September 11? No, I dont know what it was like - but I believe it was very frightening. Notice that the examples included simple present and simple past forms of verbs such as remember, believe, hear, know, be. Many of these might be called non-action verbs. Such verbs are mostly used to express ideas, memories, or states of being. Such verbs are less common or not used in the progressive form. Discussions about September 11th - Progressive Form of Verb Now consider how progressive verb forms might appear in a discussion about September 11. Imagine you are watching another news broadcast. You might hear the following: Do you remember what you were doing on September 11 when you first heard the news? I was listening to the radio, and the regular program was interrupted. Or: I was watching television at home. Or: I was sitting at my desk when a coworker ran over to me and told me the news. In the examples, verbs such as listen, watch, and sit appeared in their past progressive form. In other words, these actions were in progress when the person learned about the news. Closing Thoughts When you hear news broadcasts or read internet discussions about September 11 or any other kind of important event pay careful attention to how the speakers or writers use simple and progressive verb forms. Pay careful attention to the kinds of verbs that are used in the simple form, and the kinds of verbs that are used in the progressive form. Over time, you will improve your understanding of how and when to use these verbs and verb forms. Im John Russell. John Russell wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. __________________________________________________________ Words in This Story progressive n. A progressive verb form in English consists of a form of the verb be followed by the main verb's present participle. frightening adj. scary or causing fear interrupt v. to cause (something) to stop happening for a time Three of the nation's largest food delivery companies are suing New York City over a limit on fees it put in place during the pandemic to protect restaurants devastated by the forced closure of their dining rooms. The city has continued to extend those caps even as vaccinations allow more indoor dining which, according to the companies, cost them millions of dollars over the summer. In the suit filed late Thursday the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats call the fee caps government overreach. The companies say they were instrumental in keeping restaurants afloat and food industry workers employed after investing millions of dollars in relief for those businesses. They are filing for an injunction that would prevent the city from enforcing an extension on the fee caps adopted in August. The companies are seeking unspecified monetary damages as well as a jury trial. New York Law Department spokesman Nicholas Paolucci said in an email that the citys initiative is legally sound and will be defended in court. If Reclaim Idaho was looking for a pair of foils to help promote its education funding initiative, the group could hardly do any better than the Republicans heading up education committees in the House and Senate. A Lompoc man on Friday pleaded guilty to a federal manslaughter charge in connection to a June 2020 fatal head-on vehicle collision on Vandenberg Air Force Base, now known as Vandenberg Space Force Base. Michael James Culligan, 30, appeared by video conference for a hearing at the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, and pleaded guilty to one charge of involuntary manslaughter, according to Ciaran McEvoy, a U.S. Attorney spokesman. Culligan, who initially pleaded not guilty on July 7, 2020, changed his plea due to an agreement with federal prosecutors. As a result of the agreement, Culligan will face a statutory maximum sentence of up to eight years in federal prison, according to court documents. +2 Lompoc man pleads not guilty to federal charges connected to fatal head-on crash on Vandenberg Air Force Base A Lompoc man on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to federal charges related to a fatal head-on collision on Vandenberg Air Force Base that killed a Santa Maria man and seriously injured his female passenger, who is also from Santa Maria, according to a U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman. In addition, Culligan could receive three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Culligan was arrested on June 16, 2020, after the stolen 2019 Jeep Wrangler he was driving southbound on Santa Lucia Canyon Road, on base jurisdiction, smashed head-on into a blue Lexus sedan, killing its driver, 35-year-old Michael Daniel Martinez, of Santa Maria, and seriously injuring his female passenger. Following the collision, Culligan fled the scene and was holding a drain pipe when he was apprehended by law enforcement several hours later, according to court documents. During an interview with investigators, Culligan admitted to using drugs before driving the Jeep, according to McEvoy. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations, California Highway Patrol and Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office contributed to the investigation. Culligan is scheduled to appear for a sentencing hearing before Judge Andre Birotte Jr. on Jan. 7 at the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. We are in desperate need of leaders nationally, and with our governor, who defend the life of the unborn and tell women they have support and resources when they do choose life for their child, Skogman said. We know that our current governor and federal leadership do not protect the life of the unborn and do not provide the support that we would hope for at-risk mothers when they are faced with those choices. The first goal for pro-abortion rights voters in Wisconsin should be to reelect Evers, Pines said, characterizing the governor as the Dutch boy with his finger in the dike. The same is true for electing another Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 2022, he added. People who are concerned about the right to abortion in Wisconsin need to be concerned about two things: one, redistricting, to make sure that theres not this extreme right-wing Legislature that acts in an authoritarian fashion, and two, who gets elected to the state Supreme Court in 2023, Pines said. On the anti-abortion side, Skogman said, we are really looking for candidates who are unashamed in their support of life and of women, and make that something thats a very integral part of their campaign and that we have an assurance is something they will actively fight for when they are hopefully in a position in government." Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. Unfortunately, a handful of politicians, like U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, have taken to demonizing those seeking refuge, spreading lies and stoking fears about a group of people who saved the lives of American soldiers deployed to Afghanistan. These politicians are only interested in dividing us. They aim to distract us as they hand tax cuts to the wealthy and force the rest of us to fight over the scraps, voting no on popular priorities like the child tax credit and rebuilding our infrastructure. We wont let that happen. Its not a matter of left and right, but of right and wrong. We welcome Afghan refugees to Wisconsin, as we would our own families, as people seeking a better future. We will come together to bring new Wisconsinites into our communities, whether thats helping children adjust to new schools in a new language, or equipping families with the basics they need to get life started anew. Many a story has been told about America, the nation of immigrants, the land of refuge, the home of the free. While many chapters of our history are less than proud, we have a chance to write the next story and welcome those seeking refuge as we would wish to be welcomed ourselves. Reynolds ruled that those conditions the information is highly relevant, the information is necessary to a legal proceeding, the information is not obtainable from another source, and there is an overriding public interest in the disclosure of the information were met by prosecutors. Friedman argued prosecutors could instead present news articles to the jury as evidence without the reporters testimony. He also argued there were many other people who were there when Carpenter was beaten who could provide the same information and are not news reporters. Friedman said no decision has been made about whether to appeal. In his brief, Assistant District Attorney Paul Humphrey said two of the three reporters gave statements to police. Neither identified any other people who were present or said they talked to any other witnesses to prepare stories on the incident. Veeser, who did not speak with police, only tweeted a photo of Carpenter on the ground and did not write a story at all, Humphrey wrote. Humphrey argued that observations by Pittman, Veeser and Brogan would be relevant, not obtainable anywhere else and that there is an overriding public interest in the matter. The loosened rules were welcomed news for Forward Theater Company, which had a public preview Thursday of its show Mom, How Did You Meet The Beatles? with the official opening Friday at the Overture Center. I am very happy that our county has decided to make a carve out for the performing arts because we have been very safe, said Jennifer Uphoff Gray, artistic director for Forward Theater. Over the past two weeks there has been a lot of careful advocacy because we want to make it very clear that we are not trying to overturn the order. Statewide figures Dane Countys decision Thursday to lengthen the mask mandate likely the only such countywide mandate in Wisconsin came as the state reported 32 COVID-19 deaths, which is the largest daily total in nearly seven months. The 32 newly reported deaths occurred over the past month, as is always the case with such reports from the state Department of Health Services. Thursdays total may stem in part from a lag in reporting over the Labor Day holiday weekend. But the new seven-day average of daily deaths which helps control for such reporting irregularities is 11, also the highest since mid-February. Just over a month ago, the daily average was one death. You have to remember, it was 2001. There were no smartphones to blow up with notifications and text messages from people checking in. No one in my family was anywhere near New York or any of the other locations that were targeted that day. I didnt have any acquaintances there. As far as I knew in that time between when the first tower became engulfed in flames and when the local newspapers put out unprecedented (in my lifetime) afternoon editions describing the scope of the carnage there was no reason for me to worry too much. It wasnt going to really affect me. Ha! Though I was 850 miles from New York City, once the skies quieted from planes being grounded, local curfews were imposed. People started lining up to fill their gas tanks. My mommy friends ran to the grocery store. People left work to get home and take it all in. The next day, the birds were still alone in the skies, but now cops were everywhere. The whole situation became terrifying for most people, whether they had a connection to the event or not. But in my quiet, suburban subdivision there was only one person my nextdoor neighbor who I knew felt genuinely worried for their own safety. (The Japanese were rounded up into internment camps in the 1940s, remember.) Cassia County Detective Jason Rogers described how the home was in disarray. It looked like someone tried to make it look like a burglary occurred, Rogers said. The only item missing from the home was Murphys shotgun, he said, which was never found. Whitneys purse was in plain sight of the murder scene and a safe with money inside had not been taken. A farm manager also testified that the farm office was ransacked with drawers pulled out, but nothing appeared to be missing. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Nearby neighbors, Levi Bodily and his girlfriend Maria Ramirez, both testified about the shotgun blasts that came through their window as the couple laid in bed. Maria said Murphy had been in their basement bedroom while he was at their home during a tornado warning and knew the layout of the room, something few people knew. Rogers said two types of shotgun shells that matched shells at the crime scene were also found in the backseat of Murphys pickup. BOISE After a 10-week trial, a jury did not convict on any charges an Idaho family accused of running a counterfeit electronics operation. But this may not be the end of the case. A federal jury deadlocked or entered not guilty verdicts on all counts for eight members of the Babichenko family Sept. 2, as the court deemed a mistrial on dozens of charges. The jury did not reach a guilty verdict on any charge. The eight people who faced the jurys verdicts were Pavel, Piotr, Timofey, Kristina and Natalya Babichenko; David Bibikov; Anna Iyerusalimets; and Mikhail Iyerusalimets. One other person Gennady Babichenko had his charges dismissed while the trial was ongoing. One member of the family, Natalya Babichenko, was found not guilty on all charges she faced. In the federal court system, a jury must unanimously decide on a guilty or not guilty verdict. If the jurors cant unanimously agree, the jury deadlocks and no verdict is reached. A deadlocked verdict is also known as a hung jury. If a jury cannot find a verdict on specific charge, those charges remain active and another trial can take place at a later date. A spokesperson for the Idaho U.S. Attorneys Office the prosecuting agency on the case declined to comment on the jury results. BOISE President Joe Biden will travel to Boise on Monday in an effort to survey wildfire damage in the West, the White House announced Thursday. Biden will visit the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise as part of his first stop in the West. Biden will then head to California with stops in Sacramento and Long Beach, where he will participate in an event with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. He will complete his tour in Denver. Bidens trip follows his visit to states Louisiana, New York and New Jersey devastated by storm damage after Hurricane Ida. A White House official said he aimed to increase awareness of climate changes impacts on communities. Biden will also speak on the economic impacts of extreme weather and the need to invest in resilient infrastructure. Wildfire smoke in the Treasure Valley has filled the sky this week and brought poor air quality for several days. Wildfires over the summer affected trails and roads. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Wildfire costs for Idaho had already totaled more than $50 million as of August, according to Idaho Reports. Monday will be Bidens first visit to Idaho as president. Since President Lyndon Johnson came in 1964, every modern president but Donald Trump has visited the state at least once while in office. A piece of the destroyed World Trade Centers north tower and a Freedom Flag commemorating the moments 20 years ago that changed America forever have made their way to the North Valley Academy in Gooding. The Freedom Flag Foundation chose the charter school to represent Idaho in its first effort to distribute Freedom Flags nationally. The schools celebration is one of many Magic Valley events this week marking the 20th anniversary of the attacks. Todays K-12 students were all born after this tragic event and effectively have no memories of it, or the heroic responses of Americans that fateful day, North Valley Academy Principal Jeff Klamm wrote in an email to the Times-News. As educators of the next generation, it is our responsibility and civic duty to pass the torch of remembrance on to future generations, so the sacrifices of that day are never forgotten. The school will honor those who lost their lives on 9/11 and celebrate the heroes who assisted in the rescue by raising the Freedom Flag at noon Friday over the school grounds. The ceremony will feature local speakers, a color guard from the local Civil Air Patrol, and a luncheon to follow. The public is invited. A judge has decided an Idaho woman charged with conspiring with her new husband to kill her two children is still not fit to participate in her own court proceedings. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) An Ohio woman pleaded guilty Friday to helping plan the killings of eight members of a family, becoming the second member of her own family to admit to a role in a shocking crime prosecutors say stemmed from a dispute over custody of her granddaughter. Angela Wagner, 50, pleaded guilty in southern Ohios Pike County to conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, along with burglary, evidence tampering and other charges. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped aggravated murder charges against her and recommended that she serve a 30-year prison sentence. Her agreement to testify against other remaining defendants was also part of the deal, they said. She didn't make any statements during the hearing. Her husband and their two adult sons also were charged in the 2016 slayings of seven adults and a teenage boy from the Rhoden family. Wagners plea comes nearly five months after her son Edward Jake Wagner pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and other charges and agreed to testify against the other three in a deal that would help all four avoid potential death sentences. George Billy Wagner III and George Wagner IV have pleaded not guilty. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California Gov. Gavin Newsom will get a boost in the final days of a campaign that is trying to kick him out of office from the nation's most prominent Democrat: President Joe Biden. Biden will join the first-term Democratic governor in the Southern California city of Long Beach on Monday, the day before voting ends. He's the last of a string of prominent Democrats who have come to the deep-blue state to assist Newsom as he faces a recall election. Vice President Kamala Harris, a California native, campaigned alongside him Wednesday, and former President Barack Obama appeared in a campaign ad urging Californians to vote no on the recall. Biden's visit, his first to California since taking office in January, underscores the importance of his party maintaining the governorship in the nation's most populous state, which has the fifth-largest economy in the world. California has been the breeding ground for progressive policies on climate change, immigration and more. Beyond Harris, a handful of Biden's Cabinet members have roots in the state. The authoritative FSMB pronouncement does not necessarily apply in physician disciplinary proceedings in Idaho. Rather, the IMB applies statutory guidelines enacted by the Idaho Legislature. It appears to me, however, that the Board is reading its statute too narrowly. The Board seems to believe that discipline can only be meted out where a traditional doctor-patient relationship is involved. That is, where a patient goes to the doctors office for consultation and treatment. That is not how things always work in todays world, with telemedicine and powerful social media. Dr. Cole has broadcast his medical opinions and advice far and wide with the obvious intent of influencing the medical decisions of a vast audience. How can it be that a doctor can face license revocation for endangering the health or life of an individual traditional patient, while facing no discipline for misleading and risking the health of thousands of devoted followers? Why cant we even get people to come together and get a new George Wythe built now, that students needed yesterday? asked former Richmond School Board member Donald Coleman. Chalk it up to the unfinished business that permeated Wednesdays proceedings. Its an incredible moment, said Richmond City Councilman Andreas Addison. But I think its more of a symbol of the work to do now. Its the hard steps now that are going to be taken to remove the systemic racism that these have embodied for so long. Its going to take a lot of hard work. That last sentence was the punctuation mark on a morning of celebration to a backbeat of hip-hop music from onlookers outside The 1805 apartment building. Robert E. Lee! You was late on your rent! Youre evicted! one person shouted. Soon, a statue that had been a towering fixture was humbly reduced by an unwillingness to abide Lost Cause idolatry any longer. Were ecstatic, said Lawrence West, founder of Black Lives Matter RVA and a regular around the circle, which was reclaimed and informally renamed for Marcus-David Peters, a Black high school teacher who was shot and killed by a Richmond police officer during a mental health crisis in May 2018. Ray McDaniel This marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11 as it was a day that will forever be in our hearts, said McDaniel to The McDowell News. We have come to the point that now it is in the history classes in schools. I will always remember hearing of the news as I was working at Ethan Allen in Old Fort N.C. Later on that morning, the whole factory got together for prayer and they let all employees go home to be with their families as there was a lot of uncertainty of America being under attack. I remember the months to follow being in shock of unbelief that it really happened. As tragic as it was, there were a great deal of lessons that came out of those events that day that benefited emergency services. Communications, interoperability, building construction, Incident Command System, and the support of a nation just to name a few. I remember that it was a time that our nation was drawn together to love and support each other no matter what our difference of opinions, race or religion and as we are coming upon the 20th anniversary we need that love and support for each other again. NEW YORK (AP) Besides packages, UPS is promising to deliver something else fast: job offers. The package delivery company said Thursday that it plans to hire more than 100,000 people for the busy holiday shipping season, many of whom will get job offers within 30 minutes of applying. UPS needs to snap up workers as fast as it can because of the tight job market. Competition for hourly workers is fierce, and many companies are offering higher pay, sign-on bonuses and even lowering their requirements, such as hiring those without a high school diploma. Take too long to hire, and an applicant can go elsewhere. "Candidates want instant gratification," said Matt Lavery, UPS's global director of sourcing and recruiting. "We wanted to take away as many barriers as we could." The speedy hiring applies to its most common jobs for seasonal workers: package handlers and driver helpers, who take a package from a truck and deliver it to doorsteps, but don't drive the vehicle. Is there anything worse than government overregulation of beer-related cartoon nudity? Well, sure, there are plenty of things worse, but today we are going to deal with government overregulation of beer-related cartoon nudity. As a concerned citizen, I was shocked and appalled to learn the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Commission told Maryland-based Flying Dog Brewery that it could not sell its winter ale, Freezin Season, in the Tar Heel state because the depiction of a naked cartoon guy on the label was in bad taste. I always thought the Alcoholic Beverage Commissions main role was to make sure the drinking populace wasnt poisoned by bootleg hooch made in car radiators, but apparently commissioners have transitioned into art criticism. The label, like others for Flying Dog Brewery, was designed by the cartoonist Ralph Steadman, an associate of the late gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. As the proud owner of the book Gonzo: The Art, I can say the label is tame compared to some of Steadmans other mind-blowing work. Plus, cartoon nudity has a long and proud tradition. Bugs Bunny only wore clothes when the role called for it. (HealthDay)While the cost of administering COVID-19 vaccines is nominaland free to consumers in the United Statesthe cost of paying for hospitalizations for people who've contracted the virus is dramatically higher. The average financial cost of hospitalization for a COVID-19 patient insured by Medicareat $21,752is about 145 times the reimbursement Medicare pays for vaccinating one person, CNN reported. The news agency analyzed billing documents from government health insurers Medicare and Medicaid. That $21,752 is for an average 9.2-day stay, CNN noted. When someone's condition requires a ventilator and longer hospitalization (an average of about 17 days), bills to Medicare rise to an average of $49,441, more than 300 times the cost of one person's vaccination. "We know the pathway to end this pandemic," U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told CNN. "That's getting vaccinated." While the average eligible American can get their COVID-19 vaccine for free, Medicare reimburses providers who administer the shots $40 for each dose and $35 for each time the provider administers a dose in the Medicare patient's home or group living setting. That's true for both of the existing two-dose mRNA vaccines, Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech. In June and July alone, more than 100,000 unvaccinated people were hospitalized with preventable COVID-19 cases, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis. That means the United States paid more than $2 billion to care for those unvaccinated patients, if their care was estimated at costing roughly $20,000 each, CNN said. Currently, about 102,000 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized in the United States, including 25,800 in intensive care unit beds, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data. The federal government continues to urge people to get vaccinated. About 53% of all Americans are fully vaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but children younger than age 12 are not yet eligible for a vaccine. Overall, this means that about 27% of the American population now eligible for vaccination have not yet gotten their shots, CNN said. Explore further Americans' COVID medical bills are set to rise More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the COVID-19 vaccines. Copyright 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved. (HealthDay)In an assertive offensive against a resurgent COVID-19 pandemic, President Joe Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new efforts at pressuring tens of millions of U.S. government workers to get vaccinated against the illness or face disciplinary action. "Many of us are frustrated with the nearly 80 million Americans who are still not vaccinated, even though the vaccine is safe, effective and free," Biden said in a White House briefing. He said that "in total the vaccine requirements in my plan will affect about 100 million Americans, two-thirds of all workers." According to the president, "the bottom line [is] we're going to protect vaccinated workers from unvaccinated coworkers. "This is not about freedom or personal choice. It's about protecting yourself and those around you," Biden said. Using the power of presidential executive orders and other federal prerogatives, the Biden administration will compel an estimated 4 million federal government workers to roll up their sleeves for COVID shots if they haven't already done so. "If you want to work with the federal government, get vaccinated," Biden said. The White House also plans to put tough financial pressures on federal contractors to get their workers immunized, as well as the more than 17 million Americans who work in hospitals and other institutions receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding. "If you're seeking care at a health facility, you should be able to know that the people treating you are vaccinated. Simple. Straightforward. Period," Biden said. Even the private sector could feel the strain of federal action. Biden is asking the U.S. Department of Labor to draft rules that would compel businesses with 100 or more employees to either have their workers get vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. According to Biden, that rule could affect about 80 million workers nationwide. "The Department of Labor will require employers with 100 or more workers to give those workers paid time off to get vaccinated," Biden said. "No one should lose pay in order to get vaccinated or take a loved one to get vaccinated." A way back to normalcy According to information obtained by the New York Times, a 75-day grace period to get vaccinated will go into effect for people working for the federal government. With the exception of religious and disability exemptions, most of these workers would need to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination by the end of the 75 days or face disciplinary action through usual human resources department procedures at their place of work. Unions representing workers are already expressing pushback. Speaking with the New York Times, Cathie McQuiston, a deputy general counsel for the American Federation of Government Employees, a union representing some 700,000 federal workers, said the union would be making sure that agencies "not skip over procedures and make sure employees have due process" if unvaccinated workers were disciplined. Lawsuits against the new federal moves are expected. But according to the Times, sources say Biden views getting as many Americans vaccinated as possible as the only route back to something approaching normal life. He has been emboldened by the recent surge in new COVID-19 cases nationwide, and by the full approval of the Pfizer two-dose COVID vaccine last month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Many said they were waiting for approval from the Food and Drug Administration, the FDA," Biden said. "Well, last month the FDA granted that approval. So the time for waiting is over." FDA approval has already set worker vaccine mandates into motion at a number of the nation's leading private corporations, including Walmart, Google and the Walt Disney Company. During the press briefing Biden pointed to a number of other companies issuing mandatesUnited Airlines, Tyson Foods and even Fox News. Because vaccinations are controlled by individual states, the White House does not have the power to simply compel all Americans to line up for their COVID shots. But the measures the president outlined on Thursday remain powerful incentives for millions. Responding to a resurgent virus Biden even took aim at governors in states who are thwarting attempts at school mask mandates and other measures. "Let me be bluntmy plan also takes on elected officials in states that are undermining you in these lifesaving actions," the president said. "Right now local school officials are trying to keep children safe in a pandemic while their governor picks a fight with them and even threatens their salaries or their jobs. Talk about bullying in schools. If these governors won't help, I'll use my power as president to get them out of the way." The new push by the White House comes as the total known U.S. cases of COVID-19 topped 40 million, according to a database maintained by the Times. That's nearly one-fifth of the global total of cases. With the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus cutting a swath through the United States, and about 47% of the eligible population still not fully vaccinated, COVID-19 has roared back over a summer that began with Americans hopeful that the worst was behind them. According to the Times, as of Sunday there have been an average 161,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the United States each day. Hospitalizations are topping 102,000 each day, and the daily COVID-19 death toll is now at 1,560. The vast majority of people hospitalized and dying are unvaccinated, greatly taxing an already overburdened health care system. According to the Times, no state has yet gotten more than 70% of its population fully vaccinated. "The vast majority of Americans have done the right thingnearly three-quarters of the eligible have gotten at least one shot, but one-quarter has not gotten any," Biden noted. "That 25% can cause a lot of damage, and they are. The unvaccinated overcrowd our hospitals; they're overrunning emergency rooms and intensive care units, leaving no room for someone with a heart attack or pancreatitis or cancer." A strengthened push to pressure government agencies, schools and businesses nationwide to implement vaccination mandates for vaccine-hesitant Americans will be a key component of the new plan. There has been significant improvement in COVID-19 vaccine uptake in recent weeks: About 14 million people got their first shots in August, 4 million more than did so in July. Still, 27% of Americans eligible for vaccinationeveryone age 12 and olderhave still not received any shots, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In some states, the number of unvaccinated remains very high42% in Texas and 38% in Florida, the Times said. Multi-pronged attack One expert in infectious diseases applauded the president's tough new stance. "It is important for the federal government to play a leadership role by having its own employees and contractors vaccinated," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore. "This will increase the resiliency of the workforce as well as increase the resiliency of the population to disruption from COVID-19," Adalja said. "It is also critical to use the levers of power that exist within Medicare and Medicaid to get hospitals to require vaccination as a condition of participation in these programs." The new strategy outlined by Biden contains five other key elements: More efforts to get school staff vaccinated nationwide . "Today about 90% of school staffs and teachers are vaccinated. We should get that to 100%," Biden said, noting that teachers unions fully support vaccine mandates. . "Today about 90% of school staffs and teachers are vaccinated. We should get that to 100%," Biden said, noting that teachers unions fully support vaccine mandates. More COVID-19 testing . Biden pledged to use the Defense Production Act to increase production of tests, including at-home test kits. By next week, major outlets such as Walmart, Amazon and Kroger "will start to sell at-home rapid test kits at cost for the next three months," Biden said. . Biden pledged to use the Defense Production Act to increase production of tests, including at-home test kits. By next week, major outlets such as Walmart, Amazon and Kroger "will start to sell at-home rapid test kits at cost for the next three months," Biden said. Getting tougher on masks. "Tonight, I'm announcing that the Transportation Safety Administration will double the fines on travelers that refuse to mask. If you break the rules, be prepared to pay," Biden said. "Tonight, I'm announcing that the Transportation Safety Administration will double the fines on travelers that refuse to mask. If you break the rules, be prepared to pay," Biden said. Improved care for COVID-19 patients. Although 1.4 million doses of powerful monoclonal antibody treatments have already been distributed to help the very sick, production and distribution will be upped another 50%, Biden said. As well, the "Defense Department will double the number of military health teams that they'll deploy to help their fellow Americans," he said. Although 1.4 million doses of powerful monoclonal antibody treatments have already been distributed to help the very sick, production and distribution will be upped another 50%, Biden said. As well, the "Defense Department will double the number of military health teams that they'll deploy to help their fellow Americans," he said. Global outreach. "We're proud to have donated nearly 140 million vaccines to over 90 countries, more than all other countries combined, including Europe, China and Russia," Biden said. "That's American leadership on a global stage, and that's just the beginning." Find out more about COVID-19 vaccines at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Explore further Biden slams 'minority' preventing US from overcoming COVID Copyright 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine involving data from nearly 200 hospitals around the United States shows that 2-dose COVID-19 vaccinations are highly effective at preventing hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and intensive care admissions due to the virus. The real-world evidence gathered from electronic health records (EHRs) demonstrates that the vaccines provide high levels of protection for populations disproportionately affected by the virus, including older adults and minorities. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaborated with six U.S. healthcare systems plus the Regenstrief Institute, to create the VISION network to assess COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness. Regenstrief, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, HealthPartners, Intermountain Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Kaiser Permanente Northwest and University of Colorado all contributed hospitalization and ICU data for patients older than 50 from a total of 187 hospitals, in addition to data from emergency departments and urgent care clinics. The data covered 45,000 medical encounters. Data analysis showed 2-dose mRNA vaccination (Moderna and Pfizer) was: 89 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations 91 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 emergency department or urgent care visits 90 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 intensive care unit admission The effectiveness was significantly lower in individuals who received only the first dose of the two shot-vaccination. "This study confirms that these vaccines are highly effective," said lead author Mark Thompson, Ph.D., a member of the CDC COVID-19 Response Team. "They offer significant protections for people older than 85, people with chronic medical conditions, as well as Black and Hispanic adults. All are groups who have been hit particularly hard by this disease. We hope this information will convince more people to get vaccinated to protect not only themselves but their community." This study was also one of the first to look at the effectiveness of the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine. It was found to be 73 percent effective against emergency department and urgent care visits, and 68 percent against hospitalizations. However, the authors note the smaller sample size may affect the precision of these estimates and state that more data is needed. "This real-world evidence corroborates the results of clinical trials and provides even more confidence in the vaccines," said paper author Shaun Grannis, M.D., M.S., Regenstrief vice president for data and analytics and Indiana University School of Medicine professor of family medicine. "This study is an excellent example of how EHR data can be leveraged for public health, and how collaboration between health entities can provide new and beneficial insights." "Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccines in Preventing Ambulatory and Inpatient Care" is published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Explore further COVID-19 vaccines effectively prevent hospitalization for seniors More information: Mark G. Thompson et al, Effectiveness of Covid-19 Vaccines in Ambulatory and Inpatient Care Settings, New England Journal of Medicine (2021). Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine Mark G. Thompson et al, Effectiveness of Covid-19 Vaccines in Ambulatory and Inpatient Care Settings,(2021). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2110362 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Physicians prescribed opioids more often to their white patients who complained of new-onset low back pain than to their Black, Asian and Hispanic patients during the early days of the national opioid crisis, when prescriptions for these powerful painkillers were surging but their dangers were not fully apparent, according to a UCLA study. The findings suggest that doctors may have commonly dispensed pain treatments unequally based on race and ethnicity. The study shows that physicians were more likely to prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDsa less-powerful alternativeto their patients of color who came to them for back pain care. "This appears to be a case of differential treatment of pain or bias by physicians, in which the pain of certain patients deserves opioids and the pain of others does not," said Dr. Dan Ly, the study's author and an assistant professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "The fact that, in hindsight, more white patients developed dangerous long-term opioid use doesn't absolve physicians of this differential treatment." The paper is published today in the peer-reviewed JAMA Health Forum. Ly examined nationwide medical claims data from 2006 through 2015 for about 275,000 Medicare beneficiaries who were 66 or older and were experiencing new-onset low back pain. Approximately 81% of these patients were white, 6% were Black, 6% were Asian/Pacific Islander and 8% were Hispanic. Focusing on how individual doctors prescribed opioids differently based on their patients' race and ethnicity, Ly found that, on average, these drugs were dispensed to 11.5% of white patients, versus about 10% of Black patients, 9% of Asian/Pacific Islander patients and 10.5% of Hispanic patients. Among patients who seemed to have severe or longer-lasting painmeasured as five or more visits to the doctor for back pain in a yearthe differences were starker: 36% of white patients were prescribed opioids, versus about 30% of Black patients, 21% of Asian/Pacific Islanders and 24% of Hispanics. Physicians, Ly said, also tended to prescribe opioids sooner to their white patients. Conversely, doctors prescribed NSAIDs to 25% of their Black patients, 25% of Asian/Pacific Islanders and 28% of Hispanics but only to 24% of whitesagain, with greater differences for patients with more visits for their back pain. The study also found that white patients with new low back pain were subsequently more likely to develop long-term reliance on opioids than patients of Black, Asian/Pacific Islander or Hispanic origin. One possible reason for these prescribing discrepancies, Ly said, is that physicians may have had less confidence that patients of color would not misuse opioids, even though studies have shown no difference in rates of opioid misuse between patients of color and white patients. It's also possible, he said, that patients of color may have asked for opioids less frequently than white patients, although there is no evidence for this. Ly noted that because this was an observational study, there may have been other, non-observable factors that contributed to prescribing discrepancies. The findings do not include results from physical exams, which may have influenced prescribing decisions, and over-the-counter medications were not included in the data. Explore further Patient preferences do not explain racial disparities in opioid prescribing More information: Dan P. Ly et al, Association of Patient Race and Ethnicity With Differences in Opioid Prescribing by Primary Care Physicians for Older Adults With New Low Back Pain, JAMA Health Forum (2021) Dan P. Ly et al, Association of Patient Race and Ethnicity With Differences in Opioid Prescribing by Primary Care Physicians for Older Adults With New Low Back Pain,(2021) DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.2333 President Joe Biden speaks in the State Dining Room at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in Washington. Biden is announcing sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik Larger U.S. businesses now won't have to decide whether to require their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Doing so is now federal policy. President Joe Biden announced sweeping new orders Thursday that will require employers with more than 100 workers to mandate immunizations or offer weekly testing. The new rules could affect as many as 100 million Americans, although it's not clear how many of those people are currently unvaccinated. Large swaths of the private sector have already stepped in to mandate shots for at least some of their employees. But Biden said Thursday that "many of us are frustrated with the nearly 80 million Americans who are not fully vaccinated." The U.S. is still struggling to curb the surging delta variant of the coronavirus, which is killing thousands each week and jeopardizing the nation's economic recovery. Per Biden's order, the millions who work as employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government won't have the option to get tested instead of taking the vaccine. The order also requires large companies to provide paid time off for vaccination. The Associated Press reached out to a wide range of companies on Thursday. Many didn't have immediate responses while others noted that they already require vaccinations. Walmart, the nation's largest private employer, was one of the first major companies to mandate vaccines for some of its workers. Walmart said in late July that it was requiring that all workers at its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, as well as its managers who travel within the U.S.; be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. But the vaccine mandate excluded frontline workers such as cashiers, who according to the company have a lower vaccination rate than management. CVS Health said in late August it will require certain employees who interact with patients to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by the end of October. That includes nurses, care managers and pharmacists. President Joe Biden speaks in the State Dining Room at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in Washington. Biden is announcing sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik Airlines, meanwhile, have tried to reassure customers about the safety of flying during a pandemic, and have pushed steps such as mandatory masking before they were required by the government. United Airlines announced last month that it would require employees to be vaccinated. The airline said Wednesday that workers who don't comply will be placed on leave Oct. 2 and will be terminated unless they can demonstrate a medical or religious reason for not getting vaccinated. The airline says more than half its workers who weren't vaccinated have gotten the shots since the company announced the requirement. Other airlines have encouraged workers to get the shots but haven't required it, although Delta Air Lines plans to hit unvaccinated workers on its health plan with a $200 monthly surcharge starting in November. Delta's chief health officer said the prospect of that fee has led about 20% of the airline's unvaccinated workers to get shots. The tech industry has largely been at the forefront of vaccine requirements, making the sector in general a likely supporter of Biden's policy on the issue. In late July, Google became one of the first major U.S. employers to decide all its workers needed to be vaccinated before returning to the office. Facebook quickly adopted a similar policy a few hours after Google took its hard stand on vaccines. Google left it an open question whether the minority of employees who will still be allowed to work remotely will be required to get vaccinated to remain on its payroll. The Mountain View, California, company employs more than 130,000 workers worldwide, with a significant number based in the U.S. The heaviest concentrations are in the San Francisco Bay area and New York. Apple, which employs both tech workers in its offices and tens of thousands of workers in its retail stores throughout the world, has been encouraging people to get vaccinated without announcing a formal mandate. The Cupertino, California, company didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about Biden's vaccine order. General Motors stopped short of endorsing Biden's requirements, but said in a statement that it supports vaccines. "We are strongly encouraging our employees to get vaccinated given the broad availability of safe and highly efficacious vaccines, which data consistently show is the best way to protect yourself and those around you," the automaker said. President Joe Biden speaks in the State Dining Room at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in Washington. Biden is announcing sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik Half of American workers are in favor of vaccine requirements at their workplaces, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Such mandates have already been gaining traction following the Food and Drug Administration's full approval of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are available under emergency authorization, but haven't been formally approved. About 59% of remote workers said they favor vaccine requirements in their own workplaces, compared with 47% of those who are currently working in person. About one-quarter of workersin person and remotesaid they are opposed. More than 177 million Americans are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but confirmed cases of the virus have shot up in recent weeks. They've now reached an average of about 140,000 cases per day. On average, about 1,000 Americans dying from the virus daily, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some businesses and workers are likely to challenge the orders in court, but many more companies will "appreciate having the cover," said Dorit Reiss, a professor at the University of California Hastings College of the Law who has studied vaccine mandates for nearly a decade. "It helps them increase vaccine rates and they can blame the government," she said. "Vaccine mandates work because for most people, even if they have a position against it, it's not strong enough to sacrifice their jobs." Those who don't work for federal contractors and are afraid of the vaccine can choose weekly testing instead, but Reiss said many people who are simply hesitant are more likely to get immunized. "The testing is sufficiently burdensome that most of them would prefer just to be vaccinated," she said. Explore further Amazon to mandate masks for all its workers in warehouses 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Carol Johnson has battled Type 1 diabetes since she was 12. It meant an unforgiving regime of injections and medication. For 12 years, an insulin pump has never been far from her side. Diabetes has taken a toll on other parts of her body. She needed open-heart and eye surgery. Three years ago, her kidney function deteriorated to the point where she qualified for Tampa General Hospital's donor list. In May, she was placed on regular dialysis, a sign of impending kidney failure. So Johnson, 67, was thrilled in early August when her brother was approved as a donor. That should have meant surgery within weeks, she said. But then she learned her operation was indefinitely on hold because the hospital had suspended elective surgeries due to a surge of COVID-19 patients. Hope turned to frustration and fear. The longer she is on dialysis, the less the chance of success for her surgery. She is angry about all the people who ignored calls for them to get the vaccine, which is provided for free. "They take up a hospital bed, and the hospital can't turn them away," she said. "I don't wish them any ill will, of course, but when you make stupid mistakes, you should take responsibility." Hundreds of patients have been left waiting for surgeries as Tampa Bay hospitals diverted doctors, nurses, ventilators and beds to treat a record level of COVID patients. AdventHealth has paused non-emergency surgeries at seven of its Tampa Bay Region hospitals. BayCare paused elective surgeries at hospitals in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk and Pasco counties. HCA Healthcare has also suspended some procedures. "COVID is affecting the whole of the health care system," said BayCare chief medical officer Dr. Nishant Anand. "Every service has been stressed because of the increasing demands on health care needs." Anand said BayCare is still performing emergency surgeries, such as those for internal bleeding from a vehicle accident or a burst appendix. Urgent surgeries are still being scheduled, such as operations to remove tumors, which cannot be left for weeks. But procedures such as spine or hip operations scheduled weeks in advance have been put on hold. There also is a delay on screenings, such as colonoscopies "It's something that can wait a couple of weeks, but you can't wait too long," Anand said. "What happens if you miss a cancer?" Patients who need rotator-cuff or knee surgery or diagnostic procedures such as a heart catherization may also have to wait. In some cases, patients will be in pain longer, a situation Anand described as "gut wrenching." "It's a burden that has been placed, unfortunately, on the patients," he said. Local hospitals did not provide numbers of how many procedures they have delayed. With the hold on electives in effect at some hospitals for more than a month, the number of affected patients likely runs into the thousands. AdventHealth Tampa postponed and rescheduled more than 2,000 surgeries in March and April of 2020 after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order limiting non-threatening medical procedures to conserve medical supplies. Tampa General, which performs about 60,000 surgeries and procedures annually, delayed thousands of procedures during the roughly six weeks the order was in effect. Delaying needed surgeries can can result in worse outcomes and higher mortality for patients across a spectrum of diseases, according to a study in the Annals of Surgery. Hospitals also are hit financially. Across the United States, hospital are estimated to have lost about $22 billion from surgeries canceled between March and May 2020. The resulting backlog could take months or more to clear. BayCare has scheduled some non-emergency procedures at outpatient surgery centers for procedures that allow a patient to return home the same day. Officials at BayFront Health St. Petersburg said they are still performing elective surgeries. Johnson, the woman waiting for a kidney transplant, lived in Pinellas Park when she was placed on the donor list. She has since moved to South Carolina, but was prepared to travel to Tampa for the surgery. She doesn't understand why her case is not considered an emergency. "The longer we wait, the sicker we get," she said. Tampa General said it cannot comment on her case due to medical privacy laws, but said in a statement that the hospital is performing live-donor transplant procedures on "medically emergent cases, evaluating each on a case-by-case basis ..." The hospital, ranked the sixth busiest transplant hospital by volume of operations, typically performs five to seven live-donor transplants per month. "TGH leadership continues to monitor the COVID surge situation closely and will amend our procedural schedule as needed to ensure the safety of our patients, team members and physicians," said spokesperson Phil Buck in an email. Johnson, who works as an attorney in South Carolina, said she is trying to get approved for a transplant at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. She is a single parent for a son, 31, who is on the autism spectrum. He wanted to be her donor. He's not ready to let her go, she said. "I am more frightened about the effect my death could have on him than anything else," she said. "Fortunately, we have a good support system in place with my family members. Still, I am his person." Explore further COVID-19 disruption will lead to 28 million surgeries cancelled worldwide 2021 Tampa Bay Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: CC0 Public Domain A shortage of vaccinated home-care nurses has some parents of children with conditions like cerebral palsy or severe epilepsy giving up sleep and their own mental health to ensure their kids keep breathing at night. The National Association for Home Care and Hospice estimates a vaccination rate as low as 40% among the industry's 2 million nurses, who work in a broad variety of specialties. Only a handful of states require in-home nurses to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and the Biden administration hasn't created a federal mandate. Now many parents have to weigh the chance of bringing the virus into their homes versus caring for their children alone. The risk isn't theoretical. Early in the pandemic, 83% of children admitted to pediatric intensive-care units with COVID-19 had preexisting conditions, most of them requiring technological support to survive even before they caught the virus. About 3 million children nationwide have complex medical needs, according to the Children's Hospital Association. "Either somebody forgot about this entire group of people or they thought, 'You know what, they don't matter,'" said Mary Rubenstein of Chicago. Her 4-year-old daughter, Evelyn, suffered a severe brain injury at the hands of a previous adoptive parent. Since vaccines became widely available early this year, the U.S. has wrestled with whether to make people take them. With a significant proportion of residents who disbelieve scientists and spurn public-health measures, governments have been wary of setting blanket rules, leading to a patchwork system of protection. The Biden administration last month required that nursing-home workers get vaccinated but, despite pleas from advocates, has yet to extend that to people who provide home health care. Twenty-two states mandate COVID-19 vaccination for health-care workers, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy. Only Maine and Massachusetts specifically extend that requirement to in-home health workers. A few other states' mandates might be broad enough to include in-home care, but requirements are new and implementation fluid. Rubenstein is helping to lead a letter-writing campaign imploring Illinois government officials to broaden the mandate for health-care workers to at-home care. Susan Agrawal, founder of an advocacy group representing 1,500 "medically fragile and technology dependent" kids and young adults in Illinois, is part of the campaign as well. In her letter to Governor J.B. Pritzker she acknowledges that these children's homes aren't technically health-care facilities, but said "many look very similar to an intensive care ward, with hospital beds, ventilators, pulse oximeters, feeding pumps, and numerous other medical devices." Jordan Abudayyeh, Pritzker's press secretary, didn't respond to a request for comment on expanding the mandate. Precise estimates of children receiving home care are hard to come by. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says says 4.5 million people of all ages received home care in 2015. The pandemic has been particularly tough on those families in 2021 as they've had to decide whether to trust their nurses or go it alone. They've recently endured overrun pediatric hospitals from rising COVID-19 cases. In just the past month, Evelyn has been to a children's hospital in Chicago three times for life-threatening seizures and medication reactions. It's been difficult to find help. Ev, as Rubenstein calls her, likes to be held constantly. For months, Rupenstein and her wife, who works outside the house, had no nurse and had to tightly structure their days: Rubenstein fit sleep, showers and chores like dog-walking into a seven-hour window ending at 2 a.m. In recent weeks, they found a home-health company to provide a vaccinated nurse, but were shocked the state's vaccine mandate doesn't extend to the high-turnover jobs. Now they live in fear that their nurse might quit and they would have to find another who's been inoculated. The National Association for Home Care and Hospice hasn't endorsed vaccine mandates but supports incentives and education that would boost rates for everyone, said Tom Threlkeld, a spokesman. "We need to be honest and recognize our shortfall in vaccinations as an industry," Bill Dombi, chief executive officer of the association, said in a statement Aug. 23. "This is even more of an urgent issue as the delta variant is quickly spreading among the unvaccinated, coupled with colder winter months approaching." Elena Hung, executive director of Little Lobbyists, a national advocacy group for children with complex medical needs, said she has been talking to the Biden administration about instituting a vaccine requirement for home health workers. Much of the money that pays for such care come from Medicaid, the shared federal-state program. "Home skilled nursing is often left out of the conversation," she said. "Those tend to be the most vulnerable amongst us." Kevin Munoz, a White House spokesman, declined to respond to questions about extending the mandate. Meanwhile, unvaccinated nurses may be gravitating to home-care jobs. Hung said a North Carolina family reported seeing "coded" Facebook job ads from home-health companies targeting nurses looking to evade mandates instituted by hospital systems. One dated July 22, the same day the North Carolina Healthcare Association announced several hospital systems would require vaccinations, entices nurses "who find themselves looking for new opportunities." Home health-care has long had a problem finding and retaining a workforce since many nurses can get paid more in hospitals or nursing homes, said Nicole Jorwic, senior executive officer of state advocacy at the Arc, an advocacy group for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She said that there should be no different standards for care, whether it's delivered in a hospital room or a bed room. "What we're talking about is equity," Jorwic said. Explore further Illinois requires educators, health workers to get vaccine 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: University of Nottingham Experts from the University of Nottingham and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust are looking for women to take part in a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of a new treatment for bacterial vaginosis (BV). BV causes a vaginal discharge that has an unpleasant smell. Up to a third of women will get it at some time in their lives. Treating BV is important as it can cause miscarriage, premature birth and an increased risk of catching HIV and other sexual infections. Current BV treatment is not always effective and often symptoms return shortly after the treatment course is completed, with just over half of women getting their symptoms back within six months. The usual treatment is an oral antibiotic called metronidazole which can cause side-effects such as dizziness and nausea. Previous research has found that women with BV disliked taking antibiotics, especially on a regular basis, and they felt frustrated at the lack of alternative effective treatments. Dr Janet Wilson, Consultant in Sexual Health at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, says that "concern about frequent antibiotic use causing bacterial resistance means that non-antibiotic therapies are being considered for BV. There is a new treatment available for BV called dequalinium which works as a vaginal antiseptic. Its potential advantages are that it will not damage the good bacteria throughout the body or cause antibiotic resistance. Two previous studies have suggested that it could be an effective and safe treatment for BV but the number of women included were small so the results were not conclusive." Dequalinium is licensed for use as a BV treatment, but is not currently prescribed as a first line treatment in the UK. This new trial will look at whether dequalinium is as effective as the usual antibiotics in treating the symptoms of BV. The team are looking for around 900 women to take part in the trial. To be eligible to take part, women must be 16 or older and have BV symptoms of vaginal odor, plus or minus discharge. All women must have their BV confirmed by microscopy prior to enrolling onto the trial. Pregnant women can participate, unless they plan to seek a termination as this would require treatment with antibiotics. Recruitment is open now via the trial website. Each participant will need to be involved for 12 weeks after they start the treatment. Patients can enter the trial through a recruitment center (in person or remotely) or self-refer via the trial website. More information: Trial website: Trial website: www.devastudy.ac.uk/ Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus V.Makei meets Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia S.Lavrov On September 10, 2021, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Makei held a working meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the Council of Ministers of the Union State in Minsk. Topical issues of the bilateral agenda, international security topics, interaction at international platforms, as well as the preparation of a joint meeting of the Collegiums of the Foreign Ministries of the two countries were discussed. The interlocutors reached agreements on the continuation of contacts, including during the upcoming multilateral events under the auspices of the CSTO, SCO and the UN. print version AA MEETINGS: Visit AA-montana.org or call the hotline at 833-800-8553 for further information. Early Sunrise Group (C/H/Z) Discussion, 6:30 a.m., Unity Church (side door), 546 South Ave. W. ID: 88484774794. PW: 505404. Sunrise Group (C/H/Z) Discussion, 8 a.m., Unity Church (side door), 546 South Ave. W. ID: 88484774794. PW: 505404. High Noon Group (O/H), noon, First United Methodist Church, 300 E. Main St., downstairs in Fellowship Hall. Reflections meeting (O) meditation/discussion, noon, Open Way, 702 Brooks St. Bonner Park Group (O/H), 4 p.m., Bonner Park, 1600 Ronald Ave., by Bandshell. Missoula Women's Group (C/W/Z), 5:30 p.m., online and at United Methodist Church, 300 E. Main St. ID: 71084339163. PW: 647027. Zootown Happy Hour (O) Discussion, 5:35 p.m., Unity Church (side door), 546 South Ave. W. YG Phoenix Group (O) Book Study-Language of the Heart, 6 p.m., First Presbyterian Church (downstairs north entrance), 201 S. Fifth St. W. No Name Group (O/Z) Discussion, 7 p.m., St. Paul Lutheran Church Room 210, 202 Brooks St. ID: 256446926. PW: 718300. Primary Purpose Group (O/Z), 7 p.m., online only. ID: 542387682. PW: 29874. Missoula Oasis Persists (O/Z), 7:30 p.m., online only, ID: 198816143. Missoula Group (O) Discussion, 8 p.m., 112 North Pattee (use Front Street entrance, downstairs). If elected governor, Faulconer said, he would push to expand Californias paid parental leave program to 12 weeks at full pay. Currently, new parents get up to 70% of their income for up to eight weeks. John Cox Cox, 66, has centered his campaign as he did his unsuccessful 2018 gubernatorial bid against Newsom on his business credentials. The lawyer and accountant thinks the solution to Californias health care troubles lies in the free market, for example by letting patients know the cost of care ahead of time so they can shop for a better deal. I understand that health care is expensive, and families cant afford it very well, Cox said in an interview with KHN. But thats because theres not enough price discrimination, not enough consumer orientation, not enough consumer choice. Health care is expensive partly because doctors and hospitals can charge whatever they want, and patients overutilize care because they dont have to pay the full price, he said. I learn so much more, because you can just see everything, she said. She's shown her work in venues around Montana from the Yellowstone Art Museum to the Missoula Art Museum's Benefit Art Auction. This particular show has meant a lot to her, as this exhibition is so competitive. Its open to anyone to submit. The final selection of pieces was trimmed to 148 from almost 1,000 entries. Each member can submit five but can only have one juried in. The judges are all NOAPS signature members who view the submissions online anonymously. They score the pieces on a scale of one to seven based on criteria like composition, color technique, subject matter, and other fundamental painting techniques. The final cut includes 37 artists from the United States and Canada. Getting juried in can help artists along with their career. NOAPS President Patricia Tribastone said the group has a signature status marker that means the artist has achieved a certain level of excellence in their work, which requires a number of gallery exhibitions. The designation has clout when youre going to sell your paintings, when you want to teach a workshop. Please log in to keep reading. Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Friia said rents will be geared toward people making 65% of the area median income, estimating $750 for a studio, $900 for a one-bedroom and $1,100 for a two-bedroom apartment. Agency director Ellen Buchanan said that with market-rate rents in Missoula surging upward, these apartments will be attainable by workers in the area. Knowing what I know about the housing market, if you can find a two-bedroom for $1,100 a month youre doing pretty well, she said. The total cost of the project is estimated at $5.1 million, so the developers request for public funds represents a little over 6% of the entire cost. In 2020, the property tax generated by the property was $4,000. Once the new apartment building is built, the property taxes on the site are estimated to be about $44,000 per year. The site lies within the Scott Street North Reserve Urban Renewal District, and new property taxes within that district are used by the agency in the form of tax increment financing rather than going to the citys general fund. This project will replace a vacant, underutilized lot with new, attractive, much-needed workforce housing, Marchesseault concluded. The temporary protection order was filed in Missoula municipal court on Aug. 27, according to court documents. It stipulated the parties must stay at least 1,500 feet from one another. In his response, McMillan says the allegations of threats and assault did not happen and the protection order was without legal merit. McMillans phone records did not return evidence of him trying to contact Elders fiancee. McMillan goes on to say the protection order prevented him from attending classes in-person, hindering his learning experience. Every missed in person learning experience is a detriment to (McMillans) legal education and has exacerbated his learning difficulties, McMillans written response says. About 10 friends and fellow law students of McMillans were present at Thursdays hearing to support him. Among them was Alex Janssen, a co-worker. Elder was making allegations that were not based on any kind of evidence, that were way outside the scope of any minor altercation they had, she said. Jhevon was not allowed to go on campus and it impacted a lot of different people. As McMillan left the courthouse, he told his classmates, Ill see you on campus, to which they responded with a cheer. President Joe Biden, visits Brookland Middle School and delivers remarks about how the Administration is helping to keep students safe from Covid-19 in classrooms in Washington, DC (EPA) Joe Biden has dared Republican governors to sue over his sweeping new vaccine and weekly testing mandates for large businesses. Have at it, President Biden said when asked about the Republican governors threatening to file lawsuits challenging the mandate. Under the White House plan, every federal and private employer with 100 employees or more must require that unvaccinated workers either get the vaccine or submit to weekly Covid-19 testing. More than 80 million workers are expected to be affected by the mandate. Republicans immediately lined up to say they would fight the order in court, and called on businesses to revolt against the decree. South Dakota GOP Governor Kristi Noem said her state would stand up to defend freedom, adding see you in court. Texas governor Greg Abbott pledged to halt the power grab, while Georgias Brian Kemp said he would pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mr Biden said: I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids. So cavalier with the health of their communities. The Presidents Twitter page later released a statement to say he wouldnt be deterred by the legal threats. If these governors wont help us beat the pandemic, we will get them out of the way. Announcing the new mandates on Thursday, Mr Biden took aim at Republican politicians who he identified as guilty of actively undermining the fight against Covid-19. He even took the rare step of criticising private citizens who have chosen so far to remain unvaccinated against the virus. Weve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin and the refusal has cost all of us. He said the country was divided between a silent majority of the vaccinated, who were eager to return to normal after more than a year of Covid-related public health restrictions, and a smaller minority of vocal vaccine skeptics who he said were preventing Americas economy from overcoming the pandemic. An annual tradition of ministry and service is being reinstated this month after being called off in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. On Saturday, Sept. 25, nine area churches will partner together for Mission Morganton, a one-day missions and community service blitz throughout the community. Mission Morganton will go on in a modified form this year due to the current COVID-19 outbreak in Burke County, according to the Rev. Fred Schuszler, minister of education for First Baptist Church of Morganton, one of the events primary organizers. He said a lot has been learned about COVID-19 since the early days of the pandemic 18 months ago. He believes they will be able to hold the event in a way that keeps volunteers protected from contracting and spreading the virus. It will be scaled back a little bit this year, Schuszler said. We have almost as many projects as we usually do were just trying to do as many as possible outdoors. There are also several smaller projects that might be inside like painting, but those would be smaller with only a few people so they can be careful and wear masks if they need to. He said the only major project that has been canceled due to the pandemic is the Burke United Christian Ministries food distribution that usually takes place at First Baptist Church. Graves said he has been working 12- to 20-hour days during this, his toughest assignment in his career, the article reads. Among the death and destruction, Graves has stood in awe of the spirit of New Yorkers and Americans and even government officials who have put their differences aside. Sept. 19, 2001 Churches all across the county rang their bells between 8:30-8:45 a.m. exactly one week after 9/11. The Morganton community prayer service followed at 8:45 a.m., the time the first plane hit the World Trade Center. Just seven days after this horrific event, America is united, said Mel Cohen, former Morganton mayor, during the service. We stand together in times of tribulation. We are the example of freedom for the entire world. Sept. 21, 2001 The News Herald interviews a local Muslim gastroenterologist, Dr. Mushtaq A. Bukhari, who is originally from India, but was working at Grace Hospital in Morganton at the time. He described the anti-Islamic sentiment directed at him following 9/11. SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) North Macedonia's health minister resigned late Friday, nearly two days after a fire tore through a COVID-19 field hospital killing 12 patients and two visiting relatives. Venko Filipce made the announcement shortly after his deputy minister and two senior hospital administrators also stepped down. There was no immediate reaction from the office of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. The fire broke out late Wednesday in the western town of Tetovo, destroying the facility within a few minutes. Twelve people were also injured. The blaze is believed to have started by accident, although an investigation is still under way. Witnesses and officials have said an explosion preceded the fire. The public prosecutors office said eight women and six men aged between 29 and 78 were killed. Nineteen field hospitals, funded by a World Bank loan, have been set up across North Macedonia over the past year to tackle surging coronavirus hospitalizations and a shortage of hospital beds. Health authorities say all 19 were constructed according to the specifications and standards laid out by the World Bank as a condition for the loan. But his reputation and career went into a complete nosedive on April 14, 1861, when his brother, John Wilkes Booth, assassinated Abraham Lincoln. Although Edwin had been outspoken in his loyalty to the Union and denounced his own brother to the extent that the name of John Wilkes Booth was not allowed to be spoken in his home, the family relationship, which was far beyond any control on his part, dissolved his theatrical opportunities. Later, in 1909, Robert Lincoln (the presidents son) recalled how in 1865, he and Edwin Booth happened to be waiting to board the same train in the depot of Jersey City, New Jersey. In the crush of the crowd, Robert was pushed off the platform between it and the car that had just begun to move. An onlooker immediately reached down and pulled Robert to safety, saving his life. Witnessed by Col. Adam Badeau (officer on staff of Gen. Ulysses Grant), the onlooker was identified as no one less than Edwin Booth. However, even this personal, heroic act was not sufficient to save his reputation from association with his brothers evil deed. What is there about the human psyche that people remember well the bad, perhaps even enjoy the sufferings of others? We've been so busy that we haven't had time to slow down and truly focus on the tragedy of all of this, she said. Thats because the tragedy is ongoing. The official death count may soon rise to 94. We are in the process of gathering and reviewing the death records of four Butte-Silver Bow residents to determine if COVID-19 was the cause of death. The deaths occurred within the past month, Sullivan told The Montana Standard on Thursday following the memorial. Four COVID-related deaths were reported in August, the first virus deaths in the county since March. In 2020, the surge started at the end of October. Now, with the Delta variant, breakthrough cases, and a sizable portion of the community choosing not to be vaccinated, the signs of serious trouble are fast emerging in the statistics. In Butte-Silver Bow, 77% of hospital beds were occupied as of Monday, according to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services most recent report. On Thursday, 10 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 at St. James Healthcare. Seven were residents of Butte-Silver Bow. Five of those 10 individuals were in the hospital's intensive care unit, with three of those patients on ventilators. He called the Lloyd Barrus manifesto an essay and said he had written it in 1999, handed it out to everyone and always took copies with him. Shannon said Marshall Barrus was living in Gallatin County, had reconciled with Gallagher after 10 years, and had recently been arrested for burglary and laid off when his father left Bakersfield, California to help his son. He loaded up the Suburban with tools, came to Montana, and he and his son were trying to find work and planning to build a house when they decided to go camping with Gallagher and the children. He came with no firearms, no weapons, Shannon told jurors. Lloyds plan was to help Marshall and get Marshall on his feet. It was his plan throughout this whole case not to kill an officer. Shannon said they camped for a week and everything was fine, but that changed on May 15. Marshall started drinking, Shannon said. He drank a lot. He consumed very large quantities of alcohol and Gallagher knew Marshall has no brakes when he drinks. Richard Blaiklock, one of the private lawyers representing Holcomb, said the constitution gives authority only to the governor to call the Legislature into a special session. He argued legislators were trying to make an end run around the constitution with the emergency session law. It acts, it looks, it walks like a special session, Blaiklock said. It is a special session by another name. Holcomb has said he's worried that any action taken by the Legislature under the new law could be challenged as illegal and lead to significant uncertainty during a time of emergency. Blaiklock said if legislators want the authority to meet at any time, then they should seek to amend the state constitution rather than set up an illegitimate session. For whatever reason, they decided not to follow that process and went the wrong way, Blaiklock said. Marion County Judge Patrick Dietrick gave both sides 10 days to submit more court documents before he makes a decision. Legal experts anticipate the dispute will ultimately be decided by the state Supreme Court. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The three plaintiffs Montana Youth Action, Forward Montana Foundation and the Montana Public Interest Research Group are suing Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, Montanas top elections' officer. The complaint has been assigned to Judge Ashley Harada. In their lawsuit, the groups argue that voter participation among young Montanans jumped substantially during the 2020 election, adding that the three plaintiffs have been actively involved in increasing turnout among voters between the ages of 18 and 29. In support of the new voting laws, Jacobsen and Republican lawmakers frequently argued that the changes to law were needed to shore up the integrity of elections in Montana. Arguing against that rationale, the groups cited a 2020 case in which a Missoula judge found that a group supporting the reelection campaign of then-President Donald Trump had failed to provide any evidence of election fraud in recent history in Montana. In all, a total of 2,996 people died during the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Since Sept. 11, 2001, Kaufmann has had literally thousands of students, but he says that he remembers the faces of all the students who were in that Western Civilization class. He remembers watching the news and not knowing at first that the plane hitting the north tower was a deliberate attack. He recalls the people covering the event whether it was an accident. It was when the second plane hit, it became obvious it was a terrorist attack. Kaufmann vividly remembers much of the horror of the day. He remembers seeing people jumping from upper floors of the towers rather than burn to death. He also remembers seeing the towers collapse and seeing the cloud of dust, watching people coming from what appeared to be a cyclone of dust and debris. He also remembers learning the number of emergency personnel that perished during the attacks. It was days, if not weeks, before it sank in that everybodys life had changed, he said. I had been teaching and the main point of context was the Cold War in 1988, he said. The Cold War and U.S. Soviet relations were the point of reference for interpreting events. After that point that was it. It still is to this day. Greg Marty was a 20-year-old cadet the day he walked over to the old maintenance shack behind the Illinois Fire Academy building in Champaign, Ill. It was Sept. 11, 2001. It was the day Marty realized being a firefighter had changed forever. "It was my second day at the academy," recalled Marty, who is the Rock Island Marshal and has been with the Rock Island Fire Department for 20 years. "We had started the morning with some training and we were supposed to work the ladders that day," Marty said. "Not long after we started, a few of the instructors huddled and then they told us to walk back to our class. On the way back in, I can never forget this, there was one of those old maintenance shacks and the guy who ran it had this old black-and-white TV on top of a filing cabinet "It was one of those sets with rabbit ears and he had it done with tin foil and coat hangers just to get a picture." Marty, his fellow cadets, and the instructors watched as smoke billowed from one of the towers of the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. NEW YORK (AP) A Florida businessman who gained notoriety for helping Rudy Giuliani seek damaging information on Joe Biden in Ukraine pleaded guilty Friday to a charge alleging he facilitated illegal foreign campaign contributions in an effort to build a marijuana business in the U.S. Igor Fruman, 56, entered the plea in federal court in Manhattan after reaching a deal with prosecutors. Fruman's plea agreement does not require him to cooperate in other cases, U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken said. Initially charged in a wide-ranging indictment, Fruman pleaded guilty to a single count of solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national. The plea resolves the case against him. Federal sentencing guidelines call for a punishment of 37 to 46 months in prison, though Fruman could get up to five years, the judge said. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21. The plea leaves two men Lev Parnas, another Soviet-born Florida businessman and Giuliani associate, and Ukraine-born investor Andrey Kukushkin to face trial next month. A fourth person, David Correia, was sentenced in February to a year in prison for fraud involving a company he ran that brought Giuliani on as a consultant. This transformative investment promises to build approximately 36,000 new housing units statewide, with an average contribution per unit of more than $9,000, she said. This represents a much-needed down payment on Iowas long-term prosperity. While Iowa today is in a strong economic position after the shock of 2020, Reynolds said, the state needs more high-quality attainable housing if its to keep up with its employment opportunities. Specifically, Iowa is expected to need another 47,000 homes by 2030 including 10,586 for Iowans earning $38,450 a year or less. We're doing everything we can to expedite that and not only retain but recruit more people to this great state, Reynolds said. And these families many of whom will be attracted to our state by our economic growth, our low cost of living, and safe neighborhoods they need to be able to live in the communities where they work. Iowa might be nationally recognized for its employment opportunities. But, Reynolds warned, Our housing shortage continues to represent a catch. We've seen a growing mismatch between where the job opportunities are thriving and where people can find affordable places to live, she said. RSAWEB, one of South Africas most trusted Cloud Solution providers in a long-standing partnership with Veeam, will host a webinar on the 15th of September. The session will be hosted by RSAWEBs Head of Engineering, Koos Myburgh, and a senior in-country leadership member from Veeam, presenting relevant global, solution and product-focused content. Focusing on market feedback from the last 18 months as well as Veeams recent release of version 11, the session will be insightful, practical and will make provision to address technical queries as well as general solution and data protection-related challenges. Join Chris Norton, Veeam Africas Regional Director and Matthew Lee, Cloud and Hosting Manager at Veeam Africa; along with RSAWEBs experts: Koos Myburgh, Head of Engineering and Sean Rose, Cloud Product manager for this not-to-be-missed webinar. Learn more about Veeam and how RSAWEB & Veeam can enable your business to grow. Why a Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan and Partner is vital The importance of having a backup and disaster recovery solution becomes more apparent when you look at the data. Since the Covid-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, there has been a 96% increase of cloud adoption in organisations (globally) to ease on-premises management; with this accelerated adoption rate there has been a 7x increase in ransomware and other malicious attacks as distributed systems and workforces increase attack surface areas. As part of a recent study, Veeam reports that legacy backup solutions are failing in one way or another at least a third of the time, which means that on average 33% of all backup jobs fail, with 34% of all restore jobs also failing and businesses experiencing 58% failure of recovery. Book your spot at RSAWEBs upcoming Veeam-powered webinar to learn more from your industry experts. How RSAWEB and Veeam v11 keep your business data protected Veeam Backup and Replication v11 is loaded with benefits and features to help you accelerate your businesss digital transformation journey, offering solutions that are easy to operate and extremely reliable, ensuring that your data is safe and protected from disasters and cyber-attacks whilst being available on-demand for recovery. Some of the most exciting capabilities within Veeam Backup and Replication v11 include Continuous Data Protection, which provides resiliency for critical workloads, reducing Recovery Point Objective (RPO) to (almost) zero, Reliable Ransomware Protection provided by immutable backups, and Modern Cloud Archiving which will allow your business to reduce the cost of long-term storage. Find out how RSAWEB and Veeam can keep your business protected at their upcoming webinar. Why RSAWEB have partnered with Veeam Choosing the right partners for business-critical solutions like backup and disaster recovery is fundamental to the Service Provider solution suite. We spoke to Sean Rose, RSAWEBs Product & Solution Specialist for Cloud Services about their partnership with Veeam, and he said that Veeam are listed in the top 5, globally, as Best-in-class Backup and Disaster Recovery software providers. The partner support their engineering and R&D teams provide us with is second-to-none. They are a global leader in data protection and allow us to build solutions for our customers that provide peace of mind. Click here to attend RSAWEBs webinar. They have been waiting for months -- actually years. More than 100 young adults had been on a waiting list to apply for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) so that they could finally feel safe, have protection from deportation, reside lawfully in the US and be able to work supporting themselves and helping their families. There are more than 1,200 young people in Napa Valley who have obtained DACA status since it was created in 2012. But every year more and more young people become eligible and need legal services. In January 2021 the ability to apply for DACA opened up after it had been curtailed in September 2017 by the Trump Administration. Within just a couple of weeks, five high school students mobilized an effort to create a process for reaching out to their peers who were eligible to apply. Working side by side with their adult partners at On The Move and their legal advisors, the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA), they quickly learned how to gather the hundreds of documents from each applicant so they could provide completed files to IIBA for review and submittal. This really should be a school, said Oberting. It was built to be a school and the building is ideally suited to be a school. Our ideal would be if it was faith-based but we didnt have anyone else who was interested, in leasing the entire space, he said. We thought this is the next best thing. Notably, the proposed charter school would allow the church to continue to offer religious education classes in the schools classrooms three nights a week, said Oberting. The building will be fully alive, day and evening, with the school and religious education in the evening. Some 200 youths use the building weekly, he said. Some of those kids could end up being Mayacamas students, he noted. Oberting said the arrangement has not been finalized so he couldnt give exact leasing information, but when the county rented the school property for those affected by COVID-19, it paid $16,000 a month. The school should expect to pay something in that same range. Now that a site has been identified, next up for the founders is presenting their petition for a new charter school to the NVUSD. Bail is money or property that can be forfeited if suspects fail to appear for trial. Traditionally, judges set bail based on suspects criminal records and pending charges. Critics said that allows wealthy suspects to go home to prepare for trial while lower-income defendants remain jailed, a system they said encouraged some innocents to plead guilty to get out of jail. The Anti-Recidivism Coalition, a reform group that supports the bill, projects that it currently costs nearly $4.6 million a day to keep about 40,000 offenders housed in county jails. While the bail bill stalled, lawmakers sent several other criminal justice bills to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday. The first requires judges to give great weight to mitigating circumstances that favor dismissing enhancements that can greatly extend the length of prison sentences, unless doing so would endanger public safety. Democratic Sen. Nancy Skinner said enhancements are much more likely to be imposed on Black suspects. Her bill would enact 1 of 10 recommendations of Newsoms California Committee on the Revision of the Penal Code. I turned on the Today Show they were showing the first plane had hit the World Trade Center. As I continued getting ready for school, the horror of the attack was being televised. I knew that today would be forever different. I arrived at Saint Helena Primary School in shock. Our principal, Robin MacRae, called us together in the staff room. Her advice was that we give no additional information, but just listen to kids questions and answer directly. Good advice, but it didnt prepare me for the next hour. I was scared, parents were scared, children were scared. Adults were crying; children, ages five through seven, were clinging; everyone looking for answers as they arrived in Room 10. This was a test of our Multi-Age Program community. We sat on the rug it was then, I realized my immediate task was to keep everyone calm and lessen the gut-wrenching fear we were all feeling. I remember looking out at parents Shannon Kuleto, Nelly Ortega, Holly Preston, Jamie Bertoli and many others who were looking to me to process what was happening and what to say to their children. Armenia army's General Staff chief receives newly appointed US Military Attache Armenia PM states reason why he used Azerbaijani toponyms to describe situation in Syunik Province Deputy Mayor of Armenia's Goris: Azerbaijani police detained 2 Iranian drivers in Vorotan 8 international ombudspersons to participate in Russia's elections as experts, including Armenia's Ombudsman Armenia Security Council Secretary meets with Russian counterpart in Dushanbe Azerbaijanis celebrate anniversary of Armenian pogrom in Baku with military parade in Artsakhs occupied Shushi Azerbaijani police detain two Iranian truck drivers on Armenia's Goris-Kapan road Iran embassy in Armenia on situation on Goris-Kapan motorway section: Elimination of road obstacles is topical Armenia FM unable to travel to Dushanbe due to aircraft engine malfunction Armenia government officials answering questions from MPs (LIVE) Armenia Labor and Social Affairs Ministry to carry out new social support program for displaced citizens of Artsakh Armenia finance minister receives Japan Ambassador Armenia State Revenue Committee chief receives Latvian State Revenue Service's Police Department delegation CSTO Collective Security Council to discuss urgent security issues, Armenia PM to also attend meeting Friendship group with India to soon be set up again in legislature, says Armenia parliament speaker Armenian doctors protesting near Prosecutor General's Office in support of Armen Charchyan Toivo Klaar: Important to reduce tensions on border to contribute to better climate for negotiations Turkey, Azerbaijan air forces holding joint military exercises Zas: CSTO foreign and defense ministers councils next meeting will be held in Armenia PACE regrets tragic humanitarian consequences of Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict Russia deputy FM, Red Cross president discuss humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh US does not consider Karabakh status issue resolved, says envoy to Armenia US government to provide $9.5m to combat corruption in Armenia Opposition Armenia Bloc holds meeting chaired by ex-President Kocharyan (PHOTOS) Armenia Security Council chief: Azerbaijan policy is obviously provocative Armenia Administrative Court terminates proceedings on case of army General Staff ex-chief vs. President, PM Prosecution insists that Armenia 2nd president Kocharyans pretrial measure, amount of bail not be changed 5 new cases of coronavirus reported in Karabakh Armenia President receives Russia counterparts special representative on international cultural cooperation Armenia Police special forces apprehend fallen soldiers relative from outside government building Xi Jinping denies personal meeting with Biden Baku celebrates 'liberation' from Armenians Survey: 48.4% of displaced Artsakh residents moved to Armenia (VIDEO) 756 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices going up Politico: European Commission chiefs classified speech found in trash Armenia Court of Appeal continues considering appeal of case on ex-President Kocharyan, some other former officials Biden: Extreme weather events will cost more than $100bn in damages this year Newspaper: Armenia authorities agree to opposition proposal to hold parliament session on Goris-Kapan road issue Newspaper: Armenia authorities send Karabakh Security Council chief as envoy to imprisoned opposition MP Energy security expert: Artsakh economic growth averaged 10.5% since 2000 UN General Assembly 76th session kicks off in New York Karabakh President's spokesperson: Azerbaijanis shoot in direction of Taghavard village, no victims Armenia Investigative Committee: Battalion commander who was on-duty in Karabakh's Khtsaberd village is arrested Trilateral MoC signed to raise level of seismic safety of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant to the highest level Armenia opposition MP: Authorities didn't help Ombudsman prepare report on tortures of Armenian citizens in Baku Hanged body of 44-year-old serviceman of Armenia MOD found in village Armenia opposition MP slams parliamentary committee chairman's statement Police apprehend armed student at Yerevan metro station Azerbaijanis demand punishing Member of the Russian State Duma Vitaly Milonov Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker receives Russia President's Special Representative Armenia President grants high state award to chess grandmaster Elina Danielyan Armenia PM appoints deputy economy minister Putin holds phone talks with Iranian counterpart Armenia Supreme Judicial Council chairman on his relations with PM Nikol Pashinyan Karabakh President meets with journalists and editors of country's Free Artsakh newspaper US Embassy in Armenia to Baku: Only comprehensive solution can help normalize Armenian-Azerbaijani relations Armenia President receives Slovakia FM Armenia defense minister's mother dies Armenia parliament's foreign relations committee chairman meets with Ukrainian MPs Armenia Syunik Province governor meets with newly appointed US Deputy Ambassador Monument to heroes who took revenge over Armenian Genocide organizers to be placed in Yerevan Armenia Parliament Speaker receives Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister-led delegation Digest: Protests being held in Yerevan, more on COVID-19 in Armenia Yerevan mayor: Not going to resign Dollar still going down in Armenia Karabakh emergency situations service: Remains of 1 Armenian serviceman found in Varanda Armenia Cassation Court has new judge PACE recommends holding debates over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Afghanistan situation National Archives of Armenia and Iran to sign memorandum within scope of cooperation Armenia PM, Gazprom Management Committee chairman discuss Armenian-Russian energy partnership Armenia Deputy PM participates in session of Eurasian Economic Commission's Council Police apprehend Yerevan neighborhood resident on hunger, water strike Armenia Ambassador to Ukraine: Aim of intergovernmental commission is to take steps to unblock communication Deceased serviceman's little brother born at medical center in Armenia's Etchmiadzin Taliban denies war crimes charges against human rights defenders Armenia PM, Slovakia FM discuss Karabakh peace process Criminal case opened into death of Armenia soldier, another one receiving gunshot wounds Biden: You either keep Gavin Newsom as your governor or you'll get Donald Trump Armenia Investigative Committee former chair, ex-Prosecutor Generals arrest appealed 4 of Yerevan neighborhood residents protesting outside city hall apprehended Frances Macron makes social media post in Armenian Iran ambassador tries to discuss, with Azerbaijan presidential aide, demarche against Iranian trucks in Armenia 4 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh US and EU urge global community to cut methane emissions by 30% Ukraine official: We have always considered Armenia as important partner in South Caucasus US, Japan and South Korea discuss new North Korean missile tests Yerevan neighborhood residents close off street adjacent to city hall Armenia Central Bank raises refinancing rate by 0.25 percentage point Appeal filed against court decision to arrest mayor of Armenias Goris 25,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine sent by France arrives in Yerevan Armenia FM informs visiting Slovakia colleague about Azerbaijan provocations Armenia ruling partys parliamentary faction holding closed meeting Armenia MOD confirms: There is also wounded soldier in tragic incident at the military outpost Slovakia FM: Process of returning Armenian captives from Azerbaijan must continue US intends to invite Russia and China to international summit on COVID-19 fight Armenia legislature elects Corruption Prevention Commission new member 657 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Karen Vardanyan has allocated 105 million AMD to rescue the Yerevan Botanical Garden Armenia MOD: Army representatives will observe Russia-Belarus joint military exercise YEREVAN. Zhoghovurd newspaper of Armenia writes: During the () meeting back on July 26 at the central office of the [ruling] Civil Contract Party, it was decided that a [National Assembly (NA)] committee investigating the circumstances of the 44-day [Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] war [last fall] should be set up. Well-informed sources of Zhoghovurd daily report that the document on the setting up of the committee is ready, the members of the ruling faction of the parliament have already signed the petition on setting up a committee. According to our information, the chair of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security, Andranik Kocharyan, is personally dealing with the setting up of the committee and all the other issues. We were informed that the authorities intend to involve extra-parliamentary forces also in the inquiry committee, now discussions are underway in connection with this matter. According to our information, after the formation of the committee, the sessions will not be closed, secret as in the case of the [NA] committee investigating the circumstances of the April [2016] four-day war. [But] representatives of the authorities have no information on when the committee will begin its work. STEPANAKERT. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan on Friday visited the Askeran regions Aygestan and Noragyugh villages where separate settlements are being built for the residents of Azokh and Drakhtik villages of the Hadrut region, Karin Tak village of the Shushi region, and Avetaranots village of the Askeran regionand who were displaced as a result of the war unleashed by Azerbaijan in 2020. These settlements are being constructed with the funding provided to the Artsakh government by the government of Armenia, the Office of the Artsakh President informs Armenian News-NEWS.am. The head of Artsakh followed the start of this construction, and gave relevant instructions. These residential districts with about 550 houses will have all necessary infrastructures. The first houses will be ready in 2022, and the construction is planned to be completed in 2023. President Harutyunyan stressed that providing housing to all families displaced by the third Artsakh war is at the special focus of the Artsakh state, and the government will spare no effort to resolve this issue as soon as possible. The Artsakh President emphasized that in addition to housing construction programs, the state will assist displaced families in carrying out economic activities and ensuring their own income. The residents of the Fizgorodok neighborhood of Yerevan have raised an alarm about the destruction of trees in the area. "Right now Ratko LLC is smashing and eliminating the trees, the green area in the physics scientific borough, the part whose legality of ownership is currently being investigated within the framework of the criminal case, at the part that was public, has been illegally occupied and must be returned to the public! We demand to stop the work until the end of the investigation of the case. Immediately," the activists wrote on Facebook. The residents of this neighborhood are protesting against the construction of a multi-story building in the areaconsidering it illegal. They have already protested against this construction several times, as a result of which a criminal case was initiated a few days later. Yerevan city hall has ordered to stop this construction until the investigation of this case is completed. After the governments decision to mark the Independence Day anniversary of Armenia at Republic Square in the capital Yerevan with a "large-scale and colorful" celebration, the relatives of the servicemen who have fallen in the 44-day Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war last fall went on Facebook, condemned the holding of this celebration, and demanded that it be cancelled. These families agree that life goes on, but we must respect the people who lost their relatives in the aforesaid war, and therefore refrain from holding such state-level events for at least a year. But despite all this uproar and the aforesaid demand by the families of these fallen soldiers, there is still no signal coming from the government toward changing its decision in this regard. Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 10.09.21: After the governments decision to mark the Independence Day anniversary of Armenia at Republic Square in the capital Yerevan with a "large-scale and colorful" celebration, the relatives of the servicemen who have fallen in the 44-day Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war last fall went on Facebook, condemned the holding of this celebration, and demanded that it be cancelled. These families agree that life goes on, but we must respect the people who lost their relatives in the aforesaid war, and therefore refrain from holding such state-level events for at least a year. But despite all this uproar and the aforesaid demand by the families of these fallen soldiers, there is still no signal coming from the government toward changing its decision in this regard. Elections of local self-government will be held in Goris, Meghri, Tegh and Tatev communities of Syunik Province, the city of Gyumri of Shirak Province and the city of Dilijan of Tavush Province through proportional representation on October 17. The ruling Civil Contract Party will nominate candidates in all the mentioned communities. During a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am, Chairman of the Organizational Committee of the Republican Party of Armenia Ruben Tadevosyan informed that the Republican Party of Armenia will run in the elections of local self-government to be held on October 17 and will announce its candidates soon. Tadevosyan added that the remaining issues related to participation are being considered and that the details will be clarified in the next few days. Asked if the Republican Party of Armenia will go alone or run in the elections with an alliance, Tadevosyan said he wouldnt rule out anything. The European Council has removed Armenia and five other countries from the so-called safe countries list. Following a review under the recommendation on the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, the Council updated the list of countries, special administrative regions and other entities and territorial authorities for which travel restrictions should be lifted. In particular, Uruguay was added to the list and Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei Darussalam, Japan and Serbia were removed from the list, the statement posted on the website of the European Council reads. Grape growers of Armenias Ararat Province today closed off the Yerevan-Yeraskh interstate road again with the demand that grape procurement companies accept all the grapes by paying AMD 150 per kilogram instead of the current AMD 120-130. A group of residents of several villages closed off the Yerevan-Yeraskh motorways section leading from Shahumyan village to Taperakan village. Police are negotiating with these protesters to reopen the road, but the villagers refuse to do so. Police eventually opened the interstate road by force. As of Friday morning, 669 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 247,666 in the country, Armenian News-NEWS.am has learned from the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Also, 11 more deaths from COVID-19 were registered, making the respective total 4,979 cases. Story Highlights Approval was at just 4% in 1958, when Gallup first polled on the question The racial gap in approval of interracial marriage has nearly closed Age and regional gaps in approval have also shrunk WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Ninety-four percent of U.S. adults now approve of marriages between Black people and White people, up from 87% in the prior reading from 2013. The current figure marks a new high in Gallup's trend, which spans more than six decades. Just 4% approved when Gallup first asked the question in 1958. Line graph. The percentages of Americans who approve of marriage between Black people and White people. 94% of Americans in 2021 approve of these unions, a record in Gallup's trend and up from 4% the first time the question was asked in 1958. The latest figure is from a Gallup poll conducted July 6-21. Shifts in the 63-year-old trend represent one of the largest transformations in public opinion in Gallup's history -- beginning at a time when interracial marriage was nearly universally opposed and continuing to its nearly universal approval today. The U.S. Supreme Court legalized interracial marriage nationwide in the 1967 Loving v. Virginia case. A year after that decision, Gallup found support for the practice increasing, but still only a small minority of 20% approved. Approval of interracial marriage continued to grow in the U.S. in periodic readings Gallup took over the following decades, finally reaching majority level in 1997, when support jumped from 48% to 64%. Support has increased in subsequent measures, surpassing 70% in 2003, 80% in 2011 and 90% in the current reading. White, Non-White Americans Now Similarly Approve of Interracial Marriage Non-White Americans have been consistently more approving of interracial marriages than White Americans -- but that gap has narrowed over time and, in the latest reading, has nearly closed. Previous measures from 1968 to 2013 found double-digit gaps in approval between White and Non-White adults. Today, the three percentage points that separate approval among White (93%) and Non-White adults (96%) is within the poll's margin of error. Recent growth at the national level has been driven by increasing approval among White Americans, as approval among Non-White Americans has been unchanged over the past decade. Majorities of non-White adults since 1968 have approved of interracial marriage. It was not until 1997 that a majority of White adults held that opinion. Line graph. Americans' approval of interracial marriage, by racial group. In 2021, 93% of White adults and 96% of Non-White adults approve of interracial marriage, up from 17% and 56%, respectively, in 1968. Generational Differences in Views on Interracial Marriage Shrink Younger adults in the U.S. have consistently been more likely than their older peers to approve of marriages between Black people and White people. But these generational differences have shrunk, as older adults are now nearly as supportive of interracial marriages as younger adults are. But Americans in all age groups today are more supportive of Black-White marriages than adults in the same age group were in the past, particularly among older adults. In 1991, 27% of U.S. adults aged 50 and older approved of interracial marriages, compared with 91% today. Approval of Interracial Marriage, by Age Group 1991 2002 2011 2021 % Approve % Approve % Approve % Approve 18-29 64 86 97 98 30-49 56 75 91 97 50+ 27 44 78 91 Gallup Regional Differences in Views on Interracial Marriage Now Gone In previous decades, Americans living in the East, Midwest and West were generally more approving of marriages between Black people and White people than those living in the South. At this point in the trend, however, approval of interracial marriage is nearly universal across all regions, almost closing the regional gaps that existed in earlier parts of the trend. Approval of Interracial Marriage, by Region 1991 2002 2011 2021 % Approve % Approve % Approve % Approve East 54 67 90 94 Midwest 50 60 86 93 South 33 59 79 93 West 60 79 91 97 Gallup Bottom Line Americans are now nearly unanimous in their approval of marriages between Black people and White people. The shifts over time document changes in U.S. social mores as well as differing attitudes between current and past generations of Americans. A similar gradual change can be seen in willingness to vote for a Black presidential candidate, a trend that spans just as much time as Gallup's trend on interracial marriage. While voting for a Black candidate was unpopular in the 1950s, nearly all Americans say they would be willing to do so today. Americans' ideas about marriage, too, have changed. Solid majorities now support same-sex marriage, and larger majorities than in the past view divorce as morally acceptable. At the same time, Americans have become less likely to say that civil rights for Black Americans have improved, and they have recently become more likely to say that new civil rights laws are needed to reduce discrimination against Black people. Opposition to interracial marriage still exists, but it is quite small. Future measures will indicate whether 94% is the ceiling for approval, or if there is still room for growth in acceptance. To stay up to date with the latest Gallup News insights and updates, follow us on Twitter. Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. View complete question responses and trends (PDF download). It was what the end of the world might look like. Two decades later, G. Patricia Cantwell can still vividly recall the haunting site: the smoldering pile of twisted steel beams and pulverized cement, the crushed automobiles covered in dust. For seven straight days, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine physician worked in that nightmare, tending to the medical needs of the elite South Florida Urban Search and Rescue Team/Florida Task Force 2. Composed of City of Miami firefighters and paramedics, the squad had been dispatched to New York City to search for survivors amid the rubble of the collapsed Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Now, on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Cantwell is still a member of Florida Task Force 2, having deployed to such disasters as Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and most recently the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida. She has seen training for urban search and rescue deployments evolve immensely since 9/11, and as proof of that, she points to a Federal Emergency Management Agency class that trains first responders how to negotiate a rubble pile and care for crush victims in confined spaces. Were always hopeful of finding that void space where someone could survive, explained Cantwell. That was the hope at Surfside and at Ground Zero. A pediatric critical care physician whose areas of specialty include trauma care, emergency medical services, and disaster medicine, Cantwell also has seen the response to disasters change since the Sept. 11 attacks. The push has been to build up the experience of state teams to be able to respond quickly, she said. She noted that Florida Task Force 2 deployed to Mexico Beach immediately after Hurricane Michael devastated the small coastal community on the Florida Panhandle in October 2018. We had been staged in Ocala, and we were actually driving into the tail end of Michael. So, we were there very quickly and started our searchboots on the ground, Cantwell said. Medical training simulation for the armed forces also advanced considerably after the 9/11 attacks, with the Universitys Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education playing an instrumental role. Specifically, the center partnered with the U.S. Army to develop and implement lifesaving training techniques for forward surgical teams (FST) on the battlefieldskills that have been used to train first responders and to treat trauma victims in the civilian world, according to Ivette Motola, director of the Gordon Centers Division of Prehospital and Emergency Training. The classes Active Shooter Hostile Events and Emergency Response to Terrorism for First Responders evolved from training the center has offered to Army FSTs, she noted. What changed more than anything in the realm of post-9/11 training was a new focus on protecting firefighters and paramedics as they respond to manmade and natural disasters, said Barry Issenberg, professor of medicine and the Michael S. Gordon Chair of Medical Education. Sept. 11 demonstrated that these individuals put their personal safety aside when answering the call for others, Issenberg said. As a result of this, we developed and implemented simulation training that focuses on their personal safety, including simulation scenarios in donning and doffing personal protective equipment in the event of a range of possible eventseverything from explosive- and radiologic- to biological- and chemical-related disasters. But arguably, one of the biggest post-9/11 responses was the realignment of federal law enforcement agencies that occurred in November 2002, when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began operating with the mission of securing the nation from terrorist threats or attacks, explained Vincent Torres, emergency management director for the University of Miami Health System. He pointed out that with important information and intelligence not being shared among agencies, critical clues were missed or not passed to the appropriate agency. The realignment allowed for more efficient communication to prevent future attacks. Emergency management is constantly evolving, and watershed incidents like 9/11 typically usher in major changes, said Torres. He added that other initiatives like the Regional Domestic Security Task Force, of which the Universitys emergency engagement team is a member, also help multiple agencies to prepare for and respond to terrorist acts. President Xi holds phone talks with Joe Biden Xi Jinping and Joe Biden had a candid discussion on bilateral relations and relevant issues of shared interest, Xinhua said. Photo: AFP President Xi Jinping on Friday morning held a phone conversation with his US counterpart Joe Biden, Xinhua News Agency reported. The two leaders held candid, in-depth and broad strategic communication and exchanges on bilateral relations and relevant issues of shared interest, Xinhua said. Mainland media quoted Xi as saying US policy on China has caused "serious difficulties". "Whether China and the US can properly handle their relations... is critical for the future and destiny of the world. And this is a question of the century that both countries must answer," he said, according to broadcaster CCTV. A White House statement said the two leaders had "a broad, strategic discussion," including "areas where our interests converge, and areas where our interests, values, and perspectives diverge." "President Biden underscored the United States' enduring interest in peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and the world and the two leaders discussed the responsibility of both nations to ensure competition does not veer into conflict," the statement said. 'I'm not a foreign agent, I do not plead guilty' Tang Ngok-kwan, a standing committee member of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. File photo: AFP Five members of the group which for three decades organised June 4 vigils in Hong Kong pleaded not guilty on Friday to failing to comply with a demand to furnish police with information about their activities. Chow Hang-tung, Leung Kam-wai, Chan To-wai, Tang Ngok-kwan and Tsui Hon-kwong members of the standing committee of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China are accused of breaching the Implementation Rules for Article 43 of the national security law. These rules empower the police commissioner to require a "foreign or Taiwan agent" to provide various information such as their assets, income, sources of income, expenditure and activities. "I'm not a foreign agent. I do not plead guilty," Tang told West Kowloon Court. All five were denied bail. A pre-trial hearing is expected to be held on October 21. Earlier in the day, Chow and the alliance's Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho were brought before the same court on a subversion charge. No pleas were taken and their case was adjourned until October 28. Chow was denied bail in that case too, while Lee and Ho are serving prison terms over protests in 2019. Russia says divisive Nord Stream 2 pipeline complete Besides Ukraine, countries such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland risk losing transit fees because of the new pipeline. Photo: AFP Russia announced on Friday the completion of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany, a project that has raised US concerns, divided Europe and angered EU ally Ukraine. Nord Stream 2 is expected to double natural gas supplies from Russia to Germany, but it has raised tensions between the European Union and Washington. Critics say the pipeline will increase Europe's dependence on Russian gas and bypass Ukraine. The head of the Gazprom energy giant, Alexei Miller, announced on Friday that construction was "fully completed." A key controversy is that the pipeline diverts supplies from an existing route through Ukraine and is expected to deprive the EU's partner of crucial transit fees from Russia. Ukraine - in conflict with Russia since Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea - has warned Europe that the pipeline could be used by Moscow as "a dangerous geopolitical weapon". "Ukraine will fight this political project, before and after its completion and even after the gas is turned on," Sergiy Nykyforov, the spokesman of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, said. A US State Department spokeswoman, Jalina Porter, said Washington would "continue to oppose this pipeline as a Russian geopolitical project that's a bad deal for Europe." But Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said critics should end efforts to block the project and instead agree "mutually beneficial terms" for its operation. "It is clear to everyone, including critics of Nord Stream 2 and those who desperately opposed its construction, that it cannot be stopped," she said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for the project to be launched "as soon as possible" and said that "everyone" would benefit from it. German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said that Nord Stream 2 had submitted a relevant application to the Federal Network Agency in order to begin operations. Running from Russia's Baltic coast to northeastern Germany, the underwater, 1,200-kilometre pipeline follows the same route as Nord Stream 1, which was completed over a decade ago. Like its predecessor, Nord Stream 2 will be able to pipe 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year to Europe, increasing the continent's access to relatively cheap natural gas at a time of falling domestic production. "It's a victory for Russia, especially taking into account the huge opposition the project has faced, from the US but also from European countries," said Dmitry Marinchenko, a Fitch analyst. Besides Ukraine, countries such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland risk losing transit fees because of the pipeline, he added. Gazprom has a majority stake in the 10-billion-euro (US$12-billion) project. Germany's Uniper and Wintershall, France's Engie, the Anglo-Dutch firm Shell and Austria's OMV are also involved. Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder serves as chairman of the Nord Stream's shareholders committee. Russia and Germany insist Nord Stream 2 is a commercial project, but analysts disagree about its economic benefits. A 2018 report by German think-tank DIW said it was unnecessary and undertaken based on forecasts that "significantly overestimate" demand in Germany and Europe. Germany, Europe's top economy, imports around 40 percent of its gas from Russia, and Berlin believes the pipeline has a role to play in the country's transition away from coal and nuclear energy. US sanctions on Russian vessels laying the pipeline succeeded in delaying Nord Stream 2, angering Germany. But President Joe Biden, eager to rebuild transatlantic ties that were badly strained by his predecessor Donald Trump, waived sanctions in May on the Russian-controlled company behind the project. Analysts saw the move as an olive branch to Berlin, whose support Washington is counting on in the face of other challenges, including a rising China. Zelensky has said the sanctions waiver is a win for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reaffirming support for Ukraine, Biden hosted Zelensky at the White House in September. After the meeting, Zelensky said Biden had assured him Washington would impose sanctions on the pipeline if there were "violations" from Russia that would create problems for Ukraine's energy security. Critics of Washington's opposition to the pipeline point out that the US also wants to boost sales of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe. (AFP) Leila Parsa, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the Baskin School of Engineering at UC Santa Cruz, has received the prestigious Nagamori Award given by Japans Nagamori Foundation to commend those who have made innovative technological developments. Parsa was recognized for multi-phase permanent magnet motors, design, analysis, and control in an awards ceremony on Sunday, September 5. A fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Parsa has received several awards for her work, including the 2009 Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award and the 2007 IEEE Industry Applications Society Outstanding Young Member Award. Her research interests are in design and control of electric machines, drives, and power electronic converters, and she has published over 130 papers in these areas. Parsa earned her Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Texas A&M University. She joined the UCSC faculty in 2017. King, a member of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, professor of community health and epidemiology, and scientific director of Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research at USask, was named a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) on Sept. 7one of 89 new fellows elected by their peers for their outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievement. Dr. King carries out research the world needs with deep care and consideration for the communities he serves, said USask Vice-President Research Baljit Singh. We congratulate him and are thankful for the influential role he plays in Indigenization within our institution and across the country. King is one of Canadas prominent leaders in the promotion of the health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples, and internationally has been key to efforts to improve health and health research for Indigenous communities. His high-impact publications on Indigenous health have served as major benchmarks for understanding health equity and have been cited thousands of times. Kings role on the Canadian Institutes for Health Researchs inaugural governing council and as scientific director of CIHRs Institute of Indigenous Peoples Health have helped to set the agenda for health research engaging Indigenous Peoples. To me, my crowning achievement is one that I share in: the establishment of the ethical principles for Indigenous health research that were taken up by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in 2007, said King. They became, in a modified version, the Tri-Council Policy Statement for our research with First Nations, Metis and Inuit people in Canada. I was one of many people involved in that. It's important because it has defined what's important for Indigenous health research. King was trained as a polymer chemist, and has contributed substantially to the study of respiratory medicine, including cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive lung disease, and most recently, the aerosol spread of COVID-19. He currently co-leads the Indigenous Wellness Research Group pewaseskwan (Cree for the sky is clearing) with Dr. Alexandra King (MD). Recognition by the RSC for career achievement is the highest honour an individual can achieve in Canada in the arts, social sciences, and sciences. francescoridolfi.com / iStock.com Generation Z is coming of age. The oldest members of this generation, born from 1997 to 2012, are now in their mid-20s and striking out on their own. As they move out of their parents' homes and into the real world, the opportunity awaits for them to choose the city where they want to live. Discover: How Gen Z Plans To Avoid Student Loans Find Out: Surprising Ways Gen Z and Millennials Are Worlds Apart Financially Of course, that decision largely could be influenced by the college they attend or the job they get. But members of Gen Z would be smart to consider cities where they can live well on a budget so they can get ahead financially and not have to rely on support from their parents as many millennials have. To help Gen Zers find the best places to live, GOBankingRates analyzed the 100 largest U.S. cities based on several criteria. The study considered the population of 18- to 24-year-olds in those cities to determine whether they would be desirable places to live for young adults. In addition, the average cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment, plus the average price of groceries, healthcare, utilities and transportation were examined. GOBankingRates added up the cost of those necessities then subtracted that amount from $35,578 the mean after-tax income of Americans ages 25 and younger to see how much money would be left over each month after covering costs in those cities. Find Out: The Worlds 20 Richest Millennials Each factor was scored, with median rent weighted triple, population and percentage of population ages 18 to 24 weighted double, leftover income weighted double and livability weighted double. The higher the score, the less affordable and desirable a city was. Some clear trends emerged. For the most part, the analysis revealed that cities in the South and Midwest tend to be where Gen Zers can save more money on monthly expenses. Check out the best places for members of the Z generations to live without breaking the bank. Story continues Last updated: Sep. 1o, 2021 zrfphoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto 15. Baton Rouge, Louisiana Percentage of population 18-24: 17.6% Median monthly rent: $800 Annual cost of groceries: $2,614.08 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,466.21 Annual cost of transportation: $4,388.05 Annual cost of utilities: $1,982.90 Annual cost of necessities: $20,051 Money left over after necessities: $15,527 Livability: 63 Learn More: 35 Surprising Cities With Low Costs of Living Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com 14. Corpus Christi, Texas Percentage of population 18-24: 10.3% Median monthly rent: $850 Annual cost of groceries: $2,545.50 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,526.61 Annual cost of transportation: $3,139.38 Annual cost of utilities: $2,257.56 Annual cost of necessities: $19,669 Money left over after necessities: $15,909 Livability: 74 Keep Reading: These Are the 50 Best Cities for Renters Shutterstock.com 13. Columbia, South Carolina Percentage of population 18-24: 26.5% Median monthly rent: $949 Annual cost of groceries: $2,633.28 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,617.21 Annual cost of transportation: $3,009.40 Annual cost of utilities: $2,431.74 Annual cost of necessities: $21,080 Money left over after necessities: $14,498 Livability: 60 State to State: From Alabama to Wyoming: The Cost of Living Across America Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com 12. San Antonio, Texas Percentage of population 18-24: 10.6% Median monthly rent: $950 Annual cost of groceries: $2,507.10 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,408.83 Annual cost of transportation: $3,911.43 Annual cost of utilities: $2,119.12 Annual cost of necessities: $21,346 Money left over after necessities: $14,232 Livability: 77 Check Out: How Far a $100,000 Salary Goes in Americas 50 Largest Cities Long_Strange_Trip_01 / Getty Images/iStockphoto 11. Columbus, Ohio Percentage of population 18-24: 11.5% Median monthly rent: $860 Annual cost of groceries: $2,710.08 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,307.66 Annual cost of transportation: $3,549.04 Annual cost of utilities: $2,279.89 Annual cost of necessities: $20,167 Money left over after necessities: $15,411 Livability: 76 Ron and Patty Thomas / Getty Images/iStockphoto 10. Toledo, Ohio Percentage of population 18-24: 10.6% Median monthly rent: $595 Annual cost of groceries: $2,476.93 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,306.15 Annual cost of transportation: $3,320.58 Annual cost of utilities: $2,170.48 Annual cost of necessities: $16,414 Money left over after necessities: $19,164 Livability: 63 Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com 9. Tallahassee, Florida Percentage of population 18-24: 28.9% Median monthly rent: $800 Annual cost of groceries: $2,655.22 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,810.49 Annual cost of transportation: $3,462.38 Annual cost of utilities: $2,393.78 Annual cost of necessities: $19,922 Money left over after necessities: $15,656 Livability: 63 Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto 8. Tucson, Arizona Percentage of population 18-24: 15.4% Median monthly rent: $730 Annual cost of groceries: $2,619.57 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,230.65 Annual cost of transportation: $3,805.07 Annual cost of utilities: $2,219.60 Annual cost of necessities: $18,635 Money left over after necessities: $16,943 Livability: 64 SeanPavonePhoto / iStock.com 7. Knoxville, Tennessee Percentage of population 18-24: 17.6% Median monthly rent: $840 Annual cost of groceries: $2,666.20 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,445.07 Annual cost of transportation: $3,222.10 Annual cost of utilities: $2,134.75 Annual cost of necessities: $19,548 Money left over after necessities: $16,030 Livability: 71 Invest Your Extra Money: How To Buy Stocks Online RiverNorthPhotography / iStock.com 6. Lincoln, Nebraska Percentage of population 18-24: 16% Median monthly rent: $790 Annual cost of groceries: $2,671.68 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,879.95 Annual cost of transportation: $2,993.64 Annual cost of utilities: $2,061.06 Annual cost of necessities: $19,086 Money left over after necessities: $16,492 Livability: 81 csfotoimages / Getty Images 5. Madison, Wisconsin Percentage of population 18-24: 21.3% Median monthly rent: $1,070 Annual cost of groceries: $2,685.40 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,303.13 Annual cost of transportation: $3,379.66 Annual cost of utilities: $2,400.48 Annual cost of necessities: $22,609 Money left over after necessities: $12,969 Livability: 75 Henryk Sadura / Shutterstock.com 4. Lexington, Kentucky Percentage of population 18-24: 14.2% Median monthly rent: $760 Annual cost of groceries: $2,688.14 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,355.98 Annual cost of transportation: $3,446.63 Annual cost of utilities: $2,029.80 Annual cost of necessities: $18,641 Money left over after necessities: $16,937 Livability: 76 DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com 3. El Paso, Texas Percentage of population 18-24: 11.1% Median monthly rent: $710 Annual cost of groceries: $2,523.56 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,309.17 Annual cost of transportation: $3,619.94 Annual cost of utilities: $2,168.24 Annual cost of necessities: $18,141 Money left over after necessities: $17,437 Livability: 78 Crowley Baldwin / Shutterstock.com 2. Lubbock, Texas Percentage of population 18-24: 18.9% Median monthly rent: $650 Annual cost of groceries: $2,520.82 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,582.48 Annual cost of transportation: $2,879.41 Annual cost of utilities: $2,087.86 Annual cost of necessities: $16,871 Money left over after necessities: $18,707 Livability: 74 Nagel Photography / Shutterstock.com 1. Fort Wayne, Indiana Percentage of population 18-24: 10% Median monthly rent: $629 Annual cost of groceries: $2,507.10 Annual cost of healthcare: $1,203.47 Annual cost of transportation: $3,210.29 Annual cost of utilities: $2,025.33 Annual cost of necessities: $16,494 Money left over after necessities: $19,084 Livability: 80 [rock-component id="1140394"] Cameron Huddleston contributed to the reporting for this article. Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the best cities for Gen Z to live well on a budget by analyzing the 100 largest cities in the U.S. along the following criteria: (1) population aged 18 to 24 years old, sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey; 18- to 24 year-olds were used to be representative of Gen. Z based on Pew Research's age ranges for Gen. Z ages 24 and under; (2) percentage of the population aged 18 to 24 years old, sourced from the Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey; (3) average rent, based on Zumper and ApartmentList.com's median monthly rent from January to February 2021; itemized costs of living for necessities, sourced from Sperling's Best Places, such as (4) groceries cost of living; (5) healthcare cost of living; (6) utilities cost of living; (7) transportation cost of living; (8) amount of income leftover after paying for necessary costs of living, which is the sum of rent, groceries, healthcare, utilities and transportation subtracted from $35,578, the mean after-tax income of Americans ages 25 and under, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey; and (9) livability scores, sourced from AreaVibes. Each factor was scored, with average rent weighted triple, population and percentage of population aged 18 to 24 weighted double, leftover income weighted double and livability weighted double. All data compiled on Feb. 16, 2021. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: These Are the 15 Best Cities for Gen Z To Live Well on a Budget The morning coffee drinkers at the Griddle diner remember the guy with strong ideas. To them, he was just some mid-30s loudmouth working in the tire shop down East Lancaster Avenue. Then, one morning, Wadih el-Hage was on the TV news charged in the deaths of 213 people in a 1998 terrorist U.S. Embassy bombing, and also accused of securing chemical weapons for fugitive Saudi multimillionaire Osama bin Laden. The enemies who attack America are not all over there. At the Griddle, they know we have enemies right here. He was a radical, radical man, said retired IRS agent Joe Vale, 71, drinking his coffee black in the old east side diner and remembering the tire guy down the street who was personal secretary to bin Laden. Arizona drivers license photo of Wadih El-Hage. Once, el-Hage was bin Ladens administrative assistant. Then, he was an Arlington terrorist organizer and a Fort Worth tire repairman. Now, he faces a life sentence in federal prison. [Update: El-Hage remains in a Colorado prison serving life without parole.] He told people he hated the United States because we were helping Israel, Vale said. He told everybody he was an enemy of the United States. Who knows how many more like him are still here? Bin Laden and his followers are not the only suspects in the terrorist attacks Tuesday in New York and Washington. The trial of el-Hage convicted of terrorism in the bin Laden-backed bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Kenya is our most vivid local reminder that we are part of a larger world. The used-tire store where suspected terrorist Wadih el-Hage worked for a period of time was located on East Lancaster Avenue. He is now in a federal prison in New York. We live in a community with instant access to that world and to all its threats. We ought to find out who did it, and then go out and get somebody, muttered Griddle customer Jim Standerfer, 54, a retired plastics worker and Vietnam veteran talking between drags on a cigarette and swigs of diner coffee. Really, though theyve taken too much money away from the federal intelligence agencies. Im a lot more worried about whats happening inside our borders. Id pay more tax money to have better security around here. Story continues Some Griddle customers said el-Hage drank coffee there. Others said they never saw him, but heard about him from workers and customers at the tire shop, which is under new ownership. He was always saying that he hates the U.S., Standerfer said. Fine. I know a lot of people who go around saying they hate the U.S. Just dont blow up innocent people over it. Vale, a Rio Grande Valley native and the brother of former San Antonio state Sen. Bob Vale, said he wishes the solution were as easy as finding some other nation to blame and just go turn the whole place into a parking lot. Wadih el-Hage, conspirator in bombing of U.S. embassies in Africa. But its not that easy, he said, waving his coffee mug. This isnt some other country were up against. Its just a bunch of thugs against America. Melvin Barksdale, 71, was behind the grill. Hes cooked at Griddle diners off and on in Fort Worth since 1947. Those guys sat back all day yesterday talking, too, he said, grinning and waving a hand. Theyll be there all day today. Lonnie Cornish, 63, owner of a pest control service, drifted in for the lunch hour. But he wanted only coffee. The government needs to get more a lot more foot soldiers out here, more agents, he said. Whoevers behind this, theyve got a whole heckuva lot more terrorists in the U.S. The government ought to be checking more of this stuff out. The guys at the Griddle know what theyre talking about. Some of them know a convicted terrorist. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed a bill that aims to stop social media companies from banning users or nixing posts based solely on political opinions the latest salvo by Republicans, who claim that these tech giants are censoring conservative users. The new law requires social media companies with more than 50 million monthly users to disclose their content moderation policies and institute an appeals process. It would also require such social media companies to remove illegal content within 48 hours. Under the state legislation, users may sue the platforms to get their accounts reinstated, and the Texas attorney general would be able to file suits on behalf of users. "We will always defend the freedom of speech in Texas, which is why I am proud to sign House Bill 20 into law to protect first amendment rights in the Lone Star State," Abbott said in a statement. "Social media websites have become our modern-day public square. They are a place for healthy public debate where information should be able to flow freely but there is a dangerous movement by social media companies to silence conservative viewpoints and ideas. That is wrong, and we will not allow it in Texas." The new law would affect companies including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. It's the latest Republican effort to take on the social media giants; Florida recently passed a law that would have prohibited social media platforms from banning political candidates, but a federal judge blocked the law before it was supposed to take effect. Some Republicans have for years claimed social media companies have an anti-conservative bias, complaints that grew after former President Trump was blocked from using Twitter and Facebook after his false claims about the 2020 presidential election led to the January 6 assault on the Capitol. Democrats, too, are trying to challenge social media companies, albeit for different reasons. The White House has pushed social media companies like Facebook to work more quickly to remove COVID-19 disinformation. Story continues Tagging migrating whimbrel shorebirds Michigan family remembers mother lost in 9/11 attack Windsor Castle plays U.S. national anthem on 20th anniversary of 9/11 Lightning strikes in the area of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park Sept. 9 near Santa Rosa, Calif. (Kent Porter / Associated Press) As lightning ignited several new fires across California, the Dixie fire raging north of Sacramento continued its relentless advancement this week, growing by nearly 22,000 acres overnight and moving ever closer to scorching 1 million acres, officials said. Thunderstorms roiled large swaths of the state Thursday night, with accompanying lightning strikes starting several new fires in Northern California, while firefighters battled the Dixie fire now a monstrous 950,591 acres and a dozen other large blazes. A fire that ignited Thursday night in the Kanaka Valley area of Rescue, in El Dorado County, was just over 6 acres and 5% contained by Friday morning and constituted the largest of several new blazes in the area, according to Maurice Johnson, fire chief for El Dorado Hills and Rescue fire departments. More than 100 miles to the west, also late Thursday, crews in Mendocino County were battling what was dubbed the Rock Fire, burning south of Hopland. Johnson estimated that hundreds of lightning strikes bore down on El Dorado, Sacramento and Amador counties amid intense storm cells that lasted several hours. Initially, he said, the lighting was "dry" but it was followed by downpour early Friday morning. "Hopefully that'll help keep some of these fires down," he said, noting that another blaze ignited about a quarter-mile from the one in the Kanaka Valley on Friday morning, but it was already contained. Storms also brought much-needed rain to the burn areas of long-active fires, including over eastern portions of the Dixie fire, in Plumas County, and parts of the more than 200,000 acre-Caldor fire to the south, in El Dorado County, according to the National Weather Service. Rainfall was variable, but some areas saw up to a half-inch, said Scott McGuire, a meteorologist with the weather service's Reno station, which covers about 36,000 square miles. However, precipitation was scant in some northwestern portions of the Dixie fire now extending like a demonic finger beyond the Lassen Volcanic National Park and into the Hat Creek area of Shasta County where the fire saw explosive growth overnight. Higher elevations saw little to no rainfall, officials said. Story continues The blaze, 59% contained after burning for nearly two months, is the second-largest fire in California history and is less that 100,000 acres from rising to the first a grim designation currently held by the 2020 August Complex fire. As the fire pushed north toward the Hat Creek Rim on Wednesday, the remote community of Old Station and surrounding areas were evacuated. Mandatory evacuation orders were expanded Thursday as the fire continued its tear, and additional warnings went out. There have been no reports of damaged homes or commercial buildings in those areas, said Capt. Mitch Matlow, a spokesperson for the west zone of the Dixie fire. "We have boots on the ground in there, and we are protecting those structures," he said. A red flag warning advising of critical fire weather covering areas including western Lassen and eastern Plumas counties remains in effect until 11 p.m. Friday, and fire officials were on high alert for plummeting humidity and fierce winds expected to arrive in the early afternoon. Arriving from the southwest, winds are forecast to blow from 15 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph. At higher elevations including parts of the Lake Tahoe region winds could gust up to 50 to 60 mph, said McGuire, of the weather station. Humidity was expected to drop to 15% to 20%, while showers pushed off to the northeast. "We're going to transition right back into very dry air with gusty winds, right on the backside of abundant lightning overnight," McGuire said. Matlow said winds expected to arrive in the west zone of the Dixie fire carry a "potential for significant fire activity very erratic behavior." He said he expected winds in the area would top out at 20 mph in the valleys and up to 40 mph along ridge tops. While areas of the Caldor fire enjoyed some rain, tamping down fire in several hot spots, officials said it would not make much of an impact on critically dry fuels and warned crews to stay vigilant. Since igniting Aug. 14, the blaze now 218,459 acres and 53% contained tore through the small town of Grizzly Flats before surging northeast to the doorstep of South Lake Tahoe. "We have new lightning starts all around us," said Anale Burlew, a unified incident commander for the Caldor fire told firefighters during a briefing Friday morning. She urged crews not to let "these few raindrops lull us into a sense of complacency," noting that resources have been pulled to address new blazes elsewhere. Firefighters were diverted from the Caldor Fire to fight the lightning-sparked fires that took hold in El Dorado County, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's Amador-El Dorado unit said in an online post. More than 14,600 firefighters are attacking 13 large wildfires rampaging across the state, and officials said the large, concurrent blazes are straining limited resources, including personnel and equipment. Wildfires haves torched more than 2 million acres across California this year. Climate experts and fire officials express concern that the state's destructive wildfire season may only worsen this fall with the arrival of intense seasonal winds. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Taliban have used live ammunition, batons and whips against protesters, the UN has said The UN has condemned the Taliban for their "increasingly violent response" to dissent, weeks after the group's rapid takeover of Afghanistan. Taliban fighters killed four people during recent protests, the UN said. Demonstrations have taken place across Afghanistan since the fall of Kabul on 15 August, demanding respect for women's rights and greater freedoms. Taliban fighters have used batons, whips, and live ammunition against protesters, the UN said in its report. "We call on the Taliban to immediately cease the use of force towards, and the arbitrary detention of, those exercising their right to peaceful assembly and the journalists covering the protests," a spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a press statement. Taliban fighters swept across Afghanistan in August, capturing provincial centres and eventually the capital Kabul itself in less than two weeks. The US then led an airlift from the capital's international airport, evacuating more than 120,000 people before pulling out its own forces on 31 August. The Taliban takeover follows two decades of US military operations in Afghanistan, after American and allied forces ousted the group from power in 2001 following the 9/11 attacks. The US will mark the 20th anniversary of those attacks on Saturday. A violent response to peaceful protests UN spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani criticised the Taliban's crackdown on demonstrations in a press briefing on Friday. Demonstrations have grown since 15 August, she said. But on Wednesday the Taliban banned unauthorised gatherings, and on Thursday they ordered telecommunications companies to shut off mobile internet in Kabul. It is crucial the group listen to Afghan women and men on the streets "during this time of great uncertainty", she said. Story continues The press statement also noted the deaths of at least four people - including a boy - and the violent dispersal of demonstrators in recent weeks. It also criticised violence against journalists. Reporters told the BBC this week they had been beaten, detained and flogged by the Taliban when they tried to cover the protests. The journalists said they were badly beaten in Taliban custody The UN report comes amid growing concerns about Afghanistan in the wake of the Taliban takeover. On Friday, the UN's World Food Programme said 93% of households in the country were not eating enough food. A drought has exacerbated supply problems, causing the loss of some 40% of the wheat crop. The Wall Street Journal reports that aid workers fear the entire population could fall into poverty within months. And UN body Unesco warns that the country faces a "generational catastrophe" in education, after two decades of progress for children - especially girls. US to commemorate 9/11 attacks Unconfirmed reports suggest the Taliban plan to hold a ceremony to inaugurate their new government on Saturday, after announcing its leadership this week. It is the day the US will hold events to mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. Close to 3,000 people died that day. Islamist militant group al-Qaeda masterminded the attack, led by Osama Bin Laden - who was at the time in Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban. Ken McCallum, director general of the UK intelligence agency MI5, has told the BBC that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has likely "emboldened" UK terrorists. President Joe Biden had initially set 11 September as the deadline for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, before the Taliban takeover forced the US to speed up its withdrawal. On Thursday the first foreigners flew out of Kabul since the US pull-out. Around 100 people - among them UK, US, Canadian and Dutch nationals - took a Qatar Airways charter flight to Doha. A second Qatar Airways flight from the Afghan capital landed in Doha on Friday, reportedly carrying some 150 people. France has confirmed that 49 of its nationals were on board. The White House said 19 US nationals were on board the aircraft. It added that on Friday another two American nationals and 11 permanent residents left Afghanistan overland to a third country with Washington's assistance. However, press secretary Jen Psaki said that the US has temporarily halted flights of Afghan refugees into the country after the discovery of four cases of measles among those who have recently arrived. Media technology company Amagi announced Friday $100 million to further develop its cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected televisions. Accel, Avataar Ventures and Norwest Venture Partners joined existing investor Premji Invest in the funding round, which included buying out stakes held by Emerald Media and Mayfield Fund. Nadathur Holdings continues as an existing investor. The latest round gives Amagi total funding raised to date of $150 million, Baskar Subramanian, co-founder and CEO of Amagi, told TechCrunch. Bangalore-based Amagi provides cloud broadcast and targeted advertising software so that customers can create content that can be created and monetized to be distributed via broadcast TV and streaming TV platforms like The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus and Pluto TV. The company already supports more than 2,000 channels on its platform across over 40 countries. Video is a complex technology to manage there are large files and a lot of computing, Subramanian said. What Amagi does is enable a content owner with zero technology knowledge to simplify that complex workflow and scalable infrastructure. We want to make it easy to plug in and start targeting and monetizing advertising. As a result, Amagi customers see operational cost savings on average of up to 40% compared to traditional delivery models and their ad impressions grow between five and 10 times. The new funding comes at a time when the company is experiencing rapid growth. For example, Amagi grew 30 times in the United States alone over the past few years, Subramanian said. Amagi commands an audience of over 2 billion people, and the U.S. is its largest market. The company also sees growth potential in both Latin America and Europe. In addition, in the last year, revenue grew 136%, while new customer year over year growth was 44%, including NBCUniversal Subramanian said the Tokyo Olympics were run on Amagis platform for NBC, USA Today and ABS-CBN. Story continues As more of a shift happens with video content being developed for connected television experiences, which he said is a $50 billion market, the company plans to use the new funding for sales expansion, R&D to invest in the companys product pipeline and potential M&A opportunities. The company has not made any acquisitions yet, Subramanian added. In addition to the broadcast operations in New Delhi, Amagi also has an innovation center in Bangalore and offices in New York, Los Angeles and London. Consumer behavior and infrastructure needs have reached a critical mass and new companies are bringing in the next generation of media, and we are a large part of that growth, Subramanian said. Sports will come on quicker, while live news and events are going to be one of the biggest growth areas. Shekhar Kirani, partner at Accel, said Amagi is taking a unique approach to enterprise SaaS due to that $50 billion industry shift happening in video content, where he sees half of the spend moving to connected television platforms quickly. Some of the legacy players like Viacom and NBCUniversal created their own streaming platforms, where Netflix and Amazon have also been leading, but not many SaaS companies are enabling the transition, he said. When Kirani met Subramanian five years ago, Amagi was already well funded, but Kirani was excited about the platform and wanted to help the company scale. He believes the company has a long tailwind because it is saving people time and enabling new content providers to move faster to get their content distributed. Amagi is creating a new category and will grow fast, Kirani added. They are already growing and doubling each year with phenomenal SaaS metrics because they are helping content providers to connect to any audience. Americas former presidents will mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11 publicly and privately on Saturday. Former President George W. Bush, who was commander in chief during the 2001 terrorist attacks, will deliver keynote remarks on Saturday morning at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Later, he and his wife, Laura, will host a screening of the documentary 9/11: Inside the Presidents War Room at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas. Bush was less than a year into his presidency when a staff member interrupted his reading to second graders in Florida to whisper in the presidents ear America is under attack. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. Live coverage on 20th anniversary: America honors the memory of those who were lost: 'We remember' Maybe we dont have control over our destinies: Touching stories from the class of 9/11 Former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, will attend a 9/11 remembrance ceremony at Ground Zero in New York, the site of the two World Trade Center towers attacked in 2001 that has been developed into a memorial. Americas oldest living former president will mark the anniversary in private. Former President Jimmy Carter, 96, is not scheduled to appear publicly on Saturday. President and Mrs. (Rosalynn) Carter will be honoring the memory of the fallen on 9/11 with prayer and reflection privately at home in Plains, spokeswoman Deanna Congileo said in an email. Staff for former President Donald Trump did not respond to a request for comment about his plans to commemorate the anniversary. Trump is scheduled to provide commentary on Saturday night during a boxing match between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort in Florida. Former President Bill Clintons staff did not respond to a request for comment. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Former U.S. presidents commemorate 9/11 anniversary A new "Yang Gang" appears to be in the works. Former Democratic presidential hopeful and New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang is expected to form a new third party next month, likely around Oct. 5, to coincide with the release of his book, Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy, according to a report from Politico on Thursday. Although Yang and his team have yet to comment directly on the report, the 46-year-old entrepreneur issued a single-word tweet around the time the story was published. "Excited," he said. CRIME DOMINATES FINAL STRETCH OF NYC MAYORAL RACE IN TEST FOR DEMOCRATS Yang's book, published by Crown, will focus on how central tenets of his past campaigns over the past couple of years, including a universal base income of $1,000 a month and the threat of job automation, are "only the beginning," according to the product description. Yang argues that solutions to emerging problems include data rights, ranked-choice voting, and fact-based governance empowered by modern technology. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Although Yang did not emerge victorious in the 2020 presidential election's Democratic primary contest or this year's New York mayoral race, he has generated excitement, particularly on social media platforms among people collectively known as the "Yang Gang." The Washington Examiner reached out to Yang for comment on the new report. Washington Examiner Videos Tags: News, Andrew Yang, Third Party, candidate, Democratic Party Original Author: Misty Severi Original Location: Andrew Yang expected to create new third party: Report What does it mean to be the nations second Catholic president? Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza talks with senior staff writer Ruby Cramer about how Joe Biden balances a very public role with the private matter of his faith at a time of deep division over abortion, and among the bishops in his own church. Read Rubys piece in Politico Magazine here . On the Texas law restricting abortions I think the interesting thing will be watching how [Biden] deals with this Texas bill and seeing how he follows through on what he's promised, which is a all of government effort to combat it and to block it. And the idea that the nation's second Catholic president could oversee the death of abortion access, you know, or the the fall of Roe v. Wade This is a remarkable moment. Its really an interesting, complex and difficult position for him to be in. Ruby Cramer On covering Bidens church visits from the press pool It's a little awkward because when Joe Biden goes to mass, you're not actually going inside the church with him. What you actually do is sit on a bus on a road near the president's home, wait for the president to leave his home as you're getting security sweeps and all that stuff checked by the Secret Service. And when he leaves to go to church, the press bus joins up with the motorcade, drives to the church with him, pulls up to a certain spot, a designated area. Essentially, you watch him walk from the motorcade to the front doors of the church, you watch him go inside, then that's over. There's nothing else to see because you're not going in with him. It just feels like a weirdly personal moment that you're observing through a literal fence. It has a fishbowl element that plays out so literally as to almost be ridiculous, and it's just a strange feature of this particular president that always stuck in my mind. I think with Biden, there's always been a presumption, this almost unspoken rule, that for him mass is so sacred and his church is so sacred that it is an incredibly private space. And I think the interesting tension ... is that, yes, it's private, and that's always how Biden has treated it and yes, communion is this sort of, for Catholics, a literal moment before God, and that's as personal as you can get. But it's also the president of the United States occupying this incredibly public role of being the nation's second Catholic president, second to John F. Kennedy. Story continues I mean, we've got a history in this country of that being a very fraught and important and full-of-meaning sort of role. And what does that mean to people? That's what's interesting about it, I think. Ruby Cramer On the 2020 Biden campaigns faith outreach program In my conversations with the people who built the faith engagement program, I would always ask them the same question, which was, When you are going to work for Joe Biden running a faith program for him did you ever sit down and talk to him like, Hey, buddy, how do you want to do this faith thing? Because religion and politics is pretty complicated, last I checked. ... So I always wanted to know, like, did these people ever sit down with Joe Biden and ask him what were the boundaries of what this should look like? I thought that was a good question. And basically, the impression that I got is no, no one ever did that. And I think what happened instead was they all just kind of took their cues from watching him, understanding that he was going to sort of set the tone for the way that they would make the case to people. Ruby Cramer Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Reuters The sombre ceremonies that take place in New York, Pennsylvania and on the outskirts of Washington every September 11 to mark the 2001 terrorist attacks will take on an extra significance on Saturday morning, as America commemorates the 20th anniversary of the al-Qaida hijackings. Many family members of the nearly 3,000 victims killed on that day are expected to gather in downtown Manhattan, in a field in Shanksville, and at the Pentagon, where the terrorists crashed the passenger jets they had seized that morning. Joe Biden will visit all three sites, and will be joined at Ground Zero in New York by Barack Obama, whom he served for two terms as vice-president. Small memorial ceremonies will be held across the US, and millions are expected to tune in to coverage that will blanket the TV networks throughout the day. Biden is due to fly into New York on Friday night, and join a ceremony along with Obama at 8.30am on Saturday. Family members of the victims will gather at the 9/11 memorial, at the site where the twin towers of the World Trade Center stood and then collapsed as a hijacked jet was flown into each. The names of each victim will be read out in a solemn ceremony with a tolling bell, lasting several hours. There will be six moments of silence during the ceremony, marking the moment each tower was struck and the time each fell, as well as the moment when the Pentagon was attacked, and the time that Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers stopped it reaching its likely intended target of the US Capitol. In Pennsylvania, a ceremony will begin at 9.45am at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, about 60 miles south-east of Pittsburgh. George W Bush, who was less than a year into his presidency when the attacks took place, will give a speech, and at 10.03am, the time when Flight 93 crashed, the names of the passengers and crew members, who were all killed, will be read out. Both ceremonies are limited to families only, but commemorations will dominate US television networks, who also plan to stream the memorials online. At dusk New Yorkers will be able to see the annual New York City tribute in light two high-powered beams soaring into the sky, from where the towers once stood. Story continues Biden will travel to Shanksville from New York on Saturday afternoon, before visiting the Pentagon for a wreath-laying ceremony, but there had been objections about his presence as recently as August. Some families of victims had demanded the president stay away from any 9/11 ceremonies unless he declassified government documents they believe will show Saudi Arabian leaders supported the attacks. Earlier this month, Biden ordered the justice department to declassify and release documents related to the investigation of the attacks, promising that the files would be published in batches over the next six months except when the strongest possible reasons counsel otherwise. As three of the four most recent US presidents attend official ceremonies, Donald Trump, a distinctly unpopular figure in New York City, will reportedly visit the 9/11 memorial on Saturday afternoon, once the ceremony has finished and after Biden has left the city. As cities across the US hold their own ceremonies, a commemoration in Detroit will see local religious leaders speak, and be marked by an aircraft flyover. And in Malibu, California, 2,977 flags, one for every person who was killed in the attacks, have been raised in an annual Waves of Flags ceremony, while fire departments around the country will hold periods of silence. Some 343 firefighters and 60 police officers were killed when the towers collapsed in New York. WASHINGTON President Joe Biden asked for $400 billion in new government spending for the care of the elderly and the disabled, but so far, Democrats are looking to give him less than half of that number, highlighting the difficult decisions lawmakers must make. Democrats in Congress are racing to build a $3.5 trillion spending and tax package and are trying to balance an expansive wish list from the president and progressives with the desire of moderates to shrink the price tag. Not all Democrats are giving up the desire to get to $400 billion in elder care funding. Money for taking care of the elderly has become increasing salient, especially as the baby-boom generation ages. The Covid pandemic has made in-home care more appealing for many people after watching the virus hit nursing home facilities the hardest. Senate negotiators are working with the offices of Sens. Joe Manchin, of West Virginia, and Kyrsten Sinema, of Arizona, two Democrats who have expressed concern that the overall price tag is too big, in an effort to gain their support for the elder care funding, according to Democratic Senate aides, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to detail closed-door negotiations. The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday released the details of its portion of the bill, which includes $190 billion for an expansion of Medicaid to help the elderly and the disabled stay in their homes. Its far less than the $400 billion that Biden wanted and still below the $250 billion that Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., requested. The president's proposal would expand the income eligibility to enable more people to receive personal and respite care in their home instead of having to go to a nursing home. It would also work to ensure that home health aides are paid a living wage. There are already more people eligible for care than the funding to provide it. Currently, more than 800,000 people are on waiting lists for home-based care assistance under Medicaid, but states dont have enough resources to provide the services. The goal is to eliminate the waiting list and also allow more people to receive home-based care. Story continues Even with the reduced allocation, Manchin and Sinema have expressed concerns with the program and the overall price tag of the entire bill. A source close to Manchin said that he wants government benefits like elder care to be based on income. Hes trying to figure out areas where you cut back, a Democratic aide said of Manchin. Because the program is run through Medicaid, Democrats are reassuring Manchin and Sinema that income qualifications will be included. Advocates also argue that it costs about $26,000 a year to care for a person at home, compared to more than $90,000 in a nursing home, according to a 2018 analysis by the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission US President Joe Biden and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping talked for the first time in seven months Thursday, with both leaders urging a path away from conflict but holding ground on fierce competition between the superpowers. In the 90-minute call, Biden warned against misunderstandings that could lead to confrontation between Washington and Beijing, the White House said, while Xi called for a new direction in a relationship beset by "serious difficulties". US-China relations went into a nosedive under Biden's predecessor Donald Trump, who launched a trade war between the world's number one and two economies and harangued the Chinese government for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Biden's administration, while urging multilateralism and an end to Trump's "America first" ideology, has kept trade tariffs in place and remains tough on other contentious areas of the relationship with Beijing, such as cybersecurity and human rights. During the call, Biden's message was that the United States wants to ensure "we don't have any situation in the future where we veer into unintended conflict," a senior US administration official told reporters. In Beijing, state broadcaster CCTV reported that the phone call was "candid, in-depth" with Xi noting the "serious difficulties" caused by recent US policy towards China, which has seen the countries joust over trade, tech, human rights and the origins of the coronavirus. "Whether China and the US can properly handle their relations... is critical for the future and destiny of the world," state broadcaster CCTV said citing Xi. The White House signaled the diplomatic impasse is unsustainable and potentially dangerous, requiring intervention by the leaders in Thursday's call. "We welcome stiff competition but we don't want that competition to veer into conflict," the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters. Story continues The goal of the call was to set out "guardrails" so that the relationship can be "managed responsibly." Lower level attempts to engage with China have not gone well, especially at an angry March exchange between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and top Chinese officials when they met in Anchorage, Alaska. "We have not been very satisfied with our interlocutors' behavior," the senior official told reporters. Accusing the Chinese of being mostly "unwilling to engage in serious or substantive" talks, the official said "we don't believe that that is how responsible nations act, especially given the global importance of the US-China competition." Faced with the impasse, "President Biden understood the importance of engaging President Xi directly," the official said. According to a White House readout, Biden and Xi "discussed areas where our interests converge, and areas where our interests, values, and perspectives diverge." - No 'breakthroughs' Thursday's call focused on "broad and strategic" issues, with no concrete decisions expected on outstanding issues or setting up a first Biden-Xi summit, the official said. The list of disagreements between Washington and Beijing is long and growing. Beyond trade, with the White House official complaining of "China's unfair and coercive trade practices," there is deepening tension over China's claims to Taiwan and numerous islands in the South China Sea. Washington is also angered by what it says is China's refusal to cooperate with an international probe into the origins of the Covid-19 virus, which first emerged in China before sweeping worldwide. There are areas where the two powers also find themselves having to cooperate or at least coordinate, including on North Korea's nuclear weapons program and the climate crisis. The White House said that Biden and Xi discussed the Covid pandemic and climate, among other global topics. Biden also brought up concerns about Chinese cyber attacks against the United States. But Thursday's call was "not about finding some sort of breakthrough agreements," the official said. It was "about keeping the channels of communication open" between the two powers. "Our goal is, is to really reach a steady state of affairs between the United States and China," the official said. sms/ch/jfx/mtp President Biden on Thursday announced aggressive new mandates on vaccinations and testing. Axios experts break down what the announcement means for politics, business and health care. Axios' political reporter Hans Nichols: White House officials know that Biden was elected to contain the virus and that if hes not successful, his entire presidency is at risk. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free By acknowledging, and then channeling, the deep anger that many vaccinated Americans feel toward the unvaccinated, Biden has ended his diplomatic overtures to the roughly 80 million Americans who have not taken their shot. By laying the blame for the surging Delta variant squarely on unvaccinated Americans, Biden is making a raw political calculation: Hes willing to endure their immediate anger for the broader goal of defeating COVID-19. The heated school board meetings and occasional brawls at school drop-offs over mask mandates are likely a harbinger of a bigger, and uglier, conflict over the federal governments ability to require Americans to get vaccinated. Axios' health care reporter Caitlin Owens: Most voters are vaccinated and polling suggests Biden may not face as much backlash as Republicans hope especially if voters ultimately see his heavy hand as helping life get back to normal. But there's potential risk in mandates leading to staffing shortages if more nursing home or hospital workers quit. Axios' markets reporter Courtenay Brown: Bidens move will give private sector stragglers cover to flex their vaccine mandate muscle. Some CEOs particularly those who have manufacturing facilities or a big share of blue-collar workers have voiced fears that mandating a vaccine could scare off workers who dont want to comply and aggravate businesses difficulty finding employees amid a nationwide labor shortage. But that could dissipate if its the new norm across big employers. Bidens move also might help attract some of the millions of workers on the sidelines who say they arent working because they are scared of the virus. Many big companies already were saying their workforce must be vaccinated or face persistent testing, particularly if they want to return to the office. Oil giant Shell was said to be weighing firing employees who refuse to comply. Delta Airlines said workers who forgo shots will face a health insurance surcharge. Axios' business editor Kate Marino: Many corporate leaders have been looking for stronger guidance on vaccine mandates from the federal government. The downsides are that there are people who may quit jobs while we're in a labor mismatch and war for talent. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free President Joseph Biden on Sept. 9, 2021, unveiled his revamped strategy to confront the pandemic, outlining an approach that focuses heavily on attempting to reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans. The new plan comes at a crucial time. The delta variant continues to spread in states across America. The virus is currently taking more than 1,500 lives each day, and new hospital admissions of children are higher now than at any other point during the pandemic. Concern is especially high in states with low vaccination rates. High transmission is also harming economic recovery as people stay home to avoid the virus. As such, policies aimed at getting people vaccinated make sense vaccination is a proven way to protect populations from hospitalizations and death from coronavirus infection. To encourage vaccination, the president is mandating that employees at companies with more than 100 workers are either vaccinated or test for the virus every week. His new plan also includes enhanced production of rapid tests and making them available either free to Medicaid recipients or at cost via retailers such as Walmart and Amazon. As leaders of a team of health policy researchers that track policy responses to COVID-19, we know there is no perfect approach to preventing the virus. It is certainly encouraging that the administration has acknowledged that more needed to be done and the measures outlined by the president are likely to encourage vaccinations. But we believe they would work better if supplemented by further actions be it at a federal or state level that would protect vulnerable people through stronger mask mandates and improved vaccine delivery. We are also concerned that the headline policy mandating workplace vaccinations may have only a limited impact in low-income communities where many workers are independent contractors like gig workers and agricultural workers. Analyses show unvaccinated rates tend to be higher in such communities. Story continues No federal mask policies Bidens plan would continue to require the use of masks on interstate transit and federal property and doubles the fine for failure to comply. But it fell short of calling for universal mask policies. This is despite internal documents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in which scientists made clear that universal masking is essential to reduce transmission. Stronger mask policies would be especially helpful for immediately reducing the transmission of the delta variant, especially in higher-risk indoor spaces and among children who are not eligible for vaccines. Hospitalizations in the U.S. of children went from record lows to record highs and climbing in a span of just four weeks. Mask mandates can reduce community transmission, allowing more time to intensify vaccine delivery efforts and messaging. A data-driven approach to mask mandates would supplement the measures Biden has laid out in his path out of the pandemic. Such a policy has been put to good use in Nevada, where mask mandates come into effect in counties with high numbers of infections and are then removed when cases fall below a certain level. Vaccine mandates may still miss population groups The administrations plan includes a vaccine mandate for federal employees and health care workers at Medicaid and Medicare serving hospitals. The administration also asked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to develop a rule that would require these employers to provide paid time off for vaccination and recovery. While many federal employees, health care workers and higher-income workers are already vaccinated, even modest increases could make a difference, especially in regions with low vaccination rates. The new vaccine mandates are less likely to reach low-income workers, many of whom are considered independent contractors or who work in small restaurants or other businesses and as such will not be covered. Research has shown that vaccination rates tend to be lower in lower-income communities. This may be because lower-paid workers are focused on meeting other needs like food, housing and child care for their families, have less time because they are working more than one job or cannot afford unpaid time off work to get a shot. [Over 100,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.] The delta variant continues to spread rapidly through the U.S. State leaders can play an important role in speeding up vaccine delivery efforts at schools, neighborhoods and workplaces. Efforts that are directed toward low-income communities and workers where vaccination rates remain lowest are more likely to yield greater results. And mask policies could slow the spread of COVID-19 until more adults and children can be vaccinated. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Julia Raifman, Boston University and Alexandra Skinner, Boston University. Read more: Julia Raifman receives funding from the NIH and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Alexandra Skinner does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro seemed to take a step back from the ledge on Thursday night, releasing a conciliatory statement two days after pledging to ignore Supreme Court rulings and declaring that only God could remove him from office. State of play: Bolsonaro addressed rallies of around 100,000 supporters in Brasilia and Sao Paulo on Tuesday, Brazils independence day. They were intended as a show of force, with his approval ratings sliding and investigations against him stacking up. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free A lot of people were ready to commit violence for Bolsonaro, said Gustavo Ribeiro, the editor-in-chief of the Brazilian Report, who covered the rallies. He spoke to Brazilians who had hoped to storm the Supreme Court building in a Jan. 6-style insurrection. Bolsonaros feud with the court started in 2019 with an investigation into social media troll armies, and multiple subsequent probes have targeted Bolsonaro and his associates. After Bolsonaro started launching attacks earlier this year on the electoral system threatening to reject any election that wasnt held with paper ballots the high court opened further investigations that could potentially render him ineligible to run, Ribeiro tells Axios. Thats when it turned into an MMA fight. The latest: Bolsonaro said in the statement that hed spoken in the heat of the moment and had no intention of attacking the Supreme Court. Brazils currency rose after it seemed that Bolsonaro wouldnt deepen the crisis. [I] would guess the explicitly impeachable nature of Bolsonaros threat this week to disobey Supreme Court rulings, & [the growing] support in Congress and political elite in favor of impeachment, contributed to this decision, Americas Quarterly editor Brian Winter tweeted. What to watch: Ribeiro says that Bolsonaro has committed multiple impeachable offenses, but has kind of snookered the political establishment." Story continues Do you do nothing and just let him move the goalposts further and further? Or do you go for the full-scale confrontation and then you increase exponentially the risks of an abrupt rupture?" Its a lose-lose situation right now, he says. Even if Bolsonaro is willing to take a step back, his supporters may not be. Bolsonaro met on Thursday evening with the leaders of pro-Bolsonaro trucker protests that have blockaded highways around the country, Reuters reports. Bolsonaro was initially reluctant to disavow the blockades despite the economic implications, but he eventually did so in an audio message last night. Some of the truckers didn't believe the message was really from Bolsonaro. And one of the leaders who met with Bolsonaro told Reuters he didn't tell them to stop. Meanwhile on Monday, Bolsonaro issued a decree temporarily banning social media companies from removing most content without a court order the first time such a policy has been attempted at a national level, per the NYT. The social media giants havent said whether theyll comply, and the move could be blocked in the courts. The backstory: YouTube has removed several of Bolsonaros videos for including misinformation about COVID-19. He and his supporters have also spread messages warning that the 2022 election will be rigged. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic vists Stormont on Thursday Sep 9. - PA The European Union has ruled out renegotiating the Northern Ireland Protocol, the day after the Democratic Unionist Party threatened to collapse the Stomont executive unless the Brexit treaty was torn up. Maros Sefcovic said he was acutely aware of unionist opposition to the protocol, which created a customs border between Britain and Northern Ireland to avoid a hard Irish border. The European commission vice-president said in Belfast, I will not mince my words. The Protocol is not the problem. On the contrary, it is the only solution we have. Failing to apply it will not make problems disappear, but simply take away the tools to solve them, he said 24 hours after DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldsons ultimatum. He added, A renegotiation of the Protocol as the UK government is suggesting would mean instability, uncertainty and unpredictability in Northern Ireland. Mr Sefcovic also called on Britain, and the DUP, to drop demands that the European Court of Justice be stripped of its role as the final arbiter of the interpretation of EU rules in the province. Doing this would effectively mean cutting Northern Ireland off from the EUs Single Market and related opportunities, warned the Slovak official before rebutting DUP claims that the protocol was harming the economy. He said Northern Irelands unique dual access to the UK market and the Single Market made it a powerful magnet for foreign investment, translated into jobs and growth. This way you have jam on both sides of the bread, he said. He said the focus of UK-EU negotiations had to be on limiting the impact of the protocol on everyday life while maintaining Northern Irelands access to the Single Market. He said, We are seeking solutions that work for all, including those opposed to the Protocol [...] I know it is possible for us to work together, if rhetoric on both sides is dialled down. Mr Sefcovic warned that it would never be possible to have trade between Britain and Northern Ireland that was as frictionless as it was before. Story continues He said, But I also need to be honest: while we will continue looking for solutions to minimise the effects of Brexit on your everyday lives, we will never be able to remove them entirely such are the consequences of Brexit and of the choices of the UK Government. Sir Jeffrey had told Mr Sefcovic and Lord Frost on Thursday they had a matter of weeks to renegotiate the agreement, which requires Northern Ireland to continue applying many EU single market rules. He also announced that his ministers would be immediately withdrawing from north-south meetings with Dublin because the protocol had eroded the provinces link with Britain. On Friday, he said he made the threat to pull his ministers out of the Stormont executive because he feared EU-UK negotiations would be dragged out for years. He told the BBC's Nolan Show, "I have been reasonable, I have given people time to take the action that I feel is necessary to remove this Irish Sea border [...] the harm that is being done to our economy every day is not sustainable." On Monday, the UK and EU agreed a standstill deal on the protocol to win space and time for negotiations over the treaty. Various grace periods delaying new checks on, for example British chilled meats and parcels, were due to expire at the end of the September and risked re-igniting he sausage war with Brussels. Sir Jeffrey had told Mr Sefcovic and Lord Frost on Thursday they had a matter of weeks to renegotiate the agreement, which requires Northern Ireland to continue applying many EU single market rules. On Friday, he said he made the threat to pull his ministers out of the Stormont executive because he feared EU-UK negotiations would be dragged out for years. Last night Gavin Robinson MP, a close ally of Sir Jeffrey, said: "For an EU Vice-President to dismiss our warnings as 'rhetoric; is belligerent not just to me, but to the Northern Ireland people who are struggling to move products from one part of the United Kingdom to another. The Protocol is the problem. It failed to protect the Belfast Agreement and its successors. It has placed a border in the Irish Sea which is damaging our economy to the tune of 850m per year and has undermined the constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom. The California legislature on Thursday gave final approval to a bill barring certain life-threatening face-down holds that can lead to asphyxia. Why it matters: The Angelo Quinto Act, named after the Filipino American Navy vet who died in Antioch last December after police allegedly knelt on his neck for five minutes, expands upon the chokeholds ban instituted in the state following George Floyds murder. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free Details: The bill was introduced by Democratic Assembly member Mike Gipson, a former police officer, and bars techniques that can cause substantial risk of positional asphyxia, which occurs when someone cannot breathe due to the positioning of their body. Such holds can compress people's airways, and often involve restraining suspects face down and pressing down on their backs. It passed the state Assembly in a 50-15 vote on Thursday and now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D) desk. What they're saying: Gipson tweeted "Justice for #AngeloQuinto!" after the bill passed and expressed gratitude for the Quinto family. The other side: The bill has faced pushback from the California State Sheriffs' Association, which called the provision too broad, per AP. Many law enforcement agencies have already restricted use of such holds, according to AP. Nevada enacted a similar ban last year. The big picture: Asian American civil rights groups have pushed for the bill's passage for months, pressing for greater transparency and police accountability. The bill also gained attention after Alameda police pinned down Mario Gonzalez for more than five minutes in April, leading to his death. Such tactics became the center of renewed controversy after a veteran forensic pathologist testified during Derek Chauvin's trial that the position of Floyd's body appeared to show he could not get enough oxygen before he died, and that "there's no evidence to suggest that he would have died that night except for the interactions with law enforcement." Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. Workers wait in line to apply for unemployment benefits in a basement garage at the Hospitality Training Academy in Los Angeles last year. This week, the California Legislature approved sweeping changes to the state's dysfunctional unemployment benefits system. (Associated Press) Alarmed by more than a year of dysfunction and fraud in Californias unemployment benefits system, state lawmakers have sent the governor a raft of bills aimed at fixing the agency that stumbled in helping those left jobless by the COVID-19 pandemic. Legislation approved by lawmakers Thursday would require the state Employment Development Department to enact far-reaching changes recommended by a pair of state audits that found the agency was unprepared for the joblessness caused when many of the state's businesses were shut down during the health crisis. Lawmakers also sent the governor bills that would require the EDD to explain ahead of time why claims for benefits are denied, bar the agency from sending Social Security numbers in the mail and deter fraud by cross-checking unemployment claims against information on state prison inmates. The EDDs inability to promptly and efficiently respond to the increased amount of claimants is an issue that has spanned the administration of three governors of both parties, said Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz). But it is up to us now to make sure these problems are corrected. The COVID-19 pandemic put millions of Californians out of work as state health orders forced many businesses to close or reduce operations. The EDD has been overwhelmed with an unprecedented 24.4 million claims for unemployment benefits since the pandemic began and has paid $171 billion in claims. However, outdated technology, jammed phone lines and poor planning have meant hundreds of thousands of unemployed Californians have seen their payments delayed, sometimes by months, while state officials say at least $11 billion was paid on fraudulent claims, including many filed in the names of state prison inmates. In January, two state audits found poor planning and ineffective management caused significant delays in benefits and lax safeguards against fraud. Most of the auditors recommendations for overhauling the EDD have not been fully implemented. Story continues On Thursday, the Legislature approved Assembly Bill 56, which requires the EDD to implement audit recommendations, including to develop a plan to expedite delayed claims and to upgrade technology to eliminate holdups. The measure by Assemblyman Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield) would also require the state agency to assess problems that are preventing claimants from getting quick help from the EDD, help residents who are victims of identity theft and create a new unit to coordinate anti-fraud efforts. Salas told his colleagues during Thursday's floor session that the measure includes commonsense reforms." Gov. Gavin Newsom has not said publicly whether he will sign the bill, but administration officials have said the EDD has begun implementing recommendations of the state audits. The governor is also receivinga bill by Laird, Senate Bill 390, that requires the EDD to establish and routinely revise a recession plan to make sure it can respond to similar surges in unemployment in the future, including a strategy for upgrading its technology. The pandemic overwhelmed an agency that was underprepared for any economic downturn, let alone the one we have seen over the past year, said Assemblyman Chad Mayes (I-Rancho Mirage). Mayes noted that many people who lost work during the pandemic were frustrated that they did not know why their claims were disqualified or believed the actions were based on bad information. The Assembly on Thursday voted to send the governor a bill by Mayes, AB 397, that would require the EDD, before disqualifying a claimant, to provide the person with notice of the proposed decision and its rationale. In addition, the measure would give claimants the opportunity to correct false statements noted in the proposed determination before a final notice of disqualification. Senate Republican leader Scott Wilk of Santa Clarita said legislative offices received calls from hundreds of unemployed people who were locked out of benefits for as long as 23 weeks because they unintentionally submitted inaccurate information on claims. "This is obviously an unacceptable outcome when so many Californians are relying on these important economic lifeline benefits, Wilk said. Another bill on the way to the governor would tackle fraud that has involved the EDDs approval of tens of thousands of claims filed in the names of people held in state prisons, including some on death row. AB 110 would require the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to provide the EDD with the names and Social Security numbers of inmates so they can be cross-checked against claims filed for unemployment benefits. Until the prison fraud was detected last summer, the state prison agency told EDD it could not legally share personal information of inmates because of privacy laws. However, federal prosecutors obtained a temporary court order allowing such information to be shared. The EDD estimated that it paid roughly $810 million in benefits from January to November of last year to 45,000 claimants with information that matched incarcerated individuals, said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach), the author of AB 110. Her legislation requires the prison agency to share information and requires the EDD to create an automated system to receive and cross-check inmate data. California is late to adopt the safeguard. Thirty-five other states were cross-checking inmate information against unemployment claims before the pandemic. The government must do a better job as custodian of our hard-earned taxpayer dollars, Petrie-Norris said. AB 110 will enable EDD to implement basic business processes so that unemployment funds go to those who desperately need them, not to fraudsters trying to make an extra buck. The Legislature has also sent to the governor a measure by Assemblyman Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) that addresses another cause of fraud. AB 12 requires the EDD and other state agencies to stop sending Social Security numbers to claimants and others in the mail, which makes them susceptible to being stolen by criminals engaging in identity theft. If the measure is signed by the governor, state agencies would have to stop the practice as soon as possible but no later than Jan. 1, 2023. Seyarto cited a third state audit in November that found that the EDD sent out more than 38 million pieces of mail containing Social Security numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic began. He said the state should stop the practice that is endangering the identities of millions of Californians. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California public schools and colleges would have to stock their restrooms with free menstrual products under legislation sent Thursday to Gov. Gavin Newsom as womens rights advocates push nationwide for affordable access to pads, tampons and other items. The bill by Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia builds on her 2017 law requiring low-income schools in disadvantaged areas to provide students with free menstrual products. Several other states were considering or have required free menstrual products in public schools, according to advocacy group Womens Voices for the Earth. Purdue University in Indiana decided last year to offer free feminine hygiene products in campus bathrooms. Garcia also had prompted California to follow the lead of at least 10 states by exempting menstrual products from sales taxes, which she said cost women a collective $20 million a year as other health items like erectile dysfunction medication were exempt. The advocacy group says more than half the states still tax menstrual products as a luxury item. Worldwide, many countries have eliminated such taxes, including Britain, Australia, Canada and India. The new California legislation expands the 2017 law to grades 6 to 12, community colleges and the California State University and University of California systems, starting in the 2022-23 school year. It encourages private schools and colleges to follow suit. There were no registered opponents and few opposition votes. Often periods arrive at inconvenient times. They can surprise us during an important midterm, while playing with our children at a park, sitting in a lobby waiting to interview for a job, shopping at the grocery store, or even standing on the Assembly floor presenting an important piece of legislation," Garcia said in a statement. Convenient access, she said, "would alleviate the anxiety of trying to find a product when out in public. She said her measure was inspired by Scotland, which last year declared access to menstrual products to be a human right and required public places to provide them free of charge. Ideally, Garcia said, menstrual products would be as common in restrooms as toilet paper and paper towels. In this file photo taken on August 22, 2020, QAnon demonstrators protest in Los Angeles. An US father charged with killing his two children with a spear fishing gun claims he was LOS ANGELES A California man, who authorities say claimed to be a devout QAnon follower, was indicted Wednesday on charges of killing his two children with a spearfishing gun in Mexico. Matthew Taylor Coleman, 40, a surfing instructor from Santa Barbara, California, is accused of taking his 2-year-old boy and 10-month-old girl last month from the home he shares with his wife and traveling to Mexico to kill them, according to a criminal complaint. He admitted to the killings when questioned by authorities and said he had to because he believed his children were "monsters" and that his wife "possessed serpent DNA and had passed it onto his children," a 10-page criminal complaint filed by federal authorities details. Coleman said he knew his actions were wrong but believed "he was saving the world from monsters," the complaint adds. Coleman was indicted by a federal grand jury in San Diego Wednesday in the killings. He faces two counts of foreign first-degree murder of U.S. nationals, charges that are eligible for the death penalty under law, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of California. There are no words to describe the profound grief that envelops an entire community when a child is murdered, acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said in a statement. The Department of Justice is determined to achieve justice for these victims and their loved ones. 'I thought it was very pleasant': Jake Angeli, 'QAnon shaman,' pleads guilty to obstructing vote counting on Jan. 6 'What they are doing is rebranding': QAnon followers distance themselves from the movement's most bizarre conspiracy theories as they rebrand Coleman and his wife, Abby, founded a surfing instruction company in Santa Barbara. A website for the school includes photos of the children at the beach and playing on a skateboard. It also details Coleman's love of spearfishing and sailing and his 25 years of surfing experience. Story continues The detailed criminal complaint outlines Coleman's wife calling authorities on Aug.7, worrying about her husband and children because he had left without giving any notice. The complaint adds Coleman wasn't answering his phone and didn't have car seats for their children. She helped authorities track Coleman's location using the Find My iPhone app, discovering he'd been in Rosarito, Mexico. The app helped authorities stop Coleman on Aug. 9 when he reentered the U.S., where they found blood in the van he was driving and discovering the children were no longer with him, the complaint states. Authorities detained and questioned Coleman and he admitted to killing his children with the spearfishing gun and dumping their bodies in a ditch, the complaint and indictment said. Mexican police found the children's bodies, both of which had large wounds in their chests. Coleman saidhe dumped his clothes and the spearfishing gun after he disposed of their bodies, the federal complaint said. He later told authorities he was "enlightened" by QAnon and the Illuminati, the complaint states. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California QAnon believer indicted on charges of killing his 2 kids Canadian federal party leaders traded barbs over leadership, climate change and indigenous reconciliation in their final debate pitch to voters. The English-language TV debate is usually the most widely watched political sparring match on Canada's federal campaign election calendar. It comes this time just ahead of the opening of advanced polls and less than two weeks before the 20 September election day. Opinion polls suggest Justin Trudeau's centre-left Liberals are tied in first place with the centre-right Conservatives, the main opposition party. The debate was also a chance for three other federal leaders - the NDP's Jagmeet Singh , the Bloc Quebecois' Yves-Francois Blanchet and the Green Party's Annamie Paul - to sell their parties as strong alternatives. Here are some key takeaways from Thursday's debate. Trudeau's record in the spotlight Mr Trudeau's job was to win back voters flirting with other parties - and to defend his record as prime minister. The Liberal leader had to deflect repeated attacks on his handling issues that ran the gamut from foreign affairs to climate change. "You've got the worst track record in all the G7 after six years [on climate]," Mr Singh said early on. Mr Trudeau responded by accusing the NDP's climate policies as being lacklustre. Mr Singh, leader of a left-wing party vying to be a progressive alternative for Liberal voters, was the one who most frequently hammered away at the prime minister, accusing him of failing to deliver on his promises. The fast-paced format and crowded stage meant there was little sustained back-and-forth, but all the leaders managed to land a few jabs. Pressed by Conservatives' leader Erin O'Toole on why he has not taken a tougher tone on China, Mr Trudeau snapped that "you do not simply lob tomatoes across the Pacific" when trying to solve geopolitical issues. He also continued to be pressed on his decision to call a snap election two years ahead of schedule in the hopes of securing a majority - an issue that has dogged him since the election call. Story continues Polls suggest his Liberals are stuck roughly in the same place they were in late 2019, the last time Canadians voted federally, when he ended up with a minority government. O'Toole makes a big tent pitch The Conservative leader's opening pitch was directed squarely at progressive and centrist voters who might be considering his party. "I'm a pro-choice ally to the LGBT community," Mr O'Toole said. "Our platform, includes a detailed plan on climate change." In the 2019 election, the Conservatives struggled with social and environmental issues. As their new leader, he has been trying to broaden the right-leaning party's appeal. Not all his candidates are on the same page - he has faced questions over some candidates views on climate change, for example. Debate moderator Shachi Kurl pressed him on that contradiction, asking whether Canadians would be getting the leader's friendlier tone if Mr O'Toole became prime minister, or that of some of his candidates. "I am driving the bus," he responded, " to make sure we get this country back on track". Under the radar issues get some airtime Critical issues like indigenous reconciliation and the opioid crisis have not dominated the campaign trail to date. While the debate format did not allow for in-depth discussion, it allowed all the politicians on stage to address topics like reconciliation that have dominated headlines in recent months. Over the summer, the issue of unmarked graves found near former residential schools garnered global attention. That debate segment led to one memorable exchange between the Bloc's Mr Blanchet and Green leader Ms Paul. Ms Paul - the first black and Jewish woman to lead a national party - took issue with comments Mr Blanchet made about systemic racism, saying she had previously invited him to "get educated" on the topic. When he took offence at her response, she countered "it was not an insult, it was an invitation to educate yourself". Green party makes its pitch The two televised debates this week were a chance for Ms Paul to make an impression on voters. Recently elected to lead the Greens, she has faced internal party turmoil that has threatened to derail the party's national campaign and her place at the helm. Ms Paul has focused most of her efforts on winning a seat in a Toronto riding that has been a Liberal stronghold in recent years. The Greens held two seats in the House of Commons at dissolution but have struggled to make any real impact in national opinion polls. Ask Canada We spoke to some voters before the debate to see what they felt was at stake in this election. Here are their responses. Alex Mintz, 18, from Vancouver, British Columbia I think how we get out of the pandemic and how we get the economy and life in general back to normal is what is at stake this election. Bernadette Bosse, 43, from Calgary, Alberta The biggest thing at stake in this election is the spending by the government. Every spend they make pushes us further in a debt crisis, and pushes more debt onto our kids. Matt Deeming, 29, from Surrey, British Columbia This election is about Canada's recovery from the pandemic. We want to emerge healthy, united and economically strong. Jaffar Husain, 68, from Toronto, Ontario The economic recovery, inclusiveness and effective management of extremism, and the world 's negative perception of Canada are the key issues at stake. Canadian way of life needs to change and be way more inclusive. First Nations, immigrants from varied backgrounds and religious minorities and last but not least working people must get their say in the governance of this country. What are you most concerned about? Is it the environment? Foreign affairs? The economy? Racial equality and reconciliation? Will you be voting differently this time around? We want to hear your stories and experiences. In some cases your stories and experiences will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions and the privacy policy. Use this form to get in touch. If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your response. MarketWatch If youre on Social Security there is good news, and some not quite so good news, in the latest official inflation report out from Uncle Sam on Tuesday. The good news is that youre on track for the biggest annual cost of living adjustment next year in over a decade. Based on the U.S. Labor Departments consumer price data for August, Social Security is on track to hike benefits 5.9% for 2022 when it makes the official announcement next month. The Daily Beast YouTube/KARE 11The FBI has been called in to assist local authorities in rural Wisconsin after four young friends from Minnesota were found murdered and randomly left in an abandoned SUV in a cornfield.Authorities in Dunn County, Wisconsin, where the quadruple homicide victims were discovered Sunday, have made no secret that they have been left baffled by the crime.Its highly unusual for this area. Obviously weve had homicides in the last several years, but something of this magnitude[Im] Attorneys for a former Army captain charged with breaching the Capitol on Jan. 6 are asking that his ankle monitor be removed because its random beeping could lead to embarrassing interactions with prospective business clients. The GPS device also is a safety hazard, said lawyers for Gabriel Augustin Garcia, a Florida man who was arrested in January. The monitor has randomly started beeping loudly around potential clients, immediately followed by an embarrassing phone call from pretrial services asking for his exact location, the lawyers said in court documents filed earlier this month. The monitor around his ankle is unsafe and a work hazard; he climbs ladders and the GPS monitor often gets stuck on the next ladder step when climbing; one time, he almost fell off a ladder. Gabriel Augustin Garcia (Department of Justice) Garcia owns a Miami roofing business, Supreme Aluminum Florida, that employs 14 workers, the lawyers said in the documents. Garcia, who is free on bond, has been charged with several crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot, including obstruction of an official proceeding and demonstrating in a Capitol building, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. He has pleaded not guilty. According to an FBI statement of facts, Garcia uploaded videos to Facebook while inside the building during the riot. "We just went ahead and stormed the Capitol. It's about to get ugly," Garcia says in a video, according to the document. At another time, he encouraged people to "storm this s," called Capitol Police officers "traitors" and while in the Rotunda said, "Nancy come out and play," according to the FBI. The latter was an apparent reference to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Garcia allegedly said, "Free Enrique," an apparent reference to the criminally charged Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio of Miami, the FBI said. Garcias lawyers said in court documents that federal prosecutors oppose the motion to remove the GPS monitor. Story continues One of Garcias attorneys, Aubrey Webb, said in an emailed statement Friday there was "no reason" he should have to wear a GPS monitoring bracelet. "He is neither charged with committing any violence upon anyone nor destroying any property, Webb said. He is a small business owner, presumed innocent, and has no criminal history. Garcia ran for office as a Republican last year, to be a state representative in the Miami-Dade area, NBC Miami reported. He lost in the primary by more than 17 percentage points, according to state election records. BEIJING, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- China and the UK have expressed willingness to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in tackling global climate change and achieve positive results at the upcoming United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference and the Global Biodiversity Summit. China and the UK have maintained a good cooperative relationship in coping with climate change./CFP Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng and Alok Sharma, president-designate of the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), made the assurance during a video meeting on Tuesday. COP26 will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, in November, while the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) will be held in south China's Kunming City online in October 2021 and offline in October 2022. Han stressed that global solidarity and cooperation are needed to tackle climate change. Expressing expectations for COP26, Han hopes that the climate conference will send a strong political signal for firmly upholding multilateralism, respecting multilateral rules and promoting actions. He also expects that the delegates at COP26 will actively transform climate goals into specific policies and actions, and complete the negotiations to meet the Paris Agreement. Both countries have maintained good cooperation in dealing with climate change and have set stronger carbon emission reduction targets to meet carbon neutrality, Han said, also calling both sides to exploit their advantages and strengthen dialogue related to climate change. China, which holds the presidency of COP15, is willing to work with the UK to promote the success of the two conferences, Han said. Hailing China's efforts in tackling climate change, Sharma said the UK looks forward to expanding exchanges and cooperation in areas such as climate finance, energy and carbon trading and is willing to strengthen dialogue and coordination with China to achieve positive outcomes at COP26 and COP15. SOURCE CGTN Chadian strongman General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno will fly to Qatar this weekend, his office said Friday, heading to a country where a leading rebel lives in exile. Deby took the reins in Chad after his father, 30-year president Idriss Deby Itno, was killed fighting insurgents in April. The presidency's protocol department, without giving details, said Deby would make a "friendship and working" visit to Doha from Sunday. He has recently made overtures to armed groups in the hope of coaxing them into a national reconciliation forum. He has notably promised "concrete actions" to amnesty fighters, release prisoners and help combatants return to normal life. Timan Erdimi, president of the Union of Resistance Forces (UFR), a coalition of several rebel groups, has been living in exile in Qatar for roughly a decade. In 2019, his fighters advanced on the Chadian capital in columns of pickup trucks, coming from Libya via Sudan. They were thwarted in the northeast of the country by French air strikes requested by the older Deby, a long-standing ally of Paris. Earlier this month, the UFR told AFP it did not "refuse the outstretched hand of the regime but was waiting for the first practical move". After the death of the elder Deby, his son was declared president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He has promised "free and democratic" elections after an 18-month handover period that is renewable. yas-dwi-amt/ri/pvh A federal judge on Thursday acquitted Chinese Canadian researcher Anming Hu of all fraud charges, bringing to a close the government's controversial first trial under the Justice Department's China Initiative. Why it matters: The case drew attention after it ended in a mistrial and heightened the scrutiny surrounding the DOJ initiative, which faces accusations that it leads to racial profiling against Asians in the U.S. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. Context: The FBI spied on Hu and his family for nearly two years. Even though agents implicated Hu as having ties to the Chinese military in meetings with Hu's bosses at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, they could not confirm claims of spying. The nanotechnology specialist was instead charged with fraud for allegedly concealing part-time work for a Chinese university to secure federal funding, though UTK officials testified that they knew of the connection. What they're saying: "[E]ven viewing all the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, no rational jury could conclude that defendant acted with a scheme to defraud NASA" in failing to disclose his affiliation with the Beijing University of Technology to UTK, U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan wrote in the decision. The judge added "there was no evidence presented that defendant ever collaborated with a Chinese university in conducting his NASA-funded research, or used facilities, equipment, or funds from a Chinese university in the course of such research." "We respect the courts decision, although we are disappointed with the result," DOJ spokesperson Wyn Hornbuckle told Axios. Hornbuckle did not answer questions about the future of the China Initiative. Asian American civil rights groups and lawmakers praised the acquittal. "Dr. Hu is finally free to return to his life and be reunited with his family," John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, said in a statement. But the "scars of the prosecution and investigation on Dr. Hu and his family are deep and long-lasting." Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), who has led efforts calling for a probe into the China Initiative, addressed the DOJ on Twitter: "You should stop discriminating against Asians ... If Hus last name was Smith, you would not have brought this case." "We must work vigilantly to ensure that what happened to Dr. Hu and his family does not happen again to anyone," Yang added. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free MIAMI (AP) Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the eighth inning and the Miami Marlins beat the New York Mets 3-2 Thursday night. Javier Baez homered and doubled for the Mets, who began the day four games behind NL East leader Atlanta and 4 from the second wild card. You just have to come back the next day and try again, Baez said. Thats why you go by day by day, pitch by pitch. Its all you can control. Well see what happens this next week. Chisholm drove a 97 mph fastball from Jeurys Familia (9-4) into the upper deck seats for his 15th homer. Chisholm also had an RBI grounder in the sixth. Ive faced Familia before, I know he throws hard, Chisholm said. I was just looking for a pitch up. He got it up and I got all of it. The blast was measured at 402 feet, a distance Chisholm and Miami manager Don Mattingly questioned. That was a beautiful swing and Im not sure I havent seen a ball go further than that here in this building, Mattingly said. With the score 2-all, New York wasted Pete Alonsos leadoff triple against reliever Anthony Bender in the eighth. Bender retired Baez and J.D. Davis on groundouts with the infield drawn in. Michael Conforto was intentionally walked before Richard Bleier (3-2) relieved and retired pinch-hitter Jeff McNeil on a grounder. You feel pretty good with Baez coming in to hit there and the way hes swinging the bat, manager Luis Rojas said. It didnt happen. We expect the guys to be better as we move forward from this game. Dylan Floro pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth save. The Marlins tied it at 2 in the seventh around three infield hits and a throwing error by reliever Brad Hand. Starter Marcus Stroman was lifted after allowing Sandy Leons one-out single and Hand gave up Isan Diazs single. Mets catcher James McCann then threw out pinch-runner Alex Jackson at third when a pitch caromed to the backstop, with Diaz advancing to second on the play. Pinch-hitter Lewis Brinson beat out a dribbler near the mound and Hands throw got past Alonso at first base, allowing a run to score. Story continues Stroman allowed one run, four hits and struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings. After sitting out last season, Stroman became the first pitcher to reach 30 starts in 2021 with his outing Thursday. I do everything I can to put my team in the position to win when Im out there, Stroman said. When the manager calls me, Im done. Baez hit a two-out double and scored on two wild pitches from Miami starter Jesus Luzardo to give New York a 1-0 lead in the first. The Mets increased their advantage on Baezs 29th homer in the third. He hit Luzardos curveball over the wall in center field, admiring the 438-foot shot before he rounded the bases. The two hits by Baez were the only ones allowed by Luzardo in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked four. SOLEMN TRIBUTE Before the game, both teams stood alongside their dugouts during a moment of silence and brief video tribute remembering the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. Members of the South Florida rescue team, which participated in the recovery effort following the attacks, also were recognized. TRAINERS ROOM Mets: C Tomas Nido (left thumb strain) could play in rehab games at Triple-A Syracuse this weekend, Rojas said. Marlins: RHP Pablo Lopez (right rotator cuff strain) has been playing catch with the anticipation of progressing to a bullpen session in the coming days. UP NEXT Mets: RHP Tylor Megill, 2-4, 4.20) will start the opener of a three-game series against the New York Yankees Friday at Citi Field. Marlins: LHP Trevor Rogers (7-6, 2.52) starts the opener of a three-game series at Atlanta Friday. Rogers, Miamis NL All-Star representative, has not won since June 10. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Irans new President Ebrahim Raisi will address the UNGA on 21 September (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Last week, leaked surveillance footage showed shocking abuses of prisoners in Irans Evin prison. Watching the videos reminded me of my years in Evin with one notable difference: the guards of my time seemed even more barbaric. I want to explain why what happened 33 years ago matters today. Irans society has changed, but its regime has not in fact, Irans new president, Ebrahim Raisi, is one of the leaders of the horrific 1988 execution of thousands of political prisoners following the supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeinis fatwa (religious decree). The past could well be a pattern for tomorrow, with horrific consequences. For example, years ago, Evin prison guards were like butchers. They used heavy cables to lash prisoners which cut into their skin. Then, if the guards thought someone was too injured by the torture for them to survive, they would simply execute the victim. For the guards, there were no consequences, nothing to worry about. In Evin prison, we were often blindfolded while being transferred between different sections, in the interrogation room, even under torture. This cruel tactic would create intense fear and panic when youre blindfolded, your mind takes over. Its true that the guards wanted to prevent anyone from witnessing their crimes or seeing their faces, but keeping people fearful was very helpful when they wanted to mentally break the prisoners. Long solitary confinements were another tactic. As political prisoners, we tried to stay connected; but the guards punished any kind of human contact. Even caring for a tortured cellmate carried harsh consequences. I was held in solitary confinement once for three years, and again for two years. During these endless isolations, memories of everything and everyone you love start to fade, and you can feel utterly alone and empty. Initially, those of us in solitary confinement used morse code to communicate with each other through the walls. But over time, the regimes authorities added steel-reinforcement concrete to the walls, so no sound could get through. Story continues In my case, when the isolation became unbearable, I would start kicking the door and making noise. The guards would come and take me out for a beating. But getting hit was a distraction; a savior if you will. The process of fighting the physical pain, going to the medic, and dealing with bandages was better than the neverending isolation and mental anguish. In the spring of 1988, the guards wanted me to provide information about a relative. One day in August, due to severe kidney bleeding, I lost consciousness, and a guard took me to the prisons clinic. When I woke up, I saw bloody IV fluids around me, and my head felt achy. The guy lying next to me told me that my name had been called several times, but since I had been unconscious, I never responded to it. After several days in the clinic, when I finally returned to my own section, all the cell doors were strangely open, and there were handbags and rucksacks lying next to empty cells. I realised these were the possessions of my friends who had been executed during the massacre. My section was almost empty. The next day, I heard someone calling the guard, saying, Hey, youve forgotten to take me! When the guard asked the mans name, he said, Yaqub Hassani. The guards took him away, and he was executed the same night. I grieved for all these people. When you have suffered alongside a group of people for a long time, you have strong feelings for them. When the guards took some people for execution, those who remained had terrible feelings of shock and sorrow. These were chaotic days some people didnt know they were going to be hanged until the very last minute. The guards transferred people around and might even put you on death row only to take you back to the public section. You literally lost track of yourself. I will never know what Yaqub was thinking that day; I just heard him calling the guard. I was around 17 when I was first interrogated, but I refused to write my friends names and whereabouts. I was then told that I was to be executed with a few others. The guards gave me a piece of paper and told me to write down my will. I said I had nothing to say or give to anyone. One night, five of us were handcuffed, blindfolded, put on a bus, and taken to a place inside the prison. As we exited the bus, my friends and I started to sing a popular song known as the anthem of martyrdom. The guards roared at us to shut up and then pushed us against a wall. We heard someone like a cleric reading our verdicts: In the name of God the merciful, you betrayers of nation and religion and then fire! The sounds of bullets piercing and exploding the bricks above our heads were terrifyingly loud. Since we had prepared ourselves for the worst, we all fell down. It was like when you dream and youre falling down from a high plateau. I felt something like wet, warm blood on the ground, and I thought this was the end. But a few moments later, I heard the guards laughing and hysterically barking: Is this the way you want to fight Islam? It was a mock execution and everyone was still alive... if you can call it that way. We were shoved back onto the bus and driven back to our sections. Due to the shock, we all suffered severe physical and mental symptoms. I couldnt stop shaking and I later learned that one of my friends became almost blind. Another friend whispered that he could not move his arm anymore and his body was partially lame. He had had a stroke, we later learned. Back in prison, they sent us to the interrogation room to see if we were broken and ready to surrender. I do not know what happened to the others, but Im sure that night changed us all. I never raised my voice again. The 1988 massacre has never ended. As the recently-leaked videos show the oppressive treatment of prisoners in Evin prison hasnt stopped. But if you ask me, international condemnation of the Iranian regimes abysmal human rights record appears to have had its hands tied over the years. If Raisi is going to be allowed to address world leaders during the UN General Assembly in September, its important to remember the audiences he addressed 33 years ago and what he has done in his career. The world must send a clear rebuke and warning to Tehran. Many lives depend on it. My generation was called on to bring about a free Iran. In Europe, which endured eras of human rights abuses, nations are teaching the lessons of history so new generations can understand what the price of freedom has been and how to hold it dear. I think this is what we need to do in Iran, as well. The next generation should learn about these brutal stories so they too can cherish freedom. Sometimes people ask me how I endured all that pain, how I survived. But I say that there was something far more important to me than survival. There were tens of thousands of people that never expected to be seen or heard again, yet they outlived the torture. The dictator wanted them to submit and reject their beliefs; he wanted to break them all. Those who remained loyal and brave and said no have proved that the regime might kill humans but cant break our humanity. Mostafa Naderi is a member of the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran, spent almost 11 years in Iranian prisons and is one of the few survivors of Irans 1988 massacre of political prisoners Read More The Top 10: The real stories remembered for a vivid detail that isnt true Opinion: Labour is ahead in just one poll, but it could still change things Editors letter: Autumns TV is looking hot with the return of hits like Succession Opinion: By letting Saudi Arabia off the hook over 9/11, the US encouraged jihadism How the Afghanistan withdrawal has shaken the Republican Partys 2024 race People are the key to improving health and social care | Alexis Paton Oil-rich Norway goes to the polls on Monday in elections dominated by climate change that the ruling Conservative party is widely expected to lose to a Labour-led coalition. Labour Party leader Jonas Gahr Store is hoping to wrest power from centre-right Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who has headed the wealthy Scandinavian nation for eight years. Polls suggest Solberg is unlikely to win again, and the key question is whether Store's hoped-for coalition with the Centre and Socialist Left parties will get enough votes for a parliamentary majority. If not he may have to seek the support of other small parties. "Something really dramatic would have to happen for the right-wing to win," political scientist Johannes Bergh of the Norwegian Institute for Social Research told AFP. The campaign has largely focused on the future of the oil industry in Norway, western Europe's biggest producer. Norway owes its riches to black gold, enabling it to amass the world's biggest sovereign wealth fund. The country has embraced environmentally-friendly policies to tackle climate change in recent years, but Store says it's not been enough. He has vowed to introduce "fair" climate policies and narrow socioeconomic divides. "We haven't done nearly enough in our climate transition and our welfare state has in many areas been cut back, privatised or carved up," the 61-year-old told AFP. "After eight years of right-wing politics, inequalities have increased in Norway." - Black gold - Though Store's own Labour party is expected to put in a poor showing at the polls, he should be able to take the election with the help of his allies, primarily the agrarian Centre Party and Socialist Left. It remains to be seen whether the three parties will win a majority, or have to rely on support from the communist Rodt party and the Green MDG party. The Greens have called for an immediate halt to oil exploration and an end to production by 2035. Story continues But Store has rejected the ultimatum, saying he wants to fight global warming without endangering jobs. "The climate and environment will be a major issue, maybe the key issue, when it comes to building a government after the elections," Bergh said. "It will be difficult for the various parties to agree." The centre-right has called on Norwegians to vote for continuity, citing Solberg's strong track record. In eight years at the helm -- a record for the Conservatives -- Solberg has steered the country through the migrant crisis, plunging oil prices and the pandemic. "The choice this year is between Erna (Solberg's) safe leadership with policies that work, and an uncertain alternative," the Conservative Party said. "We need solid management and a clear course ahead to kickstart Norway after the pandemic." - 'More billionaires' - After the Vatican and Iceland, Norway has the lowest number of Covid deaths in Europe per capita, and its economy has already returned to its pre-pandemic level. But critics have accused the outgoing government of being overly optimistic about returning to a post-pandemic reality. In mid-August Health Minister Bent Hoie told Norwegians "we'll be able to dance slow dances and resume 'one-night stands' at the end of September". But facing rising infection rates, the government has had to postpone the lifting of all its restrictions several times. Solberg also ran into trouble when she broke her own government's social distancing rules at her 60th birthday celebration in March, a mistake that also cost her a hefty fine. Ahead of the vote Monday, the election campaign was in full swing in downtown Oslo. "Under Solberg, the inequality gap has widened. The number of billionaires keeps growing," complained one pensioner. Near a Conservative Party campaign stand, an elegantly-dressed woman says she wants Solberg to win. "Of course we all care about the environment, but without oil revenues what is going to pay for our welfare state?". phy/po/jv An appeals court ruled Friday that Florida schools cannot force students and staff to wear masks to fight the pandemic, in a victory for the state's conservative governor. Two weeks ago Judge John Cooper overruled the pro-Trump governor, Ron DeSantis, and said the state's schools can make mask-wearing mandatory. Cooper sided with a group of parents who had filed a lawsuit challenging an executive order by DeSantis that barred schools from making students and school staff wearing masks to combat Covid-19. Several school districts in Florida had decided to make masks mandatory because of a rise in cases fueled by the Delta variant of the virus. The state government appealed Cooper's ruling, which was suspended while the appeals court considered the case. In a new setback for the governor, Cooper ruled on Wednesday that school districts could make masks mandatory while the appeal is being studied. DeSantis appealed that ruling too and the First District Court of Appeal in the state capital Tallahassee sided Friday with him. When a public officer or agency seeks appellate review, which is the case here, there is a presumption under the rule in favor of a stay, the court said. Thirteen of Florida's 67 school districts made masks obligatory in recent weeks, ignoring DeSantis's executive order against such policies. The state government punished two of them that ignored the governor, by withholding funding equal to the monthly salary of the school board members. Friday's new ruling means that the state can keep sanctioning school districts that defy the governor's no mask mandate order. But the US Department of Education said Friday it would cover any financial penalty slapped on school districts that defy DeSantis. Since the start of this school year, thousands of students in several Florida counties have been forced to quarantine after catching the coronavirus or coming into contact with infected people. gma/yow/dw/bgs A mandate by President Joe Biden that larger businesses require their employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 was generally applauded by businesses and the medical community in Connecticut as a way to jump-start the fight against the coronavirus, get economic recovery back on track and save lives. A bold move was needed because we need everyone to be vaccinated, said Chris DiPentima, president and chief executive of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, the states largest business lobbying group. We need to get everyone vaccinated. Its the best way of defeating the pandemic and starting our economic recovery. But questions and concerns surfaced quickly among employers in Connecticut, with CBIA flooded with emails and calls on issues ranging from verification and discipline to enforcement. It was also unclear whether the mandate would apply to remote workers or only those working in person. At Manchester-based engineering and consulting firm Fuss & ONeill Inc., chief executive Kevin Grigg said he has strongly encouraged his 300 employees to get vaccinated, but he has stopped short of a mandate. Grigg said he will probably wait it out until there is a shakeout of any legal challenges to the new rule to move forward. Were just at the beginning of this whole thing, Grigg said. My crystal ball is no better than yours, so I think were just going to have to see how this all plays out. Biden Thursday announced a sweeping plan to jump-start vaccinations across the U.S., where 30% of Americans do not have at least one shot. Central to the plan was a mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, a move affecting 80 million Americans. Bidens mandate puts businesses squarely in the middle between the government and employers, including stiff penalties of $14,000 per violation for businesses. The rules for the private sector mandate must still be written by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and it was unclear when they might go into effect. Story continues Many questions One of the biggest questions, the CBIAs DiPentima said, focused on how to confirm an employee had been vaccinated, especially since there had been instances of vaccination card fraud. Is there access to some government site where the hospital and health care providers are putting in the people who have been vaccinated? DiPentima said. Businesses havent had access to something like that. Other members of the lobbying group raised concerns about how to enforce a mandate, DiPentima said, wondering whether employees would have to be fired or simply suspended if they refused the vaccine. The concerns come as employers also are navigating changes in the workplace overall tied to the pandemic, which has brought a dramatic shift toward working at home. It is possible the federal vaccination mandate, which is certain to face legal challenges, could include remote workers, although that will not be clear until the actual vaccination rule is written by federal authorities, the White House told multiple news outlets, including Newsweek. Two major employers in the Hartford area, CVS Health Corp., which owns Hartford-based health insurer Aetna Inc., and New Britain-based Stanley Black & Decker Inc., the tool and storage equipment giant, said Friday they would make decisions after studying the new rules. But both companies noted they have already taken partial steps to requiring employee vaccinations, with CVS making vaccination mandatory for its frontline workers. Weve been ahead of the curve when it comes to vaccinations for our employees, announcing a requirement in August that impacts many of our 300,000 colleagues, CVS said in a post on its website. Aetna employs about 5,000 in Connecticut, the majority in the Hartford area. At Stanley Black & Decker, which has a workforce of 2,000 in Connecticut half in the office and half in manufacturing and distribution office workers already have been told they would be required to be vaccinated if they wanted to enter the workplace, spokeswoman Shannon Lapierre said. The Hartford Financial Services Group, which employs 6,100 in Connecticut and thousands in Hartford, said it is waiting for guidance on how the new rules will apply to the insurer, with the health and safety of its workers the top priority. Middletown-based Liberty Bank, which has a workforce of 700, said it announced to employees Thursday prior to the Biden speech that vaccinations will now be required to keep customers and workers safe. We didnt wait for the government to mandate it because we knew requiring vaccinations as a term of employment at Liberty Bank is the right decision at the right time, David W. Glidden, the banks president and chief executive, said. People are dying As employers sort out the implications of the mandate, medical experts praised Biden for a significant step forward in the fight against the coronavirus. Dr. Ulysses Wu, an infectious disease specialist at Hartford HealthCare, said Friday he considers Bidens new vaccine mandates a great first step. We are at this point where he has to make a speech or he has to make a mandate because people are dying, Wu said. Because its not happening to you doesnt mean its not happening. As of Thursday, 85.3% of eligible Connecticut residents had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot, while 76.6% were fully vaccinated, making Connecticut one of the most vaccinated states in the country. Still, Wu said every marginal increase in vaccination rate leaves the state less susceptible to another coronavirus surge, while protecting individuals from the devastating personal effects of COVID-19. Dr. David Banach, an epidemiologist at UConn Health, said even if increasing Connecticuts vaccination rate wont entirely prevent future outbreaks, it will mitigate their impact. During the recent nationwide delta variant surge, Connecticut has experienced fewer COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations than most other states, likely due in part to the large share of its population that is vaccinated. Any opportunity to increase vaccination coverage is going to have some incremental benefit, Banach said. We are seeing individuals who are unvaccinated hospitalized and becoming ill, and any opportunity to prevent that from happening is going to be important. Mark Masselli, president and CEO of Community Health Center Inc., said he supports Bidens new approach and worries only that the president didnt go far enough. Masselli proposed, for example, a vaccine requirement for ridership on buses and airplanes. In not doing it, what are we losing? Fifteen-hundred people a day, he said. We simply have to get to these unvaccinated people, and there are lots of levers, and they should pull them all at once. Legal cover for employers In recent weeks, businesses across Connecticut have been debating internally whether or not to require vaccinations, with businesses taking into account federal approval of the Pfizer vaccine addressing the safety concern expressed by some reluctant to get the shot and weighing the potential for lawsuits from employees not wanting to get the vaccine. The vaccine debate also has been sharply divided along political lines. However, momentum has been building in the business community nationally for mandatory vaccination for weeks as several high-profile employers United Airlines, Disney and Fox News, among them announced that they had put in place the requirement. A nationwide survey of 961 employers by Arlington, Va.-based consulting firm Willis Towers Watson released this month indicated that the number of businesses requiring vaccination is expected to surge by the end of year. More than half of employers could have one or more vaccine mandate requirements, ranging from access to common areas such as cafeterias to portions of a workforce or all employees. The surveys results were up dramatically from 21% in the spring. In Connecticut, a CBIA survey in July found the 625 respondents split on whether there should be government vaccine mandates. Of those taking the survey, 52% favored them, 37% opposed them and 11% were unsure, DiPentima said. David Cadden, professor emeritus of entrepreneurship and strategy at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, said the mandate will likely tip employers who were on the fence toward requiring vaccination. That gives them the ability to say, Its not just us. Its the federal government that is doing this, and hope the employees who are recalcitrant about getting the vaccine will focus their ire at the federal government, rather than the company itself, Cadden said. Bidens Republican opponents including governors in red states are threatening to file a flurry of lawsuits that would argue the mandate is an overreach of federal authority and unconstitutional, according to multiple news reports. Contact Kenneth R. Gosselin at kgosselin@courant.com. Contact Alex Putterman at aputterman@courant.com. SINGAPORE Singapore will soon reach more than 1,000 daily COVID-19 cases, even as it prepares to roll out its vaccine booster programme next Tuesday (14 September). The Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a media release on Friday (10 September) that the number of daily cases has been rising over the past fortnight, from an average of 76 cases per day a fortnight ago, to 288 cases per day in the past week. It added that, at the current trajectory, it is likely that Singapore will soon reach more than 1,000 daily cases, detected early through intensified testing. Speaking at a multi-ministry taskforce (MTF) media conference on Friday, Minister of Finance and MTF co-chairman Lawrence Wong said, "We knew all along, and we have said so before, that once we reopen and resume activities, we will experience a new wave of infection. All countries that open up have had to deal with such ways. "For us, it is happening faster than we had expected. It's also the first time since our opening that we are facing such a new exponential wave of infection in our community. "Very soon we will reach 1,000 new cases a day. And in a few weeks' time we will probably get to 2,000 new cases a day." MOH said that the number of serious cases remains low for now. As of Thursday, there are 26 cases of serious illness requiring oxygen supplementation, and seven in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU). "There continues to be strong evidence that vaccination is protective against severe illness. Among fully vaccinated cases in the past 28 days, 99.2 per cent were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms. Among unvaccinated and partially vaccinated individuals, 95.1 per cent were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms," the ministry said. "Nevertheless, we are still early in this new wave of transmission and we need to continue to monitor the situation and remain vigilant." Vaccination booster programme for immunocompromised, seniors aged 60 and above Story continues Singapore's vaccine booster programme will begin from next Tuesday, targeting those who are immunocompromised, as well as to seniors aged 60 years and above. MOH said that it will progressively invite seniors and residents of aged-care facilities who have completed their two-dose vaccination regimen at least six months ago to receive their booster dose of a Pandemic Special Access Route mRNA vaccine. An SMS with a personalised booking link will be sent to their mobile number for them to book a new appointment. Those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and have completed their two doses of the mRNA vaccines are encouraged to receive a third dose of any mRNA vaccine two months after their second dose. However, they should consult their treating specialist prior to receiving their third dose. Eligible individuals may thereafter receive the vaccination in a hospital or specialist outpatient clinic of their treating specialist, if they are offering vaccinations. Alternatively, they may obtain a referral form by their treating specialist, and walk into any vaccination centre for their third dose. "We will be rolling out the vaccine booster programme...to maintain the high level of vaccine protection. These are necessary steps to take as we continue our journey to re-open our society and community." MOH said in its media release. "We seek Singaporeans understanding and support during this period so that we can ensure as safe a re-opening as possible." Expanding home recovery pilot scheme From next Wednesday, MOH will also expand its home recovery pilot scheme, which allows fully-vaccinated individuals who were infected with COVID-19 to recover from home, provided that they can be isolated from the rest of their household. The scheme will be extended progressively to individuals up to 50 years old who have no significant co-morbidities or underlying illnesses. This is because these individuals are generally well with no or mild symptoms and are able to self-care at home. Parents will also be allowed and encouraged to bring their infected children home, if they are at least five years old and do not have co-morbidities or underlying illnesses. For these children, they will first be assessed by the hospital to be clinically fit for home recovery, before sending them back home for their recovery journey. MOH said that, since the home recovery scheme began on 30 August, 21 individuals were enrolled into the scheme, with nine of them discharged as of Thursday, and the rest of them recovering well. The ministry has also shortened the isolation period for fully-vaccinated COVID-19 cases to as early as seven days into their illness, if they have undetectable or very low viral loads. Unvaccinated persons, however, will continue to be discharged from 14 days into their illness. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Dancer Kanami Kusajima allowed City Hall to use an image of her to boost the citys recovery efforts but has been repeatedly stopped by the NYPD from dancing in public (New York City government) A New York City dancer who allowed City Hall to use an image of her to boost the citys recovery efforts has been repeatedly stopped by the NYPD from dancing in public. Kanami Kusajima, 24, was asked by the office of Mayor Bill de Blasio if an image of her could be used for a poster. The caption later read: No stopping New York. The poster appeared on bus shelters and sidewalk kiosks across New York City. Following parties in Manhattans Washington Square Park that sparked the ire of residents in the area and garnered attention from the media, the New York City Police Department has been trying to suppress the dancers performances as they try to enforce a rule that prohibits loud music. But Ms Kusajima reportedly uses a small speaker and plays gentle music such as classical piano and jazz to accompany her performances. She also performs in the afternoon, far ahead of any parties in the park. But police officers have still told her on numerous occasions to turn off the music. By using my photo, they admitted that street performers are an important part of New York, she said according to Curbed. At the same time, they are cracking down on us instead of supporting us. One of her confrontations with officers was widely seen across social media. In a clip posted to Instagram, she tells the officers asking her to shut down her performance that she allowed the city to use her image with no charge and as a group of people gather around her, the officers let her be. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. If I was only by myself, they would possibly give me a ticket or possibly get me arrested, she told Curbed. The NYPD told the outlet that the penalty for playing amplified music is a summons and that its up to each individual officer to decide how to enforce the rule. What I want to do every day is spread positive energy, the 24-year-old said when speaking about the attention her interaction with police officers had received. She started taking lessons in modern dance when she was just six years old in Yokohama, Japan. As an 18-year-old, she moved on to study dance at Purchase College in Westchester, north of New York City. She was living on campus at the start of the pandemic. She said the online courses really made me crazy. Story continues I wasnt sharing my dance with anybody. Im just dancing for the same tables and chairs and walls every day, over and over, she told Curbed. After dancing alongside a Japanese painter, she has been performing on her own six days a week in the park following the artists return to Japan. They are just standing there for hours and hours, Ms Kusajima told Curbed of the officers. I imagine its kind of painful to see all those people who are enjoying art and coming together and feeling the community and real humanity, but they cant. Painter Navil Corbetts told the outlet that he had been bothered by officers for showing the prices of his artworks. The problem is not them, Mr Corbetts said. They just follow rules. The people that are on top, that have the money, that live around here, they want to change things. But for six generations the park has been like this how you gonna change it? Read More 9/11 anniversary: On September 11, New Yorkers remember their favourite story about Steve Buscemi Emma Raducanu: A look at New York fairy tale as she cruises into US Open final Trump says New Yorkers cant have guns but Taliban can have 27 each in error-strewn rant on Fox News David Chipmans nomination to serve as director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives had been languishing for months in the Senate, where Democrats knew he lacked the votes within their own party to win confirmation. Finally, this past week, the Biden administration pulled the plug on Chipman. Now, the president will have to come up with a new nominee who can defy the odds and win Senate approval to head one of the most divisive agencies in the federal government. President Joe Biden blamed Republicans for dooming Chipmans approval, saying in a statement Thursday, Theyve moved in lockstep to block David Chipmans confirmation. Chipman is a former ATF agent and a vocal gun control advocate. He works for Giffords, led by former Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was grievously injured in a 2011 mass shooting while holding a constituent event in Tucson, Arizona. The group lobbies for stronger gun control laws, including expanded background checks and regulating access to certain high-capacity weapons and ammunition. Chipman supports banning weapons including the popular AR-15 rifle, among other gun regulations. Republicans labeled Chipman as anti-Second Amendment, and they unanimously opposed his nomination. But it was a group of Democratic senators from gun-friendly states that sealed Chipmans fate, and they will decide whether Bidens next pick makes the cut. Senate Democrats control 50 seats and can clear any nominee with a simple majority vote enabled by Vice President Kamala Harris, who can break a tie. But several Democrats from states with high gun ownership signaled to the White House they were uncomfortable with Chipman serving as the nations top weapons regulator. Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Jon Tester of Montana, and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona were undecided on Chipman. At the same time, Maines Angus King, an independent who votes with the Democrats, told the White House he was a likely no. Story continues Biden must now come up with a replacement who can win over centrists in his own party while not triggering a backlash among the majority-liberal caucus and grassroots groups eager to install an ATF director who can help expand regulations curbing gun violence. It wont be easy. For the most part, the bureau has been operating under acting directors since Congress changed the position into an executive branch appointment that requires Senate approval in 2006. The Senate has confirmed only one ATF director, approving Barack Obamas acting director, B. Todd Jones, in a 53-42 vote in 2013. President Donald Trump was forced to withdraw his ATF nominee, former Fraternal Order of Police President Chuck Canterbury, after GOP senators refused to provide the votes to advance him out of committee. Republicans cited concerns that Canterburys support of the Second Amendment was weak. Biden will have to choose carefully if he plans to send Congress a new nominee. Gun control groups expressed frustration with the decision to pull Chipman, pointing to Bidens campaign trail promise to take aggressive steps to reduce gun violence. David Chipman is a tested law enforcement expert with over two decades of experience at the ATF. He is eminently qualified to lead the agency, Kris Brown, president of the gun control group Brady United, said in a statement. It is hugely disappointing and unconscionable that 50 members of the U.S. Senate, as well as at least one senator who caucuses with the Presidents party, would deny President Biden his choice to lead the ATF. Meanwhile, gun rights groups made defeating Chipman a top priority and touted their ability to rally gun owners to pressure senators into rejecting his nomination. They are poised to do it again if Biden picks a nominee they believe will encroach on gun ownership rights. This critical win is thanks to NRA members who flooded their senators offices with texts, emails, letters, and phone calls voicing their opposition to Chipmans nomination, NRA Institute for Legislative Action President Jason Ouimet said Thursday. Because of their swift action and ongoing opposition over the past several months, the radical gun control advocate will not sit at the helm of the ATF. The presidents authority to appoint an ATF director unilaterally ended during the second term of George W. Bush's presidency when Congress added a provision to the 2006 Patriot Act requiring Senate approval for the position. The first nominee to face the Senate was Mike Sullivan, who served in the Bush administration as acting director. However, a trio of Republican senators blocked Sullivans confirmation over complaints that Sullivan was not sympathetic enough to concerns the ATF had acted with hostility toward small gun dealers. Sullivan told the Washington Examiner he believes Biden could nominate a number of people who could win Senate approval, pointing out that Jones was confirmed during the Obama administration with both Republican and Democratic votes. There is a clear path for confirmation, Sullivan told the Washington Examiner. Nominate an individual that understands and respects the breadth of the Second Amendment, acknowledges that the Second Amendment protects individual rights, and nominate someone that sees the firearm industry as an important partner and appreciates the firearm industry works hard to meet all of its regulatory responsibilities. Washington Examiner Videos Tags: News, Congress, ATF, Gun Control, Gun Violence, David Chipman, Senate, Joe Biden, Regulation Original Author: Susan Ferrechio Original Location: Democratic senators from gun-friendly states sink Bidens embattled ATF pick A protestor. Illustrated | AP Images, iStock Republican leaders are for once staying quiet about a hot political issue. The Texas GOP's de facto ban on abortion and the right-wing Supreme Court majority's rubber stamp of the law has not been mentioned by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, or former President Donald Trump, or House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Fox News has largely kept mum on the subject. That uneasiness reflects the fact that the obvious Republican preference on abortion to ban it under all circumstances without exception is hideously unpopular. But like any culture war battle, Democrats will have to actually fight to win it. Now, polling on abortion is highly sensitive to question wording, because a large plurality of people are morally conflicted about it. A long-running Gallup poll finds that reliably about a third of Americans support abortion under any circumstance, while about half think it should be legal but with some restrictions. A recent NBC poll found 31 percent for "always legal," another 23 percent for "legal most of the time," and a further 34 percent for "illegal, with some exceptions." But no matter the wording, banning abortion entirely is wildly unpopular. Gallup's three-option poll found just 19 percent support for a total ban, while the NBC poll that mentioned rape and incest specifically only found eight percent support for a total ban. As I previously argued, unless something changes a total ban will be the (almost certainly intentional) effect of the new Texas law, because it allows for people to sue abortion providers without being liable for paying legal fees if they lose. One moderately wealthy person could bankrupt every Planned Parenthood in Texas with repeated, frivolous accusations of illegal abortion. On the current track, very soon Texans will have no access to abortion at least if they aren't rich. Just like before Roe vs. Wade, wealthy people (like a rich Republican politician who knocks up his mistress, for instance) will be able to go to other states or countries to get care. Story continues Now, it's easy to see why Democrats are reluctant to come out with full-fledged defenses of abortion a big chunk of the population thinks there should be at least some limits on its use. Traditional Democratic timidity means party leaders are reluctant to risk a backlash by boldly defending abortion rights. (In a recent tweet President Biden did not even mention the word at all.) But there is a way to thread this rhetorical needle. First, attack Republicans on their most sensitive points: pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, or those that threaten the mother's health, or ones very early in the term. The Texas bill does not have any exceptions for rape or incest, and the provision for the health of the mother is very narrow covering only an imminent risk of death or "substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function[.]" Hence Democrats should mercilessly attack Republicans on why they want to force rape or incest victims to bear their assailant's child, or why mere grievous injury isn't enough to avoid a forced birth. Texas Governor Greg Abbott was pressed on the rape question recently, and he could only blather incoherently that it wasn't an issue because he would somehow "eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas[.]" (A 2019 study of Texas crime found over 14,000 rapes that year, with less than a quarter even reported to authorities.) Messaging will also be key. Some polls have shown mixed support for banning abortion after "six weeks" of pregnancy, but most people likely do not understand that this number is calculated from the woman's last period meaning you have just two weeks from a missed period to scrape up some cash and get an appointment (and that's if your periods are very regular). That's undoubtedly why just a third of abortions happen before the six-week mark, but 46 percent happen in the following four weeks. The phrase "heartbeat bill" is also misleading. At six weeks, the developing heart is just a rudimentary tube in an embryonic disc only a few millimeters across it does not "beat" like a full-sized heart, and ultrasound technology produces a sound based on electrical activity. Second, while Democrats should stand firmly and openly for abortion rights, they could also leverage their current family benefits package that is currently before Congress as part a proposed $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package to attack Republicans from the other direction. In surveys, about three-quarters of people who get abortions report an inability to afford a child as one of the reasons motivating their choice. Abortion access is a fundamental part of reproductive rights, but being coerced into one for lack of money is not exactly ideal. True reproductive freedom requires not just contraception and abortion, but also a welfare state that will allow people to have whatever size family they want. So in addition to being good policy (though both the paid family leave and child allowance proposals need serious work), this would be another good line of attack on Republicans who say they want to cut abortions but oppose policy that would reduce their number. At any rate, as noted above the public opinion center of gravity on abortion is firmly on the pro-choice side. But as Alex Pareene wrote some years ago, "the few who ardently oppose abortion have been able to skillfully exploit a certain squeamishness most Americans feel about the procedure[.]" Today the real stakes are becoming clear Republicans really will categorically ban abortion across the country if they can. Democrats are going to have to work to activate that quiet majority. You may also like Why isn't Morpheus actor Laurence Fishburne in the Matrix Resurrections trailer? He says he wasn't 'invited.' What Biden stands to gain from another pandemic speech LAPD's mass collection of social media data alarms activists: 'This is like stop and frisk' One day after a state judge ruled against a ban on school mask policies, a Florida court has reinstated the stay, upholding Gov. Ron DeSantis' ban preventing rules requiring face coverings from being implemented in schools across the state. The move from Florida's 1st District Court comes shortly after Tallahassee Circuit Court Judge John Cooper ruled to allow masks in schools and removed the automatic stay from the previous order. BIDEN DECLARES WAR ON DESANTIS AND ABBOTT: 'GET THEM OUT OF THE WAY' The case, Scott vs. DeSantis, was brought about in an effort to allow schools in the state to implement mask mandates as COVID-19 cases surge in certain areas of the nation due to the delta variant. The governors order allowed parents to decide if they want their kids to wear masks to school rather than have local school districts make the decision, prompting a lawsuit brought by a group of parents in favor of school mask mandates. DeSantis, firm on his position regarding masks in schools being a parental choice, said this week that he believes "its important that they are given the ability to opt out." School boards in 13 districts in the state have voted to defy the order, choosing to require masks because of the virus resurgence, and they faced possibly having their salaries withheld. The Biden administration had promised federal funds for any district that lost money for requiring masks. Fox News' Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this article. As tens of thousands of evacuated Afghans prepare to rebuild their lives in America, the Department of Homeland Security warned law enforcement of a potential uptick in "grievances" by domestic violent extremists that "could lead some to commit violence," according to an intelligence bulletin obtained by CBS News. The assessment issued Tuesday by DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis cautioned that white supremacist groups and racially motivated extremists might target "individuals or groups they perceive have been relocated, or have assisted with relocation, as well as possibly other refugee communities that are unrelated." The bulletin noted that since mid-August, "suspected racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist-white supremacists have issued vague threats" against the federal government, critical infrastructure and "an organization involved in resettlement." They called for an arson attack on a Florida-based nonprofit organization that has been helping with Afghan resettlement, according to the bulletin. "We don't have a specific, credible threat, but we do see such chatter," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a briefing with reporters Wednesday. "It is tragically unsurprising." Mike Sena, executive director of the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, oversees "Little Kabul" in the city of Fremont, which is one of the largest Afghan-American diasporas in the U.S. "Our biggest concern, any time we have a vulnerable or refugee population coming in, is about people taking advantage or targeting them," Sena said. "Our goal is to make sure that if anyone threatens groups in our community, that [victims] know law enforcement is there for them." According to 2019 U.S. census data, over 66,000 people of Afghan ancestry reside in California. "Not only do we have to be concerned about terrorists coming into the United States from abroad, but over the past several years, the majority of lethal attacks conducted in the United States have been by individuals who are inspired by white supremacist or antigovernment ideological beliefs," DHS Acting Undersecretary of Intelligence and Analysis John Cohen said in an interview in response to CBS News' reporting. Story continues Cohen noted his office continues to monitor for any specific, credible threats. "Just as we have experienced attacks against houses of worship and other locations selected because they were believed to be locations where immigrants were gathering, we are now evaluating the domestic terror threat environment, from the perspective of, could there be directed attacks at those being relocated here?" Cohen said. Threat of inspired attacks Domestic violent extremists, including white supremacist groups are "reacting positively to the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan," according to the intelligence bulletin. "Some issued vague accelerationist threats online discussing the Taliban's takeover as an example of successfully resisting the U.S. Government and are posting content blaming the Jewish community for the relocation of Afghan nationals." Last month, Rinaldo Nazzarro, the founder of "the Base," an anti-Semitic, neo-Nazi domestic terror group, called on U.S. extremists to "think bigger" and "organize on a regional level" in a video drawing inspiration from the Taliban that was posted to Bitchute, a video site friendly to far-right groups. White supremacist and anti-government groups espousing the "great replacement" theory sprung up online in August in response to the relocation of Afghans to the U.S., according to U.S. law enforcement officials. Extremist groups continue to push false claims that resettlement of Afghan evacuees will contribute to a loss of control and authority by White people. There has not yet been a "significant online response" to these calls for violence, according to intelligence officials, but the agency is concerned about existing domestic extremist threats to Muslims and immigrants. The bulletin noted that in at least three racially or ethnically motivated attacks by white supremacists since 2018, extremists were motivated by anti-immigrant sentiment, including the mass shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso in August 2019 that took the lives of 23 people. "Inspired attacks are what I'm most worried about in the near term," Retired Lieutenant General Michael Nagata, a former strategy director for the National Counterterrorism Center, told CBS News. "What has now unfolded in Afghanistan regardless of its sources, regardless of its reasons, regardless of its outcomes will attract attention. Violent extremists around the country and world have to be looking at what has happened here as an inspiration. And inspired people are more likely to be seduced into inspired violence." Earlier this month, DHS identified a "heightened threat environment" ahead of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, assessing the anniversary "could serve as a catalyst for acts of targeted violence." Farah Pandith, former U.S. envoy to Muslim communities on the fight against terrorism and author of How We Win, says these communities don't need another 9/11-type attack "to feel the impact of terrorism." "Americans, unfortunately, have had to deal with the rise in hate and extremism of all kinds. Ideologies of all kinds are happening simultaneously white supremacy exists alongside this 'us vs. them' ideology that the Taliban, Al Qaeda and the Taliban use. Whether you're a neo-nazi group or the Taliban -- these groups have been studying how to recruit, fundraise, and develop global links. They're better coordinated and savvier than they were 20 years ago. This is a growth industry. Hate has become a growth industry." DHS' Office of Intelligence and analysis review of militia violent extremist plotting suggests Pandith is right about the growth of extremist acts of violence: "[A]nti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment drove most [militia violent extremist] activity between 2015 and 2019, including targeting migrants and Muslim communities in multiple states." Concerns about re-emergence of post-9/11 anti-Muslim sentiment Refugee advocates worry that anti-immigrant sentiments that took hold after 9/11could resurface now, triggering further violence and misinformation in a year already scarred by a spike in hate crimes. Muslim Americans still remember being surveiled, searched and singled out after the Twin Towers collapsed, and even today, those interactions spur distrust with law enforcement, for some. For his part, Mayorkas has acknowledged federal law enforcement's struggle to build partnerships between law enforcement and these communities. "What we learned from countering violent extremism is that if we carried the ball into the community, quite frankly, the level of skepticism is so high that we have to ask, are we actually just gathering intelligence?" the DHS chief noted, Wednesday. "Are we investigating rather than assisting the community in addressing a threat in its midst?" "By the acts of 19 terrorists from a country I'm not even from, I lost the right to privacy. I lost the right to quiet. And I lost the right to push back," Joseph Azam, who serves as a board member of the Afghan-American Foundation, told CBS News. Azam arrived in the U.S. as an infant during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and watched the Twin Towers fall from campus as a college student at New York University. He is now part of a broad coalition of Afghan American, veteran and immigration advocacy organizations working to resettle vulnerable Afghans. "I'm heartened by the possibility that law enforcement and government learned lessons for the past twenty years, in terms of dealing with American Muslims and immigrants," Azam continued. "But I think if you were to ask the community, broadly, there's still a high degree of caution and distrust because we've never been on the protected side of this equation." Red states use Texas law as blueprint to restrict abortion DHS Undersecretary John Cohen on how threats to the U.S. have changed since 9/11 CDC says unvaccinated people 11 times more likely to die from COVID-19 REUTERS When the United States sued Texas on Thursday it was the latest hit in a seemingly endless game of Whac-a-Mole legal attempts to protect abortion rights. The Department of Justice is hoping that a federal district court in West Texas will do what the Supreme Court did not when it refused to grant an injunction last week to stop the law, which bans all abortions after 6 weeks, from taking effect. The law had been crafted to reach that outcome, by leaving enforcement to private citizens, and the Courts conservative majority decided that it did not have authority to stop it from taking effect since it didnt involve government actors and there was not yet proof that it would be enforced. But since no decision was made on the substance of the law, other courts may still strike down the law that the Biden administration argues is in open defiance of the Constitution. Ordinarily, state actors enforce anti-abortion laws, and challenges to those laws in the court prevent them from taking effect while the underlying issues are decided. But because SB8 empowers individuals to enforce the law, SB8 cannot be stopped unless a court actively issues an injunction. Even though the question of whether or not SB8 is constitutional is still pending in front of the 5th Circuit, the law can be in effect while the judicial process is ongoing. Texas Guv Named a Law After This Rape Survivor. Now Shes Furious. The Department of Justices complaint in United States v. Texas outlines why an unconstitutional law should not be allowed to stand just because individuals enforce it. The DOJ is uniquely situated to argue that the law must be stopped from being in effect, because state law cannot violate federal law, and cannot directly regulate the activities of the federal government and its contractors. It is currently unconstitutional to prohibit abortions prior to the viability of the fetus, which is recognized as at 20-22 weeks. But SB8 makes it unlawful for physicians in Texas to perform abortions if they detect cardiac activitywhich can be as soon as six weeks after the womans last period, well before most women recognize that they are pregnant. To evade judicial review on the substance of the lawwhich clearly violates the viability standard the Supreme Court established in 1992SB8 created a procedural framework for anti-abortion advocates to hide behind, along with sympathetic Justices. Story continues The Texas legislature gave private citizens the right to file lawsuits against any person who violates SB8, or aids or abets an abortion after 6 weeks. The legal challenges to SB8 could not be brought as they ordinarily are against the state actor charged with enforcing the law, such as the health commissioner or governor. As Justice Sonia Sotomayor explained in her dissent, [b]y prohibiting state officers from enforcing the Act directly and relying instead on citizen bounty hunters, the Legislature sought to make it more complicated for federal courts to enjoin the Act on a statewide basis. The DOJ argues that even if Texas does not enforce SB8, the law both compels the judicial branch to enforce it and deputizes private citizens to be state actors. Usually, a person cannot bring a lawsuit unless they have standing, meaning that the violation of the law that they are seeking to prove in court has a personal impact on them. In contrast, any person can bring a lawsuit against abortion providers or those who aid and abet abortions under SB8. The plaintiff who files a lawsuitagainst a doctor, Lyft driver, receptionist or volunteerdoes not need to have any relationship to the abortion they are arguing took place. SB8 encourages these lawsuits, providing financial incentive for private citizens to file lawsuits by providing successful plaintiffs with damages of at least $10,000, and payment for their attorneys fees. Greg Abbotts Insane Defense of Abortion Ban: Well Eliminate Rapists United States v. Texas also outlines the various ways that SB8 restricts operations of the federal government by highlighting six different federal agencies and programs that operate in Texas and that are requiredbased on a myriad of federal laws and policiesto provide abortions. For example, prisoners who are incarcerated in federal prison in Texas, have the right to receive abortions. Bureau of Prisons personnel are required to assume all costs for abortions where the life of the parent is endangered, or in the case of rape or incest, and will need to escort inmates to facilities outside of Texas to comply with their own regulations. The same challenges applies to personnel in the Office of Refugee Resettlement, who will need to transport unaccompanied children to other states to receive the abortion services they are entitled to. As Justices case proceeds, the whack-a-mole game will continue, potentially indefinitely. Other states have already expressed interest in passing laws similar to SB8, and the DOJ has already stated that it will sue other states which pass those laws. Meanwhile, Travis County district court granted a restraining order against Texas Right to Life, preventing the organization or anyone working with them from enforcing SB8. Whole Womans Health v. Jackson, the lawsuit challenging SB8, is still pending in the 5th Circuit, which may still make a ruling on the substance of the law. In the face of all this, the Supreme Court has already agreed to hear Jackson Womens Health Organization v. Dobbswhich would allow the courts new conservative majority to decide whether all pre-viability prohibitions on elective abortions are unconstitutional, which would effectively mark the end of Roe v. Wade. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Stock image of a lorry The government has confirmed plans to speed up the process of obtaining an HGV driver licence, amid a nationwide shortage of drivers. Up to 50,000 more HGV driving tests will be made available each year by shortening the application process and the tests themselves, it said. The UK faces a shortfall of around 90,000 drivers, which has hit the supply of food, petrol and other goods. However, industry groups said the new plans did not go far enough. Lorry driver shortages have been blamed on EU workers leaving the UK following Brexit as well as during the pandemic and tax changes making it more expensive for drivers from elsewhere in Europe to work or be employed in the UK. There have also been complaints about a backlog of driver tests. In a written statement to the House of Commons, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the government would now overhaul regulations to boost capacity, meaning: Car drivers will no longer need to take a separate test to tow a trailer or caravan, allowing roughly 30,000 more HGV tests to be conducted every year Tests will be made shorter by removing several elements and having them tested separately by a third party Drivers will be able to get a licence to drive an articulated vehicle without first getting one for a smaller vehicle, making around 20,000 more HGV driving tests available every year. Mr Shapps said the changes, which still need to be approved by parliament, will generate additional test capacity "very rapidly". He added: "These changes will not change the standard of driving required to drive an HGV, with road safety continuing to be of paramount importance." Industry groups are sceptical about the plans - elements of which were published earlier this week - warning that they could affect safety. They also reiterated calls for temporary work visas to woo back around 20,000 EU drivers who have left the industry - something the government has rejected. Story continues 600 drivers being lost a week More than 6,300 lorry drivers spent Christmas 2020 queuing to enter the Port of Dover when France closed its border with the UK "This is a sensible move but it's not enough to fix the problem," Paul Jackson, managing director of Peterborough-based cold and chilled food logistics firm Chiltern Distribution told the BBC on Thursday. "We don't put newly-qualified drivers straight behind the wheel on their own. We buddy them up with experienced drivers for the first eight to 10 weeks and the insurance costs for new drivers are also much higher. "We desperately need to put HGV drivers on the list of skilled workers we can bring in from abroad." Richard Burnett of the Road Haulage Association said the industry was losing 600 drivers a week and it would take nearly two years to fill the net shortfall. A host of companies have been hit by the driver shortage, while some are offering higher wages and retention bonuses to woo recruits. Supermarket Morrisons has warned the crisis will push up prices, while restaurant chain Nando's temporarily closed 50 sites, blaming supply chain issues. And BP temporarily closed a "handful" of its UK sites, due to not being able to get petrol and diesel to them. B Livolsi has been threatened with eviction from their Las Vegas apartment four times in the last 18 months because they were unable to pay rent. As a union stagehand for big-time productions and conventions, they were largely forced to get by on unemployment checks when the pandemic all but shuttered the city. Livolsi, who identifies as trans and nonbinary, lives with their wife, who is both disabled and immunocompromised, which makes getting odd jobs to make ends meet even more difficult. I did everything I was supposed to do, Livolsi told Yahoo News. We did everything right, and through no fault of our own we now can't afford housing. Each time Livolsi has faced eviction, they were bailed out by a federal eviction moratorium that also funded landlords. But they recently learned that their apartment building had been sold and that an October eviction would be final. The landlord finally settled on selling the property, so regardless of whether we pay up or not, we have to go, Livolsi said, adding, I didn't think I would ever be in this position. Millions of Americans like Livolsi are now facing what many are calling a nationwide housing crisis. More than 8 million Americans say they are currently behind on rent, and 6 percent of renters nationwide, or just over 3.5 million people, say they are likely or very likely to face eviction because of the pandemic, according to data from an August Census Bureau survey. A mother in Phoenix is overcome with emotion after being served an eviction order for nonpayment of rent in September 2020. (John Moore/Getty Images) LGBTQ renters are faring even worse than the general population. About 1 in 5, or 19 percent, of LGBTQ renters are behind on rent, according to an August brief from the Williams Institute. Of that number, nearly half fear they will soon be displaced. Six states California, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Washington have temporary protections, but most states do not. Without last-minute legislation, many of Americas most vulnerable citizens will soon face eviction. Both federal and state bans on evictions were put in place earlier this year to protect tenants who might not have been able to pay rent because of loss of work or other challenges due to COVID-19. But in late August the Supreme Court blocked the federal ban, and some state moratoriums have expired. Story continues Its going to be a perfect storm for a lot of folks, Jordan Dewbre, a staff attorney for BronxWorks, a New York community organization assisting tenants and landlords with emergency rental assistance applications, told CNBC. We are still in the middle of a pandemic. While Democrats have been pushing for additional moratoriums, some Republican lawmakers say the time for that assistance has passed. Congress appropriated $47 billion of rental assistance to address this exact problem, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., tweeted last month. The admins time would be better spent dealing with its failure to get money owed to landlords rather than papering over its failures with illegal actions. Maricopa County Constable Darlene Martinez speaks with a landlord before evicting a family for nonpayment of rent in September 2020. (John Moore/Getty Images) Through July, just $4.7 billion of the $47 billion appropriated by Congress had reached landlords and tenants, according to the Treasury Department, leaving both landlords and state groups who are in charge of disseminating the aid frustrated. Getting the funds to landlords has been incredibly slow, and that has impacted those tenants who are truly in need and those landlords who are not getting paid, Tom Bannon, president of the California Apartment Association, the states biggest trade group for landlords, told the New York Times. We could support a limited short extension, but there has to be a way to get the funds out faster. Jerry S. Dickinson, a constitutional law professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and a civil rights attorney representing many low-income tenants in the Pittsburgh region, believes the responsibility of providing adequate housing for Americans falls squarely on the shoulders of the government. Congress has enormously broad power to act to address economic problems, like housing and evictions, under the Constitutions Commerce Clause, Dickinson told Yahoo News. There is no doubt that evictions are an economic activity that have a substantial impact on the American housing market and commerce. ... Its an economic transaction from the day the tenant signs the lease to the day the landlord goes to court to evict. A recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll supports this notion, showing that Americans remain in favor of a policy that would prevent landlords from evicting tenants who are unable to pay rent during the pandemic. Forty-three percent of Americans support a policy that would prevent the eviction of tenants under those circumstances, while 32 percent oppose, the survey of 1,605 U.S. adults conducted from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 showed. Another 26 percent remain unsure. Additionally, 43 percent of respondents said they feel that affordable housing should be a priority of the Biden administration, nearly 10 points more than the 32 percent who said the minimum wage should be more of a focus. Sheena Mooney from Washburn, Kan., who was evicted from her home in August, says she understands how devastating life can be when youre evicted. How did this happen? Mooney told the Kansas Reflector. How was I able to fall through the cracks and get no help? Mooney lost her job at the snack food company Frito-Lay in March 2020 and fell behind on rent shortly afterward. She applied for unemployment but didnt qualify. Her eviction was later approved between the time the states moratorium expired on May 26, 2020, and Gov. Laura Kellys eviction ban went into effect on Aug. 27, 2020. Now Mooney lives in a trailer park a few miles outside of Washburn, unsure of how her fortunes turned so quickly. A tenant in Phoenix speaks with a constable who arrived with an eviction order in October 2020. (John Moore/Getty Images) According to Dickinson, Congress could do more to help people like Mooney. The eviction moratorium was a necessary and proper exercise of Congresss commerce power to regulate economic activity, he said. Americans working a minimum-wage job cannot afford a two-bedroom apartment in any state in the country, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalitions annual Out of Reach report. The pandemic has only exacerbated housing issues as low-wage workers have been laid off at higher percentages than other earners and have been more likely to catch COVID-19. Today the country is nearly 7 million units short of what it needs to meet housing needs nationwide, according to a June National Association of Realtors report. The lack of supply drives up demand, in turn raising rent prices, particularly in the most populated areas. In New York, for every 100 low-income renters there are just 37 affordable homes, according to data analysis by Vox. In both Texas and California, there are fewer than 30 homes for the same number of renters. And these challenges have been growing for decades. For more than 30 years, between 1968 and 2000, the U.S. built an average of about 1.5 million new housing units each year. But for the past 20 years the country has built only 1.23 million new housing units every year, taking into account the Great Recession. Thats why the National Association of Realtors report calls for a once-in-a-generation policy response. "The state of America's housing stock ... is dire, with a chronic shortage of affordable and available homes [needed to support] the nation's population," the report states. "A severe lack of new construction and prolonged underinvestment [have led] to an acute shortage of available housing ... to the detriment of the health of the public and the economy. The scale of underbuilding and the existing demand-supply gap is enormous ... and will require a major national commitment to build more housing of all types." In an effort to boost home construction and lower the barriers to entry for first-time home buyers, the White House announced last week that it would leverage its authority over regulators, including the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The changes aim to increase the amount of affordable housing by building and preserving 100,000 affordable homes for buyers and renters over the next three years, according to a press release. A banner on a rent-controlled building in Washington, D.C., in August 2020. (Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images) Gene Sperling, a Democratic policy aide in charge of overseeing White House pandemic relief programs under Biden, estimates that about 40 percent of vulnerable tenants in the country are either receiving assistance or temporarily protected from eviction by state and local moratoriums. Dickinson wants Congress to pass a law to impose a nationwide rent control policy for the duration of the pandemic, in addition to adopting a policy that creates a statutory right to counsel to ensure every person has access to a lawyer in a civil legal proceeding. He adds that Congress can also pass a law prohibiting landlords from discriminating against subsidized tenants on the basis of income, among other reasons. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., one of the most outspoken politicians on the issue of affordable housing, has drawn on her own experience to push Congress to act on housing. In late July, Bush, alongside Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., slept outside the U.S. Capitol in protest of the end of the eviction moratorium. I have been evicted three times myself. I know what it's like to be forced to live in my car with my two children," Bush wrote in a letter to her Democratic colleagues that she later posted to Twitter. "Now that I am a member of Congress, I refuse to stand by while millions of people are vulnerable to experiencing that same trauma that I did." Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., on the steps of the House of Representatives on July 31. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) Bush has also introduced the Unhoused Bill of Rights, legislation that seeks to end the homelessness crisis by 2025 by increasing affordable housing, providing universal housing vouchers and increasing funding to federal housing programs and social services. While Americans like Livolsi appreciate tweets from politicians like Bush, shes hoping enough Democrats will sign on and get the bill passed into law. This is your job, Livolsi said. We voted, and we got you the majority in both the House and Senate and you got the presidency, and now what are you all doing with it? If they want people to show up for them, they have to give people a reason to vote. And its hard to vote when youre homeless. Cover thumbnail photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Spencer Platt/Getty Images, John Moore/Getty Images _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Sep. 9Environmental groups filed a long-teased lawsuit against a hydropower giant on Thursday, claiming four Kennebec River dams are violating federal laws by not allowing enough endangered Atlantic salmon to reach upstream spawning grounds. The group, which includes the Atlantic Salmon Federation U.S., the Conservation Law Foundation, Maine Rivers and the Natural Resources Council of Maine, argue that Brookfield Renewable U.S., is operating those dams in violation of the federal Endangered Species Act. The law allows for companies to incidentally harm a certain amount of fish through their operations with a permit, but Brookfield's permission to do so expired in 2019, according to the lawsuit. The suit is the latest turn in a debate around the four dams that has focused on the Shawmut Dam in Fairfield. Gov. Janet Mills' administration took a step toward removing the dams in March, withdrew the plan after Brookfield sued and then said in August that it planned to deny the operator a key water-quality certification. Mills backed off from that stance after Sappi North America ran an op-ed saying that could lead to the dam's removal and close the mill. That was the Democratic governor's first major break on the issue with environmental groups who believe the dams should be removed. The suit, which was foreshadowed in May, asks a federal judge to declare operating the four lower Kennebec River dams illegal and to prevent Brookfield from operating them. "Maine can achieve a healthy Kennebec River that supports expanding fish populations and meets the needs of riverfront communities," the environmental groups said in a joint statement. But such a future would be possible only if Brookfield agreed to work constructively with the state on how to fix fish passage issues, they said. The governor's office previously suggested the dams should be removed if they could not guarantee 99 percent of salmon can pass safely through the dams. Brookfield has withdrawn its certification request and filed a new one, triggering another year-long review process. Story continues Brookfield has long pushed back against the environmental groups' assertions. It has also characterized Maine's proposed fish passage standards as unreasonable and punitive, saying its own fish passage plan would allow 96 percent of fish to pass through. Company spokesperson Miranda Kessel said the company was "disappointed" in the lawsuit and the plan was being reviewed by federal regulators on fish harm issues before a May 2022 deadline. She said Brookfield is committed to balancing fish protection while keeping the dams operating. Brookfield's species protection plan was rejected by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2020 after federal and local wildlife and fishery agencies questioned its ability to protect fish. The company filed an amended plan in May and was given an extension, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has requested more information before reviewing it, according to federal documents. More articles from the BDN (Bloomberg) -- Europe isnt doing enough to prepare for a potential gas crunch this winter, especially as U.S. deliveries of LNG cant be increased further, according to the State Departments envoy for energy security. Amos Hochstein said on Friday that U.S. liquefied natural gas shipments to the continent were running at full capacity, and -- if the winter is harsh -- additional supplies would need to be sent to Europe through its gas pipeline. I worry because I dont think we should ever be in a position knowing that if its a cold winter, theres not enough supply, he told reporters during a visit to Warsaw. Everyone has to be prepared and to think about this more than Im seeing currently in Europe. Hochstein said hes concerned because gas storage in Europe is below the five-year average, which has led to record prices in some markets, and that Russia -- a major source of the continents energy -- is coming off an extended period of inexplicably low supply. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Democrats' hopes for including certain pathways to citizenship in their $3.5-trillion social spending package rest with a Senate staffer who assesses the relevance to the budget. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) The fate of a pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants is in the hands of a key Senate staffer who is expected to decide in the coming weeks whether the policy can be included in the Democrats upcoming $3.5-trillion social spending package. Democrats hope to enact a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, or participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. A citizenship pathway would also be offered to three other groups: people with temporary protected status, farmworkers and essential workers. As many as 8 million people currently in the country could benefit from the proposal, if it is included, delivering the biggest victory for immigration advocates in decades after years of fits and starts in Washington on comprehensive reform. But because Democrats plan to pass their package by using a special reconciliation process, the immigration policy can be included only if it conforms to a special set of Senate rules and can be shown to be directly related to the federal budget. Democrats are using the reconciliation process because it enables them to circumvent a GOP filibuster. The Senates parliamentarian, an unelected staffer appointed to the nonpartisan position, is tasked with making that call. Elizabeth MacDonough, appointed by former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), is the current parliamentarian. Democratic and Republican aides met with her behind closed doors Friday to begin to make their case. She did not announce a decision on whether to include the policy and asked for answers to follow-up questions, according to people familiar with the process. It is unknown whether a final decision will be reached before Monday, when the House Judiciary Committee will consider the immigration provisions in the bill. I am excited and a little bit nervous, I must admit, Rep. Jesus Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) said on a conference call with the American Business Immigration Coalition on Friday, because today we will get the first sign of how we may fare in the coming days and weeks. Story continues Garcia said earlier this year that he wouldnt support a reconciliation bill without a pathway to citizenship. The effort to legalize a pathway to citizenship comes as the legal battle over Dreamers has intensified. The Biden administration appealed a Texas court ruling that found the DACA program unlawful. The appeal was filed in the conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Democrats are cautiously optimistic that if the parliamentarian were to rule that the immigration provision can be included a decision that even some Democrats consider a long shot they would have the votes to enact it. Sen. Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, who counts votes for Senate Democrats, would say last month only that hes talked to most Democrats about supporting the provision. They understand it. Certainly [Majority Leader Charles E.] Schumer feels as I do that we should include it, he said. But, whatever we put in has to pass the parliamentarians test. Democrats argue that the policy conforms to the rules. They say its a budgetary issue because providing citizenship would cost the government about $140 billion over 10 years, according to initial estimates, because new U.S. citizens would be eligible for benefits, such as Medicaid, the Childrens Health Insurance Program and the Affordable Care Act. Todays review of the inclusion of immigration reform in the reconciliation bill by the parliamentarian is just an important step in the process to finally bring justice to immigrant communities across America, said Sergio Gonzales, executive director of the advocacy group the Immigration Hub. We are confident that Democratic leaders are prepared to move us forward and will use every tool at their disposal to do so. The liberal Center for American Progress estimates citizenship would be a boon to the economy, adding about $1.5 trillion to the nations gross domestic product over a decade. The group says the path to citizenship would also result in higher wages for all Americans and the creation of 400,000 new jobs. Democrats also argue that they have precedent on their side, pointing to a 2005 parliamentarians ruling that adding new green card holders could be allowed in a similar kind of bill. At that time, the Senate was controlled by Republicans. Republican aides are expected to argue the budgetary impact of adding millions of new citizens is merely incidental and that such sizable policy changes arent allowed in reconciliation. Immigration advocates are already working on backup proposals in case the parliamentarian doesnt agree with their initial arguments, according to people involved in the discussions. Based on the parliamentarians indications Friday, theyre going to be really trying to figure out if theres objections, what are the objections and how to work around them, said Frank Sharry, executive director of the advocacy group Americas Voice. If MacDonough rejects the pathway to citizenship for the four groups of immigrants, proponents say they will try to win approval for an alternative proposal that would change existing law to make more people eligible for a green card. The policy relies on the existing registry, an obscure part of immigration law that allows certain people who have been present in the United States since Jan. 1, 1972, with eligibility to apply for a green card even if they are in the country unlawfully. Under this plan, that date would be changed to something much more recent, with some people pointing to a likely date of 2011, according to people involved in the discussions. The date will be constrained by the total amount of money that can be spent on immigration policy in the reconciliation bill. This plan which MacDonough would still need to approve would probably not cover as many people, particularly farmworkers and essential workers who arrived in the country in recent years. The Senate doesnt have to follow the parliamentarians rulings. But it would be a dramatic break in precedent to defy them. Many House Democrats, already frustrated by the Senates filibuster rules, are eager to see their counterparts overrule or ignore the parliamentarian. But most Senate Democrats havent taken up the cause. MacDonough has frustrated Democrats before. In February, she ruled that implementing a $15 minimum wage could not be included as part of Democrats COVID-19 relief bill. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Sep. 10Frederick County Public Schools has entered into a formal partnership with the Phoenix Recovery Academy, the state's only high school for students recovering from substance use disorders. The agreement will strengthen the relationship between the academy located on Church Street in downtown Frederick and the public school system, according to Phoenix Recovery Academy Executive Director Heather Whitcomb. "We hope that we can be a resource to the adolescents in the public school community who are struggling and want to recover," Whitcomb said. With the partnership which was formally struck Wednesday Phoenix's facilities will be made available for FCPS student and family tours, Whitcomb said. Plus, The Phoenix Foundation the nonprofit that runs the school will provide professional development opportunities for FCPS staff to learn about recovery and substance use. In turn, FCPS expects to bring Phoenix students who have successfully recovered from substance-use disorders to speak in high school health classes. Plus, the district can provide information about the academy to social workers, counselors and school resource officers in FCPS, who could communicate it to students who may be struggling and unaware of the resource. "Our hope is to grow and expand," said Jessica Jeffery, Phoenix's community relations director. The school already has a partnership with the downtown Frederick YMCA, which provides membership to all the students and offers classes to them a couple of times per month. Phoenix Recovery Academy opened just before the coronavirus pandemic hit in August 2020. The academy is a private school that accepts new students year-round, Whitcomb said. Its students work toward high school graduation in addition to recovery goals. Currently, four students are enrolled. Two are from Frederick County, Whitcomb said. One self-transports every day from Annapolis. There are about 45 other recovery high schools across the country, Whitcomb said. Most of them have been in operation for five to eight years and average between 12 and 20 students. Story continues "We're a close-knit, positive peer recovery environment," she said. "The students can come here and feel safe and focus on what they need to focus on, which is being in recovery." Some students stay at Phoenix until they graduate, while others spend a semester or a year there before returning to their home schools. School staff members also provide support and engagement with students' families, which are often the most instrumental factors in a teenager's recovery. Recovery support and regular check-ins are built into the school day, and students are expected to attend meetings designed to keep them on track. But in addition to those and to regular instruction, the students and staff meet regularly outside of school for outings or events. A volleyball tournament is scheduled for this weekend, and a trip to Hershey Park is set for the end of the month. "If the kids aren't having fun as a teenager, they're not going to stay sober," Jeffery said. "That's the bottom line." Follow Jillian Atelsek on Twitter: @jillian_atelsek The FDA said on Friday that it is "working around the clock" to support the process of making the coronavirus vaccine available for children under the age of 12. Why it matters: The number of children getting hospitalized due to the virus is increasing, with some infectious disease doctors worrying that the Delta variant could be causing more serious illness in kids. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. Children remain less likely than adults to be hospitalized with COVID-19, but some hospitals are seeing major spikes in health care needs for younger patients, NBC News reports. The big picture: As children return to school this fall, coronavirus cases among young children could increase especially as many states end mask mandates for in-person instruction, despite the CDC recommending that masks be worn in schools to reduce the risk of infection. Driving the news: As numbers increase, the FDA has been facing calls from politicians and the public to expedite its review process to allow for younger children to get inoculated, per Politico. Meanwhile, Pfizer and BioNTech will soon seek regulatory approval for its vaccine to be used in children as young as 5, the New York Times reports, citing Der Spiegel. We will be presenting the results from our study on 5- to 11-year-olds to authorities around the world in the coming weeks, BioNTech co-founder Ozlem Tureci said. What they're saying: "Its important that the public recognize that, because young children are still growing and developing, its critical that thorough and robust clinical trials of adequate size are completed to evaluate the safety and the immune response to a COVID-19 vaccine in this population," Janet Woodcock, acting FDA commissioner, and Peter Marks, director for the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a joint statement. "Children are not small adults and issues that may be addressed in pediatric vaccine trials can include whether there is a need for different doses or different strength formulations of vaccines already used for adults," they added. They said that parents must "remember that the vaccine doses that are currently being studied in younger children are not necessarily the same vaccine doses that were authorized for individuals 12 years and older or approved for individuals 16 years of age and older." What's next: Woodcock and Marks said they cannot offer a specific date for when reviews will be completed, but added that "we are working as expeditiously as possible to meet this critical public health need." More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free President Joe Biden. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images School officials whose pay is withheld over defying state mask-mandate bans will be reimbursed. President Joe Biden announced that the federal government would restore 100% of pay to educators. The announcement seems to be a response to Gov. Ron DeSantis' previous threats to withhold salaries. See more stories on Insider's business page. While announcing a series of new, stricter federal COVID-19 initiatives on Thursday, President Joe Biden said the Department of Education would restore "100%" of pay to teachers and school officials who were punished for "doing the right thing." The announcement seems to be a targeted response to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' ongoing showdown with state school officials and educators over mask requirements in classrooms. Earlier this summer, the Republican leader signed an executive order banning mask mandates in Florida schools, setting off a battle over parents' rights and the proven COVID-19 mitigation method. As multiple districts throughout the state voted to flout the governor's restrictive law, DeSantis threatened to withhold pay from school officials who defied the executive order. During his Thursday speech, Biden said he would use his "power as president" to get defiant governors "out of the way." "Right now, local school officials are trying to keep children safe in a pandemic while their governor picks a fight with them and even threatens their salaries or their jobs," Biden said. "Talk about bullying in schools." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The president said the Department of Education had already begun taking legal action against states that were undermining coronavirus protection that school officials had ordered. Biden promised that any teacher or school officials whose pay was withheld for "doing the right thing" would be compensated by the federal government 100%. "I promise you, I will have your back," he said. Story continues In response to Biden's pointed comments, Christina Pushaw, press secretary for DeSantis, accused the Biden administration of "playing politics with kids' well-being." "The only 'bullies here are politicians who want to force-mask kindergartenders, in violation of parents' rights," she told Insider. Biden also urged governors to require vaccination for all teachers and staff. "Vaccination requirements in schools are nothing new," he said. "They work." The president's speech came one day after DeSantis lost his latest bid to ban mask mandates in school. On Wednesday, a Florida judge ruled that the state must stop enforcing the governor's ban, allowing districts to require masks while the case is being appealed in a higher court. That ruling came weeks after the same judge ruled that DeSantis didn't have the authority to issue the mask ban. Following the Wednesday ruling, mask-mandate bans across Florida were immediately lifted, though some schools had already defied the order, imposing mask mandates in spite of the law. Read the original article on Business Insider A federal judge on Thursday threw out all charges against a University of Tennessee professor accused of hiding his relationship with a Chinese university while receiving research grants from NASA. Anming Hu was arrested in February 2020 and charged with three counts of wire fraud and three counts of making false statements. The arrest was part of a broader Justice Department crackdown under then-President Donald Trump's administration against university researchers who conceal their ties to Chinese institutions. A jury in June deadlocked after three days of deliberation and U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan declared a mistrial. Last month, prosecutors filed a notice that they intended to retry the case. Varlan ruled to acquit on all charges on Thursday, responding to a motion Hu's attorney made at trial that Varlan had declined to immediately rule on. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Rachelle Barnes, said on Friday the office had no comment on the case. Defense attorney Philip Lomonaco said prosecutors cannot appeal an acquittal, so the judgment marks the end of the case. It was the right decision, Lomonaco said. He was innocent. Hu began working for UT Knoxville in 2013 and later was invited by another professor to help apply for a research grant from NASA. That grant application was not successful, but two later applications were. A 2012 law forbids NASA from collaborating with China or Chinese companies. The government has interpreted that prohibition to include Chinese universities, and Hu was a faculty member at the Beijing University of Technology in addition to his position at UT. Prosecutors tried to show that Hu deliberately hid his position at the Chinese university when applying for the NASA-funded research grants. Lomonaco argued at trial that Hu didnt think he needed to list his part-time summer job on a disclosure form and said no one at UT ever told him otherwise. Story continues On Thursday, Varlan ruled that, even assuming Hu intended to deceive about his affiliation with that second university, there is no evidence that Hu intended to harm NASA. Without intent to harm, there is no scheme to defraud, Varlan wrote, quoting a necessary element of the wire fraud charges. Varlan added that NASA got the research from Hu that it paid for, and there was no evidence that Hu took any money from China or had anyone in China work on the projects. Varlan also cited evidence that NASA's funding restrictions were unclear. For instance, the University of Tennessee's China Assurance letter sent in conjunction with the grant applications stated that the funding restriction did not apply to UTK faculty like Hu, Varlan wrote. Lomonaco argued at trial that the Department of Justice had ignored the law and destroyed the career of a professor with three Ph.D.s in nanotechnology because the agency wanted a feather in its cap with an economic espionage case. The First District Court of Appeal on Friday granted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) approval to uphold an order banning mask mandates in schools, per court documents filed Friday. Why it matters: The move reverses a decision from earlier this week that paused the state's ability to enforce a ban on strict mask mandates in schools. The state will be able to resume punishing school districts that enforce mandates, which up until this point has included withholding funds from schools. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. Driving the news: "When a public officer or agency seeks appellate review, which is the case here, there is a presumption under the rule in favor of a stay, and the stay should be vacated only for the most compelling of reasons," per the order from the 1st District Court of Appeal. "Given the presumption against vacating the automatic stay, the stay should have been left in place pending appellate review." The big picture: Second Circuit Judge John Cooper ruled on Wednesday that Florida had to stop enforcing mask bans, refusing to issue a stay as the state appealed his decision. "We are not in normal times. We are in a pandemic. We have children that cant be protected by vaccination," Cooper said in court, according to NBC Miami. "Children are at risk and they provide at least some protection by masking." Thirteen of Floridas 67 school districts have strict mask requirements, defying DeSantis' order, per the Miami Herald. President Biden on Thursday announced the creation of a fund designed to cover funds that are withheld from the state because of their mask rules. We have the funding, the resources and the intention of having the back of school leaders in school district superintendents and others who do the right thing by students, and that includes putting in place mask requirements and other requirements that will keep them safe." Story continues White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday. What they're saying: DeSantis applauded the court's decision, saying it had "restored the right of parents to make the best decisions for their children." "I will continue to fight for parents rights," he said in a tweet. Go deeper: Biden calls GOP governors "cavalier" for resisting vaccine requirements. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has challenged the Biden administrations polices in the Supreme Court A Republican attorneys general group reportedly held a two-day "war games" event to plan strategies for a Donald Trump election loss in 2020. The in-person conference, held in Atlanta six weeks before the November election, was one of 20 meetings held by the Rule of Law Defence Fund, an offshoot of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), according to the Associated Press. An email from then-RAGA executive director Adam Piper sent after the war games, obtained by AP, was addressed to the "generals" that attended the series of conversations planning for what could come if we lose the White House". It was a fast paced, productive series of war games, which hopefully will not have to be utilized in November, Mr Piper wrote. Mr Piper resigned his role from RAGA after an investigative watchdog group, Documented, revealed the Rule of Law Defence Fund sent robocalls to Trump supporters before the 6 January riot saying: "At 1 pm., we will march to the Capitol building and call on Congress to stop the steal. We are hoping patriots like you will join us to continue to fight to protect the integrity of our elections." Additional emails between the attorneys general offices of Kansas and Missouri showed that weekly calls were held for senior staffers, including a virtual roundtable with senior corporate attorneys in July and a Zoom "strategy session" in December, which touched on immigration policy. The email from Mr Piper to RAGAs "generals" listed the Georgia meetings agenda item as "WAR GAMES - 32 AG Staff Members are huddled in Atlanta for a series of conversations planning for what could come if we lose the White House". Following Mr Trumps election loss, a group of 18 attorneys general from Republican-controlled states, led by Texas, filed a lawsuit seeking to block electors from four states they claimed violated the Constitution by rushing through changes to mail-in voting procedures that were not approved by the state legislatures. Story continues While it was dismissed by the Supreme Court on procedural grounds, Texas AG Ken Paxton has been successful in separate Supreme Court lawsuits challenging the immigration policies of Joe Biden. GOP attorneys general have filed more than 40 lawsuits against the Biden administration since the president was sworn in on 20 January, according to RAGA spokesman Johnny Koremenos. Mr Loremenos said in a statement to AP that the September meeting was was strictly focused on administrative law and preparing attorneys general teams for a potential Biden Administration or a second term of President Trump common practice in an election season." John Milburn, a spokesman for Kansas attorney general Derek Schmidt, said two office staffers attended the summit to discuss the legal responses to the regulations or federal actions from a potential Biden administration. "Just as state attorneys general were active in defending the authority of states against unlawful federal power-grabs during the Obama-Biden administration, Mr Milburn told the Kansas Reflector, which was first to report the meetings. BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's government has signed a letter of intent with Sinopharm executives to develop the required infrastructure within the next 10 months to produce the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday. Hungary has said it plans to produce Sinopharm's jab and a locally developed shot in a new vaccine plant. The agreement will enable the Hungarian facility to respond quickly to any possible new coronavirus variants by way of information sharing with Sinopharm, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The government has earmarked 55 billion forints ($186 million) to build the plant that is expected to make Hungary self-sufficient in vaccine production from the end of 2022. As of Friday, Hungary registered 814,732 COVID-19 cases with 30,086 deaths. In all, 5.54 million people, more than half of the population, have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the government said. ($1 = 295.61 forints) (Reporting by Gergely Szakacs; Editing by Edmund Blair) Hurricane Olaf made landfall near a resort area of Mexico's Baja California Sur on Thursday night, bringing 100 mph winds and the threat of up to 15 inches of rain, forecasters said. The hurricane made landfall very close to San Jose del Cabo, on the southern tip of the Baja peninsula, around 9 p.m. local time, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. The hurricane had estimated maximum sustained winds of 100 mph when it crossed into land, forecasters said. Image: Preparations ahead of Hurricane Olaf in Cabo San Lucas (Monserrat Zavala / Reuters) It was expected to bring 5 to 10 inches of rain, with maximum amounts of 15 inches through Friday, the National Hurricane Center said. Storm surge was also expected to produce flooding. The hurricane is forecast to move northwest, and it is predicted to turn to the west and move out over the Pacific Ocean and away from land by late Friday or early Saturday. Before the hurricane made landfall, authorities closed ports and urged residents in flood-prone areas to move to shelters. The resorts would normally be full of tourists this time of year, but with the Covid-19 pandemic, hotels were well below that, The Associated Press reported. CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico (AP) Hurricane Olaf slipped back to tropical storm force on Friday after slamming into the Los Cabos resorts at the tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula and then drenching the region with torrential rains. The storm came ashore near San Jose del Cabo late Thursday as a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 100 mph (155 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. But winds had dropped to 40 mph (65 kph) by Friday evening, when it was centered about 45 miles (65 kilometers) west-southwest of Cabo San Lazaro. At least 700 local residents spent the night in shelters while while an estimated 20,000 foreign tourists hunkered down in their hotels. State Civil Defense Deputy Secretary Carlos Alfredo Godinez said he had received no reports of lives lost. The national electrical company reported the storm knocked out power to most customers in the state, but it was gradually being restored. Some hotels reported minor damage. As the storm came ashore some motorists were stranded inside their cars in high water. But the Cabo San Lucas Fire Department reported only fallen trees and power lines. Officials closed ports and schools in the area, suspended COVID-19 vaccinations and told many nonessential workers to stay home. Businesses had boarded up windows and people lined up for last-minute purchases in supermarkets ahead of the storm. The Hurricane Center said the storm was expected to head up the western coast of the peninsula during the day and then veer out into the Pacific by night. More than 500,000 people live in the La Paz-Los Cabos region and Lilzi Orci, president of the Los Cabos Hotels Association, estimated that about 20,000 foreign tourists were in the area despite COVID-19 restrictions that kept hotels to less than 40% of capacity. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A state court judge declined Friday to halt enforcement of an Iowa law that prohibits school boards from enacting mask requirements, saying there is no evidence that any school board would immediately impose a mask mandate if the law wasn't in effect. The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Frances Parr, a mother of twin boys from Council Bluffs. She sued the state, Gov. Kim Reynolds and several state officials last month in Polk County District Court, seeking an order halting enforcement of the law Judge Celene Gogerty, who was appointed to the bench by Reynolds in November 2018, said Parr has presented no evidence that a temporary injunction would alleviate Parr's alleged harm causes by the law. Thus, on the evidence presented by the plaintiffs, even if the court imposed the temporary injunction, there is no evidence a mask mandate would be imposed by the plaintiffs school board and the plaintiffs would be in the exact position prior to the implementation of the proposed injunction, she wrote. Parr asserts that the law Reynolds signed in May violates her constitutional rights. Her sons were set to start first grade in the Council Bluffs Community School District this fall, but she is teaching them at home over fears for their safety since the school cannot require other students to wear masks. Gogerty also said a temporary injunction is allowed when there is no other available remedy to the plaintiffs in a case. Parr also has asked Gogerty to issue an order for a universal mask mandate for all students and school personnel until a voluntary plan can be implemented that separates mask-wearing students and staff from those who refuse. That request has not yet been argued before the judge but is another available remedy, Gogerty said. Lawyers for the state have asked the judge to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming Parr has no legal standing to sue and that the court should not overturn the right of the legislative branch to make such political decisions. A hearing date was not immediately set for that motion. Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos. Stephen Lam/Reuters Elizabeth Holmes' trial was delayed after a juror said they were potentially exposed to COVID-19. A juror told the judge they were awaiting lab test results, but had no symptoms, a court filing said. Judge Edward Davila canceled Friday's proceedings. The trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday. See more stories on Insider's business page. A judge has delayed the trial of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and former CEO of Theranos, after a member of the jury was potentially exposed to COVID-19. In an emergency Zoom call late Thursday, US District Court judge Edward Davila said to attorneys that a juror told him about potential exposure to the virus, according to a court filing. The juror told Davila they were awaiting lab test results, but had no symptoms, according to the filing. Davila canceled Friday's scheduled trial proceedings. The trial is set to resume on Tuesday because it operates on an abbreviated three-days-a-week schedule. Court documents said that the juror was vaccinated, wore a mask, and maintained social distancing throughout the jury selection and trial proceedings. The Wall Street Journal reported that the juror had taken an over-the-counter test that returned negative. "It's a little, I don't want to say ominous, but it's of concern that before we finish the first witness we have an issue," Davila said, per CNBC. "For our sake, around the county there are still high numbers and we hope everybody continues to be safe." Jeff Schenk, a US assistant attorney, told the judge that the government was concerned about the delay because of the large number of witnesses it planned to call over the next few months, per CNBC. "I think at the stage we're in it would be safe to proceed with trial tomorrow but I understand that the court might determine especially in the beginning to be a little bit safer, to be extra careful," Schenk said, per CNBC. Holmes has been charged with 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She has pleaded not guilty to all 12 counts. Story continues Holmes founded blood-testing startup Theranos in 2003, aged 19. The company, which was valued at $9 billion at its peak, developed a test for a variety of health conditions that needed blood from a single finger prick. Theranos became the focus of multiple investigations after regulators said there were major inaccuracies in its tests. After a visit from FDA investigators, a bombshell Wall Street Journal article, and the start of an investigation by the SEC, Holmes was banned from working in the lab-testing industry for two years in July 2016. Theranos shut its lab operations and wellness centers later that year. In June 2018, Holmes stepped down as CEO and the Department of Justice charged her. Holmes could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Read the original article on Business Insider The federal judge in the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person ever put on trial in the U.S. in the 9/11 attacks, said Thursday that the trial proved that civilian courts can successfully handle terrorism cases, despite the abundant challenges. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema presided over the lengthy trial in Alexandria, Virginia. The courthouse is near the Pentagon, which was one of the three targets hit by terrorist hijackers 20 years ago this week. She made rare public comments about the trial during a panel discussion hosted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for Eastern Virginia. "I think our approach to terrorists should be really an approach to criminals. They shouldn't get any heightened respect or treatment," she said. Brinkema noted that when the trial was over, Moussaoui asked to withdraw his guilty plea and sought a new trial. He assumed he would get the death penalty; when he did not, he said he realized he could get a fair trial even with American jurors, she recalled. Moussaoui, who came to the U.S. from France, was arrested in 2001 28 days before the 9/11 attacks. Officials at a flight school in Minneapolis told the FBI that they were suspicious of Moussaoui's desire to learn only how to operate a Boeing 747 jetliner. They said he told them it as "an ego boosting thing." Related: Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, in coordinated attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon and a crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The FBI learned that Moussaoui had no background in aviation and lacked even a private pilot's license. Agents arrested him after they became concerned that he was planning to commit an act of terrorism. The most damaging evidence at the trial came from Moussaoui himself. He testified that he knew about the suicide hijackings planned by Al Qaeda, although he said he did not know the date planned for the attacks. And he said that when he was arrested, he lied to the FBI to prevent agents from finding out about the plot. Story continues Robert Spencer, who was the lead government lawyer in the case, disclosed during Thursday's discussion that shortly after Moussaoui was arrested, a military lawyer approached the prosecution team. "He said: 'Look, everybody knows that you're not going to be able to do this. And we'll have him charged, convicted and executed before you even get going,'" Spencer said. "We declined politely to do that." But, Spencer said, "we were always a little bit afraid that Moussaoui would be whisked away to Guantanamo Bay and we'd never see him." As it turned out, the military tribunals at the U.S. naval base in Cuba have yet to successfully complete a single trial. Moussaoui at first claimed that he was part of the original hijacking plan, with his role personally approved by Osama bin Laden. But the 9/11 Commission reported that Al Qaeda planner Khalid Sheikh Mohammed denied that Moussaoui was ever part of the plot, and U.S. intelligence officials have said they doubt it, too. After fighting the charges for months, Moussaoui decided to plead guilty to being part of a terrorist conspiracy. He then changed his story and insisted that he had nothing to do with 9/11. "I was trained on 747s to use a plane to strike the White House," he said in court, presumably for a follow-up attack. At the sentencing phase, the jury spared him the death penalty. Some jurors found his role to be minor, concluding that he had only limited knowledge of the actual attack plan. Security during the trial was tight. The city of Alexandria rerouted city buses to stay clear of the courthouse. Moussaoui repeatedly submitted handwritten briefs addressed to "Death Judge Brinkema," complaining about the proceedings. As he was led out of the courtroom each day, he would blurt out short statements, such as "God curse you." When he was sentenced to life in prison, he shouted: "America, you lost. I won," and he clapped his hands twice. Since 2006, he has been serving his life sentence at Colorado's Supermax prison. "Due to the sheer magnitude and complexity of the case and the profound impact that the trial had on the families and survivors of the 9/11 attacks, the Moussaoui prosecution is one of the most significant in our nation's history," said Raj Parekh, the current acting U.S. attorney. Campers are parked along West Jefferson Boulevard in Los Angeles in June. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) A law that prohibits people from parking recreational vehicles overnight in some locations has sidestepped a constitutional challenge, for now, after Los Angeles city officials told a federal judge the law is not being enforced. While not addressing the constitutional issues, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter declined to issue a preliminary injunction against the law as long as the moratorium remains in effect. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of a class represented by a woman who lives in an RV in Venice, contends that a 1986 law allowing the city to designate streets where large vehicles cannot be parked overnight violates homeless people's rights under the 8th and 14th amendments to the Constitution. The city countered with a January memorandum in which Los Angeles Department of Transportation general manager Seleta J. Reynolds said that "LADOT will not impound or tow a vehicle that is occupied" and that, even when an occupant is not present, parking enforcement officers must "make a dwelling assessment" to determine if it is being used as a dwelling. After suspending the ticketing and towing of oversize vehicles as part of its coronavirus response, the City Council resumed enforcement in October but made an exception for occupied vehicles, the memo said. Stephen Yagman, the civil rights attorney who filed the lawsuit, said he did not see the ruling as a defeat because it leaves the case open should the city resume enforcement of the law. Yagman said Thursday that he had filed an amended complaint alleging that the city is committing fraud by posting parking restrictions that are not enforced. He also has filed a motion asking Carter to order the city to remove the no-parking signs as long as the law is not being enforced and to provide him 60-day notice before resuming enforcement. Yagman called it "deceitful and sleazy" that the city continues to post parking restrictions "while concealing the fact that they were not enforcing the no parking signs." He said he may hire college students to distribute fliers informing homeless people that the parking restrictions are not in force. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. By Emma Farge GENEVA (Reuters) -A Swiss criminal court convicted Kuwait's Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, a power broker in international sports, of forgery on Friday in a trial over whether he used a bogus Kuwaiti coup plot to gain advantage over political rivals. A member of Kuwait's ruling family and a former OPEC secretary-general, Sheikh Ahmad listened with bowed head and clasped hands as his translator read out the 30-month jail sentence, half of it suspended. He will appeal the verdict. Sheikh Ahmad had denied all the charges in the case, which has divided the Kuwaiti ruling family and prompted him to step back from some of his public sporting roles, including membership of the International Olympic Committee https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-olympics-ioc-idUKKCN1NO168. He decided on Friday to step down also as president of the Olympic Council of Asia, where he was completing an eighth term. "I believe I am innocent," he told reporters outside the Geneva courtroom, adding that he was "100 percent" sure he would return for the appeal. His office later said in a statement that Sheikh Ahmad was "confident" that he would clear his name. The criminal fraud case was launched in Switzerland in 2015 as one of the sheikh's co-defendants was, at the time of the alleged coup plot, a Geneva-based lawyer who acted for him. The sheikh was one of five defendants in the trial, all of whom were convicted and one with a heftier sentence of 36 months. They were not named for legal reasons. "We are satisfied. The court has mostly decided in our favour," said lawyer Pascal Maurer, who acted on behalf of one of the plaintiffs. VIDEOS The case had revolved around videos purporting to show former prime minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammed and the former speaker of parliament, Jassem al-Kharafi, plotting to overthrow Kuwait's then-emir. Prosecutors alleged that Sheikh Ahmad knew that the videos, which he passed on to Kuwaiti authorities, were fakes. Story continues Sheikh Ahmad told the court last week he had submitted the videos to Kuwaiti authorities believing, at the time, that they were authentic. In 2015, he publicly apologised in a statement via Kuwait TV to the Emir of Kuwait, to Sheikh Nasser, Al-Kharafi and their families for his role in the affair, saying he had thought the videos were genuine and credible. The court also ordered on Friday that one of the unnamed defendants in the case, a British former lawyer of the sheikh, receive psychotherapy. (Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Michael Shields and Gareth Jones) Social media accounts was added to LAPD field interview cards for both suspects and those not arrested in 2015. A new report is revealing that officers from the Los Angeles Police Department were instructed to collect social media data from every civilian that they interviewed including those who were not arrested or even accused of a crime. The non-profit Brennan Center for Justice obtained thousands of documents through a California Public Records Act, and their report features copies of field interview cards that asked for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram account names. A Brennan Center for Justice report says LAPD officers were instructed to collect Facebook, Twitter and Instagram data from every civilian they interviewed, even those not arrested or accused of criminal activity. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) The Guardian interviewed Rachel Levinson-Waldman, a deputy director at the New York City-based center, who contends the information has likely been stored in police databases. There are real dangers about police having all of this social media identifying information at their fingertips, she said. The line social media accounts was added to field interview cards in 2015. A memo from former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck released to the Brennan Center noted that similar to a nickname or an alias, a persons online persona or identity used for social media can be highly beneficial to investigations. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. An article from the summer of 2020 by The Los Angeles Times detailed the activities of the Metropolitan Division of the LAPD, a gang-focused unit. The Times found that the unit, which is only 4% of the department, turned in more than 20% of the departments field interview cards. Additionally, the unit was scrutinized for falsifying information on the cards. Former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who is now Americas Health and Human Services secretary, launched an investigation last year into the LAPDs use of the database where information from the cards are stored. A 2019 Times article reported that a disproportionate number of cars the Metro unit pulled over were driven by African Americans. At the time, LAPD had pulled over nearly 30% Blacks, despite the fact that the city is only 9% Black. Story continues Peter Bibring, an attorney at the ACLU of Southern California, said, The concern with law enforcement databases is they provide a starting universe for police to conduct an investigation. If an officer is looking for suspects, and a crime is committed in a particular area, they may not know every person that lives in that the area, but they can call up all the FI cards. Have you subscribed to theGrios Dear Culture podcast? Download our newest episodes now! TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio.com today! The post LAPD officers instructed to collect social media accounts of civilians they encounter appeared first on TheGrio. By Maha El Dahan and Laila Bassam BEIRUT (Reuters) -Lebanese leaders agreed a new government led by Sunni Muslim tycoon Najib Mikati https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/sunni-tycoon-mikati-leads-lebanons-first-government-year-2021-09-10 on Friday after a year of feuding over cabinet seats that has exacerbated a devastating economic collapse, opening the way to a resumption of talks with the IMF. The breakthrough followed a flurry of contacts with France, which has led efforts to get Lebanon's fractious leaders to agree a cabinet and begin reforms since last year's catastrophic Beirut port explosion, senior Lebanese political sources said. There was no immediate official comment from the French foreign ministry on the developments in Beirut. However, one French diplomatic source said Paris had played a constructive role in bringing the government together, though the source added that some scepticism remained over whether Mikati would be able to carry out the necessary reforms. In televised comments, Mikati's eyes welled up with tears and his voice broke as he described the hardship and emigration inflicted by the crisis, which has forced three quarters of the Lebanese population into poverty. The crisis, the biggest threat to Lebanon's stability since the 1975-90 civil war, hit a crunch point last month when fuel shortages brought much of the country to a standstill, triggering numerous security incidents, adding to Western concern https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/eu-worried-lebanons-fast-deterioration-says-time-has-run-out-2021-08-26 and warnings of worse to come https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanese-security-chief-warns-crisis-could-be-prolonged-2021-08-27 unless something is done. To secure foreign aid, the government must succeed where its forerunners have failed in enacting reforms to address the root causes of the crisis, including state corruption. It may not have long: parliamentary elections are due next spring and Mikati said these should take place on time. Story continues Mikati and President Michel Aoun, a Maronite Christian, signed the decree establishing the government in the presence of Nabih Berri, the Shi'ite Muslim speaker of parliament. Mikati said divisive politics must be set to one side and that he could not engage in talks with the International Monetary Fund if he encountered opposition at home. He pledged to seek support from Arab countries, a number of which have shunned Lebanon because of the extensive influence wielded in Beirut by the heavily armed, Iran-backed Shi'ite Islamist group Hezbollah, which is allied to Aoun. Addressing the daily hardships, Mikati described how mothers had been forced to cut back on milk for their children. Referring to medicine shortages, he said: "If a mother's eldest son leaves the country and she has tears in her eyes, she can't buy a Panadol pill." But Lebanon can no longer afford to subsidise goods such as imported fuel because the country does not have enough hard currency reserves, he said. Aoun said the government was the best that could be agreed and capable of action. DIFFICULT TASK Like the outgoing cabinet of Prime Minister Hassan Diab, the new one comprises ministers with technical expertise who are not prominent politicians but have been named by the main parties. The Diab government failed to enact any of the major reforms sought by foreign donors, a task complicated by resistance from major players in Lebanon's sectarian and factional politics. "I think (Mikati) has a 50-50 chance of accomplishing anything, whether you look at it in terms of a programme with the IMF or aid from the Arab countries," said economist Toufic Gaspard, who has advised the IMF and Lebanon's finance ministry. Securing support from Arab states such as Saudi Arabia would depend on confronting Hezbollah's influence, while securing an IMF programme would require reforms that past governments have failed to enact. "It is a very delicate political game. This is not going to be easy," he said. Youssef Khalil, a senior central bank official and aide to governor Riad Salameh, was named finance minister. Hezbollah, which is designated a terrorist group by the United States, named two of the 24 ministers. The crisis, which came to a head in late 2019, stems from decades of corruption https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanons-financial-meltdown-how-it-happened-2021-06-17 in the state and unsustainable financing. Mikati was the third prime minister-designate to attempt to form the government since Diab quit after the port explosion. Mikati was designated after Saad al-Hariri, a former prime minister, abandoned his efforts. Hariri traded blame for the failure with Aoun. The president's political adversaries have accused him and his political party of seeking effective veto power in the new government by demanding a third of the seats. Aoun has denied this repeatedly. Mikati told a Lebanese media outlet on Friday the government had no blocking third. (Writing by Tom Perry; Reporting by Maha El Dahan and Laila Bassam; Additional reporting by John Irish in Paris; Editing by Andrew Heavens, William Maclean and Gareth Jones) RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Workers returned Friday to the site in Richmond where a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee stood for more than a century, but won't resume their search for a 134-year-old time capsule state officials believe is buried in the statue's enormous granite pedestal. Crews spent about 12 hours Thursday removing massive stones and digging in search of the 1887 time capsule, but were unable to find it. Work was underway Friday to reassemble the pedestal pieces that were removed, but crews do not plan to spend any more time digging for the capsule, said Dena Potter, a spokeswoman for the state agency managing the job. Its going well but slowly, as we anticipated it would, Potter said of the reassembly work. Workers also planned to place a new time capsule in a cornerstone of the pedestal. The statue was taken down Wednesday, more than a year after Gov. Ralph Northam ordered its removal after protests over racism and police brutality erupted across the country, including in Richmond, following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. On Thursday, crews used ground-penetrating radar devices, a metal detector and other construction equipment to try to locate the 1887 copper time capsule they believed was tucked inside or under a cornerstone of the 40-foot (12-meter) tall pedestal. A newspaper article from 1887 suggests the capsule contains Civil War memorabilia and a picture of Lincoln lying in his coffin," although historians believe its doubtful the picture is an actual photograph, which would be rare and valuable. The new time capsule to be placed Friday contains items reflective of current events, including an expired vial of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, a Black Lives Matter sticker and a photograph of a Black ballerina with her fist raised near the Lee statue during last summers protests in Richmond. State officials said they plan to leave the pedestal in place, at least for now, with the expectation that a community-involved rethinking of the whole of Monument Avenue will kick off soon. The Lee statue was one of five Confederate tributes along Richmonds Monument Avenue and the only one that belonged to the state. The four city-owned statues were taken down last summer, but the Lee statue removal was blocked by two lawsuits until a ruling from the Supreme Court of Virginia last week cleared the way for it to be taken down. Deputy Dist. Atty. Habib Balian holds up a rubber mask found when police arrested Robert Durst on suspicion of murder. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Summing up months of testimony, Deputy Dist. Atty. Habib Balian plucked the key fragments of memory from dozens of witnesses, the small details from reams of yellowing documents, that make up the states case against Robert Durst. It is a case that spans four decades, that attempts to prove Durst, the heir to a famed Manhattan real estate empire, committed one murder to cover up an earlier one. It is a labyrinthine account of a curious life defined by power, wealth and alienation. Balian acknowledged the length of the trial, the breadth of time, places and people it encompasses. Then he faced the jury tasked with deciding Dursts guilt and said, At its heart, this case is easy. Durst, 78, is charged with murdering Susan Berman in her Benedict Canyon home in 2000. Her death can be explained, Balian told the jury, only by looking back 18 years earlier, when Dursts wife, Kathie, vanished and was never seen again. Durst killed Berman, the prosecutions theory goes, because she knew he had killed his wife and helped him cover it up. Years later, one of Durst's closest friends would ask him about Berman. "It was her or me," Durst said, according to his friend's testimony. "I had no choice." "Those nine words," Balian told the jury, "sum up the entire case." Robert Durst scans the courtroom before closing arguments in his trial. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Robert and Kathie Durst married in 1973. His family, one of New York Citys wealthiest, controlled a real estate profile that included some of the citys most iconic buildings. Kathie was from a more humble, working-class family; Durst, many years later, told an HBO documentary crew that he felt he was marrying beneath me. But before long Kathie began to surpass her husband intellectually, professionally, emotionally, Balian said. She graduated from nursing school and enrolled at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, with dreams of becoming a doctor. Durst responded by trying to control her, Balian said. In 1976, when Kathie learned she was pregnant, Durst told her she could get either an abortion or a divorce. The abortion, Balian said, was the inflection point in their marriage, the moment that Kathie realized her husband wasnt just controlling the little things in her life. Story continues Before long, Balian told the jury, Durst began to physically abuse his wife. She wore sunglasses to class to hide black eyes. A professor recalled her expression of pure terror when she confided in him that her husband had a homicidal side. But Kathie wouldnt leave her husband until she had finalized a divorce, fearing it might jeopardize any financial settlement, Balian said. On Jan. 31, 1982, Kathie showed up, uninvited, at the Newtown, Conn., home of her close friend, Gilberte Najamy. She was upset, frantic, Najamys sister recalled. She had gotten into an argument with Durst at their cottage in South Salem, in New Yorks Westchester County. From Najamys home, Kathie called a friend, Peter Schwartz, and asked about a lawsuit he had filed against her husband. Schwartz had accused Durst of attacking him as he sat with Kathie, breaking his orbital bone with a kick to the face. Schwartz told Kathie the suit had been dismissed. She grew upset, Schwartz recalled, and she insisted that he keep pressing the lawsuit. Then Kathie got a call from Durst. She told Najamy she had to leave. When she returned to the South Salem home, they got into a pushing and shoving argument," Durst told the documentary crew. He said she accused him of bribing the lawyers, a reference, Balian said, to Schwartzs thwarted lawsuit. Kathie was supposed to show up the next day for a rotation at Bronx Memorial Hospital. She didnt. No one has seen her since. Her continued absence for the last 39 years speaks a loud and horrible truth, Balian said. Defense attorneys Dick DeGuerin, left, and David Chesnoff listen as the prosecution begins its closing arguments in the case against Robert Durst. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Dursts housekeeper testified that after his wife vanished, he told her to throw out Kathies clothes and medical books. Najamys sister, digging through the garbage cans outside the South Salem home, found Kathies textbooks and other belongings. Also found in a trash can was a piece of paper scribbled with the words town dump bridge dig boat other shovel or? check car trunk / rent. Balian called this a list, a plan to get rid of Kathies body. Asked about it at trial, Durst said that dig was short for digital, in reference to a computer system, and that boat and town dump referred to a plan to hire some teenagers to haul his sailboat to the dump. Balian called this one of the most absurd lies told in this entire trial. Two days after his wife disappeared, Durst made several collect calls from the New Jersey towns of Barnegat and Beach Haven, according to phone records admitted at trial. Balian said these towns were near the Pine Barrens, a remote, wooded area with soft, sandy soil implying this was where Durst buried his wife's remains. One day earlier, between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Feb. 1, 1982, the dean of Albert Einstein College of Medicine got a call from a woman who identified herself as Kathie Durst. She said she was ill and wouldnt be coming to class that day. Prosecutors believe Berman made that phone call. Berman, the daughter of a gangster who took over the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas from Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, was taught to value loyalty above all else, friends testified. Seeing her mother guard her fathers secrets, Berman came to understand that was a big part of love, said her friend Lynda Obst. Berman revered Durst, whom she met at UCLA in the 1960s. She loved him, so she would have protected him at all costs, Balian told the jury. After Durst's wife vanished, he and Berman embarked on a campaign to obscure the truth, Balian said, to send the police down the wrong path, chasing down the wrong leads. Berman acted as Dursts spokeswoman, disparaging his missing wife to newspaper reporters and detectives as a cocaine addict, a poor student and an unstable spouse. Like Durst, she wasnt interested in finding Kathie, who she knew was dead, Balian argued; she wanted police and the public to think Kathie was a junkie who had walked away from her life. But over the years, she confided in friends that she had done a terrible thing. One recalled Berman saying that she had done something for Bobby and that if anything should happen to her, Bobby did it. She spoke to you through her friends, Balian told the jury. I helped him. I made the call. Robert Durst appears in an Inglewood courtroom for closing arguments in his murder trial. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) In 1999, a New York state police detective revived the investigation into Kathies disappearance. Before long, it made the front page of the New York Daily News. One might expect a husband to feel a sense of relief, of hope renewed, Balian said, to learn the authorities had resumed looking for a long-missing spouse. Dursts reaction, as he testified during an earlier trial in Galveston, Texas: It made me sick to my stomach. Berman, meanwhile, was leveraging what she knew of Kathies disappearance for money, Balian said. She had been raised in a wealthy family and enjoyed some success as a writer. But by the time New York authorities had revived their investigation, Berman was struggling, sliding into debt, worrying about her rent and unable to pay her hairdresser, witnesses testified. Durst had given Berman money over the years to keep her close, to keep her quiet, Balian said. But with her finances looking increasingly bleak, Berman grew frustrated, even desperate. What would a desperate Susan Berman do? Balian asked. Thats the real question. Berman told Durst that Los Angeles police had contacted her, wanting to talk about Kathie, Durst had told the documentary crew. That was the moment Susan Berman sealed her fate, Balian told the jury. Durst, he said, traveled to Los Angeles with the intention of executing his best friend. Durst acknowledged that he was in Los Angeles at the time of Bermans death, but he testified that the two had planned a staycation for the Christmas holiday, to visit Santa Catalina Island, Disneyland, Century City. But when he got to Bermans Benedict Canyon home, letting himself in with a loaned key, he said, he found her lying on the floor of a bedroom, shot in the back of the head. Durst claimed to have tried to dial 911 from her landline but found it wasnt working. He said he drove to a pay phone, then hesitated, not wanting the police to identify him through his voice. He testified that he decided instead to mail a note to the Beverly Hills police, alerting them to a cadaver in Bermans home. Durst spent years denying that he wrote what has come to be called the cadaver note. But in 2019, he acknowledged through a stipulation that he had in fact written it. Its a very difficult thing to believe, he acknowledged on the witness stand. I mean, I have difficulty believing it myself, that I would write the letter and not kill Susan Berman. Balian called this version of events patently absurd. The more logical explanation, he told the jury, was that Durst showed up at Bermans home; that Berman, a notoriously paranoid person, let him in; that he waited until she turned her back to him and fired one round into the back of her head from less than an inch away. No matter what she did, Balian said, no one deserves to be executed. Durst's attorney Dick DeGuerin was expected to begin his closing argument Thursday afternoon. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Friday offered to introduce political reforms including new laws to prevent defections and limit the term of a premier to 10 years, in an effort to win opposition support for his leadership. Ismail Sabri took office last month with a slim parliamentary majority, becoming the Southeast Asian nation's third prime minister in as many years amid prolonged political instability. The offer comes ahead of a parliament session scheduled for Monday. King Al-Sultan Abdullah, who picked Ismail Sabri as the premier, wants him to face a confidence vote in parliament to prove his majority. In a statement, Ismail Sabri said his proposals were an effort to establish "a new political landscape." "The government is of the opinion focus and priority must be given by all parties at this moment towards political stability and the administration of the country in fighting COVID-19 as well as economic recovery," Ismail Sabri said. His predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin made a similar proposal last month but the opposition rejected it, resulting in his resignation. Some of Ismail Sabri's proposals are reforms that the opposition, which was briefly in power between 2018 and 2020, has been demanding for years. His offer also includes: bipartisan agreement on every bill to be introduced in parliament, input from opposition parties' on a national recovery council and immediate lowering of the minimum voting age from 21 to 18. He also said the opposition leader in parliament will be given the same remuneration and privileges as a cabinet minister. Malaysia has seen political instability since the election defeat in 2018 of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which had governed for more than 60 years since independence, due to widespread corruption allegations. Two governments have collapsed since then and Ismail Sabri's appointment restored the premiership role to UMNO. (Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; writing by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Martin Petty) NEW YORK A Manhattan judge shot down a Thursday bid by two National Rifle Association members to spare the gun rights group from a lawsuit aimed at its eradication. Lawyers for Francis Tate and Mario Aguirre, both card-carrying NRA members, argued the groups rank-and-file should be permitted to intervene in the case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James to shutter the New York-chartered non-profit. The pair opposed James efforts for dissolution of the NRA, saying they instead hope to reform its leadership. But state Supreme Court Justice Joel Cohen, after a nearly 90-minute hearing, ruled their arguments did not rise at this point to grounds of intervention. The NRA members attorneys asserted the groups 5 million members nationwide were entitled to take control of the organization as prosecutors pursued its longtime leader Wayne La Pierre and his co-defendants with an eye to the groups demise. In any sane situation, (LaPierre and the NRAs leaders) would be asked to step aside until they cleared their names, said attorney Francois Blaudeau, who represented the two NRA members and a third unidentified member of the groups board of directors. Instead, it was business as usual in the NRA, with LaPierre continuing to run the operation and its members facing an uncertain future, Blaudeau said. You would have to have blinders on and a sack over your head to believe the (NRA) board is making decisions without input from Mr. LaPierre, he added. ... You cant leave the fox in the hen house when the fox is killing the chickens. Cohen, unmoved, noted the petitioners lacked by a wide margin the 5% of NRA membership involvement needed in such cases., James issued a statement hailing the decision. No matter who argues on its behalf, the fact remains that the National Rifle Association is fraught with fraud and abuse, she said. We are grateful that the court denied todays motion and look forward to our case moving forward expeditiously. ABC News Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., had more to say Tuesday defending herself against backlash sparked by her controversial Met Gala gown emblazoned with the words "Tax the Rich," after saying Monday night she intended to carry the message into a wealthy space and borrowed the dress because "while the Met is known for its spectacle, we should have a conversation about it." The New York congresswoman dominated talk about the gala on social media, with people calling her a hypocrite for wearing her economic justice message on the back of a fancy dress while attending a charity event attended by New York and Hollywood elites with tickets that cost $35,000 a pop. Republicans on social media questioned why Ocasio-Cortez would attend an event for societys elite if she wants to tax the rich. Nigerian local authorities have extended a telecom shutdown in northwest Zamfara state to a neighbouring state as part of an ongoing military crackdown on gangs behind a series of mass kidnappings, an official said Friday. Nigerian security forces in Zamfara last week began one of their largest recent operations against the armed gangs, known locally as bandits, in an attempt to halt the surge in violence. Looking to disrupt the armed groups' communications, the country's telecoms regulator also ordered operators to shut their towers in Zamfara as the military began raids and air strikes on bandit hideouts. A security aide to Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari said telecommunication services were now also shut in 13 of that state's 34 districts on the border with Zamfara. "The shutdown is meant to stop bandits from Zamfara moving into Katsina state to use telecom services for their terrorist activities," Ibrahim Ahmed Katsina said. "For now the shutdown affects 13 local governments to aid ongoing security operations but we will not hesitate to expand the shutdown where necessary," Katsina said. Northwest and central Nigeria have long been plagued by criminals gangs who raid communities, stealing cattle and kidnapping residents for ransom after looting and burning homes. But the violence has escalated this year and bandits have turned their sights on schools and colleges to abduct hundreds of pupils in a series of mass kidnappings. Heavily-guarded bandit camps dot the Rugu forest that straddles the northern states of Kaduna, Katsina Zamfara and Niger. Hundreds of troops aided by gunships and fighter jets launched offensives on Saturday on bandits camps in the Shinkafi area of Zamfara state, security sources have said. Following the telecoms shutdown Zamfara residents have been trooping to Funtua in Katsina state to make phone calls and bank transactions, which have also been disrupted. Local officials and residents say gangs of bandits fleeing the military offensive have attacked communities in neighbouring states. Story continues Gunmen presumed to be from Zamfara kidnapped more than 20 people on Wednesday in a village on the provincial border in neighbouring Sokoto State, police said. On Thursday six people were killed and seven more kidnapped in a pre-dawn raid by bandits on Tureta town in Sokoto, Muhammad Sadiq Abubakar, the state's police spokesman told AFP. On Wednesday locals in Bakori town in Katsina state arrested a bandit fleeing with his family from Zamfara, according to local residents. Past military campaigns and amnesty deals with bandits sought by local governors have failed to end the attacks. Under pressure over worsening insecurity in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered security chiefs to find urgent ways to curb violence in the northwest even as they battle a 12-year jihadist insurgency in the country's northeast. abu/pma/pvh BELFAST (Reuters) - A lawmaker for Northern Ireland's largest pro-British party on Friday described as "belligerent", "mistaken" and "foolish", comments by a senior European Union official rejecting British calls for a post-Brexit trade agreement to be renegotiated. European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic, who oversees post-Brexit EU relations with Britain, said in a speech that renegotiating the deal governing the trading position of Northern Ireland would only lead to instability and uncertainty. "For an EU Vice-President to dismiss our warnings as 'rhetoric' is belligerent," said Gavin Robinson a member of the British parliament in a statement released by the DUP. "This is not just a unionist problem. To describe it as such is to be mistaken and foolish." (Reporting by Conor Humphries; editing by James Davey) Israeli police shot and killed a Palestinian man on Friday after the man tried to stab the officers, according to reports. Hazem Joulani, 50, was allegedly trying to attack Israeli police in Jerusalem when he was shot by the officers, according to the Associated Press. Joulani, who was a doctor, was transported to the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, where he died of his injuries, Reuters reported. Another attack occurred earlier in the day in Jerusalem's Old City when an officer was lightly injured by a firearm when trying to stop a stabbing, the Associated Press said. The Israeli police did not say how the officer was injured, but the attacker was arrested. WHAT'S ISRAEL'S PLAN B AGAINST IRAN? Friday's protest was in support of six Palestinian militants who had broken out of a maximum-security Israeli jail on Monday by escaping through a hole in one of the prison cell's floors. The Israeli army started a manhunt, with some of the prisoner's relatives in the northern West Bank being arrested this week, according to Reuters. The prison break and the arrests of the prisoners' relatives resulted in hundreds of Palestinians protesting in support of the prisoners over the past week, as Palestinians view their brethren imprisoned by Israel as heroes. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Tensions between Israel and Palestine have been simmering over the past few months. Israel launched airstrikes against Gaza in June, nearly one month after a ceasefire between the Israel Defense Forces and Hamas. The airstrikes marked the first offensive move since the May 20 ceasefire that ended the 11-day conflict between the two groups. Washington Examiner Videos Tags: News, Israel, Palestine, Police, Law Enforcement Original Author: Asher Notheis Original Location: One Palestinian dead after attempted attack on Israeli police Protesters in support of counting all votes hold signs and chant slogans at supporters of former President Donald Trump outside of the Philadelphia Convention Center on November 06, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Chris McGrath/Getty Images) Republicans control Pennsylvania's state legislature. On Thursday, they held a hearing on "election integrity." The sole witness was Fulton County Commissioner Stuart Ulsh. See more stories on Insider's business page. A Democratic state senator in Pennsylvania was ruled "out of order" Thursday after he began reading an email that indicated Republicans' sole witness at a hearing on "election integrity" had cosigned claims the 2020 election was rigged. Although Pennsylvania's GOP leadership has balked at conducting any full-on, Arizona-style "audit" of the 2020 vote, a majority of the party's elected lawmakers backed an effort to prevent certification of President Joe Biden's victory in the state. The focus of Thursday's hearing was guidance provided by the Pennsylvania Department of State to local elections officials. Because of the pandemic, and a mail-in voting law approved by Republicans in 2019, millions of Pennsylvanians cast absentee ballots for the first time, testing the capacity of county election offices. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Fulton County Commissioner Stuart Ulsh, a Republican, was the only official to testify. Former President Donald Trump won the small county in Central Pennsylvania by 6,824 votes to 1,085 for Biden. At the hearing, Ulsh conceded that no evidence of significant fraud was ever uncovered, Reuters reported, despite a third-party "audit" of the Fulton County election by software company Wake TSI. That review had been sought by state Sen. Doug Mastriano, a Republican ally of Trump who has promoted debunked claims that the 2020 election was rigged by China. As the news organization Pennsylvania Spotlight reported in August, however, Ulsh earlier endorsed claims of fraud. In the days after the November 2020 election, he used a private email address to implore state Republican lawmakers to join "this fight with Senator Mastriano," a fact that state Sen. Vincent Hughes, a Democrat, brought up at the hearing. Story continues "It couldn't hurt the Trump campaign if our state Representatives all got involved," Ulsh wrote. "If we don't stop this election problems next will be worse. If there where [sic] 109 house and 27 senate with Senator Mastriano it would be a big help. The people need this. Respect their vote." Senator Cris Dush, a Republican who disputed the results of the 2020 election, shut down the reading of that email. "Senator Hughes, you're out of order," Dush said, arguing the hearing was specifically focused on Hughes, for his part, insisted that "all of this relates." "But I guess in the end, since the report indicated there was no fraudlent voting that occurred in Fulton County, I guess it's not an issue," he said. Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com Read the original article on Business Insider GAZA (Reuters) -The Western-backed Palestinian Authority has pulled out of an agreement to provide funding from Qatar to the Gaza Strip over concerns its involvement could expose it to legal issues, the Gulf state's aid envoy said on Friday. Doha has underwritten Gaza rebuilding and infrastructure projects since the 2014 war between the Palestinian enclave's Islamist Hamas rulers and Israel, but another round of fighting in May prompted Israeli and U.S. demands to revise the payouts. They have since been on hold. Israel and Egypt hold Gaza under a blockade, citing threats from Hamas. The World Bank has said that the restrictions have contributed to soaring unemployment and poverty in the enclave, home to 2 million Palestinians. Envoy Mohammed Al-Emadi had said that Qatar would soon resume separate funding for civil servants and poor families in Gaza under a new mechanism involving the United Nations and the PA, which exercises limited self-rule in the occupied West Bank. Under the scheme, cash would be deposited into PA banks in Gaza. But on Friday, Emadi said the PA had withdrawn from the agreement "due to fears of legal prosecution and accusations that banks were 'supporting terrorism'". Hamas is deemed a terrorist group in the West. Emadi's office was working to resolve the issue and find a different route to disperse the funding, it said in a statement. The PA did not immediately provide comment. Hamas said the PA's move "reflects (its) desire to deepen the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip instead of contributing to a solution". The Qatari funding scheme has won support from Israel, whose defence minister, Benny Gantz, said it would ensure money reached those in need while bypassing Hamas. Gas-rich Qatar used to spend $30 million per month to help operate the coastal Gaza's sole power plant and to support needy families and Hamas-hired public servants. Qatar and Egypt have both promised funds to help rebuild the Palestinian territory. Having already pumped more than $1 billion into Gaza projects since 2014, Qatar pledged another $500 million in late May. (Reporting by Rami Ayyub, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ali Sawafta; Editing by Louise Heavens) TORKHAM, Pakistan The Taliban flag flies on one side of the border. On the other is the Pakistani military and hope for freedom for terrified Afghans. Mursal and Manisha, two teenage sisters from Kandahar, Afghanistan, smiled with relief after they got through to Pakistan earlier this week. Girls were not allowed to go to school. There was no place for girls to get an education, Mursal said in English after she emerged from the dusty, crowded border crossing. Hundreds of people were lined up on the Afghan side of the border, tunnel-like and lined with barbed wire, where Taliban militants stood guard sporting what appeared to be brand-new military fatigues and holding AK rifle variants and other military-grade weapons. The fighters checked to see if people had the correct paperwork, like valid passports and visas, and then passed them along to the Pakistani officials for the final hurdle to freedom. For those seeking to escape Taliban rule who were left behind by the international evacuation effort, the best hope of a way out has been into Pakistan and thus at the end of a treacherous journey some 140 miles from Kabul across Taliban-controlled territory. Taliban militants stand guard on the Afghanistan side of the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan. (Ian Freeborn / for NBC News) The girls, who declined to provide their last names as they rushed to a waiting taxi, said they felt compelled to leave their country because there was no future for them there. Thousands of others are desperate to leave too, afraid of Taliban repression and ballooning economic uncertainty. You should stay at home and when you become 16 years old, you should marry, Mursal said about one of the recent Taliban proclamations. The all-male, all-Taliban interim government announced by the militant group earlier this week has promised to be more tolerant and inclusive, but some say there are already signs of womens rights being curbed. Several journalists who covered a womens rights protest earlier this week were arrested, according to The Associated Press. And two journalists working for the Etilaatroz newspaper said they were beaten by militants after they were arrested while covering the event. Story continues Elsewhere, teachers and students at universities in Kabul and other major cities told Reuters male and female students were being taught separately or separated by curtains in classrooms. Asked if they felt compelled to leave, the girls immediately replied yes in unison. While some refugees will settle in Pakistan, for Mursal and Manisha it is just the first stop on their journey to a new life. They have Canadian visas and are headed for Ottawa. Its an imaginary life, they said anxiously, not knowing what to expect. A child near the Torkham border crossing in Afghanistan on Sept. 8, 2021. (Ian Freeborn / for NBC News) Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told NBC News the militant group would not stand in the way of anyone looking to leave Afghanistan as long as they have valid travel documents, but many feel stuck in a country with a bleak future. The U.S. helped evacuate as many as 124,000 people, including at-risk Afghans, but the Biden administration acknowledged it was not able to get "everybody out that we wanted to get out." The first international passenger flight to leave the Afghan capital, Kabul, since the U.S. completed its withdrawal only left Thursday. While the exact number of those who have sought to cross the border into Pakistan since the Taliban takeover is unclear, the role played by Afghanistans neighbors extends far beyond accepting refugees. Pakistan and its intelligence service, the Inter-Services Intelligence, have a long history of ties to the Taliban, and the head of the ISI, Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed, visited Kabul over the weekend. Though Pakistan stands to gain from a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, it could also see instability and anger: Earlier this week, protesters defying the Taliban chanted anti-Pakistan slogans on the streets of Kabul. But not everyone is unhappy. Related: On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that set the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in motion, for some the Talibans return to power provides hope. Rahim Omar, a Pashtun the dominant ethnicity in Afghanistan and the Taliban who crosses the border frequently for work as a day laborer, said he was pleased the militant group were ruling again and that he believed they would bring some stability to the region. We want peace in the future, Omar, 35, said. He spoke in English as he reflected on the decades of war in his neighboring country, which has seen conflict and violence since the Soviet Union invaded in 1979. Just over 20 years later, the U.S. invaded with money and unfulfilled promises of stability. Now the Taliban are back in power. Inshallah, they can bring peace, Omar said. Surrounded by a large group of men, Omar asked the crowd in his language if they thought things would improve now that the Americans have left and the Taliban have returned to power. Now life will become good, Omar translated on the heels of a resounding ahh and a lot of head nodding from the gathered crowd. Molly Hunter reported from Torkham, Pakistan, and Petra Cahill reported from London. New York Daily News Archive Twenty years after he was rescued from the rubble of the World Trade Centers, photojournalist David Handschuh has pieced together all but one part of the day he nearly died. As he stood on a corner in downtown Manhattan photographing United Airlines Flight 175 crashing into the South Tower, all 110 floors of the building suddenly came tumbling down towards him. Handschuh, who was working for the New York Daily News, was blown off his feet and buried under a crush of glass, concrete, and a huge steel beam. With one leg shattered, the other too damaged to stand on, and dust filling his throat, Handschuh tried to yell for help. Dont worry, brother, well get you out, Lieutenant Tommy McGoff replied through the haze. A group of firefighters from Engine Co. 217 who were desperately searching for two colleagues separated amid the collapse pulled Handschuh from the rubble. Jeff Borkowski and Phil McArdle, from Fire Department HAZ-MAT 1, then scooped him up and carried him to a deli in Battery Park, placing him on the dusty tiled floor among soft drinks and chip packets. There, he heard the voice of Charlie Wells, an FDNY paramedic chief he knew, asking if anybody needed something to drink. Get me a Snapple, Handschuh replied. Todd Maisel/New York Daily News Archive via Getty Moments later, as the second tower fell, a police officer named Jim Kelleher lay on top of Handschuh so his helmet and bulletproof vest would protect Handschuh if the delis glass window was blown in. After the dust settled, Wells, Kelleher, and a third man carried Handschuh to an ambulance in a frenzied rescue captured by Daily News photographer Todd Maisel. An NYPD captain named Terri Tobin then held Handschuhs hand in the ambulance and called his family to tell them he was alive. But, for 20 years, the identity of that third man, a firefighter with neat grey hair who looks to be in his late 40s or early 50s, has remained a mystery. I know seven people who are my guardian angels, but who was that last person? Handschuh, now 62, told The Daily Beast on Friday, a day before the 20th anniversary of the attacks that changed America. Story continues I know every other person who helped save my life. We talk regularly, we cry, we laugh, we run into each other on September 11th every year for 19 years. And theres no reason that one person shouldnt be part of that. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. In the years after 9/11, Handschuh showed Maisels photos to the FDNY, various fire department unions, and other first responders who were nearby that day. Occasionally people thought they recognized the man, but leads fizzled out and life went on. He has contemplated the possibility that the third man died that day, or perhaps in the years after from the toxic dust. If thats the case, he wants to be able to thank the mans family at least. Its hard for Handschuh to put into words the feeling of meeting, and thanking, someone who saved your life. Humbling, embarrassing, and grateful dont seem to cut it. Borkowsky and McArdle have told Handschuh that he saved their lives; if they hadnt carried him back to the Battery Park deli, they would have been in the North Tower when it collapsed. Tobin, who was badly injured with a broken ankle, a piece of cement embedded in her crushed helmet, and a shard of glass stuck in her back, joked that she was weirdly comforted to look at Handschuh in the ambulance because you were way more fucked up than I was. Not one of them look at themselves as heroes, he said. Nevertheless, it still nagged at Handschuh that he was a journalist with an incomplete story. So as the 20th anniversary approached, he figured it was time to make one last push to find his eighth guardian angel. Help me find one of the firefighters who helped save my life, he captioned posts on Instagram and Twitter this week, hoping the power of the internet might finally provide the missing link. All my rescuers, all my angels get together on September 11, Handschuh told The Daily Beast. And this year its time to give him a hug and say, Thank you. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, has been accused of avoiding being served with papers in a sexual assault lawsuit. (PA) Prince Andrew is avoiding being served with a sexual assault lawsuit, his accusers lawyer has claimed. David Boies, the lawyer for Virginia Giuffre who is accusing the Duke of sexual abuse, told ABC News in the US that the prince had stopped appearing in public to avoid being served with papers. Giuffre, who has said she was abused by disgraced banker Jeffrey Epstein, claims the Duke of York sexually assaulted her when she was under the age of 18 in London. Boies told ABC News said: "Process servers have shown up at his residence, and they have refused to take the summons and refused to let the process servers in to serve," Boies, chairman of New York law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, which represents Giuffre, said: He has stopped coming out in public. He has been moving around. Earlier this week, the prince, 61, was pictured arriving at Balmoral Castle to stay with the Queen. Read more: What Prince Andrew said about Giuffre in his 'Newsnight' interview Virginia Giuffre has issued a lawsuit claiming sexual assault against Prince Andrew. (PA) The civil suit against the duke by Giuffre, now 38, was issued last month. At the time, Boies said Prince Andrew would be served the papers in person. It stated: "It is long past the time for him to be held to account." Prince Andrew has "categorically" denied he abused Giuffre. The lawsuit seeking unspecified damages claims Giuffre, then known as Virginia Roberts, was "lent out for sexual purposes" by convicted sex offender Epstein, an acquaintance of the dukes who took his own life in jail in August 2019. The suit alleges that Epstein had "12 different contact numbers listed for Prince Andrew." It claims the prince forced Giuffre to "engage in sex acts against her will". The British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, Epsteins former girlfriend, is mentioned throughout the lawsuit, which includes the infamous photo of Prince Andrew, Ms Giuffre and Maxwell at Maxwells home. The duke has previously said he has no memory of this photo. Story continues The Duke of York has rarely been seen in public in the past two years. (PA) Read more: Prince Andrew and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson join Queen at Balmoral It also alleges that Maxwell forced Giuffre and "another victim to sit on Prince Andrews lap as Prince Andrew touched her" at Epsteins New York mansion. In a Newsnight interview with the BBCs Emily Maitlis in November 2019, Prince Andrew denied claims he slept with Giuffre on three separate occasions, saying: "I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened. I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever." Maxwell will go on trial in November in New York having pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges. Last month, Boies accused Prince Andrew of being "totally uncooperative", saying he and his legal team had failed to engage with him and his client for five years. According to ABC News, Andrew's legal representatives wrote a letter on 6 September to a British judicial official complaining that Giuffre's legal team were not following correct procedure in their highly publicised pursuit of the Duke. The letter reportedly contends that any request for Andrew to comply with the lawsuit should come via a judicial or diplomatic officer in the United States and not from Giuffre's own legal team. Yahoo News UK has asked Andrew's legal representatives for comment. An initial hearing in Giuffre's lawsuit is scheduled for Monday. Boies told ABC News he plans to tell the court that attempts have been made to serve Prince Andrew at his residence, as well as by email. Watch: Prince Andrew sued by Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre Queen Elizabeth II CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II supports the Black Lives Matter movement, a senior aide says. Ken Olisa, the first Black lord-lieutenant of greater London, made the remarks during an interview with Channel 4, saying that race has been a "hot conversation topic" in the royal family, The Washington Post reports. When he was asked if the palace supports Black Lives Matter, he responded, "the answer is easily yes," according to Politico. This comes after Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, alleged in a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey earlier this year that there were "concerns" within the royal family about "how dark" her baby's skin would be when he was born. Prince Harry clarified to Winfrey that it wasn't the queen or Prince Philip who made those comments and that they weren't "part of those conversations." The queen at the time vowed to "privately" address the allegations, saying that the issues raised in the interview, "particularly that of race, are concerning," though she added that "some recollections may vary." Prince William addressed the interview by saying that "we are very much not a racist family." In June, Buckingham Palace acknowledged it needed to "do more" to increase the diversity of its staff, per CBS News. "I have discussed with the royal household this whole issue of race particularly in the last 12 months since the George Floyd incident," Olisa said, per Politico. Olisa also said that "the question is, what more can we do to bind society to remove these barriers" and that the royal family cares "passionately about making this one nation bound by the same values." You may also like Why isn't Morpheus actor Laurence Fishburne in the Matrix Resurrections trailer? He says he wasn't 'invited.' Is rural America becoming a new Confederacy? LAPD's mass collection of social media data alarms activists: 'This is like stop and frisk' Queen Elizabeth II attends the Commonwealth Day Service 2020 on March 09, 2020 in London, England. Samir Hussein/WireImage The royal family supports the BLM movement, according to the Queen's representative for London. The Queen previously faced criticism for failing to address George Floyd's death. Expert Kristen Meinzer said the royals' silence made them "complicit in white supremacy." Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. The British royal family support the Black Lives Matter movement, according to Sir Ken Olisa, the first Black Lord-Lieutenant for London. Olisa - who is Her Majesty's representative for Greater London - said in a new Channel 4 documentary that he discussed racism with the royal household "particularly in the last 12 months" following the death of George Floyd, The Guardian reports. The publication reports that in the documentary, titled "Black to Front," which airs in the UK on Friday, Olisa said: "It's a hot conversation topic. The question is what more can we do to bind society to remove these barriers. They [the royals] care passionately about making this one nation bound by the same values." Asked whether the palace supports BLM, he said: "The answer is easily yes." Black Lives Matter protests emerged in countries around the world in May 2020 after Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin who kneeled on his neck for more than nine minutes. Chauvin, 45, was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter, and was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison in June 2021. And while Meghan Markle addressed Floyd's death during a video speech to her former high school in June 2020, no working members of the royal family publicly addressed it at the time. Prince William and Kate Middleton's charity, Heads Together, said in an Instagram post on June 2, 2020, that it "stands with the black community" alongside a phone number for the couple's mental health textline service, "Shout." The couple have not yet spoken about the movement through their own social media or through Kensington Palace, their official representatives. Story continues Royal experts suggested at the time that the movement may be considered too "political" for the British monarch. Her Majesty subsequently faced criticism for her silence, with royal commentator Kristen Meinzer previously telling Insider: "The longer they choose not to speak, the longer they're choosing to be complicit in white supremacy." "Given the protocol that the royals must remain neutral and stay out of politics, it would be difficult for them to explicitly endorse the Black Lives Matter movement," human rights activist Peter Tatchell previously told Insider. "But nothing is stopping them from making a general statement in support of racial equality and inclusion. Their failure to do that speaks volumes about their white privilege mentality," he added. Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Insider Reuters BRATISLAVA (Reuters) -Pope Francis, at a memorial to the more than 100,000 Slovak Jews killed in the Holocaust, said on Monday that it was shameful how people who said they believed in God perpetrated or permitted "unspeakable acts of inhumanity". "Here, in this place, the Name of God was dishonored, for the worst form of blasphemy is to exploit it for our own purposes, refusing to respect and love others," the pope told representatives of the Jewish communities of Slovakia. "Here, reflecting on the history of the Jewish people marked by this tragic affront to the Most High, we admit with shame how often his ineffable Name has been used for unspeakable acts of inhumanity!" Francis said. Envoys from West Africa's main political and economic bloc arrived in the Guinean capital on Friday (September 10) for talks with the junta following a coup that ousted President Alpha Conde. The delegation from the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States - or ECOWAS- will push for a "credible" civilian prime minister as soon as possible. It is hoping to help guide the country back towards constitutional order, according to a high-ranking regional official. As it moves to strengthen its hold on power, the junta led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, ordered the central bank and other banks on Thursday to freeze all government accounts to secure state assets. Doumbouya and the other special forces soldiers behind Sunday's (September 5) coup said they ousted Conde because of concerns about poverty and endemic corruption. West Africa's third putsch since April has intensified fears of a backslide towards military rule in the region, which had been starting to shed its "coup-belt" reputation. Regional leaders suspended Guinea's membership of the ECOWAS bloc on Wednesday (September 8), but stopped short of imposing further sanctions. The African Union announced on Friday (September 10) that it has suspended Guinea from all its activities and decision-making bodies because of the coup, backing the decision by ECOWAS leaders. The White House said it would require some companies to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for employees. Gov. Greg Abbott said he would fight the decision, citing Texans' "right to choose." Rep. Ilhan Omar ripped Abbott in a reference to the state's abortion ban that took effect last week. See more stories on Insider's business page. Rep. Ilhan Omar called Texas Gov. Greg Abbott a "hypocrite" over his contrasting stances on the "right to choose" when it comes to vaccines and abortions. The Biden administration announced Thursday it would require businesses with more than 100 employees to implement a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for their employees, or submit them to weekly testing. The announcement prompted swift backlash from many Republicans, including the lone star state's governor. "Biden's vaccine mandate is an assault on private businesses. I issued an Executive Order protecting Texans' right to choose whether they get the COVID vaccine," Abbott said in a tweet. "Texas is already working to halt this power grab." But Omar was quick to pounce on the governor's support of the "right to choose" when it comes to vaccines. "Don't pretend like you believe in the right to choose, you hypocrite," the Minnesota Democrat said in a retweet of Abbott, in apparent reference to a new abortion law in Texas. The new law went into effect in Texas last week after the Supreme Court declined to block it. The law bans all abortions in the state after six weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest. Abbott signed the bill in May, saying it would ensure "that the life of every unborn child who has a heartbeat will be saved from the ravages of abortion." Critics of the law argue that most women do not even know they are pregnant at six weeks. One worker at an abortion clinic in Houston said they had to turn away 70% of women who came in seeking care in the week after the law went into effect. The Justice Department sued Texas on Thursday in an attempt to block the law. Read the original article on Business Insider Russia announced Friday the completion of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany, a project that has raised US concerns, divided Europe and angered EU ally Ukraine. Nord Stream 2 is expected to double natural gas supplies from Russia to Germany, but it has raised tensions between the European Union and Washington. Critics say the pipeline will increase Europe's dependence on Russian gas and bypass Ukraine. The head of the Gazprom energy giant, Alexei Miller, announced Friday that construction was "fully completed." A key controversy is that the pipeline diverts supplies from an existing route through Ukraine and is expected to deprive the EU's partner of crucial transit fees from Russia. Ukraine -- in conflict with Russia since Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea -- has warned Europe that the pipeline could be used by Moscow as "a dangerous geopolitical weapon". "Ukraine will fight this political project, before and after its completion and even after the gas is turned on," Sergiy Nykyforov, the spokesman of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, told AFP. A US State Department spokeswoman, Jalina Porter, said Washington would "continue to oppose this pipeline as a Russian geopolitical project that's a bad deal for Europe." But Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said critics should end efforts to block the project and instead agree "mutually beneficial terms" for its operation. "It is clear to everyone, including critics of Nord Stream 2 and those who desperately opposed its construction, that it cannot be stopped," she said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for the project to be launched "as soon as possible" and said that "everyone" would benefit from it. German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said that Nord Stream 2 had submitted a relevant application to the Federal Network Agency in order to begin operations. Story continues Running from Russia's Baltic coast to northeastern Germany, the underwater, 1,200-kilometre (745-mile) pipeline follows the same route as Nord Stream 1, which was completed over a decade ago. Like its predecessor, Nord Stream 2 will be able to pipe 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year to Europe, increasing the continent's access to relatively cheap natural gas at a time of falling domestic production. - 'Victory for Russia' - "It's a victory for Russia, especially taking into account the huge opposition the project has faced, from the US but also from European countries," Dmitry Marinchenko, a Fitch analyst, told AFP. Besides Ukraine, countries such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland risk losing transit fees because of the pipeline, he added. Gazprom has a majority stake in the 10-billion-euro ($12-billion) project. Germany's Uniper and Wintershall, France's Engie, the Anglo-Dutch firm Shell and Austria's OMV are also involved. Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder serves as chairman of the Nord Stream's shareholders committee. Russia and Germany insist Nord Stream 2 is a commercial project, but analysts disagree about its economic benefits. A 2018 report by German think-tank DIW said it was unnecessary and undertaken based on forecasts that "significantly overestimate" demand in Germany and Europe. Germany, Europe's top economy, imports around 40 percent of its gas from Russia, and Berlin believes the pipeline has a role to play in the country's transition away from coal and nuclear energy. - US olive branch - US sanctions on Russian vessels laying the pipeline succeeded in delaying Nord Stream 2, angering Germany. But President Joe Biden, eager to rebuild transatlantic ties that were badly strained by his predecessor Donald Trump, waived sanctions in May on the Russian-controlled company behind the project. Analysts saw the move as an olive branch to Berlin, whose support Washington is counting on in the face of other challenges, including a rising China. Zelensky has said the sanctions waiver is a win for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reaffirming support for Ukraine, Biden hosted Zelensky at the White House in September. After the meeting, Zelensky said Biden had assured him Washington would impose sanctions on the pipeline if there were "violations" from Russia that would create problems for Ukraine's energy security. Critics of Washington's opposition to the pipeline point out that the US also wants to boost sales of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe. bur-jbr-apo-as-sct/spm During the four years of Donald Trump's presidency, the 9 p.m. hour on Fox News hosted by Sean Hannity was the go-to spot for tame interviews with the administration's key players and top cheerleaders, including many sit-downs with Trump himself. The man in the White House has changed, but the bookings on "Hannity" have not. In the 7 months since Joe Biden was inaugurated as president, Hannity's show has begun to resemble a sort of Trump administration-in-exile, featuring regular interviews with former administration officials, members of Trump's family and occasionally the former president. The perennial topics: how the Biden administration is messing up, and how Trump would do things better. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Of the approximately 160 episodes of "Hannity" that have aired since Jan. 20, more than 60 percent have included at least one former Trump administration official, and often more, according to a Washington Post tally. Nearly 30 percent of those episodes featured a member of the Trump family. A Trump appears on "Hannity" every night for some consecutive stretches: Lara Trump was on the show Friday, Aug. 13, and returned the following Monday. Trump himself appeared the next night, and Donald Trump Jr. the night after that. And on two occasions since Biden's inauguration, the "Hannity" set was packed with four former Trump aides on the same night. The sheer volume of Trump content suggests that Hannity, who was noticeably downcast after Trump's electoral loss in November, has increasingly aligned himself with the former president, who is teasing the possibility that he'll run again in 2024. It also suggests that the host views Trump and his associates as the future of the Republican Party, in contrast to some colleagues at Fox who have argued that the party should move on to less-divisive candidates. Story continues Lara Trump is one of Hannity's favorite guests, accounting for 25 of 47 appearances by Trump family members since he left office. On Tuesday night, Hannity prompted her to talk up her father-in-law's mental abilities ("He does not need notes," she affirmed) and to blast Biden ("Let's take this guy out," she said. "He can't run the country. He's an embarrassment.") Like many of the former administration officials who appear on Hannity's show, Lara Trump is on the Fox News payroll, having signed a contract as a paid commentator in March in a deal that helped cement the close bond between the former president's entourage and the cable news network. Trump's former press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, also has a contributor contract with Fox. She has made 26 appearances on "Hannity" since January. But "Hannity" seems to welcome former Trump aides regardless of their current affiliations. Stephen Miller, who was Trump's longest-serving White House aide, has made 21 appearances over Hannity's last 163 episodes. So has Richard Grenell, Trump's former acting director of national intelligence. Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has made 17. And Trump himself has sat for six interviews with Hannity since leaving office. "It very much is like a nightly kind of missive from the Trump campaign," said Robert Thompson, a professor of television and pop culture at Syracuse University. "That show reminds me of a rally every night at 9." On Wednesday's episode, Hannity handed the floor to the former president's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and asked him to weigh in on the chaotic evacuation of U.S. troops and allies from Afghanistan. "What would your dad do?" he asked. "Sean, the only thing these animals respect and understand is strength, and Joe Biden exudes nothing but weakness," Trump Jr. said, referring to the Taliban and terrorist groups. "Donald Trump exuded strength. . . . Donald Trump also had the brainpower to actually negotiate like a real businessman, not a bureaucrat politician with no real-world experience." Sometimes, Hannity gushes about Trump before his guests can. "Your dad has more energy than a thousand men that I know," the host told the former president's son Eric Trump on Aug. 30. "We need Donald Trump today more than we've ever needed him before," replied Eric, who like his brother Trump Jr. has been on "Hannity" eight times since Inauguration Day. And just as when Trump was in office, Hannity's guests face sympathetic questioning. Former secretary of state Mike Pompeo (yet another paid Fox News contributor) appeared on "Hannity" for the 10th time since Biden's inauguration on Tuesday night. The topic was once again last month's troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, which the U.S. committed to when Trump was president, in an agreement with the Taliban that Pompeo helped forge. But Hannity assured his audience that the Trump team would have avoided the violence and confusion that plagued the evacuation mission under Biden. "Mr. Secretary, you never would have allowed it to get to this point," Hannity told Pompeo before asking him any questions. All his guest had to do was agree. "We would have made very clear that if you touch an American, threaten an American, you don't allow an American to get on an airplane and get home, we're going to make your life miserable," Pompeo said. "Instead, it seems like legal niceties, statements, news releases - this is the stuff of American power under President Biden." Fox News representatives did not respond to a request for comment on Hannity's booking decisions, or on the network's practice of hiring former Trump administration officials as paid analysts. Nikki Usher, an associate professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's College of Media, said the buffet of Trump officials had multiple purposes. They help Hannity hold the interest of his conservative viewers, and help Trump's team test out political messages in front of a large, devoted audience. "You're not just seeding attention for a potential Trump run, but you're also helping make and solidify the political careers of everyone who comes on," Usher said. "I wouldn't be surprised to see some of these political figures go and run for senator and governor." Related Content Climate change, inequality and a recall vote: How the French Laundry embodies California Your call was important to Glen Palaje. It may have cost him his life. After Ida, New Orleans residents find a source of hope: The 'hurricane station' Photo Illustration by Kelly Caminero/The Daily Beast Privacy experts consider it one of the safest email providers on the internet, but ProtonMails recent decision to hand over sensitive customer information to European law enforcement is raising questions about whether the companys privacy claims are less of a promise and more of a mirage. After French law enforcement requestedthrough Europolthat Swiss authorities share the IP address of a climate activist, the end-to-end encrypted email provider ProtonMail shared the users information. (Switzerland-based ProtonMail isnt subject to French or EU jurisdiction, but ProtonMail is obligated to respond to Swiss authorities.) French police came across the email address in the course of investigating a group thats been protesting gentrification in a hip neighborhood of Paris since late 2020, and wanted to know who was behind it, according to local news sources. The investigation has led to a series of arrests on the ground. Proton must comply with Swiss law. As soon as a crime is committed, privacy protections can be suspended and were required by Swiss law to answer requests from Swiss authorities, ProtonMail founder Andy Yen tweeted. These Cybersecurity Tools Help Protect Your Identity Online But on its site, ProtonMail has claimed in the past that, No personal information is required to create your secure email account. By default, we do not keep any IP logs which can be linked to your anonymous email account. Your privacy comes first. And since TechCrunch first reported the company shared one of its users sensitive information with law enforcement, some ProtonMail users are starting to question whether the so-called anonymous email provider has been two-faced in its claims that it puts user privacy first. Users can be frustrated with ProtonMail all they want, but the companys compliance with the Swiss authorities is out of the companys hands, according to Matthieu Audibert, a cyber expert working for French law enforcement. Story continues I see people who are upset ProtonMail responded but it is because a Swiss court deemed the request valid and because a crime was indeed committed in France, Audibert said. But its still unclear whether ProtonMail has been disingenuous about its privacy policies. Now that its under fire for sharing IP address information with the authorities, the company has started changing some of its marketing materials; in recent days, the company deleted the claim that they do not keep IP logs from its website. U.S. Government Shuts Down Stalker Software Company "If you are breaking Swiss law, ProtonMail can be legally compelled to log your IP address as part of a Swiss criminal investigation, the companys privacy policy now readsbut in a section labeled Anonymous, the companys website still claims that, unlike competing email services, we do not track you. What people often miss in signing up for services like ProtonMail is whether the company keeps track of metadata, such as IP addresses, or the contents of emails, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundations director of cybersecurity Eva Galperin. User information that the company may share with Swiss authorities includes email address, email subject lines, sender or recipient email addresses, last login time, and IP addresses of incoming messages, according to ProtonMail policy. Privacy and security are not some sort of magic wand where you just use the right tools and wave the wand around and everything is secure and private forever and ever, amen, Galperin told The Daily Beast. Diabolical Ransomware Gang Calls It Quits As an end-to-end encrypted email provider, however, ProtonMail cannot share the content of emails with law enforcement. End-to-end encryption isnt always going to protect the contents of emails in cases where recipients screenshot or forward emails to other parties, of course. End-to-end encryptionand its ability to keep user messages totally privateis only as good as the trust users have in the other people theyre communicating with, security experts warn. Other end-to-end encrypted service providers are starting to weigh in on the uproar. Stretching the truth in marketing materials about privacy is not helpful in any case, warns popular end-to-end encrypted email provider Tutanota. Privacy-focused services must be very precise when it comes to marketing, particularly not to overstate their promises, the head of marketing for Tutanota, Hanna Bozakov, told The Daily Beast. This is why in our opinion privacy and security go hand in hand with transparency. As a privacy-focused service you must be very transparent, particularly when things go wrong. Inside the Secret Codes Hackers Use to Outwit Ransomware Cops While ProtonMail has always made it clear it is a Switzerland-based company and that it will respond to court orders, its advertising on privacy has fallen short, Galperin said. If you take a look at ProtonMails marketing and advertising, you will see that they advertise themselves as a privacy protecting mail service they make a very big deal out of the fact that they dont log IPs, Galperin told The Daily Beast. Other concerns abound. ProtonMail said in a statement on the incident that the only law that matters is Swiss lawa statement which isnt entirely true. Swiss authorities clearly work with other governments, as demonstrated in this case. Galperin said that, when deciding on an email service provider, messaging platform, or VPN, people ought to consider what risks they are willing to takeand ought to take into account the fact that governments cooperate with one another. It is very important to understand that some governments cooperate with other governments, Galperin told The Daily Beast. If you use a service that you know does not respond to court orders from a particular government, and you are concerned about court orders from a particular government, then that is a safe place for your threat model. ProtonMail declined to comment on this story. ProtonMail isnt a stranger to tools that help users skirt monitoring. The company allows customers to use Tor to access their ProtonMail accounts and possibly avoid any monitoring. The company also has a VPN service that could mask users IP addresses. If the climate activist had taken advantage of those tools, they may not have been discovered and arrested. This particular user would have never been de-anonymized if they had always logged into their account using Tor, Galperin theorized to The Daily Beast. Inside a Ransomware Negotiation: This Is How Asshole Russian Hackers Shake Down Companies ProtonMail also tackles some of the requests from Swiss authorities and contests them. Last year alone, the company contested 750 requests, according to numbers the company listed in a transparency report. This is almost certainly not the end of these kinds of incidents, according to Tresorit, another Swiss end-to-end encrypted platform. It is likely that the number of these kinds of incidentsin which providers share information about users with law enforcementwill only grow in the coming months, according to Gyorgy Szilagyi, chief product officer at Tresorit. As, fortunately, more and more people are switching to end-to-end encrypted services to protect their data, the number of law enforcement requests to these services is also growing, Szilagyi told The Daily Beast. As these services are incapable to hand over contents, metadata is going to be even more important. The news comes at a time when government officials around the world have been looking for various ways to beat back end-to-end encryption providers and degrade encryption. Law enforcement authorities have been clamoring for years to eliminate end-to-end encryption, claiming that it impedes their investigations into criminals. End to end encryption is still under attack Every day we see new proposals trying to pressure the platforms that provide end-to-end encrypted communications and to allowing backdoors for law enforcement, Galperin said. But it is very important to resist those pressures to create backdoors because once you create that backdoor it can and will be found by people that you dont want using it. You cant uncreate that backdoor once its already there. The risk of abuse is very high. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. By Chen Lin SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore is trying to live with COVID-19 and sees no need to tighten restrictions to address a spike in cases, but will hold off on more reopening moves while monitoring for increases in severe cases, officials said on Friday. Singapore's new daily infections have risen sharply recently and hit 450 on Thursday, the most in a year, after containment measures were eased as part of a phased reopening upon vaccination of 80% of its population. "This rapid and exponential rise in daily infections that we are experiencing now is what every country that seeks to live with COVID-19 has to go through at some point," health minister Ong Ye Kung told a media briefing. To support the healthcare system, the city-state will let more vaccinated patients recover at home and will start a vaccine booster programme for vulnerable groups. Authorities have also decided to reduce quarantine from 14 days to 10 for close contacts of infected people. A key indicator in determining reopening moves would be the number of patients in intensive care units (ICU) over the next 2-4 weeks, said Lawrence Wong, finance minister and co-chair of the coronavirus task force. At present there are seven ICU patients and 300 beds available, which could be increased to 1,000. If numbers stay manageable, the country will resume reopening plans, he said. "Our ICU numbers are still low now... but we must not be complacent," Wong said. "Severe illness typically comes two weeks or more after one catches the virus," he said, adding it could be "reckless" to further reopen right now. Singapore has also seen more children infected, but none severely ill, according to Kenneth Mak, its director of medical services. (Reporting by Chen Lin; Editing by Martin Petty) New research has found that people living with HIV have a higher risk of sudden cardiac death than those who are not living with HIV, according to the American Heart Association. The findings, published Wednesday in the groups Journal of the American Heart Association, examined more than 120,000 veterans in the U.S. living and not living with HIV. Those with HIV had a 14 percent higher risk of sudden cardiac death. That number shot to 57 percent or 70 percent for veterans with high viral loads of HIV. The 70 percent came from people with HIV whose blood tests showed antiretroviral drugs were not suppressing the virus. It increased another 50 percent for each additional heart disease risk factor such as smoking, anemia, high blood pressure, and hepatitis C. People living with HIV are already known to have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, blood clots in the lungs and peripheral artery disease, said Dr. Matthew Freiberg, the lead author of the study and professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tenn. We know that among people with HIV, those who have a compromised immune system, for example a low total CD4+ T cell count, they seem to have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those who have high CD4+ T cell counts, Freiberg added, according to a press release. It is unclear if a compromised immune system is a risk factor for sudden cardiac death. Sudden cardiac death happens after the heart suddenly stops beating. This prevents blood flow to the brain and to the bodys organs, according to the American Heart Association. Death can occur in minutes if not treated. A previous study from 2012 out of an HIV clinic in San Francisco found that sudden cardiac death was four times higher in those with HIV. This is a national study that takes into account viral loads and heart disease risk factors. Participants were part of the Veterans Aging Cohort Study, which is a long-term, national study focusing on veterans. They were followed from 2003-2014. During that time sudden cardiac death was the cause of death for about 3,000 veterans, with 777 having HIV. Story continues Addressing risk factors related to both cardiovascular disease and HIV is essential to prevent the higher rates of sudden cardiac death in people with HIV, said Dr. Zian Tseng, senior author of the study and a professor of medicine in residence at the University of California, San Francisco. Clinicians should consider screening for specific warning signs of sudden cardiac death such as fainting or heart palpitations. And, if indicated, clinicians should request additional testing such as echocardiograms or continuous rhythm monitoring. The results, the researchers noted, are heavily male-focused, so it may not be as applicable to women. Moreover, the cause of death could also be due to drug overdoses, blood clots, or a stroke since the study only had a limited number of autopsies available. Autopsies, according to the researchers, are the best way to confirm the cause of death is cardiac arrest. In addition to HIV and cardiovascular risk factors, it is important for health care professionals to screen for and treat substance use disorders especially in people with HIV because they have a three times higher rate of overdose deaths presenting as cardiac arrest in our previous research, Tseng said. BANGKOK (AP) Thailands Parliament on Friday approved a constitutional amendment changing how lawmakers are elected, a move expected to allocate more seats to big parties at the expense of smaller ones. The change, passed at a joint session of the House and Senate by a vote of 472 to 33, with 187 abstentions, comes into effect after the expected approval of King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The amendment is a legacy of the long and bitter political struggle between supporters and opponents of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire populist who was ousted as prime minister by a 2006 military coup. The system of mixed-member proportional representation approved Friday will give voters two separate ballots instead of the single one used in the 2019 election. One will be for their favored candidate in single-seat constituencies, and the other for the political party they support. Four hundred members of the House will be directly elected, while the 100 party list posts will be divided according to the nationwide party preference votes. Clauses remain in the constitution that critics charge are undemocratic, including the power of the unelected Senate to vote jointly with the House to elect the prime minister. It does not matter which election systems we use as long as the senators still have voting power for the prime minister. The election system is almost meaningless, tweeted Prajak Kongkirati, a political scientist at Bangkok's Thammasat University. Current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha took power in 2014 by leading a coup as army commander. He was chosen by the joint houses of Parliament to be prime minister after the 2019 general election, in which he did not run. Friday's amendment to election rules is a throwback to the system implemented under a 1997 constitution that sought to disadvantage smaller parties which had held leverage over the formation of coalition governments by trading their loyalty for Cabinet posts, perpetuating a political spoils system. Story continues That change allowed Thaksin to use his fortune to bring regional political power brokers into his own party and build what his critics charged was a parliamentary dictatorship after he won the 2001 general election. Thaksin fled into exile after his 2006 ouster from power, but his political machine retained its power and popularity. A 2017 constitution implemented under a military government set up new election rules designed to reduce his machine's influence by handicapping bigger parties. The 2017 charter provided for 350 lawmakers elected directly by their constituents, and 150 from party lists under a complicated system of proportional representation that, roughly speaking, awarded seats in inverse proportion to those won by parties under the constituency vote. The system backfired when the military-backed Palang Pracharath party performed more poorly than expected in 2019 and a new reformist party proved more popular than anticipated. Palang Pracharath was able to form a government, but only by assembling a messy coalition of smaller parties. 9/11 20th Anniversary The Tribute in Light begins to fade as the sun rises behind the skyline of lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center in New York City on September 12, 2020 as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. Credit - Gary HershornGetty Images This article is part of the The DC Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox every weekday. The world changed on Sept. 11, 2001. Two decades later, few would argue with that statement. And it probably isnt the first or last time youll read a version of that idea this weekend, as the nation marks the twentieth anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Objectively, after the coordinated attacks on the U.S. that day, the nations post-Cold War footing suddenly felt less certain. Americas allies saw the country shed some of its projected invincibility, and its enemies saw the superpower to be more Potemkin than Pax Americana. Those views are as valid today as they were 20 years ago tomorrow, when the intensely blue skies over Washington, D.C., New York City and Shanksville, Pa., turned to smoke. But some of the changes sparked by the deadly hijacking of four planes on the East Coast have proven less permanent, particular when it comes to Americans own attitudes. Many of the reactionary shifts in public opinion after 9/11 have reverted to pre-attack levels, according to fresh analysis by Pew Research Center. After the attacks, Americans suddenly embraced their neighbors, faith and government, but that didnt last long. Confidence in journalism hit a high mark in the aftermath of the attacks as Americans couldnt turn away from the coverage; that trust is long gone. So, too, is the sense of bipartisan potential that rang out from the steps of the U.S. Capitol that day in the form of an impromptu rendition of God Bless America sung by members of Congress, while the Pentagon still burned across the Potomac. These days, you cant even get lawmakers to agree that a mob stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 with the intention of overturning an election. Story continues Put simply, the America that woke up on Sept. 12, 2001, didnt stay awake for long. The country either quickly boomeranged to its before footing, as was the case in its lust for war and its sense of community, or continued on the path directed in tragedy, as has been the case in anti-Muslim sentiment that has grown stronger among Republicans since 19 radicalized extremists killed 2,977 people that day. And given more Americans than ever64%are telling Gallup that 9/11 forever changed their lives, its a feature worth considering. One of the most dramatic swings has been in Americas sense of national pride, which became rabid after one of its worst days since the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Remember when demand for American flags spiked so high that the United States turned to foreign manufacturers to meet the need? On September 12, 2001, 88,000 U.S. flags were sold in Wal-Mart stores, compared to 6,400 on that day a year earlier. A few weeks later, Karl Rove met with Hollywood execs in Beverly Hills to get the studios on board with the governments messaging on what would become its Global War on Terror. If you questioned any part of the sweeping response to the tragedy, your patriotism was called into question. Three days after the attacks, Rep. Barbara Lee was the lone vote against going to war in Afghanistan to go after its perpetrators, and she was called a traitor. Those days of flag-wrapped infallibility are long gone, according to surveys. Pew found 79% of Americans in October of 2001 had displayed an American flag; in a separate survey last year, the organization found just 39% of Americans said they were proud of their country. A staggering 55% of Americans in 2002 told pollsters from The Washington Post that 9/11 had changed the country for the better. Now? Only 33% believe that, and 46% say the country has gotten worse. Meanwhile, anti-Muslim sentiment among many Americans has gotten worse. One of the finest moments of the presidency of George W. Bush was his visit to Washingtons largest Islamic center just six days after 9/11. There, he declared the United States was notand never would belooking at Islam itself as the enemy. It seemed to help; in March of 2001, before the attacks, 45% of Americans told Pew they had a favorable view of Muslims, a number that would grow to 54% by November of that year. But in the intervening period, Bushs Republican Party hasnt exactly followed his lead. In 2002, 32% of Republicans agreed with the thesis that Islam encouraged violence. Last month, according to Pew, that number hit 72% support among the GOP. Terrorism has become a consistently powerful concern for Americans, eclipsed only by the economy during the 2008 financial crisis. In fact, 74% of Americans stil say terrorism should be a top priority for Washington, which means no politicians worth their salt can ignore it, even as individuals intense fear seems to have faded along with interest in fighting terrorism overseas. In mid-September 2001, 77% of respondents told Pew that they supported retaliation for the attacks, even with troops on the ground. In May, well before the Biden withdrawal plan from Afghanistan collapsed into chaos, 62% of Americans told Quinnipiac they supported the exit, suggesting that public support for the war was gone even as al-Qaeda remains in that country. In an era of social media platforms that spread misinformation, the decline of traditional newsrooms, and the rise of partisan cable screaming, the long view that these 20 years of surveys give should be invaluable to policymakers. And in them, they may even find some hints for what the next 20 years may bring. There are signs, for instance, that trust in institutions continues to fade and comity is a fleeting commodity. But this much is clear: the uptick in community seen 20 years ago this week in the wake of a devastating and brazen attack on U.S. soil proved temporary, while permission to inch away from Americas stated ideals started a slide were still dealing with Make sense of what matters in Washington. Sign up for the daily D.C. Brief newsletter. (Bloomberg) -- Sign up for the New Economy Daily newsletter, follow us @economics and subscribe to our podcast. The U.K. economy barely grew in July, suggesting the recovery from the coronavirus recession is rapidly levelling off as consumer spending weakens and supply disruptions hamper production. Gross domestic product expanded just 0.1% -- a tenth of the pace posted in June, the Office for National Statistics said Friday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected 0.5% growth. The figures left output 2.1% below the level in February 2020, before the pandemic struck. The slowdown heralds a return to more normal growth rates after pent-up demand following the lifting of restrictions in the spring saw the economy surge by almost 5% during the second quarter. The ONS cited staff shortages and supply-chain problems as an impediment to production. Services and manufacturing stagnated and construction output declined in the weakest month for the economy since January, when a third lockdown caused output to slump. Oil and gas provided the strongest boost as some pipelines reopened following maintenance. The loss of momentum in July, when the economy completed its reopening, also reflects concerns about the spread of the delta variant and a requirement for hundreds of thousands of people to stay at home after being pinged by a National Health Service contact-tracing app. The pound shrugged off the news, with the currency edging higher to $1.3880 as of 9:45 a.m. London time. Thats a sign that traders are more focused on the outlook for the Bank of England. In testimony to Parliament this week, Governor Andrew Bailey acknowledged growth was plateauing, but reiterated it was reasonable to expect rate hikes would come in coming years. He also revealed BOE officials were evenly split in August over whether a minimum criteria for tighter U.K. monetary policy had been met, and that he sided with those who thought it had. Read More: Pound Defies U.K.s Economic Gloom as BOE Steals the Limelight Story continues Still, the economy now faces an uphill battle to achieve the near 3% growth in the third quarter forecast by the Bank of England last month. That will require output to expand by around 1.9% on average in both August and September. Bloomberg Economics sees growth of 2.2% with downside risks during the quarter. What Bloomberg Economics Says... Our forecast assumes a re-acceleration in August, as the virus situation stabilized. Still, the twin threats from a shortage of suitably skilled workers and ongoing global supply chain disruptions are likely to hamper the pace of the rebound. --Niraj Shah, Bloomberg Economics. For full REACT click here Output in consumer-facing services fell by 0.3% in July, largely due a 2.5% fall in retail sales. ONS Deputy National Statistician Jonathan Athow said IT, financial services and outdoor events - which could operate more fully in July - offset large falls in retail and law firms. Rising costs and shortages of raw materials pegged back the construction sector. More difficulties lie ahead, with several support programs put in place to help people through the crisis due to come to an end this month. They include the governments flagship furlough plan, which was still supporting around 1.6 million people last month, and a temporary uplift to welfare benefits. Meanwhile, workers and businesses face higher payroll taxes from April under an annual 12 billion-pound ($17 billion) plan announced this week to boost funding for the National Health Service and social care. It now looks like the wait for the U.K. to regain the ground lost since the start of the pandemic will last well into next year, said Ed Monk, associate director at Fidelity International. Whats concerning is that these numbers may not yet be showing the full effect of sustained supply-chain bottlenecks. (Updates with more on pound reaction from sixth paragraph) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. An Afghan family rushes to the Hamid Karzai International Airport as they flee Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 16, 2021. An Afghan family rushes to the Hamid Karzai International Airport as they flee Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 16, 2021. Credit - Haroon SabawoonAnadolu Agency/Getty Images In May 1939, more than 900 Jewish refugees boarded the MS St. Louis in Hamburg, hoping to flee Nazi Germany for the relative safety of Cuba. Due to the restrictive immigrant quota system in the United States, they hoped to wait on the island until they were approved for entry into the U.S. Despite paying for landing permits in Cuba, they were prevented from disembarking and the ship set sail in search of sanctuary. For days, the St. Louis circled off the U.S. coast, with its passengers desperately hoping for asylum. When supplies ran low and the U.S. refused to make exceptions to its immigration policies, the St. Louis returned to Europe. More than 250 of its passengers were later killed during the Holocaust. Today, America faces a similar moral test with Afghan refugees. Without a doubt, the situation in Afghanistan is distinct from the Holocaust in scope, brutality, and the depths of its evil. But the choice America faces today and the principles at play are the same as in 1939. Now, like then, we know that if we turn away refugees, many, including those who fought shoulder to shoulder with us, will face certain death. Like the refugees on board St. Louis, who got so close to freedom they could see the shorelines of America, many Afghans made their way within sight of the gates of Hamid Karzai International Airport only to be barred from eventual safety. Many lost the necessary forms in the rush to escape. For some, even having an approved special immigrant visa or being on a flight manifest was often not enough to gain entry. Others simply arrived at the wrong gate at the wrong time. Some were trampled to death as they waited for gates to open or as they moved to one that was. Others who assisted the U.S. during the war never made it that far and were reportedly executed by the Taliban. In the end, the U.S. left too many of its allies behind. Story continues There are other echoes of the St. Louis in the present response to the Afghan crisis. In 1939, bureaucratic organizations dragged their feet on visa applications and blocked pleas for President Roosevelt to intervene. Only through the involvement of individuals and private relief organizations such as the Joint Distribution Committee were some of the passengers granted asylum in the U.K. and other countries. Read more: Americas Time in Afghanistan Is Up. What We Owe to Their People Has No Expiration Date Likewise, during the past two administrations, our government has processed special immigrant visas at a glacial pace despite the pleas of Afghans, international relief organizations and American partners. The evacuation of our Afghan allies did not start in earnest until the government collapsed and chaos took over. Even then, the U.S. government provided too little information on how to escape and navigate the confusing requirements to obtain sanctuary. Like the refugees on the St. Louis, many Afghans attempting to escape were forced to rely on individuals and volunteer organizations. Often American veterans, former diplomats or other officials who were part of the conflict, created ad hoc groups to fill the gap of government failure. American troops and civil servants risked and even sacrificed their lives to secure the Kabul airport and transport tens of thousands of Afghans to safety. They performed far beyond what could be expected in a nearly impossible situation. But with the withdrawal of U.S. forces complete, there is more to be done. The U.S. must commit to working with the international community and ensure that the Taliban allows at-risk Afghans to depart to third countriesincluding those who do not have passports, whose visas are in process or who had their documents destroyed by the Taliban. The State Department must also gain agreements from border countries so that Afghans can transit through them en-route to more permanent resettlement in the U.S. as well as support the financing and diplomatic agreements for charters to land in third countries. Finally, the White House must openly work hand-in-hand with the volunteers who have mobilized to help, as well as encourage the donor community to provide financial support to those organizations now assisting in resettlement efforts. In the days ahead, the worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan will present a choice to the American people and government. Will we live up to the enduring commitment to those who worked by our side that President Joe Biden reiterated on July 8 when he said to them, there is a home for you in the United States if you so choose, and we will stand with you just as you stood with us. Do our significant national interests continue to include defending human rights abroad? Can we live up to our ideals as a shining city on a hill, a nation that finds innovative solutions to accept the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to breathe free? Or will we turn our back on those in desperate need and create another shameful tragedy like the MS St. Louis? PARIS (AP) As the Taliban government takes power in Afghanistan, UNESCO warned on Friday about risks to access to education, especially for girls and women. A new report by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization found that student enrollment multiplied tenfold in the 20 years since the U.S.-led military operation forced the Taliban from power while Afghanistans female literacy rate doubled. While there were almost no girls in primary school in 2001, there were 2.5 million in 2018, the report said. Girls now represent 40% of primary school students in Afghanistan. What is at stake in Afghanistan is the absolute necessity of preserving the gains made in education, said Audrey Azoulay, director general of UNESCO. According to the report, half of Afghanistans education expenditure relies on foreign aid, which may decrease now that the Taliban are in power. UNESCO also fears a ban on co-education and on males teaching females, which would deal a huge blow to womens participation in higher education and to girls education more broadly, negatively impacting their lives, work and citizenship. Taliban leaders have said women and girls will be able to attend school and work in accordance with Islamic law without providing specifics even as other prominent members of the militant group have sneered at the idea of coed classrooms and hinted at more reactionary measures. In August, The Associated Press spoke to Sagly Baran, an 18-year-old Afghan woman who received the highest score in all of Afghanistan on her university entrance exams this year. I am not afraid right now, but I am concerned about my future, Baran told The Associated Press in a video interview from Kabul. Will they allow me to get an education or not? In the wooded darkness, deputies in South Carolina's coastal Lowcountry cut across the sprawling hunting lodge property known by locals as Moselle. There, on the night of June 7, they uncovered a grisly murder scene: a mother and son shot multiple times, their lifeless bodies lying on the ground near the family's dog kennels. A frantic 911 call had been placed by Alex Murdaugh, a personal injury attorney, at 10:07 p.m. His voice quivered as he told a dispatcher that his wife, Margaret, and son, Paul, were not breathing. "I've been gone," Alex Murdaugh said. "I just came back." "It's bad." The incident, later classified by state investigators as a double homicide, remains unsolved three months later. Furthermore, the unanswered questions around the slayings have only scratched the surface of a winding saga embroiling the Murdaughs, a well-connected and prominent legal family that exerted power for nearly a century in southeastern South Carolina, and put a deeper focus on scion Alex Murdaugh. From left, Paul, Margaret and Alex Murdaugh. (via Facebook) Adding to the tragedy was the death just days after Paul and Margaret "Maggie" Murdaugh were killed of Alex Murdaugh's 81-year-old father, family patriarch Randolph Murdaugh III, a retired top prosecutor of the state's 14th Circuit. After weeks of intrigue, the case drew fresh scrutiny on Saturday, when Alex Murdaugh called 911 to say he had been shot in a roadside attack in rural Hampton County. Another investigation was opened and it was revealed this week that Alex Murdaugh's own law firm is accusing him of mishandling money, leading to the indefinite suspension of his law license. That's only part of a story that remains as murky and mysterious as the Lowcountry's swampy waters. 'What the hell is going on' The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has given no indication that the shootings of Margaret Murdaugh, 52, and Paul, 22, are directly connected to that of Alex Murdaugh, 53. Story continues Investigators have shared few details and named no suspects or persons of interest or a possible motive in either of the incidents, saying they don't want to jeopardize the cases. The apparent narrative has only grown more convoluted since police are remaining tight-lipped. Initially, Jim Griffin, a family friend and attorney, told news outlets that Alex Murdaugh was driving his late wife's black Mercedes-Benz SUV when he pulled over because of a flat tire and a pickup truck passed by, turned around and approached him. Then someone inside opened fire. Griffin said he spoke with Alex Murdaugh's brother, Randolph Murdaugh IV, who works for the same law firm founded by the family's patriarch, and told him that his brother was able to make a phone call and continued to use his phone from his hospital bed in Charleston. "It makes you wonder what the hell is going on," Griffin said. The following day, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division clarified that Murdaugh's injury was a "superficial" gunshot to the head and he was actually flown to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia. A family spokesperson said he was expected to recover. On Monday, Alex Murdaugh released a vague statement that he was resigning from his job at the law firm Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick to enter rehab. "The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life," he said, adding, "I am immensely sorry to everyone I've hurt including my family, friends and colleagues." Hours later, the law firm released its own statement, clarifying that Alex Murdaugh had only resigned after the partners discovered he had allegedly misappropriated funds. Its unclear how much money Murdaugh is accused of taking and how it was used, and the law firm declined further comment. Randolph Murdaugh IV said in a statement that he was "shocked" along with his colleagues to learn of his brother's drug addiction and the accusations of stolen money. Conflicting accounts emerged Thursday when the Hampton County Sheriff's Office initially released a report of the roadside shooting that indicated police saw "no visible injury" to Alex Murdaugh. But following questions over the inconsistency, the agency said it corrected the report to specify that an injury was visible. In addition, Griffin provided further details to The Island Packet on Thursday, telling the newspaper that Alex Murdaugh was driving when he noticed an indicator light showed he had a low tire on his car, he got out and encountered a man in a blue pickup truck who ended up shooting him. Griffin had also told NBC News that Alex Murdaugh had gotten a good look at the shooter and met with a sketch artist. He told The Island Packet he would meet with investigators again once he completes a first phase of detox. Griffin pushed back at rumors that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted. "I don't think you choose to have a flat tire or stage a flat tire to commit suicide. That makes no sense," he said. "There are many things (being reported) that are incongruent." A family spokesperson remained adamant Friday that the shooting was not staged, saying there was an entry and exit wound and Alex Murdaugh's skull had been fractured. "We know that [the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division] is continuing to work diligently to find this person and the person or people that murdered Maggie and Paul Murdaugh," the spokesperson said. The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday about the latest in its investigation. 'Rumors are abundant' At the time of Paul Murdaugh's killing, he was facing trial in connection with the death of a teenage woman in a boat crash in early 2019. Six young people, including Paul Murdaugh, were on a boat owned by Alex Murdaugh when it slammed into a piling below a bridge near Parris Island in Beaufort County at 2:20 a.m. Paul Murdaugh was believed to have been driving, according to police records. One of the passengers Mallory Beach, 19 was reportedly sitting on her boyfriend's lap when she was flung off the boat from the impact. A police report said the teens were "grossly intoxicated." Beach's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Murdaughs and the convenience store chain that was alleged to have sold the alcohol. Local reports after the boat crash said that the Murdaugh family did not initially cooperate with law enforcement agencies' investigation and that officers never gave Paul Murdaugh an alcohol breath test, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, which led the investigation. Paul Murdaugh had pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of boating under the influence. He had been out on a personal recognizance bond of $50,000 at the time. In the aftermath of Paul and Margaret Murdaugh's killings in June, as people began tying together the threads connecting the family with Beach's death, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division acknowledged in a statement that "everyone has questions and rumors are abundant." It's unclear whether investigators believe there are any links between the fallout from Beach's death and the shootings. Last month, state prosecutors officially dropped all charges against Paul Murdaugh as a matter of protocol. The wrongful death suit remains ongoing. Beach's death led some to ask if a member of the Murdaugh family accused in a crime could be held accountable or would they manage to evade responsibility. It's "a sad case," David Lauderdale, a longtime columnist for The Beaufort Gazette, wrote in 2019, "because it immediately raised a jarring question: Is justice possible?" 'Stephen's had no justice' Following the unsolved slayings of Paul and Margaret Murdaugh, state law enforcement officials also said they were opening an inquiry into the death of another young person "based upon information gathered during the course of the double murder investigation." Stephen Smith was 19 when he was found dead on a rural road in Hampton County in 2015. Investigators had said at the time that it appeared Smith was hit by a vehicle while standing outside of his car when it had run out of gas, reported NBC affiliate WCBD in Charleston. But initially, according to an investigator's report obtained by The Island Packet, Smith was found with a "defensive wound" on his hand and a homicide investigation was opened. However, the case became jumbled when a medical examiner later wrote in a report that Smith's cause of death was actually being struck in the head by a car mirror, part of an apparent hit and run. But no glass or debris from a car was found where Smith's body was or in the immediate area, The Island Packet reported. Meanwhile, South Carolina Highway Patrol investigators said they received tips that Paul Murdaugh's older brother, Buster, may have been connected. One investigator attempted to contact Buster Murdaugh, but it's unclear the extent of any conversations and state investigators have declined to discuss the case. Buster Murdaugh and Smith reportedly graduated in 2014 from the same high school. His body was found about 15 miles from the Murdaugh's Moselle estate. No member of the Murdaugh family has been directly named as being involved in Smith's death. A family spokesperson did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment. But Smith's mother, Sandy, has long maintained there's more to the story and believes her son was beaten and the victim of foul play. "The way his body was laying in the road, with his arm dislocated and bent back behind his body, I just don't believe that he was struck by the mirror of a vehicle," she said in 2015. News of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's new investigation was heartening, she told ABC affiliate WCIV in June. "We've been waiting on this forever," Sandy Smith said. "Stephen's always been put on the back burner. It's like nobody's looking for answers. Stephen's had no justice." A photo of people, covered in dust from the collapsed World Trade Center buildings, on September 11, 2001. Suzanne Plunkett/AP The US spent $11.7 billion on care and compensation for people exposed to dust on 9/11, the AP said. As of today, more than 111,000 people are enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program. President Biden on Saturday will travel to all three attack sites. See more stories on Insider's business page. The US has spent $11.7 billion on care and compensation for people exposed to dust on September 11, 2001, the Associated Press reported on Friday, as the country marks the 20-year anniversary of the attacks. That figure is about $4.6 billion higher than what was given to the families of people killed or hurt during the attacks, the report said. More than 40,000 individuals received money from a government fund for people who developed potential attack-linked illnesses. As of today, more than 111,000 people are enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program, the report said, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and authorized through 2090. It provides free medical monitoring and treatment for health conditions people acquired as a result of the attacks. Around 19,000 of the people enrolled in the program have a mental health concern linked to the attacks, the report said, and 12,500 enrollees are impacted by post-traumatic stress disorder. The World Trade Center Health Program's overall enrollment has consistently gone up over the past five years, and includes at least one individual from all 50 US states. First-responders to the 9/11 attacks make up about 57% of total enrollment, followed by survivors at 27%. Members of the New York Fire Department who rushed into and around the World Trade Center twin towers on that day comprise 15% of total enrollment in the program, while responders to the Pentagon and the site of the United Flight 93 crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, make up 1% of enrollment. President Joe Biden on Saturday will travel to all three sites of attacks to mark the 20-year anniversary of one of the most consequential days in American history. The attacks led the government to reexamine domestic terror threats and also brought the country to war in Afghanistan, which ended last month in a chaotic and deadly withdrawal that still reverberates today. Read the original article on Business Insider Kylen Schulte was murdered along with her wife Crystal Turner in Moab, Utah, last month (GoFundme) The editor of a Utah newspaper has issued an apology for its gruesome coverage of a double murder after a backlash from readers. The Times-Independent, based in Moab, southwest Utah, published a headline revealing sordid new details of the unsolved murders of Kylen Schulte, 24, and Crystal Turner, 38, who were found dead on 18 August at a campsite in the South Mesa area of the La Sal Mountains. Unsealed search warrants filed in court this week said the newlywed couple were found partially undressed in a nearby creek with multiple gunshot wounds to the bodies. It had only previously been reported that the women were shot . Investigators are yet to identify a suspect in the double murder of Crystal Turner and her wife (GoFundme) The Times-Independent changed the headline on the story after receiving complaints. Editor Doug McMurdo told The Independent via email that the story hit like a sledgehammer. We should have been more restrained and I was the only one in a position to know this. McMurdo said many of the 5,000 residents of Moab, including he and his staff, had known the women. In his apology on the papers website, he said he should have crafted a less striking headline, a more thoughtful report. We should have honored the friends and family of those two women and not subject them to such gruesome details, he wrote. I failed The Times-Independent, which trusts me to make better decisions. I failed you, readers. For all of that, I offer deep regrets and sincere apologies. McMurdo explained that the paper had covered horrible crimes before, more than I can count, truly, and still I was profoundly affected. Stories like these are why the majority of Americans favor the death penalty, he wrote. Moab, a popular tourist destination, has been on edge since the double murders just over three weeks ago. On Facebook, readers were appreciative of the action taken by the paper, a family-owned business that has operated in Grand County since 1896. Thank you for taking responsibility, its a quality missing from a lot of folks these days, one wrote. Story continues Disturbing as it is, I appreciate the truth, another said. Others said the article should have contained a disturbing content warnings, and had been too graphic and distasteful. The newly unsealed documents stated that Ms Schulte had told friends there was a creepy man near their campsite that had been intimidating women there. Investigators were informed that Kylen had mentioned to her friends that if something happened to them, that they were murdered, the document said. The couple, who had only recently married, were last seen at Woodys Tavern on 13 August. Security footage from the bar shows them leaving at around 8.30pm. KUTV reported that the Grand County Sheriffs Office believe someone killed the women and fled the area. They are yet to identify a suspect in the case. GoFundme pages have been set up for both Ms Schulte and Ms Turner to help their families. Read More Utah residents fear killer on loose following shooting deaths of camping newlyweds as FBI brought in Florida woman given 30 years in husband's homicide Kansas man gets 30-year term for murder of emaciated mother (Bloomberg) -- VanEck is breaking new ground in the nearly $80 billion municipal exchange-traded fund business with a product focused on sustainable investing. The asset manager on Friday introduced an actively managed fund, the VanEck HIP Sustainable Muni ETF, which will focus on investments in projects that advance sustainability or those with positive social, environmental and economic outcomes, according to a statement by the company. It will trade under the ticker SMI. The fund will seize on growing demand for investments -- in both stocks and bonds -- that have a positive social or environmental impact. At the same time, municipal ETFs have lured a record amount of cash this year as investors seek out the tax-free securities to shield income from potentially higher levies under the Biden administration. The fund, which will be managed by Jim Colby and Stephanie Wang, will add to VanEcks existing muni ETF lineup, which has over $7 billion under management. The company is partnering with research firm HIP Investor on the new product. Clients all across the board in every channel have been indicating interest in ESG broadly, but specifically an option they can use in an ETF format in this asset class, Michael Cohick, senior ETF product manager at VanEck, said in an interview. The fund enters a burgeoning corner of the fixed-income ETF industry focused on investments with a positive environmental or social impact. Janus Henderson Group on Thursday announced two sustainable ETFs dedicated to fixed income, buying corporate credit and other bonds. U.S. fixed-income ETFs that follow certain ESG criteria have amassed about $4.7 billion, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. VanEck is using four different screening processes from HIP, which evaluates securities for their environmental and social impact, to determine whether debt is eligible for the fund. The filters take into account resilience to climate threats and proximity to opportunity zones that are typically home to lower-income and racially diverse populations, for example. Story continues The fund, HIP Investors first co-branded ETF, uses a broad index with about 60,000 securities in it. After applying the four screens in early August, there were around 23,000 securities remaining, Cohick said. He noted the firm is seeking to construct a highly sustainable portfolio that maintains the yield and duration characteristics of the benchmark. Initial holdings include debt of the state of Minnesota, which will likely become a climate crisis destination amid global warming, said R. Paul Herman, chief executive officer of HIP Investor. Another is a California school district that uses solar energy, which helps reduce energy costs and train students about taking climate action, he said. Transparency Push The new ETFs data-driven approach to bond picking will help make clear why securities are in the fund, Herman said. It can bring new transparency and accountability to the muni market, he said. Cohick said he expects the fund will gain traction with a variety of investors. The muni ETF industry is dominated by passively run products that follow an index, but more companies have launched actively run funds focused on state and local debt. This week, Pacific Investment Management Co. also introduced an actively managed muni ETF. In its research, VanEck found that its new ETF strategy outperformed the two largest, passively run muni ETFs, Cohick said. We thought an active approach made sense for this fund, the novelness of it, he said. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Eric Gardner woke up at his Northern Virginia apartment, got dressed and headed to the Pentagon for an 8 a.m. meeting as he had done many times. Gardner was a 38-year-old Navy aviator in charge of cruise missile defense programs. It was his job to regularly brief the chiefs of Naval surface forces. He was in the process of moving back to Virginia Beach to lead a carrier-based aircraft squadron. On that morning, his wife, Amy, was at their home in Bay Colony. The Gardners could have never imagined what would happen next. The Pentagon building is divided into five sections, with five floors above ground and five concentric ring corridors designated A through E. Gardners meeting was in the fourth section, on the third floor, in the C-ring. There were nine people in the room when Gardner began discussing missile defense. About an hour in, a man peeked in from the hallway, Gardner said, and told them two planes had just ran into the World Trade Center. They decided to finish the meeting. Then ... a deep, loud boom. It was a huge explosion, he said. It blew us out of our chairs and onto the floor. He also remembers what someone said: That was a bomb. They just got us. At 9:37 a.m., hijackers aboard Flight 77 crashed the plane into the western facade of the Pentagon. It was one of four coordinated attacks on America by the militant terrorist group Al-Qaeda. We knew it was a terrorist attack. We knew right away, Gardner said. We came out of the office and looked around. People had started to move out. There was debris on the ceiling and on the desks. They moved to the stairwell and walked down two floors to exit the building. Smoke was starting to billow, Gardner said. It was a very orderly exit. It was just Move, move, move. Several of Gardners Navy friends had moved into the recently renovated E-ring, where the plane struck. When we finally got out of the south side, looking back at the west side, it was just black smoke billowing out, he said. Story continues Back in Virginia Beach, his wife thought he was at his office in Arlington. She didnt know her husband had a meeting at the Pentagon that morning. Im glad I didnt, she said. I just operated under the assumption that he was okay. But when she tried to reach him and couldnt cell phone service was down she started to worry. Later that day, they connected by phone. I wasnt 100% sure until I talked to him, she said. The terrorist attack killed 64 people aboard the plane, including five hijackers, and 125 military and civilian personnel inside the Pentagon. Two other hijacked commercial airplane crashed into New Yorks Citys Twin Towers and another in a field in western Pennsylvania that day, leaving thousands dead. Gardner later learned that Flight 77 had penetrated from the E-ring to the C-ring, and that the cockpit ended up two floors below his morning meeting. One year after 9/11, Gardner, who was assigned to the USS George Washington aircraft carrier for Operation Enduring Freedom, flew missions over Afghanistan. We put together a good effort to find the terrorists and go after them, he said. Gardner, now 58, retired from the Navy in 2015. Today, he works as a realtor, specializing in military relocations. In 2019, he helped start a local nonprofit to educate veterans about home loan opportunities. The group is hosting Stars & Stripes Gala Dinner, a veteran charity event to remember 9/11, Saturday. Gardner experienced another tragedy during his Navy service. He was stationed in Japan in 2011 when a deadly earthquake was followed by a tsunami. But 9/11 left the strongest impression on him. He even kept a copy of the briefing from that morning meeting. I remember it as a horrific attack on America, Gardner said. It was a shock to the American system; a great shock to the country. Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com Rioters supporting President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, disrupting the certification of President-Elect Joe Biden's electoral victory. AP Photo In the two decades since the September 11, 2001 attacks, the US faces a new and complex threat. Current and former officials say that white supremacists and far-right militants pose the biggest danger to the US. Experts also say the post-9/11 war on terror directly fueled the resurgence of far-right extremism. See more stories on Insider's business page. For years following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the conversation about US national security was dominated by the war on terror. But 20 years later, current and former officials say, the war's come home. Now, the biggest threat facing the US doesn't come from foreign actors, but those within the country's own borders. When it comes to extremism, the focus within US law enforcement and intelligence agencies has shifted to white supremacist and far-right groups. Those concerns were amplified by events like the deadly neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017, as well as the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol. Matt Chandler, the former deputy chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security, told Insider that the threat environment post-9/11 "continues to be dynamic, with both foreign and domestic terrorism threats, each of which have metastasized in concerning ways." "What makes the domestic terrorism threat so insidious is the foundational motivation to undermine our democracy, either by hate-driven ideologies or misinformation online," Chandler said. "The general chaos in our society related to the pandemic, the state of our politics, and other factors unfortunately creates fertile ground for these false narratives to take hold." FBI Director Christopher Wray in March warned senators that domestic extremism was "metastasizing across the country." "The number of arrests, for example, of racially motivated violent extremists, who are what you would categorize as white supremacists, last year was almost triple the number it was in my first year as director," Wray said. Story continues In June, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told senators that "racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists" were the greatest domestic terror threat to the US. "Specifically those who advocate for the superiority of the white race," Garland told the Senate Appropriations Committee. An annual intelligence report released in April also acknowledged that while groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda continue to pose a danger to US interests overseas, the greater domestic threat to Americans comes from "US-based lone actors and small cells with a broad range of ideological motivations," including white supremacist actors. According to research published by the New America think tank, jihadists have killed 107 people in the US since 9/11, while far right extremists have killed 114. The threat of homegrown extremism also differs along ideological lines. Since 2015, right-wing extremists have been linked to at least 267 plots or attacks and 91 fatalities, according to a Washington Post analysis of data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Comparatively, 66 attacks or plots and 19 fatalities were attributed to far-left views. Now, Chandler said, "the challenge for the intelligence and law enforcement communities is to mitigate both foreign and domestic terrorism threats simultaneously to prevent something like either September 11 or January 6 from ever happening again." But in the months since top law enforcement officials began sounding the alarm about the threat of homegrown extremism, the US government continues to grapple with how best to combat it, even when it comes from within its ranks. For instance, an Insider investigation in May found that while President Joe Biden pledged to fight white supremacy, his administration is struggling to root out extremists from the federal law enforcement apparatus. Insider's Camila DeChalus examined 63 federal agencies that employ uniformed law-enforcement officers and personnel and found that applicant vetting processes varied greatly from agency to agency and even sometimes contradicted each other. Moreover, just 10 of the agencies said they conduct recurring background checks or actively monitor officers' social-media accounts for red flags. How the war on terror fueled far-right extremism Members of a militia group, including Michael John Null and William Grant Null (R) stand near the doors to the chamber in the capitol building in Lansing, Michigan, on April 30, 2020. Seth Herald/Reuters Though extremism is now predominately a homegrown problem, the US continues to closely monitor and carry out operations against foreign jihadist groups. To that end, foreign policy hawks have raised concerns in recent weeks about whether the Taliban's takeover in Afghanistan will once again make the country a safe haven for terrorist organizations. Though experts warn that extremism may likely flourish in Afghanistan with the Taliban at the helm, the level of threat this could pose to the US is debatable, they say. The Taliban's seizure of the Afghan government "greatly increased the risk that militant groups will use Afghanistan to reconsolidate their bases and strength," Amira Jadoon, an assistant professor at the US Military Academy at West Point, told Insider in August. The Biden administration has signaled that it will continue to target terror groups in Afghanistan that could present a threat to the US, but officials say the capabilities of jihadist groups have eroded significantly in the decades since 9/11. "Al Qaeda's capacity to do what it did on 9/11, to attack us, to attack our partners or allies from Afghanistan is vastly, vastly diminished," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last month. In many ways, experts say, the most lasting effects of the war on terror relate to how it fueled far-right extremism in the US itself. Far-right extremist groups have worked to recruit disillusioned veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan into their ranks, and generally tried to tap into the sub-cultures surrounding military-style weapons and training. Since the Capitol insurrection, the Pentagon has also taken steps to address rising concerns about extremism among active-duty troops. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. In a March report to the House and Senate Armed Services committees, the department acknowledged that it faces a "threat from domestic extremists ... particularly those who espouse white supremacy or white nationalist ideologies." Cynthia Miller-Idriss, the director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab at American University, addressed the resurgence of far-right extremism in a recent Foreign Affairs op-ed. "In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the rise of violent jihadism reshaped American politics in ways that created fertile ground for right-wing extremism," she wrote. "The attacks were a gift to peddlers of xenophobia, white supremacism, and Christian nationalism: as dark-skinned Muslim foreigners bent on murdering Americans, al Qaeda terrorists and their ilk seemed to have stepped out of a far-right fever dream," she added. Read the original article on Business Insider PCR test swab The government needs to apply tougher standards to its list of approved Covid travel test providers, the competition watchdog has said. The call comes as part of fresh advice from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) amid concerns that consumers are being ripped off. UK travellers must take PCR tests when they return from abroad, choosing from a list of 400 or more authorised firms. But the CMA said basic standards should be upgraded and enforced. It also said consumers should be able to "get the information they need to compare providers properly and find the best deals for them". 'Travellers lose out' Last week, the CMA said it had begun an investigation into one firm, Expert Medicals, following complaints that Covid test results had not been provided on time or at all. It has also warned a further 19 firms about advertising misleading prices, following a review that found customers often faced poor service, hidden fees and refund issues. In its latest advice, the CMA said there were features of the PCR testing market which meant competition alone would not deliver the right outcomes for consumers. "There is a risk of a 'race to the bottom', in which providers compete on grounds other than high clinical quality and travellers end up losing out," it added. As a result, it said, it was making a number of recommendations to the government, including: Creating a one-stop shop list of quality, approved test providers by significantly improving the basic standards to qualify for the government list Introducing a comprehensive monitoring and enforcement programme to ensure providers on the list meet these basic standards and swiftly removing and sanctioning those that do not Developing the NHS Test and Trace travel test as a benchmark for quality and price to drive higher standards and more competition Monitoring prices and costs on a continuing basis Tests cost about 75 per person on average in the UK, but there are reports of some being offered for as little as 20, and others for more than 500. Story continues There have also been reports that some government-authorised providers do not have full accreditation. Two men walking along the beach The government has already issued warnings to 82 firms that they could be removed from its list of authorised providers if they advertise misleading prices. Rory Boland, Which? travel editor, said the CMA's review "reinforces Which?'s repeated warnings to the government that the current private testing system is not fit for purpose". "The government must now urgently set out how it will implement the regulator's recommendations and ensure safe, reliable and affordable tests are available for all travellers," he added. Avi Lasarow, EMEA chief executive of Project Screen by Prenetics, which is on the government list of test providers and provides testing at the major UK airports, welcomed the CMA's findings, saying: "Hopefully this will drive the cowboy testers out of town." He added: "Holiday PCR testing will be a way of life for travellers for some time to come as we need to protect the UK from new variants entering the country. "However, the government could help travellers even more by abolishing VAT on holiday PCR tests, so they can travel safer and cheaper." West Virginia has record number of Covid patients on ventilators, governor says (Youtube) West Virginia has a record number of Covis-19 patients on ventilators, the states governor said as he pleaded with residents to get vaccinated. Jim Justice said that there were currently 816 patients hospitalised, two shy of the record, while a record 252 people were in intensive care, and 141 of them on ventilators, also a record. We now have 24, 532 active cases a bunch of them will die, said an exasperated Mr Justice at a virus briefing. We are at an all-time record for patients in the ICU, 252 patients in the ICU, all time record, all time record for patients on ventilators, 141 of them are on ventilators. For the most part our entire state is red. West Virginias death toll during the pandemic now stands at 3,207 and he urged people in the state to do more to protect themselves. Weve lost 38 people since Wednesday, said Mr Justice, who is a Republican. We are going to continue to lose people in this surge without any question, and it just brings a level of sadness over all of us. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Mr Justice said that 51 of the states 55 county school districts now have a mask mandate for pupils from kindergarten to 12th grade, with only four having no requirement. And he said it was a no brainier that all of the districts would soon have mask requirements. The governor said that 73.4 per cent of the states population over the age of 12 had received at least one vaccine shot, but he said that the number had to keep improving. Going unvaccinated is really making a big mistake, the governor said. And he reminded the states residents that they had all been receiving vaccines of one kind or another since they were children. Earlier in the week Mr Justice had rebuked Covid-19 conspiracy theorists during a televised address, asking why in the world do we have to come up with these crazy ideas? And theyre crazy ideas. And he took a shot at the wild theory the the vaccine contains a microchip to allow the government to track people. Story continues The same very people that are saying that are carrying their cell phones around, he noted. I mean, come on. The White House announced sweeping new measures on Thursday to combative continued spread of the Delta variant. These include requiring vaccination for all federal employers and the employees of contractors doing business with the government, with no testing opt-out. Companies with more than 100 employees will also be required to ensure their staff is vaccinated or regular tested. WASHINGTON The White House said Thursday that it stood by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top medical adviser to President Biden, who has faced renewed attacks this week from conservatives over the extent to which the U.S. biomedical establishment funded potentially dangerous research into bat coronaviruses in Chinese laboratories. Asked on Thursday by a Fox News reporter whether Faucis job was safe, despite new revelations, White House press secretary Jen Psaki responded curtly, with a single word: Correct. Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden's chief medical adviser, finishes testimony before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in July. (J. Scott Applewhite-Pool/Getty Images) Fauci has previously said that the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, of which he is the longtime head, did not allow Chinese laboratories to conduct gain-of-function research through American grants. Some people believe that such research, which boosts viruses in order to study their behavior, led to the creation of the pathogen known as SARS-CoV-2 at the Wuhan Institute of Virology or another laboratory sometime in late 2019. The focus on Fauci this week is related to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request and published by the investigative news site the Intercept. The documents included details of a $3.1 million 2014 grant to EcoHealth Alliance, a New York-based organization that has been the focus of intense scrutiny over its close partnership with China and because of the ardent rejections by its chief executive, Peter Daszak, of any suggestion that a scientific accident there may have caused the pandemic. EcoHealth Alliance used $599,000 of the $3.1 million grant to fund a study into bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which has itself been the focus of both conspiratorial and legitimate questions. Researchers there worked on a strain of coronavirus called WIV1, according to the Intercept. Federal officials denied that the research conducted with U.S. funds in Wuhan met gain-of-function criteria. NIH has never approved any research that would make a coronavirus more dangerous to humans, an agency spokesperson told Yahoo News. The research we supported in China, where coronaviruses are prevalent, sought to understand the behavior of coronaviruses circulating in bats that have the potential to cause widespread disease. Story continues The P4 laboratory, left, on the campus of the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, in China's central Hubei province. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images) The existence of WIV1 is hardly a secret, but the revelations in the Intercepts reporting seem to challenge Faucis earlier statements that the U.S. biomedical establishment has never funded gain-of-function research in China. This is a road map to the high-risk research that could have led to the current pandemic, one researcher told the Intercept. Still, there is no evidence that research into WIV1 led to the creation of SARS-CoV-2. Nor is there evidence that Fauci, who first gained renown in the 1980s during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, acted improperly or intentionally misrepresented U.S. partnerships. Nevertheless, the Intercept revelations are sure to raise new questions, especially given signs that the pandemic may persist even into 2022. Peter Navarro, who served as a top aide of former President Donald Trump, often clashed with Fauci and, on Thursday, called the widely respected immunologist a stone cold liar on Twitter. He belongs in an orange jumpsuit, not a lab coat, Navarro opined. Members of Congress, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., have lambasted Fauci and other scientists for misleading the public about the origins of the pandemic. These documents are a smoking gun that indicate he not only failed to be forthcoming, but that he also lied to the American people about his organizations support for this risky research, said Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisc., who also called on Fauci to resign. So did Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., a potential presidential candidate in 2024, who, like McCarthy, said that Fauci should face a congressional inquiry. Should Republicans retake either chamber of Congress in next years elections, they are all but certain to launch such inquiries, given how much animosity Fauci has inspired among conservatives. The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, at a press briefing Thursday. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) The attacks on Fauci aside, the notion of a lab escape has gained increasing legitimacy in Washington, as well as from the medical establishment. Some conservatives, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., have maintained that the coronavirus is a Chinese bioweapon. Baseless as such accusations are, they have continued to thrive, as researchers across the world put pressure on China to be more forthright about how the pandemic began. Addressing the matter on Thursday in the White House briefing room, Psaki not only defended Fauci but the institutions highlighted in the documents obtained by the Intercept. NIH has never approved any research that would make a coronavirus more dangerous to humans, she said, adding that there were many coronavirus strains other than the one that has infected 219 million people around the world. A recent report by the U.S. intelligence community, ordered by President Biden, yielded no new insights into how the coronavirus originated. A senior administration official told Yahoo News: It is imperative for the global scientific community to understand the genesis of this pandemic. The official, who would speak only on the condition of anonymity, said that Chinas behavior during this pandemic has demonstrated that it has not yet matured into a responsible member of the international scientific community, adding that the United States would continue to press Beijing for a full, transparent, evidence-based, expert-led study. Chinese authorities have steadfastly refused to take any responsibility for the coronavirus, which many believe originated in a market where exotic animals were sold. They have gone as far as to suggest falsely that the pathogen originated at Fort Detrick, a bioweapons facility in Maryland. Researchers at work in the Biosafety Level 4 laboratory at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick in 2002. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images) In 2020, Faucis standing was often called into question, after he emerged as the chief messenger for the Trump administration on the pandemic in the spring. He often appeared to infuriate a president not known to cede the limelight. Although the relationship between Trump and Fauci deteriorated in the second half of 2020, Trump resisted the calls of his supporters to fire Fauci, although he did silence and marginalize him. Fauci has served every president since Ronald Reagan. ____ Read more from Yahoo News: Contingencies are messy things. The Biden administrations improvisatory scramble after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban was one of several such messes America witnessed in the final weeks of August. Another was President Joe Bidens impromptu effort to explain that the shambolic disgrace was among the best possible outcomes. Biden set an artificial deadline and sleepwalked toward it, igniting a frantic effort in which NATO and non-NATO nations engaged to transit as many of their citizens, residents, and terrified Afghan allies as possible out of the country while Biden contracted with the Taliban to provide perimeter security at the Kabul airport. Over 100,000 people got out, but many more were left behind, including American citizens and permanent residents. Biden congratulated himself. No nation has ever done anything like it in all of history, he insisted, and only the United States had the capacity and the will and ability to do it. And we did it today. That American and allied troops were able to solve a sizable portion of the problem the president created was taken as proof that no one could have done better than Biden did. And for anyone who claimed otherwise, Biden appealed to his own ignorance. I know of no conflict as a student of history, no conflict where when a war was ending, one side was able to guarantee that everyone they wanted to be extracted from that country would get out, the president claimed. That curious locution, everyone they wanted to be extracted are there Americans they wouldnt want to extract? was made necessary by the administrations decision to blame those it abandoned. Since March, we reached out 19 times to Americans in Afghanistan with multiple warnings and offers to help them leave Afghanistan, Biden argued. But theres enough blame to go around, the president contends its also Donald Trumps fault. A commitment was made by President Trump to remove all American troops from Afghanistan by May 1 of this year, he said. That, and not the constant tempo of U.S.-led airstrikes on that militia group resuming a mere four days after that deal was struck, is the only reason American soldiers hadnt been killed in combat with the Taliban since Feb. 8, 2020. Biden insisted he was bound by the terms of that deal, even though he renegotiated it early in his administration so that Americans would leave Afghanistan no later than Sept. 11, a saccharine flourish the public didnt appreciate as much as he clearly expected. Let me be clear, leaving August the 31st is not due to an arbitrary deadline, Biden said of the arbitrary deadline that replaced 9/11. Story continues Anyway, mission accomplished: We succeeded in what we set out to do in Afghanistan over a decade ago, the president declared. The decapitation of al Qaeda in 2011, he suggested, neutralized the organization. The locus of transnational terrorism was no longer Afghanistan, a deadly Islamic State-orchestrated suicide attack killing 13 U.S. Marines just one week earlier, and the retaliatory U.S. strikes that followed, notwithstanding. Biden and his defenders have tethered themselves to the notion of inevitability, that this disaster was unavoidable and there were no better options. The truth is that these justifications collapse under even cursory scrutiny, and they should not go unchallenged. This historic boondoggle was not inevitable nor optimal. It was a disaster engineered at every step by the Biden administration. Lets start with the presidents insistence that there was no way to evacuate the tens of thousands of Americans and our Afghan allies sooner and in a way that didnt leave untold thousands behind. Imagine if wed begun evacuations in June or July, bringing in thousands of American troops, and evacuated more than 120,000 people in the middle of a civil war, Biden insisted. There still would have been a rush to the airport, a breakdown in confidence and control of the government, and it still would have been a very difficult and dangerous mission. This counterfactual is difficult to assess because the Biden administration inexplicably opted to evacuate U.S. military personnel before Western civilians or eligible Afghans. On July 4, the State Department-run U.S. Embassy in Kabul insisted it was open & will remain open. There were no plans to close the Embassy, and there are well-developed security plans to safely protect our personnel & facilities should any unforeseen eventuality arise. The likelihood that theres going to be a Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely, Biden claimed on July 8. But by the end of July, operating on the assumption that the Afghan National Army could hold out longer than it did, much of the U.S. presence in Afghanistan had already been evacuated. Even before all U.S. soldiers and equipment had already left Afghanistan, Joe Biden was reluctantly compelled to resume airstrikes on advancing Taliban columns. It was obvious then that Bidens decision to pull U.S. air support, intelligence sharing, and contractors who could service Afghanistans indigenous air force was disastrous. There might have still been time to correct that mistake, but the Biden administration squandered it. One of the many obstacles to exfiltrating Americans and our allies out of the country after Kabul fell was the abandonment of Bagram Airfield. When the United States left the base, there was no ceremonial handover to Afghan forces. Indeed, our Afghan partners didnt get so much as a notice of U.S. intentions. On July 6, Americans simply shut off the electricity and left at 3 a.m. When it became unavoidably obvious that this air base would have been a useful asset, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said that the determination was made in accordance with the mission set that we were given and in accordance with getting the troops down to about a 600, 700 number. Asked why the military had not retaken the airfield, Milley replied simply, Good question. A more detailed answer to that question, according to reporting, is that the White House would not approve such a mission because it would look bad. It was discussed but [was] not a good option, one unnamed defense official told Politico. Bagram would have been an airborne assault. Just a huge operation. Would have looked like a re-invasion. Another defense official told Reuters that it would have required as many as 8,000 U.S. troops to secure Bagram, and it would have been subject to Taliban attacks. An 8,000-strong deployment would have been a substantial increase from the roughly 700 soldiers Biden initially left behind to conclude Americas withdrawal. But Biden reluctantly approved the deployment of 6,000 soldiers to defend the airport in Kabul a number and posture that was not sufficient to prevent a suicide bomber who killed 13 Americans from wading through the human tide that amassed around the airport. At least Bagram would have been a defensible position. Whats more, keeping the airport open forced Joe Biden to rely on what CENTCOM Commander Gen. Kenneth McKenzie insisted was our mutual self-interest with the Taliban in seeing to our speedy exit from the country. Why that self-interest would have dissolved just because we were leaving with more alacrity from within a fortified installation remains unanswered. The White Houses fear of large American deployments, even at the expense of American interests and allies, contributed to many of the mistakes we made on our way out of Afghanistan and the disgrace we left in our wake. According to an extensive report in the Washington Post, the Taliban were as shocked by their rapid reconquest of Afghanistan as the Biden administration was. But this triumph presented the Taliban with as many problems as opportunities, not the least of which was governing the sprawling capital city. On the night Kabul fell, the head of the Talibans political wing, Abdul Ghani Baradar, allegedly offered two options to Gen. McKenzie: You [the United States military] take responsibility for securing Kabul or you have to allow us to do it. Certainly, responsibility for Kabuls security would have necessitated a larger deployment than the initial 700 the White House hoped it could get away with and it would have involved larger security risks. But it also would have given the United States de facto control of the capital city, and untold influence over the formation of a transitional government after Afghanistans elected president fled. But Joe Biden remained resolute in his decision to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan, the Post reported. The collapse of the Afghan government hadnt changed his mind. When the president reluctantly concluded that his obdurate insistence on the smallest possible American military footprint in Afghanistan wasnt going to get the job done, it was already too late. The U.S. had become utterly dependent upon the Taliban and their State Department-designated terrorist allies to provide Western troops with security as they scrambled to evacuate anyone who made it through the Taliban-manned gantlet that ringed the airport. Americans and their allies were reportedly beaten and harassed, blocked or intimidated away from the airport. Some close U.S. allies who made it through were reportedly turned away by American officials as Bidens self-set deadline for total U.S. withdrawal approached. Those Afghans were put at extraordinary risk of reprisal by this vengeful Islamist militia because the Taliban already had their names and identities some of them provided by the U.S. military. The administration bristled over the accusation that it gave the Taliban a list to facilitate their already widespread campaign of revenge killings further. Secretary of State Antony Blinken insisted that the idea that we shared lists of Americans or others with the Taliban is simply wrong. Rather, what the U.S. did was provide the Taliban with the names of key individuals they were to let through into the airport. Sure, it was information that could later be used as a kill list or to facilitate the continuation of what was already a hostage situation in all but name, but it wasnt intended as one, so the White House couldnt be blamed for an off-label use as far as it was concerned. Reports of U.S.-allied Afghans being turned away from the airport by Taliban fighters (which was, indeed, the Talibans stated policy after Aug. 24) are not hard to come by. But the administration had a point about the necessity of giving the Taliban valuable information regarding the turncoats in their midst. They had no choice in the matter. And thats the problem. The mission as it was designed necessitated this betrayal. But it was designed by the Biden administration. On Aug. 26, as American evacuation efforts were speeding to a close, a complex suicide attack, paired with an assault on a nearby hotel U.S. forces used to stage the evacuation effort, killed 13 Americans, two British nationals, and over 100 Afghans. It was the single deadliest day for U.S. forces in Afghanistan in a decade. That night, the president committed America to seeking vengeance. I have some reason to believe we know who they are, Biden said. And we will find ways of our choosing without large military operations to get them wherever they are. Hours later, the U.S. executed what it claimed proved the concept of Americas over-the-horizon counterterrorism capabilities. That strike killed the planners and facilitators of that suicide attack within an Afghanistan-based wing of the Islamic State terror group. But the targets names were not released, which is a break from past practice if the targets had been high-profile operatives. Despite the apparent efficacy of Americas initial retaliatory response, threats to the airport remained imminent and in their operational stages. So, two days later, the U.S. carried out a second strike that reportedly also hit its intended mark. That strike also produced a lot of collateral damage: Ten civilians, including seven children, died in that attack. One of the victims had reportedly worked with American forces as a translator. Another, according to the BBC, previously worked for international organizations and held visas allowing them entry to the US. Clearly, Americas vaunted capacity to disrupt and deter terrorist operations in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region from bases in the Persian Gulf and without reliable intelligence in the area is a matter of some dispute. The apparent imprecision of the intelligence that informed the planning around these strikes has not dissuaded the Pentagon from entertaining the possibility of further cooperation with the Taliban on counterterrorism issues. As far as our dealings with them, in war, you do what you must in order to reduce risk to mission and force, not what you necessarily want to do, Milley said in a statement that called into question just how over the war in Afghanistan truly is. Whether this nascent relationship blossoms into something fruitful or not, the threats to American interests from within Afghanistan will persist. The Talibans reconquest of Afghanistan is encouraging many jihadists to think about traveling to Afghanistan now instead of Syria or Iraq, one British official told the Washington Post. We are now back to 1998, where the Clinton administration was launching missiles at desert camps and hoping to hit something, one Trump-era counterterrorism official said. That wasnt enough to prevent 9/11, and returning to that is not a recipe for success. Ultimately, the evacuation effort Biden took so much pride in and credit for failed in its single mission: getting American citizens, legal permanent residents, visa holders, and eligible applicants out. The Biden administration admitted to leaving only between 100 and 250 American citizens behind, though it has previously claimed that there is no way to know precisely how many Americans were in Afghanistan when Kabul fell. The number of green card holders left to the Talibans mercies is also unknowable, but it is estimated to be in the thousands. Many more NATO and non-NATO allies are struggling to evacuate their stranded nationals. Even the herculean multinational effort to get as many people out of Afghanistan as possible could become an albatross around Joe Bidens neck. Of the over 120,000 people evacuated from Kabuls airport, only 8,500 were Afghans. Hundreds of children were separated from their parents. Rogue flights landed without manifests, the New York Times reported. Security vetting of refugees was done in hours or days, rather than months or years. U.S. officials are investigating widespread reports that Afghan children were married off to able men so that both would be eligible for evacuation. And despite all this, on Sept. 1, the State Department finally conceded that the United States left behind the majority of Afghans who either had visas or were eligible for them, along with their families, but languished on a waiting list. One estimate places that number at around 100,000. So, yes. This could have gone better. From the beginning of the U.S. drawdown and at almost every haphazard step along the way, the Biden White House stumbled into disaster after disaster. And in the end, all America managed to secure were circumstances that leave Americans less safe at home, less respected abroad, and stained with the dishonor of the broken promises we made to the Afghans who foolishly trusted in the United States. Theres nothing to be proud of in that. Noah Rothman is associate editor of Commentary magazine. Washington Examiner Videos Tags: Afghanistan, War in Afghanistan, Joe Biden, Lloyd Austin, Military, National Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, Antony Blinken Original Author: Noah Rothman Original Location: Yes, Biden blew it Jordan Cheyenne apologized after a clip of her son posing for a thumbnail while crying went viral. The YouTuber later said she was "disgusted" with herself in an apology video. Cheyenne said her 9-year-old son will no longer appear on her YouTube channel. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. A YouTuber has apologized after footage of her asking her crying 9-year-old son to pose for a video thumbnail went viral. California-based Jordan Cheyenne has been posting to her YouTube channel, which has more than half a million subscribers, for the past eight years. As well as day-in-the-life vlogs about being a single parent, she also posts lifestyle and fitness videos. On Wednesday, Cheyenne posted a video explaining that her new puppy had been diagnosed with parvovirus, a condition common in unvaccinated dogs and puppies that can be fatal. The vlog, which was titled, "We are heartbroken," has since been removed, but a clip has been widely shared on social media, showing Cheyenne pulling her son Christian toward her and instructing him to "act like you're crying," to which he responds, "I am crying." -pots girl summer 25 (@givemepllants) September 8, 2021 Cheyenne gives him a series of instructions "for the video," telling him to put his hand to his face, look at her, and look at the camera. Throughout the process, her son continues to say, "I'm actually crying." Before shutting off the camera, she tells her son, "It's OK, it's OK, it's over." In a subsequent video, Cheyenne said after the negative response she reuploaded the vlog without the footage of her telling her son to pose, before taking down the video altogether later that day. The clip, which caused widespread backlash, was reuploaded on several social-media platforms, with one getting more than 700,000 views on Twitter. According to the social-media analytics site Social Blade, her channel lost 1,000 subscribers on Wednesday. The same day, Cheyenne posted a video titled "I am immensely disappointed in myself," thanking her followers for calling her behavior out and saying her "heart dropped" upon rewatching the footage of her and her son. "It's so wrong. I should never have done that," she said. Story continues "Today I want to let you know I'm so disgusted with myself for posing for a thumbnail on such an emotional video," she continued. "It made me take a step back and realize I need to just be way more present in the moment and not even be thinking about anything like this when things are happening in my life," she added later. Cheyenne also appeared on Thursday's episode of "The Dad Challenge," a social-commentary podcast hosted by the YouTuber Joshua Barbour, where she said she would not include her son in any future YouTube videos. "It is an internal struggle because I do think people like seeing the family," she said, adding that she would likely continue to feature her son on Instagram, but her posts to YouTube wouldn't feature him. "I think that would be best for Christian's mental health, to be honest, and I do have a lot to offer contentwise without my child. So going forward I can 100% make a commitment to pull Christian off there," she said. Cheyenne did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here. Read the original article on Insider The conference ended immediately, and my colleague stated we needed to get away immediately since the Naval yard was directly across the street, and she suggested we needed to get away via a different route that did not involve tunnels or bridges. We took U.S. 460, even though it was not the most direct route home. That took us through Lynchburg where I would later work as director of tourism (2014 to 2017) and Bedford where I would later also serve as Director of Tourism from 2007 to 2017. It was also memorable because it was my travelling companion's birthday. The journey home seemed to take forever, not simply because of the distance involved, but because we could not reach anyone by phone because the lines were jammed. Both of us tried without success to call friends in New York to see if they where safe. I would later learn the parents of a friend of mine were on the plane that went down that day in Pennsylvania. Sergei Troubetzkoy, 71, Lynchburg When I first learn about the planes crashing into the twin towers, I was in my bedroom rolling up my hair. This was about a little after 8:30 a.m. and I just had finish working night shift at the hospital. When that happens, our hope is that America will finally have the honest and substantive debate about this issue that it has failed to have for 50 years. Confusion and conflict exist here, in part, because were dealing with profoundly philosophical and moral questions, not only medical determinations. Are the unborn persons who deserve protection under our laws? When does such personhood begin? Should uncertainty about those matters give us pause about such protections? How should we resolve conflicting rights? Are we acknowledging and honoring the rights of women? It is not radical to suggest that every abortion is a tragedy. Nor is it immoral to recognize a womans agency over her life. None of that is to discount the very real concerns of pregnant women or the very real hurt of those who have experienced abortion. It should be clear that accommodations should be made for cases of rape, incest, the life and health or the mother, and the life and health of the fetus. We have no interest in peddling guilt. And we acknowledge that its valid for women to fear government intrusion on their autonomy. Bank of America announced today that it has provided a $1 million anchor grant to Juxtaposition Arts (JXTA)the only Black-led art and design organization in Minnesotain support of its four-year capital and legacy campaign to construct a new headquarters, restore two existing facilities and acquire public space to better support its creative workforce development and arts programming. Bank of Americas donation toward JXTAs $14 million fundraising campaign puts the effort within $400,000 of completion and helped JXTA close on the financing needed to break ground on the new Arts Center headquarters, located at 2007 N Emerson Ave. A community groundbreaking celebration is scheduled to take place on September 17, 2021 from 4-6 p.m. CT at the Art Center building site. We set out three years ago on an ambitious capital and legacy campaign -- to become the only arts organization in the state, led and rooted by people of color, that owns its buildings, said Roger Cummings, Chief Cultural Producer and Co-founder of JXTA. We couldnt have nearly reached that goal without the generous support of our community, including Bank of America. The banks funding will help JXTA continue to embrace, support and provide resources for the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit that exists in our city and build a legacy of Black leadership for years to come. Bank of Americas support will help JXTA invest in their physical infrastructure, and comes at a critical time in the organizations and regions history as it expands its acclaimed education and creative workforce development programming. The development will include a 17,000 sq. ft. building to house a gallery, program spaces, fabrication shop, community gathering spaces, and an archive. The organization will also renovate existing buildings, facilitating the expansion of JXTA's workforce efforts and create retail space to sell products created by JXTA students and staff. Juxtaposition Arts knows that exposure to and engagement with the arts has the potential to transform a community, said Katie Simpson, Bank of America Twin Cities president. With this new construction, JXTA is helping to create a stronger regional economy by nurturing creativity and building assets for future generations. We are proud to contribute to this effort. Construction of the new building and renovation of campus buildings (including four newly acquired lots on Emerson and Broadway) will begin in early September and is slated to be complete by fall 2022. The new state-of-the-art headquarters plants the seeds for new and expanded programming and will serve as a hub for creative training, economic justice, and youth development in North Minneapolis. JXTA offers free, year-round arts learning programs for youth, community events and jobs for teens in the core program, JXTALabs. After completing the rigorous 12-week Visual Arts Literacy Training (VALT), youth aged 14-21 are eligible to apply for an apprenticeship in one of the JXTALab micro businesses. JXTA employs 70 young artists and 30 adult artists and staff annually. Juxtaposition Arts was founded with the idea of building something in Minneapolis Northside that didnt already exist, said Gabrielle Grier, Managing Director of JXTA. Our hope is for JXTA to set an example for other organizations and show them the endless possibilities of investing in the creative genius of our city's youth. Over the events of the past 19 months, JXTAs campus and community engagement work has grown to become a public health imperative and some of the most important assets in the community, particularly on West Broadway, where there is little dedicated public space. Part of the capital campaign also raised funds for JXTA to acquire parcels adjacent to the Skateable Plaza, which has now been made a permanent fixture, and the entire area will become a community-owned parkable plaza which will be used for community events and gatherings. This grant complements Bank of Americas five-year, $1.25 billion commitment to advancing racial equality and economic opportunity for people and communities of color by supporting nonprofit organizations working to improve health, jobs and re-skilling, and affordable housing, as well as providing support for minority-owned small businesses in local communities. Bank of America previously named Juxtaposition Arts as one of its Neighborhood Builder awardees in 2019. Juxtaposition Arts Founded in 1995 by Roger and DeAnna Cummings as an afterschool program, Juxtaposition Arts (JXTA) develops community by engaging and employing young urban artists in hands-on education initiatives that create pathways to self-sufficiency while actualizing creative power. JXTAs work builds North Minneapolis cultural, financial and social capital by training the local youth workforce in creative industries and investing in the equitable development of North Minneapolis and the West Broadway commercial corridor. For more information, please visit www.juxtapositionarts.org. Bank of America At Bank of America, were guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. Were delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social, and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. Its demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer, and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News). For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, register for news email alerts. Mamata to fight advocate Priyanka Tibrewal of the BJP for her Assembly seat West Bengal `, Fri, 10 Sep 2021 NI Wire As the West Bengal by-elections in three constituencies come nearer and CM Mamata Banerjee preps to her seat in the Legislative assembly. The BJP has decided to put up a fight. The Bharatiya Janata Party revealed that the party will be fielding advocate and vice-president of the partys youth wing in West Bengal, Priyanka Tibrewal to take on CM Banerjee from the Bhabanipur constituency, which has been the CMs traditional seat until the last election where she ran from Nandigram. Priyanka Tibrewal was one of the petitioners in the post-poll violence case in the Calcutta high court, which ultimately resulted in the High court ordering a CBI probe, which was again challenged by the incumbent TMC government at the apex court of India. TIbrewal, who by profession is a lawyer, came to the political mainstream after she advocated for an independent inquiry into the violence unleashed after the WB Assembly elections. Her relation with the Bharatiya Janata party started as the legal advisor to BJP MP Babul Supriyo, who then insisted she join the party in 2014. Since 2020, she has been serving as the vice-president of the youth wing of BJP in West Bengal and has been an active young leader for the party. It is Priyanka Tibrewals second shot for an assembly seat. She did contest the 2021 Assembly election from the constituency of Entally but lost to her Trinamool Congress counterpart by over 58,000 votes. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee also filed her candidacy from the Bhabanipur constituency, on Friday. While the TMC prepares to win the by-elections, and win their leader a seat. Veteran party leaders have already been asked to take charge of the campaign in various civic bodies and councillors have been asked to spend more time tending to the needs of their wards. The Trinamool Congress leader needs to win the by-election to retain her position as the Chief Minister of Bengal. Even though TMC won the assembly elections in April with a sweeping margin, winning 214 of 292 seats, Mamata Banerjee failed to win a close battle in Nandigram, losing by 1,956 votes to Suvendu Adhikari. There are 206,389 electors in the Bhabanipur constituency, 95,143 female electors, which is around 46 per cent. It has a large Sikh and Gujaratis population. But the Bengali middle class does dominate the region. The area located in the heart of south Kolkata had been a Congress stronghold, but later became the TMCs Citadel, since the CMs house at Kalighat is located within the constituency and Mamata Banerjee has won from the constituency both in 2011 and in 2016. In 2021 as well TMCs Sovandeb Chatterjee won the seat but later vacated the seat for CM Banerjee to win it. Apart from BJPs Priyanka Tibrewal, Mamata Banerjee will have to face advocate Srijib Biswas from the Left front to win the seat. While Congress has not fielded any candidate in the constituency. -Supratik Mitra (10/09/21) Yesterday 200 Amsterdam Avenue, a 668-foot-tall residential tower on Manhattans Upper West Side, conclusively won the long legal battle that allows for new construction without the fear of new retroactively enforced interpretations on those permits. The New York Court of Appeals denied an opposition groups attempt to appeal a previous courts ruling upholding the validity of 200 Amsterdams building permits. Earlier this year, a previous ruling from the New York State Appellate Division, First Department, ruled in favor of developers SJP Properties and Mitsui Fudosan America by unanimously overturning the lower courts ruling. The trial court ruling sought to apply a retroactive draft zoning interpretation which would reduce the height of the constructed 52-story building designed by Elkus Manfredi. Todays decision by the New York Court of Appeals, the highest court in New York, to deny leave to appeal definitively ends the unwarranted legal challenges against 200 Amsterdam. This decision confirms the Appellate Divisions recent unanimous ruling that 200 Amsterdams building permits are lawful and properly issued, said Steven J. Pozycki, SJP Properties chairman and CEO. 200 Amsterdam will legally and rightfully stand as meticulously constructed and soon welcome homeowners while generating millions of dollars in annual tax revenue to the benefit of all New York City residents. We are proud to deliver a beautiful, architecturally distinct building to this special Upper West Side neighborhood and look forward to welcoming 200 Amsterdams first residents in the coming weeks. Since the New York States Appellate ruling in March of this year, 200 Amsterdam has re-launched sales and most recently released two penthouses priced at $40 and $39 million. In addition to interiors designed by CetraRuddy, residents will have access to over 20,000 square feet of amenities. Occupancy is imminent. Subscribe to YIMBYs daily e-mail Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates Like YIMBY on Facebook Follow YIMBYs Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews Epworth United Methodist Church, 2447 Ave. B, would like to invite the public to Sunday worship at 9:25 a.m. and social distancing will be in place. The church is handicap accessible and membership is not necessary to participate. Masks are not required but are available for those who need or want one, and we have plenty of hand sanitizer. We will meet in the church sanctuary. If you are sick, please do not join us. The scripture for this coming Sunday is James 3:1-12 and Mark 8:27-38. There is Bible study on Thursdays at 9 a.m. We are in prayer for all those affected by this virus. Prayer requests can be made at epworthumccb.org/about-us/our-values/. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office phone number is 712-323-3124. You can check us out at Facebook.com/pages/Epworth. DES MOINES Federal agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday responded to concerns expressed by some in the renewable fuels and biofuels industry who believe President Joe Bidens administration is placing more of an emphasis on electric vehicles and less on renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Vilsack, the federal agriculture secretary and former Iowa governor, addressed the issue during a conference call to announce federal funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. You look at the totality of it all, and you look at the investment for example today and you can see that theres a wide range of ways for this administration to provide help and assistance to the biofuel industry, Vilsack said. Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, expressed the concern recently during a roundtable discussion on rural issues with Congresswomen Cindy Axne of central Iowa and Cheri Bustos of northwest Illinois. Biden last month set the goal that by 2030 half of all new vehicles sold be electric. But I cant in good faith tell you I support (the Cubes renewal), Carmody said. At the meeting Petersen said in the overwhelming majority of the incidents detailed by police, there was no proof the perpetrators had been drinking at the Cube. The point is the liquor license relates to conducting a business to serve alcohol, she said. I am asking you to focus on the facts related to the issuance of the liquor license. Carmody and Lt. Chad Geer spoke at the council meeting and testified during the Aug. 13 court hearing, as did local business owner Alice Johnson and Councilors Roger Sandau and Chad Hannan. I appreciate the patience the residents of Council Bluffs showed as we went through this process. There is not doubt that Council Bluffs is a safer community with todays news, Hannan said Friday. I am very appreciative of the hard work from the Council Bluffs Police Department and city legal staff. Without their efforts we wouldnt have had a chance. Wade said he was hopeful Larson with agree with the ruling. Id think the director would give some discretion to the judge. Not thats hes bound to, Wade said. But thats the legal advice. How should one best observe the anniversary of the horrific terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001? These annual commemorations have always been momentous and solemn occasions, and the attention of the American people is where it deserves to be on the men, women and children who needlessly died that day. It is right and proper that our focus should be first and foremost on the tragic loss of those lives. It is also right and proper that we should reflect on the lessons of 9/11 and how it came to pass that more than 2,600 Americans were killed over the course of a few hours that day. Even more importantly, we should ask ourselves whether the United States has learned the lessons of 9/11, and whether our government lived up to the commitment that encapsulates the post-9/11 admonition of the American people: Never Forget. But it seems that our government may have forgotten the central lesson of 9/11 that loosely-governed lands over which the U.S. has little or no intelligence visibility create the permissive environment most attractive to terrorist organizations that desire to strike America. The collapse of Afghanistan into the arms of the Taliban has once again set the stage for that nation to host terrorist groups that target the West. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Those knots feel like an echo of Schrader's First Reformed, with Ethan Hawke as a tormented priest. That movie concluded, memorably, with Rev. Toller wrapping barbed wire around himself. In The Card Counter, nothing gruesome seems near the film's lifeless interiors. But the film's intense quietude and its central character's heavy gravity radiate something ominous. Such a regimented, restrained life is inevitably going to be released. The taut strings will break. Violence (surely) and redemption (maybe) will follow. Tell is a heightened kind of character a deadpan noir archetype who mostly expresses himself through the film's narration. But for a movie with moody monologues, it's oddly unstylized in its drab look. Sometimes, The Card Counter risks mistaking airlessness for minimalism. Tell's rhythms are disrupted when he encounters a young man named Cirk (Tye Sheridan, a more natural presence), the son of a soldier who served years before with Tell. They meet at a presentation Tell wanders into by John Gordo (Willem Dafoe), a retired major now instructing police departments on interrogation techniques. Tell, we learn, served under Gordo at Abu Ghraib. Disorienting, horrifying flashbacks follow. And the cool veneer of The Card Counter snaps open with an unspeakable past. The girl is the daughter of Claudia Rowling and Curtis Stringer. Samuels is the sister of Rowling, who suffered a massive stroke 15 days after giving birth to Calyia, Samuels said. Rowling lost some speech and has some right-side paralysis from the stroke, said Samuels, who has medical power-of-attorney for her sister. Because of the mothers health, relatives and friends pitched in to help the parents raise Calyia. Calyias mom has been fighting since the birth just to be here with her, Samuels said. Calyia was a very joyful little girl. She was loved by a lot of people and she had a lot of support. Calyia was an only child. She loved unicorns and enjoyed spending time outdoors riding her bike. Samuels said the family has a message for the community: We just really need them to know that we want justice and we want anyone with information to come forward. She was an innocent child, Samuels added. East St. Louis police Chief Kendall Perry, who responded to the shooting scene along with other officers, said he is concerned about an escalation of violence in the wake of the shooting. A victim being treated after the attacks. Photo: Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images An explosion triggered by a suicide bomber ripped through crowds outside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Thursday, killing 13 U.S. service members and as many as 170 Afghans a marking the deadliest day for American troops in Afghanistan since 2011. ISIS-K, the Afghanistan branch of Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the attacks. At least 15 American service members and more than 200 Afghans were wounded. Evacuation flights resumed on Friday, and both U.S. and Taliban forces worked to prevent people from massing at the airport gates. Responding to the attack in an address on Thursday afternoon, President Biden warned those responsible for the attack that we will hunt you down and make you pay and said that he has directed the Pentagon to develop operational plans to strike ISIS-K assets, leadership, and facilities. Intelligence officials are warning of more possible ISIS attacks in the coming days, but Biden said that the U.S. would continue its evacuation of U.S. citizens and Afghans from the airport ahead of the August 31 deadline to withdraw completely from Afghanistan. In the aftermath of the attack, evacuation flights continued to leave the airport. Early on Friday, the White House said that 12,500 people had been flown out in the past 24 hours. The suicide bombing took place at Abbey Gate, a main entrance to the airport. Initial reports indicated there was a second bombing at the Baron Hotel nearby, followed by gunfire into the crowd, but on the Friday, the Pentagon said that it no longer believed there was a second explosion. (Witnesses reportedly heard two, however.) U.S. intelligence officials had warned in recent days of imminent violence from ISIS, which is a sworn enemy of the Taliban. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said, We strongly condemn this gruesome incident and will take every step to bring the culprits to justice. I saw a baby girl and I looked at her and I picked her up, an Afghan interpreter who witnessed the blast described to CBS News. I took her to the hospital, but she died on my hands. Whats going on right now is heartbreaking. This whole country is falling apart. As thousands of Afghans have amassed at the airport in an effort to flee the country since the Taliban takeover earlier this month, the U.S. and U.K. recently warned that an attack could be imminent, while Belgium suspected it would take the form of a suicide bomber. The U.S. military deaths are the first in the country since early 2020, when then-President Trump negotiated a peace deal with the Taliban. Around 1,500 Americans still remain in Afghanistan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday days before Bidens deadline for all U.S. forces to withdraw from the country. This post has been updated. Photo: Xinhua News Agency via Getty Ima After U.S. Capitol Police top brass was caught flat-footed in the attack on the grounds on January 6, its leaders are preparing in advance for potential violence at a September 18 rally held by Trump supporters rallying for those arrested in the wake of the insurrection, claiming they are political prisoners. On September 8, Capitol Police leadership reportedly distributed an internal memo about the Justice for J6 event to be held on September 18 at the Union Square plaza at the foot of Capitol Hill. The report states that discussion on social media and message boards about the rally increased last month after the officer who shot Ashli Babbitt as she tried to climb through a window into the House chamber went public with his identity. (The officer was cleared of wrongdoing in August following an internal inquiry.) To deter any violent extremists who travel to D.C. for the rally, USCP officials have already determined they will install internal fencing around the Capitol ahead of the rally. The Metropolitan Police Department, the police force in Washington, D.C., announced in August that they will also have an increased presence on September 18 and that all officers will be on duty that day. According to a Politico report on September 9, rank-and-file Capitol Police officers will be briefed on the rally on September 10, as part of a new preparation system implemented after the attack, which injured more than 100 law-enforcement members. Two GOP representatives who were invited as VIPs, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Madison Cawthorn, stated they will not be in attendance. The event is being organized by Matt Braynard, a former Trump campaign staffer in 2016 and the director of a lobbying group for patriotic citizens called Look Ahead America. Braynard told BuzzFeed News he was not hired when he applied to join the 2020 campaign as a field organizer in Pennsylvania, though he was part of the post-election push alleging unsubstantiated election fraud. Fallout from the insurrection is ongoing eight months after Trump supporters overran the Capitol following the Stop the Steal rally. On August 2, police officials confirmed that a third and fourth officer who responded to the insurrection had died by suicide; on August 26, seven officers sued former president Donald Trump and the Stop the Steal organizers for provoking the violence. September 9, meanwhile, marked the deadline for federal agencies and social-media companies to hand over records to the House Select Committee investigating the attack. And while the legal momentum to overturn the election results remains strong in Arizona, the groundswell of populist support has waned since the Stop the Steal rally, when tens of thousands of Trump supporters traveled to Washington, D.C. Days before the rally, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it expected around 700 people to be in attendance for the sequel in September. This post has been updated. A life guard at Coney Island in May 2021. Photo: Jeenah Moon/Getty Images When New Yorkers head to beaches and pools for one last swim this summer, they will do so under the unwatchful eye of the citys lifeguard corps. With more than 1,300 guards working during a typical season, it is the countrys largest seasonal force and something of a national joke in the profession with a fatality rate that, at points, has been three times the U.S. average. This summer, the troubles have continued. On August 6, a rescue team pulled Matthew Wiszowaty, 18, from the water at an unguarded section of Rockaway Beach. He died the next day. On August 15, at Red Hook Pool, Brianna Otero, 12, nearly drowned after reportedly floating for five minutes. (She was pulled from the water by her uncle, who told the Daily News, Im looking around, and I see lifeguards moving but theyre not moving toward her. So I had to run.) It turns out the watchdogs watchdogs have also been, in a sense, asleep in the chair. For nearly two years, the citys Department of Investigation has been sitting on a draft report that would expose allegations of gross misconduct among lifeguards, according to covert audio recordings of the agencys internal meetings that were sent to me. Just over a year ago, I wrote for New York Magazine about the lifeguard unit and the one man, Peter Stein, who has run it since 1981. Over four decades, Stein and his lieutenants have faced allegations of falsifying drowning reports, rigging swim tests for loyal lifeguards who cant pass the cutoff time, and retaining lifeguards accused of sexual misconduct. They have also enriched themselves. In 2019, Stein made nearly $230,000, and some of his aging deputies earn six-figure salaries. During his tenure, the city has paid millions of dollars in wrongful-death lawsuits. After the article was published, one agency that wasnt surprised about the revelations was the Department of Investigation, an independent city law-enforcement arm with broad powers to probe fraud, waste, and misconduct. Months earlier, one of its investigative squads had drafted a report after looking into claims of lifeguard misconduct including retaliation against whistleblowers. The document wasnt released, and on November 24, 2020, DOI commissioner Margaret Garnett convened a conference call with her staff to discuss how to jump-start what seemed to be an all-but-dormant inquiry. Listening to a tape of the call helps demystify how Stein, 76, has stayed in power for so long, with the investigators speaking in tones that are alternately powerless and glib. It made me think that it wouldve been cool to be a lifeguard, one male investigator says about the New York article, to laughter. Unless youre on the other end of it, in the water drowning and you really needed a lifeguard, another male voice replies. Or youre, like, a 19-year-old girl in your first summer job and these clowns keep, like, touching your breasts while youre at work, adds Garnett. A DOI investigator obtained a recording of the conference call and sent it to me. Separately, seeking whistleblower protection, he sent complaints about agency mismanagement to Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and three members of the City Council: Peter Koo, who chairs the Parks Committee; Vanessa Gibson; and Eric Ulrich. When I asked the DOI for comment careful not to identify the source a spokeswoman disputed that the agency has been slow to investigate the citys lifeguard regime. It is not accurate to conclude in this matter that DOI has done nothing or that nothing is being done, said Diane Struzzi, the director of communications, in a written statement. She added, We do not release reports prematurely, before our standards have been met. The existence of a draft report is not indicative that an investigation has been completed. DOI takes the allegations that have been raised about the Citys lifeguard program seriously. On August 4, the agency fired the whistleblower. The Parks Departments alleged mismanagement of sexual-misconduct claims figures prominently in DOIs investigation, which, per the call, focused on two men: Richie Sher, 81, until recently the citys longtime lifeguard coordinator, and Liam Kavanagh, who has served as first deputy Parks commissioner since 2002 and is regarded by some as the most powerful official at the department. After combing through official complaints, lawsuits, and interviews, DOI investigators concluded that Sher and Kavanaghs allegedly lax discipline of abusive lifeguards has cost taxpayers millions in legal settlements (the citys law department is pulling their hair out, according to one voice on the November 24 call) and is putting beachgoers in danger both in and out of the water. Kavanagh, investigators say on the call, has repeatedly protected lifeguards and other Parks employees accused of sexual harassment. One says, Its kind of crazy how often Im seeing things like a lifeguard reporting drinking or drug use of another lifeguard while on duty and then the lifeguard who reported it [gets] moved. Garnett then adds, Also, a lot, a lot I know from the Squad 4 investigation a lot of sexual shenanigans in the lifeguard division. Just in terms of, like, you know, harassment of younger female seasonal lifeguards and complaints just being swept under the rug, or, like, then the girl who complains gets transferred, you know, to a less desirable location, and the person whos doing the harassing, like, absolutely nothing happens. In an email, Crystal Howard, a Parks spokeswoman, declined to comment on innuendo and hearsay that appear to malign Commissioner Kavanaghs 40-year service to the City. Also on the call, an investigator says that after a male lifeguard was arrested for violating a young girl, Sher allegedly said something like, Oh well, its probably a misunderstanding, or, Hes a good kid. Sher did not respond to a voice-mail left at his office, nor to emails or a text message. On August 10, I asked the Parks Department about several allegations against Sher, some related to Operation Splash, a DOI probe that ran through the 1990s and ended in 2000. Fifteen days later, he resigned, ending a lifeguarding career that began in 1958. The coordinator post remains vacant. Eavesdropping on the DOI suggests a law-enforcement agency that is quick to find frustration in the face of investigative challenges. At one point, Garnett says her impression is that Kavanagh runs the Parks Department like a family landscaping business that hires 12 neighborhood kids in the summer. At another point, an investigator says that when she went to pull the files on earlier lifeguard-related inquiries, 95 percent of the documents had been destroyed. Theres a half-joking debate about sending an investigator undercover to the annual swim test, but the idea is dismissed as impractical. The people on the call also consider interviewing the dozen-odd current and former lifeguards I quoted in my article but seem to give up on that idea, too. The audio also captures investigators hopes of getting higher authorities to intervene. They say that Nathan Reilly, an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, briefly considered building a federal labor-racketeering case against the powerful municipal union District Council 37, which includes two local chapters representing lifeguards and their supervisors. (An EDNY spokesman declined to comment. Freddi Goldstein, the unions director of communications, wrote in an email, We are not aware of what might have once been briefly considered. Whats important is that there clearly was no merit and no charges were ever pursued or brought.) They also consider appealing to Mitchell Silver, who served as Parks commissioner from 2014 until this year, but fret that he might be intimidated by Kavanagh. To allow this to persist is a great risk, says one DOI investigator on a later conference call in March 2021. What does Kavanagh have that hes able to stay there and wield so much power? Even Garnett sounds helpless. In the meantime, what do we do about Kavanagh? she asks, as they debate how to proceed. Because this is a disaster. On a follow-up conference call on March 2, audio of which I also obtained, two DOI inspectors general and multiple investigators agree that Sher should be removed and that Kavanagh ought to be stripped of disciplinary duties. Still, they make no plan to move the investigation forward. A female investigator bemoans the agencys slow progress. DOI has a long history of looking into various criminal aspects of the Parks Department and coming up with a result, coming up with policy suggestions, she says. And then it hits a dead end and it goes nowhere and then we pick it up again in ten years. If they can get an appointment and have the means to get there. Photo: grandriver/Getty Images/iStockphoto Just pause and breathe. Were going to help, but I need you to take a breath and calm down for a moment. Kathaleen Pittman, director of the Hope Medical Clinic for Women in Shreveport, Louisiana, repeated this mantra over and over to the teary women on the other end of the phone. The calls were coming from all over Texas, where abortion is currently banned at about six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. They wanted to know if they could get an abortion in Louisiana instead. The phone has been ringing off the wall, patients attempting to get in, Pittman said. But appointments were scarce. When I spoke with her on Thursday, Hope Medical Clinic was the only functioning abortion clinic in the state of Louisiana; the other two remaining clinics were closed due to power outages caused by Hurricane Ida. Right now we are booked out three, possibly four weeks just to get in for that first visit, Pittman said, noting that a state-mandated waiting period requires patients to come to the clinic twice. Were going to see women who are terminating later in the pregnancy than desired because they simply cant get in quickly enough, she said. Others, she feared, wouldnt be able to get an abortion at all. Of course its going to be the women who have no money, she added. Its always the women without the means that suffer the most. In the wake of SB 8, which went into effect on Wednesday, many clinics in Texas are still providing abortions for patients up to six-weeks pregnant, or before embryonic cardiac activity can be detected. Everyone else estimated to be about 85 percent of all abortion patients is now being referred out of state. As a result, clinics in Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas are being inundated with a surge of pregnant people who are racing against the clock for care. Yet, in many of these states, years of constant anti-abortion attacks have eroded the existing reproductive health infrastructure, leaving a fragile system that is ill-equipped to absorb the additional demand. The second largest state in the country goes dark on a service and everyone else surrounding is trying to support and provide care, said Emily Wales, interim president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which covers Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Clinics in all three states are seeing an increase in Texas patients, she said, especially in Oklahoma. At the same time, abortion access is under attack there; five new abortion restrictions are set to go into effect on November 1. It feels a little bit like its whack-a-mole right now in trying to beat back what are medically unnecessary requirements to ensure ongoing access, Wales said. While other states have passed similar six-week abortion bans, the Texas law is the only one that has been allowed to go into effect. Thats because of the unique way it was drafted. The state does not enforce the law. Instead, SB 8 deputizes regular people to file civil lawsuits against doctors or anyone else who knowingly aids or abets an abortion. The law appears to have been intentionally designed this way to thwart judicial action. At Trust Womens clinic in Oklahoma City, which is one of the closest abortion clinics for people in north Texas, abortion appointments are already being booked three weeks into September, just like at Hope Medical Clinic in Louisiana. All of our doctors fly in from other states, explained Zack Gingrich-Gaylord, communications director for Trust Women. Were currently asking them to consider working additional days, but of course, our doctors also practice medicine in their home states as well. Trust Women has another clinic in Wichita, Kansas, with slightly more availability, but to get there, Texas patients must travel even further. Weve already started seeing some of those Texas patients today, and weve got some scheduled tomorrow, said Ashley Brink, the Wichita clinic director. Its been a really emotional time. A lot of these folks, theyre scared, theyre confused, theyre sad. Kristina Tocce, medical director at Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, said she was seeing the same uptick in Colorado and New Mexico. Im very nervous for patients who need services immediately because this was an immediate hard stop to abortion services in Texas without a clear path for those patients as to where they can go, she said. Texas is essentially a pre-Roe world now. The distance to the nearest clinic is only one of the problems that Texas patients now face, said Alan Braid, the owner and medical director of Alamo Womens Reproductive Services in San Antonio. Many patients are already mothers, and cannot leave their jobs or their children for the length of time needed to access care in another state. Some are undocumented and cannot travel with ease. It sounds very easy oh well, you cant get it in Texas, just go to Oklahoma, New Mexico. But the people that we see that hourly wage patient, the single mom, the people that dont have the means to travel its impossible for them, he said. Thats like saying well, just hop on a plane and, you know, go to France. Its beautiful there, you can get an abortion and then take a walk down the Champs-Elysees. Braid, who has been providing abortion care in Texas since he began his OB/GYN internship in 1972, said this was the worst climate he had ever seen for reproductive rights in Texas since before Roe v. Wade. The new law, with its vigilante-enforcement scheme, is spreading fear and distrust. You can feel it in the room, he said. It hangs heavy. As a provider, he said, he is usually optimistic that he can support his patients and meet their needs. Now, when I walk in the room, I have huge doubts about whether Im going to be able to help, he said. Im not used to that. He expressed deep concern about what patients will do to obtain abortions if they cant get one inside Texas when they need it. He still has a powerful memory of three teenagers dying from septic shock and organ failure after obtaining back-alley abortions back when he was an intern in 1972. Thats where were headed, he said. I promise you that people are going to cross the border to Mexico. Theyre going to self-induce. Sign Up for the Intelligencer Newsletter Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. Franklin was not initially allowed to defend his masters thesis and did not graduate from Auburn. Despite that, Franklin went on to have a successful career as an educator after he left Auburn in 1965. Franklin earned his masters degree in international studies from the University of Denver and taught history at Alabama State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Tuskegee Institute and Talladega College before he retired in 1992. Decades later, Franklin was able to successfully defend his thesis at Auburn in February 2020 and participated in the fall 2020 commencement exercises in December of last year. I realized it wasnt going to be easy when I came here as the first African American to attend Auburn, but I didnt think it would take this long, Franklin said after finally earning his degree from Auburn. Im glad I could do something to help other people, and my mom and dad always taught us that, when you do something in life, try to do something that will help others as well. Franklin received an honorary doctorate of the arts from Auburn University in 2001, and his legacy was honored by the creation of The Harold A. Franklin Society by Auburn students in 2008 and the formation of a scholarship named after him by the Auburn Alumni Associations Black Alumni Council. Washington, PA (15301) Today Cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 74F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Washington, PA (15301) Today Cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 74F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Washington, PA (15301) Today Cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 73F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Article body Harold A. Franklin, Auburn Universitys first African American student, passed away Thursday at a Talladega, Alabama, hospital. He was 88. Franklin integrated Auburn as the universitys first Black student on Jan. 4, 1964, coming to the Plains as a Graduate School enrollee. He went on to a successful 27-year career as an educator in higher education after leaving Auburn in 1965, earning a masters degree in international studies from the University of Denver and teaching history at Alabama State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Tuskegee Institute and Talladega College before retiring in 1992. Franklin initially was not allowed to defend his thesis at Auburn, a wrong that was righted last Feb. 19, and he participated in fall 2020 commencement exercises on Dec. 12. Im just about speechless after all these years, Franklinwho graduated with honors from Alabama State College in 1962said after walking across the stage at Jordan-Hare Stadium in December. I realized it wasnt going to be easy when I came here as the first African American to attend Auburn, but I didnt think it would take this long. It feels pretty good. Im glad I could do something to help other people, and my mom and dad always taught us that, when you do something in life, try to do something that will help others as well. In 2001, Auburn honored Franklin as its first Black student by awarding him an honorary Doctor of Arts and in 2015 erected a historic marker in Franklins honor near the Ralph Brown Draughon Library, where he first registered for classes. Dr. Franklin was a pioneer who paved the way for other African American students to attend Auburn University, Auburn University President Jay Gogue said. Auburn is a better institution because of Dr. Franklins bravery 57 years ago. His spirit of internal fortitude will continue to inspire us. Earlier this year, a plaza area was created to accompany the marker adjacent to the library, and it will be unveiled at a special ceremony in November. Dr. Franklin was a trailblazer, Auburn University Trustee Elizabeth Huntley said. I would not be here today if it was not for his courage to enroll at Auburn and in the process desegregate the university. Dr. Franklin broke the barrier so that generations of African American students, including my husband, daughter and me, could graduate from Auburn University. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to do the right thing and create opportunity for others. I will always appreciate Dr. Franklins tenacity, perseverance and his Auburn spirit that was never afraid. The Auburn Alumni Associations Black Alumni Council recently named a scholarship in honor of Franklin, whose legacy also was honored by the creation of The Harold A. Franklin Society by Auburn students in 2008. I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Harold A. Franklin, and on behalf of the Black Alumni Council, I offer sincere condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time, said Chacolby Burns-Johnson, chair of the Black Alumni Council. Dr. Franklin was a true trailblazer as the first Black student to enroll at Auburn University in 1964, as he faced many obstacles. Dr. Franklin was a leading example of determination, hard work and perseverance as he paved the way for me and over 10,000 Black alumni of Auburn, and for that, I say thank you and am forever grateful. It was a privilege to talk with him and to share the establishment of the Dr. Harold A. Franklin Annual and Endowment Scholarships by the Black Alumni Council to honor him and his sacrifice. During our connection, he was extremely overjoyed and pleased to be recognized in this way and was most happy to learn that future generations of deserving Auburn students would benefit from the scholarships to help them achieve their goals and aspirations. The power of his legacy remains strong, and Dr. Harold A. Franklin will forever be remembered in our hearts and minds as we continue to celebrate this outstanding pioneer as one who truly embodied and cultivated a spirit of inclusion, equity and diversity as a shining example for all of us to follow. Born Harold Alonza Franklin on Nov. 2, 1932, in Talladega, Alabama, he was one of 10 children to George Franklin Sr. and Henrietta Eugenia Williams Franklin. His father worked at the Alabama School for the Deaf and Blind, while his mother taught and played piano in church. During his senior year of high school, the United States was embroiled in the Korean War, and Franklin left school to join the U.S. Air Force. After graduating from Alabama State College in 1962, he thought about attending law school before Fred Graythe famous civil rights attorney who represented Martin Luther King Jr.encouraged him to study history at Auburn. He went on to marry Lilla Mae Sherman, and they had one son, Harold Franklin Jr. She preceded him in death, and after retiring from teaching, Franklin worked as the manager of a funeral home in Sylacauga. Before returning to campus to defend his masters thesis inside Thach Halls Bond Memorial Library in February 2020, Franklin also met with members of Auburns Black Student Union, or BSU, as part of Black History Month celebrations. He was unable to participate in spring commencement ceremonies after the university was forced to postpone them due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but received his diploma by mail in June. He returned to Auburn in December and participated in a hooding ceremony for Auburns first female African American doctoral graduate in the Department of History, Shari L. Williams, during commencement festivities. Harold Franklin was a civil rights icon who overcame enormous obstacles to help change the world and push Auburn University toward becoming a better version of ourselves, said Associate Professor of History Keith Hebert, who helped coordinate Franklins thesis defense and commencement participation. Beyond integrating our university, Harold was an exceptional student who earned high marks as an Alabama State University undergraduate. During his many decades as a professor of Black history and culture at Talladega College, he inspired multiple generations of students who today are major leaders in the fields of education, business and law nationwide. Foremost, he was a good and decent person who treated everyone fairly and equallyeven those who did not extend him the same level of humanityand forgave those who had wronged him. After walking across the stage at Pat Dye Field in December, Franklin was asked for advice for Auburn students and graduates as they embarked on their future journeys. Do your best and be honest, Franklin said. Treat everybody with respect, and if they dont treat you with respect, dont associate with them. Thats what Ive tried to do all my life. Aw I love that album so Im really happy for her. Shes playing Toronto at the end of the month and Im somewhat kinda seriously considering going to see her. Reply Thread Link Do it. I have a ticket to see her in November. Reply Parent Thread Link Unfortunately most of these artists disappear into the oblivion after 1 album. A shame, really. Reply Thread Link I looked up the nominees for the past 5 years and was surprised to see this generally isnt the case! Most either had released albums previously or have since, and some, like Wolf Alice and Laura Mvula, are multi-year Mercury nominees. But I think in general, the nominees are smaller artist that arent super popular outside their niches, so I get why a lot of them might seem to disappear from public eye, in a way. Reply Parent Thread Link I want her to come to the states! Reply Thread Link I think shes doing a North American tour this fall (I have tickets for Vancouver in early October) so you should check if shes coming near you! Reply Parent Thread Link I've been obsessed with the album. I found her after someone posted about the Caroline music video here last year, just did a quick check and realised it was same poster, thanks KittenMittons you have excellent taste. Reply Thread Link Haha, awww, thank you. <3 Ive definitely posted about her a few times so Im glad you found some music from her that you like! Reply Parent Thread Link i'm so happy for her, she deserves it! can't wait to see her in november Reply Thread Link loooove her, the album is excellent Reply Thread Link apparently black country new road are a bunch of dicks lmao i love that wolf alice performed with black honey and arlo deserves all the awards! Reply Thread Link I had never heard of them until seeing people (on Reddit my mistake) saying they deserved the award so . . . that checks out. Love everything Wolf Alice do, tbqh Reply Parent Thread Link if she's 21 she's not exactly born in the XXI century but congrats to her anyway! Reply Thread Link I took it from the source, but wouldnt she be? She was born in 2000, presumably, so that would be the very start of the 21st century. Reply Parent Thread Link the 21st century started in 2001. the 20th century started in 1901, and so it goes... There wasn't a year 0, it started being counted on year 1 and it completed 100 years on year 101. Reply Parent Thread Link That makes sense. When BBC said she was the first winner born in the 21st century, I was just like, "Huh, okay, guess that starts in the year 2000!" without thinking any deeper about it lol Reply Parent Thread Link She's so talented and it's such a great album! That "extrovert noise" quote is a bit weird tho... Reply Thread Link I love the name Arlo. Reply Thread Link She's only twenty-one? I feel dirty now. Reply Thread Link Congratulations to Arlo! I love the album. Reply Thread Link I shouldn't be so repulsed by the thought of successful adults being born in 2000, because I was born in 1992 and that's not THAT far off. 2000 babies were still likely conceived in the 90s! I was still a young child when they were born! I should wait until successful adults start being born in 2010, the year I graduated from high school. Reply Thread Link I first saw her at the Brits this year (last year?) and thought her voice and stage design were so gorgeous. Love her, love this award for her. Reply Thread Link Wolf Alice has probably my favourite album of the year, but I love Arlos album as well and its fantastic to see someone so sweet and deserving win! I would have been down for a Laura Mvula or SAULT win as well. Im hoping Arlo doesnt follow in the footsteps of some other artists and cancel her Vancouver tour date - I have tickets to see her October 9th and am really looking forward to it. Reply Thread Link I hope you will be able to see her. I have tickets to see her in November and hope it won't get cancelled. Reply Parent Thread Link Happy for her, it's a great album, it calms me down. Reply Thread Link Holy shit Reply Thread Link holy shit that's awful, hope she recovers quickly and her family can travel can't imagine going through that alone Reply Thread Link How devastating! I really hope her sister can get here in some way - just cannot imagine how terrible that must be that your twin is hurting and you cannot even be there. I really hope she pulls through Reply Thread Link Right? So many actors get exempt for work and you have a twin sister literally hit by a truck with no family members around and you cant go visit? Thats some bullshit!! Im usually the first person to worry about covid but Im so mad about this I have no words. Reply Parent Thread Link God, this sounds horrific. I hope her sister can win an appeal. It will make such a difference for her recovery to have someone in person supporting and advocating for her. Reply Thread Link has the us government ever given a reason why they won't lift the EU travel ban? they have way better vaccination rates at this point Reply Thread Link They're 'following the science', that's the only explanation they've ever given. Yet countries with far, far lower vaccination rates came travel to the states with no limitations whatsoever. Make it make sense. Reply Parent Thread Link Wait, so Americans can't vacation in Europe? How is my heterosexual friend and her fiancee in Dublin tho? Or is Ireland not in the EU anymore bc of Brexit? I had to stop reading news for my sanity (clearly swapped it for this, loll) but I'm so confused. Reply Parent Thread Link no americans can visit the EU (well depends on the country, some are shutting down again) Europeans can only enter the US with a work visa Reply Parent Thread Link Dublin is in the ROI which isn't part of the UK. Northern Ireland is (alas). Reply Parent Thread Link Oh no! Hope shes okay Reply Thread Link That is horrific. Poor thing. Hopefully she recovers quickly. Also, what is the exemption there for it not shit like this? Reply Thread Link the wealthy. Reply Parent Thread Link OMG D: !!! Reply Thread Link Omfg that's horrific, I hope she makes a full recovery and that her family is allowed to be with her. Reply Thread Link Oh god, poor thing. I hope they'll let her sister visit her. Reply Thread Link holy fuck that's awful, and for the USE to deny her sister at a time like this??? i hope she makes a full recovery and they let her family come see her Reply Thread Link US you let actors in anf out of the country like it's nothing. You can let her sister in for an emergency. I hope she recovers and is able to have friends/family with her through this. Reply Thread Link 1) URGENT- PLEASE SHARE AND TAG ANYONE WHO COULD HELP. I received the most terrifying phone call Ive ever received in my life on Tuesday evening. My twin sister Kathryn was hit by a cement truck while crossing a road in New York on the 7th September. pic.twitter.com/t5ZS6yPFI3 Megan Prescott (@Meg_Prescott) September 9, 2021 Meg posted a whole thread on her twitter too. :( Reply Thread Link Omg I didn't recognize her and had no idea she was one of the Skins twins Reply Parent Thread Link She posted on her Instagram as well. I hope she manages to sort something out. Reply Parent Thread Link Those sorts of injuries are going to require 24/7 care for the first few months. Even if she pays for professionals, her sister should be with her to navigate it all and provide support. She better win the appeal because I fail to see how this isn't the exact sort of emergency the exemption is there for. Reply Thread Link For real. Its so fucking hard to recover from something like this all alone without any family support. Poor girl needs her sister. I hope the embassy approves her appeal :( Reply Parent Thread Link so... not R.E.M then? Reply Thread Link Michael Stipe covering Dangerous Woman Reply Parent Thread Link I WISH Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I remember her mom? liking an Instagram called rembeauty and people were calling it in another post lol every celebrity has a perfume and a beauty line now Reply Thread Link I don't understand why someone with a high profile like hers would want their name associated with Morphe (though I guess it's a spin off from the company). Maybe I've watched too much stuff on Beauty YouTube, but it's not the name you'd want to evoke to give people confidence in your products. Reply Thread Link yeah i'm confused as to why she went with them of all the companies available? it seems forma mainly partners with social media influencers to create brands (emma chamberlain's bad habit's, jaclyn hill's whole thing) so good for them for scoring ariana grande i guess Reply Parent Thread Link For us who follow beauty communities online know Morphe isnt worth associating with but the normal beauty shopper they still like Morphe so I can see why she did. Reply Parent Thread Link Self tanner would have been more on brand Reply Thread Link Reminds me of when Lindsay Lohan had self tanner and leggings. But it made sense! Reply Parent Thread Link fr & yet when she wants to market her makeup line her italian tan just disappears on the cover.. how convenient Reply Parent Thread Link blackfishing palette coming thru! anyways, too many beauty brands, and I feel like Selena and Rihanna are the only ones that will stick around. Maybe Kylie too. Reply Thread Link I'm honestly surprised that Selena's brand is so successful Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I've heard good things tbh. I'm tempted to try honestly. Reply Parent Thread Link so am I, it feels like a drugstore brand Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think it being so plain but accessible is appealing to the majority of beauty consumers who dont follow beauty trends closely and just wear makeup to feel pretty or conforming to societys expectations. Reply Parent Thread Link It has good products!!! lmao I was skeptical when it was announced, but I REALLY enjoy their products. And their concealer brush is my holy grail concealer brush. It is SO good. Reply Parent Thread Link I waited for Robert Welsh to review her products and after he raved about them I grabbed the highlighter and liquid blush--I have not been disappointed. I like a natural highlighter and that's exactly what her product is--it's subtle and blends beautifully, does not pick up product. The blush is the same. I own the shade 'Love' which is a "matte" finish but it's not chalky or dry, just looks really natural. The best thing is that you do not need a lot of product so they'll last forever. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Flower Beauty by Drew Barrymore though! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Tbh people were sure Selena's brand would flop too when it was first announced (and the market was already pretty saturated back then). Reply Parent Thread Link I recently saw some comments (I think maybe in the Beauty Guru subreddit) where a bunch of people said that Kylie Cosmetics is supposedly struggling (and also involved in a lawsuit?) but I don't know anything about the beauty industry so I don't know if that's true, but I was kind of surprised because I saw quite a few people claiming that. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link glosses that tingle upon application Translation: This product contains irritating essential oils. Reply Thread Link Or cinnamon! Reply Parent Thread Link That makeup look is so underwhelming. REM feels like an appropriate name Reply Thread Link I'd say she's too late for the cosmetics-brand wave but people seem to eat up makeup/skincare regardless, so Reply Thread Link the makeup market is getting more and more oversaturated with brands - i wonder which celebrity or influencer will next release their own brand? and i wonder how long a lot of these will last. Reply Thread Link Itll be the most interesting when some start going out of business since we know itll happen sooner or later. Reply Parent Thread Link true! placing my bets on kkw (or whatever it's called now) to go first Reply Parent Thread Link she says she started working on it two years ago while on tour lol. yeah right! she obviously wants people to think she has been working on it for a long time and isn't just jumping on a trend Reply Thread Link her own skin tone?! Reply Thread Link lol right? shes thanking allure through gritted teeth in that tweet lmao Reply Parent Thread Link OPEC could revise down its forecasts for global oil demand in 2022, in view of the increased uncertainty with the Delta variant, two OPEC+ sources told Reuters on Friday. OPEC is scheduled to release its closely-watched Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) on Monday, in which it could cut its oil demand estimates for next year, after keeping its demand outlook unchanged in the two previous reports, according to the sources. OPEC may review the figures again for the upcoming monthly report, one of the OPEC+ sources told Reuters. In its MOMR in August, OPEC said that global oil demand was expected to average 96.6 million barrels per day (bpd) this year and exceed 100 million bpd in the second half of 2022, keeping its estimates from July unchanged despite the COVID resurgence in major economies, including China and the United States. Next year, global oil demand is set to average 99.9 million bpd, and to exceed 100 million bpd in the second half of 2022, OPEC said in the August MOMR. This will be thanks to massive stimulus packages expected to raise economic growth and to expectations that the COVID-19 pandemic will be under control, supported by vaccination programs and improved treatment, according to the organization. Just ahead of the September 1 OPEC+ meeting, the broader alliance of OPEC and non-OPEC producers led by Russia was said to have estimated that the oil market would become increasingly tight this year, but return to a surplus next year. Currently, OPEC has a more optimistic view on global oil demand than the International Energy Agency. The IEA warned in its monthly report in August that new mobility restrictions in Asia to fight the Delta variant were set to slow global oil demand growth in the second half of 2021, although it left its full-year demand growth estimates largely unchanged. The oil market deficit of this year would turn into surplus, the IEA said. But the scale could tilt back to surplus in 2022 if OPEC+ continues to undo its cuts and producers not taking part in the deal ramp up in response to higher prices, the IEA said last month. Its September report is due out on Tuesday, September 14. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: California's power grid transition to renewable energy sources appears to be backfiring. The push into clean energy is not producing enough power to meet demand during hot summer days, and it's becoming harder for the Golden State to avoid rolling blackouts. A stunning new revelation in the state's top grid operator, California Independent System Operator, filing to US Department of Energy (DoE), titled "Request for Emergency Order Pursuant to Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act," requested the federal government to declare an "electric reliability emergency" so it can use more fossil fuel power generation to prevent blackouts. "An emergency order will allow the CAISO to dispatch additional generation that may be necessary for the CAISO to meet demand in the face of extremely challenging conditions including extreme heat waves, multiple fires, high winds, and various grid issues," the filing read. CAISO wants the DoE to suspend air-pollution rules so it can use natural gas turbines as "back-up power generation and freeing up additional energy capacity to help alleviate electric demand on the electricity grid." Related: Oil Rebounds On U.S.-China Call The request was filed on Tuesday ahead of CAISO's statewide flex alert that urges customers to "conserve electricity" in the evening due to hot weather. The grid operator warned, "energy supply is tight at the moment." Good morning, CA! The California ISO has issued a statewide #FlexAlert for today, Sept. 9, from 4-9 p.m. due to above normal temperatures affecting much of the state and West, and tight energy supply. Urging consumers to conserve electricity. Learn more: https://t.co/GslP8IKUsO pic.twitter.com/LAOJkD3glP California ISO (@California_ISO) September 9, 2021 The state is struggling to balance its clean energy push, and the request to the DoE is a sore eye for environmentalists who've been on a crusade to ban fossil fuel generation from the grid. It's also negative news for President Biden's infrastructure spending that aims of "achieving 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2035." If the widespread blackouts that shocked Texas earlier this year due to a cold snap that froze wind power generation sources was a lesson for the future of green power grids - then maybe America is not ready for Biden's 2035 decarbonization target. ... and why isn't climate alarmist Greta Thunberg bashing California on Twitter for wanting to burn more fossil fuels? By Zerohedge.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Illinois House has passed a bill envisaging some $700 million in incentives for two nuclear power plants operated by Exelon that the company earlier this year said it will shut down, in a move that could be a win for the entire U.S. nuclear industry. What the House has accomplished tonight is monumental and life changing for the future generations of Illinois, House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch, said, as quoted by Reuters. Illinois is on the path to a greener future that prioritizes a reduction in carbon emissions, saves jobs, diversifies the energy sector and tackles necessary ethics reform. This is perhaps somewhat unusual behavior: the economic viability of nuclear power in an energy system that has increasingly been relying on cheap gas thanks to the shale revolution has been questions on multiple occasions. However, as nuclear power plants supply emission-free electricity, some, including the International Energy Agency, argue that they not only have a place but are an indispensable part of the energy transition. Despite the damage done to nuclear power plant competitiveness by gas-fired generation and by the much trendier wind and solar, Exelon sought to keep its Illinois plants alive by applying for state subsidy. When this failed, the company said in July this year it had informed regulators it planned to shut down the facilities. The filings are among the final steps in retiring the plants, which face revenue shortfalls in the hundreds of millions of dollars due to low energy prices and market policies that give fossil fuel plants an unfair competitive advantage, Exelon said at the time. Absent a legislative solution, these same market inequities will force the company to close its Braidwood and LaSalle nuclear facilities sometime in the next few years. Now it seems the legislative solution is close to becoming available. Per the Reuters report, Senate President Don Harmon said the Senate will, on Monday, advance this vital proposal to the governors desk so it can become law. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Bullish sentiment appeared to return to markets on Friday morning as a combination of supply disruptions and an apparent detente between the U.S. and China gave oil markets hope. Oil Prices Today: Friday, September 10th, 2021 With three-quarters of crude production still shut in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Ida remained one of the key factors determining price movements this week. In addition to tight US supplies, with the EIA reporting a 1.5 million b/d week-on-week drop in total production, Friday provided some additional bullish sentiment as the Xi-Biden phone call sparked hopes of a smoother US-China relationship, offsetting downside factors like the Chinese strategic stock auction. As of today, Brent traded around $73 per barrel, whilst WTI was just south of $70 per barrel. China Releases Strategic Reserves of Crude. For the first time ever, Chinas Strategic Reserves Administration will hold an auction on SPR volumes to be provided to integrated refiners and chemical plants (i.e. state-owned firms) in a bid to tame increasing feedstock prices. Related: 3 Bearish Catalysts For Oil This Fall US Natgas Futures Hit $5/mmBtu For First Time Since 2014. US natural gas futures soared this week as expectations of warmer-than-anticipated weather coincided with Hurricane Ida-induced production outages, with October delivery prices surpassing the $5 per mmBtu mark for the first time since February 2014. Saudi Aramco Moves into Steel. Moving beyond its traditional sphere of activity, the worlds largest oil producer Saudi Aramco (Tadawul:2222) signed a deal with Chinese steelmaker Baoshan (600019) to build a steel plate factory in Saudi Arabia, marking the second metals-related venture of the Saudi NOC. Libyan Export Terminals Blocked by Protesters. Libyas Es Sider and Ras Lanuf terminals were blocked by protesters who forced vessels to halt loading operations as calls for the dismissal of NOC head Mustafa Sanalla gained strength, in what might trigger another prolonged period of infighting in the North African country. Gazprom Waits for German Nod on Nord Stream 2. Having completed the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Russian gas giant Gazprom (MCX:GAZP) is now waiting for an approval from Germanys regulator, a process that could take several months. LyondellBasell Eyes Houston Refinery Exit. US chemicals firm LyondellBasell (NYSE:LYB) is reportedly trying to sell its 265kbpd Houston Refinery as soon as possible. This is the second time LyondellBasell has attempted to sell after the 2016 talks with Saudi Aramco yielded no result. Papua New Guinea Might Derail Santos Merger. Fearing that the pending merger between Australian energy firms Santos (ASX:STO) and Oil Search (ASX:OSH)might give the company too much control over PNG oil and gas, the Papua New Guinea government is mulling its options to veto the deal. India Expedites Ethanol Blending Target. The Indian government brought forward its 2030 objective to see 20% ethanol blending in gasoline flows by five years to 2025, requiring an effective tripling of its ethanol production and breathing life into its grain-to-ethanol output which has been all but non-existent so far, relying primarily on sugarcane. Nigerias NNPC Mulls IPO Options. Nigerias state-owned oil company NNPC, which is to become a limited liability company under the countrys new oil code, could consider an initial public offering within three years, buoyed by news that the company recorded its first-ever profit last year, Reuters reports. Exxon Tries Methane Integrity Grading. Under increasing pressure from environmentalist groups, US major ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) will offer some of its gas assets in the Permian Basin for a third-party assessment on potential methane leaks from its production sites. Colombia Desperate for New Upstream Investment. The Colombian government is pinning its hopes on a November licensing round that will see the national hydrocarbons agency offering 28 areas of potential interest, desperate to breathe new life into its declining production rates. Colombias oil reserves have fallen to the equivalent of 6 years production. PEMEX Impacted by KMZ Explosion After All. Despite PEMEX claiming to have fully recovered from the Ku-Maloob-Zaap platform explosion in late August, Mexicos Finance Ministry revised its 2022 crude production estimate downwards by some 50,000 b/d to 1.826 million b/d. The draft version of Mexicos 2022 budget also has PEMEXs profit-sharing duty dropping from the current rate of 54% to 40%. BHP Teams Up with Billionaire-Backed Firm. Australian miner BHP (NYSE:BHP)signed a partnership deal with Kobold Metals, a recently launched AI exploration company that is backed by Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg, and Jeff Bezos, in a bid to find more battery metals like copper and nickel in Australia. Hyundai to Present Next-Gen Hydrogen Technology. The South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motors (KRX:005380) pledged to present its new hydrogen drivetrain in 2023, with the aim of applying fuel cell systems to all commercial models by 2028, claiming overall costs would be some 50% lower than currently existing technologies. Nickel Prices Soar Despite Chinese Stock Releases. Nickel prices rose to their highest level in 7 years going beyond $20,200 per metric ton - as continuously robust demand has started to reduce global stockpiles. Most notably Shanghai warehouse stocks have decreased by 80% year-on-year, standing at less than 6,000 tonnes. By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Two of Libyas key oil export terminals have resumed loading crude on tankers, after protests had stopped operations earlier this week. The Es Sider and Ras Lanuf oil terminals resumed loading tankers on Friday, Reuters reported, quoting Libyas National Oil Corporation (NOC) and engineers at the ports. However, loading operations and exports from a third oil port, Hariga, continue to be blocked due to protests. The relative stability of Libyas crude oil production and exports from recent months could abruptly end after protests erupted this week at several key crude terminals, including one that prevented a tanker from loading crude at the biggest oil port. Protesters at the Es Sider terminal have derailed the loading of a Suezmax tanker, Yannis P, sources familiar with the situation told Bloomberg on Wednesday. The demonstrators were demanding that NOCs chairman Mustafa Sanalla resign. The tension among Libyas top oil officials escalated at the end of last month when Libyan Oil Minister Mohamed Oun said he had suspended NOCs chairman Sanalla. In a separate protest, graduates were protesting at the port of Tobruk in eastern Libya, demanding employment, Argus reported on Tuesday, citing Libyan shipping sources. The protests at Libyan oil terminals come at a turbulent time for the oil industry of the OPEC member exempted from the OPEC+ cuts. The tension between Oun and Sanalla has been growing since Oun was appointed oil minister in March in the government of national unity, which includes a post for an oil minister for the first time in five years. Libya will struggle to keep its oil production at current levels if the country fails to resolve a long-running dispute over its budget, Oun told Bloomberg last month. The success of Libyan plans to boost oil production remains in jeopardy due to disagreements over the nations budgetthe first national budget in nearly a decade. According to secondary sources in OPECs latest Monthly Oil Market Report, Libyas crude oil production averaged 1.165 million bpd in July, up from 1.163 million bpd in June. By Charles Kennedy For Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: We have, historically, been vigilant about the effects of federal mandates on private enterprise, Brown said. Since the beginning of this pandemic we have advised all business owners to follow the guidance of medical experts. Now is no different. Employers, large and small, have a responsibility to the health and well-being of their workforce and customers, and it is our belief that they can, should and will exercise that responsibility as the market demands. Melissa Lee, spokeswoman for the University of Nebraska, said university officials will evaluate what the new requirements will mean for state and local government agencies before making any decisions. NU employs about 16,000 people. On Sept. 3, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln announced that 81% of faculty and 74% of staff were fully vaccinated. UNL also reported that 69% of students attending in-person classes were fully vaccinated. Although similar figures were not available from the University of Nebraska at Omaha as of Thursday evening, Jane Meza, executive director of UNOs Office of Health Security, said there has been an incredible response to the vaccines from UNO faculty and staff since they were made available last spring. Local Council Bluffs native recalls watching helplessly as brother died on 9/11 COURTESY OF TINLEY FAMILY Mike Tinley, 56, is shown with his daughters Lisa, left, and Jenna, right, in this undated family photo. Tinley was on the 100th floor of the World Trade Center when it was struck by American Airlines Flight 11. COURTESY OF SUZANNE TINLEY Suzanne Tinley and Charles Fishkin with their son Henry. Suzanne Tinley and her daughter Jeanne Marie in a recent photo. Twenty years later, Suzanne Tinley remains struck by what a perfect, crystal-clear day it was. It had rained heavily in New York City the day before. But this day Sept. 11, 2001 had dawned with brilliant blue skies as she looked south from her apartment window toward the majestic twin towers of the World Trade Center, just six blocks away. Tinley talked on the phone that morning with her brother Michael E. Tinley, who at that very moment was preparing for a business meeting on the 100th floor of the north tower. Today, Suzanne recalls everything about that phone call, for it would be the last time she would ever speak to her brother. The Creighton Prep and Creighton University graduate was about to become among the 2,753 souls lost in the terrorist attack on the Trade Center. And his sister would watch the entire disaster unfold before her eyes. I will never forget he told me during that call he was in the 100th-floor conference room, she recalled in an interview. Why that day, of all days, did he tell me exactly where he was in the tower? As America prepared to mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Suzanne Tinley recounted her amazing story from that fateful day including how that bit of information Mike offered would be key to her understanding what came of him. List of events scheduled in Omaha area to mark 9/11 anniversary Numerous events are scheduled this weekend to mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The call came at 7:47 a.m., just as Suzanne Tinley was getting 7-year-old Henry and 5-year-old Jeanne Marie ready for school. You New Yorkers, you go into work so late, came her brothers familiar voice. Michael Tinley, 56, and younger sister Suzanne had grown up in a large, close-knit Irish-Catholic family in Council Bluffs. Michael worked as a vice president for insurance brokerage Marsh McLennan in Dallas. But his work frequently brought him to Marshs offices in the Trade Center. Suzanne was 12 years younger than her brother. But because of Mikes frequent travels to New York, in recent years they had been able to connect as adults in ways they never could when she was younger. A gadget hound, Mike would call her on his cellphone, and they would frequently get together for lunch. World-Herald remembrances of 9/11 In advance of the 20th anniversary of the attacks, The World-Herald asked readers to share their memories from that day. Here are three submissions from former World-Herald staff members. During the call that morning, Mike and Suzanne made lunch plans for the next day. And before it ended, Mike also looked out from his lofty perch toward Suzannes building, clearly visible to him to the north. I see you, Henry, he said to his nephew. Im waving to you. About 8:45 a.m., Suzanne dropped the kids off at school in Brooklyn and turned onto the Brooklyn Bridge to return home. As the Manhattan skyline came into view, Suzanne was stunned to see a shower of debris falling from the north tower, glimmering in that clear blue sky. She didnt know it then, but terrorists had hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 and turned the jetliner loaded with passengers into a guided missile. She had looked up just seconds after the plane slammed into the tower right below the very floor where Mike had told her that he was working. World-Herald front page from 9/11 documented 'Darkest Page in American History' The striking front page from 9/11 captured a horrific day for Nebraska readers. It also was included in a poster of front pages from around the world providing a historical account of the attacks. Tinley sensed that something was terribly wrong. Concerned, she tried to call Mike. No answer. She left a message, trying not to sound worried as she asked him to call her back. Moments later, she heard the wail of sirens as hundreds of New York City firefighters rushed to the World Trade Center. Crews from Brooklyn, doomed, passed her on the left side of the bridge. She called her sister in Omaha, expressing her rising alarm. Then she tried calling her husband, Omaha native Charles Fishkin, but the phone suddenly went dead. Suzanne reached Manhattan and drove onto Chambers Street, the northern boundary of what soon would become known as Ground Zero. Then when she was about two blocks from home, a thunderous explosion shook the air. Panic-stricken pedestrians darted in front of Tinleys car. A plane had just struck the south tower. It was now clear that America was under attack. Suzanne began to panic, too. Minutes later, she climbed out of her car at home to see both towers ablaze. She raced upstairs to her fifth-floor apartment and was relieved to find that her husband, who worked for a midtown financial firm, had stayed home that day. SUZANNE TINLEY A picture of the burning World Trade Center towers taken by Suzanne Tinley from her window just minutes after the attack. She later watched the towers, where her brother was working, collapse. Her brother was never found. Looking out the window at the blazing towers, she was horrified to watch dozens of the trapped workers make the unimaginable decision to jump to certain death. Watching it happen in real time, and knowing that her brother was in the same building, left her with a complete feeling of helplessness. More than an hour into the disaster, she watched both towers shudder, crumble and disappear. Any real hope that Mike had survived came crashing down with them. As the stunned and emotion-wracked Tinley watched the second tower collapse from her window, the sirens and mayhem were suddenly replaced by an eerie, calm silence. SUZANNE TINLEY This view of the rubble from the collapse of the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11 was photographed by Suzanne Tinley from her nearby apartment window. Her brother Michael Tinley was on the 100th floor of the north tower when it collapsed. The charred, smoldering pile of rubble at Ground Zero became Mike Tinleys tomb. Months later, someone would discover a flight voucher with his name on it atop the roof of a nearby building the only trace of him ever found. Given his location in the tower that he had given Suzanne that morning, the belief is that he died almost instantly in the initial explosion and fireball. Some 40% of the Trade Center victims were never found or identified. From her New York City base, Suzanne had to be the rock for her family as everyone dealt with the fallout. She hosted Mikes two daughters when they flew in during the aftermath. She filled out the paperwork declaring him missing. Was swabbed for DNA testing. And ultimately picked up his death certificate. But she also had her own trauma to deal with. For a year afterward, she was treated for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The hardest thing for her to shake: the horrific sound of the second plane screaming into the tower. Experts say understanding of terrorism and threats has evolved since 9/11 The loss of nearly 3,000 lives on Sept. 11, 2001, sparked new ways of thinking of how to combat extremism and, ideally, stop terrorists before they even get started. Looking back 20 years, Suzanne pondered the significance of that day, both to her and the country. 9/11 for many is a generational touchstone, one of those Where were you when it happened? moments. For Tinley, the answer is a complicated one. To look out of my window and watch both of the towers fall, and my brother with it, its still remarkable to me, she said. Her kids both became political science majors, and one studied Arabic for six years. Both saw their lives shaped by their uncles death. But a generation has also now passed, Tinley noted, with many Americans too young to remember the day. The hunt for the man behind her brothers murder would ultimately lead to the longest military conflict in U.S. history one that only days ago was brought to an unceremonious close. 9/11 at school: Central history teacher recalls watching tragedy unfold with his students Scott Wilson, like other teachers who were in classrooms on 9/11, watched history unfold live on television with his students. Tinley also saw parallels between 9/11 and a mobs Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. As she watched it live on TV, she felt the same sense of dread and helplessness she experienced on 9/11. And shes saddened by the contrast of todays polarized America with the unity everyone felt 20 years ago. She still misses Mike but also counts her blessings. Shes very close to Lisa and Jenna, Mikes daughters. The womens lifetime bond is a legacy of that day. Suzanne, sister Jeannie Gilmore of Omaha, and several other family members will gather at Ground Zero on Saturday to take part in ceremonies marking the anniversary. Names of all the victims will be read, including Michael Tinley. On 9/11, as StratCom played war game, the ugly reality of terror arrived On Sept. 11, 2001, StratCom was in the middle of a giant exercise simulating a conflict that would erupt into nuclear war. By days end, the faux Armageddon would give way to a real-world catastrophe. Suzanne is also proud of how she and her whole family came through that time. Her voice was tinged with emotion as she spoke of it. I was put in a position and found there was nothing I cannot handle. I didnt know that 20 years ago, she said. You always look for the good in any bad situation. You have to. Rannells reached out to Sheehan about leasing the space for a brick-and-mortar restaurant. We have had his food truck out to the Twisted Vine over the years, and people seem to enjoy it, Rannells said. Theres patio space behind the building, and the two plan to create an additional dining and drinking area for both businesses. That wont take place until after the remodel is finished. Rannells said its taking a while because that storefront used to be an office and it needs extensive work. The new restaurateur is being patient and deliberate. I just want to do it right, Sheehan said. He has dreamed of reviving Piccolo Petes since before the original folded. He launched the food truck hoping to raise enough revenue to prevent the eaterys closure. When that didnt pan out, he began thinking about a new location. The overture from Rannells came at the right time. I have always believed my grandmother is my guardian angel and the location found me, Sheehan said. Nana was looking after me because it turned out to be really good. That location is prime. The city of Papillion is growing. Flu shots can protect you, hospital capacity With COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses already contributing to a crunch in local hospital capacity, the Douglas County Health Department is encouraging residents to get influenza shots this fall. The shots already are available at pharmacies and other locations, said Phil Rooney, a Health Department spokesman. Health officials begin monitoring for flu Oct. 1, marking the technical start of the flu season, he said. The usual rule of thumb calls for people to aim to get their shots by Halloween. It's particularly important for children too young for COVID-19 vaccines to get flu shots this year in order to make sure they don't contract both viruses at once, he said. Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, also has made an unseasonable summer appearance and is circulating in the area. Flu vaccine is available for children as young as 6 months. For children who don't like needles, the nasal spray version of the vaccine is once again available. In addition, those who haven't yet been vaccinated for COVID-19 can get that shot and their flu vaccine at the same time. "It's probably more important than ever for people to get their flu shots, so hopefully we can avoid some of these issues with hospital capacity," Rooney said. However, none of those issues came up as lawmakers quickly pushed through the bill on the last evening of the legislative session in May with no committee meetings or opportunity for public input. McGinn argued there are no medical, educational or scientific justifications for the law. He said during debate that lawmakers only complained about mask mandates and they just wanted to get it off the books and forbid communities from having mask mandates to appease people. Parr asserts that the law Reynolds signed violates her constitutional rights. She claims education is a fundamental right and therefore courts must find the Legislature had compelling interests in passing the law and narrowly tailoring it to meet those interests. Langholz said there is no fundamental right to education in Iowa and he asserted it's unlikely the Iowa Supreme Court would conclude that if asked. The state has filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing Parr has no standing to challenge the law. A separate hearing will be set to argue that motion. Parr's sons were set to start first grade in the Council Bluffs Community School District this fall, but she is teaching them at home over fears for their safety. From her New York City base, Suzanne had to be the rock for her family as everyone dealt with the fallout. She hosted Mikes two daughters when they flew in during the aftermath. She filled out the paperwork declaring him missing. Was swabbed for DNA testing. And ultimately picked up his death certificate. But she also had her own trauma to deal with. For a year afterward, she was treated for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The hardest thing for her to shake: the horrific sound of the second plane screaming into the tower. Looking back 20 years, Suzanne pondered the significance of that day, both to her and the country. 9/11 for many is a generational touchstone, one of those Where were you when it happened? moments. For Tinley, the answer is a complicated one. To look out of my window and watch both of the towers fall, and my brother with it, its still remarkable to me, she said. Her kids both became political science majors, and one studied Arabic for six years. Both saw their lives shaped by their uncles death. But a generation has also now passed, Tinley noted, with many Americans too young to remember the day. Hudson said citizens today are demanding that law enforcement agencies be more representative of the community, and he said he agrees. By having a relationship with the academy at Northwest, Hudson said the Sheriff's Office will be able to attract, recruit and hire more diverse talent. Others voiced lingering concerns about the district's ability to implement the programming, given staffing shortages facing OPS. Omaha Education Association President Robert Miller told the board that teachers are frustrated, tired and overwhelmed because of the shortages. "If we're struggling now with staff, what will it look like when the new schools are open?" Miller said. "Where are we going to get the staff with specialized training? What will happen with the elective teachers whose programs are going to be cut?" Miller said others are asking many questions about transportation, transfers, equality and the district's preparedness for the program. In recent weeks, a website and social media accounts have been created to advocate against the changes. The website includes a lengthy argument against the program written by Steve Denenberg, a parent in the district. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas hospitals will receive $50 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds for extra pay for nurses to keep them on the job but will be required to report monthly on how many nurses theyve lost and why under a plan a state task force approved Friday. Kansas law required a bipartisan pandemic response task force to spell out how the $50 million would be spent, and the task force added the reporting requirement. The task forces meeting came a day after President Joe Biden imposed new vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans. Republican officials in Kansas and across the nation strongly criticized Bidens mandate. Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican and a task force member, proposed the reporting on nurses who've been terminated. He called Biden's new federal vaccine requirements dictatorial edicts. We've had frontline workers I mean, you can call them heroes on the front lines for the last year and a half, Masterson said. In failing to acknowledge the history of redistricting in Sarpy County, The World-Herald has glossed over how our citizens have been disenfranchised over the last two decades. The absolutist interpretation of only a single clause in the state constitution has resulted in the creation of two different and unequal standards when applied to the citizens of one county versus the citizens of another. It says to the folks of one county that you can never be touched while telling the citizens of another county that they must accept their place as the sacrificial lamb. Furthermore, setting up the redistricting process with such a rigid starting point in which only certain counties are to be respected puts adjacent counties in the position of being mangled in multiple ways. The outcome of handcuffing this process with such inflexibility could easily result in a lack of contiguity for the rest of a district and it leaves yet another door open for gerrymandering. Janice Walker, Omaha Great Omaha libraries I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank the childrens librarians employed by Omaha Public Libraries. Their efforts to provide educational yet entertaining virtual storytimes is something worth acknowledging. My preschool grandson looked forward to 10:30 each weekday to see which librarian would be featured, and what the theme for that days storytime would be. The librarians were not only well prepared with visual aids, books and music; they were also competent in their use of technology. I would especially like to thank Cassie, Ashley, Sam, Mary, Katie and Roshana, and others. You made the day special many times. Carol Dostal, Elkhorn Millard, do better Thirty-five years ago our family moved to Omaha. When looking for a home. we were told that the Millard school district was one of the best. Having seen four children, and currently four grandchildren, go through the district I found that to be true. That is why I am shocked and saddened that the district has now decided to be a reactive rather than proactive school district. A President's Visit to Sutro Heights Excerpt from the San Francisco Morning Call Tuesday, April 28, 1891, Pg 1 (Thanks to Christine Miller for her transcription work!) THE SUTRO LUNCHEON At the pleasant home of Adolph Sutro, overlooking the ocean, the President and his party were conducted to the esplanades, where they saw for the first time the Golden Gate, and for several minutes Mr. Harrison stood silently gazing upon the lovely scene spread out before him. He was interrupted, however, in his reverie by a photographer whose services had been secured by Mr. Sutro, and who turned his camera square upon the President. The latter was a little surprised, evidently, but he rose equal to the occasion and presented a bold front to the enemy. The hands, instinctively sought the inevitable overcoat pocket, and with the former thrust deep into latter and his hat well down upon his ears, the representative of 65,000,000 people stood for his photograph. One shot was enough to satisfy the cravings of his ambition and in spite of the remonstrances of the artist he turned resolutely upon his heels and walked away. This completed all were escorted to the house, Miss Sutro was in readiness to welcome them to the interior. The ladies were shown to apartments where they could remove their wraps, and the gentlemen were led to the north room to rid themselves of a portion, at least, of the dust that had been gathered on the long drive. But a short time was allowed to elapse before luncheon was announced and Mr. Sutro led the way to the dining room with Mrs. Harrison. Then came the President, who escorted Miss Sutro, and was followed by Colonel Sanger and Mrs. McKee. General Ruger remained to the last and slipped quietly to his place alone. The guests were seated in the order shown below: (click here for seating chart) PREPARATORY California Oysters - Beef Tea Riesling California 1883, Rudesheimer, Haute Sauterne (A. de Luze & Fils. 1875) APPETIZERS, COLD Turkey, Goose, Tongue, Ham, Goose Liver, Sardines, Sardelles, Caviar, Asparagus, Artichokes Zinfandel, Califronia, 1882 INTERMEDIATE Sweet-Bread with Mushrooms Chateu La Rose (From the cellar of Baron Sarget, 1865) ROAST Chickens, Ducks Chateau Lafitte (From the cellar of Baron Rothschild, 1872) DESSERT Sponge-Cake, Wine Jelly, Ice Cream, Strawberries, Macaroons Haute Sauterne (Sweet) (Raymond & Lafon, 1875), Champagne (Mumm's Extra Dry) COFFEE Cognac, 1825. Chartreuse, Curacao, Kirsch. The President, as did all who were with him, did ample justice to the various dishes which had been prepared by Mrs. Morse, under the supervision of August Couper, and which reflected credit upon their skill. The wines were also sampled generously by all, with the exception of the Postmaster-General, who turned his glass down the moment he was seated at the table. Nearly two hours were spent in discussing the menu and when the luncheon was completed Mr. Sutro, who sat nearly facing the President arose and said: "Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen: You have tasted our California sparkling wine and found it to overflow: you have also found the average California heart to do the same. For that reason, Mr. President, you become the victim of speeches inflicted upon you, but permit me to call your attention to the fact that this is a process of nature which cannot be changed. In the one instance, it is the carbonic acid gas, in the other the overwhelming quantity of ozone from the Pacific Ocean bottled up in the Californian's heart which finds its way out. "But Mr. President, I do not rise to inflict a speech upon you: I simply rise to present to you a photolithographic letter written by Sebastian Viscano, the great Spanish navigator. This is probably the first letter in existence written by any human being from California. It is dated at the port of Monterey, December 28, 1602, named in honor of the Conde de Monterey, then Viceroy of Mexico. It is addressed to the court of Spain and states that he (Viscano) had taken possession of this country for his Majesty. "We now know that the opinion he expressed about California at this early date was quite correct, for he says: 'The land is thickly peopled by Indians, is very fertile, and its climate and the quality of its soil resembles Castile, and any seed sown there will give fruit'. "The original of this letter I found in hunting through the Archivos de los Indias at Seville, Spain. At the date of this letter Queen Elizabeth was still on the throne of England, Louis Quatorze of France was not born yet, and the Pilgrim Fathers had not yet landed on Plymouth Rock. "Little did Sebastian Viscano dream that within three centuries this far distant land would be counted as one of the best, if not the best portion of the domain of a nation, the most enlightened, progressive and powerful on the face of the earth. "In connection with the history of California, it is a curious fact that the early navigators, Sir Francis Drake, Cabrillo and others, for two centuries sailed by the bay of San Francisco without discovering it. It was left to an overland expedition, undertaken in the year 1769 by the Franciscan Fathers from San Diego, to discover the bay of San Francisco, which they first supposed to be an inland lake, but the entrance to the bay from the ocean or the Golden Gate, was not discovered until four years later on December 4, 1774, by another expedition sent out from Monterey by Junipero Serra, the father of all the missions of California. "Mr.Theodore Hittell, the historian, speaks of this event as follows: 'They arrived on December 4th at Point Lobos where they supposed themselves the first Christian visitors. They erected a cross upon the summit of the hill, looking down upon the jagged point of the Seal Rocks on the one side, and on the deep precipices of the entrance into the bay on the other'. "Mr. President, we are glad they found the Golden Gate, for otherwise none of us would be here to-day. We are also glad that you will to-day behold it in all its natural grandeur, perfectly preserved as Junipero's soldiers saw it, for no modern cannon or extensive earthworks have been permitted to mar its pristine beauty. Mr. President, we all thank you for having come to see our beautiful land, and permit me especially to thank you for the honor of your visit to Sutro Heights." The letter referred to in his brief address was handsomely bound in red plush, and on receiving it the President, without arising from his seat, replied: "I beg to thank you, Mr. Sutro, and to promise you personally and on behalf of those who journey with me, that this will be a red-letter day in our lives". When the party left the table they immediately donned their hats and wraps and were driven quickly to the train, and carried to a point opposite Fort Point, where the carriages were in waiting for them to convey them to the Presidio. Contribute your stories about the western neighborhoods! BLOOMINGTON That the new terminal for Central Illinois Regional Airport was already built didn't matter. The current terminal the airport occupies at 3201 CIRA Drive in Bloomington was built in 2000, with work spilling late into 2001. The way architects had designed the new terminal, pre-9/11, was such that there would be "somewhat of a retail mall area," spokeswoman Fran Strebing told The Pantagraph recently. "We were hoping that we would have shops, restaurants and places in here where members of the community could utilize even if they weren't traveling," she said. "It was going to create this kind of mini-mall atmosphere." But new security requirements in the wake of the terrorist attacks meant that "some of the design of our new building was outdated as soon as we moved in," Strebing said. The new law made mandatory baggage screening and the introduction of Transportation Security Administration agents the norm in airports across the country. It also made it impossible for CIRA to add the new security measures and keep all the retail space freed up as originally planned. "As new layers of security were added ... We needed more space at the checkpoints, actually, to get passengers through, because it did take longer and there was more involved in the checks," Strebing said. "It really took time to change the design of the airport and other places." With fewer travelers coming through the airport after 9/11, she added, it was hard to entice businesses to take up any remaining open spots in the airport. "That did result in a loss of revenue," she said. "We had some interesting challenges, but we managed through them. That was certainly an interesting time, and again, no one could have foreseen it, but like many things, we managed them and travel did come back. It's cyclical things wax and wane, but this was a major event that did have a major impact." 9/11 memories from Pantagraph readers We asked Pantagraph readers about their memories of 9/11 and what's changed since then. Share yours at pantagraph.com/letters. Today, three shops occupy space at both pre and post-security points: Route 66 Gifts, a quick-bite sandwich shop called Turbo Grill, and the Jetstream Restaurant and Radar Bar on CIRA's mezzanine levels. The limited options and the expanded security measures that arose as a direct result of 9/11 remain to this day, a testament to the changes that came and are here to stay for air travelers. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I was driving north on Veterans Parkway in the late afternoon that day. I was near Eastland Mall and saw jet trails of planes going west to east across the sky to the north. There was a larger plane surrounded by several smaller ones. Knowing all airplanes had been grounded, I found that an odd sight. The next day, I realized that was President Bush being returned to Washington, D.C., in Air Force One with fighter jets as escorts. Very chilling. Terry Lowe, Bloomington 'What's happening to our country?' Beautiful morning for a walk. When I returned home, I had a phone message from my son who was working in Japan Whats happening in our county? I returned his call and he sent me to the TV where a building crumbled. "It was surprising that nature had gone tranquilly on with her golden process in the midst of so much devilment." Steven Crane, "Red Badge of Courage" Susan Palmer, Bloomington 'A plane has flown into the World Trade Center' I was a junior at Illinois State that fall, and worked at the Bowling & Billiards Center on campus. I would always pull up to the mechanic doors, next to the church, to drop off my bowling equipment, then park before working at the counter, and attending classes later on. I had WJBC on the radio to catch some news, and noticed right away it was not the normal programming. Listening to the broadcast, I knew what had happened. I rushed my equipment into the building, parked in a green lot, and went inside to find our building manager, Pat O'Connell. We usually kept the TVs off during the bowling and billiards classes, however that wasn't going to happen today. I told Pat, "A plane has flown into the World Trade Center ... we need to turn on the news now!" We turned a few of the TVs on before the students started to come into the building for their classes. We wondered if it was merely a tragic accident, until the second plane hit the towers. In the next hour, students started arriving at the BBC for their regular classes. Slowly, after looking at the event unfold on TV, they realized this would not be a normal class day. Teachers decided to let them stay and bowl and/or shoot pool if they wanted to, or leave. Many were very concerned and worried about what they were witnessing. I remember overhearing a student saying they knew an individual working in the towers, and left the building. Students would not have a formal class that day. Many professors would cancel their class, or cover very little with those that did attend. Thinking back to that time, prior to widespread social media and smart phones, news wasn't instantly at your fingertips. We all carried the printed version of the Vidette to read between classes. It may have taken a while longer for word to reach many of us that day. I realized my hearing the news on the radio that morning, and making sure we turned the TVs on in the BBC, I helped get the word out to many of my fellow students on ISU campus that day. Soon, many of us that worked at the BBC, and bowled on the bowling club team met up prior to attending the huge rally that took place on the Quad that afternoon. That was an event I will never forget. It was a tremendous display of patriotism, and support for all of our fellow Americans. It's amazing how we can all come together in the face of tremendous tragedy, and support each other. Yet, thinking about the past few years, how it takes something as horrifying as the events of 9/11 to get us to support each other, regardless of political, social, environmental, ethnic or economic background. Eric Smith, Normal 'The horror unfolding in New York City' I am a transplant from Bartlett, Illinois, where we lived for 23 years before moving to Normal in 2015. I was a manager for ABN AMRO, which was the Dutch bank that owned LaSalle National Bank in Chicago. We performed all back-room functions for LaSalle, which included the retail and wholesale lockbox departments. These areas processed payments for LaSalles clients. I arrived at work on 9/11 at my usual time 7 a.m., there were several of us managers for the department and our desks were adjacent to the payment processing teams. These teams were allowed to listen to music or the news as they worked. I recall one of the supervisors saying, A plane just hit the World Trade Center in New York." I continued to read and respond to emails when that same supervisor said, A second plane just hit the other tower! I started to Google New York news to see what I could find out and discovered the horror unfolding in New York City. My boss had a TV in his office, and us managers gathered around to watch the news, and strategize what we should do. As we started for the floor to let the 180 first shift staff know what was happening it became apparent that Chicago was evacuating as there were numerous horns going off because of the massive traffic jams in the streets. At 10:30 a.m., we decided to let staff leave if they wanted to go home for their children and families. The supervisors and managers all stayed behind to finish processing any work that was started. I finally left our Loop office at 12:45 p.m. and started my trek to Union Station to catch a train home. Downtown Chicago was a ghost town, something you would see in a movie. There were only a handful of people like me heading to the station, there were no vehicles, there were literally papers blowing in the streets. All Chicago River bridges were in the up position, except for Adams Street where there was a heavy police presence. Once I arrived at the station there was no word on when a train would be available, because when the panic started, all trains were called into Chicago to evacuate everyone. There was a special edition of the Chicago Tribune being sold so each of us bought a copy and sat along the river reading up on what had happened that morning. Once a train finally was available, I finally made it home at approximately 4 p.m., when one of my boys, Nicholas, ran outside to hug me. Since one of my other responsibilities was business continuity, I had to go to our recovery site the next day, which was outside of the city proper, to bring the site up so we could work from that location for the rest of the week. It was very eerie, as there were no planes flying out of OHare or Midway which we in northern Illinois became accustomed to in our day to day lives. The only planes we did see were Air National Guard fighter jets patrolling the skies over the city around the clock. It will be a week I will never forget. Gregory Sirotzke, Normal NORMAL McLean County Unit 5 community members and parents brought the states vaccine mandate for school staff to center stage Wednesday night, addressing the school board in support and in opposition. More than a dozen audience members stood when kindergarten teacher Laura Feely asked who behind her had concerns related to Gov. J.B. Pritzkers executive order that mandates all K-12 teachers and staff receive a COVID vaccine or submit to regular testing. Feely said she believes educators medical freedoms and choices are under attack and should never be mandated to submit proof of health information as choosing to get a vaccine is a personal decision. I know I am not alone, she said. Of the nine people who spoke during public comments, three spoke in opposition to the mandate. Kevin Atkinson said it is ridiculous and deplorable that unvaccinated school staff members are required to be tested weekly while those who are vaccinated are not required to be tested, even though they could contract and spread the virus. Corey Beirne, an elementary teacher at Unit 5, said the district must act as a community to overcome the virus and it would be "the greatest disservice to his students if he had denied the vaccine. You made the right call, he said, addressing the board. The stakes could not be higher. Were going to have more funerals unless we do this so its the right call. An active military member, Julio Sanchez said he supported the mandate for school staff, especially because it gives school personnel the option to either get the vaccine or be tested - an option he did not have. Teachers are public servants. We public servants sacrifice in the service of community, he said. If you think the mandate is too much, maybe you shouldnt be in public service. Another Unit 5 parent, Daynali Flores-Rodriguez also spoke in support of vaccines and testing but asked the board and administration to share how they will implement and enforce Pritzkers executive order. Prior to public comments, Superintendent Kristen Weikle said the district will follow the mandate, which had its deadline for implementation extended last week. Faculty and staff will now have until Sept. 19 to receive an initial dose of the vaccine or begin to submit to weekly testing, as supported by the state Board of Education and State Superintendent Carmen Ayala. Unit 5 did not create this rule but we are expected to follow it, Weikle said. Despite high levels of frustration among some community members, the districts priority remains educating our students in person every day, she said. In other business, the board approved a 4% raise for Weikle as part of the consent agenda for the districts fiscal year that spans from July 2021 to June 2022. Her raise came after the superintendent evaluation committee met with Weikle on Aug. 27. In her first year, Weikles salary was $185,000. The raise, which is applied retroactively to July 1, makes her new salary $192,400. Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. BLOOMINGTON When The Pantagraph asked readers their recollections of 9/11, several offered the same specific memory: Seeing Air Force One over Central Illinois the afternoon of the attacks. Many remembered a large jet escorted by other aircraft, consistent with how the presidential plane was returning to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland from Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha. So was this reality or just urban legend? Or was it another aircraft? The 89th Airlift Wing, which maintains and operates the Presidential Lift Unit, told The Pantagraph it cannot discuss the flight path because of security concerns. The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Texas did not respond to an interview request. Officials for Central Illinois Regional Airport also declined to comment. Still, 20 years later, residents swear thats what they saw, even if the military wont confirm it. Bloomington Fire Chief Eric West was at Station 4 on South Morris Avenue that afternoon. He recalls looking up and seeing the peculiar sight. Eerie that there werent other planes in the sky, West said, and here the nation is going through this tragedy, and heres the leader of our country going to get back to Washington to figure out what were going to do. Said West: It was just strange. Blue as blue can be Bush was speaking in Florida when the first plane hit and was rushed to a military base in Louisiana, then Offutt in Nebraska. The plane left for Washington at 4:36 p.m., a trajectory that could have crossed Central Illinois. Air traffic controller Anne Walther on 9/11 was at Peoria International Airport, where clear skies offered high visibility. One of those days where the sky was blue as blue can be, she said. Walther, who has since retired, lived near Ellsworth and previously worked at Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington. She had Sept. 11 off but decided to go into work after hearing about United Airlines Flight 93 crashing in Pennsylvania. When that happened, I got dressed and just went over to work. I didnt call in, I just went," she said. When she arrived, the controllers had pretty much cleared all the airspace. Everybody was just kind of looking at each other, saying, 'Whats going on in this world? she said. But they continued to work through it. The controllers were just amazing, doing all that work getting the planes on the ground, she said. After all air traffic had been grounded, she said, they saw a Boeing 747 with three or four escort aircraft. They looked through binoculars and could make out a specific paint job on the plane, she said. While she cant officially confirm or deny the plane was Air Force One, Walther said: We knew it was in fact the president. Other people were thinking it, too Patty Swartz also remembers it as a beautiful day. She was helping her son, Sean, deliver newspapers after she left her job day at Caterpillar in Pontiac. Swartz said they were walking their routes around 5 p.m. she was on Tuesburg Court, by Pontiac Township High School, and her then-13-year-old son was on Boulder Drive in the Illini subdivision. The mother said they always split up the papers, and she would walk beyond their subdivision to help Sean with deliveries. "When we got home together, we shared with each other that we witnessed Air Force One flying in the sky over us," she wrote to The Pantagraph. Jeff Flairty, Bloomington fire deputy chief of operations, said it was late in the afternoon that day when he saw a streak in the sky while driving west of town on Six Points Road. Then there was a plane and a few escorts in view. I said to my children, There goes the president of the United States, he said. Illinois State University Professor Mike Sublett said in an email to The Pantagraph that he was sitting in the back seat of a van when he spotted a blue aircraft late in the afternoon on 9/11. He was with another professor and his students, returning to campus from a field near the Illinois River, heading south on Interstate 39. "For some reason," he said, he looked up at a "perfectly blue sky" and saw a large blue aircraft with two smaller jets at its side. Sublett, who said they were roughly an hour north of Bloomington when he spotted the plane, added he was surprised by the sighting. He said he felt reassured that the president, who had disappeared from sight earlier that day, was still out there. Back at the Peoria airport, the phone started ringing like crazy, Walther said, because other people were thinking it, too. Everyone was like, theres this airplane in the sky, Walther said. Whats going on, were we under attack? That night, President Bush delivered an address to the nation about the events of that day. Walther, who now lives in Oklahoma, said the scene that afternoon in Central Illinois is still memorable. She credits the air traffic controllers with bringing calm to an otherwise hectic day. For us, it was just another plane in the sky, she said. Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NORMAL Police were justified in shooting a 66-year-old man who shot five people, killing two, last week in a Normal mobile home park, the McLean County States Attorneys Office said Friday. Authorities also released 911 call audio and footage from officers body cameras, revealing details of the chaotic scene that one witness described as a war zone to emergency dispatchers. States Attorney Don Knapp said he found the use of lethal force by police against the armed suspect, 66-year-old Ronald J. Reiner, was legally warranted, and that the officers engaged in a heroic course of conduct that saved several citizens lives. He made the determination after reviewing results of an investigation by the Illinois State Police, which handles officer-involved shootings as a matter of policy. Julie Davis, 59, and Sharon Reiner, 64, were killed in the incident. Three Normal men were injured. Normal police were dispatched at 3:44 p.m. Aug. 30 to the Landing Estates Mobile Home Park. Knapps report said the first officers on scene, Shane Bachman, Evan Easter and Cory Phillips, were aware there was an armed suspect who had shot several people. The report identified them as the officers who fired on Ronald Reiner, whom authorities have identified as the person who shot Davis and Sharon Reiner. We are releasing their names with their knowledge and consent, Knapp said of the officers. No other suspects or threats to the public were identified, state police said. The 10-page report from prosecutors noted that the suspect was shooting near Linden Street, a highly traveled road, and a stray bullet could have hit vehicles. Additionally, the shooting happened in the middle of the afternoon as children were arriving home from school, the report said. A school bus was seen in the body camera footage. The report released Friday did not disclose a possible motive in the incident. Knapp said state police are still investigating and conducting forensic testing, a process that may not be finalized for several months. Report: Subject chose to engage officers State police on Friday released audio from 911 calls and radio transmission between Normal police and the emergency dispatchers at Metcom. The footage totals about 40 minutes. In the 911 audio, a caller is heard frantically describing the unfolding Lambert Drive situation as an operator walks him through a description of the subject. The caller told police a victim had been shot in the neck and was bleeding. The caller could be heard saying hurry up as he described the subject walking down the street with a gun. Shots could be heard in the distance. Its a war zone down here, the caller said. Once on scene, the three officers continued into the mobile home park, following the sounds of gunfire, according to Knapps report. They knew the subject was approaching and firing into cars, it said. The report said Ronald Reiner weaved through the buildings, furtively approached police and started firing at them. There can be no doubt that the subject knew that police officers were on scene and prepared to use force against him to terminate his killing spree, prosecutors report said, yet he nonetheless chose to engage officers by approaching and firing at them. Police officers then returned fire until the suspect fell, Knapp said. The report said he died instantly from several gunshot wounds, including one to the head, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Body camera footage shows the three officers fired roughly 50 gunshots combined toward the suspect. Easter had repeatedly yelled for the suspect to drop his gun. In a second 911 audio recording, the caller said, Hes shooting at the cops. The cops are shooting him. Get down, get down, get down, get down. I dont know if they got him or not ... They got him. Hes in my front yard. They just shot him down. Body camera footage released Friday also shows the officers arriving at the scene and walking toward where Ronald Reiner was seen. Bachman is heard saying Another shot fired, another shot fired! at one point. Multiple gunshots later ring out. The three officers ran northbound through the mobile home park until shifting eastbound and weaving through backyards bordering Linden Street. There, Phillips aided a victim who was lying in the grass. He was going nuts, the victim told the officer. Do you know who he is? Phillips asked. Hes my neighbor, the victim said. Whats going on with him? Phillips said. I dont know, the victim said while the officer wrapped his arm. Phillips quickly got back up, joined Easter and continued searching for the suspect. At that point, the suspect appeared to the north of the officers in the tree line, leading Officer Phillips to discharge his firearm towards the subject, the report said. Later, the subject can be seen looking directly towards Officer Bachman with his gun raised and pointed at officers. Bachman then fires additional shots in his direction until the subject falls to the ground, the report said. A box cutter knife and firearm magazine were found on Ronald Reiner, the report said. A huge loss Knapp said he believes it's clear from the audio and video, these officers are heroes. They are the very definition of heroes, he said. They ran toward the bullets to save citizens' lives who they did not know at their own peril, and thats the very definition of a hero in my mind. Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner said Friday afternoon the department is grateful for the exhaustive work of the States Attorneys Office and the continuing work of the State Police. Citing the open internal investigation, he said it would not be appropriate to comment further. The Rev. Billy Newell, who leads Trinity Lutheran Church, where Davis was an active member, said he appreciated that Illinois State Police would do a good job in this investigation, but whether the shooting of the suspect is justified or not isnt going to change the outcome of the loss of life that the families are dealing with. Davis funeral service was Friday, and Newell said the number of people in attendance, which included her family as well as an extended faith family, was an illustration of the impact that she had and even continues to have after her death. Julie was someone who had a huge impact on people and had a heart for trying to support people through challenges, he said. Her biggest desire was just to share the love of Jesus. Its a huge loss, but we can mourn with hope that we will see her again. In its report, the States Attorneys Office offered our sincere condolences to families of the deceased victims and our hopes for a speedy recovery for the surviving victims of these senseless acts of violence. Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Brendan Denison Breaking News Reporter Follow Brendan Denison Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Kelsey Watznauer Education Reporter Follow Kelsey Watznauer Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Sierra Henry Normal Reporter Follow Sierra Henry Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Fourteen of 15 building permits for the DeWitt County wind farm that were contested in a lawsuit were issued the same day a judge gave the zoning administrator three days to decide to issue or deny them. The Illinois House voted to approve a sweeping energy bill Thursday that would provide subsidies keeping the states nuclear fleet afloat while phasing out dirty power sources like coal and natural gas with the aim of achieving 100% clean power generation by 2050. The landmark legislation cleared the chamber 83-33 after key stakeholders, most notably organized labor and a coalition of environmental groups, finally reached consensus after months of painstaking behind-the-scenes negotiations. "A legislative package of this magnitude required bringing all stakeholders to the table, holding regular meetings for more than a year, keeping an open mind, negotiating in good faith, and reaching consensus on a bill that fights climate change and preserves and creates jobs," said Gov. JB Pritzker in a statement. "I want to express my sincere gratitude to Speaker Welch and Leader Evans for their tireless collaboration to get this package across the finish line." The Illinois Senate will to return to Springfield on Monday to vote on the package, Senate President Don Harmon confirmed in a statement. If it clears the upper chamber, it would then head to Pritzkers desk. The bill represents Illinois largest pivot yet towards a clean energy future, mandating the closure of privately owned coal-fired power plants by 2030 and natural gas plants by 2045. The municipally-owned coal plants of the Prairie State Energy Campus in Southern Illinois and City Water, Light and Power in Springfield would be required to close by 2045 unless they can achieve 100% carbon emissions reduction. The plants would also have to meet an interim reduction goal of 45% by 2035. At the same time, utility giant Exelon would receive $694 million in ratepayer subsidies over the next five years to keep three of its nuclear power plants afloat. Two plants are otherwise slated for near immediate closure the Byron Generating Station on Monday and the Dresden Generating Station in November without a lifeline from the state. Illinois is the largest generator of nuclear energy of any state in the country. It provides about 58% of the states electricity production, making it a key source of clean baseload power and a key bridge to a clean energy future. The subsidy is expected to cost ratepayers about $.80 per month. The majority of provisions were agreed to in May, but negotiations hit a last-minute snag over the timeline for decarbonization of the states coal and natural gas plants. But the impending closure of the nuclear plants created a sense of urgency, bill sponsors acknowledged, for lawmakers to finally get a deal done after one eluded them in two previous special sessions this summer. Lawmakers attempted to reach a deal last week when in town to vote on amended redistricting maps. The Senate passed a bill, but it failed to achieve the support of environmental groups and Pritzker. The legislation provided no interim target carbon reductions for Prairie State and CWLP, essentially allowing the plants to pollute at will until closure. Thus, it was not called for a vote in the House. However, an amendment emerged earlier this week with the 45% interim target for Prairie State. Negotiators had been working since to bridge remaining gaps. One idea floated was to give Prairie State about $200 million over 10 years to help with decarbonization costs. This was later thrown out and replaced with an amendment stating that if Prairie State can't achieve 45% carbon reduction by 2035, it would have three years to reach that number or retire one of its two generating stations. Working through these final details consumed much of Thursday, even as all the key stakeholders signaled their support. It's really about Prairie State ensuring that Central Illinois power reliability is a priority, said Rep. Marcus Evans, D-Chicago. I think when you work on bills like this, it's all about the details, Evans added. We want to make sure that the bill is right. We don't want to come back again. The eventual goal is for the state to generate most of its electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar. Bill proponents claim that the legislation also doubles states investment in renewable energy. The renewable component would cost ratepayers about an additional $1.22 per month. The funds would then be used by the Illinois Power Agency to procure renewable energy credits, which are used to incentivize utility-scale renewable energy projects under the states renewable portfolio standard. This is a comprehensive plan for a nation-leading roadmap to a 100% clean energy future and heeds the call of science to act on climate change and centers equity and environmental justice at every step of the way, said Jack Darin, director of the Sierra Clubs Illinois chapter. Between all the bill's provisions, proponents estimate that ratepayers will be on the hook for additional $4 to $5 on their monthly bill. The American Association of Retired People, which opposes the bill, puts it at $15 per month. An analysis from Crain's Chicago Business puts it somewhere in between. Opponents of the legislation have decried it as imposing another massive rate hike on Illinois residents while suggesting it would sacrifice grid reliability by taking carbonized baseload power sources offline. The governor and lawmakers are about to hit businesses and families in the pocketbook with the largest electric rate hike in our states history," said Mark Denzler, president & CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers Association. "At a time when our elected officials should be helping our state recover from the pandemic, they are eliminating one of our key strategic advantages, which is low-cost and reliable energy." Concerns over reliability have been especially pronounced downstate. Northern Illinois the area serviced by Commonwealth Edison is within the PJM Interconnection and downstate Illinois Ameren service territory is within the Midcontinent Independent System Operator. There is a vast divide between the Illinois two regions as five of Exelons six nuke plants are in PJM territory, giving Northern Illinois a vast source of carbon-free baseload power, a luxury coal- and natural gas-heavy central and southern Illinois do not have. However, proponents say the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Illinois Power Agency and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will conduct a study every five years on the development of renewable energy to ensure grid reliability. "I think it's very legitimate, and so we built that into the bill," said state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, speaking on reliability concerns in the MISO region. "There are reliability checkpoints every five years. That was very important to all of us because we want the lights to go on, we want the heating and air conditioning to work." The bill cleared committee on a 9-6 partisan roll call early Thursday afternoon. It was later amended on the House floor to take out the $200 million for Prairie State and add the three-year grace period to achieve the 45% intermittent target for 2035. "Prairie State did not believe that it was something that was warranted or needed, and the federal (infrastructure) bill is going to hopefully allow them to do carbon capture," Hoffman said. "And it would have been extremely expensive for the ratepayers of Illinois, so we decided that it was more important to make sure the ratepayers get a break, so it was taken out today." Prairie State and CWLP were neutral on the amended bill. Debate on the House floor went nearly two-and-a-half hours as several Republicans passionately listed their grievances about the bill, from the impact on ratepayers and municipalities with a stake in Prairie State to grid reliability and the eminent domain provisions tucked in. However, nine Republicans ended up voting "yes," many begrudgingly, as they acknowledged the need to keep nuclear plants online and save thousands of their constituents' jobs. "That's why I'm going to support this bill, because I have to vote my district," said Rep. David Welter, R-Morris, whose district contains half the state's nuclear fleet. "But this process is crap." "I can't go back home voting no on this bill," Welter added. "I'm glad we're saving a lot of (nuclear) jobs, but at the same time, we're pitting communities against each other, and that is wrong." Asked by reporters if a "skinny" bill that just addressed the nuclear plants was ever possible, the sponsors said no. "I mean, nuclear power, many of us see it as a stepping stone or a bridge towards an eventual renewable energy (future)," said state Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston. "I mean we do have in the bill goals, and it's a goal for clean energy by 2045 and 100% renewable by 2050. So, there was a lot more to do than just make sure that nuclear energy stays on the grid." The legislation also sets the goal of 1 million electric vehicles in the state by 2030, offering a $4,000 rebate to those who purchase them. It also contains various equity provisions to ensure that low-income communities and communities of color are included in the new green economy. There are stringent labor standards, such as the requirement that prevailing wage be paid on all non-residential wind and solar projects. And communities impacted by the closure of coal and natural gas plants would get additional resources meant to ensure a "just transition" to clean energy. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BELLEVILLE Two Metro East clinics that offer abortions are preparing for a wave of new patients from Texas and other states following a restrictive abortion law that went into effect last week in Texas. The two clinics, one in Fairview Heights and one in Granite City, are the only sites that provide abortions in southern Illinois and are also an alternative for Missouri residents. Clinic leaders expect a recent Supreme Court decision to allow a Texas law that bans abortions after six weeks to go into affect means more patients will be heading to Illinois, where abortions are protected under state law. Planned Parenthood St. Louis President of Reproductive Health Yamelsie Rodriguez said Thursday before a rally on the steps of the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis that the health clinic has been fielding calls from possible patients for weeks, even before an appeal against the Texas law was denied by the Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision. "For the majority of the people in Missouri who have to overcome many hurdles and barriers to get an abortion, Roe has already been deemed meaningless," she said. "Now we're seeing that in other states, including Texas." Rodriguez and many others who spoke at Thursday's rally, including St. Louis Mayor Tishuara Jones and U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, say the Texas law makes Roe v. Wade meaningless because women often don't know they're pregnant six weeks into a pregnancy. Missouri Republicans have said a similar law will be introduced to the state legislature in the near future, meaning restrictions on Missouri's only health clinic that offers abortion in St. Louis City could be further restricted. Currently, a law that would ban abortions in Missouri eight weeks into a pregnancy is being challenged in federal court, making it not legally enforceable. Rodriguez said calls from people seeking abortions or who are just confused about the new law have been pouring in over the past several weeks and some patients from Texas have already been treated. In Illinois, abortions are protected under the Reproductive Rights Act, which was signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2019. It protects individuals' "fundamental right to make autonomous decisions about one's own reproductive health." At Hope Clinic in Granite City, Deputy Director Alsion Dreith said while only a single patient from Texas has called so far, many others have called to question what the new ban means. "They're seeing headlines or seeing news on social media and they don't necessarily know how it impacts them, or the state they live in, or where they're seeking care," Dreith said in an interview Thursday. "We're fielding a lot of that anxiety." With an expected influx of patients, Rodriguez said that the clinic is ramping up its capacity in order to not only allow for more patients but also offer services that will remove any barriers between patients and an abortion. "We are making sure that we are not only ready to see an influx in patients who need abortion care but also that we are taking care of all the additional wraparound services," Rodriguez said. She said those services include financial assistance, transportation or any other accommodations for women seeking abortions. "We are increasing our capacity so we can ensure we remove all the barriers that prevent people from access to care." Laws played part in Planned Parenthood Fairview Heights location Laws like Texas' six-week abortion ban and Missouri's plans for a similar law played a large role in building a larger facility in Fairview Heights in 2019. Rodriguez said it became clear for Planned Parenthood that abortion access would continue to be restricted in Missouri and elsewhere after the state passed a law banning abortions after eight weeks. That's the law that's being challenged in federal court. "We saw the writing on the walls as services continued to be decimated across the region," she said. "We knew we had to protect access to care no matter what so we decided to go on the offense, transformational and build a health center in Fairview Heights, which we consider an oasis for reproductive health and rights." Missouri Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, an Arnold Republican and one of the state's leading anti-abortion legislators, plans to offer a bill similar to the Texas law, according to the Kansas City Star. In addition to banning abortion at six weeks earlier than many people are even aware that they're pregnant the Texas law allows citizens to sue providers and others who assist people getting the procedure. "We know once one state passes a ban, similar legislation gets pushed around to other legislatures," Dreith said. "It's not just Missouri we're worried about." The Fairview Heights clinic was marred by protestors when it opened in 2019. They called on the city government to keep the clinic from opening. The 40,000-square foot clinic offers surgical and medication abortions, as well as family planning services, annual exams, sexually transmitted infection testing and HIV prevention. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker reiterated his support to providing abortions last week, after the Texas law went into effect. While recent news for abortion-rights supporters has been bleak, Rodriguez said she's not giving up hope and reiterated that abortions are still legal in Missouri and Illinois. She said going forward, however, less faith is being put in the courts to uphold Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that ruled the Constitution protects a woman's liberty to choose to have an abortion. "More than ever before we can no longer rely on the courts to be our backstop," she said. "We're going to have to start demanding that our elected officials from Jefferson City to the White House protect access to reproductive care and specifically abortion." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In the immediate aftermath of the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, a striking television commercial was created. The commercial started with a shot of a regular neighborhood. The view was so typically American that it could have been filmed anywhere, from California to Maine, from Illinois to Louisiana. The narration discussed how things had changed since the attacks. A dissolve changed the image into the same street, only this time, U.S. flags flew outside every house. The dramatic effect touched even the most cynical of viewers. In spite of all our differences, we were united in spirit against those whose efforts had taken down four domestic flights and taken the lives of thousands of our fellow citizens. Divisions among Americans had begun to fire in 2000 as the presidential contest between Al Gore and George W. Bush was concluded with a Supreme Court decision. But for whats eventually and sadly turned into a brief moment, we were united in spirit. In the 20 years since, weve long forgotten that feeling of kinship. We identify ourselves more by our differences than by our similarities. We look for ways to dismiss and disregard one another. We refuse to ponder whether others have ideas of value. We openly mock those with whom we disagree. Commodore Stephen Decatur chiseled his name in history books when he said, at a dinner celebrating his accomplishments at sea, Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong! Weve continued to take Decaturs words to heart, but our prevailing attitude has changed to My absolute way of running this country, because those who disagree are ruining it. Weve lost a considerable amount of our compassion. We still want to win, but our winning now has to come at the expense of someone else losing, and that loser being taunted mercilessly. The United States has never been a genteel country, so lets not try to use that as a reason for being disappointed in our divisions. But weve been much better about listening to one another than we are now. Instead, were grouping based on politics, sexuality, race, age and any other way we can clearly divide from one another. Did the airport attack in Afghanistan that cost the lives of 11 American servicemen and other refugees unite us? Not at all. Thoughts immediately turned to blame. The same situation might have been the case 20 years ago if social media had been as widely in use as it is now. But for all the negative power of that tool, it also has positive possibilities. Any tool capable of dividing can also be a tool of unification. Sometimes it is. Americans regularly show they can about one another, and about the world. Daily, people leave their safe American abodes and go to disaster sites to help people recover. We do food drives, make charitable donations, and even do things as simple as shovel our neighbors walks or opening a door for someone. The best way we can honor the sacrifices of those on 9/11 and its military aftermath is to try to remember the degree to which we were humbled and found ways to care for one another 20 years ago. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated his commitment to providing a bridge over the River Oti at Dambai, and said it would be his biggest legacy in the Region. He said processes towards the bridge construction were progressing with a company from the Netherlands advancing its interest and assured that he would ensure the project would be completed before the end of his Presidency. The President gave the assurance when he met with chiefs of the Oti enclave at Dambai during a two-day tour of the Volta and Oti Regions. "I am determined, I made the promise and I am going to make sure it is done and it will be my legacy for this region," he said, adding that the Region's request for a technical University would also be delivered. President Akufo Addo said funding had been secured for the much-awaited Dambai Water Supply Water project which "will soon be a reality to eliminate water challenges." He also promised to address the erratic supply of power to the region and called for unity towards accelerated development. Mr. Kwesi Amoako Attah, Minister of Roads and Highways, said negotiations with the Dutch firm had been concluded, while financial agreements for the construction of the 1.6 km bridge over the river would be completed by the end of the year. He said a total of 31 different road projects were ongoing across the Oti Region, and that the government would add more when needed. Madam Cecelia Dapaah, Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, said Hungarian firm Pureco had progressed with intent to oversee the project, which she said was being forwarded to Parliament for approval. President Akufo Addo, on the tour, commissioned a yam and cassava processing factory established under his flagship One District One Factory initiative and inspected the construction of an integrated waste treatment plant. He also visited ongoing administrative projects for the young Region, and also road works including that of the Eastern Corridor. 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. Featured Video NIGERIA: Operatives of the Kwara State Police Command have arrested five suspected ritualists for the murder of a commercial sex worker in Patigi Local Government Area of the state. Spokesperson of the command, Okasanmi Ajayi, who disclosed this in a statement in Ilorin on Friday, September 10, gave the names of the suspects as Samuel Peter Tsado, Mohammed Gbara a.k.a. Madi, Abubakar Mohammed a.k.a. Mallam Baba Pati, Mohammed Ahmadu Nma and Bala Karin and three others at large. According to the PPRO, the victim identified as Abigail was lured from the hotel where she worked, taken to one of the suspects home and beheaded for money ritual purposes. In continuation of the effort of the Kwara State Police commands commitment to ensure people of Kwara State sleep at night with both eyes closed, the Commissioner of Police Kwara State, CP Tuesday Assayomo, wishes to inform of the commands investigation of a reported case of a missing person turned homicide," the statement reads. "On June 29, 2021, at about 23:08hrs, an unknown young person, later identified as Samuel Peter Tsado m of Patigi town in Patigi Local government area of Kwara State, went to one Victory Hotel Patigi and requested for the service of a commercial sex worker by name Abigail f (other names unknown) "After the monetary negotiation of N5,000:00, both Peter and Abigail left the hotel premises to an unknown place, ever since then both of them were not seen again. On the receipt of the report of a missing person, the commissioner of police, who suspected a foul play directed the case be taken over by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a discreet investigation. The investigation led to the arrest of Tsado, who confessed that he actually contracted the deceased for sex. "He also confirmed that he and one Mohammed Gbara a.k.a. Madi, both agreed and planned how to make money ritual and in furtherance of their desires, they planned on how to source for the human head that would be needed for the money rituals which prompted him to leave his house at Patigi for Victory hotel with his motorcycle where he approached the late Abigail, a sex worker, who agreed to follow him home after agreeing on N5,000:00 for the night. At Samuel Peters home, where Mohammed Gbara was already waiting, Abigail was strangled by the duo of Samuel Peter Tsado and Gbara. "The head of late Abigail was severed with a knife. The headless body of the deceased was conveyed by the suspects on Samuel Peter Tsados motorcycle and dumped in the bush along Patigi/Rifun road "Both Samuel and Mohammed went separately away to reassemble in Bida, Niger state on June 30, 2021. While in Bida, the deceased head was kept in Mohammed Abubakars home, awaiting the arrival of the ritualist from Maiduguri in Borno state for the money ritual exercise. "Investigation took detectives to Bida and Minna in Niger State where three other suspects were arrested. They confessed to the offence and also confessed to have been involved in an earlier ritual attempt using the hand of one victim yet to be identified. "The suspects took detectives to the bush where the carcass of the deceased was recovered. The effort to recover the head of the deceased was still in progress as the custodian of the head is still at large. But he will certainly be arrested and brought to justice. The suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation." The Commissioner of Police, CP Tuesday Assayomo assured members of the public of the safety and security of their lives and property applying every available resource both human and material. The CP stated that this can only be achieved with the cooperation and collaboration of the people. "The Command for the umpteenth time wishes to emphasize that Kwara State will be made uncomfortable for criminals of whatever nomenclature, as such, criminals are advised to turn a new leaf or relocate from Kwara State permanently." the police boss added. Source: LIB 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. Featured Video National Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, has pooh-poohed former President John Dramani Mahama for his recent do or die comment. According to him, it is a cause to worry for the former President who has served the country in various capacities with the help of Ghanaians to now turn around out of desperation to say that the 2024 general election will be a do or die affair. How can such an honourable man, former President, former MP, Vice President, former Deputy Minister in charge of Communication, former Minister; how can such a man with all of these credentials be so desperate? What could possibly be the reason for former President Mahama to say that the 2024 general election will be do or die?, he wondered. Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Nana B as he is popularly called asserted that the 'Thank you' tour of former President John Mahama is a decoy to launch his readiness to contest the 2024 Presidential Elections for the NDC. He again wondered why the former President is feeling jittery about President Akufo-Addos yearly tour across the nation to inspect the various developmental projects even though the President will not contest again in the 2024 general elections. How can you be so desperate? If it is indeed a thanksgiving tour to thank Ghanaians for the 2020 general elections and is not a scheme for the next election campaign, why will he talk about the 2024 general election?, he quizzed. When he realised that President Akufo-Addo is embarking on his usual tour every year to inspect his projects across the country and the people including the chiefs are happy with his work, former President Mahama then decided to embark on his thanksgiving tour and now look at his message in the thanksgiving tour, he asserted. He, however, reminded former President John Mahama to be mindful of his utterances since he is no longer the Flagbearer, but reiterated that his comment indicates that he will be the Presidential Candidate for the NDC in 2024; even though the party [NDC] is yet to restructure after the 2020 general elections defeat and open nomination for interested candidates to contest for the slot. I am also saying that the 2024 general elections will not be do or die. Ghanaians will exercise their rights to vote and choose the leaders they want for the country and nobody will die in this country as we have always been doing in elections, he challenged. The statement from the former President is very reckless and very unfortunate. Nobody should entertain such utterances and all well-meaning Ghanaians should come out to condemn such a comment, he chided. Watch video below Source: Daniel Adu Darko/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. Featured Video Ghanaians from all walks of life in one way or the other have condemned President John Mahamas "do or die" affair comment, describing it as an unfortunate statement. John Mahama has refused to apologize for the statement he made on Akina Radio at Techiman in the Bono-East Region during a Thank You tour. He has justified the comment and explained that it as an idiomatic expression. But a Security Analyst and the Executive Director for the Jatikay Center for Human Security and Peace Building, Mr. Adib Saani says the do or die comment has dangerous repercussions on Ghanas democracy. Speaking to Peace FM's reporter, Pious Baidoo Banson, Mr. Adib Saani explained that Mr. Mahamas comment could cause violence, hence cautioning politicians to be careful of their utterances. Also speaking to the ECOWAS decision to suspend Guinea as its member due to their Military takeover, Mr. Saani said it is unfortunate that ECOAWS is always mute when some African leaders manipulate the constitution to suit their political interest and engage in politics of corruption, but will quickly issue a statement when there is a military takeover. Source: Pious Baidoo Banson/Peace FM News 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. Featured Video Social Commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has commended President Akufo-Addo for returning his salary increment given to him from January to August 2021. President Akufo-Addo has returned GHC237,974, in fulfillment of a pledge he made during this year's May Day celebration. The money was paid into the Pensions and Salaries Account of the Controller and Accountant Generals Department. Speaking in a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Allotey Jacobs urged other appointees to do same. "Some people are joking with this but historically have we heard something like this before, no, because the monies we have is not even enough for us . . . but these are lessons for us . . .these are things we should be talking about and not things that will scare people . . . so I will urge that we learn from his actions," he urged. 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. Featured Video The National Chairman of the National Democratic (NDC), Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has urged members of the NDC to adopt Break the 8 as its battle cry for the 2024 general election. We have to break the eight years of high unemployment, we have to break eight years of corruption, nepotism and economic mismanagement, he stated. Contributing to an interview on Sunyani-based radio station, Moonlite FM, which hosted the 2020 flag bearer of the NDC, former President John Dramani Mahama, last Wednesday, Mr Ofosu Ampofo said Ghanaians had tasted years of broken promises by the New Patriotic Party (NPP). If we are talking about breaking the eight, then it has to be the battle cry of NDC because today teachers are suffering very much, nurses are suffering very much, farmers are suffering very much, fishermen are suffering very much and everybody is suffering very much under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, he stated. Fertilisers Mr Ofosu Ampofo expressed worry about the inadequate supply of fertiliser to assist farmers to increase their yields, and explained that the system adopted by the Mahama government to subsidise the price of fertiliser was better than the current system where farmers could not get the promised free distribution of fertilizer. Do you know that the poultry industry is at the verge of collapse?, he asked, and explained that it was becoming difficult for poultry farmers to get maize to feed their poultry. For his part, the General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, thanked the chiefs and people of the Bono Region for voting for the party to change the dynamics of politics in the region during the 2020 general election. The 2020 elections in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions was a gerrymandering that went bad for NPP, he stated. We thank your people in this region for their faith in the NDC and we are sure that members of the NDC will clear their minds from the notion that the Bono Region is their stronghold after the 2024 general election. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Tamale Central Constituency Chairman of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Issahaku Umar Farouk (Kanawu), has chastised critics of former President John Dramani Mahamas 'do or die' harmless comment. He described it as a complete dissimilarity between Mr. Mahamas comment and that of then-candidate Nana Akufo- Addos 2012 infamous all die be die. According to Chairman Farouk, his partys 2020 Presidential candidate chose the right platform to send a word of caution to persons, politicians, or state institutions who might attempt to subvert the will of the Ghanaian electorate at the 2024 polls. He said the NDC grassroots have been inspired by Mr. Mahamas comment to protect the ballots and ensure that each ballot is counted at the end of voting in 2024. The NDC 2020 Presidential candidate is on his second leg nationwide 'Thank You' tour commending the electorate for overwhelmingly voting for the umbrella family at the last polls. In a live radio interview on Techiman based Akina FM, Mr. Mahama said the next general elections will be a do or die affair. He implied that the NDC had learned bitter lessons at the 2020 polls and served notice that elections 2024 will be different, urging party loyalists to protect the ballots at all cost. Source: King Saha Abdullah, Freelance Journalist 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. Featured Video Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has slammed critics condemning former President John Mahama's recent comments about the 2024 general elections. The former President, speaking on Akina Radio at Techiman, stated emphatically that the 2024 elections will be a do or die affair. We learn from the past so we [NDC] have learned our lessons from the 2020 election. The next elections will be won or lost at the polling station...If otherwise, it will be a do or die affair at the polling station. We wont wait for any Supreme Court, no!, he said. Mr. Mahama has come under intense criticisms, following his statements, with some members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) vehemently lashing out at him. ''...you're still lying to your supporters and because of that, you're calling for electoral war. You're calling for mayhem that 'do or die', we should go and fight. And we ask you for clarification, then you tell us it's an idiom. No, does my younger brother, Uncle or grandparent in village know anything about idiomatic expression...that it's an idiomatic expression, so do or die; people should die. Blood should flow when Ghanaians have honored you before.'' ''What sin have Ghanaians committed that you can tell us 'do or die'?...You have been President and a Vice President before; is this how to repay Ghanaians?'', Nana B, NPP National Youth Organizer, blasted Mahama. But to Kwesi Pratt, the former President's comments have been taken out of context. He explained that he (Mahama) isn't calling for electoral war neither could his comments be likened to the ''all die be die'' statement that was made by President Nana Akufo-Addo prior to the 2012 elections. President Akufo-Addo, then NPP candidate, received public bashing over his statement that was said to be inciting violence. To Kwesi Pratt, ''those who defended 'all die be die' are today condemning 'do or die'''. ''What is the basis? If you support all die be die, how can you condemn do or die?'' he asked. He found the Mahama's critics to be hypocrites stating ''this is all hypocrisy in our politics. The hypocrisy is too much''. Mr. Pratt however advised Ghanaians not to engage in any electoral violence. ''It's our responsibility to be vigilant and not engage in any electoral malpractices for anybody to rig the elections. That's all!'' 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. Featured Video Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not ruled out the possibility that the ongoing tension between Kiev and Moscow could eventually boil over and lead to an all-out war. Russia annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula back in 2014 and has supported a separatist insurgency in the Donbas area if Ukraine. Putin said last month that it was becoming evident that Kiev is no longer interested in a peaceful settlement to the conflict. Putin said in 2014 that his military could take Ukraine in two weeks and Zelenskyy met with Biden in the White House last week where Biden promised "ironclad commitment" to Ukraines security, sovereignty and Euro-Altantic aspirations. Zelenskyy was at the Yalta European Strategy summit in Kiev on Friday, September 10, when he was asked about the possibility, Reuters reported. He called a war with Russia "the worst thing," but a possibility. "This is the worst thing that there can be, but unfortunately there is such a possibility," he said, pointing out that he seeks a substantive meeting with Russian President, Vladamir Putin. Zelenskyy relies heavily on U.S. support because Russia has a much larger and capable military. So far, the U.S. has committed $2.5 billion in support of Ukraine forces since 2014, including more than $400 million in 2021 alone. Source: Reuters 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. Featured Video Rapper Sarkodie, who is currently on a tour to some African countries to promote his new album dubbed ''No Pressure'', has disclosed an awkward but cherishable moment in his life that however shocked him. According to the rapper, a young boy once walked up to him and insisted to give him money in exchange for his blessings. Sarkodie explained that the boy offered to give him an envelope containing 1 cedi notes which he said was an act of faith on the part of the boy. Stressing although it was very hard for him to accept the money, nevertheless he collected it so he won't stop the boy from being blessed. ''Can you imagine me taking money from the kid?...He was on his knees crying and saying that if I don't take it, what he believes in might not work for him. Exactly!...So, I have to take it for him,'' he said in an interview posted by Hip TV. Watch full interview below: Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Two months ago, iPhxne DJ started what is growing to become a series of carefully curated day parties at the Luna Bar Rooftop. The party, aptly named Casablanca is a monthly affair intended to give patrons a pleasant experience as they enjoy the view, music and ambience. You dont only get to enjoy the brilliance of just iPhxneDJ as he is ably assisted on the mic by highly sort-after hype-man Berima Seanbills. The success of iPhxne DJs event cannot be underemphasized as both editions saw a wide variety of guests including A-listers such as Wizkid, R2bees, Darkovibes and more; last months Casablanca Day Party was hosted by the queen herself, Efya. For anyone looking to have a great time, that is what iPhxne DJ is keen on delivering with Casablanca and with the DJs reputation for his incredible selection when it comes to music, you know to expect nothing but a good time. The next Casablanca comes off on 12th September 2021. iPhxne DJ, born Nai Otoo Mensah is a Ghanaian DJ known for his unique style of DJ-aying with just his smartphone. Hes won multiple awards, performed alongside Wizkid and has been featured on many major platforms including BBC Radio. Follow him across all platforms @iPhxnedj Source: Peacefmonline 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. Featured Video Gilas Pilipinas point guard Dwight Ramos. (Photo: FIBA Basketball) Dwight Ramos has decided to leave the nest of the Ateneo Blue Eagles and spread his wings in international shores. The Filipino-American guard is set to take his talents to the vaunted Japan B. League after signing with the Toyama Grouses, the team announced on Friday (10 September). "I am very excited to play in the city of Toyama, it is a dream to play in such a beautiful city and country in Japan," Ramos said in a statement. "Basketball in Japan is growing every year and Im very excited and grateful for the opportunity to play in such an amazing place." The 23-year-old was initially committed to suit up for Ateneo in the collegiate scene, but a change of heart brought him to the professional circuit where he is expected to deliver the goods following his impressive performance with Gilas Pilipinas. The 6-foot-4 stalwart displayed his all-around brilliance as he posted 13.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, where the Philippines went on a clean 6-0 sweep to clinch a berth in the continental meet. Ramos aims to sustain his fine form once he sees action with Toyama, which is looking to make a championship run in the B. League following a fifth-place finish (39-21 win-loss record) last season. "I hope to win a lot of games and bring pride to the city of Toyama together with my new teammates. I hope to see the fans at our games cheering for us all season," Ramos shared. "The team made the playoffs last season, and I hope to contribute to a championship run this season." Ramos has become the most recent addition to the growing list of Filipino hoopers in Japan, following the footsteps of Thirdy Ravena, Juan Gomez de Liano, Javi Gomez de Liano, Kiefer Ravena, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., Kemark Carino and Kobe Paras. Ohmer Bautista is a sports journalist who has covered local and international sporting events in the Philippines. The views expressed are his own. Russia says divisive Nord Stream 2 pipeline complete The Nord Stream 2 gas line landfall facility in Lubmin, northeastern Germany (AFP/Odd ANDERSEN) Russia announced Friday the completion of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany, a project that has raised US concerns, divided Europe and angered EU ally Ukraine. Nord Stream 2 is expected to double natural gas supplies from Russia to Germany, but it has raised tensions between the European Union and Washington. Critics say the pipeline will increase Europe's dependence on Russian gas and bypass Ukraine. The head of the Gazprom energy giant, Alexei Miller, announced Friday that construction was "fully completed." A key controversy is that the pipeline diverts supplies from an existing route through Ukraine and is expected to deprive the EU's partner of crucial transit fees from Russia. Ukraine -- in conflict with Russia since Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea -- has warned Europe that the pipeline could be used by Moscow as "a dangerous geopolitical weapon". "Ukraine will fight this political project, before and after its completion and even after the gas is turned on," Sergiy Nykyforov, the spokesman of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, told AFP. A US State Department spokeswoman, Jalina Porter, said Washington would "continue to oppose this pipeline as a Russian geopolitical project that's a bad deal for Europe." But Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said critics should end efforts to block the project and instead agree "mutually beneficial terms" for its operation. "It is clear to everyone, including critics of Nord Stream 2 and those who desperately opposed its construction, that it cannot be stopped," she said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for the project to be launched "as soon as possible" and said that "everyone" would benefit from it. German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said that Nord Stream 2 had submitted a relevant application to the Federal Network Agency in order to begin operations. Story continues Running from Russia's Baltic coast to northeastern Germany, the underwater, 1,200-kilometre (745-mile) pipeline follows the same route as Nord Stream 1, which was completed over a decade ago. Like its predecessor, Nord Stream 2 will be able to pipe 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year to Europe, increasing the continent's access to relatively cheap natural gas at a time of falling domestic production. - 'Victory for Russia' - "It's a victory for Russia, especially taking into account the huge opposition the project has faced, from the US but also from European countries," Dmitry Marinchenko, a Fitch analyst, told AFP. Besides Ukraine, countries such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland risk losing transit fees because of the pipeline, he added. Gazprom has a majority stake in the 10-billion-euro ($12-billion) project. Germany's Uniper and Wintershall, France's Engie, the Anglo-Dutch firm Shell and Austria's OMV are also involved. Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder serves as chairman of the Nord Stream's shareholders committee. Russia and Germany insist Nord Stream 2 is a commercial project, but analysts disagree about its economic benefits. A 2018 report by German think-tank DIW said it was unnecessary and undertaken based on forecasts that "significantly overestimate" demand in Germany and Europe. Germany, Europe's top economy, imports around 40 percent of its gas from Russia, and Berlin believes the pipeline has a role to play in the country's transition away from coal and nuclear energy. - US olive branch - US sanctions on Russian vessels laying the pipeline succeeded in delaying Nord Stream 2, angering Germany. But President Joe Biden, eager to rebuild transatlantic ties that were badly strained by his predecessor Donald Trump, waived sanctions in May on the Russian-controlled company behind the project. Analysts saw the move as an olive branch to Berlin, whose support Washington is counting on in the face of other challenges, including a rising China. Zelensky has said the sanctions waiver is a win for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reaffirming support for Ukraine, Biden hosted Zelensky at the White House in September. After the meeting, Zelensky said Biden had assured him Washington would impose sanctions on the pipeline if there were "violations" from Russia that would create problems for Ukraine's energy security. Critics of Washington's opposition to the pipeline point out that the US also wants to boost sales of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe. bur-jbr-apo-as-sct/spm Beijings Forbidden City under a light dusting of snow. Credit: Ola Lundqvist/Shutterstock To reconstruct a picture of past climates, scientists often examine trapped bubbles in ice cores or the width of rings inside old trees. A new study, published in Science Advances by researchers at Nanjing University in China suggests that there may even be clues to changes in past weather conditions in buildings. The researchers compared data on shifting weather patterns between AD750 and 1750 with examples of preserved roofs built in China during the millennium. They found that during periods with heavier snowfall, roofs were built with steeper slopes, while warmer periods gave rise to buildings with more gently sloping roofs. The study covered two large swings in the global climate: the medieval warm period, which roughly ran from the tenth to the 13th century, and the little ice age, which saw shorter summers and bitter winters between the 15th and 19th centuries. Changing weather patterns may have spurred innovation too, as the researchers note that frigid weather around 1700 coincided with new methods that made the construction of steeper and straighter roofs safer and more reliable. It's incredible to think that something as subtle as the angles of pitched roofs might intimately reflect changes in the weather over ten centuries. It's a compelling story, but as someone who has studied architectural history for many years, I have some doubts. Four typical roof designs from four different climate periods. Credit: Li et al. (2021)/Science Advances Architecture and the climate The researchers made two basic points. One, that roofs are built steeper in eras and places with heavier snowfall. And two, that there is a close correlation between weather patterns and roof angles that betrays a sensitivity in architecture to very small changes in the climate. The first point is fairly easy to prove and probably undisputed among academics. A carpenter will correct the roof angle once a building has collapsed under heavy snow, and showing this with the example of historic buildings in China has its merit. The second point, to my mind, is not coherently proven by this study and may even be impossible to prove. The researchers mention studying around "200 [building] remains over a millennium," but it's not clear whether these are equally spaced out across the study period. They could get away with it being historians as opposed to, let's say, medical doctors, where sample size is the litmus test of sound methodology. It's also unclear why roofs in warm times should become less steep. The researchers ought to be commended for trying to address this problem though, as the study notes that Chinese people may have failed to maintain steeper roofs in times when snowfall was less severe due to "costs and the diverse need for sunshine and rainfall sheltering." The researchers nonetheless do not develop this point or explain why flatter roofs should be more cost effective. Heavy snowfall demands roof designs which dont buckle under pressure. Credit: Lu Yang/Shutterstock Building a roof is not a collective event akin to population decline, infant mortality or market prices, however. It depends on the conscious decision of a particular persona client, architect or artisan. To prove a connection, the researchers would need a theory of how builders would be able to react to tiny changes in the climate with tiny changes in roof angles. Exaggerating this climate connection in architecture might imply, wrongly, that premodern societies were predominantly shaped by some inexplicable harmony between people and nature, with an ability to respond to tiny changes in the environment that were lost in later periods. Such fine-scale responses between building and weather as far as I know, do not happen in the present. Snowfalls became lighter and less frequent in the UK throughout the 20th century, but it would be unconvincing to tie this to the proliferation of modern flat roofs, which have become just as popular in snowy Russia. And even a fundamental decision such as choosing between a flat roof or a pitched one seems to defy climatic necessities, as the lamentably high number of leaking flat roofs in rain-swept Glasgow where I live demonstrates. Nonetheless, the study provides an eloquent reminder of how natural variation in the weather has been an influence on architecture throughout history, often as much as changing styles and tastes. Most of the buildings we live, work and socialize in were designed with little thought paid to the unprecedented weather extremes that climate scientists warn are in store this century. That will have to change. Historians may one day study the era we live in and note how architecture regained a sense of environmental limits, as leaky and inefficient designs were swept away by buildings that were resilient in the face of increasing storms. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain As school districts consider their options in light of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, a University of Michigan study shows they need to be flexible in offering both in-person and virtual options or risk losing more enrollees. The study confirms public school enrollment declined noticeably in fall 2020, while homeschooling rates jumped substantially, as did private school enrollment. The factors that led to that drop are compelling, and show differences in parental concerns: Homeschooling increased more where schools provided in-person instruction, while in-person private schooling increased more where instruction was remote. Researchers Kevin Stange and Tareena Musaddiq from the Education Policy Initiative at U-M's Ford School of Public Policy and Andrew Bacher-Hicks and Joshua Goodman from Boston University's Wheelock Educational Policy Center looked at data from the MERI-Michigan Education Data Center, and compared Michigan trends to national patterns, using nationally representative data from the Census Household Pulse Survey. In Michigan, enrollment dropped by 3% among K-12 students and 10% among kindergartners, whose decline was most sharp among lower income and Black students (who experienced a 19% decline from the year prior). The finding has implications for supporting those young learners in the near future, as well as potential changes in school staffing and swings in school funding, the researchers say. Among the possibilities: The large drops in kindergarten enrollment in 202021 imply that students who reenter public schools might choose to enroll in kindergarten or first grade, according to the study. That means one grade would likely be larger in terms of pupils with a wider age and experience range. It is also worth noting that there is a strong age gradient to the enrollment patterns found in Michigan, which is consistent with national figures. While kindergarten enrollments were dramatically lower than prior years, the researchers found that, in fact, more students returned to Michigan public high schools during the pandemic than they had in previous years. The national data suggests that Michigan's rise in homeschooling rates was very similar to that of the nation, where in February 2020, 4.5% of U.S. households with school-aged children reported that at least one child was homeschooled, and in fall 2020, that rate jumped to 7.3%. The findings add to growing evidence that households have different exposure to in-person educational options by race and income and they responded differently even when provided the same options. "Those responsible for managing public school districts through this crisis need to be aware of the many and different expectations that parents may have," Stange said. "Choosing in-person only or virtual-only could have implications for public school funding far into the future." Goodman says the study's results "highlight that instructional modality affects the appeal of public schooling relative to homeschooling, and ultimately leads to a shift in enrollment." Previous research on the pandemic's effect on school enrollment, Bacher-Hicks says, has examined only the national context or a single state, while this study aims "to put such data sets in dialog with each other." "As education officials weigh the costs and benefits of reopening schools, it is critical to consider the impact these options have on providing public access to education for families with different needs," the study concluded. Explore further After enrollment dips, public schools hope for fall rebound More information: The Pandemic's Effect on Demand for Public Schools, Homeschooling, and Private Schools. The Pandemic's Effect on Demand for Public Schools, Homeschooling, and Private Schools. edpolicy.umich.edu/sites/epi/f es/2021-09/Pandemics %20Effect%20Demand%20Public%20Schools%20Working%20Paper%20Final%20%281%29.pdf Policy Brief: edpolicy.umich.edu/sites/epi/f t_sept2021_final.pdf Bruce! Credit: University of Auckland Scientists say they've found the first evidence of tool use by a kea for the purpose of self-care, in a new study from the University of Auckland. The study, published in Scientific Reports, uses observations of a disabled kea (Nestor notabilis) named Bruce housed at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch, who has overcome his disability by using pebbles to preen himself. Although anecdotal reports exist for self-care tool use in pet parrots, this form of tool use is rare in the wild, and this is the first time it has been observed in a kea. It is also the first scientific observation of a parrot using a pebble for self-care. Ph.D. candidate Amalia Bastos from the University's School of Psychology says Bruce's tool use highlights the intelligence of this alpine parrot species. "Kea do not regularly display tool use in the wild, so to have an individual innovate tool use in response to his disability shows great flexibility in their intelligence. They're able to adapt and flexibly solve new problems as they emerge," she says. Bruce's behavior was consistent and repeated, and so is regarded as intentional and innovative. "The pebbles he picked up were different to those picked up by other kea, they were always of a certain size. This points to an intentional act: to find a way to preen himself without the top half of his beak." Bruce was found as a juvenile by a researcher at Arthur's Pass in 2013 with the upper half of his beak missing. It's not known exactly how the injury occurred, but it is thought to be the result of an accident with a pest trap. He was brought to the South Island Wildlife Hospital, where he was nursed back to health and now lives in a large aviary at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. Although keepers ensure that Bruce has access to soft foods which can be eaten without an upper bill, he has also learned to eat harder foods by pressing them up against hard objects. Bruce has adapted well to his injury and can manipulate various objects by holding them between his tongue and lower mandible. His innovative pebble preening behavior was first noted by keepers at Willowbank in late 2019. To establish this behavior was, in fact, intentional tool use, researchers observed Bruce in the aviary at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve across nine days. They recorded instances of him manipulating objects or preening himself and were able to establish five lines of evidence to show that his tool use is intentional. The first line of evidence the researchers found was that in over 90 percent of instances where Bruce picked up a pebble, he then went on to use it to help preen. Secondly, in 95 percent of instances where Bruce dropped a pebble, he retrieved or replaced it before continuing to preen. Third, they also observed Bruce selected pebbles of a specific size that were suitable for preening, rather than randomly sampling pebbles in his environment. Additionally, from observations of the other 12 kea in the aviary, they also found that no other bird used pebbles while preening, and that when the other individuals did interact with objects, they selected stones of different sizes to those Bruce used. Bastos says it is important to examine rare behaviors like this through repeated observations to ensure accurate reporting. "This paper also provides a new framework through which we can provide robust evidence for rare behaviors" she says. Explore further Wild cockatoos observed making and using tools to eat sea mango pits More information: Amalia P. M. Bastos et al, Self-care tooling innovation in a disabled kea (Nestor notabilis), Scientific Reports (2021). Journal information: Scientific Reports Amalia P. M. Bastos et al, Self-care tooling innovation in a disabled kea (Nestor notabilis),(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97086-w Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Global computing could be responsible for a greater share of greenhouse gas emissions than previously thought and these emissions will continue to rise significantly unless action is taken, a new study highlights. A team of researchers from Lancaster University and sustainability consultancy Small World Consulting Ltd claim that previous calculations of ICT's share of global greenhouse emissions, estimated at 1.8-2.8%, likely fall short of the sector's real climate impact as they only show a partial picture. The researchers point out that some of these prior estimates do not account for the full life-cycle and supply chain of ICT products and infrastructuresuch as: the energy expended in manufacturing the products and equipment; the carbon cost associated with all of their components and the operational carbon footprint of the companies behind them; the energy consumed when using the equipment; and also their disposal after they have fulfilled their purpose. The researchers argue ICT's true proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions could be around 2.1-3.9% - though they stress that there are still significant uncertainties around these calculations. Although like for like comparisons are difficult, these figures would suggest ICT has emissions greater than the aviation industry, which are around 2 % of global emissions. In addition, the paper warns that new trends in computing and ICT such as big data and AI, the Internet of Things, as well as blockchain and cryptocurrencies, risk driving further substantial growth in ICT's greenhouse gas footprint. In their new paper 'The real climate and transformative impact of ICT: A critique of estimates, trends and regulations' published today by the journal Patterns, the researchers looked at two central issuesICT's own carbon footprint, as well as ICT's impact on the rest of the economy. It has often been cited, and put into policy calculations, that ICT and computing technologies will lead to greater efficiencies across many other sectors, leading to savings in net greenhouse gas emissions. However, the researchers argue that historical evidence proves the opposite. That over the years as ICT has become more efficient, ICT's footprint has taken up a greater proportion of global emissions. In addition, ICT has driven wide-ranging efficiency and productivity improvements, but, critically, global greenhouse gas emissions have risen inexorably despite all this. This could be partly due to so called 'rebound effects' where increased efficiencies result in increased demand. Professor Mike Berners-Lee from Small World Consulting said: "We know that ICT has an ever growing role in society and brings efficiencies to almost every corner of the global economy. But it's relationship to carbon reduction may not be as straightforward as many people assume. Our work tries to shine a bit more light on that important question." The researchers point out that to achieve net zero by 2050a target the planet needs to meet in order to keep global warming below 1.5Cthen: Unprecedented co-ordination across the ICT sector and policy makers is needed to formulate a plan to achieve net zero by 2050 ICT organisations need to have legally binding net zero targets that also cover their supply chain emissions With competing demands on ICT such as workplace communications, leisure, Internet of Things, AI and bitcoin mining, in order to prevent run-away data demand, societies may need to consider prioritising some ICT uses above others Clear detail is required on a sector by sector basis of the emissions savings that ICT is expected to deliver, underpinned by transparent evidence that includes all related emissions The researchers recognise that several of the world's technology giants have made statements on reducing their climate footprint, however they argue that many of these pledges are not ambitious enough and industry self-regulation may not be sufficient to bring about the emissions reductions needed to reach net-zero by 2050. The researchers argue that if global carbon limits were introduced that would eliminate concerns over the 'rebound effects' so that ICT-enabled efficiencies could be realised without additional carbon costs. They also warn against an over-reliance on renewables in calculations about future ICT greenhouse gas emissions because of limited supplies of vital commodities, such as silver, which are needed to make solar panels. Dr. Kelly Widdicks co-author of the study from Lancaster University said: "Much more needs to be done by the ICT sector to understand and mitigate its footprint, beyond focusing on a transition to renewables and voluntary carbon reduction targets. We need a comprehensive evidence base of ICT's environmental impacts as well as mechanisms to ensure the responsible design of technology that is in-line with the Paris Agreement." The team of researchers' next project, PARIS-DE, will investigate which mechanisms are needed to ensure digital technologies are designed to be compliant with the low carbon objectives outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement. Explore further Video: Counting carbon More information: The real climate and transformative impact of ICT: A critique of estimates, trends and regulations, Patterns, DOI: 10.1016/j.patter.2021.100340 The real climate and transformative impact of ICT: A critique of estimates, trends and regulations, Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain It is often assumed that families move to improve their economic and social prospects, and that these additional resources can benefit the whole family. However, existing research suggests that many children who have experienced long-distance moves within a country fair worse in general compared to non-moving peers. The relationship between children moving and dropping out of school (i.e. not receiving a secondary-level degree) was studied in both Finland and Germany. The research focused on whether there are other disruptions in their livessuch as parents separating or becoming unemployedthat led to a long-distance move and do these types of disruptive events add up to make school drop-out more likely (known as cumulative disadvantage) for those who moved. And if parents do move for economic reasons, can they use these gains to limit the risk of their children dropping out of school? The findings indicate that moving during childhood is associated with the risk of not attaining a secondary degree in both countries. For Finland this is mostly explained by other disruptions (e.g. parental separation orunemployment) but for Germany these do not explain the risk. Also, any gains from moving (in terms of parental income or occupational gains) do not seem to reduce the risk of school dropout. Overall, children, whose families have made a long-distance move, may be a vulnerable subgroup in the inter-generational transmission of inequality, therefore schools have an important role to play in integrating internal migrantsas well as international migrantsinto the social networks of the schools they arrive in. Explore further Children's social and academic functioning is impeded when their families move more often More information: Patricia McMullin et al, Geographical mobility and children's noncompletion of upper secondary education in Finland and Germany: Do parental resources matter?, British Educational Research Journal (2021). Patricia McMullin et al, Geographical mobility and children's noncompletion of upper secondary education in Finland and Germany: Do parental resources matter?,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/berj.3745 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A group of united astronomers have successfully convinced Europe's leading astronomy journal Astronomy & Astrophysics to institute a name change policy for transgender people and others. "It's really frustrating that such a large organization needed an initiative from outside to adopt a more inclusive policy," says astronomer Emily Hunt. On 18 February 2021, Science editor Jake S. Yeston published the blog post called "A new name change policy." It announced the possibility for authors to change their names in previously published papers across the Science spectrum. The blog post stated: " recent outreach by, and on behalf of, transgender scientists has impressed upon us the importance of respecting authors' privacy and autonomy in correcting the scientific record." Yeston here refers to the growing discourse initiated by the trans community to develop a policy to allow scientists to change their name on published publications. One example is the Nature blog post by Theresa Jean Tanenbaum called "Publishers: let transgender scholars correct their names." The motivation behind this movement is that people who transition often adopt a new name, resulting in papers prior to the transition bearing the old name they no longer associate with their identity. Complete lack of understanding In the past couple of months, more journals followed the same path as Science, including Nature. However, that doesn't hold for Astronomy & Astrophysics (A&A). "That was really disappointing, as A&A is one of Europe's largest astronomy journals," says Emily Hunt, Ph.D. candidate at Heidelberg University in Germany. When astronomer Elspeth Lee raised the issue with A&A (see Tweet below), the journal's response was inadequate. Hunt: "Sadly, the editor showed a complete lack of understanding. That's when the astronomy community decided to take action." A&A have doubled down on their no change policy. To summarize what I received from the A&A editorial board: 1. Changing names is a slippery slope and would "endanger the integrity of the publication record." 2. By speaking up, I have outed myself anyway, so there is no point. Elsie Lee (@EleeAstro) June 3, 2021 Viral tweet leads to action For instance, astronomers from all around the world refused to review and submit papers to A&A over this issue. Hunt coordinated the efforts of writing an open letter to A&A. Leiden astronomer Joe Callingham also read about Lee's issues with A&A on Twitter. "I did not know Elspeth personally. But I thought that the policy A&A was committed to following was unjust, particularly for minorities whose identity is closely linked to their name." As a member of Leiden Observatory's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) committee, Callingham wanted to help any way he could to change A&A's policy. "The best way I thought to do that was via a public letter requesting a name change. Leiden EDI Chair Sanjana Panchagnula and Dutch EDI Chair Samaya Nissanke also took this on and submitted a letter on behalf of the Dutch astronomy community." Public letters are successful After the efforts of many astronomers, A&A announced on 19 July that they had revised their policy on name changes. Hunt: "For me personally, this doesn't change that much, as I already transitioned before my academic career. But for people who are transitioning during their career, it's of course great. Hopefully, they can have great careers for the rest of their lives, without having to explain why past publications bear the wrong name." Also, the inclusive name change is not only useful for transgender people, Hunt explains. "Think of people who are married or are getting a divorce, or change their religion. It's nice that there is this option to change your name." Happy, but frustrated Still, Hunt and Callingham also express their frustration. "I find it really frustrating that these big journals, who have the resources to do their own EDI work, apparently need external people to push them to make positive changes," says Hunt. "It shouldn't be this way. It cost me a lot of valuable time and stress." How could journals be more inclusive? "I think chair persons of journal boards should be aware of the impact their decisions have on what is published, how it is published, and who is published. Potentially, an EDI member of a journal board would be useful for ensuring that is the case," says Callingham. "We live in a time where we no longer print paper hardcopies, and there are robust electronic measures to ensure papers are correctly cited. Such advances give flexibility to retroactive changes to papers without being a threat to the literature," he continues. "Hopefully they can learn from this," says Hunt. "The editor in chief reacted disappointingly to Lee's request. This caused a completely avoidable PR disaster that could've been prevented if better EDI policies and initiatives were already in place at the journal. Let's hope this doesn't happen again in the future, and that science can continue making positive steps towards inclusivity and equality for all," she concludes. Explore further Lack of non-English languages in STEM publications hurts diversity Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain More needs to be done to encourage people from diverse backgrounds to enter the UK sign language translation and interpreting profession in order to meet the access needs of diverse deaf communities across the country. That is according to a ground-breaking study led by academics at Heriot-Watt University alongside colleagues from the University of Wolverhampton and the University of the West of Scotland. Commissioned by the Association of Sign Language Interpreters UK (ASLI), the 139-page report says the current 'typical profile' of a sign language translators and interpreters (SLTIs) working in the UK is a straight, white, 44 year old woman, who is non-religious but has caring responsibilities, is self-employed and from England. Furthermore, the report found that around 89% of those surveyed identified as white with fewer than 10% identifying within the Black or minority ethnic category. More than 82% delivering sign language interpretation are women and 69% of respondents indicate no disability or mental health conditions. The report, sets out a list of 20 recommendations that include the introduction of targeted recruitment programs aimed at attracting students from diverse backgrounds including ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+, men, deaf and the disabled people, to pursue a career as a sign language translator or interpreter. Credit: Heriot-Watt University Professor Jemina Napier, Director of Research for the School of Social Sciences at Heriot-Watt University, led the study. She stressed the need for sign language translators and interpreters to represent all backgrounds and communities. She said: "This study has evidenced what we have suspected anecdotally for some time in the UK profession: that the demographic profile of practicing sign language translators and interpreters does not reflect or represent characteristics of the wider population or the British deaf community. Although the profession demonstrates effective recruitment from some minority groups (e.g. with a higher proportion of SLTIs who identify as LGBTQIA+ than the wider community), other intersectional characteristics, particularly race and ethnicity are under-represented." In their report for ASLI the researchers highlight an opportunity for deaf-led organizations to work more closely together to ensure the sign language translator and interpreter profession meets the needs of communities across the UK. As noted by research collaborator Dr. Chijioke Obasi from the University of the West of Scotland: Credit: Heriot-Watt University "As a black academic who has researched and published on issues of race and ethnicity in sign language interpreter education training and practice, I was very pleased to be invited to join the research team. The issues of identity and intersectionality are being more widely recognized in many professions and organizations. This report provides a great opportunity to raise the profile of these issues within the sign language interpreter and translator professions." Dr. Robert Adam, a deaf assistant professor and head of the British Sign Language team in the Department of Languages & Intercultural Studies at Heriot-Watt University, was on the research team and also translated the main findings and recommendations into BSL. He said: "It is pleasing to see that this study was able to examine the diversity of the sign language translation and interpreting profession and see where we can do better about representation of minority groups. There is nothing as empowering for people as seeing someone from their own minority background doing this kind of work and we should be doing all we can to encouraging greater representation in the profession." Explore further Robot uses tactile sign language to help deaf-blind people communicate independently Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Legally protected characteristics such as race, gender, or sexual orientation cannot be used by companies to discriminate against job applicants. However, regardless of the presence or absence of formal protections, many biases seep through based on hiring managers' personal subjectivityindeed, surface level cues like body piercings, tattoos, and smoking can negatively impact applicants' job prospects. Dr. Namita Bhatnagar, Professor and F. Ross Johnson Fellow of Marketing at the Asper School of Business and co-author Dr. Nicolas Roulin, Saint Mary's University, conducted two studies in Canada and the U.S. to examine interviewer reactions to cigarette and electronic-cigarette smokers. Their work titled Examining the impact of applicant smoking and vaping habits in job interviews was recently published in Human Relations. The authors used video-based interview simulations (with actors portraying job applicants and study participants enacting the role of interviewers) paired with eye tracking technology to look for "smokerism" and "vaperism" biases through various interview stages. They further investigated whether potential biases intensify when an applicant is not only a smoker but also belongs to an ethnic minority group. Study results showed that applicants classified as smokers were deemed as less qualified on unrelated attributes as soon as the interview started. While both cigarette smokers and vapers received discriminatory initial assessments, this phenomenon was more pronounced for cigarette smokers. These early impressions served as "anchors" and persisted through the interview to impact final assessments. Final assessments are key to ultimate job offers. While a strong interview benefited applicants, this was not enough to wash away smoking related biases. On an encouraging note, however, participants within a broad U.S. sample (many with hiring experience) did not judge the minority community applicant (portrayed by an East Indian actor) any differently than the majority ethnicity one (portrayed by a Caucasian actor). "These findings are a product of the public conversations surrounding cigarette and e-cigarette use," said Professor Namita Bhatnagar. "Historically, public health messaging has relied on stigmatization and shame-based dissuasion. For instance, public anti-smoking sentiments gained traction as evidence for the dangers of second-hand cigarette smoke emerged and public health campaigns successfully framed smokers as killers of non-smokers. A consequence has been the creation of a stigmatized group that faces biases and discrimination in spheres as far reaching as healthcare provision, professional and interpersonal interactions, and as shown in this research, access to employment. Questions have recently arisen around the ethics of stigma-based campaigns given the threats to human rights, creation of societal divides, "othering," and associated communication breakdowns, and the possibility of push back or intensification of stigmatized behaviors." Findings of this research carry real world implications for many affected parties. A significant portion of the population continues to smoke cigarettes, and vaping has gained popularity amongst both adults and (worryingly) youths. There are also many avenues for smoking status disclosure in the real and virtual worlds, and especially so given the prevalence of social media use and cyber vetting by recruiters. In addition to making personal health related assessments, smokers and vapers need to be aware of the impact of their leisure-based activities in important contexts such as employment access. Recruiters would benefit from bias awareness and de-stigmatization training. And importantly, public health marketers can explore alternative non-stigma tactics that balance the need for dissuasion with that of unfounded bias mitigation. More information: Nicolas Roulin et al, Examining the impact of applicant smoking and vaping habits in job interviews, Human Relations (2020). Journal information: Human Relations Nicolas Roulin et al, Examining the impact of applicant smoking and vaping habits in job interviews,(2020). DOI: 10.1177/0018726720912320 The recently announced plan in India to expand its oil palm plantations raises concerns that this could lead to large-scale deforestation. Credit: jefftss (https://pixabay.com/users/jefftss-1053543/) from Pixabay India's newly announced plan to move from being the world's biggest importer of palm oil to that of major producer of the crop may be at the cost of large-scale deforestation of ecologically sensitive areas. An official note posted recently said the union cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved the launch of a National Mission on Palm Oil that would have a "special focus on the north-east region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands." "Due to the heavy dependence on imports for edible oils, it is important to make efforts for increasing the domestic production of edible oils in which increasing area and productivity of oil palm plays an important part," the note said. According to the Solvent Extractors Association of India, the country spends an average of US$10 billion on importing palm oilthe cheapest source of fat that goes into the processed food and cosmetic industries. India aspires to bring one million hectares of land under oil palm cultivation by 2025, scaling up from its current cultivation area of around 0.37 million hectares. The Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research has assessed that the country has 2.8 million hectares of land that could potentially be used for oil palm cultivation. The government has allocated US$1.5 billion to help achieve this target. By 202526, India's crude oil production is expected to reach 1.12 million tons, rising to 2.8 million tons by 202930. "The decision of the government is nothing new but a continuation of the previous government policies to reduce dependency from import of edible oil," says Siraj Hussain, India's former secretary of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. Hussain explains to SciDev.Net that when he was the secretary, he too pushed oil palm plantation as it "yields about five times more oil than other edible oils per hectare of cultivated area." However, India's drive to expand palm oil production has not been welcomed by local politicians and experts who warn that it could lead to large-scale deforestation, disturbances to sensitive ecosystems and trigger land conflicts in tribal areas. Agatha Sangma, a member of parliament from Meghalaya state in the north-east, tells SciDev.Net that she has written to the prime minister opposing the move on the grounds that it would ruin the country's environment, citing the experiences of Indonesia and Malaysia where around 3.5 million hectares of forest have been converted into oil palm plantations. "Our north-east region has rich biodiversity and it will get ruined soon if the palm oil mission is implemented," she says adding that the plan could also lead to land conflict with ethnic peoples. According to the World Wildlife Fund, a leading conservation organization, oil palm plantations are spreading across Asia, Africa and Latin America at the "expense of tropical forestswhich form critical habitats for many endangered species and a lifeline for some human communities." "Besides causing large scale deforestation of rainforest of the region, it would invite conflict between private companies and ethnic tribes as private companies are going to indirectly control their land," says T R Shankar Raman of Nature Conservation Foundation, a South India based non-profit organization which has carried out a detailed study on the negative effects of oil palm plantations in Mizoram, a north-eastern state. A review paper published in Advances in Agronomy says that the conversion of forest land into oil palm plantations reduces water infiltration and dry season water flows, and increase soil erosion, sedimentation and surface runoff. Another study shows that bird populations declined when natural forests were replaced by oil palm plantations in Mizoram. "It is time to promote traditional oil seed varieties like coconut rather than industrial-scale production of oil with exotic species," says Kartini Samon, an Indonesia-based activist who works with GRAIN, an international non-profit that supports small-scale farmers and community-based biodiversity conservation. In April, Sri Lanka banned imports of palm oil and ordered the phased uprooting of palm oil plantations in favor of crops that are regarded as more environment-friendly such as coconut, tea and rubber. Explore further Image: Palm oil plantations in Borneo as seen from orbit Provided by SciDev.Net Figure 1: The distribution of dark matter in a snapshot from Uchuu. The images show the dark matter halo of the largest galaxy cluster formed in the simulation at different magnifications. Credit: Tomoaki Ishiyama Forget about online games that promise you a "whole world" to explore. An international team of researchers has generated an entire virtual universe, and made it freely available on the cloud to everyone. Uchuu (meaning "outer space" in Japanese) is the largest and most realistic simulation of the universe to date. The Uchuu simulation consists of 2.1 trillion particles in a computational cube an unprecedented 9.63 billion light-years to a side. For comparison, that's about three-quarters the distance between Earth and the most distant observed galaxies. Uchuu reveals the evolution of the universe on a level of both size and detail inconceivable until now. Uchuu focuses on the large-scale structure of the universe: mysterious halos of dark matter that control not only the formation of galaxies, but also the fate of the entire universe itself. The scale of these structures ranges from the largest galaxy clusters down to the smallest galaxies. Individual stars and planets aren't resolved, so don't expect to find any alien civilizations in Uchuu. But one way that Uchuu wins big in comparison to other virtual worlds is the time domain; Uchuu simulates the evolution of matter over almost the entire 13.8 billion year history of the universe from the Big Bang to the present. That is over 30 times longer than the time since animal life first crawled out of the seas on Earth. The time evolution of dark matter structures in Uchuu. Credit: Tomoaki Ishiyama, Hirotaka Nakayama, 4D2U Project, NAOJ Julia F. Ereza, a Ph.D. student at IAA-CSIC who uses Uchuu to study the large-scale structure of the universe explains the importance of the time domain, "Uchuu is like a time machine: we can go forward, backward and stop in time, we can ''zoom in'' on a single galaxy or ''zoom out'' to visualize a whole cluster, we can see what is really happening at every instant and in every place of the universe from its earliest days to the present, being an essential tool to study the cosmos." An international team of researchers from Japan, Spain, U.S.A., Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, and Italy created Uchuu using ATERUI II, the world's most powerful supercomputer dedicated to astronomy. Even with all this power, it still took a year to produce Uchuu. Tomoaki Ishiyama, an associate professor at Chiba University who developed the code used to generate Uchuu, explains, "To produce Uchuu we have used ... all 40,200 processors (CPU cores) available exclusively for 48 hours each month. Twenty million supercomputer hours were consumed, and 3 Petabytes of data were generated, the equivalent of 894,784,853 pictures from a 12-megapixel cell phone." Before you start worrying about download time, the research team used high-performance computational techniques to compress information on the formation and evolution of dark matter haloes in the Uchuu simulation into a 100-terabyte catalog. This catalog is now available to everyone on the cloud in an easy to use format thanks to the computational infrastructure skun6 located at the Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia (IAA-CSIC), the RedIRIS group, and the Galician Supercomputing Center (CESGA). Future data releases will include catalogs of virtual galaxies and gravitational lensing maps. Time evolution of the number of halos in each mass range as predicted by this simulation. The bar extending horizontally from each circle and triangle represents the range of the halo masses. The vertical axis is the number of haloes found in a cube about 9.6 billion light-years on each side. The gradient bars at the top of the figure represent the categories of objects found in haloes of that mass. The Uchuu simulation predicts that numerous haloes with masses comparable to the halo of our own galaxy were already formed about 13 billion years ago. Credit: Tomoaki Ishiyama Big Data science products from Uchuu will help astronomers learn how to interpret Big Data galaxy surveys expected in coming years from facilities like the Subaru Telescope and the ESA Euclid space mission. These results appeared as Ishiyama et al. "The Uchuu simulations: Data Release 1 and dark matter halo concentrations" in the September 2021 issue of Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Provided by Center for Computational Astrophysics Compound environmental shocks and their impact on food insecurity in Nepal, one of the worlds most disaster-prone countries, was the focus of research conducted by faculty in Penn States College of Agricultural Sciences. Credit: Creative Commons/India Water Portal The effects of monsoon rainfall on food insecurity in Nepal vary by earthquake exposure, with regions that experienced both heavy earthquake shaking and abundant rainfall more likely to have an inadequate supply of nutritious food. That is one of the conclusions of a study led by Heather Randell, assistant professor of rural sociology and demography in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. She said the findings have implications for Nepalone of the most disaster-prone countries in the worldand for countries around the globe, given the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events due to climate change. "While many studies have examined how individual natural disasters or adverse weather events impact crop production and food security, little is known about the effects of exposure to multiple events in close succession," Randell said. "The knowledge gained from this study can serve as a platform to create adaptation strategies that will improve global health and promote sustainable development." Randell, who began the study as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Maryland, explained that climate change leads to an increased risk of multiple environmental hazards occurring within a short timeframe. These combined stressors, called compound events, present unique challenges, given that the first hazard may undermine a household's or community's ability to withstand subsequent hazards. Nepal, a landlocked country in South Asia, experiences high rates of poverty and food insecurity. Thirty-six percent of Nepali children under the age of 5 years suffer from chronic malnutrition, per U.S. Agency for International Development statistics. The country's economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, with monsoon rainfalla weather phenomenon that brings rain to the region between June and Septemberplaying a critical role in agricultural production, Randell pointed out. When the monsoon begins later than usual or when rainfall is below normal, agricultural production can suffer, affecting food security. "With climate change, Nepal is projected to experience increased monsoon rainfall variability, with a greater frequency of above- and below-normal rainfall as well as heavy rain events," she said. "These heavy rainfall events also can trigger flooding and landslides, which can lead to negative agricultural, health and economic impacts." Not only that, but Nepal is one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the world given its proximity to two converging tectonic plates: the India plate and the overriding Eurasia plate to the north. In April 2015, the 7.8-magnitude Gorkha earthquake hit near Kathmandu, killing 9,000 people and injuring many others. More than 600,000 structures were damaged. Though earthquake magnitude and frequency are unrelated to climate change, earthquakes may interact with environmental hazards that are becoming more severe due to climate change, such as heavy rainfall events, noted Randell. "Recently, Haiti experienced a magnitude 7.2 earthquake followed by Tropical Storm Grace, which impeded the rescue process and flooded areas damaged by the earthquake," she said. "These types of events raise the questionhow can we better plan for compound events to protect the most vulnerable?" Working with Amir Sapkota, a professor of environmental epidemiology at the University of Maryland, Randell and a team of scientists examined data from the 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey. This survey, which was distributed to women in about 11,000 households in 73 of Nepal's 75 districts, contained information on food security, geographic location and an array of household- and community-level variables. That information was integrated with earthquake intensity data from the U.S. Geological Survey and monsoon rainfall data from the Climate-Weather Research and Forecasting Model. Fourteen of Nepal's districts experienced the most severe earthquake impacts in terms of deaths, injuries and damage to infrastructure. Randell and the team hypothesized that these earthquake-affected households would be more vulnerable to drought conditions than households in areas not damaged by the earthquake. Surprisingly, among households that experienced at least moderate earthquake shaking, more rainfall was positively associated with food insecurity, particularly in steep, mountainous areas. Monsoon rainfall events triggered landslides in areas destabilized by the earthquake, which damaged roads, disrupted the distribution of food aid and destroyed agricultural land and assets. And, in regions that were minimally impacted by the earthquake, low rainfall was associated with increased food insecurity, likely due to lower agricultural productivity in drought conditions. Randell said additional research is needed on the social impacts of compound environmental shocks. "Through a better understanding of how compound events impact human health and well-being, we can better identify which groups are most vulnerable, and we will be able to assist communities to recover and build resilience more effectively," she said. Explore further How climate change limits educational access More information: Heather Randell et al, Food insecurity and compound environmental shocks in Nepal: Implications for a changing climate, World Development (2021). Heather Randell et al, Food insecurity and compound environmental shocks in Nepal: Implications for a changing climate,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2021.105511 An East European vole on Spitzbergen island. These animals were introduced to the Svalbard islands over a few decades. With no predators, their presence provides scientists with a living system to assess the impacts of predators on the populations cycles of small Arctic mammals. Credit: Nigel Yoccoz A decades-long study of voles on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard is offering insights into a longstanding puzzle of Arctic ecologyeffectively, what drives the well-established population cycles of small Arctic mammals, such as voles and lemmings. These plant-eating rodents are among the most populous mammals in the Arctic and are critical parts of the food web. The results, published online in the journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) by a team of Canadian and Norwegian scientists, suggest the importance of predators as a primary factor driving the regular, three-to-five-year cycles of abundance in small mammal populations. In essence, the study shows that bottom-up, herbivore-plant interactions fail to generate such population cycles. "What we have on Svalbard is a unique situation where the voles have no specialized predators, which is very different from their counterparts in other parts of the Arctic," says Dr. Dominique Fauteux, research scientist with the Canadian Museum of Nature, and lead author of the study. "This means we have a real-life, simple model in which to test the influences on their populations, when the regulation from predators is absent." Fauteux has studied the ecology and food webs of small mammals for 10 years in the Canadian Arctic, where Arctic foxes, ermines and raptors are their common predators. However, the complexities of the food web mean that it's challenging to tease out the relative importance of predators, the bottom-up influence of plants on herbivores, and non-biological factors such as weather and climate. The unusual situation on Svalbard provides some unique insights. The East European vole (Microtus levis) was likely introduced to Spitzbergen island (part of the Svalbard archipelago) via mining ships from Russia sometime from the 1920s to the 1960s. The island provided an isolated ecosystem with no significant predators, and grasses on which the voles thrived. Norwegian scientists, including study co-authors Dr. Rolf A. Ims, Dr. Audun Stien, and Dr. Nigel G. Yoccoz at the Arctic University of Norway, and Dr. Eva Fuglei at the Norwegian Polar Institute, monitored populations of the voles over two decades in the 1990s and 2000s. They tagged and tracked them using live-trapping. The voles burrow in rocky outcrops, and thrive on the grass covering the enriched soil along coastal slopes, which are fertilized by droppings of Thick-billed Murres and Black-legged Kittiwakes that breed on nearby cliffs. The grassy slopes and rocky ridges where the scientists live-trapped the East European voles to monitor their populations. Credit: Dominique Fauteux The vole population fluctuated dramatically over the two decadesfrom peaks of about 120 per hectare, to an almost total absence. However, the scientists found that unlike the populations of voles in other Arctic and boreal regions, the voles of Svalbard showed no significant cyclic pattern in their population dynamics. Fauteux used this data and brought to bear demographic analyses to strengthen the team's hypothesis about the importance of predators in regulating the population dynamics. The team then tested theoretical models with the results from Fauteux's analyses to determine if the observed demographic processes could lead to similar population cycles observed elsewhere. If the availability of food for the voles was a primary factor, then the voles of Svalbard would also expect to show the typical three-to-five year cycle. This was not the case. "The strength of our study is that because we have such a simple system, we have good evidence that access to food cannot be the only factor for creating the typical cycles for small mammals." This points to the importance of top-down, predator-prey regulation for small mammal populations, he notes. A secondary part of the study looked at the influence of climate on the population fluctuations. Previous work by the Norwegian researchers has shown that rain on snow during winters created crusty layers that would impede both the voles and Svalbard reinder from accessing the plants underneath the snow. Extreme population declines resulted over winters where there was significant rain on snow. The current study by Fauteux and his collaborators; however, shows that population declines also happen when the density of voles is very high in the falllikely leading to overgrazing with reduced survival during the long Arctic winters. A theoretical model informed by these empirical results shows that the combination of climate variability and density-dependent overgrazing in winter contributes to the irregular "boom-bust" dynamics of this High Arctic vole population. Explore further Amount of attention from parents found to impact baby voles later in life More information: Climate variability and density-dependent population dynamics: Lessons from a simple High Arctic ecosystem, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Climate variability and density-dependent population dynamics: Lessons from a simple High Arctic ecosystem,(2021). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2106635118 Provided by Canadian Museum of Nature Representative image of a branching tree. Credit: Kevin Wenning/Unsplash.com The diversity of human languages can be likened to branches on a tree. If you're reading this in English, you're on a branch that traces back to a common ancestor with Scots, which traces back to a more distant ancestor that split off into German and Dutch. Moving further in, there's the European branch that gave rise to Germanic; Celtic; Albanian; the Slavic languages; the Romance languages like Italian and Spanish; Armenian; Baltic; and Hellenic Greek. Before this branch, and some 5,000 years into human history, there's Indo-Europeana major proto-language that split into the European branch on one side, and on the other, the Indo-Iranian ancestor of modern Persian, Nepali, Bengali, Hindi, and many more. One of the defining goals of historical linguistics is to map the ancestry of modern languages as far back as it will goperhaps, some linguists hope, to a single common ancestor that would constitute the trunk of the metaphorical tree. But while many thrilling connections have been suggested based on systemic comparisons of data from most of the world's languages, much of the work, which goes back as early as the 1800s, has been prone to error. Linguists are still debating over the internal structure of such well-established families as Indo-European, and over the very existence of chronologically deeper and larger families. To test which branches hold up under the weight of scrutiny, a team of researchers associated with the Evolution of Human Languages program is using a novel technique to comb through the data and to reconstruct major branches in the linguistic tree. In two recent papers, they examine the ~5,000-year-old Indo-European family, which has been well studied, and a more tenuous, older branch known as the Altaic macrofamily, which is thought to connect the linguistic ancestors of such distant languages as Turkish, Mongolian, Korean, and Japanese. "The deeper you want to go back in time, the less you can rely on classic methods of language comparison to find meaningful correlates," says co-author George Starostin, an Santa Fe Institute external professor based at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. He explains that one of the major challenges when comparing across languages is distinguishing between words that have similar sounds and meanings because they might descend from a common ancestor, from those that are similar because their cultures borrowed terms from each other in the more recent past. "We have to get to the deepest layer of language to identify its ancestry because the outer layers, they are contaminated. They get easily corrupted by replacements and borrowings," he says. To tap into the core layers of language, Starostin's team starts with an established list of core, universal concepts from the human experience. It includes meanings like "rock," "fire," "cloud," "two," "hand," and "human," amongst 110 total concepts. Working from this list, the researchers then use classic methods of linguistic reconstruction to come up with a number of word shapes which they then match with specific meanings from the list. The approach, dubbed "onomasiological reconstruction," notably differs from traditional approaches to comparative linguistics because it focuses on finding which words were used to express a given meaning in the proto-language, rather than on reconstructing phonetic shapes of those words and associating them with a vague cloud of meanings. Their latest re-classification of the Indo-European family, which applies the onomasiological principle and was published in the journal Linguistics, confirmed well-documented genealogies in the literature. Similar research on the Eurasian Altaic language group, whose proto-language dates back an estimated 8,000 years, confirmed a positive signal of a relationship between most major branches of AltaicTurkic, Mongolic, Tungusic, and Japanese. However, it failed to reproduce a previously published relationship between Korean and the other languages in the Altaic grouping. This could either mean that the new criteria were too strict or (less likely) that previous groupings were incorrect. As the researchers test and reconstruct the branches of human language, one of the ultimate goals is to understand the evolutionary paths languages follow over generations, much like evolutionary biologists do for living organisms. "One great thing about historical reconstruction of languages is that it's able to bring out a lot of cultural information," Starostin says. "Reconstructing its internal phylogeny, like we're doing in these studies, is the initial step to a much larger procedure of trying to reconstruct a large part of the lexical stock of that language, including its cultural lexicon." More information: Alexei S. Kassian et al, Rapid radiation of the inner Indo-European languages: an advanced approach to Indo-European lexicostatistics, Linguistics (2021). Alexei S. Kassian et al, Rapid radiation of the inner Indo-European languages: an advanced approach to Indo-European lexicostatistics,(2021). DOI: 10.1515/ling-2020-0060 Artists reconstruction of Carnotaurus based on the scaly skin of described in the present study. Credit: Jake Baardse One of the strangest carnivorous dinosaurs ever discovered has been given a makeover by a pair of Belgian and Australian palaeontologists. The remarkable fossil was discovered in 1984 by celebrated Argentine palaeontologist Jose Bonaparte who named the animal Carnotaurus, which translates as "carnivorous bull" in reference to its strange skull with large horns. The skeleton, which comes from Chubut Province of Patagonia, was preserved along with sheets of its scaly hide. Although scientists at the time knew other types of dinosaurs were scaly, Carnotaurus was the first meat-eating dinosaur discovered with skin. Although a number of scientists had looked at the fossilized skin, no one had studied it in detail. Palaeontologist Dr. Christophe Hendrickx from the Unidad Ejecutora Lillo in San Miguel de Tucuman, who led the present study said, "by looking at the skin from the shoulders, belly and tail regions, we discovered that the skin of this dinosaur was more diverse than previously thought, consisting of large and randomly distributed conical studs surrounded by a network of small elongated, diamond-shaped or subcircular scales." Hendrickx worked with Dr. Phil Bell, an expert in dinosaur skin, from the University of New England in Australia who pointed out the large studs and small scales of Carnotaurus is reminiscent of the thorny devil lizard found in Outback Australia. Unlike more recent discoveries of feathered dinosaurs, particularly from China, the 8-meter-long Carnotaurus was entirely scaly, with no evidence of feathers. As an active predator, the scientists speculate the scales would have been important in regulating the animals body temperature, as they do in modern reptiles. The study was published in the journal Cretaceous Research. Explore further Carnivorous dinosaur had crocodile-like senses More information: Christophe Hendrickx et al, The scaly skin of the abelisaurid Carnotaurus sastrei (Theropoda: Ceratosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia, Cretaceous Research (2021). Journal information: Cretaceous Research Christophe Hendrickx et al, The scaly skin of the abelisaurid Carnotaurus sastrei (Theropoda: Ceratosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104994 Quolls help to balance ecosystems, but their numbers have been hard hit by introduced species and humans. Credit: Judy Dunlop/Supplied European colonists mistakenly labeled quolls as "native cats" when in fact they are among Australia's last living carnivorous marsupials. Often overshadowed by their better-known cousins the Tasmanian Devils and the extinct Tasmanian Tiger (thylacine), quolls have a 15 million year history in Australia, successfully balancing shifting ecosystems by suppressing prey species and cleaning up carrion. But quolls have been hard-hit by humans. Populations of most species have declined drastically in the modern era. One species, the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus), is even thought to have gone extinct in mainland Australia in the late 20th century due to a combination of disease, being hunted by the introduced red fox and poisoning by humans (baits meant for foxes, feral cats and rodents are also lethal to quolls). Today, wild populations of this species are isolated to Tasmania. However, an ambitious program is underway to reintroduce eastern quolls to their native range on mainland Australia, by translocating captive-bred animals from Tasmania and mainland sanctuaries. And the long-term success of this effort may well depend on using genetics to help the eastern quoll re-adapt to the changed mainland environment. It is why our team of researchers are so excited about having now produced the first-ever genome sequence for the eastern quoll (bioproject: PRJNA758704) using Dovetail Genomic's Omni-C technology. Sequencing the genome means that we have been able to map the order of the chemical building blocks of the eastern quoll's DNA, enabling us to read new information about how the animal's genetics work. The research team has spanned several universities including the University of Melbourne, University of Tasmania (UTAS) and the Australian National University (ANU) as part of a research grant from wildlife conservation group Revive and Restore. We've also had crucial help from WWF-Australia's Rewilding Unit and Taronga Zoo which provided samples collected at Aussie Ark, a captive-breeding center and semi-wild safe haven for eastern quolls. The ongoing work to reintroduce the eastern quoll has recently been tested at Booderee National Park on the NSW south coast, which has provided valuable data towards making this goal a reality. But major challenges to the reestablishment of viable mainland quoll populations remain. One possible challenge is that because the eastern quoll population in Tasmania has adapted to that island State's unique environment, we don't know yet how this may affect their re-introduction to the mainland. Tasmania represents the most southern and coldest part of the eastern quoll's historical range, and native populations have been evolving in isolation there for around 14,000 years, since the end of the last ice age or Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). While helpful for surviving in Tasmania, these same adaptations may actually be disadvantageous in warmer, drying climates on mainland Australia. This is why sequencing the genome is important. By mapping all of the quoll's genes, it is now possible to identify genetic variation across both living and extinct quoll populations in ways that we can use to guide breeding and release programs to boost the chances of these Tasmania quolls re-adapting to the mainland. This work is part of Revive & Restore's broader Wild Genomes program that aims to promote genetic rescue in environmentally-critical species through the integration of cutting-edge techniques and technologies into biodiversity conservation. While eastern quoll genomics is still in its infancy, our team is already using our new genomic resource to begin examining the history of eastern quoll population declines in Australia. We do this using a clever approach. Most animals have two copies of every chromosome, one from their mother and one from their father. With the exception of the sex chromosomes (X and Y), each pair of chromosomes contains nearly the same DNA. This is because all chromosome pairs ultimately share a common ancestry. Occasionally though, random mutations create small numbers of changes in the letters of the DNA of one chromosome, making it slightly different from its pair. These mutations accumulate over generations at a fairly steady rate. By comparing this record of mutations between segments of chromosome pairs in the eastern quoll genome to information about mutation rate (how frequently mutations occur per generation) and the generation time of a species, we should be able to estimate how long ago two chromosomes diverged from each other. The time periods when many chromosome segments share a common origin represent population bottlenecks, where population sizes decreased. Using this sort of information we can decipher the genetic fingerprints of why and how the living Tasmanian eastern quolls have diverged from their tragically extinct mainland relatives. We can then use this knowledge to guide expanded population-genetic studies of eastern quolls to ultimately improve genetic management through the breeding of both wild and captive-bred quolls. As Rob Brewster, WWF-Australia's rewilding program manager wrote to me, "By combining applied ecosystem restoration ecology with the latest in DNA science, we may one day see eastern quolls return home to mainland Australia and resume the ecosystem services they've provided for millions of years." Explore further Quolls reintroduced to Australian mainland after extinction An illustration by study coauthor Stephanie Gamez depicts flightless females and sterile male mosquitoes, features of the new precision-guided sterile insect technique, or pgSIT, which is designed to control disease-spreading Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Credit: Stephanie Gamez, UC San Diego Leveraging advancements in CRISPR-based genetic engineering, researchers at the University of California San Diego have created a new system that restrains populations of mosquitoes that infect millions each year with debilitating diseases. The new precision-guided sterile insect technique, or pgSIT, alters genes linked to male fertilitycreating sterile offspringand female flight in Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species responsible for spreading wide-ranging diseases including dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika. "pgSIT is a new scalable genetic control system that uses a CRISPR-based approach to engineer deployable mosquitoes that can suppress populations," said UC San Diego Biological Sciences Professor Omar Akbari. "Males don't transmit diseases so the idea is that as you release more and more sterile males, you can suppress the population without relying on harmful chemicals and insecticides." Details of the new pgSIT are described September 10, 2021, in the journal Nature Communications. pgSIT differs from "gene drive" systems that could suppress disease vectors by passing desired genetic alterations indefinitely from one generation to the next. Instead, pgSIT uses CRISPR to sterilize male mosquitoes and render female mosquitoes, which spread disease, as flightless. The system is self-limiting and is not predicted to persist or spread in the environment, two important safety features that should enable acceptance for this technology. Akbari says the envisioned pgSIT system could be implemented by deploying eggs of sterile males and flightless females at target locations where mosquito-borne disease spread is occurring. "Supported by mathematical models, we empirically demonstrate that released pgSIT males can compete, and suppress and even eliminate mosquito populations," the researchers note in the Nature Communications paper. "This platform technology could be used in the field, and adapted to many vectors, for controlling wild populations to curtail disease in a safe, confinable and reversible manner." UC San Diego Postdoctoral Scholar Ming Li, first author of a Nature Communications paper describing a CRISPR-based precision-guided sterile insect technique in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, shown sorting pgSIT mosquito larvae. Credit: Akbari Lab, UC San Diego Although molecular genetic engineering tools are new, farmers have been sterilizing male insects to protect their crops since at least the 1930s. United States growers in the 1950s began using radiation to sterilize pest species such as the New World Screwworm fly, which is known to destroy livestock. Similar radiation-based methods continue today, along with the use of insecticides. pgSIT is designed as a much more precise and scalable technology since it uses CRISPRnot radiation or chemicalsto alter key mosquito genes. The system is based on a method that was announced by UC San Diego in 2019 by Akbari and his colleagues in the fruit fly Drosophila. As envisioned, Akbari says pgSIT eggs can be shipped to a location threatened by mosquito-borne disease or developed at an on-site facility that could produce the eggs for nearby deployment. Once the pgSIT eggs are released in the wild, typically at a peak rate of 100-200 pgSIT eggs per Aedes aegypti adult, sterile pgSIT males will emerge and eventually mate with females, driving down the wild population as needed. Beyond Aedes aegypti, the researchers believe the pgSIT technology could be directed to other species that spread disease. " This study suggests pgSIT may be an efficient technology for mosquito population control and the first example of one suited for real-world release," the researchers say. "Going forward, pgSIT may provide an efficient, safe, scalable, and environmentally friendly alternative next-generation technology for wild population control of mosquitoes resulting in wide-scale prevention of human disease transmission." More information: Suppressing mosquito populations with precision guided sterile males, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications Suppressing mosquito populations with precision guided sterile males,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25421-w Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Invisible lines marked on maps are hindering current efforts to conserve the world's marine species such as sea turtles, according to University of Queensland research. The study looked at more than 28,000 distribution maps of the world's marine species and found more than 90 percent lived in or traveled through at least two political jurisdictions, with 58 percent covering more than 10 jurisdictions. UQ marine ecology researcher Dr. Leslie Roberson said these facts highlighted the need for nations to work together to better direct their conservation efforts. "We try to fit nature into our abstract concept of borders, for instance protecting a species in one country but those protections end as soon as it crosses into the neighboring country," she said. "This is a problem for nature conservation on land, but it is an even bigger problem in the ocean because the lines we draw on the map make even less ecological sense in the water. "For example, most sea turtle species are threatened and migrate across country borders. "If one country has exceptional conservation protections but its neighbors are catching turtles as bycatch, increasing plastic pollution or simply hunting them, then the species can be compromised overall. "The extent to which some species span multiple jurisdictions proves how important it is for marine conservationists to not only consider their own country, but their neighbors and their neighbor's neighbor." UQ conservationist scientist Associate Professor Carissa Klein said the transboundary nature of many marine plants and animals is complex, making conservation efforts even more challenging. "This is true for big animals that we know can move around a lot, like orcas, which occur in 220 countries, but also for a lot of smaller and less flashy species like seagrasses, corals or crabs," Dr. Klein said. "Even if the individual animal or plant doesn't move much, these species are found in many countries and are connected across large distances because how things like food, disease, pollution and eggs move in the ocean. "Individual countries are responsible for managing and conserving marine species that occur within their own boundaries. "This means that effective conservation of transboundary species requires coordination among countriescollaboration and the sharing of resources and knowledge between nations and industries is the most effective way to develop and implement marine conservation solutions. "We need to combine many sources of knowledge about the ocean, such as fishing, mining and shipping industries, the military and traditional scientific data across all jurisdictions if we're to make meaningful impacts." Dr. Roberson said Australia's ocean territory was one of the most important places on Earth when it came to conservation efforts because of its vast number of local and transboundary species. "There are a lot of changes happening in Australian waters right now that will inhibit the successful conservation of these transboundary species including increasing threats from mining, oil and other industries," she said. "Australia really needs to show regional leadership in marine conservation. "What Australia chooses to do with its ocean doesn't only affect Australiait's critical for the biodiversity we share with Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and countries around the world." The research is published in Global Change Biology . Explore further Grim warning for Aussie species in conservation checklist More information: Leslie A. Roberson et al, Multinational coordination required for conservation of over 90% of marine species, Global Change Biology (2021). Journal information: Global Change Biology Leslie A. Roberson et al, Multinational coordination required for conservation of over 90% of marine species,(2021). DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15844 Reynolds recalled seeing the thousands of pictures being hung everywhere by frantic relatives asking if they had seen one of their loved ones who had gone missing in the towers. They spent a month in New York City. Reynolds said he stood by the comments he made in an interview at the time saying that the work was sad and it also made him angry. The attacks changed the world in many ways. It changed the trajectory of his career. He was deployed to Iraq in 2005. Reynolds said tucked inside his body armor was a newspaper photograph that was taken by a firefighter on his way into the collapsing towers. He also brought that photo with him to his deployment to Afghanistan in 2010. Regarding the recent withdrawal of military forces from the country, he said that obviously nobody expected that the United States was going to stay forever. He said he believes the exit could have been handled differently and he said he believes it is going to make American less safe. However, he did not want soldiers to feel disheartened. America did its mission, he said. Saratoga County and statewide As we continue to fight COVID-19 and work with localities and all our health providers who are operating our vaccination sites, it is important to remember that we are all in this together every one of us. Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a news release. Thats how we got through the worst phase of this pandemic, and its how well get to the end of it. The vaccine works. It is our strongest weapon in this fight, and millions of New Yorkers have already taken it and are better protected as a result. Getting vaccinated is not only essential to protect your own health, but the best way to protect everyone around you. FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) Zacarias Moussaoui remains the only person ever convicted in a U.S. court in connection with the Sept. 11 attacks. A behind-the-scenes look at the trial Thursday from its lead participants demonstrated how hard it was to bring it to justice. Rob Spencer, the lead prosecutor on the Moussaoui case, recalled the battles he and others in the Justice Department fought to keep Moussaoui in civilian courts at a time when military prosecutors and others wanted him to face a tribunal at Guantanamo Bay. When things werent looking rosy for us on the prosecution, we would joke to each other that you could hear the Black Hawk helicopter coming to pick him up and take him to Gitmo, Spencer recalled Thursday during an online panel hosted by federal prosecutors in Virginia. The forum was part of a commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, who presided over the case, said there were points during the trial that she and her clerks believed prosecutors wouldn't even clear the first hurdle with the jury and be able to prove that Moussaoui was legally eligible for the death penalty. And then Moussaoui took the stand, Brinkema said. WASHINGTON (AP) Solar energy has the potential to supply up to 40% of the nation's electricity within 15 years a 10-fold increase over current solar output, but one that would require massive changes in U.S. policy and billions of dollars in federal investment to modernize the nation's electric grid, a new federal report says. The report by the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy says the United States would need to quadruple its annual solar capacity and continue to increase it year by year as it shifts to a renewable-dominant grid in order to address the existential threat posed by climate change. The report released Wednesday is not intended as a policy statement or administration goal, officials said. Instead, it is "designed to guide and inspire the next decade of solar innovation by helping us answer questions like: How fast does solar need to increase capacity and to what level?'' said Becca Jones-Albertus, director of the Energy Department's solar energy technologies office. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a statement that the study "illuminates the fact that solar, our cheapest and fastest-growing source of clean energy, could produce enough electricity to power all of the homes in the U.S. by 2035 and employ as many as 1.5 million people in the process." Local top story Elections board faces possible emergency move due to power cutoff Matthew Strabuk, For The Press Atlantic County Board of Elections Chair Evelynn Caterson stands in the "vault" room, where the ballots have been handled and processed and are awaiting their turn at the scanning machine at the Board of Elections office in Mays Landing. MAYS LANDING A landlords $100,000 unpaid utility bill may force the Atlantic County Board of Elections out of its rental space on Atlantic Avenue, just as the board is set to begin its work on the 2021 election. The county clerk will begin sending mail-in ballots to voters Sept. 18, and the board will begin picking them up from drop boxes to be processed for counting Sept. 20, said board Chair Lynn Caterson. Atlantic City Electric has given the owner, 5218 Property LLC of Brooklyn, New York, until Sunday to pay or face shutoff of power, according to sources close to the situation. That would mean all of the boards sensitive and large scanning equipment, office furniture and more than 140,000 paper ballots cast in the 2020 election would have to be moved in about a day while the power is still on. The boards offices are on the third floor, and some of the equipment is too big to bring down stairs so would need an elevator to remove. The building owner could not be reached for comment Thursday. It is unclear whether the company faced stresses due to COVID-19 and might be eligible for some type of government relief funds. Results of 2020 Atlantic County commissioner race finally final Assignment Judge Julio Mendez accepted the results of a recount in the 2020 at-large Atlantic County commissioners race Wednesday, and ordered the county clerk to change the official vote to reflect the recount. Atlantic County government is working with the Board of Elections to resolve the problem, the county administration said in a statement Thursday. The county has asked the utility to consider leaving the power on through the end of the year so it can fulfill its responsibilities for the 2021 election while providing social distancing space for staff. The space also provides a secure site to store more than 140,000 paper ballots cast in the 2020 election. In an email statement late Thursday, a spokesman for Atlantic City Electric said the company cannot discuss the financial or account circumstances of any customer, but that it understands the pandemic has significantly impacted South Jersey. We make every attempt to keep our customers connected, including helping them identify programs and funding that can help. ... We will continue to work with every customer prior to potential disconnection of service, the utilitys statement said. The elections board first rented the 11,800-square-foot space from September 2020 through much of the year in preparation for the states first mostly vote-by-mail general election in November, which was ordered by Gov. Phil Murphy to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Atlantic commissioners to vote on more staff, storage for election superintendent NORTHFIELD Superintendent of Elections Maureen Bugdon may soon get some help in dealing with the demands of early voting and other changes in how elections are conducted. It gave the staff room for social distancing and for handling the incredible number of paper vote-by-mail ballots the board received and counted. The county has extended the lease four times, most recently through the end of the year, at a total cost of $239,610.50. The most recent extension came at a cost of $85,585. Previously, the board operated out of the renovated historic county jail in Mays Landing, a small stone structure where many offices were in former inmate cells. There was one meeting room, but it was nowhere near large enough for the extra staff needed in November 2020, let alone the additional space for proper social distancing. The Board of Elections commissioners are aware of the situation and are awaiting word from the county administration as to how the issue will be addressed, Caterson said in an email late Thursday. Atlantic County to spend $2 million on early voting machines NORTHFIELD The Atlantic County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved two resolutions to spend about $2 million on new equipment for early voting, as requested by county Superintendent of Elections Maureen Bugdon. The building has two other main tenants. There are state offices on the ground floor, and an IRS office is on the second floor. While this years election, in which there will be nine days of early voting on machines and Election Day machine voting, is not expected to generate anywhere near as many paper vote-by-mail ballots, there is still a need for expanded space for social distancing as the delta variant of the coronavirus continues to spread. The elections board is responsible for recruiting and training poll workers, receiving vote-by-mail ballots and counting them as well as counting paper provisional ballots, and more. Its been a challenging year for the board. First, it had to handle 142,000 paper ballots in the November 2020 general election about 10 times the number of paper ballots it previously handled in an election. Then, candidates challenged the results of two commissioner elections, suing and eventually winning a new election in one race and a total recount in the other. The board, along with the superintendent of elections and county clerk, was also charged earlier this year with making early voting happen for the coming general election Nov. 2. Atlantic County Board of Elections increases early voting sites to 6 The Atlantic County Board of Elections agreed Friday night to set up six early voting sites for the November election, rather than the five required by state law, to give voters in the geographically large western part of the county an additional location. The superintendent of elections has had to purchase new equipment, and the elections board has had to hire and train more poll workers and find early voting sites. At the Aug. 3 meeting, Republican Commissioner Frank Balles asked whether the county should consider buying or building space for the elections board. It appears that this is going to go on a long, long time, having to rent this space, said Balles. I think there will be special elections and recounts in our future. We have to be able to plan for it. Over time, Balles said, renting could easily cost more than building or buying a new facility. We have looked for another location. We didnt like the space, said county Administrator Jerry DelRosso at the time. At some point we have to have a long-term discussion. Related Rental expenses for Atlantic County elections board up another $85,585 Atlantic County commissioners voted Tuesday to spend another $85,585 to rent space through the end of the year for the Board of Elections, all I call this the next great chapter of AtlantiCare in Atlantic City, President and CEO Lori Herndon said. The services and programs that will be offered here are so badly needed for this region, and this reaffirms our sincere commitment to Atlantic City. Beginning at 6:30 a.m., doctors, nurses, administrative staff and local officials arrived at the construction site to write their names on the beam, which was painted white and adorned with the companys logo and an American flag. Just after 9:30 a.m., the crowd of nearly 100 people clapped and cheered as construction crews hoisted the beam through the air and onto the steel frame of the building. Its special, Herndon said. You really become a part of this (the project) because your name is on it. AtlantiCare to break ground on Medical Arts Pavilion on Tuesday ATLANTIC CITY AtlantiCare will break ground on a $38 million Medical Arts Pavilion in Atla The project, which broke ground March 30, is located on the same plot of land as the original Atlantic City Hospital, which opened in a Victorian house on Ohio Avenue more than 100 years ago. The $38 million, three-story, 69,700-square-foot Medical Arts Pavilion will house a dialysis unit, maternal and fetal health programs, and teaching facilities for medical students and physician residents. Bayada, a national home health care company based in Moorestown, Burlington County, agreed to pay $17 million to settle allegations of illegal kickbacks in exchange for patient referrals, U.S. Justice Department officials said Wednesday. A whistleblower suit filed in New Jersey in 2017 alleged that three years earlier Bayada had acquired two home-health agencies in Arizona from an operator of retirement communities to induce referrals of Medicare beneficiaries for home health services at the sellers retirement facilities nationwide. Details of the alleged kickbacks from early 2014 until October 2020 were unavailable because the original lawsuit remained under seal Wednesday. It is sealed because of allegations against other entities, the Justice Department said. Violations of anti-kickback law do not have to involve discrete payments. The prohibition extends to asset purchases that are intended to induce referrals, the Justice Department said. Bayada, which converted from a for-profit company to a nonprofit in 2018, denied the allegations in a statement and opted to settle to avoid the significant expense of protracted litigation and allow our focus to remain on providing high quality home health care to our patients. The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944 resulted in $100 million in damage. The Hurricane came close to the coast Sept. 14 into 15 of 1944. The h Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell sounds eager to throw political punches at the Treason Caucus his first jab at the 147 Republicans in the U.S. House who objected in January to the certification of Joe Bidens presidential victory. Rendell is now chair of an advisory committee for Never Again, a super PAC that bills itself as dedicated to holding the most dangerous Republicans in Congress accountable. At the top of Rendells list of targets: U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, who sounds ready to punch right back. Rendells mission: Raise money to drive Democratic voter turnout and sway independents and Republicans who rejected former President Donald Trumps false claims about the 2020 election and were repulsed by the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection that followed. He knows most of those 147 Republicans hold districts where Democratic opponents stand little chance. Rendell figures to be a player in five to 20 races around the country. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} If we can pick off five or six of these incumbents, that could mean the difference between keeping the House and losing the House, Rendell said. My efforts will be to give them occasional political wisdom, but mostly what I do in my sleep raise money. In Afghanistan in August, the Taliban seized control with menacing swiftness as the Afghan government and security forces that the U.S. and its allies had spent two decades trying to build collapsed. No steady hand was evident from the U.S. in the disorganized evacuation of Afghans desperately trying to flee the country. In the United States, the 2001 attacks had set loose a bloodlust cry for revenge. A swath of American society embraced the binary outlook articulated by Bush Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists" and has never let go of it. Factionalism hardened, in school board fights, on Facebook posts, and in national politics, so that opposing views were treated as propaganda from mortal enemies. The concept of enemy also evolved, to include immigrants as well as terrorists. The patriot under threat became a personal and political identity. Trump would harness it to help him win the presidency. For the U.S., the presidencies since Bushs wars have been marked by an effort to pull back the military from the conflicts of the Middle East and Central Asia. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) The Illinois House on Thursday approved a wide-ranging plan to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050, with a compromise allowing two coal-fired plants to remain open until 2045 but cut their emissions by nearly half in the next 14 years. The plan was endorsed 82-33 after 2 1/2 hours of debate not over the goal of shrinking the state's carbon footprint, but how to do it and what will replace the power currently generated by fossil fuels. Republicans largely rejected the proposal saying that they support helping keep northern Illinois nuclear plants operating but that the abrupt end of coal-generated power would cost thousands of jobs and merely leave Illinois reliant on energy produced by burning fossil fuels in other states. Before Thursday night's vote, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, unhappy with a proposal that won Senate approval last week, lauded and agreement he said puts consumers and climate first, while protecting and creating jobs." He pledged to sign the measure into law if the Senate accepts the House changes. Senate President Don Harmon immediately called his members into session on Monday, just as the state's power giant threatened to start powering down unprofitable nuclear plants. As the editorial mentioned, the project sits right across the street from The Press, and yet, the first of the newspapers six articles on it wasnt published until April this year. The City of Pleasantville kept this project under the radar and moved forward without seeking public input. There should have been a story about the citys lack of transparency or accountability. I would ask the many Pleasantville residents and Atlantic County ratepayers who know about the project if it was a misuse of public funds to inform them with the website and street signs. For the record, the slick website we created in-house cost $48; the printed doorhangers we used to inform community members about a public meeting cost $240; and lawn signs to inform residents of the project cost $4,300. We would have happily been transparent about the amount spent if asked. The editorial mentions that ACUA stands to lose $10 million in revenues without explaining those too become public funds. It would be negligent if we did not create a public information campaign to inform the community and ratepayers of the negative impacts of this project. That we did so for less than $5,000 further shows how efficient and effective we are with public funds. Rabbi Aaron Krauss Margate Democratic sanctuaries linked to crime rise As crime continues to rise across the country, maybe in Atlantic City too, the television news media and some newspapers should admit that it's the policies of politicians in mostly Democratic-run states and cities where there is the most violence. New York, Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles and Seattle. These are mainly areas of the country where Democratic mayors and governors declared sanctuary cities and states. These have become sanctuaries for criminals, not law abiding citizens. In New Jersey, it's Gov. Phil Murphy who has put all lives at risk of becoming a victim of a shooting or stabbing. I dont think this is what we really want. David Barsky Atlantic City Media protects Biden, ignores border crisis When is the media going to stop protecting President Joe Biden. The media is more concerned about the virus and supposedly how great Biden is handling the situation. In just about every edition, there are three or four pages about the virus. "And while this is a time of sadness of what was lost, as one famous American leader once stated, Father, we are grateful to you that such men and women lived,'" U.S. Army Sustainment Command Chaplain Lt. Col. Kevin Niehoff said. Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Aguto stressed that in remembering and honoring the sacrifices made on 9/11 that Americans, historians and textbooks not lose sight of what happened immediately after. "I would submit to you that what we need to help our next generation remember is Sept. 12," Aguto said. "Remember what it took to unite the country. Remember what happened when we did and the resolve we had to protect our own. That is what I would recommend we teach our next generation." And while the last two decades have been full of anguish, grief and pain that still lingers today, he said there remains a sense of hope and celebration. He talked of the sense of relief of reaching Afghan friends and interpreters with whom he served while deployed to Kandahar. He worried about their safety amid the chaotic scramble to flee the country after the Taliban's recent takeover. "Look at where it's gone: You have people storming the Capitol because they believe the election was a fraud. You have people who won't get vaccinated and they're dying in hospitals," Rowe says. "We've gotten to the point where information is actually killing people." There were, of course, conspiracy theories before 9/11 happened John F. Kennedy's assassination, the moon landing, a supposed 1947 UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico. And the country's interest in alternative, fringe theories was on the rise before 9/11, exemplified by the 1990s show "The X-Files," with its taglines of "The truth is out there" and "trust no one." But it was 9/11 that heralded our current era of suspicion and disbelief and revealed the internet's ability to catalyze conspiracy theories. "Conspiracy theories have always been with us, and it's just the means of sharing them that has changed," says Karen Douglas, a psychology professor at the University of Kent in England who studies why people believe such explanations. "The internet has made conspiracy theories more visible and easy to share than ever before. People can also very quickly find like-minded others, join groups, and share their opinions." MORE ANNIVERSARY COVERAGE: "Prairie State did not believe that it was something that was warranted or needed, and the federal (infrastructure) bill is going to hopefully allow them to do carbon capture," Hoffman said. "And it would have been extremely expensive for the ratepayers of Illinois, so we decided that it was more important to make sure the ratepayers get a break, so it was taken out today." Prairie State and CWLP were neutral on the amended bill. Debate on the House floor went nearly two-and-a-half hours as several Republicans passionately listed their grievances about the bill, from the impact on ratepayers and municipalities with a stake in Prairie State to grid reliability and the eminent domain provisions tucked in. However, nine Republicans ended up voting "yes," many begrudgingly, as they acknowledged the need to keep nuclear plants online and save thousands of their constituents' jobs. "That's why I'm going to support this bill, because I have to vote my district," said Rep. David Welter, R-Morris, whose district contains half the state's nuclear fleet. "But this process is crap." "I can't go back home voting no on this bill," Welter added. "I'm glad we're saving a lot of (nuclear) jobs, but at the same time, we're pitting communities against each other, and that is wrong." "We are making sure that we are not only ready to see an influx in patients who need abortion care but also that we are taking care of all the additional wraparound services," Rodriguez said. She said those services include financial assistance, transportation or any other accommodations for women seeking abortions. "We are increasing our capacity so we can ensure we remove all the barriers that prevent people from access to care." Laws played part in Planned Parenthood Fairview Heights location Laws like Texas' six-week abortion ban and Missouri's plans for a similar law played a large role in building a larger facility in Fairview Heights in 2019. Rodriguez said it became clear for Planned Parenthood that abortion access would continue to be restricted in Missouri and elsewhere after the state passed a law banning abortions after eight weeks. That's the law that's being challenged in federal court. "We saw the writing on the walls as services continued to be decimated across the region," she said. "We knew we had to protect access to care no matter what so we decided to go on the offense, transformational and build a health center in Fairview Heights, which we consider an oasis for reproductive health and rights." When I arrived home, I switched on CNN on the TV. There was Aaron Brown, on a building a ways away from the World Trade Center, updating viewers as the two towers burned in the background. Debris seemed to be falling from the towers. A report came in that said people were jumping from the buildings to escape the fires. My heart sank with this news. Reports of an airliner crashing in a field in Pennsylvania filtered into the broadcast. As I continued watching the program the second tower seemed to shiver and then peel back like a banana. The obvious implications of what had just happened caused my stomach to turn. People were dying in New York City and elsewhere. I was filled with worry and dread for my wifes cousin who worked for the EPA in D.C. Would she be okay? Was the Metro still running and also the Manassas rail line? She needed those to get to her home in Virginia. When the second tower collapsed, it was almost too much for me. I was old enough to remember the day President Kennedy was assassinated. This felt much worse. I felt helpless sitting in a family room in our home in Georgia. I felt incredible sadness with a dose of anger. Who would do all of this? To what end? McCoy said the sheriff's office also works with candidates who are uprooting their lives to come to South Dakota. "We understand flying to Rapid City multiple times during the hiring process is not something we should ask of people. We also understand that if you're making a career move and you're moving from another state, there's no reason we can't work with your timeline," McCoy said, using Foster as an example. "He had to sell his house and the whole nine yards, we worked with him because there was no reason not to. Then he had to come here, get his kids in school, find a house. We try to work with people because we understand those things." The Rapid City Fire Department is also filling vacancies left by numerous retirements over the last year. Capt. Mike Bartling is the training specialist for the Rapid City Fire Department with the task of training 18 recruits over the course of 13 weeks. At the end of the 13 week training academy, the new recruits will be ready to go to their designated stations throughout Rapid City and respond to calls for help, said Bartling. Theres a reason Mother Nature selected those plants to be in those areas, says Nick Bamert, whose father started a seed company specializing in native grasses 70 years ago. The natives ... will persist because theyve seen the coldest winters and the hottest dry summers. Black, a former corn farmer, plants native grasses on corners of his fields, as pasture for cattle and between rows of wheat and annual grass. The transition to cattle, he hopes, will allow his oldest son to stay on the land Blacks grandparents began plowing 100 years ago. His younger son is a data analyst near Dallas. You want your kids to come back, but damn, theres better ways to make a living than what were doing, says Black. Its just too hard here with no water. Already sand billows off fields during dry spells and clogs fields, ditches and roadways. Farmers do the best they can, but everybody knows ... the waters going away, says Jude Smith, a biologist who oversees the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, established during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl to preserve native prairie and three spring-fed lakes. I have written many times about the need for community education on the topic of being local. Not to sound the horn for local media, but they are in a great position to work with the local community in providing this educational campaign. Your community is longing to be educated in local economics. They are starved for information that drives the local economy. This information is rarely provided by the local media company, despite the fact it is this news that ultimately determines if they survive as a company. Providing information on what constitutes local spending is crucial. Providing the framework of the impact of being local is truly golden. Providing filler ads that encourage a local mindset will win points with your city leaders. Providing leadership in the shop local and be local movement will attract the business community in droves. Most local communities are struggling to educate their community of the value and critical nature of being local. This is an area where the community and media should work together to provide. When the media writes about the economic needs in such a way as to build community support and vibrancy, the media will be amazed at how the community respects and enjoys that content. It is content that truly drives support and admiration. I will probably work on jewelry and embroidery while people are here, and some drawings, Skrein said. Im not going to have painting because it is so messy. Her art is filled with the expression of the subject and she has a wall full of paintings and a clipping from a magazine which she used as a starting point for a dancer in motion. People want to know how I come up with it, Skrein said. This is how I start. I see this, then I say, I like the energy of this and make lines for guides and transfer it. I do an outline and then I say, it should be yellow and it should be a woman. Thats how it comes about. Skreins style is influenced by her rich background in fashion and she is learning to paint landscapes. I want to work with interior decorators to do larger pieces that are a little bit more abstract, Skrein said. Interior decorators like to merge the modern with the western and maybe they just need an abstract color or unique piece for a wall. The AAB Tour provides the opportunity to visit with Skrein, browse her catalog of works going back to 1998, purchase one of her new works or commission a piece and get inspired. Motley said 9/11 is a day that will forever be remembered. I was driving to work in Hamilton when I first heard about it on the radio, he said. I got into work at the store and we pull it up on a TV and spent the day watching the news unfold. Joe Kerr of the Hamilton Fire Department said ceremonies like those happening in Hamilton and Stevensville are important because an entire generation wasnt born when the attack occurred. Most, or a large proportion, of the soldiers recently killed in the suicide bombing in Kabul werent even alive when 9/11 happened, Kerr said. We still have soldiers dying because of an event that happened before they were even born. Its a significant milestone for our country and its important to educate those too young to remember it. Kerr chaired the 9/11 Memorial Committee that put together the remembrance ceremony planned Saturday at the Hamilton Fire Department Station #1 at the corner of South Third and State streets. The area will be blocked off as firefighters from Hamilton, Corvallis, Darby, Sula and Pinesdale gather with other first responders for a ceremony around the flagpole. Bagpipe music will open the event at 10 a.m. This week, we take a look at events or inventions that were really first. Most people believe the first gold rush occurred in the West. Fifty years before gold was discovered at Sutters Mill (in 1849), the first gold rush in American history got underway when a 17-pound gold nugget was found in Cabarrus County, North Carolina by twelve-year-old Conrad Reed who was fishing in a creek on his familys farm. Soon, more gold was found along the creek, making Conrads father a very wealthy man. Of course, news of gold in Cabarrus County soon spread quickly. Over time, more than 30,000 men in the Tar Heel state were looking for gold. Most of these were unencumbered by women or children, so they were able to move freely from one mining area to another. The most important of the gold mines were located around Charlotte. For over 30 years, all gold coins issued by the U.S. Mint were produced using North Carolina gold. Who actually invented the telephone? In 1860, Italian Antonio Meucci demonstrated his version of a working telephone, which he called the "teletrofono." In 1871, (but five years before Alexander Bell's phone came out), he filed a temporary patent on his invention. Unfortunately, three years later, Meucci failed to send in the $10 necessary to renew his patent due to ill-health and lacking funds. One Democratic lawmaker from Helena objected to that program during public comment, however, arguing that the $6 million recommendation defied the intent of legislators who had established guidelines for spending nearly $1 billion in federal relief funds. I think that funding misses the mark," Rep. Mary Caferro said. "I was hoping that the funding would go straight into current job training programs, including apprenticeship programs that the unions run and apprenticeship programs that already exist in the two-year colleges." Democrats on the Republican-dominated commission tried unsuccessfully to move $3 million from the states return-to-work bonus program toward short-term retraining programs to build up the labor pool of workers who would be eligible for jobs funded through upcoming infrastructure projects, also to be funded by ARPA dollars. The commission voted unanimously to recommend spending $2 million to hire 10 temporary counselors to work with people with disabilities to find employment. Chanda Hermanson, Disability Employment and Transitions Division Administrator, told the commission that about 1,300 people had applied to the program but are currently on the wait list, and the new staff would allow the division to address the backlog. There is no doubt that if I had been in [the Navy Command Center] I would have perished with the rest of my friends and co-workers, he said. Surviving the attack on the Pentagon was a matter of chance and heroism, depending where the fuel-laden plane hit the fabled five-sided building, whether employees were sitting at their desk or using the bathroom, and the response of co-workers who rescued some from flames and smoke after a fireball that rose 200 feet high at the moment of impact at 9:37:45 a.m. At that moment, Poplar was accompanying his new boss, then-Assistant Secretary of the Navy Hansford T. Johnson, in a routine meeting on the outer ring of the Pentagon just a few hundred feet from where Flight 77 plowed into a portion of the building recently renovated with reinforced steel walls and blast-resistant windows. They didnt feel a thing during the meeting, held in another of the five enormous wedges that comprise the Pentagon. They didnt know that two hijacked airplanes had crashed into the twin towers in New York. A fire alarm sounded, but as sailors, we ignored that alarm, he said. What President Biden proposes are mandates with no legislative authority, and it is likely to face legal scrutiny, said Karen Michael, a Richmond-based employment lawyer who writes the Richmond Times-Dispatchs weekly Labor Law column. At this point, employers only have talking points with no substance, so employers should wait to review what is actually published from the Department of Labor. Henrico County-based Altria Group, the parent company of tobacco giant Philip Morris USA, is reviewing the rules and is already encouraging employees to get vaccinated by including incentives such as payments to health savings accounts. Other major employers in the region, including CarMax and Dominion Energy, told The Times-Dispatch that theyre monitoring the change. Some companies, like Capital One Financial Corp. and Genworth Financial, are already requiring employees to be vaccinated before returning to the office, while others said theyre waiting for more details before they can determine the impact. On Thursday, the state reported nearly 4,000 new infections and more than 2,000 people were in Virginia hospitals with the virus. ****** Thirteen people were arrested and significant quantities of drugs were seized as part of a three-year drug-trafficking and money-laundering investigation, Henrico County police said Friday in a statement. The police division, along with help from local, state and federal partners, took those involved into custody on Sept. 2, including the man they say is the kingpin behind the criminal enterprise in which money was laundered and heroin, cocaine and marijuana were distributed and trafficked, according to the news release. Nikike N. Tyler, 42, of Henrico, is charged with conspiring to distribute narcotics, conspiring to distribute more than 5 pounds of marijuana, conspiring to commit money laundering, and being the principal organizer of a continuing criminal enterprise. The investigation began in spring 2018, and was led by the divisions Organized Crime Section, police said. Evidence suggests that the alleged illegal activity dated as far back as 2015, and spanned the entire country and even into areas of Mexico, police said. We worked really hard to make sure that we were educating our community about the changes in the law, Katz said. It was important for them to understand the nuances of the law, because the law is very confusing. And in order to comply with it, they first needed to understand it. Katz said he couldnt speculate on whether the number of people charged with marijuana offenses so far this year is due to their ignorance of the laws nuances, or simply making choices they would have made regardless of the new law. However, Katz believes the new law is ill-conceived. I think the manner in which our legislature went about doing what they did was poor public policy. Theres no public marketplace for anyone to go purchase what they made legal, and that means that in order for someone to possess marijuana, they either have to grow it themselves or purchase it from a street-level drug dealer and thats what were seeing. On the morning of the attacks and the days afterward, she did not allow her two young daughters, an infant and a 2-year-old, to see any of the news coverage about it. But it was impossible to insulate them from how other people might react to a Muslim person in public. I remember very clearly being at the Dulles Worldgate Center in Herndon. I was driving a station wagon at the time. As I was getting into my car, a man in the adjacent parking space started to yell and point his middle finger at me, she said, recalling an incident that happened just a few months later in 2001. I tried to get my girls into the car quickly so that I could shield them. Alison Kysia, a Muslim American artist and activist based in Fairfax, is working on a storytelling project centered around Muslim women who experienced anti-Islamic bigotry after Sept. 11. The project, 99 Clay Vessels, is visualized through a series of 99 handmade pinch pots that are symbolic to Islam and figuratively hold the stories of Muslim women from around the country. Growing up with an Arab American father, she was proud of her cultural heritage, but grade school classmates still stereotyped him as a terrorist even before 2001. She said that bigotry and misunderstanding only grew in the 9/11 era. The archaeologists from Historic Jamestown conducted radar tests on all four cornerstones and found a void in only the northeast stone. But masonry workers from Connecticut-based Summit Masonry & Building Restoration discovered Thursday the void wasnt space for a time capsule. It was a hole drilled into the stone to set it in place in 1887, and the rest of the pedestal was constructed around it. Summit also removed the other Confederate statues along Monument Avenue. Its not the void they hoped it would be, Mercer said. If the time capsule is ever discovered, it will be taken to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources for opening and care. But Brumfield estimated theres a 90% chance its contents have been ruined by water seeping into the box. Either way, a new time capsule will be placed in the pedestals cornerstone. Richmond sculptor Paul DiPasquale designed a 12x6x6 stainless-steel box to house the artifacts. The box was sealed with silicone and pumped with argon to prevent water and air damage. There are no plans to identify it with a sign. If the pedestal is eventually removed and a new statue or work of art is placed in the circle, the capsule will be buried underground at that location, said Tori Noles Feyrer, a member of the governors staff. Many first responders who developed a chronic cough later had it fade, or disappear entirely, but others have shown little improvement. About 9% of firefighters exposed to the dust still report a persistent cough, according to Fire Department research. About 22% report experiencing shortness of breath. About 40% still have chronic sinus problems or acid reflux. On the encouraging side, doctors say their worst fears about a possible wave of deadly 9/11 cancers havent come true. Not yet, at least. Nearly 24,000 people exposed to trade center dust have gotten cancer, but for the most part it has been at rates in line with the general public. Rates of a few specific types of cancer have been found to be modestly elevated, but researchers say that could be due to more cases being caught in medical monitoring programs. We really dont have the tremendous elevations in cancer I was afraid of, says Dr. Michael Crane, director of the World Trade Center health clinic at Mount Sinai. One study showed that cancer mortality rates have actually been lower among city firefighters and paramedics exposed to Trade Center dust than for most Americans, possibly because frequent medical screenings. Kabul became a city of fear. During the day, there was less bombing and people would venture out. But as darkness settled and the bombing intensified, the streets were deserted but for the occasional Taliban patrol and the howling of what seemed like an army of stray dogs. Then the B-52 bombers began to circle in low. We moved to the basement. The bombing had gotten closer and closer to the city. One night, the B-52s pounded the hills behind the AP house that were impervious to the anti-aircraft weapons but were home to some of Kabuls poorest citizens. The next morning, we discovered some of the bombs had hit civilian homes that jut out across the hills. We went to one home where five children had died as they slept. They were still in their beds when we got there. Amir Shah held back the tears. Like him, the children were ethnic Hazaras, perhaps the least prosperous of Afghanistans ethnic groups. They could have been my children, he said. On Nov. 13, 2001, two months and two days after the 9/11 attacks, the Taliban finally fled Kabul. The night before, a 2,000- pound bomb had slammed into a home that sat kitty corner to The AP house. It blew me across the room, destroying the window and door frames. Among them was an Afghan who worked for 15 years as a U.S. military interpreter. He has been moving from hotel to hotel in Mazar-e-Sharif and running out of money as he, his eight children and his wife waited for the OK from the Taliban to leave. Im frightened I will be left behind, said the man, whose name was withheld by The Associated Press for his safety. I dont know what the issue is is it a political issue, or they dont care about us? The interpreter's visa was approved weeks before the last U.S. troops left the country, but he could not get it stamped into his passport because the U.S. Embassy shut down. He said Thursday that he doesnt trust Taliban assurances that they will not take revenge against Afghans who worked for the Americans. Biden, already criticized for his handling of the evacuation, is being pushed by Democrats and also on both sides by Republicans, with some saying hes not doing enough to help Americas former allies and others that hes not doing enough to keep potential threats out of the U.S. EDITORS NOTE: Its been 20 years, and we havent forgotten. As we approach the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the Richmond Times-Dispatch asked readers to share their memories of that fateful day. Here are their responses. We were able to see the lettering on the jet I got off the PATH train at the World Trade Center around 7:30 a.m. and walked to my office on Water Street. While speaking to someone, there was a jolt or rumble to our building. I went back to my desk and saw paper flying by my window. The WTC was on the other side of our building; we were able to see the tower on fire, but it wasnt clear what was going on. As we were looking out the window, the next plane came and we saw the impact. We were able to see the lettering on the jet. Wasnt a pretty sight. We left our building even though we were told to stay. All streets became one-way, and no one was sure what was going on. As we were walking up Wall Street to find a way out, the first tower came down and the smoke and debris came rolling down the street. We finally made our way to Midtown via bus. The line for the ferries was miles long, so we decided to go to a bar and sit it out. Nearly 80 years after he joined the U.S. Navy to fight in World War II and 77 years after his death, a Clinchco natives remains have been returned to his Southwest Virginia home for burial. Born in 1924, Seaman 1st Class Stewart Jordan was so young when he joined the Navy that he had to have his fathers signature to enlist, said Jordans great-nephew, the Rev. Windell Ely, who officiated at his uncles funeral in Castlewood on Wednesday. Jordan was initially assigned to Navy destroyer USS Tucker, but after the Tucker sank in August 1942, when Jordan was just 18 years old, he was reassigned to the USS Nelson. On June 12, 1944, while anchored off the coast of Normandy, France, just days after Allied forces invaded, the Nelson was struck by an enemy torpedo, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. The 20-year-old Jordan was among 24 crew members either killed or unaccounted for. By shifting a precinct here and another there, Sen. George Barker said, map drawers working with Virginias redistricting commission could avoid upending his political career and leaving his Fairfax County constituents without their 14-year incumbent. Barker whose residence had been incidentally drawn out of his district in a proposed map and instead included in the district of a fellow Democrat proposed his own version of the Senate map Thursday during a meeting of the commission. This one, he said, would still comply with the commissions guidelines and avoid his departure from the Senate. The display of self- interest by one of the redistricting commissions elected officials quickly drew criticism from some Democrats and Republicans in and out of the commission, who challenged the lawmakers effort to adjust the map to his benefit as the newly formed commission tries to cement itself as the cure to gerrymandering. But other observers say the spectacle of Barkers proposal to protect his seat is a sign that the commission is working as intended: He made his pitch in full view of the public in person and on a livestream and it would not pass unless commission members hailing from both parties voted to allow it. His position on COVID-19 vaccinations was supposed to be a shot in the arm for his campaign. Youngkin may have hit his foot. He said hed been vaccinated and urged others to do the same. Instead, with a spike in infections attributed to peoples refusal to get jabbed risking the health of others and the economy, and triggering state and federal vaccination mandates Youngkin seems out of touch. Maybe all of this explains why Youngkin to, at minimum, keep the Republican base invigorated and optimistic is attempting one of the oldest plays in the book: leaking private polling that shows him surging, if not overtaking, McAuliffe because inflation and Afghanistan are undercutting Biden in Virginia. The polling is showing up on conservative news sites, apparently unchallenged and unquestioned. And thats precisely the idea. Youngkin wants Republicans, many of whom figured they would take a chance on him because hes a rich guy who can self-finance and has no record to attack, to remain calm and to believe all is well. Winning campaigns dont resort to such games. Theres nothing wrong with the Youngkin campaign that a good shrink couldnt fix. But the first thing the therapist would say is that Youngkin has to want to change. Hodges remembers the telephone calls that came every day: Have you found my husband? Have you found my child? One woman was sure her daughter had escaped the towers. The daughter had called after running out of one building. But she was still missing. Hodges was there when they found her, one of the flattened bodies that sometimes came down the conveyor belt. She had likely been hit by a falling slab of concrete as she ran. He called her mother with the news. She just broke down in tears, he said. It was sad, but at least she had some closure. Closure has been hard for Hodges and the other officers who worked at the Fresh Kills recovery operation. They wore Tyvek suits and masks to protect them from the hazardous chemicals mixed into the debris, but they have suffered a much higher death toll from related diseases in the past 20 years than on the day of the attack. The 9/11 tribute page on the NYPD website lists 23 officers who died that day and 247 who have died since of related illnesses. All types of cancer they got, Hodges said. But not him. Im good so far, he said. Federal prosecutors have offered a plea agreement to an Elliston man charged with obstructing Congress as it met Jan. 6 to certify an election that former President Donald Trump claims was stolen from him. Jeremy Daniel Groseclose needs more time to consider the proposed deal, his lawyer said Thursday. At a brief hearing in Washington, D.C.s federal court, District Judge Christopher Cooper scheduled another hearing for Nov. 9. Groseclose is one of more than 500 people from across the country charged with storming the U.S. Capitol after Trump urged a crowd of supporters to fight like hell against an election won by President Joe Biden. The 38-year-old faces one felony a charge of obstructing a joint session of Congress that was meeting to certify the Nov. 3 election and five misdemeanors that include entering a restricted area, disorderly conduct and demonstrating in the Capitol building. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Romano did not say what incentives, such as a reduction of charges or a specific sentence, were included in the governments plea agreement. In January, Miyares was endorsed by four prominent activists opposed to laws expanding abortion access. It is an honor to have the ongoing support from the pro-life community. Life in all stages is beautiful. From day one as a legislator, I have been committed to the issue of Life, Miyares said in a statement he shared on Twitter and that his campaign disseminated. He added: As your Attorney General, I will continue to protect the unborn and respect the sanctity of human life. In a statement, Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, said, The restrictive and dangerous abortion ban in Texas is a clear warning of what could happen in Virginia if any of the Republicans on the ballot are elected. He asserted that Jason Miyares votes already paint a clear picture to voters that he cannot be trusted to stand up for womens rights. As for future measures, Morrissey said he would anticipate voting with Republicans on abortion issues, describing himself as proudly a pro-life vote in the Senate. To the extent that the Hala Ayala campaign is using me, have at it, he said. Im not changing my position. ... Some decisions are easy for me, and thats one of the easier ones, you know? And if Planned Parenthood doesnt like it, guess what. Campaign against me. Kono emphasized his achievements as vaccine minister, portraying himself as someone who gets things done, by tearing down bureaucratic barriers if necessary. Kono, who is also administrative reform minister, was picked by Suga to lead the country's vaccination campaign in January before its rollout in mid-February, months behind other countries. Within weeks, Kono was tasked with the ambitious goal of fully vaccinating all of the nation's elderly by the end of July, which he achieved by boosting the administration of doses to 1 million per day another goal set by Suga. Japan is now on par with the United States in terms of percentage of people who have received at least one shot, and will be in the top class among the Group of Seven industrialized nations by the end of September or early October, he said. Kono has been open about his ambition to become prime minister, a position that members of his family neared but never achieved. His father, Yohei Kono, served as top government spokesman in a coalition government and his grandfather was deputy prime minister. Kono is a liberal on social issues such as gender equality and diversity but hawkish on national security. The Roma have been segregated from the majority many times in the past and we didnt want to see it, Zatkulak said. But we needed to integrate them and thats whats happening now. Through a prayer, wed like to seek reconciliation between the Slovaks and the Roma, and also the Church, because we have harmed each other and that has to end. Its time to say sorry and start all over again. He said Francis is key in the process. We, the people from Kosice, need to remind the world that every big city has a dark side that we dont want to see. And Francis greatness is that hes turning our attention to it, he said. Lets be ashamed about our past wrongdoings but lets try to fix them. Andrea Buckova, the Slovak government envoy for Roma issues, said she hoped Francis trip will give the area a boost for the following days and months, and not just a one-time step. The news about the popes visit has quickly spread to every corner of Lunik IX, raising expectations of its estimated 6,000 inhabitants. Current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha took power in 2014 by leading a coup as army commander. He was chosen by the joint houses of Parliament to be prime minister after the 2019 general election, in which he did not run. Friday's amendment to election rules is a throwback to the system implemented under a 1997 constitution that sought to disadvantage smaller parties which had held leverage over the formation of coalition governments by trading their loyalty for Cabinet posts, perpetuating a political spoils system. That change allowed Thaksin to use his fortune to bring regional political power brokers into his own party and build what his critics charged was a parliamentary dictatorship after he won the 2001 general election. Thaksin fled into exile after his 2006 ouster from power, but his political machine retained its power and popularity. A 2017 constitution implemented under a military government set up new election rules designed to reduce his machine's influence by handicapping bigger parties. The 2017 charter provided for 350 lawmakers elected directly by their constituents, and 150 from party lists under a complicated system of proportional representation that, roughly speaking, awarded seats in inverse proportion to those won by parties under the constituency vote. The system backfired when the military-backed Palang Pracharath party performed more poorly than expected in 2019 and a new reformist party proved more popular than anticipated. Palang Pracharath was able to form a government, but only by assembling a messy coalition of smaller parties. Businesses in the Richmond region and throughout the commonwealth strive to create a positive impact on Virginia communities by creating jobs, driving economic investments, and contributing to a strong state and local tax base. For the past year and a half, local businesses have faced overwhelming financial challenges that, unfortunately for many, were insurmountable. Now, the Virginia businesses that have managed to survive the pandemic face a substantial additional threat, thanks to a proposal in Congress called the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. Virginia workers, much like all workers across the country, already have the right to organize into collective bargaining units there is no questioning that. The PRO Act would eliminate all right-to-work laws on the books, in Virginia and across the country. That means Virginia workers once again could be compelled to join unions and pay union dues as a condition of employment at companies where collective bargaining agreements exist. This would be true regardless of whether an employee voted in favor of unionization. It essentially is a way of forcing unionization on a workplace without giving workers any other option but to pay up or lose their jobs. It looked like it would be a normal workday for me on Sept. 11, 2001, as I slipped out of our house around 6:30 a.m. for the usual 15-minute drive to my office at the Virginia Historical Society (now the Virginia Museum of History & Culture). I remember that with the rising sun, the new day showed the signs of early fall a cloudless sky that grew to almost cobalt blue with each passing minute. Its been too long for me to recall what I was thinking as I sped down Interstate 64 with little traffic. Perhaps it was about the senior staff meeting that I held every Tuesday morning at 9 oclock. Maybe I thought about a museum conference I was scheduled to attend later in the week in Indianapolis. Perhaps my musings turned to my daughter Aletheas upcoming wedding in early December and all that my wife, Cammy, and I had to do before then. With our daughter serving in the Navy at the Office of Naval Intelligence near Washington, we felt relieved that she now had a safe desk job rather than being on warships in the Persian Gulf, where she had completed two tours. Nevertheless, she could devote little time to planning a wedding. As a matter of fact, when we talked to her over the weekend, she told us that she would be busy practicing for a briefing at the Pentagon in preparation for a congressional committee briefing in the upcoming week. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott offered a bizarre defense of his states new, unconstitutional anti-abortion law. Asked Tuesday why the state would force victims of rape or incest to carry pregnancies to term, he denied the law does that. Obviously, it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion, Abbott said. No, it doesnt. The Texas state law known as Senate Bill 8 prohibits abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which usually is four weeks after conception or two weeks after a missed menstrual period. Thats before most women even know they are pregnant, before the embryo becomes a fetus and months before fetal viability, generally at 24 weeks. The law effectively prohibits about 85% of the abortions in the state and will force most abortion clinics to close, providers say. The Republican governor also said: Rape is a crime, and Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas. Really? Eight in 10 rapes are committed by someone who knows the victim, often a family member or family friend, according to the sexual violence prevention group RAINN. The company concluded it has enough office space in downtown Richmond at its two remaining office complexes at 600 Canal Place and at three buildings along the James River on Tredegar Street to meet current and future needs. Dominion has about 2,500 employees downtown. Once the Eighth & Main building is sold, those Dominion employees working there would relocate to either 600 Canal Place, to the Tredegar Street buildings or to the companys Technical Center complex in the Innsbrook Corporate Center in western Henrico County, said company spokesperson Ryan Frazier. Many of the companys downtown employees work at 600 Canal Place, the 20-floor office tower on East Canal Street that Dominion moved into during the fall of 2019. The company announced earlier this year that it was not pursuing plans to build a 17-story building that would have been called 700 Canal Place because Dominion could accommodate its office needs in existing buildings. The 700 Canal Place building, which would have been connected to 600 Canal Place, would have been built on the site where the companys One James River Plaza office tower stood from 1978 until May 2020, when it was demolished. Defense attorney Patrick Kenney introduced social media photographs of the victim posing with a variety of firearms. Who holds themselves out to be this bad, this tough? Kenney asked in his argument, and added that investigators really didnt do anything to prove or disprove whether the victim had a gun that night. None of the prosecution witnesses who testified could say with certainty whether the victim was armed. One person who testified, a father who was at the mall taking his daughter to get her ears pierced, told the court he saw the defendant and the victim meet and exchange very short words just before the attack occurred. He said he saw the defendant draw a handgun with an extended magazine and shoot the victim once. They had some kind of prior beef, assistant prosecutor David Billingsley said in his closing. They exchanged words. [The victim] didnt have a gun. [The defendant] did. Jurors deliberated for a little over an hour before returning their not guilty verdicts. In place of the wall of mayors, which had been just outside the council chamber, Cowell promised a very good representation of our diversity and our welcoming nature. I mean, Cowell added, this is where the people of this community come to do the peoples business. And being able to represent that ... in the most diverse manner as practical is really important. After the mayoral portraits were removed, Roanoke officials entrusted the bare-walled corridor to the Roanoke Arts Commision, which organized an exhibit titled, Welcome to Roanoke: Images of a Compassionate, Diverse and Welcoming community. It features colorful works by 15 artists, the youngest of whom is 15 years old, selected from a call for submissions that went out in early August. The city spent about $1,000 on a display system for the the new exhibit, which will be used for years to come. The commission, which relies heavily on volunteers, oversees the municipal art collection and strives to present art in ways that help the community see and think about itself, said Doug Jackson, arts and culture coordinator. To beautify the city is another goal, he said. This pandemic is relentless, and we are working tirelessly, Brendel said during a press briefing Thursday held by Carilion. Your greatest gift to me and to all of my colleagues right now is to do everything you can to keep yourself healthy. Virginia has been battling sharply rising COVID-19 numbers for the past two months. In that time, the seven-day moving average of new daily infections has jumped from 228 to 3,003. A national analysis found that 98% of adult patients who needed hospital care were unvaccinated, according to the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. In a statement Thursday, that association joined with nearly three dozen other state health care groups to stress the importance of vaccination. The imperative is only growing as hospital beds are filling up ahead of a looming fall surge, association leaders wrote. Increasing Virginias COVID-19 vaccination rate represents a path to a healthier post-pandemic world by offering the best available protection for people against serious illness, the spread of infection, hospitalization, or worse health outcomes. Carilion said it has plans in place to adjust to the shifting demand for care but its teams arent exempt from the stress that comes with rising patient numbers. The law allows any private citizen to sue Texas abortion providers who violate it, as well as anyone who assists a a woman getting the procedure, including someone who just drives her to a clinic. Patients themselves, however, cannot be sued. The law offers no exceptions in cases of rape or incent, which Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has defended by falsely saying women still have at least six weeks" to get an abortion. Six weeks of pregnancy does not mean a woman has six weeks to make a decision. WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT SO FAR? Just the threat of being sued for violating the law has meant some abortion providers in Texas have stopped offering abortions altogether, even those before six weeks. Other providers have continued to offer abortions but only those that comply with the law. That means they've had to turn patients away who are further along in their pregnancies or try to get them assistance outside of the state. Clinics in neighboring Oklahoma, and in nearby Kansas, have reported an influx of patients from Texas. The void apparently was used to help place the stone in 1887, which was the first piece of the stone work on the monument. The rest of the pedestal was constructed around it. Theres still a chance the capsule is lower in the stone or underground, said Dale Brumfield, an author and historian who has studied the capsules history. Workers have already moved 3,000 pounds of stone, cutting two blocks from the bases corner and picking them up with a forklift. The words Black and brown unity had been spray painted where the granite stones were cut. A Connecticut-based company, Summit Masonry & Building Restoration, is working to excavate the capsule. Summit also removed the other Confederate statues along Monument Avenue. If the time capsule is discovered, it will be taken to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources for opening. But Brumfield estimates theres a 90% chance its contents have been ruined by water seeping into the box. One worker used a saw to cut a hole into one of the blocks for the placement of the new time capsule, whose contents were recently announced by Northams office. The new programs also create promising career paths for students, as Virginia alone already has more than 54,000 cybersecurity positions usually jobs that pay well unfilled. Besides educating the workforce for a fast-growing field, many of the cybersecurity programs will offer immediate help to businesses struggling to maintain cybersecurity. The networks anchor is at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, which is building a new innovation campus for graduate students in Alexandria, again tied to the Amazon decision. The CCI is backing innovative programs at colleges and universities throughout Virginia. In Western Virginia, those partners include Radford University, Virginia Military Institute, UVa Wise, Liberty University, and several community colleges, including Virginia Western and New River. In Norfolk, Old Dominion University used money from the CCI last fall to help it turn its existing Center for Cybersecurity and Education and Research into a new School of Cybersecurity. The ODU school offers bachelors and masters degrees in cybersecurity and is one of only 21 schools across the country to have a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations designation from the National Security Agency. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in his press statement said, "I wholeheartedly congratulate our Jewish citizens on Rosh Hashanah, which marks the beginning of the new year according to the Hebrew calendar. Our cultural, political and social diversities are the assets that elevate our country and reinforce our unity and solidarity. Having provided constitutional protection for its citizens freedom of faith and worship earlier than many other countries did, our state demonstrated the importance it attached to the preservation of these assets. Despite the rising cultural racism, hate speech and otherization across our region, Turkey is a free country where all faiths are observed freely and all kinds of opinions, bar the ones that promote violence and terrorism, are expressed freely. This feature of our country has further been consolidated by the reforms we have introduced over the past 19 years which have eliminated the anti-democratic practices of the eras of tutelage that used to restrict freedoms. It is one of our main priorities that all the citizens of the Republic of Turkey, regardless of their religions, languages, races or origins, can lead their lives with peace, security and tranquility. We believe that we, as the people that have a shared past dating back centuries, will build a shared future as well. We appreciate the contributions made by our Jewish citizens in order for our country to develop, strengthen, and attain its goals. With these thoughts in mind, I wish Rosh Hashanah may bring health and welfare to all Jews, our citizens in particular, and convey my regards and greetings to them on this special day of theirs." Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has also congratulated Rosh Hashanah with a message he shared. The Acting Mayor of Istanbul Ali Yerlikaya and the President of CHP Kemal Klcdaroglu have also congratulated the Rosh Hashanah Holiday with a message they sent to the Chief Rabbi Isak Haleva. The Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Ekrem Imamoglu, the Mayor of Besiktas Rza Polat, the Mayor of the Princess Islands Erdem Gul, the Mayor of Kadkoy Atty. Serdil Dara Odabas and the Mayor of Sisli have all congratulated the Rosh Hashanah Holiday of the Jewish citizens and their neighbors with banners hung in their districts and their social media accounts. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. 9/11: As the decades pass, the act of remembering evolves The act of remembering is a complex one, particularly when it comes to an event like 9/11 Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Daily COVID-19 case counts that were around 150 in June have soared above 5,000. The average number of deaths each day from the virus this month has been above 40, a level only seen during last winter. Lucas said he and his family are vaccinated, but he doesn't think government should be ordering anyone to get the COVID-19 shot. McMaster has said repeatedly this summer he received COVID-19 shots and that being vaccinated is the best way to fight the disease. The governor responded just hours after Thursday's order, saying on social media the president and Democrats thumbed their noses at the Constitution and promised to fight them to the gates of hell to protect the liberty and livelihood of every South Carolinian. Wilson said Biden's order created a constitutional crisis. With a swipe of a pen, Biden radically changed the scope and power of the presidency. He bulldozed the legislative branch and commandeered private businesses, Wilson posted on social media. But with the help of some good friends, he began to process his conflicting thoughts and learn to trust people, he said. I realized it was less about my war experience than this feeling of isolation and alienation, he said. That really started to help. Now, along with fellow retired Ranger Dan Blakeley, he has turned his experience into The Twenty-Year War, a photo book about 71 veterans of the global war on terror and the challenges of reintegrating into civilian life. As a drafted, Vietnam-era Army veteran, I asked Amenta how he dealt with the nagging question of whether our sacrifices and those of others that were much greater were, in the end, worth it. His answer stuck with me: As a very good friend of mine, Claire, said to me, Tom, over the past 20 years, I watched my children grow up, she said. My father got to see his grandson grow up. We were safe because of the work and dedication of you and other service members and Americans that fought to keep America that way. So I say, yeah, thats my anchor. Excellent. We all need an anchor of some sort when the world around us seems to be flying apart. The war in Afghanistan, like the one in Vietnam, lasted way too long without a clearly shared sense of goals or purpose. But, as with Vietnam, we must never devalue the service and sacrifices of those who answered the call so the rest of us might sleep better at night. As corny as it may sound to some, it still means a lot to me when I say to a fellow vet, Thank you for your service. Email Clarence Page at cpage@chicagotribune.com. Is California's overall crime rate really at its lowest level ever recorded? | Main | A short de facto execution moratorium?: could other condemned inmates secure a stay until SCOTUS decides new Ramirez case on religious liberty? September 9, 2021 Rounding up another round of terrific new essays at Inquest It has been a couple of weeks since I blogged about the great new website Inquest, which describes itself as "a forum for advancing bold ideas to end mass incarceration in the United States." But while I have been busy on other fronts, the site continues to churn out must-read essays and so I must do another post to spotlight these additional recently added pieces: From David Alan Sklansky, "An American Invention: In the struggle to end mass incarceration, one must understand how the criminalization of violence is largely a modern creation." From Marlon Peterson, "A Disruptive Innovation: Dismantling the machine that is mass incarceration requires all of us to think outside the box." From Katherine Beckett, Forrest Stuart & Monica Bell, "From Crisis to Care: For alternative responses to policing to work and reduce the footprint of the criminal legal system, they must work in concert and holistically to address both immediate and longer-term social needs." From Kristin Henning, "Fear of the Black Child: American society and its criminal legal system simply wont let Black kids be kids." September 9, 2021 at 07:39 PM | Permalink Comments Post a comment Centre of power shifting towards East Malaysia - Tawfik The centre of political and economic power is likely to shift towards East Malaysia in the next decades, observes Mohamed Tawfik Ismail, the son of the countrys second deputy prime minister Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman. He said Sarawak was likely to see further economic progress, spurred by the future capital of Indonesia, which will be based on the Island of Borneo, in Kalimantan. I think in 20 years time, lets look across the South China Sea to East Malaysia. The centre of politics of this nation is going to come to somewhere across the South China Sea. Sarawak will probably become a boom area, with the capital of Indonesia being established there (Borneo) and I think they will be a new economic force, said the former Sungai Benut MP, which constituency is today known as Simpang Renggam. Tawfik, who was speaking at an online forum last night titled: Umno Redux (Revival): What next for Malaysia organised in conjunction with the release of the book Paradise Lost: Mahathir & The End of Hope authored by former diplomat Dennis Ignatius. Tawfik was asked by the moderator about his prediction of Malaysia, particularly on politics, democracy and race relations in the next 20 years. Already, East Malaysia is playing kingmaker amid a fragmented political situation in Peninsular Malaysia. The Perikatan Nasional government and its successor under Ismail Sabri Yaakob were made possible through the Sarawak-based GPS solid backing. As the balance of powers shifts, Tawfik said Malaysians should also emulate how East Malaysia manages race relations. Our main priority has to be national integration and I think we need to put our arms out from across the Malaysian peninsular to Sabah and Sarawak and try to incorporate some of the lifestyle and attitudes that they have over there, he said. East Malaysia is known for being more tolerant in terms of race relations, in part due to its diversity with close to 70 ethnic groups. On the possible threat of right-wing Islamic elements, Tawfik said they are counter-balanced by the country's sultans and muftis. So I dont see any big threats of a unified Islamic uprising of the right-wing to make us all live in fear, he said. He stressed that the Federal Constitution guards against unconstitutional acts. India tells UNSC Afghanistan still fragile; calls for inclusive government 10 Sep 2021: India tells UNSC Afghanistan still fragile; calls for inclusive government India has told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that the "fragility" of the Afghanistan situation is of great concern to India. In a debate on Afghanistan, India's Ambassador to UN, TS Tirumurti, stressed the need to hear the "voices of Afghan women" and realize the "aspiration of Afghan children." India's comment comes at a time when the Taliban has announced its Afghan Cabinet. Details: Indian called for a humanitarian assistance, inclusive government Stating that "uncertainties" loom large over the future of Afghan people, Tirumurti said, "We call on humanitarian assistance to be provided urgently and underline the need to provide unhindered access to the UN and other agencies in this regard." Referring to the new Taliban government, Tirumurti maintained that India expects an inclusive government in Afghanistan representing all sections of Afghan society. Fact: Broad-based, inclusive government would gain greater international acceptability, legitimacy: India On the new Taliban government, Tirumurti said, "India calls for inclusive dispensation in Afghanistan, which represents all sections of Afghan society." He said, "A broad-based, inclusive, and representative formation attained via inclusive negotiated political settlement would gain greater international acceptability and legitimacy." Context: Several top ministers in Taliban are globally designated terrorists Another concern is that several of the ministers in the Taliban government have been identified as global terrorists. The most notable among them is the Interior Minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani. The US has described Haqqani as a "specially designated global terrorist" with close ties to al Qaeda. The US administration notably has announced a $10 million reward for information leading to Haqqani's arrest. Story continues BRICS: BRICS summit expressed concern over use of Afghanistan by terrorists Meanwhile, the five-nation grouping BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) expressed concern over the use of Afghanistan's territory by terrorist groups. To prevent such attempts, BRICS leaders have also pitched for an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue to ensure peace and stability in the country. It further emphasized the need to address the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and uphold human rights, including those of women, children, and minorities. Background: What is happening in Afghanistan? Weeks after overthrowing the Afghan government, the Taliban Tuesday formed an "acting government" in Afghanistan. While it tried to form a government in collaboration with local leaders, in the end, the most important positions were held by the Taliban leaders. The group's military victory came after the US decided to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan as per a peace deal with the Taliban. The news article, India tells UNSC Afghanistan still fragile; calls for inclusive government appeared first on NewsBytes. Also see: SCO summit: Modi to discuss terrorism in Pakistan's presence No decision yet on recognizing Taliban government in Afghanistan: MEA Pakistan serving as Taliban's support base: Afghanistan's acting President Read more on World by NewsBytes. Pakistan rejects allegations it backed Taliban in Panjshir Valley 10 Sep 2021: Pakistan rejects allegations it backed Taliban in Panjshir Valley Pakistan has rejected reports that it aided the Taliban's takeover in the Panjshir province. In a statement, Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar described the claims as a "mischievous propaganda campaign." On Monday, the Taliban claimed that it had taken over Panjshir Valley, the last holdout since the extremist group's hostile takeover of Afghanistan last month. Here are more details. Details: 'Malicious allegations part of desperate attempt to malign Pakistan' Iftikhar said that Pakistan has "categorically rejected these allegations as part of a mischievous propaganda campaign." "These malicious allegations were part of a desperate attempt to malign Pakistan and to mislead the international community," the envoy said in the overnight statement, adding that Pakistan is committed to the idea of a peaceful, stable, sovereign, and prosperous Afghanistan. Recent news: International community has collective responsibility to help Afghanistan: Pakistan On Friday, Pakistan said that the international community has a "collective responsibility" to help Afghanistan at this hour. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had also said that the nation had sent a plane carrying food and medicines to Kabul. Pakistan also wants to unfreeze Afghanistan's assets to enable the Taliban to revive the country's economy, he added. Takeover: Pakistan military assisted Taliban in Panjshir: US Central Command According to the US Central Command, the Pakistan military assisted the Taliban in Panjshir by providing at least 27 helicopters filled with Pakistan Special Forces. Pakistan also allegedly backed the group by drone strikes against the resistance. Pakistan spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence's chief Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed visited Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar a day before the Taliban said it had overtaken Panjshir. Story continues Panjshir: Anti-Taliban resistance had gathered in Panjshir Valley On Monday, the Taliban announced that the group had taken control of Panjshir. Panjshir is where National Resistance Front (NRF) leader Ahmad Massoud and ousted Vice President Amrullah Saleh are leading a fight against the Taliban from. The region was the center of resistance during the 1980s Soviet occupation and the 1990s occupation of the Taliban. The news article, Pakistan rejects allegations it backed Taliban in Panjshir Valley appeared first on NewsBytes. Also see: Taliban tortures, kills ex-VP Amrullah Saleh's brother in Panjshir: Report What explains Taliban's invite to 6 countries for government ceremony? Kabul: Taliban arrests journalists as protesters chant 'death to Pakistan' Read more on World by NewsBytes. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman meets Head of Iran Inter-Parliamentary Union on sidelines of World Conference of Speakers of Parliament Vienna [Austria] September 10 (ANI): Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Thursday met with the Iranian Parliamentary Delegation to discuss Parliamentary Diplomacy and Cooperation. The Iranian delegation was led by Elham Azad who is the Head of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Group of Parliament of Iran. The bilateral meeting took place on the sideline of the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Vienna. Both parties also discussed the Parliament of India's active engagement with the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Harivansh also held a bilateral meeting with the Deputy Speaker of Ghana during the visit to Vienna. Harivansh along with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla are in Vienna to attend the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament (5WCSP) organised by the Austrian Parliament, Inter-Parliamentary Union and the United Nations. The Indian Parliamentary delegation is being led by Birla. (ANI) Ah, ramen. Arguably Japans most popular export after sushi. Its loved by people all over the world for both its unparalleled accessibility and straightforward indulgence. Its hard to find a country that doesnt have a healthy stable of popular ramen joints and that includes our sunny island as well. But while Singapore has an infatuation with tonkotsu-style broth since the infancy of the ramen scene here thanks to pioneers like Ippudo and Keisuke, ramen is a highly varied dish with hundreds upon hundreds of styles born of regions all around Japan. One particularly interesting style is the Sapporo style, which Sapporo Nishiyama at Great World brings to our shores with plenty of heart. person preparing ramen Many people have been fawning over Sapporo Misono, the latest in the Keisuke groups concept but Sapporo Nishiyama is a hidden gem thats already gotten traction in some circles before the well-received new concept was even opened. Of course, its understandable why this particular stall has been under the radar all this while. It finds its home in the food court of the Japanese supermarket Meidi-Ya, away from the general publics view in the basement. It may be easy to write Sapporo Nishiyama off as an overpriced food court stall, as just another run-of-the-mill joint that offers middling-to-slightly-above-average quality. But as the overused adage goes: dont judge a book by its cover. What I tried They are the real deal, putting intricate moves every stop of the way to fastidiously cook and present each bowl of their ramen. You can watch it all unravel in the windowed kitchen as you see, and smell, the smoke streaming out of the stove. A smoke show while making ramen? No, youre not reading that wrong. One of Sapporo Nishiyamas signature ramen is actuallyquite bewilderingdoused in what I can only describe as wok hei. The same kind youd find in a plate of hor fun at a zi char. Close-up of Miso Butter Corn ramen Dont come here without ordering their Miso Butter Corn Ramen (S$19.80)a weird-sounding combo on paper, but the end result is quite intriguing. In fact, the final product doesnt really quite taste like what the ingredient list suggests. What goes into this bowl of ramen is actually a healthy serving of vegetables, except they arent really all that healthy. Story continues These greens are wok-fried and inundated with a sensual lick of smoke that bleeds into the broth. By itself, the broth already packed a robust umami edge from the miso but theres a certain chemistry between the smoke, the umami and, the corns sweetness that really pieces everything together. Improved by stirring in a dollop of butter, the broth is given a creamy boost and the mouthfeel feels a bit plusher than it was by itself. While the broth is the focal point, Sapporo Nishiyama doesnt skive off on the remainder of the bowl as well. Those curly strands of noodles sported that pristine bouncy bite, while the charred vegetables provided a nice crunch as a counterpoint to the carbs. However, as someone who abhors bean sprouts, I found myself digging into an overabundance of bean sprouts nearing the endquite the painful trawl through the bowl to salvage any strands of treasure. Sapporo Gyokai Noko Tsukemen On the other hand, their Sapporo Gyokai Noko Tsukemen (S$17.80) is another great choice if youre looking for something with a very different flavour and textural parameters from the Miso Butter Corn Ramen. Tsukemen is a style of ramen that consists of a bowl of dry ramen served with a piping hot bowl of concentrated soup meant for dipping. Gyokai Noko Wanting some diversity for our dinner at Sapporo Nishiyama, we went for the Gyokai Noko which is a seafood broth over the Sapporo Miso Tsukemen, and it was the right call. If youre an avid fan of fragrant bonito notes, the dipping broth has an abundance of it. Sapporo Nishimiya Ramen 5 While I want to say theres complexity and balance to the intensity, theres notbut thats to its merit. Unlike the multi-layered broth of the Miso Butter Corn Ramen, this was a more straightforward enjoyment that might actually suit the palate of many ramen fans used to the blunt, unadulterated oomph of the popular tonkotsu-style broths. Through some wizardry, the thick soup actually slicks snugly onto every strand of noodle, which is of a heftier, chewier make than the ones Sapporo Nishiyama used in the soup ramen. Plus, it comes with a good array of ingredients including some delectably crunchy bamboo shoots, which are one of my favourite ramen toppings ever. Final thoughts In a scene thats traditionally dominated by tonkotsu-style broth, I wholeheartedly welcome any new additions that buck the trend. While many novel styles of ramen have popped up in recent times, I say we still need more variety especially since travel to lesser travelled areas of Japan is still a faraway option for us. If you do a quick check through their social media, youd notice that most of Sapporo Nishiyamas reviews are written in Japanesehaving strong word-of-mouth popularity amongst Japanese expats always bodes well for a ramen joint. After our trip down, we know thats truewhat we got were novel, but authentic flavours such as Miso Butter Corn that will make you cheat on tonkotsu. Expected damage: From S$17.80 per bowl Other articles you might like: Tangled, Chinatown Point: Thought-through, lovingly made, and utterly deserving Eatbox, Rochor: 18-stall food hall featuring biscoff youtiao & shaker noodles The post Sapporo Nishiyama Ramen, River Valley: Novel Miso Butter Corn broth that will make you cheat on tonkotsu appeared first on SETHLUI.com. NEW ORLEANS (AP) Supply trucks are once again delivering beer on Bourbon Street and the landmark Cafe Du Monde is serving beignets, fried pastries covered with white sugar, even though there arent many tourists or locals around to partake of either. With almost all the power back on in New Orleans nearly two weeks after Hurricane Ida struck, the city is showing signs of making a comeback from the Category 4 storm, which is blamed for more than two dozen deaths in the state. More businesses are opening daily, gasoline is easier to find and many roads are lined with huge debris piles from cleanup work. Thousands are still struggling without electricity and water outside the metro area, and officials say oppressive heat is contributing to both health problems and the misery. It could still be weeks before power is restored in some areas, and many residents who evacuated haven't returned. It is not lost on anybody here at the state level and certainly not on our local partners just how many people continue to suffer, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday. While things are getting better and we can be thankful for that ... this is going to be a very long-term recovery. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The bulk of the legwork is done by Tom, who may be the films unsung hero. Whether hes questioning Sen. Charles Grassley or observing Iowa caucuses, Tom has his eye on what residents want and need to know. When he tries to convince dad they should lean into new media (he suggests a podcast), dad rebels. Its a bit of a roller coaster being Art Cullens son, he says. Risius and Levison show Art in full new-millennium Mark Twain mode hosting a panel of presidential candidates. But they also trek along as Dolores covers a Pork Princess appearance at an elementary school. Storm Lake shows the town, too, and discusses how agriculture changed its demographics. Boasting a large immigrant population, it now has different needs and concerns. When the Iowa Caucuses unfold, the films directors lean into the shift and chronicle how the Times folks cover them. The process, alone, should silence media critics. This is how the sausage is made, print style. Cullens brother, John, talks about the finances; an advertising rep weighs in on how difficult it is to get advertising in a community that has seen businesses close. Life isnt easy but journalism is in the Cullen DNA. Were putting out a good paper, Art says. Ultimately, that will pay. More than 177 million Americans, or an estimated 75 percent, are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but confirmed cases have shot up in recent weeks to an average of about 140,000 per day with on average about 1,000 deaths, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most of the spread and the vast majority of severe illness and death is occurring among those not yet fully vaccinated. So-called breakthrough infections in vaccinated people occur, but tend to be far less dangerous. The requirement that larger employers vaccinate against the coronavirus will be enacted through a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that carries penalties of $14,000 per violation, an administration official said. It also will require employers to provide paid time off for vaccination. Biden's aggressive push to require 80 million U.S. workers to be vaccinated or tested or face the loss of their jobs is running into a wall of resistance from Republican leaders -- and some union chiefs -- threatening everything from lawsuits to civil disobedience. The drop was most dramatic in math. More than 40% of eighth-grade students were considered proficient in math in 2018-2019 tests, a number that education officials had expressed concern about. That figure plummeted to 14% last year under the new assessment. The numbers discussed Thursday came from raw unverified data, but Mackey said he did not expect the state scores to change much. District and school level numbers will be available Sept. 27 after schools verify them. Mackey said the state has already implemented a recovery effort with targeted remediation. He said the state saw record participation in summer reading camps as families voluntarily try to make up ground lost to the pandemic. But the superintendent added that he is also concerned about this year after the state has seen a surge in cases that has caused some schools to temporarily close. Public schools reported nearly 9,200 virus cases in students and staff last week. Mackey said he expects well over 10,000 cases to be reported this week. I am very worried about this year at this point, he said. According to the scores discussed Thursday: 43% of second graders were considered proficient in English language arts and 34% were consider proficient in math. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Thursday said President Joe Biden's mandate that many private businesses require employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is the wrong approach for boosting vaccination rates. Hutchinson, a Republican who chairs the National Governors Association, compared Biden's order to a push by some conservatives to prohibit private businesses from requiring vaccinations. I have been consistent in the freedom of businesses to require their employees to be vaccinated, and I have opposed the government from saying businesses cannot exercise that freedom, Hutchinson said in a statement. The same principle should protect the private sector from government overreach that requires them to vaccinate all employees. The expansive rules announced Thursday mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated. MADISON, Wis. (AP) The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources policy boards chairman on Thursday canceled a September meeting after a top department official told him no one from the agency would participate amid a partisan fight over whether he should leave his post. Fred Prehn, an appointee of former Republican Gov. Scott Walker, has refused to step down even though his term expired in May. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers appointed Sandra Naas to replace him, a move that would give Evers appointees majority control of the board. Prehn maintains he doesn't have to leave until the state Senate confirms Naas. Republicans who control that chamber have made no moves toward a confirmation vote. Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul has filed a lawsuit seeking a court order to remove Prehn from the board. Prehn said in a statement Thursday that DNR Deputy Secretary Todd Ambs told him the agency will not propose any agenda items for the board's Sept. 22 meeting, no DNR officials will attend the meeting and that Prehn should cancel it. Prehn said he had no choice but to cancel the meeting, calling the department's stance unprecedented. Democrats say the ultimate goal of the Republicans undertaking is to undermine access to voting and eliminate Pennsylvanias mail-in voting law. Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Allegheny, said the Republican quest to get ballots is shocking and a blatant disregard of a voters constitutional right that their ballot is secret. Costa also said it contradicts statements by Republicans that the aim of the forensic investigation is to find and fix election problems, not to rehash last years election. Cormans office responded Friday to Costas statements about ballot privacy by saying that nothing that has been announced as part of this investigation has the potential to jeopardize ballot secrecy whatsoever. Last month, Corman seemed to stand behind thoroughly discredited conspiracy theories about a plot to tip the election by casting ballots for dead voters. He told a pro-Trump online broadcast host that any ballots received by the committee would be compared to voter rolls so we can match them up to see who voted, where were they living, were they alive. Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/timelywriter. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Advocacy groups are urging the Biden administration to help provide safe drinking water in Benton Harbor, a low-income, predominantly Black city in southwestern Michigan where tests repeatedly have shown excessive lead levels in the water supply. LAS VEGAS (AP) A judge in Las Vegas has dismissed a lawsuit in a dispute over control of the Republican party in the Las Vegas area, telling acting party leaders and a Trump faction claiming control that courts shouldn't settle what she termed an intra-party political fight. The decision Thursday by Clark County District Court Judge Susan Johnson in Las Vegas overturned a court order last week by another judge but did not immediately resolve the question of Clark County Republican Central Committee leadership. Committee spokesman Ed Gonzalez said Friday a party meeting scheduled Sept. 21 will be led by acting Chairman Stephen Silberkraus. Jesse Law, leader of challengers claiming control of the county GOP, and David OMara, the attorney representing Law and eight others in the case, didnt immediately respond Friday to telephone and email messages. OMara told the Las Vegas Review-Journal after Johnsons ruling that Law and others were validly elected July 28 and will conduct the Sept. 21 meeting. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) A man who spent 21 years in prison over the killings of two people in a Bakersfield gang shooting that he denied committing was freed Thursday, his lawyers announced. Dwight Jones, 41, was released from the Lerdo Pretrial Facility in the California central valley community, according to the Project for the Innocent at Loyola Marymount University. Jones was convicted of a gang-related drive-by shooting at Casa Loma Park on Aug. 6, 1999, where a wake and barbecue were being held following a funeral for a slain associate of a local gang, authorities said. Jones and several other people were arrested in the shooting. Two men were acquitted at trial. When Jones was arrested, he told police that he had been on the street in front of his house at the time of the shooting," said the Loyola statement. But the most critical witnesses who could have attested to Joness alibi were not called to testify at trial, and he was convicted of two counts of murder, and four counts of attempted murder, along with multiple gun and gang enhancements." Jones, 20, was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. Heineman spent a large part of his childhood in the county and said many residents feel connected to their current district. The 2nd District currently encompasses all of Douglas and the western part of Sarpy County. The proposed Republican plan in the Legislature would divide Douglas County between the 1st and 2nd Districts, while moving all of neighboring Sarpy and Saunders counties into the 2nd District. Saunders and Sarpy are both heavily Republican, so merging them with the 2nd District would likely offset Democratic votes in Omaha. Heineman said he doesn't object to other parts of the GOP plan. He opposes the Democratic counter-proposal, which would keep Douglas County whole in the 2nd District and swap out western Sarpy County with the more Democratic-leaning city of Bellevue. But he said it's obvious that neither plan has the support it needs to pass in the Legislature during the special session that begins next week. I don't have a doubt there are going to be some tradeoffs here, Heineman said in an interview. At the end of the day, you're going to have to find some common ground. In the CACI case, for example, company personnel were assigned directly to Abu Ghraib under a government contract, an element that was not present in the Nestle case. In fact, Iraq's status at the time as an invaded nation governed by the Coalition Provisional Authority, a multinational entity dominated by the U.S., calls into question whether Iraq and Abu Ghraib were truly foreign territory, lawyers for the Abu Ghraib victims argued. Brinkema also mentioned an email from a CACI employee assigned to Abu Ghraib that she described as a potential smoking gun. The email was uncovered in the discovery process of the lawsuit, but it is filed under seal. But as described in generic terms in court papers and by Brinkema, it was sent by a CACI employee to his boss outlining abuses he had personally witnessed. The employee apparently resigned in protest, Brinkema said. Brinkema said she was amazed that no one at CACI seemed to follow up on the employee's concerns. O'Connor disputed that the email was incriminating. He said the email took note of improper interrogations conducted by inexperienced Army soldiers, not by CACI interrogators or supervisors. NEWPORT, Vt. (AP) Proceeds from a Vermont settlement with a former ski resort owner who was accused of massive fraud involving foreign investors money in area developments are being used to help the city of Newport recover from the failed projects, officials said. These grant programs will go a long way in supporting Newports recovery and long-term economic opportunities for people in the Northeast Kingdom, Gov. Phil Scott said Thursday. Under the 2018 settlement agreement with Miami businessman Ariel Quiros, his northeastern Vermont properties were awarded to the state, with the proceeds from their sales going toward promoting economic development, particularly in Newport, Scott and other officials said. The fund also includes money from the 2018 plea agreement with former Jay Peak President William Stenger, who agreed to pay the city $100,000 for economic development, officials said. In 2019, Quiros, the former owner of Jay Peak and Burke Mountain Resort, Stenger and Quiros advisor William Kelly were indicted criminally over a failed plan to build the biotechnology plant in Newport, using millions raised through the EB-5 program. The visa program encourages foreigners to invest in U.S. projects that create jobs in exchange for a chance to earn permanent U.S. residency. BRUSSELS (AP) The European Unions competition watchdog on Friday cleared an injection of Italian government funds into new national flag carrier ITA, and said the company would not be held accountable for illegal state aid given to its predecessor Alitalia. Just a month before ITA takes to the skies, the European Commission which polices anti-trust and competition issues in the 27-nation EU said capital totaling 1.35 billion euros ($1.6 billion) that Italy intends to grant the new venture is in line with market conditions and cannot be considered as illegal state aid. The commission said ITA will operate less than half of the aircraft now run by Alitalia which has been in the red for more than a decade and only parts of its handling and maintenance businesses. ITA will also drop its predecessors loss-making routes. At the same time, Brussels ordered the Italian government to recover 900 million euros ($1.01 billion) from Alitalia, saying that a probe concluded that the money constitutes illegal state aid. But its unlikely that all the money, which is supposed to come from the sale of company assets, will ever be recovered. HONG KONG (AP) Three leaders of the group that organized an annual Tiananmen candlelight vigil were being held in custody Friday after they were charged with subversion under Hong Kong's national security law, as authorities intensify a crackdown on dissent in the city. It was a day that did not end. It went on for days, it went on for weeks, it went on for years. But then you look up and somehow, 20 years have gone, and you realize with a start that you cant recall the last time you thought of September 11, 2001. Well go forward from this moment, I wrote. And we did. And we have. So much so that maybe the events of that day begin to feel a little distant. So its shocking how easily it all comes back. Indeed, to review the old footage is to return to that morning with visceral urgency, two decades stripping away like varnish, like nothing. Suddenly it is once again that fateful Tuesday morning, and there is a pit in your stomach, a tension in your jaw as two iconic New York towers are impaled by jetliners, as fire blooms like some death flower, as great mountains of smoke float over the skyline, as dust-caked people stagger about like confused ghosts, as first word comes of an explosion at the Pentagon, as a plane disappears from radar over Pennsylvania, as TV news anchors struggle for words to comprehend the incomprehensible, as your heart breaks, and breaks. All of it comes right back. Just as if it never really left. After years of uncertainty, the sign on Highway 965 near the border of Coralville and North Liberty is finally true: Coming soon, it says underneath the University of Iowa Health Care logo. Plans for a UIHC offshoot in northern Johnson County have been in the works for some time but they hit a snag this year when a state board narrowly voted against granting approval for the project. After hospital leaders submitted an updated plan, the Iowa Health Facilities Council reversed and approved it this week. In Iowa, new health care facilities are required to get a certificate of need from the state. The process allows the public and other health care providers to argue against the expansion. In this case, Mercy Iowa City and UnityPoint Health-Cedar Rapids advocated against granting permission. We have a hard time believing there are too few health care options in the growing Cedar Rapids-Iowa City corridor, which serves as a health care hub for the state and the Midwest. UI leaders made a strong case that they are not necessarily competing with local hospitals but instead expanding care for the patients from around the region who are hardest to treat. Rosario Dawson has joined the 'Haunted Mansion' remake. The 42-year-old actress - who plays Jedi Ahsoka Tano on Disney Plus' 'The Mandalorian' - has landed a part in the upcoming live-action Disney remake, Deadline reports. The latest casting news for the film comes hot off the heels of Owen Wilson being confirmed. The 52-year-old actor - who voices Lightning McQueen in Disney Pixar's 'Cars' franchise, and Mobius in the 'Loki' series on Disney Plus - also has a currently unknown role in the upcoming flick. The pair join Tiffany Haddish and LaKeith Stanfield in the movie, which is based on the ghost train attraction at the Disney theme parks. The 'Girls Trip' star and the 'Knives Out' actor are set to play a psychic who can communicate with the dead and "a widower who once believed in the supernatural but is now a rather lifeless tour guide in New Orleans French Quarter", respectively. Justin Simien is helming the flick and Katie Dippold is penning the script. Filming is due to commence in autumn in New Orleans. The 2003 movie starred Eddie Murphy as realtor Jim Evers and was also filmed in the US city. Pursuit intervention on Almond Avenue A South Dakota woman faces felony and misdemeanor charges after she led a high-speed sheriff's pursuit in Plymouth County while driving a vehicle stolen from Sioux City. At around 2:45 p.m. Sept. 3, the Plymouth County Sheriff's Office was advised of a vehicle stolen from Sioux City that was reportedly in the area of County Road K22, near County Road C44, according to a press release from the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department. Deputies and Iowa State Patrol troopers responded and located the vehicle travelling east on Highway 3, about five miles west of Le Mars. Deputies attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the driver failed to stop and a pursuit ensued. The vehicle travelled through Le Mars on Highway 3 and continued east on 180th Street. The vehicle continued travelling through rural Plymouth County roads until it started east on County Road C16 north of Remsen, according to the press release. Near the intersection of C16 and Almond Avenue, the Iowa State Patrol used "the pursuit intervention technique," according to the press release, and the vehicle ended up in the ditch. Today, they often act like clowns. Some pass along conspiracy theories on cable television, while others seem to enjoy broadcasting dangerously inaccurate medical information. A few waste time hectoring guests, performing outrage, or just emoting rather than reporting. In mimicking the worst of social media, many prefer reconfirming their audiences biases to challenging viewers with the vital, and perhaps disagreeable, information they need. Many of our current TV anchors have evolved into the cartoon characters lampooned by Hollywood since The Mary Tyler Moore Show first introduced us to Ted Baxter and Network warned us of the attractionand dangerof madmen broadcasting from TV newsrooms. Advertisement But the power that fueled such portrayals in the 1970s no longer exists, as the relevance and cross-cultural respect accorded past network news anchorsa power derived from audiences concentrated by limited broadcast optionscollapsed with the advent of multichannel media. Though Mad magazine (and others) spoofed Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley, and David Brinkley in the 1960s, network TV anchormen occupied a hallowed space in the American psyche while playing a distinctly more salubrious role in American society. This legacy of critical independence might have looked liked a nostalgic cliche by the time of George Clooneys 2005 film, Good Night, and Good Luck, in part because it really had been so potent in its time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By 2005, however, the idea of the heroic network TV anchor speaking truth to power had largely disappeared. In hindsight, the last cultural moment of the nightly news broadcasts social authority occurred on Sept. 11, 2001. In the immediate aftermath of that terroristic attack, we experienced the last turn of the classic anchorman. Advertisement On that day, and in the ensuing days of confusion, network anchors like Peter Jennings, Dan Rather, and Tom Brokaw assembled coherence from fragmentary information while contextualizing a tragedy of almost unimaginable scale. They did this live, in front of a camera, while juggling their own personal responsibilities with their national informational obligations. I almost lost it a couple of times on 9/11, Peter Jennings once told an interviewer. Most specifically, when I turned around to find that my children had called from two parts of the country. I think it made me think of a lot of families, and their children. The emotional pain evidenced in this clip spoke not only for Jennings, but for millions of anxious American parents separated from their children and glued to their TV sets. Throughout the day, the anchors addressed viewers clearly and directly, employing the sort of crisp, declarative sentences that unambiguously signal historys occurrence. Sept. 11, 2001. You will remember this day as long as you live were the words Dan Rather used to open the CBS Evening News at 6:30 p.m. that night. Advertisement Advertisement Such professionalismas evidenced by a practiced combination of gravity and authority, and attempts at remaining candid, honest, and transparent with the audiencemay have been a touch paternalistic, but it was effective. The networks reattracted the viewers who flocked back to the news channels they grew up on. The informational power that had by 2001 started to crumbleamid competition from cable news and the early ripples of online journalism and social mediawas, for a few days, restored. The vacuous inanity that infected so much TV news throughout Americas tabloid decade, the 1990s, evaporated instantly. Advertisement Advertisement Americans, on 9/11, turned to their trusted anchors for more than journalism. When there is a crisis in the American family, our roles become almost ministerial in a sense that we are healers, NBCs Tom Brokaw told an audience in 2002. We are looked to for information, but also for empathy and reassurance. Soon, the nations anchormen started steering the nation back on course. They played a restorative role, and across the television landscape they signaled appropriate modes of behavior to a nation grasping for how to react. Dan Rather memorably visited The Late Show, to both encourage his colleague David Letterman and to demonstrate the acceptability of an emotional response to a national trauma. Advertisement Rathers brief show of emotion on The Late Show revealed the enormous strain under which journalists were working, and the hidden humanity of the people delivering our news. Peter Jennings, who anchored the nations top-rated newscast on ABC, later admitted that all the anxiety and tension of those days caused him to self-medicate by resuming the smoking habit hed overcome in the 1980s. He would die of cancer just four years later, at the age of 67. Advertisement Advertisement Over the decade following 9/11, despite recurring crisesincluding a war with Iraq and the economic collapse in 200809the role of the anchorman on television, and in society, would diminish considerably. Numerous reasons exist for the decline; primarily, many viewers began tuning in to more politically reliable cable newscasts that catered to their partisan biases more effectively than traditional network newscasts did. But the networks also hold some responsibility for the formats decline. Its easy to forget the numerous embarrassing moments occurring in the aftermath of 9/11 that damaged the credibility of even the nations most respected news outlets. The networks inaccurately smeared the wrong suspect in the anthrax attacks, and, they credulously relayed some of the Bush administrations more questionable claims in the run-up to the war with Iraq. Rathers career anchoring the CBS Evening News ended when his credibility couldnt recover from a report based, in part, upon unverified (and likely fictitious) memos about President George W. Bushs military service. Advertisement Some have argued that the power accrued by network anchors between 1960 and 2000 was never a healthy development for our society. In establishing credibility with millions of citizens, these celebrity journalists yielded enormous political influence despite claiming neutral (or objective) political identities. Beginning with Spiro Agnew, politicians took aim at these unelected leaders, with the apex of conflict erupting in 1988. That year, Vice President George H.W. Bush exploited a live TV interview to insult Dan Rather in response to a critical line of questioning. Other politicians learned from Bushs success, and periodic, calculated-seeming displays of anger became a base-flattering political tactic. Examples include when former President Bill Clinton went after Fox News Chris Wallace in 2006, and when Donald Trump theatrically walked out of an interview with Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes last year (and then immediately released video of the moment). In these cases, partisans applauded the pushback by their heroes. Such ruptures revealed the ever-present simmering conflict between TV news and political power. They also made clear that the era when a program like Ted Koppels Nightline could leverage its audience influence to constrain an administrations options in handling a calamity (like the Iran hostage crisis) was over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When history erupts as breaking news today, its distributed through microchannels and information silos. Tragic and confusing news events that used to unify the nation in search of credible and widely accepted answers are now first filtered through tribal loyalty. The sheer number of Americans refusing to accept solutions that promise to significantly alleviate the COVID-19 pandemic proves just how far weve moved from even the concept of universal information. Though nightly broadcast network newscasts remain popularat times this past summer, ABC World News Tonight was the most-watched show of any kind on U.S. television, beating Americas Got Talent and other prime-time programsDavid Muir receives far less attention than a typical Fox News host, despite generating vastly larger audiences. And the role Muir plays in contemporary American society isnt comparable with the one that Chet Huntley, Peter Jennings, and Walter Cronkite once enjoyed. When each of us curates our own personal news feed, with many of us rejecting unwelcome information even if credible and verified, we all conspire in the national splintering. Ultimately, it looks like all the informational freedom weve gained in our more decentralized news environment has ironically empowered widespread ignorance. Advertisement Advertisement My father was a TV newsman who worked at CBS News from the 1950s through the 1980s. He began on the CBS Evening News when it was a 15-minute black-and-white headline service showing dated film clips, and he finished his broadcast journalism career in the age of instantaneous global satellite relay. He had a simple theory for why network TV news accrued so much power in the 1960s and 1970s. When all hell breaks loose, he used to say, you want your news straight from the mountaintop. From November 1963, when the president was assassinated in Dallas, through the attack of Sept. 11, 2001, Americans grew accustomed to receiving credible and accurate information delivered humanely, with empathy, coherence, and reassurance. For all the dazzling technological magic of our current information environment, weve never been able to replicate, or replace, the classic network anchormans journalisticor ministerialroles. In retrospect, the disappearance of the classic anchorman after 9/11 is an issue larger than journalism itself. It speaks to the vital question of whether anybodyelected or notwill ever be able to play such an essential role in sustaining a shared and accepted informational identity for our national community. The next time all hell breaks loose, perhaps well find out. In 2004, I was editing a Black community-centered edition of POZ, a magazine about HIV/AIDS. I was planning a story about the shifting representation of Black gay men on television that wouldnt have been complete without quotes from Michael K. Williams, who was two years into playing Omar on The Wire. The only problem was, he didnt have a press person, and HBO hadnt responded to my lowly request. A couple of days into my efforts to contact the actor, I happened to see Williams at a party in Manhattan. I was hesitant to bother him, but I had a job to do. I asked him for an interview, and we ended up having a long conversation about his work with Crystal Waters, his love of dance, and how little he cared about whether people thought he was gay in real life. At a time when homophobia was rampant, I was struck that he was excited to talk about media images of Black masculinity and sexuality at a party. I get a lot of love in the hood, ironically, I remember him saying, belying the narrative of disproportionate homophobia in the Black community. They love the honesty of my character. It makes them realize there are all kinds of people in the hood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the days since Williams was found dead in his Williamsburg, Brooklyn, apartment, much has been said about his impact. But to truly appreciate Williams cultural stamp, you have to go back to the early 2000s muck of unsubtle colorism, uninventive casting, and unapologetic homophobiaand how gracefully he pushed back against these things, well ahead of his time. Williams came into acting with an impressive dance background. In the 90s, the Brooklyn native performed with George Michael and Madonna and choreographed for house music legend Crystal Waters. But in the early 2000s, parts for Black men were limited. With a few exceptions like Damon Wayans patriarch on My Wife and Kids, and cornball William on Girlfriends, Black men most often played criminal or crime-adjacent rolesthugs, judges, and cops. In movies, they were sadistic drug dealers, sensitive drug dealers, drug dealers with big dreams, or Will Smith. Famous rappers like Ice Cube, DMX, and LL Cool J occupied roles that might have gone to an up-and-coming actor like Williams. Advertisement The Wire offered him a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play an intriguing character: Omar made a living sticking up drug dealers with a sawed-off shotgun but had a strict moral code with civilians. He was feared and respected by the hardest of criminals but tender with loved onesespecially his boyfriends. Advertisement While theres no doubt that Williams needed the work, its impossible to stress how big a risk he took when he agreed to play Omar. If media images of straight Black men were limiting, Black gay roles were radioactive. Pre-Omar, gay, Black, and male meant squealing caricatures (In Living Colors Blaine Edwards and Antoine Merriweather) and gossipy hairdressers (Soul Food).* In real life, there was author J.L. King on Oprah, dishing about deceitful gay Black men living on the down low. There were urban legends of Black gay men maliciously spreading AIDS to unsuspecting straight women, Black pulpits spewing violent sin-talk, and thenshock jock Wendy Williams whipping up hysteria with her hunt for the gay rapper. And of course, hip-hop, the youth culture that ran through The Wire, was a robust supplement to the on-screen stereotyping. Besides the well-documented hate speech in any number of popular songs, this era produced the trend of peppering conversations with pause and no homo, meant to undo anything that sounded gay. Advertisement Advertisement And yet there was Williams playing a character who stood at the intersection of traditional Black masculinity, street bravado, and same-gender-loving queerness. Perhaps equally important was how Williams discussed the role, even as a relatively unknown actor. Social media didnt exist when Williams became famous playing Omar. He was not facing the specter of cancellation for saying something impolitic. And still, in interviews like the one he did with me at that party in Manhattan and many others for larger outlets, he spoke with great care and respect for the man he portrayed. Omar is this dark-skinned outspoken man in the hood who didnt care what anyone thought of him. He is everything I wished I could be. Said in a 2007 interview with the New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement Williams would go on to play major roles like concerned father Chalky White on Boardwalk Empire, charmer Jack Gee in Bessie, and bisexual Montrose Freeman in Lovecraft Country, a part that garnered him an Emmy nomination. He would become a criminal justice reform advocate, the host of Vices Black Market, and a GQ favorite. His ink-black beauty came into vogue. The night I met him, I remember thinking that he could have easily opted for cynical distancing from the character he played, with a tossed-off comment like Im making money though. But he was unafraid of having a discreet, sincere, almost reverent conversation that forecasted the more fluid masculinity we see today. Without Omar, there is no Tyler the Creator, Young Thug, or Kid Cudi wearing a Kurt Cobaininspired dress on Saturday Night Live without major repercussions.* Advertisement To me, the clearest document of what Williams had to offer to me about portrayals of Black masculinity is the now-viral video of him dancing to house music in a Brooklyn park. There he is, a star in his easy elegance, swaying, jumping, and catching the spirit. Its the movement of a Black man who is fully free. Advertisement From not even a year ago, Michael K. Williams dancing in the park. Look at the spirit get a hold of him. Dancing until the end. Rest easy until you find the next dance floor. pic.twitter.com/xbH0s4rEmu Amanuel Teferi (@AManYouLove_T) September 6, 2021 In 1994, Nihad Awad and other American Muslims sought to start Americas first organization for challenging common misconceptions about Islam and the people who practice it. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, initially pushed back on Hollywood depictions of Muslims and fought discrimination against women who wear hijabs to work, among other causes. The group snapped more into focus and public attention following the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, when Muslims were the victims of dozens of hate crimes in the immediate aftermath on the mistaken belief the attack was Islamist terrorism. Advertisement That experience loomed on 9/11, when the organizations mission truly transformed. Awad was in Washington that day, and later in the same week, he was meeting with President George W. Bush amid a wave of anti-Muslim violence. CAIRs story came to mirror the experiences of so many Muslim Americans in the years afterward: It would be revealed in an Edward Snowden leak that Awad and other Muslim activists were the subject of a massive government surveillance program. CAIR would often be forced to appear in court to defend itself against anti-Muslim activists and face claims it had ties to funding terrorism. The organization itself would become a boogeyman in the right-wing press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But what Awad still remembers most vividly is that Tuesday. As the 20th anniversary approached, I called Awad to discuss his experiences then, how CAIR survived in the years after, and whats changed for American Muslims now. Our conversation has been condensed and edited. Advertisement Aymann Ismail: Can you start by walking me through what you remember on Sept. 11, 2001? Nihad Awad: It was a regular summer day in terms of routine, getting up and getting ready for work. I listen to the radio as I get ready to leave the house. I was listening to NPR as I was ironing my shirt when I heard the first news about an airplane slamming into one of the Twin Towers in New York. I thought it must have been an unfortunate tragedy, and I was anxious to hear more, but there were no details. Then minutes after that, just as I was ready to leave, I heard the second piece on the radio. Another plane hit the second Twin Tower. I turned on the TV and watched people begin to speculate on whats happened. I just had a gut feeling when I started to hear the word terrorism. Advertisement Do you remember your first thought when you learned of the attack? Advertisement Unfortunately, I learned after the Oklahoma City Bombing on April 19, 1995, what happens after any massive terrorist attack. Immediately, media outlets will blame Muslims and Arabs. There is no restraint on making statements, no discipline for people to withhold judgment. The finger pointing starts right then. As the executive director for an emerging Muslim civil rights advocacy group, I knew that things were going to get tough. What did you do? I hit the road immediately. I was thinking about my family, because my wife was dropping my children at school about 20 miles away from home, and I could not get a hold of her. I was on my way to Washington, D.C. I heard somethingI dont know if it was the attack itself or what else was happening, I dont know. When I got probably two miles away from the Pentagon, I saw a big black cloud over it. The highway became completely jammed. I had to back up on the ramp. I decided that there was no way for me to get to Washington D.C. this way. I drove for two and a half hours to get to my office, going past roadblocks and emergency vehicles. It was like being in a horror movie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I eventually arrived at the CAIR office. The Muslim community leadership were already gathered in our office. That same day, on Tuesday, we were supposed to meet with President Bush at the White House in the afternoon. We started to monitor the news and get to work. And by 11:30, we came up with a statement to condemn the attack, praying for the victims, and wishing for those who have been injured to recover. We sent it to probably 40,000 media outlets that were in our database then. Then we went to the nearby Red Cross to see if they needed any donated blood. What were you hearing from Muslims right after the attack? We started to report on the hate crimes and attacks on innocent Muslimsthe frenzy. We were receiving reports on both our office phones and personal phones. It was just non-stop ringing. The six years that preceded 9/11 made us aware that we would be doing this work for the rest of our lives. But when 9/11 happened, it was like a volcano. All of a sudden, it erupted. It was a macro-scale of the Oklahoma City Bombing, where we documented more than 220 incidents. Right after 9/11, it was in the thousands. Advertisement Advertisement A few days after the attacks, we bought a full-page ad in the Washington Post for a statement of solidarity with the nation, praying for the victims, and thanking the hero first responders. Every single moment of that day is still in our minds. For us, this was a terrorist attack against all of us as Americans regardless of our background, regardless of our faith, but we have been doubly hurt by this tragedy. First as Americans, and second as Muslims, because the finger-pointing and guilt by association ensued immediately. We stayed in touch with the White House, and eventually we met with the president a few days later. Advertisement Tell me about your meeting with President Bush. The White House did stay in touch with us, and when the president heard about the hate crimes, and when the media started to report on the attacks on the Muslim community, the White House probably realized that it is important for him to meet with our leadership. So we met with him a few days later in the morning in the Islamic Center on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington D.C. We received the president in the library. I sat across the table from him after he greeted us, and then he told us that he has been contacted by leaders from around the Muslim world, who called him to condemn the attack and to also voice concern about the safety of American Muslims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We had a long conversation with him, for almost one hour. I was the first to address him about our perspective and the need for him to remind Americans that any attack on any innocent person, regardless of their faith, will not be tolerated, especially attacks on Muslim women who wear hijab, or Sikh people who might look like theyre Muslim. They were prime targets for these attacks. We told the president that its important for him to state that. After that, he invited us to stand with him as he delivered a statement to the public through the media. I did have some private conversation with him also. What did you talk about in private? I told him that there is no room for anyone to justify the murder of innocent people in Islam. Its a crime punishable in this life and the hereafter, and the sanctity of human life in Islam for one person is equivalent to the sanctity of all humanity. I told him that Al-Qaeda leaders have exploited suffering, primarily the oppression of the Palestinian people, because we saw the many statements by Osama Bin Laden on TV. He always talked about how the U.S. is supporting the state of Israel unconditionally without any consideration to the human rights of Palestinians. Emotions were very high. Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, invaded several Palestinian towns. President Bush himself appealed to Sharon to withdraw from the West Bank towns and cities they invaded. I told him the Muslim world was boiling in agony for Palestinians, and Osama Bin Laden exploited the feelings that many people have on the issue. I said Al-Qaeda wanted to create a wider gap between America and the Muslim world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, they succeeded in dragging American leadership and the West from their homes and into a war that we now look back at as a total lossin human lives, materially, politically, and morally. We at CAIR voiced our opposition to invading Afghanistan. But we did support U.S. action against Al-Qaeda, because they are an aberration and they deserve a just retaliation. But the innocent Afghans, the destruction of Afghanistan, 20 years of crazy war and drone attacks, for what? Blind anger without visionary or strategic approach to conflicts with terrorists. That fact that there are millions of Afghan and Iraqi refugees scattered around the world with no accountability for the leadership for what happenedIts been one tragedy after the other. Advertisement There was also a betrayal by the leadership and by the media. It was very, very unfortunate. So many values and principles were just thrown out the window. We called on politicians to work as leaders, to speak as leaders, and to protect all Americans, and to recognize that the evil-doers who did this horrific crime did it to all of us. You should not play into their hands and elevate their claims because murder is a murder. A terrorist attack is a terrorist attack, regardless of the identity of the perpetrators or the victims. But unfortunately, we were not fully ready for the backlash. Advertisement When did you first encounter Islamophobia after the attack? My wife is an American convert. She wears hijab. When we purchased a house and moved into a new neighborhood, the neighbor across the street saw my wife and kids moving stuff inside. I wasnt there, I was at work. And he walked into our property and asked my wife to take off her hijab. He told her it was required in the neighborhood. She asked him, Who are you to talk to us like this? He said, Im a veteran. She told him, Well, my father is a veteran. Who are you to tell us what to do? That was just the beginning of 16 years, 17 years of daily harassment and bullying against my family, including hate crimes. After a mass shooting in Florida, this guy came and put a statue of a pig on my property, knowing that were Muslim. He stalked me, following me all the way to my office, and he was arrested. On a daily basis, he would flip us off. He used to throw nails on our driveway. And whenever he sees us outside in the front yard, he would videotape us giving us the finger. For 16 years, Aymann. Eventually he gave up and moved out. He was trying to drive us from the neighborhood because were Muslim. I was always worried about what could happen to my family, because this guy and others who knew where I lived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Did you ever reach a breaking point? I reminded myself of the Quranic verse (with hardship comes ease) when I experienced hateful Islamophobia. But Id be lying if I told you I always handled it well. Look, I was born in a refugee camp. My family was forced from their home in 1948. They ended up in no mans land in Jordan, where the U.N. built a refugee camp, like what you see now in Turkey or Jordan for Syrian refugees. I lived in a refugee camp with no running water, no electricity, almost living a primitive life, until I was 18. Then I traveled to Italy to pursue a college education. And eventually I came to the U.S. So, with Allahs help, I learned how to be resilient and patient, and to channel my emotions into something positive. Advertisement As you said, . With not afterwith hardship comes ease. Although it is hard in difficult times to hold such values when the reality seems always against you. For us, to start an organization in 1994, when there was no civil rights organization that proceeded us in the history of Islam in America, to fight discrimination against Muslims and to win was unheard of. So, we started something not from zero, but negative. Advertisement Advertisement Once-fringe extremists like Pamela Geller and David Yerushalmi were mainstreamed by national television programs around this time. Theyve made public claims that CAIR is allied with international terrorist organizations, and have done some work in convincing the right that CAIR seeks to infiltrate the United States government. Yerushalmi has faced off with CAIR several times in court, a tactic he admits is intent on draining CAIR of its resources. Were they effective? Advertisement The bigger issue is that the government, not just the likes of David Yerushalmi, but the government turned against its own Muslim community, similar to what they did to Japanese Americans during World War II. They started a massive domestic surveillance program targeting activists, including myself and CAIRs leadership. Every major Muslim activist in the country became a crime suspect for them. They put us on their watchlist and they cut ties with us, instead of working with us against the terrorists. They put us in the same category. They monitored our communications, our finances, our phones, our offices, our homes, when we traveled, we were stopped and harassed and searched. We were dealt as terror suspects because we are American Muslims who challenged the governments misguided policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We received word from Edward Snowden confirming that many of us were under surveillance through the FISA court. And that really gave the green light for the likes of Yerushalmi to target the Muslim community and Islam in America, to try to de-legitimize our existence and to try to de-Americanize. And that was a diabolical strategy. The Islamophobia network has become a profitable industry. These people made a lot of money by just being anti-Muslim bigots and spreading fear and paranoia about American Muslims and about CAIR as deemed the leading voice in the American Muslim community. So we receiving the brunt of anti-CAIR propaganda on Fox News, and many other organizations, and dealing with the Muslim communitys challenges of hate crimes and discrimination and the isolation that they were experiencing. And not only that, but trying to give the Muslim community reasons to be optimistic and to pursue the fields of journalism and law, and succeed in their lives. We are not only a legal defense organization, but we also help young American Muslims and Muslim families to break the fear cycle and live and fulfill their lives like other Americans without any sense of inferiority because we are here to protect them and the constitution is on our side. What reason did the Muslim community have for optimism? What does it have now? Unfortunately, knowing the history of our nation, almost every minority suffered oppression. Its as American as apple pie. Its a sad reality that no minority was given its rights. It struggles to gain its rights. And American Muslims are no different. To see a combination of intellectuals, politicians, and media lined up not only against your community Having said that, I think the Muslim community has started to prove itself. It did not run away from politics or allow other people to sideline it. We worked hard, we were proactive, we stood up to bigots, and we started to tell our own story. Through decades and generations, people who know nothing about Islam have spoken about us as experts, and today, American Muslims speak for themselves. And they also speak for America as elected officials, and I think the human face of the Muslim community is starting to pop up. There are many Americans now who say Enough is enough. You are entitled to your bigotry, but America stands for all of us. Twelve police officers with walkie-talkies and binoculars hid in the nearby fields and in the farmhouse next door, waiting and watching. It was dark. After seeing a car drive up carrying two women, who then went inside the house, the officers unlocked the front door and went in. They walked down the halls and into the bedrooms, where they found one woman wearing only a slip in one room, two lying in bed in another, and two more who, having removed their skirts and underwear, sat waiting for their abortions in a third. The police questioned, photographed, and fingerprinted each woman. Then they drove them in police cars to a doctor, to be vaginally examined while in police custody. Advertisement This is the beginning of a true story of a raid on an underground abortion clinic by Pennsylvania state troopers in the late 1950s. It began when a suspicious neighbor called the police after listening on her party-line phone and overhearing her neighbors conversation about a pregnancy. The raid was easy: Since the landlord had given the police a key, they walked in and surprised everybody there. The police didnt act in response to reports of injury or deaths. Abortion was simply illegal, and police raids based on reports from suspicious neighbors or doctors were standard methods of enforcing the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Standard, too, was the approach of capturing women in the midst of an abortion procedure and gynecologically examining them for evidence. Women who sought abortions were not targeted for prosecution (although some states allowed it). Prosecutors who tried to go after women who sought abortions in the 19th century had quickly learned that juries refused to convict and shifted to pursuing abortion providers when women died. By the 1940s and 1950s, though, police were shutting down providers even if they were safe. The law treated aborting women as victims and used them for evidence. Being captured, examined, interrogated, occasionally jailed, and forced to testify in court, however, punished women for seeking abortions even if they were never prosecuted or convicted of a crime. Advertisement The Texas abortion ban that took effect last week is designed to encourage private citizens to spy and report on suspicious people and activities, in the same way that the Pennsylvania woman reported her neighbor in 1958. In fact, the Texas statute permits only nonstate actors to bring civil lawsuits against individuals or organizations they suspect have aided or abetted any abortion that occurs after six weeks. This unusual law excludes state officials and police from enforcementtypically their job, of coursein order to make challenging its constitutionality difficult. And the Texas statute, like those in some states before Roe, doesnt allow women themselves to be sued for getting abortions. This tactic allows anti-abortion activists to claim they are on womens side, and dont intend to harass them, but rather to target what they call the abortion industry. Advertisement Advertisement There are a few things standing between women in Texas and the kind of invasive enforcement that happened in the past. Right now, Texas police cant conduct raids or force medical exams under the statute, because the law depends on citizen enforcement. This new law does not require proof that an abortion occurred; intention to help or to perform an abortion past the six-week mark is enough. But if a judge assessing claims under the present statute wanted more evidence of an abortion taking place than that offered by anti-abortion volunteers, judges could conceivably order examinations, just as some have ordered C-sections or specific medical care. And if the Supreme Court, in formally overturning Roe, allows other state laws banning abortion to take effect (including Texas own trigger law), police raids like those that took place in Pennsylvania in 1958 may happen again. Advertisement Advertisement In the 1950s and 1960s, police raided the offices and apartments where abortion providers worked, with the goal of catching practitioners and patients both. In the Pennsylvania case I described above, state troopers put the women in police cars and brought them to a male doctor to determine whether a surgical procedure had been performed. Late on a Friday night, the women submitted to a vaginal examination by the doctor, who then named them and testified about their bodies in court. Advertisement Lets look at reality rather than hiding behind fairly innocuous medical terms like examine. The doctors examination in search for evidence required each woman to remove her clothing, spread her legs, and allow the doctor to touch and look at her genitals, and physically invade her vagina with a medical instrumenta cold speculumthrough which he viewed her cervix and uterus. In the name of collecting evidence of a crime, the doctor performed a coercive exam. And even if he was polite and kind, these were humiliating, voyeuristic, and frightening procedures performed not for the benefit of the woman, but for the police. Prenatal care and annual gynecological exams included pelvic exams, but at that time, many patients found them uncomfortable and avoided them in order to avoid exposure and embarrassment. We can imagine the horror of captured women forced to undergo such exams. We also now know that such exams can be particularly traumatizing for people who have been sexually abused. Advertisement Following the examinations of the women in Pennsylvania, the police took them to their headquarters. The police searched for other evidence as well: They collected envelopes of cash and gathered anything that appeared to be part of the abortion process, taking medications, rubber tubing, medical gloves and masks, a table, gauze, surgical instruments, and more. They photographed the abortion specialist and his two assistants, and the rooms of the house. What was set up as a clinic was now photographed and presented in court as a crime scene. When the case against the abortionist and his assistants came to trial, the doctor and one of the patients testified. The doctor reported his findings: In two women he found vaginal bleeding and packing. The cotton gauze packed into the uterus, he explained, was intended to irritate the cervix and thereby induce a miscarriage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state went after abortion providers, not aborting women, and in this case all three defendants were sentenced to prison. Nonetheless, in this case and in others from the pre-Roe era, women who aborted were punished, shamed, and physically violated through the processes of capture, gynecological examinations, interrogation, and being forced to testify in a public courtroom. If women who had sought abortions refused to cooperate, they risked threats and being sent to jail, as happened to one Chicago woman in 1949. When she refused to testify about her abortion, the judge cited her for contempt and sentenced her to six months in jail. One night in jail convinced her to talk. In other cases, theres evidence that prosecutors released photographs to the press or threatened women caught in raids with prosecution in order to win cooperation from hostile witnesses. Advertisement Women who traveled for abortions before Roe also faced versions of this invasive enforcement of the law. Mexico decriminalized abortion this week, one week after Texas abortion ban went into effect. Online commenters immediately grasped that Texans would be crossing the border for safe, legal abortions in Mexico. They also wryly suggested that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott would place guards on the border to check all Texans leaving the state, in order to stop abortions. This nightmare scenario may seem utterly ridiculous, but it has been done before. In the 1960s, thousands of American women from California, Texas, Arizona, and nearly every other state went to Mexico for safe (but illegal) abortions. Attempting to stop them, San Diego border patrol agents would question young women closely when they crossed the border, looking for people who might be leaving for an abortion or returning afterward. They wouldnt allow women under the age of 18 to cross the border without parental permission, when alerting parents was, no doubt, what some of these young people wanted to avoid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given that the state has demonstrated its hostility to the autonomous decision-making of pregnant women, it is not at all unlikely that Texasor vigilante citizens acting in the states placewill attempt to stop women from accessing abortions outside the state. Still, even if Americans cross the border for legal, safe abortions in Mexicoin the same way that Americans go to Mexico to buy pharmaceuticals, alcohol, gas, and other items and services for lessnot everyone will be able to go there. Not only does travel to Mexico take money and time, many cannot easily leave the U.S. because they are minors, have green cards, or are undocumented. History offers grim examples of what making abortion a crime means for women whose lives and bodies are invaded by law enforcement. If this history is a guide, they are likely to be shamed, traumatized, and victimized, in the name of their own protection. Black, brown, and poor women will be hit the hardestboth because of their disproportionate use of abortion, and because of the overpolicing of people of color. Almost half of the states now have laws on the books ready to make abortion a crime again if the Supreme Court rules in the anti-abortion movements favor. For women who will pursue abortions anyway, and end up shamed, roughly handled by law enforcement, traumatized, and (in some states) prosecuted, its a disaster in the making. On Thursday, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Texas S.B. 8, which bans abortion after six weeks with no exception for rape or incest. The DOJs intervention came a week after the Supreme Court refused to block the law by a 54 vote on account of complex and novel procedural questions. Because it represents the United States, the Justice Department has certain advantages over the private plaintiffs who brought the suit that failed to stop the law, including the ability to sue Texas directly. But it is unclear whether Attorney General Merrick Garlands gambit will succeedor hand SCOTUS an opportunity to further insulate S.B. 8 from judicial review. Advertisement Unlike most abortion bans, S.B. 8 is not enforced by the state, but by private citizens. It empowers random people to file $10,000 lawsuits against anyone who performs an abortion after six weeks, as well as anyone who aids or abets one. Because of this convoluted structure, its unclear who, exactly, abortion providers can sue to halt the measures implementation, which was a deliberate strategy to get it through. Typically, providers would sue state officials tasked with implementing the ban, but these officials have no power to implement S.B. 8; enforcement lies solely in the hands of bounty hunters. So, instead, the clinics sued the Texas judges who would impose the $10,000 fines against abortion providers and abettors, as well as clerks of the court. In a cryptic, one-paragraph order, the Supreme Court rejected this theory, allowing the law to take effect. The states abortion providers promptly shut their doors, making nearly all abortions inaccessible in Texas for the first time since Roe v. Wade came down in 1973. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a week of outrage from the left (and lies from the right), the DOJ has now stepped in with a different approach to combat the states open defiance of the Constitutionsuing Texas directly. It put forth several different reasons the federal government has standing to litigate this case, and how a court could block S.B. 8 without running into a procedural roadblock. The agency argued that the United States may vindicate its interest in preventing Texas from effecting a law that flagrantly infringes the constitutional rights of the public at large and seeks to block the injured members of the public from challenging that law in court. It also identified multiple programs funded by the federal government that abet abortion in violation of S.B. 8. For instance, the Job Corps and the Office of Refugee Resettlement require contractors to allow access to abortion; the Bureau of Prisons must let incarcerated people terminate pregnancies; and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services compels Medicaid coverage of abortions due to rape or incest. Advertisement The lawsuit marks a creative attempt to get around S.B. 8s unusual reliance on private enforcement. Under the doctrines of preemption and intergovernmental immunity, a state cannot interfere with the duties of the federal government, including federal contractors. Yet S.B. 8 would prohibit the government from carrying out these programs within Texas wherever they facilitate abortion. So the Justice Department has a very strong argument against the measure insofar as it hampers the United States own obligations. As the lawsuit puts it, S.B. 8 constitutes an unlawful direct regulation of the federal government that seeks to illegally interfere with and frustrate its duties. Advertisement But these federal programs account for a narrow slice of abortion abetting in Texas. What about the millions of regular Texans whose rights are curtailed by S.B. 8? Here, the lawsuit argues that the United States can sue to protect every persons 14th Amendment rights under the supremacy clause, which makes the Constitution supreme over state laws. According to the DOJ, the federal government may vindicate its interest in ensuring that Texas respects its obligations under the Constitution. The agency also argues that, to safeguard the right to abortion, courts may enjoin the State of Texasincluding all of its officers, employees, and agents, including private parties who would bring suit under S.B. 8. Advertisement Advertisement This portion of the lawsuit marks a creative attempt to get around S.B. 8s unusual reliance on private enforcement. It treats private parties who would bring suit under S.B. 8 as agents of the state, creating de facto government officials who can be sued for violating the 14th Amendment. This approach is grounded in precedent that bars states from farming out unconstitutional policies to ostensibly private actors. It takes advantage of the Justice Departments unique ability to sue Texas on behalf of the United States: The agency need not name specific defendants because it has brought this action against the state itself. In other words, the DOJ can avoid problems that abortion providers facednamely, that we dont yet know who will sue under S.B. 8. Courts will have more difficulty tossing out the lawsuit on the grounds that the plaintiffs identified the wrong defendants. Advertisement Advertisement This approach, however, also raises a number of questions. For example, how can courts identify these private parties if no one has sued yet? Can a court issue an injunction that covers a purely theoretical group of people? Moreover, is the Justice Department asking courts to forbid Texas judges and clerks from enforcing S.B. 8? The lawsuit mentions officers of the state, which could arguably encompass those in the judicial branch. But if so, the DOJ could have been much clearer. It is highly unusual to sue judges for carrying out a law. If thats what the Justice Department wants, it could have been more explicit rather than requiring courts to read between the lines. Of course, Texas lawmakers designed S.B. 8 to provoke precisely this kind of ambiguity. The Justice Department has put forth a range of reasonable arguments, but courts eager to undermine Roe v. Wade can always find a reason to reject them. The case has been assigned to Judge Robert Pitman, the Barack Obama appointee who seemed poised to block S.B. 8 before an appeals court stepped in. The DOJ has now given Pitman enough grist to justify halting S.B. 8, even if he must rely on some relatively novel theories developed in reaction to a novel law. As always, the bigger question is whether the Supreme Court will buy it; if it doesnt, the court could make S.B. 8 even more impenetrable, closing off yet another potential avenue for relief. While the nation awaits the justices verdict, millions of Texans continue to live under constant threat of a ruinous lawsuit if they dare to exercise their reproductive rights. Donald Trump is cooing his love for Gen. Robert E. Lee again. Two years ago, while still president, Trump extolled the slave-owning Confederate Army commander as a great general. This week, in a statement condemning the takedown of a gigantic statue of Lee in Richmond, Virginia, Trump went over the top, hailing him as the greatest strategist of all American generals, a commander who, were he alive today, would have won the war in Afghanistan. He also touted Lee as a unifying force in the years after the Civil War. Finally, he denounced the removal of the statue as a desecration committed by a Radical Left hellbent on extinguishing our history and heritage. Advertisement All of these claims are utterly false and politically dangerousthe words of a disgraced ex-president determined to regain his power and prestige by intensifying the divisiveness that he helped create, or at least sharpen, in the first place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lets examine his statement point by point. 1. Just watched as a massive crane took down the magnificent and very famous statue long recognized as a beautiful piece of bronze sculpture. This was a 21-foot-tall bronze statue on top of a 40-foot-high granite pedestalin all, a six-story high recreation of Lee astride his horse in full Confederate regaliaerected on Richmonds main street, along with six other statues of Confederate generals, in 1890, after the crushing of Reconstruction. In other words, the statue was explicitly designed to make white residents cheer (more than 100,000 attended the celebratory unveiling) and Black residents tremble. It markedas the historians David Blight and Gaines Foster wrote in an amicus brief to the Virginia Supreme Court, supporting the motion to tear it downthe reassertion of white racial supremacy in the South. Advertisement So yes, it was, as Trump wrote, a very famous statue, but to call it beautiful is bizarre and shameful. 2. Robert E. Lee is considered by many Generals to be the greatest strategist of them all. Not quite. Lee was certainly a talented tactician, especially when he first took command of the Confederate Army in 1862 and won a series of battles that pushed Gen. George McClellans Union Armywhich had been on the verge of conquering Richmondback across the Potomac. He did this through aggressive, fast-moving tactics that McClellan was incapable of resisting. However, as he moved his army farther north, and after President Abraham Lincoln replaced McClellan with Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, Lee suffered calamitous losses. At the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee ordered his troops to mount a frontal assault, in open terrain, only to see them mowed down by much better-led Union troops armed with rifles that fired bullets with longer range and greater accuracy. Trump wrote that except for Gettysburg, Lee would have won the warwhich is almost comical, since it was Lees tactics that lost Gettysburg, and his few victories in 1862, against McClellan, were the only battles that he won. Against stereotype, Trump is doting on one of military historys biggest losers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 3. If only we had Robert E. Lee to command our troops in Afghanistan, that disaster would have ended in a complete and total victory many years ago. This may rank as the most preposterous claim in Trumps statement. Lees specialtythe fast-moving frontal assaultwould have been a recipe for sure disaster against insurgent militiamen on mountainous terrain. 4. Robert E. Lee chose [to fight for the Confederate Army] because of his great love of Virginia. He should be remembered as perhaps the greatest unifying force after the war was over, ardent in his resolve to bring the North and South together through many means of reconciliation. Here is where we get to the main problem with Leeand the most pernicious danger in Trumps touting of Lee: Quite apart from his talents and limitations as a strategist, Lee was deeply immoral, savagely cruel toward his slaves (even by the standards of the time), and a Confederate partisan to the end. Advertisement To say that Lee fought because he loved his home state of Virginia is to deny, tacitly, that he fought to preserve slavery. For many decades, this was the essence of the Lost Cause myththe notion that the South seceded to protect states rights and a noble heritage. Broadly speaking, this is almost universally discredited whitewash; in Lees case, it is particularly mendacious. Ty Seidule, military historian at Hamilton College and former chair of the military history department at West Point, told me in a phone interview Thursday that at the start of the Civil War, there were eight Union Army generals from Virginia. Seven of them stayed with the Union; Lee was the only one who deserted to the secessionists. And just before the war, Lee ran a plantation with 200 enslaved workers and split up all but one of their families, compounding his crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seidule, who is also the author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerners Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause, further noted that, during the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee ordered his soldiers to kidnap free Black men and take them back to the South, where they were re-enslaved. He also ordered his troops to kill Black Union soldiers that theyd captured rather than keep them alive as prisoners. This was not only savage, but self-destructive, as it made it harder to negotiate trades for the return of Southern troops held prisoner by the Union. The notion that Lee advocated unity after the war is highly misleading. David Blight, author of the Pulitzer Prizewinning biography of Frederick Douglass, wrote in Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory that, during the election of 1868, Lee hosted a gathering of about 30 former Confederate officers. It was promoted as an event to bring the country together. However, in a public statement, Lee said that, if it hadnt been for certain radical policies and the Norths oppressive occupation (references to Black suffrage and the early years of Reconstruction), the irritants dividing the nation would have passed long ago. In other words, as Blight put it in a phone conversation Thursday, Lee was for reconciliation, but only on the Souths terms. His view was If you just didnt give any rights to those Black people, wed get along fine. Blight added, Lee was a ferocious Confederate nationalist, there is no question, and he remained to his death a Southern partisan. Advertisement Advertisement 5. Our culture is being destroyed and our history and heritage, both good and bad, are being extinguished by the Radical Left, and we cant let that happen! This has become a familiar trope among many who complain, Trump most vocally of all, about the toppling of Confederate statues. The movement to remove them was instigated by the rise of Black Lives Matter in the wake of the police killing of George Floydbut the most prominent figures who took up the call were not at all leftist. Advertisement Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, who pushed for the removal of Lees statue in Richmond, holds a degree from the Virginia Military Institute, the most conservative U.S. military academy, served as an Army medical doctor, then became a pediatric neurologist. He voted for George W. Bush in the 2000 and 2004 elections (though he later said he was apolitical and uninformed at the time). Northams bill to remove the statue was challenged in two lawsuits, but the Richmond Circuit Court and the Virginia Supreme Courthardly bastions of radicalismupheld his action. Many military officers, including retired Gen. David Petraeus, have endorsed the de-lionization of Lee, among other measures, to break from the Armys racist past. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear why Trump is so passionate about Lee. Part of it might simply be a ploy to attract voters of a certain inclination. But it seems more personal than that. One clue might be his attendance, from age 13 to 18, at the New York Military Academy, where his father sent him for disciplinary reasons. Those years, 1959-64, coincided with a peak in Lee-worship within the U.S. Army and its academic affiliates. The Armys history of veneration for Lee forms a pattern that embarrasses and disturbs many officers today. As an institution, the Army has embraced the Lost Cause mythologywhich is personified in the Lee mythologyfor nearly a century. The embrace has been deliberate, and very political. Every time theres been a movement in the Army toward racial integration, theres also been a counter-movement toward Confederate memorialization, Seidule told me. Advertisement It began in the 1930s, when Black cadets first enrolled in West Point. In the early 1950s, when President Harry Truman formally integrated the armed forces, the Secretary of the Army ordered that a huge painting of Lee, an image that included one of his slaves in the background, be hung in one of West Points main halls. In the 1970s, the Army tried to install a Confederate monument on West Points groundsan effort that failed. And more than a dozen things at West Point have been named (and still are named) after the treasonous general. Theres Lee Gate, Lee Barracks, Lee Road; at one point, there was a Robert E. Lee Prize for the mathematics departments top student. Not until 1997 was the military history departments textbook revised to mention, beyond one short paragraph, the cause of the Civil War or anything at all about the treatment of Black soldiers. Advertisement Advertisement Now the history department doesnt indulge in Lee worship at all, Seidule said. Then again, only in 2019, largely at Petraeus instigation, did West Point unveil its very first statue to Grantthe victor of the Civil War, the military savior of the Union. Seidule doesnt know whether Cadet Donald Trump imbibed this mythology in his years at the junior academy. Its a real possibility, he said. Most Americans his age would have gotten a heaping helping of Lee the Great American. But West Point and its prep-school affiliate were not alone in this hagiography. President Dwight Eisenhower, the Armys Supreme Allied Commander Europe during World War II, displayed a portrait of Lee in the Oval Office. Most history books, in high schools and colleges across the country, bought into the legend of Lee and the Lost Cause. As late as the 1970s, Seidule recalled, nobody was writing about Black soldiers in the Civil War, anywhere. Trumps worship of Lee may be rooted in the era of his youth. Many Americans are just now casting off the remnants of our original sin, but Trumplike many of his followershasnt, nor does he exhibit any desire to do so. Hed rather pile up the detritus, light a match, and watch itand the countryburn. President Joe Biden informed the country Thursday that the administration was about to get far more aggressive in combating the continued surge in coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, all of which have been fueled by the delta variant and a *certain* segment of the American populations unwillingness to get vaccinated. That will mean mandatory vaccinations (or weekly testing) for all federal employees and a so-called employer mandate that will apply to American businesses with more than a hundred employees. The mandates could affect as many as 80 million American workers or roughly two-thirds of the American workforce. Many companies, such as McDonalds and Delta Air Lines, have already required that their employees be vaccinated; now, companies that fail to adhere to the mandate could face penalties up to $14,000 per infraction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to Biden trying to end the pandemic, Republicans were very upset. Very, very upset. Here were some of their freedom-loving responses. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem: South Dakota will stand up to defend freedom. Joe Biden see you in court, Noem tweeted. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott: Bidens vaccine mandate is an assault on private businesses, Abbott tweeted. Texas is already working to halt this power grab. Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson tweeted: The Biden Administrations recent announcement seeking to dictate personal freedom and private business decisions is an insult to our American principles of individual liberty and free enterprise. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp: I will pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach by the Biden administration, Kemp tweeted. Advertisement Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon tweeted: I have asked the Attorney General to stand prepared to take all actions to oppose this administrations unconstitutional overreach of executive power. It has no place in America. Not now, and not ever. RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel: Like many Americans, I am pro-vaccine and anti-mandate, McDaniel said in a statement. Many small businesses and workers do not have the money or legal resources to fight Bidens unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees, but when his decree goes into effect, the RNC will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties. Indiana Rep. Jim Banks tweeted: Unvaccinated Lives Matter! And scene. On Wednesday night, the Supreme Court did something surprisingly sensible. Rather than resolve yet another dispute over the death penalty on its shadow docket, the Supreme Court blocked an execution and set the case for oral arguments. For more than two years, the justices have been furiously arguing about the question presented in this case: whether religious prisoners have a right to bring their faith advisers into the death chamber and, to varying degrees, communicate with them during the execution. This debate has occurred almost exclusively through concurring and dissenting opinions accompanying rushed, late-night orders with no majority opinion. It has deprived lower courts of any authoritative ruling, forcing them to scour cryptic, threadbare decisions for guidance. Advertisement Now, at long last, SCOTUS will squarely consider the rights of these condemned people. Its latest move may well be a response to criticism of the courts shadow docketthose unsigned emergency orders often issued late at night after minimal briefing and no oral argument. This criticism has been building for years, but it exploded last week after five Republican-appointed justices functionally overturned Roe v. Wade in an unsigned, one-paragraph order released at midnight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Critics should be encouraged to see the justices give this case the full consideration it deserves. At the same time, we should not pretend that the court wouldve given such careful consideration to a regular death penalty case. In recent years, the Supreme Court has continually evinced special solicitude for religious liberty cases, and Wednesdays order was no exception. Plaintiffs seeking to vindicate their free exercise rights get a fast track at this court that most other parties, including nonreligious death row inmates, can only dream of. Advertisement The fight over religious freedom during lethal injection erupted on Feb. 7, 2019. That night, by a 54 vote, the Supreme Court allowed an Alabama prison to exclude a Muslim inmates imam from the execution chamber. The prison allowed a Christian chaplain to accompany individuals in the chamber, but not other faith figures. SCOTUS disregard of such flagrant discrimination sparked widespread, bipartisan backlash. One month later, the court reversed course, preventing Texas from executing a Buddhist inmate without access to his spiritual adviser. The justices continued sniping at each other for months but never actually took up a case that would allow them to render a definitive verdict on a prisoners right to religious guidance in their final moments. Advertisement Advertisement This behind-the-scenes battle grew more mysterious on Feb. 11, 2021, when the court blocked the execution of Willie Smith. A Christian, Smith requested the presence of his pastor in the execution chamber; predictably, Alabama refused. Kaganjoined by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Amy Coney Barrettwrote to explain why she thought Smiths execution would violate a federal law that protects the free exercise of incarcerated people. But there was no majority opinion, and it was literally impossible to identify who cast the fifth vote. Lower courts could not possibly figure out what a majority of the court believed given that the court had never produced a majority opinion. Advertisement The Supreme Courts assault on Roe in the dead of night prompted protest from legal scholars, Democratic lawmakers, and liberal justices. Soon, presumably, that will change. In November, the court will hear the case of John Henry Ramirez, who is incarcerated on Texas death row. Ramirez wants his pastor to pray with him during his lethal injection and lay his hands on his body at his moment of death.* The lower courts rejected this request. Most commentators expected the Supreme Court to either permit his execution or block it as a violation of religious freedom. It did neither. Instead, on Wednesday, it paused his execution so the court could hear his claims in its coming term. Put differently, it moved the case from the shadow docket to the merits docketfrom the dark into the light. Advertisement Advertisement Thats exactly what many critics have encouraged the court to do in a wide range of cases for several years. After Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett joined the court, the conservative bloc began exploiting its shadow docket exponentially more often. The court used this tactic to curtail voting rights in the run-up to the 2020 election, intervening so aggressively that House Democrats have sought to roll back SCOTUS power to wade into election disputes. Then, beginning in late November, the five justices to Roberts right launched an unprecedented campaign to remake the law of religious liberty. Flouting the courts own procedural rules, these five justices radically redefined the First Amendments free exercise clause to shield houses of worship from COVID restrictions. More recently, the majority has used the shadow docket to end the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions eviction moratorium, revive Donald Trumps anti-refugee Remain in Mexico policy, and permit Texas to ban virtually all abortions. Advertisement These moves, especially the courts assault on Roe in the dead of night, prompted protest from legal scholars, Democratic lawmakers, and liberal justices on the court. Congress has already held one hearing on the courts abuse of its shadow docket and scheduled another in light of the Texas decision. Theres no way to prove that the courts retreat from the shadow docket on Wednesday was a reaction to this scorn. But it seems quite likely that the recent outcry factored into the courts step back from the brink. Advertisement Advertisement Sensible as that decision may be, it is yet another example of the courts wildly inconsistent use of the shadow docket. As University of Texas School of Law professor Lee Kovarsky has pointed out, the Supreme Court refused to halt any of the 13 executions that occurred in the final six months of the Trump administration. It did, however, overturn seven stays of execution, clearing the way for lethal injection. Many of these cases involved genuinely difficult and unsettled questions of law that divided lower courts. The Trump administration devised an execution protocol that may well have violated the federal law that dictates the method of execution for federal inmates. Yet the Supreme Courts conservative justices used the shadow docket to move these executions forward. Why? These justices seemed eager to facilitate the administrations quest to kill as many people as possible before Joe Biden entered the White House and imposed a moratorium on federal executions. Advertisement So skeptics of the shadow docket have reason to celebrate after Wednesday. But we should also acknowledge that the justices would not have handed this opportunity to a typical death row inmate. Religious freedom claims continue to get special attention at this court, a solicitude that other plaintiffs never receivedincluding those who faced unlawful execution in the waning days of the Trump administration. Its good news that John Henry Ramirez will get his day in the Supreme Court. That shouldnt obscure the fact that countless people with equally important claims never received the same courtesy. Howard University was forced to cancel all of its online and hybrid undergraduate classes on Tuesday and Wednesday after a ransomware attack compromised its networks and rendered the school Wi-Fi network unusable. The attack, which came just as universities around the country were gearing up for the start of the fall semester, was a reminder of all the ways that online classes benefitsoffering schools a way to deal with some less high-tech threats like snowstorms and pandemicscome with a vulnerability to disruption. Advertisement The Howard story is a sobering one for those of us at universities hoping for a relatively smooth return to something resembling normal operations this year. Its also a stark warning of just how much work all organizations, not just college campuses, need to be doing right now to prepare for the possibility of ransomware attacks. That preparation goes beyond just creating back-ups of crucial data and systemsit means also running regular drills for how to get critical networks back up and operating using only those back-ups. Without a clear and practiced procedure for resuming operations in the wake of a ransomware attack, the fallout can be immensely disruptive and continue for days, or even weeks, as organizations scramble to set up alternative systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Howard has released relatively few details about the origins and nature of the attack they are facing, but the announcements it has made about the campus response offer several clues about what systems were affected. For instance, the university extended the add/drop deadline for courses because students were unable to access the wireless network and the campus BisonWeb portal. In-person classes met on Wednesday, Sept. 8, when online classes were canceled for a second consecutive day, but students were warned that course lecture content requiring internet access on campus may not be available. Meanwhile, faculty who had access to alternative Wi-Fi connection options (presumably at their homes or using personal hotspots) were told on Wednesday that they should be able to access online academic apps and could coordinate class conveningsbut its not clear how exactly their students would join those classes so long as the campus wireless access remained shut off. The university announced it was deploying an alternative Wi-Fi system on campus but that it would take several days for that network to be up and running. Advertisement College campus networks are notoriously insecure, in part because there a lot of different people and visitors need to connect to the network and in part because universities tend to place a premium on open collaboration and access to information. So its no surprise that collegeslike so many other institutions including hospitals and local governmentshave seen more ransomware attacks in recent years. Up until the COVID-19 pandemic, however, it was not always the case that these attacks meant a school actually had to shut down classes and disrupt student learning. Many other functions would still be disrupted in the wake of a ransomware attackincluding, payroll, email, course registration, to name a fewbut I could still teach my classes without any wireless access, or even if the projectors and computers in the classroom didnt work. Arguably, I could teach a better class if none of my students were able to get online during it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shift to online learning in the midst of the pandemic changed that calculus. If students living on campus cant get online and therefore attend class, the effects of a ransomware attack are far more devastating. Even as schools largely resume in-person operations this fall, online and hybrid classes are occurring on many campusesand all of us are acutely conscious that we may be forced to go back to teaching online at any moment. There are a lot of lessons for all of us to draw from the past year and a half about how to do that well and prepare for that possibility, but one of the most crucial lessons is that we must be prepared for the kind of attack that Howard is currently recovering from. Advertisement Its not clear what precautions Howard had taken to protect against these types of attacksclearly, it had a plan of some sort to stand up an alternative wireless network, but that plan does not appear to have been tested sufficiently to allow for rapid deployment of that alternative network. Since no data appears to have been compromised, at least according to its statements so far, we dont know very much about what back-ups were required or how well Howard had backed up its existing systems and data. Advertisement We do know, though, that even in cases when companiesincluding high-profile targets like Colonial Pipelinehave had thorough backups, they have still sometimes succumbed to attackers ransom demands for fear that restoring their systems could take too long. (Ironically, Colonial ended up using its backups anyway because the decryption tool the attackers provided was even slower!) Advertisement As cybersecurity experts have been saying for years, part of preparing for ransomware attacks means creating regular backups of all the course management systems and other key databases universities rely on. (These services are often outsourced to third-party companies in which case colleges need to have detailed incident response plans from those vendors about their back-up and recovery procedures.) But it also means planning drills to figure out how quickly a college campus can get its wireless networks, websites, and other online systems back up and running in the wake of a complete shutdown. Just having back-ups is not enough. Often, ransomware victims like Colonial Pipeline decide that it would take too long to restore their systems using those backups or theyre not sure how to do that and they end up paying the ransoms or taking days and days to recover (or both!). Colonial Pipeline and Howard both experienced days-long interruptions to their operations from ransomware, but every school (and organization) should be prepared to reset their critical computer systems from nothing in a matter of hours. Any university that has not actually practiced doing that a few times to simulate a real ransomware recovery is unprepared for the year ahead and failing to learn the right lessons from Howards misfortune and that of so many universities, hospitals, and other ransomware victims before it. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. British fugitive wanted in the US arrested in northern Spain The Northern Ireland woman had been on the run for a decade before being tracked down in Spains Basque Country A 54-year-old woman from Northern Ireland appeared before the National Court in Spain on Thursday September 9 to face an extradition hearing after being captured in Bizkaia in the Basque Country following a decade on the run. Alison Gracey was apprehended on April 4 shortly after she appeared on US television program Americas Most Wanted aired by the Fox Network and faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and document falsification. The saga began back in 2011 when Gracey ran a boat rental company in Florida with her husband, also wanted by the United States authorities. On December 18 2011, while on a boat trip with two hikers, their vessel Get Wet sank, trapping the guests in the cabin. One was saved, but 36-year-old Aimee Rhads died in the accident. A subsequent investigation found that the boat was not sea-worthy and would frequently fill with water, a fact that led US authorities to prohibit them from carrying more than six people just two years before. However, they did not shut down the business, despite the fact that several employees of the British couple reported that the vessel was unsafe. In addition, because the pair were not US citizens, they were actually not licensed to operate this type of boat, and so convinced a staff member to falsely claim he had purchased the vessel from them so that they could continue their illegal business. [Gracey] omitted the most elementary precautions required of those who, due to their professional status, must have special training and preparation for the performance of their duties, the prosecutor said at the hearing. Faced with the serious charges, the pair fled, but were arrested on the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten in 2015. They were released on bail pending extradition, but once again disappeared before resurfacing briefly in France in 2017, according to the Fox program. The couple was eventually tracked to northern Spain this year, and a decision will be made within a few days about whether or not to extradite Gracey back to the United States to face manslaughter charges there. Image: Archive Spain prepares to declare second state of alarm unconstitutional The move comes just weeks after the first lockdown in Spain was pronounced unlawful Just two months after the first state of alarm, implemented at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in Spain in March 2020, was decreed unconstitutional by Spains highest court, the Constitutional Court in Madrid is about to make the same ruling on the second lockdown. Under Article 116 of the Spanish Constitution, there are three categories that can apply to emergency situations in this country: a state of alarm, a state of emergency and a state of siege. There are major differences between the three, and if a state of emergency had been declared at any point it Spain it would have meant that police could detain suspects for ten days rather than three, as well as having the power to shut down media outlets and forcefully enter businesses and homes without permission, all in the name of public safety. The court ruled that in order to impose restrictions such as confining people to their homes except for essential travel and prohibiting meetings between non-cohabitants, as happened during the first lockdown, the government should have opted for a state of emergency, and thus ruled the first state of alarm unconstitutional. Now, following the filing of the appeal by far-right political party Vox, it would appear that the second state of alarm is proving even more problematic than the first. Government representatives have argued that since a curfew was imposed and meetings were controlled, the fundamental rights of citizens were limited, but not suspended, and therefore the choice of the state of alarm in this second instance was appropriate. However, the opposition sees this decision as a blatant attempt by the Spanish government to avoid the hassle of making fortnightly appearances in the Chamber to review the restrictive measures and has deemed the very occasional appearances of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and former Health Minister Salvador Illa during November 2020 and May 2021 as insufficient. Another aspect with which magistrates have taken serious issue is the fact that the various leaders of the autonomous communities were given the power to increase the restrictions on fundamental rights as the health crisis developed, a move which severely reduced parliamentary control over decisions. While a ruling on the unconstitutionality of the second state of alarm isnt expected until October, given that five out of six magistrates voted against the first the same outcome is expected this time around. Image: Archive https://sputniknews.com/20210910/-trump-on-facebook-ban-mark-zuckerberg-came-to-white-house-to-kiss-my-a-1088949416.html Trump on Facebook Ban: Mark Zuckerberg Came to White House to 'Kiss my A**' Trump on Facebook Ban: Mark Zuckerberg Came to White House to 'Kiss my A**' Over the course of his presidency, the Republican repeatedly accused Big Tech of bias against himself and his allies. He has continued to allege that Facebook... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T11:35+0000 2021-09-10T11:35+0000 2021-09-10T11:35+0000 mark zuckerberg twitter donald trump us plot to attack u.s. capitol facebook misinformation social media censorship 2020 united states presidential election /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/18/1080262879_0:107:2048:1259_1920x0_80_0_0_f88810e14d0e8870e47ae030225561db.jpg Former US President Donald Trump has launched yet another attack on social media companies. Speaking on Fox News with Greg Gutfeld on Thursday, he described Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg as a sycophant.The 75-year-old then blasted Twitter, claiming that the social network was unpopular and unsuccessful before he registered.Accusations and Subsequent BanningTrump has had a checkered relationship with social media. On the one hand, pundits say that his use of Twitter during the 2016 presidential campaign is what helped him secure victory against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. At the same time, the former president has been repeatedly reproached for promoting what critics describe as conspiracy theories and misinformation on social media.They point to the statements he made on the coronavirus pandemic, accusing him of downplaying the threat of the disease, promoting controversial treatments, as well as questioning the efficacy of face masks and lockdowns, which were proved by several international studies.Social media platforms have flagged Trumps posts as containing misinformation, hid and even removed them. Ex-POTUS, in turn, has accused Big Tech of silencing conservative voices. The latest example is the New York Post expose on Hunter Biden. The article alleged that the elder Biden was involved in his son's business dealings overseas during his time as vice president, which the newspaper said might be interpreted as a conflict of interest.Trump claimed the article would have had a profound impact on the presidential race had social media not "silenced" it. Earlier this year, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey admitted that the company made a "total mistake" when it prohibited its users from sharing the story.In January, Twitter permanently suspended Trumps account, while Facebook banned itfor several years. The ban came in response to the storming of the US Capitol by Trumps supporters, which resulted in the deaths of four protesters and one police officer. For two months Trump claimed, without any evidence, that the 2020 presidential election was stolen by the Democrats, and on the day the results of the race were to be certified, he held a rally during which he said the following:During the rally, hundreds of Trump's supporters marched to the Capitol, with a large group of people storming into the building. Following the incident, Democrats accused Trump of inciting an "insurrection" and introduced an impeachment article against him. The Republican POTUS became the first US president to be impeached twice. The four-day trial ended with lawmakers acquitting Trump.The president said he bore no responsibility for the deadly riots and dismissed the Democrats' decision to introduce an impeachment article against him as "ridiculous".As mentioned earlier, in July, Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against Google, Twitter and Facebook accusing them of "censorship".During the interview on Fox, he also called on people to follow suit. "Anybody who wants to join, please join. We're suing them all, a class action suit", Trump said. See you in the ice foreigner who changes his real name to hide amongst huemans. His real name is DRUMPF. In that name we see, MURD p f. p is 2 steps from r. f is 1 step from e. 21 = u. Murder u. "Secret Wars" hidden messages. If he is a Bhaal Spawn of the Lord of Murder, then we begin to understand why the fat retard is raised up, given wealth and women. 7 The_Man What an absolute sh!te post! 3 4 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Max Gorbachev Max Gorbachev News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Max Gorbachev mark zuckerberg, twitter, donald trump, us, plot to attack u.s. capitol, facebook, misinformation, social media, censorship, 2020 united states presidential election https://sputniknews.com/20210910/20-years-later-i-dont-think-anybody-has-been-the-same-9-11-survivor-recounts-the-harrowing-day-1088933615.html 20 Years Later, I Dont Think Anybody Has Been the Same: 9/11 Survivor Recounts the Harrowing Day 20 Years Later, I Dont Think Anybody Has Been the Same: 9/11 Survivor Recounts the Harrowing Day The September 11th terrorist attacks scarred a nation. 20 years later, this is Marc Fiedlers story. A man who had a perfect view of the attacks, in his own... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T00:32+0000 2021-09-10T00:32+0000 2021-09-10T05:31+0000 ground zero new york city terrorist attack 9/11 us saudi arabia interview al-qaeda 9/11: 20 years later /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/09/1088921801_0:0:2048:1153_1920x0_80_0_0_0057ff73834bcc1e8b2fb7ca75bf0d8b.jpg September 11th, 2001 started just like any other day for Marc Fiedler. The suffering through the inhumanity of train passengers. The grumbling over his office relocating from the area surrounding the World Trade Center to Jersey City. The anguishing move subjected him every time he looked out from his office in Jersey City, across the waters of the Hudson River, and peered into New York. In other words, it was just another Tuesday.Marc and his colleagues at Merrill Lynch went bustling about their mornings. Their view into New York remained an afterthought. Work had to be done and staring out the window was no way to be productive. If one looked up at the wall of television monitors, they would have seen that it was 8:45 in the morning. It was the last minute before everything changed for Marc Fiedler, a city, and a nation.We heard a very loud crash. What was just another Tuesday morning was suddenly shattered by the sound of a Boeing 767 crashing into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. In an instant, Marc Fiedler and his coworkers attention was drawn to the window, out across the Hudson River, and into Manhattan as they stared at smoke rising from World Trade Center. No one knew what had really happened, or what was about to transpire.The smoking North Tower cast a disturbing enchantment over the whole office. Unable to look away, we saw the second plane coming into the second tower live. In an instant, everything changed. Their curiosity, gone. Their questions, answered. What they witnessed was an attack. All they knew was that it was time to go.The trains from Jersey City to Hoboken werent running and cell phones werent working. All Marc could rely on were his own two feet and the murmur of a radio to guide him. As he made the two-mile trek from his office on Greene Street to the Hoboken train station, he kept an eye back on the World Trade Center.As the towers crumbled, debris rained down. The impact from the planes had set off a deadly chain reaction. The weight of each floor above the impact zone was slowly accumulating. The World Trade Center hadnt just been attacked, it had been weaponized. It was a structural ticking time bomb. Most ran as fast and far from the site as they could, but first responders, unknowing of the dangerous trap they had entered, rushed to it. Those above the impact zones had been trapped. There was no escape. There was no rescue. An estimated 200 people jumped, mixed in with the debris, to their death. As the World Trade Center crumbled and the scene descended into chaos, goodness still shone through.Even as Marc tried to remain optimistic through all the chaos, everyone seemed to have grasped that things had changed. People were civil at the train station. No one complained about the delays. A somber air permeated the car as Marc rode the train home. There was a collective understanding that everyone was in mourning.A radio kept him up to date on the events. He was left in disbelief when he heard that the first tower had come crashing down. Marc had more than just witnessed the most pivotal moment of the 21st century in American history, he had felt it, he had lived it, and it made him think. It made him think about how the people on the trains had been cordial. It made him think about how the building we left a month before got crushed with the debris. It made him think about his nephew, who worked near Ground Zero, covered in soot, in a daze, walking across the George Washington Bridge. It made him think about all the firefighters and police officers who died helping people. It made him think that nothing will ever be the same.September 11th, 2001 wasnt just any other day. It left a lasting impact on an entire country. However, the people that were there that day in New York and the surrounding areas bore the brunt of the tragedy. They never had the option of turning off the television. They had to live it. Loved ones died on that day. Loved ones suffered, and continue to suffer. Marc Fiedler didnt suffer any physical wounds from 9-11, but the horrors he witnessed will never fully fade. September 11th, 2001 wasnt just any other day, and it never will be again. https://sputniknews.com/20210908/saudi-arabia-backs-full-declassification-of-us-911-docs-to-end-baseless-allegations-1088891150.html smoke and mirrors Building 7 didn't commit suicide 10 Alel the curious thing is that airplane get ACROSS of the BUILDING..,I never SEE or HEAR that plastic or aluminum can Destroyed ..columns of Reforced Steel and hidraulic concret ..of purse Movies Hollywood Stile,,.Tower 7 falls 20 floors but it NEVER wast it by Anything..,;WHY..,the most Ridiculous is they 5 months later the find ,;(implants an Engine) Jajajajajajajajaja only Idiots could believe in such garbage 9 7 new york city us Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Nevin Brown Nevin Brown News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Nevin Brown ground zero, new york city, terrorist attack, 9/11, us, saudi arabia, interview, al-qaeda https://sputniknews.com/20210910/assange-witness-explains-fabrications-blinken-backing-away-from-jcpoa-1088933295.html Assange Witness Explains Fabrications; Blinken Backing Away from JCPOA Assange Witness Explains Fabrications; Blinken Backing Away from JCPOA Recordings of the FBI's principal witness against Julian Assange have been released proving that his allegations were false. 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T09:27+0000 2021-09-10T09:27+0000 2021-09-10T09:27+0000 ashraf ghani radio russia cuba china iran afghanistan africom radio sputnik assange /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/09/1088933251_0:141:640:501_1920x0_80_0_0_d1328ebb39a0bd20106472e464414857.jpg Assange Witness Explains Fabrications; Blinken Backing Away from JCPOA Recordings of the FBI's principal witness against Julian Assange have been released proving that his allegations were false. Steve Poikonen, national organizer for Action4Assange, joins us to talk about the latest news about his case. Recordings of the FBI's principal witness against Julian Assange have been released proving that his allegations were false. Sigurdur Ingi (Siggi) Thordarson admitted over nine hours of recorded audio that he fabricated charges against the WikiLeaks founder.Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink, joins us to discuss Iran. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is finally admitting what many international security analysts have argued for nearly a year: the United States is likely to bow to the whims of the Israeli government and most likely will not return to the nuclear agreement with Iran.Marvin Weinbaum, director for the Middle East Institute's Center for Pakistan and Afghanistan Studies, joins us to discuss Afghanistan. As the Kabul airport reopens for commercial traffic, the Taliban has given clearance for 200 dual nationals, including Americans, to leave the country. Also, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that US recognition of the Taliban* as the legitimate government of Afghanistan depends on the actions of the group.George Koo, journalist, social activist, international business consultant, and chemical engineer, joins us to discuss China. Aggressive naval maneuvers by a US warship tests China's new maritime restrictions. Also, the Washington Post attacks the Chinese president and claims that he is cracking down on "everything."Martin Sieff, senior fellow at the American University in Moscow, joins us to discuss the Russia-China strategic partnership. The US has created the geopolitical monster that Henry Kissenger feared the most. US aggression against the Eurasian economic and military giants has driven them to create an anti-imperialist bloc that is growing day by day.Netfa Freeman, host of Voices With Vision on WPFW 89.3 FM, pan-Africanist and internationalist organizer, joins us to discuss the coup in Guinea. Netfa Freeman's latest article in Black Agenda Report explores the connections between the USAfricom and the recent coup in Guinea.Daniel Lazare, investigative journalist and author of "The Velvet Coup," joins us to discuss Ashraf Ghani. The corrupt US puppet former president of Afghanistan absconded from Kabul with a looted bounty of 169 million dollars. The Grayzone explores his time as a World Bank executive and how the US prepares neoliberal puppets to fit into their corporate regime change paradigm.Gerald Horne, professor of history at the University of Houston, author, historian, and researcher, joins us to discuss Cuba. We discuss recent moves by the US empire to institute colonial regime change in the island nation. The tiny nation has held out against a decades-long onslaught of economic and terrorist attacks by the US and its proxies. We discuss the methods used and how the revolutionary government has defended itself from imperialism.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com*The Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries. russia cuba china iran afghanistan Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Wilmer Leon https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/12/1082114047_0:-1:238:238_100x100_80_0_0_4e3adef3e334e381bffe19d388f4b776.jpg Wilmer Leon https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/12/1082114047_0:-1:238:238_100x100_80_0_0_4e3adef3e334e381bffe19d388f4b776.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Wilmer Leon https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/12/1082114047_0:-1:238:238_100x100_80_0_0_4e3adef3e334e381bffe19d388f4b776.jpg ashraf ghani, radio, russia, cuba, china, iran, afghanistan, africom, radio sputnik, assange, To improve the performance of our website, show the most relevant news products and targeted advertising, we collect technical impersonal information about you, including through the tools of our partners. 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You can withdraw your consent using the method specified in the Privacy Policy. https://sputniknews.com/20210910/bizarre-conspiracy-theories-that-have-haunted-911-attacks-for-two-decades-1088924962.html Bizarre Conspiracy Theories That Have Haunted 9/11 Attacks for Two Decades Bizarre Conspiracy Theories That Have Haunted 9/11 Attacks for Two Decades On 11 September, 2001, four commercial planes were hijacked by Al-Qaeda* terrorists and flown in the direction of the World Trade Center skyscrapers and the... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T16:30+0000 2021-09-10T16:30+0000 2021-09-10T16:30+0000 us terrorism 9/11 9/11: 20 years later /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/0a/1088948149_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_51133675e5966652f8c2e01ff8603219.jpg The circumstances of the deadliest terror attack in US history have evoked numerous theories challenging the official account of the events despite official probes proving conspiracy theorists wrong.According to the official version of the tragic 9/11 events, four commercial planes were hijacked by Al-Qaeda* terrorists and flown in the direction of the World Trade Center skyscrapers and the Pentagon building, leading to numerous casualties, colossal damage and shock across the world. Only one of the planes failed to reach its destination in Washington, DC, having crashed in a Pennsylvania field. In the wake of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, US President Joe Biden has ordered the declassification of all documents related to the 2001 terror attacks, except for those sealed for the "strongest possible reasons". The order was particularly welcomed by Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh saying that the release of the classified documents will bring the "baseless allegations" against the Kingdom to an end.When it comes to allegations, however, many people who refuse to accept the official version of the 9/11 events turn to a diverse palette of conspiracy theories that have flourished since the first days after the attack and continue to be discussed online up to this very day. Here is a roundup of the most popular of them.US Government InvolvementMany advocates of 9/11 conspiracies believe that the US government might have had foreknowledge of the attack and even contributed to it.Suggestions differ, offering claims that the US administration needed a pretext for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan or for curbing American civil liberties.Some theorists have claimed that the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) deliberately ordered the fighters to stand down in order to let the hijackers reach their targets without any interference, even though it had the capabilities to stop the attack.Foreign Governments Knew About the Planned AttackOther conspiracy theorists go even further, claiming that foreign governments also had prior knowledge of the 9/11 attacks or could even have been involved in carrying them out.One of the theories claims that Israeli agents could have been involved, citing the arrest of several Israeli nationals by the FBI hours after the attack. The arrested individuals were said to have been filming the smoking skyline while appearing to be reveling in the unfolding events. They were charged for illegally residing in the US and working without permission for a company named Urban Moving Systems, speculated to have been engaged with terrorist organisations. The FBI, however, later ruled that the men had no foreknowledge of the attacks.According to multiple suggestions, intelligence warnings about the possible terrorist attack against the United States were provided by France, the United Kingdom, Israel, Russia, Iran, Germany and many other countries. Even the Taliban* was named among those trying to warn Washington of what's coming, allegedly due to the militant movement being afraid that American retaliation could target all of Afghanistan. Insider TradingIt could have been about money, another conspiracy theory suggests, pointing at reports claiming that days before the attack, an "extraordinary" amount of put options were placed on stocks of United Airlines and American Airlines - the two airline companies that had their planes hijacked by the terrorists.Similar speculative market activity took place involving insurance companies around the world prior to the attack, including in countries like the US, the UK, Japan, Switzerland and others, along with Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch. This led many conspiracy advocates to claim that the insiders might have had the knowledge of the attack. The 9/11 Commission report, however, ruled that there was "no evidence that anyone with advance knowledge of the attacks profited through securities transactions".Missiles, Not PlanesSome conspiracists cast doubt on the existence of the planes themselves, claiming that the World Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon building were in fact targeted by missiles. The advocates of this theory claimed that the damage caused to the skyscrapers was far too minor to have been done by a commercial aircraft.Even though the official report later stated that the wreckage was caused by the planes, some of the most dedicated conspiracists, like former MI-5 officer and whistleblower David Shayler, believe that there might have been some sort of hologram involved to make the missiles look like planes.The far-fetched theory, however, ignores the fact that photographic evidence emerged later after the incident, showing the bodies of the passengers and crew at the site. Thousands of people witnessed the planes flying into the buildings, particularly into the Pentagon, taking photographs of the scene, making it impossible for anyone planting debris not to be spotted.Controlled DemolitionThese theories go further, with some speculation asserting that the explosions were caused neither by planes nor missiles, but by explosives that were built into the World Trade Center skyscrapers in advance.Promoters of this version claim that the buildings fell quickly and perfectly fit into their own footprints, insisting that such preciseness could only be caused by controlled demolition.Proponents of the demolition theory, however, do not elaborate on how the explosives could have been placed in the WTC buildings without drawing attention. Moreover, no signs of thermite were ever found during the examination of the building's debris.What About Building 7?The "controlled demolition" theory echoes with claims that the 7 World Trade Center building (WTC-7) - the building that was situated near the North Tower, with its devastation significantly damaging the building - did not actually collapse due to the fires.The official ruling was disputed by The Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth (AE911T) - activists related to the notorious 9/11 Truth movement that refuse to accept the official version of the events. According to the activists, the WTC-7 collapse was a near-simultaneous failure of every column in the building. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) found, however, that the columns' failures were triggered when joists and beams walked off their connections.A claim widely shared online said that "jet fuel cannot melt steel beams", insisting on explosives demolishing the WTC buildings. However, officials from NIST concluded that the planes significantly damaged the support columns of the buildings, dislodging fire-proofing. In some areas, the fires reached up to 1,000C, causing the steel beams to melt and therefore prompting the collapse of the buildings.Flight 93 MysteryThe United Airlines Flight 93 - the fourth hijacked plane - was the only one that did not cause any damage to a prominent American building, having crashed in an open field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.This fact has also triggered multiple speculations, with some people claiming that the plane was in fact "shot down" by the government because some of the passengers somehow found out about the plot of the attack. Some even referred to a "small jet" spotted nearby that allegedly did the job, but the FBI later clarified that this small plane was a business jet asked to survey the impact.The claims are largely based on suggestions that the main body of the engine landed miles away from the main wreckage site - a distance considered by some as too big for an ordinary plane crash.Others suggested that Flight 93 actually safely landed in another airport, and the crash involved a "substituted" aircraft. The most enthusiastic of believers even reportedly harassed Valencia McClatchey - a woman who took a photo of the mushroom cloud from the impact of Flight 93 moments after it hit the ground - claiming that she somehow faked it.However, even among conspiracists, there are disagreements in regard to these claims, as they are debunked by activists from the 9/11 Truth movement such as Jim Hoffman and Scholars for 9/11 Truth & Justice.No HijackersSome conspiracists, especially during the initial confusion that followed the 9/11 attacks, believed that the hijackers themselves were faked.Their claims were based on several media reports, particularly those by the BBC, that listed the names of the purported hijackers. Some of those people, however, were later discovered to be alive - a finding that prompted many to think that there were no hijackers at all.The media later acknowledged that many names were associated with the hijackers by mistake due to their being very common in Arabic and Islamic countries. The FBI joined in, saying that it identified all the hijackers and none of the media inquiries had raised doubts about their identities.*Al-Qaeda and the Taliban are terrorist groups outlawed in Russia https://sputniknews.com/20210415/sen-graham-warns-biden-paving-the-way-for-new-911-extending-war-with-afghanistan-withdrawal-1082635976.html https://sputniknews.com/20180710/911-Flight-93-Wreckage-Memorial-1066242386.html David Maslow Shame on Sputnik for publishing this ignorant and facile propaganda. 62 andromeda Totally agree. Sputnik has been promoting official conspiracy theories for many years now. Who do they work for, really? The only 9/11 conspiracy theory is the one promoted by the US government. 53 28 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Daria Bedenko Daria Bedenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Daria Bedenko us, terrorism, 9/11 https://sputniknews.com/20210910/couple-in-sweden-barred-from-naming-their-son-vladimir-putin-1088954061.html Couple in Sweden Barred from Naming Their Son Vladimir Putin Couple in Sweden Barred from Naming Their Son Vladimir Putin Ask any parent: choosing a name for your child is often as hard as those long nights when one tries to lull a baby to sleep. It should be cool, but not... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T13:24+0000 2021-09-10T13:24+0000 2021-09-10T13:24+0000 society vladimir putin names /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/106817/78/1068177806_0:180:2514:1594_1920x0_80_0_0_824bc34474e6bf57e76d8e6a4f65af41.jpg Swedish officials have barred a couple from naming their son after Russian President Vladimir Putin, local media reported. According to a law introduced in 2017, parents have to submit the proposed name of a child within three months of birth to the Swedish Tax Agency, which is tasked with the registration of names. The Local writes that the countrys law states that first names are not approved if they may cause offence, discomfort for the individual using it, are deemed not suitable as a first name, or clearly resemble surnames.The tax agency did not explain its decision. According to local media, Swedish Vladimir Putin joins the ranks of Allah, Google, Jesus, Michael Jackson, Pilsner, Token and Q.If those names sound a bit peculiar, they are nothing compared to what one Swedish couple came up with in 1991. Elisabeth Hallin and Lasse Diding were fined 5,000 kronor (580 US dollars) after they failed to submit the name of their child on time. To protest the decision, the pair named their boy Brfxxccxxmnpcccclllmmnprxvclmnckssqlbb11116 (On second thought, Mr Musk, your choice was that pretentious).The couple said the name should be understood in the spirit of pataphysics and was a pregnant, expressionistic development that we see as an artistic creation. The agency rejected it. However, the pair refused to give up and submitted a much simpler name A, which was also rejected.Not all original names are doomed to fail in Sweden, however. In 2007, Michael and Karolina Tomaro successfully won a court battle to name their daughter Metallica after the famous US band. pussymuncher Why All The downvotes on this story? It's better then miserable story's about talibunnys or middle Eastern Islamic shit holes.......oh yeah, Sweden is on course to be an Islamic shithole 5 1 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Max Gorbachev Max Gorbachev News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Max Gorbachev society, vladimir putin, names https://sputniknews.com/20210910/does-biden-fear-a-coup-why-us-president-is-kicking-trump-appointees-off-military-advisory-boards-1088949931.html Does Biden Fear a Coup? Why US President is Kicking Trump Appointees Off Military Advisory Boards Does Biden Fear a Coup? Why US President is Kicking Trump Appointees Off Military Advisory Boards The Biden administration urged 11 officials appointed by former President Donald Trump to military service academy advisory boards to resign or be dismissed... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T12:39+0000 2021-09-10T12:39+0000 2021-09-10T12:39+0000 joe biden donald trump news world us opinion dhs afghanistan military academy at west point migration crisis /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/101464/38/1014643853_0:223:3500:2192_1920x0_80_0_0_126871e27255a44bbf3b291628a218d5.jpg The list of Trump appointees subject to Joe Biden's purges includes former national security adviser Herbert R. McMaster, retired American four-star general John M. "Jack" Keane, former US Secretary of the Air Force Michael Walter Wynne, retired Army Capt. Meaghan Mobbs and others. Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer and former senior counsellor to the President, Kellyanne Conway, who currently serve respectively on the advisory boards of the Naval Academy and Air Force Academy, have also been asked to resign.White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed on 8 September that the request had been made, emphasising that the president's goal is to ensure that the people appointed to serve on these boards are "qualified" and "aligned with [his] values." The military academies advisory boards are supposed to supervise "the morale, discipline, social climate, curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, and academic methods" among other matters."The recent edict by the Biden administration to fire all military academy board members appointed by Trump from Naval, Air Force and West Point is consistent with Bidens obsession to wipe away anything with Trumps name on it, even if its good for America and its institutions," argues Marc Little, a conservative political commentator and lawyer, dubbing the move "unprecedented and purely partisan".Little highlights that the decision has been taken in the wake of Biden's botched withdrawal from Afghanistan which has harmed America's image in the eyes of Washington's allies and the international community.Instead of adhering to US military protocol "to leave no American behind" President Biden demands the military focus on critical race theory and the climate and fires "qualified - if not overqualified - board members from military academies," according to the commentator.Meanwhile, the Trump appointees have not given up and some of them have sought to challenge Biden's decision. Sean Spicer told Newsmax on Wednesday that he would not submit his resignation and would be joining a lawsuit to fight this. For her part, Kellyanne Conway posted a statement on Twitter also saying she would not resign."Your decision is disappointing but understandable given the need to distract from a news cycle that has you mired in multiple self-inflicted crises and plummeting poll numbers," Conway wrote addressing Joe Biden.Three other Trump appointees, namely Russell Vought, Meaghan Mobbs and David Urban also refused to step down, according to CNN. Little expects that more lawsuits will be filed challenging the Biden administration's recent attempt to get rid of Trump's legacy.The commentator notes that he himself has fallen prey to the Biden administration's partisan purges. He was nominated to the Department of Homeland Security Alternatives to Detention Case Management Pilot Program in 2020 by the Trump administration. However, in January 2021, all of the presidents nominations were rescinded in a memorandum by Katherine Culliton-Gonzalez, DHS Officer of Civil Rights and Liberties, according to Little. He points out that Biden's migrant policies have already led to "the greatest and most dangerous influx of illegal migration across its southern border, of human and sex-trafficking of children, weapons and drug trade by the Mexican cartel.""What we are witnessing is the further politicisation of the military and the purge of anyone who is not willing to go along with the oligarchic agenda," echoes American writer E. Michael Jones, an editor of Culture Wars. Still, he suggests that there could be yet another reason for the purge, namely a "concern about a military coup".Biden's recent move followed his administration's decision to halt all Pentagon advisory panels' activity for seven months in February 2021. At that time, Biden's Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin ordered a review concluding that hundreds of DoD advisory board members had to resign, including over 30 of the Trump administration's appointees. According to Defense News, of the 42 advisory panels listed in Austins initial memo, 31 had their members removed. In early September Austin agreed to restart 16 defence advisory boards. vot tak Typical neocon likudite supporting propaganda. What biden is doing is taking out the accumulated garbage. BTW, putting the blame of the u.s./nato afghan rout is simpleton thinking/propaganda. The military ran that show and most of those in command were not biden appointments, but from previous regimes and by the military hierarchy itself. The poor showing is mainly the military's fault. Maybe time sputnik followed biden's lead and disposed of most of its neocon garbage, as well. 2 Max75 Do these appointees serve at the pleasure of the President or is there some other standard? If it is the former the President can fire them just because they parted their hair wrong one day. My other thought is I don't know if I want a person like Spicer or Conway on an advisory board of one of our military academies. 0 4 afghanistan Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Ekaterina Blinova Ekaterina Blinova News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ekaterina Blinova joe biden, donald trump, news, world, us, opinion, dhs, afghanistan, military academy at west point, migration crisis The majority of Afghans stationed at Fort Pickett, a Virginia Army National Guard installation, are not interpreters who assisted the US military during the 20 year-long war, Rep. Mark Green found out, expressing concerns that the US State Department has failed to provide a concrete list of exactly who had been brought to American soil."My source has made shocking allegations, including multiple incidents of sexual assault, and several evacuees have been picked up by Uber drivers without any permission from authoritiesor being cleared to leave," Green wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on 8 September, adding that the soldiers tasked with guarding the evacuees are unarmed and have no authority to stop or arrest them.State Department & Pentagon Share BlameIt appears that neither the military nor the State Department processed or identified Afghan evacuees before taking them away, suggests former Department of Defence veteran analyst Karen Kwiatkowski, a retired US Air Force lieutenant colonel. According to her, this situation is in part due to the poor planning of the evacuations from Kabul.While the Pentagon and the State Department equally share the blame for the flawed withdrawal, the ex-DoD analyst does not rule out that the Pentagon itself has withheld or ignored the need to fully share the information about evacuees with the State Department.Now soldiers at Fort Pickett are apparently "taking the heat for not having processed these people, and not having procedures to control their movements, while the public is blaming the State Department, and the unpopular Secretary Blinken," Kwiatkowski remarks.'The Greatest Security Risk'Having sent his request to Blinken, Rep. Mark Green then appeared on "The Ingraham Angle" on Thursday, citing the security issue: "This is one of the greatest security risks this nation has ever had and this president and this State Department don't seem to care," he said, referring to the allegedly unvetted Afghan evacuees at Fort Pickett.The US is using eight military bases to temporarily accommodate 50,000 Afghan evacuees with tens of thousands already having arrived in the country. However, conservative observers are raising alarm over the vetting process, and drawing parallels between the Afghan evacuations and the influx of migrants through the US southern border accompanied by the hike in human and drug trafficking."In terms of danger to the US, I think that the comparison to a largely unprotected Southern border may be valid," Kwiatkowski deems. "Most people coming into our country unvetted are not threats but a small number may indeed be."The former DoD analyst notes that the existence of an established Afghan community in nearby DC and its Virginia and Maryland suburbs is "certainly going to be a temptation for any Afghan refugee in Fort Pickett."Fort Pickett and Mazar-i-Sharif ControversiesTo add to the ongoing controversy, a group of presumably American citizens and Afghan allies remain stuck in Mazar-i-Sharif, northern Afghanistan. In recent days a "dangerous" blame game has been underway with "lawmakers, the State Department, activists and the Taliban* pointing fingers at one another," according to Politico.Anthony Blinken "can't evacuate US citizens held hostage by the Taliban but yet allows unvetted Afghans free access to the domestic US," says Lisa Haven, the co-founder of the media outlet Restricted Republic.Meanwhile, Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has previously asserted to the press that Afghan evacuees are going through several levels of databases before being brought to the US.For its part, WRIC-TV, an ABC-affiliated television station from Virginia, reported on Thursday that Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger was the first member of Congress to visit Fort Pickett. Spanberger told the media outlet that every Afghan that arrives at the base goes through security checks and biographical screenings to identify them. When asked whether some refugees had actually left the base, the congresswoman responded: "What was clarified is that there have been a number of families and individuals who have left but those are folks who are actual US citizens who escaped out of Kabul with other evacuees."Blackstone Mayor Billy Coleburn argued while speaking to the press that the evacuees are not detainees or prisoners and that if they refuse to go through the proper protocol, "they forfeit their right to get a visa."*The Taliban and al-Qaeda are terrorist organisations banned in Russia and many other states. Afghan evacuees have free rein of Fort Pickett where they are held and have even been allowed to leave despite not having completed the vetting process... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International Afghan evacuees have free rein of Fort Pickett where they are held and have even been allowed to leave despite not having completed the vetting process, according to GOP Rep. Mark Green. Ex-Pentagon analyst Karen Kwiatkowski, journalist Daniel Lazare and conservative activist Lisa Haven have discussed conflicting reports from the military base. The majority of Afghans stationed at Fort Pickett, a Virginia Army National Guard installation, are not interpreters who assisted the US military during the 20 year-long war, Rep. Mark Green found out, expressing concerns that the US State Department has failed to provide a concrete list of exactly who had been brought to American soil. "My source has made shocking allegations, including multiple incidents of sexual assault, and several evacuees have been picked up by Uber drivers without any permission from authoritiesor being cleared to leave," Green wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on 8 September, adding that the soldiers tasked with guarding the evacuees are unarmed and have no authority to stop or arrest them. State Department & Pentagon Share Blame It appears that neither the military nor the State Department processed or identified Afghan evacuees before taking them away, suggests former Department of Defence veteran analyst Karen Kwiatkowski, a retired US Air Force lieutenant colonel. According to her, this situation is in part due to the poor planning of the evacuations from Kabul. While the Pentagon and the State Department equally share the blame for the flawed withdrawal, the ex-DoD analyst does not rule out that the Pentagon itself has withheld or ignored the need to fully share the information about evacuees with the State Department. Now soldiers at Fort Pickett are apparently "taking the heat for not having processed these people, and not having procedures to control their movements, while the public is blaming the State Department, and the unpopular Secretary Blinken," Kwiatkowski remarks. 'The Greatest Security Risk' Having sent his request to Blinken, Rep. Mark Green then appeared on "The Ingraham Angle" on Thursday, citing the security issue: "This is one of the greatest security risks this nation has ever had and this president and this State Department don't seem to care," he said, referring to the allegedly unvetted Afghan evacuees at Fort Pickett. Shocking allegations about unvetted Afghan evacuees leaving Fort Pickett. Joined @IngrahamAngle to break down my letter to @SecBlinken: pic.twitter.com/QQc8PxnOj3 Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) September 9, 2021 The US is using eight military bases to temporarily accommodate 50,000 Afghan evacuees with tens of thousands already having arrived in the country. However, conservative observers are raising alarm over the vetting process, and drawing parallels between the Afghan evacuations and the influx of migrants through the US southern border accompanied by the hike in human and drug trafficking. I was told they were fully vetted? Who here is shocked that we were lied to yet again? Read this and imagine how much worse it probably is than theyll tell us. Biden Administration Struggles to Identify Afghanistan Evacuees After Airlift - Bloomberg https://t.co/F2IXQvK6tX Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 3, 2021 "In terms of danger to the US, I think that the comparison to a largely unprotected Southern border may be valid," Kwiatkowski deems. "Most people coming into our country unvetted are not threats but a small number may indeed be." The former DoD analyst notes that the existence of an established Afghan community in nearby DC and its Virginia and Maryland suburbs is "certainly going to be a temptation for any Afghan refugee in Fort Pickett." "When you cram 823 people into a C-17 cargo plane, as the US military did in mid-August, you really have little idea who's clambering on board," echoes Daniel Lazare, an independent journalist, author, and writer. "It could be a young man whose dream is to go to the University of Chicago and become a free-market economist or an al-Qaeda* trainee." Fort Pickett and Mazar-i-Sharif Controversies To add to the ongoing controversy, a group of presumably American citizens and Afghan allies remain stuck in Mazar-i-Sharif , northern Afghanistan. In recent days a "dangerous" blame game has been underway with "lawmakers, the State Department, activists and the Taliban* pointing fingers at one another," according to Politico. Newly released satellite images show six commercial airplanes at Mazar-i-Sharif airport in northern Afghanistan that are not being allowed to depart by the Taliban. American citizens and Afghan interpreters are reportedly waiting to board the flights. : @Maxar pic.twitter.com/Ov7kB3z5VP Daniel Lippman (@dlippman) September 5, 2021 Anthony Blinken " can't evacuate US citizens held hostage by the Taliban but yet allows unvetted Afghans free access to the domestic US," says Lisa Haven, the co-founder of the media outlet Restricted Republic. "The key to this entire situation lies in one simple question," Haven notes. "Why would the State Department not allow private US planes to land in the US due to an inability to 'verify flight passenger manifests' yet not provide the Pentagon access to refugee manifests to verify Afghans." Meanwhile, Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has previously asserted to the press that Afghan evacuees are going through several levels of databases before being brought to the US. For its part, WRIC-TV, an ABC-affiliated television station from Virginia, reported on Thursday that Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger was the first member of Congress to visit Fort Pickett. Spanberger told the media outlet that every Afghan that arrives at the base goes through security checks and biographical screenings to identify them. The majority of Afghans stationed at Fort Pickett, a Virginia Army National Guard installation, are not interpreters assisting the US military during the 20 year long war, Rep. Mark Green found out, expressing concerns that the US State Department has failed to provide a concrete list of those who exactly had been brought to the American soil. "My source has made shocking allegations, including multiple incidents of sexual assault, and several evacuees have been picked up by Uber drivers without any permission from authoritiesor being cleared to leave," Green wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on 8 September, adding that the soldiers tasked with guarding the evacuees are unarmed and have no authority to stop or arrest them. State Department & Pentagon Share Blame It appears that neither the military nor the State Department processed or identified Afghan evacuees before taking them away, suggests former Department of Defence veteran analyst Karen Kwiatkowski, a retired US Air Force lieutenant colonel. According to her, this situation is in part due to poor planning of evacuations from Kabul. While the Pentagon and the State Department equally share the blame for the flawed withdrawal, the ex-DoD analyst does not rule out that the Pentagon itself has withheld or ignored the need to fully share the information about evacuees with the State Department. Now the Fort Pickett soldiers are apparently "taking the heat for not having processed these people, and not having procedures to control their movements," while the public is blaming the State Department, and the unpopular Secretary Blinken," Kwiatkowski remarks. 'Greatest Security Risk' Having sent his request to Blinken, Rep. Mark Green then appeared on "The Ingraham Angle" on Thursday, citing the security issue: "This is one of the greatest security risks this nation has ever had and this president and this State Department don't seem to care," he said, referring to allegedly unvetted Afghan evacuees at Fort Pickett. The US is using eight military bases to temporarily accommodate 50,000 Afghan evacuees with tens of thousands already having arrived in the country. However, conservative observers are raising alarm over the vetting process, and drawing parallels between Afghan evacuations and the influx of migrants through the US southern border accompanied by the hike in human and drug trafficking. "In terms of danger to the US, I think that the comparison to a largely unprotected Southern border may be valid," Kwiatkowski deems. "Most people coming into our country unvetted are not threats but a small number may indeed be." The former DoD analyst notes that the existence of an established Afghan community in nearby DC and its Virginia and Maryland suburbs is "certainly going to be a temptation for any Afghan refugee in Fort Pickett." "When you cram 823 people into a C-17 cargo plane, as the US military did in mid-August, you really have little idea who's clambering on board," echoes Daniel Lazare, an independent journalist, author, and writer. "It could be a young man whose dream is to go to the University of Chicago and become a free-market economist or an al-Qaeda* trainee." Fort Pickett and Mazar-i-Sharif Controversies To add to the ongoing controversy, a group of presumably American citizens and Afghan allies remain stuck in Mazar-i-Sharif, northern Afghanistan. Over recent days a "dangerous" blame game has been underway with "lawmakers, the State Department, activists and the Taliban* pointing fingers at one another," according to Politico. Anthony Blinken "can't evacuate US citizens held hostage by the Taliban but yet allows unvetted Afghans free access to the domestic US," says Lisa Haven, the co-founder of the media outlet Restricted Republic. "The key to this entire situation lies in one simple question," she notes. "Why would the State Department not allow private US planes to land in the US due to an inability to 'verify flight passenger manifests' yet not provide the Pentagon access to refugee manifests to verify Afghans." Meanwhile, Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has previously asserted to the press that Afghan evacuees are going through several levels of databases before being brought to the US. For its part, WRIC-TV, an ABC-affiliated television station from Virginia, reported on Thursday that Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger was the first member of Congress to visit Fort Pickett. Spanberger told the media outlet that every Afghan that arrives at the base goes through security checks and biographical screenings to identify them. When asked whether some refugees had actually left the base, the congresswoman responded: "What was clarified is that there have been a number of families and individuals who have left but those are folks who are actual US citizens who escaped out of Kabul with other evacuees." Blackstone Mayor Billy Coleburn argued, while speaking to the press, that the evacuees are not detainees or prisoners and that if they refuse to go through the proper protocol, "they forfeit their right to get a visa." "It appears that nothing about this withdrawal from Afghanistan was well planned, or planned at all," says Karen Kwiatkowski. "I believe it is because no one involved could bring themselves to admit it was a defeat, the real end of an era, and a fantastically expensive waste of blood and treasure." *The Taliban and al-Qaeda are terrorist organisations banned in Russia and many other states. When asked whether some refugees had actually left the base, the congresswoman responded: "What was clarified is that there have been a number of families and individuals who have left but those are folks who are actual US citizens who escaped out of Kabul with other evacuees." Blackstone Mayor Billy Coleburn argued while speaking to the press that the evacuees are not detainees or prisoners and that if they refuse to go through the proper protocol, "they forfeit their right to get a visa." "It appears that nothing about this withdrawal from Afghanistan was well planned, or planned at all," says Karen Kwiatkowski. "I believe it is because no one involved could bring themselves to admit it was a defeat, the real end of an era, and a fantastically expensive waste of blood and treasure." https://sputniknews.com/20210910/insult-to-hindus-rahul-gandhi-slams-modi-for-destroying-jammu-and-kashmirs-composite-culture-1088947165.html Insult to Hindus': Rahul Gandhi Slams Modi for 'Destroying' Jammu and Kashmirs Composite Culture Insult to Hindus': Rahul Gandhi Slams Modi for 'Destroying' Jammu and Kashmirs Composite Culture In June, Prime Minister Modi invited Jammu and Kashmir's major political organisations, including the Congress, to collectively find a solution to the... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T11:27+0000 2021-09-10T11:27+0000 2021-09-10T11:27+0000 kashmir bharatiya janata party (bjp) narendra modi pakistan rahul gandhi jammu and kashmir /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/0c/1082869769_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_764aa0e9033f40307d7ec303ec731141.jpg India's key opposition leader and Congress parliamentarian Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government of "insulting Hindus" by not heeding to the teachings of the Hindu gods and "destroying" the composite culture of Jammu and Kashmir.He was addressing Congress party workers in Jammu, a predominantly Hindu city in an otherwise Muslim majority Jammu and Kashmir union territory.Why are they doing that? The Hindu goddesses don't teach that," stated Gandhi, as he invoked the Hindu Goddess Vaishno Devi. He said it just a day after completing a pilgrimage to the revered famous Hindu shrine, located 10 km above Katra town at the Trikuta Mountains of Jammu. The reference was to the federal governments August 2019 decision to revoke the semi-autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the erstwhile state into two federally administered territories Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.The Modi government, however, has justified its move by stating that the semi-autonomous status (under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution) of Jammu and Kashmir was hindering its economic and social development.The federal authorities also argue that bringing the region under Delhis direct control, in contrast to its semi-autonomous political status previously, has contributed to a decrease in militancy and stone-pelting incidents in the region, which borders Pakistan and China.Both Beijing and Islamabad, which have competing claims on Leh and Kashmir, have rejected the changes. India, meanwhile, has repeatedly maintained that no foreign government has a locus standi on the issue, which it considers to be an internal matter.Indias opposition political parties, however, contest the claim, viewing the decision as part of the larger Hindu nationalist policy of the federally-governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Before the August 2019 decision, Jammu and Kashmir was Indias only Muslim-majority state.They also claim that the August 2019 decision, which triggered political protests, has created disaffection towards New Delhi among the inhabitants, particularly those residing in Kashmir.Local political leaders, opposing the federal decision, were placed under arrest, and internet curbs were also imposed in a bid to check protests following the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Gandhi claimed that the BJP's policies have led to an economic downturn in Jammu and Kashmir, and not contributed to any growth as was claimed by the government in 2019."Tourism was one of the strong points of Jammu and Kashmir's economy. But the political unrest and internet and movement curbs have led to a decrease in number of tourists visiting here since 2019," he said.The Congress leader is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, his second visit to the federally-administered territory in a month. Last month, Gandhi paid a visit to Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley, his first trip to the volatile region since it was stripped of its semi-autonomous status.Amid criticism from the federal opposition and many Kashmiris, Indias federal home minister Amit Shah said in February this year that the political changes in the region were temporary and that it would get its statehood back. https://sputniknews.com/20210805/historic-day-modi-hails-his-kashmir-move-as-imran-slams-india-for-destroying-regional-stability-1083533243.html https://sputniknews.com/20200626/imran-khan-claims-atrocities-of-supremacist-modi-govt-in-jammu-and-kashmir-well-documented-by-un-1079724432.html See you in the ice Muslims robbed and murdered the Buddhists of Central Asia. Now it is Hindus turn again. Muslims need out of the lands they ruined. India, China, Europe, SE Asia, the Americas all have bountiful life. Pohjolan destroyers of life want to consume all that life, like PAK man eating everything even the undead white hair Ghosts. 0 1 kashmir jammu and kashmir Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Dhairya Maheshwari Dhairya Maheshwari News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Dhairya Maheshwari kashmir, bharatiya janata party (bjp), narendra modi, pakistan, rahul gandhi, jammu and kashmir https://sputniknews.com/20210910/iran-says-it-struck-terrorists-in-northern-iraq-1088957173.html Iran Says It Struck Terrorists in Northern Iraq Iran Says It Struck Terrorists in Northern Iraq Iran Says It Struck Terrorists in Northern Iraq 2021-09-10T15:15+0000 2021-09-10T15:15+0000 2021-09-10T15:15+0000 middle east iran iraq terrorists /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107901/03/1079010318_0:0:1430:804_1920x0_80_0_0_a80bda59a16e15af8ea5c24f45ed2ba5.jpg The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have carried out artillery and drone strikes against a terrorist group stronghold based in the northern part of Iraq, in the Kurdistan region. IRGC Ground Force Commander, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, said a combination of suicide drones and smart artillery units successfully hit the designated targets.The general added that the Islamic Republic had warned the Kurdistan Regional Government about the presence of terrorists in their region and gave the heads up for the locals to stay away from the terrorist stronghold right before the attack. Pakpour said the attack on Iraq's territory was necessary since the terrorists threatened Iran's security and condemned the Kurdistan region's authorities for not heeding the calls from Tehran to deal with the threat.The IRGC general did not specify which group specifically his forces targeted. Among others, Tehran designates as terrorist groups separatists from the Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz and militant opposition force the People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran. The Islamic Republic has also waged war on the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) in the past, whose members fought for the establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region within Iran.In addition, Tehran designated all American troops in the Middle East as "terrorists" in 2019 following Washington's decision to add the IRGC to the list of terrorist organisations. https://sputniknews.com/20210906/iran-ready-to-attack-terrorists-in-northern-iraq-if-necessary---commander-1083811000.html koursk koursk the Iranian services have hit the nail on the head *** he eliminated paramilitaries from the big mafia which works in several organizations: al qaida, Islamic state, and in certain Kurdish groups, under the authority of the barzani family, itself under the orders economic elites who reign over washington and brussels *** iraqi kurdistan is a bridgehead that can be used against iran, to help the iranian mudjahins, now reworked with those nostalgic for the palhavi *** iraqi kurdistan serves as military ground against syria *** reunified great kurdistan is not on the agenda, however, because many organizations in turkey and syria do not want it 2 1 iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Tim Korso https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg Tim Korso https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Tim Korso https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg middle east, iran, iraq, terrorists https://sputniknews.com/20210910/israel-determined-to-confront-iranian-guided-terror-foreign-minister-says-1088944280.html Israel Determined to Confront 'Iranian-Guided Terror', Foreign Minister Says Israel Determined to Confront 'Iranian-Guided Terror', Foreign Minister Says MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israel considers Iran's nuclear aspirations a threat of regional scale and is poised to protect its citizens, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T08:32+0000 2021-09-10T08:32+0000 2021-09-10T08:52+0000 yair lapid world israel iran news joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/07/1082825021_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_f1ed3c62e8080c1ecb2ec61a823132f5.jpg "The destabilizing force within Syria is Iran, and Israel cannot tolerate, not in the long term and not in the short term, Iranian presence and the way Iran is exporting terror into the region... We are going to do something about it, we are not going to sit on our hands, waiting for Iranian-guided terror to hit our citizens," Lapid said.Lapid refused to specify whether the Israeli comprehensive strategy against Iran included diplomatic means, sanctions or possible military action, but said that a "credible threat" should be shown to Iran, as the country is on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons and poses an "existential threat" to Israel.Iran Acquiring Nuclear Weapons May Trigger Chain ReactionLapid added that Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons could trigger a nuclear arms race in the region.Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt would start developing their own nuclear weapons, while the spike in radical Islamism in Afghanistan, neighboring nuclear Pakistan, could exacerbate the security crisis, the minister said.The international nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was aimed at curbing the Iranian nuclear ambitions, showed no tangible results, neither did the Vienna talks succeed in resuming full compliance of all parties with the accord, Lapid said.Since April, the joint commission of the international nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has held sessions in Vienna in a bid to revive the accord, shattered after the US withdrawal in 2018. Israel opposed the negotiations, saying that Iran was just playing for time while developing its nuclear program. US-Israel relations have deteriorated amid differences on the JCPOA. https://sputniknews.com/20210830/ex-us-ambassador-to-israel-joins-us-team-on-iran-as-senior-adviser-reports-suggest-1083752430.html https://sputniknews.com/20210626/us-considers-lifting-sanctions-on-irans-khamenei-as-part-of-jcpoa-talks---reports-1083248774.html Martian World Determined to Confront 'USraeli-Guided Terror', I say 4 TruePatriot Another zio lunatic clamoring for war. When will he be tried for his war crimes? 1 2 israel iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 yair lapid, world, israel, iran, news, joint comprehensive plan of action (jcpoa) https://sputniknews.com/20210910/prince-andrew-ducking-sexual-assault-papers-accusers-lawyer-claims-1088958339.html Prince Andrew Reportedly Served With Sexual Assault Papers Despite Attempts to Avoid It Prince Andrew Reportedly Served With Sexual Assault Papers Despite Attempts to Avoid It Virginia Giuffre, a woman who has accused the UK's Duke of York of sexual assault, says that Prince Andrew had sex with her knowing she was under the age of 18... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T18:24+0000 2021-09-10T18:24+0000 2021-09-10T18:35+0000 prince andrew jeffrey epstein sexual assault virginia roberts giuffre uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/0d/1083595724_0:257:2863:1867_1920x0_80_0_0_ea9cda054d54dd27cdfff2e123035534.jpg Prince Andrew has been served with sexual assault lawsuit after attempting to sheer away from it for at least five times, according to The Sun, citing the legal team of the Duke's accuser, Virginia Giuffre.Earlier, it was reported by ABC News that Prince Andrew rejected several attempts by the lawyers to hand him the sexual assault legal papers.Boies explained that Giuffre's legal team intended to inform the court of the attempts to serve Prince Andrew the lawsuit, with the subsequent course of action left up to the judges."We don't have to actually physically serve him with a subpoena. All we have to do is follow certain recognized procedures, which we have done," the lawyer noted.The sentiment is not shared by the Duke's lawyer, Gary Bloxsomem, according to his letter obtained by ABC, in which he calls the actions of Giuffre's legal team "regrettable."According to Bloxsome, the request for assistance must come from a judicial or diplomatic officer in the United States, not from Giuffre's lawyers, and only in that case "our client will be content to agree to a convenient method of alternative service."On Tuesday, photographers appeared to spot the Duke of York departing Royal Lodge in Windsor and heading to the Scottish resident of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in Balmoral Castle. Earlier, reports suggested that Prince Andrew has "stonewalled" in his mansion in order to avoid lawsuit service, with his security guards preventing attorneys from doing so "multiple times."The Duke has repeatedly dismissed claims by Giuffre that they were engaged in any sort of sexual contact, saying that he had "no recollection" of ever meeting her.According to Giuffre, however, Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her, knowing that she was a minor and "a victim of sex trafficking" groomed by late American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. https://sputniknews.com/20210909/it-will-blow-over-prince-andrew-convinced-that-hell-brush-off-rape-allegations-report-says-1088905985.html Curmudgeon Note to sputnik editor: "sheer away from it" is nonsense. The author meant "veer away from it" 6 pussymuncher Harry Dunne gets No justice But a prostitute who was payed at the time of insertion wants MORE......more to this than meets the eye. 6 7 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Daria Bedenko Daria Bedenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Daria Bedenko prince andrew, jeffrey epstein, sexual assault, virginia roberts giuffre, uk https://sputniknews.com/20210910/queen-elizabeth-ii-supports-black-lives-matter-movement-says-monarchs-senior-representative-1088941679.html Queen Elizabeth II Supports Black Lives Matter Movement, Says Monarch's Senior Representative Queen Elizabeth II Supports Black Lives Matter Movement, Says Monarch's Senior Representative Buckingham Palace was criticised after Meghan Markle, the first mixed-raced royal, alleged that one member of the family had pondered over what colour her and... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T08:28+0000 2021-09-10T08:28+0000 2021-09-10T08:33+0000 queen elizabeth ii racism black lives matter uk royal family uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/0b/1082856325_0:115:2200:1353_1920x0_80_0_0_8f73f52e5f991065487dcd1cf1c9064a.jpg Queen Elizabeth II supports the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, according to Sir Ken Olisa. Speaking on Channel 4 one of the monarchs senior representatives said he had discussed the whole issue of race and racism in society with senior members of the family in the wake of George Floyds murder.When asked whether the Royal Family supports BLM, the representative said: "The answer is really yes."Allegations of RacismThe statement is likely to take pressure off Buckingham Palace, which has been intensely criticised this year after the tell-all interview Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave to US talkshow host Oprah Winfrey.During the conversation the Duchess of Sussex, whose mother is coloured, claimed that one member of the family wondered about what colour skin the couples first-born, Archie, would have.She refused to reveal the name of the royal, but off camera said that it wasnt the Queen or her late husband Prince Philip.Prince Harry said he was deeply saddened that no member of the family condemned the racist treatment of Meghan Markle by the UK press, and the Duchess suggested that racism could be behind the Palaces decision to not give Archie security protection, to which all royal members are entitled. She also suggested that it might also be the reason he is not styled "Prince" although in this case she was unaware of the 1917 decision by George V to limit how many people could be styled "Prince" or "Princess".The allegations prompted widespread condemnation and calls for a boycott of the Royal Family. A UK lobbying firm launched a petition asking the government to abolish the monarchy.How Has the Palace Responded?The Royal Family released a statement saying it would privately address the allegations of racism, but noted that some recollections may vary. Later Prince William spoke to reporters, saying "were very much not racist family".What is Black Lives Matter?The organisation draws attention to the issues of racism and police brutality. The movement appeared in 2013 after two US activists started a hashtag #BlackLivesMatter to protest against the acquittal of Hispanic American George Zimmerman who had fatally shot black 17-year-old, Trayvon Martin, during an altercation in 2012 in Sanford, Florida. The popularity of the movement has grown over the years as its members shine the spotlight on high-profile cases of African-Americans who have been killed by police in the United States.BLM gained momentum around the world after the death of George Floyd, which occurred in May 2020. Back then police received a call about a man [Floyd] who allegedly paid for his groceries with a forged banknote. Footage recorded by bystanders showed that during the arrest Floyd was pinned to the ground with one officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on his neck. Floyd repeatedly told Chauvin that he was unable to breathe. Despite pleas, the officer kept kneeling on his neck for almost nine minutes even after Floyd lost consciousness.The news of Floyds death sparked massive protests against racism and police brutality in the United States, which continued for months. Similar demonstrations were held in almost all parts of the world, including in the United Kingdom, France, Iran, Germany, Brazil, Japan, Australia. pussymuncher Who gives a fat rats cock?!! I care for neither grifting parasitic entitled racist Royal's or grifting parasitic entitled racist Black's... 13 Conan_The_Barbarian Maybe she got the advice from that prat Gareth Southgate! Taking the knee in a stadium, in a city and country, ran by a Marxist regime for 70 years! 3 4 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Max Gorbachev Max Gorbachev News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Max Gorbachev queen elizabeth ii, racism, black lives matter, uk royal family, uk https://sputniknews.com/20210910/russian-belarus-zapad-drills-begin-friday-as-nato-watches-closely-1088940067.html Russian-Belarus Zapad Drills Begin Friday as NATO Watches Closely Russian-Belarus Zapad Drills Begin Friday as NATO Watches Closely MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The large-scale Russia-Belarus Zapad-2021 drills, which will involve about 200,000 personnel, over 80 aircraft and up to 760 pieces of... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T06:06+0000 2021-09-10T06:06+0000 2021-09-10T06:06+0000 belarus news world russia military drills /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/105750/71/1057507174_0:163:3061:1885_1920x0_80_0_0_a89f549cf0ac50739d44a69336d1f6a4.jpg The drills will be held on nine training grounds in Russia and five in Belarus, and last until 16 September under the leadership of the chiefs of the general staff of the Armed Forces of both countries. Apart from Russian and Belarusian soldiers, the event will be attended by troops from Armenia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the exercise will involve an extensive use of military aviation.The minister added that all aviation personnel should be fully prepared."Airfields, helicopter pads and aviation equipment that will be used in the drills must be fully in line with the safety requirements," Shoigu emphasized.NATO KEEPING AN EYEAs in previous years, NATO, which also stages drills near Russian borders, is closely monitoring the military exercises. Earlier in September, the alliance called on Russia and Belarus to act "in a predictable" way in view of the approaching drills and lamented that it "has not been invited to send observers" to the drills.Lungescu also said that NATO "remains vigilant, while keeping a balanced and measured posture"."We keep channels of communication open with Russia, in line with our dual track approach combining defense and deterrence with dialogue. We will also remain in contact with Minsk as needed," Lungescu added.NEIGHBORS ON ALERTThe Russia-Belarus drills are drawing the attention of NATO allies in the Baltic and Eastern Europe especially. In particular, Ukrainian Head of the Security Service, Ivan Bakanov, called them the main threat to Ukrainian security.In August, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics expressed fear that the Zapad-2021 drills may be among the events that could result in untoward incidents between NATO and Russia.Earlier in September, Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces, Martin Herem, and Polish Chief of the General Staff, Rajmund Andrzejczak, discussed regional security in Tallinn, as well as monitoring of the upcoming Russian-Belorussian Zapad-2021 drills.Meanwhile, Polish President Andrzej Duda recently signed a decree on introducing a state of emergency in parts of the country. The decree was occasioned not only by the influx of migrants on the border with Belarus, but also by the upcoming Russian-Belarusian drills. https://sputniknews.com/20210903/russias-defense-cooperation-agency-chief-sees-no-obstacles-to-supplying-s-400-to-belarus-1083785695.html TruePatriot More like as ZATO quavers in its boots. Just wait til the drills truly get underway and you will find ZATO hiding behind rocks and trees in fear. 1 1 belarus russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 belarus, news, world, russia, military drills https://sputniknews.com/20210910/south-carolina-governor-vows-to-fight-bidens-compulsory-vaccinations-order-to-gates-of-hell-1088961646.html South Carolina Governor Vows to Fight Biden's Compulsory Vaccinations Order to 'Gates of Hell' South Carolina Governor Vows to Fight Biden's Compulsory Vaccinations Order to 'Gates of Hell' The indignation of Republicans follows Biden's Thursday announcement of a wide mandate requiring all companies with more than 100 employees to get vaccinated... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T21:03+0000 2021-09-10T21:03+0000 2021-09-10T21:10+0000 joe biden south dakota us constitution vaccination south carolina vaccinations donald trump jr us constitution anti-vaccination /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/0a/1088964052_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_e029c1b6de0503d4c30bb6c273b93ed9.jpg Republican Governor of South Carolina Henry McMaster promised to oppose US President Joe Biden's mandate of enforced vaccinations for all businesses involving more than 100 employees to "the gates of hell," while his fellow governors are preparing to sue the Biden administration over this "unconstitutional" requirement.In a subsequent post, the governor assured citizens and his followers that he would fight for the freedom and livelihood of every resident of the state "to the gates of hell."McMaster's words were echoed by the governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem, who assured her subscribers that she would not give up the freedoms of her fellow citizens, telling Biden that she will see him "in court."Arizona Governor Doug Ducey did not shy away from controversy, saying that the Biden administration's decision is "exactly the kind of big government overreach we have tried so hard to prevent in Arizona." Ducey also claimed that such a decision "will never stand up in court" and slammed the administration's "dictatorial approach" in a follow-up tweet.A slew of Republican governors has also spoken out against Biden's mandate on their social media, including the governors of Mississippi, Alaska, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, and others.Florida Governor Ron Desantis, a longtime opponent of the Biden administration's response to the pandemic, criticized the mandate at a press conference in his home state, saying that the Biden administration was "acting outside the bounds of the Constitution" with the directive.In Thursday's address, Biden specifically mentioned DeSantis and Abbott's coronavirus responses, stating he would use his "power as president to get them out of the way."During a visit to a school in Washington, DC on Friday, the president addressed the governors' plans to fight the order, saying he was "disappointed" by the state leaders.Around 17 million healthcare employees who receive federal Medicare or Medicaid will be obliged to be vaccinated as well, according to reports.And in Thursday's speech, Biden emphasized that although the federal government has been "patient," its patience was "wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us," referring to those who chose not to be vaccinated. FeEisi The US is endanger of some civil war breaking out. Biden is helping to quicken things. The virus Covid-19 may take down the US. 2 astrodetective America is ZOG istan 1 6 south dakota south carolina Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Kirill Kurevlev Kirill Kurevlev News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Kirill Kurevlev joe biden, south dakota, us, constitution, vaccination, south carolina, vaccinations, donald trump jr, us constitution, anti-vaccination, covid-19, life under covid-19 quarantine, biden administration, delta variant of covid-19 https://sputniknews.com/20210910/this-isnt-a-game-biden-slams-gop-governors-as-rnc-threatens-to-sue-white-house-over-vax-mandates-1088959031.html 'This Isn't a Game': Biden Slams GOP Governors as RNC Threatens to Sue White House Over Vax Mandates 'This Isn't a Game': Biden Slams GOP Governors as RNC Threatens to Sue White House Over Vax Mandates 'This Isn't a Game': Biden Slams GOP Governors as RNC Threatens to Sue White House Over Vax Mandates 2021-09-10T17:09+0000 2021-09-10T17:09+0000 2021-09-10T17:09+0000 joe biden us vaccination covid-19 /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/0a/1088958802_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_00cc1e1f5d8feb2e6a2ea779bde28b03.jpg US President Joe Biden has lambasted the Republican governors and politicians who criticized his recent introduction of vaccination mandates and who have vowed to challenge them in court. POTUS dared them to "have at it", apparently ready to fight in defense of the policy, which is part of a broader White House strategy to combat surging COVID-19 cases.Biden went on to justify the mandates by claiming that a majority of Americans support mass vaccination and added that the move to make them compulsory for the overwhelming amount of US citizens was "hard but necessary".Republicans Criticise Biden's Vaccination Move, Threaten With LawsuitThe president thus responded to numerous critical voices from the GOP, with many of them condemning the vaccination mandates as illegal and unconstitutional. Republican National Committee's (RNC) head Ronna McDaniel followed up on her statement, announcing that the RNC plans to sue Biden over the vaccination mandates, citing the impact it might have on the private sector.Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said he would explore "every legal option available" in order to strike down the vaccine mandates, while Arizona Governor Doug Ducey said the move was a sign of a "dictatorial approach" on the part of Biden and that the mandate was "wrong" and "un-American".Many Republicans took issue with Biden's words about vaccination no longer being "about freedom, or personal choice", but about "protecting yourself and those around you". A spokeswoman for the Florida governor, Christina Pushaw, said that the remark was "the most disturbing thing Ive ever heard a politician say". GOP Senator Ted Cruz, in turn, accused Biden of ignoring science and attacking Americans right to privacy.In his 9 September address, President Joe Biden stated that enough time and evidence of vaccine safety had been given for people to vaccinate voluntarily. POTUS noted that vaccinated Americans had been "patient" enough and that the refusal of others to get jabs has "cost all of us". Biden thus issued two executive orders that mandated federal workers, contractors and sub-contractors to vaccinate against COVID-19 without an alternative of routine weekly testing. The president also revealed that another order was still in the works to mandate all businesses with over 100 employees to either vaccinate them or demand that they present the results of the COVID-19 test weekly. https://sputniknews.com/20210910/ted-cruz-raps-wh-chief-of-staff-over-foolish-retweet-on-work-around-to-require-biden-vax-mandate-1088953280.html Sorvad Kelad It isn't a game! It's a joke! 6 Curmudgeon No, Mr. Biden it is not a game. It will be civil war. 3 4 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Tim Korso https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg Tim Korso https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Tim Korso https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg joe biden, us, vaccination, covid-19 https://sputniknews.com/20210910/ukrainian-president-says-kiev-is-ready-to-join-nato-but-us-remains-vague-1088948487.html Ukrainian President Says Kiev is Ready to Join NATO, But US Remains Vague Ukrainian President Says Kiev is Ready to Join NATO, But US Remains Vague Ukrainian President Says Kiev Ready to Join NATO, But US Gives No Clear Position 2021-09-10T11:41+0000 2021-09-10T11:41+0000 2021-09-10T11:42+0000 europe us russia nato volodymyr zelensky /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/103522/88/1035228815_0:183:3073:1911_1920x0_80_0_0_bba404c3b49d85917275ccaed70d505a.jpg Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the US has still not made its position on when Kiev might join NATO clear. At the same time, Zelensky insisted that Kiev still can "rely on" Washington.Responding to a question during a "YES Brainstorming" event, the president lamented the failure by western countries to invite Ukraine into the alliance, alleging that it "makes Russia stronger". He also claimed that Kiev is actually ready to join NATO and suggested that alliance members themselves should be interested in this.Zelensky further alleged that a fully fledged military conflict between Ukraine and Russia cannot be ruled out at the moment. He added that such a development would be "the biggest mistake" for Russia.Relations between Ukraine and Russia have been on a downward spiral ever since opposition forces overthrew the legitimate government in Kiev with help from the western countries in 2014. The same year, the coup government in Ukraine abolished a provision in the country's law that prevented Kiev from joining military alliances. The new Ukrainian parliament also adopted a law in 2016 forcing the government to seek the country's accession to NATO. The same plan was cemented into the Ukrainian constitution in 2019.Although Kiev received the status of a NATO partner, there have been no announcements about inviting the state into the alliance. Its former chief, Anders Fogh Rasmussen alleged in the past that it will take Ukraine a long time to become ready to join NATO, but refused to give any estimates. Russia strongly opposes Kiev's plans, having objected to any NATO eastward expansion over the past three decades. Moscow strongly condemns any plans for setting up new NATO military bases near its borders. https://sputniknews.com/20210614/zelenskyy-demands-yes-or-no-from-biden-western-states-on-ukraines-accession-to-nato-1083146418.html GasMonkey I really am not interested in my sons being at the mercy of a corrupt nation like Ukraine joining NATO. The Ukranians need to cleanup their act and make peace with their Citizens of all descent in Eastern Ukraine, follow the Minsk protocol they agreed to, and then start rebuilding their relationship with Russia. Get your house then your family (Slavs to Slavs) in order. 11 See you in the ice adding the Ukraine removes the buffer zone. Changes conflicts from proxy wars to direct confrontation. Probably what the White Baazatu devils and the Black Tanari demons, both of Pohjola want. Their blood war. They both have NO color thus NO HUE. So neither are huemans or demihumans. 8 7 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Tim Korso https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg Tim Korso https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Tim Korso https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0a/02/1080648312_311:168:1773:1631_100x100_80_0_0_5eb98a42f89fd860368dcd2ae2d9e403.jpg europe, us, russia, nato, volodymyr zelensky https://sputniknews.com/20210910/ukrainian-president-says-possibility-of-full-on-war-with-russia-exists-1088944923.html Ukrainian President Says Possibility of Full-On War With Russia Exists Ukrainian President Says Possibility of Full-On War With Russia Exists KIEV (Sputnik) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 10 September that there was a possibility of a war with Russia, but that would be "the biggest... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T08:48+0000 2021-09-10T08:48+0000 2021-09-10T09:50+0000 crimea news world russia ukraine volodymyr zelensky /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/08/1083096789_0:0:2795:1572_1920x0_80_0_0_9a3b72dd81f4b464348bd8005410cae5.jpg "I think there could be [a full-on war with Russia] ... There is some potential there. I think it would be the biggest mistake Russia could make, there would never be any neighborly relations between Russia, Ukraine, Belarus after that," Zelenskyy said during YES Brainstorming forum in Kiev.When asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelenskyy said he had "no time to think about him."Earlier this month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Kiev was ready to host a meeting of the two presidents, but it seemed as if Moscow was trying to avoid the summit.The Russian presidential spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, has said that Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy because the relationship between the two countries needs improving. At the same time, Peskov has stressed that Putin would not discuss Crimea with the head of another country.The relationship between Ukraine and Russia has been strained since 2014, when Kiev's conflict with two self-proclaimed republics in the east of Ukraine began. Kiev has repeatedly accused Russia of interfering in Ukraine's internal affairs. Russia has rejected the accusations and stressed that it is not a party to Ukraine's internal conflict.Kremlin Regrets Zelenskys Statement About Possibility of Ukraine-Russia WarThe Kremlin regrets a statement made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the possibility of a war between Ukraine and Russia, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on 10 September.Crimea reunified with Russia after a referendum in 2014, but Kiev continues to consider it as part of Ukraine. Russian officials have repeatedly indicated that the Crimean peninsula's residents voted to rejoin Russia in accordance with international laws. See you in the ice If all the Ukrainians who hide in foreign nations and live off of foreigner wealth were deported and repatriated to the Ukraine then there would be economic building boom in the Ukraine. Homes and stores would have to be built to service the returnees. Stimulate the economies of Eastern European nations by sending their people back to the socialist nations those people destroyed. 10 Question All IF Russia had any serious intentions of "Invading" Ukraine, it would have been over before full time. This idiot Zelensky is like his Israeli counterpart whining about Iran. But if Zelensky intends so, he might as well pull the trigger first, and expect a very public hanging for war crimes against his own people and the Russians in Crimea and Donbass. Good luck Joker 9 7 russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 crimea, news, world, russia, ukraine, volodymyr zelensky https://sputniknews.com/20210910/us-admits-its-differences-with-pakistan-on-recognition-legitimacy-of-taliban-in-afghanistan-1088939715.html US Admits Its Differences With Pakistan on 'Recognition, Legitimacy' of Taliban in Afghanistan US Admits Its Differences With Pakistan on 'Recognition, Legitimacy' of Taliban in Afghanistan Pakistan has called for discarding old lenses and developing new insights in dealing with the changed status quo in Afghanistan. It is being viewed as... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T09:30+0000 2021-09-10T09:30+0000 2021-09-10T09:30+0000 afghanistan us afghanistan antony blinken pakistan shah mahmood qureshi /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/02/1083775464_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_bcc1f520a339384e2b4958906e59330d.jpg The US State Department has said that there was a "distinction" between Washington's and Islamabad's positions on recognising the Talibans* 33-member all-male interim cabinet in Afghanistan."...I dont want to speak specifically for Pakistan, but there was widespread agreement, including from our Pakistani partners, that the gains of the last 20 years should not be squandered, stated US State Department spokesperson Ned Price, when asked how Washington viewed the role of Islamabad in Afghanistan.Price said that the new Taliban cabinet unveiled this week was a cause of concern for the US and the broader global community, as it didnt reflect what the international community had hoped for.The remarks come a day after William Burns, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, met Pakistani Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa as well as Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid, the chief of the countrys spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in Islamabad.At least six ministers in the Talibans interim cabinet are sanctioned by the United Nations for their terrorist ties. The newly-appointed interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, Talibans deputy chief, also heads the US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) Haqqani Network and has a $10 million bounty on his head.Will Watch Talibans Actions, says USAt the same time, Price also pointed out during his press briefing that the US would still keep a lookout for the Talibans actions in the coming days before making any final decision on whether to recognise the newly announced government.Price listed out Talibans commitments to provide a safe passage to US and Afghan nationals wanting to leave the country as well as not allowing Afghan territory to be used for terrorism as the key parameters of judging the militant organisation. And will they sustain progress for women and girls? In other words, will the gains of the past 20 years that no country did more to facilitate and support than the United States will those gains be preserved? he wondered.A day after the Taliban announced its new cabinet on 7 September, the US and Germany on 8 September hosted a virtual meeting of 22 nations, which also featured delegates from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the United Nations (UN) as well as the European Union (EU).Addressing a presser with his German counterpart Heiko Mass at the US air base of Ramstein after the virtual meeting, US State Secretary Antony Blinken remarked that the Taliban will have to earn legitimacy and that it would be judged by its actions.We are assessing the announcement... But despite professing that a new government would be inclusive, the announced list of names consists exclusively of individuals who are members of the Taliban or their close associates, and no women," Blinken said.Besides the US State Department, the new Taliban cabinet has also drawn a sharp reaction from the Pentagon, which has reportedly said that some of the key figures in the Islamist groups leadership still remain on the "hit list."The reactions from the US were met negatively by the Taliban, which said on 9 September that Washingtons stance on the new cabinet constituted a violation of the Doha Peace Deal of February 2020.*The Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries. https://sputniknews.com/20210908/pakistan-calls-for-discarding-old-lenses-in-afghanistan-as-talibans-new-cabinet-draws-flak-1088879794.html https://sputniknews.com/20210908/blinken-says-us-assessing-taliban-announcement-of-new-government-1088889614.html Thomas Turk WE just stole their cash.. like, just 6B$, ya know, so how the heck can we recognize them, yeahh. 1 2007harleydavidsonsg Not America problem. The more entangled US in this jihad crap becomes the more we become hated at home! Yank go home.. 1 4 us afghanistan Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Dhairya Maheshwari Dhairya Maheshwari News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Dhairya Maheshwari us, afghanistan, antony blinken, pakistan, shah mahmood qureshi https://sputniknews.com/20210910/us-drone-strike-in-kabul-killed-afghan-who-worked-for-american-aid-group---reports-1088965663.html New Evidence Raises Doubts About US Reason for Drone Strike in Kabul Last Month - Reports New Evidence Raises Doubts About US Reason for Drone Strike in Kabul Last Month - Reports WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - A New York Times investigation discovered video evidence that raises doubts about the United States' explanation for conducting a drone... 10.09.2021, Sputnik International 2021-09-10T22:13+0000 2021-09-10T22:13+0000 2021-09-11T08:36+0000 afghanistan kabul us afghanistan drone strike family deaths /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/0a/1088965527_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_0092b7ebab82ada472a80a2222881351.jpg The video on Friday showed evidence that Zemari Ahmadi worked as an electrical engineer for the US non-governmental organization (NGO) Nutrition and Education International. He is shown delivering food in one of the company's white Toyota Corolla's to Afghans displaced by the war.The New York Times investigation found that on August 29, Ahmadi left his home in the morning to pick up a colleague and his boss's laptop, which is when the US military suspected a white sedan had left an Islamic State safe house and intercepted communications asking the driver to make several stops.What the US military saw as suspicious was Ahmadi's daily activities, the report said citing his colleagues.The US military may have mistakenly thought Ahmadi's white Toyota Corolla contained explosives that would be used against American troops at the Kabul international airport after he was seen running work-related errands and loading water containers for his home, the report said.Ahmadi brought water containers to his home from the NGO office because there was a water shortage in his neighborhood, the report said.Although the US military claims only three civilians were killed in the attack, the investigation found that ten members of Ahmadi's family, including seven children (two of them as young as 2), were killed in the strike. The report said, citing a relative, that the children had a habit of encircling Ahmadi's car when he would arrive home.Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley said procedures were correctly followed and called it a "righteous strike." At the same time, the military did not comment on reports of a large number of civilian casualties, citing the need to complete the internal assessment.The Taliban* has condemned the US airstrikes in Kabul, emphasizing that arbitrary attacks in other countries are illegal. Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told media that if there was any potential threat, it should have been reported to the movement.The White House did admit there was clearly a breakdown in the security process that failed to prevent the August 26 suicide bombing at the Kabul airport, which reportedly left 170 dead, including 13 US troops. The attack, claimed by Daesh, came amid the chaotic US evacuation from Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul on August 15.* Terrorist organizations banned in Russia and many other states https://sputniknews.com/20210831/mission-unaccomplished-why-20-year-long-afghan-campaign-was-the-us-most-unfortunate-operation-1083761829.html 4Justice Of course the air strike was bogus. Anyone who understands the evil nature of US could tell you that. They looked for a guy with a beard and designated him a terrorist, then blew the hell out of an apartment building. The lies and deceit about killing some terrorists and preventing another terrorist attack was swiftly pushed through the US media for public consumption. Such a despicable final act in Afghanistan. Business as usual for the US. 5 TruePatriot Another US war crime. Lay this one right at the feet of those ignoramus clowns Unka Lloyd and Mark Milley. Send them off to the ICC for trial. 3 4 kabul us afghanistan Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 kabul, us, afghanistan, drone strike, family, deaths Leading up to the 2021 edition of National Caretaker Appreciation Day events taking place the week of September 20-26, Standardbred Canada will profile caretakers from across the country in our Faces of Racing series. The series continues with a profile on Kenny Ellis of Guelph, Ont., employed by the Jean Tourigny Stable in Milton, Ont. Harness racing is a lifestyle for the Ellis family, making it no surprise that Kenny Ellis, son of Jim and Lori Ellis, has been in the barn since the day he could walk and has been working directly with horses since the impressive age of seven. After his parents introduced him to a horse by the name of Stan The Hood, Kenny instantly knew that he would grow up working with horses in some capacity. He has now been a full-time caretaker for 16 years, working for many credible trainers and currently works for Jean Tourigny stable. I was born into the industry and had been exposed to horses at a very young age to say the least! My parents Jim and Lori Ellis took me to the barn essentially from day one and my earliest memories were with a horse by the name of Stan The Hood. If you couldnt find me, you could just look in his stall because I was likely there! After years of working in the barn alongside his parents Kenny pursued his passion becoming a full-time caretaker and has worked for several trainers throughout the years who have helped him become the caretaker that he is today. After working in the industry for as long as I have, Ive had the opportunity to work with quite a few trainers either working for them for a catch paddock or as a full-time caretaker. Having said that, some of the people that have influenced me the most would be my parents Jim and Lori first and foremost, and some others I have learned a lot from would be Tony Alagna and Donna Lee along with Chad Milner who I had the pleasure of working for, and I have taken aspects of their training style into my own caretaking repertoire. Being born into a harness racing family has its perks; you get to grow up surrounded by horses, you get to attend the big Grand Circuit races and you also get the chance to learn the value of hard work from a young age. But for Ellis, his biggest perk of all was getting to grow up with his best friend and favourite horse of all time, Counseltross. My favourite will always be Counseltross, who my dad trained for owner Alfred Grummett. She was known for being a bit of a renegade or runaway on the track, but for whatever reason she loved me to pieces, Ellis recalled. When she got claimed from us, I was devastated to say the least. Fast forward a few months after she was claimed, and the new trainer called Alfred and said the mare had got hurt and she was not in good shape Alf ended up buying the mare and paying for all the vet bills and gave her to me for my birthday! She never left my barn again. I had her for 19 years! Lets meet Kenny Ellis in this video produced by Standardbred Canadas Hailey Saunders with video and photo contributions from Hailey Saunders and New Image Media. Falling in love and spoiling the horses in his care can be considered one of Kenny Ellis biggest weaknesses working as a caretaker, and although its a daily struggle for Ellis, the horses absolutely adore it! Ellis also admitted that he takes pride in knowing that he is the safe place for the horses he takes care of and that the horses essentially have him wrapped around their hooves. The biggest challenge for me as a caretaker Is kind of a weird oneI have a really hard time not falling in love with them. Ive always been told not to get attached and that its a business, but I think it sets me apart because I treat the horses the same as if they were my own horses, a five claimer or a Grand Circuit horse, they all need to be cared for essentially the same way! Over the years, Ellis has had the opportunity to work with several different breeds of horses including the Standardbred and he divulged that they are the best breed of horse that he has had the chance be around, noting that they adapt quickly to situations, and that they are very intuitive, smart, and caring animals. Kenny has some insightful suggestions for the up-and-coming generation that wants to pursue a profession as a caretaker in the harness racing industry. Some advice for new caretakers, Ill be honest as I can with this question. Theres no easy button, its not always fun and glamorous and there will be tough, scary, and demanding times where youre going to feel like throwing in the towel, he explained. I promise you if you stick it out you wont regret it one little bit. The horses are incredible, and I personally cant get enough of the way the horses rely on their groom. You become their person or safe place, youre the one they are going to look at for comfort and guidance and I cant think of any other job where you see your hard work pay off right in front of your eyes! Ellis also noted that good horsemanship can be different to everyone and that no opinion or definition is wrong. Having said that, he mentioned that he was once told if you look after the little things, the big things are less likely to ever happen, and that Its about knowing each horse as an individual and taking the time to know what makes them happy and healthy. Afterward, he said, firefighters are encouraged to reach out to the firefighters family, which he has done in the past. The families are touched because their loved ones memory is still being carried on. You make that connection, he said. ...Its a neat way to learn about that firefighter and their history. Its just a really nice tribute for them and its a very emotional climb for everybody who is involved in it. The climb opens for registration every year in July and registration fills up within 15 minutes, Houstoun said. Fire departments from Los Angeles, California to Boise, Idaho, have signed up for this years climb. It will be the fourth year firefighters from Scottsbluff have participated. Members of the department have participated in other stair climb events, including a climb held at Red Rocks. Firefighters will also be involved in other remembrance activities, some on the individual level and some in public ceremonies. A public ceremony will be held Saturday, 10 a.m., at the VFW Post #1681, 2710 N. 10th St. in Gering. The Patriot Day Program has been organized by VFW Post #1681 and Scotts Bluff County Veterans Services. Rudolph Giuliani was always somewhat off-center, even in his glory days as New York City mayor. But people who recall him then were stunned by his decline into a conspiracy-mongering swamp creature of Trump world. The 20th anniversary of Sept. 11 lets us remember that on that day of horror, Giuliani was on the chaotic scene, passing out courage and hope. At 10 a.m. on 9/11, I was in New York on a train being kept underground in Penn Station. The two planes had just hit the World Trade Center. The conductor came on the loudspeaker telling us repeatedly that this is the safest place you can be right now. We didnt all have cellphones then, but a guy in the back of the car did and informed us that the Pentagon had been hit and the first tower, and then the second, had come down. The conductor asked us to pray for the people in the World Trade Center. We were scared and shuddered imagining the terror downtown. We didnt know at that point who did it, why or whether they had stopped. We wanted to get out of town, but the train wasnt going anywhere because the tunnels were being searched for bombs. The conductor came on one last time and told us to stay calm, take our bags and leave the train. We ascended into the light and a totally transformed city, country and world. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The biggest problem, for now, lies in the on-road portion between the Tin Bridge Trestle and the Saltville section, Martin said. Martin, 51, is working with the Saltville Town Council to determine how the trail might be rerouted on an abandoned section of Old Saltworks Road and off the shoulder of the active highway. That way, he said, the trail could stay as a pedestrian-only path for its length. The hurdle lies in gaining access to the old roadbed what has been gated off as a Superfund site due to possible cave-ins when this was formerly used for gypsum mining. At present, that passage at Plasterco is still on the drawing board, according to Martin. And, if its not feasible, the town wants to build a bike lane for the current 1.1-mile-long, on-road section. Either way, Martin said the town plans to work with the Virginia Department of Transportation. For now, the town is seeking grant money, Martin said. Martin also vowed to use a bulk of Saltvilles recently acquired $1.9 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to finish the Salt Trail, he said. Rotarys Quacker 5000 raffle returns The Rotary Club of Kelsos 32nd Annual Quacker 5000 rubber duck raffle returns Sept. 12 during the Highlander Festival at Tam OShanter Park in Kelso. The event didnt take place in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 4,000 tagged rubber ducks will be dropped through the chute of a cement mixer filled with water. People can adopt a duck by purchasing a ticket for $10. The person whose duck is the first to cross the finish line out of the chute wins $5,000 cash. Runners up receive various other prizes. The winning duck owner does not have to be present to win. Money raised from the duck adoptions goes toward providing scholarships to local high school graduates, the Catlin Rotary Spray Park, the Kelso Rotary Skate Park and Dolly Partons Imagination Library, dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by giving free books to children from birth to five years old, according to a press release from the Rotary club. The Port of Kalama has reached a settlement for the April 2020 wave caused by a quickly moving ship that damaged the ports marina. Port Executive Director Mark Wilson told port commissioners Wednesday while the port and the owners of the container ship SM Mumbai, Korea Tonnage #19 Shipping Co., negotiated a financial solution some time ago, it just took us a while to get the rest of the paperwork to line up. Korea Tonnage #19 Shipping Co. is not admitting fault, but agreed to pay the port about $770,000 for damage done to the docks. Repairs have been completed. The port filed a $3 million claim against in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon seeking to recover damage to the port docks, wharves and related structures. It estimated another $2 million in damage to private vessels, but boat owners would have to file their own court claim, seek to join the ports action or file a claim directly with the vessel operator. Editors note: Information is provided by the Cowlitz County Corrections Department and local law enforcement agencies. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Child rape Cowlitz deputies Thursday arrested a 49-year-old Longview man on suspicion of third-degree child rape, second-degree rape of a child, attempt of third-degree child molestation and furnishing liquor to a minor. (Editors note: The Daily News does not name arrestees of crimes involving children until suspects are charged to ensure a child isnt identified before the suspect has been formally accused of a crime.) Criminal impersonation Longview officers Friday arrested Dezirae Torset, 34, of Vancouver, on suspicion of first-degree criminal impersonation and contempt of court. Burglary, violating protection order Longview officers Thursday arrested Judah Young, 34, of Longview, on suspicion of residential burglary, violating a protection order, interfering with reporting, obstructing a public servant and resisting arrest. Assaults 1000 block of Pacific Avenue, Kelso. Thursday. 100 block of 16th Avenue, Longview. Thursday. Kalama City Hall reopened to the public Thursday after a COVID-19 scare led the majority of staff to be quarantined. City Administrator Adam Smee said one employee who went home sick Friday tested positive for COVID through an at-home test. That employee contacted their supervisor, who spoke with Smee about closing City Hall for the following week. The quarantine was lifted Thursday morning when the employee tested negative for COVID on a test provided by a medical professional. Another member of the employees family tested positive for the virus, but all other city employees returned to the office normally. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} We were likely being overly cautious, but its public health and safety so I dont feel bad about being cautious, Smee said. Cowlitz County Health and Human Services guidelines for possible COVID exposures require any employee who is not fully vaccinated to quarantine at home. Smee said he and one other fully vaccinated employee stayed working at City Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday while the rest of the staff worked remotely. Reuter vehemently and categorically denied the accusations made by Merz when asked Thursday. Reuter said he had no power over whether or not a record request to the police department gets filled and suggested that Merzs relatively poor performance in the mayoral primary election was the reason for the claims. I am not concerned at all because it was said by one person who has nothing to prove what he said. Hes going on hearsay and conspiracy things, hes putting it all together in his head, Reuter said. On July 15, Satterfield wrote to Merz asking him to cease any claims of criminal misconduct by city officials. Satterfield wrote that the pictures could not be excluded from a record request, as they were manipulated images that had been posted to public websites before being cited as evidence in the cyberstalking investigation. Satterfield wrote that a judge might agree with Merzs argument about the inappropriateness of the images, but that distinction was a call that the City of Kalama is not legally allowed to make. Satterfield said Thursday he is representing the city in the record request case, not Herrera or Reuter personally, but that Kalama officially denies Merzs claims within the filing. Although Cowlitz County fire departments report much of their workforce is vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the states vaccine mandate deadline, leaders are concerned about how the requirement could affect the emergency response system. Gov. Jay Inslee in early August announced the requirement for most state employees, health and long-term care workers to be vaccinated by Oct. 18. Firefighters who are licensed as an emergency medical technician or paramedic or perform medical functions in their official course of duty are included. Volunteer firefighters whose positions are restricted to emergency calls and who do not perform medical services are not covered, and fire department administrative staff are not covered, according to the governors office website. Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Chief Scott Neves said the mandate applies to about 80% of the organization because all career staff and a majority of volunteers provide medical care. The agency responds to more medical calls than fire calls and has added more medically trained staff over the years, he said. Neves said a portion of Cowlitz 2 staff have gotten the vaccine, but he doesnt keep exact numbers. The agency still is working out its exemption policies and bargaining with the union over affects of the mandate, he said. While Korea Tonnage #19 Shipping Co. is not admitting fault, the company did agree to pay the port about $770,000 for damage done to the docks. Repairs have already been made. OpenRooms creates photorealistic synthetic scenes from input images or scans, with unprecedented control over shape, materials and lighting. Credit: University of California - San Diego Computer scientists at the University of California San Diego have released OpenRooms, an new, open source dataset with tools that will help users manipulate objects, materials, lighting and other properties in indoor 3D scenes to advance augmented reality and robotics. "This was a huge effort, involving 11 Ph.D. and master's students from my group and collaborators across UC San Diego and Adobe," said Manmohan Chandraker, a professor in the UC San Diego Department of Computer Science and Engineering. "It is an important development, with great potential to impact both academia and industry in computer vision, graphics, robotics and machine learning." The OpenRooms dataset and related updates are publicly available at this website, with technical details described in an associated paper presented at CVPR 2021 in May. Applications OpenRooms lets users realistically adjust scenes to their liking. If a family wants to visualize a kitchen remodel, they can change the countertop materials, lighting or pretty much anything in the room. "With OpenRooms, we can compute all the knowledge about the 3D shapes, material and lighting in the scene on a per pixel basis," said Chandraker. "People can take a photograph of a room and insert and manipulate virtual objects. They could look at a leather chair, then change the material to a fabric chair and see which one looks better." OpenRooms can even show how that chair might look in the daytime under natural light from a window or under a lamp at night. It can also help solve robotics problems, such as the best route to take over floors with varying friction profiles. These capabilities are finding a lot of interest in the simulation community because, previously, the data was proprietary or not available with comparable photorealism. "These tools are now available in a truly democratic fashion," said Chandraker, "providing accessible assets for photorealistic augmented reality and robotics applications." Making augmented reality more real Chandraker's team uses computational methods to make sense of the visual world. They are particularly focused on how shapes, materials and lighting interact to form images. "We essentially want to understand how the world is created, and how we can act upon it," he said. "We can insert objects into existing scenes or advance self-driving, but to do these things, we need to understand various aspects of a scene and how they interact with each other." This deep understanding is essential to achieve photorealism in mixed reality. Inserting an object into a scene requires reasoning about shading from various light sources, shadows cast by other objects or inter-reflections from the surrounding scene. The framework must also handle similar long-range interactions among distant parts of the scene to change materials or lighting in complex indoor scenes. Hollywood solves these problems with measurement-based platforms, such as shooting actor Andy Serkis inside a gantry and converting those images into Gollum in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The lab wants to achieve similar effects without expensive systems. Open source toolbox To get there, the group needed to find creative ways to represent shapes, materials and lighting. But acquiring this information can be time-consuming, data hungry and expensive, especially when dealing with complex indoor scenes featuring furniture and walls that have different shapes and materials and are illuminated by several light sources, such as windows, ceiling lights or lamps. "One would have to measure the lighting and material properties at every point in the room," said Chandraker. "It's doable but it simply does not scale." OpenRooms uses synthetic data to render these images, which provides an accurate and inexpensive way to provide ground truth geometry, materials and lighting. The data can be used to train powerful deep neural networks that estimate those properties in real images, allowing photorealistic object insertion and material editing. These possibilities were demonstrated in a CVPR 2020 oral presentation by Zhengqin Li, a fifth-year Ph.D. student advised by Chandraker, and first author on the OpenRooms paper. The software provides automated tools that allow users to take real images and convert them into photorealistic, synthetic counterparts. "We are creating a framework where users can use their cell phones or 3D scanners for developing datasets that enable their own augmented reality applications," said Chandraker. "They can simply use scans or sets of photographs." Chandraker and team were motivated, in part, by the need to create a public domain platform. Large tech companies have tremendous resources to create training data and other IP, making it difficult for small players to get a foothold. This was recently illustrated when a Lithuanian company, called Planner 5D, sued Facebook and Princeton, claiming they unlawfully utilized its proprietary data. "You can imagine such data is really useful for many applications," said Chandraker. "But progress in this space has been limited to a few big players who have the capacity to do these kinds of complex measurements or work with expensive assets created by artists." Explore further New machine-learning approach brings digital photos back to life More information: Zhengqin Li et al, OpenRooms: An End-to-End Open Framework for Photorealistic Indoor Scene Datasets, arXiv:2007.12868v2 [cs.CV] Zhengqin Li et al, OpenRooms: An End-to-End Open Framework for Photorealistic Indoor Scene Datasets, arXiv:2007.12868v2 [cs.CV] arxiv.org/abs/2007.12868 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Facebook, Google's YouTube and Twitter will fight a new Texas law cracking down on social media companies for allegedly censoring conservative speech and former President Donald Trump. Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican who publicly backed the legislation, signed the bill Thursday, making Texas the second state to target companies for restricting or removing content or accounts for violating their rules. "There is a dangerous movement by some social media companies to silence conservative ideas and values," Abbott said during a news conference. "This is wrong and we will not allow it in Texas." The Texas law, passed in the final days of the second special session called by Abbott, would allow any state resident banned from a social media platform for their political views to sue the platform. The state attorney general also would be able to sue on behalf of a user or a group of users. It is similar to a Florida law that was blocked in June by a federal judge one day before it could take effect. Trade groups representing the technology industry pledged to challenge the law on the same basis they challenged the Florida law which, they say, has the same First Amendment flaws and is unconstitutional. "The same outcome will almost certainly occur in Texas," Steve DelBianco, NetChoice's president, said. "Moderation of user posts is crucial to keeping the internet safe for Texas families, but this bill would put the Texas government in charge of content policies," he said. Proponents of the new law hailed its passage. "Texas' new law, House Bill 20, is a paramount move taken by Lone Star legislators to protect the free speech rights of their constituents," said Samantha Fillmore, state government relations manager for conservative think tank The Heartland Institute. "There is no question that big tech is integral to free speech in today's day and age," she said. "Because of this, Big Tech can no longer unilaterally decide who can say what without being held accountable." Dozens of states are considering legislation to restrict how social media platforms regulate people's speech, though few have gotten this far. These bills resonate with conservatives who believe their First Amendment rights are violated when social media posts are labeled or removed or when their accounts are banned for violating the policies of social media platforms. Trump's suspensions from the major platforms inspired the new bills. "This move by Texas, a heavy hitter in national politics, is likely to inspire other states to take such measures to show their citizens that America is, and will continue to be, a place for free thought, speech, and expression," Fillmore said. Texas law spurs First Amendment debate The First Amendment protects people from censorship by the federal government, not from content moderation decisions by private companies. Social media companies say they don't target conservatives, only harmful speech that violates their rules. Texas House Democrats warned during a recent hearing that the new law would stop social media companies from taking down harmful content. They offered amendments that would have allowed the removal of posts promoting Holocaust denial, terrorism and vaccine disinformation but were defeated. "Forcing social media platforms to stop moderating content, whether it's misinformation or hate speech, is going to have real world consequences," said Adam Kovacevich, CEO of Chamber of Progress, a tech industry coalition that includes Facebook and Google. "What's said online doesn't just stay online, it spills over into people's lives and impacts our health, our democracy, and our communities," he said in a statement to U.S. TODAY. New laws punish social media for 'censoring' conservatives, Trump Florida was the first state to push through legislation when Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Trump ally, signed a bill in May that penalizes social media companies for removing or barring the speech of politicians. However, a federal judge temporarily blocked the new law after NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Associationtrade groups that represent Facebook, Google and other tech companiessued. DeSantis is appealing. The Texas law goes further than Florida's because it applies to all users and prevents social media platforms from making decisions based on the "viewpoint" expressed in the post. The Republican claim that powerful tech companies are biased against conservatives is emerging as a top issue to rally the base in the 2022 midterm elections. Both Abbott and DeSantis are widely seen as possible GOP 2024 presidential contenders coming from big states with large electoral votes. Abbott is facing his first challenging Republican primary to be reelected governor. "Big Tech's efforts to silence conservative viewpoints is un-American, un-Texan and unacceptable and pretty soon it's going to be against the law in the state of Texas," Abbott said at a news conference announcing similar legislation in March. The Heartland Institute recently estimated that 70 bills in 30 states are challenging "big tech censorship." The Republican claim that powerful tech companies are biased against and "cancel" conservatives is emerging as a top issue to rally the base in the 2022 midterm elections. The GOP is betting it will boost voter registration, turnout and fundraising as it tries to retake the U.S. House and Senate, political observers say. It also could help Republicans at the state level. Trump, who was banned from the major social media platforms after the Jan. 6 insurrection, escalated his war with Big Tech in July when he filed suit against Facebook, Google and Twitter and their CEOs, claiming the companies violated his First Amendment rights. Trump and Republicans fundraised off the lawsuit, though legal experts say it has virtually no chance of success. Is mainstream social media biased against conservatives? The perception that tech companies and the billionaire CEOs who run them are biased against conservatives has been around for a long time, but intensified as Trump made "social media abuses" a major plank of his administration and reelection campaign. After he lost the presidency, Trump attacked tech companies for labeling or removing posts that spread falsehoods about the outcome of the presidential election. Complaints of ideological bias come from across the political spectrum, but it's difficult to prove social media platforms are targeting any one group. Tech companies disclose little about how they decide what content is allowed and what is not. Researchers from New York University, the University of Virginia and elsewhere say they've found no evidence to support GOP grievances that social media companies stifle conservative voices. If anything, they say, social media platforms amplify the voices of conservatives, shaping the worldviews of millions of voters. But for some conservatives, the 2020 election proved Big Tech's ideological bias. They point to tech companies throttling the spread of a New York Post article which made uncorroborated claims about Hunter Biden's business dealings, the Trump social media bans and the takedown of Parler, a social media platform popular with the political right. Nine in 10 Republicans and independents who lean toward the Republican Party say it's at least somewhat likely that social media platforms censor political viewpoints they find objectionable, up slightly from 85% in 2018, according to an August report from the Pew Research Center. Explore further Texas is about to pass a new law Republicans say will stop censorship of conservatives on Facebook, Twitter 2021 USA Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Sonya Barlow, right, CEO of Like Minded Females Network, speaks to Rebekah Ingram, her intern, at White Mulberries, a coffee shop in London, Thursday, Sep. 2, 2021. Many young workers around the world have entered the workforce and begun their careers during the pandemic working entirely remotely. Like Minded Females Network is a social enterprise that helps young women set up businesses and other ventures, without the use of a fixed office space. Credit: AP Photo/Urooba Jamal Rebekah Ingram's remote internship has come with a series of unexpected challenges: She lacks a proper office set-up, her mother often calls for her while she works, and her dog barks during video calls. Her situation will sound familiar to anyone who has worked from home during the coronavirus pandemic. The difference for Ingram is that she, like many other young people who started jobs in the past 18 months, hasn't spent any time in a traditional office. She speculates that remote work is "way more informal." "It's kind of trippy because ... you're working but you're in your own environment," said the 22-year-old, who is interning at Like Minded Females Network, a global tech and entrepreneurship non-profit based in London. Many 2020 graduates left school and entered a world in turmoil, with limited job prospects. Some lost work opportunities as companies canceled internships or froze hiring altogether. As restrictions have eased in many places, jobs have become easier to find, but work remains far from normal. Most of all, many young workers say, they know they're missing out when their office is the four walls of their bedroom. They wish they had more chances for everyday social interactions with their colleagues, both to build camaraderie and to find mentors. Sohini Sengupta, 22, had an easy transition to remote work because she was used to doing it at school, but she feels she lacks a sense of community at her job. "When I started working, I took a look at my workplace's website and I could see photos of them taking trips together, enjoying themselves at the pool table at the office ... something I had no chance to experience," said Sengupta, who lives in Calcutta, India, and is working as a production trainee at India Today, a media outlet based in New Delhi. Sonya Barlow, left, CEO of Like Minded Females Network, speaks to Rebekah Ingram, her intern, at White Mulberries, a coffee shop in London, Thursday, Sep. 2, 2021. Many young workers around the world have entered the workforce and begun their careers during the pandemic working entirely remotely. Like Minded Females Network is a social enterprise that helps young women set up businesses and other ventures, without the use of a fixed office space. Credit: AP Photo/Urooba Jamal Annabel Redgate, 25, a public relations account executive at PR agency TANK in Nottingham, England, began her current job in February. When pandemic-related restrictions began lifting a few months ago, she started to reach out to colleagues to meet for drinks after work. Now TANK has begun a staggered return to the office, and it's the social atmosphere she's most looking forward to. "PR is a very personal industry, so I'm excited for the atmosphere in the office," she said. For Maya Goldman, a 23-year old health reporter based in Washington, D.C., beginning her career remotely has meant struggling to set boundaries for herself, a process she figures she would have seen modeled by her bosses if she had been working in the office. It was "hard to figure out ... when was appropriate to tell my bosses that I was done for the night, or when I should take lunch, and how long I should take lunch for," Goldman said. Many employers are conscious of the need to help new remote workers feel welcome. At 9 every morning, employees at Trevelino/Keller, a marketing firm in Atlanta, participate in "Spotify at 9," where they all play the same song and talk about it on Slack. They've also held book clubs and watched TED talks virtually. It's part of an effort to make sure "while you're waking up every day in your first career remotely, you feel like you're part of a company and you're part of our culture," said Dean Trevelino, co-founder of the firm. Sonya Barlow, CEO of Like Minded Females Network, takes a call at WeWork, a co-operative work space in London, Thursday, Sep. 2, 2021. Many young workers around the world have entered the workforce and begun their careers during the pandemic working entirely remotely. Like Minded Females Network is a social enterprise that helps young women set up businesses and other ventures, without the use of a fixed office space. Credit: AP Photo/Urooba Jamal Liza Streiff, CEO at Knopman Marks Financial Training, a financial education company in New York, recently held a barbecue at her place, the first in-person event for the company since the pandemic. Many of her employees were meeting in person for the first time. It was two of the youngest workersan intern and another worker who recently joined full-time following an internshipwho told Streiff "how much this meant to them." Companies are also helping employees take advantage of mentoring opportunities they may feel they're missing out on. Trevelino/Keller, Like Minded Females Network, and Knopman Marks have all implemented buddy programs during the pandemic, pairing new hires with more senior employees they can turn to for advice and help navigating their companies. Not all new employees feel they're missing out by working remotely. Many have found it easier to juggle work and life when they don't have to commute to an office every day. For Matthew Toale, a marketing apprentice at Find Your Flex, a U.K-based job agency, the pandemic shift to remote work had another benefitit made networking more comfortable. As an introvert, he struggled at events and has been far more successful at online networking. Networking online "is a lot easier for me than jumping in headfirst into a face-to-face conversation," Toale said. Sonya Barlow, left, CEO of Like Minded Females Network, talks during a meeting at White Mulberries, a coffee shop in London, Thursday, Sep. 2, 2021. Many young workers around the world have entered the workforce and begun their careers during the pandemic working entirely remotely. Like Minded Females Network is a social enterprise that helps young women set up businesses and other ventures, without the use of a fixed office space. Credit: AP Photo/Urooba Jamal As the pandemic wanes, many companies may allow employees to continue working from home, at least some of the time. Mabel Abraham, a professor at Columbia Business School, says there's no data available yet on the possible ramifications of so many young workers starting careers remotely. She said some may experience a disconnect with bosses and other older co-workers who have had a harder time adapting to remote work. But Suneet Dua, chief product officer at accounting giant PwC U.S., the accounting firm giant, suspects the impact will be positive, both in building resilience and adaptability in young workers as well as technological advances that have been made to allow remote work. "That's the biggest benefit for our society that we can ever imagine that we're not even seeing right now," he said. "(What) we're going to see in three to five years is going to be amazing." There's also been some buzz about remote work offering more opportunities for diversity, but Abraham cautions that it can actually heighten workplace inequalities. That's because it may create a divide between newly hired employees from different backgrounds who may live far away and a core group of existing workers who live closer and will eventually return to the office. The core workers "tend to be a more homogenous group, maybe more male or more white for example," she said. Sonya Barlow, founder of the Like Minded Females Network, hires people based on skills rather than their resume or experience, mindful of the barriers to entry that some groups can face in the corporate world. Rebekah Ingram, an intern at Like Minded Females Network, works on her laptop at WeWork, a co-operative work space in London, Thursday, Sep. 2, 2021. Many young workers around the world have entered the workforce and begun their careers during the pandemic working entirely remotely. Like Minded Females Network is a social enterprise that helps young women set up businesses and other ventures, without the use of a fixed office space. Credit: AP Photo/Urooba Jamal "I tend to hire people who are fresh graduates or and have taken alternative education routes," Barlow said. One of those hires was Ingram, who was working at a grocery store when the pandemic began but dreamed of starting her own business. Over the last few weeks, Ingram has finally had a chance to meet Barlow face-to-face, working alongside her in a co-working space or meeting with clients in coffeeshops. She's found it refreshing to get away from her home office and is hoping to build the skills she'll need to become an independent business owner. "I would love to just get everything I can out of this internship," she said. Explore further Amazon now says remote work OK 2 days a week 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. By incorporating sugar into the web-like architecture of the electrode they have stabilized the sulfur, preventing it from moving and blanketing the lithium electrode. Credit: Monash Energy Institute Simply by adding sugar, researchers from the Monash Energy Institute have created a longer-lasting, lighter, more sustainable rival to the lithium-ion batteries that are essential for aviation, electric vehicles and submarines. The Monash team, assisted by CSIRO, report in today's edition of Nature Communications that using a glucose-based additive on the positive electrode they have managed to stabilize lithium-sulfur battery technology, long touted as the basis for the next generation of batteries. "In less than a decade, this technology could lead to vehicles including electric busses and trucks that can travel from Melbourne to Sydney without recharging. It could also enable innovation in delivery and agricultural drones where light weight is paramount," says lead author Professor Mainak Majumder, from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Associate Director of the Monash Energy Institute. In theory, lithium-sulfur batteries could store two to five times more energy than lithium-ion batteries of the same weight. The problem has been that, in use the electrodes deteriorated rapidly, and the batteries broke down. There were two reasons for thisthe positive sulfur electrode suffered from substantial expansion and contraction weakening it and making it inaccessible to lithium, and the negative lithium electrode became contaminated by sulfur compounds. Last year the Monash team demonstrated they could open the structure of the sulfur electrode to accommodate expansion and make it more accessible to lithium. Now, by incorporating sugar into the web-like architecture of the electrode they have stabilized the sulfur, preventing it from moving and blanketing the lithium electrode. Test-cell prototypes constructed by the team have been shown to have a charge-discharge life of at least 1000 cycles, while still holding far more capacity than equivalent lithium-ion batteries. "So each charge lasts longer, extending the battery's life," says first author and Ph.D. student Yingyi Huang. "And manufacturing the batteries doesn't require exotic, toxic, and expensive materials." Yingyi and her colleagues were inspired by a 1988 geochemistry report that describes how sugar-based substances resist degradations in geological sediments by forming strong bonds with sulfides. Dr. Mahdokht Shaibani, second author and Monash researcher, says, "While many of the challenges on the cathode side of the battery has been solved by our team, there is still need for further innovation into the protection of the lithium metal anode to enable large-scale uptake of this promising technologyinnovations that may be right around the corner." The process was developed by the Monash team with significant contribution from Dr. Matthew Hill's research group in CSIRO Manufacturing. The Lithium-sulfur Battery Research Program at Monash University has been supported by the Commonwealth Government through the Australian Research Council and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. In addition, the work has also been supported by Cleanfuture Energy, Australia, an Australian subsidiary of the Enserv Group of Thailand. Enserv Australia hopes to develop and manufacture the batteries in Australia, the world's largest producer of lithium. "We would be looking to use the technology to enter the growing market for electric vehicles and electronic devices," says Mark Gustowski, Managing Director of Enserv Australia. "We plan to make the first lithium-sulfur batteries in Australia using Australian lithium within about five years." Explore further Speed and absorption key to optimizing a new type of rechargeable battery More information: Yingyi Huang et al, A saccharide-based binder for efficient polysulfide regulations in Li-S batteries, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications Yingyi Huang et al, A saccharide-based binder for efficient polysulfide regulations in Li-S batteries,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25612-5 In this file photo former US President Donald Trump meets with Texas Governor Greg Abbott on May 7, 2020, in the Oval office of the White House in Washington, DC. Texas on Thursday made it illegal for popular social media platforms to ban users "simply based on their political viewpoints." Political conservatives have accused Facebook, Twitter and other social media giants of stifling their voices, providing no evidence to support the claims. Social media platforms have consistently defended themselves against such accusations. Former US president Donald Trump was booted from Facebook and Twitter after a group of his supporters attacked the Capitol in January in an attempt to prevent his rightly elected successor from taking office. People died during the attack, and there were concerns Trump would use social media to incite further violence. "Social media websites have become our modern-day public square," Texas governor Greg Abbott said after signing the bill into law on Thursday. "They are a place for healthy public debate where information should be able to flow freely - but there is a dangerous movement by social media companies to silence conservative viewpoints and ideas." The law bars social media platforms with more than 50 million users from banning people based on their political viewpoints. The law was expected to run afoul of Constitutional rights of private businesses to decide what is voiced on their platforms. "This bill abandons conservative values, violates the First Amendment, and forces websites to host obscene, antisemitic, racist, hateful, and otherwise awful content," said Steve DelBianco, president of NetChoice trade association. "Moderation of user posts is crucial to keeping the internet safe for Texas families, but this bill would put the Texas government in charge of content policies." Explore further Texas is about to pass a new law Republicans say will stop censorship of conservatives on Facebook, Twitter 2021 AFP Looking for in-depth reporting on labor issues? You're in the right place. Subscribe to The Chief and get stories that cover every side of civil service in New York City and beyond. You can sign up in minutes for immediate access. I know where you and your family lives. You will be ended, he wrote, referring to the congressman as an animal that needs to be tortured and skinned alive. Mathur submitted the message using contact information and an address for a former neighbor and classmate, but investigators traced the threat to the internet service at Mathurs home, prosecutors said. About two minutes after he sent the webmail message, Mathur called the congressman's district office and left a voicemail message in which he threatened to slit his throat and kill his family if you even mess with my vote, according to prosecutors. Mathur also mentioned the Republicans who supported the Texas election lawsuit. Investigators traced the call to a phone number registered in Mathur's name. When U.S. Capitol Police investigators questioned him at his home on Dec. 11, Mathur said he left the threatening voicemail message out of anger and wouldnt hurt anybody, according to prosecutors. But he falsely denied making the webmail threat, prosecutors said. Mathur didnt have a criminal record before this case. President Joe Biden says he will visit Ground Zero, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Here is a better idea: stay away. Biden has no business setting foot in those sacred places on that hallowed day. I take no joy in saying this. As a general rule, I believe that when a president attends a ceremony on behalf of the American people, he is not representing himself but the office of the presidency. We respect that office, even if we do not respect the man who occupies it. But this is different. Joe Biden is the president who surrendered to the enemies who attacked us on 9/11. He not only surrendered but did so with dishonor leaving stranded behind enemy lines American citizens, legal permanent residents, and the majority of our Afghan allies who risked their lives to help us. Not by accident, mind you. Intentionally. He ordered the last U.S. plane to take off from Kabul knowing that he was leaving them behind even though he pledged not to leave until every American was out. He forced our NATO allies who were in Afghanistan only because America was attacked on 9/11 to do the same to their nationals and Afghan allies. Mills, a Union Hall resident, has attended Vitalize for the past six years. I got a call to go into pastoring when Pastor Tony said we were starting a church in Rocky Mount. I felt like God was calling me to do that, he said. Ive been studying. I was just ordained as a pastor last week for the opening of the church. The churchs motto is Rocking for Jesus. The church band plans to rock for Jesus this Sunday with a variety of contemporary Christian songs. It has been preparing a set list for the first Sunday service for months. In addition to preferring contemporary Christian music over more traditional hymns, the church cultivates a casual environment by encouraging the congregation to wear jeans. Kelley described the approach as church done different. Mills agrees with Kelley. He said, Were open to everyone. We are a come as you are church. Were very accepting to where you are. You dont have to be at a certain spiritual level to be able to know God. The Westlake area location was founded on Easter Sunday in 2012. When it was started, the church shared space with a post office, then later with a cinema. The church started renting its own location at the former Westlake Lighting building in 2019. Gov. Ralph Northams posthumous pardons for seven young Black men in Martinsville who were executed in 1951 after being convicted of raping a white woman wont undo the terrible wrongs that occurred during Virginias shameful Jim Crow era. But they are a stark reminder that government can never be blindly trusted, and that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Northam acknowledged that the pardons do not address the guilt or innocence of the Martinsville Seven. There was physical evidence that the rape victim, 32-year-old Ruby Stroud Floyd, had been sexually assaulted, and two of the men admitted having consensual sex with her, but rumors that she was having an affair with one of the defendants were never brought up in court. At this point, what really happened will probably never be known beyond a reasonable doubt. However, the pardons do address what appears to be a complete lack of due process and the fact that at the time, rape was a capital crime in Virginia but the death penalty was only imposed if the perpetrator were Black. The executed men received a racially-biased death sentence not similarly applied to white defendants, Northam told a group of their descendants. Family members will gather for a sendoff Saturday in Grand Island for soldiers with the Nebraska Army National Guards 1-376th Aviation Battalion, based in Grand Island, who are headed to the Southwest border. The sendoff is not open to the public. Both the 1-376th Aviation Battalion and the Columbus-based 128th Engineer Battalion will deploy in October in support of the Customs and Border Protections mission along the Southwest border. About 150 Nebraska National Guard members are being deployed, said Major Scott Ingalsbe, state public affairs officer for the Nebraska National Guard. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command and its forward operational command, U.S. Army North, the Nebraska National Guard units mission is to assist CBP by providing aviation and engineer support, according to a news release. The Nebraska soldiers will provide mission enhancing support to CBPs border security operations to enable CBP agents to conduct their law enforcement mission more efficiently, based on the news release. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Ingalsbe declined to identify the states where the National Guard will be serving. To contrast taxable sales of 2021 and 2020 in Grand Island, in 2019, Grand Island taxable sales in March totaled $86.729 million; April, $82.7 million; May, $88.994 million; and June, $91.156 million. Other area communities in the Tri-Cities area also experienced good taxable sales in June 2021 with Hastings recording $37.817 million, a 11.1% increase over 2020; and Kearney totaling $79.636 million in taxable sales, which was a 16.4% increase over the previous year. According to Cindy Johnson, president of the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, the citys taxable sales during the past several months have only normally been seen during the Christmas season. She said in December 2015, the community had $102.6 million in taxable sales and $100.8 million in December 2017. Both were previous highs. Johnson said there are a number of reasons for the increase in taxable sales. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} My best guess relates to pent up demand and a desire to purchase items that were put on hold during the pandemic perhaps furniture, flooring, lawn equipment, etc. she said. Johnson said the community labor supply is challenging to nearly every business, but food service is taking the brunt. Appealing to such enterprises abroad are Nebraskas quality of life and the quality of its workforce, Foley said. Thats really what Aurora is all about, he said. Weve got a can-do attitude for business. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Important to these efforts is retaining central and western Nebraskas population, Foley said. During the last century, Nebraskas population has been moving from the west to the east. Now, more than half of the states population is in three counties: Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy. What about all the rest of our communities? Foley said. Sadly, some of them out west are really struggling to stay alive. Aurora is going to be one of those exceptions. He added, Aurora is the model for what we want other communities across the state to look to for their own economic development efforts. Aurora Mayor Marlin Seeman called the day a celebration of the time when we recognize the commitment of a long time in the past, projecting into the future. This includes Auroras housing, business and farming efforts. The Grand Island Modelers Association will host a radio-controlled aircraft event Saturday and Sunday at its airstrip west of Grand Island. Registration for Warbirds and Classics Over the Platte runs from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, with an opening ceremony at 11. Flying is scheduled from dawn to dusk both days at the corner of Husker Highway and Alda Road (just west of the Heartland Shooting Park). All military models from World War I to the present day, including jets, are welcome to join the display and open flying event. There is a $20 fee for participating pilots, but the show itself will be free and open to the public. Food vendors will be on site. In addition to the open flying, the aircraft will be on display for people to walk around for a closer look, and the owners/pilots will be on hand to answer questions. For more information, contact Steve Blayney, 308-380-7439, Clay Hagman, 308-380-4116; Randy Landon, 308-850-8209; online at www.gimodelers.club/ or the Grand Island Modelers page on Facebook. Polish festival set for Sunday in Ashton Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} ASHTON The Polish Heritage Center in Ashton will host its 21st annual Polish Festival on Sunday. The parolee who did this should have never been released back to the community, he said. But he did not immediately say how much the high-profile slaying may have hindered his bill, which was already heavily opposed by the bail industry. He plans to try again next year for changes that he said would provide a fair, safe and equitable bail system, free of industry greed. The current bail system, he said in a statement, keeps Californians locked up who pose no threat to the public and who have been convicted of no crime, simply because they cannot pay what the bail industry demands. Hertzberg recently heavily amended his original bill after it ran into opposition in the Assembly. It would now set a statewide bail schedule that takes into account suspects finances and returns the money if charges are dropped. It follows the California Supreme Court ruling in April that judges must consider suspects ability to pay when they set bail, and Hertzberg said his bill implements the high courts ruling. Virgil Vigil, president of the Union Protectiva, said dismissal of the complaint was a victory for free speech as local Hispanic residents defend historial monuments and traditions. He said the group's advocacy campaign was launched prior to the election season, without addressing whether it actively supports Vigil Coppler. We started this process in June of last year, at that point nobody was running for office, he said. It has to do with respecting the city and the culture." A monument honoring Union soldiers who died fighting Indigenous tribes and Confederate soldiers was toppled by a tumultuous crowd last year. A counterclaim filed by Union Protectiva accuses the mayor of bullying and using city-sponsored recreational events to promote his reelection. Conflicts over history in Santa Fe have escalated amid a national conversation about public markers paying tribute to historical figures linked to racism, slavery and genocide. Indigenous leaders and some younger Latino activists say figures from the regions Spanish colonial era shouldnt be celebrated because they oversaw the enslavement of Indigenous populations and tried to outlaw their cultural practices. During Webbers tenure, Santa Fe discontinued an annual reenactment of the return of Spanish settlers 12 years after the Pueblo Indian revolt of 1680. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. KEARNEY It was pogo sticks vs. three-legged stools Thursday night at The World Theatre as a pair of Nebraska tax experts pitched dueling state reform proposals. State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard backed the pogo stick tax strategy because he believes a single tax what Erdman calls the EPIC Consumption Tax would generate enough revenue it would eliminate the need for all other local and state taxes. Advocating for the three-legged stool, Jim Smith of Omaha said a tax modernization plan would rely on the three traditional revenue sources sales, income and property taxes. However, how much those sources generate would be tweaked. The goal of the overhaul, Smith said, would be to boost Nebraskas attractiveness to younger people, ages 18-34, while giving the state a healthier tax environment for business by lowering property taxes. Erdman has been promoting his consumption tax ideas in the Legislature and across Nebraska. Smith and Erdman have been sharing the podium on the tax reform tour. Smith is the chief strategy officer for the Platte Institute and president of Blueprint Nebraska. As the name suggests, Blue Print Nebraska has drafted an assortment of strategies and goals during the past several years for the future of the state. Digital Equity Cleveland Metropolitan Rolling Out Broadband to 5,300 Families Cleveland Metropolitan School District in Ohio is helping to connect families to the internet for remote learning. Initially, the district is expected to push free broadband to about 5,300 families. The initial program is part of a multi-year partnership with Charter Communications, the parent company of Spectrum Enterprise. The district signed on to adopt the Stay Connected K-12 program from Spectrum Enterprise to provide cable internet connectivity to students and their families. The program provides 50 Mbps download speeds with no data caps or usage limits; a modem, router and WiFi; and 24/7 technical support. Families have received or are receiving the hardware and self-installation kit in the mail. Our focus at CMSD is ensuring that all of our students receive a high-quality education. We foster this by creating an environment that empowers our teachers and challenges students to meet the highest expectations, said Eric Gordon, CEO of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Stay Connected K-12 from Spectrum Enterprise is a key tool because internet access at home can create a richer, more satisfactory learning experience. Estimates for the number of students who lack broadband access nationwide range from 9 million to 12 million as of this year. Additionally, research shows that, among students of low-income families, the majority (56%) of families that do have internet connections have inadequate download and/or upload speeds for their needs. The FCC currently defines high-speed broadband as 25 Mbps download speeds and 3 Mbps upload speeds per household, although the Consortium for School Networking recommends 25 Mbps per student rather than per household. As of this writing, average speeds in the United States are 195.6 Mbps down and 69.1 Mbps up for fixed connections and 91 Mbps down and 12.7 Mbps up for mobile. Further details about the Stay Connected K-12 program can be found spectrum.com. There was no reason for them to throw him to the ground and (stun him with a Taser) twice, Mays said. He pulled into his driveway, he wasnt running and its just, its past time for us to start standing up and speak out for whats wrong. The entire system needs to be reformed, Mays continued. We definitely need to start using social workers for mental health calls. We need to become more of a community instead of treating everyone like criminals. We need to know that everyones human and its just time to stop all of the excessive force and people getting killed for no reason over police encounters. Darlene Roper, of Marion, said the officers involved in Crawfords arrest didnt charge at him and stun him because they were afraid of him; they did so because he disobeyed their authority. They treat us like were not humans, Roper said. And Im just sick and tired of seeing how the police get away with it time and time again, how the police get away with excessive force not just on African Americans but on everybody. Youre policing our community. You treat us with respect and dignity. Don't treat us like were inhuman. I really feel like our political class has driven the state into the ground and people are fleeing to better-run states, said Jesse Sullivan, who is seeking the Illinois Republican nomination for governor. Of those tests, 39 were positive for coronavirus 34 of them students. The institution also reported having conducting 366 tests the previous week with 33 positive results. That was nearly twice the number of test conducted the previous week and more than two times the number of positive cases. During his public forum, Shawnees Taylor reminded students that the protocols being put in place are because of the governors mandate. This is not coming from Shawnee Community College; this is not coming from the board of Shawnee Community College; this is not coming from Tim Taylor, the president of Shawnee Community College, or any Shawnee employee. This is coming from the state of Illinois, from the governor, through an executive order that has the full force of law. We have to exclude you from campus if you are not vaccinated or you are not participating in the testing requirements that are outlined in the executive order, he said. Its not us, its coming from the state. Taylor said his college will work with students who test positive for COVID-19. He said whenever possible, students will be able to take classes remotely and if that is not an option, other arrangements will be made to make up missed classes. He also said Shawnee will work with students during the early parts of the testing mandate. NEW YORK (AP) Where the party girls at? On Thursday night, some were on top of the Empire State Building walking LaQuan Smith's New York Fashion Week runway in slinky blue and white sequin minis, barely there one pieces and shiny body hugging pants. In his first see now, buy now show, the designer hosted about 200 guests on the landmark's famous Observation Deck with sweeping cityscape views as the wind tried to make away with one of his model's huge black hats. This building is a true representation of New York City dreams, Smith told The Associated Press before his evening show. Me being a New York native, I have vivid memories of coming here as a kid. It's a full circle moment. And he meant that literally, sending his models all around the deck to an explicit soundtrack that screamed it's time to party. Im really excited to reinforce what it means to be unapologetically sexy. Im ready to start getting people out there again, Smith said. Kylie Jenner was out there. She showed up in her first public appearance since revealing her pregnancy with baby No. 2 in a custom Smith catsuit that put her growing belly on display under lace from neck to ankle. I just want to remind the members that we have an excellent bill that has many needed reforms and it was overwhelmingly supported by Republicans in the House and Senate, and in fact, on the motion in the Senate (to accept the governors amendatory veto) it was unanimously supported, Burke said during debate on the House floor. The bill originally came about in response to several high-profile scandals in recent years, including the indictment of Rep. Luis Arroyo, D-Chicago, who has since resigned. He also had a lobbying business that lobbied the city of Chicago and he was charged with attempting to bribe a state senator to support legislation that would have benefitted his client. One of the provisions of SB 539 prohibits elected officials, including lawmakers, from engaging in compensated lobbying of other units of government, with the exception of Chicago municipal government. That was a carve-out specifically requested by Chicago city officials who argued that the citys own lobbying regulations were already stronger than those in the bill. But Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, urged rejecting the governors amendment and returning to negotiations over a stronger ethics bill. Families can arrange to see their children on campus or can request an exemption to check out their student if they have previously arranged a medical appointment or another significant need that is nonsocial in nature, Armstrong said. Students who leave campus do not face additional requirements upon their return. As of this month, all students are required to get tested twice a week for COVID-19, Armstrong said. Under a statewide order from Gov. J.B. Pritzker, staff members at all public schools are required to be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. Other residential high schools in the Chicago area say they allow students who board to leave on the weekends, including Lake Forest Academy, a private high school on the North Shore where half of the students live on campus and half commute. Even before the pandemic, students who board were encouraged to stay on the weekends to get the whole experience, school spokesman Patrick Coyle said. Students at Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart, a private, Catholic day and boarding school in Lake Forest for girls in grades 9-12, are also allowed to leave campus. The school offers a five-day boarding program, where students from the surrounding area live on campus during the week and return home for the weekends, spokesman Alex Maegdlin said in a statement. There are some pretty big challenges ahead of us, but I believe working in partnership with you all with Sidney, with the Department of Public Safety and very importantly with the residents throughout the city of Orangeburg, if we work together I really believe that we can shape important positive impacts for the City of Orangeburg for a new future, Ray said. Ray says the organization has met with public safety about its perspectives on community policing. She said DPS has also agreed to join with Serve & Connect in its Greg's Groceries initiative, which provides boxes of non-perishable food to law enforcement so they can assist those in need. Three events are planned: Sept. 24, Henley Street Park in the Sunnyside neighborhood; Oct. 1, St. Paul's United Methodist Church; and Nov. 20, a Thanksgiving event encouraging neighborhoods to come together. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Omari Fox, a 1991 Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School graduate and community artist and organizer, joined Ray in her presentation before council. Council voted to provide Orangeburg County with up to $260,000 for the development of an industrial park on U.S. Highway 301 near Interstate 26. Orangeburg Department of Public Safety An 18-year-old man was shot early Thursday morning. The man flagged down an officer just before 2 a.m. on Greenville Street, according to an ODPS incident report. He told officers the incident began as he was sitting on his porch, waiting on a friend to pick him up so they could get something to eat. While he was waiting, he saw some vehicles drive in front of his Greenville Street home at a slow speed. A moment later, the same vehicles returned to Greenville Street. Some individuals inside of the vehicles began shooting at him while he was sitting on the porch, the man said. He ran to take cover, but ended up getting shot in his left calf, the report states. Officers noticed multiple bullet holes on the front of the mans residence, which was occupied by two of his relatives. They werent injured. The man refused treatment by Orangeburg County EMS and did not want to be transported to the hospital. Spending records also revealed that school officials broke up jobs into smaller ones, sidestepping state rules that require competitive bids. In their new report, state auditors confirmed that more than $1.5 million in taxpayer-funded work violated rules for competitive bidding and that school officials steered business to favored vendors. School officials also flouted rules designed to prevent bid rigging, with vendors sending bids to facility managers instead of procurement officials. Auditors recommended improvements to ensure the integrity of the bid process. These and other faults highlight the schools rocky effort to reinvent itself. With roots stretching back to 1797, the school was used as an orphanage and later as a haven for troubled youths. In 2018, the schools board shifted its focus toward making it the states third and newest governors school, joining the highly touted Arts and Humanities in Greenville and Math and Science in Hartsville. Led first by interim President Sharon Wall of Edgefield, the school hired Ken Durham as director of facilities. Durham is mayor of Edgefield. It also hired Scott Mims as Durhams deputy. Mims serves on Edgefield City Council. Documents obtained by the newspapers showed that an outside consultant had found major problems with Summertons systems: unrepaired equipment, missing paperwork and insect poison scattered around drinking wells. A state health inspector said that systems no longer met state standards and some people were told for months to boil their water. Council members in the town, located about 50 miles southeast of Columbia, said they only learned about the issues after residents complained about illnesses and cloudy drinks. In response, Summerton officials this spring ended the towns contract with Stukes employer, Blackman Laboratory, which had a role in the towns water systems for decades. Crosby, the SLED spokesman, declined to release additional information about the agencys investigation because it is ongoing. The previous story about Stukes was part of Uncovered, a yearlong initiative in which The Post and Courier has teamed up with community newspapers to expose government misconduct across South Carolina. In cases like Summertons, reporters have found that the states weak ethics enforcement allows apparent violations and conflicts of interest to go unchecked. This subscription will allow existing subscribers of The World to access all of our online content, including the E-Editions area. NOTE: To claim your access to the site, you will need to enter the Last Name and First Name that is tied to your subscription in this format: SMITH, JOHN If you need help with exactly how your specific name needs be entered, please email us at admin@countrymedia.net or call us at 1-541 266 6047. Fort Payne, AL (35967) Today Isolated thunderstorms this morning with a few showers possible during the afternoon. High 76F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. A 25-year U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam, Edmunds remembers how two officers knocked on his door on the outskirts of Cheyenne before sunrise on Oct. 20, 2001, bringing word of his sons death. I looked out the window, I saw them standing there and all I could think was Oh my God, I know what theyre here for. Ive done notifications so I knew, said Edmunds, who as a military police officer participated in telling relatives of loved ones' deaths. He got choked up and quiet while looking at a display of his sons medals and the folded American flag presented to him and other families of fallen soldiers. They came in and gave us the Regret to inform you speech. My wife had been up by then, and I watched her melt into this carpet right here on the floor," Edmunds recalled. "And they asked, Is there anything we can do? and we said, No, just let us absorb this, and we have to be able to accept this. Wyoming is the least populated state and one that values tradition: rodeo and county fairs in summer, elk hunting in fall, calving season in spring and military service. Jonn Edmunds and his friends grew up playing with water guns, then laser tag in the familys big yard. Eventually the honors student moved up to paintball, Donn Edmunds recalled. Trump himself weighed in on the matter in an earlier statement. Remember though, in the end we just want ONE CANDIDATE running against Cheney, Trump said in that statement. Who stays, who goes? At a forum earlier this summer, all of the candidates who attended other than Marissa Selvig and state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne said that they would throw their support behind the leading candidate come May 1, 2022. In a state that voted 70% for Trump in the 2020 general election, the leading candidate and Trumps choice could be synonymous. Trumps endorsement of Harriet Hageman makes her the clear favorite, said Bill Cubin, Wyoming Republican strategist. But now, after Trump has given his endorsement, its not clear which candidates will leave the race. Denton Knapp, a retired U.S. army colonel, was one of the candidates who said he would drop out if he did not secure the Trump endorsement. But on Thursday, he indicated he wasnt ready to leave the race just yet. It took only hours for two candidates to drop out of Wyomings House race after Donald Trump endorsed Harriet Hageman in her bid to unseat Rep. Liz Cheney. Both Bryan Miller and Darin Smith have ended their candidacies, and said they will commit to backing Hageman. Miller, chairman of the Sheridan County Republican Party, stated his decision in an email obtained by the Star-Tribune, while Smith issued a formal press release a few hours later. Joey Correnti, chairman of the Carbon County Republican Party, emailed the candidates urging them to leave the race in light of Trumps choice. In response to Correntis email, Miller said he would be dropping out of the race and endorsing Hageman. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Absolutely Joey, Miller said. In fact, I plan on officially endorsing her as well ..., Miller continued. Miller previously ran for Senate against the late senator Mike Enzi and Sen. Cynthia Lummis, securing roughly 10% of the vote in both races. Despite his role in Wyoming politics, Miller did not appear to be gaining much support in the race for Cheneys seat. He had not filed any campaign finance reports despite announcing his candidacy in January of this year. JACKSON The body of Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, the local U.S. Marine who was killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 26, is scheduled to return to Jackson on Friday around 4 p.m. McCollums family is inviting the public to meet at the Town Square at 3:30 p.m. to honor him. The family, motorcyclists and law enforcement officers will lead a procession that will go south from Airport Road on Highway 89, along Cache Street to Broadway Avenue, and west on Broadway to Scott Lane. Family members are asking for people to avoid the airport and Valley Mortuary funeral home on Alpine Lane during the procession to allow the family privacy. Bob Tomb will be on Town Square passing out American flags, according to a Facebook post announcing McCollums homecoming. Per that post, motorcyclists are invited to ride behind emergency vehicles beginning south of Airport Road along Highway 89 to Scott and Broadway, remaining on Broadway. Well-wishers are invited to stand along Cache Street starting at Gill Avenue and then along Broadway Avenue until Scott Lane. A 25-year U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam, Edmunds remembers how two officers knocked on his door on the outskirts of Cheyenne before sunrise on Oct. 20, 2001, bringing word of his sons death. I looked out the window, I saw them standing there and all I could think was Oh my God, I know what theyre here for. Ive done notifications so I knew, said Edmunds, who as a military police officer participated in telling relatives of loved ones deaths. He got choked up and quiet while looking at a display of his sons medals and the folded American flag presented to him and other families of fallen soldiers. They came in and gave us the Regret to inform you speech. My wife had been up by then, and I watched her melt into this carpet right here on the floor, Edmunds recalled. And they asked, Is there anything we can do? and we said, No, just let us absorb this, and we have to be able to accept this. Wyoming is the least populated state and one that values tradition: rodeo and county fairs in summer, elk hunting in fall, calving season in spring and military service. Jonn Edmunds and his friends grew up playing with water guns, then laser tag in the familys big yard. Eventually the honors student moved up to paintball, Donn Edmunds recalled. Gallup has tracked views on abortion since 1975. They havent changed all that significantly since then. In 2021, 32% of Americans believe abortion should be legal under any circumstances. Thats up 11 points since 1975. Today, 48% believe abortion should be legal only under certain circumstances. Thats down six points since 1975. The number of people who believe abortion should be illegal in all circumstances is slightly down, from 22% in 1975 to 19% now. If only 19% of the country wants to make abortion effectively illegal, and a majority of America believes abortion should be legal with some restrictions, what about in red-state Texas? There, too, opinions have remained fairly fixed. According to a University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll this year, only 13% said abortion should never be permitted even fewer than the national poll. Contrastingly, 38% said a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice. That roughly corresponds with 2020 exit polling in Texas, where 30% said abortion should be legal most of the time, and only 15% said it should be illegal without any exceptions. What all these numbers show quite clearly is that the Texas law is a solution in search of a problem, and a very bad one at that. Do you have a news tip? Want to share good news story, or do you have information that should see the light of day? Then we want to hear from you. More here The eyes and ears of employees and employers alike are intensely focused on the industrial relations battle between Republic Bank and the Banking, Insurance and General Workers Union (BIGWU) and, by extension, the trade union movement, regarding the banks position: unvaccinated workers are required to pay for Covid-19 tests every two weeks. Sonoita was the states lone AVA until Willcox earned the designation in 2016. In 1989, Sonoita Vineyards blipped the national radar when Dutt sent two of Sonoita Vineyards finest wines a 1986 Cabernet Sauvignon and a 1987 fume blanc to the presidential inauguration of George H. W. Bush. Sonoita Vineyards is owned by the Dutt family and Reynolds runs the day-to-day operations including making the wine, something she had never thought shed do when she was growing up. But after earning her bachelors degree from the UA, she put aside plans to continue on to veterinarian school, and at her grandfathers urging, studied viticulture through a UC Davis program. He really pushed me to do winemaking and I just love it, said the mother of four. He told me, You were born to make wine, girl. You can do this! Reynolds said she had not seen much of her grandfather since the pandemic and had not seen him at all in 2021. They spoke on the phone now and again, but Dutts hearing had failed him in recent years and talking on the phone was difficult, his son said. Reynolds said she has fond memories of growing up among the vines and hanging out with her grandfather. MIAMI (AP) A fourth person has been accused of stealing the identities of victims in the South Florida condominium collapse that killed 98 people, officials said. Nelson Ronaldo Garcia-Medina, 20, was arrested Wednesday, but his name was not included when Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle held a news conference that afternoon to announce three arrests on multiple charges. She said then that there could be other co-conspirators in the case. Garcia-Medina is the brother of Betsy Alejandra Cacho-Medina, 30, who was taken into custody on Wednesday morning along with Kimberly Michelle Johnson, 34, and Rodney Choute, 38. They each face 15 to 30 years in prison. News outlets reported that Garcia-Medina is accused of assuming the identity of someone killed in the June 24 collapse of the Champlain Towers South to buy a $130 pair of Air Jordan sneakers. These individuals appear to be very skilled identity thieves, theyre professionals, Fernandez Rundle said on Wednesday. Except for their names, almost nothing else about them seems to be true. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A panel of federal judges reversed course Friday and blocked a Tennessee restriction that outlaws abortions because of a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, or because of the race or gender of the fetus. The ruling also kept a six-week abortion ban blocked. Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee enacted the restrictions last year as part of a sweeping anti-abortion measure. The law gained national attention because it banned abortion as early as six weeks making it one of the strictest in the country but it included several other anti-abortion components. In its multipronged decision, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati affirmed previous rulings that have blocked the states six-week abortion ban. The law states that if the six-week ban is deemed unconstitutional a time frame when most people dont know theyre pregnant then the ban would begin at various other gestational stages. We take note that state legislatures recently have passed more anti-abortion regulations than perhaps at any other time in this countrys history. However, this development is not a signal to the courts to change course," Senior Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey wrote for the majority. "It is, in fact, just the opposite. The judiciary exists as a check on majoritarian rule. It was the right decision, Lomonaco said. He was innocent. Hu began working for UT Knoxville in 2013 and later was invited by another professor to help apply for a research grant from NASA. That grant application was not successful, but two later applications were. A 2012 law forbids NASA from collaborating with China or Chinese companies. The government has interpreted that prohibition to include Chinese universities, and Hu was a faculty member at the Beijing University of Technology in addition to his position at UT. Prosecutors tried to show that Hu deliberately hid his position at the Chinese university when applying for the NASA-funded research grants. Lomonaco argued at trial that Hu didnt think he needed to list his part-time summer job on a disclosure form and said no one at UT ever told him otherwise. On Thursday, Varlan ruled that, even assuming Hu intended to deceive about his affiliation with that second university, there is no evidence that Hu intended to harm NASA. Without intent to harm, there is no scheme to defraud, Varlan wrote, quoting a necessary element of the wire fraud charges. Varlan added that NASA got the research from Hu that it paid for, and there was no evidence that Hu took any money from China or had anyone in China work on the projects. BOSTON (AP) Harvard University will divest itself from holdings in fossil fuels, President Lawrence Bacow said Thursday. Harvard Management Company, which oversees the universitys nearly $42 billion endowment, has already been reducing its exposure to fossil fuels and has no direct investments in companies that explore for or develop further reserves of fossil fuels, Bacow said in a message posted on the universitys website. The university has legacy investments in a number of private equity funds with holdings in the fossil fuel industry. Those indirect investments constitute less than 2% of the endowment, according to Bacow. The school has not made any new commitments to these limited partnerships since 2019 and has no intention to do so going forward, he added. Bacow said the legacy investments are in runoff mode and will end as these partnerships are liquidated. Harvard has already committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the entire investment portfolio by 2050, he said. EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) Three people suspected in a shooting that wounded seven people in southern Illinois were arrested early Friday, hours after a wild incident that included a getaway car crashing into a commuter train, police said. The shooting occurred Thursday afternoon in East St. Louis, across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. No details were released about the condition of the seven victims, which included a child, or a possible motive. East St. Louis Chief Kendall Perry, during a Friday afternoon news conference, would not speculate on what led to the shooting but said some innocent bystanders were among those shot. They had a target. I dont know what their motive was, but they werent shooting just randomly, Perry said. Perry said the city would impose a midnight to 6 a.m. curfew, increase police presence and pretty much just close all businesses down,. Stephen Pierce said he was waiting for a bus with his wife and two children when he heard boom, boom, boom. He said his wife was wounded in the arm. Five years ago: John Hinckley Jr., the man who tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, was released from a Washington mental hospital for good. Angelique Kerber won her first U.S. Open title and the second Grand Slam trophy of her breakthrough season, beating Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. One year ago: Authorities in Oregon said more than 500,000 people statewide had been forced to leave their homes because of wildfires; the number represented more than 10% of the states population. Houstons police chief said four officers had been terminated after an internal investigation determined they did not use reasonable force when they fired their weapons 21 times at a man who had been experiencing a mental health crisis, killing him in April after he was already injured and on the ground. Twitter said it would start labeling or removing misleading claims that were aimed at undermining public confidence in elections. Diana Rigg, a British actor whose career included roles in the 1960s spy series The Avengers and the fantasy juggernaut Game of Thrones, died at the age of 82. Todays Birthdays: Actor Philip Baker Hall is 90. Actor Greg Mullavey is 88. Jazz vibraphonist Roy Ayers is 81. Actor Tom Ligon is 81. Singer Danny Hutton (Three Dog Night) is 79. Singer Jose Feliciano is 76. Actor Judy Geeson is 73. Former Canadian first lady Margaret Trudeau is 73. Political commentator Bill OReilly is 72. Rock musician Joe Perry (Aerosmith) is 71. Country singer Rosie Flores is 71. Actor Amy Irving is 68. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., is 67. Actor-director Clark Johnson is 67. Actor Kate Burton is 64. Movie director Chris Columbus is 63. Actor Colin Firth is 61. Rock singer-musician David Lowery (Cracker) is 61. Actor Sean OBryan is 58. Baseball Hall of Famer Randy Johnson is 58. Actor Raymond Cruz is 57. Rock musician Stevie D. (Buckcherry) is 55. Rock singer-musician Miles Zuniga (Fastball) is 55. Actor Nina Repeta (NY-nuh ruh-PEHT-ah) is 54. Rapper Big Daddy Kane is 53. Movie director Guy Ritchie is 53. Actor Johnathon Schaech (shehk) is 52. Contemporary Christian singer Sara Groves is 49. Actor Ryan Phillippe (FIHL-ih-pee) is 47. Actor Kyle Bornheimer is 46. Actor Jacob Young is 42. Rock musician Mikey Way (My Chemical Romance) is 41. Olympic bronze medal figure skater Timothy Goebel (GAY-bul) is 41. Ballerina Misty Copeland is 39. MLB All-Star first-baseman Joey Votto (VAH-toh) is 38. Rock musician Matthew Followill (Kings of Leon) is 37. Singer Ashley Monroe (Pistol Annies) is 35. MLB All-Star first-baseman Paul Goldschmidt is 34. Singer Sanjaya Malakar (san-JY-uh MA-luh-kar) (American Idol) is 32. Actor Chandler Massey is 31. Actor Hannah Hodson is 30. Actor Gabriel Bateman is 17. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. He also said a pregnant woman could decide not do undergo pre-viability genetic testing. Neither she nor her doctor will know whether any genetic abnormality exists, he said. Even in situations where there is a test and a genetic abnormality is found, the woman could still say it has no bearing on her decision, or that it is only one of several reasons she chooses to terminate the pregnancy. And then theres the conscious decision to hide the reason or lie. Brnovich said even when a woman is choosing abortion solely because of a fetal defect there is no danger to the doctor if she does not share that information with him or her. And the attorney general said that is true even when the doctor tells her that aborting a fetus based solely on a genetic abnormality is illegal. Nester, however, said none of that makes it the law acceptable. Politicians should not get to decide what an acceptable reason is for seeking an abortion, she said. This law is an affront to our constitutional right and our ability to make private decisions free from government intrusion. In filing suit, Nester said there are other problems with SB 1457. ATHENS, Greece (AP) Greece has introduced tough penalties for the issuing of fake COVID-19 vaccination certificates after a worker at a state vaccination center was suspended for allegedly helping several dozen people acquire bogus documents. Health Minister Thanos Plevris said Friday that parliament has approved a legislative amendment to impose fines of 5,000 euros ($5,920) for each vaccination, recovery, or test certificate issued under false pretenses. Private health facilities found to have issued fake COVID-19 documents could be fined up to 50,000 euros. People planning to commit these acts should know that they will be fired, they may face criminal prosecution, and they will have to pay a lot of money, Plevris told state ERT TV. Penalties, he said, would be more severe if the counterfeiting could be linked directly to the spread of the virus. The vaccination center worker is employed near the central city of Karditsa. Several other facilities in the area are also under investigation, authorities said, where cross-checking procedures are being repeated to match certificates and vaccination records. Separately, a senior prosecutor has urged regional prosecuting authorities across the country to investigate any counterfeiting claims. Turkeys new policy is clearly aiming to make Varosha part of its ... illegal regime in the north, Karahan said. Standing in a garden in front of the school he graduated from more than 50 years ago, Simos Ioannou, the Greek Cypriot mayor-in-exile of Famagusta, claims Turkey's move sought to undermine the peace talks and cause upheaval in the south. I believe it was done to plant a tombstone on the Cyprus issue, to compel us to live under Turkish Cypriot administration and to foment division among the Greek Cypriot residents of Varosha, he said. On his first visit to Varosha since 1973, Ioannou said the refugees could have returned long ago had Turkey heeded the U.N. resolutions. But theyre afraid we will prove that we can live peacefully with (the Turkish Cypriots), he added. Ioannou said 37 Varosha property owners are known to have. applied to the IPC, but very few expressed willingness to return under Turkish Cypriot administration. Constantinides's home lies outside the section of the suburb where Greek Cypriots have been told they can reclaim their properties. But he said he won't give up trying to get back what belongs to his family. I hope that a way can be found where we can return as owners and not as tenants or tourists, but for certain, Ill fight for my rights," he added. "I owe it to my parents who toiled to build this, I owe it to my daughter. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. For Star subscribers: Real fears exist that the two big lakes on the drying Colorado River could fall so low that no water could be taken from them, Arizona water director Tom Buschatzke recently told a private conference, reports say. Wallace said she enjoyed seeing the characters come to life and displaying their personalities when the cartoon series launched a couple of years later. She watched cartoon episodes with her younger sister and, as a mom years later, she enjoyed taking her son to see The Smurfs motion picture in 2011. As childhood gave way to adulthood, Wallace boxed up her Smurf figurines and thank goodness stashed them away instead of getting rid of them. And, as mentioned above, the hunt from Smurfs resumed after she married a man who loved comics. There are hundreds of items in Wallaces Smurf collection mostly figurines, but also the Corea album, a first issue of a Smurfs comic published by Marvel in 1982, stuffed animals and a hodgepodge of items people have given to her. She doesnt jump on every bit of paraphernalia that comes her way, preferring instead to concentrate on figurines. They dont take up too much space, Wallace said. That was a selling point so my house didnt get hoarded out and I think thats why I stick with just the little figurines is because they are so tiny. Part of Smurf appeal is the variety of characters. Wallace said she has more than 150 figurines. It bugs her that one of them (she knows which one) is missing. Residents of the historic Brady Heights neighborhood voted by a wide margin to erase the name of one of Tulsas founding fathers and become known simply as The Heights, officials said Thursday. Following the example of downtowns Brady Arts District, which changed its name four years ago to become simply the Arts District, the nearby residential area decided to ditch any references to its old namesake, businessman W. Tate Brady. One of the signers of the original City Charter in 1898, Brady had later joined the Ku Klux Klan. Residents cast ballots to choose among several possible names. And the least popular option was keeping the old one, said Peter White, president of the neighborhood association. Other candidates included Hope Heights, Northbridge Heights and Preservation Heights. Personally, White said, Im glad for the name The Heights. I think it communicates hope and aspiration like, We have new heights to climb together. It continues the rich history of this place and also looks to the future and new opportunities we have to be good neighbors to one another. Nearly a dozen signs will have to be removed or replaced throughout the neighborhood, with the city likely to begin the work next month, White said. With Saturday marking the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a number of area events and activities are planned. On Friday, Jenks High School students will start the school day with a tribute to the victims of the attack. Members of the Young Americans Foundation Jenks Chapter, in partnership with the Student Council, will place 2,977 American flags, one for each victim who died, near the main high school parking oval. Students will meet at 7:45 a.m. to begin placing the flags. A moment of silence will be held at 8:46 a.m., the time the first plane hit the World Trade Center in New York. On Saturday, Tulsa Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 577 will hold a 20th Anniversary 9/11 Memorial Ceremony in conjunction with the rededication of Veterans Park in a new location. The ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m. in front of the Tulsa VFW, 1109 E. Sixth St. Guest speakers will lead off with a remembrance of the sacrifices of police officers, firefighters and the armed services on 9/11, along with a celebration of patriotism. The event will include military and first responder vehicle displays, a hot rod car show, food and music. A Tulsa County District Court judge found in June that while the crime occurred within the historic boundaries of the Cherokee Nation reservation, Hansons case didnt qualify for relief because he didnt become a member of the Muscogee Nation until after the McGirt ruling. The appellate court placed a final decision on Hansons post-conviction relief request on hold while it considered claims in an unrelated case that McGirt claims could not be applied retroactively, or for those crimes occurring prior to the Supreme Courts ruling. In August, the appellate court finalized its position on retroactivity when it overturned a lower courts order in a Pushmataha County case that dismissed the second-degree murder conviction and 25-year prison sentence for Clifton Merrill Parish. The appellate court, in its opinion in the Pushmataha County case, dubbed Matloff v. Wallace after the last names of the district attorney and associate district judge, ruled that McGirt applies only to crimes committed after the Supreme Courts McGirt ruling. In light of the Pushmataha County decision, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals determined that Hansons appeal must fail and that his request for a stay on the decision would do no good. A Tulsa man who had been adjudicated in juvenile court for shooting with intent to kill was sentenced Thursday to federal prison for killing a 16-year-old boy. U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell signed off on a plea deal between prosecutors and Carl John Irons Jr. that called for the 20-year-old to serve 10 years in prison for his role in the shooting death of Jeremiah Morris, 16. Irons had pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Indian Country. An illegal gun sale ended in tragedy when a 16-year-old was killed in an exchange of gunfire, said acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Too many families have lost children to gun violence. These shootings are a waste of young lives. My thoughts are with this family as they continue to grieve the loss of this young man. The two were in a brief shootout on Feb. 4, 2020, outside the Meadowbrook Apartments, 444 S. Mingo Road, with Morris being shot in the head and torso. He died four days later. Irons, in his written plea, admitted to shooting Morris during an illegal firearm sale at the complex. Irons claimed that he shot Morris after a conflict arose between his group and Morris group. The program has already spent more than 75% of the federal stimulus funds that have been allocated to the city of Tulsa for rental assistance. But if necessary, funds could be reallocated from the county or state to keep ERAP payments flowing here, Jaynes said. Officials have long expected a wave of new eviction cases once the federal moratorium ended. And the city saw a brief surge in early August, when the Biden administration allowed the moratorium to expire but then reinstated it a few days later. The moratorium ended again Aug. 26, when the U.S. Supreme Court declared it unlawful. But another wave doesnt seem to be hitting Tulsa, at least yet. The city saw an average of 10 evictions filed in court per day in the first week of September, less than half the average per day in August, according to data from Open Justice Oklahoma. Most eviction cases, however, arent filed so early in the month. Landlords typically wait for grace periods to expire before heading to court, which means a September wave could still be coming. Historically, Tulsas eviction court docket peaks between the 20th and 30th days of the month, said Legal Aid attorney Eric Hallett, who works with local tenants free of charge. A 20-year-old murder case was dismissed on this day in 2014 after prosecutors said they would not attempt to retry Michelle Murphy, who was fr She said everyone knows the state is facing a board that is not fair and impartial as it relates to Luck and Doyle. She cited social media messages from Luck calling for Justice for Julius. She said Doyle has said prosecutors are draconian and barbarian while Luck has said it is his job, mandated by God, to free people from jail. Attorneys on the other side argued that there is no legal mechanism for the Supreme Court to do what Prater is asking. They argued that Prater disagrees with whom Stitt has appointed to the board. They also said the state could have made the arguments much sooner in the process. Evan Gatewood, an attorney for Luck, said Stitt knew Lucks background when he appointed him to the board. What we have here is Mr. Prater thinks his idea of what the Pardon and Parole Board should look like should override what the governor of this state thinks it should look like, Gatewood said. That is what is going on here. He said the Pardon and Parole Board does not have the power to commute but merely recommend. I didnt threaten him, Mullin said. I didnt threaten him at all. In fact, him and I were talking on Monday. He was apologizing for the whole thing. He said, Markwayne, I got mad at Washington for what they said. I told them that was not accurate. Mullin continues to bitterly criticize the Biden administration for the way the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Kabul was handled and what he says is continued weakness in dealing with Afghanistans new Taliban rulers. Mullin said such things would not have happened had Bidens predecessor, Donald Trump, still been in the White House. The Trump administration, though, had agreed to withdraw U.S. forces even earlier than the Aug. 31 deadline set by Biden and negotiated the release of some of the Taliban officials now in charge. One thing the withdrawal plans of both administrations depended upon was the Afghan military, trained and equipped by the U.S. and its allies, holding up for more than the few weeks it took the Taliban to take over. Mullin said he couldnt explain the Afghan governments collapse or say whether Trump would have backed away from his 2020 agreement and kept or even increased the U.S. presence in the country. Frye said he now is working to understand any capacity discrepancies between hospitals and the state and how to close them if possible, but he said patient care must come first. In the short game, Frye said vaccination is the way to relieve the burden on hospitals and prevent future COVID outbreaks. But for the long-term future of the state, he said Oklahoma must increase its number of nurses. Oklahoma ranks in the top five in the nation for weekly COVID-19 deaths per capita and COVID admissions per inpatient bed, according to the latest federal data. Deputy Commissioner Keith Reed said 96% of COVID deaths in Oklahoma are of unvaccinated people. State data since July show that more than 90% of those hospitalized with COVID are individuals who havent been vaccinated. Breakthrough and reinfection rates are also low in our state, Reed said. This tells us two things: that vaccines work to keep you from getting severely ill and that our current hospitalization rates are absolutely preventable if more people get the vaccine. Reed said that of the relatively few deaths of vaccinated people in Oklahoma 86 about 80% had known comorbidities and about 85% were in the 65-and-older demographic. TVN has been a jewel in the crown of Polish democracy for decades, he said. Senators in the 100-seat body voted 53-37 against the bill, with three abstentions. When it returns to the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, the vote on the bill will also be a test of whether the ruling party still has a legislative majority following some defections in the governing coalition. TVN also faces a separate challenge: A refusal to date by the broadcast authority to renew the license for TVN24, the network's all-news station, which expires later this month. Kasia Kieli, Discoverys president and managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said that despite the Senate's vote the company is still concerned about the future of TVN and independent media in Poland as the bill can still be passed by the Sejm and the license for our news channel TVN24 is still not renewed. Duda, though an ally of Law and Justice, last month called the bill a controversial solution that is incomprehensible" to the United States, citing the U.S. attitude toward the protection of property and freedom of speech. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last month that the U.S. was deeply troubled by the proposed legislation. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. A prolific writer and frequent speaker, he authored hundreds of history- and military-related articles for various publications, as well as one book, Doorway to Hell: Disaster In Somalia. One of Wheelers articles, although written 50 years ago, was back in the spotlight recently. In 1970, at a time when the subject was still not widely known or acknowledged, Wheeler had set out to learn the truth about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Ahead of this years massacre centennial, Wheeler discussed the challenges and pushback he faced when he began work on what today is considered the first serious contemporary look at the events of May 31-June 1, 1921. I just wanted to find out what happened, he said of the work that went into his 1971 article Profile of a Race Riot. Over the course of the yearlong project, Wheeler was advised to drop the subject by community leaders, and he even received threatening notes and phone calls, which led him to temporarily move his wife and son out of their home. For 20 years, we have had no major terror attack on U.S. soil, saving countless lives. The mission in Afghanistan was honorable and gave a taste of freedom to millions who live in a place that is thirsty but unfamiliar with the savor of liberty mixed with responsibility. The Afghan region has been a mess for a millennium, but our nation is more secure because of the action and lives of the thousands of Americans who chose to be the heroes for our generation. Its our duty now to stand beside our warriors and the Gold Star families to encourage them, check on them and support them. They know the price of freedom. When a war ends, the families who lost a loved one still have a hole. They still want their warrior remembered, and they still want to have the option to remain a part of the military family. We need dedicated units around the country that are structured and organized to keep living life with Gold Star families and keep supporting those affected by the trauma of war. I hope all Americans take time to remember that 24 hours a day, seven days a week whether youre sleeping, watching a movie, having dinner with your family or hard at work someone is standing on the watch for you. Gerard Clancy: Two-way grace on 9/11 and 20 years later On 9/11/2001, my first appointment of the morning was with legendary Tulsa photographer John McCormick to take my official University of Oklahoma photo. As we met for the first time in his studio, "Good Morning America" was playing quietly in the background. He took his first photograph, and then we both instinctively turned toward the television. Another jet had hit the second tower of the World Trade Center. Suddenly we both knew that what was first hoped was a terrible accident with the first tower was now a murder of thousands of Americans. John and I looked at each other. Not much was said. But two-way grace was in each of our eyes. Many COVID-19 vaccination sites in Hanoi have become overcrowded and chaotic as the city has been speeding up the vaccination of all residents aged 18 and older by September 15. One of the venues was Thuong Thanh Junior High School in Long Bien District, where hundreds of people gathered on Thursday to wait for inoculation, with many of them elbowing one another for a space in the crowd. Such a chaotic situation is against the epidemic prevention rules of health authorities. In coping with it, the schools guards had to temporarily close the gate to ease the overload while the number of people waiting outside the site was still large. People crowd a coronavirus vaccination point in Hanoi, September 9, 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Bui Van Khoa, 29, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that he had waited from the afternoon but remained in waiting due to a throng of people coming to the site. People waiting here have jostled terribly, especially early in the afternoon, while others have continued to flock to this point," Khoa said. "I am very anxious since coronavirus carriers may be among the crowd. The same scene was recorded at the vaccination point in the districts Bo De Ward, where hundreds of people hustled against others while waiting for their turns. Dinh Thi Thu Huong, vice-chairperson of the districts administration, told Tuoi Tre reporters on Thursday evening that she had directed the authorities of Bo De to remedy the chaotic situation immediately and prevent its recurrence in the coming days. Huong blamed the disorder on the non-compliance of locals with the vaccination timetables. The overcrowding and jostling scene is seen at an immunization point in Bo De Ward, Long Bien District, Hanoi, on September 9, 2021. Photo: Anh Nam / Tuoi Tre We had issued clear notices to residents and requested them to come to the vaccination points according to the fixed schedule, but many still came early as they were afraid that the vaccine they wish could run out, Huong explained. At the inoculation site in Dong Da Districts Khuong Thuong Ward, the same jostling scene was seen on the morning of the same day. Many people told Tuoi Tre that they had to queue up for the whole afternoon of Wednesday but they could not get vaccinated. On the following day, they continued getting in line from morning til noon, only to be informed the vaccine had run out, which infuriated many of them. Vuong Thai Duong, secretary of the Party Committee of Khuong Thuong Ward, said that the ward had received reports of the problem and taken measures to correct it. Many people failed to keep the required safe distance while they were gathering at Thuong Thanh Middle School for vaccination in Hanoi, September 9, 2021. Photo: Pham Tuan / Tuoi Tre In a dispatch issued early this week, the Hanoi administration set out a target of completing the vaccination of all its residents aged 18 and older by September 15 as a condition for the capital city to resume business activities and improve its socio-economic growth amid the pandemic. By Thursday evening, the numbers of people receiving the first and second vaccine doses in the city, whose population is around eight million, had reached some 3.49 million and over 555,800, respectively, according to the national COVID-19 vaccination portal. This social media image shows numerous people gathering at a COVID-19 inoculation site in Khuong Thuong Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi, September 9, 2021. The corresponding figures for the country were nearly 20.6 million and 4.2 million. The capital city has documented 4,225 COVID-19 cases, including 47 deaths, since the pandemic hit the country in early 2020, the Ministry of Health reported on Thursday evening. Nationwide, the total number of patients has reached 576,096, of whom 338,170 have recovered and 14,470 died. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! More than 1,500 recovered coronavirus patients have responded to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Healths call for volunteering at medical facilities to support the fight against COVID-19. The health department on Thursday reported to the municipal Peoples Committee and the Department of Home Affairs about the reception and assignment of tasks for the volunteers. The report said that 273 recovered COVID-19 patients had registered through the health department to become volunteers, with 108 of them ready for their assigned tasks as of Wednesday. Sixty-two of them completed vocational school or college, 38 finished high school, and eight others reached middle school completion. Some 46 volunteers are female and 62 are male. None of them specialize in medical care. Besides, 1,270 recovered coronavirus patients sent applications to the Ho Chi Minh City Entrepreneurs Association to join the pandemic prevention forces, with 378 of them having been mobilized to 14 units in need. The municipal health department said it currently needs 1,728 volunteers, including 140 doctors, 474 nurses, 95 medical aides, and 454 caretakers for COVID-19 patients. The department and the Ho Chi Minh City Entrepreneurs Association have continued calling on recovered COVID-19 patients to participate in pandemic control efforts. Registration is available at the two links: https://danvankheo-ketnoithongtin.vn/dang-ky-tham-gia-chuong-trinh-f0-khoi-benh-ho-tro-benh-nhan-f0/ and https://bom.to/bAD4vS. Volunteers main tasks include supporting health workers in treating COVID-19 patients at medical facilities and at home and transporting care packages, medicine, and oxygen tanks to home-quarantined patients. Authorities will use the citys budget to pay volunteers, who will be trained to acquire necessary skills and equipped with personal protective equipment. Anyone who recently recovered from the disease and completed the 14-day home isolation period as prescribed by the Ministry of Health, is still of working age, is not pregnant or is not taking postpartum leave can sign up for the volunteering program. People who have antibodies against the coronavirus, recovered from the disease more than six months ago, or have been fully vaccinated are also eligible. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Many eateries in Ho Chi Minh City remained closed on Thursday morning even though authorities have allowed the resumption of takeaway service, with sellers expressing concern over multiple difficulties triggered by pandemic prevention regulations. The municipal administration announced on Tuesday that local diners would be permitted to offer takeout from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm daily, starting Wednesday, after a two-month suspension over COVID-19. However, many venues were still closed on Thursday morning, according to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters. A coffee shop remains closed in Ho Chi Minh City, September 9, 2021. Photo: Bong Mai / Tuoi Tre Le Hieu Ngoc, who sells pho in Binh Thanh District, said she could not reopen as she was unable to buy the necessary ingredients. I usually purchased the pho noodles from a facility in Thu Duc City, but they currently cannot deliver their products to other districts, Ngoc explained, referring to the travel curbs officials enforced to stall coronavirus spread. The woman also mentioned the rising cost of ingredients and delivery service, which would have cut deeply into her earnings. A coffee shop remains closed in Ho Chi Minh City, September 9, 2021. Photo: Bong Mai / Tuoi Tre Meanwhile, a beef noodle soup vendor in Binh Tan District said she had met difficulty finding employees. In order for an eatery to resume operation, all staff members have to work and stay at the venue, be inoculated with at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and given rapid tests regularly. My previous employees said they could not meet these requirements, the vendor explained. A vendor still sells raw beef instead of pho in Ho Chi Minh City, September 9, 2021. Photo: Bong Mai / Tuoi Tre Nguyen Minh Hoang, who sells broken rice dishes, said she might need a week to prepare for the reopening, while a lot of problems also need to be addressed. Hoang stated she is not allowed to buy ingredients at local wholesale markets, adding products available on e-commerce platforms are much more expensive. My customers are mainly blue-collar workers, most of whom have already returned to their hometowns, the seller continued. A pho shop is still closed in Ho Chi Minh City, September 9, 2021. Photo: Bong Mai / Tuoi Tre Delivery service currently costs about VND30,000 [US$1.32] per order, which may be even more expensive than the dish itself. "This will scare away a lot of customers. Many app-based delivery workers stated that they had yet to receive any takeaway orders on Thursday. The high delivery fee is understandable as we usually face a lot of challenges due to countless checkpoints and barricades along local streets, a deliverer elaborated. A restaurant remains closed in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, September 9, 2021. Photo: Bong Mai / Tuoi Tre At a chicken noodle soup shop in Binh Thanh District, which was among a few eateries that were open, the owner said it took an hour for a delivery worker to accept one order. He doubted such an operation would last long as the number of buyers is low, while the cost of operation is quite high. Meanwhile, the owner of a banh mi shop in Thu Duc City said he did not receive any order via such apps as Grab and ShopeeFood on the same morning. A street section is barricaded in Ho Chi Minh City, September 9, 2021. Photo: Bong Mai / Tuoi Tre Ho Chi Minh City is the hardest-hit locality during the fourth wave, with nearly 280,000 local infections recorded since April 27. The city has implemented social distancing measures at various levels since May 31 and had banned takeaway service since July 9. People buy roasted ducks at a shop in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, September 9, 2021. Photo: N.Hien / Tuoi Tre A banh mi store reopens in Ho Chi Minh City, September 9, 2021. Photo: N.Binh / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnamese photographer Pham Huy Trung took the top spot in the People category of the 2021 Drone Photo Awards with his work Fishing in Mangrove Forest. The Drone Photo Awards is an aerial photography competition held annually as a part of Italys Siena International Photo Awards. This year marked the seventh iteration of the event. The event attracted around 14,000 submissions from over 100 countries. Norwegian photographer Terje Kolaas was the overall winner of the competition, thanks to his photo of pink-footed geese flying over a snow-laden landscape. Meanwhile, Vietnamese photographer Pham Huy Trungs photo of a fisherman in a mangrove forest in Thua Thien-Hue Provinces Tam Giang Lagoon won the People category. His winning photo illustrated the beauty of Vietnams mangrove forests as their leaves turn white in winter. Though his experience as a photographer spans a mere five years, Trung has already seen success in the photography competition circle, scooping up awards at both Skypixel and the Sony World Photo Awards. Check out some of the top photos from the 2021 Drone Photo Awards below: 'Pink-Footed Geese Meeting the Winter' by Terje Kolaas, the overall winner at the 2021 Drone Photo Awards Metaphorical Statement About City and Winter by Sergei Poletaev, winner of the 'Urban' category at the 2021 Drone Photo Awards Back to Adventure by Qasim Al Farsi, winner of the 'Wildlife' category at the 2021 Drone Photo Awards Gold at the End of the Rainbow by Phil De Glanville, winner of the 'Sport' category at the 2021 Drone Photo Awards Extragalactic by Martin Sanchez, winner of the 'Nature' category at the 2021 Drone Photo Awards Verso l'Infinito Insieme a Te by Matteo Originale, winner of the 'Wedding' category at the 2021 Drone Photo Awards Poisoned River by Gheorghe Popa, winner of the 'Abstract' category at the 2021 Drone Photo Awards Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! On 60 Minutes this Sunday, mandatory vaccinations and the hospitable community of Gander, Newfoundland. Not So Secret The business of beauty can be very ugly, especially in the cutthroat world of modelling. Its an industry that wants to be portrayed as the epitome of health and happiness, but the reality is far different with anorexia, drug use and bullying as routine as smiling for the cameras. Now though, a very determined and brave Australian supermodel is demanding change, and as Tom Steinfort reports, Bridget Malcolm is spearheading her campaign by calling out the iconic lingerie company that made her famous. Victorias Secret is renowned for its so-called angels, but Malcolm reveals that behind the scenes, devils were at work. Reporter: Tom Steinfort Producer: Madeleine Apps Point of Order For anyone looking closely, there is a slither of light coming from the end of the exhaustingly long COVID-19 tunnel. But for that tiny beam to grow into a return to some sort of normal life, all Australians need to accept a hard truth. COVID is here to stay. And that means getting the country vaccinated is even more vital. In the United States, President Joe Biden has lost patience with Americans refusing the jab, announcing controversial new measures to mandate vaccinations. On assignment for 60 Minutes, Karl Stefanovic reports that while were not at that point yet, it must be discussed. Reporter: Karl Stefanovic Producers: Joel Tozer, Madeleine Apps, Sheree Gibson The Plane People The 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks is understandably a time of deep sadness as the world remembers an act of evil that is still hard to comprehend. But for some its also a chance to celebrate kindness, compassion and the very best of humanity. In the mayhem of the day that saw terror raining from the skies, American airspace was shut down and a tiny town in a remote part of north-eastern Canada suddenly found itself the destination for scores of commercial passenger aircraft given orders to immediately land. Seven thousand plane people with nowhere else to go were about to discover the delights of the wonderfully generous and hospitable community of Gander. Reporter: Tara Brown Producer: Garry McNab 8:30pm (ish) Sunday on Nine. These are the remaining news and documentary specials marking the 20th commemorative of 9/11 attacks today. 9/11: Inside the Presidents War Room Now streaming on Apple TV+ (free on Sept 11) Narrated by Emmy Award winner Jeff Daniels (The Looming Tower, The Comey Rule), 9/11: Inside the Presidents War Room is a new Apple Original documentary that explores the events of 11 September, 2001 through the eyes of President Bush and his closest advisors as they personally detail the crucial hours and key decisions from that historic day. The documentary special will also be available to watch on 11 September for free in honour of the 20th anniversary. 9/11: Control The Skies rpt 5:40pm Saturday September 11 on SBS Gander was once the gateway to North America. Until the 1960s, commercial aircraft had limited range, and stopped in Gander to refuel before continuing to their destinations. Those days have passed, but despite its population of just 10,000, Gander still maintains a huge airport worthy of a major city. And on September 11, 2001, what begins as an ordinary day turns into a horrific disaster. 10 News First: In The Shadow Of The Towers 6pm Saturday September 11 on 10. 10 News First: In The Shadow Of The Towers brings together a diverse group of Australians, who have one thing in common: September 11, 2001. The events of that historic day 20 years ago, have been a defining part of their lives. Some are famous. Some remain unknown to this day. Hosted by Sandra Sully, who was famously live on air at the time of the attacks and broke the news to Australia, along with interviews by Hugh Riminton, 10 News First: In The Shadow Of The Towers tells the stories of Australians who are forever linked by the tragedy, including Simon Kennedy, whose mother, Yvonne, was on Flight 77 that crashed into The Pentagon. 9/11: Minute By Minute 7:30pm Saturday September 11 on Nine This documentary will expose the frenzied communication that took place over the airwaves as flight attendants, aviation authorities and the president grappled with a nightmare. Join us as we reflect on the darkest day in American history. 9/11 The Pentagon Saturday September 11 at 7.30pm on History On September 11, 1941, the U.S. War Department broke ground on a massive new five-sided headquarters that would rise to become the ultimate symbol of the American military. 60 years to the day after construction began, a hijacked airliner crashed into the building as part of the largest coordinated terror attack ever on American soil. Told by the men and women who lived it, this is the dramatic story of what happened inside the building in the harrowing minutes after impact; a raw eyewitness account of tragedy, heroism and survival on the day that forever transformed a nation. 9/11 Stories 8pm Saturday September 11 on ABC News 20 Years after the September 11 Attacks, John Barron speaks with Australians who were affected by the historic events of 9/11. At 9:00pm, a half hour news bulletin with the latest COVID news and previewing the services in New York, Washington and here in Australia. At 9:00pm, a half hour news bulletin with the latest COVID news and previewing the services in New York, Washington and here in Australia. 9/11: Voices From The Air 8:30pm Saturday September 11 on FOX Docos Authentic transmissions from on-board stewardesses, chilling voicemails from victims, and never-before-seen interviews provide a groundbreaking insight into what really happened on this ill-fated day. Race Against Time: The CIA and 9/11 9pm Saturday September 11 on 10 September 11th marked the greatest failure in the history of the CIA and also sparked what became its greatest success the elimination of the worlds most wanted terrorist. The 9/11 Attacks: 20 Years On 9:30pm Saturday September 11 on ABC News Ellen Fanning and Stan Grant host an hour special in the lead up to the US memorial service. Therell be special analysis from Planet America host John Barron and live discussion from New York and other US cities about how 9/11 changed the world. The Last Secrets of 9/11 9:30pm Saturday September 11 on FOX Docos Through the miracle of DNA, new methods have been developed to identify 60% of the remains. For the families, the pain never ends and closure is such a hard word to swallow. 102 Minutes That Changed America 9:30pm Saturday September 11 on SBS A look at those who witnessed the largest terror attack in history. 102 minutes passed between the first planes impact into North Tower of the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001, the second planes attack on South Tower, and the collapse of both buildings. During that time, people around New York reached for their cameras. This documentary joins together hundreds of pieces of footage and audiotape into a single, seamless historical record, much of it never seen before. 9/11: Twenty Years On 10pm Saturday September 11 on BBC World News Special coverage of events being held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks , with Laura Trevelyan in New York. Moments of Silence 10:30pm Saturday September 11 on ABC News From 10:30pm, live coverage from New York of the 20th anniversary memorial service which will include six moments of silence, to mark when each World Trade Centre tower was struck and fell, when the Pentagon was attacked, and when the hijacked Flight 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field. The first of these silences will be at 10:46pm. Surviving 9/11 10pm Sunday September 12 on Seven A deeply personal film that moves between accounts of the two-hour period when terrorists attacked the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and Flight 93 and the story of the 20 years since. Everybody remembers when they heard about 9/11 attacks. I was still up late when it looked like a light plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I turned on the TV where Sandra Sully was famously live to air. I alerted my housemate and we began watching, but I couldnt raise a friend on the phone to tune in too. As the horror unfolded, I kept watching into the early hours of the morning on the NBC Today show, which was broadcasting Live from New York. But what else was on air for Australian viewers that night? Courtesy of history site TelevisionAU we can see normal programming involved CSI, All Saints, Rove Live, Stingers, The Bill (these had already concluded) with Lateline, The West Wing, Talking Footy at around the same time as the attacks. Nightline with Jim Waley was on air from 11:25pm and Seven Late News screened from 11:40pm. I have no idea if late night programmes Star Trek: The Next Generation, Big Sky or Letterman proceeded that night, but Im guessing not By the next morning, Australian networks had wall to wall coverage from New York, which pretty much continued for several days. Seven News reporter Georgia Love has been removed from on-air duties following a social media post which drew headlines this week. The former Bachelorette posted on Instagram showing a cat sitting in the window of an Asian restaurant and wrote, Shop attendant or lunch? Despite deleting the post it was the subject of numerous stories and criticism. The Australian reports Seven conducted a workplace investigation and assigned her to a production desk, after counselling. We have addressed this matter internally and disciplinary action has been taken, a Seven spokesman said. Seven does not condone this inappropriate conduct and all of our staff have the right to work in a safe, nurturing workplace free from prejudice. It isnt clear how long she will remain off air. On Tuesday Love was also accused of sharing another racist Instagram post in 2013 which showed an animal hospital next to a restaurant called China Chef. I want to apologise for an inappropriate post on my personal social media account this week and for an old post that also resurfaced, she said. Im deeply sorry for the hurt that Ive caused and, in particular, for offence to the Asian community. It certainly wasnt my intention. My posts were inappropriate and offensive. There is no excuse for perpetuating racist stereotypes in any forum. I am committed to moving forward, learning and growing in my new role and I hope that in time I can earn your trust back. MasterChef judge Melissa Leong also took to social media this week to say, Casual racism from nice people is possibly the most betraying and insidious kind. Not angry, just completely bummed that this video exists and that it isnt the first joke of this kind made by her, Leong wrote. Georgia, I really hope that your remorse is real and that you grow in the right direction, because this stuff hurts more people, more than you think. We must be allies for each other for a better world for all. Georgia Love has also deleted her Twitter account and has been dumped as a Chadstone shopping ambassador. Industry regulator the Australian Communications and Media Authority this week fronted the Senate media diversity inquiry. Labor Senator Kim Carr asked ACMA Chair Nerida OLoughlin about the regulators ability to take action against broadcasters. Kim Carr: Do you believe that you have the right toolkit to address breaches of the broadcasting codes in a timely manner? As I said Senator, I believe that were given the right set of powers for a co-regulatory framework. Kim Carr: So youre satisfied with the current regime? Nerida OLoughlin: Never ask a regulator if it wants more powers, Senator. Kim Carr: Why not? Thats our job. Nerida OLoughlin: The powers that we have, I think, are appropriate. Carr then asked if ACMA had the power to order on-air corrections. Nerida OLoughlin: No, we do not. But broadcasters do on-air corrections and as indicated by (SKY News CEO) Mr. Whittaker this morning, SKY News has indeed done that on a number of occasions, as have the commercial broadcasters. Kim Carr: Do you have the power to act on misinformation, for instance, inaccurate COVID-19 information quickly? Nerida OLoughlin: The codes of practice contain relevant clauses around accuracy and impartiality in news and current affairs. I think what youre asking is, can I take programming off air quickly? No. ACMA has previously acknowledged it does not have powers to fine networks over breaches, but has had rare enforceable undertakings where agreed to by networks. I was in the room in 2008 when then-Programming boss David Mott told media that 10 was putting a cooking show onto primetime TV and ditching Big Brother. Had TV lost the plot? But I happily ate my words when MasterChef Australia became a big fat hit. Since then television has put forward all kinds of daft reality contests from dating to glass-blowing to pottery and building with Lego. So why not a craft-based show? Enter Making It Australia, a format produced & hosted in the US by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. You know the drill: make something amazing in timed challenges, try not to get eliminated before the other guy and you might win $100,000 at the end. Throw in some cheeky hosts -Susie Youssef and Harley Breen- some supportive judges, colour, movement and diverse contestants. Hey presto, we have a show. Whats the end point, I have no idea? And yet it works so well that it may just be a lockdown antidote. If MasterChef taught Australians about plating up and sent kids into the kitchen, Making It may well do the same for crafting. The setting is an inviting rural barn, reminiscent of The Great Australian Bake-Offs shed in which our makers enter, full of wonderment. There are 13 of them skilled in various disciplines: sculpting, metalwork, props, costume, party planning, animation, architecture and more. As Plumber Dan tells us, Making & creating is my way to feel special, my way to feel different some people are fantastic at running. Im gifted with being amazing at making and creating. The format entails two challenges: a Faster Craft followed by a Master Craft. Patches are given out to challenge winners, although Im unclear of their purpose or value aside from reminding me of being a boy cub. In the premiere the Faster craft is actually a 3 hour challenge in which each must build their Secret Beast. There are colourful pandas, octopus, wolves, drop bears and even a disco themed bat. I think. The contestants are, like Lego Masters, loveable geeks who vary in their ages, ethnicity and sexuality. Inclusivity is matched by optimism, with contestants often seen to be helping one another despite being competitors. Whether working with wood, metal, paper, glitter or clay, theres almost something for everybody here. Judges Deborah Riley & Benja Harney accentuate the positive, finding something nice to say even when a design is a little under-done. Yes theres a clock, hokily with a ticking screwdriver, to add jeopardy before someone is predictably eliminated by episodes end. But hosts Susie Youssef and Harley Breen are a breath of fresh air as a hosting duo, reminding us they are pretty dodgy at their own craft skills, peppered with bad puns. It just may be enough to make you pick up a hammer, paint brush or Bedazzler (dont pretend you dont remember). I dont always feel the need to watch a Lego model in progress (or for that matter a panna cotta) so much as sitting back and enjoying Lisa Simpsons completed diorama or Peter Bradys working volcano (again, dont pretend you dont remember) -but I accept that there are plenty who surely do. Making It Australia is made just for them. Making It Australia airs 7:30pm Wednesday & Thursday on 10. DUBLIN, September 10, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "The Liquor Industry in South Africa 2021" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report focuses on the South African liquor industry, including manufacture, wholesale and retail. It includes comprehensive information on the beer, wine and spirits industry, including the size and state of the sector, trade statistics, the informal sector, the effect of liquor bans and recent unrest, proposed regulation and other government intervention. There are profiles of 45 companies including major players such as DGB, Diageo and Pernod-Ricard and winemakers such as Simonsig and Morgenster. Retailers profiled include the major retailers, Liquor City and Picardi Rebel. Since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, South Africa's liquor industry has been subjected to four liquor bans and several periods in which liquor trading was restricted by the government. It is estimated that the bans and trading restrictions cost the industry over R45bn from March 2020 to July 2021. Total local liquor consumption (including Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Eswatini) decreased by 18% in 2020. The pandemic has also accelerated growth in no-alcohol and low-alcohol beverages, and led to an increase in ecommerce sales. Retail Supermarket groups Spar, Massmart, Shoprite and Pick n Pay have come to dominate liquor retail and incrementally taken share from independent bottle stores following their aggressive expansion into the sector. Woolworths has recently entered the market with its first standalone store. However, the large retailers all reported a decline in liquor revenue because of the liquor bans. Taverns continue to represent a large part of the sector. Wine South Africa is the world's seventh biggest wine producer and a significant employer in wine-growing regions. Wine sales declined by more than 10% in volume terms in 2020, with domestic sales only marginally ahead of export sales. Despite lockdowns and alcohol bans, wine exports, excluding those to neighbouring countries, grew in revenue terms in 2020. While the annual grape harvest increased, the number of wine producers, wine cellars and land under cultivation continue to decline. Wine experts warn that with the continuing decline in new plantings as a result of farmers coming under increasing financial pressure, the industry may soon find itself facing shortages of some varietals. Story continues Key Topics Covered: 1. INTRODUCTION 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY 2.1. Industry Value Chain 2.2. Geographic Position 3. SIZE OF THE INDUSTRY 4. STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 4.1. Local 4.1.1. Trade 4.1.2. Corporate Actions 4.1.3. Regulations 4.1.4. Enterprise Development and Social Economic Development 4.2. Continental 4.3. International 5. INFLUENCING FACTORS 5.1. Coronavirus 5.2. Economic Environment 5.3. Government Intervention 5.4. Health Issues 5.5. Illegal and Illicit Liquor Trade 5.6. Rising Operating Costs 5.7. Technology, Research and Development (R&D) and Innovation 5.8. Labour 5.9. Cyclicality 5.10. Environmental 6. COMPETITION 6.1. Barriers to Entry 7. SWOT ANALYSIS 8. OUTLOOK 9. INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS 10. REFERENCES 10.1. Publications 10.2. Websites Companies Mentioned Acheron Wines and Spirits (Pty) Ltd AlcoNCP (Pty) Ltd Backsberg Estate Cellars CC Beck Family Estates (Pty) Ltd Boland Wingerde Internasionaal (Pty) Ltd De Waal Wines (Pty) Ltd De Wetshof Estate (Pty) Ltd DGB (Pty) Ltd Diageo South Africa (Pty) Ltd Edward Snell and Company (Pty) Ltd Excelsior Marketing (Pty) Ltd Fairview Wines (Pty) Ltd Heineken South Africa (RF) (Pty) Ltd Kleine Zalze Wines (Pty) Ltd Lanzerac Estate Investments (Pty) Ltd Meridian Wine Distribution (Pty) Ltd Morgenster (1711) (Pty) Ltd Namaqua Wines Distribution (Pty) Ltd Newshelf 1167 (Pty) Ltd Ocean Traders International Africa (Pty) Ltd Oranjerivier Wynkelders Co-Operative Limited Primary Co-Operative P C Kelders (Pty) Ltd Pernod Ricard South Africa (Pty) Ltd Really Great Brand Company (Pty) Ltd (The) Robertson Wynmakery Landbou Kooperatief Beperk Primary Co-Operative Rustenberg Wines (Pty) Ltd Simonsig Wines (Pty) Ltd South African Breweries (Pty) Ltd (The) South African Distilleries and Wines (S A) Ltd Spier Farm Management (Pty) Ltd Stellenbosch Vineyards (Pty) Ltd Tiger Brands Ltd Van Loveren Vineyards (Pty) Ltd Vergelegen Wines (Pty) Ltd Vinimark Trading (Pty) Ltd Warshay Investments (Pty) Ltd Wines of the World Distributors (Pty) Ltd Zidela Wines (Pty) Ltd For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qkhq8r View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210910005347/en/ Contacts ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Ig Nobel Prize winning experiment to determine whether it is safer to transport an airborne rhinoceros upside-down (Improbable Research) Research into transporting rhinoceros upside down and analysing the bacteria to be found on wads of discarded chewing gum are among the winners of this years Ig Nobel Prizes for quirky and sometimes ridiculous science. The Ig Nobel Prizes, which honour scientific achievements that make people laugh, then think, is organised every year by the magazine Annals of Improbable Research. Held every September in a gala ceremony in Harvard Universitys Sanders Theatre to celebrate the unusual, honour the imaginative and spur peoples interest in science, medicine, and technology, this years event was held online on Thursday due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The winners were awarded a $10,000,000,000,000 bill from Zimbabwe as well as a printable PDF document that can be assembled to make a three-dimensional gear with teeth. The Ig Nobel Ecology Prize was awarded to a team of scientists from the Institute of Integrative Systems Biology who used genetic analysis to identify the different species of bacteria living in wads of discarded chewing gum stuck on pavements in various countries. In the research, the scientists collected 10 chewing gum samples from across several countries including France, Spain, and Singapore, froze and ground them down to a fine powder. They assessed the diversity of bacteria living in these samples, and how in the weeks after the gums disposal there was microbial transition from oral bacteria to ones from the environment. The researchers found that oral bacteria persisted for a surprisingly long period of time on wasted chewing gum. This study is the first report revealing from a holistic approach the bacterial composition of wasted chewing gum, the scientists noted in the study, published last year in the journal Scientific Reports. The Ig Nobel Transportation Prize was won by a team of scientists who determined, by experiment, whether its safer to transport an airborne rhinoceros upside down. Their research, published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases, assessed if the way black rhinos were airlifted could exacerbate the effects of the tranquillising opioids they are put under during relocation. Story continues Since wild black rhinos in South Africa are under threat from poaching, they are often captured and relocated, but due to the rugged terrain of their natural habitats, they tend to be airlifted. Because there is a paucity of physiological information on airlifted rhinoceros, the first aim of this study was to collect measurements on black rhinoceroses suspended by their feet from a crane to mimic the position that they would be in while being transported under a helicopter, the scientists wrote in the study. Observing how the rhinos fared under the effects of the tranquilliser in different airlifting positions, the researchers, including Robin Radcliffe from Cornell University, found that their lung and blood vessel function fared slightly better while hanging upside down by the feet. These experiments suggest that the pulmonary system of immobilised black rhinoceros is no more compromised by suspension by the feet for 10 minutes than it is by lying in lateral recumbency, they said. However, the scientists said more studies are needed to assess how the rhinos fare when airlifting takes more than 10 minutes. Among the other winners of this years Ig Nobel Prizes include one in Economics for discovering that the obesity of a countrys politicians may be a good indicator of that countrys corruption, and in Peace for testing the hypothesis that humans evolved beards to protect themselves from punches to the face. The prize in the Biology category was won by Susanne Schotz from Lund University for her body of work over the years analysing variations in different forms of cat communication, including purring, chirping, chattering, trilling, tweedling, murmuring, meowing, moaning, squeaking, hissing, yowling, howling, growling and other modes. In the coming weeks, the event organisers say, the winners would give free public talks to explain, if they can, what they did and why they did it. These talks, the Ig Informal Lectures, will be presented one at a time, over the coming weeks. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, this years lectures will be presented online, rather than in a lecture hall in their usual home, MIT (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, they said. Read More Oxygen therapy may slow Alzheimers, study finds AstraZeneca and Pfizer booster jabs approved by UK medicines regulator South Korean researchers create chameleon-like artificial skin Breast milk of vaccinated mothers contains Covid antibodies, study shows Turning off cameras in meetings reduces tiredness, study suggests A unique mixture of salts may have sparked life on Earth Afghanistan on Thursday received humanitarian assistance, including food and medicines, from five countries, an official said. The cash-strapped country, which suffered 20 years of war, is now in severe economic crisis, and poverty can be seen everywhere in the capital Kabul with people even begging for bread to survive. According to Abdul Hadi Hamdarda, an official at Hamid Karzai International Airport, four planes from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Pakistan arrived in Kabul to supply food and medicines to the recently constituted interim Taliban administration, Anadolu Agency reported. Afghanistan also received aid from neighboring Turkmenistan by road, Hamdarda said. The construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was fully completed on the morning of September 10, Gazprom said in a statement. "At a morning operational meeting of Gazprom, Chairman of the Board Alexey Miller said that at 8:45 Moscow time, the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has been fully completed," the statement said. It was reported earlier that the project operator had finished laying the last pipe of the Nord Stream 2. The company expects to commission the gas pipeline by the end of the year. According to Gazprom, 5.6 bln cubic meters of gas can be supplied through the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline this year. Bloomberg, citing sources, reported that Gazprom plans to start supplying gas through the first string of Nord Stream 2 from October 1, and through both - by December 1. Nord Stream 2 includes two lines of the gas pipeline with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. The work was suspended in December 2019 after Swiss Allseas abandoned pipe-laying due to the threat of US sanctions. Since December 2020, the construction of the gas pipeline has been resumed. The European Parliament as well as the OSCE/ODIHR will send observers for Georgias October 2 municipal elections. OSCE/ODIHR has tweeted that both its short and long-term observers will monitor the elections. Twenty-five foreign organisations have been registered so far to observe the elections. The Georgian government says that it wants more international observers to prevent any question marks regarding the election results. The National Democratic Institute, which will also observe the elections, said that holding the elections in a fully democratic way is important for Georgias Euro-Atlantic future and has released its recommendations ahead of the elections, Agenda.ge reported. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended a ceremony to launch the 'Kalbajar' oil tanker at Baku Shipyard. Chairman of the Azerbaijan Caspian Sea Shipping Closed Joint-Stock Company Rauf Valiyev informed the head of state about the tanker. The construction of the oil tanker began at Baku Shipyard two years ago on the order of the Azerbaijan Caspian Sea Shipping Closed Joint-Stock Company. Its deadweight is 7,800 tons. The tanker measures 141 m in length, and 16.9 m in width. President Aliyev cut the ribbon symbolizing the launch of the oil tanker. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov believes that amid the current world gas prices, hardly anyone will listen to claims about the "danger" of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. "As for these warnings to Ukrainians and Europeans that this is an extremely dangerous project and so on, amid the current gas prices, in the current catastrophic situation with the filling of underground gas storage facilities, it is unlikely that anyone is ready to listen to these cries," Peskov said in an interview with Channel One. He underscored the fact that despite all the "green" processes, gas continues to be the cleanest fuel, and pipe gas is a guaranteed energy resource both in terms of volume and price. "And so it will be in the foreseeable future," Peskov said. "Therefore, gas is needed. In order to have more gas for development and emerging from pandemic Europe, it must go along two lines. Europe is interested in this," the press secretary of the Russian leader noted. He added that Moscow, as a responsible member of the international energy community, is also interested in this and is ready to be a reliable supplier. Dmitry Peskov also said that "Russia hopes that no one and nothing will be able to hamper the commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 project." "Now we know that the project is in its final stage. We hope that nothing and no one will be able to interfere with the commissioning of this large infrastructure facility," he said. Officials in India are battling to keep another virus at bay after it claimed the life of a 12-year-old boy. India's southern Kerala state has seen a recent outbreak of the Nipah virus that can be transmitted from human to human or via infected animals with more infections confirmed over the weekend. Following the death of the boy, Indian authorities ramped up efforts to trace all those who came into contact with him, with 188 people identified so far. About 20 of those are considered high-risk because they are family members and are now under strict quarantine or in hospital. Two healthcare workers who took care of the boy are now showing symptoms of Nipah, while Indian authorities have sealed off a two-miles radius around the boy's home. The case of Nipah in Kerala come as India battles a surge in COVID cases with 43,263 more in the 24 hours up to Wednesday, In Kerala alone, there were 30,196 new COVID cases in the same period, while deaths from COVID in the country increased by 338. The Nipah virus which was first discovered in 1999 in Malaysia provokes symptoms including a fever and headache that can last anywhere between three days and two weeks, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). At least 50 people, including more than 30 children, have died from dengue and other fevers in India's northern Firozabad district.That's according to doctors on September 3, who say the area is facing an outbreak of mosquito-borne diseases among the youth - as well as cases of viral fever. Additional beds were set up in kitchens and storage rooms at the Autonomous State Medical College, needed to accommodate the rising number of patients.Dengue fever, also known as break bone, can cause intense pain in muscles and joints.It's spread by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which thrives in mega-cities of the tropics.Most sufferers survive, but the virus is estimated to kill about 20,000 people every year - many of whom are children. They say that infected people will also develop symptoms including fever, headaches, myalgia (muscle pain), vomiting and a sore throat. This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs that indicate acute encephalitis. The WHO says Nipah is less transmissible that COVID, but estimates the case fatality rate to be between 40% and 75% compared to about 2% for COVID. There are currently no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah, the WHO added. Turkey has administered over 100.3 million coronavirus vaccine shots since the country launched an immunization campaign in January, according to official figures released on Thursday. Over 50.9 million people have taken their first doses, while more than 39.6 million are fully vaccinated, the Turkish Health Ministry said. The data showed that 81.6% of the country's adult population has received at least one dose of a two-shot vaccine. Turkey has also given third booster shots to over 9.2 million people. The ministry also reported 23,846 new coronavirus cases, while as many as 257 more people died of the disease in the past 24 hours. Reaching the milestone of 100 million vaccine doses is a great success for Turkey, the countrys health minister Fahrettin Koca said at a news conference in Ankara. He said the vaccination campaigns progress has taken Turkey closer to achieving herd immunity, Anadolu Agency reported. Currently, nearly 90% of active cases are people who are either partially vaccinated or not vaccinated at all, Koca said. The number of daily infections in the country would have been at least four to five times higher if the vaccination drive had been slower, the minister added. On Turkeys domestic vaccine candidate, Koca said the TURKOVAC jab is at a stage where authorities are preparing to apply for emergency use approval. If approved, we will start mass production in October, he said, adding that two facilities are now ready for manufacturing. The armed robber who attacked the Bank of Georgia branch in Kvareli, eastern Georgian region of Kakheti earlier today has been detained, the Georgian Interior Ministry reports. The individual, identified only as Sh.M. and born in 1972, was detained for holding 13 individuals hostage, as well as illegal purchase and possession of ammunition. Everything was held at the highest possible level and it ended without blood, thank God! Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri said. Noting that the detainee has been identified, Minister Gomelauri did not provide further details. "I want to thank everyone, [especially] our personnel as well as the bank personnel, everyone who was inside," Agenda.ge cited him as saying. The man, who held the individuals hostage in a hold up of a Bank of Georgia branch, allegedly demanded over half a million GEL. However, over an hour before his detention all the hostages were safely released. The Russian military base in Tajikistan will be provided with 30 modernised tanks by the end of 2021, Russia's Central Military District said on 10 September. The batch will come as an addition to some 100 units of armored weapons, including 30 T-72B3M tanks with enhanced combat capacities, received by the Central Military District earlier this year. "For today, we have completely re-equipped the tank battalion of the motorised rifle regiment of the tank division with the T-72B3M. By the end of the year, another 30 modern tanks will come to replace combat vehicles of earlier modifications of the tank battalion of the Russian military base in Tajikistan," a statement read. The T-72B3M tanks are equipped with increased armor protection of the crew and the power plant through the use of modern means of active and passive protection, among other upgraded characteristics. Astrakhan is hosting the 6th Caspian Media Forum, devoted to ethnocultural media communications, as well as environmental and ethnocultural tourism. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Caspian Sea countries are currently improving the regulatory framework of their relations and promoting political dialogue, bringing relations in the region to a new level. The Minister noted that the Caspian Media Forum has established itself as a popular platform for discussing the current agenda of the Caspian states. "Cooperation in the Caspian region is reaching a new level: the regulatory and legal framework is being improved, the dialogue within multilateral formats and mechanisms is being promoted. Cooperation in the information sphere contributes to the deepening trust," Lavrov added. U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley said that his meetings with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov were good and constructive "Good and constructive meetings in Moscow with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov where we discussed our shared goal of a return to negotiations and quick mutual resumption of compliance with the JCPOA," he wrote on Twitter. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement following the talks held on Wednesday and Thursday that Ryabkov and Malley have discussed the prospects for returning to the full-fledged implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Irans nuclear program at the consultations in Moscow. While Da Nang, Bac Giang and Quang Ninh have been using It well to fight the pandemic, Hanoi has not deployed technology at the same level, especially for management procedures. Bac Giang province, which earlier was a Covid-19 epicenter, used medical declaration check-in points to identify Industrial Zones and places with high risks. Nguyen Gia Phong, Deputy Director of the Bac Giang Information and Communications Department, said on the first days after the outbreak medical declarations were carried out manually, which caused problems for statistical work. Later, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) suggested intensifying the use of IT in medical declaration to obtain as many declarations as possible. The provincial authorities then asked all offices, hotels, restaurants and workers in vehicles to become medical declaration points. People could also make health declarations at groceries and on buses. There was always a QR code there for people to scan and report their health conditions. Every check-in point compiled the number of declarations to gather sufficient data for localization and tracing if necessary. Bac Giang also used technology in sampling for Covid-19 testing. Residents who had Bluezone installed on their smartphones were given a barcode to be stuck on sample tubes. Before people had their samples taken, the tubes were prepared in advance to save time. In Ba Ria Vung Tau province , according to Le Van Tuan, Director of the provincial Department of Information and Communications, medical workers took peoples information on paper and then entered the data into Excel file later or days before sending the data to CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). It took a lot of time. In some cases, the samples reached CDC before the list of people, which led to tardiness in testing. To settle the problem, the department decided to scan information with QR Codes from the Bluezone app of people instead of preparing a paper list. Tuan estimated that it took people less than a minute from the time of scanning the code to the time the test sampling was fulfilled. The testing results can be given within the day. Tuan said as data are updated in accordance with real time, it facilitates management at different levels. Da Nang, when imposing social distancing, began issuing travel permits with QR Codes. People submit travel permits or open eTicket-DaNang app with QR Codes for officers to scan, which takes only five seconds. HCM City not only uses technology to manage vaccinations and control people under quarantine, but also to deliver welfare bags to those who have lost jobs. HCM City Mayor Phan Van Mai said the An Sinh app is available on both Google Play and App Store for people to download and register. More than 200,000 people have registered via the An Sinh app. The features of the app are easy to operate. Like other localities, Hanoi has set up a hotline to receive reports about pandemic prevention. Since the pandemic broke out, the information department has received and analyzed data on Bluezone and tokhaiyte. However, Hanoi has had problems developing technology to fit management methods. Just within one month, the city changed the form of travel permits four times. Most recently, the municipal authorities said that the QR Code travel permit will be granted via software granting and checking travel permits with identification. However, the traffic congestion occurred and the city had to adjust regulations once again. Some people have said they do not know which documents they need to have or how to obtain the documents, or whether they should register online or come to appropriate agencies. A netizen commented that while other localities used QR Codes as passports one year ago, and people needed to scan the QR Code to find out if they were safe to travel, in Hanoi, people just scan QR Codes for fun. They print QR Code on travel permits mostly to show to officers at checkpoints, but no one really knows if the people are safe, he said. Traffic is congested because of the complicated management process and poor organization. Da Nang, HCM City and Binh Duong have used the QR Code granting systems developed by technology firms, but Hanoi has not done so. Thai Khang 40% of Covid-19 cases in Hanoi found through electronic medical declaration screening As many as 13,579 people reporting coughing and high temperature on medical declarations turned out to be positive cases, amounting to 40 percent of total cases of the city. Businesses all want to resume economic activities but experts say the reopening of the economy must be done with a specific roadmap and that haste will lead to failure. Tran Thanh Son, head of the HR Division of Song Ngoc Garment Company, keeps a notebook about the changes in his workforce at his company. After 75 days of implementing the three on-the-site production mode, the enterprise is drawing up a soft adaptation plan if HCM City reopens after September 15. Since 35 percent of workers left their jobs during the three on-the-site time, the company has had to recruit more workers. The workers must test negative to coronavirus, and at first, they stay in a separate buffer zone. After a certain time, the workers step by step mix with the existing workforce. The enterprise is drawing up a plan to live together with the pandemic. It is considering a production plan with requirements higher than that set by state agencies in anticipation of problems. The three on the site model will still be applied with flexibility. Reopening the economy is in the mind of many business owners. However, the reopening needs to be made step by step. If our workers still dont have two vaccine shots, they will still have to stay in factories. Doing business is important, but peoples lives are the most important, Son said. Production organization Nguyen Hoang Dung, a respected economist, also thinks the reopening of the economy must go in accordance with a roadmap. State agencies need to stipulate which business fields will be reopened first and which will be reopened later. He suggested that state agencies issue licenses or grant the right to organize production during the pandemic. The licenses need to be issued step by step. The licenses will clearly point out the activities that enterprises can carry out, the production process, transport routes, related products and the level of production allowed. He said that the reopening should be implemented only when requirements can be satisfied, or it will cause serious consequences. If the pandemic developments become more complicated, enterprises may earn one dong but would have to spend 10 dong to treat disease. Deputy Head of the Vietnam Research Institute for Development Pham Binh An affirmed that living together with the pandemic is the only choice. Vietnam needs to prepare its healthcare system, production organization and awareness about the issue. He believes that it would be better to give autonomy to enterprises to organize production. The State will support enterprises and solve problems so that enterprises can recover step by step. Chair of the HCM City Hepza Business Association Nguyen Van Be also thinks that it is not feasible to strive for a zero covid situation. Nearly 700 factories and buisinesses operating three on the site and one route two locations in 18 IZ (industrial zones), hi-tech parks and EPZs (export processing zones) want to recover the economy but need to face the fact that they have to live with the pandemic. On June 20-25, about 300,000 workers in IZs and EPZs got the first vaccination shot and they now need the second shot. The workers will serve as a solid stronghold in production when the economy is reopened. Be has also suggested the establishment of field hospitals in IZs, EPZs and hi-tech zones. At present, when 4-5 Covid cases are discovered, an enterprise with thousands of workers may be forced to close its doors. If field hospitals are set up, this will not happen. If positive cases are found, its necessary to localize one production line or workshop, while field hospitals will undertake the other requirements as guided by the Ministry of Health (MOH). Enterprises will have to recruit workers again. Some stages and links of production and supply chains have been disrupted. The enterprises will be starting up for the second time, he said. Tran Chung VN workforce skills to rise commensurate with FDI inflows: analysts With the increasing foreign investment in Vietnam, the human resource structure will see a fundamental change since FDI generally goes into industries that require medium to very skilled workers, experts have said. Hanois Mayor Chu Ngoc Anh has signed a document on the 24/7 duty regime on testing and vaccinations. The citys Peoples Committee has asked leaders of districts and towns to implement a large-scale testing campaign in the entire city, ensuring safety and efficiency, so as to timely discover infection sources and isolate the sources and stamp out the pandemic. It has urged local authorities to draw up detailed plans and organize vaccination campaigns in every ward, commune and town. There are two important principles: the best vaccine is the one that is given the earliest and all vaccines must be used up as soon as they arrive. The document says that mobile clinics must be set up in areas which are still under social distancing. In other localities, mobile clinics must be organized in communes, wards and towns, ready to deal with community transmitted cases. The Peoples Committee has asked local authorities to have a 24/7 duty regime to ensure timely receipt and handling of all information, and to carry out disease prevention work. Leaders must take responsibility before the municipal authorities and Party Committee about the organization of the testing and vaccination program. The municipal authorities asked officials and people to be on high alert about the pandemic, warning that lack of vigilance may lead to serious consequences. According to the Hanoi Healthcare Department, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has allocated 1 million Sinopharm vaccines to the city, with the first inoculations starting on September 9. Hanoi so far has received a total of 4.3 million Covid-19 vaccine doses, which does not include the 1 million doses allocated to hospitals and central units in the locality. To implement the large-scale testing and vaccination campaign in Hanoi, the city will receive support from 11 cities and provinces, including Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Ha Nam, VInh Phuc, Hoa BInh, Thai Nguyen, Hai Duong, Phu Tho, Quang Ninh and Hai Phong. To speed up the vaccination process, Hanoi will vaccinate people in the evening as well and set up more immunization points at cultural houses and schools. Before getting an injection, all people will have to have a rapid antigen test. The city aims to have 100 percent of people aged 18 and more vaccinated with their first shot by September 15 in accordance with Resolution 21 and the Prime Ministers instructions. Huong Quynh More than 33 million doses of vaccines allocated to localities nationwide All 33.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines shipped to Vietnam so far have been distributed to localities nationwhile, meeting 20 percent of the demand for the national vaccination plan, said the Ministry of Health. HCM City Chairman Phan Van Mai said the participation of private medical facilities in Covid-19 treatment will reduce pressure on the public healthcare system, but private facilities need funding. The city has asked the Prime Minister to allow private medical facilities to collect fees for treating Covid-19 patients. The Ministry of Health had previously asked HCM City to mobilize private medical facilities, especially for treatment to relieve pressure for public health facilities. Surveys show that the procurement of drugs and medical supplies as well as the usage and costs for the treatment of Covid-19 patients between the public and private medical facilities are different. The payment mechanism for covid-19 treatment at the public health system is unsuitable for private medical facilities as it is not enough for private medical facilities to maintain operations. However, if private medical facilities are allowed to collect fees based on actual costs, many negative impacts will arise. At present, Covid-19 patients in Vietnam are treated for free. According to private medical facilities, there are many covid-19 patients who are willing to pay the cost of Covid-19 treatment to receive treatment on demand, and to share part of treatment costs with the State budget. Based on this fact, private medical facilities have asked the authorities to allow them to charge fees for examination and treatment services for Covid-19 patients. On August 23, HCM City asked the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance to have guidance on paying Covid-19 treatment costs for private medical facilities. On September 1, the Ministry of Finance asked the Ministry of Health to urgently research, develop and submit to authorities or issue regulations on the implementation of Covid-19 treatment and payment of expenses for Covid-19 medical examination and treatment at non-public medical facilities. Due to the urgent need to mobilize private medical facilities to participate in Covid-19 treatment, HCM City asked the Prime Minister to direct the Ministry of Health to promptly implement the proposal of the Ministry of Finance. Tu Anh Should private hospitals be allowed to provide treatment to Covid-19 patients? HCM City authorities have recently asked the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance to consider permitting private healthcare facilities to provide Covid-19 treatment services to patients on demand. The Government on Thursday ordered the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to ease regulations on grant and re-grant of work permit for foreigners in Vietnam. Illustrative image. File photo This is part of the Governments Resolution No. 105/NQ-CP on support for enterprises, co-operatives and household businesses in the face of COVID-19 pandemic. The Government also tasked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to step up vaccine diplomacy efforts and mutual recognition of vaccine passports with other countries and territories in preparation for reopening of the economy once the conditions allow. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance was assigned to mull over and submit to the Government policy on extension of payment time limits for excise tax on domestically manufactured or assembled cars. In last April, the Government issued Decree No. 52/2021/ND-CP providing extension of payment time limits for value-added tax, corporate income tax, personal income tax, and land rentals in order to support businesses and people suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Decree is applicable to enterprises operating in agro-forestry-fishery, food processing, textile, crude oil and natural gas exploitation, water supply and wastewater treatment. Other beneficiaries include small- and micro-sized enterprises as specified in the 2017 Law on Assistance for Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Decree 39 dated March 11, 2028; and credit institutions and foreign bank branches that provide support to customers hit by the COVID-19 pandemic as requested by the State Bank of Vietnam. Under the Decree, a five-month grace period will be given to value-added tax of the assessment periods of March, April, May and June, the first and second quarters this year. This means the payment of value-added tax of the March assessment period will be extended to September. Timeframe for payment of value-added tax of July and August will be extended by four and three months, respectively. The extended time is counted from the deadline for payment of value-added tax in accordance with the Law on Tax Administration. Meanwhile, payment of corporate income tax in the first and second quarters will be extended by three months, according to the Decree. A six-month break will be given to land rental payers, starting from May 31, 2021. Source: VGP Education experts warn that teachers will be sure of failure if they use in-person teaching methods for online teaching for first graders. Nguyen Quang Tiep (left) and Tran Thanh Nam (right) Tran Thanh Nam, Dean of Education Sciences, and Nguyen Quang Tiep, Head of the Primary Education Division at Hanoi National University, warned that teaching online to first graders will be a great challenge for teachers this year, because unlike other students, first graders are not yet acquainted with teachers and friends. Schools and teachers need to prepare thoroughly to organize online teaching in an effective way. There are still many difficulties in organizing online teaching, especially for first graders who still dont have a sense of self-study Teachers need to restructure the curriculum and draw up long-term scenarios for the new academic year with many different plans, including online teaching. During in-person classes, teachers can easily interact with students to give support, but in online classes, this is more difficult. Therefore, online lessons need to be structured well. Teachers need to select the most important knowledge suitable to the online teaching mode that is visual and attractive to children. Tiep said that, for first graders, lessons in Vietnamese need to be designed to form the four basic skills of listening, speaking reading and writing, while lessons in mathematics should be designed to help students learn skills in basic operations. Experts believe the timetable for online teaching should be rearranged. Students should have lessons on only half a day and there should be no more than two online learning hours a day. This will help prevent children from working too much on computers. Tiep said that when designing online lesson plans, teachers should convey the most important content in 10-15 minute segments when the childrens attention is at its highest level during the lesson. Nam agreed, saying that first graders concentration doesnt last more than 15 minutes. He suggested that it would be better to restrict the time for each learning session. Each session should last 15 minutes, then students would have a 5 minute break. After that, another session would begin. After four such 30-minute sessions, the school day will end. I think this method would be more effective. We also need to change our viewpoint, striving to have higher-quality learning hours than a higher number of learning hours, Nam said. Teachers have been advised to use technology and easy-to-use games for all learning activities to keep children's attention, interest and concentration. Thuy Nga HCMC adopts solutions to help students for online learning According to the HCMC Department of Education and Trainings statistics on September 3, tens of thousands of students dont have laptops or smartphones for online learning as the new school year is going to begin in the next few days. The Ministry of Health has conditionally approved the use of Hayat-Vax vaccine, which is the 7th Covid-19 vaccine that the country has licensed for emergency use. This vaccine is produced by the Beijing Institute of Biological Products of China National Biotec Corporation, and packaged and shipped by the UAE. It is China's Sinopharm vaccine and technology transferred and packaged in the UAE. The Vietnamese Ministry of Health granted the license based on the import company's request and the safety, quality and effectiveness data provided by the company up to September 3. The Ministry of Health has asked the Drug Administration of Vietnam to grant an import license for Hayat-Vax vaccine according to regulations upon receiving the dossier of the importer. The Department of Science, Technology and Training is responsible for selecting a qualified agency to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine based on the advice of the Advisory Council on the use of vaccines and medical biological products of the Ministry of Health. The Department of Preventive Medicine is responsible for receiving, storing, distributing and using the vaccine. The National Institute for Testing of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals is responsible for testing and issuing the certificate for the batch of Hayat-Vax vaccine before it is put into use. The vaccine importing company must coordinate with the Ministry of Health to manage the risks of Hayat-Vax vaccine during its circulation in Vietnam. This is the 7th Covid-19 vaccine licensed by the Ministry of Health, after AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, Sinopharm, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. As of September 10, Vietnam has received about 30 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine, of which 26 million have been administered. Thuy Hanh As Ressetar reached the 44th floor, he heard an announcement that 2 World Trade was secure and no one was in danger. So Ressetar hopped on an elevator and returned to his 58th-floor office, thinking he could grab his bag and call his girlfriend, Chelsa, who now is his wife, and his father to tell them he was OK. Shortly after he hung up the phone, he heard a large explosion. The building shook and ceiling tiles started to fall. With a greater sense of urgency, Ressetar headed for the stairs for the second time, but not before a colleague told him he witnessed three people jump from the north tower to avoid a fiery death. Surprisingly, there was no panic. It was very calm, Ressetar said. It took a long time to get down 58 floors. There was waiting and stopping and waiting for people. It was shoulder-to-shoulder all the way down, and it was super hot. But everybody just thought we were running away from a fire, not from a building that was about to collapse. We didnt know at that point it was a plane or certainly that the building would collapse. After Ressetar made it out of the tower, he tried to stop at pay phones along the way to call loved ones, but there were long lines of people at each of them. He walked a couple of blocks and went into the subway to try to get to his midtown apartment. MOSCOW (AP) The presidents of Russia and Belarus said Thursday they have made significant progress on integrating their countries economies, including forming common energy and financial markets. The moves would bolster Belarus as it faces Western sanctions imposed in response to political repression after a disputed presidential election, and to its forced diversion of an airliner carrying a prominent opposition journalist. They would also give Russia a strengthened position in a country that acts as a buffer with NATO members. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko met Thursday for nearly four hours and announced that 28 programs strengthening integration were approved. The programs fall under a 1999 union agreement that calls for close political, economic and military ties but stops short of a full merger. Russia has buttressed Belarus economy with cheap energy supplies and loans. But ties often have been strained, with Lukashenko scolding Moscow for trying to force him to relinquish control of prized economic assets and eventually abandon his countrys independence. The programs include establishing a single gas market by the end of 2023. The Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville is the final resting place for those 40 heroes. The National Park Services website has a page dedicated to the Flight 93 Memorial, which says: The story of Flight 93 is a story of hope, courage, and unity. When confronted with the urgency of their situation, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 chose to act heroically and made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. These 40 heroes made a democratic decision to fight back against terrorism, defending our freedom and preventing even further loss of life. It is impossible to know, but it seems as if the 40 heroes understood the symbolism of our nations capital. While the attacks on 9/11 and Jan. 6 cannot be compared, we should not dismiss the damage Jan. 6 did to our democracy. Many supporters of the former president do not want to call what happened on Jan. 6 an insurrection. By definition, that is exactly what happened. In 1982, Princess Grace of Monaco, formerly film star Grace Kelly, died at age 52 of injuries from a car crash the day before, and more events WORKFORCE Biden mandates COVID vaccine for feds, contractors NOTE: This article appeared first on FCW.com President Joe Biden signed an executive order mandating vaccinations among federal executive branch employees on Thursday. A separate executive order requires employees of companies that do business with the federal government be vaccinated. The orders are part of a rollout of a new "six-pronged strategy" to quell the COVID-19 pandemic as the highly communicable Delta variant continues to spread, especially in regions of the country with low vaccination rates. The strategy includes mandating vaccines or testing for workers of companies that employ 100 or more workers, under a new Labor Department rule as well as provisions covering healthcare workers. The White House expects to give federal employees "about 75 days" to be fully vaccinated, the official said. The mandate will have "limited exceptions" for medical or religious reasons. Like the administration's original requirements, feds who don't comply will face progressive disciplinary action, the official added. Under the order, agencies will develop their own programs to implement the vaccination mandate. The Safer Federal Task Force, which has been issuing health and safety guidance for agencies throughout the pandemic, has one week to issue guidance on how agencies will implement the new mandate. The order covering contractors instructs agencies to ensure that contracts have a clause requiring contractors and subcontractors to comply with all guidance for contractor workplaces issued by the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force. That group is under a Sept. 24 deadline for issuing guidance on how this will all work for contractors. The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council is going to amend its regulations so that new solicitations and contracts have a clause on vaccines. It's under an Oct. 8 deadline for "initial steps" to implement with acquisition offices. "If you want to work with the federal government and do business with us, get vaccinated. If you want to do business with the federal government, vaccinate your workforce," Biden said in a nationally televised address late Thursday afternoon. The move marks a dramatic shift in the administration's policies for managing the COVID-19 pandemic among federal employees and contractors. While some agencies like the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs have established vaccination mandates for some or all of their employees, the administration settled on a policy giving federal employees a choice to either get vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 testing and masking protocols. Before the Sept. 9 orders, about 2.5 million service members and federal employees were operating under vaccine mandates being implemented by DOD, VA, the National Institutes of Health and the Indian Health Service. But other questions about implementation remain. It is not yet clear if the new policy will continue the practice of obtaining vaccination status from federal employees via "attestation" or require stricter proof of vaccination. The administration official told reporters that "each agency will work with their employees to make sure they understand the benefits of vaccination and how the vaccines are safe, easy, free and widely accessible." Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said that vaccination "is the best way for us to protect each other in the workplace," but he also noted that changes to workplace requirements such as COVID vaccination, "should be negotiated with our bargaining units where appropriate." "We expect to bargain over this change prior to implementation, and we urge everyone who is able to get vaccinated as soon as they can do so," Kelley said in an emailed statement. Tony Reardon, the national president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said that Biden is within his rights to issue a mandate. "NTEU members, like American society at large, will have differing reactions to the new policy. Some employees will disagree. Others will welcome the additional security that comes with knowing that all of their coworkers are vaccinated. Either way, the law is clear that employers, including the federal government, may implement a vaccination requirement for employees," Reardon said in an emailed statement. Larry Cosme, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, issued a statement calling the new mandate "misguided." "We understand that threatening peoples livelihood and penalizing employees for making independent medical decisions is not the answer," he said. "We will continue to review the legal landscape for this order and act as appropriate to support our members and voice their concerns." Federal managers also have concerns about being on the front lines of implementing the mandate. "We want to be sure that guidance that comes from the centers of government is detailed and specific around how agencies should treat individuals" who might have medical or religious exemptions from vaccinations," said Chad Hooper, the executive director of the Professional Managers Association, a national membership association representing managers at the IRS, told FCW. "Federal managers are personally, civilly liable for claims of discrimination arising out the workforce, and from the public, and I don't think that a lot of non- civil servants know that," Hooper said. This story was updated multiple times on Sept. 9 with new information. M&A Raytheon finds buyer for global training & logistics unit Raytheon Technologies has lined up a buyer for its roughly $1 billion-annual revenue global training and logistics unit that the company said in May was up for sale. Vertex Aerospace said Friday it is that buyer of the business that houses Raytheons defense training, professional services, modernization and sustainment, and mission critical solutions business lines. Neither the terms of nor the timeline to close the transaction were disclosed. In the year since its creation, Raytheon Technologies like so many others after a megamerger has gradually sold off business units seen as noncore to the combined company. Raytheon completed its $1.5 billion sale of the Forcepoint commercial cybersecurity entity earlier this year in the largest example. The combined company also was required by antitrust regulators to sell a few other business units including the military GPS shop now part of BAE Systems Inc. Vertex Aerospace is itself a carved-out entity, having been acquired three years ago by private equity firm American Industrial Partners from then-owner L3 Technologies (which later became L3Harris Technologies). RBC Capital Markets and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC are acting as financial advisers to Vertex and AIP, with Jones Day and Ropes & Gray the legal advisers and Baker Botts the regulatory counsel. Evercore is the financial adviser to Raytheon with Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz the legal adviser. I think one of the greatest things that he did was walk into a mosque, and how he declared that it is not the faith and the religion which has done it, just individuals, said Raja Akbar, Salmas husband, board member and a psychiatrist at UnityPoint in Cedar Falls. Hate crimes against Muslims still spiked from an average of 20-some reports nationwide in the 1990s to 481 in 2001, and from 12 assaults against Muslims in 2000 to 93 in 2001. Three people were killed as a result of those crimes, including a man in Arizona who was Sikh, not Muslim. Anti-Muslim hate crimes have remained well above 100 reports per year nationwide since, with around 30 to 50 of those involving assaults, according to the FBI. But in the past five years crimes have accelerated: In 2019, there were 219 such offenses reported to the FBI, second only to anti-Jewish hate crimes, and an all-time high of 127 assaults. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} One factor in the increase was spray-painted by vandals on the side of the Masjid Al-Noor Islamic Center in October 2016, just before the election: Trump. WATERLOO Most September 11ths find Matthew Rowenhorst in Washington, D.C., at a Department of Defense ceremony honoring his brother and 183 others who lost their lives when hijacked Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon 20 years ago. The ceremony, with all its pomp and brass, is nice, he said. But he also cherishes the moments he has alone at the 911 Pentagon Memorial, a series of wave-shaped benches and miniature pools, each bearing the name of someone who perished in the tragedy. Its never easy when a loved one dies. But its different when the whole country is going through the event that killed your brother, said Matthew Rowenhorst of Waterloo. His brother, Edward Veld Rowenhorst, 32, of Woodbridge, Va., was a civilian accountant for the Army who had worked at the Pentagon for years. "It used to bother me a little that my brothers death, something so painful and personal, was bundled with so many others into a national tragedy, but now Im honored that so many who never knew my brother grieve with me on that day. Maybe its because of that connection to strangers, and new generations born after September 11th, 2001, that I feel the need to share about my brother Eddie, and my experiences navigating those terrible days and weeks following September 11th," Matthew Rowenhorst said. The war is less abstract for Waterloo native Cpl. Brittany Kalvig, a 21-year-old maintenance logistics specialist in the Iowa Army National Guard. Her 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery unit was the last in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Kalvig said. She was then deployed to Al Asad, Iraq both places the U.S. sent troops to after 9/11 and returned home in June. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Her service, she said plus visiting the 9/11 memorial site in New York City and the pop-up trailer that came to Waterloo gave her a renewed understanding for the victims of the attacks. 9/11 was a horrible, tragic event, Kalvig said. It brought me to tears knowing that I am still in the same fight that started 20 years ago. ... I never thought that I would ever get sent over to Iraq or Afghanistan. She declined to give her opinion on the recent troop pull-out from Afghanistan beyond noting she believed the work done there has been fulfilled, but noted the wound of 9/11 felt raw to her, even though she had no lived memory of it. Twenty years later, we will never forget the horror and the pain; 20 years later, we will continue to fight for each other, she said. Lessons learned WAVERLY The Rev. Kris Kincaid sometimes thinks about what his sister would have accomplished had she not been on hijacked Flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. In his imagining of Waverly native Karen Ann Kincaid-Batacans future, she and her husband, Peter Batacan, move out of the Washington, D.C., area and come back to Iowa. They have kids. They raise a family. She told me she wanted to leave the big city and come back to the Midwest, said Kris Kincaid, also a Waverly native. Instead, all that her family has are memories, her wedding ring that somehow survived the fiery crash and an autopsy report that lists the cause of death as homicide and details how little of her physical remains were found. The irony of the warning on the reports cover isnt lost on Kris Kincaid. It cautions the reader that they should have a counselor or loved one present if they plan to read further. Counseling is one of Kincaids roles as a pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Dubuque. The pain of the Sept. 11 attacks continues two decades later. WATERLOO It was a Tuesday; Keith Kaspari remembers that quite clearly. Not yet director of aviation at the Waterloo Regional Airport, Kaspari on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, was driving to his job as the operations and maintenance manager at the Abilene Regional Airport in Abilene, Texas, when a radio report informed him an aircraft had struck the World Trade Center in New York. When he got to work, the airport director had also heard the report. The pair rushed to a nearby department store to pick up an antennae to hook up their office TV to get live channels, watching as the terrorist attack unfolded not only in New York City, but in Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Unlike others who were glued to their televisions that day, Kaspari had to unglue and quickly go to work: All planes in the air at the time of the attacks had to land immediately at any airport runway that could take them. Abilene was only about a 35-40 minute flight west of (Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport), Kaspari said. We saw many aircraft I do not remember the number divert into Abilene. Kaspari remembered Abilene had far too few rental cars on hand to accommodate the number of passengers that landed there that day. TC Energy, the Alberta company behind the pipeline proposal, has said its committed to partnering with the 20 First Nations that have executed agreements related to the project and has provided them an opportunity to invest in it. The FBI has been investigating the shunting incidents. On Oct. 11, 2020, shunts were placed in three different locations in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. They triggered an automatic braking system on a train that was transporting hazardous material, causing a portion of the train to decouple from the engine risking a derailment of tanker cars of flammable gas in a residential area, prosecutors said. On Dec. 22, a train carrying Bakken crude oil to the Phillips 66 refinery at Cherry Point did derail, with five tanks catching fire, north of Bellingham. No injuries were reported, but the fire sent a large plume of black smoke into the sky about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Seattle, and 120 people were evacuated from a half-mile radius. About 29,000 gallons of petroleum crude oil spilled from three of the tank cars. An investigation into that derailment continues, and no cause has been publicly identified. Brooks and Reiche each face up to 20 years in prison, though as part of Brooks' plea deal the government agreed to recommend a sentence at the low end of her guideline range as determined by the U.S. District Court. Brooks is due to be sentenced Oct. 7; Reiche on Dec. 17. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 After about 12 hours of work, crews ended their search for the day, said Northam's chief of staff, Clark Mercer. Mercer said workers planned to return Friday to put the stones they removed back in place and to insert a new time capsule in the cornerstone. He said it is doubtful workers would resume looking for the 1887 time capsule, but left open a small possibility. It's disappointing not to find the time capsule," he said. We looked where we thought it was. It doesn't preclude (us) in the future from finding it, but for right now, the mystery will continue." Dale Brumfield, a local historian and author who has conducted extensive research on the time capsule, said he is sure the capsule is located somewhere in the pedestal, citing a newspaper account of an 1887 dedication ceremony that drew thousands of people. I'm positive there's a capsule in there somewhere, he said. We just can't find where. A newspaper article from 1887 suggests the copper time capsule contains mostly memorabilia, including a U.S. silver dollar and a collection of Confederate buttons. But one line from that article has piqued the interest of historians. Listed among the artifacts is a picture of Lincoln lying in his coffin. A civil rights attorney who fought to desegregate Southern schools in the 1960s and was pushed out of his University of Mississippi teaching job amid uproar over his work on behalf of Black clients has died. He was 80. George M. Strickler Jr., died at his New Orleans home on Sept. 2 after a long illness, his son Andrew Strickler said Wednesday. After graduating from Yale Law School in 1966, the Vidalia, Louisiana, native worked with North Mississippi Rural Legal Services, a program affiliated with the University of Mississippi that was dedicated to providing legal help to the poor. He also taught part time at the university's law school. But the program's civil rights work quickly aggravated state lawmakers and Ole Miss trustees, who pushed the school to cut ties with the program after its lawyers filed a lawsuit to desegregate two public school districts in Marshall County. Strickler and one of his colleagues, Michael Trister, sued the school over its refusal to allow them to continue teaching while also working with the legal services program. Bauer-Kahan took offense when Assemblyman Jim Cooper, a fellow Democrat and former Sacramento County sheriff's captain, said officers should be allowed to presume that women who are provocatively dressed like that and carrying a purse full of condoms are street walkers. Its not rocket science, Cooper said. "You know who the players are and who they arent. I know I'm probably not the only woman on the floor that was triggered when one of our colleagues said, Well, theyre dressed that way,' Bauer-Kahan responded. Being dressed that way is not a crime, and it will never be OK to be victimized because you were dressed in any manner." The bill had support from both a former public defender, Assemblyman Ash Kalra, and a former prosecutor, Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, both Democrats. Law enforcement can help people without threatening to arrest them," Kalra said. This simply eliminates this vague provision in the penal code that allows for abuses for people that they simply be profiled for the wrong reasons," Muratsuchi said. Wiener's bill has support from the American Civil Liberties Union as well as groups representing LGTBQ individuals and sex workers. CAIRO, Ga. (AP) Jury selection in the death penalty trial of a Georgia inmate charged with killing two prison guards was halted Thursday because an attorney in the case is being tested for the coronavirus. Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said a prosecutor in the trial of Donnie Russell Rowe is awaiting results of a COVID-19 test. Rowe is charged with murder in the slayings of Sgts. Christopher Monica and Curtis Billue, corrections officers at Baldwin State Prison who were shot with their own guns as inmates escaped a prison bus in June 2017. Jury selection in the case began last week. If the prosecutor's coronavirus test comes back negative, Sills said, proceedings will resume Tuesday. He told WGXA-TV that a positive test result would delay things until Sept. 27. Prosecutors say Rowe and another inmate, Ricky Dubose, killed the guards while escaping from a prison transfer bus southeast of Atlanta. They were arrested in Tennessee a few days later. Dubose also faces the death penalty and will be tried separately. Kate Beckinsale has reportedly been rushed to hospital in Las Vegas after throwing her back out, and she is thought to still be in the emergency room. Liam Eisenberg As technology advances and companies look to cut costs, fewer customer-service inquiries are handled by real people. Consider this the rise of the robot representative. But dont fear. None of this means you need to avoid working with these tools. You just need to know how to use them to get the best service. Do you need human intervention anymore? Try to reach a live customer-service representative lately? Chances are you found yourself funneled instead to an FAQs page, automated call system or online forum with troubleshooting advice. Basically, youre being asked to use existing digital resources to solve the problem yourself. The reason for this is simple money. Building digital tools and resource guides, even when sophisticated, is still cheaper than paying teams of customer-service representatives. In some cases, companies are deliberately making it harder to speak with someone, says Michelle Kinch Shell, a visiting scholar at Harvard Business School who has studied behavioral operations management. This isnt as bad as it sounds. Digital resources have gotten much better. And they allow companies to provide assistance around the clock. Well-designed FAQs pages, customer forums and automated phone systems really do help, says Jacob Hartog, a tech entrepreneur whos done product management for mobile banking and telehealth applications. And, in many cases, more quickly than speaking to someone on the phone. Many customer issues are common with easy-to-solve questions like how to reset a password, find a specific form, make simple modifications to a smartphone, get a replacement card, or restart a device. From that point of view, it makes sense to use technology to automate repetitive tasks, Hartog says. And after becoming familiar with these systems, many prefer them to live agents standing by. Customers continue to demand these better, faster, more flexible ways of communicating, says Lisa Kant, vice president of product marketing at Zendesk, a customer-service platform. And traditional channels like voice, email or in-person service just arent enough. Many companies are even beginning to offer support on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. With no wait times and no need to search for a phone number or to wait on hold, its convenient, Kant says. But self-service isnt appropriate for all matters, especially stressful ones. When people are anxious, they crave human contact, says Shell, citing research she conducted at Harvard Business School. For tasks where self-service wont cut it or if you simply prefer speaking with a real representative there is not always a simple solution. Companies are not consistent with it, Shell says. Some still provide call centers or on-site troubleshooting, while others dont. And even when you manage to find that phone number? The wait may be long. Getting access to a human agent is an effort in patience, Shell says. One tip is to research a companys customer-service reputation before you buy. Check out Yelp reviews, Better Business Bureau ratings and social media comments. Whether self-service, a help center, a chat, a mobile app or a phone is your preference, you really want to look for brands that are going to walk the walk, Kant says. Beetaloo Grants to Drive Next Phase of Growth Sydney, Sep 10, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Empire Energy Group Limited ( ASX:EEG ) ( OTCMKTS:EEGUF ) is pleased to provide shareholders an update regarding grants awarded under the Australian Government's Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program and its operations in the Northern Territory.- Empire subsidiary Imperial Oil & Gas Pty Limited has executed three grant agreements with the Australian Government under the Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program- The grants will facilitate an acceleration of work program activities consistent with Empire's rapid commercialisation strategy- Work program approval for the next phases of work has been received from the NT Government and operations are restartingBeetaloo Drilling Grant Agreements ExecutedEmpire's wholly owned subsidiary, Imperial Oil & Gas Pty Limited ("Imperial"), has entered into grant agreements with the Australian Government which will offset 25% of the cost of seismic acquisition and the drilling, fracture stimulation and flow testing of three horizontal appraisal wells in its 100% owned EP187 tenement, located in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, Northern Territory.Beetaloo Work Program UpdateEmpire has received work program approval from the Northern Territory Government for the portions of its EP187 Environment Management Plan ("EMP") which relate to civil construction (access tracks, well pads and water bores) and seismic surveys in preparation for the upcoming horizontal appraisal drilling and fracture stimulation programs. These activities will commence in the coming days.Approval for the drilling and fracture stimulation components of the EMP are expected in the coming weeks.As previously disclosed to shareholders, Empire is finalising preparations to restart flow testing operations at the Carpentaria-1 vertical well in late September. The well has been shut in temporarily due to COVID related restrictions in the Northern Territory. The results of the flow testing program will generate important data for Empire's technical team as it decides which of the four productive Velkerri shale zones to land the first horizontal appraisal well into.Key Grant TermsGrant 1 - 25% of the cost of (i) 2D seismic acquisition; (ii) the drilling, fracture stimulation and flow testing of the Carpentaria-2 horizontal appraisal well (excluding the cost of the first 12 fracture stimulation stages and associated cost of horizontal section drilling2) and (iii) well design, fracture stimulation design, procurement, consumables, access track construction, well pad construction, evaporation pond construction, rig mobilisation and fracture stimulation spread mobilisation (collectively "associated activities"), capped at a total grant amount of $6.5m.Grant 2 - 25% of the cost of the drilling, fracture stimulation and flow testing of the Carpentaria-3 horizontal appraisal well and associated activities, capped at $6.8m.Grant 3 - 25% of the cost of the drilling, fracture stimulation and flow testing of the Carpentaria-4 horizontal appraisal well and associated activities, capped at $6.0m.The grants will be used to accelerate Empire's Beetaloo work programs consistent with the Australian Government's Beetaloo Strategic Basin Plan. In the success case, the work programs supported by grant funding will facilitate an increase in contingent (i.e. discovered) resources in EP187 and determine commercial flow rates from the Velkerri shale formation within EP187. This would facilitate negotiation of commercial gas sales agreements and award of production licenses.Subject to appraisal success and the future award of production licenses, these wells will become production wells, consistent with Empire's rapid commercialisation strategy.About Empire Energy Group Ltd Empire Energy (ASX:EEG) (OTCMKTS:EEGUF) holds over 14.5 million acres of highly prospective exploration tenements in the McArthur and Beetaloo Basins, Northern Territory. Work undertaken by the Company since 2010 demonstrates that the Eastern depositional Trough of the McArthur Basin, of which the Company holds 80% has very considerable conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon potential. The Beetaloo sub-Basin, in which Empire holds a substantial position, has independently assessed world class hydrocarbon volumes in place with a major ramp up in industry activity underway to appraise substantial discoveries already made by major Australian oil and gas operators. Empire Energy is an experienced conventional oil and gas producer with operations in the Appalachia region (New York and Pennsylvania). Empire has been successfully developing and producing oil and gas since 2006. Liu Liu Liu is an upscale restaurant like youve never seen before. You squint at the map, then into the blinding sun of 7 p.m. Before you: the illustrious Food King on St. Michaels Drive. Next to it, a forlorn-looking, empty Kmart. According to the quivering dot on your phone, you have arrived at your destination. Could this restaurant be inside the abandoned Kmart? Your mind runs wild. Your dinner date pulls up next to you and gestures at you from inside her VW. She seems to have figured it out. Not so fast. First, you must both mistakenly enter a drivers education school midsession before worming your way back out and around to a patio table outside the dark, anonymous storefront of the new restaurant Liu Liu Liu. Once youre seated, the cryptic details you heard on the restaurants voicemail begin to make sense. You are indeed at the door beside the barber shop, sitting on an artificial turf-covered square of sidewalk behind a cartoonish black picket fence. Youre at an upscale restaurant where the music plays loud and the experience will be far from the norm. It is an understatement. You might just be in for the most unusual dining experience Santa Fe has to offer. With Liu Liu Lius impeccably executed plates of Taiwanese-global haute cuisine, youre about to choose your own adventure. Leave it to a couple of restaurateurs from Los Angeles to keep Santa Fe weird or, rather, to single-handedly transform the citys rather staid white-tablecloth landscape into a decidedly more interesting one. Owner-operators Cameron Markham and Elizabeth Blankstein met while developing fine dining ventures in Southern California; theyve since opened five restaurants together. Liu Liu Liu is their first Santa Fe child, a small-plate-focused, family-style endeavor born of their COVID-postponed wedding, as well as a desire to shake things up in the City Different. (Albuquerque-raised Markham cut his teeth in Santa Fe in the hospitality industry after high school.) Blankstein cooks in the 10-table storefronts open kitchen, in an atmosphere best described as estate-sale gothic, with a loud soundtrack that veers from Vivaldi to the Violent Femmes. Markham hosts and waits tables, with the help of server Edgar Meija. Markham also performs the unusual duty of water sommelier, a title he earned from studying under expert Martin Riese, a man whom the Eater website called Americas only water sommelier in 2015. Markham will happily rattle on about the mineral content of any of the long list of sparkling and still waters on the menu. Before you know it, youre quaffing a $20 bottle of Vichy Catalan, a heady Spanish blend with a high total dissolved solids content that Markham says is available in only one other American locale. You might pair it with a selection from the global menu of sodas and juices, such as an apple soda from Taiwan ($4) or a carbonated yerba mate blend made in Miami ($4). The waters are presented and served in Champagne coupes around about the time you realize that Liu Liu Liu is making the best argument for the return of sit-down dining since the onset of the pandemic. The owners global fusion inspirations are best tasted in an appetizer of chicken liver mousse ($16) threaded with an apple brandy gelee, paired with a swath of taro honey beneath a selection of pillowy mini-sopaipillas dusted with red chile. Theres also the astonishing artichoke ($16), a long-stemmed specimen braised in an aromatic five-spiced Taiwanese lu wei broth with daikon radishes and carrots, served with a tangy white garlic aioli. Tamer selections might be the mellow marinated cucumbers, bathed in sesame oil, and served with yellow squash and garlic oil ($11), or even the sweet-and-salty black hummus, blended with black sesame and served with crudite ($12). Blankstein says the thick-cut noodle and beef soup ($26) comes from a Taiwanese family recipe; an entree of ground pork served over purple forbidden rice with pickled mustard greens ($22) bears out additional East Asian flourishes. The swordfish ($38) is spritzed with absinthe, served over a mash of chayote squash, married with an earthy smear of beet puree, sprinkled with edible lily flowers, then presented at the table with a pour-over Pernod veloute. Its a delicately flavored, subtly nuanced dish, with velvety notes that roam from sweet fennel to savory soil. The tofu with green Sichuan peppercorns, harissa and haricots verts ($20) may seem a bit ho-hum in comparison, until you taste the peppers tingling the tofu in your mouth and then take a soft sip of the Austrian medium-minerality Liquid Death water ($8). At this point, your meal may get even weirder for instance, drivers ed class lets out next door, a lost white dog wanders nearby, and the sun glows red across the parking lot over the mountains. Where are we? I happily ask my companion. But any strange happenings afoot are unmatched by the fun of popcorn-fried chicken ($38), a Taiwanese street food staple that Blankstein upgrades with fried basil, white pepper and Perigord black truffles generously shaved over the dish before you. Did I mention its served in a vessel closely resembling a fishbowl? Despite the incongruity of the restaurants surroundings, theres a sweet harmony present in nearly every dish at Liu Liu Liu. Over two visits, I listened to excited dinner guests locals and tourists alike praise the restaurants singular point of view, its raucous setting and adventurous spirit. Markham says he and Blankstein (both of whom have traditional sommelier training) are preparing to debut a beer and wine menu, fusing his knowledge of New World wines with her Old World expertise. True to Liu Liu Liu form, he says, Youre going to find items on that list you cant get anywhere else. You cant put a price on a human life until the times when thats exactly what one must do. Consider the families of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the compensation packages offered by the government. Should the childless widow of a bartender at the Windows of the World restaurant receive the same amount as the family of a CFO who had four children? Is it right to even ask such questions? Director Sara Colangelos well-intentioned and well-acted but unfortunately dry and slow-paced Worth is based on the true story of the attorney who volunteered for the job nobody else wanted the special master who led the legal team that determined the financial worth of each victim of 9/11 and had to convince the families the settlement offers were fair. Less than two weeks after 9/11, Congress approved the Sept. 11th Victim Compensation Fund, but it would take effect only if at least 80% of the families signed on and effectively waived their right to sue the airlines. (The airline lobby considered the bill vital to its survival, claiming lawsuits would drive airlines out of business and would have a ripple effect destroying the economy.) Michael Keaton plays Ken Feinberg, a suit-and-tie policy wonk who is brilliant with numbers and the law but is lacking in emotional intelligence which is brought home in a disastrous town hall meeting with victims families and friends, including some firefighters who nearly shout him out of the building. Complicating matters is the constant presence of an activist widower named Charles Wolf (Stanley Tucci), who has picked apart the governments proposal and has set up a website called FixTheFund. Keaton and Tucci are tremendous together in their numerous scenes, as these two learned, decent men who share a love of opera find ways to agree to disagree without making it personal. Amy Ryan is solid as ever as Feinbergs second in command, and Shunori Ramanathan is wonderful as a new associate in the firm who just missed being in the World Trade Center on 9/11. As Feinberg and his team keep track of the number of sign-ups on a whiteboard (a device that seems more suited to a movie about an election), we learn the stories of some of the survivors, including a man who learns hell get nothing because his home state doesnt recognize gay unions, and a firefighters wife who doesnt want any money at all just assurances her husbands name and heroics wont be forgotten. Mostly, though, Worth is a procedural and a character study, as Feinberg finally steps out from behind his desk and the comfort of his calculations to hear the stories of these families. Theres no doubting Ken Feinberg is a special kind of person and attorney; he has handled victim compensation cases tied to the shootings in Sandy Hook, Aurora, Orlando and Virginia Tech, as well as scandals involving the Catholic Church and Penn State, and many, many others. Keaton ladles on the Massachusetts accent a bit too thick, but hes always a compelling screen presence, and he turns in fine work, as do Tucci, Ryan and the strong supporting cast. Robert Cortez doesnt need a calendar or annual memorial services to remind him of 9/11. All it takes to put him back into the horror of that day is a low-flying plane or a loud noise that sounds like an explosion. Thats because Cortez, then a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, was at the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 plunged into the military complex, killing 125 persons in the building and all 64 people, including five hijackers, on the plane. I heard this noise like a train coming down the hall, Cortez recalled during a recent interview at his West Side home in Albuquerque. And then BOOM, the doors blew open and the ceiling tiles flopped up. Vietnam veteran An Albuquerque native, Cortez grew up in the citys Barelas and Wells Park neighborhoods. He graduated from Albuquerque High in 1968 and joined the U.S. Naval Reserve. Assigned to Construction Battalion 22, he served in Vietnam from March 1970 to April 1971. Cortez lay block for buildings that would serve as quarters for Vietnamese navy officers and worked with plumbers and electricians when he could. Once, on a supply run north of Da Nang, his unit came under enemy fire. The Marines came in with their Cobra helicopters and ground troops and cleaned things up, he said. After his time in Vietnam, Cortez transferred from the Naval Reserve to the New Mexico Army National Guard Officer Candidate School. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in June 1974. In May 1975, he transferred to the Army Reserve. He was promoted to colonel in April 2001 and assigned to the Army Reserve Armed Forces Policy Committee at the Pentagon. His second day there was Sept. 11, 2001. Organized chaos Cortez was attending a meeting in a conference room on the north side of the Pentagon when the airliner crashed into the buildings west side. A blast of wind battered Cortez and the others in the meeting and Cortezs ears popped. The plane came in at 540 mph at an angle and took out corridors four and five, he said. The administrative offices (the Joint Chiefs of Staff) are on the east side of the Pentagon. The west side, where the plane hit, had been under renovation or there would have been a lot more people there. On Oct. 1, 5,000 people were due to move in. Cortez describes the scene after the airliner hurtled into the building as organized chaos. He said people were yelling, screaming and crying. We heard evacuate, evacuate, he said. I thought Holy smoke, there are 23,000 people in this building. Cortez said the panic he saw in the faces of the people at the Pentagon that day reminded him of pictures he had seen of people on the grassy knoll in Dallas just after President Kennedy was shot in November 1963. All these years later, he still finds that deeply disturbing. After evacuating, Cortez was on the east side of the Pentagon. This medic said, I need some help, Cortez said. He had this badly injured Army officer, who was burned over 60% of his body. The badly burned officer, Cortez said, was Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell, now a Texas state senator, whose ordeal on 9/11 is detailed in Refined by Fire, a book by Birdwell and his wife, Mel. Cortez said he and others helped get Birdwell to the Pentagons north parking lot, where they waited in vain for an ambulance to transport the injured man to a hospital. No ambulances came, Cortez said. We flagged down a (Ford) Expedition. He fit and we put him in there. Orders were to leave the area, so Cortez started walking and finally reached a clothing exchange at Fort Myer in Arlington County, Virginia, a couple of miles from the Pentagon. They let me use the phone and I called my daughter at Sandia National Labs, he said, his voice breaking slightly as he recalled that time. I got her on the phone. She said, Dad, Im so glad you are alive. I said, So am I. Changed forever I went back to the Pentagon on Wednesday (Sept. 12), he said. The FBI was there. Everyone was armed. I saw all these young troops waiting to go in to search (the ruined section of the Pentagon). I thought that was very sad. Once they go in, their lives will be changed forever. He was assigned to the Army Operations Center, Crisis Action Team at the Pentagon and served there from shortly after 9/11 until November 2003. Our primary duty was to give briefings on the Afghan War, he said. It was very intense, 14-hour days. Cortez, now 71, retired from the Army Reserve on July 1, 2004. A room in his handsome and comfortable home is filled with mementoes of his military career. But he needs none of those to remember 9/11. A low-flying plane is all it takes, or a loud noise like an explosion, or a train coming down the hall. NAMBE PUEBLO Sleek electric vehicles now sit inside an old casino north of Santa Fe as part of a first-of-its-kind project between Tesla and a tribal nation. Nambe Pueblo leaders on Thursday joined U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan to highlight the partnership and promote electric vehicles as part of a broader strategy to address climate change. The new Tesla sales and service center is the first in New Mexico. Its also the first Tesla facility, officials said, on Native American land in the United States. This truly represents a historic moment, Nambe Pueblo Gov. Phillip Perez told a crowed gathered for the event Thursday. The pueblo location is critical. New Mexico law prohibits vehicle manufacturers from selling directly to consumers rather than through a franchise dealership, and efforts to allow Tesla storefronts and service centers have repeatedly failed in the Legislature, often amid tense debate. But the Tesla store sits within the boundaries of a tribal nation, not subject to the state law. Even so, Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth of Santa Fe and Sen. Bill Tallman of Albuquerque, both Democrats, said they expect vehicle-sales legislation to be proposed in future legislative sessions. Both lawmakers attended Thursdays event. A 2019 proposal would have allowed electric vehicle manufacturers to sell directly to the public under certain conditions. Local auto dealers opposed the bill, arguing their businesses already support thousands of employees. Tallman, who drives a Tesla himself, said electric vehicles are the future and New Mexicos laws should keep up. I just think were going to see more and more companies using this model, Wirth said of the Tesla store. The 7,000-square-foot Tesla store lies in what was once a casino building near the Nambe Falls Travel Center. The casino closed in 2016 after about two years of operation. Two cars were hoisted on automotive lifts Thursday as Tesla enthusiasts and others celebrated the opening. Perez, the pueblo governor, said Tesla will support tutors and scholarships for Nambe Pueblo students. He delivered some of his remarks in Tewa, a native language, as he welcomed visitors to the site along U.S. Highway 285. The companys values, Perez said, match the pueblos commitment to environmental protection. Sen. Lujan, who grew up nearby, said the project represents investment in rural America and that he looks forward to seeing the first Tesla pickup truck. Heinrich, who has a mechanical engineering degree, said he and other students at the University of Missouri once designed and built a solar-powered car for a race across the United States. Ive seen this coming for a long time, but now its real, he said of the growing prevalence of electric vehicles. For Tesla owners, the new location will make it easier to get car repairs and avoid the drive to service centers out of state, such as in Colorado or Arizona. Brian Dear, founder and president of the Tesla Owners Club of New Mexico, said he hopes the project will also encourage more people to buy electric vehicles as a way to cut gasoline costs and reduce carbon emissions. Theres nothing better if youre buying a car than to get in it and drive around, Dear said. I was completely sold when I did a test drive in 2013 in San Diego. He estimated about 1,500 Tesla vehicles are registered in New Mexico. A standard-range Tesla Model 3 costs about $39,990 before potential discounts are factored in, according to the Tesla website. An autopilot navigation feature costs $10,000 extra. Its a bit of good news to be sure. Maybe not the shout-it-from-the-rooftops variety, but good news nonetheless. For the first time in recent years, the Albuquerque metropolitan area isnt among the top five nationally for auto thefts. OK, being sixth might not sound like reason to celebrate, especially as the city faces a record number of homicides. But consider this: According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the region including Bernalillo, Sandoval, Valencia and Torrance counties saw a 9% decrease in auto theft from 2019 to 2020 and a 42% drop from 2017. (The top five list were no longer a part of includes Bakersfield, San Francisco and Yuba City in California, along with Denver, Colo., and Odessa, Texas.) The 5,835 auto thefts in the Albuquerque Metro area last year translate into a rate of 632 per 100,000 people in 2020 almost 16 stolen cars a day. That might sound like a lot because it is a lot. But its important to acknowledge those numbers represent a significant improvement. Thats also crucial because auto theft plays an outsized role in driving other criminal activity. Stolen vehicles often fit in the plans for those committing other crimes including armed robberies. Plates on a stolen vehicle arent as likely to lead police to the perpetrator. A number of factors went into the improvement, including APDs aggressive use of bait cars and partnerships with State Police and the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance. And perhaps the message is finally resonating with the public to take common-sense precautions including take your keys, lock your vehicle and do not leave it running outside the house on a frosty morning. Because car thieves are on the prowl. Earlier this month, APD officers exchanged gunfire with a Santa Fe man who had allegedly stolen a bait car from an apartment complex parking lot on Central near Louisiana. Over the next hour or so, Dalton Cunningham is accused of leading officers across town, then firing at them with a stolen gun. Two officers returned fire, striking Cunningham in the chin. Cunningham, who allegedly had ammunition and drugs including fentanyl and possible methamphetamine, has been linked to another auto burglary still under investigation. He is being held in custody pending trial. Medina once again expressed frustration with what he describes as the revolving door of the justice system. We need assistance from the courts, we need assistance from prosecutors and we have to do whats right for the people of Albuquerque, he said. Individuals who are in stolen cars are committing a wide variety of crime. That was a sentiment echoed by Mayor Tim Keller, who credited proactive policing in comments to KOB-TV and cited the need for help from other partners in the criminal justice system to ensure the same offenders are not on the streets stealing more vehicles. Meanwhile, Medina said he would like to work with state lawmakers to address the auto theft problem and tell them what APD officers trying to deal with it face on the streets. They would do well to listen. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. On March 10, 2018, Puerto Rico native and Florida resident Xander Zayas won a 125-pound national amateur boxing title at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Now, 3 years and almost 30 pounds later, Zayas is being fast-tracked by a major promoter toward an eventual professional title. But, Friday night in Tucson, Albuquerques Jose Luis Sanchez will do his best to derail the Zayas hype train. Sanchez (11-1-1, four KOs) and Zayas (9-0, seven KOs) are scheduled for a six-round junior middleweight (154-pound) bout on a Top Rank, Inc. card to be streamed nationally on ESPN+. Zayas, only 19, is a Top Rank contract fighter and a highly valued prospect. The bout is a potential foot in the big-time door for Sanchez, who has compiled his enviable record principally on off-TV cards in or within a three-hour drive of his hometown. His most recent bout did take him to Carson, California, where he fought to an eight-round draw against veteran Adrian Granados on May 1. Sanchez would love to follow the path of his younger brother, Jason, who upset Top Rank contract fighter Jean Carlos Rivera in 2018, earned a Top Rank contract and some eight months later fought for a world title losing to Tucsons Oscar Valdez, whos fighting in Fridays main event. The oddsmakers say such an outcome is highly unlikely. Sanchez was a 10-to-1 underdog as of Thursday afternoon. So impressed was the Top Rank brass with Zayas, whose unconfirmed amateur record was 118-14, that they signed him in 2019 at age 16. He has not disappointed, stopping seven of his first nine opponents and winning every round on all scorecards in the two bouts that went the distance. Nor is Zayas, at age 19, totally untested. His most recent three victories came against opponents with a combined record of 25-4-1. None of that is likely to intimidate Sanchez, who at 28 comes to Fridays fight after a long amateur career and eight years in the pro ranks. His only loss came against fellow Albuquerquean Josh Torres, by seventh-round TKO, in the formers third pro bout. Torres was 10-2-1 at the time. Sanchezs trophy victory came in March 2019 via fifth-round TKO against fellow New Mexican Joe Gomez, then 22-7-1. Sanchezs gritty performance earlier this year in the draw against Granados, a respected veteran, might well have led to the opportunity against Zayas. Both fighters weighed in on Friday well under the junior middleweight limit, Sanchez at 151.6 pounds, Zayas at 151.8. BACK TO THE UAE: Ray Borgs road to redemption once again will take him to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. As reported by MMA Junkie and confirmed on social media by Borg (14-5), the Albuquerque MMA fighter is scheduled to face Brazils Vinicius de Oliveira (16-2) on Oct. 29. The fight, promoted by UAE Warriors, will offer that organizations bantamweight (135-pound) title belt, held by de Oliveira by virtue of his win by TKO over Xavier Alaoui in March. Borg, a former UFC fighter who fought for that organizations flyweight title in 2017, was cut by the UFC in August 2020 after repeated failures to make weight. He returned to the cage in June, defeating Jesse Arnett by unanimous decision on UAE Warriors 20 in Abu Dhabi. Friday Boxing: Oscar Valdez vs. Robson Conceicao, Xander Zayas vs. Jose Luis Sanchez, several other bouts. Streaming: ESPN+, 4:10 p.m. Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal Senior Airman Jason Cunningham was a medic in Afghanistan searching for two servicemen stranded in rugged terrain when the MH-47E Chinook helicopter his team was on was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and crashed on March 4, 2002. Three in the helicopter died immediately and five were seriously injured. In the chaotic moments that followed, the quick reaction force team hastily tried to mount a defense while Cunningham tended to the injured. He was gravely injured as he braved enemy fire to move wounded troops to safety. As he was dying, the troops with him said, he continued to direct patient movement and transferred care to another medic. He helped save 10 wounded Americans in his final moments. Cunningham, a 26-year-old Farmington High School graduate, was the first New Mexican to die in the wars launched after Sept. 11. Carried out by Al Qaeda terrorists granted refuge in Afghanistan by the Taliban, the attacks ushered in two decades of war for the U.S. war that would end up claiming the lives of 90 men and women from New Mexico. There were 27 from the state to die in Afghanistan before the final troops left the country last month, and another 58 servicemen with ties to New Mexico died in Iraq. Five servicemen died outside of Iraq and Afghanistan but are still considered casualties of the war on terror. The 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks marks the first anniversary that America isnt at war. But the toll of the wars, in terms of human and financial loss, and the lingering effects on the service members who fought them, and their families, wont be fully realized for years to come. Cunninghams heroism is chronicled in the citation accompanying the Air Force Cross, which he received posthumously. Nearly 20 years after his death, Cunninghams parents are still grieving. Theyre proud of their sons actions but say the loss devastated their family. They spoke to the Journal by phone last month from their home outside of Farmington as the last U.S. troops departed the country where their son died. Afghanistan quickly fell back to Taliban rule, snuffing out a 20-year effort to build a nation under a new government. Well, honestly, its kind of like a kick in the gut. Why did we have to lose our kids over there? And now theyre just, you know, theyre pulling us out, like we werent never there, said Jackie Cunningham, Cunninghams mother. And its kind of a bittersweet feeling. The soldier Since 9/11, 24,430 New Mexicans have served in a branch of the armed services, according to the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services. For Jacinto-Temilotzin Sanchez, a 45-year-old Albuquerque man who was deployed to Iraq twice, his first concern upon hearing that U.S. troops had left Afghanistan was about Americans and their allies still in the country. I cant even imagine for the ones who were abandoned, the ones who are still there, he said. Thats just horrible. Its hard to comprehend that we pulled out so quickly. Sanchez served in the Army from 1998 until 2018. He was first deployed in 2007 as part of a surge during the conflict. It was one of the worst years in terms of American casualties. Sanchez was attached to an infantry company, and his job was to provide those troops with internet and communications. He was stationed at Combat Outpost Apache, which was in the heart of an Iraqi city and was routinely attacked by gunfire and mortars. There was always a sense, intel coming in, that we were going to get hit, he said. The tension during his time at the outpost was palpable. He described stepping outside to try to relax with a cigarette only to have a bullet whiz over his head. The walls on the inside of the outpost were lined with pictures of dead service members, which grew throughout his deployment. He narrowly avoided a mortar round during one firefight at the outpost. He has been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and retired from the Army while in a treatment center for soldiers with PTSD. It starts to eat at you, he said of the tension at that outpost. You normalize it. He thinks his PTSD is a result of living under constant anxiety at that outpost. At the time he had two children under 2 years old, and he worried he wouldnt be around for them. I felt like I wouldnt have been there for my kids, he said. So, you carry that anxiety, thats what I carried. Sanchez, who is working on a masters degree at the University of New Mexico, said he had an epiphany of sorts recently when he was in class and saw a student in his ROTC uniform. Were actually a country not at war anymore, and I was like, Wow, he said. For most of my career, we were at war. How did his deployments change him? Sanchez said before the wars he was outgoing. Now hes more reserved and lives more cautiously, including spending time with fewer people. He said he tells his story as a way to help other veterans know that they should reach out for resources, such as help with PTSD. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 15.7% of veterans who were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan have PTSD. The senator All but one member of Congress voted to authorize military force against the people believed to be behind the Sept. 11 attacks, including New Mexicos entire congressional delegation. The decision to get out of Afghanistan, in my opinion, was the right decision. And in fact, I dont think (President) Biden had any choice given what he inherited, said former Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M. But I think obviously, there have been real problems in the execution of the decision to withdraw. Bingaman, who retired in 2013, said going to war in Afghanistan after the attacks was the right decision. It was a time when there was near unanimous opinion that we needed to go ahead and eliminate Afghanistan as a safe harbor for that kind of terrorist attack, he said. The main mistake, which many have pointed to, is the decision to begin the Iraq War. But Bingaman said there were problems with the execution of the Afghanistan war, as evidenced by the quick collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government in a matter of weeks leading up to the withdrawal of U.S. troops. So, I think if we had thought harder about it, at the very beginning, we might well have decided that nation building in the case of Afghanistan was not part of what had to be done in order to properly respond to the 9/11 attacks, he said. In addition to the human cost of war, the Associated Press estimates the United States debt-financed $2 trillion as of 2020 to pay for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and that the interest on that debt will reach $6.5 trillion by 2050. The parents Paula Gonzalez said she hadnt given much thought to U.S. troops leaving Afghanistan until news that 13 American troops were killed in an Islamic State suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport last month. It just brings it all back. You know, the flood of emotion surrounding the death of a loved one over there, knowing exactly what the families are going through, and the process behind it, she said. I felt bad for those families. Gonzalez knows all about that process, because shes lived it. Her son, Jesse Zamora, died on Feb. 9, 2006, in Iraq during his second deployment. Zamora, a Mayfield High School graduate, was 22 when he was killed. His brother, Tyrel, was also in Iraq at the time and had previously been injured during the conflict. Gonzalez said 15 years after her sons death, she and her family are still wounded from the loss. There are thousands of families like hers across the country. The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University estimates that more than 7,000 service members and 8,000 U.S. contractors have died in Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflict areas since the Sept. 11 attacks. It scabs over, but the wound never heals. It scabs over a little bit and then it gets opened up occasionally, she said. I dont know how to explain that. But thats for the whole family. Gonzalez said she feels for the families of the soldiers who died in Afghanistan because of how quickly the country fell back to Taliban control. For Jackie Cunningham, the recent American deaths near the Kabul airport affected her because she knows the long road ahead for the families. These people that are burying their kids, I wouldnt trade places with them for $1 million, she said. Grief just sneaks up on you in waves. Her husband, Red Cunningham, said the situation in Afghanistan makes him angry. Because basically, if you want to face the facts about this, we lost that war, he said. When we killed Osama bin Laden, we should have packed up and left. Instead, we decided to do this nation building thing again. And it never works. And here we are with dead soldiers just trying to save people escaping. I cannot get over being angry about it. Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal Its opening day at the New Mexico State Fair and the guy running the Great American Duck Race pulls out his wallet to show his New Mexico drivers license. You see, Im not kidding, he says, revealing proof that his name is really, truly Robert Wayne Duck. In fact, Ducks ducks won the Great American Duck Race 12 times in Deming, where the races originated about 1980, earning Duck a guest spot on the former Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Dont believe it? Duck, from Bosque Farms, also keeps a wallet picture of himself sitting in the guest seat next to Carson. Other TV guest appearances followed, as did stories in newspapers and People magazine. It got to be so much fun, I thought theres got to be some way to make a living at this, Duck said. So, we put this show together, started testing it and it was very well received. So, I sold my jewelry business in Albuquerque in 1999 and began doing this full time. Ducks Great American Duck Race is now a feature at 39 state fairs. They have raced at nine state fairs just this year and every one of those fairs has set attendance records, he said. Duck couldnt help but notice that Thursdays opening-day attendance was clearly on the thin side, and attributed it to the COVID mask mandate and requirement that everybody age 12 and older show their vaccination cards before entering. Still, he said he was optimistic that things would pick up during the State Fairs 11-day run. Last years State Fair was canceled due to the pandemic and this years fair saw the cancellation of the Junior Livestock Show and Sale because of a statewide uptick in cases caused by the virus delta variant. A number of food and merchandise vendors also expressed disappointment at the smaller-than-usual opening day attendance. Catherine Padilla, operator of the German Wurst food booth in the Lujan A Building, said it was the smallest opening day crowd she has seen in 18 years. David Friedman, who was manning a Dreamstyle remodeling display, said its not quite a ghost town, but the small number of people who walked through the building seemed excited to be there. Indeed, many visitors were happy to dodge the crowds and commotion. Laurinda Armijo was attending the fair with her spouse and their 4-year-old son Avi. We lucked out. It was free parking and $2 admission. There were no lines to get in. We just showed our vaccine cards and came right through. Quick and easy, and no waiting to get food. Were really enjoying this. Its calm. Normally, it would be crazy, she said. Anna Montoya was focused on her children, ages 5, 7 and 9, interacting with small animals in the petting farm. Ive got my hands full just keeping an eye on them, so theres really no downside for me in dealing with smaller crowds and shorter lines, she said. Lane Valenzuela, 10, and his friend, Sammy Lyle, 11, were waiting on Lanes dad to bring them food. The boys, from the Belen area, are junior rodeo bull-riding champions who qualified to compete in the upcoming world finals in Mesquite, Texas, said Lanes dad, Ruben Valenzuela. They would be competing later in the day in the youth rodeo at Tingley Coliseum. In the meantime, they said they were hoping to eat funnel cakes, their favorite fair food, and maybe enjoy some rides on the midway. Over in the Pavilion tent, a small, but enthusiastic, crowd was watching the Unique Foods Contest in which fair vendors were competing for bragging rights, as well as a steep discount on next years State Fair food booth rental fee. A panel of local TV news personalities judged Rexs Hamburgers the best entry with its green chile cheese pancake burger, a traditional burger and condiments placed between two fluffy pancakes with a side of syrup. The stiff competition also included such unique gastrointestinal creations as turkey leg frybread; bacon-wrapped, deep-fried peanut butter and jelly on white bread; carne asada deep-fried nachos; spicy deep-fried bacon elote (corn on the cob); deep-fried buffalo and elk bites; and frybread Indian pie. Foodies might want to note that the Battle of the Salsas will take place Saturday at 1 p.m. and the Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge will be held Monday at noon. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. An Arizona judge ruled Thursday that expert testimony on cellphone data will be allowed in the case of a U.S. Air Force airman who is accused of kidnapping and killing a Mennonite woman. Authorities used the data and other records to link Mark Gooch to the shooting death of Sasha Krause, 27. She disappeared from her church community outside Farmington, New Mexico, in January 2020, as she was gathering material for a Sunday school class. Her body was found more than a month later in a forest clearing outside Flagstaff, Arizona, with her hands bound by duct tape. Goochs attorney, Bruce Griffen, sought to prevent testimony from a man who reviewed cellphone and other data from testifying at Goochs trial thats scheduled to start later this month. Griffen argued that Sev Dishman doesnt have enough experience in working particularly with data from AT&T to say with precision where Gooch was when Krause disappeared. Griffen also noted a warning with the data that says it cannot be relied on to establish location. Coconino County Superior Court Judge Cathleen Brown Nichols denied the defense motion. She said Dishman established he is an expert through work with his current employer and his time in the military. Prosecutor Ammon Barker said the cellphone data lines up with Goochs financial records, surveillance video and Goochs admission that he was in northwestern New Mexico around the time Krause went missing. The jury would have a hard time interpreting the data without Dishmans guidance, Barker said. Where the defendant was traveling and where he was at certain times and dates is going to be crucial to this case, Barker said. Dishman, a retired Army sergeant major, said he has consulted or reviewed cellphone data records for law enforcement hundreds of times in the U.S. and teaches courses on the technology for investigative purposes. He agreed that the cellphone data shouldnt be considered alone. Im using this as bread-crumb activity, he said. The motion was one of several that Brown Nichols took up during a hearing Thursday that will continue Friday afternoon. She didnt immediately rule on all of the requests, including one from the defense to determine whether statements that Gooch made to a detective were lawfully obtained. She said she needed more time to listen to the interview. Brown Nichols denied a request from Barker to admit evidence that Gooch might have targeted Mennonites in burglaries as a teenager in Wisconsin. A childhood friend of Gooch testified Thursday that he didnt recall Gooch saying he disliked Mennonites. Gooch and Krause didnt know each other, and prosecutors arent sure why he would have targeted her. Luke Air Force Base where Gooch was stationed in metropolitan Phoenix is about a seven-hour drive from Farmington. Gooch told authorities he traveled to northwestern New Mexico and to two Mennonite communities near Phoenix because he craved the fellowship. He denied he had anything to do with Krauses disappearance or death, according to public records. He faces life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder. Gooch attended Thursdays hearing virtually from jail with a black eye, the result of a fight a few days ago with another inmate, said Coconino County sheriffs spokesman Jon Paxton. Authorities are investigating what led up to it. Goochs parents were members of the Mennonite church, and he grew up in the faith but never officially joined the church, he told authorities. Griffen has asked that evidence on Goochs connection to the Mennonite church and communication with his family also be excluded from the trial. He said the prejudice is far too great. Barker said the evidence points to a pattern of alleged disdain Gooch had for Mennonites. LONDON Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family back the Black Lives Matter movement, one of her senior representatives said in a television interview to be broadcast Friday. Philanthropist Kenneth Olisa, the first Black Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, told Channel 4 News that he had discussed the issue with members of the royal family since George Floyd died in police custody in the United States last year, sparking global protests over racial injustice. Asked if they supported the movement, the philanthropist and businessman who is the monarchs personal representative in Greater London said: The answer is easily yes. I have discussed with the Royal Household this whole issue of race, particularly in the last 12 months since the George Floyd incident, he said in excerpts from the interview released before the broadcast. Its a hot conversation topic. The question is what more can we do to bind society to remove these barriers. They (the royals) care passionately about making this one nation bound by the same values. The comments come as Buckingham Palace struggles to combat suggestions of racism raised by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, also known as Prince Harry and Meghan, during a March interview with Oprah Winfrey. Meghan, who is biracial, said an unidentified member of the royal family had raised concerns about the color of her babys skin before she gave birth to her first child. The couple also alleged that Meghan was the victim of callous treatment during her time as a working royal. Prince William, Harrys older brother, was forced to respond after reporters shouted questions at him during a visit to an East London school. Were very much not a racist family, William said as his wife, Kate, walked by his side. Harry and Meghan stepped away from royal duties earlier this year and moved to California. Just before 9 a.m. EDT, President George W. Bushs limousine arrives at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida. As the staff car immediately behind the presidents limo stops, White House Photo Director Eric Draper jumps out and is moving fast. Nothing unusual about that. My job was catching up with the president, Draper said. I did a lot of running and jumping out of moving vans. Bush is at the school to promote education. He is going to read to students from a book called The Pet Goat. Just another day in the life of an American president, likely a more pleasant day than most. But thats about to change. Because the day is Sept. 11, 2001, 20 years ago today. As fresh as ever Every year it comes up and every year it comes back just as fresh as ever, said Draper, 57, now a freelance corporate and editorial photographer based in Rio Rancho. It doesnt seem like 20 years at all. Until you talk to young people who were babies then, or who had not even been born. Then it seems like 20 years. Where were you on 9/11? Everyone remembers. But not as vividly as Draper does. As the presidents personal photographer, he was with Bush nearly every minute of the day terrorists crashed hijacked airliners into the Twin Towers in New York City and into the Pentagon near Washington, D.C. He was with Bush in a Sarasota classroom when the president learned a terrorist attack was underway, and, many hours later, he photographed Bush as the president got on the elevator to his White House residence at the end of one of the most tragic days in U.S. history. To have that much access, said Draper, still somewhat awed by the role he found himself in on 9/11. I was with the most powerful person on the planet that day. Lucky for me Draper, a native of Los Angeles, worked as a photographer for The Seattle Times, the Pasadena Star-News and, from, 1990-1993, The Albuquerque Tribune. He covered the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and the conflict in Kosovo. It was while photographing the 2000 presidential campaign for the Associated Press that he became acquainted with Texas Gov. George W. Bush. (Bush) really did enjoy the journalists who traveled with him along the way, Draper said. Lucky for me that AP had the budget for me to be with him for 18 months. I spent more time with him than a lot of journalists. Somebody said, You might think about being his photographer. I thought Why would I do that? I was pretty happy with what I was doing. But vote recounts in Florida delayed the declaration of Bushs victory over Al Gore in the presidential race and gave Draper time to think about the White House photographers job. He got the opportunity to apply for the position when he and his wife were invited to a Christmas party at the governors mansion in Austin, Texas. At the end of the party I went up to (Bush) to thank him for inviting us, Draper said. I was shaking his hand, and I borrowed his I want to be your president line from his campaign. I looked him in the eye, and said I want to be your personal photographer. Not many weeks later, he was photographing Bushs inauguration. The whisper As the presidential entourage arrived at Booker Elementary School, it got news that just minutes before a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers. I remember (presidential adviser) Karl Rove telling (Bush) about the plane, Draper said. The president said What a horrible accident. I wonder if something happened to the pilot. Or something like that. At the time we were all thinking it was a small plane. Inside a classroom filled with students, teachers and the media, the president had started reading to the children when White House Chief of Staff Andy Card came up to him and whispered in his ear. I thought that was unusual, Draper said. But I was moving around the room trying to get in position and trying to keep out of the way of the press and I didnt get that shot. I hate that. Card was whispering that another plane had hit the second tower at the World Trade Center. You could tell something was wrong, something serious, Draper said. You can hear the buzz around the room because journalists were getting pages from their bureaus. The president is holding back. He spent seven minutes reading to the kids, just trying to get out of the classroom without looking panicked. It was not until he followed the president and his staff into another schoolroom equipped with a TV and phones that Draper realized what was happening. Oh, this is a major disaster, not an accident, he remembers thinking. This is going to be a huge day. I have to focus on my job. Draper said there were tons of staff in the room, all trying to gather information. The president asked to get the FBI director and the governor of New York on the line, he said. He never stopped to stare at the TV like everyone else. He concentrated on making a statement. Tough call Draper said the motorcade ride from the elementary school to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is a blur in his memory. I think it was very fast, he said. What I remember most is that when we got to Air Force One, the engines were already running. They usually are not. The Pentagon had been hit by the time we arrived on the airplane. Everything was focused on the presidents safety. It was a very steep takeoff. The engines were louder than I had ever heard them. We were flying higher than usual for safety purposes, so communications were fading in and out. Some of the information they did get on Air Force One proved to be false. There was a car bomb at the State Department. There was a fast-moving object heading toward the presidents ranch. But some was accurate. United Airlines Flight 93 was airborne and heading toward Washington. The president had to make the tough call to shoot down Flight 93, Draper said. But the brave people aboard made it crash. It is believed that hijackers intended to slam Flight 93 into the White House or the U.S. Capitol building, but a revolt by passengers forced the plane down in a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, killing everyone aboard. In the first hours after the attacks, Washington was not considered safe for the president. The president wanted to go back to Washington right away, but everyone is telling him you are not going back to Washington, Draper said. The president is arguing with Andy Card, and there are just the three of us in the room. I kept looking at Andy. He was my gauge. I just kept going. Draper photographed that argument as well as many other powerful moments on Air Force One, perhaps none more telling than the picture of the president standing behind his desk watching television coverage of the collapsing Trade Center towers. There was nothing he could do except watch, Draper said. Like a war zone Air Force One flew first to Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana, and then to Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska. At 4:36 EDT, Air Force One, with the president, his staff and Draper aboard, departed Offutt for Washington. As the plane nears Washington, Draper said the F-16s escorting it were so close it looked as if one was about to touch (Air Force Ones) wing. And out the other window, you could still see smoke rising from the Pentagon, he said. It was like we were flying into a war zone. That night at the White House, Draper photographed the presidents our very freedom came under attack address to the nation from the Oval Office and then followed Bush to the elevator that would take him up to his residence. It was the end of a very dark day. But there were tough times to come. Fatigue and shock Friday, Sept. 14, 2001, was a national day of prayer. President Bush spoke at a memorial service at the Washington (D.C.) National Cathedral. After that, he left for New York City. Draper, of course, went with him. There was smoke and mounds of debris and hundreds and hundreds of firefighters on the ground, Draper said. The immediate mood was fatigue and shock because no survivors were being found. President Bush was superhuman. He waded through the firefighters. A lot of them were coming up to him and hugging him, shaking hands. Some firefighters were crying. Bush climbed up on rubble and somebody gave him a bullhorn. The president started speaking to the firefighters and other rescue workers, but, despite the bullhorn, someone shouted that he could not hear Bush. I can hear you, the president responded. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon. Thats when the firefighters started chanting USA, USA, Draper said. That was a very organic moment. That was a really powerful moment. Perhaps even more moving, however, was Bushs meeting at the Jacob Javits Convention Center with 300 family members of people killed or missing in the attack on the Twin Towers. He was scheduled to say just a few words, but he wanted to greet them all, so we stayed there an extra two hours, Draper said. That was one of the saddest moments I ever had to photograph. All the trials, emotions and weariness of that day and the several before it are caught up in the photo Draper took of Bush as he flies out of New York, his face pinched in his hand, the bright lights and the sinister smoke of the city framed in the window next to him. Historic and intense Draper was the White House photo director for all eight years of Bushs two terms as president. None of those days was normal in a way most people would consider normal. But 9/11 is unmatched for its sheer drama, raw feelings and the impact it had on the country and its president. That day was the most historic and intense, Draper said. President Bush was focused and determined. He was trying to rally people and show leadership during that crisis. But he was also frustrated because he wanted to be back in Washington. And because he was realizing the potential loss of life and feeling powerless. Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal Jurors on Friday found Morgan Quarles not guilty of first-degree murder, rejecting the testimony of a witness who identified him as the gunman who fatally shot a 25-year-old woman in 2017. Jurors also found Quarles, 26, not guilty of first-degree felony murder and second-degree murder in the June 28, 2017, shooting death of Jannet Medina outside a house near Second and Griegos NW. Testifying in his own defense this week, Quarles denied shooting Medina. Defense attorneys argued another man shot Medina. Quarles told jurors he was frightened by the sound of gunfire and was walking away from the house when someone shot the woman. He did not identify the shooter. Quarles version contradicts the testimony of a witness who identified Quarles as the man she saw shoot Medina. Medina was attempting to flee a house in the 100 block of Hilton NW just moments after gunfire erupted inside, seriously injuring a man who lived there. Tami Krebbs, a neighbor, told jurors she saw Quarles follow Medina out to the street, demand the keys to a Chevrolet Cruze, then shoot her when she refused to hand them over. He grabbed her her shirt or her arm, Krebbs told jurors. He spun her around. He pulled a gun and shot her. She fell in the street like a sack of rocks. Prosecutors allege that Quarles and a second man, Gabriel Mariscal, 34, drove to Albuquerque the day of the killing from their hometown of Artesia. Mariscal and Medina had lived together in Artesia and owned a Chevy Cruze registered in both their names. Medina left Artesia and drove the vehicle to Albuquerque, which angered Mariscal, according to the prosecution. The day of the killing, Mariscal and Quarles drove to Albuquerque in a pickup to confront Medina and retrieve the Chevy Cruze, Deputy District Attorney Natalie Lyon told jurors. Morgan (Quarles) shot Jannet (Medina) because she was holding the keys and wouldnt give them up, Lyon said. But Quarles attorney, Nina Safier, said in closing arguments that Mariscal shot and killed Medina. Mariscal shot her in a crime of passion, Safier said. Mariscal had every reason to kill Medina because she angered Mariscal by leaving him and taking his car, she said. Were not saying Tami Krebbs was lying, Safier said. She got it wrong. This was not Morgans fight. Mariscal shot and seriously injured Dominic Sanchez inside the house on Hilton NW. Mariscal pleaded no contest in 2019 to aggravated battery in that shooting and was sentenced to one year in prison, court records show. Both Sanchez and Medina were shot with a .380-caliber pistol, ballistics tests showed. Prosecutors told jurors in closings arguments that after Sanchez was shot, Mariscal apparently passed the gun to Quarles, who then used it to shoot Medina. Safier told jurors that the prosecutions version of events is speculative. There is no evidence of a baton-handoff of a .380, she said. In his testimony on Wednesday, Quarles told jurors that he waited outside while Mariscal went into the house. He became frightened when he heard gunfire and began walking away. Quarles said he then heard an argument in front of the house followed by a gunshot, but he did not identify the shooter. I got in the truck and left, Quarles said. I basically ditched Gabe (Mariscal). Universal Pictures Movie The 'No Time to Die' actor admits he nearly passed up the chance to play 007 agent as he found it hard to cope with the immense pressure of being the new lead in the franchise. Sep 10, 2021 AceShowbiz - Daniel Craig used to "lock himself in and close the curtains" as he struggled to cope with the fame attached to the iconic role of James Bond. The 53-year-old actor is to portray the suave British spy for a final time in forthcoming film "No Time to Die", but has recalled how he felt "physically and mentally under siege" when he first got the part of 007. Daniel - who made his Bond debut in 2006 movie "Casino Royale" - said in Apple TV+ documentary "Being James Bond", "My personal life was affected by being that famous all of a sudden. I used to lock myself in and close the curtains, I was in cloud cuckoo land." "I was physically and mentally under siege. I didn't like the newfound level of fame. It was Hugh Jackman who helped me to come to terms with it and appreciate it." The star also read numerous "hate-filled" online comments after it was revealed he was taking over from Pierce Brosnan as the secret agent. "I went online and stayed up all night and read everything because that is what happens if you do that," he said. "And it was tough, really tough - hate-filled." "And I woke up the following morning I went, 'F**k it, I know the film is going to be good.' I knew we were doing something really special." After producer Barbara Broccoli had offered Daniel the part, he wasted no time getting into character. The "Knives Out" actor set about getting drunk on Bond's beverage of choice - martinis. "She just went, 'Over to you kiddo.' And I grabbed a bottle of vodka, vermouth, a cocktail shaker and went back to my apartment and started mixing myself vodka martinis," he said. "It was my first bit of exercise. I had a hangover for three days." But Daniel nearly didn't have that hangover. The star admitted he was prepared to pass up the chance to be Bond - but after he read the "solid" "Casino Royale" script he couldn't say no to the role. "As far as I was concerned I was already more successful than I would ever be as an actor - I did not have a cool persona," he added. "Pierce had done 'Remington Steele', Roger Moore had done 'The Saint' - they had done these parts where people had gone, 'That's James Bond.' " "I had done weird arty movies. It was a harder sell. And I didn't really want to do it, because I thought I wouldn't know what to do with it. I was going to get the script, read it, and say, 'Thanks but no.' But little did I know, it was Casino Royale. The story was solid, the script was solid." After "Casino Royale", Daniel starred as Bond in 2008 movie "Quantum of Solace", 2012's "Skyfall", and 2015's "Spectre". He once infamously admitted he would "rather slash his wrists" than play the character again, but he has now said he has "loved every single second" of portraying 007. "I am incredibly proud and incredibly fortunate to do this," Daniel said. "I've loved every single second of these movies, and especially this one because I've got up every morning and I've had the chance to work with you guys, and that has been one of the greatest honours of my life. As far as I'm concerned, I've got the best job in the world." WENN/Dave Starbuck/Avalon Movie The 'Night at the Museum' actor and the 'Sin City' actress have become the latest additions to the upcoming reboot of the Disney movie originally fronted by Eddie Murphy. Sep 10, 2021 AceShowbiz - Owen Wilson has boarded the "Haunted Mansion" remake. The 52-year-old actor - who voices Lightning McQueen in Disney Pixar's "Cars" franchise, and stars as Mobius in the "Loki" series on Disney Plus - has landed a currently unknown role in the upcoming flick, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The "Night at the Museum" star joins Tiffany Haddish and LaKeith Stanfield in the movie, which is based on the ghost train attraction at the Disney parks. The "Girls Trip" star and the "Knives Out" actor are set to play a psychic who can communicate with the dead and "a widower who once believed in the supernatural but is now a rather lifeless tour guide in New Orleans' French Quarter," respectively. "Dear White People" 's Justin Simien is helming the flick and Katie Dippold is penning the script. Filming is due to commence in autumn in New Orleans. The 2003 movie starred Eddie Murphy as realtor Jim Evers and was also filmed in the U.S. city. The remake additionally added Rosario Dawson to the cast ensemble. The revamp comes hot on the heels of the success of another movie hit based on a Disney ride - a sequel to this summer's "Jungle Cruise" is already being planned after that film, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, became one of the biggest releases of 2021. Disneyland's "Pirates of the Caribbean" attraction has also been turned into a successful film franchise. The Haunted Mansion attraction debuted in 1969 at Disneyland. WENN Movie The 'Ghost Rider' actor is looking forward to playing a cowboy in the upcoming Western movie, describing the onscreen gunslinger role as 'long overdue.' Sep 10, 2021 AceShowbiz - Nicolas Cage is "excited" to star as a gunslinger in Western, "The Old Way". The 57-year-old actor is set to star in his first two movies in the genre as he'll shooting the latest project back-to-back with previously announced "Butcher's Crossing" in Montana. He told Deadline, "After 43 years in cinema, I'm only now being invited to the important and storied genre of the Western with both The Old Way and Butcher's Crossing." "Being born and raised in the West, this is another good match and long overdue." "I'm excited and compelled by the complex characters of both Briggs and Miller, and to find new ground to play at 57 is indeed galvanizing." The movie will tell the story of retired gunslinger Colton Briggs (Cage), who has left the deadly lifestyle behind him to run a general store. However, he finds himself setting out for revenge after some outlaws hit the town and murder his wife - and he has his 12-year-old daughter with him for the mission. Carl W. Lucas has penned the script while "Acts of Violence" director Brett Donowho is at the helm. The filmmaker said, "It is both an honour and privilege to work with Nick on the first Western of his illustrious career." "Cage not only epitomizes the character of Briggs, but he is also the consummate professional a director only dreams of working with to bring this enigmatic character to life." "As a father of three daughters, I cannot wait to share this compelling story of a father and daughter and their emotional journey of discovery." Instagram Celebrity Katie Holmes, meanwhile, goes for a daring look in a Christopher Esber ab cut-out dress that she pairs with an unbuttoned shirt when attending the Vacheron Constantin Flagship grand opening. Sep 10, 2021 AceShowbiz - Irina Shayk has turned heads during New York Fashion Week. When attending the Bulgari x B.Zero1 party on Wednesday night, September 8, the Russian model stole attention with her cleavage-baring orange PVC LaQuan Smith corset bodysuit. The 35-year-old beauty completed her style with low-rise gray cargo pants by The Attico and nude stilettos which were selected by stylist Corey T. Stokes. The former girlfriend of Bradley Cooper styled her hair with a wet-looking bob wig featuring fringe. Irina, who reportedly broke up with Kanye West in August after two months of dating, showed off her bold look by posting a picture from the event on Instagram. In the accompanying message, she simply wrote, "Bout nite @bulgari." Irina followed it up with several selfies and some snaps of her posing with her friend Ali Kavoussi. "Her... in her 6 element... with sis @alikavoussi," she captioned the post. Among those who were present at the Bulgari bash were Martha Hunt, Dove Cameron, Maddie Ziegler and Lisa Rinna's daughter Amelia Hamlin. "Bloodshot" actress Eiza Gonzalez was also in attendance as she sported a black tube top, gray pleated pants and matching pointy heels. Katie Holmes, on the other hand, attended the grand opening of the Vacheron Constantin boutique that night. She showed some skin in a black Christopher Esber ab cut-out dress that she paired with a matching unbuttoned shirt, pants and white sneakers. The ex-wife of Tom Cruise shared several pictures of herself wearing the outfit on her Instagram account, drawing many compliments. "GORGEOUS," Alyssa Milano gushed in the comment section, before Patti Smith added, "Beautiful inside and out." Katie was joined by the likes of Chanel Iman, Alan Cumming, Nico Tortorella, Karen Elson, Eric Rutherford and Michelle Hicks at the event. "The Real Housewives of New York City" alum Dorinda Medley was also at the flagship opening. Instagram Music Sharing a throwback photo of himself, the 'Perfect' hitmaker explains that it was taken in the Worlds End pub up in Finsbury Park, just after he signed his publishing deal, in 2011. Sep 10, 2021 AceShowbiz - Ed Sheeran has marked the 10th anniversary of his first album by sharing a photo of himself taken in 2011, just before he hit it big with break-out single "The A Team". The grateful star, who is now one of the world's most successful musicians, admits everything that has happened to him is beyond his wildest dreams. Now 30, Ed offered up the throwback Thursday picture on Instagram and added the caption, "This is me 2011 in the Worlds End pub up in Finsbury Park, just after signing my publishing deal." "I lived all over London back then, wherever anyone would have me, but Finsbury is where I'd spend most of my evenings coz of the open mic nights there run by my mates [sic]. I first moved up in 2008 and on my first night got inspired to write my song 'The City', which was the first song written and recorded for my debut album '+' (or 'Plus' if you use google)." "It's been 10 years since the release of '+', today is the day it came out. I've been making music for a very long time but I guess your major label debut counts as the start in the industry, so I'm officially a decade in as of now." "All I ever wanted was to have a gold album and to sell out Shepherd's Bush empire [sic], I never thought my career would go past that to be honest, and if I got that, I'd be chuffed." He continued, "When '+' came out, it went gold in the first week and I played to a sold out Shepherd's Bush 3 weeks later. Ever since then everything that has come my way has been an added bonus, it's been an incredible journey so far, and way beyond my wildest dreams. And it all started with an album recorded in Windlesham. Happy birthday '+', and thank you to everyone keeping it alive, it's not my album anymore it's yours, and I'm honoured for it to be so many moments and memories for so many people." Instagram Celebrity The daughter of Lionel Richie, who previously dated the 'Flip It Like Disick' alum, reportedly 'had an inkling that [his and Amelia's] relationship wouldn't last.' Sep 10, 2021 AceShowbiz - Sofia Richie might have predicted that Scott Disick and Amelia Hamlin's romance wouldn't last long. Upon learning that Amelia "dumped" the "Flip It Like Disick" alum after the drama over Kourtney Kardashian, the daughter of Lionel Richie reportedly is "not shocked" with the two's breakup. A source told Life & Style that Sofia, who previously dated Scott for about three years, "had an inkling that [Scott and Amelia's] relationship wouldn't last." The source went on to note that the model has "experienced first-hand" the difficulty of dating Scott, who shares three kids with Kourtney. "Sofia could tell that Scott carried a torch for Kourtney, which is one of the reasons they broke up," the insider went on. "She's really not shocked that once again he has messed up his relationship over Kourtney." Scott and Amelia allegedly split earlier this month. A source revealed to E! News on September 7 that Scott "agreed that he feels he needs to be single right now." The unnamed insider continued, "They had a lot of fun together but it was never going to be a long term relationship." As for the 20-year-old beauty, she "is done with Scott for now." It was reported that she "wants to be strong and to move on. She had had enough and it was time. Her friends are all rallying around her and supporting her through this. Everyone knows she deserves better. She knows it too." Amelia and Scott broke up after he was exposed by Kourtney's other ex Younes Bendjima. In late August, Younes shared a screenshot of his DM from Scott with a photo of Kourtney kissing Travis Barker. Scott's message to Younes read, "Yo, is this chick OK!???? Broooo, like what is this? In the middle of Italy." Younes then replied, "Doesn't matter to me as long as shes happy. PS: i aint your bro." Amelia's mother Lisa Rinna, however, was seemingly happy with the former's split from the "Keeping up with the Kardashians" alum. Lisa was caught sending a single smiling emoji underneath Instagram fan account's Queens of Bravo post about her daughter's breakup. WENN/FayesVision Celebrity The actress' England-based twin sister hopes that by sharing this story, someone will tell her 'ANY way I can appeal the US Embassy's decision to reject my application for exemption from the travel ban.' Sep 10, 2021 AceShowbiz - Kathryn Prescott has been hospitalized in ICU as she suffers multiple injuries after she was struck by a truck in New York City. The "A Dog's Journey" star's twin sister Megan Prescott broke the news in an Instagram post on Thursday, September 9. "I received the most terrifying phone call I've ever received in my life on Tuesday evening," Megan recalled. "My twin sister Kathryn was hit by a cement truck while crossing a road in New York on the 7th September." Megan shared that the actress underwent complex surgery and that her injuries include "broken pelvis in two places, both of her legs, her foot and her left hand." She continued, "She is incredibly lucky to be alive. She narrowly avoided paralysis. The doctors are hopeful that she will make a full recovery but this will only be possible with the correct care right now." As Kathryn is currently alone in New York with no family members, Megan, who is based in the United Kingdom, shared she needs to "be there to help her with literally everything as she will be able to do incredibly little by herself." Megan continued, "She will be in rehab for a very long time and will need 24/hr care even after she leaves the hospital." "I applied to the US Embassy for exemption from the current restrictions banning any non-US citizens into the US and was denied earlier today and I am devastated," she went on to explain. "I am double vaccinated, I had a PCR test yesterday and can fly at the drop of a hat. I have documents from the hospital confirming the extent of Kathryn's injuries and am willing to do anything to get to her as soon as humanly possible." Megan hoped that by sharing this story, someone will tell her "ANY way I can appeal the US Embassy's decision to reject my application for exemption from the travel ban." She added, "I know there is so much going on in the world right now but I am heartbroken that I can't be with my twin sister in this horrible time in her life when she desperately me - I don't want her to go through this alone." WENN/Instar Celebrity During 'The Howard Stern Show' on SiriusXM, the radio personality slams anti-vaxxers as saying, 'F**k their freedom. I want my freedom to live. I want to get out of the house.' Sep 10, 2021 AceShowbiz - Howard Stern has heavily criticized people who refused to get vaccinated. During an episode of his "The Howard Stern Show" on SiriusXM, the radio personality mocked conservative radio hosts who used their massive platforms to push back against the COVID vaccines. "It's really funny when these radio, the radio guys are the best, they're like four of them died, four of them were like ranting on the air. They will not get vaccinated," the 67-year-old said amid laughter, per The Hollywood Reporter. "They were on fire, these guys. It was like day after day, they were all dying and then their dying words are, 'I wish I had been more into the vaccine. I wish I had taken it.' " Elsewhere in his rant, Howard also talked about anti-vaxxers who said that the decision not to take their shot was their personal freedom. He said, "F**k them. F**k their freedom." He further stressed, "I want my freedom to live. I want to get out of the house. I want to go next door and play chess. I want to go take some pictures." Howard then dubbed anti-vaxxers' opinion "bulls**t." He went on to elaborate, "As I remember, when I went to school, you had to get a measles vaccine. You had to get a mumps vaccine. You had to get. It was a ton of them." "The other thing I hate is that all these people with COVID who won't get vaccinated are in the hospitals clogging it up," the radio host, who called vaccine opponents "imbeciles," exclaimed. "So like, if you have a heart attack or any kind of problem, you can't even get into the E.R. And I'm really of mind to say, 'Look, if you didn't get vaccinated [and] you got COVID, you don't get into a hospital.' " "Go f**k yourself. You had the cure and you wouldn't take it," Howard added. The "Howard Stern Comes Again" author then concluded that "COVID-19 vaccines should be mandatory for all." CBS TV Boos reportedly erupted at National TV Awards held at London's O2 Arena when footage of the Oprah interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was shown. Sep 11, 2021 AceShowbiz - A clip of Prince Harry and wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey was reportedly booed when it was played at a star-studded U.K. awards show. According to multiple reports, onlookers shared the boos erupted from the U.K TV stars at Thursday (10Sep21) night's National TV Awards (NTAs) awards event held at London's O2 Arena. However, viewers watching the show on U.K channel ITV just saw the clips without hearing the audience's allegedly negative response. The short clip from the controversial interview, in which the Sussexes accused unknown members of the royal family of racism, was aired as part of a TV highlights reel. "As soon as Meghan and Harry appeared on screen the audience started booing," an attendee told British newspaper The Sun. "And then everyone joined in, it was really loud and funny." In the hugely anticipated Oprah interview, the pair revealed Meghan had been driven close to suicide by her treatment as a royal, that Kate Middleton had made her cry, and an as-yet-unidentified royal had raised concern over the colour of her then unborn son Archie's skin tone. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II later said the claims "will be addressed by the family privately" but noted, in regard to the accusations, that "some recollections may vary." Meanwhile, officials at the palace launched a formal investigation after Meghan Markle was accused of bullying staff members during her stay in the U.K. The British royal family reportedly even called in lawyers. The Duchess vehemently denied the claims and the investigation may have been dropped since the employee has allegedly rescinded the accusations. Instagram Movie The graphic novel which introduced Marvel's webslinger has been sold under the hammer for more than $3 million, becoming the most expensive comic book ever auctioned. Sep 11, 2021 AceShowbiz - The first comic ever to feature Spider-Man was auctioned off for a record-setting $3.6 million (2.6 million) on Thursday (09Sep21). The 1962 Marvel issue, "Amazing Fantasy No. 15", went under the hammer at Heritage Auction's Signature Comics & Comic Art sale in Beverly Hills, California, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The comic was written by the late Stan Lee - creator of the teenage superhero - and drawn by Steve Ditko, who teamed up with fellow illustrator Jack Kirby for the iconic cover. Editors at the outlet report the hot auction item is one of only four certified near-mint copies of the publication. The success of the webslinger led to the character getting his own monthly periodical, as well as several animated TV series and hit movies. The huge winning bid topped the figure earned by Superman's comic debut in 1938's "Action Comics No. 1", which went for $3.25 million (2.35 million) at a private auction in April (21), while "Batman No. 1", featuring the Caped Crusader's first appearance in print, from the 1940s, sold for $2.22 million (1.6 million) at a Heritage auction in January. Meanwhile, a new "Spider-Man" movie is scheduled to make its way out in December this year as a part of Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tom Holland is returning to reprise the title role, reuniting with rumored girlfriend Zendaya Coleman. It's the third installment of the new remake and marks the sixth appearance of the webslinger in the MCU. The character made his debut in the franchise with a "Captain America: Civil War" cameo. CHICO, Calif. - On Thursday, Congressman Doug LaMalfa responded to the Biden Administrations' announcement of a vaccine mandate for millions of Americans. The mandate includes federal employees, contractors, and health care workers at federally funded hospitals. Companies with 100 or more employees must require vaccinations or weekly testing. This mandate is blatantly unconstitutional. Presidents cannot make up laws and impose fines because they want citizens and companies to do their bidding. Laws are made by Congress, not Presidential fiat. The government should leave medical decisions to individuals and their doctors to discuss their specific benefits and risk factors. Your individual medical information or immunization status is not the governments business, Rep. LaMalfa said. OLD STATION, Calif. - The Shasta County Sheriffs Office issued new evacuation warnings in the area of Old Station for the Dixie Fire. The warning is for all residents in Old Station Zone 3. This includes the area east of Highway 89 just north of Black Angus Lane and north to the intersection of Highway 89 at Doty Rd. following Bidwell Rd. east to the Pacific Crest Trail. RELATED: Fire crews preparing for increase in Dixie Fire behavior Zone 9 is also in an evacuation warning. This area is east of Zone 3 and extends to the Shasta and Lassen County line. People should get ready to leave if evacuation orders are issued. There is an evacuation center at the Ward of Life Assembly Church at 37341 Main St. in Burney. CHICO, Calif. - The League of Women Voters of Butte County (LWVBC) will be hosting a Fall Membership Coffee with a guest speaker who will talk about the history of the recall process. The guest speaker will be Dr. Charles Turner who is a faculty member in Political Science and Criminal Justice at Chico State. We are choosing this topic because we are in the middle of a recall election right now and its not something that happens very often although certainly in my voting lifetime Ive seen two recall elections for governor, so they do come up, said Claire Green with the LWVBC. The event will be at the Picnic Pavilion behind the Elks Lodge in Chico on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. It is open to the public and will be followed by a question and answer session. The LWVBC is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages participation in government. HAT CREEK, Calif. - People who use the Hat Creek Highland Mutal Water Company are being told to boil water before using it, according to the Shasta County Sheriffs Office. The Hat Creek Highland MWC had a break in the distribution system after a fire truck backed into a sandpipe. The break has caused an outage and low pressure. The company disabled alarms and interlocks at the surface water treatment plant but the water it produces may not meet state standards. People are asked to boil water, let it boil for at least one minute then let it cool before using it. Bottled water is an option for everyone, including people who cant boil water. For people who dont have bottled water or cant boil water, they can add eight drops of bleach per gallon of clear water or 16 drops per gallon of cloudy water, mix thoroughly and let it stand for 30 minutes. People can get water disinfection tablets and follow the instructions. There will be an update once the water is safe to drink again. PARADISE, Calif. - Nearly three years after going through the Camp Fire, students from Paradise High School decided they wanted to do something to help students in Greenville, who have been impacted by the Dixie Fire. We did a fundraiser for Greenville and we raised money so we could help them out, Paradise High students Baylee Hovey and Paige Cummings said. "We brought jars into the classrooms and encouraged kids to donate and we got a lot more than we expected, student Sarah Kiefer, who also helped organize the fundraiser said. The students raised about $4,700 in two weeks. They will be giving away $50 Target gift cards and $100 VISA gift cards to Greenville High students. Each card comes with a personalized, hand-written message. Thursday, the group of Paradise High students met Greenville High sophomore, Daisy Neer over a FaceTime call. Its been hard because we can't start the school year and we're all spread out to different schools and it's hard you don't get to see many of your friends, Neer said. Paradise leadership teacher, Stacie Martin said she's thankful the school came together to help. "I'm super proud of my class and the entire student body and the staff, I know multiple classes raised over $300 and teachers agreed to match their student's donations and the whole thing has been a wonderful experience," Mrs. Martin said. It feels good knowing that we can help in some type of way, Cummings added. It makes me feel happy and good that someone else knows what it feels like," Neer said. Mrs. Stacie Martin said the gift cards will be sent out over the weekend. BUTTE COUNTY, Calif.- The Mount Pleasant Police and Butte County Sheriff's Office served an open count of murder warrant on Aug. 10 and arrested a man suspected of being connected with a murder in Palermo from 2012. Matthew Boehm, 36, of South Carolina is suspected of having murdered Lewis Newton, 42, of Oroville after an investigation revealed a gunshot wound was the cause of death for Newton. Then further evidence was found that indicated Newton was murdered, according to the Butte County Sheriff's Office. Over the last five months, BCSO detectives searched various warrants and interviewed people in Chico, Oroville and South Carolina. This revealed more evidence that Boehm had gone to Palermo and murdered Newton. Boehm was transported to the Butte County Jail where he is currently in custody. The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) announces the launch of its second global For Moments Like No Other advertising campaign inspired by the Love Life thought. The campaign stars the actress and NDC Global Ambassador, Ana de Armas. Ms. de Armas radiates throughout the Mallorca, Spain-shot campaign, fully embodying Love Life as an inspirational call to action, and rejoicing in various social settings as natural diamonds help generate new memories. Ms. de Armas was approached for the sophomore For Moments Like No Other campaign as she radiantly captures a zest for life alongside a deep appreciation of natural diamonds. Gregarious, confident, talented, and worldly, she is a fitting ambassador for the Natural Diamond Councils unique, international mission. Diamond jewellery sales have seen record breaking growth as we emerge from the pandemic, said David Kellie, CEO of Natural Diamond Council. Consumers are eager to create new memories and natural diamonds are synonymous with celebrating lifes moments. This campaign emanates the Love Life manifesto to the core. Were thrilled to have Ana de Armas back with us for another year to share the magic of natural diamonds with a global audience. I hope this campaign brings joy and hope to everyone. I hope that it inspires people to love stronger, to enjoy every minute and cherish the moments of happiness with their loved ones. It was an amazing experience working with this incredible team and I couldnt be happier to be working again with the Natural Diamond Council. said Ms. de Armas. Ms. de Armas wears an 11-piece diamond jewellery collection that was custom designed for the campaign by the Brooklyn-based jewelry designer Malyia McNaughton. Ms. McNaughton is an active participant in NDCs Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative with Lorraine Schwartz, which launched in January 2021. The collection is available at madebymalyia.com and is being interpreted by retailers globally for the holiday season. The TVC captures the prevailing sentiment of positivity and optimism as the world opens up and we get the opportunity to celebrate the meaningful moments of life with our loved ones. There is no better expression of this love and affection than eternal, emotion-evoking natural diamonds. Ana brings alive these emotions through her spontaneity and we hope it inspires everyone to love life and enjoy their diamond jewellery this festive season. says Richa Singh, Managing Director - India & Middle East, Natural Diamond Council. The collection will launch together with the campaign on September 8th, showcased in an immersive look book on a dedicated campaign website housed on naturaldiamonds.com, which has received over 100 million unique visitors since its launch in June 2020. The campaign was directed by Manu Cossu, and photographed by Sasha Marro in addition to Molly SJ Lowe. Karla Welch provided fashion styling for de Armas while Georgia Pendlebury along with Manu Cossu provided overarching fashion and creative direction. Along with campaigns and collaborations, the NDC believes that the brand should deliver direct-to-consumer, educational, inspiring content through the website. The same has been strategically curated over the months collaborating with experts across genres, influential voices, artists and jewellery influencers to publish over 100 India-centric articles on the timeless natural diamonds. NDC has had the opportunity of having exclusive access to luxury houses over the past year and also covered stories of diamond manufacturing pioneers. With the launch of the retailer and e-learning portal this year, the NDC has made significant progress in integrating its retailer network. While the global pandemic has bought economies to a halt and massively disrupted businesses, it has also fuelled start-up dreams and we even saw several Indian start-ups achieve Unicorn status during the pandemic period. The times have never been better for the budding entrepreneurs to give wings to their start-up dreams. The Government, too, has come up with various schemes to support its Vocal for Local drive. A case in point is the recent Rs 1,000 crore Start-up India Seed Fund announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Start-up India International Summit 2021 held earlier this year. Adgully is turning the spotlight on the entrepreneurs who fought against all odds to bring their dreams to fruition in our special series START-UP STARS. We at Adgully wholeheartedly support the Vocal for Local movement and over the next few months will be featuring all local/ homegrown businesses, brands and Apps. Before joining Xanadu, Vikas Chaturvedi, CEO, Xanadu Realty, spent the first 15 years working with FMCG and real estate giants in the Middle East and India that taught him valuable life lessons. But working for a well-established outfit and working at a start-up is like chalk and cheese. Chaturvedi loves fighting against all odds and carving a niche for the services that Xanadu provides. That is what motivated him to join a start-up in the first place. In conversation with Adgully, Vikas Chaturvedi, CEO, Xanadu Realty, speaks about how Xanadu, as a tech-driven marketing and sales solutions start-up for the real estate sector, is convincing the long-established players to experiment with technology-backed customised sales and marketing solutions and much more. What gap did you want to fulfil with your start-up? What is the core business proposition? The core business proposition at Xanadu Realty is to create customer-centric brands by leveraging the latest technology and data analytics. Everything we do is deeply rooted in science and this is exactly what we wanted to pioneer in the industry. Many outfits deliver marketing and sales strategies, but what sets Xanadu apart is that we walk the extra mile. We provide unparalleled demand generation and market penetration with customised and comprehensive sales and marketing solutions. How did you identify your TG? Did you carry out any feasibility study prior to starting your business? Honestly, 80% of the real estate market is fragmented. Top 10 developers make up to 25% of the total sales. All developers need acceleration and customise solutions to their unique problems to flourish. Xanadu was founded by industry veterans Anurag Singhvi and R Karthik. Both of them brought years of experience and a vision to perpetuate institutional growth for businesses to the table. The TG was well established from the early days real estate companies, established players, and new entrants. But of course, like any other start-up, we ran thorough feasibility exercises before we went on the floor. This helped us in finetuning our offerings and enabled us to deliver bespoke services to our clients right from day one. What were the challenges that you faced in your start-up journey and how did you overcome them? I was a part of the founding team at Xanadu and the journey from a thriving start-up to an established business has been quite eventful. Since the time we started 5 years back, we have been growing strength to strength. However, there have been multiple challenges that we have been tackling and emerging as winners right from geopolitical unrest, demonetisation, GST, NBFC crisis to COVID-19. But I feel like the most substantial challenge that we faced as a tech-driven marketing and sales solutions start-up for the real estate sector, was convincing the long-established players to experiment with technology-backed customised sales and marketing solutions. The real estate sector is still relatively conventional and innovative technologies only find a place in the construction aspect of the business. Integrating real estate market with sales, marketing, and customer relationship management aspects of the real estate sector was, in my opinion, quite a challenge. What were the clearances that you required for your venture from various authorities? They were the basic licenses that have to be in order for any real estate business, such as getting RERA registered, business registrations, service registrations, procuring real estate operator license, among others. We did not face much of a hassle with paperwork and clearances. Funds/ finance is the prime issue of almost all start-ups. What can the industry and the Government do to address this issue and ease the capital requirements of start-ups? Financial crunch is one of the biggest hurdles that all start-ups face in their nascent stage. There is financial aid available for the real estate sector in Mumbai that a mid-sized organisation as service industry cannot provide any collaterals for them. But it can be addressed by the industry only in tandem with the government. Simplifying the registration processes, providing tax exemptions, and deploying multiple schemes to ensure easy-access funds to the registered start-ups, especially in the service sector, are a few ways in which the government can address the capital requirements of start-ups in India. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi announced a Startup India Seed Fund. How do you see start-ups benefiting from it? I think this is a fantastic initiative by the government that envisages a robust start-up ecosystem that nurtures the blooming entrepreneurs of the country. It aims at backing the brilliant domestic business ideas by ensuring the availability of funds. One of the biggest reasons start-ups cannot take off in the market is the lack of funding. It is a great initiative for small, micro start-ups and provides them with a booster in times of distress and enables them to grow and cope up with challenges. This Indian government initiative shines like a beacon of hope for all the aspiring entrepreneurs across the country. However, I will like to add that they should also think about mid-size service organisations. How is digital helping you further your business? At Xanadu, weve always leveraged technology and smart data analytics to improve operational efficiency and unlock true business potential for our clients even when the pandemic had not forced businesses to go the digital route. That being said, in the upcoming years, we plan on taking it up by several notches with innovative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning driving our daily operations. What were your key learnings from 2020? How do you see the start-up ecosystem progressing in 2021? My biggest takeaway from the year 2020 has been this even the best-laid plans can go awry. The start-up ecosystem in India, which was riding the wave of success in late 2019 and early 2020, was severely impacted by the pandemic. Start-ups had to downsize their teams, rethink their expenditure, and shut down. But I genuinely believe that entrepreneurs are the most resilient beings in the world. I have learnt that by being nimble footed and not be bogged down by the challenges. I am glad to say that many start-up entrepreneurs have not only swiftly addressed the situation, but they have also managed to adapt to the changing start-up landscape. Going forward, I am optimistic that the start-up ecosystem will bounce back stronger than ever. Were mid-way through the year and have already displayed signs of recovery the remainder of the year will be no different either. What would be your message for the budding entrepreneurs? Every entrepreneur goes through challenges and hurdles. Dont get disheartened by them; instead, be ready to face them head-on. Stay true to your concept. Protect your people. Have clearly defined goals and a strong execution plan in place to achieve them. Dont waste the funds raised on frivolous prospects. The funds raised are vital for the cash flow and profitability of the business and it is fundamental to all businesses. If you believe in your product and its ability to address a pain point for your TG, then be patient, give your best and success will be yours. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Bern, 10.09.2021 - The Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit's (SHA) emergency operations following the earthquake that hit Haiti on 14 August have ended. The activities on the ground helped restore access to drinking water, deliver relief goods and assess the structural soundness of buildings to avoid any risk of collapse in various towns. This aid reached over 20,000 people. The Swiss cooperation office, which has long been active in the country, is taking over and will continue its support projects on a long-term basis. Switzerland reacted immediately with emergency aid following the earthquake that struck the Caribbean island on 14 August. In addition to the members of the SHA, which is part of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), who were sent from Bern, the Swiss embassy in Port-au-Prince mobilised quickly its team on the ground, thanks to the existing project office in the country's Sud department. In total, some twenty people worked closely with the national and local authorities to meet the needs of the population. Drinking water, shelter and building safety For three weeks, the Swiss experts worked to restore access to drinking water. They installed water tanks for 10,000 people in several places on the island. Tanker lorries ensured drinking water for various sites. At the same time, SHA engineers assessed the damage to numerous public buildings (schools, churches, local authorities' offices) to check the risk of collapse. Already present in Port-Salut in the west of the country, staff from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) of the FDFA handed over more than 2,700 tarpaulins to the municipal authorities of Port-Salut, Port-a-Piment and Chardonnieres. This material had been held in stock in case it was needed. Together, these operations succeeded in helping over 20,000 people. In total, Switzerland allocated more than CHF 4 million to respond to the needs following the earthquake (CHF 1 million in emergency aid and CHF 3 million via the reprogramming of ongoing SDC activities). Of this amount, CHF 500,000 was provided to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the UN as a response to their calls for funding. In addition, two SDC experts assisted the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) mission in Haiti. Long-term support for reconstruction The end of the SHA's emergency aid does not in the least mean the end of Switzerland's support for Haiti. The Caribbean island is a priority country for the SDC. Development cooperation programming will succeed the activities of the emergency response phase and projects will be adapted to meet the new needs caused by the earthquake. The Swiss cooperation office will support long-term projects in collaboration with the local population and institutions. It is already planning to rebuild water and sanitation infrastructure with sustainable and participatory financing. After Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti in 2016, the SDC facilitated the construction of 320 houses using local technologies. All these houses withstood the earthquake last August, saving the lives of 1,600 people. The four community shelters built during this period provided shelter for 1,000 people. The SDC is planning to disseminate these earthquake-resistant construction methods on a large scale in collaboration with local authorities. Address for enquiries FDFA Communication Federal Palace West Wing CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53 Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55 E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch Twitter: @SwissMFA Publisher Federal Department of Foreign Affairs https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html The barred rock variety of the Plymouth rock chickens has one of the classic looks known among poultry. Named for the bars of black on each feather, its feathers have a zebra-like look with black and white striping. The first specimens were shown at a fair in Boston, Massachusetts in 1849, and then disappeared until 20 years later when a Mr. Upham of Massachusetts bred barred roosters to Java hens to make the barred rock. Did You Know? Breed name: Plymouth rock (variety: barred rock) Year of acceptance by the American Poultry Association: 1874 National office: American Poultry Association PO Box 9 Lucasville, Ohio 45648 www.amerpoultryassn.com David Adkins, secretary/treasurer 740-876-4845; apasecretaryadkins@gmail.com State poultry offices Nebraska State Poultry Association www.nestatepoultryshow.com Nebraska Poultry Industries PO Box 10 Milford, NE 68405 402-761-2216 www.nepoultry.org Kansas: The Heart of America Poultry Club www.poultryshowcentral.com Iowa Poultry Association 8515 Douglas Ave. Suite 9 Urbandale, IA 50322 515-727-4701 www.iowapoultry.com Interesting breed fact: The barred (Plymouth) rock hen was the basis for the broiler industry until World War II, when more productive breeds of hens were produced. Throughout WWII rationing, they kept meat protein and eggs in the American diet. The heritage breed of the chicken is known for being meat producing first and egg producing second. But theres a big difference between heritage birds and production birds, said Jeremy Woeppel, of Chambers, Nebraska. Hes been raising Barred Rocks for 14 years, and he says hatcheries have crossed different laying breeds into the barred rocks to make them layers and not broilers. Youre talking about two different birds, he said. Barred rocks are easy to raise and self-sustaining, Woeppel said. He characterizes them as a get down to business, Im going to do my own thing and you dont have to worry about me type of bird. They love to forage as well. I open things up and have the area to let them forage, he said. Thats a big thing with these birds. It cuts down on feed costs. Heritage stock doesnt feather out as quickly as production stock, especially the males. At four or five weeks of age or older, the males may have no feathers on their bodies, only wing feathers. They look like little dinosaurs, Woeppel said. Usually the last one to feather out of the bunch is your best barred male in the bunch. Thats usually a good indication that hell have the best barring. Some males will take an entire year to totally feather out. The females feather out much quicker. Theres a place for both heritage and production birds, he said. Some people want the heritage birds, which are slower to start producing eggs but will produce eggs over a longer period of time. A quality barred rock, Woeppel said, will lay eggs consistently for five to seven years. Hatchery (or production) birds will lay eggs sooner than heritage barred rocks but not for as long. Because the Barred Rocks are meat-producing birds before eggs, they will get broody, meaning they will lay fewer eggs and try to hatch out the eggs they do lay. They lay pretty good, Woeppel said, but if one starts going broody, they all start. You can break them of it, but there will be a three- or four-week period where you wont get any eggs. The flavor of the heritage barred rock meat is very good, Woeppel said. If you eat a production bird and a heritage bird, theres a night and day difference, he said. Heritage Barred Rocks can be butchered at 16 weeks or older, and Woeppel recommends cooking them differently than store-bought chicken. He and his family have had good results slow cooking or flash cooking them. Heritage males average from 12 to 14 pounds, with females weighing in at six to eight pounds. Barred rocks are one variety of the Plymouth rock. Other varieties, or colors, of Plymouth rocks include the white rocks, silver penciled rocks, buff rocks and black rocks. The birds are friendly and roosters usually arent aggressive, but Woeppel points out that roosters have a job to do. For the male bird, his responsibility is to protect the flock. You want him to be so if something comes in (the coop), hes the first one there to protect the hens and pullets. I dont want one that flies at you, but you do want one that keeps an eye on business, he said. Woeppel points out that people choose production or heritage birds for their end goal. Hatchery birds produce eggs quicker, but heritage birds are a good fit for both meat and eggs. Woeppel raises heritage barred rocks and other breeds and one year hatched between 4,000-5,000 chicks, shipping them from Maine to Alaska. He no longer hatches chicks; shipping was a problem, and he has a ranch to attend to. He and his family, which includes wife Ann and kids Devyn, Claire, Rose and Judd, call their chicken business the XW Poultry Ranch. Last year, Claire and Rose won second and third places at the Nebraska State Fair in showmanship. He loves the barred rock chickens. You open the door (to the coop) and theres this heritage bird looking at you, with so many generations of bloodlines that have stayed true. They are self-sufficient, they get down to business and they go out and graze. Theyre enjoying life. And I can get my own eggs and meat and I know whats been put into it and what I get out of it. Freelance writer Ruth Nicolaus loves (nearly) everything about the Great Plains, but mostly its people. She lives in eastern Nebraska. Reach her at editorial@midwestmessenger.com. Midwest Messenger Weekly Update Get the latest agriculture news delivered to your inbox from the Midwest Messenger. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. "I dont try to estimate yield. I know a lot of folks like to do that, but every time I try I am too far off." HUXLEY, Iowa The sign on the barn says 1861, making it 150 years since the Helland family started this farm. Nick Helland looks up at it. My dad and his brother are the sixth generation on this farm, he says. Dustin and I are the seventh. Dustin is his cousin. Helland farms with his father, Michael, as well as Dustin and Dustins father, Charles. Theres history here. But Helland also recognizes that not all farms have made it to the seventh or even the second generation. The average age of farmers continues to rise. The number of farmers continues to drop. Population trends show people moving away from small towns to larger metropolitan areas. At 39 years of age, Helland understands that agriculture is one profession where he can still be considered young. I keep asking how long I can call myself a young farmer, he says with a laugh. Technically, he could do it for a while. The 2017 Census of Agriculture indicated the average age of farmers in the United States was 57.5 years, an increase of 1.2 years from the 2012 Census of Agriculture. Perhaps just as important is that the 2020 U.S. Census shows the trend continues of people moving away from rural areas and toward metropolitan areas. In general, between 2000 and 2010 a lot of areas managed to keep the baby boomer generation, explains Sandra Burke, an Extension research scientist at Iowa State University. But she says those baby boomers are getting older and the younger generations have tended to leave. The usual trend the census shows is that young people leave to get an education and often dont return to rural areas. While Montanas climate is absolutely ideal for growing malt barley, how does it fair for hops? Tom Britz, owner and CEO of Glacier Hops Ranch in Whitefish, Mont., set out to answer that question nearly 10 years ago. While the vast majority of U.S. hop production is concentrated in Yakima Valley in Washington state, a MSU Extension agent in Flathead County suggested in 2012 that Britz look into growing hops since northwest Montana has a climate ideal for sustaining the crop. At the time, craft brewing businesses were becoming wildly popular and were in need of hops for their seasonal brews, so Britz decided he would give the crop a try. With some help from the Montana Growth Through Agriculture grant program, Britz actually established a hops research farm. He ended up growing 44 different hop varieties, testing them all for their ability to produce in the state. Considered a part of the Cannabaceae family and therefore sharing select traits with hemp, hops must be respected for the amount of work the crop demands. This is the most capital- and labor-intensive crop you can grow, Britz said. Getting hops from seed to a finished product is quite the production. Hops grow on 18-foot-high trellises and each individual plant has to have 2-3 twines associated with them and the plants must be manually trained to grow up the twine. Actually harvesting the crop is a whole other bear in and of itself. Once harvested, the actual hop cones must be dried for several hours, baled, and then the bales must be frozen. Next the bales are ran through a hammer mill and eventually a pelletizer. Needless to say, a good beer must be appreciated. News featured popular urgent Nut Roll returns to Albany area roadways Saturday Special Photo As many as 250 bicyclists are expected this weekend in Albany for the 17th annual Pecan City Pedalers Nut Roll ride. ALBANY The spinning wheels of bicyclists will return to southwest Georgia this weekend for the 17th Pecan City Pedalers Nut Roll after the event was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19. Riders from Georgia and at least three other states will travel through parts of Dougherty, Lee, Terrell, Sumter and Webster counties in the four riding categories that range from 32 miles to a century ride that is actually 104 miles and will take riders from Chehaw Park to Plains and back. Through Wednesday, about 200 riders had registered and another 40 or so were expected to join later this week or on the day of the ride. Prior to the pandemic, about 400 riders took part in the groups annual signature ride, but some of those who have participated in the past still are not ready to return to large events, Roger Haggerty, president of the Pecan City Pedalers cycling club, said. We had back and forth this year and figured if we ask people to mask and social distance up until the time of the start we would be OK, he said. Were following all the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines. In previous years, there was a social at the Pretoria Fields Collective Brewery the night prior to the ride. This year, participants will eat a box lunch on the Chehaw Park grounds. Although some regulars expressed reservations this year due to the pandemic, Haggerty said he expects those riders will return in the future. Registered riders range from teenagers to those in their 80s from Georgia as well as Alabama, Florida and South Carolina. This year, law enforcement officers with the Dougherty County Police Department, Lee County Sheriffs Office, Leesburg Police Department and Georgia State Patrol will be on the roads along the route as another safety measure, Haggerty said. There also are several rest stops along the way where riders can get a snack and a drink. Proceeds from the ride go toward promoting bicycling and raising awareness of the presence of cyclists on roadways, including the placing of Share the Road signs. Registration is $50 prior to Saturday and $60 on the day of the ride. Club member Rachelle Bitterman said drivers can expect to see a large number of riders on the roads and reminded them to respect the riders space on roadways. Georgia law allows riders to travel two abreast and requires giving at least three feet of space between passing cars and bicyclists. The riders will take Philema Road to Jefferson Street, then turn on Lovers Lane Road before splitting off for the rides of 32, 45, 64 and 100 miles that will take them to their various destinations of Bronwood, Leesburg and Plains. One of the main things is letting motorists know theres going to be a lot of riders on these roads, Bitterman said. We really do have a lot of people coming in from all over. Saturday is looking like its going to be gorgeous, so well probably end up hosting 250 riders. Early ride package pick-up is from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Friday at Chehaw. Riders usually start arriving at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday, and the ride starts at 7:30 a.m. Riders can register by visiting www.registernutroll.com. Terrorists either perish doing the deed or seldom get caught. It took a war and a decade to make Osama Bin Laden pay for the 9/11 attacks. So, President Bidens warning after the Kabul bombing in August 2021 was as lightweight as the promise hed made in April that American troops would come home responsibly, deliberately, and safely. After terrorists killed 13 American troops at the end of the evacuation, Biden addressed those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm. We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay. To make terrorists pay is simple to promise and difficult to do. You must: (1) identify them; (2) go after them; (3) attack them. Even then, diplomacy may put a spanner in the works. And of course, the government may have larger plans. When it comes to Biden, there have indeed been times when he was dead against making terrorists paywhen they were Iranian. Take the bombing of the AMIA building in Buenos Aires. As Vice President, Biden stood by when Barak Obama made sure that the perpetrators, though identified, got off scot-free. How and why could he do such a thing? Well, as Tom Friedman summed up after talking to Obama, the president felt that the Iran deal was a better outcome for America, Israel and our Arab allies than any alternative on the table. What a table that had to be, with no side issues that would offend the Mullahs. Eventually, everything was taken off the tableeverything except the bribes. For caliphate fanatics, the prickly issues were (1) holocaust threats they routinely make against Israel, and (2) their worldwide network of terror. Had those items been left on the table, the terrorists in suits would have got up and walked out. Then, according to Obama, they would have developed their Bomb. Obamas solution, in addition to everything else he gave Iran, was to give them $150 billion in spending money. The lot of the master terrorists was not crime and punishment but crime and reward. Theyd slaughtered Jews wholesale. Now they had the cash to send more, Allah willing, to kingdom come. The deal Obama cobbled together was more a swap than a deal of give-and-take. He swapped the blood of Jews for a reptilian ally. The whole sordid game was enabled because Obama stopped the Argentine wheels of justice. The law in Argentina was taking its course when Obama ordered the law to stop doing that. His nuclear deal took priority. Here is what happened, with Joe Biden looking on. A monumental investigation into the AMIA bombing had turned Alberto Nisman, a Brazilian government prosecutor, into a world celebrity. By 2006, Nisman had managed to indict seven members of Irans government, one a former President and Foreign Minister. Then he did one better. Nisman secured international arrest warrants for five of the seven, thus locking them inside Iran. Onto the set flounced Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, President of Argentine, an Eva Peron in her beauty and blinding ambition. In a deal worthy of Dr. Faustusa deal with the devil, de Kirchner bartered the terror attack for commodities. She got Iranian oil in return for scuttling Nismans decade-long investigation. For its part of the deal, Tehran bought Argentine grain and had its crime erased. This made it a commercial deal with murder thrown in. By now the resolute Nisman had compiled a docket a million pages thick, in addition to a secret 300-page docket against de Kirschner and her cronies. They were accused of inventing Tehrans innocence in order to pursue commercial, political and geopolitical interests. So, a vixen and four international terrorists exchanged barrels of oil for sacks of grain, topping the deal with Jewish blood by the barrel. At this point, Bidens President entered. Western diplomatic sources disclosed that the Obama Administration twisted Argentine leaders arms to get them to end the investigation into Tehrans complicity in the AMIA attack. This was Irans reward for sitting at the table to go through the motions of signing Barak Obamas deal. Obamas people met with their Argentine counterparts on different occasions. As the source close to Argentine leaders explained: One of the first demands by Iran to the administration was that Argentina be pressed to drop the warrant, the source, close to the Argentine leadership, said. Within months, the U.S. followed up with a high-level meeting in which Argentina was asked to lay off. The sources said Buenos Aires eventually complied. In 2013, Argentina and Iran signed an agreement for a joint investigation of the AMIA bombing, deemed a cover-up by Buenos Aires. The colluders werent satisfied with clamping the wheels of justice. Nisman got a bullet to the head in his bathroom. In the trashcan, police recovered a draft legal document that cleared the way for Kirchners arrest. What is not clear is whether the document contained evidence of Obamas involvement in the plot. Without much ado, the 27th anniversary of the AMIA attack passed in July 2021. Then Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had a summit with Biden. At the top of the agenda was Irannot Iran the mastermind behind AMIA, but Iran thats developing the Bomb. Biden has been jumping through hoops to revive the deal Obama struck in 2015. Why would Biden do such a thing? The move has no probable benefit to America, the free world, or even the Biden family. Nor will it improve the lives of long-suffering Iranians. If Biden is not being, like his mentor, ambitious for himself, why rescue men soaked in barrels of blood? At least work in some double-entry bookkeeping: I will do you a favor if you do XYZ for me. Of all murky lunacies, redoing a failed pact is the most devious, the most comic, the most perilous. Try it again, Uncle Sam. Biden the Democrat wants to revive a nuclear accord just because Trump the Republican dumped it? Both the Trump factor and the raising of a deal from the dead seemed to motivate Biden after the January 2020 assassination of Qassem Soleimani, Tehrans master terrorist. In a statement, the U.S. Department of Defense disclosed that Soleimani had plans to attack American diplomats and military personnel throughout the region. His Quds Force was guilty of killing hundreds of American and coalition members. How did Biden react? He deserved to be brought to justice for his crimes, Biden was big enough to admit. But President Trump just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox. Then, Biden let slip what really irked him about the Soleimani hit. It would make getting the mullahs back to the negotiating table more difficult. Hence, Bidens attack on President Trump for pulling America out of the nuclear deal. It would alienate Washingtons alliesmeaning Iranand prevent American from going back into the agreement: We have lost our standing in the region, we have lost the support of our allies. The next president has to be able to pull those folks back together, re-establish our alliances and insist Iran go back into the agreement. So there: Bidens putrid mind was troubled by how to raise Barak Obamas deal from the grave. War, said Napoleon, is a contest of blunders. The side that commits fewer blunders wins the war. The same could apply to diplomatic war. Blunder Joe is fast becoming the epitaph for the Biden White House. Let Israel beware. Israel can ill afford to lose the war on blundersnot with Tehran licking its bloody chops. Steve Apfel is an economist and costing specialist, but most of all a prolific author of fiction and non-fiction. His blog, Balaams curse, is followed in more than 15 countries. Image: Joe Biden. YouTube screen grab. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. I am just a layperson, not a medical professional (unlike several physicians who contribute to American Thinker). From that perspective, I have written before about the mess we are facing with the Biden regimes and the federal bureaucracies handling of the COVID pandemic Since then, the same actors have done nothing to change my fundamental view that we are being told a managed narrative, not the objective truth and that the narratives one and only goal is to incite fear so they can exert control. But I could be wrong, so do your research and fact-checking. Nothing in this article should be read as medical advice. Over the course of the past few weeks, I have on numerous occasions reflected on the wisdom of C.S. Lewis (no relation), as it applies to our situation today. He observed and opined: Of all Tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber barons cruelty may sometimes sleep, (their) cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. Our public education system and post-secondary brainwashing and indoctrination system, neither of which teaches logic, reason, or critical thinking, there are Americans, unfortunately, who have bowed to the notion that the government must be the solution to every issue we encounter in life. Can these leftists and statist devotees defend their dearly held beliefs with a calm, cogent, intelligent, rational, reasoned discussion? No, their go-to coping mechanism is derision, mocking, and ridicule, with some fake news thrown in to grab the headlines and shape their narrative. Everything they say will most likely be ill-conceived, illogical, and will not withstand critical examination. Their expressed opinions arent based on evidence, but instead are most likely fallacies, false premises, or who-knows-what. They just dont care if it makes any sense or not, because its how they feel. What they cannot acknowledge is that objectively examining facts reveals how badly our government has managed preventative medicine and caring for those who are sick with COVID-19. As the virus has run its course, the WHO, CDC, NIH, and FDA have restricted available preventative medicines such Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and Ivermectin (IVM). Instead of good medicine, we have been directed to shut down, shut in, take faux vaccines, and mask everyone and everything. Early in the pandemic, there were strong indications that a combination of HCQ and the antibiotic azithromycin was effective in preventing and treating COVID-19. We know where that led us. I continue to be absolutely flummoxed that, at the height of the pandemic, with patients in desperate need, there was no guidance on either a standardized, doctor-prescribed regimen of preventative care or critical, life-saving early treatment. HCQ has been prescribed as both an anti-malarial (anti-viral) medicine and as a treatment for Lupus by Rheumatologists for several decades. Data show that HCQ has been safe and effective and there are thousands of medical professionals who have been prescribing it and can affirmatively testify about its use and risks. However, we were deluged with hysterical warnings (again with the fear!) from the know-nothing teleprompter-readers in state-controlled media. When I examine the events of the past 18 months along, with the preponderance of the evidence, I am forced to conclude that hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost that could have been saved if we only had honesty in the governments alphabet soup of health bureaucracies. Of late, the mockery, derision, and oh-so-frantic warnings have been directed at IVM. IVM has been approved for human use since 1996. Furthermore, it appears to be a little-known fact that in 2015 the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine, in its only award in 60 years for the treatment of infectious diseases, honored the discovery of Ivermectin for its effectiveness against some of the worlds most devastating tropical diseases. The FDA routinely approves off-label use of approved medications: Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are both FDA-approved to treat or prevent malaria. Hydroxychloroquine is also approved to treat autoimmune conditions such as chronic discoid lupus erythematosus, systemic lupus erythematosus in adults, and rheumatoid arthritis. Both drugs have been prescribed for years to help patients with these debilitating, or even deadly, diseases, and FDA has determined that these drugs are safe and effective when used for these diseases in accordance with their FDA-approved labeling. Of note, FDA approved products may be prescribed by physicians for off-label uses if they determine it is appropriate for treating their patients, including during COVID. Why then, has the FDA aggressively discouraged their off-label use for either the prevention or treatment of COVID-19? Why, when the reality is there are numerous case studies and numerous examples across the globe of other countries successfully controlling their local COVID outbreaks by prescribing HCQ and IVM. About three weeks ago, Japan gave Ivermectin the green light. The reasoning behind the approval was the miraculous results in India and other countries in the treatment of COVID-19 with Ivermectin. In addition, they described the news as, Japan did not have the big Pharma entering the COVID vaccine market, the government did not get much pressure, so the (snip) policy basically reflects (what) a normal democratic regime should do, that is, to protect the health of the people. Lets let that statement speak for itself. Can we not see that our governments socialized control of the healthcare it allows us to haverather than the healthcare we need, and which should be availableis killing us? The truth is mRNA vaccines are not on par with the overwhelmingly successful MMR vaccine, the polio vaccine, or the smallpox vaccine. The vaccines reduce the severity of COVID sickness and are beneficial, but they are falling short of our hopes and expectations. It is exceedingly unfortunate that we are given a sales pitch and not safe, reliable, effective alternatives to employ with or without vaccination. The corrupt corporate, state-controlled media and the official information cabal among social media have been lying to the American public. I believe we need to have an all-of-the-above approach: make the vaccines available to those who want them, approve the preventative medicines known to be effective against COVID-19, and let people make their choices. We can clearly see that government intervention and crony capitalism are bad. Amid the COVID pandemic, it has not been just a poor choice, but ruinously bad and, in the process, it is ruining our healthcare system. Our socialized healthcare is murdering us. Jeff M. Lewis is a Christian, a husband and father, a Veteran, and a small business owner who resides with his family in South Texas. Image: Hydroxychloroquine by Whispyhistory. CC BY-SA 4.0. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. I recently watched the 2019 movie titled Mr. Jones. The film is based on fact and focuses on Gareth Jones, a young British journalist, played by British actor James Norton, who gained notoriety by interviewing Hitler. Jones worked alongside powerful Brits, which allowed him to travel to Moscow in 1933 in hopes of interviewing Joseph Stalin. He never got close to the Soviet dictator. Instead, Jones took a train south into Ukraine, where he learned that millions of Ukrainians were starving due to a man-made famine, engineered by Stalin. (Jones's press releases after he left the Soviet Union detailed that the starvation was not limited to Ukraine.) What the audience witnesses while viewing Mr. Jones foreshadows what could happen at any time, in any nation that suffers from dubious leadership tainted with subversive underpinnings. While in Ukraine, Jones sees people who are starving everywhere he turns. A horrified Mr. Jones encounters an old, emaciated peasant woman, who tells him, "Men came and thought they could replace the natural laws." The natural laws have been replaced here, too: Americans being paid not to work, our government paying farmers to destroy crops, citizens being forced to take experimental "vaccines," rioting and mass destruction in our cities with no fear of punishment, election laws being ignored with no consequences for fraud, schools dumbing down students and teaching them to hate their country and each other, demonizing the police, destruction of the family via the Great Society, weakening the Church via the Johnson Amendment, broad-scale censorship, erosion of the First and Second Amendments, our leaders causing division and constantly exhibiting apathy and incompetence; and citizens hoarding non-perishable food because they do not trust the government and fear another Holodomor an American Holodomor. During Stalin's reign, according to Wikipedia, authorities in the Soviet Union banned discussing the famine and ordered Ukrainian historians to falsify findings and depict the famine as an unavoidable natural disaster, to protect the Communist Party and to hide the deadly legacy of Stalin. Today, we see the "news business" using the same tactics about any information that reflects badly on the Biden administration and the left. Jones's love interest in the film, Ada, a British actress played by Vanessa Kirby, confides in him, saying "they" (the communists) destroy all the culture and anything that is good. Ada's declaration parallels the present ruthless cancel culture insanity. Apparently, our former president concurs with Ada. On August 21, during a rally in Alabama, Donald Trump yelled, "Everything 'woke' turns to s---." The crowd roared in agreement. Make no mistake: the term "woke" is code for "communist." Toward the end of the film, the following warning is delivered: "If we let him (Stalin) get away with this man-made famine, there will be others like him." Stalin did get away with it and now we can clearly see that there are many "others" like him...in our own government. Despite the impression that many young Americans desire a communist system, they do not wish to participate in a worker's utopia of the type that Stalin claimed "his people" enjoyed. The neo-communists of the twenty-first century holler for more and more handouts. They apparently have never heard of economics and are ignorant about the history of communism and the mass death that it demands. They don't even know they're communists. If the domestic communists get their way, yes, they will get everything free but the problem is, eventually there's nothing to get. People have no incentive to work, production stops, supply chains collapse, roads crumble, grocery stores are plagued with empty shelves, there are no shops or restaurants to frequent, etc. One of the only things they will get free is government cheese, which will be thrown from government trucks for them to catch like hungry government rats. When the trucks stop running (because there will be no fuel, courtesy of the Green New Deal) and the subsidized cheese runs out we will all starve. Mr. Jones found out firsthand what communism does: it erases all human rights, thrives on propaganda, creates terror, and eventually starves people. As for Gareth Jones, he was murdered in 1935, with the NKVD (the Soviet secret police) the chief suspect in his death. Dictators hate it when people speak the truth. Image by Ned Cosby. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Warfare concludes when your enemy is consumed by fear. Cicero noted, commenting on a Roman provincial war, "one general is demanded and required by all men, both allies and citizens, for that war; that he alone is feared by the enemy, and that no one else is." Terror, Inc. has now been alerted to the nature of our commander in chief, wholly different from his predecessor, and will respond accordingly toward our citizens and allies. Cicero continued: You see what the case is; now consider what you ought to do. It seems to me that I ought to speak in the first place of the sort of war that exists; in the second place, of its importance; and lastly, of the selection of a general. The kind of war is such as ought above all others to excite and inflame your minds to a determination to persevere in it. It is a war in which the glory of the Roman people is at stake; that glory which has been handed down to you from your ancestors, great indeed in everything, but most especially in military affairs. The safety of our friends and allies is at stake, in behalf of which your ancestors have waged many most important wars. The most certain and the largest revenues of the Roman people are at stake; and if they are lost, you will be at a loss for the luxuries of peace, and the sinews of war. The property of many citizens is at stake, which you ought greatly to regard, both for your own sake, and for that of the republic. Cicero (photo credit: Freud, CC BY-SA 2.0 license). And since you have at all times been covetous of glory and greedy of praise beyond all other nations, you have to wipe out that stain, received in the former Mithridates War, which has now fixed itself deeply and eaten its way into the Roman name, the stain arising from the fact that he, who in one day marked down by one order, and one single letter, all the Roman citizens in all Asia [modern Turkey], scattered as they were over so many cities, for slaughter and butchery, has not only never yet suffered any chastisement worthy of his wickedness, but now, 23 years after that time, is still a king, and a king in such a way that he is not content to hide himself in Pontus, or in the recesses of Cappadocia, but he seeks to emerge from his hereditary kingdom, and to range among your revenues [i.e., provinces], in the broad light of Asia. Indeed, up to this time your generals have been contending with the king so as to carry off tokens of victory, rather than actual victory. Lucius Sulla has triumphed, Lucius Murena has triumphed over Mithridates, two most gallant men, and most consummate generals; but yet they have triumphed in such a way that he [Mithridates], though routed and defeated, was still king. ... But Mithridates employed all the time which he had left to him, not in forgetting the old war, but in preparing for a new one; and, after he had built and equipped very large fleets, and had got together mighty armies from every nation he could, and had pretended to be preparing war against the tribes of the Bosphorus, his neighbors, sent ambassadors and letters as far as Spain to those chiefs with whom we were at war at the time, in order that, as you would by that means have war waged against you in the two parts of the world the furthest separated and most remote of all from one another, by two separate enemies warring against you with one uniform plan, you, hampered by the double enmity, might find that you were fighting for the empire itself. What was true 2,088 years ago remains true. Nothing changed. Then, as now, two decades were wasted by generals content "to carry off tokens of victory, rather than actual victory"; the enemy regrouped and grew stronger; our enemy has "yet suffered any chastisement worthy of his wickedness"; our enemies have been busy "in preparing for a new" war; we will soon be confronted on multiple fronts, with "the safety of our friends and allies ... at stake"; and we should prepare for chickens to come home to roost. Nobody fears our woke, obsequious generals. Our enemies will unite and confront us on multiple fronts. As we retreat, they regroup. A blood-dimmed tide is loosed upon the world. A stain must and will be erased. But not until the sorry crew which brought us to this pass has been replaced. Roman citizens would no more suffer incompetent, feckless losers than Americans will tolerate. This wrong will be righted, but not soon. Biden China's purchased president is correct: the withdrawal was "an extraordinary success." Depending on your allegiance. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. There have been a host of calls on the right to impeach the occupant of the White House for bungling the Afghanistan exit. (I'm using that polite term in place of a host of more proper, but ultimately inflammatory expressions for what actually happened.) There have been a similar number of statements on the left about how wonderful it was that the Ice Cream Monster ended "America's Longest War." Any difficulties were due to a brain freeze and will be rectified as soon as the Taliban set up a properly diverse government. Sober legal minds have actually suggested that while other acts of his might be impeachable, this foreign policy act is purely within his cognizance (does he still have a cognitive to have cognizance?) and thus is not subject to congressional review. His insistence on an unconstitutional eviction moratorium is just one clear example of violating the Constitution he swore to uphold. But that's not a (General) Willy-Nilly dash for the airport. Rocky Road Joe does hold the title of commander-in-chief, so it's up to him. If we go back to the debates over the Constitution, we find that impeachment of a president was not a controversial issue. It was widely thought to be a good check on a bad chief executive. The Constitution needed a provision "for defending the community against the incapacity, negligence, or perfidy of the Chief Magistrate." It wasn't good enough to wait for the next election, because, as James Madison noted, "[h]e might pervert his administration into a scheme of peculation [embezzlement] or oppression. He might betray his trust to foreign powers." This easily led to bribery or treason as grounds for impeachment. But soon it was realized that this wasn't enough. There were too many opportunities for evil in the president's office. Smithsonian Magazine notes: The Virginia delegates [Mason, Madison, & Randolph] borrowed their model for impeachment from the British Parliament. For 400 years, English lawmakers had used impeachment to exercise some control over the king's ministers. Often, Parliament invoked it to check abuses of power, including improprieties and attempts to subvert the state. The House of Commons' 1640 articles of impeachment against Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, alleged "that he ... hath traiterously endeavored to subvert the Fundamental Laws and Government of the Realms ... and in stead thereof, to introduce Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government against Law." (The House of Lords convicted Strafford, who was hanged in 1641.) We should note that the key issues are not "misadministration," which was soundly rejected as a cause for impeachment. After all, being incompetent is not a crime. Electing Jimmy Carter was simply a mistake. Rather, the concern was "improprieties and attempts to subvert the state." Numerous writers have noted Biden's installation of executive officers who are manifestly hostile to the Constitution. Near-extortion by the attorney general against the Arizona election audit comes to mind. The now-rescinded nomination of David Chipman, a rabid antiSecond Amendment activist, to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is of a similar kind. But all that must take a back seat to one key problem with the occupant of the White House. Among his duties are a specific mandate in Article II, Section 3. "He shall take care that the Laws be faithfully executed." In short, Joe Biden does not have the authority to waive any law. In fact, failure to see that the Department of Justice be certain that it properly enforces all laws without regard for status should constitute a breach of this "take care clause." On that ground, Donald Trump could have been impeached for failing to bring criminal charges against Hillary Clinton, James Comey, and several others. He's out of office, so our attention should be drawn to Hunter Biden's laptop and his blatant lie on Form 4473 declaring he had never used drugs. Returning to Central Asia, the take care clause envelopes the abandonment of American citizens. We can't bring a charge based on his C-in-C failures. But we can look at Biden's failure to follow the law. In this case, we look at the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. It declares (section 1215) that the president cannot reduce troop levels in Afghanistan below set levels. He is allowed to waive that restriction by written notice to Congress that includes a detailed explanation of how the reduction serves national security interests. So far, so good. Biden sent a letter on June 8. Supposedly, that was all Congress was entitled to. But section 1215(b) can't be waived. It requires a detailed report to Congress, which can be to committees that meet under security protocols, that details the risks to our counter-terrorism mission, our personnel, NATO partners, and so on. The list is long and detailed, but the president chose to ignore that part of the law. That is impeachable under the take care clause. It also becomes impeachable because of how the withdrawal has been mismanaged. Biden's August 16 speech on Afghanistan (YouTube screen grab). The letter Biden sent includes worthless platitudes. "We will withdraw responsibly, deliberately, and safely, in full coordination with our allies and partners. Our NATO allies and operational partners, who have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us for almost 20 years and who have also made great sacrifices, will now withdraw alongside our forces as we stand by our enduring principle of "in together, out together." This promise was worthless, as our troops departed in the dark of night, with no notice to our allies. That is also why, in an unprecedented move, the British Parliament held Joe Biden in contempt. It may seem a bit arcane to use such a cause to impeach the occupant. But this is real and substantial, unlike a simple phone call to a foreign president or a riot that was not incited by President Trump. Joe Biden has betrayed our trust in multiple ways. This could be the means to remove him, even if it isn't because of his other malfeasance. We got Al Capone for tax evasion, not his other criminal endeavors. But with Democrats in the House and Senate, I'm not holding my breath. Ted Noel, M.D. posts on social media as DoctorTed and @VidZette. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. "The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) is a United States regulatory regime to restrict and control the export of defense and military related technologies to safeguard U.S. national security and further U.S. foreign policy objectives." U.S. State Department, Directorate of Trade Controls, 2/3/2010. The administration, from Biden on down, either deliberately or with gross negligence gave to the Taliban (and, by extension, China) an almost incalculable amount of top-secret American military technology. Under ITAR, which has no exceptions for presidential administrations, all need to be fined and locked up with the key thrown away. In the past twenty years, I have worked for several corporations that directly manufactured ITAR-restricted defense and dual-use technologies that were strictly export-controlled. ITAR-secure spaces, like the one I work in now, are pass-protected and totally barred to non-U.S. persons even if a non-U.S. person owns the company. ITAR is a very serious business, and you have to stay on your toes at all times as a corporation. If you manufacture sensitive technologies covered by ITAR, especially as relates to the U.S. Munitions List, you have to thoroughly vet every person and every corporation that seeks to do business with you or even asks for basic technical specs. A lot of bad actors like Iran, Cuba, and China have set up shell corporations in the U.S. in order to obtain ITAR-restricted technologies via subterfuge. Many have been bitten. In 2007, ITT was fined $100M for the retransfer of night vision technologies to China. FLIR Thermal Imaging, a company I worked for only last year, was fined $30M for selling ITAR-restricted thermal imaging equipment to dual nationals from Iran, Iraq, Cuba, and Lebanon all nations banned from receiving ITAR-controlled exports. Didn't matter that FLIR itself reported the suspected violations. There have been severe criminal penalties for ITAR violations handed out as well. On March 24, 2008, Chi Mak, a Chinese-American who worked for a subsidiary of L3 Communications, was sentenced to 24 and a half years in federal prison for passing on ITAR-restricted information that allowed China to build its own version of Aegis, the advanced radar system that protects American warships. What is key to the overall interpretation of ITAR is Article 121, the USML, which I've linked above. Now, look at all the military equipment covered under that USML umbrella that the Biden administration just transferred to the Taliban. You can't think in terms of just an APC or Blackhawk helicopter when it comes to ITAR. You must think in terms of every ITAR-restricted technology involved. Surveillance. Radar. Night vision. Targeting. Encrypted communications. Even RF jamming systems used to defeat remote-detonated IEDs. The Times/Sunday Times graphic of abandoned weapons. Fair use. As the old saying goes, ignorance of the law is no excuse. And in the United States of America, not even the president is above the law. I actually think a trillion dollars is a lowball figure for the collective ITAR fine here. But as I've said, there are severe criminal penalties as well. I could go to jail for the rest of my life for providing an enemy state with a fully equipped APC or Blackhawk, if not outright executed for treason. Looking at the Apocalypse Now Afghanistan that Joe Biden directly created, it's hard to sift through all the high crimes and misdemeanors his administration has committed there en banc. Ergo, we have to sort it all out and break it down like a Mafia RICO case. Anyone involved in facilitating the transfer of $90B in ITAR-restricted U.S. military technologies to our mortal terrorist enemies in Afghanistan, from Biden and Blinken to Austin and Milley, et al., is liable under ITAR for the most massive and egregious transfer of sensitive technologies to an enemy this nation and planet may ever see. Anyone who knew of or played a part in this insane bequest is guilty under ITAR. Impeach, charge, prosecute, convict. Then fine them all to Hell and send them to federal prison for the rest of their miserable lives. It's what would happen to any of us if we gave a sworn enemy every prized sensitive technology America owns. Maybe it doesn't sound like much to go on for many of you. After all, the State Department prosecutes ITAR violations. Yet ITAR is the law of the land, as I am reminded every day I go to work. Maybe, just maybe, if there were any Republicans in Congress with stones larger than marbles, they might just build a solid ITAR case that could stick and do real damage. Just remember that with all the murder and mayhem Al Capone was responsible for in 1920s Chicago, it was tax evasion that sent him to Alcatraz. Are any of you Republicans in Congress listening out there? Hello? Bueller? Image: Abandoned helicopter. YouTube screen grab. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. On 30 August 2021 America's "leader of the free world" role appears to have dissipated with the vapor trail of the last plane leaving Afghanistan. It may take decades of mea culpas to renew the trust of allies. What America once was among nations may never be again. What America will become remains to be seen. In the dark days ahead, there will always be one shining candle that Americans can look to with pride. America's frontline warriors are not at fault for the Afghanistan debacle. History shows when let loose on the battlefield, our warriors bring hell and death with them. In Afghanistan, it was feckless political leadership that betrayed those warriors, but their reputation and legacy as the world's best remain strong. Let the world take note that our warriors' last great acts in Afghanistan were not ones of hell and death, but of compassion and hope. For me, the Kabul embassy surrender photo will not be the thumbnail that bookmarks my memory of our last days in Afghanistan. Two photos better capture those days: one of a Marine gently lifting an infant over razor wire into the safety of the airport and another of a Marine (one of thirteen who died during the mission) cradling an infant. Source. Those infants go to a better life in America. The thirteen dead warriors go to military funerals across America, where ghosts of warriors past will greet them, proclaiming: "You done us proud." In 1970 Vietnam, the site of our politicians' last great surrender, Major Michael Davis O'Donnell wrote this timeless poem in memory of friends who had recently died in battle. Two months later, it became his epitaph when Major O'Donnell died piloting a helicopter attempting to rescue a special forces unit operating behind enemy lines. Therein lies a battlefield truth that many fail to understand. Sent by politicians to distant lands to kill an enemy, many front-line warrior deaths occur in attempts to save others. It is these pure deeds in death that define them. Their humanity, as depicted in the "Marine saving infant" photos, should dominate our memories of them. The quest for justice for the Afghanistan fiasco can wait for now, we bury our dead. It is fitting that we remember them with this warrior's poem penned fifty years ago. In your thoughts, strive to make every day Memorial Day, and give those who died at Kabul, and the many who died before them, one backward glance. If you are able save them a place inside of you and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go. Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not have always. Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own. And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind. Major Michael Davis O'Donnell 1 January 1970 Dak To, Vietnam J. Michael is the pen name of an old soldier. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Joe Biden in his 2020 basement presidential campaign made a big deal about his quest for "unity" and the importance of taking the advice of "experts." That's now a joke. It got obvious last week when we learned he chased out two top Food and Drug Administration research scientists, both strict non-partisans (I checked), from their positions, in a string of such exits. White House interference, specifically from truth-challenged White House chief science advisor, Dr. Anthony Fauci, was what Biden meant by 'experts.' Now it gets worse. Turns out a whole host of unpaid Trump-appointed advisors on departmental advisory boards, with fixed three-year terms -- at Defense, Education, Homeland Security, and more -- have been fired. The boards are historically bipartisan -- "advisory bodies that can offer suggestions and a different perspective from service academy leadership on a variety of issues, ranging from diversity to education" as the Washington Times put it. Now they're not. It was also apparently legal, the same way a president can fire the chairman of the Federal Reserve, but normally doesn't do it. Some argue it's not legal and we know that Biden doesn't care if something is legal. However, we know for sure it was against precedent. After all, recall that Obama spin operative, Ben Rhodes, whose expertise is creative writing, and Obama White House advisor Valerie Jarrett, whose expertise is slum-lording, got themselves advisory positions at the Kennedy Center at the end of Obama's term, and President Trump left them alone to serve out their terms. Biden's rationale is quite mendacious, given White House spokesweasel Jen Psaki had to say: The presidents objective is what any presidents objective is: to ensure you have nominees and people serving on these boards who are qualified to serve on them and who are aligned with your values, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday. The presidents qualification requirements are not your party registration. They are whether youre qualified to serve and if you are aligned with the values of this administration. Not qualified? Let's look at who's been chased out: At the service academies' Board of Visitors: H.R. McMaster, a three-star general and graduate of West Point, identified on his Wikipedia page by the army's chief of staff as "probably our best Brigadier General." He served as Trump's National Security Advisor but left on negative terms and Trump actually speaks ill of him. He's somehow not an expert? He doesn't even have the scent of Trump on him but somehow he's not an expert. Sean Spicer, make that Commander Sean Spicer, who serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve, and like McMaster, left under a cloud in the Trump administration, too. Spicer's Wikipedia page says: "In 1999, Spicer joined the United States Navy Reserve as a public affairs officer; he currently holds the rank of Commander.[38] As of December 2016, he was assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff's naval reserve contingent in Washington, D.C.,[39] and in 2017 was a member of the Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Task Force." But somehow he's not an expert, either. Kellyanne Conway made a spirited defense of herself and her qualifications for the board as well, noting that as one of President Trump's aides, she continuously dealt with military family issues. But somehow, she knows nothing. Perhaps that makes sense to the Biden team given that they consider military families nothing. See here. Not qualified? Non-experts? Don't think so. Here's more nonsense from the Homeland Security board firings, which happened in May: Thomas Homan, former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and somehow he's no expert? Ken Cuccinelli, former deputy director of Homeland Security, and somehow he's no expert? Here's one from the San Francisco Presidio Trust, with a firing that happened in June: Michael Savage, famous as a radio host, but more to the point decades-long San Francisco resident and environmental activist, with a Ph.D. from U.C. Berkeley in a related botanical discipline. He's not an expert, either? (And by the way, look at the political hacks he was replaced with -- four people best-known for their money.) Now for some ugly: Over at one of the Department of Education's advisory boards, here are two who got fired by Biden, too, in September: Steve Hanke, economics professor at Johns Hopkins University, probably the world's foremost monetary expert, with a string of accomplishments in currency, statistics, and on the ground experience quite unlike any other economist. Get a load of his work listed here. That's not an expert? John Yoo: Professor of Law at the University of California, at Berkeley, with expertise in Constitutional and international law. He's not an expert? Note that both he and Hanke have somehow managed to survive in prestigious leftist academic institutions that otherwise reward woke-ism -- their expertise is too great so they're still there despite the leftism of academia. Now Biden is trying to smear even these heavyweights as somehow not knowing much about education? It's a little rich coming from the Bidenite bunch. What's interesting here is that Hanke and Yoo, unlike the others, are suing through the Pacific Legal Foundation, on Marbury vs. Madison grounds, one of the basics of Supreme Court cases that everyone learns about. As Professors Steve Hanke and John Yoo, wrote this week in the WSJ: Like Marbury, our case starts with a refusal to deliver presidential commissions. White House officials notified us in early January that the president had signed and the secretary of state had processed our commissions. With that, we became federal officers. But the Education Department wont deliver the commissions or even acknowledge their existence. In 1801 President John Adams signed William Marburys commission as a justice of the peace, but Thomas Jefferson became president before Marburys commission had been delivered. Jefferson and Secretary of State James Madison refused to recognize Marburys appointment and deliver his commission. In a decision written by Chief Justice John Marshall, the high court found that Adamss signature had made Marburys appointment final and that refusal to deliver the commission was violative of a vested legal right. Pacific Legal Foundation notes that there's a lot of good they could do, but can't do now with this Bidenite phony claim about expertise and their values rap. This isnt just about seeking a historical memento of a professional honor conveyed by the president. Hanke and Yoo are eager to begin their important oversight work on the NBES. Which might be something like evaluating and advising on the historic rigor of the 1619 Project that Biden wants to indoctrinate public school kids with, perhaps. That would run roughly parallel to the oversight that the service academy board members might lay a judgment in with given all the problems of wokester education at the service academies which produce graduates like this. Or maybe something uglier. Does anyone know where the Department of Education's portfolio of Obama-nationalized student loans might be? Seems we haven't heard from them for years. Hanke, in particular, an investment expert, would know where to find where all the bodies are buried on that one. The Biden administration knows that he knows about their favorite kinds of money corruption. Some have noted that problem also with the defense group firings. According to the Washington Times: U.S. Rep. Mark Green, Tennessee Republican, is a West Point graduate and member of the schools Board of Visitors. His appointment to the panel was a result of his position in Congress. In a statement released Wednesday, Mr. Green accused Mr. Biden of brazenly breaking the law by firing the 18 Trump appointees. Is he afraid theyll conduct actual oversight into the very important challenges each academy faces? Mr. Green said. Is he afraid they will shine [a] light on what is being taught at these academies like Critical Race Theory? Now more than ever, our public institutions need oversight not political engineering. That's what these oversight boards are for. They weren't fired because they weren't experts ... but because they were. What we have here is these firings is a replacement of bipartisan experts who can identify genuine problems and give sound advice, with strict 'yes-men' hacks, which effectively means no oversight at all. With the cats away, the rats are ready to play and one wonders what they've got in mind. In firing the bipartisan members of these oversight committees, it's pretty obvious that Joe would like some shenanigans ignored, or a mere one point of view in his government advisories of blotting-paper-faced yes-men the better to politicize the departments in question. It's like the Soviets used to do, and it's ugly. Image: Twitter screen shot meme To comment, you can find the MeWe link for this article here. Have any questions? Please give us a call at 907-561-7737 The September 2021 Android security patch is reaching more Samsung smartphones. The Korean company has released the new security update to a bunch of Galaxy devices over the past few days, including the Galaxy A52s 5G, Galaxy Note 10 series, Galaxy Fold, and the unlocked Galaxy S20 and S21 units in the US. According to SamMobile, the Galaxy A52s 5G is currently picking up the September security update in several European countries, including Germany, France, Spain, the UK, and the Netherlands. The new firmware version is A528BXXS1AUHA and its unlikely to bring any notable user-facing change. The unlocked Galaxy S20 units are receiving the new update with the firmware version G98xU1UES2DUH2. That for the Galaxy S21 series is G99xU1UES4AUH9. Neither phone is seemingly getting any new features apart from this months vulnerability fixes. The Galaxy Note 10 series is also likely picking up the new update without any new features. Advertisement Lastly, the original Galaxy Fold is picking up the One UI 3.1.1 update along with the latest SMR. The update adds a bunch of new features to the device. Drag & Split lets you quickly open a link in split-screen mode by simply dragging it to the edge. Improved Multi-Active Window, persistent Taskbar, forced App Split View and Rotate All Apps, and Custom Aspect Ratio are some other new features. You can find more details about all One UI 3.1.1 features here. Samsung pushes the September update to more Galaxy smartphones Samsung earlier this week revealed that the September security maintenance release (SMR) patches more than 40 vulnerabilities found in Android OS. These include patches for three critical and dozens of high and moderate-risk vulnerabilities from Google. Additionally, the Korean company has patched 23 Samsung Vulnerabilities and Exposures (SVE) items as well. These are security issues found in Samsungs Android skin, i.e. One UI. One of the patched SVEs allowed improper access control in Bluetooth APIs, enabling untrusted applications to get Bluetooth information. There are also fixes for a couple of BlockChain related issues. Video Advertisement Samsung has been rolling out these security fixes to its devices since late last month. It has so far seeded the new SMR to over a dozen smartphone models. A few more of them are now joining the party. Along with the aforementioned Galaxy devices, the September update is now rolling out to a couple of regional devices, the Galaxy M21 and Galaxy M31. If youre using any of these Samsung smartphones, be on the lookout for a new update in the coming days if you havent already received it. You should get a notification for the OTA (over the air) update but you can also manually check for it by navigating to Settings Software update and tapping on Download and install. PLEASE NOTE: ALL ONLINE PURCHASES ARE AUTOMATIC RENEWALS UNLESS YOU EMAIL JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM OR CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE @ 256-235-9253.... Purchase an online subscription to our website for $7.99 a month with automatic renewal. Each online subscription gives you full access to all of our newspaper websites and mobile applications. To cancel you may contact Customer Service @ 256-235-9253 or email JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM For a limited time, for NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY a NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION is just $59.99 for the first year. Existing customers do not qualify for the specials! After the first year, well automatically renew your subscription to continue your access at the regular price of $69.99 per year. Please note *Your Subscription will Automatically Renew unless you contact Customer Service To Cancel* MADRID - Spain is marking the 40th anniversary of the operation that allowed the most famous painting by Pablo Picasso, Guernica, to come to the country. The work was transferred to Spain between September 9 and 11, 1981, from MoMA in New York, where it had been kept for nearly four decades. Picasso painted Guernica - inspired by German air raids on the eponymous city situated in the Netherlands during the Spanish Civil War - in 1937 in Paris, commissioned by the official government of the Spanish Republic. Two years later, when the Spanish Civil War ended with the victory by General Francisco Franco just prior to the start of WWII, the painting was transferred to the United States after having gone on display in various European cities. Only after the end of the Franco dictatorship and the start of the current democratic era (and after the death of Picasso in 1973) did Spanish authorities manage to get Guernica transferred to Spain. Today the painting is on display at the Reina Sofia museum in Madrid, which on the day of the anniversary will be open to the public for free to allow visitors to view the work of the Spanish painter. VATICAN CITY - Michael Czerny, under-secretary of the migrants and refugees section of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, welcomed the arrival of the puppet "Little Amal" in St. Peter's Square as part of a traveling festival called The Walk, which aims to raise awareness around child refugees. The 3.5-metre puppet depicts a young refugee, about nine years old, and represents displaced children worldwide, many of whom are separated from their parents. "Hospitality generates life," Czerny said. "The culture of encounter, as Pope Francis says, is a harbinger of challenges - not always easy - that allow communities to grow consciously as a human family, in a shared home," he said. The Walk started in Gaziantep, near the Turkey-Syria border, and will complete its journey in Manchester, UK, having traveled 8,000 km. "Dear Amal, now you can rest in your tent, certainly, but soon you will resume your walk," Czerny said. "Each of us, brothers and sisters all, is on the move, the Church is on the move, and its renewal comes through everyone's change, showing that it is life," he said. "Welcoming transforms, as shown by the many communities and families who have taken upon themselves care for 'the stranger', above all those who work with minors uprooted from their families, from their communities, from their aspirations, who have to count on the goodwill of strangers to protect them so they become the people God intended them to be and to take the place that awaits them in the communities that welcome them," he said. "Integration is a bi-directional process, with recognition of reciprocal rights and responsibilities, and this is also a complex, sometimes bumpy road, but whose objective must always be to achieve the integral human development of new arrivals as well as those who welcome them, especially the most vulnerable among them," Czerny said. In St. Peter's Square, "The Walk" stopped in front of the monument located near the Bernini colonnade titled "Angels Unawares", the bronze sculpture that portrays a group of migrants on a boat. In addition to Cardinal Czerny, also on hand to welcome Little Amal was Bishop Benoni Ambarus, auxiliary bishop delegated for Charity, Migrants and the pastoral care of Roma and Sinti. For the occasion, the Diocese of Rome organised a celebration in which dozens of children from various Roman parishes will participate and then be received by the pope. "Here next to us is truly a boat: a sculpture that Pope Francis wanted in St. Peter's Square to remind everyone of the evangelical challenge of welcoming, the kind of welcoming that opens the door to incredible encounters," Czerny said. ROME - Emergency commissioner Francesco Figliuolo started a vaccination campaign on the island of Lampedusa on Thursday, following a decision by Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese to vaccinate all migrants who land in Italy, said the emergency commissioner's office. It said two mini vaccination hubs will be set up on the island in collaboration with the local health department of Palermo, law enforcement and the Red Cross, which will allow for immediately vaccinating those who land on the island's coasts. The two vaccination centres are managed by two health teams made up of Italian Army medical officers and non-commissioned officer nurses, along with logistical and administrative support personnel. The two teams were already working in Sicily and were moved to Lampedusa. The vaccination campaign kicked off at the same time that representatives from the US Embassy in Rome and the US Consolate in Naples were on the island. They met with the head of the department for civil liberties and immigration, Prefect Michele Di Bari. The diplomats visited the Contrada Imbriacola hotspot and the Italian Army migrant vaccination tent. They expressed their appreciation for the management of migrant reception and the interior ministry and prefect's methods of coordinating with the health emergency underway. The Culture Secretary has accused charities of pandering to a noisy woke brigade amid a row about the legacy of wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill. Oliver Dowdens comments were fuelled by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts announcement this week that it was renaming itself The Churchill Fellowship while removing images of the former prime minister from its website a move that has come in for criticism from Boris Johnson. In a statement, the charity which awards grants for Britons to pursue social and community causes denied it was seeking to disown the achievements of Britains Second World War leader. However, it said many of his views on race were widely seen as unacceptable today, a view that we share. Graffiti on the Winston Churchill statue during the Black Lives Matter protest rally in Parliament Square in 2020 (Yui Mok/PA) The stance comes after a statue to the former prime minister in Parliament Square was targeted by Black Lives Matter protesters last year and daubed with the word racist. But Mr Dowden defended Sir Winstons legacy, arguing the freedom people have today to express their views was won thanks to Britains defeat of the Nazis during the Second World War under the former Conservative MPs leadership. Asked about the charitys actions, Mr Dowden told LBC radio: I found it quite extraordinary. I read their explanation and they say there are various reasons for this but the bottom line is, you look at the website before and after, and there is a lot less Churchill on it after than there was before. I do really worry, and you see this in relation to many charities, that they pander to a noisy woke brigade who are trying to challenge all aspects of our history. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. They would not have the freedom no-one would have the freedom to make these kinds of decisions were it not for Churchill in the first place. I do really worry when we start to question the sort of values that have made this such a wonderful country. Mr Dowdens comments come after the Prime Minister who has written a biography of Churchill accused the charity of attempting to airbrush away the giant achievements of Sir Winstons time in Downing Street. Sir Winston was Conservative prime minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. He died in 1965 and was honoured with a state funeral. While he has been celebrated for his war efforts, he has also been accused of racism over his support for the British Empire and his attitude towards people from India and other races. The idea for the charity was developed during the final years of his life with his approval. On his death, a nationwide appeal led to an outpouring of donations from the public. In the years that followed it enabled the charity to award more than 5,800 fellowships to people to study practical subjects and then share what they had learned with their community or profession in the UK. However, last month it was announced its name was being simplified because the original title was confusing to people and did not explain what we do. The move saw the removal of a lengthy tribute and biography of Sir Winston from the website as well as pictures of the former premier. The decision followed a statement the charity issued last year on racism which noted that aspects of Sir Winstons life were the subject of present-day controversy. In a further statement this week, the charity said the decision to change its name originally taken in 2019 was not an attempt at disowning Sir Winston. The key element we kept was the name Churchill. You cannot look at our new logo and avoid the importance we attach to that name, it said. Today there is international admiration for Sir Winstons wartime leadership in saving Britain and the world from Nazism. There is also controversy about his views on race. None of this takes away from Sir Winstons enormous contribution to the world as we know it today. Scotlands Finance Secretary has hit out at the lack of clarity over the national insurance hike in the UK. This week, MPs voted to back an increase to national insurance contributions of 1.25 percentage points to help fund social care reforms. The devolved administrations were also promised a share of the levy, which would see Scotland receive 1.1 billion. But Kate Forbes, in a letter to Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Steve Barclay, has derided the lack of engagement with devolved administrations. However, a spokesman for the Treasury said a meeting was requested with the Finance Secretary a number of weeks ago, but no response was received. The levy has significant implications for employees and employers in Scotland, funding for devolved public services and the operation of the public finances at UK and devolved level, she said. The lack of any prior engagement with the Scottish Government or, I understand, the other devolved administrations, is regrettable. This has been compounded by the disorderly manner in which the announcement has been communicated and explained. In particular, there have been mixed messages about the interaction between the general administration of NIC revenues, the hypothecation of a proportion of NIC revenues to provide funding for health and social care, and the relationship with the Barnett formula. There have also been unhelpful assertions about the impact of the announcement on the competence that Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament rightly hold over decisions relating to funding for devolved public services. This has resulted in a complete, but entirely avoidable, lack of clarity about the actual impact of the announcement on devolved budgets. The letter was sent to Steve Barclay (Jane Barlow/PA) A Treasury spokesman said: The Chief Secretary requested a meeting with Kate Forbes a number of weeks ago and has still not received a response. The UK Government is keen to continue working with the Scottish Government to ensure people in Scotland are receiving the best possible health and social care, including continuing our hugely successful nationwide vaccination programme. The Health and Social Care Levy will provide an additional 1.1bn for Scotland each year, which is more than will be collected from residents in Scotland. Full details of funding will be set out at the upcoming spending review in October. Ms Forbes went on to ask five questions of Mr Barclay about the levy. She inquired how much in Barnett consequentials would come to the Scottish Government as a result of the levy and if the money would be ring-fenced. Although, the Scottish Government has previously said all consequentials in health and social care will be spent on the sector north of the border. She also asked for a breakdown of the amount for both health and social care as well as an assurance that the funding will not create a shortfall in Barnett funding in next years budget. Ms Forbes also asked for urgent confirmation of Scotlands consequential position ahead of the October spending review and for an assurance that any funding from the levy will not be undermined by negative consequentials. The Finance Secretary added: While I have focused in this letter on my strong concerns about the handling of this weeks announcement, I do think that, moving forward, there is scope for constructive and mutually beneficial engagement between now and the budget, and beyond. Inspirational fundraiser Captain Tobias will complete his latest epic feat this weekend when he swims and trikes his way to the end of a year-long ironman challenge for charity. Tobias Weller, 10, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was nicknamed Captain after he was inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore to do a series of challenges during the pandemic lockdowns which have so far raised more than than 150,000. He announced his ironman challenge during the BBCs Sports Personality of the Year show in December, when he won the inaugural Captain Sir Tom Moore Young Unsung Hero Award and met his hero. By then, he had completed the 42.2km marathon distance on his race runner, when he was cheered over the line by Olympic gold medalist Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill in August 2020. He had started the 180km trike ironman component, which he is planning to complete near his home in Sheffield on Sunday. Tobias began the 4km swim in June when the pools reopened after Covid closures and is due to finish the very last leg at the international competition pool at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, on Saturday. Tobias told the PA news agency: Im so excited about finishing my Ironman Challenge this weekend its going to be awesome. When people clap and cheer for me, it makes me feel magnificent. Ive raised over 150,000 so far. Thats a lot of money, isnt it? If I can make even more money for my favourite charities, Ill be chuffed to bits. Im chuffed to bits that Im continuing to get stronger whilst raising money for charity. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. I can swim so much better than I could before and that makes me feel brilliant. Tobias captured the attention of the nation when he started his first marathon using a walker in March 2020, shortly after the pandemic struck. He finished 70 days later and, in June 2020, started a second one, this time using a race runner loaned from CPTeens. He has since been gifted a race runner from Quest 88 and Jiraffe gave him his trike for the next challenge. Tobiass mum Ruth Garbutt said: I am, once again, bursting with pride for my son. Its taken him over a year to get to this point and he has never, once, wanted to give up. Tobias Weller alongside Olympic athlete Jessica Ennis-Hill (Danny Lawson/PA) Weve been out triking every weekend throughout the winter, through rain, wind and hail. His determination and tenacity are humbling. Ms Garbutt said: Hes triked 180km in distances of 5km or 6km. Each of those is exhausting for him. Hes built up the distances throughout the challenge and can now swim 400m in one session. Tobias has split the money he has raised between Paces School in Sheffield which he attends and The Childrens Hospital Charity, which supports Sheffield Childrens Hospital, where he has been treated many times. The charity has explained how it is spending its share on a new two-year childrens exercise and physical activity therapist post at its Ryegate Centre in the city. Ms Garbutt thanked Swim! and Virgin Gym in Sheffield for allowing Tobias to use their pools for free to complete the challenge. More details at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/captaintobias9 More than 200 Afghan refugees are being housed in Wales after fleeing the Taliban, the Welsh Government has said. Wales is accommodating 50 families, comprising 230 people with the majority having directly supported Welsh-based military units in Afghanistan over the last 20 years. The Welsh Government has been working with local authorities, Urdd Gobaith Cymru, the Ministry of Defence, refugee support organisations and local Welsh Afghans. Following Afghanistans collapse to Taliban control, an emergency evacuation effort saw 15,000 people brought back to the UK. Those arriving under the scheme have been registered on the UK Governments Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy, which helps families where direct support has been given to the UK armed forces in Afghanistan. Jane Hutt, the minister for social justice, said: Today, we welcome the families and individuals that have served our country in Afghanistan. We have made clear our pledge of Wales being a Nation of Sanctuary and were committed to do all that is possible to ensure Afghan interpreters, refugees and their families are welcomed. Wales is a Nation of Sanctuary we will do all we can to provide a warm welcome in the short-term and our communities will, no doubt, be enriched by their skills and experiences in the very near future. Councillor Huw Thomas, leader of Cardiff Council, added: These families have been forced to leave their homes in fear of their lives, while fleeing the Taliban. Its hard for most of us to imagine just what theyve been through. Cardiff Council has been working behind the scenes all along to ensure we were ready to play our part, alongside all our partners, in alleviating this terrible crisis. Cardiff has a long and proud history of welcoming people of all races and creeds to our city and we will do everything in our power to ensure all of these families feel that welcome from day one of their arrival. A Manhattan Beach, Calif., shoreline property seized from a Black family in 1924 is set to be returned to the descendants of the original owners. The California Legislature unanimously approved a measure allowing Los Angeles County to return the property to the family of Willa and Charles Bruce. The Bruce family operated a thriving resort there known as Bruces Beach, which catered to Black patrons in the early 20th century. The bipartisan bill now awaits the signature of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is expected to approve it soon. The land in Manhattan Beach, Calif., where the Bruce family ran a resort on the strand in the 1920s that was popular with Black beachgoers. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Supporters of the bill hoped it would reach Newsom before his upcoming recall election and before the legislature took its fall recess. Once he signs it, the county will need to take another vote to make the transfer official. Governor, Im urging you to sign this bill and sign it at Bruces Beach. I know it would mean so much to all of us especially members of the Bruce family, tweeted Janice Hahn, a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors who has been pushing for the return of the land to its rightful owners. In April this year, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn announces the process of returning Bruce's Beach in Manhattan Beach to the family of Willa and Charles Bruce. California State Sen. Steven Bradford, right, was the author of SB 796, which would allow the land to be returned to surviving members of the Bruce family. Los Angeles Supervisor Holly Mitchell stands center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) In 1912, Willa and Charles Bruce, a young Black couple, purchased the beautiful oceanfront property in Manhattan Beach. The resort they built created one of the few, small strips of beach in the Los Angeles area where diverse visitors could enjoy the sand and water as well as hang out, eat and dance. But some white residents including members of the Ku Klux Klan resented the success of Bruces Beach and would put up signs attempting to deter beachgoers. The harassment, however, didnt stop Bruces Beach from remaining successful, which is when the local government stepped in. A photograph of Charles and Willa Bruce is part of a memorial to Emmett Till, located in front of a commemorative plaque at Bruce's Beach, a park located in Manhattan Beach. Till was a 14-year-old African American who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) The Manhattan Beach City Council used eminent domain to strip the Bruce family of their land. It said this was being done to build a park, but the park wasnt created for decades afterwards. It wasnt just an injustice inflicted on Willa and Charles Bruce, Hahn told Yahoo News in July. It was inflicted on a generation of Bruces, who would have been millionaires today if they [had] been allowed to keep this beachfront property. The property was eventually transferred to the state of California. The state later handed it over to Los Angeles County, with the stipulation that it couldnt be given away or sold. Hence the need for legislation to give it back to the Bruce family. Residents of Los Angeles had been pushing for the return of Bruces Beach to the Bruce family. Kavon Ward, a L.A. resident and mother, created an organization called Justice for Bruces Beach and raised awareness of the lands seizure during a Juneteenth event in 2020. Chief Duane Yellow Feather Shepard, Sr., gives an impassioned speech in Los Angeles in April, calling for the return of the land that used to belong to his family. He is flanked by Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, left, California Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Chief Duane Yellow Feather Shepard, a distant relative of Willa and Charles Bruce who has acted as a spokesman for the family, told Yahoo News he was elated that the Legislature had approved the return of Bruces Beach. The family and I are elated at the outcome and prayerful that the governor will sign it as soon as possible so we can move on to the next steps in making the transfer happen, which will involve working with the County of Los Angeles and our legal teams to ensure a smooth and permanent transition, he said. A couple sit on the lifeguard tower between 26th and 27th Streets at Bruce's Beach, which is part of the Bruce property. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Bruces Beach which is now thought to be worth as much as $75 million, according to CNN is currently home of the Los Angeles County Lifeguard Training Headquarters. The county is planning to lease the land from Anthony Bruce, the direct descendant expected to inherit it. Feature Your News Online $25.00 / for 30 days Highlight your business' news for just $25! We'll feature your content on our News From Local Business section & our Marketplace front page to give it maximum exposure for the next 30 days. Online Access for Print Subscribers. Do you have a print subscription with the Argus-Press? If yes, then click here to enjoy complimentary access to our Online Content! YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Former commander of the Russian peacekeeping troops in Nagorno Karabakh, Lieutenant-General Rustam Muradov assesses positively the work of the Russian peacekeepers. I assess it only positively. The peaceful population gives us the assessment. Today the life in Karabakh is in normal course. There are, of course, very complex issues, but the process is underway the peoples return, the solution of a number of problematic issues. Therefore, I think, everything will be normal, he said, reports TASS. Rustam Muradov added that after the recent Nagorno Karabakh war, the Russian peacekeepers have been deployed there for five years based on the statement signed by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on November 9, 2020. A decision over the extension of the Russian peacekeeping mission will be made in the future, he said. Lieutenant-General Rustam Muradovs mission in Nagorno Karabakh completed on September 6, 2021. Mikhail Kosobokov is the new commander of the Russian peacekeeping troops in Karabakh. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Governor of Armenias Ararat province Razmik Tevonyan, who submitted a resignation letter yesterday to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, denied the reports according to which the village of Tigranashen has been handed over to Azerbaijan. Dear citizens, as you know, I have submitted a resignation letter to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Various scenarios about my resignation are being circulated in the press, one of which is that a document on the handover of Tigranashen has been signed, and which has created a reason for my resignation, Razmik Tevonyan said on Facebook. I officially state that the reports about the handover of Tigranashen are made-up, such a thing has never been discussed and will not be discussed. Please avoid such fake and baseless speculations. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Finance Tigran Khachatryan received Ambassador of India to Armenia Kishan Dan Dewal on September 10, the ministry told Armenpress. The minister introduced the governments 2021-2026 action plan to the Ambassador, as well as the strategy of the reforms of public finance management system. The Ambassador in turn congratulated the minister on appointment and presented the framework of the issues over which it would be possible to develop the economic cooperation between India and Armenia. He expressed confidence that India is ready to continue the cooperation with Armenia in all possible directions. At the meeting the officials also discussed issues relating to attracting economic, business investments, developing the economic relations between the two countries and establishing stable partnering ties. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan The five Brics leaders welcomed the signing of the agreement on Brics Cooperation on Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation They also reaffirmed their commitment to implement the strategy for Brics Economic Partnership 2021-25 and welcomed the launch of the Brics agricultural research platform. (PIB/PTI) New Delhi: At the 13th Brics (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) Summit on Thursday evening in a virtual format chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leaders of the five nations adopted the New Delhi Declaration that said Afghan soil should not serve as a terrorist sanctuary to carry out attacks against other countries or become a centre for drug trafficking. The five leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Jair Bolsanaro and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, also emphasised the need to address the humanitarian situation and uphold human rights in the strife-torn nation, including those of women, children and minorities. This comes less than a month after the Pakistan-backed Taliban grabbed power in Afghanistan and can be seen as a strong message to Islamabad despite the fact that its all-weather friend China is part of Brics. Russian President Vladimir Putin set the tone in his inaugural remarks, arguing that Afghanistan should not be a threat to its neighbours by becoming a centre for terrorism or drug trade even as he lambasted the Americans for the irresponsible attempt to impose alien values from outside and retreating, leaving the rest of the world to clean up the mess. Mr Putin said that Afghans have fought for decades and deserve to exercise the right to define (what) their state will look like on their own." In a move that would please China, the New Delhi Declaration resolved that while the cooperation on study of origins of the Covid virus is an important aspect, the process should be free from politicisation or interference. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China would donate an additional 100 million doses of vaccines to fellow developing countries within this year, apart from the $100 million donation to global vaccine initiative Covax. President Xi said that China has provided more than one billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to over 100 countries and international organisations, and would strive to provide a total of two billion doses by the end of this year. The five leaders also endorsed the Brics Counter-Terrorism Action Plan while condemning terrorism in all its forms including cross-border terrorism. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval briefed the five leaders on the Action Plan that aims to further strengthen existing mechanisms of cooperation in areas such as financing and combating terrorism, misuse of the internet by terrorists, curbing the travel of terrorists, border controls, protection of soft targets, information sharing, capacity building, and regional and international cooperation. Brics also committed to combating terrorism financing networks and safe havens. The five Brics leaders welcomed the signing of the agreement on Brics Cooperation on Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation and finalisation of the agreement on cooperation in customs matters. They also reaffirmed their commitment to implement the strategy for Brics Economic Partnership 2021-25 and welcomed the launch of the Brics agricultural research platform and the ongoing discussion on the Brics platform for digital public goods. PM Modi in his inaugural remarks strongly pushed for Intra-Brics cooperation for continuity, consolidation and consensus, adding that these four Cs are in a way the fundamental principles of our Brics partnership. At a special briefing later, MEAs secretary (CPV and OIA) Sanjay Bhattacharyya described Brics as a happy family. On Afghanistan the five Brics leaders jointly resolved, We underscore the priority of fighting terrorism, including preventing attempts by terrorist organisations to use Afghan territory as terrorist sanctuary and to carry out attacks against other countries, as well as drug trade within Afghanistan. We emphasise the need to address the humanitarian situation and to uphold human rights, including those of women, children and minorities. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This is whats sometimes causing production struggles for suppliers, with some partners eventually forced to slow down their operations just to make sure the products they build perfectly align with Apples expectations.The Cupertino-based tech giant, however, isnt exactly the biggest fan of delays, and this is why its been struggling for the last few years to reduce reliance on third parties as much as possible.And this is apparently the strategy for the development of the Apple Car as well. A recent report coming from Korea reveals that Apple has reached a point where its currently discussing partnerships with local suppliers, something that originally made the headlines a few weeks ago.But on the other hand, the report also shares a few more details regarding how Apple wants to handle this relationship with suppliers.As it turns out, after giving up on its own hardware research and development unit a few years ago, hoping it would find a traditional carmaker to work with for the manufacturing of the Apple Car, the company has decided to restore the division specifically because it doesnt want to collaborate with someone else on the project.Of course, the whole thing happens after Apple failed to find a partner in the automotive industry. Earlier this year, Apple held talks with Hyundai specifically for the Apple Car, but the negotiations ended abruptly after the South Koreans spilled the beans on the project.Several other carmakers, including Nissan and BMW, have reportedly refused a partnership with Apple because they didnt want to become a contract manufacturer for the tech giant.So right now, Apple has decided to embrace the more difficult strategy and do the whole thing on its own. This comes with the extra benefit of obtaining more control over everything, but for Apple, this is the preferred way of doing things anyway. Jack Bally, an aviation enthusiast and Vietnam vet, and carpenter by trade, is the designer and builder of what is probably the most impressive homebuilt B-17 replica youre ever likely to see. They call it the Bally Bomber, and its a perfect fit for autoevolutions American Month , the virtual party celebrating American ingenuity, dedication, and sheer level of awesome.The Bally Bomber was completed in 2016 and officially introduced at the Experimental Aircraft Associations 2018 AirVenture airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin (hat tip to Jalopnik ). Its a very convincing and well-executed 1:3 scale replica of a B-17G Flying Fortress warplane. B-17 is widely considered, throughout its many iterations, the most accomplished and impressive aerial weapon built in the United States.As noted above, Jack Bally was a carpenter by trade, but his true love was aircraft. He was a regular with EAA for his impressive builds, most of which were one-engined kits. For what he said would be his last build, he decided to go for something different. The idea came to him as many great ideas do: at the bottom of several pints of beer, he would recall laughing. He said he would build a replica plane that would have more than two engines, and he and his friends laughed about it. But the decision stuck with Jack and it would prove the incentive behind an 18-year project that became both incredibly challenging and a lot of fun.Initially, Jack wanted to build a B-24 Liberator plane replica, but it proved impossible to scale down. He changed his focus to the B-17 and used a 1:9 scale B-17 R/C plane to draw his initial design, which was made a scale larger. Then, for the next 18 years, he kept working and touching up his creation, until it was completed and ready for its maiden flight in 2016.Jack called it the Bally Bomber and he named friend and associate Richard Kosi as pilot. When the duo brought the replica to Oshkosh two years later, where it went on display and on a demonstration flight, Kosi had some 52 hours of flight on it, and he called it the greatest achievement of his career. Indeed, the Bally Bomber doesnt just look good , but is actually fully functional.Its powered by four Hirth F-30 two-stroke four-cylinder air-cooled boxer engines, factory rated at 80 hp each but limited to 60 hp, delivering a combined output of 240 hp. At one point, Jack had them running at 45 hp. The plane is a single-seat that, as Jack intended it, handles much like a Cessna. It has a wingspan of 34 feet and 7 inches (1,054 cm), and is 25 feet long (762 cm). Kosi calls the Bally Bomber underpowered, but it still cruises at 110 knots.The fuselage is aluminum riveted, entirely built by hand. Theres a retractable landing gear and most of the distinctive elements on the real-life Flying Fortress are present. The most startling difference is due to considerations of space: the cockpit is larger than it should have been, to allow for a grown man to sit inside and pilot the thing.In the 2018 EAA video below, Jack says that, even though he put some 40,000 hours in the project and despite the many challenges faced, he has no idea where time flew because he had fun. The emotion in his voice as he says this is perhaps an even more beautiful thing than the plane, and thats saying something. If you can ever talk about a project of love without falling into cliche, this is one such time.Jack Bally passed away in the summer of 2020. His Bally Bomber lives on, although it has already changed hands (the second video below shows the new owner flying it at Oshkosh 2021). It continues to tell the story of ones man dream, and the kind of determination and skill he put into making it real. Sierra Nevada Corporation has its hands in several different aerospace projects the most well-known is of course the Dream Chaser , touted as the evolutionary replacement to the iconic NASA space shuttle.Whats less well known is their endeavors in communications logistics technology intended to help armed forces communicate information safely and without interference. This venture has led to a new contract with the United States Army to manufacture the Next Generation Load Device-Medium (NGLD-M) program. This contract will pay out $775 million over the next decade.According to Sierra Nevada Corporation, the NGLD-M will allow soldiers to communicate using cryptographic keys, a method of encryption that through the use of special codes, referred to as keys, that use a series of computer algorithms that are difficult for the enemy to decipher.Using this system, soldiers in battlefield conditions can access Communication Security (COMSEC) products allowing for more smooth-lined communications and amplified security for Department of Defense (DOD) systems.SNC is honored to have delivered encryption key management capabilities to U.S. DOD and other customers for more than 18 years, remarked CEO Fatih Ozmen. Secure communications is critical to virtually every national security mission for every customer."The first mission of SRCs Dream Chaser shuttle is slated to launch sometime in 2022. With the enormous cost overhead that comes with the territory in this manufacturing sector, lucrative contracts with deep-pocketed organizations like the U.S. military will ensure more ambitious projects are able to stay on schedule. An overall win-win situation for Sierra Nevada. When it opens next year, Culdesac Tempe will have its residents contractually forbidden from parking a vehicle within a quarter-mile radius of the site - and that is easily the most horrifying sentence I will write in the foreseeable future.You may well ask how the residents will get from point A to point B, and the developers of this futuristic vision of hell on earth have an answer for you: mobility services. In fact, your monthly rent will include a package of such services.Its a $170 million residential development set to feature car-share parking, ride-hail pickup zones and a light rail station across the street. As the first units are set to open in the summer of 2022, residents will find themselves gifted with complimentary access to a Lyft Pink subscription, special pricing for use to grab onto a fleet of Bird scooters , a car share membership courtesy of Envoy, and free unlimited use of the Valley Metro transit system.And not surprisingly, the target for this forward-looking but nightmarish community will be millennial-hipster types. The General Manager of Culdesac Tempe, Lavanya Sunder, says that residents that have been moving in dont drive, dont own cars and are - pray for their immortal souls - not interested in driving While a few misguided souls have praised the idea of being part of a model for retrofitting suburban sprawl for a post-car era, the sensible among us are concerned that having no set of handily parked cars means no simple access to the nearby Phoenix for commuters and many phone calls from grandma to pick her up at the rail station.But it seems, against all common sense, that people are actually interested in this sort of lifestyle. Should you be one of those superior beings, youd better sign-on post-haste as studios start at $1,090 per month while one-bedrooms go for $1,250. The community is slated to offer 260 units between summer 2022 and spring 2023, 33 leases are already inked and another 300 buyers have plunked down $100 each to be added to a waiting list.But fear not, there is no mention as to whether or not motorcycles will be welcome in Culdesac Tempe and for me, that could change the entire dynamic of the idea and get me on board. In its quest to create faster cars, Chrysler engineers realized that they needed an engine eight times more powerful to double the speed from 40 mph to 80 mph. However, it was not efficient, so they tried to find answers.A team of three engineers, Carl Breer, Fred Zader, and Owen Skelton, tested various shapes and forms in a small wind tunnel. Orville Wright , the first man to take off with a self-propelled airplane, also helped them understand the ground rules of aerodynamics. Chrysler built the wind tunnel for them and, in 1930, they tested more than 50 scale model vehicles. Thus, they discovered that the air was not something to neglect. By sticking tapes to the scale models, they also started to understand where to re-shape them.During the Great Depression, the automotive industry took a big hit, and the carmakers had to shrink their production. But the researches went on, and they ditched the car's chassis. It was a bold move that proved to be worthy. Removing the ladder-chassis and creating a structure from the bodywork made what we know today as the unibody construction. Thus, the overall construction was not only lighter but 40 percent more rigid.Last but not least, the new construction allowed the engineers to install the engine in a forward position, above the front axle. Thus, there was more room inside the cabin, which made possible the translation of the seat forward. In addition, the rear passengers didn't have to sit on the axle, but between them. The result was the 1934 Chrysler Airflow.Up until then, most cars featured squared-looking bodyworks. The era of flowing lines and curved surfaces was just at its beginning, and the customers had to adapt to the new forms. They asked for straight windshields and wide doors. Also, it was unusual for them to see the engine, or part of it, in front of the front axle.Before Airflow's launch, the carmaker did a publicity stunt and made a Chrysler Imperial with the chassis reversed. Thus, when the car was driven, it appeared that it went backward. During their testings, the engineers noticed that the back of a vehicle is as important as the front. Behind the cabins, due to the flat vertical panel, the air formed turbulences that dragged the car behind and slowed it down. The three engineers noticed all these inside Chrysler's wind tunnel.Chrysler made another bold move by throwing a car off a 110 ft (34 m) cliff in Pennsylvania to prove the cabin's safety. Despite visible damages, the car was able to drive. It had all the ingredients to be a highly successful vehicle. It had the engines, the fuel efficiency, and the streamlined bodywork. Chrysler launched it in 1934 , but it was a bad time for the economy. With the Great Depression that melted the Americans' saving accounts, just a few could afford a new car. Still, the Airflow started to make sense as a revolutionary car. Among the achievements made by the Airflow, it also counts a 2000 mile (3216 km) record run in 24 hours at the Salt Flats of Bonneville. But it was far too advanced for those times.People didn't want to buy a car that looked like a bar of soap with curved body panels and hide-away headlights. So they looked somewhere else on the market. While in 1934, the Airflow was the mainstream vehicle, just a year later, the customers turned their eyes onto a new vehicle with a classic-looking body: the 1935 Chevrolet Suburban Chrysler desperately tried to keep the Airflow alive, but it couldn't. Sadly, just three years after the model's introduction, the Airflow was quietly withdrawn from the market. It was far too advanced for those years. Worth mentioning that one version of the Airflow, with the CW body built by LeBaron, was the first car in history to feature a one-piece, curved windshield.Even though the Airflow was not the first aerodynamic production car in the world (the Czech carmaker Tatra already had the 1933 model 77 ) or the first with a unibody construction (Lancia had that in 1923). It was an important step forward that led to the introduction of other streamlined cars, such as the Buick Y, which remained just a rolling concept car despite its beauty. SUV Two years later he was already working for Skoda, where he contributed to the design of the first-generation Octavia and Fabia, two of Europes best-selling cars in the mid to late 90s. Following his stint at Skoda he returned to Audi where he worked on the A4 Avant, R8 Le Mans Racer and the A2 concept and production car.Afterwards, he became head of design for Lamborghini, where he worked on the 2001 Diablo VT, the 2002 Murcielago and the 2004 Gallardo. Throughout his career, he also spent time with SEAT as Design Director, then Bentley (same role), before making the switch to Hyundais Genesis brand, between 2015 and 2020.Today, Genesis announced that Donckerwolke is expanding his role as both Chief Creative Officer and Chief Brand Officer within the company effective immediately.It is a great honor to be given a chance to grow the Genesis brand around the globe, he said. At Genesis, Design is Brand and Brand is Design. It is therefore logical to expand my leadership in design to the brand, to resonate more closely with our growing customer base and provide the best luxury experiences.Despite leaving the Hyundai Group in March of last year for health-related reasons, he then returned as Chief Creative Officer for Hyundai some eight months later.By expanding Donckerwolkes role within the company, Genesis is clearly looking to put an emphasis on design, which comes as no surprise given how unique most of its models now look compared to direct rivals from various premium car segments.Also, it was just this week that Doug DeMuro called the Genesis GV70 the bestin its class, proving that the Korean carmaker is certainly doing some things right. kWh NEDC WLTP kW EV Among the many aspects the financial analyst brings up, perhaps the most important one is that BYD is not affected by the semiconductor crisis that is making automakers such as Volkswagen and Toyota cut production despite the demand for new cars. BYD would be the only vehicle manufacturer that makes its own chips. Thats verticalization at its best.Finding its own solutions without relying on suppliers brought BYD other advantages. It also makes its own cells. In fact, the company has made LFP batteries very attractive with the Blade Battery. This CTP (cell-to-pack) solution turns the battery pack into a structural component that costs way less than those in most electric vehicles sold in Western countries. LFP would also be safer.Unfortunately for BYD, one of their Han EVs spontaneously caught fire two days after a crash test. The company said it was caused by a conductive coolant that would not be the original one in BYDs cars. The team that made the tests (Understanding the Car Test Ground) said they had not changed the vehicle. BYD is yet to provide a complete explanation about what happened. According to McCarthy , BYD wants to produce two B-class (one of them the ocean-X) and two C-class vehicles over the e-platform 3.0. The Dolphin would be an A-class vehicle. That would also be the case for the Yuan Plus, a crossover presented at the Chengdu Auto Show 2021 on August 30. That means the company expects six of its vehicles to have the new architecture soon.In terms of appearance, the Yuan Plus looks more like the Han than the Dolphin . The Yuan Plus is 4.46 meters (175.6 inches) long, 1.88 m (74 in) wide, 1.62 m (63.8 in) tall, and has a wheelbase of 2.72 m (107.1 in).With the smaller Blade Battery option with 50.12 it weighs 1,615 kilograms (3,560.5 pounds) and runs up to 430 km (267.2 mi) under thecycle. The long-range battery pack with 60.48 kWh is 75 kg (165.4 lb) heavier (1,690 kg, or 3,725.8 lb) and gives the Yuan Plus an NEDC range of 510 km (316.9 mi). Under thecycle, this derivative would travel only 380 km (236.1 mi).We were not sure about what McCarthy meant by these classifications, so we got in touch with her to check. According to the cars international categorization, the Dolphin would fit as a B-segment or even a C-segment vehicle due to its 2.70 meters (106.3 inches) wheelbase. The Yuan Plus would definitely belong to the C-segment.The analyst was kind enough to take her time to show us the table above. It presents the Chinese classification for cars, in which A-class cars have wheelbases going from 2.50 m (98.4 in) up to 2.70 m (106.3 in). B-class vehicles go from 2.70 m (106.3 in) up to 2.90 m (114.2 in). Weirdly, C-class would be for vehicles with wheelbases from 2.80 m (110.2 in) up to 3 m (118.1 in). We wonder where a car with a 2.85 m (112.2 in) wheelbase would fit in...Despite the controversy involving it, the Blade Battery would be just one of the advantages the e-platform 3.0 offers. Working with 800V allows the battery pack to recover 150 km (93.2 mi) of range in only 5 minutes. With enough fast chargers to cope with the charging speed required (at least 270), that would favoradoption.BYDs cars build over the new architecture also have an 8-in-1 powertrain. McCarthy explained that the company managed to put the motor, motor controller, reducer, onboard charger, DC converter, high-voltage distribution box, vehicle controller, and BMS in a single unit. Lucids compact unit integrates the motor, the transmission, and the inverter and thats it. Make sure you check McCarthys tweet about that to see all eight parts decompose in the great gif she shared.The analyst then mentions aspects we already talked about when we wrote about the ocean-X design study, such as the range, drag coefficient, efficient cooling and heating system, and so forth. With the information about the massive differences between the NEDC and WLTP ranges, it is possible that the 1,000-km (621-mi) claim uses the NEDC standard.The new aspects McCarthy provided refer to the BYD OS and the domain controllers. The first would put BYD as the perfect supplier for other OEMs because the OS is not coupled with the hardware. In other words, anyone willing to use the e-platform 3.0 architecture could have it without the BYD OS or with it. Customer automakers may develop their own operating systems if so they wish.The domain controllers are something we have already heard about with Volvo. Instead of having multiple ECUs in a vehicle controlling specific functions and having to communicate with each other, domain controllers centralize groups of duties. Volvo mentioned a core computing model when it mentioned NVIDIA and Google would be its partners in future vehicle developments.Instead of three main computers Volvo cars will have, BYD will have four domain controllers. The company said they have helped it improve vehicle response efficiency by 50%. Compute power increase in 30% and, guess what, BYD manufactures the domain controllers as well.We have already told you the first e-platform 3.0 vehicle from BYD would beat combustion-engined competitors with its price in China. If the company can make them competitive in foreign markets, it will sell every Dolphin it produces in a heartbeat. The Yuan Plus did not have its prices released so far, but we bet it would also be very competitive. Come on, BYD : what are you waiting to sell your cars to customers worldwide? We bet Musk will not laugh this time. EV . "Wait, didn't you just say Nurburgring officials made the longer loop mandatory?" Yes, we did, and they have. That's exactly why the Porsche Taycan Turbo Nurburgring lap time isn't recognized by the Nurburgring itself. Time for Porsche to quit faffling around and bring the Turbo S out on the 'Ring as quickly as possible. The people want to know. The fact Some people could look at the in-cabin footage of the record lap and say the One of the most interesting observations Misha makes looking at the footage is how Andreas seems to lift off the throttle and just coast at times, presumably to prevent battery overheating. That suggests there is possibly potential for improving the time once the Plaid's speed restriction is lifted (the EV is supposed to reach 200 mph, but Tesla has it software-limited at the time) and, more importantly, the company comes up with an even better battery thermal management. Whatever the case, one thing is clear: we'll be seeing a lot more EV action on the 'Ring from now on. Whether it's from Porsche, Well, it depends on how you want to look at it. If you want to compare it to the Porsche Taycan Turbo's time, you'll have to use the Plaid's quicker lap time because that's what the German manufacturer did for its. "Wait, didn't you just say Nurburgring officials made the longer loop mandatory?" Yes, we did, and they have. That's exactly why the Porsche Taycan Turbo Nurburgring lap time isn't recognized by the Nurburgring itself. Time for Porsche to quit faffling around and bring the Turbo S out on the 'Ring as quickly as possible. The people want to know.The fact Porsche 's record never officially existed means that the Model S Plaid isn't just the quickest production EV to lap the Nurburgring, but also the only one. Tesla's sedan thus had the honor of inaugurating the new category, one that's sure to be growing rapidly over the coming years as more and more quick EVs are released.Some people could look at the in-cabin footage of the record lap and say the Model S Plaid isn't exactly "directly from factory" as Elon Musk described it. Well, no, it's not, but since the record has been made official, that means Tesla played by the rules. The only modifications you can see are there to make sure the driver (Swede Andreas Simonsen, by the way) doesn't get killed in case the car flies off the track at 173 mph (279 kph), the maximum speed clocked by the Plaid.There have also been a few pictures doing the rounds with a red Model S Plaid on the 'Ring with a steering wheel instead of the infamous yoke. Well, the clip below contains a dialogue Misha Charoudin, the Nurburgring expert casting some light on the whole deal, had with Andreas Simonsen a few weeks before the run. Misha asked him about it, and you can just tell from his reaction he would have had it swapped with a regular steering wheel - like Randy Pobst did - in an instant if he wasn't hired directly by Tesla, essentially making the yoke non-negotiable.One of the most interesting observations Misha makes looking at the footage is how Andreas seems to lift off the throttle and just coast at times, presumably to prevent battery overheating. That suggests there is possibly potential for improving the time once the Plaid's speed restriction is lifted (the EV is supposed to reach 200 mph, but Tesla has it software-limited at the time) and, more importantly, the company comes up with an even better battery thermal management.Whatever the case, one thing is clear: we'll be seeing a lot more EV action on the 'Ring from now on. Whether it's from Porsche, Rimac , or any of the other companies, the electrics will be coming to Germany. The Nurburgring administrators ought to start installing charging stations there ASAP. Obviously, that was the intention, but a little bit of clarification would have been in order. We've seen people misinterpret what the two times stood for, and others even get the speed values wrong (they thought they stood for "average speed" when a quick Google Translate from German for "schnitt" will tell you it means "cut", suggesting it's the equivalent of "trap speed").Luckily, people who basically live at the Nurburgring jumped in to offer a few clarifications about how the record run went and try to reduce the amount of misinformation currently doing the rounds on the Internet. That's something Tesla should have done in the first place through its PR department, also known as Elon Musk's Twitter account, but why make things clear when ambiguity stirs more discussion?We'll start with the one thing we feel is the most important, which is the distinction between the two times on that piece of paper. They each refer to a different track configuration: the 7:30.909 is for the 12.8-mile (20.6 km) old configuration that's been in use for decades. However, starting with 1997, Nurburgring officials have made the full 12.94-mile (20.8 km) lap mandatory for any record attempts, but manufacturers kept using the other measure as well just so they could compare against older lap times evenly. You guessed it, the 7:35.579 time is the one corresponding to this extended lap and the one that really matters. SUV kWh AWD kW ADAS kilowatt A video released this week highlighting Hyundai's plan to become a fully electrified brand by 2040 briefly shows three vehicles, and one of them appears to be the Ioniq 7 large crossover.At this point, theres no real way to know if this first look is simply a planned concept version of the crossover or if it will closely mirror a final production model.During the Hyundai announcement of their carbon-neutrality goals during the 2021 IAA Motor Show, the company also dropped an official teaser video of a fully electric Ioniq range, and it seems to portend the inclusion of a largeconcept likely to become the Ioniq 7.The Ioniq 7 is expected to arrive in the U.S. in 2024 and join the already released Ioniq 5 hatchback and to join the upcoming Ioniq 6 sedan set for a premiere in 2022.If this really is the Ioniq 7, it looks to feature an aerodynamic silhouette and a stylish sloping roofline. This teased Ioniq 7 may feature a grille-less look with a sweeping horizontal LED bar and vertical LED units set into the bumper.Its expected that this large Ioniq vehicle will ride on the dedicated E-GMP platform like its siblings, and a stretched version will likely feature an Ioniq 7 which allows for three rows of seats inside the cabin for six or seven seats.A long wheelbase would also mean more room for a large battery pack in the form of the companys SK Innovation batteries. Those batteries offer a capacity of 100and 800-volt technology, provide a range of approximately 483 km (300 miles). The Ioniq 7 is expected to featureand a dual-motor setup with a combined output of 308 hp (230/ 313 PS).Ioniq 7 is expected to include all of Hyundaissystems including Highway Driving Pilot alongside air suspension and four-wheel steering.The platform offers a 0-60 mph time of under 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 161 mph from an 800-volt electrical system. If all goes as advertised, charging at highinputs to 80% should take just 18 minutes. And yet another attractive feature, bi-directional charging, will power devices, homes and perhaps be adaptable to charge other EVs.The Ioniq 6 and the crossover may both be built in the U.S. as Hyundai announced plans to invest $7.4 billion in its U.S. operations through 2025. HP Mecum will be returning to Las Vegas Convention Center for the fifth annual collector car auction. Running from October 7th until the 9th, it will hold an estimated 1,000 different classic cars, expected to run past the auction block in just those three days.The event is the first of three auctions Mecum plans on running throughout the month of October in what they call their October Takeover. The two events that follow Las Vegas will be held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the Chicago region.No flagship Mecum event would be complete without a long list of must-see classic vehicles, this years Las Vegas show is no exception.The list of cars due for sale this auction includes a 1959 Chevrolet Impala with a rare Rochester fuel-injection system on a 283/290solid-lifter Ram Jet V-8 engine, a triple-black 1966 Pontiac GTO Convertible with an original 389/360 HP Tri-power V-8 engine, and an original, rust-free, triple-black 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle with a 427/500 HP GM crate engine.Also featured at the event will be a selection of cars from The Pacific Northwest Collection at no reserve. This collection includes a custom 1932 Ford Custom Coupe with a supercharged 468 cubic inch (7.75 liter) V8 on aggressive mudding tires, a 454 cubic inch (7.4 liter) V8 powered 1968 Camaro Z/28, and an original 1960 Chevy Impala hardtop with ultra-rare factory power steering.That pretty much means millions of dollars worth of fine automobiles will cross the auction floor in Las Vegas, a welcome return to a past-time as dear to gearheads as drag racing and parking lot auto shows. Needless to say, given the adoption of these platforms skyrocketed almost overnight, people started using them in much more complex scenarios, including in the car where they expect a smooth experience both with touch input and through digital assistants.As far as Telegram is concerned, however, sending messages with the help of Google Assistant doesnt seem to be as easy as it sounds.And its all because of a problem reported recently by someone on Googles forums . According to their post, Google Assistant is unable to send a new message on Telegram, though it can reply to those received from other contacts.The assistant does recognize a message provided by the user and even confirms its sending it, but the process eventually stops for no clear reason.At this point, its not clear just how widespread the whole thing is, but theres a chance more than a handful of users are affected. This is because Google has quickly responded that it forwarded the problem to the Android Auto team and the report has been marked as a trending issue on the official forums.No matter how many people are struggling with it, however, this glitch still needs to be fixed. The adoption of Telegram is on the rise these days, and given more people rely on it to stay in touch with others, the Google Assistant integration in Android Auto just has to work as smoothly as possible.While Google is currently looking into reports, no ETA is available as to when a fix could be shipped. And unfortunately, theres no workaround either, so if you too are struggling with the same thing, theres not much you can do right now. While not as iconic as other large Ford vehicles from the era, like the Torino and Fairlane, the XL came with all the goodies Ford had to offer, including the 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) Windsor and the 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) ThunderJet. The latter generated a solid 360 horsepower.But the ThunderJet V8, shared with the Thunderbird, wasn't the largest mill that Ford offered on the fourth-gen XL. Ford also sold a 460-cubic-inch (7.5-liter) engine, even though it was mostly restricted to police cars. But none of these V8s were as mean like the one you're about to see in the video below.Hailing from Finland, Northern Europe, this blue-painted, 1969 Ford XL is not your regular factory fastback. Don't let the mundane exterior and the paint chips on the nose and the front bumper fool you, you're definitely not looking at a survivor that's been dragged out of a barn recently. This seemingly unassuming XL hides a stroker V8 of the Ford Racing variety under the hood.And this thing is so massive that it makes the police-spec 460 seem small. Specifically, this bad boy comes in at 545 cubic inches, which converts to a massive 9.0 liters. It's obviously powerful enough to send the rear wheels into a smokey burnout with a light touch of the gas pedal, but it also sounds downright brutal.The footage below actually shows the XL idling next to a Dodge Charger R/T fitted with Mopar's 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) V8, a proper engine note comparison from which the Ford emerges as the winner. But things get louder when the driver hits the gas and even wilder during the massive burnout at the 2:30-minute mark.In case you're wondering what's with this Ford XL terrorizing the streets of Finland, American classic cars are quite popular in this country. Much like Sweden, another Scandinavian nation packed with U.S.-made classics, Finland is home to several muscle car meetings during the warm season. And as it turns out Finland is also home to the most intriguing Ford XL out there. We already know that the all-new Toyota Land Cruiser 300 is already here in the country. Aside from being spotted being transported by a car carrier in Batangas, we already have an idea of its specs and pricing. Several sources were even able to take pictures of the SUV up close giving us a better look at what to expect. This means that Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) is gearing up for its eventual launch. But while the automaker is ready to reveal the SUV to the public, the factory that makes them is about to face some hurdles. With Toyota experiencing chips and parts shortages, production of the LC 300 had to be halted for an entire month. But with customers continuing to make reservations, the orders for the flagship SUV are already piling up. Unfortunately, things will apparently go from bad to worse. According to a report by Cars Guide Australia, the wait times for an all-new Land Cruiser could reach up to four years, depending on the variant a customer has chosen. The automaker has reportedly been overwhelmed by orders from different global markets. So much so that pre-orders have outstripped domestic production capacity by 400%. In total, Toyota has already received 20,000 orders before the company had to temporarily halt production due to the shortages. The variants that will be affected by the long wait time will reportedly be the top-of-the-line ZX and the more sport-oriented GR Sport. But with 90% of customers in Japan choosing the aforementioned variants, these models will take longer to deliver due to the number of parts needed. With Toyota not yet able to restart production of the Land Cruiser, those that wish to make reservations will likely have to wait longer than those that have already ordered early. There's no word as to how many units of the all-new Land Cruiser 300 are currently available in the Philippines. But given its limited availability due to the ongoing parts/chips shortage, the vehicles that are already here might already be spoken for, or are demo unit for dealers. As interest in the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 continues to build, the automaker may have to find a way to shorten that wait time in order to please customers. The California legislature on Thursday gave final approval to a bill barring certain life-threatening face-down holds that can lead to asphyxia. Why it matters: The Angelo Quinto Act, named after the Filipino American Navy vet who died in Antioch last December after police allegedly knelt on his neck for five minutes, expands upon the chokeholds ban instituted in the state following George Floyds murder. Details: The bill was introduced by Democratic Assembly member Mike Gipson, a former police officer, and bars techniques that can cause substantial risk of positional asphyxia, which occurs when someone cannot breathe due to the positioning of their body. Such holds can compress people's airways, and often involve restraining suspects face down and pressing down on their backs. It passed the state Assembly in a 50-15 vote on Thursday and now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D) desk. What they're saying: Gipson tweeted "Justice for #AngeloQuinto!" after the bill passed and expressed gratitude for the Quinto family. The other side: The bill has faced pushback from the California State Sheriffs' Association, which called the provision too broad, per AP. Many law enforcement agencies have already restricted use of such holds, according to AP. Nevada enacted a similar ban last year. The big picture: Asian American civil rights groups have pushed for the bill's passage for months, pressing for greater transparency and police accountability. The body of a Colorado man who died while climbing Illimani mountain, Bolivia's second-highest mountain, arrived in La Paz on Sunday after a two-day recovery effort, the Associated Press reported. Driving the news: Daniel Granberg, 24, died from high-altitude pulmonary distress at an altitude of 20,391 feet. He was on the second day of a trek across the mountain's most difficult trail, per AP. The pro-government majority in the National Assembly already blocked last month an opposition bill calling for the creation of a separate committee on Karabakh. The main opposition Hayastan bloc went on to draft another bill that would add Karabakh-related issues to the jurisdiction of the existing parliament committee on foreign relations. The panel would be renamed the Committee on Foreign Relations and Artsakh Affairs. The parliament committee on legal affairs refused to endorse the bill. Seven of its 11 members represent the ruling party. None of them backed the Hayastan proposal. I am sorry to note that this bill does not bring us any closer to pro-Armenian solutions, said the committee chairman, Vladimir Vartanian. It would not make the situation worse. It just wouldnt change anything. Hayastans Aghvan Vartanian, the main author of the bill, predicted that the pro-government majority will also ensure that the bill is not debated on the parliament floor. This will be indicative of the ruling political majoritys attitude to the Artsakh issue, he told reporters. Hayastan and another opposition bloc represented in the current parliament hold the government and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in particular responsible for Armenias defeat in last years war with Azerbaijan. They also accuse Pashinian of being ready to cede Armenian territory to Azerbaijan and even recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh in ongoing negotiations mediated by Russia. The premier and his political allies deny that. Pashinians government has also been condemned by the opposition for not sending any of its senior officials to Stepanakert last week to attend official ceremonies there that marked the 30th anniversary of the proclamation of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. According to Christian thinking, freedom is manifested in the harmony of the human will with the will of God Indeed, without a sublime religious understanding of the ideas of freedom and peace it is impossible to achieve an accurate understanding and realization of human freedoms and rights, Garegin said as he hosted an international conference on religious freedom and peace on Thursday. The two-day conference held at the Echmiadzin-based Mother See of the Armenian Church brought together representatives of the main Christian denominations, including senior clergymen from the Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox, Anglican, Coptic and other eastern churches. The heads of the worlds leading ecumenical organizations, notably the U.S. National Council of the Churches of Christ, and international scholars also attended and addressed it. In his speech at the conference, Garegin also denounced the abuse of religious freedom by non-traditional religious groups branded by him as modern-day totalitarian sects. He accused them of causing divisions in families and public life. In this regard, every effort should be made so that the ideas of religious freedom do not become an excuse for evil, he said. The Apostolic Church, to which the vast majority of Armenians nominally belong, has long been advocating restrictive government measures against such groups that established their presence in Armenia following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The ancient church enjoyed strong government support until the 2018 velvet revolution that brought Nikol Pashinian to power. The latters frosty relationship with Garegin has increasingly deteriorated since then. Pashinian openly attacked the church when he campaigned for the June 2021 parliamentary elections. He said corrupt clergymen are part of Armenias traditional political, intellectual and spiritual elites that did everything to prevent the 2018 regime change. Garegins office rejected the unfair accusations. Arush Arushanian is one of the four elected local officials from Armenias southeastern Syunik province who demanded Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians resignation before being arrested in July on what they call trumped-up charges. Voters in various communities across the country will go to the polls on October 17 to elect new local councils on a party-list basis. Arushanian, 30, has run one of those communities comprising the town of Goris and several nearby villages since 2017. He still has one year left on his term in office. He will be able to technically complete it unless he is convicted by court before November 2022. In any case, under a law enacted by Pashinians administration last year, the next Goris mayor will be appointed by the local council, rather than elected directly by voters. Arushanian tops the list of candidates of an ad hoc opposition alliance set up for the upcoming vote. The alliance bearing his name will be challenged by Pashinians Civil Contract party. Civil Contracts mayoral candidate, Vladimir Abunts, is a former customs officer who joined the ruling party several days ago. Anna Grigorian, a Syunik-born member of the Armenian parliament representing Hayastan, insisted that Arushanian is well placed to win de facto reelection despite his arrest and the fact that Civil Contract prevailed in the community in the June 20 parliamentary elections. I think that his being in detention will actually encourage people to go to the polls and back their mayor, Grigorian told RFE/RLs Armenian Service on Friday. [Arushanian] stood with his fellow citizens throughout the war [with Azerbaijan,] she said. He was in the trenches until the last day of the war He did everything to keep his community safe. Syunik borders districts southwest of Nagorno-Karabakh that were retaken by Azerbaijan during and shortly after the six-week war stopped by a Russian-brokered ceasefire last November. The mayors of virtually all provincial towns and villages blamed Pashinian for Armenias defeat and demanded his resignation. Some of them encouraged supporters to disrupt Pashinians December 2020 visit to Syunik. The prime minister faced angry protests by their backers when he finally toured Goris and other regional towns in May. Most Syunik mayors joined Hayastan in the run-up to the snap parliamentary elections. Two of them were elected to Armenias new parliament. They as well as Arushanian and the head of another community were arrested in July on separate charges which they and the opposition group led by former President Robert Kocharian reject as politically motivated. Arushanian was charged with vote buying. The Special Investigative Service (SIS) says that he ordered one of his subordinates to provide financial aid to villagers promising to vote for Hayastan. Arushanian maintains that the poverty benefits approved by the current Goris council were allocated on a regular basis and had nothing to do with the general elections. PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- The food scene around the Valley continues to grow, now expanding upon the burgeoning plant-based culinary community with the first-ever Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week set to launch Sunday! Chef Jason Wyrick of Casa Terra in Glendale and Jozh Watson of Phoenix Vegan teamed up to launch the plant-based initiative that will operate similarly (although not affiliated) to the Fall Arizona Restaurant Week. Kicking off Sunday, Sept. 12, the weeklong event celebrating all things vegan in the Valley will go until Sept. 18 and include full-service restaurants, fast-casual eateries, bakeries, coffee shops, food trucks, meal delivery services, and more. During Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week, restaurants and food providers will offer exclusive multi-course prix fixe menus. Breakfast offerings will include an entree and drink capped at $20, lunch meals will feature an appetizer, entree, and drink also capped at $20, and a three-course dinner menu will be available for $33. Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week is a celebration of plant-based cuisine in Phoenix. We want to raise awareness about everything vegan thats now available in our city, get everyone excited, and out-and-about trying all of the great dining options, said Wyrick. Restaurants are experimenting more with vegan cuisine and showcasing some really great offerings. Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week allows them to cater to a growing clientele and test the waters for expanding their vegan selections. Food-goers get the thrill of exploring the Valley's growing plant-based food scene while supporting many local businesses. The list of participating businesses continues to grow, and registration is still open for more to join. Some participating eateries include: Beaut Burger Brunch & Sip Chilte Dilla Libre Early Bird Vegan Earth Plant-Based Giving Tree Cafe Ground Control Hot Sauce & Pepper Mayas Cajun Kitchen Pachamama Positively Frosted Salvadoreno Restaurant Shameless Burger Simons Hot Dogs The Nile Coffee Shop Urban Beans Cafe Tesoro Vegano The Vegan Taste Verdura Wok this Way Local tastemaker and co-creator for the event, Watson, is also encouraging non-vegan restaurants to get involved and participate in Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week as well. We want to position Greater Metro Phoenix as a premier, inclusive dining destination, said Watson. For a list of participating businesses or to register for Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week, click here. PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - As people in Louisiana clean up the damage from Hurricane Ida, Cox Communication crews from Arizona are sharing their experiences from the ground. "There's hardly a roof that doesn't have a tarp on it, that doesn't have some type of roof damage or just completely torn to the ground," said Shawn Duncan, the vice president of field operations for Cox. That's how Duncan describes the drive into New Orleans off Interstate 10. He left Arizona on Aug. 31 and Baton Rouge was the first stop. "The goal is to get a high 90% of customers back online with broadband and we got there as of yesterday and shifted our resources over to New Orleans," Duncan said. Duncan and Andrew Metz, who is the director of field services, spoke with Arizona's Family from their RVs in Louisiana on Thursday. The Cox workers from Arizona follow the power companies who are going street to street where there may be up to a dozen downed lines. They are focused on restoring internet, TV and phone services for customers. "Over 133,000 customers have been restored in Baton Rouge which is pretty impressive in short order," Metz said. A big challenge has been logistics and keeping their employees fed, Duncan says. He says restaurants either don't have power or are still trying to restock their supplies. Duncan says it's often meant going to nine grocery stores just to buy enough bread for sandwiches. "Food is an issue," Duncan added. "So that's another thing we've been doing, kind of being that mobile food truck and shopping at multiple stores to try to get the needs to feed everybody, keep their energy up." Still though, all of their experts are safe and getting needed meals. Duncan says there are thousands of bucket trucks, power companies and ambulances from all over the country working on getting bring some sense of normalcy. "There is an army here," Duncan said. "Probably like none other than we've ever had in a very short time frame and the whole city is focused on restoration." For now, Arizona Cox experts are planning on staying in Louisiana until Oct. 1. They rotate people every two or three weeks and try to let some of them take breaks and go home to spend a few days with family. PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Arizona leaders and lawmakers are weighing in on new mandates being ordered by President Joe Biden in an effort to combat COVID-19 across the country. Biden announces new vaccine mandates that could cover 100 million Americans President Joe Biden on Thursday imposed stringent new vaccine rules on federal workers, large employers and health care staff in a sweeping attempt to contain the latest surge of COVID-19. On Thursday, the President announced he has directed the U.S. Department of Labor to draft an emergency rule requiring all businesses with 100 or more employees to be fully vaccinated or be tested for the virus at least once per week. The president is making these mandates through the Department of Labor - regulated by OSHA. "They're presenting the COVID infection as a potential workplace hazard," said Phoenix employment attorney Joshua Black. Arizona's Family asked Black if the president can legally do this. "The likely answer is yes. President Biden is using his executive power to make regulations through the Department of Labor, which is a federal government agency under the purview of the president," said Black. Black said it's likely there will be pushback on this from employers for at least one big reason. "My expectation is that we're going to hear a lot of grumbling from employers and companies who don't necessarily want to take on the burden of policing this," Black said. Gov. Doug Ducey called the approach "dictatorial," adding that it was "wrong, un-American, and will do far more harm than good." His executive orders have prevented cities and local governments from instituting masks or vaccines passports. The governor suggested such orders have no legal standing. While he has previously advocated for the public to get vaccinated, he has continued his message that the vaccine "is and should be a choice." In a tweet Thursday afternoon, he added, "we must and will push back." Joe Biden has failed us on COVID. He ran for office on a promise to shut down the virus. He has failed on this, much as he has failed on the border crisis and in Afghanistan. So now, President Bidens plan is to shut down freedom. COVID-19 is a contagious disease, it is still with us and it will be for the foreseeable future. President Biden's solution is hammering down on private businesses and individual freedoms in an unprecedented and dangerous way. Today marks another egregious big government overreach robbing Arizonans and all Americans of their fundamental rights to make their own decisions about their health and the health of their children. President Bidens dictatorial approach is wrong, un-American and will do far more harm than good. How many workers will be displaced? How many kids kept out of classrooms? How many businesses fined? The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective tools to prevent the disease, but getting the vaccine is and should be a choice. These mandates are outrageous. They will never stand up in court. We must and will push back. In contrast, Rep. Ruben Gallego called the action plan as "leadership." The congressman says the mandates are what is needed to overcome the pandemic. This is leadership. President Biden is doing what needs to be done to beat COVID-19. No ifs, ands, or butsthere is no reason to not get the shot if you are eligible. For months, weve had a safe and effective vaccine available for free and in ample supply. The time to wait is over. Get the shot, get the booster when it becomes available, and together we will get through this pandemic. Arizona's Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman echoed Rep. Gallego's praise of Biden, saying most Arizonans supported the policies he announced. "Controlling the virus has always been the key to ensuring safe in-person learning. Enough political games - our focus must be on accelerating student learning and helping schools recover," Hoffman said in a tweet. Both Gallego and Hoffman are Democrats. Earlier this week, Arizona's Attorney General Mark Brnovich called the City of Tucson's vaccine mandate illegal and gave the city one month to remove the requirement or risk losing state funding. President Biden is now taking federal overreach to unheard of levels by dictating vaccine mandates for all private companies with over 100 people, federal contractors, and healthcare providers receiving federal dollars. (1/3) Mark Brnovich (@GeneralBrnovich) September 9, 2021 Biden is also expected to sign an executive order requiring all federal employees to be vaccinated, without an ability to test out. Limited exemptions would be made available for medical or religious reasons. Contact The Californians Herb Benham at 661-395-7279 or hbenham@bakersfield.com. His column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays; the views expressed are his own. Pete Tittls Dining Out column appears in The Californian on Sundays. Email him at pftittl@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter at @pftittl. The number of children diagnosed with COVID-19 has nearly doubled since school started for most students in Kern County. Email Dan Walters of CalMatters at dan@calmatters.org. CalMatters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining Californias policies and politics. For more columns by Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary. Bluefield, WV (24701) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning. Thunderstorms likely during the afternoon. High 77F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Joe Sobol, owner of Big Easy Construction in New Orleans, has bad news for homeowners who've been calling about roofs damaged by Hurricane Ida or to get an update on renovations that were scheduled before the storm ripped through the area. The job will cost a lot more than usual and take much longer, too. Ida slammed into the Gulf Coast then took its destruction to the Northeast at a time when building contractors were already grappling with severe shortages of workers and depleted supply chains. The damage inflicted by Ida has magnified those challenges. The struggle to find enough skilled workers and materials will likely drive up costs, complicate planning and delay reconstruction for months. My expectation," said Ali Wolf, chief economist at the real estate research firm Zonda, is that it only gets worse from here. Consider that Lake Charles, Louisiana, 200 miles west of New Orleans, still hasnt recovered from the damage left when Hurricane Laura tore through the area a year ago. The challenges facing construction companies stem from what happened after the nation endured a brutal but brief recession when the viral pandemic erupted in March 2020: The economy rebounded far faster and stronger than anyone expected. Businesses of all kinds were caught off-guard by a surge in customer demand that flowed from an increasingly robust economic recovery. Workers and supplies were suddenly in short supply. For months now across the economy, businesses have been scrambling to acquire enough supplies, restock their shelves and recall workers they had furloughed during the recession. Construction companies have been particularly affected. Among building executives Zonda surveyed last month, 93% complained of supply shortages. Seventy-four percent said they lacked enough workers. And that was before Ida struck. Natural disasters do cause a strain on building materials, reconstruction materials and on labor," Wolf said. "The difference today is that the entire supply chain has been battered even before Idas occurrence. You really have all these things hitting at the exact same time. Frankly, the last thing the supply chain needed was extra strain. A result is that the cost of materials and supplies has been surging. Combined prices for windows, doors, roofing and other building products jumped 13% in the first six months of this year, according to Labor Department data. Before 2020, by contrast, such aggregate prices would typically rise a bit more than 1% annually, on average, in the first six months of a year. Prices for steel mill products were up more than twofold in July from a year earlier. Gypsum products, which are needed for drywall, partitions, ceiling tiles and the like, were up 22%. Henry DEsposito, who leads construction research at the real estate services company JLL, said the toughest challenge in rebuilding now is the delays in acquiring drywall, glass, steel, aluminum and other materials. A lot of the materials that you would need for any project and especially something this urgent youre not able to get on site for weeks or months, DEsposito said. Sobol, in the course of his career, has ridden out some of the biggest hurricanes to strike Louisiana, including Betsy in 1965, Camille in 1979, Katrina in 2005 and Ida last week. On Friday, he received a text from a client who had hired Big Easy for home renovations. The client wanted to know whether the initial cost estimate still stood. I said, You can probably add 10%,' "Sobol said. And now the project will likely take nine months instead of six. Were having to jump through hoops," said Robert Maddox, owner of Hahn Roofing in Boyce, Louisiana, 200 miles northwest of New Orleans. Were having to pay more for labor. Were having to pay more for supplies. Were having to bring supplies in. The insurance companies that are footing the bill for many of the hurricane repairs, Maddox said, can pose an additional burden. Ive spent more time fighting with insurance companies over prices than I did roofing houses," he said. Jacob Hodges, co-owner of a family roofing business in Houma, Louisiana, complains that shingles are in such short supply that its hard to buy them in the same color consistently. One day, theyre available only in black; the next day, only gray. Hodges takes what he can get. So do his customers, who are desperate to have their roofs patched up or replaced after the storm. Then theres the labor shortage. Among workers in short supply are framers, who build, install and maintain foundations, floors and door and window frames; carpenters; electricians; plumbers; and heating and air-conditioning specialists. Workers they have the power, said Wolf, the economist at Zonda. They can go where they can make the most money. So if you need access to workers, youre going to have to pony up. Maddox said typical pay for roofers has soared 20% over the past year or so. Some can earn $400 a day. If you dont pay them, he said, someone else will. In normal times, demand for their services was so uneven that roofers often split their time working for different contractors. Now, we all need them, Hodges said. Making matters worse, the power is still out in many places, gasoline is in short supply and the Gulf Coast weather is sweltering. With nowhere to stay, workers involved in reconstruction have to drive in from afar. Maddox said he has roofers commuting in from Lake Charles, a three-hour drive from the hurricane zone. Were losing half our time driving, he said. He wishes that hotels that have running water would reopen even without electricity so that workers would have a place to stay. Those guys dont mind cold showers, he said. Weighing the magnitude of the hurricane damage against the shortage of supplies and workers, Hodges envisions a prolonged, grinding period of reconstruction from Ida. To get everything back like it was," he said, "youre talking ... well, well probably be working on this this time next year. ___ Wiseman reported from Washington, Veiga from Los Angeles. 3 1 of 3 Morsa Images/Getty Images Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer Show More Show Less 3 of 3 WASHINGTON - Top federal health officials have warned the White House that the Biden administration's plan to begin offering booster shots to most Americans later this month may have to be limited initially, with third shots made available only to people who had received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, according to people familiar with the matter. Janet Woodcock, acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients on Thursday that their agencies may not be able to approve a more expansive coronavirus booster plan that they, along with other top doctors across the administration, endorsed last month. During the four years of Donald Trump's presidency, the 9 p.m. hour on Fox News hosted by Sean Hannity was the go-to spot for tame interviews with the administration's key players and top cheerleaders, including many sit-downs with Trump himself. The man in the White House has changed, but the bookings on "Hannity" have not. In the 7 months since Joe Biden was inaugurated as president, Hannity's show has begun to resemble a sort of Trump administration-in-exile, featuring regular interviews with former administration officials, members of Trump's family and occasionally the former president. The perennial topics: how the Biden administration is messing up, and how Trump would do things better. Of the approximately 160 episodes of "Hannity" that have aired since Jan. 20, more than 60 percent have included at least one former Trump administration official, and often more, according to a Washington Post tally. Nearly 30 percent of those episodes featured a member of the Trump family. A Trump appears on "Hannity" every night for some consecutive stretches: Lara Trump was on the show Friday, Aug. 13, and returned the following Monday. Trump himself appeared the next night, and Donald Trump Jr. the night after that. And on two occasions since Biden's inauguration, the "Hannity" set was packed with four former Trump aides on the same night. The sheer volume of Trump content suggests that Hannity, who was noticeably downcast after Trump's electoral loss in November, has increasingly aligned himself with the former president, who is teasing the possibility that he'll run again in 2024. It also suggests that the host views Trump and his associates as the future of the Republican Party, in contrast to some colleagues at Fox who have argued that the party should move on to less-divisive candidates. Lara Trump is one of Hannity's favorite guests, accounting for 25 of 47 appearances by Trump family members since he left office. On Tuesday night, Hannity prompted her to talk up her father-in-law's mental abilities ("He does not need notes," she affirmed) and to blast Biden ("Let's take this guy out," she said. "He can't run the country. He's an embarrassment.") Like many of the former administration officials who appear on Hannity's show, Lara Trump is on the Fox News payroll, having signed a contract as a paid commentator in March in a deal that helped cement the close bond between the former president's entourage and the cable news network. Trump's former press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, also has a contributor contract with Fox. She has made 26 appearances on "Hannity" since January. But "Hannity" seems to welcome former Trump aides regardless of their current affiliations. Stephen Miller, who was Trump's longest-serving White House aide, has made 21 appearances over Hannity's last 163 episodes. So has Richard Grenell, Trump's former acting director of national intelligence. Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has made 17. And Trump himself has sat for six interviews with Hannity since leaving office. "It very much is like a nightly kind of missive from the Trump campaign," said Robert Thompson, a professor of television and pop culture at Syracuse University. "That show reminds me of a rally every night at 9." On Wednesday's episode, Hannity handed the floor to the former president's oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and asked him to weigh in on the chaotic evacuation of U.S. troops and allies from Afghanistan. "What would your dad do?" he asked. "Sean, the only thing these animals respect and understand is strength, and Joe Biden exudes nothing but weakness," Trump Jr. said, referring to the Taliban and terrorist groups. "Donald Trump exuded strength. . . . Donald Trump also had the brainpower to actually negotiate like a real businessman, not a bureaucrat politician with no real-world experience." Sometimes, Hannity gushes about Trump before his guests can. "Your dad has more energy than a thousand men that I know," the host told the former president's son Eric Trump on Aug. 30. "We need Donald Trump today more than we've ever needed him before," replied Eric, who like his brother Trump Jr. has been on "Hannity" eight times since Inauguration Day. And just as when Trump was in office, Hannity's guests face sympathetic questioning. Former secretary of state Mike Pompeo (yet another paid Fox News contributor) appeared on "Hannity" for the 10th time since Biden's inauguration on Tuesday night. The topic was once again last month's troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, which the U.S. committed to when Trump was president, in an agreement with the Taliban that Pompeo helped forge. But Hannity assured his audience that the Trump team would have avoided the violence and confusion that plagued the evacuation mission under Biden. "Mr. Secretary, you never would have allowed it to get to this point," Hannity told Pompeo before asking him any questions. All his guest had to do was agree. "We would have made very clear that if you touch an American, threaten an American, you don't allow an American to get on an airplane and get home, we're going to make your life miserable," Pompeo said. "Instead, it seems like legal niceties, statements, news releases - this is the stuff of American power under President Biden." Fox News representatives did not respond to a request for comment on Hannity's booking decisions, or on the network's practice of hiring former Trump administration officials as paid analysts. Nikki Usher, an associate professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's College of Media, said the buffet of Trump officials had multiple purposes. They help Hannity hold the interest of his conservative viewers, and help Trump's team test out political messages in front of a large, devoted audience. "You're not just seeding attention for a potential Trump run, but you're also helping make and solidify the political careers of everyone who comes on," Usher said. "I wouldn't be surprised to see some of these political figures go and run for senator and governor." Schools across Texas are eagerly awaiting Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts signature on Senate Bill 15 the legislation that would allow districts a path to a virtual learning option. And two of Southeast Texas largest districts arent just waiting idly for the announcement. Districts including Port Arthur and Beaumont have been vocal about the need for a virtual option, which was an essential tool used during last years inaugural pandemic school year and made available this year due to policy choices by the Texas Education Agency. But without a funding structure for a virtual option that could allow vulnerable or quarantined students to consider their learning, some area districts have had to campuses or while waiting for infections to cool off. Related: SE Texas testing sites continue in face of more COVID-19 cases Senate Bill 15 would adjust funding policies for schools and create a whole new set of rules to dictate how they can receive state funding for students attending outside the classroom. Mark Porterie, Port Arthur ISD superintendent, said his district has been reviewing all available information regarding the bill so it can try to implement it as soon as possible, but launching a new option for learning after the semester has started will be easier said than done. We understand that this option will only apply to about 10% of the student body at one time reserved for medically-fragile students and those who contracted COVID, Porterie said. There will have to be criteria that would allow us to choose students that would benefit from virtual learning. Porterie, who was the first superintendent in the region to institute a mask policy for his district, said the virtual option will complete the set of tools the district has to keep attendance and learning on track. Related: Hardin County Covid-19 cases grow exponentially BISD also is reviewing the legislation and weighing its options, but no decisions have been made as to whether it will offer a virtual option as presented in the bill. BISD Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Administration Anita Frank said it is important for community members to keep in mind that the virtual learning outlined under the bill will be different than what was offered in 2020, and it requires the district to abide by certain limitations. Students must meet specific criteria in order to be eligible to attend virtual school, including requiring students who spent 50% of last year learning virtually to have passed all STAAR tests in the previous grade level, maintained a C or higher in all core classes and had 90% attendance with no more than 10 unexcused absences in a six-month period, Frank said in an email to the Enterprise. BISD on Thursday afternoon was reporting 228 confirmed cases of COVID-19 12 staff members, 34 teachers and 182 students, according to the districts case tracker. At the same time, there was still no sign when or if Abbott would officially sign the bill, but TEA published an overview of the guidelines and dates for upcoming information sessions for school administrators. Related: Jasper ISD closes campuses until Sept. 13 due to COVID-19 Those sessions were scheduled from Sept. 17 to the middle of November highlighting how long the agency could expect the rollout to take before each district is prepared to adapt to the new policies.. Porterie said forming a correct and effective program will essentially require starting from scratch, but it would essential to moving forward. Since the school year started, Porterie has been focused on finding the best ways to keep students coming to school, not just because it is the only option districts have, but because he said he understands virtual learning isnt effective for most people. But, he said, making sure that goal can be accomplished means doing everything to reduce the risk of infections and making sure students can still recover and learn when those risks inevitably present themselves. It is good that kids are here now, Porterie said. After 17 months of no in-person schooling, we have an opportunity to get them engaged in learning again. jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/jd_journalism ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) Walking into the Annapolis State House recently became a bit like time travel as several national founding documents from the 18th and 19th centuries were unveiled Thursday night as part of a Founding Freedoms exhibit. Early and immediate newspaper printings of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights, as well as historic engravings of the declaration, are on display, free to the public, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily until Nov. 14. Labels accompanying the newspaper printings describe a race to print nation-changing text. The copy of the Constitution, appearing in the Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser two days after it was ratified in 1787, was a re-pressing of type set for copies sent to Congressional Convention committees. There are also beautiful vellum and paper engravings sent as gifts to politicians; one 1823 copy of the Declaration of Independence is more commonly used in textbooks than the original. The collection, era-accurately and ornately framed and enclosed in dark wood displays, is on loan from Maryland native and billionaire philanthropist David Rubenstein. Rubensteins Americana Collection adviser Mazy Boroujerdi said the documents were collected over several years for the purpose of exhibition. Before they were on display, these historical artifacts were carefully conserved, he said to a Capital News Service reporter in an email. The tricky part of doing an exhibition in the Maryland State House is also the reason the setting has such promise. The building is less of a museum than an artifact itself, Boroujerdi said. The display revolves around an original letter George Washington penned: his 1783 resignation as commander in chief of the Continental Army, complete with crossed-out words and darker writing where he re-inked his quill. Washington read the letter to the Senate in the same State House that stands today. To walk through the old Senate chamber is to feel as the members of Congress did when Washington resigned as commander in chief of the Army, Boroujerdi continued. The letter connects the exhibit to the State House and is situated chronologically between the declaration and the Constitution. The letter, owned by the Maryland State Archives, has been on display in the building since 2015. When Deborah Dixon arrived at the State House this morning for training to lead Historic Annapolis tours through the exhibit, she expected the documents to be already visible. Instead, all but the letter were covered in thick, black sheets, which were pulled off and folded before orientation began. Annapolis was the national capital for 10 months. Its so neat that these documents are coming back to us, she said. As sunlight streamed through the State House windows to fall on the cabinets and the protected documents, tour-guides-to-be talked in hushed, awed tones about bleached colors, pointing through where they would lead their groups through the building. Janet Hall, who is organizing the Historic Annapolis guided tours, said even todays First Maryland Regiment re-enactors, who dress in period clothing and educate the public, are to tour the exhibit tomorrow, turning the State House into a bubble from the past. What Hall called an iconic and unique exhibit isnt just for the knowledgeable. This is something that every child, every adult should go see, Hall encouraged. The following account from Kathy Gannon, now news director for Afghanistan and Pakistan for The Associated Press, is excerpted from the book September 11: The 9/11 Story, Aftermath and Legacy, an in-depth look at APs coverage of 9/11 and the events that followed. On that day, Gannon, reporting in the Afghan capital, received a call from her boss that changed her world forever. ___ In the late afternoon of Sept. 11, 2001, I received a phone call from New York, where it was morning. It was Sally Jacobsen, my boss and the APs international editor. A plane had hit one of the World Trade Center towers, she told me. It might be an accident, but ... Before she could finish her thought, a second plane flew into the second tower. She hung up. I was in Kabul, the Afghan capital, where six Christian aid workers, including two young American women, were in jail, arrested by the Taliban for proselytizing. Two days earlier, two suicide bombers had killed Ahmad Shah Masood, who had been fighting the Taliban since they ousted his government in 1996. In Taliban-run Afghanistan, there were no televisions. They had been outlawed along with music. Radios were the only source of news. Thirty minutes after that call from New York, my Afghan colleague Amir Shah came into our small office on the second floor of the AP house. Another plane had smashed into the Pentagon. What was going on? It had become clear that the first thoughts by AP editors in New York were correct: This was terrorism. And al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, who had been living in Afghanistan since May 1996, even before the Taliban took power, was the mastermind. It seemed just minutes later when Amir Shah said a fourth plane had, unbelievably, crashed into a field. Without a television, with only a crackly broadcast spitting out the most horrific of news, we didnt know what to think. Amir was worried. Was bin Laden behind the attacks? If he was, Amir was sure of one thing: Afghanistan will be set on fire. It wasnt until we stopped at the United Nations Guest House where the American parents of the two imprisoned Christian charity workers were staying that I saw the horrifying images of the planes slamming into the towers. Within 24 hours, the parents would be forced to leave Afghanistan. Was an attack by the United States imminent, I wondered? We had no way to know it would be Oct. 7, nearly a month later, before the assault called Operation Enduring Freedom would begin. It was nighttime in Kabul, then a city of about 1.5 million people, when the attacks in America happened. Electricity was scarce. The streets were mostly quiet. Small, single-bulb lights illuminated the few shops still open. Inside, we talked to residents. They couldnt tell you where New York was or what the World Trade Center Towers were. But they understood war, fear and loss. They were sad for America but, like Amir Shah, they feared they would pay the price. They were afraid. On Sept. 12, Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmad Muttawakil held a press conference in Kabuls Intercontinental Hotel overlooking the city. He didnt know where bin Laden was, he told reporters. I just know he is not here, he said with a grin. In Kabuls well-off Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood, where The AP office was located, there were several houses with Arabic-speaking men from Middle Eastern and north African countries. The breakaway republic of Chechnya had a consulate office in the region; members of Pakistani militant groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad, which would be linked in March 2002 to the death of American journalist Daniel Pearl, lived close by. By Sept. 15, the Taliban ordered all foreigners out of Afghanistan, even the Red Cross. From our office in Kabul, I had been booking hotel rooms for the army of AP reporters I knew would be descending on Pakistan, which was also about to close its border with Afghanistan. I left. The bombing began on Oct. 7, 2001. The U.S.-led coalition, along with its so-called Northern Alliance allies, a collection of warlords-turned-anti-Taliban fighters who would later be handed power in Kabul, launched an offensive to oust the Taliban. In the mountains around Kabul, the Taliban had placed anti-aircraft weapons, their only defense against the worlds most powerful air force and army. The lights were turned off at night because the Taliban believed that the Americans couldnt hit what they couldnt see, a notion they came to understand was dead wrong. Amir Shah would call each night and whisper the latest news to me in Islamabad. He would cover the satellite phones the only communication source so the neighbors, most of whom were Taliban leaders, would not see the light from the devices. We couldnt call him for fear the ringing would be heard. We feared the Taliban would interpret the communication from an American news agency as U.S. spies directing the aircraft fire. It was Oct. 23 when Amir got permission for me and AP photographer Demitri Messinis to enter Kabul. We were the only Western journalists allowed into Taliban-controlled areas. Hundreds of journalists were camped out in neighboring Pakistan or in Tajikistan waiting to move with the Northern Alliance, but no western journalist was in Taliban-controlled areas until we arrived. Kabul became a city of fear. During the day, there was less bombing and people would venture out. But as darkness settled and the bombing intensified, the streets were deserted but for the occasional Taliban patrol and the howling of what seemed like an army of stray dogs. Then the B-52 bombers began to circle in low. We moved to the basement. The bombing had gotten closer and closer to the city. One night, the B-52s pounded the hills behind the AP house that were impervious to the anti-aircraft weapons but were home to some of Kabuls poorest citizens. The next morning, we discovered some of the bombs had hit civilian homes that jut out across the hills. We went to one home where five children had died as they slept. They were still in their beds when we got there. Amir Shah held back the tears. Like him, the children were ethnic Hazaras, perhaps the least prosperous of Afghanistans ethnic groups. They could have been my children, he said. On Nov. 13, 2001, two months and two days after the 9/11 attacks, the Taliban finally fled Kabul. The night before, a 2,000- pound bomb had slammed into a home that sat kitty corner to The AP house. It blew me across the room, destroying the window and door frames. We fled the house soon after and headed to the Intercontinental Hotel. It was a scary ride through darkened streets. The Taliban knew the city was all but lost. They were jittery, shouting commands. Arabs on motorcycles roared past. We worried because we knew U.S. drones were taking aim; one slammed into a pickup truck not far from us. Later, we learned four Arabs were killed. Perched on the hilltop, the Intercontinental seemed the perfect vantage point to watch the city. It wasnt yet 5 a.m. when we ventured out on Nov. 13. The sun had just begun to rise over the Hindu Kush Mountains. The Taliban were gone. The second inmate in nearly a month has died while in the custody of a federal prison in Beaumont. Rafael Salas, 40, was found unresponsive shortly before 7 a.m. Wednesday at the Federal Correctional Institutions medium security facility, according to a news release from the U. S. Department of Justices Federal Bureau of Prisons. Responding staff immediately initiated life-saving measures, the release said. Staff requested emergency medical services (EMS) and life-saving efforts continued. Salas was taken to a local hospital and subsequently pronounced dead by hospital staff. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified, the release said. No staff or other inmates were injured, and at no time was the public in danger, the release said. Salas was sentenced in the Western District of Texas to 10 years for conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 1 kilogram or more of heroin. He had been in custody at FCI Beaumont Medium since July 27, the release said. The medium security facility currently houses 1,473 male offenders, the release said. This is the second inmate to die in nearly a month at a federal prison in Beaumont. Michael Fossler, 33, also was found unresponsive late Aug. 9 at the United States Penitentiary a different high-security facility,in Beaumont with just one-quarter of his sentence remaining. He too later was later pronounced dead at a local hospital following staff and EMSs life-saving efforts. Fossler was sentenced in the Western District of Texas to more than 3 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He had been in custody at USP Beaumont for a month in the facility that currently houses 1,359 male offenders, a previous release said. He already had served 30 of his 41 months, defense attorney Jon Evans recently told The Enterprise. Related: Federal inmate dies with just one-quarter of sentence remaining And last week, the Bureau of Prison released new information about a senior federal inmate who died in Beaumont earlier this year In this case, Armando Ramirez, 71, was serving a sentence at the low security Federal Correctional Institution when he died on Aug. 31. The Enterprise previously reported that Ramirez had tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Dec. 20 and had pre-existing medical issues. Related: BOP releases information about inmate's death in Beaumont prison Following the completion of medical isolation and a status change to recovered on Dec. 28, he returned to be evaluated by the prisons medical staff for shortness of breath. He became responsive. After emergency life-saving efforts, he was taken to a local hospital where he later died. meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/megzmagpie UNITED NATIONS -- The United Nations development agency says Afghanistan is teetering on the brink of universal poverty which could become a reality in the middle of next year unless urgent efforts are made to bolster local communities and their economies. It said the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has put 20 years of steady economic gains at risk. The U.N. Development Program outlined four scenarios for Afghanistan following the Talibans Aug. 15 assumption of power that predict the countrys GDP will decline between 3.6% and 13.2% in the next fiscal year starting in June 2022, depending on the intensity of the crisis and how much the world engages with the Taliban. That is in sharp contrast to the expected 4% growth in GDP before the fall of the government. Afghanistan pretty much faces universal poverty by the middle of next year, Kanni Wignaraja, UNDPs Asia-Pacific Director, told a news conference Thursday launching its 28-page assessment. Thats where were heading -- its 97-98% (poverty rate) no matter how you work these projections. Currently, the poverty rate is 72% and Wignaraja pointed to many development gains after the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001: Per capita income more than doubled in the last 20 years, life expectancy at birth was extended by about nine years, the number of years of schooling rose from six to 10, and we got women into university. But she said Afghanistan now faces a humanitarian and development disaster resulting from political instability, frozen foreign reserves, a collapsed public finance system, a crush on local banking because of this, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. ____ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: UNITED NATIONS -- The United States has a message for the Taliban: If it lives up to all its commitments, brings greater stability to Afghanistan and the region, demonstrates widespread inclusion, and protects the gains of the last 20 years well work with it. But U.S. deputy ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis, who delivered the message at a U.N. Security Council meeting on Thursday, stressed that any legitimacy and support will have to be earned. He said the standards the international community has set are clear and include facilitating safe passage for Afghans and foreign nationals who want to leave Afghanistan and respecting the countrys obligations under international humanitarian law including those related to the protection of civilians. Were watching closely to see that those standards are met, he said. DeLaurentis told the council that following the U.S. withdrawal and the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan needs the United Nations and the U.N. political mission in the country more than ever. He said the United States remains committed to the people of Afghanistan, and as the countrys largest humanitarian donor it is helping partners on the ground provide assistance, but the needs are vast. With the diplomatic footprint in the country reduced, DeLaurentis said, the U.N. has a vitally important role to play not only in coordinating aid but in preventing human rights violations and abuses and pursuing accountability for those that have occurred, and in protecting children and civilians. ___ BUCHAREST, Romania Romanias foreign ministry says it has brought 139 Afghan citizens to its capital of Bucharest after initially evacuating them from Afghanistan to Pakistan. Foreign affairs minister Bogdan Aurescu said Thursday that the evacuations were extremely complicated missions and that the arrival of the Afghans was a very emotional moment. Romanian officials have said they have evacuated a total of 156 Afghans. Some had worked with Romanian troops in Afghanistan and the others are students with scholarships in Romania, journalists and human rights activists. Romania has also repatriated 49 Romanian citizens and helped evacuate seven citizens of some allied states since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan. Officials say eight Romanian citizens remain in Afghanistan and so far have not asked to be repatriated. ___ UNITED NATIONS The U.N. special envoy for Afghanistan is urging the world to unite to prevent the economic collapse of the country, to address fears the Talibans Islamic state may spread to its neighbors and to fight terrorism. Deborah Lyons warns that the Taliban have visibly welcomed and sheltered al-Qaida members and that Islamic State extremists remain active and could gain strength. She told the U.N. Security Council on Thursday that it will have to decide what steps to take regarding many of the 33 members of the Taliban government who are on the U.N. sanctions blacklist, including the prime minister, the two deputy prime ministers and foreign minister. Lyons says the humanitarian crisis is worsening and there is a looming crisis caused by donors freezing billions of dollars in Afghan assets. She says the fund freezes can cause a severe economic downturn that could throw many more millions into poverty and hunger and may spark a refugee exodus and set the country back for generations. She says ways must be found to provide humanitarian relief on a huge scale and quickly allow money to flow to Afghanistan to prevent a total breakdown of the economy and social order while creating safeguards to ensure the money is not misused by the Taliban authorities. In Lyons words, The economy must be allowed to breathe for a few more months, giving the Taliban a chance to demonstrate flexibility and a genuine will to do things differently this time, notably from a human rights, gender and counterterrorism perspective. Lyons says that despite the Talibans statements of a general amnesty, the U.N. has received credible allegations of reprisal killings, the detention of officials who worked for previous administrations, house-to-house searches by Taliban who have seized property particularly in Kabul, and restrictions on women working and limitations to girls education in some regions. Lyons says U.N. premises for the most part have been respected but its national staff has faced increasing harassment and intimidation. ___ ISLAMABAD Pakistans foreign minister says the world community should not take steps that risk an economic collapse in Afghanistan. Shah Mahmood Quereshi on Thursday urged the international community to unfreeze Afghanistans assets to enable Kabul use its own money to avert a worsening humanitarian crisis. His appeal came two days after the Taliban announced an interim government for Afghanistan. At a news conference in Islamabad alongside Qatari counterpart Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qureshi did not name any single country. But Qureshi said no strings should be attached to humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan. The Taliban government currently does not have access to the Afghanistan central banks $9 billion in reserves, most of which is held by the New York Federal Reserve. These reserves were blocked amid last months political turmoil in Afghanistan. ___ WASHINGTON U.S. veterans groups hope that news that private evacuation flights are starting up again for Western citizens in Kabul means Afghans considered at risk for past work with Americans will soon be able to leave again as well. Republican and Democratic lawmakers, veterans groups and other American organizations and individuals have been pressing the Biden administration to do more to get out those vulnerable Afghans. They include thousands of Afghans who used to work with the U.S. military, and are eligible for what are known as Special Immigrant Visas. James Miervaldis, a spokesman with a veterans group, No One Left Behind working on behalf of those Afghans, called the news, Awesome. Well start getting SIVs booked up. Miervaldis said he had yet to hear a commitment from officials to get Afghan allies on the flights out as well as citizens. But veterans had talked with Secretary of State Antony Blinken last Friday, and let him know that the organizations working to get Afghans out have committed $2 million for commercial air fare out of Afghanistan. - MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is interested in peace and stability in Afghanistan and in stopping the exodus of Afghans from the country, which has been triggered by the Talibans swift power grab last month. Putin spoke at a summit on Thursday via videoconference to officials from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. He told BRICS leaders that Russia, just like its BRICS partners, consistently supports the establishment of the long-awaited peace and stability on the Afghan land. Putin said Russia is interested in stopping the flow of migration" and wants Afghans to live peaceful and dignified lives in their motherland. Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with the Soviet troops withdrawal in 1989, has made a diplomatic comeback as a mediator over the past few years, reaching out to the feuding Afghan factions, including the Taliban even though Russia has labeled them a terrorist organization. Unlike many other countries, Russia hasnt announced a pledge to take in Afghan refugees in the wake of the Talibans takeover of power. Putin has previous said that Moscow doesnt want militants appearing (in Russia) again under the guise of refugees. ___ MORE ON AFGHANISTAN: Taliban name caretaker Cabinet that pays homage to old guard US-built databases a potential tool of Taliban repression Blinken and Austin to visit Gulf to address postwar stresses Taliban say they took Panjshir, last holdout Afghan province Over 24 hours in Kabul, brutality, trauma, moments of grace Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan ___ ISLAMABAD CIA Director William Burns has met with Pakistans powerful army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, the military said. In a statement, the military said regional security and developments in Afghanistan were discussed during the meeting Thursday. It didn't elaborate. Pakistan remains committed to cooperate with its international partners for peace in the region and ensuring a stable and prosperous future for the Afghan people," the statement said. Burns thanked Pakistan for its role in the evacuation operations from Afghanistan and pledged further improvements in diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan. Burns also met with Pakistans intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Faiz Hamid, the statement said. ___ ISLAMABAD Pakistan says Qatars foreign minister will arrive in Pakistans capital of Islamabad to discuss the latest situation in Afghanistan. In a statement, Pakistans Foreign Ministry said Qatari chief diplomat Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani during his day-long visit Thursday will meet with Pakistans foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other top officials. It said Pakistan and Qatar enjoy close, cordial ties. The two countries closely collaborate on regional and global issues of common interest, the statement said. The development comes two days after the Taliban announced an interim government for Afghanistan. The Taliban maintain a political office in Doha. ___ KABUL, Afghanistan The interior ministry of the new Taliban government is seeking to end protests in Afghanistan after days of demonstrations that have brought heavy-handed assaults on protesters. The minister has issued an order to end all protests in the country unless demonstrators get prior permission, including approval of slogans and banners. Its unlikely the women who have been leading near daily protest demanding their rights from the countrys hardline Islamic rulers will be allowed to protest under the new rules. In the words of the ministrys statement: It is announced to all citizens not to attempt at the present time to hold any demonstrations under any name whatsoever. ___ KABUL, Afghanistan Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has taken to Twitter to say his flight from Kabul on Aug. 15 was done to save Afghanistans capital from bloodshed. He says his security personnel advised the secret departure, which opened the gates of the city to a Taliban takeover. Ghani also denies widespread allegations of corruption as well as charges that he left the country with millions of dollars. He says there should be an independent investigation. Ghanis sudden departure has been widely criticized both in Afghanistan and abroad. Washington blamed Ghanis flight and the governments collapse for a Taliban takeover ahead of a negotiated deal. Prominent Afghan political figures who stayed behind say they had expected to meet with Taliban political leaders the following day to continue negotiations. With a school year that is not even a month old, the fight against COVID-19 looks worrisome. A half-dozen school districts in the region have already closed their campuses for varying periods. Theres no guarantee that more closings or longer ones might become medically necessary. We all hope that doesnt happen, but hope is not a plan. The Legislature should approve more funding for online learning if school districts are forced to close their doors for weeks or months because of Covid outbreaks. That happened in the last school year and it allowed public education to continue despite the pandemic. Parents and teachers learned that massive online classes were no substitute for the real thing, in-person instruction by a committed educator. But it was better than nothing, and it kept many students connected with the learning process again, even if they did so imperfectly. But that safety net is gone now. The Legislature did discuss this funding during the regular session, but it was unable to agree on a bill before that session ended in May. Part of the reason was the usual end-of-the-session rush when even good bills get left behind because other priorities crowded them out. And part of it was the curious mindset among some political leaders who also want to prohibit school districts from requiring masks for students and teachers. They dont want to see online learning if campuses are closed due to Covid outbreaks, so they wont approve funding for it. In other words, if you just pretend that something unpleasant wont happen, it wont. The real world doesnt work that way. Again, just a few weeks into this new school year, six area school districts have already had to close their doors temporarily, and of course many more have across the state. The Legislature did approve a slight increase in funding for some forms of virtual learning. But it was only on a limited basis for students attending schools that are rated C or better in the states grading system. State-funded virtual learning will be restricted to 10 percent of a schools enrollment. Students will only be allowed to take remote classes if they performed well on standardized tests and were present for more than 90 percent of their classes. This is not the comprehensive funding that could apply to any school district that has to close its doors for extended periods because of Covid outbreaks among students or teachers or both. Gov. Greg Abbott could issue another emergency order authorizing this funding as he did last year. But Abbott, like many other top Republicans, is firmly against similar measures like mask or vaccine mandates. With two hardline challengers in the Republican primary next year, Abbott will be reluctant to acknowledge the need for extended online learning this school year. We hope he doesnt have to, and we hope that Covid numbers start to fade. But instead of wishing for good luck, state officials should be prepared to do whatever is necessary this school year to keep students learning. Right now, when a school district shuts down because of Covid, their education basically shuts down too. We have a long way to go until the school year ends next May. School districts need a complete toolbox to work with in the months ahead. Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob (second from right) discusses cooperation with opposition leaders Anwar Ibrahim, president of the People Justice Party (third from right), Mohamad Sabu president of Amanah Negara Party (far left) and Lim Guan Eng, secretary general of the Democratic Action Party at the Prime Ministers Office in Putrajaya, Aug. 25, 2021. Malaysias new prime minister offered a slew of institutional reforms on Friday in a bid, an analyst said, to ensure opposition support for his government that has a slim majority in parliament. The opposition has been demanding many of the reforms offered by Ismail Sabri Yaakob, including laws to prevent members of parliament from switching parties and to limit the PMs term to 10 years. This [offer] is in line with the decree by the king on the importance of having a stable administration that could function normally as the nation is facing multiple crises, Ismail Sabri said in a statement. This government is of the view that focus and priority should be given by all parties to political stability and national administration in fighting COVID-19 and reviving the economy. Other proposed changes include allowing equal representation for the opposition in special parliamentary committees, having bipartisan agreement on bills including the budget before they are presented in the legislature and implementing the lowering of the voting age amendment as soon as possible. He did not provide a time frame to introduce the reform legislation. His offer was meant to create a new political landscape, Ismail Sabri said, amid Malaysians disenchantment with politics and politicians. The country has seen three changes of government in three years, the two latest ones establishing unelected administrations. Ismail Sabri was named PM by the king last month after former leader Muhyiddin Yassin resigned because members of the largest party in his ruling coalition pulled support. Muhyiddin had been named PM by the king after the elected government of veteran politician Mahathir Mohamad collapsed in February 2020 because of infighting following a historic victory in 2018. Between the collapse of Mahathirs government and the establishment of Ismail Sabris, many lawmakers have switched parties amid accusations of support being bought to shore up numbers in parliament. Muhyiddins coalition government which included the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) was beset by infighting throughout its 17-month tenure. Since UMNOs Ismail Sabri was sworn in Aug. 22, the parties in his coalition which now includes Muhyiddins Bersatu party have traded barbs. Ismail Sabri, like his predecessor, has a narrow majority in parliament, with 114 of 220 lawmakers supporting him. If just four MPs pulled their backing, he would lose majority support. PMs insurance scheme It is in this context that the new PM proposed reforms demanded by the opposition, said Tunku Mohar Mokhtar, an academic at the International Islamic University of Malaysia, adding Ismail Sabri wants to ensure he has enough support in the event a confidence vote becomes necessary. Ismails is an insurance scheme. He may have sensed that there will probably be mutiny even from within the loose coalition that forms the current government, Tunku Mohar told BenarNews. Muhyiddin offered similar reforms toward the end of his tenure when it became clear UMNO intended to pull support. Just like Muhyiddin, he realizes that support from the 114 MPs is still uncertain in the long run. The difference is Muhyiddins offer was a last-minute rescue plan when he lost the majority, Tunku Mohar said. Ismail Sabri was supposed to hold a confidence vote when parliament reopens on Monday, but his law minister said earlier this week the king had agreed there was no need to hold such a vote. That statement is contrary to King Al-Sultan Abdullah Riayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billahs decree last month when he said the person named PM had to poll lawmakers to ensure majority support. Two days before the law ministers statement, Ismail Sabri appointed Muhyiddin chairman of the governments COVID-19 task force. The move shocked some Malaysians and analysts because several MPs in in ruling coalition, in addition to citizens, had accused Muhyiddins government of mishandling the pandemic. Political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi had told BenarNews that Muhyiddins appointment was intended to be in the new PMs interest for political support and maintaining ties with Bersatu, Muhyiddins party, which supports the UMNO PM. Soon after the Muhyiddin announcement came news that the government had nominated UMNO member Ahmad Maslan said to be anti-Ismail Sabri to be deputy speaker of the lower house. That, too, was seen by observers as Ismail Sabris move to ensure support from within his own party. Now, the new PMs has offered reforms as he hopes to achieve the same goal with the opposition, Tunku Mohar said. The analyst said he expects the opposition to evaluate the offer with caution and may demand that the reforms be fast-tracked. The opposition, of course, may also ask for more, but it may be a good starting point to ensure that what it has been championing for a long time can now be carried out, he said. New role for Najib? Amid this flurry of appointments and the offer, came media reports that Ismail Sabri was planning to appoint another former PM, Najib Razak, as his economic adviser. Administration and other government officials did not confirm the reports. Najib, who is appealing a corruption conviction and a prison sentence of 12 years in his first trial linked to the multibillion dollar 1MDB scandal, is considered influential within UMNO. His backing, observers have said, would be useful in preventing unhappy UMNO elements from withdrawing support for Ismail Sabri. If Najib is named PMs economic adviser, Ismail Sabri may have gone a bit too far, jeopardizing any chances of cooperation from opposition parties, noted Lim Kit Siang, opposition Democratic Action Party leader. The unilateral announcement of Muhyiddin as the COVID-19 task force head had already raised the stakes, he said in a statement. Now there is talk that a former prime minister responsible for turning Malaysia into a kleptocracy would be appointed with ministerial rank as economic adviser to the prime minister, he said. Philippine marines disembark from newly-acquired Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) during landing exercises at a beach facing the South China Sea in Zambales province north of Manila, Sept. 21, 2019. U.S. and Philippine officials marked the anniversary of a decades-old bilateral defense treaty this week, with Manilas top defense official calling for a comprehensive review of the alliance amid "new geopolitical realities" such as the rise of China. Philippines Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. met Thursday with his American counterpart, Antony Blinken, in Washington to mark the 70th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), among other things. Blinken thanked Manila for renewing the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which President Rodrigo Duterte had threatened to scrap after Washington had denied a U.S. visa to his ally. We were very gratified to have the recent renewal of the Visiting Forces Agreement. We are standing shoulder-to-shoulder in combating COVID-19 and looking at ways to build back better from the pandemic, Blinken said after meeting with Locsin. The VFA, which came into force in 1999, provides legal cover for large-scale joint military exercises and allows U.S. troops to operate in the Philippines on a rotational basis. Analysts have said other bilateral defense agreements between the two would not be possible without it. Meanwhile, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Wednesday Manila was seeking to upgrade and update the U.S. alliance, pressing for a clearer extent of American commitments while laying out the case for changes. "Some questions being asked in Manila are: Do we still need the MDT? Should we amend it? Or should we introduce new guidelines to make it more relevant and robust in the 21st century? Lorenzana asked. What is clear is that we need a comprehensive review of our alliance, taking stock of the pros and cons of the MDT and what happened in the past 70 years, he said, speaking at an online event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, to mark the defense treaty anniversary. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana listens to questions during a news conference inside the military headquarters of Camp Aquinaldo in Manila, Philippines, March 14, 2017. [Reuters] The MDT is an accord stating that the countries would support each other if either were attacked by an external party. Lorenzana ordered an internal review of the MDT in December 2018. The reiteration and further clarification of the precise extent of American commitments to the Philippines under the MDT is immensely relevant against the backdrop of rising tensions in the South China Sea, Lorenzana said. In recent years, the Philippines has come under increasing pressure from China over rival territorial claims in the South China Sea, which China claims nearly in its entirety, including waters within the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan. In 2016, the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague rejected as invalid Chinas sweeping claims over the sea region, as it ruled in favor of the Philippines in a case brought by Manila against Beijing. China, however, has ignored the ruling and continues with its military expansion in the resource-rich expanse, calling the arbitral courts ruling nothing more than a piece of waste paper. Last month, China announced a new regulation requiring detailed notification from foreign vessels entering its claimed territorial waters without spelling out how it would be enforced. We do not, will not honor those laws by the Chinese, pertaining to the Philippines Sea, because we consider that as the sovereign rights of our waters, Lorenzana said on Wednesday. We do not, will not recognize this law by the Chinese. In his meeting with Locsin, Blinken also underscored the importance of freedom of navigation and respect for international law in the South China Sea and reiterated calls for China to abide by the 2016 arbitration ruling, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. Operational discussions needed to counter gray zone threats Lorenzana said the Philippines remains dependent on the U.S. up to this day" for its security, but Manila will now endeavor to have a more independent foreign policy. The bilateral relations have to evolve in recognition of new geopolitical realities, most especially the rise of China, Lorenzana said. Certain revisions and additions to the treaty were urgently needed to ensure the Philippines has the maximum possible cooperation to counter Chinese militia forces, known as gray zone threats, which Lorenzana said had been intimidating smaller claimant countries and their fishermen in recent years. He noted that Americas former envoy to Manila, Sung Kim, had previously suggested that the treaty could also apply to this type of hybrid warfare strategy deployed by the likes of China. But we need more specific operational discussions and, eventually, joint activities within the bounds of our existing defense commitments, Lorenzana stressed. He said that Manila benefits less from its relationship with Washington than non-treaty allies, like Taiwan. His countrys agreement with the U.S. doesnt suggest a similar degree of American commitment compared with the treaty the U.S. has with Japan, its World War II enemy. Lorenzana accused the administration of U.S. President Bill Clinton of abandoning the Philippines following Chinas occupation of the Philippine-claimed Mischief Reef in 1994. Also, President Barack Obamas administration, despite the much-vaunted "Pivot to Asia policy, ruled out any robust intervention to assist the Philippines during the months-long standoff with China over the Scarborough Shoal in 2014, Lorenzana said. As a result, China now occupies Scarborough Shoal a feature 130 kilometers from the island of Luzon and within the Philippine's EEZ [Exclusive Economic Zone], he said. Although the U.S. remains popular in the Philippines, at least half of Filipinos have expressed doubts over its reliability as an ally in the South China Sea disputes, he said. And this is also why almost seven out of ten Filipinos have supported President Rodrigo Dutertes call for engagement rather than confrontation with China, he said. Duterte, whose six-year term ends next year, has spent much of his time in office building up Manilas relationship with Beijing while backing off on bilateral ties with Washington. Earlier this year, government patrols reported spotting 240 Chinese ships in Philippine waters, forcing Manila to raise daily diplomatic protests against Beijing. Lorenzana pressed for more significant military aid from the United States, including state-of-the-art weaponry, not Vietnam-era hardware. Non-treaty allies, countries have been receiving billion-dollar military aid and advanced weapons systems from the U.S. Perhaps, a long-time ally like the Philippines, facing major adversaries in Asia, deserves as much, if not more assistance and commitment. We cannot be forever relying on others for our security, he said. Dempsey Reyes contributed to this report from Manila. Thai protesters ride in a convoy past the Democracy Monument during an anti-government demonstration in Bangkok, Sept. 10, 2021. Thailands parliament on Friday approved a constitutional amendment bill to change the election system which analysts said could favor bigger parties including one backing Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha while proving advantageous to the opposition Pheu Thai Party as well. The joint session of the parliament voted for the bill 472 to 33, while 187 lawmakers abstained. The constitutional amendment bill which the parliament has passed will change the electoral system from a one-ballot system to a two-ballot system, said Jurin Laksanawisit, deputy prime minister and leader of the Democrat Party. The two ballots include one for candidates in single-seat constituencies and another for the political party of the voters choice. The number of representatives to be directly elected will increase by 50 to 400 while the number of members to be appointed through proportional representation by party choice votes will fall by 50 to 100, said Laksanawisit, who proposed the bill. The bill amending the constitution will be sent to King Maha Vajiralongkorn for his endorsement. If he endorses, it will be put before the nations 51 million voters in a referendum which must occur before the 2023 general election. Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of Move Forward Party, the second-largest opposition party, said his members abstained to protest Prayuth maneuvering to retain power. Still, his party supported the two-ballot system because it is clear and fair. We support the transparent and fair calculation of the party-list MPs, he said after the vote. The amendment is expected to benefit the two biggest parties the ruling Palang Pracharath backed by the military and the main opposition Pheu Thai analysts have said. The new system will benefit the two bigger parties because they have resources to field candidates in all constituencies. So, they stand a chance to gain more MPs, said Thannapat Jarenpanit, a political science lecturer at the Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University. However, the amendment still allows Prayuth and the junta to retain power because the Senate still has the power to pick a prime minister, he told BenarNews. The 250 senators are not elected but appointed by the military. Prayuth, who took power after leading a 2014 military coup to overthrow the democratic government of Yingluck Shinawatra, was elected prime minister by parliament following the 2019 general election despite allegations it was rigged to keep the junta in power. Protesters want more action The bill falls short of the constitutional overhaul demanded by pro-democracy demonstrators. There must be a change to give more power to the people by empowering the house representatives and also to elect senators, Piyarat Chongthep, a security leader with WeVo (We Volunteer), a loosely formed protest group, told BenarNews. I hope the representatives who come after this amendment will draft another bill to overhaul the constitution. Since July 2020, protesters in Bangkok have called for Prayuth to step down, the constitution be rewritten and the monarchy be reformed. Many of those who spearhead the demonstrations have been charged with Lese-Majeste, a royal defamation law which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years per count. Last week, Prayuth survived a no-confidence vote for the third time as civilian leader. The government faced allegations of corruption, economic mismanagement and a bungled response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, Prayuth removed two of his ministers, including his partys secretary-general, from the cabinet. Thammanat Prompao, who served as deputy agriculture minister, was removed after being suspected of trying to plot Prayuths ouster in the no-confidence vote, according to local media. Thailand has seen a massive outbreak of the far more contagious Delta variant in the last several months. The country has recorded more than 1.35 million confirmed cases and almost 14,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic last year, according to the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration, a government task force. Most of the infections and related fatalities have occurred since April, according to health officials who noted only about 17 percent of Thailands more than 66 million people have been fully vaccinated. Cambodian youths carry the belongings of migrant workers as they arrive in the city of Poipet after crossing the Thai-Cambodian border in northeastern Cambodias Banteay Meanchey province. Cambodian migrant workers returning from neighboring Thailand amid the coronavirus pandemic say authorities are keeping them in quarantine facilities near the Thai border more than twice as long as required, resulting in the spread of COVID-19 infections in the centers. Nearly 240,000 Cambodian laborers have returned from Thailand from March 2020 through Sept. 8, according to the International Organization for Migration in Cambodia. Many came back through Oddar Meanchey province in far northwestern Cambodia. The Cambodian governments coronavirus containment policy calls for 21 days of quarantine for nationals who return to avoid the outbreak of the Delta variant of the virus in Thailand. More than 23,000 Cambodian workers in Thailand have contracted the COVID-19 virus, according to the Thai Ministry of Health. As of Friday, Cambodia recorded nearly 98,200 total coronavirus cases, including nearly 16,500 imported ones with a large number of them found among migrant workers returning from Thailand, according to the countrys Health Ministry. Cambodia has registered a total of 2,019 deaths, including 12 new ones today. Complaints about the extended isolation periods surfaced after many workers stuck in the facilities long beyond the mandatory three weeks set by the Health Ministry were infected with coronavirus. Oddar Meanchey province has 22 quarantine centers temporarily housing thousands of Cambodian migrant workers who have returned from Thailand. A resident of Kampong Thom province who was working in Thailand and returned to Cambodia via Oddar Meanchey said 10 laborers caught the coronavirus after being quarantined inside Anlong Veng District Stadium during the regular quarantine period. The 34-year-old worker, who declined to be named, blamed the infections on poor hygiene and authorities who placed them in facilities with others who had tested positive for COVID-19. It will be too risky if this continues, he said, adding that authorities are keeping him in the facility for another three weeks. The quarantine period will be almost two months, he said. I wonder if we contracted the virus because we are sleeping closely to each other. More than 1,000 workers are quarantined in the center, some of whom have had to say there for more than two months, with up to 14 living in cramped rooms with shared bathrooms, he said. If people stay together for too long, there is a great risk that they may stage protests, the worker said. No ability to earn income Another worker who recently returned from Bangkok said she tested negative twice for the COVID-19 virus before arriving in Cambodia. The 29-year-old mother with a newborn said she contracted the virus while spending 20 days in a quarantine facility in the border area of Oddar Meanchey province, where authorities sprayed no sanitizer to kill germs, even in areas where workers had become infected. Being stuck inside the centers means that workers cannot earn money to make ends meet, she said. We face income issues especially now we are stuck like this, so health is key, the woman said. Another female worker with two infants recently tested positive for the virus, so that workers will end up staying here for months without being able to go back home, the first female laborer said. Chea Piseth, administrative director of Oddar Meancheys Provincial Hall, told Radio Free Asia, a sister entity of BenarNews, that authorities are preparing quarantine facilities where returning workers will stay for 21 days because they are at risk for carrying the Delta variant. If they test negative at the end of the three weeks, then authorities will let them go on to their home provinces, he said, but rejected accounts that workers had to remain in isolation longer than the required period. They are quarantined for three weeks at the Oddar Meanchey base and two weeks at their own base not a few months, he said. It would never be like that because there is no money to feed them rice. It is in the health rules everything is done in accordance with the rules. Civil society officials say they believe that the authorities should address this issue immediately so that other returning workers do not become infected. Srey Naren, coordinating officer of human rights organization Adhoc in Oddar Meanchey province, said the extended quarantine periods are putting the migrant workers at further risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus. Because the virus is so contagious and is spreading faster than it was before, once someone is infected, their health is affected even after recovery, he said. Bennington, VT (05201) Today Partly cloudy this morning with thunderstorms becoming likely this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 82F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Rain likely. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Bennington, VT (05201) Today Partly cloudy this morning with thunderstorms becoming likely this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 81F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch. SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY At Shakespeare and Company, 'hang' questions the nature of justice, of punishment ... and race In a major announcement this week, President Joe Biden said the Department of Labor is drafting a rule mandating that all businesses with 100 or more workers require their employees to either get vaccinated against the coronavirus or face mandatory weekly testing. That would apply to several major employers in the Berkshires. You are the owner of this article. PITTSFIELD The January day that the nation watched an insurrection overwhelm the U.S. Capitol, Jim Ramondetta received a video on social media. It showed one of many melees that played out Jan. 6 at the seat of the countrys legislative branch. He watched the video. To his surprise, he spotted a white-haired man wearing a sweatshirt that bore the name of the health club Ramondetta owns, Berkshire Nautilus. And right there, holy cow, is this guy, Ramondetta said in his Summer Street office Thursday. Im thinking to myself, Who is he? FBI seeks help identifying Capitol rioter who wore sweatshirt of Pittsfield health club BOSTON The FBI is looking for help identifying a man who allegedly assaulted federal officers at the U.S. Capitol on Jan 6 while wearing a s Ramondetta said the man in the video looked vaguely familiar. The footage had been relayed to him by someone who recognized the emblem and wanted the establishment to know about it. Berkshire Nautilus had been selling sweatshirts for years. Had the man been a member? Was he still? Was the sweatshirt a souvenir from a one-time visit? Did he buy it secondhand? Those were a few of the scenarios that ricocheted around Ramondettas head. One thing was clear, however: Federal law enforcement was asking for tips about those involved in what the government would call the Capitol Attack, when supporters of former President Donald Trump attempted and failed to stop certification of the Electoral College results. Berkshire Nautilus The logo for Berkshire Nautilus, shown in stickers on the right, is visible on the sweatshirt of a suspect in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Ramondetta reported the discovery through the FBIs tip line and sent the agency a link to the footage. Months passed with no follow-up, until about April, when Ramondetta said an FBI agent paid a visit to the gym, unannounced. It was then, three months after the Capitol crisis, that Ramondetta told the agent what little he could about a man who had purchased sweatshirts from Berkshire Nautilus in the past and who seemed to resemble the suspect in the video from the U.S. Capitol. He shared a name as well. It was a shot in the dark, but you know, that was the only possibility, right? And he took down all the information, said Ramondetta. After assuring Ramondetta that federal law enforcement would do everything they could to identify the man, the agent left. He said, Were working very hard in this ... but we havent located this person, and any other details you can provide would help. That was what the meeting was. Then about two days ago, I got a call from the same FBI agent, said Ramondetta. Earlier this week, the same agent called to say that their investigation months had failed to yield a suspect. In a last attempt to locate the man, the agency would be going public and notifying the media to ask for help identifying the man in the Berkshire Nautilus sweatshirt. On Wednesday, the FBI Boston Division released images of the man at the Capitol, many of them showing him wearing the Berkshire Nautilus sweatshirt, and some displaying him with an apparently bloodied head. Authorities say the man allegedly assaulted federal officers at the U.S. Capitol Jan 6. Joseph R. Bonavolonta, a special agent with Bostons FBI office, asked the public to study the photos. Reach out to us if you know who this man is, he said. We believe he was involved in a violent assault on federal officers and no amount of information is too small or irrelevant. Ramondetta said he wants the public to know that the unidentified mans actions were unacceptable to Berkshire Nautilus members and ownership. I dont want this to be considered a representation of Berkshire Nautilus, or the Berkshires in general, he said. Its a sad story, its a sad story for the country, but this person isnt representative of what we have here in the Berkshires. PITTSFIELD Two Pittsfield men have been charged in the fire that was set to side doors at St. Joseph's Church last month. Michael Innis, 53, and Brock Randolph, 34, are accused of setting a side door to the North Street church on fire about 3:30 a.m. Aug. 4, Pittsfield Police Lt. John Soules said in a new release. The fire was spotted by a patrolling Pittsfield Police officer, who called for the local Fire Department to extinguish the flames. Side doors set on fire at St. Joseph's Church; Pittsfield Police seek suspects Police are looking for two people who are believed to have set fire to a side doors at St. Joseph's Church this month. Soules said there was no question that the fire, which caused "significant burn marks on both the interior and exterior" sides of the door, was a calculated event. "It was readily apparent that the fire had been intentionally set," he said, adding that firefighters quickly put down the flames. The men, who also have ties to Eastern Massachusetts, were identified as the suspects through a "determined investigative effort," Soules said. Both men were charged with a single count of burning a building, and they might face additional charges, he said. Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact the lead investigator, Detective Kim Bertelli-Hunt, at 413-448-9700, ext. 532. Community News Editor / Librarian Jeannie Maschino is community news editor and librarian for The Berkshire Eagle. She has worked for the newspaper in various capacities since 1982 and joined the newsroom in 1989. A chaotic, dangerous withdrawal after the Taliban captured Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, on Sunday has pricked at the sorrow of some in the Berkshires who lost loved ones to the nearly 20-year war after the U.S. invasion in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. Danny Jin, a Report for America corps member, is The Eagles Statehouse news reporter. He can be reached at djin@berkshireeagle.com, @djinreports on Twitter and 413-496-6221. Reporter Heather Bellow, a member of the investigations team, joined The Eagle in 2017. She is based in the South Berkshire County bureau in Great Barrington. Her work has appeared in newspapers across the U.S. Kodak Black is paying it forward. The rapper donated a $20,000 college fund to the daughter of a Florida police officer who recently died after contracting COVID-19, TMZ reports. Fort Lauderdale police officer Jennifer Sepot, 27, leaves behind her husband and a 2-year-old daughter after she experienced complications related to the coronavirus before her death in August of this year. According to Kodaks attorney, Bradford Cohen, he read a story about the officers shocking death, that she had a daughter and reportedly said that he wanted to make sure that kid is straight, pay for her college fund. RELATED: Kodak Black Reportedly Expecting Baby Girl With His Girlfriend In case you missed it, the outlet notes that Kodak Black contracted COVID-19 months ago and suffered symptoms from body aches to headaches and difficulty breathing for 10 days. The Fort Lauderdale Fraternal Order of Police told TMZ they are grateful to everyone who has donated to the Sepot family in memory of Jennifer. Her loss has had an immeasurable and lasting impact on our officers. The generosity by supporters has offered a degree of hope during a time in which support for law enforcement feels to be a waning movement. All around the White House that day in 2020, we all heard the rumbles that Omar was coming. Our team had organized a meeting between Republicans and Democrats activists who supported the need for criminal justice reform to meet with then President Barack Obama and actor Michael K. Williams was on the guest list. Just before the meeting started, Michael was sitting with his hands folded and resting on the table in the Roosevelt Room. He looked sharp and had a stern but nervous look on his face. He was situated in the middle of the table directly across the empty seat that would eventually be filled by President Obama. The President entered the room and made his way around the table shaking everyones hands. He got to the middle seat and looked up and said, My man Omar! Everyone laughed, including Michael as they began to grip each other's hands and give the all too familiar Black mans handshake and embrace. RELATED: Actor Michael K. Williams Found Dead In Brooklyn Apartment We were in the meeting for about 20 minutes before it was Michaels turn to speak. That direct, raspy voice, with the New York swag began to talk and you immediately thought wow, Omar. At that time Michael had become an ambassador for the ACLU and was fighting to change the injustices of our criminal system. But in the meeting, he represented so much more. As he began to tell his story, you realized that Omar was indeed just a character and that Michael K. Williams was so much more. If you allowed yourself to be star struck for longer than a moment, you could have missed the layers of a man who shined a light on the trauma, pain, joy, truth and rawness of his personal experiences. He explained that while The Wire told a particular story - he himself had witnessed so many instances of injustices in our criminal system. RELATED: Michael K. Williams Went To Therapy After Filming Lovecraft Country Police say the childs death is related to the fatal Sunday shooting of a teenager and several other recent gunshot attacks on Charlotte homes. Authorities believe theyre the results of disputes among students at three schools in the city: Hopewell, North Mecklenburg and Chambers high schools. EDITORS NOTE: The video below is graphic and may be triggering for some readers. According to the Charlotte Observer , Asiah Figueroa was asleep when he was fatally shot. He along with his 4-year-old sister, who was injured in the attack, were among 11 people in the home at the time. Police in Charlotte are seeking the gunmen who fired 150 bullets into a familys home, killing a 3-year-old boy in a midnight attack on Tuesday (Sept. 7). The violence, authorities say, may be retaliatory. Homicide detectives have gathered this video evidence of the shooting. They are sharing it in hopes someone in the community recognizes one of the vehicles or suspects. #clt #cltnews pic.twitter.com/8erwsQwr0K RELATED: One-Year Old Baby Shot In The Head By Texas Police Remains In Intensive Care Officials with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department are pleading with the community for help in finding his killers. Parents of kids at these high schools, what we need from you is we need you to be as outraged as we are about this, police Capt. Joel McNelly said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon, according to the Observer. This is where your kids go to school, these are the people that your kids are around, and we need your help. You should know whether or not your children were at home the last few nights, he continued. If your children were not at home the last few nights, overnight, we need to know that. McNelly also urged parents to keep an eye on their childrens social media and phones for clues to any possible or potential criminal activity. We need that to solve the murder of 3-year-old Asiah, he said. In a statement to WBTV, the CMPD says they too are monitoring social media accounts held by students within their jurisdiction and are working with school resource officers. We are aware of some messages on social media regarding recent shootings and homicides that have happened in our community, the statement reads in-part. We continue to assess the situation, work with our SROs and will allocate our resources as necessary to facilitate a safe learning environment for students in our jurisdiction. While no arrests have been made, CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings addressed the shooters directly during a briefing, reflecting the sentiments of a shocked community. How can you wake up this morning knowing that your actions last night took the life of a 3-year-old, Jennings asked, who will never get the opportunity to grow up and play, as you have? It was a sunny late summer morning on Tuesday Sept. 11, 2001, a routine one for most of New York City when Capt. William Harry Thompson, a 27-year veteran with the New York State Office of Court Administration, reported for work. He taught at the court officers academy in lower Manhattan. He was a friendly man, easily engaging with observable leadership characteristics. But at 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11, carrying 87 passengers and crew, and 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, several blocks away from the academy. Then about 18 minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175 flew out of the morning sky, careened towards the South Tower, smashing into it. By this time, everyone watching knew this was no accident, but rather a terribly deliberate attack. RELATED: New York Womans Remains From 9/11 Identified 20 Years Later Thompson, 51, did not hesitate to rush toward the danger as everyone stood in the street in pure shock. His only thought at the time was to help along with the small army of firefighters and police officers who had arrived on scene. During the chaos in New York, the news wires soon picked up word that American Airlines Flight 77 had crashed into the Pentagon and a fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a Pennsylvania field. It is unclear how many people Thompson helped to rescue, but in his efforts to save lives, the South Tower, where he had run into, collapsed at 9:59 a.m. About 30 minutes later, the North Tower did the same, leaving a cloud of smoke and debris that could be seen for miles around. The event has since been cemented as an immutable gateway through history. Thompsons two sons, Rahsaan and Michael, along with the other families of the 2,996 victims who succumbed to the chaos of that hellish day, have to relive the events every year. For the Thompsons, its a repeated loop of what happened to their hero, a man who also became a hero to many others. RELATED: Dave Chappelle To Perform At Get NYC Still Rising Comedy Show Now, two decades later, the reality is still there for them, but so is the solace of knowing that their dad was the man to so many in death that he had been to them in life. That was who our father was, very selfless, very loyal, a very caring parent, a friend. He meant a lot of things to many people, said Thompsons son Michael in an exclusive interview with BET.com. There was only one thing on my fathers mind and that was to save lives. He was in civil service and one of the oaths that you take in that vocation is protecting and serving, so that was part of his job description. But that was, more importantly, just who he was as a human being...and certainly thats echoed throughout not just New York City but the United States as well, he said. Weather Alert ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT/8 PM EDT/ THIS EVENING... The National Weather Service in Louisville has issued a * Flash Flood Watch for portions of east central Kentucky, north central Kentucky, northwest Kentucky and south central Kentucky, including the following areas, in east central Kentucky, Anderson, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Fayette, Garrard, Jessamine, Madison, Mercer, Nicholas and Woodford. In north central Kentucky, Hardin, Larue, Nelson and Washington. In northwest Kentucky, Ohio. In south central Kentucky, Adair, Allen, Barren, Butler, Casey, Cumberland, Edmonson, Grayson, Green, Hart, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, Taylor and Warren. * Until 7 PM CDT/8 PM EDT/ this evening. * A line of showers and storms will persist across portions of central Kentucky this morning and potentially result in flash flooding. Additional showers and storms are likely to fire off this afternoon ahead of a cold front and could contribute to additional flooding. The flood threat should end late this evening as the cold front pushes through the region. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued. && Spearfish, SD (57783) Today Plenty of sunshine. High 86F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 56F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Were Books Removed from the Bible? I wish I could tell you that we already had a firm grasp on the 27 books within the first century, but that is simply not true. The oldest extant list that matches our 27 books is that of Athanasius letter in 367 AD. This is where the charge by some that the New Testament canon was adopted in the 4th century comes from. It sounds legit because it has an element of truth to it, but its not the whole story. In truth, all 27 books of the New Testament were likely completely by 100 AD. They were widely read and considered to be Scripture in the next 100 years. Many early church writers referred to New Testament passages as Scripture. What really happened in the 4th century is that a council recognized what had been practiced in the church since the days of the apostles. A heretic, named Marcion, forced the church to make explicit what had been practiced for centuries. Marcion picked which books he liked and which ones he did not. It caused the question of canon to be asked. This is why in the 4th century the early church had to put something in writing which recognizes which books are authoritative and which ones are not. There is an important distinction to be made here. The canon is not an authorized collection of writings (in that the church conferred authority or approval upon a list of books). Rather, the canon is a collection of authoritative writings. The church recognized their authority, it did not give them authority. How did they recognize which books were authoritative? Three rules for canonicity were used. First, was it written by or tied closely to an apostle? Secondly, was it widely recognized by the churches? Third, did it conform to the rule of faithbasic orthodox Christianity that had been orally handed down from the apostles and Jesus himself? The question of whether or not books were removed from the Bible is somewhat nonsensical given the process. Were some books considered not-authoritative? Yes. Were they removed? No. They were recognized as not being God-breathed. Photo credit: Unsplash/Prateek Katyal Clarkston, WA (99403) Today Mostly cloudy. High 81F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low around 50F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. BOISE - With the sage-grouse season in Idaho just around the corner, Fish and Game reminds upland bird hunters of new sage-grouse and sharp-tailed grouse requirements for the 2021 hunting season. Hunters are now required to purchase a zone-specific tag for sage-grouse hunting, in addition to a hunting license. A separate permit is required just for sharp-tailed grouse hunters, along with their hunting license. While sage-grouse tags for most zones have sold out, more than 100 tags were still available across three zones as of September 9. It is also possible that some sage-grouse tags in sold-out zones could be returned and would become available in the next returned tag sale on September 16. Any returned sage-grouse tags would be listed on Fish and Games Returned Sold-Out Tags webpage on September 14. Hunters who purchased a combined 2021 sage-grouse/sharp-tailed grouse permit prior to the change going into effect between January 1 and June 30 need to be aware that the combined permit is no longer valid to hunt sage-grouse, and they will need to purchase a tag to hunt them. For hunters who purchased a combined permit between those dates and plan to only hunt sharp-tailed grouse, their permit remains valid and no action is required. Any hunter who bought the previous combined sage-grouse/sharp-tailed grouse permit may receive a credit towards the new sage-grouse tag if they only want to hunt sage-grouse. Hunters can do this at any Fish and Game Regional Office, and the credit will be applied to the purchase of the new sage-grouse tag. Fish and Game will also provide refunds to customers who bought the combined permit just for hunting sage-grouse and do not want to pay the higher fee for a sage-grouse tag, or who no longer want the permit because it will not accommodate both species. The new tag and permit structure was passed by the 2021 Legislature, but is not reflected in the printed 2020-21 Idaho Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer seasons and rules. A separate Sage-grouse 2021 Seasons and Rules brochure is available on Fish and Games website. Sage-grouse season kicks off on September 18 and runs through October 31. Sharp-tailed grouse season, which is limited to Eastern Idaho, runs from October 1-31. CIL will contribute Rs 5 crores Coal India Ltd (CIL), under the Ministry of Coal, has signed an MoU with the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Assam for strengthening the health infrastructure at the Silchar Medical College & Hospital, Silchar, the only Medical College and Hospital in Barak Valley Region, Assam. In this new CSR initiative, CIL will contribute Rs 5 crores towards setting up an ICU facility and medical gas pipeline in the Silchar Medical College & Hospital which will benefit over 40 lakh people of the state. The MoU was signed in the presence of Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam and Health Minister Keshab Mahanta. CIL and its subsidiaries have undertaken several high-investment, high-impact projects to help improve medical facilities across the country. Notable projects being the Medical College cum Hospital at Talcher in Odisha for Rs 492 crores, Premashraya, a home for children and their families seeking cancer treatment at Kolkata for Rs 41 crores, Support for Bone Marrow transplants of children suffering from Thalassemia for Rs 40 crores and a Cardiac Care Centre at Jharsuguda, Odisha for Rs 75 crores. To impart training and insight on latest R&D taking place in different fields Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai and its flagship initiative Biosimilar Workshop: Digital Edition will be conducting a workshop focussed on COVID-19, in virtual mode from October 4-8, 2021, as a four-part webinar series organised over 5 days. The workshop will impart training and insight directly from experts and academicians of the biopharmaceutical, diagnostic and vaccine industries on crucial steps and details of the latest research and development taking place in the respective fields. The workshop commenced in 2017 as an annual endeavour to stimulate and encourage discussion as well as innovation of new technologies in various sectors of the biopharmaceutical industry. Keeping in mind the unprecedented changes brought to the world due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the 2021 Digital Edition of the Biosimilar Workshop aims to enlighten all participants on the recent research in diagnosis, therapeutic interventions and analytical characterisation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This year, the biosimilar workshop will have leaders from the biopharmaceutical field, who will provide a seasoned perspective on topics such as: structural analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein pre/post-fusion conformations and interactions with ACE2 or neutralising antibodies; Site-Specific Steric Control of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycosylation; Reading and writing the genome with precision; The journey of India's first indigenous SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (Covaxin), to name a few. The device Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) & Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) Medica Cancer Hospital has introduced a high-end radiotherapy machine Halcyon with Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) & Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). The Halcyon Radiation Therapy systems targeted therapy ensures that damage to healthy tissues surrounding the tumour can be further avoided or minimised, which is of great benefit in cases such as cancer of the head and neck, prostate, lungs etc. The Halcyon system simplifies and enhances every aspect of the radiation therapy process, with image guidance and intensity-modulation radiotherapy (IMRT) that improves patient comfort. With a streamlined workflow, the Halcyon system requires just nine steps from the start to the end of treatment compared to up to more than 30 steps with older technologies. An integrated intercom enables immediate and clear communication between the therapist and the patient. The quiet system with smooth motion and easy access keeps patients relaxed and focused. The 100 cm. diameter bore with integrated ambient lighting prevents claustrophobia. The short treatment times could also eliminate the need for breath-holds traditionally required during breast, oesophagal and lung cancer treatments. Dr Sourav Dutta, Director, Medica Cancer Hospitals, said Medica shall bring latest technologies in our cancer hospital here so that people from this region and nearby neighbouring states do not have to travel to other states for treatment. We shall offer all these treatments at an affordable cost which will be beneficial for the people. Dr Alok Roy, Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals & Chair FICCI health Services Committee stated, The health infrastructure in most of the North-Eastern states and our neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar are not so well equipped to treat this caseload, which forces patients to travel long distances for treatment. On behalf of Medica Cancer Hospital, I will urge the citizens not to neglect cancer and get the treatment as early as possible before it gets too late. Is it okay to get 2 doses from different vaccine candidates? The vaccine drive in India is going at a steady pace. Presently, 329 million population has been inoculated with dose one and 126.7 million with both doses. While initially the thought process and assumptions were to receive two dosages from the same vaccine candidate, recent medical developments suggest that getting dosages from two different candidates is more effective. Earlier this month, DGCI gave its approval to an ICMR study on mixing Covishield and Covaxin doses. The study found that mixing Covishield and Covaxin jabs relays a stronger immune response with minimal adverse effects. Moreover, heterologous vaccinations are already being given in other countries with combinations of Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca shots. The worlds first study on using a cocktail of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and Russias Sputnik Light vaccine showed no serious adverse events or cases of coronavirus post-vaccination. The heterogeneous boosting approach (vaccine cocktail using human adenovirus serotype 26 as the first component and human adenovirus serotype 5 as the second component) is at the core of Sputnik V. Therefore, it is becoming more likely that India may start giving vaccine cocktails to its citizens. However, what is the need for the same? Does it provide better efficacy than getting both doses from the same candidate? Let us delve deeper. Vaccine cocktail When two vaccines platforms are mixed, it is known as a vaccine cocktail or heterologous vaccination. Mixing the two results in a stronger immune response. In addition, cocktails may also increase the effectiveness of the shots against new variants like the Delta Variant. Change in level of efficacy The trials conducted for vaccine cocktails in Europe, mixing the AstraZeneca adenoviral vector vaccine with Pfizers mRNA vaccine yielded positive results, as compared to two shots of either AZ or Pfizer vaccine. The recipients showed better immunogenicity, i.e. stronger and wider range of immune responses; as well as higher reactogenicity, i.e. a higher rate of side effects. Overall efficacy was found to be better and the combination was deemed safe with no significant adverse events. While India awaits the entry of Pfizers mRNA vaccine into the fold, the National Technical Advisory Group (NTAGI) has proposed to go ahead with a cocktail of Covishield and Sputnik V, which has certain benefits. Both Covishield and Sputnik V are adenoviral vector vaccines. Covishield uses a Chimpanzee adenovirus while Sputnik V uses two different Human Adenoviruses. When the vaccine is administered, the immune system is naive to both the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the adenoviral vector. But when the subsequent dose is administered, the immune system reacts against the adenoviral vector as well, thus reducing the vaccine efficacy to an extent. This phenomenon is seen with Covishield, which uses the same vector for both doses. Sputnik V uses two different vectors to avoid this response. A cocktail of Covishield and Sputnik V allows us to bypass this immune response, thereby improving the efficacy of the vaccines. Since both vaccines use the same platform adenoviral vector minimal safety issues are expected. As mentioned above, there may be an increased incidence of side effects. More importantly, it should provide a robust, wide-ranging immune response, that may help tackle the existing and upcoming variants better. While the proposal is based on preliminary results, the final decision would depend on emerging scientific evidence, as well as the production and availability of vaccines. Speed of vaccination drives By giving two dosages from different candidates, it helps the healthcare system with a breather by reducing the load on accelerated vaccine manufacture and subsequent increase in the costs. Hence, vaccine cocktails give a window to accelerate vaccination campaigns, maximising their impact on the control of the pandemic. The threat of the looming third wave is very much present. We must continue to take the necessary precautions and not become callous in our approach. Also, to note that vaccination is the only permanent and viable long-term solution against the virus. So, with dwindling vaccine rates and issues with supply chains, a heterologous vaccination platform could be our saving grace. It may allow India to use its stockpile of COVID-19 vaccines more effectively to fully vaccinate more people in the country. Dr Haryax Pathak, Member, iCart- India COVID Apex Research Team, Vadodara Assalamualaikum w.b.t and a very good afternoon to our distinguished guests and fellow audience. Thank you to the Halal Development Corporation (HDC) for inviting me to deliver the Opening Remarks today. I wish to congratulate HDC for organising this conference which I believe will be inspiring and enlightening. The timing of this event could not be better, echoing the pace of an ongoing global economic recovery. The theme of this conference, "Halal the Catalyst for Universal Economic Recovery" spells out the potential for this multi-trillion dollar industry to facilitate the rejuvenation of the global economy. Within the global sphere, the prospect of the halal economy is huge. Global consumption of halal goods and services is expected to grow at 3.5% annually to reach USD2.4 trillion by 2024 , largely driven by the fast-growing Muslim population. Another contributing factor is the rising trend on ethical consumerism that primarily considers the impact of consumption. This aligns with the practice of halalan-toyyiban that propagates good, pure, and wholesome elements in consumption. At a broader level, this is also relevant in addressing growing concerns on sustainability and climate change in halal production. These global trends on halal economy present an excellent narrative with enormous prospects for Malaysia, given our forefront position in the global halal economy. Ranked top in both Islamic finance and Islamic economy, these trends open up opportunities to marry both of these segments . Our domestic halal market is currently valued at approximately RM300 billion, contributing 7% of the country's GDP. This figure is projected to grow further to RM400 billion, to account for 11% of GDP by 2030 . We have observed the increasing prominence of Islamic financial institutions in supporting the halal sector in recent years. Although only 21.9% of Malaysian halal-certified companies used Islamic finance in 2018, the number of applications from this segment has doubled to 10,800 in 2020, amounting to RM63 billion . Allow me to share some thoughts on three critical factors that contribute to this positive trend, which I believe will continue moving forward. First is the value proposition of Islamic finance that extends the ability of Islamic financial institutions to offer beyond bank-based credit intermediation. The universal scope of business under the Islamic Financial Services Act 2013 allows Islamic financial institutions to mobilise different sources of funds towards delivering meaningful solutions. One example is the provision of value-added services to SMEs such as marketplace and advisory services in trade facilitation alongside supply chain finance capability. To date, five Islamic banks are already offering such services through the HDC's Halal Integrated Platform. I understand that more are expected to join this digital platform later this year. Another example is the Investment Account, an instrument which allows Islamic banks to source risk-absorbent capital to fund high-growth halal business sectors such as pharmaceutical and cosmetics. The ability of Islamic banks to structure Investment Account in accordance with the risk profile and characteristics of the underlying assets offers an attractive opportunity for customers to diversify their investment portfolio across various halal sub-sectors. Second is the wide network of Malaysian financial institutions in facilitating halal exports to tap into regional markets. Increasing interest from ASEAN countries which makes up 42% of the global Muslim population as well as demand from non-Muslim dominated Asian countries such as Japan, Korea and Vietnam provide a huge halal consumption base for domestic halal businesses to tap on. Currently, three Malaysian financial institutions have leveraged their extensive global network and strategic partnerships to assist halal exporters in gaining access to new markets. Moving forward, Malaysian financial institutions should take advantage of the strong government-to-government (G2G) ties and multilateral strategic cooperation in the halal sector between countries to offer Islamic trade finance to halal industry players. The third factor is the ability of Islamic financial institutions to facilitate businesses to transition towards more sustainable practices. The underlying concept of Maqasid Shariah which propagates for the attainment of benefits as well as preventing harm, resonates well with sustainability principles that call for a balanced, sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Adopting sustainability practices is imperative to ensure the longevity of businesses. Failure to take this into account may result in substantial financial loss to the halal industry given that our trade partners have started imposing expectations on sustainability as preconditions to transact. For example, Malaysia's top halal export markets (e.g. China, Singapore and Japan) are signatories to the Net Zero target and non-sustainability practices will lead to an increase cost of business exporting into these markets. Malaysia's halal food and beverages segment, which makes up 80% of Malaysia's halal production and 86% of total halal exports may be adversely affected by climate change. An increase in temperature will lower the resilience of the agroecosystem against pests and pathogens, resulting in lower yields and quality of crops, affecting the supply of raw materials. In addition, more MNCs are embracing the sustainability agenda compelling halal SMEs to factor in sustainability as part of their business strategies, operations and decision making. It is heartening that prominent halal MNC manufacturers have already started imposing sustainable practices across their supply chain. Nestle for example, has established the Paddy Club back in 2012 as an initiative to ensure rice used for the company's cereal products is sourced sustainably and responsibly. Another example is the Sustainability Agriculture Code as a pre-requisite for suppliers to enter Unilever's supply chain as part of the group's ambition to sustainable sourcing. Towards this end, the Islamic financial institutions have put together a lot of efforts and resources in place, underpinned by the concept of Value-based intermediation (VBI) such that financing and banking activities are in line with sustainability practices. The VBI Community of Practitioners have collectively issued sectoral guidelines on palm oil, renewable energy and energy efficiency, that serve as an impact-based risk assessment toolkit to assist financial and investment decisions of banks. The takaful industry has followed suit with the issuance of the VBI for Takaful Framework that integrates the principles of VBI into products and business practices that promote financial resilience and climate risk management. Conclusion Before I end my remarks, I would like to touch on the importance of the right skill set that can future-proof our halal industry. As we navigate beyond the pandemic, leaders in halal business community have to be agile and forward looking. This includes keeping abreast of the latest technology and constant up skilling to embrace digitalisation. In recognising the potential of digitalisation as a key ingredient to assist halal businesses, the Bank provides an enabling environment for financial institutions to foster innovation such as through the fintech regulatory sandbox and facilitation of pilot projects. These avenues enable the Bank to identify potential adjustments or responses to the existing regulatory framework that commensurate with the risk and scale of activities. The Bank has also established the SME Automation and Digitalisation Facility (ADF) in March 2020, which aims to encourage SMEs to automate processes and digitalise operations to increase productivity and efficiency. In March 2021, an additional allocation of RM700 million has been provided for the ADF, bringing the facility's total size to RM1 billion. To conclude, Islamic financial institutions have developed into matured institutions that are now offering a wide range of financial solutions to meet the varied needs of customers. Therefore, halal businesses should seize these opportunities to better position themselves and embrace sustainability, as well as digitalisation that aim to provide stronger platforms to rebound as the economy recovers. In closing, I would like to share with you an inspiring verse from the Quran, that serves as the foundation to the key points I have intended to raise earlier. In Surah Al-Baqarah verse 195, Allah s.w.t mentioned, "And do good, indeed Allah loves the doers of good". So, let us embrace this message together and put more effort in propagating good, particularly in the way we conduct businesses, by not just being halal, but also beneficial to the environment and society at large in line with the commandment of Allah s.w.t. Let us begin this today, here at the World Halal Business Conference 2021. Thank you and I wish everyone a pleasant and productive conference. John Jacobs, who hails from Kraaifontein, Cape Town, has risen up the ranks from being a teenage junior clerk at an international protective workwear company to becoming CEO of that very business and developing it into one of South Africa's most prominent workwear brands. John Jacobs, Sweet-Orr & Lybro CEO. Source: Supplied R55 per month Source: Supplied Investing in people Customers as partners Headquartered in Cape Town, Sweet-Orr & Lybro is one of South Africas oldest protective workwear manufacturers. The company provides PPE to critical economic sectors across the region, including the mining and engineering, combat and disaster, automotive, medical and the petrochemical industry, to name a few.Whilst his life and career journey haven't always been smooth sailing, Jacobs reflects positively on the past 50 years with the company. The situation has not always been easy, but as a team, we have managed to navigate whatever storms came our way, from economic crises to pandemics, says Jacobs.He openly talks about the challenges faced, coming from a blue-collar family that was disadvantaged by a system based on racial segregation. We were six kids, and my father worked for the railway. So, as you can imagine, there were some tough times along the way.Commenting on the start of his Sweet-Orr journey, Jabobs says, I was barely 18 when I joined the company in 1971 as a junior clerk, two years after having to leave high school. I was by far the youngest in the team back then.My key responsibility was dealing with all incoming orders in exchange for a salary of R55 per month. This was considerably more than what I was earning as a post office messenger, my first job after leaving school to help my parents and siblings make ends meet.Fifty years have elapsed since then, and a lot has changed for Jacobs. He recalls how he took every opportunity to climb up within the company, which was founded in 1871 in the United States and has been operational in Cape Town since 1931.His efforts paid off, which eventually allowed him to buy his first company shares. Ultimately, this resulted in him and his family owning the company outright. To think that when I joined Sweet-Orr, I didnt even have a matric certificate, he says, noting that going back to school was always on the agenda those first years after starting at Sweet-Orr.Education has always been important to me. That is why I went back to night school when I had the chance in the late 70s, aged 24. I wanted to finish what I started in the 60s. Of course, it was tricky to combine school and a full-time job, but I felt I had to walk this journey. I stayed the path and eventually completed a BCom Honours degree at UWC.Jacobs drive has always been to keep Sweet-Orr at the forefront of South Africas protective workwear scene. Thanks to continuous and proper planning, saving for a rainy day, being agile, and not skimping on our products and services quality, we have stood the test of time. We did so together as a team, and it is something I am incredibly proud of.Jacobs is particularly proud of his workforce. To me, our employees who hail from all walks of life are our most important asset, and I have made it standard policy to treat them as such. We make a point of continuously investing in and adding value to our staffs skill sets and abilities. I want those who work for us to have the same opportunities to grow professionally and personally as I did when I joined Sweet Orr as an 18-year-old.This is especially important in a country like South Africa, Jacobs says: There are so many people who want to work but who do not have the right skills. Elsies River, not one of the most affluent areas in Cape Town, is a case in point. Companies can change the status quo by helping people acquire skills that get them into jobs and allow them to climb the ladder. Our staff are like our family, and we treat them as such.Investing in employees has benefits for the company too, Jacobs says. Helping the people who work for us improve their abilities and talents, thus working towards a skilled workforce, makes your operation run smoother and more efficiently.In addition, staff members who feel valued and cared for are loyal and will stand by you in good and bad times. This shows as Sweet Orr has an extremely low staff turnover. The average employee stays with us for 25 years. One of our operational managers has been with us for 40 years before he retired!Jacobs believes that building a customer-centric business is vital for sustainability. He, however, prefers to see and treat customers as partners while extending this philosophy to suppliers and service providers alike. Together, we work to build each others businesses and keep people safe in the workspace, so we can continue to grow local economies from the inside out. The best things happen in partnership!After celebrating the milestone of 50 years with the organisation, Jacobs is still confident about the future. This company once started with a dream to manufacture superior quality workwear for those who needed it most. Whilst the dream became reality years ago, we continue to evolve and build one stitch, one garment, and one satisfied client at a time, says Jacobs. Our story is far from finished! Noeleen Bruton, co-owner of Marketing Grit Congrats on the launch of Marketing Grit. Tell us more about the agency? When and how did the idea come about? What is the core function of Marketing Grit? Strategic marketing consulting Digital strategy Digital and social media implementation Whats the one thing that makes Marketing Grit stand out from other marketing and digital agencies? We are not strategic cookie cutters, nor are we old sages (although we do have vast in-depth and senior experience) - we simply believe in the power of strategy, ideas, and innovative thinking to influence people, change attitudes, stir emotion, and inspire action. The kind that leads to revenue. What are some of the services Marketing Grit will be offering? Largely because of Covid, many organisations have had to let go of some senior expensive executives (over 2,2 million were lost in the second quarter of 2020 alone ) these companies still however require the relevant marketing and strategic input at the table and this is where we come in. Companies may want to provide assistance (and depth) to their existing teams and outsource key skills. Organisations often are so close they cant see the woods for the trees. A fresh, objective and specialised perspective can be hugely beneficial. What has the biggest challenge been with starting a business in a time of Covid-19? Hewlett-Packard (1937-1938 Recession) ... Hyatt Hotels (1957-1958 Recession) ... Microsoft (1973-1975 Recession) ... Mailchimp (2001 & 2009 Recession) Airbnb (2007-2009 Recession) Disney (1929 Great Depression) You both have extensive experience in the marketing industry. What sort of experience will each of you be bringing to Marketing Grit? What excites you most about launching Marketing Grit? Marketing is such a powerful tool, especially if youre running a small business. What can business owners no longer ignore when it comes to marketing? How important is it for brands to tell stories that resonate with consumers? Lastly, Covid-19 has shaken things up. What sort of marketing trends can we see in 2021? Consumer consumption patterns have shifted to be a lot more digital centric which will continue the increased demand for home/office delivery quicker, cheaper, faster. The new normal will likely end up with many organisations offering a hybrid working model (part remote and part office) thereby enabling businesses to have a smaller office footprint with hot-desks or even co-working spaces. For the individual this means less travel, less time in traffic and more time at home. Already we are seeing many people semi-grating to coastal or other lifestyle areas, an increase in home improvements purchases etc. Coffee shops will become an extension of your home office (just to get out, see other human beings and have a change of scenery) so store layout, Wi-Fi etc will be a big attractor. Digital advertising will continue to grow it will be interesting to see how small and big brands (with big budgets) co-exist on the various platforms. Likely brands who are innovative and authentic will win the day it is social media after all. Co-owned by marketing aficionados Noeleen Bruton and Debbie Combrink, the recently established specialist marketing agency offers strategic support, digital strategy and social media implementation.Noeleen Bruton and Debbie Combrink previously worked together at Tsogo Sun in Johannesburg before independently relocating to the Cape. First to make the move was Debbie Combrink who joined The TOPS at SPAR Wine Show as CEO. During her three year tenure, the 7-cities national tour saw record-breaking results as a result of Combrink's extensive marketing and eventing experienceAfter 19 years at Tsogo Sun, including seven years as group marketing director for Tsogo Sun Gaming and Properties, Noeleen Bruton resigned in 2018 and moved to Cape Town at the end of that year. In the early part of 2019, she took up employment with Pam Golding Properties as group marketing director before finally 'taking the plunge' this year to pursue her passion to become an entrepreneur and run her own agency which led to the establishment of Marketing Grit and subsequent business partnership with Combrink.Having worked with or for many top local brands as well as a host of leading international brands, Bruton brings a wealth of marketing experience to Marketing Grit clients.This experience, together with Combrinks 25-year career in the hospitality and events industry combines the forces of two industry leaders and their impeccable skill sets to offer the services of a results-driven marketing and digital solutions company for medium-sized businessesNoeleen Bruton, co-owner of Marketing Grit, shares more...Marketing Grit is founded by two experienced marketers who, after years of senior corporate experience wanted to go it on their own and start an agency that had strategy and creativity at its core.Following a lifestyle move to Cape Town, together with Debbie Combrink, we wanted to do something different something that embraced digital but still adopted sound marketing principles and creative thinking. We wanted to start an agency that could really make a difference to brands where we could apply our extensive experience to help companies meet their objectives despite the tough economic times we are all facing.Marketing Grit has three core offeringsAlthough digital had a significant impact on businesses pre-Covid (think about it way back in 2009 internet advertising revenue overtook traditional advertising), Covid has undoubtedly accelerated digital adoption.As a result, there have been absolutely loads of companies offering miracle solutions and instant success training courses. The latest Facebook workshop, click-through button or 5 steps how Instagram can triple your revenue - is just not going to explode your business these are tactics and although some may yield short term results they are largely fads.Any company wishing to succeed in the long term needs to focus their time and energy on conceptual thinking, then strategy and finally tactics.We subscribe to Slow Down to Go FasterThere are many great digital agencies and marketing consultancies out there. We hope to distinguish ourselves by providing the IP, the wealth, experience, and weight of the larger consultants albeit by being more accessible, client focussed and agile. Both of us have also stayed in school and kept up with changing technologies many companies offer one or the other (marketing or digital) we believe strongly and passionately in both.As stated on our website:Firstly, we will work with companies to explore how they can evolve in these rather turbulent times (thrive not just survive).Secondly, we will work with them to develop a strategy that gives them the best possibility to achieve their vision and goals. Lastly (and still very importantly) we will either guide them on how to get it done or assist them in the actual implementation.Undoubtedly the biggest challenge has been not being able to connect in-person with people whether it is interviewing and recruiting staff, taking briefs or brainstorming people in real life generate energy that is difficult to replicate remotely.We also take great solace (and motivation) at the rather prestigious list of companies that started in bad times and succeeded despite the odds. In our boardroom we have a framed list of organisations weve called Against all Odds - as an ever-present reminder that we are in good company . troubling times be damned!This list includes:As Mark Twain says, Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.Throughout my career, I've had in-depth exposure to senior strategic thinking across a wide range of industries (from casinos and hotels to movie theatres and restaurants). My strength lies in not only big picture thinking, but in being able to quickly identify problems or challenges as well as opportunities and then being able to bridge the gap by providing a clear path to address them.Debbie is no slouch to strategy either having operated at a senior level at Tsogo Sun and more recently as CEO of The TOPS at SPAR Wine Show. Where Debbie shines however is that she gets things done on time, on budget and of the requisite standard. She is a hard taskmaster who gets the entire team aligned in meeting (and exceeding) client expectations.Without a doubt, its to make a difference and mean something to us, our team, our suppliers, partners, and clients. Giving birth to something is as exciting as it is scary but we both believe that this baby is going to grow up into a remarkable, recognisable, and respected force within the consulting and agency landscape.Covid has not only accelerated the digitisation of customer interactions by years, but the share of companies that are partially or fully digitised has almost doubled in less than five years. This shows that not only are consumers consumption patterns changing, but companies are adapting quickly to these trends.Businesses can no longer just assume that having an online presence is enough. They need to consider what, given the pandemic and all that goes with that (dynamic consumption patterns and trends) - does your business need to do to compete and thrive. Is it a shift in business model maybe a new market or some form of vertical or even horizontal integration? What are your competitors doing what is the market telling you.It is critical storytelling enables marketers to develop a deeper, more meaningful connection with their audience, it allows brands to stand out, be memorable, more relatable, authentic, and less salesy. Storytelling, particularly on social media also creates engagement and helps builds trust. Covid-19 has been a difficult time for many industries, and the alcohol industry in South Africa has faced some challenges due to lockdown regulations and bans. We spoke with Eugene Lenford, marketing manager of Savanna, to find out how these challenges can be faced. Eugene Lenford, marketing manager at Savanna What do you love most about your work? How did you end up in marketing? Savanna just won Coolest Alcohol for the Sunday Times GenNext Awards, how are you feeling about that? Covid-19 has been challenging for the alcohol industry in South Africa, how can advertising/marketing help ease these challenges? What are the best ways to forge strong client-agency relationships? What is essential when working with new brands and bringing them forward in the market? Tell us about some of the projects you have worked on that you are most proud of. What advice would you give to anyone trying to enter the marketing industry? Lenford deals with end-to-end marketing - strategy development, implementation and execution for the Savanna brand. Every day is different and is generally filled with a variety of exciting projects on the go, which sometimes brings new challenges for us as a brand team, he said.Here, he tells us more about his work, how Savanna as a brand has worked through Covid-19, and shares some advice for aspiring marketing professionalsThe people. I work with such a diverse group of marketers and partners which has allowed us to put the consumer first in everything that we do.Marketing is not a one-man show - without collaboration, you wont be able to deliver real purposeful work. I feel that this is something we do extremely well on team Savanna and that excites me and gets me out of bed every morning.I graduated with a BTech marketing degree in 2008 and began my journey in the alcohol industry as an on trade alcohol sales representative in 2009.In 2012 I joined Distell within the brand marketing team. Throughout the years I had the opportunity to work with brands such as Hunters Cider, Gordons Gin, and Count Pushkin. My brand marketing experience also extends across other alcohol categories such as Scotch Whisky, but none more exciting than my current role as marketing manager on Savanna Cider.We are grateful to have been voted as SAs Coolest Alcohol Brand the first year it was introduced as a category.Receiving this recognition from the public, our much-loved consumers and even those who just enjoy our crisp and dry sense of humour is hard to beat. We have been working tirelessly to create real purpose-driven work over the years and this is a testament to the teams collaboration to uplift a nation through humour.Advertising and marketing can certainly play a role in driving an optimistic (yet realistic) view of the future of South Africa. I am aware of many industries, globally and locally, that have suffered tremendously during the last 18 months. It is my belief that we can all play our role in driving responsible consumption, Covid safety messaging and promoting vaccine registration.Brands have an important role to play within South Africa to help alleviate the challenges this pandemic has caused and to move forward so everyone can experience our Old New Normal.Mutual respect. Trust, and have fun.I say mutual respect because it is a two-way street when it comes to building the relationship with your agency partners. Once that is in place, we have the power to build trust which results in real consumer-centric outputs which allow us to entrench ourselves in South African culture.Fun although we are different entities, client-agency relationships are an extension of the brand itself, take the time to share insights, business objectives and celebrate wins. In this new virtual world, it has been difficult but when you can take a moment don't forget to enjoy the journey regardless.For any type of innovation, I would say that it is critical to understand the consumer need and marrying that with the essence of the brand. Sometimes brands are reactive to the market and provide something that does not meet a specific need.Without a doubt, it is the Savanna Virtual Comedy Bar. Not only did this project bring home the awards but it was also a platform that portrayed purpose in action.Savanna has always been synonymous with the comedy industry but bringing this concept and platform to life is a testament to the great relationship we have with our agency partners. We were able to effectively serve the medicine of laughter to all South Africans around the country and at the same time pay comedians for what they do best. This all happened during the time where stand up comedy was literally at a standstill.I have learnt over the years that ideas can come from anywhere. The greatest campaigns, products, partnerships, and platforms come to life by putting our diverse South African minds together.Secondly, collaboration is key. I know it sounds cliche, but marketing is always a team effort and I have seen that magic in practice when we respect, trust, and have fun with the people we are fortunate enough to work with.Lastly, I would say that it is important to voice your opinion. It does matter and you dont know where it can take you or the project you are working on. We all have unique backgrounds and experiences, which in many instances allows us to see the world from consumers eyes. Marketing is 100% about a deeper understanding of people. Dennis Rehm is a member of the Carlisle Ward congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Find more information at ComeUntoChrist.org. As we approach the church's most important season - Good Friday and Easter - many worship leaders are scrambling for new songs to add to their song set. In an effort to aid worship leaders and in a way of encouraging us to indulge in the worship of new songs, here are our top 5 new worship songs that help give expression to the sacrifice and triumph of our Lord Jesus. 5. Cory Asbury "Reckless Love" from "Reckless Love" Like Chris Tomlin's "Good Good Father," Bethel Music's Cory Asbury's "Reckless Love" captures the tenderness of God the Father in leaving the 99 sheep in search of the one missing. With great imagination and creativity, this song captures the heart of the Father behind the Cross. 4. Rend Collective "Resurrection Day" from "Good News" With an infectious Ed Sheerman-esque melody that get you humming in no time, "Resurrection Day" is an application song. It takes the doctrine of Christ's resurrection and applies it into our day to day living. Such a take not only gives a fresh spin on Easter but it also helps our congregates apply God's truth to their lives. 3. Elim Sound "Crucified" from "One" For fans who prefer a more hymn-like structure to their worship, UK's Elim Sound's "Crucified" is a sublime choice. A newly scribed hymn, "Crucified" is ladened with a almanac of great theological truths: The power of sin, forever slain, What looked like a defeat would change our destiny. 2. Hillsong "Remembrance" from "There is More" Churches who want to celebrate the last Supper of Jesus over the Easter weekend may consider "Remembrance." A pensive ballad in the tradition of "O Praise the Name," this Aussie team brings to life our Lord's Supper with a three dimensional realism. 1. Passion "God You're so Good" from "Whole heart" Nothing is more assuring than to sing about the simple and yet so profound truth that "God, you're so good." Centered around a re-imagined version of the children's chorus "God is so good," this song explores how God loves us via the Cross in our suffering over a superior melody. Privacy Policy Last updated on April 15 2015 This page describes the privacy practice of BREATHEcast.com digital properties, including www.BREATHEcast.com, mobile sites and applications, offered by BREATHEcast and certain of its subsidiaries. INFORMATION THAT WE GATHER The information gathered when you use BREATHEcast falls into two categories: (i) Personal Information, which includes personal information you provide when you subscribe, order, complete a survey, register for an account, enter a contest or provide your email address and (ii) non-personal information collected through technology, which includes tracking information collected by BREATHEcast, third parties, vendors or advertisers. 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The chair and senior management of troubled energy super fund EISS will be hauled in front of a parliamentary committee to answer questions about its questionable sponsorship deals and spending on staff parties and overseas junkets. EISS chief executive Alex Hutchison suddenly resigned on Thursday evening, claiming the timing is right for me and its right for the fund. The Age and Sydney Morning Herald revealed on Wednesday the super fund had spent more than $75,000 sending one senior manager to the US for training and held lavish Christmas parties at Sydneys Museum of Contemporary Art. Liberal MP Tim Wilson has slammed EISS and APRA over unchecked reckless spending by superannuation funds. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Liberal MP Tim Wilson said on Friday he would call Mr Hutchison, EISS chair Warren Mundy and other senior managers before the economics committee to grill the fund about its internal processes for approving sponsorship deals and managing conflicts of interest. The headlines in the Murdoch papers were often brutal and sometimes brilliant. In February 2010, then climate change minister Penny Wong said Australias beaches could be eroded away over the coming century at a National Climate Change Forum. In response, the front page of The Australian read Wong wipeout doesnt wash with locals. It quoted Bondi local Lee Boman who said he hadnt noticed any sea level rise. It also featured Bondi regular Patrick Doab who said no one could predict how sea levels would change because it was like the stock market. In 2011, Cate Blanchett was dubbed Carbon Cate on the front page of The Sunday Telegraph after fronting a TV campaign urging Australians to promote the Gillard governments carbon tax. It positioned Blanchett as an out-of-touch millionaire and said then opposition leader Tony Abbott would save Australia from the tax. The tax was scrapped in July 2014. In the lead-up to the 2019 federal election The Australian ran the headline Carbon cut apocalypse: cost of the ALP energy plan. The story quoted modelling by Brian Fisher that asserted Labors 45 per cent emissions reduction target would wipe $472 billion from the economy and drive electricity prices up by 50 per cent. According to the Australia Institute, the modelling was a complete outlier compared to analysis of more than 20 other modelling exercises and Treasury models that found the economic impacts of high ambition targets small or negligible. In December 2020, Wendy Bacon and Arunn Jegan analysed all news, features, opinion pieces, letters and editorials discussing climate change that appeared in The Daily Telegraph, Herald-Sun, Courier Mail and The Australian between April 2019 and March 2020. They found 45 per cent of all coverage either rejected or cast doubt on consensus scientific findings. Their research asserted that most News Corp reporters do not promote sceptical views, but of 55 per cent of stories that accepted climate science, misunderstandings about that science were almost always promoted rather than explained, and the reporting on the effects of climate change was negligible. Half of the news and feature stories either had no source or one source. Nearly two thirds of published opinion pieces were sceptical of climate science. The top five climate sceptics were Sky News presenters Andrew Bolt, Tim Blair, Peta Credlin, Peter Gleeson and Chris Kenny. In a staff email obtained by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, News Corp Australias executive chairman Michael Miller told local staff that the companys columnists and commentators would not be muzzled as part of their editorial campaign on climate change. One media adviser at a leading environmental group this week said she believed slanted news coverage in News Corp was more dangerous than the commentary. At least you know what you are getting in the opinion pages. One of the hallmarks of the coverage was that it was as willing to discredit the scientists as it was the science itself. In one infamous instance the Daily Telegraph, the Herald-Sun and The Australian published stories attacking author and environmentalist Tim Flannery for buying a property near the waterfront north of Sydney. It did not matter that the house in question sat above the level of predicted sea-level rise, the coverage suggested that it proved climate change was a hoax and Flannery a hypocrite. After one of the mastheads ran a story showing the homes location Flannery was forced to take on extra security. He eventually won a retraction, an apology and legal costs. Loading Its worth noting that the News Corp mastheads picked up the story from a segment on Ray Hadleys show on 2GB, now a stablemate of this masthead. According to Marian Wilkinson, whose recent book The Carbon Club is a forensic analysis of the interplay between the political, media and industry actors who have stalled action on climate in Australia for decades, News Corps coverage influenced other media in the country. She believes even the ABC pulled its punches on climate coverage for fear it would look soft when compared with the Murdoch presss hardline climate denialism. Wilkinson is one of many who believe that Australian climate and energy policy has been rudderless for decades, but she does not blame News alone. Rather she says the Murdoch empire helped derail climate action along with well-connected fossil fuel industry lobbyists and complicit politicians from both parties. The result is the nation is now slowly engaging in the process of decarbonising its energy system, but years have been lost and billions of dollars of public money wasted, she says. So far News Corp has not commented on or denied the coverage and its silence is being met with speculation. They did not respond to a request for comment about this article. Wilkinson notes that if News Corp does shift its editorial stance it would be falling in line with the corporate and financial sectors and with major advertisers such as Woolworths and Coles. Mann is one of many who note that such a move would also help solve a problem for Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who wants to announce a net zero target before or at the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow but faces trenchant opposition from some Nationals MPs. This may be more about giving Morrison cover going into an election year, by establishing the pathetically low bar of net zero carbon by 2050 as somehow constituting meaningful action, particularly given that he is being roundly criticised by the world community for his meager climate commitments going into COP26, Mann said on Friday. Inactivists polluters and politicians and media outlets such as News Corp that have enabled them are moving away from outright denial because its no longer tenable. This is particularly true in Australia after having lived through the climate change-fuelled devastation of the Black Summer of 2019-20. Instead, as I describe in the book, theyve turned to other tactics delay, distraction, deflection, division, etc in their effort to maintain the fossil fuel status quo. Focusing on a target of 2050, three decades away, kicks the can so far down the road that its largely meaningless. Though he welcomes the apparent shift in editorial direction, Flannery says the impact of its coverage extends beyond the politics of climate change. Defence Minister Peter Dutton believes Australia has been too complacent about the threat posed by China. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen OK, so whats the reality of Beijings plan for Australia? Whats Beijings objective? Chinas objective would clearly be to have us in a subservient position and to sign up to their objectives. They are seeking to disrupt the relationship we have with the five eyes [the intelligence sharing partnership between the US, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand] and the US in particular. This is consistent with Kevin Rudds view that Chinas policy towards Australia since 2017 has been hostile, as he put it to me last year. Loading Dutton says theres a 24/7 effort under way by Beijing to achieve their objectives in Taiwan, in the South China Sea, and dominance otherwise. If you doubt him, you might have missed President Xi Jinpings opening remarks on taking leadership of the Chinese Communist Party in 2012. He pledged we will win the initiative and have the dominant position. Xi is all about dominance, at home and abroad. On his frequent visits to Chinas military bases, he typically dresses in military camouflage and rallies the troops: Prepare to fight and win wars. Dutton says they have momentum, they have very clear direction and, in their mind, no one is going to get in their way. The Australian Defence Minister is working on getting in their way: We are standing up for our own sovereignty and for peace in our region. We want a prosperous China and a peaceful Indo-Pacific, but you have to fight for that peace and show that you are prepared to defend the order as it currently exists. Hold on. Fighting for peace? Whos the warmonger? We are looking for continued peace through deterrence, he says. Theres no sense pretending that if we curl up in a ball that tensions will abate. I would love to say that we dont have to spend a dollar on defence again. Its best to be honest with the public and be frank about the role of the CCP in the Indo-Pacific. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Australia has boosted its military spending by 34 per cent over the decade to 2020 while China has increased its by 76 per cent. Theres a desire to bring like-minded countries together, Dutton says. By calling out the behaviour of China in the region, we give ourselves the best chance to see behavioural change [from Beijing]. Loading Speaking from Jakarta, Dutton was on the first leg of a four-nation tour. He and Australias Foreign Affairs Minister, Marise Payne, had just held a long conference with their Indonesian counterparts. The two nations announced work towards a treaty and an upgrading of defence co-operation. Dutton and Payne next visit India, South Korea and the US. We are having frank conversations with neighbours about preserving peace in the Indo-Pacific, says Dutton. Their trip is prelude to the forthcoming summit of the Quad group. Joe Biden has announced that he will host the leaders of the Quad the US, Japan, India and Australia for their first face-to-face meeting later this month. But is any of this slowing Chinas activities or ambitions in any way? The short answer, replies Dutton, is no. Frankly, it takes notice of the US and given that the French, the British, NATO, Germany, are all concerned about whats happening in the Indo-Pacific and have their attention firmly fixed on the region, I think it takes some strong and forceful conversations. Accepting that Australia has shed its complacency, Dutton still has to deal with the fact that when he took the defence portfolio six months ago he inherited the results of a long and languid complacency. The prime exhibit is the complete debacle of Australias effort to acquire new submarines. Labor and Liberal alike spent over a decade fumbling this critical capability. While China is capable of producing a new nuclear-powered submarine every year, Australia wont be receiving any subs for at least a decade. Dutton says hes working on it. A nations defence capability is generated by all its other abilities. Its a product of a countrys economic size, its industrial base, its educational standards, its technological and scientific prowess, its organisational skill, its military competence, the effectiveness of its governance, the quality of its alliances. And its success in all of these realms is driven by a sense of purpose. Unfortunately, Australia is bedevilled by complacency across every one of these fields. For example, a century after federation the economy still depends on rocks. When China brings on stream the massive iron ore deposits of Guinea or Afghanistan, when appetites for coal cool or collapse, Australias economy faces a savage reckoning. Where is the sense of driving purpose in diversifying the economic base? Loading Australia enjoyed the highest educational standards in the world but seems content to let school performances slide inexorably down the global rankings year after year. Australia is a global weakling in science and innovation policy, which the Coalition treats as an unmentionable as it boldly clings to obscurantist ideas of the primacy of coal. Rock dependency reigns supreme in a country with rocks in it head. The pandemics disruptions have combined with Chinas trade sanctions to expose the fragility of Australias sovereign industrial base. Where is Australias national resilience plan? As for organisational skill, I offer two words vaccine rollout. As for the quality of governance, where is our national anti-corruption agency? And have you looked at Australias political donations laws lately? Loading And the quality of alliances? Australia is fortunate that it has a strong alliance with the US, a valuable national asset. Its just as well that the federal government is busy trying to improve relations with a range of regional powers, large and small. Because while the US may be indispensable, its also unreliable and prone to incompetence. Donald Trump personified unreliability; Joe Bidens withdrawal from Afghanistan demonstrates incompetence. Theyve had a setback in Afghanistan, Peter Dutton allows, but knowing the resilience of the Americans, I think they will dust themselves off quickly and be more determined to see peace and order prevail in the Indo-Pacific. We have to hope hes right, but hope is not a plan. A person could be jailed for six months for displaying the Nazi swastika under legislation proposed by NSW Labor to strike a blow against increasingly active far-right nationalists. The Labor caucus and shadow cabinet this week approved draft legislation that would amend criminal laws to ban the public display of Nazi symbols, with exemptions for use of the swastika by religious communities. A swastika was painted over a mural along Bondi Beachs promenade in 2019. Credit:Australian Jewish News The proposed law outlines a maximum penalty of six months in prison or a $5500 fine for displaying a Nazi symbol. An organisation could be fined $55,000. The Nazi flag is deeply offensive to all Australian and Allied veterans who fought and sacrificed to defeat fascism, Labors police and counter-terrorism spokesman Walt Secord said. The evidence was rejected by Michael Di Rienzo, the chief executive of the Hunter New England Health District. I will need to follow that up, but I do not believe the cleaners do that and if they were, I would know because I would assume that the cleaners themselves would want to bring that to our attention, he said at the time. On Friday, Ms Hayes revealed she had sighted an internal email which appears to support the original claim. Journalists Jamelle Wells and Liz Hayes at an earlier hearing, detailing the deaths of their fathers. Credit:Louise Kennerley I have sighted an email from management at Manning Hospital saying the staff should make use not just of cleaners, but wardsmen, administration staff, families, even other patients, to be sitters. Mr Di Rienzo - I would think he would want to make things much better. How come he isnt aware of these things? She described the situation as appalling. If this was in Sydney or Melbourne we do know that would be a front page splash [news story], she said. Ms Hayes was not asked to tender the email. Ms Hayes expressed concern that many of the people who had contacted her were health professionals too frightened to speak up for fear of reprisals from management and losing their jobs. Im seeing that theres a toxic environment where people cant speak their truth, she said. Theyve lost trust in their ability to speak up. On Saturday, Ms Hayes will mark the second anniversary of her fathers death after he was admitted to two hospitals in Taree. He died after he was overdosed on his prescribed medication and was not given his essential anti-stroke medication. While the hospitals acknowledged their errors Ms Hayes said she had no confidence that system-wide problems had been addressed. Its my opinion its time for someone to own this issue. Someone has to change the rural health model because its not working. You know that, I know that. Im sorry, but its a very sick rural health system. Jamelle Wellss father, Allan Wells, died after he was discharged from Dubbo Base and then Cobar Hospital. She slammed his treatment as inhumane. Dad begged for food and water on a long weekend because a manager said the hospital could not afford to roster someone on to do a sip test to see if he could eat and drink safely, she recalled. Soon after that I read a front page story in a Dubbo newspaper about a new $30 million car park for Dubbo Base Hospital. How a decision gets made about using hospital funding in that way just beggars belief. As one of the nurses has previously told the inquiry, bricks and mortar doesnt save lives, its people that do that. She said staff were stretched beyond safety limits in a ward that ran out of morphine and paracetamol. Ms Wells said legitimate complaints about the health system were met with a defensive attitude from local health districts, determined to downplay the issues. Loading What we are getting in the media and what weve had since my dad passed away two years ago is constant spin about how everything is alright, she said. Liz and I have even been portrayed by some as grieving daughters who cant let go. Well that may be true but we have had hundreds of letters and emails and phone calls from other people in our position in country towns. Ms Wells noted patient surveys were often relied upon by the health districts to prove that patients were happy with the service they were receiving. Loading Her experience was that the patients did not feel comfortable disclosing their concerns because the surveys were not anonymised and took place while the patient was still undergoing treatment. A trainee nurse approached Mr Wells in hospital with an iPad and began questioning him about if he was satisfied with the food and care he was receiving. Of course a frail old person who is critically unwell in a hospital is going to say yes, yes, yes. Theyre too scared to say no because theyre worried about what will happen to them. Ms Wells said she was unsure of how to assist the hundreds of people who contacted her with their concerns. Some tweaks have been made to the slight easing of rules around outdoor recreation for the fully vaccinated, due to come into force on Monday. In local government areas of concern, people who are fully vaccinated in a household may now gather for two hours for outdoor recreation, in addition to exercise. Children aged under 12 will not be included in the five-person cap for outdoor gatherings of fully vaccinated people outside these areas. The Premier said 76.4 per cent of the NSW adult population had now received a first dose and 43.6 per cent were fully vaccinated. Challenging time for paramedics The number of COVID-19 patients or suspected patients who have been transported by NSW Ambulance since the start of the outbreak hit 5900 on Thursday, up from 2500 a fortnight ago. In just two weeks, this load has doubled on the organisation from the previous two months, said NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan. It is a challenging time for our paramedics and what I am pleased about is that we can clearly see the impact of increased vaccination clearly damping the burden for us. Dr Morgan said a control unit, which allowed for real-time data to be shared between Ambulance, emergency departments and hospital bed and intensive care availability, was being established. A total of 190 new paramedics will hit the road by the end of the month. There are currently 1156 COVID-19 cases in hospital, including 207 people in intensive care. NSW Deputy Chief Health Officer Marianne Gale said health authorities continued to be most concerned about the spread of the virus in Fairfield, Bankstown, Greenacre, Liverpool, punchbowl, Auburn, Guildford and Merrylands. As reported earlier this week, there are also concerns about low vaccination rates and rising cases in the City of Sydney and Inner West. Health authorities are concerned by COVID-19 sewage detections at the Tamworth and Lightning Ridge sewage treatment plants in western NSW, Glen Innes sewage treatment plant in the New England region, Culburra Beach and Moruya sewage treatment plants in southern NSW. Loading Daily press conferences not sustainable Ms Berejiklian faced a number of questions from reporters regarding the decision to cancel daily press conferences about the states COVID-19 response. From Monday, a video will be uploaded by NSW Health detailing the case numbers and vaccination rates. Ms Berejiklian said the public knows we are working on the case 24/7 but she did not think having a daily press conference was sustainable. I will turn up when I need to, but to expect the leader of the government indefinitely to do this every day means that I am not doing my job properly, she said. The decision comes after the Premier, informed by modelling by the Burnet Institute, flagged the highest case numbers in the state were expected to occur in the next fortnight. Hospitalisations are expected to reach a peak in October. The Premier said she did not believe daily press conferences should continue until after that peak is reached. We will never know exactly when that is, she said. I can assure the people of this state, and they can judge me on my record whenever I need to speak directly to the public, I absolutely will. She said she believed scaling back the daily press conference was a part of living with the virus. What we need to do is all of us have to start accepting that we need to live with COVID because COVID would be around for three or four years. Lumpiness in vaccine supply Ms Berejiklian said she believed young people would have had sufficient opportunity to be fully vaccinated by the time the state reopens. Currently, the majority of people aged 40 and under in NSW are not fully vaccinated, with many only gaining access to the Pfizer vaccine in the past month and others deciding to receive AstraZeneca with a longer dose interval. Some practitioners administering Pfizer doses in recent weeks have also used an eight-week dose interval, due to supply concerns. Asked if she was concerned that numbers of hospitality and retail workers in the state mostly younger people would not be fully vaccinated by the time the state starts easing restrictions when 70 per cent of adults are fully vaccinated, the Premier said she believed access had been adequate in Sydney. There is not a single young person in a huge chunk of Greater Sydney who has not been offered the vaccine, she said. With daily dose rates declining in NSW, the Premier admitted there was a lumpiness in supply, especially for younger people in September, and the state was also waiting for the big group of people who received their first dose a few weeks ago to become eligible for their second. On Thursday, the Premier announced a road map for the NSW economy to reopen at 70 per cent full vaccination, allowing for people who have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to gather in small groups in homes, eat at restaurants, go to gyms and even attend stadium events with a capacity limit. Businesses can refuse unvaccinated patrons NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard told the press conference that regional NSW businesses could choose to refuse unvaccinated patrons when they reopen tomorrow. Loading A select number of regional NSW local government areas will exit stay-at-home orders on Saturday, including the North and Mid North coasts of NSW, the Riverina, Albury and the Murrumbidgee. They will move to the same restrictions that will be in place for fully vaccinated people in NSW once 70 per cent of people aged 16 and over in the state are vaccinated, although there is no vaccination requirement for residents of these areas until the state hits that 70 per cent target. Mr Hazzard said businesses could choose to enforce a vaccination mandate if they wanted. When you walk into the door of the business, you are there on the basis of the terms you come in, he said. NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said community sport was not able to return under the states 70 per cent road map because of a lack of ability to control spectators and volunteers. We do not have a QR code system on all our ovals; volunteers are running canteens, Mr Barilaro said, adding the choice was a decision to stay on the side of caution. Lockdown restrictions will lift in some regional NSW local government areas on Saturday. From Monday across the state, fully vaccinated people may gather outside for recreation in groups of five or in their household group if they live in a local government area of concern. There were 334 new cases reported in Victoria on Friday. One additional Victorian has died from the virus. A leading infectious diseases paediatrician says the reopening date for NSW schools should be brought forward from October 25, as the state prepares to open businesses including pubs and gyms to vaccinated people from mid-October. Professor Robert Booy from the University of Sydney said students should begin their staggered return to classrooms earlier in the month, based on his projections that NSW could hit 70 per cent double-dose vaccination coverage as soon as October 8. Id like to see kids start going back sooner than the plan and Id like to see us hit 70 per cent at least a week earlier, which is possible if we keep delivering three-quarters of a million doses every week, he told the Herald. Schools should be early priority with other things that keep lives and livelihoods together. Students are set to begin returning to school on October 25, with all students back on November 8. Credit:Louise Kennerley A report on the spread of COVID-19 in NSW educational settings, released this week by the National Centre for Immunisation and Research, showed transmission between children had been low during the Delta outbreak. Only 2 per cent of children who caught COVID-19 have been hospitalised and most experienced mild or no symptoms. Despite the massive spend on support measures, paired with increased agency fees and shrinking revenue leading to the $19.1 billion deficit for 2021/22, Mr Perrottet said the government would not walk back from its mammoth $100-plus billion dollar infrastructure pipeline. Were not going to turn our back on the major investment decisions that the state has made when it comes to infrastructure. But we are going to invest more in smaller projects. Im heartened by the fact that we got through this last year and came out stronger on the other side. The economy bounced back incredibly strongly. And that gives me confidence that well get through this as well. The states $19 billion budget black hole is more than double the $8.6 billion deficit projected in the June state budget, when Mr Perrottet declared NSW is back and predicted a return to surplus in 2024/25. That forecast is now highly unlikely, with thousands of businesses still shut across the state and Sydneys Delta lockdown likely to eclipse that of Melbournes in 2020. As NSW nears its peak in daily case numbers, the Premier on Friday announced she will no longer hold daily 11am COVID-19 updates, with the critical briefing to be replaced with pre-recorded videos featuring NSW Health staff. Ms Berejiklian has repeatedly warned the worst is yet to come for COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalisations in NSW, but said Sunday would mark the last press conference in the daily format that has become a mainstay of the Delta outbreak. To expect the leader of the government, indefinitely, to do this every day means that Im not doing my job properly, she said, adding that press conferences would be held as required. Youll still see me quite frequently every week, talking down the camera ... Ill turn up when I need to. NSW on Friday reported a record 1542 local coronavirus cases and nine deaths. From Monday the daily figures will be announced by NSW Health staff in pre-recorded videos. Ms Berejiklian rejected the assertion that she was shirking public scrutiny by stepping back from the daily update, while also refusing to recall Parliament until early October, citing health advice and orders requiring people to work from home if possible. NSW on Friday reported a record 1542 local coronavirus cases and nine deaths. Credit:Louise Kennerley However, updated advice from Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant to the president of the upper house this week said decisions about the return of MPs was now a matter for the Parliament. Dr Chant advised in late August that the September Parliamentary sitting weeks should be deferred due to the rapidly evolving outbreak. Upper house MPs have since submitted a COVID-19 safety plan to Dr Chant. Dr Chant updated her advice after reviewing the plan, saying any decisions should be made by the Department of Parliamentary Services or relevant authority. Leader of the Opposition in the upper house Penny Sharpe said there was no longer health advice stopping parliament sitting in a COVID-safe way. The Legislative Council is ready to return to give voice to the millions of people in hard lockdown, she said. The government walking away from daily COVID press conferences and walking away from Parliament is an affront to scrutiny and democracy in NSW. As NSW faces an almost $20 billion deficit, the WA government on Thursday revealed a $5.6 billion surplus, thanks largely to strong returns from its mining sector. Premier Mark McGowan also took aim at NSW for mismanaging its finances and pandemic response. Loading However, Mr Perrottet expressed frustration with the current GST distribution and likened Mr McGowan to the disturbed Lord of the Rings character Gollum. Mark McGowan is the Gollum of Australia. You can just picture him over there in his cave with his precious, the GST, he told Sky News. There are now 1156 coronavirus patients being treated in hospital, including 207 people in intensive care. Of those, 89 require ventilation. The federal Labor Party on Friday promised $2 million to push ahead with the business case for a long-awaited 25-kilometre rail line from Springfield Central to Ipswich Central. The population in the region known as the Ripley Valley, which includes Springfield, Redbank Plains, Ripley and Deebing Heights is growing at 25 per cent and is now Australias fastest-growing region. More than 500,000 people will live in the region by 2040. Thousands of new homes have emerged in the Ripley Valley in the past 12 months where the population will double in two decades. Credit:Tony Moore By contrast, Queenslands average population growth rate is around 1.7 per cent. Premier Annastacia Palasczczuk has warned parts of south-east Queensland may have to go into lockdown within days after five new local cases were reported on Saturday, but for now the region will remain open. But some restrictions, including in aged care homes, have been reinstated, with facilities south of the Brisbane River to the northern edge of Logan City closed to visitors. Ms Palaszczuk said the really good news was that all five new cases were from the same family. I know theres a lot of concern amongst the community about is there a lockdown today, she said. Dr Kim Hansen, the chair of Advancing Women in Emergency at the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, which represents emergency clinicians, said the mood among their members was sombre as they waited for Delta to arrive in Queensland. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with young fans Jack and Billie at the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital during the last state election campaign in October 2020. We are overloaded even without COVID, Dr Hansen said. Were really worried the system wont stand up if we have a Delta wave like Victoria or NSW. I think wed suffer the same fate as NSW or Victoria - wed have incredibly long delays, wed have staff that are completely overwhelmed and burnt out, patients unable to access the emergency department for many hours, which can lead to dire consequences, because we just dont have spare capacity even now. Dr Hansen said Queensland hospitals, especially large hospitals in southeast Queensland, were struggling with capacity issues even though there was very few COVID cases in the state right now. Just on Tuesday the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital was placed in Code Yellow, meaning it did not have any beds available and ambulances had to be re-routed to other facilities. Loading Its the second time the RBWH went to Code Yellow status this year that has been made publicly known, with another incident in March. Dr Hansen said much of the strain being put on Queenslands hospitals was a flow-on effect from lockdowns and the pandemic more generally in 2020, with people avoiding seeing their GP or getting treatment for more minor conditions until they needed urgent care and presented at an emergency department. However, Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union secretary Beth Mohle said it was also a result of years of policies designed around making the health system efficient but not making it better. COVID has revealed the cracks in the system, Ms Mohle said. When you put a system under pressure, fault lines begin to appear. You cant have a health system running at 100 per cent capacity all the time, you need redundancy to keep it safe. Ms Mohle said many nurses were looking at the situation unfolding in NSW with a lot of worry, and many were on the verge of burnout. Weve been living with this pandemic for more than 18 months, she said, and people can only run on adrenaline for so long. Dr Deborah Bailey, Queensland head of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, was more upbeat about the preparations being made in the leadup to any outbreak. Proportionally if we have to deal with what Sydney has had to deal with Im actually confident that we can deal with it, she said. Loading A lot of the strain on current [hospital] capacity is elective and routine work, which of course largely goes away during an outbreak. Im confident that our hospitals are world-class, and the fact weve done so well so far shows the strength of our public health measures compared to some of the other states. Dr Bailey said she believed some things would actually run smoother during an active outbreak compared to at the moment, giving PPE use as an example, where individual patients with actual or suspected COVID require special measures to deal with, whereas during an outbreak, all staff on a ward would don PPE as a matter of course. In a statement, Queensland Health outlined some measures it had put in place to deal with a potential Delta Wave in hospitals. Across the state, our public hospitals have 393 staffed and equipped Intensive Care Unit beds, with the capacity to expand to 576 beds, a spokesperson said. Our hospitals also have 1355 ventilators available for the most critical COVID-19 patients. There are more than 300 negative pressure rooms or equivalent to treat patients with infectious diseases such as COVID-19. This number has increased about 20 per cent since the start of the pandemic. Last year, the Queensland government outlined a worst-case scenario plan, which involved using the RNA Showgrounds as a major triage unit for thousands of potential COVID patients in a similar way to how the facilities were converted into a massive field hospital during the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1919. Police are hunting for a man who allegedly fired shots before running off into bushland north of Brisbane, however the Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) declared in the area has now been revoked about 6.18pm on Friday. An emergency declaration was made and parts of two major highways at Caboolture were closed after reports of shots being fired as a tow-truck driver approached a suspected stolen Nissan SUV parked on the side of the DAguilar Highway about 11am. Police have declared a Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) due to an ongoing police incident at Caboolture after reports a man fired shots before running into bushland. Credit:QPS Media The man allegedly then ran into bushland and multiple police crews are now searching for him. Specialist police and drones were being used to find the man but as of Friday evening, he was still at large and no weapons were found. Students at a south-east Queensland school have been sent home after one tested positive for COVID-19 early on Friday morning and new exposure sites have been listed, as authorities also race to control a so-far separate scare stemming from an infected NSW truck driver. Authorities have also announced a return of the existing border bubble with the NSW local government areas coming out of lockdown tomorrow, for students and essential workers who have received at least one dose of a vaccine. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the new case detected, a 13-year-old girl who attends St Thomas More College in Sunnybank, was still under investigation, but students would be sent home as a precaution as more details are gathered and shared by Queensland Health throughout the day. Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the girl had attended classes this week and, as a result, the school was advising parents to immediately collect their children and go into quarantine as an entire household for 14 days. The Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner has slapped an interim prohibition order on a struck-off doctor who had been working for a complementary medicine provider, after The Age revealed his medical licence had been cancelled after two of his patients died. The former doctor, Malcolm Traill, had told The Age the Hawthorn-based National Institute of Integrative Medicine hired him in 2012 despite knowing he had lost his medical licence. Former doctor Malcolm Traill. He said he was hired as a technician for one of the institutes hyperthermia machines an alternative cancer therapy that heats the body using microwaves. During the time he was there, the institute provided hyperthermia treatment to between 600 and 700 people, he said. Can Australia prosper without Sydney? Its the diabolical question Gladys Berejiklian is asking of the national economy as she conducts one of the most challenging policy experiments in our history. There is no margin for error in the NSW Premiers plan to begin easing health restrictions once the state has vaccinated 70 per cent of its adult population. If she reopens too soon, the remainder of the year will be a write-off. The double dip recession that began in July could easily spill over into 2022, returning us to where we were at the bottom of the lockdown cycle in 2020. We would truly be in uncharted territory at this point because Melbourne, not Sydney, has traditionally been the epicentre of our biggest economic shocks, from the land bust and depression of the 1890s to the recession of the early 1990s. Sydney emerged from those episodes with its economic power enhanced at the expense of its southern rival. Now it confronts the real danger of a once-in-a-century setback, which reinforces the shift of population, and wealth, to the frontier states of Queensland and Western Australia. Berejiklians fellow premiers and chief ministers do not begrudge her desire to live with COVID-19. Daniel Andrews has reluctantly accepted that he cant eliminate the virus in Victoria, and is sounding more like his NSW sparring partner as he charts a more cautious path to reopening once his state reaches the 70 per cent vaccination threshold. We remember. We remember the long, brutal, and dehumanising campaign that was the Victoria law and order election of 2018. Matthew Guy led the Get Back in Control push directed against gangs of African appearance. He is back as the leader of the opposition. As the subjects of the law and order election, a lot remains unforgotten and unforgiven. What remains unforgivable is that the fear campaign appeared to be a calculated election strategy. Many people of African appearance suffered as the result of a 2018 Liberal Party campaign which claimed there was an African crime crisis. Credit:Victoria Police In that election we saw, as observed by Misha Ketchell, editor of The Conversation, the most shameless opportunism dressed up as leadership. Ketchell wrote in this masthead that more than a year before the African gang crisis, he had found himself in a private conversation with a senior minister in the Turnbull government. The minister told him that he was concerned about African violence in Victoria. He then made it clear that he and his colleagues saw a political opportunity to get involved and use the issue to help the Liberal opposition win the next state election in Victoria. Prompted by criminal acts committed by young people, described by the media as of African appearance, the campaign of fear began in January and lasted until November 2018. The consequences of the fear campaign, more likea racist campaign, were devastating and unrelenting. Community legal centres reported a more than 50 per cent increase in racist attacks on African Australians and other people of colour, according to the Federation of Community Legal Centres. Victorias Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner reported that racially divisive statements about the African Australian community had contributed to a 34 per cent increase in the number of reports of racial discrimination over the past financial year. There is no doubt there has been a significant impact on the members themselves, says the Chief Commissioner. And there has been an impact on public confidence in policing but [enforcing the COVID rules] is something we are required to do. We need to do it. This is how we stop it [mass infections]. When Patton took the top job he announced a clear philosophy of back-to-basics policing, tough on crime, visible police presence and community engagement. It did not, however, include sending our people to break up fights over toilet paper at the supermarket. Some demonstrations have been particularly ugly, with police for the first time using anti-riot weapons that can fire squash ball-like projectiles and capsicum dust-filled rounds. Victoria Police confront protesters in Victoria Street, North Melbourne, on May 29 for breaching lockdown directives. Credit:Chris Hopkins Police say some demonstrators arrive with only one plan: to try and fight cops. Why would you bring two litres of milk to a protest? asks Patton. (It is a rhetorical question. The reason is to wash eyes stinging from capsicum foam.) In the aftermath some protesters have used social media to try and identify police at the demonstrations. One posted pictures asking: I am trying to identify these four individuals in order to report them for assault. The names of some police photographed were freely shared online. Responses varied from reasoned to they actually need a belting when they are off-duty. The father of one officer identified says he and his family have been targeted in a campaign of intimidation that required increased security. Police are now authorised to remove their name tags for demonstration shifts but must display their registered number to be identified if subject to complaint. Patton says he is disgusted that police who are just doing their job have been subjected to this rubbish. It can create havoc to members and their families. Loading He warns those posting and sharing inflammatory posts face the new offence of intimidation of a law enforcement officer, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years jail. The law states the offence of intimidation of a law enforcement officer or a family member occurs when the person engages in conduct that could reasonably be expected to arouse apprehension or fear in the victim for the safety of the victim. Last week eight people were arrested relating to the posts. At the beginning police treated COVID-19 as they would any other statewide emergency, such as bushfires and floods, working out of the State Police Operations Centre. Patton says police, like the rest of us, have to learn to deal with the virus long-term. Which is why he is setting up a specialist COVID Command with a police commander to be appointed in charge of COVID response and a second in charge of hotel quarantine. They will stay in those roles until the end of next year at minimum. While acknowledging dealing with the virus is the biggest game in town, policing is not a one-issue job and Patton wants to roll out a series of changes in the next 12 months. It would be wrong to call them reforms because it is really a case of returning to traditional policing. Patton doesnt want local policing controlled from the big end of town. He wants to introduce local safety committees with town hall and virtual meetings where residents tell police of their concerns: It is for the community to tell us what it needs, not the other way around. It may be hoons doing burnouts, street gangs hanging around parks, graffiti or vandalism. Under the plan the public concerns would be loaded into the police computer and uploaded to local patrols smart devices, resulting in an immediate response in a policy known as real-time policing. In another move away from one-size-fits-all law enforcement, police will return to schools, but not with an off-the-rack policy: Each school will be approached so we can provide a program catered for them. There will be three elements. Building respect and trust with police, educating students about specific issues or intervention in cases of criminal behaviour. It may be road safety, sexual consent, drugs or cyber crime, and we may use specialist police from those areas. For some reason, for some time, some senior police have tied themselves in knots when it comes to gangs. First we had some say bikie gangs were not an issue, which was, frankly, nonsense. Then we had others who wouldnt use the G-word in relation to street gangs for two reasons: the view that giving them a title acted as a recruiting poster for disillusioned youth; and that, because some gangs were ethnically based, it could be seen as racist. But if you ignore a problem it wont go away. Patton is straightforward: Gangs are the hiding place for cowards. We need to disrupt before they can escalate. It starts with fights, then knives, machetes, imitation firearms and then real guns. Loading Diversion will involve police visiting homes to intervene with young would-be gang members explaining if they dont change their present path it will end badly. If the carrot doesnt work we will bring out the stick, says Patton. This is not just about annoying and potentially dangerous street gangs. The head of the Echo anti-bikie taskforce, Detective Inspector Graham Banks, says the big bikie groups are recruiting street gang members from adult prisons to act as their muscle. Patton says one of the best weapons against bikie and Middle Eastern drug syndicates has been Firearm Prohibition Orders that give police unprecedented powers to search people and places subject to FPOs. The recent international sting where police intercepted millions of encrypted crime messages through the An0m app established the scope of organised crime. Patton says the Australian arm of the operation, code named Ironside, saved lives - it stopped criminals hitting other criminals. But, he says, it is frightening how big the problem has become. It is bigger than we thought, and we have so much more work to do. Loading All of Pattons reforms rely on police being able to provide a back-to-basics service that includes visible foot and vehicle patrols, quick responses to emergency calls, immediate intervention in family violence, a capacity to provide large numbers at critical incidents and consistent targeting of street and organised crime groups. The trouble is that over the years police, as the biggest 24- hour government responder, have been assigned jobs that have little to do with law enforcement. Patton has decided what police need to do. His challenge will be deciding what they dont need to do. We cant keep doing everything. Some policing roles have nothing to do with policing at all, he says. The biggest is mental health, with police responding to a call every 12 minutes and detaining someone to take them to hospital under the Mental Health Act every 40 minutes. No matter how well they are trained, police are not mental health experts, and it is costing thousands of patrol hours. Two people have been killed by a falling tree as they drove in Cockatoo, south-east of Melbourne, Victoria Police believe. The pair were driving along Woori Yallock Road about 10.30am on Friday, when it is believed a tree fell on their car. Sadly, the two vehicle occupants died at the scene, a police spokesperson said. Police confirmed the driver was an 82-year-old man and the passenger a 78-year-old woman, both from Cockatoo. A 34-year-old truck driver who recently travelled through New South Wales and into Western Australia has been charged over alleged breaches of emergency laws put in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic by visiting several locations without wearing a mask. The man who had driven through Queensland, NSW, and South Australia was allowed into WA at the Eucla border on Sunday with a valid G2G pass after taking a test the day before. A truck driver who crossed into Western Australia through Eucla has been charged with breaching emergency laws. Credit:WA Police Police will allege the man, who drove to Kalgoorlie, visited a restaurant and other locations without a mask and had intended to fly to other locations around WA which would have been outside the allowed conditions of his entry requirements. The man was charged with three counts of fail to comply with a direction and was due to appear in Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court on Friday. Mr Merlino said on Friday he wanted children back to face-to-face learning as soon as possible, but with hundreds of children with coronavirus, including children seriously unwell in hospital, we wont put the health of Victorian kids and teachers at risk and flood schools with people before we get public health advice that its proportionate and safe. Opposition education spokesman David Hodgett said Mr Andrews failure to detail when children would return to school in Melbourne was not good enough. Theres not a health professional in the land that believes kids should continue with remote learning, he said. Daniel Andrews has had months to formulate a plan, consult experts and have our kids ready for school in term 4. Since March, the Australian Education Union has been demanding that teachers be prioritised for vaccinations but has stopped short of calling for mandatory vaccinations. Other than those supervising year 12 students, they remain only as eligible as other Victorians. Only NSW has mandated vaccination for teachers, and it is also the only state to have any idea of how many teachers are vaccinated. A NSW Education Department survey shows two-thirds of public school teachers have had their first vaccination. Neither Mr Merlino nor the Victorian Education Department answered when asked what percentage of Victorian teachers and staff were vaccinated. Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge said teachers and support staff needed to be vaccinated, but stopped short of saying it should be mandatory. Decisions on whether to make vaccinations mandatory for teachers are for state and territory governments, Mr Tudge said. Not all parents want their children to rush back to the classroom. Malvern East mother Tamara How believes her three daughters should have the option of waiting until they are fully vaccinated before being compelled to return. Not everyone has got the resources to keep their kids at home, Ms How said. Obviously the preference is for face-to-face learning. But for me, my childrens results havent changed, their mental health hasnt declined theyre doing really well. The teachers have been diligent in checking in on them and making sure theyre staying connected not just with their school work but with their mental health as well. Ms How said children and their parents should get a choice about returning to school particularly if unvaccinated students were concerned about COVID-19. Children should be included in the decision-making, she said. Theyve had so many choices taken away from them already. Why should they have this taken off them as well? Loading The Australian Principals Federation has criticised the governments blanket lockdown of Melbourne schools. Acting president Tina King said schools in Melbourne local government areas where cases are very low deserved the same opportunity to return as regional Victoria. Schools outside Greater Melbourne reopened on Friday and were told in an operations guide likely to be mirrored in city schools when they reopen to consider holding classes outdoors if weather permits, to keep inside doors open and to avoid using ceiling fans or recirculated air conditioning. Outdoor air ventilation should be increased whenever possible, including in bathrooms, to dilute the concentration of airborne virus and to encourage air moving through a space, the guide said. Staff were also told to have their breaks, meals and meetings outdoors, avoiding staff rooms where possible. The department has backflipped on an edict that senior students living in Melbourne, but going to a regional school must stay home for the rest of term 3, following a report in The Age on Friday. All year 12 students who go to regional schools will be allowed on-site next week to complete school-assessed coursework, including those who live in Greater Melbourne. Professor Steer, who is also a director of Murdoch Childrens Research Institutes infection and immunity area, said when children did return to school the priorities needed to be vaccinating teachers and school staff, parents and caregivers. Children aged 12 and up should also be vaccinated as soon as possible. James Trauer, who heads Monash Universitys epidemiological modelling unit in the public health school, said teachers urgently needed to be vaccinated, and that Melbourne and Sydney would in the next few months experience a large epidemic of the unvaccinated ... And that is going to be well before we get vaccines approved for children aged under 12. He said there was a growing amount of evidence pointing to younger age groups needing to be back in school as soon as possible. We should get primary school teachers vaccinated so that we can get primary school students back, he said. I dont think we should hold off for another six months and ruin another six months of education for primary school students. He said it was a different situation for high school children as most were now eligible for vaccination. Loading Paris: France will offer free birth control and medical visits about contraception to all women up to the age of 25 starting next year. The measures will start on January 1, Health Minister Olivier Veran announced on France-2 television on Thursday. All contraceptive methods were already free for girls up to 18 years old, and that is being expanded to all women up to 25. Abortions in France are free for all women. French Health Minister Olivier Veran. Credit:AP Veran said young women were using contraception less than they used to, and that the main reason was financial. He didnt cite specific data. The national healthcare system covers some birth control costs but not all of them. The Motor factory at Maraimalai Nagar wore a deserted look on Friday, a day after the announcement of the company announcing the shut down of its factory. However, in a huge relief to about 2,600 workers, the state government said talks are on between and another automobile major to take over the operations of the unit. Talks are on between and another automobile maker and some other companies too. The state government will facilitate the smooth handover of the land if they reach a deal, N Muruganandam, principal secretary (industries), government of Tamil Nadu, told Business Standard. Last year, Ford was in talks with firms like Ola and Mahindra and Mahindra for contract manufacturing or for sale of both factories. It is not sure whether the current talks are with the same companies or not. On Thursday, Ford Motor Co. had announced that it will shut its car factories in India and record roughly $2 billion in restructuring charges. As per the company, manufacturing of vehicles for sale in India will stop immediately, and about 4,000 employees will be affected. While the Sanand vehicle assembly unit will be shut by the third quarter of the current financial year, the Chennai engine and vehicle assembly plants will stop operations by the first quarter of the next financial year. The decision is expected to affect over 4,000 employees and around 40,000 people employed with dealers. The Chennai unit spread across an area of 350 acres had an annual production capacity of around 200,000 vehicles and 340,000 engines. The site, manufacturing Ford EcoSport and Ford Endeavour, has so far seen investments to the tune of around $1 billion and used to export cars to around 37 countries at one point. On the other hand, the Sanand facility is spread over 460 acres and has an installed capacity of 240,000 vehicles and 270,000 engines per annum. The site manufactures Ford Aspire and hatchback Ford Figo and has also seen investments to the tune of around $ 1 billion. Employees unsure about future Around 2,600 employees and workers of the ancillary units at the Maraimalai Nagar unit are still left in a lurch not knowing the future course of action. On Friday, the plant was shut due to Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations and security officials who were present at the plant informed Business Standard that for almost a week. We were informed about the decision only yesterday after their public announcement. They informed us about this only through mail. The management has called for a meeting on Monday and we want to listen to what they have to say, said Arun Sanjivi, a worker at the body shop of the factory and also the secretary of Chennai Ford workers Union. The company said in a tweet that the decision is to create a new asset-light model, which is sustainable for a longer term and it has no plans to leave India. Our major cause of concern is the jobs of employees in both the plants. Now, our employees are at home for almost a week due to the shut down. We want to listen to the offers that the company is coming up with and if they are going to hand over the plant to a new player, saving some of the jobs, that would be good, said Suresh S, president of the Union. The Union may take a call on whether to take legal option or not only after the meeting. IndiGo, one of Asias biggest budget airlines, is aiming at running at full capacity domestically and is targeting just over two-thirds in international routes as the virus pandemic eases and people start traveling more. Things are improving slowly, Chief Executive Officer told Bloomberg Televisions Rishaad Salamat and Haslinda Amin on Friday, adding that it was hard not to be bullish as traffic is going up. He said the current load factor for the airline is around 70% and yields are likely to rise in coming months. Current cash levels were pretty good, Dutta said, though he added that the company wanted to raise funds as an insurance buffer against a possible third wave. Indias air travel recovery could turn out to be short-lived as forecasters predict a new Covid wave may peak in October. India has suspended international flights until Sept. 30 and limited the passenger capacity on domestic services to 72.5% of pre-pandemic levels. The carrier, operated by Ltd., posted a loss of 31.8 billion rupees in the three months ended June 30, worse than a loss of 28.5 billion rupees a year earlier. IndiGo had imposed compulsory leave-without-pay for all its employees as passenger traffic plunged to near zero due to the deadly second Covid wave that hit India between March and May. To combat the cash drain, Indian carriers have been raising funds. IndiGo in May said its considering raising 30 billion rupees by selling shares to large investors after it shelved the plan in January, saying back then that internal sources of cash would be sufficient as demand started to recover. MakeMyTrip, which has been doubling down on its alternative accommodation business for about three years now, says the segment is seeing booking at over 100 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, even as streaming services' production houses travelling for shoots to different cities are also contributing to corporate travel bookings. MakeMyTrip's alternative accommodation business includes villas, apartments and hostels. It is now adding about 1,000 properties to that segment per month. "Service apartments and hostels were 10-15 per cent of total room nights pre-pandemic. Now, villas and service apartments' contribution has increased. Hostels as a category are still lagging behind because that segment has not really opened up," said Rajesh Magow, co-founder and group chief executive officer at He said plans to add another 15,000 properties in alternative accommodation in the next 18 months. Earlier, hostels were the preferred stay of choice for students, and even business travellers looking to spend a night or day in a location. Given the work from home options across industries, and many contemplating a hybrid model of work, people have travelled for workations, leisure travel, or just a weekend getaway, and find these a more cost effective alternative. "The overall cost per person will be relatively cheaper if you are a group of say 6 or 8 people sharing a 3BHK (bedroom, hall kitchen)," said Magow. But it is also nuclear families that are looking to have a safe place to themselves, or a group of students or colleagues travelling together to work during the week and party over the weekend that are looking at alternative accommodation, he added. In terms of change in people's travel booking patterns over the last year of the pandemic, Magow said the preference for bigger properties has increased. "The preference for premium or branded properties has increased for two reasons. One is that people feel they are generally clean and hygienically kept. The second is the price drop most premium properties were forced to put in place to increase occupancy," said Magow. In terms of locations, places within 200-300 km of large cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, essentially within driving distance, where people can easily go with a driver along with an RT-PCR test, are popular. In addition, people are venturing out of the more popular locations like Shimla, to more offbeat ones. While corporate travel in small and medium business had already started picking up, large corporations are now mulling opening up work-related travel. The rush to get new content on streaming services or over the top services like Netflix, hotstar, Amazon Prime, MX Player and others has also added to travel. "Production houses working with OTT platforms have been doing round the clock work. All of them have become really popular, and they are doubling down on new content on the platforms. When these production houses go to a particular city, they need long stay room nights so that's also corporate travel for us," said Magow. The (BRO) is developing six-foot tracks in in order to improve connectivity to the remote areas in the state. Project Arunank of the has attached priority on development of the six-foot tracks and has commenced work in full swing to achieve the desired goals within three years, sources said here on Friday. The tracks include Huri-Tapa (20.44-km), Tap-Goying (18.6-km), TapaKaru (43.18 km), Sarli-Semai (54.87-km), Sarli-Phulle (34.38-km) and Nacho-Bangte (41.6-km) in Kurung Kumey and Upper Subansiri districts bordering China, the sources informed. " in #ArunachalPradesh commenced construction of foot track Huri-Tapa. The endeavour is part of the larger aim of holistically addressing the challenge of improved connectivity to the remote areas in Arunachal and spur socio-eco development in the state," the BRO tweeted. BRO Director General Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhary with his committed officers down the line has been constantly monitoring the work progress, the sources said, adding Project Arunank has been entrusted with the responsibility of critical infrastructure development in the border areas. The six-foot tracks would not only impact socio-economic development in border areas but also serve as a boon for security in border districts, the sources added. Taking to twitter, the BRO DG said, "All tracks being constructed are in remote part of It will not only repopulate that area but also allow sumos and jeeps to ply on these tracks. BRO will continue to be committed to join far-flung areas to the hinterland of the state albeit with great sacrifice, if necessary. (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.) Both the Centre and the government are committed to complete a bridge over the river, connecting Majuli and Jorhat, within four years and are jointly working towards it, Union minister Sarbanand Sonowal said on Friday. The statement of Sonowal, who was a former chief minister of Assam, came two days after a boat headed to Majuli sank in the river after hitting a ferry steamer near Nimati Ghat in Jorhat district, in which one person died and two others went missing. "We all want a bridge on the and both the state and central government have taken necessary steps in this direction so that it is well constructed with the latest technology," Sonowal told media persons here. The Union minister for shipping, ports and ayush said he respects the opinion of those who asserted that the boat mishap could have been avoided if the Jorhat-Majuli bridge was there. The foundation stone of the bridge was laid in 2016 while Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the Bhumi Pujan earlier this year. At present, "technical aspects are being examined with both the state and the central governments aiming at completing the project within the next four years", Sonowal said. Sonowal was elected from Majuli in 2016 and again in 2021 while he was elected twice as MP from Lakhimpur constituency under which the world's largest river island is an assembly segment. He became a Union minister in July and is yet to resign as a member of the assembly. Rejecting allegations from some quarters that he had done politics over the bridge issue, he said, "The people of Majuli have elected me twice as an MLA and also as an MP. I will never do politics with the people of the island as I both respect and revere them." The state cabinet on Thursday decided to entrust Finance Minister Ajanta Neog with the responsibility of monitoring the construction of the bridge. "This indicates the commitment both the Centre and state government has towards the people of Majuli. Steps will be also taken by both the governments to improve the infrastructural facilities at both the Nimatighat and Kamlabari ghat at the earliest," he added. The boat collision was a "very tragic and unfortunate incident. I was in Delhi and immediately called up Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to discuss the matter. The prime minister and the Union home minister also assured all help to rescue the passengers," 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.) Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. 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Digital Editor The has ended the weekend curfew in the border districts of Kerala and Maharashtra following a decrease in the number of new Covid-19 cases. The decision was taken in a meeting held on Thursday and orders were issued later in the evening. The state-wide Covid-19 positivity rate stood at 0.73 per cent and it has come down below 2 per cent in all the districts. The expert committee had recommended weekend curfew in districts that recorded more than 2 per cent of Covid positivity. The bordering districts especially, Kodagu, Mysuru, Dakshina Kannada which borders Kerala have also recorded less number of cases, as well as a low positivity rate. The number has also decreased in Chamarajnagar and Hassan districts, where a large number of students and workers commuted from Kerala. The state government had recently issued a circular for all educational institutions and companies to restrict the movement of people from Kerala. The Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada also issued a directive restricting the movements from and towards Kerala till October 31. The state government has given authority to the respective District Commissioners to take a call on imposing weekend curfews and other measures based on the Covid situation. However, night curfew will continue in the state including the border districts, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. The government has also directed authorities of the border districts of Kerala and Maharashtra to strengthen checkposts. --IANS mka/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Friday reported a net decrease of 2,968 in active cases to take its count to 390,646. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 2.08 per cent (one in 48). The country is sixth among the most affected countries by active cases. On Thursday, it added 34,973 cases to take its total caseload to 33,174,954 from 33,139,981 an increase of 0.1%. And, with 260 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 442,009, or 1.33 per cent of total confirmed infections. With 6,758,491 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Thursday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 723,784,586. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 32,342,299 or 97.49 per cent of total caseload with 37,681 new cured cases being reported on Friday. Now the sixth-most-affected country by active cases, third by deaths, second by total cases, and first by recoveries, India has added 271,665 cases in the past 7 days. India now accounts for 2.08% of all active cases globally (one in every 48 active cases), and 9.57% of all deaths (one in every 10 deaths). India has so far administered 723,784,586 vaccine doses. That is 2181.71 per cent of its total caseload, and 51.87 per cent of its population. Among Indian states, the top 5 in terms of number of vaccine shots administered are Uttar Pradesh (89574098), Maharashtra (71290815), Gujarat (55044139), Rajasthan (53427641), and Madhya Pradesh (53307371). Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Kerala (934506), Uttarakhand (867908), Gujarat (861783), Delhi (842981), and Karnataka (738528). Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 27 days. The count of active cases across India on Thursday saw a net addition of 2,358, compared to net addition 1,608 on Wednesday. States and UTs hat have seen the biggest daily net increase in active cases are Mizoram (136), Andhra Pradesh (114), Meghalaya (82), Odisha (69), and Manipur (54). With 37,681 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 97.49%, while fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.33%. The Indian states and UTs with the worst case fatality rates at present are Punjab (2.74%), Uttarakhand (2.15%), and Maharashtra (2.12%). The rate in as many as 15 is higher than the national average. Indias new daily closed cases stand at 37,941 260 deaths and 37,681 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 0.68%. Indias 5-day moving average of daily rate of addition to total cases stands at 0.1%. Indias doubling time for total cases stands at 657.2 days, and for deaths at 1178.0 days. Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (26200), Tamil Nadu (1596), Andhra Pradesh (1439), Karnataka (1074), and Mizoram (1055). Among states with more than 100,000 cases, the five with worst recovery rates at present are Kerala (93.99%). India on Wednesday conducted 1,787,611 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 538,604,854. The test positivity rate recorded was 2%. Five states with the highest test positivity rate (TPR) percentage of tested people turning out to be positive for Covid-19 infection (by cumulative data for tests and cases are Dadra & Nagar Haveli-Daman & Diu (14.73%), Goa (13.9%), Kerala (13.09%), Sikkim (12.63%), and Maharashtra (11.7%). Five states with the highest TPR by daily numbers for tests and cases added are Kerala (16.69%), Mizoram (10.07%), Sikkim (8.19%), Manipur (7.14%), and Meghalaya (5.61%). Among states and UTs with more than 10 million population, five that have carried out the highest number of tests (per million population) are Delhi (1403999), J&K (1012865), Kerala (922433), Karnataka (664675), and Telangana (641639). The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6497872), Kerala (4309694), Karnataka (2959164), Tamil Nadu (2628961), and Andhra Pradesh (2026042). Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 0 new cases to take its tally to 6497872. Kerala, the second-most-affected state by total tally, has added 26200 cases to take its tally to 4309694. Karnataka, the third-most-affected state, has reported 1074 cases to take its tally to 2959164. Tamil Nadu has added 1596 cases to take its tally to 2628961. Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 1439 to 2026042. Uttar Pradesh has added 9 cases to take its tally to 1709503. Delhi has added 36 cases to take its tally to 1438118. Tropical rainforests currently cover 1070 million hectares of the worlds surface. More than 90% of them are located in three regions: Central Africa, in the Congo Basin; South America, mostly in the Amazon; and in Southeast Asia, in Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. It is estimated that 400 million hectares of these forests are currently given over to timber production. But our research over many decades shows the rules that govern timber harvesting in tropical forest currently based on logging intensity and cutting cycle do not allow for the long-term recovery of the timber volume being harvested from these ecosystems. These observations question the very foundations of the so-called sustainable management of these forests, and indicates that we will see further degradation of the planets last timber-producing tropical rainforests. It is therefore urgent that we seek out new sources of timber. Natural forests alone will not be able to meet current and future demand. The principles of tropical silviculture the management of forests to meet the needs of diverse groups and industries must also be completely revised. No time to recover Timber harvesting in tropical forests concerns only a very small number of trees of commercial interest: one to three trees per hectare in Africa, five to seven in the Amazon, and eight in Southeast Asia. Just a few species, including ipe, cumaru, okoume and sapelli are exploited worldwide. Among these, only the largest trees of more more than 50 to 80 cm in diameter are felled and harvested. The forest is then left to rest, generally for 25 to 35 years, depending on a specific countrys legislation. These rest periods, known as rotations, should theoretically allow the forest to recover the stock of harvested timber. But our data shows that, in reality, these resting periods are vastly underestimated. Plinio Sist Since the early 1980s, CIRAD and its partners have set up experimental plots to monitor tropical forest dynamics in order to assess the effects of selective logging on the reconstitution of the timber stock. This information now allows us to simulate the trajectories of exploited tropical rainforests according to the harvesting intensity, but also other variables including rainfall and soil type. Using this information, we calculated the reconstitution of a forestss biomass, the commercial volume of timber and the evolution of biodiversity within the Amazon basin to highlight significant differences within the same region. We found that, in general, the rotation times of 25-35 years in force in most tropical countries are insufficient to fully reconstitute the timber volume removed. On the other hand, biodiversity and biomass seem to recover fairly quickly within 20-25 years, after which more than 80% of biodiversity remains at the level of the pre-harvest level. Unsustainable production In the Brazilian Amazon, current forest protection legislation is based on a 35-year cycle, with an harvesting intensity of 15-20 m3 per hectare and an initial proportion of commercial species of 20%. At this rate, and considering a harvesting area of 35 million hectares, the level of production cannot be maintained beyond one harvesting cycle of 35 years, and will then decline each year until the resources are depleted. Only by reducing harvesting intensity by half and a 65-year cutting cycle would ensure sustainable and constant timber production; however, in this situation, only 31% of current demand could be met. In Southeast Asia, the cutting cycle period is 20 to 30 years, and logging intensities in primary forest, on average 80m3 per hectare, can exceed 100m3 per hectare. But data from forest dynamics monitoring indicate that only an intensity of 60m per hectare every 40 years would ensure sustainable and consistent production over time. Finally, in Central Africa, the recovery of the stock of timber removed 25 years after logging is only 40%, suggesting a recovery of barely 50% over a 30-year rotation. A new system for harvesting timber The idea behind tropical silviculture, designed more than half a century ago, is that natural tropical forests are capable of producing timber in a sustained manner. In light of our results, this position must be completely revised. The monitoring of tropical forests dynamics after logging shows that, in most tropical countries, they will not be able to meet the growing market demand for timber within 30 years, according to the rules established by forestry legislation. In the vast majority of cases, true sustainability would require a considerable reduction in the harvesting intensity and a significant increase in the duration of logging cycles, which compromises the economic sustainability of selective logging in the current legislation system. Natural tropical forests can no longer be perceived as a simple source of timber: the environmental services they produce should also be taken into account. For example, we could consider pricing timber from natural forests higher than that from plantations, with intended use linked to the higher quality of their wood. This higher price would increase the economic profitability of timber harvesting in natural forests, while plantation wood could be used for less noble purposes. There is an urgent need to promote diversified tropical forestry now, combining timber production from natural forests, mixed plantations, agroforests (human-created forest systems with a multi-level vegetation structure similar to natural forests), and secondary forests (those regenerated on deforested areas left to be abandoned). The rising international interest in tropical forest restoration under the Bonn Challenge a plan to restore 350 million hectares of deforested land by 2030 or the very recent proclamation of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), are both opportunities to implement this new approach in the tropics. But no new system aimed at sustainable timber production will be successful without also introducing effective policies to combat illegal logging and deforestation, which continue to supply the timber market at lower costs and compete with any logging system aimed at long-term sustainability. Plinio Sist, Ecologue des forets tropicales, Cirad This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The southwest monsoon in Delhi may have been erratic and one of the most delayed this season, but it has given the highest to the capital in 11 years -- 1,005.3 mm so far. This is the first time since 2010 that monsoon in Delhi breached the 1,000 mm mark. Normally, the Safdarjung Observatory, which is considered as the official marker for the city, records 648.9 mm of during the monsoon season on average, according to India Meteorological Department data. Between June 1, when the monsoon season starts, and September 10, it gets 586.4mm of rainfall. "Delhi had recorded 1,031.5mm rainfall in the monsoon season in 2010. Since then, this has been the highest rainfall," an IMD official said. Delhi gauged 636 mm, 544 mm, 876 mm, 370.8 mm and 505.5 mm during the monsoon season in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. It recorded 524.7 mm rainfall in 2016; 641.3 mm in 2017; 762.6 mm in 2018; 404.3 mm in 2019 and 576.5 mm in 2020, according to IMD data. Intense bursts of rainfall pounded the capital in July and September -- sometimes 100 mm precipitation in a few hours -- that submerged roads, residential areas, schools, hospitals, and markets in knee-deep water and plunged vehicular traffic into chaos. Delhi recorded more than 100 mm of rainfall on two consecutive days at the start of the month -- 112.1 mm on September 1 and 117.7 mm on September 2. It has so far received 248.9 mm precipitation this month, surpassing the September average of 129.8 mm precipitation by a big margin. Despite the monsoon embracing Delhi only on July 13, making it the most-delayed in 19 years, the capital had recorded 16 rainy days in the month, the maximum in the last four years. The string of rainy days gave 507.1 mm rainfall in Delhi, which was nearly 141 per cent above the long-period average of 210.6 mm. It was also the maximum rainfall in the month since July 2003, and the second highest ever. The city recorded just 10 rainy days in August, the lowest in seven years, and a cumulative rainfall of 214.5 mm, lower than the average of 247 mm. Mahesh Palawat, Vice President, Skymet Weather, a private forecasting agency, said the monsoon pattern is changing due to climate change. "The number of rainy days has reduced over the last four to five years, and there has been an increase in extreme weather events," he said. "We have been recording short and intense bouts of rain, sometimes around 100 mm rainfall in just 24 hours. In the past, this much precipitation would occur over a period of 10 to 15 days," he said. Weather experts said such spells of rain do not help recharge groundwater and lead to flooding in low-lying areas. The water percolates in the ground if it rains slowly over four to five days. In case of heavy falls, the rainwater runs off quickly, a former IMD official said. "The rain washes away pollutants, but since the number of rainy days has reduced, the average annual air quality is also getting affected," 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.) The Friday dismissed a plea by challenging an order passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) which said there was no illegality on the part of DSP A K Bassi in approaching the with an application challenging his transfer from Delhi to Port Blair. A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh said it was not inclined to interfere with the CAT order and added that does not disclose how his act of availing a legal remedy is treated as misconduct. The bench said Bassi had not approached the for his vindication on account of adverse criticism but challenged his transfer order. Bassi, working as Deputy Superintendent of Police, CBI, was issued a memo on December 11, 2019 with two charges against him. The first was that he did not report to Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, though he was transferred to that place through an order of October 24, 2018. The second was that he filed an application before the without obtaining any prior sanction of the government or intimation to it. He challenged the charge memo before the tribunal. The CAT, by its January 11, 2021 order, had not found any serious illegality or infirmity in the order of transfer. However, regarding the second article of charge, the tribunal had said that it found that the application filed by Bassi, was dealt with by the Supreme Court and an order was passed. The question of department finding any illegality or infirmity into the same does not arise, the tribunal had said, adding that it was accepting the arguments advanced in this regard by the officer. In the high court, the CBI counsel challenged the quashing of second article of charge by the CAT and alleged that the officer conducted himself as undisciplined towards the government and that the tribunal has quashed the article of charge without any proper discussion. Bassi, who was the investigating officer in the corruption case against CBI's former special director Rakesh Asthana, had challenged before the apex court the transfer order issued on January 11, last year saying it was violative of the directions issued by the top court. (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.) : Amid widespread criticism, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office on Friday dismissed as "baseless" the media reports that a draft bill, allowing police to spy any communication without waiting for the permission of the competent authority to check organised crimes, is under the consideration of the government. "There is no file at the government level in this regard. The reports, circulating in connection with this, are baseless," a CMO statement said here. The CMO, however, said suggestion for an effective legislation to check organised crimes have come up from various quarters and a four-member committee have been appointed to examine the proposals received in this regard. The Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Law Secretary, and former additional advocate general K K Raveendranath were the members of the government-appointed panel, it said. The Chief Minister's office also made it clear that there would not be any intervention from the part of the Left government over the rights of citizens, enshrined in the Indian Constitution. No such proposal would be be accepted by the government, it added. According to a media report, the controversial draft bill proposes that an officer at the rank of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) can give official permission for an investigating officer to intercept wire, electronic or oral communication during an emergency situation to curb an organised crime. The report also said that a panel, headed by Chief Secretary, would scrutinise the Bill soon. Meanwhile, opposition Congress already came out against the CPI(M)-led LDF government over the alleged draft bill. Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari tweeted that the bill was "unconstitutional". "Kerala Control of Organised Crimes Bill allowing post-facto approval of with a 48 hours lag is Unconstitutional. Files in the face of 1996 SC Judgement in PUCL VS UOI, Rule 419-A of Telegraph Rules, Section 69 of IT Act & 2009 IT Interception Rules," 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.) will be holding a bilateral meeting with the Australian Minister for Defence Peter Dutton in New Delhi at 03 "Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh will hold a bilateral meeting with the Minister for Defence of Australia, Mr Peter Dutton at 3.30 PM today," said the Office of the Defence Minister of India on Twitter. The Australian ministers will also meet Union Minister Smriti Irani at the Shastri Bhawan here.Australia's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said in a statement that the ministers will be visiting India, Indonesia, South Korea and the United States. This visit is aimed at advancing Australia's relationship with their close friends and strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific region, the statement had 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.) Defence Minister on Friday conveyed to his Australian counterpart Peter Dutton that the rise of raises serious security concerns for India and the region as the terror groups having bases in could get further support to expand their activities, official sources said. In the in-person talks, Singh also said that Afghan territory should not be used to threaten or attack any other country and emphasised that the international community must do everything possible to ensure the implementation of the UN Security Council resolution 2593 on Afghanistan, they said. The India delegation flagged concerns over the possible implication of the Taliban's capture of power for the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir as there are apprehensions about spill-over of terrorist activities from to the union territory, the sources said. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Dutton arrived here on Friday on a three-day visit primarily to take part in the inaugural two-plus-two ministerial dialogue between the two countries. In his talks with Dutton, Singh also talked about India's concerns over violation of human rights and suppression of rights of women, children and minority communities under the regime, the sources said. The Afghan crisis was discussed at length and there was a convergence of views between the two sides on it, the sources said, adding Singh spoke strongly about the need to implement the UNSC resolution adopted on August 30 under India's presidency of the global body. The resolution demanded that Afghan territory should not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter and train terrorists and plan or finance terrorist attacks. The eastern Ladakh border row between India and China also found brief mention at the talks and the Indian side conveyed that New Delhi is committed to resolving the issue peacefully through talks, the sources said. In his statement to the media, Singh described the talks as "very fruitful and wide-ranging" and said bilateral defence cooperation, as well as regional issues, figured during the deliberations. He said both sides are keen to work jointly to realise the full potential of the India-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership. "This partnership is based on our shared vision of free, open, inclusive and rule-based Indo-Pacific region. Both, Australia and India have tremendous stakes in peace, development and free flow of trade, rules-based order and economic growth in the region," he said with Dutton by his side. "Our discussions today focused on our bilateral defence cooperation and expanding military engagements across services, enhancing defence information sharing, cooperation in emerging defence technologies and mutual logistics support," Singh said. He also mentioned Australia's participation at the Malabar exercise in the last two editions. Singh said both sides agreed that there are opportunities of bilateral collaboration for co-development and co production of military equipment and that he invited the Australian industry to take advantage of India's liberalised foreign direct investment policies in the defence sector. "I apprised Minister Dutton about our recent efforts towards 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) and growing innovation ecosystem in India. We discussed opportunities to work together in Defence Science and Technology areas," Singh said. He said India is committed to building a robust partnership with Australia for the security and growth of the entire region. "I look forward to working with you to take the India Australia defence partnership to greater heights," Singh said. Defence and military cooperation between India and Australia is on an upswing in the last few years. In June last year, India and Australia elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and signed a landmark deal for reciprocal access to military bases for logistics support during an online summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) will stop manufacturing vehicles in India but retain the engine-making and technology services business. S&P Global on Thursday revised telecom firm Bharti Airtels outlook to stable from negative". Here are the top headlines of the day: Ford to stop making vehicles in India amid mounting losses and poor sales will stop manufacturing vehicles in India but retain the engine-making and technology services business (Global Business Services) as part of restructuring its India operations. Approximately 4,000 employees are expected to be affected by this. Read more. . . S&P Global revises outlook to 'stable' from 'negative' Ratings agency S&P Global on Thursday revised Bharti Airtels outlook to stable from negative, on the back of the company's operating fundamentals and superior leverage management. Read more. . . India's industrial sector grows, manufacturers continue to struggle Indias industrial sector has seen a recovery from the lows of the first wave of the pandemic last year but the revival is being led by commodity producers such as metals and oil & gas companies while manufacturers such as auto firms and makers of consumer goods continue to struggle. Read more. . . China's app ban proves to be a jackpot for Indian mobile apps Eighteen months after the government started banning Chinese mobile apps, two distinct changes have occurred in the countrys mobile app sweepstakes. The move has given a thrust to domestic app publishers, especially in certain segments and it has dramatically reduced the market share of Chinese apps. Read more. . . All eyes on Central Bank, Indian Overseas Bank after UCO exits PCA After UCO Bank's exit from the prompt corrective action (PCA) regime, two public sector lenders - Indian Overseas Bank and Central Bank of India - are waiting to get out of the framework as well. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is examining the performance of both banks. Read more. . . The commerce ministry's investigation arm DGTR has recommended the imposition of on certain aluminium products from China to guard domestic manufacturers from cheap imports. The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has concluded in its probe that the dumped imports of 'Certain Flat-Rolled Products of Aluminium' from China have impacted the domestic industry. The material injury suffered by the domestic industry has been caused by the dumped imports, DGTR has said in a notification. "The Authority, therefore, considers it necessary to recommend imposition of the definitive ..on all imports of the subject goods...originating in or exported from China," it added. The DGTR has recommended USD 65 per tonne and USD 449 per tonne on imports. The finance ministry takes the final decision to impose the duty. In international trade parlance, dumping happens when a country or a firm exports an item at a price lower than the price of that product in its domestic market. Dumping impacts the price of that product in the importing country, hitting the margins and profits of the manufacturing firms. According to global trade norms, a country is allowed to impose tariffs on such dumped products to provide a level-playing field to domestic manufacturers. The duty is imposed only after a thorough investigation by a quasi-judicial body, such as DGTR, in India. The imposition of is permissible under the World Trade Organization (WTO) regime. India and China are members of this Geneva-based organisation, which deals with global trade norms. The duty is aimed at ensuring fair trading practices and creating a level-playing field for domestic producers vis-a-vis foreign producers and exporters. (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.) Marking the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks in the US, the members of the UN Security Council has said that they are as united today as they were two decades ago in their commitment to prevent and counter in all its forms, as India underlined that the 9/11 Memorial should remind nations of the collective resolve to fight and to refute all attempts to justify it. The 15-nation Council issued a press statement on Thursday on the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, recalling that the Council had quickly condemned the horrifying terrorist attacks two decades ago. Today, the members of the Security Council marked this solemn anniversary with a visit to the September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City. The members of the Security Council are as united today as they were 20 years ago in their commitment to prevent and counter terrorism, in all its forms and wherever it occurs, consistent with law, the press statement said. The Permanent Representatives of the 15 Council nations visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum on September 9. It was indeed a moving experience to be present at Ground Zero in New York on the 20th Anniversary of the 9/11 terror attack. I paid homage at the memorial to all the lives lost, which include many Indians. The site should remind us of our collective resolve to fight and to refute all attempts to justify it, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti told PTI. In a tweet Tirumurti said, A moving experience at #GroundZero in New York on #20thAnniversary of 9/11 #Terror attack. UNSC paid homage at @Sept11Memorial to lives lost, including many Indians. There are no 'your terrorists' & 'my terrorists' or 'bad terrorists' & 'good terrorists'. Must fight it together. US Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield led the United Nations Security Council on the visit to the National September 11th Memorial and Museum to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. The Security Council delegation laid a memorial wreath in honour of the 2,977 people from more than 90 countries who lost their lives in the terror attacks. Chairman of the National September 11th Memorial and Museum Michael Bloomberg and President and CEO Alice Greenwald welcomed the Council to the site and led a tour of the museum. The visit also marked the 20th anniversary of the actions the Security Council took as a united front in the wake of 9/11 that galvanised counterterrorism cooperation efforts. Speaking at the Memorial, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, I hope that we can use this occasion to reflect and remember and honour those victims, as well as the survivors and first responders from that day. The Council and the world should never forget the attack on the city that we all now call our home. The Security Council expressed its continued resolve to combat threats to peace and security in a statement issued in conjunction with the visit. Thomas-Greenfield said the visit to the 9/11 Memorial by the Council Ambassadors is the first Security Council event since the COVID-19 pandemic began and unfortunately, it's a sad event, but it's also an important event. And it's an important event that reflects the unity of this Council on this issue it means a lot to us to be able to gather here today as a group and pay tribute to the victims of 9/11 and to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the action that the Council took as a united front in response to the attack." Thomas-Greenfield said that over 90 countries, including some of us here today, lost citizens on that day. In the statement, the Council members offered their condolences to the families and friends of those killed in these attacks, recognising that more than 90 countries lost citizens. So, today, the members of the Security Council re-commit to the words set forth in the Charter of the United Nations to 'save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and for these ends to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security.' Those words are a guiding light to all nations as we engage in our solemn task to make the world safer and more secure, it 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.) The development agency has said is teetering on the brink of universal poverty which could become a reality in the middle of next year unless urgent efforts are made to bolster local communities and their economies. It said the takeover of has put 20 years of steady economic gains at risk. The UN Development Programme outlined four scenarios for following the Taliban's August 15 assumption of power that predict the country's GDP will decline between 3.6 per cent and 13.2 per cent in the next fiscal year starting in June 2022, depending on the intensity of the crisis and how much the world engages with the That is in sharp contrast to the expected 4 per cent growth in GDP before the fall of the government. Afghanistan pretty much faces universal by the middle of next year, Kanni Wignaraja, UNDP's Asia-Pacific Director, told a news conference on Thursday while launching its 28-page assessment. That's where we're heading it's 97-98 per cent ( rate) no matter how you work these projections. Currently, the rate is 72 per cent and Wignaraja pointed to many development gains after the were ousted from power in 2001. The UN rights office on Friday said that the Taliban response to peaceful marches in Afghanistan has been increasingly violent, with authorities using live ammunition, batons and whips that have resulted in at least four protester deaths. Ravina Shamdasani, UN rights spokesperson, told a briefing in Geneva that it had received reports of house-to-house searches for those who participated in the protests. U.S. President and Chinese leader spoke for 90 minutes on Thursday, in their first talks in seven months, discussing the need to ensure that competition between the world's two largest economies does not veer into conflict. The U.S. side said the "proof will be in the pudding" as to whether the stalemate can be broken with ties between the superpowers languishing at their lowest point in decades. In a statement, the White House said Biden and Xi had "a broad, strategic discussion," including areas where interests and values converge and diverge. The conversation focused on economic issues, climate change and COIVD-19, a senior U.S.official told reporters. "President Biden underscored the United States' enduring interest in peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and the world and the two leaders discussed the responsibility of both nations to ensure competition does not veer into conflict," the White House added. Occasional high-level meetings since Xi and Biden's first call in February have yielded scant progress on issues ranging from human rights to transparency over the origins of COVID-19. In the months since, the two sides have lashed out at each other almost constantly, often with vitriolic public attacks, sanctions on officials and criticism over not upholding obligations. Chinese state media said Xi had told Biden that U.S. policy on China imposed "serious difficulties" on relations, but added that both sides agreed to maintain frequent contact and ask working-level teams to step up communications. "China and the United States should ... show strategic courage and insight, and political boldness, and push Sino-U.S.relations back to the right track of stable development as soon as possible," state media said, citing Xi. Asian currencies and share markets strengthened, as investors speculated that the call could bring a thaw in ties between the two most important trading partners of regional economies. Xi said that if "core concerns" on both sides were respected, diplomatic breakthroughs could still be made in the area of climate change, adding that the issue could add "positive factors" to the relationship. During a visit to China by Biden's top climate envoy John Kerry last week, senior diplomat Wang Yi said climate change was an "oasis" in China-U.S. relations but it could not be separated from broader disputes. 'Proof will be in the pudding' The Biden administration, preoccupied by a chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, has signaled that ending America's longest war will give U.S. political and military leaders the space to tackle more pressing threats from China's rapid rise. But Beijing has been quick to seize on the U.S. failure in Afghanistan to try to portray the United States as a fickle partner. Last month, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Washington should not expect China's cooperation on that or other issues if it was also trying to "contain and suppress" China. The senior U.S. administration official told reporters before the call that Washington had been disappointed that Chinese officials appeared only willing to read talking points during recent high-level talks. The official added that the U.S. side saw the leaders' call as a test of whether direct engagement with Xi could end what had become a stalemate in ties. "This is about seeing if there is an ability to engage more substantively than we've been able to ... the proof will be in the pudding," the official said after the call, describing the tone as candid, but respectful. But the official also acknowledged that the United States' ability to change China's behavior may be limited, and that Washington must largely focus on shoring up competitiveness and rallying partners and allies. Successive U.S. administrations have complained that Beijing has sought to use endless dialogue as a delaying tactic, frustration with which ultimately led Washington to end an annual U.S.-China dialogue mechanism. Even so, the official said Biden had not planned to raise the prospect of U.S. retaliatory action or "costs" if China refused to co-operate on a range of issues, including investigations into the origin of COVID-19. Beijing denies the U.S. accusation that it has not co-operated with the pandemic source investigation. The U.S. official said it would require a "training period" for the Biden administration to convince Chinese leaders, who are preparing for an important Communist Party congress next year, that Beijing's stance would not pay dividends. "We also think that essentially Beijing's actions are quieter than their words," the official said. "Their responses to our actions have actually been largely symbolic and frankly their hard line rhetoric isn't really working." (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.) Chinese technology shares rebounded, snapping a two-day loss, after a newspaper report clarified that Beijing was slowing down instead of halting new game approvals. The Hang Seng Tech Index advanced 2.9% on Friday, pushing the index up a third straight week. Ltd. and NetEase Inc. were up at least 2.1% after tumbling a day earlier. Hong Kongs Hang Seng Benchmark also gained 1.9%. The return to buying reflected easing investor concerns on the broader tech sector after the South Morning Post corrected a Thursday report that the government had temporarily halted the approval of new online games. It clarified that there is a slowdown in the process, rather than a complete freeze. While people have been mentally prepared for more crackdowns, the declines in Tencent and its peers on Thursday may have been overdone, said Linus Yip, chief strategist of First Shanghai Securities. The selloff in other non-gaming stocks like Meituan was miscalculated, he added. Shares of the delivery company climbed 4.3%, recovering much of the lost ground on Thursday. Bargain hunters have been seeking opportunities in the beaten-down Chinese tech shares after an epic plunge earlier this quarter triggered by Beijings move to ban after-school tutoring firms from making profits. But sentiment remains fragile amid the ongoing clampdowns. The Hang Seng Tech Index is up around 14% from its Aug. 20 low, but still some 38% down from its February peak. The (EU) is working on how to provide security for a limited EU diplomatic presence in Kabul after the made clear in meetings they would welcome such a move, according to an internal EU memo. The memo, seen by Bloomberg News, says the protection of facilities and convoys is the most complicated issue to sort out and that the return of any officials would not mean recognition of the government. Wont take part in Afghan govt inauguration: The said on Friday Russia would not take part in any way in the government's inauguration ceremony in A local mobile operator and internet service provider in Singapore on Friday said that hackers have accessed the personal data of its 79,400 subscribers, the latest incident in a string of cyberattacks in recent months. The "unauthorised data access" incident was uncovered on August 29 and the relevant authorities had been informed of the breach, MyRepublic, the company, which operates in the Asia-Pacific region with operations in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, said in a statement. The details stolen were identity verification documents related to customer's applications for mobile services and including scanned copies of utility bills with residential addresses of foreigners here, as well as National Registration Identity Card of locals, it said. Customers who ported an existing mobile service had their names and mobile numbers accessed. MyRepublic said that there is currently no indication that other personal data, such as account or payment information, was affected. MyRepublic has notified the Infocomm Media Development Authority and the Personal Data Protection Commission of the issue and will continue to cooperate with those authorities. MyRepublic has also activated its cyber incident response team, which includes a team of external expert advisors such as KPMG in Singapore, to work closely with MyRepublic's internal IT and Network teams to resolve the incident. The privacy and security of our customers are extremely important to us at MyRepublic. Like you, we are disappointed with what has happened, and I would like to personally apologise for any inconvenience caused, MyRepublic CEO Malcolm Rodrigues said. My team and I have worked closely with the relevant authorities and expert advisors to secure and contain the incident, and we will continue to support our affected customers every step of the way to help them navigate this issue, he said. On August 19, The Business Times reported that Singapore-based tech company Pine Labs fell victim to ransomware. Hackers were said to have stolen confidential documents between Pine Labs and several Indian banks, and held the information hostage, according to the Singapore daily report. The payments platform is backed by state-owned Temasek, manager of Singapore investments globally. On August 25, a ransomware attack affected the personal data and clinical information of nearly 73,500 patients of a private eye clinic. The information included names, addresses, identity card numbers, contact details and clinical information such as patients' clinical notes and eye scans, said Eye & Retina Surgeons. On August 16, insurer Tokio Marine Insurance Singapore said it was hit by a ransomware attack. (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.) Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday urged the community to adopt a "new positive approach" towards Afghanistan, warning that isolating the country will have "serious consequences" for the Afghan people, the region and the world at large. Qureshi made the comments during a joint press conference along with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, who arrived in Islamabad on Friday to discuss the latest Afghan situation. The two leaders held delegation-level talks in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ahead of their media interaction. Isolating will have serious consequences and will not be helpful for the Afghan people, the region and the world at large, said Qureshi, adding that the policy of intimidation, pressure and coercion did not work. We have to adopt a new positive approach regarding Afghanistan, he said. He urged the community to recognise the new reality in and engage with the for the sake of peace. Qureshi urged the world to focus on averting the humanitarian crisis in and expressed satisfaction that a conference was to take place in Geneva to raise funds for the country. He said was contributing towards the improvement of the situation in Afghanistan and sent an aircraft on September 9 with food and medicine supplies and promised to extend more humanitarian assistance through air and land routes. Qureshi reiterated his call to the community to take steps to avert economic collapse of Afghanistan, which can be done by making available the resources and promoting economic activities. He suggested the decision of freezing Afghan funds will not be helpful and be revisited. Talking about the international commercial flight from Kabul to Doha on Thursday, he said this safe passage was in sync with the demand of the Europeans and we need to encourage the to stay on course. Qureshi also regretted that the "spoilers" did not allow the intra-Afghan dialogue to reach a conclusion, saying if there had been progress on talks among various Afghan groups, things would have been calmer. Qureshi said there were great opportunities for bilateral cooperation between and Spain in different fields. Given the changed security situation in Pakistan, he urged the Spanish counterpart to review the travel advisory. The Spanish Foreign Minister expressed his desire to work closely with Pakistan and other regional countries to help the Afghan people. Both Pakistan and Spain want stability, peace in Afghanistan and no spillover effect to the region We want humanitarian assistance to reach the Afghan people, he said. Albares said a donor conference on Afghanistan will be held on Monday where the pledges will be made and their agencies are ready to help the Afghan people. He said that Pakistan was a very important partner for his country and the European Union. As both countries celebrate 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations, this is an excellent opportunity for us to re-energise the bilateral relationship, Albares said. Earlier, Pakistan's Foreign Office said that Pakistan and Spain enjoy cordial relations, bilaterally as well as in the context of EU and Spain is also the 3rd largest trading partner of Pakistan within the EU, and home to one of the largest Pakistani diasporas in Europe. The visit of Foreign Minister Albares will help reinforce close cooperation between the two countries to strengthen mutual coordination on regional and international issues, said the Foreign Office. (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.) Blaming unvaccinated Americans for preventing the US from overcoming the pandemic, President has imposed stringent new rules, including taking a few punitive measures, to vaccinate millions of workers as the country witnessed a dangerous spike in COVID-19 cases. The Biden administration has been successful in vaccinating a significantly large population of the country, but the fact that about 25 per cent of eligible Americans -- about 80 million people -- who remain unvaccinated pose a threat to the gains made by him in the fight against COVID-19. The US, the worst-hit nation by the pandemic, is reporting an average of 151,500 new cases per day, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, hovering around levels seen in late January. An average of 1,500 people are dying from COVID-19 every day in the US, Johns Hopkins data shows. We can and we will turn the tide of COVID-19, Biden said in an address to the nation from the White House on Thursday. It'll take a lot of hard work and it's going to take some time. Many of us are frustrated with the nearly 80 million Americans who are still not vaccinated even though the vaccine is safe, effective and free. The president had promised a "summer of freedom" from the virus, but the Delta variant has seen infections surge. Biden laid out a six-part plan intended to get more people vaccinated, allow schools to reopen safely, increase testing, improve care for patients and boost economic recovery. As part of the plan, the president announced a new requirement for federal employees to get a Covid vaccine, with no option for regular testing. He also signed an executive order extending the requirement to contractors that work with the US government, impacting a total of 2.1 million employees. At the centre of Biden's new plan is directing the Labour Department to require all businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure their workers are either vaccinated or tested once a week. Companies could face thousands of dollars in fines per employee if they don't comply. The order will affect about 80 million workers. "My message to unvaccinated Americans is this: What more is there to wait for? What more do you need to see? We have made vaccinations free, safe and convenient. "The vaccine is FDA approved. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot. We've been patient but our patience is wearing thin and your refusal has cost all of us," Biden said. "So please, do the right thing, he said. Other rules that Biden directed include a doubling of fines for passengers on planes who refuse to wear a mask, invoking the Defence Production Act to accelerate the creation of rapid at-home testing kits, deploying healthcare workers to areas experiencing surges in cases and increasing the weekly pace of shipments of free monoclonal antibody treatment to hospitals The vast majority of Americans are doing the right thing. Nearly three-quarters of the eligible have gotten at least one shot, but one quarter has not gotten any. That's nearly 80 million Americans not vaccinated and in a country as large as ours, that's a 25 per cent minority. That 25 per cent can cause a lot of damage, and they are, he said. It protects our economy and will make our kids safer in schools, he said. He also asked nearly 3,00,000 educators in the federal head start programmes to get vaccinated and called on all governors to require vaccination for all teachers and staff. Biden said his other plan is increasing testing and masking. From the start, America has failed to do enough COVID-19 testing. In order to better detect and control the delta variant, I'm taking steps tonight to make testing more available, more affordable, and more convenient. I use the Defence Production Act to increase production of rapid tests, including those that you can use at home, he said. In addition to testing, we know masking helps stop the spread of COVID-19. That's why when I came into office, I required masks for all federal buildings and on federal lands, on airlines, and other modes of transportation, he said, adding that the Transportation Safety Administration will double the fines on travellers that refuse to mask. Reiterating that COVID-19 transcends borders, he said they need to continue fighting the virus overseas, and continue to be the arsenal of vaccines. We're proud to have donated nearly 140 million vaccines over 90 countries, more than all other countries combined, including Europe, China, and Russia combined, he said. That's American leadership on a global stage. And that's just the beginning. We've also now started to ship another 500 million COVID vaccines, Pfizer vaccines, purchased to donate to 100 lower-income countries in need of vaccines. And I'll be announcing additional steps to help the rest of the world later this month, Biden 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.) Nepal's iconic Pashupatinath temple, the 5th century holy Hindu shrine, opened for devotees on Friday after nearly five months as the number of fresh COVID-19 cases declined in the country. Pashupatinath is the largest complex in and stretches on both sides of the Bagmati River and sees thousands of worshippers from and India daily. It was closed on April 23 due to the second wave of the pandemic. On the first day, devotees thronged the to pay homage since morning, according to the temple's authorities. They said that the temple remained open until 1:00 PM as the risk of COVID-19 was not fully over though the number of cases has declined of late. Devotees were asked to wear face masks and use hand sanitizer, according to the Pashupati Area Development Trust's (PADT) administrative officer Rewati Raman Adhikari. Only 25 devotees, maintaining physical distance, will be allowed to enter the temple premises at a time, he said. As the temple remained closed for more than four months, its authorities organised the Chhyama puja (forgiveness worship). The PADT has made arrangements for devotees to enter the temple through a single door and exit through the next. (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 BRICS countries have agreed not to recognise the government in until they receive assurances that it will comply with the prescripts of law, South African foreign minister Naledi Pandor said on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a virtual summit of the five-nation grouping. The 13th was also attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro. "We had a (on Thursday) in which our president spoke, and we've adopted a statement, that is a BRICS statement, very clearly articulating the view that we want to see the restoration of democracy and enjoyment of fundamental human rights by the people of Afghanistan, Minister of Relations Pandor told the radio station 702. The BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) brings together five of the largest developing countries of the world, representing 41 per cent of the global population, 24 per cent of the global GDP and 16 per cent of the global trade. Until we are assured that the government, once it's in place, intends to observe the prescripts of law, we wouldn't proceed with any form of recognition, Pandor said. The minister also explained why refused to accept Afghan refugees as an interim stop while their immigration permits to the US were processed. We received a rather odd set of letters from South African based lawyers, asking that we receive two aeroplane loads of persons who had sought refuge in Pakistan, but would be transported to in order for US authorities to vet them in South Africa, because some of them would be given the special immigration permit by the United States. Firstly, we're not a vetting base; and secondly, if these are refugees and they would have gone to Pakistan, which is a safe country, there is no international law requirement that they must proceed to a third country, Pandor said. She said in terms of practice, the first engagement would be to seek asylum in Pakistan, which they have done; and if Pakistan wants to help in any way, it would not be through a law firm in South Africa that represents the government, but the government itself. When we contacted the government of Pakistan about this, they knew nothing of this, Pandor said. The minister also said that the withdrawal of the US Army from as the rapidly took over all areas of was "exceptionally badly handled", placing the country's security at risk. "I believe, as with much of the world, that the process wasn't handled very well. I think there should have been a far smoother process of particularly the evacuation of persons that the US had promised they would evacuate from that country. So, I think the management was rather of concern, she said. The foreign minister described the fall of the Afghan government as very surprising. "The army couldn't hold out, so security was not able to be provided for the people of Afghanistan, so the whole situation really can be described as exceptionally badly managed," she said. The swept across Afghanistan last month, seizing control of almost all key towns and cities in the backdrop of withdrawal of the US forces that began on May 1. On August 15, the capital city Kabul also fell to the Taliban, even as a large number of Afghans attempted in vain to flee the war-torn nation. The foreign minister also said the authorities in the UK were continuing to remove South Africa from the red list for visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I think it's unwarranted as South Africa has made really good progress through this third wave and I think South Africa's health system has shown that we are able to cope with the challenge. We have sufficient measures in place. We are conveying this to our counterparts in the UK and we hope that very soon sense will prevail, Pandor 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.) President urged Chinas to cooperate on key issues even as they spar on other topics, as his administration grows frustrated over what it perceives as a lack of seriousness in Beijings engagement with American officials. The leaders of the worlds biggest economies spoke by telephone for 90 minutes on Thursday night, their first discussion since February. It came as the relationship becomes increasingly adversarial, with a senior administration official telling reporters that Biden initiated the call after meetings involving his cabinet officials and Chinese counterparts over the past months remained unfruitful. The two leaders had a broad, strategic discussion in which they discussed areas where our interests converge, and areas where our interests, values, and perspectives diverge, the said in an account of the conversation. They agreed to engage on both sets of issues openly and straightforwardly, it added, saying they discussed the responsibility of both nations to ensure competition does not veer into conflict. The US has sought to separate issues like climate change from more contentious ones like trade, human rights and democracy in places like Hong Kong, while Beijing has linked them all together. While it doesnt appear like the call changed those dynamics, optimism over improved relations helped put Chinas yuan on pace for its strongest close in nearly three months. Xi told Biden that the China policy adopted by the United States for some time has caused serious difficulties in relations, according to state broadcaster China Central Television. He said China was ready to cooperate on issues ranging from the global to climate change, but that it needed to be done on the basis of respecting each others core concerns. Bidens goal was to see whether personal engagement with Xi could set the relationship on a more serious path and help advance issues where both sides can cooperate, the official said. The tone between the two leaders was familiar and candid, the US official said. Xi speaks with German Chancellor Merkel China's President urged Germany to promote a "correct" policy towards China within the European Union in a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to a Chinese state media report on Friday. He also said he hopes the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment could be ratified soon, according to a report of the call by CCTV. of Governor Weligamage Don Lakshman said he would step down next week at a time when the South Asian island nations weak reserves have limited its ability to import goods and raised the risk of default. did not immediately announce a successor to Lakshman, who took up the post in December 2019. The government said he would step down on Tuesday. The announcement comes with bonds at nearly half their face value, debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) levels exceeding 100%, more than 80% of government revenues going on interest payments alone and reserves dropping to less than two months import cover in July. Getting things done according to my policy perspectives was not an easy task. My plan was to tender my resignation on my 80th birthday coming next month, Lakshman told a briefing. The unpleasant events over the last week or 10 days have shortened my intended period by about six weeks, he said, although he did not elaborate. The government said it does not want to seek support from the Monetary Fund. Lakshman told the briefing he believed the government should turn to the for help. He also said he had been offered a role at the but would not accept it. Sri Lankas forex reserves were $2.8 billion in July, reducing import cover to less than two months. S&P Global Ratings cut the countrys outlook in August to negative, after cutting its ratings to CCC+/C from B- last year, citing cited concerns that risks to the island nations debt servicing capacity had risen further due to COVID-19 pandemic. The UK's health regulator has approved and vaccines for booster doses against Covid-19, even as the country's decision on the third dose remains pending. "We know that a person's immunity may decline over time after their first vaccine course. I am pleased to confirm that the Covid-19 vaccines made by and can be used as safe and effective booster doses," said June Raine, MHRA Chief Executive of Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), in a statement on Thursday. The decision follows a careful review of available data on safety and effectiveness of booster or supplementary vaccine doses by the MHRA and the independent Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), which advises the government, it added. The MHRA also noted that it is now up to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the UK vaccine advisory body, "to advise on whether booster jabs will be given and if so, which vaccines should be used". The JCVI is awaiting results on seven different booster vaccines, which is expected this week. However, the JCVI has said a third dose should be offered to people with severely weakened immune systems, which make up about half a million people over the age of 12 in the UK. Earlier this week, Ministers said the National Health Service (NHS) was ready to go if booster jabs were given the green light. But, chief Pascal Soriot warned against rushing into a nationwide rollout noting that it may put extra pressure on the country's already burdened NHS. Writing in The Telegraph, he said that a third dose of vaccines against Covid-19 may not be needed for everyone in the UK. Moreover, the decision to jab the entire population must be based on "real world clinical effectiveness data, not simply antibody measurements", Soriot wrote in the newspaper. On the other hand, US pharmaceutical major Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla had said that Covid vaccine recipients will "likely" need a third dose between six to 12 months after they're fully inoculated. He also suggested the need for yearly vaccinations against coronavirus. The US is also expected to soon roll out Covid booster vaccines for all its citizens, even as the World Health Organization has called for a moratorium on boosters. The US has already started a third dose for immunocompromised people. Other countries that started booster vaccines include Israel, Italy, France, and Russia. --IANS rvt/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The takeover in has hearted and emboldened extremists and could lead to the return of major al-Qaida-style attack plots against the West, the head of Britain's domestic intelligence agency said on Friday. MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said the UK could face more risk because of the withdrawal of NATO troops and the overthrow of the internationally backed Afghan government. Terrorist threats tend not to change overnight in the sense of directed plotting or training camps or infrastructure the sorts of things that al Qaida enjoyed in at the time of 9/11, McCallum told the BBC in a rare interview. But what does happen overnight, even though those directed plots and centrally organized bits of take a bit longer to rebuild ... Overnight, you can have a psychological boost, a morale boost to extremists already here, or in other countries. So we need to be vigilant both for the increase in inspired which has become a real trend for us to deal with over the last five to 10 years, alongside the potential regrowth of al-Qaida-style directed plots. Britain has seen several violent attacks by Islamist-inspired extremists in the past two decades. The deadliest was on July 7, 2005, when four suicide bombers killed 52 commuters on London subway trains and a bus. More recent knife and vehicle attacks have largely been the work of individuals inspired by militants such as the Islamic State group, but not directed by them. McCallum said UK authorities had disrupted 31 attack plots in the past four years, by both Islamic and far-right extremists. He said it was hard to say whether Britain was safer or less safe, 20 years after the September 11 attacks in the United States. The number of plots that we disrupt nowadays are actually higher than the number of plots that were coming at us after 9/11, but on average they are smaller plots of lower sophistication, 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.) The Justice Department sought to put a quick stop to a restrictive anti- law in after the Supreme Court refused to do so, seeking an emergency injunction to block it long enough for a court to rule it unconstitutional. The 27-page complaint, filed Thursday in federal court in Austin, seeks both an immediate and permanent injunction against the law, which bars almost all abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. The act is clearly unconstitutional under longstanding Supreme Court precedent, Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a news conference. The Supreme Court refused last week to block the measure, as requested by providers in Texas, while its challenged in lower courts. The law, known as Senate Bill 8, deputizes citizens to sue people who perform or aid in the procedure, allowing them to collect at least $10,000 and legal fees if they succeed in court. Garland called the law an unprecedented scheme using bounty hunters. The obvious and expressly acknowledged intention of this statutory scheme is to prevent women from exercising their constitutional rights by thwarting judicial review for as long as possible, Garland said. This kind of scheme to nullify the Constitution of the is one that all Americans -- whatever their politics or party -- should fear. The lawsuit comes as Garland and the Justice Department are facing mounting pressure to take action from President Joe Biden, congressional Democrats and advocates for womens reproductive rights. Garland denied, however, that political pressure had anything to do with the decision to file the lawsuit. The department is seeking a declaratory judgment that the law is invalid under the Supremacy Clause and the Fourteenth Amendment, is preempted by federal law and violates the doctrine of intergovernmental immunity. Stephen Miller, who served as an adviser to former President Donald Trump and is now president of the conservative group America First Legal, said in a statement that the lawsuit was not a legal action, but a political action -- a statement of President Bidens support for He called it extremely bizarre that it sought to enjoin every resident from invoking the law. Prospects Debated The lawsuit comes as the conservative-controlled Supreme Court prepares to hear a Mississippi appeal that seeks to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion nationwide. Some legal experts questioned whether the suit will succeed in stopping the Texas measure. The trick here isnt the merits; those were always going to be incredibly strong, University of Texas constitutional law professor Steve Vladeck said in a tweet. The trick is how to get the right relief against the right defendants. A declaratory judgment against TX is a good start, but its not clear how a court can enjoin everyone from enforcing it. But Neal Katyal, who served as the governments top Supreme Court lawyer under President Barack Obama, said the procedural issues arent all that different from what the Justice Department faced when it sued Arizona a decade ago over its crackdown on illegal immigration. The Supreme Court scaled back the Arizona law in 2012. The vigilante provision is tricky but not that hard to create a case around, particularly given the chilling effect, Katyal said. He said that the lawsuit tees up a showdown in the U.S. Supreme Court about whether Roe v. Wade is going to be overruled. Garland said in a statement Monday that the department was urgently exploring all options to challenge the Texas law. The department will use powers under an existing law to provide support from federal law enforcement when an abortion clinic or reproductive health center is under attack, Garland said then. Biden said last week that he believed the Justice Department may have some ability to limit the legislation, without providing details. He called the law an assault on abortion rights. The case is: U.S. v. State of Texas, 21-cv-00796, U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas (Austin) Treasury Secretary told U.S. financial regulators Thursday that if Congress fails to address the nations debt ceiling, there may be financial stability implications. The fallout from not raising the limit in a timely manner was among topics raised at a private meeting of the Financial Stability Oversight Council, the Treasury Department said in a statement. Yellen has campaigned for congressional action and has warned that the Treasury would probably reach the borrowing limit sometime next month. The council of regulators, including the chiefs of the Federal Reserve, Securities and Exchange Commission and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, is responsible for heading off risks that could spark another financial crisis. The group also discussed the commercial real estate market and heard a presentation from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on industry trends and the exposures of various financial sectors to commercial real estate and potential risks. Under orders from President Joe Biden, the council is also working on a report assessing how climate change could shake the financial system, which is due in November. The announced on Sept. 7, 2021, that Mullah Hasan Akhund has been appointed interim prime minister of Afghanistan. The decision comes more than two weeks after the militant Islamist group seized control of much of the country, including the capital, Kabul. The Conversation asked Ali A. Olomi, a historian of the Middle East and Islam at Penn State University, to explain who Mullah Akhund is, and what his appointment may portend for amid concern over human rights in the war-ravaged nation. Who is Mullah Hasan Akhund? Mullah Akhund is a fascinating but relatively enigmatic figure in the He has been an influential figure in since the inception of the militant group in the 1990s. But unlike other leaders from that period, he was not involved in the Soviet-Afghan war of the 1980s. While Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar and his deputies fought with the mujahedeen a loose network of anti-Soviet Afghan fighters Akhund did not. Instead, he is seen much more as a religious influence in the Taliban. He served on the Talibans shura councils, the traditional decision-making body made up of religious scholars and mullahs an honorific given to those trained in Islamic theology. Akhund is probably best known as one of the architects of the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan, the giant cliff statues destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. Initially, Omar had no intention of destroying the statues. But the Taliban founder was angered at seeing conservation money being made available for the UNESCO world heritage site while failing to secure humanitarian aid from the United Nations for As such, Omar sought out the advice of his shura, and Akhund was part of the council that ordered the destruction of the sixth-century statues. Akhund held a political role in the Taliban government of the 1990s, serving as foreign minister; however, his importance lies more in the development of the groups religious identity. He, like Mullah Omar, was schooled in a brand of strict Islamist ideology, known as Deobandism. After the Taliban was ousted from Afghanistan in 2001, Akhund remained an influential presence, operating mostly from exile in Pakistan. From there he would give spiritual and religious guidance to the Taliban throughout the 2000s and 2010s. In this role, he provided the ideological justification for the ongoing insurgency against the United States and the U. S.-backed Afghan government. Today, there are broadly two factions in the Taliban a military wing that carries out the day-to-day campaigns, and a conservative religious elite grounded in Deobandism that acts as its political wing. Mullah Akhund aligns very much with the religious faction of the Taliban. What does his appointment tell us about the Taliban? There appears to be a power struggle behind Akhunds appointment. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who served as deputy to Omar during the early years of the Taliban before assuming the position of de facto leader after Omars death, had been seen by many experts on Afghanistan as a potential head of state. But there is political tension between Baradar and the powerful Haqqani network a family-based Islamist group that has become the Talibans de facto diplomatic arm in recent years and has been successful in gaining support for the group among other local groups. The Haqqanis are among the most militant factions of the Taliban. And recent conciliatory language from Baradar on issues such as womens rights, working with the community and amnesty for members of the former government runs counter to the ideology of the Haqqani network. Akhund seems to be a compromise candidate between supporters of Baradar and the Haqqani network. The delay in his appointment the Taliban repeatedly put off making an announcement could be an indicator of internal divisions in the Taliban. When the announcement came, it was accompanied by news that Baradar would be his deputy, while two members of the Haqqani network would also serve in the Afghan government. Whether this arrangement is permanent or temporary remains to be seen, but the compromise could be a testing of the waters of the Taliban to see how effective Akhund is as a unifying figure for the group. What does Akhunds appointment mean for Afghanistan? Akhund is a conservative, religious scholar whose beliefs include restrictions on women and the denial of civil rights for ethic and religious minorities. His edicts in the 1990s, adopted by the Taliban, included the banning of womens education, enforcing gender segregation and the adoption of strict religious garb. This could all be an indicator of what is to come. Despite the conciliatory language of the Taliban of late, I believe it is likely that we might see a return to some of the rules in place when the Taliban previously held power, including a ban on womens education. We have already seen on Sept. 5 the Taliban order female university students to wear the abaya. The abaya is similar to a burka, but it differs in that the coverings are nearly always black. The abaya is not Afghan, but a style of dress more common in the Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar. With this order, I see the Taliban signaling its intention to place Afghanistan within a wider Islamist movement. In the 1990s, the Taliban were very much an insular, nationalist group with the aim of bringing its brand of Islamist rule to Afghanistan. Now, Akhund seems to be looking to position the Taliban alongside partners an ambition that can also be seen in the Talibans recent diplomatic outreach with the governments of Qatar, the UAE and Pakistan. Ali A. Olomi, Assistant Professor of History, Penn State This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. By Alex Lawler LONDON (Reuters) -Oil rose to around $73 a barrel on Friday, supported by growing signs of supply tightness in the United States as a result of Hurricane Ida and as U.S.-China trade hopes gave riskier assets a boost. About three quarters of the U.S. Gulf's offshore oil production, or about 1.4 million barrels per day, has remained halted since late August. That amount is roughly equal to what OPEC member Nigeria produces. "With the restart in offshore crude production lagging, the odds are that the Ida effect will still be felt in the coming weeks," said Stephen Brennock of oil broker PVM. Brent crude rose $1.57, or 2.2%, to $73.02 by 1330 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude added $1.58, or 2.3%, to $69.72. Oil and equity also got a boost from news of a call between U.S. President and his Chinese counterpart The call raised hopes for warmer relations and more global trade, analysts said. [MKTS/GLOB] "The Biden-Xi phone call has had the same effect on oil as it has on other asset classes," said Jeffrey Halley, analyst at brokerage OANDA. Brent was on track to end the week with a small gain and has rallied 41% this year, driven by supply cuts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and some demand recovery from the pandemic. On Thursday, both crude contracts had fallen more than 1% after China said it would release crude oil reserves https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/china-release-state-crude-oil-reserves-first-time-2021-09-09 via public auction to help ease high feedstock costs for refiners, a move described as a first. In focus next week will be revisions to the oil demand outlook for 2022 from OPEC and the International Agency. OPEC will likely revise down its forecast on Monday, two OPEC+ sources said. (Additional reporting by Florence Tan in Singapore and Sonali Paul in Melbourne; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle and Edmund Blair) (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.) If youve spent time in a country whose native language you dont speak, you know how painful and embarrassing it can be to be able to communicate only through facial expressions, sign language and a handful of poorly-pronounced phrases. When I was in France, I went to a beauty salon for a haircut, recalls Delhi-based homemaker Manju Malhotra. When I asked them to make my hair petite as that was the only word I knew, they cut it so short that I hated myself. She confesses that being able to speak the right language, even at a basic ... 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More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The is like an impoverished landlord who can not look after his house anymore, president has said. He also said that on the issue of leadership, leaders were very "sensitive" and not open to any suggestions. "There was a time when the had presence from Kashmir to Kanyakumari....we agree. But that is not the situation now," Pawar said, speaking to the Marathi news-portal 'Mumbai Tak'. Both the and Congress are part of the Shiv Sena-led ruling combine in Maharashtra. "When it comes to leadership, some Congress leaders are very sensitive and unwilling to consider other suggestions," he further said. "A Zamindar (landlord) in Uttar Pradesh once owned huge tracts of land and a Haveli (mansion). Then he lost most of the land....the Haveli stands but he can't repair it....he says all that land belonged to me, but it is in the past," Pawar said. The supremo, who quit the Congress in 1999 after opposing Sonia Gandhi's leadership, however, also said that his party follows the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Differences with the Congress were only over the style of functioning, he said. Speaking about the formation of unlikely alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra after the 2019 assembly polls, Pawar said it was Sonia Gandhi who approved the proposal, and Rahul Gandhi was not part of those discussions. Commenting on Pawar's statements, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis told reporters that he had "shown mirror to the Congress". (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.) Farmer bodies protesting the Centre's agriculture laws on Friday appealed to political parties to suspend their till the schedule for the is out so that the focus remains on their agitation. Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, who presided over the meeting, said Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders said they will consult their party leadership before announcing their decision. The Congress was represented by its unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. In a tweet after the meeting, Sidhu said, Had a positive meeting with Samyukt Kisan Morcha Discussed the way forward !! Apart from the two parties, representatives of the AAP, BSP, Lok Insaaf Party and the SAD (Sanyukt) took part in the meeting, for which the invite was not sent to the BJP for the party's pro-farm laws stand. Rajewal said, "We appeal to parties that electioneering should not be held before the polls are announced. The party, which will still insist on running an before poll dates are announced, we will consider them as against the farmers' agitation." Rajewal told reporters after a nearly five-hour-long meeting, "As our Morcha (agitation) is going on and a different kind of situation prevails currently, farmers' attention is focused on the Morcha. When parties conduct electioneering and mobilise supporters for their programmes, it diverts their attention."Some other farm leaders said representatives of political parties were asked not to indulge in electioneering or hold political rallies till the elections are announced as it may hurt the farmers' struggle. However, they said parties are free to hold small functions which do not attract big gatherings. Rajewal said all parties who took part in the meeting asserted that they stand behind farmers in their agitation. As many as 32 farmer bodies under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha had called the meeting. (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 Uttar Pradesh Police has booked AIMIM chief for allegedly vitiating communal harmony, violating Covid norms and making "indecent" remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, police said Friday. The FIR against the All India Majlis-e-Itthehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief was registered Thursday night at Barabanki city police station after his party's rally. IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity on ground of religion, race etc.), 188 (disregarding order of a public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease) and the Epidemic Act have been slapped against him, Superintendent of Police, Barabanki, Yamuna Prasad said. He said the Hyderabad MP violated Covid guidelines -- on mask and social distancing -- by arranging huge crowds at the party rally at Katra Chandana Thursday. "In his speech, the AIMIM chief made statements for vitiating communal harmony and said the 100-year-old Ram Sanehi Ghat mosque was razed by the administration and its debris was also removed. This is contrary to the fact," the SP said. "By this statement, Owaisi tried to vitiate communal harmony and incite feelings of a particular community. He also made indecent and baseless remarks against the PM and the Uttar Pradesh chief minister," he said. Owaisi was on a three-day trip to Uttar Pradesh, where his party plans to contest 100 seats in the upcoming assembly polls. In a scathing attack on PM Modi, Owaisi had Thursday alleged there have been efforts to turn the country into a "Hindu Rashtra" since he came to power seven years back. Referring to the law against instant triple talaq, the Hyderabad MP also mentioned the "plight" of Hindu women, while directing a personal barb at Modi. "Ever since Narendra Modi became prime minister, efforts are on to demolish secularism and make the country a Hindu Rashtra," he had said. Criticising the triple talaq law, Owaisi said, "BJP leaders talk about injustice against Muslim women subject to talaq but remain mum on the issue of the plight of Hindu women discarded by their men." "My bhabhi (PM Modi's wife) stays alone in Gujarat but nobody has an answer for her," he had 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 an eye on the scheduled in Uttar Pradesh next year, the is planning to enroll over 1.5 crore new members in the politically important state. Currently, the saffron brigade has over 2.5 crore members in Uttar Pradesh. The 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly is likely to go to the polls in February-March next year. The Vice President of BJP's Uttar Pradesh unit, Vijay Bahadur Pathak, told IANS that as part of its 'booth jeeto, chunav jeeto' (win booths to win elections) campaign, the party will launch a membership drive to enroll new members before next year's state polls. "As per the plan, workers will enroll a minimum 100 new members at over 1.53 lakh polling booths in Uttar Pradesh, where the party has a committee. During the membership drive, the party is targeting to enroll a minimum of 1.5 crore members in the state," Pathak said. "These around 4.25 crore party members will ensure BJP's victory in Uttar Pradesh with a thumping majority. The membership drive will be launched soon," he added. In the first phase of 'booth jeeto, chunav jeeto', the has constituted a 21-member committee at the booth level and also held a 'Satyapan Abhiyan' (verification campaign). "Out of around 1.63 lakh polling booths in the state, we have formed committees in 1.53 lakh booths. Due to several political issues, the formation of booth-level committees at around 10,000 polling booths has been delayed which will be completed soon," Pathak said. The saffron party has directed its state units, especially in the five poll-bound states -- Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa -- to form a 21-member committee of party workers at each polling booth. This committee will consist of women, youth, Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Caste (OBC) and members from the other sections of the society. Another UP BJP leader said that over four crore BJP members will secure the votes of their family and friends for the party. "With the efforts of the old and new members, the party will achieve its target of getting more than 50 per cent votes in the state polls," he claimed. (Shashi Bhushan can be reached at shashi.b@ians.in) --IANS ssb/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.) The trial of 85 suspects allegedly involved in an attack on a Hindu temple in Pakistan's Punjab province began at an anti-terrorism court on Friday. Hundreds of people, carrying sticks, stones and bricks attacked the Ganesh temple at Bhong city of Rahim Yar Khan district, some 590 km from Lahore on August 4, burning parts of it and damaging the idols in protest against the release by a court of an eight-year-old Hindu boy, who was arrested for allegedly urinating in a local seminary. The attackers had damaged the idols, walls, doors and electric fittings while desecrating the temple. "The trial of 85 suspects arrested in the temple attack case began today after police submitted a report to the anti-terrorism court," a Punjab government official told PTI. The suspects have been detained at the New Central Jail in Bahawalpur city, 450 km from Lahore, on judicial remand. The official said the government has also recovered more than PKR 10 lakh compensation amount from the suspects. As the restoration of the Ganesh mandir was carried out by the government soon after the attack, the Supreme Court had ordered that the attackers would pay the restoration amount from their own pocket, he said, adding that the temple has been restored from inside, but the construction of the boundary wall is still underway. Police had registered an FIR against 150 suspects under terrorism and other sections of the Penal Code for attacking the temple. Pakistan's Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed had regretted that vandalism at the temple had brought shame to the country as police acted like silent spectators. "Imagine what mental agony the desecration incident had brought to the members of the Hindu community," he had observed. The temple attack also drew strong condemnation from India and the minority community leaders in Pakistan's Parliament had also condemned the attack by adopting a resolution. According to a police investigation report, on July 25, a Bhong resident reported to police that on the previous day he had witnessed a boy passing urine in the library of the seminary. The boy fled when he tried to catch him. A complaint was registered at the Bhong police station under various sections of the Penal Code. The report said that the boy, aged between eight and 10 years, was arrested on July 26 and was produced before the court, which sent him to judicial lockup. However, he was released on July 28 on post-arrest bail. Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country. The majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province where they share culture, traditions and language with Muslim residents. They often complain of harassment by extremists. (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.) Kitchenware brand Wonderchef is eyeing 23 per cent growth in revenue at Rs 400 crore in 2021-22 as compared to the previous year due to increase in upgradation of cookware following the pandemic, a top company executive said. "The COVID-19 related disruptions forced many people to enter their where they found the need to upgrade their cookware. "This increased the demand for Wonderchef products. Looking at the growth momentum, we expect to touch Rs 400 crore revenue in this financial year compared to Rs 325 crore during 2019-20," Wonderchef founder and managing director Ravi Saxena told PTI. With more and more young people entering the following the pandemic, there was a growth in demand for stylish, modern, healthy and convenient cooking appliances, which will drive the demand and help Wonderchef become a Rs 1,000 crore company in next five years, he said. The company, which manufactures its products through 65 vendors in India as well as overseas, is also targeting to increase its market share in the country to 10 per cent in the organised kitchenware segment in the next five years, he said. Wonderchef enjoys 6 per cent market share in the organised kitchenware segment, which is around Rs 8,000 crore (excluding and refrigerator) and is growing at 10 per cent annually, he noted. The company, which mainly targets the fit and the young, and manufactures mass premium products, also announced that it has roped in Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon as its brand ambassador. The engagement with Sanon will amplify our efforts to create more awareness about healthy cooking and capture wider demography. Taking Sanon as our brand ambassador was a natural choice for us because she is a self-made independent person with a mix of modern and traditional values. "The vividness of her persona and the finesse with which she connects with the audience make her the ideal choice for strengthening our brand positioning," Saxena explained. Wonderchef, which began its journey in 2009, uses omni distribution channels including tele marketing, e-commerce, retail partners, exclusive brick-and-mortar showrooms as well as direct selling through 45,000-50,000 women entrepreneurs. Saxena said Wonderchef is planning to increase its number of exclusive brick-and-mortar showrooms from the current 25 to over 100 across the country in the next five years. About 80 per cent of Wonderchef's business is in India and the rest is overseas. The brand is present in around 20 countries and its top overseas markets are the US, UK, Australia, Mauritius and the Middle East, he added. "Besides our existing markets, which we will continue to strengthen, we are looking at foraying into neighbouring countries and the South Asian nations," he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], September 10 (ANI/BusinessWire India): The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) officially launched a West Kowloon neighbourhood promotion, after featuring popular promotions "Old Town Central" and "Sham Shui Po - Every Bit Local" in the "Hong Kong Neighbourhoods" campaign. The "West Kowloon" neighbourhood programme highlighting the district's rich heritage and vibrant street life in Yau Ma Tei and Jordan along with its two new world-class museums - M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) - which will open in the end of the year and next and become landmarks in art and cultural tourism. As art is inseparable from our life, the West Kowloon neighbourhood promotion builds a bridge between the local life of the bustling communities of Yau Ma Tei and Jordan, which are home to many historical architectures, time-tested stores and traditional craftsmanship, and the artistic lure of the WKCD. Throughout the continuous evolution and revitalisation, the neighbourhood has a lot of astonishing experiences for the public and visitors to uncover. The HKTB expects the campaign to draw people from across the city to rediscover it from new perspectives to drive in-depth local tourism and stimulate economic activities in the neighbourhood. HKTB Executive Director Dane Cheng said, "Experiential tourism is a rising and inspiring trend, particularly where it blends arts and culture with authentic local life. The HKTB has chosen to launch this large-scale promotion before borders reopen because we want residents to savour the experience first and discover hidden gems in their community, rekindling their enthusiasm and appreciation and creating a harmonious art-life aura in the West Kowloon neighbourhood. We hope Hong Kong people will then share their experiences with friends and relatives outside Hong Kong. Besides, visitors around the world are eager to travel as soon as travel restrictions are eased, and we will be able to capitalise on the opportunities if we are well prepared in advance. We are also encouraging tour operators to create in-depth tours for Hong Kong residents to help them plan ahead for the return of international visitors." "The HKTB believes the West Kowloon neighbourhood programme will not only drive domestic tourism and stimulate consumption, but also spread a positive message and showcase Hong Kong's new art and cultural travel opportunities to the world and fire up interest in the district among visitors, who are keen to return as soon as borders reopen." Five walking routes to uncover a rich heritage Starting from the beautiful shoreline at the West Kowloon Cultural District, the "West Kowloon" neighbourhood programme extends to Yau Ma Tei and Pitt Street, and spans along Nathan Road to reach streets and paths around Austin Road, Jordan. To reflect the unique characteristics of each area, the HKTB has devised five thematic walking tours focused on Heritage & Craftmanship, Cultural Arts and Culinary Arts. The routes cover many little-known corners of the city that are often overlooked by residents and visitors alike, such as a bookstore hidden in the Tin Hau Temple, a seafood restaurant transformed into an art hotel, and a condiment store promoting western dishes fused with traditional fermented tofu. The routes offer recommendations for more than 50 points of interest, shops, and restaurants, and are available as an interactive e-map on the West Kowloon neighbourhood campaign page of the HKTB website. Special offers have been arranged with shops and restaurants in the neighbourhood for people who take part in the walks to encourage spending. Photo spot with spectacular large-scale art installations Art is a central theme of the West Kowloon neighbourhood promotion. As well as the M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, the HKTB has teamed up with "FriendsWithYou", a pop-art duo featuring Samuel Borkson from Florida, US, and Arturo Sandoval III from Cuba, to bring their gigantic art installation and signature pop-art characters to Hong Kong and share the positive vibes to the neighbourhood. The installations will be in the Art Park in the West Kowloon Cultural District from 23 September to 14 October with free admission, giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy international art exhibits and create photo memories. A variety of areas will be decorated as part of the promotion. The footbridge and subway between the WKCD and Jordan will be transformed into an "Arts Corridor". Thematic buntings with a programme webpage QR code will meanwhile be displayed around the Yau Ma Tei and Jordan MTR stations and on lampposts along Museum Drive. The HKTB has also made promotional films featuring well-known personalities from the neighbourhood, who guide viewers along the streets and sidewalks and give their first-hand perspectives to viewers worldwide who are currently unable to visit in person. For more details about the "Hong Kong Neighbourhoods - West Kowloon" campaign, please go to (https://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/explore/neighbourhoods/west-kowloon.html) Members of the media can download the press release and photos from the following links: Press release: (https://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/hktb/newsroom/press-releases.html) Photos: (https://hktb.filecamp.com/s/2021_West_Kowloon_Neighbourhood/fo)2021_West_Kowloon_Neighbourhood/fo "West Kowloon" programme page: (https://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/explore/neighbourhoods/west-kowloon.html) This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amazon yesterday announced plans to open its first fulfilment centre in the Republic of Ireland, creating 500 new permanent jobs to help meet customer demand. The state-of-the-art fulfilment centre, which will open spring 2022, aims to provide faster delivery for customers across Ireland seven days a week, including one-day delivery on hundreds of thousands of items. The 630,000 square foot centre at Baldonnell Business Park, Dublin, will hold millions of items to be picked, packed and shipped to customers across Ireland as well as the rest of Europe. Recruitment has started for a range of new roles for the fulfilment centre, including engineers, HR and IT professionals through to health & safety and finance specialists and operations managers. Recruitment for the Amazon teams who will pick, pack and ship customer orders will begin next year. A second delivery station will also open at Northwest Logistics Park, Ballycoolin, serving customers in Dublin and the surrounding areas. The delivery station will create over 20 permanent jobs, in addition to dozens of driver opportunities for Amazon Logistics delivery service partners and Amazon Flex delivery partners. The 83,500 square foot building is expected to be fully operational this autumn. Welcoming the news yesterday, Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar said, "I welcome todays news that Amazon will open its first Irish fulfilment centre in Dublin next spring, creating 500 new jobs. This, alongside the announcement of a second Dublin delivery station creating a further 20 new roles, will mean faster delivery of goods for customers all across the country and strongly underscores Amazons continued commitment to Ireland. Since Amazons arrival here in 2004, it has become a significant source of employment todays announcement will bring its total workforce to over 5,000. I wish the team the very best of luck with this exciting new chapter." VP Amazons Fulfilment Centre Operations in Europe, Stefano Perego added, "The new state-of-the-art fulfilment centre and delivery station are a further sign of our commitment to the communities in which we operate. The new teams will play a crucial role in providing faster delivery to customers across Ireland including one-day delivery on hundreds of thousands of items." Source: www.businessworld.ie Except for a recent small flare-up on Lake Mitchell last week, both lakes Cadillac and Mitchell so far have been spared from large algae blooms that can turn both lakes into odoriferous, soupy and green. St. Johnsbury, VT (05819) Today Cloudy this morning with thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 76F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. St. Johnsbury, VT (05819) Today Cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 76F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and consider subscribing for only $7 per month to get access to more articles and news as it happens. Photo: CTV News Canadians now have less than two weeks left to decide which party they intend to vote for in the federal election. According to the latest Insights West poll, Liberal support in B.C. has dropped due to declining perceptions of Prime Minister Trudeau and the majority of residents feel it's time for a change in government. "If an election were held tomorrow, the Liberals would end up in third place in British Columbia according to our most recent poll," said Insights West president Steve Mossop. The latest statistics from British Columbia indicate, among decided voters, the NDP party and the Conservative party are neck and neck in the election race with the NDP capturing 35 per cent of the decided vote, followed by the Conservatives at 33 per cent. The Liberals are much further down the list at 19 per cent, while the Green Party would capture 8 per cent of the decided vote and 5 per cent would vote for an independent or another party. The NDP would capture the support of 48 per cent of female voters and 45 per cent of the 18-34-year old group, while the Conservative ballot would be checked by 44 per cent of males and 42 per cent of the 55+ age group. The Liberal vote in B.C. has dropped significantly since the last federal election just two short years ago, with only 61 per cent of past Liberal voters saying they would mark the ballot the same in 2021 as in 2019. In contrast, the vast majority, 87 per cent of NDP and Conservative, 87 per cent voters will stick with the party they voted for in the last federal election. Only 33 per cent of those polled approve of Trudeau's performance as the Liberal leader compared to the much stronger approval ratings for NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, 56 per cent. Conservative party leader Erin OToole received a 38 per cent approval rating. Trudeaus popularity has dropped the most in the past six months, falling 57 per cent and a significant number of those who voted Liberal in the last federal election, 36 per cent indicate their opinion has worsened. The majority of BC residents believe that it is time for a change in government at a federal level, and that sentiment is not limited to just opposition voters. Overall, over two-thirds of B.C. voters, 69 per cent, agree that it is time for a change in our federal government. Perhaps the most surprising finding is that 25 per cent of those who intend to vote Liberal also agree that its time for a change. When the election was officially called, Trudeau was in an enviable position of leading the country with the largest share of intended voters, but more than halfway through the campaign it appears as though the final result is up in the air. Justin Trudeau and the Liberals lead in B.C. has evaporated due to his declining popularity here, says Mossop. One of the biggest predictors of an impending collapse of incumbent government is when the electorate feels that it is time for a changeand an overwhelming number of British Columbians feel that change is needed at a federal level. With the election less than two weeks away, it will be interesting to see how the final campaign unfolds and what voters will have to say on the final ballot. Photo: The Canadian Press A Qatar Airways aircraft takes off with foreigners from the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021. Senior government officials say an unknown number of Canadians are among around 200 foreigners who flew out of Afghanistan on the commercial flight today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Bernat Armangue Forty-three Canadians were among around 200 foreigners on board a civilian flight out of Afghanistan on Thursday the first such large-scale departure since U.S. forces completed their frantic withdrawal over a week ago. Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau confirmed the departure and number in a statement as he thanked Qatar for facilitating the special flight from Kabul to Doha, which also contained U.S., German and Hungarian citizens. We can confirm that today 43 Canadian citizens were on board a special flight organized by the government of Qatar," Garneau said in a statement. Canada has been working closely with Qatar to ensure safe passage for Canadian citizens still in Afghanistan who are seeking to leave, and we thank them for their continued support." The 43 were among 1,250 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and family members stranded in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of all U.S. military forces from the country on Aug. 30. We are working tirelessly, including through close co-operation with our international partners, to bring home remaining Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their families and the vulnerable Afghans who have supported Canadas work in Afghanistan, Garneau said. A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to talk to the media, said the Talibans new foreign minister and deputy prime minister helped facilitate the departure. A senior Canadian official had previously confirmed those on board did not include any former interpreters and other Afghans who previously worked with Canada in the country and are now desperate to escape for fear of Taliban retribution. The official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly, said the best avenue for escape for those people remains the overland route to Pakistan. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has deployed more staff to bolster the Canadian High Commission in Islamabad, the official added, and more people are being sent to help there and at the border with Afghanistan. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who is running for re-election as the Liberal candidate for University-Rosedale, said during a virtual news conference that Canadian officials are working on having more people be able to come home through a variety of different routes. Retired major-general Denis Thompson, one of several Canadian veterans working to get Afghans who previously worked with the Canadian military mission in Afghanistan out of the country, said the Qatar Airways flight was encouraging. Thousands of former interpreters, cultural advisers, drivers, cleaners and other locally engaged staff with links to Canada remain trapped in Afghanistan, and Thompson said reopening the Kabul airport is the best way to get them out of the country. Qatari envoy Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani said another 200 passengers will leave Afghanistan on Friday. A diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said foreigners, including Americans, will depart in the next couple of days. The Taliban have repeatedly said foreigners and Afghans with proper travel documents could leave. But their assurances have been met with skepticism, even with the departure of the Qatar flight. As Taliban authorities patrolled the tarmac Thursday, passengers presented their documents for inspection and dogs sniffed luggage laid on the ground. Some veteran airport employees had returned to their jobs after fleeing during the harrowing chaos of the U.S.-led airlift. Irfan Popalzai, 12, boarded the flight with his mother and five brothers and sisters. He said his family lives in Maryland. I am an Afghan, but you know I am from America and I am so excited" to leave, he said. Before the flight took off, Qatari officials gathered on the tarmac to announce the airport was ready for the resumption of international commercial flights after days of repairs. Extensive damage in the frenzied final days of the U.S. airlift that evacuated over 100,000 people had raised questions about how soon regular commercial service could resume. Experts from Qatar and Turkey have been racing to restore operations. I can clearly say that this is a historic day in the history of Afghanistan as Kabul airport is now operational, said al-Qahtani, the Qatari envoy. Call it what you want, a charter or a commercial flight, everyone has tickets and boarding passes, he added. Hopefully, life is becoming normal in Afghanistan. The flight was the first to take off from the Kabul airport since American forces left the country at the end of August. The accompanying scenes of chaos, including Afghans plunging to their deaths from the sides of military aircraft on takeoff and a suicide bombing that killed 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members, came to define the end of Americas two-decade war. Al-Qahtani said the airports radar is now active and covering some 112 kilometres after U.S. forces left it inoperable. Authorities co-ordinated with Pakistan as they tried to fix control over the airspace, he added. Flights are restricted to daytime hours. The airport is also no longer the Hamid Karzai International Airport, but rather simply Kabul International Airport, with the name of the country's former president removed. Several Taliban white flags flew from the terminal, which was emblazoned The Islamic Emirate seeks peaceful and positive relations with the world." Hundreds of other Afghans who say they are at risk for helping the Americans have gathered for more than a week in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, waiting for permission to board chartered evacuation flights. Many of them are believed not to have the necessary travel documents. Despite skepticism around the world, the Taliban have promised that Afghans who worked for the Americans will not be targeted. Photo: The Canadian Press Commissioner Austin Cullen listens to introductions before opening statements at the Cullen Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia, in Vancouver, on Monday, February 24, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck A former director of the British Columbia Lottery Corporation's anti-money laundering office says he is the "whistleblower" that likely prompted the public inquiry examining how hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal cash flowed through the province's casinos. Ross Alderson, who testified for more than four hours Thursday, said he was driven to leak information about the suspected extent of money laundering at casinos and bureaucracy to the activity at top levels. "Did I leak information to the media? Yes I did," Alderson told the Cullen Commission public inquiry into money laundering. "We wouldn't be here today, if I didn't." The New Democrat government appointed B.C. Supreme Court Justice Austin Cullen in 2019 to lead the money laundering inquiry after several reports concluded the flow of hundreds of millions in illegal cash linked to organized crime affected the province's real estate, luxury vehicle and gaming sectors. Alderson, who worked in B.C.'s gaming industry since 2008, resigned from the Crown-owned lottery corporation in 2017. He testified his anti-money laundering investigation and intelligence team was "second to none," but efforts to combat illegal cash at casinos was hampered by "indifference." "I felt this needed to be out in the public forum," said Alderson about his decision to leak information about illegal money activities at casinos. "I saw nothing being done. Nothing being done." The commission has heard previous testimony from other senior gaming investigators who said they raised concerns more than a decade ago with gaming and government officials, including cabinet ministers about increasing amounts of suspicious cash likely linked to organized crime appearing at Vancouver-area casinos. Former premier Christy Clark and former gaming minister Rich Coleman are among the 200 people, including former and current cabinet ministers, police officers, gaming officials, financial crime experts and academics to already testify. Alderson was granted standing to appear at the commission after Cullen decided his "legal, reputational and or privacy interests may be impacted by the findings of the commission in respect of his acts and omissions in the gaming industry between 2008 and 2017." Alderson, who testified from Australia where he is now living, faced questions from the commission about his unresponsiveness to a summons to testify that was issued in March 2020. Commission lawyer Patrick McGowan asked Alderson why the commission had to conduct an international "manhunt" to locate the former lottery official. "I wasn't exactly hiding in a cave in Afghanistan," said Alderson. "I was in Australia, paying taxes." He said he was concerned with family matters and believed it was up to the commission to find him. "There has been a global pandemic over the last year," he said. "My priority has been the safety of my family. I'm living on the other side of the world." Alderson's testimony is to continue Friday. Cullen's final report, including recommendations, is due Dec. 15. Photo: The Canadian Press Federal party leaders jousted over climate change, health care, foreign policy, the economy and Indigenous reconciliation during Thursday's English-language debate their last, best chance to sway voters before the Sept. 20 election. But the format of the debate may have left many viewers unsatisfied. The five leaders frequently talked over one another. Leaders on the receiving end of accusations or loaded questions from rivals were often given no chance to respond. Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet repeatedly complained that he was being given less time than the others to speak. Right off the bat, the role of the moderator, Shachi Kurl, came under fire, with Blanchet taking umbrage at what he termed her suggestion that Quebec is racist. Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, asked Blanchet to explain why he supports "discriminatory laws" in Quebec, such as the secularism law banning some public servants in positions of authority from wearing religious garb or symbols. "Those laws are not about discrimination. They are about the values of Quebec," Blanchet responded. After the debate, Blanchet told reporters it was "extraordinary" to have the debate open with "a bunch of insults against Quebecers" by the moderator. He suggested that Kurl's question reflects a bias against Quebec that is shared in the rest of the country and that it shows Quebec's interests need to be protected. He noted that no other leader came to Quebec's defence. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who had rounded on Blanchet during Wednesday's French debate for questioning his devotion to Quebec, said the format didn't give him a chance to respond. He reiterated his opposition to the secularism law but added: "I want to say as a proud Quebecer, Quebecers are not racist." The debate was the last of three to be held during the campaign and came 11 days before election day and just as four days of advance polls are set to open Friday. Polls suggest the Liberals and Conservatives are stuck in a virtual dead heat, with the NDP and Bloc poised to determine which of the two main parties will form government. Trudeau was bombarded by attacks from all the other leaders, who accused him of putting his self-interest ahead of the interests of the country by calling an election in the midst of a fourth wave of COVID-19, wildfires in British Columbia and the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. On the latter, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said Trudeau should have focused on evacuating Canadians and Afghans who supported Canada's military mission rather than calling an election. "You called an election, sir. You put your own political interests ahead of the well-being of thousands of people," O'Toole said. When Trudeau tried to respond, he was told it wasn't time for open debate. O'Toole also went after Trudeau for failing to stand up to China and win the release of two arbitrarily detained Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. He noted that Trudeau did not show up for a vote in the House of Commons on a motion condemning China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims as genocide. "If you want to get the Michaels home, you do not simply lob tomatoes across the Pacific," Trudeau replied. On climate change, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Trudeau's government has missed all its targets for reducing carbon emissions. But Trudeau questioned, "How is it that the experts that have rated our plan on climate to be an A have rated your plan to be an F?" "I rate your track record to be an F," shot back Singh. "You've had six years." During a segment on sexual misconduct in the military, Green Party Leader Annamie Paul said she doesn't believe Trudeau "is a real feminist." If he was, she asserted, he wouldn't have pushed former ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott out of the Liberal caucus. "I think, Ms. Paul, you'll perhaps understand that I won't take lessons on caucus management from you," Trudeau retorted, alluding to the turmoil over Paul's leadership that erupted last spring after Green MP Jenica Atwin crossed the floor to the Liberals. The leaders also sparred over Indigenous reconciliation, with Singh accusing Trudeau of "taking a knee" as he did at an anti-racism rally on Parliament Hill last year even as his government was taking Indigenous kids to court. Singh was referring to Ottawa's controversial legal challenge of a pair of rulings involving First Nations child welfare. Trudeau shot back, saying cynicism is harming reconciliation efforts, and that his government has made progress by getting more Indigenous kids into quality schools and lifting more than 100 boil-water advisories. O'Toole said he would like to see the Canadian flag raised again on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, with a commitment to "move forward" on the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Canadian flag has remained at half-mast on the Peace Tower and other federal buildings since late spring to mark the finding of unmarked graves on the grounds of former residential schools. O'Toole has previously said Canadians "should be proud to put our flag back up." The two-hour debate began with tough questions for each of the leaders from moderator Kurl. To Trudeau, it was why he called an election just as a fourth wave of COVID-19 was sweeping the country. He argued that the debate would show voters have to choose among radically different views on how to finish the fight against COVID-19 and build back better. To O'Toole, the question was how can voters trust that he would be in the driver's seat if elected prime minister, and not his caucus, many members of which have decidedly more conservative views on issues like abortion, climate change and vaccinations. "I am driving the bus," O'Toole insisted, stressing that he's personally "pro-choice" and an ally to the LBGTQ community. Singh was asked to explain why he has yet to release the costing for his election platform. He did not directly respond while saying the NDP is the only party that would make the ultrarich pay their fair share. Perhaps the most devastating question went to Paul, who was asked how she could hope to lead the country when she's been unable to lead her own party members, some of whom spent weeks prior to the campaign trying to dump Paul as leader. Paul conceded she's been through a difficult period but said she's had to "crawl over a lot of broken glass" to get on the leaders' debate platform and is proud to be the first Black woman to do so. People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier did not meet the independent Leaders' Debates Commission's criteria for participating in either the English-language debate or the French-language debate on Wednesday. But dozens of his supporters showed up Thursday outside the debate venue the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., just across the river from Parliament Hill to protest his absence. It's easy to see that the covid blame game and shaming of the unvaccinated continues. Earlier this week, (B.C. Health Minister) Adrian Dix again laid the blame for recent cases upon the unvaccinated. More recently (health officials) were discussing the cost to the health care system for each covid case, heaping more blame and shame on the unvaccinated. My question is this: If every eligible British Columbian were to get vaccinated but we still saw cases of Covid-19, who would they blame then? Jeff Watson Photo: MVTP Police are looking for a man who allegedly exposed himself on a Coquitlam SkyTrain last month. Metro Vancouver Transit Police say the suspect boarded the train the night of Aug. 3 and is believed to have exposed his genitals while masturbating in front of a woman sitting across from him. Sgt. Clint Hampton says officers believe he may have performed these actions on recent trips as well. "Before and after the alleged incident, he rode trains for an extensive period of time along the Millennium Line and the Expo Line west of Commercial-Broadway, getting on and off trains and approaching multiple women, revealing a predatory nature to his actions," Hampton said. The woman noticed the man sitting directly across from her and claims the train was "nearly empty" at the time. When she looked toward him, police say he was allegedly staring back at her with his genitals out while masturbating. The woman quickly moved elsewhere on the train. MVTP said the man eventually left the SkyTrain at Stadium Station in Vancouver about 11:20 p.m. The man is described as: Caucasian, in his 20s, with dark blonde/light brown hair, light stubble and a slender build. Anyone with more information is encouraged to call Metro Vancouver Transit Police at 604-516-7419 or text 87-77-77, quoting file number 2021-15475. Photo: File photo A 53-year-old Richmond resident has pleaded guilty to fraud charges stemming from suspicious withdrawals at a New Westminster business. New Westminster Police say in September 2018 they received a report of suspected fraud connected to a local medical office. The victim claimed cash was missing from the office, and that suspicious large withdrawals were appearing in the bank account connected to the business. The NWPD major crime unit launched an investigation into the missing money and soon took conduct over another investigation involving large withdrawals from another medical office located in Vancouver. In total, it is believed approximately $130,000 was stolen through both medical offices, police say. After an extensive investigation, charges related to fraud, forged documents, theft and unauthorized use of a credit card were approved by Crown counsel. On Aug. 9, Sabina Khan pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud exceeding $5,000. Photo: The Canadian Press Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau announces green incentives towards climate change at a campaign stop during the Canadian federal election campaign in Cambridge, Ont., Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. Waterloo Regional Police have charged a man who they allege made threats toward Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette Waterloo Regional Police have arrested a man they allege threatened Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau while on the campaign trail in southern Ontario. Police say the allegations stem from a campaign stop in Cambridge, Ont. on Aug. 29. It was one of many events in Ontario at which Trudeau was dogged by protesters, people sounded sirens and chanted expletives amid a visible police presence. Police say they launched an investigation after viewing video of the event, speaking to witnesses and receiving information from the RCMP. Police say they have arrested a 32-year-old man from Kitchener, Ont., and charged him with two counts of uttering threats. They did not release his name. After a handful of gravel was thrown at Trudeau during a campaign stop in London, Ont., earlier this week, the People's Party of Canada says it has removed its president of the Elgin-Middlesex-London riding association, and police there have said they are investigating. Holcim divests Brazilian business 10 September 2021 Holcim has signed an agreement with Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN) for the divestment of its business in Brazil for an enterprise value of US$1.025bn. The deal includes Holcims five integrated cement plants, four grinding works, six aggregates sites and 19 RMC facilities, according to a press release. "This divestment is another step in our transformation to become the global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions giving us the flexibility to continue investing in attractive growth opportunities. We are pleased to have found a responsible buyer with CSN that will develop the Brazilian business over the long term," said Jan Jenisch, CEO. The group is expected to use the proceeds to invest in its Solutions & Products business, building on the Firestone acquisition. It also noted that Latin America remains a core strategic growth region for the company. Published under This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions Several people are removed from a Pittsylvania County School Board meeting; The county lends assistance to the Blue Ridge Rock Festival; Three more COVID fatalities bring the local death toll to 250; Danville leaders pitch a one-cent increase in the sales tax. An officer went to check the welfare of a female at E 11th St/Central Ave. The woman was asking if she could get a ride to the Waffle House on E 23rd St. The officer knew that she had been trespassed from that location and other surrounding businesses in that area. The officer "came to an agreement" with the woman "that we would change her transport location to the Community Kitchen." She was taken there without incident. * * * Police responded to a request for disorder prevention at an apartment on N. Quail Lane. A woman told police she was moving out of her apartment and needed an officer to stand by to keep the peace between her and her ex-boyfriend. The woman was able to remove her belongings from the apartment without incident. * * * A homeless man told police he had received two Social Security checks, which he had put in his pocket. He said one was for $15,200 and the other for $1,184. He said the checks were mailed to him at Wheeler Homes, but he could not confirm an address there. He said that while in the area of Bailey Avenue and S. Orchard Knob Avenue he laid down to sleep about 8 p.m. the night before. He said the checks were in his right front pants pocket. He said while he was asleep someone stole the checks out of his pocket and he did not wake up to realize someone was taking them out of his pocket. "I was dead to the world," he said. He said he woke up at about 3 a.m. to discover the checks were gone. He had no suspect information and no other information to offer. * * * A woman on McBrien Road told police that someone stole her tag off her vehicle. She had no other information. The tag was entered into NCIC. * * * A woman on Maple Street Court told police there is a black female that she only knows by her first name, and they have been involved in several altercations in the past. She said she had an altercation with her last December and again in June. She said she doesn't want to prosecute, but wants it notated that she wants this woman to leave her alone, as she starts school soon. Police said that they would write a report notating this and if anything occurred in the future she would have a report on file. * * * Two women on Cypress Street Court told police they have been receiving messages from people on Facebook telling them that one of the women's ex-girlfriend has been making statements about them both. The woman said that her ex in the past has showed up at her job and has come around her home. She said she does not have any physical evidence at this time, but will work on providing it to police. The two women said they wanted a report done as the one woman has a pending case involving the ex. Police will continue to investigate this incident and speak with CHA to attempt to pull housing cameras. * * * A man on Shallowford Road told police that someone stole his catalytic converter. Officers reviewed the footage and saw a silver Lexus or Accra SUV pull up behind the box truck. A white male got out of the SUV and began to cut off the catalytic converter. Officers were unable to see a the tag of the vehicle in the video. Officers called another investigator, who said he would go look at the video tomorrow. * * * A woman on Central Avenue said she and her boyfriend were in a verbal argument. She said she just wanted him to leave her alone as she is still mourning the loss of her grandson. The man said that he wouldn't speak to her for the rest of the night. * * * Officers were called to an unconscious person on E. Main Street. A woman was found sprawled out on the sidewalk. Upon police arrival, she was able to sit up but was heavily intoxicated and not compliant with police. Specifically, she dumped water on one officer, refused to answer questions, and was verbally aggressive. She was left in the care of her cousin who lives nearby. * * * While on patrol, an officer observed the front door of 3820 Brainerd Rd, Mayo's, had been broken. Police cleared the building and did not find anyone. There were still tools, alcohol, money, and electronics all in the building. Police and dispatch attempted to reach a responsible party in every way, but was unsuccessful. Police were unable to secure the door at this time. * * * Police were dispatched to Van Buren Street to check for people running down the street following a vehicle. Police at this time drove the area and were unable to locate any suspicious people or vehicles. * * * Police were called for a theft at Speedway on Hickory Valley Road. A clerk said a black male came in, went to the beer cooler and got 3-5 cases of beer. The clerk then observed the man walking out of the store with them. He got into a white SUV and left onto Hickory Valley Road toward Highway 153. Police searched the area for the white SUV but were unable to locate it. * * * A vehicle was observed traveling 84 mph in a 55 mph zone and into a 45 mph zone on 27 southbound. The man was given a verbal warning. * * * At E. Brainerd Rd/Hickory Valley Rd., police dealt with a broken down 99 Mazda MIA (TN off to the left side of the road. This posed as a safety hazard to other vehicles. The vehicle was towed by Yates Towing. * * * A man reported the theft of items from his vehicle at the Chattanoogan hotel at 1201 Broad St. He said someone entered his unlocked Jeep Wrangler and stole several items between the hours of 10:30 the previous night and 8:30 the next morning. The suspect(s) opened the unlocked tailgate to gain access inside. The suspect(s) stole an LG 70-inch television and an Apple iPad Pro (silver/gray), that was in the trunk area of the Jeep. The total loss was approximately $2,500. * * * A woman told police that she left her backpack on the cat walk at her job at UPS, 4300 Founders Way. while working. She said that while it was unattended, someone stole her Apple iphone11 and her Apple iphone 8 from it. She said that she did a locate on one of the phones and found it to be at a residence on Old Britain Circle in the county. She said she met a HCSO deputy at that location and he knocked on the door and a person came to the door and said she does not have her phones. She said her phones were not recovered. * * * A woman on S. Orchard Knob Avenue told police that she let her friend borrow her vehicle the day before and he had not yet returned it. She said she allowed him to use the car to pick up her "niece's grandmother" and bring her home. She also said she told him to bring the vehicle right back, but she did not express an amount of time that he could use the vehicle. She said her car is a gold 2001 Chrysler Town and Country with a dent on the rear driver's side of the vehicle. She did not have further information and said that if she was able to gather the license plate or VIN information she would contact police to add to the report. Without this information, the vehicle cannot be entered into NCIC as stolen. The woman said she wanted to press charges for motor vehicle theft against her friend. The officer contacted the Hamilton County Magistrate's office and discussed this case and was instructed that, without the vehicle information, there is not a way to prove that the vehicle belongs to the woman, and also that under these circumstances a reasonable amount of time to return the vehicle has not yet occurred. Based on these factors, a warrant cannot be obtained. If at a later date more information is provided for this report, then further action can be taken. * * * An employee of Wise Construction Company, 26 E Main St., told police that sometime overnight someone tried three times to bust out the window of a 2016 Ford F150 pickup. He said the window was shattered but not broken out. He thinks it will cost between $300-$500 to have the window replaced. * * * A man called police from 5323 Dorsey St. and told them a woman is not suppose to be at this location due to the fact that it was condemned on Friday. He said the woman arrived unannounced and started name calling and yelled at him. He said he is allowed to work on the property and the woman had already been told to leave. The woman had left the area in a black Chevy sedan prior to police arrival. The man told police he could see where the woman and another person had taken showers and smoked weed in the lower level. He said he would notify officers if and when the woman returned. There is a condemned order on the post outside the door per the city. Longtime Health Department administrator Becky Barnes, in a farewell message, again stressed the importance of vaccination. She said, "It has been an honor to serve Hamilton County alongside Health Department staff for over 40 years. Incoming Interim Administrator Sabrina Novak is well-prepared to continue leading the Health Department and the pandemic response. All Health Department staff members are working hard in various roles to address the pandemic. The way forward for our community is through vaccination. Vaccination is the single-most important thing an individual can do right now to protect their health and the health of the community. With gratitude, Becky Barnes Middle Valley Church of God, at 1703 Thrasher Pike in Hixson, announces Pastor Mitch McClure will begin preaching on the theme "The Church is Pretty Important" on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Pastor McClure's sermon title will be "We've Got To Move On!"Senior Adult Pastor Craig Paul is presently teaching a Bible study on the Book of Psalms each Wednesday at 7 p.m.All services will be in the church auditorium. All are invited to participate. For additional information, please contact Pastor McClure at 843-1539. "It's More Than A Shout And A Holler" Is Topic Sunday At Middle Valley Church Of God Can I Borrow Your Charger Is Topic At Metro Tab Church Sunday Hope Unlimited Ministries Hosts Fundraising Event Oct. 28 Middle Valley Church of God, at 1703 Thrasher Pike in Hixson, announces Pastor Mitch McClure will begin preaching on the theme "The Church is Pretty Important" on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Pastor ... (click for more) Metropolitan Tabernacle Church Senior Pastor Steve Ball will speak on "Can I Borrow your Charger" Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The Praise and Worship will be led by Pastors Adam and Olivia Aziz and ... (click for more) Tennova Healthcare Cleveland had six national guardsmen on Wednesday to assist administration of monoclonal antibody infusion therapy located in their facility in a safe, secure area that is separate from general areas. We are very excited to have the Tennessee National Guard here five days a week to assist in such an important initiative for our community, said JT Barnhart, CEO Tennova Healthcare Cleveland. With the National Guards support we can go from providing 24 infusions a day to 64 infusions a day and return our clinical staff to delivering inpatient and emergency room medical care. Administration of monoclonal antibody treatment is a critical tool to help reduce the number of people with COVD-19 who require hospitalization. For certain individuals recently diagnosed with COVID-19, monoclonal antibody therapy may help prevent hospitalization or worsening symptoms. The infusion consists of man-made antibodies that mirror the antibodies of patients that recovered from the COVID-19 virus. Research is showing that this therapy may limit the amount of the virus in the body, helping symptoms improve sooner. Monoclonal antibody treatments have been shown to significantly reduce the risk for hospitalization and mortality within 28 days among outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19 infection, and the benefit is stronger in those over 65 years of age," said Asma Khatri, MD Tennova Infectious Disease Cleveland. While this is a good option after being diagnosed with COVID-19, currently the best way to prevent COVID-19 infection and severe COVID-19 related illness is to receive the vaccine. Monoclonal antibody therapy is approved for certain patients who: Have positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing; Are experiencing mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms; and Are at high-risk for COVID-19 symptoms progressing to severe levels. Are not fully vaccinated; or Not expected to mount an adequate immune response to complete SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (example, individuals with immunocompromising conditions); and Have been exposed to an individual infected with SARS-CoV-2 consistent with close contact criteria per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); or Who are at high risk of exposure to an individual infected with SARS-CoV-2 because of occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in other individuals in the same institutional setting (example, nursing homes or prisons). Monoclonal antibody therapies cannot be provided to individuals who are already in the hospital because of their COVID-19 symptoms, to anyone who requires oxygen therapy due to COVID-19, or those on chronic oxygen therapy due to underlying non-COVID-19 related comorbidity. High risk is defined as patients who meet at least one of the following criteria in addition to meeting the previous criteria: Are 65 years of age or older; Have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher or 12 to 17 years of age with a BMI greater than or equal to the 85th percentile for their age and gender based on CDC growth charts; Are currently pregnant; Have diabetes, chronic kidney disease or an immunosuppressive disease; Are currently receiving immunosuppressive treatment; Have cardiovascular disease (including congenital heart disease) or hypertension (high blood pressure); Have chronic lung disease (for example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma [moderate to severe], interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension); Have sickle cell disease; Have neurodevelopmental disorders (for example, cerebral palsy) or other conditions that confer medical complexity (for example, genetic or metabolic syndromes and severe congenital abnormalities); or Have a medical-related technological dependence (for example, tracheostomy, gastrostomy or positive pressure ventilation [not related to COVID-19]). "Despite the increase of COVID-19 cases in Cleveland, Tennova Healthcare remains prepared for all patients who need hospital care, COVID-19 related or otherwise," officials said. "The hospital has adequate personal protective equipment, medications and supplies at this time. If you are sick or feel ill or believe you a medical emergency, visit an Emergency Department for a medical screening examination. "Asymptomatic individuals who want a COVID-19 test for return to work or school or possible exposure to COVID-19 are asked to visit Tennova Walk-In Clinic North on Paul Huff or their primary care physicians office, an urgent care or the local health department. This will allow the ER team to remain focused on addressing medical emergencies and treatment. "The community is encouraged to follow CDC-recommended masking and social distancing measures to protect themselves, their friends and their family from the pandemic. Most importantly, get vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccination remains the best strategy for reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our community." To learn more about monoclonal antibody therapy and how Tennova Healthcare Cleveland is taking measures to provide COVID-safe care, visit https://www.tennovacleveland.com/covid-19. For more information on the Tennova Walk-In Clinic Paul Huff go to Tennovamedicalgroup.com. It was several years ago when, by pure chance, Heather Lucky Penney entered into my personal Hall of Fame. And tomorrow the day she became one of Americas greatest heroines - will mark the 20th anniversary of the darkest day in my lifetime as an American. Well pause to remember the 9/11 terrorist attacks of 2001 on American soil, the 3,000 who were killed and the 25,000 who were injured when highjacked jetliners were purposely crashed into Washingtons Pentagon and New Yorks Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Since then, the mastermind of the brazen project, Osama bin Laden, has been hunted down and killed (May 2, 2011, in Pakistan), weve gone into war in Afghanistan with shallow results. And, as of late, the Taliban and the terrorist faction known as al-Qaeda, founded by bin Laden in 1988, have succeeded in forcibly flushing the United States out of Afghanistan in a world-wide embarrassment. On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Heather Penney, a First Lieutenant in the Air Force, made her way to Andrews Air Base with no idea what the day would bring. Lucky, a fighter jet pilot, just happened to be standing in the Ops Center that morning when Vice President Dick Cheney, through the Secret Service, ordered get somebody airborne. Of course, she was as shocked as any of us more so because every member of our military all over the world was already pulling the straps tight but back then there were only seven fighter pilots on duty at Andrews that particular Tuesday. Within minutes it was learned a fourth hijacked airliner was possibly en route to New York City, this after the Pentagon was hit, and Col. Marc Sass Sasseville, ordered three of those pilots to get in the air as soon as the planes could be armed. He then shouted, Lucky, you are coming with me. What you need to know is that up until 9/11 Americas fighter planes were unarmed on the ground. Since the attack there have been at least two hot-cocked fighter planes at every air base in America with pilots on hand, but in 2001, when Sass and Lucky scrambled, Sass was pulling on his flight suit when his eyes caught Luckys. Ill take the cockpit, he told her, and she calmly replied, Ill take the tail. With no time to arm their F-16 Vipers, the two pilots were going hunting without any bullets. They were going to bring down that Boeing 757 the only way they could, by ramming it in a kamikaze way that would vaporize their lives. Because we had no weapons, no missiles, we were essentially going to be Kamikaze pilots, Penney explained, adding their mission was a race against the clock. There was simply no time to spare. The decision was easy. Anyone who saw that footage that morning would have made the same decision that I did," Penney said. When we got to our planes, I immediately started going down my pre-flight checklist and Sass yelled, What in the hell are you doing! Get in that plane and get your butt going. We are going now! she would later say, and when I throttled up at take-off, I didnt think I would be back. A single mother, mind you, with two infant girls was in search for United Flight 93, and she never once wavered. Penneys dad, a pilot running East Coast routes for United, could have easily been the pilot on that 757 they were hunting, and as the flight path took the pair of screaming Vipers at over 400 miles an hour past the burning Pentagon, Lucky would recall she was too busy flying the plane to dwell on emotion. There was no way not to notice the smoke that was billowing out of the building. It was beyond description. I didnt dwell on it because there was too much to do. We got over into Pennsylvania without seeing anything after sanitizing the air space and then headed back to D.C. to make sure we werent being flanked. Thats when she found out other American heroes had given their lives as Flight 93 crashed killing all aboard. She and Sass flew all day, that afternoon escorting President Bushs Air Force One back to Andrews airbase. Penney wouldnt allow interviews for several years but, later, one of the first questions she was asked was if she was prepared to die when Sass told her, Lucky, you are coming with me. Her answer: As a young fighter pilot I was gung-ho, very eager, hair on fire, all thrust and no vector, but the events of that day really brought to bear how solemn a responsibility and what a privilege it is to serve my nation. Was I prepared to die? Yes, and thats because I believe that there are more important things in this world than me. Again: I believe that there are more important things in this world than me. Now a retired Major from the Air Force with two combat tours in Iraq, she adores spreading a message of what she has learned. Its really about the courage we all have inside, and we all have to give, said Penney, 47, at last glance a senior resident fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, a think tank in Virginia. We all have a greater purpose than our own personal interests, and when we seek that purpose, we can serve our community and our family and our nation in so many ways. What you do becomes who you are. Its that old saying: Your actions become your habits, your habits become your character, and your character becomes your destiny. I will never think of 9/11 without accepting the lesson I have learned from a heroine: I believe that there are more important things in this world than me. royexum@aol.com 90 Day Fiance couple Corey and Evelin are preparing to get married in Ecuador, but Corey Rathgeber is facing down an incredibly expensive wedding bill. The planner that Evelin Villegas wants to use is quoting prices from a minimum of $26,000 up to $50,000. So Corey Rathgeber decided hed try and cut down on costs a little bit by gifting Evelin a dress a used prom dress. Heres what went down, and how Corey defended his choice on Instagram. Corey and Evelin dont see eye-to-eye on prom dress During a recent episode of 90 Day Fiance, Corey walked into a room to find Evelin and her sisters looking at wedding dresses. He asked what the price range was like, and Evelin Villegas said she had no idea at all. Clearly, Corey Rathgeber is concerned about how hes going to swing this expensive wedding. I am super happy and excited that Evelina and her sisters are looking at wedding dresses because I have a little surprise for her. I thought, perfect timing, Corey said. Ive been hiding it in the back room now for about a year, so its a little dirty. I really hope that Evelins gonna like it because I really want to impress her and her sisters. So, I want to surprise you with a little something. Its not chocolate, no. But it does have to do with the wedding so its great. AndI got you a little surprise! said Corey, revealing the dress in its cover. Evelin seemed surprised and apprehensive to see Corey gifting a dress. He claimed he knew what kind of dresses she liked before showing it to her. Is that a prom dress? It looks like a prom dress! crows one of Evelins sisters. That dress is dirty, reacted Evelin. Its a really horrible old, dirty dress, she told cameras. She then asked Corey why he thought it was a good idea. Is this dress special to you like is it a family, traditional then why am I getting this dress? To be honest with you, it was my sisters prom dress, Corey admitted. Corey Rathgeber defends his prom dress gift 90 Day Fiance stars Corey and Evelin | TLC via YouTube The 90 Day Fiance star commented on an Instagram clip of the scene defending his choice but saying that he could have done it a little better as well. I thought it was a nice dress and it was also free. It was used for prom, but could have easily been used as a wedding dress. I probably should have washed it though, he wrote, adding a facepalm emoji. Omg that was so funny. Cant believe Corey brought a prom dress, Evelin commented on the clip. Evelin Villegas claps back at 90 Day Fiance critics Evelin Villegas received criticism from one 90 Day Fiance viewer over her reaction to the dress that she felt was particularly odious. She took to her Instagram story with a screenshot of the users Instagram comment and her reaction. Coming from the slums of Ecuador one would think youd have a little appreciation for the gesture at least and not be such a dismissive jerk. So entitled its disgusting, wrote the critic Very rude of you and the people that agree with you to make comments like I am not worth of deserving nice things because of where I come from [sic], Villegas replied in part. RELATED: 90 Day Fiance Fans Think Steven is Cherry-Picking From Mormon Faith Dwayne Johnson is one of the few Hollywood icons who doesnt need much of an introduction. Anyone whos seen a movie in the last decade will have seen him on the screen somewhere. From his days in the WWE as The Rock, to his first movie role, and on to his most recent, everyone knows who Johnson is. What people may not know is that Johnsons first movie role was a tough one, and not just because it was his first movie role. Thats because when Dwayne Johnson filmed The Mummy Returns, he had both food poisoning and heatstroke. Johnsons first movie role was in The Mummy Returns The Scorpion King (played by Dwayne The Rock Johnson) relishes battle in The Mummy Returns. | ILM/Universal Studios The Mummy Returns was the sequel to the audience favorite The Mummy, which starred Brendan Fraser. The Mummy Returns picked up eight years after the events in the original movie. Rick OConnell, played by Fraser, had married Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), and they had a son named Alex. When Alex messed with an ancient Egyptian artifact, it spurred into motion an adventure that took the family all the way from London to Egypt. They once again faced off against Imhotep, who was played by Arnold Vosloo. One of the complications was the revival of the cursed Scorpion King, played by Johnson. According to EW, Johnsons role was relegated to a prologue in which he sold his soul and was cursed, and then at the end of the movie, when his head was digitally attached to a monsters body. Johnson didnt have much screen time. Even so, Universal wanted to use his star power and charisma to promote the movie. He was featured in all the promo materials, as well as in the trailer. Even before his first movie role, Johnson garnered a lot of attention, and Universal put it to use. As a result, his role was pretty hyped up. While it might have come across as under-delivered, the response meant that 2002s The Scorpion King, in which Johnson played the leading role, was pretty highly anticipated. Things could have gone a lot differently, though. Dwayne Johnson was sick while filming The Mummy Returns EW reports that Johnson only had one day to actually film. He flew into Morocco on a Wednesday, got all his make-up and costuming figured out on Thursday, and had to film his shots on Friday. On that Saturday, he had to fly back to Detroit for a WWE engagement. With limited time to get the principal photography done, there was a lot on Johnsons shoulders. Additionally, people were wondering how well he would do in his first movie role. (He had appeared on television before, and did perform on the WWE, but movie roles are a different animal.) Stephen Sommers, the director of both The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, said that Johnson was incredibly sick during filming. He was dealing with both heatstroke and bad food poisoning. It was soaring above 110 degrees and everyone was in shorts and tank tops. Not Johnson, though. He was burrowed under blankets, shivering. Sommers was understandably concerned, not only for Johnson personally but also because they only had one day to film. As soon as the action call came, though, Johnson would throw off the blankets and get the job done. Sommers called him a mess, but that he gutted it out. Johnson learned Ancient Egyptian for the role Not only did he have to work through being sick, but Johnson also learned enough Ancient Egyptian to play the part. Thats no small feat. He also never actually met Brendan Fraser on set. The only time he shared the screen with the Scorpion King was when he was a cursed creature. They later appeared together on press tours, though. Clearly, Johnson powered through some real obstacles for his first movie role and his hard work and determination certainly paid off. RELATED: Are Jungle Cruise Stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt Friends In Real Life? Mike The Situation Sorrentino has strong relationships with all of his Jersey Shore: Family Vacation co-stars today. But that wasnt always the case, especially during the early seasons of Jersey Shore. During their trip to Italy, Sorrentino and Deena Cortese got into a verbal argument. Now, fans are reliving the glorious comeback Deena Cortese delivered to The Situation. Sammi Sweetheart Giancola, Deena Cortese, and Mike The Situation Sorrentino | Luca Ghidoni/FilmMagic) Jersey Shore Season 4 took place in Italy MTV announced the cast of Jersey Shore would film in Italy for their fourth season in 2011. The cast is headed to the birthplace of the culture they love and live by, Chris Linn, then Executive Vice President of Programming and Head of Production for MTV said in a press release. We cant wait to see what erupts as a result. Ironically, filming in Italy was anything but easy. Finding a place for the roommates to live was the most insane thing I probably have done to date, executive producer SallyAnn Salsano told Bustle in 2019. From finding security for the now-popular cast to avoiding legal trouble Sorrentino and Nicole Snooki Polizzi both had run-ins with Italian authorities Salsano had several hurdles to jump over. Luckily, everything worked out. Production was able to film season 4 in its entirety in Italy and return to Seaside Heights, New Jersey for season 5. Whats more, Salsano says shed go back to Italy and film again if she could, despite the many challenges production faced. Everywhere Ive been with them has been crazy, she told Bustle. We talk about going everywhere. Literally we sit down all the time, were like, We wanna go here, we wanna go here.' At this point, Mexico, Thailand, and Greece are all on the travel list, perhaps for a future season of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. Jersey Shore fans are living for the comeback Deena Corteses delivered to Mike The Situation Sorrentino in Italy Outside of Sorrentinos encounter with a concrete wall, several other notable fights occurred during the Italy season of Jersey Shore. One has become popular again thanks to fans on Reddit. Loved Deena for this, one fan wrote, sharing a clip of Sorrentino and Cortese arguing. Dont make me go low blow I will, Sorrentino tells her in the clip. Yeah, Im fat? Im fat? she exclaims. You wanna call me fat, Mike? Because thats what you call every woman. I can lose weight for free you need about 10 grand to fix your f face. Italy; Jersey Shore pic.twitter.com/JaNoE6wHJz Mike The Situation (@ItsTheSituation) March 21, 2013 RELATED: Jersey Shore: Family Vacation Season 4 Finale Sparks Sammi Sweetheart Giancola Rumors for Season 5 Best comeback ever!!! commented one fan. I remember loving her during the original run and now I remember why, said another. Mike The Situation Sorrentino and Deena Cortese are close today Regardless of their past arguments, Sorrentino, Cortese, and the rest of the Jersey Shore: Family Vacation roommates remain a family unit. Beautiful family, Sorrentino commented on a recent Instagram post from Cortese. To Deener and Chris. She returns the love on Sorrentinos Instagram posts. Such a cutie!!! Cortese commented on a post of Sorrentinos son, Romeo Reign. Sorrentino and Cortese will return in new episodes of season 5, for which MTV has yet to announce a release date. Stay tuned to Showbiz Cheat Sheet for updates on Jersey Shore: Family Vacation Season 5. And dont forget to tune in to the Meatball Day Wrap Up Special on Sept. 9 to see more from the roommates. Live to Tell is one of Madonnas most famous slow songs; however, the version of Live to Tell that became a single isnt the version Madonna wanted on the radio. The Queen of Pop clashed with her record label, Sire Records, over the song. During an interview, Madonnas regular songwriter revealed she only wrote lyrics for Live to Tell as a favor for him. Madonnas Live to Tell was supposed to be on the soundtrack of 1 movie before being on the soundtrack of another According to Stereogum, Madonnas Live to Tell was originally supposed to be a song for the soundtrack to the romantic film Fire with Fire. Ultimately, it became a single for the soundtrack to Sean Penns movie At Close Range. During an interview with Boy Culture, Madonnas regular songwriter, Patrick Leonard, discussed how Live to Tell became part of the At Close Range soundtrack. We got back from the tour and just kind of by accident wrote Live to Tell, Leonard recalled. Id written some music for a film, trying to get a film score, and they didnt hire me for the film, so in a 24-hour period it went from that film to At Close Range. Madonna had agreed, just as a favor, to write the lyrics for me because it would give me a leg up on getting this film score for her to write the lyrics to the end title, which was based on one of the themes that I was writing for this other movie. RELATED: Michael Jackson: Madonnas Songwriter Said 1 of Her Songs Is Just Billie Jean in a Different Key Why Madonna came into conflict with Sire Records over the song Leonard revealed Madonna and Sire Records had different attitudes toward Live to Tell. Live to Tell wasnt a popular idea with the record company when she wanted it to be the first single [from Madonnas album True Blue] with no edit on it, this six-minute thing that stopped and started three or four times they werent happy, Leonard said. A shortened version of Live to Tell was ultimately released as the first single from True Blue. This edit is over a minute shorter than the original song. The Live to Tell music video contains an edit of the song as well. RELATED: Madonna Wrote 1 Song Like She Was Possessed by a Quentin Tarantino Character How the world reacted to Live to Tell This shorter version of Live to Tell was a massive hit. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 18 weeks. True Blue was a hit in the United States as well. It topped the Billboard 200, remaining on the chart for 82 weeks. Live to Tell also became popular in the United Kingdom. The Official Charts Company reports the song reached No. 2 in the U.K., staying on the chart for 13 weeks. True Blue charted even higher there, reaching No. 1 in the U.K. and remaining on the chart for 90 weeks. Sire Records worried the public wouldnt embrace the unedited version of Live to Tell. The edited version became a hit. Megan Fox seemed poised for superstardom after her roles in Transformers and in Jennifers Body. Instead, Fox didnt appear in the third Transformers movie. She fell out of the public eye almost entirely. For the better part of a decade, Fox took minimal roles and didnt star in any big movies. It looks like Fox is ready to come back, though, and shes eyeing up roles with Marvel or DC. Megan Fox left the spotlight Megan Fox attends the NoCap Shows x Machine Gun Kelly secret show on June 19, 2021, in Venice, California. | Scott Dudelson/Getty Images In a July 2021 interview with InStyle, Fox said I hid because I was hurt. Thats what it all boils down to. She left the spotlight because the backlash she received in an era before the #MeToo movement, and before we all looked back with horror at the way young women celebrities were treated, forced her to withdraw. She was very publicly not a part of the third Transformers movie, after being vocal in her criticisms about the way she was treated on set. Additionally, her film Jennifers Body was initially panned by critics and audiences. Critics said that there were easier ways to ogle Megan Foxs body, which in itself is a problematic statement that was systematic of her treatment. Reviews of Jonah Hex were similar. In one case, critics panned her southern accent, when her native state is Tennessee. In response, Fox was often loud about her rebuttals, but it didnt do much good. Before long, she had retreated completely. Recently, though, shes started to come back into the spotlight, and not always for great reasons. Her highly public divorce from Brian Austin Green is part of it. But she is also taking on new roles and seems ready to step back into acting. Fox has her eyes set on a comeback Megan Fox has two movies coming out soon. On top of her public divorce, she is also dating Colson Baker, AKA Machine Gun Kelly. Part of her reemergence is due to new TikTok trends. Jennifers Body, in particular, started trending. Instead of seeing it as a failure, as critics initially said it was, people have started sharing it as a coming out story. InStyle points out how young queer women have started praising the movie for the themes in it. Her comeback hasnt been without criticism, though, and most of it is based in sexism. Shes been asked where her kids are when shes out with Baker and has been lambasted for being older than her new boyfriend. However, Fox is only four years older than Baker. Even so, shes confident and ready for the spotlight again. She calls her July 2021 release, Till Death, a good transition movie. Its a horror movie, and she plays a woman trapped by her husband. Its a violent movie that deals with heavy themes of domestic abuse. Fox says it should help her be seen as an adult, rather than the young woman she was in her Transformers days. She also wants to play a role in the Marvel or DC universes. It wont bring an award, and she knows that. People hate on you as an actor for that because it doesnt get you the big awards, she says. I dont need a f BAFTA. Fox is ready to make a splash If Megan Fox does land a Marvel or DC role, shell be right where she wants to be. She wouldnt be the first actor to gain a lot of traction from netting a big role like that, whether theres an award or not. Chris Hemsworth, for example, was almost completely unknown when he landed the role of Thor. Hayley Atwell, who played Peggy Carter, and Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed TChalla, were both relatively unknown when they were cast. Pom Klementieff was cast as Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2, and it was her first major English-speaking role. Tom Holland, who plays Peter Parker, was also relatively unknown and is now a household name. RELATED: Crew Members of Transformers Once Wrote a Sexist Letter About Megan Fox, Calling Her an Unfriendly B*tch The NCIS franchise is expanding this fall. CBS will premiere NCIS: Hawaii on Sept. 20 and they presented a Zoom panel for the Television Critics Association on Sept. 9. Before you meet the new NCIS team on the island, theyve already got ideas to meet some of the other CBS shows that are their neighbors, namely Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum, P.I. Vanessa Lachey | Karen Neal/CBS Ill just say, and I only speak for myself as one of the executive producers, but I am always open to any sort of crossover that CBS will allow, NCIS: Hawaii creator Christopher Silber said. If they want to come play with us, we would love that opportunity. Name the show, name the day. I at least will be there for it. The other two executive producers of NCIS: Hawaii are Jan Nash and Matt Bosack. Vanessa Lachey stars as Jane Tennant, the leader of the Naval investigator team operating on the Hawaiian islands out of Pearl Harbor. Lachey said shes already planning activities for the stars of all three Hawaii shows on CBS. We want to get a dodgeball tournament going, like NCIS: Hawaii vs. Magnum P.I. vs. Hawaii Five-0, just go at it, Lachey said. We want to have our jerseys. We joke about it on set because it is such a beautiful location and we all are here on this beautiful island. Theres so much you can draw from but I think we did a really great job about doing our own little thing. NCIS: Hawaii is the third spinoff from the original. The original and NCIS: Los Angeles are still on the air. NCIS: New Orleans wrapped in 2021. Meanwhile, CBSs reboot of Hawaii Five-0 stared Alex OLoughlin and Scott Caan as partners in a Hawaiian crime task force. It wrapped its 10 season run in 2020, but cast members could always return to Hawaii. Alex OLoughlin | Karen Neal/CBS via Getty Images RELATED: NCIS: Hawaii Already Has 3 Major Differences From New Orleans and Los Angeles Magnum stars Jay Hernandez as the veteran private investigator in a remake of the Tom Selleck classic. So we make this joke, its like that scene in Anchorman where all the news channels come out, Lachey said. Were like, Do we come out? Were the new guys and we want to blend in, but we dont want to overstep boundaries. So its fun being in the same bubble but its also fun having our own little posse, so to speak. NCIS: Hawaii begins when Tennant leads her teams investigation of a plane crash on the island. Tennant is the first female Special Agent in Charge at the Pearl Harbor NCIS office. It also makes Lachey the first female lead of an NCIS series. Mark Harmon leads the flagship series. L.L. Cool J and Chris ODonnell lead NCIS: Los Angeles and Scott Bakula lead NCIS: New Orleans. Each series has vast ensemble casts who could make appearances on each others shows. This has worked out well for shows within the same franchise. Silber has been an executive producer on NCIS and NCIS: New Orleans, all of which have devised crossovers when their agents visit each others cities. Jay Hernandez | Karen Neal/CBS RELATED: NCIS: Hawaii EP Christopher Silber Denies 1 Long-Standing Rumor About the Highly-Anticipated Spinoff Ive experienced it certainly just in the world of the NCIS franchise, Silber said. It is always exciting and fun and its fun for those of us participating and its fun for the audience. Well have more with the cast and creators of NCIS: Hawaii here on Showbiz Cheat Sheet this month. Wondering how to watch the Rebel TV series and whether its on Netflix? You are not alone. Since it left ABC and Hulu, fans are confused. Luckily, Katey Sagal promotes the show to her fans and tells them how to watch the Erin Brockovich-inspired series. The Rebel cast and fans patiently await the decision about a possible season 2, even after ABC canceled the series in 2021. Rebel Season 1 is streaming free on IMDb TV, and if the show performs well on the platform, season 2 could be on the way. In the meantime, here are all the ways viewers can watch Annie Rebel Bello take on Stonemore and the faulty heart valve. Rebel TV Series: Katey Sagal as Rebel and Andy Garcia as Julian Cruz | Raymond Liu/ABC/Getty Images Does Netflix have Rebel TV series? Sorry Netflix users, Rebel is not currently streaming on Netflix. The ABC show began its run on April 8, 2021, and concluded on June 10. However, news broke after Rebel Episode 5 that ABC canceled the series. Hulu held the legal drama during that time, with new shows available on Fridays. You cannot watch the Katey Sagal Rebel TV series on Netflix or Hulu right now. However, Hulu does have a 20/20 special, The Real Rebel: The Erin Brockovich Story. How do I watch Rebel Season 1? Rebel star Katey Sagal as Annie Rebel Bello | Karen Ballard/Getty Images Viewers can watch the Rebel TV series on IMDb TV for free, on the IMDb app, IMDb website, and Amazon. Users do not need to have an Amazon Prime account to stream Rebel. The streaming platform is a free ad-supported video streaming service available in the United States. The IMDb app is available on phones and tablets on iOS and Android devices, and Amazon Fire TV. Will Rebel be picked up by another network? According to Deadline, the agreement between IMDb TV and ABC (where Rebel originated) includes the possibility of a request for a second season. However, it depends on how the series performs on the streaming service. The good news is that the cast is included in the option for Rebel Season 2. Katey Sagal wants the show to succeed and is ready for another season of activism. The Rebel cast includes Lex Scott Davis, Tamala Renee Jones, John Corbett, James Lesure, Kevin Zegers, Sam Palladio, Ariela Barr, and Andy Garcia as Julian Cruz. Rebel Eyes Potential Season 2 Pickup By IMDb TV As Season 1 Gets Run On Amazons AVOD Platform https://t.co/0XsCX4zsQI Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) July 15, 2021 RELATED: Katey Sagal Rebel TV Series Episode 7 Recap Race How many episodes are in the Rebel TV series? In Rebel Season 1, Rebel fought Stonemore with the help of Julian Cruz and many others for 10 full episodes. There were smaller side stories and cases along the way but the series revolved around a faulty heart valve created by a huge corporation, Stonemore. Hopefully, IMDb TV lands Rebel Season 2 for another 10 or more episodes. In the meantime, viewers can watch Sagal on The Connors, which returns for season 4 on Sept. 22, 2021. Why did ABC cancel the Rebel TV series? According to ABC Entertainment president Craig Erwich, the Rebel TV series simply did not bring in the viewership. It was a very carefully considered decision and one we tried to be methodical about, the president told The Hollywood Reporter. Part of the process was examining the behavior in terms of on-demand viewing and catch-up. How is it performing days after its performance on multi-platform viewing? And there was just not a trend there toward continuing to build the audience. Ultimately thats what led to a very difficult decision. Sandra Oh has received praise for multiple roles in TV and movies, but her role in ABCs hit medical drama Greys Anatomy, has probably brought her the most acclaim, as well as a legion of fans as one of the most popular characters on the show. The Chair, which stars Oh, was recently released on Netflix, and is also generating positive reviews of her character. And, as one eagle-eyed viewer discovered, there is a blink-and-you-miss-it connection between both shows. Sandra Ohs portrayal of Cristina Yang on Greys Anatomy was iconic Oh portrayed Dr. Cristina Yang, a double doctor, as Christina often said, who began her internship with Dr. Meredith Grey. Meredith and Cristina became ride-or-die besties, and were each others person. Which Cristina defined to her fiance, Dr. Preston Burke, in season 3 as: If I murdered someone, shes the person Id call to help drag the corpse across the living room floor. They also gained the nickname Twisted Sisters, courtesy of Dr. Owen Hunt, Cristinas boyfriend and husband in later seasons. Cristina was a talented cardiothoracic surgeon, who also had a Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley, making her a double doctor. She left in season 10 to take over for former fiance Dr. Burke, as chief medical officer and director of cardiothoracic surgery at Klausman Institute for Medical Research in Zurich, Switzerland. Cristina was one of the few Greys characters to make it out of Grey-Sloan Memorial alive, which, as any fan will attest to, is actually quite a feat. Which of Sandra Ohs lines in The Chair subtly connects it to Greys Anatomy? In this new comedy-drama from Netflix, Oh portrays Professor Jin-Yoon Kim, the new chair of the English department at Pembroke University. She is the first woman in this position, and she struggles to maintain the department as enrollment drops. Kim also has an adopted daughter, Ju-Hee, also known as Ju-Ju, who appears to be quite a handful. Kim tries to ensure a young Black teacher receives tenure, while also attempting to help her friend and colleague, who lost his wife and is making some bad life choices as a result. As pointed out by a user on Reddit, in one scene Professor Kim says, I wasnt going to be a housewife. I was gonna be a doctor. And this brief piece of dialogue made fans of Greys Anatomy sit up and applaud the, likely intentional, reference to Dr. Yang. Interestingly, Kim actually is a doctor, having obtained her Ph.D., though she is not a double doctor like Dr. Yang and you probably will not find her performing intricate cardiothoracic surgery. Will Oh ever return to Greys Anatomy? Greys Anatomy star Sandra Oh | Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images Oh has been adamant that she will not return as Cristina Yang, saying that she is a different person now and would say no to returning to the role. Cristina still does pop up on Greys, albeit from a distance. She attended Dereks funeral, though it was confirmed that it was not Oh standing next to Meredith, and she called Meredith when she won the Harper Avery Award. She also sent her a gift in the form of Dr. Cormac Hayes, aka McWidow, and texted Owen during Merediths battle with COVID-19 to check up on her person. Whether the writers of The Chair were intentionally giving a nod to Dr. Cristina Yang, or if it was just a cool coincidence, really does not matter. It was a fun moment for the legion of Cristina fans. And while Oh may never actually return to Greys Anatomy, it is enough to know that Cristina Yang is still out there. Even if she is a housewife now with only one doctoral degree. RELATED: Greys Anatomy: Sandra Oh Reveals if Shell Make a Cameo on the Show Now That Its Renewed for Season 18 Until now, the production of materials from organic substances was only possible with the use of highly toxic solvents. A team led by Uni Konstanz Prof. and CeMM Adjunct PI Miriam Unterlass has now developed a method for making organic substances suitable for use as high-performance materials in an eco-friendly and completely non-toxic way by generating them in only hot water. The study represents an important milestone in the green production of organic materials and thus also provides an important incentive to switch from inorganic to organic, renewable materials. Beside that the method is environmentally friendly, cost-effective, easy to use and also reduces the weight of the products. Many of the products we use every day, such as rechargeable batteries and electronic materials, are made using inorganic substances - substances that are gradually becoming rarer on our planet. Chemists are looking for ways to replace inorganic materials with organic materials made of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen or oxygen. To make these substances usable for the desired applications, highly toxic chemicals, so-called solvents, are still used today. This is precisely the problem that chemist Miriam Unterlass, Professor at the University of Konstanz and Adjunct Principal Investigator at the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, is addressing in her current study as part of her FWF START project. She explains, "Organic materials have many positive characteristics: they can be obtained from renewable raw materials, are environmentally friendly and, above all, are extremely lightweight. With our process, we can now also produce them and make them usable completely free of toxic solvents, very simply and inexpensively. In our current study, we have focused on the production of particularly porous materials that are needed for the manufacture of high-performance materials, especially in industry, for example for filter systems, membranes for fuel cells, but also for insulation in electronics." The connection with water While inorganic substances such as salts are soluble in water, organic substances are apolar and do not dissolve with water in a conventional state. For their new method, study author Marianne Lahnsteiner, a PhD student in Unterlass' research group at CeMM, and project leader Miriam Unterlass heated water and found that it also changed its ability in the process. "By heating molecules containing only oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon in water between 180 and 250 degrees and under pressure, these molecules can bind. Depending on the temperature and duration of this process, we thus achieve different structures, which we have been able to explore in detail in hundreds of experiments," Unterlass said, "so we now know exactly which structures are created by which, at which temperature and processing time. The materials in our study were specifically developed as high-performance materials and are accordingly particularly temperature-stable and robust." Screening, filtering, conducting In one gram of the material produced by Lahnsteiner and Unterlass, there are an enormous 7250 mm3 of hollow space. Accordingly, it offers - depending on its shape - the perfect characteristics for filtering, seprarting and conducting molecules, and that at low weight. To make the structures created by the process more observable, the researchers collaborated with the research group of network scientist Jorg Menche, a professor at the University of Vienna and also an adjunct principal investigator at CeMM. Menche's research group used Artificial Intelligence to analyze the emerging structures and patterns based on the microscopy images. "With the help of Artificial Intelligence, we were able to quickly categorize a variety of emergent structures in a way that we know how to synthetically achieve these structures," Lahnsteiner said. Green production with 25 percent initial cost savings "Smog is a key sign of environmental pollution. Chemical processes are unfortunately partly responsible for its formation, through the use of toxic solvents. With our new method, we are creating an enormously important alternative for processing organic materials that does not require such toxic solvents at all. At the same time, very common elements are used instead of rare ones," Unterlass said. "In addition, the process is very cost-effective. Using water versus toxic solvents in the production of porous materials saves about 25 percent of the cost. And we don't produce pollutants." In this March photo, a technician inspects filled vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the companys facility in Puurs, Belgium. Pfizer and Moderna have filed U.S. Food and Drug Administration applications for booster doses but the government will decide on extra Johnson & Johnson doses later, once that company shares its booster data with the agency. The Cherokee Nation on Sept. 2 celebrated tribal citizens and organizations for their statesmanship, patriotism, community leadership and devotion to the tribe during a virtual Cherokee National Holiday Awards Ceremony. Chickasha, OK (73018) Today Sunshine and a few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low near 65F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. The immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, was a strange and fearful time, but it also seemed a hopeful time. A massive shift in perspective happened to our country on September 11, wrote Philip Yancey in 2001. For a little while, he mused, the sense that everything had changed in a single morning made us look at our land, our society, and ourselves in a new way. It made us live in conscious awareness of death, made us notice that many of us fill our lives with trivialities, and forced us to turn to our spiritual roots. Talk of unity was everywhere. Church attendance spiked, and Christian leaders began predicting a national revival. In a 2001 speech, President George W. Bush praised Americans for our decency, kindness, and commitment to one another. Now, on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with the US military withdrawn from Afghanistan, we should ask: Were those hopes fulfilled? We certainly didnt maintain that sense of unity. Quickly, Christians got into heated discussions about whether we could support military invasions, torture, the Patriot Act, and more. Since then, our political divisions seem even more embittered, and polarization is on the rise. And as for the policywell, wherever you land on these things, my guess is you arent too happy with how its gone, and our current political discourse is awash with talk of treason and even civil war. Our lack of unity isnt the only disappointment. The foretold revival never came, either. For a few weeks after 9/11, people packed the pews, but it soon became apparent there was not a great awakening or a profound change in Americas religious practices, as Frank M. Newport, Gallup Poll editor in chief, toldThe New York Times in November of 2001. Barna Group confirmed that conclusion in 2006. It tracked 19 dimensions of spirituality and beliefs and found none of those 19 indicators [were] statistically different from pre-attack measures. In other words, the 9/11 attacks didnt put American Christians on a trajectory toward more orthodox beliefs or more consistent habits of prayer, church attendance, or Scripture reading. Insofar as we can measure matters of faith, the decline of American religiosity continued apace. Almost as quickly as the new perspective on life Yancey saw in 2001, Americans turned away, back to trivialities and escalating antipathies, like a dog returning to its vomit (Prov. 26:11). As a culture newly aware of mortality, we embraced the recklessness of YOLO, not the care of memento mori. Spiritually speaking, said Barnas David Kinnaman, its as if nothing significant ever happened. Still, the myth that the 9/11 attacks catalyzed a spiritual awakening lives on. A 2013 Barna Group survey found Americansand particularly born-again Christiansbelieve 9/11 made people turn back to God. Why were our hopes for ourselves so wrong? Why did we not live into our own ideals? I have two answers to suggestand one reason to hope anew. My first suggestion is that what we thought was hope wasnt hope at all. It was less Christian trust in the character and redemption of God than American optimism coated with not-quite-biblical bromides that when theres bad, good will follow. Americans love to believe that everything happens for a reason, and that after a short period of time, sorrow will always turn into joy and suffering into sanctification. We quote Romans 8:28we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love himand incorrectly interpret it to mean that everything that happens to us will somehow work out okay. Article continues below And it willon the eschatological scale. God promises that one day we will live in perfect joy and justice with him, and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain (Rev. 21:4, NASB). But God does not promise us lives that reliably get nicer, either for us as individuals or even for our society. Sometimes evil happens and then just keeps on happening for centuries. Sometimes things dont work out okay and theres no perceptible reason for what happens to us. Nor does suffering naturally or automatically lead to growth or good outcomes, as pastor and author Tim Keller has observed. It must be handled properly or faced patiently and faithfully. A couple extra Sunday services in the fall of 2001 is not a commitment to the long, slow work of sanctification. The second answer to our disappointed hope is about how we preserved 9/11 in our memory. Never forget, we said, over and over and up through today. Part of what we meant was Never forget the people we lost and the heroism of ordinary Americans who helped amid the horror. Yet another part was vengeance. In his September 2001 address, Bush promised the American people he would not forget the wound to our country and those who inflicted it. He swore never to yield, rest, or relent in the mission our country had found in our anger. Too many Americans, including some Christians, adopted this response in a vengeful way. We were right to be angry at the great wrongs of 9/11, but at some point, rehearsing that anger year after year doesnt move us toward justice, love, or the forgiveness Jesus commands of his followers. It moves us toward resentment, hostility, and bitterness, with all the trouble it brings (Heb. 12:15). How we remember is as important as that we remember, as theologian Miroslav Volf has argued, and we should discipline ourselves to remember both with the desire for knowing truth and with the desire of overcoming enmity and creating a communion in love. As we remember 9/11 again this year, it is not too late to change that memory. It is not too late to begin to seek the goods of unity and revival we wanted in 2001. We can still become more peaceable and prudent in our politics. We can still draw near to God, and he will draw near to us, for now is the day of salvation (James 4:8; 2 Cor. 6:2). We can still learn real hopenot ahistorical American optimism, but the weightier hope that comes through perseverance, character, and the love of God. This year marks 20 years since 19 men hijacked four planes, driving two of the aircraft into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon, and one into a field in Pennsylvania, after several of the passengers fought back. The attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and left 25,000 people injured and were organized by Osama bin Laden, who used his faith as justification for the attacks. Several days after September 11, 2001, President Bush addressed the country: These acts of violence against innocents violate the fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith. And it's important for my fellow Americans to understand that. The English translation is not as eloquent as the original Arabic, but let me quote from the Koran, itself: In the long run, evil in the extreme will be the end of those who do evil. For that they rejected the signs of Allah and held them up to ridicule. The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. That's not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace. These terrorists don't represent peace. They represent evil and war. When we think of Islam we think of a faith that brings comfort to a billion people around the world. Billions of people find comfort and solace and peace. And that's made brothers and sisters out of every race. Under the Bush administration, the US initiated the War on Terror which carried out a number of military inventions around the world to fight Islamic extremism, which included invading and occupying two majority Muslim nations, Iraq and Afghanistan. Of course, all of this political rhetoric and direct action had significant consequences for how the country and church engaged Muslims domestically and internationally. Thomas Kidd is the author of American Christians and Islam: Evangelical Culture and Muslims from the Colonial Period to the Age of Terrorism (Princeton University Press, 2008) and works at Baylor University where is a distinguished professor of history, the James Vardaman endowed professor of history and the associate director of Institute for Studies of Religion. His most recent book is Who Is an Evangelical?: The History of a Movement in Crisis. Kidd joined global media manager Morgan Lee and executive editor Ted Olsen to discuss how American evangelicals interacted with Muslim before 9/11 and what has changed since. What is Quick to Listen? Read more Rate Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts Follow the podcast on Twitter Follow our hosts on Twitter: Morgan Lee and Ted Olsen Follow our guest Thomas Kidd Music by Sweeps. Quick to Listen is produced by Morgan Lee and Matt Linder The transcript is edited by Faith Ndlovu Highlights from Quick to Listen: Episode #280 Starting with the Bush speech, do you find anything remarkable about what Bush says here? What were your thoughts then and how do you look at it now? Thomas Kidd: Bush is a fascinating character on religion, both because of his own evangelical conversion experience, but also because of his relative moderation on Islam itself. That speaks to a different Republican Party 20 years ago. I don't think his views about Islam would be warmly received by Republican Party today or by many evangelicals. Bush also reflected ambivalence about how to react to Islam and Muslims in the wake of 9/11 that I find understandable. 9/11 demonstrated that Islam has a serious problem with radical jihadism in certain segments of the global Muslim community, but Bushs inclination to want to reassure people that the majority of Muslims are not jihadists, are not terrorists is the right one too. I tend to contrast Bush's speech and there were also times where he talked about Muslims and Christians worshiping the same God, which became a live, renewed debate after 9/11, whether that's theologically true or not that Muslims and Christians worship the same thing. Article continues below But he also said, I think on September 20th in his address to Congress, when he first began to talk about Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda, I think the most famous line of that speech when he talked about how freedom and fear and justice and injustice, two or three pairings, like that had always been at war and he said, God is not neutral on these questions. Again, I found that comprehensible when he said that, but I also thought that's a sort of a more religious absolutist kind of approach to what just happened that is a little bit in tension with his admirable ways to these trying to think the best of the world Muslim community. So even in himself, he reflects a sort of tension and ambivalence that many Christians, especially in America, felt about how to react to Muslims after 9/11. Ted Olsen: There was some controversy, even back then with some of his emphases of Islam being a religion of peace. CT ran some pieces about that. Questions about whether the God of Muhammad is the father of Jesus. There was that kind of tension about whether the president of the United States should be the person defining what Islam is and is not about. I guess there are still some aspects of that, but I guess that has changed with people becoming more familiar with Muslims. Was there an aspect where earlier presidents, political leaders had an aspect of explaining Islam or Muhammadism that would have been called to the American public? Was there familiarity with tenants of Islam and what Islam was about? Thomas Kidd: There was talk about Islam, of course, throughout all of American history, going back to the earliest colonial period, but a lot of that, as you would expect, was based on stereotypes, and so forth. There had been a growing familiarity before 9/11, with the problem of Islamist terrorism, concern for instance about the Iranian revolution of 1979 and how the attack on the American embassy, the hostage crisis resulted from that, that certainly 9/11 was because of the pain and deaths and suffering and then the wars that at least indirectly resulted from 9/11 brought Islam to an unprecedented level of American and specifically American Christian consciousness. The Christian community was somewhat divided as you saw it even in Bushs tension over this issue between more charitable readings and then the more inflammatory and stereotypical readings. To give an overview, how much experience did Americans and especially American leaders have with Muslims. Was it theoretical or actual? Thomas Kidd: It was both. Part of the reason I wrote the book was that on a personal level 9/11 made me newly interested and sensitized to the question of Islam and American history as never before. Before 9/11 I think I probably had seen references to Islam and colonial American documents and so forth. It wasn't quite as much of interest of mine as it would be after 9/11. So, part of the reason I wrote the book was just to answer the question about, what did American Christians in particular know and think that they knew about Islam over the long period of American history? It turns out that in the colonial period, for instance, there were biographies of Muhammad that were usually quite polemical, anti-Muslim biographies, probably the most popular one was called The True Nature of Imposture, Fully Displayed in the Life of Mahomet. Muhammad is in this reading an imposter, fake, and charlatan. They would talk about the tricks that he would play, that he would train a pigeon to pick peas out of his ear, or like the Holy Spirit was speaking into his ear, all kinds of rumors and stories, apocryphal things about Muhammad's life. Who was the author and what type of interest did they have in writing a book like that? Article continues below Thomas Kidd: The author of that book was a man named Humphrey Prideaux, who was an Anglican minister in England, but it was popular like many books. It was published in England but circulated widely in America. But you could see more broadly that it became almost ubiquitous that people in the 1700s in England and America when they would refer to the prophet Muhammad, would call him an imposter, whether they were citing the book or not. It was an apologetics book for Christianity. There was growing interest at that time in world religions. There was exposure, in the 1680s, the Ottomans had been defeated at the gates of Vienna. There was a growing awareness, the military and cultural issue about the Ottomans and other Muslim groups, and there was an interest in the contrast between Christianity and Islam that prompted Prideauxs book, but other ones like it. There were lots of Europeans and also increasingly Americans who were dealing with the threat posed by the Barbary pirates coming out of North Africa, who just made a mockery of European and American naval power for centuries. Their business was taking European and American ships captive and taking hostages of the sailors and stealing their cargo and ransoming the hostages in particular and putting pressure on them to convert to Islam. That issue probably became the most popular topic in pop literature at the time for Europeans and Americans to read. There was an endless number of books about my time among the pirates. Sometimes these were actual people who had been held hostage by the Barbary pirates and it just worked well on a pop literature level, but it also shaped people's impressions about what Islam was. Almost invariably, these would pick the Muslim pirates and captors as just exceptionally cruel, that they were trying to get all their prisoners to convert to Islam. But all the converting required was confessing that there is one God and Muhammed is his prophet. So, they portray Islam as being very nominal and very cruel. These sorts of things certainly shaped American Christians impressions of Islam for centuries. There was also a mission's enthusiasm for Muslims, or at least in that region of the world that emerges in the early 1800s. Is that connected to the anxiety about Barbary pirates and evangelical enthusiasm for going to hard places or is something else at work in the missions drive to the Middle East or to North Africa or some of those regions? Thomas Kidd: It's indirectly connected in the sense of raising awareness or at least impressions that American Christians have about Islam and the case of the Barbary pirates. But the mission's movement is a broader movement that's emerging in the 1790s, early 1800s, out of a sense that Protestants had failed to get behind any kind of serious international missions movement. Much in contrast to the Catholic church that had been working on evangelizing, for instance, Native Americans for centuries, while Protestants in America, weren't doing much about that. Some of the missions started to add Americans or people like Adoniram Judson who were going to Burma. This was a global initiative that tried to include at least nominally outreach to the Middle East and Muslim areas elsewhere. That does attract disproportionate amounts of attention in the missionary literature in Britain and America. From the beginning of the missions movement, the Muslim world is identified as perhaps the hardest nut to crack as it were in the international missions movement. Part of that is that the Ottoman empire had legal barriers against evangelism to Muslims; it was illegal to directly evangelize Muslims. Article continues below Was it also true for the British Empire? Did they also have laws against converting citizens of the British Empire to Islam? Thomas Kidd: No, they didn't have legal restrictions against it and for instance, there would be stories about European or American Christians being converted by the Barbary pirates because of the pirates saying they would set them free or treat them better if you convert. So, some of the Barbary captivity narratives would say things like, There was a Catholic sailor who decided to convert to Islam, but the Protestant sailors were very brave. They would bring in these kinds of stereotypes, anytime they could, but there were no restrictions. There was derision towards Protestants or Catholics who would convert to Islam, but not legal restrictions. The Ottomans banned that Muslims from converting, but also just even proselytizing Muslims. What ended up happening is that British or American missionaries in the Ottoman empire often ended up working among Eastern Orthodox Christians, who they didn't consider to be converted, believing Christians. They would set up schools, some of which were enormously influential like the American University in Beirut. Places like that that ended up being among the leading universities in a lot of the Muslim world were set up by missionaries. So, they said, We can proselytize among these Eastern Orthodox Christians and we can do education and we can have a witness, as well as cultural influence. They found that it was very difficult, both legally, but also personally, to do much evangelism among Muslims and that remained the case certainly through the early 20th century. So, there was more attention given to Muslim missions in the 1800s, but not much fruit came from it in terms of Muslim conversions. When did the first Muslim immigrants arrive in the US and how did they start to change the perception of Muslims by the church in the US? Thomas Kidd: There were Muslim immigrants or at least Muslim-influenced immigrants from the earliest colonial period in America. But the problem is that most of them were African, and they arrived in America as enslaved people. The vast majority of those were Africans coming to America, mostly as slaves had absolutely no Christian background at all and if they had the influence of a monotheistic religion, it was often Islam, not Christianity. Some of them had some Catholic background, but it was at least as common that they would have Muslim influences in West Africa, from Muslim missionaries operating in West Africa. Those were the first Muslim immigrants to America, but our records of them are, as you would guess, sparse to say the least and they made very little impact on the way that the white Christians were thinking about Islam in America. When you get to the mid-1800s, you start to see very small numbers of immigrants from the Muslim world, but also African-Americans and certain white Americans who would convert to Islam for various reasons. Some of those people started to write books, apologetics for Islam, one sort of odd character; Alexander Russell Webb was a white American who converted to Islam, and he ended up making a pretty big difference about the spectacle of a white American who converts to Islam in the late 1800s. He influenced things like the Parliament of the Worlds Religions in Chicago in 1893. By that point, there was growing interest in academic circles about world religions and studying world religions objectively for more scientific purposes, to understand these religions on their terms. So that starts to shape more of the academic and not necessarily Christian discussion of Islam in America, but the number of Muslim immigrants to America overall was quite small until 1965. When as you all know, there was a revision to American immigration law that for a variety of reasons means that there was going to be a much greater influx of immigrants from the Muslim majority world from the Middle East, some, but definitely from places like Pakistan. Article continues below Talk about the Nation of Islam. How do evangelicals begin to engage with that? Thomas Kidd: The Nation of Islam is again an African-American-led movement coming out in the 1920s, 1930s in Midwestern cities, especially Detroit. There are a number of Pan-African nativists types of movements going on that are like the nation of Islam, but the Nation of Islam is distinctive in the fact that it portrays itself as a sort of African African-American brand of Islam. Traditional Muslims do not regard the nation of Islam as an Orthodox form of Islam. Most famously in the 1950s, you get to the conversion of Malcolm X to the nation of Islam and he becomes their most charismatic and articulate advocate. They also attract celebrity converts like Muhammad Ali and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Malcolm X by the mid-1960s puts the Nation of Islam very much into the American consciousness of at least a form of Islam that is very tied up with issues about race. That's a time of great upheavals in America about racial issues and inequality in the Civil Rights movement. Whatever white Christians might think about Martin Luther King Jr., at least he's a Christian and is interested in racial integration which moderate white Christians would probably say that probably is a good idea at some point. But even if they wanted Martin Luther King to slow down, Malcolm X was famously much more confrontational, not that interested in integration because he doesn't think that white Americans can ever trust white Christians to be true to their word and why do we want to integrate with the oppressor? Malcolm X in the final years of his life, again, famously, rejects the Nation of Islam and converts to a more traditional form of Islam himself after his pilgrimage to Mecca and which probably resulted in his assassination, likely by members of the Nation of Islam itself. So even some members of the nation of Islam start to have doubts about its legitimacy as a form of Islam. There are lots of pop Christianity books that do come up after 9/11 on some of that stuff. My perspective is that it seems to have dropped off over the last 20 years. I see fewer of those books these days. Is it that folks found other opponents? Is it that there are changing attitudes towards Islam or is there more familiarity? Thomas Kidd: There has been a decline of interest in dispensational theology, generally in the American evangelical community and that would be an interesting research project for some sociologists or maybe a historian to take on about why that is, obviously it's not gone away. The forms of dispensationalism now are probably a little less aggressive about making predictions and having the newspaper in one hand and the Bible in the other. I certainly think on social media that it has just become a fixture in some of the circles that I observed that disparaging dispensational theology among evangelicals. That sort of thing has become as common as the promotion of dispensational theology. I try not to be dismissive about these things because I think there are understandable reactions to the horror of 9/11, but it did spur on a full-on renewed emphasis on end-times theology. Maybe this has something to do with the beginning of the end. Then as the novelty of the horror of 9/11 fades away, and you get bogged down interminable wars there's this inevitably kind of declining interest in apocalyptic interpretations of those events. Article continues below But what I've observed about trends in evangelical culture is that there is of course sustained interest in evangelism and missions in the Muslim world. It has been a fixture of evangelical culture for more than a century. But also, the Muslim versus Christian apologetics continues to be a major issue, which may be most importantly led by the late Nabeel Qureshi. If I can gauge anything by my son's YouTube video watching habits in his room, and he's watching old videos of Nabeel Qureshi talking in a relatively ironic way about his conversion from Islam to Christianity and comparing the beliefs of the two sides and why Qureshi thought that Christianity was true. But there were versions of that coming out after 9/11, that were much harder edge, like Muhammad was a pedophile, kind of impostor language about Muhammad and some of that hard-edged both end times talk and apologetics has faded a little bit, but as long as we're evangelicals, apologetics and missions will be part of the move. The interest and attention paid to Nabeel is that he was from the Ahmadi community, which many Muslims don't even recognize as a true form of Islam. Do you know, to what extent he talked about Islam through his lens as Ahmadi and talked about that overall, or if he was much broader and how he looked and defined that? Thomas Kidd: Muslim apologists, who you also find on YouTube, denounced Nabeel Qureshi. They would, among many things, say that he was a heretic in his family anyway so what difference does it make that this aberrant Muslim converted to Christianity? So, I think that Qureshi noted that in his work, but also tried to portray himself as someone who understood the differences between Sunni and Ahmadi and those different branches of Islam, but that he's trying to introduce American Christians generally to what Islam is as a whole and why Christianity is superior. What are the ways in which evangelical Christians have actively participated in or enabled the wave of Islamophobia that we've seen at various times, especially in the past 20 years? Thomas Kidd: There was a burst of not uniquely evangelical Islamophobia after 9/11, some evangelicals piled on; Franklin Graham, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and there was a Southern Baptist leader who said that Muhammad was a demon-possessed pedophile in the years after 9/11. People were angry about 9/11, including me, and when you're angry, you say incautious things. These are places where there are plenty of polls that will show that white evangelicals, which usually are whites with a negative impression of Islam. I'm sure that that reflects something that's going on the ground in evangelical churches. But we also know that usually, these polls are very imprecise about who counts as an evangelical. Maybe that just means somebody who considers themselves religious and they watch Fox news and if you press yes or no by a pollster, are you an evangelical? They have negative views about Islam. I don't think usually those things tell us much that's very interesting. There are plenty of important evangelical leaders who people like Timothy George, who wrote a very fine book about the debate, Is the Father of Jesus the God of Muhammad? that I think is a very careful, intelligent, evangelical approach to this question because there are very fundamental theological differences between Christianity and Islam. Traditional Muslims and traditional Christians affirm that the view of the Trinity, for instance, that's a totally different view of Jesus, totally different. Of course, many Muslims respect Jesus as a prophet, not the son of God. Some people from the outside of evangelical culture would regard any kind of statement of fundamental difference as a species of Islamophobia. I don't but saying that Muhammad was a demon-possessed paedophile, I would. So that kind of extreme inflammatory language is unnecessary. Article continues below So, I always feel like we've got to figure out which evangelicals are we talking about and how do we know that they're evangelicals? It usually is a little more complicated than a poll would suggest One example that I think definitely squarely involves evangelicals happened in the Southern Baptist Convention several years ago, with regards to our Christianity Today colleague Russell Moore and his former ministry, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), which he led, which was at that time doing a lot of religious freedom advocating specifically that also looked at finding common cause for Muslims. Can you talk a little bit about that controversy that happened there? Thomas Kidd: One of the specific controversies was about the ERLC supporting a mosque in Murfreesboro, Tennessee that had run afoul of some local zoning ordinances. This happens to churches too, that relatively less sympathetic city boards will not allow churches to be built for ostensibly zoning reasons that happen to mosques too. Russell Moore and the ERLC said, If we're going to support churches in this sort of thing, we also need to support mosques and synagogues if that happens to them and other faith groups who are trying to build buildings and facing bureaucratic harassment. There was a significant outcry in the Southern Baptist Convention and in other more fundamentalists types of circles that this means that Russell Moore and his crowd are Muslim sympathizers. But I think that there would have been broad support among many pastors in that Southern Baptist Convention for Moores position because of the historic Baptist commandment to religious liberty and so going back to the founding period, even people like John Leland, the great Baptist evangelist, and advocate of religious liberty, and friend of Thomas Jefferson in those days was saying that religious liberty is for all religious groups and that evangelicals and Baptists should support a free market of religion because if you do, the gospel will win, to me obviously, sympathetic to what Moore was doing in that case. That was one of many reasons as you all well know that Moore got flagged in the SBC and ultimately decided to leave. Another thing that was a big cultural flashpoint to pick on that we were talking earlier about, was Bush mentioning that Muslims and Christians worship the same God. I would love to hear more about how those comments were treated as well as talk about the Larycia Hawkins episode at Wheaton, where she is a Wheaton College professor, with similar remarks to that and how that was all handled. Thomas Kidd: On the Bush issue, I admire what Bush was trying to do. I appreciate that as we just talked at the beginning about the ambivalences and tensions that he's trying to negotiate. I don't think anyone would mistake George W. Bush for a great theologian. His efforts to be kind and generous and set the right tone were sometimes a bit ham-handed theologically, even some more broad-minded evangelical folks would say, If you're saying that Islam had Christian roots, that it was partly drawing on that, that's true and maybe if the idea is that when Muslims refer to God, they're referring to the same God that Christians are referring to and the Jews are referring to. But worship, Jesus talked about God looking for worshipers who worship in spirit and truth, don't, you have to have a baseline correct theology before you can accurately worship. Those are legitimate evangelical questions that even people like Timothy George based in divinity school, were raising about, if the idea is we want to be as kind and generous to our Muslim neighbors as we possibly can. Yes, absolutely. But we also need to recognize that there are theological gulfs between Christians and Muslims that just can't be bridged, especially about Trinity, about the way of salvation, those are pretty important things. Article continues below The Larycia Hawkins episode is another type of flashpoint over that about how much accommodation can be made toward Islam and evangelical context and anything that smacks of, the differences don't matter that much, we should just love people at some point, that's going to run up against traditional evangelical belief and it's not going to work anymore. For me as an evangelical and a scholar of evangelicals, the trick is always how do you balance kindness, charity, and love of neighbor with a kind of sobriety about the deep theological difference between these religious traditions and they're not the same. There are opposites on some very important issues. As usual, Christians tend to go to one extreme or the other on those types of questions. When students at Resurrection Christian School in Loveland, Colorado, returned on Wednesday from a four-day Labor Day weekend, school leaders were there at the entrances to welcome them, masked and unmasked, and to keep an eye out for county health officials. Last week, following a COVID-19 outbreak that infected around 35 of 1,600 students, the health department directed Resurrection Christian to adopt a universal mask mandate and social distancing for at least 14 days, but the schoolwhich required masks last school year and lifted the rule over the summerrefused. The Larimer County Department of Health had scheduled a site visit on the schools first day back to monitor the response, telling school administrators in a letter that if the measures were not taken, the county would pursue further action, including possible closure of the school. The clash between Resurrection Christian and Larimer County is an example of the the broader pushback against COVID-19 protocols by those claiming conscience freedoms or religious freedoms. It also echoes debates among Christians over the responsibility to mask and take other precautions to slow the spread of the virus. Though Resurrection Christian is a private and religious institution, state law allows public health agencies to regulate COVID-19 responses in all schools and order compliance if necessary, the Fort Collins Coloradan reported. The county health department website says it consults with districts, private, and charter schools while also intervening in outbreaks. Kori Wilford, county health department spokesperson, told the Coloradan that at Resurrection Christian, if additional measures such as wearing masks, increased distancing and improving ventilation are not effective in stopping an increase in cases, a closure would be the next step to protect public health. Health officials, though, did not show up this week at the school, and Resurrection Christian has continued operations under its own COVID-19 response, including amping up cleaning and air circulation after the outbreak. On Wednesday, the energy on campus was exciting. I had kids getting out of their cars, thanking me for keeping school open, said Jerry Eshleman, the schools superintendent. While the school began the pandemic with remote learning, then required masks and other precautions last year, Eshleman said hes concerned about the mental health strain on students and was eager to return this year without the mask mandate and social distancing. School began on August 17. Then came the delta variant. When you look at our school statistics, I see firsthand how it has traveled through our school. I do believe the hype, the superintendent said in a 30-minute video shared with the school last week. I dont believe the fear, but I do believe that it spreads quickly. Most of the families at Resurrection Christianaffiliated with nearby Rez.Church, an Association of Related Churches congregationagree with the administrations COVID-19 response. The response from our parents has been absolutely, overwhelmingly positive, Eshleman said in an interview with CT. But among the folks who are not happy about it, they cite examples from the Bible about obeying those in authority over you, the whole Romans 13 thing. While I respect that, I think its a misapplication of the context that were dealing with here. At what point will the government, will the state so to speak, ask things of you that youre going to have a problem with? he said. To a handful of parents that Ive responded to who have cited that to say basically, Youre not being a good Christian, youre not loving your neighbor as yourself, youre not doing Romans 13, I say, Ok, then help me understand Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Thats not obeying the authorities over them. Romans 13, the passage from Paul that begins, Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, has been invoked by Christians throughout the pandemic, including by Christian colleges establishing COVID-19 policies and by pastors shepherding congregations with conflicting views on reopening. I think we as Christians and as Americans need to have these two balancing influences, Romans 13 and Revelation 13, in our minds, theologian Russell Moore said, in a discussion of religious liberty in the early months of the pandemic. The government has a legitimate role in order and authority, and we need to be the best citizens that we can be (Romans 13), and it is possible for a government to overstep its bounds and to become a destructive force (Revelations 13). As the pandemic has gone on, especially after the drop in cases and then the current spike, some Christians eager for a return to normal have become more concerned about whether the government requirements represent overreach. Others continue to hold to precautions, emphasizing masking and vaccination as a form of protecting and loving their neighbors. During the health departments initial visit to the school in late August, administrators argued that the layout of the school, with separate buildings and no interaction between lower-grade and upper-grade students, did not necessitate a schoolwide mask requirement even after an outbreak (defined as five or more students infected) or a pre-outbreak (two to three infected). But the school has another reason for not enforcing the requirements. Leaders say they prioritize allowing parents to make medical decisions for their children, rather than taking a stance on whether to mask or whether to vaccinate. The school has encouraged compliance but says it does not want to overstep parental decision-making in this case. To me, philosophically, when Gods law and mans laws run parallel to one another, thats fine but this is not that. This is the state coming in between me and my child, telling me the medical advice that I have to do for my child, said Eshleman, citing scriptural teaching that a parent is responsible for their children. The larger issue in Deuteronomy 6, to me, its talking about: Parents, its your J-O-B to take care of that child. God gave you that child to raise. Not the school. Definitely not the state. Legal counsel for Resurrection Christian is currently in preliminary discussions with county attorneys, but its too early to say if the school will take legal action. During the pandemic, churches have been successful in winning exemptions from lockdown mandates on First Amendment grounds, particularly when they argued that neutral or generally applicable laws were being used to target religious institutions or that comparable activities by secular entities had been permitted. The states that had their policies upheld were applying them consistently, said Daniel Bennett, political science chair at John Brown University. In a case like Resurrection Christian, I think it would be real easy for the government to say, Look we have a compelling interest in this. Its being applied to all schools, and its a temporary order. Last year, after granting injunctions in New York and California, the US Supreme Court ordered Colorado to reexamine its worship restrictions, and congregations like Rez.Church have been gathering at full capacity and without mask requirements for months. But there is not the same precedent for religious schools fighting coronavirus precautions, and several have lost in court. In some cases, their legal fights extended beyond the terms of the COVID-19 precautions, rendering their cases moot. A judge in Michigan ruled in August against a Catholic school in Lansingalso called Resurrectionthat challenged a statewide mask mandate, saying masks hide faces made in the image of God. The decision said the state order was neutral and applied to both public and private religious schools, and that the state was well within its jurisdiction since masking is a measure by which we can better protect public health. Earlier in the summer, an appellate court upheld New York Citys random COVID-19 screenings in private and parochial schools. In a Wisconsin case where all schools, including private religious schools, were closed for in-person education due to COVID-19, the policy was ruled unconstitutional since it violated students free-exercise rights to practice their faith through religious education. There have also been an uptick in cases of individuals claiming exemptions from school and workplace mask mandates and vaccine requirements for religious reasons. Paul D. Miller and Andrew Walker, writing at The Public Discourse, suggested that Christians should not claim religious exemptions from mask mandates but instead challenge them on the basis of whether masks are a prudent public health measure consistent with Americas liberty rubric. The Bible is utterly silent about masks one way or the other, they write. We can safely conclude that the wearing or not wearing of masks is not part of religious worship or religious activity. Thus, it is not protected by religious freedom, and it is rightfully within the governments jurisdiction to mandate or forbid. Administrators at Resurrection Christian see their position as remaining neutral on COVID-19 issues and politics and allowing parents to decide what is best for their families. Faced with the threat of a possible shutdown by the county health department, they have assured parents they will continue to fight for and advocate for the parents rights. For the school, you have to look back and ask, Is this the hill youre willing to die on? said Bennett. As Christians, there are going to be moments where there are things that we cant in good conscience abide by. If this is such an important issue that youre going to say we have to defer to the parents judgement, theres going to be consequences. You may have to shut down and say, Well see you in two weeks. Airline accused of unlawfully firing employees who questioned company's support of Equality Act Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Alaska Airlines has been accused of religious discrimination over the firing of two Christian employees who questioned the companys endorsement of the controversial Equality Act. If enacted, the Equality Act, which is making its way through Congress, would add sexual orientation and gender identity to federal civil rights antidiscrimination laws. The First Liberty Institute filed two Charge of Discrimination complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last month against Alaska Airlines on behalf of two flight attendants, Lacey Smith and another whose name has been kept private. In a statement released Friday, FLI denounced the firing of Smith as an example of corporate canceling, arguing that it violated federal protections for the religious beliefs of employees. The idea that an employer can fire an employee for expressing a religious belief is chilling especially when you consider the fact that the Equality Act is still a proposal, and it has not been signed into law, wrote Liberty McArtor of FLI. This makes Laceys termination even more shocking because our current state and federal civil rights laws prohibit discrimination against someone because of their religious beliefs and expression. According to the complaints, earlier this year, Alaska Airlines posted on an internal employee forum about the companys support for the Equality Act and welcomed comments from others. After Smith and a coworker asked questions expressing concern about the endorsement of the Equality Act, the company fired them both, claiming that their comments were hateful. The two former employees have accused the airline of engaging in retaliation, religious discrimination, and creating a hostile work environment. The Christian Post reached out to Alaska Airlines for a response to the complaints filed, however, the Washington-based company did not return comment by press time. Alaska Airlines is one of around 400 businesses that have declared their support for the passage of the legislation, being listed as part of the Business Coalition for the Equality Act. Supporters of the Equality Act have argued that it's necessary to protect LGBT individuals in the workplace, especially due to several states not explicitly offering such protections. The proposed legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives in February by a vote that was largely along party lines, however, it remains to be voted on by the Senate. The LGBT advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign celebrated the bill's passage in the House, with HRC President Alphonso David calling it a major milestone for equality. Now, we look forward to a hearing and vote in the Senate to finally allow LGBTQ Americans the ability to live their lives free from discrimination, stated David at the time. Critics of the legislation, among them Robert Netzly, the CEO of Inspire Investing, believe the Equality Act would marginalize religious groups and others who object to homosexuality, gay marriage, or transgender ideology. It cancels by name specific provisions of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, putting religious employers such as churches and private religious schools, hospitals, adoption agencies, and others at severe risk of lawsuits, wrote Netzly in a column for CP back in June. Equality should be for all people, including female athletes who want an equal playing field when they compete, people of faith who have moral convictions about heterosexuality, and female prison inmates who should not be forced to share a cell with violent felons convicted for preying upon women. After criticism, Jesse Duplantis says ministry donated $100K in generators to Ida victims Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Louisiana televangelist Jesse Duplantis hit back at critics who charged that he and his ministry werent doing enough to help his storm-ravaged community of St. Charles Parish, where Hurricane Ida left most residents without power. Duplantis' Covenant Church is located in Destrehan, St. Charles Parish, where nearly every home and structure was touched by Idas heavy winds and rain, and officials believe power might not be restored in the area until the end of September, Fox 8 reported. We were really devastated by this storm, Parish President Matthew Jewell told the network while comparing the damage to that of Hurricane Katrina. Its going to be a long restoration process. St. Charles Parish was one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Ida. Duplantis, who also leads Jesse Duplantis Ministries, and his wife, Cathy, were forced to defend themselves in a video message on Facebook Tuesday, after people accused his church of doing nothing to help his community as they suffer through the aftermath of the hurricane. Were helping people literally all over everywhere, Duplantis insisted. The problem is when you come and look at our ministry you cant see any of that because we had oak trees down, breaking this and we had to get all that stuff out. Thank God for people that came and helped us do all of those things. Youre hearing all kinds of rumors that were not doing this, were not doing [that], thats all a bunch of malarkey. I could use another word, but you understand what Im talking about, he continued before revealing that his ministry had already donated some $100,000 worth of generators and he had plans to do even more. I made up my mind that were going to be a blessing and are a blessing. Weve already given away $100,000 worth of generators so God has been so good. Not trying to brag about that, he said. We want to do more, and we are going to do more. I mean, Ive never seen so many trees, Cathy. The 72-year-old televangelist explained that 160 mph gusts of wind from Hurricane Ida did some damage to the roof of his home which he is getting fixed. He also said he's been giving spiritual and physical food to the community that many of his critics have omitted to highlight. Not only have we been giving out spiritual food but weve been giving out physical food, all those kinds of things. But you know, people dont want to hear that because you gotta touch the heart of an individual, Duplantis said. He encouraged people to donate to his ministry so he could help people get into homes. He noted that during Hurricane Katrina, he was able to donate some $3 million in donations to assist people in need. Brandi Abate, who said she lives in St. Rose, not far from Duplantis' home, challenged his claims later that day in an extended post on Facebook. Jesse. I am a child of God I am also in your community. Ive passed your church and home several times and have seen absolutely no activity. No prayer services on the front lawn. No ice, water, foo, or for Heavens sake these generators you speak of. Im not condemning your words but I am questioning your actions, she said, before adding that other churches in the area with fewer resources have been busy helping their neighbors. Much smaller churches are in the trenches with us while you sit in that tax free monstrosity. Outside of your podcasts and Facebook staged videos Ive not seen nor heard from you or your church staff. Ive not been lended(sic) a hand or even consolation that things will be ok. Ya know who did? The pastor I just met at St Rose Community Church. Ya know who else did? Our Sheriffs office. Mt. Zion church. Our council people. Our parish president. Our senator!!! But you? No sir. Not a word, she continued. Louisianas death toll from Hurricane Ida rose to 26 on Wednesday, just days after the reported number of deaths was believed to be 13. According to the Louisiana Department of Health, the causes of the additional deaths was due to drowning, lack of oxygen, heat exhaustion, carbon monoxide poisoning, and other storm-related events. Larry Elder responds to media ignoring racial attack Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment African American California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder has responded to the corporate medias lack of interest in reporting that a white woman in a gorilla mask pelted an egg at him, raising allegations of a double standard. Elder, a Republican, is one of several candidates seeking to unseat California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, in a recall election taking place next week. Elder had an egg thrown at him by a white woman wearing a gorilla mask as he made a campaign stop in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles Wednesday. The attack was captured on video. While the egg did not hit Elder, the attack sparked a confrontation between the woman and his security team. White liberal in gorilla mask throws an egg at Larry Elder as he campaigns for the California recall. pic.twitter.com/XvEuqRV7hD The First (@TheFirstonTV) September 8, 2021 The candidate reacted to the incident in an appearance on Fox News Tucker Carlson Tonight on Thursday. I was at a homeless encampment in Venice, he recalled. It was a very ugly, angry scene. In the interview Elder asserted that the media has a double standard when it comes to attacks on black politicians: If I were a Democrat, obviously, this would be called systemic racism, theyd be calling it a hate crime. I dont like to play that game. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva suggested that a double standard exists when it comes to attacks on racial minorities, asking on Twitter Thursday, How is this not a hate crime? He answered his own question by declaring that woke privilege means a white woman can wear a gorilla mask and attack a black man without fear of being called racist. QUESTION: How is this not a hate crime? ANSWER: Because woke privilege means a white woman can wear a gorilla mask and attack a black man without fear of being called a racist. Where is the outrage from our politicians?#Hypocrisy#WokePrivilege@LarryElder@GavinNewsompic.twitter.com/h6vnXQ2Uzd Alex Villanueva (@LACoSheriff) September 9, 2021 According to NewsBusters, a conservative media watchdog, the flagship morning television programs on the three broadcast news networks expressed little interest in reporting on the assault. It received scant coverage on ABC and CBS while NBC did not mention it at all. A report on ABCs Good Morning America mentioned that during his tour of the homeless encampment, several homeless people [chased] him away and someone [threw] an egg in his direction. A report on CBS This Morning noted that Elder was heckled by homeless advocates, one of whom threw an egg at the candidate during an L.A. campaign stop. Neither network pointed out that the woman who threw the egg had a gorilla mask on. In the past, comparisons of African Americans to primates have been considered racist. A Fox News analysis of media coverage following the egg attack revealed that ABCs World News Tonight, NBC Nightly News, and CBS Evening News didnt find time for the story on Wednesday and The Washington Post appeared to skip the attack on Elder too. The Fox News piece highlighted a similar lack of interest in the story from left-leaning cable news networks: MSNBC didnt mention the egg incident through 8 a.m. ET Thursday morning, but found time to claim Elder pushes white supremacy. The attack on elder received brief mentions on CNN, but largely ignored the network through Thursday morning. Elder also drew attention to the medias lack of coverage of the historic nature of his candidacy. If elected, Elder would become the first African American governor in the history of California. He noted that a negative New York Times article about his candidacy never once mentioned that Im black, never once mentioned that I would be the first black governor of California. Ive never made a big deal about that. I dont want people to vote for me or against me because Im black. But on the very same page of The New York Times, there was a big article about the first female governor of New York, he added. Elder concluded that they cared about the first when it was a female Democrat but couldnt give a rip about the first when it was a black Republican. The RealClear Politics average of polls taken in the past three weeks shows that Californians favor keeping Newsom in office by a double-digit margin of 15.7%. The polling data reflects the fact that despite the bipartisan unhappiness with Newsoms performance in office that led to the recall election in the first place, California remains an overwhelmingly Democratic state. Newsom was elected by 24% in 2018 and President Joe Biden won the state by 29% in the 2020 presidential election. In the recall election, voters will answer two questions: whether they want to remove Newsom from office and which of the declared candidates they want to replace him. If a majority of Californians vote to remove Newsom from office, the replacement candidate with the most votes will become governor and remain in office at least until Newsoms term expires in 2023. If the recall effort succeeds, Newsom will become the second California governor in the past two decades to be ousted from office in a recall. In 2003, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis was removed from office and replaced with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who ran as a Republican and remained in office until 2011. Most adult US Christians don't believe Holy Spirit is real: study Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Of an estimated 176 million American adults who identify as Christian, just 6% or 15 million of them actually hold a biblical worldview, a new study from Arizona Christian University shows. The finding was published by the Cultural Research Center of Arizona Christian University in its recently released American Worldview Inventory, an annual survey that evaluates the worldview of the U.S. adult population. Conducted in February, the survey included a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults. The study shows, in general, that while a majority of Americas self-identified Christians, including many who identify as evangelical, believe that God is all-powerful, all-knowing and is the Creator of the universe, more than half reject a number of biblical teachings and principles, including the existence of the Holy Spirit. Strong majorities also errantly believe that all religious faiths are of equal value, people are basically good and that people can use acts of goodness to earn their way into Heaven. The study further showed that majorities dont believe in moral absolutes; consider feelings, experience, or the input of friends and family as their most trusted sources of moral guidance; and say that having faith matters more than which faith you pursue. Too often, it seems, people who are simply religious, or regular churchgoers, or perhaps people who want a certain reputation or image embrace the label Christian, regardless of their spiritual life and intentions, George Barna, the lead researcher at the Cultural Research Center, explained in a statement. 'Christian has become somewhat of a generic term rather than a name that reflects a deep commitment to passionately pursuing and being like Jesus Christ. A closer examination of the data on Christians showed that while some groups of Christians, like self-identified born-again Christians and self-identified evangelicals, hold views that were more closely aligned with a biblical worldview, the survey still found errant beliefs among the groups. From a sociological standpoint, self-identified born-again Christians are the siblings of self-identified evangelicals. There is tremendous overlap between the two niches: in fact, roughly seven out of 10 consider themselves to be part of both segments, the study noted. While the groups arent considered interchangeable, Barna found that there are slightly fewer self-identified evangelicals, 28%, than self-identified born-again Christians, 35%. Despite using different terminology to identify themselves, self-identified born-again and self-identified evangelical Christians possess nearly identical views on most of the beliefs evaluated. Across more than a dozen attributes studied, the average difference was only 2 percentage points, with the largest gap being only 4 percentage points, he noted. Some 62% of self-identified born-again Christians contend that the Holy Spirit is not a real, living being but is merely a symbol of Gods power, presence or purity. Another 61% say that all religious faiths are of equal value, and 60% believe that if a person is good enough, or does enough good things, they can earn their way into Heaven. All these positions challenge a biblical worldview. The study identified another group of self-identified Christians who were more closely aligned with a biblical worldview known as the Theological Born-again but only Christians identified as integrated disciples were classified by Barna as having a biblical worldview and that group represented the 6%. As the groundbreaking American Worldview Inventory surveys have demonstrated, just 6% of U.S. adults possess a biblical worldview. Labeled Integrated Disciples for their demonstrated ability to assimilate their beliefs into their lifestyle, this group consistently albeit imperfectly comes closest to reflecting biblical principles into their opinions, beliefs, behaviors, and preferences, Barna explained. More than 99% of this group believe that the Bible is the accurate and reliable words of God, believe that God is the all-knowing, all-powerful and just Creator of the universe who still rules the universe today and say they have a unique, God-given calling. Significant minorities still held beliefs that challenge the biblical worldview. These include: 25% say there is no absolute moral truth; 33% believe in karma; 39% contend that the Holy Spirit is not a real, living being but is merely a symbol of Gods power, presence, or purity; 42% believe that having faith matters more than which faith you pursue; and 52% argue that people are basically good. The survey results clearly demonstrate how careful you have to be when interpreting data associated with a particular segment of people who are labeled as Christians, Barna warned. Political polling, in particular, may mislead people regarding the views and preferences of genuine Christ-followers simply based on how those surveys measure the Christian population. UN, human rights groups condemn Taliban's violent crackdown on women-led protests, journalists Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The United Nations and human rights groups have condemned the Taliban's ban on all demonstrations and the use of violence days after women took to the streets to protest Afghanistan's newly formed interim government that includes more than a dozen leaders who are designated terrorists and ex-Guantanamo detainees. In a statement released Friday, the U.N. condemned the Taliban for its increasingly violent response to organized peaceful protests in which militants used live ammunition, batons and whips to beat women and journalists. We call on the Taliban to immediately cease the use of force towards, and the arbitrary detention of, those exercising their right to peaceful assembly and the journalists covering the protests," a spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a press statement, adding that the Taliban killed four people during recent demonstrations. Taliban fighters shot and killed two men and wounded several others during demonstrations in Kabul Tuesday, and beat and detained several women and up to 15 journalists, the spokesman said. During protests in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces last month, the Taliban killed a man and a boy and wounded eight others after firing their weapons into the crowds. As Afghan women and men take to the streets during this time of great uncertainty in their country to press peacefully for their human rights to be respected including womens right to work, to freedom of movement, to education and political participation it is crucial that those in power listen to their voices, the U.N.'s statement continued. The beating of women and journalists in Kabuls Karte Char neighborhood occurred on the same day the Taliban announced the ban on all slogans, demonstrations and protests that dont have official approval, The Wall Street Journal reported. Their government doesnt count us as citizens of this country even though we are half of the population, a protesting woman was quoted as saying. We dont care if they beat us or even shoot us, we want to defend our rights. We will continue our protests even if we get killed. Taliban fighters called the protesting women "agents of America." Responding to the protests, the new regimes interior ministry, which is headed by Sirajuddin Haqqani, a member of the Haqqani network that has long been designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department, warned that such protests would be treated as illegal and participants would face severe legal consequences unless approved by authorities at least three hours in advance, The Epoch Times reported. At a large protest by men and women on Tuesday, members of the Taliban fired shots into the air to disperse the demonstration held outside the Pakistan embassy in Kabul and arrested reporters. Taliban authorities are obligated under international law to respect and uphold everyones right to peaceful protests and to respect the rights of women and girls, Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a report. Concerned governments should press the Taliban to protect free expression and peaceful assembly, she said. The report also said that Taliban security forces on Tuesday detained journalists from Etilaat-e Roz Taqi Daryabi and Nemat Naqdi for covering a protest in Kabul. The journalists were taken to a police station in Kabul, placed in separate cells and severely beaten with cables before being released on Wednesday. Taliban authorities claimed that they would allow the media to function so long as they respected Islamic values, but they are increasingly preventing journalists from reporting on demonstrations, Gossman added. Nemat Naqdi, a video journalist, and Taqi Daryabi, video editor, from the Etilaatroz newspaper undress to show their wounds after Taliban fighters tortured and beat them in custody after being arrested for reporting on a womens rights protest in Kabul, Afghanistan. ???? @yamphotopic.twitter.com/ipQ658KQMN L.A. Times Photos (@latimesphotos) September 9, 2021 The Talibans crackdown on protests and journalists is raising concerns among religious minorities, especially Christians, as they fear increased oppression and persecution as the Taliban have promised strict enforcement of Sharia law, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern said. Almost all Afghan Christians estimated to be between 8,000 and 12,000 are converts from Islam and remain largely closeted and hidden from the public eye due to severe persecution. Their status as converts makes Afghan Christians direct targets for persecution by both extremist groups and society in general, ICC said. In Afghanistan, leaving Islam is considered extremely shameful and converts can face dire consequences if their conversion is discovered. The fears are not unfounded, given the new leadership. Prior to the Talibans takeover of the country, Afghanistan was one of the hardest places in the world to be a Christian, ICCs Regional Manager for South Asia, William Stark, said. With the Taliban now in complete control and likely to return the country to the oppression of the 1990s, it will be nearly impossible to be a Christian in Afghanistan. Five of the newly-appointed leaders were in detention in Guantanamo and later exchanged for Bowe Bergdahl in 2014, according to Long War Journal. Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, the current Emir of the Faithful or top leader of the Taliban, issued religious decrees justifying the Talibans operations, including suicide attacks, from 1996 to 2001, the Journal said. Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the acting head of state, refused to turn over Osama bin Laden after the al Qaeda terror group bombed the U.S. Embassy in August 1998. Akhundzada and Akhund are among more than a dozen new leaders who were sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council in early 2001. What the parable of the forgiven debt says about reparations Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As Ive been writing about reparations, Ive had the opportunity to think deeply and consider the issue from different perspectives. Ive appreciated the occasion to grow in my theology of the issue. I continue to maintain that enacting reparations on a federal level is both practically impossible and biblically unjust. Practically speaking, it would be virtually impossible to enact reparations on a federal level in a way that was both organized and fair. Even lawmakers supporting the idea of reparations admit that making it happen is not likely. Which makes me wonder why it continues to be a topic of our news cycle during elections. Biblically, there is nothing just or fair about making people that never had slaves pay restitution for the crimes and sins of people many generations ago. Such an idea violates numerous biblical principles. But one aspect to this topic that I have not discussed is forgiveness. In Matthews Gospel (chapter 18:21-25) we read the parable of the unforgiving servant. You know this one. A servant was hauled in front of the king for owing an outrageously large sum of money. The servant pleads with the king for mercy to which the king responds in mercy by forgiving the debt entirely. The servant then bumps into a fellow servant that owes him a few bucks and begins demanding he pay it back immediately. The fellow servant begs for patience and mercy but receives none. The first servant hauls his fellow servant to jail until he can repay the tiny debt he owes. When the king hears about it, he is enraged and demands the servant give account. The king reminds the unforgiving servant of the massive debt he owed and how he was shown mercy and should have been merciful to his fellow servant. The meaning of this parable, some say, relates to the civil practices of ancient Israel and their violation of debt release laws established by God. Economist Jerry Bower writes in his book, The Maker Versus The Takers, The fact the saying is immediately followed by a parable about debt and the parable is introduced with a for this reason transitional statement pretty much cements the case that the sabbatical year system of debt release was in view in the entire passage, including the parable itself. (pgs. 80-81) The Maker Versus the Takers: What Jesus Really Said About Social Justice and Economics This practical application of the passage is likely true. But the spiritual principle underlying the parable is still present. That spiritual principle is simple: those who have been forgiven much, should forgive others of much. As Christians, we have been forgiven an eternally insurmountable debt. All of our sins have been washed in the blood of Christ and our redemption and atonement have been secured. Our debt was so large that no amount of works, no amount of self-atonement was possible. We were utterly hopeless. But then Jesus secured our forgiveness. How can we, who have been forgiven so much, refuse to forgive anyone else? Do we have a right to hold a grudge against the people of our nations history for their past racial sins? No. Do we have a right to refuse forgiveness to the person with different skin than our own for the racial sins of their ancestors? No. Do we have a right to demand anyone pay for the sins of other people? No. Reparations is a political tool used to divide entire groups of people: black and white, this Christian and that Christian, etc. In public politicians seeking to be elected (or re-elected) will talk of reparations because they know it will fire people up, people whose votes they need. But even now, the Democratic Party (the party of reparations) holds majorities in the House, Senate, and Presidency, and yet there has been no movement on reparations. They know that it is not practically possible and that they cant even get a majority of their own party to support the measure (moderate Democrats in swing districts would lose their office quickly). So, they talk about reparations during election cycles and then ignore it until they need it again. True racial healing cannot be achieved from government coercion or intervention; government will only exacerbate the issue. True racial healing, especially for Christians, is found in the forgiveness given to us all through Jesus Christ. As long as we hold onto the sins of the past, we pervert the grace extended to us in Christ and tell the lost world that Jesus simply isnt enough. Because Jesus has forgiven us every sin, and mercifully extended grace to us though we are undeserving, it should be our goal to do the same. Martin Luther eloquently states the point: It is therefore decreed when we deal with God that we must stand free, and let goods, honor, right, wrong, and every thing go that we have; and we will not be excused when we say: I am right, therefore I will not suffer a man to do me wrong, as God requires that we should renounce all our rights and forgive our neighbor Hence no one should be so wicked and allow himself to be so angry, as to be unable to forgive his neighbor. And, as is written, if he would even offend you seventy times seven times, that is, as often as he is able to offend you, you are to let your right and claim go, and freely give him everything. Why so? Because Christ has also done the same for you The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant Genuine forgiveness is a better testimony to a lost world than any government induced olive branch. And forgiveness is lasting on an individual level and the spark needed to bring the fire of social and cultural change. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment According to a May 2019 article in the New Republic by Laurie Penny, The goal of the wave of anti-abortion laws in America is to put female sexuality under strict and brutal state control. More specifically, as the headline states boldly, The Criminalization of Womens Bodies Is All About Conservative Male Power. This is a common argument from the pro-abortion side: the pro-life movement is all about controlling womens bodies and sexuality, especially male control. To quote Penny once more, since she repeats common pro-abortion talking points (albeit with a lot of passion and eloquence), In a sadistic nationwide legislative binge against womens basic reproductive rights, draconian new anti-abortion measures have also won wide margins of approval in Georgia, Ohio, and Missouri [in addition to Alabama]. This has been coming for a long time. Its all part of a strategic frontal assault on womens right to choose, a deliberate ploy to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling upholding abortion access as a constitutional right in the United States. These laws are not about whether a fetus is a person. They are about enshrining maximalist control over the sexual autonomy of women as a foundational principle of conservative rule. They are about owning women. They are about women as things. The only problem with this argument is that it is entirely fallacious. No truly pro-life leaders are trying to own women. (In point of fact, many of the most outspoken leaders are themselves women.) And no truly pro-life leaders view women as things. To the contrary, they care about the needs of the mothers as well as the babies, which is why they are there to offer these women help and support when they choose life. Not only so, but pro-life leaders constantly speak out against gender-selective abortions, since those target female babies much more than male babies. Indeed, writing for the Lozier Institute, Anna Higgins (yes, thats a womans name) identified sex-selection abortion as the real war on women. As she said, Those who claim to be concerned with womens rights can no longer ignore the need to ban sex-selective abortion in order to protect girls from gendercide. As for the idea that the pro-life movement exists to enshrine maximalist control over the sexual autonomy of women as a foundational principle of conservative rule, this is a figment of the imagination of the pro-abortion movement. The fact is that we who are pro-life are not telling a woman how to live. We are not restricting her opportunities in the workplace. Or hindering her education. Or telling her how she must conduct herself in public or private. We are not telling her who she can or cannot sleep with. Or whether she must be single or married or gay or straight or bi. Or if she can produce a salacious music video. Those are her choices to make, and she will give account to God for those choices, not to us. Theres only issue we have, and it is the very issue that Penny and her colleagues miss when she wrote These laws are not about whether a fetus is a person. To the contrary, this is the one and only thing that these laws are about, as I emphasized in a recent article. It is all about the personhood of the baby in the womb. As Lila Rose noted in a recent tweet (need I point that Lila is a woman too?), Im pregnant with our son, due in November. His body is *not* my body. I do not have the right to kill him. No woman (or man) has the right to kill ANY child, even when that child is 100% physically dependent on them. Period. This is the heart (or, should I say heartbeat) of the matter, and no one can express this better than an expectant mother. And this is why the pro-abortion camp cannot address this head on, instead, hiding behind a refuge of lies and misrepresentations (even if those pushing the misinformation believe it to be true). And this is why more and more Americans now oppose abortions from the second trimester on: they recognize the humanity of the baby in the womb. In the famous words of Dr. Seusss Horton Hears a Who, A person's a person, no matter how small. That and that alone is the crux of the issue, and the only control pro-lifers want to exert is the ability to stop an abortion provider from terminating the life of another person, no matter how small. Thats the gospel truth. Abortion is just demonic: Ex-Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson responds to evil amid Texas abortion law battle Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Ex-Planned Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson called abortion demonic in a recent episode of her Politely Rude podcast as she unveiled her unequivocal reaction to Texas controversial new heartbeat law. Johnson, who is an outspoken and celebrated pro-life activist, started her show by expressing her elation over the Texas law, which bans most abortions around the six-week gestational period when cardiac activity can be detected. SUBSCRIBE: LISTEN TO ABBY JOHNSONS POLITELY RUDE PODCAST ON EDIFI Today, babies with a detectable heartbeat in the womb must be protected, Johnson said. And that just thrills me to bits. Im just so excited. The outspoken pro-life icon was particularly disturbed by sick reports that some clinics were performing abortions up until 11:59 p.m. before the new law took effect on Sept. 1. How gross that youre like, Gotta kill babies up until that last second, she said. Thats how you know that abortion is just demonic. Thats how you know that were just dealing with evil here that theres like just, Gotta kill them right up until the last second. Hear Johnsons full and unfettered reaction to the Texas abortion law: Johnson credited the heartbeat bill with helping eliminate 85 to 95 percent of abortions in the state of Texas, and said it's her goal to make abortion harder to attain. I want to make it super hard because I want your baby to live, she said. I dont want you to live a lifetime of regret because of a decision that you made in haste a decision that you made in crisis. Johnson said she has met many thousands of women who have come up to her at events to recount their regret over having an abortion. Women are living with lifelong regret because of these hasty decisions that they make inside of these abortion facilities each and every day, she said. Listen to Johnsons full reaction to the Texas abortion law here. Bible teacher shares how he 'chose Jesus over homosexuality' after contracting HIV Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment When Moody Bible Institute professor and author Christopher Yuan was 9 years old, he began having same-sex attractions after discovering pornographic magazines at a friends house. Following his exposure to pornography, Yuan said he experienced confusion and fear about his attraction to males. In a recent testimony given at the Real Life Ministries megachurch in Idaho on Aug 29, Yuan was joined by his parents and said the familys faith journey was not an easy process and included painful experiences. He shared that over time, their whole family became Christians by accepting and surrendering their lives to Jesus Christ. At 9, those [pornographic] magazines gave me a distorted view of sex, and they soon became my master, Yuan told the audience at the evangelical churchs Post Falls campus. With pornography fueling my desires, I had my first encounter when I was 16 years old. But I kept my [same-sex] feelings hidden through high school, college, even in the Marine Corps Reserve. Since discovering their Christian faith, Yuan co-authored with his mother a 2011 memoir titled Out of a Far Country: A Gay Sons Journey to God, A Broken Mothers Search for Hope, which has sold over 100,000 copies and is available in seven languages. In Yuans grade-school years, he said that he did not fit in with the other boys as a Chinese American in Chicago. I looked different. I acted differently and I had different interests. God gave me the gifts of music sensitivity, he said. Satan cannot take away God-given gifts, but he can twist the perception of them. And from a young age, I was viewed and ridiculed for being effeminate. No longer keeping sexuality a secret After a few years, in his early 20s, Yuan no longer kept his sexuality a secret. On May 15, 1993, he came home from Louisville, Kentucky, after completing his first year in dental school. He made an unexpected announcement to his parents. I am gay, Yuan recalled telling them. During that time, Angela and Leon Yuan, who were college sweethearts that met in 1964, had many unresolved marital issues and were in the early stages of filing for divorce after 28 years of marriage. Leon Yuan was a dentist and Angela Yuan was a stay-at-home mom. The Yuans who considered themselves non-Christian at that time had different reactions to their son coming out as gay. Leon Yuan told the audience that he blamed his wife and accused her of making their son gay. He believed he would find his own happiness if the entire family went their separate ways by splitting up. You would never think that three simple words, I am gay, could cause so much pain, Angela Yuan said. I actually thought I could threaten Christopher with an ultimatum to choose the family or homosexuality, but Christoper already brought into the lie that he couldnt change that he was born gay. In response to his parents' reactions, Christopher Yuan packed his bags and left with indescribable emotions. [It would have probably been] worse than receiving news of Christophers death, the mother recounted. He could have cut me with a knife. It would have hurt less. I was at the end of my rope. As the marriage was seemingly coming to an end and her son leaving the family, Angela Yuan said it felt like her world was coming to an end. I had no more reason to live, so I [was] determined to do the unthinkable. I was going to end my life, she remembered. I thought that death was the only answer to all my problems. 'Opened the eyes of my heart' Even though she did not believe in God, the mother decided to meet with a Christian minister who gave her a pamphlet on homosexuality. Then, she bought a one-way Amtrak ticket to Louisville, where she planned to say her final farewell to her son. On the train, Angela Yuan only brought with her a purse and the pamphlet from the minister. She began to read the pamphlet, which explained the plan of Christian salvation. The document said, All people are sinners, but God loves them despite their sin. While reading the pamphlet, she said, God opened the eyes of my heart. I realized that just as God loves me, in spite of my sin, I could love Christopher in spite of him leaving as a gay man, she said. After she arrived in Louisville, the mother called a number on the back of the pamphlet, which connected her to a Christian woman. For the next six weeks, the woman met with Angela Yuan and guided her in the process of immersing in the Bible. I went to Louisville expecting to end my life, and in reality, I did, she added, noting that her favorite Bible verse is Galatians 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. After six weeks, Leon Yuan received a phone call from the woman who discipled his estranged wife. The woman told him that Angela surrendered her life to Christ, and she has been saved. Leon Yuan, however, was not pleased with the news of her newfound faith. I told her, This is not good news. This was my worst nightmare because from now on, Angela has God on her side, Leon Yuan said. But, what I realized is [Angelas] transformation was not a Sunday-only change but in every aspect of her life. What she had was not religion but an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Little did I know, God was also working on me. Shortly after, Leon Yuan decided to attend church with his wife. One of their mutual friends also invited them to a Bible study. And as a result, they said they both grew in their understanding of God's Word. I also surrendered my life to Jesus, the father told the audience. God became the glue that brought my marriage [back] together by drawing both of us to Himself. This was Gods way for preparing us for the difficult years ahead. Although the couple reconciled and became Christians, they still did not have a relationship with their son. At that time, Christopher Yuan, who was pursuing his doctorate level studies, spent most of his leisure time frequenting gay clubs. He also spent time seeking intimacy and happiness through various dating relationships. Although he found some satisfaction from dating, he still encountered feelings of unfulfillment. Eventually, Christopher Yuan began doing drugs to find happiness. To afford his drug habits, he also started selling drugs to friends, classmates and even a professor. To be clear, not all gays and lesbians do drugs, not all gay men are promiscuous, of course. Some are and some are not, but that is part of my story, Christopher Yuan recounted. I actually thought I could live this double life: graduate student by day and promiscuous drug dealer by night. Despite thinking he could continue selling and using drugs while going to school, three months before he was supposed to receive his doctorate, he was expelled from the school. After news of the expulsion reached his parents, they took a flight from Chicago to Louisville. Yuan thought his expulsion would not last because his dentist father was close friends with the school's dean. However, that was not the case. Angry at his parents, who supported the schools decision to expel him, Yuan decided he would move further away from them to Atlanta, Georgia. Christopher Yuan delved further into the drug scene in his new home and became a supplier through other dealers in over a dozen states, he said. 'In my world, I had become God' It was nothing for me to have multiple anonymous sexual encounters each and every day because, according to the world, I had it all: money, fame, drugs and sex, Yuan said. I had exchanged the truth of God for a lie. And I began worshipping and serving the creature, rather than the Creator because, in my world, I had become God. The parents began to pray for their son. It was more than obvious that [Christopher] was totally unreachable and completely hopeless, but my wife and I committed. Not focusing on the hopelessness, but on the promises of God, along with 100 prayer warriors from our church. We all cried out to God for our son Christopher, Leon Yuan recalled. In addition to saying the prayer, Lord do whatever it takes to bring this prodigal son to You, Angela Yuan also fasted every Monday for eight years. She also conducted a 39-day fast. And each morning, she would spend hours in her prayer closet. God answered my prayers by saying wait and be still, she said. One day, 12 federal drug enforcement officers knocked on Christopher Yuans door. They confiscated all his money and drugs, including 9.1 tons of marijuana. With that amount, he could have faced up to 10 years to life in prison. He received six years in a federal detention center in Atlanta. While at the center, he made phone calls to friends but soon realized all the friends he knew had abandoned him. In an act of last resort, Christopher Yuan called his mother fully expecting her to yell at him. However, to his surprise, his mothers reaction to his imprisonment was to ask if he was OK. Following Jesus Christopher Yuan later found a Bible near the garbage in the detention center and he began to read it. Shortly after, he received the shocking news that he is HIV positive. After spending time devastated over the news, Yuan found himself picking up his Bible to read. The more he read, he said, the more the Holy Spirit convicted him of his many idols, including homosexuality. Christopher Yuan said over a gradual process, he eventually found his Christain faith. He said he chose Jesus over homosexuality. I went through every verse, every chapter, every page of Scripture. And a decision had to be made: either abandon God and His word by letting sexual attractions dictate not only who I was but also how I lived or abandon pursuing a monogamous same-sex relationship by freeing myself [and] not allowing my desires to control who I am [by living] as a follower of Jesus Christ, Christopher Yuan concluded. My decision was clear and obvious. I followed Jesus. After finding Christ, Christopher Yuan applied to attend Moody Bible Institute in 2001. He graduated in 2005, receiving a masters degree in biblical exegesis in 2007 and a doctorate of ministry in 2014. Christopher Yuans new identity in Christ compelled him to live in obedience to God despite his same-sex attraction. And his obedience has radically changed life, according to his profile on Moody Bible Institutes website. Yuan is now a sought-after speaker and author who has taught Bible classes at Moody Bible Institute for over a decade. He is also the author of Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by Gods Grand Story. The book was named by Outreach Magazine as the 2020 Book of the Year for Social Issues. DOJ files lawsuit against Texas abortion law; pro-life groups say Biden admin. lacks jurisdiction Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As the Biden administration files a lawsuit against Texas over its law banning abortions after six weeks gestation, pro-life groups are slamming the president for acting as a puppet of the radical abortion agenda. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. Accusing the state of acting in defiance of the Constitution, the lawsuit claims, It is settled constitutional law that a State may not prohibit any woman from making the ultimate decision to terminate her pregnancy before viability. Yet Texas has done just that, it continued. The United States therefore seeks a declaratory judgment that S.B. 8 is invalid under the Supremacy Clause and the Fourteenth Amendment, is preempted by federal law, and violates the doctrine of intergovernmental immunity. The Wall Street Journal first reported Wednesday that the Biden administration is preparing to sue Texas over its new law banning most abortions. Texas SB 8, also known as the Texas Heartbeat Act, became law on Sept. 1 after several courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, declined to block the measure from going into effect. The law bans abortions after a baby's heartbeat can be detected, usually around six weeks gestation. Additionally, it allows private citizens to sue doctors who perform illegal abortions and individuals who help women obtain illegal abortions. Pro-life groups reacted unfavorably to the news that the Biden administration was planning to take legal action against Texas over SB 8. In a statement, Texas Right to Life Vice President Elizabeth Graham predicted that any lawsuit filed by the Biden administration would fail. Joe Biden has a long record of failures with protecting the unborn and pregnant women, she asserted. He is a puppet of the radical abortion agenda, and his DOJ will quickly find that they do not have jurisdiction to stop the Texas Heartbeat Act. Earlier this week, Attorney General Merrick Garland indicated that the U.S. Department of Justice was exploring all options to challenge the law, vowing to continue to protect those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services pursuant to our criminal and civil enforcement of the FACE Act. Garland added, The FACE Act prohibits the use or threat of force and physical obstruction that injures, intimidates, or interferes with a person seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services. Chelsey Youman, state director of Human Coalition Action Texas, agreed with Graham that the Biden administration did not have a strong legal case against SB 8. In a statement shared with The Christian Post, Youman said, If violating the FACE Act is all the DOJ has to come up with to block the Texas Heartbeat Act, thats good news! SB 8 is a peaceful and constitutional law that uses civil lawsuits to protect innocent children from death by abortion. The FACE Act, which prohibits physical force or threats to keep women from entering abortion clinics, does not apply in this context. While Texas SB 8 has received strong condemnation from Democrats and pro-abortion activists, the American public is divided on the law. A poll released by Rasmussen Reports earlier this week found that a plurality of Americans (46%) support the measure while 43% oppose it. At the same time, 46% of Americans expressed support for President Joe Bidens push to launch a whole-of-government effort to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions. The Susan B. Anthony List cited the public opinion poll in a statement condemning the Biden administrations court challenge against the pro-life law. Biden Democrats anti-life, anti-democracy attack on Texas and other pro-life states proves how out of touch they are with the American people, said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. The Texas Heartbeat Act is a response to 50 years of Supreme Court interference in states legitimate interest in protecting life and their right to debate and pass laws reflecting their peoples values, she added. Biden, [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and their radical allies want to permanently stifle that debate and impose abortion on demand up until the moment of birth, paid for by taxpayers. As the executive branch takes legal action against Texas, top congressional Democrats have signaled an intent to codify Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide, into federal law. Pelosi announced last week that upon returning from recess, the House will bring up Congresswoman Judy Chus Womens Health Protection Act to enshrine into law reproductive health care for all women across America. The legal battle over Texas SB 8 comes as the Supreme Court is slated to rule on the constitutionality of Mississippis 15-week abortion ban. A decision in favor of the state of Mississippi, which is asking the justices to reverse a lower court ruling striking down the law, would significantly weaken the precedent set by Roe v. Wade. The lawsuit filed against Texas Thursday repeatedly cites the precedents set by Roe v. Wade and the subsequent court decision Planned Parenthood v. Casey as reasons why the Texas law is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization in its upcoming October term. In a previous interview with CP, Diane Ferraro of the pro-life organization Save the Storks suggested that the courts decision to hear the case involving the Mississippi pro-life law will help open the door for them to hear other cases. Chaplain who ministered to hundreds of families at ground zero reflects on God's faithfulness Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Twenty years after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, a Navy chaplain who ministered to hundreds of grieving families at ground zero has shared the incredible ways God showed up amid tragedy and provided comfort to those suffering. Jim Jenkins, who was a Navy chaplain serving with the Coast Guard as part of the Chaplains Emergency Response Team, traveled to ground zero mere days after al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists hijacked four commercial jetliners and flew them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 people. What Jenkins saw when he arrived at the wreckage of the towers will forever be engrained in his memory. The only way I could describe it is, I saw footage of Berlin after the bombing. It looked like that as far as your eye could see. The TV couldn't give you a sense of the scope of the massive debris field, he told The Christian Post. It was so intense, so sobering. The Lord had the appointments made for me already, who I was going to talk to, who was going to walk up to me, and what I was supposed to say. I got there right when I needed to, and not a moment before. The following two weeks were a blur for Jenkins. For the first part of the day, he and his team would minister to the rescue and recovery workers at ground zero, the smell of burnt flesh lingering in the air. For the first three hours of the day we were actually at the pile where they were looking for bodies, he recalled. The second part of the day, Jenkins comforted those at a makeshift morgue: It looked like a MASH hospital attached to the medical examiner's office, he said. It was full of refrigerated trucks with body parts in it. They were trying to identify people. But the most emotionally, spiritually and mentally taxing part of his day were the evenings when he would accompany grieving families to ground zero. He stood by, praying for people as they watched their loved ones move from the rubble to the stretcher. I talked a lot about the promises of God and of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, Jenkins reflected. I really felt that, when I was ministering to people, they werent seeing my face. I believe they were seeing the face of God and experiencing His favor. When he thinks about his time serving at ground zero, Jenkins said he can see Gods hand in nearly every circumstance. He shared the "incredible" way then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani personally comforted first responders, chaplains and grieving families. Giuliani came over to me, grabbed both my hands and stared at my face for a moment. Thank you for coming here to be with us," he said. It meant so much to see him right there, grieving with us. In another instance, a man named Cleveland knelt on the Staten Island Ferry and asked him to pray amid a bomb threat. One of his most vivid memories, however, is how a German Shepherd rescue dog comforted him as he sat on the ground one afternoon, exhausted and emotionally spent from the wreckage around him. He came over and he put his head in my lap, he said. I looked up at the dog, and the dam broke. I finally just cried for the first time since Id gotten to ground zero. It was this incredible cathartic moment. The Lord took care of me right when I needed it. Through a series of unlikely events, Jenkins would connect with the dogs owners years later. After returning home, Jenkins struggled to cope with what hed seen at ground zero. He developed a precancerous condition of his sinuses and esophagus due to breathing in toxic chemicals. He was diagnosed with PTSD and to this day has recurring nightmares that his hands wont work as he tries to retrieve bodies from the rubble. But even in his darkest moments, Jenkins said he feels the hand of God comforting him, telling him that He is present in even the bleakest of circumstances. Something happens when you pray, when you cry out to God with groanings too deep for words, he said. Wherever we are, the Lord will meet us right in the midst of our brokenness. Jenkins shares his story in his book, From Rubble to Redemption: A Ground Zero Chaplain Remembers. In his 2014 book, Fatal Drift: Is the Church Losing its Anchor?, he challenges the Church to remain steadfast in the face of obstacles. He noted that tragedies present a unique opportunity for the Church. Like 9/11, in the midst of a pandemic, many people are asking, Where is God in the middle of this? I can tell you firsthand that God is here, he emphasized. I'm encouraging believers to remember that. Jesus helped me in my rubble. He helped me when I was afraid. This is an unusual, open door for the Church to be forthright about who the Lord is and what He can do. In the years following Sept. 11, 2001, numerous first responders, survivors and pastors have shared stories of how God proved Himself faithful amid tragedy. Recently, Mickey Stonier, who serves as an executive pastor at the Rock Church in California, and a fire chaplain, revealed how his time as a first responder at ground zero taught him the true meaning of servanthood. When you are there at Ground Zero, knowing the world has completely changed, the only posture you can take is that of a servant, he said in an interview with Rock Church writer Susanna Fleming. That is what a pastor or a chaplain really is at the end of the day a servant. You feel so humbled that you are the one who gets to be there for those who are going through this horrific, life-changing experience, and all you can do is just serve them. I have come to realize that a lot of people I work with on a weekly basis are having a 9/11 experience in their lives. It might not be on the news, but it is a traumatic moment in which their world is crumbling down around them. In those moments, I know what to do. I know I get to serve. In an increasingly polarized society, Stonier issued a call for unity, urging believers not to forget their shared humanity in Christ. From 9/11 to early October, our country pulled together and was very unified because of what had happened. Then we started to get into the blame faze and started to fragment again. The world has been through so much trauma this year, and polarization has caused us to forget to honor one another. But as Christians, we are called to serve and love another, no matter our different backgrounds. Unlawful overreach: Elected officials vow to fight Biden's vaccine mandate Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Governors and members of Congress have denounced the plans of President Joe Biden to expand COVID-19 vaccination mandates, with legal action expected against any federal action. Biden announced on Thursday evening that there would be numerous federal emergency rules requiring vaccinations for federal employees, government contractors, many businesses, healthcare workers, but excludes U.S. Postal Service employees. In response, many Republican members of Congress, governors and business owners have expressed their opposition to the mandate, often labeling it as overreach. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp took to his official Twitter account to denounce Biden's mandate, vowing to pursue legal action if the measures are implemented. I will pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach by the Biden administration, tweeted Kemp. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts also released a statement in response to Biden's announcement, describing it as a stunning violation of personal freedom and abuse of the federal governments power. This plan isnt about public health this is about government control and taking away personal liberties, Ricketts added. Americans, not the federal government, are responsible for taking charge of their personal health. It is not the role of the federal government to mandate their choices. Nebraska will stand up to President Bidens overreach, and we will be working with the Attorney General to explore all our options. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis denounced the mandate at a press conference held in Pasco County focused on promoting the success of monoclonal antibody treatments for those who've contracted COVID-19. How could we get to the point in the country where you would want to have someone lose their job because of their choice about the vaccine or not? DeSantis said. I mean, look, some folks have reasons to do maybe theyre making the wrong decision but to put them out of work and not let them earn a living because of this, I just think that thats fundamentally wrong. Members of Congress, including Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California also denounced the mandate, with the GOP leader accusing the president of making small business an enemy of his administration. Forcing main street to vax or pay a fine will not only crush an economy he's put on life supportit's flat-out un-American. To Joe Biden, force is more important than freedom. Americans won't stand for it, tweeted McCarthy. On Thursday evening, Biden announced what he described as a new plan to require more Americans to be vaccinated, to combat those blocking public health. These measures include requiring businesses with at least 100 employees to either require all of their staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine or have them produce at least one negative COVID test a week, requiring nursing home workers who treat people with Medicaid or Medicare to be vaccinated, and a mandate for all federal employees and those who contract with the federal government to be vaccinated. Biden said that the requirements for being fully vaccinated or providing negative tests on a regular basis were already being implemented by major employers like Tysons Food, United Airlines, and even Fox News. This is not about freedom or personal choice, Biden argued. Its about protecting yourself and those around you the people you work with, the people you care about, the people you love. What more do you need to see? Weve made vaccinations free, safe, and convenient. The vaccine has FDA approval. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot. Weve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, Biden added, And your refusal has cost all of us." "The unvaccinated minority can cause a lot of damage, and they are. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who's also a medical doctor, noted that Biden's mandate ignores the science because people who've already contracted COVID-19 have a natural immunity to the virus. "Vaccine mandates that ignore natural immunity ignore the science, are unscientific, and should not be adhered to or promulgated by the government," Paul wrote. Several studies have shown that people who've already contracted COVID-19 will likely have lifetime immunity. The Cleveland Clinic found in one such study that vaccinating people with "natural immunity" did not increase their level of protection. An Israeli study also found that people with natural immunity have a far greater level of protection than those who were vaccinated. Dr. Martin Kulldorff, a Harvard Medical School epidemiologist, has also said that people who've recovered from the virus have "stronger and longer immunity" than those who are vaccinated. Similarly, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford professor of medicine, has explained that being vaccinated doesn't stop the spread of the virus, but it does provide protection from it. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs election reform bill into law Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a voting reform bill into law that increases the number of hours for early voting, makes ballot harvesting a third-degree felony, and bans drive-thru and 24-hour voting. Abbott signed Senate Bill 1 into law on Tuesday, after the legislation was passed during an emergency session that gained national attention after some Democrat lawmakers fled the state to prevent a quorum. In a statement released on Tuesday, Abbott said the new law ensures trust and confidence in our elections system and most importantly, it makes it easier to vote and harder to cheat. Safe and secure elections are critical to the foundation of our state, the governor added. I am proud to sign Senate Bill 1 into law to uphold the integrity of our elections in Texas. The American Civil Liberties Union denounced the law, taking to their Twitter account to label the new law unconstitutional and vowed legal action against it. The Governor of Texas just signed SB1, a new voter suppression law. This law is unconstitutional and anti-democratic. Texas well see you in court, tweeted the ACLU. During a special session of the Legislature held in the summer, Texas lawmakers passed SB 1, which supporters say will close loopholes and ensure election integrity. The new law has multiple provisions, including a ban on drive-thru voting in most circumstances unless a voter is physically unable to enter a polling place, expanding partisan poll watcher access at polling places, a ban on county officials soliciting early voting, and stricter ID requirements for mail-in ballots. The new law also bans 24-hour voting, which was done for the first time in state history in Harris County, which includes Houston, during the 2020 presidential election. Democrat members of the state House of Representatives garnered much attention when, in an attempt to thwart the legislation's passage, they fled the state to try and stop the summer session from having the necessary quorum. Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa issued a statement in July defending their actions, claiming they were protecting voting rights against attacks by Republicans. Today, by breaking quorum to block Abbotts attacks on voters, Texas Democrats are making history. After Abbott dragged lawmakers back to the Capitol for his suppression session, Democrats are fighting back with everything weve got, stated Hinojosa. We will not stand by and watch Republicans slash our right to vote, silence the voices of Texans of color, and destroy our democracy all to preserve their own power. Our lawmakers have refused to be complicit in Republicans destructive attacks. Others, such as National Review editor Rich Lowry, took issue with that portrayal, labeling Democrats' claims about SB 1 as self-serving hysteria. The Texas bill is no more a voter-suppression measure than the Georgia election law that passed a few months ago, which occasioned outraged accusations of the arrival of Jim Crow 2.0 that ultimately fell flat, wrote Lowry back in June. "[N]one of [SB 1s provisions] would actually prevent anyone from voting, and there is zero chance that the bill would discernibly affect turnout. Trump launches new National Faith Advisory Board with Paula White at helm Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Lamenting the current state of faith and religion in America as not good, former President Donald Trump launched a new National Faith Advisory Board last Thursday, with his spiritual advisor and televangelist Paula White at the helm. A lot of things have happened and a lot of things have happened with respect to faith and religion and theyre not good things. They are not good, theyre not good at all, Trump said on a call with faith leaders during which he complained about how the 2020 election was stolen from him, according to a clip published online. Its really a very sad event what took place on November 3rd, and what they did. Everyone on this call made a critical contribution to our movement over the past five years. And weve had tremendous success and then we had a horrendous result to an election that was won. We won that election and now numbers are coming out that are shocking to people and its a shame, Trump insisted. Before the call last Thursday, the faith group co-founded by Jenny Korn and Amanda Robbins Vargo, who worked at the Office of Public Liaison in the Trump White House, sent an email to faith groups accusing the Biden administration of pursuing an anti-faith agenda the Jewish Daily Forward reported. We accomplished so much together at the White House during the Trump administration. We are seeing all our hard work being unraveled by the new administration and their anti-faith agenda, the email said. We will protect our religious freedoms here and abroad, in order to worship and live according to our faith. According to the Forward, the new advisory board is expected to organize regular conference calls and events with prominent leaders in the coming months. Religion News Service reported that White, who called on angels from Africa to help deliver victory to Trump in his reelection bid last November after overseeing the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, noted that the new National Faith Advisory Board would include 70 executives. She also highlighted the unprecedented victories, influence and access to faith groups that resulted from Trumps faith advisory board during his term. Trump added that fighting for religious liberty was one of his greatest honors. One of my greatest honors was fighting for religious liberty and for defending the Judeo-Christian values and principles of our nations founding, he said Thursday. Still, the former president expressed surprise about his showing with Catholic and Jewish voters, arguing that both groups got much support from his administration. Im a little bit surprised that we didnt do better with the Catholic vote, Trump said. I think now they would give us a vote. I think we got about 50 percent of the vote. And yet, we did a lot for the Catholic vote. So well have to talk to them. Were going to have to meet with the Catholics. Pointing to his poor showing among Jewish voters, the former president argued that the faith community needs to be more united. Look what I did with the embassy in Jerusalem and what I did with so many other things Israel has never had a better friend, and yet I got 25% of the vote, Trump said. I think they have to get together. There has to be a little bit more unity with the religious groups all represented on this call. When asked about his own faith in God, the former president noted: Its all based around God its so important. God is so important to the success of what were doing. Because without God, we have nothing. Colorado church vandalized with pro-choice graffiti: 'My body, my choice' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Catholic church in Colorado was vandalized with graffiti expressing support for the pro-choice movement just days after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a pro-life law in Texas that bans abortion at the point when a baby's heartbeat can be detected. St. Louis Catholic Church, located in the Boulder suburb of Louisville, became the target of vandalism from abortion activists over the weekend. The doors to the church were spray-painted with the declaration My body, My choice, a common refrain among pro-choice activists. Church members discovered the graffiti when they gathered for worship on Sunday morning. In addition to spraying the phrase My body, my choice on the church's doors, vandals targeted a marker on the property that read Respect Life, replacing the word Life with the phrase Bodily Autonomy. Additionally, the sign at the front of the church was defaced with the phrase bans off our bodies. In a Facebook post on Monday, the Louisville Police Department noted that a surveillance camera recorded three individuals on the church property at 1:30 a.m. local time Sunday and asked the public for help with identifying them. In a statement, Louisville Police Chief Dave Hayes denounced the vandalism: The actions of these individuals are not representative of the residents of Louisville, nor do they reflect the mission of our city. The true representation of the community in Louisville are those that surrounded St Louis Catholic Church and helped remove the graffiti Sunday after Mass, he added. The vandalism comes four days after the Supreme Court allowed a Texas law banning most abortions after six weeks into a pregnancy to take effect. Known as Senate Bill 8, the law went into effect on Sept. 1 and bans abortions after a baby's heartbeat is detected, usually around six weeks gestation. Additionally, the law allows private citizens to file lawsuits against abortion providers as well as anyone suspected of aiding in the acquisition of an illegal abortion. Today is a historic and hopeful day, said Human Coalition Action Texas Legislative Director Chelsey Youman in a statement in response to the Supreme Court allowing the Texas law to take effect. Texas is the first state to successfully protect the most vulnerable among us, preborn children, by outlawing abortion once their heartbeats are detected. A fetal heartbeat is a clear and scientifically acknowledged sign of human life. Litigation against the state law is ongoing and pro-choice elected officials have vowed to champion federal legislation that could overrule the Texas regulations. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., released a statement last week calling the Texas law the most extreme, dangerous abortion ban in half a century, adding that this ban necessitates codifying Roe v. Wade. Pelosi said that after their recess concludes, the House will bring up Congresswoman Judy Chus Womens Health Protection Act to enshrine into law reproductive health care for all women across America. The Catholic Church is an outspoken opponent of abortion, with paragraph 2271 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church declaring that Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law. The Catechism also describes formal cooperation in an abortion as a grave offense. Earlier this year, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted to approve a Document on the Meaning of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church, which was characterized by pro-choice activists as a rebuke to Catholic politicians who support abortion and an attempt to prevent them from receiving communion. Following criticism, the USCCB clarified that the document was not meant to be disciplinary in nature, emphasizing that there will be no national policy on withholding communion from politicians. According to the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute, Colorado is one of seven states that does not have any gestational limits on abortion, meaning that a woman can have an abortion up until the moment of birth. Last year, Colorado voters rejected a referendum supported by the pro-life movement that would have banned abortions after 22 weeks gestation. Dozens of churches damaged by Hurricane Ida: 'From desperate to recovering' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Dozens of Louisiana churches have been destroyed or partially damaged by Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 storm that tore through the state last week. Meanwhile, churches in other states have also been damaged as the storm made its way north. Idas winds, which surged at a record gust of up to 172 mph, damaged and even tore down entire buildings after it made landfall in the Bayou State last Sunday. Throughout the week, the weather system caused havoc in Mississippi and northeastern states. Louisiana Baptist Convention Director of Missions John Hebert told Baptist Press that more than 80 Southern Baptist churches in South Louisiana suffered structural damage in Hurricane Ida. He released a list of at least 70 houses of worship that were damaged. We have churches ranging from desperate to recovering, and the desperate ones need help, Hebert was quoted as saying. Theyre below I-10. Insurance rates are out of this world. Its going to be tough for them. But most of our churches will be OK in the long run. Its just right now, we have a crisis at hand and we need all the help we can get. Hebert stated that about 30 churches in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes were hit hard. The churches there, almost all of them are damaged, and damaged pretty severely, Hebert said. Roofs are gone. Pastors that live there, their homes are affected. Probably everybody down there has to have a roof. Unless its a real heavy duty steel roof, its gone. Only time will tell how long it will take to restore what has been damaged for the many pastors and congregations who lost their holy spaces. St. Charles United Methodist Church in Destrehan, which initially had three buildings, is now down to about two. The Sunday school building its a total loss, Rev. Michelle Harris told United Methodist News. The roof blew off. Well lose everything in that building, and the whole building will go. UMC Louisiana Conference Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey told United Methodist News she has a spreadsheet of many of the churches that have been impacted by Ida within Louisiana. We do see extensive damage," Harvey said. "Quite a few churches, parsonages and homes owned by pastors. We want to get out to those [hard-hit] areas, but I dont want to take fuel from responders. Heavy rains poured into Northeast states like New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania in the middle of the week and caused devastation. First Baptist Church on Howard Avenue in Mamaroneck, New York, which was damaged earlier this year by Hurricane Henri, was further devastated by Ida, according to PIX 11. The extent of the damage started in the basement and continued to the main sanctuary. Its 10 times worse than the last hurricane, Rev. James Taylor told Pix 11. Its just very exhausting to have to go through this, he added, noting that he continues to pray for relief. In Brooklyn, the Faith Hope and Charity Church was damaged by Ida. Bishop Willie Billups told Pix 11 that he is unsure when the church will have service again. Extreme flooding from Ida has led to the deaths of at least 50 people in Northeast states. About 17 of those deaths were people in New York, while about 27 died in New Jersey with four missing as of Sunday. According to The Associated Press, at least 17 people died in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. At least nine confirmed tornadoes touched down in New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania, according to ABC News. With less economic security, more women with college degrees having babies out of wedlock: study Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Facing diminishing returns from their education and overall economic insecurity, women with college degrees are now six times more likely to give birth to their first child out of wedlock than their counterparts just 25 years ago, a new study from Johns Hopkins University shows. Johns Hopkins University sociologist Andrew Cherlin culled his findings in his study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science from demographic data from three major surveys: the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, and the National Survey of Family Growth. He suggests that the cultural shift among college-educated women on motherhood is also driven by other factors such as societal acceptance of single parenthood and cohabiting couples. "I project that among college-educated women currently in their 30s who will ever have a first child, 18% to 27% will be unmarried at the time of the birth," Cherlin said in a release from Johns Hopkins. "The place of marriage in the sequence of life events for emerging adulthood may be shifting among college graduates." The study noted that in 1996, only 4% of college-educated women in their 30s had their first child out of wedlock. Some 20 years later, however, that share jumped to 24.5%. "For a growing number of college-educated young adults in the U.S., their family life courses will eventually result in marriage but, for increasing numbers, marriage would follow a first birth rather than precede it," Cherlin noted. "This suggests a potential change in the role of marriage among college-educated emerging adultsalthough not necessarily a decline." He further added: "Young adults may postpone or forgo marriage until and unless they have attained certain economic markers such as home ownership or an income comparable to the married couples around them." And as college-educated women grapple with the diminishing returns from degrees, many men, some who have cited these diminishing returns, are now completely choosing to forgo college. If I was going to be a doctor or a lawyer, then obviously those people need a formal education. But there are definitely ways to get around it now, Daniel Briles, 18, who graduated in June from Hastings High School in Hastings, Minnesota, told The Wall Street Journal in a recent report. There are opportunities that werent taught in school that could be a lot more promising than getting a degree. Enrollment data from the National Student Clearinghouse, a nonprofit research group, showed the number of men enrolled at two and four-year colleges has fallen to record levels, according to the Journal. At the end of the 2020-'21 academic year, women made up 59.5% of college students, an all-time high, and men 40.5%. At UCLA, the proportion of male undergraduates fell to 41% in the fall semester of 2020 from 45% in fall 2013 even though undergraduate enrollment expanded by nearly 3,000 students over the period. Some nine out of 10 spots went to women, according to the report. Even though fewer men apply, UCLA Vice Provost Youlonda Copeland-Morgan said: We do not see male applicants being less competitive than female applicants. Over the course of their working lives, American college graduates reportedly earn more than a million dollars beyond those with only a high-school diploma. A university diploma is required for many jobs as well as most professions, technical work and positions of influence, the WSJ reports. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment With another Labor Day come and gone, its fascinating to note that Americas work ethic is in trouble today. And the coronavirus has made it worse. We now have a labor shortage crisis. Columnist Victor Davis Hanson describes some of the symptoms of our current labor shortages: Airliners cannot take off due to fuel shortages. Automobiles, houses, gas and lumber are in short supply. Consumers can't get their roofs fixed, their houses painted or their trees trimmed, as employers plead with their idle, government-subsidized employees to come back to work. And he adds: In a rebounding economy amid record debt, the government is still sending workers unemployment benefits that are more remunerative than the paychecks they would earn if employed. Consider a few of these examples of the work (or lack thereof) crisis in our time: A headline from finance.yahoo.com declares, Half of U.S. small businesses have unfilled positions. Bloomberg reports: Thousands of cities, towns and states across the U.S. are facing the most acute labor shortage in recent memory. Regional governments have an even tougher time than businesses because they cant compete with private-sector wages, can rarely offer remote work and theyve faced a larger wave of early retirements during the pandemic. Inmates are running wild on Rikers Island amid an ongoing staffing crunch thats left charges free to stab each other, answer the phones and run through corridors destroying maintenance equipment, reports the New York Post. Some of the largest U.S. food distributors are reporting difficulties in fulfilling orders as a lack of workers weighs on the supply chain, notes Yahoo Finance. In the spring, we learned of a McDonalds offering $50.00 for potential employees just to show up for an interview. In July, there was the story of a Burger King in Lincoln, Nebraska, which had a sign declaring: We all quit. Sorry for the inconvenience. Well, have it your way, I guess. Even Chick-fil-A, a company built on a Christian work ethic, has had some staffing troubles lately at least in the case of two Alabama outlets which had to close because of staffing shortages. Fox5 New York adds: While restaurants across the country have reopened their dining rooms after closing them due to the pandemic, a new problem has surfaced: Many businesses have reported having issues with staffing and are struggling to hire enough workers to meet the customers needs. Because of the shutdown in reaction to the pandemic, many former workers received unemployment benefits. But some states have ended those payments prematurely, say the beneficiaries. Recipients of unemployment benefits in 15 states are suing their state to renew those benefits, observes Yahoo. And on it goes. I suppose if there is any bright spot in our labor crisis today it is that some people leaving the workforce are doing so to spend more time with their families. Americas work ethic was waning long before the COVID-19 pandemic. Historically, the Protestant work ethic in America helped lead to great prosperity. The work ethic has declined in part because of the decline of Christianity in our culture and the push for socialism. Socialism constantly undermines work ethic by rewarding inactivity and failing to reward those who work particularly hard or well. The founders of America did not agree with socialist principles, and they laid the framework for a country with unparalleled prosperity. Part of the way they did this was by stressing smaller government. In his first inaugural address, President Thomas Jefferson said, a wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government. The government has no money of its own. So whatever money the government spends for Citizen A, it has to appropriate from Citizen B. There is no such thing as a free lunch someone has to pay for that lunch. God has given each of us a unique set of talents and skill sets. What a joy it is to put those into practice as a vocation for His glory and others good. And He will hold us accountable for putting these things into practice. Through the ages, the words of Paul the Apostle have inspired millions to work hard as unto the Lord, knowing that He will reward us. He also said that if someone refuses to work neither shall he eat. An anonymous saying adds insight here: Some people fail to recognize opportunity because it so often comes to them in overalls and looks like work. Its time for America to get back to work. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Dear Chuck, I dont agree with the political views of my company. They voice their views; yet, I think I would be fired if I voiced mine. I want to keep my job, yet I want to distance myself from their positions. Any advice? Silent Dissenter Dear Silent Dissenter, Many are wrestling with this same issue. I have friends working with iconic companies, such as Delta Airlines, Coca Cola, and large Silicon Valley firms, where they feel equally conflicted. The companies do not represent their values or their political views, but they feel powerless to speak out. More and more, we are seeing examples of corporate activism and people losing their jobs if they step out of line with their companys political leanings. For example, Saturday, September 4th, John Gibson, CEO of Tripwire Interactive, tweeted support for the strict Texas abortion law that passed last week. It resulted in his stepping down from the company. A corporate shift left The Heritage Foundation hosted a conversation with Andy Olivastro, a leader with significant experience in very large corporations. He said, I think there was an assumption for a long period of time that the boardrooms of corporate America were largely aligned with what might be traditionally conservative or Republican issues. And whether that was once true or not, it is no longer the case. A time to speak and a time to keep silent Solomon said in Ecclesiastes that there is a time and a season for everything, including when to say something and when not to say anything. It is good that you are wrestling with this to make certain you are following the Lords conviction and are not having an emotional reaction fraught with unintended consequences. Here are a few thoughts to help you shape your decision. A case for remaining silent Often, we simply want to be heard and become anxious when we do not speak out against an issue. But remaining silent may be exactly what the Lord desires so that you are in a better position to make a difference long term with the company. For instance, Joseph had a tremendous influence on Pharaoh, by submitting to the Lords timing. Daniel had a tremendous influence on Nebuchadnezzar, by submitting to the Lords timing. As a result of waiting, their influence over evil rulers saved many lives. Additionally, Jesus waited for the Lords timing before making His deity fully known. A case for speaking out Esther was urged by Mordecai to use her voice and influence to defend the Jews against a deadly decree. But she did not think the timing was right. This exchange, recorded in Esther 4, is a powerful reminder of our need to seek Gods will and not our own. Esther 4:12-14 says, When Esthers words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: Do not think that because you are in the kings house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your fathers family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? Convinced, Esther sought the Lord and made a plan. Esther 4:15-16 says, Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. Esthers decision to speak out put her life on the line. She accepted the consequences if her plan did not go as hoped. Salt and light Christianity has always been at odds with culture not just corporate culture but the entire unredeemed world. Yet, believers are called to serve as salt and light in the darkness that surrounds us. We must never compromise Truth or Gods call on our lives, but we must be wise and discerning. How can you have the greatest influence? Should you speak out, or should you guard your job and privately support causes that will impact the kingdom and the culture? In his book Why You Think the Way You Do, author Glenn Sunshine says: In political life, we must keep the importance of the image of God shared by people of all nationalities front and center in our thinking. But we must be careful. Christs kingdom is not of this world, and it will never be ushered in through political power. Instead, we must live lives consistent with our faith, and thus by our concern and our action on behalf of others we will earn the right to be heard. Pray for your co-workers and superiors, and ask God for favor, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame (1 Peter 3:15-16 ESV). A final thought is to be sure your finances are ordered in such a way that you are not inhibited by fear or worry when it is time to be bold. We should never let financial needs cause us to shrink back from being fearless ambassadors for Gods kingdom. In my recent book, Seven Gray Swans, I write about economic trends that are happening before our very eyes but that tend to be ignored. We need to be prepared for challenging days ahead by understanding what to expect and how to prepare. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment In May 2021, a mob of radical Hindus attacked Pastor Ramesh Bumbariyas family after they refused to renounce their Christian faith. One of the armed assailants shot Bhima Bumbariya, the father of Pastor Bumbariya, killing him. Pastor Bumbariya and two other members of his family were hospitalized. Even in the face of his fathers death, Pastor Bumbariya thanked God for His faithfulness. He was comforted by his conviction that God had a plan for his life to continue ministering to his community. As Hindu nationalism continues to surge in India, the violence committed against this Christian family is just one example among hundreds. The violence stems from social hostility to religious minorities and state policies that reinforce such sentiments making it more difficult for religious minorities to thrive in the Hindu-dominated state. Mob violence against Christians and others Christians in India number in the tens of millions but still only comprise just over 2% of the countrys population. Many Indian Christians come from historically lower castes in society, which can make them even more vulnerable to discrimination or social pressure. As the Evangelical Fellowship of India reported, the first half of 2021 saw at least 145 acts of violence perpetrated against Christians. These included several religiously motivated murders. These acts are all part of a larger effort to purify India of non-Hindu influences. Some members of the Hindu majority feel threatened by the presence of Christians, especially when Hindus convert to Christianity. Some Hindus have led social movements to reconvert Indians back to Hinduism, even if the potential reconverts or their families were never adherents to Hinduism in the first place. These ceremonies are oftentimes forced or coerced. Christians are not the only minority facing discrimination and threats because of their religion. More than 30 Muslims were killed in mob violence in New Delhi in 2020, following the passage of a law that created easier pathways to citizenship for specifically non-Muslim immigrants. The police were later found to be complicit in allowing these acts of violence to take place. Several states in India have passed the Freedom of Religion Act, an ironically titled piece of legislation that makes it difficult or illegal for individuals to convert to their spouses faith at the time of marriage. Although proponents of the ban assert that a ban on this form of conversion protects women entering arranged or coerced unions, the result of the ban seems to disproportionately affect religious minorities. Anti-conversion laws used to control faith As previously documented by FRC, several Indian states have legislation restricting religious conversion. Odisha (formerly Orissa), Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand prohibit religious conversion by use of force, allurement, or fraudulent means and require district authorities be informed of any intended conversion one month in advance. Punishment varies by state, but the maximum is imprisonment for a term of 3 years and/or a fine of 50,000 rupees ($700). Some states require individuals wishing to convert to another religion and clergy intending to officiate in a conversion ceremony to submit formal notification to the government. Such anti-conversion laws prohibit people from converting to another religion, and governments utilize them to maintain a majority of the population within their preferred religion. They are often framed as if they are protecting people from being tricked or induced into changing their faith. Yet, they often discourage people from sharing their faith at all. Activities that seek to convert people in these states must be reported to local authorities weeks in advance. As advocacy organizations like International Christian Concern have reported, the anti-conversion laws in place throughout India are one-sided, targeting religious minorities while leaving members of the Hindu majority unaffected. Social hostility and the dangers of Hindu nationalism A growing political agenda pushed by Hindu nationalist political parties, including the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), sometimes inspires violence against Christians and Muslims. For example, this summer, members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) rallied in Chitrakoot (a town held as a holy site in Hinduism) and developed a new party slogan: Chadar aur Father Mukt Bharat, which translates to: An India Liberated of Muslims and Christians. Whether the violence is directed toward Muslims, Christians, or any other religious minority, the outcome is the same: the social position of the targeted group is weakened. Religious minorities feel less comfortable meeting to worship, setting up new social services like schools and clinics, and even walking in the streets of their home cities and villages. An apathetic government allows persecution to continue, especially in far-flung rural areas far from the areas that experience greater influence from Western values of tolerance and religious pluralism. Indias status as a democracy and a strategic ally of the United States should not prevent us from speaking out in defense of vulnerable Indian believers experiencing persecution. Exposing the truth and praying for the protection of all downtrodden people are the first steps toward fostering a better future for believers in India. Originally published at the Family Research Council. China orders Christians to hold prayer meetings commemorating victory against Japan Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Though Chinese Christians are banned from honoring their own martyrs, they are now required to hold prayer meetings commemorating the 76th anniversary of the "Victory of the Chinese People's Anti-Japanese War" to demonstrate the good image of peace-loving Christianity in China. According to religious liberty magazine Bitter Winter, the Chinese Communist Party recently sent a directive to all churches that are part of the government-controlled Protestant Three-Self Church. In part, the directive orders churches to organize peace prayer worship activities to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War around Sept. 3, according to the actual situation. It adds: Local churches and congregations may, according to the actual local situation, carry out relevant peace prayer activities in a small and decentralized form, in line with the local requirements for prevention and control of the new COVID epidemic, to further promote the fine tradition of patriotism and love of religion and to demonstrate the good image of peace-loving Christianity in China. Churches are further "required to submit evidence of the relevant activities (text, video and photo materials) to the Media Ministry Department of the China Christian Council by September 10 or face consequences, according to Bitter Winter. In August, members of the Theological Seminary in Fujian were also invited to attend a celebration to pay tribute to martyrs of what China dubs Peoples War of Resistance Against the Japanese Aggression. Prayers were held seeking the intercession of Jesus, the King of Peace for the peaceful reunification of China, Bitter Winter reported. Though the CCP requires churches to pray for deceased communist soldiers, Bitter Winter notes that Christians in China are forbidden to pray for their martyrs, and those killed by the CCP cannot be commemorated. Religious persecution is worsening across China, as President Xi Jinpings "sinicization campaign," introduced in 2015, seeks to bring religions under the officially atheist partys absolute control and into line with Chinese culture. In May, the CCP ordered churches affiliated with the government to plan celebrations to mark 100 years of its existence. In addition to asking religious persons to learn the history of the party, go on a pilgrimage to visit revolutionary sites, or hold exhibitions at religious venues, churches were required to host events featuring centennial celebrations. The Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association in Jiangbei district of Chongqing city subsequently held a Grateful and Praise for the CCP Blessing Mass at one of its worship gatherings. The Church should organically unify Love Party, Love Country, and Love Socialism and faith; boldly speak about politics, while speaking about faith in accordance with law, Ding Yang, the priest who officiated the mass, was quoted as saying. Open Doors USA, which monitors persecution in over 60 countries, estimates that there are about 97 million Christians in China, a large percentage of whom worship in what China considers to be illegal and unregistered underground home churches. However, house church leaders are under intense pressure to join the government-controlled church. Those who refuse face intense persecution, as the government has installed more than 170 million facial recognition cameras, many in or near churches, to identify those who attend worship services. Christians are often charged with participating in cults or with other crimes against the CCP, such as bad business practices or intent to undermine the state. The government has also imposed a ban on the online sale of Bibles. Authorities also pressure Christian parents by refusing their children an education, threatening to send their children to government re-education camps or forcibly remove adopted children from their parents. The U.S. State Department has labeled China as a country of particular concern for continuing to engage in particularly severe violations of religious freedom. UK gender clinic whistleblower awarded over $27K in damages for mistreatment Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A whistleblower at the National Health Service was awarded over $27,600 (20,000) in damages after an employment tribunal found that she was mistreated after raising concerns about the safety of prescribing experimental drugs to children suffering from gender dysphoria at a London-based gender clinic. A central London employment tribunal ruled Friday that Sonia Appleby, a social worker and psychotherapist, was "seen as hostile" and had been put through "quasi-disciplinary" proceedings after she addressed her concerns to management at the Tavistock and Portman Trust, the UK Times reported. Appleby served as the child safeguarding lead at the clinic. The tribunal held that Appleby, who began working at the Tavistock facility in 2004, had endured "significant" injury to her feelings and that the trust had mishandled the matter in a way that damaged her professional reputation and had "prevented her from proper work on safeguarding." Appleby's case was heard earlier this summer following a judicial review ruling against the clinic amid years of growing scrutiny of Tavistock, the U.K.'s sole gender clinic. The safeguarding lead who won her case at the employment tribunal was reportedly approached by several clinic staffers in recent years who had raised their own concerns about a particular doctor who had been prescribing puberty blockers to children who were being seen at the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) or were on the waiting list for assessment. Appleby "went on to make six protected disclosures between 2017 and 2019, the tribunal heard, including about 'challenges' at GIDS with what she described as 'rogue medics and the political expectations of the national service,' as well as splits within the team," the U.K. Times reported. Appleby further detailed that employees were so overworked they neglected to employ safeguarding measures. In its ruling, the employment tribunal said Appleby was seen as hostile to a service already under external pressure from politicized groups, and the internal pressure of sometimes acrimonious splits between clinicians." The injustice was obvious and the claimants upset entirely understandable, the tribunal panelists continued. She was nearing the end of a long and blameless career, and as far as we can see had always tried to act responsibly over the safeguarding concerns of GIDS staff. The U.K. High Court of Justice held late last year, in a case against the clinic brought forward in part by a young woman named Keira Bell, that children younger than 16 are incapable of giving informed consent to experimental practices and procedures, including puberty-suppressing drugs. The court also criticized the clinic in its ruling for their shoddy recordkeeping practices, something that Appleby had attempted to address. In March, the court made a subsequent ruling, in what some saw as a partial reversal of its initial decision, holding that parents could give consent for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones on behalf of their minor children. The initial ruling, however, has had ripple effects across northern Europe. Sweden's Karolinska Hospital announced earlier this year that as of April 1, puberty blockers would no longer be prescribed to youth younger than 16, citing the U.K. ruling in its statement on the matter. Sweden's neighbor Finland moved similarly earlier this summer. The Tavistock clinic has maintained as it did in an appeal of the Bell ruling in July that its staff should be allowed to prescribe experimental drugs in order to offer "options" to children suffering from gender dysphoria. In a January interview with Triggernometry podcast hosts Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster, another whistleblower, Dr. Marcus Evans, said Tavistock had become politicized and had moved away from a clinically grounded approach to treating patients. His wife, Sue, also a mental health professional who worked at the clinic, was also frustrated with the environment at the facility. "As a mental health practitioner who is proud to be in the business, I'm really quite ashamed ... this is political belief and ideology over rational, scientific argument," Evans said at the time, speaking of the prevailing ideology influencing the clinic's protocol. He added, noting his wife's frustrations: "What she felt was that there should be a thorough psychological investigation, as was the Tavistock's tradition, into five family dynamics, individual psychology. And she felt there was too much of a willingness to sort of go along with the kid in terms of the kid's idea [to transition]," he said. Many youths being treated with gender issues were often suffering from a number of mental health conditions, he noted. Rabindranath Tagore: a National Art Treasure The Indian Nobel prize-winning novelist is best known for his literature and music but, as this intimate artwork shows, his skill extended to painting, too Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was already regarded as Indias leading writer when, at the age of 60, he embarked on an additional career as a painter. Although he is still best known for his poetry and songs, his importance as an artist was recognised when he became one of nine painters designated Indian National Art Treasures, which means their work is of such cultural value that it cannot be exported. It is therefore rare, says Damian Vesey, specialist in South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art, for one of Tagores pictures to come up for auction. Its rarer still for one of such quality as Untitled (Couple), which he painted in around 1930, and which at 56.8 x 45.7 cm is considerably larger than most of his works. The painting is offered for sale in Septembers South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art auction, in a year that marks Tagores 160th birth anniversary. Rabindranath Tagore (right) with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, later Prime Minister of India, 1940. Photo: Photo 12 / Alamy Stock Photo The scion of a prominent family in Calcutta, Tagore was an outspoken anti-imperialist and supporter of the freedom movement as well as a hugely prolific author of poetry, plays, essays, novels and short stories. In addition, he composed well over 2,000 songs, known as Rabindra-sangeet, which even today are as popular among his fellow Bengalis as those from Bollywood films. His volume of poems, Gitanjali, established his international reputation when it was published in London in 1912 in his own English translation, and the following year Tagore became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. This resulted in him becoming a literary celebrity and making frequent tours of Europe and America. His flowing robes and long white hair and beard conformed to the common western conception of an Indian sage and his lectures attracted huge audiences. Jacob Epstein, who sculpted a striking bust of him in 1926, reported that he carried no money and was conducted about like a holy man. Money was, however, needed to fund his travels, which was one of the reasons that in 1930 he brought some of his paintings to Europe, exhibiting them at the Galerie Pigalle in Paris, where they attracted the attention of both critics and buyers. In the 1920s and early 1930s he was at the peak of his fame, says Vesey, and I think he very much capitalised on that, wanting to spread his ideas and reach as many people as possible. He felt that his art was able to express something that his writing could not, and having a big exhibition in the thriving art scene of Paris, and then across Germany, would have maximum impact. It was in Germany that Untitled (Couple) was bought by a member of the Rathenau family, who are now selling it. Tagore had received no formal training as an artist and many of his paintings started as notebook doodles, which he then worked up either into complex abstract forms or into images of birds and animals that had, as he put it, unaccountably missed [their] chance of existence. He gave the impression that these works were achieved almost spontaneously, by exploiting the unconscious and the accidental. His paintings of people, such as Untitled (Couple), were also done from the imagination rather than from life, painted in a style that Vesey describes as flat, non-naturalistic or naive. Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore at Shantiniketan, India, February 1940. Photo: Dinodia Photos / Alamy Stock Photo In Europe, his paintings were seen as the artworks of the guru and mystic, says Vesey, and I think it is very hard to separate the art from the artist at that time. Vesey thinks it is also hard to say whether the paintings were considered as Indian art or Modern art. I think its impossible not to see them as Modern art, but the pull would have been that they were by Rabindranath from India. There was definitely an element of exotic India being an identity marker for these works. In India itself, Tagores work is equally difficult to place. His nephews Abanindranath Tagore and Gaganendranath Tagore and painters such as Nandalal Bose are seen as critical figures when it comes to the Bengal School, and Rabindranath is a key part of that, says Vesey, but aesthetically his work is so different from it. In Untitled (Couple), the womans head-dress and the mans hat provide visual cues, but if you look across the length and breadth of Tagores work, he is not, like many of the artists around him, saying: Here I am, painting something that is quintessentially Bengali. Rabindranath Tagore at work. Photo: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo PERTH, Australia (AP) It can seem like Australias west coast has almost entirely avoided COVID-19. A mask-free nightlife is thriving and huge crowds are turning out for sporting events, including 53,000 rugby fans who crammed into a Perth stadium to watch New Zealands All Blacks defeat Australias Wallabies on a recent sunny Sunday. We are in paradise, said one of those fans, Andrea Williams, who is all for the region continuing to defy the federal government and maintain strict border restrictions that keep it separated from the pandemic raging in large parts of the rest of Australia. While the cities of Sydney and Melbourne in the east have been in strict lockdown with a surge of virus cases, the Western Australia state capital of Perth has largely remained open for business behind its shut borders. But the relish with which many are enjoying themselves in the west might be tinged with a sense that their COVID-free lifestyle could be coming to an end. States that remain virtually COVID-free, including Western Australia and Queensland, face growing pressure to open their borders, with the national government arguing that internal border restrictions are a drag on the national economy. Industry groups complain that border closures create critical shortages of labor and supplies, impede trade, inflate construction costs and constrain business opportunities. Damage to companies bottom lines also translates to less tax revue for the federal government. Yet because Australia has one of the lowest vaccination rates of any wealthy country, reopening could mean soaring COVID-19 cases in the west and unwelcome restrictions. At the Perth stadium, bottles of sanitizer were among the few reminders of the delta variant that is overtaking parts of eastern Australia and much of the world. Williams said she's for the border closures even if that means she cant be together with her daughters in Sydney and Auckland, New Zealand. We want this to be over with, of course, but I dont think we should be opening up any time soon, she said. The federal government is impatient to end policies such as tough international border restrictions that have largely kept COVID-19 at bay since March 2020. But its vaccination goal for opening borders 80% of those 16 and older remains elusive with 40% fully vaccinated. And since that goal was set in July, infections have shot up, clouding any debate about reopening. In mid-June an unvaccinated limousine driver tested positive for delta after he was infected while transporting a U.S. cargo aircrew from Sydney's airport. In the months since, more than 30,000 infections have been recorded in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia's two most populous states, home to half the nation's population. Daily infections have gone from a handful to more than 1,500 and rising. Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has said that his state will likely be months behind the rest of the country in opening its borders. Why are they on this mission to bring COVID into Western Australia, to infect our public? McGowan asked, referring to the federal government. By knowingly letting the virus in, it would mean wed have hundreds of people die, have to wind back our local freedoms, introduce restrictions and shut down large parts of our economy, he added. The federal government has responded with frustration, saying it is carrying much of the financial burden of supporting businesses in sectors such as tourism that are in danger of failing without interstate travelers. Every other country around the world is learning to live with COVID, and it seems that in Queensland and Western Australia theres a denial of the reality that we need to do that, Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said. Many of those out west say they have been doing just fine with things the way they are. Sergio Guazzelli, a west coast coffee shop owner, has only endured three state-ordered lockdowns, for a total 12 days. By comparison, Melbourne has had more than 220 days of lockdown. Guazzelli said his business in the port city of Fremantle on Perth's fringe is flat out as locals relish their freedom. "People are heading out more because of whats happening in Sydney and Melbourne. They want to enjoy life because we dont know whats ahead, Guazzelli said. While there's some frustration in Western Australia over hassles from the border restrictions such as not being able to see family elsewhere, the premiers pandemic response has earned him record approval ratings and a celebrity status within his state that is extraordinary in Australian politics. Some supporters have even gotten tattoos of the image of McGowan. His appeal is particularly strong with the young, many of whom are enjoying a thriving bar and nightclub scene. You have to feel sorry for young people in other parts of the world who have missed out on the nightlife, so I feel lucky to have been able to live my life, said Sean McDonald, a 23-year-old college student. A lack of concern about the virus in Western Australia is reflected in the lowest vaccination rate in the country, at 36.3%, followed by Queensland at 36.4%. The national vaccination rate is 40.4%. Western Australia and Queensland blame their late rollouts on the federal governments failure to provide more vaccines earlier. The federal government has warned that while the country's High Court last year rejected a billionaires challenge to the legality of Western Australias border restrictions, the state might not be so lucky against a second challenge now that vaccines are available. But the federal government hasnt mentioned the option of passing a law that overrules Western Australias and other states border controls. Constitutional lawyer George Williams suspects the government doesnt want to take that step because it faces re-election by May and needs votes in Western Australia. Perth doctor Omar Khorshid, national president of the Australian Medical Association, said keeping the state border closed is popular among many of his patients. But they should understand it's not possible to keep delta out, he said. It is coming to Western Australia like it is to the rest of this country, and its critical that we get ourselves ready, he said. ___ McGuirk reported from Canberra, Australia. (Bloomberg) -- Some of the worlds biggest economies are seeing oil consumption turn the corner and even surpass pre-pandemic levels as falling Covid-19 infection rates drive a recovery in activity. Oil demand in China, the worlds top energy consumer, will be 13% higher next quarter than in the same period in 2019 before the pandemic, according to SIA Energy. Indian fuel sales extended a rebound last month, while American consumption of petroleum products just hit a record high. Europe has also just had its best August for gasoline demand in 10 years, IHS Markit said. The improvement in consumption across major economies is buoying oil prices that have rallied around 40% this year. Against this backdrop, the OPEC+ alliance decided to keep restoring crude supply earlier this month, citing tighter balances into year-end. The worst for Asian fuel demand is over and we see a soft recovery of oil demand in the coming months, said Sengyick Tee, an analyst at Beijing-based SIA. Chinas overall oil consumption will be led by a more than 20% jump in gasoline use next quarter from 2019, he said. While motor fuel is powering the recovery as people take to the roads after months of lockdown, the situation for other oil products isnt as positive. Jet fuel consumption is still languishing because of the lack of international air travel. Indian diesel use is down due seasonal factors, although SIA Energy sees demand for the fuel in China rising 4% next quarter from 2019. Trucking and construction activities typically decline in India from June to September because of the monsoon. That weighs on demand for diesel, the countrys most popular fuel, before it rises again toward the end of the year amid crop harvesting and festivals. Sales volume of petrol has already crossed pre-Covid levels, with diesel likely to reach there in the next two to three months said Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, chairman of Indian Oil Corp., the countrys biggest refiner. Refining Ramp-Up Indian processors will have limited upside potential for run rate increases this month as they struggle to cope with excess diesel thats been produced from the process of making gasoline, said Senthil Kumaran, head of South Asia oil at industry consultant FGE. A turning point may come around October, with runs potentially rising above 5 million barrels a day by year-end, he said. Chinese run rates have inched up with state-owned Sinopec refining the most crude in 11 months in August, data from local consultancy SCI99 show. However, activity at private refiners in Shandong province is only just over 70% amid a government-led clampdown on the sector. Still, with some of Asias largest economies reporting tens of thousands of virus infections per day, some threats to energy demand remain even as the region races to vaccinate its people. Resurgence risk is a concern that we have built into our outlook, particularly for populous countries such as India and Indonesia, said Qiaoling Chen, an analyst at energy consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie Ltd. For now, the worst for Asia oil demand is over, but the downside risks remain. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Two heavenly messengers in white apparel declared to the disciples of Jesus, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1: 11 in the Bible). The Savior will return as promised to cleanse the earth of its corruption and to reign with the remaining righteous people for a thousand years. Sterling W. Sill stated at the April 1966 General Conference: The most often mentioned event in the entire Bible is that wonderful, yet awful experience that we will have when Jesus Christ shall come to judge our world. There are many important gospel doctrines mentioned in the Bible The new birth is mentioned in the Bible nine times; baptism is mentioned 52 times, repentance is mentioned 89, but the second coming of Christ is mentioned over 1,500 times in the Old Testament and 300 times in the New Testament. If God thought this subject that important, he must have wanted us to do something about it. Everyone on the Earth will see, hear and experience the Saviors Second Coming For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24: 27 in the New Testament) Then shall the arm of the Lord fall upon the nations. And then shall the Lord set his foot upon this mount, and it shall cleave in twain, and the earth shall tremble, and reel to and fro, and the heavens also shall shake. And the Lord shall utter his voice, and all the ends of the earth shall hear it; and the nations of the earth shall mourn, and they that have laughed shall see their folly. (Doctrine & Covenants 45: 47- 49) The wicked on the Earth will be destroyed at His coming Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. (Isaiah 13: 9 in the Old Testament) FOR, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. (Malachi 4: 1 in the Old Testament) For the hour is nigh and the day soon at hand when the earth is ripe; and all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that wickedness shall not be upon the earth; For the hour is nigh, and that which was spoken by mine apostles must be fulfilled; for as they spoke so shall it come to pass; For I will reveal myself from heaven with power and great glory, with all the hosts thereof, and dwell in righteousness with men on earth a thousand years, and the wicked shall not stand. (Doctrine & Covenants 29: 9-11) As the Savior descends to the Earth some will be caught up to meet him For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17 in the New Testament) Satan and his angels will be bound during the millennium And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (Revelation 20: 2-3 in the New Testament) And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth. (1 Nephi 22: 26 in the Book of Mormon) The blessed conditions under which the Earth shall exist after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ To live during the 1,000 years after the Savior returns is almost beyond human power of comprehension, so different are they from all to which history testifies and experience confirms. A reign of righteousness throughout the earth has never yet been known to the fallen race of man. (James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, p. 375) We should live righteous lives so that we can be part of the reign of Jesus Christ when he returns to the earth! Dallas Jones is a local leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For further discussion call (231) 383-8359 or send an email to dallasjones8349@yahoo.com. Visit djonesarticles.com to read more. Click here to read the full article. After Beyonce and Jay-Z starred in the launch of Tiffany & Co.s About Love campaign, the partnership continued with the launch of the new About Love Scholarship program with BeyGOOD and the Shawn Carter Foundation created for students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) pursuing creative fields. Tiffany & Co. has pledged $2 million in scholarship funding for students in the arts at HBCUs. The small private and select state schools that will be awarded funding includeLincoln University in Pennsylvania, Norfolk State University in Virginia, Bennett College in North Carolina, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Central State University in Ohio. We would like to thank the Shawn Carter Foundation, BeyGOOD, The Carters and the Tiffany & Co. family for including Lincoln University in this amazing gift, Lincoln University president Brenda A. Allen said in a statement. Central State University president Jack Thomas added, This opportunity is timely as our students come from many different socioeconomic backgrounds. These funds will have a tremendous effect on who we recruit and our students success as they move on to graduate from professional schools and into their careers. Students must qualify for financial aid as determined by the HBCU they attend, and the scholarships will be awarded to students who meet eligibility requirements. The About Love scholarship supports incoming and current students interested in pursuing creative fields. Scholarship priority will be given to those who are facing financial hardships and in need of emergency financial assistance. Online applications will open at each participating school on Sept. 10 and close on Sept. 26. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Facing an increasing number of new Covid-19 cases and deaths, President Joe Biden Thursday unveiled a more aggressive strategy in his war on the novel coronavirus most notably, expansive federal vaccine requirements estimated to impact as many as 100 million Americans. In a speech, Biden outlined other details of his new six-step plan aimed directly at stopping the rapid spread of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 while calling out those who have refused inoculation. Despite having an unprecedented and successful vaccination program, despite the fact that for almost five months, free vaccines have been available at 80,000 different locations, we still have nearly 80 million Americans who have failed to get the shot, the president said. What more is there to wait for? What more do you need to see? Weve been patient, he added. But our patience is wearing thin. This updated Covid-19 plan comes only two months after Biden announced that the United States was closer than ever to declaring our independence from the deadly virus. When the president made his July 4th remarks, there was an average of roughly 12,000 new Covid cases and approximately 200 deaths per day. As of today, those figures have jumped to around 150,000 new cases and 1,500 deaths a day. In addition to increasing vaccination rates, the new White House strategy will also focus on safely keeping schools open, improving mitigation measures like testing and masking, ensuring continued protection for those who are fully vaccinated, the countrys economic recovery, and improving care for those currently living with Covid-19. Vaccine mandates hit as many as 100 million Americans Biden wasted no time putting his new Covid-19 response plan into action, announcing two executive orders mandating Covid-19 vaccination for the vast majority of executive branch federal workers and contractors this time, without the option of undergoing regular testing instead. The mandate does, however, allow federal employees to seek religious or medical exemptions from vaccination. Their colleagues, on the other hand, have 75 days to get fully vaccinated or face consequences set by their agencies human resources departments, ranging from counseling, to discipline, to potential termination, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters during a press briefing Thursday afternoon. But unvaccinated private sector employees arent off the hook: the president also noted that the Department of Labor is currently developing a new emergency rule, requiring employers with 100 or more people to ensure their employees are fully vaccinated, or show a negative test at least once a week. This policy alone will impact more than 80 million workers in private sector businesses: roughly the same number of Americans eligible for Covid-19 vaccination who have yet to receive their first shot, according to the plan released today by the White House. In addition to their previous vaccine mandate for nursing home staff, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is now requiring healthcare workers employed in hospitals and other medical or home health facilities to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 a policy affecting approximately 17 million people. According to Dr. Howard P. Forman, professor of radiology and public health, and director of the health care management program at the Yale School of Public Health, its unfortunate that Covid-19 vaccination has become so divisive an issue that it necessitates employer mandates, but the policies do appear to represent a means to protect both the workforce and the public who interacts with its members. Our best evidence suggests that the vaccines reduce though not eliminate by any stretch transmission, he tells Rolling Stone. This means that near-unanimous compliance with vaccination can allow workspaces to approach pre-pandemic normal operations. Our patience is wearing thin Though Biden has repeatedly highlighted the need to increase the countrys vaccination rates, his speech on Thursday struck a different, much more forceful tone when addressing those who still refuse the vaccine. This is not about freedom, or personal choice, he said. Its about protecting yourself and those around you the people you work with, the people you care about, the people you love. Next up on Bidens list: the politicians who promote the messaging of the anti-vaccination movement. Elected officials are actively working to undermine the fight against Covid-19, he said. Instead of encouraging people to get vaccinated and mask up, theyre ordering mobile morgues for the unvaccinated dying from Covid in our communities. This is totally unacceptable. The president went on to note his frustration with the fact that we have the tools to combat Covid-19, and a distinct minority of Americans supported by a distinct minority of elected officials are keeping us from turning the corner. According to Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Healths Center for Health Security, Bidens direct approach was necessary. We have to put the blame squarely where it is, he tells Rolling Stone. We have to identify what the problem is. We cannot play games and act as if this isnt being caused by peoples willful shunning of the vaccine. Its mind boggling because whats happening now in the United States is deliberate, it is willful. It isnt something that the virus is doing its what humans are doing to themselves and to their own community hospitals. Click here to read the full article. Nilofar Ayoubi first heard about the 9/11 attacks on the radio, as there was no TV or internet growing up under the Taliban. Within weeks, U.S. warplanes began bombing Taliban and Al Qaeda targets in Afghanistan, and Northern Alliance rebels were blitzing across the plains with support from American special forces. As the fighting drew closer and neighbors fled, Ayoubi and her family hunkered down at home in Kunduz, the Talibans last stronghold. Her mother was nine months pregnant, and they decided to leave the city only after her midwife abandoned them. On a frantic drive to safety along a blown-out road, Ayoubi, then 5 years old, remembers tracking American B-52s high in the sky as they pounded Kunduz with bombing runs that ultimately forced the Taliban to surrender. Everything was destroyed when we returned, she says. From the rubble, she and her newborn sister charted a path that would have been inconceivable under the ultraconservative Taliban regime. Ayoubi went to school and joined a foreign-funded theater troupe before moving to Kabul to pursue a university degree. She got involved in the media scene, married a businessman from another ethnic group, and launched several ambitious ventures of her own, including a clothing boutique for working women. Twenty years after the September 11th attacks changed the trajectory of her life, American forces are gone and the Taliban again reigns supreme. The wars end comes as a great relief for many rural Afghans who bore the brunt of the suffering in obscurity. But Ayoubi and other beneficiaries of the post-Taliban era now living as refugees or in hiding say they feel betrayed by a reckless U.S. exit that has upended their lives and crushed the values that gave them purpose. These past 20 years were like a dream for us, an illusion, Ayoubi says by phone from a camp in Poland, where she, her husband, and three children arrived two weeks ago after a harrowing escape. The U.S. said they came to hunt terrorists and now they are roaming freely in Kabul, she says, referring to the Haqqani faction of the Taliban, designated by the U.S. as a terrorist group and now in charge of securing the Afghan capital. I cannot make sense of it. Why did they come in the first place, and why did they leave now? What was it all about? On one level, it can be summed up easily: The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in late 2001 on a clear-cut mission to defeat the Al Qaeda terrorists behind the September 11th attacks and to oust their Taliban enablers. That objective, fast achieved, then drifted into an ill-defined nation-building project prolonged by career-minded officials at the White House and Pentagon who dissembled and doubled down on the effort despite glaring signs it was failing. Billions of dollars in reconstruction and military aid poured into a government hamstrung by graft, infighting, and ethnic strongmen who operated with impunity. Heavy-handed U.S. counterterrorism tactics frequently killed civilians, deepening resentments among the population. On the home front, the wars growing unpopularity became a rallying cry for both Republicans and Democrats, borne out by President Bidens decision to honor the Trump administrations deal with the Taliban and pull out U.S. forces for good. WEDA/AFP/Getty Images WEDA/AFP/Getty Images But that is the Cliffs-notes version of events, with little perspective into what it has all meant for Afghans. For those who have lived through the post-2001 era, it remade their world, and not always for the better. Over 15 years of reporting around the country, I saw how budding hopes for safer, more prosperous lives gradually hardened into cynicism and despair. While Americans held annual solemn ceremonies for 9/11 victims and built memorials, Afghans continued to bury more and more of their dead. Of the more than 170,000 lives lost during the war, nearly 50,000 were civilians. Urban dwellers enjoyed newfound social freedoms but faced the constant threat of suicide bombings, and people in rural areas prowled by the Taliban lived under the specter of airstrikes and deadly raids. A telecommunications boom improved connectivity and political awareness. But it also served to magnify a widening opportunity gap between cities flush with aid money and neglected, war-battered provinces. By any number of counts the U.S. intervention in Afghanistan has been an exercise in futility, but American largesse did secure some meaningful improvements, especially in major cities. Girls education flourished and women played a prominent role in government and civil society. In a region bereft of press freedom, U.S. grants helped seed a robust media culture that confronted authorities and the Taliban alike for abuses. But the sudden collapse of the Afghan government and the chaotic U.S. exit has ripped even the best remnants of the post-9/11 legacy away. Its like building a building then tearing it down all at once were back to zero, says Raihana Azad, 38, a former parliamentarian who fled to Turkey last month. A member of the persecuted ethnic Hazara minority, Azad rose from a teenage marriage and motherhood to elected office, where she championed womens education and entrepreneurship. Though poor and remote, her province, Daykundi, boasted one of the highest female graduation rates in the country. There were so many real achievements, and still the Americans abandoned us to the Taliban, she tells me. They have not changed they are no better or worse than they were 20 years ago. The new Taliban government excludes women and the Hazara minority. And Azad says that all girls schools in Daykundi have been closed and women banned from leaving home without a male escort. Contacts told her that 12 surrendering Hazara soldiers and a pair of civilians were executed in late August by the Taliban, a month after nine Hazaras were tortured and killed in another province. If you compare the situation now to 20 years ago, the main difference is that we are feeling hopeless, says Jawad, a reporter and political analyst based in Kabul. The freedoms we had are being taken away; we are less safe. Two of his colleagues were beaten up last week for pressing a Taliban official on human rights issues; others have been arrested and brutally flogged for filming demonstrations. Meanwhile, Taliban leaders continue to issue vague directives that media must not violate Islamic law or harm the national interest. By Jawads assessment, the situation today is worse than the aftermath of the 2001 U.S.-led invasion. The Taliban are much more powerful thanks to massive U.S. weapons and munitions stockpiles theyve absorbed from Afghan forces, while the prevalence of more radical groups like the Islamic State-Khorasan could sow greater instability, he says, affirming his belief that Afghanistan could once again become a staging ground for terror attacks beyond its borders. Although Al Qaeda has pledged deference to the Taliban, and the Taliban is the sworn enemy of ISIS-K, having fought them relentlessly in the east of the country, he worries that extremist rivals will try to exploit the vacuum as the Taliban struggles to transition from guerrilla warfare to governance. Indeed, ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the August 26th suicide bombing at the Kabul airport that killed more than 170 Afghans. Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images Among the survivors of the attack was Fereshta, a 17-year-old musician from a remote village in the eastern province of Nuristan. Her father was abducted and ransomed three times for supporting her studies, and she found refuge at a music conservatory for disadvantaged children in Kabul. But the new Taliban regime is once more enforcing a ban on live music, as it did during its 1996-2001 rule, and ordered her school shut down. Despondent, Fereshta threw herself into the airport rush and barely escaped the ISIS-K attack. Her goal remains to reach the U.S. to continue her music, if she can find a way out of Afghanistan. As of press time, she was had not yet been able to get out. For her part, Ayoubi, 26, says she planned to stay in Kabul but fled after learning from a government official that she was on a Taliban hit list. The relief she felt in getting out of the country is tempered by the guilt of leaving her mother and younger sister behind, along with memories of an escape in which Taliban guards broke her nose and her 11-month-old daughter fell unconscious. She has a recurring nightmare that shes back at the airport gate, fighting to push through, and then I wake up to this, she says. We had good lives, we worked so hard and now we are in quarantine, left with nothing. We have to survive with whatever is given to us. In the U.S., the fallout from the withdrawal is measured mainly in terms of its political implications. Pundits debate its potential impact on mid-term elections, how it will tarnish Bidens presidency, and Americas global standing. For Afghans, its a matter of survival. The Taliban takeover has spurred a refugee crisis that could run up to half a million people by next year. More than a million have been displaced internally, and the UN warns that half the population is in dire need of humanitarian aid as basic services break down. Two decades after 9/11, Americas longest modern war is finally over. But for all those who came of age in that era only to be uprooted or left behind, their plight is far from over. When I think of U.S. policy towards Afghanistan, I can only come to the conclusion that no matter what we achieved, no matter how hard we worked, it didnt matter to them: In the end this was going to happen, Ayoubi sighs. And that is the thing that bothers me the most, the part I cant understand. All that sacrifice, their soldiers and ours, for nothing. This callous betrayal gives a bad image to the U.S. all over the world. Its going to be written with black ink in American history. (Editors note: This project is a collaboration between the Plainview Herald and Saint Francis Ministries to showcase kids who are cleared for adoption.) Janessa is a very silly and sassy 10-year-old girl. She is always fashion-forward and coming up with the latest clothing trends. The 10-year-olds favorite thing to do is to make her family laugh while putting on fashion shows. This girly girl loves to be the center of attention and is a social butterfly. She is very passionate and opinionated about the things she feels are important. Janessa hopes to be a clothing designer when she grows up and would love to be in gymnastics or dance. Janessa is ready to strut her stuff, could your home be her runway? --- Janessa is among the children listed on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) website. Visit https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Application/TARE/Home.aspx/Default for more details. Saint Francis Ministries is a nonprofit organization and a community-based care provider for the Texas Department of Family Protective Services Region 1. This region includes 41 counties across the Panhandle and South Plains. To learn more about fostering or adopting, those interested are encouraged to attend one of the monthly virtual meetings hosted by Saint Francis Ministries and other child placing agencies. The meetings provide information about how to get started, the basic qualifications and more, in addition to providing opportunity for attendees to ask questions. Those interested can visit Saint Francis Texas on Facebook @SFMtexas to register for the online meetings, which can also be found below: The meetings are scheduled for the second Thursday of the month (Lubbock area https://lubbock-area-foster-care-adoption.eventbrite.com) and the third Thursday of the month (Amarillo area https://amarillo-area-foster-care-adoption.eventbrite.com). For more information, please contact Erin Baxter at (806) 317-5631 or email texasinfo@st-francis.org. Visit Saint Francis Ministries online at https://saintfrancisministries.org. I recently received a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine. I am not immunocompromised. I do not have any conditions that would put me at higher risk if I were to get COVID-19. I do not live in a nursing home or work in a health care setting. I am not, in any way imaginable, an ideal candidate for receiving a booster dose now. Though the Biden administration initially anticipated making booster shots available to the general public by Sept. 20, eight months after people received their initial doses, that plan has been delayed as health agencies review safety data. Still, when I saw a social media post saying that the hospital in the neighboring town had 2,300 doses due to expire in a couple of days, I made the decision to go ahead and get one. The post made it clear that the hospital was hoping to avoid throwing any vaccine away. Within 15 minutes of arriving at a clinic that had taken on some of the hospitals doses, Id received my third dose, no questions asked, the date and batch number written on the third line of my vaccine card. The decision to focus on giving booster shots to Americans, rather than on expanding global vaccination efforts, left me with a lot of mixed feelings; I know the best way to defeat the pandemic long term is to make sure the virus is under control everywhere. Its especially saddening to consider how hospitals here wound up with such an excess of supply, while in low-income countries, only 1 percent of people have received even a first dose. Faced with the possibility of a dose getting thrown out, it was far better that the shot went in my arm rather than no ones arm yet another one of those infuriatingly suboptimal decisions weve all had to make, over and over again, throughout the pandemic. I live in Midland, out in the flat, dusty plains of West Texas. When the vaccine became available this year, I watched as various groups become eligible and eagerly awaited my turn. It came a lot faster than expected: As it turned out, I qualified for my states Phase 1B by what felt like the slimmest, most ironic of technicalities: All my pandemic stress-eating had pushed my BMI into the high-risk category. I was right on the cusp, but I still qualified. Within a couple of hours after filling out the form online, I had an appointment to get my first dose that same afternoon, at a mass vaccination clinic put on by our hospital. For the first time in over a year, the constant tension in my body started to ease. Even in the early days, while people in other parts of the country organized vaccine hunter groups, drove for hours and across state lines, or even lied on intake forms to get shots, there were hints that the demand here was quickly softening. The hospital in the next town over started offering vaccines to anyone who wanted them, regardless of their qualifications a move that got it in trouble with the state. The hospital in my town was a little more circumspect, but it was still an open secret that there were doses freely available. Even with these relaxed standards, uptake quickly tapered off. My communitys disinterest in the vaccine shouldnt have surprised me, given its overall pandemic response. A year ago, our mayor declared Midland open for business and refused to enforce any state mandates on restaurant capacity. The few times I had to go out, such as when I took my car to the dealer for service, masks were few and far between. Last November, during the early part of the winter surge, my sons day-care teacher tested positive for the coronavirus. Within just a few hours of our learning about my sons exposure, our city council voted against an ordinance that would have enforced the state mask mandate. A week later, as I drove my son to get tested, passing by overflow tents being erected by FEMA to accommodate the surge in COVID patients, our city council voted down yet another measure to enforce the mask mandate. My son was fine; he was sick for about a day, but his rapid test came back negative, and everyone else in the household stayed healthy. But the message was clear: Local leaders would not take the necessary actions to keep us safe. Our mayor did encourage people to get their shots: Lets go ahead and participate in this vaccination process that President Trump got started, he said at a news conference in April. But the message was considerably muddled by his statement, at the same news conference, that I wouldnt be getting vaccinated if I wasnt the mayor. When asked to clarify, he stuck by his words: That is exactly what I said. In a town where many were already skeptical about vaccination to begin with, this was not the most encouraging of messages. Currently, our countys vaccination rate sits at 36 percent. The hospital with the extra vaccines went so far as to ask the Texas health department whether it could redistribute the unused doses to medical centers that needed them more only to be told that, essentially, there werent any: Everyone had too much vaccine on their hands. As hospital beds filled up with COVID patients, demand stayed worryingly low. Midland is currently a COVID-19 hot spot, with our school district reporting some of the highest case rates in the state. In the midst of a huge surge in cases, seeing even a third of people wearing masks at a store is unusually high. I once again feel that knot in my chest, the ever-present worry about whether my family, which includes a toddler who wont be eligible for the vaccine for a while, will be safe. The fact that this is preventable, that we have a vaccine that could greatly reduce this latest surge if not stop it altogether is devastating. The past 18 months have been a nonstop barrage of hard choices: Do I pay my bills by going to an office that isnt taking the necessary precautions or do I risk falling behind on my bills by staying safe at home? Do I send my child to a school where very few people are wearing masks or do I give up the career Ive worked so hard for? This question do I get a booster shot that, in theory, would be better used on someone else, or do I let that dose get thrown out? felt a little easier. In the face of my towns disinterest in containing the pandemic, I could at least take this small action. The booster gave me some measure of relief about the risks to me and my family. But it hasnt relieved another, nagging burden: the knowledge that many of us are making the best choices that we can, under the most stressful of situations but until we can count on our entire community to do the same, well never find a way out of this. Fairbank is a science writer and essayist based in west Texas and a graduate of the University of Houston Creative Writing Program. MADISON, Wis. (AP) Three reporters have been subpoenaed to testify at a Dane County trial for two women accused of attacking a state senator last year. Dane County Circuit Judge Josann Reynolds says the reporters must testify about what they saw when Sen. Tim Carpenter was beaten on June 24, 2020 while taking video of a protest in downtown Madison. MIAMI (AP) A fourth person has been accused of stealing the identities of victims in the South Florida condominium collapse that killed 98 people, officials said. Nelson Ronaldo Garcia-Medina, 20, was arrested Wednesday, but his name was not included when Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle held a news conference that afternoon to announce three arrests on multiple charges. She said then that there could be other co-conspirators in the case. Garcia-Medina is the brother of Betsy Alejandra Cacho-Medina, 30, who was taken into custody on Wednesday morning along with Kimberly Michelle Johnson, 34, and Rodney Choute, 38. They each face 15 to 30 years in prison. News outlets reported that Garcia-Medina is accused of assuming the identity of someone killed in the June 24 collapse of the Champlain Towers South to buy a $130 pair of Air Jordan sneakers. These individuals appear to be very skilled identity thieves, theyre professionals, Fernandez Rundle said on Wednesday. Except for their names, almost nothing else about them seems to be true. Authorities were first notified of possible fraudulent activity on July 9, when the sister of one of the deceased victims contacted Surfside police, officials said. The sister had noticed password changes to the victims bank accounts and credit cards, as well as new addresses and contact information. None of the new addresses were the residences of the identity thieves, officials said. The group was using a series of drop locations, investigators said, adding that is a common tactic used in fraud schemes. Multiple agencies were involved in the fraud investigation, including Miami-Dade police, Surfside police, Aventura police, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Marshals Service. Officials are still trying to determine what caused the 40-year-old building to collapse years after initial warnings about serious structural flaws. Debris has been cleared from the site and taken to a warehouse near the Miami International Airport for examination. Cacho-Medina, Garcia-Media, Choute and Johnson all remained in the Miami-Dade jail on Friday morning. Jail records did not list attorneys who could speak on their behalf. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Amelia Noor-Oshiro, Johns Hopkins University (THE CONVERSATION) This year, 9/11 holds a dual significance for Americans across the country. It not only marked the 20th anniversary of the tragic events and lives lost since Sept. 11, 2001, but also National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week. For American Muslims who are both victims of increased rates of Islamophobic violence and survivors of suicide attempts, this juxtaposition is especially stark. In the field of public health, Islamophobia is recognized as akin to racism in how it leads to negative physical and psychological health outcomes. But this definition misses the crucial elements of structural violence and social stigma that underlie the hate crimes and microaggressions American Muslims face. These elements are not only the key ingredients in such acts of social violence, but also the same risk factors for individual self-directed violence, which is the definition of suicide. I am the first self-identifying Muslim American to receive federal funding from the National Institutes of Health to conduct grassroots mental health research within the American Muslim community. I identify as a victim of Islamophobic violence and a survivor of a suicide attempt. The hypothesis of my research is that the past two decades of anti-Muslim stigma in the sociopolitical climate of post-9/11 America have created the necessary conditions for young Muslims in America to internalize self-hatred and ultimately attempt suicide. Suicide disparities and risk factors in American Muslims Suicide is a major public health concern worldwide. It is a top 10 leading cause of death in this country and the No. 1 leading cause of death in certain populations. A July 2021 study revealed that American Muslims report two times the odds of a suicide attempt in their life compared to other faith groups. These findings suggest a disparity and indicate that there is a unique set of factors that increases American Muslims risk of suicide. In general, there are many elements that contribute to suicide risk. Some of these include a past history of mental illness, knowing someone who previously attempted suicide and having access to lethal means like guns. Research studies on suicide risk in American Muslims, however, must specifically account for our distinct experience of being racialized, stigmatized and othered in post-9/11 America. Given the unique experience of Islamophobia that Muslims in America face, a scientific focus on these social factors is essential for studies on American Muslims. A 2019 Pew Research Center survey measuring the level of warmth or coldness that U.S. adults felt toward certain religious groups found that Muslims were placed toward the extremes of the cold end of the scale. A 2017 survey from Pew found that half of U.S. adults said Islam is not a part of mainstream society and perceived at least some Muslims as anti-American. These attitudes point to how being a Muslim has been stigmatized in America. There is abundant evidence that stigma is a fundamental cause of health disparities, especially as it relates to suicide among people with minority identities. I argue that the stigma of being Muslim in America results in exposure to Islamophobic violence that can lead to increased suicide risk and disparity. The intersectionality of Muslim American identity But being Muslim is not the only form of stigma and structural violence that American Muslims face. American Muslims are a very heterogenous group with diverse backgrounds as racial minorities and forced and voluntary migrants. Coming from over 77 countries, nearly 80% of us are first- or second-generation immigrants, and the majority are racial and ethnic minorities. It is the combined identities of being a Muslim, a racial or ethnic minority and of immigrant-origin that results in intersectional stigma these identities converge and interact with each other in ways that can negatively affect health. Therefore, a more scientifically accurate understanding of Islamophobia endorses the intersectionality of our stigma as a key variable contributing to suicide risk. Research on American Muslims addresses the dearth of scientific knowledge on culturally specific social factors of suicide. Yet for American Muslims, what factors contribute to our risk for suicide and what protective factors build our resilience are still to be uncovered. Challenges in American Muslim mental health research Prior to 2006, the PubMed research database returned fewer than 70 search results on Muslim and mental health. Major grants for funding research on this topic were nonexistent. The launch of the Journal of Muslim Mental Health that year attempted to fill this crucial research gap. Today, the over 700 search results with the terms Muslim and mental health still represent less than one-thousandth of a percent of over 320,000 results on mental health overall. Evidently, the study of suicide in American Muslims itself faces disparities. A major barrier to expanding research on American Muslim mental health is access to federal funding. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities designates certain groups as disparity populations, which does not include faith groups. While Muslims constitute only 1% of the U.S. population, we are projected to become the worlds largest faith group by the second half of this century. Even so, data on American Muslim health is missing due to a lack of research resources and scientific interest. Research on American Muslims relies on select elements of our identities as racial minorities and immigrants to qualify for research funding. But these qualities alone do not fully capture American Muslim lived experiences with Islamophobia and faith-based stigma, prejudice and discrimination. Without data and research on our community, American Muslims may not be considered a disparity group under current classifications and therefore miss critical funding opportunities. Suicide research on American Muslims may advance insights across diverse communities What will America look like by the time we mark the 50th anniversary of 9/11? By 2051, the diversification of the American population will reveal a majority minority racial and ethnic demographic. Already, the majority of youth under 18 are people of color. Forty years from now, first- and second-generation immigrants will encompass over a third of the population. Alarmingly, second-generation immigrants worldwide are considered an at-risk group for suicide. The diverse new generations in America are born into adverse conditions that expose them to race-based trauma and minority stress, or the cumulative negative health effects caused by racism and by being a part of a stigmatized minority group, respectively. The intersectional discrimination that American Muslims already experience today makes a strong case that we are a crucial reference group when it comes to future mental health research on diverse and marginalized communities. The immense value of culturally relevant research on suicide among American Muslims is evident from its substantial potential to apply across different racial, ethnic and immigrant groups. Insights from the American Muslim lived experience may provide science with the tools to make sure suicide in minority communities becomes a thing of the past. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call the suicide helpline now at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website. You are not alone and there is hope. [Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.] This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/american-muslims-are-at-high-risk-of-suicide-20-years-post-9-11-the-links-between-islamophobia-and-suicide-remain-unexplored-167034. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Joshua D. Rhodes, University of Texas at Austin (THE CONVERSATION) President Joe Biden has called for major clean energy investments as a way to curb climate change and generate jobs. On Sept. 8, 2021, the White House released a report produced by the U.S. Department of Energy that found that solar power could generate up to 45% of the U.S. electricity supply by 2050, compared to less than 4% today. We asked Joshua D. Rhodes, an energy technology and policy researcher at the University of Texas at Austin, what it would take to meet this target. Why such a heavy focus on solar power? Doesnt a low-carbon future require many types of clean energy? The Energy Departments Solar Futures Study lays out three future pathways for the U.S. grid: business as usual; decarbonization, meaning a massive shift to low-carbon and carbon-free energy sources; and decarbonization with economy-wide electrification of activities that are powered now by fossil fuels. It concludes that the latter two scenarios would require approximately 1,050-1,570 gigawatts of solar power, which would meet about 44%-45% of expected electricity demand in 2050. For perspective, one gigawatt of generating capacity is equivalent to about 3.1 million solar panels or 364 large-scale wind turbines. The rest would come mostly from a mix of other low- or zero-carbon sources, including wind, nuclear, hydropower, biopower, geothermal and combustion turbines run on zero-carbon synthetic fuels such as hydrogen. Energy storage capacity systems such as large installations of high-capacity batteries would also expand at roughly the same rate as solar. One advantage solar power has over many other low-carbon technologies is that most of the U.S. has lots of sunshine. Wind, hydropower and geothermal resources arent so evenly distributed: There are large zones where these resources are poor or nonexistent. Relying more heavily on region-specific technologies would mean developing them extremely densely where they are most abundant. It also would require building more high-voltage transmission lines to move that energy over long distances, which could increase costs and draw opposition from landowners. Is generating 45% of U.S. electricity from solar power by 2050 feasible? I think it would be technically possible but not easy. It would require an accelerated and sustained deployment far larger than what the U.S. has achieved so far, even as the cost of solar panels has fallen dramatically. Some regions have attained this rate of growth, albeit from low starting points and usually not for long periods. The Solar Futures Study estimates that producing 45% of the nations electricity from solar power by 2050 would require deploying about 1,600 gigawatts of solar generation. Thats a 1,450% increase from the 103 gigawatts that are installed in the U.S. today. For perspective, there are currently about 1,200 gigawatts of electricity generation capacity of all types on the U.S. power grid. The report assumes that 10%-20% of this new solar capacity would be deployed on homes and businesses. The rest would be large utility-scale deployments, mostly solar panels, plus some large-scale solar thermal systems that use mirrors to reflect the sun to a central tower. Assuming that utility-scale solar power requires roughly 8 acres per megawatt, this expansion would require approximately 10.2 million to 11.5 million acres. Thats an area roughly as big as Massachusetts and New Jersey combined, although its less than 0.5% of total U.S. land mass. I think goals like these are worth setting, but are good to reevaluate over time to make sure they represent the most prudent path. What are the biggest obstacles? In my view, the biggest challenge is that driving change on this scale requires sustained political will. Other issues could also slow progress, including shortages of critical solar panel materials like polysilicon, trade disputes and economic recessions. But the engineering challenges are understood and rather straightforward. Natural gas, coal and oil provided almost 80% of primary energy input to the U.S. economy in 2020, including electric power generation. Replacing much of it with low-carbon sources would also require retooling most major U.S. energy companies. Such a shift is likely to meet resistance, although some energy companies are starting to expand that way. The Biden administration plans to use the Clean Electricity Payment Program, a provision in the $3.5 trillion budget plan pending in Congress, to create incentives for electric utilities to generate more power from carbon-free sources. Studies like this solar report also assume that a lot of supporting infrastructure thats essential to fulfill their scenarios will be available. According to the Solar Futures Study, the U.S. would have to expand its electric transmission capacity by 60%-90% to support the levels of solar deployment that it envisions. Building long-distance transmission lines is very hard in the U.S., especially when they cross state lines, which is what a massive solar deployment would require. Unless some agency, such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, is empowered to approve new transmission lines, this kind of expansion might be almost impossible. One potential solution is gaining traction: building transmission lines along existing rights of way next to highways and railroad lines, which avoids the need to secure agreement from numerous private landowners. How would the current system have to change to support so much solar power? Our power system currently gets about 59% of its electricity from coal and natural gas. These resources are generally, although not always, available on demand. This means that when utility customers demand more power for their lights or air conditioners, the companies can call on these types of plants to increase their output. [Over 100,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.] Moving to a grid dominated by renewables will require utilities and energy regulators to rethink the old way of matching supply and demand. I think the grid of the future will need much higher levels of transmission, energy storage and programs that encourage customers to shift the times when they use power to periods when its most abundant and affordable. It also will require much greater coordination between North Americas regional power grids, which arent well configured now for moving electricity seamlessly over long distances. All of this is feasible and will be necessary if the U.S. opts to rely on a solar-heavy, decarbonized electricity grid to cost-effectively meet future demand. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/bidens-proposed-tenfold-increase-in-solar-power-would-remake-the-us-electricity-system-167605. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) The on-again, off-again ban imposed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to prevent mandating masks for Florida school students amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak is back in force. The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Friday that a Tallahassee judge should not have lifted an automatic stay two days ago that halted enforcement of the mask mandate ban. The upshot is that the state could resume its efforts to impose financial penalties on the 13 school boards currently defying the mask mandate ban. Those have included docking salaries of local school board members who voted to impose student mask mandates. DeSantis spokesperson Christina Pushaw said in a tweet that the appeals court decision means the rule requiring ALL Florida school districts to protect parents rights to make choices about masking kids is BACK in effect! The U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday it has begun a new grant program to provide funding for school districts in Florida and elsewhere that lose money for implementing anti-coronavirus practices such as mandatory masks. White House press secretary Jen Psaki amplified that position at a briefing Friday, saying that President Joe Biden's administration will use money and other resources to support any school officials "who do the right thing by students, and that includes putting in place mask requirements and other requirements that will keep them safe. Also Friday, the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights sent a letter to Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran to inform him that the federal agency would be investigating whether the states ban on mask mandates violates federal civil rights laws that protect students with disabilities. DeSantis has argued that the new Parents Bill of Rights law reserves solely for parents the authority to determine whether their children should wear a mask to school. School districts with mandatory mask rules allow an opt-out only for medical reasons, not parental discretion. The governor, who had predicted a victory at the appeals court, said in a tweet there is no surprise here and added: I will continue to fight for parents rights. Charles Gallagher, attorney for parents challenging the DeSantis ban, said he is disappointed by the appeals court decision. With a stay in place, students, parents and teachers are back in harms way, Gallagher said in a tweet. The back-and-forth legal battles stem from a lawsuit filed by parents represented by Gallagher and other lawyers contending that DeSantis does not have authority to order local school boards to ban mask mandates. Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper agreed in an Aug. 27 order, then on Wednesday lifted a stay that had blocked his ruling from taking effect. The appeals court now has put that stay back in place as the governor seeks a ruling making his mask mandate ban permanent. The appeals judges noted that a stay is presumed when a public officer or agency seeks appellate review of a judicial order. We have serious doubts about standing, jurisdiction, and other threshold matters, the appeals judges wrote in a one-page decision. Given the presumption against vacating the automatic stay, the stay should have been left in place pending appellate review. In his previous order, Cooper said the overwhelming evidence is that wearing masks provides some protection for children in crowded school settings, particularly those under 12 who are not currently eligible for vaccination. The court battle comes as Florida copes with the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus that has overrun hospitals across the state. On the Parents Bill of Rights, Cooper said his previous order follows the law that reserves health and education decisions regarding children to parents unless a government entity such as a school board can show their broader action is reasonable and narrowly tailored to the issue at hand. The next stage of the legal fight will test whether Cooper's conclusions are correct. A federal judge on Thursday threw out all charges against a University of Tennessee professor accused of hiding his relationship with a Chinese university while receiving research grants from NASA. Anming Hu was arrested in February 2020 and charged with three counts of wire fraud and three counts of making false statements. The arrest was part of a broader Justice Department crackdown under then-President Donald Trump's administration against university researchers who conceal their ties to Chinese institutions. A jury in June deadlocked after three days of deliberation and U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan declared a mistrial. Last month, prosecutors filed a notice that they intended to retry the case. Varlan ruled to acquit on all charges on Thursday, responding to a motion Hu's attorney made at trial that Varlan had declined to immediately rule on. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Rachelle Barnes, said on Friday the office had no comment on the case. Defense attorney Philip Lomonaco said prosecutors cannot appeal an acquittal, so the judgment marks the end of the case. It was the right decision, Lomonaco said. He was innocent. Hu began working for UT Knoxville in 2013 and later was invited by another professor to help apply for a research grant from NASA. That grant application was not successful, but two later applications were. A 2012 law forbids NASA from collaborating with China or Chinese companies. The government has interpreted that prohibition to include Chinese universities, and Hu was a faculty member at the Beijing University of Technology in addition to his position at UT. Prosecutors tried to show that Hu deliberately hid his position at the Chinese university when applying for the NASA-funded research grants. Lomonaco argued at trial that Hu didnt think he needed to list his part-time summer job on a disclosure form and said no one at UT ever told him otherwise. On Thursday, Varlan ruled that, even assuming Hu intended to deceive about his affiliation with that second university, there is no evidence that Hu intended to harm NASA. Without intent to harm, there is no scheme to defraud, Varlan wrote, quoting a necessary element of the wire fraud charges. Varlan added that NASA got the research from Hu that it paid for, and there was no evidence that Hu took any money from China or had anyone in China work on the projects. Varlan also cited evidence that NASA's funding restrictions were unclear. For instance, the University of Tennessee's China Assurance letter sent in conjunction with the grant applications stated that the funding restriction did not apply to UTK faculty like Hu, Varlan wrote. Lomonaco argued at trial that the Department of Justice had ignored the law and destroyed the career of a professor with three Ph.D.s in nanotechnology because the agency wanted a feather in its cap with an economic espionage case. In the ghastly rubble of ground zero's fallen towers 20 years ago, Hour Zero arrived, a chance to start anew. World affairs reordered abruptly on that morning of blue skies, black ash, fire and death. In Iran, chants of death to America quickly gave way to candlelight vigils to mourn the American dead. Vladimir Putin weighed in with substantive help as the U.S. prepared to go to war in Russia's region of influence. Libyas Moammar Gadhafi, a murderous dictator with a poetic streak, spoke of the human duty" to be with Americans after "these horrifying and awesome events, which are bound to awaken human conscience. From the first terrible moments, America's longstanding allies were joined by longtime enemies in that singularly galvanizing instant. No nation with global standing was cheering the stateless terrorists vowing to conquer capitalism and democracy. How rare is that? Too rare to last, it turned out. ___ Civilizations have their allegories for rebirth in times of devastation. A global favorite is that of the phoenix, a magical and magnificent bird, rising from ashes. In the hellscape of Germany at the end of World War II, it was the concept of Hour Zero, or Stunde Null, that offered the opportunity to start anew. For the U.S., the zero hour of Sept. 11, 2001, meant a chance to reshape its place in the post-Cold War world from a high perch of influence and goodwill as it entered the new millennium. This was only a decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union left America with both the moral authority and the financial and military muscle to be unquestionably the lone superpower. Those advantages were soon squandered. Instead of a new order, 9/11 fueled 20 years of war abroad. In the U.S., it gave rise to the angry, aggrieved, self-proclaimed patriot, and heightened surveillance and suspicion in the name of common defense. It opened an era of deference to the armed forces as lawmakers pulled back on oversight and let presidents give primacy to the military over law enforcement in the fight against terrorism. And it sparked anti-immigrant sentiment, primarily directed at Muslim countries, that lingers today. A war of necessity in the eyes of most of the world in Afghanistan was followed two years later by a war of choice as the U.S. invaded Iraq on false claims that Saddam Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction. President George W. Bush labeled Iran, Iraq and North Korea an axis of evil. Thus opened the deep, deadly mineshaft of forever wars." There were convulsions throughout the Middle East, and U.S. foreign policy for half a century a force for ballast instead gave way to a head-snapping change in approaches in foreign policy from Bush to Obama to Trump. With that came waning trust in America's leadership and reliability. Other parts of the world were not immune. Far-right populist movements coursed through Europe. Britain voted to break away from the European Union. And China steadily ascended in the global pecking order. President Joe Biden is trying to restore trust in the belief of a steady hand from the U.S. but there is no easy path. He is ending war, but what comes next? In Afghanistan in August, the Taliban seized control with menacing swiftness as the Afghan government and security forces that the United States and its allies had spent two decades trying to build collapsed. No steady hand was evident from the U.S. in the harried, disorganized evacuation of Afghans desperately trying to flee the country in the first weeks of the Taliban's re-established rule. Allies whose troops had fought and died in the U.S-led war in Afghanistan expressed dismay at Biden's management of the U.S. withdrawal, under a deal President Donald Trump had struck with the Taliban. THE HOMELAND In the United States, the Sept. 11 attacks set loose a torrent of rage. In shock from the assault, a swath of American society embraced the us vs. them binary outlook articulated by Bush Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists" and has never let go of it. You could hear it in the country songs and talk radio, and during presidential campaigns, offering the balm of a bloodlust cry for revenge. Well put a boot in your ass, it's the American way," Toby Keith promised Americas enemies in one of the most popular of those songs in 2002. Americans stuck flags in yards and on the back of trucks. Factionalism hardened inside America, in school board fights, on Facebook posts, and in national politics, so that opposing views were treated as propaganda from mortal enemies. The concept of enemy also evolved, from not simply the terrorist but also to the immigrant, or the conflation of the terrorist as immigrant trying to cross the border. The patriot under threat became a personal and political identity in the United States. Fifteen years later, Trump harnessed it to help him win the presidency. THE OTHERING In the week after the attacks, Bush demanded of Americans that they know Islam is peace" and that the attacks were a perversion of that religion. He told the country that American Muslims are us, not them, even as mosques came under surveillance and Arabs coming to the U.S. to take their kids to Disneyland or go to school risked being detained for questioning. For Trump, in contrast, everything was always about them, the outsiders. In the birther lie Trump promoted before his presidency, Barack Obama was an outsider. In Trump's campaigns and administration, Muslims and immigrants were outsiders. The China virus was a foreign interloper, too. Overseas, deadly attacks by Islamic extremists, like the 2004 bombing of Madrid trains that killed nearly 200 people and the 2005 attack on Londons transportation system that killed more than 50, hardened attitudes in Europe as well. By 2015, as the Islamic State group captured wide areas of Iraq and pushed deep into Syria, the number of refugees increased dramatically, with more than 1 million migrants, primarily from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, entering Europe that year alone. The year was bracketed by attacks in France on the Charlie Hebdo magazine staff in January after it published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, and on the Bataclan theater and other Paris locations in November, reinforcing the angst then gripping the continent. Already growing in support, far-right parties were able to capitalize on the fears to establish themselves as part of the European mainstream. They remain represented in many European parliaments, even as the flow of immigrants has slowed dramatically and most concerns have proved unfounded. THE UNRAVELING Dozens of countries joined or endorsed the NATO coalition fighting in Afghanistan. Russia acquiesced to NATO troops in Central Asia for the first time and provided logistical support. Never before had NATO invoked Article 5 of its charter that an attack against one member was an attack against all. But in 2003, the U.S. and Britain were practically alone in prosecuting the Iraq war. This time, millions worldwide marched in protest in the run-up to the invasion. World opinion of the United States turned sharply negative. In June 2003, after the invasion had swiftly ousted Saddam and dismantled the Iraqi army and security forces, a Pew Research poll found a widening rift between Americans and Western Europeans and reported that the bottom has fallen out of support for America in most of the Muslim world. Most South Koreans, half of Brazilians and plenty more people outside the Islamic world agreed. And this was when the war was going well, before the world saw cruel images from Abu Ghraib prison, learned all that it knows now about CIA black op sites, waterboarding, years of Guantanamo Bay detention without charges or trials and before the rise of the brutal Islamic State. By 2007, when the U.S. set up the Africa Command to counter terrorism and the rising influence of China and Russia on the continent, African countries did not want to host it. It operates from Stuttgart, Germany. THE SUCCESSES Over the two decades, a succession of U.S. presidents scored important achievements in shoring up security, and so far U.S. territory has remained safe from more international terrorism anywhere on the scale of 9/11. Globally, U.S.-led forces weakened al-Qaida, which has failed to launch a major attack on the West since 2005. The Iraq invasion rid that country and region of a murderous dictator in Saddam. Yet strategically, eliminating him did just what Arab leaders warned Bush it would do: It strengthened Saddams main rival, Iran, threatening U.S. objectives and partners. Deadly chaos soon followed in Iraq. The Bush administration, in its nation-building haste, failed to plan for keeping order, leaving Islamist extremists and rival militias to fight for dominance in the security vacuum. The overthrow of Saddam served both to inspire and limit public support for Arab Spring uprisings a few years later. For if the U.S. showed people in the Middle East that strongmen can be toppled, the insurgency demonstrated that what comes next may not be a season of renewal. Authoritarian regimes in the Middle East pointed to the post-Saddam era as an argument for their own survival. The U.S.-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq killed more than 7,000 American military men and women, more than 1,000 from the allied forces, many tens of thousands of members of Afghan and Iraqi security forces, and many hundreds of thousands of civilians, according to Brown Universitys Costs of War project. Costs, including tending the wars unusually high number of disabled vets, are expected to top $6 trillion. For the U.S., the presidencies since Bushs wars have been marked by an effort not always consistent, not always successful to pull back the military from the conflicts of the Middle East and Central Asia. The perception of a U.S. retreat has allowed Russia and China to gain influence in the regions, and left U.S. allies struggling to understand Washington's place in the world. The notion that 9/11 would create an enduring unity of interest to combat terrorism collided with rising nationalism and a U.S. president, Trump, who spoke disdainfully of the NATO allies that in 2001 had rallied to America's cause. Even before Trump, Obama surprised allies and enemies alike when he stepped back abruptly from the U.S. role of world cop. Obama geared up for, then called off, a strike on Syrian President Bashar Assad for using chemical weapons against his people. Terrible things happen across the globe, and it is beyond our means to right every wrong, Obama said on Sept. 11, 2013. THE NEWISH ORDER The legacies of 9/11 ripple both in obvious and unusual ways. Most directly, millions of people in the U.S. and Europe go about their public business under the constant gaze of security cameras while other surveillance tools scoop up private communications. The government layered post-9/11 bureaucracies on to law enforcement to support the expansive security apparatus. Militarization is more evident now, from large cities to small towns that now own military vehicles and weapons that seem well out of proportion to any terrorist threat. Government offices have become fortifications and airports a security maze. But as profound an event as 9/11 was, its immediate effect on how the world has been ordered was temporary and largely undone by domestic political forces, a global economic downturn and now a lethal pandemic. The awakening of human conscience predicted by Gadhafi didnt last. Gadhafi didnt last. Osama bin Laden has been dead for a decade. Saddam was hanged in 2006. The forever wars the Afghanistan one being the longest in U.S. history now are over or ending. The days of Russia tactically enabling the U.S., and China not standing in the way, petered out. Only the phoenix lasts. ___ Rising reported from Bangkok; Knickmeyer and Woodward from Washington. AP National Security Writer Robert Burns contributed to this report. ___ For an in-depth look at APs coverage of 9/11 and the events that followed, read September 11: The 9/11 Story, Aftermath & Legacy, available now. BERLIN (AP) The center-right candidate to succeed German Chancellor Angela Merkel touted his party's law-and-order and security credentials on Friday as he tried to turn around disappointing polls, questioning his left-leaning rival's stance toward the police and the military. Armin Laschet has been tapped by Merkel's Union bloc as the candidate to follow her after 16 years in office. But he again faced questions about tensions within his own party as the Sept. 26 parliamentary election nears. Recent polls show the Union trailing the center-left Social Democrats, who have been helped by the relative popularity of their candidate, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz. As chancellor, I want to minimize risks and ensure security, said Laschet, the governor of Germany's most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia. Expertise on security is a core expertise of the Union, he added, boasting that he has applied a principle of zero tolerance toward crime in his state. Laschet criticized remarks by one of the Social Democrats' co-leaders, Saskia Esken, who said at the time of last year's anti-racism protests in the U.S. that there's also latent racism within the ranks of Germany's own security forces. Laschet said police and others deserve politicians' basic trust and not sweeping suspicions. Laschet said that the German military must have the money it needs to be able to act. Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Germany must really pursue the NATO aim of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense, arguing that Scholz had wanted to spend less on the military. Still, questions persisted over the Union's woes as it struggles to catch up in the polls. On Thursday, Markus Soeder who leads the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union, the sister party to Laschet's Christian Democratic Union said that if there is still a chance to break the trend, then its this weekend. Soeder earlier this year battled Laschet for the nomination to run for chancellor. Laschet, who on Sunday faces the second of three televised debates with Scholz and Green candidate Annalena Baerbock, said it's evident" the election will produce a tight result. He said Sunday heralds the elections' final sprint" as nothing has yet been decided. He's expected at a CSU party congress on Saturday. Laschet also said that Karin Prien, a regional education minister, will remain on a team of experts he presented a week ago to boost his campaign. A controversial right-wing former head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency who is running for Laschet's CDU in the election, Hans-Georg Maassen, had demanded Prien's removal after she said she was not at all thrilled about his candidacy and hinted that she might not vote for him if he were running in her constituency. - Follow APs coverage of Germanys election at https://apnews.com/hub/germany-election TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) An offshoot of the Republican Attorneys General Association that sent a robocall urging patriots to support then-President Donald Trump at the Jan. 6 rally that preceded the storming of the U.S. Capitol held a special war games meeting weeks before the election to discuss its strategies if Trump lost. The two-day conference in September 2020 was among more than 20 meetings that the Rule of Law Defense Fund held in the four months before the November election for senior aides to Republicans who were their states' chief law enforcement officials. But unlike the others, it was held in-person despite coronavirus cases surging and the vaccine still months from coming to market, and the group paid attendees' travel costs. The Defense Fund, which is a branch of the Republican Attorneys General Association, gained notoriety for its robocall the day before the Jan. 6 insurrection, when pro-Trump demonstrators stormed the Capitol in an attempt to thwart the certification of Joe Biden's victory. Emails from the offices of the Republican attorneys general in Kansas and Missouri show that the Defense Fund held weekly calls for senior staffers in state offices, a virtual roundtable with senior corporate attorneys in July and the in-person summit in September. It also held a Zoom strategy session eight days after the election and a Dec. 1 call to discuss immigration policy. A Sept. 24 email from the Republican Attorneys General Association executive director, addressed to Generals, called the Atlanta event WAR GAMES and a series of conversations planning for what could come if we lose the White House. It was a fast paced, productive series of war games, which hopefully will not have to be utilized in November," then-Executive Director Adam Piper said in an email the next day, again addressed to Generals. Piper resigned from the attorneys general association five days after the violence in Washington and after the Defense Fund's robocall came to light. The call did not advocate violence or suggest invading the Capitol. Taken together, the meetings and robocalls underscore how deeply elements of the Republican Party were invested in trying to keep Trump in office or to challenge the incoming Biden administration. Seventeen Republican state attorneys general, including those from Kansas and Missouri, also joined the Texas attorney general in a separate lawsuit seeking to overturn the presidential election results based on unfounded claims of voter fraud; the Supreme Court ultimately rejected that effort. An agenda for the Defense Fund's Atlanta summit listed three policy sessions and a set of breakout sessions over two days. An email two days before the event from the Defense Fund's executive director said, All the policy conversations are off the record. While the Defense Fund also allowed people to participate virtually, the emails said more than 30 people attended in person. In a written statement Thursday to The Associated Press, RAGA spokesperson Johnny Koremenos said the September 2020 meeting was strictly focused on administrative law and preparing attorneys general teams for a potential Biden Administration or a second term of President Trump common practice in an election season. Koremenos said GOP attorneys general have filed more than 40 lawsuits against Biden's policies since he took office in January. That continues a tactic they used during former President Barack Obama's administration and an approach used by their Democratic counterparts regularly during Trump's four years in office. Were going to continue to fight back against the most radical and irresponsible agenda America has ever seen, Chris Nuelle, a spokesperson for Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, said Thursday in an email. Koremenos did not answer questions asked in multiple emails about whether Defense Fund videoconferences last year addressed possible challenges to the election results. The Defense Fund said in tax filings with the Internal Revenue Service that its mission is to share best practices among states' top lawyers, provide a forum for them to discuss state and federal policy issues, help them develop policy and engage federal officials regarding the interests of the states. In Missouri, contacts between the Defense Fund and state Solicitor General John Sauer, who is under Schmitts office, became public this year through a records request from a government transparency group. Schmitt said in January that he didnt know about the Defense Fund robocall, and his spokesperson said Thursday that he wasnt going to rehash issues raised early this year. Schmitt is running for the U.S. Senate in 2022. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt's office sent two staffers to the September war games summit Chief Deputy Attorney General Jeff Chanay and Communications Director Clint Blaes. Their pre-event travel authorization forms showed that the Defense Fund would cover their expenses as it did and listed the purpose of their travel as Training. Chanay said in an email to himself and Blaes that Schmidt had concluded the event serves a legitimate state purpose and interest and that the office otherwise would have covered their expenses making it legal under Kansas law for them to accept the Defense Fund's hospitality. Their participation was first reported this week by the Kansas Reflector, which obtained 15 pages of emails through an open records request. The Associated Press also obtained the emails through an open records request. Another email showed that Eric Montgomery, Schmidt's chief of staff, registered for online sessions. Schmidt, first elected in 2010, is running for Kansas governor in 2022. He served as a director of the Defense Fund but left its board in August 2020. After the Jan. 6 insurrection, he publicly condemned the violence as sickening and told The Topeka Capital-Journal that he hadn't known of the robocalls beforehand. Schmidt's spokesperson, John Milburn, said in an email that the September event was to discuss possible responses to regulations or other actions from a potential Biden administration that Schmidt worried might have "devastating consequences for Kansas. "There was no discussion about challenging the results of an election that was still six weeks away," Milburn said. ___ Associated Press writers Summer Ballentine in Columbia, Missouri; Meg Kinnard in Houston; and Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed to this report. ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Topeka police officials said a homicide suspect who was shot by police on Friday has died from his wounds. Jesse B. Lees, 33, of Topeka died hours after multiple officers shot at him in a residential area. Police said he was armed but have provided few details about the confrontation. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Shuaishuai Wang, University of Amsterdam (THE CONVERSATION) The Chinese government has recently taken action against what it calls sissy men males, often celebrities, deemed too effeminate. On Sept. 22021, government regulators banned their appearance on both television and video streaming sites. Using the Chinese derogatory slur niang pao literally, girlie guns Chinese cultural authorities explained that they were rolling out a rule to purge morally flawed celebrities in order to correct aesthetics in performing styles and wardrobes and makeups. Technically this is a rule, not a law. But thanks to the strong control the Chinese government exerts over industry, the tech companies that give these celebrities a platform have quickly fallen in line. The international community may view the rule as yet another example of Chinese repression centered on LBGTQ communities. And this could be true, to an extent. However, as someone who studies Chinas queer cultures, Im also attuned to the way pronouncements made by the Chinese government often cloak a hidden agenda. To me, its no coincidence that the ban has come during the intense national campaign against Chinas domestic big tech giants, which the government increasingly sees as a threat to its ability to keep tabs on its citizens. The rise of effeminate male traffic stars In the mid-2010s the Chinese governments grip on the countrys entertainment sector began to weaken after decades of control over who could star on TV and what sort of stories could be told. TV dramas, films and talent shows produced by private tech companies started to take off, while ratings and ad revenues of state-owned television stations tumbled. Beginning in 2016, the government started to censor web videos with the same criteria it had been using for television. However, the restrictions seemed to only inspire more creative and subversive expressions of sexuality on video streaming sites. For example, images of two men kissing and holding hands were banned. So creators simply used dialogues and gestures, like intense eye contact, to convey homosexual intimacy. Furthermore, these rules didnt regulate the physical appearance of characters. Since 2017, shows produced by the countrys leading video streaming platforms many of which mimic the basic format of shows like American Idol and The Voice have launched the careers of a number of effeminate male celebrities. These shows include The Coming One and CHUANG 2021, which appear on Tencent Video, a streaming site owned by Tencent, the Chinese technology conglomerate that also owns WeChat. Meanwhile, Idol Producer and Youth With You appear on another video service provider, iQiyi, a subsidiary of Baidu, the Chinese equivalent of Google. The male participants in these shows are often young, dress in unisex clothing, and apply orange-red eye shadow and lipstick, along with heavy makeup that whitens their skin and thickens their eyebrows. In the past, female audiences would clamor for masculine looks or physiques in their male celebrities. Todays young Chinese people, on the other hand, are more open to challenging gender stereotypes. Within online fan communities, femininity in male celebrities isnt stigmatized; instead, its celebrated. Theyll call their female idols brother or husband and their male idols wife names meant more as compliments than insults. This shift can be traced, in large part, to the influence of K-pop, the South Korean pop music phenomenon in which many of the singers reject traditionally masculine ideals. An easy way for male actors to achieve stardom is to appear in adaptions of boys love novels, an online fiction genre originating in Japan that features homoerotic relationships between men. Take the actor Zhang Zhehan. For years, he played masculine characters in several TV shows. Still, he remained largely unknown until he appeared in the adaption of the boys love novel Word of Honor, which appeared in early 2021 on Youku, a streaming service owned by the tech giant Alibaba. His female fans even invented a meme to describe Zhangs rapid rise to fame: manning up for a decade failed, but [he] succeeded as a wife overnight. Reasserting control Despite their perceived effeminate mannerisms, these male celebrities have amassed a huge following among female viewers. Typically, their shows can generate billions of views and considerable ad revenue. Celebrities whose fame emerged out of shows like The Coming One and Idol Producer are called traffic stars because theyre more dependent on their massive followings than on any specific skill such as singing, acting or dancing. Since views, shares and likes have become the dominant metric for a celebritys popularity and market value, fans will organize to actively manipulate social media features such as ranking lists and trending topics in support of their idols. This data worship to use the terminology of the Chinese authorities ultimately boosts the revenue of the big tech companies that promote and host the stars. Therefore, the profits of tech companies and the proliferation of internet influencers, movie stars and TV personalities have become increasingly intertwined. For a country seeking to rein in the power of big tech companies, these effeminate idols become an obvious target. Possible ramifications Although it could be argued that everyday LGBTQ people arent the real target of the most recent policy, I believe it will almost certainly have a pernicious effect on Chinas marginalized gender groups and LGBTQ communities. In China, the government has long exploited gender and sexuality in the service of political needs. During the first three decades of the Peoples Republic of China from 1949 to 1978 homosexuality was portrayed as the epitome of capitalist vice and was, therefore, seen as incompatible with the values of the Communist party-state. After Chinas market reforms in 1978 and the opening up of the country, people especially in Chinas cities became more comfortable calling themselves gay. In the lead-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the state-run Xinhua News agency even published articles championing the gay website Danlan a precursor to Blued, the most popular gay dating app in the world in order to portray China as an inclusive and diverse place and to deflect international criticism of Chinas poor record on human rights. Thanks to digital technology and the growth of online subcultures, China has achieved some real progress in the acceptance of gender and sexual minorities over the past decade. Young women often speak of having a gay confidant (gaymi in Chinese), while young straight men are keen to call their male friends good gay buddies(hao jiyou). So its a bit surprising to see a gender slur girlie guns being written into government policy and repeated throughout the countrys mainstream media outlets. And it isnt difficult to envision more anti-LGBTQ bullying, harassment and violence in schools and workplaces as a result. After all, if the government condones a slur, whos to say its wrong to use it to attack others? This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/how-sissy-men-became-the-latest-front-in-chinas-campaign-against-big-tech-167328. JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli media reports say two more of the six Palestinian who broke out of a maximum-security prison this week have been arrested at dawn Saturday, leaving two prisoners at large. The prisoners captured included Zakaria Zubeidi, a well-known militant leader from the second Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s. Photos showed Zubeidi and another unidentified man sitting on the ground, blindfolded and handcuffed. Armed Israeli soldiers in civilian uniforms posed behind them. There were no immediate details where the latest two escapees had been caught. It came hours after Israeli police said they had caught two of the six Palestinians whose daring escape has captured the countrys attention. Shortly afterward, Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket toward Israel that the Israeli military said was intercepted by air defenses. No Palestinian group claimed responsibility for the rocket attack, which is believed to be linked to the re-arrest. On Friday night, police said the first two were caught in the Arab-majority city of Nazareth in northern Israel. The announcement identified them as Mahmoud Aradeh and Yakub Kadari members of the Islamic Jihad militant group who were both serving life sentences. They showed no resistance. Israeli media reports said a civilian alerted police to two suspicious figures. A video circulating on social media showed Israeli police shackling a man from his feet into the backseat of a police vehicle and asking the suspect for his name. The man, wearing jeans and green T-shirt, calmly identifies himself as Kadari and answers yes when asked whether he is one of the escapees. Kadari was serving two life sentences for attempted murder and bomb planting. The six Palestinians tunneled out of the Gilboa prison on Monday, setting off a furious manhunt across Israel and in the West Bank. For the Palestinians, the fugitives were heroes who succeeded in freeing themselves from multiple life sentences. Fighting against Israel and taking part in attacks against the Israeli military or even civilians is a source of pride for many. In the Gaza Strip as well as in the West Bank, Palestinians had organized sit-ins and joyful gatherings to celebrate the prison break. They escapees included four members of the militant group Islamic Jihad who were serving life sentences as well Zubeidi. All of the prisoners are from the nearby city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank. As soon as the news about the capture of the two fugitives was confirmed Friday, a flurry of bitter posts expressing disappointment and shock filled the Palestinian social media sphere. There was no immediate reaction from the Palestinian Authority, but Abdeltaif al-Qanou, a spokesman for the Gaza-ruling Hamas movement, said despite the re-arrest, the prisoners have scored a victory and harmed the prestige of the Israeli security system. The escape has exposed major flaws in Israels prison service and set off days of angry criticism and finger pointing. It has also increased tension between Israel and the Palestinians. Earlier Friday, Hamas had called for a day of rage to protest Israeli crackdown against imprisoned Palestinians, but the day passed without major confrontation. But in Jerusalem, a Palestinian suspected attacker died shortly after being wounded by Israeli police gunfire in the towns Old City, where he had reportedly tried to stab officers. ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) A military contractor being sued for alleged complicity in the torture of inmates at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison argued Friday that recent Supreme Court cases make clear it can't be held liable for misconduct that occurred overseas, but a judge was skeptical. CACI, a Virginia-based contractor that supplied interrogators at the infamous prison, is seeking to have the 13-year-old lawsuit dismissed. The most recent legal debate centers on the extent to which U.S. companies can be sued for international conduct. In recent years, the Supreme Court has restricted corporations' potential liability. Most recently, the high court tossed out a civil suit against a subsidiary of chocolate maker Nestle after it was accused of complicity in child slavery on cocoa farms in Ivory Coast. John O'Connor, a lawyer for CACI, said at a hearing Friday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria that the high court's ruling in the Nestle case earlier this year compels the CACI lawsuit to be thrown out on similar grounds. But U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema seemed unpersuaded from the outset. I think you overread Nestle, Brinkema said at Friday's hearing. She did not immediately reject CACI's motion, and took it under advisement after Friday's hearing. But she said she sees major differences in the allegations against Nestle and the allegations regarding CACI's conduct at Abu Ghraib. In the CACI case, for example, company personnel were assigned directly to Abu Ghraib under a government contract, an element that was not present in the Nestle case. In fact, Iraq's status at the time as an invaded nation governed by the Coalition Provisional Authority, a multinational entity dominated by the U.S., calls into question whether Iraq and Abu Ghraib were truly foreign territory, lawyers for the Abu Ghraib victims argued. Brinkema also mentioned an email from a CACI employee assigned to Abu Ghraib that she described as a potential smoking gun. The email was uncovered in the discovery process of the lawsuit, but it is filed under seal. But as described in generic terms in court papers and by Brinkema, it was sent by a CACI employee to his boss outlining abuses he had personally witnessed. The employee apparently resigned in protest, Brinkema said. Brinkema said she was amazed that no one at CACI seemed to follow up on the employee's concerns. O'Connor disputed that the email was incriminating. He said the email took note of improper interrogations conducted by inexperienced Army soldiers, not by CACI interrogators or supervisors. CACI has strongly denied that any of its employees engaged in or sanctioned torture. And the three inmates who filed the suit, with the assistance of the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights, acknowledge that they were never directly assaulted or tortured by any CACI employees. But the lawsuit alleges that CACI was complicit and aided and abetted the torture by setting up the conditions under which soldiers conducted the brutal treatment that shocked the world when photographs of the abuse were made public in 2004. CACI's legal arguments are just the most recent in a string of challenges to the lawsuit. On two prior occasions a judge did in fact toss out the lawsuit, only to see it reinstated on appeal. Most recently, CACI argued it had immunity from a lawsuit in the same way that the U.S. government would enjoy immunity, because it was working as a contractor at the behest of the government. But Brinkema ruled that when it comes to fundamental violations of international norms like those depicted at Abu Ghraib, the government enjoys no immunity, and neither does a government contractor. In June, the Supreme Court let Brinkema's ruling on that issue stand. The plaintiffs are suing under a law called the Alien Tort Statute that is among the first laws passed by Congress after the Constitution took effect in 1789. Its scope has been narrowed in recent years by a series of Supreme Court decisions. FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) More than 8,000 Kentuckians have died from COVID-19, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Friday, calling the new record another grim milestone. These are a lot of grieving families, and it looks like the coming weeks are going to be really hard, Beshear said in a video posted to social media. The Bluegrass state reported 32 new virus-related deaths Friday, including the loss of a 19-year-old. Per capita, the states death toll is the 30th-highest in the nation, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The fast-spreading delta variant continues to surge throughout the state, with Kentucky recording 5,197 more coronavirus cases Friday. Some 2,541 Kentuckians are currently hospitalized with COVID-19. The state's test positivity rate is 14.00%, an alarmingly high rate that indicates that the virus is widespread. Friday's state report said that 193 intensive care beds are available statewide, up from 90 on Thursday. Beshear pleaded with the state's residents to get vaccinated, insisting that it was one of the best ways to prevent more hospitalizations and deaths from the virus, in addition to masking. Please wear a mask when youre outside of the home, but otherwise indoors. This is killing a lot of people, and we can prevent it, he added. Kentucky's education department will use up to $8.8 million in federal pandemic relief funding to reward school employees with a one-time $100 payment for getting vaccinated against COVID-19. The federal money will be used to reimburse Kentucky school districts choosing to offer the incentive to employees who get fully vaccinated, the department said Friday. All full- and part-time public school district employees are eligible. The incentive applies to employees already vaccinated as well as those who receive full vaccinations by Dec. 1. There's enough funding to reimburse districts for payments to about 88,000 employees. Getting people vaccinated is one of the main ways were going to be able to get out of this pandemic and get back into our classrooms as usual, Education Commissioner Jason Glass said. We hope this will encourage people to get vaccinated in order to protect their students, colleagues and themselves. Districts must first pay employees to receive the reimbursement, the department said. The incentive program was announced a day after the Republican-led legislature ended a statewide mask mandate for K-12 public schools. The state school board issued the emergency mask regulation last month. The delta variant has forced dozens of school districts to close classrooms because of COVID-19 outbreaks. Roughly 70% of Kentucky adults have received at least a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. ___ Hudspeth Blackburn 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. ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. (AP) The last of five men wanted in connection with a shooting death in North Carolina in May are in custody, a police chief said. Roanoke Rapids Police Chief Bobby Martin said Shelvy Edwards, 25, and Denzel Ashe, 21, have been arrested, news outlets reported. No details of the arrest were immediately available on Friday. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) A parolees arrest in a killing after hed been released without bail helped torpedo the California Legislatures latest attempt to reform the cash bail system for this year, the bills author said Thursday. Democratic Sen. Bob Hertzberg unsuccessfully tried several variations of a new measure after voters in November defeated a law what would have ended cash bail in favor of risk assessments. His initial bill cleared the Senate but ran into opposition in the more conservative Assembly ahead of Friday's legislative deadline, although Democrats control the needed two-thirds majorities in both chambers. The California District Attorneys Association gained new traction in opposing the measure this week when a parolee was arrested and charged in the slaying of a Sacramento woman found dead along with her two slain dogs inside her burning home. Troy Davis, 51, was released without bail on suspicion of auto theft in June and did not appear for his arraignment. The gruesome murder of the Sacramento woman had several of my colleagues reaching out with concerns," Hertzberg said in a statement to The Associated Press. He said his proposal actually could have prevented that parolee from being released in the first place but that he ran out of time to explain that to reluctant lawmakers before Friday's adjournment deadline. We made a lot of progress this year and well be back next year in stronger shape, Hertzberg said. El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson, the district attorneys association's president, said lawmakers supporting changes to the bail system are expressing sympathy toward prisoners instead of prioritizing public safety. Hertzberg said he will keep working for a fair, safe and equitable bail system, free of industry greed. The current bail system, he said, keeps Californians locked up who pose no threat to the public and who have been convicted of no crime, simply because they cannot pay what the bail industry demands. Hertzberg recently heavily amended his original bill after it ran into opposition in the Assembly. It would now set a statewide bail schedule that takes into account suspects finances and returns the money if charges are dropped. It follows the California Supreme Court ruling in April that judges must consider suspects ability to pay when they set bail, and Hertzberg said his bill implements the high courts ruling. It also follows a statewide judicial order last year that set bail to $0 for many crimes during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic in a bid to reduce the vulnerable populations in county jails. Hertzbergs bill originally mimicked that $0 bail order when it cleared the Senate. His amended bill requires the Judicial Council to set a statewide bail schedule by 2023, replacing schedules that vary across the states 58 counties. The council would have to consider whether non-monetary conditions like electronic monitoring could protect the public and victims while reasonably assuring that suspects would show up for court appearances. Judges would have to take suspects financial condition into account. They would also have to return suspects money or property if charges are dropped or the suspect showed up for all court appearances. Bails bonds companies could keep a 5% surcharge on that money. Hertzberg has said that would be an improvement over a current system he equated to predatory lending. Bonding companies and insurers said the return policy would make the bail industry unsustainable. The American Bail Coalition said that as a practical matter, the bill would end Californias bail industry because most suspects could say they couldnt afford to pay it. Setting up a promised court fight should the bill become law, the Golden State Bail Agents Association argued that legislators latest bail reform effort is a bad faith attempt to thwart the will of the voters, 55% of whom rejected Proposition 25 in November. Bail is money or property that can be forfeited if suspects fail to appear for trial. Traditionally, judges set bail based on suspects criminal records and pending charges. Critics said that allows wealthy suspects to go home to prepare for trial while lower-income defendants remain jailed, a system they said encouraged some innocents to plead guilty to get out of jail. The Anti-Recidivism Coalition, a reform group that supports the bill, projects that it currently costs nearly $4.6 million a day to keep about 40,000 offenders housed in county jails. While the bail bill stalled, lawmakers sent several other criminal justice bills to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday. The first requires judges to give great weight to mitigating circumstances that favor dismissing enhancements that can greatly extend the length of prison sentences, unless doing so would endanger public safety. Democratic Sen. Nancy Skinner said enhancements are much more likely to be imposed on Black suspects. Her bill would enact 1 of 10 recommendations of Newsoms California Committee on the Revision of the Penal Code. The second enshrines court rulings that say judges must impose the middle of three possible sentences allowed by law unless there are mitigating or aggravating circumstances. The bill says aggravating circumstances extending a sentence must be admitted by the suspect or found true beyond a reasonable doubt by a judge or jury. A third decriminalizes jaywalking, a crime that Democratic Assemblyman Phil Ting says is arbitrarily enforced, most often against people of color sometimes leading to deadly confrontations with police. Fines can reach hundreds of dollars, which he said is too much for a relatively minor infraction. Virginia this year became the first state to decriminalize jaywalking. SEATTLE (AP) A Lynnwood man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday after being found to possess millions of dollars worth of fentanyl, heroin and firearms. Jose Casablanca, 39, was arrested in July 2020 after an investigation found he had enough fentanyl to make over a million pills, according to court documents. He pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to distributed controlled substances, possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the Everett Daily Herald reported. AUBURN, Maine (AP) An Auburn councilor apologized Friday after making racist remarks during a discussion of naming a footbridge for the late Mayor John Jenkins. In a statement, Leroy Walker noted that Jenkins, who was Black, was a good friend of mine for 40 years and that he meant no disrespect to him or his family. He said his comments during Tuesday's City Council meeting were insensitive and inappropriate, the Sun Journal reported. Walker said he will use the days and weeks ahead to speak with and seek guidance from experts in diversity and communication in order to communicate for and to my constituents more effectively. I will use this time to reflect and learn from this experience, Walker said. Walker's apology came after a rant in which he said, among other things, that dark-colored people recently breaking laws in the South put a bad name on good people like Jenkins. Jenkins, who died last year, was the first Black person to serve as a state senator in Maine. He also served as mayor of both Lewiston and Auburn. Both the Auburn and Lewiston city councils denounced his comments before the councilor offered his apology. An Auburn council member, Holly Lasagna, said Friday that Walker should resign despite his apology. A spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which called for Walker's resignation, said Friday that the organization welcomed the apology and would monitor the situation. BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) A Connecticut man was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for setting fires including the 2019 blaze that destroyed a well-known Shakespearean theater in a shoreline town. Christopher Sakowicz told the judge at his sentencing that wants to work as a welder following his release from prison, Hearst Connecticut Media reported. I want to take the bad and use it for good. I want to work on the buildings I destroyed, Sakowicz said. Sakowicz, 20, of Stratford, pleaded guilty in June to setting the fire that burned the American Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford to the ground on Jan. 13, 2019. The theater, built in 1955, was modeled after Londons Globe Theatre. Its stage was graced by the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Christopher Plummer and James Earl Jones. A group of theater and business professionals said last year that it is hoping to rebuild the theater. Defense lawyer Joseph Bruckmann told the judge that Sakowicz has a long history of mental illness. He had issues that were beyond his control, Bruckmann said. In addition to the prison time, Bridgeport Superior Court Judge Kevin Russo ordered Sakowicz to undergo psychiatric treatment and be placed on 15 years of special parole. Two other teens were charged in connection with the theater fire and other blazes. Police said the teens admitted on Snapchat that they set the theater fire and posted an incriminating video that was circulated around their school, Bunnell High School. DETROIT (AP) Marianne Battani, a Detroit-area judge who served in local and federal courts for 40 years, has died at age 77. Battani, who retired as a federal judge less than a year ago, died Thursday after a lengthy illness, U.S. District Court said Friday. Her sense of right and wrong was uncanny," said David Lawson, a fellow judge. For me and many of us on the Eastern District bench, she was a source of wise counsel and sage advice. Battani was nominated to the federal court by President Bill Clinton in 1999 after about 20 years as a judge on the Detroit Common Pleas Court, 36th District Court and Wayne County Circuit Court. In 1981, Gov. William Milliken appointed her to the Common Pleas Court a real shocker, she recalled. I have no idea how he found out about me, Battani said last year. She made headlines in 2018 when she sentenced a man to 30 days in custody for attacking his neighbor, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who suffered broken ribs and needed surgery. Prosecutors had asked for nearly two years in prison. Battani was assigned to go to Kentucky to handle the case. She called the assault an isolated incident, not motivated by politics. But after an appeal, a different judge sentenced Rene Boucher to eight months in prison and six months of home confinement. LAS VEGAS (AP) The Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday took up a thorny question in a state where the part-time Legislature meets every two years and many lawmakers hold full-time jobs in addition to elected positions: Should a person who makes the law also enforce the law? Justices made no immediate decision after more than an hour of oral arguments in a case focusing on the prosecutorial work of a deputy Clark County district attorney, Melanie Scheible, who is also Democratic state senator who announced Thursday's she's running for re-election in 2022. The high court is being asked to reverse a decision by former Clark County District Court Judge Richard Scotti's last year to cite Scheibles dual roles and throw out the convictions of two Henderson residents who had been convicted of driving under the influence. Scotti called it fundamental to American jurisprudence that a criminal defendant shall not be prosecuted by a person who is simultaneously the law-maker and the law-enforcer of the laws of the State of Nevada. The Nevada Constitution prohibits a person from serving two elected offices, or in multiple branches of government at the same time. Through questions, the high court appeared to acknowledge what Justice Douglas Herndon termed the huge amount of distrust the public could feel from their elected legislative representatives also being tasked with enforcing the very laws that they are elected to enact. It is an issue that needs to be resolved, agreed Craig Mueller, the attorney whose clients Scotti said had been denied due process. But Chief Justice James Hardesty and others on the seven-member court raised procedural questions about Muellers filings and about being asked to decide the constitutional question based on a criminal appeal. Hardesty said he was troubled that Scheible was not a party to the case about her positions; that the ruling could have a possibly wide-ranging effect; and that the issue of dual service had not been litigated in a lower court. Nothing in the record offers any guidance with respect to ... matters that should be appropriately developed procedurally, Hardesty said. None of that happened in front of Judge Scotti, that I can see. The subject of dual roles also is the focus of a separate lawsuit by the Nevada Policy Research Institute, a conservative think tank. It argues that nine public employees including the two top Democrats in the state Legislature Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson cant hold public jobs and elected office at the same time. Cannizzaro is a Clark County prosecutor. Frierson is a deputy public defender. Mueller noted that Cannizzaro and Scheible were leaders among Democrats enacting several criminal justice laws during this year's Legislature. Alexander Chen, a chief deputy Clark County district attorney, told the justices that thousands of criminal cases could be affected by the court's decision. He insisted the lawmakers' roles in Carson City and in the Las Vegas courthouse were separate. It is the state's hope today that this court will explicitly rule that serving as a deputy district attorney does not violate the separation of powers clause of the Nevada Constitution, Chen said. Deborah Westbrook, an attorney and friend-of-the-court litigant representing public defenders and Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice, pointed to plain language of the state constitution separating legislative, executive and judicial branches of government. It prohibits persons charged with the exercise of powers properly belonging to one of the three departments ... from exercising functions appertaining to the others, she noted. Allowing a state legislator to prosecute violations of state law is exactly what the constitution aimed to prevent, Westbrook said, adding: As Justice Herndon pointed out, it undermines confidence in our government and our criminal justice system." Hardesty asked Westbrook whether the same rule would apply to a public defender serving in the state Legislature. We don't represent the state, the attorney answered. CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) Nevada officials voted on Friday to require state employees who work at health care facilities and prisons to get inoculated against COVID-19 or face administrative leave or reassignment. Like other requirements enacted to contain the resurgent virus, the mandate became a political lightning rod even before its passage. In a state where more than one-third of the population 12 and older hasnt received a first dose, opposition to the requirement fused with anger over perceived government overreach and new rules announced by President Joe Biden on Thursday. At an emergency meeting convened by the Nevada Board of Health, officials said they were taking the advice of Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak's medical advisory team to limit the spread of the virus among vulnerable populations who interact with state workers. The requirements take effect Nov. 1 for prison and health care facility employees who don't qualify for religious or medical exemptions. Board members did not say how many employees the mandate would apply to. The decision comes a day after Biden ordered new federal vaccine requirements for groups including private-sector employees and federal health care workers to curb the variant-fueled spread of the resurgent virus. The president's executive order applies to 80 million workers at businesses that employ more than 100 people and 20 million federal employees and contractors, including at health care facilities that receive federal funds. Both Biden and Sisolak have recently adopted more aggressive postures on vaccines and the segments of the population that remain unvaccinated. We can make institutional settings safer for all by requiring vaccination for employees and contractors, the governor said on Twitter after the vote. Correctional officers have for months warned that they would quit if forced to be vaccinated. In July, prison officials said 41.9% of staff had received vaccines. Correctional officers on Friday warned board members the requirement would cause mass resignations, exacerbate staff shortages and make it impossible to operate prisons. If they say, OK, you dont have a job anymore,' then 75% of your workforce is gone. Then that means the National Guard is going to have to come in and run the prison. Thats going to be a mess itself, High Desert State Prison correctional officer Michael Dante said of the requirement. The measure comes as Nevada reaches another coronavirus milestone this week, topping 400,000 known cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Health officials on Thursday reported 1,115 new cases and 44 deaths from the day before, bringing the Department of Health and Human Services tally to 400,349 cases and 6,681 deaths since March 2020. Test positivity, a measure of the number of people who test positive for COVID-19, has decreased to 12.2% statewide after surging to 16.4% in mid-August. The rate remained high Wednesday in and around Reno, at 19.4%, but was 10.1% in the Las Vegas area. The World Health Organization goal is 5% or less to relax coronavirus restrictions. Nevada has vaccinated almost 60% of its adult population, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It ranks near the middle of the pack among U.S. states, ahead of neighboring Idaho (53.1%) and behind California (68%). Amid mask mandate and vaccination rule protests, particularly in rural parts of Nevada, the number of new people electing to get vaccinated has slowed. It peaked at more than 25,000 people per day in April and dropped to fewer than 5,000 a day in July. ___ AP writer Ken Ritter contributed to this report from Las Vegas. 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. LAS VEGAS (AP) A change in newly issued Nevada driver's licenses means airport security screeners may have to manually check the credentials because their scanners for now won't read the bar codes, officials said. The Transportation Security Administration hasn't yet updated its scanning system to account for a minor change to the bar code on the state's new license design, said Kevin Malone, a state Department of Motor Vehicles spokesman. HALLE, Germany (AP) It's a scorching September day and the Green party candidate hoping to succeed Angela Merkel as German chancellor leaps on stage in front of hundreds of supporters for what should be a home run. Surveys show climate change is among the top concerns for many voters, and the audience in the eastern city of Halle is made up largely of students and retirees eager to hear how Annalena Baerbock plans to safeguard their future or that of their grandchildren. The Greens have long championed the fight against global warming. Ahead of Germany's Sept. 26 vote they offer arguably the most comprehensive program for making Europe's biggest economy carbon neutral, with a mix of government incentives and penalties for polluters. But while voters readily admit they are worried about the state of the planet, especially after the deadly floods that hit Germany in July, many are wary of committing to the kind of radical transformation required fearing the bill they might receive for it. The climate crisis is now," Baerbock tells the rally. "Thats why we need to act now, in the year 2021. The audience responds with polite applause; a listener then asks her about people in rural areas who worry that the changes required to combat climate change such as banning cars with combustion engines could threaten their way of life. Baerbock says she wants electric vehicles to be affordable for everybody within a decade, if necessary with a subsidy of up to 9,000 euros (over $10,600) for low earners, but some are skeptical. They dont say enough where the money is going to come from," said Sonja Solisch, a health care worker. Solisch sympathizes with the Greens' goals but says voters like her have other worries too. "Good train connections, good road connections, things like that need to be paid for too, she said. A survey released Friday by public broadcaster ZDF found climate and environment ranked as the most important election issue for 43% of respondents ahead of the coronavirus pandemic and migration. The same poll, a representative phone survey of about 1,250 voters with a margin of error of up to 3 percentage points, showed the Greens trailing the center-left Social Democrats and Merkel's center-right Union bloc. Steffi Lemke, a long-time Greens lawmaker, argues that the two governing parties are shying away from telling voters the brutal facts about climate change, including about the cost. The problem is that it will be far more expensive if we do nothing," she told The Associated Press, citing the 30 billion euros that federal and state governments recently agreed to spend on rebuilding western regions hit by devastating flash floods this summer. If we dont change the economy and our society, its going to be unaffordable. The party, which wants to earmark 50 billion euros a year to make the country cleaner and more equitable, has attracted large donations from rich individuals worried about climate change. In April, a bitcoin millionaire gave half his fortune to the Greens in the hope that they will regulate the energy-hogging virtual currency. This week the party received a record donation of 1.25 million euros ($1.48 million) from Steven Schuurman, the Dutch founder of software company Elastic. Its very obvious that Germany is a political and economic force to be reckoned with in Europe and the world he told the AP, adding that the Greens offer pragmatic solutions" to the climate crisis. One man hoping such solutions come sooner, rather than later, is Andreas Geron, the mayor of Sinzig, whose town was badly hit by the floods. Two months on he worries that families whose houses were destroyed in the disaster may move away for good unless the next government quickly changes existing zoning laws to take into account the heightened risk of similar floods in the future. There are elections soon, but by the time parliament has come together another month or more will pass," he said. "Thats time we simply dont have. Baerbock, who at 40 is significantly younger than her two main rivals, cites a recent U.N. report showing that time is running out to prevent catastrophic planetary warming. She then urges her audience in Halle to reach out to colleagues, friends and family even their ex-spouses to drive home the urgency of electing politicians willing to tackle the problem. I honestly dont want my children, who are 6 and 9, or your children and grandchildren, to ask us in 20 years time: Why didnt you turn the rudder around back then, she said. Her words echo a dry political tome published in 1997 about the need to devote financial resources to saving the environment. The book, titled The Price of Survival, was written by Germany's then-environment minister Angela Merkel. ___ Follow APs coverage of Germanys election at https://apnews.com/hub/germany-election MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) A body was found inside a burning home in Mason City this week, fire officials there said. Firefighters were called to the home around 5 a.m. Tuesday, the Globe Gazette reported. Arriving firefighters began putting out the flames, and once they were able to enter the house, crews discovered a person inside who had died. Officials did not immediately the persons identity. An autopsy was ordered to identify the victim and determine the cause of death. The Iowa State Fire Marshals Office is investigating to determine the cause of the fire, which destroyed the home. HELENA, Mont. (AP) Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen promised Friday to fight the new federal vaccine mandate in court. President Joe Biden announced on Thursday the vaccine mandate, which could affect as many as 100 million Americans. Among other measures, the mandate tells all private businesses with 100 or more employees to require workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or get tested weekly for the respiratory virus. The requirement will be enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which has yet to release its exact guidelines for implementing the rule. Once his administration releases its rule, Montanans can expect to see me file a lawsuit to strike it down, said Knudsen, a Republican, in a statement. Knudsen joined Gov. Greg Gianforte in calling the new mandate unconstitutional. Several other Republican governors have also questioned the legality of the mandate. The new mandate appears to conflict with a Montana law passed earlier this year that makes it illegal for private employers to discriminate between employees on the basis of their vaccination status. That law, known as HB702, also made it illegal for employers to require vaccines as a condition for employment. The Montana Department of Labor and Industry has not provided updated guidelines on navigating the conflict. The state law was opposed by the Montana Hospital Association and other health care organizations in Montana. The association said on Thursday that their legal counsel will evaluate the new federal regulations when they are released to clarify the conflict between federal and state law. But federal law will like take precedent over state law if the two directly conflict, said University of Montana Constitutional law professor Anthony Johnstone on Friday. In the end it does come down to the supremacy clause, Johnstone said. If a state like Montana has a contrary law, that law must give way." __ This story has been corrected to reflect the spelling of University of Montana Constitutional law professor Anthony Johnstone, not Johnston. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) The United Nations on Friday sounded the alarm over Taliban crackdowns on peaceful protests, many of them by women demanding equal rights, and journalists covering such events. In one case, two Afghan video journalists were beaten with iron rods. Tagi Daryabi said he and a colleague were covering a protest earlier this week by women demanding their rights from Afghanistans new Taliban rulers. Taliban fighters stopped the two journalists, bound their hands and dragged them away to a police station in Kabuls District Three. The 22-year-old photographer told The Associated Press that the first thing he heard in the station were screams from a nearby room. Several fighters then began beating him and his colleague, 28-year-old Neamatullah Naqdi. At one point, Daryabi said he was beaten non-stop for 10 minutes. I couldnt think. I didnt know if I would be killed or if I would live, he said, his face and body still bearing the scars. We call on the Taliban to immediately cease the use of force toward, and the arbitrary detention of, those exercising their right to peaceful assembly and the journalists covering the protests, the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement Friday. It said reports point to an increasing use of force by the Taliban against those involved in or reporting on the demonstrations. Uncowed, Daryabi said he would return to the street to cover another protest. Its very dangerous for me to stand up to them. The Taliban say the media is free, but how can they say that when they are beating me and my colleagues? he said. We cannot just stop our work. Daryabi and Naqdi work for the small, privately owned Etilaat Roz newspaper, which also broadcasts video news on a YouTube channel. In the chaotic days following the Talibans takeover of Kabul on Aug. 15, thousands of people, including women and young journalists, rushed to the Kabul airport desperate to escape the militants rule. In the weeks since, women have held multiple protests for their rights, almost all of them broken up violently by Taliban fighters. Two men were killed last week when Taliban opened fire on a womens rights protest in the western city of Herat. Journalists have been harassed at the rallies, including another cameramen who was beaten. Despite the abuse at the hands of the Taliban, Duryabi said he wasnt ready to give up on his homeland. I will see if the Taliban continues like this, but if they change and bring a face that protects the media, I will live here. My life is in Afghanistan. But I dont know, because today I cant guarantee anything, he said. Daryabis newspaper and other media houses say its not clear whether the heavy handedness of some local police commanders is sanctioned by the Talibans media wing. That office has shown a more engaging side, welcoming foreign journalists, and allowing some women presenters to remain on the air at the countrys most popular TV station, TOLO TV. My own feeling is that there seems to be a disconnect between the leadership and...the rank-and-file type commanders, who are doing this on the ground, said Saad Mohsini, executive director of Moby Media Group, which owns TOLO TV. The way they behave reflects perhaps, not the official Taliban media policy, but more the attitude of that particular commander. Etilaat Roz chief editor Khaadim Karimi, who went to the police station to rescue his reporters, said one Taliban fighter tried to stop the beating of the two journalists by his comrades. I saw his humanness. He tried to help, Karimi said. Daryabi and Naaqdi were freed after about four hours. Mohsini said the media needs guarantees and protection. He called for a commission including both the Taliban information ministry officials and representatives of the media to hear complaints from both sides. Mohsini, whose TOLO TV employs hundreds, says he has stayed engaged with the Taliban leadership as it navigates its way forward. Governments around the world are deeply skeptical. In their eyes, the new interim all-Taliban Cabinet defied the movements promises to be inclusive. Instead, the militants appear to have embraced the leadership of the 1990s, when their harsh interpretation of Islam denied women rights and severely restricted the media. One difference now is that those leaders have a global exposure they didnt have during their earlier time in power. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, for example, rarely left the movements former heartland, Kandahar in the south, when they last ruled. In recent years, he was the Taliban chief negotiator, stood on the same stage as world leaders, worked out a deal with the U.S. heavily weighted in the Talibans favor and now is the deputy premier. It was Baradar who helped ensure the departure from Kabul on Thursday and Friday of American citizens and Afghan green card holders on the first commercial flights. Still, hundreds of Afghans in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif are waiting to leave the country. But the Taliban have refused to allow their aircraft to depart, demanding their documents. The Taliban say only Afghans with proper travel documents will be allowed to leave. The Afghans stranded in Mazar-e-Sharif, many of whom have worked for the U.S. and German military, fear they will be forgotten. DERIDDER, La. (AP) Two people found dead in an apparent murder-suicide in Louisiana have been identified. The Beauregard Parish Sheriffs Office said deputies found Steven Wilson, 59, and his son, Kyle Wilson, 27, dead Wednesday in a home on the west side of DeRidder, Louisiana. WALLA WALLA, Wash. (AP) A corrections officer at a Washington state prison accused of having a leadership role in a violent motorcycle gang has been arrested on various charges. Corrections officer Dustin Wendelin was arrested at the prison at 6 a.m. Thursday by the Walla Walla County Sheriffs Office with help from regional law enforcement partners, The Tri-City Herald reported. A second accused outlaw gang leader, Charles Montgomery, was arrested later Thursday at his home nearby in Umatilla County, Oregon, according to a news release from the sheriff's office. Intelligence generated from traffic stops in Walla Walla County led to a joint investigation into two local members of the Pagans 1% Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, the news release said. Attempts to reach lawyers who could comment for the men were not immediately successful on Friday. Sheriffs officials collaborated on the investigation for several months with the Spalding County Sheriffs Office in Griffin, Georgia, and with federal law enforcement partners. The Pagans frequently participate in violent crime, trafficking and racketeering, according to the sheriff's office. In the last several months, Pagan members across the country are suspected of participating in bombings, shootings, felonious assaults, and homicides, according to sheriffs officials. Both Wendelin and Montgomery are indicted in Georgia on charges of aggravated assault, aggravated battery and three counts each of violations of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. Sheriffs officials said Wendelin and Montgomery hold leadership positions in a local Pagans chapter. Prosecutors will seek their extradition to Georgia as the first step in a joint investigation into the West Coast Pagans gang, officials said. Multiple local, state and federal agencies are involved in the case, and officials said other charges are possible. MADRID (AP) Wigs, a fake moustache, plastic surgery and a new safe house every three months these are just some of the tools of deception authorities in Spain believe a former Venezuelan spymaster relied on to evade capture on a U.S. warrant for narcoterrorism. The two-year manhunt for Gen. Hugo Carvajal ended Thursday night when police raided a rundown apartment in a quiet Madrid neighborhood where they found the fugitive in a back room holding a sharp knife in what they described as a last desperate attempt to evade arrest. Nicknamed El Pollo (The Chicken), Carvajal has been a thorn in the side of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration since 2014, when he was arrested in Aruba on a U.S. warrant only to go free after President Nicolas Maduros government pressured the small Dutch Caribbean island to release him. He returned to Caracas an anti-imperialist hero but was quickly relegated to a minor role in the ruling socialist party. Then in 2019 he broke with Maduro amid a wave of antigovernment unrest, urging fellow members of the military to switch allegiance to Juan Guaido, the opposition leader the U.S. had just recognized as Venezuelas legitimate president. He resurfaced in Europe months later, greeted at Madrid's airport by two Spanish intelligence officers after traveling there with a false passport, The Associated Press has previously reported. From there, he had hoped to continue plotting against Maduro. But he was forced underground a second time after Spains National Court in 2019 ruled that he should be extradited to New York to face federal charges that he worked with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, to flood the U.S. with cocaine. While on the lam, he was rumored to be in Portugal, then a hideout in the Caribbean. Some Venezuelans always up for a good conspiracy believed he was already on U.S. soil spilling secrets about the Venezuelan militarys involvement in drug trafficking, or had returned to Caracas to make amends with the government he had vowed to overthrow. Others speculated he was being protected by Spains leftist government, which has strayed from the U.S. hardline policy seeking to isolate Maduro. The reality was much simpler: The 61-year-old had never left Madrid. His last hideout was a mere 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the headquarters of the National Police. If they actually manage to extradite him this time, it will be a spectacular way to show how justice is winning over diplomacy and intelligence operations, said Dick Gregorie, who as a federal prosecutor in Miami also indicted Carvajal on drug charges. Gregorie compared Carvajal to another spymaster he investigated, former Panamanian strongman Gen. Manuel Noriega. Both men, he said, were capable of cutting deals on all sides while scuttling the pursuit of justice. He could've been sent here a number of times but for various reasons that are undisclosed he was allowed to go," said Gregorie, who is now retired. But he is probably the most knowledgeable defendant with regards to all of the corruption and dirty deeds that went on in Venezuela for a decade. Carvajals capture appears to have been made possible thanks to intelligence provided by the DEA in June, according to a document published Friday by Spains El Mundo newspaper. In the two-page confidential letter, Dustin Harmon, a DEA attache in Madrid, provided police with the name and contact details for a Venezuelan woman he said owned and lived in the apartment where Carvajal was hiding. Harmon's letter also alerted Spanish authorities that Carvajal was known to use wigs and other disguises, as well as undergo plastic surgery, to avoid detection. The DEA declined to comment. Spanish police said a dog was Carvajals constant companion in what was otherwise a very lonely, restricted life. He changed hideouts every three months, using properties in which he lived cloistered, without going out into the streets, for fear he would be recognized publicly, police said in a statement. Steeped in spy craft, he changed phones often and relied on others to deliver food. He breathed fresh air only at night, when he would step onto his apartments plant-covered balcony in disguise. Video released by Spains National Police on Friday showed special forces breaking into the apartment, where the fugitives presence had gone unnoticed even by those sharing the 12-story building. The U.S. had offered $10 million for Carvajal's arrest, repeatedly advertising the reward as bait in the hopes that someone from Carvajal's inner circle would betray him. But it's not immediately clear if somebody snitched. His wife Angelica Flores, who lived in Madrid with the couples five children and other relatives, provided little insight. Im prepared for either situation, the good or the bad, she told the AP when contacted by phone with the news. Its up to him and others to give statements. This case will continue and well see how it ends. The case against Carvajal in New York centers on a DC-9 jet from Caracas that landed in southern Mexico in 2006 with 5.6 tons of cocaine packed into 128 suitcases. He faces incriminating evidence from phone records, drug ledgers and the testimony of at least 10 witnesses, among them former members of the so-called Cartel of the Suns comprised of corrupt Venezuelan military officers deep into the narcotics trade, according to an affidavit accompanying the indictment. The New York indictment also repeats an accusation that Carvajal provided Colombian rebels with automatic weapons and protection inside Venezuela. Carvajal is the key link that can explain the business dealings between Colombian guerrillas, Mexican drug cartels and other criminal organizations in the U.S. and Europe, said Martin Rodil, a Washington-based security consultant for U.S. law enforcement who has worked on multiple Venezuelan investigations. He was the hinge between all those groups. The former general has scoffed at the allegations. He says his contacts with the FARC designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. were authorized by Chavez and limited to securing the release of a kidnapped Venezuelan businessman and paving the way for peace talks with the Colombian government. He also maintains that judicial probes in Venezuela and Mexico never linked him to the cocaine-laden plane and that the aircraft's owner backs his alibi. The extradition order against Carvajal followed a back-and-forth legal battle in which Spains National Court reversed an earlier ruling by a high court magistrate throwing out the U.S. warrant for being politically motivated. In the interim, Carvajal was released and fled when he was tipped off he would be rearrested. He wasn't heard from again except when he said last year that he was going underground to protest what he viewed as political interference in his case. He resurfaced on social media earlier this month, posting what could be a preview of his eventual defense: a statement accusing former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who was for years the U.S. main caretaker in the war on drugs, of fabricating evidence against him and the Chavez government even as it was cooperating with U.S. prosecutors to arrest Colombian narcos hiding inside Venezuela Its a lie that will eventually collapse, Carvajal wrote. Ive always trusted that the truth will prevail. ___ Goodman reported from Miami. Ted Cruz went full Jeffrey Lebowski on Twitter this past Labor Day. The junior senator from Texas and avid tweeter sparked backlash after saying people who will lose unemployment benefits should simply "get a job" as if the only reason they're unemployed was out of sheer lack of will. See for yourself: The article linked in the quoted tweet appears to have been deleted by ABC 33/40 News. The link was an Associated Press story about certain unemployment programs ending, including for those in an extended period without a job and unemployed gig economy workers. "There are millions of vacancies," Cruz said, "and small businesses across the nation are desperate for workers." He's not wrong. As of early August, there were a record 10.1 million job openings across the country, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But what's missing from Cruz's discussion is some important context: Many employers pay unlivable wages or offer little to no benefits, creating a situation where the bare minimum needed to survive through unemployment benefits is more attractive than toiling for pennies. And the Twitterverse let Cruz have it: Even anti-vaxxers railed the senator: What are your thoughts? Let me know on Twitter: @jayrjordan Alex Wong/Getty Images Texas governor Greg Abbott signed a bill Thursday night that takes aim at large social media companies over what he dubbed "wrongful" political censorship of conservative users on their platforms. Amid claims that these platforms are directly and unjustly targeting the Right, the language in House Bill 20, now law, makes it illegal for social media behemoths with more than 50 million monthly users to ban accounts "for their political viewpoints," per The Texas Tribune. The law also calls for platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to make content moderation policies public and to create systems of appeals for users who believe they've been wrongfully moderated, among other provisions. Florida, FL (34429) Today Mostly cloudy this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 87F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. A. Officials knew the mandates were coming for years; they should have phased in the increase. B. There's no master plan to justify the millions extra they are collecting. C. It's Save Our Waters Week; this shows officials care about the environment. D. Vote them all out of office. Vote View Results Whether by design or by default, most organizations today are shifting toward mixed cloud environments. For example, in hybrid cloud cases, IT relies on a unified control plane to connect resources between a private cloud and a hyperscaler. It presupposes the same management experience or interface, as well as the same administrative skill set for both on- and off-premises, where workloads dont need to be refactored. Moving beyond hybrid is the multicloud scenario, where organizations leverage multiple public clouds in addition to managed service providers. If well designed and managed, such hybrid multicloud environments can deliver a wide variety of business benefits. However, if they evolve haphazardly and lack strong oversight, these deployments can introduce more problems than they solve. To sort through the pros and cons of hybrid multicloud solutions, we asked expert members of the IDG Influencer Network to identify the main benefits and challenges associated with these proliferating, multi-environment ecosystems. The Network is a community of industry analysts, IT professionals, and journalists who contribute their knowledge and expertise to the broader IDG community. Here are some key takeaways from their responses. The many (potential) benefits of hybrid multicloud Almost all of the IDG influencers mentioned business benefits that these deployments can deliver. Ryan Fay (@ryancfay), CIO of Gartner, summarized many of these advantages: A multicloud environment allows your business to exploit best-of-market capabilities, reduce the effect of service changes and outages on your overall application portfolio, mitigate risks from vendor viability, and provider lock-in. You can also pivot your business as needed while enabling security-sensitive workloads by leveraging a public cloud without compromising regulatory and data residency requirements. The ability of organizations to select the best cloud platform for specific application and business needs was a common refrain: A multicloud environment gives businesses the option to select the best tools and services the market has to offer, without being limited to just one cloud service provider. Sridhar Iyengar (@iSridhar), managing director of Zoho Europe. Clouds products are optimized for specific business purposes, which makes a one-product-fits-all approach increasingly risky. Frank Cutitta (@fcutitta), CEO and founder of HealthTech Decision Lab, concurs. One of the key reasons to turn to hybrid multicloud solutions, according to the IDG influencers, is to gain access to cutting-edge technologies that an organization may struggle to implement on its own. For example, says Isaac Sacolick (@nyike), president of StarCIO: Businesses experimenting with large-scale machine learning and IoT capabilities may be able to deliver innovations faster and cheaper by selecting optimal cloud architectures. Other potential benefits range from capex and opex cost reductions to the ability to place data in nearby clouds to comply with countries data localization laws. Using multiple clouds to enhance business continuity is also a much-cited benefit. The redundancy advantages of a multicloud approach cant be overstated, says Cutitta. Multicloud environments are often paired with data center-based private clouds in hybrid solutions, which can make for a powerful combination. Hybrid multicloud environments are an option for organizations looking to have the best of both worlds the choices offered by various public cloud vendors, their best-in-class microservices or new services, and the security and reliability of the private cloud, Iyengar says. No magic bullets Despite the benefits, the IDG influencers cautioned organizations to temper any overinflated expectations. Thats especially true for organizations that have haphazardly found themselves with multiple cloud deployments that materialized with no pre-planning or direction. Is your multicloud an actual strategy, or just a patchwork quilt? Cutitta If multicloud isnt managed properly, it just becomes a hodgepodge of environments. Arsalan Khan (@ArsalanAKhan), speaker and advisor Without a carefully managed strategy, costs can skyrocket and resources can become overwhelmed. Thats why it is important that organizations understand the real world benefits and tradeoffs before jumping into the hybrid multicloud. Scott Schober (@ScottBVS), president and CEO at Berkeley Varitronics Systems Even when an organization develops a well-thought-out hybrid multicloud plan, the benefits are situational, cautions executive consultant and coach Joanna Young (@jcycio). I see many IT shops that are lean or even starved with low opex, she says. If the leaders of those shops think hybrid multicloud will create savings, they are dreaming. Instead, Young says, I advise not starting with 'ROI' thinking. The core benefit of hybrid multicloud, she says, is to speed up time-to-market via [increased] agility, in response to the ever-faster expectations of customers, whether employees or consumers." Along the same lines, Gartners Fay says: Its easy to get lost in pie in the sky hybrid and multicloud conversations. Its paramount to tie back these technologies directly to business value, core competencies, and what your team is capable of from an execution perspective. As part of any hybrid multicloud strategy, organizations must decide between two architectural options, says transformational CIO Wayne Sadin (@waynesadin). They can maximize the flexibility of their multiclouds by adhering to industry standards in their development projects, or they can maximize performance by developing solutions that incorporate vendor-specific extensions. Either choice is okay, Sadin says, but choose with your eyes wide open. Navigating challenges When organizations consciously set out on a hybrid multicloud journey, one of the first challenges they face is a lack of in-house expertise. Each cloud environment requires specific understanding of services, APIs, security, release to production, and so forth. Having appropriately experienced staff, DevOps, and process standards in place is critical. Mark Thiele (@mthiele10), co-founder and CEO of Edgevana However, expertise can be tough to attain. Finding staff is like hunting a unicorn, says Will Kelly, (@willkelly), technical marketing manager at a container security startup firm. First, create a platform or workflow layer that allows anyone on your development team to manage the software delivery process. With that, you can then open up your hiring funnel to access the global talent pool with simplified onboarding that isnt limited by a tool-by-tool approach. Tristan Pollock (@pollock), head of community at CTO_ai Also, the migration team must ensure that users do not lose access to applications and data for an extended period, says Jonathan Reichental, (@Reichental), author and technology leader. Once solutions are in place, address the daunting challenge of the increased complexity that arises from interacting with and managing multiple IT environments. Its imperative that organizations find a unified multicloud platform management and security function to manage multicloud. Failure to do so will mean a reduction in overall efficiency, increased costs, need for increased IT people/budgets and reduced security posture. Jack Gold (@jckgld), principal analyst and founder at J. Gold Associates Different clouds use different security tools and protocols, so it can be challenging to ensure that no security or compliance gaps occur across them. In addition, As applications become more complex, they provide a larger attack service when deployed on multiple clouds, says Gene De Libero (@GeneDeLibero), chief strategy officer at GeekHive.com. Learn more about how to realize the many benefits that hybrid multicloud deployments can deliver by managing the complexity, security, and other challenges inherent in these environments. Administratorii portalului nu poarta raspundere pentru continutul postarilor si materialelor plasate de utilizatorii site-ului. Utilizati informatia din acest articol pe propriul risc. Bipartisan Congressional support continues to build for The Local Journalism Sustainability Act, a bill introduced in both the House and the Senate that aims to help shore up the local news business. The legislation would provide public funding for local news through tax credits offered to subscribers, businesses who advertise in local publications, and newsrooms themselves, with a payroll credit to compensate reporters. Its the first proposed federal intervention for the local news industry to gain traction in more than fifty years, and its earned endorsements from local newsrooms and national publications alike. But existingas it doeswithin a system that fails marginalized groups time and again, does this new legislation address the deep inequities inherent in local journalism? Tracie Powell, principal and founder of The Pivot Fund, a venture philanthropy aimed at providing financial support for community news organizations led by people of color, has criticized several elements of the bill for failing to consider the information habits of historically marginalized groups. The legislations emphasis on subscriptions ignores publications that arent subscription-based, Powell wrote in August, and the tax credits for advertisers do little to incentivize advertising in publications that currently see little to no advertising revenue. Outlets that rely on contractors or freelance labor are also limited in their ability to make use of payroll credits. These elements limit assistance to many media outlets aiming to serve communities of color, Powell says. Government intervention often sustains the status quo, perpetuating systemic bias, Powell argues further, pointing to the founding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, for one example, which took years to address the complaints of racial minority groups who were being excluded from the funding pipeline. We saw what happened when they didnt talk to all the people needed to be at the table, Powell told CJR. Im raising the flag and saying, Hey, were doing it again. Were leaving out these key communities. At the same time, there are legacy local outlets in the Black press whose business models do align more fully with the sort of newsrooms that the bill imagines. In late August, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Associationan association of more than two hundred Black-owned news organizationswrote a public letter in support of the measure. (The National Association of Hispanic Publishers also expressed support for the bill). Chavis told CJR that he considers this legislation a significant step forward, though he acknowledges that the bill has limitations. We come down on the side that its important to take the step forward, even if there are additional steps to come. Many community-journalism practitioners agree that theres value in passing this particular legislation, as long as lawmakers, journalists, and industry leaders acknowledge those additional steps. Sign up for CJR 's daily email The bill could help put more journalists on the ground and more money in the pockets of small local news outlets, which are benefits, Darryl Holliday, co-founder and News Lab director at Chicagos civic journalism lab, City Bureau, said. But my understanding is that it doesnt fundamentally address the underlying problems, why communities dont get the information they need. Mike Rispoli, Senior Director of Journalism Policy at press advocacy group Free Press, agreed, calling this bill one of the better ones that stands before Congress. Still, he says, its a stopgap measure, and though it may have an immediate and positive effect in helping some communities get the information they need, it wont address the root of the problem. Instead, it will prop up traditional financial models and benefit some of the bad actorslike hedge fundsthat bear responsibility for the local information crisis. Im hopeful that instead of closing the door, it actually opens up a much bigger conversation about whats actually needed, Rispoli said. The status quo is not working, said Madeleine Bair, founder of El Timpano, an Oakland-based outlet for local Mayan and Latinx immigrants. We need innovation from news outlets, from philanthropy, and from public policies that challenge the status quo and the systems that have upheld it, and that support a new way of doing things. Powell, for her part, believes that this bill itself has the potential to create systemic change: weve just got to be willing to do the work to get it there. The Journalism Crisis Project aims to train our focus on the present crisis, and to foster a conversation about what comes next. We hope youll join us. (Click to subscribe!) EXPLORE THE TOW CENTERS COVID-19 CUTBACK TRACKER: Over the past year, researchers at the Tow Center have collected reports of a wide range of cutbacks amid the pandemic. Theres an interactive map and searchable database. You can find it here. Below, more on recent media trends and changes in newsrooms: NOTE: A previous version of this article identified Mike Rispoli as the News Voices director at Free Press. The article has been updated to indicate that Rispoli is now the Senior Director of Journalism Policy. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Lauren Harris is a freelance journalist. She writes CJR's weekly newsletter for the Journalism Crisis Project. Follow her on Twitter @LHarrisWrites. Images from Afghanistan have always revealed the truth behind the notion that the American war was on solid footing. We may have been told, since it first began shortly after September 11, 2001, that significant progress was just around the bend. But the pictures showed something else. In November 2001, five thousand Taliban fighters surrendered to US-allied Afghan troops of the Northern Alliance in Kunduz. At least two thousand are believed to have either been suffocated to death or shot in container trucks by those allies. The survivors were held at the Sheberghan prisona facility built for closer to a thousand inmateswhere this picture was taken on December 29 or 30 by photojournalist Alan Chin. In 2009, a New York Times article by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter James Risen revealed new evidence that the Bush Administration impeded at least three federal investigations into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, beginning in 2002. Despite seven years of investigation by human rights groups, the United Nations, and investigative journalists, not enough evidence could be secured to declare the events in Kunduz a war crime. This drawing illustrates the torture of a taxi driver named Dilawar in December 2002 at Bagram Airforce Base. He was detained on December 5, 2002, and died five days later. It was included in over two thousand pages of Army documents detailed by the New York Times. The interrogation regiment at the facility included torture, beatings, and humiliation. Dilawar died of blunt force injuries to the lower extremities. Sign up for CJR 's daily email According to the report, a military intelligence specialist, Staff Sgt. W. Christopher Yonushonis, who participated in the interrogations, later told an agent of the Criminal Investigation Command that, by the time Mr. Dilawar was taken into his final interrogations, most of us were convinced that the detainee was innocent. This is one of a series of portraits of active-duty US soldiers made by artist Susan Opton. All the portraits were taken in 2004-5 at Fort Drum, New York after the soldiers had returned from Iraq or Afghanistan, awaiting redeployment. The photo is titled: Claxton: 120 Days in Afghanistan. This family photo accompanied an article in the New York Times, profiling President Obamas new envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke. It shows him standing on a tank in Herat, Afghanistan, in 2006 above his wife, Kati Marton. For a decade and a half, Magnum photographer Peter van Agtmael documented the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2007, he documented graffiti of US soldiers on the bathroom walls at the Al Salem Air Force Base in Kuwait, a major traffic point for American troops. Tim Hetheringtons 2008 World Press Photo-winning image of a shocked and exhausted US soldier seemed to crystallize the pathos and dysfunction of the war. Like so many other images he took of the war, including the widely-seen Sleeping Soldiers series, it also calls out the theme of masculinity. David Guttenfelders photo for the Associated Press, taken on May 11, 2009, in the Korengal Valley, was touted at the time as the iconic photo of the Afghan war. Both the media and the Pentagon made light of Spc. Zachary Boyd fighting the Taliban in his I Love NY boxer shorts. Defense Secretary William Gates wrote at the time: Any soldier who goes into battle against the Taliban in pink boxers and flip-flops has a special kind of courage I can only wonder about the impact on the Taliban. Just imagine seeing that: a guy in pink boxers and flip-flops has you in his cross-hairs. What an incredible innovation in psychological warfare. The US spent trillions of dollars to pay for the war and to prop up the Afghan government. In September 2008, in light of escalating civilian deaths from US attacks, Gates issued new rules dictating that Americans would quickly apologize and compensate survivors, even in advance of formal investigations. In the image, we see a woman who lost her husband and two of her children in a US airstrike the following year. She is being compensated by officials at the local governors office. This photo, taken by veteran photojournalist Joao Silva for the New York Times, speaks to both in the most literal terms. In October 2010, Silva himself stepped on a land mine while on patrol with US soldiers in Kandahar and lost his left leg below the knee, and his right leg from just above it. He wears two prostheses and is still a Times staff photographer. Anja Niedringhaus created an impressive body of work in Afghanistan and Iraq. She was killed at the age of 48 by an Afghan policeman while covering the countrys 2014 presidential election. This photograph, which happened to be taken on September 11, captures a patrol southwest of Kandahar in 2010 and symbolizes how out-of-step the western incursion was with the culture of the country. The Canadian coalition soldier in the foreground chases a chicken just seconds before the unit was attacked with grenades shot over the wall. In 2010, US Army General David Petraeus broadcast that the US had been holding secret talks with the Taliban. Soon after, this photo came out showing Petraeus and the US Ambassador in Kabul, Karl Eikenberry (far left), walking with that contact, Alim Fedayee (in sunglasses). Fedayee was one of the most senior commanders in the Taliban movement and also the Governor of Maidan Wardak Province. But the man who purported to be Fedayeealong with the man alleged to be the Education Minister Farooq Warda Mohammad (hands clasped)turned out to be an imposter. David Gilkeys image features Lance Cpl. Anthony Espinoza, Bravo Co. 1/5, wiping salt and sweat out of his eyes following a day-long patrol in Sangin District, Helmand province on May 4, 2011. Gilkey, who had been covering Afghanistan for NPR, was killed there in June 2016, along with his colleague, Zabihullah Tamanna, after the Afghan army unit they were traveling with was hit by a rocket grenade. This photo by Bryan Denton was taken in Kandahar province in 2013 as part of President Obamas troop ramp down. We see a soldier with Bravo Co. 3rd Battalion, 1st Armored Division burning sensitive military documents as the unit transitions its outpost to Afghan National Army forces. The perception at the time was that this was part of the permanent withdrawal of US combat forces from Afghanistan. There are few pictures in this article from the second decade of the war. By October 2015, with the ground war having been largely replaced by airpower, the conflict barely registered in the US. The American accidental bombing of the Medecins Sans Frontieres Trauma Center in Kunduz might have been overlooked too if photographer Andrew Quilty hadnt been there to document the horror and the man on the operating table. At least thirty staff and patients died as the result of airstrikes carried out in an hour by a US AC-130 gunship. The Afghan government claimed its forces called in the attack after coming under fire by the Taliban in the hospital compound. Quiltys reporting disputed that and the US military subsequently took full responsibility. Quilty encountered the man on the table, the only identifiable victim, a week after the event. Four weeks later, he learned his name, Baynazar Mohammad Nazar, and told his story. The war left behind a generation of both physically and psychologically wounded American service people. Nearly a quarter of a million US military personnel have been specifically diagnosed with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) since 2001. The effects include headaches, seizures, motor disorders, sleep disorders, dizziness, visual disturbances, tinnitus, mood changes, memory and speech difficulties. Anecdotal evidence ties it to the dramatic spike in suicides among veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Because TBI is an invisible wound, a therapeutic program at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, encouraged victims to create masks that put a face on their injuries. The program was documented by photographer Lynn Johnson for National Geographic in 2015. Marine Cpl. Chris McNair (Ret.), who was injured in Afghanistan in 2012, modeled his mask after the muzzle worn by Hannibal Lecter. The war in Afghanistan generated innumerable images. And no matter how disaffecting they remain, they continue to bear all the trauma and truth of that engagement. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Michael Shaw is publisher of the nonprofit visual-literacy and media-literacy site ReadingThePictures, an analyst of news photos and visual journalism, and a frequent lecturer and writer on news imagery, photojournalism, and documentary photography. Follow ReadingThePictures via Twitter and Instagram. Yesterday, President Biden gave a speech at the White House outlining what he sees as the way out of the pandemic morass. Again. He announced his most aggressive action yet to mandate vaccinationtightening existing rules for the public sector and adding requirements for many businessesand articulated frustration with the unvaccinated (Our patience is wearing thin) that drove headlines in major outlets. Frustration has been a dominant mood in mainstream pandemic coverage latelywith the unvaccinated, for sure, but also with Biden, for taking too long to announce tougher measures. Yesterday morning, an NPR report channeled public-health experts growing sense of disappointment and frustration with the administrations performance; Politicos influential DC Playbook newsletter regurgitated the report at length (under the heading IF YOUVE LOST NPR) and concluded that Biden risks losing his intellectual base. Other coverage, by contrast, has expressed frustration at Bidens relative powerlessness. Ahead of his speech, many observers predicted that the Americans Biden most needs to reach wouldnt be listening. Speaking on CNN after Biden wrapped up, Jake Tapper raised doubts as to the viability of his policies and the effectiveness of his sharper tone, especially in a climate of rampant COVID misinformation. I certainly understand his frustration, Tapper said. But, he added, Biden wants to govern a country other than the one we have. While Biden never explicitly addressed it, a question that has framed much media coverage in recent days hung over the speech: what constitutes the end of the pandemic, and when and how will we get there? Now is far from the first time that news organizations have raised the question. In May, as COVID waned in the US and the administration loosened masking guidance for the vaccinated, the Washington Post judged that its no longer rash, impolitic or scientifically dubious to broach the topic of the endgame, which, if anything, felt uncharitable toward the countless articles, podcasts, and broadcast segmentssome of them very goodthat had broached it already. Ed Yong, The Atlantics indispensable science writer, did so as early as March 2020, mapping out possible endgame scenarios that ranged from the very unlikely (quick global control of the virus) to the very dangerous (mass global infection) to the very slow (a global game of Whac-A-Mole until vaccines); Yongs article was, in many respects, highly prescient, but he nonetheless returned to the question recently to warn that, thanks in no small part to the Delta variant, the way out of the pandemic looks different now and will definitely, not probably, involve the virus becoming endemic. Not that the path to endemicity is a matter of consensus, as the Posts Marc Fisher highlighted in a recent article for which he canvassed leading experts (and, for reasons best known to himself, Alex Berenson). The range of opinions Fisher heard dont read so differently from Yongs early pandemic work. Related: How a story about ivermectin and hospital beds went wrong If such coverage can feel circular at times, it was never rash or impoliticwe all, as news producers and consumers alike, want to know when this thing will be over, and the endgame has never been a distant concern, since the road out is paved by the actions we take in the present. Nor has the best of this coverage been scientifically dubious; uncertainty and weighing complex processes is central to what science is. Its true, though, that we still cant see the ending with much clarity, and that the behavior of the virus is not entirely within human understanding, let alone control; to the extent that it is, there are limits to how much we can control the behavior of others. Most crucially, there is no set scientific definition of the end of the pandemicits much easier to define what its not than what it is, since the latter, ultimately, is subjective. Is success a function of case numbers, oras Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general, has stressed in recent interviewsof hospitalizations and deaths? If the latter, how many? Answering these questions globally is even harder than answering them nationally. As The Atlantics Joe Pinsker put it nearly a year ago, pinpointing the pandemics conclusion may never be possible. Ultimately, what constitutes the conclusion is as much a socio-political question as a medical one. The best endgame coverage has reckoned with this. Sometimes, though, the two dimensions have felt divorced. Attempts to quantify the end are a case in point. So, too, is the frustrated tone of much of the recent commentary about the unvaccinated, which has asked, either implicitly or explicitly, why right-wing anti-vaxxers wont just agree to get the shot so we can all move on. Often, the problem is defined through the lens of disinformation or polarization; last weekend, Chuck Todd framed a whole episode of Meet the Press around the latter term, calling it one of two viruses ravaging America, with the other being the actual virus. (Todd asked, at one point, if the only way to cut through polarization is when voters in a state dominated by one party elect a governor from the other.) COVID disinformation is undoubtedly a huge problem; polarization is arguably harder to define, but to the extent that it means a large group of Americans being fed, and believing, unscientific nonsense, it is a problem, too. The feeling persists, however, that both the ongoing COVID crisis and our understanding of the endgame are a whole lot messier than such frames allow. Much vaccine commentary, for instance, still ignores skepticism in marginalized communities by limiting discussion of the phenomenon to stubborn white conservatives. Nor is it helpful to tout political moderation and consensus as cures for these problems. As Ive written before, the bad actors amplifying toxic lies, including in right-wing media, do not deserve to be let off the hook, and the situation would likely be much better without their distortions. At least to some extent, though, theyre catering to COVID views that would exist anyway. There is no easy fix for any of this, and certainly not one that is within Bidens immediate grasp. This is not to say he doesnt deserve sharp scrutiny and criticism; his administration has undoubtedly messed up parts of its COVID response, not least around its premature relaxation of mask guidance. Coverage that places the burden of ending the pandemic on his shoulders alone, however, overstates his powernot only over the incentive structures of Americas current, toxic information ecosystem, but over the more basic impulse to disagree about stuff. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Disagreement is not bad, in and of itself; as Ive written repeatedly, its a routine, even desirable feature of the scientific process. The same is true when it comes to defining the end of the pandemic, a question that has no single right answer; as Pinsker noted a year ago, the definition may be so subjective that the pandemic ends in one persons head at a time. What the press should do, as has been necessary throughout the pandemic, is try and protect thoughtful debate in the face of bad actors who want to distort it with self-serving, culture-war binaries. Frustration is understandablebut, to echo Tappers question vis-a-vis Biden, its unclear that its all that helpful. To the extent that we let it flatten nuance, we all lose. Below, more on the pandemic: A media reference: At one point in his speech, Biden name-dropped several companies that have already voluntarily enacted the vaccine-or-testing scheme that he plans to now make mandatory. One of the employers he mentioned was Fox News, which raised some eyebrows, including in the post-speech chatter on MSNBC. As CNNs Oliver Darcy explains, Fox has not mandated vaccines for its staff, but has required employees to report their vaccination status to the company and has its own version of a vaccine passport which gives special privileges to those who have reported vaccination; the network also requires weekly testing of some essential staffers. As Darcy also notes, various Fox hosts and guests trashed Biden after the speech, calling him authoritarian, a rotting bag of oatmeal, and very frail and very weak, among other things. At one point in his speech, Biden name-dropped several companies that have already voluntarily enacted the vaccine-or-testing scheme that he plans to now make mandatory. One of the employers he mentioned was Fox News, which raised some eyebrows, including in the post-speech chatter on MSNBC. As CNNs Oliver Darcy explains, Fox has not mandated vaccines for its staff, but has required employees to report their vaccination status to the company and has its own version of a vaccine passport which gives special privileges to those who have reported vaccination; the network also requires weekly testing of some essential staffers. As Darcy also notes, various Fox hosts and guests trashed Biden after the speech, calling him authoritarian, a rotting bag of oatmeal, and very frail and very weak, among other things. Disinformation: Earlier this week, NBCs Carmen Sesin reported on Spanish-language radio shows and social-media accounts that have targeted disinformation at Latino audiences as the Delta variant has surged. A common theme is to compare international government responses to the pandemic to Nazi Germany, with groups claiming lockdowns as well as mask and vaccine mandates are the beginning of global tyranny, Sesin writes. Many of the claims being made in Spanish are not much different from those in English and other languages throughout the world. Earlier this week, NBCs Carmen Sesin reported on Spanish-language radio shows and social-media accounts that have targeted disinformation at Latino audiences as the Delta variant has surged. A common theme is to compare international government responses to the pandemic to Nazi Germany, with groups claiming lockdowns as well as mask and vaccine mandates are the beginning of global tyranny, Sesin writes. Many of the claims being made in Spanish are not much different from those in English and other languages throughout the world. Death shaming: Recently, Elizabeth Bruenig, a staff writer at The Atlantic, called on news organizations to stop death shaming unvaccinated victims of COVID. Newspapers and TV stations have covered a number of these deaths as cautionary tales, with notes of shame or contempt subtle in some tales and bold in others, Bruenig writes. If persuasion is the target, then the aim seems offa general problem in our democracy, where persuasion is a key method of self-governance but something were less and less amenable to. In that sense, the strange case of vaccine persuasion is just another entry in the annals of our disillusionment with our own liberal democracy. Other notable stories: ICYMI: When members of the media run for office Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. HOUMA, La. (AP) The death toll in Louisiana from Hurricane Ida rose to 26 Wednesday, after health officials reported 11 additional deaths in New Orleans, mostly older people who perished from the heat. The announcement was grim news amid signs the city was returning to normal with almost fully restored power and a lifted nighttime curfew. While New Orleans was generally rebounding from the storm, hundreds of thousands of people outside the city remained without electricity and some of the hardest-hit areas still had no water. Across southeastern Louisiana, 250,000 students were unable to return to classrooms 10 days after Ida roared ashore with 150 mph (240 kph) winds. The latest deaths attributed to Ida happened between Aug. 30 and Monday, but were just confirmed as storm-related by the Orleans Parish coroner, the Louisiana Department of Health said in a statement. Nine of the New Orleans deaths of people ages 64 to 79 came from excessive heat during an extended power outage, while the two others were from carbon monoxide poisoning, the department said. More than a million people were left without power, including the entire city of New Orleans, when Ida struck on Aug. 29. The states largest power company, Entergy, said it expected to have electricity in the city restored to 90% by Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Police Department and Mayor LaToya Cantrell lifted an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew they had imposed two days after the hurricane hit. Across New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana, families are still waiting to hear when their children can return to school, as districts assessed hurricane damage. Prior to Ida, schools around Louisiana had been open despite widespread cases of COVID-19, although under a statewide mask mandate for all indoor locations. We need to get those kids back with us as soon as we possibly can, said Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley. In New Orleans, School Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. said damage to schools appeared to be mostly minimal, but power needs to be restored to all buildings, and teachers, staff and families need to return to the city to get schools up and running. Now more than ever, our children stand to benefit from the comfort that structured and routine daily schooling can bring, Lewis said in a statement Wednesday. So, lets all come together to reopen our schools quickly and safely. Lewis said he expects classes for some will resume as early as next week and that all students will be back a week after that. No school reopening estimates have been provided for the five parishes that were hardest hit by Hurricane Ida and which are home to about 320,000 people: Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. James, St. Charles and St. John the Baptist. In those parishes, 96% of utility customers were still without power Wednesday. Bucket trucks and heavy power equipment were ubiquitous, but the task facing linemen remained daunting. Downed power poles and slack or snapped lines were still evident on long stretches of U.S. Highway 90 in St. Charles Parish. Heavy equipment trucks could be seen ferrying new poles to the area. Farther south, in the Terrebonne Parish city of Houma, trucks with linemen were on every street, and as the day progressed there were signs of progress: Traffic lights started flickering on, although sporadically, on busy Grand Caillou road by early afternoon. Linemen also were working south of Houma, in rural Terrebonne along Bayou Grand Caillou. But many of the homes were in no shape to connect. Coy Verdin was staying at his sons house in Houma. The home the 52-year-old fisherman shares with his wife, Pamela, near the bayou was a soggy, smelly mess, all but destroyed in the storm. All the ceilings fell. You can see daylight through the roof, Verdin said. All we have is basically a shell. Ida scattered most of his 200 crab traps to parts unknown. The only thing I have left is my boat and some of my commercial fishing rigging, he said. The St. John the Baptist Parish School System website said all schools and offices will be closed until further notification. Lafourche Parish Schools Superintendent Jarod Martin indicated a long and extensive road to recovery on that school systems website, with no timeline for a return in sight. Until power is restored to our facilities and were able to obtain further information regarding damage to the infrastructure of our schools, were unable to provide an estimated date for a return to in-person learning, the St. James Parish public school system said in an update posted Wednesday. Statewide, about 342,000 homes and businesses remained without power Wednesday, according to the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Access to fuel also remained difficult, with the website GasBuddy.com reporting about 48% of gas stations in Baton Rouge had no gasoline. About 56% of stations in New Orleans were also dry. About 44,000 people were still without running water in Louisiana, the state health department reported. Thats significantly lower than the hundreds of thousands of people who had no water immediately after Idas landfall. Still, more than 570,000 people were being told to boil their water for safety. In many neighborhoods, homes remain uninhabitable. About 3,200 people are in mass shelters around Louisiana while another 25,000 people whose houses have been damaged are staying in hotel rooms through the Federal Emergency Management Agencys transitional sheltering program. Louisianas secretary of state announced that fall elections will be pushed back by more than a month because of the storm. In addition to the death and destruction Ida caused in Louisiana, the storms remnants brought historic flooding, record rains and tornados from Virginia to Massachusetts, killing at least 50 more people. Deslatte reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Associated Press Writer Jeff Martin contributed to this story from Marietta, Georgia. About the photo: Lori Butler wipes her brow as she moves debris she is gutting from her home that was flooded, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in LaPlace, La., Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) Two years after a cargo ship overturned along the Georgia coast, heavy lifting to remove most of the vessel is nearly done _ though further breakdown of the wreckage and final cleanup is expected to take several more months. Wednesday marked the second anniversary of the capsizing of the South Korean freighter Golden Ray, which tipped over shortly after departing the Port of Brunswick on Sept. 8, 2019. The crew was rescued safely. But hauling away the shipwreck, including its cargo of 4,200 automobiles, turned into a slow and messy demolition effort. Roughly three-fourths of the vessels remains have been removed since November, when salvage crews began slicing the shipwreck into eight giant chunks. A towering crane straddled the wreck, using brute force to drag a length of anchor chain through its hull like a blunt-edged saw. On Wednesday, only the last two big sections remained in the water off St. Simons Island, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Savannah. The final cut to separate them was finished over the weekend. Workers used a mechanical crane to pluck cars and SUVs from the interior of one remaining section, to shed some of its weight before loading it onto a barge in the coming days, said Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Himes, a spokesman for the multiagency command overseeing the demolition. Another barge is being prepared to carry the ships final section, and isnt expected to be ready for at least another week. Its obvious that we are very close to the end of this wreck removal phase, Himes said. We are committed to being as safe now as we were throughout the response. So slow and smooth and steady helps us stay safe. Even after all giant chunks of the shipwreck are out of the water, the salvage job will be far from over. At least three sections of the ship, possibly four, will need to be broken down further at a local dock before they can be transported by barge to a scrapyard in Louisiana. Himes said that should take several months. Meanwhile, crews will need to recover cars and other debris that fell into the water as the Golden Ray was being carved into giant pieces. Then they have to remove metal shipping containers and rock placed around the partly submerged wreck to stabilize it during demolition, as well as take down the giant mesh barrier installed around the site to contain debris. Those cleanup efforts at the wreck site are expected to take a month or two, Himes said. Its still a long way to go, said Fletcher Sams, executive director of the Altamaha Riverkeeper environmental group, who has closely followed the Golden Ray demolition. The riskiest parts, as far as new pollution, are close to being done, Sams said. Once they are able to lift these last two sections and put them on a barge, I will be breathing a sigh of relief. Sams and other conservationists watched in dismay in late July when oil gushed from a newly separated segment of the shipwreck and fouled roughly 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of beach and marsh grasses. The salvage team dispatched cleanup crews, but Sams says he fears there could be long-term damage. He said various leaks over the past two years resulted in roughly 30 miles (50 kilometers) of shoreline polluted by oil, much of it environmentally sensitive marsh. Sams has asked the multiagency command overseeing the demolition to conduct a formal assessment to determine the extent of the ecological damage from the wreck. He said hes been told no decision will be made until the removal and cleanup are complete. The end is in sight, Sams said, but we still dont have an answer to how much damage has been done. About the photo: A towering crane straddles remains of the shipwrecked cargo vessel Golden Ray in the waters off St. Simons Island, Ga., on Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021. The South Korean freighter overturned on Sept. 8, 2019, shortly after leaving the Port of Brunswick. Work to remove most of the wreckage in giant chunks is nearing an end, though debris cleanup and other efforts are expected to take months more. (Terry Dickson/The Brunswick News via AP) Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The California Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a jury verdict that found Qualcomm Inc. liable for third-degree burns suffered by an employee of an electrical contractor who was hired to work on equipment at the companys San Diego campus. It was the second time within a month that the high court ruled unanimously against a worker hired as an independent contractor who sued a customer for injuries suffered at the job site. The plaintiff sustained atrocious injuries that could have been prevented, the Supreme Court said in an opinion written by Associate Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuellar. But a rule subjecting Qualcomm to tort liability merely for failing to prevent those injuries could easily lead to more, rather than fewer, injuries in future cases. The high court issued a similar ruling on Aug. 23 when it reversed a judgment in favor of a window-washer who was injured when he fell off a homeowners roof in Los Angeles. The court held that even though a hazardous condition on the roof contributed to the fall, the homeowner was not liable because the contractor was well aware of the unsafe condition. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association, US Chamber of Commerce, Western States Petroleum Association and California Association of Realtors had filed amicus briefs in the Qualcomm case. The wireless technology company is one of San Diego Countys largest employers. Attorney Colin Walshock with the Wingert Grebing Brubaker & Juskie law firm, which represented Qualcomm in the case, said a finding of liability would have actually made California workplaces less safe. A rule subjecting Qualcomm to tort liability merely for failing to prevent those injuries could easily lead to more, rather than fewer, injuries in future cases, he said in an email. For instance, making the hirer liable under the circumstances presented here might incentive hirers to impose and enforce requirements on their contractors that owing to the hirers more limited expertise and experience actually impede the contractors ability to do the job safely. Or it might discourage contractors from engaging more expert contractors at all. Jose Martin Sandoval sued Qualcomm and other defendants after suffering third-degree burns to a third of his body when he was struck by an arc flash from a circuit that he did not realize was live. Qualcomm had hired TransPower Testing to inspect switchgear equipment as it prepared to upgrade onsite turbine generators that supplement the power supply to its plant. Transpower hired Sandoval, an electrical parts and repair specialist with ROS Electrical Supply & Equipment, to assist. Qualcomm employees powered down the circuits that Transpower had been hired to inspect. During a safety briefing, Qualcomms plant operator told Transpower President Frank Sharghi, Sandoval and other employees that some circuits in the switchgear would remain live. Qualcomm removed the panels that protected the circuits that it had powered down, but left panels on the cabinets that contained circuits that would remain live. After the briefing was concluded, however, Sharghi asked one of his employees to remove one of panels covering a live circuit so he could take photographs for a previous, unrelated inspection. Later, Sandoval attempted to measure equipment in the cabinet that contained the live circuit, unaware that power was still running through it. His metal tape measure triggered an arc flash that burned his face, neck, torso and arms. He had to undergo several skin graft surgeries and was hospitalized for more than a month. The accident left him without full use of his left arm. Sandoval filed suit against Qualcomm, TransPower and his employer. Qualcomm filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing that it had delegated responsibility for safety to an independent contractor. The San Diego County Superior Court denied the motion. A jury returned a special verdict finding Qualcomm liable because it had retained control over the safety conditions of the worksite and that its negligence was a substantial factor in causing Sandovals injuries. It awarded $7 million in damages and apportioned 46% of the fault to Qualcomm, 45% to TransPower and 9% to Sandoval. Qualcomm appealed, but the 4th District Court of Appeal affirmed the verdict. The Supreme Court said that in previous rulings create a presumption that a party who hires an independent contractor delegates to that contractor all responsibility for the safety of the contractors workers. A plaintiff can overcome that presumption if the hirer withholds critical safety information or retains control of activities directly related to the contracted work and uses that control in a way that contributes to the injury. The court said the record shows that Qualcomm disclosed all concealed hazards to Transpower, leaving only the retained control exception in play. Sandoval argued that Qualcomm took responsibility for the power-down procedure, so it was responsible for all power-related hazards. The Supreme Court disagreed. Once Qualcomm turned over control of the worksite, any tort duties Qualcomm had with respect to the safety of that site presumptively became TransPowers duties, the opinion says. The court noted that Qualcomm had left the protective panels covering thelive circuits bolted on and did not ask Transpower to remove them. Holding a hirer liable in such circumstances may actually impede the contractors ability to do a job safely, or discourage hirers from engaging expert contractors at all, the court said. We retain here the balance struck in our past decisions recognizing a rule that hirers who fully and effectively delegate work to a contractor owe no tort duty to that contractors workers, the opinion says. Claremore, OK (74018) Today Sunny to partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 90F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. If you are in sales and trying to bring in new business for your company, I am sure you have heard these words from a customer: Ill get back to you. Beachwood, OH (44122) Today Showers early, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 71F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable. On Sept. 11, 2001, the rising sun unknowingly birthed a day of infamy. Americans were going about their normal routines commuting to work, dropping their children off at school, sitting down to eat breakfast when a hijacked American Airlines Boeing 767 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City at 8:45 a.m. Just 18 minutes later, a United Airlines Boeing 767 struck the south tower. Less than two hours later, an American Airlines plane slammed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a United Airlines flight crashed in a field near Shanksville, Penn., after passengers and crew members thwarted the hijackers plan of hitting an unknown target. First Serve remembers 9/11 Temple Beth Shalom in Hudson, the First Congregational Church of Hudson and the Islamic Society of Akron and Kent will host their annual First The events of 9/11 resulted in the deaths of about 3,000 people from 78 countries, according to History.com. Now 20 years later, the infamous day of terrorist attacks remains a painful scar on the United States and its people. But for two Clevelanders, the events of 9/11 didnt play out from the safe confines of a television screen or radio. Jeff Resnick and Keith Levy felt the soot, heard the eerie quiet and watched New York City crumble. Jeff Resnick: Trying to get back to normalcy One year into the new millennium looked as if it could only bring good things to Jeff Resnick. The Shaker Heights High School alum had graduated from business school in June and moved to the bustling metropolis of New York City in August to start training for a brand-new banking job. On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Resnick, then 30, was in a hotel conference room in Times Square, waiting for that days job training to start. Whispers started spreading that a plane hit the World Trade Center. While shocking and disheartening, Resnick said he and his 40-some associates brushed off murmurs of the possible plane crash. Time started to pass. No instructor entered the conference room. The mood just seemed to quickly change, like something else was going on, something bigger was happening, but no one really knew what, Resnick, a member of The Temple-Tifereth Israel in Beachwood, told the Cleveland Jewish News. The anxious tension in the conference room hit a crescendo when someone informed the associates that the class was canceled and they could leave for the day. Resnick made his way downstairs to the hotel bar. Like moths attracted to light, the bar was packed with people huddled around glowing television screens. Then, Resnick read the headline: World Trade Center on fire. Outside, Resnick noticed smoke filling up the sky. Times Square usually flooded with cars was empty aside from a sea of office workers walking around and studying the horizon. The sophomoric cellphone network was inundated, leaving curling lines of people behind pay phones. The power cut out. There was no car honking, no buzz of excited activity. There was a new smell permeating around Manhattan that would linger long after the day that Resnick couldnt describe aside from destruction. In New York, you usually see people walking down the sidewalk very determined and knowing where theyre going, Resnick said. But on that day, no one knew what the hell was going on and what to do, or how dangerous or not dangerous the situation was. Resnick caught up with a fellow Clevelander also attending the job training Jamie Feldman, who grew up in Beachwood. Moments later, the men watched as the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed on TV. At this point, its like, Holy crap, this is serious. Were under attack, Resnick said. The duo booked it to Resnicks apartment to call their families. All forms of public transportation were halted, leaving on-foot travel as the only option. The realization struck the two that Resnicks apartment located across the street from the United Nations building could be in the vicinity of another possible attack site. They headed downtown to see if they could help others. We started seeing people walking uptown who were closer to (the World Trade Center) than we were, Resnick said. They were covered in soot; they looked like they had just gotten out of a war and were in a daze. At that point, we realized it wasnt probably safe to go downtown. The men went to Resnicks apartment, and Feldman eventually made the trek back to his apartment. With a smoky sunset came a small sense of reassurance, Resnick said. The attacks were clearly over, and any concerns Resnick had regarding his safety dissipated. But now came the longest battle for New York City and the nation: recovering. It was just a really dismal time to be in New York in the weeks and months afterward, for a whole variety of reasons, Resnick said. ... At some point, you started up again and tried to get back to dealing with the aftermath, get back to some kind of normalcy. Keith Levy: A need for his synagogue On Sept. 11, 2001, Keith Levy and his now-late father, Jack, were at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on Manhattans west side. The father-son duo was set to travel home that day to Beachwood for Jack and Solon for Keith once the five-day wholesale trade show they were a part of came to a close. A little before 9 a.m., Levy, then 44, got a troubling call from home that something was going on in New York and that the World Trade Center was hit with a plane. Levy walked to the front of the Javits Center and peered through the buildings glass atrium. Im looking straight at the Trade Center, and I see flames and smoke billowing from it, Levy told the CJN. It was quite a shock. The situation became more shocking when Levy and his father witnessed the second plane strike the south tower. Everyone inside the Javits Center was told to leave, as Levy recalled security being fearful the attackers would target heavily populated buildings. Levy and his father had to leave behind their booth and everything in it, like samples and old photographs they would never see again. Stretching along the avenue in front of the Javits Center was a long line of firetrucks speeding to the World Trade Center. Levy recalled thinking aloud to his father that evening wondering how many of those firefighters never came back home. Safely getting home became Levy and his fathers mission. Once they got to their hotel, they could plan a way out. Levy found someone to drive his 74-year-old father to their hotel numerous blocks away while he walked back with some fellow exhibitors. Leaving the center, Levy saw people who had been close to the World Trade Center covered in dust and police cars seemingly smothered in smoke. The World Trade Center was ablaze and spewing smoke. When we got to Times Square, there was just this eerie sound of silence, Levy said. It was as if the Earth stood still. For the remainder of the day and those that followed, Levy, like the entire nation, stayed glued to the TV screen. He remembered having no option but to sit around his hotel while he and his father devised escape options. Being that it was near impossible to find a car to drive back home, Levy said he and his father called every car rental place in the city numerous times until opportunity struck Thursday, Sept. 13. (The car rental associate) said, A guy just dropped off a car, Levy said. Ill give you 20 minutes. You can rent it if youre able to get here, otherwise Ill give it to the next person. So I ran and picked up the car, and we took it home. On that Saturday after he returned to his wife and four kids in Solon, he recalled attending a service at Park Synagogue. Hearing words of comfort from Rabbi Joshua Skoff was one of the things Levy said he wanted to do most when he came home. Im not a religious person, per se, but there are moments where, in something like that, I just felt the need to be in synagogue and a community to feel that things will be OK, Levy said. Twenty years later The events of 9/11 still feel hauntingly vivid to Levy and Resnick. Both men said that despite it having happened two decades ago, the day lingers as if it was just a year ago. For Resnick, now 50 and a divorced father of two living in Shaker Heights, the day is a marker of time to him: events in his life are either before or after Sept. 11, 2001. He can still picture the swathes of missing persons posters, covering the city in an ocean of heartbreakingly smiling faces. He constantly thinks about how he or a loved one could have been in the World Trade Center that day for some reason. But while 9/11 washed over the nation with a maelstrom of pain and destruction, the events left Resnick with a lasting lesson of gratitude. I learned to be more thankful for what I have and less wanting of what I dont have because you can see how easily things can turn, and for absolutely no reason, Resnick said. It just really helped me to focus a little bit more on whats important. For Levy, now 64 and a grandfather of three, the harrowing day showed him the strength in coming together with others. Now, during such a difficult time of dissonance within the U.S. on issues like COVID-19, and racial and gender equality, Levy said he hopes that by remembering 9/11, Americans also recall a time of putting aside differences to help one another. 9/11 was the one moment in my lifetime that I saw people no matter their opinion unite to work together, Levy said. Unfortunately, its these kinds of events that make people put aside their differences. I wish it was easier than that to have that kind of cooperation. I just hope for the better. FILE - In this July 13, 2021 file photo, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine promotes a new entrance ramp onto I-70 in downtown Columbus, Ohio. DeWine says Democratic President Joe Biden made a mistake in ordering new federal vaccine requirements. He says the country should focus on the science of preventing the spread of the coronavirus, arguing the vaccine is the best tool to do that. But he said Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 that people and business owners should make their own decisions about vaccination. Marijo Krogman, 86, Clinton, died Sunday, September 12th. Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM Saturday, September 18th at Prince of Peace. Visitation from 9:00 AM until the time of the Mass Saturday. Pape Funeral Home is assisting. Russ O'Reilly is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter @RussellOReilly. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) Voting centers for the May 2022 polls could be just as crowded as they were three years ago unless the Commission on Elections secures additional vote counting machines (VCMs). As much as 1,000 voters could be assigned per precinct if the poll bodys plan to rent 10,000 additional machines would not push through, Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas told members of the House Committee on Appropriations on Friday. No company took part in the first bidding on Thursday. Smartmatic was the only interested firm but backed out saying the Comelecs offer of 60,050.35 per unit is too cheap. RELATED: Comelec declares failed bidding for additional 10,000 vote counting machines for 2022 polls "Titingnan natin kung mag-proceed po kami sa second bidding, pero kung hindi po, mag-stick po kami sa 97,000 (VCMs). Ang mangyayari, 1,000 per clustered precinct po tayo but titingnan namin 'yung takbo ng bidding process. Sana madagdagan po kami ng makina para at least mapapaba po natin sa 800 (voters per precinct)," Abas told lawmakers. [Translation: We'll see if we will proceed with a second bidding, if not we will stick with the 97,000 (VCMs). What will happen is we'll have 1,000 per clustered precinct, but we'll monitor developments in the bidding process. I hope we can get more machines so we can bring down the number to 800 voters per precinct.] Comelec set a maximum contract price of 600.5 million for the lease of 10,000 optical mark reader or optical scan system machines for voting precincts, 10,000 main SD Cards, and another 10,000 wormable SD cards. Smartmatic wants a higher contract price, citing rising costs of electronic parts and logistics expenses. ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. France Castro expressed fear that next year's polls could be a COVID-19 super spreader. "Medyo malaki 'yung 800 considering na pandemic time at hahaba 'yung panahon ng pagsisilbi ng teachers [800 is huge considering it's a pandemic time, and teachers will also have to serve longer hours]," she said. Comelec's draft voting day guidelines allow only five voters at a time inside the classroom or polling precinct, which is expected to leave long lines of people waiting for their turn. Members of the House body asked Comelec if they can cut the number of voters per precinct to 600, but the poll body said it would entail bigger expenses. Atty. Maria Lea Alarkon of Comelec's Finance Services Department said the poll body will need about 23.9 billion if it adds more voting machines to create new precincts, and nearly 19.7 billion for the proposed two-day election. However, Comelec is only given some 12.57 billion for the conduct of the presidential and local elections under the proposed 2022 national budget. That's a 7 billion cut from the commission's request, which reduced funds for medical supplies and COVID-19 disinfection materials, as well as benefits for poll workers. Abas said they can grant a 2,000 increase across the board for support staff and members of the election boards lower than what the Department of Education proposed but is the first increase in the honorarium since 2016. Comelec's plan involves a 12-hour voting period from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to hopefully distribute the number of voters showing up at precincts at a time. This may be extended to accommodate those still waiting in line to cast their ballots. Abas added that overtime pay may be given to poll workers, should voting hours extend but noted that the current budget allotment does not provide for a COVID-19 hazard pay for teachers, who will be exposed to thousands of voters. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) The head of the Commission on Audit (COA) expressed support for legislative bills seeking the abolition of the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) and the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC). "I would support the measures that have been filed (to abolish PS-DBM and PITC) and I would be very willing to provide some suggestions on changing the nature by which we procure common-use supplies to make it less susceptible to any kind of alleged corruption," COA Chairman Michael Aguinaldo told senators during a hearing on government spending for the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday. Aguinaldo was responding to a question by Sen. Joel Villanueva. "Dapat tanong natin uli sa kanila, what are we here for? Nandito tayo para bantayan ang kaban ng bayan. Kung hindi natin ito nagagawa, kung hindi nakakatipid at nakakatulong sa ating mga ahensya, then we might as well abolish these," Villanueva said. [Translation: We should ask these agencies again, what are we here for? We are here to keep an eye on our national funds. If they can't do it, if they are not helping agencies to save, then we might as well abolish these.] Senators grilled former PS-DBM executive director Christopher Lao and several officials of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. over the allegedly anomalous purchase of medical supplies needed for the country's pandemic response, despite the Taiwanese firm's financial "incapability." Earlier, lawmakers investigated the transfer of 41 billion made by the Department of Health to the PS-DBM for the purchase of COVID-19 supplies. Meanwhile, COA flagged the PITC for opting to award multi-million peso contracts to a Davao City-based supplier of personal protective equipment despite lower bids from other companies. Sen. Imee Marcos filed two bills this week seeking to abolish the PS-DBM and the PITC due to "systemic corruption" in the two government entities. "The PS-DBM has become a fertile breeding ground of graft and corruption and, as such, should be abolished as it has outlived its functions to the National Government," she said. Marcos added that the PITC - which was founded during his father, Ferdinand Sr.'s regime - has become "irrelevant" as trade liberalization is now the norm of the global economy. "The PITC became a repository for unobligated funds of national government agencies, and as such should be abolished," Marcos said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) A Taiwanese official has confirmed that top executives of Pharmally Pharmaceutical, which is in the spotlight for allegedly selling "overpriced" COVID-19 supplies to the Philippine government, are wanted in Taiwan, Senator Risa Hontiveros said Friday. "An official from the government of Taiwan confirmed to me that indeed, the people we identified last time are fugitives," Hontiveros told CNN Philippines' The Source, without identifying the official. Hontiveros was referring to Manila-based Pharmally chairman Huang Tzu Yen, Taiwan-based Pharmally International Holding Co. Ltd. chairman Huang Wen-Lieh, and China-based Full Win Group of Companies chairman Zheng Bingqiang. She said the younger Huang has a standing warrant of arrest for breach of trust, while the older Huang and Zheng allegedly manipulated the stocks of Pharmally International. READ: Head of Pharmally, PH's top medical supplier during pandemic, wanted in Taiwan Connecting the dots While Zheng heads China-based Full Win Group of Companies, President Rodrigo Duterte's former economic adviser Michael Yang is chairman of the company's local branch -- Philippine Full Win Group of Companies. Hontiveros said Pharmally Philippines, Pharmally International, Philippine Full Win, and Xiamen-based Full Win have "interlocking directorates." "Itong four na kompanya at groups of companies...may interlocking directorates, may mga common personalities na nagseserve bilang opisyal o director o incorporator nila," she bared. [Translation: These four companies and groups of companies have interlocking directorates. There are common personalities serving as an official, director, or incorporator in the four organizations.] "So how did these companies and groups of companies benefit doon sa (from the) term ni (of) Mr. Michael Yang bilang (as a) Presidential economic adviser?," she asked. It is among the many questions that Hontiveros said she wants Yang to answer when he attends the succeeding Senate inquiries on the Health department's COVID-19 budget utilization in 2020. Another hearing is being conducted this afternoon. The legislative probe stemmed from an audit report that flagged the DOH's "deficiencies" in its management of over 67 billion pandemic response funds. These include the transfer of 42.4 billion to procuring agencies due to the lack of "required memorandum of agreement and other supporting documents," according to the Commission on Audit. Of the number, around 41 billion was given to the PS-DBM, a portion of which was used to buy the allegedly overpriced supplies from Pharmally. Officials in charge of procuring supplies for pandemic response have repeatedly denied the overpricing allegations, saying the items were bought at reasonable prices. They earlier said they purchased the items at a time when prices skyrocketed due to the scarcity of supply and sudden increase in demand. Hontiveros said they have yet to see Yang's "solid connection" to Pharmally, but he seems to be the "common factor" or the mutual contact of persons involved in the company. Duterte has repeatedly defended Yang, who has alleged ties to Pharmally. Early this week, the President said he was only a "middleman" and has no criminal record. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) The United States top diplomat reiterated the call for Beijing to abide by the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea one that recognized the Philippines sovereign rights in areas within its exclusive economic zone. The maritime row was one of the topics tackled by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. during their meeting in Washington on Thursday (Friday in Manila). Secretary Blinken also underscored the importance of freedom of navigation and respect for international law in the South China Sea, and reiterated calls on the Peoples Republic of China to abide by the 2016 arbitration ruling issued pursuant to the Law of the Sea Convention, the US Department of State said in a statement. Reaffirming the countries bilateral relations, Blinken and Locsin also discussed a range of topics including the COVID-19 pandemic, human rights, and economic engagement, the agency noted. Blinken added the US was also gratified with the Philippine governments decision to recall the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement. READ: Duterte admits US vaccine donations persuaded him to cancel VFA termination On the same day, the White House also announced it has pledged an additional $11.3 million in COVID-19 assistance to the Philippines, raising Americas total aid to $37 million. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) The Senate has cited Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. Director Linconn Ong in contempt and ordered his immediate arrest and detention due to evasiveness in answering questions on the company's procurement deal with the government for COVID-19 supplies. "We cite Pharmally Dir. Linconn Ong in contempt and order his arrest now," said Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Richard Gordon in a tweet. "He has been very evasive, hindi sinasagot nang direkta ang mga tanong sa kanya, at paiba-iba ang sagot [He is not answering questions directly and he keeps changing his answers]." However, the committee allowed Ong to remain in his home while being guarded by security personnel, since he is currently battling COVID-19. In a hearing on Friday, Ong was asked how Pharmally was able to pay for millions of protective personal equipment for the country. The Pharmally official said the company paid in a series of bank transactions. When asked who owned the bank accounts, Ong said it was the corporation's. However, senators pointed out that Pharmally's capital was only 625,000 while the company's first transaction was 54 million. "Talagang nagsisinungaling 'to [He's really lying]," said Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon. Pharmally Chairman Huang Tzu Yen also earlier said the company was only able to open a letter of credit with Union Bank in November 2020, seven months after the procurement began in April. Michael Yang Huang also tried to defend his colleague, by admitting that Pharmally had borrowed money from former presidential adviser and Chinese businessman Michael Yang. "I just wish to state on record that we did receive Mr. Michael Yang's help...we borrowed money from him," said Huang. "I think Ong was hesitant in saying that because of courtesy...perhaps this is what caused him to be evasive." "And since the money was borrowed...therefore his (Ong's) statement that it came from a corporate account was correct and factual," he added. Following Huang, Ong also admitted that Yang helped the company pay for the supplies. "So at the time the contract was awarded to you, you had no financing whatsoever," Drilon pressed Pharmally. "When you were negotiating for the contract, you had no funds to buy the supplies?" Huang answered affirmatively, admitting that Pharmally's funds were insufficient at the time it bagged the procurement deal. Earlier, Ong said Yang also assisted Pharmally in securing suppliers by guaranteeing them that they will be paid after Pharmally receives payment from the government for the supply deliveries. In the same hearing, Yang maintained he had no participation in the negotiations for the procurement other than introducing Pharmally to Chinese suppliers. Huang's revelation convinced senators that Yang was lying under oath. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) Two lawmakers from the House of Representatives are pushing for an increase in the budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2022. Camarines Sur Representative Gabriel Bordado said the OVP should receive at least a billion pesos. On top of its multiple programs and projects aimed at improving the lives of our marginalized countrymen, the Office of the Vice President has been at the forefront of the fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, Bordado said during a Committee on Appropriations hearing on Friday. ACT Teacher Party-list Representative France Castro agreed. She said the OVP has done so much to help Filipinos affected by the pandemic despite its small budget. Taasan at least 1 billion yung budget of the Office of the Vice President para mas magampanan pa nito lalo 'yung kanyang tungkulin at kanyang pagtugon sa pandemya dahil alam naman natin hanggang 2022 pa ito, Castro said. [Translation: Lets increase the budget of the Office of the Vice President to at least 1 billion so it can further perform its duties and strengthen its pandemic response because we know this is until 2022.] The OVP has launched several pandemic response programs including transportation for medical frontliners, mobile testing services, free teleconsultations, and educational hubs. It proposed a 714.56 million budget for next year but the budget department slashed this by around 1 million to 713.41 million in the National Expenditure Program. This is 22% lower than its 908.79 million budget for the current year. Robredo has yet to decide whether or not she will run for president in the 2022 polls. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) The doctor who earned the ire of presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said he should be removed from his post after he berated health experts who are appealing to the national government not to ease quarantine restrictions amid the COVID-19 surge in Metro Manila. Roque lashed out at Dr. Maricar Limpin, president of Philippine College of Physicians, during the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Tuesday when she emotionally pleaded to the government to impose a hard lockdown in Metro Manila because hospitals are overwhelmed with coronavirus patients. In the videos that emerged on Friday, President Rodrigo Duterte's mouthpiece can be heard saying, "This group, they have never said anything good about government response." Limpin said she was surprised when Roque started berating her when they were only presenting the dire situation in hospitals, especially in Metro Manila, which was set to shift to a more relaxed community quarantine. "We see na we have a very good intentions in going there and wala naman kaming sinabi na hindi totoo," she told CNN Philippines on Friday. "We just stated facts. So parang hindi ko maintindihan 'yung reactions ni Secretary Roque. I think from my point of view, it's really uncalled for." [Translation: We can see that we had very good intentions and we didn't present anything false. We just stated facts, so I can't understand Secretary Roque's reactions. From my point of view, it's really uncalled for.] Following what she described as "unprofessional" behavior from the official, she called for his resignation since he represents the President. She said his actions will reflect Duterte as his mouthpiece. Limpin added that Roque should apologize to all healthcare workers for his outburst. "We were there as representatives of the health care workforce," she said. "Therefore, if he has to apologize, he has to apologize to the whole of the healthcare workforce dahil ang ginawa [what he did] is against all of us in healthcare sector." Roque said sorry if he offended anyone, but added the message of his rant still stands CNN Philippines correspondent Carolyn Bonquin contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is in hot water for lashing out at a group of physicians who expressed worry about the government's initial plan for Metro Manila to shift to a more relaxed general community quarantine amid a surge of COVID-19 cases. Roque and other members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases virtually met with health experts from the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) on Tuesday to discuss the guidelines on relaxing quarantine restrictions in the capital region. In a video obtained on Friday by Marlon Ramos of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Roque, who is also the spokesperson for the IATF, can be seen losing his cool as he addressed Dr. Maricar Limpin, president of PCP. Roque was defending the government's COVID-19 response, saying they are trying to also look at the "economic ramifications" of enforcing hard lockdowns. "Who wants COVID to kill people?" he said. "Are you saying that only medical frontliners are concerned about the health of the people?" " We all want to save lives," he also said. "For crying out loud! No one in the government wants a single life lost. No one! How dare you think we are not considering steps to prevent the loss of lives?" Roque was reminded by another Cabinet member to relax, but to no avail. "No, they have to hear this!" he said while repeatedly pointing his finger at the camera. In another video posted by Ramos, President Rodrigo Duterte's mouthpiece can be heard saying, "This group, they have never said anything good about government response." The meeting happened on Tuesday, a few hours before Roque announced that the IATF will postpone the implementation of the GCQ with alert levels, which was supposed to be implemented the next day. An official admitted the guidelines are not yet ready so they had to defer its start. Roque admitted he became "emotional" after Limpin started crying when she appealed for the government to impose hard lockdown to mitigate the dire situation in hospitals due to the COVID-19 surge. The spokesman apologized if he offended anyone, but he justified that he is only human and he was defending the poor families who need to work to survive. "I apologize kung na-offend kayo sa manner," he said in a media briefing. "But the message remains clear: Kinakailangan pakinggan din natin ang hanay ng nagugutom." [Translation: I apologize if you were offended with the manner of how I said it. But my message remains clear, we need to listen to the needs of those who are going hungry.] Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 10) The United States on Thursday (Friday in Manila) announced it will be providing an additional $11.3 million in COVID-19 aid to the Philippines. This brings the total US assistance since the start of the pandemic to $37 million, the White House said in a statement. Washington has also donated millions of vaccine doses to Manila through the global COVAX facility. The announcement came following the meeting of top American and Philippine officials in Washington including Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr., Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Aside from the pandemic response, the three also discussed issues on counterterrorism and human rights, the White House said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 9) -- The Department of Budget and Management assures it is taking its time in executing a Supreme Court ruling involving the devolution of tasks and transfer of funds from the executive to local governments. We have experienced the issues or problems that arose when there was a complete devolution in the 1990s and we dont want that to happen. We want a smooth transition of funds and devolution of programs from the national to the local, DBM officer-in-charge Usec. Tina Canda said in a Senate hearing. Canda also said some state employees could be displaced given the transfer of duties from the national government to local authorities. There might be a displacement, Im not saying there will beIts not a one-to-one correspondence. Whatever funds we transfer to the local government units, respecting their autonomy, they will not necessarily do the programs and projects being implemented by the national government, she explained. President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order 138 in June transferring some of the national governments functions to local governments, essentially implementing the Mandanas-Garcia ruling. The decision, which resulted from the petition made by Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas and former Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia, Jr. before the Supreme Court, affirms that LGUs are entitled to a just share of all collected national taxes, not just state internal revenue tax collections. EO 138 also directs national agencies to come up with devolution transition plans, which shall be handed over to the DBM. The DBM official also addressed Sen. Francis Tolentinos remarks on the agency still holding the reins regarding the rulings implementation. Ive read words like recalibrate, assess, monitor. Nowhere in the Supreme Court decision can we find those words. So parang ayaw niyo pa ibigay yung puder sa mga local government units, said Tolentino, who was former chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and mayor of Tagaytay. Were actually ready to provide and to devolve the functions which are necessary in the national government. Its also a kind of separation anxiety that we will have to do insofar as the government agencies are concerned. Were trying to balance that, said Canda. I agree with you: recalibrating might not be in the language of the Supreme Court, but were slowly doing the preliminary activities for the transition, she added. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 9) Senator Panfilo Lacson raised doubts on the need to set aside 45 billion for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots next year, saying it may not even be utilized. How can we even talk of booster shots when we havent inoculated enough? Lacson asked during Thursdays Senate Committee on Finance deliberations on the proposed 2022 budget. The 45 billion has only been earmarked by the Department of Budget and Management under unprogrammed appropriations, the availability of which depends on revenue collection exceeding targets and on additional grants or foreign funds. Citing official data, Lacson noted that only 15.2 million Filipinos have so far been fully vaccinated, while some five million have received their first dose. The government aims to immunize around 70 million adults by year-end. Realizable ba ito? Magagamit ba natin yung 45.37 billion for booster shots? Baka naman pwedeng magamit pa natin yung 45.37 billion in the next years budget sa ibang purpose, the senator said. [Translation: Is this realizable? Will we even be able to use the 45.37 billion for booster shots? Perhaps we can use that money for another purpose.] Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said it is still best to be financially prepared. What is constraining us is not our ability to inoculate people. It is the supply issue, he said. It is the ability of the pharmas to deliver. We have ordered it and we expect the pharmas to meet their commitment. If we dont put it in the budget and it so happens that we are able to meet the targets -- I dont know, end of this year or first quarter of next year -- and the (booster) doses are recommended, I wouldnt want to be left in a situation where we don't have the funds, Dominguez added. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 9) Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has renewed his call for a review of the Philippines' Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States, citing the need to ensure the 1951 agreement's relevance in present times. In an event organized Wednesday by Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, Lorenzana said the alliance between the two countries "will have to evolve in recognition of new geopolitical realities." "Much is to be desired in terms of the 70-year-old alliance, given what is happening in the South China Sea and beyond, not to mention the Philippines' commitment to cultivate a more balanced relations with other countries in the region," Lorenzana said. "What is clear is that we need a comprehensive review of our alliance, taking stock of the pros and cons of the MDT and what happened in the past 70 years," he added. The MDT states that both countries would assist each other when either of them is attacked by a foreign force. But in 2018, Lorenzana sought a review of the pact, saying it does not provide a clear answer to whether the US would come to the Philippines' rescue in case tensions escalate in the South China Sea. READ: PH, US in 'low-level discussion' on reviewing Mutual Defense Treaty In his visit to the Philippines last July, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin assured Manila that Washington's security commitment is "iron-clad" and the treaty would also extend to matters involving the disputed waters. How to upgrade PH-US alliance? Lorenzana also presented three proposals on how to upgrade the Philippine-US alliance: - Reiteration and further clarification of the precise extent of American commitments to the Philippines under the MDT, and in accordance with the 2016 arbitral tribunal award at the Hague; - Revisions and additions in MDT and other relevant Philippine-US defense agreement to ensure maximum cooperation and interoperability to deal with so-called "gray zone" threats (state-sanctioned/supported maritime militia forces intimidating smaller claimant states and their fishermen); and - Support for the Philippines' modernization program to make it a "more reliable and dependable ally to the United States." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 9) The country's Socioeconomic Planning chief on Thursday backed the proposal to test run a program that will allow some services for fully vaccinated people or the so-called bakuna bubble in Metro Manila. I would support the pilot of that because at this rate, I would like to know what works and what does not work, he said during the Senate Committee on Finance hearing on the proposed 2022 budget. Suggested by Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, the scheme would allow greater mobility for inoculated people in a bid to revive the economy. READ: DTI defends 'bakuna bubble' proposal: 'Para 'to sa economy' Chua said the scheme could be done gradually. Perhaps we can have it across the NCR, but in a gradual process, the National Economic and Development Authority chief said. For instance, yung capacity we start at 10%, 20%, and so on. I would not start with 50% or 100%. Under Concepcion's proposal, a vaccination card or a negative RT-PCR test will be required before entering commercial establishments. There would also be designated public utility vehicles for the immunized. The Department of Health and the World Health Organization, however, have opposed the plan, saying even those who already had their COVID-19 shot can still catch the virus, especially amid the threat of the Delta variant. The Commission on Human Rights also warned that segregating the vaccinated from unvaccinated people would be discriminatory. In an old rehearsal room Tuesday night, vibrations in the air left many feet tapping. Students in Jazz Combo Class workshopped through multiple tunes and honed their music skills. Jazz Combo Class, which can be taken as part of Penn State School of Musics jazz studies program, teaches students the facets of jazz performance. Marko Marcinko, director of jazz studies at Penn State, said hes been playing music since he was four years old and has been playing professionally for more than 25 years. The jazz studies program has three big band ensembles, a combo ensemble and jazz vocal ensembles, according to Marcinko. These ensembles vary in size, but there can be up to 20 people in the big bands. Students from the program have gone on to book gigs on television, Broadway, tours and other professional venues, Marcinko said. Trying to pass this music on properly, the way it was passed on to me, Im very respectful of that, Marcinko said. If you learn it the right way, then youll continue to pass it on in such a direction. Over the past year, the coronavirus pandemic put a halt on many live jazz performances. Geoff Schneider, a student in Jazz Combo Class and saxophone player, said playing without crowds was tough. You cant do it without the audience, Schneider (fifth year-professional performance certificate student) said. I had to do an all jazz recital with no audience, and it was really tough. When playing, Schneider said jazz musicians often discuss without saying anything, and jazz combos challenge students to work through tunes since theres no director or composer. For Schneider, what makes great jazz is communication, a sense of humor and the audience. He said he believes the audience is half of the whole story, and the main people jazz musicians try to communicate with through performance. Schneider coordinates jam session[s] at 3 Dots Downtown and has played for Penn State President Eric Barron multiple times. He will play for Barron next weekend at the White Out as well. Its very good to get back and actually have gigs again because we rely on that small crowd thats our market, Schneider said. Jazz Combo Class explores working different types of jazz combos, which could include a variety of instruments playing together at the same time, according to Schneider. Alex Sampsell, a student in the School of Music and bass player, said he believes the feel is what makes great jazz. Sampsell (junior-bass performance) said people often get too caught up in the technical side of jazz, but for Sampsell, the feel makes all the difference. When Sampsell is playing jazz, he said he is concerned about the time, and as a bass player, keeping time is especially important. Sampsell performs in the PSU Jams jazz jam sessions every Friday in Music Building II, where he and other jazz musicians play for fun. Marcinko said the combo class this semester is dedicated to working on the nuts and bolts of the jazz combo. One way students achieve a better understanding of jazz is to listen to it, according to Marcinko. He said students will first listen to jazz performances and pieces and then apply what they learned into their own performances. Marcinko said he believes jazz to be true American history, and if people wish to learn about American history, they should listen to jazz to see all its been involved with. Its truly American. I think a lot of people dont realize that our greatest export to the world is jazz, Marcinko said. Thats a thing that was invented here. It wasnt invented anywhere else. Marcinko said there are a lot of adjectives to describe jazz but found one phrase that its not. One thing that its not to me, is boring. A year and a half after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, a seemingly normal fall semester is underway in Happy Valley and both trepidation and excitement are in the air. But with talk of vaccine protection waning over time after inoculation, students like Erin Steiner are looking to put their trust in booster shots to keep that normal feeling alive. I dont think any of us were fully educated on how vaccines worked to begin with, Steiner (sophomore-supply chain management) said. Vaccine boosters werent even on my radar a few months ago. Steiner said she received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in May through the universitys Bryce Jordan Center vaccination clinic. The J&J, or Janssen, vaccine, which was 66.3% effective in clinical trials for people who had no evidence of prior infection two weeks after receiving the vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control, only requires one shot. While all three of the vaccines being distributed in the United States Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna and J&J are still preventing hospitalizations and deaths from the coronavirus, they do not appear as strong against the delta variant, according to the CDC. It is alarming that the variant has become so highly transmissible, Steiner said. There is some comfort in knowing [vaccine boosters] could be a solution. As part of President Joe Bidens campaign to administer 100 million booster shots beginning Sept. 20, most American adults who have been fully vaccinated are encouraged to receive a booster shot eight months after their initial dosage, according to a press briefing by the White House COVID-19 Response Team. Announced on Aug. 16, the campaign identifies recipients of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines as eligible, according to the New York Times. On Sept. 8, Dr. Janet Woodcock, the acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, who heads the CDC, warned the White House their agencies may be able to determine in the coming weeks whether to recommend boosters only for recipients of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, according to the New York Times. MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE Before getting vaccinated, Steiner said she had researched more about Pfizer and Moderna vaccines but decided to go with the J&J vaccine as it was the first one available to her. I want to be able to say I did absolutely everything possible to protect myself and those around me, Steiner said. It is a little frustrating knowing that some things are out of my control and that I wont be getting the [booster shot] as quickly as say someone who got Pfizer. Khalid Almahmood said he will wait for approval from medical professionals before going ahead with any type of booster shot. He said he will receive his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine next week. Since I did receive my vaccine so late compared to others my age, my immunity has a different timeline, Almahmood (sophomore-mathematics) said. Im not as inclined to get a booster shot as quickly as say the majority of my peers who received their vaccines months ago. Almahmood said the most important thing to him right now is his safety. Being an immunocompromised individual, regardless of my doubts, I want to get a booster shot, Almahmood said. I would always prefer to have some kind of protection but will wait until it is approved by my doctors. As of Sept. 8, 66.6% of Pennsylvanians 18 and older are fully vaccinated, and 83.2% of Pennsylvanians 18 and older have received at least one dose, according to Gov. Tom Wolf's Wednesday vaccination update. Pennsylvanias daily vaccine update: 12,332,239 vaccines administered66.6% of PAians 18+ fully vaccinated83.2% of PAians 18+ have received at least one doseNational ranking in first doses administered: 9 Governor Tom Wolf (@GovernorTomWolf) September 8, 2021 Avi Rachlin is the founder of Penn State Resistance, an organization established after Penn State President Eric Barron mandated masks indoors for the fall semester. I am not anti-vax, Rachlin (junior-business management) said. I have gotten every single vaccine and even just got my flu shot yesterday. Rachlin said the distrust he has in the coronavirus vaccines specifically are due to the lack of long-term studies and hard data. When we take this more locally, the majority of people on this campus are vaccinated, Rachlin said. It is a small percentage, but there are thousands of others including myself who have opted not to [get vaccinated] as well. Rachlin said he was pleasantly surprised the university did not mandate vaccines unlike other Big Ten counterparts. But when it comes to vaccine booster shots, Rachlin said he believes them to be not combative at all. As the pandemic goes on, and as these variants continue to develop because they will, [the variants] become resistant to vaccines, Rachlin said. To constantly get booster shots every five months for a virus to go right through it just doesnt make any sense. Other students like Eddie Ubri, received the Moderna vaccine and said he fully supports the federal government's booster shot campaign. I know people who only think of vaccines as this malicious thing, Ubri (senior-computer science) said. I try to stay out of the politics of it all but, if it can save my life, I'm going to get it. The Pfizer vaccine booster may be the only one to get Food and Drug Administration and CDC approval needed in time for Bidens Sept. 20 rollout, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and White House chief medical advisor, in a recent television interview. However, Ubri said he is not worried about the delay of booster shots to those like himself who received the Moderna vaccine. I didnt know that boosters were even needed in the first place, Ubri said, but I have no issue with the progression of medicine. Locally, coronavirus cases have been on the rise. As of Aug. 30, Centre County entered the highest level for community transmission of the coronavirus and has remained in that classification, according to the CDCs latest county-level data update. Ubri said he hopes vaccine boosters can help shift the narrative. I dont want to keep wearing a mask in class, Ubri said. I dont want to have to worry about things I didnt have to worry about before COVID. But I also know we all have our part. Lingwen Wang is required to go to weekly testing on campus as part of the universitys plan to test all students who are either unvaccinated or have not submitted their vaccination status. However, Wang (senior-media studies) has already been vaccinated in China. Even though I have been vaccinated, because it was a vaccine from my home country, I am still required to produce a weekly [negative] test, Wang said. It is very frustrating because I shouldn't have to. The Zhifei vaccine, more publicly known as the ZF2001 vaccine, was approved for emergency use in China in March, according to Reuters. The three-dose vaccine has a 78% efficacy rate against the delta variant according to trial data released by a unit of Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products. Wang said he still doesnt feel entirely safe on campus as cases continue to spread but looks to booster shots as a symbol of encouragement. It is unknown to Wang whether he would be able to qualify for a booster shot. I think we all thought just the vaccine would be enough, but if the pandemic has taught us one thing, it is that you can never count out this virus from continuing to come back. MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE Penn State students find solace, healing in listening to music With the many ways people can focus on their mental health, one thing several Penn State stu Penn State University Police and Public Safety arrested Robert Wahl, an adjunct lecturer of sociology and criminology, on Sept. 1 after an employee reported being harassed in the Willard Building, according to the university crime log. At approximately 5:25 p.m. Sept. 1, police responded to a report of physical assault at the Willard Building, according to Penn State spokesperson Lisa Powers. Wahl was charged with harassment, and his offenses include simple/other assault but not aggravated disorderly conduct, according to the university crime log. In an email sent to faculty members in the African Studies program, Interim Director of African Studies Sinfree Makoni alleged the victim was "racially attacked" by Wahl for "not wearing his mask properly." "No charges related to racial motivation have been filed, and there is no additional information to share on this case," Powers said. Bystanders at the scene of the incident allegedly heard a man repeatedly yell help me from the connecting corridor on the second floor between the Willard Building and the new Bellisario Media Center. According to witnesses, a man was lying on the floor, and Wahl walked away from him. As people rushed toward the man on the floor, others said they saw Wahl walk toward the stairwell. Bystanders confirmed Wahl said he pushed the other man out of the bathroom for not wearing a mask. According to Powers, the victim a Penn State employee was transported to Mount Nittany Medical Center for evaluation. Wahl has been placed on administrative leave while the investigation is still ongoing, according to Powers. MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE State College's chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People released a "call to action" statement Thursday night, alleging the physical assault that occurred in the Willard Building was "race-related aggression." Penn State University Police and Public Safety arrested Robert Wahl, an adjunct lecturer of sociology and criminology, after an employee in Penn State's African Studies Program reported being harassed in the building Sept. 1, according to the university crime log. "In our view, Penn State University is trying to cover up yet another instance of systemic racism," the State College NAACP said in its statement. "Despite the physical and emotional injuries sustained by the victim, Wahl has only been charged with simple/other assault, according to the university crime log tantamount to a slap on the wrist." Wahl was charged with harassment, and his offenses include simple/other assault but not aggravated disorderly conduct, according to the university crime log. At approximately 5:25 p.m. Sept. 1, police responded to the report of physical assault at the Willard Building, according to Penn State spokesperson Lisa Powers. Bystanders at the scene of the incident allegedly heard a man repeatedly yell help me from the connecting corridor on the second floor between the Willard Building and the new Bellisario Media Center. According to witnesses, a man was lying on the floor, and Wahl walked away from him. As people rushed toward the man on the floor, others said they saw Wahl walk toward the stairwell. Bystanders confirmed Wahl said he pushed the other man out of the bathroom for not wearing a mask. According to Powers, the victim was transported to Mount Nittany Medical Center for evaluation. "It is beyond comprehension that a mere civil charge has been given for this offensive act a charge that will in no way hamper Robert Wahls career or his future," the State College NAACP said in its statement. "There is little doubt in our minds that had the roles been reversed had the perpetrator been Black and the victim white the charges would have been far more severe." In an email sent to faculty members in the African Studies Program, Interim Director of African Studies Sinfree Makoni alleged the victim was "racially attacked" by Wahl for "not wearing his mask properly." "No charges related to racial motivation have been filed, and there is no additional information to share on this case," Powers said. The State College NAACP alleged the victim was also "verbally abused" by Wahl and said it is "outraged" at the "callous handling" of the matter by Penn State's administration and University Police. "Once again, the all-too-familiar pattern of sweeping race-related aggression under the rug, of minimizing the importance of race and racism on the Penn State campus, is being repeated," the State College NAACP said in its statement. "The responses of the University Police and the administration are both unacceptable." Wahl has been placed on administrative leave while the investigation is still ongoing, according to Powers. The State College NAACP, however, alleged Wahl's leave is paid, which was confirmed by Penn State spokesperson Wyatt Dubois Monday. The incident "clearly" demonstrates a "far higher regard" for the perpetrator instead of the victim, the State College NAACP alleged, and it called on Penn State to review the case "thoroughly" and terminate Wahl's position. "We hold Penn State and university police accountable for the casual handling of this matter," the State College NAACP said in its statement. "We demand that Wahl receive the appropriate charges for his actions, that he be removed from paid administrative leave immediately and terminated." MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE In the summer between election years, the dog days are the lull when the political world tends to recline in anticipation of the busy months ahead, between legislative sessions and typically before campaigns are in full swing. This year, the pace hasnt slowed a bit in the U.S. Senate, with lawmakers scrambling to reach a vote on a massive infrastructure bill as the weeks-long August recess looms, but back in Colorado the political world appears to be taking a breather. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 319-283-2144 or email circ@oelweindailyregister.com. Dosya.web.tr scored 45 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 1 Apr 2015, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the dosya homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if dosya has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the dosya homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the dosya homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. 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Domain and Server DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English UTF-8English SERVER nginx/1.6.2 (PHP/5.4.16) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site. The language of dosya.web.tr as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Operative System running on the server. Type of server and offered services. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for dosya.web.tr by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The URL of the found Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Vipbook.info scored 52 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2.5/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 3 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. vipbook.info is very popular in Facebook and Stumble Upon. It is liked by 31 people on Facebook. The total number of people who shared the vipbook homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the vipbook homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the vipbook homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if vipbook has a Facebook fan page). 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Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Close While nursing is a personally rewarding career, a pay raise would make it even more rewarding, wouldn't it? According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a significant difference in annual salaries between that which a nurse holding a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) and what the holder of an MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) or DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) grosses. While you may be seeking an advanced nursing degree for earning potential, you may also be wondering what you can do with that advanced degree once you've achieved it. If you haven't already decided where you want that graduate degree to take you, here are some career options you might want to consider. Greater Autonomy When asked, most nurses will tell you that the one driving force behind getting an advanced nursing degree is having that greater level of autonomy they wouldn't have with an undergrad degree. Even a nurse holding a Master of Science in Nursing has greater autonomy than an RN with a BSN, but the ultimate level of autonomy for a nurse is that much-coveted DNP degree. Whether or not you choose to become a nurse practitioner, there are many positions you could hold that wouldn't necessarily be limited to working under, or in association with, a physician. If it's autonomy you seek and want to pursue a career as a Nurse Practitioner, it would be in your best interest to understand the regulations in your state. That information can be found by contacting your State Board of Nursing but you might find it easier to talk to an admissions counselor at the university you plan on attending. Also, that counselor can tell you if their graduate programs meet the educational requirements in your state. Leading schools such as Wilkes University that offer online studies can also advise you on how a Wilkes DNP graduate program can prepare you for that autonomy you desire within your state's regulations. Bear in mind that levels of autonomy vary from state to state. Why the Focus on a DNP? If autonomy and earning potential are the motivating factors in seeking an advanced degree in nursing, holding a DNP best meets both requirements. Yes, an MSN can help you meet the educational requirements to work as a nurse practitioner, you will find greater autonomy with a Doctor of Nursing Practice. Any graduate degree can offer more lucrative salaries but they might not give you that driving ambition to reach total autonomy. However, those are only two of the main reasons why you might want to focus on graduating with a Doctor of Nursing Practice. At this point in time, it is highly recommended that you investigate the benefits of having autonomy as a Nurse Practitioner. There is an extreme shortage of physicians across the board in literally every field of healthcare. From general practice to any number of specialties, there simply aren't enough doctors to meet the current needs. That need has escalated within the past couple of years due to the pandemic which has placed a huge burden on an already overburdened profession. A Closer Look at a Growing List of Needs Perhaps the best way to look at what you can do with an advanced nursing degree is to consider all those needs resulting from a critical shortage in healthcare professionals. There is a growing list of needs, not least of which is in the area of providers such as physicians and nurse practitioners. Yes, there is also a severe shortage of nurses but, without a sufficient number of doctors to be working under, they would need to be autonomous. So then, one of the primary needs in healthcare to be addressed is the need for providers for a growing list of patients requiring medical care. Another of the most pressing needs in the medical arena today is the need for well-informed providers who are up on the latest technology and advances in the field of medicine. This particular focus has always been on the forefront of healthcare but, due to the deadly nature of SARS-CoV-19, the need for advanced technology and methodology has become increasingly evident. A Look to the Future of Medicine Of course, the current SARS-CoV-19 epidemic can't always be a grave area of concern in healthcare, but it has raised the question of how to fill the gaps the pandemic has left in its wake. As mentioned, there was already a severe shortage of healthcare workers prior to COVID, but that shortage has turned critical. The future of medicine hinges upon filling the void which is growing by the day. Other career options opened with an advanced degree in nursing would be: Nursing Instructor Nursing in a Specialty Field Hospital Administration Public Health Administration Health Policy Most of these career options are self-explanatory but the inclusion of a health policy nurse may leave you wondering just where this career path would take you. Actually, health policy nurses work within non-profits, healthcare institutions and government on all levels. This would include local, county, state and federal levels governments and in a much-needed advisory position. If You Think You Can - You Can! So then, what can you do with an advanced nursing degree? It depends on what you think you might want to do with your career going forward. Do you want to teach nursing students what you have gained experientially while introducing the latest in healthcare practice and technology? Perhaps you want to pursue an advanced degree in an area of specialization you are particularly interested in. The point is, don't be reluctant to shoot for the stars when pursuing advanced nursing degrees. Yes, a lot has changed but recognizing those changes is the first step in giving you a solid foundation in advancing your career in whatever direction you intend to travel. With the availability of online graduate programs and a need for nurses, you can be assured of job security while you study for a graduate degree. Remember, it may take a lot of hard work but, if you think you can, you can! See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Reader Steven C. wrote to us, wondering if there's some Social Network-style backstory behind the McRib. Well, there was never any battle over who owns the basic McRib process, the one that glues unwanted animal trimmings into simulated cuts of real meat. That's because the US Army developed it then freely released it for public use. Military rations, produced cheaply, have historically always been unappetizing. Then the Army realized morale would jump if soldiers ate stuff that looked like chops and steaks instead of scraps in brine. So in the '60s, they put their scientists on the case. Professor Roger Mandigo came up with the process they sought (mostly, it involves a lot of grinding and adding salt and fat). Afterward, he learned he was free to use it for whatever business venture he liked. Then, Mandigo was approached by an organization looking to use this "restructured meat" technique to make pork fast food sandwiches. The name of that organization was ... not McDonald's. It was the National Pork Producers Council, looking to create a product they could pitch to McDonald's. Mandigo made them a pork chop sandwich out of pig hearts and stomachs. If that disgusts you, well, that's why they needed to disguise it. However, those undesirable bits of the pig are just as nutritious as the muscle, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with eating them. McDonald's said yes to restructured porkmission accomplished, National Pork Council. But they thought they could do better than Mandigo's chop sandwich. So, against everything you'd expect, they hired Rene Arend, a Luxembourg chef who'd prepared meals for royalty. This was the guy who really came up with the McRib, basing it on Southern BBQ pulled pork (which actually also began as a method for disguising unwanted pork scraps). Continue Reading Below Advertisement Arend also used meat restructuring to invent McNuggets. These were more popular and would have blasted the McRib right off the menu in those early years, but farmers simply didn't have enough chicken scraps to meet demand at first, so McDonald's stuck with serving the rib as well. They've since repeatedly taken it off the menu, but you can count on them bringing it back again, every time the price of pig scraps drops. 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: SIGN ME UP For more McHistory, check out: The McDonald's Golden Arches Are Sexy Freudian Symbolism The 5 Biggest Disasters in the History of Marketing Ideas 6 Famous 'Frivolous Lawsuit' Stories That Are Total B.S. Top image: harry_nl/Flickr Isoluminance is our word for the day. Don't know what that means? Don't feel bad; neither does anyone running the armed forces of nations around the world. Can we blame the fall of Afghanistan on bad camo? No, but the old camouflage uniforms used by the United States during the height of the "War on Terror" years suck all the same. The price tag is bad enough; however, the fact that men and women potentially lost their lives because of shoddy camo should be an outrage. It isn't. For whatever reason, everyone (not in the military) still seems to love it. Within a few short years, it had become the fashion du jour for patriotic Americans, millions achieving an erection every time they saw the iconic earth-tone, blocky motif. Cplbeaudoin/Wiki Commons Only good if your battlefield is on an Atari in 1981. Don't let the fancy name Universal Camouflage Pattern fool you; this stuff was crap. The most popular design, the one used in Iraq, for example, was heavy on grays, omitting the color black. Hindsight shows it was doomed from the start. The shortcomings were overlooked in order to gain a distinctive, cool-looking new uni. Today it simply looks dated. Five billion dollars on research and development and the futuristic design is now relegated to future hideously-dressed Iraq War reenactors. Nothing quite screams bad 2000s fad like digital camo. The designers were thinking sci-fi cloaking device ... they developed something more akin to a compression artifact in a JPEG your grandma emailed you in 2006. LikakiPhotos/Wiki Commons "Now, how do I download more RAM, sweetheart?" Continue Reading Below Advertisement Dreamed up by Canadians in front of computer terminals who apparently have never stepped outside of hermetically sealed bomb shelters in their entire lives, the core concept was based on an erroneous understanding of how the eye perceived patterns over distance. It was cleverly designed to not specifically fit into any single environment more than another, making it a reasonable choice for one-size-fits-all military training gear, therefore fulfilling the "universal" part of the Universal Camouflage Pattern moniker. The United States Army and other branches jumped on the bandwagon, eagerly snapping up the proprietary uniform patterns around 2004, about a year after the launch of the US-led assault on Saddam Hussein. The US Navy adopted blue digital camo, and the US Marines had their own color scheme too. For the next decade, every human on Earth would see this five-billion-dollar pattern on their nightly news broadcasts, on the road, not to mention gaming gear, gimp masks, and sports uniforms. Other countries and even sports teams blindly followed suit and copied the gimmick, thinking it to be the stealth bomber of military kit, in theory, capable of rendering wearers invisible like they were the Predator stalking Arnold Schwarzenegger. A few weeks ago, music fans discovered what is truly in a name, learning the hard way that the moralistic qualifiers of bands like Good Charlotte Neutral Milk Hotel" and Insane Clown Posse" have some highly-cursed implications, including several adjective-fueled, Wario-like counterparts. An epiphany stemming from a now-viral D&D alignment chart featuring the aforementioned three bands categorized by levels of goodness, neutrality *or* insanity created by Twitter user @progrockgf, it seems we cracked open Pandora's linguistic Box, discovering bizarre bastardizations like Insane Milk Hotel or Good Clown Posse Yet this categorization seemingly poses more questions than it answers what does it truly mean to be Good Charlotte," Neutral Milk Hotel or Insane Clown Posse"? In a world where everyone either associates clowns with fond memories of the circus or Tim Curry as a murderous spider in It, can a Neutral Clown Posse" ever exist? Is a "Good Milk Hotel" just a farm-based Bed and Breakfast? For the sake of science, we decided to find out, digging through each band's respective decade-spanning history in an attempt to meet this chart's challenge. Good Charlotte: Aside from helping scene kids feel, well, seen, with their moody bangers throughout the mid-2000s, it seems Good Charlotte has kinda lived up to its name. Veeps, a commission-free touring-turned live-streaming company started by brothers and bandmates, Benji and Joel Madden, came in pretty damn clutch at the beginning of the pandemic, helping struggling artists find new streams of income as the live music industry came to a screeching halt. Continue Reading Below Advertisement We have over 300 artists on the platform, and we had developed a tool to ticket your live stream, and no one really needed that at the time, but its become something that everyones started using, Joel Madden told Alternative Press magazine in April 2020. Now we see people using it more and more every week, really. Theyve optimized the experience of whos watching, can we communicate with those fans in real time before, during and after, but also were seeing bands using it to make money for a charity theyre supporting or a local community charity effort that theyre in or really just supporting their crew thats at home. Continue Reading Below Advertisement With their roster at the time ranging from smaller bands to alternative staples including Sleeping with Sirens, Waterparks, and I Prevail, Madden reiterated just how important it was for their company to maintain a "commission-free model." Its very transparent, and the mission of the platform is to help artists survive and help fans have a better experience when they do purchase a VIP ticket or, in this case, live streaming," the singer added. "We like to think the live streams that are going up on the platform are really thought-out, special experiences elevated from what you may want to broadcast for free while also helping the artists with ticketing, Madden continued. We are trying to create a way for everyone to win, and hopefully, its empowering and equalizing in a way that artists can have options for how they want to do things. Crossville, TN (38555) Today Cloudy early, then off and on rain showers for the afternoon. High 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Joyce S. Norrod, 86, of Crossville, passed away on Sept. 8, 2021, at her home in Crossville. Mrs. Norrod was born on May 20, 1935, in White County, daughter of Allen Smith and Anna O'Dell Smith. Joyce was a homemaker and a founding member of the Crossville First Church of the Nazarene. She w The woman's email was terrifying. I tried to put myself in her circumstance, but I couldn't. It was too painful. "I was raped at knifepoint while my two daughters were held prisoner in their bedroom. My husband was out of town, and I had never felt more alone in my life. Yet, I had always believed that if I cried out to God in times of trouble, he really would deliver me. For two solid hours, I did cry out. But God did not come. I kept pleading with him, 'God, where are you? Why are you not answering my desperate cries for help? I don't understand!'" Have you ever felt that way? You know what it is like to pray and wonder why God doesn't seem to hear you. It's as if your prayers ricochet off the ceiling. Maybe you have lost someone you love a parent, a husband, or a child. The phone rang. It was your doctor with a diagnosis of cancer. Your boss called you into his office and fired you. Now a financial catastrophe is just around the corner. I don't know what you are facing or have faced, but I am sure you have experienced trouble, trials, and pain. They are all part of life. Honestly, my heart has cried out, "Lord, I just don't get it! I don't understand. Where are you, and why are you letting this happen?" There have been times I have crawled out on a limb of faith only to have that limb break, plunging me into a sea of doubts and questions. I have a prayer team of about twenty women who pray for me, my family, and my ministry. I'm not sure I would get out of bed if I didn't know those women were praying for me. My life is an adventure. I compare each day to a series of helicopters landing. Our son and daughter-in-law and their four children lived with us for 18 months when they moved to Kansas City. After living with us for about a month, our daughter-in-law Jodi asked, "Is it always like this?" I laughed and said, "Jodi, I should have warned you before you married our son that if your last name is Southerland, there seems to be a bullseye on your back." I can't tell you how many times I have asked, "Seriously, Lord? Why this? Why me! Why now? Where in the world are you, and what are you doing? This makes no sense!" I was sexually molested as a child. Clinical depression is a daily battle. Dan and I went through two years of infertility testing only to discover we could not have biological children. My husband has had 51 cardioversions, two ablations, and one convergence procedure on his heart. I have Scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, arthritis, and stenosis in my back. There's more - so much more. For example, my husband recently had a sinus infection. When the doctor gave him an antibiotic, he warned, "About 1 in 600 people have the strangest side effect with this medication. It inflames the Achilles heel to the point that the tendon can rupture. So, if your ankles get sore, stop the medicine and call me." I whispered to the nurse, "Just go ahead and make that note on Dan's chart. He will have that side effect." She gave me the strangest look. Dan's ankles were sore five days later, so he stopped the medication, and I called the nurse. When I told her that Dan's ankles were so sore that he could barely walk, there was a silence before she said, "You are kidding me!" Nope! Sure wasn't. So, a new medication was ordered, and a note was made on Dan's chart. When tough times come, my first response is usually to run to Jesus for help. But if I am honest, I want that help to look a certain way. You see, I don't like pain and try to avoid it every chance I get. So, God must have a miraculous solution to my problem, or maybe he has created a nearby exit that will allow me to escape the darkness altogether. After all, I am a faithful follower of Christ seeking God and his plan for my life. Right? I am often slow when it comes to accepting Spiritual truth. However, I have finally figured out that God has a different plan in mind. Sometimes that plan looks like I thought it would, but other times it is unrecognizable to me. That's when the questions start flying. God, you want me to do what? How exactly am I supposed to do that? I am unqualified. Just keeping it real. Every time I am engulfed with doubt and consumed with pain of some kind, God takes my "real" self to Isaiah 45:3 and asks me to live in those words for a while. And they shed an entirely different light on my circumstances no matter what they are. Isaiah 45:3 (NLT) And I will give you treasures hidden in the darknesssecret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name. My God has changed my life and ministry through the words: treasures hidden in the darkness secret riches. God has gone before you. He has already been where he is asking you to go. Jesus is in every tomorrow. Do. Not. Miss. These. Truths. In every storm, God has hidden a treasure. Like the disciples, you may find yourself in a rocking boat in the middle of a stormy sea, wondering how long you have before your boat capsizes or is slammed against the rocks. Either way, you are in big trouble unless Jesus does something. And he does. He walks on water to his disciples, climbs into the boat, and immediately calms the storm to a whisper, just like that. In every trial, God has stored secret riches. Those hidden riches are truths yet to be learned, which will redefine us and create a new foundation on which we can stand without fear or doubt. A solid basis to building a new life. We need to understand and be willing to accept the fact that in God's kingdom, some things cannot be learned in the light, and some treasures are meant to be learned in the darkness. I love the powerful story of the famous lace shops of Belgium. These shops produce the best quality and most intricate designs of lace. I discovered one of the reasons for their success. Certain rooms are set aside for spinning the highest quality of lace. Each room is uniquely designed. It is entirely dark except for one tiny window. The light shines through these windows onto the pattern of lace below. One spinner works in the darkness, sitting where the thin stream of light falls on the thread. Now think about it. The spinner sits in the dark to create the most beautiful lace while only his work is in the light. We really can choose a new perspective for times of trouble. We can choose now before that trouble hits to find something good that comes from every trial and storm. God delights in taking every broken piece of our lives and creating something beautiful. Bible students were asked to read the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy. When they came to Deuteronomy 6:6, one young man had a question. "Why does it say that God's promises are upon our heart instead of in our heart?" The wise teacher responded, "It is not within man's power to put God's truth in the heart. The truths must be placed on the surface of the heart so that when the heartbreaks, the seeds fall in, take root and grow." We must remember who God is. 2 Corinthians 1:3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort." We serve a big God, but he is still concerned about every tiny detail of our lives. If it is important to us, it is important to Him. Psalms 28:7 "The LORD is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust in him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy." When we fully trust God, our hearts will be filled with joy. Joy chooses to believe that God is in control no matter what our circumstances may be, while happiness depends entirely on our circumstances. When we believe he is in control, we will praise him. It is interesting that Paul writes 2 Corinthians after being jailed and beaten because of his faith in Jesus Christ. He wrote this letter to the church at Corinth to answer claims about his motives, lack of commitment, and even his love for Jesus. Unbelievable! Paul probably experienced more dark times than all of us put together. Yet, he begins this book with praise. What a solid statement for us. We should approach every trial with praise. Paul couldn't rejoice about his circumstances, but he could rejoice in the Lord of his circumstances because Paul understood who God is. Paul knew that genuine praise changes things. He learned that we were created to praise God. It is part of our DNA. Psalm 148:5(NLT) "Let every created thing give praise to the Lord." This verse does not say that we have to feel like praising God. Instead, the psalmist says that we are to give him praise which indicates a choice. Praise comes from a Latin word that means "worth or value." So, to praise God means choosing to celebrate the worth, the value, and the presence of God. Jesus didn't come to eliminate the dark times or to explain suffering. If we had an explanation for every dark moment of pain, we would not need faith. Instead, Jesus came to fill darkness and despair with his presence, transforming what is broken into something beautiful. Praise is not a feeling or emotion. Our emotions are fickle and change with the wind. Praise is a deliberate choice of our will to make our attitude, mind, heart, and perspective line up to praise God. Praise has an element of acceptance in it. Giving God praise demonstrates our choice to accept a situation without insisting that he change it for our comfort. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV) "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Praising God and trusting God are the opposite sides of the same coin. Genuine praise chooses to trust God with the results. Even though our trial may not change, we will certainly change because of the trial when we remember who God is and give him praise. Remember the woman I told you about at the beginning of this article? I was shocked to hear from her several years later. She told me that she had been so angry with God that she could not read the Bible or go to church. She was broken. "But God." Two of the most significant words ever spoken slowly began to heal and restore her and her whole family. She said she finally got to the place where she could see how God used that horrendous experience to make her stronger and her relationship with Him more powerful than it had ever been before. Wow! Just wow! No matter what storm or trial you face today, stop what you are doing and take a deep breath. Reject the lies Satan is whispering in your ear. Close your eyes for just a moment and whisper his name Jesus and he is there. Photo credit: Getty Images/kieferpix Mary Southerland is also the Co-founder of Girlfriends in God, a conference and devotion ministry for women. Marys books include, Hope in the Midst of Depression, Sandpaper People, Escaping the Stress Trap, Experiencing Gods Power in Your Ministry, Fit for Life, and 10-Day Trust Adventure, You Make Me So Angry, How to Study the Bible, Fit for Life, Joy for the Journey, and Life Is So Daily. Mary relishes her ministry as a wife, a mother to their two children, Jered and Danna, and Mimi to her six grandchildren Jaydan, Lelia, Justus, Hudson, Mo, and Nori. Are we experiencing biblical end times right now? Many people think so as they look around and tally up our current troubles; a deadly global pandemic, frequent weather-related dangers such as flooding and fire, and the human cost of war, such as we now see in Afghanistan. Additionally, people notice how polarized society seems to be--brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor. We only have to scroll through social media to feel the rancor and bitterness that stain every platform. Of course, there have been other tense times throughout history, when people no doubt felt the end times were very near; times of terror, despair, destruction, and death. Think of the Cold War, when nuclear war was a constant threat to humanity. Or pre-Civil War America, when families were ripped apart and slavery was a cruel norm. Or the rise of the Third Reich in Germany and eastern Europe, when human beings were slaughtered for being Jewish. Or, more recently, during 9/11 and the days to follow, when the world realized evil indeed was present on earth. We are given a glimpse into what the actual end times will look like from the apostle Peter, whom Christ called the rock. In 2 Peter 3:10 the apostle relates, But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. We truly dont know when the end times will be, and Gods Holy Word makes this very clear. The end times are indeed an important consideration for us; the Bible has hundreds of prophecies about the days leading up to the second coming of Christ, and the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, is made up of prophetic visions of these events which are told in bold, vibrant detail. Matthew 24:36 emphasizes, when speaking of Jesus return, But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. The topic of the end times has been of deep interest to Christians since Christ himself walked the earth. Jesus warned the disciples about the end times, saying, Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:34-36) As people of faith, how are we to behave during the end times, if that is indeed where we are heading? What is our role as Christians in this time of biblical fulfillment? Watch and Pray Christ himself gave us a very clear directive, in the verses just mentioned. He first warned of our attention being caught up in the wrong things: carousing, drunkenness, and anxiety. Jesus seems to be saying we will be caught totally unaware by the cataclysmic events preceding his return, and notes the shock when we realize we have been focusing on the wrong things (he actually says the day will close upon us like a trap.) We need to take this to heart as believers, staying watchful for the signs of the end of our time here on earth. Interestingly, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defies watchfulness as the state of being constantly attentive and responsive to signs of opportunity, activity, or danger. How apt for what we are discussing! The definition does not include being anxious. Jesus warned us about staying away from activities that steal our watchfulness--too much frivolity and drink, and interestingly, anxiety. In a world that is increasingly anxious, Jesus warns us away from this stress--to instead, we can infer, stay focused on him and the promises in the Bible for our everlasting life. The Merriam-Webster definition mentioned above does not assign a mood to watchfulness; so watchfulness does not--and should not--include anxiety. For those tempted to pack bug out bags and head for the hills in fear, another perspective is helpful; we can trust Jesus to give us all needed direction in the last days. Live Holy and Godly Lives Another clue to how we should conduct ourselves as we prepare for the end times leads us back to 2 Peter. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat (2 Peter 3:11-12). Here we are again given the imagery of fire (the uptick in deadly forest fires has no doubt caused many to be on heightened alert). We are again given the idea that things will disappear--or melt in the heat--and in 2 Peter 3:10, remember, we are told things will be laid bare. Not just the earth, but everything done in it. Gods judgment will be at hand. How do we make these directives found in 2 Peter and spoken by Jesus himself actionable in our modern lives? First, may we remember something very important: if we are true believers, we are going to be absolutely okay. Christ died to give us eternal life with him! Even though the end times will be frightening, and we will no doubt see things that we cannot even begin to imagine, we must live by faith, trusting in Gods promises and the meaning of the resurrection. We will be fine when this earth passes away. Living holy, godly lives means to take care with how we conduct ourselves each day. Think of those who, no matter how bad things get, rush to help others. Think of the police and firefighters during 9/11 that rushed in to burning buildings. They were living out John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this: to lay down ones life for ones friends. They not only laid down their lives, but laid them down for strangers. This is truly godly behavior. Can we be brave and godly in our own lives, protecting the vulnerable, such as the unborn and the elderly, and helping neighbors and friends when we can, expecting nothing in return? Is it possible to give more of yourself to others in Christs name not just your money but your time, your heart? And how do we become more godly? Godly means to be more devout, which means to have and show more religious feeling, or commitment. Can we commit more to our Christian faith, and feel unashamed to share our faith with others? It is all too easy, in our increasingly judgmental society, to hide our faith from others; to sweep it under the rug, so to speak. Certainly, if end times are approaching, it would be a very loving act to show who we love and worship--God and His son, Jesus Christ--and why we love them so passionately. After all, we want as many people drawn to the cross as possible before this world passes away! If we remain watchful and prayerful, as Jesus told us, and try to live more committed lives of faith while performing acts that bring honor to God, we are well on our way to respecting and loving our Lord, who dearly wants to be with us in heaven when it is time. Above all, trust in our shared faith and believe wholly and fervently in the promises of the Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth. We are beloved of Him, and He will take care of us throughout all eternity. This is indeed the Good News, and should banish all fear! Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/Javier_Art_Photography Deirdre Reilly is a writer and editor, and her commentary has appeared on various websites including CBN.com, FoxNews.com, and others. Her new book, The Pretend Christian: Traveling Beyond Denomination to the True Jesus, details her own personal journey through doubt and fear into true belief. You can connect with Deirdre via www.deirdrereilly.com, or follow her on Twitter at @deirdrewrites. President Joe Biden speaks about COVID-19 on the North Lawn of the White House on Tuesday, April 27, 2021, in Washington. Yes, signing bonuses are going to new hires. Yes, we have flexible work hours and remote work options to attract new employees. Cash combined with other incentives has been used to attract employees. There aren't any incentives. My place of business doesn't need employees. Vote View Results The dense-growing common witch hazel shrub only gets to about 30 feet tall and some growers like to keep it small so that its essential oils are richer. In Connecticut, this plant (Hamamelis virginiana) that produces yellow blossoms in late fall has long been a key part of the states economy and farming history. Native Americans discovered the medicinal properties of witch hazel and passed their knowledge of how to use the plant to European settlers. Today, witch hazel is a staple in most medicine cabinets in America. Its astringent properties make it well suited from skin care, especially facial toners, to first aid for wounds and rashes. Connecticut has been dubbed the witch hazel capital of the world and while that night be a bit of an exaggeration, witch hazel is big business here. Not only is a large supply of witch hazel grown here but several notable companies are based here or have strong Connecticut ties. Andrea Valluzzo/ For Hearst Connecticut Media Dickinson's After making his fortunes in the Civil War, Thomas Newtown Dickinson founded a consortium in Essex in the early 1800s, uniting small companies that made witch hazel. He brought these companies together under one brand, T.N. Dickinsons. Later, his sons, who inherited the firm after his death, split the company into two brands: E.E. Dickinsons, focusing on skin care and known for its yellow label, and T.N. Dickinsons, whose blue label products are related to first aid. We were organic before organic was a thing, said Bryan Jackowitz, President of Dickinsons Brands, noting that witch hazel is good from your nose to your toes. Founded in 1847 in Massachusetts by Henry Thayer, Thayers today makes a variety of products using witch hazel from toner to pain relieving pads. The company works with Gilberties in Easton, which has a field of just over an acre where it organically grows witch hazel exclusively for Thayers. A sister company to Dickinsons is American Distilling in East Hampton, which distills witch hazel materials that go into products made by renowned pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies. Allegra Anderson/Dickinson Brands/ Contributed photo Interest in witch hazel has always been there but in recent years has surged as customers increasingly look for organic products without adulterants and chemicals. People are looking for tried and true, back to basic, honest to goodness natural products that just simply work to take care of their skin and their families, Jackowitz said. Dickinsons witch hazel grows in state forests and protected properties. Its foresters also harvest witch hazel by hand but in winter, waiting until the ground freezes to minimize the environmental impact on the land from heavy equipment necessary to haul away the timber. Using sustainable methods, they harvest the branches to get at the pulpy material inside the cambium which is then extracted and distilled. Virtually all the plant gets used and leftover material becomes landscaping mulch. The other thing that is important about our harvest is it actually promotes the health of the forest, Jackowitz said. Because witch hazel grows underneath the canopy and is a low-growing shrub ... it drowns out the light that is able to get to the forest floor so when we come in and thin it out that enables other hardwoods to grow up. Laura Perry Thayers Third generation grower Sal Gilbertie today heads his family farm, Gilberties, which began in the 1920s as a cut flower farm but soon earned a reputation for excellence in herbs and vegetables. About seven years ago, Thayers embarked on a partnership with Gilberties. The bottles note that the witch hazel is grown in Fairfield County; the farm is in Easton. Gilbertie said they hand-cut the witch hazel shrubs in a field by hand, cutting them down almost to the base each fall. Their product is certified organic. This is when the essential oil is the strongest when the bushes are like this, he says pointing to a compact but dense witch hazel bush growing in a field. Showing an old cut near the base, he says, They come back nicely. NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (AP) President Joe Biden turned the page on one legacy of 9/11 by ending the war in Afghanistan. But he has yet to do much about another: the Guantanamo Bay detention center. The White House says it intends to shutter the prison on the U.S. base in Cuba, which opened in January 2002 and where most of the 39 men still held have never been charged with a crime. How or when the administration will carry out that plan remains unclear, though early moves to free one prisoner and place five others on a list of those eligible for release have generated optimism among some eager to see it close, including prisoners. The fact that Biden, at least, is saying the right things has given people hope, said Clive Stafford Smith, a lawyer who was recently making his 40th trip to Guantanamo Bay, seeing prisoners he hadnt been able to visit since the start of the pandemic. Hope is a dangerous thing because its easily crushed. But at the same time, at least, they have hope and thats good. As he did with Afghanistan, Biden faces a complex task in closing Guantanamo. It was a pledge that President Barack Obama famously made, and then failed to carry out. Closure was abandoned as a goal altogether under President Donald Trump, who vowed once to load it up with some bad dudes but mostly just ignored the place. The challenge now, as then, remains: What should the U.S. government do with the men at Guantanamo it isnt ready to release? Among them are Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, a onetime senior al-Qaida figure considered the architect of the 9/11 attacks. He faces a trial by military commission with four co-defendants that amid legal and logistical challenges, personnel issues and the pandemic has been bogged down in the pretrial stage at a specially built high-security courtroom for more than 9 years. There is no start in sight. Mohammad and his co-defendants were in court this week for the first time since the start of the pandemic for a hearing on the qualifications of a new judge, Air Force Col. Matthew McCall, to preside over the sprawling death penalty case. It was the 42nd round of pretrial hearings since the arraignment in May 2012. With the passage of time comes new problems. The oldest prisoner, a Pakistani cleared for release in May but who remains at Guantanamo, is 74 and has heart disease and other ailments. A number of other men have significant physical and mental health issues as well that will need to be addressed if indefinite detention goes on much longer. Since Guantanamo opened, nine prisoners have died two from natural causes, and seven in apparent suicides. People are getting older, sicker, more and more desperate, said Pardiss Kebriaei, an attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights who represents a Yemeni prisoner who was recently cleared but remains held. Its not surprising, really, that no one made long-term plans for the detention center. It was a makeshift project from the start. Following the invasion of Afghanistan, in reaction to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the U.S. wanted a place to hold the hundreds of prisoners from dozens of countries swept up by American forces, many handed over, as it turned out later, in exchange for bounties regardless of whether they had a connection to al-Qaida or the Taliban. The administration of then President George W. Bush declared they were the worst of the worst, and asserted it could hold the men overseas, without charge as unlawful enemy combatants, not entitled to the full protections of prisoners of war at the sleepy Navy outpost on the jagged southeastern coast of Cuba. A photo released by the Pentagon showed the first detainees, clad in orange jumpsuits, and kneeling in outdoor cages under the tropical sun. It was intended to show a message that we are doing what we need to do in a defiant message to the world, said Karen Greenberg, director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law. They regretted that decision very soon afterwards, within days if not weeks, said Greenberg, author of The Least Worst Place: Guantanamos First 100 Days. As reports emerged of brutal treatment, Guantanamo became a source of international outrage, undercutting the sympathy and support the U.S. drew after the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. would end up holding 779 prisoners at Guantanamo and spend hundreds of millions constructing and operating what today looks more or less like a small state prison, surrounded by razor wire and guard posts at the edge of the shimmering Caribbean Sea. Bush would ultimately let 532 prisoners out. Obama released 197. Trump released a single detainee, a Saudi who went back to his homeland after striking a plea deal in the problem-plagued military commissions. Few of those held could be charged with a crime because no evidence was collected when they were captured, or there wasnt any, or it was tainted beyond use when the detainees were subjected to what the CIA euphemistically called enhanced interrogation. Of those who remain, 10 are facing trial by military commission, with all still in the pretrial stage. Over the years, the population has steadily shrunk as the U.S. decided some men no longer posed a threat and werent worth holding amid legal challenges. It has also at times been roiled by hunger strikes and rocked by clashes between prisoners and guards, sparked largely by frustration at being held indefinitely without charge under what the U.S. asserted was its right under the international laws of war. Guantanamo is smaller and quieter now. But Stafford Smith, a founder of the human rights organization Reprieve, says its still oppressive. Its not so much the physical conditions, its the psychological conditions, he said. Being told that youre in Hotel California and you can check out but you can never leave, that psychologically is immensely damaging to people. Obama, who issued an executive order shortly after taking office directing that Guantanamo be closed within a year, ran into political opposition when his administration announced it would move the military trials to federal courts. Congress eventually added language to the annual Pentagon authorization bill prohibiting the government from moving Guantanamo prisoners into the United States for any reason. In a sign that the political winds might be shifting, Congress recently stripped the prohibition on transferring Guantanamo Bay prisoners from the Pentagon authorization and eliminated funding for the detention center from next years budget. It remains to be seen whether that will change, particularly after several former prisoners, released under both Bush and Obama, emerged as Taliban leaders in Afghanistan. The Biden administration, which didnt respond to requests for comment for this article, hasnt said much about its plans. I dont have a timeline for you, press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters when asked in July about closing Guantanamo. As you know, theres a process. There are different layers of the process. But that remains our goal, and we are considering all available avenues to responsibly transfer detainees and, of course, close Guantanamo Bay. Those who support closure are encouraged by the fact that the new administration has revived a review board process and has cleared five for release. (None were cleared under Trump). But they are concerned that Biden team has yet to name anyone at the State Department to lead an effort to secure agreements with other countries for the resettlement of prisoners, as was done under Obama. Many argue that the simplest solution would be to move the cases of the 10 detainees facing trial by military commission to federal court in the U.S. and find a way to transfer or release the rest. Kebriaei, the attorney whose Yemeni client is awaiting release, said the administration just needs to focus on the issue. Theres a sense that it has to be done and very practically more of a possibility that it can be done," she said. ___ Ben Fox writes about national security for The Associated Press in Washington. He has reported from Guantanamo Bay many times since 2005. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/benfoxatap CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) When news came that a 20-year-old Wyoming soldier was one of the last casualties of the two-decade-long U.S. war in Afghanistan, it arrived as a tragic bookend: A 20-year-old soldier from Wyoming was among the first to die in the same war. Army Ranger Spc. Jonn Edmunds, of Cheyenne, was one of the war's first two casualties when a Black Hawk helicopter on a search-and-rescue mission crashed in Pakistan on Oct. 19, 2001. Last month, the family of Marine Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, of Bondurant just outside Jackson, got word he was among 13 U.S. soldiers killed in a suicide bombing Aug. 26 at the Kabul airport. Edmunds and McCollum were both killed on their first deployments. In between, almost 2,500 U.S. troops died in the Afghanistan war, most with far less attention than the two Wyoming men got. As with Edmunds death in the chaotic aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, McCollums strikes an especially sad chord as Americans struggle to process what good if any has come from their nations longest war. That was a totally senseless death," Edmunds father, Donn Edmunds, said of McCollum. Seeing the other people losing their loved ones, all that does is bring back bad memories for my family." A 25-year U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam, Edmunds remembers how two officers knocked on his door on the outskirts of Cheyenne before sunrise on Oct. 20, 2001, bringing word of his sons death. I looked out the window, I saw them standing there and all I could think was Oh my God, I know what theyre here for. Ive done notifications so I knew, said Edmunds, who as a military police officer participated in telling relatives of loved ones' deaths. He got choked up and quiet while looking at a display of his sons medals and the folded American flag presented to him and other families of fallen soldiers. They came in and gave us the Regret to inform you speech. My wife had been up by then, and I watched her melt into this carpet right here on the floor," Edmunds recalled. "And they asked, Is there anything we can do? and we said, No, just let us absorb this, and we have to be able to accept this. Wyoming is the least populated state and one that values tradition: rodeo and county fairs in summer, elk hunting in fall, calving season in spring and military service. Jonn Edmunds and his friends grew up playing with water guns, then laser tag in the familys big yard. Eventually the honors student moved up to paintball, Donn Edmunds recalled. We used to have the guys from the Air Force come out here. And theyd knock on the door and say, Can Jonn come out and play paintball with us? he said. On the opposite side of Cheyenne, F.E. Warren Air Force Base has overseen nuclear missiles in silos beneath the Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska plains since the 1960s. Each July, the city hosts its massive Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo festival but Cheyenne has always been a military town at heart. Like Edmunds, McCollum seemed born with soldiering in his blood. He grew up in the Jackson Hole area, a region of rugged, forested mountains and big-time outdoors culture on the other side of Wyoming from Cheyenne. Even as a toddler, McCollum played with toy rifles, pretending he was a soldier or hunter, relatives said. As a high school wrestler, he distinguished himself by training intensely. At school, in 2017, he and his father spoke out publicly when a multiple-choice quiz for a reading assignment facetiously offered shooting at Trump as an answer. On Friday, hundreds of people lined the streets of Jackson to honor McCollum as his remains returned home from Afghanistan. Many people drove from surrounding towns, some multiple hours away, to pay their respects, and law enforcement saluted as the hearse passed by. I wrestled with him all my life. He was a senior when I was a freshman, said Colter Dawson of Jackson. He died for our country. Theres not that many people who get to make that kind of honorable sacrifice, and thats something this town and this country need to recognize more. Jackson, where McCollum graduated from high school, is a wealthy ski and summer tourism enclave near Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks that many in Wyoming view as socioeconomically out of step and politically more moderate than the rest of the state. Yet the town of 10,000 has shown no less respect for veterans and military service, especially over the past 20 years, said Joseph Burke, commander of the local American Legion post. It was around 9/11 that people started to recognize veterans, the sacrifices they and their families really made, Burke said. We've got kids who go in the service from here all the time. McCollums widow, Jiennah Crayton, is due to deliver a baby in a couple of weeks and the family plans a memorial service sometime after. Meanwhile, three online fundraising efforts have brought in over $900,000 for Crayton and the childs education. After Jonn Edmunds death, television trucks lined up outside the family's home. Reporters gathered at their daughters school, Donn Edmunds recalled, and the family lived like hermits for a few weeks. At a memorial service that filled a 4,500-seat gym, Jonn Edmunds commanding officer remembered him as a gritty soldier who still had that intense look on his face even after other soldiers looked tired. Such crowds wouldnt always show up, however, at services for soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq over the next two decades. Yeah, people got numb. But the families that were affected never got numb, Edmunds said. The Edmunds family received about $24,000 in donations which they gave away to causes including the Wounded Warrior Project, a charity for troops wounded since 2001, Edmunds said. He has spent the years since his sons death riding his Harley-Davidson with the Patriot Guard Riders, a biker group that helps maintain decorum at military funerals, running unsuccessfully for the Wyoming Legislature and trying to raise interest in establishing a veterans memorial park. Now hes thinking about suing the U.S. government over its withdrawal from Afghanistan, which he criticized as poorly organized. All of these peoples sons were great. Every one of them was a traumatic loss for their family. And the thing about it is, what for? Edmunds said. We have abandoned their mission. The work of consoling and counseling grief-stricken relatives, however, was therapeutic both for him and for relatives, said Edmunds, 72, who runs a security business. A woman once asked at an event held by the Armys Survivor Outreach Services family support group whether losing a loved one ever got easier, Edmunds recalled. I said Maam, it will never get easier. The only thing that will happen to you is time will separate you from the event, Edmunds said. ____ AP journalist Amy Beth Hanson in Helena, Montana and photographer Amber Baesler in Jackson, Wyoming contributed to this report. ____ Follow Mead Gruver at https://twitter.com/meadgruver COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Nagla Bedir didn't discuss Sept. 11 with her New Jersey high school students last year. Mid-pandemic, with remote learning, it wasn't a conversation she wanted to have via computer screen. But this year, returning to the classroom just after the end of America's longest war, she figures she can't not teach about it. So later this month after students in her international diplomacy class have introduced themselves and agreed on how they'll have respectful conversations she plans to ask two questions: What do you know about 9/11, why it happened, and the aftermath? And how is it connected to Afghanistan? She isn't sure what they'll say, but she's set on having the discussion. I think its really important that teachers dont shy away from teaching about these things, says Bedir, co-founder of the organization Teaching While Muslim. Many educators worry about teaching anything thats considered political, she says, and I think its really unfortunate because there is so much misinformation and disinformation in the world. Along with packed curriculums and calendars, those are just some of the challenges of teaching about Sept. 11 to kids born since that day, who get so much of their information from online and social media spaces, and sometimes don't have the interest or media literacy to differentiate truth from conspiracy theories that persist 20 years later. Today's students don't have memories from that day but have heard about it all their lives, and thats bound to lead to questions, says Jennifer Grygiel, a Syracuse University professor who researches social media and the internet. If they arent given factual information that helps them understand what happened and why, untruths can fill the void. Conspiracy theories take root when there are unknowns, and there were so many unknowns about that day," Grygiel says. In the absence of information, people go online. And what do they find? It depends. An online search for content related to 9/11 conspiracy theories turns up millions of hits: videos, blogs and whole websites devoted to different theories, as well as accurate information that attempts to debunk the myths. Platforms like YouTube and Facebook say theyve taken steps to curb the spread of 9/11 misinformation by promoting authoritative information about the attacks, or by adding links to other sources that debunk myths. Questions about conspiracy theories and 9/11 misinformation often arise in training that the National Sept. 11 Memorial & Museum has offered for hundreds of teachers, according to Noah Rauch, its senior vice president for education and public programs. The subject comes up so much that it developed specific sessions for teachers who want to use 9/11 and related conspiracy theories to teach critical thinking skills. Longtime history teacher Kathy Durham uses 9/11 to teach her high schoolers in rural West Wendover, Nevada, about perspectives and primary sources, looking at documentaries and old news coverage and requiring them to talk to adults who remember that day. Occasionally students claim the attacks were an inside job, and Durham says she pushes them to analyze the credibility of sources and evidence. Its really, really a delicate thing, because my job is to teach kids to think and not tell them what to think, Durham says. Some schools teach about 9/11 around the anniversary, briefly discuss it in contemporary history classes or incorporate resources offered by the memorial, the government, nonprofits or teachers unions. Often the approach is up to the educator, even in states where education standards require it for certain grades or classes. I think that the way its been taught has largely been memorializing the events versus really digging into the context of 9/11 and the ongoing sort of results of 9/11, says Jeremy Stoddard, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor who has researched that subject. In the early years, it was an emotionally charged topic, but now more of the challenge is engaging students so distanced from it, says Anthony Gardner, whose brother Harvey died at the World Trade Center. Gardner founded the September 11th Education Trust, which released a curriculum to help teachers incorporate 9/11-related lessons not just on the anniversary but in coursework throughout the year. It's important, Gardner says, that students hear about those who died, the aftermath, related deaths that came later, and the lessons learned. We made that pledge to never forget, he says. Corey Winchester, a high school history teacher in Evanston, Illinois, tries to teach about Sept. 11 not as just a moment in time but something that were still interacting with and a lesson about perspectives. That means he might make connections to it while teaching about internment of Japanese-Americans or the Vietnam War, he says. For some teachers, incorporating personal stories helps drive home the wide impact of 9/11. Liz Prince is having her fifth graders at DeSoto Central Elementary school in Southaven, Mississippi, record an interview with someone they know about a Sept. 11 experience, then share it with classmates. She also ordered books to help with age-appropriate explanations about places that were targeted and people who died. But Prince says shes not ready to discuss Afghanistan, which she considers too political for her classroom. At Princeton High School outside Cincinnati, social studies teacher Jim OConnor has fielded questions from his students about why U.S. troops were in Afghanistan for so long. He says he'll tell them his memories about teaching on the day of the attacks, and how, as part of the Air National Guard, he later had to help deploy friends to Iraq. He hopes talking about the sense of patriotism and unity that emerged reminds students that such things are possible. In New Jersey, Bedir plans to outline the basics of what happened, then have students explore the timeline of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan since even before 2001. She, too, anticipates recounting her own experience, when she was a student herself. She was 11, attending a school with a view of the smoking New York skyline. Her parents feared for her safety as anti-Muslim sentiment rose after the attacks, and she says they halted her plans to begin wearing a hijab. She ended up waiting a decade. ___ Klepper, who reported from Providence, R.I., covers misinformation for The Associated Press. Find the reporters on Twitter at https://twitter.com/kantele10 and https://twitter.com/davidklepper. KILLINGWORTH Deer Lake Camp, a popular 35-year-old childrens summer camp and Boy Scout wilderness reservation, is up for sale in connection with the Boy Scouts of Americas $850 million sex abuse settlement. Deer Lake, an unspoiled 255-acre wilderness site, is an attraction for hikers its part of a trail system linking Chatfield Hollow and Cockaponset State Forest as well as former campers and neighbors. The camp boasts a mile-long spring-fed lake, a swimming area in a kettle (a lake or pond created by retreating flood waters or glaciers) called the lagoon, as well as manicured trails in pristine forest. And, nearly everyone mentions the unique glacier rock formation called Fat Mans Squeeze that children love to explore. The private Save Deer Lake Facebook group was created just two days after an announcement was made informally last week that Connecticut Yankee Council Boy Scouts of America wanted to sell the camp, according to Ted Langevin, a scout leader, chairman of Pack 491 in Madison and member of the Quinnipiac district committee. Many on Facebook posted comments that they were surprised about the potential sale of the property and closing of the camp. Former campers, lifeguards, parents and volunteers were brainstorming online how to prevent its loss. Theyre really going to miss it if we cant pull this off, Langevin said. Many of the people that have joined the group weve gotten close to 200 people theyve reacted because they were childhood campers or their kids went. Theyre up in arms, Langevin said. The summer camp rebounded after the pandemic and has remained popular for all of its years, he said. We usually have a waiting list this year was no exception, Langevin said. According to Langevin, group members hope to raise enough money or get grants to buy the camp, ensure the land remains preserved or attract a large donor or buyer. $850 million settlement The parcel was appraised between $3.7 million to $4.2 million. Some $2.6 million will go to the Boy Scouts of America, Langevin said, to help pay the local councils assessed share of the $850 million sex abuse settlement signed off on by a judge in August to pay the tens of thousands of abuse victims, according to claimsjournal.com. The $850 million agreement is between the Boy Scouts national organization and about 250 local councils along with law firms representing about 70,000 former scouts who allege they were molested, the website states. A fund for survivors would receive about $250 million from the national Boy Scouts and $600 million from local councils, along with insurance rights. The Save Deer Lake Facebook pages mission is to raise enough money to either buy the camp outright or to make sure that the land is protected as an educational and recreational camp or as a conservation area. Other Boy Scout facilities in the state also up for sale as part of the settlement are the Connecticut Yankee Council headquarters in Milford and Camp Pomperaug in Union, according to Langevin. At Save Deer Lake, members discuss the possibility of garnering a state grant, approaching the town of Killingworth for funds, as well as setting up a GoFundMe page and talking to potential donors. Group members also suggest splitting the parcel into two pieces: an unimproved section to sell to the state or other entity to preserve the forest and trails, and the camp portion separately to an organization or owner wanting to continue its operation. That way, Langevin said, It would be less expensive and attractive to somebody looking to run a camp. For Langevin, the beauty of Deer Lake unique: Its a very peaceful place you kind of get this feeling of all the world is outside, and youre just watching the sunset on the lake. What it does on the lake is amazing. Camp Ranger Mark Clifton and his wife Patty have worked and lived at the camp for some 35 years. Theyve been a big part of the facility during their time there. Mark and Patty they were a young couple the camp was in a shambles. Essentially, they built it back up with their bare hands, Langevin said. The house was uninhabitable. Theyve been there ever since. Scouting is a nonprofit organization they have never seemed to have enough to do what was needed to do, Langevin said. The couple, he said, seemed to be sticking it together with bailing wire and chewing gum. A perfect site Patty Clifton worked alongside her husband, putting together the childrens camp since the mid 1980s. I really hope that it will remain a wooded and green space. Im very proud of what weve done the summer camp program that has been my focus for the last 35 years. I was really hoping to someday passing it on, she said. I just hate the thought of it all ending. It would be a shame if turned into a housing development. The clock is ticking for fundraising and supporters are scrambling to come up with a solution, Langevin said, as the sellers will put it on the market soon. And for the time being, the Cliftons have permission to stay at the camp until December. Clifton said she takes pride in a well-developed program, and the parcel is a perfect site for summer camp activities. Were not into huge were into more good, quality programs enriching kids lives, and teaching them to be good citizens and good humans, she said. Clifton, a camp accreditation visitor, sees many other camps in the region and said she is always pleased to see how Deer Lake stacks up. I can tell you that this is, by far, the nicest piece of property Ive been to, and I visit camps every summer and Im being objective. Ive never seen anything like this. Its just beautiful a nice balance of lakes and fields, ledge and cliffs and wetlands. Perfect for any kind of nature study and exploration out into the woods. It would just be a shame if it could not continue, she said. Weve really maintained the forest, she added, noting that her husband Ranger Mark Clifton, with a degree in geology and earth science, has worked with forestry professionals. Everything is so perfectly groomed. They have also taken part in a program to reintroduce chestnut trees once native to the state, but now extinct. Chestnut seedlings have been planted under the guidance of the American Chestnut Foundation. Fond memories One member of Save Deer Lake, Christine Forristall, a lifelong Killingworth resident who worked as a lifeguard while in high school and later promoted to waterfront director as a young adult, said the camp would be sorely missed. Her daughters, in fifth and seventh grades, are campers now, and her family hikes the trails year round. It was an amazing experience working with the kids you were impacting the kids, too, Forristall said. In that time, she estimates she worked with 150 kids a week for over 10 summers. She grew up across the street from the park. Part of the fun was getting to her job, I used to cross the waterfall every day to work. From her experience at the camp, Forristall now teaches the lifeguards for the Madison Beach and Recreation Department as well as set up their waterfront management plan. While at Deer Lake, she said, The whole program taught us to have an appreciation of not only nature, but getting outside of our comfort zone knowing theres a whole world out there thats right in front of our face. Its more than just a camp to me and many others its a great to not be in front of a screen, she said, to go out and explore the outdoors. 99 cent introductory offer Includes everything we offer online for 24-7 news. This option allows you to read unlimited stories at ctnewsonline.com, and access our e-Edition (digital replicate of the daily newspaper). $7.99 per month after the introductory offer. This service comes with a complimentary CT Select Card allowing for local discounts. Rates are subject to change. JUNEAU, Alaska Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said President Joe Bidens effort to require millions of U.S. workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is ill conceived, divisive, and un-American. At a time in which we are called to work together, forced medical procedures run counter to our collective sense of fairness and liberty, the Republican said in a statement. My administration is aggressively identifying every tool at our disposal to protect the inherent individual rights of all Alaskans. The statement did not describe what that might entail. Dunleavy has butted heads with the Biden administration on resource development issues. Dunleavy has faced some criticism in Alaska for not mandating masks or for not implementing a new disaster declaration to deal with a recent surge in COVID-19 cases. He has instead asked lawmakers to act on legislation aimed at addressing staffing concerns raised by health care facilities. In his statement Friday, Dunleavy said that it is clear from the data and empirical evidence over the last year that the vaccine is the most effective way to fight COVID-19. From what we are seeing in our hospitals, the very ill are mostly those who are unvaccinated. As Governor, and as someone who had COVID and has been vaccinated, I will continue to recommend that Alaskans speak to their healthcare providers and discuss the merits of the vaccine based on their individual healthcare needs, he said. ___ MORE ON THE PANDEMIC: Virus claims Black morticians, leaving holes in communities Biden presses states to require vaccines for all teachers Court: DeSantis ban on school mask mandates back in force South Africa vaccinates some kids in test of Chinese vaccine Key parts of Bidens plan to confront delta variant surge ___ See AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: JACKSON, Miss. - Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said Friday that President Joe Bidens new federal vaccine requirements are clearly unconstitutional and that he believes Biden issued the mandate to distract Americans from the fallout over his decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan. This is the same bait and switch, Reeves said at a press conference outside the Governors Mansion in Jackson. Biden wants us to talk about anything but Afghanistan, and sadly, hes willing to trample on the rights of 100 million Americans to try to help himself politically. That, to me, is disgusting. Reeves said a member of the executive branch of government does not have the authority to mandate workers be vaccinated. Its clearly unconstitutional for the president, to unilaterally with one signature, decide something of this magnitude, he said. He said he expects the Supreme Court to strike down the requirement and that Mississippi will join other states in filing a lawsuit. In essence, what the president saying is... hard-working Americans many of whom work here and live here in Mississippi hard-working Mississippians have to choose between either injecting themselves with something and potentially having the ability to earn a living to produce food for their family, he said. Thats a ridiculous choice. ___ HELENA, Mt. -- Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has promised to fight the new federal vaccine mandate in court. The Republican said on Friday that once the full guidelines for the mandate are released, he will file a lawsuit to strike it down. President Joe Biden announced Thursday the vaccine mandate that could affect as many as 100 million Americans, including all workers in businesses with 100 or more employees. The new mandate appears to conflict with a Montana law passed earlier this year that makes it illegal for private employers to mandate vaccines as a condition for employment. But University of Montana law professor Anthony Johnston says federal law will take precedence over state law if there is a direct conflict. ___ DETROIT A major health care provider in southeastern Michigan says 92% of its employees have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by a Friday deadline and another 3% have gotten a first shot. Under Henry Ford Health Systems policy, employees will be suspended if they dont get at least one dose by midnight or schedule an appointment. They will lose their jobs if theyre not fully vaccinated by Oct. 1. There are some exceptions. Henry Ford Health says in a statement: We remain confident that vaccination, along with masking, remains the most powerful tool we have against the pandemic. Separately, a lawsuit challenging the vaccine policy was suddenly dropped Friday ahead of a hearing in federal court. The Detroit-based health system employs more than 30,000 workers and has five acute care hospitals, four in the Detroit area and one in Jackson. It has treated thousands of COVID-19 patients. ___ MONTGOMERY, Ala. Alabamas chief health officer says a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations appears to have stabilized but the state still faces a real crisis of an overwhelming number of patients needing intensive care, nearly all of whom arent vaccinated. Dr. Scott Harris, head of the Alabama Department of Public Health reports that after threatening to reach an all-time high for coronavirus hospitalizations, state hospitals have seen a slight decline in recent days. He says hes thankful that there has been a little bit of a plateau over the last week. ... The numbers arent great. But the numbers at least have not continued to go up, he said. Still, Harris says, demand for intensive care beds is exceeding the states capacity. Patients who normally would be treated in ICU wards are instead in emergency rooms, normal beds or even gurneys left in hallways. ___ HONOLULU Hawaii Gov. David Ige is requiring government contractors and visitors to state facilities to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. State contractors must attest to their employees vaccination status or provide weekly tests for unvaccinated staff. Contractors also must wear masks and maintain physical distance while on state property. The order also applies to visitors to state facilities, but not to beaches or outdoor state properties. Inmates at correctional facilities, patients at state hospitals and children under 12 or students attending state public or charter schools are exempt, as are travelers arriving at airports. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that Iges executive order takes effect Monday. Hawaii has had a recent record surge of new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths. ___ ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. The on-again, off-again ban imposed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to prevent mandated masks for Florida school students is back in force. The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Friday that a Tallahassee judge shouldnt have lifted an automatic stay two days ago that halted enforcement of the mask mandate ban. The upshot is the state can resume its efforts to impose financial penalties on the 13 Florida school boards currently defying the mask ban. The U.S. Department of Education has begun a grant program for school districts that lose money for implementing mandatory masks and other coronavirus safety measures. DeSantis has argued the new Parents Bill of Rights law gives parents the authority to determine whether their children should wear a mask to school. School districts with mandatory mask rules allow an opt-out only for medical reasons, not parental discretion. Charles Gallagher, attorney for parents challenging the DeSantis ban, says in a tweet, students, parents and teachers are back in harms way. ___ SALT LAKE CITY Thirteen Utah hospitals will postpone many non-emergency surgeries starting next week, citing health care workers overwhelmed by surging coronavirus cases. Intermountain Healthcare announced Friday that the hospitals will postpone non-urgent procedures for several weeks starting Sept. 15. The announcement comes a week after state hospital leaders made emotional pleas for vaccinations and universal masking to stem a virus surge fueled by the delta variant. There were 516 people hospitalized for COVID-19 and ICUs were 93% full in Utah on Thursday, according to state data. Thats nearing its previous peak in December when ICUs were 104% full and 606 people were hospitalized. About 62% of Utah residents age 12 and older have been fully vaccinated. Utah reported 10 deaths on Thursday, bringing the confirmed total to 2,703. ___ JACKSON, Miss. Doctors who spread misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine could have their license to practice medicine suspended or revoked, according to a new policy adopted by the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure. The policy says doctors have an ethical and professional responsibility to practice medicine in the best interest of their patients and share factual and scientifically grounded information with them. Spreading inaccurate COVID-19 vaccine information contradicts that responsibility, threatens to further erode public trust in the medical profession and puts all patients at risk, it reads. Mississippi ranks among the lowest in the country with just 38% of its 3 million residents fully vaccinated. The department of health reported 1,892 confirmed cases and 35 deaths on Friday. Mississippi has registered at least 460,000 cases and 8,905 confirmed deaths. ___ WASHINGTON President Joe Biden is calling some Republican governors cavalier for resisting new federal vaccine requirements he hopes will contain the surging delta variant. Biden visited Brookland Middle School on Friday, just a short drive from the White House. He was making the case for new federal rules that could impact 100 million Americans. All employers with more than 100 workers must be vaccinated or tested weekly for the virus, affecting about 80 million Americans. About 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also must be fully vaccinated. I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids, so cavalier with the health of their communities, Biden said during the visit. This isnt a game Republicans and some union officials say hes overreaching his authority. Asked about potential legal challenges to the new vaccine requirements, Biden responded, Have at it. ___ ATLANTA Protests from faculty members continue at Georgias public universities, although leaders of the state's university system are not backing down from their position that schools cant require masks or vaccines. Acting Chancellor Teresa MacCartney says those policies arent going to change, noting the system will follow the lead of Gov. Brian Kemp and Republican lawmakers who control the university systems purse strings. We are fulfilling our institutional missions to deliver higher education and services for students in a way that is best for them, MacCartney said. Those expectations have been made clear since before the semester started. It should be no surprise. There are consequences for those not following through and doing their jobs. The remarks earned a round applause from regents, who were mostly unmasked. They were surrounded by dozens of university presidents and administrators, who were mostly masked. MacCartney spoke Thursday, the same day faculty groups at the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State University passed resolutions calling for mask and vaccine mandates. ___ WASHINGTON Senior Democratic senators are pressing Medicare to make information on nursing home COVID-19 vaccination rates easily accessible for consumers. Although the Biden administration is requiring vaccination for all nursing home staff, Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania say it could take months. Theyre asking Medicare to post vaccination rates among residents and staff of individual facilities on its Care Compare website. These data reside on entirely separate (government) websites, the senators wrote Medicare head Chiquita Brooks-LaSure on Friday. Even if a person could find these websites, the vaccination data for individual facilities are not prominently displayed, creating additional barriers. Medicare officials say theyre working on the problem. The senators cited an Associated Press report on outbreaks attributed to unvaccinated staff. Wyden and Casey chair the Finance and Aging committees, respectively. ___ PARIS France has announced new restrictions for U.S. travelers who are not vaccinated against the coronavirus. Starting Sunday, unvaccinated travelers from the U.S. who previously could enter with only a recent negative test must now show pressing grounds for travel. These grounds also apply broadly to returning French citizens, legal residents, relatives of French citizens, foreign health professionals coming to assist in the fight against COVID-19, transportation and diplomatic workers, and people transiting through the country. The restrictions do not apply to fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. The decision follows the European Unions recommendation last week that its 27 nations reinstate restrictions on U.S. tourists because of rising coronavirus infections there. ___ JOHANNESBURG South Africa has started vaccinating children and adolescents as part of the global Phase 3 clinical trials of Chinas Sinovac Biotech shot for children 6 months to 17 years. The global study will enroll 2,000 participants in South Africa and 12,000 others in Kenya, the Philippines, Chile and Malaysia. The first children in South Africa were inoculated at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in the capital Pretoria to kick off the trials. The Sinovac company says others will get shots at six different sites across the country. South Africa has recorded 6,270 infections and 175 confirmed deaths in the last 24 hours. The 2.8 million total infections account for more than 35% of cases in Africa. The nation has 84,327 confirmed deaths. ___ COPENHAGEN, Denmark Denmarks high vaccination rate has enabled the Scandinavian country to become one of the first European Union nations to lift all domestic restrictions. The return to normality has been gradual, but as of Friday, the digital pass a proof of having been vaccinated is no longer required when entering nightclubs, the last virus safeguard to fall. More than 80% of people above age 12 have had the two shots. As of midnight, the Danish government no longer considers COVID-19 a socially critical disease. Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said last month that the epidemic is under control but warned: we are not out of the epidemic and the government will act as needed if necessary. ___ BERLIN Germanys standing committee on vaccination is recommending that pregnant women get vaccinated against COVID-19. The committee said Friday that after evaluating the available evidence, it is issuing a draft recommendation that women from the second trimester of pregnancy onward and breastfeeding mothers get two doses of an mRNA vaccine. It also recommended that all those of child-bearing age who havent yet been vaccinated get inoculated so they are protected from the coronavirus before any pregnancy. About two-thirds of Germanys population has received at least one vaccine dose and 61.9% have been fully vaccinated. The pace of vaccinations has slowed to a crawl recently, and officials are keen to encourage more people to get the shots before the winter. ___ LONDON A leading scientist behind the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine says booster shots may be unnecessary for many people. Oxford University Professor Sarah Gilbert tells The Telegraph newspaper that immunity from the vaccine is holding up well, even against the delta variant. She says that while older adults and those who are immune-compromised may need boosters, the standard two-dose regimen should protect most people. Gilbert says the worlds priority should be to get more vaccines to countries with limited supplies. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, a panel of experts that advises the British government, is expected to make recommendations in the coming days on the scale of any booster program. ATHENS, Greece (AP) Hundreds of people, some carrying flowers, gathered Monday at Athens Cathedral to pay their final respects to Greek composer and politician Mikis Theodorakis, who was an integral part of the Greek political and musical scene for decades. Theodorakis, who died Thursday at 96, is lying in state in a cathedral chapel for three days ahead of his burial on the southern island of Crete. His body arrived Monday after a nearly two-hour delay amid a dispute over burial details. Over the weekend, his family reportedly lifted their objections to him being buried on Crete in accordance with his last wishes. A court had temporarily halted burial plans pending a resolution of the dispute. Theodorakis' daughter had said earlier that he would be buried near Corinth in the village of Vrahati, where he maintained a holiday home. But a 2013 letter Theodorakis had written to the mayor of the town of Chania in Crete was made public, in which the composer said he wanted to be buried in the nearby cemetery of Galatas, despite his familys disagreement. Theodorakis was as well-known in Greece for his political activism as for his musical career. He penned a wide range of work, from somber symphonies to popular TV and film scores, including for Serpico and Zorba the Greek. He is also remembered for his opposition to the military junta that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974, a time during which he was persecuted and jailed and his music outlawed. Greeces Communist Party said over the weekend that Theodorakis body will lie in state beginning Monday, and a farewell ceremony will be held Wednesday, before the late composer is flown to Crete. The church service and burial will be on Thursday. Theodorakis had a tumultuous relationship with the Communist Party, known by its Greek accronym KKE, leaving it in the late 1960s, rejoining in the late 1970s and getting elected as a lawmaker with the conservative New Democracy party in 1990. But he wrote a letter in October to Communist Party Secretary-General Dimitris Koutsoumbas, essentially entrusting him with the funeral arrangements. Now, at the end of my life, at the time of taking stock, details are erased from my mind and the Big Things remain. So, I see that I spent my most crucial, forceful and mature years under KKEs banner. For this reason, I want to depart this world as a communist, Theodorakis wrote. SHELTON There were no missed routes, and all buses had a driver, but some parents took to social media to blast the city-run bus company over late runs, overcrowded buses and missed stops during the schools opening on Wednesday. Superintendent Ken Saranich said missing stops and long waits are unfortunate but common at the start of every school year. All bus runs ran and had a driver, Saranich said. As there is a national shortage of drivers, with Connecticut reporting almost 700 unfilled bus driver positions statewide, the biggest concern was the possibility of a lack of drivers, and it was not an issue for Shelton. One parent stated that her son told her his bus was so crowded, he was forced to stand the entire ride. Another wrote that one bus has 77 students assigned on it, and her son told her they had to split the kids into two buses, and then the two buses followed each other stopping at all the stops together. Others stated that children reported some buses had children with no masks, calling into question the safety of the buses at this point. Shelton Student Transportation Services Director Ken Nappi said the city company, like others in the state and country, is dealing with the driver shortage but in Shelton there are enough drivers to cover all routes each day. The major concern for the drivers and our company is the safety of the students ... we will not allow for a situation in which the students safety is put at risk, Nappi said. Our bus drivers are special people, and they take their responsibility seriously. Nappi said one bus was determined to have too many students, but it did not leave the school until a second bus was brought to the site to break up the large group. He did not directly address parents comments about students not wearing masks or standing on the bus. I expect the first few days to be hectic, as it is in any system, Nappi said. We will try our best to correct the problems that surface. We will strive to make it better and fulfill our responsibility to the students and parents of this city. Nappi also praised the drivers, saying these individuals remained with SSTS when they might have found more money with other operations. They decided to stay, Nappi said, adding that many of these drivers have been transporting the same students for years and have developed relationships with the children and parents over that time. Saranich said, aside from the busing issues, day one was like any other regular opening day. It was a great day, he said. We safely and successfully returned all of our students to full day in-person instruction. We will continue to work with (Shelton Student Transportation Services) to resolve all the issues. Students are happy to be back, and we are happy to be back with them, Saranich added. Board of Education Chair Kathy Yolish said she was made aware there were some delays in picking up students as well as arriving home on time. The first few days have always had these glitches, and I am sure it will improve, Yolish said. brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com MOAB, Utah (AP) A newlywed couple that was gunned down near a Utah campsite had told friends that they were afraid of a creepy man that was near their camp prior to their death, according to newly unsealed police documents. Kylen Schulte, 24, and Crystal Turner, 38, were found dead on August 18 near Moab in the South Mesa area of the La Sal Mountains. According to a search warrant that was filed to search their vehicle, friends of the couple told police that Schulte texted them about a creepy man that was near their camp who had intimidated them. Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media A 78-year-old man in prison died from complications related to the coronavirus Wednesday morning, the Department of Correction announced. The man, whose name was not released, was being treated in the infirmary at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in Suffield when he died early Wednesday morning, the department said in a statement. BRIDGEPORT Just ahead of Tuesdays hotly contested Democratic primaries for City Council, the Secretary of the States Office has assigned a watchdog to keep an eye on elections in Connecticuts largest city for the next two years. Attorney Jon Chase, who is based out of the Mystic area along the southeastern shoreline, was hired on Wednesday and the notice went out to Bridgeport election officials Thursday morning, said Gabe Rosenberg, spokesman for Secretary of the State Denise Merrill. As the citys new elections monitor the $150,000 position was funded in the state budget passed in June Chase, who could not immediately be reached for this story, will essentially be Merrills deputy in Bridgeport, answering questions, mediating disputes and forwarding any issues to her office or the State Elections Enforcement Commission. My understanding is he will be in Bridgeport this afternoon, Rosenberg said Thursday. Its basically like having a member of our office in Bridgeport. He will be able to aid the local election officials in interpreting the law. ... Hes right there and can help them on the spot. And if he sees anything that shouldnt be happening, hes there to say, This isnt what the law says youre supposed to do. This is the way the law reads. Chase will also be available in the hours and days after the polls close Tuesday at 8 p.m. and mail-in votes and in-person ballots are being counted should any problems arise or there be questions about particularly close outcomes. Everyone who works in elections knows it doesnt end Election Day, Rosenberg said. Given Democrats dominate Bridgeport politics, primaries are typically more consequential than the November general elections. There are contests next week in eight of the 10 council districts all the 29 candidates Democrats as well as for the Board of Education and for the sheriffs. The state budgeted for Chases position after a similar monitor Bridgeport-based lawyer and former school board member Max Medina was used successfully during last years presidential election when some of the restrictions governing who can apply for mail-in or absentee ballots were lifted as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Medina was paid using federal COVID-19 relief funds. This is a particularly complicated year because of the legislature extending a lot of the COVID (voting) changes from last year, Rosenberg noted. Chases role is also modeled on a similar monitor assigned in 2015 to Hartford after problems at the polls in the capital city in 2014. Bridgeport has experienced several high-profile voting controversies of its own, from 2010s gubernatorial race when the city ran short of ballots, to frequent allegations of absentee ballot abuses. The SEEC is still investigating alleged absentee ballot improprieties during 2019s mayoral primary battle between incumbent Joe Ganim and state Sen. Marilyn Moore. And most recently Councilman Michael DeFilippo was arrested in late July on multiple election fraud charges dating back to his 2017 primary. DeFilippo has since resigned from his seat. Moore in 2019 had the backing of some of the key members of Bridgeport Generation Now, a civic group that also has a political offshoot, Generation Now Votes. Merrills office has previously credited the latter with successfully lobbying this year for the funds to keep an elections monitor in Bridgeport for two years. Gemeem Davis, a leader of Generation Now, said Thursday, Were certainly glad the elections monitor has been hired. Noting, however, how close it is to Tuesday, Davis said, This appointment should have come much earlier. Rosenberg said once the $150,000 became available July 1, the start of the new fiscal year, Merrills office began searching for someone to fill the elections monitor position. Medina, hired just over two weeks before last Novembers general election, was no longer available because he has been appointed a Superior Court judge. Some people reached out to us and we reached out, Rosenberg said of the search for a new monitor. Its a fairly small community of attorneys who have experience with this type of law. He also noted the time commitment and willingness to travel to Bridgeport were factors. Medina was well-versed in Bridgeport politics having served on the school board, then as a court-appointed elections monitor in the 2017 primary at the heart of the federal charges against DeFilippo. That election was ultimately held three times between the summer of 2017 and early 2018 after the losers took the matter to court and Judge Chase Rogers determined the voting process had been twice corrupted. Medina in 2019 was also the lawyer for Moores unsuccessful mayoral bid against Ganim when the former accused the latters campaign of absentee ballot abuses still being scrutinized by the SEEC. While Chase does not have Medinas familiarity with Bridgeport, Rosenberg said, There is some value to having someone who hasnt been involved (in local politics). ... One of the things that worked well in Hartford was someone coming in from the outside. Even though Chase has been assigned to Bridgeport for two years, the money for his position will run out and have to be re-funded in time for the next crucial race to determine the citys future 2023s mayoral contest. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) The superintendent of one of New Mexicos larger school districts has resigned after spending months on paid leave during an investigation into his handling of sexual abuse allegations at a previous job. The Espanola school board accepted Fred Trujillos resignation on Tuesday, board members confirmed Thursday. Trujillo was hired to lead Espanola in February of 2020, when he was head of the smaller Pecos school district thats also in northern New Mexico. The board put Trujillo on leave in May 2021 after a lawsuit claimed he failed to respond to sexual misconduct and abuse complaints against his staff in Pecos. Some complaints were later substantiated and led to criminal prosecutions. Were moving the district forward and he resigned and thats all I can tell you. The rest is a personnel matter, said board president Gilbert Serrano. Serrano has previously said that Trujillo was vetted and "his credentials checked out. The board named another superintendent in June. Former board member and Espanola doctor Yolanda Salazar said the lawsuit contained no information the board hadn't considered when they hired him. Salazar believes Trujillo followed proper protocols in Pecos, and resigned in June in part over her opposition to opening the investigation. The district said in a statement that it wont release the new investigations findings. I feel that the Board wants to force me to resign, and I have no other choice, Trujillo wrote in his resignation email. Trujillo said in the letter he resigned this week because the board had denied requests for bereavement leave. He did not respond to text and cell phone messages left Thursday afternoon. Salazar said the bereavement request was due to the death of a close relative of Trujillo's. She said she had opposed the investigation when she was a board member because she didn't believe it could uncover new information, and she questioned the cost of paying two superintendent's salaries for months. The board had named an interim superintendent in June. Salazar credited Trujillo for bringing the school through the pandemic and questioned the board's decision keep him on leave. If they would have found anything damaging they could have fired him and not paid him, Salazar said. ___ Attanasio is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Follow Attanasio on Twitter. On a September morning 20 years ago, Dr. Frank Illuzzi was in a radiology suite at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, N.Y. He was looking at some images when a colleague burst in and told him a plane had just hit the World Trade Center. I remember thinking How is that possible? said Illuzzi, now Hartford HealthCare Medical Groups medical director for Fairfield County. It was such a clear day. I remember, it was so clear you could see the towers from the hospital. On such a clear day, how could a plane hit that building? Though its been decades since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Illuzzi remembers the events of that day clearly. He remembers expecting to help save hundreds of people, then quickly realizing how few survivors there were for him to help. He remembers the smell of smoke hanging in the air for days after the attacks. And he remembers the commitment and bravery of the doctors and nurses he worked with, and of everyone else he came into contact with at that difficult time. It was a tremendous feeling of unity afterward, Illuzzi said. We really bonded and came together as people. On Sept. 11, 2001 Illuzzi, who now works out of St. Vincents Medical Center in Bridgeport, was a chief resident in the emergency medical program at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Even before he and his colleagues were fully aware that the plane was part of a terrorist attack that would leave thousands dead, they were shifting into crisis mode. Immediately, you click into it and think We have to start our disaster call and set up our incident command, Illuzzi said. He said the hospital quickly began making space in emergency rooms and operating rooms, and shifting staff around to receive what they were initially told could be as many as 500 casualties. Then, in the middle of these preparations, a second plane hit the towers, and Illuzzi and his colleagues were told to expect as many as a thousand patients. My heart sank, Illuzzi said. But he was heartened by how quickly those around him responded to the crisis. Within 20 or 30 minutes, spontaneously, about 100 doctors and nurses descended on the emergency department and said How can we help? It really was amazing the response that we got. As time passed, the medical center didnt receive the stream of casualties the staff was expecting. At first, Illuzzi said, some of the medical center staff decided to travel out to the site of the attacks, in case assistance was needed at the scene. He was told to stay behind and manage the response at the hospital. However, Illuzzi said, it quickly became clear that the emergency doctors werent needed to help save people, because there werent that many survivors. Only a few dozen people trickled into the medical center, many covered in white dust, bearing minor injuries. Illuzzi recalled a pregnant woman who walked to the hospital to make sure that she and her baby were healthy. Though staff eagerly helped everyone who came in, it wasnt the 500 to 1,000 people we were hoping to save, he said. It was a trickle. By evening, that trickle had stopped. It was a deflating feeling, knowing that we werent going to be able to save more people. Still, Illuzzi said, he worked until midnight, doing whatever needed to be done. Then he headed home, but the events of that day stuck with him. Eventually, he learned the toll of the attacks, and how deeply he and everyone he knew had been affected. We had family members who worked in the buildings, or around the buildings, he said. We had childhood friends. We all were somehow connected to those buildings. There was a tremendous amount of loss. Illuzzi went on to finish his residency, and left the hospital in July 2002. He took a job as an emergency room doctor at St. Vincents, but, even as his life moved forward, the events of that day 20 years ago are forever present in his heart and mind. One thing that has stuck with him is the way that people came together, not just in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, but in the days that followed. We were so unified, Illuzzi said. It didnt matter what walk of life you came from. They say worst of humanity brings out best in humanity, and (9/11) was a prime example of that. SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) North Macedonia's health minister resigned late Friday, nearly two days after a fire tore through a COVID-19 field hospital killing 12 patients and two visiting relatives. Venko Filipce made the announcement shortly after his deputy minister and two senior hospital administrators also stepped down. There was no immediate reaction from the office of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. The fire broke out late Wednesday in the western town of Tetovo, destroying the facility within a few minutes. Twelve people were also injured. The blaze is believed to have started by accident, although an investigation is still under way. Witnesses and officials have said an explosion preceded the fire. The public prosecutors office said eight women and six men aged between 29 and 78 were killed. Nineteen field hospitals, funded by a World Bank loan, have been set up across North Macedonia over the past year to tackle surging coronavirus hospitalizations and a shortage of hospital beds. Health authorities say all 19 were constructed according to the specifications and standards laid out by the World Bank as a condition for the loan. North Macedonia has said it is accepting an offer from other NATO allies to send fire experts. The government announced that a team from Germanys Federal Criminal Police Office will join the investigation. President Stevo Pendarovski has said the investigation would be completed within five days, and that indications are the fire was not set deliberately. It all lasted three to five minutes, said Gzim Nuredini, head of Tetovos COVID-19 center, adding that medical staff and patients relatives who were outside all tried to help extinguish the flames. Prosecutors from Tetovo and the capital, Skopje, were gathering video material from inside and around the hospital, and have hired an electrical engineering expert to help determine how the blaze broke out. Medical staff and witnesses have also been questioned, and prosecutors have ordered the confiscation of all documentation on the construction of the facility to check for potential omissions. North Macedonias government has declared three days of mourning from Thursday. Fires in COVID-19 hospitals or wards have cost dozens of lives in other countries, including Iraq and Romania. Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT Officials released the identities of the victims who were killed by gunfire in a Platt Street home early Thursday. The victims were identified as Stratford resident Candace Goodwin, 19, and 59-year-old Austin Burgher of Jamaica, according to the Bridgeport Police Department. RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) A 62-year-old Vermont man has pleaded no contest to second-degree murder in the 2017 strangulation death of his girlfriend in their Rutland home. The Thursday plea by Randal S. Johnson was part of an agreement under which he would be sentenced to nine years in prison for the death of 58-year-old Trina Fitzgerald. CASPER, Wyo. (AP) Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon said Thursday that he has asked the state's attorney general to be prepared to challenge President Joe Biden's new COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which he called an egregious example of big government overreach. I have asked the Attorney General to stand prepared to take all actions to oppose this administrations unconstitutional overreach of executive power. It has no place in America. Not now, and not ever, Gordon said in a statement on the mandate, the Casper Star-Tribune reported. Even though Halloween is still more than a month away, Connecticut's season haunted attractions are getting in the spirit early. Whether you prefer to be slightly spooked or completely frightened out of your mind, Connecticut's Halloween sites cater to everyone who enjoys a good scare during the spooky season. However, what is scarier than zombies and evil dolls is COVID-19, which is why many of these walk-through's are taking precautions again this year against the virus. Here are some of Connecticut's major Halloween attractions, as well as their days of operation and current COVID precautions. In the 21st century, its no longer sufficient to be known simply as a financial institution. Credit unions and other financial institutions must actively demonstrate how they give back to their local communities and why consumers should trust their financial business to them. Thats where impact measurements come in. What is community impact? For many, community impact is a vague and hard-to-quantify metric that can be tough to communicate. But for credit unions, community impact is critical to measure how much their work matters to individuals. Regardless of your credit unions size or location, measuring community impact doesnt have to be difficult or time consuming. If you already have a solid grasp on your mission and vision, as well as a strong understanding of what your members need, you will find that community impact comes naturally. With some extra planning and careful tracking, any credit union can successfully measure and communicate how much their work matters to the community right down to the individual or family. Existing Impact Measurements AnalyzeCU started with the idea that we needed to develop a platform to help credit unions individually and as an industry quantify their impact on Americans lives. I pored over community impact reports created by credit unions, CDFIs, advocacy groups, and other lenders. Several groups are doing amazing work and these reports provided me with the perfect starting point, but I honestly didnt find many examples particularly compelling, and the best ones seemed to require incredible amounts of primary data collection. However, the process did help me learn some foundational concepts for measuring a lenders impact. Two categories must be measured: intermediate outcomes and long-term results. Examples of intermediate outcomes include: (1) a credit union makes a loan to rehab a multi-family housing development and, as a result, X number of units are rehabbed and X number of units are deemed affordable; or (2) a credit union makes a loan to a small business and, as a result, the business is able to create and/or retain X number of jobs. Examples of intermediate outcome indicators include: Membership benefit in the community Contribution to GDP Jobs created or sustained Full-time livable wage jobs created Housing units developed Housing units rehabbed Housing units occupied by low-income people Businesses with improved access to financing Childcare slots created Examples of long-term outcomes include: (1) a credit union makes loans to rehab single-family homes in a distressed neighborhood and, over time, this action plays a part in the stabilization of the community as measured by increased housing values, a drop in the crime rate, etc.; or (2) a credit union makes a loan to a small business and, over time, this intervention helps contribute to a rise in revenues, a growing equity base, and increased take-home pay for the business owner. Examples of end-outcome indicators include improvements in: Affordability of housing in a certain neighborhood Access to affordable housing has changed the lives of low-income families or helped stabilize communities Business revenue and equity Business owners take-home pay Poverty rates Unemployment rates Crime rates Most lenders are only able to quantify intermediate outcomes like number of jobs created or sustained, full-time livable wage jobs created, childcare slots created, housing units developed or rehabbed, low-income housing, etc. Collecting the data necessary to quantify longer-term outcomes is incredibly labor intensive, requiring the lender to conduct extensive primary data collection. Accurately quantifying end outcomes like change in affordability of housing, poverty rate, unemployment rate or crime rate in a neighborhood is even more difficult. So, I set out to try and determine how I could quantify a credit unions influence on intermediate and end outcomes in the United States without onerous primary data collection. How do you measure your credit unions community impact? To measure your credit unions community impact, start by assessing your service offerings and determining your credit unions current services, and then comparing those with services that could be provided. For a service offering to be classified as an impact-measurement data point, it must offer a direct benefit or an improved quality of life for members and their communities. From there, you can develop metrics against which you can track both your progress toward objectives and achievements of those objectives. What if you dont have time to measure? If you dont have time to measure, that might be a problem. However, if you understand that measuring your credit unions community impact is important but dont know where to start or are overwhelmed by the various options available, take a deep breath. Impact measurement can be done at any scale whether its in your head or using fancy software tools. Here are three examples. Track your credit unions charitable contributions Track your credit unions employee volunteer hours Track how many scholarships your credit union provides If you want to measure other factors, like how much your members have benefited from membership in your credit union, jobs created or sustained, or economic contribution you might need advanced technical skills or software. For the last few months, CUCollaborate has been working on a new data analysis platform for credit unions: AnalyzeCU. We have developed reports and analysis to help credit unions track how many members count toward low-income designation, or how many loans count toward achieving CDFI certification, or the demographics of their members and the people they arent serving within the credit unions field of membership. However, the most fulfilling and I think potentially most useful analytics tool measures a credit unions impact on their community and individual members lives. Pat Dunn, 81, of Cullman, passed away peacefully on September 10, 2021, after a three-year battle with dementia. Pat graduated from Andalusia High School in 1958 and married the same year. She moved to Cullman in 1966 and after several years of operating her own dress and wig store, Pat's Fa Entrance arches of Minoru Yamasakis World Trade Center with Ideogram sculpture. Photo: Balthazar Korab, Courtesy of Library of Congress I first became aware of Minoru Yamasakis work in the summer of 2001, when I was standing at the foot of the World Trade Center wondering how it could be that I had just graduated with a degree in architecture and I had no idea who had designed the Twin Towers. Fifteen years later, well into my career as a contemporary artist, I started working on this book, uncertain about the practice of making physical objects after seeing so much art work damaged during Hurricane Sandy. I began with the idea of writing generally, but almost immediately arrived at the idea of looking at Yamasakis work more closely. It was then that I came to appreciate how extraordinary his story really was. Not only that his two best-known projects the Pruitt-Igoe Apartments in St. Louis and the World Trade Center in New York were both destroyed on national television, but also how his unorthodox interpretation of modernism has been relegated to the margins of American architecture history. I wanted to capture his story somehow, but not in a traditional mode of architectural storytelling. I wanted to write about architecture in a way that felt closer to how I experienced it, and the only way to do that was to include myself in the narrative. The following excerpt from Sandfuture includes episodes from my own experience of 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy, spliced together with biographical passages from Yamasakis early life and his time working as the lead architect of the World Trade Center. At night, alone in the plaza, you could lean your body against the chamfered corners of the aluminum facade, roll your head back and look straight up the side of the building. It was like lying on your back in the middle of an aluminum road. It was vast and, in that vastness, more closely resembled a naturally occurring phenomenon than something man-made. And there were two of them. You could stand in the space between them, where the air vibrated with silent energy, and believe you were standing between the tines of a tuning fork. Clouds would catch on the upper floors as they passed over the city, subtly altering the weather. They were alpine a pair of aluminum mountains. They induced vertigo. They exceeded haptic experience. They failed as buildings, but they were brilliant as objects. When I imagine a work of art being destroyed it is almost always by fire the spontaneous combustion of linseed oil in rags or nitrate film in storage vaults, Orwells memory hole or Savonarolas bonfire of the vanities. Pinochet burned Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The Nazis burned Thomas Mann. Franz Kafka burned 90 percent of his lifes work and requested that more be burned upon his death (it was not). Vladimir Nabokov and Emily Dickinson left similar instructions. Herman Melville burned his manuscripts and letters. Agnes Martin may or may not have burned all of her paintings when she left New York. Frank Lloyd Wrights home and studio, Taliesin, burned to the ground after his cook locked Wrights mistress, her two children, and several carpenters in a dining room, doused the house with kerosene, lit it on fire, and attacked anyone who escaped with a hatchet there are still letters in Wrights archives with singed edges. A prison guard burned the only manuscript of Jean Genets Notre-Dame des Fleurs so that Genet had to write it again from memory. Malcolm Lowry saved Under the Volcano from his burning cabin but lost In Ballast to the White Sea. Guy Montag burned libraries in Fahrenheit 451, and Don Quixotes priest and barber burned the romances that turned the hidalgo mad. Nearly 300 sculptures and drawings by Auguste Rodin were lost in the smoldering ruins of the World Trade Center. Water feels like a less formidable foe. It drips and dribbles, sluices and sprinkles. Fire rages. A conflagration tears through material with indiscriminate fury, while an inundation rolls passively through channels of least resistance, moving deliberately, inevitably, but without the promise of the catharsis of physical transformation. Water climbs up onto the narrow swath of park on the Hudson Rivers east embankment, washing across the four southbound lanes of the West Side Highway, around the landscaped medians and over the northbound lanes before pooling among the trashcans and hydrants on the corner of 27th Street. From there, the tide flows east in the grooves between cobblestones, carried first by capillary action, then forced from behind by the surge. The surface of the road disappears as the water gradually rises to the level of the concrete curb. It is late in the evening of October 29, 2012. Some water is diverted into manholes and storm drains, but not fast enough to keep pace with the rising tide as the surge pushes massive amounts of seawater up into the South Bay. The current between curbs becomes steadily stronger. The street turns into a wide, flat stream. Gradually, the water breaches the curbs and flows onto the sidewalk. Water backs up against thresholds and weather-stripping and sandbags, finding its way through gaps, into buildings where it crosses polished concrete floors, seeps between floorboards, pools in electrical outlets, and bloats the papered edge of sheetrock walls. Once inside the building, the water seeks its own level, finding new spaces to fill, descending staircases and cascading through trapdoors into the cellars below. The basement spaces are not watertight. Circulation vents, air returns, and unsealed ceiling plenums allow air and now water to flow freely between underground rooms. In HVAC parlance, these spaces are in communication as water fills one section of the basement, it fills them all. Every door to the street is the source of a small tributary that runs into a cavernous cellar an underground swimming pool the size of a city block. Approximately 2,000 square feet of this basement was under lease, along with the corresponding ground-floor space directly above, to a small art gallery owned by Nina and her business partner Danielle. Accessed through a large trapdoor in the floor of the gallerys viewing room, their underground space held all the back-of-house fittings typical of the trade pegboards with spirit levels, spackling knives, tape measures, rolls of low-adhesive masking tape, hex keys, white cotton gloves, and utility knives hanging in neatly organized rows, gray steel shelves stacked with digital projectors and media players with international adapters, large rolls of acid-free glassine, customs forms, ammonia-free Plexiglas cleaner, a tube of mascara, a box of tampons, a lint roller, aluminum Z-clips, brass D-rings, foam blocks, an expired Oyster card, boxes of dead-stock artist publications, and stickers printed with empty or fragile or do not open with knife in thick bold capitals. There were prints stored in steel flat files and paintings in stacked plywood crates with stenciled graphics or filed neatly in carpeted storage racks, each with labels explaining details of provenance. The insurance company had suggested that all work be lifted no less than 18 inches above the basement floor in anticipation of a possible unprecedented weather event. In an abundance of caution, Nina and Danielle had doubled the figure and secured all the work at least three feet above the floor. As the night wore on, the water level in the basement quickly passed 18 inches, then 36, then 72. It lifted the solid wood stair to the basement upward, uncoupling it from its hardware and setting it adrift. When water rushed between the drawers of the flat file, air pockets trapped at the back of the metal cabinet forced the massive file off the ground completely, causing drawers to slide open and release their contents into the encroaching tide. Later, when the surge receded, these cabinets would look as though they had been dropped from two stories drawers buckled under their own weight in a heap more than 20 feet southwest of where they had begun. When the water flowing through the trapdoor into the basement had nowhere else to go, it backed up on the first floor, submerging the bottoms of office chairs, filing cabinets, bookshelves, and power strips. By this point, it was a brackish mixture of salt, sewage, dirt, motor oil, and trash rinsed from the street and the cavernous basement spaces no one had seen, much less cleaned, in decades. The tide continued to rise, pushing a grimy high-water mark on the storefronts to 16 inches above street level. It would reach as high as 50 inches elsewhere in the neighborhood. From left: Works by John Divola at Wallspace Gallery damaged during Hurricane Sandy. Photo: Justin Beal Photo: Justin Beal From top: Works by John Divola at Wallspace Gallery damaged during Hurricane Sandy. Photo: Justin Beal Photo: Justin Beal In the weeks following the storm, the block was lined with apple-green ServePro trucks a traveling carnival of license plates that diagrammed the movement of the peripatetic disaster remediation industry tornados in Oklahoma, wildfires in California, hurricanes in Florida. This is a growth sector, expanding incrementally as warming temperatures increase the frequency of force majeure. The army of private contractors and mercenary janitors in khaki pants and wraparound sunglasses, veterans of Iraq or Katrina or Halliburton, arrived in a caravan and unloaded pumps, vacuums, generators, and air circulators from the backs of vans and trailers and spoke only to the landlord. By the time they had set up, the building looked like a body on life-support, with hoses and wires winding from every door and window out onto the cobblestones. I spent most of that month underground in a full-body Tyvek suit, tall black rubber boots, a respirator with two hot-pink particulate filter cartridges, a battery-powered headlamp, and elbow-length rubber gloves. The basement vibrated with the buzz of halogen work lights and air filters tethered to gasoline generators on the sidewalk. Each piece of art had been placed in the basement with care, with gloved hands, gentle movements, and attention to surface and structure. Such formalities were no longer necessary. Now, each object could be moved as you would lift a bag of topsoil or an old door, with a grunt or a shove. I pulled 12-foot bands of pastel silicone rubber up out of the basement, each as thick as a brick and cracking on the corners from the cold. There were spindly rebar armatures of oversize haunches and torsos, already touched by rust after the cardboard mache, which had once given them a papery fleshy mass, was carried away with the receding water. I knew all of this work each object containing untold hours of labor by people with whom I had also spent untold hours long before I met Nina. Among these artists were colleagues and classmates, the photographer who gave me my first teaching job and the friends who had introduced me to Nina. I knew where most of this work was made, where it was printed or cast, the people who processed the film or worked in the foundry. I had seen many of these pieces in studios in various states of completion or in the galleries or museums through which they had passed on their way here. Now, the act of hoisting each waterlogged piece over my shoulder and carrying it up a ladder and out onto the street gave it a new mass. Feeling the physical weight of each object, the deadweight, on my own body, I could not help but think about what an absurd way of communicating this wasmaking big cumbersome fragile things and sending them out into the world to be looked at. Minoru Yamasaki, known to nearly everyone who knew him as Yama, was born on December 1, 1912, in a cold-water tenement overlooking Puget Sound. Minorus father, Tsunejiro (but known to everyone as John), an immigrant from Toyama, Japan, worked as a stockroom manager at a shoe store, and his mother, Hana, was a piano teacher. In 1926, when Minoru was a sophomore in high school, his maternal uncle, an architect named Koken Ito, made a visit to Seattle. Koken returned to Japan to practice, but his visit left an enduring impression on his nephew. Minoru entered architecture school at the University of Washington just weeks before the 1929 stock market crash. To pay his tuition, he spent summers working in salmon canneries in Alaska. Nearly a third of Yamasakis autobiographical introduction to A Life in Architecture (1979) until recently the only comprehensive English-language book on his work is devoted to these summers. These were the stories he chose to tell about himself. The labor in the canneries was grueling, and the living conditions were squalid, with workers contracting gonorrhea from local prostitutes and beriberi from a lack of proper nutrition (Yamasaki blamed this malnutrition for many of the health problems that would plague him later in his life). Men routinely lost hands and fingers on ten-hour shifts shoving fish into a butchering machine known among the managers as the Iron Chink. One summer, Yamasaki got his drawing hand caught in a canning machine, and it took the men two hours to extract his fingers. The workers, primarily of Japanese and Filipino descent, slept a hundred to a room on straw mattresses soaked in kerosene to keep the bedbugs at bay. The pay was $50 a month for three months of around-the-clock work, six days a week. At the end of each summer, Yamasaki would sail back to Seattle in the unventilated hold of a ship where he slept on a hammock hung among racks of salted herring. In writings and interviews, Yamasaki often referred to these summers as instilling in him the strong work ethic and appreciation of physical labor that form the foundation of his own personal mythology. In A Life in Architecture, he wrote that when I looked at the older men around me in the canneries, destined to live out their lives in such uncompromising and personally degrading circumstances, I became all the more determined not to let that be the pattern into which my life would fall. In architecture school, his colleagues called him Sockeye. He was a strong student, but the intellectual environment was isolated and the Beaux-Arts curriculum was quickly becoming outmoded as modernism took hold in Europe. No one there, not even the teachers, knew what was going on in the architectural world, Yamasaki recalled. We didnt even know about the Barcelona Pavilion. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reichs pavilion was just one of the seminal projects completed while Yamasaki was finishing his degree a list that also includes Richard Neutras Lovell Health House, Eileen Grays E-1027, Buckminster Fullers Dymaxion House, and Alvar and Aino Aaltos Paimio Sanatorium. Neither the Port Authority nor Yamasaki began with the intention of designing the tallest building in the world. The World Trade Center program called for 10 million square feet of office space more than existed in the entire city of Detroit at the time and Yamasaki had to figure out where to put it. After working through over a hundred massing models of variations ranging from a complex of six or eight towers to a single monolithic block, he arrived at a scheme of two 90-floor towers in a staggered configuration, reminiscent of (though in crucial ways not identical to) Miess Lake Shore Drive Apartments in Chicago. It was an elegant solution, but it only held 80 percent of the program. Exactly what happened next is unclear. There are almost no remaining records of the design development stage of the project, no correspondence or meeting minutes, no drawings or memos, because the entire Port Authority archive, which at one point included over 75,000 volumes of blueprints and details of buildings and bridges and tunnels across the region, was incinerated in a subbasement storage cage when the World Trade Center collapsed in 2001. It was, in aggregate, a staggering loss of information that included records not only of the World Trade Center but also every other project in the vast Port Authority portfolio. There seems to be some agreement that Lee Jaffe, the Port Authoritys director of public affairs, had actually been the first to raise the possibility of the tallest building in the world in a memo several years earlier, though at the time, her suggestion was largely ignored. By his own account, it was Tozzoli who flew to Detroit and told Yamasaki, President Kennedy is going to put a man on the moon, and I want you to build me the tallest buildings in the world. Either way, what is clear is that at some point during a regular Friday afternoon meeting at Yamasakis office in Michigan, the project shifted in a fundamental way the program that had begun as a large complex of bureaucratic office towers now called for the two tallest buildings in the world. The brief had changed, and Yamasaki could go along with it or walk away. According to one former employee, Yamasaki was visibly shaken by the turn of events, but by the time he returned to work on Monday morning, he had made a decision. He gathered the office together and announced that they were going to design two buildings taller than had ever been built before. In the following weeks, Yamasaki pushed the two-tower scheme from 90 floors to an unprecedented 110 floors two high-rises with a combined square footage greater than the Pentagon and a footprint slightly larger than an acre each. Yamasakis model makers had to remove the ceiling panels in his office to stand the final scale model upright. Tobin and Tozzoli were thrilled. Architect Minoru Yamasaki on a ladder looking down at a model of the World Trade Center. Photo: Balthazar Korab, Courtesy of Library of Congress Shortly after Yamasaki won the commission, Ada Louise Huxtable, writing in Art in America, quoted an excerpt from a lecture he had given on the Voice of America the previous year. Huxtable often seemed to comprehend the narrative of Yamasakis work in a way he never could, and the excerpt was a public reminder of how difficult it was going to be for Yamasaki to frame this audaciously large commission in a way that would sound consistent with his own philosophy of design. In the broadcast, he warned his audience that only the abhorrent dogmas of totalitarianism demand buildings be powerful and brutal to impress the masses with the absolute power of the state, and that an overpowering monument to the ego of a particular owner or architect is contradictory to the principle that each man who uses the building should be able, through his environment, to have the sense of dignity and individual strength. Yamasaki had proposed a World Trade Center that would become a living representation of mans belief in humanity and his need for individual dignity. In a personal letter to Tobin, he described the importance of building at a scale that would be inviting, friendly, and humane. Adjusting to the new demands of the Port Authority would require Yamasaki to reconcile this vision with the new mandate to build taller than anyone ever had before. By using two extremely tall towers, Yamasaki felt he could open the space surrounding the building to create an open urban plaza it was the logic of the tower in the park stretched to an unprecedented scale. Despite the staggering height of the two towers, Yamasaki imagined the plaza, like the open areas of the Piazza San Marco and Rockefeller Center, as a great open space with sufficient containment and variety to permit its users to observe and relate the overall scale of the towers to the detail of their parts, making them comprehensible and accessible, not overwhelming and forbidding. It would be, in Yamasakis words, a Mecca, a great relief from the experience of the narrow streets and sidewalks of the surrounding Wall Street area. He imagined a plaza encircled by arcades and broad water features, with pedestrian bridges and dense stands of trees, but by the time it was built, all that remained was five acres of empty windswept space and three monumental sculptures Masayuki Nagares black granite Cloud Fortress, James Rosatis stainless steel Ideogram, and Fritz Koenigs bronze Caryatid Ball (commonly known as The Sphere), rising from a central fountain. Photo: Justin Beal, 2001 I was at home in Los Angeles when a representative of the as-yet-unbuilt National September 11 Museum & Memorial contacted my gallery about using one of the photographs I had taken on the morning of September 11, 2001. I wondered where they had seen the images. I had only allowed them to be printed once, in a compilation of psychoanalytic essays about terrorism and war for which I had written an introduction and which, until that morning, I assumed only a handful of people had actually read. The persistence of whoever traced the photographs back to the gallery was admirable, but I still felt nervous about putting the images back into circulation. In the end, I agreed because the honorarium would cover the cost of having the negatives scanned a task I had put off for nearly a decade. The film had originally been developed at a Rite Aid because it was the only place open, and I had been meaning to transfer the negatives to a more archival platform ever since (it was only a matter of time before the cheap drugstore processing chemicals deteriorated). I had avoided these photographs for the same reason that I avoided most discussions of what Joseph ONeill refers to in his novel Netherland as the events synonymous with September 11, 2001 I was unsure how to reconcile the public fact of what had happened that morning with the role it played in my own personal narrative. By avoiding the subject, I could avoid the absurdity of laying claim to the single most significant global event of the new century as something that also felt so intimate and so intensely my own. I did not get hurt and my ties to those who did were tenuous and remote enough that I felt a certain guilt about acknowledging the undeniable way in which my seemingly chance proximity to the towers that morning at moments only an arms length from the aluminum facade fundamentally altered the trajectory of everything that followed. The kid working at the Rite Aid told me I should sell the photographs to the New York Post as he handed them across the counter. I had not even seen them yet, but soon everyone I showed them to told me I should sell them to the New York Post. I decided I would only give the museum one photo. The honorarium for one would be more than enough to scan everything, so I signed the release and immediately regretted the decision. I took exactly 73 photographs that morning, and only the first 2 were particularly remarkable. I had a 35-mm. camera in my bag. I did not own a digital camera yet, and it would be another year or so before most cell phones, including my Nokia, would feature a built-in camera. I took the first photograph, the one that is now in the museum, as I stood on the stoop of my apartment building on Greenwich Street. It is a picture of a crumpled piece of paper burning on the street next to an unfolded cardboard compact disc case, some broken bits of acoustical ceiling panel, a piece of string, a few paper napkins, and a passport. I took the second photograph six minutes later and two blocks further north. From that vantage point, about a hundred feet south of the plaza, the view of the North Tower was completely obstructed by the South Tower, so that all I could see was a plume of smoke rising between the buildings. As I used the camera lens to zoom in on the southeast corner of the South Tower, the second plane hit the south facade just outside the cameras field of vision. I never saw the plane. The photograph shows the upper midsection of the building in sharp three-point perspective against a clear cobalt sky. The south facade, receding more acutely to the left, is in shadow, while the early morning sun lights the east facade. Three massive explosions project perpendicularly from the south, north, and east facades of the tower three distinct vectors of cadmium-orange fire, gray smoke, and pulverized debris that look more like cinematic pyrotechnics than anything real. I have no recollection of the impact making any sound, but I distinctly remember a wave of heat passing over my face followed by a compression in my stomach. I knelt behind a white van and put a new roll of film in the camera. The sky was full of sheets of white office paper suspended in the air like plastic flakes inside a snow globe. The event as we now know it was not yet a complete thought. I got a cup of coffee and started walking uptown. My shoes cut the back of my heel, so I took them off and walked barefoot on the cobblestones along Mercer Street. I turned my phone off and on again on the screen, a pixelated hourglass spun in search of a signal. I was just below Houston Street when the North Tower collapsed on itself. I withdrew as much cash as the ATM would allow, bought a bottle of water, and continued walking north. Excerpted from Sandfuture by Justin Beal. Copyright 2021 by Justin Beal. With permission of the publisher, The MIT Press. All rights reserved. This selection may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher. Edenton, NC (27932) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 71F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Elizabeth City, NC (27909) Today A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low near 70F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Elizabeth City, NC (27909) Today Some sun this morning with increasing clouds this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. Low near 70F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Elizabeth City, NC (27909) Today Some sun this morning with increasing clouds this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mainly cloudy. Low around 70F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Dalton, GA (30720) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to occasional showers during the afternoon. High 78F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Ronald Leland Dickison of Ironton, Ohio passed away Saturday, September 11, 2021 at home surrounded by his family. Ronald was born November 11, 1942 in Ashland, Kentucky. He was the son of the late Ben Dickison and Dorothy Gillium. There will be a celebration of life, 1:00 P.M., Saturday, Se Sunbury, PA (17801) Today Partly cloudy skies early with heavy thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 83F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Sunbury, PA (17801) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning. Thunderstorms likely during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 83F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Over in America, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex strain every sinew to discredit the British monarchy. But why do they bother? Back home, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew seem perfectly capable of doing that all by themselves, thank you very much. No outside help needed! Charles has just been entangled in embarrassing cash-for-honours claims, while Andrew has bolted to Balmoral to hide under the Queens kilt while a posse of sheriffs from America hunt him down. Come out with your hands up, Buster, weve got you surrounded. Mummy, Mummy, do something! Prince Charles and Prince Andrew seem perfectly capable of discrediting the British monarchy all by themselves, thank you very much. No outside help needed! Over in America, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex strain every sinew to discredit the British monarchy Really, one needs a heart of granite not to titter till it hurts at the situation in which our beleaguered royals now find themselves. All that ermine and flummery, all that pomp and tradition and curtseying and scraping, while behind the castle walls things are starting to feel more like the Sopranos than the Windsors. For a start, Prince Andrew has no recollection of ever meeting Virginia Giuffre, who has served a lawsuit on him. This week he drove 500 miles to Balmoral, some say to avoid being served the papers on the case but surely they underestimate the charms of Aberdeenshire at this time of year. When the bogs are in full spurtle, the thistles richly bloom and the beautiful wee midge-beasties take to the wing in the gloaming hour. No wonder he has scooted back there twice in recent weeks. On Wednesday, Andrew had a picnic lunch date with HM in a fishing lodge deep in the Balmoral estate and oh, to have been a fly on the royal pork pie at that glorious summit. Perhaps the prince was informing the Queen of his belief that he will soon be brushing off the lawsuit on September 13 and returning to the royal front line next year. Good luck with that, son, is almost certainly what she didnt say. Prince Andrew (left) arrives at Balmoral with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in the back of a Range Rover Now we also learn that the Prince of Wales has no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities. This comes after Saudi tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz was awarded an honorary CBE in 2016 after donating around 2 million to the princes charities. To be honest, thats just how I thought these things worked. No doubt a great many people on honours lists deserve their gongs but why else would a foreign-based billionaire like Mahfouz be given a CBE and God knows what else? For services to feminism in the Arabian Peninsula? Prince Charles and Prince Andrew would be quite terrifying if they were more organised and a bit more villainous instead of being as I suspect just a pair of entitled, bungling brothers without a drop of common sense between them. Phil and Grant Mitchell they are not; Ron and Reggie Kray can rest in peace, heinous reputations intact. Prince Charles awards a CBE to Saudi tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz at Buckingham Palace in November 2016 If the royal princes have one thing in common in addition to not being common, of course it is perhaps a buckling of resolve, a weakness of spirit around the seriously rich and an embarrassing willingness to accept donations from wealthy donors to their pet charitable causes: in Charless case, his heritage schemes and Princes Trust causes. In Andrews case, Fergie. If you love the Queen and I do this is all a very bad business. Perhaps it looks worse than it actually is but these days, optics are everything. I dont think for a second that Charles is a wicked or immoral person, with every penny of the money being pumped into his charities although the Jan jury is still out on Andrew. However, the current allegations give too much ammunition to those who wish to bring down the monarchy. They load the grapeshot into the republican blunderbuss, they makes all of us question all of them. Under such attack, the monarchy might stagger on for a few more decades but what then? As the tarnish blooms and deepens, one does not envy Prince William his destiny, nor Prince George after him: both kings-to-be fated to preside over an ever-dwindling realm. In the end, those royals and royal spouses who fumbled and floundered, those who cashed in and yielded to temptation, will each have to accept a share of the blame. And we all know who they are. Will the best Bond ever stop moaning? Has any man ever suffered for his art quite as much as Daniel Craig? Playing James Bond might be regarded as the glittering prize in any actors career but not his. I was physically and mentally under siege, he complains, of his five films and 15 years as 007. I locked myself in and closed the curtains, is how he describes coping with the fame that came with the role. Action hero or drama queen? Daniel has always been difficult to place. Has any man ever suffered for his art quite as much as Daniel Craig? Playing James Bond might be regarded as the glittering prize in any actors career but not his He is always whining about his luvvys lot but he brought so much intensity and physicality to his portrayal of the iconic spy that much can be forgiven. Patriotic, lip-smacking, motivating, high-living, pistol-packing, budgie-smuggling, cool-fizzin, ever-moaning superspy? Despite it all, he will always be my favourite James Bond. Charlottes not one to blush at the cash Back to the 1950s with cosmetics mogul Charlotte Tilbury, who says she has never let her husbands (she has had two) see her without her slap. She even wears make-up in bed. Yes I do, darling, I have my bedroom eye. I take off my make-up, do my skincare, then I put on my Colour Theory eyeliner that lasts 16 hours and my mascara, she says. George has never seen me without a bedroom eye. Never! I tell you, keep the magic alive. Oh, Charlotte. That is almost as tragic as the price of your products. Lets be honest. For many women, keeping the magic alive in their marriage means making their husbands disappear in a puff of smoke. Back to the 1950s with cosmetics mogul Charlotte Tilbury, who says she has never let her husbands (she has had two) see her without her slap. She even wears make-up in bed Who has time to be painting on a bedroom eye, whatever that is, at the end of the day? However, one has to admire the folksy intensity of her relentless product-pushing. Buy my make-up, you lazy slatterns! Charlotte would sell Nudegasm Face Palette blusher to a corpse if she thought there was sixpence in it. Put Helen out of her misery You know things are bad, really bad, Im talking absolutely desperate, when Social Care Minister Helen Whately is sent out to speak for the Government on the morning media circuit of television and radio studios. On Thursday morning she was minced by Nick Ferrari on LBC, who asked whether Gavin Williamson was racist or incompetent? Um . . . err . . . I dont know, she replied. Shortly afterwards, she was eaten alive by Kay Burley on Sky (Im a Kent MP and I know that migrants are turning up on beaches not far from my constituents.) On BBC News she refused to answer the important question of whether care home staff who wont get jabbed will be sacked. And when money expert Martin Lewis asked how it was possible for people to fund 86,000 in care costs, she bumbled that we are working through the detail of this reform. What is the point of Helen? Its like sending a toddler on a trike to repel the Vikings. She always seems on the verge of tears, as if someone had just stolen her puppy, and her grasp of her brief seems faint. At times I almost feel sorry for the hapless Social Care Minister, so clearly in need of some major care herself. Still, the reshuffle cant come soon enough. At last, Ive taken a deep dive into Virgin River One of my friends said you must watch Virgin River (Netflix) but after one episode of the romantic schmaltzfest, I thought: has she lost her mind? Now, of course, I love it, just like millions of women who are captivated by this story of love, loss and lumberjacks in the wilds of northern California. Based on the novels by Robyn Carr, it features nurse/midwife Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge), who is making a fresh start in the back of beyond after assorted traumas in her big-city life. One of my friends said you must watch Virgin River (Netflix) but after one episode of the romantic schmaltzfest, I thought: has she lost her mind? Now, of course, I love it, just like millions of women who are captivated by this story of love, loss and lumberjacks in the wilds of northern California. Pictured: Mel Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson) Im being deliberately vague (no spoilers) but Virgin River is for every one of us who dreams of driving a thousand miles to live in a log cabin by a lake where the only distraction is Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson), the hunky local bar owner and all-round good guy. Jack is also an ex-Marine, wounded inside and out but not so broken that he doesnt know how to bring his girl an iced cupcake in the bath, grill her a steak and festoon her home with fairy lights. I just want to make you happy, he growls, before being rugged and capable or pulling off his plaid shirt with pleasing regularity. He can also put up a shelf or unblock a drain quicker than you can say Mr Muscle. Thinking nice thoughts about Jack has probably got more women safely through the Time of Covid than the vaccine itself. I wont let anything happen to you, is the kind of thing he says, while sawing a fir tree in half. Virgin River is Fifty Shades Of Grey for the crochet and canasta set. Just bliss. Last night Jeremy Clarkson held an emergency meeting in his village hall so that angry locals could come along and shout at him about planning applications to develop his Diddly Squat Farm estate. Cheese and wine were served, alongside piping-hot complaints about the hundreds of visitors who clog up the country lanes on their way to visit Clarksons farm shop. Absurd, perhaps. But isnt it also the most fascinating example of celebrity culture in the country today? Now we know there are thousands of people out there who will drive across counties and queue for nearly three hours to buy a potato because it was grown in one of Jeremy Clarksons fields. Or a pot of his local honey or a pint of his local milk. It reminds me of the woman in the Bible who touched the hem of Jesuss cloak to cure her haemorrhage. Its utter madness. Although we all know that Jeremy is not the Messiah. Hes just a very naughty boy. The morning of September 11, 2001, dawned clear and bright. On the east coast of the United States, it was a lovely autumn day with not a cloud in the sky. Just before 8am, American Airlines Flight 11 lifted off from the runway at Logan Airport, Boston. Climbing into the heavens, the plane turned west towards the great American prairies and kept going. Six hours later, Flight 11 touched down on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport. The passengers disembarked, collected their bags and walked away into the rest of their lives. Their morning could have unfolded very differently. According to documents found in the ruins of a terrorist camp in the mountains of Afghanistan, this was the date initially selected by the Islamist terrorist group Al Qaeda for a massive, coordinated attack on the U.S. Al Qaeda's plan identified Flight 11 as a potential target. Taken over by a team of hijackers, it was to be crashed into the World Trade Center as part of a devastating, concerted attack on major U.S. public buildings. Had the plan been carried out, thousands of people would have died. The shock and horror are almost impossible to imagine. And the history of our times would have spun off course, with consequences we can barely begin to contemplate. But the attacks never happened. For whatever reason, the operation was cancelled and September 11, 2001, remains just another date. What happened next? For younger readers, here's a reminder. The 43rd U.S. president, George W. Bush, had come to office in January 2001 pledging to end the age of liberal intervention. Al Qaeda's plan identified Flight 11 as a potential target. Taken over by a team of hijackers, it was to be crashed into the World Trade Center (pictured). But it never happened He promised to serve as a 'clear-eyed realist', ending the tendency for the American military to act as the 'world's policeman'. In reality, Bush largely stuck to the foreign-policy template of his predecessor, Bill Clinton. In the first two years of his presidency, he ordered several air strikes on Islamist terrorist camps most famously the bombing of the Al Qaeda base in Tora Bora, Afghanistan, after U.S. embassies in Asia were attacked in 2002. But although some hawks suggested launching a ground invasion of Afghanistan, a few even calling for a global 'war on terror', Bush was having none of it. The United States, he maintained, had no vital interests in Afghanistan and he would not risk the life of a single U.S. marine to kick out the Taliban. Another continuity was Bush's attitude to the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who had been subject to Western sanctions and perennial air strikes since the 1990s. The sanctions continued; so did the air strikes, intensifying to a crescendo in the first weeks of 2003. That spring, the Bush administration made the catastrophic decision to back a CIA-planned invasion by a small force of Iraqi exiles, gambling they could rouse local support, storm Baghdad and overthrow Saddam. But Operation Iraqi Freedom, as it was called, proved an unmitigated disaster. There was no local uprising and Saddam's Republican Guard rapidly mopped up the invading force. Even a ferocious U.S. and British bombing campaign failed to make a difference, leaving Saddam more entrenched in power than ever. For many critics, the shambles of the Iraqi operation was entirely typical of the Bush administration. Again and again, his Democratic opponents insisted that he was failing to take the threat of radical Islam seriously, while his much-vaunted domestic reforms ebbed into the sand. In November 2004, the U.S. electorate delivered a harsh verdict, ending the Bush presidency after a single term the same fate that had befallen his father. The following January, Al Gore took the oath of office on the steps of the Capitol, having avenged his nail-biting defeat four years earlier. Was the Gore presidency a golden age, then? Not a bit of it. Although Gore promised to concentrate on fighting climate change, other issues soon overwhelmed him. Chinese competition was eating into American manufacturing, Russia's war against Georgia triggered talk of a new Cold War and the uprising against the Taliban in Afghanistan sent more than two million refugees fleeing across Asia. Then came the financial crisis of 2007-8. Gore insisted that his swift economic intervention had 'saved the world'. The American voters clearly didn't agree. After a narrow defeat by the populist Mike Huckabee, he went down as yet another failed one-term president. Similar aftershocks were felt in Britain. Here, Labour's Tony Blair had spent much of the early 2000s chafing at what he saw as U.S. passivity abroad, though his critics insisted this was merely a deflection from the timidity of his own reform agenda at home. After winning a third landslide victory in 2005, Blair initially promised to step aside but then changed his mind. A backbench coup two years later came close to bringing him down, but at last he summoned the courage to sack his Chancellor, Gordon Brown, who had supposedly been orchestrating the discontent. Insisting that he must stay in Downing Street to 'maintain confidence' during the financial crisis, Blair led Labour into a fourth successive general election in 2010 and proved he still had the Midas touch. Defying the polls, he won three more seats than the Tory leader David Cameron and formed a minority government with informal Lib Dem support. The Tories gave Cameron the boot, paving the way for the emergence of a new leader in the Right-wing David Davis. And in 2014, Davis won a narrow victory over Blair's hand-picked successor David Miliband, boosted by the promise of a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU. We all know what happened next. By a 52-48 margin, the British people narrowly voted to remain. Davis resigned, and in a surprise outcome the Tory leadership passed to Boris Johnson, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whose position on Europe had remained ambiguous throughout. The European issue soon faded, though, overshadowed by the long-running chaos in the Middle East. Had the plan been carried out, thousands of people would have died. The horror are almost impossible to imagine. Pictured: Firefighter at scene of World Trade Centre on September 11 At the end of 2010, a protest against high unemployment on the outskirts of Baghdad escalated into a general uprising against Saddam Hussein, unleashing a wave of similar protests across the region. Soon, however, this Arab Spring turned into a bloodbath, with Saddam and Syria's Bashar al-Assad joining forces against the rival Kurdish, Islamist and Shia groups trying to bring them down. As suicide bombings and chemical weapons attacks escalated, hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed in the chaos. Meanwhile, volunteers poured in from Muslim countries around the world. Among the Islamist radicals sucked into the conflict was a construction magnate's son from Saudi Arabia, who had spent years on the run after his brief spell of notoriety in the early 2000s. Having fled Afghanistan after the mass uprising against the Taliban, Osama Bin Laden had spent years hiding in Pakistan. His long-cherished dreams of attacking America had come to nothing, but in the chaos in Syria and Iraq he saw a new opportunity to make his name. For five years Bin Laden tried to carve out his own fundamentalist emirate in the Iraqi desert, vowing death to all who opposed him. But on September 11, 2016 15 years after the date chosen for his organisation's abandoned attack on New York and Washington fate caught up with the Saudi-born militant. Cornered in his hideout by Iraqi special forces, he was dragged back to Baghdad and summarily executed. Some say it was the septuagenarian Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, who fired the fatal shot. Such, then, is one version of a world in which 9/11 never happened. In reality, of course, we'll never know what might have been because the attacks did happen. The planes crashed into the towers, the World Trade Center fell, and 2,996 people lost their lives. The consequences, though, were obviously far greater than the events of a single day. To take one clear example, George W. Bush had campaigned for the presidency in 2000 on a largely domestic agenda, rejecting the idea America should remake the world in its own image. Without 9/11, he would probably have focused his energies on domestic reform. It's telling that when the planes hit the World Trade Center, he was in an elementary school classroom in Sarasota, Florida, listening to children learning to read. All that was forgotten, however, as Bush transformed himself into a wartime president. Under his leadership, U.S. and British forces invaded Afghanistan in October 2001, determined to root out Bin Laden. Then, in the spring of 2003, they launched an invasion of Iraq on the grounds that Saddam was hiding weapons of mass destruction that could cause a second 9/11. Without 9/11, probably neither of these things would have happened. It's impossible to imagine Western forces intervening in Afghanistan a country in which they had no obvious economic or political interest. And it's very difficult to imagine Britain let alone other Nato countries supporting a ground invasion of Iraq without the shock of 9/11 less than two years earlier. No Afghanistan, then, and no Iraq. But other things would have remained much the same. The threat of Islamist terrorism would have remained, since its root causes alienation, poverty, resentment, fanaticism would not have disappeared. China would have continued to expand at an astonishing rate. Russia would still have bared its claws, though it might have been more cautious in a world where the West was not bogged down in two Asian wars. The financial crisis would have happened anyway, since its roots stretched back to the deregulation of the 1980s and the mortgage bonanza of the 1990s. And the other seismic challenges of our time climate change, de-industrialisation, even Covid would have happened regardless. In some ways, then, it's tempting to argue that 9/11 was not such a turning point after all. Outside Afghanistan and Iraq, life in an alternative universe might look almost identical. Perhaps the only obvious difference might be that you would face less security on planes and at airports though even that is debatable, because some experts argue that even if 9/11 hadn't happened, a similar Islamist atrocity would have taken place eventually. Yet I believe 9/11 did matter and will echo in history. Not so much because of the attacks themselves, spectacular and horrific as they were, but because of the way the West responded. At the beginning of the 2000s, the reputation of the West had never been higher. It was barely a decade since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Communism was dead and liberal democracy seemed to be carrying all before it. In reality, we'll never know what might have been because the attacks did happen. The planes crashed into the towers, the World Trade Center fell, and 2,996 people lost their lives China had yet to discover its strength. Russia was in the doldrums. Boosted by the digital revolution, American capitalism had rarely been more buoyant. Here in Britain, Tony Blair was positively gleaming with modernising purpose. That decade, roughly between Blair's election in 1997 and the first signs of the financial crisis in 2007, was a precious, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The leaders of the Western world had a chance to lay the foundations for decades to come, thinking seriously about the economic and environmental challenges ahead, and proving the virtues of the democratic, capitalist model. But thanks to 9/11, they blew it. For entirely understandable reasons New York had been attacked, thousands of innocent people had been killed and Americans demanded justice George W. Bush and Tony Blair chose to unleash wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that both ended in disaster. Given the Taliban's refusal to hand over Osama Bin Laden, no U.S. president could have stayed out of Afghanistan in late 2001. That much was inevitable. What was not inevitable was the failure to set clear, long-term objectives; the mismanagement and corruption; the blustering and bullying; and, above all, the catastrophic, reckless, utterly unforgivable decision to launch a second war just two years later. These 9/11 wars, as some scholars call them, cost the lives of at least 6,000 British and American servicemen, as well as perhaps 200,000 Afghans and a similar number of Iraqis. Perhaps even more significant as cold-blooded as that sounds is that they did horrendous, irreversible damage to the image of Western democracy. Despite the initial outpouring of sympathy, America's reputation never really recovered from the appalling revelations of torture and mistreatment in prisons such as Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. And the invasion of Iraq based on a false premise, designed to seize weapons that never actually existed shattered millions of people's trust in their democratically elected leaders. 'The advance of human freedom the great achievement of our time, and the great hope of every time now depends on us . . . we will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will not tire, we will not falter and we will not fail.' Those were the words of George W. Bush, delivered to a joint session of Congress nine days after the attacks, with his friend Tony Blair looking on from the gallery. They make painful reading today. We know now they didn't rally the world by their efforts. They did tire, they did falter and they did fail. The Taliban rule Afghanistan today. Iraq is a blood-soaked ruin, still scarred by violence. And across the world millions regard the West and its leaders with hatred and contempt, and look instead to the strongmen of the East. That, I fear, is the real legacy of 9/11. A terrible, heart-breaking atrocity, it cost the lives of almost three thousand men and women. But it also served as the prologue for some of the most grievous policy failures in modern history, from which the reputation of the West will take years to recover. They didn't have to happen; but they did. And as painful as it is to admit it, they represented Osama Bin Laden's greatest victory. You would think it easy to get things done as a professor in the NHS. Senior doctors are revered, after all: their opinion counts. But try to actually change anything and its a different story. As a consultant gynaecologist and professor, some years ago at the Rosie Hospital part of Addenbrookes in Cambridge, one of the best hospitals in the country I thought we should change the appointments system in our clinic. The existing arrangement saw one batch of women called in at 9am, another at 11.30am. I got sick and tired of seeing these patients sitting in the waiting area, getting increasingly fed up. A woman who comes through the door having been made to wait two hours is understandably angry, tired and resentful, especially if shes been trying to entertain a screaming three-year-old. Youre not going to get the best account of someones medical history in those circumstances. The hurdles placed in the way of reform are designed to shore up the NHS and are not in the best interests of the people who need it I thought individual appointment times would be better: say, one every 15 minutes. Every doctor and patient I spoke to agreed. Naively, I thought the switch would be easy. Instead, I had to argue my case in front of at least six committees. Just imagine. Six committees. They all have a chairman. They all have an agenda. And that was just the first of my battles with the staggering bureaucracy within the NHS. Next, my unit pioneered a scheme whereby pregnant women would carry their own medical records to appointments instead of us looking up their records on the central database. The opposition to this was ferocious. But, we pointed out, 17 per cent of central records could not be found. And once women were trusted with their own notes, only 5 per cent turned up without them. And thats before I mention another arduous battle to send out post-appointment letters to the patient, with a copy to their GP instead of the other way round. At the heart of this chaos is a system that doesnt put the patient first. The hurdles placed in the way of reform are designed to shore up the NHS and are not in the best interests of the people who need it. After Cambridge, I became Dean of Medicine at Imperial College London, then CEO of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. I have also worked in Singapore and Australia. So Ive had a view of our healthcare system from many perspectives and, in my opinion, todays NHS is simply not fit for purpose. This week has furnished us with yet more stark reminders of the eye-watering sums the NHS is capable of wasting The additional funds the Government is about to direct to the NHS some 36 billion over three years thanks to a new Health and Social Care Levy, including 5.4 billion to help clear the backlog caused by Covid is well-intentioned. But throwing money at the current system wont get us anywhere. This week has furnished us with yet more stark reminders of the eye-watering sums the NHS is capable of wasting. It reportedly paid about 400 million a month last summer to block-book private hospital care for non-Covid patients. A good idea, you might think. But, astonishingly, two-thirds of that went unused, perhaps for ideological reasons, as many NHS staff have an aversion to private medicine. Meanwhile, waiting lists grew. About 5.6 million people are waiting for hospital treatment, and that number looks set to double in the coming years. About 9 million of the new money is already earmarked for salaries of up to 270,000 for executives who will be expected to actively champion diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity. I have no quarrel with high salaries if they attract highly competent people. These are important jobs. When I was chief executive at Imperial College, I was responsible for a 1.2 billion-a-year budget and had peoples lives at stake. Its time we had a major review of the way we run our health service. The NHS was born from such a review: the famous 1942 Beveridge Report, which looked at health care, social care and education. It was marvellous, and set up an NHS that was suited to life 80 years ago, but no more. We need to set up a new Beveridge review: a national debate about how to best fund and run our health service for the 21st century. It could be a Royal Commission, it could be an inquiry led by a judge. Were not a stupid nation, and we can come up with a lasting way of doing it. The review should involve medical personnel, economists, social-care experts, politicians and patients. What it must not involve is a childish, political squabble. And we need to ask: what do we want, and how do we want to pay for it? Id say there are other, far better ways we can pay for healthcare in this country than the current system. And the best would be the social insurance schemes seen elsewhere in the developed world which would offer a vastly superior service than we have at the moment. The biggest obstacle to bringing in social insurance is actually the English language. When you mention social insurance, people in Britain panic. They think: I cant afford medical insurance! But its not at all like private medical insurance thats completely misleading. Under a social insurance scheme, the Government hypothecates that is, promises the money to go on healthcare. The scheme is then run on insurance principles, but its paid for by the state out of our taxes. And the money cannot be used for anything else. The employee and their employer pay a part of their salary (exactly like National Insurance) into an insurers fund better described as a sickness fund which is usually publicly run. (In some cases, it can be private, but not-for-profit, and only under very strict government rules.) Be wary of the objections from the Department of Health and the Treasury that social insurance is complicated and difficult to manage. We know through international comparisons that it provides a high standard of care often higher than the NHS. I was cheered to see that the levy Boris Johnson announced this week will be hypothecated for health and social care thats a small step towards a proper system of social insurance. This has nothing to do with privatising the health service, nor is it a criticism of the doctors, nurses and managers who have shown especially over the past two years selfless dedication. It is about dramatically improving healthcare in this country. The great myth about the NHS is the belief that, because it provides for everyone, it is exceptional. But do people here seriously think the citizens of Belgium, Holland, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Spain and Italy all go around worrying about whether they will get their cancer treated? Of course not. All these countries have slightly different systems, so our NHS review could look at the right mix of options, taking ideas from several countries, perhaps, to get the best for the UK. I like the Dutch system, which has a small number of sickness funds which patients can switch between without penalty. As a nation, weve set the bar far too low: grateful to see a GP after several weeks wait, grateful to have surgery, if only after the millions ahead of us on the waiting list have had theirs. The truth is: we can do better. When I was a young doctor, I was filled with fervour for the NHS. I had the fiercest arguments, insisting our system was the best in the world. Then I began travelling to other countries as part of my academic research into menstrual dysfunction. I did much of my early research in Sweden. That was my first eye-opener: the Swedish system was outstanding. One of the first things that impressed me was that consultants went outside their hospitals and held clinics in GP surgeries. This was new to me. In Sweden, the consultant was expected to go to the patient, not the other way round. That is still a feature of Swedish medicine and we should look at it closely. Right now, too much in healthcare isnt right for the patient but persists because weve always done it this way. And as for privatisation? When people talk of mixing public with private, theres a widespread suspicion that evil American corporations will descend and make huge profits from our precious NHS. But and heres the key point large parts of the NHS are already private. In many years of working in hospitals, I never understood why so many people didnt realise that GPs dont actually work for the health service. They are small businesses. So are dentists, including those offering NHS care. The first criticism from the Left is always, Look at the American system! Let me say this: the American system is absolutely atrocious not to mention terrible value for money. Many people live in fear of not being able to pay their medical bills and care costs twice as much as anywhere else in the world. Nobody wants that. What would improve Britains healthcare is a system similar to those of many of our European neighbours. The biggest challenge for the UK health service now is how to integrate primary care (GPs, dentists and opticians) with secondary care (including hospitals). This comes naturally in a less top-down social-insurance system. Social care has long been neglected, but it is key to making the whole system work. Its really about getting older and vulnerable people home from hospital, rather than leaving them stuck there when they no longer need to be. If Mrs Jones, 95, is ready to be discharged but social care cant ensure she will be looked after at home, she must stay in hospital. Then the bed she would have vacated is not available for the next person needing an operation, and so on . . . Lack of integration in the NHS is systemic: most patients are astonished at the difficulty of sharing records between a hospital and general practice. If you are assessing someones health needs, you should be able, with their consent, to access their primary care records, operation notes and anything else that is relevant. But this is very difficult although technology is slowly improving matters. A last question. Should we not change the role of GPs to focus more on long-term care? If you are a woman with problem periods, why shouldnt you access an app, put in your medical history and refer yourself to a consultant whose team will be able to look at the problem and decide if you need to come and see them? Why should your GP be the only port of call? Which brings me back to my key point. The NHS as we have it was designed for life 80 years ago, when your GP was the person invariably a man, in those days who acted as gatekeeper. That was then. What we need is an NHS for now. Professor Stephen Smith is former Dean of Medicine at Imperial College London. Your Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has been widely ridiculed on both sides of the Channel for suggesting that boats carrying migrants be physically 'pushed back' towards the French coast. Yet, from my experience as Australia's former minister for foreign affairs, I know that a 'push-back' policy can work. To solve a migration crisis, you have to smash the business model of the criminal gangs of people traffickers. From my experience as Australia's former minister for foreign affairs, I know that a 'push-back' policy can work Rohingya migrants are turned away from Australia back to Indonesia in 2015 And the only way to do that is to convince would-be migrants who are of course the smugglers' paying customers that they have little chance of reaching British shores. On a calm summer's day, it is highly likely that a boat which goes unchallenged will make it across the smooth and relatively short stretch of the English Channel. The instinct is, of course, to give it a try. But if you introduce obstacles that sharply increase the prospect of failure, the economic equation changes. The migrants will stop paying for places on the boats, and the traffickers will stop buying and kitting out the vessels. Around the turn of the millennium, boats carrying large numbers of economic migrants began arriving in Australian waters from Indonesia. This was problematic on various levels. A group of migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, following a small boat incident in the Channel this week First, it was a hazardous sea voyage and the migrants were in grave danger not just from the elements, but also from the traffickers operating the boats criminals who had little regard for their safety and who would exploit them. Second, the new arrivals were making a mockery of our asylum and immigration systems by leap-frogging the 20,000 or so refugees we admitted every year in orderly settlement programmes. So we decided on direct action. We sent out patrol boats to intercept the vessels operated by the traffickers, boarded them and took command. Safety checks and running repairs were made, then the migrants' boats were refuelled and pointed back towards Indonesia. Ships of the Australian Navy patrolled the waters to ensure they did not turn around again. We also provided the Indonesian authorities with the precise co-ordinates of the boats so they could monitor their progress and be on hand if there was an emergency. Sri Lankan asylum seekers destined for Australia and New Zealand are stopped en route As word spread around Indonesia that we were determined to stamp out the trafficking, it soon stemmed the numbers. I see no reason why this cannot be done in the Channel. French ministers have already objected to your Home Secretary's proposal, but that was predictable. What the British Government needs to make clear is that its laws are being broken, and that the problem originates in France. Under international law, there is no basis for migrants leaving a safe country such as France to seek asylum in another country. I've heard some media commentators talking about migrants 'fleeing France', which is ridiculous. I was in the Dordogne on holiday recently, and very civilised it was too. None of the hundreds of men, women and children arriving on beaches of the south coast more than 14,000 so far this year was at any risk of being persecuted in France; nor would any face recrimination if forced to return there. Let us be honest; these migrant voyages are a highly profitable criminal racket being run by unscrupulous gangs. Rohingya migrants rest on a boat off the coast of Indonesia after Australian officials turned them back As minister for foreign affairs, it was my job to placate the Indonesians, who were initially furious about our 'push-back' policy. But they calmed down, and tacitly accepted our reasons for acting as we did to stop a criminal venture putting lives at risk and the abuse of our immigration system. No self-respecting country could do otherwise. When a subsequent Australian Labour government dropped our policy of interception, citing human rights concerns, the financial incentive for the traffickers was restored and the boats reappeared. It was only when multiple boats sank with the loss of hundreds of lives including one particular tragedy in December 2010 when 50 migrants died that the policy was re-implemented. It has remained in force ever since. My advice to Miss Patel would be to introduce the 'push-back' policy without fanfare, and to keep the French informed on a need-to-know basis only. The vast majority of those coming across the Channel are young men who are economic migrants, so they respond to economic forces. To the critics already arguing that it is dangerous to board vessels in the Channel and turn them around, I say it is less risky than allowing this dismal trade in human cargo to continue. It would be necessary for some border and immigration staff to undergo specific training and I am sure the Australian government would be happy to assist in this. Our policy was controversial when it was introduced 20 years ago. But now it is widely accepted that if you are a country determined to remain open to genuine refugees and legal immigrants, then your borders have to be protected. Many people prefer to wait until after eating breakfast to brush their teeth so they don't have a minty taste in their mouth that can overpower the taste of fruit or orange juice. But the age old advice of waiting until after breakfast to clean your pearly whites may be wrong, according to a group of leading experts. Dental student Ola, who's studying at Tufts University in Massachusetts is among the many medical professionals sharing the advice on TikTok. In a viral video she said you should always brush your teeth first thing in the morning before eating, because 'bacteria builds up in the mouth overnight' and brushing before leads to cavity prevention. Another, New York based dental hygienist Avalene said that brushing right after can 'damage teeth'. Speaking to FEMAIL, celebrity dentist Dr Richard Marques of Doctor Richard London, said the ideal time to clean is 10 minutes before breakfast to avoid damaging the enamel. The age old advice or of waiting until after breakfast to clean your pearly whites may be wrong, according to a group of leading experts (stock image) He added that if you forget and want to clean after that you should wait at least 30 minutes as the enamel that coats teeth is temporarily weakened after eating. It comes as dozens of dental professionals have been using TikTok to share advice on oral hygiene. NHS surgeon Dr Karan Raj, who has 4.4m followers shared a clip explaining how toothpaste covers the teeth and protects enamel from acidic foods. 'You've got to brush your teeth before breakfast, not after,' he explained. 'Brushing before breakfast coats your teeth with a protective barrier against acid in your food - all that orange juice you're guzzling down. 'It also jumps starts saliva production which helps you breakdown food and naturally kills harmful bacteria in your mouth. 'Brushing your teeth immediately after breakfast can actually cover your teeth in the remnants of acidic food, and this can actually weaken your enamel. Speaking to FEMAIL, celebrity dentist Dr Richard Marques of Doctor Richard London, said you should clean 10 minutes before breakfast. He added that if you forget and want to clean after that you should wait at least 30 minutes. WHAT TO EAT FOR BREAKFAST FOR HEALTHY TEETH Porridge with sweet honey rather than white sugar is perfect Wholemeal toast Avocado on toast Eggs and salmon Full English breakfast Advertisement WHAT TO AVOID AT BREAKFAST FOR HEALTHY TEETH Sugary cereals Acidic products, such as fruit and fruit juices Milk (including oat milk, almond and other alternatives) Cheese Advertisement Another, Dr Suhail Mohiuddin , from Chicago, added that it can 'damage enamel' to brush after breakfast. 'Its brush, eat breakfast and drink coffee in less than 30 mins, then rinse with water,' he said. But Dr Richard Marques who has celebrity clients including Rita Ora, Anne-Marie, Tom Daley and Dua Lipa, revealed the most important thing is leaving time before eating and brushing your teeth. 'It's an age old debate, but my professional advice is that it doesn't actually matter whether you brush before or after eating it's the amount of time you wait between the activities,' he explained. 'The precious enamel that coats the teeth is temporarily weakened after eating due to the acids present in food, so by brushing right after you eat, you risk damaging it. 'Enamel is important because it's one of the body's barriers protecting teeth. 'It cannot be restored so it's vital to look after it. 'You should wait at least 30 minutes after eating before you brush your teeth, or at least 10 minutes before you eat, to ensure the active ingredients in the toothpaste have had a chance to do their job and protect the teeth, and so that your enamel is hardened. 'When it comes to what to eat for breakfast, I recommend avoiding sugary cereal, acidic fruit and juice and milk at breakfast. He added that good things to opt for porridge with honey and not white sugar, wholemeal toast, eggs, avocado and even a full English breakfast'. Cheaters might think they can get away with their infidelities - but these text messages show that just one slip-up can result in them being found out. These unfaithful partners from around the world were all exposed when they sent incriminating notes to the wrong person - including their trusting better halves. The texts, collated in an online gallery on Traveler Door, captured some of the senders trying desperately to save their relationship after being caught. Here, FEMAIL rounds up some of the most cringeworthy examples... Double booked: This man text his girlfriend while talking about his previous plans with the other woman Caught! This cheater was exposed after she text her partner, thinking it was actually her father she was messaging 'I'll meet you at his place in ten': Two women discovered a man was cheating on them and agreed to get revenge One girlfriend insisted she would be taking the Xbox with her after discovering that she was being cheated on Jumping to conclusions: This woman thought she could get back at her boyfriend after mistakenly thinking he was breaking up with her Oops: This father accidentally told his own daughter he was cheating on her mother End of the line: This gobsmacked wife received a message meant for her husband's mistress The texts captured some of the senders trying desperately to save their relationship after being caught 'Who the hell is Sami?': One wife was left shocked after receiving a message from her husband that was seemingly meant for his mistress Jordan or Jordyn? One partner was exposed after mistakenly sending his girlfriend a message that was meant for his brother A mum-of-two has shared how her life was turned upside down after being given a shocking rare oesophageal cancer diagnosis, despite maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Mirella Smith, from Adelaide, South Australia, was living her dream of running her own fashion boutique, but was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer on June 16 after surgeons found a tumour blocking 70 per cent of her oesophagus. The 44-year-old told Daily Mail Australia she experienced bloating, felt uncomfortable after eating and had difficulty swallowing, which eventually led to being unable to eat solid foods. 'I hadn't been feeling right since the start of the year but didn't think much of it - I thought it was just bad reoccurring reflux,' she said. Doctors considered the prognosis to be 'rare' and 'unusual', as the cancer is often found in men over 60 who smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol - two habits Mirella never did. To this day physicians are unsure how the nasty tumour occurred, leaving Mirella with few answers. Mum-of-two Mirella Smith (pictured) was looking forward to living her dream of running her own fashion boutique, but was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer on June 16 after surgeons found a tumour blocking 70 per cent of her oesophagus The 44-year-old told Daily Mail Australia she experienced bloating, felt uncomfortable after eating and had difficulty swallowing, which eventually led to being unable to eat solid foods Doctors considered the prognosis to be 'rare' and 'unusual', as the cancer is often found in men over 60 who smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol - two habits Mirella never did Before the diagnosis Mirella had a blood test and ultrasound but neither detected anything sinister. But on June 15 she felt something was badly wrong, called her husband Rick, and they went to her GP together. Rick said the doctor was 'dismissive' of Mirella's symptoms, but he persisted and took her to the emergency room where she was admitted and had an endoscopy. 'The next morning after the procedure I remember lying in the recovery room with several other patients and when the surgeon came around to me, she closed the curtain, so I knew something was wrong,' Mirella said. Prior to the diagnosis, Mirella had a blood test and ultrasound but neither detected anything sinister. It wasn't until June 15 when she felt something was badly wrong, called her husband Rick and the pair went to her GP together The surgeon was 'straight forward' and diagnosed Mirella with cancer, leaving her in shock and disbelief that took a few minutes to process The surgeon was 'straight forward' and diagnosed Mirella with cancer, leaving her in shock and disbelief that took a few minutes to process. 'I couldn't believe it and started crying thinking of my two boys and family, it was completely heartbreaking,' she said. 'I felt an overwhelming guilt because I didn't want to put my family through this.' Since the cancer was considered to be 'unusual', the surgeon recommended taking at least six months off work, which wasn't ideal as Mirella had just opened her business Nuco Style Station. Oesophageal cancer symptoms Oesophageal cancer is slow-growing and usually detected in advanced stages, as there may not be any symptoms in the early stages Symptoms of oesophageal cancer may include: Difficult or painful swallowing Heartburn Vomiting blood Black or bloody stools Unexplained fatigue Feeling of choking when swallowing Discomfort in the upper abdomen particularly when eating Weight loss Source: Cancer Council Advertisement A couple weeks after the prognosis she progressively ate less and less then returned to the hospital for doctors to insert a nasal feeding tube to inject the food intravenously. While this was meant to be an overnight procedure, Mirella had some complications as the surgeons had accidentally connected the tube to her bowel rather than her stomach. She remained in hospital for five days and doctors corrected the error. Mirella said it took a while to get used to because the tube passes through the tumour and into her stomach, but it's the only way she can consume liquid food. 'It was quite confronting at first because it's clearly visible and everyone can see it,' she said. A couple weeks after the prognosis she progressively ate less and less then returned to the hospital for doctors to insert a nasal feeding tube to inject the food intravenously Rather than removing the tumour, doctors planned a five-week chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment plan that Mirella started on July 13 Rather than removing the tumour, doctors planned a five-week chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment plan that Mirella started on July 13. She had chemotherapy once a week and radiotherapy for an hour Monday through to Friday for five weeks, which she described as 'intense'. 'I had a lot of nausea and was so fatigued from the chemo to the point where I felt like I could collapse, whereas the radiotherapy felt like an internal sunburn,' she said. Due to both the treatments and being unable to eat solids, Mirella lost 15kg and dropped down to only 49kg, but she hopes to put the weight back on to strengthen her body before her next surgery. 'Gradually my hair started falling out but I haven't shaved it yet - maybe I'll do it this week,' Mirella joked. Due to both the treatments and being unable to eat solids, Mirella lost 15kg and dropped down to only 49kg, but she hopes to put the weight back on to strengthen her body before her next surgery Mirella has now finished treatment and is awaiting to have surgery in October to remove the tumour and all nearby lymph nodes Mirella has now finished treatment and is awaiting to have surgery in October to remove the tumour and all nearby lymph nodes. The intense surgery will take between eight to ten hours as most of her oesophagus will need to be removed and the stomach will be moved higher in the body than normal. Mirella admitted she feels nervous about the daunting surgery but remains positive despite having to look at the situation realistically. Moving forward, Mirella and Rick said her story highlights the importance of listening to your body and trusting if something seems wrong. 'If you think something's not right and things don't add up, get a second opinion,' Rick said. As Mirella is still a young patient for this type of cancer, she is hopeful she will one day be cancer-free. To raise awareness, Rick took part in Dry July and raised over $8,000 and became one of the Top Fundraisers for Dry July 2021. 'It was a tiny sacrifice I could do that's so close to home for Mirella and our family,' he said. Prince Harry's nosedive from the most popular member of the Royal Family to where he is now 'adds to his anger', a royal expert has claimed. The Duke and Duchess' popularity has hit an all-time low as the couple continue to suffer the fallout from their interview with Oprah Winfrey in March, according to polling by YouGov. Positive opinion of Harry, 36, who now lives in an 11million mansion in Montecito, California, with his wife and two children, has fallen by nine points from 43 per cent in April to 34 per cent now. Meghan, 40, has seen a steady decline in her popularity this year, with positive opinion at 30 per cent in March, falling to 29 per cent in April, and dropping a further three percentage points to 26 per cent now. The Duke and Duchess' popularity has hit an all-time low as the couple continue to suffer the fallout from their interview with Oprah Winfrey in March, according to polling by YouGov Former royal editor Duncan Larcombe, who has reported on Harry since he was a teenager, said going from being the most popular royal to where he is now - barely on speaking terms with his family - 'must be really hard for him and probably adds to his anger'. 'Meghan too was so welcomed in the beginning, but now the UK has lost trust in her. Their popularity has totally nosedived,' he told Closer magazine. 'It's worrying to think what Harry has left if his American life fails for him. I don't think he'll be welcomed back as a working royal, but he would as a brother, son and grandson. 'If Harry's not on the balcony at Buckingham Palace, waving to the crowds, on the day his father or his brother becomes King, then I think the public will be done with him.' YouGov blames 'poor responses to their statements surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the withdrawal from Afghanistan', for the recent drop in their popularity. The couple were criticised for wading into Afghanistan crisis with woke 'word salad' statement, in which they said they were 'speechless' and feeling 'the many layers of pain'. Former royal editor Duncan Larcombe said going from being the most popular royal to where he is now 'must be really hard for him and probably adds to his anger'. The lengthy statement, released via the couple's slick Archewell Foundation website, calls on followers to support organisations including the World Central Kitchen, but failed to say how much they would be personally donating or details of how they would help. YouGov also cited as their Oprah Winfrey interview, in which the couple accused an unnamed member of the royal family of making a racist comment about what skin tone their son Archie may have. Who are the most popular royals? YouGov polled 1,667 adults in GB between August 27th and 29th. These are the most popular royals (rated very positive or positive) according to its results. The Queen: 80 per cent (net: +74) Prince William: 78 per cent (net: +62) Kate Middleton: 75 per cent (net: +59) Princess Anne: 65 per cent (net: +50) Prince Edward: 45 per cent (net: +20) Prince Charles: 54 per cent (net: +17) Camilla Parker Bowles: 43 per cent (net: +1) Prince Harry: 34 per cent (net: -25) Meghan Markle: 26 per cent (net: -39) Prince Andrew: 6 per cent (net: -77) Advertisement Prince Harry declined to say who made the comment, but stressed it wasn't the Queen or Prince Philip. The couple sent shockwaves through the monarchy in January last year when they announced their intention to step down as senior members of the Royal Family and embark on a new life across the Atlantic. But they've attracted criticism after expressing a desire for privacy, then laying bare their split from the Firm in their explosive Oprah sit-down and signing multi-million pound deals with Netflix, Spotify and Apple TV. Harry also revealed he's publishing a tell-all memoir with Penguin Random House in 2022 as part of a lucrative four-book deal believed to be worth up to 29million. Duncan acknowledged that the Duke has found a degree of freedom in now being able to say what he wants, but believes the couple have 'totally isolated themselves' as a result of their rift with the royals. He added that there is now tremendous pressure on the Sussexes to deliver and make a success of their shiny new life in the States, suggesting they're 'more trapped than ever in this new life they've created'. Duncan said the fact they've caused such an uproar for both the Firm and in the media, they now don't have the option of failing as it would be 'the ultimate humiliation'. 'If Netflix aren't happy and the production doesn't get the audiences that they're expecting, they won't give them another contract,' he observed. 'They've entered a commercial world and it's cut-throat.' The Sussexes are not not the most unpopular royals; that dubious honour goes to Prince Andrew, who has an overall negative rating of 83 per cent and a positive rating of just six per cent, due to his connection to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The public's favourite royal - as ever - is the Queen with 80 per cent of the population having a favourable opinion of the monarch. A woman who attempted to take her own life after her nude photographs were circulated online without her consent, claims sharing the images on her own subscription page has helped her to regain control. Megan Sims, 24, from Limerick, explained that she was flooded with abusive messages on Facebook after explicit videos and photos of her were leaked on sites including PornHub when she was 19, and sent to her entire family. The teenager received more than 400 messages on Facebook telling her to kill herself, which led to a suicide attempt. She said other women who live in Limerick also had their images exposed, but the police claimed they were unable to help. The content creator took time away from social media and started campaigning and petitioning for revenge porn to become a criminal offence. Megan Sims, 24, (pictured) from Ireland, claims she has been trolled since setting up an Only Fans account to regain control of her image Megan told Evoke that thousands of women contacted her to share their own experiences, leaving her 'traumatised' by how their images were traded ''like Pokemon cards''. She explained that she decided to join Only Fans during the first lockdown to gain financial freedom and regain control of her image. Joking that she deserves to earn from her photos circulating, Megan said: 'My photos were sent to me a lot to try to shame me. S***w this, you can't shame me for it if I do it myself. I just had to own it!' The 24-year-old added that some people have called her 'not a real victim of revenge porn', arguing that she can't campaign for image-based sexual abuse while on Only Fans. Megan (pictured), whose photos were circulated without her consent at age 19, claims legislation against revenge porn wasn't pushed through until thousands of women were affected 'It's all about consent. I consent to people to see my photos on that platform. I didn't give you consent to take those pictures and send them to all your friends,' she said. Megan claims the need for legislation against revenge porn wasn't pushed through until thousands of women affected went public with their experience - despite victim Dara Quigley taking her own life in 2017. Dara had discovered that a member of the Gardai had recorded CCTV footage of her walking on a street in Dublin naked before her tragic death. Megan (pictured) said the trauma victims of revenge porn experience makes it difficult to be proud that she's inspiring women to speak out The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, came into action in February 2021. The legislation makes distribution and publication of content without consent punishable by imprisonment as well as fines. Megan admits that she has struggled to be proud of how she has influenced people to speak out about their experiences because seeing revenge porn continue to spread is 'upsetting'. She added that it's constantly traumatising for victims and the misogyny is overwhelming. Customers have taken to social media to ridicule a shopper bag unveiled by luxury brand Balenciaga. The Barbes Large East-West Shopper Bag has been likened to plastic tote bags used at markets across the world to transport fruit and vegetables. The Paris-based brand, originally founded in Spain, listed the bag on its website for an eye-watering 1,490. Social media users have mocked a check print shopper bag (pictured) being sold by Balenciaga for 1,490 Balenciaga describes the shopper bag as blue, white and red check printed with embossed calfskin with the fashion house logo on the front. It features removable straps, inner pockets and two top handles, while boasting that it was made in Italy from 100 per cent calfskin with an organic cotton canvas lining. A model shot shows the bag paired with an oversize hoodie over a dress and blue heeled boots. Wearing sunglasses, the model appears to be demonstrating how the bag can be worn casually. Balenciaga boasts that their Barbes Large East-West Shopper Bag (pictured) is made from 100 per cent calfskin and has a organic cotton canvas lining Photographs of the bag have been circulating on Twitter as users make jokes about it being similar to cheaper alternatives. One person wrote: 'Good grief! I'll let my nanny know she was 30 years ahead of fashion.' 'This looks exactly like the bag my grandma used to take our food when going to the beach,' another said. A third added: 'We've been using this in Africa since before I was born.' Another wrote: 'Looks like the striped bags you get at the $$ stores!' Social media users have joked that their grandmother has had a similar check print tote bag since their childhood Last month, shoppers were left speechless when Balenciaga unveiled a 2,890 hi-vis jacket. Many compared it to a 'parking attendant's uniform' or 'something Bob the Builder' would wear. One shopper wrote: 'They just trying to scope out the idiots by selling this' Another said: 'Stop it, this has to be made up' Demna Gvasalia who gained a Masters' Degree in Fashion Design from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Belgium, has been the artistic Director of Balenciagas collections since 2015. He announced the reintroduction of Balenciaga Haute couture in January 2020, saying the brand is getting back to 'its sources of origin'. The Spanish brand also failed to impress shoppers with a 1,350 knitted hoodie covered in holes earlier this year. A bizarre water-filled fitness bag beloved by the likes of actress Kate Hudson and other Hollywood celebrities is launching in Australia - and it promises to give you your best body yet. The HydroCore ($195) is a fitness bag you simply fill with water and then swing around in your bedroom, living room, park or hotel room. The idea is that the less water you have in your bag, the more your entire body will be 'displaced' and you'll have to work hard to stabilise yourself using your deep core muscles. On the flipside, if you want to challenge yourself to a strength workout, you simply fill the bag full of water and then lift it up and down repeatedly like a heavy dumbbell. Scroll down for video A bizarre water-filled fitness bag beloved by Hollywood celebrities is launching in Australia - and it promises to give you your best body yet (HydroCore pictured) The HydroCore ($195) is a fitness bag you simply fill with water and then swing around in your bedroom, living room, park or hotel room (actress Kate Hudson pictured working out with it) The idea is that the less water you have in your bag (pictured), the more your entire body will be 'displaced' and you'll have to work hard to stabilise yourself using your deep core muscles CEO and founder of Agility and the Synergy Performance Institute David Mckintosh is behind the Australian launch of the fitness gadget that was originally invented by MMA trainer Maurizio Tangari in the US. He told FEMAIL it's 'unlike anything you've ever worked out with before', and even super-fit clients struggle after just one minute of work with the HydroCore, because they are not used to it. 'It's an all-in-one body engagement tool,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'Whether it's full and heavy or only half-full and light, the HydroCore is an entire body workout that exhausts clients after just one minute. 'In the same way that those power plates displace the body and force you to react to it while working out, so too does the HydroCore upset your balance - meaning you have to work doubly hard just to stay standing up.' Put simply: When you lift the HydroCore bag, it wants to keep going in whatever direction you were moving it. The water inside it sloshes around, and your shoulders, hands, hips, and core have to work to stop it from pulling you out of position and breaking form. CEO and founder of Agility and the Synergy Performance Institute David Mckintosh said even super-fit clients are tired after just one minute of working out with the bag (pictured) While there is no 'typical workout' with the $195 device, David said there are a number of things you can do with it - from lifting it up and down like a dumbell to swinging it around your body, as actress Kate Hudson likes to use it. 'You can do slow, steady movements with it or super fast rolling around on the ground,' David said. 'You can hang it up and punch it like a bag or do partner work with it. It can also work like a weight station if you hang it up and do lat pull downs.' One of the best things about the device, David added, is that it completely flat packs down, meaning you can use it on holiday, in a hotel room if stuck in quarantine or just down at your local park. There are a number of things you can do with the bag - from lifting it up and down like a dumbell to swinging it around your body, or squatting and punching it (workout pictured) Celebrities including Kate Hudson are huge fans of the HydroCore, with the actress recently sharing a clip of her using it in July. 'This gives "staying centred" a whole new meaning for me,' Kate wrote on her Instagram page. 'First time taking this for a ride, definitely not the last.' Other Hollywood and military clients have praised the gadget for its versatile uses. What sets the HydroCore apart from other fitness gadgets? * The HydroCore bag uses the power of water dynamics to build stability, strength, and explosiveness like no other training tool. The HydroCore bag (pictured) uses the power of water dynamics to build stability, strength, and explosiveness like no other training tool * It is easily transportable. Fold it up and take it on the road for a workout you can do anytime, anywhere - no heavy weights necessary. * The device uses the power of water dynamics. When you lift the HydroCore bag, it wants to keep going in whatever direction you were moving it. * The water inside it sloshes around, and your shoulders, hands, hips, and core have to work to stop it from pulling you out of position and breaking form. * The water's momentum will help you learn the right speed and timing with which to perform your exercises. * If the water sloshes a lot, you know somethings off. If it flows with you, youre doing it right. Source: HydroCore Advertisement One of the best things about the bag (pictured) is that it can be emptied, folded up and is easily transportable - meaning you can work out everywhere Reviews online for the HydroCore are glowing, where it already has a massive fan base in the US (the bag pictured) Reviews online for the HydroCore are glowing, where it already has a massive fan base in the US. 'The coolest piece of equipment I've purchased in a while,' one reviewer wrote. 'The build quality is stunning! It's fun and travels well when flying. I work remotely and will just grab this and toss it around between calls. I love it!' Another added: 'A very versatile item. It's my go-to for a workout'. For more information about the HydroCore Australian launch and to sign up to pre-order the $195 equipment, please visit the Instagram page here. A World War II veteran was brought to tears after finally meeting the young pen pal who wrote him a letter thanking him for his service 12 years ago, saying 'some miracles do happen.' Frank Grasberger, 95, from Strongsville, Ohio, received the letter from DaShauna Priest, 21, while on an honor flight to Washington, D.C. in 2009. He has carried it with him ever since, but he was never able to find her to thank her in person. 'I'd never be without it...it's something that somebody thought of me that much,' Grasberger told CBS News of the handwritten message. 'I'm tickled to death that I have a letter like this.' Emotional moment: Frank Grasberger, 95, from Strongsville, Ohio, met DaShauna Priest, 21, for the first time this summer, 12 years after she wrote him a letter thanking him for his service Incredible: Grasberger was stunned when Priest walked in wearing her National Guard uniform, saying: 'You're not the girl' Aww! Priest brought the thank you letter that he and his wife Delores sent to her school to deliver to her. Up until that moment, they had no idea if she had ever received it Priest was just nine years old when she wrote to him in her third-grade class, unaware that the letter would become his prized possession. 'Dear WWII Veteran,' she wrote. 'Thank you for saving us from Hitler. If it wasn't for you we would never have freedom. You made freedom for us. You sacrificed your life. I'm so happy you made sacrifices.' The letter was signed, 'Your friend, Dashauna Priest.' 'We never could find her,' Grasberger's wife Delores told the outlet. 'He says, "Before I close my eyes I have to find her. I have to find her."' 'Thank you for saving us': Priest was just nine years old when she wrote to Grasberger in her third-grade class, unaware that he would cherish her letter for years to come Prized possession: The veteran received the letter from Priest while on an honor flight to Washington, D.C. in 2009 and has carried it with him ever since No luck: Grasberger and Delores spent years trying to find Priest so he could thank her for the letter in person Nearly everyone at Vitalia Senior Residences where Grasberger lives has seen Priest's letter and knows what it means to him. An employee familiar with the story was able to track Priest down online and invited her to meet him. Priest, who lives about an hour away, surprised Grasberger in the conference room in the senior living facility wearing her National Guard uniform. Grasberger was stunned when she handed him a bouquet of roses and the thank you letter that he and his wife sent to her school to deliver to her. Up until that moment, they had no idea if she had ever received it. Amazing: An employee at Vitalia Senior Residences found Priest online and arranged for her to surprise the veteran a few days later. A video of the moment went viral on TikTok Like family: Grasberger, Delores, and their daughter Bonnie spent some time getting to know Priest, and they plan on staying in touch 'Youre not the girl,' he exclaimed. 'Dont make me cry, please. Honest to God. Oh, I love you so much. I really do. You dont know how longI pray every night with this thing, I really do. This is a Godsend, it really is.' 'Some miracles do happen,' he said after the shock wore off. A video of the tear-jerking moment was shared on TikTok, where it has been viewed more than 4.4 million times and has received thousands of comments. Grasberger, Delores, and their daughter Bonnie spent some time getting to know Priest in the conference room, and they plan on staying in touch, according to a Facebook post shared by Vitalia Senior Residences. 'There's love there, deep down in the heart. She's like my third daughter, she really is,' he told CBS News. Delores added: 'It started with a lot of love and affection. And it's ending the same way.' Princess Charlene of Monaco is a tough cookie who wants to do her own thing and doesn't aspire to be Kate Middleton or Grace Kelly, friends have said. Speaking to People, sources close to Prince Albert's wife, 43, said the mother of Gabriella and Jacques, six, is no 'shrinking violet' and is 'a little bit of an iconoclast' who is very much 'her own person'. This comes as Charlene has spent the past several months in South Africa being treated for an ear and throat infection she contracted in May, following a sinus lift and bone graft procedure she'd undergone prior to her arrival in preparation for dental implants. As a result, the mother-of-two missed her 10 year wedding anniversary and is not expected to return to the principality until October, after undergoing a 'four-hour operation under general anaesthesia' in August - although it was not made clear whether this was linked to the sinus infection. Despite Charlene being admitted to hospital earlier this month after a 'sudden collapse' rumours are rife that a rift with Prince Albert, rather than health issues, is what's keeping her away from Monaco. Friends of Princess Charlene of Monaco, 43, pictured, have said the royal, who has been away from her family for several months, is a 'tough cookie' Now a friend has told People: 'Just to be honest, Charlene, she's an Olympian, and she's a tough cookie. 'She cares about saving the rhinoceroses and about teaching kids to swim. She doesn't want to be Kate [Middleton], and she doesn't want to be Grace Kelly,' they added, saying she is not a 'shrinking violet.' They added the couple are both 'wonderful parents,' and that their twins are 'overwhelmingly charming and loving.' Meanwhile, Prince Albert has been preparing for his wife's return home after spending half of 2021 apart. Prince Albert of Monaco, 63, pictured, and the two children he shares with Charlene, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques visited Charlene last month In a previous interview with People, he said Charlene was ready to come home and has been joking that she wants to clandestinely hop on a ship to make her way to Monaco. Earlier this week, he told the magazine: 'She didn't leave Monaco in a huff! She didn't leave because she was mad at me or at anybody else She didn't go into exile. It was absolutely just a medical problem which had to be treated.' He added that his wife had planned to travel to South Africa to reassess her foundation's work and to spend time with her brother and friends. Albert admitted he 'probably should have addressed' the rumours sooner, but was 'concentrating on taking care of the kids' and believed they would just 'go away'. 'Of course it affects her, of course it affects me,' he told the magazine. 'Misreading events is always detrimental... We're an easy target, easily hit, because we're in the public eye a lot.' The Princess has missed out on countless public engagements and family events due to her extended stay in South Africa, includign her children's return to school this week. On Monday, after a trip to Ireland with their father, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella joined the 5715 pupils starting their school year at FANB. Sporting the school's red polo shirts, the twins wore face coverings as they entered the building ahead of their 10am start. They were accompanied by their father Prince Albert, 63, while their mother (pictured together) remains in her native South Africa after being hospitalised due to complications from a 'severe ear, nose and throat infection' she contracted in May Last week it was announced that the royal had been admitted to hospital in in the port city of Durban in the southeastern KwaZulu-Natal province after collapsing at home. 'Her Serene Highness (HSH) Princess Charlene of Monaco was rushed to hospital by ambulance late Wednesday night after collapsing due to complications from the severe ear, nose, and throat infection she contracted in May,' her foundation said in a statement. 'The Princess' medical team is currently evaluating her but have confirmed that the Princess is stable,' it said. Chantell Wittstock, director of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, later said that 'she has been released. She was released this morning'. 'Doctors are still establishing exactly what happened,' she said. Her latest health scare was 'part of the recovery,' Wittstock said. 'She has been in a lot of pain.' Charlene and Albert reunited last month for the first time in months after the monarch and their children flew to South Africa, but photographs of the pair embracing were branded 'awkward' by a body language expert. In recent weeks, lifestyle magazines across Europe have speculated feverishly that the royal couple could be headed for divorce. French magazine Madame Figaro stated the images 'failed to convince the Monegasques' amid reports Charlene is looking for a house in Johannesburg. According to The Telegraph, the magazine asked: 'How long can she remain away from her children, her duties?' 'How long will the fight against rhinoceros poaching remain the Princess of Monaco's top priority? 'How long will Albert II of Monaco go on bearing this affront, which is becoming ridiculous?' Charlene, 43, who was last seen in Monaco in January, shared professional photographs of a reunion with her family on Instagram last month (pictured) Mummy's boy: Princess Charlene poses with her son Jacques, who is heir to the Monaco throne. She said she was delighted to be back with her family. The family were last together at the start of June, when Albert and the children flew out to South Africa to be with Charlene Play time! Twins Jacques and Gabriella climb a tree in one of the photos shared on Instagram Historian Philippe Delorme said that 'lots of people got the impression it was an arranged marriage' between Charlene and Albert, adding: 'Albert chose a wife who resembled his mother, and Charlene clearly felt very ill at ease in this Grace Kelly role they wanted her to play' How Charlene and Albert made solo outings in South Africa and Monaco during seven months apart January 27 - Charlene is pictured with Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. March 18 - Charlene is pictured at the memorial for the late Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini at the KwaKhethomthandayo Royal Palace in Nongoma, South Africa April 2 - Charlene posts an Instagram picture of herself, Albert and their twins Jacques and Gabriella for Easter. It is unknown where the image was taken. May 8 - Albert, Jacques and Gabriella attend a Grand Prix event in Monaco without Charlene May 10 - Albert attends Monaco Gala Awards in Monaco without Charlene May 18 - Charlene shares her first picture from her conservation trip in South Africa June 1 - Prince Albert II, Jacques and Gabriella attend event at Oceanic Museum in Monaco June 3 - New photos emerge of Charlene on her conservation trip June 5- Charlene puts on a united front as she shares a photo with her family to mark her niece's fifth birthday with her brother's family and Albert and the twins in South Africa June 7 - Albert and the twins attend the World Rugby Sevens without Charlene June 17 - Prince Albert attends Red Cross Summer concert in Monte Carlo with his sister Princess Caroline of Hanover June 18 - Prince Albert appears alone Monte Carlo TV Festival June 24 - Charlene's foundation releases a statement saying the royal is unable to travel and is undergoing procedures for an ear, nose and throat infection July 2 - Charlene and Albert mark their 10th anniversary separately. 'This year will be the first time that I'm not with my husband on our anniversary in July, which is difficult, and it saddens me,' Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene said in a statement. July 3 - Albert appears with glamorous niece Charlotte Casiraghi at the 15th international Monte-Carlo Jumping event, which is part of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Monaco, July 27 - Prince Albert attends Olympics alone in Tokyo August 13 - Charlene undergoes a four-hour operation. The reason is not announced August 25 - Charlene shares photos of Prince Albert, Gabriella and Jacques visiting her in South Africa August 31 - Speculation mounts in the media about couple's relationship Advertisement The mounting speculation about the couple's marriage comes after Charlene shared professional photographs of her reunion with Prince Albert online, saying she was 'thrilled' to have her family back. She shared a series of photos cuddled up with her kids in South Africa with the caption: 'I am so thrilled to have my family back with me (Gabriella decided to give herself a haircut!!!) Sorry my Bella I tried my best to fix it,' referring to her daughter's choppy fringe. However a body language expert told FEMAIL Charlene showed 'no emotional bond' towards her husband Prince Albert in the images. Judi James said that rather than being the loved-up reunion photo one would expect of a couple surrounded by split rumours, the royals' poses suggested 'no signs of connection between awkward-looking Albert and Charlene'. Charlene has been in South Africa since at least March, with media reports suggesting she is looking for a house there. The prince, who already supports two illegitimate children, is alleged to have been in a relationship with a Brazilian woman which resulted in a daughter in 2005. The claim, which his lawyers dismissed as a 'hoax', is particularly painful as he was dating Charlene at the time, having met in 2000. However, Charlene has publicly supported her husband, and the palace have reiterated she is only in South Africa because she's unable to fly. On August 13, the Monaco palace released a statement saying Charlene was to undergo surgery. It read: 'Princess Charlene will undergo an operation today, Friday, August 13, for four hours under general anaesthesia.' The princess will not return to Monaco until at least the end of October. Princess Charlene, who has been well enough to conduct interviews from South Africa and has been seen out and about, has used the time to promote her anti-poaching initiative, Chasing Zero. Charlene's last formal engagement was on January 27 when she joined Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monte Carlo. She has not been seen at home since. Instead she has been keeping followers updated through social media posts and media interviews, in which she has spoken candidly about missing her children and described her husband as 'her rock'. Speaking to South Africa Radio 702's host Mandy Wiener, the royal said: '[It's] very frustrating, terribly frustrating. I can't wait to get back to them, I can't wait to see my children.' Charlene revealed: 'It's the longest period I've actually been away from Europe, let alone my children, but I'm FaceTiming them most days and they've been here and will be returning to see me again after my procedure. 'It's an amazing opportunity [to be here] but I'm very sad I can't be with my children this summer in Europe.' She added that she was initially only supposed to be in her native South Africa for ten to 12 days for a conservation trip with her Princess Charlene of Monaco foundation. However, the royal had a problem 'equalising her ears' and was told by a doctor that she was suffering from a serious sinus infection. 'It's taken time to address the problem that I'm having,' explained Charlene. 'I cannot go into full detail, but I cannot force healing so I will be grounded in South Africa until the end of October. 'The reason being I cannot fly above 3,000 metres otherwise I'll have a problem with my ears. Photographs of the royal couple embracing were branded 'awkward' by body language expert Judi James 'I feel well, I feel good, it's just obviously a waiting game for me, but I've had a great opportunity to understand a little bit more about South Africa, the environment, the needs and it's been wonderful to be back in South Africa, and I think at this time it's crucial that people are aware of certain things via my foundation.' Charlene joined the video interview from bush country in the KwaZulu-Natal region. She has also shared videos released by the Monaco royal palace to mark her and Albert's 10th wedding anniversary, which took place in July. The couple spent the milestone thousands of miles apart. But royal sources have suggested the princess has 'no plans' to return soon. A palace source told Paris Match: 'The Princess has, for the time being, in reality, no intention of returning.' The separation is also affecting Charlene's relationship with the people of Monaco. Charlene's (pictured with her family) last formal engagement was on January 27 when she joined Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monte Carlo. She has not been seen at home since Last Monaco outing together: Charlene and Albert were last pictured together at an official event together in January at the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. Albert has made a few visits to South Africa since Stephane Bearn uses an impeccably sourced piece in the latest Paris Match to discuss the torturous separation. He describes subjects in Monaco becoming increasingly angry about their runaway Princess, as they criticise everything from Charlene's mood swings to her appearance. 'In Monaco, since the departure of Charlene, tongues have loosened,' Mr Bearn writes. 'In the whirlwind of a hard-nosed court, her fine shine is rubbing off. Her sad looks are regarded as haggard. 'Disappointed Monegasques talk about her anger, her whimsical moods, which are as changeable as her hair.' He added: 'The Palace had to invoke a suffering Princess so often that the Monegasques today find it hard to believe. By crying wolf, the mother of Jacques and Gabriella would have discredited and isolated herself.' During her trip, Charlene also debuted a dramatic new shaved hairstyle. Princess Charlene's trials and tribulations in the Monaco royal family 1987 - Bea Fiedler, a German topless model, claims her son Daniel was the prince's son. 1992 - An American national files a paternity lawsuit against the Prince, claiming that he was the father of her daughter, Jazmin Grace. 2000 - Princess Charlene meets Prince Albert at the Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monte Carlo 2005 - In May, a former flight attendant claims that her youngest son, whom she named Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste, was Prince Albert's child. She states that his parentage had been proven by DNA tests requested by the Monegasque government. On 6 July, a few days before he was enthroned on 12 July, the Prince officially confirms via his lawyer Lacoste that Alexandre was his biological son. 2006 - After a DNA test confirmed the child's parentage, Albert admitted, via statement from his lawyer, that he is Jazmin Grace's father. 2010 - Princess Charlene and Prince Albert announce their engagement 2011 - Princess Charlene was said to have bolted two days before the royal wedding after hearing Prince Albert had a third love child during their relationship. It was alleged that Charlene tried to flee home to South Africa three times before her 'arranged marriage', at one point taking refuge inside her country's embassy in Paris. Monaco officials were said to have coaxed her back by brokering a deal between the Prince and his reluctant bride that she provide him with a legitimate heir. After that she would be free to leave of her own free will. During the wedding, Charlene was in floods of tears, while her husband looked on impassively. Later in the year, Princess Charlene confessed she felt 'very lonely' in Monaco 2012 - Princess Charlene was reported to be 'depressed' at her failure to provide her husband with a legitimate heir. 2014 - Pregnancy was announced in May. In December Charlene gave birth to twins Princess Gabriella and heir to the throne Prince Jacques. 2017 - Princess Charlene visits Africa, tells media: 'I am African and this is my heritage. It will always be. It's in my heart and in my veins.' 2019 - In a rare interview, Princess Charlene confessed it is 'sometimes hard to smile' and said the year had been 'very painful'In another interview, she said she found motherhood 'exhausting' 2020 - Charlene debuts a shocking half-shaved hairstyle. It is announced Prince Albert of Monaco will appear in court in the new year to fight explosive claims he fathered a third love child with a secret girlfriend before marrying his now wife Princess Charlene. 2021 - January 27 - Charlene is pictured with Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. It is the last time she has been seen in Monaco this year. Advertisement She showcased the 'French crop' hairdo - featuring a longer strip on top of the head and dramatically shaved back and sides - in snaps shared on her charity's Instagram page in late May. The royal first stepped out with a dramatic half-shaved head in December 2020 but has since gone even shorter and bolder with the cut. Charlene and Albert's marriage has been plagued with rumours from the start. The couple met at the Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monte Carlo in 2000, announced their engagement in 2010. Former Olympic swimmer Charlene reportedly tried to flee Monaco for her native South Africa on three separate occasions before the royal wedding after discovering Albert had allegedly fathered a love child - his third - while they were together. Monaco officials were said to have coaxed her back by brokering a deal between the Prince and his reluctant bride, saying she could leave once she had provided him with a legitimate heir. One source said at the time: 'Charlene will provide an heir, then if things don't go well, she will receive a generous divorce settlement once she's served a decent amount of time.' Charlene was seen in floods of tears on her wedding day in 2011. Just one year after their wedding, it was reported that Charlene was 'depressed' at her failure to provide her husband with a legitimate heir. Her pregnancy was announced in May 2014, and in December that year she gave birth to twins Princess Gabriella and heir to the throne Prince Jacques. In the 10 years since, Charlene has rarely spoken publicly of her experience. In 2017, the Princess made an emotional return to Africa, where she spoke about how much the continent means to her. 'I am African and this is my heritage. It will always be. Its in my heart and in my veins,' she told Eyewitness News. Last year she admitted life was 'very painful', saying: 'I have the privilege of having this life, but I miss my family and my friends in South Africa and I'm often sad because I cannot always be there for them.' It's been a tumultuous start to the year for the royal, after news emerged that her husband is facing a paternity suit over a love child born in the early years of their relationship. The 34-year-old claimant who cannot be named for legal reasons says she had a passionate affair with Albert, leading to the birth of their daughter whose name is also classified on July 4, 2005. Albert received a handwritten letter from the child, who is now 15, in September last year reading: I don't understand why I grew up without a father, and now that I have found you, you don't want to see me. Legal papers were also filed, as lawyers for the claimant called on Albert to undergo a DNA test just as he did before finally being identified as the father of two illegitimate children born in the 1990s and early 2000s. In January, Charlene spoke publicly for the first time since the allegations, telling Point de Vue: 'When my husband has problems, he tells me about it. I often tell him, "No matter what, no matter what, I'm a thousand percent behind you. I'll stand by you whatever you do, in good times or in bad." The mother-of-two went on to say she also often tells her husband she will 'protect him' and will 'always be by his side.' Charlene, who was raised in South Africa and represented the country at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, travelled to Thanda Safari in KwaZulu-Natal in January to learn more about being done by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation South Africa to help save rhinos from poachers. The princess took part in conservation operations including rhino monitoring and tracking, deployment with the Anti-Poaching Unit, educational wildlife photography sessions, and a White Rhino dart and dehorning exercise. Former Olympic swimmer Charlene reportedly tried to flee Monaco for her native South Africa on three separate occasions before the royal wedding. She was seen in floods of tears on her wedding day in 2011 (pictured) CATHERINE ST-LAURENT ROLE: FORMER CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SENIOR ADVISER Canadian-born Catherine St Laurent, who lives in Seattle, was head-hunted by the couple from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to become Harry and Meghan's 'chief of staff' Canadian-born Catherine St Laurent, who lives in Seattle, was head-hunted by the couple from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to become Harry and Meghan's 'chief of staff' and executive director of Archewell, their new non-profit organisation, last April. But it emerged in March she had left the post with insiders saying she 'wanted out' after performing tasks outside of her contract and having to 'fulfil a great many functions for the Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39.' She has now said working for the couple was an 'incredible experience' in an interview with The Cut, saying: 'They are incredibly talented and creative leaders. Im grateful to have had the opportunity to do that, to be able to be with them on their journey.' She is now working as a senior adviser for the couple. GENEVIEVE ROTH ROLE: SENIOR STRATEGIC ADVISER Alaskan-born Genevieve Roth is the Founder and President of Invisible Hand, a social impact and culture change agency Alaskan-born Genevieve Roth is the Founder and President of Invisible Hand, a social impact and culture change agency. More recently, the mother-of-one was made the Senior Strategic Advisor to Archewell, the organisation founded by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. She is the former Features Director of Marie Claire Australia and before that, held editorial positions at GQ and Esquire. She left her job in magazines to serve as the director of creative engagement for the 2016 Hillary Clinton Presidential campaign. The mother-of-one, whose husband is black, often speaks out about racism in America, and has written at length about the 'racism in her own marriage'. In an article for Primer, she wrote: 'Race is an issue in our marriage because as a white woman of privilege, I have racist tendencies written in at a cellular level, and that can really gum up the works.' And in an article for Good Housekeeping, Roth wrote about the notion of white privilege and her heightened understanding of it after marrying her husband, Jordan. Roth also worked as the executive director of special projects at Glamour magazine, and the producer of the Glamour Women of the Year Awards. In 2014, Roth helped launch The Girl Project, Glamour's 'global philanthropic initiative' supporting girls' education. Roth describes herself as an 'expert on the intersection of narrative change, women's empowerment, and social justice.' Her agency Invisible Hand has created campaigns for clients including Archewell, PBS, The Obama Foundation, The XQ Institute, and The Girl Effect. A graduate of Emerson College and the Columbia Journalism School Publishing Course, Roth also worked with The White House and Let Girls Learn, a US government initiative launched by former President Barack Obama and wife Michelle. She was a 2018 Shorenstein Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. JAMES HOLT ROLE: CHIEF EXECUTIVE James Holt previously led communications for the Royal Foundation, the charity headed by the Cambridges James Holt previously led communications for the Royal Foundation, the charity headed by the Cambridges. Holt has worked at Kensington Palace for several years as well as for the Liberal Democrats and is passionate about many of the causes championed by Harry and Meghan. He acted as Harry and Meghan's UK spokesman and will now take on the role of executive director of the Archewell Foundation. Holt, a BA Journalism graduate from the University of Lincoln, rose to the position of Head of Media for the Liberal Democrats in 2010 - and stayed in the role until August 2013. He worked as Special Adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister - Nick Clegg - from June 2013 to January 2014, and moved up to become Head of Government Communications for the Deputy PM until September 2014. He took on the voluntary position of Director of Communications for Pride in London between March 2016 and November 2017. In October 2017 he took up the role of Senior Communications Officer for The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry - staying in the role for one year. He then became Head of Communications at The Royal Foundation for one year, until September 2019. BEN BROWNING ROLE: HEAD OF CONTENT Just days after Meghan and Harry's bombshell two-hour Oprah Winfrey special, the couple announced they were hiring producer Ben Browning to head up their film and television ambitions in the US Just days after Meghan and Harry's bombshell two-hour Oprah Winfrey special, the couple announced they were hiring producer Mr Ben Browning to head up their film and television ambitions in the US. He has taken on the role of head of content for Archewell Productions and Archewell Audio after being recommended to the couple by a mutual entertainment industry contact. Mr Browning has previously worked on films including The Big Sick, Arrival, Room and Late Night and is set to head up Archewell's work with Spotify and Netflix. Most recently, Mr Browning worked on Promising Young Woman, starring Carey Mulligan, which was nominated for five Oscars. Mr Browning said in a statement to Forbes: 'From the moment they shared their vision for Archewell as a global production company that will spotlight diverse voices and share uplifting stories, I knew I wanted to help with this unique opportunity. 'It's a thrilling company to be starting.' REBECCA SANAES ROLE: HEAD OF AUDIO The Duke, 36, and Duchess of Sussex , 39, who are currently living in their $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara, have taken on producer Rebecca Sanaes to oversee their podcast business The interview comes as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hired a Head of Audio to produce their Archewell podcast - after giving Spotify just 35 minutes of content so far for their 18million deal. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex who are currently living in their $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara, have taken on producer Rebecca Sanaes to oversee their podcast business, according to Deadline. She was previously lead podcast producer for Pivot, New York Magazine and Vox Medias show hosted by Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway and will report to Archewell's head of content, Ben Browning, when she joins the company in August. Before joining Pivot, she worked in public radio, where she worked on episodes including Why Is Vermont So Overwhelmingly White. In 2015, Rebecca received the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting HIV/AIDS Fellowship. NISHIKA KUMBLE ROLE: HEAD OF SCRIPTED TV Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have continued their hiring spree at Archewell as they brought on a new Head of Scripted TV Nishika Kumble to work on their Netflix shows It was announced in August 2021 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were continuing their hiring spree at Archewell as they brought on a new Head of Scripted TV to work on their Netflix shows. The Duke, 36, and Duchess of Sussex, 40, have taken on producer Nishika Kumble to oversee their scripted TV programmes with the streaming service, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She was previously VP development and production at Hollywood actress Rashida Jones' Le Train Train Productions and worked as a producer on the TV series Fargo. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Kumble will 'work closely' with Netflix to 'create and develop new scripted fare from diverse voices that informs, elevates and inspires.' CHANEL PYSNIK ROLE: HEAD OF UNSCRIPTED Prince Harry and Meghan Markle added another new hire to their growing roster of Archewell employees in July: a former Disney+ executive who has been brought on to oversee their production company's unscripted projects for their incredibly lucrative partnership with Netflix. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hired former Disney+ executive Chanel Pysnik to head up nonfiction content for Archewell Productions in July News of the couple's new hire was revealed by Deadline - it is likely that LA-based Princeton graduate Pysnik will concentrate on boosting the couple's roster of unscripted and nonfiction projects. This could well mean that she will play a key role in the couple's first Netflix project - Heart of Invictus, a documentary series about the Invictus Games starring Prince Harry, 36 - which was announced in April of this year and would fall under Pysnik's remit as Head of Unscripted. While it is unclear how Pysnik landed the role at Archewell, she does have an acquaintance in common with Prince Harry: British soccer star David Beckham. One of Pysnik's most recent projects for Disney+ was securing a new unscripted series with the sports star, who has been close friends with Harry for years - and attended the Sussexes' wedding with his wife, Spice Girls singer-turned-designer Victoria, in May 2018. While his series for Disney - entitled Save Our Squad - was only announced in April and has yet to be released, Pysnik reportedly played a role in its creation, and will likely therefore have worked closely with the 46-year-old father-of-four during that time. The Sussexes have also hired Los Angeles-based Toya Holness (pictured) as press secretary TOYA HOLNESS ROLE: GLOBAL PRESS SECRETARY The Sussexes also hired Los Angeles-based Toya Holness as press secretary In November 2020. A keen football player, she has worked for the celebrity agency William Morris Endeavor, New York City education department and the video creation company Deluxe. CHRISTINE WEIL SCHIRMER ROLE: HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS She is considered one of Silicon Valleys top PR gurus and was hired by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to boost their global image In November. Christine Weil Schirmer (pictured) graduated from the same US university as the Duchess Christine Weil Schirmer, the couples new head of communications, also shares a deeper bond with the Duchess they both graduated from the same US university. Ms Schirmer, a married mother-of-one who has been lauded for her work with tech companies such as Apple and Pinterest, attended Northwestern University between 1996 and 2000, graduating with a journalism degree. The 42-year-old was raised in Long Island, New York, to parents Ken and Christine, both librarians, before moving to the San Francisco Bay area as her career took off. The Duchess has spoken about her time at Northwestern in Illinois, from 1999 to 2003, where she majored in theatre and international studies. She was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority a social society for women. A source told The Mail on Sunday: That sorority was mainly made up of the pretty girls from high school. 'Meghan was heavily involved in the social aspects of the group. Its quite possible that she and Christine crossed paths at Northwestern, at the very least the university gives them a shared bond. A father has said his late wife and son, who both died of cancer, would be 'beaming with pride' as the Duchess of Cornwall gave their Highland charity the royal seal of approval. Camilla spoke with Sam Hey, who lost his eight-year-old son Hamish to cancer in 2017, during a visit to the town of Nairn in the north of Scotland. With his wife Susan and daughter Lily, Mr Hey set up the Team Hamish charity to create play areas around their hometown in his memory, incorporating one his favourite things: rainbows. Mrs Hey never got to see Hamish's Splashpad completed, because she sadly lost her own battle with cancer last year. During the visit Camilla also enjoyed a lighter moment when she chatted to a wellwisher dressed in a Stormtrooper outfit, complete with a kilt. Camilla appeared in high spirits today as she visited a books and arts festival in Nairn during her trip to Scotland The Duchess of Cornwall meets a Stormtrooper wearing a kilt during her engagement today The two chatted while at the event, with the Stormtrooper wearing a blue and green kilt for the occasion The Duchess of Cornwall, known as the Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland, with Sam Heys (left) at the opening of the Team Hamish Splashpad But Mr Hey and Lily were delighted to welcome Camilla, who is known as the Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland, to the play area by the beach and explain more about their work. Mr Hey was also presented with a BEM - awarded in the New Year's Honours - by Lord Lieutenant of Nairnshire George Asher, while Lily accepted her mother's one posthumously. As the water within the splash pad erupted, much to the delight of the schoolchildren who had come to witness the event, Mr Hey thanked the community for backing Team Hamish's journey. He said: 'It is so wonderful to see so many gathered for such a momentous, yet quite emotional occasion.' He said that he knew his son and wife would be watching over the ceremony, 'beaming with pride.' After hearing of all the fundraising effort involved, the duchess said she was 'impressed by the community' she saw in Nairn. She could be seen beaming as she spoke with members of the public at the Nairn Book and Arts Festival, including creative writing groups, a local book club and a poetry group The royal cut an elegant figure in an emerald green midi dress which she paired with a trendy trench coat as she visited the Nairn Community Centre today The royal looked relaxed as she arrived at the event, smiling as she greeted royal fans at the community centre After the official ceremony, Camilla - who was wearing a dark green dress by Fiona Clare and a cream Burberry coat - took unscheduled time to talk to locals, joking with children from Rosebank Primary 'have you managed to escape from school today?' During her trip, Camilla - who is known for her love of literature - also visited Nairn Community Centre, currently home to the Nairn Book and Arts Festival. While chatting to local poetry group Women in the Highlands she expressed her love for Carol Ann Duffy, and started a round of applause when one of the members read some of her own work entitled 2020 - The Year That. She was met with laughs of agreement when she was finally able to remove her mask and exclaimed 'we can all breathe again'. At one stage while attending the charity event in Nairn, the royal could be seen chatting with a young mother and her daughter Camilla looked in good spirits as she met members of the local community at the opening The duchess also spoke to author Cal Flyn about her new book and was pleased to discover they had joint links to Stroma in Orkney. She said: 'My husband always paints Stroma, it inspires him.' Camilla later visited Inverness, where she spoke to volunteers at Maggie's Cancer support centre Camilla has stood as president of Maggie's since 2008 and made her inaugural visit to the centre. Maggie's chief executive Dame Laura Lee said: 'It was wonderful to be able to welcome our president, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Rothesay to our Inverness centre today. 'As our president, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Rothesay has been so supportive of Maggie's over the years and during the coronavirus pandemic, she encouraged our staff and centre visitors with her visits.' Several frontline workers stood outside Raigmore Hospital eager to catch a glimpse of the duchess. To their delight, she gave them a wave as she stepped out of her car. During her brief visit, she spent time visiting various areas of the centre, speaking with delighted member of staff as well as frontline workers and volunteers about their work with the charity. Angeline MacLeod, assistant nurse manager for cancer services for NHS Highland, spoke with Camilla about the benefit cancer patients have as the organisation's work in conjunction to support those facing a devastating diagnosis. She said: 'She asked a little about Maggie's and how things work here. We were sure to mention how Maggie's is so pivotal to people with a cancer diagnosis and families, how NHS Highland works very closely with Maggie's and they provide time and support which is very difficult within the NHS.' The Duchess also joined a Men's Support Group by Zoom to hear how they have benefitted from digital support over the last 18 months. Among the attendees was Matt, 56, from Culloden who is living with advanced lung and liver cancer. He was first diagnosed in February 2018 and has relied heavily on the support of Maggie's for the last three years. The former Gordon Highlander also spoke to Camilla about how he broke down in tears after receiving a wonderful letter from the Duke of Rothesay, just weeks before his upcoming nuptials. He said: 'I received it two days ago and I was overwhelmed. 'I nearly broke down in tears because things like that don't really happen to people like me.' The Duchess replied: 'When I saw the brief I told him. I said I was going to speak to you and you were an ex Gordon Highlander and he said I must write a letter to him, plus he is getting married. Camilla was swarmed by royal fans at the event in Nairn today, and could be seen chatting to crowds of people Among those the Duchess spoke with was a slightly unconventional Stormtrooper wearing a kilt (pictured) 'He is also very proud to be part of the Gordon Highlanders.' She added: 'I hope you had a wonderful wedding.' Camilla and the Prince of Wales are carrying out engagements in Scotland this week. Earlier this week, the Duchess attended a Women in Journalism mentoring session and panel discussion at Dumfries House in Ayrshire. 'I've been reliably informed that in 2020, there were 700 female journalists working in Kabul. Today, there are fewer than 100,' Camilla said. 'With the loss of 600 voices, the experiences of countless Afghans will remain untold.' She added: 'All journalists who fight for truth and justice in the face of retribution deserve our thanks and admiration. 'Let's do all we can to support, promote and, crucially, listen to the brave female journalists of Afghanistan, whose work puts them in danger every single day.' The duchess was joined by BBC journalist Yalda Hakim who received praised for conducting an interview with a Taliban spokesman when he called her phone while she was presenting live on air in the BBC studio. Camilla said: 'It's been a particular pleasure to speak to Yalda Hakim, who recently interviewed a Taliban spokesman with such focus and composure.' Founded by Eve Pollard 28 years ago, Women in Journalism is a not-for-profit organisation that provides guidance and support for its members. Meanwhile she also visited the South Ayrshire Women's Aid centre which offers information, advice, advocacy and safe refuge accommodation for women, children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse. Their refuge accommodation, first taken over in 1997, was built as communal facility. But thanks to a massive team effort, it has been reconfigured as eight self-contained flats to allow the women - many with children - privacy and dignity. Camilla and the Prince of Wales are carrying out engagements in Scotland this week (pictured, speaking with Lord-Lieutenant of Nairnshire, Mr George Asher on arrival at Nairn Community Centre) The royal also spoke with staff from the environment charity, Green Hive, during her trip to the centre this morning Speaking assuredly off the cuff - joking she would use 'any excuse to take off my mask' - Camilla said she wanted to congratulate them on the 'brilliant' work they had done. 'I know how important these refuges are. I have seen quite a lot all over the country. But to see these separate accommodation, these flats.it's the first time I have seen those. 'And talking to some of the ladies here I know what a difference it makes to them to have a bit of privacy,' she said. 'Again I would like to ret-iterate what an incredible job you all do for violence against women. It is so important to have all of you on side. Others might take a lead from your book and do the same in other parts of the country. ' Once inside the centre, the royal opted for an elegant orange and purple patterned face mask (pictured) Camilla opted for an elegant green dress for the occasion which featured trendy puff sleeves and a pussybow neckline The duchess is all smiles after attending the opening of the Team Hamish Splashpad in Nairn Camilla viewed one of the flats, which housed their first clients last month, and met with one woman, who cannot be named for her safety, with two young children who had fled appalling domestic abuse. 'Thank you for talking to me,' the duchess said. The young woman told her how much she appreciated the facilities. 'How long can you stay here?' Camilla asked. 'A long as they can have me,' she laughed. 'They have eight flats here but there are probably a lot more need,' Camilla replied. 'I can understand the importance to you of having somewhere safe to go, but also somewhere that offers you privacy as well as support and advice.' Just two weeks after meeting on Tinder, an Atlanta college student drew up a 17-page 'relationship contract' with her boyfriend in which she outlined expectations for their coupling including a 'romantic gesture' every two weeks. Annie Wright, 21, had previously been in a toxic relationship, and she wanted things to be better this time around with Michael Head, 23. So two weeks after the pair met last October and decided to be exclusive, she jokingly suggested a contract to lay 'some serious ground rules' for their romance and when Michael agreed, she got to work outlining relationship objectives, boundaries, and acceptable behaviors. Falling in love: Annie Wright, 21, and Michael Head, 23, met on Tinder last October Making it official: Annie had previously been in a toxic relationship and wanted to lay 'ground rules' for this one, so she jokingly suggested a contract and Michael agreed Goals: They worked on the contract together, writing out their relationship objectives Annie was newly out of a relationship in which her 'boundaries of mine were crossed' and not looking for anything serious when she met Michael and went on their first date, a dog walk. 'It was a fluke that I met him. I was going on three Tinder dates a week to go out there and meet people,' she said. But she knew there was something special between them and was determined that it would last. 'I met him and was like "I will make this work." They say you meet someone and you're like, "Wow, this is the person,"' she said. 'I had that moment with Michael where I was looking at him and he was everything I could ever have wanted in a partner, but at that stage in my life I wasn't at that point mentally,' she said. When Michael said that he wanted them to date exclusively, Annie went into business mode. Give and take: Annie's love language is gifts, so Michael buys her flowers when he goes to the gas station; because his is quality time, she accompanies him to the gym 'We printed out of terms and conditions, I went over to his place, we sat on either end of the bed and read them out loud,' she recalled The contract buts a ban on 'ignoring each other,' as well as weighing in on who the other should or should not have friendships with 'In order to be ready for that, we had to lay some serious ground rules,' she said. 'I made the idea [about the contract] as a joke then he said, "No, seriously. We can do that and talk about it."' Annie figured that if she wrote out her boundaries, there'd be less risk that Michael would cross them. Michael, who is pre-law, was game for making it official. So Annie and Michael each drew up individual contracts 'and came together like on The Apprentice and presented them.' 'We printed out of terms and conditions, I went over to his place, we sat on either end of the bed and read them out loud,' she recalled. They settled on the final document on November 2. The first page outlines the objectives for the relationship, including honesty, communication, awareness of partner's needs, and clarity and alignment in your intentions. Communication: Annie figured if her boundaries were written out, they'd be harder to cross Written in: It also says that though Michael is 'traditional' and likes to pay for dates, this is not 'realistic' all the time, and Annie will pay for her meals that are not dates Success: Ultimately, Annie said the contract has been 'a game changer' and 'the best thing ever,' and she would recommend it to other couples In a section titled 'boundaries, Annie had Michael acknowledge that it is OK for her to say no to things, and that if he chooses 'to do something for [her] that negatively impacts [his] schooling, sleep schedule, relationships,' it is not Annie's responsibility. The contract buts a ban on 'ignoring each other,' as well as weighing in on who the other should or should not have friendships with. It also says that though Michael is 'traditional' and likes to pay for dates, this is not 'realistic' all the time, and Annie will pay for her meals that are not dates. 'We talked about love languages. He was the one who brought it up. It helped to outline ways we feel appreciated,' said Annie. Because Annie thinks 'small romantic gestures go a long way,' she requested that he do something like buy flowers or plan a date every two weeks to a month, and she would return the favor. 'I don't think he'd think to give me gifts but now every time he goes to a gas station, he gets me flowers,' she went on. 'He likes quality time, so I wake up and go to the gym with him. Even though most of the time I'm doing nothing, he enjoys chit-chatting,' she said. Revisit: Now as they approach their one-year anniversary, they plan to revisit the document and rewrite it 'We're partners in this. We're agreeing to tackle life together and this is our game plan for doing it,' she said 'I don't like it when people pry I'll talk when I'm ready and I like to get my words together. That's something I wrote in there,' she went on. 'The biggest one was approaching issues. We agreed not to approach issues with blame. It could be partially his fault and partially me being sensitive, or him being sensitive and partially my tone,' she said. 'We don't treat issues like one person is to blame ever.' Ultimately, Annie said the contract has been 'a game changer' and 'the best thing ever,' and she would recommend it to other couples so she has shared it on TikTok, where it has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. 'I highly recommend it. I'm surprised more people don't do it,' she said. 'We treat our relationship almost like a business interaction. We deal with conflict like partners in business would. We sit down and treat it more like we're partners in life and love is an added bonus,' she explained. Now as they approach their one-year anniversary, they plan to revisit the document and rewrite it. 'I bet he writes "I want you to take your shoes off when you come into my apartment" because I always forget that,' Annie said. 'We're partners in this. We're agreeing to tackle life together and this is our game plan for doing it,' she said. Queen Letizia of Spain stunned royal fans during the opening of Madrid's book fair today. King Felipe VI's wife wore an eye-catching Hugo Boss dress to attend the event, which is in its 80th year, at El Retiro park, in the centre of Madrid. Looking in good spirits, the mother-of-two, whose older daughter studies at The UWC Atlantic College in Wales, met with booksellers, author and publishers present at the fair. The event, which debuts today, will go on until 26 September and will see publishers booksellers and distributors meet and shape the literary landscape of Spain. Queen Letizia of Spain, 48, looked bright in a Hugo Boss dress as she attended the 80th Madrid Book Fair today Letizia looked very stylish for the event in the Hugo Boss number, a navy form-fitting dress which was peppered with splashes of light colours and magenta, ruched around the waist. She brought the attention to her petite figure by tying the midi dress with a thin dark blue belt. She paired it with fuchsia heels in snakeskin by Carolina Herrera, one of her favourite brands when it comes to footwear. Keeping her accessories to a minimum, she wore her favourite ring from Karen Hallam, with a discreet pair of golden hoop earrings. The royal look stylish in the blue number, which was splashes with light blue and magenta dots , as she flicked through some of the books making their debut at the fair During the fair, Letizia received a present during the inauguration of the book fair, for which she wore a Hugo Boss dress She kept the overlook simple and efficient. Her walnut locks were styled straight in an impeccable blow-dry. Makeup-wise, she donned her trademark smokey-eye, with a dash of eyeliner bringing intensity to her hazelnut gaze. The Spanish queen did not have a handbag with her as she walked around the event, wearing a sanitary mask on. The Queen seemed eager to tour the literary event, where authors, publishers and sellers meet and discuss the future of Spanish literature Letizia showed interest towards several books during her tour, and stopped at stands to flick through some, asking questions to the sellers and authors who gathered around her. The Madrid Book fair, which takes place each year in the Spanish capital, was first created in 1933. It was first organised on the Paseo de Recoletos, but in 1967, it moved to El Retiro Park, where it has taken place since. The event celebrates reading with events organised throughout its duration involving talks, conferences, workshops and round tables in the different spaces, with authors taking part. The mother-of-two paired her stylish dress with fuchsia slip-on heels by Carolina Herrera and kept her accessories to a minimum The Spanish queen pointed to the books she was interested in as she walked stand from stand during the fair Experts and fellow attendees talked her through some of the books that seemed to interest her the most when she picked them from the shelves The royal let her dress do the talking and sported a very simple look, but made sure her shoes matched the magenta dots in her dress It has been a busy week for Letizia, who visited a school on Wednesday, welcomed the Chilean president to Madrid on Tuesday and attended an award ceremony on Monday. The mother-of-two's oldest daughter, Princess Leonor, who will inherit the throne from her father Felipe VI, has recently moved to Wales, where she will be studying at the UWC Atlantic College. Other pupils counts Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, also 15. Both girls have enrolled on a 67,000, two-year course to study for their International Baccalaureate diploma at UWC Atlantic College. The Spanish monarch made sure to wear a sanitary face ask during her time at the literary event She took the time to exchange kind words with many of the book fair attendees today and inquired about the books they presented Products featured in this Mail Best article are independently selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, we may earn an affiliate commission. Adele Uddo knows more than most about the importance of moisturizing, having made a career out of having soft, smooth and perfectly conditioned limbs, hand and feet. And now the body parts model has released her own moisturizer line so that anyone can look after their skin like a professional. Essentiel by Adele was formulated by the model herself in her own kitchen, during time out from her legs, lips and hands modeling. She's previously featured in campaigns that starred Katy Perry, Reese Witherspoon, Eva Mendes and Penelope Cruz. 'Body parts' model Adele Uddo has released her own moisturizer line so that anyone can look after their skin like a professional That's not to mention her elegant hands frequently featuring in nail polish commercials for brands like OPI and Christian Louboutin beauty, as well as aftershave commercials where they've been photographed caressing celeb hunks like Patrick Dempsey and Hugh Jackman Using natural and organic ingredients local to where Adele grew up on an organic farm in northern California, the moisturizer's formulation is so gentle and toxin-free that it can be used from top to toe, including around the delicate eye area. The Essentiel by Adele moisturizer is designed to simplify your skincare regime and reduce the number of bottles you have in your bathroom cabinet or cluttering your sink. A beautiful blend of botanicals that nourish, tighten and protect skin, including coffee berry, raspberry leaf and hyaluronic acid, the lotion feels soft to the touch and blends in effortlessly. Using organic ingredients local to where Adele grew up in California, the moisturizer's formulation is so gentle that it can be used from top to toe, including around the eye area A beautiful blend of botanicals that nourish, tighten and protect skin, including coffee berry, raspberry leaf and hyaluronic acid, the lotion feels soft to the touch and blends in effortlessly Meanwhile, a special blend of frankincense, helichrysum, geranium and lavender essential oils soothe both the skin and soul and leave you smelling sensational all over. Even better, DailyMail.com readers can get 20 per cent off Essentiel moisturizers by using the code DAILY. Simply use the code at checkout and the discount will be applied. There's also an Auto-Replenishment program that automatically delivers your moisturizer to your door at regular intervals so you never have to worry about running out. Alzheimer's could be halted or even reversed through an oxygen therapy given to patients in pressurised rooms, a study has suggested. Israeli researchers studied six older people with mild cognitive impairment, an early stage of memory loss that is a pre-cursor to the most common form of dementia. Their symptoms improved after having five 90-minute oxygen treatments a week for three months, scientists found. The treatment - called hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) - involves patients inhaling oxygen through a mask in a pressurised chamber. It is used by athletes to help them recover quicker and celebrities who claim it beats stress. It significantly increases the amount of oxygen in bodily tissues, which advocates say encourages healing. And when the treatment was administered to mice, it removed amyloid plaques from the brain, which are a tell-tale sign of Alzheimer's. The experts believe the therapy works by changing the structure of vessels in the brain and increases blood flow. Reduced blood flow to the brain has already been linked with the onset of dementia. Dementia - the name for symptoms linked with ongoing memory decline - is the UK's biggest killer and someone develops the condition every three minutes, according to the Alzheimer's Society. There is currently no cure. Some 850,000 Britons have the condition - with one and six of them aged over 80 - and the figure is expected to reach 1.6million by 2040. Meanwhile, more than six million people in the US have Alzheimer's, where rates are also expected to double in the next 20 years. The two brain MRI scans of human participants indicate blood flow before (left) and after (right) one of the study participants had oxygen therapy. Areas where there are more yellow, orange and red tones indicate higher levels of blood flow. The two circled parts of the brain show where blood flow increased significantly in response to the treatment A study by researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine revealed in July that global dementia cases are set to nearly triple by 2050, from 57.4million to 152.8. But the rate the illness is expected to increase varies between different parts of the world. In Western Europe, cases are expected to rise by just 75 per cent, mainly due to an ageing population, while they are expected to double in North America. But the biggest increase is expected to be seen in North Africa and the Middle East, where cases are projected to rise by 375 per cent Researchers from Tel Aviv University found brain flow and cognitive function are improved after patients receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The picture shows brain scans in human volunteers before they were given HBOT (top row) and three months later, during they received around five sessions per week. Orange and red parts of the brain indicate increased blood flow. The red circles show some of the areas where blood flow increased after the treatment. The numbers indicate the parts of the brain where the blood flow was found to increase under the Brodmann scale, which divides the brain into 52 areas The study, published in the journal Aging, examined six patients aged around 70 who did not have Alzheimers, but suffered from severe memory loss called MCI, which can act as an early sign of Alzheimer's. Researchers administered 60 daily HBOT sessions to the group over three months and measured the blood flow in their brain before and afterwards through an MRI scan. WHAT IS A HYPERBARIC CHAMBER AND HOW IS IT USED? A hyperbaric chamber is a highly-pressurized room or tube where a patient is given pure oxygen to breathe. The air pressure in these chambers is three times higher than normal pressure outside. Lungs operate on gas exchange, which happens more or less efficiently at different pressures. At this higher air pressure, the lungs are able to take in more oxygen than under normal conditions. All the body's tissues require oxygen to live and stay healthy, so in a hyperbaric chamber the lungs take in more oxygen which is then carried throughout the body to restore tissues that may be struggling or infected. Oxygen also help to reduce inflammation and encourage new blood vessels to grow. WHAT ARE HYPERBARIC CHAMBERS USED TO TREAT? Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a proven treatment for decompression sickness, a condition that some people develop after SCUBA diving, wherein the high pressure of being deep under water causes nitrogen to form in their blood vessels. This typically causes muscle and joint aches and fatigue, but in rare cases can prove fatal. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy reverses the process that allows the dangerous nitrogen bubbles to form. According to the Mayo Clinic, doctors may also recommend hyperbaric oxygen therapy for: Anemia, severe Brain abscess Bubbles of air in your blood vessels (arterial gas embolism) Burn Decompression sickness Carbon monoxide poisoning Crushing injury Deafness, sudden Gangrene Infection of skin or bone that causes tissue death Non-healing wounds, such as a diabetic foot ulcer Radiation injury Skin graft or skin flap at risk of tissue death Vision loss, sudden and painless Although claims have been made that the therapy helps a whole hosts of other medical issues, there is only scientific evidence to support the above uses. There isn't significant reason to believe it treats conditions like fibromyalgia, depression or chronic fatigue syndrome. Advertisement The volunteers also completed memory tests before and after the treatment. HBOT is used to treat a host of conditions including injured or infected tissue and decompression sickness, which usually affects deep-sea divers who emerge from deep water too quickly. Studies have also found it could help men suffering from impotence. Justin Bieber revealed last year that he sleeps in a hyperbaric chamber to get more oxygen to his brain, which he said reduced his stress levels. After the HBOT sessions, the researchers spotted 'significant' increases of 16 to 23 per cent in blood flow in several parts of the brain. This suggests that the treatment expanded the width of blood vessels and reduced the thickness of blood vessel walls, the experts said. And the participants scored 16.5 per cent higher on subsequent memory tests, six per cent more on concentration and 10.3 per cent higher on information processing. Professor Uri Ashery, an expert in neurobiology at Tel Aviv University, told the Telegraph: 'Elderly patients suffering from significant memory loss at baseline revealed an increase in brain blood flow and improvement in cognitive performance, demonstrating hyperbaric oxygen therapy's potency to reverse core elements responsible.' They also tested the treatment on mice with Alzheimer's and found it slashed the number of amyloid plaques - which stop brain cells from communicating with each other - by nearly 30 per cent. And the plaques that weren't removed shrunk by 18 per cent, according to their paper. The mice also built better nests and moved through mazes faster. Professor Ashery said: 'We have discovered for the first time that hyperbaric oxygen therapy induces degradation and clearance of pre-existing amyloid plaques, and the appearance of newly formed plaques.' But the researchers said the treatment needs to be tested on a larger number of patients to confirm their findings. And as it stands, oxygen therapy would be very difficult to routinely administer across the UK. as there are very few hyperbaric chambers. Professor Tom Dening, an expert in dementia at the University of Nottingham, told the Telegraph: 'Presumably to be useful, the treatment would have to be continued indefinitely, so any patients would have to be very highly motivated and have good transport links to the treatment facility. 'If we consider that the number of people with dementia in the UK is approaching one million, it is hard to see how hyperbaric oxygen could ever be available on this scale. 'In short, it's an interesting idea but a long way off meeting the usual criteria to become a standard treatment.' Dr Susan Kohlhaas, the director of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: 'Many of the Alzheimer's treatments that are currently being tested are drugs that target the hallmark disease proteins directly, but it's important we maintain a broad spectrum of potential approaches. 'Larger scale clinical trials with many more people are needed to ascertain whether this treatment is effective, particularly when measuring longer term benefits to memory and thinking. 'We know the diseases that cause dementia begin in the brain many years before symptoms like memory loss show and it's likely for treatments to be effective at slowing down the diseases that cause dementia, they need to be given earlier rather than later.' Advertisement The number of COVID-19 cases is continuing to rise, but the rate of increase has significantly slowed to the lowest levels since early summer - a sign that the fourth wave is finally ebbing. On Thursday, officials recorded 145,081 new cases of the virus with a seven-day rolling average of 150,356, a 21 percent increase from the average of 123,748 recorded in mid-August, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. This means that although the overall number has risen, the growth rate of new cases has significantly slowed. The figure is a far cry from last month, when COVID-19 cases were surging by as much as 286 percent over a four-week period. The pace of deaths has also fallen, even as the overall number increases. A total of 1,926 virus-related fatalities were recorded on Thursday with a seven-day rolling average of 1,511, which is a 186 percent jump from the 528 average reported in mid-August. This is a drop from the previous increase of 200 percent reported over a month-long period. However, experts note that there are still more than 100,000 patients hospitalized with the virus and overrun hospitals in several states say they have had to ration care to deal with the surge. It comes as President Joe Biden introduced on Thursday night sweeping Covid vaccination mandates for federal employees, contractors and businesses of more than 100 people, affecting more than 80 million American workers. Businesses will have the option to mandate vaccination for workers or require weekly testing while federal government employees and contractors will have no testing option and will be fired unless they get the shot. On Thursday, the U.S. recorded 145,081 new cases of COVID-19 with a seven-day rolling average of 150,356, a 21% increase from the average of 123,748 recorded in mid-August, but the rate of increase has slowed to the lowest seen since early summer A total of 1,926 virus-related deaths were recorded on Thursday with a seven-day rolling average of 1,511, which is a 186% jump from the 528 average reported in mid-August, but the pace has also slowed More than 100,000 patients are still hospitalized and overrun hospitals in several states say they have had to ration care to deal with the surge According to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a total of 101,634 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized across the country. Of those patients, about a quarter - 25,646 - are in intensive care units (ICUs). Hospitals in several states say they have had to ration care because they are trying to treat not just Covid patients but also those coming in for other ailments. 'Before Covid, our ICUs were pretty busy,' Dr Amy Compton-Phillips, chief clinical officer of Providence Health System in Seattle, told CNN. 'It's because people were having car accidents and heart attacks and needing complicated surgery and going to the ICU afterward. 'And those people are being put on the back burner. So anything that's even remotely elective, we're canceling those cases.' In West Virginia, a total of 813 patients are hospitalized with the virus, a figure just five less that the record-high, according to Gov Jim Justice. Of those patients, 252 are in ICUs and 132 are on ventilators, both numbers of which are the highest single-day totals since the pandemic began. The Mountain State has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country with less than 40 percent of the population vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 'Our hospitals are still overwhelmingly inundated with cases of people that are not vaccinated,' Justice said during a press briefing on Wednesday. 'Ninety percent of people in ICUs are unvaccinated. For God's sake, how difficult is this to understand? What we should be doing is right there in front of us. We just need to use good sense and get ourselves vaccinated.' At least two health systems, WVU Medicine and Uniontown Hospital, based on the state say they are canceling non-emergency surgeries to focus on the wave of hospitalized Covid patients. In West Virginia, a total of 813 patients are hospitalized with the virus, and a record-high 252 are in ICUs and 132 are on ventilators, also a record-high In Idaho, a record-high 613 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19 with 164 of them in ICUs Two Morgantown, West Virginia-based health systems are scaling back on nonemergency surgeries as the Mountain State deals with a surge in Covid-19 patients that has led to concerns about hospital capacity. WVU Medicine, which has hospitals throughout West Virginia as well as Uniontown Hospital in Fayette County and others in Maryland and Ohio, is at a critical stage in both staffing and bed management. 'We are also delaying many elective procedures/surgeries that require hospitalization,' a WVU Medicine spokesman said Thursday, according to the Pittsburgh Business Times. In Idaho, a record-high 613 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19 and 164 of them in ICUs, according to HHS data. Similarly to West Virginia, fewer than 40 percent of Idahoans are fully vaccinated against the virus, CDC figures reveal. The surge led the Department of Health and Welfare to activate its Crisis Standards of Care in the northern part of the state on Tuesday. This means that hospitals are so overrun with coronavirus patients that doctors and nurses are allowed to ration health care. 'We're at risk of getting more patients,' said Dr Robert Scoggins, chief of staff at Kootenai Health in Coeur d'Alene - near the Idaho-Washington border, during a news conference on Wednesday afternoon. 'There's no mitigation in place in our school systems at this point, and I'm concerned about what's going to happen...and how that will affect the care of Covid patients and non-Covid patients.' In Tennessee, a record-high number of COVID-19 patients are hospitalized at 3,707 with nearly 1,000 of those patients in ICUs Tennessee is yet another state reporting a record-high number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with 3,707, HHS data reveal. Nearly 1,000 of those patients are in ICUs and 44 percent of all ICU beds in the state are occupied by those infected with the virus. Only about 43 percent of residents are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. The surge is straining hospitals so badly that Governor Bill Lee deployed the National Guard to provide assistance where needed on Wednesday. 'We're currently in 20 hospitals across the state, and we have roughly 200 service members within those hospitals augmenting the staff,' Joint Task Force Medical Commander Lt Col Justin Oland told WKRN. 'We have medics, we have some nurses as well that are working, but they're primarily medics we also have admin support and the admin support can do a wide range of patients care-type things under the supervision of a nurse.' Pfizer and BioNTech are soon planning to seek approval for their COVID-19 vaccine in children aged five to 11. Dr Ozlem Tureci, chief physician for BioNTech, told German news site Der Spiegel that the companies are set to shortly release results from their study in kids under age 12 and will ask for the shot to be approved for emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies. 'In the coming weeks, we will present the results of our study on the five-to-11-year- olds worldwide to the authorities and apply for approval of the vaccine for this age group,' Tureci said. She added that the vaccine formula is the same as that approved for adolescents and adults, but that the dose size is smaller. Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is only approved for children aged 12 and older in both the U.S. and the European Union. Parents and doctors have been debating about whether or not to inoculate children because they make up 0.1 percent of all Covid deaths in the U.S. Pfizer and BioNTech are planning to seek approval of their COVID-19 vaccine in kids aged five to 11 'in the coming weeks.' Pictured: A Pfizer COVID-19 vial at a mobile clinic in East Los Angeles, July 2021 Dr Ozlem Tureci, chief physician for BioNTech, said the vaccine is the same as that approved for adolescents and adults, but a smaller dose. Pictured: Marisol Gerardo, 9, is held by her mother as she gets the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine during a clinical trial at Duke Health in Durham, North Carolina, April 2021 A few hours after the new from Pfizer and BioNTech, the FDA said that clinical trial data submitted by vaccine manufacturers must include a monitoring period of at least two months after the final dose to ensure safety. 'Children are not small adults - and issues that may be addressed in pediatric vaccine trials can include whether there is a need for different doses or different strength formulations of vaccines already used for adults,' FDA Acting Commissioner Dr Janet Woodcock said in a joint statement with Dr Peter Marks, director of Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Around 4,500 younger kids have been enrolled at nearly 100 clinical trial sites in 26 U.S. states, Finland, Poland and Spain. According to clinicaltrials.gov, the study will work similarly to the way it did in older children and adults. About half of the ages five-to-11 group will receive two doses 21 days apart and the other half will be given placebo shots. The team will test the safety, tolerability immune response generated by the vaccine, by drawing blood prior to dose 1 and six months after dose 2. If the vaccine is proven to be safe and effective, the trial will be unblinded at the six-month follow-up, meaning those who received the placebo will be allowed to get the inoculation. Trials for kids as young as six months to four years old are still in early stages and will expand once the researchers can determine safety. Children are often the last group to be tested during clinical trials because they are not merely little adults. Their bodies and immune systems behave differently, meaning they might have different treatment needs. What's more, children may need different doses or needle sizes depending on their height, weight and age - which is why most children are only vaccinated after safety has been well-documented in the adult population. In fact, Pfizer announced that it selected lower doses for COVID-19 vaccine trials in children than are given to teenagers and adults. Those aged 12 and older receive two 30 microgram (g) doses of the vaccine, However, children between ages five and 11 will be given 10 g doses and kids from six months to four years old will receive three g doses. The vaccines have been proven to be highly effective in adults and teenagers, but many parents are not enthusiastic about vaccinating their children. In April 2021 poll, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, parents were asked if they would get their child immunized once a COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and available for their child's age group. Three in 10 parents - 29 percent - of children under 18 said they would get their child vaccinated 'right away' while 15 percent said they only plan to vaccinate their children if the school requires it and 19 percent said their child will definitely not be getting vaccinated. A July 2021 survey, conducted by CS Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at Michigan Medicine last month, found that 39 percent of parents said their children already gotten a coronavirus shot. However, 40 percent of parents also said it was 'unlikely' that their children would be getting vaccinated.' According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than five million children have been infected by COVID-19 since the pandemic began. However, most pediatric cases are not severe and virus-related fatalities among children are rare, with pediatric deaths making up just 0.1 percent of all COVID-19 deaths. The energy price cap will be hiked on 1 October raising bills for millions of households across the country. Most of the Big Six firms have confirmed they will be putting up their prices by 12 per cent in line with the cap the equivalent of 139 a year on average. This will take bills for those on default tariffs to 1,277 a year, up from 1,138. However, customers do not have to accept the hike in costs with many now encouraged to switch provider or tariff before the beginning of next month whilst they still have time. Households are encouraged to switch energy provider before the price cap comes into play Whilst switching suppliers online is a quick and easy process that will take just a matter of minutes, it generally takes around 21 days for a switch to take effect. As such, those who shop around now, using price comparison services such as the one This is Money offers in partnership with Compare the Market, should be with a new provider by the time the new price cap is enforced. Households are encouraged to switch to fixed tariffs which are typically much cheaper than default tariffs. Customers can choose to move to either a 12 or 24 month contract. Justina Miltienyte, energy policy expert at Uswitch, said: 'Fixed deals are the only way to avoid the volatility of the price cap. However, there are different durations of contract depending on the tariff that you sign up for. Many providers price their tariffs right up to the limit and have been accused of treating the cap as a target 'Typically, most households will opt for a 12 month fixed deal, meaning that they can take advantage of the best market rates - and review their plan annually. 'A 24 month fixed deal might be a better option for other households however, if you do commit to a 24 month plan make sure to choose a deal with zero exit fees. This means you can switch away without any hefty exit fees.' Many will likely be looking to move tariff as the new price cap is the largest increase since it was launched at the start of 2019. The hike has been blamed on a rise in wholesale energy prices, as well as suppliers trying to recoup costs after customers missed payments during the pandemic. The cap was initially introduced to stop providers charging rip-off prices to households that do not switch every year. It is reviewed twice a year to reflect the costs of supplying electricity and gas for suppliers, however, many providers price their tariffs right up to the limit and have been accused of treating the cap as a target. Switching to a fixed deal could save customers hundreds of pounds, according to experts Best energy deals currently available To help customers find the best deal for them, This is Money, with help from Uswitch, has put together a list of the best energy tariffs currently available. Currently, the best value deal is with Eon Next on two of its tariffs, or with Sainsbury's Energy on its Sainsbury's Energy 1 Year Fix and Reward v19 deal. All three deals cost an average of 1,177.43 a year with Eon Next's Next Online v7 and Next Drive v4 both fixed for 12 months with green credentials. However, the Sainsbury's deal is not green meaning the offer may not be best for those who are more environmentally friendly. Ovo Energy also makes the list with two deals at 1,220.06. One is its 2 Year Fixed Energy tariff whilst the other is a 12 month fixed contract, Better Energy. Whilst the majority of the deals do not have an exit fee, Ovo Energy charges 60 for those looking to leave early as does challenger supplier, Entice Energy, on its Fixed Saver v15 Online. BEST ENERGY DEALS ON THE MARKET Supplier Plan Type End Date Green Exit Fee Average Price E.ON Next Next Online v7 fixed 12m Y 0 1177.43 E.ON Next Next Drive v4 fixed 12m Y 0 1177.43 Sainsbury's Energy Sainsbury's Energy 1 Year Fix and Reward v19 fixed 12m N 0 1177.43 E.ON Next Climate Positive v5 fixed 12m Y 0 1182.43 Avro Energy Simple and Prime12M fixed 12m N 0 1185.94 Entice Energy Fixed Saver v15 Online fixed 12m N 60 1197.06 E.ON Next Next Miles v4 fixed 12m Y 0 1207.43 OVO Energy 2 Year Fixed Energy fixed 24m Y 60 1220.06 OVO Energy Better Energy fixed 12m Y 60 1220.06 SSE Online Smart Saver v2 fixed 12m N 0 1220.06 Source: Uswitch (correct as of 9 September 2021) Electric car owners: Best EV tariffs Many electric car owners will be worried about the price increase - especially those with chargers at home. But there are now several tariffs available specifically for electric vehicles with experts encouraging households that have a home charge point to find a competitively priced electricity tariff. However, it is difficult to work out the exact annual cost of an EV tariff, as most of them charge different amounts for day and night, and the average consumption figures don't give a time of day breakdown. Experts have said that usually the best tariffs are those which offer a cheaper energy rate late at night, when most people will be charging their electric vehicles. These tariffs require a special electricity meter. Some such as Octopus's Agile tariff have won big fans among electric car owners who can do well from taking energy off the grid when too much is being produced from wind or solar. Some of the firms that now offer these special tariffs include British Gas, with its new offering in partnership with RAC, as well as Octopus on its Agile tariff, EDF on its GoElectric rates, Good Energy on its Good Energy Green Driver 7 deal and Ovo on its Ovo Drive tariff. All give different prices for peak and off-peak rates with the off-peak prices up to a quarter cheaper. Customers are encouraged to compare prices and deals for themselves to see which would suit them best. There are now a number of tariffs exclusively for customers who charge their EV at home Could you cut your energy bills... or help the planet and go green? Millions of people could be needlessly overpaying for their energy as they fail to switch to providers who offer cheaper deal. They may also be missing out on the opportunity to help the planet and fight climate change, by switching to green deals that offer electricity from renewable sources and more environmentally-friendly gas. With our partner, Compare the Market, you can compare energy tariffs and exclusive deals. Why not find out if you could save hundreds of pounds a year on your energy or go green? >> Check to see if you can start saving money now How have energy prices changed? Many of the best tariffs available are now well over the 1,000 mark which is a big difference compared to earlier in the year when customers were able to get a deal for under that amount. This is likely due to the rising wholesale costs that have affected the industry as a whole as well as the price cap which itself was influenced by wholesale costs and the coronavirus pandemic. Ofgem, the energy regulator, told the BBC that UK household energy bills will be affected by soaring prices of fossil fuels globally. It said increasing prices, for gas in particular, 'will feed into all customer energy bills in the UK' - but added the price cap is still one of the best tools to ensure consumers pay a fair price. However, it is not just the Big Six putting up its prices - with other competitors, small and large, also hiking costs - but there are some providers standing firm, experts say. Gareth Kloet of GoCompare Energy, said: 'With a number of energy providers seemingly following the Ofgem cap and increasing their tariffs by 12 per cent, it may seem like the whole market is offering the same prices, but this is not the case. 'There are still a number of providers such as The People's Energy, Pure Planet and PFP Energy, who have yet to increase their prices and some of the smaller suppliers are still cheaper than the Big Six. 'There are some smaller providers who have also increased their tariffs, at varying rates, such as Outfox the Market, who have increased their default tariff by 7.23 per cent. 'The biggest rise so far comes from Igloo Energy, which has increased its tariff by 14 per cent. All others have put their rates up to the price cap level with more to follow. 'If you want to secure your prices now, longer term fixed rate deals are there to offer security for the next 12 months or even two years, therefore protecting yourself from further increases.' Chinese car maker Great Wall Motors confirmed at the Munich Motor Show that it is to sell perky, all-electric hatchback cars from its Ora brand in the UK. First to arrive will be the cute Ora Cat, which seems to be a cheeky blend of styling cues that pay homage to everything from Porsches to Minis. Powered by a 63kWh battery and a 169bhp electric motor, it accelerates from rest to 62mph in 8.5seconds with a claimed range of 250miles. But expect prices of about 25,000 to 30,000 when order books open at the year's end for delivery in mid-2022. Cream of the crop: Great Wall confirmed that it is to sell all-electric hatchback cars from its Ora brand in the UK - first to arrive will be the cute Ora Cat (pictured) On display at a trendy minimalist gallery in central Munich that will be the model for new premium Korean car maker Genesis's UK boutique showrooms, I spied the Genesis X, the prototype for a new sleek and sporty coupe-like grand tourer. Low CO2 city cars being killed off by red tape Super fuel-efficient and low CO2 city cars are, perversely, being killed off by red tape, environmental rules, and emissions regulations that make them prohibitively expensive, says a top car boss. Sounding the death knell for the small Citroen C1, the firm's executive Vincent Cobee said replacing it would be 'nearly impossible'. Innovation: The C1 was developed alongside the Peugeot 108 (both part of the Stellantis conglomerate) and the Aygo from Toyota He said: 'That segment is being erased by the environmental pressure.' The C1 was developed alongside the Peugeot 108 (both part of the Stellantis conglomerate) and the Aygo from Toyota, which says it will continue with its city car for another generation. End of the road: Sounding the death knell for the small Citroen C1, the firm's executive Vincent Cobee (pictured) said replacing it would be 'nearly impossible' Last year, Citroen launched its 5,000 zero-emissions AMI electric quadricyle, pictured, driveable in some European countries at age 16 without a licence. A decision on whether it'll be sold in the UK is imminent. Swedish furniture group Ikea is reportedly in talks to acquire Topshops iconic former flagship Oxford Street store in a 385million deal. Proceeds from the potential sale of the Oxford Street locations could be harnessed to pay Arcadias debts, according to the Telegraph, and to tackle its 510million pension fund deficits. The three-storey 214 Oxford Street location, which also hosts Nike and Vans, has been up for sale since May. Topshop has been an Oxford Street tenant for 56 years. 214 Oxford Street has been shuttered since May after Acadia Group went into administration The pandemic marked the final nail in the coffin for Philip Green's business empire Philip Green's retail empire failed to raise capital to pay its substantial debts as the pandemic crushed its sales numbers last year, driving Topshops owner Arcadia Group into administration. By contrast, the pandemic pushed Ikea's net income higher in 2020 as shoppers rushed to buy furniture in between lockdowns. The flatpack furniture innovator typically has large out-of-town locations, but it also has smaller city centre shops, such as its planning studio on Tottenham Court Road. Covid-19 put the stoppers on Ikeas 2018 plans to open bigger branches in city centres, with the group deciding that shopping habits were changing and moving online. The firm had also previously attempted to buy British Home Stores Oxford Street location. Ikea previously sought to take over British Home Stores location on Oxford Street. Steel jobs could be at risk if the industry comes under pressure this winter from soaring energy bills, the sector's trade association warned. Gas prices in the UK and Europe have hit a series of record highs in the last few weeks and experts have said a cold winter could push them up further. UK Steel has warned this would be 'extremely damaging' to companies of all sizes in the beleaguered sector, which has faced a series of crises over the last few years. Surge: Gas prices in the UK and Europe have hit a series of record highs in the last few weeks Gas prices have surged because of lower supplies from Russia, which has affected the amount being stored in Europe, and tough competition for liquefied natural gas imports. Gareth Stace, director general of UK Steel, said: 'Continued energy price spikes would be extremely damaging for the sector. Already we are facing electricity prices almost double those of our European competitors and these price increases only widen that chasm.' Steel companies have for years asked the Government to cut energy bills for heavy industry, which they say is holding back investment. UK producers pay 86 per cent more for power than their counterparts in Germany and 62 per cent more than France. Matthew Watkins, principal steel analyst at advisors CRU, however, said any hits from higher energy prices this year should be temporary. The owner of the Franco Manca pizzeria chain said business is picking up as customers flock to its restaurants following the end of lockdown. Fulham Shore, which also owns The Real Greek brand of eateries, said revenues for the three weeks to September 5 were 27 per cent higher than the same period in 2019. However, the firm added that 17 of its restaurants located in London's West End and around the capital's city centre offices were still down on pre-pandemic levels, although these branches were seeing 'week-by-week improvements in footfall' as tourists and workers began to return. Hungry for more: Fulham Shore said revenues for the three weeks to September 5 were 27 per cent higher than the same period in 2019 'We are very encouraged by the accelerating revenue growth trends during recent weeks despite continued challenging trading conditions,' said Fulham Shore chairman David Page. 'This reflects the popularity and relevance of both Franco Manca and The Real Greek.' Like other restaurant owners, Fulham Shore suffered heavily during the pandemic, with its revenues falling by over 40 per cent in the year to the end of March as lockdown measures forced it to close its doors for months at a time. But with the pandemic receding, the company is continuing its expansion plans, announcing that two Franco Mancas are being fitted out in London while its lawyers are negotiating over another 15 potential locations. Page said the group is also on course to open another ten branches in the coming year, with 150 additional sites planned over the medium-term. Fulham Shore shares climbed 3.3 per cent, or 0.6p, to 18.75p as investors cheered the update. The FTSE100 barely moved during the session, ticking up 0.07 per cent, or 4.99 points, to 7029.2, while the FTSE 250 fell 0.28 per cent, or 66.38 points, to 23,733.56. The market seemed unnerved by the bleak GDP data, which showed the economic recovery in the UK sputtered in July as the 'pingdemic' forced many workers to self-isolate. Commodities markets attracted attention after nickel prices hit record highs amid supply shortages and surging demand for the metal, which is used to make batteries for electric cars. FTSE 100 miner Glencore, one of the world's largest nickel producers, climbed 1.2 per cent, or 3.85p, to 336p on the back of the news, while fellow digger BHP, which owns the Nickel West mine in Western Australia, rose 1.1 per cent, or 22p, to 2071.5p. Yourgene Health surged 6.4 per cent, or 1p, to 16.75p after it signed a 34m contract with the Department of Health and Social Care to support the Government's Covid19 testing programme through its lab in Manchester. Online estate agent Purplebricks received an upgrade from UBS, sending shares up 3.5 per cent, or 2.2p, to 65p, despite analysts also slashing their target price to 64p from 78p. On the up: FTSE 100 miner Glencore, one of the world's largest nickel producers, climbed 1.2%, or 3.85p, to 336p In the fallers, FTSE 250 storage unit provider Big Yellow dropped 2 per cent, or 29p, to 1457p after its chief executive James Gibson pocketed 5.2m from selling 350,000 shares in the group at 1487p a pop. Gibson's sale follows similar moves from chairman Nicholas Vetch, who sold 1.7m worth of shares in late August and another 3.8m on September 2, when the shares hit a record intra-day high of 1579p. Podcast network Audioboom sank 3.9 per cent, or 35p, to 860p following news that a possible takeover offer from private equity firm All Active Asset Capital, which was previously rejected by management, has been backed by just over 50 per cent of shareholders. Cryptocurrency miner Argo Blockchain was flat at 19p after it took out an 18m loan secured against a portion of its bitcoin holdings. The firm said the cash will be used to fund the expansion of its data centre in Texas. Ocado has seen demand for its services soar during the coronavirus pandemic. The online supermarket, which releases its third-quarter trading update on Tuesday, saw its waiting list swell to more than 1million as families sought to get their shopping delivered during lockdown. At the same time, the business successfully launched a partnership to deliver shopping for Marks & Spencer last year. But it must now grapple with the reopening of most of the economy, which has seen demand for online shopping fall from the peaks reached at the height of the Covid-19 crisis. And investors will also be looking for new guidance on how it plans to push ahead with selling its pioneering robot warehouse technology to other grocers. This part of its business known as Ocado Solutions is seen as most promising and Ocado has already struck deals to supply the likes of Kroger in the United States, Casino in France and Aeon in Japan with its technology. In July the firm also agreed to provide state-of-the-art warehouses for multinational giant Auchan Retail in Spain. Analysts say the firm may have 'struck gold' with this deal in particular, as Auchan operates in another 12 countries that Ocado may be able to expand into as well. Susannah Streeter, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'While the successful partnership with M&S still has potential to expand, it's the Ocado Solutions business which could turbo charge growth.' Jill Biden's former husband says he raised $3000 to fund a union picket line organized by notorious mob hitman Frank 'The Irishman' Sheeran designed to help Joe Biden win election to the Senate in 1972. The extraordinary claim is made in a new book that revisits the story of how a newspaper blockade prevented anti-Biden adverts reaching voters in the final days of campaigning in Delaware. The details - contained in 'The Bidens: Inside the First Family's Fifty-year Rise to Power' by Ben Shreckinger which is published by Twelve Books on Sept. 21 - will reignite debate over how much Biden knew about union efforts to tip the scales in his favor. The tale centers on how Biden's long-shot campaign could come from 30 points behind to snatch an unlikely victory. Sheeran, whose life would later be turned into a Martin Scorsese movie, was a local Teamsters official in Wilmington, where Biden lived, in 1972. He made no secret of his support for the Democrat, describing how he had prevented the Republican incumbent J. Caleb Boggs addressing union members. But he apparently offered more information about his role in a series of interviews that formed the basis of the book 'I Heard You Paint Houses' by Charles Brandt. Joe Biden was the unfancied challenger to Republican incumbent Sen. J. Caleb Boggs in 1972. In a new book, Jill Biden's former husband Bill Stevenson (r) claims he had a central role in a ploy to help Biden upset the odds, paying $3000 to fund a union picket line to prevent his rival's newspaper adverts reaching voters in the last days of the campaign Frank 'The Irishman' Sheeran was a Teamster official in Wilmington when Biden was seeking election to the U.S. Senate. According to 'I Heard You Paint Houses,' published in 2004, he said he arranged a picket line to prevent delivery of Delaware newspapers that were due to carry anti-Biden adverts in the final days of the campaign Democratic Senator-elect Joseph Biden is sworn in after being elected to the Senate in 1972. He had just turned thirty and was the youngest senator in Congress when he took his seat 'The Bidens: Inside the First Family's Fifty-year Rise to Power' by Ben Shreckinger is published by Twelve Books on Sept. 21 It describes how an unnamed Democratic lawyer visited Sheeran in his office, near Wilmington train station (now named the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station) with a request. Could Sheeran prevent copies of the Morning News and the Evening Journal being delivered in the final days of the campaign when they were due to carry adverts for Boggs? The ads were designed to refute Biden's criticism of Boggs' voting record. 'I told him I would hire some people and put them on the picket line for him. They were people nobody would mess with ... ' Sheeran is quoted as saying. Once the line was in place, Sheeran said, he would see to it that no truck driver went in or out. 'The line went up and the newspapers were printed, but they stayed in the warehouse and they never were delivered....' he continued, adding that the picket line came down a day after the election. 'I have no way of knowing if Joe Biden knew if that picket line thing was done on purpose on his behalf. 'If he did know he never let on to me.' Several key elements were contradicted by newspaper reports from the time. And after the book was published in 2004, a spokesman for Biden denied any knowledge of the alleged scheme. But now Bill Stevenson, who was married to the first lady from 1970 to 1975, offers fresh details. Stevenson was married to Jill Biden from 1970 to 1975 and has previously claimed that she had an affair with Biden before they were divorced. In a new book, he says he paid $3000 to Sheeran who told him he had a 'plan that will probably win us the election' Sheeran was played by Robert De Niro in the 2019 Netflix movie of his life as a mob hitman, directed by Martin Scorsese Sheeran's life was turned into the movie The Irishman, based on interviews he gave to former homicide prosecutor Charles Brandt, published in 'I Heard You Paint Houses.' However, several claims, including that Sheeran murdered mob-connected union boss Jimmy Hoffa have been challenged as the fantasies of a dying man Shreckinger, a reporter with Politico, said Stevenson claimed he knew more about the newspaper strike. 'He told me that toward the end of the campaign, Frank paid him a visit and asked for some cash,' wrote Shreckinger. 'Theres a plan that will probably win us the election, he said Frank told him. So Stevenson said he scrounged up just under $3,000 and handed it over. 'After the election, Stevenson said that one of the Bidens, he could not remember which one, told him his money had paid for the strike. 'Stevenson said that after the new senator was sworn in, his friend Joe Boom Beck, an official with the Carpenters Union, took Sheeran around to the Stone Balloon [the bar then owned by Stevenson], where he introduced Stevenson to the Teamsters boss as the guy who took care of the tab for the News Journal strike.' Shreckinger tried to track down the lawyer described by Sheeran. Of two possible names, one denied any involvement and the other did not respond to enquiries. Those dead ends will only increase skepticism of the account, given the unreliability of the two sources. Sheeran was dying when he gave his interviews. Several of his claims - most notably that he murdered mob-connected union boss Jimmy Hoffa - have been debunked by journalists. Joe Biden carries both of his sons, Joseph R. III, left, and Robert H., during an appearance at the Democratic state convention in the summer of 1972. At center is his wife Neilia Biden, who died in a car crash, along with their daughter Naomi, on Dec. 20, 1972 The Bidens were married in 1977, after being introduced by Joe Biden's brother Frank two years earlier. He had to propose five times before she said yes And Stevenson was twice convicted of financial fraud in the 1980s, sentenced first to six years probation for passing bad checks and later to another four years probation for fraudulently obtaining a loan. Last year, just before Biden's election vtctory, he claimed his then wife began an affair with Joe Biden before they were divorced - which the first lady has denied. Contemporaneous newspaper reports also contradict Sheeran's story that a picket line prevented delivery of the adverts. On the two days in question, the newspapers were not printed at all as the Printers Union briefly joined the strike, according to the Wilmington News Journal. It also reported that the picket line did not come down on the day after the election, as Sheeran claimed, but later in the month once the 20-day strike had ended. The White House declined to respond to the new claims. 'Whether or not the Bidens played any role in ginning up the strike as Stevenson claims, their 1972 campaign sealed an alliance with organized labor that would last for decades,' concludes Shreckinger. 'At the time, organized labor had its fair share of tough guys and corruption. Joe never got wrapped up in the big scandals that shook the unions, but as he hit his stride as a lawmaker in Washington, he and his relatives kept a foot in the more rough-and-tumble world of working men.' Advertisement The photographer who captured some of the most heart-wrenching images of the September 11 terrorist attacks called on Americans to come together like they did that day as he revisited the scene to mark the 20th anniversary of the tragedy. In pictures exclusively shared with DailyMail.com, Phil Penman returned to Ground Zero in New York City last month to photograph the very same streets and show how the city has recovered and moved on from that horrific day. Penman recalled how the immense tragedy brought the city and country together and said he fears this unity has been lost over the last two decades. 'Every photo from that day shows someone helping someone else, people with their arms around each other,' he told DailyMail.com. 'The way the country and New York came together was amazing to watch. 'If we look back we see how people worked together, how great tragedy brought a great coming together of people.' Now, 20 years later, Penman said America needs to remember that unity and 'bring back the togetherness of 9/11': 'It's very important we don't forget history for these very reasons.' Slide me THEN: The view from West Broadway in Soho shows smoke billowing from the Twin Towers after they were struck by airplanes in 2001. NOW: The view from the same spot shows One World Trade Center towering over the city Slide me THEN: Survivors covered in dust help each other away from the World Trade Center, walking through Park Row which is littered in documents and papers blown from offices in the towers. NOW: Cars drive along the road at Park Row Slide me THEN: From the corner of West Broadway and Canal Street, pedestrians stare up at the sky as smoke rises from the North and South Towers. NOW: One World Trade Center is seen above the tops of buildings at the corner of West Broadway and Canal Street Slide me THEN: The moment the South Tower collapses is seen from Broadway while the burning North Tower is still standing. NOW: Sky fills the space where the Twin Towers once stood, while the new One World Trade Center rises to the right. The spire of St. Paul's chapel rises into the sky 20 years apart Photographer Phil Penman (pictured) returned to Ground Zero in New York City in 2021 to photograph the very same streets and areas where he captured some of the most harrowing images of September 11 2001 Penman was in New York on September 11 2001 when he learned that a plane had flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The photographer, who had moved to the US from Dorset, England, just one year earlier, rushed to Lower Manhattan with his camera. The pictures he captured over the next few hours sent shockwaves around the world and continue to serve as some of the most harrowing reminders of what was the darkest day in American history. Smoke is seen pouring out of the gaping holes in the Twin Towers where the planes struck the skyscrapers. Plumes of debris billow into the air as the towers collapse, claiming the lives of those still inside. In the streets of the city, dust and rubble blankets cars, sidewalks and roads, while shocked first responders and New Yorkers clamor to help strangers escape the disaster zone. Two decades on, Penman retraced his footsteps from that horrific day in 2001 and captured the city in 2021, showing the areas in and around Ground Zero both then and now. Photos show how One World Trade Center - dubbed the Freedom Tower - rose from the rubble, transforming the city's skyline and symbolizing the nation's rebirth and resilience after the tragedy. As well as the tower - which is now the tallest building in the US - the new World Trade Center complex includes four smaller skyscrapers and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, along with the adjacent Oculus - a train station, plaza and shopping mall designed with the inspiration of a dove taking flight. The sky previously filled by the Twin Towers remains poignantly vacant in the images, as the ground once occupied by the towers has instead been transformed into memorial pools engraved with the names of victims. New Yorkers with buggies are now seen strolling past Fulton Street subway station, in the same spot that office workers covered head to toe in dust were seen walking away from the towers after surviving the attacks. Where documents blown out of the offices once carpeted the streets, young people now ride their bikes and pedestrians in COVID-19 face masks stroll along sidewalks against the backdrop of the Oculus. THEN: Plumes of debris and dust billows into the air as the South Tower collapses on the morning of September 11 2001. Dark smoke pours from the North Tower while St. Paul's chapel stands in the foreground NOW: St. Paul's chapel still stands on Broadway in front of the spot where the World Trade Center stood. A poster on a lamppost shows a woman in a face mask - a reminder of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic Slide me THEN: From Park Row, smoke is seen pouring out of the Twin Towers after hijackers flew planes into the buildings. NOW: 3 World Trade Center is now seen standing to the left of where the Twin Towers once stood. The skyscraper is part of the rebuilding of the World Trade Center Slide me THEN: Joseph Kelly (left), Srinath Jinadasa (center), and George Sleigh (right) walk past Fulton Street subway station away from the World Trade Center after the first Tower had fallen. NOW: A man and woman push buggies past Fulton Street subway street set against the backdrop of the Oculus - a train station, plaza and shopping mall whose design is inspired by a dove taking flight THEN: New Yorkers run from a cloud of dust and debris on Park Row just after the first World Trade Center tower had fallen. NOW: The edge of One World Trade Center can be seen on a clear day from Park Row Penman told DailyMail.com he has visited the area around Ground Zero roughly every five years over the last two decades. 'I've been going back and forth for the last 20 years seeing the progression of certain areas and how they have moved forward like the World Trade Center and the Oculus,' he said. 'Then there's other areas where nothing has really changed at all.' Penman pointed to the J&R music store on Park Row that he ran inside for safety as the south tower collapsed before his eyes. The iconic store was one of the first retailers in the area to reopen after 9/11. It closed for good in 2014 after 43 years of business. 'The store shut down after 9/11 and the space is still empty,' he said. 'There's also small things like road development. I was trying to match the roads and lampposts to my original photos and in some areas you see progress, while in some blocks it seems there has been construction going on in the same spot for the last 20 years.' Penman said he enjoys going to see some of the 'beautiful' structures there now but he finds some areas too painful a reminder of the events of 2001. 'I think the Oculus is beautiful and one of the most innovative buildings. I go there a lot,' said Penman. 'But it took me a long time to go to the memorial. I couldn't go for many years.' THEN: Survivors Joanne Capestro (left) and a friend are covered in thick dust as they walk along Park Row away from the World Trade Center after the first tower collapsed NOW: At the very same spot on Park Row 20 years later, a bus is seen driving along the road while 1 World Trade Center and 3 World Trade Center are seen in the background THEN: Two police officers covered in dust walk through the debris and reams of documents in the road on the corner of Vesey Street and Broadway by St. Paul's chapel after the first tower had fallen NOW: New Yorkers ride bicycles over a zebra crossing on the corner of Vesey Street and Broadway by St. Paul's chapel - some wearing face masks to protect against COVID-19 THEN: Smoke rises into the air and dust covers the road and an FDNY fire truck on Fulton Street after the South Tower collapsed. NOW: The Oculus stands in the foreground of the new One World Trade Center on Fulton Street When someone gave him some tickets to go to the museum, he said he lasted 30 minutes then had to leave. He added: 'The memorial is strange as it's become a tourist attraction so it's strange to be there and see people take selfies. For those of us who were there, that's difficult to see.' The transformation of the skyline is something that Penman feels doesn't have the same impact as the one on the day before 9/11. 'To me, it's not the New York I remember. When I first came here, there was this awesome-looking skyline,' he said. 'To me it doesn't have that same grab but for the kids growing up here now this is their skyline to what that one was to us.' But the biggest change, believes Penman, is not the skyline but the sense of unity that arose out of such tragedy. 'The first thing I saw when the [South] Tower collapsed was people who had survived coming toward me,' he said. 'No one was on their own - everyone was helping each other and had their arms around each other. 'I saw first responders and church pastors putting people's legs in splints, people carrying people, while police officers were giving us bottles of water to clean our faces.' He recalled one moment later in the day when he went up to a coffee stand to get some water and went to pay the vendor. 'The guy went 'don't be stupid have it',' he said. THEN: Thick dust and debris including reams of papers and documents from the office buildings in the Twin Towers covers the roads on Dey Street and Broadway after the first tower collapsed NOW: New Yorkers stroll past construction work on the corner of Dey Street and Broadway with the Oculus in the background THEN: A huge cloud of dust and debris billows into the air on the corner on Broadway following the South Tower's collapse while first responders gather on the scene. NOW: Vehicles and cyclists drive along Broadway on a clear day in the city THEN: New Yorkers going about their days on September 11 2001 stop on Park Row and stare up at the sky in shock and horror after the World Trade Center Twin Towers were attacked by terrorists NOW: Along the same spot in Park Row scaffolding is erected on buildings along the sidewalk, cars are parked by the side of the road and pedestrians cross the street THEN: Two men are seen walking through John Street covering their mouths as the air is filled with thick dust and debris following the collapse of the South Tower NOW: A man and woman in fitness gear walk past a sandwich shop along John Street close to the World Trade Center THEN: First responders and New Yorkers help injured survivors following the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001 THEN: The North Tower of the World Trade Center burns after Flight 11 crashed into the building between the 93rd and 99th floors THEN: A survivor covered in dust is seen inside the J&R music store on Park Row after people rook refuge in the store when the South Tower collapsed THEN: Photographer Phil Penman captures the man covered in dust next to men in suits and shoppers who had been going about their day In the days, weeks and months that followed, there were vigils everywhere where people came together to pray together and look after each other, he said. Penman said he feels the country is now no longer like this and the sense of togetherness which came out of the nation's darkest hours have been lost. 'The city could have gone to hell after that day with looting and unrest but it didn't,' he said. 'And the city has been through a lot since then with the crash and the blackouts but it wasn't like that then either. 'So last year to walk down Fifth Avenue and see it boarded up because it was open season on stores and looting was a very sad statement on society right now after the pandemic.' Penman added: 'It's not just the city but the nation as well - the whole country is divided right now.' Instead of moving forward from that day, Penman said he feels the US has 'gone backwards'. 'Politically we are more divided than ever which is hard to imagine as 9/11 happened after the Gore-Bush election but it has managed to get worse than that,' he said. The photographer said he hopes that the 20th anniversary will help Americans remember how they came together in tragedy and find a way to return to this. 'I hope that people can come back together and realize there aren't two sides and there's common ground in the middle,' he said. 'It doesn't have to be one or the other, nothing is black and white.' Despite these concerns, Penman said he has hope after seeing New York coming back to life and getting busier again after the pandemic. 'This is still a fantastic city with wonderful people in it,' he said. 'It's a city where the best in the best come to try to fulfil their dreams - and it's only going to get better.' THEN: Penman captured some of the most heart-wrenching images of the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks in NYC THEN: A first responder runs and survivors cover their faces with makeshift masks to try to protect themselves from the dust as Lower Manhattan is covered in thick ash and debris THEN: Survivors covered head to toe in dust and debris help each other to safety. Penman said Americans came together amid the tragedy that day to help one another THEN: Dark flames and thick smoke pour from the Twin Towers after they were both hit by hijacked planes on 9/11 Robert Durst would have gotten away with the murder of his best friend if filmmakers had not unearthed a damning letter that had identical handwriting to the infamous cadaver note, a prosecutor said Thursday in the New York real estate heir's trial. In closing arguments at the New York real estate heir's trial, prosecutors said that an anonymous note directing police to the lifeless body of his best friend Susan Berman was the 'smoking gun' in the case against him. Durst, 78, who appeared in a Los Angeles court in a wheelchair and is now gaunt and ailing, has pleaded not guilty to murder in the point-blank shooting of his best friend, Susan Berman, at her Los Angeles home in December 2000. Prosecutors said he killed her as she planned to speak to authorities about how she provided a phony alibi for him when his wife went missing in New York in 1982. While filming the documentary, 'The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst', filmmakers discovered an envelope Durst sent Berman a year earlier. The handwriting was identical to the note sent to police after Berman's death, with Beverly Hills being misspelled as 'Beverley' on both. 'You can ignore everything else in this case,' Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian said. 'If we spent one day trying this ... here's what you'd have: You'd have a note sent by the killer that only the killer could have written that the defendant has admitted that the killer wrote. And the defendant has stipulated, 'I wrote the cadaver note and envelope that only the killer could have written.' Durst said he didn't kill Berman and doesn't know who did. Durst, 78, New York real estate scion, takes the stand and testifies in his murder trial answering questions from defense attorney Dick DeGuerin, left Lawyers for New York real estate heir Robert Durst acknowledge that he penned a note tipping off police to the location of the body of a friend hes accused of killing Deputy District Attorney Habib A. Balian holds a rubber latex mask, worn by Robert Durst when police arrested him, Wednesday He had long denied writing the anonymous cadaver note, but he conceded at trial that he sent it after finding her dead body in her Los Angeles home in December 2000. He testified that he wanted police to find her but didn't want anyone to know he had been in her house because he feared he would be suspected of killing her. Susan Berman (pictured) was murdered execution style shortly before she was due to speak to investigators about Kathleen's disappearance. Balian scoffed at that explanation, describing it as chapter 5 in what he called Durst's playbook to get away with murder: changing his story when necessary. While giving hist testimony at trial, Durst had acknowledged on the witness stand that even he had difficulty imagining he could have written the note without killing Berman. 'It's very difficult to believe, to accept, that I wrote the letter and did not kill Susan Berman,' Durst testified. Balian said it was one of the truest things Durst said amid a ton of lies. However, in giving closing arguments in Durst's defense, his said he is a sick, old, defenseless man, beaten up and demonized by prosecutors determined to cover up a lack of evidence against him, despite acknowledging that he penned the note. His attorney Dick DeGuerin told jurors not to be swayed by ghastly images of the body Durst dismembered in Texas and tossed out to sea, saying it was only meant to make them hate him. DeGuerin conceded his client did look 'really bad' after nearly three weeks of testimony, including nine days of punishing cross-examination that exposed several lies. He accused the prosecutor of 'beating up on a sick, old man who cant defend himself.' 'I wouldn't blame you after hearing what you've heard if you hate Bob Durst and believe he's a liar,' DeGuerin said in Los Angeles Superior Court. 'Making Bob Durst a liar does not make him a killer.' Prosecutors said Durst killed her as she planned to speak to authorities about how she provided a phony alibi for him when his wife went missing in New York in 1982. DeGuerin said prosecutors failed to prove how, when and where Kathie Durst was killed, though he said circumstantial evidence indicates she is probably dead. Her body has never been found, and no one has been charged with a crime in connection with her disappearance. Robert Durst appears in a courtroom with his attorneys for closing arguments on Wednesday Robert Durst admits 'cadaver' note (pictured) made him look guilty as murder trial continues in Los Angeles Durst said he put his wife on a train bound for New York City after a weekend at their lakeside home in Westchester County and never saw or heard from her again. He has admitted lying about having cocktails with neighbors that night and speaking with his wife by phone after she reached their Manhattan penthouse. The defense claims there is no credible evidence to support the prosecution theory that Berman had impersonated Kathie Durst the next day to phone in sick at the medical school she attended. Prosecutors said the call made it appear Kathie Durst was alive after she was last seen by her husband. 'If you remove the emotions that the prosecution has played upon that Bob Durst is a bad guy and Bob Durst lies and that Bob Durst will lie about anything and look at what the evidence or lack of evidence is, then you see theres no evidence,' DeGuerin said. During his many days on the stand, Durst said he had lied under oath and would lie to get out of trouble. He said he had not killed Berman or his wife, but said he would lie if he had done so. David Chesnoff argues a point before closing arguments presented by the prosecution his murder trial at the Inglewood Courthouse The lead suspect in the 1982 disappearance of Kathleen Durst (pictured) is her husband, due to new evidence DeGuerin said it was like the trick question: 'Have you quit beating your wife?' 'What's a good answer to that?' DeGuerin said. 'The problem is the false premise: beating your wife. 'If you had killed Susan, would you tell us?' It's a false premise.' Although Durst is only on trial in Berman's killing, prosecutors presented evidence he killed his wife to provide the motive for killing Berman - a key witness. Several of Berman's friends testified she either told them Durst admitted killing his wife or she helped cover his tracks. Prosecutors have also introduced evidence from a Galveston, Texas, trial in which Durst was acquitted of murder. DeGuerin successfully defended Durst in the 2001 killing of Morris Black. Durst testified that Black pulled a gun on him and was shot during a struggle for the weapon. He was convicted of disposing of evidence for chopping up Blacks body and dumping it in Galveston Bay. DeGuerin accused prosecutors of trying to inflame the jury by dredging up the Texas case, particularly displaying gruesome images of body parts that washed ashore. 'The prosecution is trying to get a do-over of that trial,' DeGuerin said. In interviews for a documentary film, Durst (pictured) denied writing the note that he said 'only the killer could have written' Robert Durst in his wheelchair spins in place as he looks at people in the courtroom as he appears in a courtroom in Inglewood, Calif. on Wednesday Prosecutors said Black was killed because he discovered Durst's identity while he hid out disguised as a mute woman because he feared he was going to be charged with killing his wife in New York. DeGuerin said that made no sense under the prosecution's theory. Berman was the witness who could connect him to Kathie Durst's death, and she was killed nine months earlier. 'The theory of the prosecution is that Morris Black found out that Bob Durst was Bob Durst,' DeGeurin said. 'But Bob Durst didn't have anything to worry about anymore if you accept the prosecution theory that Bob Durst's motive for killing Susan Berman was to shut her up.' DeGuerin did little to minimize or explain what a prosecutor said was the most damning piece of evidence against Durst - the so-called cadaver note directing police to Berman's lifeless body. In interviews for a documentary film, Durst denied writing the note that he said 'only the killer could have written.' Closing arguments in Durst's trial are set to continue on Monday. Chef Anthony Paris (pictured), an eye-witness to the 9/11 attacks, says a stranger helped evacuate him, his wife and their 6-month-old baby after the World Trade Center collapsed. An eye-witness to the 9/11 terrorist attacks who recently spoke out about his family's experience for the first time shared how a stranger helped get him, his wife and their six-month-old baby to safety 20 years ago. Anthony Paris, who contributed to the 9/11: Life Under Attack documentary for British network ITV, was living six blocks away from the World Trade Center and could see the towers collapse from their apartment building. He and his wife, Kyra, were forced to evacuate their home with their six-month-old son, Daschiel, after a dust-ball carrying debris and other infinite organic matter moved towards their neighborhood at a speed of approximately 60mph, Paris said. The couple - struggling with the decision of whether to flee or stay put - was rescued by a Good Samaritan who was helping several area residents get to safety. It's weird how this happens but there are angels in this world.' Paris told MailOnline. 'I ran into him as I'm walking out of the building. He's like 'I got a truck, I'm loading a bunch of people on, you wanna come?'' Paris was living six blocks away from the World Trade Center with his wife, Kyra, and their six-month-old son Daschiel (pictured). The family could see the towers collapse from their apartment building The couple struggled with the decision of whether to flee or stay put. Paris said they made the decision to evacuate after after a dust-ball carrying debris and other infinite organic matter moved towards their neighborhood at a speed of approximately 60mph As seen in self-recorded video that Paris provided to the documentary, which is now available on the ITV Hub, he and Kyra struggled with the decision to leave their apartment. In the video, Paris is heard describing the situation to his friends over the phone: 'There's dust and smoke all over the building. There's no way we can leave right now. There's people running in the streets, there's dust all over the streets. If we leave with Daschiel, he's covered with dust.' 'We can't take him outside,' Kyra echoes. Paris continues: 'This is really scary...' He told MailOnline that he ultimately made the decision to leave after the power went out and he saw both debris and the dust-ball moving in. 'I remember going downstairs and opening the front door -- there was paper flying around...there was so much dust and debris. You could see there were just particles of stuff in the air,' he explained. I swear to God I thought the world was going to end. I was like 'ok, this is it, this is how it goes...That was when I realized we had to get out of there.' Paris said he entered fight-or-flight mode, trying to find a way to safely get his family out. 'Im walking downstairs trying to figure out how we're going to evacuate...I just happened to run into this guy who had that truck that we got on.' He said the truck driver told him he was evacuating people and invited him to come. 'And I said, "yeah, let me get my family and we'll get on the truck and then we can just high-tail it out of here,"' Paris shared. 'I was literally like 'where did this guy come from?' I mean, he doesn't even live in the building. I don't even know who he was. He was just some guy with a truck.' 'He literally was just like, "I got a truck, we're going," and I'm like '"great." I grabbed Dash and Kyra and we jumped on the truck and we headed out of there.' Paris said he did not get the truck driver's name or stay in contact with him. Paris (pictured with Daschiel, now 20) said he entered fight-or-flight mode, trying to find a way to safely get his family out. He said: I swear to God I thought the world was going to end. I was like 'ok, this is it, this is how it goes...That was when I realized we had to get out of there' Daschiel (pictured) - now in college - is doing well, although he suffers from allergies and asthma that Paris believes may be the result of the debris and poor air-quality after the attacks The Paris family safely made it to their friends' house. It was several months before they were able to return to their home. Paris, who is currently living in Westchester, says he is commemorating the 20th anniversary of 9/11 by sharing his story for the first time. 'I've never spoken about it with anybody,' he said. 'I've done some compartmentalizing...I think I have PTSD.' He said he suffers extreme emotional episodes but has never talked about 'the most insane thing that's ever happened to me'. 'I didn't want to sound like a victim,' Paris shared. However, he says sharing his footage and story with the documentary makers has provided an 'opportunity for some closure'. Daschiel - now a 20-year-old college student - is doing well, although he suffers from allergies and asthma that Paris believes may be the result of the debris and poor air-quality after the attacks. 'He deals with it well,' Paris said of his son's conditions. 'It gets him down every now and then ... He seems to have gotten better.' 9/11: Life Under Attack uses footage from first responders, military command centers, citizens, air traffic control, commercial airlines, private phone calls and public broadcasts to unveil how chaos erupted throughout New York City. A former police officer turned cafe owner was forced to make a citizen's arrest to stop a prolific thief from stealing staff tips from his business after being left 'abandoned by the police'. Tim Nye, 58, took matters into his own hands as he felt 'exasperated by the lack of police action' after officers failed to arrest a crook who was targeting his Sheffield city centre eatery. As a result of Mr Nye's actions rough sleeper Alfu Miah, 33, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of theft and burglary in relation to the theft of tip jars and charity boxes, as well as a purse when he appeared at Sheffield Magistrates Court this week. He is due to be sentenced next month. Former police officer Tim Nye, 58, took matters into his own hands and made a citizen's arrest after officers failed to arrest a crook who was targeting his Marmadukes cafe (pictured) in Sheffield city centre Mr Nye, a former officer who served with Derbyshire Police for 30 years before retiring in 2011, first caught Miah on CCTV stealing his staff's tips from his Marmadukes cafe in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, on July 31. He reported the incident to the police and was told by officers they had a file on the criminal, who was wanted for five offences. Mr Nye claimed that after lodging a report and providing CCTV footage of the thief, he was told by officers that they did not arrest Miah because they had 'lots of work', Mr Nye said. He said that Miah returned to the cafe on August 4 looking to steal more tips but had still not heard from South Yorkshire Police. But when the brazen thief returned for a third time in the space of a week, Mr Nye said he had no choice but to arrest the man himself to stop his crime spree. He confronted Miah who had left to a different shop and detained him before the police arrived 15 minutes later to arrest him. Mr Nye said: 'The manager reported this to me minutes later and exasperated by the lack of police action, I decided to take matters into our own hands. 'Sure enough, he was in a shop trying to exchange what I believe was change stolen from somewhere else that day for notes. 'I confronted him in the shop and told him he was wanted for stealing our tips. He tried to force his way past me out of the shop. 'I decided not to allow him to do so and carry on with his crime spree. 'He struggled, but with the help of my manager and James from Seven Peak Electrical, we detained him until the police arrived some 15 minutes later. 'The women in the shop were shocked, but relieved I had entered as they were worried about what he was up to. He had been in there an hour earlier. 'The police arrested him and took him away.' Mr Nye said the series of incidents has shown the police service is no longer able to provide a service for what could be considered 'low level crime'. He added: 'They seem to ignore it hoping it will go away. 'I don't doubt there are good cops doing a good job, but the city centre seems to have been abandoned by the police and retailers are now left to their own devices. 'The officers I've met seem completely overwhelmed and demoralised by the lack of resources. 'They and the public deserve much better than what we are getting right now. Of that there is no doubt. 'Sadly the city has many problems right now. It's fair to say it's going through its worst period since the war.' The former copper has launched an urgent appeal to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to 'make the city safe' and help fund the force. He said: 'I would like to ask all those in positions of authority to recognise the urgent need to make the city a clean and safe place to visit again. 'I love the city of Sheffield and believe that it can be a fantastic vibrant successful centre we would all like it to be, but it needs its leaders to step up. 'And I very much include our Prime Minister in that. 'If he truly wants to level up northern cities, then he needs to give Sheffield city the resources it needs. Words are cheap. Action is what's needed. 'My days of arresting people should have been over a long time ago. 'There are good people in this city, who care and we need to come together and say enough is enough. Things have to change.' During Miah's brief appearance in court, he said he had not spoken to his social worker in 18 months after losing touch during the pandemic. He said he had fallen back in with the wrong crowd and begged for help. District Judge Naomi Redhouse called the thefts 'serious and very mean' offences. Ms Redhouse told the court: 'During Covid-19 time he was placed at a hotel and managed to keep himself out of trouble, and the trouble started again when he left the hotel and fell back in with the wrong crowd. 'He has a long-term mental health problem and no one is treating it. I need to know before sentencing if someone is going to pick you up and support you afterwards.' A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said: 'We take a problem solving approach to key issues such as homelessness; not only focusing on enforcement but working with partners to find long-term solutions for those affected. 'Our aim is, of course, to prevent crime, but this can be aided greatly by helping people off the streets and getting the support they need breaking the cycle for repeat offenders. 'Enforcement alone will not address the problem. We are acutely aware of the impact crime such as theft can have on victims. 'Although we always aim to respond quickly, we must prioritise incidents where the offender is still in the vicinity, or where there is an immediate threat to life. 'That day, officers in Sheffield were called to respond to numerous incidents relating to violent disorder and safeguarding vulnerable people including a young child and an adult in crisis in another part of the city. 'An officer was assigned to the investigation and made contact with the reporting party to obtain the CCTV footage of the theft. 'Once arrested, responding officers recognised the suspect and linked him to two other theft incidents and a commercial burglary. 'He has since been prosecuted in relation to all four and is due to be sentenced later this month. 'This is an example of why people should continue to report these types of crime to us it enables us to identify patterns of offending. 'Local officers are embedded in their communities, they recognise repeat offenders and will work tirelessly to take action to prevent future crimes. 'We would like to thank the complainant for his proactive and quick-thinking approach to apprehending the suspect.' They added: 'His efforts have ensured three other victims have received justice.' This is the young mother whose home was demolished when a truck driver is alleged to have deliberately smashed his articulated lorry into it, MailOnline can reveal. Sara Cassidy, 33, lived in the house in East Kilbride, Scotland with her young two sons until Monday night when their property was hit by an Eddie Stobart lorry. Derek Wellington, 33, has been charged with a number of offences including culpable and reckless conduct to danger of life. Sara Cassidy (pictured), 33, lived in the house in East Kilbride, Scotland with her young two sons until Monday night A Stobart lorry driver ploughed into the house in East Kilbridge, Lanarkshire, shortly before midnight on Monday It was demolished on Tuesday and a second home next door is also set to be demolished It's unclear what caused the driver to plough into Ms Cassidy's home, which is now a pile of rubble after it was demolished. Wellington, who lists himself as a Glasgow Rangers fan on his WhatsApp profile, allegedly used the long vehicle to reverse twice into the house. He is waiting to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court on petition over whether he will remain in prison or be released on bail. Shocked neighbours said they saw the truck drive into their quiet residential cul-de-sac at around 11.20pm on Monday night. The front of the house was badly damaged with walls knocked out and windows smashed CCTV also captured the vehicle, which sported the Eddie Stobart livery, in front of the property. It then reversed into the front of the house at speed. Children, aged 11 and 14, who had been relaxing in their bedrooms at the time, were screaming for help. Neighbours who heard the commotion rushed outside to try to get the family to safety. One local, who asked not to be named, said: 'Nobody knows really what happened. A home is supposed to be your castle. Ms Cassidy was in the house at the time of the incident with her two sons who were upstairs An Eddie Stobart lorry was later found in a nearby supermarket car park and cordoned off by police 'It's terrifying to think that one minute life is rosy and the next everything you've gathered to make a home out of is eliminated.' The house has been demolished and neighbours have been moved out after properties were deemed unsafe. Yesterday, Mailonline told how a local scoutmaster and schoolteacher, Allan Reddick, 37, raced to the house seconds after the destruction and helped rescue the children before the house collapsed. The schoolteacher grabbed a ladder to help the two children escape from the damaged house through an upstairs bedroom window. He said: 'As soon as I heard the crash I ran out of the house and went into help mode, thinking let's get the kids out. 'My wife and I were up and out within a minute. She was straight on the phone to the police and I went straight out to save the kids. Hero scoutleader Allan Reddick (pictured) rushed to rescue his neighbour's children from their bedrooms after their house was rammed by an HGV in the middle of the night 'Anybody would have done it in my opinion. It was shocking what happened.' Mr Reddick said he and another neighbour immediately feared the house would collapse and tried to save the children. He said: 'I went into autopilot mode and helped. I didn't go into the house because I didn't think it was safe. 'One of the other neighbours got a ladder and we helped the kids out of the back window. It was at an angle that way, we didn't know how long the house was going to stay standing. 'The kids were on the second floor in the bedroom. I think one of the kids was on the Playstation, the other I think had been asleep. 'It was two young kids of 11 and 14. They were really shaken up and their mum was at home. 'After I got the kids out, I saw the police arrive and it was no longer up to me. I left and went back to my bed.' The front of the house was badly damaged with walls knocked out and windows smashed. It was demolished on Tuesday and a second home next door is also set to be demolished. Mr Reddick has yet to hear from the family of the children. He said: 'I don't know the family very well at all. I haven't been able to speak to the family because as soon as the police arrived I came away from the scene and let them deal with it. The rear of the vehicle suffered extensive damage and bricks could be seen still lying on the roof of the truck's trailer 'I'm not looking for thanks. I'm going to be really honest. That's not why you do things.' Another local, who preferred not to give his name, said: 'The houses on the street had to be evacuated. The building was hanging by a thread when Allan ran to save those kids. He's done his good deed for the year let alone the day.' Wellington has yet to enter a plea to charges made against him. The charges include Culpable and reckless conduct to danger to life, dangerous driving (Road Traffic Act S2) and Assault To Danger of Life as well as breach of the peace (S38). He has been committed for further examination and has been remanded in custody ahead of his next appearance due to take place within eight days. A Florida woman convicted of helping mastermind the killing of her husband more than two decades ago was resentenced to 30 years in prison on Thursday after a previous life sentence was tossed on appeal. A Leon County circuit judge handed down the sentence for Denise Williams, rejecting arguments from her attorney that she was only a 'minor participant' in the plot to kill her husband. Williams, 51, was convicted in 2018 of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The 1st District Court of Appeal vacated the first-degree murder conviction in November 2020, which meant a resentencing was needed for the conspiracy to commit murder charge. Florida woman Denise Williams, 51, (pictured) convicted of helping mastermind the killing of her first husband, Mike Williams, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Thursday, after a previous life sentence was tossed on appeal Mike Williams, a 31-year-old real estate appraiser, married high-school sweetheart Denise in 1994 and had a daughter five years later, who is now 22. He disappeared in December 2000 during what was supposedly a solo duck hunting trip to a Lake Seminole in Jackson County, Florida. Some initially speculated he had fallen from his boat and that his body had been devoured by alligators. His disappearance triggered a massive search by authorities. But Brian Winchester, who had been Mike Williams' best friend, confessed that he and Denise Williams were having a three-year affair. Mike Williams, (pictured) a 31-year-old real estate appraiser, disappeared in December 2000 during what was supposedly a solo duck hunting trip and was thought to have drowned and eaten by alligators But years later Mike's best friend Brian Winchester confessed that he and Denise were having an affair and that they planned the killing so that she could collect $1.75 million in life insurance. Pictured: Mike and Denise on their wedding day in 1994 He said that they planned the murder and discussed ways to kill Mike so that they could marry and she could collect $1.75 million in life insurance. Winchester said he planned to make it look like Williams had drowned. But after pushing him overboard, Williams did not get dragged underwater by his duck-hunting equipment. So Winchester said he shot him in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun. He then dragged his body to shore, put him in the back of his truck and drove back to Tallahassee. He eventually buried him later in the day alongside a small lake located north of town. Winchester (pictured in court in 2018) said he planned to make it look like Williams had drowned. But after pushing him overboard, Williams did not get dragged underwater by his duck-hunting equipment so he shot him in the face and buried the body Without a body, Denise Williams petitioned to have her husband declared dead due to accidental drowning and she collected his death benefits. Winchester and Denise Williams married in 2005, but the relationship soured and they divorced in 2016. The murder plot unraveled after Winchester kidnapped Denise Williams at gunpoint in 2016 and made her promise not to reveal their secret. While he was being sentenced to 20 years in prison for kidnapping, Winchester was offered a deal by prosecutors in the murder case if he led authorities to the body. He later led authorities to the remains of Mike Williams and testified against Denise Williams in exchange for immunity in that case. One of Australia's big four banks has thrown its support behind the vaccine rollout and temporarily changed its name. The National Australia Bank or NAB will officially be rebranded as JAB from Friday. The name change will remain in place until December as the bank attempts to encourage more Australians to get the jab. Currently, 40.4 per cent of the country has been fully vaccinated. NAB has been a public supporter of the vaccine rollout. Its CEO Ross McEwan has backed calls for a vaccine passport and thrown his support behind the federal government's campaign to reopen the country at 80 per cent vaccination rate. The bank's latest marketing strategy has drawn mixed reactions with social media users split by the temporary rebrand. The National Australia Bank will officially be rebranded as JAB from Friday and last until December The name change will remain in place until the end of the year as the bank attempts to encourage more Australians to get the jab 'Glad I'm leaving the NAB,' one person wrote. 'How stupid can you get renaming your logo to JAB.' Another person commented: 'Not sure if a name change might cause people to bank change. Is the bank going to far into politics by doing this publicity stunt?' Another social media user suggested NAB stick to banking and not meddle in vaccination discussions. 'I find the narrative of this article a little disturbing,' one person wrote. 'Why is a bank weighing in on a supposed health discussion?' Other social media users were quick to praise the initiative. 'Loving the initiative of NAB which has temporarily changed its name to JAB,' one person commented. Another person wrote: 'Get the jab. It saves lives and will help the livelihoods of small business owners.' Speaking at the House Standing Committee on Economics, Mr McEwan threw his support behind the federal government's plan to reopen the country at 80 per cent vaccination rates. The bank's latest marketing strategy has drawn mixed reactions with social media users split by the temporary rebrand 'The National Cabinet plan gives us hope. Vaccine take-up continues to rise and the targets for 70 and 80 per cent are in sight,' he said on Thursday. 'Current forecasts show 80 per cent of eligible Australians will have had their first jab within three weeks, and their second jab by mid-November. 'This is our light at the end of the tunnel. Our communities need hope. Our businesses need clarity, to plan for the future.' Mr McEwan said he supported a vaccine passport, which makes full participation in society contingent upon accepting the medical procedure. 'European countries have provided this by implementing a vaccine pass, which gives people freedom to attend restaurants, sporting events, major concerts and domestic travel,' he said. 'Australia needs its own national vaccine pass, providing similar freedoms, ready to launch when we reach 80 per cent.' Bodycam footage reveals the moment police in Georgia repeatedly tased an unarmed black man who has non-verbal autism and was carrying a spoon, which officers claimed they thought was a wrench. Officers with the Glynn County Police Department, which posted the footage on its Facebook page, responded to a caller describing a man with no shirt and no shoes who appeared to be 'flipping out,' hitting himself in the head and approaching cars in Brunswick around 8.30pm on September 4. The man, identified as Rajon Cherry, 21, is seen in the footage holding a silver object. One officer repeatedly shouts, 'drop it,' but Cherry continues to walk with the spoon in his hand. The cop deploys his taser, causing Cherry to writhe in agony and drop the spoon. He continues to walk, however, while the cops continue shouting and a woman of-screen tells them that Cherry has autism. Cherry tries to pull the taser prongs off him before the officer tases him again and, this time, he falls to the ground. Police in Brunswick, Georgia, repeatedly tased Rajon Cherry, 21, who has non-verbal autism, because they thought he had a weapon Cherry was seen in the footage holding a silver object, which turned out to be a kitchen spoon After the cop deploys his TASER, Cherry drops the spoon and attempts to run Cherry gets up and continues forward before an officer tackles him by the waist to the ground. He screams and groans while officers struggle to restrain him. They then attempted to handcuff him for several minutes. He gets up again, however, and runs before the officer continues to tase him and shot 'get on the ground.' This ensues for another several minutes, with the officer shouting, 'we're trying to help you, get on the ground!' Eventually, the officers tackle him again and hold him in cross body lock putting one arm under his and the other over the chest. Officers then handcuffed using two pairs of cuffs because of his 'very broad shoulders,' according to a press release from the department. At this point, a woman off screen is screaming, 'get off of him, he has autism! He is non-verbal!' The cop says, 'he's getting in handcuffs, relax lady.' Cherry was then guided into the back of a cop car and treated by the Glynn County Fire Rescue before being driven to the South East Georgia Regional Medical Center to treat his taser wounds and receive an evaluation, according to Glynn County police. Back in the footage, the cops are seeing surveying the area and discussing what happened. One officer says, 'So it was a spoon, but at the time I thought it was a wrench . . . I didn't have time to figure out what it was.' When he wouldn't follow orders to get down, officers tackled him to the ground The officer is seen in the footage walking to the cop car to see the kitchen spoon on the ground where Cherry dropped it He adds, 'I was retreating trying to get away from him and he kept coming towards me . . . I saw something in his hand and he kept advancing towards me. I go drop it, drop it, drop it, and he wouldn't drop it.' The officer walks to the cop car to see the kitchen spoon on the ground where Cherry dropped it. On arrival at the hospital, officers released Cherry from custody and attempted to seek help for him from medical staff. Officers were also treated for minor injuries. Chief of Police Jacques S. Battiste lauded the officers in a statement and said, 'I commend the officers for using less lethal force and their ability to read the terrain as the event unfolded, preventing loss of life or serious injury to anyone involved.' He added that 'preservation of life is the goal of every police encounter.' However, Cherry's mother, Sherril Johnson, is not pleased with how the officers dealt with her son. 'Let's look over the black and white fact. Let's look over the special needs fact. You didn't treat him as a human,' she told local news outlet First Coast News. She added that the incident should serve as an example of why officers need training on how to deal with people with autism without immediately resorting to violence. 'Hire an educated person that's trained to deal with people with special needs,' she said. Chief of Police Jacques S. Battiste (right) lauded the officers 'for using less lethal force.' He became the department's first black police chief in July According to police, Johnson has not pressed charges and it is not clear if she will be seeking legal action. The incident is currently under administrative review by the Glynn County Police Department. Battiste, who posted the footage to Facebook, became the department's first black police chief in July. At the time, he told local news station WJXT 4: 'I've always found that transparency is always the best way to be. Glynn County is a great county to work for.' He added,: 'It has a very, very prominent history. It also is building a better history moving toward better socioeconomic changes, it's accepting diversity even at a greater level than it has done in the past.' His tenure leading the department began a year after it became the subject of national attention following the death of Ahmaud Arbery, 25, who was unarmed and jogging when he was killed on February 23, 2020 by Gregory McMichael and his son Travis. The men claimed that they thought he was a burglar. Just Wednesday, Ex-Brunswick District Attorney Jackie Johnson was booked on misconduct charges alleging she used her position to shield Arbery's killers from being arrested. The 49-year old former Georgia prosecutor on misconduct charges alleging she used her position to shield the men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery from being arrested after the shootings. Glynn County is where Ahmaud Arbery killed while jogging by two men claiming they thought he was a burglar Fox News and former anchor Ed Henry must face a lawsuit accusing him of promising career advancement to coerce an employee who he allegedly 'handcuffed and raped' in a New York City hotel room amid a sometimes violent sexual relationship, a US judge ruled on Thursday. US District Judge Ronnie Abrams in Manhattan said former associate producer Jennifer Eckhart could try to show Henry engaged in sex trafficking, and 'victim shamed' her by posting what he claimed were nude photos of Eckhart in the court docket. Abrams said Eckhart could also try to prove Fox News knew or should have known about Henry's harassing behavior, but not conduct related to alleged sex trafficking or the photos, with the suit also accusing the network of allowing a hostile work environment. Separately, Abrams dismissed former on-air guest Cathy Areu's lawsuit accusing Henry and anchors Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Howard Kurtz of subjecting her to sexual harassment and a hostile environment, including demands she engage with them romantically and accept their 'misogynistic behavior.' Former Fox News host Ed Henry who was fired over rape accusations has sued Suzanne Scott, the network's CEO, claiming she defamed him 'as a sex criminal' The lawsuit was filed in July by Jennifer Eckhart (left)and Cathy Areu (right). Eckhart is a former associate producer on Fox Business, and Areu a former frequent guest as a news analyst on various Fox Shows. Abrams said Areu could not pursue some claims because she was not an employee, and did not show anchors punished her for resisting their advances by reducing her airtime and hurting her career. In a statement to DailyMail.com, Fox News' Senior Vice President of Media Relations said: 'While we are pleased Judge Abrams ruled in favor of our motion to dismiss the Cathy Areu case, we remain committed to defending against the baseless allegations against Fox outlined in Jennifer Eckhart's claims. 'As we have previously stated, upon first learning of Ms. Eckhart's allegations against Ed Henry, FOX News Media immediately commenced a thorough independent investigation and within six days dismissed Mr. Henry for cause. We look forward to proving through the discovery process that FOX News Media takes harassment allegations seriously and acted appropriately.' Henry, who has been married since 2010, sought to dismiss parts of the suit that didn't apply to him, calling the two women's respective rape and sexual misconduct claims 'malicious and defamatory'. Eckhart, a former associate producer, alleged in the suit that Henry raped her and 'left her injured, bruised and battered, with bloody wrists' in a New York hotel room 'sometime in 2017' and that Fox executives were informed 'in graphic and specific detail' about her claim. She also claimed Henry, 49, handcuffed her and then took naked pictures of her own his cell phone, which she believed he planned to later use to blackmail her. In his motions to dismiss the lawsuit, Henry argued that it was actually Eckhart who pursued sexual relations with him. He disclosed a number of apparent interactions he shared with Eckhart in which he claim she sent him 'come-hither' text messages. 'The erotic and encouraging text messages she sent Mr. Henry (including one instructing Mr. Henry to 'come and get it'), along with the salacious and explicit pictures of herself, clearly demonstrate that Mr. Henry never assaulted her and that Ms. Eckhart pursued a consensual relationship with him,' Henry's lawyer wrote in the filing. Henry's lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Two hours after the December 18, 2013 Twitter exchange, Henry then reportedly contacted Eckhart through her work email. 'Ha! Big fan of yours.Thanks for the follow :)' she responded Ed Henry, left, and his wife, Shirley Henry, right. In his motions, Henry argued that it was actually Eckhart who pursued sexual relations with him Fox News said it would defend against Eckhart's 'baseless' claims, saying it 'takes harassment allegations seriously and acted appropriately.' Eckhart's and Areu's lawsuits echoed earlier claims about sexual misconduct that led to the departures of Fox News founder Roger Ailes and anchor Bill O'Reilly. Fox News fired Henry in July 2020 after learning about Eckhart's accusations, including an alleged February 2017 rape in a Manhattan hotel room. While the date of the rape allegation has not been specifically disclosed by Eckhart, in her suit she says that 'sometime in 2017' Henry invited her out for drinks at a restaurant, where he told her Fox was awarding him with his own show. Eckhart says he invited her to take a walk back to his hotel, to which she obliged. She said in her suit that she agreed to do so because she feared it could affect her job if she refused. It was in the hotel room that Eckhart says Henry handcuffed, raped her and then photographed her while she was still restrained. The legal document claims that Eckhart 'pleaded for him to stop' and delete the images but he 'proceeded to forcefully rape Ms. Eckhart while she was still restrained and helpless in handcuffs.' Jennifer Eckhart, a former Fox News employee who accused Henry of raping her, has addressed the lawsuit on Twitter In a court filing, Henry called Eckhart's accusations false and said she 'willingly and enthusiastically' engaged in their 'completely consensual' relationship Eckhart began working as a Freelance Administrative Assistant for Liz Chapman, a Fox Business anchor, in January 2013. In her original filing, Eckhart described how Henry 'preyed upon, manipulated and groomed' her 'at the young age of 24 by exerting his abuse of power over her and her career'. She said the incident began when Henry started following her on Twitter sometime in 2014, when she was 24. Henry contends the first contact he had with Eckhart was actually on December 18, 2013, when she replied to a tweet he had posted about the movie Anchorman 2. Two hours after the Twitter exchange, Henry then reportedly contacted Eckhart through her work email, to which she responded: 'Ha! Big fan of yours.Thanks for the follow :)'. Eckhart eventually agreed to go out for drinks with him at a hotel bar in 2014, where they reportedly had a consensual sexual encounter, according to Eckhart. She claims Henry 'ripped off her clothes' and she had sex with him 'fearing that her career would be over if she refused.' Afterwards, Eckhart claims Henry told her he get her in the room with 'really powerful people', which she said she understood to mean that Henry could help her career. Later, in September 2015, Eckhart says she was working in the Fox News offices when Henry asked her to put her underwear in an envelope for him to retrieve. Eckhart said she agreed to the request, and was later summoned Henry to meet him at a guest office, in the middle of the day. Eckhart (pictured) claims Henry 'ripped off her clothes' and she had sex with him 'fearing that her career would be over if she refused' Eckhart poses with Alex Rodriguez (pictured) It was during this alleged encounter that Eckhart says Henry forced her to perform oral sex on him. In a court filing, Henry called Eckhart's accusations false and said she 'willingly and enthusiastically' engaged in their 'completely consensual' relationship. Eckhart said Fox News fired her in June 2020 after she complained about the work environment. Michael Willemin, a lawyer for Eckhart, said she looked forward to a jury trial. Areu's lawyer James Vagnini said his client was disappointed and would review whether to amend her complaint. A former sheriffs deputy in Midland County, Texas, who authorities say took part in the January 6 Capitol siege while wearing a Three Percenters patch, has been charged for his role in the riot after the FBI tracked him down by tracking his phone location. The feds were able to pinpoint the exact location of Cory Ray Brannan, who also worked as a county jailer, as he stood inside the Capitol Building amid a flood of violent rioters, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in a Washington DC court on Thursday. After authorities subpoenaed Brannan's phone records, they determined he had 'numerous phone numbers of individuals' who had similarly participated in the failed attempt to disrupt a joint session of Congress as they tallied the votes that led to the election of Joe Biden, and the ousting of former President Donald Trump. Brannan and his fellow rioters were attempting to prevent the formalizing of Biden's presidency after Trump called on his supporters to storm the Capitol, claiming the election had been 'stolen by emboldened radical-left Democrats.' Cory Ray Brannan, pictured circled in red, was charged by the FBI for his role in the January 6 Capitol siege The agency was able to determine Brannan's participation after tracking his cell phone to the time and location of the violent insurrection Authorities say Brannan can be seen circled in red as he stands inside the occupied Capitol building The FBI was also able to retrieve a handful of photos of Brannan taken at the Capitol siege, showing him at the riot while wearing a Trump 2020 hat and the infamous Three Percenters patch, which is a pro-Trump, anti-government extremist organization. The complaint states that Brannan 'knowingly entered or remained in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority to do; and knowingly, and with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions.' An FBI agent received further confirmation of Brannan's involvement after he 'met with Midland County Sheriffs Office, Captain Adam Hilliard,' on August 12. Photos show Brannan wearing a Trump 2020 hat and the infamous Three Percenters patch. The Three Percenters are a pro-Trump, anti-government extremist organization As of August 30, there have been 638 people charged in relation to the January 6 Capitol siege 'Captain Hilliard is the Jail Captain for the Midland County Sheriffs Office, where Brannan was recently working as a jailer,' the complaint reads. 'Captain Hilliard was shown the above picture of Brannan at the Capitol Riot and confirmed that the individual in the picture is Brannan.' As of August 30, there have been 638 people charged in relation to the January 6 Capitol siege, according to Insider. Many people were injured during the riot, including 138 police officers. Four officers died of suicide within seven months following the January 6 insurrection, Reuters reports. The exact nature of Brannan's charges have yet to be revealed as of Thursday. A man in traditional Jewish clothing was filmed crawling along the rooftops near a Melbourne building where it's alleged worshippers have been meeting to get around the city's lockdown laws and attend Jewish New Years services . Footage captured the man climbing across the roofs of several shops along Glen Eira Road at Ripponlea. Worshippers had been gathering at a venue in the area to attend a series of Rosh Hashanah services before they were disbanded by police on Tuesday. Up to 100 fines, each worth $5,452, are likely to be issued because the services were held in breach of public health orders. A number of worshippers confronted police while others fled on rooftops. In the video, the man is seen crawling on all fours along the roofs, which feature distinctive chimneys and features that place them at the rear of the shops. A man in traditional Jewish clothing was filmed crawling along the rooftops near a Melbourne shop where it's alleged worshippers have been meeting to get around the city's lockdown laws and attend Jewish New Years services Footage captured the man climbing across the roofs of several shops along Glen Eira Road at Ripponlea Police speak to worshippers (pictured) at a Jewish New Year's celebration on Tuesday He slowly climbs down a ladder and reaches a lower level before meeting up with another man in traditional Jewish clothing. In one version of the footage a woman can be heard saying, 'He's going to go down that ladder and sneak down there. This is my kitchen window.' The Addas Israel Synagogue is located nearby. When Daily Mail Australia contacted the synagogue they had left a pre-recorded message stating the lockdown breach that resulted in the police raid was the fault of 'an independent group of worshippers' who are not connected to the synagogue in any way. The message also stated that the synagogue premises are fully compliant with Victoria's lockdown laws. An Adass Israel spokesperson added: 'Adass Israel was not responsible for the Rosh Hashana public health order breach.' 'The gathering in question was an independent group of worshippers unaffiliated with Adass Israel, and was not held at one of our premises.' 'Adass Israel has taken all necessary steps to ensure our synagogue and buildings are compliant with public health orders.' The Herald Sun reported the worshippers were linked to the Satmar group. The Age added the worshippers had been accessing a Glen Eira Road building that had a Hebrew sign claiming to be a study house. Victoria Police said it was investigating an 'illegal' gathering and that officers had already issued 11 fines. 'Police will continue to investigate the incident using all intelligence and information available, including recent videos which have surfaced on social media, and issue infringement notices to adults who attended the illegal gathering,' a spokesperson said. The services on Tuesday were held despite hard lockdown rules in Melbourne as the city continues to grapple with the latest Covid-19 outbreak. The state recorded 334 new cases on Friday. The services on Tuesday were held at the synagogue despite hard lockdown rules in Melbourne as the city continues to grapple with the latest growing Covid-19 outbreak (pictured, people line up outside a bakery in Melbourne's CBD earlier this week as the city's lockdown continues ) The state recorded 334 new cases on Friday, the most since August 13, including 189 mystery case not yet linked to the rest of the outbreak (pictured, people wearing masks walk along St Kilda Road on Sunday) Victoria Police said in a statement on Friday that a 72-year-old St-Kilda man was arrested and charged with recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault to a cameraman during the raid on Tuesday. The man was issued with a $5,452 fine for breaching the public health orders. The ultra-Orthodox worshipper will face Melbourne Magistrates' Court on February 21 where police will allege the man assaulted a 45-year-old man outside a property on Glen Eira Road in Ripponlea at about 7.00pm. Deputy Victorian Opposition leader David Southwick claimed worshippers remained 'untouchable for months' by operating under the guise of a mental health group, which allows up to 10 people to gather at once. 'My understanding is they were operating under an AA-type meeting and mental health group that allows you to have 10 people congregate at a time,' he told the Herald Sun. '[Health officials] did not have enforceability powers because that group were operating in a certain guise.' Mr Southwick said he wrote to worshippers in the months leading up to Jewish New Year asking them not to congregate during lockdown. '[This] was not a new situation with this particular group, this group has been involved for some time in a number of activities,' he said. Prime Minister Scott Morrison also pleaded with worshippers to follow lockdown rules in the days leading up to Tuesday's end-of-year celebrations, which is a major event on the Jewish calendar. A gathering celebrating Jewish New Year in Melbourne ended with fiery scenes and police moving in to shut down the event and issuing $5,452 fines to 'all adults' who attended (It is not suggested the persons shown have breached lockdown laws) Up to 30 people are now believed to have attended the Rosh Hashanah celebration (It is not suggested the persons shown have breached lockdown laws) 'The Covid-19 pandemic has cast its shadow over all our lives and kept us from the rites and gatherings we yearn to celebrate,' he said last week. 'I know this year your celebrations will once again be subdued but I have faith that you will find inspiration and sweetness in these days of awe, as the sound of the shofar echoes in your hearts.' One news cameraman was allegedly assaulted and taken to hospital with a concussion after Tuesday's confrontation in Ripponlea. Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Russell Barrett told worshippers who were yet to come forward to turn themselves in. He vowed to hunt down every adult who was inside the synagogue and fine them. 'I'm appalled,' he said on Wednesday morning. 'Come forward, identify yourself. My instruction to my investigators today is every person at the gathering will receive a penalty notice.' Supporters were pictured standing outside Ripponlea venue on Tuesday night as the Rosh Hashanah celebrations continued inside. There was initially believed to be 100 people inside, but police downscaled the estimated number to around 30 on Wednesday. Victoria's Deputy Leader of the Opposition David Southwick. He said he had personally written to worshippers in the months leading up to Jewish New Year asking them not to congregate during lockdown The tense standoff between Victorian police and worshippers (pictured) spilled into abuse and claims of anti-Semitism as police moved in to disperse the gathering. Police later issued a statement saying 'all adults' in attendance would receive a $5,452 fine. It is not suggested the persons shown have breached lockdown laws The main illegal gathering occurred along Glen Eira Road, Ripponlea in inner Melbourne during a Jewish New Year celebration. It is not suggested the persons shown have breached lockdown laws NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has sent conspiracy theorists wild with an innocent comment about life after lockdown when pubs reopen. Multiple social media accounts accused the state's most senior health bureaucrat of having a secret agenda after she hinted QR codes were likely to stay so people could be contacted if they had visited a Covid exposure site. 'We will be looking at what contact tracing looks like in the new world order,' Dr Chant said on Thursday. 'Yes, it will be pubs and clubs and other things if we have a positive case there.' Dr Chant's choice of words has triggered conspiracy theorists because the term 'New World Order' has, since the 1990s, been associated with the fear of a tyrannical, one-world government. Video of her comments, from her daily press conference with Premier Gladys Berejiklian, has been posted across Twitter, attracting plenty of debate. Rebecca Wellard suggested sinister motives behind Dr Chant's choice of words. 'New World Order? Listen... we've been told! Was this an accidental mention? New World Order,' she said. Someone else suggested the state government's drive to fully vaccinate 70 per cent of the New South Wales population, aged 16 and over, by mid-October to end lockdowns was evidence of a New World Order plot. 'A slip..?? And with the "Jab" being pursued with pretty much manic obsession, one could surely be suspicious of a NWO ulterior motive...if one was a conspiracy theorist,' he said. But another comment on Twitter mocked the conspiracy theorists. 'Anti-vaxxers be losing their minds over that comment,' she said. The American Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish group, said right-wing conspiracy theorists had used the term 'New World Order' since the 1990s to suggest socialists were out to eliminate the freedom-orientated United States. NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has sent conspiracy theorists wild with an innocent comment about life after lockdown when pubs reopen. Multiple social media accounts accused the state's most senior health bureaucrat of having a secret agenda after she hinted QR codes were likely to stay so people could be contacted if they had visited a Covid exposure site Former US President George Bush senior in 1991 had also used the phrase 'New World Order' to describe a new era of international co-operation after the Gulf War. Allied coalition forces in January 1991, including Egypt and other Arab nations, had successfully launched an offensive against Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's forces, which had invaded Kuwait. The late President Bush, a moderate Republican from the conservative side of politics, used that military success to hail 'new ways of working with other nations' during a post Cold War era, following the success of Operation Desert Storm which had the backing of the UN Security Council. 'More than one small country; it is a big idea; a new world order,' he said. The very term New World Order has long been associated with the idea of globalists having an agenda but the evidence, so far, indicating Covid originated in Wuhan has sparked new conspiracy theories about Communist China spreading a virus to destroy liberal democracies in the West On Thursday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a roadmap to release Sydney from lockdown when 70 per cent of the working age and adult population was fully vaccinated. But only those who had received two doses of either AstraZeneca or Pfizer would be allowed to visit a pub or restaurant or get a haircut In January 1918, American Democrat President Woodrow Wilson used the phrase 'new world' to spell out his vision for peace after World War I, which included a global 'general association' that became the League of Nations, the UN's predecessor. The very term New World Order has long been associated with the idea of globalists having an agenda. The evidence, so far, indicating Covid originated in Wuhan has sparked new conspiracy theories about Communist China spreading a virus to destroy liberal democracies in the West. On Thursday, Ms Berejiklian announced a roadmap to release Sydney from lockdown when 70 per cent of the working age and adult population was fully vaccinated. But only those who had received two doses of either AstraZeneca or Pfizer would be allowed to visit a pub or restaurant or get a haircut. As of Friday, 76.4 per cent of people in NSW had received a first dose with 43.6 per cent fully vaccinated as 1,542 new cases of the Delta variant and nine deaths were announced. Shocking surveillance footage captured the moment an armed thief casually walked into a New York City jewlery store before firing a shot and stealing $875 in cash and $100,000 in merchandise. New York City police are searching for the suspect, who committed the armed stickup on Tuesday afternoon at the Prince Street Jewelers in Downtown Brooklyn on on Tuesday. Footage posted by the department on Thursday shows the brazen robber entering the store in a grey sweatshirt and face mask with a pizza delivery backpack and Target bag. He begins making demands before firing a round into a wall above the cash register and placing the Target bag on the counter. Police said that the thief filled his bags and fled the scene without harming anyone. The brazen jewelry store robbery happened on the same day New York Mayor Bill de Blasio touted that the city saw one of its safest Augusts on record, despite a bloody Labor Day weekend where one person was shot dead and eight others were injured. De Blasio released last month's citywide crime statistics at a press conference on Tuesday, where he said crime in August 2021 dropped 5.4 per cent compared to the same time last year. Crime in the city is also at one of its lowest levels since 1995, according to CompStat with 6,141 violent incidents compared to 1,979 in the year to date. Those incidents include, murder, rape, assault, burglary, larceny and grand theft auto. Police are searching for an armed thief who stole $875 in cash and $100,000 in merchandise from Prince Street Jewelers in Downtown Brooklyn on Tuesday Footage posted by the department on Thursday shows him entering the store in a grey sweatshirt and face mask with a pizza delivery backpack and Target bag He begins making demands before firing a round into a wall above the cash register and placing the Target bag on the counter But despite overall crime rates being down, New York City continues to see a surge in violent crimes in some areas, with murders up a whopping 60 per cent in the Bronx alone this year, compared to 2020. Hate crimes citywide have also soared a shocking 97.8 per cent compared to last year. And De Blasio's announcement came after a violent Labor Day Weekend where nine people were shot. They included a 21-year-old immigrant cab driver who was caught in the crossfire of a shootout in Harlem in the early hours of Sunday morning and died three days later. NYPD crime statistics through September 5, showing a slight decrease in overall crimes. Year to date murders are down 2.2 per cent despite string of shootings over Labor Day weekend in the Bronx NYPD data shows the change in crime rates from a 28-day period in August 2021 ending on Sunday, September 5, compared to the same time last year Kudlup Singh was struck by a 15-year-old male suspect as he drove his black Toyota Camry past a nearby silver sedan when a gun battle erupted between the car's occupants and the people on the street. Singh suffered horrific brain damage as a result and the other passengers in Singh's vehicle - a mother and 12-year-old son - were not harmed during the incident. The Uber driver is one of the 1,305 shooting victims so far this year - a 1.7 per cent increase from the 1,283 victims in 2020 - even though the overall number of shootings dropped 6.6 per cent to 57. In the Bronx, in the 28-day period that ended after the bloody weekend on Sunday, September 5, there were a total of 24 murders - compared to 21 over the same period in 2020 - a 60 per cent increase. Police said a 30-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were shot in the buttocks and lower back respectively, at 1877 Bathgate Avenue in the Crotona neighborhood at 2.48am Sunday. EMS transported the teen to St Barnabas Hospital while the other man managed to take himself to Lincoln Hospital. Then at around 3.30am, police responded to a shooting opposite a gas station located at 2280 Tillotson Avenue in the Eastchester neighborhood of the Bronx. A stray bullet from a Harlem shootout killed Uber driver Kuldip Singh, 21, who was driving down the street with a mother and her 12-year-old son in the backseat Police are seeking this man in connection with Singh's fatal shooting. The 15 year-old boy who is believed to have fired the deadly shot was apprehended, and is being treated in hospital Cops discovered a 28-year-old man 'unconscious and unresponsive' with a gunshot wound while a second man, 35, also sustained a gunshot wound but was conscious and alert. Both men were rushed to Jacobi Hospital where the 28-year-old was pronounced dead. The 35-year-old was listed in stable condition. Elsewhere in the Bronx police said four people were shot and wounded as a group of people left La Roose Catering Hall on White Plains Road around 3.35am. The group got into an argument with an unknown person, who opened fire on them, shooting a 24-year-old man, a 27-year-old woman, a 36-year-old man and a 47-year-old man all in their legs. The last shooting was reported around 4.15am Sunday in the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood where police say a 22-year-old woman was shot by a driver she mistook for her taxi. The man in the black car attempted to grab the woman's bag and when she resisted, the driver drew a gun and opened fire, hitting her in her left shoulder in front of 197th Street and Reservoir Avenue. Overall, crime may be down but felony assaults saw a 5.5 per cent increase and rape spiked by 4.5 per cent. The number of robberies decreased by 1.9 per cent. The FBI recorded a soaring number of hate crimes across the United States, including in the Big Apple, which they attributed to an increased amount of assaults targeting Asian and Black victims. Since the beginning of 2021, the NYPD reported 376 hate crimes, compared to 189 last year - a shocking 97.8 per cent increase. The suspects above allegedly attacked two men with a screwdriver and a glass bottle, hurled a homophobic slur at one of them, and stole cash and an iPhone before fleeing the scene at a store at 1559 Broadway in Bushwick, Brooklyn at 2.10am Saturday The men attacked the victims with a glass bottle and a screwdriver before stealing an iPhone and cash and running away on foot Most recently two men were brutally attacked with a glass bottle and a screwdriver while being called homophobic slurs at a Brooklyn bodega early Saturday morning. The two male victims, aged 36 and 28, were trying to buy food at a store at 1559 Broadway in Bushwick, Brooklyn at 2.10am, according to the NYPD. They were approached by two unknown men who engaged them in a verbal dispute and made 'anti-gay statements,' according to police. The men attacked the victims with a glass bottle and a screwdriver before stealing an iPhone and cash and running away on foot. Another disturbing crime in Brooklyn occurred on August 24, when a knife-wielding man stabbed a 25-year-old in broad daylight on a sidewalk in Brooklyn. Surveillance footage shows the victim holding a pizza box and chatting with another individual when the suspect, who appeared to be passing with a group of friends, casually walks over and begins stabbing him repeatedly. Police say the latest incident occurred at approximately 5.22pm Saturday in Brooklyn's Brownsville neighborhood. The attacker, seen wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, stabbed the victim in his face and abdomen before fleeing the scene. New York Police Department Commissioner Dermot Shea has called for reform amid the crime surge, arguing that the 'soft on criminals experiment' has been a disaster. 'This city is built on public safety,' Commissioner Shea said during a Monday evening interview with Spectrum News. 'We're probably about two years into this soft-on-criminals 'experiment' if you will, 'let's empty out the jails, and show me a New Yorker that at this point and time thinks this experiment has worked. It's been a disaster.' Shea said he hopes New York's new governor, Kathy Hochul, will make necessary changes to increase safety across the city. 'Common sense is what we need. Reforms are good, but let's do reforms that are calibrated in such a way with the input of law enforcement,' he argued. 'It's time to fix these laws and get back to where we all need to be.' It was the best of sofas, when he ordered it. But it was the worst of sofas when it turned up. For, having waited four months for his new settee, when Liam Connells furniture did finally arrive, it was in two parts both left-hand halves. The 58-year-old ordered a suite of a three-seat sofa, chair and stool from furniture company DFS in May and expected it to arrive 11 weeks later. So when it didnt get delivered until the start of this month he was already annoyed. For, having waited four months for his new settee, when Liam Connells furniture did finally arrive, it was in two parts both left-hand halves Liam Connell (right) with his daughter Sarah, 31, and grandson Arlo, three But worse was to come as the 1,749 settee was unwrapped and the error over the sides was spotted immediately. When the grandfather flagged the mistake to DFS, he claims he was told he either had to give it all back or keep both pieces despite having already got rid of his old couch. The NHS warehouse worker, from Alfreton, Derbyshire, said: The lads came and brought everything in and unwrapped it and then we could see that the sofa was two of the same side. I was gobsmacked, stunned really. A DFS spokesman said: We are extremely sorry that as a result of a supplier error, Mr Connell received the wrong sofa configuration. 'We have quickly rectified the mix up and can confirm that the correct sofa has been delivered and the problem resolved to Mr Connells satisfaction. The Archbishop of Canterbury has blasted ministers' plans to increase national insurance, saying it could pose a 'serious problem' for low-income workers. Speaking after his return from sabbatical, Justin Welby said that privileging wealthy pensioners over the poorest young people posed 'a very serious moral question'. And he slammed the policy as one that was not 'people-centred'. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'The test is not just in terms of money, the test is in terms of effectiveness. Speaking after his return from sabbatical, Justin Welby (pictured) said that privileging wealthy pensioners over the poorest young people posed 'a very serious moral question' 'If [the policy] pushes more young people into poverty and means they can't get their own house and things like that which I'm aware of from our own children... that is going to be a really serious problem.' Pressed further on whether the proposals were fair, the Archbishop replied: 'It sounds to me as though there's a willingness to engage but the detail is going to take a lot of working out, and we're not there yet.' His comments come after Tory MPs voted through a proposal to raise NI by 1.25 percentage points through a new ring-fenced tax known as the 'health and social care levy'. He added: 'The question of how you pay for social care, pay for the care of the elderly and particularly the poorest elderly is a really difficult one.' Asked whether it was right that lower-income workers would pay disproportionately more, given pension and renting income was not covered by the levy, he said: 'That is a very serious moral question. 'If we - as it were - privilege the wealthy older against the poorest younger, that will not work. That's not a people-centred policy. The Archbishop of Canterbury (pictured) slammed ministers' plans to increase national insurance as one that was not 'people-centred' 'The policy needs to be centred on people and care for the poorest, as well as ensuring that we have an embedded system that will work and is acceptable to all.' He also urged the government - which is facing further spending dilemmas this autumn - to follow the principle of making sure that 'the burden is born by those with the broadest shoulders'. Helen Whately, the care minister, defended the NICs rise, saying: 'I don't want us to raise tax, but we had a really difficult choice here.' She told Sky News: 'We know we desperately need to do social care reform, and governments for decades have not been able to work out the way to fund that, to move that forward. 'So what we've got here is a package that means we can both treat all those people who need treatment under the NHS, and we can embark on those once-in-a-generation social care reforms.' A police officer has been accused of racism and could be sacked for making a joke about curry. PC David Warwick is facing a misconduct hearing for allegedly saying 'maybe I should start eating curry' when he learned of an Asian man who lived to the age of 105. The constable is said to have made the remark whilst chatting to another officer who is of 'British Indian heritage' at Shepcote Lane Police Station in Sheffield in July last year. PC David Warwick allegedly said 'maybe I should start eating curry' when he learned of an Asian man who lived to age 105 in a conversation at Shepcote Lane Police Station (pictured) According to details of the hearing released by South Yorkshire Police, the conversation led to an accusation of racism and disciplinary action. The panel is due to hear the case next week and if the gross misconduct charge is found proved the officer could then be sacked. Last night Toby Young, General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, said: 'The woke Witchfinder-Generals have gone mad. 'There was absolutely nothing racist about this joke. 'When this investigation concludes that there is no case to answer, I hope the episode isn't recorded on the constable's record as a non-crime hate incident.' A primary school headmaster who sexually abused a 15-year-old boy and filmed youngsters naked in a changing room has been branded a 'highly dangerous predatory paedophile'. Duggie Speight, 44, was jailed for 12 years after pleading guilty to 15 charges including sexual activity with a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent images of a child and voyeurism. Bradford Crown Court heard that Speight, head of a school in Yorkshire, began grooming the 15-year-old by inviting him over to his flat during lockdown. Duggie Speight, 44, was jailed for 12 years after pleading guilty to 15 charges including sexual activity with a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent images of a child and voyeurism Passing sentence, Judge Richard Mansell QC said he had used his position of trust to 'cynically manipulate' the boy and his family. 'You were well respected and liked by your colleagues, the pupils and their parents but your public persona hid a very dark secret, in that you are a highly dangerous, predatory, manipulative paedophile with a sexual interest in young boys,' he said. Judge Mansell added that Speight's offending was at the highest category of harm and that his victim would have to 'live with the mental scars of what you did to him for the rest of his life'. Prosecutor Tom Storey said Speight became friends with the boy's family and offered tutoring. He also gave the boy alcohol and took him out to buy him presents including clothes and a laptop. The victim was changed by the abuse, crying and becoming angry and sad, and eventually confiding in a friend and alerting the police, the court heard. Bradford Crown Court heard that Speight, head of a school in Yorkshire, began grooming the 15-year-old by inviting him over to his flat during lockdown When Speight was arrested he admitted that his behaviour had been inappropriate but denied that anything sexual had taken place. Police searched his house and found a computer tablet and phones containing indecent videos of the boy taken without his knowledge, hidden behind a picture and an air vent. Speight then admitted to investigating officers that he had abused the boy. In an impact statement, the boy's mother said Speight had 'destroyed my happy family life', the BBC reported. 'He used my friendship and trust and twisted it, 'she said. 'He stole my son's innocence and we can never get it back.' Judge Mansell made an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and Speight was ordered to sign on the sex offender register for life. Vice President Kamala Harris has slammed Texas' new law banning abortions after six weeks as she met with patients and providers, saying that the right for women to make decisions about their bodies is 'not negotiable'. Harris met with abortion patients and providers from Texas, Mississippi, Kentucky and New Mexico to discuss the new abortion law implemented by Texas on Thursday - the same day the state was sued by The Department of Justice. The law bans abortions after six weeks - a time frame in which women may not even know they are pregnant. 'The right of women to make decisions about their own bodies is not negotiable,' Harris said during the discussion. 'The right of women to make decisions about their own bodies is their decision. It's their body.' The law, which went into effect on September 1, was met with outrage and the state was criticized for it's 'unconstitutional' approach to handling women's bodies. The law allows the people who sue to receive bounties of at least $10,000 and makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest, although there are some very narrowly defined exemptions for the mother's health. In a statement last week, Harris said: 'We will not stand by and allow our nation to go back to the days of back-alley abortions,' Harris said in a statement last week. 'We will not abide by cash incentives for virtual vigilantes and intimidation for patients. We will use every lever of our administration to defend the right to safe and legal abortionand to strengthen that right.' Vice President Kamala Harris has slammed Texas' new law banning abortions after six weeks for 'empowering vigilantes' by offering $10,000 to private citizens to sue anyone who 'aids or abets' the procedures Vice President Kamala Harris held a press conference at the White House for abortion patients and providers to discuss the new Texas abortion law Texas Governor Greg Abbott was approached asking why the state would 'force' victims of heinous sex crimes like rape and incest to give birth. 'It doesn't require that at all, because obviously it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion,' Abbott replied. 'That said, however, let's make something very clear - rape is a crime, and Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott defended the law's inclusion of prohibiting women from getting abortions after the six-week period, even in the cases of rape and incest White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki responded Wednesday: 'If Governor Abbott has a means of eliminating all rapists or all rape from the United States, then there would be bipartisan support for that. 'But given there has never in history of the country, in the world, been any leader who's ever been able to eliminate rape, eliminate rapists from our streets, it's even more imperative, it's one of the many reasons I should say, not the only reason, why women in Texas have access to health care.' President Joe Biden issued his own blistering statement last week in response to the law. 'This law is so extreme it does not even allow for exceptions in the case of rape or incest,' he wrote. He said he would direct government lawyers 'to launch a whole-of-government effort to respond to this decision' and to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions as protected by Roe [v. Wade], and what legal tools we have to insulate women and providers from the impact of Texas bizarre scheme of outsourced enforcement to private parties.' President Joe Biden supported Harris's claims and launched an effort to support the rights of women's bodies The Department of Justice filed the lawsuit on Thursday, calling the law 'unconstitutional' as it violated basic human rights. The lawsuit read: 'It is settled constitutional law that 'a State may not prohibit any woman from making the ultimate decision to terminate her pregnancy before viability. But Texas has done just that.' Attorney General Merrick Gatland enforced a new federal law called the FACE Act, which prohibits the use of violence against abortion patients and providers The new law, also known as SB8, was also criticized by Attorney General Merrick Garland who enforced a new federal law of his own called The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The FACE Act prohibits the use of force and physical obstruction to interfere with a person obtaining or providing reproductive health services. 'The department will provide support from federal law enforcement when an abortion clinic or reproductive health center is under attack,' Garland said. 'We will not tolerate violence against those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services, physical obstruction or property damage in violation of the FACE Act.' The Supreme Court refused to block the new Texas law in a 5-4 ruling, leaving the opportunity for other states to create their own abortion bans. The ruling could also potentially overturn the 1973 law Roe vs Wade that legalized abortion, which Harris claimed needed to be codified on Thursday. 'The President and I are unequivocal in our support of Roe v. Wade and the constitutionality of Roe v. Wade and the right of women to make decisions for themselves with whomever they choose about their own bodies,' Harris added at the press conference. Good evening, my fellow Americans. I want to talk to you about where we are in the battle against COVID-19, the progress we've made, and the work we have left to do. And it starts with understanding this: Even as the Delta variant 19 [sic] has -- COVID-19 - has been hitting this country hard, we have the tools to combat the virus, if we can come together as a country and use those tools. If we raise our vaccination rate, protect ourselves and others with masking and expanded testing, and identify people who are infected, we can and we will turn the tide on COVID-19. It will take a lot of hard work, and it's going to take some time. Many of us are frustrated with the nearly 80 million Americans who are still not vaccinated, even though the vaccine is safe, effective, and free. You might be confused about what is true and what is false about COVID-19. So before I outline the new steps to fight COVID-19 that I'm going to be announcing tonight, let me give you some clear information about where we stand. First, we have cons- -- we have made considerable progress in battling COVID-19. When I became President, about 2 million Americans were fully vaccinated. Today, over 175 million Americans have that protection. Before I took office, we hadn't ordered enough vaccine for every American. Just weeks in office, we did. The week before I took office, on January 20th of this year, over 25,000 Americans died that week from COVID-19. Last week, that grim weekly toll was down 70 percent. And in the three months before I took office, our economy was faltering, creating just 50,000 jobs a month. We're now averaging 700,000 new jobs a month in the past three months. This progress is real. But while America is in much better shape than it was seven months ago when I took office, I need to tell you a second fact. We're in a tough stretch, and it could last for a while. The highly contagious Delta variant that I began to warn America about back in July spread in late summer like it did in other countries before us. While the vaccines provide strong protections for the vaccinated, we read about, we hear about, and we see the stories of hospitalized people, people on their death beds, among the unvaccinated over these past few weeks. This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated. And it's caused by the fact that despite America having an unprecedented and successful vaccination program, despite the fact that for almost five months free vaccines have been available in 80,000 different locations, we still have nearly 80 million Americans who have failed to get the shot. And to make matters worse, there are elected officials actively working to undermine the fight against COVID-19. Instead of encouraging people to get vaccinated and mask up, they're ordering mobile morgues for the unvaccinated dying from COVID in their communities. This is totally unacceptable. Third, if you wonder how all this adds up, here's the math: The vast majority of Americans are doing the right thing. Nearly three quarters of the eligible have gotten at least one shot, but one quarter has not gotten any. That's nearly 80 million Americans not vaccinated. And in a country as large as ours, that's 25 percent minority. That 25 percent can cause a lot of damage -- and they are. The unvaccinated overcrowd our hospitals, are overrunning the emergency rooms and intensive care units, leaving no room for someone with a heart attack, or [pancreatitis], or cancer. And fourth, I want to emphasize that the vaccines provide very strong protection from severe illness from COVID-19. I know there's a lot of confusion and misinformation. But the world's leading scientists confirm that if you are fully vaccinated, your risk of severe illness from COVID-19 is very low. In fact, based on available data from the summer, only one of out of every 160,000 fully vaccinated Americans was hospitalized for COVID per day. These are the facts. So here's where we stand: The path ahead, even with the Delta variant, is not nearly as bad as last winter. But what makes it incredibly more frustrating is that we have the tools to combat COVID-19, and a distinct minority of Americans --supported by a distinct minority of elected officials -- are keeping us from turning the corner. These pandemic politics, as I refer to, are making people sick, causing unvaccinated people to die. We cannot allow these actions to stand in the way of protecting the large majority of Americans who have done their part and want to get back to life as normal. As your President, I'm announcing tonight a new plan to require more Americans to be vaccinated, to combat those blocking public health. My plan also increases testing, protects our economy, and will make our kids safer in schools. It consists of six broad areas of action and many specific measures in each that -- and each of those actions that you can read more about at WhiteHouse.gov. WhiteHouse.gov. The measures -- these are going to take time to have full impact. But if we implement them, I believe and the scientists indicate, that in the months ahead we can reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans, decrease hospitalizations and deaths, and allow our children to go to school safely and keep our economy strong by keeping businesses open. First, we must increase vaccinations among the unvaccinated with new vaccination requirements. Of the nearly 80 million eligible Americans who have not gotten vaccinated, many said they were waiting for approval from the Food and Drug Administration -- the FDA. Well, last month, the FDA granted that approval. So, the time for waiting is over. This summer, we made progress through the combination of vaccine requirements and incentives, as well as the FDA approval. Four million more people got their first shot in August than they did in July. But we need to do more. This is not about freedom or personal choice. It's about protecting yourself and those around you -- the people you work with, the people you care about, the people you love. My job as President is to protect all Americans. So, tonight, I'm announcing that the Department of Labor is developing an emergency rule to require all employers with 100 or more employees, that together employ over 80 million workers, to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated or show a negative test at least once a week. Some of the biggest companies are already requiring this: United Airlines, Disney, Tysons Food, and even Fox News. The bottom line: We're going to protect vaccinated workers from unvaccinated co-workers. We're going to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by increasing the share of the workforce that is vaccinated in businesses all across America. My plan will extend the vaccination requirements that I previously issued in the healthcare field. Already, I've announced, we'll be requiring vaccinations that all nursing home workers who treat patients on Medicare and Medicaid, because I have that federal authority. Tonight, I'm using that same authority to expand that to cover those who work in hospitals, home healthcare facilities, or other medical facilities - a total of 17 million healthcare workers. If you're seeking care at a health facility, you should be able to know that the people treating you are vaccinated. Simple. Straightforward. Period. Next, I will sign an executive order that will now require all executive branch federal employees to be vaccinated -- all. And I've signed another executive order that will require federal contractors to do the same. If you want to work with the federal government and do business with us, get vaccinated. If you want to do business with the federal government, vaccinate your workforce. And tonight, I'm removing one of the last remaining obstacles that make it difficult for you to get vaccinated. The Department of Labor will require employers with 100 or more workers to give those workers paid time off to get vaccinated. No one should lose pay in order to get vaccinated or take a loved one to get vaccinated. Today, in total, the vaccine requirements in my plan will affect about 100 million Americans - two thirds of all workers. And for other sectors, I issue this appeal: To those of you running large entertainment venues -- from sports arenas to concert venues to movie theaters -- please require folks to get vaccinated or show a negative test as a condition of entry. And to the nation's family physicians, pediatricians, GPs -- general practitioners - you're the most trusted medical voice to your patients. You may be the one person who can get someone to change their mind about being vaccinated. Tonight, I'm asking each of you to reach out to your unvaccinated patients over the next two weeks and make a personal appeal to them to get the shot. America needs your personal involvement in this critical effort. And my message to unvaccinated Americans is this: What more is there to wait for? What more do you need to see? We've made vaccinations free, safe, and convenient. The vaccine has FDA approval. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot. We've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin. And your refusal has cost all of us. So, please, do the right thing. But just don't take it from me; listen to the voices of unvaccinated Americans who are lying in hospital beds, taking their final breaths, saying, 'If only I had gotten vaccinated.' 'If only.' It's a tragedy. Please don't let it become yours. The second piece of my plan is continuing to protect the vaccinated. For the vast majority of you who have gotten vaccinated, I understand your anger at those who haven't gotten vaccinated. I understand the anxiety about getting a 'breakthrough' case. But as the science makes clear, if you're fully vaccinated, you're highly protected from severe illness, even if you get COVID-19. In fact, recent data indicates there is only one confirmed positive case per 5,000 fully vaccinated Americans per day. You're as safe as possible, and we're doing everything we can to keep it that way -- keep it that way, keep you safe. That's where boosters come in -- the shots that give you even more protection than after your second shot. Now, I know there's been some confusion about boosters. So, let me be clear: Last month, our top government doctors announced an initial plan for booster shots for vaccinated Americans. They believe that a booster is likely to provide the highest level of protection yet. Of course, the decision of which booster shots to give, when to start them, and who will give them, will be left completely to the scientists at the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control. But while we wait, we've done our part. We've bought enough boosters -- enough booster shots -- and the distribution system is ready to administer them. As soon as they are authorized, those eligible will be able to get a booster right away in tens of thousands of site across the -- sites across the country for most Americans, at your nearby drug store, and for free. The third piece of my plan is keeping -- and maybe the most important -- is keeping our children safe and our schools open. For any parent, it doesn't matter how low the risk of any illness or accident is when it comes to your child or grandchild. Trust me, I know. So, let me speak to you directly. Let me speak to you directly to help ease some of your worries. It comes down to two separate categories: children ages 12 and older who are eligible for a vaccine now, and children ages 11 and under who are not are yet eligible. The safest thing for your child 12 and older is to get them vaccinated. They get vaccinated for a lot of things. That's it. Get them vaccinated. As with adults, almost all the serious COVID-19 cases we're seeing among adolescents are in unvaccinated 12- to 17-year-olds -- an age group that lags behind in vaccination rates. So, parents, please get your teenager vaccinated. What about children under the age of 12 who can't get vaccinated yet? Well, the best way for a parent to protect their child under the age of 12 starts at home. Every parent, every teen sibling, every caregiver around them should be vaccinated. Children have four times higher chance of getting hospitalized if they live in a state with low vaccination rates rather than the states with high vaccination rates. Now, if you're a parent of a young child, you're wondering when will it be -- when will it be -- the vaccine available for them. I strongly support an independent scientific review for vaccine uses for children under 12. We can't take shortcuts with that scientific work. But I've made it clear I will do everything within my power to support the FDA with any resource it needs to continue to do this as safely and as quickly as possible, and our nation's top doctors are committed to keeping the public at large updated on the process so parents can plan. Now to the schools. We know that if schools follow the science and implement the safety measures -- like testing, masking, adequate ventilation systems that we provided the money for, social distancing, and vaccinations -- then children can be safe from COVID-19 in schools. Today, about 90 percent of school staff and teachers are vaccinated. We should get that to 100 percent. My administration has already acquired teachers at the schools run by the Defense Department -- because I have the authority as President in the federal system -- the Defense Department and the Interior Department -- to get vaccinated. That's authority I possess. Tonight, I'm announcing that we'll require all of nearly 300,000 educators in the federal paid program, Head Start program, must be vaccinated as well to protect your youngest -- our youngest -- most precious Americans and give parents the comfort. And tonight, I'm calling on all governors to require vaccination for all teachers and staff. Some already have done so, but we need more to step up. Vaccination requirements in schools are nothing new. They work. They're overwhelmingly supported by educators and their unions. And to all school officials trying to do the right thing by our children: I'll always be on your side. Let me be blunt. My plan also takes on elected officials and states that are undermining you and these lifesaving actions. Right now, local school officials are trying to keep children safe in a pandemic while their governor picks a fight with them and even threatens their salaries or their jobs. Talk about bullying in schools. If they'll not help -- if these governors won't help us beat the pandemic, I'll use my power as President to get them out of the way. The Department of Education has already begun to take legal action against states undermining protection that local school officials have ordered. Any teacher or school official whose pay is withheld for doing the right thing, we will have that pay restored by the federal government 100 percent. I promise you I will have your back. The fourth piece of my plan is increasing testing and masking. From the start, America has failed to do enough COVID-19 testing. In order to better detect and control the Delta variant, I'm taking steps tonight to make testing more available, more affordable, and more convenient. I'll use the Defense Production Act to increase production of rapid tests, including those that you can use at home. While that production is ramping up, my administration has worked with top retailers, like Walmart, Amazon, and Kroger's, and tonight we're announcing that, no later than next week, each of these outlets will start to sell at-home rapid test kits at cost for the next three months. This is an immediate price reduction for at-home test kits for up to 35 percent reduction. We'll also expand -- expand free testing at 10,000 pharmacies around the country. And we'll commit -- we're committing $2 billion to purchase nearly 300 million rapid tests for distribution to community health centers, food banks, schools, so that every American, no matter their income, can access free and convenient tests. This is important to everyone, particularly for a parent or a child -- with a child not old enough to be vaccinated. You'll be able to test them at home and test those around them. In addition to testing, we know masking helps stop the spread of COVID-19. That's why when I came into office, I required masks for all federal buildings and on federal lands, on airlines, and other modes of transportation. Today -- tonight, I'm announcing that the Transportation Safety Administration -- the TSA -- will double the fines on travelers that refuse to mask. If you break the rules, be prepared to pay. And, by the way, show some respect. The anger you see on television toward flight attendants and others doing their job is wrong; it's ugly. The fifth piece of my plan is protecting our economic recovery. Because of our vaccination program and the American Rescue Plan, which we passed early in my administration, we've had record job creation for a new administration, economic growth unmatched in 40 years. We cannot let unvaccinated do this progress -- undo it, turn it back. So tonight, I'm announcing additional steps to strengthen our economic recovery. We'll be expanding COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs. That's a program that's going to allow small businesses to borrow up to $2 million from the current $500,000 to keep going if COVID-19 impacts on their sales. These low-interest, long-term loans require no repayment for two years and be can used to hire and retain workers, purchase inventory, or even pay down higher cost debt racked up since the pandemic began. I'll also be taking additional steps to help small businesses stay afloat during the pandemic. Sixth, we're going to continue to improve the care of those who do get COVID-19. In early July, I announced the deployment of surge response teams. These are teams comprised of experts from the Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC, the Defense Department, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- FEMA -- to areas in the country that need help to stem the spread of COVID-19. Since then, the federal government has deployed nearly 1,000 staff, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, into 18 states. Today, I'm announcing that the Defense Department will double the number of military health teams that they'll deploy to help their fellow Americans in hospitals around the country. Additionally, we're increasing the availability of new medicines recommended by real doctors, not conspir- -- conspiracy theorists. The monoclonal antibody treatments have been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization by up to 70 percent for unvaccinated people at risk of developing sefe- -- severe disease. We've already distributed 1.4 million courses of these treatments to save lives and reduce the strain on hospitals. Tonight, I'm announcing we will increase the average pace of shipment across the country of free monoclonal antibody treatments by another 50 percent. Before I close, let me say this: Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by this virus. And as we continue to battle COVID-19, we will ensure that equity continues to be at the center of our response. We'll ensure that everyone is reached. My first responsibility as President is to protect the American people and make sure we have enough vaccine for every American, including enough boosters for every American who's approved to get one. We also know this virus transcends borders. That's why, even as we execute this plan at home, we need to continue fighting the virus overseas, continue to be the arsenal of vaccines. We're proud to have donated nearly 140 million vaccines over 90 countries, more than all other countries combined, including Europe, China, and Russia combined. That's American leadership on a global stage, and that's just the beginning. We've also now started to ship another 500 million COVID vaccines -- Pfizer vaccines -- purchased to donate to 100 lower-income countries in need of vaccines. And I'll be announcing additional steps to help the rest of the world later this month. As I recently released the key parts of my pandemic preparedness plan so that America isn't caught flat-footed when a new pandemic comes again -- as it will -- next month, I'm also going to release the plan in greater detail. So let me close with this: We have so- -- we've made so much progress during the past seven months of this pandemic. The recent increases in vaccinations in August already are having an impact in some states where case counts are dropping in recent days. Even so, we remain at a critical moment, a critical time. We have the tools. Now we just have to finish the job with truth, with science, with confidence, and together as one nation. Look, we're the United States of America. There's nothing -- not a single thing -- we're unable to do if we do it together. So let's stay together. God bless you all and all those who continue to serve on the frontlines of this pandemic. And may God protect our troops. Get vaccinated. A murder investigation has been launched after a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death in Manchester on Thursday. Police were called to Norton Street, Old Trafford, just before 6pm to reports of a stabbing. The teenage victim was found suffering with stab wounds having been attacked by two 'unknown males'. The 16-year-old boy was fatally wounded in a stabbing in Norton Sreet, Old Trafford in Manchester around 6pm yesterday He was taken to hospital, but despite the best efforts of paramedics, he died a short time later. No arrests have been made but there is an increased police presence in the area. A crime scene has been established and officers from the Major Incident Team have begun leading the investigation. Two further crime scenes have been set up - one on Upper Chorlton Road, where a vehicle has been recovered that is believed to have been involved in a collision; the other on Cross Street, where a collision between another vehicle and a pedestrian occurred a short time later. The pedestrian's injuries are not believed to be serious at this time. Officers say they are keen not to rule out any lines of inquiry at this time, and are currently treating the vehicle as linked to the investigation, while forensic tests are carried out. Greater Manchester Police Detective Superintendent Danny Inglis said: 'First and foremost, our thoughts are with the victim's family at this incredibly sad time, they are being supported by our specialist officers. 'This is an horrific incident, where a young man has tragically lost his life, and we are following a number of lines of inquiry to establish exactly what has happened, and to bring those responsible to justice. 'We know this happened at a time of day when people would still be out and about or returning home, and we're keen to hear from anyone who may have information that could help our investigation, no matter how small it may seem.' Anyone with information, dashcam or CCTV footage, is asked to contact police via LiveChat on www.gmp.police.uk or call 101 quoting log number 2613 of 09/09/2021. Alternatively, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111. Mara Fiore, 31, faced the Heidelberg Magistrates Court on Thursday and was sentenced to a 15 months community corrections order and was banned from owning a dog for five years A reformed drug addict has avoided jail despite neglecting her poodle Dobby so severely that a vet described it as the 'skinniest dog' she had ever seen. The RSPCA attended a home in Mill Park in Melbourne's north-east in December 2017 to find the four-year-old dog had been abandoned in the backyard. Dobby had been left with no access to food or water, was severely emaciated and his fur was completely matted. The dog was seized and an RSPCA vet said Dobby was the 'skinniest dog still alive that she had ever seen' weighing just 3.05kg. Dobby's owner, Mara Fiore, 31, faced the Heidelberg Magistrates Court on Thursday and was sentenced to a 15 months community corrections order and was banned from owning a dog for five years. Fiore, who had studied at Deakin University, was also ordered to pay $1,849 in vet bills and will have to complete 200 hours of community service. The 31-year-old had earlier pleaded guilty to animal cruelty, dishonesty, drug possession and trespass charges, the Herald Sun reported. The RSPCA attended a home in Mill Park in Melbourne's north-east in December 2017 to find the four-year-old dog had been abandoned in the backyard Dobby had been left with no access to food or water, was severely emaciated and his fur was completely matted The mother-of-one had become dependent on drugs after a downward spiral in 2017 but earlier told a court she had 'completely turned my life around'. Magistrate Meagan Keogh said Fiore's recent attempts to find a job and overcome her drug addiction was 'about the only thing' stopping her from being locked up. Fiore was also ordered to pay $5429 for various phones she dishonestly obtained. Dobby had to spend two months at the RSPCA clinic receiving care after he was found. Victoria RSPCA said they found bits of metal wire caught in his matted fur along with grass seeds and other debris. Dobby's weight increased to 5.35kg in under two months of being cared for, and by March, 2018 he had been adopted by a loving family. Fortunately Dobby's weight increased to 5.35kg in under two months and by March, 2018 he had been adopted by a loving family RSPCA Victoria Chief Inspector Michael Stagg said it was disturbing Dobby's owner had shown such disregard for his life. 'There is no excuse for any animal to be neglected and we want to send the strong message that we will continue to hold people to account if they are not providing their pets with the required standards of care,' Mr Stagg said. 'We seized this animal in December 2017 and we have never faltered in our resolve to seek justice for Dobby. This case just goes to show we will not give up our pursuit of offenders who are guilty of animal cruelty and neglect.' Gladys Berejiklian has announced she will ditch her daily Covid-19 press conferences as a sign that it is time to normalise living alongside the virus. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, the premier said residents needed to accept they would be living with the virus for the next three to four years. She will soon no longer front media to provide daily updates on case numbers. Instead, she will only hold press conferences when there are important announcements to be made. 'We also have to make sure that as a government, we normalise the way we do things every day, that we accept that, if there is nothing new to tell the public apart from the daily figures, and health will provide that,' she said. Gladys Berejiklian has warned Covid-19 is here to stay and announced she will no longer hold daily press conferences as residents must learn to live with the virus Speaking at a press conference on Friday, the premier said residents needed to accept they would be living with the virus for the next three to four years Ms Berejiklian will host her last press conference at 11am on Sunday. 'From next week, I don't know how this will be received, but the 11am information will be done by health staff through video link,' she said. 'Minister [Brad] Hazzard or I will intermittently hold press conferences as required.' The 11am press conferences have become a daily fixture for tens of thousands of New South Wales residents. The live-streamed events have kept the public informed about the latest number of cases, hotspots around the state and new health orders and regulations. Reporters questioned whether the premier had pulled the plug too early with the worst of the outbreak not yet over and numbers set to peak next week. There were 1,542 new cases reported on Friday. 'Should we keep holding these press conferences until the peak has passed?' one reporter asked. Reporters questioned whether the premier had pulled the plug too early with the worst of the outbreak not yet over and numbers set to peak next week Ms Berejiklian will host her last press conference at 11am on Sunday. From then on, health staff will provide daily updates about the outbreak via video link Ms Berejiklian replied: 'We will never know exactly when that is.' 'I can assure the people of this state and they can judge me on my record, whenever I need to speak directly to the public, I absolutely will.' 'If there is any situation we need to explain, anything going on or anything different, of course we will. 'We have to make sure that we present information when the public needs it and when it is important to do so and that remains the case.' The premier said information about the daily case numbers would still be available by the new video link that would replace the conferences. 'We have the most transparent information of any state,' she said. 'That information we do, as well as the vaccination rates as well as regrettably the people who have lost their lives in these circumstances.' Ms Berejiklian's decision to put off the NSW Government's return to parliament until 'possibly' October also drew criticism The premier said information about the daily case numbers would still be available by the new video link that would replace the conferences Her decision to put off the NSW Government's return to parliament until 'possibly' October also drew criticism. 'People seek the reassurance and opportunity to scrutinise decisions the government is making,' a reporter said. 'Parliament is not sitting. How can people have confidence that scrutiny of government is taking place?' Ms Berejiklian responded: 'The 12th of October is the date parliament resumes and I'm looking forward to it.' 'Myself and all of the team are accountable every day. You will still see me quite frequently every week talking down at the camera.' California governor hopeful Larry Elder has slammed Democrats for not calling attack on him a hate crime after a white woman in a gorilla mask was filmed throwing an egg at him on a campaign stop Wednesday. On Thurday night, the GOP candidate told Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight host Jesse Watters that he encountered the 'very angry and ugly scene' while he was touring a homeless encampment in Venice Beach. 'If I were a Democrat, obviously, this would be called systemic racism, they'd be calling it a hate crime. I don't like to play that game,' he said. Speaking of the woman who attacked him, he said: 'She might be one of the 20,000 people that were released early from our prisons; felons, many of whom were violent offenders under this governor, I don't know. We have two soft-on-crime DA's.' A white woman in a gorilla mask was filmed throwing an egg at California governor hopeful Larry Elder while he was on a campaign stop in Venice Beach on Wednesday Elder said that his security detail his security detail was 'physically assaulted, shot with a pellet gun and hit with projectiles.' One of the protesters was the woman in the gorilla mask, who yelled 'Get the hell out of here,' before attempting to hit Elder with an egg, and was later seen punching a man who told her to calm down. Earlier on Thursday, LA County Sherrif Alex Villanueva slammed the attack as a hate crime. He added that 'woke privilege' is what enabled the woman to attack Edler and called out 'woke' politicians for not showing the same outrage that he said they would if Elder was a liberal. He tweeted: 'Woke privilege' means a white woman can wear a gorilla mask and attack a black man without fear of being called a racist.' Elder made it only 12 minutes at the encampment on 3rd Avenue before the attack, after which the event was quickly halted and Elder was escorted to a waiting SUV. On Thursday night, Elder told 'Tucker Carlson' host Jesse Watters that his campaign strongly condemned the criticism of Newsom's children when they were seen maskless at a summer camp. 'But the governor has not put out a statement about this white woman, apparently white woman, wearing a gorilla mask throwing an egg at me.' He said that the woman 'might be one of the 20,000 people that were released early from our prisons; felons, many of whom were violent offenders under this governor, I don't know. We have two soft-on-crime DA's.' In an interview with Fox News earlier today, he added that some of the protesters shouted 'racial epithets,' but that he doesn't know for certain if the woman in the gorilla mask was acting out of racism or just 'mentally ill and might need treatment.' Sherriff Alex Villanueva wrote in a tweet today that 'woke privilege' is what enabled the woman to attack Edler He called out 'woke' politicians for not showing the same outrage that he said they would if Elder was a liberal 'One person said to the effect of, 'Larry Elder doesn't give a blank about Black people; Larry Elder only cares about White people,' ' Elder said. '. . . I'm not somebody who pulls out the race card the way Barack Obama does, the way Al Sharpton does, the way CNN does, the way Black Lives Matter does. Maybe it was just an idiot. Maybe it was just a fool. Maybe it was just someone who doesn't like Larry Elder.' Shortly after the attack yesterday, Elder claimed that his security team was shot by a pellet gun - which can cause serious injury at close range. He tweeted yesterday, 'Today I kicked off the Recall Express bus tour. Before we even left Los Angeles, my security detail was physically assaulted, shot with a pellet gun, and hit with projectiles. The intolerant left will not stop us. We will recall Gavin Newsom. We will save California.' The LAPD is currently investigating the attack, and no arrests have been made. The video of Wednesday's incident was captured on video by Spectrum News reporter Kate Cagle and posted to Twitter, shows the leading GOP candidate in the gubernatorial recall race as he arrives in his new 'Recall Express' campaign bus after casting his ballot earlier in the morning. 'The intolerant left will not stop us. We will recall Gavin Newsom. We will save California' Elder tweeted after the attack Elder (pictured) made it only 12 minutes at the encampment on 3rd Avenue before at least one person hurled an egg at him, causing him to get in a nearby Suburban and exit the scene The conservative talk show host-turned-politician made it only 12 minutes at the encampment on 3rd Avenue before being chased by angry homeless people and the woman in the gorilla mask, who was traveling on a smart black bike. 'It kind of glanced his head,' an Elder campaign staffer told the Los Angeles Times of the woman's egg. Elder was joined by community activists and members of the Venice Neighborhood Council Public Health & Safety Committee Soledad Ursua and Chie Lunn, as they escorted Elder along Sunset Avenue. 'He has no business down here,' said encampment resident Sarah Duke, a homeless woman who is nearly four months pregnant. 'If you ain't going to help us, move ... on.' The exact nature of the group's gripe with Elder remains uncertain. A woman wearing a gorilla mask follows conservative talk show host and gubernatorial recall candidate Larry Elder as he walks along streets lined with tents of unhoused people, in Venice Conservative talk show host and gubernatorial recall candidate Larry Elder, flanked by supporters, security and media, walks along streets lined with tents of homeless people Elder tweeted a link (pictured) to a news article calling his attacker an 'angry white liberal' Last month, Elder pledged to implement a plan developed by former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to house homeless residents, saying he would declare a 'homeless emergency' in the state as governor. Elder added that he would consider himself a failure if he is not able to solve the state's homeless issue should he be elected governor, according to Black Enterprise. His next stop on Wednesday was far more positive while at Brent's Deli in Northridge, where patrons cheered and filmed Elder before leaving with a take-out order of eight to 10 Reuben sandwiches, the the deli's cashier told the Times. Elder is the favorite conservative candidate to wrest the governorship from incumbent Gavin Newsom. The recall election, scheduled for September 14, came after Newsom was blasted over his handling of the COVID pandemic. He was also slated for eating indoors at the ultra-exclusive French Laundry restaurant in 2020 while imploring Californians to stay indoors. The state endured among the toughest and longest-lasting lockdown measures of any US state, with Newsom facing further allegations of being out of touch after sending his children back to private schools with in-person classes while many California school districts refused to reopen classrooms. Despite the scandals, a recent YouGov poll suggested Newsom will hold onto his job, with 58 per cent saying they'll vote to keep him, with just 41 per cent opting to ditch. Anyone voting to recall Newsom will be asked to name the person they'd like to see replace him, with the candidate that gets the most names becoming the next governor if Newsom does get ousted. Elder gets in a waiting Chevrolet Suburban and exit the tense scene on Wednesday morning Alex Murdaugh's attorney has blasted a sheriff's report for stating that his client had 'no visible injuries' from a shooting which occurred over the weekend. Murdaugh, 53, was shot in the head while changing his car tire by the side of a road in Hampton County, South Carolina on Saturday. Murdaugh was alone at the time of the incident, and managed to dial 911 after being struck by the bullet. He was subsequently airlifted to hospital where he underwent treatment before being released. No suspects in the shooting have been identified. On Wednesday, DailyMail.com obtained an incident report from the shooting, which was completed by Hampton County Sheriff's officer Sergeant S. White. In the report, White had crossed 'No' next to 'Victim Visible Injury'. A section for 'Further Explanation' was left blank. That response raised eyebrows - but Murdaugh's attorney has now hit back, insisting in an interview with Count On 2 that his client's wounds were serious and were not self-inflicted. The attorney, Jim Griffin, says his client had an entry wound, exit wound, skull fracture and minor brain bleeding. The bizarre shooting comes just three months after Murdaugh's wife, Maggie, 52, and son, Paul, 22, were shot dead at their family property. That double homicide has similarly not been solved. Alex Murdaugh hails from one of South Carolina's most prominent legal families. Three generations of Murdaughs have served as solicitor for the state's 14th Circuit Court. The bizarre shooting of Alex Murdaugh (right) comes just three months after his wife, Maggie, (left) and son, Paul (center) were shot dead at their family property. That double homicide has not been solved. Murdaugh was changing the tire on his car on this rural road in Hampton County when someone shot him from a passing car, according to his attorney Meanwhile, on Thursday, the incident report was corrected by the Hampton County Sheriff's Office. It now has a boxed check 'Yes' next to 'Victim Visible Injury'. Curiously, another portion of the report has also been altered. A box that questioned whether Murdaugh had been using alcohol has been altered from 'No' to 'Unknown'. Meanwhile, the report describes the shooter as 'Person, Unknown Untracked' with race, sex, age and ethnicity all unknown. Murdaugh claimed the shooter was behind the wheel of a pick-up truck. SLED investigators have yet to release any details of that vehicle. According to Griffin he claimed that the truck circled back and opened fire. On Wednesday, DailyMail.com obtained an incident report from the shooting, which was completed by Hampton County Sheriff's officer Sergeant S. White Alex Murdaugh, 53, (pictured with his deceased wife and son) suffered a gunshot wound on a rural road in Hampton County, South Carolina, Saturday Earlier this week it was revealed that Murdaugh had stepped down from his law firm the day before the shooting, amid allegations he had misappropriated more than $1million in company money. He has now checked himself into rehab for opioid addiction. The South Carolina bar has also indefinitely suspended his attorney's license. It's a turbulent time for Murdaugh, who discovered the dead bodies of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, at their property on June 7. At the time of the their deaths Paul was facing charges over the death of friend Mallory Beach, 19, who died in a boat crash back in February. Paul was said to be steering the vessel and was allegedly intoxicated at the time. The double homicide of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh made national headlines back in June, given both its grizzly nature and the family's prominence in the South Carolina community. However, with no suspects named, nor leads divulged by South Carolina Law Enforcement Division the case had fallen from public attention, until Murdaugh's shock shooting on Saturday. The case remains open. Thousands of Pfizer vaccine appointments have become available in Sydney this month as new supplies finally flood in. Huge hubs at Olympic Park are taking bookings for this weekend and beyond without restriction and other clinics are even advertising for walk-ins. Young Australians have waited at the back of the queue for months, unable to get their first jabs unless they met strict eligibility. Prime Minister Scott Morrison finally allowed everyone 16 and up to get a Pfizer shot from this month, but getting an appointment was near-impossible. Huge hubs at Olympic Park (two women pictured walking to their appointment this week) are taking bookings for this weekend and beyond without restriction The mass vaccination hub in Homebush has hundreds of slots available for eligible Sydneysiders to get their Pfizer jab Supply of the coveted US-made vaccine was tied up by priority allocation to 12 western Sydney local councils at the centre of the outbreak. This made thousands of NSW residents worried they would not be fully vaccinated by the time lockdown ended, but they can now rest easy. Olympic Park, which was booked out until at least late October, has slots open in all timeslots almost every day for the foreseeable future. Enormous lines are also a thing of the past with improved efficiency, more staff, and an increased number of clinics around the city cutting wait times to 10 minutes. Slots are opening with increased supply and also through cancellations with many Australians opting to get the AstraZeneca jab. Enormous lines are also a thing of the past with improved efficiency, more staff, and an increased number of clinics around the city cutting wait times to 10 minutes A huge line at the Olympic Park vaccination hub, which no longer confronts people arriving for the jab as efficiency is much improved There are also walk-in clinics offering Pfizer jabs across Sydney from the west including Macquarie Fields, Prairiewood and Canterbury-Bankstown, in the inner-west and south-eastern suburbs like Maroubra. Previously Pifzer vaccines for people under 40 have had wait times of more than two months, but there are now hundreds of spots waiting to be filled. Through the week the Marrickville PCYC was offering Pfizer vaccines for people walking in, with several taking to Twitter to encourage others to get the jab. People reported being flagged down by staff at the centre asking if they wanted the vaccine. Randwick Council posted on its Instagram page that the Hub@Lexo in south Marboura was offering walk-in jabs on Friday, encouraging anyone unvaccinated to head down. Other Sydneysiders were encouraged to use the government's vaccination website so locate a nearby clinic with walk-in Pfizers available throughout the city. Randwick Council posted on their Instagram page that the Hub@Lexo in south Marboura was offering walk-in jabs for people on Friday, encouraging anyone unvaccinated to head down Hundreds of Pfizer vaccine appointments have become available in Sydney as residents rush to get the jab before pubs and restaurants re-open Sydneysiders are rushing to get vaccinated before pubs and restaurants re-open on October 18 as NSW looks to move into the post-lockdown era of the pandemic The improved system is significantly more streamlined, with the convoluted processes in the past being replaced by easy to use digital platforms. Australians are rushing to get vaccinated in time for the re-opening of Sydney and NSW, with the government announcing its roadmap that should see pubs, restaurants and other venues back in business on October 18. Premier Gladys Berejiklian will no longer hold daily Covid-19 press conferences in a symbolic move as she transitions NSW towards living with the virus - despite peak hospitalisations expected next month. The premier said health officials would still provide daily case numbers 'indefinitely' in a video message but she would only stand up a few times a week when she had 'something important to say'. Two Sydney residents exercise in Coogee. Ms Berejiklian has warned that Covid cases will peak next month Ms Berejiklian denied she was 'going into hiding', saying: 'All of us have to start accepting that we need to live with Covid because Covid would be around for three or four years.' NSW recorded 1,542 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on Friday as the premier warned cases will peak next week. The state also suffered nine Covid-19 deaths but some small freedoms will be restored to millions of Sydneysiders as planned on Monday. Residents in 12 hotspot councils - who are subject to a 9pm-5am curfew - will be able to have picnics with their household members outside for two hours per day as long as all over 18s in the group are fully vaccinated. Those in other areas are allowed outdoor gatherings of up to five vaccinated adults plus children under 12 for an unlimited time within their LGA or 5km from home. California lawmakers unanimously voted to return land worth about $72 million on Los Angeles's Manhattan Beach on Thursday to the descendants of wealthy black resort owners who were stripped of their property due to 'racist policies.' Resort owners Willa and Charles Bruce purchased 'Bruce's Beach' in 1912 and built the first West Coast resort for black people during an era of segregation. It will take the state law that legislators sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday to transfer the property to the couple's descendants. The transfer would also have to be approved by county supervisors. Should the law be signed in, Anthony Bruce and Michael Bruce, the great-great grandchildren of the original resort owners, and their father Derrick Bruce stand to inherit the land that was taken from their family nearly 100 years ago. 'When I was growing up, my father took us to Bruces beach,' Anthony said in an April interview with BNC News. 'It wasnt called that back then, it was called another name and he said "all this land is yours. I want you to know that this is your inheritance and youre going to have to fight for it. As it stands its not ours, but as it is its our legacy."' Senate bill 796 will 'finally do the right thing, to undo a wrong committed by the city of Manhattan Beach and aided by the state and the county," Democratic Sen. Steven Bradford said. It 'represents economic and historic justice and is a model of what reparations can truly look like.' Michael Bruce (pictured left) and his brother Anthony (pictured right) are the great-great grandchildren of Willa and Charles Bruce, who stand to finally inherit their family's property after it was taken via eminent domain in 1924 Derrick Bruce, the great-grandson of the original Bruce Beach owners (second from left) and his sons Anthony (right) and Michael (left) will take ownership of the Manhattan Beach property is Governor Gavin Newsom signs the legislation Should the law be signed in by Governor Gavin Newsom, Anthony Bruce and Michael Bruce, and their father Derrick Bruce. The current wording of the SB796, most recently amended on September 2, would permit the restored owners to use the land however they see fit despite zoning laws that require beachfront property in the city to be used for public recreation and beach purposes in perpetuity The Los Angeles beachfront property 'Bruce's Beach's is being returned to the descendants of resort owners after it was taken from them due to 'racial policies' Willa and Charles Bruce brought the property in 1912 during the early 20th century after moving from New Mexico with their son Harvey The couple had the land seized by the town of Manhattan Beach in 1924 Council members in Manhattan Beach, a predominantly white and upscale city of about 35,000 people on the south shore of Santa Monica Bay, formally condemned the property seizure in April. 'It is the county's intention to return this property,' said Janice Hahn, the member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors said in April. The Bruces and their son, Harvey, came from New Mexico during the early 1900s and were among the first black people to settle in what would become the city of Manhattan Beach. Bruce's Beach was a popular destination for black families in the early 20th century who were looking to go on a vacation without the stress of racial tensions. The Bruces built a lodge, cafe, dance hall and dressing tents with bathing suits for rent. As of this past Friday, the @CountyofLA is one step closer to returning Bruce's Beach to its rightful owners the descendants of Willa and Charles Bruce. Watch the footage from our press conference: pic.twitter.com/SlAjzu3dEY Janice Hahn (@SupJaniceHahn) April 12, 2021 Twitter Privacy Policy Janice Hahn is the member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors who heard about the family's plight and decided to do something about it. Duane Shepard, a spokesman for the descendants, said that the forced sale of the land was a 'scar' on his family's history Bruce's Beach was a popular destination for black families in the early 20th century who were looking to go on a vacation without the stress of racial tensions The resort featured a lodge, cafe, dance hall and dressing tents with bathing suits for rent The Ku Klux Klan tried to burn it down, and white neighbors harassed the couple and their customers. Bogus '10 minutes only' parking signs were posted and beachgoers often returned to find the air had been let out of their tires, according to a legislative analysis. Manhattan Beach used eminent domain to seize the land in 1924, ostensibly for use as a park. The Bruces fought the eminent domain order in court, but lost their case. The city paid them $14,500, and they left their beach and lost their business. Los Angeles Supervisor Janice Hahn was a major advocate for the return of the property to descendants of the Bruce family The property languished until it was transferred to the state in 1948, then transferred to Los Angeles County in 1995. Amid a growing interest in the history of the area, the city council voted 3-2 to rename the beach after the Bruce family largely because of an appeal by Councilman Mitch Ward, the citys first black elected official. A plaque erected on the site to tell the family's story, however, didn't satisfy Kavon Ward, 39, the founder of Where Is My Land and Justice for Bruce Beach. She started the organization after moving to the area in 2007 and becoming familiar with the family's plight. The plaque credits, George Peck, a white landowner with making it possible for the Bruce family to settle there, according to the New York Times. The plaque fails to mention reports of Pecks alleged attempts to obstruct Black beachgoers access to the shore. 'We definitely need to change the plaque,' Ward said to the outlet in March, before the bill was passed. 'But thats not going far enough for me. We need to figure out how to get this land back to the family it was stolen from.' 'We are so close to making history, we are almost there, Ward said via a Facebook video on September 8 after SB 796 passed unanimously through California's Assembly. Lets keep this going We did this. Power to the people. Power to my people This is just the beginning, this is the first. 'We are so close to making history, we are almost there, Ward said via a Facebook video on September 8 after SB 796 passed unanimously through California's Assembly. Lets keep this going We did this. Power to the people. Power to my people This is just the beginning, this is the first' Currently, the stretch of beach is used as a lifeguard training facility, per the Senate bill. The last transfer came with restrictions that limit the ability to sell or transfer the property and can only be lifted through a new state law, Hahn said in April. State Senator Steven Bradford also said in April he would introduce legislation, SB 796, that would exempt the land from those restrictions. 'After so many years we will right this injustice,' he said. The current wording of the bill, most recently amended on September 2, would permit the restored owners to use the land however they see fit despite zoning laws that require beachfront property in the city to be used for public recreation and beach purposes in perpetuity. Should the Bruce family decide to sell the property, the bills new wording would exempt them from a documentary transfer tax, and would shield profits made from the lands scale from taxation. 'Plans for the property... [are] personal and between us, the attorneys, and the County of Los Angeles,' said Duane Shepard, a cousin of the direct descendants of the property and a long-standing spokesman for the reacquisition of the beach. The city of Manhattan Beach issued a statement acknowledging and condemning its city's actions from the early 20th century - but the statement stopped short of a formal apology. 'We offer this Acknowledgement and Condemnation as a foundational act for Manhattan Beach's next one hundred years,' a document approved by the council says. 'And the actions we will take together, to the best of our abilities, in deeds and in words, to reject prejudice and hate and promote respect and inclusion.' Onlookers listen to speakers after Hahn announced the process of returning Bruce's Beach back to the rightful owners in April The bill would permit the restored owners to use the land however they see fit despite zoning laws that require beachfront property in the city to be used for public recreation and beach purposes in perpetuity. Should the Bruce family decide to sell the property, the bills wording would exempt them from a documentary transfer tax, and would shield profits made from the lands scale from taxation. The [US] has never fully addressed the institution and practice of 250 years of chattel slavery; the ideology that established and maintained... is embedded in virtually every facet of American culture and civil society,' reads the legislation. 'The experience of Willa and Charles Bruce is an example of how racism against Black people has reached crisis proportions and has resulted in large disparities in family stability, health and mental wellness, education, employment, economic development, public safety, criminal justice, and housing.' One of the family's descendants, Anthony Bruce, 38, said it was time to correct a historic wrong. 'I just want justice for my family,' he told The New York Times in March. He now lives in Florida and has childhood memories of visiting the California land his relatives once owned. Another descendant described the 1920s decision as a 'scar' on his family. 'What we want is restoration of our land to us, and restitution for the loss of revenues,' said Duane Yellow Feather Shepard, 69, a relative of the Bruces who lives in Los Angeles and is a chief of the Pocasset Wampanoag Tribe of the Pokanoket Nation. 'It's been a scar on the family, financially and emotionally.' Both descendants told the paper that the issue was about more than just their family. 'We've been stripped of any type of legacy, and we're not the only family that this has happened to,' said Shepard. 'It's happened all over the United States.' A woman has been airlifted to hospital while two others are receiving care following a horrific dog attack. The 54-year-old woman was attacked at a home in Pheasants Nest, in the Macarthur region south of Sydney on Friday morning. Emergency services arrived at the address on Lawson Road at about 11.20am where the victim was found with severe bite wounds. Another woman aged in her 20s was seriously injured by the dog and was driven to hospital while a man was treated for shock and minor bite wounds at the scene. A 54-year-old woman has been airlifted to hospital while two others are also receiving care following a horrific dog attack on Friday morning Both women were taken to hospital in serious but stable conditions. The Wollondilly Shire Council confirmed a ranger has been sent to the address and is making efforts to detain the dog. It's understood the dog also suffered some injuries during the incident. NSW Ambulance Inspector Gavin Wood described the scene as 'confronting'. 'Both women suffered horrific bite wounds over large parts of their bodies and were transported to hospital in a serious condition,' he said. 'It was a confronting scene but paramedics did a fantastic job treating the injured patients before they were taken to hospital.' More to come. Workers at a major parcel delivery service have voted to strike, potentially dealing another blow to Australians already waiting longer periods for their online shopping due to virus lockdowns. Some 90 per cent of StarTrack union members voted to take strike action if their employer doesn't meet their demands, the Transport Workers' Union says. The TWU says this makes up 70 per cent of the total workforce, but StarTrack says barely a third of the total workforce voted to strike. 90 per cent of StarTrack union members voted to take strike action if employers didn't meet their pay demands The workers want StarTrack to guarantee labour hire workers will receive the same pay and conditions as regular employees. They also want caps on the use of lower-paid external workers and want to be offered work before the company contracts it out. Australians are already facing unusual wait times for deliveries, as Australia Post - which owns StarTrack - struggles under the pressure of a lockdown-induced online shopping blitz. The postal service last week paused parcel collection services for online retailers for three days in NSW, Victoria and the ACT, which are all in lockdown. StarTrack workers are not the only delivery and transport company workers considering strike action. Some 4000 FedEx workers are also voting on potential strike action, with a result expected next Friday. Australia Post - which owns StarTrack - struggles under the pressure of a lockdown-induced online shopping blitz Employees at Linfox and Bevchain are also casting votes in protection action ballots. Transport Workers' Union National Secretary Michael Kaine said StarTrack was playing games with workers' livelihoods. 'At the same time as the company floods yards with contractors with fewer rights, it refuses the crucial job security guarantees employees deserve,' Mr Kaine said in a statement on Friday. 'Workers have no choice but to fight for their jobs and they've sent that message through a strong vote for the right to go on strike. 'The ball is in StarTrack's court and we implore the major transport operator to act responsibly.' StarTrack said its final offer to the TWU - a nine per cent pay rise over three years - was the best they could do, and rejected union fears of job insecurity. 'We are disappointed that the TWU is threatening this action during a time when the crucial supply of essential goods has never been more important,' StarTrack said in a statement. 'Less than one third of StarTrack's workforce voted to support this action. 'Any industrial action would have a significant impact on customers, particularly those in vulnerable regional communities requiring essential supplies such as medicines, protective equipment and vaccines.' Melburnians could be locked down until Christmas - just as freedom beckons for millions of Sydneysiders. While Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has dangled the carrot of some easing of restrictions for Victorians from September 23, the chance of that happening is quickly slipping out of reach. The planned relaxation of restrictions depends entirely on 70 per cent of Victorians receiving the first jab. Melbourne is fighting surging Covid-19 case numbers in the city's northwest Police check the details of drivers in the small regional town of Kilmore, some 60 kilometres north of Melbourne, on Friday to ensure the virus does not spread A healthcare worker handles a Covid-19 vaccine dose at a pop-up Covid-19 vaccination clinic at the Australian Islamic Centre in Newport, which has been hit hard by active cases A total of 39,027 vaccines were administered to Victorians on Thursday, with 42,998 test results received. Victorian Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar continued to provide hope on Friday, claiming Victorians were ahead of schedule in reaching the target. 'We think well smash that by quite a few days,' he said. However, modelling across the country has provided mixed results, with one data analyst on Friday telling Daily Mail Australia Mr Weimar's predictions may be 'optimistic'. 'Based on current levels of vaccinations, using Thursday as the guide, we will see people aged 16 and over at first dose vax at 70 per cent on November 7,' he said. The analyst said Victoria was not likely to reach 70 per cent of second-dose jabs until at least December 4 under current vaccination rates. Without a rapid rise in the uptake and administration of vaccines, Victoria's 6.5 million population cannot expect to reach 80 per cent double dose until almost Christmas, he said. A Covid positive man faces off with Victorian health workers on Monday. He and his family had been caught getting about Hobsons Bay, west of Melbourne, while in home quarantine Sydneysiders who are vaccinated will enjoy new freedom on Monday despite active cases in the thousands While Victoria has fewer active cases than NSW, numbers are expected to surge amid lockdown fatigue Victorians enjoy shopping at the Bridge Mall in Ballarat on Friday after restrictions in country Victoria were finally eased '80 per cent second dose won't be achieved until December 21. However, if you model in a drop off as vax levels increase, summer and Christmas arrive and the holiday period in between, the 80 per cent fully vaccinated targets won't be achieved until at least January 2022,' the analyst said. 'Of course, a doubling of vaccination rates would see us at 80 per cent double vaccinated by November 2021. These are the windows, based on the current metrics, that we are playing in.' Victorians have already spent an agonising 222 days in lockdown. Under modelling being peddled by the State Government, Victorian businesses hope to be up and running as early as October 1. New South Wales recorded 1,542 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on Friday as Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned cases would peak next week. Fully-vaccinated NSW residents will be allowed to visit friends homes, gather in groups of up to 20 outdoors and head to restaurants, pubs, stores, cinemas and theatres on the Monday after they reached the 70 per cent jab target. More than 42 per cent of NSW residents are now fully vaccinated, with the state on track to hit 80 per cent single doses on Monday and have restrictions eased by mid-October. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews refuses to tell Victorians how they might finally exit lockdown Meanwhile, Mr Andrews refuses to reveal what Victorias road map out of lockdown might look like. Victoria recorded 334 new Covid cases and one coronavirus death on Friday and 450 cases on Saturday. The City of Hume, northwest of Melbourne's CBD, continues to record surging cases of the virus. Comprising working-class suburbs such as Broadmeadows, Coolaroo and Dallas, numbers climbed overnight by 82 active cases to 734. The City of Hume has the states second-lowest vaccination rate, despite having the most active Covid cases. Moreland, which sits just across the highway from Hume, is also recording alarming numbers, climbing by 48 active cases to 325. Down the road, in Wyndham, 238 active cases remain - up by 29. The Newport cluster - in Hobsons Bay - was set off after the virus spread into Al-Taqwa College Islamic school, in Wyndham, via a teacher last month. Hobsons Bay recorded 13 new cases overnight, bringing its active cases to 187 - the fourth largest hotspot in Victoria. On Wednesday, Daily Mail Australia revealed a family living in Hobsons Bay had been actively getting about in the community for at least seven days while positive with the virus. Victorian Covid Commander Jeroen Weimar told Victorians on Friday they were ahead of schedule in regards to meeting the jab target of 70 per cent What freedom is expected to look like for NSW residents by mid-October when it is expected to reach its 70 per cent target The revelations came as no surprise to many residents living in the area, who expressed fear of going outside. New exposure sites in regional Victoria were listed on Friday, with alerts going out for Geelong and Lorne south-west of Melbourne, and in Daylesford, around 115km north-west of the capital. Two tool shops and a pharmacy were caught up in the fresh scare in Geelong, with alerts also listed for a construction site in Lorne and two cafes and a medical clinic in Daylesford. The news came on the same day all of regional Victoria except Shepparton was released from lockdown. Mr Andrews has said Victoria would soon become a 'vaccinated economy', with those who chose not to be jabbed 'locked out'. 'When we get to those vaccination double-dose thresholds the notion of a lockout of the whole community is far less relevant,' he said last week. 'What will become a bigger part of our response is a lockout of many venues for those who are not vaccinated. 'I am not going to lock the whole state down to protect people who would not protect themselves. If you are not vaccinated, and you could be, the chances of you booking a ticket at a sporting event, going to a pub will be very limited.' Under the national plan, lockdowns will end almost entirely and international travel will resume when 80 per cent of eligible Australians are fully vaccinated. But as Victoria heads into the September 23 target date, no-one is expecting freedom anytime soon. Authorities at the twin resorts of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo worked to move residents from low-lying areas to shelters while tourists hunkered down in their hotels as Hurricane Olaf made landfall. Hurricane Olaf scraped across the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula and spun back into the Pacific, bringing heavy rain and winds. The ports of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo closed Thursday to vessel traffic as tourism operators moved boats at Cabo San Lucas to safer moorings. Hurricane Olaf scraped across the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula and spun back into the Pacific, bringing heavy rain and winds Businesses boarded up windows and people lined up for last-minute purchases in supermarkets. The resorts would normally be full of tourists this time of year, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, hotels were well below that. Lilzi Orci, president of the Los Cabos Hotels Association, said 37 domestic and international airline flights had already been cancelled due to the hurricane. She estimated 20,000 foreign tourists were in the area, less than 40% of the hotels' capacity. Guests would shelter in their hotels, she said. The ports of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo closed Thursday to vessel traffic as tourism operators moved boats at Cabo San Lucas to safer moorings As rain fell, authorities patrolled through flood-prone working class neighborhoods urging residents to move to shelters. The hurricane was centered about 20 miles east-northeast of Cabo San Lucas late Thursday night with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. It was advancing to the north-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph). The U.S. National Hurricane Center forecast 5 to 10 inches of rain on the southern part of the peninsula, with up to 15 inches in isolated spots, creating the danger of flash floods and mudslides. As rain fell, authorities patrolled through flood-prone working class neighborhoods urging residents to move to shelters Earlier on Thursday, Mexico's federal water commission CONAGUA said in a statement that Olaf could likely strengthen to a Category 2 hurricane overnight as it made landfall. Authorities reported fallen trees and power outages in Los Cabos. Shelters were opened for some evacuations in vulnerable areas. There are no oil installations on Mexico's Pacific coast but there are tourism destinations. Ahead of the storm, a rainbow appeared over the area The Six Two Four Urban Beach Hotel in Los Cabos was giving guests the option of checking out early as Olaf approached, said Iris Montano, a front desk worker. 'A guest came to ask me about whether it was a safe area,' Montano told Reuters by telephone. 'It's getting a bit windy now ... I couldn't tell you how many kilometers an hour, but it's intense.' At the nearby Posada Real Los Cabos hotel a receptionist told Reuters some worried guests had canceled their flights. Olaf was expected to continue moving northwest through Friday, before turning west at night, and moving toward the southwest by Saturday night, the NHC said. The hurricane is expected to weaken on Friday and over the weekend as it moves over land. Two people have been killed after a tree crashed down on their car in Victoria. Police said the tree collapsed on a ute in Cockatoo, east of Melbourne, about 10.30am on Friday. Paramedics were rushed to the accident on Woori Yallock Road but the pair died at the scene. Two people have been killed after a tree collapsed onto their car in Victoria. Aerial footage from the scene is pictured Both occupants of the vehicle are yet to be formally identified, Victoria Police said in a statement. Aerial footage taken above the road showed SES workers cleaning up debris from the scene and what appeared to be a blue tarpaulin laid across the roof of the ute. The road was closed by police between Avon Road and Rainy Hill, and a report will be prepared for the coroner. Emergency crews are pictured at the scene. Both occupants of the vehicle are yet to be formally identified Motorists have been urged to consider using Macclesfield Road or Emerald-Monbulk Road as alternatives and allow extra time when driving through the area. 'We ask motorists to avoid the area between Belgrave-Gembrook Road and Avon Road, and to follow the direction of emergency services,' the VicTraffic alert read. 'There is limited local access available. Nearby alternatives include Macclesfield Road and Gembrook-Launching Place Road.' A suspected gunman is on the run in Caboolture as Queensland police search dense bushland near the DAguilar Highway. Police have made an emergency declaration under the Public Safety Preservation Act for the areas of Elof Rd through to Male Rd (north), the DAguilar Hwy (south), Bruce Hwy (east) and Pettigrew St (west). It is understood Caboolture Hospital is located on one of the streets cordoned off by police. Just after 11am on Friday Police responded to calls of a man inside a suspected stolen ute beside the DAguilar Highway, with reports the man had fired a shot from a rifle before fleeing into dense bushland. Queensland Police are urging members of the public to avoid the area if possible. A gunman is on the run in Caboolture, Queensland allegedly armed with a rifle A tow truck driver was initially sent to retrieve the stolen vehicle when he discovered a man was still inside the ute. It is alleged the man pulled out a rifle and fired a shot before fleeing the scene. Elite Police units PSRT and SERT were called to assist in the search for the suspect with drones and the dog squad sent in to scour bushland in the surrounding area. A towing company confirmed the worker had called police after he was shot at, reported The Courier Mail. A driver had been sent to retrieve the vehicle after reports of a car crash indicated the ute had driven off the DAguilar Highway, the company said. But when the tow truck driver arrived at the incident he found a man sleeping in the back of the ute. The man, armed with a rifle, allegedly fired a shot in the driver's direction as he ran into surrounding bushland. The driver reportedly escaped unharmed and is now with police. Kristina Keneally has confirmed she will nominate for pre-selection to run in a culturally diverse safe Labor seat in western Sydney at the next federal election, sparking anger from locals. The former NSW Premier - who led Labor to the worst defeat of a sitting government in the state's history in 2011 - said if selected she will move 44km from her $1.8million home on Scotland Island on Sydney's Northern Beaches to live in the Fowler electorate which includes Liverpool and Fairfield. The senator and shadow home affairs minister, a close friend of leader Anthony Albanese, has secured the backing of key powerbrokers at the expense of 30-year-old lawyer Tu Le whose parents emigrated from Vietnam. Kristina Keneally (pictured with husband Ben at the Parliament House Mid Winter Ball in 2019) has confirmed she will nominate for pre-selection to run in a culturally diverse safe Labor seat in western Sydney A total of 15 per cent of the residents in the electorate - whose sitting MP Chris Hayes is retiring - are Vietnamese and Ms Le wanted to Labor to prove it was truly a multicultural party by selecting a Vietnamese candidate. But Senator Keneally looks set to win pre-selection after NSW Labor general secretary Bob Nanva endorsed her in an email to members of the Labor Right faction, reported The Australian. He said locals 'expressed a strong desire that the next Labor candidate for Fowler is someone with the experience and record of leadership required to ensure their communities are never left behind.' Ms Le said she was gutted to be elbowed out by Ms Keneally who was parachuted into the senate by then leader Bill Shorten in 2018 when sitting senator Sam Dastyari quit after controversy over links to Chinese donors. Lawyer Tu Le, 30, had hoped to represent her community in Parliament but Senator Keneally is likely to be selected instead 'It's pretty disappointing and disheartening not just for myself but for the local community to be taken for granted in this way,' she told the ABC. 'It's very unfortunate that the voices of the local members aren't heard.' One local community advocate told the broadcaster that Senator Keneally would not be welcome because she does not represent the disadvantaged area. 'I don't think Kristina Keneally represents the community in Fairfield,' said Winnie Dunn, general manager of Sweatshop Literacy Movement. 'It's predominantly Assyrian and Vietnamese communities, and because she's from the North Shore I just think that disconnect will be overwhelmingly difficult for her to bridge.' Mr Hayes's brother Gerard, who runs the Health Services Union, also slammed the move, telling the ABC: 'Why are we losing our base? Because we do stuff like this.' And one federal Labor MP described Senator Keneally's bid as 'Labor at its worst'. But in a statement on Friday the 52-year-old senator, who was born in Las Vegas to an American father and an Australian mother, defended her decision to run despite Mr Hayes throwing his support behind Ms Le. 'Since Chris announced his retirement, I have been approached by ALP branch members urging me to consider nomination for the seat of Fowler,' she said. 'I am humbled by this encouragement. 'Serving this community, living in this community, and fighting for them is what I want to do.' Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese also defended the move, saying Labor was leading the way on multicultural and gender representation in parliament, even citing his own Italian background. 'Labor has incredible cultural diversity in our ranks,' he told reporters in Sydney. He said previous candidates for prime minister all had Anglo-Celtic names in contrast with his Italian surname. 'I'm putting myself forward, very proud of my background and very proud to lead a party that has advanced multiculturalism.' Senator Keneally bought her home (pictured) on Sydney's Scotland Island for $1.8million in 2017 A move to the lower house would mean Senator Keneally - who is Labor's deputy leader in the upper house - will step down from the party's leadership team but it would open up the possibility of her becoming party leader in future. It comes after she faced uncertainty over whether she would retain her spot in the senate. Fellow right faction member Deborah O'Neill received strong support to take top spot on Labor's NSW Senate ticket at the next election. With the left's Jenny McAllister taking second position, Senator Keneally would likely have been relegated to the hard-to-win third spot. Labor has not won three seats in NSW at a regular half-Senate election since Kevin Rudd swept to power in 2007. Mr Albanese suggested Senator Keneally would have prevailed in am upper house pre-selection battle with Senator O'Neill. 'If she nominated for the Senate, she would be preselected at the top of the ticket, I have no doubt about that,' he said. Donald Trump says Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg would come to The White House and 'kiss his a**' during the years he served as Commander-in-chief. The former POTUS made the crass claim as he spoke about his social media ban in an interview with Greg Gutfeld on Fox News Thursday night. Trump was once a prolific user of Facebook and Twitter before he was booted off the platforms back in January for violating their content policies in the aftermath of the Capitol riot. 'We're suing Twitter, Facebook, Google. We're suing them all, a class action suit. Anybody who wants to join, please join,' Trump told Gutfeld. 'These people are sick,' he added, before directly referencing Zuckerberg. 'He used to come to the White House to kiss my a** and I'd say, "Oh, that's nice. I have the head of Facebook coming with his lovely wife [Priscilla Chan]". 'They come and they'd have dinner with me in the White House. And then you see what they do about me and about Republicans [blocking them from Facebook] and it's just sort of crazy. But that's the way the world works.' Donald Trump says Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg would come to The White House and 'kiss his a**' during the years he was Commander-in-chief. The pair are pictured together in September 2019 Trump also savaged Twitter during his sit-down with Gutfeld, claiming he helped turned the site into a success. 'You know when I went on to Twitter like 12 years ago [it] was a failed operation. And it became successful and a lot of people said I had a lot to do with it,' he proclaimed. 'When they took me off, I had way over 100 million people. And then if you add Facebook and everything else, it's over 200 million people. That's a lot. You go from 200 million people to nothing overnight.' The former President says he believes the social media site is now 'boring' without his controversial contributions. 'A lot of people think Twitter was bad for me, but I disagree. I think it was good for me. Twitter has become a very boring place. I don't wanna be like, bragging or anything, but people are saying it's become very boring.,' he said. Trump's Twitter account has been permanently suspended, and he will not be allowed back on the site even if he is elected President again in 2024, according to the company's CFO Ned Segal. Meanwhile, in June, an oversight board voted to uphold Trump's ban from Facebook and sister company Instagram for at least two more years. Trump also savaged Twitter during his sit-down with Gutfeld, claiming he helped turned the site into a success Trump discussed a number of other topics in his lengthy sit-down with Gutfeld, which is airing over multiple nights on Fox News. On Wednesday, the channel screened a portion of the interview which showed Trump slamming President Joe Biden's for his botched military withdrawal from Afghanistan. He claimed the chaotic drawdown made the crisis at the Southern border 'look good' in comparison, before he began rallying about Biden's immigration policies. 'Our country has never been more unsafe. We have people pouring in through our southern border, which everyone is forgetting about right now because of the travesty in Afghanistan,' he continued. Illegal crossings at the southern border are at a 21-year high, with US Customs and Border Protection reporting more than 212,000 land encounters in July, a 13 percent increase from June. Migrants and asylum seekers from Central America and the Caribbean walk in a caravan heading to the U.S. in Mexico on Saturday In the interview, Trump tied the situation in Afghanistan in with his concerns about immigration, claiming that terrorists could have slipped into the US during the mass evacuation of Kabul. 'People are getting in by the hundreds and by the thousands and these are not the people necessarily that wanted the protection. So many terrorists are coming in in. They pushed their way onto the plane,' Trump said. The Department of Homeland Security says about 60,000 people have arrived in the US since August 17 from Afghanistan All undergo security screening at military bases in Europe or the Middle East before being allowed to enter the US. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says a small number of evacuees have been prevented from entering the U.S. through 'multi-layered' security vetting but he declines to provide specific numbers of provide details about the cases. Surveillance towers stand between new sections of the primary and secondary steel bollard-style border wall along the US-Mexico border between San Diego and Tijuana in May Andrew Yang has a surprise on the horizon for his devoted support base, the 'Yang Gang,' as the former presidential and New York mayoral candidate is planning to leave the Democratic party and launch his own third party next month. The party's debut, which was first reported by Politico, will come with the October 5 release of his new book, 'Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy.' The details of the party or how he plans to introduce it in 2022 or 2024 are not yet clear and Yang and his team have not responded to requests for comment from Politico. However, a summary of his new book, released by Penguin Random House imprint Crown, teases the potential groundwork for the party's platform. 'The machinery of American democracy is failing, Yang argues, and we need bold new ideas to rewire it for twenty-first-century problems,' a promotion for the book reads, adding that Yang's book will dive into ideas like 'data rights, ranked-choice voting, and fact-based governance empowered by modern technology.' Andrew Yang is planning to leave the Democratic party and launch his own third party next month The former presidential and New York mayoral candidate is launching the party to coincide with the October 5 release of his new book During his presidential run, Yang's most discussed idea was of universal basic income that would have the federal government give Americans a monthly $1,000 check with no strings attached. The proposal gained traction online and eventually led him to garnering a dedicated group of supporters that call themselves the 'Yang Gang.' Yang, a former businessperson, raised more money and lasted in the presidential race longer than many career politicians. However, he didn't gain enough momentum and dropped out shortly after the New Hampshire primary. Early in the New York City race, he received a decent amount of attention and support before eventually losing steam and dropping out in late June. But Yang isn't leaving the political arena any time soon. The details of the party or how he plans to introduce it in 2022 or 2024 are not yet clear, but are teased in promotions of the book. Above, Yang was speaking with supporters in The Bronx in June, shortly before pulling out of the New York City mayoral race A summary of his new book reads, 'Yang reveals that [universal basic income] and the threat of job automation are only the beginning, diagnosing how a series of cascading problems within our antiquated systems keeps us stuck in the pastimperiling our democracy at every level.' It continues, 'With America's stagnant institutions failing to keep pace with technological change, we grow more polarized as tech platforms supplant our will while feasting on our data. Yang introduces us to the various 'priests of the decline' of America, including politicians whose incentives have become divorced from the people they supposedly serve.' Reviews on the book come from businessperson Mark Cuban, who called it 'a vitally important book,' and The New York Times' Kara Swisher, who wrote, 'Can there be another political party in the U.S.? ... In Forward, Yang does not just give us a laundry list of intractable problems, but shows how we can find solutions if we think in new ways and summon the courage to do so.' Yang's book follows his 2018 release of 'The War on Normal People: The Truth About America's Disappearing Jobs and Why Universal Basic Income Is Our Future' and 2014's 'Smart People Should Build Things: How to Restore Our Culture of Achievement, Build a Path for Entrepreneurs, and Create New Jobs in America.' The UK's Covid bounceback has all-but ground to a halt as the economy grew by just 0.1 per cent in July. Official figures showed that despite restriction easing in England GDP barely expanded amid the 'Pingdemic' and supply chain issues. The level was down from 1 per cent in June and far below the expectations of analysts, who had pencilled in around 0.5 per cent. The economy is still 2.1 per cent below its pre-pandemic high. Chancellor Rishi Sunak tried to put a brave face on the disappointing data, saying the recovery was 'well underway'. ONS Deputy National Statistician for Economic Statistics Jonathan Athow said: 'After many months during which the economy grew strongly, making up much of the lost ground from the pandemic, there was little growth overall in July. 'Oil and gas provided the strongest boost, having partially bounced back after summer maintenance. Car production also continued to recover from recent component shortages. Official figures showed that GDP barely expanded amid the 'Pingdemic' and supply chain issues 'The service sector saw no growth overall with growth in IT, financial services and outdoor events which could operate more fully in July offsetting large falls in retail and law firms. 'Meanwhile, rising costs and shortages of raw materials pegged back the construction sector again.' Production output was the main positive contributor, getting 1.2 per cent bigger in July. But construction contracted for a fourth consecutive month, down by 1.6 per cent on the month. Mr Sunak said: 'Our recovery is well underway thanks to the success of the vaccination rollout and the roadmap, with more employees on payrolls that at any point since last March. 'I am confident that supported by our Plan for Jobs we'll continue to recover from the pandemic, we'll see more new jobs, and we will Build Back Better.' The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) warned yesterday that there is a 'real danger' the Government's health and social care levy could further stifle the economic bounce-back from the pandemic. The BCC slashed its forecast for third-quarter growth to 2.8 per cent from 3.5 per cent previously as it said the supply chain disruption and hiring difficulties are offsetting the boost from July's full lifting of coronavirus restrictions. The supply and lorry driver woes have left supermarket shelves increasingly bare in recent weeks and are hitting sectors from hospitality to housebuilding. Jonathan Gillham, chief economist at accountancy firm PwC, said: The economy now is being hit by a continued wave of structural problems. Some of these issues will soften over the coming months, but the recovery may well continue to stall if they are not resolved. The UK is still set to see the strongest growth since official records began in 1949 as a whole over 2021. But the rebound is from a low base as the impact of the pandemic was so devastating. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been hoping for a strong economic rebound from Covid as he tries to rebuild the public finances Experts at Capital Economics said there was now a whiff of stagflation in the air where inflation soars but output stagnates. This would stretch household incomes and potentially lead to higher unemployment. Its becoming clearer that product and labour shortages are acting as a brake on the recovery, said Paul Dales, chief UK economist at the consultancy. We believe the bulk of the drag on activity will prove to be temporary but at the moment, it looks as though GDP wont get back to its February pre-pandemic peak in October as we previously thought. Advertisement Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that all-out war with neighbouring Russia was a possibility, and that he wanted to have a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the mounting tensions between the nations. Their torrid relationship took a turn for the worse earlier this year when fighting in eastern Ukraine intensified and Russia massed more troops near the border, seven years after Russia seized the Crimean Peninsula and backed pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. When asked at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) summit if there could really be all out-war with Russia, Zelenskiy said: 'I think there can be.' 'It's the worst thing that could happen, but unfortunately there is that possibility,' he added, speaking in Ukrainian. Kyiv says the conflict in eastern Ukraine has killed 14,000 people since 2014. Meanwhile, Russia and Belarus have alarmed NATO with huge war games and military exercises featuring 200,000 troops, which comes mere months after the aforementioned increase of Russian forces near the Ukrainian border. At the YES summit on Friday, Zelenskiy (left) said he has tried in vain to schedule a meeting with Putin (right) to discuss the ongoing conflict at their border and questioned the Russian president's commitment to keeping peace. 'Honestly, I don't have time to think about him,' Zelenskiy said. Zelenskiy's comments at the YES summit on Friday came just one day after Russia and Belarus formally opened vast joint military drills as part of a week-long exercise across the territory of both countries and in the Baltic Sea that has alarmed some NATO countries At the YES summit on Friday, Zelenskiy said he has tried in vain to schedule a meeting with Putin to discuss the ongoing conflict at their border and questioned the Russian president's commitment to keeping peace. 'Honestly, I don't have time to think about him,' Zelenskiy said. 'I'm more interested in whether we can really meet substantively, not declaratively as he does with some states. 'It seems to me that today... they do not see the sense in resolving issues. End the war and resolve conflict issues quickly - they don't want this.' Zelenskiy also said relations with the United States had improved, but bemoaned the fact that Ukraine had not received a clear answer to its request to join the NATO military alliance - a move that would be certain to infuriate Moscow. 'We have not received a direct position on Ukraine's accession to NATO,' he said. 'Ukraine has been ready for a long time.' He said a refusal to admit Ukraine would weaken NATO while playing into Russia's hands. Zelenskiy's comments at the YES summit on Friday came just one day after Russia and Belarus formally opened vast joint military drills as part of a week-long exercise across the territory of both countries and in the Baltic Sea that has alarmed some NATO countries. The active part of the exercise, which comes at a time of heightened tensions between the West and Belarus due to a crackdown on the opposition there, began on Thursday and will run until September 16. Officials say the exercises do not envisage specific countries as adversaries. But the chief of Belarus' general staff, Major-General Viktor Gulevich, said the exercises should be a 'signal' to the West of the 'futility' to taking 'a position of strength' with the two countries. The Russian defence ministry said up to 200,000 military personnel, some 80 aircraft and helicopters, up to 15 ships and nearly 300 tanks would take part. The drills will involve live fire and mark the culmination of a bigger three-month exercise. The drills have alarmed NATO because Belarus is part of quasi buffer zone between Europe and Russia, bordering the country to the east. Russia and Belarus have alarmed NATO with huge war games featuring 200,000 troops and including servicemen from Collective Security Treaty Organisation states such as Kyrgyzstan (pictured, Kyrgyz soldiers) In Putin's new challenge to the West, Belarus and Russia formally opened vast joint military drills with Kyrgyzstan and other states on Thursday, a week-long exercise across the territory of both countries and in the Baltic Sea that has alarmed some NATO countries The mass military drills will involve live fire and mark the culmination of a bigger three-month exercise, in a move that has alarmed NATO Russian soldiers prepare for huge joint war games with Belarus involving 200,000 troops, in a move that has alarmed NATO months after a military build-up by Ukraine nearly sparked a crisis Russian military tank operators take part in an opening ceremony parade ahead of joint war games with Belarus. The active part of the exercise begins today and will run until September 16 Officials said the exercises do not envisage specific countries as adversaries, but called the drills, which will include at least 15 naval ships (pictured, warships Zelenyi Dol and Mytishchi leaving port on Thursday), a 'signal' to the West The drills have alarmed NATO because Belarus is part of quasi buffer zone between Europe and Russia, bordering the country to the east Top military leaders from the two countries attended the opening ceremony of the war games, called 'Zapad-2021', in western Russia where flags were raised and speeches given. Military personnel from Armenia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia will participate too, the Russian defence ministry said. NATO officials have warned that the drills, which follow a huge Russian military build-up on Ukraine's borders earlier this year, increase the risk of an accident or miscalculation that could touch off a crisis. Russian Deputy Defence Minister Nikolai Pankov said the drills were purely defensive in nature and would give Moscow and Minsk a chance to improve the way their respective militaries work together. A Kyrgyzstan's soldier shoots from a portable air-defence system during a joint military exercises with Belarus and Russia at the Edelweiss training ground near the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek A Russian serviceman takes part in the joint military exercises with Russia, Belarus, and the Collective Security Treaty Organization on the Edelweiss training ground near Iissyk Kul lake Kyrgyz servicemen attend the Collective Security Treaty Organization joint military exercises with Russia and Belarus on the Edelweiss training ground near Iissyk Kul lake A Kyrgyz soldier takes cover during huge joint military drills with Russia and Belarus, in Putin's latest challenge to the West Kyrgyzstan soldiers fire from an anti-aircraft weapon during a joint military exercises at the Edelweiss training ground, near Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Russian servicemen take part in joint military drills with Belarus and other Collective Security Treaty Organisation states on September 9, in a move that has alarmed NATO Russia has said the massive drills are purely defensive in nature and will give Moscow and Minsk a chance to improve the way their respective militaries work together (pictured, Russian troops parade ahead of the war games on Thursday) Military personnel from Armenia, India, (pictured) Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia will participate in the war games, the Russian defence ministry said Minsk has cosied up to Moscow in recent months, with Putin offering to send troops to Belarus to help quell large demonstrations that broke out in August 2020 following a dispute election that officials said gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office NATO officials have warned that the drills, which will include at least 300 tanks, increase the risk of an accident or miscalculation that could touch off a crisis A Kyrgyz BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system launches rockets during joint military exercises with Russia and Belarus After large demonstrations broke out in Belarus in August 2020 following a disputed election that officials said gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office, Russia said it would be willing to send troops to Belarus if the country requested them. The demonstrations persisted for months, but subsided in the winter as police harshly cracked down on protesters. Authorities have arrested and imprisoned prominent opposition figures and closed many independent media outlets. Following the presidents' meeting on Thursday, Putin said conditions in Belarus had 'notably stabilised'. And analysts say Minsk's involvement highlights increasingly close ties between it and Moscow. The Kremlin has proved a vital ally for Belarus after the West imposed sanctions on Minsk over a violent crackdown that followed a contested election which gave President Alexander Lukashenko his sixth term in office. 'Lukashenko has gone from not really being willing to participate [in the drills] back in 2017 to being one of the most boastful, in a way, about how important this exercise is in terms of the intimidation that it represents against the West,' said Mathieu Boulegue, a research fellow at the Chatham House think tank. Thursday's ceremony coincided with talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko in the Kremlin, lasting nearly four hours. The pair announced that 28 programs strengthening integration were approved during the talks - including forming common energy and financial markets. The Kremlin has proved a vital ally for Belarus after the West imposed sanctions on Minsk over a violent crackdown that followed a contested election which gave President Alexander Lukashenko (pictured) his sixth term in office. A Russian service member walks towards camouflaged armoured vehicles during huge joint military drills with Belarus Kyrgyzstan's soldiers prepare an anti-aircraft weapon during joint military exercises that have alarmed NATO months after a military build-up by Ukraine nearly sparked a crisis A Kyrgyzstan's soldier carries a portable air-defence system during mass military drills with Belarus and Russia being held across the countries' territories Russian Deputy Defence Minister Nikolai Pankov said the drills were purely defensive in nature and would give Moscow and Minsk a chance to improve the way their respective airforces work together An aircraft takes off at the start of huge joint war games between Belarus and Russia featuring 200,000 troops, months after a military build-up by Ukraine nearly sparked a crisis NATO officials have warned that the drills, which follow a huge Russian military buildup on Ukraine's borders earlier this year, increase the risk of an accident or miscalculation that could touch off a crisis Aircraft take off at the start of huge joint war games between Belarus and Russia featuring 200,000 troops, months after a military build-up by Ukraine nearly sparked a crisis Russian warships left port on Thursday ahead of massive war games being staged by the Baltic Fleet as part of joint drills with Belarus A Russian military vessel sails ahead of naval drills near the Baltic Sea town of Baltiysk in the Kaliningrad Region The moves would bolster Belarus as it faces Western sanctions imposed in response to political repression after a disputed presidential election, and to its forced diversion of an airliner carrying a prominent opposition journalist. They would also give Russia a strengthened position in a country that acts as a buffer with NATO members. Putin and Lukashenko for nearly four hours and announced that 28 programs strengthening integration were approved. The programs fall under a 1999 union agreement that calls for close political, economic and military ties but stops short of a full merger. Russia has buttressed Belarus' economy with cheap energy supplies and loans. But ties often have been strained, with Lukashenko scolding Moscow for trying to force him to relinquish control of prized economic assets and eventually abandon his country's independence. The programs include establishing a single gas market by the end of 2023. Mark McGowan has mocked his NSW counterpart Gladys Berejiklian and refused to budge on his plan to keep Western Australia's borders closed until mid-2022 after bragging about the state's record surplus. Asked by a reporter at Friday's Covid press conference if Ms Berejiklian's road map out of lockdown could prompt a change to Mr McGowan's plan to keep WA closed until as late as April 2022, the premier interrupted to ask, 'Who's Gladys?' When the reporter clarified she meant Ms Berejiklian, Mr McGowan added: 'Yeah, I was just making sure we were talking about the same Gladys.' A smug WA Premier Mark McGowan mocked Gladys Berejiklian on Friday and refused to budge on his plan to keep Western Australia's borders closed into mid-2022 Mr McGowan pretended he didn't know who Ms Berejiklian (pictured) was when he was asked if her road map out of lockdown would prompt him to change his plans to keep Western Australia's borders closed until as late as April 2022 Mr McGowan previously said he wouldn't allow interstate travel to or from WA until more than 80 per cent of residents in his state are fully vaccinated, but is yet to confirm when he expects that target to be reached. He has since said the WA border may remain shut until April 2022, while boasting Australia's international travel ban has been good for his state's economy. The WA premier used Friday's press conference to further slight the NSW government, mentioning the bailout packages he had organised for the rival state. 'We will continue to provide health services to NSW and will continue to provide the revenue that drives the commonwealth bailout packages for NSW,' Mr McGowan said. NSW reported 1,542 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Friday, and a total of 13,022 active cases - a far cry from Western Australia's long run of 'doughnut days' A member of the public has his picture taken after receiving a Pfizer vaccination at a Covid-19 mass vaccination clinic in Midland, east Perth on Thursday. Premier McGowan has said WA will not open to the rest of the country until jabs targets are met On Thursday McGowan, who appointed himself WA treasurer, delivered a record $5.6billion budget surplus for his state, which produces the biggest share of Australia's exports. He boasted that in spite of the pandemic 'we have delivered the best economic and social outcomes in Australia and possibly the world'. WA Health reported no new cases of Covid-19 on Friday. The state's total remains at 1,088 cases, of which 1,077 have recovered. NSW by comparison reported 1,542 new locally-acquired cases on Friday, and has a total of 13,022 active cases. Mr McGowan's sledges came after NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet delivered a brutal takedown of the WA premier on Friday morning. 'Mark McGowan is the Gollum of Australian politics,' Mr Perrottet said on SkyNews. 'You can just picture him over there in his cave with his "little precious" - the GST.' WA's massive surplus was driven in part by GST paid on mining exports, as a result of high iron ore prices. GST revenue contributed over $4.5billion to WA's finances in 2020-21, with more than $5billion expected to come this financial year. Mr McGowan is the last Australian premier holding out with a Covid-zero strategy. He plans to wait until his state reaches between 80 and 90 per cent vaccination rates to open up. NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet delivered a brutal takedown of Mr McGowan on Friday morning comparing him to a creepy movie villain Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison believes Mr McGowan is 'under-selling' WA residents and says the state will reach 80 per cent vaccination rate quicker than the WA boss thinks 'Somewhere above 80 per cent we'll try and set the date. I don't know whether it'll be February, March or April, I suspect it will be one of those months,' he told The West Australian. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he believes Mr McGowan's time-frame will be proved wrong. 'I think he's underselling Western Australians,' Mr Morrison told reporters in Canberra on Thursday. 'I think they'll get vaccinated sooner than that. 'He's making assumptions that West Australians won't get vaccinated until some time in January. 'I don't think West Australians will be that complacent. I don't. I have a bigger confidence in West Australians about their wanting to re-engage with the rest of the country and with the rest of the world.' A veteran detective was jailed today after forging the signature of a key witness in a murder investigation prompting a judge to lambast his 'laziness to a criminal degree'. DC Robert Ferrow, 50, faked the name of Ashley Grace-O'Neill on statements as he investigated Shaun Dyson over the the death of his wife Lucy-Anne Rushton. The police officer took testimony from Mr Grace-O'Neill, who was Dyson's best friend, on the day mother-of-five Ms Rushton was found at her home in Andover, Hants. But when the witness asked to leave, DC Ferrow suggested he signed blank witness statement pages so the detective could finish transcribing text messages between him and Dyson. Mr Grace-O'Neil agreed, but when he returned to the police station the next day to check his statement he noticed other pages with his signature had been forged. The evidence had to be taken again before Ms Rushton's estranged husband Dyson was jailed for life to serve minimum of 17 years for the murder in December 2019. In August DC Ferrow was found guilty following a five day trial at Winchester Crown Court, Hants, by unanimous decision after a jury spent just two hours deliberating. The offence - making a false instrument with intent for it to be accepted as genuine, under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 - has a maximum ten-year sentence. A detective has been found guilty of forging a witness statement during the murder investigation of Lucy-Anne Rushton, who was killed by her husband Shaun Dyson (pictured together) Detective Constable Robert Ferrow, 50, forged the signature of Ashley Grace-O'Neill, a friend of Dyson, on five pages of a witness statement he had taken away to 'write out' with text messages that were being used as evidence. Pictured: Ferrow leaving court Today at court he was was sentenced to eight months in jail. Bespectacled DC Ferrow, who wore a white shirt and red tie, did not react as he was jailed, while his wife watched on from the public gallery. Recorder James Watson QC told the detective: 'It is shocking that an experienced police officer such as yourself should commit such an act of dishonesty. 'Not only did you deliberately forge the witness's signature, you chose to conceal the fact you did so from the witness when you had contact with him that evening. 'It should not be overlooked that your conduct was not only shocking but was a serious and fundamental breach of your duty owed to the public and it was also a breach of trust to the witness himself. 'Your motive was to take a short cut but that understates your conduct - it was laziness to a criminal degree.' During the trial Robert Bryan, prosecuting, told jurors Mr Grace-O'Neill was at Andover police station giving his witness statement on June 23, 2019. Mr Bryan explained that Mr Grace-O'Neill forwarded screenshots of text messages between himself and Dyson to DC Ferrow but, when the officer said he needed to write these up as well, they came to an agreement. Mr Bryan told the court: 'After between 90 minutes and two hours the officer who was taking the witness statement said he also needed to write into the witness statement every single text message that had gone between Mr Grace-O'Neill and Shaun Dyson. DC Ferrow took a statement from Ashley Grace-O'Neill (pictured), killer Dyson's best friend. But when the witness asked to leave, DC Ferrow suggested he sign blank witness statement pages so the detective could finish transcribing text messages Ferrow, who has 18 years' experience as an officer, will be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court in September 'He asked if he could return the next day, after the officer had transcribed the text messages, to check it as truthful and accurate and sign it. '[DC Ferrow] described it as, 'if I'm only copying it out... do you want to sign a couple of blank pages and I would be able to write it out'. 'It was definitely the officer's idea. 'He said 'I still want to come down and read it to check if it's ok', and the officer said that would be fine to do that.' However, Mr Bryan explained the 23-page witness statement, with each page signed, was instead submitted to Detective Sergeant Daniel Hunt at 9.44pm that night. When Mr Grace-O'Neill came down to Andover police station the next day, he saw a number of pages he had not signed. Mr Bryan added: 'He had signed some blank pages but some of the pages in the witness statement had not been signed by him. 'Those not signed by him had been forged. He thought he had signed between five and ten pages.' The court heard Mr Grace-O'Neill said he had signed pages one to six as the interview went along, but then signed approximately nine blank pages before leaving. However, DC Ferrow - who served in the British Army and Royal Navy before joining Hampshire Constabulary in 2001 - denied signing any of the pages himself. When questioned by Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) officers, DC Ferrow claimed the witness had signed every page and that he even had two extra signed blank pages, which he 'tore up and disposed of in confidential waste'. He told the court: 'It was his suggestion of signing so he could leave because he didn't want to leave his phone. He said he just wanted to get it over and done with there and then. 'He signed all the blank statement forms. I didn't sign any statement forms..' Originally from Liverpool, DC Ferrow was working as part of Operation Amberstone, Hampshire Police's serious sexual offences unit based in Portsmouth, at the time of the offence. Shaun Dyson, then 28, was jailed for life to serve a minimum of 17 years at Winchester Crown Court in December 2019 for the murder of his estranged wife Ms Rushton at the family home in Andover, Hampshire, while children were at the property. He originally denied her murder and admitted a lesser charge of manslaughter, but changed his plea to guilty after the jury heard horrific details of a long history of domestic violence. Dyson was said to have become 'enraged' by a phone call 30-year-old Ms Rushton received from a man she had been in a relationship with. The couple - who got together in 2010 and married four years later after eloping to Gretna Green - frequently argued but had split by the beginning of 2019. Six months after their 'toxic' relationship ended Dyson demanded his wife swallow her wedding ring before launching a murderous assault on her in her home. Dyson repeatedly stamped and jumped on her body in a 'prolonged and very severe' attack in June 2019. She had been dead for 'some time' before he decided to dial 999, claiming Ms Rushton had drowned. Advertisement Britain isn't on its own in wanting to launch a booster Covid vaccine drive, a Government ministers claimed today after one of the key figures in the development of the AstraZeneca jab urged No10 to send spare doses abroad. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden insisted Britain would not be an 'outlier' in terms of dishing out third doses and he expects the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to issue the Government with guidance on a booster programme within days. Millions of elderly Britons are expected to receive a top-up jab this autumn after data showed a third dose cause a 'several-fold increase' in antibodies, which help fight off the coronavirus. And Government insiders say the third dose people receive will likely be of a different type to their first two doses because the combination will offer better protection. But Dame Sarah Gilbert, who helped create the AstraZeneca jab, today argued a mass vaccine booster campaign like that of Israel and the US may not be necessary because immunity is 'lasting well' for most people, even if their protection against infection may have weakened. And the Oxford University vaccinologist said extra doses reserved for the UK's top-up drive should be directed to countries lagging behind in the global roll-out. Mr Dowden said the UK was already donating spare vaccines and planned to giveaway another 90million. He told Sky News: 'It's interesting because I was at an international conference this week talking to my counterparts. Pretty much all nations are looking at doing a booster programme Israel are already doing it so we are not an outlier in doing this.' Health Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday said he expects a booster programme to start later in September but he is still awaiting advice from experts on the scale of any campaign to offer extra shots to people. Ministers originally planned to revaccinate 32million over-50s and give them flu jabs simultaneously. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) yesterday ruled the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs are safe to use as boosters, but the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has yet to give its final advice to ministers. Public Health England's report showed unvaccinated people were up to five times more likely to be hospitalised with Covid in August compared to those who had got both doses. The above graph shows the Covid hospitalisation rate among the unvaccinated (red) compared to the vaccinated (blue). The rate for Covid hospitalisation was worked out by dividing the total number of vaccinated and unvaccinated people who were admitted to hospital with the virus by the total number of people in each category in the population in England But protection from vaccines against infection wanes over time. Studies have shown that jabs are less effective against the Indian 'Delta' variant at preventing infection, although they still prevent hospitalisation and death in the vast majority of cases. The above graph shows the infection rate in England by unvaccinated people (red) and vaccinated (blue). The rate for Covid cases in vaccinated and unvaccinated people was worked out by dividing the total number of vaccinated and unvaccinated people who caught the virus by their total population in England Public Health England's report also showed Britons were up to ten times more likely to die from Covid if they were unvaccinated than if they had received both jabs. The above graph shows the Covid death rate among people who had not been jabbed (red) compared to those who had received both doses (blue). The data is for August only and England. The rate for Covid deaths was worked out by dividing the total number of vaccinated and unvaccinated people who died with the virus by the total number of people in each category in the population in England Mr Dowden told Sky News: 'First of all, there is a range of opinion among scientists this is why we have the JCVI to give us the authoritative advice and we'll follow that advice. 'In terms of support for other countries, we are committed to 100million jabs going by 2022, we have already delivered 9million, so it is not an either/or we are doing both of those things.' He said guidance on the criteria for giving booster jabs was expected from the JCVI 'very shortly'. As it stands, third doses are only currently available to around half a million Britons who have severely suppressed immune systems, such as those with leukemia, HIV and organ transplant patients. And Dame Sarah said only the elderly and people with weakened immune systems should be in line for a third jab and she does not 'think we need to boost everybody'. She told The Daily Telegraph: 'As the virus spreads between people, it mutates and adapts and evolves, like the Delta variant. With these outbreaks, we want to stop that as quickly as possible. 'We will look at each situation; the immunocompromised and elderly will receive boosters. But I don't think we need to boost everybody. Immunity is lasting well in the majority of people.' Dame Sarah has previously highlighted the wide disparity in vaccination rates between different countries, suggesting jabs should be sent to those areas where availability is low to vaccinate everybody once, rather than some people three times. She said: 'We need to get vaccines to countries where few of the population have been vaccinated so far. We have to do better in this regard. The first dose has the most impact.' Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus, Layla Moran MP said: 'Ahead of the UN General Assembly meeting next week, the UK Government should be looking to take this opportunity to act as a global leader and ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines across the world. 'The UK vaccination programme should be a great source of pride for the British people, but until we match that success across the world, we will continue to be at the mercy of new Covid variants here at home.' Just half a million Britons with severely suppressed immune systems will be invited for a third Covid jab after the Government's vaccine advisory panel finally signed off on plans for boosters doses last week. Patients who are eligible are listed above Third Pfizer and AstraZeneca doses approved by regulator as Britain edges closer to booster drive Britain's medicines watchdog today approved the AstraZeneca and Pfizer Covid jabs to be used as third doses, as the country edges closer towards green-lighting a booster vaccine programme this autumn. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said that the two vaccine brands were 'safe and effective' when administered months after the initial two injections. Moderna's vaccine, the third jab being used as part of Britain's standard two-dose rollout, has not been approved as a booster, but only because not enough studies have looked at giving the jab as a third dose to healthy people. The development now paves the way for the Government's vaccine advisory panel which is separate from the MHRA to decide who should get boosters. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is meeting today to determine the scope of the programme. It will also decide if people should stick to the brand they were originally vaccinated with, or if they would benefit even more if they topped up with a different vaccine. But the panel is not expected to sign off on plans for a mass booster rollout to the 32million people over the age of 50 in the UK, which had previously been touted. Instead, it is understood that only the very elderly, people with serious health conditions and other immunosuppressed people will be included. Advertisement Despite calls to send spare doses that could be used for top-up jabs abroad, the Government is intent on pushing through the booster drive with a 'mix and match' approach of vaccine types. A Department of Health insider told the Financial Times: 'We'll be giving Pfizer to those who had AstraZeneca the first time, and AstraZeneca to those who had Pfizer. 'It's the best combination to get as much protection as possible.' Another Whitehall insider said the mix and match approach, yet to be adopted by any other country for a booster drive, is 'how we're going to do the autumn booster programme'. Meanwhile, former head of the UK government's vaccines task force Clive Dix said it was well-known 'heterologous boosting' gives a better immune response than using the same type of vaccine for a booster jab. He said: 'The science of vaccinology has shown that if you boost somebody with a different vaccine construct you tend to get a stronger response than if you give them the same one again.' The MHRA said boosters should be given at least eight weeks after the second dose 'when the potential benefits outweigh any potential risks' but the JCVI will make a final decision on the dosing interval. Pfizer boosters can be given to anyone, even if they have been double-jabbed with AstraZeneca or Moderna, the agency said. But a third dose of AstraZeneca can only be administered to those who have already received that jab, according to the current guidance. Yesterday Mr Javid said 'we are heading towards our booster programme' in England but he wanted the 'final opinion of the JCVI'. 'I'm confident that our booster programme will start later this month but I'm still awaiting the final advice,' Mr Javid said. The JCVI expert panel, made up of over a dozen of the country's top experts, is looking at the latest data from the Cov-Boost trial run by the University Hospital Southampton. Some 110 participants were given a third shot of Pfizer, either three-and-a-half months or two-and-a-half months after completing a two-dose course of AstraZeneca. It found both groups had a 'several-fold increase' in binding and neutralising antibodies as well as T-cell response. The 19.3million UK clinical trial is testing the Pfizer jab alongside those from AstraZeneca, Moderna, Novavax, Janssen from Johnson & Johnson, Valneva and CureVac. The study is answering key questions such as whether people who have had two doses of AstraZeneca may get more benefit if they have a third dose of Pfizer. It comes after Britain's medicines watchdog approved the AstraZeneca and Pfizer Covid jabs to be used as third doses, as the country edges closer towards green-lighting a booster vaccine programme this autumn. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said that the two vaccine brands were 'safe and effective' when administered months after the initial two injections. Moderna's vaccine, the third jab being used as part of Britain's standard two-dose rollout, has not been approved as a booster, but only because not enough studies have looked at giving the jab as a third dose to healthy people. The development now paves the way for the Government's vaccine advisory panel which is separate from the MHRA to decide who should get boosters. The JCVI met yesterday to determine the scope of the programme. It will also decide if people should stick to the brand they were originally vaccinated with, or if they would benefit even more if they topped up with a different vaccine. But the panel is not expected to sign off on plans for a mass booster rollout to the 32million people over the age of 50 in the UK, which had previously been touted. Instead, it is understood that only the very elderly, people with serious health conditions and other immunosuppressed people will be included. Professor Adam Finn, an expert in child health and JCVI member, has given the biggest hint yet that that would be the case. During a round of interviews just hours before the meeting began, he said it was 'not clear' that the UK is seeing waning protection from the vaccines. He conceded that the jabs may have lost some of their potency in protecting against infections, but insisted they were doing their main job in keeping people out of hospitals. An 11-year-old boy has become the youngest angler to catch a 100lbs-plus fish in British waters after hooking a whopping 9st sturgeon - which weighed more than him. Joseph Brockhouse battled for 30 minutes to haul the 126lbs beast to the surface during a camping trip with his father and little brother last month. He had been fishing for two days on a private 10 acre lake near Manchester when he landed the prized fish which was 26 inches longer and 2.5 stone heavier than himself. Joseph Brockhouse, 11, caught a fish 26ins longer and 2.5st heavier than him while on a fishing trip on a private 10 acre lake near Manchester last month. Pictured with his father Lee, 43, and brother Alex, 10 Father Lee, 43, and brother Alex, 10,had to help lift the 6ft 8ins (2m) long monster in order to pose for a photo before they threw it back into the water. Incredibly, Joseph also managed to break two more personal records during the weekend by landing roach and perch weighing more than 2lbs. Married father-of-three Lee, of Nuneaton, Warks., said: 'To say he was over the moon is an understatement. 'We spent two days on a private lake which is owned by my friend and Joe had a very successful trip to say the least. 'He was chuffed to beat two personal bests for roach and perch and then on the Sunday morning he got this sturgeon. Joseph landed the prized fish which was 26 inches longer and 2.5 stone heavier than himself 'My mate had told me it was in there but it's a 10 acre lake so we thought it might take some finding - and even then we had to catch it.' Joseph hooked the sturgeon using a halibut pellet and a 3.5lbs rod and was able to bring the catch in all be himself from the banks of the lake. Property manager Lee added: 'It took him 30 minutes or so but he managed it, I was really impressed because it put up one hell of a fight. 'I'm not sure I would have known what to do at his age but he's been fishing since he was six, so he reeled it in like an expert. Joseph has become the youngest angler to catch a 100lbs-plus fish in British waters Joseph also managed to break two more personal records during the weekend by landing roach and perch weighing more than 2lbs 'We all did okay and caught 80 fish over the two days. 'We fished day and night and stayed in tents, it was a brilliant trip. Obviously this catch topped off a great weekend.' Joseph, who has since turned 12 since the fishing trip last month, said: 'It gave me an amazing fight, taking 30 minutes to land. 'Once we got it in, my dad and brother had to help me lift the fish for a photo. 'We had 80 fish between us on that session, and I also had roach and perch to 2lb, as well as five carp over 20lb.' A senior doctor accused of bullying a nurse on a busy A&E unit has been cleared after tribunal accepted he was just being 'assertive' whilst giving out orders. Dr Shaukat Ali, 44, faced career ruin after 19 years in medicine following claims he berated the woman for 'moaning' and suggested she work in a supermarket as patients were being rushed into X-Ray or needed life saving emergency treatment. It was claimed the locum consultant who was the duty doctor in charge of A&E at hospitals in the West Midlands told the nurse: 'Hurry up and push her to have x-ray, quick, you don't know your job. I must tell you your job'. In other rebukes he would allegedly 'get in the face' of Ms A and tell her: 'You aren't doing your job properly! What did they tell you in handover? Are you really a nurse? Why do you come here to moan? Why don't you go and work in a supermarket? Be professional.' Ali was also said to have told a colleague that the nurse known as Ms A only came to work 'to socialise' and when he saw her straightening her bra strap, told her: 'Why are you touching yourself? Are you sure you are the corridor nurse?'. Ms A later reported Ali to police claiming he had also run his hand down her back along her bra-strap after touching her on the shoulder to get her attention. Detectives took no action but the nurse then referred the doctor to the General Medical Council for a disciplinary investigation. At the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, Ali faced being struck off but was cleared of bullying and sexual misconduct after he said he worked in 'high-pressured busy department' and would speak assertively as he 'needed to ensure things were done.' He denied any sexual contact with the woman. Some of the claims were made about from the time when Dr Ali was at Heartland's Hospital The Manchester tribunal was also handed a copy of a Whatsapp message sent by Ms A to a colleague accusing doctors of 'meddling.' It read: 'He is dumb! He written his 5 like an 8 on the X-ray card. Then X-ray took number 8. Then they check in and her name was wrong. 'But he wanted to tell me off for pt in 5 not having her X-ray. Then he told me to hurry up and take Pt to X-ray quick! Doctors there meddle in our work!' The hearing was told Ali had been been working at Russell Hall Hospital, Dudley and at Heartland's Hospital in Birmingham at the time of the incidents between January 2018 and October 2018. Ms A claimed in one incident Ali touched her on the shoulder and ran his hand down her back along her bra strap until he reached the clasp of her bra and told her: 'You can touch me but I'm not allowed to touch you like this.' She further alleged Ali stood in close proximity to her in another incident and brushed his trousers against her buttocks as she knelt down to clean an ECG machine. Ms A claimed the bullying started after Ali failed to respond to his sexual advances said she had 'issues previously with other colleagues being touchy-feely.' She told the hearing: 'I have found it is quite common in the workplace that people are looking for more than just a work colleague relationship. Dr Ali was very 'touchy-feely and in your face.' Dr Ali's 19 years as a medical professional also saw him work at Russell Hall Hospital Ali admitted touching Ms A on the shoulder to get her attention but said he had little recollection of any of the events as described by her. He told the hearing: 'In a high-pressured busy Accident and Emergency department, I need to ensure actions are taken where things needed to be done. 'Whilst the way I may have spoken to colleagues could have been perceived by them in a particular way, in pressured and urgent situations I may sometimes speak to colleagues in an assertive way, but not in a way that was bullying.' Clearing Ali, MPTS chairman Ian Comfort said: 'Both Ms A and Dr Ali agreed it was accepted practice to touch a colleague on their shoulder or elbow to get their attention in the busy environment of an Accident and Emergency department. 'But the Tribunal determined that there was no evidence Dr Ali had either gained any sexual gratification from, or pursued a future sexual relationship with Ms A in the act of touching her on the shoulder. 'Ms A had the perception Dr Ali was pursuing her in an inappropriate manner but this account was not supported by any contemporaneous or supporting witness evidence. 'Dr Ali was overall in charge of the Accident and Emergency department and was responsible for its efficient and effective functioning. As a manager, it would be necessary for him to speak with staff about their performance. 'The Tribunal was mindful of Ms A's sensitivity to comments made by doctors and by her own admission that she did not like to be told what needed to be done. 'Given the dictionary definition of bullying, it was the intent behind Dr Ali's comments and behaviour, rather than the perception of Ms A of the comments and behaviour that determined whether it amounted to bullying. 'Dr Ali was overall responsible for what happened in the Accident and Emergency department and it would be reasonable for him to ensure specific tasks were completed in the treatment and care of patients. 'The Tribunal considered each of the matters including the evidence of words, actions and context. It noted that Dr Ali had little or no recollection of matters raised by Ms A and the Tribunal considered that there was scant evidence to support Ms A's assertions.' Advertisement Oliver Dowden today accused a Churchill charity of 'pandering to a noisy woke brigade' amid fury that it has been playing down links to the wartime leader over his 'racism'. The Culture Secretary said the actions of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust - which renamed itself The Churchill Fellowship and removed images of the former PM from its website - were 'quite extraordinary'. Despite the Churchill family backing the charity, he warned there were grounds to 'worry' when people 'question the sort of values that have made this such a wonderful country'. Yesterday Downing Street accused the Trust of 'airbrushing' Sir Winston after it took down a biography of Churchill and a list of his achievements, as well as a 1,400-word tribute, as part of a website redesign. A blog post titled 'racism is unacceptable' was also posted last year which explored the 'controversy' of Churchill and said: 'Many of his views on race are widely seen as unacceptable today, a view that we share.' Boris Johnson, who has written a biography of Churchill, hit back, with his spokesman saying he was a 'hero' who 'helped save this country and the whole of Europe from a fascist and racist tyranny by leading the defeat of Nazism... it is completely absurd, misguided and wrong to airbrush his giant achievements and service to this country. The trust should think again'. The new website has a page stating that the charity 'stands in solidarity with those in the fight against racism and with our Fellows from minoritised racial communities'. It added: 'Today there is controversy about aspects of Sir Winston's life. Many of his views on race are widely seen as unacceptable today, a view that we share' The original Winston Churchill Memorial Trust name was removed from the charity's website, as was a picture of the great man Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the actions of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust - which renamed itself The Churchill Fellowship and removed images of the former PM from its website - were 'quite extraordinary Yesterday the charity put up a new statement, with a picture of Sir Winston, praising him and denying they were cutting ties - although they will not be reverting back to the old name Why do woke campaigners say Churchill was racist? By Harry Howard Wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, who led Britain to victory in the Second World War, has been criticised by some campaigners who say he was racist. They highlight factors including his alleged inaction in the 1943 Bengal Famine in India; his views on Indian independence and the fact he was in favour of using chemical weapons against people he regarded as 'uncivilised'. Bengal Famine Whilst some critics attribute blame to Churchill for failing to do enough to prevent the deaths of three million people in the Bengal Famine, which was triggered by a flooding and a cyclone, other historians disagree. Blame has been pinned on him because he argued against re-supplying Bengal with food to preserve supplies for the ongoing fight against Nazi Germany. His defenders point out that after receiving news of the spreading food shortages he told his Cabinet he would welcome a statement from Lord Wavell, the new Viceroy of India, about how he planned to ensure the problems were 'dealt with'. He then wrote a personal letter urging the Viceroy to take action. Tirthankar Roy, a professor in economic history at the LSE, argues India's vulnerability to weather-induced famine was due to its unequal distribution of food. He also blamed a lack of investment in agriculture and failings by the local government. 'Winston Churchill was not a relevant factor behind the 1943 Bengal famine,' he told The Times in July. 'The agency with the most responsibility for causing the famine and not doing enough was the government of Bengal.' On Indian Independence Churchill, who was strongly opposed to Indian independence, also derided the leader of the movement, Mahatma Gandhi, as a 'half-naked holy man'. He also said privately that he 'hated' Indians, branding them a 'beastly people with a beastly' religion. The politician's views were heavily coloured by the fact that he fought against rebellious tribes in the country when he was posted there as a soldier. Advocated the use of chemical weapons In defending the deployment of chemical weapons despite the horrific way in which they killed and maimed enemy combatants Churchill said he was 'strongly in favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilised tribes.' Churchill had advocated the use of tear gas and poison gas against rebels in what was then Mesopotamia in 1920, during what was known as the Iraqi Revolt. However, historians have since questioned whether the weapons were actually used in the region. And in the 1919 memo in which he made the controversial comments, he went on to say that the 'moral effect' of the use of chemical weapons should be 'so good that the loss of life should be reduced to a minimum.' His belief in racial hierarchies In 1937, Churchill said he had no sympathy for Native Americans or Indigenous Australians, despite their mistreatment at the hands of white settlers. He said: 'I do not admit that a wrong has been done to these people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, a more worldly wise race to put it that way, has come in and taken their place.' However, whilst Churchill did believe in racial hierarchies, historian Richard Toye said he was 'not unique' in having such as views at the time. He added: 'Although Churchill did think that white people were superior, that didn't mean he necessarily thought it was OK to treat non-white people in an inhumane way.' What about the Nazis? In a 2002 BBC poll, Sir Winston was voted the Greatest Briton of all time for his role in defeating Nazi Germany. When he took over as Prime Minister in May 1940, the only other real contender for the role was Lord Halifax, who advocated striking a peace deal with Nazi Germany. He then led Britain through the rest of the Second World War and roused morale by famously vowing: 'We shall never surrender'. Despite this central role, left-wing critics have even derided this aspect of Churchill's legacy. Kehinde Andrews, a professor of black studies at Birmingham City University, said in an online discussion at Churchill College, Cambridge, earlier this year: 'Was it Churchill out there fighting the war? I'm pretty sure it wasn't. I'm pretty sure he was at home. 'I'm pretty sure that if Churchill wasn't in the war it would have ended the same way.' What Churchill's defenders have said Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who wrote a well-received biography of Churchill in 2014, previously said it was the 'height of lunacy' to accuse the politician of racism. He said Churchill 'stood alone' against a 'racist tyranny that without his resistance would have overwhelmed this country and the rest of Europe'. Fellow Churchill biographer Andrew Roberts said in the Mail on Sunday in June that it was important not to judge the former PM by modern standards. He said: 'To wrench historical figures out of their historical contexts and expect them to hold modern views on issues such as race is anyhow absurd. 'People's reputations are being trashed for holding opinions that a large majority of people held at the time essentially for being insufficiently woke. 'Even Mahatma Gandhi held what to us today are extremely offensive views about black Africans.' The historian also pointed out that, unlike the father of Communism Karl Marx, Churchill 'never used the N-word', which he said 'dyed-in-the-wool racists' tended to use at the time. Churchill's grandson and former Conservative MP Sir Nicholas Soames previously said it was a 'lunatic representation' to call his grandfather racist. He told LBC: 'All his life he fought fascism.' Speaking last year after the statue of Churchill outside Parliament was covered up after being sprayed with graffiti, respected historian Tom Holland told MailOnline: 'The sight of Churchill boarded up is to large numbers of Britons very sinister.' He added that the move did not do 'anti-racism campaigners any favours' and said it would 'turn people against them'. Advertisement Sources at the fellowship criticised their 100,000-a-year 'woke Leftie' chief executive Julia Weston for 'rewriting history'. Tory MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith, whose constituency is a redrawn version of Churchill's old Woodford seat, told MailOnline that the rebranding was 'ridiculous'. But Sir Nicholas Soames, Churchill's grandson who served as a Conservative MP from 1983 until the 2019 general election, dismissed concerns this was part of the snowflake agenda as 'b******s'. He said: 'The Churchill family is wholly and unreservedly supportive of the wonderful work done by The Churchill Fellowship. Its record speaks for itself. 'It is not woke, it is not anything. It is not the abandonment of anything. 'It is called The Churchill Fellowship. It is exactly what it always has been a living memorial to Winston Churchill, and a very, very successful one.' In an interview on LBC radio this morning, Mr Dowden said of the charity's move: 'I found it quite extraordinary. 'I read their explanation and they say there are various reasons for this but the bottom line is, you look at the website before and after, and there is a lot less Churchill on it after than there was before. 'I do really worry, and you see this in relation to many charities, that they pander to a noisy woke brigade who are trying to challenge all aspects of our history. 'They would not have the freedom - no-one would have the freedom - to make these kinds of decisions were it not for Churchill in the first place. 'I do really worry when we start to question the sort of values that have made this such a wonderful country.' The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust was set up after his death in 1965 to fund academic research and help British citizens to travel and learn about the world. Sir Nicholas's brother, Jeremy Soames, 69, is its chairman, and is understood to support the rebrand. The charity insisted it decided to change the name because of 'confusion', with some wrongly believing it was a historical organisation set up to remember Churchill. Fellowship communications director Jonathan Laurie said: 'There are a lot of people saying that we have tried to cancel Sir Winston, but that's absolutely not the case. 'I mean, his grandson is our chairman. The family are absolutely happy with this and don't think it's a betrayal or anything like that. 'I was very happy to put the photo back up and show we don't have a problem with Sir Winston. 'We do one thing, which is offering fellowships, but the old name didn't say that, so we changed it so that it says what we do on the tin. 'It was a mundane, administrative reason. We decided to take the short biography down in the summer of 2020 because we took the view that we are not historians and shouldn't be publishing accounts of Sir Winston's life. 'So all these small things have been taken to mean something, when in reality they are all low-level administrative changes.' The charity uploaded a post titled 'Our Connection to Sir Winston Churchill' yesterday, which said: 'We are proud of his contribution to saving the world from Nazism and of our connection to him.' But it also referenced the 2020 race post and said: 'There is also controversy about his views on race. 'We acknowledge the many issues and complexities involved on all sides.' It comes after a series of attacks on Churchill's legacy by Left-wing activists who have even compared him to Adolf Hitler. The BBC was forced to apologise earlier this month after not challenging the view that Churchill's attitude to the Bengal Famine was racist. Historians cautioned against the 'crusade against the past', with Vernon Bogdanor, professor of government at King's College, London, saying: 'It's no good using modern slogans to attack someone who lived in a different era. 'We would all, for example, think it absurd to criticise William the Conqueror because he wasn't a feminist.' Referring to Churchill, Cambridge history professor David Abulafia said: 'It is mind-boggling. 'It is digging people out of their graves and burning them as the Spanish inquisition used to do. 'He obviously held views about races that were very much of his time, but we shouldn't be exhuming people from the past who are unable to stand up and explain their attitudes to people who live in a different age.' Frank Furedi, professor of sociology at the University of Kent, said: 'The reason why they are coming for Churchill is because more than any single individual, he personifies Britishness. 'By destroying his reputation you are striking a blow against an individual who symbolised a particular way of life which was uniquely British.' Mr Johnson, who wrote a well-received biography of Churchill in 2014, previously said it was the 'height of lunacy' to accuse the politician of racism. He said Churchill 'stood alone' against a 'racist tyranny that without his resistance would have overwhelmed this country and the rest of Europe'. Fellow Churchill biographer Andrew Roberts said in the Mail on Sunday in June that it was important not to judge the former PM by modern standards. He said: 'To wrench historical figures out of their historical contexts and expect them to hold modern views on issues such as race is anyhow absurd. 'People's reputations are being trashed for holding opinions that a large majority of people held at the time essentially for being insufficiently woke. 'Even Mahatma Gandhi held what to us today are extremely offensive views about black Africans.' The historian also pointed out that, unlike the father of Communism Karl Marx, Churchill 'never used the N-word', which he said 'dyed-in-the-wool racists' tended to use at the time. Churchill's grandson and former Conservative MP Sir Nicholas Soames previously said it was a 'lunatic representation' to call his grandfather racist. He told LBC: 'All his life he fought fascism.' Speaking last year after the statue of Churchill outside Parliament was covered up after being sprayed with graffiti, respected historian Tom Holland told MailOnline: 'The sight of Churchill boarded up is to large numbers of Britons very sinister.' He added that the move did not do 'anti-racism campaigners any favours' and said it would 'turn people against them'. Volunteers at the trust said it was 'rewriting history' and pointed out the former prime minister (pictured) has frequently been voted the greatest Briton of all time Six 'late stage' terror plots in the UK have been dismantled during lockdown - among 31 stopped in the past four years - with the catastrophic and chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan likely to embolden and give a 'psychological boost' to terrorists, the head of MI5 said today. MI5 director general Ken McCallum said the threat of terrorism in the UK remains 'a real and enduring thing' - and that the coronavirus pandemic has not diminished this. Britain's top secret agent also described turning to a spy colleague as the second plane hit the Twin Towers on 9/11 and immediately knew Osama bin Laden was behind the attack. He told the Today programme: 'We do face a consistent global struggle to defeat extremism and to guard against terrorism - this is a real problem. In the last four years, working with the police, my organisation has disrupted 31 late-stage attack plots in Great Britain. 'That number includes mainly Islamist attack plots but also a growing number of attack plots from right wing terrorists.' 'Even during the pandemic period which we have all been enduring for the past two years, we have had to disrupt six late-stage attack plots,' he said, adding: 'So, the terrorist threat to the UK, I am sorry to say is a real and enduring thing'. Mr McCallum said that 'inspired' terrorist acts were 'by volume' the largest number of threats that MI5 and their partners faced in the UK. 'There is no doubt that events in Afghanistan will have heartened and emboldened some of those extremists and so being vigilant to precisely those kinds of risks that my organisation is focused on along with a range of other threats,' he said. MI5 director general Ken McCallum says the police and security services had to disrupt six late-stage attack plots in the UK during the pandemic The fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban will increase the threat to the UK, as it will hearten terrorists, Mr McCallum has said Britain's top spy also described where he was on 9/11 - and how its fallout continued for a decade MI5 director general Ken McCallum described where he was on the morning of 9/11 and how colleagues knew they would be dealing with the aftermath for 'the next 10 years'. 'On the morning of 9/11 when the first plane hit the two towers we turned on the television in the corner of the room, and as the second plane struck, a colleague quietly said 'Osama Bin Laden',' he told the BBC's Today programme. MI5 spooks immediately knew Osama Bin Laden was behind 9/11 'Someone else said 'I guess we all know what we're going to be doing for the next 10 years of our lives', and so it proved. 'In the 20 years since we have faced wave after wave of terrorism from extremists seeking to cause mass casualties and prepared to give up their lives in the act - that is a horrifying reality but, by the same token, it is also extremely motivating for my organisation.' Mr McCallum said that although more directed plots from terrorist organisations take time to organise and carry out, psychological boosts for their causes could happen 'overnight'. 'Terrorist threats tend not to change overnight in the sense of directed plotting or training camps or infrastructure - the sorts of things that al Qaeda enjoyed in Afghanistan at the time of 9/11,' he told the BBC's Today programme. 'These things do inherently take time to build, and the 20-year effort to reduce the terrorist threat from Afghanistan has been largely successful. 'But what does happen overnight, even though those directed plots and centrally organised bits of terrorism take a bit longer to rebuild... Overnight, you can have a psychological boost, a morale boost to extremists already here, or in other countries. 'So we need to be vigilant both for the increase in inspired terrorism which has become a real trend for us to deal with over the last five to 10 years, alongside the potential regrowth of al Qaeda-style directed plots.' Khalid Masood on the floor as emergency services attend the scene outside the Palace of Westminster, London, where the terrorist killed hero policeman PC Keith Palmer He said that although the Government had pledged to judge the Taliban by their actions, the UK security service and its partners would plan for the chance that 'more risk, progressively may flow our way'. Mr McCallum said that although more directed plots from terrorist organisations take time to organise and carry out, psychological boosts for their causes could happen 'overnight'. 'Terrorist threats tend not to change overnight in the sense of directed plotting or training camps or infrastructure - the sorts of things that al Qaeda enjoyed in Afghanistan at the time of 9/11,' he told the BBC's Today programme. 'These things do inherently take time to build, and the 20-year effort to reduce the terrorist threat from Afghanistan has been largely successful. 'But what does happen overnight, even though those directed plots and centrally organised bits of terrorism take a bit longer to rebuild... Overnight, you can have a psychological boost, a morale boost to extremists already here, or in other countries. 'So we need to be vigilant both for the increase in inspired terrorism which has become a real trend for us to deal with over the last five to 10 years, alongside the potential regrowth of al Qaeda-style directed plots.' The MI5 director general said it was 'difficult to give a simplistic answer' to whether the UK was safer, or less safe now from the threat of terrorism since 2001. Ken McCallum told the BBC's Today programme: 'What has happened across those two decades is that on the day of 9/11 we faced a large, well-funded organisation in al Qaeda with a safe haven and we had to play catch-up in a dramatic way. 'Five years after 9/11 were were still facing plots of that magnitude. 'We, with others, worked deeply and ferociously hard to reduce that style of risk from al Qaeda.' Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick (left) with Home Secretary Priti Patel (second left), London Mayor Sadiq Khan (centre) and Director General of MI5 Ken McCallum (right) Mr McCallum added that a consequence of the success of reducing large-scale terror events had been the growth of 'inspired terrorism'. He said the so-called Islamic State had 'managed to do something that al Qaeda did not' in inspiring lots of people to attempt smaller scale acts of terrorism through online grooming. 'The number of plots that we disrupt nowadays are actually higher than the number of plots that were coming at us after 9/11, but on average they are smaller plots of lower sophistication,' he said. Mr McCallum said that current threats from terrorism were 'part of our lives at this time in history' and would remain so for some time. 'I wish we didn't have to teach children about terrorism, I wish I didn't have to teach my children about terrorism, and I don't think we should be alarming children,' he told the BBC's Today programme. 'The purpose of organisations like mine is to ensure the public can live their lives freely and with confidence, but the reality, I'm afraid, is that terrorism is one strand within our complex society. 'We have stopped dozens of attacks...(but) this is part of our lives at this time in history and I suspect some form of this terrorism will remain with us for quite some time to come.' Ken McCallum said it would be 'reckless' of him to claim that a terror attack would not happen on UK soil 'on his watch', but that colleagues at MI5 'spend our lives' working to mitigate such threats. 'The best approach to terrorism is not to overreact, to be proportionate, to be led by our values, by ... treating individuals who attempt terrorism as criminals rather than elevating their status to somehow soldiers,' he told the BBC. 'It would be reckless of anyone in a job like mine ever to claim that we would be able to provide 100% security, we never can. 'Of course there are likely to be terrorist attacks on UK soil on my watch. 'We wish it were not so and we spend our lives working as hard as we possibly can with partners to stop these things happening and constantly challenging ourselves on how we can ... do the best we possibly can. 'To our horror, we know that that won't be possible on every single occasion.' The union representing nearly 30,000 federal law enforcement officers is slamming President Joe Biden's new COVID-19 vaccine mandate, calling the move an act of coercion that 'villainizes employees' for their concerns about the shot. 'This executive order villianizes employees for reasonable concerns and hesitancies and inserts the federal government into individual medical decisions,' Larry Cosme, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), said in a statement. 'People should not be made to feel uncomfortable for making a reasonable medical choice.' Biden unveiled the mandate Thursday. It requires workers at companies with more than 100 employees to get vaccinated or tested weekly, and orders federal employees and healthcare workers to get the shots, with no testing alternative. Larry Cosme (left), president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, is slamming President Joe Biden (right) over his new vaccine mandate. Cosme says Biden's mandate is an act of coercion that 'villainizes employees' for their concerns about the shot Cosme, who has routinely said the FLEOA believes Americans should have the freedom to make their own decisions about the vaccine, argued that Biden's mandate is misguided and undermines vaccination efforts. 'The COVID-19 pandemic is a rapidly evolving and emotional trying situation. In the face of so many uncertainties, our federal government should trust its employees to make their own medical decision under consultation with their doctor, not mandate by their employer,' he said. 'Vaccination should be promoted through education and encouragement not coercion.' Cosme also noted that the FLEOA has routinely encouraged its members to consult with their healthcare practioners and get vaccinated when appropriate. However, he continued, arguing that 'threatening people's livelihood' and 'penaliziing employees' for making personal medical decision is 'not the answer'. 'We are a nation built on freedom. We are law enforcement officers who defend that freedom. And we deserve the freedom to make our own health decisions,' he said. The union is reviewing the 'legal landscape' of the mandate and says they will continue to support members, as well as voice their concerns. Cosme argues: 'In the face of so many uncertainties, our federal government should trust its employees to make their own medical decision under consultation with their doctor, not mandate by their employer' In a letter addressing the mandate, the FLEOA announced they are reviewing the 'legal landscape' of the mandate and will continue to support members and voice their concerns Biden, announcing the mandate, argued the order is 'not about freedom or personal choice,' but instead about 'protecting yourself and those around you'. In his speech, Biden took issue with those hesitant or flat out against getting vaccinated. 'This is not about freedom or personal choice. It's about protecting yourself and those around you, the people you work with, the people you care about, the people you love. My job as president is to protect all Americans,' he said in remarks in the State Dining Room at the White House. 'We've been patient but our patience is wearing thin. And your refusal has cost all of us. So please do the right thing.' Biden's plan aims to get 100 million employees across the federal government and private sector vaccinated against COVID as the case rate continues to rise due to the Delta variant. The order covers over 80 million employees and it will require employers with 100 or more employees to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated. Any business that violates the new rule will face substantial fines, up to $14,000. Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new vaccine mandates for as many as 100 million Americans, sharply denouncing those who have not yet received the shots Biden also required all workers in healthcare settings that receive Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement to get vaccinated, which will apply to 17 million healthcare workers. That is in addition to his executive order requiring all federal workers and contractors to get vaccinated. Additionally, the roughly 300,000 educators in headstart programs will be required to be vaccinated. 'It's simple - if you want to work for the federal government, you must be vaccinated. If you want to do business with the government, you must vaccinate your workforce,' the senior administration official said on a briefing call with reporters previewing the president's remarks. The president also called on state governors, asking them to mandate vaccination for educators and school staff, and suggested that if they refuse to aid in his mission, he will issue more orders. 'If these governors won't help us beat the pandemic, I'll use my power as president to get them out of the way,' Biden said. Biden has faced backlash from several organizations and leaders over the mandate. The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of federal workers, said they would bargain over the order. 'Workers deserve a voice in their working conditions,' the group said in a statement. 'Neither of these positions has changed. We expect to bargain over this change prior to implementation, and we urge everyone who is able to get vaccinated as soon as they can do so.' The National Federation of Federal Employees, another government workers union, said they didn't receive advance notice of the executive order. Republican Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia, who has federal workers in his district, said he objected to the forced vaccines. 'Although I have personally been vaccinated and regularly encourage those I represent to get vaccinated as well, I fundamentally disagree with forcibly injecting America's public servants,' he told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'Our government was founded to secure the individual liberties of all. We should instead continue educating the public that the COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective. Resorting to forced vaccinations, and returning to unnecessary restrictions, only serves to eliminate critically important vaccination incentives and undermine public confidence in the vaccines' efficacy,' he added. Biden has faced backlash from several organizations and leaders over the mandate The Republican National Committee says that it intends to sue to block Biden's order from taking effect, and several House Republicans plan to introduce legislation to negate the order. 'Joe Biden told Americans when he was elected that he would not impose vaccine mandates. He lied,' said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who added that she was 'pro-vaccine and anti-mandate'. 'Many small businesses and workers do not have the money or legal resources to fight Biden's unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees, but when his decree goes into effect, the RNC will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties,' said McDaniel. Several Republican governors are also mounting a defense against Biden's aggressive new order and vowing to fight it through state laws and lawsuits. Arizona, Montana, Indiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Georgia and South Carolina were all among the Republican-led states that threatened legal action. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem appeared to threaten legal action against the Biden administration on Twitter, telling Biden: 'See you in court.' Meanwhile, about 27 percent of the eligible U.S. population age 12 and older have not received any COVID vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 75 percent of Americans have received at least one shot and 53 percent are fully vaccinated. The vaccination rate among Americans has increased since July, which is when the Delta variant caused case rates to spike, but it remains low in Southern states like Florida and Texas. Two Florida middle school students have been arrested after 'plotting to carry out a mass shooting after studying 1999 Columbine High School massacre'. The two boys - identified by police as Phillip Bird, 14 and Connor Pruitt, 13, who are eighth-grade students at Harns Marsh Middle School in Lehigh Acres, near Fort Myers - were arrested on Thursday and now face charges of conspiracy to commit a mass shooting. The alleged shooting plot was discovered after students tipped off an eight-grade teacher on Wednesday, claiming that one of their classmates had a gun in their book bag. Eighth-graders Phillip Bird, 14 and Connor Pruitt, 13, were arrested on Thursday facing charges of conspiracy to commit a mass shooting at Harns Marsh Middle School in Lehigh Acres, Florida (pictured) The school resource officer and administration were alerted to the potential threat which led to an investigation from deputies. They did not find a weapon in the student's book bag but did find a map of the school with markings on it showing each of the school's security cameras. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said police also discovered other 'disturbing evidence' following a search at the suspects' homes including a gun and several knives. In a news conference, Sheriff Marceno said: 'Detectives learned the students took an interest in the Columbine High School shooting. 'They were extensively studying to learn more about the incident and the shooters. 'Detectives also learned the students were attempting to learn how to construct pipe bombs and how to purchase firearms on the black market.' Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno (pictured) said the students took an interest in the Columbine High School shooting and were 'extensively studying' the incident The Columbine High School massacre was a school shooting and attempted bombing that occurred on April 20, 1999, in Columbine, Colorado. The two shooters, twelfth-grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, aged 18 and 17, murdered 12 students and one teacher and then subsequently committed suicide. It was the deadliest mass shooting at a US high school until 2018 when 17 people were killed in a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida - which is located approximately 120 miles away from Lehigh Acres. A tip-off from a fellow student led to a discovery of map of the school with markings on it showing the school's security cameras and other 'disturbing evidence' including a gun and several knives found at the suspects' homes. Pictured: Deputies searching one of the homes Sherrif Marceno said that he is certain that police intervention prevented another deadly school shooting from taking place, saying: 'This could have turned disastrous. We were one second away from a Columbine here.' He continued: 'I'm certain that my team of dedicated deputies and detectives acted promptly, investigated thoroughly and prevented a very violent and dangerous act from being carried out. 'This could have been the next Parkland massacre, but we stopped them in the planning stages.' The two middle school students, who the sherrif said were both 'well known' to police as deputies had responded to calls to their homes nearly 80 times combined, will be charged with conspiracy to commit a mass shooting. The pair will be evaluated at a mental health facility and Sherrif Marceno said legal investigators will be looking into a risk protection order, which restricts access to firearm for those who pose a danger to themselves or others. Sherrif Marceno said that he is certain that police intervention prevented another deadly school shooting from taking place. Pictured: Weapons investigators allegedly found at the students' homes Pictured: Knives allegedly found by police during a search at the two eighth-grader's homes Pictured: Guns allegedly found at the students' homes. Sherrif Marceno said legal investigators will be looking into a risk protection order, which restricts access to firearm for those who pose a danger to themselves or others At the news conference on Thurday, Superintendent Dr. Ken Savage thanked Sherrif Marceno and his team for their 'quick response and actions to protect our students and staff.' 'As soon as students reported the potential threat, the teacher notified administrators, who immediately brought in the school resource officer,' he said. 'Together they emptied the classroom and investigated. Students were safe at all times.' He continued: 'I commend the students who came forward to report the potential threat and the quick action by our staff and SROs to prevent harm to our campus.' Advertisement Can YOU work out what the instructions mean? Passports are accepted only: 1. Locate the plastic photograph page, keeping it with accompanying COVER. 2. Hold THE PASSPORT, THE ABOVE PART first, into the scanner machine, all the way in. 3 If wished to amplify the microchip ''play the piano'' on the cover, keeping in. If technique of by-hand presentation is at fault, two extra attempts to scan are given. Advertisement Queuing chaos at Heathrow continued for a twelfth day today - as an image emerged of a bizarre sign instructing passengers to 'play the piano' as part of an incomprehensible step-by-step guide to using e-gates. Travellers shared wearily-familiar pictures of snaking lines of passengers at immigration this morning, with the airport blaming the delays on Border Force carrying out 'additional spot checks' on Covid documents. MPs and travel industry leaders have called on Priti Patel, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Border Force chief Paul Lincoln to take urgent action to fix the embarrassing scenes, but the Home Office has continued to insist people must be prepared to wait. Holidaymakers hoping officials are getting a handle on the crisis will not be reassured by a surreal sign that was spotted at Heathrow this morning. Passenger Sophie Tholstrup tweeted: 'English is my first (and - if Im totally honest - only) language and I do not understand one single word of these instructions for Heathrows automatic passport control. Good luck, weary visitors! #playthepiano.' The sign began by stating 'passports are accepted only' and then went into a numbered list of instructions. '1. Locate the plastic photograph page, keeping it with accompanying COVER. '2. Hold THE PASSPORT, THE ABOVE PART first, into the scanner machine, all the way in. '3 If wished to amplify the microchip ''play the piano'' on the cover, keeping in.' The sign ended with the puzzling instruction: 'If technique of by-hand presentation is at fault, two extra attempts to scan are given.' Holidaymakers hoping officials are getting a handle on the crisis will not be reassured by a surreal sign that was spotted at Heathrow this morning Travellers shared wearily-familiar pictures of snaking lines of passengers at immigration this morning, with the airport blaming the delays on Border Force carrying out 'additional spot checks' on Covid documents Heathrow's queuing chaos is now into its 12th day. This graphic shows images of the queues from each of the days mentioned Travel industry figures have warned the scenes of snaking queues are blighting the UK's global reputation while running the risk of a spike in Covid cases - further jeopardising the already crisis-hit tourism sector and stifling business with post-Brexit Britain. It came as Transport Secretary Grant Shapps appeared to confirm that the traffic light system for travel could be scrapped or at least simplified. He also suggested that ministers will look to reduce the number of tests double-jabbed travellers must take when travelling abroad. It comes amid fresh calls for the government to allow double-vaccinated people to travel without having to undergo tests. Former transport secretary Lord McLoughlin told the Telegraph: 'I'd like to know why they don't think it is a runner when there is going to be a vaccine passport system in the UK later on this year.' Traffic light system could be scrapped: Government 'is set to end green and amber lists and focus instead on whether holidaymakers are double-jabbed' The government could scrap the traffic light system and replace it with a simplified approach that focuses on whether travellers are double jabbed in a bid to encourage more people to get vaccinated. Ranking countries green or amber could end, although the red category is expected to stay for high-risk destinations for which 11 days of hotel quarantine is required. Rules for fully vaccinated holidaymakers, who do not have to self-isolate after returning from green or amber countries, would likely remain the same. Currently, they have to take two tests - one within 72 hours of travelling back to the UK and a second within two days of arriving home. The latter must be a PCR. Non-vaccinated people currently enjoy the same rules as the double-jabbed when returning from green countries, but have to self-isolate at home for up to 10 days after coming back from amber destinations. The quarantine or testing requirements non-vaccinated people will have to undergo under the new system are still unclear, but they are likely to be stricter than what they currently faced. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps appeared to confirm the reports as he also suggested that ministers will look to reduce the number of tests double-jabbed travellers must take when travelling abroad. Advertisement Meanwhile, a probe has found UK airlines gave holidaymakers wrong and contradictory advice about Covid travel testing rules. In some cases it would have meant travellers being denied boarding, leaving them out of pocket for the entire cost of their flight or holiday. In seven of 15 telephone calls that consumer champion Which? made to agents for British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and Tui they were given confusing or incorrect information. If a traveller does not meet the entry requirements and cannot board their flight, they have no recourse to a refund. The UK and devolved Governments set the rules on testing for people's return to the UK, and foreign governments in other countries determine the rules for UK passengers' arrivals. However, when Which? contacted a number of major UK airports, all confirmed that it is up to airlines' ground staff to enforce these rules and decide if someone should be allowed on a flight. All the airlines Which? contacted outlined that it is a passenger's responsibility to ensure they meet the requirements for boarding, and that if they do not, they can be turned away from their flight with no recourse to a refund. Posing as passengers, Which? phoned the customer service lines for BA, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and Tui three times each and asked the same four questions about testing requirements when flying to mainland Portugal. At the time of the research, passengers travelling to mainland Portugal were required to take a test, regardless of previous infection or vaccination status. Only PCR tests - not lateral flow tests - were accepted for entry to Portugal, and only children up to the age of two were exempt. The consumer watchdog's mystery shoppers were given incorrect or contradictory information in seven of the 15 calls. In four of the calls - two to BA and two to Tui - agents provided information that would have seen passengers turned away from their flight. Only two agents - one from Jet2 and one from Tui - were able to answer all the questions correctly. Two Tui reps and one BA rep told the undercover researchers that vaccinated travellers did not need to take a test prior to their flight, with one of the Tui agents adding that children under 12 were exempt. Another BA rep said children under four were exempt from tests. These answers were incorrect at the time of calling, and customers taking the advice would have been denied boarding, leaving them out of pocket for the entire cost of their flight or holiday. One mystery shopper was also told by a BA rep that they did not need to take any documentation on holiday as long as they uploaded their test data to BA in advance. Twitter user Andrew Cooper took this photo late this morning at Heathrow Terminal 5, which has seen issues for weeks The advice may have been sufficient to board the flight, but it is unlikely to have allowed the passenger entry into their destination country. Just two airline reps - for Jet2 and Tui - answered all of the questions with the correct information. Six of the agents Which? spoke to - two BA reps, two easyJet reps, one Jet2 rep and one Ryanair rep - said they had never heard of lateral flow tests, despite these having been a common travel requirement for some time and of the same type distributed by the NHS for rapid coronavirus testing at home. 'He needs to explain what's going on': Border Force chief on 140,000-a-year was made an OBE amid Heathrow chaos Paul Lincoln: Director General, Border Force Paul Lincoln Mr Lincoln has had a long career in the civil service, which included serving in the Ministry of Defence and Cabinet Office. Immediately prior to this appointment, he was Director General of the Crime, Policing and Fire Group (CPFG), which included overseeing reforms to the police and fire services, according to his official biography. Before that, he was Acting Director General of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT) in the Home Office, covering terrorism and organised crime. Mr Lincoln has been the Home Office's Gender Equality Champion, and in 2020 spoke about how the civil service could use data to ensure diversity targets were being met. Home Office accounts for the financial year 2020-21 reveal he had his salary bumped up from 130,000-135,000 to between 135,000 and 140,000. In May, quizzed about long queues at Heathrow, he said new Covid health checks at the border meant it took five to ten minutes to process every passenger. In June, he was made an OBE for services to border security in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. In July, it was announced he will leave his role as director general and be replaced by Tony Eastaugh, a former national counter-terror gold commander. Advertisement When the undercover researchers managed to speak to reps for Ryanair, they were told variously to 'Ask the country', 'Check the Government website', 'Call the embassy' or 'Visit Ryanair's website'. Every easyJet agent Which? contacted recommended that customers call airports for information, and incorrectly claimed that airport staff - not easyJet ground staff - check passengers' Covid documents. Another easyJet agent gave one of the mystery shoppers a number they claimed was a Covid-19 advice line, but that actually turned out to be HM Revenue & Customs' coronavirus helpline for businesses and the self-employed. Which? said it strongly advises travellers against contacting their airline for Covid-19 travel advice, and to instead consult the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) website, which is the best source of information on testing requirements and travel rules. Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said: "When airlines are responsible for deciding whether a passenger can board their flight or not, it's essential that their staff have a thorough and accurate understanding of the rules. Otherwise, passengers could be left out of pocket for the entire cost of their flight or holiday if they follow the wrong advice. "The most reliable place to look for information on testing requirements for travel to your destination is the FCDO's website - here you'll find the most up-to-date information regarding entry requirements, traffic light changes, and other critical information before you travel." A British Airways spokesman said: "Our colleagues are trained to advise our customers that they are required to check they meet the entry and testing requirements of the country they're visiting. We also provide information in emails and on ba.com. "While we don't believe the issues raised in Which?'s three calls are representative of the hundreds of thousands we handle, we've reminded colleagues to keep referring customers to gov.uk to avoid unintentional confusion." An easyJet spokeswoman said: "We continually review the information we equip our agents with and provide them with ongoing and extensive training, and so we continue with this to ensure that agents are providing accurate and consistent advice to customers. "However, we always remind customers that ultimately it is their responsibility to ensure they meet entry requirements and will continue to advise customers to check the local government requirements prior to departure." A Jet2 spokeswoman said: "Our contact centre teams are dealing with an unprecedented number of inquiries, whilst at the same time dealing with ever-changing travel advice from the UK Government, which often comes with little or no notice. "We would like to thank Which? for bringing this to our attention. Although we provide consistent messaging for our teams to use, alongside regular training, we will take steps to address this feedback." A Ryanair spokesman said: "This is more fake news from Which? All Covid-19 travel requirements are fully set out on Ryanair's website, and are emailed to all passengers 24 hours prior to travel. We do not expect our call centre agents to be experts on the multiple Covid travel restrictions, which apply across 40 different countries." Tui said: "This research highlights the complexity of frequently changing entry and testing requirements. "We always strive to provide the best service possible for our customers, and our agents are trained and updated with new information on an ongoing basis. "Extra training to support fight-only queries is being provided, and, to help customers further, detailed and current entry requirement information is available on our dedicated Covid hub." Advertisement Professor Chris Whitty is expected to approve vaccines for 12 to 15-year-olds early next week. It is set to be one dose. Chris Whitty is set to clear the way for 12 to 15 year olds to routinely be given Covid vaccines but they may only get one dose, it was claimed today. England's chief medical officer, who was asked by No10 to make the final decision on jabbing youngsters, is next week expected to sign off on expanding the roll-out to include all over-12s. It could see secondary school children given jabs from the week commencing September 20. Advisers told him that the jabs could boost the mental health of youngsters and stop them taking time off school, The Times claims. The Government's own vaccine advisory panel, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), last week ruled that the benefits of vaccines were only 'marginally greater' than the known risks. Both Pfizer and Moderna's jabs have been linked to a rare heart complication called myocarditis in young adults and children. Following the JCVI ruling, ministers asked Professor Whitty and the UK's other chief medical officers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to carry out a wider review to weigh up the societal benefits of inoculating children, to see whether this would tip the balance clearly in favour of jabbing the group. The full details of this review are yet to be published although they are set to be formally announced next week when the chief medical officers present their decision on vaccinating children. SAGE members have suggested giving the youngest children just one dose of the jab because it offers 'high levels of protection' and carries less risk of myocarditis, inflammation of the heart heavily linked to the second vaccine. One expert on the panel told the i newspaper: 'With both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines offering high levels of protection after just one dose this is one course of action being considered.' Concerns over vaccinating children have centered around the complication, which appears to be mild but can strike up to one in 15,000 teenage boys after their second dose. A University of California study yesterday revealed boys are six times more likely to suffer the side effect after two doses of the vaccine than be hospitalised if they catch the virus. But they found their risk of experiencing the rare side effect after one dose was so low that it made hospitalisation with the disease more than twice as likely. British teenagers aged 16 and 17 have been able to get one dose of the Covid vaccine since last month, when the JCVI approved the expansion of the roll-out. Scientists are still yet to decide whether they should also be offered a second dose of the jab because of the myocarditis risk. Parents will also be asked for consent to inoculate their children once the jabs receive the green light, with forms set to be posted within days of the announcement. An American study today suggested that teenage boys are six times more likely to get inflammation of the heart, or myocarditis, after their second dose of the Covid vaccine than be hospitalised if they catch the virus. It found that the rate was 162 per million after a second dose for boys aged 12 to 15 (blue bars), whereas the hospitalisation rate was 26.7 per million (green bar). But, they also found that after just one dose the risk of inflammation of the heart in boys was 12 per million (dark blue bar). SAGE scientists suggested today that officials are considering offering just one dose of the Covid vaccine to children in the age group should the plans get the green light Around one in 14,500 12- to 17-year-olds given two doses of Pfizer's or Moderna's mRNA-based vaccines are thought to develop the rare heart condition myocarditis, according to data from the Centers for Disease Protection and Control (CDC) published last month. However, the proportion of children who are saved from being hospitalised after both doses is higher in all age groups Researchers in Israel spotted 2.7 extra cases of myocarditis per 100,000 people who were injected with the Pfizer vaccine, but this shot up to 11 additional cases for every 100,000 individuals who caught Covid. Their study was published in August Ministers have made no secret of the fact they are keen to inoculate the age group, although they have been kept at arms length from the chief medical officers discussions. But leading scientists are divided over the issue with some pointing out that children face a vanishingly low risk of hospitalisation and death from the virus. They say the vaccines would be better used protecting vulnerable people in poorer countries. SAGE member Professor John Edmunds has said it is already too late to inoculate the age group, and that they should have been jabbed during the holidays before they returned to school. Teenage boys are SIX TIMES more likely to get rare side effect than be hospitalised with Covid Teenage boys are six times more likely to get a rare side effect from the Covid vaccine than be hospitalised with the disease, according to a study. California University researchers found that boys aged 12 to 15 who got two doses of the vaccine had a rate of inflammation of the heart, or myocarditis, of 162.2 cases per million people. For comparison, their rate of hospitalisation with the disease was 26.7 per million. But the researchers also found that the rate of hospitalisation among those who got just one dose was 13 per million, below the admissions rate. Professor Chris Whitty and the chief medical officers from the devolved nations are currently weighing up whether to inoculate 12 to 15-year-olds in Britain. They are expected to give the plans the green light early next week, but some SAGE experts say it is likely children will only be offered one dose. When the drive was expanded to 16 and 17-year-olds, they were only offered one dose of the vaccine. An unnamed SAGE scientist told the i newspaper: 'With both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines offering high levels of protection after just one dose this is one course of action being considered.' The study looked at reports of adverse cardiac events in the US among 12 to 17-year-olds between January and mid-June this year. Children in the country have been able to get two doses of the jab since May, with 177million having already received both jabs. Adverse cardiac events were defined as cases of myocarditis, pericarditis and chest pain, the technical names for inflammation of the heart. They found 257 adverse cardiac events after vaccination of which the vast majority (220) were recorded after a second dose was administered. There were only 25 adverse cardiac events among girls, and none were recorded after the first dose. This gave them a rate of 13.0 myocarditis cases per million after the second dose. The study was published as a pre-print on site medRxiv, meaning it is yet to be peer-reviewed by other scientists. Advertisement Other scientists have argued in favour of the move, however, saying it could help to cut transmission rates across the country and reduce disruption to education. It comes after official figures showed yesterday that Covid cases among 10 to 19-year-olds in England spiked 42 per cent last week after schools returned from the summer holidays. Professor Whitty and the three other chief medical officers reached the conclusion that children should be offered the vaccine following discussions with senior doctors and experts, reports The Times. They were said to have been swung in favour by concerns over children losing more time at school, and the desire to help them avoid worrying about the virus and learn to get on with their peers. But sources close to Professor Whitty have stressed he is still holding discussions on the topic and is yet to finalise the recommendations. Consent forms will be sent to parents as soon as the jabs get the green light, sources say. Ministers have suggested teenagers deemed competent to consent to the vaccine will be able to overrule their parents. Chief medical officers are looking to dish out just one dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines for the age groups, reports the i newspaper, after studies showed this provided a high level of protection. One anonymous member of SAGE said: 'The data shows that while the risks are incredibly low, side effects like myocarditis and pericarditis [heart inflammation] occur after a second vaccination. 'It should also be remembered that there is no evidence that a child has died from either, and the very few that do suffer side effects appear to fully recover quickly.' It comes after a study found teenage boys were six times more likely to get a rare side effect from the Covid vaccine than be hospitalised with the disease, according to a study. California University researchers found that boys aged 12 to 15 who got two doses of the vaccine had a rate of inflammation of the heart, or myocarditis, of 162.2 cases per million people. For comparison, their rate of hospitalisation with the disease was 26.7 per million. But the researchers also found that the rate of hospitalisation among those who got just one dose was 13 per million, below the admissions rate. Among girls in the age group the rate of myocarditis was 13 per million after two doses of the vaccine. The study, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, looked at 257 cases of myocarditis detected in the age group from January to mid-June in the US. Children in the country have been offered two doses of the jabs since May, and more than 170million had been inoculated with both doses by the start of September. Myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, is a very rare side effect and normally clears up on its own without there being any adverse effects. Children have only a small risk of becoming seriously ill with Covid and a vanishingly small chance of dying. In Britain, there have been just 48 Covid deaths among under-19s since the pandemic began. The JCVI said youngsters under 16 with severe conditions such as Down's syndrome and on immunosuppression medications have a one in 10,000 chance of falling seriously ill with Covid compared to the one in 500,000 risk for healthy children. Figures from Public Health England show cases in children aged 10 to 19 spiked by 42 per cent in a week from 478.3 per 100,000 to 681.4 in the week ending September 5. This was nearly six times higher than the 114 cases per 100,000 in over-80s down 1.2 per cent from the week before and 145.8 in 70- to 79-year-olds which remained flat Britain's booster vaccine drive will get the go ahead next week, reports suggest Britain's booster Covid vaccine drive is set to finally get the go ahead next week when No10's advisory panel signs off on a 'mix and match' approach to top-up doses, it was claimed today. Millions of elderly Britons are expected to receive a top-up jab this autumn after data showed a third dose cause a 'several-fold increase' in antibodies, which help fight off the coronavirus. And Government insiders say the third dose people receive will likely be of a different type to their first two doses because the combination will offer better protection. But one of the leading figures in the development of the AstraZeneca jab today said a mass coronavirus vaccine booster campaign like that of Israel and the US may not be necessary. Dame Sarah Gilbert said immunity is 'lasting well' for most people and suggested extra doses should be directed to countries with a low rate of vaccination. She told The Daily Telegraph: 'We will look at each situation; the immuno-compromised and elderly will receive boosters. But I dont think we need to boost everybody.' Health Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday said he expects a booster programme to start later in September but he is still awaiting advice from experts on the scale of any campaign to offer extra shots to people. Advertisement There have been only 195 cases recorded in the UK to date, out of more than 30million Pfizer doses dished out. But Britain has lagged behind on inoculating children compared to the rest of the world. It comes amid reports that Britain's vaccine booster programme will get the go ahead next week as No10's advisory panel signs off on the top-up doses. Millions of elderly Britons are expected to receive a top-up jab this autumn after data showed a third dose causes a 'several-fold increase' in antibodies, which help fight off the virus. And Government insiders say people getting a third dose will likely receive a different vaccine from their first jab because the combination will offer better protection. But one of the leading figures in the development of the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine said today that a mass booster campaign like that in Israel and the US may not be necessary. Dame Sarah Gilbert said immunity is 'lasting well' for most people and suggested extra doses should be directed at countries with low vaccination rates. She told the Daily Telegraph: 'We will look at each situation; the immunocompromise and elderly will receive boosters. But I don't think we need to boost everybody.' Britain edged closer to the booster programme yesterday after the medical regulator approved the AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs being used as a third dose. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said that the two vaccine brands were 'safe and effective' when administered months after the initial two injections. Moderna's vaccine, the third jab being used as part of Britain's standard two-dose rollout, has not been approved as a booster, but only because not enough studies have looked at giving the jab as a third dose to healthy people. The development paved the way for the Government's vaccine advisory panel which is separate from the MHRA to decide who should get boosters. Professor Adam Finn, an expert in child health and JCVI member, gave the biggest hint yet that only immunocompromised and elderly individuals would be given booster shots yesterday. During a round of interviews just hours before the meeting began, he said it was 'not clear' that the UK is seeing waning protection from the vaccines. He conceded that the jabs may have lost some of their potency in protecting against infections, but insisted they were doing their main job in keeping people out of hospitals. Former president Donald Trump has claimed Democrats will 'probably rig' Californias upcoming Governor recall election while he again hinted strongly he is about to run for the White House again. Election officials in California will start tallying ballots next Tuesday for the recall election of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. Theyre sending out these mail-in ballots, Trump told Newsmax. I guess you even have a case where you can make your own ballot. 'When that happens, nobody is going to win except these democrats. The one thing theyre good at is rigging elections, so I predict its a rigged election. The 45th presidents comments appeared to follow his rhetoric against the legitimacy of ballots cast by mail. He has claimed that mail-in ballots cost him the presidency during last years election, which he lost to President Joe Biden. But he's not dismissing reports his own name could soon reappear on a ballot. Trump has not yet announced whether he plans to make another bid at the White House during the 2024 election. However, he did say people would be very happy with his choice. I love our country, Trump said during a recent appearance on Fox News late night talk show Gutfeld! Ill make a decision in a not-too-different future. I love our country, and I think a lot of people are going to be very happy and if you look at the poll numbers, I certainly like that. We have a 98 percent approval rating, and that makes me feel good. It makes me feel appreciated. There is no known evidence to back Trumps allegations that the vote-by-mail method leads to widespread fraud, nor is it clear what he meant in saying Californians can create their own ballots. Vendors who print ballots for California elections must be certified by the Secretary of State (SOS), and vote-by-mail ballots have specific paper types and watermarks, according to the SOSs website. Each vote-by-mail ballot return envelope has a unique bar code that elections officials scan. Ballots cannot be returned in a different envelope. Election officials says absentee ballots are created on specific paper, and have watermarks Elections officials examine each vote that is cast to ensure the voter has not turned in a vote elsewhere, and a voters signature is compared with the one on their registration card. All California registered voters were sent a ballot in the mail, and can submit votes by post or a drop-box location. The state said it mailed out this years ballots as a safety precaution during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Next weeks election is expected to hinge on whether Republican candidate Larry Elder can rally enough support to unseat Newsom. Next week's California recall election is likely to come down to two candidates: Republican talk show host and lawyer Larry Elder (left) and Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom (right) The governor has drawn criticism from some constituents over his pandemic leadership, namely government-imposed restrictions and lockdowns. Some Californians called Newsom out after he was caught socializing at a high-end Napa Valley restaurant when most other Californians were ordered to wear masks and stay home. Larry Elder, a lawyer and popular syndicated talk show host, is his leading opponent in a race with 46 candidates. The recall candidate, and vocal Trump supporter, has also hinted at unfair election practices. What I believe is that no matter what they do - and I believe that there might very well be shenanigans, as it were in the 2020 election - no matter what they do, so many Californians are angry about what's going on, Elder said. Vote-by-mail is popular in California, which has been issuing absentee ballots for decades Fox News personality and ardent Trump supporter Tomi Lahren told her viewers that the California election could be a sham. The only thing that will save Gavin Newsom is voter fraud, Lahren said. So, as they say, stay woke, pay attention to the voter fraud going on in California, because its going to have big consequences not only for that state, but for upcoming elections. California has been sending absentee ballots for decades without any major issues. For the past eight state elections, the majority of votes were cast by mail. Chief of Staff Ronald Klain retweeted a post saying President Biden's new vaccine mandate is the 'ultimate work-around' White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain is facing furious criticism for retweeting a post saying President Biden's sweeping new vaccine mandates are the 'ultimate work-around', amid questions over their legality and whether they violate the constitution. Senator Ted Cruz slammed Klain after he shared MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle's post saying: 'OSHA doing this vaxx [sic] mandate as an emergency workplace safety rule is the ultimate work-around for the Federal govt [sic] to require vaccinations.' 'Important,' Cruz tweeted. 'Foolish RT from WH chief of staff. He said the quiet part out loud. Biden admin knows it's likely illegal (like the eviction moratorium) but they don't care.' This added to a furious backlash from Republicans across the country to Biden's sweeping new mandates on two-thirds of Americans that they believe are 'coercive' and 'unconstitutional'. On Thursday, the president announced that all federal workers would have to be vaccinated and companies with 100 or more employees would have to require staff to get the shot or get tested. He is enforcing the new rules on private companies by using an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) emergency order that usually deals with employees who are exposed to asbestos or faulty pipes. Cruz added: 'Joe Bidens COVID vaccine mandate completely ignores the science and is an attack on Americans right to privacy. The feds have NO AUTHORITY to force employers make their employees get vaccinated.' GOP governors and lawmakers have warned they will battle the Biden administration's new rules and are already preparing legal challenges. 'Forcing this and coercing people, I don't think is the right decision. I'd imagine that you're gonna see a lot of activity in the courts if they try to do that through an executive action,' Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said during a press conference Thursday. The Republican National Committee says that it intends to sue to block Biden's order from taking effect, and several House Republicans plan to introduce legislation to negate the order. 'Joe Biden told Americans when he was elected that he would not impose vaccine mandates. He lied,' said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who added that she was 'pro-vaccine and anti-mandate'. 'Many small businesses and workers do not have the money or legal resources to fight Biden's unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees, but when his decree goes into effect, the RNC will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties,' said McDaniel. Klain retweeted MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle Thursday after Biden made the announcement 'Biden admin knows it's likely illegal (like the eviction moratorium) but they don't care,' Cruz wrote Other Republican governors are also mounting a defense against Biden's aggressive new order and vowing to fight it through state laws and lawsuits. Biden declares war on the 80M unvaccinated Americans President Joe Biden on Thursday declared war on the 80 million Americans who have yet to get a COVD vaccine and asked them 'what more is there to wait for' as he announced mandates covering two thirds of all workers. 'This is not about freedom or personal choice. It's about protecting yourself and those around you, the people you work with, the people you care about, the people you love. My job as president is to protect all Americans,' he said in remarks in the State Dining Room at the White House. 'We've been patient but our patience is wearing thin. And your refusal has cost all of us. So please do the right thing,' he said. Biden charged the unvaccinated with 'overcrowding our hospitals and overrunning emergency rooms intensive care units, leaving no room for someone with a heart attack or pancreatic cancer.' The president decried the 'pandemic politics' that he said was behind those who had not yet gotten a shot in the arm, calling out public officials who were 'actively working to undermine the fight against COVID-19.' 'These pandemic politics, as I refer to, are making people sick, causing unvaccinated people to die. We cannot allow these actions to stand in the way of protecting the large majority of Americans who have done their part and want to get back to life as normal,' he said. He charged those who were fighting against COVID-19 mitigation procedures with helping increase the death rate. He didn't mention any specific official by name by his administration has publicly clashed with the Republican governors of Florida and Texas, Rick DeSantis and Greg Abbott. 'There are elected officials actively working to undermine the fight against COVID-19,' Biden said. 'Instead of encouraging people to get vaccinated and mask up, they're ordering mobile morgues for the unvaccinated dying from COVID in their communities. This is totally unacceptable.' He ended his nearly 30 minute speech with a whispered plea: 'Get vaccinated.' 'My message to unvaccinated Americans is this - what more is there to wait for?,' Biden said. 'What more to you need to see? We've made vaccinations free, safe, and convenient. The vaccine has FDA approval. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot.' Advertisement Arizona, Montana, Indiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Georgia and South Carolina were all among the Republican-led states that threatened legal action. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem threatened legal action against the Biden administration on Twitter, telling Biden: 'See you in court.' She was joined by fellow Republican Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who wrote 'I will pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach by the Biden administration' on Twitter Thursday evening. Biden on Thursday announced an aggressive new plan to get 100 million employees across the federal government and private sector vaccinated against COVID as the case rate continues to rise due to the Delta variant. To reach his goal, Biden will use the sweeping power of the federal government, ordering companies to vaccinate workers or face fines of up to thousands of dollars. If the administration hits its 100 million mark that means two-thirds of the country's workforce would be vaccinated. The Labor Department issued an emergency, temporary order to require all businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure every worker is either fully vaccinated or gets tested at least once a week. The order covers over 80 million employees and it will require employers with 100 or more employees to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated. Any business that violates the new rule will face substantial fines, up to $14,000. He also required all workers in healthcare settings that receive Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement to get vaccinated, which will apply to 17 million healthcare workers. That is in addition to his executive order requiring all federal workers and contractors to get vaccinated. A senior administration official described it as an 'aggressive, comprehensive' plan to fight COVID as part of their mission to 'vaccinate the unvaccinated.' The official estimated nearly 80 million Americans are eligible to receive a shot but have not. Additionally, the roughly 300,000 educators in headstart programs will be required to be vaccinated. 'It's simple - if you want to work for the federal government, you must be vaccinated. If you want to do business with the government, you must vaccinate your workforce,' the senior administration official said on a briefing call with reporters previewing the president's remarks. Additionally the TSA is doubling fines for people who refuse to mask on planes. The new range of penalties, which take effect Friday, September 10, 2021, will be $500-$1000 for first offenders and $1000-$3000 for second offenders, the Department of Homeland Security announced. Biden also called on governors to require vaccinations for all school teachers and staff. To reach his goal, Biden will use the sweeping power of the federal government, ordering companies to vaccinate workers or face fines of up to thousands of dollars Biden's vaccine mandate 'work-around': How president is using emergency orders designed for asbestos in the workplace to force companies to give their staff shots President Joe Biden announced his unprecedented COVID vaccine order on Thursday, and within moments it brought an onslaught of legal threats and accusations of executive overreach. As part of the White House's aggressive new approach to fighting the pandemic, the president directed the Labor Department's regulatory agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to mandate all businesses with at least 100 employees either require all of them to be vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID testing. The agency has the authority to issue an 'emergency temporary standard' (ETS) if it can prove workers are exposed to a grave danger and the rule is deemed necessary to address it. They are expected to issue it 'in the coming weeks,' the White House said. More than 80 million workers will be affected. A Congressional report updated in July notes how rarely emergency standards are used. Before the COVID pandemic the last OSHA ETS was struck down in 1983, when a federal court said the agency failed to support its claim that asbestos exposure in the workplace needed to be further reduced due to a significant adverse impact on employees' health. The Labor Department regulatory agency has the authority to issue an 'emergency temporary standard' if it can prove workers are exposed to a grave danger and the rule is deemed necessary to address it OSHA issued an ETS in June to protect health care workers from COVID by mandating workplaces like hospitals and nursing homes to draft a plan on keeping employees safe, improving ventilation, supply adequate PPE and implement social distancing measures or build barriers where that's not possible. It also requires relevant companies to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated or paid leave in the event they test positive. And while the idea might be 'well-intentioned,' a Friday morning op-ed claims, Biden also risks 'shredding the social fabric' of an already divided country by stretching the bounds of constitutionality. 'The president should not and likely does not have the power to unilaterally compel millions of private sector workers to get vaccinated or risk losing their jobs,' Republican commentator Robby Soave wrote in the New York Times. Businesses that don't comply will face fines of up to $14,000. Soave argues it's 'fundamentally undemocratic' for a president to enable a federal agency to direct and oversee a new law - labeling OSHA an 'unaccountable bureaucratic agency.' Among the parties challenging the strict measure in court are the Republican National Committee, as well as the governors of at least nine states. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who's resisted implementing a mask mandate even when its COVID hospitalizations and deaths were among the highest in the country, promised to see Biden 'in court.' Georgia's Gov. Brian Kemp vowed to 'pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach.' But in states like Montana, Texas and Florida, which all said they intend to sue, OSHA's ETS rules predate similar existing state guidelines - which would make a legal case more of an uphill battle than states that created their own OSHA-approved regulatory bodies after the fact. According to a political expert at Cedarville University, it'll be up for the court to decide whether Biden's interpretation of the OSHA statute in question is correct and if it's feasible for employers to enforce. If not, he could be violating his executive powers under the Constitution. What is OSHA? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created by President Richard Nixon under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. OSHA has jurisdiction over most private and public workplaces across the country, but some states have their own OSHA-approved regulatory agencies. The agency regulates health and safety standards in the workplace. To enforce that it's able to conduct unannounced inspections ensuring those standards are met. Since it was created workplace deaths fell dramatically by nearly 63 percent, according to OSHA. An estimated 14,000 workers - or 38 per day - were killed on the job in 1970. But 2018 the number fell to 5,250, despite a doubling of the total US workforce. OSHA's process for enacting new workplace standards includes consulting a number of relevant advisory committees linked to the Labor and Heath and Human Services Departments, as well as consulting business owners and allowing a window for public input, at least 30 days but 'usually 60 days or more.' Businesses in states with their own OSHA-approved agencies can ask for a 'variance' in the rule if they can't comply by the effective date. If the state is under federal OSHA jurisdiction then the agency will have to work with the state to determine if the exception can be granted What is an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS)? An ETS allows OSHA to bypass the consultation process and public input window if it determines 'workers are in grave danger due to exposure to toxic substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or to new hazards and that an emergency standard is needed to protect them.' Emergency standards can take effect immediately but only stay in effect until replaced by a permanent standard. That proposed permanent standard must go through the regular bureaucratic channels and be decided upon within six months. During that time the temporary rule can be challenged in an appropriate federal court. OSHA can issue 'temporary variance' rules to employers who prove they can't comply with a regulation in time, but they have to demonstrate they are taking all the necessary and possible steps to protect workers, and show a roadmap toward compliance. Advertisement 'This will never stand up in court,' Ducey tweeted Republican members of Congress and state governors promised to challenge the mandate. Biden DOUBLES the fines TSA agents can hand out to unmasked passengers Biden tore into unruly passengers who have defied federal mask mandates during air travel following a string of reports of confrontations between passengers and flight attendants. 'Show some respect!' he told rule-breakers in a speech from the White House. 'Tonight, I'm announcing that the Transportation Safety Administration, TSA, will double the fines on travelers that refuse to mask. If you break the rules, be prepared to pay,' he intoned. 'And by the way, show some respect. Anger you see on television toward flight attendants and others doing their job is wrong, it's ugly,' he added. The new range of penalties, which take effect Friday, September 10, 2021, will be $500-$1000 for first offenders. The amounts escalate to $1000-$3000 for second offenders, the Department of Homeland Security announced. 'Wearing a mask protects the traveling public and all of the personnel who make the travel experience safe, secure, and comfortable,' said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in a statement announcing the stepped up fines. 'We will continue to enforce the mask mandate as long as necessary to protect public health and safety,' he added. Advertisement Biden was praised by supporters for striking a more urgent tone. These supporters insist that one of the key reasons cases are spiking in the U.S. is due to the 80 million who have refused the jab. Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey vowed fight back. 'This is exactly the kind of big government overreach we have tried so hard to prevent in Arizona now the Biden-Harris administration is hammering down on private businesses and individual freedoms in an unprecedented and dangerous way,' Ducey wrote. 'This will never stand up in court.' In Florida, Republican Gov. Rick DeSantis has threatened to with hold funding from school districts that require face masks. To counter moves like that, the Department of Education will make additional funding available to help local school districts backfill salaries and other areas where it has been with held. Biden also addressed booster shots in his remarks, leaving the details of timing to the FDA and CDC but noting preparations are underway to get another round of shots in arms. He also ramped up testing by using the Defense Production Act to accelerate the production of rapid tests, including at home test, and purchase $2 billion worth of rapid tests e and over the counter at home COVID tests for a total of 280 million tests. 'The president's plan, as you can see, it's comprehensive, it's aggressive, and will ensure that we make more progress in our fight against the virus to save even more lives in the months ahead, while also keeping schools open and protecting our economy from lockdowns,' the official said. As part of the sweeping mandates, Biden will require all of the roughly 2.1 million federal workers to be vaccinated as part of a series of new mandates. There will be limited exceptions but any federal employee who refuses the shot can be fired, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. Federal employees and contractors will have 75 days to get vaccinated. The executive order will not include an option of being regularly tested to opt out of the vaccine requirement. The orders will apply to workers in the executive branch but not the congressional or judicial. Biden breaks his promise not to mandate vaccines President Joe Biden has been accused of flip-flopping after retreating from his earlier vows that the federal government would not mandate COVID-19 vaccines. Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new federal vaccine mandates affecting as many as 100 million Americans, sharply denouncing those who have not yet received the shots. The new rules requires workers at companies with more than 100 employees to get vaccinated or tested weekly, and orders federal employees and healthcare workers to get the shots, with no testing alternative. It was a marked change in position for the White House, perhaps reflecting the administration's desperation as the Delta variant fuels a huge surge in infections across the country. In December, Biden said at a press conference in Wilmington, Delaware when asked asked about a federal vaccine mandate: 'I don't think it should be mandatory, I wouldn't demand it to be mandatory, but I would do everything in my power...as president of the United States to convince people to do the right thing.' The White House doubled down on this stance as recently as July, when Press Secretary Jen Psaki said it was 'not the role of the federal government' to require vaccines. 'That is the role that institutions, private-sector entities, and others may take. That certainly is appropriate,' said Psaki. Advertisement 'There will be limited exceptions for legally recognized reasons disability or religious objections,' Psaki said. Anyone who 'fails to comply, they will go through the standard HR process, which includes counseling and face disciplinary action,' she added. She confirmed that action could include termination of employment. 'Hopefully it won't come to that,' she said. She said the administration wanted the federal government to serve as an example for other businesses and organizations when it comes to vaccines. 'Obviously the federal workforce is one of the largest in the country and we would like to be a model to what we think other businesses, organizations should do,' she noted. 'The expectation is that if you want to work with federal government or be a contractor, you need to be vaccinated unless you are eligible for one of the exemptions.' Republican Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia, who has federal workers in his district, said he objected to the forced vaccines. 'Although I have personally been vaccinated and regularly encourage those I represent to get vaccinated as well, I fundamentally disagree with forcibly injecting America's public servants,' he told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'Our government was founded to secure the individual liberties of all. We should instead continue educating the public that the COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective. Resorting to forced vaccinations, and returning to unnecessary restrictions, only serves to eliminate critically important vaccination incentives and undermine public confidence in the vaccines' efficacy,' he added. The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of federal workers, said they would bargain over the order. 'Workers deserve a voice in their working conditions,' the group said in a statement. 'Neither of these positions has changed. We expect to bargain over this change prior to implementation, and we urge everyone who is able to get vaccinated as soon as they can do so.' And the National Federation of Federal Employees, another government workers union, said they didn't receive advance notice of the executive order. Psaki dismissed questions about the unions not being consulted. The Biden White House has bragged about its pro-union stance. At a Labor Day event on Wednesday, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said President Biden told him: 'This is labor's house.' 'We have a range of consultation with labor unions, and that has been the case for several weeks and months as we have worked to implement additional steps,' Psaki said. 'But our objective here is to continue to save lives.' The president is putting more pressure on states, businesses and schools to get people vaccinated as the Delta variant causes the case rate to continue to rise in the United States. But Republican-led states including Texas and Florida have pushed back and are in the process of trying to ban the orders being imposed. Biden ORDERS private companies with over 100 employees to mandate vaccines and strict testing regimes or face $14,000 fines Biden on Thursday announced an aggressive new plan to get 100 million employees across the federal government and private sector vaccinated against COVID as the case rate continues to rise due to the Delta variant. To reach his goal, Biden will use the sweeping power of the federal government, ordering companies to vaccinate workers or face fines of up to thousands of dollars. If the administration hits its 100 million mark that means two-thirds of the country's workforce would be vaccinated. The Labor Department issued an emergency, temporary order to require all businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure every worker is either fully vaccinated or gets tested at least once a week. The order covers over 80 million employees and it will require employers with 100 or more employees to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated. Any business that violates the new rule will face substantial fines, up to $14,000. He also required all workers in healthcare settings that receive Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement to get vaccinated, which will apply to 17 million healthcare workers. That is in addition to his executive order requiring all federal workers and contractors to get vaccinated. A senior administration official described it as an aggressive, comprehensive plan to fight COVID as part of their mission to vaccinate the unvaccinated. The official estimated nearly 80 million Americans are eligible to receive a shot but have not. Additionally, the roughly 300,000 educators in headstart programs will be required to be vaccinated. It's simple - if you want to work for the federal government, you must be vaccinated. If you want to do business with the government, you must vaccinate your workforce, the senior administration official said on a briefing call with reporters previewing the presidents remarks. As part of the sweeping mandates, Biden will require all of the roughly 2.1 million federal workers to be vaccinated as part of a series of new mandates. There will be limited exceptions but any federal employee who refuses the shot can be fired, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. Federal employees and contractors will have 75 days to get vaccinated. The executive order will not include an option of being regularly tested to opt out of the vaccine requirement. The orders will apply to workers in the executive branch but not the congressional or judicial. 'There will be limited exceptions for legally recognized reasons disability or religious objections,' Psaki said. Anyone who 'fails to comply, they will go through the standard HR process, which includes counseling and face disciplinary action,' she added. She confirmed that action could include termination of employment. 'Hopefully it won't come to that,' she said. Advertisement Psaki indicated in interviews on Thursday morning that more mandates were coming. 'What we've seen work over the past couple months are mandates, requirements, making it so workers in the federal government or others have to get vaccinated. We've seen it work and we've seen it become more popular,' Psaki said on MSNBC's Morning Joe. 'He's going to speak directly to vaccinated people and their frustrations and he wants them to hear how we're going to build on what we've done to date to get the virus under control,' she said. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs already mandate vaccines for their employees. The military also has issued a vaccine mandate. There have now been more than 40 million cases of COVID recorded among Americans, which is nearly one-fifth of the global total of cases. President Biden and administration officials have repeatedly emphasized the best way for life to return to normal is for people to get vaccinated. Biden also plans to call for a global summit, to be held during the U.N. General Assembly later this month, to respond to the pandemic and talk about how to get more vaccine supply to the developing world. About 27 per cent of the eligible U.S. population age 12 and older have not received any COVID vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile about 75 per cent of Americans have received at least one shot and 53 per cent are fully vaccinated. In December 2020, after he was elected but before he took office, Biden said he didn't think COVID vaccines were necessary. 'I will do everything in my power as president to encourage people to do the right thing and when they do it, demonstrate that it matters,' he said at the time. Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci said this week Americans are getting infected with COVID at 10 times the rate needed to end the pandemic. 'We're still in pandemic mode, because we have 160,000 new infections a day,' Fauci told Axios. 'That's not even modestly good control.' 'In a country of our size, you can't be hanging around and having 100,000 infections a day,' he continued. 'You've got to get well below 10,000 before you start feeling comfortable.' The vaccination rate among Americans has increased since July, which is when the Delta variant caused case rates to spike, but it remains low in Southern states like Florida and Texas. The Biden administration has already taken steps to try and stop Republican-led states from rolling back COVID mandates. Last month, the Education Department announced civil rights investigations into five states that banned schools from imposing mask mandates, claiming their stance could discriminate against students with disabilities or health problems. Education chiefs in Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah have been told they are under investigation. 'It's simply unacceptable that state leaders are putting politics over the health and education of the students they took an oath to serve,' said Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. 'The department will fight to protect every student's right to access in-person learning safely.' 'My message to unvaccinated Americans is this: what more is there to wait for? What more do you need to see? We have made vaccinations free, safe, & convenient. The vaccine is FDA approved. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot. We have been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and the refusal has cost all of us,' Biden said. A Swedish couple have been banned from naming their son Vladimir Putin by the tax authorities. The new parents submitted their request to name the boy after the Russian president to the tax agency, as is required by Swedish law. Names can be barred if they are offensive or if they could cause 'discomfort for the bearer,' however the agency's reasoning has not been revealed in this case. A Swedish couple have been banned from naming their son Vladimir Putin (pictured Wednesday in the Kremlin) by the tax authorities The parents from Laholm, southern Sweden, have been forced to go back to the drawing board and come up with a different name for the boy, according to public broadcaster SR. The tax agency has previously rejected first names including Allah, Ford, Michael Jackson, Pilzner, Q and Token. In 2007, a couple successfully had a ruling overturned after the tax agency initially rejected the name Metallica for their daughter. James Hetfield of Metallica in concert in Vienna in 2019. In 2007, a Swedish couple successfully had a ruling overturned after the tax agency initially rejected the name Metallica for their daughter. Other parents were able to name their baby boy Google without any issues. In 2019, the most popular names for new baby boys in Sweden were Lucas, followed by Liam and William. For girls, the most popular names were Alice, Olivia and Astrid. Advertisement Have you been caught by a faulty camera? If you've been caught by a faulty speed camera, please email Jacob.Thorburn@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement Motoring experts have said that police failed to set up a faulty Southampton speed camera properly causing it to incorrectly record people speeding and there are at least six other cameras in the UK that could have had the same problem. Industry experts say 'camera calibration issues' from the way the devices are installed is the most likely explanation for the false readings that were recorded by a camera in Southampton that was shown to be wrong. Police have admitted that the camera in Maybray Way wrongly clocked drivers doing up to 50mph when in fact they were doing well below the 30mph limit. But they have today said that the camera is not faulty and blamed the 'nature of the technology' for the false readings - suggesting human error is to blame. One industry insider told MailOnline that they believed the faulty Southampton speed camera's 'depth of perception' could be broken and that 'failsafe' markings on the road that are used to measure a driver's speed were 'clearly not working as they should'. There are at least 13 different types of speed cameras used to enforce speed limits across the UK, but the one causing most chaos with faulty readings and repeated flashes is the Gatsometer T24 model. Other Gatso and SpeedCurb models have also been found to be wrongly flashing motorists. Police forces refuse to reveal the exact types of cameras that are being used in their territories, but it is understood there are approximately 4,000 Home Office approved Gatsometer speed cameras in the UK. And now Mail Online has identified at least six other cameras across the UK that have been shown to have wrongly triggered by drivers obeying the law. Infuriated road users who were caught 'speeding' from Somerset to Cumbria have also contacted MailOnline to reveal their stories of being snapped by 'faulty' speed cameras. Residents have reported rogue devices that 'flash at everything' in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, Saltford in Bath, Anwick in Lincolnshire, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, Colwick in Nottinghamshire and Llangollen in Wales. Those drivers caught by faulty cameras still face the prospect of years of higher insurance costs, according to the AA, with their premiums rising once motorists accept a driving prosecution. 'Faulty' speed cameras across Britain could have cost motorists millions in incorrectly issued fines and penalty notices. Pictured, left: Speed camera on Bristol Road, Burnham-on-Sea. Right: The speed camera on the A153, Main Road, Anwick Motorists complained the speed camera in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester (left) was 'flashing everything that passed it', while others explained they were incorrectly caught by Daleside Road East in Colwick, Nottinghamshire (right) Motorists have previously reported being caught on 'faulty' cameras that 'flash at everything' in Bristol, all the way up to Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria Delivery driver Harley Golder used dashcam footage (above) which showed he was actually driving at 24mph to challenge the Gasto speed camera in Maybray King Way, Southampton which claimed he was travelling at 48mph The minimum fine for exceeding the 30mph limit in that area is 100 and it is understood the camera will have brought in more than 5.1m in revenue from drivers over a three year period The speed cameras caught up in controversy The main types of speed camera used in the UK currently caught up in controversy are the Gatsometer, Truvelo and SpeedCurb cameras. Some motorists have accused them of 'incorrect readings' or flashing even when drivers are within the speed limit. The six cameras with a chequered history and their locations are as follows: Gatsometer 24 camera - Maybray King Way, Southampton Gatso - Bolton Road, Radcliffe, Greater Manchester Gatso - A539 Llangollen Road, Wales SpeedCurb - East Daleside Road, Colwick, Notts SpeedCurb - A5087, Salthouse Road, Barrow-In-Furness, Cumbria SpeedCurb - A4 Saltford, Somerset Truvelo - A153 Main Road, Anwick, Lincolnshire Advertisement Other examples of people fighting back against malfunctioning speed traps include HGV specialist drivers successfully reversing punishments caused by faulty speed cameras. A spokesperson for the Alliance for Drivers said: 'There have been previous cases of the likes of lorry drivers with tachographs that log their speed being able to successfully challenge erroneous camera speed measurements. 'There was also a long battle against the Laser device known as the LTI 20-20 over alleged inaccurate speed measurements, but no driver had sufficient funding to take on the camera manufacturer or the UK courts.' It comes as Britain's 'busiest speed camera' that raked in an estimated 5million in fines was revealed to have been 'incorrectly recording' speeds, as furious motorists slammed the force for keeping the flawed device active. The 30mph Gasto speed camera in Maybray King Way, Southampton, caught 51,049 motorists driving over the limit between 2015 and 2017, triggering more than 320 times a week at its peak. The minimum fine for exceeding the 30mph limit in that area is 100 and it is understood the camera will have brought in more than 5.1m in fines from drivers over a three year period. But Hampshire Police has now admitted the speed-busting camera has been recording 'incorrect readings' for vehicles with a 'high flat rear' - meaning any number of drivers could now be owed refunds. Previously, other local councils across the country have had to reassure drivers they would not be penalised if caught by six rogue cameras that 'flash at everything' that passes. In Nottinghamshire, residents slammed a 'faulty' SpeedCurb camera that would incorrectly flash even if nothing drove past it on the busy Daleside Road in Colwick - prompting Nottinghamshire County Council to explain no-one would be hit with fines, reports NottinghamshireLive. Meanwhile, damning video footage shows a driver in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester driving by a broken 30mph Gatso camera in Bolton Road. Despite his speedometer reading 24mph, a bright light from the speed camera flashes him and every other passing car. Similar situations have been reported on Gasto cameras in Llangollen, Wales, Anwick, Lincs., Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and Saltford in Somerset in the past 12 months - leading to questions over the accuracy of cameras. Hampshire Police has since apologised after mistakenly sending fines out to two motorists who were able to prove they were clearly under the speed limit when caught by the Gasto camera on Maybray King Way. Now in the wake of these revelations, hundreds of people have contacted MailOnline to share their experiences of being erroneously caught by the camera. The rear-facing device, which records motorists' speed after they passed it, remains in place on the dual carriageway, as those caught by the speed-busting camera slam the inaccurate readings. Motorists driving taller vehicles including SUVs, vans, motorhomes, lorries and more have borne the brunt of the false camera activations, MailOnline understands. More than 175,000 people were caught speeding in the UK in the most recently shared figures from the Department for Transport. Damning video footage shows a driver in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester driving by the broken camera in Bolton Road. Despite his speedometer reading 24mph, he was flashed (above) along with every other passing car Map shows the camera on Maybray King Way, Mr Thompson was travelling from west to east when it wrongly recorded him doing 50mph At its peak, the camera in Southampton caught 70 motorists a day between 2015 and 2017 - with revenue in those three years alone estimated to be more than 5m. But Hampshire Police has now warned the device has been activating in error, meaning hundreds of drivers may have faced punishment unnecessarily. Outraged motorists have shared their experiences, with Harley Golder, another delivery driver, being recorded driving at 49mph. That error could have cost him six points on his drivers license as his dashcam correctly showed he was actually driving at 24mph. Mr Golder said the reasons provided by the police were 'ridiculous' as the force claimed it was due to the 'dark colour' of his Land Rover. He wrote on Facebook: 'Recently I've been continuously getting flashed by a speed camera on Maybray King Way (Eastbound) Southampton. 'I received a NIP [Notice of Intended Prosecution] stating that I was caught speeding at 49mph in a 30mph zone (dash cam states I'm doing 24mph). 'Don't be afraid to question speeding tickets. The reason I'm being flashed is due to my type of car a Land Rover Defender and the fact that my vehicle is dark - a ridiculous excuse!' Another delivery driver with 15 years of experience caught going at 48mph on his motorbike. Bruno Aguiar has never had a fine or accident since he started driving more than a decade ago, and was shocked to receive a court summons from Hampshire Police when they claimed he was going almost 20mph over the speed limit. Other motorists have also now come forward to protest their innocence and share their experiences on the dual carriageway. Keith Barnes told MailOnline he was driving a small trailer when he was caught by the faulty camera on the A3024 Maybray dual carriageway. Mr Barnes opted for a 90 driving awareness course in lieu of a fine or points punishment in 2016, and fears he won't get their money back now. Trevor Langford explained that he was caught twice within two hours on the same stretch of road in 2019, paying for one fine and opting for a speed awareness course and points on his license for the other. Marc Miller took to Facebook to explain: 'I was driving a three wheel van and the camera said 70mph - you couldn't get it to do 70mph if you pushed it off a cliff.' Mark Crosby wrote: 'This happened to me, exactly same place said I was doing 88mph in a van going up the hill. 'I was sent the paperwork from the police, a few days later I was sent more paperwork saying the camera had malfunctioned and no further action was to be taken.' Outraged motorists including Mark Crosby (left) have now come forward to share their experiences of the faulty camera, with Marc Miller (right) explaining he was caught 'speeding' at 70mph by the camera Delivery driver Bruno Aguiar (pictured above) has never had a fine or accident since he started driving more than a decade ago, and was shocked to receive a court summons from Hampshire Police when they claimed he was going almost 20mph over the speed limit Police have now warned the device has been activating in error, meaning hundreds of drivers may have faced punishment unnecessarily. Pictured: A Hampshire Police speeding fine sent to Bruno Aguiar Outraged motorists have shared their experiences of being caught by the faulty speed camera online Responding to the news, a drivers' organisation today called on authorities to refund every driver fined as a result of being recorded by the camera. Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: 'With increased commercial tracking and recording of journeys through onboard telematics, including speeds, road enforcement authorities need to make sure their equipment is accurate all the time. 'If not, and more speeding tickets are successfully challenged, there is a danger that the nearly 80 percent public approval of speed cameras will be undermined.' At least two drivers have so far been able to prove they were incorrectly penalised by the faulty camera, with NHS IT worker Nathan Thompson saying he could have lost his job over the matter. NHS IT worker Nathan Thompson said he could have lost his job when the speed camera incorrectly penalised him while driving his Roller Team Auto-Roller 500 motorhome (pictured) Mr Thompson was able to use evidence to prove he was not travelling at 52mph, as suggested by a notice of intended prosecution (above) Mr Thompson was able to use GPS tracking footage (above) to prove he was not speeding and instead was travelling at 24mph when questioned by Hampshire Police Father-of-two Mr Thompson was flashed by the camera as he drove his Roller Team Auto-Roller 500 motorhome at 25mph in August, but was thankfully able to prove the mistake using his dash camera footage. After receiving a letter which said he could be prosecuted for travelling at twice his actual speed - in excess of 50mph - the 37-year-old fought back against the fine and saw it quashed. The 10 UK speed cameras which have caught the most speeders 1. A3024 Maybray King Way, Southampton - 51,049 2. M62 westbound J20 and J19, Greater Manchester - 38,836 3. A282 Dartford-Thurrock crossing, Essex - 38,729 4. A217 Southend arterial road, Essex - 37,950 5. A12 near Stratford St Mary, Suffolk - 36,753 6. North Road, Cardiff, south Wales - 35,884 7. A1 Barrowby Thorns, Lincolnshire - 30,835 8. A45 Ryton Bridge flyover, near Coventry - 27,942 9. M11 near Luxborough Lane Road, Chigwell, Essex - 26,810 10. M4 Port Talbot, south Wales - 25,548 (Activations in calendar years 2015, 2016 and 2017, police data via FOI) Advertisement Mr Thompson said: 'If I was in a hire car or a work car and from outside the area and I didn't have proof of going 25mph I'd have had to pay it, so I wonder how many other people have been in a similar situation with that camera, as it's the most profitable in the country. 'If I didn't have the evidence that I was going 25mph, then it would have ended up with me going to court. 'I'd have lost my job. That technology shouldn't go wrong. It has the potential to seriously ruin lives.' The rear-facing camera, which records motorists' speed after passing, remains in place on the dual carriageway. There is a similar camera on the other side recording motorists travelling in the opposite direction as well. The Alliance of British Drivers today said every driver snapped by the camera and consequently fined should now be refunded. Hugh Bladon, one of the founding members of the organisation, said: 'We are aware that sometimes cameras are not exactly accurate. 'But for this camera to be recording a driver as travelling at 50mph, something is seriously wrong. 'Every driver, regardless of what speed he has been shown doing by this camera, should have their fine refunded and any points removed. 'If people, as a result of this camera, have to do a speed awareness course, that should be refunded as well as together with compensation for the time that the person has had to spend completing it.' A Hampshire police spokesman today claimed the individual camera is not faulty and incorrect prosecutions had been pursued 'due to the nature of the technology' this type of speed camera uses. When asked, he failed to rule out that other motorists had been wrongly prosecuted and unable to provide the necessary proof to challenge their speeding convictions. The spokesman said: 'We won't be going into the specifics of camera type and how the technology works. But to clarify, the camera doesn't have a fault, it's working as per its design and is Home Office approved. 'It's simply the nature of the technology in that the signal, when it's sent and returned, can give a misread. 'However, we have strict processes in place to validate and verify the images that are supplied to us by the camera to ensure the reading is legitimate before pursuing a prosecution, and to ensure there are no incorrect prosecutions. 'On these two occasions [Mr Thompson and Mr Golder] the prosecutions were pursued incorrectly, were rightly challenged and subsequently withdrawn.' France's former health minister who downplayed the risk of Covid-19 spreading weeks before it began to ravage the country arrived at a Paris court today as she faces charges over incompetence. Agnes Buzyn said in January last year that the 'risk of a spread of the coronavirus among the population is very small'. As of Friday, France has seen 115,941 Covid deaths, and has reported over 6.9 million cases. Now, Buzyn could face charges over her handling of the Covid crisis after being summoned to appear in court. Agnes Buzyn (pictured arriving outside Paris' Court of Justice on Friday) said in January last year that the 'risk of a spread of the coronavirus among the population is very small' Buzyn, who resigned from her post in February last year weeks after the first Covid cases were confirmed in France, will be grilled on Friday over her role in the widely criticised initial response to the pandemic. The hearing at a court specialising in ministerial misconduct is part of an investigation launched in July 2020 into the government's handling of the health emergency. The judges of the Cour de Justice de La Republique are considering charging Buzyn with 'voluntary abstaining from fighting a disaster' and 'putting the lives of others at risk', said French newspaper Le Monde, citing sources close to the matter. The top prosecutor for the court said on Wednesday that it had received a total of 14,500 complaints - from individuals, doctors, associations and even prisoners - over the government's handling of the pandemic. Many of them target the government's failure to supply protective equipment in the early stages of the crisis and alleged dithering before imposing lockdown measures. A month after her initial comments, as she left the ministry to launch a failed bid to become Paris mayor, she again downplayed the virus - claiming that 'the tsunami has yet to come', in an apparent contradiction of her earlier statement. Buzyn later told a parliamentary investigation that she had alerted the offices of both President Emmanuel Macron and then prime minister Edouard Philippe to the potential 'dangers' of Covid-19 as early as January. Former Health Minister Agnes Buzyn (second right), who resigned in mid-February 2020 at the start of the Covid-19 epidemic, arrives accompanied by her French lawyer Eric Dezeuze (right) at the Court of Justice of the Republic on Friday France's fourth surge of infections has been receding in recent weeks as the government has stepped up vaccination efforts. Thursday saw France record 18,120 new cases of coronavirus, and 95 related deaths. Pictured: Graphs showing France's new daily Covid cases and deaths Prosecutors have been investigating Buzyn for possible 'failure to fight a disaster' over the pandemic, which has so far killed more than 115,000 people in France. The Le Monde daily reported that she could also face charges for 'endangering the lives of others'. Depending on the outcome, Buzyn could either be charged immediately or given the status of 'assisted witness' which under French law means she remains under suspicion of wrongdoing, but not subject to formal charges which could still be brought later. Philippe and her successor as health minister Olivier Veran are also being investigated for alleged shortcomings in their response to the pandemic. Buzyn did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment on Thursday. Buzyn, health minister from May 2017 to February 2020, had to step down at the start of the pandemic under pressure from President Emmanuel Macron to replace Benjamin Griveaux, the LREM party candidate for Mayor of Paris who was forced to withdraw after a sex-tape scandal. Pictured: A man has a PCR test for the novelcorona virus, covid-19, at a medical laboratory in Paris on August 29, 2020. Buzyn told a parliamentary investigation that she had alerted the offices of both President Emmanuel Macron and then prime minister Edouard Philippe to the potential 'dangers' of Covid-19 as early as January She lost her bid for the Paris city hall and ended up being appointed in January to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva, in charge of monitoring multilateral issues. Spokespersons for the WHO and for the French health Ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the matter. The news comes as Prime Minister Jean Castex said France will start a booster shot program in nursing homes next week. Some 300,000 people in France have already signed up to receive a third COVID-19 vaccine shot since the government started offering them a week ago. While some health officials have argued against booster shots until more of the world is vaccinated, France is recommending people with pre-existing health problems and those over 65 receive a third shot six months after their second dose. According to French government statistics, 88 percent of people 65 and above are fully vaccinated. Across all age groups, 68 percent are fully vaccinated and 73 percent have had at least one dose. France's fourth surge of infections has been receding in recent weeks as the government has stepped up vaccination efforts. Thursday saw France record 18,120 new cases of coronavirus, and 95 related deaths. Crowds in their thousands are expected to flock to Sydney's best beaches this weekend with the warmest weather since January forecast - even though the city remains in the grips of a draconian lockdown. Temperatures in the Harbour City are forecast to top 29 degrees on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, and could even deliver the lockdown-fatigued city its warmest day in eight months is the temperature exceeds 29.2 degrees. Local authorities in Sydney's eastern suburbs are preparing for the warmer weather to be a huge test of lockdown restrictions but are encouraging locals who live within a 5km radius of the sand to make time for a swim - so long as they follow the letter of the law. Sunbathing at the beach will be allowed this weekend as the mercury climbs to 29 degrees - but NSW police and council marshals will be out in force doing compliance checks Crowds are expected to flock to Sydney beaches in their thousands with the warmest weather since January forecast - even though the city remains in the grips of a draconian lockdown NSW Police will be checking to see if beachgoers live within 5km of the sand and will insist on visitors wearing masks Despite the summer-like weather returning the NSW lockdown that has been in place for 11 weeks remains and will continue until the state reaches its target of 70 per cent fully-vaccinated. Authorities at Bondi have anticipated the potential for large crowds this weekend and are prepared. ''[We] have anticipated the forecast warmer weather this weekend and have been coordinating with the Police, Transport for NSW, the Department of Health and neighbouring Councils,' Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos told Daily Mail Australia on Friday. Police, council rangers and Covid marshals will be deployed to Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama beaches to ensure sun-worshippers follow public health orders. So what are the rules? NSW Health states up to two people can gather for exercise or recreation as long as they remain within 5km of their home and inside their Local Government Area - unless you live in one of the 12 LGAs of concern. It is widely understood that 'recreation' includes sunbathing. A major focus is likely to be ensuring residents are not stretching their allowed 5km limit to reach the coast. But several other restrictions are likely to keep the police and marshals busy this weekend. Beachgoers cannot gather in groups of more than two and must maintain 1.5 metres apart at all times. Maybe toughest of all, sunbathers are expected to wear approved masks on the sand - unless they have an exemption or are strenuously exercising. Sadly Bayside is the only LGA of concern with beaches - and under public health orders its residents cannot go and enjoy a recreational sunbake, as those in the east can. Advertisement Strenuous exercise remains one of the few allowable reasons for not wearing a mask when outside in Sydney Those residing in the city's west and south-west are currently under the harshest lockdown in the state (pictured, a mounted police patrol on Bondi beach recently) Mobile signage will also be in place reminding sun lovers to do the right thing. NSW Health states up to two people can gather for exercise or recreation as long as they remain within 5km of their home and inside their Local Government Area - unless you live in one of the 12 LGAs of concern. It is widely understood that 'recreation' includes sunbathing. A major focus is likely to be ensuring residents are not stretching their allowed 5km limit to reach the coast. But several other restrictions are likely to keep the police and marshals busy this weekend. Beachgoers cannot gather in groups of more than two and must maintain 1.5 metres apart at all times. Maybe toughest of all, sunbathers are expected to wear approved masks on the sand - unless they have an exemption or are strenuously exercising. A senior eastern suburbs council spokesperson who spoke with Daily Mail Australia agreed that groups of people on the sand without masks on 'is a bad look' - especially to residents in the 12 hardest-hit LGAs - but said 'that's up to police to deal with'. Other eastern suburbs beaches, including Clovelly, Maroubra and Coogee are also expected to be packed. Woollahra Council will have security guards on duty at its swimming spots - Murray Rose Pool in Double Bay, Gibsons Beach and Camp Cove in Watsons Bay and Parsley Bay in Vaucluse. The security staff will attempt to monitor the swimming areas to ensure the public don't breach social distancing rules. Beaches north and south of the city will be packed this weekend - although residents of the Bayside LGA of concern cannot yet hit the beach NSW Police have met with Waverley and other councils to plan for a busy weekend of compliance checks with the weather warming up A senior eastern suburbs council spokesperson conceded people on the sand without masks 'is a bad look' to people throughout the rest of Sydney No matter how beachgoers behave one thing councils say they will not be doing is closing any beaches. A Randwick council spokesman said all eastern suburbs councils 'want to keep the beaches open because its well-known they are good for our mental health'. The last time Sydney beaches were closed was March 2020, when police closed Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte as a result of overcrowding. While eastern suburbs beaches, Manly and the Northern Beaches, should be busy, Bayside council's beaches - including Brighton-Le-Sands could be subject to police attention. Bayside is the only LGA of concern with beaches - and under public health orders its residents cannot go and enjoy a recreational sunbake, as those in the east can. NSW Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that they will be out in numbers. 'The NSW Police Force remains committed to enforcing the Public Health Order to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus,' NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia. 'As part of Operation Stay at Home, operations will continue across the weekend to ensure compliance with the current orders.' Advertisement The war of words over migrant Channel crossings escalated again today as French politicians suggested the UK might 'shoot' at boats. Home Secretary Priti Patel was accused of 'irresponsible' behaviour over the threat to 'push back' small vessels attempting the journey - after it emerged smugglers spirited more than 1,500 people across during the three-day heatwave. Senior French figures also blamed generous benefits and easy availability of jobs for fuelling the growing problems. The salvo is the latest evidence of deteriorating relations, with the former head of the Royal Navy having swiped yesterday that Inspector Clouseau appeared to be running France's border patrols. The Mayor of Calais Natacha Bouchart vented fury this morning at the idea UK authorities will try to turn around boats and send them back to France. 'Are they going to shoot at the boats and at the passengers in the small boats?' she told her local newspaper Voix du Nord. 'It's not like that that we're going to have serious relations about the migration problems that we manage... 'The British should, for the sake of humanity and to prevent any risk of dying at sea, pick up migrants who are in a hot spot on their territory.' Ms Bouchard suggested that the British always had the option of 'sending them back alive to their country of origin.' Xavier Bertrand, President of the regional council that covers Calais, said: 'The British must stop being hypocritical. 'They welcome migrants, give them jobs, and pay them very little. As long as there is this UK attraction, there will be unfortunate people trying to get through, exploited by the criminal people smugglers.' A young child amongst a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, by Border Force officers today A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, by Border Force, this afternoon after a rescue In just three days 1,542 people came across the English Channel from Calais to the UK in small boats, including on Tuesday It takes the total of intercepted migrants in just this year so far to 14,127, pictured Tuesday, and has prompted a backlash A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover following a small boat incident in the Channel on Thursday Dr Peter William Walsh, of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, questioned whether the plan could ever work in practice. He told MailOnline: 'It's one of these things where people expect the government to be able to do something but it's actually really difficult without breaking international and maritime law. 'It's hard to imagine this would be able to happen. In order to return the boats to France you need the cooperation of the French, but they've said no. So doing so anyway would count as an invasion of their territorial waters. 'There's a real question about whether politicians are serious or whether this is just a rhetorical effort. That seems plausible given the legal constraints the UK is under.' He said if the plan was to be enacted in practice then small boats picked up in French territorial waters would be towed or escorted by a British ship. Alternatively, the migrants could be taken off the small boat onto the British ship and returned to France this way. 'As soon as the migrants reach British waters then we have an obligation under international law to save lives at sea - which given small boats in the Channel are considered to be at risk involves taking them to Britain,' he added. Home Office data show that in a three day window this week a staggering 1,542 people were detained by Border Force officers after making the treacherous 21 mile crossing. On Monday 785 migrants were picked up in boats and on beaches across the Kent and Sussex coastline in 27 incidents. The following day 456 people in 17 incidents were detained and on Wednesday the Home Office says 301 people were picked up in nine small boats. In 2020 there were 8,410 migrants detained. So far this year a total of 14,127 arrivals have been officially recorded. Dan O'Mahoney, Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, said: 'This unacceptable rise in dangerous crossings is being driven by criminal gangs and a surge in illegal migration across Europe.. 'We're determined to target the criminals at every level, so far, we have secured nearly 300 arrests, 65 convictions and prevented more than 10,000 migrant attempts. 'But there is more to do. The Government's New Plan for Immigration is the only credible way to fix the broken asylum system, breaking the business model of criminal gangs and welcoming people through safe and legal routes.' Weather conditions in the Channel have deteriorated overnight with stronger winds expected today (THURS) making crossings more difficult. The Border Force vessel Seeker has been patrolling off the Kent Coast this morning. Natalie Elphicke, MP for Dover and Deal said earlier this week: 'People who are perfectly safe in France brazenly break into Britain day after day. First it was a few, then hundreds and now over a thousand in a single day. The French just waving them through with a cheery Bon Voyage. 'If the French won't stop the small boats then we need to. By turning boats back, making returns and taking firm control of our borders. 'I fully support emergency legislation to do that, if that is needed. This needs a fresh approach urgently.' But Oliver Dowden said the UK would do nothing to infringe international law. Asked whether he could confirm the tactic had been approved, the Culture Secretary told Sky News: 'Firstly, in relation to these migrants, it is worth remembering they are coming from a safe country, which is France. They included 104 rescued by the RNLI off Eastbourne on Thursday and bring the total this year to a tally that dwarfed 2020 Migrants are brought into Dover docks by Border Force staff on September 9, in Dover, England as the crossings continued the British government has authorised its Border Force to turn back boats while at sea, in some circumstances 'This has been a persistent problem for a long period of time. The Home Secretary is rightly exploring every possible avenue to stop that. 'We have said that that will include looking at turning migrants back, but that will only be done in accordance with international law and clearly the safety of migrants is absolutely paramount. 'We would not do anything to endanger lives, clearly, but I think the public at large would expect us to be taking measures to prevent people from travelling from the safe country of France to England, and I think it is right to consider all measures. 'The most important thing about this is the real beneficiaries of this are these criminal gangs who are organising this transport - this is really not in the interest of people who of course have their reasons for wanting to come here.' A Cabinet minister has confirmed that the UK Government has spoken to counterparts in Paris about how French authorities are using British money that is earmarked for preventing migrants from embarking on trips across the Channel. Asked if the UK was looking to revise the financial contributions it gives France to help stem the flow of Channel crossings, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told LBC radio: 'That's precisely the point that the Home Secretary raised with her opposite number about what exactly the French were doing in return for this money.' Social workers had 'concerns' for a 20-month-old baby who died of 'unimaginable suffering' while her mother partied for six days, an inquest has heard. Brighton and Hove City Council is under fire over its care for Asiah, who died when her mother Verphy Kudi went out drinking for her 18th birthday. Kudi left her baby at home while she went on the marathon boozing sessions in London, Coventry and Solihull. A pre-inquest hearing at Brighton Coroners' Court heard how Asiah had been left alone half a dozen times by the teen mother before the child starved to death. Assistant Coroner Karen Henderson said today she will focus her inquiry into who was responsible for the mother and daughter before the tragedy in December 2019. Kudi admitted manslaughter and was jailed for nine years after a court heard her daughter went through 'unimaginable suffering'. The mother, now 19, tried to cover up her crime after returning home to find her daughter dead and stiff with rigor mortis. She spent nearly three hours with her dead baby in their Brighton YMCA flat before dialling 999. Asiah was taken to Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton where she was pronounced dead on December 11, 2019. Verphy Kudi walked out on her daughter on a six-day trip to celebrate her 18th birthday and came home to find her dead and stiff with rigor mortis (pictured together) Kudi is seen in handcuffs outside Lewes Crown Court, where she was remanded in custody after pleading guilty to manslaughter A post-mortem examination and forensic tests found that Asiah starved, was dehydrated and developed flu. Her cause of death was given as neglect Timeline of the tragedy: Mother's marathon drinking session as her baby starved to death December 5, 2019: Kudi left Brighton and went to London where she spent her 18th birthday with her boyfriend. December 7: She went to a concert in Elephant and Castle, London, and stayed out until 4am. December 9: She moved on to a birthday party in Coventry 150 miles from Brighton before returning to London the next day. December 11: She returned home to East Sussex. She got in at 3.38pm but did not call emergency services for more than two hours. In that time she was seen emptying bags into a communal bin area before going back to her flat. She eventually dialled 999 and told the call handler her daughter was 'not waking up'. She told paramedics Asiah had been sleeping all day she had given her milk and Calpol and let her sleep. Ambulance staff arrived at Kudi's Brighton flat and Asiah was taken to the city's Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival. Advertisement Mrs Henderson said the inquest would be a fearless examination of the circumstances surrounding Asiah's death. The coroner said: 'What I'm concerned about is the care that Asiah had during her short life.' She added: 'There were concerns she was leaving her for periods of time,' the coroner said. The inquest will examine the support she was offered by Brighton and Hove City Council and the YMCA. Mrs Henderson continued: 'The inquest will look at issues and circumstances in the past where she has been left. 'I need information on the overall care that was provided to Asiah and her mother from BHCC.' At the time of her death, Asiah did not have her own social worker or involvement from any external agencies. A social worker was assigned to her mother. During her trial, the court heard Kudi had been a happy girl growing up, 'whose laughter would light up the whole house'. But from the age of 14 she became withdrawn and began truanting from school and going missing from home. Social services stepped in and she was assigned a social worker and moved to a placement at a safe house in Norfolk. But there were concerns she had become involved in child sexual exploitation and she fell pregnant and moved back to Brighton. She was moved in with foster carers before Asiah was born on March 22, 2018. The baby was placed on a child protection plan. They moved in with Kudi's mother Asiah but three months before the tragedy - in the September - Kudi and Asiah were moved to a flat for vulnerable families. She was one of eight young people living in a flat in the complex run by charity YMCA DownsLink on behalf of Brighton City Council. Kudi, who lived in a supported housing complex in Brighton, left her baby alone she partied in London and Coventry Pictured: Screengrabs taken from mobile phone footage dated December 8 of Kudi at a concert in Elephant and Castle London Pictured: Screengrab taken from CCTV dated December 11 of Kudi returning to her home in Brighton where she had abandoned her 20-month-old daughter The flats are independent units and staff do not enter the living areas or carry out regular inspections. But there are members of staff located in a reception entrance to the block 24 hours a day. YMCA Downslink offers a 'medium to low' level of support for families, with all flats self-contained with their own kitchen, space for staff on duty, and a communal area. Kudi settled in well in the flat but the court heard she began to abandon her daughter alone to meet up with friends and go out to parties. Kudi broke down in tears as she was jailed for nine years and taken away by court staff In the three months leading up to her death there were at least six other occasions she left Asiah alone in the flat - once for two whole days. Speaking at the inquest, Geoffrey Weddell, representing the YMCA, said they would provide details of the tenancy agreement as evidence at the inquest. 'The YMCA has the tenancy agreement, tenancy specification, notes of contacts made with the mother giving day-by-day account of what was seen and said and what was going on at that time. 'The YMCA provided support limited to two hours a week. Most of the time, it wouldn't be aware of day to day events to do with mother and daughter. 'The YMCA is primarily an accommodation provider,' he said. The child's grandparents Muba Kudi and Asia Betrane followed the hearing online. Jacqueline Madders, who spoke for Mrs Betrane, asked the coroner if the inquest will look at prevention. She asked: 'Could this death have been prevented had the services been engaged given the history.' The coroner replied: 'This will be explored at inquest. The inquest will look at the wider circumstances surrounding her death. 'The medical cause of death, the Post Mortem, toxicology and past medical history. The direct and wider circumstances surrounding Asiah's death.' Kudi, who is serving her sentence at HMP Bronzefield, will be an interested person entitled to representation at the inquest. The court heard Asiah's father will also be offered IP status if he can be located. The coroner said: 'I offer my very sincere condolences to the family of Asiah for her death.' A full inquest is expected to start in March next year and will last three days. In the three months leading up to her death there were at least six other occasions she left Asiah alone in the flat (pictured in an undated photo) - once for two whole days Kudi appeared in the dock at Lewes Crown Court on August 6 for sentencing after pleading guilty to manslaughter. She broke down in tears as she was jailed for nine years and taken away by court staff. Judge Laing said the baby had gone through 'almost unimaginable suffering' before dying alone in the flat. She added: 'She was a helpless young child and relied completely on you as her mother to proved for her needs.' She said Kudi 'grossly abused her trust' and had prioritised her desire to 'celebrate your birthday and the birthday of friends' rather than the needs of her child. Wearing a black jacket and a face mask, Kudi bowed her head as details of the final days of her daughter's life were read out in the courtroom. Prosecutor Sally Howes QC said CCTV covering Kudi's home showed she had left Asiah alone in the flat for five days, 21 hours and 58 minutes. Kudi left Brighton on December 5 and went to London where she spent her birthday with her boyfriend. On December 7 she attended a concert in Elephant and Castle and stayed out until 4am. It had been previously been revealed Kudi tried to sell concert tickets on Twitter on the day the baby's body was found Another tweet showed her attempting to become a Pretty Little Thing model months after Asiah's death On December 9 she moved on to a party in Coventry 150 miles from Brighton before returning to London the next day and home to East Sussex on December 11. Kudi returned to the flat at 3.38pm on December 11 but did not call emergency services for more than two hours. In that time she was seen emptying bags into a communal bin area before going back to her flat. She eventually dialled 999 and told the call handler her daughter was 'not waking up'. She told paramedics Asiah had been sleeping all day she had given her milk and Calpol and let her sleep. Ambulance staff arrived at Kudi's Brighton flat and Asiah was taken to the city's Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival. Sentencing Kudi, Judge Christine Laing QC said: 'Asiah was alone in that flat for six days - less two hours - unable to do anything to draw attention to her plight. 'She was a helpless child and relied completely on you as her mother to provide for her needs. 'It is almost unbearable to contemplate her suffering in the final days of her life, suffering that she endured so that you could celebrate your birthday and the birthdays of your friends as a carefree teenager.' 'It goes without saying that this is a particularly tragic case and it no doubt raises strong emotions in all who hear of it, but everyone should bear in mind that the charge I sentence you for is one of manslaughter, it being accepted that you did not intend to cause Asiah death nor to cause her really serious harm.' In a statement, Asiah and Verphy's family said previously: 'We are saddened by the current situation and as a family we have many unanswered questions. 'Verphy has experienced so much at such a young age and we have always done what we can to support her. 'As a family we are in the midst of an unbearable tragedy. Not only are we coming to terms with what has happened today but we are also still grieving for our beloved Asiah. We would be grateful if our privacy can be respected at this moment.' The UK is ready to deploy drones to strike targets in Afghanistan if the Taliban allows terrorists to operate, Ben Wallace has said. The Defence Secretary said British forces would 'do what they have to do' to prevent threats as he delivered a warning that the new rulers must keep their promises. On a visit to RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire yesterday, where a fleet of next-generation 'Protector' drones will be based from 2023, Mr Wallace said he feared the 'reservoir' of potential extremists was probably deeper than before the September 11 attacks. He suggested Nato's abrupt withdrawal could inspire groups including Islamic State, al-Shabaab and Boko Haram to mount attacks and that under international law Britain had the right to defend itself from such plots. 'I'll do whatever I have to do to protect Britain's citizens' lives and our interests and our allies' when we are called upon to do so, wherever that may be,' he told The Times and the Guardian. The UK's 20-year military deployment in Afghanistan concluded at the end of last month with the final RAF evacuation flight. The Protector is first British military drone permitted to fly in airspace used by commercial aircraft The Taliban has insisted it will not allow Afghanistan to become a base for terror groups again. Pictured, fighters on patrol in Kabul this week The Protector is first British military drone permitted to fly in airspace used by commercial aircraft. It has a wingspan of 79ft - 24 metres - and can operate at a maximum altitude of 40,000ft. The Ministry of Defence has ordered 16 at a cost of 260million, and from 2023 they are due to replace nine Reaper drones that have been used in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Protector can fly a maximum of 5,000 nautical miles for up to 40 hours without carrying weapons - nearly three times longer than the slower Reaper. Because it can be flown remotely in commercial airspace it could be used for surveillance in the UK during natural disasters or emergencies such as flooding - or for monitoring migrants in the Channel. Mr Wallace played down fears of an immediate surge in terrorism coming from Afghanistan. But he cautioned that 'more failed states, more poverty, usually leads to more insecurity'. 'We certainly see a group of people who have the knowledge of doing terrorist attacks and we see people trying to communicate with each other to do that in the future,' he said. A convention has emerged that a vote is held in Parliament before military strikes are undertaken, but Mr Wallace insisted that would not necessarily happen if there is an 'imminent threat to life'. 'One of the options is to deploy anywhere in the world where there is an imminent threat to life, British life or our allies, where international law enables us to take action,' he said. Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, chief of the air staff, said there were terrorists that were 'quite willing to commit atrocities on the streets of the UK and we have got to be ready to tackle them along with our allies'. A British policeman has been arrested for drink-driving in Cyprus after a motorcyclist was killed in a crash. Detective Christopher Browning, 60, was arrested in the early hours of September 2 after the collision near Esentepe, a village in northern Cyprus. A 58-year-old motorcyclist named as Bulent Guzelkeskin was killed in the smash when Browning was merging onto the Kyrenia-Tatris Highway. Detective Christopher Browning, 60, (pictured outside court) was arrested in the early hours of September 2 after the collision near Esentepe, a village in northern Cyprus The crash scene on the Kyrenia-Tatris Highway on Thursday, September 2 A 58-year-old motorcyclist named as Bulent Guzelkeskin (left and right) was killed in the smash Browning's passport has been confiscated and he has been remanded in custody for up to a month while police continue their investigation. The policeman, of Neath, Wales, was allegedly driving a saloon car in the accident. A judge in Famagusta ordered that Browning be remanded in custody because the Briton does not have a permanent address in the country as he was visiting as a tourist. South Wales Police confirmed it was aware one of its staff had been arrested on the island. 'We can't say any more at this stage,' a spokesman said. Advertisement A grief-stricken Vladimir Putin appeared devastated as he bade farewell today to his emergencies minister - and former personal bodyguard - who died on Tuesday while trying to save a man's life. The Russian leader twice rested his head on the open coffin of Yevgeny Zinichev, 55, which was draped in the country's flag. Putin then sat with the minister's widow Natalya and son Denis at the funeral ceremony. He twice approached the open coffin, bowing his head, and as he walked away appeared distraught. Putin has spoken of his 'irreplaceable personal loss' in losing Zinichev - a former FSB deputy director - who he called a man of 'incredible inner strength, courage and bravery'. Zinichev died while trying to save documentary filmmaker Alexander Melnik, 63, who had fallen into icy water while filming an Arctic military drill on Tuesday. A grief-stricken Vladimir Putin appeared devastated twice resting his head on the open coffin of his emergencies minister Yevgeny Zinichev after died on Tuesday 'trying to save a man' The devastated Russian leader laid to rest his emergencies minister Yevgeny Zinichev's open casket, which was draped in the country's tricolour flag, at his funeral today Putin made a cross across his body as he stepped away from the open casket of former emergencies minister Yevgeny Zinichev Some believe Putin was grooming Zinichev (pictured right with Putin in 2010) - like him, once a KGB operative - as his eventual successor Putin has spoken of his 'irreplaceable personal loss' in losing Zinichev (pictured) - a former FSB deputy director - who he called a man of 'incredible inner strength, courage and bravery' Putin has awarded Zinichev a posthumous Hero of Russia award, the country's highest honour. Some believe Putin was grooming Zinichev - like him, once a KGB operative - as his eventual successor. He had enjoyed a spectacular rise under Putin and had been tipped recently for a new powerful role on the Kremlin's security council. Details have been sketchy but Zinichev is believed to have died at or near the 90ft Kitabo-Oron waterfall at Putorana Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Arctic. The official account says he sought to save filmmaker Melnik who had slipped as they stood on an icy rock. 'While rescuing a life, he took risk without a second of doubt, and died while fulfilling his duty,' Putin said. Russian President Putin then sat with the minister's widow Natalya (right) at the funeral ceremony in Moscow today A devastated looking Putin sat next to Zinichev's widow Natalya (right) and son Denis (left) as he laid to rest his emergencies minister today Putin laid flowers next to the open casket of Yevgeny Zinichev today as he laid the late former emergencies minister to rest after he died while trying to save another man on Tuesday Mourners attend at funeral of Russian emergencies minister Yevgeny Zinichev in Moscow today Official accounts have not confirmed the exact location of the tragedy. But reports said the army general, 55, fell from a rock while trying to save a cameraman who had plunged into the icy water. He was taking part in military drills and exercises by law enforcement agencies in the city of Norilsk at the time. The Ministry of Emergencies said: 'We are sorry to inform you that while on duty saving a person's life in Norilsk during interagency exercises to protect the Arctic zone from emergenciesYevgeny Zinichev was tragically killed.' 'He and the cameraman stood at the edge of a ledge,' RT boss Margarita Simonyan said, adding: 'The cameraman slipped and fell into the water. 'There were many eyewitnesses - no-one even had time to figure out what had happened, as Zinichev rushed into the water after a man who had fallen off and crashed against a protruding rock.' Some reports say Zinichev died in a helicopter as he was airlifted to hospital from the scene of the accident. Putin - also on a trip to Siberia - was informed of Zinichev's death and paid tribute to his colleague in a condolence message to his wife Natalya and son Denis. 'I am stunned by the tragic news about the death of Yevgeny Nicholayevich Zinichev,' Putin wrote 'I ask you to accept my sincere condolences and words of support at this sorrowful hour. We have lost a true combat officer, a comrade, a man of incredible inner strength, courage and bravery. 'For me this is an irreplaceable personal loss.' Describing the 'long years of work' he shared with Kinichev, Putin wrote that: 'I always knew that I could rely on Yevgeny in any, even the most complicated, situation as a reliable, loyal friend, and a professional of the highest rank. 'He dedicated himself to service to the Motherland, to the people. And while rescuing a life, he took risk without a second of doubt, and died while fulfilling his duty. 'We will keep a bright memory of Yevgeny Nikolayevich Zinichev in our hearts.' Zinichev (pictured centre on Tuesday), a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was taking part in military drills and exercises by law enforcement agencies in the city of Norilsk when he died Zinichev was a former KGB and FSB officer, and had been deputy director of the Federal Security Service counterintelligence agency. He previously served as governor of Kaliningrad region, and like Putin, was born in Leningrad, now St Petersburg. From 2006 to 2015, Zinichev served as Putin's personal adjutant and is thought to have once been part of his security detail. Sources said that Putin had 'total trust' in Zinichev. He had held his position as emergencies minister for three years and also sat on Russia's powerful security council. In Russia, the emergencies minister is seen as an action man role with a high profile. Former president Dmitry Medvedev described Zinichev's death as an 'irreplaceable loss'. Documentary filmmaker Alexander Melnik (pictured), 63, who Zinichev had been trying to save, also died on Wednesday Alexander Kots, of pro-state tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda, said the minister had died a hero. 'He died as a professional who, even on a subconscious level, had no other reflex than to rush to the rescue, without thinking about himself.' 'He came to the Emergencies Ministry from the Lubyanka [FSB headquarters],' he said. 'But it doesn't matter what came before or who he was before. 'It is important how he died.' Zinichev was in the Arctic to oversee large-scale drills and visited the construction site of a new fire station in Norilsk, as well as a search and rescue team in the area, the ministry had said in a statement earlier on Wednesday. The the drills involved Dudinka Arctic Search and Rescue team. Melnik, the documentary filmmaker, was famed for his work in Russia's polar regions. He was married with three children and six grandchildren. Reckless posers have been urged to stop a social media trend that sees people take selfies, endanger their children and dance on live railway tracks in a bid for views. Network Rail officials say images and videos of people posing on the rails have been increasingly appearing on social media sites, and are warning pedestrians not to be complacent on the tracks. Videos and pictures relating to the dangerous craze has attracted more than one million views on popular social media sites. The disturbing trend even recently saw parents place their toddler on a train track for a photo. Other examples include two teenagers dancing on the tracks for a TikTok video before running away from an incoming train. Young people are pictured posing for social media snaps on the railway tracks in Harlech in Gwynedd, Wales The disturbing trend even recently saw parents place their toddler on a train track (pictured above) for a photo Ronnie Gallagher, Route Level Crossing Manager at Network Rail, described the news as 'a very worrying trend.' He said: 'No photograph is worth the risk to you or the consequences to your family. 'Messing around on level crossings, including lingering and taking pictures, is illegal and extremely dangerous.' The operator has had to close walkways in the past to prevent reckless youngsters from posing for pictures on railway crossings. In 2018, Network Rail shut the walkway in Matlocke, Derbyshire to deter teenagers from copying one young women who was caught on CCTV dancing and taking selfies in the middle of live train tracks. Previously, TikTok have been reported for illegally trespassing on live rail routes to film videos for social media fame. Others have bizarrely ignored numerous warnings to use train tracks as backdrops for selfies and even wedding pictures. Network Rail has joined with British Transport Police and Transport for Wales (TfW) to launch a new campaign highlighting the dangers. Their joint campaign, 'At What Cost?', uses an emotive new film inspired by a series of real-life incidents. The dangerous craze has contributed to a rise in illegal access to level crossings in Wales. 433 incidents had been recorded at level crossings in Wales since the start of the pandemic but to date, that number now exceeds 500. The dangerous craze has contributed to a rise in illegal access to level crossings in Wales, with more than 500 incidents recorded since the start of the pandemic Videos and pictures relating to the dangerous craze has attracted more than one million views on popular social media sites. Above: Young people play on live tracks in Gwynedd, Wales Ronnie Gallagher, route level crossing manager at Network Rail said: 'Our campaign has been designed to complement our priorities of risk management, education and enforcement - all while encouraging people in Wales to consider the true cost of taking a risk at a level crossing. 'With an expected rise in staycations - not to mention the school holidays - there has never been a more important time for us to launch a campaign around level crossings.' The campaign illustrates some of the motives people give for taking risks at level crossings - whether to save time, show off in front of friends or take an 'Instagrammable' photograph. The film will be shown on TikTok, Instagram and Spotify as well as some schools and holiday parks. Richard Powell, inspector at British Transport Police said: 'Messing around on level crossings - including lingering to take photos - is illegal and extremely dangerous. You could be taken to court and face a 1,000 fine. 'Trains approach almost silently, so if you're distracted, you won't notice until it's too late. 'Take care around level crossings. No photograph is worth the risk to you or the consequences for your family and any bystanders.' Advertisement Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Americans are paying tribute to the people who were killed and injured on the nation's darkest day. A special light tribute was displayed in Washington DC and will continue to shine above the Pentagon through early Sunday morning. Several organizations and academic groups, including one at Pepperdine University, are placing displays of 2,977 flags - one for each person killed on Sept. 11, 2001. Artists have created murals depicting the faces of the victims. A set of chalk drawings is on display at the crash site of Flight 93 - which was hijacked by terrorists who planned to attack the U.S. Capitol, but were ultimately stopped by the passengers and crew onboard - in Stoystown, Pennsylvania. Acts of tribute and rememberance are expected to continue throughout the weekend. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum's annual Tribute in Light featuring twin blue beams that shine into the night sky over lower Manhattan will be seen from dusk to dawn on Saturday. Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Americans are paying tribute to the people who were killed and injured on the nation's darkest day (Pictured: Smoke pours from the twin towers of the World Trade Center after they were hit by two hijacked airliners in a terrorist attack September 11, 2001 in New York City) The One World Trade Center is reflected on a nearby building ahead of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks in Manhattan on Sept. 10, 2021 Preparations are underway in New York City for the annual memorial ceremony at ground zero. The ceremony, which will take place on Saturday, honors the 2,983 people killed in the attacks at the World Trade Center site, the Pentagon, aboard Flight 93, and those who died in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, according to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. The focus of this year's commemoration will be the reading of the names of the deceased by family members. The ceremony will also observe six moments of silence, acknowledging when each of the World Trade Center towers was struck and fell and the times corresponding to the attack on the Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93. The program is slated to begin at 8.30am Saturday, with the first moment of silence taking place at 8.46am. The annual Tribute in Light will also shine into the sky over lower Manhattan from dusk to dawn on Saturday. Members of the public pay their respects at the 9/11 Memorial in New York on Sept. 10, 2021 Members of the public pass flowers left at the 9/11 Memorial in New York on Sept. 10, 2021 Members of the UN Security Council gather at the World Trade Center on Sept. 9 to pay tribute to the victims of 9/11 and commemorate the 20th anniversary of the action the Council took, as a united front, in response to the attacks The committee also placed a wreath at the memorial with a note reading: 'never forget' NY Gov. Kathy Hochul places flowers on the reflecting pool at the World Trade Center on Sept. 8 NY Gov. Kathy Hochul pays her respects to the victims of 9/11 with former Mayor and Chair of the Sept. 11 Memorial Mike Bloomberg on the morning of Sept. 8 Family members place memorabilia next to the names of their loved ones at the 9/11 memorial in New York City Cleaning and repair continues on Empty Sky, the official New Jersey 9/11 memorial, honoring the state's victims of the terror attacks. The Empty Sky Memorial at Liberty State Park in Jersey City features two identical walls that bisect a hill directly across from Ground Zero. The NJ 9/11 Memorial Foundation is hosting a 20th anniversary memorial ceremony at the site on Saturday. The event will include a 5K Run/Walk. leaning and repair continues on Empty Sky, the official New Jersey September 11 memorial to the state's victims of the terror attacks, the day before the annual commemoration at Liberty State Park across the Hudson River from Manhattan The Empty Sky Memorial at Liberty State Park in Jersey City features two identical walls that bisect a hill directly across from Ground Zero The NJ 9/11 Memorial Foundation is hosting a 20th anniversary memorial ceremony at the site on Saturday The memorial event will feature a 5K walk and run The Empty Sky Memorial (pictured on Sept. 10, 2021) is dedicated to New Jersey residents who were killed during the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and on Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania The Tower of Light display in Washington DC is already underway. It honors those who died when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. All 64 people on the plane and 125 people in the building were killed. The beam will also illuminate the Flight 93 memorial, honoring the 40 passengers and crew onboard the United Airlines flight that was targeting the U.S. Capitol building. Due to their actions, the attack on the capitol was thwarted. According to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, the Tower of Light displays should be visible from as far as 60 miles away. The Tower of Light illuminates the sky over Arlington, Virginia on Sept. 9, 2021. The single beam, as seen from the Washington Monument, is shown in the sky near where Flight 77, piloted by al Qaeda terrorists, slammed into the Pentagon building on Sept. 11, 2001 The Tunnel to Towers Foundation held its inaugural 'Tower of Light' tribute in 2020 and brought the event back again this year for the 20th anniversary of the attacks. This photo shows the beam as seen rom the US Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Virginia on Sept. 9, 2021 The beam - shining throughout the Greater Washington DC area - is seen from the Washington Monument on the National Mall on Sept. 9, ahead of the 20th anniversary of the attacks The Tower of Light honors the people who died when American Airlines Flight 77 was crashed into the Pentagon, killing all 64 people onboard and 125 people in the building The beam, seen from the US Air Force Memorial on Sept. 9, is made up of 44 individual lights and can reach 18,000 feet into the air on a clear night The Towers of Light at the Pentagon was illuminated on Sept. 9 (as pictured). The light will shine over the Flight 93 Memorial on Friday, Sept. 10 The Tunnel to Towers Foundation Towers of Light tribute will remain lit until the early hours of Sunday, Sept. 12 The Tunnels to Towers Foundation plans to bring the light back every year For the 14th consecutive year, Pepperdine University commemorated the lives lost in the 9/11 with the Waves of Flags display at Alumni Park on the school's Malibu campus. Nearly 3,000 flags are flyig along Pacific Coast Highway and Malibu Canyon Road. A flag was placed for each innocent victim, including a national flag for each foreign country that lost a citizen in the attack. The Waves of Flags tribute was started by Pepperdine students in 2008 and has become an annual tradition. This year, ahead of the 20th anniversary, the university launched the Waves of Flags Endowment Fund to ensure permanent support for the tribute. The flags will be on display for public viewing from until Sept. 25. Additionally, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the attacks, Pepperdine will commemorate lives lost with the Honoring the Heroes of 9/11 event, which features a day of activities held on the Malibu campus where all community members can come together to connect and reflect on the tragedy For the 14th consecutive year, Pepperdine University commemorated the lives lost in the 9/11 with the Waves of Flags display at Alumni Park on the school's Malibu campus Nearly 3,000 flags are flyig along Pacific Coast Highway and Malibu Canyon Road. A flag was placed for each innocent victim, including a national flag for each foreign country that lost a citizen in the attack. The flags will be on display for public viewing from until Sept. 25 The Waves of Flags tribute was started by Pepperdine students in 2008 and has become an annual tradition. This year, ahead of the 20th anniversary, the university launched the Waves of Flags Endowment Fund to ensure permanent support for the tribute Additionally, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the attacks, Pepperdine will commemorate lives lost with the Honoring the Heroes of 9/11 event, which features a day of activities held on the Malibu campus where all community members can come together to connect and reflect on the tragedy A group of 11 chalk artists from around the country came together to pay tribute to the crew members and passengers of Flight 93 at the National Memorial in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. They worked for two days on the portraits of the forty passengers and crew who perished in the crash of Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001. The portraits are on display along the flight path leading to the Flight 93 National Memorial. The portraits are expected to remain on display throughout the weekend, however local radio station 90.5 WESA reports that the memorial is considering making the artworks part of its permanent collection. Naomi Haverland, of Orlando, Fla., (pictured) is one of several chalk artists who came together to pay tribute to the crew members and passengers of Flight 93 at the National Memorial in Somerset County. Heverland is pictured working on a portrait of flight attendant Lorraine G. Bay from East Windsor, N.J. Haverland (left) helps move a chalk portrait of Flight 93 Captain Jason M. Dahl, of Littleton, Colo., along the flight path taken by Flight 93 that leads to the national memorial A group of 11 chalk artists from around the country worked for two days on the portraits of the forty passengers and crew who perished in the crash of Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001. The portraits are on display along the flight path leading to the Flight 93 National Memorial Chalk artist Erica LuBer (bottom center), from Allentown, Pa., works on a chalk portrait of Colleen Fraser, from Elizabeth, NJ., who was one of the 40 passengers and crew who perished on Flight 93 Chalk artist Naomi Haverland (left) pleaces the chalk portrait of Flight 93 Captain Jason M. Dahl, of Littleton, CO, along the flight path take by Flight 93 Chalk artist Erica LuBer (pictured), from Allentown, Pa., works on a chalk portrait of Colleen Fraser, from Elizabeth, NJ., who was among the passengers and crew on Flight 93 A British Army soldier attached to the Royal Marines has been jailed after selling strong painkillers used for cancer treatment on Snapchat. Lance Bombardier Ellis Mallett became 'addicted' to class A opioid Oxycodone after an ex-girlfriend first gave them to him four years ago to help cope with a foot injury, a court martial heard. But the 31-year-old had continued to 'self-medicate' with the drug in order to cope with service life. Ellis Mallett (pictured), 31, was sentenced to 18 months in a military corrective training centre, in Essex, after selling strong painkillers used for cancer treatment on Snapchat Mallett became 'addicted' to class A opioid Oxycodone after an ex-girlfriend gave it to him to help him cope with a foot injury, a court martial heard. The 31-year-old continued to 'self-medicate' with the drug in order to cope with service life A Snapchat message offering the drugs for 50 was seen by a corporal who reported it to superiors, with a small amount of cocaine also being found later in his car. He was also caught selling a licensed drug for treating erectile dysfunction. Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, heard that on September 11 last year Mallett sent a photo of 'tablets' to a select group of people on Snapchat, alongside a message that read: 'Oxy 56 for 50'. Lieutenant Matthew Poulson, prosecuting, said: 'This message was passed up the chain of command, leading to an investigation. 'Later on Royal Marines police carried out a search of his Vauxhall Zafira and found a small amount of cocaine.' Another Snapchat message advertised the pharmaceutical drug Sildenafil Citrate - a medication used for erectile dysfunction, similar to Viagra. Mallett, of the 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery based in Plymouth, Devon, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine, offering to supply a controlled class a drug and offering to supply a pharmacy only drug without a licence. He was sentenced to 18 months in a military corrective training centre in Colchester, Essex, and dismissed from the military. Mallett, of the 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery based in Plymouth, Devon, pleaded guilty to three charges: possessing cocaine, offering to supply a controlled class a drug and offering to supply a pharmacy only drug without a licence A photo of 'tablets' sent by Mallett to a select group of people on Snapchat was captioned 'Oxy 56 for 50'. Matthew Poulson, prosecuting, said the message was passed up the chain of command, leading to an investigation Mallett's defence barrister told the court he had served in the army for more than six years and had a 'promising military career' ahead of him. He said Mallett's behaviour became 'extremely erratic' in September last year, around the time the Snapchat message was sent Defence barrister Adam Antoszkiw told the court Mallett, who had served in the army for more than six and a half years, had a 'promising military career' ahead of him but suffered an injury in 2017. He said: 'He came across this drug [Oxycodone] because of an injury he sustained in August 2017. 'He got them from his ex-girlfriend at the time, whose father was using them for his cancer treatment. 'To try to carry on with service life he has self-medicated on this drug. He has pushed against the term 'addicted' but does accept he has become reliant on this drug to carry out his functions. 'To me, that is an addiction. In September last year [Mallett] was in a dark place in relation to his mental health. 'His behaviour became extremely erratic. Since then he has been engaging with mental health services. There has been a cessation of illicit painkillers. He has undertaken an operation for this long-standing foot injury and there will be more.' Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire (pictured), heard Mallett became addicted to class A opioid Oxycodone after an ex-girlfriend first gave them to him four years ago to help cope with a foot injury Sentencing the disgraced soldier, who is unmarried and single, Judge Robert Hill said: 'We have taken the position that your role was one of a one-man business. 'The prosecution have not been able to tell us very much about the nature and extent of the operation. '[The message] refers to number 56, but we don't know what number 56 refers to. 'You say you have become addicted to it and there is no reason to dispute this. You were in a dark place at the time. 'We don't think it's appropriate to suspend this sentence.' A mother-of-three has caused a huge Covid scare in a major NSW regional town after boarding a train while positive with the virus and travelling to the area - forcing 17 passengers and six crew members on board into hotel quarantine for a fortnight. Officers from the NSW Mid North Coast received reports on Thursday night that a 22-year-old woman who returned a positive Covid-19 test result was not isolating and had caught a train with her three children from Strathfield in Sydney's inner west bound for Coffs Harbour. Strathfield has recorded 260 Covid-19 cases since the outbreak in June and is one of the 12 local government areas of concern in Sydney under strict lockdown restrictions. Police stopped the train at Kempsey, about 100km south of Coffs Harbour, at about 10.40pm where the woman and her children were removed and taken by paramedics to a health hotel in Port Macquarie for quarantine. Police received reports that a Covid-positive mum wasn't isolating and had hopped on a train from Strathfield in Sydney (pictured) with her three children bound for Coffs Harbour This led to 17 passengers and six crew members on board being forced to stay in the same quarantine hotel where they will remain under the care of NSW Health for two weeks. NSW Health is also contacting other passengers who got off the train at previous stations. Police said inquiries are being conducted into the incident including potential breaches of public health orders by the Sydney woman. The news comes as lockdown restrictions in parts of regional NSW are set to be lifted at 12.01am on Saturday. The train was stopped at Kempsey on Thursday night where the family was removed and taken to a quarantine facility in Port Macquarie along with more than 20 people on board Pat Conaghan, the federal member for the electorate of Cowper, which covers the towns of Kempsey, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie, said he had been notified of the incident on Friday. Mr Conaghan said on Facebook: 'Mid North Coast Health has advised that this is not a local Covid-19 case and there has been no local transmission within our community'. 'I have been advised that this does not affect tomorrow's end of lockdown plans for our region.' MP Pat Conaghan, Federal Member for Cowper, (pictured) was notified of the incident and was advised the incident wouldn't affect the lifting of lockdown restrictions in the region Mr Conaghan took to Facebook to update the community on the incident and share statements from Mid North Coast police and Transport for NSW The MP also shared a statement from NSW Transport which noted the train was in Sydney to be deep cleaned. 'The XPT set has returned to Sydney today where it is undergoing a deep clean before it returns to service,' it read. 'Customers are notified of the travel restrictions at the time of booking and are asked to follow all health advice.' Transport for NSW said the train had been sent back to Sydney to undergo a deep clean before it could begin services again (pictured: an XPT train) Residents in Strathfield are not permitted to leave the area unless they have a reasonable excuse. Those living in greater Sydney are also restricted from travelling to regional NSW unless they have a permit. NSW recorded 1,542 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Friday. Advertisement The days when supermarket shoppers could expect to pick up whatever they want whenever they want are over, a food industry expert has warned - as he claimed the supply chain crisis will only get 'worse'. The stark message from Ian Wright, chief executive of the Food and Drink Federation, came as customers continued to share pictures of gaps on shelves and a farmer warned staff shortages were 'killing small businesses'. Addressing the supply chain issues, Mr Wright said: 'It's going to get worse, and it's not going to get better after getting worse any time soon.' Speaking to listeners at an event organised by the Institute for Government, he added: 'The result of the labour shortages is that the just-in-time system that has sustained supermarkets, convenience stores and restaurants so the food has arrived on shelf or in the kitchen, just when you need it is no longer working. 'And I don't think it will work again, I think we will see we are now in for permanent shortages.' Industry figures have pinned the problems on a shortage of lorry drivers and food processing staff due to Brexit and Covid, which has seen foreign workers go home to be with their families and increased waiting times for receiving HGV licenses. Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE, who runs the popular Black Farmer food range of farm-sourced products, was among those encountering empty shelves, including yesterday at a Co-Op in Battersea, south-west London Mr Emmanuel-Jones told MailOnline he had to withdraw product lines because processors were using their limited capacity to process orders for larger rivals Mr Wright said this doesn't mean the UK's going to run out of food, but higher-margin products would be prioritised by retailers. 'That's a first world problem. Nobody's going to be completely bereft if they can't get bottled water,' he said. 'But what is changing now is that the UK shopper and consumer could have previously have expected just about every product they want to be on a shelf or in the restaurant all the time. That's over, and I don't think it's coming back.' Mr Wright said that a shortage of lorry drivers is in part due to them moving to online retailers and starting to deliver for Amazon and Tesco. These jobs often have better hours and pay, he added. The farm to fork supply chain is missing around half a million of the four million people that usually work in the sector. Part of this will have come from EU nationals leaving the UK amid the pandemic and Brexit, he said. A shortage of lorry drivers is one of the issues that has hit the UKs supply chain and is causing issues for retailers Many businesses have reported huge issues in their supply chains in recent months, leaving some shop shelves empty, or forcing restaurants to remove items from their menus. Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE, who runs the popular Black Farmer food range of farm-sourced products, was among those encountering empty shelves, including yesterday at a Co-Op in Battersea, south-west London. He told MailOnline that labour shortages were directly affecting his business: 'We are facing a perfect storm at the moment. A lot of the food manufacturers have been used to surviving on cheap labour from eastern European countries. 'Now that we've had Brexit that labour is not easily available to the industry. A lot of processors are operating at 60% capacity due to a lack of staff. It isn't a question of not having the produce - that is being buried back into the ground. 'On top of that is Covid. Lots of people who would have been taking their lorry driver training have been pushed out. Plus there's the issue of lorries being driven around half empty, which shouldn't happen in our times of climate change.' Empty shelves in the water aisle of the Tesco store at St Rollox in Glasgow in July. The boss of the Food and Drink Federation has said that the days when UK consumers could expect to pick up nearly whatever product they want whenever they want from supermarket shelves are over Mr Emmanuel-Jones said he had to withdraw product lines because processors were using their limited capacity to process orders for larger rivals. 'I've had four lines that have now been stopped because manufacturers say they cannot fulfill my orders because they need to support the biggest companies instead,' he said. 'The consequence is that it is killing off small businesses. For example, in recent times my turkey and pork producers have said they can no longer provide to me. 'The consequence is I'll go to the supermarkets and say prices need to go up and they'll tell me no. So we're at the start of a big war that's about to start. 'That isn't necessarily a bad thing because it will make consumers aware of the injustices going on in the food chain.' Empty shelves in the Lidl at Pity Me, Durham, in July. Ian Wright, the body's chief executive, said that a shortage of lorry drivers is in part due to them moving to online retailers and starting to deliver for Amazon and Tesco The entrepreneur said the food industry had partly brought the crisis on itself by failing to protect its workers, although he said things were changing. 'The people in the food chain have not been paid well or enjoyed good conditions so it's about time all of this was addressed. 'Lorry drivers are now commanding some very good salaries, as are people in the processing plants.' Advertisement On this day in 1948, ex-RAF fighter pilot John Derry made history by becoming the first British man to fly faster than the speed of sound before revealing that he had done so by mistake On this day in 1948, news emerged of how an ex-RAF fighter pilot made history by becoming the first British man to fly faster than the speed of sound before he revealed that he had done so by mistake. World War Two veteran John Derry, who was then aged just 26, had broken through the sound barrier on September 6, seven miles above the Home Counties in a bat-shaped de Havilland 108 'Swallow'. It was the same type of plane in which fellow test pilot Geoffrey de Havilland the son of the famous aviation pioneer lost his life two years earlier. But the news was quickly followed by Derry's admission that the feat was accidental. Speaking to the Daily Mail afterwards, the test pilot who had won the Distinguished Flying Cross for his war service - said that 'it just happened, as these things do in routine research flying'. The 'bat man' pilot reached the extreme speed by deliberately putting the plane into a steep 60-second dive which saw him plummet 10,000 feet. And, instead of blacking out, Derry said he 'suffered no discomfort', bar a 'strange feeling in my tummy'. But tragically, the pilot was killed in a horrendous crash four years later at the famous Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire, when the experimental plane he was flying a de Havilland 110 jet fighter broke apart. Onboard observer Anthony Richards and 28 spectators were also killed, with a further 60 people injured. The huge loss of life prompted the Queen to send a message of condolence to the victims' families. The cause of the plane's break-up was later determined to be a structural failure caused by a design flaw in the plane's wing. World War Two veteran John Derry, who was then aged just 26, broke through the sound barrier seven miles above the Home Counties in a bat-shaped de Havilland 108 (one pictured on September 7, 1948). The news was quickly followed by Derry's admission that the feat was accidental. Speaking to the Daily Mail shortly afterwards, the test pilot who had won the Distinguished Flying Cross for his war service - said that 'it just happened, as these things do in routine research flying' The 'bat man' pilot reached the extreme speed by deliberately putting the plane into a steep 60-second dive which saw him plummet 10,000 feet, the Daily Mail reported at the time. And, instead of blacking out, Derry said he 'suffered no discomfort', bar a 'strange feeling in my tummy' Whilst Derry hadn't been the first person to break the sound barrier that accolade rested with US Air Force pilot Chuck Yeager, who did so in 1947 his feat was still incredible at the time. Pilot John Derry was a WWII hero Derry's military career began when he enlisted in the Royal Air Force as an air gunner and radio operator shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. After training as a pilot in Canada in 1943, he was involved in combat operations from 1944, where he flew Hawker Typhoons with the RAF's 182 Squadron. Following a brief stint in 181 Squadron, he then returned to 182 in March 1945 as the squadron's commanding officer. In June that same year, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for leading his squadron in an attack against 'enemy gun positions' according to a London Gazette write-up. It added that he had 'at all times displayed the great determination and skill and his courage has been of the highest order'. Shortly before that, he was awarded the Dutch Bronze Lion by the Queen of the Netherlands. After the war, Derry had a brief stint as the commanding officer of an RAF flying school before he was employed by Vickers Supermarine and then de Havilland as a test pilot. Advertisement As recognition for his achievement, Derry was awarded the prestigious Gold Medal of the Royal Aeronautical Club. The Royal Automobile Society also handed him the equally coveted Segrave Trophy, which was awarded to Britons who demonstrated 'outstanding skill, courage and initiative on land, water and in the air'. Earlier that year, Derry flew the same de Haviland 108 at 605.23 miles per hour whilst flying around a closed 62.5-mile circuit above Luton. In doing so, he smashed the world speed record set around the same circuit by 40mph, according to a Daily Mail report at the time. Designed in 1945 to Air Ministry specifications, the 108 was built as an experimental plane. It boasted a tailless swept wing and single vertical stabiliser - similar to the WWII German Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet. Three prototype planes were built with the purpose of investigating swept wing handling up to supersonic speeds. After de Havilland Junior's death in a second version of the plane in September 1946, the company produced a third variant. It was in this that Derry went on to exceed the speed of sound. In 1949, the aircraft appeared at the Farnborough Air Show before crashing in February 1950 following a structural failure. The tragedy claimed the life of its test pilot, Squadron Leader Stuart Muller-Rowland. The final chapter of the 108's story came when the first variant of the aircraft was lost in a crash on May 1, 1950. Squadron Leader Eric Genders was killed whilst attempting to abandon the aircraft. However, more than 480 test flights were carried out in it and the plane was instrumental in the development of modern jet aircraft. Derry's feat was made more incredible for the way in which it was achieved. Tragically, the pilot was killed in a horrendous crash four years later at the famous Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire, when the experimental plane he was flying a de Havilland 110 jet fighter broke apart. Onboard observer Anthony Richards and 28 spectators were also killed, with a further 60 people injured. The huge loss of life prompted the Queen to send a message of condolence to the victims' families Derry lost his life when he was making an aerobatic manoeuvre in the 110 and it broke up. Debris then fell onto spectators and caused what the Daily Mail said was 'one of the greatest air dramas ever known'. Above: Derry with observer Richards speaking next to the plane Just three days earlier, he had wowed spectators by becoming the first pilot to produce a sonic boom the noise generated when the sound barrier is broken to order. Above: The de Havilland 110 How Chuck Yeager became first man to break the sound barrier - after superior British project was shut down US Air Force pilot and World War Two hero Chuck Yeager, who died last year aged 97, broke the sound barrier in the rocket-powered Bell X-1 in 1946 above California's Mojave Desert. He carried out the feat after being dropped from a modified B-29 bomber at 26,000 feet. However, six days before Yaeger broke the record, a rival British project was trying to do the same using a similar-looking plane dropped from a modified de Havilland Mosquito. This unmanned aircraft was flown 35,500 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, west of Land's End in Cornwall. Although it was theoretically capable of flying between 800-100mph, the A2 crashed after exploding in mid-air. Although work continued on the project after the setback, the Government then cancelled it out of the blue despite the 100,000 which had already been spent on it. Insider Don Brown told how he was 'fuming' because the team were '15 months ahead of the Americans'. However, in 1945, de Havilland had been asked to look into creating another plane capable of breaking the sound barrier. This led to the creation of the DH108. Its first pilot Geoffrey de Havilland Junior was the son of the owner and founder of the company. The ace was killed in September 1946 when he was trying to break the then speed record over the Thames Estuary. After another DH108 prototype was produced and flown successfully in 1947, Derry then became Britain's first supersonic pilot. Advertisement The pilot said at the time: 'When I took off from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, I had no definite intention of having a crack at flying faster than sound. 'It just happened, as things do in routine research flying. I was 40,000ft over Berkshire, between Farnborough and Reading, when I pushed the stick forward and put her nose down. 'Although I was wearing only a pressure waistcoat and a pressure-fed oxygen mask, I did not black out and I suffered no discomfort. There were no bad bumps in my 60-second dive, which ended just below 30,000ft.' Then, in what was an honest admission, he added: 'There was a strange feeling in my tummy as I approached a speed of 700miles an hour in my 10,000ft dive. I cannot truthfully say I felt perfectly calm.' Derry's death came unexpectedly on September 6, 1952 at the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire. Just three days earlier, he had wowed spectators by becoming the first pilot to produce a sonic boom the noise generated when the sound barrier is broken to order. Positioning himself more than eight miles above the crowd, he dived his de Havilland 110 thousands of feet, causing as the Daily Mail described it - two 'successive bomb-bursts'. Derry lost his life when he was making an aerobatic manoeuvre in the 110 and it broke up. Debris then fell onto spectators and caused what the Daily Mail said was 'one of the greatest air dramas ever known.' Pieces of the aircraft were scattered over a three-mile area, but it was the large parts of the plane's jet unit which caused many of the fatalities. Most of the victims had been sitting on a hill overlooking the runway. A telegram sent on behalf of the Queen and Prince Philip read: 'I and my husband are shocked to hear of the accident at Farnborough yesterday. Please convey our deepest sympathy to relatives of those who have lost their lives.' Her Majesty's grandmother, Queen Mary, also sent her condolences via telegram. Her message read: 'Please convey expression of my heartfelt sympathy to families of test pilot and observer, and of spectators who lost their lives and were injured in this tragedy.' The contemporary news report added that most of the injured survivors were taken to the Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot. Just a day later, Squadron Leader Neville Duke paid tribute to his friend by breaking the sound barrier in front of 140,000 spectators. In what described as 'the greatest display ever seen at Farnborough' and a sight that was 'impossible to forget for its sheer skill, its courage and its grace', he then dipped his wings as he flew over Derry's crash site. Derry lost his life when, at the Farnborough Airshow in September 1952, he was making an aerobatic manoeuvre in the 110 and it broke up. Debris then fell onto spectators and caused what the Daily Mail said was 'one of the greatest air dramas ever known Dramatic photos printed by the paper showed the immediate aftermath of the crash, along with the pieces of debris as they fell from the sky Pieces of the aircraft were scattered over a three-mile area, but it was the large parts of the plane's jet unit which caused many of the fatalities. Most of the victims had been sitting on a hill overlooking the runway. Above: A Daily Mail report from January 1953 detailing how one dramatic photo was taken by one of the paper's readers A week later, the RAF then made its own tribute to Derry by carrying out a fly-past over a memorial service which was held for the pilot and his observer at St Albans Abbey. What is a sonic boom? A sonic boom is a thunder-like noise a person on the ground hears when an aircraft or other type of aerospace vehicle flies faster than the speed of sound. Air reacts like fluid to supersonic objects. As those objects travel through the air, molecules are pushed aside with great force and this forms a shock wave, much like a boat creates a wake in water. The bigger and heavier the aircraft, the more air it displaces. The shock wave forms a 'cone' of pressurized or built-up air molecules, which move outward and rearward in all directions and extend all the way to the ground. As this cone spreads across the landscape along the flight path, it creates a continuous sonic boom along the full width of the cone's base. The sharp release of pressure, after the build-up by the shock wave, is heard as the sonic boom. The change in air pressure associated with a sonic boom is only a few pounds per square foot - about the same pressure change experienced riding an elevator down two or three floors. It is the rate of change, the sudden changing of the pressure, which makes the sonic boom audible. Source: NASA Advertisement Sixteen twin-engine Meteor jets, which had just taken part in that year's Battle of Britain anniversary event over London's Whitehall, flew low over the church. Just two days before the crash, Derry had written about the risk of trying to go faster than the speed of sound. In an article for The Times, he said the dangers were 'sudden changes in stability, loss of controllability, and oscillations of part or the whole of the aircraft'. He added: 'The actual risk is not, as is commonly believed, primarily one of structural failure, but of losing control over the aircraft or its moving surfaces.' The pilot said this could cause structural failure but added that this took place in 'only a very small percentage of accidents'. Derry's military career began when he enlisted in the Royal Air Force as an air gunner and radio operator shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. After training as a pilot in Canada in 1943, he was involved in combat operations from 1944, where he flew Hawker Typhoons with the RAF's 182 Squadron. Following a brief stint in 181 Squadron, he then returned to 182 in March 1945 as the squadron's commanding officer. In June that same year, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for leading his squadron in an attack against 'enemy gun positions' according to a London Gazette write-up. It added that he had 'at all times displayed the great determination and skill and his courage has been of the highest order'. Shortly before that, he was awarded the Dutch Bronze Lion by the Queen of the Netherlands. After the war, Derry had a brief stint as the commanding officer of an RAF flying school before he was employed by Vickers Supermarine and then de Havilland as a test pilot. A telegram sent on behalf of the Queen and Prince Philip read: 'I and my husband are shocked to hear of the accident at Farnborough yesterday. Please convey our deepest sympathy to relatives of those who have lost their lives'. Above: Spectators tend to those wounded by the aircraft's falling debris Most of the injured survivors were taken to the Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot. Above: A photo showing survivors being carried into an ambulance The de Havilland 108 'Swallow Designed in October 1945, the de Havilland 108 boasted a tailless swept wing and single vertical stabiliser - similar to the WWII German Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet. Three prototype planes were built to Air Ministry specifications with the purpose of investigating swept wing handling up to supersonic speeds. After de Havilland Junior's death in a second version of the plane, the company produced a third variant. It was in this that John Derry went on to exceed the speed of sound. In 1949, the aircraft appeared at the Farnborough Air Show before crashing in February 1950 following a structural failure. The tragedy claimed the life of its test pilot, Squadron Leader Stuart Muller-Rowland. The final chapter of the 108's story when the first variant of the aircraft was lost in a crash on May 1, 1950. Squadron Leader Eric Genders was killed whilst attempting to abandon the aircraft. However, more than 480 test flights were carried out in it and the plane was instrumental in the development of modern jet aircraft. Advertisement World War Two hero Yeager, who died last year aged 97, broke the sound barrier in the rocket-powered Bell X-1 in 1946 above California's Mojave Desert. Yeager is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest fighter pilots to have ever lived. In in the war, he shot down at least 11 enemy aircraft. He carried out the sound barrier feat after being dropped from a modified B-29 bomber at 26,000 feet. The modest Yeager said in 1947 he could have gone even faster had the plane carried more fuel. He said the ride 'was nice, just like riding fast in a car.' Yeager nicknamed the rocket plane, and all his other aircraft, 'Glamorous Glennis' for his wife, who died in 1990. 'It opened up space, Star Wars, satellites,' Yeager said in a 2007 interview with AFP. However, six days before Yaeger broke the record, a rival British project was trying to do the same using a similar-looking plane dropped from a modified de Havilland Mosquito. This unmanned aircraft was flown 35,500 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, west of Land's End in Cornwall. Although it was theoretically capable of flying between 800-100mph, the A2 crashed after exploding in mid-air. Although work continued on the project after the setback, the Government then cancelled it out of the blue despite the 100,000 which had already been spent on it. Insider Don Brown told how he was 'fuming' because the team were '15 months ahead of the Americans'. In 1945, de Havilland had been asked to look into creating another plane capable of breaking the sound barrier. This led to the creation of the DH108 and the death of de Havilland Junior in the plane in September 1946. After another DH108 prototype was produced and flown successfully in 1947, Derry then became Britain's first supersonic pilot. Spectators at Farnborough stand on the side of a hill where many of the victims were killed after being hit by pieces of Derry's plane Mr Derry's wife Carol was later pictured outside her home with the family dog after the death of her husband Derry is seen above (right) with his wife (second from right) meeting film director David Lean and actress Ann Todd at the Farnborough Air Show in 1952, the year Derry was killed there A mother accused of killing her own children in a brutal motorway crash has gone on the run, with border control asked to place 'alerts' to ensure her return. Mother-of-four Mary McCann, 35, of Derby, was due to appear before Aylesbury Crown Court today to answer two charges of causing death by dangerous driving. She is set to stand trial over the deaths of her son Smaller, 10, and daughter Lilly, 4, after slamming her white Vauxhall Astra into a Scania HGV while driving on the M1 near J14 and J15 on Monday, August 9. The lorry driver was unhurt, but the motorway was closed for 12 hours. But prosecutors today admitted they 'do not know where she is', with Ms McCann failing to contact her solicitors after the funeral of her two children she is accused of killing last week. Mother-of-four Mary McCann, 35, of Derby, was due to appear before Aylesbury Crown Court today to answer two charges of causing death by dangerous driving She is set to stand trial over the deaths of her son Smaller, 10,left, and daughter Lilly, 4, right after slamming her white Vauxhall Astra into a Scania HGV Prosecutors today admitted they do not know where Ms McCann is McCann failed to contact her solicitors after the funeral of her two children Prosecutor Heather Stangoe told the judge: 'Unfortunately, we do not know where she is. We were informed through her solicitor that they had failed to make contact with the defendant. Her bail address was her sister's and she is not there. 'It was the funeral of her children this week. Her one year old child is with the grandmother and is safe.' The judge issued a warrant, not backed for bail, for her arrest saying he wanted the Home Office to put ports and airports on alert for her. 'It is most likely she will flee to Ireland,' he said. He added: 'This is a sad case, but by absconding to avoid the indictment being put is in my view tactical.' Ms McCann is set to stand trial at Aylesbury Crown Court over the deaths of her son Smaller, 10, and daughter Lilly, 4 The 35-year-old, of Bamford Avenue, Derby, was driving a white Vauxhall Astra that collided with a Scania HGV at about ten past eleven at night on Monday August 9th. Her son Smaller, 10, and daughter Lilly, 4, were killed in the crash on the northbound carriageway between junctions 14 and 15, near Milton Keynes. Defence barrister Laban Leake said: 'The funerals were on Monday and Tuesday. She is no longer at the aunt's address. 'She gave a telephone number (for her), An attempt was made to contact that number, but there was no response.' Mr Leake added: 'We know nothing of her state of mind.' The children's aunt, Margaret McCann, 26, said the family were on the way back from a party in London when the horror crash occurred. Their mother's Facebook page showed an image of smaller next to a birthday cake and 10th birthday balloon from earlier on Monday There was also a post of a birthday cake showing it was Smaller's 10th birthday on the day he died The HGV driver was not injured in the incident, which happened at about 11.10pm on Monday August 9 (file photo) Ms McCann was injured and another daughter, two, was strapped into her seat in the car and survived the crash. Her 13-year-old daughter had stayed in London. Devastated family members paid heartbreaking tributes to the children on social media. One wrote: 'Life is cruel to take them away from my lovely brother. Best old father in the world, he put them first no matter how hard he hit they were his life please god give him the strength.' The children's aunt said: 'RIP my perfect little niece and nephew. Aunt Elizabeth's old pet Smaller and me little frilly Lilly. 'Love you always and forever and never in this lifetime will you ever be forgotten, always loved.' A family friend put: 'Mortal divine RIP beautiful angels. So sorry for your loss, their poor mommy and daddy.' A cousin wrote: 'Can't believe I'm even writing this but rest in peace to my two beautiful little cousins Smaller and Lilly. 'I love you with all my heart. I love you so much this don't even feel real. What has this world come to, hearts in bits. RIP my babies.' The half-sister of the baby at the center of the landmark Roe v. Wade case has said she understands why she never met their mom before she died - after her sister came forward to reveal her identity following decades of secrecy. Melissa Mills, the eldest daughter of Norma McCorvey - the woman known as Jane Roe - told CBS Mornings she believes it was 'too much' for her half-sister Shelley Lynn Thornton to come face-to-face with their birth mom. 'Shelley never met her - I think it was just too much. And I understand that, I mean she wanted to abort her,' said Mills. Mills also claimed it was McCorvey's 'sick sense of humor' which led her to tell Thornton she should thank her for not aborting her all those years ago. Mills was McCorvey's first of three children - all girls - and was adopted by McCorvey's mom Mary, making her the only child who grew up with their biological mother in her life. Melissa Mills, the half-sister of the baby at the center of the landmark Roe v. Wade case, told CBS Mornings she understands why she never met their mom before she died Shelley Lynn Thornton (pictured), a 51-year-old mother-of-three, has come forward to reveal she is the baby at the center of Roe v. Wade McCorvey had a second daughter, Jennifer, who was adopted by a couple in Dallas, Texas. Then, in 1970, when McCorvey, at this time 22, unmarried and living in Dallas, learned she was pregnant for a third time, she filed a lawsuit under the name 'Jane Roe' to be able to have an abortion. At the time, abortion was illegal except for where the mother's life was at risk. But McCorvey never got the abortion. The suit, which came to define reproductive rights across America, rumbled on until 1973 when the Supreme Court recognized a woman's constitutional right to choose to have an abortion, legalizing abortion nationwide for the first time. By this time, McCorvey had given birth to the baby, given her up for adoption and the toddler was two-and-a-half years old and living with new parents. The identity of the baby remained a secret for decades until Thornton, now a 51-year-old mother-of-three, came forward to reveal she is the child who anti-abortion supporters dubbed 'the 'Roe baby' in journalist Joshua Prager's new book 'The Family Roe: An American Story' - an adapted excerpt of which was published in The Atlantic Thursday. Thornton, who grew up with adoptive parents who didn't believe in abortion, said she didn't know who her biological mother was until she was 18. Thornton told Prager she then went on to have a difficult relationship with McCorvey and never met her in person before she died in 2017. She recalled a heated conversation in 1994 when McCorvey called her to say she and her long-term partner Connie wanted to visit her, according to The Atlantic. Thornton said she asked her birth mom to be 'discreet' with her partner in front of her young son. 'How am I going to explain to a three-year-old that not only is this person your grandmother, but she is kissing another woman?' she recalled, per the book. Attorney Gloria Allred (left) and Norma McCorvey aka 'Jane Roe' (right) at a pro-choice rally in California in 1989 Thornton said McCorvey shouted at her and told her she should be grateful to her for not aborting her. 'I was like, 'What?! I'm supposed to thank you for getting knocked up and then giving me away,'' she told Prager. 'I told her I would never, ever thank her for not aborting me.' Mills told CBS she puts that encounter down to McCorvey's 'pretty harsh' and 'sick' humor and said their mom had been 'mad' at Thornton over a DNA test. 'Mom had a sick sense of humor,' said Mills. 'Her humor was pretty harsh and she was mad at Shelley because Shelley wouldn't do a DNA test and when Shelley wouldn't it kind of made her mad.' Mills told CBS that, like Thornton, she also didn't learn McCorvey was the woman known as Jane Roe - or that she had two half-sisters - until her teens. Instead, being raised by her maternal grandmother, she regarded McCorvey more like 'a sister.' 'I didn't think of her as a mother figure. I thought of her as a sister as that was how our relationship was,' she said. She said she remembers McCorvey being 'really funny... the life of the party' but 'not everybody is meant to be a mother' and she 'couldn't look after herself, much less anybody else.' 'Not everybody is meant to be a mother - I didn't expect that of her,' she said. 'She was the mother she could be.' Mills also claimed it was their mom Norma McCorvey's 'sick sense of humor' which led her to tell Thornton she should thank her for not aborting her Mills broke down in tears as she revealed McCorvey suffered abuse over the Supreme Court case. 'People would call her a killer, they'd call her Satan,' she said She continued: 'We were all given up for adoption but my grandparents adopted me. 'And the other two were given up at birth. She couldn't look after herself much less anybody else.' Mills recalled being reunited with Jennifer and Shelley for the first time in 2013. 'We only had 24 hours together and it was very short and we got as much in as we could,' she said. Mills broke down in tears as she revealed her own absence of a mother figure pushed her to be the best mom she could be when she had her own children. 'I guess when you want something you do it,' she said of her stable family life, adding that she is most proud of 'my kids.' But, despite her mother's troubles, Mills broke down in tears as she said she wanted to protect McCorvey. 'I didn't want anybody to hurt her,' she said. 'As I felt that even though she was strong, she was fragile.' Mills revealed McCorvey suffered abuse over her role in the landmark Supreme Court case that legalized abortion for women in America. 'People would call her a killer, they'd call her Satan, they'd call her all kinds of terrible things,' she said. 'It was cruel.' Mills said she believes this abuse drove her mom to switch from a pro-choice to a pro-life stance later in life. The Atlantic revealed that Shelley Lynn Thornton, 51, is the youngest daughter of McCorvey in an adapted excerpt from journalist Joshua Prager's new book 'The Family Roe: An American Story' (above), out September 14 'She felt guilty and people made her feel bad for the part and the role that she played with the r v w case and all the babies that were aborted through the years,' she said. McCorvey, who revealed her identity as Jane Roe days after the 1973 Supreme Court ruling, became a pro-choice figurehead at abortion rights rallies alongside her attorney Gloria Allred in the wake of the ruling. Later in life, she became a born-again Christian and she switched to a pro-life stance. However, in a deathbed confession first released in 2020 documentary 'AKA Jane Roe', McCorvey claimed she faked her conversion in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments by an anti-abortion group. Two religious leaders backed her claims, with one admitting 'the jig is up.' Mills also claimed that, despite the landmark abortion law being born from her birth mom's lawsuit, McCorvey wasn't told when the law passed. 'Yeah, quite a bit before I think and they didn't even call her. Mom didn't even know that the abortion law had passed,' she said. 'They didn't even include her on any of that so she really wasn't involved - they didn't want her to be. 'They said she really wasn't the type of person that they needed even though they used her case.' When asked 'what does Norma McCorvey mean to you?', Mills replied: 'That's my mom.' Mills maintained a relationship with her biological mom (pictured together) until her 2017 death. McCorvey spent the last few years of her life in an assisted living facility in Dallas near to where Melissa and her daughter live Mills maintained a relationship with her biological mom until her death. McCorvey spent the last few years of her life in an assisted living facility in Dallas near to where Melissa and her daughter live. She died from heart failure in 2017 aged 69. Thornton, meanwhile, never met her birth mother in person before she died. She told Prager she had decided to speak out after more than half a century because she wanted to free herself from the 'secrets and lies.' 'Secrets and lies are, like, the two worst things in the whole world. I'm keeping a secret, but I hate it,' she said, in an adapted excerpt from Prager's new book 'The Family Roe: An American Story', published in The Atlantic. 'I want everyone to understand that this is something I've chosen to do.' Thornton said her views on abortion are now complex, saying 'I don't understand why it's a government concern' but revealing that when she fell pregnant at 20 she decided abortion was 'not part of who I was.' 'My association with Roe started and ended because I was conceived,' she told Prager, whose book is published September 14. Thornton had always known she was adopted and had longed to make contact with her birth mother, she told Prager. But she said she has suffered from depression and anxiety for years - something she attributes at least in part to knowing she was 'not wanted' by her birth mom. 'When someone's pregnant with a baby and they don't want that baby, that person develops knowing they're not wanted,' said Thornton, in the book excerpt obtained by The Atlantic. McCorvey in 1998. Shelley Lynn Thornton, 51, has come forward to reveal that she is the youngest daughter of McCorvey - the woman known as Jane Roe Thornton was the only child of her adopted parents Ruth Schmidt and Billy Thornton, who - after being unable to conceive their own child - reached out to attorney Henry McCluskey to help them adopt. The couple took their baby home at three days old in June 1970, with no knowledge that she was at the center of the high-profile lawsuit, revealed Prager in the book excerpt. Thornton told Prager that neither she nor her adoptive parents learned she was the infant dubbed the 'Roe baby' by the anti-abortion community until almost two decades later, reported The Atlantic. In 1989, McCorvey publicly spoke out to say she wanted to track down her third child. The National Enquirer carried out an investigation with the help of a woman named Toby Hanft, who previously gave her own daughter up for adoption and was now working to connect birth mothers with the children they gave up. Hanft managed to identify and track down Thornton, who was 18 at the time, according to Prager. When Thornton found out her mom was Jane Roe, she said she knew little about the Supreme Court case other than it 'made it OK for people to go out and be promiscuous', according to the book excerpt published in The Atlantic. 'The only thing I knew about being pro-life or pro-choice or even Roe v. Wade was that this person had made it OK for people to go out and be promiscuous,' she told Prager. She said she was left 'shaking all over and crying' following the bombshell revelation. The Enquirer published its article in 1989 revealing the so-called 'Roe baby' had been found but, at her request, did not reveal Thornton's identity and she didn't meet with McCorvey. Two years after the Enquirer article was published and as an unmarried 20-year-old, Thornton told Prager she discovered she was pregnant. Norma McCorvey (left) and her attorney Gloria Allred (right) hold hands as they leave the Supreme Court building in Washington after sitting in while the court listened to arguments in a Missouri abortion case in 1989 She was already planning to marry her partner Doug but she was 'not at all' eager to become a mother and Doug suggested they consider an abortion, she said, according to the excerpt in The Atlantic. Thornton said her ties to the Roe v. Wade case had caused her to rethink her views on abortion. When the Enquirer had tracked her down, her adoptive mom Ruth told the journalist 'we don't believe in abortion,' she told Prager. The publication had then described her as pro-life because, The Atlantic reported, she had told the journalist 'she couldn't see herself having an abortion.' Thornton told Prager she was unhappy with this description because she regarded pro-life as 'a bunch of religious fanatics going around and doing protests.' However, she also didn't identify as pro-choice because 'Norma was pro-choice, and it seemed to Shelley that to have an abortion would render her no different than Norma,' Prager wrote in the book extract. Thornton told Prager, in the excerpt obtained by The Atlantic, that she had come to the conclusion that religion and politics should not play a part in abortion law. 'I guess I don't understand why it's a government concern,' she said. But she realized that abortion was 'not part of who I was' and decided to keep the baby - a son - and ensure he felt wanted. 'I knew what I didn't want to do,' she said in the book excerpt. 'I didn't want to ever make him feel that he was a burden or unloved.' Thornton and Doug had two more children - daughters born in 1999 and 2000. The revelation about the identity of the baby at the center of the landmark case comes as Roe v. Wade and the debate around abortion laws have taken center stage in the US once again. A group of protesters gather in Times Square, NYC, Saturday to rally against the new Texas law Texas Governor Greg Abbott (pictured) signed a new abortion law in May which took effect Wednesday The revelation of the identity of the baby at the center of the landmark case comes as Roe v. Wade and the debate around abortion laws have taken center stage in the US once again. Last week, Texas implemented a new law that effectively undercut the 1973 ruling and saw the introduction of the most extreme abortion law across the country. The law, dubbed the 'Texas Heartbeat Act', bans abortions from when a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which is typically after six weeks of pregnancy - before many women even know they are pregnant. The ban does not make exceptions for women who are victims of rape or incest, with the only exception being to save the life of the mother. Rather than enforcement by state officials, the new law gives private citizens the right to sue women who get abortions or anyone who helps them get abortions for $10,000. The law took effect last Wednesday when the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of upholding it and denied a request from abortion providers to block it. The Project co-host Hamish Macdonald has had a fiery exchange with an infectious diseases expert after he claimed the guest insinuated Gladys Berejeklian has a 'secret plan' to let the Delta variant run wild in Sydney. Macdonald was interviewing Professor Bill Bowtell on Friday night's show about the NSW Premier's decision to stop fronting up for daily Covid briefings with the media. Ms Berejiklian announced on Friday she would no longer hold the press conferences despite the state's outbreak continuing to grow with peak hospitalisations expected next month. Professor Bill Bowtell and Project host Hamish Macdonald (pictured) clashed on Friday night's show as they discussed NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian's decision to cancel daily press conferences about the state's Covid-19 outbreak Ms Berejiklian announced on Friday she would no longer hold the conferences as she transitions the state towards living with the virus Macdonald challenged Mr Bowtell after he said the NSW Government had left the state 'in limbo' by deliberately 'letting cases soar' when the public was largely unvaccinated. 'These were the consequences of a plan that was assembled in secret,' Professor Bowtell said. The professor also said the 'plan' was put together without consulting 'the people or the parliament'. 'What plan are you talking about?' Macdonald asked. 'Are you seriously saying this was a deliberate plan by the premier to let this get out of control? 'I don't think anyone is seriously suggesting that, are they?' Mr Bowtell (pictured) said a decision has been made to 'let Covid run in NSW before the population was remotely fully vaccinated' Mr Bowtell explained he was not suggesting the disastrous outbreak was planned. 'No, I'm not saying it was a deliberate plan, but I'm saying the [lockdowns are the] consequences, maybe the unintended consequence... of the decision to let Covid run in NSW before the population was remotely fully vaccinated, or even partially vaccinated,' he said. Mr Bowtell said Ms Berejiklian as 'the architect of the policy' should continue to front the media because not doing so reduces people's trust in their government. 'Turning up builds trust,' he said. 'But nothing trashes trust more than refusing to turn up and be accountable to the people.' Mr Bowtell claimed that the premier 'is not bothered anymore' by the prospect of an increase in cases. NSW recorded 1,542 new locally acquired cases of Covid on Friday as the premier warned cases will peak next week. Earlier, Ms Berejiklian denied she was 'going into hiding', saying: 'All of us have to start accepting that we need to live with Covid because Covid will be around for three or four years.' New South Wales has been leading the way forward on jab rates and is on track to hit the target marker by October 18 - a date which has tentatively been set by the Berejiklian government as 'Freedom Day' for the fully vaccinated The premier said health officials would still provide daily case numbers 'indefinitely' in a video message but from now on she would only front the media when she had 'something important to say'. She defended her decision to stop daily pressers even with the full impact of the virus yet to hit. 'The public want to hear from me and others but when we have something to say, apart from repeating the numbers that Health repeats,' she said. 'It might be three times a week instead of seven times a week but the message is we will speak every time there is something important to say and I am accountable 24/7 every day of the week.' NSW Labor leader Chris Minns opposed the move and said he needed to hear her speak daily. 'Now more than ever we need to be hearing daily from the government,' Mr Minns said. 'By the government's own admission, NSW is weeks away from cases peaking, hospitalisations and ICU numbers peaking, the roadmap out for western Sydney. 'We need to be hearing from the premier every day.' Advertisement Scotland's Covid cases tripled in a fortnight and surged to their highest level ever in the wake of schools returning from the summer holidays, official figures revealed today. The Office for National Statistics' weekly surveillance report estimated 117,300 people, the equivalent of one in 45 Scots, were infected with the virus on any given day in the week ending September 3. For comparison, the figure stood at 36,700 people, or one in 140, in the seven-day spell to August 20. It's the first time the country's projected weekly case-load has spiralled into six-figures since the pandemic began. Infection estimates for England showed that the country's outbreak remained level after it was estimated 754,600 people had the virus last week, or one in 70. But schools in England's had only been back for a matter of days by September 3. Scottish pupils returned to classrooms in mid-August and were later blamed for seeding a massive uptick in cases which has only just started to plateau. Both Northern Ireland and Wales where schools returned at the same time as in England saw their infections rise by 10 per cent and 66 per cent in a week, respectively, the ONS report said. Meanwhile, No10's top scientists today estimated England's R rate is at the same level (0.9 to 1.1) as last week in yet another sign that the country's outbreak was plateauing ahead of the return of schools. It comes as Professor Chris Whitty and the chief medical officers from the devolved nations prepare to clear the way for vaccinating 12 to 15-year-olds. England's chief medical officer, who was asked by No10 to make the final decision on jabbing youngsters, is next week expected to sign off on expanding the roll-out to include all over-12s, it was claimed. It could see secondary school children given jabs from the week commencing September 20. Advisers told him that the jabs could boost the mental health of youngsters and stop them taking time off school, The Times claims. Scotland's Covid cases have spiralled three-fold in a fortnight, it was estimated today. Office for National Statistics figures showed 117,300 Scots were thought to have the virus in the week to September 3, or one in 45 people. This was up more than 200 per cent from two weeks ago when 36,700 were thought to have the virus AUGUST 21 (left) AND SEPTEMBER 4 (right): The above maps show the Covid infection rate across Scotland in the week to August 21, a few days after schools in the country returned from the summer holidays, and September 4. They show that cases have surged across the country, particularly around major cities Scottish government advisers yesterday estimated that their R rate which measures the spread of the virus was between 1.2 and 1.5, in a warning sign the country's outbreak is still growing. It means that for every ten people who catch the virus north of the border, they are passing it on to between 12 and 15 other people. But the R rate is a lagging indicator, and reflects the situation the country faced itself in several weeks ago due to the data used to calculate it. Yesterday the Covid symptom study run by King's College London and health data company ZOE said that 5,898 people were catching Covid every day in Scotland, up from 3,503 two weeks ago. Britain's booster vaccine drive will get the go ahead next week, reports suggest Britain's booster Covid vaccine drive is set to finally get the go ahead next week when No10's advisory panel signs off on a 'mix and match' approach to top-up doses, it was claimed today. Millions of elderly Britons are expected to receive a top-up jab this autumn after data showed a third dose cause a 'several-fold increase' in antibodies, which help fight off the coronavirus. And Government insiders say the third dose people receive will likely be of a different type to their first two doses because the combination will offer better protection. But one of the leading figures in the development of the AstraZeneca jab today said a mass coronavirus vaccine booster campaign like that of Israel and the US may not be necessary. Dame Sarah Gilbert said immunity is 'lasting well' for most people and suggested extra doses should be directed to countries with a low rate of vaccination. She told The Daily Telegraph: 'We will look at each situation; the immuno-compromised and elderly will receive boosters. But I dont think we need to boost everybody.' Health Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday said he expects a booster programme to start later in September but he is still awaiting advice from experts on the scale of any campaign to offer extra shots to people. Advertisement In England, it suggested 51,876 people were catching the virus every day in the week ending September 4, down nine per cent on the previous seven-day spell. This was despite an official Public Health England report that warned infections in the country were rising. Professor Tim Spector, an epidemiologist and lead scientist of the study, said the return to classrooms 'hasn't yet caused a spike' in infections. The ONS survey estimated that in Northern Ireland 31,800 people were infected with the virus on any given day last week, compared to 28,700 last week. And in Wales it said that 46,800 people had Covid, compared to 28,100 in the previous seven-day spell. Northern Ireland's outbreak was sparked by younger people mixing more both for social events and in the workplace, official data suggests. Lower vaccination rates among 18 to 39-year-olds are also thought to have been a factor. In England, the percentage of people testing positive for Covid is estimated to have increased in the North East, with one in 45 people testing positive. It is thought to have stayed flat in London and the South East and decreased in the North West. The trend for all other regions is uncertain, according to the ONS. Infection rates were lowest in the East, where just one in 90 people tested positive. When modelling the level of Covid infections among different age ranges in England, the ONS said rates have increased for those aged from two to school Year 11. Around one in 35 people from school Years 7 to 11 and from school Year 12 to age 24 are estimated to have had Covid-19 in the week to September 3 the highest positivity rate for any age group. Rates also increased for those aged 35 to 49. But the percentage testing positive decreased for those aged 25 to 34 and 50 to 69. The trend was uncertain for all other age groups. Children returned to schools last week in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. But in Scotland they went back in mid-August. It is expected to take several days before the impact of schools reopening will show up in the daily figures. Yesterday the UK's daily Covid cases remained flat on the week before. Department of Health chiefs posted 38,013 new infection, down 0.4 per cent on the 38,154 recorded last week. Deaths also fell yesterday, with 167 fatalities recorded a drop-off of 6.2 per cent on the 178 seen last week. But the number of hospital admissions remained flat. Some 863 Covid patients were admitted on Sunday the most recent date data is available for, up 1.8 per cent on the week before. Slide me Rates are rising in all regions of England except south-west England. Map shows: The percentage change in infections in regions across England in the week ending September 5 (right) and the week before (left) Data from King's College London scientists has suggested 51,876 people suffered with the virus in the week ending September 4, down nine per cent on the previous week (57,158) Figures from Public Health England show cases in children aged 10 to 19 spiked by 42 per cent in a week from 478.3 per 100,000 to 681.4 in the week ending September 5. This was nearly six times higher than the 114 cases per 100,000 in over-80s down 1.2 per cent from the week before and 145.8 in 70- to 79-year-olds which remained flat Teenage boys are SIX TIMES more likely to get rare side effect than be hospitalised with Covid Teenage boys are six times more likely to get a rare side effect from the Covid vaccine than be hospitalised with the disease, according to a study. California University researchers found that boys aged 12 to 15 who got two doses of the vaccine had a rate of inflammation of the heart, or myocarditis, of 162.2 cases per million people. For comparison, their rate of hospitalisation with the disease was 26.7 per million. But the researchers also found that the rate of hospitalisation among those who got just one dose was 13 per million, below the admissions rate. Professor Chris Whitty and the chief medical officers from the devolved nations are currently weighing up whether to inoculate 12 to 15-year-olds in Britain. They are expected to give the plans the green light early next week, but some SAGE experts say it is likely children will only be offered one dose. When the drive was expanded to 16 and 17-year-olds, they were only offered one dose of the vaccine. An unnamed SAGE scientist told the i newspaper: 'With both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines offering high levels of protection after just one dose this is one course of action being considered.' The study looked at reports of adverse cardiac events in the US among 12 to 17-year-olds between January and mid-June this year. Children in the country have been able to get two doses of the jab since May, with 177million having already received both jabs. Adverse cardiac events were defined as cases of myocarditis, pericarditis and chest pain, the technical names for inflammation of the heart. They found 257 adverse cardiac events after vaccination of which the vast majority (220) were recorded after a second dose was administered. There were only 25 adverse cardiac events among girls, and none were recorded after the first dose. This gave them a rate of 13.0 myocarditis cases per million after the second dose. The study was published as a pre-print on site medRxiv, meaning it is yet to be peer-reviewed by other scientists. Advertisement PHE data yesterday showed the overall the number of positive cases last week rose from 171,798 to 187,059. Case rates in England are continuing to rise in most age groups, PHE said. The exceptions are 20 to 29-year-olds, 60 to 69-year-olds and people aged 80 and over. The highest rate is among 10 to 19-year-olds, with 681.4 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to September 5, up sharply week-on-week from 478.3. The second highest rate is among 20 to 29-year-olds, down from 412.1 to 373.2. But the lowest rate is among people aged 80 and over, at 114.0, down slightly from 115.4. Rates are rising in all regions of England except south-west England, according to PHE. North-east England has the highest rate, with 378.6 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to September 5, up from 320.3. Yorkshire and the Humber has the second highest rate at 378.4, up from 343.0. London has the lowest rate at 240.0, up slightly from 237.5. Dr Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England, said: 'Case rates remain high although fairly stable across the country and are currently highest in those aged 10-19 years old. 'We expect to see more cases in this age groups as schools detect cases of COVID-19 acquired during the summer holidays. We continue to closely monitor how the start of the school year is impacting infections and will review recommendations accordingly. 'In recent days many have begun to return to the workplace. 'It's important to keep following the simple steps to help protect yourself and others, get both doses of the vaccine, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces and if you have Covid symptoms, please do not go out. 'You should only leave home to get a PCR test, which you should get as soon as possible if you have symptoms.' It comes after the Government's own vaccine advisory panel, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), last week ruled that the benefits of vaccines were only 'marginally greater' than the known risks for 12 to 15-year-olds. Both Pfizer and Moderna's jabs have been linked to a rare heart complication called myocarditis in young adults and children. Following the JCVI ruling, ministers asked Professor Whitty and the UK's other chief medical officers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to carry out a wider review to weigh up the societal benefits of inoculating children, to see whether this would tip the balance clearly in favour of jabbing the group. The full details of this review are yet to be published although they are set to be formally announced next week when the chief medical officers present their decision on vaccinating children. SAGE members have suggested giving the youngest children just one dose of the jab because it offers 'high levels of protection' and carries less risk of myocarditis, inflammation of the heart heavily linked to the second vaccine. One expert on the panel told the i newspaper: 'With both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines offering high levels of protection after just one dose this is one course of action being considered.' Concerns over vaccinating children have centered around the complication, which appears to be mild but can strike up to one in 15,000 teenage boys after their second dose. A University of California study yesterday revealed boys are six times more likely to suffer the side effect after two doses of the vaccine than be hospitalised if they catch the virus. But they found their risk of experiencing the rare side effect after one dose was so low that it made hospitalisation with the disease more than twice as likely. British teenagers aged 16 and 17 have been able to get one dose of the Covid vaccine since last month, when the JCVI approved the expansion of the roll-out. Scientists are still yet to decide whether they should also be offered a second dose of the jab because of the myocarditis risk. Parents will also be asked for consent to inoculate their children once the jabs receive the green light, with forms set to be posted within days of the announcement. Advertisement A baby duckling that paddled too close to a great blue heron in a Southern California pond became a fast feast for the hungry predator. Photographer Randy Wei was in Huntington Park recently when he spotted a mother mallard swimming in a pond with her five babies trailing close behind, oblivious to danger lurking nearby. Somehow, she got too close and too close and too comfortable in the vicinity of the great blue heron, Wei said. The heron was standing still, waiting for fish, when suddenly I heard wings flapping and water splashing. The heron had ensnared one of the baby birds in its massive beak, and the trapped duckling cried for help as it tried to wrangle its way from the predators grasp. The mother duck and her ducklings strayed too close to a hungry great blue heron during a swim in Orange County, California The duckling called to its nearby mother for help as the heron held its grip at the Huntington Park pond in Huntington Beach It all happened very fast and next thing one of the ducklings was already in the heron's beak and then its stomach. Fish is typically the food of choice for herons, which are carnivores. But theyve been theyve been known to eat small rodents, insects, and baby birds. When they've built up an appetite, herons catch their pray by slowly wading into the water and playing the waiting game. When a potential snack approaches, they extend their long necks and hold still until it's close enough to grab. The birds swallow their prey whole. The heron, which towers over the baby bird, threw the duck into the air before catching it in its oversized beak Although it tried, the tiny duckling couldn't wriggle away from the grip of the larger and more powerful heron The heron held onto the duck before swallowing it whole as the duckling, again, cried to its mother duck for help The photographer said he used a Sony A7R4 camera with a 400mm f2.8 lens with a 2x extender to capture the shots at Huntington Park. The 365-acre greenspace is a popular spot for bird watchers. Britain's competition watchdog has cracked down on the rampant travel PCR Covid test market after warning firms selling 'dodgy' tests were in a 'race to the bottom'. Holidaymakers have been forced to pay in excess of 200 for a single swab because of the 'lottery' market. The Competition and Markets Authority warned test providers had been allowed to undercut each other on quality because of a lack of regulation. It advised the Government to create a one-stop shop list of 'approved test providers by significantly improving the basic standards to qualify for inclusion and remaining on the gov.uk list'. The watchdog also called for a more comprehensive monitoring and enforcement programme to ensure test providers meet the Government's standards and receive swift sanctions for failings. In a report to Health Secretary Sajid Javid, it said travellers could lose out and called on the Government to have an 'interventionist' response. It was revealed yesterday that ministers are currently considering dropping costly PCR-testing requirements for vaccinated travellers. The Department of Transport will announce changes to travel rules which could include dropping the green and amber classifications for countries at the start of next month. Currently, fully vaccinated people have to take two tests one within 72 hours of travelling back to the UK and a second within two days of arriving home. The latter must be a PCR. Non-vaccinated people currently enjoy the same rules as the double-jabbed when returning from green countries, but have to self-isolate at home for up to 10 days after coming back from amber destinations. Britain's competition watchdog has cracked down on the rampant travel PCR Covid test market after warning firms selling 'dodgy' tests were in a race to the bottom. Pictured: A woman receives a PCR test at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France BA chief says UK travel rules are 'not fit for purpose' and calls for testing and quarantine to be 'simplified' The UK's travel rules are 'not fit for purpose', the boss of British Airways said yesterday, as he called for testing and quarantine requirements to be 'simplified'. Chief executive Sean Doyle said Government policy is 'the biggest single enabler' of airlines recovering from the virus crisis. He went on: 'We had the traffic light system over the summer. There was some progress made. But I think it's not fit for purpose. 'It needs to be simplified. It needs to be adapted in the same way that we see in Europe and in the US.' Yesterday, Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate called for testing to be removed altogether for travellers who have been double jabbed. 'Other countries have done this and their aviation sectors are recovering much faster with bookings in Europe recovering twice as fast as in the UK,' he said. Advertisement Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the CMA, said: 'Buying a PCR travel test is a lottery. 'From complaints about dodgy pricing practices, to unfair terms, to failure to provide tests on time or at all, to problems with getting refunds, the experience for some is just not good enough. 'Recent weeks have underlined that we will not hesitate to take action against any PCR test provider we suspect is breaking the law and exploiting their customers. 'However, competition alone will not do the job, even when backed by enforcement of consumer law. 'The PCR testing market is unusual because its key features are dictated by Government policy decisions to fight the pandemic.' The CMA surveyed around 2,500 holidaymakers in August to investigate how much they paid for a test and what the service was like. Brits paid 125 per test on average, according to the survey. It also found 16 per cent of people who ordered a test from one of the Government-approved providers received it late. More than a fifth did not receive their results in the timescale outlined by the test provider. In a report to Health Secretary Sajid Javid, the watchdog said: 'We do not recommend that [the Department of Health and Social Care] DHSC introduces a price cap at this stage. 'Instead, DHSC should monitor and gather evidence on price levels and costs on an ongoing basis. 'DHSC should be prepared to re-evaluate this position if other measures it decides to take do not improve market outcomes.' Avi Lasarow, EMEA chief executive of Project Screen by Prenetics one of the Government's approved test providers that provides testing at the major UK airports, welcomed the CMA's findings. He said: 'We welcome the CMA's report to clampdown on rogue COVID test providers and make it easier for holidaymakers to find the best test. Hopefully this will drive the cowboys out of town. 'Many of the recommendations are ones that Prenetics and other leading providers submitted to the CMA and we are pleased to see they've been accepted. 'Holiday PCR testing will be a way of life for travellers for some time to come as we need to protect the UK from new variants entering the country. 'However, the Government could help travellers even more by abolishing VAT on Holiday PCR tests so they can travel safer and cheaper.' Consumer rights brand Which? said the review showed the Government has to move 'urgently' to tackle the problems in the market. Travel editor Rory Boland said: 'The CMA's review reinforces Which?'s repeated warnings to the government that the current private testing system is not fit for purpose, leaving travellers at the mercy of firms charging extortionate sums for tests, using misleading pricing or taking money for services that don't exist. 'The government must now urgently set out how it will implement the regulator's recommendations and ensure safe, reliable and affordable tests are available for all travellers. 'Meanwhile, the regulator must continue to come down strongly on any providers not following the rules, to send a clear message to the rest of the market and prevent any more travellers being left out of pocket.' It comes amid plans to scrap PCR testing for vaccinated travellers after returning from a non-red list country. Ministers will merge the green and amber classifications and allow people who have had two jabs to come back to the UK without the need for a test, according to The Times. But the Department of Health is reluctant to agree to the change because PCR tests are vital for genomic sequencing, which can be used to track Covid variants. A Government spokesperson told the paper: 'Our international travel policy is guided by one overwhelming priority: protecting public health.' Previously reports indicated rules for fully vaccinated holidaymakers, who do not have to self-isolate after returning from green or amber countries, would likely remain the same. The quarantine or testing requirements non-vaccinated people will have to undergo under the new system are still unclear, but they are likely to be stricter than what they currently faced. It is understood the proposals are still at the planning stage and no decision has yet been made. Kellye SoRelle, who's volunteered for Lawyers for Trump and served as general counsel for the radical-right Oath Keepers organization, had her iPhone confiscated by federal agents on Wednesday, as part of a 'seditious conspiracy' investigation The FBI has seized the phone of a Texas attorney who volunteered for Lawyers for Trump and served as general counsel for the radical-right Oath Keepers organization as part of 'seditious conspiracy' investigation. Kellye SoRelle, a close associate of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, was at the US Capitol during the January 6 riot and addressed the crowd in a speech repeating the false claims that Joe Biden had 'stolen' the election from Donald Trump. This week, her iPhone was seized by the feds under an August 30 search warrant which cited an investigation into seditious conspiracy, civil disorder, false statements, destruction of government property, obstruction of Congress, and unlawful entry on restricted buildings or grounds.' The seditious conspiracy charge refers to two or more people conspiring to overthrow or destroy the US government by force. It can also refer to hindering or delaying 'the execution of any law' and seizing possession of a federal building by force. SoRelle appeared to brush off the potential charge but called the seizure 'frustrating.' She told the Huffington Post: 'They either think I am the mastermind, or they wanted a free dig through everything - either way it is unethical.' 'I have so much stuff in there, (it's) nuts' SoRelle added. She called the device 'kinda a repository of truth.' SoRelle, an attorney whose practice is based in Granbury, Texas, referred to her phone as a 'kinda a repository of truth' while speaking to the Huffington Post, adding, 'I have so much stuff in there, (it's) nuts.' She further speculated: 'They either think I am the mastermind, or they wanted a free dig through everything - either way it is unethical' The phone was taken at a two-hour meeting with two agents at a 'Kroger/Starbucks'. Investigators believe it will provide a treasure trove of evidence for investigators. The seizure of a lawyer's smartphone is not something taken lightly by the authorities and would have necessitated special protocols within the Justice Department. It also raises hurdles for prosecutors. After the FBI confiscated the phone of Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani's phone in April, a 'special master' was appointed to determine which communications were to be protected by attorney-client privilege. So far, the seizure has not led to any charges against SoRelle. Meanwhile 17 members of the Oath Keepers have been charged with civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding for the siege on Congress. Rhodes is expected to be arrested in connection with the Capitol attack. SoRelle does not represent any of the defendants, but has openly raised money for their legal fees and served as a media contact for the group. The attorney was highly visible at Rhodes' side in the days leading up to the Capitol assault and stood by his side while he addressed followers in Washington at a 'Freedom Rally' just hours before the building was stormed. SoRelle is a close associate of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes (pictured), who was at the US Capitol during the January 6 riot and addressed the crowd in a speech repeating the false claims that Joe Biden had 'stolen' the election from Donald Trump The FBI has made more than 600 arrests in connection with the January 6 attack; and in at least one other case, a search warrant application connected to the those who attended the riots has referenced 'seditious conspiracy' She also delivered her own speech the same demanding new ballots be cast from coast-to-coast and deriding the recent November elections as 'stolen' - including Joe Biden's victory over former President Donald Trump. 'No one can be deemed legitimate at this point,' SoRelle said. 'Any action taken by any elected official at this point is illegitimate, is theft... We have no duty to comply going forward.' After Trump's re-election loss, she joined a lawsuit that sought to keep him in office, in part by likening the ex-president to a king from the Lord of the Rings' fictional kingdom of Gondor. The lawsuit was swiftly dismissed. The FBI has made more than 600 arrests in connection with the January 6 attack, with hundreds more cases currently under investigation. None of the participants in the January 6 attack have been charged with 'seditious conspiracy' as yet - with most facing allegations of obstruction of an official proceeding and civil disorder. At least one other search warrant related to the attack has referenced 'seditious conspiracy,' but those charges have yet to be brought, according to Seamus Hughes of George Washington University's Program On Extremism, which has maintained a database of the hundreds of court cases brought in connection with the Capitol attack. Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday tore into the tone of President Joe Biden's COVID speech, while blaming the current president and vice president for some Americans' vaccine hesitancy. 'I have to tell you the president's speech yesterday was unlike anything I've ever heard from an American president,' Pence said on Fox & Friends. 'I mean to have the president of the United States say that he's been patient but his patience is wearing thin. That's not how the American people expect to be spoken to by our elected leader.' During Biden's Thursday remarks, the president chided the unvaccinated for keeping the COVID-19 pandemic roaring. Pence suggested that Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris would have an easier time convincing people to get vaccinated if they hadn't said negative things about former President Donald Trump's vaccine effort. 'They spent the whole last year undermining public confidence in the vaccine,' Pence complained. Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday tore into the tone of President Joe Biden's COVID speech during an appearance on Fox & Friends During the 2020 presidential campaign, both Biden and Harris expressed that they feared Trump would push for a hasty authorization of a COVID vaccine in order to gain a political upper hand. 'If and when the vaccine comes, it's not likely to go through all the tests that need to be done, and the trials that are needed to be done,' Biden said last August. Harris said she'd only take the vaccine if Dr. Anthony Fauci, and other top American medical experts, approved of the process. 'If the public health professionals, if Dr. Fauci, if the doctors tell us that we should take it, I'll be the first in line to take it,' she said at the vice presidential debate in October with Pence. 'Absolutely.' 'But if Donald Trump tells us that we should take it, I'm not taking it,' she added. Pence pointed to that comment in his interview with Fox & Friends to make his point. 'If you remember my vice presidential debate, I called out Kamala Harris. I said you've got to stop playing politics with people's lives,' Pence said Friday. 'Because she said she wouldn't take a vaccine that President Trump had created.' Pence also bemoaned that the Biden White House didn't give the previous administration more credit for Operation Warp Speed, the government's public-private push for swift COVID-19 vaccine development. '[T]hey've given scant credit to President Trump and our administration for this vaccine,' Pence said. The former vice president suggested Biden could get more vaccine skeptics on board by 'lead[ing] by example.' 'Encourage people to take the vaccine, as Karen and I did on national television back in December,' Pence said. Biden, then the president-elect, also received his vaccine doses in public. Pence then took aim at Biden's new vaccine mandates - which cover the federal workforce and forces companies with more than 100 employees to require vaccines or weekly testing. During President Joe Biden's Thursday remarks, the president chided the unvaccinated for keeping the COVID-19 pandemic roaring 'But to say that it's not about freedom - it's exactly about freedom, America is about freedom and the ability to make the best decision for your family, for your business,' Pence said. 'And the approach this administration is taking now with this new surge of mandates and dictates from Washington, D.C. and also with not respecting the leadership at the state level - that was central to the approach of the White House coronavirus taskforce.' Biden has publicly feuded with Republican governors like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is trying to bar school districts from implementing mask mandates. Pence suggested that if he and Trump were still in office, they would have left those decisions up to the states. 'And now to have a president, not just scolding the American people but scolding governors around the country, it's just not the American way,' Pence said. 'I expect the response they're going to get from across the country will prove that,' the former vice president added. Repubicans were generally outraged with the news that Biden was using an Occupational Safety and Health Administration emergency order to force companies to mandate that their employees are vaccinated - or face weekly testing. 'Joe Bidens COVID vaccine mandate completely ignores the science and is an attack on Americans right to privacy. The feds have NO AUTHORITY to force employers make their employees get vaccinated,' said Sen. Ted Cruz. DeSantis said Biden was 'forcing this and coercing people. 'I'd imagine that you're gonna see a lot of activity in the courts if they try to do that through an executive action,' the Florida governor added. The Republican National Committee said Thursday that it planned to sue the U.S. government over the order, with several House Republicans prepping legislation as well. With Democrats controlling both houses of Congress, bills to negate Biden's action will go no where. 'Joe Biden told Americans when he was elected that he would not impose vaccine mandates. He lied,' said RNC Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel. McDaniel clarified that she was 'pro-vaccine,' just 'anti-mandate.' 'Many small businesses and workers do not have the money or legal resources to fight Biden's unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees, but when his decree goes into effect, the RNC will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties,' McDaniel said. United States Postal Service workers who thought they were exempt from President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for all federal workers will not be able to avoid getting the jab after all. But how the process will go into effect for the more than 600,000 USPS employees remains muddled as the White House sent out a clarification hours after Biden's speech on Thursday, explaining that the USPS would follow the vaccine and testing guidelines of a private company, according to a White House official. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told the Washington Post that the USPS was exempt from the mandate for public workers due to its status as an independent agency of the executive branch. 'USPS has a separate statutory scheme and is traditionally independent of federal personnel actions like this,' the Biden administration official said. 'That said, USPS is strongly encouraged to comply. Also, [the Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration] will cover USPS through the [emergency temporary standards], meaning that postal workers will be subject to the vaccination or testing policy announced today.' This means rather than being treated like a federal agency, the USPS would follow the rules of private businesses after Biden ordered workers at companies with more than at least 100 employees to get vaccinated or tested weekly. About 600,000 U.S. Postal Service employees will be exempt from the vaccine mandate for federal workers. Pictured, a mail carrier delivering mail in Fairfax, Virginia Joe Biden issued vaccine mandates for federal employees and worker in companies that hire 100 or more people during his speech on Thursday About 75% of eligible adults in the U.S. have gotten at least one jab of the vaccine The mandate will also force the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to develop emergency regulations requiring these companies to give employees paid time off to get inoculated. Employers could also face fines of nearly $14,000 per violation, Bloomberg reports. 'If you want to work with the federal government and do business with us, get vaccinated. If you want to do business with the federal government, vaccinate your workforce,' Biden said. USPS employees will be treated like private employees and have the option of either getting fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or taking weekly tests Millions of people across the U.S. will be required to the COVID-19 vaccine The president has faced backlash over the mandate as the Republican National Committee said they would sue to block the order, and House Republicans vowed to introduce legislation to stop it. 'Joe Biden told Americans when he was elected that he would not impose vaccine mandates. He lied,' said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who added that she was 'pro-vaccine and anti-mandate'. Other Republican governors are also mounting a defense against Biden's aggressive new order and vowing to fight it through state laws and lawsuits. Florida Republican Ron DeSantis is just one of several governors blasting Biden's announcement and vowing to block the order with state laws and lawsuits Neither rain, nor sleet ... nor vaccine mandate: A history of the US postal service The Second Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General of the 13 colonies in 1775 The Post Office Department was officially created in 1792 and became a U.S. Cabinet department in 1872 In 1971, Congress replaced the department with the U.S. Postal Service that exists today, as an independent entity within the executive branch By law, the USPS has an obligation to provide universal service - to deliver mail to nearly the entire U.S. population. The USPS is operated by the Postmaster General, who serves as the CEO and oversees the 11-person Board of Governors The agency receives no direct taxpayer funds and relies on revenue from stamps and other service fees The USPS has operated at a loss since 2007, reporting more than $71 billion in losses between 2008 and 2019 First-Class mail dropped from 103.5 billion pieces in 2000 to just less than 55 billion in 2019 as USPS competes with companies like UPS and FedEx In 2020, USPS teamed up with Amazon to handle some deliveries to help bolster the agency's profit Advertisement Arizona, Montana, Indiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Georgia and South Carolina were all among the Republican-led states that threatened legal action. 'Forcing this and coercing people, I don't think is the right decision. I'd imagine that you're gonna see a lot of activity in the courts if they try to do that through an executive action,' Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said during a press conference Thursday. While many of the largest employers in the U.S. have passed their own vaccine mandate, some are left puzzled by the lack of details in Biden's order. Betsy Booren, vice president of regulatory and technical affairs for the Consumer Brands Association, told Bloomberg that officials in the packaged goods industry are wondering how the government will track their employees' vaccinations or help fight against vaccine hesitancy. 'What I hope we'll not have is a delay of weeks and months to get some basic answers,' Booren said. Jay Timmons, chief executive officer of the National Association of Manufacturers, warned in a statement that the new mandates should avoid hurting employers amid the pandemic recovery efforts. 'It is important that undue compliance costs do not burden manufacturers,' he said. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said it 'will carefully review the details of the executive orders and associated regulations, and will work to ensure that employers have the resources, guidance, and flexibility necessary to ensure the safety of their employees and customers and comply with public health requirements.' The new mandates come as more than 75% of adults eligible for the vaccine in the U.S. have gotten at least one jab, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The delta surge in August had brought daily COVID-19 cases up to nearly 300,00, and although cases began to dip in September, the nation had experienced another dramatic uptick on Thursday. The CDC reported more than 163,000 new cases, and nearly 1,650 new deaths . If not, he says Biden could be guilty of overstepping his constitutional duties A political expert says it'll come down to whether the court decides Biden's interpretation of 'grave danger' is accurate or not President Joe Biden announced his unprecedented COVID vaccine order on Thursday, and within moments it brought an onslaught of legal threats and accusations of executive overreach. As part of the White House's aggressive new approach to fighting the pandemic, the president directed the Labor Department's regulatory agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to mandate all businesses with at least 100 employees either require all of them to be vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID testing. The agency has the authority to issue an 'emergency temporary standard' (ETS) if it can prove workers are exposed to a grave danger and the rule is deemed necessary to address it. They are expected to issue it 'in the coming weeks,' the White House said. More than 80 million workers will be affected. A Congressional report updated in July notes how rarely emergency standards are used. Before the COVID pandemic the last OSHA ETS was struck down in 1983, when a federal court said the agency failed to support its claim that asbestos exposure in the workplace needed to be further reduced due to a significant adverse impact on employees' health. OSHA issued an ETS in June to protect health care workers from COVID by mandating workplaces like hospitals and nursing homes to draft a plan on keeping employees safe, improving ventilation, supply adequate PPE and implement social distancing measures or build barriers where that's not possible. It also requires relevant companies to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated or paid leave in the event they test positive. And while the idea might be 'well-intentioned,' a Friday morning op-ed claims, Biden also risks 'shredding the social fabric' of an already divided country by stretching the bounds of constitutionality. 'The president should not and likely does not have the power to unilaterally compel millions of private sector workers to get vaccinated or risk losing their jobs,' Republican commentator Robby Soave wrote in the New York Times. Biden's Thursday announcement prompted an onslaught of legal threats Businesses that don't comply will face fines of up to $14,000. Soave argues it's 'fundamentally undemocratic' for a president to enable a federal agency to direct and oversee a new law - labeling OSHA an 'unaccountable bureaucratic agency.' Duke University senior lecturing fellow Dan Bowling pointed out to McClatchy News that OSHA's investigative and enforcement capabilities are relatively weak compared to the IRS or Securities and Exchange Commission. 'If somebody falls off a ladder that was broken in a place of business and breaks his or her leg, that's pretty easy to prove employer liability. The employer would have to report the accident under OSHA,' Bowling said. 'If someone catches COVID who works somewhere that doesn't follow the vaccine mandate, how do you prove that?' Among the parties challenging the strict measure in court are the Republican National Committee, as well as the governors of at least nine states. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who's resisted implementing a mask mandate even when its COVID hospitalizations and deaths were among the highest in the country, promised to see Biden 'in court.' Georgia's Gov. Brian Kemp vowed to 'pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach.' But in states like Montana, Texas and Florida, which all said they intend to sue, OSHA's ETS rules predate similar existing state guidelines - which would make a legal case more of an uphill battle than states that created their own OSHA-approved regulatory bodies after the fact. Biden directing OSHA to use its Emergency Temporary Standard for his vaccine order will affect more than 80 million workers What is OSHA? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created by President Richard Nixon under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. OSHA has jurisdiction over most private and public workplaces across the country, but some states have their own OSHA-approved regulatory agencies. The agency regulates health and safety standards in the workplace. To enforce that it's able to conduct unannounced inspections ensuring those standards are met. Since it was created workplace deaths fell dramatically by nearly 63 percent, according to OSHA. An estimated 14,000 workers - or 38 per day - were killed on the job in 1970. But 2018 the number fell to 5,250, despite a doubling of the total US workforce. OSHA's process for enacting new workplace standards includes consulting a number of relevant advisory committees linked to the Labor and Heath and Human Services Departments, as well as consulting business owners and allowing a window for public input, at least 30 days but 'usually 60 days or more.' Businesses in states with their own OSHA-approved agencies can ask for a 'variance' in the rule if they can't comply by the effective date. If the state is under federal OSHA jurisdiction then the agency will have to work with the state to determine if the exception can be granted What is an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS)? An ETS allows OSHA to bypass the consultation process and public input window if it determines 'workers are in grave danger due to exposure to toxic substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or to new hazards and that an emergency standard is needed to protect them.' Emergency standards can take effect immediately but only stay in effect until replaced by a permanent standard. That proposed permanent standard must go through the regular bureaucratic channels and be decided upon within six months. During that time the temporary rule can be challenged in an appropriate federal court. OSHA can issue 'temporary variance' rules to employers who prove they can't comply with a regulation in time, but they have to demonstrate they are taking all the necessary and possible steps to protect workers, and show a roadmap toward compliance. Source: OSHA The Labor Department regulatory agency has the authority to issue an 'emergency temporary standard' if it can prove workers are exposed to a grave danger and the rule is deemed necessary to address it Advertisement Biden's announcement is part of the administration's aggressive new approach to tackle the coronavirus pandemic According to a political expert at Cedarville University, it'll be up for the court to decide whether Biden's interpretation of the OSHA statute in question is correct and if it's feasible for employers to enforce. If not, he could be violating his executive powers under the Constitution. 'Legislation doesn't really unpack what that phrase should be in terms of 'grave danger' so it's going to be interesting to watch,' Center for Political Studies Director Dr. Mark Caleb Smith told an NBC affiliate. 'For the president to do this just with his own power through executive power, no legislation in place, without the typical notice and comment period connected to federal bureaucratic decisions, it's a huge bypass of the typical process.' He predicted the mandate will likely face too much resistance to stick. 'I think the opposite might happen, a lot of people are going to draw a line in the sand and say I'm not going to do it, you're not going to order me to do it,' Smith said. Meanwhile Republican lawmakers, including Senator Ted Cruz, are upset with Biden's Chief of Staff Ronald Klain after he retweeted a post saying President Biden's new vaccine mandate is the 'ultimate work-around.' Chief of Staff Ronald Klain retweeted a post saying President Biden's new vaccine mandate is the 'ultimate work-around' Klain retweeted MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle Thursday after Biden made the announcement 'Biden admin knows it's likely illegal (like the eviction moratorium) but they don't care,' Cruz wrote Klain retweeted MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle Thursday after Biden made the announcement. 'OSHA doing this vaxx [sic] mandate as an emergency workplace safety rule is the ultimate work-around for the Federal govt [sic] to require vaccinations,' Ruhle wrote and Klain retweeted. Republicans were quick to jump on the retweet, including Texas Senator and former presidential candidate Ted Cruz. 'Important,' Cruz tweeted. 'Foolish RT from WH chief of staff. He said the quiet part out loud. Biden admin knows it's likely illegal (like the eviction moratorium) but they don't care.' This followed up complaints from Republicans, including Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, about the mandate's constitutionality. Biden on Thursday announced an aggressive new plan to get 100 million employees across the federal government and private sector vaccinated against COVID as the case rate continues to rise due to the Delta variant. To reach his goal, Biden will use the sweeping power of the federal government, ordering companies to vaccinate workers or face fines of up to thousands of dollars. If the administration hits its 100 million mark that means two-thirds of the country's workforce would be vaccinated. The Labor Department issued an emergency, temporary order to require all businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure every worker is either fully vaccinated or gets tested at least once a week. The order covers over 80 million employees and it will require employers with 100 or more employees to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated. Biden breaks his promise not to mandate vaccines President Joe Biden has been accused of flip-flopping after retreating from his earlier vows that the federal government would not mandate COVID-19 vaccines. Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new federal vaccine mandates affecting as many as 100 million Americans, sharply denouncing those who have not yet received the shots. The new rules requires workers at companies with more than 100 employees to get vaccinated or tested weekly, and orders federal employees and healthcare workers to get the shots, with no testing alternative. It was a marked change in position for the White House, perhaps reflecting the administration's desperation as the Delta variant fuels a huge surge in infections across the country. In December, Biden said at a press conference in Wilmington, Delaware when asked asked about a federal vaccine mandate: 'I don't think it should be mandatory, I wouldn't demand it to be mandatory, but I would do everything in my power...as president of the United States to convince people to do the right thing.' The White House doubled down on this stance as recently as July, when Press Secretary Jen Psaki said it was 'not the role of the federal government' to require vaccines. 'That is the role that institutions, private-sector entities, and others may take. That certainly is appropriate,' said Psaki. Advertisement Any business that violates the new rule will face substantial fines, up to $14,000. He also required all workers in healthcare settings that receive Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement to get vaccinated, which will apply to 17 million healthcare workers. That is in addition to his executive order requiring all federal workers and contractors to get vaccinated. A senior administration official described it as an 'aggressive, comprehensive' plan to fight COVID as part of their mission to 'vaccinate the unvaccinated.' The official estimated nearly 80 million Americans are eligible to receive a shot but have not. Additionally, the roughly 300,000 educators in headstart programs will be required to be vaccinated. 'It's simple - if you want to work for the federal government, you must be vaccinated. If you want to do business with the government, you must vaccinate your workforce,' the senior administration official said on a briefing call with reporters previewing the president's remarks. Additionally the TSA is doubling fines for people who refuse to mask on planes. The new range of penalties, which take effect Friday, September 10, 2021, will be $500-$1000 for first offenders and $1000-$3000 for second offenders, the Department of Homeland Security announced. Biden also called on governors to require vaccinations for all school teachers and staff. Republican members of Congress and state governors promised to challenge the mandate. Biden was praised by supporters for striking a more urgent tone. These supporters insist that one of the key reasons cases are spiking in the U.S. is due to the 80 million who have refused the jab. Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey vowed fight back. 'This is exactly the kind of big government overreach we have tried so hard to prevent in Arizona now the Biden-Harris administration is hammering down on private businesses and individual freedoms in an unprecedented and dangerous way,' Ducey wrote. 'This will never stand up in court.' In Florida, Republican Gov. Rick DeSantis has threatened to with hold funding from school districts that require face masks. To counter moves like that, the Department of Education will make additional funding available to help local school districts backfill salaries and other areas where it has been with held. 'This will never stand up in court,' Ducey tweeted Biden also addressed booster shots in his remarks, leaving the details of timing to the FDA and CDC but noting preparations are underway to get another round of shots in arms. He also ramped up testing by using the Defense Production Act to accelerate the production of rapid tests, including at home test, and purchase $2 billion worth of rapid tests e and over the counter at home COVID tests for a total of 280 million tests. 'The president's plan, as you can see, it's comprehensive, it's aggressive, and will ensure that we make more progress in our fight against the virus to save even more lives in the months ahead, while also keeping schools open and protecting our economy from lockdowns,' the official said. As part of the sweeping mandates, Biden will require all of the roughly 2.1 million federal workers to be vaccinated as part of a series of new mandates. There will be limited exceptions but any federal employee who refuses the shot can be fired, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. Federal employees and contractors will have 75 days to get vaccinated. The executive order will not include an option of being regularly tested to opt out of the vaccine requirement. The orders will apply to workers in the executive branch but not the congressional or judicial. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said any federal employee who doesn't get vaccinated can be fired 'There will be limited exceptions for legally recognized reasons disability or religious objections,' Psaki said. Anyone who 'fails to comply, they will go through the standard HR process, which includes counseling and face disciplinary action,' she added. She confirmed that action could include termination of employment. 'Hopefully it won't come to that,' she said. She said the administration wanted the federal government to serve as an example for other businesses and organizations when it comes to vaccines. 'Obviously the federal workforce is one of the largest in the country and we would like to be a model to what we think other businesses, organizations should do,' she noted. 'The expectation is that if you want to work with federal government or be a contractor, you need to be vaccinated unless you are eligible for one of the exemptions.' Republican Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia, who has federal workers in his district, said he objected to the forced vaccines. 'Although I have personally been vaccinated and regularly encourage those I represent to get vaccinated as well, I fundamentally disagree with forcibly injecting America's public servants,' he told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'Our government was founded to secure the individual liberties of all. We should instead continue educating the public that the COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective. Resorting to forced vaccinations, and returning to unnecessary restrictions, only serves to eliminate critically important vaccination incentives and undermine public confidence in the vaccines' efficacy,' he added. The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of federal workers, said they would bargain over the order. Biden declares war on the 80M unvaccinated Americans President Joe Biden on Thursday declared war on the 80 million Americans who have yet to get a COVD vaccine and asked them 'what more is there to wait for' as he announced mandates covering two thirds of all workers. 'This is not about freedom or personal choice. It's about protecting yourself and those around you, the people you work with, the people you care about, the people you love. My job as president is to protect all Americans,' he said in remarks in the State Dining Room at the White House. 'We've been patient but our patience is wearing thin. And your refusal has cost all of us. So please do the right thing,' he said. Biden charged the unvaccinated with 'overcrowding our hospitals and overrunning emergency rooms intensive care units, leaving no room for someone with a heart attack or pancreatic cancer.' The president decried the 'pandemic politics' that he said was behind those who had not yet gotten a shot in the arm, calling out public officials who were 'actively working to undermine the fight against COVID-19.' 'These pandemic politics, as I refer to, are making people sick, causing unvaccinated people to die. We cannot allow these actions to stand in the way of protecting the large majority of Americans who have done their part and want to get back to life as normal,' he said. He charged those who were fighting against COVID-19 mitigation procedures with helping increase the death rate. He didn't mention any specific official by name by his administration has publicly clashed with the Republican governors of Florida and Texas, Rick DeSantis and Greg Abbott. 'There are elected officials actively working to undermine the fight against COVID-19,' Biden said. 'Instead of encouraging people to get vaccinated and mask up, they're ordering mobile morgues for the unvaccinated dying from COVID in their communities. This is totally unacceptable.' He ended his nearly 30 minute speech with a whispered plea: 'Get vaccinated.' 'My message to unvaccinated Americans is this - what more is there to wait for?,' Biden said. 'What more to you need to see? We've made vaccinations free, safe, and convenient. The vaccine has FDA approval. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot.' Advertisement 'Workers deserve a voice in their working conditions,' the group said in a statement. 'Neither of these positions has changed. We expect to bargain over this change prior to implementation, and we urge everyone who is able to get vaccinated as soon as they can do so.' And the National Federation of Federal Employees, another government workers union, said they didn't receive advance notice of the executive order. Psaki dismissed questions about the unions not being consulted. The Biden White House has bragged about its pro-union stance. At a Labor Day event on Wednesday, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said President Biden told him: 'This is labor's house.' 'We have a range of consultation with labor unions, and that has been the case for several weeks and months as we have worked to implement additional steps,' Psaki said. 'But our objective here is to continue to save lives.' The president is putting more pressure on states, businesses and schools to get people vaccinated as the Delta variant causes the case rate to continue to rise in the United States. But Republican-led states including Texas and Florida have pushed back and are in the process of trying to ban the orders being imposed. Psaki indicated in interviews on Thursday morning that more mandates were coming. 'What we've seen work over the past couple months are mandates, requirements, making it so workers in the federal government or others have to get vaccinated. We've seen it work and we've seen it become more popular,' Psaki said on MSNBC's Morning Joe. 'He's going to speak directly to vaccinated people and their frustrations and he wants them to hear how we're going to build on what we've done to date to get the virus under control,' she said. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs already mandate vaccines for their employees. The military also has issued a vaccine mandate. There have now been more than 40 million cases of COVID recorded among Americans, which is nearly one-fifth of the global total of cases. President Biden and administration officials have repeatedly emphasized the best way for life to return to normal is for people to get vaccinated. Biden also plans to call for a global summit, to be held during the U.N. General Assembly later this month, to respond to the pandemic and talk about how to get more vaccine supply to the developing world. About 27 per cent of the eligible U.S. population age 12 and older have not received any COVID vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile about 75 per cent of Americans have received at least one shot and 53 per cent are fully vaccinated. In December 2020, after he was elected but before he took office, Biden said he didn't think COVID vaccines were necessary. 'I will do everything in my power as president to encourage people to do the right thing and when they do it, demonstrate that it matters,' he said at the time. Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci said this week Americans are getting infected with COVID at 10 times the rate needed to end the pandemic. 'We're still in pandemic mode, because we have 160,000 new infections a day,' Fauci told Axios. 'That's not even modestly good control.' Dr. Anthony Fauci said this week Americans are getting infected with COVID at 10 times the rate needed to end the pandemic 'In a country of our size, you can't be hanging around and having 100,000 infections a day,' he continued. 'You've got to get well below 10,000 before you start feeling comfortable.' The vaccination rate among Americans has increased since July, which is when the Delta variant caused case rates to spike, but it remains low in Southern states like Florida and Texas. The Biden administration has already taken steps to try and stop Republican-led states from rolling back COVID mandates. Last month, the Education Department announced civil rights investigations into five states that banned schools from imposing mask mandates, claiming their stance could discriminate against students with disabilities or health problems. Education chiefs in Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah have been told they are under investigation. 'It's simply unacceptable that state leaders are putting politics over the health and education of the students they took an oath to serve,' said Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. 'The department will fight to protect every student's right to access in-person learning safely.' 'My message to unvaccinated Americans is this: what more is there to wait for? What more do you need to see? We have made vaccinations free, safe, & convenient. The vaccine is FDA approved. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot. We have been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and the refusal has cost all of us,' Biden said. The Gold Star mother of a solider killed by Taliban fighters in 2009 blasted the Biden administration for praising the 'terrorists' now in charge of Afghanistan for being 'businesslike and professional.' A Qatar Airways flight carrying about 150 U.S. citizens landed safely in Qatar on Thursday afternoon marking the first large group of Americans to leave to country since President Joe Biden's August 31st deadline. The White House released a statement announcing the plane's safe arrival in Qatar and lauded the Taliban's cooperation. 'The Taliban have been cooperative in facilitating the departure of American citizens and lawful permanent residents on charter flights from HKIA. They have shown flexibility, and they have been businesslike and professional in our dealings with them in this effort. 'This is a positive first step,' the statement from National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said. Jill Stephenson's (pictured left) blasts the Biden administration after they praised the Taliban for being 'businesslike and professional.' Her only son Army Ranger Cpl. Ben Kopp (pictured right) was killed by the Taliban in 2009 Cpl. Ben Kopp, 21, was injured when Taliban fighters attacked his unit on July 10, 2009. He was flown to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington, D.C. where he was taken off life support and died eight days after sustaining his injuries Stephenson said the White House's praise of the Taliban for being 'businesslike and professional' was 'horribly blasphemous' While trying to instill hope, the statement from the White House was not received well by all. Gold Star mother Jill Stephenson felt that the compliment of the Taliban's civility was 'blasphemous.' 'Wow, the first word that comes to mind was blasphemous, horribly blasphemous,' Stephenson told The New York Post. 'To call the Taliban that it's absolutely disgusting. And it's coming from the White House.' Stephenson's only son, 21-year-old Army Ranger Cpl. Ben Kopp, was gravely injured when Taliban fighters attacked his unit in Afghanistan on July 10, 2009. He was then flown to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington, D.C. where he died eight days after sustaining his injuries. Stephenson was deeply offended by the praise of the 'terrorist' group that killed her son. 'Given the circumstance of why it's even happening in the first place, why are we even negotiating with terrorists?' she said. 'That makes me shake my head.' 'As a Gold Star mother and as a voice that represents so many families who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom, and especially those of us whose loved ones took their last breath in Afghanistan, it's embarrassing. It's completely embarrassing. It's disappointing. It's disgusting. It's unbelievable. 'It's like living in the 'Twilight Zone,'' Stephenson said. Press Secretary Jen Psaki later attempted to defend the White House's statement. She claimed that the remarks were focused on the successful extraction of the U.S. citizens from Afghanistan. 'I would note that in that statement what we were announcing was the fact that a Qatari Airlines Flight successfully landed in Qatar with American citizens, legal permanent residents, and Afghans on board who joined us in our fight, over the last several years,' Psaki said. 'We wanted to note that the Taliban was cooperative in facilitating the departure of these American citizens and legal permanent residents from HKIA. We promised we would get American citizens out, we promised we would get legal permanent residents out, we promised we would press the Taliban to get them out, and that's exactly what we did,' she told reporters. Stephenson (pictured) says she copes with the loss of her son by focusing on the blessings of his life and his organ donations As the militant group has gained power in the country, Stephenson is questioning if Kopp's sacrifice was worth it Kopp (seen in a photograph held by his mother) vowed to become an Army Ranger at 13-years-old when the United States was attacked on September 11, 2001 Stephenson has been very vocal about her thoughts on the White House's handling of the withdrawal and evacuation of Afghanistan. She said the the militant group's takeover of Kabul came as a gut punch. She worried that many Americans will now lose sight of the service of the nearly 2,500 members of the U.S. military killed during the 20-year conflict. 'I hope their sacrifice doesn't get forgotten,' Stephenson said. 'Here we are 20 years later, and so you do question why did we even bother?' The Taliban triumph occurred just over 12 years after Kopp, 21, saved six fellow soldiers during a battle in southern Helmand Province in which he was fatally shot in the leg. He suffered cardiac arrest on the operating table in Afghanistan and was left brain dead. Eight days after he was shot, Kopp was taken off life support. His heart, kidneys, liver, skin, bone and tissue were donated and helped save the lives of four people. 'It's an amazing gift,' said Judy Meikle, 69, who was the recipient of Kopp's heart. Meikle was diagnosed with congenital heart disease a few months before Kopp died. Stephenson says she copes with the loss of her son by focusing on the blessings of his life and his organ donations. 'I believe Ben's mission was completed in the time that he was here and he would not have been able to fulfill that mission had he not been an Army Ranger, had he not deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, had things not turned out the way they did and him becoming an organ donor,' she said. Kopp was 13 when the U.S. was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, and he vowed that evening to become an Army Ranger. He was eventually deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. According to his obituary, Kopp distinguished himself with the Army Achievement Medal with two awards, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the army Service Ribbon, Parachutist Badge and the Ranger Tab. Posthumously he was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor, The Meritorious Service Medal and a Purple Heart. Taliban fighters are now controlling the entry to the airport and have seized all of the access points leading to it in Kabul. It forces NATO troops to rely on them to allow evacuees into the airport to board flights Afghan security guards try and maintain order as hundreds of people gather outside the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. There are now 'three rings' around the airport and the Taliban controls the outer ring A C-17 jet carrying 640 Afghan refugees that left Kabul on Sunday night as the Taliban claimed the city. The Afghan nationals ran on board while the ramp was open and the US troops in charge decided to take off. The same planes are still being used to evacuate but only 100 or so people per flight are being boarded and it's unclear why, when thousands remain in need of rescue President Joe Biden's vaccination mandate for the private and public sector stirred outrage and threats of lawsuits over his 'extraordinary sweeping use of presidential authority to force a medical treatment on workers' as businesses big and small scramble to get clarity on the edict. Ethan Brecher, a top labor lawyer and founder of The Law Office of Ethan A. Brecher in New York City, told DailyMail.com in an interview on Friday that he's 'never seen anything like this' in his 30 years of practice. 'This is a watershed moment in our history - compelling people to take a medical treatment,' he said, adding that he believes it will be challenged in court. 'The economy depends on companies going back to work, but there are people who are concerned about the vaccine. This mandate is an extraordinary sweeping use of presidential authority to force a medical treatment on workers.' President Joe Bidens executive orders announced Thursday require all executive-branch employees, federal contractors and millions of health-care workers to get the jab Ethan Brecher , a top labor lawyer and founder of The Law Office of Ethan A. Brecher in New York City , told DailyMail.com in an interview on Friday that he's 'never seen anything like this' in his 30 years of practice Bidens executive orders announced Thursday require all executive-branch employees, federal contractors and millions of health-care workers to get the jab. Large private employers must either mandate shots or provide weekly testing. Labor lawyer Jesse Weinstein, from the Arce Law Group, said he and his law firm are already handling wrongful termination cases from employers in the Northeast who fired employees for not getting vaccinated and he expects the amount of cases to climb once this mandate is in full effect. Weinstein said he foresees the biggest issue being medical exemptions and what constitutes a legitimate medical exemption. He said the best advice he can give to employees - particularly those who have a medical reason for why they can't get vaccinated - is to document everything and have a doctor's note. The language for the mandate is still being finalized by the administration, and some companies fear the new rules will drive the final nail in their pandemic-hit business. 'The devil is in the details. Without additional clarification for the business community, employee anxieties and questions will multiply,' Consumer Brands Association, which represents makers of packaged goods, told Bloomberg. The Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration order will require employers with 100 or more workers to provide paid time off to get vaccinated. Any business that violates the new rule will face substantial fines, up to $14,000. Daniel Mehan, president and CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, said the president's vaccine plan raises more issues than provides answers, like who pays for the tests and what is the penalty for not providing tests? 'These are questions that we're getting asked right now by a manufacturer in St. Louis,' Mehan told ABC17 News. 'His employees are coming up and saying, "Do I pay for the tests I don't want to get the vaccine?"' Lancaster, Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce President Tom Baldrige called the vaccination measure 'unnecessary.' 'I'm also quite confident that there will be lawsuits that follow this, that some companies that will refuse to comply and can file a legal action against the action, and we'll, you know, well see how the courts deal as that plays out,' Baldrige told WGAL. Sandy Baruah, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber, which represents the business interests of the Detroit region, told The Detroit Free Press that it opposes to a federal mandate. 'A government mandate that encompasses businesses as small as 100 seems problematic from a political and logistical standpoint,' Baruah said. Kevin Kuhlman, Vice President of Federal Government Relations, (left), is concerned about the impact the new mandate will have on small businesses, and Jennifer Myers (right), a spokeswoman for the American Hotel and Lodging said they're reviewing Employers with over 100 employees will have to vaccinate workers under the president's vaccine plan But there's been a hesitancy in some occupations for a host of reasons - chief among them are concerns about side effects, belief that the vaccine isn't needed and distrust of the government, according to a study published in April by MedRxiv. While there's been no studies done on vaccination rates among different occupations, MedRxiv researched which occupations were most hesitant. Construction workers and repairmen - at 46.4 percent and 42.6 percent, respectively - were the top two occupations who expressed hesitancy. Losing frontline workers is also a concern for large companies, such as General Motors Co. and Delta Air Lines Inc. Both companies issued statements outlining their efforts theyve made to get employees inoculated but didnt say whether they endorse the Biden plan, Bloomberg Business reported. Conclusion from MedRxiv's report about hesitancy in different occupations Under the federal mandate, large private employers must either mandate shots or provide weekly testing, and all executive-branch employees, federal contractors and millions of health-care workers to get the jab Other companies, including Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and Intel Corp., said they're studying it and waiting for more information. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in a statement after Biden's announcement that it 'will carefully review the details of the executive orders and associated regulations.' The federal entity 'will work to ensure that employers have the resources, guidance, and flexibility necessary to ensure the safety of their employees and customers and comply with public health requirements.' The tech industry has led the way for vaccine requirements, with Google instituting its vaccine policy back in July. At the time, Google was one of the first major U.S. employers to enforce a vaccination mandate for people returning to the office, and Facebook quick followed suit. Jennifer Myers, a spokeswoman for the American Hotel and Lodging Association, told The Washington Post that the organization and 'our members are in the process of reviewing the Presidents new guidance and as always we encourage all Americans get vaccinated.' Other companies have already embraced vaccination mandates or were moving in that direction. Some chambers of commerce - including San Diego and Indiana - have expressed their support for the president's vaccine plan. Jerry Sanders, President and CEO of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, told The Times of San Diego, 'The chamber has encouraged people to get vaccinated since it was made available. It is the best way to ensure businesses can safely stay open.' But he expressed some reservations with the scant amount of details known, as of Friday afternoon. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said any federal employee who doesn't get vaccinated can be fired First Lady Jill Biden speaks alongside US President Joe Biden about coronavirus protections in schools during a visit to Brookland Middle School in Washington, DC on September 10 Confusion over Biden's vaccine mandate as 600,000 USPS workers will be pressed to 'comply' through Labor Department rules for private sector and NOT the federal vaccine mandate United States Postal Service workers who thought they were exempt from President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for all federal workers will not be able to avoid getting the jab after all. But how the process will go into effect for the more than 600,000 USPS employees remains muddled as the White House sent out a clarification hours after Biden's speech on Thursday, explaining that the USPS would follow the vaccine and testing guidelines of a private company, according to a White House official. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told the Washington Post that the USPS was exempt from the mandate for public workers due to its status as an independent agency of the executive branch. 'USPS has a separate statutory scheme and is traditionally independent of federal personnel actions like this,' the Biden administration official said. 'That said, USPS is strongly encouraged to comply. Also, [the Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration] will cover USPS through the [emergency temporary standards], meaning that postal workers will be subject to the vaccination or testing policy announced today.' This means rather than being treated like a federal agency, the USPS would follow the rules of private businesses after Biden ordered workers at companies with more than at least 100 employees to get vaccinated or tested weekly. About 600,000 U.S. Postal Service employees will be exempt from the vaccine mandate for federal workers. Pictured, a mail carrier delivering mail in Fairfax, Virginia Joe Biden issued vaccine mandates for federal employees and worker in companies that hire 100 or more people during his speech on Thursday About 75% of eligible adults in the U.S. have gotten at least one jab of the vaccine The mandate will also force the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to develop emergency regulations requiring these companies to give employees paid time off to get inoculated. Employers could also face fines of nearly $14,000 per violation, Bloomberg reports. 'If you want to work with the federal government and do business with us, get vaccinated. If you want to do business with the federal government, vaccinate your workforce,' Biden said. USPS employees will be treated like private employees and have the option of either getting fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or taking weekly tests Millions of people across the U.S. will be required to the COVID-19 vaccine Biden targets the unvaccinated with new COVID plan The president has faced backlash over the mandate as Republicans have threatened to sue to block the order. Advertisement Joshua Bolten, president and CEO of the Business Roundtable, a group of chief executives from companies including Amazon, Walmart and Home Depot, said in a statement Thursday that it 'welcomes the Biden Administration's continued vigilance in the fight against COVID.' 'America's business leaders know how critical vaccination and testing are in defeating the pandemic,' he said. The National Federation of Independent Business, which advocates for small and independent business owners, said its members will be hit hardest by the vaccine mandate. Kevin Kuhlman, Vice President of Federal Government Relations, said in a statement that the pandemic has already hamstrung small and independent businesses - most notably finding and retaining qualified workers. 'Small business owners and their employees want to operate in a safe and healthy manner that allows them to stay open,' Kuhlman told The Washington Post. 'Additional mandates, enforcement, and penalties will further threaten the fragile small business recovery.' Kuhlman and the organization's fears are supported by a recent poll conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) that said 28 percent of employees said they would rather lose their job than get the vaccine. The poll was published before Biden laid out his vaccine plan on Thursday. A few of the U.S.'s largest companies - such Walmart, CVS, AT&T, Goldman Sachs, Tyson Foods, United Airlines, several media outlets, among dozens of others - have already imposed a variation of vaccine mandates. But each one is different and not comprehensive. For example, Walmart's mandate applies to corporate workers; not its frontline workers over fears that forcing the employees to get the vaccine will push people to quit and weaken an already-reduced workforce. Meanwhile, Tyson Foods has required vaccines for its entire U.S. workforce as a term of employment, and United Airlines said workers who aren't vaccinated or get an exception will be placed on leave. Biden's vaccine mandates gives federal employees and contractors 75 days to get fully vaccinated or be fired. The vaccine requirement will include exemptions for individuals with disabilities and for those who refuse the vaccination on religious grounds. The U.S.'s largest union - The National Education Association, which represents more than three million teachers, faculty, educational support professionals, school administrators and retired educators - said in a statement Thursday that it supports Biden's mandate. The United Auto Workers union said in a statement that it is 'looking at the details of the announcement and how it impacts our over 700 employer contracts and our members.' President Ray Curry said last month that he supported only voluntary vaccinations and mandates would need to be agreed through negotiation. The Teamsters, which represent about 1.4 million workers, declined to comment. Many police unions have been outspoken against a mandate - including the NYC PBA, which threatened to sue if that was imposed. The mandate riled up Republican officials who tore into Biden after his announcement. 'Forcing this and coercing people, I don't think is the right decision. I'd imagine that you're gonna see a lot of activity in the courts if they try to do that through an executive action,' Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said during a press conference Thursday. The Republican National Committee says that it intends to sue to block Biden's order from taking effect, and several House Republicans plan to introduce legislation to negate the order. But the law appears to be on Biden's side, but Brechar said it will likely have to play out in courts. In May, the EEOC said Federal EEO laws do not prevent an employer from requiring employees who physically enter a workplace to be vaccinated for COVID-19, so long as employers comply with the reasonable accommodation provisions of the ADA. Employers are also allowed to ask about a workers vaccination status, which is not protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA). The law, which protects a patients confidential health information, applies only to companies and professionals in the health care field. Two US Air National Guard fighter pilots set out on a suicide mission when they scrambled without ammunition to stop a hijacked flight headed for the nation's capital after witnessing terrorists slam airplanes into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the pair recalled ahead of the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks. Lt. Gen. Marc Sasseville and Heather Penney 'knew immediately, as soon as we saw the images, that we needed to protect and defend,' Penney told CBS. In no time the pilots took it upon themselves to take off in their F-16s at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and set out on a kamikaze mission to take down United Flight 93 - the rogue plane they knew was flying low and not communicating with air traffic control. Flight 93 departed from Newark, New Jersey, around 9.30am and was scheduled to land in San Francisco. Forty-six minutes into the flight hijackers took control of the Boeing 757 and turned the plane around to head toward Washington. The pilots planned on flying their F-16 into Flight 93. 'Our only choice was going to be to ram the airliner,' Penney told CBS, adding that Sasseville took the cockpit 'to aim at the terrorists' and she 'would take the tail'. 'Sass and I fully expected to intercept Flight 93 and take it down,' Penney said. 'I genuinely believed that was going to be the last time I took off. If we did it right, this would be it.' Air National Guard pilots Lieutenant General Marc Sasseville (left) and Heather Penney (right) set out on a suicide mission, to use themselves as kamikazes, and stop a hijacked plane rerouted to Washington, DC, on September 11, 2001 After watching the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center the pilots planned on flying their unarmed F-16 into Flight 93 despite knowing it was suicide mission At the time Penney was a young blonde in her 20s. She was one of the first rookie female fighter pilots who signed up as soon as she heard the news that combat aviation was being opened to women. Penney said neither of them had second thoughts about flying their jet into the hijacked plane despite knowing they wouldn't survive. 'As the military, we don't send our service members on suicide missions. But it was clear what needed to be done that morning,' she said. The order did not come through the chain of command, they did not complete the usual 20-minute pre-flight check nor did they arm their jet with missiles. Sasseville, then a colonel, recalled of that moment: 'We didn't have any other choice. And we weren't going to be caught on the ground watching America get hit again.' 'We don't train to "take down" airliners. We never have,' he added. 'We didn't have any missiles and we didn't have combat loads of bullets. We were going to have to hit the airplane and disable it somehow.' Unbeknownst to Penney and Sasseville when they took off, the passengers of Flight 93 had already fought back and drove the plane into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania All 44 passengers on board Flight 93 were killed in the crash-landing. It was about 20 minutes flying time from Washington, DC, and was the only hijacked plane on 9/11 not to hit its intended target 'Sass and I owe our lives to them,' Penney said. Sasseville added: 'Those on Flight 93 that paid the ultimate price, those are the real heroes' However, unbeknownst to the pilots, the passengers of Flight 93 had already fought back and crashed the plane into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. 'Sass and I owe our lives to them,' Penney said. Sasseville added that he thinks about 9/11 every day. 'Those on Flight 93 that paid the ultimate price, those are the real heroes,' he added. All 44 passengers on board Flight 93 were killed in the crash. It was about 20 minutes flying time from Washington, DC, and was the only hijacked plane on 9/11 not to hit its intended target. Penney told CBS that when she thinks of 9/11, 'instead of being overcome by trauma and the horror and the tragedy, I'm actually overcome by hope'. 'That the best of who we are was demonstrated on that day,' she added. 'So, in some ways, living my life as normally as possible is the biggest way that we can say the terrorists did not win.' After the mission, Penney went on to become a major and completed two tours in Iraq. She is now a mother-of-two. Sasseville has earned promotions from colonel to lieutenant and is now the National Guard's No 2 officer. Vice President Dick Cheney (right) speaks to President George W Bush over the phone on September 11, 2001 inside The Operations Center at The White House after the attacks. With Cheney are staff members Presidential Counselor Karen Hughes (left) and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice (center) Nine women in Manhattan - including a 11-year-old girl - were groped throughout August by a man on a scooter who sidles up to victims on his bike, gropes their breasts and then speeds away. Since August 2, after his suspected first assault of a 34-year-old woman in Midtown at Sixth Avenue and West 50th Street, police have been unable to track down the man. He was last spotted around September 7 at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and St. Marks Place. Surveillance footage of the man shared by NYPD Crime Stoppers and the NYPD Special Victims Unit shows him wearing all black as he rides a black and red moped. Police said the attacks appear to be random. 'Once he targets someone he circles around the victim before grabbing her,' Detective Rosita Williams, of the Manhattan Special Victims Division, told the Post. NYPD Crime Stoppers is now offering a $3,500 reward for any tips leading to his capture. Per surveillance stills of the unidentified man shared by Crime Stoppers and the NYPD Special Victims Unit, the serial groper wears all black and rides a black and red moped. Police said the victims appear to be random, and that he grabs them without a word The serial groper on a moped has grabbed several women, including an 11-year-old girl, throught the city during August The NYPD Special Victims Unit first opened an investigation on August 6, the New York Post reported. On August 21, the rider grabbed a 31-year-old woman in the area of Centre Street and Broome Street over her clothes around 4.45 pm, according to data obtained from the NYPD Public Information Office. The agency said that, emboldened, the scooter rider headed off three victims over the span of an hour and a half on August 26 - two of them were minors. The first, a 15-year-old girl, was attacked at 4.20 pm in the area of Hester and Eldridge Streets. Just five minutes later, he harassed a 20-year-old woman in the area of 315 Grand Avenue. The most depraved groping of the day, committed against an 11-year-old walking in the area of East 6th Street and Avenue A, took place around 5.40 pm, police said. The suspect was last spotted near the intersection of 3rd Avenue and St. Marks Place, the unit said on their Twitter on Tuesday. Lower Manhattan seems to be the unidentified predator's preferred area, with three attacks reported on the Lower East Side. Two took place in the East Village, police told The Post, and another in Nolita The man's victims have ranged from 11 to 31, police told the New York Post Since August 2, after his suspected first assault in Midtown at Sixth Avenue and West 50th Street, police have been unable to track down the roving degenerate; NYPD Crime Stoppers offered $3,500 on August 31 for any tips leading to his capture Lower Manhattan seems to be the unidentified predator's preferred area, with three attacks reported on the Lower East Side. Two took place in the East Village, police told The Post, and another in Nolita. Along with his first assault in Midtown, the creep ventured out of his typical territory with another two attacks on the Upper East Side. 'These are serious crimes, sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl is a felony,' said Manhattan Special Victims Division Sgt. Ivan Rodriguez to The Post. 'Women should be able to walk the streets of New York without fear of being sexually assaulted. The sooner we get him off the street the safer the city will be,' said Rodriguez. President Joe Biden brought back his stage whisper when he declared war on the 80 million Americans who have yet to get a COVID vaccine. Biden uses the whisper for emphasis and dramatic affect - a move critics call creepy but advocates say can be an effective communications strategy, causing people to lean in and pay attention. 'Get vaccinated,' was his whispered plea at the end of his nearly 30 minutes of remarks. The whisper is becoming a regular feature in Biden's remarks: he's used in a joint address to Congress, in question and answer sessions with reporters, and during other important speeches, such as when he pleaded with businesses to raise wages for workers, whispering 'pay them more.' The whisper is usually the most important point Biden tends to make in his speeches and, when he deploys it, his body language changes: he leans into the microphone, pauses for dramatic effect and then whispers his plea. His entreaty on Thursday came as his administration struggles to return life to normal for Americans, keep the economy on an upward trend, and increase vaccination numbers to counter the Delta variant of COVID, which is causing the case rate to spike. He spoke directly to the unvaccinated in remarks in the State Dining Room at the White House on Thursday. 'This is not about freedom or personal choice. It's about protecting yourself and those around you, the people you work with, the people you care about, the people you love. My job as president is to protect all Americans,' he said. 'We've been patient but our patience is wearing thin. And your refusal has cost all of us. So please do the right thing,' he said. Biden's speech was a marked change from previous remarks on the pandemic. He took a harsh tone with those who have not gotten vaccinated and expressed impatience with their decision not to get a shot in the arm. And he addressed that crowd directly, in stark language, where he called out those who cast doubt about the safety and efficiency of vaccines. He also outlined a series of new government mandates that will require shots in the arms for two-thirds of employed Americans. Federal employees who refuse can be fired and companies that don't comply will face thousands of dollars in fines. Republicans, including governors, called the orders 'coercive' and 'unconstitutional' and have vowed to fight back in the courts and with legislation. Both his tone and his action were some of the strictest measures he's taken since he became president - a move that comes as hospitalizations are up across the United States as the Delta variant continues to plague the nation. Biden charged the unvaccinated with 'overcrowding our hospitals and overrunning emergency rooms intensive care units, leaving no room for someone with a heart attack or pancreatic cancer.' The president decried the 'pandemic politics' that he said was behind those who had not yet gotten a shot in the arm, calling out public officials who were 'actively working to undermine the fight against COVID-19.' 'These pandemic politics, as I refer to, are making people sick, causing unvaccinated people to die. We cannot allow these actions to stand in the way of protecting the large majority of Americans who have done their part and want to get back to life as normal,' he said. He charged those who were fighting against COVID-19 mitigation procedures with helping increase the death rate. He didn't mention any specific official by name by his administration has publicly clashed with the Republican governors of Florida and Texas, Rick DeSantis and Greg Abbott. President Joe Biden brought back his stage whisper when he declared war on the 80 million Americans who have yet to get a COVID vaccine 'There are elected officials actively working to undermine the fight against COVID-19,' Biden said. 'Instead of encouraging people to get vaccinated and mask up, they're ordering mobile morgues for the unvaccinated dying from COVID in their communities. This is totally unacceptable.' 'My message to unvaccinated Americans is this - what more is there to wait for?,' Biden said. 'What more to you need to see? We've made vaccinations free, safe, and convenient. The vaccine has FDA approval. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot.' In his remarks, Biden announced an aggressive new plan to get 100 million employees across the federal government and private sector vaccinated against COVID as the case rate continues to rise due to the Delta variant. To reach his goal, Biden will use the sweeping power of the federal government, ordering companies to vaccinate workers or face financial penalties. Hell have the Labor Department issue an emergency, temporary order to require all businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure every worker is either fully vaccinated or gets tested at least once a week. The order covers over 80 million employees and it will require employers with 100 or more employees to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated. Any business that violates the new rule will face substantial fines, up to $14,000. Biden argued some of the biggest companies in the country already required vaccines, including, he noted, Fox News. Many conservative viewers of Fox News also refuse to get the vaccine. 'Some of the biggest companies are already requiring this - United Airlines, Disney, Tyson food, and even Fox News,' he said. He will also require all workers in healthcare settings that receive Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement to get vaccinated, which will apply to 17 million healthcare workers. He also issued an executive order Thursday night requiring all federal employees and contractors to get vaccinated. Additionally, the roughly 300,000 educators in headstart programs will be required to be vaccinated. And the TSA is doubling fines for people who refuse to mask on planes. The new range of penalties, which take effect Friday, September 10, 2021, will be $500-$1000 for first offenders and $1000-$3000 for second offenders, the Department of Homeland Security announced. Biden denounced those who refuse to wear masks on flights, admonishing them to 'show some respect.' 'If you break the rules, be prepared to pay,' Biden warned in his remarks. 'And by the way, show some respect. The anger you see on television toward flight attendants and others doing their job is wrong, it's ugly.' Biden also called on governors to require vaccinations for all school teachers and staff, a call that will likely not go over well in Southern states like Texas and Florida, where the GOP governors have pushed back against the CDCs requirement for face masks in schools. In Florida, Republican Gov. Rick DeSantis has threatened to with hold funding from school districts that require face masks. To counter moves like that, the Department of Education will make additional funding available to help local school districts backfill salaries and other areas where it has been with held. 'My plan also takes on elected officials in states that are undermining you and these life saving actions. Right now, local school officials are trying to keep children safe in a pandemic while their governor picks a fight with them and even threatens their salaries or their jobs. Talk about bullying in schools. If they'll not help us beat the pandemic I'll use my power as president to get them out of the way,' he vowed. Biden also announced a ramp up in testing, using the Defense Production Act to accelerate the production of rapid tests, including at home test, and purchase $2 billion worth of rapid tests e and over the counter at home COVID tests for a total of 280 million tests. Earlier in the day, the administration revealed Biden will require all of the roughly 2.1 million federal workers to be vaccinated as part of a series of his tough new mandates. There will be limited exceptions but any federal employee who refuses the shot can be fired, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. Federal employees and contractors will have 75 days to get vaccinated. The executive order will not include an option of being regularly tested to opt out of the vaccine requirement. The orders will apply to workers in the executive branch but not the congressional or judicial. 'There will be limited exceptions for legally recognized reasons disability or religious objections,' Psaki said. Anyone who 'fails to comply, they will go through the standard HR process, which includes counseling and face disciplinary action,' she added. She confirmed that action could include termination of employment. 'Hopefully it won't come to that,' she said. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said any federal employee who doesn't get vaccinated can be fired President Joe Biden greets labor union members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers on Labor Day She said the administration wanted the federal government to serve as an example for other businesses and organizations when it comes to vaccines. 'Obviously the federal workforce is one of the largest in the country and we would like to be a model to what we think other businesses, organizations should do,' she noted. 'The expectation is that if you want to work with federal government or be a contractor, you need to be vaccinated unless you are eligible for one of the exemptions.' Republican Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia, who has federal workers in his district, said he objected to the forced vaccines. 'Although I have personally been vaccinated and regularly encourage those I represent to get vaccinated as well, I fundamentally disagree with forcibly injecting America's public servants,' he told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'Our government was founded to secure the individual liberties of all. We should instead continue educating the public that the COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective. Resorting to forced vaccinations, and returning to unnecessary restrictions, only serves to eliminate critically important vaccination incentives and undermine public confidence in the vaccines' efficacy,' he added. The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of federal workers, said they would bargain over the order. 'Workers deserve a voice in their working conditions,' the group said in a statement. 'Neither of these positions has changed. We expect to bargain over this change prior to implementation, and we urge everyone who is able to get vaccinated as soon as they can do so.' And the National Federation of Federal Employees, another government workers union, said they didn't receive advance notice of the executive order. Psaki dismissed questions about the unions not being consulted. The Biden White House has bragged about its pro-union stance. At a Labor Day event on Wednesday, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said President Biden told him: 'This is labor's house.' 'We have a range of consultation with labor unions, and that has been the case for several weeks and months as we have worked to implement additional steps,' Psaki said. 'But our objective here is to continue to save lives.' The president is putting more pressure on states, businesses and schools to get people vaccinated as the Delta variant causes the case rate to continue to rise in the United States. But Republican-led states including Texas and Florida have pushed back and are in the process of trying to ban the orders being imposed. Psaki indicated in interviews on Thursday morning that more mandates were coming. 'What we've seen work over the past couple months are mandates, requirements, making it so workers in the federal government or others have to get vaccinated. We've seen it work and we've seen it become more popular,' Psaki said on MSNBC's Morning Joe. 'He's going to speak directly to vaccinated people and their frustrations and he wants them to hear how we're going to build on what we've done to date to get the virus under control,' she said. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs already mandate vaccines for their employees. The military also has issued a vaccine mandate. There have now been more than 40 million cases of COVID recorded among Americans, which is nearly one-fifth of the global total of cases. Biden, in his remarks scheduled for 5 p.m. ET time, will address six areas where his administration can push for more Americans to get vaccinated: that includes new plans to get more people vaccinated, enhancing protection for those who already have had shots, keeping schools open, increasing testing and mask-wearing, protecting the economic recovery and improving healthcare. The president will also urge business to implement strict vaccine requirements. Major corporations like WalMart, McDonalds and Disney require high-level employees, such as managers or white-collar workers, to get vaccinated. Most hospitals and universities require the vaccine. On Thursday the Los Angeles school district also said they would require it. President Biden and administration officials have repeatedly emphasized the best way for life to return to normal is for people to get vaccinated. Biden also plans to call for a global summit, to be held during the U.N. General Assembly later this month, to respond to the pandemic and talk about how to get more vaccine supply to the developing world. About 27 per cent of the eligible U.S. population age 12 and older have not received any COVID vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile about 75 per cent of Americans have received at least one shot and 53 per cent are fully vaccinated. In December 2020, after he was elected but before he took office, Biden said he didn't think COVID vaccines were necessary. 'I will do everything in my power as president to encourage people to do the right thing and when they do it, demonstrate that it matters,' he said at the time. Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci said this week Americans are getting infected with COVID at 10 times the rate needed to end the pandemic. 'We're still in pandemic mode, because we have 160,000 new infections a day,' Fauci told Axios. 'That's not even modestly good control.' 'In a country of our size, you can't be hanging around and having 100,000 infections a day,' he continued. 'You've got to get well below 10,000 before you start feeling comfortable.' About 75 per cent of Americans have received at least one shot and 53 per cent are fully vaccinated The vaccination rate among Americans has increased since July, which is when the Delta variant caused case rates to spike, but it remains low in Southern states like Florida and Texas. Biden will also address the divide between the vaccinated and unvaccinated. 'He also will acknowledge the fact that the 175 million people who are vaccinated out there, many of them are frustrated. They want to go back to normal. Of course they do. That's going to require moving more unvaccinated people to a vaccinated status. That's what he'll talk about,' Psaki told CNN on Thursday morning. In his remarks, Biden also will seek to return his focus to the COVID pandemic, resetting the narrative after the difficult evacuation of Americans from Afghanistan and from Democratic in-fighting on Capitol Hill over his $3.5 trillion budget filled with social programs. The Biden administration has already taken steps to try and stop Republican-led states from rolling back COVID mandates. Last month, the Education Department announced a civil rights investigations into five states that banned schools from imposing mask mandates, claiming their stance could discriminate against students with disabilities or health problems. Education chiefs in Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah have been told they are under investigation. 'It's simply unacceptable that state leaders are putting politics over the health and education of the students they took an oath to serve,' said Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. 'The department will fight to protect every student's right to access in-person learning safely.' Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has copped a $500 fine after a bystander snapped a photo of him failing to wear a mask at a beach in locked-down Sydney. Mr Abbott was spotted chatting to a friend without a mask on at Manly on Sydney's northern beaches on Wednesday morning. An onlooker photographed the scene and reported it to police, who conducted inquiries. NSW Police said in a statement: 'A 63-year-old man was issued a $500 Penalty Infringement Notice on Friday for failure to comply with wearing face covering directive. 'Police will allege the man did not wear a face mask while in public at Fairy Bower, Manly Beach, on the morning of Wednesday September 8 2021.' Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been fined $500 by NSW police on Friday after he was spotted maskless at Fairy Bower Beach (pictured) in Sydney's north on Wednesday morning All Sydneysiders are permitted to exercise but must carry a mask with them at all times. Mr Abbott hit back at the bystander who photographed him earlier this week. He claimed he had been exercising at the time and drinking a coffee, and therefore wasn't required to wear a face covering. A worried onlooker photographed the former Prime Minister and reported it to police, who conducted inquiries 'Look, I regard myself as having been at all times within the rules. I was surfing. That's exercise. I was with one other person. That's permitted. I then walked briskly to the coffee shop, that's permitted,' he said. 'I didn't have a mask on while I was drinking coffee. That's permitted. So, all ridgy didgy even under the current rather oppressive regime.' Mr Abbott being dobbed in by a local makes concerns he aired just a week ago about the behaviour of Australians in lockdown eerily prescient. 'There are aspects of contemporary Australia, which I personally find a little bit unsettling,' he told the Australia's Heartland with Tony Abbott podcast by the libertarian Institute of Public Affairs think tank. 'The readiness of people to dob and snitch on their neighbours worries me a lot, frankly.' Mr Abbott likened those who called the cops to dob in someone for not having a face mask to the secret police in communist East Germany. 'If you're walking down the street and you see someone come out of his house without a mask and you call the police, well, frankly, that's just Stasi-like behaviour,' he said. Mr Abbott (pictured with wife Margie) said he had been exercising at the time and drinking a coffee and therefore wasn't required to wear a face covering But he clarified: 'Look, if you're walking down the street and you see a burglary taking place or an assault taking place, it's only right and proper that you should call the police.' The witness who dobbed the former Australian leader in claimed they heard Mr Abbott tell his friend 's**t, I don't have my mask'. 'When the premier says "people should use their judgement", this shows that even a former leader of this country can't even be trusted to use his judgement,' the witness told news.com.au. Mr Abbott isn't the only Australian politician to be dobbed in for not complying with the health orders. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce had to fork out $200 after he was caught not wearing a mask while stopping at a petrol station in the NSW town of Armidale in June. A local saw Mr Joyce maskless and phoned authorities, who then fined him. New York City subway riders may be seeing fewer rats on their daily commute after scores of bloated rodent carcasses washed up along the city's parks and beaches following record rainfall from Hurricane Ida. Neal Phillip got a view of a lifetime while biking through Canarsie Park in Brooklyn, New York, where he spotted a dozen rat carcasses littered across the sand last Saturday. Phillips, a professor of environmental science at Bronx Community College, was a bit displaced by the scene that many New Yorkers are starting to experience. 'When I saw the first one, I thought it was strange. Then I started seeing them all over the place. Seeing them dead like that wasnt very pleasant,' he told Gothamist. Similar scenes have been popping up over across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queen since Hurricane Ida brought mass flash flooding to the area with a record 3.15 inches in an hour. RIP Pizza and Subway Rat: New York City's infamous rats are washing up on local shores after the torrential flooding from Hurricane Ida. One cyclist found a dozen of bloated rat carcasses on Canarsie Park in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday Cyclist and environmental science professor at Bronx Community College Neal Phillips found the rats on a shore in Brooklyn and suspected it had to do with the city's combined sewer system that overflows into local bays when there's heavy rainfall Phillips (represented by the blue dot) was on the far edge of Canarsie Park in Brooklyn. The Queens side of Jamaica Bay, which Canarsie Park overlooks, also looked like a rat graveyard, according to Chester Zarnoch, an environmental studies and biology professor at Baruch College. Replying to Neal, Zarnoch tweeted: 'Hey Neil, we also found some of these rats near our study site on the Queens side of the bay. I can't imagine the number of these that must have washed into NYC waters during Ida floods.' The abundance of rat carcasses across the sands of Canarsie Park and Jamaica Bay suggest the rats drowned in the waste and rainfall of the city's sewer system, according to Gothamist. Despite rats being as good as Olympic swimmers - with some species being able to swim up to a mile, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service - the sheer amount of floodwater at the rapid volume Ida produced throughout the city would have been no match for sewer rats. Apartments are already small enough, now the rats want to live there too? Many residents of New York City's boroughs Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens have reported seeing more rats above ground since Ida drenched the city. Local pest control experts have reported high call volumes concerning rats in apartments and in public spaces like Central Park Rats are New Yorkers favorite rodents and despite the devastating loss of potentially hundreds of thousands of them, one Twitter user Irene couldn't pass up the opportunity for a good joke 'With this particular storm, any rats that were in the sewers were either crushed by the current or were swept out into the rivers,' said Bobby Corrigan, a long-time pest control expert, told Gothamist. 'I would guess hundreds of thousands died, easily.' Many pest control companies have reported high-call volumes concerning rats making new homes in apartments and public spaces, like Central Park. One Twitter, user Alex posted a video of his visit to the park, where he saw a bunch of rats scurrying through the underbrush. 'Ive never seen so many rats in broad daylight in Central ParkIm guessing they were flooded out of their homes. But Im not the only one who has noticed,' he wrote on Twitter. Despite the many jokes across social media concerning the surf the city's rats experienced, Alex isn't wrong. There has been an increase of the rodents above ground, according to local pest control experts. The New York City Health Department, however, did not report an increase in rodent complaints since the hurricane drenched the Northeast. Nor does the department calculate the number of rats throughout the boroughs, according to Newsweek. However, the rodent population is estimated to be in the millions. Some New Yorkers even showed sympathy for the dead vermin. A Twitter user named Irene wrote: 'There are drowned rats on the streets of new york today and i just feel like if the rats cant make it here then none of us can make it anywhere.' One user jokingly replied: 'You got me feeling bad for rats, its time for me to leave New York forever.' Advertisement A landmark panel of victims of police corruption, incompetence and malpractice were among those calling for Cressida Dick to go There was fury today at the decision to extend Cressida Dick's contract until April 24 - with former Tory MP Harvey Proctor saying he was 'bitterly disappointed' by the news. Mr Proctor, now 74, was one of three men who had their houses raided by officers from the Met's failed Operation Midland launched in reaction to false allegations by jailed fantasist Carl Beech about a murderous VIP paedophile ring. Earlier this week he was among a number of high-profile figures to sign an open letter to the Prime Minister accusing the commissioner of 'presiding over a culture of incompetence and cover-up' and calling for reforms in policing. Mr Proctor said: 'I am bitterly disappointed by the decision. It is obscene. I believe the Government will rue the day of this terribly bad and wrong decision.' Today it was announced that Dame Cressida will stay on as Scotland Yard commissioner until April 2024 despite a wave of protests. Reform UK's Richard Tice tweeted earlier today: 'Resign or be fired: Cressida Dick should not be rewarded for a long catalogue of failures with new 2 year contract. Her performance has been woeful. This Govt is incapable of holding senior people to account to perform, to do their job properly.' Lib Dem leader Ed Davey was among those calling for her to be fired yesterday, while GB News commentator Patrick Christys said: 'If Cressida Dick was in any other job, she'd be asked to move on' Home Secretary Priti Patel said extending her contract meant the force would have 'continuity' amid the coronavirus pandemic. London Mayor Sadiq Khan backed the announcement. There had been widespread dismay when it emerged the 60-year old was set to have her contract renewed despite having presided over a series of scandals. Baroness Lawrence and Lady Brittan, widow of Tory home secretary Leon Brittan, were among those demanding a change at the top of the Met. But Ms Patel said: 'I am pleased to announce that Dame Cressida will continue to lead the Metropolitan Police until April 2024 and wish to thank her for her service to date. 'Her extension will provide continuity and stability as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic and recruit 20,000 additional police officers. 'Londoners know there is more to do to keep our capital safe, including by driving down violent crime, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Commissioner and Mayor of London to protect the public.' Julia Hartley-Brewer tweeted in response to the statement: 'Well, at least *one* person is pleased Cressida Dick is staying on in the job.' Sir Ed Davey told MailOnline that Dame Cressida should be ousted, but Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved a contract extension Julia Hartley-Brewer and Reform UK's Richard Tice were among those criticising the reappointment of Dame Cressida Dick Chequered history of first female chief Cressida Dick's reign as Metropolitan Police commissioner has been overshadowed by controversy over bungled operations and investigations: 1983: She joins the Met as a constable after a brief foray into accountancy. 1993: Becomes a tutor on the accelerated promotion course at Bramshill Police College before transferring to Thames Valley Police as a superintendent. 2000: Completes strategic command course. 2001: Joins Met as a commander and heads Operation Trident investigating gun crime in London's black communities. July 22, 2005: She is the gold commander of an armed terror operation in wake of London bombings which mistakenly shot dead Brazilian electrician Jean Charles de Menezes in Stockwell Tube station. Met guilty of errors including an 'utterly chaotic' control room. She is exonerated. 2008: Sir Ian Blair, her mentor, sacked by London mayor Boris Johnson after a string of cock-ups. 2010: Receives the Queen's Police Medal. 2015: Awarded a CBE for services to policing. A damehood follows four years later. April 2017: Appointed as first female Metropolitan Police commissioner with a brief to modernise the force and keep it out of the headlines. July 2017: Close ally Helen Ball is appointed as an assistant commissioner. October 2018: Sir Stephen House, a former boss, appointed deputy commissioner and another chain in the Teflon shield being built around her. April 2019: Extinction Rebellion protesters bring London to a standstill over several days with the Met powerless to prevent the chaos. Dame Cressida says the numbers involved were far greater than expected and used new tactics but she admits police should have responded quicker. September 2019: Her role in setting up of shambolic probe into alleged VIP child sex abuse and murder is revealed but she declines to answer questions. 2020: Official report into Operation Midland said Met was more interested in covering up mistakes than learning from them. February 2021: Lady Brittan condemns the culture of 'cover up and flick away' in the Met and the lack of a moral compass among senior officers. The same month a freedom of information request reveals an extraordinary spin campaign to ensure Dame Cressida was not 'pulled into' the scandal over the Carl Beech debacle. March: Criticised for Met handling of a vigil for Sarah Everard, where officers arrested four attendees. In the first six months of the year, London was on course for its worst year for teenage deaths 30 with knives being responsible for 19 out of the 22 killed so far. The youngest was 14-year-old Fares Matou, cut down with a Samurai sword. Dame Cressida had told LBC radio in May her top priority was tackling violent crime. June: A 20million report into the Daniel Morgan murder brands the Met 'institutionally corrupt' and accuses her of trying to block the inquiry. Dame Cressida rejects its findings. July: Police watchdog reveals three Met officers being probed over alleged racism and dishonesty. The same month the Yard boss is at the centre of another storm after it emerged she was secretly referred to the police watchdog over comments she made about the stop and search of Team GB sprinter Bianca Williams. Dame Cressida is accused of pre-empting the outcome of an independent investigation. Also in July she finds herself under fire over her woeful security operation at the Euro 2020 final at Wembley where fans without tickets stormed the stadium and others used stolen steward vests and ID lanyards to gain access. August Dame Cressida facing a potential misconduct probe over her open support for Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Horne who could stand trial over alleged data breaches. Advertisement Mr Khan said: 'This will provide the experienced and strong leadership we need as our city emerges from the pandemic. 'The Met Commissioner has the most difficult policing job in the country, overseeing the safety of more than ten million people living, working and visiting our global city. The last four-and-a-half years have also presented significant additional challenges for the Met, including terror attacks, the tragedy of Grenfell Tower, rising public order incidents and policing challenging Covid-19 restrictions. 'It's my role as Mayor to both support the Commissioner and hold her to account and I will continue to do so to ensure we continue to reduce serious violence in all its forms and increase trust and confidence in our police force among London's diverse communities.' MPs yesterday added their voices to calls for Dame Cressida to be replaced - but one Tory voiced fears that the alternative candidates were 'too woke'. Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey was among those calling for her to go, telling MailOnline: 'The Met desperately needs new leadership to change the culture of ''cover up rather than own up'' at the top of the organisation, which the independent report on the murder of Daniel Morgan described as ''institutional corruption''. 'Met police officers who work incredibly hard and risk their lives to keep us safe deserve far better. They need new leadership that will change the culture and rebuild the public trust and confidence that officers need to do their jobs and keep us all safe.' Meanwhile, one senior Tory MP said Scotland Yard desperately needed a new commissioner, but the alternatives to Dame Cressida were far too 'woke'. 'The problem with Cressida is she has presided over a series of disasters, and then says it is not her fault,' they told MailOnline. 'It is difficult when we always take the same view that operational decisions are a matter for the police not politicians. 'She has presided over some humdingers, not just as commissioner but in her career. The time is right to get a new commissioner. But we don't want to replace her with 'commander woke'.' It came as a landmark panel of victims of police corruption, incompetence and malpractice issued a bombshell letter to Mr Johnson calling for her head, as the Daily Mail exclusively revealed. Led by Stephen Lawrence's trailblazing mother, Baroness Lawrence, and Lady Brittan, widow of Tory home secretary Leon Brittan, the signatories all gave Dame Cressida a resounding vote of no confidence. They also demanded an overhaul of the Met's senior team, 'urgent and long overdue' reform of the police complaints system and a shake-up of the 'unfit for purpose' Independent Office for Police Conduct. The group called for an 'urgent' meeting with the Prime Minister and Home Secretary Priti Patel to 'ensure that meaningful reform is delivered within a reasonable timeframe'. They said: 'We share a collective concern that the leadership of the Metropolitan Police Service will continue to act as though they are above the law and that the general public do not have a viable means of recourse.' The group of seven influential figures includes the son of D-Day hero Lord Bramall, BBC broadcaster Paul Gambaccini, the brother of axe murder victim Daniel Morgan, Edward Heath's biographer Michael McManus and former Tory MP Harvey Proctor. They drafted a joint statement after the Daily Mail invited them to an unprecedented debate on their own experiences of Met malpractice and corruption, and the effectiveness of the police complaints system. Their extraordinary intervention follows a string of controversies and scandals that have engulfed Dame Cressida since she was appointed Scotland Yard chief on a five-year contract in 2017. The group told the Prime Minister: 'Dame Cressida Dick, who has presided over a culture of incompetence and cover-up, must not have her contract extended and must be properly investigated for her conduct, along with her predecessors and those in her inner circle, who she appointed and who have questions to answer. 'She should be replaced by an appointee from outside London, via a truly independent and transparent process.' They said they wrote 'as a group of concerned individuals seeking urgent and long overdue reform of policing, the police complaints system and, in particular, the Metropolitan Police Service'. The decision to give Dame Cressida a contract extension comes despite senior Government figures privately casting doubt on her prospects of staying in post following a string of controversies including her handling of the Operation Midland VIP child abuse inquiry scandal. In June, Dame Cressida was engulfed in cover-up claims after an official 20million report branded the Met 'institutionally corrupt' and accused her of trying to thwart an inquiry into the unsolved axe murder of private eye Daniel Morgan. His brother Alastair was one of the seven figures to sign the letter to the Prime Minister. Dame Cressida has rejected the key findings of the probe into the Morgan case, which has been mired in allegations of police corruption. A Twitter user discovered that furniture manufacturer Wayfair seemingly slipped something into one of its advertisements that isn't quite coffee table reading in polite society. The poster, who goes by @TMHaltom on the social media site, noticed that an ad for a Wayfair coffee table had a sample book simply titled 'WHITE SUPREMACY' on it. 'The not-so-subliminal messaging of coffee table books on Wayfair is a choice,' he wrote. 'Why yes, it does appear to say 'white supremacy' backwards.' When reached for comment, a spokesperson for Wayfair told Mail Online that this indeed happened and seemed to suggest the issue was with the supplier. 'Like other retailers of this product, as soon as we became aware of the issue, we took immediate action to remove the product image from the site and are investigating the matter with the supplier,' Susan Freschette said in a statement. A Twitter user discovered that furniture manufacturer Wayfair may have slipped something into one of their advertisements that isn't quite coffee table reading The poster, who goes by @TMHaltom on the social media site, noticed that an ad for a Wayfair coffee table had a sample book simply titled 'WHITE SUPREMACY' on it. Multiple social media users appeared to confirm that this was no hoax. 'No other book in the prop box?' asked one. 'This is actually on their website.. that's wild,' said another. A third promised to boycott Wayfair forever over the advertisement. Twitter users were furious about the advertisement Social media amplified the unfortunate advert One user even suggested people should boycott the company Another user tweeted out that he had been in contact with the company's customer service chat line and they had tried to rectify the error. 'Hello we apologize for that item on the table that you saw and we have reported this to our management teams that photo is in the process of being taken down,' the representative allegedly said. 'Our management team will handle the issue from here. Another user tweeted out that he had been in contact with the company's customer service chat line and they had tried to rectify the error Back in 2020, amid the protests going on in cities across America in the wake of George Floyd's murder, Wayfair was one of many companies to publicly signal its intention to tackle racism. 'We can reconfirm our belief that racism in any form (explicit or implicit) is unacceptable in our community, both at Wayfair and the communities in which we live,' CEO Niraj Shah said. 'We need to keep saying this, more loudly and even more often. And, we must confront, and change, any examples we find.' Wayfair co-founders and CEOs Niraj Shah (right) and Steve Conine Shah added there were things they can do tangibly to help communities heal. 'One thing that we can all do is help is contribute to the causes that support ending racism, hatred and violence in our world. For some that contribution may be financial, and to support them, for the next 30 days, we will double Wayfair's match. For some that contribution is with your time through volunteerism and here too we will double the program that offers paid time for volunteer work.' He also encouraged workers to vote, offering paid time off for anyone who exercised their right to do so. Back in 2020, a number of lifestyle influencers used their platforms over the weekend to spread an unfounded conspiracy theory that Wayfair was trafficking children through its website a baseless claim that has been debunked by various outlets and denied by the company. The allegation has been floating around social media since June and seems to have originated from the conspiracy-theory group QAnon, according to BuzzFeed News, but it gained traction last Thursday after a post shared on the Conspiracy subreddit went viral. 'Is it possible Wayfair involved in Human trafficking with their WFX Utility collection? Or are these just extremely overpriced cabinets? (Note the names of the cabinets) this makes me sick to my stomach if it's true,' wrote Reddit user PrincessPeach1987. Going viral: The baseless claims gained traction last Thursday after someone posted about Wayfair's high-priced cabinets on a Conspiracy subreddit The original poster shared a screenshot from Wayfair's mobile site that shows four cabinets named Neriah, Yaritza, Samiyah, and Alyvia that cost between $12,699.99 and $14,499.99. Conspiracy theorists believe the extremely expensive cabinets and human names they were given are evidence that Wayfair is trafficking children under the guise of the selling utility closets and other high-priced items. The unsubstantiated claim appears to have come from QAnon, an online group that believes President Donald Trump is fighting a secret war against deep-state pedophiles. The theory has been traced back to Twitter user @99freemind, a popular QAnon influencer who is known as Amazing Polly online. She shared a tweet about Wayfair's 'storage cabinets' that have 'extremely high prices' and are 'all listed with girls' names' on July 14. Say what? Influencers such as Rebecca Pfeiffer (pictured) are spreading an unfounded conspiracy theory that Wayfair is trafficking children through it's website Origins: The theory seems to have originated from QAnon, an online conspiracy-theory group that believes President Trump is fighting a secret war against deep-state pedophiles Fake news: NBC News journalist Ben Collins is among those who have condemned the debunked conspiracy on social media The unfounded allegation spread like wildfire across social media and began trending on Twitter as people shared screenshots of expensive cabinets, shower curtains, and pillows on Wayfair's website that they found to be suspicious. People stressed that the items in question had female names while others insisted they matched the names of reportedly missing persons. Wayfair has denied the allegations and given an explanation for the high price points that many found to be confusing. 'There is, of course, no truth to these claims,' the company said in a statement to Reuters. 'The products in question are industrial grade cabinets that are accurately priced. 'Recognizing that the photos and descriptions provided by the supplier did not adequately explain the high price point, we have temporarily removed the products from [the] site to rename them and to provide a more in-depth description and photos that accurately depict the product to clarify the price point.' Wayfair also stated that the company names its products using an algorithm that uses 'first names, geographic locations, and common words for naming purposes.' The conspiracy theory has been debunked by Reuters, Snopes, Facebook's independent fact-checkers, and other journalists, but that didn't stop influencers from promoting it on Instagram over the weekend. Comedian Kate Quigley revealed she takes daily small doses of magic mushrooms in an interview just three days before she overdosed on fentanyl-laced cocaine and three of her friends died from the drug. Quigley opened up about her drug-taking, partying and even shoplifting during the pandemic on a podcast interview on September 1. Three days later she was rushed to hospital and three of her comedian friends died after they all reportedly overdosed on fentanyl that had been cut into cocaine they were taking at a party in Quigley's Venice Beach home. In the videoed interview on the podcast Uncle Joey's Joint, Quigley, 39, and comedian Joey Diaz discussed the alcohol and drug addictions rife among comedians and opened up about their grief over the recent death of another stand-up comic friend and addict Erik Myers, who was run over by a truck in February. Kate Quigley opened up about her drug-taking, partying and even shoplifting during the pandemic on a podcast interview just three days before the overdose In the interview on podcast Uncle Joey's Joint, Quigley, 39, and comedian Joey Diaz discussed the alcohol and drug addictions rife among comedians While discussing drugs, Quigley revealed that she takes small amounts of magic mushrooms every day, a practice called 'microdosing'. 'I did start microdosing mushrooms during this whole period. Holy s*** that has helped me so much with everything, anxiety, depression, everything,' she told Diaz. 'I get so much less stressed out than I used to. It really makes me happier. And it's just the babiest little bite. I don't feel high but I'm happier. 'I've had the capsules but I just break a little piece off and eat it once or twice a day. It's so small, that's it.' The comedian and former model mentioned wilder behavior by her friends who she said were more worried about the contents of the covid vaccine than the cleanliness of their street drugs. Quigley said many of her Los Angeles friends are 'terrified of the vaccine' but 'will do blow off the back of a toilet seat in a dirty bar.' In the interview just days before her fentanyl overdose, Diaz discussed dirty cuts of cocaine, with Quigley agreeing that she too had 'smelled' bad odors in the drugs she snorted. She added that the solitude and lack of parties during the pandemic last year 'really turned me off' cocaine. Quigley said the nationwide shutdown for months in 2020 meant she had no gigs and was strapped for cash, admitting that she even resorted to stealing ice cream and popcorn from CVS. 'I was stealing ice cream. I was stealing food from CVS,' she said. 'I mean you have a mask, a hat, sunglasses. I mean really you could rob anywhere. I didn't rob anywhere but, just ice cream I took. And popcorn, a little popcorn.' Comedians Fuquan Johnson, 42, Enrico Colangeli, 48, and Natalie Williamson, 33, died at Quigley's house party on Saturday. Quigley tweeted this week saying she was 'on the mend' after being hospitalized. Quigley's plush home is located in the Venice neighborhood of LA, and is worth a whopping $1.8million. This is where she and friends overdosed on fentanyl-laced cocaine Kate Quigley and Fuquan Johnson are seen on May 15, 2018 in Los Angeles. Comedian Fuquan is one of three who died at Quigley's party Saturday Quigley and Diaz discussed their grief over losing comedian Erik Myers (left) in February. He struggled with addiction and was killed by a truck. Actor Jeremy Piven paid tribute after his death Comedian Jamie Kennedy tweeted that the incident was 'an absolute tragedy' and sent his love to Quigley, who wrote back 'Awww. Thx love. Im on the mend.' In the early hours of Thursday morning Quigley posted on Instagram saying she was dealing with how to 'move on' in the wake of the tragedy. She posted a picture with the words: 'It's okay that you don't know how to move on. Start with something easier like not going back.' Enrico Colangeli, 48, was also found dead at Quigley's home in Venice Beach, California early Saturday morning. Authorities believe he ingested cocaine laced with the powerful opioid fentanyl She added: 'Ive stayed off my phone & prolly will for a while. I'm still healing physically & mentally. But reading all these positive messages from u guys is really makin me cry tnight. Thank uuu so much for your support. You have no idea how much it's helping.' In her podcast interview last week, she and Diaz discussed their grief over losing Myers. Quigley revealed the late comic, who struggled with addiction, once showed up naked to her house at 2pm after going missing for days on an alcohol-fueled bender. 'Erik was the most extreme case I've ever seen of somebody that was so different the second he fell off [the wagon],' she said. 'He would go from the sweetest, most sensitive guy, and then one sip might as well be five fifths of vodka. He would not stop. 'He showed up naked one time at my house at two in the afternoon. Naked in the middle of the day in Hollywood. He'd been missing for three days, he was all beat up.' She added that the emotional toll of his death didn't hit her until months later. 'Erik Myers was a weird one for me because, I mean it sounds so odd to say this I almost felt happy for him when I first heard,' she told Diaz. 'I was shocked but I wasn't all the way shocked because you know you kind of expect at some point when somebody falls off the wagon that many times you prepare yourself. 'But then the big thing was, he was always so anxious, even sober, I felt like he could finally chill out. 'But I didn't really feel it until last week some photo popped up of me and Erik in Las Vegas just having fun together and it suddenly hit me. 'It's weird that people that died during this, you already hadn't seen them in a while, so then it doesn't really hit you until a moment when you would see them, or a memory.' Quigley is stable but only lucid for moments and faces a long recovery, her mother said. On the podcast, Diaz discussed dirty cuts of cocaine, with Quigley agreeing that she too had 'smelled' bad odors in the drugs she snorted Comedian Brian Redban posted a screenshot of text messages between him and Quigley where she tells him 'I'm alive. Not great. But im OK' Quigley revealed that her Venice Beach house, where the fateful party took place on Saturday, was on the same block as Hunter Biden's former residence. Biden moved to a home on the canals of the oceanside neighborhood around February this year, but vacated for another rental in the Malibu hills in June. Quigley said she got 'hot' officers from his Secret Service detail to patrol her yard after she spotted a man loitering there. 'He lives like four houses down from me, so they put Secret Service on my block. I'm so lucky because it became the safest block in the neighborhood,' she said. 'I go over all the time and talk to him. Then one night I thought I had a stalker. I had this creepy guy hanging around my place for like a week. 'I went over there and told the Secret Service and they were walking by like every hour checking on my place, it was awesome. 'Also they're kind of hot. Two of them are pretty hot. But I think they're not allowed to mingle.' Quigley starred in 2006 US sitcom The Office and Star Trek: Hidden Frontier the same year. She has headlined at top comedy clubs including the Improv, Laugh Factory, Icehouse, Comedy Store, and Haha Comedy Club in Hollywood. She also hosted Playboy TV's Undercover and the 2016 AVN Awards. Austrian police have revealed that a man mummified the corpse of his mother and kept her in a basement for over a year so he could continue to collect her pension payments. The 89-year old woman is believed to have died of natural causes in June 2020 after suffering from dementia for several years, at which point her son, 66, came up with the gruesome plan to rake in extra cash. It is thought that he dragged her body into their shared basement before mummifying her entire body in bandages and covering her in ice packs so as to reduce the smell of rotting flesh. The mother and son, both of whom are yet to be named, lived in the western Tyrol region of Austria near Innsbruck, where police made the discovery on Saturday after being led to the house by a suspicious postman. Police believe the managed to rack up approximately 50,000 (42,000) in pension and benefit payments destined for his mother who lay rotting in the basement. Police believe the managed to rack up approximately 50,000 (42,000) in pension and benefit payments destined for his mother who lay rotting in the basement The mother and son, both of whom are yet to be named, lived in the western Tyrol region of Austria near Innsbruck The haunting fraud operation only came to light after a new postman delivering the woman's social welfare mail said her son refused to let him meet his mother. The postman reportedly reported his suspicions to the authorities who launched an investigation into the woman's apparent disappearance and discovered her rotted carcass in her son's basement. Ultimately, the corpse was mummified,' said Helmut Gufler, head of the police's social security fraud unit in an interview with public broadcaster ORF. 'He made sure that there was no odour or nuisance.' The haunting fraud operation only came to light after a new postman delivering the woman's social welfare mail said her son refused to let him meet his mother Gufler went on to describe how the man had refrigerated his mother's body with regularly changed ice-packs and absorbed bodily fluids with a mountain of bandages, before adding that 'he covered his mother with cat litter and finally the corpse was mummified' when he ran out of supplies. Gufler reported that the man had no income source and relied on the social welfare provided to the family to keep afloat. Had he reported the death, the benefits and pension payments would've ceased, leaving him unable to pay for his mother's funeral or retain the house they shared. The authorities said that the man had confessed to the crime , and had managed to prevent his brother from seeing their mother for over a year. ORF reported that the man told his brother that their mother had been transferred to a specialist hospital where her condition had deteriorated to the extent that she would barely be recognisable. An autopsy has ruled out the possibility that the man murdered his mother, but he is charged with benefit fraud and hiding a corpse. The Portland State University professor who resigned with a scathing public letter over the university's 'wokeism' is calling out the liberal media who he says has ignored covering his resignation. Peter Boghossian was a full-time assistant professor of philosophy at Portland State University for 10 years until his resignation letter was published on Wednesday, calling the college a 'social justice factory' that drives 'intolerance of divergent beliefs'. His resignation - revealed by Bari Weiss in her Common Sense substack - has been covered by publications including Fox News and The New York Post, but Boghossian has called out the 'liberal media' for failing to delve into his story. 'Ive been deluged with requests to appear on conservative media regarding my resignation from PSU,' he tweeted on Wednesday. 'And yet, I dont consider myself a conservative. Ive received zero requests for interviews with liberal media. Id enjoy having a conversation with you Rachel Maddow, NPR, MSNBC' Boghossian, in his resignation letter, also describes how university administrators investigated him in 2017 after receiving a complaint under Title XI - which protects against gender or sex based discrimination - from a man Boghossian is wondering why outlets he considers to be liberal media like NPR and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow haven't asked him to speak Former professor Peter Boghossian (right) said Portland State had become a 'dogma factory' where free inquiry was no longer possible While smaller publications like MEAWW.com and OPB.org have covered Boghossian's exit, news of the resignation is nowhere to be found in any major left-leaning news organization. On Thursday night, Boghossian appeared on FOX News to speak out against PSU, saying the university had become a 'dogma factory' where free inquiry was no longer possible. 'They weaponized officers of diversity, equity, and inclusion,' Boghossian told Fox News host Jesse Watters. 'They have these mechanisms in place in the university to enforce certain speech codes against dissident professors, against anyone who questions or challenges what is morally fashionable,' he went on. His appearance came the day after he shared his resignation letter with Bari Weiss, a former New York Times columnist who quit her role at the paper after claiming to encounter the same refusal to consider non-liberal ideas that Boghossian describes at PSU. Boghossian has since received support for his letter from conservative personalities, including podcast host and former TV host Megyn Kelly, comedian Rob Schneider, Fox commentator Tammy Bruce and historian Niall Ferguson. Other than Fox News, the New York Post and New York Daily News have been the only major publications to cover the resignation so far. In an op-ed for the Daily News, Jonathan Zimmerman commented on the hypocrisy of left-wing commentators silence on the matter. 'We cant have it both ways. If we want to resist the GOP effort to muzzle our schools and universities, we also need to condemn left-wing attacks on free speech and exchange,' he wrote. 'You cant credibly accuse the other team of censorship when your own side is engaging in it, too.' His resignation has been covered by conservative and right-wing publications like Fox News and The New York Post (pictured) In an op-ed for the Daily News, Jonathan Zimmerman commented on the hypocrisy of left-wing commentators silence on the matter Boghossian said in his letter that college staff were abdicating their 'truth seeking mission' and instead driving intolerance of 'divergent reliefs' by squashing any view that was not liberal. 'Students at Portland State are not being taught to think. Rather, they are being trained to mimic the moral certainty of ideologues,' he wrote. Boghossian previously penned a collection of hoax papers and submitted them to academic journals to prove that they would print anything that went along with their ideals, even if the theories in them were fake. They included papers on dog rape and an adaptation to Hitler's Mein Kampf. The left reacted badly to it, saying he'd wasted editors' time. Boghossian says he was harassed on campus with swastikas written on bathroom walls with his name next to them, purely because he had challenged the university's ideas. He claims that at one time flyers went around campus depicting him with a Pinocchio nose, that he was spit on and that colleagues told students not to take his class. Smaller publications like MEAWW.com (pictured) have covered Boghossian's resignation While OPB.org has covered the former professor's resignation, coverage is nowhere to be found in any major left-leaning news organization so far In a statement to DailyMail.com, a spokesman for the university said: 'Portland State has always been and will continue to be a welcoming home for free speech and academic freedom. 'We believe that those practices are not in conflict with our core institutional values of student success; racial justice and equity; and proactive engagement with our community. 'As with all personnel matters, we have no comment on Dr. Boghossian's statement of resignation.' In his resignation letter Boghossian describes how university administrators investigated him in 2017 after receiving a complaint under Title XI - which protects against gender or sex based discrimination - from a man. He said he was informed by students who were interviewed for the investigation that they were asked if he'd ever beat his wife or kids. In the end, the investigation found that his accuser's claims were unsubstantiated. Boghossian says the harassment became worse when he produced a series of hoax papers in an effort to prove that academic journals would print them without checking, so long as they seemed to align with left-wing views. From 2017 to 2018, the trio wrote 20 papers with absurd premises related to social justice. Four of them were eventually published in reputable journals. The' study was meant to 'reboot' conversations around topics like gender, race and sexuality, the authors wrote in Aero Magazine. Boghossian says the university accused him of 'not receiving approval to experiment on human subjects' after the trio was found out by reporters at the Wall Street Journal, cutting their hoax short. 'Shortly thereafter, swastikas in the bathroom with my name under them began appearing in two bathrooms near the philosophy department. Boghossian worked at Portland State University as an assistant professor in the philosophy department. The university has not commented on his claims Boghossian (pictured) resigned from PSU with a scathing public letter calling the university a 'social justice factory' that drives 'intolerance of divergent beliefs' 'They also occasionally showed up on my office door, in one instance accompanied by bags of feces. 'Our university remained silent. 'When it acted, it was against me, not the perpetrators.' He also described a Title IX investigation against him in the 2016-2017 school year, when a student seemed to have accused Boghossian of beating his wife. 'My accuser, a white male, made a slew of baseless accusations against me, which university confidentiality rules unfortunately prohibit me from discussing further. What I can share is that students of mine who were interviewed during the process told me the Title IX investigator asked them if they knew anything about me beating my wife and children. 'This horrifying accusation soon became a widespread rumor,' he wrote. Title IX is a 1972 civil rights law that prevents discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. Boghossian's resignation comes as a slew of school teachers and college professors leave the classroom over similar complaints of a monolithic culture that leaves no room for debate. Last month, Laura Morris quit in an emotional address at the Loudoun County School Board, where she explained why the 'equity trainings' and political dogma forced her to resign. She said she could no longer be part of an organization that told her 'white, Christian, able-bodied females' needed to be reined in. 'This summer I have struggled with the idea of returning to school, knowing that I'll be working yet again with a school division that, despite its shiny tech and flashy salary, promotes political ideologies that do not square with who I am as a believer in Christ,' she said. At $50,000-a-year Dalton in New York City, it was parents who made the first move. 'Every class this year has had an obsessive focus on race and identity, "racist cop" reenactments in science, "de-centering whiteness" in art class, learning about white supremacy and sexuality in health class,' parents of students at the private school wrote in a letter in April. The head of the school, Jim Best, later resigned. Some professors have complained that their school are not progressive enough, like when star professor Cornell West resigned from Harvard Divinity School in a letter in July. West accused the university of denying him a tenured position because of 'the Harvard administration's hostility to the Palestinian cause,' which he supports. 'We all know the mendacious reasons given had nothing to do with academic standards,' he wrote. Advertisement A Greek Orthodox church in the shadow of the Twin Towers that was destroyed during the September 11, 2001 terror attacks will be revived as national shrine at a new location near One World Trade Center and was lit up for the first time on the eve of the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The St. Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center was lit from within for the first time on Friday night at 8pm and will continue to shine every night going forward. The original 155 Cedar Street location of St. Nicholas Church was steps away from the Twin Towers and completely devastated on September 11, 2001. It was the only house of worship destroyed on that tragic day. The 80-year-old location was first purchased by Greek immigrants in 1892 as a community home and converted to a church in 1916. It became a staple of the community and was often among one of the first stops immigrants made when they came to the country. The St. Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center was lit from within for the first time on Friday night at 8pm and will continue to shine every night going forward The original 155 Cedar Street location of St. Nicholas Church was steps away from the Twin Towers and completely devastated on September 11, 2001. It was the only house of worship destroyed on that tragic day. It has since been rebuilt and was lit for the first time on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The lighting comes from within panels of marble, quarried from the same vein used for the ancient Greek Parthenon The church (pictured bottom right) has been relocated down the block to Ground Zero (pictured left) and will expand beyond a church to serve as The St. Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church will be lit up from within for the first time on Friday night at 8pm and will continue to shine every night going forward to honor the lives lost during the 9/11 attacks (Pictured: the interior of the St. Nicholas Church and National Shrine is still under construction seen on September 10) The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was the only house of worship destroyed during the 9/11 attacks (Pictured: The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine nearing completion of the exterior on September 10 ahead of the reopening) The humble building was first purchased by Greek immigrants in 1892 as a community home and converted to a church in 1916 (Pictured: the original St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in 1981) Very few relics of the historic site survived the devastation. Vicar General Father Alexander Karloutsos said in an interview with CBS that he hopes this new building will become another pillar of the community. He wants the church to offer reflection and meditation to those of all faiths. 'The darkness of that day meant that they extinguished 3,000 lives that no longer shine. That no longer bring love and warmth to those around them and so we believe that this shrine will be their light. Will be able to carry their lives forward. 'We are honoring them on sacred ground because 9/11, for those of us who are Americans, for those of us who believe in freedom and democracy, they are heros. They're victims of the hard way of life. The American way of life. New York Strong.' The St. Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center will reopen Friday ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks (Pictured: the view of where St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church stood at before it was demolished during the 9/11 attacks seen on September 10) The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church has moved down the block from it's original location at 155 Cedar Street to 130 Liberty Street (Pictured: The construction of the Church and National Shrine is now proceeding briskly after years of delays seen on September 10) The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church will continue to serve as a parish but will now also host events and exhibitions to commensurate the tragedy of the lives lost on September 1, 2001 (Pictured: view of the dome at the top of the new building from inside the church seen on September 10) The rebuilding is funded through 'The Friends of St. Nicholas,' an independent non-profit that has raised $95 million (Pictured: a worker guides a marble roof panel into place at the top of the dome on September 8) The new location at 130 Liberty street is directly across the street from the 9/11 Memorial South Pool and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at Ground Zero (Pictured: a crane lifts sections of marble onto the dome of the new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine on August 27) The new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine will honor the 2,977 people that were killed on September 11, 2001 (Pictured: construction continues of the exterior of the new Church and National Shrine seen on August 17) Vicar General Father Alexander Karloutsos (pictured) said he wants the new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and Shrine to honor the 3,000 lives 'that no longer bring love and warmth to those around them and so we believe that this shrine will be their light' Father Alexander said that the church looks forward to the reopening 'with great pain but also with great hope' and insisted that 'no one is a stranger.' The Greek Orthodox church will continue to function as a parish but will also be a National Shrine and allow visitors to light a candle for the lives lost on September 11. The new St. Nicholas aims to 'inspire millions for generations to come,' according to its website. St. Nicholas will host remembrance programs for family members of those who lost their lives, inter-religious educational programs, cultural events, and exhibitions to commensurate the tragedy that occurred at the site. Although it will continue to serve as a Greek Orthodox Church, the space is intended to be all inclusive to honor 'the American democratic and religious ideal that the practice of one's own beliefs in no way hinders the beliefs of another.' The rebuilding of the church is funded through 'The Friends of St. Nicholas,' an independent non-profit that has raised $95 million. The church's new location at 130 Liberty street is across the street from the 9/11 Memorial South Pool and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. The interior of the building has not been finished. The new building is expected to be full opened by Easter. When looking to rebuild, the church was given two options. They could stay at the original address or relocate to Ground Zero. 'We felt that 130 Liberty would be closer to the [9/11] memorial, it would allow our church to face east rather than north and that is a tradition with the Orthodox Church that the church must always face east in anticipation of another resurrection,' Karloutsos said. The house of worship used to be one of the first spots that immigrants would make when reaching the United States (Pictured: the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in a parking lot in New York's financial district in the mid 1990s) Father Alexander said the church wants to offer reflection and meditation to those of all faiths (Pictured: the chapel of the former St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church) Very few relics were found at the historic site after the 9/11 attacks (Pictured: candles and a small bell recovered from the original St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church are preserved at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in New York seen on August 18) The church attempted to recover artifacts from the historic site but few survived the devastation (Pictured: a charred Bible recovered from the original St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church preserved at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in New York seen on August 18) The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine is expected to be fully open by Easter of 2022 (Pictured: an icon of St. Nicholas hangs in the unfinished interior of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine on July 22) The church chose to move locations because they 'felt that 130 Liberty would be closer to the [9/11] memorial,' Alexander said (Pictured: Personal notes, prayers and names are written on the incomplete walls of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine July 22) 'We're Americans, so we wanted to take this church which was small, little church and make it a shrine for all the world to be able to find comfort in,' he said. 'This is going to be a witness to the spirit of St. Nicholas, the spirit of Santa Claus,' Karloutsos continued, envoking the church's namesake. 'St. Nicholas is the one that embraces and loves and affirms humanity and life itself.' On September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airlines in a coordinated attack on the U.S., killing 2,977 people in what has remained the deadliest foreign attack on U.S. soil. Two decades later, 1,106 victims remain unidentified, at least 10,000 people have been diagnosed with a range of cancers related to the attacks, and 2,000 have reportedly died from related illnesses. President Joe Biden will attend memorial ceremonies in New York City, Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the pentagon on Saturday. A Comanchero bikie boss who was being monitored by Australian police and broke lockdown regulations while positive with Covid has been granted a travel exemption despite thousands of other residents being refused. Tarek Zahed, sergeant-at-arms for the Comancheros, left Sydney airport on Qatar Airways flight QR909 at 10.22pm on Thursday with his wife and child after successfully laying bare his case for leaving Australia: He fears for his life. The 38-year-old flew to Doha first and will reportedly spend time in Oman before heading to Turkey. The bikie boss has attempted to leave Australia twice in the past six months with sources believing he will now reunite with his infamous Comanchero mate and drug boss Mark Buddle while abroad, The Daily Telegraph reported. Buddle is based in Dubai and is believed to play a major role in international drug importation into Australia. Police sources claim Zahed's new residency overseas will hamper their ability to control his involvement with Comancheros' operations Down Under. The NSW Police believes Comanchero leader Tarek Zahed (pictured) attempted to leave the country twice in the past six weeks to reunite with his infamous drug boss mate Mark Buddle Zahed, 41, departed on Qatar Airways flight QR909 at 10.22pm on Thursday with his wife and child in tow 'They've approved it on bulls*** compassionate reasons, when we've been trying to keep him here so we can keep cracking down on him,' a source told the publication. 'You've got legitimate people who are being denied from going and visiting sick relatives overseas, and they've let a crook out (of the country).' Zahed's first request to leave Australia and visit his sick aunt in Lebanon was approved by the Australian Border Force (ABF) but revoked before he could depart by the Australian Crime Intelligence Commission. But he appealed, instead citing credible threats made against him to NSW Police that made him fear for his life as long as he lived in Australia. The development is understood to have angered senior officers who believe Zahed will not return to Australia while a threat to him exists. Police obtained Serious Crime Prevention Orders against Zahed earlier in 2021 which limited his movements and even his communications. Zahed was luckier than the 122,000 Australians whose applications for travel exemptions to leave the country since the pandemic began were refused by the ABF. At the start of September Zahed, who lived in the Sydney suburb of Yagoona, was fined after he was found to be walking along the popular Bay Run in Drummoyne, in Sydney's inner-west, at 2am during lockdown. Zahed (pictured with NSW Police officers) is believed to have contracted Covid-19 alongside his wife and child Tarek Zahed is believed to be likely to catch up with fellow Comanchero and drug boss Mark Buddle (pictured) while in the Middle East Zahed argued with officers that he was exercising but they believed he was discussing plans to leave Australia. Current public health orders ban anyone in Greater Sydney from travelling more than 5km from their home for exercise. The bikie boss is understood to have contracted Covid during the city's most recent outbreak, as well as his wife and child. Of the 332,810 people who applied to the Australian Border Force for an exemption to leave Australia since the pandemic began, 122,131 were refused. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Australian Border Force for comment. White House officials are hinting that mandatory COVID vaccines could be in store for those who want to fly domestically as President Joe Biden's administration cracks down on the 80 million Americans who remain unvaccinated. White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not rule out mandatory vaccines for domestic air travel when she was asked about it at Friday's press briefing. 'We are always looking at more we can do to protect and save lives,' she said. 'Obviously [President Biden] made a significant and bold announcement yesterday so I have anything to preview predict or preview for you but we'll continue to look for ways to save more lives.' Additionally, at Friday's COVID response team briefing, Jeff Zients, the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, didn't rule out requiring vaccines for domestic flights. 'We're not taking any measures off the table,' he said. Already the TSA is doubling fines for people who refuse to mask on planes. The new range of penalties, which take effect Friday, September 10, 2021, will be $500-$1000 for first offenders and $1000-$3000 for second offenders, the Department of Homeland Security announced. White House officials are hinting that mandatory COVID vaccines could be in store for those who want to fly domestically; White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not rule it out at Friday's press briefing And Democratic Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia announced new legislation Friday that would require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test within 72 hours of travel for a domestic flight or Amtrak trip. Beyer represents northern Virginia, which has access to two major airports - Reagan National and Dulles - and is close to Union Station, the major Amtrak hub in Washington D.C. 'Requiring airport and Amtrak travelers and employees to provide a proof of COVID vaccine or negative test is just common sense,' Beyer said in a statement. 'These are easy steps we can take to make travel safer, as companies like United have already demonstrated with responsible policy changes. Americans want a return to normal that includes traveling for business or pleasure, and Congress can help make people comfortable traveling again by putting basic requirements in place that prevent the spread of COVID.' Democratic Rep. Don Beyer proposed a bill would require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test within 72 hours of travel for domestic flight or Amtrak trip - above passengers board an Amtrak train at Union Station in Washington D.C. At Friday's COVID response team briefing, Jeff Zients, the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, didn't rule out requiring vaccines for domestic flights Rep. Beyer represents northern Virginia, which has access to two major airports - Reagan National and Dulles - and is close to Union Station in D.C. Beyer's proposal comes after President Biden announced sweeping new mandates to increase the vaccination rate, including requiring all federal employees to be vaccinated and for businesses with more than 100 employees to require vaccinations or weekly tests. Biden on Thursday announced an aggressive new plan to get 100 million employees across the federal government and private sector vaccinated against COVID as the case rate continues to rise due to the Delta variant. To reach his goal, Biden will use the sweeping power of the federal government, ordering companies to vaccinate workers or face fines of up to thousands of dollars. If the administration hits its 100 million mark that means two-thirds of the country's workforce would be vaccinated. The Labor Department issued an emergency, temporary order to require all businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure every worker is either fully vaccinated or gets tested at least once a week. The order covers over 80 million employees and it will require employers with 100 or more employees to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated. Any business that violates the new rule will face substantial fines, up to $14,000. He also required all workers in healthcare settings that receive Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement to get vaccinated, which will apply to 17 million healthcare workers. That is in addition to his executive order requiring all federal workers and contractors to get vaccinated. A senior administration official described it as an aggressive, comprehensive plan to fight COVID as part of their mission to vaccinate the unvaccinated. The official estimated nearly 80 million Americans are eligible to receive a shot but have not. Additionally, the roughly 300,000 educators in headstart programs will be required to be vaccinated. It's simple - if you want to work for the federal government, you must be vaccinated. If you want to do business with the government, you must vaccinate your workforce, the senior administration official said on a briefing call with reporters previewing the presidents remarks. The Biden administration is pushing for more Americans to get their COVID shot President Joe Biden will announce an aggressive new plan to get 100 million employees across the federal government and private sector vaccinated Biden also called on governors to require vaccinations for all school teachers and staff. In Florida, Republican Gov. Rick DeSantis has threatened to with hold funding from school districts that require face masks. To counter moves like that, the Department of Education will make additional funding available to help local school districts backfill salaries and other areas where it has been with held. Biden also addressed booster shots in his remarks, leaving the details of timing to the FDA and CDC but noting preparations are underway to get another round of shots in arms. He also ramped up testing by using the Defense Production Act to accelerate the production of rapid tests, including at home test, and purchase $2 billion worth of rapid tests e and over the counter at home COVID tests for a total of 280 million tests. The president's plan, as you can see, it's comprehensive, it's aggressive, and will ensure that we make more progress in our fight against the virus to save even more lives in the months ahead, while also keeping schools open and protecting our economy from lockdowns, the official said. As part of the sweeping mandates, Biden will require all of the roughly 2.1 million federal workers to be vaccinated as part of a series of new mandates. There will be limited exceptions but any federal employee who refuses the shot can be fired, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. Federal employees and contractors will have 75 days to get vaccinated. The executive order will not include an option of being regularly tested to opt out of the vaccine requirement. The orders will apply to workers in the executive branch but not the congressional or judicial. 'There will be limited exceptions for legally recognized reasons disability or religious objections,' Psaki said. Anyone who 'fails to comply, they will go through the standard HR process, which includes counseling and face disciplinary action,' she added. She confirmed that action could include termination of employment. 'Hopefully it won't come to that,' she said. She said the administration wanted the federal government to serve as an example for other businesses and organizations when it comes to vaccines. 'Obviously the federal workforce is one of the largest in the country and we would like to be a model to what we think other businesses, organizations should do,' she noted. 'The expectation is that if you want to work with federal government or be a contractor, you need to be vaccinated unless you are eligible for one of the exemptions.' Republican Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia, who has federal workers in his district, said he objected to the forced vaccines. 'Although I have personally been vaccinated and regularly encourage those I represent to get vaccinated as well, I fundamentally disagree with forcibly injecting America's public servants,' he told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'Our government was founded to secure the individual liberties of all. We should instead continue educating the public that the COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective. Resorting to forced vaccinations, and returning to unnecessary restrictions, only serves to eliminate critically important vaccination incentives and undermine public confidence in the vaccines' efficacy,' he added. The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of federal workers, said they would bargain over the order. 'Workers deserve a voice in their working conditions,' the group said in a statement. 'Neither of these positions has changed. We expect to bargain over this change prior to implementation, and we urge everyone who is able to get vaccinated as soon as they can do so.' The Department of Homeland Security flagged 44 Afghan evacuees as possible national security risks during the past two weeks, a new report revealed on Friday, as the agency has faced repeated questions about its vetting process. Of the more than 60,000 evacuees who have arrived on U.S. soil since Aug. 17, DHS vetting records reviewed by The Washington Post show 13 Afghans remain in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody awaiting additional screening, which includes FBI interviews. Another 15 evacuees have been turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), sent back to transit sites in Europe or the Middle East, and some were approved for release after additional review. There are 16 Afghans who have not been cleared to travel and remain overseas at the transit sites called 'lily pads.' The refugees were flagged because they had suspected associations with terrorists, or their phones and electronic devices contained information that raised concern. The Department of Homeland Security flagged 44 Afghan evacuees as possible national security risks during the past two weeks, a new report revealed - above refugee families arrive at Dulles International Airport Refugees are moved to various military bases across the country - above U.S. Northern Command released photos of refugees at Holloman Air Base Refugees are landing at Dulles International Airport in Virginia (above) and Philadelphia International Airport - two designated landing sites in the U.S. Immigration officials are checking the refugees when they land at Dulles International Airport in Virginia and Philadelphia International Airport - two designated landing sites. From there, refugees are dispersed to eight different military bases around the country. Additionally, two Afghan nationals who were previously deported and returned as evacuees are in ICE custody in Virginia. Both were deported after felony convictions: one for a 2010 sexual assault and the other for an armed robbery in 2011, sources to the Post. Republican lawmakers have repeatedly expressed concern about the rushed pace of the vetting process as Afghan refugees were quickly evacuated as the Taliban took over and Americans left. The administration pointed out that the refugees go through vetting at transit sites in other countries - such as Qatar or Germany. 'We're not going to allow flights that have hundreds of people who don't know who they are, who haven't been security protocol through security protocols where we haven't seen the manifest to land on US military basis,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at her briefing on Wednesday. Nearly 40 Republican members of Congress sent a letter to President Joe Biden this week outlining their concerns with the vetting process for Afghan refugees, questioning its effectiveness given the data available and the rapid pace of the evacuation. The letter is spearheaded by Republican Congresswoman Yvette Herrell, whose New Mexico district could see up to 20,000 refugees housed at Fort Bliss and Holloman Air Force Base. Other signers include Reps. Jim Banks and Tom Tiffany, both of whom have military bases in their districts containing refugees. 'We write to express our grave concern about the rushed and incomplete vetting of Afghan evacuees being brought to the United States,' the letter reads. 'Specifically, we are concerned that inadequate criminal and security background checks are being performed by the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of State on evacuees in their country of origin, and in other countries in which they have resided or to which they traveled before being brought to the United States,' the lawmakers write. Herrell said the rapid pace of the vetting process raised concerns that some could slip through the cracks. 'They're able to do it in a matter of a few short weeks. It just rings, you know, an alarm bell because we understand that there's not that much data available so how are they actually able to ensure the criminal backgrounds,' she told DailyMail.com on Wednesday in an exclusive interview. She said Afghan allies should be allowed into the U.S. but questioned whether the vetting process was thorough enough. 'There's some incredible people there but, you know, it only takes one, and that's what the greatest concern,' she added. The White House on Tuesday asked Congress for $6.4 billion to pay for relocation of tens of thousands of Afghan refugees. The White House estimates that 65,000 Afghans will arrive in the U.S. this month and another 30,000 in months ahead. Funding would go to the Defense, State, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services departments. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas defended the vetted process on Thursday. 'We have no information to suggest ISIS has come into the United States through the Afghan national population that we have admitted under our legal authorities,' he said at an event at the National Press Club. 'We have a multi-layered, multi-agency screening and vetting process,' he said. 'We screen and vet individuals before they board planes to travel to the United States and that screening and vetting process is an ongoing one and multi-layered,' he said. The letter from Republican members of Congress cites briefings the lawmakers had with DHS officials, nothing the officials said they didn't have access to many nations' criminal background check systems. 'Foreign nations records are often not digitized, which is likely the case in the vast majority of records in Afghanistan. In addition, widespread corruption and failed governments make these databases unreliable, if not useless. This is certainly the case in a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and likely true of the previous Afghan government,' they write. 'While we do not dispute that some level of screening is occurring, screening is only as good and comprehensive as the information within the databases that are checked,' they note. Afghan refugees are processed inside Hangar 5 at Ramstein Air Base in Germany Evacuees from Afghanistan stand at the US Air Base in Ramstein, which is serving as a major transit hub for refugees Refugees stop in a transit site - called 'lily pads' - for more vetting before coming to the United States - above Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with an Afghan refugee family at Ramstein Air Base German Herrell, who toured Holloman Air Force Base on Wednesday to see the refugee camps and meet with officials, said there were still questions remaining on how detailed the vetting process was and if it could be done thoroughly given the time constraints in getting Afghans out of the country. 'Of course we're seeing the stories where people are getting in it, finding out, they have a criminal background. So, you know, we just, we have to be I think extra careful and Americans deserve tender to know they're protected, even through a humanitarian effort,' she said. Taliban militants have executed the brother of one of the Afghan resistance fighters' leaders and have refused to let relatives bury him, his nephew said on Friday. The man was the brother of Amrullah Saleh, the former Afghan vice president who became one of the leaders of anti-Taliban opposition forces in the Panjshir valley. The news that Saleh's brother Rohullah Azizi was killed came days after Taliban forces took control of the provincial centre of Panjshir, the last province holding out against them after the took control of the rest of Afghanistan last month. 'They executed my uncle,' Ebadullah Saleh told Reuters in a text. 'They killed him yesterday and would not let us bury him. They kept saying his body should rot.' The Urdu language account of the Taliban information service Alemarah said that 'according to reports' Rohullah Saleh was killed during fighting in Panjshir. The man was the brother of Amrullah Saleh (pictured in 2019), the former Afghan vice president who became one of the leaders of anti-Taliban opposition forces in Panjshir Valley Saleh, a former head of the National Directorate of Security, the intelligence service of the Western-backed government that collapsed last month, is at large though his exact location remains unclear. The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, which groups opposition forces loyal to local leader Ahmad Massoud, has pledged to continue opposing the Taliban even after the fall of Panjshir's provincial capital Bazarak. The news of Rohullah Saleh's execution comes after the UN warned the Taliban have started carrying out 'reprisal killings'. The UN envoy for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons said there had been 'credible allegations' of targeted killings 'despite the many statements granting general amnesties'. She added Afghan security officials and people who worked for the previous administration were at risk. The Taliban have been at pains to present a reformed image since sweeping to power on August 15, pledging a more moderate brand of rule. But videos and footage from inside Afghanistan have told a different story, showing the militants beating and whipping people on the streets as reports emerged of targeted killings and fighters going door-to-door searching for blue US passports. Earlier, a second charter flight carrying foreigners out of Afghanistan left Kabul airport - the latest sign Kabul Airport is close to resuming commercial operations after the chaotic US-led evacuation ended on August 30. Just over 100 foreigners, including 13 Brits, left Kabul yesterday on a charter flight. A second charter flight carrying foreigners out of Afghanistan has left Kabul airport today as the UN warned the Taliban have started carrying out 'reprisal killings' Passengers get on a shuttle bus before boarding a Qatar Airways flight out of Kabul Airport today The UN envoy for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons said 'there have been credible allegations of reprisal killings... despite the many statements granting general amnesties' The White House has praised the Taliban for being 'businesslike and professional' in allowing the flight to leave. It comes as unconfirmed reports in the capital suggested the Taliban may hold a ceremony to swear in the new government on Saturday - the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks that triggered the end of their first stint in power. As news of a resumption in evacuation flights spread, some people gathered at the airport gates, pleading with Taliban guards to get in. 'If I can't go just kill me!' said one woman, among a group of women and children each carrying backpacks. Many Afghans in the capital are fearful of a repeat of the hardline Islamist group's brutal and repressive rule from 1996-2001. This was the first large-scale departure flight since the final US troops left on August 31 - an evacuation flight from Kabul to Qatar with just over 100 foreigners on board The Taliban have already begun to segregate men and women students and medical staff, suggested women will be banned from playing sports, and unveiled an all-male government drawn exclusively from loyalist ranks. More than 100 passengers were on the Qatar Airways flight that landed in Doha on Thursday evening, 10 days after a mammoth, chaotic airlift of more than 120,000 people came to a dramatic close with the US pullout. In the days that followed the Taliban's blitz, the airport had become a tragic symbol of desperation among Afghans terrified of the militants' return to power - with thousands of people crowding around its gates daily, and some even clinging to jets as they took off. More than 100 people were killed, including 13 US troops, in a suicide attack on August 26 near the airport that was claimed by the Islamic State group's local chapter. Qatar has said it worked with Turkey to swiftly resume operations at Kabul's airport to allow the flow of people and aid. The Taliban have repeatedly claimed they would not seek revenge against those who worked with the previous regime - and all Afghans would be granted free passage out of the country when commercial flights resume. However, they have shown clear signs that they will not tolerate opposition. Earlier this week, armed Taliban militants dispersed hundreds of protesters, sometimes by firing shots into the air, in cities across Afghanistan, including Kabul, Faizabad in the northeast and Herat in the west, where two people were shot dead. They also moved to snuff out any further civil unrest, saying protests would need prior authorisation from the justice ministry and no demonstrations were allowed 'for the time being'. A Taliban fighter pulls his M-16 on a female protester in Kabul at a protest against the all-male administration on Tuesday Dashcam footage shows the moment two Florida deputies are ambushed by a gunman wanted on two active felony warrants, prompting a shootout that left the career criminal dead and an officer severely injured. Deputies Brian Potters and Tyler Thoman pulled over a car on West New Haven Avenue in Melbourne, Florida, in a routine traffic stop off of I-95 on August 30. In the video, a man and a woman are seen standing outside their car. Thoman was talking to the woman about a two-month-old baby and dog in the backseat, according to a video posted on the Brevard County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, as Potters asks a third passenger to exit the car. Paris Wilder, 38, then jumps out of the car and starts shooting at the officer. Dashcam footage shows the moment Florida deputies Brian Potters and Tyler Thoman are ambushed by an armed Paris Wilder (right), 38, prompting a shootout that left Wilder dead and Potters severely injured The officers pulled over a car on West New Haven Avenue in Melbourne, Florida, in a routine traffic stop off of I-95 on Monday, August 30. When Potters asked a passenger to exit the car, Wilder jumped out 'with a small stock AR-15-styled rifle' and started shooting Potters is seen running away from the gunman as Wilder takes cover behind the car and continues shooting. The officers returned fire. 'I've been hit,' Potters shouts as Wilder starts hopping on one foot, appearing to have been shot too Paris Wilder (pictured) was a career criminal with 40 previous arrests. He was out on bond for two felony drug charges and two active felony warrants when the shooting happened. He was pronounced dead at the scene 'He (Potters) is immediately and without warning ambushed with a small stock AR-15-styled rifle that is pointed and fired directly at him,' Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in the video. Wilder was out on bond for two felony drug charges and two active felony warrants when the shooting happened. Ivey suggested Wilder was 'avoiding arrest as he knew he was facing several minimum mandatory prison sentences in his pending cases'. Potters is then seen running away from the gunman as Wilder takes cover behind the car and continues shooting. The officers returned fire. 'I've been hit,' Potters shouts as Wilder starts hopping on one foot, appearing to have been shot too. Wilder runs towards the deputies and they try to take cover behind the sheriff's car. The suspect then ambushes Potters from behind, beating him with the gun and knocking him to the ground. Ivey said Wilder 'fired numerous rounds at our deputies' and 'used the butt of the rifle to violently and repeatedly strike Deputy Potters in the head, causing significant injuries and lacerations'. Thoman is then seen firing multiple rounds, killing Wilder, 'thus eliminating the threat and saving Deputy Potter's life,' Ivey said. Wilder runs towards the deputies and they try to take cover behind the Sheriff's car. The suspect then ambushes Potters from behind, beating him with the gun and knocking him to the ground Thoman fired multiple rounds, killing Wilder, 'thus eliminating the threat and saving Deputy Potter's life,' Ivey said, adding that 'or those out there who might be foolish enough to ask why we shot him so many times, that answer is simple - because evil can never be dead enough' Potters (right) was shot in the lower leg and suffered multiple head lacerations from the beating, Ivey said, including 'tissue damage, a concussion and fractures'. Thoman (left) did not suffer any injuries during the incident and both officers have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is customary in all deputy-involved shootings Potters was shot in the lower leg and suffered multiple head lacerations from the beating, Ivey said, including 'tissue damage, a concussion and fractures'. He 'sustained non-life threatening injuries... and is expected to make a full recovery,' a statement from the Sheriff's Office read. Thoman did not suffer any injuries during the incident and both officers have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is customary in all deputy-involved shootings. The two other passengers in the car, including the baby and dog, survived the shooting. Ivey said of the incident in a video posted to the Brevard County Sheriff's Department Facebook: 'This individual had absolutely no regard for human life and was focused on only one thing - killing our deputies to avoid arrest as he knew he was facing several minimum mandatory prison sentences in his pending cases' Ivey identified Wilder as a career criminal with 40 previous arrests, including 23 felony arrests for charges including robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault with a weapon, battery of a law enforcement officer, attempted first-degree murder and multiple narcotics offenses. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Ivey said of his death: 'For those out there who might be foolish enough to ask why we shot him so many times, that answer is simple - because evil can never be dead enough.' 'This individual had absolutely no regard for human life and was focused on only one thing - killing our deputies to avoid arrest,' he explained. 'The investigation is still active and ongoing at this time (and) once the investigation is complete, it will be submitted to the State Attorney for review,' the statement from the Sheriff's Office added. A Polish prosecutor is facing the sack after bizarre photographs of him shopping in the nude whilst drunk appeared online. The 38-year-old man was spotted on Thursday by stunned fellow shoppers in the town of Swidnica in southwest Poland, where he is a respected district prosecutor. In one photo, the prosecutor who has been identified as Maciej W. by local media is seen walking to the shops checkout clutching a four pack of beer. Another shows him from behind apparently paying for the alcohol. Other photos then show the man, who was appointed to the district prosecutors office in 2016, wandering through the streets and into what appears to be a park. The 38-year-old man was spotted by stunned fellow shoppers in the town of Swidnica in southwest Poland The prosecutor, who has been identified as Maciej W. by local media, is seen walking to the shops checkout clutching a four pack of beer before paying and wandering the streets He strolled around the streets of listlessly around the streets of Rolnicza, Kilinskiego and Kopernika in Swidnica before heading to a local park The photographs were handed over to local online news portal Swidnica24 where they have since gone viral. Eyewitness accounts say the Maciej was wandering listlessly around the streets of Rolnicza, Kilinskiego and Kopernika in the Zarzecze estate of Swidnica. The situation was reported to the Swidnica Poviat Police Station, who dispatched officers to arrest the man for public indecency. Police spokesman Magdalena Zabek told the portal that the man was arrested before being handed over to his family. Maciej was reportedly on holiday at the time of the incident, the prosecutor's office spokesman Tomasz Orepuk said. Lukasz Lapczynski, another spokesman, said in an official statement: The prosecutor of the district prosecutor's office in Swidnica, who is the subject of media reports, was immediately suspended from his duties, and proceedings have been initiated for his failure to uphold the dignity of his office. The man was was immediately suspended from his duties, according to a prosecutor's office spokseperson, and proceedings have been initiated 'for his failure to uphold the dignity of his office' Maciej was reportedly on holiday at the time of the incident, the prosecutor's office spokesman Tomasz Orepuk said He added: Disciplinary punishment for the public prosecutor may be a warning, reprimand, reduction of his basic salary, a fine, removal from the position held, transfer to another place of service or expulsion from the prosecutor's service. Social media reaction to the incident in Swidnica has thus far been a mix of disbelief and amusement, with some users sarcastically defending him as he was on holiday. His superiors at the prosecutor's office have not yet released a formal statement of how they will reprimand Maciej, who began working as a prosecutor ten years ago and was appointed as a district prosecutor in Swidnica in 2016. On the morning of September 11, 2001, now President Joe Biden was riding his beloved Amtrak from Wilmington to Washington and talking on the phone to his wife. 'Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God,' Dr. Jill Biden yelled into the phone. One commercial airplane had already slammed into the North Tower at the World Trade Center in New York City. She exclaimed when a second followed. 'Jill, what is it?' Biden, then a U.S. senator from Delaware, asked his wife. 'Another plane ... the other tower,' she responded. Biden is set to mark the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks with visits to Ground Zero, Shanksville, Pennsylvania and the Pentagon on Saturday. Then Sen. Joe Biden appeared on ABC News after the Pentagon was attacked in Washington and argued that Congress should get back in session and President George W. Bush should return to the White House Dr. Jill Biden was on the phone with now President Joe Biden when Flight 174 crashed into the South Tower on 9/11. 'Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God,' she exclaimed He recounted what he experienced on 9/11 in his 2007 memoir, 'Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics,' which he published in advance of his 2008 presidential run. He wrote that he was trying to project strength and help unify the American people on that fateful day. When Biden arrived at Union Station, Flight 77 had already disintegrated into the side of the Pentagon, and Washington was masked with a smoky haze. He headed several blocks to the U.S. Capitol Building, ignoring protests over the phone from his daughter Ashley, arguing it was the safest place to be that day. 'Damn it, I want to go in,' Biden told a police officer who refused his access to the building. Congressional leaders, at that point, had been moved to a secure location. Meanwhile, President George W. Bush was on Air Force One and Vice President Dick Cheney was in the White House bunker. Biden wrote in his memoir that it was important to 'show the country we were still doing business.' Linda Douglass, who was an ABC News reporter at the time, told CNN in an interview that she found Biden and Sen. John Warner of Virginia discussing who had the most seniority, as they wanted Congress to come back. Biden, at the time, served as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 'He really felt it was important for the government to get right back to business,' Douglass told CNN. 'It was extremely important for the country to hear from a senior figure in the government,' she added. People run from the Capitol Building after Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon on the morning of September 11, 2001. Biden arrived at Union Station after the Pentagon attack and an officer wouldn't allow him to enter the Capitol Biden agreed to jump on-camera and talk to ABC News, following Douglass to the live-shot location several blocks away. 'I think we should get back as quick as we can, Peter, into session,' Biden said as he stood beside Douglass and spoke to anchor Peter Jennings. 'I think we have to show that we're up, we're ready, we're ready to move, we are in fact - nothing has fundamentally altered this government,' he continued. 'And the tragedy that occurred to these thousands of people is one that we must in fact follow through and find out who's responsible for.' 'But in the meantime, we should be calm and cool and collected about going about our business as a nation. Terrorism wins when, in fact, they alter our civil liberties or shut down our institutions. We have to demonstrate neither of those things have happened,' Biden added. Biden wasn't willing to place blame on American officials not focusing on threats. 'This in a sense is the most God awful wake-up call we've ever had to how we have to redirect our resources,' he said. Biden (right) ran into ABC News reporter Linda Douglass (left) outside the Capitol Building and agreed to go on TV During the TV hit, he also applauded Bush for coming back to Washington, as the president was en route. Later that day, Biden received a call from Bush, thanking him for his remarks. 'It was important to show the American people that everybody now was safe and that we were all together in this. There were the Democrats, the Republicans - we were going to be supporting the president totally. And that's the message Joe sent, and that's why the president called him,' recalled former Rep. Bob Brady of Philadelphia to CNN. Brady gave Biden and his brother a ride back to Delaware that day. In his book, Biden wrote that Bush had told him the intelligence community had advised him to go to a bunker in the midwest. Biden argued the president needed to return to Washington, which he did. 'I hung up the phone, and there was silence in the van until Jimmy spoke up,' he said of his brother. 'Whatever staffer suggested he call you just got fired,' Jimmy Biden joked. A bitter divorce battle in Russia has led to cryogenically frozen bodies being seized in an extraordinary day-time raid. Staff of a company set up by Valeria Udalova, 59, grabbed the remains of people - including from Britain and the US - who paid thousands of pounds hoping to be brought back to life when science advances to allow this. She and her team raided the company run by her ex-husband Danila Medvedev, 41, near Moscow, which is home to Russia's leading cryo-storage facility, say reports. They drained liquid nitrogen from giant tanks containing frozen bodies and grabbed these and some detached human brains, then loaded them on trucks. Staff of a company set up by Valeria Udalova, 59, grabbed the remains of people - including from Britain and the US - who paid thousands of pounds hoping to be brought back to life when science advances to allow this (pictured: the tanks being refilled with nitrogen) A truck transporting the allegedly looted giant dewar flasks used to contain the human remains is stopped by police on September 7 Valeria Udalova, 59, (left) disputes that her ex-husband Danila Medvedev, 41, is the rightful owner of the human remains Police were called and intercepted the macabre cargo of human remains preserved by 'Frankenstein' technology offering humans the chance to 'come back to life' in future. But Medvedev told RTVi: 'The police did not catch Valeria. She left, taking someone's brain from the cryo-storage. 'The brains of our neuro-patients were kept separately, in special metal medical boxes.' Both Medvedev, who runs KrioRus, and its ex-boss Udalova, who started a new company called Open Cryonics in Tver region, claim to be the legitimate owners of the human remains. Police are now examining the rival claims while demanding the feuding ex-spouses guarantee the 'integrity' of the frozen corpses and brains as well as the bodies of dozens of dogs and cats that owners wanted to bring back to life in the future. There are fears the remains may have been damaged in the raid. 'Valeria did not do it well, she just cheated,' alleged Medvedev, who started a new family with another woman. According to reports the ex-wife's team raided the facility Giant dewar flasks which contain the frozen remains are seen on the back of a truck 'There was a risk of damage, it is impossible to transport dewars in a horizontal position.' 'While attempting to steal our dewars, this nitrogen was spilled, most of the nitrogen was poured onto the ground,' added Aleksey Potapov, an expert with KrioRus. The human remains 'began to heat up'. Udalova claims she was unfairly ousted from her old company and is the rightful owner of its assets. 'There are a lot of orders from different countries, especially from dog and cat owners,' she said. 'This is the reason why Medvedev wanted to take KrioRus for himself.' The cost of full body cryopreservation is around 26,000, or to save only the brain, 11,000. Some 82 patients were in the company's warehouse, including 25 foreigners. Among the brains frozen in the Moscow store is Dr Yuri Pichugin, who died in 2018 after inventing the chemical cocktail which preserves people for posterity in a deep freeze at minus 196C. A brain 'woken' in the decades or centuries to come could be implanted in another human body, it is claimed. For some this is a sci-fi nightmare and a macabre affront to nature, for others a realistic prospect and a tantalising step towards everlasting life. Dr Hans Kluge, the WHO's Europe director, warned 'Covid will continue to mutate and remain with us, the way influenza is' Covid jabs will not end the pandemic and leaders should prepare to adjust their vaccine strategy to deal with the virus in the long-term, the World Health Organization's director for Europe has warned. Dr Hans Kluge said new strains of Covid will continue to emerge and the virus will remain with us like the flu. Earlier this year, he said the pandemic would be over once 70 per cent of people were fully immunised. But he admitted today that the situation had now changed, so leaders need to adapt their vaccination strategy. Up to 80 per cent of people in wealthy countries are double-jabbed, but less than 0.1 per cent have received a vaccine in poorer countries. Some experts initially thought that once enough people were vaccinated, the virus would be unable to spread. But while the jabs are highly effective at preventing hospitalisations and deaths, they are less effective at stopping transmission, leading officials to warn that the world must learn to live with the virus. In wealthier countries, including Portugal, Singapore and Denmark,more than 70 per cent of the entire population has been double-jabbed. But in poorer countries, such as Tanzania, Haiti and Chad as little as 0.1 per cent have received both doses, according to Our World in Data Scientists from Imperial College London estimate that the three Covid jabs dished out in the UK reduce transmission by 40 per cent, while Warwick University calculated the figure to be 45 per cent. This means of 100 unvaccinated people who would pass on the virus, just 60 to 55 of them would pass it on if they were double-jabbed Britain is 'not an outlier' in launching its own Covid vaccine booster drive, minister says Britain isn't on its own in wanting to launch a booster Covid vaccine drive, a Government ministers claimed today after one of the key figures in the development of the AstraZeneca jab urged No10 to send spare doses abroad. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden insisted Britain would not be an 'outlier' in terms of dishing out third doses and he expects the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to issue the Government with guidance on a booster programme within days. Millions of elderly Britons are expected to receive a top-up jab this autumn after data showed a third dose cause a 'several-fold increase' in antibodies, which help fight off the coronavirus. And Government insiders say the third dose people receive will likely be of a different type to their first two doses because the combination will offer better protection. But Dame Sarah Gilbert, who helped create the AstraZeneca jab, today argued a mass vaccine booster campaign like that of Israel and the US may not be necessary because immunity is 'lasting well' for most people, even if their protection against infection may have weakened. And the Oxford University vaccinologist said extra doses reserved for the UK's top-up drive should be directed to countries lagging behind in the global roll-out. Mr Dowden said the UK was already donating spare vaccines and planned to giveaway another 90million. He told Sky News: 'It's interesting because I was at an international conference this week talking to my counterparts. Pretty much all nations are looking at doing a booster programme Israel are already doing it so we are not an outlier in doing this.' Health Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday said he expects a booster programme to start later in September but he is still awaiting advice from experts on the scale of any campaign to offer extra shots to people. Ministers originally planned to revaccinate 32million over-50s and give them flu jabs simultaneously. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) yesterday ruled the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs are safe to use as boosters, but the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has yet to give its final advice to ministers. Advertisement In May, Dr Kluge said: 'The pandemic will be over once we reach 70 per cent minimum coverage in vaccination.' But asked today whether this number was still the target, or if more people needed to be vaccinated to end the pandemic, Dr Kluge said the situation had changed due to new variants, such as Delta. He said: 'I think it brings us to the point that the aim of a vaccination is first and foremost to prevent more serious disease, and that's mortality. 'If we consider that Covid will continue to mutate and remain with us, the way influenza is, then we should anticipate how to gradually adapt our vaccination strategy to endemic transmission and gather really precious knowledge about the impact of additional jabs.' An endemic level is when there are regular cases of a virus among a population, making the disease spread and rates predictable. But he warned that two doses of the Covid vaccines are crucial 'to unload the pressure from healthcare systems' that desperately need to treat other conditions pushed to the backburner by the pandemic. Data from Public Health England yesterday revealed unvaccinated people were five times more likely to be hospitalised with Covid and 10 times more likely to die from the virus. The vaccines were designed to prevent critical illness and death, rather than stopping transmission. Two doses of the jabs are up to 98 per cent effective at preventing hospitalisations and deaths, according to the most recent estimates from the Government's scientific advisers. But they are thought to be around 40 per cent effective at stopping infected people from passing the virus on. The Delta variant is considered to be 60 percent more transmissible than the previous dominant variant Alpha, and twice as contagious as the original virus detected in Wuhan. And some strains including Delta and Beta have mutations that make it easier for them to slip past the protection offered by the jabs. This risk, combined with waning immunity among those who received both vaccines at the start of the rollout, led the Government to tell the NHS to prepare for administering third doses of the vaccine at the same time as flu jabs this autumn. Some 32million people were originally expected to receive booster doses including all over-50s, those most at-risk from the virus and frontline health and social care staff. But the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation which advises ministers on the rollout is yet to make a decision on boosters and is expected to only offer third doses to the most clinically extremely vulnerable. Half a million immunosuppressed people including blood cancer patients, those with HIV or who have recently had an organ transplant were invited to get a third dose of the vaccine last week, over concerns they generated low levels of antibodies after two doses. Covid infections in Israel fell sharply this week after the rollout of its mass booster campaign, with hospital admissions and deaths also beginning to trend downwards. Figures compiled by the Oxford University-backed research team Our World in Data show Israel's average daily cases have been falling for the last four days, after peaking at just over 10,000 on September 3 Weekly hospital admissions for patients infected with the virus fell to 1,198 in the seven days ending September 5. This was down 17 per cent on the week ending July 29 (1,438) which was the peak of the country's summer wave The number of people dying with the virus has dropped off after peaking on September 5, when there were an average of 31 fatalities per day. This dropped to 23 yesterday, the same average as the week before on August 31 It comes as Dame Sarah Gilbert, who helped create the AstraZeneca jab, today argued a mass vaccine booster campaign like that of Israel and the US may not be necessary because immunity is 'lasting well' for most people, even if their protection against infection may have weakened. But Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden insisted today that Britain would not be an 'outlier' in terms of dishing out third doses and he expects the JCVI to issue the Government with guidance on a booster programme within days. The country experienced a surge in infections, hospitalisations and deaths last month after it exclusively vaccinated its population with Pfizer injections administered three weeks apart. It comes as the four Chief Medical Officers in each of the UK's nations are considering whether the vaccines should be rollout out to all over-12s in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. The decision was passed to them after the JCVI concluded the health benefits of vaccinating all 12 to 15-year-olds was too small to recommend that all of them receive Covid jabs. The JCVI can only consider the health benefits to the younger group, while the medical officers can consider wider social and economic benefits, such as the impact of schools having to close if the virus spreads in high levels around classrooms. Advertisement President Joe Biden brushed back at Republicans who have vowed to go to court to overturn his 'unconstitutional' vaccine mandates, telling them: 'Have at it.' Biden issued the taunt to his rivals while visiting a DC school, where he touted his plan to require school officials to get vaccinated if their school or district takes federal money, as part of a sweeping series of vaccine mandates that also includes all federal workers and contractors. He was asked how he would respond to GOP governors and critics who have vowed to sue and accused him of 'overreach.' 'Have at it,' Biden responded, while touring a DC school that is educating masked students in a highly vaccinated environment. 'I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids, so cavalier with the health of their communities,' he said. The Republican National Committee threatened to sue to roll back Biden's new vaccine orders within hours after he issued them Thursday, calling the effort 'unconstitutional.' 'Many small businesses and workers do not have the money or legal resources to fight Biden's unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees,' RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. A number of GOP governors have also threatened to sue. GOP lawmakers pointed to some of Biden and allies own past comments speaking to the limits of his authority. Other Republican governors are also mounting a defense against Biden's aggressive new order and vowing to fight it through state laws and lawsuits. 'We're playing for real here. This isn't a game,' Biden told his GOP critics, a day after announcing new vaccine mandates Arizona, Montana, Indiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Georgia and South Carolina were all among the Republican-led states that threatened legal action. Biden told them: 'We're playing for real here. This isn't a game. And I don't know of any scientist, out there in this field but doesn't think it makes considerable sense to do the six things I've suggested.' He made the comments during a visit to Brookland Middle School, a public school in the Northeast quadrant of Washington, D.C. Friday. He was accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden as he visited. His comments elevated the charged legal dispute with Republicans, which comes amid a separate clash over abortion rights with Biden's Justice Department announcing Thursday it will sue Texas over its restrictive law outlawing abortions at six weeks when a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz claimed the administration 'knows' the new workplace vaccine rule is illegal but doesn't care. Biden's order for businesses to require vaccines or testing rests on powers within OSHA's Temporary Standard Code. It allows the Labor Department to enact a rule if 'workers are in grave danger due to exposure to toxic substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or to new hazards' a standard the feds are applying to the pandemic. Biden has gone after Republican governors who have used their powers to try to roll back mask mandates ordered by local school boards, and has offered to reimburse administrators' pay when governors try to dock it over mask mandates. Then, Biden during his remarks pivoted to a critique of modern politics at a time when he has been forcefully pushing back at critics following the chaotic troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Some Republicans are demanding his resignation or impeachment, and former President Donald Trump continues to call the election 'rigged,' while also claiming a California recall and the Virginia governor's race won't be fair. 'Politics doesnt have to be this way ... Theyre growing up in an environment where they see its like a war. Like a bitter feud,' said Biden, speaking outdoors at the school. 'Its not how we are. Its not who we are as a nation. And its not how we beat every other crisis in our history.' Jill Biden said she taught virtually last spring, then enthused: 'I'm so excited to be back in person.' She told parents: 'This is hard, but you're doing your best.' She said a cough 'can send your heart racing' and a quarantine 'could send your kids home and upend your life once again.' At the event, student Elijah Pool spoke about getting an unexpected 'spring break' due to COVID that turned into an 18-month stint away from school with virtual learning. 'I'm not going to lie. That was really hard,' he said. The initial burst of opposition to Biden's actions by conservative Republican governors got some support from the more centrist Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who Biden praised during the transition for his efforts against the coronavirus. 'I think the President made a mistake by announcing federal vaccine mandates,' DeWine tweeted Friday afternoon. 'We should be focused on the science of preventing virus spread - the vaccine is our best tool to stop COVID - but people and business owners should make their own decisions about vaccination.' Ohio has about 49 per cent of its population fully vaccinated. Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey, who has also earned backing from Biden for some of her actions on vaccination, also came out against the mandates. A call w/ Republican Govs just wrapped up,' Ivey tweeted. '@POTUS has overreached w/ these new mandates, & were united in fighting back. Im partnering alongside my conservative colleagues in this fight. This is a fight for businesses, our hardworking men & women, & our American liberties.' An AP-NORC Center of Public Affairs poll shows about half of Americans favor vaccine mandates in their own workplace. It showed 59 percent of remote workers are for the vaccine requirements, versus 47 per cent of those who are working in person. But just a quarter, including in-person and remote workers, are opposed. White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain is facing furious criticism for retweeting a post saying President Biden's sweeping new vaccine mandates are the 'ultimate work-around.' Senator Ted Cruz slammed Klain after he shared MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle's post saying: 'OSHA doing this vaxx [sic] mandate as an emergency workplace safety rule is the ultimate work-around for the Federal govt [sic] to require vaccinations.' President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden tour Brookland Middle School, Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 in Washington. Biden has encouraged every school district to promote vaccines, including with on-site clinics, to protect students as they return to school amid a resurgence of the coronavirus Biden visited the school after announcing the sweeping orders in a speech Thursday Biden said he was impressed by students who were working on a lunar lander He was accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, an educator who resumed teaching community college President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, tour Brookland Middle School, Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 in Washington Biden directing OSHA to use its Emergency Temporary Standard for his vaccine order will affect more than 80 million workers What is OSHA? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created by President Richard Nixon under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. OSHA has jurisdiction over most private and public workplaces across the country, but some states have their own OSHA-approved regulatory agencies. The agency regulates health and safety standards in the workplace. To enforce that it's able to conduct unannounced inspections ensuring those standards are met. Since it was created workplace deaths fell dramatically by nearly 63 percent, according to OSHA. An estimated 14,000 workers - or 38 per day - were killed on the job in 1970. But 2018 the number fell to 5,250, despite a doubling of the total US workforce. OSHA's process for enacting new workplace standards includes consulting a number of relevant advisory committees linked to the Labor and Heath and Human Services Departments, as well as consulting business owners and allowing a window for public input, at least 30 days but 'usually 60 days or more.' Businesses in states with their own OSHA-approved agencies can ask for a 'variance' in the rule if they can't comply by the effective date. If the state is under federal OSHA jurisdiction then the agency will have to work with the state to determine if the exception can be granted What is an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS)? An ETS allows OSHA to bypass the consultation process and public input window if it determines 'workers are in grave danger due to exposure to toxic substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or to new hazards and that an emergency standard is needed to protect them.' Emergency standards can take effect immediately but only stay in effect until replaced by a permanent standard. That proposed permanent standard must go through the regular bureaucratic channels and be decided upon within six months. During that time the temporary rule can be challenged in an appropriate federal court. OSHA can issue 'temporary variance' rules to employers who prove they can't comply with a regulation in time, but they have to demonstrate they are taking all the necessary and possible steps to protect workers, and show a roadmap toward compliance. Source: OSHA The Labor Department regulatory agency has the authority to issue an 'emergency temporary standard' if it can prove workers are exposed to a grave danger and the rule is deemed necessary to address it Advertisement 'Important,' Cruz tweeted. 'Foolish RT from WH chief of staff. He said the quiet part out loud. Biden admin knows it's likely illegal (like the eviction moratorium) but they don't care.' This added to a furious backlash from Republicans across the country to Biden's sweeping new mandates on two-thirds of Americans that they believe are 'coercive' and 'unconstitutional'. On Thursday, the president announced that all federal workers would have to be vaccinated and companies with 100 or more employees would have to require staff to get the shot or get tested. He is enforcing the new rules on private companies by using and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) emergency order that usually deals with employees who are exposed to asbestos or faulty pipes. Cruz added: 'Joe Bidens COVID vaccine mandate completely ignores the science and is an attack on Americans right to privacy. The feds have NO AUTHORITY to force employers make their employees get vaccinated.' 'Forcing this and coercing people, I don't think is the right decision. I'd imagine that you're gonna see a lot of activity in the courts if they try to do that through an executive action,' Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said during a press conference Thursday. The Republican National Committee says that it intends to sue to block Biden's order from taking effect, and several House Republicans plan to introduce legislation to negate the order. 'Joe Biden told Americans when he was elected that he would not impose vaccine mandates. He lied,' said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who added that she was 'pro-vaccine and anti-mandate'. 'Many small businesses and workers do not have the money or legal resources to fight Biden's unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees, but when his decree goes into effect, the RNC will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties,' said McDaniel. Klain retweeted MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle Thursday after Biden made the announcement 'Biden admin knows it's likely illegal (like the eviction moratorium) but they don't care,' Cruz wrote Biden declares war on the 80M unvaccinated Americans President Joe Biden on Thursday declared war on the 80 million Americans who have yet to get a COVD vaccine and asked them 'what more is there to wait for' as he announced mandates covering two thirds of all workers. 'This is not about freedom or personal choice. It's about protecting yourself and those around you, the people you work with, the people you care about, the people you love. My job as president is to protect all Americans,' he said in remarks in the State Dining Room at the White House. 'We've been patient but our patience is wearing thin. And your refusal has cost all of us. So please do the right thing,' he said. Biden charged the unvaccinated with 'overcrowding our hospitals and overrunning emergency rooms intensive care units, leaving no room for someone with a heart attack or pancreatic cancer.' The president decried the 'pandemic politics' that he said was behind those who had not yet gotten a shot in the arm, calling out public officials who were 'actively working to undermine the fight against COVID-19.' 'These pandemic politics, as I refer to, are making people sick, causing unvaccinated people to die. We cannot allow these actions to stand in the way of protecting the large majority of Americans who have done their part and want to get back to life as normal,' he said. He charged those who were fighting against COVID-19 mitigation procedures with helping increase the death rate. He didn't mention any specific official by name by his administration has publicly clashed with the Republican governors of Florida and Texas, Rick DeSantis and Greg Abbott. 'There are elected officials actively working to undermine the fight against COVID-19,' Biden said. 'Instead of encouraging people to get vaccinated and mask up, they're ordering mobile morgues for the unvaccinated dying from COVID in their communities. This is totally unacceptable.' He ended his nearly 30 minute speech with a whispered plea: 'Get vaccinated.' 'My message to unvaccinated Americans is this - what more is there to wait for?,' Biden said. 'What more to you need to see? We've made vaccinations free, safe, and convenient. The vaccine has FDA approval. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot.' Advertisement South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem threatened legal action against the Biden administration on Twitter, telling Biden: 'See you in court.' She was joined by fellow Republican Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who wrote 'I will pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach by the Biden administration' on Twitter Thursday evening. Biden on Thursday announced an aggressive new plan to get 100 million employees across the federal government and private sector vaccinated against COVID as the case rate continues to rise due to the Delta variant. To reach his goal, Biden will use the sweeping power of the federal government, ordering companies to vaccinate workers or face fines of up to thousands of dollars. If the administration hits its 100 million mark that means two-thirds of the country's workforce would be vaccinated. The Labor Department issued an emergency, temporary order to require all businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure every worker is either fully vaccinated or gets tested at least once a week. The order covers over 80 million employees and it will require employers with 100 or more employees to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated. Any business that violates the new rule will face substantial fines, up to $14,000. He also required all workers in healthcare settings that receive Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement to get vaccinated, which will apply to 17 million healthcare workers. That is in addition to his executive order requiring all federal workers and contractors to get vaccinated. A senior administration official described it as an 'aggressive, comprehensive' plan to fight COVID as part of their mission to 'vaccinate the unvaccinated.' The official estimated nearly 80 million Americans are eligible to receive a shot but have not. Additionally, the roughly 300,000 educators in headstart programs will be required to be vaccinated. 'It's simple - if you want to work for the federal government, you must be vaccinated. If you want to do business with the government, you must vaccinate your workforce,' the senior administration official said on a briefing call with reporters previewing the president's remarks. Additionally the TSA is doubling fines for people who refuse to mask on planes. The new range of penalties, which take effect Friday, September 10, 2021, will be $500-$1000 for first offenders and $1000-$3000 for second offenders, the Department of Homeland Security announced. Biden also called on governors to require vaccinations for all school teachers and staff. Republican members of Congress and state governors promised to challenge the mandate. Biden was praised by supporters for striking a more urgent tone. These supporters insist that one of the key reasons cases are spiking in the U.S. is due to the 80 million who have refused the jab. Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey vowed fight back. 'This is exactly the kind of big government overreach we have tried so hard to prevent in Arizona now the Biden-Harris administration is hammering down on private businesses and individual freedoms in an unprecedented and dangerous way,' Ducey wrote. 'This will never stand up in court.' In Florida, Republican Gov. Rick DeSantis has threatened to with hold funding from school districts that require face masks. To counter moves like that, the Department of Education will make additional funding available to help local school districts backfill salaries and other areas where it has been withheld. Biden also addressed booster shots in his remarks, leaving the details of timing to the FDA and CDC but noting preparations are underway to get another round of shots in arms. He also ramped up testing by using the Defense Production Act to accelerate the production of rapid tests, including at home test, and purchase $2 billion worth of rapid tests e and over the counter at home COVID tests for a total of 280 million tests. 'This will never stand up in court,' Ducey tweeted Biden DOUBLES the fines TSA agents can hand out to unmasked passengers Biden tore into unruly passengers who have defied federal mask mandates during air travel following a string of reports of confrontations between passengers and flight attendants. 'Show some respect!' he told rule-breakers in a speech from the White House. 'Tonight, I'm announcing that the Transportation Safety Administration, TSA, will double the fines on travelers that refuse to mask. If you break the rules, be prepared to pay,' he intoned. 'And by the way, show some respect. Anger you see on television toward flight attendants and others doing their job is wrong, it's ugly,' he added. The new range of penalties, which take effect Friday, September 10, 2021, will be $500-$1000 for first offenders. The amounts escalate to $1000-$3000 for second offenders, the Department of Homeland Security announced. 'Wearing a mask protects the traveling public and all of the personnel who make the travel experience safe, secure, and comfortable,' said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in a statement announcing the stepped up fines. 'We will continue to enforce the mask mandate as long as necessary to protect public health and safety,' he added. Advertisement 'The president's plan, as you can see, it's comprehensive, it's aggressive, and will ensure that we make more progress in our fight against the virus to save even more lives in the months ahead, while also keeping schools open and protecting our economy from lockdowns,' the official said. As part of the sweeping mandates, Biden will require all of the roughly 2.1 million federal workers to be vaccinated as part of a series of new mandates. There will be limited exceptions but any federal employee who refuses the shot can be fired, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. Federal employees and contractors will have 75 days to get vaccinated. The executive order will not include an option of being regularly tested to opt out of the vaccine requirement. The orders will apply to workers in the executive branch but not the congressional or judicial. Members of Congress can each set their own vaccine policies in individual offices. Biden breaks his promise not to mandate vaccines President Joe Biden has been accused of flip-flopping after retreating from his earlier vows that the federal government would not mandate COVID-19 vaccines. Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new federal vaccine mandates affecting as many as 100 million Americans, sharply denouncing those who have not yet received the shots. The new rules requires workers at companies with more than 100 employees to get vaccinated or tested weekly, and orders federal employees and healthcare workers to get the shots, with no testing alternative. It was a marked change in position for the White House, perhaps reflecting the administration's desperation as the Delta variant fuels a huge surge in infections across the country. In December, Biden said at a press conference in Wilmington, Delaware when asked asked about a federal vaccine mandate: 'I don't think it should be mandatory, I wouldn't demand it to be mandatory, but I would do everything in my power...as president of the United States to convince people to do the right thing.' The White House doubled down on this stance as recently as July, when Press Secretary Jen Psaki said it was 'not the role of the federal government' to require vaccines. 'That is the role that institutions, private-sector entities, and others may take. That certainly is appropriate,' said Psaki. Advertisement 'There will be limited exceptions for legally recognized reasons disability or religious objections,' Psaki said. Anyone who 'fails to comply, they will go through the standard HR process, which includes counseling and face disciplinary action,' she added. She confirmed that action could include termination of employment. 'Hopefully it won't come to that,' she said. She said the administration wanted the federal government to serve as an example for other businesses and organizations when it comes to vaccines. 'Obviously the federal workforce is one of the largest in the country and we would like to be a model to what we think other businesses, organizations should do,' she noted. 'The expectation is that if you want to work with federal government or be a contractor, you need to be vaccinated unless you are eligible for one of the exemptions.' Republican Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia, who has federal workers in his district, said he objected to the forced vaccines. 'Although I have personally been vaccinated and regularly encourage those I represent to get vaccinated as well, I fundamentally disagree with forcibly injecting America's public servants,' he told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'Our government was founded to secure the individual liberties of all. We should instead continue educating the public that the COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective. Resorting to forced vaccinations, and returning to unnecessary restrictions, only serves to eliminate critically important vaccination incentives and undermine public confidence in the vaccines' efficacy,' he added. The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of federal workers, said they would bargain over the order. 'Workers deserve a voice in their working conditions,' the group said in a statement. 'Neither of these positions has changed. We expect to bargain over this change prior to implementation, and we urge everyone who is able to get vaccinated as soon as they can do so,' the influential union said in its statement. And the National Federation of Federal Employees, another government workers union, said they didn't receive advance notice of the executive order. Psaki dismissed questions about the unions not being consulted. The Biden White House has bragged about its pro-union stance, including at an event the day before Biden's announcement. At a Labor Day event on Wednesday, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said President Biden told him: 'This is labor's house.' 'We have a range of consultation with labor unions, and that has been the case for several weeks and months as we have worked to implement additional steps,' Psaki said. 'But our objective here is to continue to save lives.' Biden ORDERS private companies with over 100 employees to mandate vaccines and strict testing regimes or face $14,000 fines Biden on Thursday announced an aggressive new plan to get 100 million employees across the federal government and private sector vaccinated against COVID as the case rate continues to rise due to the Delta variant. To reach his goal, Biden will use the sweeping power of the federal government, ordering companies to vaccinate workers or face fines of up to thousands of dollars. If the administration hits its 100 million mark that means two-thirds of the country's workforce would be vaccinated. The Labor Department issued an emergency, temporary order to require all businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure every worker is either fully vaccinated or gets tested at least once a week. The order covers over 80 million employees and it will require employers with 100 or more employees to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated. Any business that violates the new rule will face substantial fines, up to $14,000. He also required all workers in healthcare settings that receive Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement to get vaccinated, which will apply to 17 million healthcare workers. That is in addition to his executive order requiring all federal workers and contractors to get vaccinated. A senior administration official described it as an aggressive, comprehensive plan to fight COVID as part of their mission to vaccinate the unvaccinated. The official estimated nearly 80 million Americans are eligible to receive a shot but have not. Additionally, the roughly 300,000 educators in headstart programs will be required to be vaccinated. It's simple - if you want to work for the federal government, you must be vaccinated. If you want to do business with the government, you must vaccinate your workforce, the senior administration official said on a briefing call with reporters previewing the presidents remarks. As part of the sweeping mandates, Biden will require all of the roughly 2.1 million federal workers to be vaccinated as part of a series of new mandates. There will be limited exceptions but any federal employee who refuses the shot can be fired, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. Federal employees and contractors will have 75 days to get vaccinated. The executive order will not include an option of being regularly tested to opt out of the vaccine requirement. The orders will apply to workers in the executive branch but not the congressional or judicial. 'There will be limited exceptions for legally recognized reasons disability or religious objections,' Psaki said. Anyone who 'fails to comply, they will go through the standard HR process, which includes counseling and face disciplinary action,' she added. She confirmed that action could include termination of employment. 'Hopefully it won't come to that,' she said. Advertisement The president is putting more pressure on states, businesses and schools to get people vaccinated as the Delta variant causes the case rate to continue to rise in the United States. But Republican-led states including Texas and Florida have pushed back and are in the process of trying to ban the orders being imposed. Psaki indicated in interviews on Thursday morning that more mandates were coming. 'What we've seen work over the past couple months are mandates, requirements, making it so workers in the federal government or others have to get vaccinated. We've seen it work and we've seen it become more popular,' Psaki said on MSNBC's Morning Joe. 'He's going to speak directly to vaccinated people and their frustrations and he wants them to hear how we're going to build on what we've done to date to get the virus under control,' she said. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs already mandate vaccines for their employees. The military also has issued a vaccine mandate. There have now been more than 40 million cases of COVID recorded among Americans, which is nearly one-fifth of the global total of cases. President Biden and administration officials have repeatedly emphasized the best way for life to return to normal is for people to get vaccinated. Biden also plans to call for a global summit, to be held during the U.N. General Assembly later this month, to respond to the pandemic and talk about how to get more vaccine supply to the developing world, amid a persistent gap between rich and poor countries. About 27 per cent of the eligible U.S. population age 12 and older have not received any COVID vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile about 75 per cent of Americans have received at least one shot and 53 per cent are fully vaccinated. In December 2020, after he was elected but before he took office, Biden said he didn't think COVID vaccines were necessary. 'I will do everything in my power as president to encourage people to do the right thing and when they do it, demonstrate that it matters,' he said at the time. Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci said this week Americans are getting infected with COVID at 10 times the rate needed to end the pandemic. 'We're still in pandemic mode, because we have 160,000 new infections a day,' Fauci told Axios. 'That's not even modestly good control.' 'In a country of our size, you can't be hanging around and having 100,000 infections a day,' he continued. 'You've got to get well below 10,000 before you start feeling comfortable.' The vaccination rate among Americans has increased since July, which is when the Delta variant caused case rates to spike, but it remains low in Southern states like Florida and Texas. The Biden administration has already taken steps to try and stop Republican-led states from rolling back COVID mandates. Last month, the Education Department announced civil rights investigations into five states that banned schools from imposing mask mandates, claiming their stance could discriminate against students with disabilities or health problems. Education chiefs in Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah have been told they are under investigation. 'It's simply unacceptable that state leaders are putting politics over the health and education of the students they took an oath to serve,' said Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. 'The department will fight to protect every student's right to access in-person learning safely.' 'My message to unvaccinated Americans is this: what more is there to wait for? What more do you need to see? We have made vaccinations free, safe, & convenient. The vaccine is FDA approved. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot. We have been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and the refusal has cost all of us,' Biden said. A Congressional report updated in July notes how rarely emergency standards are used. Before the COVID pandemic the last OSHA ETS was struck down in 1983, when a federal court said the agency failed to support its claim that asbestos exposure in the workplace needed to be further reduced due to a significant adverse impact on employees' health. OSHA issued an ETS in June to protect health care workers from COVID by mandating workplaces like hospitals and nursing homes to draft a plan on keeping employees safe, improving ventilation, supply adequate PPE and implement social distancing measures or build barriers where that's not possible. Advertisement Britain's daily Covid cases have fallen 11 per cent in a week, official figures revealed today but both deaths and hospitalisations are still rising. Department of Health data showed 37,622 positive tests were recorded in the last 24 hours, down from the 42,076 registered last Friday. England is yet to suffer a Scotland-style spike in infections, which experts feared would be sparked once children returned to classrooms after the summer holidays. But schools in England have been back for less than a fortnight and the country was hit by a heatwave which saw temperatures reach as high as 30C earlier this week, meaning people spent more time outdoors where the virus finds it harder to spread. Latest NHS statistics showed 1,063 infected people were admitted to hospital on September 6, the third time in a fortnight that the figure has surged above 1,000. It was up eight per cent on the previous Monday. Covid deaths also rose by 20 per cent compared to the same time last week after 147 fatalities were recorded, up 121 deaths from seven days ago. But both measures lag behind cases by several weeks because of the time taken for someone who has caught the virus to become seriously ill. Separate data today suggested that Scotland's Covid cases have tripled in a fortnight and surged to their highest levels since the pandemic began after schools returned from the summer holidays. The Office for National Statistics' weekly surveillance report estimated 117,300 people, the equivalent of one in 45 Scots, were infected with the virus on any given day in the week ending September 3. For comparison, the figure stood at 36,700 people, or one in 140, in the seven-day spell to August 20. It comes amid claims Professor Chris Whitty and the chief medical officers from the devolved nations will sign off on plans to offer Covid vaccines to 12 to 15-year-olds early next week. No10's jab advisory panel are also expected to finalise the first stage of a booster drive. ENGLAND: Infections are falling in the country a week after schools went back, the Government dashboard showed. There were 26,653 cases recorded today, down 16 per cent from seven days ago when 31,726 were recorded SCOTLAND: Covid cases in the country are still rising after schools returned in mid-August. There were 6,815 new cases recorded today, barely a change from last week when there were 6,711 cases recorded NORTHERN IRELAND: Covid cases in the UK nation have risen 35 per cent week-on-week. There were 1,687 recorded today, up from 1,248 from seven days ago WALES: Covid cases in the country remained level today. Latest data showed another 2,467 infections were recorded in the last 24 hours, up just three per cent from 2,391 last Friday Scotland's Covid cases have spiralled three-fold in a fortnight, it was estimated today. Office for National Statistics figures showed 117,300 Scots were thought to have the virus in the week to September 3, or one in 45 people. This was up more than 200 per cent from two weeks ago when 36,700 were thought to have the virus AUGUST 21 (left) AND SEPTEMBER 4 (right): The above maps show the Covid infection rate across Scotland in the week to August 21, a few days after schools in the country returned from the summer holidays, and September 4. They show that cases have surged across the country, particularly around major cities Official data from the Government's Covid dashboard showed cases in England have dipped 16 per cent in a week just seven days after children returned to the classroom. It showed there were 26,653 cases recorded over the last 24 hours, compared to 31,726 from the previous seven-day spell. Infections barely changed week-on-week in Scotland where another 6,815 were registered, a 1.5 per cent increase on the 6,711 recorded last Friday. Covid cases also remained level in Wales where another 2,467 were recorded in the last 24 hours, up just three per cent on the 2,391 from last Friday. But in Northern Ireland infections surged by around 35 per cent in a week, after another 1,687 were registered. Separate ONS infection estimates for England showed the country's outbreak remained level with 754,600 people estimated to have had the virus last week, or one in 70. But schools in England's had only been back for a matter of days by September 3. Scottish pupils returned to classrooms in mid-August and were later blamed for seeding a massive uptick in cases which has only just started to plateau. Both Northern Ireland and Wales where schools returned at the same time as in England saw their infections rise by 10 per cent and 66 per cent in a week, respectively, the ONS report said. Meanwhile, No10's top scientists today estimated England's R rate is at the same level (0.9 to 1.1) as last week in yet another sign that the country's outbreak was plateauing ahead of the return of schools. Britain's booster vaccine drive will get the go ahead next week, reports suggest Britain's booster Covid vaccine drive is set to finally get the go ahead next week when No10's advisory panel signs off on a 'mix and match' approach to top-up doses, it was claimed today. Millions of elderly Britons are expected to receive a top-up jab this autumn after data showed a third dose cause a 'several-fold increase' in antibodies, which help fight off the coronavirus. And Government insiders say the third dose people receive will likely be of a different type to their first two doses because the combination will offer better protection. But one of the leading figures in the development of the AstraZeneca jab today said a mass coronavirus vaccine booster campaign like that of Israel and the US may not be necessary. Dame Sarah Gilbert said immunity is 'lasting well' for most people and suggested extra doses should be directed to countries with a low rate of vaccination. She told The Daily Telegraph: 'We will look at each situation; the immuno-compromised and elderly will receive boosters. But I dont think we need to boost everybody.' Health Secretary Sajid Javid yesterday said he expects a booster programme to start later in September but he is still awaiting advice from experts on the scale of any campaign to offer extra shots to people. Advertisement Scottish government advisers yesterday estimated that their R rate which measures the spread of the virus was between 1.2 and 1.5, in a warning sign the country's outbreak is still growing. It means that for every ten people who catch the virus north of the border, they are passing it on to between 12 and 15 other people. But the R rate is a lagging indicator, and reflects the situation the country faced itself in several weeks ago due to the data used to calculate it. Yesterday the Covid symptom study run by King's College London and health data company ZOE said that 5,898 people were catching Covid every day in Scotland, up from 3,503 two weeks ago. In England, it suggested 51,876 people were catching the virus every day in the week ending September 4, down nine per cent on the previous seven-day spell. This was despite an official Public Health England report that warned infections in the country were rising. Professor Tim Spector, an epidemiologist and lead scientist of the study, said the return to classrooms 'hasn't yet caused a spike' in infections. The ONS survey estimated that in Northern Ireland 31,800 people were infected with the virus on any given day last week, compared to 28,700 last week. And in Wales it said that 46,800 people had Covid, compared to 28,100 in the previous seven-day spell. Northern Ireland's outbreak was sparked by younger people mixing more both for social events and in the workplace, official data suggests. Lower vaccination rates among 18 to 39-year-olds are also thought to have been a factor. In England, the percentage of people testing positive for Covid is estimated to have increased in the North East, with one in 45 people testing positive. It is thought to have stayed flat in London and the South East and decreased in the North West. The trend for all other regions is uncertain, according to the ONS. Infection rates were lowest in the East, where just one in 90 people tested positive. When modelling the level of Covid infections among different age ranges in England, the ONS said rates have increased for those aged from two to school Year 11. Around one in 35 people from school Years 7 to 11 and from school Year 12 to age 24 are estimated to have had Covid-19 in the week to September 3 the highest positivity rate for any age group. Rates also increased for those aged 35 to 49. But the percentage testing positive decreased for those aged 25 to 34 and 50 to 69. The trend was uncertain for all other age groups. Children returned to schools last week in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. But in Scotland they went back in mid-August. It is expected to take several days before the impact of schools reopening will show up in the daily figures. Yesterday the UK's daily Covid cases remained flat on the week before. Department of Health chiefs posted 38,013 new infection, down 0.4 per cent on the 38,154 recorded last week. Deaths also fell yesterday, with 167 fatalities recorded a drop-off of 6.2 per cent on the 178 seen last week. But the number of hospital admissions remained flat. Some 863 Covid patients were admitted on Sunday the most recent date data is available for, up 1.8 per cent on the week before. Slide me Rates are rising in all regions of England except south-west England. Map shows: The percentage change in infections in regions across England in the week ending September 5 (right) and the week before (left) Data from King's College London scientists has suggested 51,876 people suffered with the virus in the week ending September 4, down nine per cent on the previous week (57,158) Figures from Public Health England show cases in children aged 10 to 19 spiked by 42 per cent in a week from 478.3 per 100,000 to 681.4 in the week ending September 5. This was nearly six times higher than the 114 cases per 100,000 in over-80s down 1.2 per cent from the week before and 145.8 in 70- to 79-year-olds which remained flat Teenage boys are SIX TIMES more likely to get rare side effect than be hospitalised with Covid Teenage boys are six times more likely to get a rare side effect from the Covid vaccine than be hospitalised with the disease, according to a study. California University researchers found that boys aged 12 to 15 who got two doses of the vaccine had a rate of inflammation of the heart, or myocarditis, of 162.2 cases per million people. For comparison, their rate of hospitalisation with the disease was 26.7 per million. But the researchers also found that the rate of hospitalisation among those who got just one dose was 13 per million, below the admissions rate. Professor Chris Whitty and the chief medical officers from the devolved nations are currently weighing up whether to inoculate 12 to 15-year-olds in Britain. They are expected to give the plans the green light early next week, but some SAGE experts say it is likely children will only be offered one dose. When the drive was expanded to 16 and 17-year-olds, they were only offered one dose of the vaccine. An unnamed SAGE scientist told the i newspaper: 'With both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines offering high levels of protection after just one dose this is one course of action being considered.' The study looked at reports of adverse cardiac events in the US among 12 to 17-year-olds between January and mid-June this year. Children in the country have been able to get two doses of the jab since May, with 177million having already received both jabs. Adverse cardiac events were defined as cases of myocarditis, pericarditis and chest pain, the technical names for inflammation of the heart. They found 257 adverse cardiac events after vaccination of which the vast majority (220) were recorded after a second dose was administered. There were only 25 adverse cardiac events among girls, and none were recorded after the first dose. This gave them a rate of 13.0 myocarditis cases per million after the second dose. The study was published as a pre-print on site medRxiv, meaning it is yet to be peer-reviewed by other scientists. Advertisement PHE data yesterday showed the overall the number of positive cases last week rose from 171,798 to 187,059. Case rates in England are continuing to rise in most age groups, PHE said. The exceptions are 20 to 29-year-olds, 60 to 69-year-olds and people aged 80 and over. The highest rate is among 10 to 19-year-olds, with 681.4 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to September 5, up sharply week-on-week from 478.3. The second highest rate is among 20 to 29-year-olds, down from 412.1 to 373.2. But the lowest rate is among people aged 80 and over, at 114.0, down slightly from 115.4. Rates are rising in all regions of England except south-west England, according to PHE. North-east England has the highest rate, with 378.6 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to September 5, up from 320.3. Yorkshire and the Humber has the second highest rate at 378.4, up from 343.0. London has the lowest rate at 240.0, up slightly from 237.5. Dr Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England, said: 'Case rates remain high although fairly stable across the country and are currently highest in those aged 10-19 years old. 'We expect to see more cases in this age groups as schools detect cases of COVID-19 acquired during the summer holidays. We continue to closely monitor how the start of the school year is impacting infections and will review recommendations accordingly. 'In recent days many have begun to return to the workplace. 'It's important to keep following the simple steps to help protect yourself and others, get both doses of the vaccine, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces and if you have Covid symptoms, please do not go out. 'You should only leave home to get a PCR test, which you should get as soon as possible if you have symptoms.' It comes after the Government's own vaccine advisory panel, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), last week ruled that the benefits of vaccines were only 'marginally greater' than the known risks for 12 to 15-year-olds. Both Pfizer and Moderna's jabs have been linked to a rare heart complication called myocarditis in young adults and children. Following the JCVI ruling, ministers asked Professor Whitty and the UK's other chief medical officers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to carry out a wider review to weigh up the societal benefits of inoculating children, to see whether this would tip the balance clearly in favour of jabbing the group. The full details of this review are yet to be published although they are set to be formally announced next week when the chief medical officers present their decision on vaccinating children. SAGE members have suggested giving the youngest children just one dose of the jab because it offers 'high levels of protection' and carries less risk of myocarditis, inflammation of the heart heavily linked to the second vaccine. One expert on the panel told the i newspaper: 'With both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines offering high levels of protection after just one dose this is one course of action being considered.' Concerns over vaccinating children have centered around the complication, which appears to be mild but can strike up to one in 15,000 teenage boys after their second dose. A University of California study yesterday revealed boys are six times more likely to suffer the side effect after two doses of the vaccine than be hospitalised if they catch the virus. But they found their risk of experiencing the rare side effect after one dose was so low that it made hospitalisation with the disease more than twice as likely. British teenagers aged 16 and 17 have been able to get one dose of the Covid vaccine since last month, when the JCVI approved the expansion of the roll-out. Scientists are still yet to decide whether they should also be offered a second dose of the jab because of the myocarditis risk. Parents will also be asked for consent to inoculate their children once the jabs receive the green light, with forms set to be posted within days of the announcement. Simpsons character Ned Flanders got his very own bridge in Portland, Oregon as of Monday The bridge was originally named Flanders Crossing when it opened in June, but renamed to encourage Portlanders to be kind to one another, much like the character does Hi diddly ho, Portland neighborinos! The Oregon city - which is plagued by homelessness and high crime - invoked Homer Simpson's overly friendly neighbor Ned Flanders as the inspiration for a renamed bridge. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said that Ned is the perfect example for the city's promotion of kindness during Monday's ceremony to add the bushy mustachioed, church-loving character's first name to a pedestrian bridge called Flanders Crossing. 'Ned Flanders has been a quintessential emblem of good neighborliness for over 30 years, keeping his cool and trying his best to be a good neighbor even when confronted with his rather difficult neighbors, the Simpsons,' Wheeler said. The city with the slogan Keeping Portland Weird could use some kindness. Portland has seen a surge in violent crime, rioting and homelessness. As of July, the city had over 750 shootings. In early August, Portland broke its record for most homicides in a year with 56 deaths. The previous record was 55 murders in 1994, according to US News and World Report. Homelessness is also rampant, reaching a record high in the last five years with over 4,500 people on the streets. A recent crackdown on some homeless camps throughout the city has sent even more people roaming around the Rose City. The Ned Flanders Crossings bridge (pictured) connects the Pearl and Northwest districts of Portland and was designed to provide a safe passageway to pedestrians and cyclists trying to cross the I-405 Portland Transportation Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty (left), Mayor of Springfield, Oregon, Sean VanGordon (middle) and CEO of Travel Portland Jeff Miller (right) debuted the new plaque on Monday, officially changing the name. The bridge is the first official location dedicated to the Simpsons in the city Despite the crime and homeless issues, Wheeler hopes the bridge attracts visitors and provides a deeper connection among the residents. The structure bridges two neighborhoods to create a safe passageway for residents between the Pearl and Northwest districts for pedestrians and cyclists trying to cross the hazardous I-405 highway. 'Flanders Crossing connects two neighborhoods together across a physical divide, the bridge serves as a symbol of bringing neighbors together across whatever divides them,' the city wrote in its proclamation. Ned is known for always being kind to his 'neighborinos' the Simpsons, even they are difficult An official Simpsons mural was debuted in Springfield - the location of the show - in 2014 The divide in question happens to be I-405, which has posed a danger to pedestrians and cyclists for years. The pedestrian bridge opened in June and cost the city $9.5 million. It is 24 feet wide and 200 feet long, and is a part of the neighborhood greenway project. It was christened Flanders Crossing, not after Ned, but after Portland resident and shipping tycoon George Flanders, who arrived in the city in the late 1840s, according to the Oregonian. Simpsons creator Matt Groening grew up in Portland and has referenced different city street names throughout the hit show since it aired in December 1989. However, the Ned Flanders Crossing is the first official Simpson's-related location in the city. Portland Transportation Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, and CEO of Travel Portland Jeff Miller, as well as the Mayor of Springfield, Oregon, Sean VanGordon, celebrated the new name plaque as it was placed on the bridge. VanGordon's Springfield houses a 15-by-30-foot mural that pays tribute to the fictional town. It was designed by Groening and installed in 2014. 'The Official Simpsons Mural in Downtown Springfield has brought our community years of laughter, thousands of family photos, and a host of visitors from across the globe. We hope the Ned Flanders Crossing brings a smile to the face of your wonderful neighbors and becomes a positive connection for our two cities,' VanGordon said. Poland has issued a Brexit-related warning to the European Union after the bloc ordered them to bring in judicial reform, or face fines. A spokesman for Poland's conservative nationalist governing party, Law and Justice, said Thursday it would 'have to search for drastic solutions' to its dispute with the EU, before pointing to Britain and its exit from the Bloc. Speaking during a discussion at an economic forum in Poland, Ryszard Terlecki said that the party wants to remain in the EU and have a cooperative relationship, but that the EU 'should be acceptable to us.' 'If things go the way they are likely to go, we will have to search for drastic solutions,' he warned. 'The British showed that the dictatorship of the Brussels bureaucracy did not suit them and turned around and left,' he said, referring to Brexit. His comments came after the European Commission said on Tuesday that it had asked the EU's court of justice to impose daily fines on Poland over its rule of law, and a controversial chamber of the Polish Supreme Court that disciplines judges and prosecutors. The EU's justice commissioner has also suggested withholding the country's Covid-19 recovery funds until it brings in the judicial reform and removes the chamber. Brussels argues it threatens the country's judicial independence, and despite Warsaw saying it would dismantle the chamber, the EU said Poland had 'not taken all the measures necessary.' Speaking during a discussion at an economic forum in Poland, Ryszard Terlecki (pictured in 2020, file photo) said that the party wants to remain in the EU and have a cooperative relationship with the bloc but that the EU 'should be acceptable to us' The European Commission said on Tuesday that it had asked the EU's court of justice to impose daily fines on Poland over its rule of law, and a controversial chamber of the Polish Supreme Court (pictured in November, file photo) that disciplines judges and prosecutors In response to Terlecki's warning, Polish opposition politicians accused the governing party of putting Poland's membership in the EU in danger. Former President of the European Council Donald Tusk, who is now the leader of Poland's opposition party - Civic Platform - warned today of the 'constant undermining' or Poland's presence in the EU by the Law and Justice party. When asked whether he was confident of Poland's continued membership of the EU, he said: 'No, I don't have such peace of mind and no-one should have. 'Disasters such as, for example Brexit, or Poland's potential exit from the EU, very often happen not because someone has planned them, but because someone has been unable to plan a wise alternative to such a potential drama.' Government spokesman Piotr Mueller denied that there is any intention to leave the 27-member bloc, saying: 'We will not follow the way of Great Britain.' Terlecki, who is also the leader of the ruling party's group in parliament, spoke after the bloc moved earlier this week to punish Poland financially for actions that increase the governing party's control over the courts. Brussels says they are against EU law. Government spokesman Piotr Mueller (pictured) denied that there is any intention to leave the 27-member bloc, saying: 'We will not follow the way of Great Britain', after Terlecki's comments sparked furious backlash from opposition parties saying Poland's EU membership was at risk Former President of the European Council Donald Tusk, who is now the leader of Poland's opposition party - Civic Platform - warned today of the 'constant undermining' or Poland's presence in the EU by the Law and Justice party Opposition lawmakers seized on Terlecki's comment to accuse Law and Justice of seeking Poland's departure from the EU. Senate Speaker Tomasz Grodzki said it would not be in Poland's interest to leave the EU. Amid the uproar, Terlecki tweeted Thursday that he does not support leaving the bloc, saying: 'Poland was, is and will be a member of the EU. Despite the Polish government's long-running disputes with the EU, surveys show that the vast majority of Poles are in favour of membership of the bloc. Hungary, seen as a close ally of Poland's in the EU bloc - hit out at Brussels for pushing to impose fines over its judicial reform. Hungary's justice minister Judit Varga accused the EU of 'attacking' Warsaw and intervening in its legislative process, and called Brussels 'scandalous and arrogant' to dismantle the controversial chamber. 'The European Commission made a rude attack on Poland,' the justice minister said in a post on Facebook. 'The procedure is not only outrageous but also completely unacceptable ... With this scandalous and arrogant step, the Commission crossed a border that we previously thought was unimaginable,' she added. 'We broadly endorse Poland and show solidarity with our Polish friends.' Hungary's justice minister Judit Varga (pictured) has accused the EU of 'attacking' Warsaw and intervening in its legislative process, and called Brussels 'scandalous and arrogant' to dismantle the controversial chamber Hungary and Poland have been key allies in recent years, with both being ruled by nationalist governments that have locked horns with Brussels over press freedoms and LGBT rights. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also assured Polish President Andrzej Duda that his government would give 'solidarity and support' and, during a Thursday meeting between the pair, accused Brussels of 'abusing its power'. Poland has also been told by the European Union that it will need to prove that it is no longer defying the EU court over its judicial independence in order to start receiving its Covid-19 recovery money. Didier Reynders, the EU's justice commissioner, said that it was logical that the EU would not distribute the 36bn Poland had applied for under the Bloc's recovery package, which is awaiting approval from the European Commission. That is until it has made a 'real change' to its disciplinary chamber for judges, Reynders said, before adding that the penalties should be as high as 1m a day for Poland, although he stressed the amount was up to the court. 'I must say that we are at the end of the so-called dialogue on this with Poland. We have tried to engage in a real dialogue with some letters and some documents, then before the Court,' Reynders said, according to The Financial Times. 'We have received positive reactions from the Court of Justice but there is no intention from Poland to be in full compliance with ECJ rulings, and so the next step is financial.' Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also assured Polish President Andrzej Duda (pictured) that his government would give 'solidarity and support' in its conflict with the EU Didier Reynders, the EU's justice commissioner, said that it was logical that the EU would not distribute the 36bn Poland had applied for under the Bloc's recovery package until it had made the reform to its judiciary The EU is also at loggerheads with Poland over issues ranging from a challenge by its government to the primacy of EU law to LGBT rights and press freedoms. The Commission recently warned five Polish regional councils they could lose funding over declarations that they were 'LGBT-free', and it has said Warsaw's position that EU law does not stand above national law is holding up the release of 57 billion euros in EU recovery funds. Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro accused the EU of double standards, saying the justice systems of other European countries functioned in a similar way to Poland's. 'Today's decision... is another manifestation of the European Commission's aggression towards Poland, an attempt to limit our sovereignty and an attack on the Polish legal order,' he told a press conference. The EU says the Polish chamber is being used to pressure judges or exert political control over judicial decisions and its top court, ruling that it undercuts EU law, has ordered that it be dissolved. The Polish government said three weeks ago that the chamber would be dismantled as part of wider judiciary reforms in coming months, but the executive Commission said it was now taking action. 'The Commission is asking the Court to impose a daily penalty payment on Poland for as long as the measures imposed by the court's order are not fully implemented,' the Commission said in a statement. The European Commission argues that, while the chamber may not be accepting any new cases, it is still working through existing cases. Piotr Muller said it would present its proposals for judicial reform in the autumn. President Joe Biden announced the federal government's aggressive new approach to fight the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday, which include new vaccine rules that the White House says will affect two-third of the American workforce. The strategy involves six steps all aimed at boosting the US vaccination rate, which fell over the summer as a new wave fueled by the Delta variant plunged health care systems in areas with largely unvaccinated populations back into disarray. About 73.4 percent of Americans over the age of 12 have at least one vaccine dose, but less than 63 percent are fully vaccinated - far short of the threshold to reach herd immunity. Biden's approach includes mandating all federal employees and federal contractors get vaccinated, requiring vaccinations for more than 17 million healthcare workers at Medicare and Medicaid-participating facilities and requiring all businesses with 100 or more employees to tell their workers to get vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID testing. But the unprecedented nature of the announcement left many confused on how vaccination requirements would be implemented on such a wide scale. Press Secretary Jen Psaki did little on Friday to unravel those mysteries at her daily White House briefing. Asked about how otherwise expensive testing equipment would be funded and whether the White House would weigh in on a timeline for private businesses to enact the rule, she didn't provide any direct answers but rather said there were plans ready for the government to aid and assist employers. Who is affected? Biden's vaccine mandate covers roughly 100 million Americans. In addition to the 17 million health care workers, about 80 million private sector employees will have to face the choice of getting vaccinated or taking a weekly COVID test. The president's mandate for federal employees comes on top of existing vaccine mandates within the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs and the Indian Health Service, which cover 2.5 million service members and workers according to the White House. The federal government employs 2.1 million 'civilian workers,' according to a June report from the Office of Management and Budget. They all now fall under Biden's order - likely in addition to millions more contractors. Federal employees include all executive branch workers like those in Cabinet departments, the EPA and CIA. The White House also clarified that postal workers are included. Previously, federal workers and contractors not working remotely had the choice between vaccination or regular testing. Biden's Thursday announcement eliminates the option. The rate of COVID vaccinations slowed down going into summer, sending the White House into a frenzy looking for ways to encourage people to get the shot The slowdown in vaccinations coincided with a new surge in coronavirus infections, chiefly fueled by the highly-contagious Delta variant How will it be enforced? The private sector rule for companies with more than 100 employees will be enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a regulatory arm of the Labor Department. Biden ordered the agency to implement an Emergency Temporary Standard that would penalize companies that don't comply up to $14,000. However the emergency rule is vulnerable to legal challenges in federal court, which a number of Republican governors have already threatened to do. The emergency rule can be in effect for a six month window while a more formally-reviewed measure can take its place. Because there's no national system in place to track vaccination status, enforcement will likely depend on employees reporting violations to OSHA. Federal workers who fail to get the shot within 75 days can face disciplinary action, which White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki warned Thursday rises to termination. 'Hopefully it doesnt come to that,' she said at her daily news briefing. She added the rule will likely mean full two-shot vaccination but it remains unclear if that's certain. Who is not affected? Private businesses that employ less than 100 people are exempt from Biden's rule, though the White House has signaled strong support for private sector vaccine mandates. Workers not under OSHA protections also can't be affected. According to the agency's site that includes people who are self-employed and people in industries whose hazards are regulated by another federal agency like the Mine Safety and Heath Administration or the Department of Energy - though the latter now falls under Biden's order for federal employees. The mandate for federal workers does not extend to non-executive branch workers like members of Congress or judicial employees. Congressional staff are also exempt. It's also not clear if workers seeking religious or medical exemptions would be successful in doing so. Have the mandates started? The White House said OSHA will likely issue a rule 'in the coming weeks.' While implementation could be guided by existing timelines used by public and private sector businesses, which could stretch over months, the nature of an emergency temporary standard would enable it to go into effect as soon as possible. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki didn't provide a timeline when asked at Friday's daily briefing but said 'every resource in the federal government' would be used 'to get this going rapidly.' Federal employees under Biden's new rule now have 75 days to get vaccinated or face disciplinary action including warnings, suspension and even possible termination. It wasn't immediately clear if federal workers must get both shots within the 75 day window. Biden directing OSHA to use its Emergency Temporary Standard for his vaccine order will affect more than 80 million workers What is OSHA? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created by President Richard Nixon under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. OSHA has jurisdiction over most private and public workplaces across the country, but some states have their own OSHA-approved regulatory agencies. The agency regulates health and safety standards in the workplace. To enforce that it's able to conduct unannounced inspections ensuring those standards are met. Since it was created workplace deaths fell dramatically by nearly 63 percent, according to OSHA. An estimated 14,000 workers - or 38 per day - were killed on the job in 1970. But 2018 the number fell to 5,250, despite a doubling of the total US workforce. OSHA's process for enacting new workplace standards includes consulting a number of relevant advisory committees linked to the Labor and Heath and Human Services Departments, as well as consulting business owners and allowing a window for public input, at least 30 days but 'usually 60 days or more.' Businesses in states with their own OSHA-approved agencies can ask for a 'variance' in the rule if they can't comply by the effective date. If the state is under federal OSHA jurisdiction then the agency will have to work with the state to determine if the exception can be granted What is an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS)? An ETS allows OSHA to bypass the consultation process and public input window if it determines 'workers are in grave danger due to exposure to toxic substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or to new hazards and that an emergency standard is needed to protect them.' Emergency standards can take effect immediately but only stay in effect until replaced by a permanent standard. That proposed permanent standard must go through the regular bureaucratic channels and be decided upon within six months. During that time the temporary rule can be challenged in an appropriate federal court. OSHA can issue 'temporary variance' rules to employers who prove they can't comply with a regulation in time, but they have to demonstrate they are taking all the necessary and possible steps to protect workers, and show a roadmap toward compliance. Source: OSHA The Labor Department regulatory agency has the authority to issue an 'emergency temporary standard' if it can prove workers are exposed to a grave danger and the rule is deemed necessary to address it Advertisement Is it legal for employers and OSHA to enforce this? A number of groups are already gearing up challenges against the Biden administration over the new vaccine rules. They include the Republican National Committee and several governors like the heads of Texas, Florida and Georgia. The legality of Biden's OSHA order hinges on a federal court deciding whether he correctly interpreted the guidelines of an emergency temporary standard. An ETS can be ordered in the event 'workers are in grave danger due to exposure to toxic substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or to new hazards and that an emergency standard is needed to protect them,' according to OSHA. Biden breaks his promise not to mandate vaccines President Joe Biden has been accused of flip-flopping after retreating from his earlier vows that the federal government would not mandate COVID-19 vaccines. Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new federal vaccine mandates affecting as many as 100 million Americans, sharply denouncing those who have not yet received the shots. The new rules requires workers at companies with more than 100 employees to get vaccinated or tested weekly, and orders federal employees and healthcare workers to get the shots, with no testing alternative. It was a marked change in position for the White House, perhaps reflecting the administration's desperation as the Delta variant fuels a huge surge in infections across the country. In December, Biden said at a press conference in Wilmington, Delaware when asked asked about a federal vaccine mandate: 'I don't think it should be mandatory, I wouldn't demand it to be mandatory, but I would do everything in my power...as president of the United States to convince people to do the right thing.' The White House doubled down on this stance as recently as July, when Press Secretary Jen Psaki said it was 'not the role of the federal government' to require vaccines. 'That is the role that institutions, private-sector entities, and others may take. That certainly is appropriate,' said Psaki. Advertisement A judge would have to rule on whether the COVID pandemic is a sufficiently 'grave danger' to warrant something as unprecedented as this measure, and decide if it's something businesses nationwide could feasibly carry out. But the last ETS implemented was also during the pandemic, when in June OSHA invoked an emergency order to protect health care workers from COVID by mandating workplaces like hospitals and nursing homes to draft a plan on keeping employees safe, improving ventilation, supply adequate PPE and implement social distancing measures or build barriers where that's not possible. In May the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which polices fairness in the workplace, allowed employers to mandate on-site employees to get vaccinated within the bounds of civil rights and disability protections. But many large companies, particularly those based in big cities, still allow employees to work remotely. It's unclear whether off-site employees will be able to challenge the rule. Is the mandate for federal workers legal? The Justice Department announced in July that federal agencies and private businesses are allowed by US law to require vaccinations. Biden, as the head of the executive branch, has control over all the branch's Cabinet and agency workplaces. But one lawyer told DailyMail.com that federal contractors working off government property could challenge the rule. Steve Cave, an attorney at King & Spalding who represents government contractors, said the president will be seen as having greater authority over contractors sending employees to federal property, while contractors that do not perform work on government property will be more motivated to challenge the order. Cave said there is precedent for Bidens order. Former President Donald Trump banned from use by US government contractors some Chinese technology which so far has survived challenges, he said. Biden previously changed rules for federal contractors in April, when he issued an executive order raising government contract workers' minimum wage to $15. What about medical privacy laws? The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, commonly known as HIPAA laws, make it illegal for doctors or other healthcare professionals to share patients' health information without their explicit permission. But it doesn't prevent a boss or human resources department from asking an employee directly about their vaccination status. It's also not illegal for them to ask that employee to provide proof they were vaccinated. Has a vaccine mandate been challenged before? A 1905 Supreme Court case, Jacobson v. Massachusetts, challenged a smallpox vaccine mandate in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Henning Jacobson challenged a smallpox vaccine mandate in Cambridge, MA in 1905 The mandate noted that smallpox cases were increasing in the city and vaccines were 'necessary for the speedy extermination of the disease,' according to legal documents. Defendant Henning Jacobson pleaded 'not guilty' and said the mandate violated his 14th Amendment rights under the Constitution. But the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state, arguing that individual liberty can be under 'restraint' in a case where the regulation was 'necessary in order to protect the public health and secure the public safety.' Biden's mandate is less restrictive than the aforementioned rule because it allows workers to opt out of vaccination and instead get weekly COVID tests. Another smallpox vaccine mandate came under the Supreme Court in 1922's Zucht v. King. A child in San Antonio, Texas named Rosalyn Zucht was excluded from public and private schools over her refusal to comply with the city's smallpox vaccine mandate. Zucht's suit claimed there was no emergency requirement vaccination and, like Jacobson, argued it infringed on her individual liberty. But the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the mandate again, finding that city officials acted in the best interest of public health. An Afghan special forces commando (pictured) has been arrested by armed police An Afghan rescued from Kabul by the RAF has been arrested as a suspected Taliban terrorist in Manchester. Armed police swooped on the 33-year-old with alleged jihadi links in a pre-dawn raid at his city centre quarantine hotel. He had worked for Afghan special forces alongside British soldiers. When Kabul fell to the insurgents, he was airlifted out on an RAF mercy flight. He was controversially given a seat while loyal translators who had served the British Army were left behind. The man, whose identity is known to the Daily Mail, arrived in the UK on August 21 with his wife and children, and they were placed in the Park Inn hotel in Manchester for Covid quarantine because Afghanistan is a 'red list' country. But shortly after 4am on August 31, anti-terror police burst into the room where the family was sleeping. He was arrested on suspicion of terrorism and is being held at top-security HMP Belmarsh in London. Whitehall sources last night described the operation as 'extremely sensitive'. Armed police swooped on the 33-year-old with alleged jihadi links in a pre-dawn raid at his city centre quarantine hotel The male suspect had arrived to the UK with his family from an evacuation flight from Kabul (file photo of Kabul evacuation) There are claims the Afghan, an intelligence officer who served with an elite force working with British troops against the insurgents, had been accused of being a spy for the Taliban. According to the claims, his alleged double-crossing was linked to devastating Taliban attacks on Western-backed Afghan special force soldiers including a commander who is currently recovering from life-changing injuries at a hospital in the Midlands. Individuals who had served with the suspect said he had been questioned while in Afghanistan about missing explosives linked to the Taliban and large sums of currency which disappeared. Despite all this, in the chaos of the Kabul evacuation as the insurgents swept to power, he was cleared to board an RAF rescue flight to Dubai on August 20. The family changed planes there for a flight to Birmingham, arriving the next morning. Members of the British armed forces disembark a C-17 aircraft - used to evacuate Brits and others from Kabul - after landing at Brize Norton They then began ten days of quarantine at the Park Inn hotel, which coincidentally overlooks the scene of the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack. The Afghan's wife and their two children were with him when gun-toting officers in black uniforms shouting 'police, police, police' swept into their room. She said: 'Everyone had been asleep and woke in shock. My two children were terrified. They told my husband to say goodbye to his family and said he was being deported back to Afghanistan.' Officers seized the man's laptop computer, mobile phones, SIM cards, money and passport together with other documents and marched him out to a vehicle. His wife claimed to friends she and the children were told nothing about his whereabouts for more than a week. Then yesterday, she was given information that he was being held at Belmarsh, in south-east London which is Britain's highest security prison. Under anti-terrorism laws, a suspect can be held for up to 14 days without charge. The Department of Homeland Security flagged 44 Afghan evacuees as possible national security risks during the past two weeks, a new report revealed - above refugee families arrive at Dulles International Airport The authorities stonewalled questions about him yesterday, with Greater Manchester Police initially claiming to know nothing about an armed raid on a city centre hotel. The force directed inquiries to the Home Office, which also declined to comment. A Government spokesman said: 'We do not comment on individual cases.' Staff at the Park Inn hotel said they had been told not to comment. A Whitehall source told the Mail the case related to alleged terror offences. It is understood the arrest was conducted by Greater Manchester Police officers at the behest of the Home Office. The arrest will raise disturbing questions about how a terror suspect was brought to the UK The arrest will raise disturbing questions about how a terror suspect was brought to the UK, and also raise fears others sympathetic to insurgents have slipped into the country via the RAF airlifts. The undue haste of last month's Kabul evacuation after ministers spent years ignoring repeated warnings from the Mail and others meant there was limited time for background security checks on those being flown out by the RAF. The Daily Mail's Betrayal of the Brave campaign which has helped hundreds of interpreters who risked their lives serving the British military has highlighted how their seats on rescue flights were instead taken by Afghan special forces who chose not to fight incoming Taliban. The Ministry of Defence declined to comment. Advertisement Officials called off the search for an 1887 time capsule buried under the Robert E. Lee statue that was said to contain a picture of Abraham Lincoln in his coffin - after just 12 hours of digging. Crews removed up to 8,000 pounds of granite blocks from the base of the 40-foot-high concrete pedestal Thursday in search of the copper box filled with Civil War relics before an aide for Governor Ralph Northam called it a night and said the search was over. 'After a long hard day, it's clear the time capsule won't be found and Virginia is done with lost causes,' chief communications officer for the governor Grant Neely told the Richmond Times-Dispatch in an email Thursday night. 'The search for this moldy Confederate box is over. We're moving on.' Crews worked tirelessly on Thursday and ended up removing up to 8,000 pounds of granite blocks from the base of the 40ft concrete pedestal in search for the copper box filled with Civil War relics would be found Crews dismantled the corner of the pedestal of the Robert E. Lee statue as they attempted to locate the 1887 time capsule Crews attempted to locate a time capsule said to be buried in the base of the Robert E. Lee statue Thursday after it was removed on Wednesday Construction crews drilled for hours in an attempt to find the old capsule in the base of the concrete pedestal on Thursday Crew worker James (pictured) was among the many who worked to retrieve the 1887 capsule at the base of the statue on Thursday Many were excited to unveil the contents of the 'moldy Confederate box' which is believed to be a copper capsule from 1887 that contained a silver dollar and relics from the Civil War including Confederate buttons. A newspaper article from 1887 says that it also contained a photograph of 'Lincoln lying in his coffin' that was donated by Miss Pattie Leake, a school principal from a prominent Richmond family. Library records indicated 37 local residents and businesses contributed about 60 objected related to the Confederacy to the historic cache. Historians are dubious about whether it is an actual photograph of Lincoln in his coffin or a sketch or print of him lying in state. Dale Brumfield, a local author and historian who studied the capsule's history, was disheartened by the end of the search and suspected it was being hidden, the Times-Dispatch reported. 'It's here somewhere,' Brumfield said. 'Why the secrecy? Why bury it? It doesn't make any sense.' David Givens, director of archaeology for Historic Jamestown, said based on the radar detection he performed it was only a matter of time before the capsule is found 'Time capsules are meant to be found,' Givens said. 'They're not going to hide it.' The 2021 time capsule includes a You Are Not Alone flyer found in the street after a George Floyd protest last year, a COVID mask worn by Virginia's First Lady Pam Northam, photos from a Stop Asian Hate protest, a Virginia is for Lovers sticker, a hand painted gourd rattle that was a gift from the Mattiponi and Pamunkey nations, a hip hop album The updated time capsule filled with 39 objects was placed at the site on Thursday during a ceremony After removing the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from its pedestal on Wednesday workers sawed off the torso Devon Henry (top left) looks on as crews worked to retrieve the 134-year-old time capsule on Thursday hours before the search ended Now, a new capsule will be placed in the pedestals' corner stone filled with 2021 artifacts including an expired COVID-vaccine, photos from Stop Asian Hate protests, BLM stickers and a 'Virginia is for Lovers' Pride badge. The new capsule contains 39 items that were proposed by residents of the city and selected by a group that included the state's First Lady Pamela Northam. They include a photograph of a black ballerina dancing in front of the vandalized statue, which was covered in graffiti last summer after the killing of George Floyd, a copy of the National Geographic '2020 in Pictures' issue with a photograph of the Lee monument on the cover, and a 'Kente cloth worn by the Commissioners of the Congressionally chartered 400 Years of African-American History Commission'. Gov. Northam, who filled the box up on Tuesday, was there to put it in the place of the old capsule on Thursday. He said the new capsule captures 'the resilience and struggle of life, within a pandemic'. The new capsule was placed a day after the statue of Lee was brought down and sawed in half in front of a cheering crowd of BLM protesters. The 21-foot bronze statute of Lee atop a horse will now be sent to the Goochland Women's Correctional Center in Virginia until officials know what to do with it permanently. It is the latest Confederate statue to have been toppled by the BLM movement amid protest from white residents who thought it should be preserved in history. Northam called the Wednesday removal of the statue and attempted retrieval of the copper time capsule a sign of the times but some residents opposed it, claiming it went against 1890 deeds which protected the statue. 'This monument and its time capsule reflected Virginia in 1890and it's time to remove both, so that our public spaces better reflect who we are as a people in 2021,' he said in a news release. 'The past 18 months have seen historic change, from the pandemic to protests for racial justice that led to the removal of these monuments to a lost cause. It is fitting that we replace the old time capsule with a new one that tells that story.' Crews began hoisting the 21-foot-tall bronze likeliness of Lee on horseback about 8 a.m. EST and an hour later, it was on the ground, protected by a fence which kept crowds of spectators back. After being brought to the ground, workers began severing the top of the statue from the bottom using electric saws. Workers who were removing the statue gave the crowd a three-second countdown before they lifted the statue from its pedestal. The crowds of spectators cheered, whooped then broke into song, chanting 'Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye' as it was lowered to the ground. They also chanted 'Black Lives Matter'. The 40ft concrete pedestal that it sat atop will remain in place for now, until officials decide what to do with it. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam made the decision to remove the statue last year ten days after George Floyd's killing by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. The statue was erected in 1890, 25 years after the end of the Civil War, and 20 years after Lee's death. It was funded by the Lee Monument Commission, founded in 1886, which was led by Lee's nephew, former Virginia Governor Fitzhugh Lee. The Lee statue was created by the internationally renowned French sculptor Marius-Jean-Antonin Mercie and is considered a masterpiece, according to its nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, where it has been listed since 2007. When the monument arrived in 1890 from France, an estimated 10,000 Virginians used wagons and rope to haul its pieces more than a mile to where it now stands. The statue was the first of five Confederate monuments to be erected on Richmonds Monument Avenue, at a time when the Civil War and Reconstruction were over, but Jim Crow racial segregation laws were on the rise. In a statement after it was removed, Gov. Ralph Northam said: 'This was a long time coming, part of the healing process so Virginia can move forward and be a welcoming state with inclusiveness and diversity'. He added that it represented '400 years of history that we should not be proud of'. Advertisement Dressed in a robe and blue socks, a sickly Wendy Williams was seen Friday being led into her Manhattan apartment building. Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show the TV host stepping out of a black SUV wearing a gold and cream robe and what look to be hospital socks as she walked on the wet New York City pavement. Wendy, 57, wore a black mask as she was led by hand from the car to her home by her manager Bernie Young. Her son Kevin Hunter Jr, 21, was also seen entering her building behind a wheelchair and later caught an Uber to leave the home. The sighting comes a day after her talk show revealed she's canceled all promotional events to deal with 'ongoing health issues.' Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show Wendy Williams stepping out of a black SUV wearing a gold and cream robe and what looks to be blue hospital socks as she walked on the wet New York City pavement Friday The TV host appeared to look sickly as she was led by hand into her apartment by her manager Bernie Young Wendy wore what looked to be hospital socks as she walked on the wet pavement of NYC The sighting comes a day after her show revealed she's canceled all promotional events to deal with 'ongoing health issues'. Wendy suffers from Graves' disease, which often causes puffy and bulging eyes A statement posted to Instagram Thursday read, 'Wendy is dealing with some ongoing health issues and is undergoing further evaluations' There was no mention of what exactly Wendy, 57, was grappling with, but this is not the first time the TV icon's health has kept her from appearing on camera Her son Kevin Hunter Jr. was also seen entering her building behind a wheelchair and later caught an Uber to leave the home A statement posted to Instagram Thursday read, 'Wendy is dealing with some ongoing health issues and is undergoing further evaluations. 'She will not be able to complete her promotional activities next week, but can't wait to be back in her purple chair on Monday, September 20th for the 13th season premiere.' The last time Wendy appeared on her show was on July 16. There was no mention of what exactly Wendy was grappling with, but this is not the first time the TV icon's health has kept her from appearing on camera. Last year it was announced that she would be taking a break from her daytime talk show while she battled with health issues related to her Graves' disease diagnosis. Graves' disease is an immune system disorder of the thyroid gland that causes anxiety, tremors, as well as puffy or bulging eyes. Wendy's team posted this statement to her show's Instagram account revealing that she's dealing with unspecified health issues Wendy was last seen on her show on July 16, 2021. Her team said she will come back for Season 13 on September 20 Wendy first gave the public cause for concern in October 2017 when she collapsed on camera during a taping of her talk show. She told her audience of her Graves' disease diagnosis in early 2018. 'My thyroid has been totally cattywampus. I feel like there are birds swimming around my head Constantly high. But not high,' she said. 'My doctor has prescribed - are you ready? Three weeks of vacation. I was pissed. Encore performances, really?' Wendy also revealed she was diagnosed with lymphedema in 2019. 'It's not going to kill me, but I do have a machine -and how dare you talk about the swelling of it all,' she said on her show. 'I've got it under control, and if [the swelling in] my feet and lower things never go all the way down, at least I have this machine.' In 2018 Wendy spoke to PEOPLE about the immune system disorder. 'I feel a hundred percent better than I was a few months ago. I had a storm going in my body is the best way I can explain it,' she said at the time. 'It came from me neglecting my six-month endocrinology appointment. I have Graves' disease and hyperthyroid. If you have one you don't necessarily have to have the other, but I have both, and I was diagnosed with both 19 years ago,' Wendy said. It's been a tumultuous few years for Wendy, who has dealt with addiction, a cheating husband and divorce. In 2019, DailyMailTV revealed the host had been secretly treated at a sober living residential facility for addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs Wendy stayed overnight at this sober living home in Long Island City, Queens (pictured) rather than returning to her plush mansion in New Jersey Wendy was staying overnight at a private facility run by the Pure Recovery Network in Long Island City, New York after she plunged into an alcohol- and pill-fueled depression when she fractured her shoulder during a confrontation with her cheating husband Kevin Hunter. She's seen on a walk with Hunter before their divorce Wendy's troubles began in December 2018 when the star hired a private investigator to spy on her husband who she suspected was still carrying on with his mistress Sharina Hudson (pictured together). In 2020, Wendy finalized her divorce from Hunter and he was seen moving out of their New Jersey home It's been a tumultuous few years for Wendy, who has dealt with addiction, a cheating husband and divorce. Wendy was staying overnight at a private facility run by the Pure Recovery Network in Long Island City, New York after she plunged into an alcohol- and pill-fueled depression when she fractured her shoulder during a confrontation with her cheating husband Kevin Hunter. She broke down in tears on her show, admitting she had been living at the sober home and was attending meetings around New York City. Wendy's troubles began in December 2018 when the star hired a private investigator to spy on her husband who she suspected was still carrying on with his mistress Sharina Hudson. In 2017, Hudson had been at the center of a DailyMail.com expose revealing her ten-year affair with Wendy's husband. After being told the secret affair was still very much alive, the TV host confronted Hunter demanding to know why he was still seeing the massage therapist. It was then that she injured her shoulder. And finally in 2020, Wendy finalized her divorce from Hunter and he was seen moving out of their New Jersey home. A one-year-old baby girl was found dead in Texas after being left in the back of a hot car for nearly 10 hours when her mother dropped off only two of her three children at daycare, Houston police said. The unidentified mother told police she took her three children - ages 5, 3, and 1 - to daycare around 8:30 am on Thursday. She then allegedly returned to her home in the Crescent Park Village subdivision, switched cars, went to exercise and then returned to the daycare to pick up her children. When she arrived she was told that the day care only had record of the 5- and 3-year-old in school that day, police said. The mother returned home with a staff member from the daycare to look for the child. Police said the daycare worker did not initially see the baby girl in the car but later discovered her on the back floorboard of the four-door sedan. A one-year-old baby girl was found dead in Texas after being left in the back of her mothers hot car from approximately 8:30 am to 6 pm on Thursday The baby girls' mother drove three of her children to day care in the morning. When she returned in the afternoon pick them up she was told that only two of her children had been dropped off at the school Temperatures in the Houston area reached the upper 90s on Thursday but police say the inside of the car could have reached temperatures of over 120 degrees The child was apparently left in the car from 8:30 am to 6 pm. The mother told police that she took the 1-year-old to the daycare to bring her along while running errands but planned to drop her at the school later in the day. Temperatures in the Houston area reached the upper 90s Thursday but police say the interior of the car could have reached temperatures of over 120 degrees on the sunny summer day. Only two car seats were found in the vehicle that was parked on the street. All three children should have been riding in a car seat according to Texas state child safety laws. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said that officers responded to the scene at around 6:30 pm. Family members were reportedly spotted at the scene crying. The baby girl was pronounced dead at the scene. An official autopsy report is being conducted by the medical examiner. Police detained the mother and took her to their Lockwood facility, where they were attempting to obtain her statement. Sheriff Gonzalez said that the officers were struggling to gather her statement because she was 'obviously extremely upset' and needed to be calmed down. The officers were also having 'language issues' while trying to talk with the distraught mother who had not been interviewed at length. Sgt. Ben Beall addressed the media outside the unidentified family's home on Barnes Ridge Lane in the Crescent Park Village subdivision of Houston The father has not been cooperative, according to police. The names of the parents and the daycare have not been released. According to police, the baby's death appears to be accidental at this point in the investigation. The case will be presented to the District Attorney's Office to determine whether or not any charges will be filed. Thursday's death marks the 20th child hot car death this year. Texas ranks No. 1 as the state with the most child hot car deaths in the country recording 145 fatalities since 1991. In 2020, 53 children died in a hot car; five were from Texas, all according to data from KidsAndCars.org. France has banned unvaccinated American tourists from entering the country around two weeks after the European Union removed the US from its safe travel list as the Delta variant continues to cause a spike in cases. The French government, led by President Emmanuel Macron, announced Thursday the US will move from the green travel list to the orange list on September 12, effectively banning nonessential travel to France for unvaccinated visitors. The rules have not changed for vaccinated travelers from the US, however, who are still able to visit France provided they show proof of full vaccination. Only the four vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency - Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson - are accepted for travelers entering France from any country. The French government, led by President Emmanuel Macron, holding the mic, said that unvaccinated Americans will be barred from entering the country for non-essential travel starting September 12. Macron, pictured, during a news conference on Friday U.S. tourists will need to provide proof of vaccination to visit France and its attractions Visits to The Eiffel Tower require people to display proof of vaccination or a negative test result Unvaccinated travelers who have 'essential reasons' to visit France will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test before travel and isolate for seven days upon arrival, USA Today reported. France already requires proof of vaccination or a negative test result for people to eat at restaurants, ride trains or to visit popular destinations like the Eiffel Tower and other national monuments and museums. Anyone who wants to visit France must fill out an application for a COVID certificate with the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. French President Emmanuel Macron, left, and his government issued an order to bar unvaccinated travelers from the US. Biden has yet to reopen the US to EU tourists France's clampdown on unvaccinated Americans comes after a wave of other EU countries tightened restrictions on tourists from the US. Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain have all made similar requirements that US travelers show proof of vaccination, and Sweden has barred all American arrivals regardless of vaccination status, CNN reported. Italy began requiring requiring all visitors, including those from the US, to show prof of a negative COVID-19 rests 72 hours before traveling, whether they are vaccinated or not. Many European nations had eases travel restrictions for the summer tourism season as COVID-19 cases began to drop in June. However, the US began seeing dramatic spikes due to the Delta Variant in July and August, at times reporting nearly 300,000 new cases a day. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 163,000 new cases, and nearly 1,650 new deaths. More than 75% of adults eligible for the vaccine in the U.S. have gotten at least one jab, according to the CDC. The sudden surge of cases is what led the EU to recommend that its member nations place vaccine restrictions to curb the number of Americans coming into Europe. The guidance is nonbinding, however. The EU has no unified COVID-19 tourism policy and national governments have the authority to decide whether they keep their borders open to US tourists. In early August, Germany added the US to its 'high-risk' area list, requiring unvaccinated travelers to quarantine or undergo testing. The recommendation doesnt apply to Britain, which formally left the EU at the beginning of the year and opened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers from the US earlier this month. The United States remains on Britains 'amber' travel list, meaning that fully vaccinated adults arriving from the US to the UK dont have to self-isolate. A COVID-19 test is required three days before arrival in the UK and another test is needed two days after arriving. The United States has yet to reopen its own borders to EU tourists, despite calls from the bloc for the Biden administration to lift its ban. Advertisement A windowless World War Two bunker is to be turned into a smart holiday home with sea views, after architects won permission for the switch. The Grade-II listed underground building was part of the Chain Home radar detection system in Winston Churchill's Wizard's Wars and was used to spot enemy advances across the Channel in the Battle of Britain. But after laying redundant for more than 75 years and overgrown by weeds in Ringstead, Dorset, it is to be reworked into a modern two-bedroom holiday let with a huge and striking jagged-edged window. A windowless World War Two bunker in Ringstead, Dorset, (pictured) is to be turned into a two-bedroom holiday home with sea views, after architects won permission for the switch After laying redundant for more than 75 years, it is to be reworked into a modern two-bedroom holiday let with a huge and striking jagged-edged window (plans pictured) Architects Lipton Plant said: 'We are absolutely delighted that our highly unusual scheme to turn a disused WWII bunker into a holiday home on the Dorset Coast has been granted planning permission and listed building consent. 'Originally part of the WWII Chain Home radar detection system, the bunker played a significant role in Churchill's 'Wizard's War'.' The Wizard's War was Churchill's plan to harness new technology to fight and defeat Germany in World War Two and radar was a central part. It was part of the Chain Home Radar system along the English coast designed to detect advancing enemy aircraft. The design aims to bring light into the bunker by 'blasting' a new jagged edged window which will open out on to a patio with stunning views over the Jurassic Coast as well as converting former ventilation shafts into roof lights. The Grade-II listed underground building (pictured left and right) was part of the Chain Home radar detection system and was used to spot enemy advances across the Channel The holiday home (plans pictured) will be entered through a tunnel. Work is expected to be completed by May next year so it is ready for the 2022 Summer holiday season The design aims to bring light into the bunker by 'blasting' a new jagged edged window which will open out on to a patio with stunning views (pictured) over the Jurassic Coast The unusual window design is 'referencing a war-torn aesthetic and camouflaging the bunker as a WW2 ruin', the architects added. Dorset Council's Conservation and Design Officer Jen Nixon said: 'Every attempt has been made to achieve a design that, despite converting the bunker to a new use, has done so in a manner that preserves its historic interest and does not impact detrimentally on its special architectural character. 'The scheme provides a reuse for this unusual and otherwise derelict subterranean structure considered a Building At Risk, while respecting the WWII military character and its wider setting. 'It will also be available for use as a holiday let, so contributing a degree of public benefit in enabling visitors to experience the special character of the interior and its historic interest relating to a key event in history.' Inside the holiday home will have trendy concrete exposed walls and will be entered through a tunnel. Work is expected to be completed by May next year so it is ready for the 2022 Summer holiday season. A Wisconsin woman who admitted to helping stab a classmate to please online horror character Slender Man will be freed Monday from a mental health institution under strict conditions, a judge ruled Friday. Anissa Weier, 19, will be released after spending almost four years at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute in Oshkosh. A conditional release plan calls for her to live with her father, submit to around-the-clock GPS monitoring and receive psychiatric treatment, among other things. She won't be allowed to use the internet except at home, and the state Department of Corrections will monitor her online activity. Weier and a friend, Morgan Geyser, both were committed to Winnebago after pleading guilty to attacking Payton Leutner when they were all 12 years old. Geyser stabbed Leutner multiple times as Weier urged her on. Leutner suffered 19 stab stab wounds - including one that narrowly missed her heart - and barely survived. Waukesha County Judge Michael Bohren said the conditions of Weier's release were fair and the plan 'provides for the protection of the community' as well as for Leutner and for Weier herself. Weier, dressed in a dark suit and smiling occasionally, said nothing during the 20-minute proceeding. The judge delayed her release until Monday after her attorney, Maura McMahon, said the mental health facility would be able to better process her release after the weekend. 'She looks forward to moving on into a productive life,' McMahon told the judge. Leutners family declined to speak during the hearing. Scroll down for video Anissa Weier, 19 (left, pictured in court in July), is expected to be released into the community after spending four years in a mental health facility for her role in the 2014 stabbing of her classmate Payton Leutner (right) Weier pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree intentional homicide and was sentenced to 25 years in a mental health facility As part of Weier's release conditions, a case manager will monitor her medication for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and a personality disorder. Her cellphone won't be able to access the internet, and she won't be allowed to use social media at all. She also wont be allowed to consume alcohol or drugs, enter a bar, possess a weapon or have any contact with Leutner or her family. Deputy District Attorney Ted Szczupakiewicz said he had no objections to the release conditions. The attack happened in May 2014, after Weier and Geyser invited Leutner to a sleepover. The next day they lured Leutner into the woods at a Waukesha park. Weier and Geyser left Leutner for dead, but she managed to crawl out of the woods and a passing bicyclist found her. Police found Weier and Geyser later that day walking on Interstate 94 in Waukesha. They told investigators said they attacked Leutner because they thought it would make them Slender Mans servants and prevent him from killing their families. After the stabbing they began walking to Slender Man's mansion, they said. The Slender Man character grew out of internet stories. Hes depicted as a spidery figure in a black suit with a blank white face. Sony Pictures released a movie about Slender Man stalking three girls in 2018. Weier's father, Bill, blasted the film as an attempt to capitalize on a tragedy. Weier eventually pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree intentional homicide. Borhen sentenced her to 25 years at Winnebago in December 2017. Weier and co-defendant Morgan Geyser were both 12 in 2014 when they lured Leutner into the woods, where Geyser stabbed the girl 19 times as Weier cheered her on In her petition for conditional release, she argued that she had exhausted all her treatment options at the facility and needed to rejoin society. She vowed shed never let herself 'become a weapon again.' Bohren ruled in July that Weier no longer posed a threat and ordered state officials to draw up a release plan. Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Bohren sentenced her to 40 years in a mental health facility in February 2018. She has argued that her case should have been heard in juvenile court, but an appellate court ruled last year the case was properly heard in adult court. Her trial attorney, Anthony Cotton, said Friday that Geyser has not filed a petition for release and declined further comment. Court records show that during her sentencing, Bohren ruled that conditional release would 'pose a significant risk of bodily injury' to Geyser or others. Psychologists said Weier (pictured in court in 2017) suffers from shared delusional disorder - a delusion among two or more people who are in a close relationship Bohren previously said that three doctors support the conditional release. 'Slender Man was enmeshed in the case,' Bohren said in July, as reported by WISN. 'The court does not find that there is clear and convincing evidence that Anissa Weier poses a significant threat of bodily harm to herself or others or of serious property damage. On that basis then I'll grant the petition for conditional release.' Weier and her friend, Morgan Geyser, lured classmate Payton Leutner into the woods at a Waukesha park following a sleepover in May 2014. Geyser attacked Leutner, stabbing her 19 times as Weier cheered her on. All three girls were 12 years old at the time. Weier and Geyser left Leutner for dead. A passing bicyclist found her. She suffered 19 stab wounds and barely survived. Police caught up with Weier and Geyser hours after the attack as they were walking along an interstate. They told investigators they were on their way to the Slender Man's mansion. They said they thought he was real and that attacking Leutner would make them his servants and keep him from killing their families. The Slender Man character grew out of internet stories. He's depicted as a spidery figure in a black suit with a blank white face. Sony Pictures released a movie about Slender Man stalking three girls in 2018. Weier's father blasted the film as an attempt to capitalize on a tragedy. Weier pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree intentional homicide. Borhen sentenced her to 25 years at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute in December 2017. Her father claimed Weier is not mentally ill, but psychologists said Weier suffers from shared delusional disorder - a delusion among two or more people who are in a close relationship - due to Geyer's undiagnosed schizophrenia, according to the Journal Sentinel. Other experts said Weier has schizotypal personality disorder, in which people tend to hold strange beliefs and cannot pick up social cues. She argued in a petition for conditional release that she has exhausted all her treatment options at the facility and needs to rejoin society, vowing she'd never let herself 'become a weapon again.' In a letter she submitted to the court, Weier wrote in part: 'I hate my actions May 31, 2014, but through countless hours of therapy, I no longer hate myself for them. ... If I am to become a productive member of society, I need to be part of society.' Leutner asked the judge to keep Weier confined. Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Bohren sentenced her to 40 years in a mental health facility in February 2018. She has argued that her case should have been heard in juvenile court, but an appellate court ruled last year the case was properly heard in adult court. Geyser will be 55 years old when she is released. A senior Chinese government official has mocked the United States after members of the Taliban were filmed swinging from abandoned military aircraft. Lijian Zhao, a senior official in the Chinese foreign ministry, mocked the United States in a tweet which has been viewed more than 70,000 times. Zhao wrote: 'The graveyard of EMPIRES and their WAR MACHINES. Talibans have turned their planes into swings and toys.' Lijian Zhao, a senior official in the Chinese foreign ministry, mocked the United States in a tweet which has been viewed more than 70,000 times Zhao said: ''The graveyard of EMPIRES and their WAR MACHINES. Talibans have turned their planes into swings and toys' Lijian Zhao, pictured, is a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry. He posted footage of the Taliban playing on the abandoned military aircraft Zhao left the mocking message on Twitter along with the video of the Taliban playing games The footage shows members of the Taliban swinging from the wings of abandoned military aircraft. In the weeks before the US withdrawal, the Afghan Air Force was operating 167 aircraft, including 108 helicopters and 59 aircraft. Some 46 aircraft including 24 helicopters were flown to Uzbekistan before the Taliban takeover. Commander of the US evacuation mission, General Frank McKenzie said his troops disabled 73 aircraft before pulling out of the country last month. The troops destroyed avionics, removed propellers and guns from planes and helicopters. Others had their wheels stripped away leaving them sitting on the tarmac. It is believed the Taliban has a total of 48 aircraft, though it is not known whether this equipment is airworthy or how long they will be able to keep them operational. Many were built in the 1980s and will need constant servicing and parts to make sure they are airworthy, let alone capable of combat. Seven children in Detroit, aged 10 to 23, have been orphaned after their parents died of COVID-19 on Labor Day weekend. Charletta and Troy Green, both 44, spent their 22nd wedding anniversary in separate ICUs, thousands of miles apart after they caught the virus last month. On September 5, Charletta, who was hooked up to a ventilator in Florida, lost her battle with the disease and died. Just eight hours later, in a hospital in Michigan, Troy died of a heart attack. Neither were vaccinated. Their niece Asha Dumas said the entire family had planned to get vaccinated together but 'honestly just ran out of time.' 'We all got vaccinated shortly after their diagnosis [on August 13],' she told MailOnline. The couple's seven children- 10-year-old Troy Jr., 11-year-old Tori, 15-year-old Tayla, 17-year-old Tamaya, 19-year-old Trinity, 21-year-old Tatianna and 23-year-old Tylisa - have now been left to raise themselves in the family home. The entire Green family had planned to get vaccinated together, said their niece Asha Dumas, but 'honestly just ran out of time.' Charletta (center right) and Troy Green (center left) were admitted to hospitals on August 13 and died of COVID-related complications on September 6 within hours of one another The couple met when they were both 14 years old, Dumas said. Charletta was dialing down a list of phone numbers in the yellow pages, making crank calls. She called Troy's mother's house, and the two had an instant rapport. They died within 8 hours of each other on September 6 from COVID-19 complications The Green children, aged 10, 11, 15, 17, 19, 21 and 23, are now living without their parents in their parents' home, left to pick up the pieces. The family never anticipated that Charletta and Troy's story would end so suddenly 'Were just telling them that we are here, we love them and were going to support them as much as we can,' Troy's sister, Tiki Green, told FOX 2. 'And were just trying to get help for them - because these kids they didnt ask for this, they didnt expect this.' Troy began to feel ill in mid-August, and stayed home when Charletta and her children went on a family trip to Florida. Two days later, Charletta was hospitalized. Back in Detroit, Troy was taken to Sinai Grace Hospital on August 13. Two days later, on the day of their wedding anniversary, both were taken to the ICU units of their respective facilities. Five of the children returned to Detroit to be with their father, Dumas said, while two stayed back in Florida with their mother. Troy's conditioned worsened, his family said, when he got word of Charletta's health was rapidly failing. 'When [Troy] realized that his wife, you know, maybe not getting better, after he hears shes on a ventilator and shes on it 100 percent constantly, he... couldnt take that. He just started having chest pains and eventually a couple of hours later he passed,' sister Tiki Green said Along with a double funeral, Dumas told MailOnline, proceeds from the family's the GoFundMe initiative will cover the seven children's' rental costs, food and school clothing through the holidays 'Her lungs were severely damaged and... they just couldnt do any more for her,' Green said. 'When he realized that his wife, you know, maybe not getting better, after he hears shes on a ventilator and shes on it 100 percent constantly, he... couldnt take that. He just started having chest pains and eventually a couple of hours later he passed.' On September 6, eight hours after Charletta died, Troy succumbed to a fatal heart attack. 'We just always knew they were coming home,' Green said. 'So for neither of them to come home, words cant explain how we feel right now.' 'Yall have no idea how much pain I felt telling my Auntie I love her so much and I got this! Watching her take her last breaths,' wrote Dumas in a heartrending Facebook post on September 8. 'I grew up surrounded in love from [my Uncle]! I dont know... how I stood there and help break this news to my cousins or my Mama, my soul is HURTING.' The couple had grown up together after meeting when they were 14. Charletta had been dialing down a list of phone numbers in the yellow pages, making crank calls. She called Troy's mother's house, and the two had an instant rapport. Now, Green is urging others not to put off their COVID vaccinations. 'I know it doesnt prevent you from contracting it in general, but I feel like youll have a fighting chance at least,' she told FOX 2. 'So Im like stressing to everybody in my family, (they have to) be vaccinated because I cant do this again. Covid is taking too many people.' Along with a double funeral, Dumas told MailOnline, proceeds from the family's the GoFundMe initiative will cover the seven children's' rental costs, food and school clothing through the holidays. Thus far, $3,390 of a $15,000 goal has been raised. The brother of a woman charged with stealing the identities of at least seven victims of the Surfside condo collapse has become the fourth person arrested in the credit-card scam - in which the suspects allegedly purchased more than $45,000 worth of goods with credit cards in the victims' names. Nelson Ronaldo Garcia-Medina, 20, attempted to use a credit card issued to one of the deceased victims of the Champlain Towers South collapse to purchase a $130 pair of Air Jordan sneakers, prosecutors said. His sister Betsy Alejandra Cacho-Medina, 30, has also been charged in the cold-hearted fraud, along with her boyfriend Rodney Choute, 38, and Kimberly Michelle Johnson, 34. They are all facing charges of conspiracy to defraud, identity theft and using false documents, among other offenses and could spend between 15 and 30 years behind bars. The suspects are alleged to have assumed the identities of five people who died in the collapse, plus two survivors, in order to open new credit cards, Miami-Dade prosecutor Katherine Fernandez Rundle said during a press conference. Investigators also found Garcia-Medina with an unemployment benefits debit card issued in someone else's name, another person's social security number and a notebook with directions on how to obtain free credit reports in other peoples' names, officials said. He also had instructions on how to conduct SIM swaps over the phone, according to NBC Miami, while the other suspects had blank checks, blank birth certificates and an embossing machine. Nelson Ronaldo Garcia-Medina, 20, is the latest charged with stealing the identities of at least seven victims of the Surfside condo collapse. He has become the fourth person to get arrested in the credit-card scam, where suspects tried to purchase more than $45,000 worth of goods with credit cards in victims of the tragedy's names L-R: Nelson Ronaldo Garcia-Medina, his sister Betsy Cacho-Medina, her boyfriend Rodney Choute and Kimberly Johnson Rodney have all been charged over the grave-robbing and face between 15 and 30 years in prison Kimberly Johnson is pictured being booked into jail. She is being held on $500,000 bond The alleged scheme involved the use of vacant residences as drop boxes for the delivery of the victims' credit cards. The suspects used the cards to buy items such as shoes and luxury handbags and to make bank transfers, prosecutors claim. 'Cyber grave robbers did move very quickly after the collapse to grab what they could while family and friends were in absolute emotional turmoil,' Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said at a news conference. 'These individuals appear to be very skilled identity thieves, they're professionals,' she added. 'Except for their names, almost nothing else about them seems to be true.' Bond has been set at $1 million for Cacho-Medina. Johnson is being held on $500,000 bond and a $430,000 bond has been placed on Choute. Nearly 100 people were killed when the 12-story residential building came down early in the morning of June 24. It took more than a month for search crews to recover and identify the remains of all individuals who were trapped in the rubble. Of the 98 people killed in the collapse, all but one of them died at the scene. The cause of its collapse remains undetermined. A 2018 engineering report found the edifice had deficiencies that are now at the focus of multiple inquiries, including a grand jury probe. 'For most of us and most of America, this unbelievable tragedy tore at our very hearts - but, for a group of alleged identity thieves, it was a time to make some money,' Fernandez Rundle said. A woman, alleged to be Cacho-Medina, was seen on a store's security cameras using Ortiz's card to buy a black Versace purse for $1,658.50. The next day, police said, Cacho-Medina was seen toting the same Versace purse she had purchased the day before Cacho-Medina allegedly purchased a $957.65 pair of Christian Louboutin shoes at a store in Miami's design district on July 7 using the card, per the store's CCTV footage In total, the group of 'professional' identity thieves allegedly stole $45,000, and were prevented from stealing $67,000 more by loss prevention departments. The scammers were allegedly able to get the names and dates of birth of victims from news reports. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who spent weeks working at the site, giving updates on rescue efforts, also commented on the arrests Wednesday. 'We've worked so hard to do everything we can to restore the lives of those families who lost their loved ones and the survivors of the building collapse,' she said. 'What a tragedy that anyone would seek to exploit this situation.' Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said he was confident that the suspects would eventually be arrested. 'Today they got what they deserved and we're all much happier for it,' he said. Police said they were tipped off to the identity fraud on July 9 when Nicole Ortiz - the sister of Ana Ortiz, one of the victims in the Champlain Towers South collapse - reported suspicious activity on her late relative's financial accounts. She told police that multiple unauthorized wire transfers were made in her sister's name that she had been notified of several requests for replacement credit cards and that the mailing addresses for many of her sister's financial institutions had been changed by phone, per an affidavit released Wednesday. Surfside Police released photos of evidence they gathered from the suspects, including blank checks, blank birth certificates, an embossing machine and other items they planned to use to steal identities At that point, Detective Andres Mendoza of the Surfside Police Department was assigned to investigate, the affidavit said. He quickly discovered that a Nordstrom VISA credit card was issued in the dead woman's name on July 8 to place an order for Medusa sandals worth $374.50 from a Nordstrom store in Aventura Mall. A black woman wearing a hat and protective mask showed up to pick up the order, per obtained CCTV footage - then, video from the store's parking lot showed her getting into a black 2019 Mercedes-Benz with a Florida license plate. Mendoza tracked the license plate back to Medina, who police said had registered the car using the address 300 NE 1st Court in Hallandale, Florida. Police learned later that the apartment at that address was vacant, and none of the alleged scammers lived there. Police determined that a replacement Barclays View Mastercard was sent to the same address after a woman claiming to be Ana Ortiz called the bank July 6. 'I want to get my card shipped to me at an alternative address... because I was a victim of the towers that just collapsed [in] Surfside,' a woman who police said was Medina told a representative in a recording played during the press conference. The card was delivered the next day, and over the next two days, 28 attempted transactions totaling $13,389.80 were recorded - ten of those transactions, totaling $5,892.93, were approved according to the affidavit. Again, a woman alleged to be Medina was caught on CCTV footage, this time using the a walk-up ATM machine at Aventura Mall's Bank of America location on July 7. She tried withdrawing money three times unsuccessfully. Nelson Ronaldo Garcia-Medina, 20, Betsy Alejandra Cacho-Medina, 30, her boyfriend Rodney Choute, 38, and Kimberly Michelle Johnson, 34 could each spend 15 to 30 years behind bars, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle (pictured center) said at a Wednesday press conference Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said he was confident that the suspects would eventually be arrested: 'Today they got what they deserved and we're all much happier for it,' he said BEFORE: Rescue and recovery workers had spent nearly four weeks combing through and removing the rubble of the building. It is pictured on June 24 the day of its collapse The same day, the woman purchased a $957.65 pair of Christian Louboutin shoes at a store in Miami's design district using the card, per the store's CCTV footage. About 20 minutes later she was seen on another store's security cameras using Ortiz's card to buy a black Versace purse for $1,658.50. The next day, police said, Medina bought $220.57 in Target merchandise - she was seen toting the same Versace purse she had purchased the day before. Before leaving the store, police said, she made another unsuccessful attempt at withdrawing money from an ATM. Later that day around 4:30 pm, a black man who would later be identified by police as Choute is seen on security footage using Ortiz's credit card to attempt a purchase of $500 in Walgreens gift cards in Broward County. The next day police say Choute successfully bought $539.18 in Visa gift cards and merchandise from another Target in Pembroke Pines. Police paid a visit to the address given for the two cards, said the affidavit, and found that the mailboxes for the apartment building there was broken - anyone could access the mailbox for apartment 101. Then, Mendoza and Detective Kenneth Sealy of the Aventura Police Department used Medina's vehicle registration to get a copy of her California driver's license, which they said bore resemblance to the woman they had seen on CCTV footage. Ana Ortiz's husband, who also died in the collapse and was identified as 'F.K.' in the affadavit, was also victimized. Choute allegedly called Wells Fargo pretending to be the man, changing the address on the deceased man's account to the Hallandale drop box location. Another victim of the scam, whose initials are M.C., was out of town when the condominium collapsed and survived the disaster. Police determined that a replacement Barclays View Mastercard for Ortiz's deceased sister's bank account was sent to the same address after a woman claiming to be the account's owner called the bank July 6 'I want to get my card shipped to me at an alternative address... because I was a victim of the towers that just collapsed [in] Surfside,' Medina told a bank representative in a recording played during the press conference However, her personal information was compromised in the chaos, police said, and she allegedly told police that another person had accessed her Bank of America account, withdrawing approximately $3,500. Medina and Choute's names, as well as the name of the third suspect, Kimberly Johnson, had allegedly been registered on several victims' accounts. Then, on July 26, police said U.S. Postal Inspectors seized a Discover credit card statement addressed to another deceased victim of the disaster that was en route to the Hallandale address. This victim, whose initials are A.M., had 50 transactions attempted on her Discover card between July 7 and 24th. Over $30,000 was squeezed from the account, police said, by the scammers. Two black women, later identified by police as Medina and Johnson, were allegedly caught on CCTV footage using the card to buy $1,786.90 of Burberry merchandise from the Aventura Mall on July 21. Police said Johnson had the Hallandale address listed on her driver's license since March of 2020. The pair left in a 2015 white BMW that is allegedly co-registered to both Medina and Johnson, which is how police said they ascertained the second woman's identity. Three letters from FEMA, addressed to a fourth victim who had survived the collapse, were allegedly sent to the address as well - Medina also called the organization attempting to embezzle disaster relief funds. Much of the fraudulent calls, police said, were facilitated with a practice called 'porting' - the scammers called the victim's phone companies and tricking them into switching their phone information and data to a new number. Then, that number can be used to receive verification text messages sent by banks to account holder's phones. Detectives sifted through multiple fake IDs and registrations and found that Johnson rented an apartment at 831 NE 207th Lane #2-202, where Medina lived previously, police said - Medina gave a referral for Johnson to the building's management, claiming to be her sister. Medina, police learned, had moved into another apartment at 20905 NE 8th Court in Miami, allegedly using a fake social security card to secure her lease - Choute's name was also listed on that lease, and used a fake New Jersey driver's license. The license plate on another vehicle driven by Medina even bore a fake Florida license plate, police said. Johnson was arrested today at the 207th Lane apartment, according to her arrest warrant, while Medina and Choute were taken into custody at at 415 NE 142nd Street in North Miami, which police said is owned by one of Choute's relatives - the connection to the family member helped police verify his identity. Tracking technology from the FBI and Secret Service, attached clandestinely to the black BMW, was used to tie the couple to the North Miami address, police said. A fifth victim with the initials K.T. does not have a connection to the condo's collapse, police said. Another victim unrelated to the tragedy is 71 years old, police said, and had $10,000 stolen in total. Miami-Dade's Office of the State Attorney reported the arrests on Wednesday. The development comes more than two months after the Champlain Towers South collapsed suddenly on the night of June 24, leaving firefighters to comb the rubble for victims until mid-July. About a month after the tragedy relatives of those killed began reporting that credit cards were being taken out in their loved ones' names, according to the Miami Herald. One woman told the Miami Herald that she saw strange emails on her deceased sister's iPad the night before her funeral - they were automated notifications for password and information changes to the dead woman's bank accounts and detailed expensive purchases and withdrawals. 'I was home writing the eulogy. I don't know why, but I looked down. I saw notifications from Wells Fargo. I saw emails with money transfers. I didn't even know she had a Wells Fargo account,' she told the outlet. 'It was crazy. These people are professional. Who would do something like this?' 'I can't wait to put a face to these deeds right now, and I think all of South Florida is eager to see who would do something like this,' Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said to Local 10 before the identities of the perpetrators were announced 'What kind of person would do something like this? ... I wouldn't want to be that person right now.' When Champlain Towers South was completed in 1981, it was described as being one of the largest condo projects in Surfside's history. Shortly after June's disaster, it became clear that warnings about Champlain Towers South, had gone unheeded. A 2018 engineering report detailed cracked and degraded concrete support beams in the underground parking garage and other problems that would cost nearly $10 million to fix. The repairs did not happen, and the estimate grew to $15 million this year as the owners of the building's 136 units and its governing condo board squabbled over the cost, especially after a Surfside town inspector told them the building was safe. Investigators have yet to determine what caused about half of the 136-unit highrise to cave in on itself in one of the deadliest building collapses in U.S. history. The portion of the structure that was left standing, but unstable, was deliberately demolished about 10 days later. Chris Whitty and Boris Johnson today criticised Nicki Minaj for spreading an 'untrue' and 'ridiculous' myth that coronavirus vaccines can cause impotence - before she hit back on social media just minutes later. The Prime Minister said he would rather listen to NHS England's top GP Nikki Kanani about the jab as he and the Chief Medical Officer both condemned the remarks by the star, who has not yet been vaccinated. Minaj had been mocked after telling her 22million Twitter followers last night that her cousin will not get the vaccine because his friend allegedly became impotent after being jabbed and his fiance cancelled their wedding. The 38-year-old tweeted yesterday: 'My cousin in Trinidad won't get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you're comfortable with ur decision, not bullied.' Mr Whitty and Mr Johnson both criticised Minaj after being asked about what she said by a reporter during their press conference from Downing Street this afternoon. Minaj then took to Twitter again after watching a video of the two men speaking, saying: 'I love him even tho I guess this was a diss? The accent ugh! Yassss boo!!!' Moment later she recorded an audio message for Mr Johnson in a comedic British accent, tweeting: 'Send this to the Prime Minister and let him know they lied on me. I forgive him. No one else. Only him.' She said: 'Yes, hello Prime Minister, Boris, it's Nicki Minaj - I was just calling to tell you that you were so amazing on the news this morning. And I'm actually British. I was born there. I went to university there. I went to Oxford. I went to school with Margaret Thatcher. And she told me so many nice things about you. I'd love to send you my portfolio of my work, since you don't know much about me, I'm a big, big star in the United States.' Prince Andrew has been served with legal papers for the bombshell sexual assault lawsuit brought by the Jeffrey Epstein accuser who claims she was raped by the prince as a teen. According to a document filed on Friday, an affidavit of service was served at the Duke of York's home in Windsor, England, on August 27. An agent working on behalf of Virginia Roberts handed the papers over to police officers at the property, who agreed to hand them to the prince, according to the papers. The agent had tried the day before but was rebuffed and told that staff had been 'primed' not to accept any documents, the papers state. When the agent returned the next day, the police officers at the gate of Royal Lodge, Andrew's official residence, changed their mind and allowed him to leave the paperwork. Roberts, an alleged victim of convicted pedophile Epstein, filed a lawsuit against the Queen's son in federal court in Manhattan, New York, on August 9. She claims she was forced to have sex with the royal three times when she was 17 - under the age of consent in the US. Andrew has long denied the allegations and has not been charged with any crime. In a car-crash 2019 interview with the BBC, he claimed he had no memory of ever meeting Roberts, now a 38-year-old mother-of-three who lives in Australia and goes by her married name, Virginia Giuffre. A now-infamous photo, taken inside the London townhouse of Epstein's alleged madam Ghislaine Maxwell, shows Andrew smiling for the camera with his arm around Roberts' waist while Maxwell stands in the background. Scroll down for the full court documents Prince Andrew, Virginia Roberts, aged 17, and Ghislaine Maxwell at Ghislaine Maxwell's townhouse in London, Britain, in 2001. Prince Andrew was served at his home in Britain with paperwork for the bombshell sexual assault lawsuit According to a document filed on Friday (above), an affidavit of service was served at the Duke of York's home in Windsor, England on August 27 Virginia Roberts (left) claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17. Prince Andrew (right in April) has denied the allegations and has not been charged The documents filed on Friday state that Cesar Sepulveda with British corporate intelligence company GCW intelligence went to Andrew's home on August 26 at 9.30am where he met with security staff at the gate, handed over a business card and was asked to wait. The document says that 'after some time' Sepulveda met with a Metropolitan police officer who tried to call to see whether he could be let up. After more time passed, Andrew's head of security arrived and had 'apparently experienced the same difficulties and could not raise anyone in charge there'. The document states: 'The Metropolitan Police Officer/head of security could not locate the defendants private secretary, or anyone senior and the dependent was told that the security there had been instructed not to allow anyone attending there for the purpose of serving court papers onto the grounds of the property and at the time they had been told not to accept service of any court process.' Sepulveda said the officers said that anything he left with them 'would not be forwarded to the defendant and it appeared from the attendance that the security staff had already been primed not to allow anyone access onto the property to serve court process and had been instructed not to accept any service'. The following day Sepulveda returned to the Royal Lodge and a police officer at the entrance called a different supervisor who said that the documents could be left with the cops at the gate. The material would then be 'forwarded on to the legal team'. The document states that Sepulveda 'did enquire whether it was possible to meet personally with the defendant, but he was told that was not possible and although (Sepulveda) did ask the whereabouts of the defendant, the Metropolitan Police Officer said that he could not answer any questions.' Prince Andrew with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson leaving Windsor to drive to the Queen's Balmoral estate in Scotland Wednesday Prince Andrew walking with Jeffrey Epstein in Central Park, New York City in 2011 after the friends left Epstein's home in Manhattan Timeline of another dramatic month in the Prince Andrew case August 9 : Virginia Giuffre files a civil case in New York claiming Prince Andrew sexually abused her aged 17 : Virginia Giuffre files a civil case in New York claiming Prince Andrew sexually abused her aged 17 August 10 : Andrew arrives at Balmoral with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and is joined by Eugenie the next day : Andrew arrives at Balmoral with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and is joined by Eugenie the next day August 10 : US lawyers were allegedly trying to hold him up on his horse to serve him papers before he left. August 12: Dame Cressida Dick says she has told Met Police detectives to review the claims against Andrew August 13: Ms Giuffre's lawyer says Andrew will be served papers in person under the Hague Convention August 14: Epstein's telecoms specialist says he will swear on oath that he saw Andrew groping Ms Giuffre August 15: Andrew's friends say he is 'cheerful and relaxed' over the case in and will remain silent August 16: A source close to the US probe into Jeffrey Epstein says they view Andrew as a 'person of interest' September 7 : Andrew leaves Royal Lodge in Windsor and travels nearly 500 miles to Balmoral in Scotland : Andrew leaves Royal Lodge in Windsor and travels nearly 500 miles to Balmoral in Scotland September 10: A court document filed by Virginia Roberts' legal team says Andrew was served with the paperwork on August 27. A court document filed by Virginia Roberts' legal team says Andrew was served with the paperwork on August 27. September 13 : First telephone conference in the case is scheduled at Manhattan Federal Court in New York : First telephone conference in the case is scheduled at Manhattan Federal Court in New York December 8 : Deadline for Andrew to be served with court papers in person under the Hague Convention Advertisement Service of the papers starts the clock ticking for Andrew to respond or face a default judgement. Normally defendants have 21 days to respond but a judge may extend that given that the Duke is not in the US. The development comes ahead of the first hearing in the case which is set for Monday when Andrew's lawyers could identify themselves for the first time. Andrew was last spotted leaving Windsor Wednesday and heading to the Queen's estate in Balmoral, Scotland, for a lunch summit with the Queen. The royal had reportedly been laying low and trying to avoid multiple attempts by Roberts' legal team to serve him with the papers. Under the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR), papers must be served on all defendants within 120 days after a civil complaint is filed at court. Otherwise the action can be dismissed unless the plaintiff can 'show good cause for the delay'. US legal experts have said that, under the Geneva Convention, Andrew or his legal team - if he nominated them - must be served with the papers in person. Roberts' attorney David Boies told The Sun the legal team have been trying to serve the royal with the papers for the last month and that the prince and his team had avoided 'multiple attempts.' But, in the end, Boise said they managed to send them to the prince in five different ways. As well as handing them to the police officers at the gate of his Windsor residence, a copy was posted to his address via Royal Mail, a copy emailed to his US and UK lawyers, a copy emailed to the Duke of York's office and a copy emailed to his lawyers via Barbara Fontaine, Senior Master of the Queen's Bench Division. Boies said Andrew's lawyers had confirmed receipt of the copy sent via Fontaine - who was appointed by the Queen. Boies said he doesn't think the prince's legal team can 'ignore this.' 'We will make a report to the court of what we have done. If the court confirms Andrew has been served, the judge will give him a deadline to respond,' he told The Sun. 'I don't really believe his legal team are going to ignore this - but that's what they have done consistently, so maybe that will happen. 'If Andrew doesn't respond there can be a default judgement against him.' However, Gary Bloxsome, a lawyer with UK law firm Blackfords LLP who is said to be representing Andrew, wrote in a letter to Fontaine dated September 6 that the actions of Roberts' legal team were 'regrettable' and did not follow the right procedure. '[Giuffre's lawyers] have made several public, indeed well-publicised, attempts at irregular service of these proceedings in this jurisdiction, in at least one case accompanied by a media representative,' wrote Bloxsome in the letter obtained by ABC News. 'These have included attempted personal service of our client at his home, the instruction of a private process server, and attempts to email the proceedings not only to this firm, but to barristers (who are not authorised to conduct litigation) who are known to have acted for the Duke,' he continued. 'This is regrettable.' Bloxsome argued that, under UK legal procedures, a valid request for assistance from UK court officials must come from a judicial or diplomatic officer in the US, rather than Roberts' attorneys. Prince Andrew (left) arrives at Balmoral with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in the back of a Range Rover If the judge overseeing the case makes such a request 'then it is likely that our client will be content to agree to a convenient method of alternative service,' Bloxsome wrote. 'However, absent being satisfied of some very good reason to do so, our client is highly unlikely to be prepared to agree to any form of alternative service while the approach to service of these proceedings remains irregular and the viability of the claim remains open to doubt,' Bloxsome added. US District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who will hold Monday's hearing, will determine whether Andrew has been officially served with the papers. Roberts last month accused Andrew in a federal court in New York of battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times on the orders of his former friend Epstein. It was filed under a law in New York that relates to child abuse as Roberts was considered a minor at the time under the state law. It lists Roberts as the plaintiff and the defendant as 'Prince Andrew, Duke of York a/k/a Andrew Albert Christian Edward' as the defendant. The lawsuit claims that 'Prince Andrew intentionally committed battery by sexually assaulting Plaintiff when she was a minor. In a car-crash 2019 interview with the BBC (above), Andrew claimed he had no memory of ever meeting Roberts Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on March 11 2019 in London, England 'On multiple occasions Prince Andrew intentionally touched (Roberts) in an offensive and sexual manner without her consent'. The allegations says they are 'including but not limited to sexual misconduct as defined (as) rape in the third degree, rape in the first degree'. In a statement to ABC News when the lawsuit was filed, Roberts said: 'I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me. 'The powerful and the rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but one can reclaim her life by speaking out and demanding justice. 'I did not come to this decision lightly. As a mother and a wife, my family comes first. 'I know that this action will subject me to further attacks by Prince Andrew and his surrogates. But I knew that if I did not pursue this action, I would be letting them and victims everywhere down'. Roberts has made similar allegations before in US court documents but this is the first time she has sued the Duke directly. She claims that the first time she was forced to have sex with Andrew was at Maxwell's London townhouse. The second time, in early 2001, was at Epstein's New York mansion. The lawsuit states: 'During this encounter, Maxwell forced Plaintiff, a child, and another victim to sit on Prince Andrew's lap as Prince Andrew touched her. 'During his visit to New York, Prince Andrew forced Plaintiff to engage in sex acts against her will'. The third incident was on Epstein's private island in the Caribbean. During each incident, Roberts was 'compelled by express or implied threats by Epstein, Maxwell and/or Prince Andrew to engage in sexual acts' with the Duke. Roberts 'feared death or physical injury to herself or another and other repercussions for disobeying Epstein, Maxwell, and Prince Andrew due to their powerful connections, wealth, and authority', it is claimed. Roberts (pictured) claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions when she was just 17 - under the age of consent in the US Andrew allegedly had sex with Roberts knowing she was a victim of sex trafficking, it is claimed. The Duke also knew her age from 'communications with Epstein and Maxwell'. The lawsuit claims: 'Prince Andrew sexually abused (Roberts) for the purpose of gratifying his sexual desires.' The two formal allegations are battery and infliction of emotional distress. Under the claim for battery, the lawsuit states Andrew's actions 'constitute sexual offenses as defined in (New York law) including but not limited to sexual misconduct as defined (as) rape in the third degree, rape in the first degree'. It also claims the Duke's conduct amounted to 'forcible touching, sexual abuse in the third degree, and sexual abuse in the first degree'. The 'sexual assault' Roberts caused her 'significant emotional and psychological distress and harm', it is claimed. The lawsuit states: 'As a direct and proximate result of Prince Andrew's criminal acts, Plaintiff has in the past and will in the future continue to suffer substantial damages, including extreme emotional distress, humiliation, fear, psychological trauma, loss of dignity and self-esteem, and invasion of her privacy'. The filing mentions that Andrew has failed to cooperate with the criminal investigation by the FBI into Epstein and Maxwell, despite promising to do so in his disastrous BBC Newsnight interview. The lawsuit states: 'In this country no person, whether President or Prince, is above the law, and no person, no matter how powerless or vulnerable, can be deprived of the law's protection. 'Twenty years ago Prince Andrew's wealth, power, position, and connections enabled him to abuse a frightened, vulnerable child with no one there to protect her. 'It is long past the time for him to be held to account.' Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000. Epstein was found hanging in his cell in Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York in August 2019 while awaiting trial Under the section of the lawsuit that deals with the formal allegation of intentional infliction of emotional distress, the lawsuit is withering about the Duke. It says: 'Prince Andrew's actions, described above, constitute extreme and outrageous conduct that shocks the conscience. 'Prince Andrew's sexual abuse of a child who he knew was a sex-trafficking victim, and when he was approximately 40 years old, goes beyond all possible bounds of decency and is intolerable in a civilized community'. The lawsuit claims that Andrew was one of the 'powerful men' who Epstein loaned Roberts out to for sex. The document accuses the Duke of 'publicly feigning ignorance about the scope of Epstein's sex-trafficking operation and sympathy for Epstein's victims' then refusing to cooperate with the FBI. Andrew stepped away from royal duties after his friendship with Epstein surfaced in 2019. The prince was spotted meeting up with Epstein in 2011 - following Epstein's 2008 conviction for child prostitution. He has said he regrets his friendship with Epstein. Epstein was found hanging in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan August 2019 while awaiting trial on new charges of sexually abusing girls as young as 14 and young women in New York and Florida in the early 2000s. His death was ruled a suicide but his attorneys and some family members claim he was murdered to stop him from sharing what he knows about other high profile, powerful people. His alleged accomplice Maxwell, 59, was arrested in July 2020 on federal sex trafficking charges. She is expected to stand trial in November accused of procuring girls as young as 14 for Epstein to sexually abuse between 1994 and 2004. The British-born socialite denies the allegations. Justice Stephen Breyer warned against increasing the size of the Supreme Court during interviews to promote his new book Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer warned on Friday that increasing the size of the Supreme Court risked damaging trust in the court and said progressives packing with the bench with likeminded judges would simply push conservatives to do the same. 'What goes around comes around - and if the Democrats can do it, the Republicans can do it,' Breyer, 83, told NPR on Friday. Breyer - who has come under pressure from liberals to retire so President Joe Biden can nominate with a younger, progressive judge - made the remark while promoting his new book 'The Authority of the Court and the Peril of Politics- In a separate interview with Fox News' Chris Wallace, set to air in full on Sunday, Breyer again cautioned against remaking a court that currently has a 6-3 conservative majority. 'One party could do it, I guess another party could do it,' he stated. 'On the surface, it seems to me that you start changing these things around, and people will lose trust in the Court.' THIS SUNDAY: "It seems to me you start changing all these things around and people will lose trust in the Court." Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer sits down with Chris for a wide-ranging interview, discussing Court packing and much more. Tune in! pic.twitter.com/PyLse6lzEZ FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) September 10, 2021 Breyer (seated, second from right) is the senior member of the court's three-judge liberal wing. They saw their numbers decrease from four to three, triggering calls for reform President Biden has set up a commission to examine reforming the Supreme Court but has remained tight-lipped on his own position Breyer is the senior member of its three-judge liberal wing. They saw their number reduced under President Trump who nominated three conservative justices during his time in office (replacing two conservatives and one liberal.) As a result, progressives are pushing to increase liberal representation and President Biden has set up a commission to study potential changes to the court. Breyer said maintaining public trust was essential to the role of the court. And he cited comments made by former Senate Democratic Leade Harry Reid after the 2000 presidential election, when the Supreme Court essentially ruled that George W. Bush won the race. 'He said the most remarkable thing about this case is, even though probably half the country didn't like it at all, and it was totally wrong, in his opinion and in mine, people followed it, and they didn't throw brickbats at each other and they didn't have riots,' Breyer said. The push for reform took on added urgency for liberals last week with the court's 5-4 decision not to block a strict Texas law that bans almost all abortions - without even any exceptions for rape or incest. Breyer said the unsigned opinion 'was very, very, very wrong - Ill add one more very.' Chief Justice John Roberts joined the courts three liberals in arguing the law should be blocked as legal challenges play out. The new law allows private citizens to sue anyone who helps a women obtain an abortion, setting a $10,000 penalty to be paid by the defendant if they lose in court. 'We thought that that particular case should not be decided just on an emergency basis but its a procedural matter and so well see what happens in that area when we get a substantive matter in front of us,' said Breyer. He was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton in 1994. And last month, it emerged that Biden had resisted pressure from liberals to ask Breyer to step down. For his part, Breyer gave no hints of when he might retire. 'When exactly I should retire, or will retire, has many complex parts to it. I think I'm aware of most of them, and I am, and will consider them,' he told NPR. House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy and his team are quietly working to aide some of the incumbent Republican lawmakers targeted by Donald Trump, a move that could put him in the former president's crosshairs at a time he's trying to become speaker. Half of the 10 Republicans who voted for Trump's second impeachment, for inciting the January 6th insurrection, participate in a joint fundraising committee with McCarthy and his leadership PAC, which has raised roughly $100,000 for each of the five campaigns in the first half of the year, CNN revealed on Friday. That number does not include Republican Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, who have invoked the fury of Trump and many conservative lawmakers for serving on the special committee investigating the insurrection. The five are: Reps. David Valadao of California, Jamie Herrera Beutler of Washington state, John Katko of New York, and Fred Upton and Peter Meijer, both of Michigan. Valadao and Katko are long time allies of McCarthy. House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy and his team are quietly working to aide some of the incumbent Republican lawmakers targeted by Donald Trump Donald Trump has been vocal and public about his desire for vengeance against those who voted for his impeachment, interfering in primaries and backing opponents McCarthy's political committee also donated $10,000 to Republican Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio in March. Gonzalez also voted for Trump's impeachment and the former president is supporting an opponent to him, his former aide Max Miller, in the Republican primary. Some of those primary opponents had tough words for McCarthy. 'McCarthy is talking out of one side of his mouth, saying that he supports the MAGA movement, Trump and President Trump's policies, but his money is supporting Jaime Herrera Beutler and four of the other impeachment voters,' Joe Kent, a Trump-backed primary challenger to Herrera Beutler, told CNN. 'It's just part of the GOP grift. So me and the rest of the base, we've kind of heard enough from them.' Herrera Beutler was almost called in as a witness in Trump's second impeachment trial after she revealed details about McCarthy and Trump's phone call on January 6th. She is the one who revealed that the two men spoke that day. The situation puts McCarthy in a tough spot. With his desire to be speaker should Republicans win back control of the House, he needs all of his incumbents to win re-election. But Trump has been vocal and public about his desire for vengeance against those who voted for his impeachment, interfering in primaries and backing opponents to those he sees disloyal. Republican Reps. Jamie Herrera Beutler of Washington state (left) and Fred Upton of Michigan (right) are two particularly vulnerable GOP lawmakers for the 2022 midterms Donald Trump and Kevin McCarthy together at Mar-a-Lago Some of those Republicans Trump is targeting - like Herrera Beutler and Upton - are in key swing districts where there are fears that, if the more conservative candidate Trump favors wins the primary, the GOP could lose the general election. Trump was originally angry at McCarthy for to taking to the House floor on January 6th, hours after the Capitol building was cleared of MAGA supporters, to say Trump 'bears responsibility' for what happened. McCarthy later traveled to Mar-a-Lago to mend fences and the two men are seen as allies again. An associate of Rudy Giuliani who helped him look for dirt on then-candidate Joe Biden in Ukraine pleaded guilty on Friday to charges stemming from allegations he helped illegally fund Republican candidates with Ukrainian cash in the 2020 election. Igor Fruman, a Florida businessman, pleaded guilty to a single count of solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national in a Manhattan federal court after reaching a deal with prosecutors. Part of that deal includes him not having to cooperate with the government in other cases, and was made weeks before two other men charged alongside him are expected to face trial. They are Soviet-born Florida businessman Lev Parnas, also linked to Giuliani, and Ukrainian-born investor Andrey Kukushkin. In court Friday, Fruman said the donation scheme was part of an effort to encourage support for a fledgling marijuana distribution business that he and others were starting in states where the drug was being legalized. Igor Fruman pled guilty to a single count of solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national in a Manhattan federal court Friday Fruman sent text messages to a foreign donor and that persons agent seeking $1 million in political contributions in the relevant states. That the foreign national wired two $500,000 installments for that purpose, US attorney Nicolas Roos said. The donor is Russian businessman Andrei Muraviev, a lawyer for one of the defendants revealed. Muraviev invested in a California-based marijuana company alongside Kukushkin, records show. Some of the donations made during the campaign to win support for the marijuana business went into the campaign coffers of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Fruman apologized in court. He said he was not aware of laws prohibiting foreign campaign contributions when he was involved in the scheme. He and Lev Parnas were arrested in October 2019 over charges related to hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to a group supporting former President Donald Trump's re-election effort and other Republican operations. They had been aiding Giuliani's effort to pressure Ukrainian officials to investigate now-President Joe Biden and his son Hunter over alleged corruption. Fruman (second from left) and Lev Parnas (third from left) were close associates of Rudy Giuliani who helped him try to dig up dirt on Joe Biden in Ukraine Photos show Fruman had met with Donald Trump and his family on more than one occasion (picture posted 2018) Giuliani was not charged in this specific case but is facing a federal criminal probe over his dealings in Ukraine The federal campaign finance violations they were slapped with were the first criminal charges related to the Ukraine scandal, which motivated Trump's first impeachment. Fruman did not plead guilty to those charges, and his Friday guilty plea means the case against him is over. Giuliani denies knowing anything about the illegal campaign contributions though he acknowledged working with Fruman and Parnas when trying to contact Ukrainian officials. The former Trump lawyer was not charged in this case but is under a federal criminal investigation for his dealings with Ukraine in the lead-up to the 2020 election. Federal agents raided Giuliani's Manhattan home and office in April and seized computers and cellphones, signaling a major escalation of the investigation. Authorities are deciding whether Giulianis activities required him to register as a foreign agent. Giuliani has insisted his Ukrainian activities were conducted on behalf of Trump, not a foreign entity or person. Fruman faces up to five years in prison, the judge said. His sentencing is scheduled for January 21. New York City subway riders who were trapped in the dark after the transit system was crippled for five hours can blame one MTA employee who pressed the wrong button and not a power outage, investigators said Friday. The unnamed MTA employee pushed the 'emergency power off' button around 8.30pm on August 29, according to HDR and WSP, the engineering firms hired to perform the investigation, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said. The numbered lines, as well as the L train, were affected - half of the city transit system - leaving 80 trains and more than 500 passengers affected, according to The Washington Post. Five trains were still in the tunnels when the power went out, with the last one pulling into the station around 1.30am. Hochul (pictured outside Bowling Green Subway Station) reported that two other trains were evacuated by authorities and the remaining train was able to eventually re-platform The numbered lines and the L trains were affected. The system was not fully restored until approximately 1.30am, leaving passengers on the trains for up to five hours Half of the New York City subway line shut down on August 21 after an MTA employee pressed the 'emergency power off' button, causing the system to lost signal and connection with the Rail Control Center Electrical company Con Edison reported a momentary power interruption around 8.30pm that lasted only milliseconds and said it could not have caused the power failure, according to Bloomberg. However, the blip reportedly forced the power system onto a backup generator. When the power switched back to the main system, a surge happened, causing the subway to lose communication and signal with the Rail Control Center, investigators found. The Rail Control Center was reportedly working to restore the power after mechanical equipment stopped functioning properly while this happened. During this time, the employee reportedly pressed the button, which caused all the electrical equipment connected to power distribution units to fail at 9.06pm. Investigation reports indicate the power was restored by 10.30pm after leaving passengers in the dark for 84 minutes. Officials are blaming human error for the delays because of inadequate organizational structure and lack of guidelines, according to the Washington Post. An investigation was launched to understand why the Rail Control Center and the trains lose signal to each other and make sure it doesn't happen again. New York Governor Kathy Hochul reported that two trains 'self-evacuated,' meaning passengers exited the subways cars and walked along the tracks instead of waiting for authorities. This delayed restoration efforts because the New York Fire Department had to ensure no passengers were left on the tracks. In addition, Hochul said that two trains were successfully evacuated by authorities and the remaining train was re-platformed. A total of 80 trains and more than 500 passengers were affected. Fives trains were stuck in the tunnels. New York Governor reported at a press conference that two trains 'self-evacuated,' meaning passengers exited the trains and walked on the tracks instead of waiting for authorities to safely evacuate them She has launched an investigation into the matter to make sure New Yorkers never have to experience this 'scary situation' or the 'anxiety' of being trapped underground again. She also stated 'it is our jobs to restore that confidence' in the NYC transit system for all New Yorkers 'This is a scary situation. Again, this is something we don't want New Yorkers to ever have to experience again,' Hochul said at a press conference on August 30 standing stood outside the Bowling Green Subway Station. 'It was a scary time, if it's 15 minutes, you just don't know when you're underground what's happening. And I don't want anyone to go through that anxiety.' Two days after the subway system shut down, New York City experienced heavy flooding due to Hurricane Ida, forcing all subway lines to be suspended and several New Jersey Transit trains were effected as well. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also issued a travel ban from midnight to 5am and effectively shut down all five boroughs, a first in history. New Jersey Transit's Train 3881 got stuck for 10 hours after the tracks flooded, leaving passengers with no bathrooms or ventilation. The train left New York's Penn Station at 7.43pm on September 1 and was bound for Trenton when it became disabled east of Newark International Airport around 8.30pm, a spokesperson for the transportation agency told CNN. Passengers crammed into cars at one end of the train after three cars at the other end took on a few inches of water, according to NJ Transit. Just a few hours into being marooned, the train's air-conditioning and ventilation went with the electricity. NJ Transit's Train 3881 was stuck without power or ventilation for 10 hours on September 1 Heavy flooding across New York and New Jersey from Hurricane Ida left passengers stranded. The train left New York's Penn Station at 7.43pm on September 1 and was bound for Trenton when it became disabled east of Newark International Airport Some passengers didn't make it to their destinations until 7am due to the flooding It was nearly six hours before the roughly 200 passengers on board received any relief, when cops arrived and opened the doors around 4am to give them water. But they remained stranded until a rescue train was able to tow them to the Newark Airport station an hour later. From there, the passengers were able to get on other trains - with several recounting to CNN that they didn't make it to their destinations until well after 7am. 'I am directing mitigation steps to ensure riders are not interrupted by these causes ever again. New Yorkers deserve absolute confidence in a fully functioning subway system, and it is our job to restore that confidence,' Hochul said at the time. She thanked the train conductors for handling the majority of the situation and keeping passengers informed. 'I do want to thank all the transit workers, especially the conductors, who had the weight of responsibility on their shoulders. To go through all the trains, sometimes 10 in number, to let people know verbally what they were experiencing,' she said. 'There was no communication than what the conductor could say on the PA system or verbally on the trains.' Students from the University of Florida say education about the 9/11 attacks 'should avoid placing blame' and called for a stop to perpetuating ideas of 'American exceptionalism' in the latest example of woke ideas run amok on college campuses. Ahead of the 20th anniversary, student reporter Ophelie Jacobson surveyed students at the Gainesville campus to ask their opinions about education surrounding the terrorist attacks on September 1, 2001. She noted that students today were too young- or not alive -during the 9/11 attacks to have their own memories of the tragic events. Most students said that they did not remember learning about the 9/11 attacks extensively during their schooling. However, most did agree that educators 'should avoid placing blame' to avoid bolstering Islamophobia and should be careful to explain that the terrorists were extremists. They also suggested that the curriculum on the 9/11 attacks should not perpetuate ideas of 'American exceptionalism.' Campus Reformer student reporter Ophelie Jacobson (pictured right) asked students from the University of Florida to share their opinions on how the 9/11 attacks should be taught Many of the students surveyed agreed that 9/11 lessons 'should avoid placing blame' and 'American exceptionalism.' One student (pictured center), claimed American exceptionalism 'rooted in a lot of colonialist and imperialist notions of how we should treat other people' American exceptionalism is the ideology that the United States is inherently different and better than other nations. One female student told Jacobson that the U.S. should 'stop propagating this idea that our nation is best no matter what.' According to one student, American exceptionalism is 'rooted in a lot of colonialist and imperialist notions of how we should treat other people.' Another student claimed that American exceptionalism continues as the country often skips over the 'bad parts' of history to make our country appear better. Jacobson reports for the Campus Reformer, a conservative college news organization whose stated mission is to expose 'liberal bias and abuse on the nation's college campuses.' The Campus Reformer is bankrolled by the Leadership Institute, a nonprofit that has trained conservative activists for nearly 40 years. Her article was published less than two weeks after the Virginia Department of Education was slammed for promoting a teacher training video which instructs teachers to avoid calling the 9/11 killers 'terrorists', and to avoid promoting 'American exceptionalism' during lessons about the attacks. The nearly two-hour long video, which has since been removed, was posted on the VDOE's YouTube channel to promote a 'culturally responsive and inclusive 9/11 commemoration' to guide teachers how to broach the sensitive subject 'in a way that does not cause harm.' Students enrolled in school today were very young or not alive on September 11, 2001 The 9/11 attacks killed 2,977 people in what has remained the deadliest foreign attack on U.S. soil 'American exceptionalism' has become a hot button subject ahead of the 20th anniversary of the attacks on September 1, 2001 But the advice was blasted by some parents as 'woke-washing the 9/11 attacks', and 'hijacking history'. The instructional video shared as part of VDOE's VA Equity webinar series was lead by American University School of Education professorial lecturer Amaarah DeCuir. DeCuir shared her 'Webinar In's & Out's' listing ways she deems appropriate or inappropriate to teach about the events surrounding the 9/11 attacks. She claimed that asking students to 'stand and condemn 9/11' in a performative way would be 'highly inappropriate.' She also suggested that teachers use the word 'extremists' instead of 'terrorists' to further 'disrupt this false equivalency of Muslims and terrorism.' 'I choose to use the word extremists and I use this based on the scholarship of other scholars and activists in the community that will also use this word to describe the perpetrators of the crimes associated with 9/11,' she said. She warned of the consequences of teaching American exceptionalism instead turning the focus to 'our shared humanity.' 'We're also not going to reproduce what's understood as American exceptionalism this understanding that America is a land at the top of a beautiful mountain and that all other countries, nations, and people are less than America,' she said. The training video posted by the Virginia Department of Education (DOE) was lead by American University School of Education professorial lecturer Amaarah DeCuir (pictured). The video has since been removed The nearly two-hour long video comes ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and instructs teachers to avoid promoting American exceptionalism during their lessons 'We're not going to reproduce notions that American history and American experiences are more significant than the experiences or histories of other people,' she continued. 'So we're going to begin with a common understanding of our shared humanity, regardless of our national, racial, linguistic or religious origins.' DeCuir reminded teachers of the importance 'to plan our 9/11 lessons in a way that does not seek to reproduce anti-Muslim racism.' 'We're not going to reproduce a false assumption of Muslim responsibility for 9/11. We're just going to begin right there and name that there is no responsibility and therefore we're not going to use this space to try and untangle this.' 'Do not use this day to amplify the extremists themselves and don't use the day to amplify their acts on 9/11. You name what happened and that's it,' she added. DeCuir encouraged teachers to 'extend expectations of 'equity'' to all students, humanize Muslim students, acknowledge anti-Muslim racism, and pushes them to continue to learn. The video training advised teachers to avoid the 'false assumption of Muslim responsibility for 9/11,' anti-Muslim rhetoric, analyses of US foreign policies, and American exceptionalism. The VDOE did not respond to DailyMail.com for a comment. An Instagram star with nearly two million OnlyFans followers has countersued her mogul ex-boyfriend, claiming he sexually assaulted her on the first day they met and bought her $70,000 worth of Louboutins on Rodeo Drive the next day as a 'peace offering'. Multimillionaire Las Vegas timeshare tycoon Stephen J Cloobeck, 59, sued his Canadian ex-girlfriend Stefanie Gurzanski, 26, back in March and claimed she secretly took nude photos in his mansions and jets to sell on OnlyFans, where she goes by Baby G. Gurzanski also is well known for her racy photos on Instagram, where she has 1.8million followers. Stephen J. Cloobeck, 59, (left) has accused his ex-girlfriend Stephanie Gurzanski, 26, (right) of secretly taking nude photos in his mansions and jets to sell on OnlyFans In court filings, Cloobeck shared racy images such as the one above that he said Gurzanski had taken behind his back in his mansion and private jet to share online Instagram star Stefanie Gurzanski claims her ex-boyfriend sexually assaulted her on the first day they met and bought her $70,000 worth of Louboutins the next day as a 'peace offering' Cloobeck also accused her of duping him out of $1.3million to lavish her with expensive gifts. Six months later Gurzanski has counter-sued over claims her ex, who she dated for only five months, defamed and sexually assaulted her, according to Page Six. The lawsuit said that in July 2020, on the first day the two met in Cloobeck's home for lunch, an acquaintance left the pair alone and 'Cloobeck, without permission or consent, proceeded to stand up, forcibly grab Ms Gurzanski, pull up her dress and put his head between her legs,' as reported by Page Six. 'The following day, Cloobeck contacted Ms Gurzanski and told her that he wanted to take her shopping on Rodeo Drive as a peace offering,' the suit added. Cloobeck accused her of duping him out of $1.3million to lavish her with expensive gifts yet took Gurzanski on shopping trips where he would spend 'thousands upon thousands of dollars' Cloobeck claims his relationship with the model unraveled in December 2020 after he discovered her true modeling pursuits. Above are images included in his legal filings An attorney for Cloobeck told DailyMail.com that the billionaire 'never forced himself on her (or anyone else)', claiming that Gurzanski had 'contradicted' herself in sworn testimony. 'Cloobeck has only engaged in consensual sexual relationships and has never assaulted nor battered anyone, including Gurzanski. He treated her as a queen,' Patricia Glaser of Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro said. 'Her claims in the cross complaint are far-fetched even for the serial liar she has proven to be.' The lawyer said Gurzanski's cross-complaint is 'filled with fantastical lies, delusional accusations and revisionist history' and 'a brazen attempt to extort additional cash' from her ex. In the countersuit, documents state that Cloobeck 'chose the stores that they went to' and when they arrived at a Christian Louboutin shop, he 'instructed the store manager to pick out shoes for Ms Gurzanski'. When the manager returned with shoes Cloobeck and Gurzanski then said 'yes' or 'no'. According to Page Six: 'In the end Cloobeck... purchased and gifted approximately $70,000 worth of shoes to Ms Gurzanski. Throughout the rest of the shopping trip, Cloobeck purchased thousands upon thousands of dollars of gifts for Ms Gurzanski.' After Cloobeck, who sold his Diamond Resorts company for $2billion in 2016, 'acted kindly and with courtesy' towards Gurzanksi, she 'convinced herself that he had become a new man,' the court documents said. Cloobeck claims Gurzanski was using him for his money while selling nudes on OnlyFans (above) without his knowledge, after she claimed to be a 'legitimate fashion model' Cloobeck 'chose the stores that they went to' and when they arrived at a Louboutin shop, he 'instructed the store manager to pick out shoes for Ms Gurzanski' It also noted that the model was 'confused and disoriented' by Cloobeck, who was a 'self-proclaimed man of almost limitless wealth and political power'. Referring to the incident on the day they met, the suit added: 'Unfortunately for Ms Gurzanski, she was not prepared to deal with emotions and consequences of Cloobeck's vile act, and like many abused individuals who do not believe that they could have been in such a situation, she did her best to rationalize and excuse what happened.' According to Page Six Cloobeck also demanded Gurzanski stop appearing on OnlyFans. In total, Cloobeck alleges that Gurzanski racked up $185,000 in unauthorized charges on his American Express account, while posing for racy shots at his mansion Gurzanski is also suing him for defamation after he allegedly wrote a letter to her apartment building manager falsely claiming she is 'an illegal sex worker' when their relationship went south. She decided to break up with him in December 2020 over the nagging and, as stated in papers filed to California Supreme Court, he then harassed her with phone calls and texts threatening to destroy her life by bankrupting her with lawsuits. Cloobeck also allegedly claimed he could call in political favors to derail the Canadian's attempts to get a green card. A judge granted Gurzanski a temporary restraining order against him in January 2021, a month after a bitter Cloobeck initially filed his lawsuit. A judge granted Gurzanski, pictured, a temporary restraining order against him in January 2021, a month after a bitter Cloobeck initially filed his lawsuit Cloobeck (pictured) also allegedly claimed he could call in political favors to derail the Canadian's attempts to get a green card The businessman stopped at nothing and later issued a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court that leveled explosive allegations that Gurzanski was a 'con artist' who bilked him for $1.3million in gifts over the course of their relationship. Cloobeck accused Gurzanski of tricking him into believing she was a legitimate fashion model. But in reality, he claimed, she made her living selling pornography on the subscription site OnlyFans, using his lavish lifestyle behind his back as a backdrop for her X-rated shoots - including while his teenage daughter was in the house. Cloobeck argued that the pornographic photos 'clearly depict and identify' his property in an invasion of his privacy, and have caused 'irreparable harm' to his reputation as a businessman and political donor. 'She posed in the bathroom of his jet, in his private suite at The Mansion at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, in his bedrooms, on a yacht he rented, and anywhere else where she could sneak a photo to peddle on the internet,' the complaint stated. The mogul said that he believed Gurzanski wanted to pursue a lifelong relationship after she 'professed her love' for him but that all along she was just using him for his money. Cloobeck, who has an estimated net worth of $100million, met the much-younger Guzanski through a mutual friend in the summer of 2020 soon after splitting with his wife of 22 years. The two seemed to 'hit it off immediately,' according to court documents. The infatuated Cloobeck 'spent nearly every waking moment with' the young model and splurged to buy her jewelry, lavish parties, private jet trips as well as paying her lease for a luxury apartment in Beverly Hills,' according to court documents. All the while, the smitten Cloobeck said he was splashing out on extravagant gifts for the young model. In the lawsuit he filed earlier this year he claimed when that wasn't enough, she ran up tens of thousands in unauthorized charges on his credit cars. In one instance, Cloobeck said he gave her a credit card to make a $2,120 purchase at Louis Vuitton, but alleged she ran amok with the plastic, racking up $26,323.80 in charges for designer items. Other expenses charged to Cloobeck's cards included shopping sprees at Sephora, Richemont jewelry and Dior, the lawsuit claimed. 'Gurzanski also used Cloobeck's credit card to purchase over 100 bikinis and items of lingerie, which she then used as props in her pornographic OnlyFans posts,' the complaint stated. 'She posed in the bathroom of his jet, in his private suite at The Mansion at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, in his bedrooms, on a yacht he rented, and anywhere else where she could sneak a photo to peddle on the internet,' the complaint states In total, Cloobeck alleged that Gurzanski racked up $185,000 in unauthorized charges on his American Express account Cloobeck, the founder and former CEO of Diamond Resorts International as well as a prominent Democratic donor, is seen with Barack Obama at a 2011 fundraiser in Las Vegas In December 2020 alone, she charged more than $72,500 to Cloobeck's credit card - and even splashed out $1,800 on caviar after the mogul dumped her, according to the suit. In total, Cloobeck alleged that Gurzanski racked up $185,000 in unauthorized charges on his American Express account. But his gifts to her - authorized charges - were just as lavish. For her birthday party at the El Dorado Beach Club in Cabo San Lucas, Cloobeck said he spent $7,000 on caviar and bought 80 bottles of Domaine Ott wine and 12 bottles of Don Julio 1942 tequila. He said other party expenses included $13,000 worth of 'swag bags' for her friends, which each included 10 customized items embossed with Gurzanski's photos and nickname 'Baby G' plus $30,000 worth of Chanel handbags gifted to her and her five friends. Other gifts from Cloobeck to the young model included a $200,000 Richard Mille watch, a $40,000 Audemars Piguet watch and a $40,000 diamond-encrusted Cartier 'Love' bracelet, he said. When the timeshare titan did finally discover Gurzanski's OnlyFans pursuits, he said that she responded to his request to take down all images of his properties with a demand that he buy her a $7million mansion and give her $2million in cash, which he declined. Cloobeck's suit called Gurzanski a 'cunning fraudster,' and sought to recover the funds and items that Gurzanski obtained from him in the course of her relationship. The defense attorneys for a Connecticut physical therapist accused of killing his wife, their three children and the family dog at their Disney town home in central Florida want his initial confession excluded from his trial, arguing that it was obtained illegally. Anthony Todt, 45, talked to detectives when he was arrested at the hospital following the January 2020 killings. But they did not properly inform him of his Miranda rights before the interview, Assistant Public Defender Peter Schmer said in an August 31 motion. The motion also said that Todt was also 'suicidal' and had diminished capacity because he was under the influence of a Benadryl overdose, the Orlando Sentinel reported. A defense lawyer for Anthony Todt (left), who is accused of murdering his wife, three children and the family dog (right), has filed a motion seeking to have his initial confession excluded from his trial, arguing that it was obtained illegally The victims' decomposing bodies were found inside their Celebration, Florida, home two weeks after their January 2020 killings Schmer said the combination of factors led to an invalid waiver of Todts rights. The lawyer further argued that detectives may have been 'tempted to cut corners' to obtain a confession in their rush to solve the high profile murder 'with no available concrete evidence.' Todt has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of animal cruelty in the killings of Megan Todt, 42, and their children, Alek, 13, Tyler, 11, and Zoe, 4. The familys dog Breezy was also killed. The victims were drugged with Benadryl, suffocated, stabbed and left to rot for two weeks inside their Celebration, Florida, near Disney World. Todt worked in Connecticut and spent weekends in Florida with his family. Federal authorities and Osceola County Sheriffs deputies found the victims' decomposing bodies on January 13, 2020, when they went to the home to arrest Todt on insurance fraud charges related to his physical therapy business. Todt's public defender argued that he was not fully Mirandized, and that he was also 'suicidal' and had diminished capacity because he was under the influence of a Benadryl overdose Todt has pleaded not guilty and blamed his wife for killing their children before taking her own life while he was away The victims were wrapped in blankets and had stab wounds and toxic amounts of Benadryl in their bodies, according to autopsy reports. Schmer contends in the motion that Osceola Sheriffs detectives Cole Miller and Ryan Quinn recited an 'incomplete' Miranda warning when they interviewed Todt. During the initial interview, Todt told detectives that his 'heads spinning a little.' He also said '... Im foggy. Im in a fog right now,' the motion said. Following the first confession, the detectives interrogated Todt two more times and read him the full Miranda warning before Todt repeated his involvement in their deaths, the motion said. The father had allegedly drugged his family members with Benadryl before stabbing them. This image shows boxes of Benadryl that were seized by police in January A knife stained with what appears to be blood is seen after being seized by deputies A T-shirt and boxer shorts belonging to Tyler Todt, 11, are seen stained with what appears to be blood after officials said the boy had been stabbed in the stomach Todt has since blamed his wife for the slayings in a letter to his father and in a jailhouse phone conversation with his sister, claiming that it was Megan who killed their children and then herself after prior unsuccessful attempts, and that he could not stop her because he was not in the home at the time. Schmer argued Todts emotional state made him 'unable to execute a knowing, intelligent and voluntary waiver of his Miranda rights.' A September 20 hearing is scheduled to determine whether Todts confession should be excluded from his trial, which is set to get under way a week later. A man set off an explosive outside the home of the mother of his child on Friday, creating a blast that shattered windows and blew a door off its hinges. The suspect, who has not been named, was said to have been suffering a psychotic episode when he lit the commercial firework outside the Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn apartment building. The victim, who was at home with another adult and two children, was not hurt in the blast. A man set off an explosive outside the home of the mother of his child on Friday, creating a blast that shattered windows and blew a door off its hinges Police are still on the hunt for the suspected perpetrator, who also shattered the windshields of parked cars with a hammer as he left the scene on his motorbike The suspect, who has not been named, was said to have been suffering a psychotic episode when he lit the commercial firework outside the Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn apartment building But the explosion on the eve of the 20th anniversary of 9/11 did spark fears it could be terror related - something the NYPD has since ruled out. 'We can see him light the explosive device,' Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. 'It blows out the windows. It damages an interior door it blows in the door...This is a horrible act.' Police are still on the hunt for the suspected perpetrator, who also shattered the windshields of parked cars with a hammer as he left the scene on his motorbike. Fourteen total windshields were bashed, according to the New York Daily News. The victim, who was at home with another adult and two children, was not hurt in the blast Fourteen total windshields were bashed in the incident But the explosion on the eve of the 20th anniversary of 9/11 did spark fears it could be terror related - something the NYPD has since ruled out The New York City Fire Department received reports of smoke coming from the area around 7.45 am, police said, and Gonzalez arrived at the scene to survey the damage at 8 am. Authorities determined that the device was a firework - not a bomb - after the New York Police Department's Bomb Squad checked it out, the Daily News said. There were no injuries reported, per a police incident report. They said the suspect is black and was wearing a blue shorts and a blue shirt. His bike helmet was black and green. 'This doesn't appear to be related to 9/11 or any kinds of terrorism,' Gonzalez said to the Daily News. 'There seems to have been a domestic issue... He will be brought to justice for what he did, but everyone inside, Thank God, is fine.' 'For him to do that, it shocked me, because he is not that type of person, as far as I know,' a witness who claimed to know the perpetrator told CBS New York. The pair were deported to India and were granted early release just months later Aulakh threatened murdered wife Geeta's sister Anita Shinh if she came to India Their freedom let them harass UK-based relatives of the victim Geeta Aulakh, 28 Harpreet Aulakh, 43, and Sher Singh, 30, walked out of jail in the city of Amritsar Two murderers deported from Britain to serve their life sentences in India were released months after their arrival in a staggering breach of the prisoner transfer agreement between the two countries. Harpreet Aulakh, 43, and Sher Singh, 30, were able to hold celebratory parties and fire guns soon after walking out of jail in the city of Amritsar. Their freedom allowed them to harass the UK-based relatives of their victim by repeatedly phoning them and sending death threats via social media. Aulakh threatened his murdered wife Geeta's sister Anita Shinh, saying: 'When you come to India, I will kill you.' He was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 28 years after being found guilty at the Old Bailey of masterminding the murder of Mrs Aulakh, 28, in 2009. Harpreet Aulakh (pictured), 43, and Sher Singh, 30, were able to hold celebratory parties and fire guns soon after walking out of jail in the city of Amritsar Aulakh paid Singh who was jailed for life with a minimum of 22 years 5,000 to kill his wife after she asked him for a divorce. Mrs Aulakh, who suffered domestic violence during their ten-year marriage, was butchered in the street with a 14in machete as she went to collect their two sons from a childminder in Greenford, west London. After the trial, Judge David Paget said: 'It is difficult to think of a more vicious and brutal way of killing anybody.' Aulakh and Singh, Indian nationals who had entered Britain illegally, started their life sentences in December 2010. Eight years later, they were deported to India under a prisoner transfer scheme and were expected to serve the rest of their sentences behind bars. Aulakh had 20 years left and Singh 14 before they were eligible for parole. Aulak was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 28 years after being found guilty at the Old Bailey of masterminding the murder of his wife Geeta Aulakh (pictured), 28, in 2009 But astonishingly, the pair were granted early release months later and celebrated by holding parties with large groups of men. They documented their freedom on Facebook, proudly posing with grinning friends. In one video, Aulakh is seen firing two shots from a pistol into the sky at an open-air party. And a photo shows him with his hands on his hips next to a marijuana field. Days after his release, he used Facebook to harass his two teenage sons, whom he has been banned from contacting. Taunting his victim's sister over his release from jail, Aulakh wrote: 'What about getting life? You know what I mean.' Mrs Shinh, a long-haul flight attendant who lives in west London, said: 'He is laughing at me because he has walked free, even though an Old Bailey judge put him in jail for a minimum of 28 years. Aulakh paid Singh (pictured, who was jailed for life with a minimum of 22 years, 5,000 to kill his wife after she asked him for a divorce 'What was the point in spending all that money on a trial and keeping them in a maximum-security prison in Britain, for them to walk free in India as soon as they arrive? 'I'll never get my sister back, but knowing that her killers are out many years too early makes it much worse.' Mrs Shinh, 41, complained to the Ministry of Justice and after initial scepticism, civil servants were shocked to discover the truth. She received a letter from Justice Secretary Robert Buckland apologising for the 'deep distress caused by the early release' of the pair. He said he had raised the matter with Indian government officials and had been assured the pair had been returned to prison. In the letter, Mr Buckland said steps were being taken to ensure the killers serve the rest of their sentence in full. While the pair are understood to have been put back in jail, their experience is likely to be very different from a maximum security prison in the UK. Sources told the Mail it was common for criminals to be granted 'weekend furlough' so they could visit friends and relatives. And a month after Mr Buckland's letter, more videos and pictures of the pair partying outside jail appeared on social media. One showed Singh, 30, posing with what appeared to be an AK-47 assault rifle. And last year, a video emerged of a bare-chested Aulakh laughing and drinking beer with Singh at a party. The background clearly shows they are not in a prison. Earlier this year Singh, who had been moved to a jail in western Punjab, escaped when staff allegedly 'turned a blind eye'. Three prison officials were suspended for negligence. Singh is still at large. Their freedom allowed them to harass UK-based relatives of their victim. Aulakh threatened his wife Geeta's sister Anita Shinh (pictured with her parents Lakhwinder and Nardesh) Yesterday Indian officials assured their British counterparts that Aulakh is now in jail. But multiple sources told the Mail he only has to sign in at the prison each day before being allowed to move freely in society. 'Aulakh is well connected in Punjab and has a powerful uncle,' a source said. 'Everyone has a price in India and he will have paid people off to enjoy his freedom.' Mrs Shinh said: 'These men are still out. I have the threats to prove it. Do I wait for Aulakh to get a fake passport, come over to England and kill us all off before anyone believes me? 'He and Singh slipped into Britain illegally the first time round, so there is no reason they couldn't do it again.' She added: 'The UK Government is sending back murderers, allowing them to walk free.' A source close to the original investigation that brought the killers to justice said: 'It's shameful that it was allowed to happen. 'I feel disappointed for the family. They expect to see justice served for the full length of the sentences and they haven't got that.' A Government spokesman said: 'These reports are extremely concerning and we have raised this as a matter of urgency with the Indian authorities.' The Indian justice department did not respond to requests for a comment. Shakespearean actor Sir Antony Sher has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, his husband revealed yesterday. Greg Doran also announced he would be taking compassionate leave from his role as artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company to care for Sir Antony, 72. One of Prince Charless favourite actors, he is best known as a star of the RSC, playing many of the great tragic heroes, including King Lear and Macbeth. Greg Doran, right, also announced he would be taking compassionate leave from his role as artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company to care for Sir Antony, 72, left He won fans more widely through television roles, such as The History Man in 1981, while his film work includes Shakespeare In Love and Mrs Brown. Sir Antony was born in South Africa and moved to the UK aged 19. He joined the RSC in 1982 and went on to win the first of two Olivier awards three years later, for playing Richard III. His last role with the company was in 2019. He starred in Kunene And The King, playing a cantankerous ageing actor who hopes to overcome severe liver cancer to travel to Cape Town to play Lear. Sir Antony and Mr Doran became one of the first gay couples to enter into a civil partnership in the UK in 2005 and married in 2015. Yesterday Mr Doran, 62, said in a statement: I am very sorry to say that my husband, Tony Sher, has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and in order to look after him, and with the agreement of the board, I will be taking a period of compassionate leave with immediate effect. I expect to return in early 2022. Nigel Hugill, chairman of the RSC, said: All our thoughts are very much with Greg and Tony at this extremely difficult time. Henry IV Part I and II by William Shakespeare and directed by Gregory Doran at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Royal Shakespeare Company Among the tributes to the couple posted on social media, actor Eddie Marsan wrote: When I worked with Antony I was blown away by his amazing commitment, talent and kindness. Sir Antony, who was knighted in 2000, said that of all his roles, Macbeth was the most challenging. Hes so wonderfully complex, he told the Guardian in 2013. He has strange little soliloquies early on in the play, in which hes flirting with the idea of murdering the king. But then he says he wont and when he does, he botches it, and freaks out at the sight of blood. The Biden administration is reportedly considering allowing Taipei to use the name 'Taiwan' for its office in Washington, a move that would anger Beijing, which lays claim to the democratically ruled island. Details emerged on Friday, hours after President Biden held his second call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping since becoming president in an attempt to thaw frosty relations. Several people familiar with internal discussions told the Financial Times that Washington was seriously considering a request from Taiwan to change the name of its mission from the 'Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office' to 'Taiwan Representative Office.' One source said the idea had the backing of Kurt Campbell, White House Asia adviser, as well as State Department Asia officials and wide support within the National Security Council. But any change would likely trigger the fury of China. It claims Taiwan as its own and has pressured foreign companies and governments to refer to the island as Chinese territory. President Biden (r) risks triggering an angry response from Chinese leader Xi Jinping if his administration goes ahead with a proposal to allow Taiwan to change the name of its mission in Washington from the 'Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office' to 'Taiwan Representative Office.' China has pressured host countries not to allow Taiwan to use 'Taiwan' or 'Republic of China' in the names of their representative offices around the world The Chinese embassy in Washington warned the Biden administration against any change. 'It must stop any official interaction with Taiwan, refrain from sending any wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces or attempting to challenge Chinas bottom line, and properly and prudently handle Taiwan-related matters, so as not to seriously damage China-US relations and cross-Strait peace and stability,' an embassy spokesperson told the newspaper. The National Security Council declined to comment. The report emerged amid intense scrutiny of Biden's position on Taiwan as he ratchets up tension with China. The status of the island is one of many factors under review at the White House, the State Department and the Pentagon, review their Asia strategy for a new phase of competition with China. In a sign of how Taiwan could become a flashpoint, the island's air force scrambled on Sunday to respond to a major Chinese military incursion into their 'air defence identification zone' of 19 aircraft which included several nuclear-capable bombers. Taiwanese authorities have complained for several months that China's air force has exercised threatening behaviour near their territory by flying regular military operations, often in the southwestern part of its air defence zone near the Pratas Islands. Last month U.S. officials had to play down comments in which Biden appeared to suggest the U.S. would defend the island if it were attacked, a departure from Washington's long-held stance of 'strategic ambiguity.' In an ABC interview, Biden was asked about the impact of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and Chinese warnings to Taiwan that Washington was an unreliable partner. In his response, Biden included Taiwan with countries that Washington has explicitly committed to defend. Taiwanese combat aircraft were last week dispatched to warn away Chinese aircraft which had flown between the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands and the mainland, while missile systems were deployed to monitor them, said Taiwanese authorities 'They are ... entities weve made agreements with based on not a civil war theyre having on that island or in South Korea, but on an agreement where they have a unity government that, in fact, is trying to keep bad guys from doing bad things to them,' he said. 'We have made kept every commitment. We made a sacred commitment to Article 5 that if in fact anyone were to invade or take action against our NATO allies, we would respond. Same with Japan, same with South Korea, same with - Taiwan. Its not even comparable to talk about that.' Officials were forced to say that nothing had changed. But any change in the name of the mission in Washington would be a boost for Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen who has seen Beijing increase pressure on other nations to remove the word 'Taiwan' from its overseas' offices. Seven of Taipeis missions in countries without diplomatic recognition, including Nigeria, Jordan and Ecuador, had 'Taiwan' or 'Republic of China' removed from their names by their host countries in recent years. And this year, China recalled its ambassador to Lithuania after Taiwan opened an office in its capital Vilnius called the 'Taiwanese Representative Office.' Florida's First District Court of Appeals reinstated the state's ban on mask mandates in schools on Friday after Governor Ron DeSantis filed an emergency appeal hours after a judge ruled against his executive order for the second time. 'No surprise here the 1st DCA has restored the right of parents to make the best decisions for their children, De Santis wrote on Twitter after the reinstatement. I will continue to fight for parents rights. The ruling is the latest in the legal battle between DeSantis and school districts defying his order after a significant, statewide surge of COVID-19 cases. 'No surprise here the 1st DCA has restored the right of parents to make the best decisions for their children, De Santis wrote on Twitter after the reinstatement. I will continue to fight for parents rights, he then added DeSantis filed the motion around 7.30 p.m. Wednesday, on the heels of Leon County Judge John Cooper's second ruling siding with parents who filed a lawsuit against the governor's mask ban on August 26. It's also DeSantis second instance appealing Cooper's decision amid a back-and-forth war over school mask mandates that seems to be nowhere near its end. The judge's decision on Wednesday momentarily lifted the ban and revoked DeSantis's order to withhold funding from two school districts that defied the ban and have continued to enforce mask use. Now the ban is back in force after the appeals court ruled in favor of DeSantis. Florida's First District Court of Appeals reinstated the state's ban on mask mandates in schools on Friday after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis filed an emergency appeal when a Leon County circuit judge initially blocked the order The ruling is the latest development in an ongoing saga between the state and several local school districts as some Florida schools are fighting for legal mask mandates after a significant, statewide surge of COVID-19 cases. Pictured are masked students in Florida last month DeSantis's lawyers, along with Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, the Florida Department of Education and the State Board of Education had accused Cooper of overstepping his powers as a judge, citing that the state should be the one in charge of COVID-19 restrictions. 'The adequate level of safety in schools and other public settings is a political question reserved entirely for elected representatives who are publicly accountable,' 'Therefore, in finding irreparable harm, the trial court should not have substituted its own health policy preferences or risk assessments for those of the governor or, more importantly, the state health officer and surgeon general,' the motion read. The court's decree means the state can now go after schools financially if they decide to impose mask mandates. A spokesperson for DeSantis, Christina Pushaw, praised the decision on Twitter. '1st District Court of Appeals just granted the State of Florida's request to reinstate the stay - meaning, the rule requiring ALL Florida school districts to protect parents' rights to make choices about masking kids is BACK in effect!' Pushaw proudly declared Friday. '1st District Court of Appeals just granted the State of Florida's request to reinstate the stay - meaning, the rule requiring ALL Florida school districts to protect parents' rights to make choices about masking kids is BACK in effect!' DeSantis' spokesperson Christina Pushaw proudly declared Friday after the governor's motion went through The ruling comes despite objections from concerned parents who fear DeSantis' policy could cause 'irreparable harm' to their children amid an unprecedented rise of COVID-19 cases in the Sunshine State. Cooper ruled last month ruled that the state could not penalize districts that impose strict mask mandates, as long as the schools can prove that the policy is 'reasonable' and necessary to achieve a 'compelling state interest.' DeSantis appealed Coopers decision, and Friday, the state court agreed to overturn Cooper's ruling and side with the governor. 'Upon our review of the trial court's final judgment and the operative pleadings, we have serious doubts about standing, jurisdiction, and other threshold matters,' the state's motion reads, in response to Cooper's initial ruling. Charles Gallagher, the lead attorney for the group of parents suing the state over its mask mandate, said of the new ruling: 'We are disappointed by the ruling and will be seeking pass-through jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Florida. With a stay in place, students, parents and teachers are back in harm's way.' DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran have been embroiled in a bitter courtroom battle with parents over the state's erratic mask orders, as a multitude of districts have imposed mandates amid the states worst COVID-19 outbreak yet. Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper has been locked in a legal battle with DeSantis over school mask mandates President Joe Biden 's administration announced yesterday the creation of a new grant designed specifically to cover any fines or withholding of funds that school districts face because of their mask rules. Republicans nationwide tore into Biden on Thursday after he announced he'd use an emergency order to force businesses with 100 or more employees to mandate vaccines or weekly COVID testing Thirteen of Florida's 67 school districts currently have mask requirements. In contrast, the state has begun to withhold funds equivalent to monthly salaries of school board members in Alachua and Broward counties, and have begun looking in for other counties that are not playing ball. This all comes the day after President Joe Biden's administration announcing the creation of a new grant designed specifically to cover any fines or withholding of funds that school districts face because of their mask rules. Republicans nationwide tore into Biden on Thursday after he announced he'd use an emergency order to force businesses with 100 or more employees to mandate vaccines or weekly COVID testing. 'Forcing this and coercing people, I don't think is the right decision. I'd imagine that you're gonna see a lot of activity in the courts if they try to do that through an executive action,' DeSantis said during a press conference Thursday. comes amid the state's worst coronavirus outbreak since the start of the pandemic, driven largely by the spread of the Indian delta variant. As of the last week in August, 705 new cases were being reported per 100,000 people in Florida, and the state was averaging 244 deaths from the virus per day, according to the CDC. More than 46,000 residents of the Sunshine State have died from the virus, data from Johns Hopkins University shows. In a positive sign that Florida's surge might be subsiding, though, hospitalizations from Covid-19 have dropped over the past two weeks from more than 17,000 to 14,200 on Friday. Overall, about 53.5 percent of Florida's total population has been vaccinated. Additionally, nationwide, the country continues to see a surge in coronavirus cases with a seven-day moving average of 153,000 new cases over the past week, a 4.9 percent increase over the previous week. Despite this surge of cases, DeSantis recently also placed ban on vaccine passports, which will go into effect on September 16. Businesses that ask for proof of vaccination may be fined up to $5,000. Washington, DC's nonvoting delegate to the House of Representatives did not release a small herd of zebras that have been running rampant across the capital's suburbs for a week, she claimed in a humorous statement released Friday. Authorities were first alerted to six zebras that reportedly escaped a private Maryland farm 20 miles away from Washington on August 31. Since then they've been spotted behind backyards and grazing in fields that are common in the rural area. But on Friday, DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton wanted the world to know she had nothing to do with it. In a statement headlined 'Norton Denies Responsibility for Setting Zebras Free, Supports Freedom Generally,' the Congresswoman revealed that 'a member of the public' had accused her of being the culprit. DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton put out the statement on Friday after the zebras had been loose for about a week They have been spotted behind backyards and grazing fields in the rural Maryland area The unknown accuser 'noted that, historically, Norton has valued the principle of consent of the governed, most notably in the fight for statehood for the District,' she said in the introduction to her statement. The DC delegate has long been known for spearheading efforts to get statehood for her city, which currently has no voting rights in the House or Senate. 'Local news has reported that the zebras were let loose on Saturday or Sunday of last weekend, a period of time during which I was enjoying quiet time at home with family,' Norton wrote. 'My alibi is solid, but given my career of fighting for statehood for the District, which includes years of explaining the importance of having consent of the governed, and given my recent opposition to fences, I can understand why the charge was made. Norton wished the owners luck in finding their animals and expressed hope they would 'live long, full lives.' A herd of 39 zebras - also known as a 'zeal' or 'dazzle' of zebras - reportedly live on a farm in Maryland. It's believed the six animals escaped from there. Norton also posted her humorous statement to Twitter, ending it by wishing the runaway zebras 'long, full lives' They are legally owned and were brought to the farm from Florida roughly two weeks prior, the New York Times reports. Prince Georges County Animal Services Division chief Rodney Taylor told the outlet he doesn't know why the zebras are being held in Maryland, but that they aren't part of a zoo or other public display. The same farm also housed black-handed spider monkeys, dromedaries, mandrills, red kangaroos, brown lemurs, capybaras and gibbons, Department of Agriculture records show. Taylor described efforts to corral the zebras to a local ABC affiliate on Wednesday. 'You cant hunt them down. Theyre just too fast, they run, they wont let you get near them,' he said. Taylor said authorities have set up a feeding station for the animals and they are 'winning their confidence,' adding the zebras now regularly eat there in the early morning hours between 2 a.m. and 4 p.m. After the zebras are comfortable enough Taylor said they will add 'corral panels' around the feeding station and slowly create a closed pen where they will be tranquilized and returned to the farm. He mentioned the exotic animal farm where they escaped from has had one other runaway - but couldn't say which creature it was. A Missouri city saw its entire police force resign in the span of two weeks after its police chief, sergeant and three officers all quit, citing low pay and being unequipped to do their jobs. Kimberling City Police Chief Craig Alexander tendered his resignation on August 23, with officers Shaun McCafferty, Rutger House, Caleb McCarty, and Sgt. Aaron Hoeft following suit. 'It will be a struggle to fill the police department back up with qualified officers, but hopefully they can start working on that soon and get that accomplished,' Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader, whose department will overlook policing of the city until the department is fully staffed again, told KY3. Kimberling City Mayor Fritz called the resignations 'unexpected and the short notice disappointing.' The Kimberling City Police Department consisted of six officers. After one member retired in July, the rest began to submit their resignations in August and September Kimberling Mayor Bob Fritz, left, said he was surprised by the sudden resignations of Sergeant Aaron Hoeft and Chief Craig Alexander. Both officers said they could not do their best under the constraints of Fritz's administration, citing poor pay and lack of qualified personnel Alexander, left, will move on from the Kimberling Police Department to the nearby Branson West Police Department. He is pictured with his wife, Marisa Fritz said that Alexander had spoken to him about the resignation for 45 minutes as he discussed taking a position at the nearby Branson West Police Department to help 'better himself' and make a much-needed change in his life. Alexander had first joined the Kimberling City Police Department in 2002, and was promoted to chief in 2013, Branson Tri Lakes News reported. The city, with a population of 2,600, is about 250 miles southwest of St. Louis. 'I tried to remain a servant to the people and the officers I worked with. I always wanted this department to be the best it could be,' Alexander said. 'But today is my last day. I am no longer able to do my very best under the current administration, and the citizens deserve the very best.' Fritz claimed the discussion with Alexander was amicable, but he was surprised by the sudden resignations of the other officers. He had reached out to Hoeft to ask him to take over as interim chief, but the sergeant later told him that without a police clerk or qualified officers for 'at this pay rate,' it would be impossible for Hoeft to do the job to the best of his ability. Chief Craig Alexander, left, helped put out a dumpster fire with officer Caleb McCarty The department, pictured in 2016, will lose all its current members in the coming weeks Fritz, second from the left, said he had no early warning about the back-to-back resignations In his letter of resignation, McCafferty informed the mayor that he would be joining Alexander at Branson West, and House and McCarty offered no explanation for their resignations, Fritz said. A sixth member had retired in July and had not been replaced, leaving the department with only five officers. 'It is unfortunate that the officers had to leave the city at this time. It is all unexpected. I had no earlier warning that the officers were going to do this. I talked to the officers last week to try to encourage them and see what I could do as mayor. They said nothing.' Fritz's political rival and former mayor Jason Hulliung, ultimately blamed Frtiz and his administration for the city's loss of all its officers at once. 'The simple fact is when you have that much expertise leaving your community there is a bigger problem. We have an amazing police department that has unbelievable support from the community. For these guys who started their careers, in most cases, in Kimberling City, who have been here for 18 plus years, to leave this job took a really heartfelt decision to make that move,' Hulliung said. The officers' resignations come as cops from all over the US are quit or retiring early in droves. A recent survey found that there has been a 45% increase in the retirement rate and a nearly 20% increase in resignation from officers in 2020-2021 compared to the previous year, according to NPR. The number of officers to leave Seattle Police Department has been in free fall since last year, but the trend started in 2015 In Seattle, the city's police department saw about 250 officers quit since the start of 2020, with another 200 set to lose their jobs because they are refusing the city's vaccine mandate. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a July conference that the city needed to address this problem urgently. 'As a city, we cannot continue on this current trajectory of losing police officers. 'Over the past 17 months, the Seattle Police Department has lost 250 police officers which is the equivalent of over 300,000 service hours. We're on path to losing 300 police officers.' White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki brushed off a question at Friday's press briefing about the new vaccine mandate for employers with more than 100 workers and why it should not also apply to migrants at the southern border. She got asked about the juxtaposed policies by Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy, who regularly peppers Biden with questions about the border. The reporter at first asked her 'why is it it that you're trying to require anybody with a job, or anybody who has a job, or anybody who goes to school, to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but you're not requiring that of migrants who continue to walk across the southern border.' Psaki responded that the objective is 'to get as many people vaccinated across the country as humanly possible,' adding that when 'more people are vaccinated, whether they are migrants or whether they are workers, protects more people in the United States.' White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the goal was 'to get as many people vaccinated across the country as humanly possible,' but breezed by a question about why businesses face a new mandate without a policy for vaccinating migrants at the southern border Doocy then pressed Psaki, saying: 'Vaccines are required for people at a business with more than 100 people. It is not a requirment for migrants at the border. Why?' 'That's correct,' she responded, quickly brushing off the question and moving on. The Homeland Security Department said in a report early last month that it was monitoring the situation at the border but did not make a final decision on whether to provide Johnson & Johnson shots to migrants who come into US custody. According to a report last month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been stepping up vaccinations, but thousands of immigrants have refused. DHS is not conducting enforcement activities near vaccination sites in an effort to boost vaccines. Some Republicans, including Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, have argued against vaccinating immigrants without legal status. Officials want to guard against outbreaks at US facilities, and avoid further spread within the community. Asylum-seeking migrants' families wait in line while the U.S. National Guard officer unlock the gate and escort out of a private property after crossing the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico in Roma, Texas, U.S., August 26, 2021 President Joe Biden speaks in the State Dining Room at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in Washington. Biden is announcing sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant About 75% of eligible adults in the U.S. have gotten at least one jab of the vaccine Psaki touched on the immigration issue at a briefing where she defended Biden's new vaccine mandates a day after he announced they would apply to all federal workers and contractors, as well as the large businesses, who could face fines of nearly $14,000 for failing to comply. The private sector workers could submit to weekly testing if they do not provide proof of vaccination, although the vaccine mandate would apply to federal workers and contractors. A host of Republican governors have already threatened to sue. 'This is a way to implement OSHA regulations that, by the way, are part of what is the fedearl law for more than 15 years,' she said. 'That's why we have the ability to do this.' She was referring to Labor law establishing a 'Temporary Standard Code' for OSHA, when it finds 'substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or to new hazards.' Republican governors aren't satisfy, and are threatening to sue. Biden himself said in December during the transition when asked about vaccines: I don't think it should be mandatory, I wouldn't demand it to be mandatory, but I would do everything in my power...as president of the United States to convince people to do the right thing. On Friday, he appeared to welcome a legal battle. 'Have at it,' he said, when asked about the potential suits while touring a DC school. 'I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids, so cavalier with the health of their communities,' he said. The Republican National Committee threatened to sue to roll back Biden's new vaccine orders within hours after he issued them Thursday, calling the effort 'unconstitutional.' 'Many small businesses and workers do not have the money or legal resources to fight Biden's unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees,' RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. A number of GOP governors have also threatened to sue. Critics of Cressida Dick vented their outrage last night after she was granted a two-year extension at Scotland Yard. Stephen Lawrence's father blamed the Met chief for two 'disastrous' decisions that had ended his hope of seeing every member of the racist gang who killed his son face justice. Angrily attacking Home Secretary Priti Patel's decision to keep Dame Cressida on, Neville Lawrence said the officer had twice 'betrayed the trust' he had placed in her. He was joined in his condemnation by the family of Jean Charles de Menezes, who was mistakenly shot dead in an operation headed by Dame Cressida. Angrily attacking Home Secretary Priti Patel's decision to keep Dame Cressida on, Neville Lawrence (pictured) said the officer had twice 'betrayed the trust' he had placed in her The Scotland Yard commissioner 'should have been fired long ago, not had her contract extended,' Maria de Menezes, 76, said last night from her home in Brazil. Dr Lawrence said the first 'disastrous' setback in bringing his son's killers to justice came in 2012 when Dame Cressida enforced the retirement of Clive Driscoll, a brilliant detective whose five-year re-investigation resulted in two of Stephen's killers being jailed for life. The second setback came last summer, when Dame Cressida asked Dr Lawrence and his former wife Baroness Lawrence to Scotland Yard to break the devastating news that, although at least three of the murderers remain at large, the landmark case was being closed. 'If they want Cressida Dick for another two years, it's up to them, but as far as I'm concerned she has done nothing to deserve it,' Dr Lawrence said last night from his Jamaican home. Last summer, Dame Cressida (pictured) told Dr Lawrence and Baroness Lawrence that although at least three of Stephen's murderers remain at large, the case was being closed 'I thought she would drive through the changes that are badly needed in the Met, and make it a better place, but since she became commissioner, what has she done? Nothing. 'In my view, the Metropolitan Police is an apartheid organisation. And the job they were intended to do to protect the public from crime, regardless of who they are the Met no longer do that. 'They are stopping reputable people because of their colour, even parliamentarians and people driving home with their children.' Dr Lawrence blamed the Met chief for two 'disastrous' decisions that ended his hope of seeing justice for Stephen (pictured) Dame Cressida was gold commander when innocent electrician Jean Charles de Menezes, 27, was pinned down and shot dead at Stockwell tube station having been mistaken for a suicide bomber. His mother said: 'I have always held her complicit in Jean's death. I knew she wasn't the right person to command a police force and it causes me pain every day that she was given this position. She should have been fired long ago. 'Jean's death was a brutality which should never have happened and if she was a good leader who knew how to control her officers he might still be alive today.' Radio DJ Paul Gambaccini, who was arrested during Operation Yewtree in 2013 and spent a year on bail before the case was dropped, joined six other victims of police malpractice to write to Boris Johnson earlier this week urging him to appoint a different commissioner. He said it was a 'very foolish' decision to extend Dame Cressida's leadership. However she was last night given the full support of the Metropolitan Police Federation, which represents more than 30,000 rank-and-file officers in London. Its chairman Ken Marsh said that her 'ability to communicate with officers of all ranks was quite incredible'. Dame Cressida said she was 'immensely honoured' by her renewed appointment. A decision that's wrong, deluded and naked self-interest: STUART LAWRENCE condemns Met chief Cressida Dick's two-year extension The extension of Dame Cressida Dick's tenure as commissioner of the Metropolitan Police is not simply wrong, it is outrageous. She has put her career and the reputation of the Met before the need for reform. If Dick had been able to take a long hard look at herself and the extent of her failings in recent years, she would go quietly and with some dignity intact. But her decision to cling on until April 2024 helps no one. Not Dame Cressida herself, as her reputation will be further tarnished by this naked display of self-delusion at best, self-interest at worse. And certainly not the Met. It is an institution in desperate need of someone new, someone who is not mired in the failures and shortcomings of several major policing scandals if it is to meet the needs of the people it serves and to fulfil its role to seek the truth, and bring justice for all, regardless of who or what this might expose or embarrass. Our family is still waiting for the hearings into the corruption and misconduct in the investigation into my brother Stephen's murder. We still want to know the truth about why things happened the way they did. The extension of Dame Cressida Dick's tenure as commissioner of the Metropolitan Police is not simply wrong, it is outrageous, says Stuart Lawrence (pictured) Dame Cressida's decision to stay on sends a clear signal to us and to many others who are still waiting for answers and action on allegations of police corruption, malpractice, mismanagement and misconduct in the Met in several high-profile cases. That signal is: you can keep on waiting... Dame Cressida and I have met on several occasions. She seemed sincere in her desire to really make a difference. As a family, we had high hopes that at long last we would learn the truth about Stephen's murder and about the corruption and institutionalised racism that prevented him from getting justice. At last, we thought, this Met commissioner really means it. It gives me no pleasure at all to say it, but we have been bitterly disappointed. Since we met her in 2017 when she was appointed as the first female Met commissioner, for all her promises, not one corrupt police officer has been held to account. She has constantly ducked the chance to make a difference. Part of me thinks we should not have expected anything different. Dame Cressida has been in the Met for nearly 30 years, so I supposed it's not entirely surprising that she is institutionalised. But then again I think about what we tell our children about dealing with their mistakes: To admit them and to find out why they happened and to learn from them so they don't do the same again. I wish that Dame Cressida Dick (pictured) had had the moral courage to accept that in her four-year tenure she has failed to make a difference. She has to take responsibility This is what the Met needed to do but under Dick it has utterly failed to deliver that. Instead of exposing failings, the Met has simply brushed them aside, closing ranks. So we can only wonder how far and how deep the corruption goes. There has been plenty of lip service paid to rooting out racism and corruption, and endless reports with many redactions but no real action or reform. Yes there have been some improvements made in the 28 years since Stephen's murder, but I believe the system is still corrupt. The Met needs a bold, radical new leader to make meaningful change, to take on the entrenched culture and behaviour that works against justice, not for it. I wish that Dame Cressida had had the moral courage to accept that in her four-year tenure she has failed to make a difference. She has to take responsibility: the Met is a top-down organisation so truly the buck stops with her. I don't know what she hopes to achieve in the next two years but as far as we as a family are concerned, it'll be another two years of no answers, no justice, no real change. We can only hope that, when she finally does go, the Met will get a leader who is fearless enough to ensure that the whole, raw, gritty, truth is revealed, no matter how painful for the institution. Stuart Lawrence has worked for the Home Office, in the criminal justice system, as a secondary school teacher and as a graphic designer. His brother Stephen was murdered by racist thugs in south-east London in 1993. Despite the initial police probe being riddled with allegations of serious misconduct and gross incompetence no officers have been held to account. Prince Andrew has finally been served legal papers over a civil case for rape and sexual assault. They were accepted by the security chief at his Windsor home after weeks of 'avoiding' officials, court documents dramatically revealed. The clock is now ticking on the Duke of York, who has 21 days to respond or he will face a default judgment. But last night Andrew's lawyers claimed the papers were not properly served and they plan to boycott Monday's court hearing into the accusations lodged by Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Roberts. Prince Andrew, Virginia Roberts, aged 17, and Ghislaine Maxwell at Ghislaine Maxwell's townhouse in London, Britain, in 2001. Prince Andrew was served at his home in Britain with paperwork for the bombshell sexual assault lawsuit The prince's team also hopes to get the case thrown out on a technicality. In a legal filing, his solicitor Gary Bloxsome said the document Miss Roberts signed in 2009 may make her action invalid. It is the first indication of how the prince and his lawyers intend to fight the case after weeks of silence. Yesterday a new affidavit was also lodged in New York from a London-based 'corporate investigator and process server', Cesar Augusto Sepulveda, who was employed to personally serve Andrew with court papers relating to the US action. He records how he first went to Royal Lodge, Andrew's Windsor mansion, on August 12 and was met by Metropolitan Police officers guarding the gate who told him they 'could not raise anyone in charge'. They said they had been 'instructed not to allow anyone attending there for the purpose of serving court process on the grounds of the property'. And they added that no documentation would be forwarded on, leaving the server with the strong impression they had been 'primed'. But Mr Sepulveda returned on August 27 and was told he could now leave his papers and they would be forwarded. In other court documents, Roberts' lawyer David Boies detailed the extensive efforts they went to in order to serve Andrew. They said that on August 12, four days after filing the lawsuit, he sent copies of the summons and the complaint to five different lawyers from three law firms who they had 'reason to believe' represented the Duke. On the same day Boies' team emailed the same documents doy.office@royal.uk, the Duke of York's public email, and got a response acknowledging the email. On August 18, a copy of the complaint and summons was sent to Blair Berk, the Los Angeles lawyer who reportedly represents Andrew. The next day Clare Montgomery of Matrix Chambers in London replied that she was 'not authorized' to accept service on behalf of the Duke. On August 26, Boies said that his lawyers sent Andrew a copy of the summons and the complaint at Royal Lodge via a same-day courier service. They also sent a copy by regular post in the UK and via FedEx, which was sent on August 16 and was delivered on August 20. According to Boies these measures ensure they have 'properly served' the summons according to the rules of the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial Documents, to which the US and UK are parties. Virginia Roberts (left) claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17. Prince Andrew (right in April) has denied the allegations and has not been charged Timeline of another dramatic month in the Prince Andrew case August 9 : Virginia Giuffre files a civil case in New York claiming Prince Andrew sexually abused her aged 17 : Virginia Giuffre files a civil case in New York claiming Prince Andrew sexually abused her aged 17 August 10 : Andrew arrives at Balmoral with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and is joined by Eugenie the next day : Andrew arrives at Balmoral with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and is joined by Eugenie the next day August 10 : US lawyers were allegedly trying to hold him up on his horse to serve him papers before he left. August 12: Dame Cressida Dick says she has told Met Police detectives to review the claims against Andrew August 13: Ms Giuffre's lawyer says Andrew will be served papers in person under the Hague Convention August 14: Epstein's telecoms specialist says he will swear on oath that he saw Andrew groping Ms Giuffre August 15: Andrew's friends say he is 'cheerful and relaxed' over the case in and will remain silent August 16: A source close to the US probe into Jeffrey Epstein says they view Andrew as a 'person of interest' September 7 : Andrew leaves Royal Lodge in Windsor and travels nearly 500 miles to Balmoral in Scotland : Andrew leaves Royal Lodge in Windsor and travels nearly 500 miles to Balmoral in Scotland September 10: A court document filed by Virginia Roberts' legal team says Andrew was served with the paperwork on August 27. A court document filed by Virginia Roberts' legal team says Andrew was served with the paperwork on August 27. September 13 : First telephone conference in the case is scheduled at Manhattan Federal Court in New York : First telephone conference in the case is scheduled at Manhattan Federal Court in New York December 8 : Deadline for Andrew to be served with court papers in person under the Hague Convention Advertisement The serving has now been ratified under civil procedure rules as required by the Supreme Court of England and Wales. There was no comment from the Duke of York's legal team last night. They are now trying to access the sealed document Miss Roberts signed via the US courts because they believe it may prevent the case from progressing. The initial hearing is at 9pm UK time on Monday in a conference call before a Manhattan judge. Miss Roberts' representatives have indicated they will fight the move by the prince's team, saying there is 'no evidence' he was ever intended to be covered by the previous legal agreement. The 38-year-old, who is arguably Epstein's most high-profile victim, has repeatedly accused the Queen's son of having sex with her three times when she was aged 17 in London, New York and the British Virgin Islands. Last month she launched a surprise legal move lodging a civil claim against the prince for rape, sexual assault and battery. Andrew, 61, has refused to comment on the case but has previously strongly denied her claims. Miss Roberts alleges she was scouted and groomed as a schoolgirl by Epstein and his then-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, before being used by the billionaire financier as an underage 'sex slave'. In 2009 she reached a confidential settlement in Florida with the financier that may contain clauses which prevent her from taking action against individuals she has accused of being co-conspirators of the tycoon. One of those was high-profile US lawyer Alan Dershowitz, who previously represented Epstein. He was accused of sexual assault by Miss Roberts in 2019. But last month she reportedly dropped the claim because of the Epstein settlement, which released him from liability. Her withdrawal was described in a joint court filing last month as 'a compromise' that should not be viewed as an admission by either party of the validity or invalidity of the claims about the settlement agreement. Mr Dershowitz has lodged a request with the Manhattan court dealing with the action against Andrew to have the original agreement unsealed, as he believes it may help to get the case against the prince thrown out. The Harvard law professor said yesterday: 'We strongly suspect that Virginia and her lawyers may have committed fraud on the court by filing a lawsuit against Prince Andrew after dismissing the battery case against me. 'The same reasons for dismissing the case against me seem to apply to Prince Andrew. These documents should get the charges against Prince Andrew thrown out. It's an airtight defence for Prince Andrew and a potential fraud on the court.' Prince Andrew with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson leaving Windsor to drive to the Queen's Balmoral estate in Scotland Wednesday But Miss Roberts' lawyer, David Boies, has said there was 'no evidence Prince Andrew was intended to be covered by the release'. Mr Boies said he was unable to comment on the details of her settlement with Epstein, citing its confidentiality, but added: 'What I can say is that there is no evidence that Prince Andrew was intended to be covered by the release. 'And, indeed, Prince Andrew has never himself asserted that he was intended to be covered by the release.' In a letter obtained by ABC News in the US, Mr Bloxsome described the methods used by Miss Roberts' legal team as 'objectionable'. Prince Andrew walking with Jeffrey Epstein in Central Park, New York City in 2011 after the friends left Epstein's home in Manhattan In correspondence with a judge, he said: 'They have made several public, indeed well-publicised, attempts at irregular service of these proceedings in this jurisdiction, in at least one case accompanied by a media representative.' Mr Bloxsome maintained that under British law, a valid request for assistance from UK court officials must come from a judicial or diplomatic officer in the US. US district judge Lewis Kaplan, who will oversee Monday's proceedings, must now decide whether Andrew has been officially served. If he does, the prince will be given a deadline to respond. Chilling new details have emerged about the execution-style killing of a recently released convicted murderer in Queens, including that in the weeks leading up to his slaying he would look over his shoulder whenever he ventured outside the hotel where was staying. Jermaine Dixon, 46, was fatally shot in the back of the head by a suspected hitman disguised as a Hasidic Jew early Monday morning in Queens. Shocking surveillance footage captured the moment Dixon was ambushed as he climbed into his car, parked just 500 feet from the Comfort Inn that he called 'home.' The cold-blooded execution took place in broad daylight, less than a year after Dixon, a former gang member, was released from prison after serving 19 years for a murder conviction. Law enforcement sources told NBC New York they are looking into the possibility that the unidentified gunman targeted Dixon because he believed the ex-convict was cooperating with the government as an informant against his co-defendants. Detectives also revealed that in the weeks leading up to his death, Dixon would look around him whenever he walked from the hotel to his rental car, as if he knew someone was after him. Jermaine Dixon, 46, can be seen walking to his car (top middle in light colored clothing) as the shooter looks under his hood (dressed in black) before he ambushed and shot Dixon as he was getting into his car in South Ozone Park, Queens, New York Dixon can be seen through the tree limbs unresponsively slumped in the front seat of his car as the shooter runs back to his vehicle A spokesperson for the NYPD told DailyMail.com on Friday that so far there have been no updates in the search for the killer, and the investigation was ongoing. Video obtained by DailyMail.com shows the killer wearing a traditional rekel - a long, black coat - and a wide-brimmed black hat. The gunman had his trunk, hood and car door open before hunching under the hood as Dixon approached his own car, according the video. Once Dixon turned his back on the man to open the door of his car, the hitman ran across the street and shot the former 'Patio Crew' gang member in the back of the head, the video showed. Dixon's body was slumped in the front seat as the man ran back to his car, slammed the hood down and drove away from the scene. Cops discovered the slain victim around 8 a.m. on South Conduit Avenue in South Ozone Park and Dixon was pronounced dead at the scene. The NYPD described the killer as a dark-skinned man last seen wearing all black and a mask. Dixon had only been out of prison for less than a year before he was executed, the New York Daily News reported. A former member of the Brooklyn 'Patio Crew', named for a Flatbush restaurant where the gang hung out, Dixon served nearly two decades in prison for the 1992 murder of Alphonso Gooden and drug charges, records show. His brother, Emile Dixon, was also convicted for killing Gooden and is serving a life sentence. Court documents show that a deal to cooperate with the feds fell apart after prosecutors discovered Dixon was the triggerman in Gooden's murder, the Daily News reported. Dixon, described as a 'good guy' by mourning family members, became a model prisoner and his life sentence was reduced to a 30 years. He pursued a bachelor's degree in business and filed for compassionate release, where he took responsibility for his actions and asked for a chance to prove himself, the Daily News reported. 'It is clear that I am not the young man that your honor sentenced 20 years ago,' Dixon wrote to Judge Raymond Dearie. 'I am now asking your honor to again take a chance with me and let me re-enter society to prove to myself, my mother, children, family and also the court that I can and will do the right thing upon release...I blame no one but myself for the road I chose that put me in my current situation. ' His plea was convincing and Dearie said he was compelled to give Dixon a 'chance.' 'Do I leave Mr. Dixon to the authorities and require him to serve out the sentence he deserves, or do I grant him a somewhat accelerated release in the hope that for himself and his family he will continue on a road to a respectable and productive life?' Dearie wrote. 'I choose the latter. I choose to take a chance.' Body of shooting victim Jermaine Dixon is wheeled away after EMTs pronounced he was dead at the scene Police cordon off scene of fatal shooting where a gunman faked car trouble before executing his victim while dressed in traditional clothing worn by Hasidic Jews Police gather near the crime scene after finding the victim dead in his car Dearie added that Dixon's decision to lie to investigators was done out of family loyalty and reflected well on his character. 'That poor, indeed catastrophic decision was no doubt prompted in the main by his repeated concern for his own brother who faced capital offenses and by his unwillingness to testify against him,' Dearie wrote. 'The government was certainly justified in its reaction, but at the same time Mr. Dixon's efforts to protect his older brother are understandable and similarly reflect a decent side to his character.' Cops said they have no motive or why Dixon was targeted. No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing, police said. The NYPD are looking for a man last seen dressed in all black with a mask and dark skinned With just four days to go in the special election to recall California Governor Gavin Newsom from office, one of the candidates running for his job was seen picking up trash in Los Angeles on a very hot Labor Day. California State Assemblyman Kevin Kiley stopped by Kitson at noon Monday to meet and greet supporters and to pose in front of a window dedicated to him and the voter-initiated recall slated for September 14. Several business owners along Robertson Boulevard expressed their concern about the trash and dangerous waste left behind in back alleys by 'un-housed' residents in the area on a daily basis. 'Let me check it out,' Kiley told them. After residents took the 36-year-old Republican to see the mess, he volunteered to help clean up despite being dressed in a tailored suit. California State Assemblyman Kevin Kiley volunteered to pick up trash in alleyways in Los Angeles during a meet-and-greet campaign event on Monday The 36-year-old gubernatorial candidate offered to help clean up after angry residents and business owners showed him the mess on the streets Governor Gavin Newsom faces a recall on September 14 after California voters agreed to a special election to determine if he should stay in office Using a trash picker, Kiley filled one and a half bags of dirty flyers, underwear, bottles, cans, food, toothbrushes and discarded masks. 'People are living here at night?' he asked, 'That's unacceptable and why this [recall election] is so important.' It comes as Gavin Newsom, 53, has appeared in three different photo ops picking up trash, in Fresno on May 11, near USC on July 7, and most recently, in Long Beach on August 5. Thanks to the recall effort, the governor has suddenly become a clean up expert, promoting his $1.1billion 'Clean California' program. Kiley, elected in 2016 to serve the California's State Assembly 6th District (Rocklin, and other northern suburbs of Sacramento) has been a thorn in the side of Governor Newsom. Despite initially telling his colleagues in the legislature to support him at the advent of the pandemic, he came to realize that special interest groups like the Teachers Union were controlling the highest office of the state. Kiley and fellow legislator James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) sued Newsom last December to limit his use of emergency power during the Covid-19 pandemic. In his 2021 book, Recall Newsom: The Case Against America's Most Corrupt Governor, he claimed a 'Third House' exists. The embattled governor appeared in three different photo ops picking up trash, in Fresno on May 11, near USC on July 7, and most recently, in Long Beach on August 5 (pictured) Newsom launched a 'Clean California' program amid the recall effort, hoping to tackle the state's litter problem Using a trash picker, Kiley filled one and a half bags of dirty flyers, underwear, bottles, cans, food, toothbrushes and discarded masks Among the litter were several discarded flyers calling for his opponent's ouster 'It's called that because lobbyists control the first two houses the Assembly and the Senate. And they certainly control the governor,' he wrote. 'Gavin Newsom's 2022 reelection account has over $19million, with primary funding from unions, associations, and major corporations with registered lobbyists. Several of these benefactors were around the table at his infamous French Laundry dinner [November 6, 2020]. 'In fact, the lobbyist being feted that night apparently used his influence to help secure an exemption from Newsom's lockdowns for Hollywood [filming, production]. This is why Newsom's one-man rule as worked out so well for Special Interests.' Attorney Kiley, a Harvard and Yale University graduate and former teacher, says this is why his campaign has only taken contributions from individuals. 'I refuse all funding from the Third House and am the only 100 percent citizen backed legislator.' He also admits that California's problems existed long before Covid-19. 'We are the fifth largest economy in the world, we have up to half the nation's homeless,' he tells the DailyMail.com. 'We also have the highest rate of poverty, nearly the worst income inequality, the highest housing and gas prices, among the worst roads and bridges, and the worst education for poor students in the continental U.S.' Kiley's cleanup effort was part of his visit to Kitson boutique in Los Angeles where he posed in front of a window dedicated to him and the voter-initiated recall slated for September 14 Several business owners along Robertson Boulevard expressed their concerns about the trash and dangerous waste left behind daily in back alleys by 'un-housed' residents in the area He adds: 'A recent survey showed a staggering 53 per cent of residents were thinking of leaving. When over half your people want out, that's called a failed state.' Earlier this week Kiley hit out at the governor in a tweet saying: 'Joe Biden is coming to campaign for Gavin Newsom. Imagine being so afraid of losing your job that you make the president stop doing his.' Kiley on Monday posed with supporters outside Kitson, which was also the site of one of the biggest recall Newsom signature gathering movement. Last December, DailyMail.com revealed that even Family Ties actress Justine Bateman, 55, was excited to see the large campaign trailer parked outside. 'How do we get rid of this guy?' she was overheard asking volunteers regarding Governor Newsom. Kiley, however, faces stiff competition from fellow Republican frontrunner Larry Elder, 69, who campaigned that same day in Thousand Oaks, California. As the DailyMail.com reported Wednesday Elder had an egg hurled at him while campaigning in the Venice Beach area by a foul-mouthed woman wearing a gorilla mask. Kiley posed with a 'Recall Newsom' t-shirt inside Kitson, which was also the site of one of the biggest recall Newsom signature gathering movement last December Kiley, however, faces stiff competition from fellow Republican frontrunner Larry Elder, 69, who campaigned that same day in Thousand Oaks, California Republican, and former Keeping up with the Kardashians' star Caitlyn Jenner, 71, is also running to replace Newsom, along with 40 other candidates on the ballot. 'I'm generally recall resistant,' Kiley wrote in his book, 'I also believe that recalls, as a tool for throwing out politicians, should not be led by politicians themselves. They should be citizens' movements.' He posed in front of Kitson- amongst the colorful pool floats - with many of those California citizens eager to see change. Roxanne Beckford Hoge who attended the event at Kitson told DailyMail.com: 'This recall election is the best chance that free-thinking Californians have to wrestle control of our lives back from the cesspool of corruption and special interests that run our state.' The mother, actress and business owner concluded: 'I'm voting yes so young people can have a future in the once Golden State.' Boris Johnson will today lead British tributes to the victims of 9/11, amid tension in the special relationship in the wake of the chaotic withdrawal from Kabul. In a video message to be played at a memorial event in London, the Prime Minister warned the terrorist threat 'persists' - although they had failed to 'cause us to abandon our values, or to live in permanent fear'. And he said last month's events in Afghanistan should strengthen the West's determination to 'hold fast to our belief in liberty and democracy, which will always prevail over every foe'. He will mark the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York from his official country residence. The message will be played at a memorial event organised by the 'Since 9/11' organisation at the Olympic Park. The terrorist outrage killed 67 Britons out of nearly 3,000 in total. In a video message to be played at a memorial event in London, the Prime Minister warned the terrorist threat 'persists' - although they had failed to 'cause us to abandon our values, or to live in permanent fear' Smoke pours from the twin towers of the World Trade Center after they were hit by two hijacked airliners in a terrorist attack September 11, 2001 KEIR STARMER: RESOLVE TO FIGHT TERROR HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER Sir Keir Starmer has said the consequences of the 9/11 terror attacks are still 'so raw' 20 years on. The Labour leader was speaking as the world marked the 20th anniversary of the attack by al Qaida on the Twin Towers in New York. He said Saturday was a day to remember and honour those who lost their lives. Sir Keir said: '20 years ago today the world was in shock as we witnessed an unprecedented and despicable act of violence on US soil. '9/11 saw the deadliest terrorist attack in history... with almost 3,000 people tragically murdered... including 67 people from the UK. 'Today we remember and honour them. 'We show support to our American friends as they mark this difficult time in their history. 'And we remember those in all corners of the world who have lost their lives to terror. 'They will always be in our hearts and our memories. 'The consequences of the 9/11 attacks are still being felt to this day. The tragedy is still so raw. 'But as we mark this anniversary I'm convinced our resolve has never been stronger. 'We will continue to fight terror and violence, by promoting our values of justice and peace.' Advertisement Mr Johnson said: 'Twenty years ago, September 11 2001 became, in President Roosevelt's words after Pearl Harbour, a ''date which will live in infamy''. 'On a crystal clear morning, terrorists attacked the United States with the simple goal of killing or maiming as many human beings as possible, and by inflicting such bloodshed in the world's greatest democracy, they tried to destroy the faith of free peoples everywhere in the open societies which terrorists despise and which we cherish. 'And it is precisely because of the openness and tolerance of the United States that people of almost every nationality and religion were among the 2,977 murdered on that day, including 67 Britons, each of them a symbol of the eternal friendship between the United Kingdom and the United States. 'But while the terrorists imposed their burden of grief and suffering, and while the threat persists today, we can now say with the perspective of 20 years that they failed to shake our belief in freedom and democracy; they failed to drive our nations apart, or cause us to abandon our values, or to live in permanent fear.' He added: 'The fact that we are coming together today - in sorrow but also in faith and resolve - demonstrates the failure of terrorism and the strength of the bonds between us. 'The United Kingdom promised our American friends that we would be proud to receive a memorial, forged from the twisted steel of Ground Zero and display it permanently in the Olympic Park in London, which symbolises freedom and openness, the exact reverse of what the killers stood for. 'Recent events in Afghanistan only strengthen our determination to remember those who were taken from us, cherish the survivors and those who still grieve and hold fast to our belief in liberty and democracy, which will always prevail over every foe.' A spokesman for the Prime Minister said Mr Johnson would not be attending the memorial in New York in person on Saturday, but would 'mark the anniversary at home' as he works from Chequers this weekend. Asked whether Mr Johnson was invited to visit New York - the city of his birth - as part of commemorations, the spokesman said: 'I believe our ambassador in Washington will attend the memorial event in New York and lay a wreath.' U.S Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Police Commissioner Dermot Shea briefs the Press on 9/11 preparations from the Command Center at 1 Police Plaza on September 10 2021 Afghans struggle to reach the foreign forces to show their credentials to flee the country outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, 26 August 2021 Meanwhile Jack Straw has said the West's 'fundamental mistake' in Afghanistan was its belief that the Taliban was 'out as well as down'. Writing in House magazine, Mr Straw - who was foreign secretary at the time of the Nato invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 - said: 'There were other errors. One was trying to pursue counter-terrorist and counter-narcotics strategies at the same time. 'Tens of thousands of Afghan farmers depend on poppy production for their (meagre) livelihood, to meet the insatiable demand for heroin from the West. In the absence of viable alternative crops, eradicating poppy production was a recruiting sergeant for the Taliban.' He added: 'As for the future, military planners and historians will need to learn from our errors. 'The US will need the painful lesson (not for the first time) that it is hearts and minds which ultimately wins a peace, not fire-power. And we will all have to swallow hard, and deal with the Taliban unless and until that becomes impossible. 'International pressure, and aid, will both be necessary, not least if girls are to continue to be educated and women to work.' A New York City hospital was ablaze for an hour on Friday, with two people reported injured as firefighters battled the rooftop flames and huge black plumes of smoke billowed into the sky. The two-alarm fire was reported at the 257-bed St. John's Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway, Queens at 5:15pm, a New York Fire Department spokesman told DailyMail.com. Twenty five units responded, with 106 fire fighters and other first responders on the scene. Two civilians were injured, he said, but the extend of their injuries are unclear. The fire was on the exterior roof, he said, and it was unclear how it began. Dramatic photos shared on social media showed the thick black smoke on Friday afternoon The roof of the 257-bed facility was ablaze, but it was not immediately clear the internal damage The thick smoke from the fire was visible for many miles as it blew out into the ocean The fire at the coastal hospital could be seen from Rockaway's beaches and for many miles A hospital in New York City was on fire on Friday evening, with a huge blaze of smoke NYPD officials told Pix11 that the hospital's emergency room had been evacuated. By Friday evening Donovan Richards, the borough president of Queens, said that the fire was extinguished and operations resumed. He said the 11th floor of the hospital sustained water damage and some patients staying at the hospital had been transferred as a precaution. Photos and video shared on social media showed the roof of the building on fire. The thick cloud of black smoke billowing out across Rockaway beach was visible from Manhattan, 20 miles away. The hospital, founded 110 years ago, is described on its website as the only facility providing 'emergency and ambulatory care to the densely populated, culturally and economically diverse, and medically underserved populations of the Rockaways and Five Towns in southern Queens County and southwestern Nassau County, New York.' Video shared on social media showed people running out of the hospital. Some medics in their scrubs were standing outside the facility, filming and photographing the roof on fire. The flames on the roof were clearly visible amid all the thick black smoke A Fire Department spokesman said it was too early to tell what caused the blaze Jet skis could be used by Border Force to spin migrant dinghies off course and send them back to France, it was reported last night. Training is said to have taken place over the summer, with officials learning how to redirect migrants back to French waters using the high-powered armoured personal water craft. The plans, overseen by Home Secretary Priti Patel, will require two jet skis to intercept and circle boats attempting to make the crossing. Border Force officers will attempt to maneouvre the dinghy in the water with one pusing back from the bow, while the second nudges the stern at its motor. Jet skis could be used by Border Force officers to spin migrant dinghy around and send them back to France in new plans by Priti Patel. Pictured: Two Border Force officers use jet skis to patrol the Channel in Kent in June 2021 After the boat has been spun around, the jet skis escort it back to French waters, the Sun reported. Former Navy chief Admiral Lord West told the newspaper the plans were an accident waiting to happen, adding: Its not clever and it is problematic. He also warned that the complicated maneouvre could cause the boats to capsize, espically if the people on board were not cooperating, and they could fall into the sea. 'Whos going to rescue them then?' he said. The plans will require two jet skis to intercept dinghies attempting to make the crossing, maneouvre them around and escort them back to French waters (pictured in June) This comes as Priti Patel is to spend 200million on a fleet of border patrol boats as she steps up attempts to stop migrants crossing the Channel. The Home Secretary has ordered a major replacement of Border Force's five ageing cutters, official documents show. The vessels could be used to block dinghies from entering UK waters the controversial 'push-back' tactic announced this week. The huge sum to upgrade the fleet comes on top of the 54million due to be handed to France for coastal patrols and surveillance which could now be withheld following a diplomatic spat between Whitehall and Paris. Priti Patel is to spend 200million on a fleet of border patrol boats as she steps up attempts to stop migrants crossing the Channel It comes as migrants continue to make it across the Strait of Dover, with 1,800 arriving along the South Coast this week alone. Last night, a Home Office spokesman said: 'As part of our ongoing investment into the UK's border security, the planning process for the replacement of Border Force's existing cutter fleet is in its early stages. No final decisions have been made.' Tony Smith, former director-general of Border Force, said the current boats were in urgent need of replacement as they were originally only designed to be used by customs officers. 'They aren't really equipped to pick up migrants, so I am glad they are doing this,' he added. 'We have to accept that we now have an ongoing maritime threat and Border Force has to adapt.' Most of the 137ft patrol boats are almost 20 years old. They can reach 26 knots, but are not equipped to detain suspected people smugglers or process asylum claims on board as other countries do. The vessels could be used to block dinghies from entering UK waters the controversial 'push-back' tactic announced this week Migrants arrive at Dover Docks amid a huge surge in arrivals by sea from France The cutters are now used almost exclusively in the Channel after the first wave of migrant crossings meant two had to be redeployed from the Mediterranean. The proposal, from the latest version of the Home Office's procurement schedule, reveals that the process to upgrade the cutters will start in April. The latest estimate for the cost of the programme is 200million, but it is unclear how many vessels will be built for this sum. MPs on the Commons home affairs committee warned five years ago that the UK had a 'worryingly low' number of boats to patrol thousands of miles of coast. The procurement document also shows plans are under way to spend 18million on drones to monitor the Strait of Dover, and 6million on aerial surveillance. The plans follow a growing row over the record numbers of asylum-seekers making it across the Channel despite huge amounts of British taxpayers' money being handed to France, supposedly to tackle the problem. Cabinet minister Oliver Dowden said yesterday that the Home Secretary was right to threaten to withhold the 54million promised in July unless French police stop more boats setting sail. The UK has given 192million to France since 2014, much of it used to toughen security and stop migrants stowing on cross-Channel lorries, ferries and trains. Police patrol the stretch of beach for migrants between Wimereux and Audresselles, Northern France Mr Dowden, the Culture Secretary, also backed Miss Patel's proposal to get Border Force captains to stop the dinghies getting through, despite claims that it was impractical and unlawful. He told LBC radio: 'These people are going from a safe country, which is France, to England. So it's right that we try and stop it mainly because criminal gangs are the beneficiaries. 'The Home Secretary's looked at a huge range of different solutions we've given extra money to the French border force, we're introducing legislation and one of the things she's looking at doing is turning boats back. 'It's appropriate to look at the full suite of those measures. 'We have said that will include looking at turning migrants back, but only in accordance with international law. Clearly, the safety of migrants is paramount.' Miss Patel's French counterpart, Gerald Darmanin, has warned he will not accept 'financial blackmail'. Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart said the pushback tactic was 'irresponsible', and asked if Britain would open fire on migrants, adding: 'Are they going to shoot at the boats and passengers?' Home Office figures released last night show 1,801 people made it across the Channel in small boats this week. So far this year, around 14,500 have made the crossing almost twice the 8,410 recorded in the whole of 2020. Look, we ARE patrolling the beaches, claim the French: Police monitor northern coast for migrants leaving for Britain as they stand around remains of Nazi concrete gun emplacement By Neil Sears in Wimereux, France, for the Daily Mail Through the grey of early-morning half-light, a dozen dark figures could be seen on the beach. Occasionally they ventured into the rolling dunes, and powerful torches lit up the darkness. As dawn broke yesterday, it became clear that these were French police officers and that, belatedly, at least some of the northern coast was being closely monitored for migrants leaving for Britain. In a week when unauthorised seaborne arrivals in Kent from France once again approached 1,000 in one single day, and Home Secretary Priti Patel threatened to cut funding for French Channel policing, the authorities there were finally sparked into action. At least some of the northern coast of France was being closely monitored for migrants leaving for Britain It was clearly designed to show people smugglers, and the public, that the French police mean business. By all accounts it is too late and impossible to sustain. The Daily Mail saw as many as ten police vehicles in the beach car parks between the resorts of Wimereux and Ambleteuse, 20 miles south-west of Calais. Most of the police, all with handguns, positioned themselves around the remains of a concrete gun emplacement built by the Nazis in a vain bid to stop the British. When the Allied invasion finally came, in 1944, we chose another beach. People smugglers going the other way yesterday were doing something similar. The police trained their binoculars on the dunes, where migrants have been inflating dinghies before dashing down to the waves. As the sun rose, a 20ft rigid inflatable boat was clear to see. A group of migrants had made it to the beach, and been disturbed. The police had slashed it, and left it there as a warning. We turned the boats around - and Britain can too: Australia's ex-minister for foreign affairs ALEXANDER DOWNER says the UK must smash business model of people trafficker gangs Your Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has been widely ridiculed on both sides of the Channel for suggesting that boats carrying migrants be physically 'pushed back' towards the French coast. Yet, from my experience as Australia's former minister for foreign affairs, I know that a 'push-back' policy can work. To solve a migration crisis, you have to smash the business model of the criminal gangs of people traffickers. From my experience as Australia's former minister for foreign affairs, I know that a 'push-back' policy can work And the only way to do that is to convince would-be migrants who are of course the smugglers' paying customers that they have little chance of reaching British shores. On a calm summer's day, it is highly likely that a boat which goes unchallenged will make it across the smooth and relatively short stretch of the English Channel. The instinct is, of course, to give it a try. But if you introduce obstacles that sharply increase the prospect of failure, the economic equation changes. The migrants will stop paying for places on the boats, and the traffickers will stop buying and kitting out the vessels. Around the turn of the millennium, boats carrying large numbers of economic migrants began arriving in Australian waters from Indonesia. This was problematic on various levels. A group of migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, following a small boat incident in the Channel this week First, it was a hazardous sea voyage and the migrants were in grave danger not just from the elements, but also from the traffickers operating the boats criminals who had little regard for their safety and who would exploit them. Second, the new arrivals were making a mockery of our asylum and immigration systems by leap-frogging the 20,000 or so refugees we admitted every year in orderly settlement programmes. So we decided on direct action. We sent out patrol boats to intercept the vessels operated by the traffickers, boarded them and took command. Safety checks and running repairs were made, then the migrants' boats were refuelled and pointed back towards Indonesia. Ships of the Australian Navy patrolled the waters to ensure they did not turn around again. We also provided the Indonesian authorities with the precise co-ordinates of the boats so they could monitor their progress and be on hand if there was an emergency. Sri Lankan asylum seekers destined for Australia and New Zealand are stopped en route As word spread around Indonesia that we were determined to stamp out the trafficking, it soon stemmed the numbers. I see no reason why this cannot be done in the Channel. French ministers have already objected to your Home Secretary's proposal, but that was predictable. What the British Government needs to make clear is that its laws are being broken, and that the problem originates in France. Under international law, there is no basis for migrants leaving a safe country such as France to seek asylum in another country. I've heard some media commentators talking about migrants 'fleeing France', which is ridiculous. I was in the Dordogne on holiday recently, and very civilised it was too. None of the hundreds of men, women and children arriving on beaches of the south coast more than 14,000 so far this year was at any risk of being persecuted in France; nor would any face recrimination if forced to return there. Let us be honest; these migrant voyages are a highly profitable criminal racket being run by unscrupulous gangs. Rohingya migrants rest on a boat off the coast of Indonesia after Australian officials turned them back As minister for foreign affairs, it was my job to placate the Indonesians, who were initially furious about our 'push-back' policy. But they calmed down, and tacitly accepted our reasons for acting as we did to stop a criminal venture putting lives at risk and the abuse of our immigration system. No self-respecting country could do otherwise. When a subsequent Australian Labour government dropped our policy of interception, citing human rights concerns, the financial incentive for the traffickers was restored and the boats reappeared. It was only when multiple boats sank with the loss of hundreds of lives including one particular tragedy in December 2010 when 50 migrants died that the policy was re-implemented. It has remained in force ever since. My advice to Miss Patel would be to introduce the 'push-back' policy without fanfare, and to keep the French informed on a need-to-know basis only. The vast majority of those coming across the Channel are young men who are economic migrants, so they respond to economic forces. To the critics already arguing that it is dangerous to board vessels in the Channel and turn them around, I say it is less risky than allowing this dismal trade in human cargo to continue. It would be necessary for some border and immigration staff to undergo specific training and I am sure the Australian government would be happy to assist in this. Our policy was controversial when it was introduced 20 years ago. But now it is widely accepted that if you are a country determined to remain open to genuine refugees and legal immigrants, then your borders have to be protected. Through the grey of early-morning half-light, a dozen dark figures could be seen on the beach. Occasionally they ventured into the rolling dunes, and powerful torches lit up the darkness. As dawn broke yesterday, it became clear that these were French police officers and that, belatedly, at least some of the northern coast was being closely monitored for migrants leaving for Britain. At least some of the northern coast of France was being closely monitored for migrants leaving for Britain In a week when unauthorised seaborne arrivals in Kent from France once again approached 1,000 in one single day, and Home Secretary Priti Patel threatened to cut funding for French Channel policing, the authorities there were finally sparked into action. It was clearly designed to show people smugglers, and the public, that the French police mean business. By all accounts it is too late and impossible to sustain. The Daily Mail saw as many as ten police vehicles in the beach car parks between the resorts of Wimereux and Ambleteuse, 20 miles south-west of Calais. Most of the police, all with handguns, positioned themselves around the remains of a concrete gun emplacement built by the Nazis in a vain bid to stop the British. Police patrol the stretch of beach for migrants between Wimereux and Audresselles, Northern France When the Allied invasion finally came, in 1944, we chose another beach. People smugglers going the other way yesterday were doing something similar. The police trained their binoculars on the dunes, where migrants have been inflating dinghies before dashing down to the waves. As the sun rose, a 20ft rigid inflatable boat was clear to see. A group of migrants had made it to the beach, and been disturbed. The police had slashed it, and left it there as a warning. 200million migrant armada: New fleet of Border Force cutters will patrol Britain's coastline to stop asylum seekers crossing the Channel By Martin Beckford for the Daily Mail Priti Patel is to spend 200million on a fleet of border patrol boats as she steps up attempts to stop migrants crossing the Channel. The Home Secretary has ordered a major replacement of Border Force's five ageing cutters, official documents show. The vessels could be used to block dinghies from entering UK waters the controversial 'push-back' tactic announced this week. The huge sum to upgrade the fleet comes on top of the 54million due to be handed to France for coastal patrols and surveillance which could now be withheld following a diplomatic spat between Whitehall and Paris. It comes as migrants continue to make it across the Strait of Dover, with 1,800 arriving along the South Coast this week alone. Last night, a Home Office spokesman said: 'As part of our ongoing investment into the UK's border security, the planning process for the replacement of Border Force's existing cutter fleet is in its early stages. No final decisions have been made.' Tony Smith, former director-general of Border Force, said the current boats were in urgent need of replacement as they were originally only designed to be used by customs officers. 'They aren't really equipped to pick up migrants, so I am glad they are doing this,' he added. 'We have to accept that we now have an ongoing maritime threat and Border Force has to adapt.' Most of the 137ft patrol boats are almost 20 years old. They can reach 26 knots, but are not equipped to detain suspected people smugglers or process asylum claims on board as other countries do. The vessels could be used to block dinghies from entering UK waters the controversial 'push-back' tactic announced this week The cutters are now used almost exclusively in the Channel after the first wave of migrant crossings meant two had to be redeployed from the Mediterranean. The proposal, from the latest version of the Home Office's procurement schedule, reveals that the process to upgrade the cutters will start in April. The latest estimate for the cost of the programme is 200million, but it is unclear how many vessels will be built for this sum. MPs on the Commons home affairs committee warned five years ago that the UK had a 'worryingly low' number of boats to patrol thousands of miles of coast. The procurement document also shows plans are under way to spend 18million on drones to monitor the Strait of Dover, and 6million on aerial surveillance. The plans follow a growing row over the record numbers of asylum-seekers making it across the Channel despite huge amounts of British taxpayers' money being handed to France, supposedly to tackle the problem. Cabinet minister Oliver Dowden said yesterday that the Home Secretary was right to threaten to withhold the 54million promised in July unless French police stop more boats setting sail. The UK has given 192million to France since 2014, much of it used to toughen security and stop migrants stowing on cross-Channel lorries, ferries and trains. Police patrol the stretch of beach for migrants between Wimereux and Audresselles, Northern France Mr Dowden, the Culture Secretary, also backed Miss Patel's proposal to get Border Force captains to stop the dinghies getting through, despite claims that it was impractical and unlawful. He told LBC radio: 'These people are going from a safe country, which is France, to England. So it's right that we try and stop it mainly because criminal gangs are the beneficiaries. 'The Home Secretary's looked at a huge range of different solutions we've given extra money to the French border force, we're introducing legislation and one of the things she's looking at doing is turning boats back. 'It's appropriate to look at the full suite of those measures. 'We have said that will include looking at turning migrants back, but only in accordance with international law. Clearly, the safety of migrants is paramount.' Miss Patel's French counterpart, Gerald Darmanin, has warned he will not accept 'financial blackmail'. Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart said the pushback tactic was 'irresponsible', and asked if Britain would open fire on migrants, adding: 'Are they going to shoot at the boats and passengers?' Home Office figures released last night show 1,801 people made it across the Channel in small boats this week. So far this year, around 14,500 have made the crossing almost twice the 8,410 recorded in the whole of 2020. We turned the boats around - and Britain can too: Australia's ex-minister for foreign affairs ALEXANDER DOWNER says the UK must smash business model of people trafficker gangs Your Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has been widely ridiculed on both sides of the Channel for suggesting that boats carrying migrants be physically 'pushed back' towards the French coast. Yet, from my experience as Australia's former minister for foreign affairs, I know that a 'push-back' policy can work. To solve a migration crisis, you have to smash the business model of the criminal gangs of people traffickers. From my experience as Australia's former minister for foreign affairs, I know that a 'push-back' policy can work And the only way to do that is to convince would-be migrants who are of course the smugglers' paying customers that they have little chance of reaching British shores. On a calm summer's day, it is highly likely that a boat which goes unchallenged will make it across the smooth and relatively short stretch of the English Channel. The instinct is, of course, to give it a try. But if you introduce obstacles that sharply increase the prospect of failure, the economic equation changes. The migrants will stop paying for places on the boats, and the traffickers will stop buying and kitting out the vessels. Around the turn of the millennium, boats carrying large numbers of economic migrants began arriving in Australian waters from Indonesia. This was problematic on various levels. A group of migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, following a small boat incident in the Channel this week First, it was a hazardous sea voyage and the migrants were in grave danger not just from the elements, but also from the traffickers operating the boats criminals who had little regard for their safety and who would exploit them. Second, the new arrivals were making a mockery of our asylum and immigration systems by leap-frogging the 20,000 or so refugees we admitted every year in orderly settlement programmes. So we decided on direct action. We sent out patrol boats to intercept the vessels operated by the traffickers, boarded them and took command. Safety checks and running repairs were made, then the migrants' boats were refuelled and pointed back towards Indonesia. Ships of the Australian Navy patrolled the waters to ensure they did not turn around again. We also provided the Indonesian authorities with the precise co-ordinates of the boats so they could monitor their progress and be on hand if there was an emergency. Sri Lankan asylum seekers destined for Australia and New Zealand are stopped en route As word spread around Indonesia that we were determined to stamp out the trafficking, it soon stemmed the numbers. I see no reason why this cannot be done in the Channel. French ministers have already objected to your Home Secretary's proposal, but that was predictable. What the British Government needs to make clear is that its laws are being broken, and that the problem originates in France. Under international law, there is no basis for migrants leaving a safe country such as France to seek asylum in another country. I've heard some media commentators talking about migrants 'fleeing France', which is ridiculous. I was in the Dordogne on holiday recently, and very civilised it was too. None of the hundreds of men, women and children arriving on beaches of the south coast more than 14,000 so far this year was at any risk of being persecuted in France; nor would any face recrimination if forced to return there. Let us be honest; these migrant voyages are a highly profitable criminal racket being run by unscrupulous gangs. Rohingya migrants rest on a boat off the coast of Indonesia after Australian officials turned them back As minister for foreign affairs, it was my job to placate the Indonesians, who were initially furious about our 'push-back' policy. But they calmed down, and tacitly accepted our reasons for acting as we did to stop a criminal venture putting lives at risk and the abuse of our immigration system. No self-respecting country could do otherwise. When a subsequent Australian Labour government dropped our policy of interception, citing human rights concerns, the financial incentive for the traffickers was restored and the boats reappeared. It was only when multiple boats sank with the loss of hundreds of lives including one particular tragedy in December 2010 when 50 migrants died that the policy was re-implemented. It has remained in force ever since. My advice to Miss Patel would be to introduce the 'push-back' policy without fanfare, and to keep the French informed on a need-to-know basis only. The vast majority of those coming across the Channel are young men who are economic migrants, so they respond to economic forces. To the critics already arguing that it is dangerous to board vessels in the Channel and turn them around, I say it is less risky than allowing this dismal trade in human cargo to continue. It would be necessary for some border and immigration staff to undergo specific training and I am sure the Australian government would be happy to assist in this. Our policy was controversial when it was introduced 20 years ago. But now it is widely accepted that if you are a country determined to remain open to genuine refugees and legal immigrants, then your borders have to be protected. A retired Church of England bishop yesterday backed demands for compulsory worship to be scrapped in schools. The Right Reverend Lord Harries of Pentregarth, a former Bishop of Oxford, supported a new law that would remove the requirement for non-religious state schools to provide daily mandatory collective worship and introduce 'inclusive assemblies' instead. The proposed Education (Assemblies) Bill, which does not apply to faith schools, was tabled by Liberal Democrat Baroness Burt of Solihull, vice-chair of the all-party parliamentary humanist group (APPHG). During its second reading in the House of Lords yesterday, Lord Harries - Bishop of Oxford, from 1987 to 2006 - told peers that Christianity is 'committed to free choice'. He said: 'I am not opposed to compulsory worship in schools in principle. The Right Reverend Lord Harries of Pentregarth, a former Bishop of Oxford, supported a new law that would remove the requirement for non-religious state schools to provide daily mandatory collective worship and introduce 'inclusive assemblies' instead 'And it was natural that when our society was a predominantly unified one that the beliefs of society as a whole should be expressed in state-funded institutions. 'But, as is obvious, this is no longer the case. Worship at the moment has to be predominantly of a Christian character but there are millions of people of other religions.' He claimed the requirement under law does 'not reflect society in which we now live'. Lord Harries added: 'I support this Bill because Christianity is fundamentally committed to free choice. The only good reason for believing a religion is because you believe it to be true and you personally recognise it to be so.' But the Right Reverend Steven Croft, one of the successors to Lord Harries as the Bishop of Oxford, said: 'If the Bill is passed one effect may be to make anything which is more than secular assembly not legal and contested in our schools.' He said he also feared the Bill risked children growing up 'in ignorance of the possibilities and depth of the faith traditions'. The retired Church of England bishop yesterday backed demands for compulsory worship to be scrapped in schools Baroness Morris of Yardley, a former Education Secretary who did not support the Bill, said: 'Most children would not know about Christmas carols if they didn't sing them at school. 'And as Harvest approaches, one of the reasons we probably all know the hymns of harvest is because we sang them in school.' She said she did not want a society where youngsters do not know such songs, adding that it gives them a chance to understand the origins of key events. Speaking for the government, Conservative frontbencher Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen said there is 'no need' to amend existing legislation on collective worship. She said: 'Collective worship is already flexible and inclusive in nature..' The Bill received an unopposed second reading and will undergo further scrutiny at a later date. It is unlikely to become law without government support. Advertisement Police are stepping up patrols across New York as the city prepares to commemorate 20 years since the September 11 terrorist attacks. New York's new Governor Kathy Hochul held a press conference in Manhattan on Friday announcing the beefed-up security measures, saying the city was 'vulnerable' to threats over the coming weekend. Hochul was joined by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner Dermott Shea and Homeland Security Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who all addressed the media. 'You'll see individuals with long-arms, you'll see them looking a little bit militarized. But the idea is to let anyone know that you mess with New York, there will be consequences,' Hochul vowed. She also appeared to take a swipe at recently ousted Gov. Andrew Cuomo, vowing that she would be tough on crime. 'We are ushering in a new era of collaboration,' she stated, speaking ahead of NYPD Commissioner Dermott Shea. 'And I believe that that is going to give our mutual constituents... a sense of confidence that we will leave no stone unturned to protect the individuals we have Police are stepping up patrols across New York as the city prepares to commemorate 20 years since the September 11 terrorist attacks. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner Dermott Shea and Homeland Security Security Alejandro Mayorkas held a joint press conference on Friday 'You'll see individuals with long-arms, you'll see them looking a little bit militarized. But the idea is to let anyone know that you mess with New York, there will be consequences,' Hochul vowed Mayor De Blasio and NYPD Commissioner Shea - who have reportedly had a frosty relationship in recent years - both spoke at the presser Homeland Security Security Alejandro Mayorkas also spoke about the security protocols at the address 'Militarized-looking' officers stood protecting the officials as they held their press conference De Blasio declared there were 'no specific and credible threats' to public safety, but said he had poured 'massive resources' into protecting the public during the 9/11 anniversary commemorations. 'The NYPD is watching not daily, not hourly, minute-by-minute, with extraordinary intelligence-gathering and counterterrorism capacity which we have built up in recent years,' he declared. 'Even though it's 20 years later, we see threats all over this world directed at us. And we see challenges that are homegrown as well.' De Blasio's pronouncements come despite the fact he last year slashed $1 billion from the NYPD's annual operating budget and has presided over a drastic spike in the city's violent crime rate. He spoke ahead of Commissioner Shea, with whom he has reportedly had a frosty relationship in recent years. Hochul also appeared to take a swipe at recently ousted Gov. Andrew Cuomo, vowing that she would be tough on crime Afterward, the politicians toured the Command Center at 1 Police Plaza to meet with officers working to protect the city over the 9/11 weekend De Blasio declared there were 'no specific and credible threats' to public safety, but said he had poured 'massive resources' into protecting the public during the 9/11 anniversary commemorations De Blasio and Hochul are seen leaving police headquarters after their tour on Friday. Hochul has vowed that her administration will 'collaborate' effectively with law enforcement Police officers stand guard at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum on Sept 10 Afterward, the politicians toured the Command Center at 1 Police Plaza to meet with officers working to protect the city over the 9/11 weekend. It comes as the city prepares for its annual memorial ceremony at Ground Zero on Saturday morning. The ceremony, which will take place on Saturday, honors the 2,983 people killed in the attacks at the World Trade Center site, the Pentagon, aboard Flight 93, and those who died in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, according to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. The focus of this year's commemoration will be the reading of the names of the deceased by family members. The ceremony will also observe six moments of silence, acknowledging when each of the World Trade Center towers was struck and fell and the times corresponding to the attack on the Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93. The program is slated to begin at 8.30am Saturday, with the first moment of silence taking place at 8.46am. The annual Tribute in Light will also shine into the sky over lower Manhattan from dusk to dawn on Saturday. Members of the public pay their respects at the 9/11 Memorial in New York on Sept. 10, 2021 Consul General of Poland in New York Adrian Kubicki (right) and Krzysztof Szczerski (left), Polish ambassador to the United Nations, lay a wreath of the Polish victims at the 9/11 memorial Retired California Firefighter Dave Allan pays his respects at the 9/11 memorial Allan looks up at the Freedom Tower, built in the years following the 9/11 terrorist attacks People visit the 9/11 memorial in Lower Manhattan ahead of the anniversary on Saturday People pay their respects at the 9/11 memorial in Lower Manhattan, New York. September 10 2021. Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks which killed 2,996 people American Airlines staff lay a floral tribute for the victims of flight 77 at the South Tower 9/11 memorial in Lower Manhattan Members of the public pass flowers left at the 9/11 Memorial in New York on Sept. 10, 2021 The One World Trade Center is reflected on a nearby building ahead of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks in Manhattan on Sept. 10, 2021 Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Americans are paying tribute to the people who were killed and injured on the nation's darkest day (Pictured: Smoke pours from the twin towers of the World Trade Center after they were hit by two hijacked airliners in a terrorist attack September 11, 2001 in New York City) b The head of MI5 has warned that Britain could face a spectacular attack like 9/11 after the Wests withdrawal from Afghanistan. Ken McCallum said the security service was concerned that terrorists would be able to regroup and plan sophisticated operations targeting the UK. Yesterday he revealed that MI5 and the police have thwarted 31 late-stage plots to attack Britain in the past four years, including six during the pandemic. Head of MI5 Ken McCallum, pictured, has revealed the security services and police have foiled 31 'late-state' terror plots over the past four years He said he fears Britain could suffer its own 9/11 attack. It is believed two plots have been foiled in recent weeks Two of those plots are thought to have been disrupted in recent weeks. The MI5 director general said the Talibans takeover of Afghanistan had heartened and emboldened extremists. UK could be flooded with heroin after fall of Afghanistan Britain could be flooded with heroin after the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, police leaders fear. The country creates 82 per cent of the worlds heroin supply. Donna Jones, serious crime lead at the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, said: I dont think the increase (in heroin) is hitting Britains streets yet but I think it will do over the next six to 12 months... because of British and US forces not being [in Afghanistan] to control and regulate airports and borders. Advertisement Mr McCallum recalled the thwarted 2006 transatlantic airline plot to detonate liquid explosives on seven aircraft taking off from Heathrow, saying plots of that spectacular magnitude had been less common due to 20-year effort to combat the terrorist threat from Afghanistan. He told the BBC Radio 4s Today programme ahead of todays 9/11 anniversary: The big concern flowing from Afghanistan, alongside the immediate inspirational effect, is the risk that terrorists reconstitute and once again pose us more in the way of well developed, sophisticated plots of the sort that we faced in 9/11 and the years thereafter. There is no doubt that recent events in Afghanistan will have heartened and emboldened some of those extremists, and so being vigilant to precisely those kinds of risks is what my organisation is focused on, along with a range of other threats. He said Islamist extremists posed the greatest problem, but a growing number of threats were from far-Right groups. Mr McCallum said the threat of terrorism in the UK remains 'a real and enduring thing' - and that the coronavirus pandemic has not diminished this. Britain's top secret agent also described turning to a spy colleague as the second plane hit the Twin Towers on 9/11 and immediately knew Osama bin Laden was behind the attack. He said: 'We do face a consistent global struggle to defeat extremism and to guard against terrorism - this is a real problem. In the last four years, working with the police, my organisation has disrupted 31 late-stage attack plots in Great Britain. 'That number includes mainly Islamist attack plots but also a growing number of attack plots from right wing terrorists.' 'Even during the pandemic period which we have all been enduring for the past two years, we have had to disrupt six late-stage attack plots,' he said, adding: 'So, the terrorist threat to the UK, I am sorry to say is a real and enduring thing'. Mr McCallum said that 'inspired' terrorist acts were 'by volume' the largest number of threats that MI5 and their partners faced in the UK. 'There is no doubt that events in Afghanistan will have heartened and emboldened some of those extremists and so being vigilant to precisely those kinds of risks that my organisation is focused on along with a range of other threats,' he said. The former head of the UK armed forces General Lord Richards also raised the prospect of another 9/11 yesterday, saying ungoverned spaces have opened up in Afghanistan which terrorists would be able to exploit. MI5 spooks immediately knew Osama Bin Laden was behind 9/11 And former PM Tony Blair said governments must take action against the Taliban if they again allow the country to become a base for terrorism. Mr McCallum also described where he was on the morning of 9/11 and how colleagues knew they would be dealing with the aftermath for 'the next 10 years'. 'On the morning of 9/11 when the first plane hit the two towers we turned on the television in the corner of the room, and as the second plane struck, a colleague quietly said 'Osama Bin Laden',' he told the BBC's Today programme. 'Someone else said 'I guess we all know what we're going to be doing for the next 10 years of our lives', and so it proved. 'In the 20 years since we have faced wave after wave of terrorism from extremists seeking to cause mass casualties and prepared to give up their lives in the act - that is a horrifying reality but, by the same token, it is also extremely motivating for my organisation.' Mr McCallum said that although more directed plots from terrorist organisations take time to organise and carry out, psychological boosts for their causes could happen 'overnight'. 'Terrorist threats tend not to change overnight in the sense of directed plotting or training camps or infrastructure - the sorts of things that al Qaeda enjoyed in Afghanistan at the time of 9/11,' he told the BBC's Today programme. 'These things do inherently take time to build, and the 20-year effort to reduce the terrorist threat from Afghanistan has been largely successful. 'But what does happen overnight, even though those directed plots and centrally organised bits of terrorism take a bit longer to rebuild... Overnight, you can have a psychological boost, a morale boost to extremists already here, or in other countries. 'So we need to be vigilant both for the increase in inspired terrorism which has become a real trend for us to deal with over the last five to 10 years, alongside the potential regrowth of al Qaeda-style directed plots.' Advertisement Do you remember the episode of Grand Designs when a South London water tower was converted into a family home? The episode saw a couple buy a Grade II listed building in Kennington for 380,000 - and then spent almost 2million converting it from a crumbling ruin into a family home. Well, if you have ever thought 'I would love to live in a building like that but I wouldn't want the hassle of converting it', we may have found a solution - in the shape of three finished water tower conversions for sale. This water tower in South London's Kennington was converted and the transformation was covered on TV's Grand Designs We pick three luxury converted water towers that are on the market and range in price from 1.25million to 1.4million While the water towers for sale may be ready to move into and avoid all the hassle of converting them into family homes, they all still have an expensive price tag. They are all valued at between 1.25million and 1.4million, and are located in Warwickshire, Colchester, and West Sussex. We take a look inside each of the three converted water towers for sale on the property website OnTheMarket. Three converted water towers for sale 1. Four-bed home in Steyning, West Sussex, 1.35m This water tower in Steyning, West Sussex, was designed by Maxwell Ayrton - the architect who designed the original Twin Towers at Wembley Stadium The tower was built in about 1930 for Sir Arthur Howard as part of the Wappingthorn Estate, which the living room overlooks The tower is constructed of reinforced concrete with a gently rising 'helter skelter' external staircase that wraps around the tower This unusual and octagonal Grade II listed tower was designed by Maxwell Ayrton, the architect who designed the original Twin Towers at Wembley Stadium. The tower was built in about 1930 for Sir Arthur Howard as part of the Wappingthorn Estate and is constructed of reinforced concrete with a gently rising 'helter skelter' external staircase that wraps around the tower, providing far-reaching rural views as it rises up the building. The water tower is approached via a private lane that runs through the Wappingthorn Estate, in West Sussex's Steyning. Helen Whiteley, of OnTheMarket.com, said: 'This four-bedroom former water tower is potentially one of the most visually striking properties we have seen come to market in recent months thanks to its concrete exterior and 'helter-skelter' staircase. 'Being located in a peaceful, rural location just north of the South Downs also makes this home very desirable for those looking to make their next move to a home with lots of outdoor space.' The property has four bedrooms and is on the market via RH & RW Clutton estate agents with a price tag of 1.35million. 2. Four-bed home in Kenilworth, Warwickshire 1.4m This water tower in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, is thought to have been originally built as a windmill in the middle of the eighteenth century The unusual property has a brightly coloured bespoke fitted circular kitchen, as well as four double bedrooms There is a large sun terrace on the first floor and a balcony on the fifth floor that boasts views across Kenilworth and Warwickshire This water tower in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, can be seen from miles around and is thought to have been originally built as a windmill in the middle of the eighteenth century, and then converted into a water tower in 1885. The property has a bespoke fitted circular kitchen and living area, four double bedrooms, a study and a family bathroom. There is also a large sun terrace on the first floor and a balcony on the fifth floor that boasts views across Kenilworth and Warwickshire. It sits on a third of an acre and comes with a garage and parking for six cars. It is being sold via estate agents Fine & Country for 1.4million. Ms Whiteley, of OnTheMarket.com, said: 'This iconic property delivers on all the elements of many buyers' wish lists, a rich history, peaceful location, generous outdoor space, and modern interior. 'The statement kitchen and immaculate neutral decor offer the next buyer the ability to 'move in and go', which is rare in period and character properties, and will no doubt ensure it generates a lot of interest.' 3. Three-bed in Tiptree, Colchester for 1.25m This water tower is on the outer edge of the village of Tiptree in Colchester and is on the market or 1.25million The living area on the first floor includes a modern kitchen and a dining area where there is currently a large glass table The water tower has three bedrooms and stairs that continue up into a stunning loft room with skylights This water tower is on the outer edge of the village of Tiptree in Colchester and is the least expensive on our list with a price tag of 1.25million. It is being sold via Fine & Country. The property has two bedrooms and a bathroom on the ground floor, a kitchen on the first, a living room on the second and a main bedroom with an ensuite and dressing room on the top floor. The stairs continue into a loft room with skylights. Ms Whiteley said: 'It's not often that we see properties as unique as this one come to market, so to see more than one historic water tower become available during the current market is quite something. 'The Old Water Tower in Tiptree beautifully marries the old and the new as behind the original facade of the property lies a well-designed interior perfect for modern living in a home with already existing character.' The pent-up yearning for travel and a longing for vivid colours are set to determine interior taste this autumn. This means getting ready to welcome into your home pieces that can take you on a journey and brighten up a neutral interior. Otomi embroidery pieces from Mexico, now being seen in some of the smartest homes, are prime examples of this globetrotting, life-enhancing decor movement. People who a few months ago were unable to even pronounce Otomi and were dismissive about folkloric style in any form are now enthusing about this exuberant craft work with its millennia of heritage. Hand-crafted: A Moppet alphabet wall hanging with its menagerie of stylised birds and animals. The Otomi tradition has been passed down from mother to daughter for centuries They will proudly tell you that Otomi (ohto-me) originates in the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains of Hidalgo and that its rainbow-hued depictions of the local flora and fauna may even be modelled on cave paintings. The area's lush vegetation the tropical and subtropical pine forests at the higher levels are one of its features provides another key inspiration. The techniques of the embroidery have been passed on from mother to daughter over the centuries. The scenes and figures are hand-drawn then hand-sewn. Such is the appeal of the Otomi aesthetic, with its menagerie of stylised birds and animals, such as deer, doves, rabbits and squirrels, that its patterns have appeared on scarves from Hermes, the French fashion house. The designs first came to international attention in the 1960s. But it is only recently that they have started filtering into British homes. Their arrival seems to have been speeded up by the discontent that arose during lockdown with grey and beige which, though elegant, often failed to bring cheer. The growing appeal of Mexican and other Latin-American craft items is encouraging homewares companies that already focus on ethnic embroidery pieces to find ways to move into the area, but with sensitivity to cultural traditions. Moppet is one example of this migration. The business specialises in hand-embroidered alphabet wall hangings, made by craftspeople in Kashmir, India. Each letter is accompanied by an animal, a person or a thing. Laura Cremer, Moppet's founder and chief executive, says that these pieces serve as both art work and educational tools: 'They add pattern, stories and lives from another part of the world.' When it becomes feasible, Cremer plans to add wall-hangings from Peru and Mexico. But if you'd prefer to give a subtle nod to the vogue for Otomi with just a single item, the Otomi collection at Mary Kilvert includes a cushion (55), a mug (12.95) or a tea towel (12). Wayfair has several Otomi prints, such as Otomi Colours (109.44) and Otomi Love (45.99) both by Sylvie Demers. Not On The High Street has a round mirror surrounded by tassels in Otomi eyepopping shades (20). Redbubble, meanwhile, a marketplace for independent artists, appears to have anticipated the demand for Otomi patterns in every room with bed throws (from 34.64), a shower curtain (51.46), cushions (from 12.46) and a mouse pad (16.17). Otomi's allure lies in its eye-popping tones, but it is possible to like the iconography but long for more subtle shades. Andrew Martin offers Omoti Dove wallpaper, featuring birds and beasts against a background of cactus green, desert beige, dove grey or powder blue (75 a roll). Sitting pretty: : Graham & Green's Mexicana pouffe, 195 The proliferation of Mexican and Latin-American pieces suggests the British are ready to embrace vivid colour and patterns. Graham & Green has a king-sized tapestry bedcover in a print that evokes the paintings of Frida Kahlo, the Mexican artist (115). The same print is available on an armchair (395) or a tablecloth (from 25). And Oka has a lava red alpaca wool throw (325). Budget home furnishing store Dunelm, meanwhile, offers the Corona line of furniture; solid rustic pieces with a 19th century Mexican farmhouse feel including a bed frame with a high footend (169 to 249) and a storage trunk with a metal lock (95). B&M has a similarly solid range, with pieces like the Rio, a dining table with four chairs (80). Travel to Mexico and other Latin-American countries may be difficult now. But that doesn't stop you admiring a wonderful Otomi cushion and starting to plan. Cornwall was 'staycation central' this summer, boosting property sales in the process, and enjoying more than a little stardust. This year alone, chef and restaurateur Rick Stein has had a BBC series on the county while Julia Bradbury has completed walks along the coastal path. Breakfast TV star Kate Garraway was spotted holidaying as was David Beckham's son Romeo while Peter Andre has been crabbing on one of Cornwall's top beaches. Thriving: The village of Porthleven on the Lizard peninsula 'Crossing the Tamar for our holidays to Cornwall from Devon was like going into another countrywe were driving through an enchanted land. Now, after so many years of living here, it still does feel different,' says Rick Stein, who has more than ten restaurants and cafes, six of which are in Cornwall. Unsurprisingly, estate agents report a surge in holiday home purchases this year, despite the occasional protest from local residents. Second homes account for a third of homes in Fowey and a quarter in Mevagissey, but in most other coastal areas about one-in-ten are holiday properties. There are plenty of reasons to hit Cornwall, and the country's culinary heritage often tops the list. Here are five locations where food and beautiful homes meet to serve up the essence of Cornwall. PRETTY PORTHLEVEN It's got a lower profile than Padstow, but many believe this gorgeous fishing village on the Lizard peninsula is the next foodie hotspot. Celebrity chef Michael Caines is setting up a restaurant and his aim will be to rival Kota, a spectacular local spot which won a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2019. Average house prices here are 300,200 also up 17 per cent in five years, but waterside homes cost much more. The most sought-after properties look at the inner and outer harbour and Loe Pool, Cornwall's largest natural lake. 'In normal years Porthleven has a hugely popular annual food festival and the harbourside is about to be redeveloped, which will no doubt send property prices even higher,' says Clare Coode, a buying agent for Stacks Property Search. TERRIFIC TRURO Just south-west of Cornwall's city lies the farm that produces Yarg, the nettle -wrapped crumbly cheese that's sold world-over. The cheese was created in the 1980s and marked the start of the artisan food renaissance, although few people worked out that its title was the name of the creator, Gray, spelt backwards. Cornwall's city: Truro commands some of the highest property prices in Cornwall and is also the home of a world-famous cheese, Yarg, which kick-started the artisan food renaissance Truro itself has long been one of the highest-value locations in the county with an average price of 397,250, according to Zoopla, up 17 per cent since 2016. The city is pocket-sized with only 20,000 residents and plenty of green space. 'It's always attractive to buyers moving to Cornwall as it offers a central location no more than ten to 15 minutes from the south or north coast,' says Duncan Ley, of Humberts estate agency. BODMIN ON A BUDGET Few can agree on where to find the best Cornish pasty, but everyone agrees it rose to fame as a meal for tin miners in the 19th century. Tin mines were littered across the county, but many were in an area bordered by Bodmin, Wadebridge, Callington and St Austell. In this central and north belt of predominantly inland Cornwall average house prices vary from 250,000 to 425,000 areas closer to the fashionable northern coast and near to Newquay airport are the most expensive. PADSTOW AND ROCK Fal oysters come from the south coast of Cornwall, but on the north coast the Porthilly Rock oyster loves the clear waters of the Camel Estuary and it's the official oyster at seafood events around the UK, including London Oyster Week. Tasty: Fal oysters come from the south coast of Cornwall, but on the north coast the Porthilly Rock oyster loves the clear waters of the Camel Estuary 'The prospect of more UK holidays and staycations has focused the attention on this part of Cornwall. Demand pre-Covid was high, but now we have the St Tropez and Ibiza crowd looking for properties too,' says Josephine Ashby of John Bray estate agency in Rock. This part of Cornwall is eye-wateringly expensive 1.2million on average for Rock and 620,000 for Padstow. GOOD VALUE NEWLYN This is England's busiest fishing port, just a mile from Penzance; with artisan cafes, art galleries and a cinema, yet its property market is good value just 280,700 on average. Older granite houses enjoying sea views go for 500,000 and above. And Mousehole, the charming fishing village, is just three miles from Newlyn. Fish is plentiful in local restaurants, but that's not the only foodie tradition. 'Some people argue there's only one season to live in Newlyn Jelbert's ice cream, made by the family of Olympic gold medallist Helen Glover. People drive for miles for its vanilla ice cream, topped with clotted cream,' says Stacks' Clare Coode. Transporting rhinos upside down, testing chewing gum, and clearing a blocked nose with sex are among the experiments to win prizes at the 2021 'Ig Nobel' awards. Organised by science humour magazine the Annals of Improbable Research as a spoof of the real Nobel Prize awards, they are in their 31st year and are designed to reward weird, amusing and sometimes gruesome scientific discoveries. Held virtually for the second year in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic, ten prizes were given out in categories ranging from physics to economics. Like the real Nobels, they also include a peace prize, which went to a study into whether humans evolved beards to protect themselves from punches to the face. Prizes also went to a study that found rhinos are safer if transported hanging from their legs, and another that found fat politicians lead to more corrupt governments. This year, each winner was given a paper trophy to assemble themselves and a defunct Zimbabwean $10 trillion note. The most visually exciting of the 2021 experiments to win an award was one led by Cornell University and involved tranquillising a dozen rhinos in Namibia Marc Abrahams (pictured), master of ceremonies and editor of the Annals of Improbable Research magazine, which produces the event, had the last word after the show. 'If you didn't win an Ig Nobel prize this year, and especially if you did, better luck next year,' he said WHAT ARE THE IG NOBEL AWARDS? The Ig Nobel Prize is a 'spoof' award run by the science humour magazine Annals of Improbable Research. It was first awarded in 1991 to celebrate ten unusual or trivial achievements in scientific research. The aim is to 'honour achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think.' The name of the award is a pun on the Nobel Prize, which it parodies, and on the word ignoble (not noble). The Ig Nobel Prizes are presented by Nobel laureates in a ceremony at the Sanders Theater, Harvard University. For the past two years they have been held online due to coronavirus. Advertisement The most visually exciting of the 2021 experiments to win an award was one led by Cornell University and involved tranquillising a dozen rhinos in Namibia. The rhinoceroses were airlifted by their feet, hanging upside down for a ten minute flight, with wildlife experts monitoring their health before and after, to compare it to more traditional transport positions lying on their chest or on their side. 'The thing I love about wildlife veterinarians is you guys have to really think on your feet and think outside the box,' said study author Robin Radcliffe. 'You have to be a genius and creative and sometimes even a little bit crazy to move rhinos this way.' Susanne Schotz from Sweden won the biology prize for analysing variations in cat-human communications - demonstrating some of the noises during the ceremony. These included 'purring, chirping, chattering, trilling, tweedling, murmuring, meowing, moaning, squeaking, hissing, yowling, howling, and growling.' The ecology prize was given to a group of scientists studying bacteria in wads of chewing gum discarded on pavements all over the world. One of the more interesting aspects of that study is that residues from the human mouth remain on the gum 12 weeks after it was spat out, suggesting it could have legal and forensic applications. Two of the winning studies looked at why pedestrians collide, and why they don't Marc Abrahams, organiser of the prize (top left), revealed the team behind the rhino transport study won the transportation award 'Our findings have implications for a wide range of disciplines, including forensics, contagious disease control, or bioremediation of wasted chewing gum residues,' said the researchers from the University of Valencia. They determined the already-chewed gum that has been stuck to the sidewalk for three months is teeming with nasty bacteria. It sounds like a silly study, but as usual, there was some method to the madness. The medicine prize was awarded to research that demonstrated orgasms can be as effective as medication in clearing congested noses. A study by Olcay Cem Bulut and colleagues found that: 'Sexual intercourse with climax can improve nasal breathing to the same degree as application of nasal decongestant for up to 60 minutes in patients having nasal obstruction' University of Utah scientists used a fibre epoxy composite to simulate human bone, and sheepskin to act as the human skin - sometimes with the fleece still on, sometimes sheared. They then dropped weights on them HANGING RHINOS UPSIDE DOWN DURING TRANSPORT 'IS SAFER' Transporting large endangered species like rhinos and elephants between the wild and reserves requires 'out of the box thinking'. A study, published in February that won the Ig Nobel transport prize in 2021 looked at this issue. 'We found that suspending rhinos by their feet is safer than we thought,' said Dr. Robin Radcliffe, senior lecturer in wildlife and conservation medicine and first author of the study. It is vital information for conservationists working to save these vanishing creatures. To keep rhinos safe from poaching and to distribute individuals across habitats so their gene pools stay healthy, management teams often must move rhinos without roads. This often leaves one option: tranquilizing and airlifting the giant mammals out with a helicopter. 'Hanging rhinos upside down actually improved ventilation over rhinos lying on their sides,' Radcliffe said. 'While this was unexpected, and the margins small, any incremental improvement in physiology helps to enhance safety of black rhinoceros during capture and anesthesia.' The findings were published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases. Advertisement That study, by Olcay Cem Bulut and colleagues found that: 'Sexual intercourse with climax can improve nasal breathing to the same degree as application of nasal decongestant for up to 60 minutes in patients having nasal obstruction.' No faces were punched for the beard study published in the scientific journal Integrative Organismal Biology. Instead, University of Utah scientists used a fibre epoxy composite to simulate human bone, and sheepskin to act as the human skin - sometimes with the fleece still on, sometimes sheared. They then dropped weights on them. The sample with the fleece still attached absorbed more energy than the sheared samples, suggesting facial hair might held soften the blow from a punch. 'If the same is true for human facial hair, then having a full beard may help protect vulnerable regions of the facial skeleton from damaging strikes, such as the jaw,' the study authors said. 'Presumably, full beards also reduce injury, laceration, and contusion to the skin and muscle of the face.' A team of US Navy researchers won for figuring out a cheaper and more effective way to control cockroaches on submarines. The 1971 study that appeared in Journal of Economic Entomology found that traditional methods such as carboxide fumigation and use of the pesticide malathion were not good enough at eradicating the pests from the close environment. They found the pesticide dichlorvos was less expensive and more effective. Two of the winning studies looked at why pedestrians collide, and why they don't. The physics prize went to a study that saw researchers conduct experiments to learn why pedestrians do not constantly collide with other pedestrians. And the kinetics prize went to a study involving experiments designed to learn why pedestrians do sometimes collide with other pedestrians. The rhinoceroses were airlifted by their feet, hanging upside down for a ten minute flight, with wildlife experts monitoring their health before and after, to compare it to more traditional transport positions lying on their chest or on their side Marc Abrahams, master of ceremonies and editor of the Annals of Improbable Research magazine, which produces the event, had the last word after the show. 'If you didn't win an Ig Nobel prize this year, and especially if you did, better luck next year,' he said. The goal is to return next year's ceremony to its traditional home at Harvard University's Sanders Theatre, Abrahams said. But much depends on whether the pandemic is under control and what kind of travel restrictions are in place around the world. NASA's Perseverance rover has collected its second sample of Martian rock in its mission to find signs of ancient microbial life on the Red Planet. The team tweeted on the Perseverance account: 'I have successfully processed and stored my second sample of Mars, thus bringing my total to two Martian rock cores in one week.' The latest sample was captured on Thursday by the SUV-sized rover, drilling into the same large boulder that gave up the first sample last week. All of these samples are encased in a titanium tube that will be left for NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) to collect in the future. A similar attempt to gather a sample of Martian rock earlier this month failed to stick because the rock was too crumbly to withstand the robot's drill. The rover carries 43 titanium sample tubes, and is exploring Jezero Crater, where it will be gathering samples of rock and soil for future analysis on Earth. The latest sample was captured on Thursday by the SUV-sized rover, drilling into the same large boulder that gave up the first sample last week - seen by the two holes The team tweeted: 'I have successfully processed and stored my second sample of Mars, thus bringing my total to two Martian rock cores in one week' ROVER'S FIRST ATTEMPT FAILED DUE TO POWDERY ROCK NASA's Perseverance rover failed during its first attempt to collect a core of Martian rock, the agency revealed on August 6. The percussive drill, coring bit and sample tube processing all worked as intended, but data showed the sample tube was empty following extraction. Jennifer Trosper, project manager for Perseverance at JPL, said in a statement: The initial thinking is that the empty tube is more likely a result of the rock target not reacting the way we expected during coring, and less likely a hardware issue with the Sampling and Caching System.' Days later, NASA revealed the rock at this particular location was unusually soft and powdery, which was why the operation was not a success. Advertisement Perseverance's target was a briefcase-sized rock nicknamed 'Rochette' from a ridgeline that is half a mile (900 meters) long. 'The team determined a location, and selected and cored a viable and scientifically valuable rock,' Jennifer Trosper, project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, said. On August 6, Perseverance had drilled into much softer rock, and the sample crumbled and did not get inside the titanium tube. The rover drove half a mile to a better sampling spot to try again, and this is the second sample from the same rock. Perseverance touched down on Mars' Jezero Crater believed to be the home of a lush lakebed and river delta billions of years ago on February 18 after a nearly seven-month journey through space. It is tasked with seeking traces of fossilised microbial life from Mars' ancient past and to collect rock specimens for return to Earth through future missions to the Red Planet. The rover's turret-mounted scientific instruments are able to determine chemical and mineral composition and look for organic matter, as well as better characterise the planet's geological processes. It uses a drill and a hollow coring bit at the end of its 7-foot-long (2-meter-long) robotic arm to extract samples slightly thicker than a pencil, which it stores under its belly. All of these samples are encased in a titanium tube that will be left for a future mission, by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) to collect in the future Perseverance touched down on Mars' Jezero Crater believed to be the home of a lush lakebed and river delta billions of years ago on February 18 after a nearly seven-month journey through space NASA plans a mission to bring around 30 samples back to Earth in the 2030s, where scientists will be able to conduct more detailed analysis that might confirm there was microbial life. However, Perseverance itself is not bringing the samples back to Earth when the rover reaches a suitable location, the tubes will dropped on the surface of Mars to be collected by a future retrieval mission, which is currently being developed. Currently, NASA and ESA plan to launch two more spacecraft that would leave Earth in 2026 and reach Mars in 2028. The first will deploy a small rover, which will make its way to Perseverance, pick up the filled sampling tubes and transfer them to a 'Mars ascent vehicle' a small rocket. A multi-billion dollar project to bring back a piece of Mars to Earth will involve three separate launches and would only be successful as soon as 2031 This rocket will blast off in the process becoming the first object launched from the surface of Mars and place the container into Martian orbit, meaning it will essentially be floating in space. At this point, the third and final spacecraft involved in the tricky operation will manoeuvre itself next to the sample container, pick it up and fly it back to Earth. Providing its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere is successful, it will plummet to the ground at a military training ground in Utah in 2031, meaning the Martian samples won't be studied for another 10 years. Perseverance also made the journey to Mars equipped with a detachable 4-pound (1.8-kilogram) robotic helicopter called Ingenuity. The copter has been performing a series of flights of increasing complexity on the Red Planet, starting with its maiden flight on April 19. We know Tyrannosaurus rex was the terror of the Late Cretaceous, but this apex predator would also engage in dino flight clubs with other T-rexes, according to a new report. Scientists in Canada examining more than 200 tyrannosaur skulls and jaws found similar facial scarring in adult specimens. They theorize the creatures were biting each other on the facenot hard enough to kill, but to show who was top dog, er, dino. The attacks were typically between animals of the same age and started after sexual maturity, the researchers said, suggesting they were fighting over potential mates, or possibly to claim territory or to move up in the pecking order. Scroll down for video Similar facial scars on hundreds of tyrannosaur skulls suggest the apex predators tore into each others faces as part of nonlethal competitions for mates or territories Nonlethal aggression between members the same species is 'widespread' in the animal world, according to their new study published in the journal Paleobiology, and 'important to understanding animal behavioral ecology and reproductive systems.' But it's difficult to make accurate observations about how dinosaurs battled it out based on their modern-day descendants: Crocodiles frequently engage in physical attacks to establish dominance while birds usually rely on extreme visual and vocal cues. Researchers at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, Canada, began investigating after an upper jawbone with a series of long scars was discovered in Dinosaur Provincial Park in 2017. 'These were likely tooth marks from another tyrannosaur that had healed, forming these raised ridges,' lead author Caleb Brown, curator of dinosaur systematics and evolution at the Royal Tyrrell, told Live Science. The location, depth and orientation of the strikes were similar across more than 100 specimens, suggesting it was ritualized behavior While tyrannosaur skulls are often full of scars, no one had analyzed them systematically before to determine if they represented ritualized patterns of behavior. Brown and his colleagues examined some 324 facial scars on skulls of 202 tyrannosaurid dinosaurs, including on Albertosaurus, Daspletosaurus and Gorgosaurus. Based on the location of facial scars on tyrannosaurid dinosaurs, researchers at Alberta's Royal Tyrrell Museum re-created what the attacks might have looked like The paleontologists determined the scars were all similar in position and orientation, suggesting the chomps were inflicted 'due to repeated/postured behavior.' Examples of facial scars on tyrannosaurid jawbones. The marks only appeared on juvenile and adult specimens, suggesting the fights started after the onset of sexual maturity 'Taken together, we can piece together how these animals were fighting,' Brown told Live Science. 'They were likely posturing and sizing each other up, then trying to grab each other's heads between their jaws.' The scars were elongated and tended to appear on the upper and lower jawbones, and included tooth puncture marks. The marks didn't appear on young tyrannosaurs, but were present in about half of the juvenile specimens and 60 percent of full-grown adults, suggesting the antagonistic behavior kicked in with the onset of sexual maturity. It's nearly impossible to determine a dinosaur's sex, but the fact that just half the T-rexes had these scars may mean the in-fighting was done by only one gender. That suggests these dust-ups were intended to establish dominance for mating purposes, the scientists said. 'These animals are old enough to reproduce and are testing the waters to see how they rank compared to rivals or how they rate compared to potential mates,' Brown told Live Science. Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney is not satisfied with Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers' Friday ruling and announced on Twitter that Fornite will not return to Apple's App Store until 'Epic can offer in-app payment in fair competition with Apple's in-app payment.' The US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that Apple cannot bar developers from providing buttons or links in their apps that direct customers to other ways to pay outside of Apple's own in-app purchase system, which charges developers commissions of up to 30 percent. However, the decision only supported one of Epic's request in its lawsuit against the tech giant and the gamemarker plans to appeal the court's ruling as a result, according to The Verge that received confirmation from an Epic Games spokesperson. Sweeney also made it clear on Twitter Friday afternoon that Epic does not see the decision as a win, specifically after Apple released its statement saying: 'Today the Court has affirmed what we've known all along: the App Store is not in violation of antitrust law.' Although the Epic CEO and founder plans to 'fight on,' users hope he can put his pride aside and let them play Fornite on iOS. One Twitter user by the name of 'RicXGaming' tweeted: 'Bruh, nobody cares about payment. Jesus stop being stubborn. We just want to play Fornite. Epic may not have been granted all of its wishes because Gonzalez Roger concluded the company failed to demonstrate Apple is an illegal monopolist, but did show the smartphone giant engaged in 'anticompetitive conduct' under California laws. Scroll down for video Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney is not satisfied with Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers' Friday ruling and announced on Twitter that Fornite will not return to Apple's App Store until 'Epic can offer in-app payment in fair competition with Apple in-app payment' Friday's decision follows a three-week trial in May, which also caused Apple shares, to drop about 2.5 percent when news of the verdict broke. DailyMail.com has contacted Epic Games for comment and has yet to receive a response. 'Once acceptable, Apple's commission rate is now questioned by some consumers and some developers, like Epic Games, as being overly burdensome and violative of competition laws. Indeed, two related lawsuits were already pending before the Court well before the commencement of this action,' she wrote as part of her ruling Friday. 'The Court is not persuaded by Epic Games' broad-brush argument that it should not be bound by certain portions of the agreement.' . The US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that Apple cannot bar developers from providing buttons or links in their apps that direct customers to other ways to pay outside of Apple's own in-app purchase system, which charges developers commissions of up to 30 percent Sweeney also made it clear on Twitter Friday afternoon that Epic does not see the decision as a win, specifically after Apple released its statement saying: 'Today the Court has affirmed what we've known all along: the App Store is not in violation of antitrust law Although the Epic CEO and founder plans to 'fight on,' users hope he can put his pride aside and let them play Fornite on iOS. One Twitter user by the name of 'RicXGaming' tweeted: 'Bruh, nobody cares about payment. Jesus stop being stubborn. We just want to play Fornite' Friday's news follows a long legal battle between Apple and Epic, which began August 13 when the tech giant barred Fornite from its App Store The move, according to Apple, was due to Epic launching its own payment feature for Fortnite where users could purchase tokens directly from them and bypass Apple's in-app payment system. Epic filed a lawsuit days after, arguing that pp distribution and in-app payments for Apple devices constitute their own distinct market for anti-competition purposes because Apple users rarely leave its 'sticky' ecosystem. Although Gonzalez Rogers issued a nationwide order that allows developers to put into their apps 'buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms,' the judge did not grant Epic all its wishes. Many users are not happy with Epic Game's decision to not let Fortnite return to the App Store One Twitter user said the court ruling should be seen as a win instead of a loss This included forcing Apple to open the iPhone up to third-party app stores. However, Epic did come out on top with other decisions - Apple can no longer stop communication between developers and customers via contact information that the developers obtained when customers signed up within the app. The judge also issued a nationwide injunction blocking Apple 'anti-steering provisions' - rules that limit app developers from pointing users outside of Apples ecosystem. Gonzalez Rogers also said these rules 'hide critical information from consumers and illegally stifle consumer choice. NASA announced Friday that the first rocks collected by the Perseverance rover on Mars reveal the Jezero Crater was once 'a potentially habitable sustained environment.' The news follows the rover's successful mission of collecting two rock samples, named 'Montdenier' and 'Montagnac,' earlier this week. The core samples have a basaltic composition, which scientists say may have formed from ancient lava flows and could provide a timeline of the ancient lake from when it formed to when it disappeared. NASA already knows the crater was once filled with water, but for how long remains a mystery. But the level of alteration that scientists see in the rock that provided the core samples as well as in the rock the team targeted on their first sample-acquisition attempt suggests that groundwater was present for a long time. Scroll down for video NASA announced Friday that the first rocks collected by the Perseverance rover on Mars reveal the Jezero Crater was once 'a potentially habitable sustained environment' Perseverance collected the rock samples September 6 and 8, and the team has since been analyzing them from 239 million miles away. Mitch Schulte of NASA Headquarters, the mission's program scientist, said in a statement: 'These samples have high value for future laboratory analysis back on Earth. 'One day, we may be able to work out the sequence and timing of the environmental conditions that this rock's minerals represent. This will help answer the big-picture science question of the history and stability of liquid water on Mars.' The ground team determined there are salts within the rock samples that may have formed when groundwater flowed through and altered the original minerals in the rock, or more likely when liquid water evaporated, leaving the salts. The news follows the rover's successful mission of collecting two rock samples, named 'Montdenier' and 'Montagnac,' earlier this week The ground team determined there are salts within the rock samples that may have formed when groundwater flowed through and altered the original minerals in the rock, or more likely when liquid water evaporated, leaving the salts 'The salt minerals in these first two rock cores may also have trapped tiny bubbles of ancient Martian water,' NASA shared in a statement. 'If present, they could serve as microscopic time capsules, offering clues about the ancient climate and habitability of Mars. Salt minerals are also well-known on Earth for their ability to preserve signs of ancient life.' Scientists hypothesize that the groundwater stems from the water that once flowed inside Jezero or it could have traveled through the rocks long after the lake had dried up. Although it is unclear if water that altered the rocks was present for tens of thousands or for millions of years, NASA thinks it is certain that water was there for long enough to make the area more welcoming to microscopic life in the past. Perseverance's next likely sample site is just 656 feet away in 'South Seitah,' a series of ridges covered by sand dunes, boulders, and rock shards that Farley likens to 'broken dinner plates.' The rover's recent drill sample represents what is likely one of the youngest rock layers that can be found on Jezero Crater's floor. Although it is unclear if water that altered the rocks was present for tens of thousands or for millions of years, NASA thinks it is certain that water was there for long enough to make the area more welcoming to microscopic life in the past Perseverance's next likely sample site is just 656 feet away in 'South Seitah,' a series of ridges covered by sand dunes, boulders, and rock shards that Farley likens to 'broken dinner plates' South Seitah, on the other hand, is likely older, and will provide the science team a better timeline to understand events that shaped the crater floor, including its lake. Perseverance is carrying 43 titanium sample tubes, which it will fill during its time on Mars. The samples will be left on the Red Planet for NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) to collect in the future. Currently, NASA and ESA plan to launch two more spacecraft that would leave Earth in 2026 and reach Mars in 2028. The first will deploy a small rover, which will make its way to Perseverance, pick up the filled sampling tubes and transfer them to a 'Mars ascent vehicle' a small rocket. This rocket will blast off in the process becoming the first object launched from the surface of Mars and place the container into Martian orbit, meaning it will essentially be floating in space. At this point, the third and final spacecraft involved in the tricky operation will maneuver itself next to the sample container, pick it up and fly it back to Earth. Providing its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere is successful, it will plummet to the ground at a military training ground in Utah in 2031, meaning the Martian samples won't be studied for another 10 years. Modern egg-farm practices are breaking chickens' bodies, according to a new study from Denmark. Forced to produce more than 10 times their normal number of eggs, farm hens quickly lose calcium and develop brittle bones and fractures and can become egg bound, or unable to push out their egg. According to a new report from the University of Copenhagen, the pressure of trying to force out eggs that are too large for their bodies is causing roughly 85 percent of Danish hens to suffer fractures in their keel bone, a prominent bone that juts out from their breast and connects their torso and wing muscles. 'We knew there was a problem, but we certainly did not expect it to apply to almost all laying hens in the country,' said lead author Ida Thfner of the university's department of veterinary and animal sciences. Unlike a human with a fractured bone, the birds are not given the option of a cast, medication, and bed rest. 'These animals suffer, both when the fracture occurs and afterward, so we are dealing with a huge animal welfare problem here.' The problem is endemic globally, Thfner said. Scroll down for video The keel bones shown at the bottom in figure A and B are fractured, while to the right in figures C and D doesn't have fractures In the industrialized world chickens are bred to produce bigger eggs and more of them: In the wild, a hen will lay about 20 eggs a year but on a modern farm she'll drop around 275 in the same time frame. Thfner and Jens Peter Christensen, a professor of veterinary clinical microbiology, examined almost 4,800 hens in 40 different flocks for keel bone fractures and found them in almost 4,100 of them. While animal-welfare advocates often encourage raising organic and cage-free chickens, Christensen said the fractures were evident 'in all production systems regardless of whether the hens are kept in cages, or are organic or barn or free-range hens.' 'In other words, it is a widespread problem in all parts of the industry,' he said. In a study published this month in the journal PLOS One, researchers reported that the nature of the breaks, which usually occur at the tip of the keel bone, indicate they're due to the birds being under too much strain trying to pass these massive eggs. The keel (above) is a prominent bone that juts out from a chicken's breast and connects their torso and wing muscles Researchers in Denmark found 85 percent of egg-laying chickens had fractures in their keel bones because their bodies were too small to push out the large eggs they've been bred to produce 'The larger the eggs and the smaller the hens, the greater the problem,' Christensen said. Unfortunately, the chickens 'are bred to be small and to lay a lot of large eggs.' Undoing that genetic modification can take generations of hen breeding, Christensen added. According to a 2018 article in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, the keel bone continues to grow and harden until a hen is about 40 weeks old. But most hens are put into egg production at 16 weeks, when several centimeters of the tip of keel bone 'remain entirely cartilaginous.' That 2018 study, conducted by researchers at Aarhus University and the University of Guelph, found evidence 'strongly suggesting that the fractures are a source of pain, at least for weeks after the occurrence.' But Christensen and Thfner say there's an easy solution that benefits both the birds and farmers. Postponing egg-laying, even for a few weeks, would allow hens to mature and their keel bone to fully harden. Modern hen-laying eggs have been bred for generations to have smaller bodies but produce larger eggs. The result is a calcium deficiency that can cause brittle bones and fractures and lead to egg binding, when the chicken cannot pass its egg 95 percent of egg-laying hens in the US are housed in barren battery cages, which are stacked in tiers to house tens of thousands of birds in a single shed It's a cost-efficient strategy, Thfner said, 'because the hens will simply lay eggs for a longer time.' But getting egg farmers to change their ways is no mean feat: The U.S. egg industry alone is worth about $10.6 billion, according to Statista, with Americans eating an average of 288 eggs a year. And keel bone fractures are hardly the only problemaccording to Compassion in World Farming, 95 percent of egg-laying hens in the US are housed in barren battery cages, which were outlawed in the EU in 2012. Only about 30 percent of the 111.6 billion eggs produced in the US in 2020 were organic or cage-free. Each of these cages houses up to 10 birds, with an individual chicken getting less floor space than a sheet of paper and just enough height to stand. The cages are stacked in tiers and a single shed can house tens of thousands of hens. (The largest ones contain more than a hundred thousand.) Inspecting these massive stacks is difficult so often injured, diseased and even dead birds go unnoticed. Salmonella has been found to be more prevalent in barren battery cage systems. The hens never enjoy fresh air or sunlight until they are taken out to slaughter and to prevent them from pecking each other, part of their beakstheir primary sensory organare cut off with a blade or infrared light when they are chicks. Advertisement One more bite out of the Big Apple and, incredibly, Emma Raducanu is going to be the US Open champion. The 18-year-old from Kent is the first ever qualifier into a Grand Slam final after another performance of extraordinary poise saw her defeat seventeenth seed Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4 in just 84 minutes. Now for the last part of this scarcely believable story. Raducanu will be one half of the first all-teenage championship match at a Major in 22 years when she meets world No 73 Leylah Fernandez, the 19-year-old Canadian. Already the player who began Wimbledon ranked No 338 has earned a minimum 900,000 ($1.25m) from the nine matches won here, and now comes the chance to bank a place in sporting history. Staggeringly, she has yet to drop a set. Emma Raducanu was left in a state of disbelief after she produced a stunning performance to reach the US Open final The new British No 1, when rankings update on Monday, dictated the entire match and needed just 84 minutes to claim victory The 18-year-old wore a huge smile at the end as she now turns her attentions to Saturday's final against Leylah Fernandez EMMA RADUCANU'S RUN TO THE US OPEN FINAL Q1: 6-1, 6-2 - beats Bibiane Schoofs - QUALIFYING Q2: 6-3, 7-5 - beats Mariam Bolkvadze - QUALIFYING Q3: 6-1, 6-4 - beats Mayar Sherif - QUALIFYING R1: 6-2, 6-3 - beats Stefanie Vogele R2: 6-2, 6-4 - beats Zhang Shuai R3: 6-0, 6-1 - beats Sara Sorribes Tormo R4: 6-2, 6-1 - beats Shelby Rogers QF: 6-3, 6-4 - beats Belinda Bencic SF: 6-1, 6-4 - beats Maria Sakkari Advertisement She is the first British woman to reach the US Open final since Virginia Wade in 1968, and the youngest Slam finalist since Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2004. Wade was in the Arthur Ashe Stadium to watch and so was Monica Seles. Raducanu's record at her first two Majors is now superior to both Seles and Jennifer Capriati. Sakkari is a muscular athlete who has had a formidable season and made the semi-final of the French Open. Yet her game was reduced to rubble by the piercing returns of serve coming back at her and the relentless pressure applied to her weaker forehand side. In truth the final scoreline was, if anything, generous to the more experienced player, and it could have been over even quicker. 'Honestly the time here has gone so fast, I've been taking care of each day and three weeks later I'm in the final, I can't believe it,' said Raducanu. 'You can't get ahead of yourself and just stay present. 'Today I wasn't thinking about anyone else except for myself. 'Since I've been here I've had great support. 'Playing under the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium is one of the most iconic things in tennis. I was so excited. 'Is there any expectation?' she asked jokingly. ' I'm a qualifier so there's no pressure on me!' She now meets the wonderfully talented left-handed ballstriker from Quebec, who took it to second seeded Aryna Sabalenka to win 7-6, 4-6, 6-4. It was desperately tight, and she was very much assisted at the end when her opponent hit two straight double faults in the final game. Sakkari had endured a nightmare run to the semi-final and it looked to catch up with her as she was blown away by Raducanu Defensively Raducanu was breathtaking, neutralising and then countering with a punch to race out into an early 6-1 lead Playing at night was itself an unusual experience for Raducanu, as most of the tournaments she has played would not have such things as night sessions. By the time she walked on court it was 10.17pm, proceedings delayed by a presentation to the pioneers of women's tennis. Raducanu came on with an assured smile, but soon the break points were coming thick and fast at both ends. The British player needed to save three in her first game, and then broke for 2-0 when her opponent followed up a double fault with a netted backhand. Sakkari forced four more break points in the next game but a feature of the Kent teenager these past two weeks has been her resolute serving when under pressure. She eked her way out of it and at the end of the game saw the Greek leave the court to change her skirt in double quick time. Raducanu has improved with every round and is still to drop a set in this tournament as her magical run reaches the final The 17th seed got on the scoreboard at 0-5 but it was too late to salvage the opener, in which Raducanu won a telling three out of four points on her second serve. The Sakkari forehand was repeatedly erring early in the second set which saw the younger player again perplexing a supposedly more fancied opponent. Having gone ahead for 2-1 Raducanu had two more break points for 4-1 but met some resistance as the Greek, with her low ball toss, suddenly rediscovered some serving momentum. Still it was a struggle to hold against someone destined to become one of the sport's great returners, but she got to 5-4 and asked Raducanu to try and serve it out with new balls. After dropping the first point she reeled off the next four, the last being a simple volley after she had yet again driven her opponent into the backhand corner. Flushing Meadows has rarely seen anything like it. Raducanu will face 19-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez (pictured) in the final after she beat Aryna Sabalenka Recap all the action from Flushing Meadows and the US Open as it happened right here with Sportsmail's NATHAN SALT. The Dr. Phil Show is gearing up to debut its milestone 20th season and the eponymous host is as excited as he was two decades ago. Dr. Phil invited DailyMailTV to join him on the set of his top-rated daytime talk show for an exclusive chat about what is to come for the new season. The iconic TV personality will take on topics in season 20 like the 'trepidation' people have around the pandemic. He also let spill the secret to his happy 45-year marriage to beloved wife, and Dr. Phil Show mainstay, Robin McGraw. Season 20: Dr. Phil invited DailyMailTV to join him on the set of his top-rated talk show for an exclusive chat about the milestone 20th season of The Dr. Phil Show premiering Sept. 13 'We're really committed to meeting people where they are, and I think as we're coming out of this pandemic and getting back into life, there's a lot of anxiety that's going along with that,' Dr. Phil explained. 'There's a lot of trepidation and there's still so many unknowns.' His approach to season 20 is, in many ways, the same as he's approached every episode in the last few decades: providing a space for people to deal with their issues. 'Tell us what you need addressed what you need to talk about. Because I've always said this is a safe place to talk about hard things,' the host said. Over the decades, The Dr. Phil Show has become an indelible part of the daytime television landscape. 'We're really committed to meeting people where they are, and I think as we're coming out of this pandemic and getting back into life, there's a lot of anxiety that's going along with that,' Dr. Phil explained. 'There's a lot of trepidation and there's still so many unknowns.' It premiered in 2002 after Dr. Phil's extraordinary success as an expert commentator on The Oprah Winfrey Show. He's filmed with well over 20,000 guests and done thousands of episodes tackling tough topics like addiction, abuse, hoarding and even murder. 'Did you have any inclination that it would be this big for this long?' DailyMailTV asked. 'I thought it would have been arrogant to even think about,' he mused, adding a bit awestruck: 'I mean, who does that? Twenty years.' 'I've got the same executive producer I started with, Carla Pennington. And, I've got the same cameramen that we started with - same directors, same everything. They've all been here the whole time.' Dr. Phil revealed (Carla Pennington and Dr. Phil pictured on the set of his Phil in the Blanks podcast) 'I really didn't even know enough to think this far ahead, to think about where we would be 20 years down the road,' he continued. 'And, man, it's feeling good. It's really feeling great. Twentieth season! But I'm as excited as I was the day we started.' After 18 seasons in 2020, the mental health professional was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And, the success of his daytime talk show has led to several spin-offs, podcasts and even a scripted series. Top of his game: After 18 seasons in 2020, the mental health professional was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Those shows are produced through Stage 29 Productions, the company Dr. Phil founded with his son Jay McGraw. More remarkable than the outward successes, however, might be the commitment of the team behind the scenes, many of whom have been there since season one. 'I've got the same executive producer I started with, Carla Pennington. And, I've got the same cameramen that we started with - same directors, same everything. They've all been here the whole time.' Dr. Phil revealed. 'It really it sounds so corny to say "it's a Dr. Phil family", but it really is because these kids have grown up and got their own families,' he laughed. 'And when you're here 20 years, it's interesting to watch it all unfold.' Dr. Phil's current deal with CBS is slated to run through 2023 and the 71-year-old has no plans on slowing down. 'You know, I don't know how long we'll keep running on this road, but as long as I am excited about doing it and we keep getting the response we are in America we're going to keep going,' he said. This season will kick off with a dramatic first episode following the suspicious death of Elijah Snow, an Arlington, Texas firefighter who died while celebrating his tenth wedding anniversary with his wife in Cancun. 'Did you have any inclination that it would be this big for this long?' DailyMailTV asked. 'I thought it would have been arrogant to even think about,' he mused, adding a bit awestruck: 'I mean, who does that? Twenty years.' Mexican authorities claim Elijah was accidentally asphyxiated, however, wife Jamie Snow believes her husband had been beaten and possibly suffocated. While chatting with DailyMailTV, Dr. Phil revealed that season 20 has a sort of 'crossroads' theme with the host guiding guests towards their higher path. In a TV spot promoting the launch of the new season, Dr. Phil was inspired by the final scene of Tom Hanks' 2000 hit feature film Cast Away. 'You remember the last scene of Cast Away? And he's in a crossroads, he stops, gets a map out, trying to decide which way to go is kind of a metaphor for: "What I'm going to do with my life?"' Gripping: This season will kick off with a dramatic first episode following the suspicious death of Elijah Snow, an Arlington, Texas firefighter who died while celebrating his tenth wedding anniversary with his wife in Cancun Follow him: While chatting with DailyMailTV, Dr. Phil revealed that season 20 has a sort of 'crossroads' theme with the host guiding guests towards their higher path To recreate the vibe, Dr. Phil and wife Robin (who has never missed a single episode of the show) found a crossroads in the middle of the desert. Dr. Phil appears in his own '57 Chevy and comes across people at a crossroads. 'I give them some directions and they go to follow me as I pull away and it says Dr. Phil on the license plate,' he laughed. Alongside him this season will, as always, be wife Robin who routinely gives her thoughtful commentary from her spot on set during each episode. The couple recently celebrated a milestone of their own: 45 years of marriage. 'You can really mess things up in the early innings in a marriage,' Dr. Phil explained. 'I think we were very blessed to both be really open early on in letting each other be who they were from the very beginning.' 'I've often said, if you ever have to stop being all of who you are to be half of a couple, it doesn't work. Robin and I both figured that out really early on,' he continued. 'She's been able to be all of who she is and given me the space to be who I am.' Shortly after their anniversary, the McGraws had even more good fortune to celebrate. Their youngest son, musician Jordan McGraw and his wife, E! host Morgan Stewart, revealed earlier this week that they're expecting baby number two. The 20th season of The Dr. Phil Show premiere's Monday, September 13. Consult local listings for time and channel. Keith Urban has been snubbed at The Country Music Association Awards (or CMA Awards) this year. The 53-year-old rocker missed out on a nomination for the first time since 2003. In 2018, the Kiwi-Australian star was even named Entertainer of the Year at the prestigious ceremony. What a snub! Keith Urban has missed out on a nomination at the CMA Awards this year, for the first time since 2003 According to Billboard, the snub is quite the surprise, considering Keith had a number one album recently. 'He's taken home 13 CMA Awards over the last 20 years, so his trophy shelf is hardly bare, but given the year that he has had, including a No. 1 album with The Speed of Now Part 1, playing the role of country ambassador seemingly everywhere he's asked (including now hosting the rival ACM Awards -- perhaps not a selling point) and his three nominations last year, his omission seems odd,' Billboard said. In 2018, Keith's wife Nicole Kidman was by his side as he won Entertainer of the Year at the event, which was held in Nashville, Tennessee. What a win: In 2018, Keith's wife Nicole Kidman was by his side as he won Entertainer of the Year at the event, which was held in Nashville, Tennessee (pictured at the event) He broke down while accepting the award and paid tribute to his late father in his acceptance speech. 'I wish my dad was alive to see this,' Keith said. Robert passed away in 2015 following a long battle with cancer, after spending time in a hospice. Successful: The Grammy Award winner is one of Australia's most successful musicians who is known for hits including Somebody Like You and Blue Ain't Your Color Continuing his tribute, Keith said: 'I think he's watching over me tonight. I am very grateful that I get to do what I do.' The Grammy Award winner is one of Australia's most successful musicians who is known for hits including Somebody Like You and Blue Ain't Your Color. He is currently appearing on The Voice Australia as a mentor, alongside Guy Sebastian, Rita Ora and Jessica Mauboy. Sarah Jessica Parker was seen braving the rain while working on the Williamsburg, Brooklyn set of the highly-anticipated Sex And The City reboot, titled And Just Like That..., on Thursday. The 56-year-old actress appeared to be unbothered by the wet weather, while her castmates, including Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis, took more precaution as they made their way around the production. And Just Like That... will serve as a continuation of the beloved comedy-drama series and is set to premiere on the HBO Max streaming service in the near future. Staying busy: Sarah Jessica Parker and several of her castmates were seen working on the Williamsburg, Brooklyn set of And Just Like That... on Thursday Parker wore a sexy black mesh blouse with vibrant multicolored sleeves that puffed out below her elbows. She paired her eye-catching top with some form-fitting leggings that flared at the bottom. The Emmy-winning actress strolled down the sidewalk in a bright pair of blue heels, while accessorizing with a lovely beaded necklace. Her beautiful blonde hair was held back with a multicolored headband and tied into a loose ponytail. Dressed to impress: The actress sported a partially transparent black top that featured multicolored sleeves while working on set Contrast: The performer offset the dominant color of her clothing with a pair of blue high-heeled shoes Nixon, 55, was seen being escorted around the set by a production assistant who held an umbrella to keep her shielded from the rain. The actress sported a beautiful patterned white dress and wore a pair of high-heeled shoes while working on the forthcoming program. She accessorized with a green necklace and kept a bag slung over her left shoulder while her short blonde hair fell down past her ears. The Primetime Emmy-winning performer also wore a black facial covering to keep herself protected from COVID-19 during her time on set. Taking precaution: The actress and her costars all wore facial coverings to protect themselves from COVID-19 during their time in public Staying dry: Cynthia Nixon was seen being escorted around the set by a production assistant who held an umbrella above her head Davis, 56, opted for a much more weather-appropriate outfit, as she wore a sizable dark blue raincoat and boots. Her beautiful brunette locks shot out from underneath her hood and contrasted perfectly with her dark outfit. Mario Cantone kept it simple in a navy blue button-up shirt and pairs of near-matching trousers and shoes while he strolled around the set. Both performers sported facial coverings to keep themselves safe while interacting with other members of the project's cast and crew. Dressed for the weather: Davis sported a large raincoat and boots while making her way around the production area Development on And Just Like That... was initially announced last December, and the series was officially greenlit the following month. The involvement of Parker, Davis and Nixon was also confirmed when the show was given its official order. Other returning cast members include Chris Noth, Willie Garson and Cantone, among numerous others. Kim Cattrall was notably absent from the casting announcements, and she will not be returning to portray her iconic character, Samantha Jones. Absent: Kim Cattrall will not reprise her role as Samantha Jones in the upcoming continuation New cast members include Sarita Choudhury, Nicole Ari Parker and Karen Pittman, among others. Julie Halston recently signed on to reprise her role as Bitsy von Muffling in a guest role in the upcoming series. Production on the project began this past June and is currently underway, having taken place at various locations around New York City. And Just Like That... is currently set to make its debut on HBO Max at an unspecified date in the near future. Triple M Gold Coast host Jo Lynch has quit radio for a new career as a real estate agent. After two decades in the industry, she said it was time for a change and is beginning her new role with LJ Hooker Coolangatta Tweed. 'I'm turning 40 this year and I thought, this will be the start of the second half of my working life and I just felt it was time for a change,' she told realestate.com.au on Friday. Career swap: Triple M Gold Coast's Jo Lynch has quit radio after twenty years to pursue a new career in real estate with LJ Hooker Coolangatta Tweed The afternoon radio announcer explained that radio was a great career in her younger years, but now the mother-of-two's priorities in life are now different. Her decision for a career change was to 'challenge' herself in an industry she is passionate about. 'The decision to switch careers was purely me wanting to challenge myself and do something that I have been totally obsessed with for a long time, which was real estate,' she said. Time for change: 'The decision to switch careers was purely me wanting to challenge myself and do something that I have been totally obsessed with for a long time, which was real estate,' she said Jo said she was inspired to give real estate a go after buying property with her partner last year. At the time their real estate agent noted she should try selling homes. 'I decided to get my real estate licence and it's the best thing I ever did,' she added. In August, Jo shared a post on Instagram announcing the end of her 21-year tenure at Triple M Gold Coast. 'It's the best thing I ever did': Jo said she was inspired to give real estate a go after buying property with her partner last year. At the time their real estate agent noted she should try selling homes, and so she got her real estate licence She posted a selfie at the microphone, with a celebratory glass of champagne in hand and thanked her colleagues. 'To my team at Triple M Gold Coast thank you for the champagne on my last day in radio... What I really wish I could bottle were your kind words.' 'Cheers to 21 years! From one iconic brand (Triple M) to another I go...,' she wrote. Stanley Tucci is looking happy and healthy just days after revealing he was diagnosed with oral cancer and underwent treatment nearly three years ago. Photographers caught the Oscar-nominated actor and Searching For Italy host as he was leaving the ninth annual Fortnum & Mason Food And Drink Awards in London, England on Thursday. While heading down stairs outside the venue, Tucci, 60, flashed a big beaming in a grey patterned suit paired with a black dress shirt and leather shoes. Happy and healthy: Stanley Tucci, 60, flashed a big beaming smile when he left the the ninth annual Fortnum & Mason Food And Drink Awards in London, England on Thursday The New York native was seen carrying two bags of goodies that were handed out at the awards show. His wife, literary agent Felicity Blunt, eventually caught up to him and walked by his side carrying bags of her own. The UK native, who's the sister of actress Emily Blunt, looked fashionable in beige pants with a black V-neck sweater over a white button down shirt. She covered up with a a dark navy blue overcoat and had her blonde tresses pulled back off her face. Stylish: The Oscar-nominated actor looked handsome in a grey-patterned suit that was paired with a black dress shirt and black leather shoes His lady: Tucci's wife, literary agent Felicity Blunt, eventually caught up to him and walked by his side in beige pants, a black v-neck sweater over a white button down shirt, and an overcoat The couple have been married since 2012 and have two children together. The evening outing comes just days after Tucci revealed his secret cancer diagnosis, which he battled in 2018. In an interview for the September 2021 issue of Vera, the Virgin Atlantic in-flight magazine, The Devil Wears Prada star shared that doctors had found a tumor at the base of his tongue. 'It was too big to operate, so they had to do high-dose radiation and chemo,' he said of the aggressive treatment, which resulted in him having to use a feeding tube for six months. Going strong Tucci and Blunt, 40, who's the sister of actress Emily Blunt, have been married for nine years and share two children together Tucci shared he was especially concerned about his cancer diagnosis and treatment plan after experiencing the heartbreaking loss of his first wife, Kate, to cancer in 2009. 'I'd vowed I'd never do anything like that, because my first wife died of cancer, and to watch her go through those treatments for years was horrible,' he confessed. The father of five also shared how the chemo and intense radiation was especially tough on his two younger twins Matteo and Emilia. 'The kids were great, but it was hard for them,' he said, adding that after using a feeding tube for a half a year he 'could barely make it to the twins high school graduation.' Although he admitted he 'feels much older' compared to before he got sick, Tucci said he's confident it's not likely that the cancer will return. RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under is returning for another season on streaming service Stan. Casting has already started, with wannabe queens able to apply for season two over at rdrcasting.com. 'I am thrilled to produce and host a brand new season of RuPauls Drag Race Down Under,' RuPaul said in a statement. Coming soon: RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under is returning for another season on streaming service Stan 'Weve only just begun to shine a worldwide spotlight on the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent of Australasian queens.' The second season of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under will premiere in 2022. Cailah Scobie, Stan chief content officer, said: 'Aussie fans loved the Stan Original Series RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under and demanded a second season. 'As the most awarded reality competition show in TV history, the decision was an easy one, and we cant wait to see the incredible talent that the show will unveil after the high bar set by season one.' 'I am thrilled to produce and host a brand new season of RuPauls Drag Race Down Under,' RuPaul said in a statement The first season aired on Stan earlier this year and was won by Kiwi drag queen Kita Mean. The New Zealand performer pocketed a whopping $30,000 cash prize and makeup supplies. Kita, 36, whose real name is Nick Nash, snatched the crown, beating Aussies Art Simone, Karen from Finance and Scarlet Adams. The final episode saw video appearances by Olivia Newton-John and her daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, who inspired a rendition of Physical. Kita has been the host of TVNZ's House of Drag for two seasons, and has maintained her position as resident Drag Queen at Family Bar and Club. She was one of 10 drag queens to compete in the Australasian version of the popular competition. Watch RuPauls' Drag Race Down Under exclusively on Stan in Australia. Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson became emotional as their co-worker Pete Deppeler bravely spoke about his beloved mother's cancer battle on the KIIS FM radio show on Friday. Pete, also known as 'Intern Pete' to listeners, broke down as he called in and updated the duo about how his mother Helen is doing as she fights terminal liver cancer. The heart-wrenching moment quickly got the better of Jackie, 46, who cried while listening to Pete, and was even left lost for words and unable to present her O-News segment shortly after the phone call. Heartbreaking: Jackie 'O' Henderson broke down in tears on the Kyle and Jackie O Show on Friday as her emotional co-worker Pete Deppeler spoke about his mother's battle with terminal liver cancer live on air. Pete is pictured with his mother Helen After the call, Jackie said she often fears the moment she might lose her mum and said she feels for Pete and his family. 'It makes you realise spend that extra minute cuddling your loved ones and don't dodge those calls,' Kyle said. Jackie added through tears: 'I always think about that Kyle, and I don't want my biggest regret to be I missed my mum's call or was too busy as when they're gone, you'd do anything for that phone call.' Emotional: The heart-wrenching moment got the better of Jackie, 46, who cried while listening to Pete and was even left lost for words and unable to present her O-News shortly after the phone call Pete recently rushed down to Victoria from Sydney to visit his mother and spend time with her. He called into the show on Friday to give the pair and listeners an update. Pete said he first found out his mother Helen had been diagnosed with liver cancer in April, on the day of producer Pedro Cuccovillo's wedding. He has been on personal leave for six weeks and is down in rural Victoria on his family's farm after getting an exemption to cross the border and after having completed two weeks of quarantine. 'Funnily enough, it was on the day of Pedro's wedding day, mum rang me and said she has liver cancer and it's not good,' Pete began. Family first: Pete has been on personal leave for six weeks and is down in rural Victoria on his family's farm, after getting an exemption to cross the border and after having completed two weeks of quarantine Kyle said he understood the diagnosis, as his late father died of the devastating disease. 'The cancer was huge, but she wanted to have a crack at the chemo... they said at the end of the day, let's have a try at this, if we get that, we might have a few more months,' Pete said. Pete explained that doctors recently stopped the chemotherapy as although it was working against the cancer, it was 'killing everything else'. Pete broke down in tears as he spoke about his sick mother, saying he's struggling to come to terms with it all. So sad: Kyle said he understood the liver cancer diagnosis as his late father died of the devastating disease 'It's the first time I spoke about it probably... I'm struggling with mum, I don't think I'm accepting it to be honest,' he heartbreakingly explained. 'She struggles, there are days she doesn't know where she is and doesn't know who I am and gets really confused and stuff, but we put her in hospital yesterday to bring her calcium down,' he explained. 'But we don't want to keep hurting her. We don't know how long we have left, she keeps fighting,' he added. Kyle and Jackie expressed how sorry they were to hear the news and gave their support to Pete. 'I'm so sorry to here all this Peter,' Kyle said. 'It's the first time I spoke about it probably... I'm struggling with mum, I don't think I'm accepting it to be honest,' Pete said during the heartbreaking call Meanwhile, Jackie described Pete's mother as an 'incredible woman'. 'It's very hard to talk about it your mum, you know who much we love her, she's been apart of our show... she's an incredible woman,' Jackie said. 'It's never easy going through something like this. I can't imagine how much strength it takes to just be there everyday and try and keep everyone's spirits up and at the same time you're struggling,' she added. Pete has been a reporter and producer with Kyle and Jackie O since 2013 and is now the National Talent Manager at ARN. Fredrik Eklund got scolded at his own party by James Harris for leaking details of their $14 million deal on Thursday's episode of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles. James, 37, and his business partner David Parnes, 39, had asked Fredrik, 44, to keep the Corsica deal in the Pacific Palisades a secret because it was important to their client. Fredrik, however, let it slip to Josh Altman, 42, about the deal and that set James off. Loose lips: Fredrik Eklund got scolded at his own party by James Harris for leaking details of their $14 million deal on Thursday's episode of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles 'You don't know how to shut your mouth,' James said to Fredrik who was moving into the Los Angeles market in addition to his New York business. 'So that's how you do business in this town, we will see how long that lasts.' James said in a confessional that he and David closed the deal on the property on Corsica after Fredrik brought 'tech world' buyers Darshan and Mel who were looking to move from San Francisco to Los Angeles. His client called him angry three days later to let him know he was finding out from other people that his house was sold and that Fredrik had sold it. James apologized to his client who told him that he didn't know if he could trust them going forward. James confronted Fredrik about his slip up. He reminded him that he told him to keep the details of the deal confidential, but that Fredrik went around LA 'screaming about it to try and get other listings.' Fed up: 'You don't know how to shut your mouth,' James said to Fredrik who was moving into the Los Angeles market in addition to his New York business. 'So that's how you do business in this town, we will see how long that lasts' Angry client: James apologized to his client who told him that he didn't know if he could trust them going forward 'You are never getting a deal from us again,' James said. Fredrik told him that he took confidentiality very seriously and that he had worked with 'a lot more big celebrities than you ever had.' Josh Altman, 42, stepped in and took Fredrik's side asking James if he had Fredrik sign a confidentiality agreement. Surprising ally: Josh Altman, 42, stepped in and took Fredrik's side asking James if he had Fredrik sign a confidentiality agreement 'We all know that paperwork is the only thing that matters,' Altman said. 'At the end of the day, the deal got done, right?' Fredrik then apologized to James and asked if anyone else at his soiree had anything else they wanted to tell him. Josh Flagg, 36, another of the show's power brokers, said he did have something to say. 'I just think it's funny that you made out with my husband (Bobby Boyd),' said Flagg, which stunned the party. 'No one else thinks that's really funny?' Saying sorry: Fredrik then apologized to James and asked if anyone else at his soiree had anything else they wanted to tell him Fredrik asked Flagg's husband Bobby, 35, if he remembered if they made out 15 years ago in Mykonos. Fredrik's husband Derek Kaplan, 48, was shocked and Bobby jokingly told Derek that they needed to talk. 'Why are you sweating, bro?,'' Altman asked Bobby who was turning red. Bobby didn't answer the question and called for his dog Cash as a distraction. Good question: 'Why are you sweating, bro?,'' Altman asked Bobby who was turning red 'It's ok I'll take Derek,' said Flagg. 'You guys go have fun.' It turned out an hour before Fredrik's party, that Bobby told Flagg that he had made out with Fredrik and Flagg old him he was so happy that he told him that. Back at the party, Fredrik filled up broker Tracy Tutor's wine glass and said to her that he was doing everything to fit in but that it wasn't working. She reminded him that he just got to Los Angeles. Catching up: Back at the party, Fredrik filled up broker Tracy Tutor's wine glass and said to her that he was doing everything to fit in but that it wasn't working Fredrik said it felt like the realtors in LA are like 'mean girls.' Tracy, 46, gave him some words of advice and told him she heard that he was overpricing listings and that he didn't know enough about the market. 'I like to set records,' Fredrik said. 'Now you are going to school me that I don't know what I'm doing.' Sage advice: Tracy, 46, gave him some words of advice and told him she heard that he was overpricing listings and that he didn't know enough about the market ''You can't just shoot prices out of your a**,'' she told him. 'I do deals left and right,' Fredrik told her. 'Slow your roll,' she responded. Heather Altman, 36, then shared a funny video with the other realtors at the party of her spinning around a light pole in front of her house while dancing until the pole came crashing down. Funny video: Heather Altman, 36, then shared a funny video with the other realtors at the party of her spinning around a light pole in front of her house while dancing until the pole came crashing down Fredrik then pulled Altman aside to ask him his opinion. 'I f*** up?,' said Fredrik. Altman told him he just needed to be careful because 'five percent of us do 95 percent of the deals.' Be careful: Altman told Fredrik he just needed to be careful because 'five percent of us do 95 percent of the deals' Flagg later went to meet his friend Nikki Haskell who showed him her friend's Spanish colonial style house in Bel Air that was built in 1928 by architect Wallace Neff that they wanted to sell. The home was 8,200 square feet, with vaulted ceilings, a library, nine-bathrooms, a home office, art studio, and a pool. The home was once owned by Diane Keaton. Nikki said her friends were thinking the home was worth $20 million. He told them if her friends were realistic and wanted to sell the house that they should list it at $17,450,00 and that it would sell. He told Nikki he would send her a nice little closing gift. 'Hopefully it will be from ...,' Flagg said. Classic home: Josh Flagg later went to meet his friend Nikki Haskell who showed him her friend's Spanish colonial style house in Bel Air that was built in 1928 by architect Wallace Neff that they wanted to sell. Spanish tile: The kitchen area featured Spanish tiles Thick walls: The home also featured thick walls that have become a rarity in construction 'Chanel,' said Nikki, filing in the blanks. Altman met Matt and his client Jimmy to give them a private showing of the Collingwood house, an 1,800 square foot property that featured 30-foot ceilings and a floating fireplace. The house was on the market for $29.5 million. High price: Altman met Matt and his client Jimmy to give them a private showing of the Collingwood house, an 1,800 square foot property that featured 30-foot ceilings and a floating fireplace Before going into the house, Altman asked them to step inside his mobile office, a custom van. In a confessional, Altman said he had the listing for a little more than a month but the investor's representative Sonny had really put a 'fire under my a** to get this thing sold.' Altman had his driver give them a tour of the neighborhood. Jimmy, the client, said he was particularly interested in a home in the Bird streets. He told Altman that he was in the jewelry business and makes the fantasy bras for Victoria's Secret. He proceeded to give other potential buyers a tour of the neighborhood to show them how noisy and crowded that most of the Bird streets were but that Collingwood was quiet in comparison. Mobile office: Before going into the house, Altman asked them to step inside his mobile office, a custom van Jewelry business: . Jimmy, the client, told Altman that he was in the jewelry business and makes the fantasy bras for Victoria's Secret The three-floor home included six bedrooms and eight bathrooms with sweeping views of the Hollywood Hills and Century City. The home also had a huge wine cellar, game room, and wellness spa that included a pink Himalayan sea salt wall as well as a dry sauna and steam room. Tracy meanwhile met with her seller Shelley who wanted to list her completely remodeled Abington home in Beverly Hills for $7 million. Tracy had suggested a lower price of $6,250,00. Shelley told her she had met with other realtors including one from New York who gave her a price of $6.75 million but worried that he might not know enough about the market. Shelley told Tracy that she wanted her to list the house for $6,750,000 million and if she agreed she would get the listing. Nice views: The three-floor home included six bedrooms and eight bathrooms with sweeping views of the Hollywood Hills and Century City Multiple amenities: The home also had a huge wine cellar, game room, and wellness spa that included a pink Himalayan sea salt wall as well as a dry sauna and steam room Meeting again: Tracy meanwhile met with her seller Shelley who wanted to list her completely remodeled Abington home in Beverly Hills for $7 million Tracy recommended instead that they list the home at $6,495,00 so that she could get the job done. Shelley agreed because she wanted to move back to Malibu. Tracy's potential commission if she sold the house would be $162,375. She then asked if the realtor she had spoken to was Fredrik and Shelley said, 'How did you know?' 'It's a small world,' said Tracy. Small world: 'It's a small world,' said Tracy after she guessed that Fredrik had talked to Shelley When Fredrik returned from work he confided in his husband Derek that he didn't want to be known as the broker that 'kisses and tells.' Derek told them they just arrived and it will take him a while to build business relationships and friendships. 'Your on their turf,' Derek told him. 'Josh Altman isn't going to bless you and say ''Welcome, take away all my business'',' Fredrik said in a confessional that he was competitive, but understood that he now must pay his dues in Los Angeles. Good point: 'Your on their turf,' Derek told Fredrik. 'Josh Altman isn't going to bless you and say ''Welcome, take away all my business''' Tracy meanwhile learned her client Shelley was concerned about buyers and brokers coming into the house because of COVID-19. She asked Tracy to show the house online, instead. She arranged a Zoom meeting with brokers and agents and put together a virtual video that gave them a tour of the property. During the Zoom, Tracy clicked a button and lost connection to the meeting. 'I just miss real open houses,' Tracy said in a confessional. Virtual tour: Tracy arranged a Zoom meeting with brokers and agents and put together a virtual video that gave them a tour of the property She told the agents if they were interested in the house to write an offer and that after that she would make sure that they were able to physically tour the house. One agent named Patrick said that was 'a very big ask for his clients' if they were spending $6 million before they wrote the offer. She said she would give them a contingency plan where they could back out of the offer later. One agent said he did have buyers who he thought was interested and would be making a cash offer. She ended up getting multiple offers and one at her full asking price from a buyer's agent named Chris. Chris, however, later called after his clients had the chance to walk through the house and told Tracy that upon closer inspection that the house did not suit his clients. He told her that his client felt that he was too tall for the house and that was the problem with virtual tours. Too tall: A buyer's agent told her that his client felt that he was too tall for the house and that was the problem with virtual tours Altman later met with Sonny, the rep for the investor, with an offer of $23 million for Collingwood from a client in Saudi Arabia. Sonny turned it down, but said he could come down to $27.5 million, but if not that his clients will just keep the house. Josh called the seller's agent who told him that he still thought the house was overpriced. The seller's agent told him that the most his client would go up to was $25 million. Working out: Altman later met with Sonny, the rep for the investor, with an offer of $23 million for Collingwood from a client in Saudi Arabia Sonny wouldn't accept, but said he would call his investors. Sonny came back with $25.5 million as their lowest acceptable price. Altman eventually got the buyers to accept the offer making him a commission of $637,500. 'Biggest sale in the Birds streets this year,' Altman said. Bargaining session: Sonny wouldn't accept, but said he would call his investors. Sonny came back with $25.5 million as their lowest acceptable price Flagg went to visit his friend Nikki, who was in the middle of a photo shoot. He told them he had an initial $15,995,000 offer on the house. He then jumped in and took some pictures as part of her photoshoot. He then worked the buyer's agent to try to get the price up. 'We are not giving it away,' Flagg said to the buyer's agent. 'This house is worth every penny of what we are asking.' The buyers came back with an offer of $16,455,00 that the seller accepted and Flagg made a commission of $411,375 on the deal. Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles will return next Thursday on Bravo. Leopards (Rose Theatre, Kingston, London) Verdict: cat and mouse morality tale Rating: Rockets and Blue Lights (Dorfman, National Theatre, London) Verdict: tangled in historical drama Rating: Without wishing to give too much away be careful who you take to Leopards at Kingston's Rose Theatre. Alys Metcalf's tale of a young woman who entraps an older man in a compromising situation in a hotel bedroom could feel a little bit awkward in the wrong company. Friends and spouses, OK. Colleagues and family not so much. Having said that, Leopards is a relatively conventional drama, in which Saffron Coomber plays 28-year-old Niala, a tourism PR who arranges a business meeting with 50-something Ben, the CEO of an environmental charity, played by Martin Marquez (best known from TV's Hotel Babylon). Sexual tension: Saffron Coomber plays 28-year-old Niala, a tourism PR who arranges a business meeting in Leopards The pair spend a little too long circling each other in the lobby during the opening half hour, but the story does finally crackle with sexual tension when she candidly puts him on the spot: does he want to take this upstairs? Much is owed to David Mamet here; in particular his play Oleanna, about a college professor and his aggrieved student. As expected, Niala has an agenda: she is seeking revenge. But Metcalf's play has an agenda, too; which is to ask if there can be 'carbon offsetting for morals'. This opaque and clumsy formulation is better known as 'atonement'. Unlike Mamet, who prefers to have his characters destroy each other, as they do in Greek tragedy, Metcalf's drama is too one-sided. Instead of allowing Ben to defend himself with solid arguments, Metcalf makes him merely well-meaning and conciliatory. And as well as being righteous, Niala needs to be more challenged. Alys Metcalf's tale of a young woman who entraps an older man in a compromising situation in a hotel bedroom could feel a little bit awkward in the wrong company Even so, there are sufficient twists to keep us moderately uncomfortable and Coomber and Marquez give absorbing performances. She negotiates her vengefulness with care; and he picks his way through his past with contrition. Thunder, and a piano bar heard off, add portent (and kitsch) to Christopher Haydon's neat production. And the sterility of corporate culture is distilled in a brown hotel room where a giant bed serves as both High Court bench and sacrificial altar. What it really needs, though, is a properly bloody ending. Rockets and Blue Lights is an ambitious, sprawling history play inspired by two pictures of slave ships painted by the Victorian landscape artist JMW Turner. Overloading her palette, writer Winsome Pinnock meditates on Turner's painting, tells the tragic story of one of his free black contemporaries, includes a teacher introducing pupils to Turner's art, and frames it from the perspective of a black actress making a film about atrocities on slave ships specifically the notorious massacre on the Zong in 1781. Rockets and Blue Lights is an ambitious, sprawling history play inspired by two pictures of slave ships painted by the Victorian landscape artist JMW Turner Any of these storylines might have commanded a play of its own; and Pinnock's two-and-a-half hour drama can feel like a portfolio of sketches of characters past and present. Historical allegations vie with contemporary social issues and straight-out fantasy. But the most interesting character is the seamy Cockney Turner, played by Paul Bradley as a wily old crank. Kiza Deen as the heroine actor is more of a cipher as she re-lives the slave victims' suffering, and connects it with insidious discrimination today. Laura Hopkins' design brings the strands together with a staging that features the deck of a ship Laura Hopkins' design brings the strands together with a staging that features the deck of a ship, a pool of sea water and twisted black furniture made to look like Turner's charcoal squiggles. Miranda Cromwell's production also features a soulful mix of blues guitar, jazz saxophone and African drums. Otherwise, it only really begins to scratch the surface of a grim and shameful subject. Long-suffering daughter who dreams of being a wild rover The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Minerva, Chichester; then Lyric Hammersmith, London) Verdict: mother of troubles Rating: A quarter of a century ago, Martin McDonagh's debut play about a monstrous, manipulative old woman who sabotages the chances of her virgin spinster daughter in order to keep her as her skivvy, revealed an assured talent for mordantly black humour. He could turn squeals of laughter into horror in a split second. Even if you know what is going to happen and McDonagh fearlessly plants clues and lunges into melodrama Rachel O'Riordan's poignant, pungent revival proves the play has lost none of its power to shock. Indeed, in a week when social care is under scrutiny, it seems that little has changed for the likes of Maureen, virtually imprisoned in a godforsaken cottage in the Connemara mountains, tethered to her vindictive old mother, Mag. Locked in: Orla Fitzgerald and Ingrid Craigie in The Beauty Queen of Leenane Leenane is the kind of place where 'you can't kick a cow . . . without some bastard holding a grudge for 20 years'. Repression indoors, oppression outdoors. Everyone wants out. The set is not as suffocating or squalid as it might be, in spite of the stained wallpaper, glowering skies rearing up behind and the sound of rain falling like pebbles. But there is no doubting the stink of infected urine which Ingrid Craigie's somewhat underpowered sly, malign Mag defiantly empties from her potty into the kitchen sink. Rooted in her rocking chair, from which she issues orders for tea and porridge, pulling strings without budging an inch; the moment she is alone she leaps up, burning an invitation, then a letter, determinedly destroying hopes and lives. For hope arrives in the shape of a neighbour, Pato Dooley (Adam Best has real sweetness, awkwardness and artlessness), home from navvying in London and looking for love and escape with the woman he calls the Beauty Queen of Leenane. Maureen's retaliation seems initially mild: she serves her mother lumpy Complan and spits the odd insult. But the triumph of Orla Fitzgerald's compelling performance is the gradual revelation that she is not merely disappointed but damaged and delusional. Dangerously so. Her mother's daughter, no less. But, unlike her mother, pitiable. Devastatingly good drama. By Georgina Brown Zendaya left fans devastated on Thursday morning after revealing she will not be able to attend the 2021 Met Gala due to a scheduling conflict. During a joint interview with her Dune costar Timothee Chalamet, who is hosting the invite-only event on September 13th, the star confirmed she will be missing this year's In America: A Lexicon of Fashion-themed bash. 'My fans are going to be very upset with me,' the 25-year-old Emmy winner told Extra. 'I will unfortunately not be able to attend because I'll be working for Euphoria.' So sad: Zendaya left fans devastated on Thursday afternoon after revealing she will not be able to attend the 2021 Met Gala due to a scheduling conflict; pictured in 2019 She continued: 'I got my time off to come here and do this Venice experience, which has been really, really special.' 'I wish I could, especially since this fashion icon is going to be hosting,' the actress said, before nudging Chalamet, 25. In response, the Oscar nominee said he's 'really looking forward' to the Met and wants to 'soak it all in.' During a joint interview with her Dune costar Timothee Chalamet, who is hosting the invite-only event on September 13th, the star confirmed she will be missing this year's In America: A Lexicon of Fashion-themed bash; seen in 2017 'My fans are going to be very upset with me,' the 25-year-old Emmy winner told Extra . 'I will unfortunately not be able to attend because I'll be working for Euphoria' 'I know I have some responsibilities for the evening too, but I really just want to see everyone,' the Oscar nominee raved of his hosting duties. As Zendaya predicted, her fans did not take the news well as they flocked to social media to express their disappointment. Twitter was flooded with tweets, like 'ZENDAYA ISNT GOING TO THE MET GALA????????' and 'What do you mean no Zendaya? What's even the point of the met gala? She IS the met gala. That's it I'm done with life.' There's always next year: She continued: 'I got my time off to come here and do this Venice experience, which has been really, really special' As Zendaya predicted, her fans did not take the news well as they flocked to social media to express their disappointment 'Just found out Zendaya won't be able to attend the Met Gala bc she's filming Euphoria,' one Twitter used wrote. 'Wow isn't it crazy that we won't have a Met Gala this year? So sad they had to cancel the whole thing.' Another joked: 'I will be quoting every met gala look with 'zendaya wouldve done it better' WATCH ME.' 'Zendaya not attending the met gala this year is my villain origin story. Like we've waited for so long only for her to not even attend,' another follower quipped. Another joked: 'I will be quoting every met gala look with 'zendaya wouldve done it better' WATCH ME' 'Just found out Zendaya won't be able to attend the Met Gala bc she's filming Euphoria,' one Twitter used wrote. 'Wow isn't it crazy that we won't have a Met Gala this year? So sad they had to cancel the whole thing' Outraged: Fans couldn't believe the news Since making her Met Gala debut in 2015 rocking a high-low, Fausto Puglisi gown, Zendaya has become a fan-favorite on the event's red carpet. The following the year, she opted for a stunning, gold Michael Kors dress with a sleek chin-length bob. In 2017, the beauty turned heads in a flowing Dolce & Gabbana dress, a voluminous Afro and a bright coral lipstick. Beautiful: Since making her Met Gala debut in 2015 (pictured) rocking a high-low, Fausto Puglisi gown, Zendaya has become a fan-favorite on the event's red carpet Memorable: The following the year, she opted for a stunning, gold Michael Kors dress with a sleek chin-length bob (pictured in 2016) For the 2018 Met Gala, she wore a metallic, Joan of Arc-inspired Versace gown. Her most recent look, a light-up Tommy Hilfiger dress, is her most memorable to date. Her stylist, Law Roach, accompanied her to the event dressed as her fairy godmother. British Skins actress Kathryn Prescott has been left in a critical condition after being hit by a cement truck while crossing a road in New York. The 30-year-old Londoner was rushed to hospital on Tuesday following the horror crash, her twin sister Megan revealed on Instagram on Thursday. The actress, know for playing Emily Fitch in Skins and Carter Stevens in Finding Carter, is in an ICU at a New York Hospital and is 'incredibly lucky to be alive'. Megan, a bodybuilder, announced the shock news through her social media on Thursday and said her twin had a broken pelvis, legs, foot and hand. British Skins actress Kathryn Prescott (pictured) has been left in a critical condition after being hit by a cement truck in New York The 30-year-old Londoner was rushed to hospital on Tuesday following the horror crash, her twin sister Megan (pictured together) revealed on Instagram on Thursday The twin sisters are pictured with the Skins cast, including Luke Pasqualino, in 2009 She wrote: 'I received the most terrifying phone call I've ever received in my life on Tuesday evening. 'My twin sister Kathryn was hit by a cement truck while crossing a road in New York on the 7th September.' She outlined the extent of her injuries, including a 'broken pelvis in two places, both of her legs, her foot and her left hand'. Megan pointed out that, although her sister would be taken care of by medical professionals, her mobility could have been severely affected long-term. She wrote Kathryn 'narrowly avoided paralysis. The doctors are hopeful that she will make a full recovery but this will only be possible with the correct care right now.' She also pointed out her sister is currently 'alone in New York with no family members'. Megan pointed out that, although her sister would be taken care of by medical professionals, her mobility could have been severely affected long-term She wrote Kathryn 'narrowly avoided paralysis. The doctors are hopeful that she will make a full recovery but this will only be possible with the correct care right now.' Pictured: The twins as children Kathryn is pictured with fellow cast members at the premiere for A Dog's Journey in May 2019 What films and TV shows have Kathryn Prescott been in? 2008: Doctors 2009: Skins 2011: Monroe 2012: Casualty 2013: Being Human 2013: Skins Fire 2014: Finding Carter 2014: The Hive 2017: To The Bone 2017: 24: Legacy 2019: A Dog's Journey 2019: Polaroid 2019: Tell Me A Story Advertisement Kathryn was born in Palmers Green, north London, and is six minutes older than twin Megan. She got into acting in 2008 when the pair featured in an episode of soap opera Doctors. Kathryn joined the Skins cast a year later when she took on the role of Emily Fitch through series three, four and seven. She revealed on her website during a q&a with fans that she does not assign a sexuality to herself. She said she 'does not think people are defined by their sexuality', saying 'it doesn't change who you are as a person'. Megan said she wanted to serve as a caregiver for her sister, who will require further treatment following her release from the medical facility. She added: 'I need to be there to help her with literally everything as she will be able to do incredibly little by herself. 'She will be in rehab for a very long time and will need 24/hr care even after she leaves the hospital.' Megan, who is based in Britain, went on to blast the US government's policy towards foreign nationals after being told she could not see her sister. She wrote: 'I applied to the US Embassy for exemption from the current restrictions banning any non-US citizens into the US and was denied earlier today and I am devastated. Kathryn (pictured) was born in Palmers Green, north London, and is six minutes older than twin Megan Megan soared to fame in 2009 on Skins as her character Katie Fitch (pictured) and after leaving the show in 2010, the actress went on to appear on Silent Witness and Holby City Megan and twin Kathryn appeared on Skins as Katie and Emily Fitch, with Megan leaving the show in 2010 (pictured) Kathryn, who played Emily Fitch on the E4 series, has appeared in Netflix film To The Bone - alongside Lily Collins and Keanu Reeves (the sisters are pictured 2019) She got into acting in 2008 when the pair featured in an episode of soap opera Doctors. Pictured: Megan's post on Instagram 'I have documents from the hospital confirming the extent of Kathryn's injuries and am willing to do anything to get to her as soon as humanly possible.' She continued: 'I don't know what to do with myself. I have to be able to get to my sister to care for her and right now I have no way of doing so.' She added: 'I know there is so much going on in the world right now but I am heartbroken that I can't be with my twin sister in this horrible time in her life when she desperately needs me - I don't want her to go through this alone.' Megan asked her followers to let Kathryn recover undisturbed and to direct all of their concerns to either her or to the actress' representatives. She said: 'Please don't message or try to contact Kat right now, if you need her desperately please contact me, her managers or her agent. She needs to rest at the moment.' She also shared a message to her Instagram Story where she pointed out she was 'not interested in spending two weeks in another country to see my sister... I need to go NOW.' In April Megan revealed she would perform at a 'virtual strip club experience' for a British website. She said she would be part of Cybertease's Birthday Bonanza. In 2016, Megan pursued a bodybuilding career and documented her fitness transformation in a documentary called Megan Prescott: Dumbbells And Donuts (pictured in 2016) Skins star Megan Prescott (pictured in 2019) revealed in April she would perform at a 'virtual strip club experience' The actress re-shared the event's tweet and wrote: 'I'll be performing at @Cybertease_ 's reunion/birthday show... Make sure you get tickets before they sell out!.' Cybertease said the event was a 'virtual strip club experience created, organised, and performed by unionised workers', it also includes the option of 'private dances'. Megan soared to fame in 2009 on Skins as her character Katie Fitch and - after leaving the show in 2010 - she went on to appear on Silent Witness and Holby City. In 2016, Megan pursued a bodybuilding career and documented her fitness transformation in a documentary called Megan Prescott: Dumbbells And Donuts. The actress spent months working out for the UK Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation Bikini-Fitness event in May 2016. Megan previously said: 'I'm super into my fitness. I've been training in the gym for a few years now, weight training for the last couple. 'And now I'm really excited to take it to the next level. The idea to compete really came to me a few months after I started weight training. 'I started realising how much better I felt mentally and physically. Something that started as a 'bucket list' idea started to be a general lifestyle for me. You feel better mentally, physically, you feel stronger.' A GoFundMe has been set up for the family here. Julianne Moore hit the red carpet with a stylish grace at the world premiere of her new movie Dear Evan Hansen. The 60-year-old actress plays Heidi Hansen, the mother of Ben Platt's title character in this Broadway musical adaptation. She was spotted at the premiere, held at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto on Thursday, alongside cast members Amandla Stenberg, Ben Platt, Colton Ryan, Danny Pino, Adam Siegel, Nik Dodani, director Stephen Chbosky and writer Steven Levinson. Red carpet ready: Julianne Moore hit the red carpet with a stylish grace at the world premiere of her new movie Dear Evan Hansen New role: The 60-year-old actress plays Heidi Hansen, the mother of Ben Platt's title character in this Broadway musical adaptation Cast and crew: She was spotted at the premiere, held at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto on Thursday, alongside cast members Amandla Stenberg, Ben Platt, Colton Ryan, Danny Pino, Adam Siegel, Nik Dodani, director Stephen Chbosky and writer Steven Levinson Moore stepped out with an elegant and sparkling cut-out dress that fell to her ankles with matching heels. She kept warm with a black suit coat over her dress on the red carpet. Dear Evan Hansen was selected as the opening night film for this year's festival, which runs from September 9 through September 18. Julianne's look: Moore stepped out with an elegant and sparkling cut-out dress that fell to her ankles with matching heels She also posed with her on-screen son Ben Platt, who wore a classic black tuxedo with no bowtie. Their co-star Amandla Stenberg also hit the red carpet with blonde braided hair and a silver fringed top under a black tube top. She completed her look with a shimmering floral print dress and silver platform heels for the red carpet event. Julianne and Ben: She also posed with her on-screen son Ben Platt, who wore a classic black tuxedo with no bowtie Amandla out: Their co-star Amandla Stenberg also hit the red carpet with blonde braided hair and a silver fringed top under a black tube top Amandla's look: She completed her look with a shimmering floral print dress and silver platform heels for the red carpet event Colton Ryan opted for a unique look with a black suit coat over a black t-shirt with pants that featured one black leg and one grey plaid leg, with black shoes. Dear Evan Hansen debuted on Broadway in December 2016, winning Best Musical and Best Actor in a Leading Role for Ben Platt. The story follows Platt's title character, a high school senior with social anxiety disorder who is encouraged to write daily letters to himself to help ease his anxiety. Colton: Colton Ryan opted for a unique look with a black suit coat over a black t-shirt with pants that featured one black leg and one grey plaid leg, with black shoes Broadway: Dear Evan Hansen debuted on Broadway in December 2016, winning Best Musical and Best Actor in a Leading Role for Ben Platt When one of the letters is found by a classmate who later commits suicide, Hansen invents an important role for himself in that late classmate's life. The film also stars Kaitlyn Dever and Amy Adams, with Universal releasing the film in theaters on September 24. Moore will next be seen in When You Finish Saving The World, the directorial and writing debut of actor Jesse Eisenberg. Coming soon: Moore will next be seen in When You Finish Saving The World, the directorial and writing debut of actor Jesse Eisenberg Sylvia Jeffreys appeared on Today Extra on Friday to announce her return to the hosting post on the morning program. And joining her during the live cross via Zoom was her adorable one-year-old son Oscar, who stole the spotlight from her with a hilarious awkward gaffe. During the interview, the 19-month-old toddler mistakenly called co-host David Campbell 'dadda'. Whoops! Sylvia Jeffreys' son Oscar mistakenly called Today Extra host David Campbell 'dadda' during their live appearance on Friday 'Wrong network, buddy,' the TV presenter laughed, referring to Sylvia's husband Peter Stefanovic, who is the breakfast host of Sky News Australia's First Edition. Sylvia also clarified to her boy: 'that's not dadda', before joking that his minor mistake was 'disconcerting'. Little Oscar continued to baby babble throughout the chat, and at one point continued to call out 'wee wee' as pictures of his parents and younger brother Henry were shown. Funny: 'Wrong network, buddy,' the TV presenter laughed, referring to Sylvia's husband Peter Stefanovic. Sylvia also clarified to her boy: 'that's not dadda' before joking that his minor mistake 'disconcerting'. Pictured is David Campbell with co-host Belinda Russell Funny nickname: Little Oscar continued to baby babble throughout the chat and called out 'wee wee' as pictures of his parents and younger brother Henry were shown. Sylvia explained: 'He is seeing a picture of Henry on the scene and that is what he calls Henry, Wee Wee' Sylvia explained: 'He is seeing a picture of Henry on the scene and that is what he calls Henry, Wee Wee, which is also his word for Wiggles so it is very confusing around here.' Elsewhere, she also told her colleagues that the 'hardest thing' about being a parent with two very young sons in lockdown was having no access to their family in Queensland. 'I think the hardest thing for us is not having the grandmas around because they will both in Queensland, and my dad as well, and we are separated from of course my brother and my sister. 'It is really challenging': Sylvia, who will return to Today Extra on Monday, told her colleagues that the 'hardest thing' about being a parent to two very young sons while in lockdown was having access to their family in Queensland. Pictured is Sylvia, Pete and second son Henry 'So not being able to see them in Queensland is really challenging,' she said. But she said the silver lining has been being able to have plenty to time to 'bond' with her sons. After the interview Sylvia shared an Instagram post of looking a little confused at seeing himself on TV as they re-watching their appearance on Today Extra, before excitedly jumping around. What's going on here? After the interview Sylvia shared an Instagram post of looking a little confused at seeing himself on TV as they re-watching their appearance on Today Extra 'Oscar seems pretty satisfied with his performance,' she wrote. 'But, no, @davidcampbell73 is not "Dadda" and, yes, we can put @thewiggles back on now. MVP in that segment was Henry, who slept soundly. 'Can't wait to see the team in real life on Monday. Have a happy and safe weekend, everyone,' she added. How it started: They began dating in 2013 after meeting at Nine and were engaged in 2016 while on holiday in France Sylvia and Peter are proud parents to five-month-old Henry and 19-month-old Oscar. They began dating in 2013 after meeting at Nine and were engaged in 2016 while on holiday in France. The couple tied the knot at the Ooralba Estate in Kangaroo Valley on April 1, 2017. Channel 10's plastic surgery special Mirror Mirror has been a ratings hit for the network. And one of the most interesting stories featured on the show is that of tradie Adam Burns, who has struggled with hair loss for years. The 47-year-old had previously taken medication for his hair loss, but stopped once he thought it was affecting his sex drive - and his swinging lifestyle. Tragic: Channel 10's Mirror Mirror has been a ratings hit for the network. And one of the most interesting stories on the show is that of tradie Adam Burns, who has struggled with hair loss for years Adam's girlfriend Jade is 23-years-old, and together the pair are a part of the swinging scene. Unfortunately, due to his lack of confidence around his hair loss, Adam would become self conscious when meeting new sex partners. 'His hair loss is something that I realised that he was insecure about before maybe even he did,' Jade said in a piece to camera. 'As soon as he realised someone was coming over he'd go and put a beanie on.' The tradie admitted that his baldness has been a huge problem when it comes to his promiscuous sex life, which has led him to seek out a hair transplant. Wild: Adam's girlfriend Jade is 23-years-old, and together the pair are a part of the swinging scene 'I get self conscious when we're swinging,' he confessed. 'Being bald in that scene definitely makes me feel less confident.' Adam tried medication and even went to a growth clinic, but he decided ultimately that a transplant was the only viable option for him. 'Nothing grows your hair back except for a hair transplant. Everything else is just smoke and mirrors,' he said. 'I went to the doctor and he prescribed me a hair loss tablet and that was a big flop,' he continued. 'His hair loss is something that I realised that he was insecure about before maybe even he did,' Jade said in a piece to camera. 'As soon as he realised someone was coming over he'd go and put a beanie on' 'My sex drive just completely plummeted. It was terrible! I'd rather have no hair than have no sex drive. But it still doesn't grow it back, so I'll still be bald with no sex drive.' Host Todd Sampson tackles body image and its negative effects in his two-part documentary titled Mirror Mirror. The filmmaker admits his special contains some of the most emotional scenes he has ever filmed for a documentary - one of which brought him to tears. 'I get self conscious when we're swinging': The tradie admitted that his baldness has been a huge problem when it comes to his promiscuous sex life, which has led him to seek out a hair transplant 'A lot of the show is about mental illness. We start with the deep end of the story and then that story unfolds, both male female, with body dysmorphia, and someone getting diagnosed on screen,' the 51-year-old said in an interview with TV Tonight. 'I had a huge cry. It was one of the more emotional moments Ive ever filmed,' he said. 'A young man, in his early twenties, being diagnosed with Body Dysmorphic Disorder, depression and anxiety, at a level of which therapists had never really seen before.' The series also features Instagram sensation Tara Jayne, who shot to fame after her extreme surgery was featured on an episode of E!'s Botched. Former Bachelorette star Pascal Wallace has denied breaking the 5km-radius rule during Sydney's Covid lockdown. The physiotherapist shared several Instagram posts this week from Bondi Beach with his girlfriend Jodie and their baby son Archie. Pascal and Jodie live in Breakfast Point, in Sydney's inner west, which is at least 20 kilometres from Bondi. Clarification: Former Bachelorette star Pascal Wallace (pictured) has denied breaking the 5km-radius rule during Sydney's Covid lockdown. He shared several Instagram posts this week from Bondi Beach despite living 20km away in Breakfast Point, in Sydney's inner west Greater Sydney residents are only allowed to leave their house for essential reasons and must stay within five kilometres of their home. Pascal posted a photo from the pier of baby Archie in a pram, and another snap of Jodie holding their son as they traversed the shore. He told Daily Mail Australia his trip to the beach was perfectly legal because he's still moving his belongings from Bondi to Breakfast Point and also has work obligations. 'I have an exemption to move house and also for my disability company,' he said. 'We still need to go back and tidy more stuff up. It's such a big job moving house' Hmm! Sydney residents are only allowed to leave their house for essential reasons and must stay within 5km of their home. Pascal posted this photo from Bondi Beach of his son Archie Rule-breakers? Pascal also shared this snap of his girlfriend Jodie holding their son The sighting comes three months after Pascal vowed to leave Bondi for good and move on from his hard-partying lifestyle. In June, he threw a wonderland-themed party at his $1,700-per-week bachelor pad to commemorate his departure from the suburb. 'This was the final goodbye. It's been a blast, Bondi,' he told Daily Mail Australia at the time. Pascal said that after five years of living in Sydney's east he was ready to move away, settle down and start a family. Last hurrah: In June, Pascal threw a wonderland-themed party at his $1,700-per-week Bondi bachelor pad to commemorate his departure from the suburb He and Jodie then moved to Breakfast Point and welcomed Archie in late August. Pascal has previously shared anti-vaccine misinformation on Instagram and has already set up a 'back-up account for when I get deleted for my Covid rants'. He starred on The Bachelorette last year and was unceremoniously booted from the mansion for making disrespectful remarks about Elly and Becky Miles. Andy Cohen is the shining a light on one of the dark sides of social media after confronting a self-proclaimed troll who criticized him, personally, just to get a reaction out of him. On Thursday, Cohen, 53, posted screenshots of his online interaction with the anonymous person who hit him up on his Instagram DMs by writing, 'You should try and be a better person for your son.' But when Cohen, who's the proud dad to two-and-a-half-year-old son Benjamin, took to his Instagram page and replied, 'What am I doing wrong?' that person not only backtracked but also offered a half-hearted apology. Andy Cohen, 53, called out a self-proclaimed troll who criticized the Bravo host just to get a reaction from him 'Oh wow didn't expect a response,' the unidentified person wrote, sounding completely surprised and caught off guard. 'I was just being a troll. You're fine. Sry.' Keeping his cool and remaining respectful, the Watch What Happens Live host wrote back, 'I am indeed a real person. Thanks for understanding.' The Watch What Happens Live host posted screenshots of the unusual interaction that began with the troll writing, 'You should try to be a better person for your son' Bizarre: The troll was surprised when Cohen responded and asked what he was doing wrong; the anonymous person followed up by commenting that it was 'cool' he replied and proceeded to advise Cohen not to 'confront trolls' 'It's so cool that you responded. You probably shouldn't confront trolls though,' the person advised, while still sounding amazed that Cohen actually checked and responded to his own DMs. 'You probably shouldn't troll people though,' Cohen shot back to end the unusual interaction. Seemingly wanting to make his experience with the social media hater a learning moment, Cohen captioned the Instagram post, 'Social media in a nutshell.' Many of his 4.2 million fans and followers, including some of his fellow celebrities, express their outrage, amazement, or support for the Bravo producer and host. Classy Cohen: The Bravo host and producer kept his cool and remained classy throughout, adding, 'You probably shouldn't troll people though,' at the end the unusual interaction By posting the interaction, Cohen pointed out the dark side of social media, writing, 'Social media in a nutshell....' in the caption 'Is this real? Because omg,' Today's Savannah Guthrie wrote. 'Oh dear lord,' author and Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi shared with obvious disgust in her words. John Stamos simply commented, '#word,' while Southern Charm's Shep Rose wrote, 'That is patently insane. And not even a little surprising. We are so screwed.' The Real Housewives Of Dallas star Stephanie Hollman posted, 'I love you. You are an amazing person and father. Never listen to the trolls.' And comedian Amy Phillips criticized the anonymous person's apology, writing, 'And in perfect troll fashion, even their "sry" is pathetic.' Others shared their amazement over how trolling has become come kind of pastime or hobby. Comedy Legends: Laurel And Hardy Rating: Body In The Snow: Joanna Yeates Rating: Some stories are so good, you just beg them to be true. Silent film mogul Hal Roach told one to historian Kevin Brownlow 40 years ago, for his definitive documentary series, Hollywood: The Pioneers. Roach was shooting an early Laurel and Hardy short, a 1929 two-reeler called Big Business. Stan and Ollie are selling Christmas trees . . . in July. They turn up at the home of goggle-eyed actor James Finlayson and get into a tit-for-tat argument on the doorstep. Coats are ripped, noses are tweaked, watches are smashed, windows are broken, doors are demolished, cars are blown up . . . by the time it's over, Finlayson's house is in ruins. Comedy Legends showed other clips a number of Laurel and Hardy gems, all as delightfully and innocently funny as they have been for generations of fans For the era, this was a big-budget shoot, on location at a real house, a neat suburban bungalow in Los Angeles hired from a studio employee, with the promise that the wreckage would be repaired. But as the crew finished filming at this smouldering bombsite, the comic chaos took another twist. 'A car pulled up,' Roach remembered, 'with a man, his wife and two children. The wife practically fainted, the man the same. And that was when we realised we'd come to the wrong house.' In Comedy Legends (Sky Arts) we saw other clips from Big Business among a number of Laurel and Hardy gems, all as delightfully and innocently funny as they have been for generations of fans. When I was growing up in the 1970s, a Laurel and Hardy short aired daily at teatime on BBC2, with full-length features such as Sons Of The Desert and Our Relations at weekends. Their slapstick is still incomparable, and the humour is as fresh as ever. And it isn't simply that the sight of a fat man falling in a puddle of mud will never tire, Ollie's world-weary looks to camera and Stan's crumple-faced sobbing still seem somehow completely contemporary. It's astonishing to realise they were born in the 19th century. Gong giveaway of the night: Not one but two back-slapping ceremonies were on show, with the National Television Awards (ITV) and the Mercury Prize Live: Album Of The Year (BBC4). Apart from the nominees, does anyone really care about these self-satisfied junkets? Advertisement Children today, once they get accustomed to the strangeness of the pre-war clothes and the flickering black-and-white film, will still find their surreal antics hilarious. Bring back Stan and Ollie! Barry Cryer presented the tribute, opening with a story of his own. He saw the duo on their only visit to England, in 1953, at a theatre in Leeds. 'They were the Beatles before the Beatles,' he said. 'We queued round the block. They got a standing ovation and they hadn't done anything yet!' Touches like that bring even the most familiar history to life. That's what was missing in the two-part account of the Joanna Yeates murder investigation, Body In The Snow (C5). This was the first time we had heard from detectives involved in the 2010 case, which began as a search for a woman who vanished from her Bristol flat after a drink with colleagues, and became a murder hunt after her body was discovered in a roadside bank of snow on Christmas Day. But nothing the police had to say increased our understanding of the inquiry. All the details have been raked over repeatedly, not least in the 2014 drama starring Jason Watkins as the initial suspect who had been wrongly accused The Lost Honour Of Christopher Jefferies. Jefferies was interviewed and seemed archly amused by some of the proceedings, but added little to what's been said before. One of his close friends, the actor Clive Panto, was another contributor though here the most interesting detail wasn't mentioned. Mr Panto had a bit-part in The Lost Honour, as a solicitor. How that came about, and what the experience was like, we weren't told. But there's always a story if you look. She was arguably one of the biggest Aussie sex symbols of the 1990s. Kimberley Davies shot to fame in 1993 playing Annalise Hartman on Neighbours and quickly became a household name in Australia and the UK. The blonde bombshell, now 48, became a staple in men's magazines, gracing the cover of FHM, Maxim, Loaded and many more. Iconic: Kimberley Davies shot to fame in 1993 playing Annalise Hartman on Neighbours and quickly became a household name in Australia and the UK At the height of her fame, Kimberley even covered Australian Vogue and released her own workout video in the UK. Many fans will also remember her iconic '90s Tim Tam commercial. Kimberley left Neighbours in 1996 and went to Hollywood, where she was cast in Aaron Spelling's short-lived night-time soap Pacific Palisades. The show was cancelled after one season, but the Aussie star landed small roles on hit shows like Ally McBeal, Friends and Spin City. Sizzling: The blonde bombshell, now 48, became a staple in men's magazines, gracing the cover of FHM, Maxim, Loaded and many more Bombshell: Kimberly stuns on a vintage cover of Inside Sport in 1995 She later appeared on a number of reality shows, including Celebrity Circus, Dancing with the Stars, and the UK version of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! These days, Kimberley lives a much quieter life outside of the spotlight. She's been married to orthopaedic surgeon Jason Harvey for more than 20 years and the couple have three children together. Classy: Besides men's magazines, Kimberly also landed the cover of Australian Vogue Fame: Kimberly is best known for playing Annalise Hartman on Neighbours from 1993 to 1996 Kimberley hasn't acted on TV since the 20th anniversary special of Neighbours in 2005. That same year, she also had a part in the straight-to-DVD flick Death to the Supermodels, alongside Jaime Pressly and Brooke Burns. Although she keeps a low profile these days, fans can occasionally catch the stunner at red carpet events around Melbourne. Jasmine Stefanovic is currently in Brisbane visiting her very sick grandmother. And on Wednesday, the wife of Today show host Karl, took some time out to give her daughter Harper, one, some fun playtime at a park. The 37-year-old opted for a activewear ensemble for the outing - a lilac jumper with black patterned leggings and Nike trainers. Play time! Jasmine Stefanovic showed she's a hands-on mum as enjoyed playtime with daughter Harper, one, at a park in Brisbane on Wednesday She dressed her baby girl in an animal print jumper, black leggings and pink shoes. At the park she stood by Harper as she slowly spun around on the playground spinner. Afterwards, the shoe designer placed her little one in the swing and pushed her. At one point, as Harper appeared to gain plenty of height, Jasmine reacted by swinging her arms right up and pulling a face to make her daughter laugh. Going up! The shoe designer placed her little one in the swing and pushed her. Too cute: At one point, as Harper appeared to gain plenty of height, Jasmine reacted by swinging her arms right up and pulling a face to make her daughter laugh It was then time for the duo to head back home, and little Harper looked tired as she sat in her stroller. The blonde beauty was busy chatting on the phone, possibly to her husband Karl and catching up on each other's day. Jasmine and Harper got an exemption to travel from Sydney to Brisbane late last month to reunite with her grandmother who is very sick in hospital. Big morning: It was then time for the duo to head back home, and little Harper looked tired as she sat in her stroller After 14 days in hotel quarantine, she shared a photo of her holding her grandmother's hand in hospital on Tuesday. 'Nana, with you now and forever,' she captioned the sweet image. Karl explained that his wife was 'incredibly close' to her 95-year-old grandmother, who had become unwell. Drastic measures: Jasmine and Harper spent 14 days in hotel quarantine before they were allowed into Queensland. The mother went to drastic measures to entertain her little one by asking hotel staff for a small sand pit Close: After 14-days in hotel quarantine, Jasmine shared a photo of her holding her grandmother's hand in hospital on Tuesday. 'Nana, with you now and forever,' she captioned the sweet image 'I want to talk about this because this is really big, where Jasmine and Harper are right now and what they're doing,' Karl began. 'So she's had to go to Brisbane because her very dear, dear Nan, who she's incredibly close with, is really, really, really sick.' 'This is going on with families right around the country. It's not easy,' he added. Embattled Seven News reporter Georgia Love has been pulled from on-air duties and relegated to the production desk just days after posting a 'racist' video on Instagram. The journalist, 33, had sparked backlash on Monday for sharing footage of a cat behind the window of an Asian restaurant and writing: 'Shop attendant or lunch?!' She deleted the video an hour later and apologised for causing 'offence', but at the time denied the post had any racist 'insinuation'. Love also posted a similar 'joke' about pets and Chinese restaurants in 2013. Following a workplace investigation, Seven alerted staff via email on Friday that Love had been 'counselled' and reassigned to an off-camera role 'effective immediately'. A Seven spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'We have addressed this matter internally and disciplinary action has been taken. 'Seven does not condone this inappropriate conduct and all of our staff have the right to work in a safe, nurturing workplace free from prejudice.' Scroll down for video Embattled Seven News reporter Georgia Love has been pulled from on-air duties and relegated to the production desk just days after posting a 'racist' video on Instagram Love is understood to be 'devastated' and 'deeply sorry for her actions', and has personally apologised to her colleagues, reports The Herald Sun. 'I want to apologise for an inappropriate post on my personal social media account this week and for an old post which has resurfaced,' Love said in a staff email. 'I'm deeply sorry for the hurt that I've caused and, in particular, for offence to the Asian community. It certainly wasn't my intention. 'My posts were inappropriate and offensive. There is no excuse for perpetuating racist stereotypes in any forum. 'I am committed to moving forward, learning and growing in my new role and I hope that in time I can earn your trust back.' Following a workplace investigation, Seven alerted staff via email on Friday that Love (pictured with her husband Lee Elliott) had been reassigned to an off-camera role 'effective immediately' Love's apology was forwarded to staff at Seven's Melbourne newsroom by news director Shaun Menegola, who acknowledged her social media activity had been 'inappropriate and offensive'. 'It has been a difficult week for many as a consequence of some inappropriate and offensive posts on a staff member's private account,' Mr Menegola wrote. 'Following a workplace investigation that had to follow due process, I want to let you know that Georgia has been counselled and will be reassigned to the production desk, effective immediately.' Love has also been dropped as an ambassador for Chadstone Shopping Centre. A Chadstone spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Friday her contract had been terminated on the day she posted the offensive video. Dumped: Love (pictured near her home in Melbourne on Thursday) is understood to be 'devastated' and 'deeply sorry for her actions', and has personally apologised to her colleagues 'We were disappointed by a social media post this week by one of our friends of the Chadstone brand and, as a result, we issued notice to end our contract with Georgia,' they said. 'We always support diversity and welcome a range of customers and retailers every day, without prejudice or discrimination, as we work to ensure our centre is a safe and inclusive place for our community to come together.' Love's manager, Sean Anderson at 22 Management, said he was 'disappointed' by the retailer's move but 'respects' its decision. Mr Anderson also said his client had been subjected to 'trolling' amid the scandal. Divisive: The journalist, 33, had sparked backlash on Monday for sharing footage (above) of a cat behind the window of an Asian restaurant and writing: 'Shop attendant or lunch?!' 'We are disappointed by Chadstone's decision to end their relationship with Georgia but we respect their right to do so,' he said. 'We are focused on providing as much support as we can to Georgia as the trolls are currently in full flight and intent on inflicting as much damage as they can on her.' Love, a former Bachelorette, had posted the 'offensive' video on Instagram Stories on Monday. Love has also been dropped as an ambassador for Chadstone Shopping Centre. A Chadstone spokesperson said on Friday her contract had been terminated on the day she posted the offensive video. Pictured: Love at a '60 Years of Chadstone' event in June The footage showed a cat behind the window of a Chinese restaurant and featured the text: 'Shop attendant or lunch?!' She deleted the post and apologised after being called out by 'influencer watchdog' Instagram account Aussie Influencer Opinions. The same account later discovered another of Love's posts from February 2013 in which she made a similar joke about domestic pets and Asian restaurants. Love's 2013 post showed an 'animal hospital' next to a restaurant called 'China Chef'. Below the photo of the two storefronts was a cartoon image of a dog, alongside the text: 'That's suspicious...' Love captioned it at the time: 'Best.' 'We were disappointed by a social media post by one of our friends of the Chadstone brand and, as a result, we issued notice to end our contract with Georgia,' a Chadstone rep said Love had previously apologised for her cat video on Monday afternoon, but denied there was any racist 'insinuation' behind it. 'Earlier I posted a video of a cat in a restaurant window. I meant for this to be a joke about an animal being in a restaurant at lunch service time,' she said. 'I meant absolutely no insinuation about the type of animal nor the type of restaurant, but I see that my post did not come across like that and was offensive. 'I sincerely apologise for the oversight and offence I have caused. Thank you to those who called me out. This is what we need to make sure we are all accountable and do better. 'Again, I apologise from the bottom of my heart for the offence caused.' Despite her apology, the backlash to Love's video was swift. Love deleted the cat video and apologised (pictured), but her social media activity, including a similar post from 2013, became the subject of an investigation at Seven Instagram account Aussie Influencer Opinions discovered another of Love's posts from February 2013 in which she made a similar joke about pets and Asian restaurants Feminist author Clementine Ford commented on Instagram: 'It confirms again how low Australia sets the bar for people to be given high-profile jobs in TV media, and just how insular they are allowed to be.' MasterChef judge Melissa Leong, who is of Chinese-Singaporean descent, also revealed she felt 'hurt' and 'betrayed' because she knows Love personally. '"Shop attendant or lunch?"' posted on a video of a cat in a Chinese restaurant by someone I know, who also happens to carry a fair amount of influence,' Leong wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. 'Casual racism from nice people is possibly the most betraying and insidious kind.' Despite her apology, the backlash to Love's video was swift, with feminist author Clementine Ford (left) and MasterChef judge Melissa Leong (right) criticising her online In the aftermath of the scandal, Love deleted her Twitter account (pictured) and limited comments on her Instagram profile Melissa admitted she felt 'bummed' about the situation, especially as Georgia was also accused of sharing another 'racist' Instagram post eight years ago. 'Not angry, just completely bummed that this video exists and that it isn't the first joke of this kind made by her,' she wrote. 'Georgia, I really hope your remorse is real and that you grow in the right direction, because this stuff hurts more people, more than you think. 'We must be allies for each other for a better world for all.' Georgia began her career as a journalist for WIN News (pictured) Her profile skyrocketed in 2016 when she was cast on Channel 10's The Bachelorette (pictured on the show with now-husband Lee Elliott) In the aftermath of the scandal, Love deleted her Twitter account and limited comments on her Instagram profile. Georgia began her career as a journalist for WIN News before her profile skyrocketed in 2016 when she was cast on Channel 10's The Bachelorette. She went on to become a casual reporter for Ten Eyewitness News, later rebranded 10 News First, but was let go due to budget cuts in early 2021. She announced she'd joined Seven News Melbourne in February. My Kitchen Rules stars Zana Pali and her husband Gianni Romano have purchased a plot of land in Brighton's prestigious Golden Mile. The Melbourne-based lawyers have given an inside look at their 'dream home' which is set to include an underground nightclub. Their palace is set among other celebrity homes, including AFL footy WAG Rebecca Judd's $7.3 million Spanish Colonial mansion. Majestic: My Kitchen Rules stars Zana Pali and her husband Gianni Romano have purchased a plot of land in Brighton's prestigious Golden Mile 'My whole life my dream has been to have a home on Brightons Golden Mile,' Zana told Realestate.com.au.. The reality star announced the multimillion dollar land purchase on Instagram this week after spending four months 'door-knocking' homes. Zana and her husband are now planning to begin building the $4 million dollar plus property from as early as next week, with expectations it will be completed by July 2022. Luxe: The Melbourne-based lawyers have given an inside look at their 'dream home' which is set to include an underground nightclub Future: Zana and her husband are now planning to begin building the $4 million dollar plus property from as early as next week, with expectations it will be completed by July 2022 'Youve got to do your own thing to get anything off market (at the moment),' she said. The lavish design of the interior and exterior of the home was developed by artist Sara Sidari, Thomas & Williams architects and landscaper Jack Merlo. 'The house (design) is spectacular. It has a 6m-tall fireplace, its pretty much glass on two sides and Im planning to do a nightclub downstairs,' Zana added. Pani and her husband sold their family home in December. Features: Pali says, 'The house (design) is spectacular. It has a 6m-tall fireplace, its pretty much glass on two sides and Im planning to do a nightclub downstairs' Intricate: The lavish design of the interior and exterior of the palace was developed by artist Sara Sidari, Thomas & Williams architects and landscaper Jack Merlo The couple have been heavily involved with property investment for around 10 years. The reality TV star explained that she wasn't sure if their new Golden Mile home would be their 'forever home' but says, at this moment in time, it's their 'dream home'. Zana and her husband Gianni Romano rose to fame as the 'legal eagles' on season seven of My Kitchen Rules in 2016. The pair share two sons: Leonardo, three, and Romeo, one. Ansel Elgort seemingly made his first public appearance since January 2020 on Thursday night in New York City. The 27-year-old Fault In Our Stars actor was one of many in attendance at The Daily Front Row's 2021 Fashion Media Awards. Elgort was on hand, in part, to support his photographer father Arthur Elgort, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the show's 8th annual event. Public appearance: Actor Ansel Elgort, 27, was spotted out publicly for the first time in more than a year while supporting of his father, Arthur Elgort, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award at The Daily Front Row's 2021 Fashion Media Awards on Thursday in NYC The Baby Driver leading man stepped out in a patterned gray blazer and matching shorts. He also wore a white dress shirt, a perfectly matched tie, and black shoes and socks as he sat next to his mother Grethe Barrett Holby. The 73-year-old theatre producer, stage director, and choreographer, flashed a beaming smile in an orange dress and white blazer combination. The actor's sister Sophie Elgort, a photographer in her own right, was also in attendance to support her father on his big night. Family matters: Dressed in a grey-patterned suit consisting of a blazer and matching shorts, the Divergent star snuggled up to his mother, Grethe Barrett Holby; the theatre producer, stage director, and choreographer flashed a big smile in an orange dress and white blazer Elgort had not been spotted at a public event since he went to the Golden Globes in January 2020 and a New York Knicks game a couple of weeks later in New York City. Thursday's outing comes about 15 months after a Twitter user going by the handle @Itsgabby accused him of sexually assaulting her when he was allegedly 20 and she was only 17. The New York City native steadfastly denied the allegations. 'I was distressed to see the social media posts about me that have been circulating in the past 24 hours,' he wrote on Twitter, adding, 'I cannot claim to understand Gabbys feelings but her description of events is simply not what happened. I have never and would never assault anyone.' The previous day, Gabby detailed an alleged situation that occurred after their initial online meeting. In her post, she described the alleged sexual encounter, writing, 'It was my first time and I was sobbing in pain and I didn't want to do it the only words that came out of his mouth were "we need to break you in."' The account where the story was posted was deleted shortly afterwards. Breakout: Elgort had two breakout roles in 2014, which included playing a teenage cancer patient in the romantic drama film The Fault In Our Stars alongside Shailene Woddley Elgort made his film debut in the remake of the supernatural horror film Carrie (2013). He would score two breakout roles the following year, starring as a teenage cancer patient in the romantic drama film The Fault In Our Stars with Shailene Woodley, as well as in the science fiction action film Divergent, which also starred Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ashley Judd, Jai Courtney, Zoe Kravitz, and Kate Winslet, among others. Next up, he stars in the romantic musical drama film West Side Story, directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg, and co-starring Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Josh Andres Rivera, Corey Stoll, Brian d'Arcy James and Rita Moreno. It is slated to premiere in the United States on December 10, 2021. Katie Holmes stepped out for a late-week soiree, celebrating fashion icon Iris Apfel's 100th birthday. The 42-year-old actress was spotted posing with Apfel at the soiree held at Central Park Tower in New York City on Thursday. The bash was held at part of New York Fashion Week, with other celebs in attendance such as Halle Bailey, Tommy Hilfiger, Fern Mallis, Donna Karen, CT Hedden and Luann de Lesseps. Stepping out: Katie Holmes stepped out for a late-week soiree, celebrating fashion icon Iris Apfel's 100th birthday Iris and Katie: The 42-year-old actress was spotted posing with Apfel at the soiree held at Central Park Tower in New York City on Thursday Katie stepped out with a Toga Archives x H&M sweater with unique brooches embedded into them. She also had unique gold earrings dangling past her shoulder-length auburn locks, with a black purses. The actress completed her look with a pair of black pants and black pumps for the event. Katie's look: Katie stepped out with a Toga Archives x H&M sweater with unique gold brooches with rubies embedded into them Holmes has been keeping busy at New York Fashion week, spotted with Kelly Bensimon and Christian Siriano at the Vacheron Constantin event on Wednesday. She also rocked a cerulean midi dress while putting in an appearance at the Kate Spade New York pop up at NYFW. She was also spotted grabbing lunch with Zac Posen before attending the Christian Siriano runway show on Tuesday. NYFW: Holmes has been keeping busy at New York Fashion week, spotted with Kelly Bensimon and Christian Siriano at the Vacheron Constantin event on Wednesday Runway: She was also spotted grabbing lunch with Zac Posen before attending the Christian Siriano runway show on Tuesday Holmes has been keeping busy while staying single, after splitting with her most recent boyfriend, Emilio Vitolo Jr. A spokesperson for Katie told Us Weekly that the two had parted 'amicably' and were 'still friends,' back in May. Another insider who spoke to the publication added that their 'relationship fizzled.' 'They figured out theyre better off as friends. Theres no drama that went down with the breakup,' the source said. Single: Holmes has been keeping busy while staying single, after splitting with her most recent boyfriend, Emilio Vitolo Jr Fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger also posed with Iris Apfel at the star-studded affair on Thursday night. Another fashion icon, Donna Karen was spotted in a flowing white top and black pants as she posed on the red carpet. CT Hedden and Luann de Lesseps were also spotted posing on the red carpet. Tommy: Fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger also posed with Iris Apfel at the star-studded affair on Thursday night Fashion icon: Another fashion icon, Donna Karen was spotted in a flowing white top and black pants as she posed on the red carpet CT and Luann: CT Hedden and Luann de Lesseps pose on the red carpet Fern: Fern Mallis was spotted on the red carpet at Iris Apfel's birthday bash Earlier this week she admitted to her fans and followers that she was struggling to cope in lockdown. And on Friday, social media influencer Ruby Tuesday Matthews celebrated the news that Byron Bay would be coming out of it at midnight. The 27-year-old shared a video of herself on Instagram, saying she was 'so excited' for lockdown to lift. ''It's so exciting': On Friday, Ruby Tuesday Matthews celebrated Byron Bay coming out of lockdown after reaching 'breaking point' 'Happy Friday, if you're in an area like us, we're out of lockdown tonight at midnight, which is so exciting,' Ruby said. 'Obviously things can always change but yeah,' she added, before signing in the clip. Ruby later shared an Instagram story of herself at the beach in a tiny bright blue bikini and a picture on her feed of herself with fiance Shannan Dodd. 'Locked down': Ruby later shared an Instagram story of herself at the beach in a tiny bright blue bikini and a picture on her feed of herself with fiance Shannan Dodd 'Locked down,' the post was captioned. She showed off a deep tan and had her long brunette tresses out and over her shoulders. According to NSW Health, 'parts of regional NSW currently deemed low risk and which have seen zero COVID cases for at least 14 days will emerge from lockdown at 12:01am Saturday 11 September'. However some restrictions will still be in place. On Wednesday, Ruby admitted she was struggling to cope in lockdown due to the pressures of caring for her young sons, Rocket, four, and Mars, three, who she shares with her ex-partner Ryan Heywood. The Byron Bay influencer, 27, reflected on her struggles in a candid Instagram post, telling fans: 'It's only Wednesday and I feel like I'm breaking today.' 'Breaking point': On Wednesday, Ruby admitted she was struggling to cope in lockdown due to the pressures of caring for her young sons, Rocket, four, and Mars, three, who she shares with her ex-partner Ryan Heywood 'If we think this lockdown is hard on us, imagine what it's doing to these tiny little minds. I've lost my cool, I don't feel like the fun mum any more,' she added. Ruby went on to describe lockdown as 'Groundhog Day, saying: 'Kudos to all my Melbourne and Sydney friends for surviving. I'm ready for a [martini emoji].' The worn-out mother also aired her grievances on Instagram Stories, uploading a video on Wednesday morning of herself looking pale and drawn. 'Defeated this week': The worn-out mother also aired her grievances on Instagram Stories, uploading a video on Wednesday morning of herself looking pale and drawn 'I'm feeling well and truly defeated this week. It has just been a tough week. Some weeks, with all this s**t going on, you have a good week, and then other weeks, it's just nuts,' she lamented. 'It's been really hard. Particularly, with one of the kids at the moment, who's obviously just going through their own little thing... but I'm just lost,' she added. While choosing not to discuss the nature of her child's problems, Ruby did say she was struggling to work out an appropriate parenting strategy for the situation. 'The juggle is just too hard at the moment. It is f**king nuts,' she concluded. Nicki Minaj's husband Kenneth 'Zoo' Petty has entered a plea deal after failing to register as a sex offender in California. Petty, 43, plead guilty on Thursday during a virtual hearing with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, according to People. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 24, 2022, and he faces up to 10 years in prison, with supervised release for the rest of his life after his prison stint. Nicki and Kenneth: Nicki Minaj's husband Kenneth 'Zoo' Petty has entered a plea deal after failing to register as a sex offender in California Guilty: Petty, 43, plead guilty on Thursday during a virtual hearing with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, according to People Petty was convicted for the first-degree attempted rape of a 16-year-old girl in 1995, and was sentenced to serve between 18 and 54 months in prison. He ultimately served four years in prison and is considered a level two registered offender in New York, which classifies him as a 'moderate risk' to become a repeat offender. He was pulled over in Beverly Hills in November 2019, and the Beverly Hills cops determined he was a registered sex offender in New York, though he has not registered in California, which he's required by law to do when moving to a new state. Convicted: Convicted: Petty was convicted for the first-degree attempted rape of a 16-year-old girl in 1995, and was sentenced to serve between 18 and 54 months in prison Petty was arrested in March 2020 for failing to register as a sex offender, which he plead not guilty to and posted a $100,000 bond. Both Petty and Minaj, 38, were sued by his alleged rape victim, Jennifer Hough, 38, last month, where she accused the couple of intimidating him to recant her rape accusation. Hough alleges that after Minaj and Petty started dating in 2015, they both tried to discredit her rape allegation. Arrested: Petty was arrested in March 2020 for failing to register as a sex offender, which he plead not guilty to and posted a $100,000 bond Discredit: Hough alleges that after Minaj and Petty started dating in 2015, they both tried to discredit her rape allegation Minaj even once took to Twitter to say Petty and Hough were, 'in a relationship' at the time of the alleged rape, but Hough claims in the lawsuit that they were never in a relationship. Minaj and Hough allegedly had a phone conversation where Minaj allegedly offered to have a publicist put together a statement where she recanted her rape accusation. After the call, Hough alleges people close to Minaj and Petty offered a member of her family $500,000 for her to recant her rape accusation. Relationship: Minaj even once took to Twitter to say Petty and Hough were, 'in a relationship' at the time of the alleged rape, but Hough claims in the lawsuit that they were never in a relationship The lawsuit also alleges that Minaj sent Hough's childhood friend, known as Black, to offer her legal advice about how to retract her story, and give her $20,000. 'Black pulled out a green-colored folder that had a document inside. This document was a written recanted statement prepared for Plaintiff to sign. Black then pulls twenty thousand dollars out of the armrest and places it on the Plaintiff's lap,' the lawsuit read. 'Plaintiff took the money off her lap and placed it on the floor. Plaintiff could not believe that Defendant Minaj would go this far to bribe her,' the suit adds. Advice: The lawsuit also alleges that Minaj sent Hough's childhood friend, known as Black, to offer her legal advice about how to retract her story, and give her $20,000 Last month, Petty filed a lawsuit to remove his name from the New York State Sex Offender Registry. Petty claimed in legal documents that he was never notified about a hearing in October 2004 when he was in prison. He claimed the court process was 'sabotaged' to prevent him from attending the hearing, which determined which level of sex offender he was classified as. She's known for her wild escapades on Geordie Shore. And Chloe Ferry appeared to enjoy another wild night at the National Television Awards as she jumped into a taxi with a male pal in London's O2 Arena on Thursday. The reality star, 26, crashed in the back of a cab with her pals, but didn't waste anytime continuing her night out as she headed back to her hotel to change into a plunging sheer minidress. Bed time? Chloe Ferry appeared to enjoy another wild night at the National Television Awards as she jumped into a taxi with a male pal in London's O2 Arena on Thursday Chloe put her jaw-dropping cleavage on display as she opted to go braless in the beaded number. She was pictured chatting to the mystery man while waiting for a taxi outside the o2 arena in the sheer glittering dress. Chloe had looked stunning at the event as she worked her angles on the red carpet and showcased her ample assets in the golden embellished gown. The reality star wore her long chestnut tresses in stylish waves and pulled out all the stops for the event in a full face of glamorous makeup. Pal: The reality star was spotted heading home after chatting to a male pal outside the star studded event Heading home: Chloe put her jaw-dropping cleavage on display as she opted to go braless in the beaded number while waiting for a taxi But once back at her accomodation at the Canary Riverside Plaza Hotel it appeared Chloe wasn't done with the night just yet. The Geordie Shore star enjoyed a second wind of energy as she stepped out in the early hours in a thigh-skimming black mini dress. Chloe showcased impressive stamina as she headed back out in the bodycon dress which featured a low cut scoop neck line and a crossover strap detail. The reality star completed her late night look with a matching mini bag and a pair of quilted mules as she prepared to hit the town once more. Earlier on: Chloe had looked stunning at the event as she worked her angles on the red carpet and showcased her ample assets in the golden gown Wow: The reality star wore her long chestnut tresses in stylish waves and pulled out all the stops for the event in a full face of glamorous makeup Ant and Dec scooped the Best Presenter gong for an epic 20th time in a row at the National Television Awards on Thursday, with a visibly emotional Ant seen clutching his new wife Anne-Marie as the news was delivered. The great and the good of British television gathered at London's 02 Arena for the star-studded awards show, which also saw Kate Garraway choke back tears as her Finding Derek documentary bagged the inaugural authored documentary award. Meanwhile, This Morning triumphed once again in the Best Daytime category as they led the other big winners on the night including Line Of Duty, Gogglebox and It's A Sin. Revival! But once back at her accomodation at the Canary Riverside Plaza Hotel it appeared Chloe wasn't done with the night just yet Round two: The Geordie Shore star enjoyed a second wind of energy as she stepped out in the early hours in a thigh-skimming black mini dress Ant and Dec looked both elated and stunned as their names were read out amid huge cheers from the audience, with Ant's new bride Anne-Marie showing him support by taking his hand before applauding the pair. The Geordie duo beat off competition from the likes of Piers Morgan, Holly Willoughby, Alison Hammond and Bradley Walsh to win the coveted gong once more. Taking to the stage with his co-star, Ant McPartlin said: 'Thank you very much indeed', before going on to recall that the first time they won the award in 2001, Tony Blair was Prime Minister and Newcastle United were qualifying for the Champion's League. He went on to add: 'I'm shaking. You have no idea how special this is.' Party girl: Chloe showcased impressive stamina as she headed back out in the bodycon dress which featured a low cut scoop neck line and a crossover strap detail Dec then added that the award is 'pretty overwhelming', before thanking their wives for their support. He continued: 'When you get to 20, you cant help but look back at first one, so much has changed in lives, but one thing hasnt changed it how unbelievably grateful we are to you for voting.' The duo's proud wives Anne-Marie Corbett and Ali Astall looked on from the audience as their partner's gave their speech. Speaking in the winner's room later, Ant said: '20 years, its a long time and to get up there tonight and to be voted for so much has happened and the public are still voting for us it means the absolute world. 'It's the biggest privilege to be on air and put a smile on peoples faces while going through an awful time.' While Dec remarked: 'In the category, the calibre was so high, three other candidates who deserved it! (Jokingly referring to one of those not being Piers Morgan, who was also up for the same gong). Australian model turned actress Montana Cox has revealed her jet-setter lifestyle led her to contracting Covid-19 twice last year. The 28-year-old stunner confessed that after her ordeal she was so eager to return home that she left her belongings overseas and fled Down Under. 'I have half of my apartment in New York, half of my stuff still back in London. I came back [to Australia] quickly,' she told Stellar Magazine on Friday. Jet-setter woes: Australian model Montana Cox's (pictured) jet-setter lifestyle led her to contracting Coronavirus twice last year. In a new interview with Stellar Magazine she revealed she was so he was so eager to return home after the ordeal, she left her belongings abroad 'I was in London when Covid happened and I still had my New York apartment. I got rid of the lease and got someone to pack all of my stuff. 'My whole apartment is sitting in New York storage right now. I don't even know what's there anymore. I'm happy at home now,' she added. In February, Montana first admitted that she'd contracted coronavirus twice while living in London last year. Grateful to be home: 'My whole apartment is sitting in New York storage right now. I don't even know what's there anymore. I'm happy at home now,' she said At the time, the glamazon told the Herald Sun that she'd she tested positive after travelling from New York to the UK for a job. 'I had it early on and then got it again in October,' she said. Debut role! In June, Channel Ten announced that Montana would be joining the long-running series Neighbours Since returning to Australia, Montana has used her time in lockdown to fine-tune her acting skills. In June, Channel Ten announced Montana was joining Neighbours. It has since been revealed that Montana will make her acting debut on Ramsay Street as Brittany Barnes. Montana first rose to fame on the 2011 season of Australia's Next Top Model. Kimberley Garner looked in tip top shape as she flashed her toned midriff while out in London on Thursday. The swimwear designer, 30, showed off her taut abs as she wore a pink cropped top by yoga clothing brand Alo. The former Made In Chelsea star wore a pair of grey tracksuit bottoms by the same brand and completed her look with some white Prada trainers. Action woman: Kimberley Garner, 30, looked in tip top shape as she flashed her toned midriff in a pink cropped Alo top while out in London on Thursday She carried a white purse in one hand and her phone in the other as she headed to lunch with her mother Geraldine. Television personality Kimberley was seen showering her pet pooch Sasha with kisses as she sat outside the eatery. The star's outing comes after she showed off her svelte figure as she posed in a sheer dress during a last minute fitting for the Venice Film Festival on Monday. With love: Television personality Kimberley was seen showering her pet pooch Sasha with kisses as she sat outside the eatery The beauty went braless beneath the eye-catching garment which was covered in silver sequins to preserve her modesty. The figure-hugging shape of the star's BERTA frock made the most of her hourglass figure as she posed with her sunglasses in her hand for a series of snaps she posted on Instagram. Kimberley's impressively flat stomach was noticeable beneath the see-through material, which highlighted every inch of her tanned figure, Sheer beauty: Kimberley went braless in a revealing sheer sequinned BERTA dress as she posed for sultry Instagram snaps at a fitting for the Venice Film Festival on Monday Shady lady: The swimwear designer, went braless beneath the eye-catching garment which was covered in silver sequins to preserve her modesty Her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail with some strands left hanging down to the front, framing her pretty facial features. Sharing a slew of snaps of herself in the dress on Instagram. She wrote: 'Gatsby/rock'n'roll - last minute fittings to Venice FF.' Lee Elliott has shown support for his wife, Georgia Love, after she was dumped from Channel Seven on Friday following a 'racism' scandal. The former Bachelorette star, 40, arrived at the couple's home in Melbourne with a bunch of flowers, presumably for Georgia, 33. He looked downcast as he made his way from his car with the bouquet and other treats in tow. Support: Lee Elliott (pictured) showed support for his wife, Georgia Love, after she was dumped from Channel Seven on Friday, following a racism scandal Heading home from work, Lee picked up the bouquet of Australian native flowers and two Boost juices. He seemed sullen, wearing a dour expression as made his way to the couple's home. Lee was dressed in an orange shirt with a pair of navy blue shorts, as well as work boots. Flowers: The former Bachelorette star, 40, arrived at the couple's home in Melbourne with a bunch of flowers, presumably for Georgia, 33 Blooms: Heading home from work, Lee picked up a bunch of Australian Native flowers Pretty: They were tied with a pink ribbon and encased on white paper Treats: Lee also stopped to grab two Boost Juices for the pair Georgia married Lee in a fairytale wedding in Hobart in March, after their initial plans for a 2021 wedding in Italy were cancelled. The nuptials took place at the picturesque Frogmore Creek Winery in Tasmania. The couple, who met on the 2016 season of The Bachelorette and recently celebrated their five year anniversary, got engaged in 2019. Wedding: Georgia (right) married Lee in a fairytale wedding in Hobart in March Plans: Their initial plans for a 2021 wedding in Italy were cancelled Sweet: The nuptials took place at the picturesque Frogmore Creek Winery in Tasmania Romance: The couple met on the 2016 season of The Bachelorette On Friday, news reporter Georgia was pulled from on-air duties and relegated to the production desk just days after posting a 'racist' video on Instagram. The journalist had sparked backlash on Monday for sharing footage of a cat behind the window of an Asian restaurant and writing: 'Shop attendant or lunch?!' She deleted the video an hour later and apologised for causing 'offence', but at the time denied the post had any racist 'insinuation'. Memories: They recently celebrated their five year anniversary, got engaged in 2019 Scandal: On Friday, Seven News reporter Georgia was pulled from on-air duties and relegated to the production desk just days after posting a 'racist' video on Instagram Post: The journalist had sparked backlash on Monday for sharing footage of a cat behind the window of an Asian restaurant and writing: 'Shop attendant or lunch?!' Love also posted a similar 'joke' about pets and Chinese restaurants in 2013. Following a workplace investigation, Seven alerted staff via email on Friday that Love had been 'counselled' and reassigned to an off-camera role 'effective immediately'. A Seven spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'We have addressed this matter internally and disciplinary action has been taken. 'Seven does not condone this inappropriate conduct and all of our staff have the right to work in a safe, nurturing workplace free from prejudice.' Exit: Following a workplace investigation, Seven alerted staff via email on Friday that Love had been 'counselled' and reassigned to an off-camera role 'effective immediately' Love is understood to be 'devastated' and 'deeply sorry for her actions', and has personally apologised to her colleagues, reports The Herald Sun. 'I want to apologise for an inappropriate post on my personal social media account this week and for an old post which has resurfaced,' Love said in a staff email. 'I'm deeply sorry for the hurt that I've caused and, in particular, for offence to the Asian community. It certainly wasn't my intention. 'My posts were inappropriate and offensive. There is no excuse for perpetuating racist stereotypes in any forum. Devastated: Love is understood to be 'devastated' and 'deeply sorry for her actions', and has personally apologised to her colleagues, reports The Herald Sun 'I am committed to moving forward, learning and growing in my new role and I hope that in time I can earn your trust back.' Love's apology was forwarded to staff at Seven's Melbourne newsroom by news director Shaun Menegola, who acknowledged her social media activity had been 'inappropriate and offensive'. 'It has been a difficult week for many as a consequence of some inappropriate and offensive posts on a staff member's private account,' Mr Menegola wrote. 'Following a workplace investigation that had to follow due process, I want to let you know that Georgia has been counselled and will be reassigned to the production desk, effective immediately.' Sorry: Love is understood to be 'devastated' and 'deeply sorry for her actions', and has personally apologised to her colleagues Love has also been dropped as an ambassador for Chadstone Shopping Centre. A Chadstone spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Friday her contract had been terminated on the day she posted the offensive video. 'We were disappointed by a social media post this week by one of our friends of the Chadstone brand and, as a result, we issued notice to end our contract with Georgia,' they said. 'We always support diversity and welcome a range of customers and retailers every day, without prejudice or discrimination, as we work to ensure our centre is a safe and inclusive place for our community to come together.' Divisive: She deleted the video an hour later and apologised for causing 'offence', but at the time denied the post had any racist 'insinuation' Love's manager, Sean Anderson at 22 Management, said he was 'disappointed' by the retailer's move but 'respects' its decision. Mr Anderson also said his client had been subjected to 'trolling' amid the scandal. 'We are disappointed by Chadstone's decision to end their relationship with Georgia but we respect their right to do so,' he said. 'We are focused on providing as much support as we can to Georgia as the trolls are currently in full flight and intent on inflicting as much damage as they can on her.' Dropped: Love has also been dropped as an ambassador for Chadstone Shopping Centre. A Chadstone spokesperson said on Friday her contract had been terminated on the day she posted the offensive video. Pictured: Love at a '60 Years of Chadstone' event in June Georgia's post was called out by the 'influencer watchdog' Instagram account Aussie Influencer Opinions. The same account later discovered another of Love's posts from February 2013 in which she made a similar joke about domestic pets and Asian restaurants. Love's 2013 post showed an 'animal hospital' next to a restaurant called 'China Chef'. Below the photo of the two storefronts was a cartoon image of a dog, alongside the text: 'That's suspicious...' Love captioned it at the time: 'Best.' 'We were disappointed by a social media post by one of our friends of the Chadstone brand and, as a result, we issued notice to end our contract with Georgia,' a Chadstone rep said Love had previously apologised for her cat video on Monday afternoon, but denied there was any racist 'insinuation' behind it. 'Earlier I posted a video of a cat in a restaurant window. I meant for this to be a joke about an animal being in a restaurant at lunch service time,' she said. 'I meant absolutely no insinuation about the type of animal nor the type of restaurant, but I see that my post did not come across like that and was offensive. 'I sincerely apologise for the oversight and offence I have caused. Thank you to those who called me out. This is what we need to make sure we are all accountable and do better. 'Again, I apologise from the bottom of my heart for the offence caused.' Despite her apology, the backlash to Love's video was swift. Investigate: While Love deleted the cat video and apologised (pictured), but her social media activity, including a similar post from 2013, became the subject of an investigation at Seven Past: Instagram account Aussie Influencer Opinions discovered another of Love's posts from February 2013 in which she made a similar joke about pets and Asian restaurants Feminist author Clementine Ford commented on Instagram: 'It confirms again how low Australia sets the bar for people to be given high-profile jobs in TV media, and just how insular they are allowed to be.' MasterChef judge Melissa Leong, who is of Chinese-Singaporean descent, also revealed she felt 'hurt' and 'betrayed' because she knows Love personally. '"Shop attendant or lunch?"' posted on a video of a cat in a Chinese restaurant by someone I know, who also happens to carry a fair amount of influence,' Leong wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. 'Casual racism from nice people is possibly the most betraying and insidious kind.' Apology: Despite her apology, the backlash to Love's video was swift, with feminist author Clementine Ford (left) and MasterChef judge Melissa Leong (right) criticising her online Deleted: In the aftermath of the scandal, Love deleted her Twitter account (pictured) and limited comments on her Instagram profile Melissa admitted she felt 'bummed' about the situation, especially as Georgia was also accused of sharing another 'racist' Instagram post eight years ago. 'Not angry, just completely bummed that this video exists and that it isn't the first joke of this kind made by her,' she wrote. 'Georgia, I really hope your remorse is real and that you grow in the right direction, because this stuff hurts more people, more than you think. 'We must be allies for each other for a better world for all.' Career: Georgia began her career as a journalist for WIN News (pictured) Star: Her profile skyrocketed in 2016 when she was cast on Channel 10's The Bachelorette (pictured on the show with now-husband Lee) In the aftermath of the scandal, Love deleted her Twitter account and limited comments on her Instagram profile. Georgia began her career as a journalist for WIN News before her profile skyrocketed in 2016 when she was cast on Channel 10's The Bachelorette. She went on to become a casual reporter for Ten Eyewitness News, later rebranded 10 News First, but was let go due to budget cuts in early 2021. She announced she'd joined Seven News Melbourne in February. Chris Hemsworth is currently training hard in the lead up to his new role in the much anticipated sequel for the Netflix film Extraction. In between his training sessions, the Australian actor stepped out to enjoy a solo surfing session in Byron Bay on Friday. The 38-year-old showed off his ripped physique on the last day of home town's strict lockdown. Surfing solo! On Friday, Chris Hemsworth (pictured) showed off his ripped physique as he enjoyed a surf in Byron Bay The star's muscular and shapely rear was on display in his skin-tight wetsuit as he traversed the waves. The Avengers star showed off his skills in the water, and could have been mistaken for a professional surfer. The Thor star flaunted his taut muscles as he stood on the shore, surfboard under his arm and water dripping off his body. Wow! The star's muscular and shapely rear was on display in his skin-tight wetsuit as he traversed the waves He's got form! The actor's gym-honed physique was on display The hunky actor stopped to take in the sun's ray after his surfing session, even stripping off his wet suit to do so. Due to his bulging biceps, Chris momentarily appeared to struggle to get out of his wet suit. Stripped down in all his glory, he took some time to himself to walk across the sand and breathe in the seaside air. A look: The Thor star flaunted his taut muscles as he stood on the shore, surfboard under his arm and water dripping off his body Off it goes: The hunky actor stopped to take in the sun's ray after his surfing session, even stripping off his wet suit to do so Hard: Due to his bulging biceps, Chris momentarily appeared to struggle to get out of his wet suit Chris looked appeared to feel very at home as he walked around his local beach sans shoes. At one stage the Thor star ran into a friend, however he kept himself a safe distance away from his pal amid the COVID-19 restrictions. The star, lives with his wife Elsa Pataky and children in Byron Bay, then headed home with his board in tow. Strolling: Stripped down in all his glory, he took some time to himself to walk across the sand and breathe in the seaside air Keeping the distance: At one stage the THOR star ran into a friend, however he kept himself a safe distance away from his pal amid the COVID-19 restrictions Chill: Chris looked appeared to feel very at home as he walked around his local beach sans shoes Chris, who has recently wrapped up the latest Thor installment Thor: Love and Thunder, said he's now training hard for the sequel to Netflix's smash hit, Extraction. To prepare for the action role, he explained that he's mixing up his training and wants to focus on movement and 'agility, strength and speed'. 'Gearing up for Netflix's Extraction sequel,' Chris captioned the post. Skills: The Avengers star showed off his skills in the water, and could have been mistaken for a professional surfer Training: Chris, who has recently wrapped up the latest Thor installment Thor: Love and Thunder, said he's now training hard for the sequel to Netflix's smash hit, Extraction Fit: To prepare for the action role, he explained that he's mixing up his training and wants to focus on movement and 'agility, strength and speed' According to Variety, the sequel to Extraction will be filmed in Europe after plans to shoot it in Australia were scrapped. Last July, Extraction was named Netflix's most-watched original film of all time. Extraction follows Tyler Rake (Hemsworth), a former SASR operator-turned-mercenary who is hired by India's biggest drug lord to rescue his son who was kidnapped by Bangladesh's biggest drug lord. Sara Sampaio offered a glimpse of her midriff in a figure-hugging white dress she attended the Revolve Gallery Fashion Experience opening in New York on Thursday. The Portuguese model, 30, highlighted her hourglass figure with a cut-out that showed off her toned abs. Sara posed for a slew of stylish snaps in the form-fitting white dress as she headed into the gallery event in the Big Apple. Model behaviour: Sara Sampaio, 30, offered a glimpse of her midriff in a figure-hugging white dress she attended the Revolve Gallery Fashion Experience opening in New York on Thursday The fashion beauty wore a matching pair of white high heeled shoes to add a few inches to her tall stature. Also in attendance at the event was fellow model Amelia Hamlin, 20, who was making the most of her single life after splitting from Keeping Up With the Kardashians star Scott Disick. The reality star showed off her taut stomach in a black dress with cut out detail as she posed up a storm at the Revolve Gallery. Making the most of herself: The Portuguese model showed off her hourglass figure, with the garment perfectly accentuating her natural curves Star quality: She gave a glimpse at her midriff through the cut out detail, displaying a healthy tan before heading into the venue Standing tall: The fashion beauty wore a matching pair of white high heeled shoes to add a few inches to her tall stature Looking good: The model added a touch of sparkle to her ensemble by accessorising with some glittering pendulum earrings Amelia's dress offered a glimpse of her physique with a barely-there top which flowed into a loose midi skirt. The low Bardot neckline of her top left her decolletage on show, and the skirt finished just below her knee to show off her slender lower legs and she wore a pair of flats with black straps as she posed up a storm for awaiting photographers. The star's long brunette hair gently brushed her skin as she stood with her hand on her hip, looking sultry before heading inside. Strike a pose: Sara elegantly posed as she arrived at the gallery, happy to be pictured on the red carpet at the event In style: Also in attendance for the event was Amelia Hamlin, who showed off her taut stomach in a revealing black cut-out dress Unique attire: The upper section of the garment took on the appearance of a bikini top with wrap around strings Making the most of herself: The bottom part of the dress featured a section that sat just below her naval and above her skirt while the skirt sat on her hips Sara is committed to regular workouts and has been seen leaving gyms in LA throughout the summer. Earlier on Tuesday she posted her intense Monday workout at the trendy West Hollywood gym Dogpound while promoting the clothing brand Alo. 'Yesterday's workout in this awesome new set from Alo. It's called soft seagrass,' she captioned the images, which showcased her sporting a coordinating bra and leggings set from the brand. She continued in the post, 'Swipe to see what kind of exercised I did. We focused on upper body and cardio.' The post has over 60,000 likes from her 7.7 million followers. Dogpound commented, 'YESSSSSSSS.' Jett Kenny has revealed his heartbreaking final moments with his sister, Jaimi, before her death at age 33 last year. The lifesaver, 27, had just finished his shift at the beach when his mother, Lisa Curry, 59, called, sounding distressed. Instinctively, Jett knew something had happened to his big sister. Loss: Jett Kenny has revealed his heartbreaking final moments with his sister, Jaimi, before her death at age 33 last year. Pictured with his sister 'I could tell something was wrong,' he told The Courier Mail on Friday. 'And in my head, I was like I hope I didn't hope this for any reason if it's going to be a family issue, I hope it's Jaimi and it's not (my other sister) Morgan or (her son) Flynn or anyone else, because I was like, our family doesn't need to deal with more in a way.' The family gathered together to say goodbye to Jaimi as her life support was switched off at a Queensland hospital. But the 'fighter', Jett explains, lived on for several more hours despite doctors insisting she would pass in minutes. Hard: The lifesaver, 27, had just finished his shift at the beach when his mother, Lisa Curry, 59, called, sounding distressed. Instinctively, Jett knew something had happened to his big sister. Lisa is pictured with Jaimi 'We ended up all at the hospital and that was the last time I saw her. She fought all the way until the end. 'They took her off life support and eight hours I think she was off life support until she finally passed away; the doctors thought it was going to be about a minute or two, so she was a fighter, that's for sure.' The Dancing With the Stars performer said he managed to hold his emotions inside until he saw his mother break down. Difficult: The family gathered together to say goodbye to Jaimi as her life support was switched off at a Queensland hospital. But the 'fighter', Jett explains, lived on for several more hours despite doctors insisting she would pass in minutes 'I remember the first time I proper cried about it was when mum was so upset. I was just like, "goddammit",' he told the paper. 'But after that it was just a matter of trying to be strong for them, I guess.' Jett told the paper that Jaimi had been informed she may not make it to 30, but had battled on until she was 33. Strong: The Dancing With the Stars performer said he managed to hold his emotions inside until he saw his mother break down. 'I remember the first time I proper cried about it was when mum was so upset. I was just like, "goddammit",' he told the paper. 'But after that it was just a matter of trying to be strong for them, I guess' Jaimi died at Sunshine Coast University Hospital on September 14 after a years-long battle with an eating disorder and alcoholism. Her mother Lisa Curry, a champion swimmer, shared Jaimi with her ironman ex-husband Grant Kenny. Curry announced Jaimi's death in an emotional social media post on September 15. 'Our beautiful daughter Jaimi has lost her battle with a long-term illness and passed away peacefully in hospital yesterday morning with her loving family by her side,' she wrote at the time. Family: Her mother Lisa Curry, a champion swimmer, shared Jaimi with her ironman ex-husband Grant Kenny (far right) 'Our hearts are broken and the pain is unbearable but we cherish every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured and so loved first child.' Jaimi first sought help for mental health 'troubles', including anxiety, when she was 14. But in 2014, she was charged with high-range drink driving after she was caught swerving between lanes on the Sunshine Coast Motorway. Police pulled her over, and she was required to appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court, where the court heard she had consumed up to 16 bottles of Strongbow cider. She recorded a blood-alcohol reading of 0.23 per cent at the scene - almost five times the legal limit. Sorrow: Jaimi died at Sunshine Coast University Hospital on September 14 after a years-long battle with an eating disorder and alcoholism Her lawyer at the time told the court she was getting help for her problems, and admitted that alcohol had become 'a bit of a feature' in her life since the deterioration of a romantic relationship in 2012. Jaimi had been supported by her parents and siblings through many years of treatment at private clinic End ED, on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Shattered staff at the clinic said they could not discuss Jaimi's struggle, but told how she became part of the 'family' over the years. For confidential support in Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au. Alternatively, call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 Advertisement He has been enjoying a lavish Italian getaway with model Joie Chavis, 33. And Sean 'Diddy' Combs, 51, remained in relaxation mode on Friday as he was spotted living it up on a yacht among a bevy of beauties and pals while soaking up the sun. The media mogul and father-of-six wore low-slung black shorts as he made his way around the deck, while Joie was joined by pals in a hot tub just one day after she was seen getting steamy with Diddy on the vessel. Hunky: Sean 'Diddy' Combs, 51, remained in relaxation mode on Thursday as he was spotted living it up on a yacht among a bevy of beauties and pals while soaking up the sun Stunner: He has been enjoying a lavish Italian getaway with model Joie Chavis, 33, who was sipping drinks in the tub Diddy could not resist showing off his buff body on the yacht as he chatted with the stunners, including Joie, who was looking glamorous in gold hoop earrings with her hair in a chignon. Used to living the high life, it was no surprise the group were sipping expensive drinks and larking around. On the same day of their fun-filled antics, Joie was sharing sizzling snaps from the yacht as well as posting a saucy video taken of the glass-sided hot tub, where she was enjoying a sexy dance session. Earlier in the week, Diddy was looking extremely cosy with bikini-clad beauty Joie, who shares daughter Shai, 10, with Bow Wow and a son named Hendrix, two, with Future. Chilled out: The media mogul and father-of-six wore low-slung black shorts as he made his way around the deck Having a giggle: Diddy could not resist showing off his buff body on the yacht Smooch: Sean 'Diddy' Combs looked on cloud nine as he packed on the PDA with Joie Chavis during a romantic yacht trip in Capri, Italy, earlier in the week Joie boasts over 2million followers on Instagram where she states she owns a shopping and retail business. The model has a link to her business which sells workout clothing, swimwear and other merchandise. Joie and Bow Wow welcomed their daughter Shai together back in 2011 while he announced in September 2020 he had become a father for a second time. Speaking previously to The Shade Room, Bow Wow admitted that he learned how to be a family man from Diddy. Stunner: Joie boasts over 2million followers on Instagram where she states she owns a shopping and retail business Chatting away: The group were having a laugh as they gathered on the deck He said: 'My children's moms they can call me for anything and I'ma get it done. If they out of town, if they in Miami, they need something, they want to go to No matter what it is. 'If it's a function going on and they need to get in with they girls, I'ma set it up. Sections, done bam, there it is. And we family. And I think that's important... 'And I got that from Puff. He taught me a lot being around him, watching how he moves. Sweet: Diddy had a chat with one of the other revellers Sipping on it: The previous day, Joie had her hair loose yet she pinned her locks up and was wearing the same blingy watch and lengthy white nails as the day before Relaxed: Diddy was recently seen enjoying a gondola ride in Venice alongside his daughters earlier this month 'I'm always asking him questions like, "How do you do it? How? How?" It's a blessing. And it works well when it's like that. It's a family thing. I love them both and I'm just happy that I got two good ones on my side. I'm done after this. No more for Bow.' Diddy was recently seen enjoying a gondola ride in Venice alongside his daughters earlier this month after they walked in the Dolce & Gabbana fashion show. The businessman shares twins D'Lila and Jessie, 14, with the late Kim Porter, and Chance, 15, with ex-girlfriend Sarah Chapman. Diddy is a father to six children, and he welcomed his oldest son, Justin, in 1993 with his former partner, Misa Hylton. He later began an on-again-off-again relationship with Kim Porter, which came to an end in 2007. Sweet: Diddy is a father to six children, and he welcomed his oldest son, Justin, in 1993 with his former partner, Misa Hylton Sharon Johal has revealed her battle with mental health issues. The Neighbours star, 33, shared her 'ugly crying pics' to Instagram on Friday, and admitted she has struggled the past two years. The images - in which she sits beside her husband Ankur Dogra, were taken during a Zoom call with a psychologist. Hard: Sharon Johal has revealed her battle with mental health issues. The Neighbours star, 33, shared her 'ugly crying pics' to Instagram on Friday, and admitted she has struggled the past two years. Pictured with husband Ankur Dogra Advocating for the suicide charity R U OK? she wrote at length in her caption: 'Yup it's @ruokday. The question almost seems redundant because of course, for most of us, the truth is, we are not. 'The point is to talk about it. To normalise talking about it. And to stop suffering in silence. So I encourage you to check in with your circles every day, not just today. 'I was clearing out my computer yesterday and found this. They are images of a recorded Zoom with a psychologist we engaged at a particularly distressing time. Advocating for the suicide charity R U OK? she wrote at length in her caption: ''I share as much as I can with you guys with intentions to help and I'm sharing these ugly cry pics (a regular occurrence) too because I want to normalise this. Talking about it. Showing it' 'I share as much as I can with you guys with intentions to help and I'm sharing these ugly cry pics (a regular occurrence) too because I want to normalise this. Talking about it. Showing it. Going through the pain. Asking for help. Not being ashamed of being vulnerable. 'We are all suffering. I personally do not know anyone who is unaffected by the happenings of the last few years and to be honest, the last few have been my worst. Add on regular crappy life stuff and it can feel unbearable in lockdown. 'So if you feel alone, isolated and not okay in any way, please reach out. Slide across for some great resources and save them to your phone.' Feelings: 'We are all suffering. I personally do not know anyone who is unaffected by the happenings of the last few years and to be honest, the last few have been my worst. Add on regular crappy life stuff and it can feel unbearable in lockdown' she wrote She went on: 'For those who may have difficulty in affording professional help, please know that you can also speak to your doctor who can put you onto a mental health care plan who can provide these services' She went on: 'For those who may have difficulty in affording professional help, please know that you can also speak to your doctor who can put you onto a mental health care plan who can provide these services. 'I grew up in a culture where mental health and talking about feelings was dismissed, and worse, not believed. So it's more important than ever we talk, so we can educate, and bring comfort to those in need, within all communities'. After four years on Neighbours playing Deepika 'Dipi' Rebecchi, Sharon confirmed in March that she is leaving the show. Sharon and businessman Ankur tied the knot in 2018 over five days in multiple locations around Adelaide. For confidential support in Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au. Alternatively, call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 She shares daughter Harper, one, with Channel Nine star husband Karl Stefanovic. And on Friday, Jasmine Stefanovic, 37, shared an adorable photo to Instagram of the youngster tucking into a Tomahawk steak with her grandfather Bob Yarbrough. The tot looked cute as a button in a pink patterned onesie and white tights as she tried the meat while seated on her poppy's lap at a dinner table in Queensland. Too cute: Jasmine Stefanovic shared this adorable photo to Instagram on Friday of one-year-old daughter Harper tucking into a Tomahawk steak with her grandfather Bob Yarbrough In another hilarious photo, Harper's grandmother Cheryl Yarbrough was seen indulging in her own Tomahawk steak at the restaurant. 'Poppy & Chezzy teaching little Harper how to eat a Tomahawk,' Jasmine captioned the post, which saw Karl responding: 'How's the Tomahawk. Hahaha. That's my girl.' Jasmine and Harper got an exemption to travel from Sydney to Brisbane late last month to reunite with Jasmine's grandmother who is very sick in hospital. In good fun: In another hilarious photo, Harper's grandmother Cheryl Yarbrough (pictured) was seen indulging in her own Tomahawk steak at the restaurant Star couple: Jasmine (pictured), 37, shares Harper with her breakfast TV host husband Karl Stefanovic (all pictured) After 14 days in hotel quarantine, Jasmine shared a photo to Instagram on Tuesday of her holding her grandmother's hand in hospital. 'Nana, with you now and forever,' the footwear designer captioned the sweet image. Karl, 47, explained on the Today show last month that his wife was 'incredibly close' to her 95-year-old grandmother, who had become unwell. Exemption: Jasmine and Harper got an exemption to travel from Sydney to Brisbane late last month to reunite with Jasmine's grandmother who is very sick in hospital Close: After 14 days in hotel quarantine, Jasmine shared a photo to Instagram on Tuesday of her holding her grandmother's hand in hospital. 'Nana, with you now and forever,' the footwear designer captioned the sweet image 'I want to talk about this because this is really big, where Jasmine and Harper are right now and what they're doing,' Karl began. 'So she's had to go to Brisbane because her very dear, dear Nan, who she's incredibly close with, is really, really, really sick.' 'This is going on with families right around the country. It's not easy,' he added. Advertisement Ed Gamble has married his fiancee Charlie Jamison. The comedian, 35, tied the knot with Charlie, 28, on Thursday in a stunning ceremony held in the grounds of lavish estate Hedsor House and Park, located on the Buckinghamsire/Berkshire border, surrounded by the pair's celebrity friends. Bride Charlie confirmed the nuptials by sharing a beautiful snap from the couple's big day to Instagram, as the pair finally got to say 'I do' after being forced to repeatedly push back their wedding amid the pandemic. Congratulations: Ed Gamble, 35, and fiancee Charlie Jamison finally tied the knot on Thursday after being forced to postpone their big day repeatedly due to the pandemic Posting to social media the morning after their wedding, Charlie shared a photo of herself and husband Ed looking lovingly at each other. While he was suited and booted in a three-piece blue suit and lilac tie, Charlie stunned in her bridal gown that sat just off the shoulder and paired a satin bodice with a pleated skirt. She wore her blonde tresses up into an elegant up-do framed by a jewelled headband and wore a long veil embellished with pearls, while clutching onto a huge bouquet of flowers. Charlie simply captioned her photo with the date of her wedding day: '9/9/21,' and an emoji of a ring. Mr and Mrs: The comedian and his wife, who works in TV production, looked the picture of happiness as they hosted a lavish wedding reception at a country estate I do: Ed looked dapper in a three-piece blue suit, while bride Charlie stunned in a satin white dress with pleated skirt and a long embellished veil Not surprisingly, the TV production worker and Ed were inundated with congratulatory messages from fans and celebs a like. Model Hannah Cooper, who is married to comedian Joel Dommett, posted: 'So frikkin beautiful guys!!! Love to you both!!!' Comedian Felicity Ward commented: 'Yayyyyyyy. You did it! All our love.' Stars that had been in attendance were also seen sharing snaps from Ed and Charlie's big day, with stand-up star John Robins giving fans a glimpse into the nuptials. In one photo, groom Ed can be seen flashing a smile while hanging out with fellow comedians James Acaster, who appeared to be a groomsman, Nish Kumar and Suzi Ruffell, while another saw bride Charlie chatting with guests inside the venue's Georgian mansion. Beautiful: Charlie gave fans a better look at her dress as she shared snaps from the big day to Instagram the morning after the couple's wedding Finally hitched! She revealed the pair's wedding rings have been in a safe for two years due to the pandemic halting their plans to get married on multiple occasions Gang's all here: Ed was seen hanging out with his Taskmaster co-stars James Acaster, Nish Kumar and Suzi Ruffell during the celebrations (pictured above L-R) Included in his wedding post was a photo of a jubilant Ed enjoying a dance with wife Charlie on the dance floor as the wedding party got well and truly underway. 'Friends, friends glorious friends and wine. A beautiful day for a beautiful couple,' John posted, tagging newlyweds Ed and Charlie. Actor Tim Key was also in attendance, along with comedians Alex Horne, Elis James and Josh Widdicombe. 'Absolutely amazing day celebrating the marriage of these two brilliant people (and interrupting their photoshoot),' Josh shared with his Instagram followers alongside a photo of Charlie and Ed moments after they tied the knot. Laugh a minute: Comedian John Robins gave fans a glimpse into Ed's special day, sharing snaps of the guests as they enjoyed a champagne reception including Tim Key (pictured far R) Smile: Josh posted a selfie of him grinning from ear-to-ear with stand-up star James, who appeared to be a groomsman on the day Out in force: Stand-up regulars John and Alex Horne were suited and booted for the occasion The pair were seen posing in front of grand steps together for their wedding photographer, with Ed flashing Josh a thumbs up. Another snap saw Ed and Charlie entering their wedding reception hand-in-hand. The pair will no doubt be thrilled to have married, after being forced to repeatedly push back their wedding plans due to the coronavirus pandemic. Charlie revealed that the couple had stored their wedding rings in a safe for the last two years as they desperately tried to reschedule their big day. Speaking about having to postpone their wedding on multiple occasions, Ed, who appears regularly on comedy panel shows Mock The Week and Taskmaster, revealed the pair initially planned to wed in April 2020. Idyllic: Ed and Charlie wed at a stately home, with guests kicking back in the lavish grounds (pictured above L-R: Rachel Horne, Tim Key, Loulie Sanders) 'A beautiful day': Comedian John appeared to be enjoying himself alongside fellow funny man Elis James (pictured far R) All eyes on her: Bride Charlie greeted guests inside the wedding reception in one snap Dance the night away: A jubilant Ed was seen having a ball as he enjoyed a dance during the lavish reception with his new bride Charlie Speaking to The Express in August last month, Ed explained: 'It was a real rollercoaster because the first time we had to postpone it was April 2020, and that was obviously in the thick of it being the really worrying start of the pandemic. 'And it just felt very new and very raw, and that wasn't a nice feeling to have to postpone the wedding then.' 'Sensible, we thought, move it to March 2021, it will definitely be over by then. And of course it wasnt,' he said. England was thrown back into a lockdown in November last year, with restrictions continuing across the Christmas period and well into 2021. 'It was new and raw': Ed previously revealed that it was a 'real rollercoaster' for the couple, who had to reschedule their original April 2020 wedding on multiple occasions Ed added that he and Charlie had even considered changing their wedding to January 2021, three months prior to their planned date, and attempting a smaller ceremony but the restrictions in place at the time deemed their plans impossible. The couple, who have been dating since 2011, then attempted to reschedule their nuptials to January 2021 and were happy to settle for a smaller ceremony. While postponing the first time round had been 'emotional', Ed admitted that he found the whole process 'annoying' the second time round due to the admin that came with it. Luckily for the pair, their plans for a September wedding were able to go ahead, thanks to previous Covid restrictions in place no longer being legally required as of July 19 and social distancing and group limitations being ditched. Ed and Charlie have been dating for a decade, first getting together in 2011. Jo Brand and Tom Allen are set to return to Channel 4 with Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice later this month. The comedians will front the spin-off show from Friday 24 September following the return of the main series just three days earlier. Sharing the news on Twitter, a snap showed Jo and Tom with the caption: 'Craving a certain spinoff show thats a cut above? An Extra Slice returns to @Channel4 with Jo Brand and @tomallencomedy on Friday 24th September at 8pm #GBBO #ExtraSlice.' It's back! Jo Brand and Tom Allen are set to return to Channel 4 with Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice on Friday September 24 Great British Bake Off fans went into meltdown on Thursday as they got their first glimpse at series 12 in a new teaser trailer. The Channel 4 show was filmed earlier this year with the contestants and crew placed in a COVID-safe filming bubble. Now the show is set to return to screens, and although a launch date is yet to be confirmed, the British Bake Off Twitter account treated fans to a teaser. 'The world needs this!' Great British Bake Off fans went into meltdown on Thursday as the first teaser for series 12 was released Cast: The Channel 4 show was filmed earlier this year in a COVID-safe filming bubble (L-R Paul Hollywood, Matt Lucas, Prue Leith and Noel Fielding) In the clip, the camera hovered over trees before zooming in towards the famous white tent. Gradually, the show's theme tune came in, with the camera continuing to pan over the grounds. The clip was captioned: 'Loaf is in the air...The Great British Bake Off. Coming Soon.' Judge Paul Hollywood, 55, then shared the video on Instagram, excitedly writing: 'Were back...! X' Exciting times: Judge Paul Hollywood, 55, also shared the teaser video on Instagram, excitedly writing: 'Were back...! X' Coming soon: In the clip, the camera hovered over trees before zooming in towards the famous white tent, and gradually, the show's theme tune came in Taking to Twitter after the clip aired, fans couldn't contain their excitement, penning: 'The world needs this.'; 'Oh my god! How did you know today is my birthday??? 'Oh thank god WE NEED YOU'; 'why must you tease us like this'; 'i have a mighty need to meet new lovely, funny bakers and more cake. always more cake. and chocolate. and macarons. #bakeoff 'Cant wait'; 'Thank god I absolutely love this show, look forward to watching every year cant wait'; 'All is right with the world when bake off is on'. Over the moon: Fans took to Twitter to share their reaction to news of the show's return Series 12 of Bake Off was filmed earlier this year when the cast and crew formed a secure bubble at Down Hall, an established country house hotel in Hertfordshire. The six-week takeover at the luxe hotel was to avoid staff and stars getting pinged. According to reports in The Sun, judges Paul and Prue Leith, 81, alongside hosts Matt Lucas, 47, and Noel Fielding, 48, joined staff at the bar most nights. Paul's girlfriend, barmaid Melissa Spalding, also stayed for two weeks, according to crew members. Actor-come-host Noel and his wife, radio DJ Lliana Bird, 40, reportedly organised an 'indie festival' for staff. Alongside partying into the early hours, comedian Matt hosted a quiz, with chef Paul trading whipping up meals for showing off with nunchucks. To ensure minimal COVID risk, hundreds of the show's workers had no choice but to remain on site once they arrived in early June. One source said: 'Some nights we all went to the hotel bar and there was music playing and we carried on partying.' The Great British Bake Off returns to Channel 4 at 8pm on Tuesday 21 September and Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice will air on Channel 4 at 8pm on Friday 24 September. Amelia Hamlin looked sultry in a leather tube top on Thursday evening. The daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin was at the Alo Wellness Department Dinner at Alo Yoga Flatiron in New York City as part of NYFW. The 20-year-old's appearance comes the same day she told E! News that she was loving the 'stress' of fashion week after her split from boyfriend of one year, Scott Disick. Full schedule: After a full day of New York Fashion Week work, Thursday night Amelia Hamlin attended the Alo Wellness Department Dinner at Alo Yoga Flatiron When asked if she is feeling relaxed the star laughed and replied: 'Relaxed?! No but I love the stress. It's great to be here, I'm so excited to be back in action and around people, it's so amazing... It's been so much fun and I'm so grateful to be here.' She has been under the spotlight since her split from Scott last week. The Los Angeles native recently split from Scott Disick after almost a year of dating and has thrown herself into New York Fashion Week over the last few days and she admitted she was delighted to be back at work. It was previously claimed Amelia was 'the one who ended things', though insiders insisted it 'wasn't related' to the messages he is alleged to have sent over social media criticizing his former partner Kourtney Kardashian's public displays of affection with her new boyfriend Travis Barker. Smoldering style: Hamlin, who's an Alo ambassador, cut a sultry figure as she posed for pictures wearing a skintight, strapless, brown leather top Instead, their breakup is said to have been coming for a while. A source explained: 'They're both taking it in stride.' News of their split emerged shortly after Amelia posted a cryptic message on social media. The model was seemingly hinting at a split when she posted a telling quote online. She said: 'Never settle for less. Not with your jobs, your friends, and especially not with your heart. Continue to seek what you are looking for and do not shrink yourself for the sake of other people. You deserve the best.' Bouncing back: The model recently split from Scott Disick after almost a year of dating and has thrown herself into New York Fashion Week In the caption, Amelia added: 'This is it.' At the Alo event Amelia did not smile much. Hamlin, who's an ambassador for the brand, cut a sultry figure as she posed for pictures wearing a skintight, strapless, brown leather top. The young fashionista coupled it with leather drawstring pants of a slightly different brown shade. Her glossy, chocolate-hued locks were styled in a center part and arranged in soft waves that flowed over one shoulder. It's complicated: It was previously claimed Amelia was 'the one who ended things', though insiders insisted it 'wasn't related' to the messages he is alleged to have sent over social media criticizing his former partner Kourtney Kardashian's public displays of affection with her new boyfriend Travis Barker One side was tucked behind her ear and accentuated with a jewel hair clip near her temple. The brunette beauty also wore small chunky gold hoops, a chain-link choker with a pendant, and a single cuff on her wrist. Amelia's makeup look complemented her outfit, with her face made up in warm tones. Another work day: Amelia captioned a picture of her headshot, 'Another day in...paradise' Morning from NYC: Using a filter that doubled her eyes she wrote, 'Top of the morning. This filter is exactly it today' The influencer's eyelids were dusted in a brown shimmer and her pout looked plump in a soft pink gloss. Friday morning the in-demand runway star was onto her next gig. She took a moment to share a couple posts via Instagram Stories. Amelia captioned a backstage picture of her headshot, 'Another day in...paradise.' In a second post she took a selfie in a makeup chair as two stylists primped her. Using a filter that doubled her eyes she wrote, 'Top of the morning. This filter is exactly it today.' Fiona Falkiner welcomed her son, Hunter, six months ago. The model, 38, revealed on Thursday that she has been on a health kick for the past six weeks and is almost back in her old jeans. Posting to Instagram, The Biggest Loser host shared before and after photos of her weight loss. Fighting fit: Fiona Falkiner (pictured) welcomed her son, Hunter, six months ago. The model, 38, revealed on Thursday that she has been on a health kick for the past six weeks and is almost back in her old jeans She wrote in her caption: 'Look who nearly fits in to her mum jeans! Being away from home and living in hotels for the past six weeks has been a bit of a challenge.' Fiona added that she set herself, 'some personal fitness goals' and is 'now a big fan of working out at home'. The beauty added, 'I'm not really one for weigh-ins these days but I can see all my hard work has paid off not just in my mood and energy levels but now I'm almost in to my mum jeans! Woohoo!' Work it: Fiona said that she set herself, 'some personal fitness goals' and is 'now a big fan of working out at home' The beauty added: 'I'm not really one for weigh-ins these days but I can see all my hard work has paid off not just in my mood and energy levels but now I'm almost in to my mum jeans!' Fiona and her fiancee Hayley Willis, who became engaged in 2019, welcomed their first child, Hunter, in March. Last month, Fiona completed hotel quarantine in Queensland with their baby son. The TV host entered the state, moving from Sydney, to join Hayley in the state's 'AFL bubble'. Baby love: Fiona and her fiancee Hayley Willis, who became engaged in 2019, welcomed their first child, Hunter, in March. All pictured In May, the pair revealed they are ready to become second time mothers. 'I think we are going to have another one pretty soon actually,' Fiona told Confidential. In fact, the model added that she wants a large family with at least three children. However it will be Hayley who will carry the couple's second child, Fiona told the publication. Advertisement More A-list celebrities stepped out on Friday to get a glimpse at Michael Kors Spring/Summer 2022 collection during New York Fashion Week. Kate Hudson, Hailee Steinfeld, Jane Krakowski and a handful of Victoria's Secret models were all in attendance to support the veteran designer, while wearing a range of looks. Additionally supermodels Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner were pictured arriving to the fashion show which was held at Tavern On The Green ahead of taking the runway. NYFW: A-list stars stepped out on Friday to get a glimpse at Michael Kors latest collection at a runway show held at Tavern On The Green Hudson, 42, opted for a full brown leather look as she modeled a brown leather dress and matching blazer with suede boots and a brown clutch bag. Her blonde locks were slicked back for an additional chic touch and she added a colorful lip, while supporting her designer friend. Steinfeld who appeared in the designer's 2017 campaign followed suit in another matching dress and blazer set but in zebra print. The Dickinson star, 24, looked leggy in the wild frock and held her jacket at her side. And Krakowski, 52, shined bright in a metallic gold trench coat inspired dress with frilled gold pumps as she posed for a few photos ahead of taking her seat. Variety: All the attendees wore a wide range of looks as they supported the veteran designer's latest collection Red hot! Lucy Hale looked sensational in a red sequined mini dress with matching pumps Neutral tones: Sara Sampaio wore a figure hugging gold slip dress Silky frocks: The Victoria's Secret vets were seen wearing silky slip dresses at the event Hint of skin: Lori Harvey was seen showing a bit of skin in a bodysuit with side cutouts which she paired with a chic pencil skirt and heeled boots New mom! Elsa Hosk looked chic in white trousers and a blouse with a snakeskin blazer Chatty: Hailee Steinfeld and Kate Hudson mingle with one another while sitting front row Other stars in attendance included Lucy Hale, Lori Harvey, and famed Victoria's Secret trio Sara Sampaio, Shanina Shaik and new mom Elsa Hosk. Hale was red hot in a sparkly mini dress while Shaik and Sampaio opted for slip dresses with Kors handbags, and Harvey showed a hint of skin in a black bodysuit with cutouts which she paired with a pencil skirt. Hadid and Jenner were both seen arriving in black SUVs ahead of getting their hair and makeup done for the show. As Gigi's sister Bella was tapped as the face of the designer's latest campaign, it appeared he wanted to spread the family love by giving Gigi a runway slot. Ahead of the show! Hadid was seen arriving in a black SUV ahead of getting hair and makeup for the event Ready to roll! The new mom has been modeling up a storm during fashion week Show look: Her runway glam for the event included a slicked back ponytail with a red lip. Good to be back! The blonde beauty was in good spirits as she continued her NYFW tour de force Center stage: As she head been doing promotional tours for 818 Tequila, the Kors show was her first of NYFW Showtime! Gigi got her hair done along with the other models ahead of the show Many of the models runway glam for the event included a slicked high ponytail with a red lip for a pop of color. As Jenner was doing promotional tours for her 818 Tequila brand, the Kors show marked her NYFW debut where she was seen opening the show. Kors show was monumental in that he celebrated 40 years in the industry this year. 'I never could have imagined having my own stores in so many different countries around the world,' he had said in an interview reflecting on his career. In an Instagram video he revealed that the theme of the collection was 'urban romance' and shared that one of his favorite performers would be performing at the event. With a bang! Kendall walked down the runway to a cover of Nina Simone's Baby Just Cares For Me Opening the show: Kendall was seen walking down the runway in a black bra with a chic pencil skirt Gingham: Kors had teased that the theme of his collection was 'urban romance' and that there would be a mix of leather, lace and gingham garments Commanding the catwalk: All eyes were on her as she strutted down the runway Born for this: The daughter of model Yolanda Hadid proved to have the modeling gene running through her veins Closing the show: Gigi was the first to come out at the end wearing a sequin halter dress Romantic setting: The runway itself wove underneath rose bushes and rich foliage Instagrammable: Moments from the show were captured on social media Lineup: Gigi walked out ahead of Kendall for the final showing of the garments 40 years: Kors celebrated 40 years in the industry with a collection that represented a love letter to NYC He also teased that based on his love of 'gingham, leather and lace,' all would be featured in the new collection. Kendall's chic first look included a black bra with a pencil skirt and she carried a bucket bag full of roses. And as Kors had promised, Irina Shayk was seen walking down the runway in a gingham dress while carrying a bucket bag of white roses. Hadid seemed to close the show and her final look included a black sequin halter dress that crossed in the front. In her element: The daughter of Steve Harvey looked radiant in her edgy yet sophisticated look Glamour: Attendees were seen showing off their personal style in a range of eye-catching looks Front row: Cameron, Hale, Olivia Holt and Carpenter pictured at their seats ahead of the show Stepping out: Hudson was seen living her NYC rental in the brown look while suited up in a face mask Cesar Millan is being sued by a gymnast claiming that one of his dogs attacked her and threw her professional career into jeopardy. The 52-year-old Dog Whisperer star was sued by Lidia Matiss, who says she was attacked by his Pit Bull Junior when she visited an office building owned by Millan in 2017, according to TMZ. The athlete claims that not only did the dog bite her, but it had a pattern of violence and had previously attacked and killed a dog owned by Queen Latifah. Mauling: The Dog Whisperer star Cesar Milan, 52, is being sued by gymnast Lidia Matiss for biting her, TMZ reports. She claims the dog was violent and previously killed a dog owned by Queen Latifah According to Matiss' filing, she was visiting her mother, who was an employee of Millan's, at the office building she worked at in Van Nuys, California, which was owned by Millan. Junior was allegedly walking around the building unleashed and without a handler when he attacked her, biting her several times on the legs, including on her left calf. The excruciating pain caused by her injuries derailed her gymnastics hopes and her attempts to get recruited to compete for the University of Pennsylvania. Matiss' attorneys refer to her as a 'star gymnast' and not that she performed at Level 10, which is the highest level of competition in USA Gymnastics Junior Olympics Programs. Attack: Matiss says in her suit that she visited her mother, an employee of Millan, at an office building he owned. HIs Pit Bull Junior was allegedly unsupervised and bit her legs repeatedly; Milan and Junior seen in 2014 in Albuquerque, New Mexico Dreams shattered: Matiss says her injuries prevented her from competing and scuttled her recruitment to the University of Pennsylvania But after the alleged attack, she was in too much pain to continue competing. Matiss and her attorneys Omar G. Qureshi and Brian M. Adesman claim in their filing that Millan allowed the dog to regularly be unleashed and unsupervised, despite previous violent incidents. She alleges that Junior had already bitten multiple people and had attacked several dogs, including a deadly incident with a pooch owned by Queen Latifah. Matiss claims that Latifah had taken two of her dogs to Millan's Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita for training. While they were there, Millan's Pit Bull alleged attacked and killed one of the dogs, but instead of fessing up, Matiss claims that the celebrity dog expert instructed his employees to tell the actress that her dog had been hit by a car. Repeat offender: She claims Junior had a pattern of violence and previously mauled to death a dog owned by Queen Latifah. Mattis says Millan told his staff to tell Latifah that her dog was hit by a car; seen in June in LA Matiss is suing Millan for unspecified damages for leaving her wounded and disfigured. She claims that the damage is ongoing, and she says she continues to suffer from ongoing physical pain and emotional distress. In his answer to the lawsuit, Millan contends that she took on the risk of being bitten and knew what the potential consequences could be. He also accuses the gymnast of negligence, though the answer doesn't spell out his reasoning for the claim. Pointing fingers: Millan's response claims Matiss was negligent and knew the risks of being near Junior; pictured with his friend Jada Pinkett Smith in 2008 Millan, who was born in Mexico, illegally crossed the border into the United States when he was 21, though he later became an American citizen in 2009. He first worked in the US as a dog groomer, before starting his own training academy. One of his earliest clients, Jada Pinkett Smith, set Millan up with a tutor, and he credits her for helping him learn English. After accruing a bevy of celebrity clients, Millan starred on the reality series The Dog Whisperer, which demonstrated his use of 'calm-assertive energy' to train other dogs. Although his Pit Bull Junior is accused of being violent in the lawsuit, the dog was used to help Millan train other pups. The reality star announced that Junior had died on July 21, 2021, in a video posted to YouTube. Nicki Minaj is out at the MTV Video Music Awards, despite never being officially announced as a performer. The 38-year-old rapper shared Thursday on Twitter that she would no longer perform at the award show, which is scheduled for Sunday, September 12. She announced her sudden departure the same day that her husband Kenneth Petty, 43, pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender in California. Skipping another year: Nicki Minaj, 38, claimed she had dropped out of Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards in a tweet from Thursday; seen at the VMAs in NYC in 2018 Nicki was never among the performers announced for the VMAs, but that didn't stop her fans from asking if she would be at the award show. In quoting one fan, the musician claimed she was part of the program but had backed out. 'I just pulled out. I'll explain another day,' she wrote while quoting the original tweet. Nicki made it clear there were no hard feelings for any of the executives involved in the show 'But I love those guys at MTV,' she added. 'Thank you [VMAs producer] Bruce [Gilmer]. I love you so much.' She also signaled that she would be back for the 2021 edition, adding, 'Next year we there baby.' Back next year: Nicki was never announced as a VMAs performer, but she replied to a fan that she had 'just pulled out' on Thursday. She skipped the explanation but vowed to be there in 2022 Guilty: Her tweet came the same day that her husband Kenneth Petty, 43, pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender in California during a virtual court hearing So far, neither Nicki nor MTV have commented on her departure. She was last featured at the award show in 2018, when she performed multiple songs from her Queen album. The hitmaker capped off the evening by winning Best Hip Hop Video for her song Chun-Li. Nicki shared her apparent withdrawal shortly after her husband Kenneth Petty accepted a plea deal for failing to register as a sex offender in the state of California. Court records obtained by People indicate that he entered his plea during a virtual hearing for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. On the list: Petty is registered as a level two sex offender in New York after he pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted rape in 1995; seen with Minaj in February 2020 Petty could potentially face substantial jail time on the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and supervised release for life. It will be months before the convicted sex offender will know his punishment, as the sentencing hearing has been scheduled for January 24, 2022. He initially pleaded not guilty when he was arrested on the charge in March 2020, though he changed his plea in accordance with the deal from prosecutors. TMZ previously reported that police determined Petty hadn't registered as a sex offender in California despite being registered in New York when he was pulled over in Beverly Hills on November 15, 2019. Petty's sex offender status originates from 1995, when he pleaded guilty for first-degree attempted rape of a 16-year-old girl. He was sentenced to between 18 and 54 months in prison, ultimately serving four years behind bars. New York had him designated as a level two registered offender, meaning he was considered a 'moderate risk' to reoffend. Fighting back: Last month, Petty filed a lawsuit to get his name taken off New York's registry, claiming his wasn't informed of a hearing to determine his sex offender level designation Minaj has recently gotten wrapped up in Petty's past crime, as his victim Jennifer Hough, now 38, sued both last month for allegedly intimidating her to get her to recant her rape accusation. Hough claims in her suit that the couple tried to discredit her shortly after they started dating in 2015. Minaj previously claimed on Twitter that Petty and Hough had been 'in a relationship' at the time of the alleged rape, though Hough denies ever being in a relationship in her suit. Hough and the rapper allegedly spoke on the phone, where Minaj offered to have a publicist draft a statement in which she would retract her accusation. She claims that people close to Minaj and Petty offered one of her family members $500,00 in exchange for her recanting. Hough also alleged that Minaj sent one of her childhood friends to offer her a considerably smaller amount of money to retract her story. In hot water: Both Petty and Minaj were sued last month by Petty's victim, 38-year-old Jennifer Hough. She claims the two offered her thousands of dollars and harassed her to recant her allegation Despite having pleaded guilty to the attempted rape charge decades ago, Petty filed a lawsuit last month to have his name taken off New York's sex offender registry. He claims in his filing that he wasn't told about an October 2004 hearing, held while he was in prison, that would have determined what level of sex offender he was classified as. He said the court 'sabotaged' any possibility of him defending himself at the hearing by not properly notifying him. Brad Pitt was seen shooting the upcoming film Babylon on the shore in San Pedro, California on Wednesday. The 57-year-old Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor wore a blue button down shirt tucked into belted trousers as he shot in the late summer sun. Pitt's shirt sleeves were rolled up to his biceps and he sported brown knee-high boots. Back to work: Brad Pitt was seen shooting the upcoming film Babylon on the shore in San Pedro, California on Wednesday Sleek: The Hollywood veteran's dark hair was slicked back with a side part and he pulled off a thick mustache The Hollywood veteran's dark hair was slicked back with a side part and he pulled off a thick mustache. In some shots the father-of-six held a a large cup of iced coffee. As filming took place near the rocky shoreline, a production crew could be seen surrounding the movie star. Dressed the part: The 57-year-old Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor wore a blue button down shirt tucked into belted trousers as he shot in the late summer sun Nailing the look: Pitt's shirt sleeves were rolled up to his biceps and he sported brown knee-high boots Intriguing: It's said to follow the rise and fall of multiple characters, and a source described the movie as 'Great Gatsby on steroids' The project features an A-list lineup that includes Margot Robbie, Olivia Wilde, Samara Weaving, and Tobey Maguire. The Damien Chazelle-directed feature is set in the 1920s Golden Age of Hollywood and began filming in late August. Babylon chronicles the transition from silent films to 'talkies' movies that used synchronized dialogue for the first time. Period piece: The Damien Chazelle-directed feature is set in the 1920s Golden Age of Hollywood and began filming in late August Co-stars: The project features an A-list lineup that includes Margot Robbie, Olivia Wilde, Samara Weaving, and Tobey Maguire The gradual transition to the next wave of cinema took place between 1926 and 1930 and began exclusively as short films. It's said to follow the rise and fall of multiple characters, and a source described the movie as 'Great Gatsby on steroids.' Other cast members include: SNL's Chloe Fineman, Jeff Garlin (The Goldbergs), Mexican actor Diego Calva, Jovan Adepo (Fences), Li Jun Li (Wu Assassins) and Katherine Waterston (Fantastic Beasts). Retrospect: Babylon chronicles the transition from silent films to 'talkies' movies that used synchronized dialogue for the first time Robbie's role was originally given to Emma Stone, though she exited the film in December 2020 due to scheduling conflicts. Pitt will reportedly be playing a fictional character based on the legendary actor/screenwriter/director John Gilbert. The Paramount film is set for limited release on December 25, 2022 with a January 6 wide opening. Historical value: The gradual transition to the next wave of cinema took place between 1926 and 1930 and began exclusively as short films On location: As filming took place near the rocky shoreline, a production crew could be seen surrounding the movie star His role: Pitt will reportedly be playing a fictional character based on the legendary actor/screenwriter-director, John Gilbert Brad's filming comes after his ex-wife Angelina Jolie, 46, recently exposed new details about their relationship in an interview with The Guardian. Jolie said 'it hurt' to see her then-partner work with the disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein after she said she narrowly escaped being assaulted by him when they worked together in the late 90s. 'It was hard for me when Brad did [that],' she said, later adding: 'We fought about it. Of course it hurt.' The former couple shares Maddox, 19; Pax, 17; Zahara, 16; Shiloh, 15; and 12-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox. She is never shy showing off her figure in social media snaps. And Zara McDermott was at it again on Friday as she posed up a storm in a tiny yellow bikini during her sun-soaked trip to Greece. The former Love Island star, 24, had her incredibly toned abs and lithe legs on display in the sizzling new Instagram snap. Wow! Zara McDermott displayed her incredibly toned frame as she posed up a storm in a tiny yellow bikini during her sun-soaked trip to Greece on Friday The Made In Chelsea siren posed confidently next to some fruit in the bright two piece which featured black straps and bright red writing on the briefs. Zara proved she is a natural beauty as she went makeup free which showed off her deep tan from her lavish holiday and wore her hair up in a pony tail. Her supportive boyfriend Sam Thompson was clearly loving the look and commented saying 'Beautiful' along with a love heart emoji. Zara's newest post comes after Sam was recently seen gifting a brunette beauty a rose during his lads' night out with Pete Wicks. Toned: The former Love Island star, 24, has been keeping fans updated on her trip with regular bikini snaps (pictured earlier this week in pink swimwear) Sam's boys' night out began at 9pm in the exclusive Mayfair district of London, where they dined out at Latin American restaurant Amazonico last Saturday. Over the next few hours, the reality stars were seen directing their attention towards three bombshell beauties, who they chatted to in the smoking area. Influencers Alisha Lemay, 28, and Freya Killin, 28, confirmed their identities by taking to Instagram while downing tequila shots at London's Sexy Fish with the famous lads at another point in the night. TOWIE's Pete, 32, repeatedly hugged and kissed two of the girls, according to onlookers, before the group of five took a taxi to Raffles in Chelsea. Oh dear: Zara's newest post comes after her beau Sam Thompson (pictured together) was recently seen gifting a brunette beauty a rose during his lads' night out with Pete Wicks Zara must have been on 28-year-old Sam's mind as he left the private members' club alone while his Essex boy pal continued the party at a nearby strip club. It comes after the former Celebrity Big Brother housemate revealed he wants a baby with Zara in the near future. Sam told MailOnline that Zara cheating on him had actually brought them 'closer together' and he didn't want to be a 'really old dad' so wasn't far off starting a family. Sam gushed the Love Island star was the girl of his dreams and they were nearly ready to become parents but he does 'need to grow up a bit first'. Sam said: 'I've hit a stage where I'm doing my house up at the moment, I want to make it into a really nice adult home, I'm nearly 30 and I'm with the girl of my dreams.' 'Not in the next year... but not in the too distant future. I don't want to be a really old dad. But I do need to grow up a little bit first.' Denise Richards' daughter Sam made some shocking claims during a TikTik video shared this week. The 17-year-old said that living with Denise, 50, and stepfather Aaron Phypers, 48, had been like 'hell' and also 'abusive,' causing her to not eat or sleep which led to her becoming 'insanely depressed.' The Southern California-raised teen added in another clip that now that she has moved out of the house and is likely with father Charlie Sheen, she has dropped out of high school, she feels 'self love' and has had a 'spiritual awakening.' Sharing with the world: Denise Richards' daughter Sam made some shocking claims during a TikTik video shared this week. The 17-year-old said that living with Denise, 50, and stepfather Aaron Phypers, 48, had been like 'hell' and also 'abusive,' causing her to not eat or sleep or become 'insanely depressed' The clip was put up this week then went viral. It has since been made private. According to a source who has spoken with PageSix, Sam did not want to follow Denise's rules. Former Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Denise has a total of three children: Sam and Lola Rose, 16, whom she had with ex-husband Charlie, and adopted daughter Eloise. Sam also has half sister Cassandra Jade Estevez, whom Charlie shares with his high school girlfriend, and half brothers Bob and Max. Better now: The Southern California raised teen added in another clip that now that she has moved out of the house and is likely with father Charlie Sheen and has dropped out of high school, she feels 'self love' and has had a 'spiritual awakening' Denise, Aaron and their children have been renting a home in Malibu after being displaced by the Woolsey Fire of 2018. It is not known where Sam was attending high school this year. Sam looked upset and emotional when she appeared in the clip as she wore a black hoodie. '1 year ago today: trapped in an abusive household, hated myself, would go days without eating or sleeping, insanely depressed, hated school, etc' she said. They looked fine on New Year's: Denise, Aaron and their children have been renting a home in Malibu after being displaced by the Woolsey Fire of 2018. It is not known where Sam was attending high school The family: Former Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Denise has a total of three children: Sam and Lola Rose, 16, whom she had with ex-husband Charlie, and adopted daughter Eloise On her own: Sam seen here this weekend at the Malibu Chili Cookoff which she said she did not enjoy; image from her Instagram Sam was then seen in better spirits as she said: 'Now: finally moved out of the hell house, had a spiritual awakening, own 2 cats, happy single, full of self love, and dropped out of high school :).' DailyMail.com has reached out to Denise's rep for comment. Sam did not say where she is currently living, but it is believed that she is residing with dad Charlie. Charlie, 56, made a comment about the situation through his rep to PageSix: 'Sam's amazing. I love her and all my children unconditionally. We're having a ball. GED here we come!' They have tried to be friends: Charlie Sheen (L) and Denise attend the New York Yankees vs New York Mets game at Citi Field in 2012 in New York City with their two kids The little ones: Richards and her daughters Sam and Lola Rose in Bel Air, Los Angeles in 2012 GED is the General Educational Development, which are the tests students take as an alternative to the US high school diploma. Richards and Charlie were wed from 2002 until 2006. A source close to Denise said Sam's moving out is not her fault but is rather the choice of an angry teen. 'Denise set normal rules that any parent would be setting,' the source said. 'She's a mom and a parent and there are rules. She didn't want to follow the rules. 'Charlie didn't support implementing Denise's rules. He has a different way of parenting and Sami decided to live with her dad. Denise loves her daughter very much and she's saddened by the situation.' When on RHOBH Denise said that Sam does things to provoke her, like dyeing her hair red. In March all seemed fine between Denise and Sam as she wished her eldest child a happy 17th birthday. 'Can't believe my beautiful baby girl is 17!!!! Time flies by so fast, so amazed the beautiful young woman you've become,' began the former Bond girl who was in 1999's The World Is Not Enough. They were once in love: Richards and Charlie were wed from 2002 until 2006; seen in 2003 Bumpy times: A source close to Denise said Sam's moving out is not her fault but is rather the choice of an angry teen. 'Denise set normal rules that any parent would be setting,' the source said. 'She's a mom and a parent and there are rules. She didn't want to follow the rules. Denise and Charlie in 2005 'I love you so much Sami girl. I'm so proud of you. You're beyond beautiful inside and out and so compassionate. I love you my Sami Happy Birthday,' she stated. She added, 'Although a part of me would give anything to have those years back when you were little. I cherish those precious moments.' When Sam was young she appeared in an episode of Two and a Half Men, and was also in Denise Richards: It's Complicated (2008). She also was a part of RHOBH. She seems happy: A recent image of Denise as she said she loves summer; also this year she has said she may go back to RHOBH In 2020 Denise shared that she does not want to cast Charlie in a negative light to her kids. 'Even though he's Charlie Sheen, that is still, to them, their dad,' she explained. Charlie has a wild past filled with drug use, porn stars and cheating. 'I never talk badly about him and I want him to be part of their lives because I met a lot of the women that Charlie entertained and a lot of them had father-daughter issues. And I do not want that to be our girls.' Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso cut very stylish figures as they attended the premiere of his film The Last Duel amid the 78th Venice Film Festival on Friday. The actor, 50, looked sharp in a dark navy suit while he posed alongside his stunning partner, 45, who wowed in a black, strapless sequin gown. Matt teamed his two-piece suit with a black shirt and matching bow tie, finishing off his dapper look with shiny patent black shoes. Couple goals: Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso cut very stylish figures as they attended the premiere of his film The Last Duel amid the 78th Venice Film Festival on Friday And while her husband was the star of the film, Luciana certainly proved to be the star of the red carpet as she dazzled in her amazing gown which featured a semi-sheer skirt adorned with sequins. The Argentinian beauty wore her caramel locks in a sleek style, while she added a touch of blind withy diamond drop earrings. The couple appeared in great spirits as they held each other close while posing for snaps. Looking good: The actor, 50, looked sharp in a dark navy suit while he posed alongside his stunning partner, 45, who wowed in a black, strapless sequin gown Dapper: Matt teamed his two-piece suit with a black shirt and matching bow tie, finishing off his dapper look with shiny patent black shoes Wow: while her husband was the star of the film, Luciana certainly proved to be the star of the red carpet as she dazzled in her amazing gown which featured a semi-sheer skirt adorned with sequins Matt and Luciana were in good company as they were also joined on the red carpet by Matt's co-stars Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck, who was accompanied by on-again girlfriend Jennifer Lopez. Pals Matt and Ben were also seen having a chat as they caught up at the star-studded event. The Last Duel which follows the the true story of Jean de Carrouges (Matt), a 14th century French knight who embarks on a fight to the death with former friend Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver). Wow: while her husband was the star of the film, Luciana certainly proved to be the star of the red carpet as she dazzled in her amazing gown which featured a semi-sheer skirt adorned with sequins Fabulous: The Argentinian beauty wore her caramel locks in a sleek style, while she added a touch of blind withy diamond drop earrings There they are: The couple put on a dazzling display as they made their way to their seats for the screening Stars: Matt and Luciana were in good company as they were also joined on the red carpet by Matt's co-stars Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck Hollywood greats: Pals Matt and Ben were also seen having a chat as they caught up at the star-studded event Trio: The stars were joined on the red carpet by director Ridley Scott Adapted from Eric Jager's book of the same name, Jodie's character Marguerite is the woman at the centre of the fight, after she and her husband de Carrouges accuse Le Gris of raping her. The film is told from the perspectives of each of the three characters, with Jodie telling Variety the movie will challenge audiences pre-conceived ideas of the role women had in society during that period. She said: 'I think, for me, what was the most interesting [thing] about this script, first and foremost, was the opportunity to give this woman a voice.' The Last Duel marks the first return of Matt's writing partnership with Ben since their award-winning script for Good Will Hunting, and the pair co-wrote the screenplay alongside Nicole Holofcener. Drama: The trio star in The Last Duel which follows the the true story of Jean de Carrouges, a 14th century French knight who embarks on a fight to the death with former friend Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) Star power: Adapted from Eric Jager's book of the same name, Jodie's character Marguerite is the woman at the centre of the fight, after she and her husband de Carrouges accuse Le Gris of raping her Originally, Matt and Ben were set to play the two leading roles in the film, but they ran into scheduling conflicts because of Ben's film Deep Water, so Adam took over the role of Le Gris. Ben will instead star as Count Pierre d'Alencon. Filming began on the movie in February last year in France but the set was shut down in March due to the pandemic and travel restrictions in Europe, before they returned to filming in September. Matt was at the film's next location in Ireland when lockdown began and, amid the travel ban, ended up isolating in the seaside resort of Dalkey, an affluent suburb of Dublin with his wife and four children for a few weeks. The Last Duel had a scheduled released date of December 2020 but it has now been pushed back to October 15, 2021. Advertisement Property wars: The billionaire has drafted construction plans to build an underground bunker and subterranean 'wellness center' which has caused neighbors to take legal action over 'dangerous' construction; pictured January 2020 Kim Kardashian's latest plans for expansion at her $60M Hidden Hills home have sparked a legal war. The 40-year-old billionaire is locked in a battle with her neighbors over 'dangerous' plans to construct an underground bunker and a subterranean 'wellness center' on her property. In legal documents obtained by The Blast, neighbors in her exclusive community have asked a judge to halt the construction based on the grounds that it 'may cause loss of a life,' due to proximity to gas lines. DailyMail.com reached out to her representative for comment but did not receive an immediate reply. Kim's massive plans for expansion on the property reportedly include: an underground vault, a subterranean spa and an underground parking structure, in addition to an above ground detached guardhouse. Neighbors were said to have fired off several legal letters asking a judge to halt construction stating that the project poses both a topographical and 'catastrophic bodily' risk. Kim's venture would require the flattening of two hills and compacting dirt (around 5,000 cubic yards) which is built on 'top of two high-pressure gas transmission lines.' Disgruntled neighbors are complaining that the unearthing of dirt so close in proximity to gas lines is 'extremely dangerous,' with others saying that if the Hidden Hills Association were to allow her to do so it would be going against community bylaws. They are arguing that the neighborhood has a grading code to maintain its 'natural and rustic country setting,' which would prevent residents from changing the topography in a drastic way, so that the 'natural limitations of the site are respected,' per the guidelines. Risky: At minimum it was said that Kim's plans would 'cause irreparable harm to the destruction of two hills of Hidden Hills,' before the issue of resident harm was brought up on account of the high-pressure gas lines running near the property The property: Neighbors have fired off legal letters demanding the stop of construction on Kim's $60M property citing clauses from the 33-page Hidden Hills Community Association's Architectural Standards The first clause on the 33-page list of Architectural Standards which was cited by a neighbor reads that the 'purpose' of the detailed guidelines is to 'safeguard the welfare of all residents, maintain and improve property values, and retain the open rustic country feeling,' meaning that 'certain minimum architectural standards are necessary.' At minimum it was said that Kim's plans would 'cause irreparable harm to the destruction of two hills of Hidden Hills,' before the issue of resident harm was brought up on account of the high-pressure gas lines running near the property. It is being claimed that if the Architectural Committee and Association were to allow the SKIMS founder to move forward, they would be placing 'community members at risk of catastrophic bodily injury and irreparable real personal property damage.' 'Moving forward these two development projects may cause loss of a life,' asserted a neighbor, who referred to the tragedy of the San Bruno gas pipeline explosion in San Bernardino, California in 2010. Always expanding: Previously Kim had built a mini city town on the property for her kids complete with a mini KKW Beauty pop-up store The explosion killed eight people, injured 58 and destroyed 38 homes when the when the 30-inch high-pressure transmission pipe exploded. It was also added that the gas company involved with Hidden Hills posed a specific risk as they were the operator behind the 2015 Aliso Canyon incident the nation's largest-ever uncontrolled natural gas leak which resulted in 30,000 people within a five-mile radius being evacuated. Though it is not known what level of construction has begun, a previously grassy hill near Kim's property was photographed as a mound of dirt in recent weeks. Per the community guidelines: 'Plans are not deemed to be approved unless and until (i) they have been granted approval by a majority vote of the Architectural Committee and (ii) they have been stamped with the Associations approval stamp and signed by two members of the Committee.' It was announced with an all-star trio of hosts including Priyanka Chopra, Julianne Hough and Usher. But star power wasn't enough to make CBS' upcoming reality competition The Activist palatable to social media users. Twitter users settled in to rip the series to shreds for its premise, which many found distasteful. Ripped to shreds: Twitter was up in arms after the new CBS reality series The Activist was announced on Thursday. Priyanka Chopra, Julianne Hough and Usher will host the series; Chopra seen in 2019 in Cannes According to Deadline, The Activist is a competitive reality series in which six activists will be joined by three public figures to make significant changes to environmental issues, healthcare and education. But rather than measuring a meaningful change, the winner of the competition will be determined based on 'online engagement, social metrics, and hosts input.' The teams will have the chance to go to Rome for the upcoming G20 Summit, and whichever group can get the biggest funding commitment from diplomats at the summit will be crowned the winner in a ceremony featuring musical performances. Some Twitter users were instantly reminded of the infamous and ill-fated Pepsi ad starring Kendall Jenner in which she appeared to resolve an unspecified protest by handing a police officer a can of Pepsi. Bad memories: Some Twitter users were instantly reminded of the infamous and ill-fated Pepsi ad starring Kendall Jenner in which she appeared to resolve an unspecified protest by handing a police officer a can of Pepsi In the spotlight: Others criticized Chopra for her support of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has embraced Hindu nationalism and right-wing populism, and her dismissal of Pakistani concerns Oh dear: The TV writer Broti Gupta managed to tie in the controversy over The Activist to Jeopardy!'s recent disaster with now axed host and producer Mike Richards At the time, viewers criticized the advertisement for diminishing the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement and misrepresenting the reality of racial justice protests around the US. One Twitter user posted a still of Jenner delivering her Pepsi and mockingly captioned wrote: 'I go on the activist reality show and do this and everyone including the judges are screaming and crying.' Others singled out the judges and their past behavior as reasons for why The Activist was misguided. Chopra has previously been criticized for her support of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has embraced Hindu nationalism and right-wing populism. In 2019, she was publicly called out at Beautycon for a tweet supporting India's military among rising tensions with neighboring Pakistan. 'The same priyanka chopra who told a pakistani activist to "stop venting"? okay,' mused one user. Offensive: Other users dug up Julianne Hough's infamous 2013 blackface scandal, when she tried to dress up as Orange Is The New Black's Crazy Eyes, who is Black Surprising turn of events: '"the activist" and this is deada** one of the hosts?' wrote the shocked user; Hough seen in July in Cap d'Antibes, France Other Twitter users criticized co-host Julianne Hough, who was previously embroiled in her own racism scandal. In 2013, she dressed up for Halloween as Orange Is The New Black character Crazy Eyes. The character was portrayed on the Netflix series by Uzo Aduba, who is Black. As part of her costume, Julianne dressed up in orange scrubs to approximate a prison uniform and wore blackface. '"the activist" and this is deada** one of the hosts?' wrote one shocked user who posted Hough's blackface photos. The dancer and actress later apologized for the offensive display. No laughing matter: Some users took a more serious approach with their complaints and stood up for activists Dangerous: Another wrote, 'As activists are jailed, maimed and killed around the world, this is grotesque.' Little of both: One person combined complaints about the series with a dig at Chopra Some users took a more serious approach with their complaints. 'Dear activist risking your life challenging war criminals, we are sorry to let you know that you didn't get enough "likes" to survive the completion!' complained one person. 'Usher didnt cry when you presented your tragedy either. So you can die in prison silently, or shouting in the Mediterranean.' Another wrote, 'As activists are jailed, maimed and killed around the world, this is grotesque.' One person combined complaints about the series with a dig at Chopra. 'like yea using activism as a competition where it is funneled into social media influence is absolutely abhorrent and completely dilutes the importance and impacts of organizing and grassroots effors [sic] but also remember when priyanka chopra asked an activist if she was done venting.' Fatima Bhutto wrote that, 'The good news is that no actual activists would be caught dead on this show.' Nothing to worry about: Fatima Bhutto wrote that, 'The good news is that no actual activists would be caught dead on this show' Simple solution: Jameela Jamil wondered why CBS couldn't just make a donation instead of wasting money on a reality show 'The Activist Hunger Games': Others just delighted in seeing the pile on. 'It's nice to see Twitter united over how despicable the Activist Hunger Games are,' one social media user wrote Jameela Jamil wondered why CBS couldn't just make a donation instead of wasting money on a reality show. ''Couldn't they just give the money it's going to take to pay this UNBELIEVABLY expensive talent and make this show, directly to activist causes? Rather than turning activism into a game and then giving a fraction of the much needed money away in a "prize...?"' She added bluntly: 'People are dying.' Others just delighted in seeing the pile on. 'It's nice to see Twitter united over how despicable the Activist Hunger Games are,' one social media user wrote. The TV writer Broti Gupta managed to tie in the controversy over The Activist to Jeopardy!'s recent hosting snafu. 'You guys aren't gonna believe who CBS got to host the activist show,' she joked while posting a photo of Mike Richards, the Jeopardy! producer who briefly won the job of host before being fired from both his roles over recently resurfaced offensive comments. The so-called 'Turnip toffs' who live near the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's country retreat in Norfolk were delighted when local stately-home owner Ollie Birkbeck exchanged vows in 2018 with Laura Trenchard, a viscount's daughter whose family's own pile, Standon Lordship, is so grand that a rock festival is held in the grounds. Sadly, I can disclose that their marriage has ended and Birkbeck, 48, is to become a father with Sophia Hesketh, 37, the fashion stylist daughter of former Tory treasurer and sometime Formula One team owner Lord Hesketh, after a whirlwind romance. 'It's due next Friday,' Birkbeck tells me of their baby. 'It's a bit mad. We're nervous we looked at each other just now and wondered whether we really thought this through. We've got a nursery, and we've hired some nice ladies to help us look after it.' Ollie Birkbeck, 48, is to become a father with Sophia Hesketh, 37, (both pictured) the fashion stylist daughter of former Tory treasurer Lord Hesketh, after a whirlwind romance The baby was conceived three months after their relationship began. Birkbeck insists his marriage was already over. He was introduced to Sophia by a prominent 'Turnip toff' he declines to name. 'I just thought I was going out to dinner,' he says of their meeting. 'No one told me anything about the blind date.' Sophia whose father sold their magnificent Northamptonshire home, Easton Neston, to Russian fashion tycoon Leon Max for 50 million is a prominent society figure. The baby was conceived three months after their relationship began. Birkbeck was introduced to Sophia (pictured in 2017) by a prominent 'Turnip toff' he declines to name Ollie Birkbeck exchanged vows in 2018 with Laura Trenchard (pictured), a viscount's daughter. Sadly, I can disclose that their marriage has ended Close friends include David Cameron and among her exes are Sam Cam's brother-in-law, Robert Sheffield, and Robie Uniacke, partner of Hollywood star Rosamund Pike Lord Hesketh was so angry about her relationship with Uniacke that he offered 500 to any friend of his who would woo his daughter away from the reformed heroin addict. Birkbeck claims he remains friends with Laura, 33, who is still pictured with him on the home page of his estate's website. He adds: 'Our marriage went pearshaped very quickly.' But will party-loving Sophia adapt to her quiet new life at Little Massingham House and its 2,000 acres? 'She's coming round to it,' he says. 'She's not as enamoured as I'd like her to be.' HARRY AND MEGHAN CHARITY NAME BATTLE The Duke and Duchess of Sussex keep hitting stumbling blocks on their path to world domination. I hear the California-based couple's lawyers have pleaded for a six-month extension as they try to prevent their plans to trademark their charity being junked. Prince Harry and Meghan's legal team, led by Beverly Hills lawyer Marjorie Witter Norman, first applied to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for legal protection for the name of their charity, Archewell, last year. But now the legal firm has asked for more time to get their documents in order. They have been told they must file a 'statement of use' showing precise details of how the name will be used in commerce or fundraising. This is to prevent them just tying up the name with no intention of using it to trade. Britain's 'poshest MP' has just become even posher. I hear baronet's daughter Theodora Clarke, a niece of House of Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, got married last weekend to the Earl of Harrowby's stepson, Henry Coram-James, 39. A close friend of Boris Johnson's wife Carrie, Theo, 36, is a descendant of Theodore Roosevelt and was elected at the last election as Tory MP for Stafford, where her husband's family own stately home Sandon Hall. YOUCH! TV CHEF LOPS OFF HIS FINGER Tv chef James Martin is an expert in the kitchen but less handy in the garage. The star of James Martin's Saturday Morning reveals he was rushed to A&E this week after a ghastly accident with his motor. 'I was sorting out the car and went to the garage and did something that I shouldn't have done with a bit of a car part and I sliced my finger off,' he tells me at the Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards. The star of James Martin's Saturday Morning (pictured) reveals he was rushed to A&E this week after a ghastly accident with his motor The ITV presenter kept the injured hand out of sight as he picked up his Personality of the Year award at London's Royal Exchange. 'It's a bit of a mess,' he explains. Recalling the horrific accident, the Hampshire-based chef says: 'I sat in the car, thinking, 'What hospital shall I go to? Winchester or Andover? Luckily, they were both quiet and it just went crazy. 'I had to go to A&E and have had 12 stitches to put it back together it wasn't good. They managed to put the finger back on, but at one point it didn't look like it was going to happen.' He adds: 'It is going to be hard to hide it on TV. I phoned the doc and said, 'Can I pull the stitches out?' 'So he videoed me pulling the stitches out and then I Superglued it, but it's still painful.' Only a very brave soul would consider pulling a fast one on Hannibal Lecter but that is just what trickster Gary Oldman did to his pal Sir Anthony Hopkins. Oldman won an Oscar for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the film Darkest Hour, so he did not find it difficult to fake the Silence Of The Lambs star's voice. Sir Anthony, 83, recounts: 'Gary Oldman left me a message on my answer machine in London and I thought it was my voice. He just said, 'It's Tony here. How are you?' 'I thought, 'I don't remember leaving myself a message'' Treading lightly on Tanna We go on a new ecotourism adventure tour in North Tanna As hundreds of COVID-19 cases have already been reported this year in Connecticut schools, Gov. Ned Lamont said Friday he would be open to the idea of local districts imposing vaccine mandates for students. Im certainly open to school districts having that authority, he said during an event in Darien, touring businesses affected by flooding. Though the governor said a 65 percent vaccination rate among residents aged 12 to 18 means were getting there voluntarily, Lamont said, At some point, that may not be good enough. The city of Los Angeles, home to the second-largest school district in the United States, announced Thursday that all eligible students will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Connecticut has announced a similar mandate for teachers, and Lamont said Friday if vaccination rates dont increase among school-aged children, the state might need to step in. My hunch is the state will have to be working with the superintendents, but were not there yet, he said. Superintendents may not be able to institute vaccine mandates without the states approval, according to Department of Education spokeswoman Laura Stefon. Absent some legislative action or executive order, school districts cannot condition students attendance on receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine specifically, she said. Lamont did not say how the state would implement any sort of student vaccination requirement, whether by supporting a vaccine mandate bill in the General Assembly that would apply to all schools or by giving individual school systems the authority to require vaccines. Lamont has made no move in either direction and is unlikely to do so by executive order, which could face legal challenges. The governors comments came at a time of transition for coronavirus orders. Lamonts emergency powers expire Sept. 30, and its still unclear whether the legislature will extend that authority. The states data shows hundreds of COVID cases have already been reported at Connecticut public and private schools since reopening in recent weeks. In the past week, 386 cases have been reported statewide among students and 97 cases were reported among staff. Of those, about 16 percent involved students or staff who were vaccinated, according to the data, which includes cases reported from Sept. 2 to Wednesday. That is nearly twice the number of infections recorded last October, when the state began publishing COVID infections in schools. At the time, many schools were operating on a hybrid model with some remote learning. The states outdoor and indoor mask mandates were still in effect and more infectious variants of the disease were not yet predominant in Connecticut. Despite the increase in cases, Connecticut health systems have not seen an increase in pediatric COVID hospitalizations. We have not seen a huge surge in pediatric admissions to date, said Dr. Tom Balcezak, medical director at Yale New Haven Health, which runs hospitals in Greenwich, Bridgeport and New Haven. Balcezak said there was not a single individual in any of our hospitals under 20 (years old) with COVID. Hospitals in other states are seeing a boom of younger COVID patients, he said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report Thursday, showing a five-fold increase overall in the number of people under the age of 17 hospitalized with COVID in 14 states and Connecticut was among them. Though the CDC report did not break down the number of pediatric COVID hospitalizations by state, Balcezak said Connecticut is not seeing the increase other states are experiencing. We have not seen an uptick in pediatric admissions, he said, with the caveat: I anticipate we may see that. The CDCs report does indicate that vaccines are effective among school-aged children. Among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, the only pediatric age group for whom a COVID-19 vaccine is currently approved, hospitalization rates were approximately 10 times higher in unvaccinated compared with fully vaccinated adolescents, the CDC wrote. More than 74 percent of Connecticuts population is now at least partly vaccinated, according to CDC data, far higher than the national average, which sits a little under 63 percent. But weekly vaccine administrations in Connecticut have remained far below their peak of more than 315,000 in early April. The states most recent week of data showed a little over 46,000 doses administered, a slight drop after weekly vaccinations had been mostly rising through mid-July and August. On Friday, the state announced an additional 625 cases, with 2.73 percent of all COVID tests in the last 24 hours returning positive results. The state also announced an additional 10 hospitalizations for a total of 364 COVID patients in Connecticut. The state said more than 72 percent of them are not fully vaccinated. While 10 communities, including the towns of Canaan, Salisbury and Lyme, are now reporting more than 80 percent of residents have received at least a first dose, vaccination rates remain low in other parts of the state, with many reporting less than 60 percent of residents have received a shot. That includes the major cities of Bridgeport, Hartford and Waterbury, state data shows. With vaccinations against COVID-19 still stalling in some areas of Connecticut, its unclear how President Joe Bidens mandate that large businesses require their employees to be vaccinated or face weekly testing will affect the state. The mandate, announced Thursday, would require businesses with more than 100 employees to have their workers inoculated or submit to weekly testing. Weve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, Biden warned the unvaccinated in his remarks. And your refusal has cost all of us. But how much of an impact that mandate will have on Connecticut, where vaccination rates are relatively high, is unknown. Whenever theres a medical mandate, theres always pushback, right? said Tuvana Rua, an associate professor of management at Quinnipiac Universitys school of business. In her view, the mandate is necessary, citing the delta variant surging around the country, clusters of cases related to schools reopening and increasing cases of COVID in children. Given that children under the age of 12 can not yet receive the vaccine, I think it is our responsibility to protect the next generation, Rua added. Daytona Beach, FL (32114) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Low 74F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. remaining of SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription and are still unable to access our content, please link your digital account to your print subscription If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Toyota Motor Corp cut its annual production target by 300,000 vehicles on Friday as rising Covid-19 infections slowed output at parts factories in Vietnam and Malaysia, compounding a global shortage of auto chips. "It's a combination of the coronavirus and semiconductors, but at the moment it is the coronavirus that is having the overwhelming impact," Kazunari Kumakura, an executive at the world's biggest car maker, said after the company revised its production target. Unlike other big global automakers that were forced earlier to scale back production plans, Toyota had managed to avoid cuts to output because it had stockpiled key components along a supply chain hardened against disruption following northeast Japan's devastating earthquake in 2011. The Japanese carmaker's announcement on Friday is a further sign that no part of the global car industry has escaped the affects of a pandemic that has sapped sales and is hobbling the their ability to take advantage of the recovery in demand that followed the initial waves of Covid-19. Car sales in China in August fell by almost a fifth from a year earlier because there were fewer vehicles for people to buy. Toyota now expects to build 9 million vehicles in the year to March 31, rather than 9.3 million. It did not revise its 2.5 trillion yen ($22.7 billion) operating profit forecast for the business year. Adding to a 360,000 vehicle cut in worldwide production in September, Toyota said on Friday it will reduce output by a further 70,000 this month and by 330,000 in October. It hopes to to make up some of that lost production before its year-end. Demand for chips has soared during the pandemic as consumer electronic companies rush to meet stay-at-home demand for their smartphones, tablets and other devices. A heavy reliance on Southeast Asian factories for parts is a headache for Toyota, but its also a problem for its rivals that have struggled with what Volkswagen AG has described as "very volatile and tight" chip supplies. The German carmaker has warned it may need to cut production further as a result. Ford Motor Co last month shut down production at a plant in Kansas that builds its best-selling F-150 pick up because of parts supply woes, with France Renault SA extending partial stoppages at factories in Spain. Watch latest videos by DH here: The backlash from pro-Hindu groups over stringent rules for the public celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi has forced the BBMP to withdraw its version of guidelines for the festival and stick to the state governments rules. On Thursday, the civic body announced that it would allow the festivities over five days, as against the three-day period it had set earlier. We had decided to restrict the festivities to three days on police advice. We have now asked the local police and BBMP officials to decide after reviewing the situation, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said. The governments order is supreme. The BBMP has also withdrawn the blanket ban on idol immersion in lakes. The idols can now be immersed in a select few lakes. Following requests from Ganesh Utsava groups, we have decided to allow idol immersion in lakes where its customary, said Randeep D, Special Commissioner (Health), BBMP. While only one public Ganesh installation will be allowed per ward, temples and private religious institutions will be free to set up idols on premises as long as they enforce the Covid-appropriate behaviour. The civic body has also softened the condition on idol height. Also Read | Markets report soaring fruit, flower prices closer to festive weekend The BBMPs order on allowing only one public Ganesh installation per ward has been widely opposed. On Thursday, representatives of several Ganesh Utsava Mandals held a demonstration at the BBMPs head office, ferrying in vehicle-mounted idols. While the BBMP top brass has left it to zonal and ward-level officials to decide who will get to set up public Ganesh installations in each ward, local staff arent sure of what rules to follow, resulting in disparities. Officials in the West Zone are picking the trust or mandali with most supporters whereas their counterparts in Yelahanka and South zones are choosing the winners by lottery. An official from South Zone said: We tried to persuade different groups to celebrate the festival at one place. But we couldnt reach a consensus in a few cases and had to use the lottery system. In Bommanahalli, officials are reviewing the public places before choosing the winner. We chose the organiser whose place of celebration would cause the least public disturbance or traffic congestion. We also considered the size because larger places would prevent the virus spread, said M Ramakrishna, Joint Commissioner (Bommanahalli), BBMP. The BBMP hasnt received any application for public Ganesh installation from four wards in Bommanahalli and two in the West Zone ostensibly due to the curbs. Check out latest DH videos here China on Friday said it recognises and appreciates Indias contributions during its one-year presidency of the BRICS bloc culminating in its 13th summit presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. India was this year's chair for the five-member bloc that holds the rotating Presidency. This was the second time Prime Minister Modi chaired the BRICS summit. Earlier, he had chaired the Goa summit in 2016. China will host the 14th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit next year. Asked to comment on BRICS partnership and different agreements reached by the five-member bloc under Indias Presidency, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters here: We recognise and appreciate Indias contributions during its chairmanship in the past year, including its hosting of this summit. Read | 'Do not politicise search of Covid-19 origin' Chinese President Xi Jinping, who took part in the summit via video link on Thursday, said that during its Presidency next year, China looks forward to working with BRICS partners to deepen cooperation in all areas and build a closer and more results-oriented partnership to meet common challenges and create a better future. The summit was also attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. The theme of the summit was "Intra-BRICS cooperation for continuity, consolidation and consensus." The summit this year coincided with the 15th anniversary of the BRICS. Elaborating on Xis address, Zhao highlighted the five proposals put forward by the Chinese President to advance the high-quality development of BRICS practical cooperation. Xis proposals included strengthening public health cooperation in the spirit of solidarity. The Chinese President said that BRICS countries need to support each other's Covid-19 response, pursue practical cooperation on vaccines, including joint research and production and mutual recognition of standards, and facilitate an early launch of the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre in a virtual format. Xi has also proposed to strengthen international cooperation on vaccines in the spirit of equitable access for all and said that China will donate an additional 100 million doses of vaccines to the developing countries within this year. He also suggested strengthening economic cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefit. China proposes to host a BRICS high-level meeting on climate change and a BRICS forum on big data for sustainable development, Xi said. We welcome the substantive progress made in expanding the membership of the New Development Bank (NDB), he said. He also proposed to strengthen political and security cooperation in the spirit of fairness and justice. We need to consolidate the BRICS strategic partnership, support each other on issues concerning our respective core interests, better coordinate our position on major international and regional issues, and send out an even bigger, collective voice of BRICS countries, the Chinese President said. Xi has proposed to strengthen people-to-people exchanges in the spirit of mutual learning. The BRICS bloc brings together five of the largest developing countries of the world, representing 41 per cent of the global population, 24 per cent of the global GDP and 16 per cent of the global trade. Watch latest videos by DH here: All governments lie and distort to advance their agendas. But its fair to regard the current moment as a singular age of unreality in recent United States politics. Most members of one party have embraced an explicitly fictional world, one in which the 2020 election was stolen by rampant election fraud by Democrats. Historian Timothy Snyder has called this fabricated conspiracy 'the 'Big Lie'. The rise of such a flagrant mendacity is usually located very recently, in Donald Trumps first election run or in the dawning of the social media age. But the inflection point was actually 20 years ago, in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. In Mother Jones, David Corn has argued that the George W Bush administration paved the way for the Big Lie, on the grounds that its propaganda push that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction constituted its own Big Lie. More generally, one might think that the misinformation-filled campaign in the lead-up to the Iraq War was itself an early example of the post-truth era. Admittedly, its effects on the promotion of false beliefs were extreme. We focus so much today on the role of social media and digital disinformation when it comes to our fractured sense of reality and the rise of conspiratorial thinking. But its worth remembering that in September 2003five months before a site called thefacebook.com went livea Washington Post poll found that almost 70 per cent of Americans thought that Saddam Hussein was at least somewhat likely to have been personally involved in the 9/11 attacks. Read more: Before and after: Indian photographer's exhibition recalls horror of 9/11 There is, however, a distinction between the distortions that the Bush-Cheney administration made in its rush to war and the Big Lie of Trumps Republican Party. As historian Joseph Stieb argued correctly in the Washington Post, unlike the Bush administration propaganda, Trumps case for a stolen election isnt exaggerated, its pure fiction. In other words, the Bush administration attempted to deceive American citizens by distorting evidence and insinuating falsehoods. In intending to deceive, one treats ones audience as reasoners whom one must persuade. In contrast, Trump and the party he controls simply made up, whole cloth, a fictional reality for its own loyal audience. Trumps Big Lie was never intended to be digested by anyone other than unwavering supporters of the leader. A Big Lie isnt part of an argument. A Big Lie is a rallying cry. How, then, did the immediate post-9/11 era give rise to our current politics? Some of the most trusted Americans in public life, such as Colin Powell, were used to present wildly exaggerated and false claims to the public. Much of the mainstream media felt impelled to give far more credibility to the governments justifications for the Iraq War than they warranted. When democratic institutions are revealed to have misled the public as badly as they did, what results in a crisis of legitimacy. In such a crisis, people look for a charismatic leader in whom they can place their faith. The failures of the Bush administration made Trumps takeover of the Republican Party possible, because the success of Trumps style of politics depends on a vast loss of public trust in government and the media. It is not just the decline in public trust that paved the way for the flourishing of what can rightly be called fascist politics. After 9/11, Muslims were represented as an existential threat, domestically and internationally. Trumps favorite government institution, ICE, is a product of the post-9/11 era. The logic of a militarized border, with a massive department of Homeland Security and a designated internal police force to protect us against them, is a legacy of that era. Its no wonder that social platforms have exploited the rise of this in-group versus out-group mentality, attuning their algorithms to profit off of powerful emotional triggers such as fear, outrage and disgust. Fascist politics thrives when democratic institutions can be painted as corrupt and untrustworthy. It thrives when a population is taught to fear a supposed enemy that is both foreign and yet insidiously domesticbe they Muslims, Jews (as in Nazi Germany) or another minority group. Social media and online influence operations provided platforms and fuel for conspiratorial thinking to proliferate. But it was the post-9/11 era, with its nativist anti-Muslim appeals, betrayals of public trust and failures of democratic institutions, that enabled a politics based on rallying cries and faith rather than mutual deliberation over policy. It laid the groundwork for the future success of politicians who prey on our fears and encourage conspiracy theories, if not manufacture them outright. This is how they push aside democracy in pursuit of absolute power. This is an opinion and analysis article; the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American. Check out the latest DH videos here: US President Joe Biden talked with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for the first time in seven months Thursday, urging they ensure that "competition" between the two powers does not become "conflict," the White House said. During the call, Biden's message was that the United States wants to ensure "the dynamic remains competitive and that we don't have any situation in the future where we veer into unintended conflict," a senior US administration official told reporters. In Beijing, state broadcaster CCTV reported that the phone call was "candid, in-depth" and covered "extensive strategic communication and exchanges on China-US relations and issues of mutual concern," and that US policy on China has caused "serious difficulties." This was the leaders' first call since February, when they talked for two hours, shortly after Biden took over from Donald Trump. The Biden administration official said the latest call lasted 90 minutes. US-China relations went into a nosedive under Trump, who launched a trade war between the world's number one and two economies. Biden's administration, while urging multilateralism and an end to Trump's "America first" ideology, has kept trade tariffs in place and remains tough on other contentious areas of the relationship with Beijing. However, the White House signaled that the diplomatic impasse is unsustainable and potentially dangerous, requiring intervention by the leaders in Thursday's call. "We welcome stiff competition but we don't want that competition to veer into conflict," the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters. The goal of the call was to set out "guardrails" so that the relationship can be "managed responsibly." These guardrails included making sure that US actions are not "misinterpreted" by China, the official said. Lower level attempts to engage with China have not gone well, especially at an angry March exchange between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and top Chinese officials when they met in Anchorage, Alaska. "We have not been very satisfied with our interlocutors' behavior," the senior official told reporters. Accusing the Chinese of being mostly "unwilling to engage in serious or substantive" talks, the official said "we don't believe that that is how responsible nations act, especially given the global importance of the US-China competition." Faced with the impasse, "President Biden understood the importance of engaging President Xi directly," the official said. According to a readout from the White House after the call, Biden and Xi had a "discussed areas where our interests converge, and areas where our interests, values, and perspectives diverge." Thursday's call focused on "broad and strategic" issues, with no concrete decisions expected on outstanding issues or setting up a first Biden-Xi summit, the official said. The list of disagreements between Washington and Beijing is long and growing. Beyond trade, with the White House official complaining of "China's unfair and coercive trade practices," there is deepening tension over China's claims to Taiwan and numerous islands in the South China Sea. Washington is also angered by what it says is China's refusal to cooperate with an international probe into the origins of the Covid-19 virus, which first broke out in China before sweeping worldwide. There are areas where the two powers also find themselves having to cooperate or at least coordinate, including on North Korea's nuclear weapons program and the climate crisis. The White House said that Biden and Xi discussed the Covid pandemic and climate, among other global topics. Biden also brought up concerns about Chinese cyber attacks against the United States. But Thursday's call was "not about finding some sort of breakthrough agreements," the senior official said. It was "about keeping the channels of communication open" and ending previous cycles where the relationship blew hot and cold. "Our goal is, is to really reach a steady state of affairs between the United States and China," the official said. Biden, who built a close relationship with Xi while serving as vice president under Barack Obama, clearly has belief in his powers of personal contact when it comes to diplomacy. The senior US official said the two leaders spent some talking about past shared experiences and that the tone was "respectful" and "candid", without "lecturing." Check out the latest DH Videos here: Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States that left nearly 3,000 people dead. The Al-Qaeda plane hijackings of September 11, 2001 were the first foreign attack on the US mainland in nearly two centuries. It ruptured America's sense of safety and plunged the West into war in Afghanistan -- a military operation that has only just finished, with the Taliban back in power. The Islamist extremists smashed two jetliners into New York's World Trade Center, killing 2,753 people. Read | 20 years after 9/11, work of identifying remains continues A third commercial jet hit the Pentagon, killing 184, and 40 more died after a fourth plane crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after a passenger revolt. Here is a timeline of events that fateful day, which reshaped the course of US history, drawing information from the 9/11 Memorial website and the 9/11 Commission report. American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767 flying from Boston to Los Angeles with 92 people on board -- including five hijackers -- crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The impact leaves a giant hole in the building's facade. Thick smoke trails into the sky from the tower's upper floors. United Airlines Flight 175, also a Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection, this time with 65 people on board -- including five hijackers -- hits the World Trade Center's South Tower, sparking a massive explosion. George W. Bush's chief of staff informs the US president, who is reading a story to elementary school children in Florida, that the United States is under attack. Read | Two decades after 9/11, Saudi Arabia seeks softer image Bush calls the blasts "an apparent terrorist attack" during brief remarks at the school. He orders "a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed these acts." American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757 headed from Washington's Dulles airport to Los Angeles with 64 people on board -- including five hijackers -- smashes into the west facade of the Pentagon just outside the US capital. The US Federal Aviation Administration orders all commercial flights in the United States to land as quickly as possible, after earlier halting all departures. The World Trade Center's South Tower, hit 56 minutes earlier, collapses in a huge cloud of smoke and dust. United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 traveling from Newark to San Francisco with 44 people on board -- including four hijackers -- crashes into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew who had learned about the other attacks fought with the hijackers. The north tower of the World Trade Center collapses, an hour and 42 minutes after it was struck. A huge cloud of dust blankets lower Manhattan. In an address from the Oval Office, Bush denounces the attacks as "evil, despicable acts of terror." He announces that thousands have died and says Washington will "make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them." Check out latest videos from DH: Bamiyan's cultural centre should have been completed last month, showcasing the remarkable heritage of a site that Afghanistan's Taliban desecrated two decades ago by dynamiting ancient statues of Buddha. But the red carpet celebrations will have to wait. After the Taliban swept triumphantly into the capital Kabul, everything was put on hold. "Everything is suspended," said Philippe Delanghe, from UNESCO, the UN's cultural agency, who said they are awaiting the decisions of the new regime. Afghanistan once stood on the legendary Silk Road trade route, a crossroads of ancient civilisations. Now in the hands of the hardline Islamist Taliban, there are fears its heritage is at risk. In March 2001, the Taliban spent weeks using dynamite and artillery to blow up two giant 1,500-year old statues of Buddha, carved into a cliff at Bamiyan, some 175 kilometres (78 miles) west of Kabul. Also read: How Pakistan won the war in Afghanistan Many consider the wanton destruction to be among the world's worst cultural crimes. It was an act that brought the Islamist's radical ideology to global attention, just a few months before Al-Qaeda -- who the Taliban hosted in Afghanistan -- carried out the devastating 9/11 attacks on America. "We judge by history, and 20 years ago there were terrible results," Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO's assistant director general for culture, told AFP. In February, the Taliban said that Afghanistan's relics were part of the country's "history, identity and rich culture" and that "all have an obligation to robustly protect, monitor and preserve these artefacts". Among Afghanistan's top sites are the Buddhist shrines at Mes Aynak, and the 12th-century Minaret of Jam, a UNESCO World Heritage site. But since seizing power, the Taliban have said nothing more. There are worrying signs. In mid-August, residents in Bamiyan accused the Taliban of blowing up a statue honouring a Hazara leader -- an ethnic group persecuted by the Islamists -- who they had killed in the 1990s. AFP could not confirm the reports, but social media images appeared to show a decapitated statue. Philippe Marquis, director of the French Archaeological Delegation in Afghanistan (DAFA), told AFP he remains cautious about what will happen. "We have no declarations saying: 'We are going to destroy everything or erase everything from the non-Islamic past'", he said. Since 2016, it has become a war crime to destroy cultural heritage sites. Many are worried for the National Museum in Kabul, which survived being ransacked both during the 1992-1996 civil war that followed the Soviet military withdrawal, as well as under the Taliban's first regime, from 1996-2001. Some feared the prospect of mass looting, as happened following conflict in Iraq and Syria, where extremist fighters raised funds by selling ancient artefacts on the black market. However, the Taliban's seizure of Kabul was achieved with barely a shot being fired, and the museum appears to have emerged unscathed. Only a third of the thousands of priceless objects in Kabul's museum have been catalogued. Kabul museum director Mohammad Fahim Rahimi told the New York Times last month the Taliban had promised their protection. But he added he still has "great concern for the safety of our staff and our collection". International funding for cultural protection has also been suspended, and it is not clear when it would resume. "We are holding our breath," Marquis said. "But I hope that soon we will be able to breathe a little lighter." Many Afghans who were working to protect cultural heritage have fled abroad, or are in hiding and too scared to speak out. Those who do have warned that the Taliban promises of protection are empty rhetoric to win international support. "As illiterate extremists, they are proud to destroy non-Muslim monuments," said Mustafa, a former UNESCO employee at Bamiyan, now a refugee in Germany. An official who worked for the Bamiyan government said Taliban fighters smashed instruments and art objects belonging to the culture department after seizing the province in early August. "I was sad, but I couldn't protest," the official said. "I had no guarantee that they weren't going to accuse me... of idolatry and turn their guns on me and kill me." The White House on Thursday ramped up Covid-19 vaccine and testing mandates in a campaign due to be outlined by President Joe Biden that will affect some 100 million people, including employees at many private companies, federal workers and healthcare staff. While the US government has yet to consider the kinds of national mandates seen in some other countries, Biden's new "six-pronged" plan amounts to his most aggressive steps so far against the surging Delta variant. One element set to be announced by the president in a major speech will be mandatory vaccinations for all federal employees and federal contractors, the White House said. Currently, government workers either need to have a vaccine or submit to regular testing, whereas the new rule will enforce virtually total vaccination. In another measure, companies with at least 100 employees will be required to ensure all workers are vaccinated or tested weekly, to be enforced by the US agency in charge of workplace safety. This will impact more than 80 million people in the private sector, the White House estimated. Biden is also requiring vaccinations for around 17 million health care workers at facilities receiving government Medicare or Medicaid program funding. Only limited exemptions will be allowed for religious reasons or for people with disabilities a strict approach sure to put Biden on a collision course with right-wing media and other powerful groups arguing that mandates amount to an attack on individual freedoms. Biden's press secretary, Jen Psaki, said the overall thrust of the plan will be to attack the coronavirus simultaneously from different angles, as infections and deaths return to crisis levels, following what had been steep declines in the early summer. "That means reducing hospitalisations. That means putting in place more testing requirements and putting in place more protections in the form of boosters to make sure people have an even greater level of protection," Psaki said on CNN. The administration's early success in rolling out vaccinations and promoting mask wearing gave Biden a lift after taking office in January. After leading the world in coronavirus deaths under former president Donald Trump, the United States became a model for how to beat the pandemic. On July 4, Biden even held a big White House barbecue to celebrate US Independence Day and freedom from lockdowns. But the emergence of the hard-to-stop Delta variant over the summer has filled intensive care units again. Seeing his entire agenda on things like the economy or climate change overshadowed by the pandemic, Biden badly needs to change its course or at least demonstrate he is in charge. Much of the problem is beyond Biden's reach. The federal government has distributed free vaccine supplies across the country and also became the world's largest donor to poorer nations. However, state governments, notably in Republican Texas and Florida, have actively resisted imposing mask mandates, while swaths of their populations refuse to get vaccinated -- even as cases around them soar. Biden and his supporters have taken to calling the current virus surge a "pandemic of the unvaccinated." Psaki expressed "frustration" at the vaccine refusers, telling reporters "the reason we are here is because people have not gotten vaccinated, 80 million of them." Despite the role played by Republican leaders, Biden, who is simultaneously taking a hit from the traumatic US exit from Afghanistan, is getting much of the blame. In the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, 52 per cent approved of Biden's handling of the pandemic, down from 62 per cent of adults in June. Biden's overall approval average ratings are firmly below 50 per cent for the first time in his presidency. According to the Washington Post-ABC News survey, only 44 per cent approve of his performance, compared to 50 perc ent in June. Check out latest DH videos here Asserting that an effective and representative multilateralism is essential for building resilience against current and future global challenges, the BRICS grouping on Thursday recommitted itself to instil "new life" in the discussions on reform of the UN Security Council and keep working to revitalise the General Assembly. In the Delhi Declaration, adopted after a summit between leaders of the member states of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the influential grouping pledged its resolve towards strengthening and reforming the multilateral system to make global governance more responsive and agile, effective, transparent, democratic, representative and accountable to member states. The member states also reiterated their commitment to upholding international law, including the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. "The pandemic has reinforced our belief that effective and representative multilateralism is essential for building resilience against current and future global challenges, promoting well-being of our people and building a sustainable future for the planet," said the declaration issued after deliberations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil's Jair Bolsanaro. Read | Search of Covid-19 virus origin should not be politicised: India joins China, Russia During discussions, there was a strong echo of need for reform of not just the UN Security Council, but other institutions of global governance system as well, Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, said at an online briefing. The BRICS noted that despite the many successes of the UN system and its associated architecture, its continued relevance would be determined by its ability to adapt to contemporary realities and respond to the evolving and inter-connected challenges of our time. The leaders endorsed the BRICS joint statement on strengthening and reforming the multilateral system adopted by the member states foreign ministers. They agreed that the task of strengthening and reforming the multilateral system encompasses making instruments of global governance more inclusive, representative and participatory to facilitate greater and more meaningful participation of developing and least developed countries, especially Africa, in global decision-making processes and structures, and make it better attuned to contemporary realities. Also Read | India, China, Russia, other BRICS nations refrain from calling out Taliban for lack of inclusivity in its govt for Afghanistan They also called for inclusive consultation and collaboration for the benefit of all, while respecting sovereign independence, equality, mutual legitimate interests and concerns to make the multilateral organisations more responsive, effective, transparent and credible. The leaders also stressed on the importance of making multilateral organisations more democratic, objective, action-oriented and solution-oriented so as to promote cooperation in building international relations based on the norms and principles of international law, and the spirit of mutual respect, justice, equality, mutual beneficial cooperation and realities of the contemporary world. They highlighted the importance of strengthening capacities of individual states and international organisations to better respond to new and emerging, traditional and non-traditional challenges, including those emanating from terrorism, money laundering, cyber-realm, infodemics and fake news. The leaders vowed to promote international and regional peace and security, social and economic development, and preserve natures balance with people-centered international cooperation at its core. "We recommit to instil new life in the discussions on reform of the UN Security Council and continue the work to revitalise the General Assembly and strengthen the Economic and Social Council," the BRICS said. "We recall the 2005 World Summit Outcome document and reaffirm the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more representative, effective and efficient, and to increase the representation of developing countries so that it can adequately respond to global challenges, it said. China and Russia reiterate the importance they attach to the status and role of Brazil, India and South Africa in international affairs and supported their aspiration to play a greater role in the UN, the declaration said. We appreciate the role of South Africa and India during their membership of the UN Security Council for 2019-2020 and 2021-2022 respectively, and congratulate Brazil on its election as a member of the UN Security Council in 2022-2023, it said. The BRICS also reaffirmed its commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in its three dimensions economic, social and environmental. Stressing the importance of achieving the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and its Goals, the member states reiterated their commitment to the achievement of all SDGs, including SDG-12 which identifies sustainable consumption and production patterns as a vital element of sustainable development. The leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to the full implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), its Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement, and to the principles of the UNFCCC including Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities in the light of different national circumstances. The Taliban have executed the brother of Amrullah Saleh, the former Afghan vice president who became one of the leaders of anti-Taliban opposition forces in the Panjshir valley, his nephew said on Friday. The news that Saleh's brother Rohullah Azizi was killed came days after Taliban forces took control of the provincial centre of Panjshir, the last province holding out against them. "They executed my uncle," Ebadullah Saleh told Reuters in a text message. "They killed him yesterday and would not let us bury him. They kept saying his body should rot." Also read: UK spy chief warns Taliban takeover could fuel terror plots The Urdu language account of the Taliban information service Alemarah said that "according to reports" Rohullah Saleh was killed during fighting in Panjshir. Saleh, a former head of the National Directorate of Security, the intelligence service of the Western-backed government that collapsed last month, is at large though his exact location remains unclear. The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, which groups opposition forces loyal to local leader Ahmad Massoud, has pledged to continue opposing the Taliban even after the fall of Panjshir's provincial capital Bazarak. Check out latest videos from DH: Guinea's military junta, which seized power over the weekend, said on Thursday that it has ordered the central bank and other banks to freeze all government accounts. On Sunday a group of special forces soldiers said they ousted President Alpha Conde over concerns about poverty and endemic corruption. The banking freeze was aimed at "securing state assets", a junta spokesman announced on the national broadcaster. "This includes public administrative and commercial establishments in all ministries and the presidency, presidential programmes and projects, members of the outgoing government as well as senior officials and administrators of state financial institutions," the spokesman said. A mining boom propelled strong economic growth during Conde's decade in power, but surveys suggest Guineans thought corruption has increased in recent years, while dissatisfaction with the economy and living conditions has also risen. Also Read | Guinea junta releases dozens of political prisoners A delegation of West African leaders was due in Guinea on Friday to assess the situation following the coup that has raised fears of a backslide towards military rule in the region. Leaders from the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) condemned the coup on Wednesday and called on the military to release Conde, who was arrested during the takeover. They also suspended Guinea's membership in ECOWAS, the region's main political and economic group, but fell short of threatening sanctions. ECOWAS president Jean-Claude Kassi Brou and Ghana's foreign affairs minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, will lead the bloc's delegation in Guinea, but the bloc provided few details. One high-ranking regional official said ECOWAS wanted the junta to appoint a "credible" civilian prime minister as soon as possible to help steer Guinea back towards constitutional order. Also Read | Guinea junta says President Conde unharmed, his wellbeing guaranteed The bloc had been due in the Guinean capital, Conakry, on Thursday, but two sources in Guinea's junta said the delegation was delayed to Friday. ECOWAS did not immediately respond to calls for comment. It could face a challenge trying to influence events in Guinea after struggling to impose its will in Mali, also in West Africa, where two coups since August 2020 have left military leader Assimi Goita in charge despite repeated ECOWAS warnings. Those two coups and another in Chad in April have renewed concerns about the return of military rule in a region that had made strides towards multi-party democracy since the 1990s. Life in the capital Conakry has started to return to normal, with traffic and street hawkers clogging the streets. The only roads still manned by military checkpoints were those leading towards the Kaloum peninsula, the capital's administrative centre and home to the presidential palace. Fears that the power struggle could hinder Guinea's production of bauxite, a mineral used to make aluminium, have begun to ease. The country's largest foreign operators say they have continued work without interruption. Leaders from the US, Australia, Japan and India are this month expected to hold the first in-person talks of their "Quad" grouping, seen as a counter to China's growing influence, Japanese media said Friday. The diplomatic group held online leaders' talks in March, and ministers from the four countries have also held in-person discussions. Japan's Kyodo news agency and Yomiuri Shimbun both reported leaders from the four nations were now expected to meet in Washington on September 24, citing unnamed Japanese and US diplomatic sources. Officials in both countries have so far declined to confirm any plans for the talks. Local media said Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga would attend the talks despite being in his final weeks in office after deciding not to stand for re-election. He will be replaced as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in a September 29 vote, with the new leader taking the party into a general election in October or November. Any talks between the four countries would likely touch on the situation in Afghanistan, as well as present a united front between the allies before a G20 meeting in Rome in October, local media said. The group is seen as a bid to counterbalance China's growing economic and military reach in the Asia-Pacific region. Check out latest DH videos here A UN envoy on Thursday urged the world to keep money flowing into Afghanistan despite concerns over the Taliban government, warning the already poor country could otherwise suffer a historic breakdown. Deborah Lyons, the secretary-general's special representative on Afghanistan, called on the world at least to give a chance to the victorious Taliban as the Islamist insurgents turn to governance and confront a severe economic decline. "A modus vivendi must be found and quickly that allows money to flow to Afghanistan to prevent a total breakdown of the economy and social order," Lyons told a Security Council meeting. If not, the result would be "a severe economic downturn that could throw many more millions into poverty and hunger, may generate a massive wave of refugees from Afghanistan and indeed set Afghanistan back for generations." Also Read | India, China, Russia, other BRICS nations refrain from calling out Taliban for lack of inclusivity in its govt for Afghanistan She warned that the new Afghan authorities cannot pay salaries and voiced alarm over a storm of crises including a plunging currency, sharply rising food and fuel prices, and a lack of cash at private banks. Foreign donors led by the United States provided more than 75 percent of the public expenditure under Afghanistan's 20-year Western-backed government and quickly stopped payments as it crumbled last month amid a US military withdrawal. President Joe Biden's administration has voiced openness on humanitarian aid but says that any direct economic lifeline, including unfreezing some $9.5 billion in Afghan central bank assets, will be contingent on Taliban actions including allowing safe passage to people to leave. Lyons, a former Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan, agreed that "safeguards must be created to ensure that this money is spent where it needs to be spent and not misused by the de facto authorities." But she added: "The economy must be allowed to breathe for a few more months, giving the Taliban a chance to demonstrate flexibility and a genuine will to do things differently this time, notably from a human rights, gender and counterterrorism perspective." The UN Development Programme said that Afghanistan is already one of the poorest nations, with 72 percent living on no more than one dollar a day. That figure could soar to 97 percent by mid-2022 due to foreign money drying up and a severe Covid-19 outbreak, said the UN agency's Asia director, Kanni Wignaraja. "We are facing a full-on development collapse on top of humanitarian and economic crises," she said. The United Nations plans a pledging conference on Monday for humanitarian assistance, although without the Taliban government which has not been recognized by any country. The appeals for support come despite wide concerns over an interim government named Tuesday by the Taliban that includes no women and several ministers on UN watchlists over terrorism allegations. Lyons said there were "credible allegations" that the Taliban has carried out reprisal killings of security forces despite promises of amnesty. She also voiced concern over what she said was rising harassment of Afghan staff of the United Nations, although she said the Taliban had largely respected the world body's premises. Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by Pakistan's branch of the Taliban at age 15 for her advocacy of girls' education, said she was hearing growing cases of Afghan girls and female teachers being told to stay home. The Nobel laureate urged international pressure on the Taliban, whose 1996-2001 regime severely restricted women's rights and forbade girls' education. World powers should send a "clear and open message" to the Taliban that any working relationship is contingent on girls' education, she told the Security Council. "Speaking with one voice for girls' education can compel the Taliban to make real concessions. This is vital not only for Afghan women and girls themselves but for long-term security in the region and our world," she said. Check out latest DH videos here The observations of the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter payloads have yielded discovery-class findings, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). There were eight scientific payloads hosted on the orbiter craft. They are: Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS), Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM), CHandra's Atmospheric Compositional Explorer 2 (CHACE 2), Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR), Imaging Infra-Red Spectrometer (IIRS), Terrain Mapping Camera (TMC 2), Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC), and Dual Frequency Radio Science (DFRS) experiment. Earlier this week, ISRO opened up its scientific discussions on Lunar Science to "the people of the country, to engage the Indian academia, institutes, students, and people from all disciplines and walks of life", in the form of a two-day 'Lunar Science Workshop & Release of Chandrayaan-2 Data'. The workshop commemorated the completion of two years of the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter in the lunar orbit. The events were conducted in virtual mode. ISRO Chairman and Secretary in the Department of Space (DoS) K Sivan inaugurated the workshop and released the documents on Chandrayaan-2 science results and data products for utilisation by the scientific community. "The lunar workshop delivered the big news of bunch of discovery-class of findings by Chandrayaan-2", the Bengaluru headquartered India's national space agency said. The mass spectrometer CHACE-2, in its pursuit to conduct first-ever in-situ study of the composition of the lunar neutral exosphere from a polar orbital platform, detected and studied the variability of the Argon-40 at the middle and higher latitudes of the Moon, depicting the radiogenic activities in the mid and higher latitudes of the Lunar interior, it said. The discovery of Chromium and Manganese on the lunar surface, which are available in trace quantities, by the CLASS payload was announced. The observations of microflares of the Sun, during the quiet-Sun period, which provide important clues on the coronal heating problem of the Sun, were made by the XSM payload. The first-ever unambiguous detection of the hydration features of the Moon was achieved by Chandrayaan-2 with its infra-red spectrometer payload IIRS, which captured clear signatures of Hydroxyl and water-ice on the lunar surface, ISRO said. The DFSAR instrument could study the subsurface features of the Moon, detected signatures of the sub-surface water-ice, and achieved high resolution mapping of the lunar morphological features in the polar regions, it was stated. "The observations (of Chandrayaan-2 orbiter payloads) have been yielding intriguing scientific results, which are being published in peer-reviewed journals and presented in international meetings," Sivan said. Chandrayaan-2, ISRO said, has the feat of imaging the Moon from 100 km lunar orbit with "best-ever" achieved resolution of 25 cm with its OHRC. The TMC 2 of Chandrayaan-2, which is conducting imaging of the Moon at a global scale, has found interesting geologic signatures of lunar crustal shortening, and identification of volcanic domes, the ISRO said. The DFRS experiment onboard Chandrayaan-2 has studied the ionosphere of the Moon, which is generated by the solar photo-ionisation of the neutral species of the lunar tenuous exosphere, it was noted. The science data archived in Indian Space Science Data Centre (ISSDC) at Byalalu, near here, are being disseminated to public through its 'PRADAN' portal. The questions received from the academia, institutes and students were addressed by the ISRO scientists during the two-day deliberations. A panel discussion provided the opportunity to academia, institutes and students to interact with the ISRO scientists on lunar science and Chandrayaan-2, ISRO said. Chandrayaan-2 is the second spacecraft in the Indian series of Lunar exploration satellites. It comprised an orbiter, lander named Vikram and rover named Pragyan to explore the unexplored South Polar region of the Moon. It was launched on July 22, 2019 from the Sriharikota spaceport by GSLV Mk-III. It was inserted into a lunar orbit on August 20, 2019, with firing of thrusters on the orbiter. The orbiter and lander modules were separated as two independent satellites on September 2, 2019. Later, Vikram lander's descent was as planned and normal performance was observed up to an altitude of 2.1 km from Lunar surface on September seven, 2019. Subsequently, communication from the lander (with the six-wheeled Pragyan rover accommodated inside it) was lost and the lander had a hard landing on the lunar surface. A successful soft-landing would have made India the fourth country after the erstwhile Soviet Union, the United States, and China to do so, according to ISRO officials. The orbiter, placed in its intended orbit around the Moon, will enrich our understanding of the Moon's evolution and mapping of minerals and water molecules in polar regions, using its eight advanced scientific instruments, according to ISRO. The precise launch and optimised mission management have ensured a long life of almost seven years for the orbiter instead of the planned one year, it said. Check out the latest DH Videos here: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said over three crore people have visited the ongoing "Duare Sarkar" camps, a mass outreach drive to help people benefit from state-run schemes. The second edition of the "Duare Sarkar" (government at doorsteps) programme was launched on August 16 and will continue till September 15. She thanked people of the state for visiting the camps and also congratulated the government officials. "Extremely happy to share that more than 3 crore people have visited the #DuareSarkar camps since 16th August. I congratulate all GoWB officials for making this initiative a huge success. I thank the people of Bengal for coming to the camps and availing all benefits," Banerjee said on Twitter. Extremely happy to share that more than 3 Crore people have visited the #DuareSarkar camps since 16th August. I congratulate all GoWB officials for making this initiative a huge success. I thank the people of Bengal for coming to the camps and availing all benefits! Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) September 10, 2021 Two government schemes - ''Lakshmi Bhandar'' and "Swasthya Sathi" - appeared to be the top picks among the three crore people who have turned up in the month-long camps. The West Bengal government has launched "Lakshmi Bhandar" scheme in order to provide basic income support to female heads of families. The newly floated programme assures monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 for women of each SC/ST household and Rs 500 for the general category. ' 'Swasthya Sathi'' is a cashless basic health cover for secondary and tertiary care up to Rs five lakh per annum per family. Check out the latest DH videos here: Mizoram is bracing for a second wave of refugees from Myanmar as supporters of the Burmese government-in-exile, National Unity Government, which called for a nationwide uprising earlier this week, clashed with the military juntas forces. Already, over 150 more people have moved across the border in the wake of the military crackdown after the uprising call on Tuesday, September 7. Sounds of a fierce gunfight between the supporters of NUG and Myanmar army, which took place at a Myanmar village, was heard from Thingsai, the nearest border village in Mizoram's Hnahthial district, on Friday morning, officials said. The Myanmarese NUG has been formed by elected legislators who were ousted by the military. Read | How Myanmar shadow govt plans to oppose military rule Hnahthial district deputy commissioner H Dolianbuaia said that about 60 Myanmar nationals entered the district since Thursday fleeing armed struggle between civilians and the Myanmar military. "Our district has already hosted about 700 refugees from Maynmar. More people are likely to enter following the nationwide uprising in the neighbouring country," he told PTI over phone. Mizoram, which shares a 510 km long international border with Myanmar, is already home to thousands of Myanmar nationals, who fled their country after the Myanmar Army (Tatmadaw) seized power from a democratically elected government on February first this year. Maria CT Zuali, the deputy commissioner of Champhai district, which borders Myanmar, also told PTI that at least 35 people from the neighbouring country sneaked into the district on Wednesday following the national wide uprising. Officials in Lawngtlai, the southernmost district of the state bordering Myanmar, also said that around 60 people from the neighbouring country crossed over some two days ago. Majority of Myanmar nationals were given temporary shelter and food by local organisations and individuals on humanitarian ground while others are living with their relatives, officials said. Most Myanmar nationals live in temporary shelters set up by NGOs, he said. The district administration could not help them formally as they are yet to be granted refugee status by the government or international agencies, he added. Earlier in March, Chief Minister Zoramthanga had urged the Centre to officially provide asylum to Myanmar nationals. Home Minister Lalchamlian has recently informed the state assembly that a total of 10,229 people from Myanmar have entered Mizoram since the military coup as per the official records maintained by the state government till August 28. "These Myanmar nationals have taken shelter in different districts. Some of them were living with their relatives while others were living in temporary shelters set up by the local people inside their villages," Lalchamliana said in a written reply. Highly placed sources said that more than 20 lawmakers are among the Myanmar nationals, who took shelter in Mizoram. The state government has however despite the lack of official recognition of the refugee status of the Myanmar nationals, started enrolling their children in schools since August. Watch latest videos by DH here: The BJP on Friday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for accusing it and the RSS of "trying to break the composite culture of Jammu and Kashmir", alleging all vexing issues of the region are the "legacy of the Gandhi family". BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra, in a press conference, alleged the Congress, for its petty vote bank politics, sacrificed not only the Kashmiri Pandits but also the development of the region. A day after paying obeisance to Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra, Gandhi accused the BJP and the RSS of "ruining" the love and brotherhood that existed among people of the Union Territory. Reaching out to displaced Kashmiri Pandits, the former Congress chief said he and his family belong to this community and promised them all help. Read | Like zamindar who cant maintain haveli: Pawar on Cong Gandhi said he himself belongs to the Kashmiri Pandit community and feels their pain. Training his guns at the Gandhi scion, the BJP spokesperson dubbed him "immature and irresponsible". He said, "Problems of Jammu and Kashmir are the legacy of the Gandhi family. It was Jawaharlal Nehru who was responsible for the problems of Kashmir." Astonishingly, Rahul Gandhi "very conveniently forgot that the woes of the Kashmiri Pandits were because of the politics of appeasement of the Congress and like-minded parties", Patra said. Hailing the Narendra Modi government and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the abrogation of Artice 370, he said it ended all discriminations against women, Schedules Castes and "refugees" from Kashmir. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi 'political cuckoo' of Indian politics: BJP "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, Kashmir is now moving in the direction of development and inclusiveness," Patra said. Meanwhile, J-K BJP chief Ravinder Raina in Jammu accused Rahul Gandhi of deliberately using his visit to the holy shrine for political purposes. Raina in a statement said, "Rahul Gandhi and his family are not genuinely interested in Hindu religious activities but are frightened by good works of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress has committed enough sins and now it is good that they want to seek mercy from the divine mother. But even now, the Congress blatantly displayed its flags on the Mata Vaishno Devi track which proves that the party is only indulging in false propaganda in the name of religion, Raina said. Raina further said Gandhi's claim that he was not here to do politics is a white lie and the Congress has made a mockery of the sacred place. Watch latest videos by DH here: The Delhi High Court has asked Google, YouTube and Delhi Police to take steps to remove the sites and links carrying objectionable photos and videos of a married woman from the Internet. Justice Subramonium Prasad made it clear that this was not an adversarial litigation and listed the matter for September 16, while asking Google, YouTube, the Centre and Delhi Police Cyber Cell to file their replies to the woman's plea seeking directions to them to remove the photos and videos. The high courts interim order came on a petition by the woman seeking directions to the Centre to block pornographic sites operating under pseudo names. The plea also sought directions to Google block any nude, sexually explicit or morphed photos of the woman appearing on their sites. It is made clear that this is not an adversarial litigation and it is expected that counsel for Google LLC, YouTube, Centre and Cyber Cell of Delhi Police will take necessary steps to remove the sites and links, carrying objectionable photos and videos of the petitioner, from the Internet before the next date of hearing, the court said. Central government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia assured the court that the Union of India will take necessary steps for removal of the sites and links from the Internet carrying objectionable photographs and videos of the woman and sought time to file an affidavit. Advocate Mamta Jha, representing Google LLC and YouTube, submitted that all the URLs, which are with the YouTube, have been removed and 10 channels have already been blocked. In order to expedite the process of removing the links and sites from the Internet, the court impleaded the Delhi Police through Cyber Cell as a party. Check out the latest DH videos here: LJP leader and Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras on Friday said he will attend an event organised by his nephew and party leader Chirag Paswan to mark the first death anniversary of his father Ram Vilas Paswan in Patna on September 12. Speaking to PTI, Paras said he was "glad" that Chirag Paswan recently visited his residence and invited him to the event. "I will definitely attend the event on September 12. It is an event to mark the death anniversary of my elder brother (Ram Vilas Paswan). There is no question of not attending it. Whatever I am today, it is because of the blessing of my elder brother. Though I have blessings of the prime minister (Narendra Modi) as well," he said, when asked if he would attend the event in Patna. Also read: Bihar's political temperature rises as Chirag Paswan meets Tejashwi Yadav Chirag Paswan, who has invited top national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress president Sonia Gandhi to the event, had gone to his uncle's residence in Delhi on Tuesday to personally invite him to the programme. Until now, there was much speculation as to whether Paras would attend the event being organised by Chirag Paswan or not as the latter is embroiled in a bitter dispute with Paras to claim the legacy of his late father. When asked if his decision to attend the September 12 event in Patna would somehow lead to ending of his differences with Chirag Paswan, Paras said, "Politics is one thing and the family matter is another. They are two different things." Check out latest videos from DH: Farmer bodies protesting the Centre's agriculture laws on Friday appealed to political parties to suspend their election campaign till the schedule for the Punjab Assembly polls is out so that the focus remains on their agitation. Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, who presided over the meeting, said Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders said they will consult their party leadership before announcing their decision. The Congress delegation was led by its Punjab unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. In a tweet after the meeting, Sidhu said, "Had a positive meeting with Samyukt Kisan Morcha Discussed the way forward !!" Had a positive meeting with Samyukt Kisan Morcha Discussed the way forward !! pic.twitter.com/SEGUXUaXwR Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) September 10, 2021 Apart from the two parties, representatives of AAP, BSP, Lok Insaaf Party and the SAD (Sanyukt) took part in the meeting, for which the invite was not sent to the BJP for the partys pro-farm laws stand. Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal requested the farmer bodies not to impose restrictions on political activities in Punjab, stressing that the protesting organisations should maintain the national character of their stir. After the five-hour-long meeting, Rajewal told reporters, "We appeal to parties that electioneering should not be held before the polls are announced. The party, which will still insist on running an election campaign before poll dates are announced, we will consider them as against the farmers' agitation." Rajewal further said, "As our Morcha (agitation) is going on and a different kind of situation prevails currently, farmers' attention is focused on the Morcha. When parties conduct electioneering and mobilise supporters for their programmes, it diverts their attention." Some other farm leaders said representatives of political parties were asked not to indulge in electioneering or hold political rallies till the elections are announced as it may hurt the farmers' struggle. However, they said parties are free to hold small functions that do not attract big gatherings. Rajewal said all parties asserted that they stand behind farmers. As many as 32 farmer bodies under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha had called the meeting. Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, state party general secretary Pargat Singh and working president Kuljit Singh Nagra attended the meeting while the SAD was represented by Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Prem Singh Chandumajra and Daljit Singh Cheema. Aam Aadmi Party MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Lok Insaaf Party's Simarjit Singh Bains and SAD (Sanyukt) leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa also attended the meeting. Political parties were allotted time slots for the meeting and many were seen waiting at the venue here before their turn came. Rajewal said they urged parties that their poll manifesto should be a legal document and most participants supported this. Farm leaders also urged the parties to declare time frame under which they will fulfil their promises. Rajewal said they appealed to MPs and MLAs to give a dharna before Parliament against the farm laws. All cases registered against farmers in the state during the ongoing agitation should be taken back, the ruling outfit was urged. Congress leader Kuljit Nagra said they will discuss the demand raised by the farmer bodies on the party platform. Nagra said the Congress has always stood with farmers and continues to support them in their fight against the farm laws. AAP's Kultar Singh told reporters that his party was the first to oppose the farm ordinances and later when these were introduced as laws. They will abide by whatever farm unions decide, he said. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has requested the Samyukt Kisan Morcha to retain the national character of the agitation by not imposing any restriction on political activities in Punjab even as it offered all help to further strengthen the stir, a party statement said. Senior SAD leaders Prem Singh Chandumajra and Maheshinder Singh Grewal said a conspiracy is afoot by the Centre to restrict the agitation to Punjab and then suppress it by imposing President's rule in the state. Our fight is with the BJP-led government at the national level. Political activity has not been restricted due to the farmers agitation in any other state. Going to people is as much your right as ours and this should not be restricted, Chandumajra said. The SAD leaders said they will not hold rallies on any day on which the SKM announces a major programme in Punjab. Check out latest videos from DH: The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday appointed 1985 batch IAS officer Sameer Sharma as the state's next Chief Secretary. Sameer Sharma is now the Special Chief Secretary, Planning and Resource Mobilisation and also the Vice-Chairman of Institute of Leadership, Excellence and Governance. He will assume charge as the state Chief Secretary on September 30 upon the retirement of incumbent Aditya Nath Das at the end of his three-month extended tenure. The General Administration Department issued an order to this effect on Friday. The state government did not seek a further three-month extension for Das, leading to the appointment of Sameer Sharma as the next Chief Secretary. Several names did the rounds for the Chief Secretarys post in the last few weeks and till last week, 1986 batch IAS officer Satish Chandra remained the frontrunner. Sameer Sharma is due to retire from service on November 30 this year. However, it is expected that he too may get an extension in service, like his predecessors. He returned to the state cadre from Central deputation in July this year, after having served as the Director General of Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs. Sharma is an academician and scholar and has authored many books like Smart Cities Unbundled, A Textbook on Urban Planning and Geography and Hourglass Management Paradigm. An expert in urban development affairs, Sharma had earlier served as Director of National Smart Cities Mission. He was the only IAS officer to have served as the Commissioner of three major municipal corporations of Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Greater Hyderabad in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh and contributed to their financial turnaround. He did his Masters and doctorate in Community Planning in the United States of America. As Chairman and Managing Director of Indian Tourism Development Corporation, Sharma designed a model for strategic planning and executed the Balance Scorecard system that led to a 30 per cent increase in revenues of the hotel chain. He worked as a consultant for UN Habitat in Cambodia and International Federation of Red Cross Societies. Sharma received awards from the President of India and the Prime Minister for his path-breaking initiatives in promotion of community organisations in slums and reforms in governance under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Watch latest videos by DH here: As the clamour for a third dose grows, the head of the World Health Organization is calling on rich countries with large supplies of coronavirus vaccines to refrain from offering booster shots through the end of the year, expanding a call that has largely fallen on deaf ears. Tedros had previously called for a moratorium on booster shots through the end of September, but the United States and other countries have begun or are considering plans to offer them to their vulnerable people. Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry on Thursday claimed that first dose of Covid-19 vaccines used in India offer nearly the same protective effect against death as the second dose, contradicting existing research findings that show double doses (and a likely third) offer greater protection. The claim is based on Indian Council of Medical Researchs new vaccine tracker that has been created by integrating three data sets Co-WIN, ICMRs national Covid testing database and a Covid-19 database of the Union Health Ministry that has never been made public. The claim of high protection from a single dose of the Covid-19 jab comes three months before the Centres target of inoculating 94.47 crore adults with two doses of vaccines by December 31. While the entire target population is likely to be covered with a single dose by the year-end, two doses for everybody is out of the question as only 17 crore have received both the shots till now. The Union government has placed a purchase order with the Serum Institute of India (SII) for 66 crore doses of Covishield to be supplied by December. With Kerala's Covid-19 situation slightly more under control compared to the previous weeks, India's daily infections have fallen below the 40,000-mark. However, with Ganesh Chaturthi on Friday and more festivals upcoming - the on-ground situation might be hard to gauge until a few weeks. The best defence so far against the disease remains vaccination. Its natural to wonder if highly effective Covid-19 vaccines are leading to the emergence of variants that evade the vaccine. But with just under 40 per cent of people in the world having received a dose of a vaccine only 2 per cent in low-income countries and nearly a million new infections occurring globally every day, the emergence of new, more contagious variants, like Delta, is being driven by uncontrolled transmission, not vaccines. Experts have called on the Karnataka government to take measures to prevent reinfections of coronavirus and even sought a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine during the year-end months to effectively protect people. Those who were infected during the second wave of Covid-19 in summer this year may be vulnerable to reinfections as the antibodies could wane after six months. In a slightly worrying development, many among the 83,431 who have received the Sputnik V vaccine in Karnataka have not returned to get their second jab, which they should have received 21 days after the first dose. The vaccine has been available only in nine hospitals in three districts. In Bengaluru, only six hospitals offer the vaccine, including Manipal, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Kauvery, NU and United. Elsewhere, Tenet Medcorp and Yenepoya hospital, Mangaluru; and BLDE University and Shri Ganpatlal Agarwal Memorial Ayush Hospital, both in Vijayapura district, offer the vaccine. To make verifying an individual's vaccination status easier, Co-WIN has developed a new API called 'Know Your Customer's/Client's Vaccination Status', or KYC-VS. This will enable a verifying entity to know whether a person has been vaccinated against coronavirus or not, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday. This may be utilised by any service provider, private or public, for whom verifying an individual's vaccination status is critical for facilitating a service requested. The launch of the Covovax Covid-19 vaccine in India may take longer than expected since the shot has not yet received approval in the US and the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has sought immunogenicity data from the Serum Institute of India. On the international front, Israel -- a focal point of the pandemic in 2021 owing to its rapid rollout of Covid-19 vaccines -- has reported significant outbreaks despite inoculating nearly half its population with the first dose by February. With over 10,000 confirmed new cases being recorded each day in early September. A main part of the problem has been vaccine coverage. After its fast start, Israels rollout slowed. What may have caused this? - Supply disruptions, hesitancy? And more importantly, will this happen to other countries? -- It's still difficult to determine. The White House on Thursday ramped up Covid-19 vaccine and testing mandates in a campaign due to be outlined by President Joe Biden that will affect some 100 million people, including employees at many private companies, federal workers and healthcare staff. While the US government has yet to consider the kinds of national mandates seen in some other countries, Biden's new "six-pronged" plan amounts to his most aggressive steps so far against the surging Delta variant. Watch latest videos by DH here: By Eli Lake As Washington ponders how the US lost its longest war in Afghanistan, its worth considering another question: Who won the war? There is the Taliban, of course, the fanatics who have formed an interim government featuring several wanted terrorists. But an even bigger winner may be the Talibans primary patron: Pakistan. Most US allies expressed shock, sadness and anger at the Talibans victory last month in Kabul. But Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan celebrated the rout of Afghanistans elected government, saying the Taliban had broken the shackles of slavery. For much of the war on terror that began after 9/11, Pakistan played a double game. It occasionally helped track and detain al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders. In 2010, Pakistani and US special operations forces arrested Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Karachi. All the while, however, elements of the Pakistani military and intelligence services provided sanctuary, funding and training for the Taliban and its allies in the lethal terrorist group known as the Haqqani network. For the first 10 years of the Afghanistan war, this was an issue that the US and Pakistan preferred to debate in private. After the Haqqani network orchestrated a truck bombing at a NATO outpost near Kabul and an assault on the US embassy there in September 2011, Admiral Mike Mullen, then the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, broke the silence. The Haqqani network acts as a veritable arm of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence agency, he said. Also read: The Taliban caretakers will keep the neighbours up Mullens accusation should have surprised no one. A few months earlier, the US had killed Osama bin Laden, who was then living comfortably in Abbottabad, home of the Pakistans equivalent of West Point. There is a reason Mullen didnt give his Pakistani counterparts advance notice of that raid. Between 2001 and 2011, the US provided Pakistan with more than $20 billion in military assistance. That subsidy began to decrease after 2011. In 2018, with a few narrow national-security exceptions, the US suspended security assistance. The restrictions and eventual suspension of military aid were really the only ways the US ever tried to punish its ostensible client. By his second term, President Barack Obama was looking for a way to get out of Afghanistan. And while there was a modest surge of forces in President Donald Trumps first year in office, his administration ended up negotiating the surrender that President Joe Biden just completed. So its no wonder that Pakistan is celebrating the Talibans victory. A faction of its deep state had been working to return the Taliban to power since 2001. So far, the Biden administration has kept silent about Pakistans betrayal. Remarkably, a remnant of Afghan patriots has not. On Tuesday, protesters in Kabul demanded that Pakistan not intervene in their sovereign affairs. It would be nice if there were some official show of US support for these courageous protesters. But its unlikely. As Biden has said many times in the last several months, the post-withdrawal plan is for the US to retain an over the horizon capability to target terrorists in Afghanistan. That means the US will need Pakistans approval for flights over its airspace. Americas forever war in Afghanistan may be over. But just across the border, in Pakistan, Americas former client still holds leverage over the superpower it helped defeat. By Bobby Ghosh A week ago, anxious Afghans and credulous Biden administration officials were trying to take comfort in reports that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar would head the Talibans new government in Kabul. It seemed like the least bad option. As the leader of the groups political wing, Baradar had been the Talibans chief representative in peace negotiations with the US in Qatar, and was thought to hold somewhat more moderate views than most of the military commanders. In interviews, he promised an inclusive government, representing all of the countrys ethnic and tribal groups. As it turned out, Baradar may himself have been fortunate to be included in the government. Announced on Tuesday, the new caretaker administration is dominated by the Talibans military faction, with hardliners in key positions. Baradar is only in the third tier of the hierarchy, as one of two deputy prime ministers. He will report to Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, who will in turn answer to Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada. Baradars relegation undermines Afghan hopes for a kinder, gentler Taliban 2.0. Far from being inclusive, the cabinet is entirely male, overwhelmingly from the Pashtun community and has no representative from the Shiite minority. This makes it even harder to believe the groups other reassurances, whether about womens freedoms or religious tolerance. Also read: Over 100 passengers leave Kabul in first flight since US pullout More alarming for the wider world, the new dispensation in Kabul abounds with men with bona fides that would be welcomed at the high tables of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. The composition of the government lengthens the odds on President Bidens gamble that the Taliban will make common cause with Washington in the fight against jihadist terrorism. The most prominent of the hardliners in office is Sirajuddin Haqqani, a US-designated terrorist with long ties to al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups. Afghans with a morbid sense of humor can now claim the $10 million bounty offered by the FBI for information leading directly to the arrest of their new interior minister. If Mohammed Yaqoob, the defense minister, doesnt have Haqqanis terrorist credentials, he more than makes up for this in lineage: He is the eldest son of Mullah Omar, the Talibans first supreme leader and host of Osama bin Laden. Yaqoob has supervised the Talibans military operations in recent years, as the group has embraced many al-Qaeda tactics, including the use of suicide bombings against civilian targets. The new intelligence chief, Abdul Haq Wassiq, completes the troika of security bosses. He is under United Nations sanctions for his role in the previous Taliban administration, when he was in charge of handling relations with Al-Qaida-related foreign fighters and their training camps in Afghanistan. (More than half the 33-man cabinet are under UN sanctions.) Read | Triumphant Taliban start putting policies into practice If al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri could pick three men to run Afghanistans security services, it is a safe bet that Haqqani, Yaqoob and Wassiq would have been at the top of his list. The Biden administration must assume that they will make it their business to turn Afghanistan once again a safe haven for terrorism. It is unlikely to be much of a consolation for Washington, but the government in Kabul will also alarm other countries with an interest in Afghanistan. For instance, there will be disquiet in China about army chief Qari Fasihuddin, who has had a long association with the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which Beijing accuses of terrorism in its Xinjiang province. (The Trump administration last year removed the ETIM from the State Departments list of terrorist groups.) Meanwhile, the Shiite shutout will cause grave concern in Iran, which regards itself as protector of the minority sect. There are fears of a resumption of the persecution of the predominantly Shiite Hazara community that characterized the previous Taliban administration in the late 1990s. Also Read | Al-Qaeda may seek comeback in Afghanistan: Pentagon chief And theres bad news for India, which invested heavily in Afghanistan over the past 20 years. The hardliners are all closely tied to Islamabad. The Taliban has historically sided with Pakistan in its dispute with India over Kashmir, and many Indians fear the group will contribute more than just moral support to insurgents in the restive region. Just as in Washington, fingers were crossed in Beijing, Tehran and New Delhi in the hope of a Baradar-led Afghan government. Now they must all brace for the worst. Ahead of the festive season of October-November, experts have called on the Karnataka government to take measures to prevent reinfections of coronavirus and even sought a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine during the year-end months to effectively protect people. Those who were infected during the second wave of Covid-19 in summer this year may be vulnerable to reinfections as the antibodies could wane after six months, experts told The Times of India. They also predicted about 10 per cent of breakthrough infections, that is when the coronavirus overpowers the antibodies induced by a vaccine. Cases have been on the rise in isolated parts of the world, mainly due to the infectious Delta variant of the virus. This surge has renewed focus on a widely predicted third wave of infections in India, with children reportedly being the key targets. It is important to keep a close watch on the situation till November mainly because of the possibility of a surge in reinfection, said Dr MK Sudarshan, chairman, state Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). He further sought adequate measures from the government to arrest a surge while advising people to not let their guard down. The coming months become more crucial as the massive infections in the second wave leave a big part of the population susceptible to reinfections. As many as 16 lakh people contracted the virus in the state in April and May alone, about half of them in Bengaluru. Also read: India adds 34,973 new Covid-19 cases, 260 fatalities Sudarshan told the publication that by November, a clearer picture of the pandemic may appear but until then, all precautions have to be taken seriously. These expert alarms also come amid increasing pressure on the state government to ease restrictions amid the festive season, like the night curfew, which has been extended till the month-end by Basavaraj Bommai administration. As previously reported, a third wave, if struck, won't be as deadly as the second since a significant number of people have been inoculated with at least one dose of vaccine. And experts say reinfections or breakthrough cases won't nearly be as serious and may not even require hospitalisation. Virologist T Jacob John called for a third dose of the vaccine, or also called the 'booster shots' in other parts of the world, to prevent infections. "With the present supply and a little ramping up of production, the government can easily ensure the continuation of the vaccination drive and cover everyone with a third dose, said John, expecting demand worries to ease in November following the expected completion of first-dose vaccination of the target population. Health officials told the publication that they are awaiting a signal from the Centre on further guidelines. We have no instructions either from the Centre or ICMR on measures like a third dose. We have to see how it pans out in October-November and take steps based on the emerging situation, said K V Trilok Chandra, Health Commissioner. A managing director of a Campsie-based hotel expressed her delight at a number of Covid-19 restrictions being lifted. Selena Horshi said that the rules being relaxed has come as a relief to her staff at the White Horse Hotel. The easing of the restrictions meant that Derry revellers will now be able to queue for service in bars and pubs for the first time since pandemic measures were put into effect last year. There was good news for home dwellers wanting to welcome in family and friends as the number of people allowed in domestic settings indoors was hiked up from 10 to 15 people from a maximum of four households. Recreational pub games are back as well with people being allowed to mingle and challenge each other to games of pool and darts. Gaming machine use has also been restored. Nightclubs are still closed but dancing at wedding receptions has now received the green light. And as Ms Horshi explains, the prospect of some form of normality returning to the White Horse Hotel along with the rest of the hospitality industry is a welcome one. She said: We're absolutely delighted that some of the restrictions are easing. We're so excited that some of our wedding couples are going to be able to dance and enjoy the evening with their friends. It's so exciting to be able to have your bridal party on the dance floor with you and it really adds to the atmosphere of your event. The Executive at Stormont said that while restrictions are in the process of being gradually lifted, they were keen to work with the hospitality sector towards the path of all restrictions one day being removed. The north of Ireland remains under slightly stricter Covid-19 rules than in Great Britain. Stormont ministers have said that is due to higher rates of coronavirus in Northern Ireland. However, the legal requirement for social distancing outdoors in the north of Ireland has now gone although in indoor establishments such as restaurants and shops, the one metre social distance rule is still in place as does the rule on face masks in shops and on public transport. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Kangana Ranaut meets Union Minister Smriti Irani; calls her real life Thalaivii Ahead of the release of her much-awaited film Thalaivii, actor Kangana Ranaut met several politicians on Thursday for a special screening of the film for prominent ministers in Delhi. Taking to her Instagram handle, Kangana shared a picture in which she can be seen posing with Union Minister Smriti Irani. "With real life #Thalaivii @smritiiraniofficial," she captioned the photo. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kangana Thalaivii (@kanganaranaut) The screening was also attended by other members of parliament including Iranna Kadadi, Sandhya Ray, Arvind Sharma and Ashok Bajpai. Earlier today, Kangana shared a picture of herself, dressed for the screening in a gorgeous copper saree with gold jhumkas. "All ready for Parliamentarians and Ministers screening in Delhi .....Rarely we celebrate our politicians and very few films on politics and politicians are made, one such rare film is Thalaivii based on former chief minister of Tamilnadu Dr J Jayalalithaa.... Honoured to be hosting a screening for prominent politicians today," she wrote in the caption. Touted as one of the biggest Bollywood releases this month, Kangana's Thalaivii has set high hopes as the film's trailer managed to fuel the anticipation among audiences. Post Bell Bottom and Chehre, Thalaivii would be the third Bollywood project to get an exclusive theatrical release in India. The movie marks Kangana's second biopic after the 2019 film Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi. Helmed by A.L Vijay, Thalaivii revolves around the life of late politician Jayalalithaa. In the film, Kangana will be seen essaying the titular role of Jayalalithaa. The film is scheduled to release in theatres worldwide in Hindi, Tamil and Telegu on September 10. It was earlier scheduled to release in April, but it got postponed due to the second wave of COVID-19. "Take her to London," Arjun Kapoor hilariously answers when Saif Ali Khan is asked how to cheer up Kareena when she's upset Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor are both great actors and a power couple in Bollywood. While both the actors often get asked about each other during interviews, Saif recently was asked during the promotions of Bhoot Police how he would cheer up Kareena if she was upset. Given it was a rapid-fire, Saif fumbled slightly while looking for a straightforward answer during an interview with Bollywood Hungama and said, Tell her something warm, fun not a joke but when his Bhoot Police co-star Arjun Kapoor interjected and said, Or take her to London. Both the actors burst out laughing at this reply while Arjun continued hilariously joking, Bebo ka mood kharab hai, ticket book karwao. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) Arjun and Saif are collaborating on screen for the first time in Bhoot Police which will arrive on Disney+ Hotstsar while the two are good friends off-screen. Their respective partners Malaika and Kareena are the best of friends too while Arjun has worked with Kareena previously on the film Ki and Ka. Both Kareena and Malaika had joined the two actors in Dharamshala last year as they shoot for Bhoot Police there with Yami Gautam and Jacqueline Fernandez. Their film which was scheduled to release on September 17 has now been preponed to release on September 10 now. Statement on the 30th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Estonia Statement On 10 September 2021, Estonia and Ireland celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Ireland recognised Estonias re-independence on the 27 August 1991. While diplomatic relations between our two countries are relatively recent, our relationship extends much further in time. Both countries have a shared loved of language, culture and heritage and understand their power to sustain a nation in challenging times. Our artists continue to seek inspiration from each other and artistic exchange continues. Although geographically distant, we share common bonds and common values. We amplify our voices as small independent nations by working closely together. Estonias ambition to become a member of the European Union was realised during Irelands Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the spring of 2004. Ireland has been a template for Estonia as a small effective and enthusiastic member of the European Union and Ireland looks to Estonia as a leader and innovator in building a digital nation that truly serves its citizens and a leader in the field of cyber security; we both understand and value the benefits that a free, accessible education system delivers to our citizens. In the year that we celebrate the 30th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, both Ireland and Estonia serve as elected members of the United Nations Security Council. This affords us the generational opportunity to work together to uphold international peace and security, in keeping with the values of the UN Charter. On this day, we would like to reaffirm our commitment to further reinforcing our bilateral relationship in the political, economic and cultural spheres and to continue our values-based multilateral cooperation. Simon Coveney, T.D. Eva-Maria Liimets Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Minister for Foreign Affairs ENDS Press Office 10 September 2021 Previous Item | Next Item OnePlus could launch more phones in its Nord range priced under Rs 20,000 in India. OnePlus has been populating its Nord lineup after it debuted the OnePlus Nord last year in India. This year, the company introduced the Nord CE followed by the Nord 2. Meanwhile, it also announced the merger of OxygenOS with Oppos ColorOS to streamline the software experience and optimize updates. According to a tweet by freelance journalist Yogesh Brar, OnePlus is looking to launch phones under Rs 20,000 in India under the Nord series. There is no word on the specifics but Yogesh claims that we could see this happen as early as next quarter or in 2022. Oppo has always been linked to OnePlus one way or the other. But now they are dictating the terms. OnePlus is going through a shift, and sub 20k phones for India are on the cards. No defined timeline for now, could see them as early as next quarter or Q2'22 Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) September 8, 2021 The most affordable OnePlus phone currently is the Nord CE 5G which starts at Rs 22,999 in India. However, OnePlus has also introduced a more affordable Nord N series which did not launch in India as it is for the US and Canada. Also Read: OnePlus reportedly offering free battery replacements for OnePlus 3, OnePlus 5 and 6 series phones in India The latest phone in the Nord N lineup is the Nord N200 which packs in the Snapdragon 480 chipset, triple cameras on the back and a large battery with fast charging support. If this tip by Yogesh turns out to be true, we might see the Nord N series make its way to India. Having said that, its also entirely possible that OnePlus could be working on new phones altogether if it plans to launch them under Rs 20,000. We will keep an eye out for developments in this area but the only phone were hearing rumours about is the OnePlus 9RT which could launch later this year. Subscriber content preview SEATTLE The Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Seattle us hosting The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show on multiple dates through December. Dinner guests will tackle a challenging mystery while they eat. Since the event has no theme or time period, the criminal will be a plainclothes actor dining amongst guests, and attendees may find themselves becoming suspects in the story. A prize package will be given to the top sleuth, and guests may secretly pay in advance to have an attendee of their choice be falsely accused by the cast (limited slots are available). . . . The pandemic has shaken the travel industry harder than a Molotov cocktail. Masks are now compulsory, international travel is now illegal for Australians, and there is also a lingering climate of cutbacks, as airlines attempt to recoup some of the costs they have suffered. Qatar Airways, however, is one of the airlines that has most Kept Calm & Carried On, being one of the few airlines with the resources to continue running flights to Australia all throughout (for expats returning home, and for citizens with an exemption to leave for essential reasons). RELATED: Why Qatar Airways Is Able To Keep Running Flights At Such Losses That doesnt mean it is immune to a bit of stingy behaviour, however. Speaking of which we almost choked on our soy Flat Whites the other day when we logged onto Qatars website to have a browse of fares to Europe in 2022. What did we notice? You now have to pay to select your seat in business class. One frequent business class flyer we asked about this said: Paying to select your seat is a joke. They are now charging you to select your seat in business class. Even when youre paying $7000 for a return ticket. DMARGE asked frequent business and first class flyer (and owner of Flight Hacks) Immanuel Debeer about this change too. He told us: Would be fair if tickets were genuinely cheaper but hard to say (7k ish return isnt cheap in my opinion). He also said: Yep happened in November last year when they introduced the Classic unbundled fare type. No seat and lounge in exchange for cheaper ticket (supposedly). Same applies for award tickets. Its not quite as violent a shock as, say, Virgin Australias Noodlegate saga but still: a sign of the times. Its also worth pointing out Qatar Airways isnt the only airline with this policy. Some airlines, like British Airways, had such a rule in place before the pandemic even hit, much to some passengers consternation on Twitter. @MartinSLewis having a debate with BA. Paying literally 1000s to upgrade to business class flights yet you then have to pay 200 to select a seat next to your partner. Its beyond wrong? simply sharing (@1973mlr) July 3, 2018 Hi Richard, whether seat selection is free or costs extra depends on a number of factors, including the type of ticket you purchase, your class of travel and your personal circumstances. Helen British Airways (@British_Airways) May 13, 2019 Hi Chris, you can pay to reserve seats in advance, however, they are still free to book 24 hours prior to your flight when you check in online. Lindy British Airways (@British_Airways) October 22, 2019 Sorry youre unhappy with our seating policy, Bruce. Im afraid were unable to comment on other airlines policies. The pricing of seats is available to view on our website prior to travel. ^Lisa British Airways (@British_Airways) November 2, 2018 Its not the first time people have worried about the Americanisation of business class in recent years. Last year Immanuel told DMARGE the Noodlegate incident was illustrative of appalling cost-cutting in VAs business class. I think Bain is on a cost cutting spree and these days you can get away with almost anything in the name of Covid. Virgin used to have (in my opinion) the worlds best domestic business class product in terms of food, service and seats. Now were seeing the (dont take offense) Americanisation of business class. Aussies are used to getting better so its no wonder the Bain budget carrier approach wont go down well unless the prices of the tickets reflect the actual service. Adele Eliseo, founder of The Champagne Mile, told DMARGE, With all Virgin Australia lounges closed indefinitely and economy grade hot meals served in Business class, unfortunately theres [now] very little to differentiate between the Virgin Australias onboard business class experience and the economy cabin. Not to mention the incandescent Singapore Airlines passenger whose rant over champagne not being served due to pandemic health concerns went viral in 2020, both infuriating more reasonable souls, and also sparking an important new normal debate. Storm in a delicate cup? Or The Big Issue Of Our Time? Much to ponder. While you mull that over, why not watch the following video, which shows the benefits of checking the seat map before you choose your business class seat. Why You Should Always Check The Seat Map Read Next Harrisonburg, VA (22801) Today Sun and clouds mixed. High near 85F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Irish Water was criticized for poor communication with Dundalk and Cooley residents regarding water issues at a recent council meeting. Sinn Fein Cllrs for Dundalk, Kevin Meenan and Antoin Watters both levelled criticism towards Irish Water for their lack of communication with locals in Dundalk and Cooley regarding water supplies in the area. Cllr Watters highlighted recent issues in Cooley, where water pumps have failed and left residents without water for up to 36 hours, saying that there was little communication with residents over the issues from both Louth County Council and Irish Water. According to Cllr Watters, he had heard of residents returning home from cancer treatments only to be left without water for extended periods of time. He added that it wasnt good enough in this day and age and that more needed to be done to keep people informed. Cllr Watters called on Louth County Council to engage with Irish Water about their communications. Cllr Kevin Meenan also spoke out on the ongoing issues with water discolouration in Dundalk, and that Irish Water have had poor communication with residents. Cllr Meenan said that while many local councillors will highlight issues on their Facebook pages, this information may not always reach locals. North Andover, MA (01845) Today Cloudy early with isolated thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High near 85F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low around 65F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. North Andover, MA (01845) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High around 85F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Thunderstorms. Low near 65F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Instantly delete email threats with 365 Threat Monitor 365 Threat Monitor scans all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Receive real-time phone alerts, get real-time security breach updates and instantly delete threats with just one click - for free! Learn More. Businesses are flocking to software-as-a-service applications as a means to improve the efficiency of their operations and the productivity of their employees, but weak control of access to cloud apps is putting the data of many organizations at risk. According to a study released Tuesday by DoControl, the average 1,000-person company using SaaS apps is exposing its data to between 1,000 and 15,000 external collaborators. Between 200 and 3,000 companies also have access to a company's data, it added, while 20 percent of a typical business's SaaS files are shared internally to anyone who can click a link. The report cautioned that the risk posed by unmanageable SaaS data access is no isolated or trivial problem. Forty-three percent of data breaches analyzed in 2020 were attributable to web application vulnerabilities, the report noted. While it may come as a surprise that nearly half of all data breaches can be traced back to SaaS applications, given the growing reliance on those programs by businesses, it makes sense that this is such a huge area of threat. "On average, a 1,000-person company stores between 500,000 to 10,000,000 assets in SaaS applications," said Adam Gavish, co-founder and CEO of the New York city-based DoControl, which provides data access monitoring, orchestration, and remediation for SaaS applications. "Therefore, companies enabling public sharing may unwittingly allow up to 200,000 of these assets to be shared publicly," he told TechNewsWorld. The problem is likely to get worse. Gartner predicts that use of SaaS services will continue to grow, with revenues jumping more than 30 percent from US$110.5 billion in 2020 to $143.7 billion in 2022. Accelerated by Covid That growth was given a boost by the worldwide pandemic. "SaaS solutions have really proven their value since the start of the pandemic," said Jake Kouns, CEO and CISO of Risk Based Security, a provider of vulnerability intelligence, breach data and risk ratings in Richmond, Va. "SaaS offerings are easy to set up and usually don't require IT resources to provision," he told TechNewsWorld. "This means that the business can identify problems and procure solutions on their own, in their own time frame," he said. "Furthermore," he continued, "with the shift to remote working, the ability to access a SaaS solution from anywhere with an internet connection is extremely valuable." Covid-19 certainly had a big impact on the adoption of cloud services, maintained John Morgan, CEO of Confluera, a cyberthreat tracking platform maker in Palo Alto, Calif. "While many organizations had already planned such adoption, the timetable was greatly accelerated due to Covid-19 and the need to be able to work remotely," he told TechNewsWorld. "The rush to adoption has also created security coverage gaps which are resulting in data exposures and breaches," he said. Software Visibility Gap Liz Herbert, a vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research, explained that as SaaS took hold in the early 2000s, many individuals and line-of-business executives pursued free and small-scale SaaS offerings that were easy to purchase under the radar because they felt the offerings better met their needs and gave them more speed and agility, compared to corporate-sanctioned options. "In many cases, they achieved strong business results -- at least in the beginning," she told TechNewsWorld. "Today, SaaS sprawl has grown to be a significant problem -- and in most cases no one really knows just how big," she said. Any assets that are unmanaged pose a risk, added Mark Guntrip, senior director of cybersecurity strategy at Menlo Security, a cloud security provider in Mountain View, Calif. "As you look at the rise in adoption of SaaS applications, including personal use applications, individuals and even departments can easily introduce a new application without the involvement of IT," he told TechNewsWorld. "This can create a visibility gap for security which can impact an organization," he said. By design, the cloud obfuscates the inner workings of the applications and the data stored in it, Morgan added. "While this can offer simplicity to some organizations, the obfuscation can also blur insight into potential threats and attacks," he said. "Modern threats leverage this characteristic to hide under the radar to navigate through the organization networks to identify target data," he added. Data Everywhere Problem With the cloud and SaaS platforms of today, the corporate network is no longer the only way to access data, explained Brendan O'Connor, CEO and co-founder of AppOmni, a cloud security posture management provider in San Francisco. Data is now frequently accessed through third party apps, IoT devices in the home, and portals created for external users like customers, partners, contractors and MSPs, he continued. "Often, access through these channels completely bypasses the corporate network, instead relying on OAuth tokens or other types of verification," he told TechNewsWorld. "While companies are eager to use these access points to increase the functionality of their cloud and SaaS systems," he said, "they often neglect to secure and monitor them in the same way they're secured on their corporate network, leading to major access vulnerabilities that may be completely unknown to the company." Unmanaged SaaS usage means that sensitive corporate data may proliferate to locations that were never intended to house that type of data, added Sounil Yu, CISO of JupiterOne, a Morrisville, N.C.-based provider of cyber asset management and governance solutions. "SaaS applications often integrate with other SaaS applications," he told TechNewsWorld. "If those integrations are also not managed, then organizations risk granting overly permissive and continuous access to their corporation data through multiple SaaS channels." What To Do Organizations are making an effort to reduce the risk posed to their data by SaaS apps without stifling speed, creativity and business success, Herbert noted. "The solution is not simple but generally a combination of education, governance and pre-vetting apps," she said. "Some organizations have tried penalties and punishment, but that has had mixed success versus education and smarter sourcing strategies," she added. O'Connor maintained that a new approach is needed in order to keep up with quickly changing cloud and SaaS environments. "Security and IT teams can no longer rely exclusively on in-house expertise and expect to keep up," he asserted. "Since the complexity of cloud and SaaS environments -- and the associated security configurations -- will only continue to increase, companies will need to use automated tools to ensure that their security settings match their business intent, and to continuously monitor security controls to prevent configuration drift," he said. "This is simply no longer a task that teams will be able to keep up with using only manual processes," he added. John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John. Switzerland and its neutrality are famous! This is one of the reasons why it remains one of the most well-respected nations. The point to note is that the UN's European headquarters is situated in Geneva, Switzerland. This neutral diplomatic policy of the Swiss nation made it incompatible with the United Nations' concept of a collective security system. But then, on September 10, 2002, it became the 190th member of the UN. In a referendum that was conducted in Switzerland with regards to if it should join the UN or not, 55% of votes were cast in favour of the motion to join the UN and thus, their will prevailed. This self-imposed neutral stance that the Swiss nation holds keeps it from participating in any wars or conflicts. This neutrality was arrived at after several battles scarred it from the year 1515. It ensured that even during World War I, it refused to take military sides though in World War II, it promised to retaliate if invaded and yet continued to carry on trade with Nazis. Knowing that the world is no less a dangerous place even though there are no wars as such, the land-locked country maintains an army and requires males between 18 and 34 of age to serve in the army. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Sponsored By: St Anthony's Hospital Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. The morning of Sept. 11, 2001 began like any other for Josh Layton. An eighth-grader at Cumberland High School, after boarding his school bus he heard a comment from a fellow bus-rider that he and his friends initially laughed off. Our View: Reflections on the strength of America 20 years after 9/11 A lot of space in the Effingham Daily News on Friday and Saturday will be devoted to the 20t We picked up one of the last kids on the bus and he made a comment, Hey, there was a plane that hit one of the World Trade Centers, Layton said. Initially, when we heard that, we were smirking, like, What kind of an idiot would fly a plane (into there)? thinking that it was a private plane, (because) we didnt know the severity of it. By the time Layton and his friends arrived at school, they learned just how serious their friend was about a plane hitting the World Trade Center. The second plane hit the building as the school day began. By the time he went into his second hour math class, he saw the stunning image of one of the towers collapsing into a plume of smoke and jagged metal. That was the first time that I truly felt scared, Layton said. You watch scary movies, you get shocks and surprises, but I actually had a sense of fear, of How could this happen to our nation? That fear and the desire to serve and protect the United States helped push Layton to join the Marine Corps in 2007 and serve tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. It has also helped in his current role as a Veterans Service Officer in Effingham County with the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, providing a sense of appreciation and connection with fellow veterans of those wars who come to him to receive assistance back at home. We all joined during a time of war, Layton said. We all joined for one reason or another, but we did join during a time of war and its an appreciation for them knowing that they could go off and be put in very hazardous conditions. Laytons story and that of others in the area provide a sense of how the events in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania made an impact right here in Effingham. Cpt. Blake Schroedter is now a clinical psychologist in the Effingham office of Rush University Medical Centers Road Home Program. Twenty years ago, he was preparing to serve his country. He was in Army basic training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma when he and his colleagues got the news. Their commanding officers made sure that they werent overexposed to the drumbeat of news, but Schroedter noticed a greater intensity coming out of the barracks that day. The threat level increased around the base, so there were certainly more restrictions, said Schroedter, a Newton native. For the most part, basic training went on, (but) the level of intensity and purpose changed. Many in Effingham learned about the attacks by listening to Greg Sapps morning radio show on WXEF. Sapp had received a call from the station owner telling him the news, capturing the interest of both host and staff. When the second plane hit, the station immediately shifted gears towards informing the public and providing a forum to share their feelings. We took calls from listeners who shared their thoughts about where they were and how the folks they knew in New York were, Sapp said. It went on that way for the next few days. Matt Kulesza, currently the assistant chief for the Effingham Fire Department, was working on a job site when he heard the news on the radio. Much like Layton, his feelings about what happened were visceral, filled with anger about what happened in Manhattan. It was sickening to see this happening in the United States, Kulesza said. Kulesza has seen the impact that Sept. 11 has had on emergency services in this country, with greater preventative measures being taken to deal with activities that could threaten peoples safety. He said that something similar to 9/11 is always in the back of ones mind whenever firefighetrs encounter a dangerous situation. You never know whats going to happen, Kulesza said. Even though those planes went into a building, theres other things that could be something thats going to try harming emergency responders. Schroedters career made a big shift following that day. While he, like Layton, served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, the events of Sept. 11 brought him into the psychology field, giving him a chance to examine the impact of that day and what it meant for society and those like him who took an oath to serve their country. If it wasnt for 9/11, I wouldnt be a psychologist, Schroedter said. Only through my experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan did I develop an interest in how combat affects the human psyche, mind, behavior, experiences and subsequent behavior. It is the foundation to which I practice. That is very clear to me. When Layton thinks back to that day and how it continues to affect him and his life, he thinks of the people who lost their lives from children to parents to grandparents both in the planes and at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. He feels that the events of that day and the way that his life changed show him to live his life to the fullest each day. Its a reminder to appreciate what I have now and try to make every day matter, whether its doing my job or being a father, friend or family member, Layton said. I think and pray for the Gold Star families that may have lost a son, daughter, father or mother. I just want to let them know that it wasnt worth nothing. They were there for a reason and their mission was successful. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Labor Day weekend may be over, but some of the sales that came with it are still ongoing. A number of Apple products have been discounted ahead of the company's event next week, including the iPad Air and the MacBook Air M1. Amazon has a bunch of deals onFire tablets, knocking the Fire HD 10 tablet down to $100 and the Fire HD 8 down to $60. Plus, you can still save a ton on things like Samsung portable drives, eero 6 WiFi systems, Pixel smartphones and more. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today. iPad Air Dana Wollman/Engadget Apple's iPad Air is $100 off right now, bringing it down to $500. All five colors are on sale at Amazon. thanks to automatically applied coupons, although with various shipping times. We gave the Air a score of 90 for its speedy performance and WiFi, healthy battery life and support for the second-gen Apple Pencil. Apple Watch SE Cherlynn Low / Engadget The Apple Watch SE is on sale for $240 right now on Amazon thanks to a few automatically applied coupons for certain color options. We gave the Watch SE a score of 88 for its comfortable, familiar design, solid performance and comprehensive feature set for the price. MacBook Air M1 Apple's MacBook Air M1 is back down to an all-time low of $850 thanks to an automatically applied coupon. It earned a score of 94 from us for its stellar performance, attractive, fanless design and its comfortable keyboard and trackpad. Mac Mini M1 Apple's Mac Mini M1 returned to its all-time-low price of $600 thanks to a sale and an automatically applied coupon. You're getting all of the performance boosts provided by the M1 chipset in a compact desktop package. This is a good machine to get if you have an older desktop that needs replacing, but you don't want to spend a ton of money. Eufy SpaceView baby monitor Will Lipman Photography Eufy's SpaceView baby monitor with one camera is down to $125 thanks to a clippable coupon and the code eufybbm20 that you can use at checkout. The camera can pan 330 degrees and tilt 110 degrees to give you a full view of your baby's room, and you can expand the field of view up to 110 degrees thanks to the included extra lens. It also uses a FHSS connection instead of WiFi, which lets you check out your kids' activities in real time in a more secure way. Eero 6 WiFi systems Amazon Amazon's Labor Day sale on eero 6 systems is still ongoing so you can pick up a pack with one router and two extenders for $195, or $84 off its normal price. A pack of three routers is also down to $244. These gadgets support a peak bandwidth of 900Mbps and they include a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, so you can connect things like smart lights directly to it. Amazon Fire tablets Valentina Palladino / Engadget A number of Fire tablets are still on sale after the Labor Day holiday. The top-tier Fire HD 10 is $50 off, bringing it down to $100, while you can grab the Fire HD 8 for $60 or the Fire 7 for only $40. These devices make good starter tablets for kids as well as good couch devices for email-checking, web-surfing, online shopping and more. Echo Show 5 Both the first- and second-generation Echo Show 5s are on sale right now the original is down to $45 while the updated version is only $10 more. These stand out as excellent smart alarm clocks thanks to their compact size, sunrise alarm feature and tap-to-snooze function. The main difference between the two is the improved, 2MP camera on the second-gen version, which will make for slightly better video calls. Google Pixel 4 Google's Pixel 4 smartphone is down to a new low of $379 at B&H Photo. We believe the launch of the Pixel 6 to be right around the corner, so you may want to wait if you want the latest phone from Google. However, the Pixel 4 remains a solid handset we liked its speedy performance, lovely display and stellar camera experience. Samsung T7 Touch SSD (1TB) Samsung's T7 Touch portable SSD in 1TB is down to $170, or $10 off its normal price. It has dropped to $160 in the past, but this is the best price we've seen in a number of months. In addition to read speeds up to 1,050 MB/s and write speeds up to 1,000 MB/s, this tiny SSD has a shock-resistant body and a built-in fingerprint reader for an extra layer of security. Google Nest WiFi (2 pack) Google's Nest WiFi pack with one router and one access point is down to $199 right now at Best Buy. That's $70 off its normal price and a great deal on one of our favorite mesh systems. We gave it a score of 84 for its minimalist design, simple installation and built-in smart speaker. Samsung Premiere projector Samsung's Premiere Projector is $1,000 cheaper both at Amazon and Samsung's own site. The 4.2.2 sound channel model is down to $5,498, which is still quite expensive, but much better than its normal $6,500 price. We included this in our best projectors guide for its separate red, green and blue lasers that cover the full Rec.2020 color range, maximum 2,800 lumens of brightness and 4K resolution. Gaming PC sweepstakes Through September 18, Omaze is giving away another $20,000 to build your ultimate gaming PC. This sweepstakes is free to enter, but funds donated with purchased entries will benefit Schools on Wheels, an organization that provides free tutoring and mentoring services to children experiencing homelessness across Southern California. Comic-Con 2022 sweepstakes Through December 8, you can enter to win four-day passes to San Diego Comic-Con 2022. Along with the passes, you'll get access to a special preview night, reserved seating in Hall H, a personal concierge, a private tour of the Comic-Con Museum, dinner in Balboa Park and tickets to the "Night at the Comic-Con Museum" event. It's free to enter, but funds from this sweepstakes will go to the San Diego Comic Convention. New tech deals Dyson Labor Day sale A few Dyson cordless vacuums are still on sale even after the Labor Day holiday. Of note are the Dyson Outsize for $700, or $100 off its normal price, and the Dyson V8 Animal for $350, which is $50 off. Although both models are a few years old at this point, they remains solid cordless vacuums made even better by these sale prices. Weber grills Weber knocked hundreds off its high-end SmokeFire grills both the EX6 and EX4 are $200 off, bringing them down to $999 and $799, respectively. These WiFi-connected grills are some of our favorites because they're relatively easy for even grilling novices to use and their companion mobile app gives you a number of convenient features like remote temperature adjustment and SmokeBoost activation. Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 The new Galaxy Buds 2 are on sale for $125 at Woot, which is $25 off their normal price. These buds earned a score of 84 from us for their improved sound quality, small and comfortable design and wireless charging capabilities. A note: Woot's return policy is not the same as Amazon's, despite being owned by the retail giant, so check it out before you make a purchase. Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 (one-day deal) Woot also has a one-day sale on the Samsung Chromebook Plus V2, knocking it down to $270. This is a great deal considering this Chromebook is usually prices between $375 and $500. You're getting a lightweight 2-in-1 design here with an Intel Celeron 3965Y processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a 12.2-inch FHD display and a built-in stylus. A note: Woot's return policy is not the same as Amazon's, despite being owned by the retail giant, so check it out before you make a purchase. Garmin smartwatches Wellbots is having a sale on a bunch of Garmin smartwatches you can get $100 off the Fenix 6 series using the code GARMIN100 at checkout, $75 off the Garmin Venu with the code GARMIN75 at checkout and $50 off the Garmin Lily with the code GARMIN50. These are some of Garmin's latest wearables and they serve most types of people the Fenix 6 will be best for the most outdoorsy among us, while the Venu and the Lily are good options for those that want an alternative to an Apple Watch or a Wear OS device. NordVPN One of our recommended VPNs is running a decent sale on a two-year subscription. You can sign up for NordVPN for $99 for the first two years, which comes out to $49.50 per year, and get three additional months of access for free. We like NordVPN for its speed, its no-logs policy, the thousands of servers it has to choose from and that one account supports up to six connected devices. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. Back in June, Bird announced its first-ever e-bike . At the time, the company said it planned to bring the EV to select cities in North America, Italy, Spain, Germany and France throughout 2021. On Friday, Bird announced the Bird Bike will first appear in San Diego. The company has partnered with San Diego State University to bring the e-bike, along with its Bird Two and Three scooters , to the schools 280-acre campus. Students and faculty staff can ride the bicycle starting this month. The pedal-assist e-bike features a top speed of 15.5 miles per and can travel up to 56 miles on a single charge. It also comes with Birds geofencing technology, which can automatically cap the speed of the bike in certain areas. As with the companys electric scooters, a network of fleet managers will care for and manage the bikes. The company said SDSU students will have access to the Bird Bike at reduced prices. Bird has also put in place incentives to encourage safe riding and responsible parking. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Since Sony announced its latest flagship soundbar at the end of July, weve been patiently waiting for the company to release the HT-A7000 to put it through testing. That hasnt happened yet, but starting today you can pre-order the unit, as well as the supporting speakers Sony announced at the same time, from Amazon. Part of what makes the $1,300 HT-A7000 intriguing is all the features Sony packed into it. Highlights include an HDMI 2.1 connection with eARC and both 8K and 4K/120 Hz passthrough, in addition to Dolby Atmos support. It also comes with the companys DSEE Extreme technology for upscaling compressed audio. Another nifty feature is a set of built-in microphones the speaker can use to calibrate itself to your space. Starting today, you can also pre-order the SA-SW5 and SA-SW3 Sony announced alongside the HT-A7000. The $700 SW5 is a 300-watt subwoofer with a 7-inch speaker, while the more affordable SA-SW3 will give you 200-watts of bass for $400. Also up for pre-order today are the SA-RS3S satellite speakers. Theyre priced at $350 for the pair. If you want to take your home theatre in a different direction, Sonys HT-A9 system is another option. $1,800 nets you four cylindrical speakers the company says you can adapt to almost any space and layout. The system comes with a wireless control box that features an HDMI 2.1 connection with eARC output and 8K and 4K/120 Hz passthrough alongside Dolby Vision. They also come with Sonys Sound Mapping Technology, which the company claims allows them to create a more immersive soundstage. DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub are suing New York City over limits the city imposes on the delivery fees they can charge restaurants. The city brought in the caps on a temporary basis in June last year to help restaurants stay in business when dining rooms were closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. NYC officials made the limits permanent in August. Currently, the delivery apps can charge restaurants up to 23 percent per order, which includes three percent to cover credit card processing fees. Otherwise, they could have charged fees of up to 35 percent. In April, DoorDash introduced a tiered system that charges up to 30 percent in commissions. The companies claim in their US District Court court complaint , which was posted by The Verge , that the cap is unconstitutional and tantamount to government overreach that will damage businesses. They're seeking an injunction to stop the city enforcing the fee limits as well as damages and a jury trial. Left unchecked, the ordinance sets a dangerous precedent, they argued. Councilman Mark Gjonaj, chair of the citys Small Business Committee, said that NYC would maintain the caps and proceed with other oversight over delivery apps. The laws simply seek to bring fairness to a system that all too often lacks it, he told The Wall Street Journal. Engadget has contacted Uber Eats for comment. Grubhub has worked hard during the pandemic to support restaurants in New York City and across the country," a company spokesperson told Engadget in a statement. "Despite our best efforts, the City Council recently passed an unprecedented and unconstitutional price control targeting the food delivery industry. Price controls increase delivery fees for consumers, and therefore lead to a reduction of orders for both restaurants and couriers. While Grubhub remains willing to engage with the City Council, we unfortunately are left with no choice but to take legal action." Grubhub also contends that the NYC ordinance will hurt not only the apps, but restaurants and consumers. It suggests the fee caps will will lead to higher prices and fewer deliveries for couriers, as well as less choice for services for restaurants from delivery platforms. "New York City Council passed harmful, unnecessary, and unconstitutional price controls which leave us no choice but to resolve this matter in court, as we did in San Francisco," a DoorDash spokesperson told Engadget. "Not only do price controls violate the U.S. and New York Constitutions, but they will likely harm the very restaurants the City purports to support." In just a few days, Apple will be hosting an event that were all but certain will be the iPhone 13 launch. The company sent out invites earlier this week that featured the words California Streaming, which of course led many of us in the industry to speculate like crazy what surprises might be in store. My money is on new TV+ or Apple Music content, while others are guessing game streaming or a cloud-based macOS might be possible. But as always, we already have a good idea of what to expect thanks to analysts, leakers and FCC filings. Heres a selection of the more-credible leaks that have been swirling around so you can catch up on all the iPhone 13 rumors ahead of the September 14th keynote. iPhone 13 Just as there were four iPhone 12 models last year, were expecting the same number of iPhone 13s next week. This was pretty much confirmed by an FCC filing about upcoming MagSafe updates, which didnt name them but referred to four New Phone items in addition to the existing generation. Those four devices are most likely the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, and Im personally glad Apple is keeping the baby iPhone around. As early as February this year, rumors of the new iPhones featuring Always On displays have been floating and have only gained traction since. This would allow Apple to constantly have the time and other system indicators appear on your lock screen. Another popular rumor suggests the next iPhones will have smaller notches, and that a 120Hz screen is coming to the Pro model. If thats true, Apple would be catching up to Samsung, though Google still hasnt hit that high of a refresh rate on its flagships yet. With the potential Always On display and faster refresh rates, battery life could be a concern for the new flagships. But it sounds like Apple might be mitigating that by using lower power LTPO (or Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) screens and bigger batteries. Theres also talk of an in-display fingerprint reader coming to the iPhone 13 line, though the reports on that are less consistent. Itd also be weird since the main iPhone series, havent had a Touch ID sensor since the iPhone X was launched in 2017. Chris Velazco / Engadget Beyond their screens, the iPhones are also expected to get some camera upgrades. On the hardware front, were reportedly getting improved ultra-wide cameras across the lineup, with better sensors and lenses. As for imaging software, Apple is supposedly adding an automatic astrophotography feature and a portrait video mode that could blur out the background while you film. Samsung already offers this on its S21 series, so itll be interesting to see how the two compare. A surprising recent rumor suggests the iPhone 13 might even support satellite communications, which could let you make emergency calls if youre out of a typical cellular coverage area. This would be a unique feature in modern smartphones, and almost hard to believe. But the report said Apple would be using a modified Qualcomm radio to enable this, meaning the components could already be easily available, making it more possible this is coming this year. Externally, the phones arent expected to look significantly different from their predecessors, other than a potentially gripper texture on their backs. Reports seem to agree that the lightning port will remain, and that the updated MagSafe charger (and the phones) will have stronger magnets to prevent accidental slippage. Finally, as weve been referring to it throughout this article, the next generation is most likely going to be called the iPhone 13. Not the iPhone 12S or the iPhone 14, because apparently Apple is not superstitious. Which is cool. Courage. Cherlynn Low / Engadget Watch Series 7 In addition to new phones, its also quite likely that well see new Apple Watches next week. Specifically, were expecting the company to unveil the Watch Series 7 with larger cases and screens. Some reports suggest the new wearables will also sport thinner bezels, a flatter design, a faster chip and updated ultra-wideband functionality, which might improve its communication with doors, locks and other devices. And thats about all weve heard so far. According to various sources, anticipated features like a body-temperature sensor or blood sugar monitor wont be ready for this years Watch. Those waiting for a rugged variant will also probably have to wait till 2022 at least. AirPods 3 Speaking of waiting, were coming up on about two and a half years since Apple launched the AirPods 2nd gen in 2019. It took about the same amount of time for the company to introduce the follow-up to its original wireless earbuds, though, so its very likely well see the next generation come September 14th. At some point, rumors suggested they might arrive earlier this year. Were now well into the 2nd half of 2021, and all weve seen of the third-generation AirPods is a photo leaked in February. The image is purportedly of the regular model, not the Pro, and includes the devices carrying case. The holder appears wider than the second gens and the buds seem to have an in-ear design similar to the AirPods Pro. That fits with other rumors swirling around. 52Audio Beyond what can be seen in the picture, the source 52Audio also claimed that the third-gen AirPods would support active noise cancellation and spatial audio. That contradicts an earlier Bloomberg report that said those features wouldnt make it. The Bloomberg story did say the AirPods would offer a new chip and longer battery life, though. iPad 9, iPad mini 6, MacBook Pro and more Those three product lines seem all but guaranteed to show up at next weeks launch, but lets not forget about the iPad. Apples next entry-level tablet should be the iPad 9 and multiple reports from sources like Digitimes and Bloombergs Mark Gurman suggest that itll arrive this month alongside the iPhones. An iPad mini 6 is also supposedly on the horizon. In general, rumors indicate that the iPad 9 is going to look quite similar to its predecessor, with a somewhat thinner design and slightly bigger screen. The more noteworthy upgrades are likely to be internal, with faster chips and more RAM being a popular speculation. If Apple does launch a new tablet next week, these incremental improvements do seem like a given. Its also possible that the iPad 9 may offer MagSafe support, though since a slate wasnt mentioned in the FCC filing I mentioned earlier, this seems unlikely. As for the iPad mini 6, it appears as if a redesign might be in the works that would make the compact tablet look more like the M1 iPad Pro, with thinner bezels and a squarer design. It could also come with a USB-C port instead of Lightning, as well as a potential Smart Connector for keyboards and other accessories. Thats a whole smorgasbord of Apple devices that might be unveiled next week, as the company readies new products for the upcoming holiday shopping season. But there could still be more surprises up its sleeve. Though a new Apple TV was already launched earlier this year, based on the words California Streaming on the invitation, well probably hear about new shows coming to TV+. Plus, Bloombergs Gurman also wrote in a newsletter that hes expecting a redesigned MacBook Pro between September and November this year, which means it could be announced alongside the iPhones. Or maybe Apple is saving that for another event later in the year. Whatever you might be most interested to see come September 14th, its clear Apple has plenty to show off. Well be hosting a live show on the Engadget YouTube channel when the event is over, so that we can all be disappointed or excited together with you in real time. I hope youll come hang with me and UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith and have some fun then! The News & Eagle Editorial Board meets weekly to form the newspaper's stances on mostly local and state and occasionally national issues. Have a question about this opinion piece? Do you see something we missed? Do you have an editorial idea for the News & Eagle? Send an email to callen@enidnews.com 2021-09-10 Maeci A tribute evening to Dante Alighieri at the Italian Embassy in Berlin: the event, called "From the Dark Wood to the Lights of Berlin", was held on 8 September with the aim of celebrating the figure of the Supreme Poet through various artistic expressions and during which the audiobook "From the Dark Wood to Paradise" was presented, produced in 33 languages by the Foreign Ministry, co-sponsored with the Municipality of Ravenna and the Teatro delle Albe. "This is a way said Ambassador Armando Varricchio of remembering and celebrating the man who in Italy is known as the Supreme Poet, the "father of the Italian language", Italys most illustrious citizen". During the evening, extracts from the audiobook were selected and recited in the auditorium; excerpts were also commented by Giulio Ferroni, in dialogue with German journalist Sandra Gronewald. Ferroni is the author of the book "L'Italia di Dante" (Dante's Italy), which presents all the places mentioned by the Poet in the journey he narrates in the "Divine Comedy", published thanks to the support of the Dante Alighieri Society, whose General Secretary Alessandro Masi illustrated the numerous and multiple activities organised in the Dante Year. During the Dante Evening at the Embassy, the Director of ENITs Frankfurt office, Antonella Rossi, presented "Le Vie di Dante", slow tourism, nature and food and wine routes in the Tuscan-Romagna Apennines. Finally, guests were able to admire the video mapping dedicated to Dante, which currently lights up the facade of the Embassy as part of the Festival of Lights. The video-installation also features several precious drawings preserved at the Kupferstichkabinett, in Berlin, which were made available specifically for this project: "an example of high cultural diplomacy, a sign of the spirit of friendship towards Italy and also of the recognition of a shared culture in today's Europe, which I would like to openly acknowledge", commented Ambassador Varricchio. Young People Are at Risk, Too It isn't just older individuals who should be alert to a bad headache: According to an article published in February 2020 in the journal Stroke, 10 to 15 percent of all strokes occur in people ages 18 to 50. Risk factors for stroke at a younger age include: Inherited or acquired conditions that cause abnormal blood clotting such as sickle cell anemia Smoking Use of birth control containing estrogen Pregnancy High blood pressure during pregnancy Migraine with aura In addition, half of those who die each year from a ruptured brain aneurysm which typically causes a severe and sudden headache are under age 50, according to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. RELATED: What You Need to Know About Migraine and Stroke Primary Versus Secondary Headaches When you see a doctor about a headache, they gather information about your symptoms to determine if your headaches are primary or secondary. A primary headache is its own condition, such as migraine, tension headache, or cluster headache. When the headache is caused by another underlying disorder (as in Billies case), its called a secondary headache. Although primary headaches like migraine can be debilitating, they arent life-threatening, says Roderick Spears, MD, a neurologist and headache specialist at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia. On the other hand, a secondary headache can be the sign of a serious health issue, maybe even one that requires urgent medical attention. Primary headaches are much more common than secondary headaches; more than 90 percent of the people who seek treatment for their headaches are diagnosed with a primary headache disorder, according to a review published in January 2018 in The American Journal of Medicine. A new headache that lasts all day and night, every day, is concerning and should be investigated as a secondary headache, according to the American Headache Society (AHS). The SNOOP4 Tool Identifies Headache Red Flags The mnemonic "SNOOP4 helps doctors determine when further investigation possibly including imaging tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), lumbar puncture to examine spinal fluid, or blood tests are needed to diagnose the cause of a persons headache. Systemic Symptoms Systemic symptoms are those you feel in other parts of your body, besides your head. This could be a fever, loss of appetite, or weight loss. Conditions that may cause such symptoms include meningitis, vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels), cancer, and infection. The S in SNOOP4 can also stand for secondary risk factors, so if you have a headache in addition to HIV or cancer, see your doctor about it. Neurologic Symptoms Neurologic symptoms include confusion, blurry vision, personality changes, weakness on one side of the body, numbness, or sharp facial pain and could indicate a tumor or a stroke. Onset Sudden or Abrupt This means that the headache happens suddenly, with no warning. Sometimes these are called thunderclap headaches. This can occur when headaches are caused by bleeding in the brain. RELATED: How the Worlds Hottest Pepper Landed a Man in the Hospital Older Age If you are older than 50 and experience a new or progressive headache, it may be giant cell arteritis or a brain tumor. Pattern Change or Progression A new headache is cause for concern if it is significantly different from your typical headaches, if your headaches are happening more often, or if it is the worst headache you have ever had. Precipitated by Valsalva Maneuver The Valsalva maneuver is a breathing technique that your doctor may use to rule out whats called a posterior fossa lesion or tumor. The posterior fossa is the small space in the skull near the brain stem and cerebellum. Other symptoms of this type of tumor are drowsiness, imbalance, nausea, and vomiting, according to MedlinePlus. To perform the Valsalva maneuver, breathe out strongly through your mouth, pinch your nose shut and press the air out like you are blowing up a balloon. Positional Aggravation If your headache comes on from sitting or standing, it may be related to high or low spinal fluid pressure. High pressure headache, also known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), is caused by elevated pressure inside the skull due to too much cerebrospinal fluid, according to the American Migraine Foundation. Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a low pressure headache, and its the result of low spinal fluid pressure in the brain caused by a leak of spinal fluid, according to the American Migraine Foundation. Papilledema Papilledema occurs when increased pressure in or around the brain causes the part of the optic nerve inside the eye to swell; this is considered a medical emergency, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The presence of papilledema may confirm a diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Headache Caused by High Blood Pressure Extremely high blood pressure can cause a headache (and sometimes nosebleed) in people with or without diagnosed hypertension. This type of headache only happens when blood pressure is severely elevated to 180/120 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or higher, according to the American Heart Association. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. When blood pressure is extremely elevated, its a medical emergency known as a hypertensive crisis, and medical attention is needed right away. Signs of a Stroke When the circulation of blood and oxygen to the brain is interrupted for any reasons, a stroke occurs. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, one sign of stroke is a sudden severe headache with no obvious cause. Other symptoms are: Sudden weakness or numbness, especially on one side of the body Sudden confusion Sudden trouble speaking or understanding speech Sudden difficulty seeing from one or both eyes Sudden dizziness, loss of balance, or difficulty walking The National Stroke Association suggests remembering FAST a quick test to determine if someone should seek help for a stroke. Face Does your face droop when you smile? Does your face droop when you smile? Arm Does one arm drift downward if you try to raise both arms? Does one arm drift downward if you try to raise both arms? Speech Does your speech sound slurred? Does your speech sound slurred? Time If you or someone else has these signs, call 911. When an ischemic stroke (a stroke caused by a blockage in a blood vessel) occurs as a complication of migraine with aura, its called a migrainous stroke or migrainous infarction. Like any stroke, a migrainous infarction is considered a medical emergency. Migrainous stroke is very rare and accounts for less than 1 percent of strokes, according to the Cedars-Sinai Health System. Signs of a Cluster Headache While a cluster headache is a type of primary headache and not a sign of another underlying condition, the severe pain these headaches cause can lead some people to contemplate suicide. Cluster headaches occur suddenly and cause a piercing and very intense pain, almost always on one side of the head. A runny nose and tearing on the side with the pain is also common. Cluster headaches generally last between 15 minutes and three hours, without treatment. Cluster headaches get their name because they come in clusters. A person might have daily cluster headaches for a month or more, for example, and then none for a year. Treatment for cluster headaches can be high-flow oxygen through a mask; nerve blocks, in which a numbing agent, or anesthetic, is injected into the scalp near particular nerves; or daily doses of the drug verapamil. Seek Help for Serious, Sudden Headaches Although most headaches are not serious and will go away on their own, it's important to recognize when headache pain could be a sign of a larger issue. Stephen D. Silberstein, MD, director of the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and past president of the American Headache Society, advises: "If your headache is bad, new, or changing, see somebody." Additional reporting by Becky Upham. 9/11 initiated in 1979 in Iran The impact of the 9/11 attack it's not a day one can soon forget. My white-eyed pail-faced daughter walked into my room and with a shaky voice declared "Dad we have been attacked," my stomach dropped. She sat and covered her face. Calming my daughter, I said "Don't worry sweetheart, it is an accident. How could a passenger plane attack? And the second plane hit the other tower. When in 1979, Islam's new supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah of Iran declared the US "The Great Satan" a nation that along with the 'State of Israel' should be wiped out, many Islamic countries took that statement as "Islam is on the march," and Khomeini is their leader. At first, I thought its Iran's doing. Iranian American communities were more watchful of terrorism and its effect on their society than American families. History shows that Persians did not pay much attention to another Arab demand and its consequent. Persian history reminds us that neither king Khosrow 11 in the seventh century nor Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (reined 1941-1979) in the twentieth century understood the Arab philosophy. As king Khosrow 11 dismissed the warning that Mohammad gave, which resulted in the Muslim conquest of Persia from 634 to 654 AD. Similarly, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi paid no heed to another zealous Arab demand; the 1979 Arab Ruhollah Khomeini toppled his reign and forever changed the world. I proudly walked a short distance with Reza Baluchi, a young Iranian American who symbolically represented Iranians walked from Los Angeles to New York in time for the September 11, 2003 memorial. # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # GEORGE H. HASSANZADEH born and raised as a Shi'a Muslim in Iran is the author of 'Iran: Harsh Arm of Islam' and the newly released book 'First Comes the Mosque.' Hassanzadeh is recognized as an expert in Islam, Shi'a, Shari'a, and the infallible Arab Shiite clerics forcing medieval rule and a system of mind control in the 21st century. George H. Hassanzadeh is a U.S. Army Veteran and lives in California, U.S.A San Antonio billionaire B.J. Red McCombs and former executives of his oil and gas investment partnership have settled the legal battles theyve been fighting for more than four years. Attorneys for the parties said this week that litigation in Bexar and Harris counties has been resolved, but they declined to provide any details. One of the lawyers cited a confidentiality order. The settlement comes just days before a trial was set to begin in state District Court in San Antonio. The feuds involved McCombs Energy, an entity created to make investments in oil and gas ventures on behalf of Red McCombs and his family. Forbes calculates McCombs has a $1.6 billion net worth. The four former McCombs Energy Ltd. executives, including President William Forney Jr., had sued the partnership, its general partner and Red McCombs in March 2017 in Harris County alleging they were owed revenue distributions under different agreements. Later that same month, McCombs Energy responded by suing the executives and other parties in San Antonio. The lawsuit accused them of taking trade secrets to launch a competing business. The group was driven by greed when they started F4 Resources in Houston using McCombs Energys confidential and proprietary information, the suit alleged. Forney and some of the other executives had worked with McCombs for decades. According to court papers filed by the executives in Houston, McCombs and William Forney Sr. and his family had a business relationship that began around 1960 when the two met. They began investing together in oil and gas exploration projects, participating in the cost on a 50-50 basis. Forney Sr., who had started developing oil and gas projects in the 1940s, oversaw drilling and operations. The relationship continued with his family following his death in 1985. By the late 1990s, the executives lawsuit in Harris County said, McCombs was in a position to make larger investments in oil and gas projects. File photo McCombs formed Houston-based McCombs Energy LLC in 1998 by merging his 50 percent interest in the partnership of Forney & McCombs with newly purchased assets of Forney Oil, the Express-News reported at the time. All Forney Oil managers and staff became employees of McCombs Energy LLC. The company converted to McCombs Energy Ltd. in 2006 for tax purposes, the suit said. Forney Jr. learned in late 2016 that McCombs intended to shut down McCombs Energy offices, the executives suit added. An executive with McCombs holding company had said it moved McCombs Energy to San Antonio. Forney Jr. resigned at the end of that year. Shortly after Forney Jr.s departure, the complaint said, McCombs Energy stopped making all revenue distributions to the executives including $2 million related to a property sale. So the executives filed suit. In the Bexar County suit filed against the four executives, two others and F4 Resources, McCombs Energy alleged that F4 Resources intended to replicate its business model and used proprietary information in capital-raising efforts. McCombs Energy even accused two defendants of committing computer crimes to get information. The suits triggered counterclaims by each side. In 2019, state District Judge Peter Sakai in San Antonio ruled McCombs Energy was on the hook for the legal fees its foes were incurring for defending themselves against its lawsuit. Court records show those legal fees and expenses have exceeded $1 million. pdanner@express-news.net Most major corporations arent up in arms at least not publicly over Texas near-total ban on abortions or rules intended by GOP lawmakers to suppress voters in big, Democratic-leaning cities. And if theyre bothered by the states new constitutional carry law, which allows most Texans 21 and older to carry firearms without a license or background check, they arent saying. They also dont appear to be stewing over elected officials attempt to whitewash Texas history by banning the teaching of critical race theory in public schools. Ditto Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxtons legal war to stop local governments and school boards from requiring masks to protect adults and children from the coronavirus. OPINION: Fresh takes on timely topics, delivered to your inbox One of the last times business leaders unabashedly weighed in on any aspect of this mess was early May. At the time, Fair Elections Texas a coalition of more than 50 business organizations and companies including Fort Worth-based American Airlines, Microsoft and Levi Strauss & Co. sided against the election bill then moving through the Legislature. The group called on elected officials to oppose any changes that would restrict eligible voters access to the ballot. On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: History won't judge kindly Texas' voter suppression law A month earlier, American said it strongly opposed the election bill, eliciting a tongue-lashing from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Texans are fed up with corporations that dont share our values trying to dictate public policy, he said in an April 1 statement. The majority of Texans support maintaining the integrity of our elections, which is why I made it a priority this legislative session. Our values Texas has embarked on a hugely consequential experiment. Itll answer this question: Can a state strip women of their rights over their own bodies, marginalize and scapegoat minorities, shrug off science, dump on its large cities, and make community life coarser and potentially more dangerous and still maintain an enviable economy? Abbott is betting the answer is yes. On Sept. 2, the host of CNBCs Squawk on the Street asked Abbott about a poll, publicized by Forbes magazine, that found a majority of college-educated women wouldnt move to Texas because of the anti-abortion bill hed signed into law. The new restriction no abortions after a mere six weeks of pregnancy had kicked in the day before. A good political tactician, Abbott used business leaders silence to his advantage. Regardless of some hand-wringing by some publications, the people who are not wringing their hands are the people who create jobs, that run businesses, that care about their daily lives, the Republican governor said. And people are choosing Texas over any other state, and part of that is because of our low regulations, our no income tax. ... Companies are choosing Texas because it has the superior business climate. This was the same interview in which Abbott claimed billionaire Elon Musk, the force behind SpaceX and Tesla, was good with Texas fundamentalist social policies. In a quarterly report earlier this year, economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas described the influx of people and corporations Abbott was referring to. Data on population growth, U-Haul rental truck movements and a national builders surveys all suggest that net in-migration into Texas from other states remained high last year, they wrote. Texas population increased 1.3 percent in 2020 about the same pace as in 2019 and the fastest rate of growth of the 10 largest states. They noted several of the biggest corporations that have either moved their headquarters or expanded operations to Texas: Tesla, Oracle, CBRE and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Political sleight of hand But Abbott was pulling a sleight of hand in his CNBC appearance, playing politics with time. He knows the corporations that have moved to Texas didnt do it on a whim; most put plenty of time and thought into their decision-making. Same with most of the individuals whove set up house in Texas. Safe to say most hadnt foreseen the states sharp turn to intolerant, hard-right populism the noises Abbott, Paxton and Patrick had been making to that effect for years notwithstanding. The harsh reorientation of Texas government, engineered by those three and the GOP-controlled Legislature, didnt really harden into state law until this year. So whats next for corporate relocation and expansion in Texas? Their current silence aside, will Fortune 1000 companies embrace our MAGA paradise? I asked Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, CEO of Greater: SATX, the regions main economic development organization, if the new abortion and voting laws make it harder to attract out-of-state employers. She answered cautiously. Were certainly continuing to monitor local, state and federal activity that may affect our business and workforce recruitment efforts, Saucedo-Herrera said. While its difficult to predict how specific people and companies will respond, were anticipating and prepared for questions. Im confident the broader value proposition for San Antonio and Texas will prevail, she added. That proposition includes Texas old reliables: no state income tax, moderately priced housing and few regulations to get worked up over. But about those questions shes anticipating some of them will likely come from college-educated professionals. On that front, the poll CNBC host Morgan Brennan asked Abbott about is instructive. Why worry? PerryUndem, a public opinion research firm, surveyed 1,804 adults with college degrees about abortion restrictions. San Francisco-based Tara Health Foundation, which pays for research on womens access to health care, commissioned the Aug. 31 poll. Most of the men and women surveyed 1,689 didnt live in Texas. The pollsters described Texas new abortion law to the out-of-state respondents this way: Texas lawmakers recently passed a law that bans abortion after six weeks, which is before most women know they are pregnant. That means itll be illegal for most people to get an abortion. This law also calls on people to report each other in order to enforce the law. People would get a reward for reporting anyone, like healthcare providers or friends, who help a person get an abortion. On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: Third special session won't be a charm for Texas Which is an OK summary of SB 8, the bill Abbott signed into law. It doesnt call on Texans to snitch it grants them that opportunity. And describing the $10,000 or more that informants could win in court for successfully outing lawbreakers as a reward is loaded, invoking the idea theyre money-grubbing bounty hunters. Instead of anti-abortion zealots. But every other facet of the setup was accurate. The question was: Would this law discourage you from moving to Texas? Three out of 4 women, or 74 percent, said yes. Among the men, 58 percent said they, too, would steer clear. Whether youre an in-state corporation or one considering a move to Texas, your main challenge is hiring the best available talent. Those prospective employees have to want to come here. Thats why the direction in which Abbott and company are pushing Texas on has got to worry you. Even if you dont say it out loud. greg.jefferson@express-news.net San Antonio has reached a grim milestone: more than 4,000 COVID-19-related deaths since the pandemic started. On Thursday, public health officials reported 21 new deaths, bringing Bexar Countys coronavirus death toll to 4,017; the count has risen by more than 400 in less than six weeks. The toll has been acute in our community. The toll on individual families has been too much to measure. I have a colleague who lost seven family members, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said during a televised COVID-19 briefing Thursday night. So we talk about where were at with numbers and were quick to remind folks that every single one of those numbers is a mother, a father, a grandmother someone lost who has been dearly missed. Nirenberg said the more than 4,000 lives lost should put some of the bickering over wearing masks into perspective. Those dying of COVID have disproportionately been Hispanic and Latino, while the vast majority of these deaths are among people who have not been fully vaccinated, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District officials said. Some of these recent deaths have been completely unnecessary, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said. Thats whats so sad. Before we had vaccines it was a different story. Metro Health Director Claude Jacob said his organization has identified only six fully vaccinated people who died from COVID-19, and in those cases, there were underlying health issues. The coronavirus took its first three lives in the San Antonio area March 28, 2020, when the emerging crisis had just begun to shut down cities across the nation. Since then, there have been political battles on many fronts, including mask and vaccine mandates and business and school closures. Meanwhile, three effective COVID-19 vaccines have been rolled out, one of which has been fully authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the more contagious delta strain of the coronavirus has coincided with a third surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. On ExpressNews.com: August among deadliest months of COVID pandemic Currently, there are 1,159 COVID-19 patients in area hospitals, including 25 children. Of those hospitalized, 365 patients are in intensive care units and 260 are on ventilators; those numbers remain well above the levels seen before the third surge. San Antonio-area hospitals remain stressed with 143 new admissions in the last day, with only 9 percent of staffed beds available. Nirenberg said public health officials are trying to reach people who remain unvaccinated. The City Council on Thursday approved giving unvaccinated residents $100 H-E-B gift cards for getting vaccinated. As of Wednesday, the COVID-19 death toll in Texas was 57,238. This week, Metro Health reported 51 deaths that occurred within the past 14 days in Bexar County. However, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 165 deaths were recorded within the past seven days by local and state health departments, a 13 percent increase from the week before. Metro Health officials have said the number of COVID-19 deaths in Bexar County reported by the state is often higher than actual because it will include a person from another county in Bexars death toll if that person dies in a hospital here. Globally, more than 4.6 million people have died from COVID-19, including at least 652,480 people in the U.S. laura.garcia@express-news.net Visitors enjoy their time in San Antonio, according to a popular travel magazine survey that named the Alamo City one of the best in the country. Travel + Leisure asked its readers to vote in its annual World's Best Awards survey in which they get to choose their favorite cities, islands, resorts, hotels, parks and other destinations from around the world. San Antonio, with its rich history, theme parks and popular River Walk, finished sixth in the voting for best U.S. city. Last year, it finished seventh. On ExpressNews.com: 'Extremely rare' albino Western Diamondback rattlesnake found on Hill Country ranch According to the magazine, "readers rated cities on their sights, landmarks, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping and overall value." The Alamo City finished ahead of No. 7 Chicago but behind No. 5 New York City in the list of 15 cities. Charleston, South Carolina took the top spot for the ninth year in a row. It was followed by Santa Fe, New Mexico, Savannah, Georgia, and New Orleans, respectively. The magazine said southern cities are popular with its readers, "thanks to the wonderful mix of warm hospitality, approachable size, excellent food and striking architecture." On ExpressNews.com: Here are the hottest tickets this fall in San Antonio Fort Worth and Austin were the only two other cities to make the list at No. 12 and No. 13, respectively. Among the best hotels in the country, Hotel Emma was voted as the seventh-best city hotel in the U.S. It was the only Texas hotel to make the list. Viceroy Chicago earned the top spot. Although Austin's Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection was voted best resort in Texas, three San Antonio destinations made the list of top 10 resorts in the state. La Cantera Resort & Spa was fifth followed by JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa at No. 7 and the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa at No. 10. Malak.Silmi@express-news.net SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Police in California would no longer be able to arrest anyone for loitering with the intent to engage in prostitution under a bill approved by state lawmakers on Friday amid debate over whether the move would help or harm sex trafficking victims. But Sen. Scott Wiener then used a procedural move to withhold the bill from the governor's consideration until next year. The delay until January gives supporters "more time to make the case about why this civil rights bill is good policy that should be signed into law and why this discriminatory loitering crime goes against California values and needs to be repealed, Wiener's office said in a statement. Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco, argued that the crime too often depends on an officer's perception and results in disproportionate arrests of transgender, Black and Latino women. His bill would repeal that portion of California law. It was approved in the Assembly on a 41-26 vote and by the Senate on a 26-9 roll call. It would also allow those who are currently serving sentences or who were previously convicted to ask a court to dismiss and seal the record of the conviction. Similar legislation became law in New York in February. Wiener said the measures are part of an effort to end discrimination against and violence toward sex workers. The current law harms public safety and trafficking victims by increasing the mistrust of police particularly among targeted communities, which means people will not engage with law enforcement when they need it, said Democratic Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan during the Assembly debate. Criminalizing the victims and leaving them with criminal records that create further barriers to seeking employment, housing and relief is not the answer, she said. Opponents rallied at the state Capitol on Tuesday, arguing that the measure essentially legalizes the most dangerous form of prostitution. The measure endangers those who are forced into sex trafficking, they argued. It would severely undermine the ability of law enforcement to investigate trafficking crimes, numerous opponents said in a letter to lawmakers last month. The bill assumes that sex work is voluntary, when the opponents contend that many are coerced. Supporters of the bill made it seem like this group simply gets judged and targeted because they are minding their own business and standing on corners, and thats just simply not the case, sex-trafficking survivor Sable Horton said in a statement. Bauer-Kahan took offense when Assemblyman Jim Cooper, a fellow Democrat and former Sacramento County sheriff's captain, said officers should be allowed to presume that women who are provocatively dressed like that and carrying a purse full of condoms are street walkers. Its not rocket science, Cooper said. "You know who the players are and who they arent. I know I'm probably not the only woman on the floor that was triggered when one of our colleagues said, Well, theyre dressed that way,' Bauer-Kahan responded. Being dressed that way is not a crime, and it will never be OK to be victimized because you were dressed in any manner." The bill had support from both a former public defender, Assemblyman Ash Kalra, and a former prosecutor, Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, both Democrats. Law enforcement can help people without threatening to arrest them," Kalra said. This simply eliminates this vague provision in the penal code that allows for abuses for people that they simply be profiled for the wrong reasons," Muratsuchi said. Wiener's bill has support from the American Civil Liberties Union as well as groups representing LGTBQ individuals and sex workers. The ACLU said the measure eliminates a law that allows police to rely on bias rather than evidence to criminalize otherwise legal activities like walking, dressing or standing in public. Also Friday, lawmakers approved a bill responding to the 2019 mass shooting at a synagogue in Poway, California. The underage gunman was able to buy his assault weapon because his lack of a valid hunting license wasnt verified, a loophole the bill aims to close. The same bill would broaden a new mandate that the state attorney general investigate all fatal shootings by police of unarmed civilians to include instances where there is a reasonable dispute whether that civilian was armed. Lawmakers also approved another Wiener bill ending mandatory minimum prison or jail sentences for nonviolent drug offenses, giving judges more discretion to impose probation or other alternative sentences. Legislators also sent the governor a bill increasing the minimum age to become a police officer to 21 and requiring state regulators and education experts to develop a modern policing degree program. Kali Cook was running around her Bacliff home Monday, gleefully batting the fake red eyelashes her grandmother had given her for Labor Day. By 2 a.m., she had a fever. By morning she was gone. The 4-year old died of COVID-19 in her sleep Tuesday at 7 a.m., her mother Karra Harwood told the Chronicle. It took her so fast, Harwood said. On ExpressNews.com: Texas pediatric COVID hospitalizations hit record high over the weekend The preschooler, a student at Bacliffs Kenneth E. Little Elementary School, is the first child younger than 10 to die of COVID-19 in Galveston County. Health officials confirmed the death Thursday afternoon. Her sudden death highlights the perils of the latest delta surge, which has sickened young children at alarming rates as they return to school. As of Wednesday, 321 children with COVID-19 were hospitalized statewide, two of them in the Galveston area. Kali never made it to the hospital. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer She died the day after her mother tested positive for the virus. By then, her brother and 5-month-old sister were infected too. Now the family is quarantining in the home where Kali died. They cant escape the memory of the curly haired girl who idolized her siblings and hated having her hair combed, Harwood said. I always tried to put bows in her hair, but Kali wanted to be outside catching frogs, she said. The 4-year old started preschool last month. She cried at first, realizing she would have to leave her mom behind, but she quickly grew to like it, telling her mom, I cant wait to go to school. It is unclear where the family first contracted the virus. In a statement, Galveston County health officials said they do not believe Kali contracted the virus in her classroom, where face coverings are strongly recommended, according to school policy. We dont know where it came from, Harwood said. Harwood, who is out of work while quarantining, started a fundraiser to help pay for Kalis funeral and the familys medical bills. As of Thursday, friends and strangers had already donated nearly $6,000. She is haunted by her daughters swift sickness, and worried her 5-month-old will be next. Kali was perfectly fine, and then she was gone, Harwood said. nora.mishanec@chron.com AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The Justice Department has sued Texas over a new state law that bans most abortions, arguing that it was enacted in open defiance of the Constitution." The lawsuit, filed Thursday in federal court in Texas, asks a federal judge to declare that the law is invalid, to enjoin its enforcement, and to protect the rights that Texas has violated. The act is clearly unconstitutional under long-standing Supreme Court precedent, Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a news conference announcing the suit. The Justice Department argues the law unlawfully infringes on the constitutional rights of women and violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which says federal law supersedes state law. Federal officials are also concerned other states could enact similar laws that would deprive their citizens of their constitutional rights," he said. It is settled constitutional law that a State may not prohibit any woman from making the ultimate decision to terminate her pregnancy before viability, the lawsuit reads. But Texas has done just that. The Texas law, known as SB8, prohibits abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity usually around six weeks, before some women know theyre pregnant. Courts have blocked other states from imposing similar restrictions, but Texas law differs significantly because it leaves enforcement to private citizens through civil lawsuits instead of criminal prosecutors. Pressure had been mounting on the Justice Department not only from the White House President Joe Biden has said the law is almost un-American but also from Democrats in Congress, who wanted Garland to take action. Earlier this week, Garland vowed the Justice Department would step in to enforce a federal law known as the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. That law, commonly known as the FACE Act, normally prohibits physically obstructing access to abortion clinics by blocking entrances or threatening to use force to intimidate or interfere with someone. It also prohibits damaging property at abortion clinics and other reproductive health centers. The lawsuit filed on Thursday seeks an immediate injunction to prohibit enforcing the law in Texas. Under the statute, someone could bring a lawsuit even if they have no connection to the woman getting an abortion and could be entitled to at least $10,000 in damages if they prevail in court. The statute deputizes all private citizens, without any showing of personal connection or injury, to serve as bounty hunters authorized to recover at least $10,000 per claim from individuals who facilitate a womans exercise of her constitutional rights, Garland said. The obvious and expressly acknowledged intention of this statutory scheme is to prevent women from exercising their constitutional rights by thwarting judicial review. The attorney general also argued the Texas law could expose some federal employees at different agencies across the government to civil liability for doing their jobs. The Texas law is the nations biggest curb to abortion since the Supreme Court affirmed in the landmark 1973 decision Roe v. Wade that women have a constitutional right to an abortion. Abortion providers have said they will comply, but already some of Texas roughly two dozen abortion clinics have temporarily stopped offering abortion services altogether. Clinics in neighboring states, meanwhile, have seen a surge in patients from Texas. Texas Right to Life, the states largest anti-abortion group and a driver of the new law, said Thursday in anticipation of the lawsuit that it was already working with other states to pass similar measures. The Biden administrations ploy represents a desperate attempt to stop the life-saving law by any means necessary, the group said in a statement. Renae Eze, a spokesperson for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, said his office was confident the courts would uphold the law. The most precious freedom is life itself. Texas passed a law that ensures that the life of every child with a heartbeat will be spared from the ravages of abortion, Eze said. The law provides no exceptions in cases of rape or incest, which Abbott on Tuesday defended by falsely asserting that women still have at least six weeks to get an abortion. A woman who has regular periods and is carefully tracking her cycle could know of a positive result no earlier than about four weeks into a pregnancy. Abbott also said Texas would strive to eliminate all rapists from the streets. Recent surveys by the U.S. Department of Justice found that most rapes go unreported to police, including a 2019 survey that found that only about 1 in 3 victims reported they were raped or sexually assaulted. The Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Texas abortion clinics suing over the law, welcomed the Biden administration stepping in. Its a gamechanger that the Department of Justice has joined the legal battle to restore constitutionally protected abortion access in Texas and disarm vigilantes looking to collect their bounties, said Nancy Northup, the groups president. Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, said in a statement that the lawsuit is a critical first step "to righting this injustice for the people of Texas, and to prevent this catastrophe from playing out in other states that have pledged to follow Texas lead. Amiri said in an interview that she expected the lawsuit to move quickly, possibly reaching the Supreme Court within weeks. - Balsamo reported from New York City. AP reporter Jessica Gresko contributed to this report. MADRID (AP) Police in Madrid on Thursday arrested a former Venezuelan spymaster wanted on U.S. narcoterrorism charges, capturing him in a hideout apartment nearly two years after he defied a Spanish extradition order and disappeared. Gen. Hugo Carvajal, who for over a decade was late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavezs eyes and ears in the Venezuelan military, was arrested in the small apartment in which he had been holed up. He lived totally enclosed, never going outside or getting close to the window, always protected by people he trusted, Spain's police said in a statement on social media in which they posted a short video the moment heavily-armed officers put handcuffs on Carvajal. Spain's leftist government last year approved Carvajals extradition to the U.S., where he faces federal charges for allegedly working with guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia to flood the U.S. with cocaine. The extradition order followed a back-and-forth legal battle in which Spain's National Court reversed an earlier ruling by a high court magistrate throwing out the U.S. warrant for being politically motivated. In the interim, Carvajal was released and never heard from again except when he said last year that he was going underground to protest what he viewed as political interference in his case. He resurfaced on social media earlier this month, posting with little notice what could be a preview of his eventual defense: a statement accusing former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who was for years the U.S.' main caretaker in the war on drugs, of fabricating evidence against him and the Chavez government even as it was cooperating with U.S. prosecutors to arrest Colombian narcos hiding inside Venezuela "It's a lie that will eventually collapse," Carvajal wrote. I've always trusted that the truth will prevail." It's not clear when Carvajal could be sent to the U.S. But his extradition may be slowed down by an asylum request he previously submitted to Spanish authorities. Im prepared for either situation, the good or the bad, Carvajals wife, Angelica Flores, told The Associated Press when contacted by phone with the news. Its up to him and others to give statements. This case will continue and well see how it ends. Nicknamed El Pollo (The Chicken), Carvajal has bete noire of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for over a decade. First indicted in 2011, he narrowly escaped extradition when he was arrested in Aruba in 2014 while serving as Venezuela's consul general to the Dutch Caribbean island. President Nicolas Maduros government successfully applied pressure on Aruba, which sits just miles off Venezuela's coast, to release Carvajal and when it did he received a hero's welcome upon his return to Caracas. But he was never a confidant of Maduro and in the complicated internal politics of Venezuela's ruling socialist party was relegated to a minor role as a backbench parliamentarian. In 2019, after opposition leader Juan Guaido led a street uprising and quickly won the U.S.' recognition as Venezuela's legitimate leader, Carvajal then openly rejected the government, urging members of the military to break with Maduro. While on the run, both from the DEA and Maduro, Carvajal traveled to the Spanish capital from the Dominican Republic under a disguised identity. He was greeted at Madrids airport by two Spanish intelligence officials, the AP has previously reported. From Europe, Carvajal had hoped to leverage contacts and knowledge of the Venezuelan deep state to mount a military-backed rebellion against Maduro. But to the frustration of many in Venezuelas opposition who have secretly tried to flip senior members of the military, he was arrested on the U.S. warrant days before a failed barracks rebellion on April 30, 2019. There was no immediate comment from Maduros government. The case against Carvajal in New York centers on a DC-9 jet from Caracas that landed in southern Mexico in 2006 with 5.6 tons of cocaine packed into 128 suitcases. Carvajal said that judicial probes in Venezuela and Mexico never linked him to the incident and that the alleged plane owner backs his alibi. But he faces incriminating evidence from phone records, drug ledgers and the testimony of at least 10 witnesses, according to an affidavit from a DEA special agent. Those witnesses include members and associates of the Cartel of the Suns, former high-ranking Venezuelan officials, according to the affidavit. The U.S. indictment also repeats an accusation that Carvajal provided Colombian rebels with weapons and protection inside Venezuela. The former general has scoffed at the allegations. He says his contacts with the FARC designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization were authorized by Chavez and limited to securing the release of a kidnapped Venezuelan businessman and paving the way for peace talks with the Colombian government. ___ Goodman reported from Miami. City Manager Bert Lumbreras will retire Jan. 31, he announced this week. Lumbreras, who graduated from Texas State University, began his career with San Marcos as an intern in 1981, according to the city. He went on to work in city management in several communities, including Austin, for 40 years, returning to San Marcos in 2017. The City Council of San Marcos, the largest city in Texas fastest-growing county, will begin the search process for a new city manager at its Sept. 21 meeting. Annie Blanks writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. annie.blanks@express-news.net In June 1967, California finally got around to updating its 95-year-old abortion law. Like most states at the time, California had been clinging to a 19th-century statute that banned abortions in all circumstances except to save the life of the mother. Then-Gov. Ronald Reagan, with some misgivings, signed a bill that relaxed state restrictions by legalizing abortion in cases of rape (including the statutory rape of girls 14 years old or younger), incest and danger to the mental or physical health of the woman. John Collier, a Republican assemblyman from Los Angeles, objected to the new law, warning it would contribute to a more accelerated erosion of the moral fabric of the United States. Every time a teenage girl becomes pregnant, Collier said, she will scream rape! and go to the hospital to be aborted. It wouldnt be accurate to say that Collier was saying the quiet part out loud. In his era, there was no quiet part when it came to womens rights. Collier served for 32 years in the California State Assembly. You dont hold office that long without an acute understanding of what kind of rhetoric is acceptable to your constituents. He felt comfortable publicly expressing the view that young women commonly lie about being raped and that state laws need to account for these lying tendencies. These days, the Collier Doctrine isnt acceptable language for an elected official, even in a state like Texas, where Republican leaders play culture-war games with impunity. So, on Tuesday, when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott answered a reporters question about the states audacious new anti-abortion law, the governor scrambled for a semblance, a pale rhetorical simulation, of human compassion. Abbott was asked about the fact that the law which weaponizes private anti-choice crusaders to file lawsuits against anyone who assists a woman in obtaining an abortion more than six weeks after conception will force pregnant rape and incest victims to carry their pregnancy to term. Abbott began with a lie: the idea that the law permits rape victims up to six weeks to get an abortion, a ridiculous assertion given that most women dont even know theyre pregnant in the first month of their term. Before anyone had a chance to give much thought to that load of idiocy, the governor pivoted to a suggestion that his administration would render the issue moot by eliminating rape in the state of Texas. Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them and getting them off the streets, Abbott said. So, goal No. 1 in the state of Texas is to eliminate rape, so that no woman no person will be a victim of rape. Wed all like to see violent crime extinguished from our society. But to exclude a rape exception from an abortion bill on the grounds that rape will no longer be occurring in your state is sheer lunacy. This is the road weve traveled over the past 54 years: from assuming that rape victims are lying about what theyve endured to declaring that your state can use the power of wish fulfillment to make rape go away. The Texas abortion law was carefully (and cynically) crafted to violate the spirit of the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision while evading the letter of this case law. The U.S. Supreme Court concluded in Roe that a pregnant woman has a constitutional right to personal privacy and the state has no right to interfere with her decision to have an abortion in the first trimester of her term. Under the new Texas law, the state is technically not preventing abortions from occurring. Its simply empowering an army of litigious bounty hunters to intimidate and harass away all abortion access in this state. In a way, its fitting, because so much of the work against abortion access over the past 48 years has centered on scaring away abortion providers through sustained, private acts of intimidation and harassment. The Texas law simply takes that battle to courthouses. Texas Republicans, who have fought for years against what they view as frivolous lawsuits, have now opened the door to a tsunami of ridiculous litigation. Those same Republicans, who fancy themselves to be champions of personal privacy and individual liberty, have enlisted the residents of this state to spy on their neighbors to see if someone possibly gave a ride to a woman who might be more than six weeks pregnant and could be considering an abortion. It lines up perfectly with the ethos contained in the GOPs equally controversial voting-restriction law, which arms partisan poll watchers to put a scare into opposition voters. Thats how this state functions right now. Its governance by chilling effect, vigilantism as public policy. Based on the giddy faces of Abbott and Republican lawmakers, theres more where that came from. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 I was 13 when the twin towers fell. Like so many of us, my memories of that day are still vivid 20 years later. A growing sense of tension and uncertainty in my suburban New York middle school. As classmates were slowly retrieved by their parents, anxious speculation among those who remained. By early afternoon, horror replaced confusion as my father told me what had happened. I remember exactly where on that short drive home he grimly told me the estimates of how many people had died. Any American my age can offer similar memories. The experience of 9/11 shaped the way my generation understands the world. Sept. 12, and the years that followed, are, of course, far less vivid. The uncertainty we felt faded gradually as names and phrases such as al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden and the war on terror became a part of daily language. A paradigm, a model of understanding the world, developed in our foreign policy: The United States was threatened by an international terrorist network, but future 9/11s could be prevented through increased domestic security and overseas intervention. Eight years after 9/11, I decided to pursue a career in the study of terrorism, confident I would find a job in academia or government. In 2009, the global war on terror seemed poised to continue for the rest of my life. I was 32 when the Capitol was besieged Jan. 6. A routine afternoon of work was abandoned, as I watched livestreamed video of rioters and evacuating politicians. I felt the same sense of uncertainty and tension as nearly 20 years before, filtered through years of studying political violence. By nightfall, it was clear 9/11s massive loss of life would not reoccur. But it was equally clear the world I would wake up to Jan. 7 would be fundamentally different from the world I had lived in for 20 years. Like 9/11, the events of Jan. 6 mark a paradigm shift in how Americans relate to and understand political violence. Jan. 6 will form the defining cultural memory of political violence for Americans who were born after 9/11. The threat of a future 1/6 will shape Americans political lives, as policymakers shift resources from international counterterrorism to combating domestic extremism. This pivot away from the global war on terror carries with it significant challenges, as we cannot effortlessly adapt international strategies to new domestic threats. Jose Luis Magana /Associated Press The first challenge is the diffused nature of domestic extremist groups. International terrorist attacks like 9/11 are complex operations, requiring planning, funding and expertise to commit violence from thousands of miles away. One of the most important accomplishments of the global war on terror has been the disruption of international terrorist networks, preventing attacks on the magnitude of 9/11. Domestic terrorism requires far less resources and coordination, and the United States has a lengthy history of attacks by individual extremists. We should be prepared for domestic counterterrorism to be less successful than international efforts and the very real possibility of domestic violence similar to Jan. 6. We will also face challenges in updating international counterterrorism strategies to effectively, and legally, combat domestic extremism. Many successful international strategies, such as security screenings and individual travel bans, rely on formal borders that do not exist within the United States. Other strategies cannot be legally employed against domestic threats, due to constitutional protections. These include controversial tactics, such as the targeted killing of terrorist leaders, and less divisive policies, like imposing criminal and economic sanctions on noncitizen terrorists. If policymakers have become over-reliant on these strategies, it will be difficult to effectively combat major domestic threats. The final difficulty for counterterrorism efforts will be navigating the reality that Jan. 6 was perpetrated by fringe groups that are, nevertheless, connected to one of Americas dominant political movements, conservatism. Islamist political movements have never had a strong presence in America, but the global war on terror inflicted significant harm on Muslim American communities. Political scientists routinely find overreaching domestic security efforts can alienate citizens, stoke political or racial grievances, and spark violent backlash against perceived injustices. In the aftermath of Jan. 6, with American trust in government at historic lows, significant efforts must be taken to distinguish between those guilty of violence and the broader, peaceful political movement. If this does not occur, efforts to reduce domestic extremism will inevitably spark more violence in the future. Jeremy Berkowitz is a lecturer of political science at Prairie View A&M University. Twenty years have passed since the traumatic event of 9/11. As an educator teaching about 9/11, the students and I initially shared a lived experience and memory. However, the students I am teaching today at St. Marys University were not yet born in 2001. For them, 9/11 is history. But the educators of this next generation must keep it from feeling like distant history. This presents new challenges in structuring dialogue that has moved from students saying, I remember, to I can only imagine. The common element over the past 20 years has been sharing my personal memory and tying it to the lived experiences of todays young adults. On Sept. 11, 2001, I was in Madrid attending an international education conference. Participants came from more than 50 countries and represented every major religion of the world. When news spread of planes striking the World Trade Center, participants gathered in the large conference auditorium to watch the news. We sat in silence as we watched the collapse of the twin towers. It seemed as though each person present had a friend or family member in or close to New York City, and everyone wanted to contact them, but the phone lines to the United States had been shut down. The internet was also down, preventing email to those in the U.S. All flights to the United States had been canceled, and the Spanish army quickly surrounded the U.S. Embassy. On ExpressNews.com: Cary Clack: September 11 attacks reverberate 20 years later Board members of the conferences host organization met to devise a strategic plan to calm concerned participants and attend to their immediate logistical needs. As a board member, I participated in the planning. We organized a computer center for those trying to email family and friends throughout the world. We became travel agents assisting members in rebooking tickets, even though there was no indication of when flights to the U.S. would resume. A housing assistance center was established to ensure participants could remain in their hotel or dormitory rooms for the duration of the crisis, and we worked with catering so meals would be provided. These were nuts-and-bolts issues that had to be dealt with first. At the end of that initial strategic planning session, the discussion turned to the spiritual needs of the conference participants. Thus, on the evening of 9/11, a prayer service was organized. There was not an empty seat in that large auditorium. For close to three hours there were spontaneous prayers, songs, chants, liturgical dances and readings of Scripture and poems of peace as organizers opened the stage to anyone feeling moved to share. On that stage were followers of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Bahai, Jain, Confucian, Zoroastrian, Shinto, Tao and Indigenous religions. This was, and remains, the most spiritual moment of my life. It was transformational. Todays challenge is to find ways to enable students to imagine that short-lived experience of shared global unity. I emphasize that conference participants from around the world did not become one on 9/11; rather, we became whole. Unity was not experienced in our diversity but through our diversity. The goal is to have students for whom 9/11 is history focus their imagination on visualizing global wholeness while understanding the complexity of the issues they find traumatic today. Their lived experiences must be discussed for them to have a deep understanding of the 9/11 trauma. Larry Hufford is a professor of political science and international relations at St. Marys University. As COVID-19 surges once again, I look on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 with a different set of eyes. As one of the San Antonio families directly affected by the events of 9/11, I again find myself asking what it is to be an American. The pain of who and what we lost that day echo far beyond the confines of that one tragedy. My sister, Dora Marie Menchaca, a research scientist with a Ph.D in epidemiology, died at the Pentagon aboard American Airlines Flight 77. Now, I find myself wondering what impact she would have had on this pandemic, our family and the community if she were still with us. If all of the victims were still with us. When we lost my sister, the outpouring of sympathy sustained us. America came together as one to help those who had suffered a great loss, to help pick up the pieces and get this country back on its feet. Ironically, the last show I attended, in February 2020, was the Broadway musical Come From Away, about the small Canadian town of Gander, Newfoundland, whose 10,000 residents opened their community and hearts to 6,000 passengers whose planes were diverted on 9/11. I cried throughout the entire performance. I just wanted to publicly thank them for all of their kindness. On ExpressNews.com: Cary Clack: September 11 attacks reverberate 20 years later As for our current situation the surge in COVID-19 Ive experienced a far different response to a national, and global, event. At the post office, a woman made sure to point out to those of us wearing masks that our governor said we didnt have to wear them anymore. She then quickly ran out the door. Unless you know a persons story, its best not to make any assumptions. Just be respectful. Then there was the time we had to let someone inside our home for a service call. The technician entered without a mask. Granted, he did not know our story. When I asked him to put on a mask, he replied that he was fully vaccinated. I told him that we were, too, but to please put one on anyway. As the Stand Your Ground law ran through my mind, and the thought of grabbing and tossing him out the door flashed in my head, I could not believe he was actually picking a fight with a gray-haired lady. And, in front of my own mother, no less. Finally, he left to retrieve a mask. The company returned my call with an apology. But what of the other homes the technician visited before and after that day. What was their story? With many in our Hispanic community living in multigenerational households, its imperative that we have our children mask up, especially if they ever hope to go back to in-person learning . They can do it theyre smart, especially fifth graders. Our abuelos and abuelitas (and our school staff) deserve nothing less. If our kids are not yet eligible to get this particular vaccine, then its up to us as adults to get fully vaccinated. And to mask up as well. For all of them. In the United States, we have lost more than 650,000 people to this pandemic. But what weve lost in terms of their impact on our lives is immeasurable. We cannot ask our health care workers to continue to go through this anguish. They have been stepping up and dealing with this unprecedented situation long enough. Please listen to them. Ive taken three COVID-19 tests and received three vaccine doses. Each time, I could not have felt more patriotic. Because Im doing my part to give back for all the promises of hope that have ever been extended to us. On ExpressNews.com: 'Stay strong, mijo' - A reporter reflects on his 9/11 coverage Before I got vaccinated, I was not able to attend six funerals due to COVID-19 safety concerns. Who else has lost a sister-in-law, an uncle, a friend, a mentor (or two) or the love of ones life? (Mi struggo e mi tormento!) Only three weeks ago, we lost a beloved aunt who always answered my calls with Hows my baby? Sitting in the chapel, physically distanced and yet completely enveloped by love, I was reminded why we need these rituals. Im thankful to my brother-in-law for raising two kind and thoughtful children, with my great-niece and -nephew carrying on the love. The America I know is extraordinary. When volunteers are needed, we show up. Thats the America I know: An America that steps up. We can all contribute and help this country get back on its feet. Weve done it before, and we can do it again. I know this because this is just one of many stories. Nancy N.J. Menchaca lives in San Antonio. It happened 20 years ago, but the hurt will never go away. It may dull, at moments, or shift in perspective and understanding with the passage of time. But it is an attack that changed this nation and, as our withdrawal from Afghanistan shows so poignantly, continues to shape our place in this world. Known by its calendar assignation, 9/11 is one of the most horrific days in U.S. history, a day when death and destruction upset the serenity of a clear, sunny morning in New York City. It was the first of three attacks, the others in Shanksville, Pa., and Washington, D.C., all perpetrated by terrorists commandeering airplanes and turning them into missiles. In all, nearly 3,000 people died, with hundreds more injured; this death toll included 343 firefighters and 71 law enforcement officers. President Joe Biden will visit all three sites. There was a moment, however fleeting, after these terrorist attacks when our nation rallied as one and responded with what then-President George W. Bush called the best of America. Today, our nation saw evil the very worst of human nature and we responded with the best of America, with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could, Bush said at the time. As the World Trade Center collapsed, eyewitnesses described the shrill, blood-curdling screams. Firefighters arrived; so did police officers and emergency medical technicians, all of them heroes, running into the towers as people ran away. They struggled for hours, trying to save the thousands entombed in the very complex where they had been working, quietly and peacefully, only moments before. Lets remember Brian Sweeneys poignant voice message to his wife, Julie, as Flight 175 veered toward the towers. Jules, this is Brian. Listen, Im on an airplane thats been hijacked. If things dont go well, and its not looking good, I just want you to know I absolutely love you. I want you to do good, go have good times. Same to my parents and everybody, and I just totally love you, and Ill see you when you get there, Sweeney said. With the two towers bursting into flames, men and women jumped out of windows, preferring the peril below to the peril above. They were burning already, many of them. Arms and legs aflame, they looked like matchsticks carelessly tossed to the ground. For years, we agnoized over the Falling Man. Dust and ash arose from the streets, a dark cloud of death. The smoke was so thick that people 20 blocks away started coughing, tasting the grit of destruction. Along busy avenues in Manhattan, pedestrians huddled in front of electronic stores, transfixed by the images on the TVs in the display windows. Twenty years later, the horror remains vivid, but there is a countervailing dynamic we must also remember the response of all the men and women involved in the rescue efforts. They acted with the valor and selflessness of heroes the best of us. Along with the horror and courage, we remember the anger an emotion sure to resurface with the recent declassification of information collected during the U.S. investigation of the attacks. This anniversary opens the door for a more profound reflection. Something that goes beyond the assignation of a calendar date 9/11 to deeply mourn the loss of nearly 3,000 lives and the profound direction the attacks took this nation to war in Afghanistan and then to Iraq. It also should give us pause to remember the brief national unity we shared in the aftermath of these terrorist attacks and the deep fissures we cling to in this present moment. What has happened to this nation over the past 20 years? Has our response to 9/11 been a success? Is the world a safer place from terrorism? Have we fully honored the victims in this tragedy? Search deep inside for the answers as 9/11 is so much more than a day of remembrance. Visit San Antonios new top executive plans to broaden visitors perceptions of the city by telling stories about familiar landmarks such as the Alamo and River Walk, as well as lesser-known tales highlighting San Antonios cultural diversity. But Marc Andersons challenge will be storytelling on a reduced budget while convincing tourists and conventioneers to visit even as COVID-19 is still raging. The City Council on Thursday is expected to approve a budget of $27.2 million for Visit San Antonio for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, up more than 28 percent from this year. But its still $6.5 million less than pre-pandemic funding because revenue from the city tax on hotel rooms, which funds the budget, is down about 30 percent from levels before COVID-19 hammered the citys tourism industry. The council could also renew its five-year agreement with the tourism organization and add reporting requirements that could result in more transparency into how its spending the millions in public funds it receives. Though Anderson has only been president and CEO of Visit San Antonio for a little more than three months, he knows the damage wrought on the citys third-largest industry by the coronavirus. At the blink of an eye it all stopped due to the global pandemic we are still living in, he told the City Council at a budget hearing late last month for the public-private tourism organization. VIEWS & VOICES: The newest newsletter you wont want to miss Anderson has compiled a list of dozens of stories he wants to tell, including the diverse ethnic influences that help define San Antonio, the citys Western history displayed in cowboy culture and rodeos, the largest Martin Luther King Day march in the U.S., and the only nighttime LGBTQ+ Pride Parade in Texas. His storytelling plan charmed a City Council that got to know Anderson on a personal level in recent weeks, as he met with members in their districts, touting stories that would extend beyond downtowns traditional tourism hub and bring visitors to their areas and patrons to local businesses. Mayor Ron Nirenberg remarked that one of the challenges the city has failed to meet is this: How do we brand San Antonio? For many people outside of San Antonio were a very static brand associated with the Alamo, but there is so much more to San Antonio than that, he said, citing the arts and the citys cultural and culinary scenes. Thin on details But optimism about bringing more visitors to San Antonio through stories was tempered by realism. Anderson said visitor levels year-round wont rebound to pre-pandemic levels until 2024. Also missing from the budget hearing were details. Anderson didnt tell the City Council how much of the $27.2 million he plans to spend on the storytelling efforts formally called marketing and how much will be spent rebuilding staff, such as salespeople to lure conventions. Much of the storytelling plan is expected to be launched online but that also wasnt detailed. The 80-person organization laid off about half its staff in May 2020, including staff responsible for booking conventions at the citys Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Anderson refused requests for an interview. We are currently evaluating the potential to increase staffing based on role, demand and sustainability. There are key roles that are important to our future success, Visit San Antonio spokesman Richard Oliver said without offering more details. The City Council is also expected to give renewed life for Visit San Antonio on Sept. 16. The city used to run its own Convention and Visitors Bureau, but in 2016 outsourced tourism promotion to Visit San Antonio, which has its own board of directors. The five-year agreement ends Sept. 30 and the council is expected to renew it for another five years. The idea was that Visit San Antonio would have more promotional dollars to spend than the city tourism office because it wont be reliant solely on the citys tax on hotel rooms for funding. Hotels, motels and restaurants and tourist attractions also contribute funding, making it a public-private organization. Little private funding But it never worked that way. Visit San Antonio has received only a fraction of its funding from partners the past five years, instead relying almost exclusively on funds collected through the hotel room tax. City Council members didnt ask Anderson why more funding from partners hadnt come through, particularly before the pandemic. Visit San Antonio has 500 partner members. A Visit San Antonio official, speaking on background because he was not officially authorized to share details, said Andersons goal is to reintroduce the organizations membership program and eventually reach 625 members. Visit San Antonio had put the program on hold in spring 2020 and not asked for dues from current members, the official said. As part of the new five-year agreement, Visit San Antonio will also be required to provide more metrics to city officials about its operations beyond number of rooms booked and cost of media placements. Data highlighting convention center performance, other event activity and general tourism and hospitality industry conditions will also be required, per a consultants recommendation. A Visit San Antonio spokesman said the organization has begun to provide the new . The tourism organization will also be required in the future to submit its business plan before the city approved its budget by the end of September, another recommendation of the consultant. His report noted that Visit San Antonio has been providing the report as late as November. River Walk takeover Visit San Antonio has also taken over the financially struggling River Walk Association, the organization that staged various barges, parades and other events along the San Antonio River for decades. It ran into financial trouble because River Walk parades and festivals were canceled during the pandemic, depriving the association of revenue from event sponsors and people purchasing seats to watch events. Nine members of the River Walk Association, including several board members, objected to the absorption of Visit San Antonio into the River Walk association earlier this year in a letter, demanding to examine association financial records. But the boards of both organizations approved the deal early this year. The River Walk Associations chairwoman, Maria Martinez, told the Express-News last February, The overwhelming majority of our members are supportive of the unanimous decision by our board to take the step on a possible merger. Visit San Antonio spokesman Oliver said the River Walk events are self-supporting. They will cost about $1 million to stage, he said, with revenue in the same amount coming back to Visit San Antonio. No city funds have been or will be used, he said. Oliver also said Visit San Antonio is going through the schedule of San Antonio River events for the foreseeable future, with an eye toward improvements to visitor experiences. Oliver said Anderson is already adding enhanced entertainment options at the events. For the Armed Forces River Parade on July 3, for example, he said Anderson introduced more confetti cannons on the floats, stickers for folks attending, selfie stations and an extended performance by a military band. Hopeful signs One hopeful sign for Anderson in his efforts to bolster San Antonio tourism is that leisure travelers are returning to the city. Increases have been noticeable since spring break in March, with visitor numbers peaking in July. Information from hospitality industry data firm STR show that overall hotel occupancy in San Antonio in July averaged 74 percent, the best month since the pandemic began and falling just short of pre-pandemic levels. In July 2019, the occupancy rate was 76.6 percent. But with the start of the slower fall season, as children are heading back to school and vacation season is ending, hotels are reporting plenty of empty rooms. Thats the case particularly during the week, said Chris Hagee, CEO of the Hagee Hospitality Group, a local hotel management company. And, he said, many of the conventioneers that typically replace vacationing families during the week are still missing in action. Anderson acknowledged the challenges of rebuilding the conventions and meetings business at the City Hall budget hearing. His goal by 2024 is to reach 43 citywide convention events, he said. That would still be down from 2019, when the city hosted 51 such events. This year, San Antonio is scheduled to accommodate 24 groups with most scheduled for the fall assuming no more cancel. A citywide convention is defined as an event that would fill at least a thousand hotel rooms on its largest night. In 2020 and 2021 the city has lost 292 meetings, big and small. Focusing on tourists Consultants say its difficult to assess when the convention and meetings market will fully recover. Over the past 18 months, convention and business travel have been slower to recover than leisure travel, said Chelsea McCready, senior director of hospitality market analytics for the CoStar Group. Prior to the pandemic, the group segment (mostly conventions) accounted for a third of all hotel rooms sold in the city, so its safe to say that the San Antonio hotel market will struggle to reach full recovery without significant improvement in this segment. McCready said the rise of the COVID-19 delta variant over the past few months has stopped what was beginning to be a recovery in the meetings market. She said meeting sponsors, attendees and convention speakers will all need to feel comfortable about the health risks before a full recovery can be achieved. Even with an uncertain full recovery, Anderson has one piece of positive news to tout. Consultants say San Antonio is outpacing other major Texas cities like Austin, Houston and Dallas in the number of tourists visiting in recent months. They say the convention business is a smaller piece of the overall pie in San Antonio than in those cities, meaning San Antonio is reaping more the benefits of pent-up demand for leisure travelers. San Antonio has also more leisure attractions than the other major Texas cities, said Randy McCaslin, founder & CEO at McCaslin Hotel Consulting in Houston. He said Anderson is smart to be building his new storytelling efforts beyond the River Walk and The Alamo. They are wonderful places to go. But after about 10 times to the River Walk and the Alamo, you want more, McCaslin said. And San Antonio has a lot more. Youve got the mission trails, Sea Worlds, Six Flags. Its just got so many leisure attractions. Anderson spent his entire life in Chicago until moving to San Antonio in June. He was the chief operating officer of Choose Chicago, that citys tourism marketing organization. He replaced Visit San Antonio President and CEO Casandra Matej, who took the top job at Visit Orlando in Florida. Sterling, VA (20165) Today Sun and clouds mixed. High 89F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Sterling, VA (20165) Today Partly cloudy. High near 90F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Tequila in September? Why not. Tequila is believed to have been developed in Mexico around 1000 B.C. from the fermented sap of the agave plant. According to liquor.com, modern-day tequila was introduced in the 1700s and the margarita was born in 1936. "A newspaperman named James Graham and his wife took a trip to Tijuana, where they wound up in one of the surviving bars run by an Irishman called Madden, who was known around the area for his Tequila Daisy," the site claims. "Margarita" means "daisy" in Spanish. Enjoying the Mexican spirit is just one way to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15. Steve Bayusik, director of operations for Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill, which has locations in Fairfield and New Haven, said tequila is not really classified as tequila unless it comes from the state of Jalisco and is 100 percent blue agave. He added that all the managers at Geronimo are certified by the Tequila Regulatory Council. "As far as tequila goes, I will always say it's always best to look for that 100 percent blue agave notation on the bottle," Bayusik said. "Most people don't know this, but tequila goes through a very rigorous regulatory process, and every step of the tequila-making process, from the harvesting of the pinas to the bottling of the tequila and the exporting is all done with the CRT or the regulatory agency." For those looking for an authentic tequila experience, Bayusik had more words of wisdom. "The other pro tip that I would give everybody is every regulated bottle of tequila has what's called a NOM number, it's which stands for Norma Official Mexicana," Bayusik said. "Basically that's the appellation of origin for the production and the standards, and it's all government regulated. The number is basically the number of the distillery. So if you find a tequila that you like to like, you can find what other tequila that distillery makes." Read on for a list of 13 tequila bars across the state. Texiko Hamden View this post on Instagram A post shared by TexiKo Tequila Bar (@texikotequilabar) Texiko offers 18 kinds of tequila and mezcal with cocktails like a spicy marg, mezcal a la Antigua and a Tokyo draft marg. Food includes traditional Mexican fare blended with American barbecue, like smoky poutine and brisket birria quesadilla. 4-9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 3000 Whitney Ave., Hamden; 203-535-1717; texikotequilabar.com Cactus Rose Wilton Hour Photo/Alex von Kleydorff Scott Studwell mixes some cocktails at the bar at Cactus Rose in Wilton Center Cactus Rose has an extensive tequila menu full of reposado sippers, blanco shooters, anejo savours and extra anejo sippers. Cocktails include the Dali, with Sauza Blue Reposado Tequila, triple sec and fresh lime juice, the classic Cadillac with Don Julio Blanco Tequila, Cointreau and fresh lime juice, and more. 3 p.m.-close Tuesday through Friday, 2 p.m.-close Saturday and Sunday; 5 River Road, Wilton; 203-762-8484; cactusrosewilton.com Tequila Escape Ridgefield Shay Moin at Tequila Escape mixes drinks for visitors of the Taste of Ridgefield at the Lounsbury House on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020 in Ridgefield, Conn. The Ridgefield Rotary hosted the 21st annual event which brought in record amount of money. All proceeds go the Ridgefield High School scholarship and community grants. Shay Moin at Tequila Escape mixes a drink at the Taste of Ridgefield at the Lounsbury House on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020 in Ridgefield, Conn. The Ridgefield Rotary hosted the 21st annual event which brought in record amount of money. All proceeds go the Ridgefield High School scholarship and community grants. Bryan Haeffele/Hearst Connecticut Media Tequila Escape in Ridgefield has a cocktail menu with nearly 30 drinks split into three categories: margaritas, Latin classics and Speakeasy. Happy hour is 2-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and includes $2 off all house margaritas, mojitos and caipirinhas. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. daily; 439 Main St., Ridgefield; 203-438-2500; tequilaescape.com Fresca Tequila Bar and Grill Colchester View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fresca Tequila Bar & Grill (@fresca_tequila) This tequila bar and grill in Colchester sells its own make-your-own-cocktail kits which make anywhere between four and eight servings per kit. Margaritas and craft cocktails are also available for takeout at the restaurant. 4-9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, noon-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon-9p.m. Sunday; 232 New London Road, Colchester; 860-531-9234; frescabarandgrill.com Centrico Taqueria and Tequila Bar Bethel View this post on Instagram A post shared by CENTRICO (@centricoct) Centrico Taqueria and Tequila Bar in Bethel is a "scratch kitchen," according to its website, which means everything is made from scratch. The restaurant serves its cocktails with house-made bar syrups, mixers, shrubs and bitters. 4-10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 4-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3-9 p.m. Sunday; 55 Stony Hill Road, Bethel; 203-456-3952; centricoct.com Barracuda Bistro and Bar New Haven View this post on Instagram A post shared by Barracuda Bistro & Bar (@barracudanewhaven) Barracuda in New Haven features a cocktail menu with tequila drinks like the Oaxacan Old Fashioned, and house margaritas in flavors such as cucumber, peach, mango, tamarind, passion fruit, strawberry and regular. 3 p.m.-midnight Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-midnight Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday; 1180 Chapel St., New Haven; 203-691-5696; barracudanewhaven.com Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill New Haven and Fairfield Geronimo Tequila Bar in New Haven hosts a Cinco de Mayo party in the alley on May 4 and 5. There wil be street tacos, Coronas, and margaritas. On Sunday only, Cuco the Donkey returns and guests can taste Geronimos collaboration beer with Hoax Brewing Co. ctbites Geronimo has locations in Fairfield and New Haven, and both have massive tequila lists. The tequila menu is split into 18 categories, and all those tequilas can be ordered in cocktails, flights and shots. Visit geronimobarandgrill.com for hours and locations. Te Amo Tequila Bar New Haven View this post on Instagram A post shared by Te Amo Tequila Bar & Tacos (@teamotequilabar) Te Amo in New Haven offers three types of tequila: reposado, blancos and anejo. The restaurant also has an entire menu of tequila-based cocktails, like the tequila honey bee, the mi abuelas evil twin and the hot sombrero. Noon-1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, noon-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 182 Temple St., New Haven; 203-553-7914; teamotequilabar.com Tequila Revolucion Fairfield The sign outside of Tequila Revolucion in Fairfield, Conn. Jordon Grice / Hearst Connecticut Media Tequila Revolucion in Fairfield offers cocktails in the restaurant and to go. The large margarita selection includes a margjarrito, banana, passion fruit and wildberry margaritas and more. 5-9 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 1851 Post Road, Fairfield; 475-888-9841; tequilarevolucionff.com Tequila Mockingbird New Canaan The "Brutus" cocktail at Tequila Mockingbird in San Francisco, Calif. is seen on June 13th, 2017. John Storey/Special to the Chronicle In 2012, Tequila Mockingbird was one of 20 restaurants in the United States to receive certification for expertise in Tequila and its culture from the Consejo Regulador Del Tequila (Regulatory Council of Tequila), according to the restaurant's website. The restaurant was founded in 1993 and has been serving tequila since then. 5-8:45 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 6 Forest St., New Canaan; 203-966-2222; tequilamockingbirdnc.com Ocho Cafe West Hartford View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ocho Cafe Tacos & Tequila (@ocho_cafe) Ocho Cafe in West Hartford offers a selection of margaritas, including a pear margarita, a top shelf margarita, a presidential margarita and a Black Jack margarita. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 330 N. Main St., West Hartford; 860-310-3063; ochocafe.com Rio Bravo Tacos and Tequila Fairfield Rio Bravo Tacos & Tequila readies to open at 77 North Main St. in Norwalk, Conn., its third location after restaurants in Fairfield and Westport. Rio Bravo is taking space previously occupied by Sweet Lucy Lynn's and before that John Dough's Pizza in the neoclassical Murvon Building. Alexander Soule / Hearst Connecticut Media Rio Bravo in Fairfield offers a list of tequila and a number of margaritas with the choice of a salt, sugar or chili rim. The restaurant also offers margarita flights and enormous three-liter margarita towers. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 770 Commerce Dr., Fairfield; 475- 282-4316; riobravoff.com JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson is considering calling a special legislative session to challenge President Joe Biden's plan to require COVID-19 vaccination or testing for many workers. Parson told the Kansas City Star in an interview Friday that Missouri will oppose the White House initiative on multiple fronts. He didn't elaborate but left open the possibility of a special session. I dont plan on letting that happen in Missouri, Parson said of the mandate-or-testing proposals. I think the president is totally wrong on the policy hes setting forth. Biden announced sweeping new orders Thursday that will require employers with more than 100 workers to mandate immunizations or offer weekly testing. The new rules could affect as many as 100 million Americans, although its not clear how many of those people are currently unvaccinated. The U.S. is still struggling to curb the surging delta variant of the coronavirus, which is killing thousands each week and jeopardizing the nations economic recovery. Rep. Tony Lovasco, an OFallon Republican, wrote to Parson asking that legislators be allowed to address the Biden plan. He said the president's plan demands an immediate response. The House Judiciary Committee is planning to meet Wednesday to hear from Missourians about the vaccination plan. Lawmakers will already be at the Capitol for a short session to consider whether to override Parson's vetoes on bills. Republican House leaders in a joint statement called Biden's move an abusive overreach by Washington D.C. bureaucrats who are out of touch with what is best for Missouri businesses and families. Asked Friday whether Missouris response to Biden would involve a lawsuit by Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt or a special session, Parson responded: I think multiple fronts were going to fight that on. The delta variant hit hard in Missouri in June and isn't letting up. The state on Friday reported 2,544 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, 20 new deaths and an increase of 74 patients in hospitals to 2,033. Missouri has reported 647,335 cases since the onset of the pandemic, and 10,861 deaths. Two counties on the outskirts of the St. Louis area are the latest hot spots for COVID-19, according to Missouri health officials. The state on Thursday issued a hot spot advisory for Warren and Lincoln counties the first such advisory issued in the St. Louis metropolitan area since the state began issuing the advisories earlier this summer. The advisory said cases in Warren County rose from 94 in June to 231 in July and 494 in August. In the last week, Warren County had 149 new cases, up from 135 a week earlier. In Lincoln County, cases rose from 186 last week to 247 this week. Both counties have extremely low vaccination rates 30.3% in Lincoln County and 34.6% in Warren County. That compares to a national vaccination rate of 53.4% and a statewide rate of 45.9%. MULLINS, S.C. (AP) When the last mourners departed and funeral director Shawn Troy was left among the headstones, he wept alone. For five decades, the closing words at countless funerals in this town of 4,400 had been delivered by his father, William Penn Troy Sr. Now the elder Troy was gone, one of many Black morticians claimed by a pandemic that has taken an outsized toll on African Americans, after months of burying its victims. And as Shawn Troy stepped forward to speak in place of a man well known beyond his trade -- for his work in county politics and advocacy of its Black citizens -- the emptiness felt overwhelming. Not just his family, but his community, had lost an anchor. I walked over to his grave and I could hear him talking to me, Shawn Troy said, his own voice breaking as he recalled kneeling beside the plot last September, on a low rise near two palmetto trees. And he said, You got it. You can do it. This is what you were built for. He passed the baton on to me, so Ive got to get running. He is hardly alone. Since the start of the pandemic, about 130 Black morticians have died from COVID-19, according to the association that represents them. Deaths of funeral workers are not closely tracked. But the National Funeral Directors Association, which represents the broader industry, said it has not seen a corresponding rise in COVID deaths among its members. The deaths of Black morticians are particularly notable because of the prominent role they have long played in many communities. Often admired for their success in business, a number have been elected to political office, served as local power brokers, and helped fund civil rights efforts. At the same time, the homegoing services they arrange have frequently served as communal touchstones, events as much about life as death, that draw mourners together with pageantry, preaching and song. Black funerals are more celebration, and thats no disrespect to my colleagues across the country. Were more, I should say, intimate, said Hari P. Close, president of the National Funeral Directors & Morticians Association and the operator of a Baltimore funeral home. The association represents Black morticians. When the pandemic hit, the very closeness and celebration that distinguish Black funerals put morticians at risk, Close said. Their deaths have left some successors struggling to fill their role. It has really had an impact ... particularly in African American funeral homes, he said. The deaths have come despite concerted efforts by morticians to protect themselves from the virus and limits imposed on the size and scope of burial gatherings to keep it from spreading. This year was unlike any other year Ive ever lived through in the funeral service, said Edith Churchman, the fourth-generation owner of a mortuary in Newark, N.J. that serves a largely Black clientele. Dealing with an onslaught of COVID deaths, at first with limited personal protective equipment, and later with shortages of caskets and prepared burial plots, put pressure on funeral directors that far exceeded the demands at the peak of the AIDS epidemic, she said. We were getting bombarded with COVID bodies, said Dr. Mary Gaffney, who stepped in to run her brother, Jeremiahs, funeral home in Inwood, New York after he died of the virus last May. At least 95,000 Black Americans have died of COVID, according to an AP analysis of data from the National Center for Health Statistics, perishing at the highest rate of any racial group in the U.S. Adjusting the figures to account for age differences shows that Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans are two to three times more likely to die of the virus than white people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of course ... you feared for your own safety, Churchman said. Youre kind of dangling on that precipice, saying what if? In Mississippi, Luzern Sonny Dillon and employees at his two funeral homes worked for months to fulfill COVID safety protocols, restricting gatherings. But Dillon, a widely known former councilman, continued his routine of spending time in the community, engaging people in conversation. People would be like, You know, Mr. Sonny, and theyd just begin to talk and share things with him. It was just like a given, his wife, Georgia Dillon, said. In one of those conversations, early this year, a restaurant manager confided to Dillon that hed lost three family members to COVID in a matter of weeks. The mortician extended his condolences, reassuring the man that, contrary to what some people said, the pandemic was very real. Those words proved prescient. A few weeks later, a funeral home employee tested positive, followed soon after by both of the Dillons. Just in case I dont make it out of here, this is what I want you all to do, Sonny Dillon told his wife from a hospital bed in March. He died weeks later at 72. Georgia Dillon, a nurse, had long helped keep financial ledgers for the business. But her husband was the unquestioned consoler-in-chief and she and other family members scrambled to keep the funeral homes, in McComb and Tylertown, running in his absence. But there was little filling the role that Sonny Dillon occupied beyond the mortuary. In his 20s, he had been one of the first Black candidates elected to local political office. Later, he worked with the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. to rename a boulevard for the slain civil rights leader. He pushed to get more Black citizens to vote. Dillons civic role fit a pattern common in many African American communities, where morticians have long been prominent, said Suzanne E. Smith, a professor at George Mason University who authored a book about the Black funeral business. The best known include the Ford family of Memphis, Tennessee, funeral home operators who sent a father and son to Congress. In Detroit, funeral director Charles Diggs Sr. was a state legislator before his son won a seat in Washington and helped found the Congressional Black Caucus. In cities throughout the South, funeral directors often supplied the limousines for visiting civil rights leaders when they came to rally supporters. Theres all this stuff going on in (Black) funeral homes that is not about burying the dead, but servicing the living, Smith said. By late this summer, Georgia Dillon was preparing to turn over the business to her daughter and son-in-law. Working together with employees at the funeral homes, the family is determined to maintain the business as Sonny Dillon would have run it. We talk and we cry and we try to build each other up. We tell each other weve got to keep his legacy going, she said. In New York, Gaffney is trying to do much the same, but after years away from the funeral business. During the first months of the pandemic, Gaffney said she warned her brother, who had some chronic health issues, to isolate himself and let employees at the funeral home care for the bodies of the dead. But that was not his character. The funeral home, started by the Gaffneys parents in the early 1970s, had long served mostly African American families in the city neighborhoods and suburban towns near John F. Kennedy International Airport. But after the gregarious Jeremiah took over from his father, a staid retired Army officer, he worked to broaden the clientele, speaking French to some families and hiring staff who spoke Spanish and African languages to others. In the mortuary business youve got to really be in the community, Mary Gaffney said. That was his thing. He was grass roots. He never met a stranger. While Jeremiah Gaffney ran the family business, Mary Gaffney studied medicine, setting up a practice in Charlotte, North Carolina. After her brother fell ill over the Easter weekend of 2020 and then was diagnosed with COVID, she tried to ensure his care. But his death weeks later, at 65, confronted Mary Gaffney with responsibilities well beyond her expertise. With deaths soaring, she rented a refrigerated trailer to handle the overload. In the New York City neighborhood a few blocks from the funeral home, COVID has killed more than 500 people, double the citywide average. I dont think it slowed. I think I just sped up, said Gaffney, who hired a second funeral director, supplementing one already working in New York, to help her coordinate operations from Charlotte. Every other week, Gaffney drove between the cities to take on the responsibilities her brother had left behind. But she declined offers to sell, feeling that would betray the legacy of her parents and the grandparents who funded its founding. And she has embraced the role her brother once filled as the face of the business, taking calls from grieving families at all hours. Just getting through a year without her brother to tell her what to do feels like crossing a finish line, she said. Were going to see what the future holds, said Gaffney, who hopes younger family members might eventually seek a place in the business. Needless to say, its been an emotional journey. South Carolinas Troy has faced somewhat different challenges, taking over the mortuary business founded by his father in 1973 after years of working alongside him. The thing about me and my dad was, we woke up together, we came to work together and then went home and ate together and talked late at night, he said. The Troys had agreed that Shawn would take over the business during the next few years. But he had expected to do so with his fathers counsel. The void left by the senior Troys death extends well beyond the chapel. Over the years, the elder Troy, known as Penn, had served as a county commissioner, local school board member and church treasurer. But those were just his official duties. If my mother didnt have enough to feed us, hed help us out. When youre talking about Mr. Penn, he was the community, said Jessica Godbolt, a former neighbor whose family gathered recently for the funeral of her uncle. Penn Troy used jokes and small talk to win people over and get things done, said Cynthia Leggette, a school board member and longtime friend. When officials voted to close a school because of declining enrollment, Troy pushed to turn it into a science and technology academy that quickly drew more students, she said. Noting that a citizens committee lobbying for school improvements was overwhelmingly white, Troy made calls that brought Black parents into the fold. Growing up in the 60s, Penn knew what struggle was, Legette said. He would tell me, Cynthia, we have been blessed ... so its up to us to lift the torch and light the way for our children. In recognition, officials gathered recently under a tent at Mullins edge to name a stretch of U.S. 76 the William Penn Troy Highway. Directly across the road, a digital sign flashed a welcome to motorists: For Your Safety and Ours, Please Wear a Mask. Last summer, both Troys were diagnosed and hospitalized with COVID. The elder Troy never returned home. And two weeks after his fathers burial, Shawn Troy presided over the first funeral without him. The early months were the hardest. Penn Troys charisma gave life to the business of death. Shawn Troy had mostly worked behind the scenes. He recently declined an invitation to get involved in civic affairs, at least for now, preferring to focus on his new role. Standing in the chapel recently on the evening before a funeral, he greeted mourners by name, placing his arm around several shoulders. You doing all right? he asked from behind his mask. I havent seen you in a while. But returning again and again to run funerals at the cemetery where his father is buried is a constant reminder that he is doing so alone. Near sunset recently, Troy paced down a row of headstones, planting tiny flags at an empty plot to mark it for a burial the following morning. Not 50 feet away, lengthening shadows stretched across his fathers grave. I dont think Ill ever get over it, he said. But Ill get through it. ___ Associated Press reporters Allen G. Breed and Angeliki Kastanis contributed to this story. New London Police / Contributed NEW LONDON A city resident turned herself in on an active warrant stemming from a fatal pedestrian collision in November 2020, according to police. Shortly before 6 p.m. on Nov. 16, 2020, first responders were dispatched after several 911 calls about a vehicle and pedestrian collision in the area of Broad and Channing streets. The man who had been hit by a vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene by medics, police said. Fairfield, MT (59436) Today Partly cloudy. High 74F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Low 41F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Youth group leaders including Bear Grylls are being encouraged to teach Countryside Code resources after attempts to make it part of the national curriculum were dismissed. The Country Land & Business Association (CLA) and Leaf Education are urging youth groups to make use of their newly-released resource pack on the Countryside Code. They have written to the Duke of Edinburghs Award, Girlguiding, Scout Association, including Chief Scout Bear Grylls, Sea Cadets and British Orienteering asking them to teach children the free lesson plan. They centre around the codes messages of respect, protecting the environment and enjoying the outdoors through activities including a soil investigators exercise, sky lantern role play activity and waymarker memory game. It is hoped these packs will help children and young adults understand that safe and responsible behaviour in the countryside is fundamental to enjoyment of it. The Countryside Code, which was first introduced in 1951, was recently refreshed following a rise in the number of visitors to the countryside during the pandemic. Changes include clearer rules to underline the importance of clearing away dog mess and staying on footpaths to protect crops and wildlife. Mark Bridgeman, president of the CLA said: More and more people continue to make the most of our beautiful countryside and we want to ensure they all feel welcome. "In doing so, we want to help people understand how to enjoy their visit safely and responsibly, starting in schools and youth groups. For a long time there has been a lack of education around the Countryside Code, which is why weve developed these packs to ensure young people, and their families, can enjoy visits to the countryside. Wed strongly urge all youth groups to make full use of this resource so that they themselves can become custodians of the countryside, with both visitors and farmers reaping the rewards. Carl Edwards, director of Leaf Education, said it was important that young people learned from an early age about the important messages in the Countryside Code. "The earlier young people experience the joy of the countryside, the greater their chance of developing a life-long enjoyment and respect of the environment around them," he said. Jeremy Clarkson has hosted a public meeting with villagers who live near his farm amid concern about the increase in traffic due to the success of his new TV series. The former Top Gear presenter attended the meeting on Thursday (9 September) at the Memorial Hall in Chadlington, Oxfordshire. Villagers highlighted concerns about the increase in traffic created by Clarkson's Diddly Squat farm shop, which is featured in Clarkson's Farm. The hugely popular Amazon Prime TV series charts Clarkson's venture into farming after buying a 1,000-acre farm. The programme, which has had the go ahead for a second series, was filmed throughout the course of the farming year in 2019. Arriving at Thursday's meeting, Clarkson said: "Gossip spreads in villages and they don't know what we're doing." He told those who attended the one-hour meeting his plans to convert his lambing shed into a restaurant, subject to planning. And he also reportedly said he would take measures to curb visitor numbers to his farm shop, which has seen huge visitor numbers and long queues. Local resident Jonathan Moore was at the meeting. He said: "As expected there were some people who had very strong views either way. "The people who had negative views made them more strongly. He gave his views for the future and that's all we can really hope for." Clarkson's new farming series first aired on 11 June on Prime, and it has turned out to be one of the service's most popular programmes. Speaking to FarmingUK before the show first aired, Clarkson explained that he wanted to present British farming in a different light. An enthusiastic sheep farmer is needed to become the new representative of next year's Love Lamb Week campaign. The seventh annual Love Lamb Week drew to a close last week week following seven days of enhanced promotion. Farmers, UK levy boards and organisations shared the message of sustainable sheep farming and the nutritious product it creates. The 2021 campaign targeted retailers, chefs and butchers as well as farmers and the wider industry itself to urge them to share information on the qualities of lamb. The National Sheep Association (NSA) is now hoping the momentum can continue and is seeking a sheep farmer to become the new face of Love Lamb. The successful farmer will take on social media activity for the campaign, following its establishment in 2015 by Cumbrian sheep farmer Rachel Lumley. Rachel sadly passed away in 2020, therefore it is hoped the new face of the campaign will take on her legacy and ambition to improve the UK's taste for lamb. NSA communications officer Katie James said: "NSA recognises that the success of the campaign is boosted by farmers' own activity, telling their personal story of their work to produce a sustainable delicious product in the UKs beautiful countryside. "That is why NSA and the Love Lamb steering group is now searching for a farmer who is happy to share their working life with the British public via social media to help inform and educate. To apply to take on the activity applicants are required to complete an online form and submit a short video detailing their own sheep farming story, and why they would be a good spokesperson. Applicants must be aged 18 or above and live and work in the UK, with sheep farming as their main source of income. Ms James added: NSA is already aware of many enthusiastic and engaging farmers using social media to give an insight into life working in agriculture who are excellent at informing the public on the highs and lows of farming life. "We are confident this competition will uncover some new farming faces who can help the social media accounts attract a larger audience that will enjoy watching and learning from the stories and posts that are shared. The successful applicant will take on the Love Lamb Facebook and Twitter accounts for the next 12 months providing the opportunity to share content from a complete farming year. They will be required to work with NSA and the other organisations involved in delivery of Love Lamb Week to ensure a consistent message is shared with audiences. Following the submission of a short video, applicants will be invited to complete a short Zoom interview with a panel of industry experts before commencing their own social media activity at the beginning of October. Applications close on Wednesday 15 September at 5pm. The development of a 15 million net-zero farming centre in North Wales could play a key role in helping the UK meet its carbon neutral targets. The 15-year initiative, based at Coleg Cambria Llysfasi, in Denbighshire, will pioneer new technologies in digital and precision agriculture and renewable energy. It will host a suite of demonstration facilities where farmers and land managers can learn best practice and see for themselves how they can be applied. The hub will aim to improve the uptake of renewable energy initiatives with a target of 40 projects over five years, along with improved knowledge transfer to 500 businesses and communities. It will provide opportunities for commercial testing of market-ready technology whilst delivering a financial injection and further diversification of the regions rural economy. It comes as the UK government set 2050 as its net zero deadline; the Welsh government believes it can be done sooner and the NFU is aiming for 2040. The union is encouraging farmers to improve productive efficiency and land management, boost renewable energy on-farm and the look at options for capturing carbon. Llysfasi's project manager George Fisher has been busy garnering the support, opinions and concerns of farmers and relevant stakeholders across the region. There is a hunger there to get this done and to make the changes needed to meet these targets to improve efficiency, which will in turn improve profits and business models, he said. The main challenge I have is the sheer complexity and number of different organisations and individuals to tap into, but already we have had very positive feedback and are making progress. The plan is to put a spade in the ground next year and be ready to go in September 2023, and we are very much on course for that. "Discussions and relationships will continue to be forged throughout 2021 hopefully in person as Covid restrictions ease and we can make even more headway throughout 2022. Recent figures revealed emissions from UK farms amount to 45.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2e) equivalent a year about one tenth of UK greenhouse gas emissions. In stark contrast to the rest of the economy only 10% of this is CO2, while around 40% is nitrous dioxide (N2O) and 50% is methane (CH4). In Wales, farming and land management accounts for 14 percent of national emissions. Mr Fisher said that farming was an industry that must change to survive and making efficiency improvements would play a major role in that. "The farming sector must be congratulated for the enormous strides it has already taken to reduce inputs and improve efficiency, and that has to continue. "The net zero farming centre will support them." Weekly pig prices have seen the biggest decline in five years against the backdrop of staff shortages in pork processing plants and soaring feed costs. There was a significant fall in the EU-spec SPP for the week ending 4 September, with the figure dropping to 156.39p per kilogram. This means that producers received, on average, 2.31p less for their pigs than the week before. At this price, the SPP is the lowest since June. The National Pig Association (NPA) warned that producers across the UK were currently facing a 'major crisis'. According to AHDB analysis, this further decrease in pig prices was a result of constraints on slaughter and processing capacity due to staff shortages. Recent falls in pig prices in most EU member states has likely also played a role, it explained, enabling pig meat imports into the UK to be more price competitive. The AHDB highlighted how the pig backlog is growing. Estimated slaughter stood at 155,700 head last, slightly lower than the week before, but 12,100 pigs down on last year and nearly 16,000 lower than the five-year average. According to the NPA, there are currently an estimated 85,000 extra pigs on farms across the UK, a number growing by approximately 15,000 per week. It warned that the backlog and falling prices were being compounded by the fact that producers were having to use more feed at a time when it was 'incredibly expensive'. GB pig production costs in the second quarter of this year reached a record 182p/kg, primarily reflects rising feed costs, according to recently-published AHDB figures. This resulted in estimated net margins of -28p/kg (or -24/head) in Q2, a similar situation to the first quarter. NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said producers across the UK were either quitting the sector or cutting down on numbers due to mounting losses. The pig backlog is now creating further problems for farmers, forcing them to find extra cash for expensive feed and incur penalties for selling overweight pigs. "Many are now being forced to face the real prospect of having to destroy pigs because there is simply nowhere for them to go. Some of the conversations I have had over the past few weeks have been heart-breaking, with many producers getting desperate and not sure what the future holds." Without immediate government intervention, more producers would be pushed over the edge, Ms Davies warned, as 22,000 sows had already been lost from the national herd this year. "Sadly we are expecting a serious contraction of the UK pig industry as a result, largely of the smaller independent farmers who are most at risk. The NPA was one of the food and farming groups behind a report by Grant Thornton, which called on ministers to introduce a 12-month Covid Recovery Visa to help alleviate the food supply workforce shortages. The report estimates there are more than 500,000 vacancies across the sector and sets out how the visa could be a vital short-term measure to enable businesses to access foreign labour while the economy recovers from Covid. Unless the government intervenes soon to help alleviate the labour shortage, more producers will quit and they wont come back," Ms Davies added. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. Oak Hill, WV (25901) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 78F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Oak Hill, WV (25901) Today Partly to mostly cloudy with widely scattered showers or thunderstorms possible this afternoon. High near 80F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Rosenberg, TX (77471) Today Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High around 85F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 72F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. The 4:30 News email is sent out on business days at 4:30 pm. Items include links to new stories, calendar events, occasional banner ads and weather. FH Times Breaking News Breaking News alerts from The Fountain Hills Times. These emails will be delivered only when there is breaking news deemed important enough to be sent out immediately on an as-needed basis. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Mohit Raina has been earning plaudits for his role as Dr Kaushik Oberoi in Amazon Prime Video's latest series, Mumbai Diaries 26/11. Mohit's role as the government hospital's alpha doctor with a penchant for breaking protocol has been a major topic of conversation on social media with critics praising his performance. The series, as a whole, has been well received. Mumbai Diaries 26/11 is based on the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai which were carried out by the Lashkar-e-Taiba. This Nikhil Advani show focuses on the role of the medical professionals during that night of terror. In a chat with Filmfare, Mohit Raina spoke about his memories of 26/11. "I was in Vashi and I was entering the city limits of Mumbai and at that point of time, I got many calls from a relative of mine and through him, I realised that something like this has happened in the city. I was in a cab so I turned on the FM and I heard what was happening in the city at that time. We were not allowed to enter the city and I came back to my friend's place and stayed there for about a day and a half till the restrictions were lifted. I had goosebumps and we were thinking 'how did this happen in a city like this?' We had never thought that this could happen in Mumbai and it was saddening to see the spirit of Mumbai being broken and paused for three days," he said. Mohit Raina has been earning plaudits for his role as Dr Kaushik Oberoi in Amazon Prime Video's latest series, Mumbai Diaries 26/11. Mohit's role as the government hospital's alpha doctor with a penchant for breaking protocol has been a major topic of conversation on social media with critics praising his performance. The series, as a whole, has been well received. Mumbai Diaries 26/11 is based on the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai which were carried out by the Lashkar-e-Taiba. This Nikhil Advani show focuses on the role of the medical professionals during that night of terror. In a chat with Filmfare, Mohit Raina spoke about his memories of 26/11."I was in Vashi and I was entering the city limits of Mumbai and at that point of time, I got many calls from a relative of mine and through him, I realised that something like this has happened in the city. I was in a cab so I turned on the FM and I heard what was happening in the city at that time. We were not allowed to enter the city and I came back to my friend's place and stayed there for about a day and a half till the restrictions were lifted. I had goosebumps and we were thinking 'how did this happen in a city like this?' We had never thought that this could happen in Mumbai and it was saddening to see the spirit of Mumbai being broken and paused for three days," he said. Mohit is also all praise for doctors, nurses and other medical professionals who've come through for humanity during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He equates them to warriors who've been our first line of defence against COVID-19 and also narrates his harrowing experience with the virus. The actor had tested positive for COVID-19 on April 23, at the start of the deadly second wave. "I was admitted in the hospital for a very long time and it took me around 45 to 50 days to test negative. Having said that, I think we were the privileged few. Seeing what was going around at that time, I was filled with gratitude for my safety," he said. While Mohit has been a mainstay in the acting field for a while now, he first found fame with his television show, Devon Ke Dev - Mahadev and Mahabharata. His portrayal of Lord Shiva in the former made him a household name. With many television actors bemoaning the fact that they don't get taken seriously and are looked down upon by members of the film fraternity, we asked Mohit if he has faced any such hurdles. "I would like to differ slightly from that. If that was the case, I wouldn't be here. Or maybe I've been lucky because I've gotten immense love from filmmakers back then also and even now. I don't think I've faced that but if anyone has faced that, I would suggest to them to try harder and keep trying because if it is meant to happen and if you believe in it, it will happen," he says. As of now, the actor is waiting for the release of his next film, Shiddat, and is set to begin shooting for an action series soon. Kareena Kapoor Khan is loved by all, infact her fans rejoiced the most when she joined Instagram officially and started sharing pictures from her life. However the actress always gets targeted by trolls on social media. Whats worse, the actress kids are always pulled into this dirty game. Today speaking to a leading daily, Kareena Kapoor Khan talks about the trolls that are focussed on her sons and their names. Kareena and Saif Ali khan together have two sons Taimur and Jehangir. Both the kids are lovely but a certain section of netizens had an issue with their names stating that Taimur is named after a tyrant Timur and Jehangir shares his name with a Mughal emperor. Kareena and Saif however stood their ground and didnt change the name of their sons and neither paid attention to the trolls. Speaking about the same to the daily, the actress said, Honestly, these are names that we just liked; its nothing else. They are beautiful names and theyre beautiful boys. Its unfathomable why somebody would troll children. I feel terrible about it, but I have to just focus and get through it. I cant be looking at my life through the trolls. Recently Saifs sister Saba Ali Khan had even shared a post on her social media where she had lashed out and said that only the parents of a child get to decide who, how and what the child will grow as and no one else, not even immediate family members. Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan were recently in Maldives with their babies. The family were enjoying the leisure time in the beach city and also brought in Saifs birthday on the beach paradise. The actress even shared a picture from Maldives and it was a perfect family click. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 9, 2021) - Wildfire smoke contains a variety of harmful pollutants. Particularly harmful is particulate matter, which is regarded by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a significant threat to human health. A new resource by air filtration experts from Camfil Canada provides scientific information as well as actionable tips for Canadians to protect themselves from the health threats associated with wildfire smoke. "Particulate matter has been linked to a higher risk of premature death in those affected by such conditions. There are further investigations presently being conducted regarding the effects of PM1 particles also found in forest fire smoke, which attacks the body at a cellular level and once absorbed can remain indefinitely." - Berni Baier, National Sales and Marketing Support Manager at Camfil Canada The resource by Camfil Canada contains: The health risks associated with wildfire smoke and how these affect Canadians 8 tips from industry experts to reduce the impact of wildfire smoke on your lungs How high efficiency air filtration can help reduce the impact of wildfire Clearing wildfire smoke out of your home with an air purifier Read the full resource on preventing health damage from wildfire smoke here. About Camfil Canada Clean Air Solutions Camfil Canada To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8033/96102_3597664904786aca_001full.jpg For more than half a century, Camfil has been helping people breathe cleaner air. As a leading manufacturer of premium clean air solutions, we provide commercial and industrial systems for air filtration and air pollution control that improve worker and equipment productivity, minimize energy use, and benefit human health and the environment. We firmly believe that the best solutions for our customers are the best solutions for our planet, too. That's why every step of the way - from design to delivery and across the product life cycle - we consider the impact of what we do on people and on the world around us. Through a fresh approach to problem-solving, innovative design, precise process control, and a strong customer focus we aim to conserve more, use less and find better ways - so we can all breathe easier. The Camfil Group is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and has 33 manufacturing sites, six R&D centers, local sales offices in 30 countries, and about 4,80 0 employees and growing. We proudly serve and support customers in a wide variety of industries and in communities across the world. To discover how Camfil Canada can help you to protect people, processes and the environment, visit us at ## F: Camfil Canada on Facebook T: Camfil Canada on Twitter L: Camfil Canada on LinkedIn W: Camfil Canada Website B: Camfil Canada Clean Air Blog: N: Camfil Canada Media Newsroom Media Contact: Tara@kisspr.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96102 In advance of a Special Meeting of shareholders that will take place on September 20, 2021, materials have been sent out to shareholders to approve a change to the Company's name that will better reflect the Company's operational expertise and scope of its business Over the last 18 months the company has achieved commercial success in applying innovative solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT) and connected devices to manage data, provide actionable and predictive insights and establish cybersecurity Recent commercial deployments and notable engagements with industry leaders validates the technology and expertise of the Company, and supports the ongoing commercialization of its products and solutions which address broader industry verticals beyond the medical and medical device markets Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 9, 2021) - Relay Medical Corp. (CSE: RELA) (OTCQB: RYMDF) (FSE: EIY2) ("Relay" or the "Company") announces that it will be holding a special meeting of its shareholders (the "Meeting") on September 20, 2021, where shareholders will be asked to approve a proposed name change of the Company with such name to be determined by the directors of the Company (the "Name Change"). For further details of the Meeting, please refer to the Company's management information circular dated August 17, 2021, found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. The Company's core competencies and product offerings have organically grown beyond the medical device industry, and this expansion into new industries and businesses will be reflected in the Name Change. In the last 18 months, Relay has demonstrated operational success and proven its expertise in applying intelligence, machine vision and cloud-based AI data science to IoT connected devices for cybersecurity and developing the SBOM Studio solution. The Company's new name will more aptly and effectively communicate the business and its commercial verticals, and seek to maximize value for current and future shareholders. Relay, through a joint-venture with Fio Corp., launched the Fionet platform in late 2020 and since then has commercial partnerships with LifeLabs, USAID, Rwanda's Ministry of Health, and a U.S. home testing leader. Relay Medical not only services the USD $25 Billion global rapid testing market1 with Fionet, but the platform addresses the wider USD $274 Billion AI & cloud computing market.2 Relay acquired the IoT security company Cybeats Technologies in March 2021. The Cybeats platform is not limited to the the USD $6 Billion3 medical device security and Internet of Medical Things (IoTM) markets, but applies to the wider USD $73 Billion4 IoT connected device and critical infrastructure security markets including automotive, aerospace and other industrial systems. Connected devices are expected to triple from approximately 20 billion in 2020 to more than 55 billion connected devices by 2025.5 Most of these devices are built without adequate security and are designed without sufficient defense mechanisms. The Company announced the commercial sale to Starfish Medical, Canada's leading medical contract manufacturer, in July 2021. Cybeats is designed to secure and protect high-valued connected devices using a unique approach that eliminates device downtime due to cyber-attacks and allows manufacturers to develop and maintain secure and protected devices in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Cybeats' platform also allows manufacturers to monetize cybersecurity services and deliver valuable security insights to security professionals. Cybeats' unique offering allows end to end protection beginning from device design, using Cybeats SBOM Studio, through to an operating connected device via its Software as a Service (SaaS) with Agent Integration. Other Name Change Details There will be no change to the symbol, the Company's common shares will continue to trade under the ticker "RELA" on the Canadian Securities Exchange. The CUSIP number assigned to the Company's shares will be changed and reflected following the Special Meeting along with the determination of the new name. At this time, no action is required to be taken by shareholders with respect to the name change. Any further questions regarding the intended name change can be directed to the Company's investor relations department by email at ir@relaymedical.com or by telephone at 647-872-9982. The Company believes that the name change is critical to the development of the Company's business and therefore the approval of the name change is in the best interest of the Company. The Company therefore recommends that all shareholders vote "FOR" the name change. RECENT NEWS: Relay recently announced a $750,000 pilot to deploy the Fionet Platform for Malaria Epidemic Management in Rwanda, Africa: https://www.relaymedical.com/newsblog/2021/9/9/relay-amp-fio-announce-a-750000-deployment-of-the-fionet-platform-for-malaria-epidemic-management-in-rwanda-africa SUBSCRIBE: For more information on Relay or to subscribe to the Company's mail list visit: https://www.relaymedical.com/news About Relay Medical Corp. Relay Medical is a technology innovator headquartered in Toronto, Canada focused on the development of novel solutions in the diagnostics, AI data science and IoT security sectors. Website: www.relaymedical.com Contact: Destine Lee Media & Communications Relay Medical Corp. Office. 647-872-9982 TF. 1-844-247-6633 Media Inquiries: media@relaymedical.com Investor Relations: ir@relaymedical.com Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the CSE. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for the technology described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com. 1 https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/rapid-test-market-to-reach-usd-48-54-billion-by-2026-reports-and-data/ 2 https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/cloud-computing-industry 3 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/medical-device-security-market-70612561.html 4 https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/05/18/2035053/0/en/IoT-Security-Market-Predicted-to-Reach-73-92-Billion-by-2027-Says-Allied-Market-Research.html 5 https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prAP46737220 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96101 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Endo International plc (ENDP) said that it has agreed to pay $50 million to settle lawsuits by New York state, Suffolk and Nassau counties, related to marketing and sale of prescription opioid medications. ENDP closed Thursday regular trading at $2.10, down $0.01 or 0.47%. But in the after-hours trade, the stock gained $0.38 or 18.10%. As a result of the settlement, Endo have been severed from an ongoing trial in lawsuits by the New York state and the two counties. Endo noted that the settlement includes no admission of wrongdoing, fault or liability of any kind by Endo or its subsidiaries, and the settlement value should not be extrapolated to any other opioid-related cases or claims. Endo noted that litigation of the remaining opioid claims is ongoing, but the company is focused on its primary goal of achieving a global settlement. Endo is also currently exploring other strategic alternatives and may seek to implement one or more of those alternatives in the event it is unable to achieve a global settlement. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. SAN FRANCISCO (dpa-AFX) - Wells Fargo has been fined $250 million by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency or OCC for unsafe or unsound practices related to deficiencies in the bank's home lending loss mitigation program and violations of the 2018 Compliance Consent Order. 'Wells Fargo has not met the requirements of the OCC's 2018 action against the bank. This is unacceptable,' said Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu. The OCC also issued a Cease and Desist Order against Wells Fargo based on the bank's failure to establish an effective home lending loss mitigation program. The OCC's order requires the bank to take broad and comprehensive corrective actions to improve the execution, risk management, and oversight of the bank's loss mitigation program. The order restricts the bank from acquiring certain third-party residential mortgage servicing and requires the bank to ensure that borrowers are not transferred out of the bank's loan servicing portfolio until remediation is provided, except as required by an investor pursuant to a contractual right. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As per the findings of Zion Market Research study, 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) industry gathered revenue about US$ 700 million in 2020 and is slated to earn revenue of approximately US$ 23,291.5 million by 2025. The 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market is projected to register CAGR of approximately 97.4% in 2020-2025. Apparently, onset of 5G technology has allowed mobile systems interconnect with needs of fixed line solutions and price points. Furthermore, 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) assists network operators for delivering ultra-high-speed broadband to suburban regions, thereby aiding home & business applications. All these aforementioned aspects will steer expansion of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market over upcoming years. In addition to this, outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has led to quick transition in employee & employer mindset and has resulted in rise of work at home activities. Moreover, working from home activities has translated into large-scale internet bandwidth usage, thereby prompting humungous demand for high-speed & reliable internet connectivity. Apparently, improved broadband access is requirement of large number of employees working from home to enhance output. In addition to this, speedy and reliable broadband access is crucial for zoom meetings, file sharing, and content streaming activities as well as slew of bandwidth applications for employees working from homes. This has created a necessity of having strong network infrastructure that can improve uploading, uplink, downlink, website loading, and downloading speeds, thereby generating need for setting up of 5G network facilities for seamless internet operations. As per the U.S government, nearly thirty million U.S. residents do not have high speed internet access and hence the U.S. administration has focused on supporting US$ 1.2 trillion infrastructure plan and has allotted funds worth nearly USD 65.1 billion for reinforcing digital infrastructure in the country. Hence, requirement of high speed internet for over 80 million internet users in the U.S. has culminated into need for deploying next-generation fixed wireless access networks aided by novel mm Wave-driven fixed wireless access systems. This is projected to steer growth of 5G fixed wireless accesses (FWA) market within span of few years. Get free Sample of this Research Report - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/5g-fixed-wireless-access-market High Speed, Seamless, Strong, and Secured Network Connectivity Demand To Drive Market Growth Expansion of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market over forecast timeline can be attributed to huge demand for next-gen 5G fixed wireless access network systems embedding ultra-fast millimeter wave technology in both metro cities as well as rural areas in developed countries such as the U.S. In addition to this, with smart city concept gaining momentum across globe, the market for 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) is projected to gain traction in the years to come. Apart from this, 5G fixed wireless access based on ultra-fast millimeter wave technology can provide ultra-high speed broadband solutions to customers and can be most preferred alternative to any other kind of fixed-line broadband services in years to come. With mmWave technology becoming a buzzword for wireless internet service providers and FWA systems, the 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market size is projected to witness a geometric leap over forthcoming years. Also, 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) makes use of standard 3GPP protocol for delivering ultra-high speed broadband services to residential customers & commercial enterprises, thereby prompting expansion of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) industry over forecast timespan. Network infrastructure domain is on cusp of new revolution due to massive need for high speed internet connectivity and this will facilitate growth of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) industry over ensuing years. Request for Customization on this Report - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/custom/4654 North American Market to Garner Huge Returns By 2025 With customers in countries such as the U.S. preferring 5G FWA over fixed-line DSL, fiber, and Cable, growth of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market in North America is slated to accelerate assiduously in next few years. Additionally, massive funding by the U.S. administration in Network Infrastructure sector for improving speed & network connectivity to boost productivity of employees working from home will add to earnings of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market over years ahead. Efforts made by players based in countries such as the U.S. and Canada to offer secured, robust, and seamless internet connection & bandwidth to residential, industrial, and commercial spaces will embellish growth of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) business in North America. Key players profiled in study include United States Cellular Corporation,Samsung Electronics, Hrvatski Telekom, Qualcomm Technologies, Nokia Corporation, Swisscom, Mimosa Networks, Huawei, Cohere Technologies, TELUS Corporation, Ericsson, Arqiva, Siklu Communication, Cellular South, Orange, Mobile Telephone Networks, Telefonica, and Verizon Communications. This review is based on a report by Zion Market Research, titled, "Global 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) Market-By Offering (Hardware and Services), By Demography (Urban, Semi-Urban, and Rural), By Application (Internet of Things, Broadband Internet, Pay TV, and Others), and By End-User (Residential, Commercial, Industrial, and Government): Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, and Forecast, 2020-2025." Inquire before Purchase of this Research Report - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/5g-fixed-wireless-access-market This report segments the global 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market into: By Offering Hardware Customer Premises Equipment Devices Access Units Services By Demography Urban Semi-Urban Rural By Application Internet of Things (IoT) Broadband Internet Pay TV Others By End-User Residential Commercial Industrial Government By Region North America The U.S. Canada Europe France The UK Spain Germany Italy Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Southeast Asia Rest of Asia Pacific Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa & GCC South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa Browse Other Related Research Reports 5G Infrastructure Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/5g-infrastructure-market 5G Chipset Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/5g-chipset-market 5G Applications and Services Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/5g-applications-and-services-market 5G IoT Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/5g-iot-market Voice-Over-5G (Vo5G) Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/voice-over-5g-vo5g-market About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the client's needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to us-after all-if you do well, a little of the light shines on us. Contact Us: Zion Market Research 244 Fifth Avenue, Suite N202 New York, 10001, United States Tel: +49-322 210 92714 USA/Canada Toll-Free No +1-855-465-4651 US OFFICE NO +1-386-310-3803 Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.com Website: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com Blog - https://zmrblog.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1605489/Zion_Market_Research_Logo.jpg SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mindray (SZSE: 300760), a global leading developer and provider of medical devices and solutions, has today announced the launch of its latest Point-of-Care (POC) ultrasound system, the TE9, featuring a larger screen for enhanced viewing, intelligent tools for fast-paced environments, and the industry's first Auto GA (Gastric Antrum). Auto GA automatically identifies the edge of the gastric antrum and calculates the area with a single screen tap, helpful for evaluating gastric content and of great clinical value for quick decisions regarding patient suitability for surgery. "In response to pressing challenges facing clinicians, Mindray has persisted in developing innovative ultrasound solutions that enable improved patient care. The new TE9 is equipped with a host of features designed to expand Point-of-Care ultrasound solutions and meet evolving clinical needs," said Xujin He, General Manager of the Medical Imaging System Business Unit at Mindray. TE9's numerous features include: Quick and Clear Diagnoses: Superior imaging and transducer technology enable quick and precise diagnoses in various clinical scenarios. TE9's large 21.5-inch high-definition touch screen gives clinicians a clear and confident view from anywhere in the examination room. Superior imaging and transducer technology enable quick and precise diagnoses in various clinical scenarios. TE9's large 21.5-inch high-definition touch screen gives clinicians a clear and confident view from anywhere in the examination room. Smart and Efficient Workflow: A comprehensive suite of smart automation tools such as Auto GA, Smart IVC, and more, allow clinicians to quickly evaluate a patient's conditions at bedside, in the OR, or on the move. With these advanced tools, the TE9 ensures rapid, reproducible measurements for confident exams and procedures, even in fast-paced environments. A comprehensive suite of smart automation tools such as Auto GA, Smart IVC, and more, allow clinicians to quickly evaluate a patient's conditions at bedside, in the OR, or on the move. With these advanced tools, the TE9 ensures rapid, reproducible measurements for confident exams and procedures, even in fast-paced environments. Innovative Design: TE9's iVocal voice commands enable handsfree commands to be issued for faster response times. Meanwhile, its comprehensive disinfection capabilities are suitable for use in environments that require frequent disinfection, providing ideal clinical utility and allowing for a quick turnaround time between examinations. TE9's iVocal voice commands enable handsfree commands to be issued for faster response times. Meanwhile, its comprehensive disinfection capabilities are suitable for use in environments that require frequent disinfection, providing ideal clinical utility and allowing for a quick turnaround time between examinations. Seamless Connectivity: The eGateway Integration Solution seamlessly connects the TE9 to the hospital's network, enabling clinicians to easily and securely access patient data and send exam information, images, and reports to the EMR system. This paperless process supports streamlined clinical decision-making, improves workflow and productivity, and reduces the risk of manual transcription errors. Together with TE7, which has demonstrated versatility in all specialties in large public healthcare institutions worldwide, TE9 is set to bring clinical efficiency and diagnostic confidence to a new level for the industry with more upgraded features as the newest member of Mindray's TE product range. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1610742/TE9.jpg Pivotal clinical trial of VISCO-VET in canine osteoarthritis approved in France and Netherlands First investigating site initiated in France Start of patients enrolment anticipated in October 2021 Regulatory News: TheraVet (Paris:ALVET) (Brussels:ALVET)(ISIN: BE0974387194 ticker: ALVET), a pioneering company in the management of osteoarticular diseases in pets, today announces the launch of the pivotal European multicentric clinical study assessing VISCO-VET in canine osteoarthritis. VISCO-VET, TheraVet's viscoregenerative gel, will be assessed in a prospective, multicentric, controlled, double-blinded, randomized, pivotal field study in client-owned dogs suffering from osteoarthritis (OA). The study will evaluate the potential of a unique intra-articular injection of VISCO-VET in stifle or elblow to improve dog's mobility and reduce pain compared to a non-treated control group. Patients will be followed for 3 months. In the study, 154 client-owned dogs with osteoarthritis will be enrolled. The study will be conducted in 20 centers in four (4) countries including France, Netherlands, Portugal and Poland. The Company has received the approval in France and Netherlands and has just started the initiation of the investigating sites in these countries. The approval in the remaining territories is expected to be obtained in the following weeks. First patient treated is expected in October 2021. An update on patients recruitment will be provided in the second quarter of 2022, following by top-line interim analyses results. Enrico Bastianelli, Chief Executive Officer of TheraVet, concludes: "Following the positive efficacy and safety results of VISCO-VET in the proof-of-concept study, we are very delighted to initiate the patient recruitment of this pivotal trial for VISCO-VET." About TheraVet SA TheraVet is a veterinary biotechnology company specialising in osteoarticular treatments for animals. The Company develops targeted, safe and effective treatments to improve the quality of life of pets suffering from osteoarticular diseases. For pet owners, the health of their pets is a major concern and TheraVet's mission is to address the need for innovative and curative treatments. TheraVet works closely with international opinion leaders in order to provide a more effective response to ever-growing needs in the field of veterinary medicine. TheraVet is listed on Euronext Growth Paris et Brussels, its head office is in Jumet, Belgium, and it has a subsidiary in the US. For more information, visit the TheraVet website Or follow us on LinkedIn Facebook Twitter View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210909005822/en/ Contacts: TheraVet Sabrina Ena Chief Operating Officer Sabrina.ena@thera.vet Tel: +32 (0) 71 18 32 49 Julie Winand Chief Corporate Officer julie.winand@thera.vet Tel: +32 (0) 71 18 32 49 NewCap Investor Relations and Financial Communications Louis Tilquin Olivier Bricaud theravet@newcap.eu Tel: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 Press Relations Arthur Rouille Ambre Delval theravet@newcap.eu Tel: +33 (0)1 44 71 00 15 DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Investing in crypto is the new norm as it helps people gain knowledge about money and helps them become financially free. This has led to a massive crypto trend which comes with an unforeseen risk attached to it. MarsRise was launched to help investors. MarsRise is a deflationary token found on the Binance Smart Chain, which comes with an automatic liquidity pool growth, and therefore the holder rewards through transaction taxation. The company has done all this to bring a community together on the mission to Mars. This is a community-driven and equitably launched cryptocurrency. MarsRise also comes with a grand tokenomics. It has automated Liquidity & its Strategic Buyback is distributed to the locked liquidity on every transaction, making MarsRise one of the best in this game. 2% of all their passive income is distributed to all their holders on every transaction. While attracting users, project sustainability is a factor to consider; MarsRise has an impressive 3% enhancements in operations and marketing. MarsRise was initially supplied with 1 quadrillion tokens, out of which almost fifty percent was burned on deployment, and the other 50% was launched on PancakeSwap. The token is up for grabs on Pancakeswap with a set slippage of 17%. Since the PancakeSwap runs on Binance Smart Chain, that is a blockchain with a much lower transaction cost when compared to bitcoin or Ethereum. Trading fees here are much lower than the other top decentralized exchanges, which dramatically benefits the users in ways comfortable to them. Having the highest trading volumes in the market, PancakeSwap is the leading decentralized exchange on the Binance Smart Chain. MarsRise has revealed its future endeavors in its roadmap and named the "Roadmap 2021 our way to Mars." The project has also cleared the overall audit, hence making their contract 100% safe. They have received various certifications and know-how certificates essential to developing trust among their userbase, primarily that deals with crypto investments. Hence, the developers were thorough and ensured the website was safe enough to trust them without having any second thoughts. MarsRise not only embodies reliability, but it is also user-friendly. The project has many unique endeavors and is on its way to building platforms like its own MarsWallet, followed by an innovative MarsSwap swapping platform in the coming years. The Crypto Company also has a list of spectacular things planned in its roadmap. In a few weeks, they have planned to list MarsRise on Coingecko, LiveCointWatch, CoinMarketCap. They are planning on a Bsc update on the logo and details. They have also launched their cryptocurrency prices, charts, and market capitalizations. They have top-tier facilities such as Zero Team Allocation, an anti-whale system in action, an Anti-Rug Pull LP Locked, and the project is also fully Audited . They also plan on a long-term project. They also have many more projects to be unlocked. Media Contact Details: Name: MarsRise Website: https://marsrise.net Email: info@marsrise.net Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarsRise_bsc Telegram: https://t.me/MarsRiseBsc All investment strategies and investments involve the risk of loss. Consider doing your own due diligence before making financial decisions related to any Cryptocurrency. NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The KraneShares CSI China Internet UCITS ETF (KWEB) recently surpassed $700 million in assets under management1. The fund has seen strong inflows as European, and UK investors look to capitalize on deep-valuation discounts in China's internet sector following this summer's rollout of new regulations in China. Within Europe and the UK, KWEB is listed on the London, Euronext Amsterdam, and Borsa Italiana stock exchanges. The fund is available in USD, EURO, and GBP share classes. Exchange Ticker Currency London Stock Exchange KWEB LN USD London Stock Exchange KWBE LN EUR London Stock Exchange KWBP LN GBP Euronext Amsterdam KWEB NA USD Borsa Italiana KWEB IM EUR The growth in KWEB's UCITS listing follows similar inflows from KWEB US. Over the past six weeks, KWEB US has nearly doubled in size, taking in over $4 billion inflows1. KWEB's US-listing is now the largest China ETF outside of mainland China with assets under management over $8 billion1. "China is home to the world's largest consumer market in physical goods2, E-Commerce market3, and internet population4," said Dr. Xiaolin Chen, Head of International at KraneShares. "We believe these trends are here to stay and are continuing to grow. Investors can access leading companies benefitting from this growth through KWEB." 1 Data from Bloomberg, as of 9/8/2021. 2 China Banking News, "China Emerges as World's Biggest Consumer Market for Real Goods", Dec 22, 2020. 3 CGTN, "China's e-commerce market: Benchmark for global retailing", Feb 18, 2021. 4Lai Lin Thomala, "Number of internet users in China 2015-2026", Aug 2021, www.statista.com. About KraneShares Krane Funds Advisors, LLC is the investment manager for KraneShares ETFs. Our suite of China-focused ETFs provides investors with solutions to capture China's importance as an essential element of a well-designed investment portfolio. We strive to deliver innovative, first-to-market strategies developed based on our strong partnerships and deep investing knowledge. We help investors stay current on global market trends and aim to provide meaningful diversification. Krane Funds Advisors, LLC, is a signatory of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investing (UN PRI). The firm is majority-owned by China International Capital Ckorporation (CICC). In 2018, KraneShares established operations in London to better deliver its renowned China-focused ETFs to UK/European investors. In addition to launching Europe-specific versions of its most popular US-listed funds, KraneShares also develops strategies tailored to meet the specific needs of its clients in the region. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. There can be no assurance that a Fund will achieve its stated objectives. The Funds are subject to political, social or economic instability within China which may cause decline in value. Fluctuations in currency of foreign countries may have an adverse effect to domestic currency values. Emerging markets involve heightened risk related to the same factors as well as increase volatility and lower trading volume. Narrowly focused investments typically exhibit higher volatility. Internet companies are subject to rapid changes in technology, worldwide competition, rapid obsolescence of products and services, loss of patent protections, evolving industry standards and frequent new product productions. Such changes may have an adverse impact on performance. This material is for information only and does not constitute an offer or recommendation to buy or sell any investment, or subscribe to any investment management or advisory service. It is not, under any circumstances, intended for distribution to the general public. You are accessing information which constitutes a financial promotion under section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 ("FSMA"). In relation to the United Kingdom, this information is only directed at, and may only be distributed to, persons who are "Investment Professionals" (being persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments) within the meaning of article 19(5) of the FSMA (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Financial Promotion Order "), persons to whom any of paragraphs (2)(a) to (d) of article 49 (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations eatc.) of the financial promotion order apply, or persons to whom distribution may otherwise lawfully be made. Any investment, and investment activity or controlled activity, to which this information relates is available only to such persons and will be engaged in only with such persons. Persons that do not have professional experience should not rely or act upon this information unless they are persons to whom any of paragraphs (2)(a) to (d) of article 49 apply to whom distribution of this information may otherwise lawfully be made. In Switzerland, the Fund has appointed as Swiss Representative Waystone Fund Services (Switzerland) SA, Av. Villamont 17, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland, Tel: +41 21 311 17 77, email: switzerland@waystone.com. The Fund's paying agent is Helvetische Bank AG. In respect of the Shares distributed in or from Switzerland, the place of performance and jurisdiction is Lausanne (Switzerland). For additional fund documentation, please visit www.waystone.com or www.kraneshares.eu. [R-KS-EU] SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Korean Energy Agency successfully ended the global renewable energy online business meeting for 2021. The meeting was hosted by the Korean Energy Agency, an implementing organization under Ministry Of Trade, Industry and Energy of Korea. The meeting was held in order to support promising Korean renewable energy companies that were having difficulty in selling in oversea markets because of the prolonged Covid-19 crisis. The business meeting was carried out for 2 days, the 1st and 2nd day of the September. 33 buyers from 8 countries including Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Kuwait, Qatar took part in the event. In addition, 12 Korean companies dealing in a solar inverter, solar panel cleaning robot, solar smart bench, solar storage battery, and other promising products related to solar power participated in the event. The Korean companies had a total of 72 meetings with the buyers and obtained order of about 80 million dollars from them. The Director General at Global Project Division of the Korea Energy Agency, Woo Young-man stated "the participating companies was highly satisfied, because they were able to conduct export consultation that was hindered due to Covid-19 crisis, with introducing the products to the buyers from the overseas target regions through the online meeting." By the way, the Korea Energy Agency is the organization that implements the policy for promoting the use of the renewable energy and improving energy efficiency. As a part of its key role, the organization annually holds the global business meeting in order to support the renewable energy companies so that they can enter the foreign market. NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on a commitment to educate clinicians on rare diseases, Medscape Education, a leading source of accredited medical education for healthcare professionals (HCPs), has launched Pathways In Rare Disease. This dedicated learning centre serves as a centralised location for clinicians who are seeking information about how to diagnose and manage the estimated 300 million people worldwide living with a rare disease. "Educating clinicians on rare diseases is critical. It may take many years before a patient receives their diagnosis, after seeing multiple different physicians and receiving multiple misdiagnoses. This delay can often be attributed to the lack of familiarity among clinicians about the signs and symptoms associated with rare diseases. A survey of Medscape members showed a small percentage (4% in the U.S. and 17% in Europe) feel confident in their ability to diagnose rare diseases. Medscape's rare disease education center will not only address these learning gaps, but also provide easy-to-access resources for clinicians who are seeking information to share with their colleagues as well as patients and caregivers," said Hansa Bhargava, M.D, Chief Medical Officer, Medscape Education. Developed in collaboration with international expert faculty and rare disease professional societies and advocacy organisations from around the world, Pathways In Rare Disease will take a deeper look into the challenges patients and their caregivers face as they seek a diagnosis, and provide clinicians with education, information, and critical tools to identify, refer, and manage these conditions. Lucy McKay, M.D., steering committee member of Pathways in Rare Disease and CEO of Medics 4 Rare Diseases, a registered charity driving an attitude change towards rare diseases amongst medical students and doctors in training, said, "The creation of this dedicated learning centre is a momentous step forward in the mission to educate medical professionals about rare diseases. Providing accessible, reliable information about rare diseases is vital to help combat the 'diagnostic odyssey' sadly experienced by so many today. Medscape is a hugely popular and trusted resource for doctors and its prioritization of rare disease sends a big signal to the global medical community that rare disease is relevant, and it needs their attention." Medscape Education will develop learning activities, tools, and resources to support this growing initiative. The content in Pathways In Rare Disease is available to Medscape members free of charge and offers: Engaging patient journey videos Insights and interviews from rare disease experts Education spanning multiple specialties and healthcare team members Clinical tools, resources, and references Pathways In Rare Disease is available at: https://www.medscape.org/sites/advances/rare-diseases About Medscape Education Medscape Education (medscape.org) is the leading destination for continuous professional development, consisting of more than 30 specialty-focused destinations offering thousands of free CME and CE courses and other educational programmes for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/227874/medscape_education_logo.jpg Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2021) - Datametrex AI Limited (TSXV: DM) (FSE: D4G) (OTCQB: DTMXF) (the "Company" or "Datametrex") is pleased to announce that it has signed two new service agreements and commenced on September 3rd, 2021, (the "Agreements") for COVID-19 testing, one with a major Hollywood film studio and the other with one of the largest streaming platforms and services company. As of today's date, the Company is currently working with 24 production companies Canada wide. Film and TV productions in Canada and the United States, including unions representing production staff, film crews and actors along with Canadians in general, have a foremost concern regarding the Delta variant (B.1.617.2. variant), a hyper-contagious SARS-CoV-2 virus strain first identified in India in October 2020. "These agreements will help Datametrex continue to grow the testing business and generate revenue and profits for the shareholders while supporting the film industry in Canada," said Marshall Gunter, CEO of the Company. About Datametrex Datametrex AI Limited is a technology-focused company with exposure to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Nexalogy (www.nexalogy.com). Datametrex's mission is to provide tools that support companies in fulfilling their operational goals, including Health and Safety, with predictive and preventive technologies. By working with companies to set a new standard of protocols through Artificial Intelligence and health diagnostics, Company provides progressive solutions to support the supply chain. For additional information on Datametrex and other corporate information, please visit the Company's website at www.datametrex.com. For further information, please contact: Marshall Gunter - CEO Phone: (514) 295-2300 Email: mgunter@datametrex.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor it's Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements: All statements included in this press release that address activities, events, or developments that the Company expects, believes, or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. In particular, there is no guarantee that the parties will successfully negotiate and enter into a definitive agreement on mutually acceptable terms or complete the Transaction in the manner contemplated herein, if at all, that the due diligence of any of the parties will be satisfactory, or that the parties will obtain any required board, shareholder, third-party and/or regulatory or other governmental approvals, if any. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events. ### To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/1778/96081_705d2df0b419485c_002full.jpg To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/1778/96081_705d2df0b419485c_003full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96081 LONDON, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- It feels impossible to watch the news these days without seeing a new environmental disaster daily. This week alone, we witnessed climate chaos in the US and Germany to Turkey and China as policymakers worldwide try to incorporate whether resistant strategies to rebuild. Now, an international financial institution has made an example of climate solutions used by the Commonwealth of Dominica for all to learn. Dominica's ambition in the age of climate change outshines its small size. The nation, roughly the size of Austin, Texas, is situated on a string of Caribbean islands stretching from Puerto Rico toward South America. Its 70,000 residents live right in the middle of hurricane territory. The region's disaster profile has been aggravated by increasingly devastating tropical storms, as well as the frequency and intensity of yearly hurricanes. However, Dominica is fast becoming a global leader in improving resilience through legislation and governance. "Efforts are focused on upgrading and expanding the road network, including making bridges higher to allow for water and debris overflow, building resilience into the housing sector, and upgrading hospitals and health centres. Investments also support resilient agriculture for food security, education, reforestation, and community preparedness training, among other things," said the International Monetary Fund, an organisation that aids the island's "build back better" strategy. After Hurricane Maria hit its shores in 2017, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit boldly promised to rebuild Dominica as the world's first climate-resilient nation. The country used funding from its Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme to launch the Climate Resilience Execution Agency for Dominica (CREAD) in 2018, forming a new government agency to mainstream resilience into all areas of the country's growth. All significant infrastructural developments made through CBI, from state-of-the-art hospitals to housing for 5,000 families, follow a resiliency-based construction code. "This was proof you could see that we can build infrastructure that can stand up even to the might of a Category 5 hurricane," said Francine Baron, the CEO of the CREAD. Since 1994, foreign investors have chosen Dominica to gain trusted second citizenship not only because it gives visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 75 percent of the world but because they know that their contributions help the local population. Once applicants pass a rigorous vetting process, they can invest USD100,000 into a government fund and become Dominican citizens generally within three months. www.csglobalpartners.com, pr@csglobalpartners.com The laboratory in Abu Dhabi will provide local manufacturers, brands and suppliers of electric and optical cables and busways, a new resource for testing the fire safety of their products. ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- UL, the global safety science leader, today announced that it is expanding its existing facility in Abu Dhabi to now include a cables fire safety and performance laboratory. The expanded facility, located in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD), allows manufacturers, brands and suppliers of electrical and optical cables and busways from throughout the Middle East to access a local laboratory for fire safety. "The hazards associated with noncompliant cables present significant risks with respect to the nature and scale of a fire event. Our robust fire safety testing of cables, which is available at our new Abu Dhabi laboratory, brings trust and confidence that such safety issues have been assessed in the products manufacturers and companies are bringing to the marketplace," said Sameer Abdul Salam, UL's business head for the MEA Region. "As the global safety science leader, UL looks forward to helping local purchasers, specifiers, installers and inspectors of telecommunication cables achieve increased speed to market and the ability to demonstrate their commitment to fire safety to their customers." The new fire safety laboratory is designed to test electric and optical cables, and busways as per various standards for flame retardant and fire resistance properties. Staffed with UL's industry-leading experts, the facility will enable faster turnaround times with enhanced regulation enforcement. The local presence in Abu Dhabi with global expertise will help ease the logistical challenges for our customers in Europe and Asia. "In recent years, the Middle East has seen increased regulation around the fire safety of cables used in buildings to meet the civil defense requirements. At UL's new Abu Dhabi laboratory, our fire safety experts will work with customers to help them meet these increased demands without sacrificing time or efficiency," said Salam. "The opening of our new fire safety laboratory comes at an important time as governments and companies continue to invest in local infrastructure in Abu Dhabi and around the Middle East. These new investments mean that there is an increased need for safe cables and busways. With our new fire safety testing capabilities, we are excited that we will be able to help local manufacturers address product risks, safety and performance while helping them have a positive impact throughout the region," said Sajeev Jesudas, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at UL. UL offers its customers advisory and testing services to help them meet and exceed fire safety requirements. Research testing services for manufacturers can help customers design cables that comply to the necessary fire resistance/fire reactance standards. UL can also produce a Type testing report and Type examination certificate based on IEC/EN/BS standards. Learn more about UL fire safety capabilities in the Middle East. About UL UL is the global safety science leader. We deliver testing, inspection and certification (TIC), training and advisory services, risk management solutions and essential business insights to help our customers, based in more than 100 countries, achieve their safety, security and sustainability goals. Our deep knowledge of products and intelligence across supply chains make us the partner of choice for customers with complex challenges. Discover more at UL.com. For information about Standards development and other nonprofit activities, visit UL.org. Press contacts: Steven Brewster UL ULNews@UL.com +1.847.664.8425 Christina Bostock IHC christina@ih-c.com 971.55.887.3054 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/325015/ul_enterprise_logo.jpg Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Lead, South Dakota--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2021) - Dakota Territory Resource Corp (OTCQB: DTRC) ("Dakota Territory" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has amended the closing mechanics in respect of its previously announced merger (the "Merger") with JR Resources Corp. ("JR Resources"). Following completion of Dakota Territory's recent US$50 million private placement, the Company, JR Resources and their advisors reviewed the closings mechanics of the Merger and determined an amendment to the closing mechanics of the Merger would simplify the closing of the Merger without any changes to the economic considerations of the JR shareholders and Dakota Territory shareholders. The amended and restated merger agreement between the Company and JR Resources (the "Amended Agreement") will result in the same economics to JR Resources shareholders and Dakota Territory shareholders as the original merger agreement between the Company and JR Resources dated May 13, 2021. Pursuant to the Amended Agreement: Dakota Territory shareholders will receive one share of JR Resources (which will be renamed Dakota Gold Corp. prior to closing) for each share of Dakota Territory; JR Resources shareholders will continue to hold shares of JR Resources (which will be renamed Dakota Gold Corp. prior to closing); and Immediately prior to the closing of the Merger, JR Resources will complete a reverse share split such that the total number of JR Resources shares will be proportionately reduced to 35,641,667 JR Resources shares. As a result of the Amended Agreement and for example, on the closing of the Merger: A Dakota Territory shareholder holding 100 Dakota Territory shares will receive 100 shares of Dakota Gold Corp.; A Dakota Territory convertible security holder holding 100 Dakota Territory convertible securities will receive 100 convertible securities of Dakota Gold Corp.; A JR Resources shareholder holding 100 JR Resources shares will receive 72 shares of Dakota Gold Corp.; and A JR Resources warrantholder holding 100 JR Resources share purchase warrants will receive 72 Dakota Gold Corp. share purchase warrants. The completion of the Merger is subject to customary closing conditions for a transaction of this nature, including securities law compliance and the approval of Dakota Territory shareholders. In addition, in connection with the Merger, JR Resources intends to prepare and file a registration statement on Form S-4 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which will require the approval of the SEC. The board of directors of the Company has approved the Merger. Jonathan Awde abstained from voting on the Merger, having disclosed his interest as President, CEO, a director and a shareholder of JR Resources. Robert Quartermain abstained from voting, having disclosed his interest as a shareholder of JR Resources. About Dakota Territory Resource Corp Dakota Territory Resource Corp is a Nevada corporation with offices located at Lead, South Dakota. Dakota Territory is committed to creating shareholder value through the acquisition and responsible exploration and development of high caliber gold properties in the Homestake District of South Dakota. Inquiries Shareholder and Investor Inquiries: For more information, please contact Jonathan Awde at 604-761-5251 or JAwde@gold-sd.com. Social and Public Relations Inquiries: For more information, please contact Elizabeth Sailer at 605-580-0480 or info@gold-sd.com. Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors The SEC limits disclosure for U.S. reporting purposes to mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. Our property currently does not contain any known proven or probable ore reserves under SEC reporting standards. Our reference above to the various formations and mineralization believed to exist in our property as compared to historical results and estimates from other property in the district is illustrative only for comparative purposes and is no indication that similar results will be obtained with respect to our property. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our latest reports filed with the SEC. You can review and obtain copies of these filings at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including the statements regarding the Merger. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and expectations that may not be realized and are inherently subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the inability to complete the Merger in a timely manner, the inability to complete the Merger due to the failure of the Company's shareholders to approve the Merger, as described in the proxy statement/prospectus that will be delivered to Company shareholders prior to the meeting of shareholders, the failure to satisfy other conditions to completion of the Merger, including receipt of required third-party consents, the failure of the Merger to close for any other reason, the effect of the announcements regarding the Merger on the market price of Dakota Territory common stock, the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the Merger will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period, the inability to meet expectations regarding the accounting and tax treatments of the Merger, the possibility that the Merger may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events, diversion of management's attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities, our ability to achieve our strategic goals, changes in the market price of the Company's common stock following the Merger, the state of the economy and financial markets generally and the effect on our industry, and the market for our common stock. The foregoing list is not exhaustive. For additional information regarding factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in our forward-looking statements, we refer you to the risk factors included in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2021, as amended, as updated by annual, quarterly and other reports and documents that we file with the SEC, including the registration statement on Form S-4 that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the Merger. We caution investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this communication. These statements speak only as of the date of this communication, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. Important Information and Where You Can Find It This document relates to the proposed Merger involving Dakota Territory and JR Resources. JR Resources will to file a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC, which will include a proxy statement of Dakota Territory and a prospectus of JR, referred to as a proxy statement/prospectus, and each party will file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND HOLDERS OF DAKOTA TERRITORY'S SECURITIES ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE ENTIRE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. The documents filed by Dakota Territory with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and holders of Dakota Territory's securities will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC on Dakota Territory's website at http://DakotaTRC.com/. No Offer or Solicitation This communication is for information purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute a solicitation of a proxy, consent, or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the proposed transaction. This communication is also not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor will there be any sale of any securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such other jurisdiction. No offering of securities will be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom. Participants in the Solicitation Dakota Territory, JR Resources and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in favor of the approval of the Merger and related matters. Information regarding the Company's directors and executive officers is contained in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2021 and the Schedule 14f-1 filed on March 15, 2021. Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the transaction may be obtained by reading the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed with the SEC when they become available. Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described above. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96087 The Advanced Clean Energy Storage project will produce, store and transport green hydrogen at utility scale for power generation, transportation and industrial applications in the western United States. (Credit: Mitsubishi Power) SAN RAMON, Calif. / LAKE MARY, Fla. / HOLLADAY, Utah, Sept 10, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Chevron U.S.A. Inc., through its Chevron New Energies division, announced it has agreed on a framework to acquire an equity interest in ACES Delta, LLC (ACES Delta), which is a joint venture between Mitsubishi Power Americas Inc. (Mitsubishi Power) and Magnum Development, LLC (Magnum) that owns the Advanced Clean Energy Storage project. This project will produce, store and transport green hydrogen at utility scale for power generation, transportation and industrial applications in the western United States.The joint venture is located in Delta, Utah, adjacent to the Intermountain Power Plant, which will use green hydrogen to produce electricity with lower lifecycle carbon emissions. Future anticipated projects include the expansion of green hydrogen supply to other Western states and the construction of connecting hydrogen infrastructure to build a regional hydrogen production, transportation and supply network. Chevron is working to build demand for hydrogen -- and the technologies that support it -- in heavy-duty transportation and industrial sectors in which greenhouse gas emissions are hard to abate."Chevron New Energies was created to grow new competitive business lines in areas like hydrogen," said Jeff Gustavson, President of Chevron New Energies. "The potential to partner with Mitsubishi Power and Magnum Development on the Advanced Clean Energy Storage project presents an exciting opportunity that would bring together our unique strengths and would provide a scalable platform to supply our customers with affordable, reliable and ever-cleaner energy."Paul Browning, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Power Americas, said, "For several years, we've been working with early adopters of green hydrogen in the power sector that have easy access to salt domes or existing hydrogen infrastructure, such as the Intermountain Power Agency and Magnum Development. Now it's time to connect massive geologic hydrogen storage in Delta, Utah, to power, transportation and industrial users throughout the western United States. Chevron's footprint and expertise in the transportation and industrial sectors make them an ideal partner for this next phase of expansion. Together with our customers and partners, we are creating a Change in Power.""I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with Chevron as a strategic partner in our ACES Delta venture. Chevron's participation will add tremendous value as we develop a world class - and world's largest - green hydrogen production and storage facility," said Craig Broussard, President, CEO and Board Chairman of Magnum Development, LLC. "Combined with Chevron's in-depth capabilities, the ACES Delta facility will serve as a platform to deliver on our shared vision and continue building our robust pipeline of high quality, actionable projects that will help decarbonize multiple sectors of the U.S. economy."ACES Delta is co-owned by Magnum, which is a Haddington Ventures portfolio company, and Mitsubishi Power. Chevron, Magnum and Mitsubishi Power are negotiating definitive documentation outlining Chevron's participation in the joint venture. The terms of this transaction are subject to the negotiation of definitive agreements, and closing of the transaction will be subject to customary closing conditions.For more information, visit bit.ly/3BZMGlK.Source: Mitsubishi Power, Ltd.Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. BEIJING, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 8th Beijing International Ballet Invitational for Dance Schools 2021 is an international dance competition hosted by Beijing Dance Academy and Balletbda, with the joint support of Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China and the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education. The Registration has officially started. In order to build a community with a shared future for mankind, deepen communication among ballet dancers all around the world, and attract international ballet students and young dancers to participate in the competition, this competition will be divided into two stages: preliminary and final. Preliminary will be conducted via video selection, and final will be conducted via online live broadcast of videos. The online registration date is from now until September 30, 2021. Each participant needs to log in to the official website (www.balletbda.com) to complete the registration and submit relevant materials. The organizing committee only accepts online video files. If applicants cannot upload thevideos or relevant materials, they can email ballet@bda.edu.cn .The international dance competition has been successfully held for eight editions since 2006, which is intended to promote the exchange and development of ballet art education and talent training from all over the world. This competition will set up the "Prix de BDA", the first, second and third prizes of Category A, B, C, and the "Jury Special Prize". The highest prize is US$5,000. The competition welcomes Ballet students (or young ballet dancers) of all nationalities from all over the world to participate. The competition has invited several international ballet experts to serve as judges, including Kevin O'Hare, Director of the Royal Ballet of the United Kingdom, Nina Ananiashvili, Director of the Georgian National Ballet, and Feng Ying, Director of the National Ballet of China . All young ballet talents from all over the world are welcomed to participate the competition, together developing and inheriting this excellent international dance art. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2021 / Torq Resources Inc. (TSXV:TORQ)(OTCQX:TRBMF) ("Torq" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has appointed Carolina Vargas as a Director and Marie-Helene Turgeon as a Board observer and advisor. Both appointments are effective immediately, with Ms. Turgeon to be appointed as a Director at the next shareholders meeting or board vacancy, if earlier. Ms. Vargas is a top ranked research analyst with a strong background in the South American natural resource markets. Ms. Turgeon is an ESG advisor with extensive experience working in Latin America. A Message from Shawn Wallace, Executive Chairman: "On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to welcome Carolina and Marie-Helene to the team. The addition of such highly qualified professionals with specific and relevant skill sets will bolster Torq's ability to succeed as it executes its plan of building a portfolio of high quality copper-gold deposits in Chile." Ms. Vargas is an investment banker with experience in both South America and Canada. She specializes in project assessment, valuations and strategic alliances. Currently, she is a managing partner at Global Symmetry Group, a platform to access financing infrastructure and natural resource projects, and she formerly held roles with Clarus Securities, Westwind Partners, Manulife Finance and Export Development Canada. She was a Director of Toachi Mining (TIM) from 2016 until its merger with ATICO Mining (ATY) in 2019. Ms. Vargas earned her MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and holds her BSc in Engineering from the University of Los Andes in Colombia. Ms. Turgeon has 20 years of experience in environmental management, legal compliance and stakeholder engagement. She has been supporting mining companies designing sustainable projects, assessing and managing environmental and social impacts, as well as obtaining and maintaining social licenses to operate. Her experience in Latin America includes the Cobre Panama copper mine and the Cerro Blanco Project in Guatemala. Prior to becoming an independent advisor, Ms. Turgeon spent 12 years in various environmental manager roles, including seven years as the environment manager for Detour Gold, leading the environmental management plans for the Detour Lake Mine. As a long-standing Ontario Mining Association ("OMA") member she has served as Chair of the OMA Environment Committee, and also as a Director on the board of Women in Mining Canada (WIMC). She holds a BSc in Geology from McGill University and a Masters of Environment from Sherbrooke University. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, Shawn Wallace Executive Chairman For further information on Torq Resources, please visit www.torqresources.com or contact Natasha Frakes, Vice President of Communications at (778) 729-0500 or info@torqresources.com. About Torq Resources Torq is a Vancouver-based copper and gold exploration company with an established portfolio of premium holdings in Chile. The Company was built by a management team with prior success in monetizing two well-known exploration companies. Torq is further supported by a specialized technical team, recognized for their expertise and experience working with major mining companies. This includes the Company's Chile-based technical team with a noteworthy track record for major discovery in that country. Torq's invaluable local expertise has provided the leverage and connections for the Company to continue to acquire and explore highly prospective assets in the pursuit of a landmark discovery. For more information, visit www.torqresources.com. Forward Looking Information This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking information is information that includes implied future performance and/or forecast information including information relating to, or associated with, exploration and or development of mineral properties. These statements or graphical information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different (either positively or negatively) from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Torq Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663482/Torq-to-Appoint-Carolina-Vargas-and-Marie-Helene-Turgeon-as-Directors VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2021 / Medaro Mining Corp. (CSE:MEDA) ("Medaro" or the "Company") is pleased to announce, further to its news release dated June 30, 2021, that it has completed the initial earn-in under its definitive joint venture agreement (the "JV Agreement") with Dr. James G. Blencoe, Ph.D., of Tennessee USA, and Global Lithium Extraction Technologies Inc. ("Global Lithium"), with respect to the operation of a joint venture (the "Joint Venture") to develop and commercialize a new, low-cost process (the "Technology") for extracting lithium from spodumene concentrate. The Joint Venture is operated through Global Lithium, a new corporation that was formed for this purpose. For further information respecting the Technology and Dr. Blencoe's background, please see the Company's news releases dated May 6, 2021 and June 30, 2021. Pursuant to the initial earn-in under the JV Agreement, Medaro has acquired a 20% ownership interest in Global Lithium in exchange for Medaro making a cash contribution of US$100,000 to Global Lithium and issuing an aggregate of 450,000 common shares of Medaro to the shareholders of Global Lithium. In connection with the initial earn-in, Dr. Blencoe has also joined Medaro's leadership team as Chief Technology Officer. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Hugh Maddin Chief Executive Officer & Director About the Company The Company is a lithium exploration company based in Vancouver, BC. and holds options over the Superb Lake lithium property located in Thunder Bay, Ontario and the CYR South lithium property located in James Bay, Quebec. The Company is a party to a joint venture agreement that engages the Company in the development and commercialization of a new process to extract lithium from spodumene concentrate. For more information, investors should review the Company's filings that are available at www.sedar.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that are "forward looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, including statements regarding the JV Agreement and the development of the Technology are "forward-looking information". These forward-looking statements reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in filings made by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, which may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Relevant risks include the ability of the Joint Venture to develop the Technology as they intend and within the expected time frame. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Contact Information info@medaromining.com 604-365-0425 SOURCE : Medaro Mining Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663406/Medaro-Completes-Initial-Earn-In-under-Joint-Venture-Agreement-to-Develop-Lithium-Extraction-Technology Italvolt has signed an agreement purchasing land in Scarmagno, where the former Olivetti factory was located, as part of the strategic advancement of its 45 GWh gigafactory project MILAN and SCARMAGNO, Italy, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Italvolt Spa, founded by Lars Carlstrom to create one of the largest gigafactories in Europe, has signed an agreement with Prelios Sgr, manager of Fondo Monteverdi, for the purchase of an area of one million square meters. The purchased land is located in the municipality of Scarmagno, which is in Italy's second largest region of Piedmont, where the former Olivetti factory stood. Italvolt's gigafactory, which once fully operational, is destined to become one of Europe's largest production and storage sites of lithium batteries for electric vehicles, with a planned capacity of 45 GWh. This represents one of the most important and largest industrial investment projects in Italy in modern times, involving an overall investment of around 3.4 billion euros. The site in Scarmagno has been selected for its existing infrastructure and strategic geographical location in terms of good road and rail connections. The site will be able to leverage Piedmont's productive capability, the leading region in Italy for automotive industrial production. The land will be reclaimed and repurposed by Italvolt, dedicating an area of 300 thousand square meters to constructing the new plant. Out of this, 20 thousand square meters will be dedicated to creating a Research & Development centre. The next step for Italvolt is obtaining building permits by the beginning of 2022 so work can begin in the second half of the year. Pininfarina's Architecture Division will design the new plant with a strong focus on environmental and social impact. Pininfarina intends to develop a new generation industrial plant integrated into the economic and social fabric of the region. Lars Carlstrom, CEO and Founder of Italvolt, stated: "The agreement with Prelios Sgr represents a crucial step in the implementation plan of our gigafactory project. We are delighted to have concluded the purchase of the land with input from local authorities. In recent months they have made a significant contribution to the promotion of Italvolt's project. The decommissioned site offers excellent potential to restore the local industrial heritage, offering jobs and environmental improvements." In the first half of 2021, the electric mobility industry saw a significant increase in growth, not only in Europe but globally. In Italy, for instance, in the first six months of 2021, registrations of electric and plug-in hybrid cars quadrupled, compared to the same period last year. As a result, the demand for lithium-ion batteries in Europe is expected to grow at a rate of 24% per year, driven by electric mobility exceeding 1,200 GWh in 2035. Lars Carlstrom added: "We are proud to be the promoters of a project that will become one of the largest gigafactories in Southern Europe. We are certain that this will pave the way for new industrial initiatives dedicated to battery production. To achieve the challenging goal, set by the European Commission, to complete the transition towards a zero-emission automotive industry by 2035, it is necessary to accelerate battery production, and Italvolt is ready to do its part." Patrick Del Bigio, CEO of Prelios Sgr, commented: "We are very pleased with the result achieved. The area that hosted the historic Olivetti will come back to life in the following months with a new industrial project focused on the business of electric mobility, which today presents itself as a highly strategic and innovative sector, just as Olivetti was in the 1960s in the IT sector. Therefore, the industrial heritage of the site remains intact with important socio-economic developments that will derive from the focus on green industrialization. With this focus, Prelios SGR has also been particularly committed and has contributed to the operation's success, working in close coordination with representatives of the public administration and all the other actors involved, as well as defining the best value of the real estate asset." Andrea Tronzano, Councillor for the Budget of the Piedmont Region, said: "This is a moment of great excitement for Piedmont. This step is extraordinarily important for the Canavese area and beyond and demonstrates Italvolt's willingness to build the battery factory on schedule. Piedmont wants a gigafactory, and this news can only give us great pleasure. Now we will support the business plans through helping government access the resources of Pnrr." Certain administrative matters associated with the agreement are expected to be met within 12 months from the signing. On legal matters, Italvolt was assisted by Dentons, with a team led by Managing Partner Federico Sutti and composed of Partner Federico Vanetti and Associates Lorenzo Ugolini and Cristina Garlaschelli. GDP assisted Prelios Sgr - Studio Legale e Tributario with a team led by Founding Partner Prof. Andrea Gemma, with Partner Elisabetta Mattozzi and Managing Associate Chiara Adele Pero. ITALVOLT Italvolt is building a Gigafactory with a 45 GWh production capacity for battery cells in Saramango, Italy. Our key goal is to contribute to the green industrialization by becoming one of the main suppliers of green batteries in Europe and establishing Italy's presence as a preeminent battery manufacturer. This also means playing our part in the circular economy and ultimately the regeneration of natural resources. Italvolt is also concerned with the rejuvenation of a historical power house of industry with ESG aspects at the forefront of its strategy and this includes creating an eco-valley of research and innovation through our 20,000 m2 advanced R&D centre. People, community and education are of particular importance with an open platform factory design that engages and involves local residents and that provides growth alongside a sustainable future. PRELIOS SGR PRELIOS SGR is the Prelios Group's fund manager. One of the leading Italian real-estate fund and asset managers, it promotes and manages alternative investment funds (investment funds and SICAFs) and separate accounts, and provides advisory services for major national and international investors on the formulation and execution of the best movable and immovable asset investment and management strategies across Italy. At December 2020, Prelios SGR had assets under management for approximately 6.4 billion Euro through 38 alternative investment funds, including one umbrella fund, and two SICAFs. Prelios SGR is a signatory of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment network, which works for the integration into investment practices of the six responsible investment principles incorporating environmental, social and corporate governance issues. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1612860/Italvolt_Spa_Signing.jpg VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2021 / Sassy Resources Corporation ("Sassy" or the "Company") (CSE:SASY)(FSE:4E7)(OTCQB:SSYRF) is pleased to provide an exploration update on the Company's projects in Northwest B.C.'s Eskay Camp and the Central Newfoundland Gold Belt. Foremore Gold-Silver Project Diamond drilling is ongoing at the Company's Westmore Discovery Zone within the larger 146 sq. km Foremore Project area. This summer's drilling has focused on mineralized quartz veins at lower elevations to the south and east of the Company's 2020 discovery at Westmore, demonstrating the potential significant vertical extent of this system. Surface sampling and detailed geologic mapping are being performed to support both the drill program at Westmore and the ongoing interpretation of the controls on the mineralization within and around the Westmore intrusive; While drilling continues at Westmore, crews are ground truthing multiple VTEM and magnetic anomalies identified in the preliminary data generated by the recently completed high resolution, deep penetrating 1,687 line-kilometer airborne VTEM Survey across the broader Foremore Property. Delivery of final data from this survey, performed earlier in the 2021 field season, is pending. Central Newfoundland Gold Belt Exploration Update Sassy, through subsidiary Gander Gold Corporation, engaged GroundTruth Exploration this past spring to spearhead a large-scale early-stage exploration program across its multiple project areas in the Central Newfoundland Gold Belt (CNGB) where Sassy controls 9,032 claims covering approximately 2,257 sq. km of prospective ground; Approximately twelve thousand (12,000) soil and till samples from Gander North, Cape Ray II and Mount Peyton have been collected to date and submitted for assaying. The company is targeting C-horizon soils/till and will follow up initial results with deeper and more tightly spaced probe sampling aimed at testing the soil/bedrock interface where possible. Assay results are pending and will be released as they are received and preliminary interpretation is completed; A fixed-wing airborne mag/VLF geophysical survey is in progress across the Company's Newfoundland properties. LiDAR surveys and airborne high resolution orthoimagery capture is also in progress across the properties; Sassy plans to re-deploy its prospecting team from the Foremore Project to several of its Gander Gold properties in Newfoundland once the field season at Foremore is complete. Prospecting will be carried out on outcropped areas of interest mapped during the Company's early-stage work; Sassy has commissioned a NI-43-101 technical report for the portion of the larger Gander North Project which was optioned from Vulcan Minerals. The report is being drafted by Ronacher McKenzie Geoscience of Sudbury, Ontario. Delivery of the report is pending and will support Gander's planned application to list on a Canadian exchange. The Company has completed the required assessment work and expenditures to use Vulcan Gander North as the "qualifying property" for its planned application to list on a Canadian exchange. Gander Gold Financing The Company announces that its subsidiary, Gander Gold Corporation ("Gander"), has closed a non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") raising gross proceeds of $272,500 through the issuance of 1,090,000 special warrants (the "Special Warrants") at a price of $0.25 per Special Warrant. The Special Warrants are convertible into common shares of Gander at a date to be determined by the board of directors of Gander, but no later than two weeks after Gander becomes a reporting issuer. The 109 individual investors who participated in the Private Placement were limited to an allotment of 10,000 Special Warrants ($2,500) per participant, for the purpose of achieving the share distribution required for Gander's planned application to list on a Canadian exchange. No finder's fees were paid in connection with the Private Placement. To date, Gander has raised $5,273,708 through the issuance of convertible Special Warrants. Mr. Mark Scott, Sassy CEO, commented: "We are very pleased with the exploration progress being made in both B.C. and Newfoundland. At Foremore we continue to follow up on the exciting results generated during our first field season in 2020. In Newfoundland we have launched an aggressive early-stage exploration program which is already starting to generate targets for follow-up exploration, and we're only just scratching the surface of that very large land package. Sassy's CEO continued, "Corporately, we are putting the elements in place to ensure the Gander Gold listing application process is as smooth and expeditious as possible. Our new website has launched to positive reviews and is a valuable source of information for our current and prospective investors. All of which has been accomplished while maintaining focused control of our share structure. Overall, we are very pleased with the foundation we've built for the creation of real long-term shareholder value after just our first year as a public company." Subscribe for Updates Photographs and videos from the Company's projects in Northwest B.C. and Newfoundland will be added to the Sassy website over the coming days and weeks. Visit SassyResources.com and sign up for news alerts to stay informed as exploration continues year-round. Qualified Person The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Ian Fraser, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration for Sassy Resources. Mr. Fraser is the Qualified Person responsible for the scientific and technical information contained herein under National Instrument 43-101 standards. About Sassy Resources Corporation Sassy Resources is an exploration stage resource company currently engaged in the identification, acquisition and exploration of high-grade precious metal and base metal projects in North America. Its focus is the Foremore Project located in the Eskay Camp, Liard Mining Division, in the heart of Northwest B.C.'s prolific Golden Triangle, and the Central Newfoundland Gold Belt where Sassy is one of the district's largest landowners. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Investors are cautioned that, except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained in this document includes "forward-looking information", with respect to a performance expectation for Sassy Resources Corporation. Such forward looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections formulated using assumptions believed to be reasonable and involving a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such factors include, without limitation, fluctuations in foreign exchange markets, the price of commodities in both the cash market and futures market, changes in legislation, taxation, controls and regulation of national and local governments and political and economic developments in Canada and other countries where Sassy carries out or may carry out business in the future, the availability of future business opportunities and the ability to successfully integrate acquisitions or operational difficulties related to technical activities of mining and reclamation, the speculative nature of exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks obtaining necessary licenses and permits, reducing the quantity or grade of reserves, adverse changes in credit ratings, and the challenge of title. The Company does not undertake an obligation to update publicly or revise forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Some of the results reported are historical and may not have been verified by the Company. Contact Info: Mark Scott Chief Executive Officer & Director info@sassyresources.ca Terry Bramhall Sassy Resources - Corporate Communications/IR 1.604.833.6999 (mobile) 1.604.675.9985 (office) terry.bramhall@sassyresources.ca In Europe: Michael Adams Managing Director - Star Finance GmbH info@star-finance.eu The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Sassy Resources Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663405/Sassy-Continues-Drilling-at-Westmore-Discovery-Large-Scale-Newfoundland-Program-Intensifies Company recently completed a Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers of AZP-3601 for the potential treatment for hypoparathyroidism LYON, France and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amolyt Pharma, a global company specializing in developing therapeutic peptides for rare endocrine and related diseases, today announced that it will host a key opinion leader (KOL) webinar on AZP-3601, the Company's lead product candidate for the potential treatment of hypoparathyroidism, on Friday, October 1, 2021 at 10:00 am ET. The webinar will feature a presentation by KOL John P. Bilezikian, M.D., Ph.D., College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, who will discuss the current treatment landscape and unmet medical needs for patients with hypoparathyroidism. Dr. Thierry Abribat, founder and chief executive officer of Amolyt Pharma, will give a corporate update, including an overview of Amolyt Pharma's pipeline development. Dr. Soraya Allas, vice president of clinical development and regulatory affairs at Amolyt Pharma, will review the results from both the single ascending dose and multiple ascending dose cohorts of the Phase 1 clinical trial of AZP-3601 in healthy volunteers. A live question and answer session will follow the formal presentations. To register for the webinar, please click here. John P. Bilezikian, M.D., PH.D., the Dorothy L. and Daniel H. Silberberg Professor of Medicine and Professor of Pharmacology at the College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University is Vice-Chair of the Department of Medicine for International Education and Research and Chief, Emeritus, of the Division of Endocrinology. He is Director, Emeritus, of the Metabolic Bone Diseases Program at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Bilezikian received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and his medical training at the Columbia University's College of Physicians & Surgeons. He completed his internship and residency at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and trained in Metabolic Bone Diseases and in Endocrinology at the National Institutes of Health in the Mineral Metabolism Branch under the tutelage of Dr. Gerald Aurbach. Dr. Bilezikian's major research interests include the clinical investigation of metabolic bone diseases, particularly primary hyperparathyroidism, hypoparathyroidism, and osteoporosis. His studies of parathyroid hormone in these disorders with regard to etiology, clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, mechanisms of skeletal involvement, and therapy are known throughout the world as landmark contributions to our knowledge of these disorders. He has been continuously funded by the NIH since 1974. Over 850 publications speak to these active original investigative initiatives as well as his authorship of many reference sources of endocrinology and metabolic bone diseases. About Amolyt Pharma Amolyt Pharma, a clinical stage biotechnology company, is building on its team's established expertise in therapeutic peptides to deliver life-changing treatments to patients suffering from rare endocrine and related diseases. Its portfolio includes AZP-3601, a long-acting PTH analog as a potential treatment of hypoparathyroidism, AZP-3813, a macrocyclic peptide growth hormone receptor antagonist for the potential treatment of acromegaly, and AZP-3404, which is undergoing indication selection work. Amolyt Pharma aims to further expand and develop its portfolio by leveraging its global network in the field of endocrinology and with support from a strong syndicate of international investors. To learn more, visit www.amolytpharma.comor follow us on Twitter at @AmolytPharma. CONTACTS: Media: Cherilyn Cecchini, M.D. LifeSci Communications ccecchini@lifescicomms.com +1.646.876.5196 Investors: Ashley Robinson LifeSci Advisors, LLC arr@lifesciadvisors.com +1.617.430.7577 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2021) - Great Thunder Gold Corp. (CSE: GTG) (OTC PINK: GTGFF) (FSE: M4KQ) ("Great Thunder", or "GTG", or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has signed a drilling contract with Diafor Inc., of Abitibi, Quebec for its 2021 Phase 2 drilling at the Chubb Lithium Project ("Chubb") in Quebec. Phase 2 Drilling Program at Chubb Project This drilling contract secures a diamond drill rig to be on the standby awaiting optimal winter drilling conditions at the Chubb project. The drilling will commence as soon as the ground is frozen as it will provide further access to continue its successful Spring Phase 1 drill program of this year. The contract is for a minimum of 5,000 metres with one drill rig and is strategically planned to continue to define the lithium bearing pegmatite to the south of the Main Dyke. Phase 1 drilling consisted of 15 diamond drill holes totalling 2,283 metres. All 15 completed drill holes intersected pegmatite and/or spodumene pegmatite with lithium values, with the Main Dyke values being of the greatest value and a key focus for continued drilling this winter. The Spring 2021 drilling program defined the Main Dyke to over a length of more than 350 metres and was stopped short due to weather conditions. This drilling revealed that the grade and width of the lithium bearing pegmatite improved heading towards the south with 1.48% Li 2 O over 12.7 metres in Diamond Drill Hole ("DDH") 21-CH-15, the final spring hole drilled to the south. Figure 1: 2021 Spring Drill Results of Main Dyke at Chubb Lithium Property, Quebec To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7129/96109_b44ef1fd147a7b25_002full.jpg For this winter 2021-2022 program, planned holes will be drilled on sections 50 metres apart and will be focused on the southern extension of the Main Dyke. Three to four holes are planned to be drilled on each section to verify the zone to a vertical depth of 100 metres, with several planned holes to be drilled to verify the pegmatite at a greater depth. The goal of this program is to confirm the continuity of the lithium bearing pegmatite and to potentially proceed with a preliminary resource evaluation. Figure 2: Chubb Property location within the Lacorne pegmatite field. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7129/96109_b44ef1fd147a7b25_004full.jpg Qualified Person Donald Theberge, P.Eng., M.B.A., an independent qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed, and approved the technical contents of this news release on behalf of the Company. About Great Thunder Gold Great Thunder is traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange as GTG. The Company is a Canada-based junior mining exploration company focused on exploration and development in Newfoundland and is exploring and developing assets in Quebec. On Behalf of the Board of Directors, GREAT THUNDER GOLD CORP. "Blair Naughty" President & CEO Investor Relations Email: info@greatthundergold.com Direct Line: (236) 513-4653 www.greatthundergold.com Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statement This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96109 Hanoi, Vietnam--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2021) - On September 9, 2021, T&T Group, a multi-industry group of Vietnam, and rsted, a leading group in offshore wind power, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strategic cooperation in offshore wind power in Vietnam, which promises to bring a large supply of renewable energy through new investment on offshore wind power projects in Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan provinces of Vietnam. Accordingly, the two groups will use and promote the experience, strengths and capabilities to bring high efficiency for the projects. Both sides cooperate in developing three projects in Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan provinces with a total estimated installed capacity of nearly 10 GW and total expected investment of about 30 billion U.S. dollars in 20 years. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh, Deputy General Director of T&T Group, and Mr. Martin Neubert, COO & Deputy Group CEO of rsted, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strategic collaboration on offshore wind in Vietnam. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7958/96113_08f86627e4bbb972_001full.jpg Do Quang Hien, Chairman of T&T Group, said: "T&T Group has planned a strategy to develop renewable energy and gas to power projects by 2030 with a vision to 2045, in line with the national strategy and planning of energy. This cooperation will help T&T Group accelerate the implementation of this strategy, bring valuable international experience and financial resources in the implementation of projects in Vietnam." Matthias Bausenwein, President of rsted Asia-Pacific, said: "rsted aims to reach 30 GW of offshore wind power by 2030. To support this ambitious goal, we need to work closely with a partner like T&T Group, who bring a deep understanding of the market and have an impressive track record in developing large scale energy projects in Vietnam." On the same day, T&T Group and Smart Universal Logistics N.V, a leading Belgian company in sustainable energy and environmental infrastructure development, also signed a MoU on cooperation in developing desalination plants using wind power to produce fresh water for agriculture and aquaculture in Vietnam. T&T Group is one of the leading private economic groups in Vietnam, operating in seven core areas, including the energy sector. In the next 10 years, the power supply capacity of T&T Group (LNG and renewable energy) is expected to reach about 10,000 - 11,000 MWp, accounting for about 8 per cent of the total installed capacity of power in Vietnam's electricity system. Media contact: huongnv@ttgroup.com.vn To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96113 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - With 145081 new cases of coronavirus infections reporting in the United States on Thursday, the national total has increased to 40,602,892, as per the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. 1926 additional casualties took the national COVID death toll to 654,598. Texas reported the most number of cases - 32,054 - at the weekend while Florida - 1296 - reported most COVID-related deaths. California is the worst affected state in terms of both the COVID metrics, with 4,463,803 cases and a total of 66,934 people dying due to the disease there. Deaths have increased by 28 percent in a fortnight, according to data compiled by New York Times. A total of 1,612,252 tests were conducted nationally, marking 17 percent increase n two weeks. The number of people hospitalized due to coronavirus infection in the country has fallen to 100,610. 31,744,959 people have so far recovered from the disease in the country. As per the latest data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 177,433,044 people in the United States, or 53.4 percent of the population, have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. This includes 82.2 percent of people above 65. 208,305,270 people, or 62.7 percent of the population, have received at least one dose. 377,622,065 vaccine doses have been administered so far nationally. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden reiterated that in the United States, it is a 'pandemic of the unvaccinated'. 'And it's caused by the fact that despite America having an unprecedented and successful vaccination program, despite the fact that for almost five months free vaccines have been available in 80,000 different locations, we still have nearly 80 million Americans who have failed to get the shot,' he said Thursday while delivering remarks on his robust plan to stop the spread of the Delta variant and boost COVID-19 vaccinations. And in a country as large as ours, that 25 percent minority can cause a lot of damage - and they are,' he added. 'The unvaccinated overcrowd our hospitals, are overrunning the emergency rooms and intensive care units, leaving no room for someone with a heart attack, or pancreatitis, or cancer,' he said. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de The company's leading scholars will contribute both academic and industry perspectives to the annual gathering MORRISTOWN, N.J., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arria NLG today announced its gold-level sponsorship of this year's International Conference on Natural Language Generation (INLG). Arria Chief Scientists Ehud Reiter and Yaji Sripada are serving as program co-chairs. Arria's Chief Product Officer (CPO) Ross Turner will also participate in discussions regarding productization of NLG. This is a preeminent research event to discuss and disseminate advancements in the field of natural language generation (NLG). The conference will be hosted in Aberdeen, Scotland from 20 to 24 September. Participants will present their research in virtual meetings. In addition to world-class research presentations, this year's conference will include workshops, tutorials, talks by invited experts, and a discussion panel: What users want from real-world NLG. The panel discussion will be led by academics currently working in industry on machine learning, NLG, and cognitive AI assistants. While natural language generation has been established for more than 30 years, the adoption curve for NLG has accelerated. It is now seen as a foundational technology for business by analyst firms such as Gartner, who have recently recognized NLG as a core capability. The INLG conference, which got its start in the late 1980s, has grown from being a niche academic group to a much grander scope academically and commercially. Arria CEO Sharon Daniels said, "At Arria, we're fortunate to have our chief scientists who keep us connected regularly to the global NLG community and its work. But this annual conference allows us to engage directly with academics on the forefront of exciting research, exploration, and innovation. We wouldn't miss the chance to take part in INLG 2021." Arria and its people have enjoyed being involved in INLG since the beginning. The company has sponsored the conference numerous times in the past decade, while Arria's founders have been regular attendees for much longer. Arria CPO Ross Turner said: "It's exciting to see the cutting-edge research at an event such as this, and both an honour and a privilege to be able to participate. As a company building NLG products, it's essential to keep in close contact with the wider research community. There is tremendous insight to be gained from these gatherings. It's important for us as a company to stay in touch and keep up with what everyone is working on in order to help move the field of natural language generation forward." For the Generation Challenges part of the conference, in which participants conduct research to answer predetermined questions regarding evaluation of NLG systems, Professor Reiter will present a paper he wrote with Craig Thomson titled Generation Challenges: Results of the Accuracy Evaluation of Shared Tasks. Reiter and Thomson will announce the results of their shared task, which took place between April and July. You can register for the conference on the conference website. About Arria NLG Arria brings language to data analytics, helping to improve understanding and accelerate the ability to action key data insights, in real-time, at scale - humanizing the way in which we interact with data. The Arria NLG platform provides the ability to take advantage of a suite of natural language technology products. The platform includes no-code NLG Apps, NLG Studio for authoring and publishing custom NLG projects, out-of-the-box integrations for the top five business intelligence platforms, as well as natural language query capabilities and a developer SDK. Arria has been named as a sample vendor in both Gartner's 2021 Hype Cycle for Analytics & BI and 2021 Hype Cycle for Natural Language Technologies. As the market adoption of NLG has been become a critical capability in business intelligence, clients from industries including banking, financial services, insurance, pharmaceutical, consumer product goods, news, and media have been coming to Arria for solutions. Media Contact: Ross Turner ross.turner@arria.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1612468/INLG_2021.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/329543/Arria_NLG_Logo.jpg In its 4th Edition, the World's Largest, Free, Hybrid Fintech Event Series Will Explore Sustainable & Inclusive Finance, ESG, Decentralized Finance in Post-COVID Fintech BOSTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2021 / FinTech Sandbox , a nonprofit that provides early-stage startups with free access to critical data and resources, today announced the return of Boston FinTech Week , which will take place from September 28 - October 1, 2021 in various locations in Boston, in addition to streaming sessions in a hybrid format. The four-day gathering aims to facilitate an open dialogue between financial institutions, fintech entrepreneurs, regulators, academics and venture capitalists to discuss fintech's rapid expansion and evolution as well as the important role it plays in making financial services available and accessible to all. This year's theme is "Financial Services for Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere" and free registration options are here . Given the rising concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers have decided to offer both virtual and in-person options in the interest of safety for attendees. The hybrid model not only allows attendees to network and make meaningful connections in-person, but actively encourages financial professionals from global markets to attend virtually, who may not be able to travel, as well as those from all functional and professional levels. While the pandemic catalyzed digital innovation and adoption of new and novel financial services by people and industry, it also highlighted the difficulty in accessing financial services. During Boston FinTech Week, speakers and panelists will discuss these challenges, as well as opportunities the global financial services industry is facing over four information-packed days: Day 1 - September 28 - The Current State of FinTech. Where Are We Today? Day 2 - September 29 - Building a Sustainable and Inclusive Finance for Tomorrow Day 3 - September 30 - A Special Day Devoted to the Future of Finance and Decentralized Finance (DeFi), sponsored by Algorand Day 4 - October 1 - The Big Picture. What have We Learned and Where Do We Go From Here? FinTech Sandbox is also pleased and excited to announce that notable Boston FinTech Week speakers will include: Abby Johnson, Chairman and CEO, Fidelity Investments Greg Becker, President & CEO of SVB Financial Group and CEO of Silicon Valley Bank Mike Massaro, CEO of Boston-based Flywire Charlotte Crosswell, former CEO of Innovate Finance Greg Shell, Managing Director of Bain Capital Double Impact Fund Additional speakers will be revealed regularly in the weeks leading up to the event. "We're proud that FinTech Sandbox and Boston FinTech Week have been at the forefront of making financial products more accessible, more equitable and more inclusive for years," said FinTech Sandbox Executive Director Kelly Fryer. "This year's event will explore the next chapter of fintech's history. It will include the trailblazers in this movement, and the most thoughtful voices about where we're going and how we'll get there - including how the industry is providing more financial solutions that meet people where they are. We're excited to have a lively discussion about the future of fintech and how we can make a more sustainable and inclusive industry." Sarah Biller, co-founder of FinTech Sandbox, added: "This edition of Boston FinTech Week is designed to serve as a bridge to a new stage of fintech as we move out of the pandemic. We launched Boston FinTech Week not as a revenue-generating conference, but as an intentional convening of the best innovators and industry leaders in the capital markets, banking, payments and insurance sectors to discover emerging ideas as much as ask the hard questions. This setting has enabled breakthrough ideas from the fintech community to take shape on stage and in the hallways, often fundamentally shifting the trajectory of the financial services industry for the better." FinTech Sandbox promotes innovation in the financial sector by making data and infrastructure available to fintech startups, at the point in their growth when access to this typically expensive data is most impactful. FinTech Sandbox startups, in return, collaborate with current and past residents, sharing learnings and advancements that benefit the ecosystem. Participating startups - more than 230 thus far - pay no fees and no equity is taken. For more information and to register, please follow this link . For the full list of event sponsors that are making Boston FinTech Week possible, please visit this page . About FinTech Sandbox FinTech Sandbox is a nonprofit that promotes innovation in financial technology and financial services globally by providing FinTech entrepreneurs and startups with access to critical data and resources. Along with Boston FinTech Week, the newly launched Mass Fintech Hub , which is a public-private partnership dedicated to making the Commonwealth a global leader in fintech, is an initiative under the Fintech Sandbox umbrella. For more information, please visit https://fintechsandbox.org/ and https://www.twitter.com/FinTechSandbox. CONTACT: Media Contact: Stephen Sumner Caliber Corporate Advisers stephen@calibercorporate.com 845-489-0612 (m) SOURCE: FinTech Sandbox View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663453/Boston-FinTech-Week-2021-Returns-Featuring-CEOs-of-Fidelity-Flywire-Silicon-Valley-Bank-to-Discuss-the-Next-Stages-of-Fintech-and-Greater-Financial-Access RIMINI, Italy, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The China Day, the event organized by the Macfrut fair in Rimini in collaboration with the Chinese Agricultural Trade Promotion Center, has been the occasion for The European Art of Taste, the three-year project funded by the European Union and CSO to promote the consumption of Italian fruit and vegetables in China, Japan and Taiwan, organizing a webinar to present the project companies to over 111 Asian companies and professionals in the sector. After the introduction by Gianpaolo Bruno (ICE Bejing), Laura Stocchi and Luca Mari (CSO), the event of The European Art of Taste then hosted the interventions by Renzo Balestri for Apofruit, Iulia Iordache of KingFruit, Federico Milanese from Jingold, Reen Nordin for Origine Group and Kevin Auyeung of RK Growers, very important companies in European fruit and vegetable production. All the companies showed and described the excellence of their products, focusing on the varietal compositions, the production areas and the high standards of cultivation, harvesting and distribution. The meetings organized for China Day took place exclusively online, supported by the presence of virtual stands in which companies had the chance to present themselves and organize meetings with other exhibitors and buyers. Trade trends confirm the importance and interest of trade between Europe and Asia, with China importing Italian agricultural products 108.1 billion dollars and 38.39 billion dollars of exportations between January and June 2021 according to the general administration of Chinese customs. In this area, fruit and vegetables recorded significant growth, with growth of + 23.6% for fruit and + 22.2% for vegetables. These data confirm the interest of Asian consumers in the varietal discovery and quality of Italian products including oranges, kiwis, processed fruit and vegetables and tomato puree, made Italy, together with China, among the leaders of the world market. This collaboration is increasingly crucial in for the period and lays the foundations for a solid and fruitful collaboration for the future. The European Art of Taste project will continue to promote the masterpieces of Italian nature and art throughout 2021, involving consumers, journalists and professionals in incoming, in-store events and fairs. For more information and details: www.europeanartoftaste.com www.europeanartoftaste.ch Press office: RP Circuiti Multimedia info@rpcircuiti.it Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2021) - Blue River Resources Ltd. (TSXV: BXR) (OTC Pink: BRVRF) (FSE: 0BL) (the "Company") announces that, further to its news releases of April 26, 2021 and June 23, 2021, and subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"), it has closed its non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") raising gross proceeds of $650,000 through the issuance of 43,333,333 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.015 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share (a "Share") in the capital of the Company and one transferable share purchase warrant (a "Warrant") with each Warrant exercisable to purchase one additional Share of the Company at a price of $0.05 per Share for a period of 3 years from the date of closing of the Private Placement. Pursuant to the Exchange bulletins dated April 8, 2020, December 15, 2020 and June 17, 2021 regarding temporary relief of $0.05 minimum pricing requirement, the Company submitted an application and received approval from the Exchange for the minimum waiver. No finder's fees were paid in connection with the Private Placement. The Shares and Warrants are subject to a 4-month hold period in Canada and the Exchange Hold Period. The following is a summary of the use of proceeds allocation: Use of Proceeds Summary Type of Expense Estimated Cost ($) Exploration expenses on Castle Project: Geophysical survey, report 171,500 Management and consulting fees ($19,000 mo.) 171,000 Commissions 30,000 Office rent, telecom, administration ($4,000 /mo.) 48,000 Audit and accounting fees 30,000 Regulatory fees - transfer agent [monthly fees x 12, plus any outstanding due and owing] 16,000 Regulatory fees - TSXV - annual sustaining fee 5,500 Regulatory fees - next Q4 fees to BCSC, ASC and SEDAR system fees 8,000 Stock Option Plan TSX.V Fees Unallocated 30,000 140,000 Total: 650,000 The proceeds from the Private Placement will be used for mineral exploration on the Company's Castle Copper project, located between Copper Mountain Mining and Kodiak Copper on the prolific Nicola Volcanic Trend, within the larger Quesnel Trough Copper belt, and for general working capital. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Griffin Jones President 604.682.7339 www.blueriv.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities for sale, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities. Any public offering of securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus containing detailed information about the company and management, as well as financial statements. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96086 $1.7 million contract with leading UK defence contractor for G7 EXOs Blackline Safety Corp. (TSX: BLN), a global leader of gas detection and connected safety solutions, today announced the close of a $1.7 million contract with a leading defence contractor in the United Kingdom. The contract involves the purchase of G7 EXO area monitors for gas detection, ideal for rapid deployment and long-term monitoring of industrial workspaces. The area monitor's durable design and long battery life were key factors in the buyer selecting Blackline Safety's G7 EXO. This new order follows the same customer's initial $0.5 million order in October 2020, demonstrating a successful customer experience. More recently, the current contract comes on the heels of Blackline Safety's largest order of portable area gas monitors from a Houston-based turnaround services provider. "We're seeing a significant increase in large orders, signaling that major projects are gaining momentum and our customers are returning to more normal business operations," said Cody Slater, CEO and Chair for Blackline Safety. "Along with this positive change, we're also encouraged to see existing customers expand their deployment after experiencing the benefits of protecting their workforce with our products and services." Blackline Safety's G7 EXO is the world's first direct-to-cloud connected area monitors with integrated 4G communications and deliver unmatched connectivity and visibility into an entire worksite. Supported by advanced analytical capabilities to ensure real-time compliance, comprehensive safety monitoring and the detection of up to five different gas types in even the most rugged of conditions, the award-winning G7 EXO offers industry-leading protection to workers and facilities. For more information about Blackline Safety's G7 EXO, visit blacklinesafety.com/g7-exo. About Blackline Safety Blackline Safety is a global connected safety leader that helps to ensure every worker gets their job done and returns home safely each day. Blackline provides wearable safety technology, personal and area gas monitoring, cloud-connected software and data analytics to meet demanding safety challenges and increase productivity of organizations with coverage in more than 100 countries. Blackline Safety wearables provide a lifeline to tens of thousands of men and women, having reported over 155 billion data-points and initiated over five million emergency responses. Armed with cellular and satellite connectivity, we ensure that help is never too far away. For more information, visit www.BlacklineSafety.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210910005116/en/ Contacts: MEDIA CONTACT Blackline Safety Christine Gillies, CMO cgillies@blacklinesafety.com +1 403-629-9434 Record quarterly revenues (Q '22) of $3,251,182, an increase of 211% compared with revenues of $1,045,425 in the like year-ago quarter, and a 23% improvement on revenues of $2,639,402 in the prior (Q1 '22) quarter Net income of $481,189 versus net income of $127,872 in Q1 '22 Adjusted EBITDA of $667,158, when excluding interest expense, interest income, amortization expense and stock-based compensation expense* Record revenues of $5,890,584 for the first six months of fiscal '22, an increase of 231% on revenues of $1,780,189 in the first six months of fiscal '21 Cash and cash equivalents of $13,879,617, current assets of $16,792,363 and total assets of $17,239,995 as of July 31, 2021 Total current liabilities of $1,434,096 and $211,915 of long-term liabilities as of July 31, 2021 Company rolls out fully functional seamless aggregation platform, allowing entry into significant global markets LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2021 / Golden Matrix Group Inc. (OTC PINK:GMGI) , a developer and licensor of online gaming platforms, systems and gaming content, today reported that it achieved its twelfth consecutive quarter of profitability and record revenues exceeding $3.2 million in the second fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2021. The tripling in Q2 revenues over the revenues recorded in fiscal Q2 '21 was primarily a result of GMGI's increased number of both gaming operator customers and registered players with these customers. The improvement in Q2 revenue was also attributable to strong revenue contributions from non-related-party distributors, which, as was the case in Q1 2022, accounted for an increase in cost of goods sold and a decrease in gross profit margin. Additionally, the issuance of consultant stock options in March 2021 resulted in an increase in cost of goods sold for Q2 2022. Additionally, "Due to GMGI's recent deployment of its seamless aggregate gaming platform, and the company's projected resulting expansion into new global markets, GMGI's margins are expected to improve over time", said CEO Brian Goodman. Mr. Goodman added that "GMGI's repeating quarterly profitability stretching over three years, and its solid balance sheet - with almost $13.9 million in cash and cash equivalents - is helping the company build awareness among new potential gaming operator customers. As a result, whereas company revenues have thus far come almost exclusively from the Asia Pacific region, GMGI now hopes to begin receiving revenue stemming from licensing agreements with gaming operators in Europe and the Americas." "We're increasingly confident that, mainly due to our new aggregate platform, which offers gaming operators a single source for over 10,000 games of every variety, Golden Matrix will begin, this fiscal year, to significantly expand its user base and global footprint. This, in turn, is expected to enable the company to realize corresponding improvements to its revenues and profits during this calendar year and beyond," Mr. Goodman said. "And, with our growing financial strength, we plan to continue to evaluate potential partnerships and acquisitions that are projected to both further accelerate revenue and be accretive to earnings," added Mr. Goodman. For the first six months of fiscal 2022, the company had net income of $609,000 and revenues of $5.9 million, compared with net income of $315,000 and revenues of $1.8 million during the same period in fiscal 2021. For additional information on Golden Matrix's Q2 2022 performance, please refer to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for Q2 2022, which can be found at https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/GMGI/disclosure or www.sec.gov . A summary of the Company's performance and highlights can be found at www.goldenmatrix.com/highlights . * Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. See also "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliation of Net Income attributable to Golden Matrix Group Inc., to Adjusted Earnings excluding Interest Expense, Interest Income, Amortization Expense and Stock-based Compensation Expense" included at the end of this release. About Golden Matrix Golden Matrix Group , based in Las Vegas NV, is an established gaming technology company that develops and owns online gaming IP and builds configurable and scalable white-label social gaming platforms for its international customers, located primarily in the Asia Pacific region. The gaming IP includes tools for marketing, acquisition, retention and monetization of users. The Company's platform can be accessed through both desktop and mobile applications. Our sophisticated software automatically declines any gaming or redemption requests from within the United States, in strict compliance with current US law. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements made in this press release contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements represent the Company's current expectations or beliefs concerning future events and can generally be identified using statements that include words such as "estimate," "expects," "project," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "foresee," "forecast," "likely," "will," "target" or similar words or phrases. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of the Company's control which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company; the need for additional financing, the terms of such financing and the availability of such financing; the ability of the Company to manage growth; disruptions caused by acquisitions; the Company's reliance on its management; the fact that the Company's chief executive officer has voting control over the Company; related party relationships; the potential effect of economic downturns and market conditions on the Company's operations and prospects; the Company's ability to protect proprietary information; the ability of the Company to compete in its market; the Company's lack of effective internal controls; dilution caused by efforts to obtain additional financing; the effect of future regulation, the Company's ability to comply with regulations and potential penalties in the event it fails to comply with such regulations; the risks associated with gaming fraud, user cheating and cyber-attacks; risks associated with systems failures and failures of technology and infrastructure on which the Company's programs rely; foreign exchange and currency risks; the outcome of contingencies, including legal proceedings in the normal course of business; the ability to compete against existing and new competitors; the ability to manage expenses associated with sales and marketing and necessary general and administrative and technology investments; and general consumer sentiment and economic conditions that may affect levels of discretionary customer purchases of the Company's products. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, made in this release or in any of its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, except as required by law. Consequently, you should not consider any such list to be a complete set of all potential risks and uncertainties. More information on potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results is included from time to time in the "Forward-Looking Statements," "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of the Company's periodic and current filings with the SEC, including the Form 10-Qs and Form 10-Ks, filed with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov . Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Non-GAAP Financial Measures Adjusted EBITDA, which is disclosed below, is a "non-GAAP financial measure" presented as a supplemental measure of the Company's performance. Adjusted EBITDA is not presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation. Adjusted EBITDA is presented because we believe it provides additional useful information to investors due to the various noncash items during the period. Adjusted EBITDA is not recognized in accordance with GAAP, is unaudited, and has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation, or as substitutes for analysis of the Company's results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations are: Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect cash expenditures, or future requirements for capital expenditures, or contractual commitments; Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, working capital needs; Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the significant interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments, on debt or cash income tax payments; although depreciation and amortization are noncash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be replaced in the future, and Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements; and other companies in this industry may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than the Company does, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure. The Company's presentation of these measures should not be construed as an inference that future results will be unaffected by unusual or nonrecurring items. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the section titled "Reconciliation of Net Income attributable to Golden Matrix Group Inc., to Adjusted Earnings excluding Interest Expense, Interest Income, Amortization Expense and Stock-based Compensation Expense" included at the end of this release. Connect with us: Twitter - https://twitter.com/GMGI_Group Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goldenmatrixgroup/" Golden Matrix Group Contact: Scott Yan info@goldenmatrix.com www.goldenmatrix.com Golden Matrix Group, Inc. Consolidated Balance Sheets As of As of July 31, 2021 January 31, 2021 (Unaudited) (Audited) ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents 13,879,617 11,706,349 Account receivable, net 1,382,917 1,040,410 Account receivable - related parties 1,408,536 656,805 Prepaid expenses 60,963 410,983 Short-term deposit 60,330 Total current assets 16,792,363 13,814,547 Non-current assets Intangible assets - net of amortization of $24,131 and $0 149,869 - Operating lease right-of-use assets 297,763 - Total non-current assets 447,632 - Total assets 17,239,995 13,814,547 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 1,123,757 78,913 Accounts payable - related parties 207,668 208,521 Advances from shareholders 96 99 Accrued interest 123 123 Customer deposit 15,803 149,640 Consideration payable - related party - 115,314 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 86,649 - Total current liabilities 1,434,096 552,610 Non-current liabilities: Non-current operating lease liabilities 211,915 - Total non-current liabilities 211,915 - Total liabilities 1,646,011 552,610 Shareholders' equity: Preferred stock, Series A: $0.00001 par value; 19,999,000 shares authorized, none outstanding - - Preferred stock, Series B: $0.00001 par value, 1,000 shares authorized,1,000 and 1,000 shares issued and outstanding, respectively - - Common stock: $0.00001 par value, 40,000,000 shares authorized, 23,769,894 and 22,741,665 shares issued and outstanding, respectively 238 227 Additional paid-in capital 40,050,930 38,320,729 Stock payable 6,000 7,420 Stock payable - related parties - 7,420 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) 636 (978 ) Accumulated deficit (24,463,820 ) (25,072,881 ) Total shareholders' equity 15,593,984 13,261,937 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity 17,239,995 13,814,547 Golden Matrix Group, Inc. Consolidated Statements of Operations Unaudited Three months ended July 31, Six months ended July 31, 2021 2020 2021 2020 Revenues 2,694,439 514,056 4,663,853 717,255 Revenues-related party 556,743 531,369 1,226,731 1,062,934 Cost of goods sold (2,043,440 ) (394,732 ) (3,536,483 ) (426,228 ) Gross profit 1,207,742 650,693 2,354,101 1,353,961 Operating expenses General and administrative (G&A) expense 340,894 105,222 668,605 215,862 G&A expense- related party 224,266 405,373 786,610 743,019 Professional fees 63,770 46,733 157,377 67,121 Research and development expense 68,046 - 89,264 - Total operating expenses 696,976 557,328 1,701,856 1,026,002 Gain from operations 510,766 93,365 652,245 327,959 Other income (expense) Interest expense - (3,663 ) - (9,814 ) Interest earned 45 232 85 1,528 Foreign exchange loss (29,622 ) (4,309 ) (43,269 ) (4,309 ) Total other expense (29,577 ) (7,740 ) (43,184 ) (12,595 ) Net income 481,189 85,625 609,061 315,364 Other comprehensive income Foreign currency translation adjustment 427 0 1,614 0 Total comprehensive income 481,616 85,625 610,675 315,364 Per share information Net earnings per common share - basic 0.02 0.00 0.03 0.02 Net earnings per common share - diluted 0.01 0.00 0.02 0.01 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic 23,404,205 19,032,832 23,175,644 19,001,164 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - diluted 34,741,973 31,670,820 34,480,621 31,477,386 Golden Matrix Group, Inc. Reconciliation of Net Income attributable to Golden Matrix Group Inc., to adjusted Earnings excluding interest Expense, Interest Income, amortization expense and Stock based compensation expense Three Months Ended Three Months Ended July 31, 2021 July 31, 2020 GAAP Net Income 481,189 85,625 + Interest Expense - 3,663 - Interest Income (45 ) (232 ) + Amortization expense 14,605 - + Stock-Based Compensation Expense 171,409 367,569 Non-GAAP Adjusted EBIDTA 667,158 456,625 SOURCE: Golden Matrix Group Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663480/Golden-Matrix-Reports-Twelfth-Consecutive-Profitable-Quarter-Record-Revenues-for-Fiscal-Q2-Ended-July-31-2021 PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2021 / Hiru Corp. (the "Company" or "HIRU" - OTC PINK:HIRU) - HIRU expects to become "Pink Sheet Current" with OTC Markets, Inc. ("OTC Markets") within the next five (5) business days or less. The Company was required to file an amended 2nd Quarter Disclosure Statement for June 30, 2021 ("Amended Filing"). This Amended Filing was filed with OTC Markets on September 1, 2021. Kathryn Gavin (HIRU Sole Officer and Director) stated... "The sole comment the Company received from OTC Markets requiring the amended filing was one non-material date change on the initial page to the disclosure statement. The Company filed the Amended Filing within 24 hours of receipt of the comment." It is important to note that the Company is "Pink Sheet Limited" which means we are safe from the implementation of the new SEC rules (e.g., changes to Rule 15c2-11 - Publication or submission of quotations without specified information) that comes into effect on September 28, 2021, which net effect is to delist any OTC Market issuer if they are "Pink Sheet No Information". The Company's legal counsel inquired with OTC Markets about the delay in the review of the Amended Filing and were told by staffers that were swamped with filings from issuers trying to avoid the ramifications of the September 28, 2021, deadline and were reviewing all filings (e.g., initial or amended) based upon when they enter the queue for review by the OTC Market examiners The Company's next required quarterly filing is for 3rd Quarter ended September 30, 2021, which is not due until on or before November 14, 2021, which will be followed by the Company's fiscal year end, December 31, 2021, disclosure statement filing (e.g., and financial statements and notes thereto) due on or before March 31, 2022. Kathryn Gavin (HIRU Sole Officer and Director) further stated... "In passing, as previously announced, the Company will be announcing a new material client which will add multiples to our annual revenues on an ongoing basis along with significant earnings that will grow with each subsequent quarter for the foreseeable future. This new client is the sole reason the Company has built and is now completing the new 100,000+ facility with state-of-the-art automated bottling lines and storage space for inventory for our clients. Disclaimer Regarding Forward Looking Statements Certain statements that we make may constitute "forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include information concerning future?strategic objectives, business prospects, anticipated savings, financial results (including expenses, earnings, liquidity, cash flow and capital expenditures), industry or market conditions, demand for and pricing of our products, acquisitions and divestitures, anticipated results of litigation and regulatory developments or general economic conditions.? In addition, words such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "projects," "forecasts," and future or conditional verbs such as "will," "may," "could," "should," and "would," as well as any other statement that necessarily depends on future events, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees, and they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. ?Although we make such statements based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements.? We caution investors not to rely unduly on any forward-looking?statements. ABOUT US Hiru Corp. is a Georgia corporation, is a public quoted Pink Sheet issuer under the ticker symbol "HIRU" (the "Company"). The Company reports as an alternative reporting issuer with OTC Markets Group, Inc. and is current in its mandatory required filings (e.g., Pink Sheet Current). Currently, the Company has one wholly owned, operational subsidiary, AZ Custom Bottled Water, Inc., a Nevada corporation ("AZ Water"), which owns and operates a commercial water bottling and labeling facility based in Phoenix, Arizona. AZ Water operates a B2C website at https://azcustombottledwater.com/. CONTACT: 3331 North 35th Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 95107 Web Site: www.waterandiceshop.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/hirucorp Phone: 928-408-4486 Email: info@waterandiceshop.com Contact: Kathryn Gavin, CEO SOURCE: Hiru Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663501/Hiru-Corp--OTC-Market-Status OSLO, Norway, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aker Solutions has been awarded a large1 topside modification contract by ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS for Tommeliten Alpha, offshore Norway. Combined with previous subsea contracts for this field development, the contract award means Aker Solutions has been assigned an integrated responsibility for this field development. The topside modification contract award follows final investment decision by the license partners and the completion of the front-end engineering and design (FEED) work, awarded in October 2020. The scope includes engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) work for topside modifications on some Ekofisk installations, to tie-back and integrate the Tommeliten Alpha field development to the existing infrastructure. The work will be led by Aker Solutions' offices in Fornebu and Stavanger, and includes construction work at the companies yard in Egersund, as well as offshore work at the Ekofisk Complex. Work starts immediately with planned completion in the third quarter of 2023. "We look very much forward to working together with the field operator ConocoPhillips on this important field development. Aker Solutions has leading expertise in subsea solutions and topside modifications and we expect increased activity for tie-back projects moving forward," said Kjetel Digre, chief executive officer of Aker Solutions. Aker Solutions was previously awarded contracts for the subsea production system as well as umbilicals and direct electrical heating (DEH) systems for Tommeliten Alpha. This means Aker Solutions, to date, has won contracts with a combined value of more than NOK 2.7 billion for this field development. Tommeliten Alpha is a discovery in the southern part of the Norwegian sector in the North Sea, approximately 25 kilometers southwest of the Ekofisk field. The water depth is 75 meters. The discovery was proven in 1977. The reservoir contains a gas condensate fluid and lies at a depth of about 3,000 meters. Aker Solutions will book about NOK 1.2 billion as order intake in the third quarter of 2021 in the Electrification, Maintenance and Modifications segment. The Tommeliten Alpha development is subject to final regulatory approval by Norwegian and UK authorities. 1Aker Solutions defines a large contract as being between NOK 1.2 billion and NOK 2.0 billion. CONTACT: Media Contact: Torbjrn Andersen, mob: +47 928 85 542, email: torbjorn.andersen@akersolutions.com Investor Contact: Fredrik Berge, mob: +47 450 32 090, email: fredrik.berge@akersolutions.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/aker-solutions-asa/r/aker-solutions-wins-topside-modification-contract-for-conocophillips--tommeliten-alpha-development,c3413353 MEXICO CITY (dpa-AFX) - United States and Mexico have agreed to relaunch the U.S., Mexico High-Level Economic Dialogue (HLED) in recognition of the two neighboring countries' broad strategic economic relationship. The U.S. delegation, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, was comprised of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and USAID Administrator Samantha Power. The Mexican delegation consisted of Secretary of External Relations Marcelo Ebrard, Secretary of Economy Tatiana Clouthier, Mexican Ambassador to the United States Esteban Moctezuma, and Undersecretary of Finance and Public Credit Gabriel Yorio. In her opening message, Vice President Harris said, 'I am confident that our nations will continue to work together, that our companies will continue to create jobs together, and that our people will enjoy greater prosperity and a greater quality of life.' During the meeting, participants discussed the four pillars that form the joint vision of the HLED: Building Back Together, Promoting Sustainable Economic and Social Development in Southern Mexico and Central America, Securing the Tools for Future Prosperity, and Investing in Our People. The United States and Mexico will try to improve the regional business environment and strengthening the resilience of U.S.-Mexico supply chains. Work under this pillar will include how to best facilitate economic recovery and strengthen infrastructure, trade facilitation, and innovation. The United States and Mexico will identify complementary and cooperative opportunities to improve livelihoods through the creation of jobs and opportunities in the short, medium, and long term in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and southern Mexico, increasing its trade potential and spurring investment. The two countries will support regulatory compatibility and risk mitigation on issues related to information and communication technologies, networks, cybersecurity, telecom and infrastructure, among others. Mexico is currently the United States' largest trading partner in goods, and a top market for U.S. agricultural exports. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de SURREY, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2021 / Gungnir Resources Inc. (TSXV:GUG)(OTC PINK:ASWRF) ("Gungnir" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed the previously announced non-brokered private placement of a total of 5,964,000 units of the Company (the "Units") priced at $0.05 per Unit (the "Unit Price"), for total gross proceeds of $298,200 (the "Offering"). Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") and one common share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share for a period of two years from the closing of the Offering at an exercise price of $0.08 per share, subject to accelerated expiry in the event the Common Shares trade at or above $0.20 on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") for a period of 20 consecutive trading days after expiry of the four month hold period. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used to top-up existing funds for the Company's on-going exploration activities in Sweden and for general corporate purposes. All securities issued under the Offering are subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day from the closing date of the Offering. As consideration for the services of certain finders, the Company paid an aggregate cash commission of $1,600 and issued 32,000 non-transferrable finder warrants (the "Finder Warrants"). Each Finder Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at a price per share of $0.05 for a period of 2 years from the closing of the Offering. Insiders of the Company subscribed for an aggregate of 1,450,000 Units under the Offering. Each transaction with an insider of the Company constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.5(a) and the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.7(1)(a) in respect of such insider participation as the fair market value of the transaction, insofar as it involves interested parties, does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the 1933 Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act, as amended, and application state securities laws. About Gungnir Resources Gungnir Resources Inc. is a Canadian-based TSX-V listed mineral exploration company (TSXV:GUG) with gold and base metal permits in northern Sweden. The Company's key project, Knaften, hosts high-grade gold, VMS (zinc-copper) and copper-nickel targets, and all are open for expansion and further discovery. The Company also holds two nickel-copper-cobalt deposits, Lappvattnet and Rormyrberget, located east of Knaften. Further information about the Company and its properties may be found at www.gungnirresources.com or at www.sedar.com. On behalf of the Board, Chris Robbins, CFO and Director For further information contact: Head Office/Investor Relations Phone: +1-604-683-0484 Jari Paakki, CEO Email: jpaakki@eastlink.ca Chris Robbins, CFO Email: robbinscr@shaw.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws (also known as forward-looking statements). Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and may cause actual results, performance or achievements or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or industry results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by the use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "feel", "intend", "may", "plan", "predict", "project", "subject to", "will", "would", and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. Some of the specific forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: Gungnir's plans for exploration of its properties; the exercise of warrants; and the use of net proceeds from the Offering. Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions made by Gungnir, including, without limitation: the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the Canadian and global economy and Gungnir's business, and the extent and duration of such impact; no change to laws or regulations that negatively affect Gungnir's business; there will be a demand for Gungnir's services and products in the future; and Gungnir will be able to operate its business as planned. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what Gungnir believes to be reasonable assumptions, it cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with such information. Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking information involves significant risks and uncertainties and should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results as actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risks related to: no certainty that any economically viable mineral deposit will be located on Gungnir's properties; that Gungnir will be able to complete its exploration programs as anticipated; the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Canadian and global economy, Gungnir's industry and its business, which may negatively impact, and may continue to negatively impact, Gungnir and may materially adversely affect its investments, results of operations, financial condition and Gungnir's ability to obtain additional equity or debt financing, and satisfy its financial obligations; circumstances may change resulting in the use of proceeds set out in this news release; general economic conditions; future growth potential; common share prices; liquidity; tax risk; tax laws currently in effect remaining unchanged; ability to access capital markets; environmental matters; and changes in legislation or regulations. Management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information contained herein are based upon reasonable assumptions and information currently available; however, management can give no assurance that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Gungnir. The forward-looking information is stated as of the date of this news release and Gungnir assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law. SOURCE: Gungnir Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663461/Gungnir-Announces-Closing-of-Private-Placement Boca Raton, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2021) - Puget Technologies, Inc. (OTC Pink: PUGE) ("Puget"), a publicly held Nevada corporation subject to reporting obligations pursuant to Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, announces today that it has entered into two additional letters of intent to acquire companies in the healthcare industry. The first, Florida Behavioral Center, Inc. (dba "Florida Healthcare System" and referred to as "FHS"), organized in 2015 and based in Doral, Florida, is a healthcare organization that provides mental health services through an experienced team of psychiatrists, mental health counselors, case managers, and administrative staff. Common mental health concerns treated include anxiety, substance abuse, depression, suicide risk, trauma, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit disorder; and targeted case management services are offered for mental illness in patients of all ages. The second, Glades Medical Centers of Florida LLC ("GMC of Florida"), a Florida limited liability company, is the successor in interest to Glades Medical Centers LLC, a Florida limited liability company organized on May 28, 2014 after its entry into a joint venture with Primary Medical Physicians, LLC, also a Florida limited liability company (all collectively referred to as "GMC of Florida"). Its services focus on preventive primary care as well as diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and minor injuries. Additional services include an in-house lab along with specialists including podiatry, allergy, and gynecology. In each case, the companies have granted Puget a 90-day exclusive right to negotiate specific terms after it conducts required due diligence and the parties determine the most appropriate valuations and form of acquisition. In both cases, the acquired companies would become consolidated subsidiaries of Puget and would be incorporated into Puget's healthcare division, along with Behavioral Centers of South Florida, LLC and D & D Rehab Center Inc., in order to generate synergies and attain significant operational savings. FHS's total revenues for the calendar years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 were approximately $3.9 million and $4.1 million, respectively, and revenues for GMC of Florida for the calendar years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 were $700,000 and $500,000, respectively. While it is anticipated that the FHS transaction will involve a traditional acquisition, GMC of Florida is expected to become part of Puget's incubator program for companies that are interested in potential future spinouts as independent public companies. In both cases, Puget intends to conclude related negotiations on or before November 30, 2021, with closings occurring by December 31, 2021. Karen Fordham, President and CEO of Puget, explains, "The addition of Florida Healthcare System and GMC of Florida to our healthcare portfolio will enable us to expand our behavioral health and primary care capabilities, thus advancing our aspirations of creating a holistic healthcare service delivery system." Ms. Fordham elaborates, "With the ability to offer a broader array of services to their patients under the same roof, both Florida Healthcare Systems and GMC of Florida have the potential for significant revenue growth. We look forward to working with both executive teams to deliver high quality patient service in Florida and beyond." For additional information, please contact Puget at 1-561-210-8535, by email at info@pugettechnologies.com or visit our website for continuing updates at http://www.pugettechnologies.com. About Puget Technologies, Inc. Puget (pugettechnologies.com) aspires to evolve into an innovation-focused holding company operating through a group of subsidiaries and business units that work together to empower ground-breaking companies to reach their next stage of growth. With a strategy that combines acquisitions, strategic investment strategies, and operational support, Puget intends to provide a one-stop shop for growing companies who need access to both capital and growth resources, while enabling Puget and its stockholders to generate synergies and derive profit through pooled resources and shared goals. Puget's proposed investment focus ranges from traditional industries like health care that are ripe for business model innovation to new markets that strive to solve big societal problems such as climate change. Puget is publicly traded on the Pink Open Market under the ticker symbol "PUGE" and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. Forward-Looking Statements Any statements made in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about Puget's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, and should be evaluated as such. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "projection," "should," "will" or, in each case, their negative, or other variations or comparable terminology. Puget bases these forward-looking statements or projections on its current expectations, plans and assumptions that it has made in light of its experience in the industry, as well as its perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate under the circumstances and at such time. As you read and consider this press release, you should understand that these statements are not guarantees of future performance or results. The forward-looking statements and projections are subject to and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements or projections. Although Puget believes that these forward-looking statements and projections are based on reasonable assumptions at the time they are made, you should be aware that many factors could affect Puget's actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements and projections. Puget undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. If Puget does update one or more forward-looking statements, there should be no inference that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96138 EQS Group-Ad-hoc: ASMALLWORLD AG / Schlagwort(e): Kooperation ASMALLWORLD AG wird exklusiver Hospitality-Berater fur die Croatian Land Holdings Plc 10.09.2021 / 19:25 CET/CEST Veroffentlichung einer Ad-hoc-Mitteilung gemass Art. 53 KR Fur den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent / Herausgeber verantwortlich. Ad hoc Mitteilung ASMALLWORLD AG (SWX:ASWN) wird exklusiver Hospitality-Berater fur die Croatian Land Holdings Plc Zurich, 10.09.2021 - Die ASMALLWORLD AG gab heute bekannt, dass sie von Croatian Land Holdings Plc, einer Immobilien-Investmentgesellschaft mit Fokus auf die dalmatischen Inseln, ein exklusives Hospitality-Beratungsmandat bekommen hat. Die Vereinbarung umfasst dabei das Projekt Brac MEDhills, ein einzigartiges Stuck Land auf der Insel Brac an der Adriakuste, mit einer Flache von uber 1 Million Quadratmetern. ASMALLWORLD wird Croation Land Holdings bei der Auswahl und Bewertung von moglichen Entwicklungsoptionen und Partnerschaften fur das Projekt unterstutzen. Die ASMALLWORLD AG gab heute bekannt, dass sie von Croatian Land Holdings Plc ein exklusives Hospitality-Beratungsmandat fur das Projekt Brac MEDhills bekommen hat. Im Rahmen der Vereinbarung wird ASMALLWORLD alle strategischen Aspekte der Projektentwicklung koordinieren, einschliesslich der Suche und Evaluation von potenziellen Partnern. Ziel ist es, zusammen mit dem Kunden den Wert dieser 1 Million Quadratmeter grossen Immobilieninvestition fur die Aktionare zu maximieren. Brac MEDhills - attraktives Projekt auf den Dalmatischen Inseln Das Brac-Projekt bietet eine Vielzahl an interessanten Entwicklungsmoglichkeiten. Die Immobilie, welche sich auf der Insel Brac an der kroatischen Adriakuste befindet, umfasst mehr als 1 Million Quadratmeter Land mit sauberen Eigentumstiteln und allen erforderlichen Baugenehmigungen, um mehr als 400.000 m2 Bauland zu entwickeln, was schlussendlich einer Nutzungsflache von mehr als 335.000 m2 entspricht. Mit einem internationalen Flughafen nur 15 Autominuten vom Projektstandort entfernt, bietet das Grundstuck vielfaltige Entwicklungsmoglichkeiten fur Wohnobjekte mit bis zu 2.000 Betten, sowie zusatzlichen Freizeit-, Gewerbe- und medizinischen Einrichtungen. Das Gelande selbst ist in drei Zonen unterteilt, die alle durch eine Zufahrtsstrasse miteinander verbunden sind. Starkung der Position von ASMALLWORLD im Hospitality-Bereich Die Hauptaufgabe von ASMALLWORLD wird sich auf die Auswahl und die Bewertung von Entwicklungsoptionen, sowie die Suche von strategischen Partnern fur das Projekt konzentrieren. Als Projektberater wird das Unternehmen auch daran arbeiten, verschiedene LOIs von internationalen Luxusmarken zu gewinnen. Im Rahmen der heute unterzeichneten Vereinbarung wird ASMALLWORLD die Croatian Land Holdings Plc auch bei der Suche nach weiteren Investoren fur das Projekt unterstutzen, welches einen geschatzten Marktwert von 30-50 Mio US$ hat. Bezuglich Vergutung hat ASMALLWOROLD neben dem Beratungshonoraren fur das Projekt auch die Moglichkeit in den nachsten drei Jahren eine Verkaufsprovisionen in der Hohe von 1,5 bis 2,5 Mio. US$ zu erzielen, sofern die vereinbarten Bedingungen erfullt werden. "Ich mochte mich bei Croatian Land Holdings Plc fur das Vertrauen bedanken, das sie uns fur dieses einzigartige Projekt entgegengebracht haben. Unsere Arbeit an MEDhills wird die Position von ASMALLWORLD im Hospitality-Bereich weiter starken und unser Projekt-Portfolio in diesem Bereich erheblich erweitern", kommentierte Jan Luescher, CEO von ASMALLWORLD. Uber Croatian Land Holdings Plc Croatian Land Holdings Plc kann seit 2006 auf eine solide Erfolgsbilanz bei Immobilieninvestitionen in Kroatien verweisen. Sie konzentriert sich dabei auf den Erwerb von erstklassigem Bauland und die anschliessende Entwicklung und den Verkauf von Wohnimmobilien. Croatian Land Holdings Plc verfugt uber ein Team erfahrener Immobilieninvestoren und beschaftigt einige der besten Architekten, Projektingenieure sowie Rechts- und Steuerberater in der Region. Diese Pressemitteilung und weitere Informationen finden Sie unter www.asmallworldag.com. Die ASMALLWORLD Gruppe ASMALLWORLD ist die weltweit fuhrende Travel & Lifestyle Community. Basierend auf dem Social Network 'ASMALLWORLD', betreibt das Unternehmen ein digitales Travel & Lifestyle Ecosystem, welches Mitglieder inspiriert, besser zu reisen, mehr zu erleben und neue Kontakte zu knupfen. ASMALLWORLD-Mitglieder nutzen die ASMALLWORLD App und Website, um Inspiration fur Reisen und Lifestyle einholen, Hotels zu buchen, andere Mitglieder kennenlernen und von einer Vielzahl an Reiseprivilegen zu profitieren. Mitglieder haben ebenfalls die Moglichkeit, sich auf uber 1'000 ASMALLWORLD-Events pro Jahr zu treffen. Die Events reichen dabei von lokalen Get-Togethers in den Grossstadten dieser Welt, bis hin zu Wochenend-Events in Saint-Tropez oder Gstaad. Neben dem ASMALLWORLD Social Network, zahlen folgende Firmen ebenfalls zum ASMALLWORLD Travel & Lifestyle Ecosystem: ASMALLWORLD Collection, eine Online-Hotelbuchungsplattform, welche sich auf die besten Hotels der Welt spezialisiert und es Kunden erlaubt, kostenlos in den Genuss von einzigartigen Zusatzleistungen zu kommen ASMALLWORLD Private, ein Luxus-Reiseburo, welches personalisierte Reiseberatung und Reisearrangements anbietet ASW Hospitality, eine Hotel-Management-Company, welche das weltbekannte North Island Resort auf den Seychellen managt. First Class & More, ein Smart Luxury Travel Service, der es Mitgliedern ermoglicht, in den Genuss von Luxusreisen zu Insiderpreisen zu kommen. The World's Finest Clubs, der weltweit fuhrende Nightlife-Concierge, welcher Mitgliedern VIP-Zugang zu den exklusivsten Nachtclubs der Welt bietet. Zusatzliche Informationen finden sie auf unseren Webseiten: www.asmallworldag.com www.asmallworld.com www.asmallworldcollection.com www.asmallworldprivate.com www.asmallworldhospitality.com www.north-island.com www.first-class-and-more.de www.first-class-and-more.com www.finestclubs.com Kontakt: ASMALLWORLD AG Jan Luescher, CEO Lowenstrasse 40 CH-8001 Zurich info@asmallworldag.com - This blockchain-based certificate is free and secure, as it leverages a technological process highly reliable for user data accuracy and privacy. - Vitalpass will record and certify the vaccination status of Colombian citizens and connect with other vaccination passports globally. BOGOTA, Colombia, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitalpass, the COVID-19 digital vaccination passport co-created by Auna Ideas Foundation and Koibanx and developed leveraging Algorand's blockchain, has been chosen by the Colombian government as its official immunization certificate. Colombia is the first country in Latin America to adopt this technology, joining the ranks of others already doing this, including Singapore, Japan, South Korea and New York City . This initiative has been made possible thanks to Auna's commitment to vaccination in Colombia and Peru, and through partnerships with local and national governments. A milestone in Colombia and Latin America, Vitalpass has been co-designed by the Innovation and HealthTech division of Auna Ideas as part of their commitment to provide comprehensive health solutions. This digital vaccination passport is free and cannot be falsified, since it creates a permanent and inalterable record on Algorand Blockchain, which is a public, decentralized network that was purpose-built for global applications that can scale to mass adoption. Vitalpass was developed with the technological support of Koibanx, a LATAM company with more than 6 years of experience implementing blockchain-based asset tokenization and transactional solutions for the financial and government sectors. "The use of blockchain technology makes this digital passport one of the safest and most reliable tools to guarantee the transparent process of vaccination in Colombia, because the information cannot be changed, erased or manipulated, thus ensuring the validity of the certificate against cases of forgery, double vaccination, or others," said Dr. Andres Vasquez, Director of Biomedical Innovation and Health-Tech at Auna Ideas. Auna Ideas Foundation has granted the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Colombia free and perpetual rights to deploy VitalPass as the country's tool to certify its citizens' COVID-19 vaccination before any national or international agency. Similar agreements are expected to be signed with other governments in Latin America. Vitalpass is part of the Commontrust Network, where multiple organizations worldwide joined efforts to give patients digital access to their health data using open, interoperable and verifiable standards. In addition, negotiations are underway to connect with GreenPass, the European Union's COVID-19 digital immunization certification system. With this initiative, Auna, through the Auna Ideas Foundation, reaffirms its commitment to fight COVID-19 and to leverage innovation to transform the healthcare experience of an increasing number of families in Latin America. Auna Ideas Foundation Auna Ideas is an open platform for scientific research, innovation in Health-Tech, health training, and social development in our continent with the support of AUNA. Since 2008 Auna seeks to transform health care and wellness in Latin America. With a presence in Peru and Colombia with more than 7,500 collaborators, they offer comprehensive health care to members and patients at every moment of their lives. They have a network of clinics and wellness centers, transversal health services, insurance products; all of this, with the support of the most advanced medical and academic research and a first-class team. ABOUT KOIBANX Since 2015 Koibanx has helped banks and financial institutions integrate crypto into their banking cores while connecting financial products through Blockchain infrastructure. Payments, factoring, and the tokenization of a variety of financial assets can be executed more efficiently and securely on the Koibanx platform. The company seeks to connect the LATAM financial industry over a shared infrastructure for the benefit of all players. For more information, visit https://www.koibanx.com. ABOUT ALGORAND Algorand is building the technology to power the Future of Finance (FutureFi), the convergence of traditional and decentralized models into a unified system that is inclusive, frictionless, and secure. Founded by Turing Award-winning cryptographerSilvio Micali, Algorand developed a blockchain infrastructure that offers the interoperability and capacity to handle the volume of transactions needed for defi, financial institutions and governments to smoothly transition into FutureFi. The technology of choice for more than 700 global organizations, Algorand is enabling the simple creation of next generation financial products, protocols and exchange of value. For more information, visit www.algorand.com. Algorand, Inc. algorand@dittopr.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1229493/Algorand_Logo.jpg 10 September 2021, 17:00 CET The Government of the Republic of Liberia and ArcelorMittal ('the Company'), the world's leading steel company, today signed an amendment to the Mineral Development Agreement ('MDA') which paves the way for the expansion of the Company's mining and logistics operations in Liberia. With the MDA amendment coming into effect, the ArcelorMittal Liberia will significantly ramp up production of premium iron ore, generating significant new jobs and wider economic benefits for Liberia. The expansion project - which encompasses processing, rail and port facilities - will be one of the largest mining projects in West Africa. The capital required to finalise the project is expected to be approximately $0.8 billion, as it is effectively a brownfield expansion. The expansion project includes the construction of a new concentration plant and the substantial expansion of mining operations, with the first concentrate expected in late 2023, ramping up to 15 million tonnes per annum ('mtpa'). Under the agreement the company will have reservation for expansion for at least up to 30mt. Other users may be allowed to invest for additional rail capacity. Economic benefits As the largest foreign investor in Liberia, ArcelorMittal Liberia has invested over $1.7 billion in the country over the past 15 years. More than 2000 jobs are expected to be created during the construction phase, with Liberians envisaged to fill the majority of the roles created. ArcelorMittal operates a Vocational Training Centre and provides two-year residential certificate training in mechanical and electrical trades. As part of the expansion, ArcelorMittal Liberia has also launched a training and development program for high potential Liberian employees who will gain on the job experience and knowledge in ArcelorMittal Mining operations globally. The employees will receive advanced training in the fields of mining production and operation optimisation, plant maintenance, planning and execution, plant electrical operation systems, and electrical maintenance. Other training areas include plant fitting and heavy-duty mobile equipment maintenance, as well as mine production and operations. The investment in advanced skills training demonstrates ArcelorMittal Liberia's commitment to providing employment and professional development opportunities to Liberians. In addition, it is envisaged that the expansion will further boost the growth of small and medium sized businesses in Liberia which offer a range of services to ArcelorMittal Liberia. Commenting on the agreement, his Excellency George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, said: "We are delighted to have reached this important agreement with ArcelorMittal Liberia, our long-term partner in the development of the mining sector in Liberia. This agreement demonstrates to the world that Liberia welcomes foreign direct investment and is a key emerging destination for capital. It further supports the Government's 'Pro Poor' agenda, which is underpinned by the importance of creating jobs to lift Liberian citizens out of poverty. The further investment by ArcelorMittal in Liberia bears testament to the company's confidence in the future of this country. We are confident that our constructive working relationship will go from strength to strength." Lakshmi Mittal, Executive Chairman, ArcelorMittal, said: "The expansion underlines ArcelorMittal's long-term commitment to Liberia and the importance of a continued productive partnership with the government which helped bring this project to fruition. I would like to thank President Weah and his administration for their invaluable commitment and support which has been critical in enabling us to sign today's agreement. "The expansion of mine, processing, rail and port facilities is the largest iron ore project in West Africa and will draw international attention to Liberia as an attractive country to invest in. The current planned expansion is part of a long-term commitment by ArcelorMittal to Liberia that includes undertaking planning for the further expansion of our iron ore asset to at least 30mtpa." Aditya Mittal, CEO, ArcelorMittal, added: "This project is an important component of our strategic growth programme, designed to ensure ArcelorMittal captures the best organic growth opportunities within our business. The Phase 2 expansion in Liberia is an excellent example of how we can leverage growth opportunities within our existing asset base to deliver sustainable, long-term value. Signing the MDA amendment will enable us to capitalise on and add to the infrastructure investments previously undertaken and transform ArcelorMittal Liberia into a large-scale, premium product operation." London, UK, Sept 10, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Open Banking Expo, the largest global community of Open Banking and Open Finance executives driving the biggest digital transformation in the financial services sector, will this November bring back together European innovators, disruptors and visionaries.On 4 November 2021, leaders and experts from across the breadth of financial services, including the UK's largest banks, fintechs, credit card and payments providers, business lenders and regulators, will gather to share lessons learnt from the initial implementation journey and insights into the future of the industry, as well as what is required for continued adoption of Open Banking and Open Finance across the globe.With Token as its headline partner, this year's event, the first in-person gathering in over 18 months, comes at a time when the industry is anticipating change in Open Banking governance in the UK and follows the mandate from the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) on variable recurring payments (VRP).Todd Clyde, CEO of Token, said: "We're delighted to support the Open Banking Expo UK as its headline sponsor. Since last year's Confex, Open Banking has seen tremendous growth and is fundamentally changing the payments landscape. As Open Banking payments reach a tipping point, we are excited to reconvene together with industry innovators and visionaries to carry forward the mission that Token shares with Open Banking Expo: to drive the shift to an Open Banking-powered world."Adam Cox, co-founder of Open Banking Expo, said: "This year's Confex comes at a time when we all anticipate change in the governance of Open Banking in the UK. It is therefore the perfect opportunity to bring together the Open Banking and Open Finance community in Europe to explore how far we have come on the implementation journey and what the next chapter will look like. Furthermore, the world of Open Banking payments has exploded in recent months and we're delighted to welcome first adopters to share their insight as the market predicts continued growth."Headlining more than 80 speakers sharing topical and fresh content across five stages, the Confex is the perfect opportunity to reunite with industry friends and colleagues and to build new relationships. Speakers include:High-street banks- Daniel Globerson, Head of Open Banking, NatWest Group- Harcus Copper, Global Channel Lead, Barclays- Hetal Popat, Open Banking Director, HSBC- Duncan Lathwell, Director, Cash & Trade Sales, Midlands & East, NatWest Group- Jason Wilkinson-Brown, Head of Digital Propositions, Partnerships & Open Banking, TSB- Marion King, Director of Payments, NatWest Group- Phil Gossett, Head of Innovation, NationwideInvestment bank- Winston Pearson, UK Open Banking Lead, Goldman SachsChallenger & international banks / alternative & business lenders / SME finance- Hayley Viner, Products Lead, UK payments, ClearBank- Helen Bierton, Chief Banking Officer, Starling Bank- Natalie Ledward, Head of Vulnerable Customers, Monzo- Vicki Bracey, Open Banking Product Director, Mettle- Nick Fahy, Chief Executive Officer, Cynergy Bank- Noam Zeigerson, Chief Data & Technology Officer, Tandem Bank- Richard Davies, Chief Executive Officer, Allica Bank- Rob Hale, Chief Digital Officer, Regional Australia Bank- Ylva Oertengren, Chief Operating Officer & Co-founder, Simply- Simon Cureton, Chief Executive Officer, Funding OptionsCredit cards & payments- Charlotte Duerden, UK Managing Director, American Express- Nilixa Devlukia, Regulatory Expert, Payments Solved- Sendi Young, Managing Director, Ripple- Todd Clyde, Chief Executive Officer, Token- Chris Higham, Head of Cards & Payments, Secure Trust BankFintech- Sam Seaton, Chief Executive Officer, Moneyhub- Will Billingsley, Co-founder, ApTap- Dr Leda Gyptis, Chief Client Officer, 10x Future Technologies- Dr Ruth Wandhofer, Global Fintech 50 Influencer- Rune Mai, Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder, AiiaPolicy, regulation and industry bodies- Dr Bill Roberts, Head of Open Banking, Competition & Markets Authority- Simon Lyons, Head of Ecosystem Engagement, Open Banking Implementation Entity- Chris Hemsley, Managing Director, Payment Systems Regulator- Becky Clements, Director of Payments, UK Finance- James Shafe, Head of Consumer & Retail Policy Department, Financial Conduct Authority- Liz Barclay, Small Businesses Commissioner- Janine Hirt, Chief Executive Officer, Innovate Finance- Phillip Mind, Principal, Financial Services, UK FinanceThere are 500 tickets available to senior leaders and executives and the agenda is now live. Open Banking Expo was crowned 'Best Conference Series' at the 2020 Conference Awards for its conferences in the UK, Europe and Canada.Notes:- The full list of speakers is available here (bit.ly/3A6mq8E).- A press room will be open for journalists on the day. If you would like to attend the event, please email Liz Walker on liz.walker@openbankingexpo.com to register.- Visit the event website for agenda.- Download event collateral and logo.- For more information please contact: adam@openbankingexpo.com or visit www.openbankingexpo.com- Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter; OBExpoAbout Open Banking ExpoOpen Banking Expo is a global community of Open Banking executives responsible for digital transformation across the financial services sector. The brand organises face to face and virtual events for the UK, North America and European markets in addition to webcasts, TV episodes and podcasts throughout the year. Open Banking Expo hosts an online news resource dedicated to Open Banking and Open Finance. It also hosts the Open Banking Expo Hub, a directory of organisations powering Open Finance. For more information visit www.openbankingexpo.com.Contact: Adam Cox, co-founderE: hello@openbankingexpo.comT: +44 (0)20 7993 5159W: openbankingexpo.comAbout TokenToken is an open banking payments platform driving the shift from card to bank payments with best-in-class, Pan-European bank connectivity, data and compliance capabilities. With Token's toolkit, the best and brightest merchants, PSP's and banks create new capabilities and revenue streams through our broadest, Pan-European connectivity to banks. Token is both bank and developer-friendly, and multi-standard by design.Contact: Todd ClydeE: todd.clyde@token.ioT: +44 (0) 7305 780365W: https://token.ioSource: https://zephyrnet.com/ (bit.ly/3k1viqu)Source: Open Banking ExpoCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil futures settled sharply higher on Friday, amid signs of a drop in crude supply in the U.S. due to the impact of Hurricane Ida. The latest data from Energy Information Administration showing declines in crude oil, gasoline and distillate stockpiles in the U.S. last week continued to support oil's uptick. Oil's rise was also due to reports indicating a warmer relationship between the U.S. and China following a call between the presidents of the two nations. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for October ended up by $1.58 or about 2.3% at $69.72 a barrel. WTI crude futures gained about 0.6% in the week. Brent crude futures gained nearly $1.50 or more than 2% to about $72.95 a barrel. According to reports, nearly 75% of offshore oil production in the Gulf of Mexico region remains halted for nearly three weeks now. Data from Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Thursday showed crude stockpiles in the U.S. declined 1.529 million barrels in the week ended September 3, much less than an expected draw of 4.6 million barrels. Gasoline inventories dropped by 7.2 million barrels, more than twice the expected drop, while distillate stockpiles were down by 3.142 million barrels in the week, the EIA data showed. According to a report released by Baker Hughes Friday afternoon, the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil climbed by seven to 401 this week. Last week the number of rigs had dropped by 16, the highest weekly decline this year, due largely to evacuations in the Gulf of Mexico due to Hurricane Ida. The total active U.S. rig count, which includes those drilling for natural gas, climbed by six to 503, the report said. Traders now look ahead to an update on the outlook for the oil market from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Monday. The International Energy Agency (IEA) is schduled to release its oulook on Tuesday. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2021) - Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (CSE: EMH) (OTCQX: EMHTF) ("Emerald") announced today that its Chief Financial Officer, Jenn Hepburn, will be stepping down from her position at Emerald, effective October 15, 2021, to pursue other interests. She will continue in her role until that time to help with transition-related activities. "Jenn's effort has been pivotal in the implementation of strong financial systems and controls, and in helping Emerald position itself for growth via its major restructuring and strategic shift over the last two years. We wish her much success in her future endeavors," said Riaz Bandali, President & CEO of Emerald. "We have engaged a well-known executive search firm that is experienced in the health, wellness and cannabis sectors to identify a new CFO who will complement our strong leadership team and help advance our go-forward strategy." About Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. Emerald is committed to creating new consumer experiences with distinct recreational, medical and wellness-oriented cannabis products, with an emphasis on science-based innovation and product excellence. Please visit www.emeraldhealth.ca for more information or contact: Jenn Hepburn, Chief Financial Officer 1(800) 757 3536 Ext. #5 Emerald Investor Relations (800) 757 3536 Ext. #5 invest@emeraldhealth.ca Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements and are subject to important risks, uncertainties and assumptions, both general and specific, which give rise to the possibility that actual results or events could differ materially from our expectations expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Such statements include uncertainty as a result of COVID-19 including any continued impact on production or operations; changes of law and regulations; changes of government; failure to obtain regulatory approvals; regulatory changes; receipt of amounts owing to Emerald; strategic development of Emerald; production and processing capacity of various facilities; expansion of facilities; failure to obtain necessary financing; results of scientific research; expectations around market and consumer demand and other patterns related to existing, new and planned product forms; timing for launch and shipment of new and existing product forms; ability of new product forms to capture sales and market share; results of production and sale activities; sales volumes; estimates around incremental sales and more generally estimates or predictions of actions of customers, suppliers, partners, distributors, competitors or regulatory authorities; changes in prices and costs of inputs; demand for labour; demand for products; failure of counter-parties to perform contractual obligations; statements regarding the future market of the Canadian cannabis market; statements regarding Emerald's future economic performance; as well as the risk factors described in Emerald's annual information form and other regulatory filings. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent management beliefs regarding future events, many of which, by their nature are inherently uncertain and beyond management control. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent our expectations as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are presented for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to obtain a better understanding of our anticipated operating environment. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Emerald undertakes no obligations to update or revise such statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they occur, unless required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96163 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2021) - Karus Gold Corp. ("Karus Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it is has completed a non-brokered private placement of 1,529,929 units at a price of C$0.55 per unit ("Units") and 778,391 flow through units at C$0.73 per flow through unit ("FT Units") for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$1,409,686 (the "Offering"). Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (each, a "Unit Share") and one half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company (a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$0.85 at any time on or before the date which is 24 months after the closing date of the Offering. Each FT Unit will consist of one common share of the Company that qualifies as a "flow through" common share and one half of one Warrant, with each full Warrant exercisable into a Warrant Share on the same terms and conditions as set out above. All securities issued in the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and a day from the closing date of the Offering. Proceeds of the Offering will be used for on-going exploration activities at the Company's South Cariboo District Gold Project in British Columbia and for ongoing working capital. The Company paid finder's fees totaling C$35,896 to Canaccord Genuity Corp. The Offering constituted a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI-61-101") as insiders of the Company (consisting of directors and officers of the Company) subscribed for an aggregate C$169,035 (307,337 Units) pursuant to the Offering. The Company is relying on exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in section 5.5(b) and 5.7(a) of MI 61-101, as the Company is not listed on a specified market and the fair market value of the participation in the Offering by insiders does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The Company did not file a material change report in respect of the related party transaction at least 21 days before the closing of the Offering, which the Company deems reasonable in the circumstances in order to complete the Offering. About Karus Gold Karus Gold is 100% owner of the 1,000 km2 South Cariboo Gold District that includes the drill-stage FG Gold and Gold Creek projects in British Columbia. Karus Gold is supported by strategic investors Eric Sprott; and insiders, together with the management and Board, own approximately 58% of the basic shares outstanding. Further information on Karus Gold and its projects can be found on the Company's website at www.karusgold.com and at www.sedar.com, or by email at info@karusgold.com or by telephone at (888) 455-7620. On behalf of Karus Gold "Andrew Kaip" Chief Executive Officer (647) 515-7858 Investor Relations Nima Shafigh - Kin Communications (604) 684-6730 KAR@kincommunications.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects", "suggests" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the future plans and objectives of the Company, and the final use of the proceeds received, are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our business. Management believes that these assumptions are reasonable. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others: risks related to exploration and development activities at the Company's projects, and factors relating to whether or not mineralization extraction will be commercially viable; risks related to the hazards and risks normally encountered in the exploration of minerals, such as unusual and unexpected geological formations; uncertainties regarding regulatory matters, including obtaining permits and complying with laws and regulations governing exploration, development, production, taxes, labour standards, occupational health, waste disposal, toxic substances, land use, environmental protection, site safety and other matters, and the potential for existing laws and regulations to be amended or more stringently implemented by the relevant authorities; risks related to title to the Company's properties, including the risk that the Company's title may be challenged or impugned by third parties; the ability of the Company to access necessary resources, including mining equipment and crews, on a timely basis and at reasonable cost; competition within the mining industry for the discovery and acquisition of properties from other mining companies, many of which have greater financial, technical and other resources than the Company, for, among other things, the acquisition of mineral claims, leases and other mineral interests as well as for the recruitment and retention of qualified employees and other personnel; access to suitable infrastructure, such as roads, energy and water supplies in the vicinity of the Company's properties; and risks related to the stage of the Company's development, including risks relating to limited financial resources, limited availability of additional financing and potential dilution to existing shareholders; reliance on its management and key personnel; inability to obtain adequate or any insurance; exposure to litigation or similar claims; currently unprofitable operations; risks regarding the ability of the Company and its management to manage growth; and potential conflicts of interest. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96174 PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2021 / The following Aberdeen Standard Investments U.S. Closed-End Funds announced today that the closed end funds in the chart directly below will pay the distributions indicated on a per share basis on September 30, 2021 to all shareholders of record as of September 20, 2021 (ex-dividend date September 17, 2021). Ticker Exchange Fund Amount ACP NYSE Aberdeen Income Credit Strategies Fund $ 0.10 AEF NYSE American Aberdeen Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc. $ 0.16 AGD NYSE Aberdeen Global Dynamic Dividend Fund $ 0.065 AOD NYSE Aberdeen Total Dynamic Dividend Fund $ 0.0575 ASGI NYSE Aberdeen Standard Global Infrastructure Income Fund $ 0.1083 AWP NYSE Aberdeen Global Premier Properties Fund $ 0.04 FAX NYSE American Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. $ 0.0275 FCO NYSE American Aberdeen Global Income Fund, Inc. $ 0.07 IFN NYSE The India Fund, Inc. $ 0.61 At the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders, which will state the amount and composition of each fund's distributions and provide information with respect to their appropriate tax treatment for the prior calendar year. You should not draw any conclusions about any of these fund's investment performance from the amount of the distributions. MANAGED DISTRIBUTION POLICY FUNDS ANNOUNCE DISTRIBUTION PAYMENT DETAILS Aberdeen Standard Global Infrastructure Income Fund ("ASGI") Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. ("FAX") The India Fund, Inc. ("IFN") The above-noted Aberdeen Standard Investments U.S. Closed-End Funds (the "Funds" or individually the "Fund"), today announced that the Funds will pay the distributions noted in the chart above on September 30, 2021, on a per share basis to all shareholders of record as of September 20, 2021 (ex-dividend date September 17, 2021). Each Fund has adopted a distribution policy to provide investors with a stable distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital in reliance on an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Under applicable U.S. tax rules, the amount and character of distributable income for each Fund's fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund's fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") and related rules, the Funds may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders. The following tables set forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distributions for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the rules adopted thereunder. The tables have been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The tables include estimated amounts and percentages for the current distributions to be paid as well as for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date, from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated compositions of the distributions may vary because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies. Each Fund's estimated sources of the current distributions to be paid and for its current fiscal year to date are as follows: Estimated Amounts of Current Distribution per Share Fund Distribution Amount Net Investment Income Net Realized Short-Term Gains** Net Realized Long-Term Gains Return of Capital ASGI $0.1083 $0.0260 24% $0.0704 65% $0.0032 3% $0.0087 8% FAX $0.0275 $0.0146 53% - - - - $0.0129 47% IFN $0.6100 - - $0.0488 8% $0.5612 92% - - Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year to Date Cumulative Distributions per Share Fund Fiscal Year* to Date Distribution Amount Net Investment Income Net Realized Short-Term Gains** Net Realized Long-Term Gains Return of Capital ASGI $1.2996 $0.3120 24% $0.8446 65% $0.0390 3% $0.1040 8% FAX $0.3025 $0.1603 53% - - - - $0.1422 47% IFN $1.7700 - - $0.1416 8% $1.6284 92% - - *ASGI has a 9/30 fiscal year end; FAX has a 10/31 fiscal year end; IFN has a 12/31 fiscal year end. **includes currency gains Where the estimated amounts above show a portion of the distribution to be a "Return of Capital," it means that Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in a Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions for the current year will only be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. After the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders for the prior calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The following table provides the Funds' total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Funds' annualized and cumulative distribution rates. Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information Fund Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 08/31/2021 Current Fiscal Period's Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV Cumulative Total Return on NAV Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV ASGI 22.27%3 5.54% 28.24% 5.08% FAX 4.05% 7.13% 6.08% 5.94% IFN 11.52% 8.88% 19.71% 4.44% 1 Return data is net of all Fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund's dividend reinvestment plan. 2 Based on the Fund's NAV as of August 31, 2021. 3 The Fund launched within the past 5 years; the performance and distribution rate information presented reflects data from inception (July 29, 2020) through August 31, 2021. Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about a Fund's investment performance from the amount of the Fund's current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the "Distribution Policy"). While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Funds may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Funds during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Funds, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received. The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. Each Fund's Board has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund's market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances. Circular 230 disclosure : To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein. In the United States, Aberdeen Standard Investments is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc., Aberdeen Asset Managers Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments Australia Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments (Asia) Ltd., Aberdeen Capital Management, LLC, Aberdeen Standard Investments ETFs Advisors LLC and Aberdeen Standard Alternative Funds Limited. Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. A Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results. If you If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact Investor.Relations@aberdeenstandard.com https://www.aberdeenstandard.com/en-us/cefinvestorcenter/fund-centre/closed-end-funds For More Information Contact: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc. Investor Relations 1-800-522-5465 Investor.Relations@aberdeenstandard.com SOURCE: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663596/Aberdeen-Standard-Investments-US-Closed-End-Funds-Announce-Distribution-Payment-Details IAC issues statement about report from Sputnik NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2021 The headline of the report is telling, "Alex Saab's extradition to the United States would make a law student blush." The report outlines the various steps in the diligent process on how Alex Saab's defense team has vowed to continue to fight to ensure the Venezuelan diplomat is not extradited, however, should Alex Saab be extradited, states Sara Flounders, International Action Center Founder, Cape Verde needs to be remembered as a nation failing judicial standards. An innocent man has been detained without reasons and did not have access to medical attention for 448 days. The reputation of Cape Verde will continue from here on, as one with no respect for human rights and its own legal process. Sputnik's report highlights Saab's lawyers conclusion that the fact that authorizing extradition to the United States is "the atoning death of the rule of law" for Cape Verde (Africa). Over the few months, it has been said by external international relations experts, that this case is "purely motivated by political interests according to an agenda dictated by Washington DC." Stated by a source close to a high level judge in France, along with Russia's and Iran's foreign Ministries. ECOWAS lead counsel, Femi Falana and his team described the Constitutional Court ruling as "extremely poorly drafted, poorly argued and legally inconsistent, which "would blush a law student." "The instrumentalization of law for political purposes requires a certain talent that Cape Verdean judges seem to lack. In the absence of substantive arguments that can convince the reader otherwise, the sentence is presented in a form and with confusing and hermetic language. The result is legally deplorable," he adds. MEDIA CONTACT: Sara Flounders International Action Center https://iacenter.org/ E-mail: iacenter@iacenter.org Tel: +1 212-633-6646 PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/b9d2cb53-42fe-4f72-ad4d-61364a135d34 SINGAPORE, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Binance, the world's leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider, has welcomed Aron Akbiyikian to the Audit and Investigations team, where he will help to ensure that Binance and the larger crypto industry are a safer place for all users with a strong emphasis on removing the worst elements of the world from the ecosystem. His work will focus on identifying bad actors attempting to use Binance's platform and tracking their movements across the blockchain to help law enforcement agencies around the world take them down. His appointment is a significant step forwards in ensuring that Binance is on the leading edge of securing crypto for everyone. Aron brings a wealth of experience, joining from TRM Labs and having previously led investigations at Chainalysis where he investigated and helped to prevent criminals using blockchain. Previously he demonstrated his commitment to fighting crime as a Detective in Mariposa County, California, where he had a strong focus on forensic analysis of digital media. Aron worked on a number of high-profile cases including 'Welcome2Video' where his work was instrumental in assisting global law enforcement agencies bring criminals to justice. He is especially keen to increase collaboration with others that are fighting the same fight, from government workers to non-profit organizations and other private sector services in the fintech space, and to keep evolving internal systems that proactively prevent facilitating illicit activity and respond to incidents of it already taking place. Aron Akbiyikian said: "I had to retire from law enforcement after an unfortunate helicopter accident which broke a few too many bones to carry on in that career. That was the catalyst to me joining the crypto world and I really consider myself fortunate to be able to continue to help make the world a better place through that and look forward to continuing this work at Binance. "Anytime we work to remove the worst elements of the world from the crypto ecosystem, we are helping secure the entire space. No one wants to be associated with the perpetrators of heinous crimes, and getting them out of crypto keeps crypto users safe from being inadvertently associated with them. At the same time crypto users can feel safer that they and their loved ones are less likely to be victims of certain crimes, because of the efforts of many dedicated individuals that are trying to make the crypto space, and the world, safer." Photo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1613288/Binance.jpg Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2021) - INCA ONE GOLD CORP. (TSXV: INCA) (OTCQB: INCAF) (FSE: SU92) ("Inca One" or the "Company") a gold producer, operating two fully permitted mineral processing facilities in Peru, is pleased to announce it has engaged CanaCom Digital Marketing Group, ("Canacom") the parent company of The Deep Dive ("Deep Dive"), to provide digital content, marketing and media distribution services to the Company. Deep Dive which operates the website thedeepdive.ca has expertise in developing a marketing approach for undervalued stories for its clients as part of a broad and comprehensive marketing campaign in order to increase recognition and exposure in the Canadian capital markets. "Given the continued restriction on in-person marketing events and live conferences, we are pleased to have engaged the Canacom Group, a leading edge, progressive digital marketing group who have a proven track record of success across many sectors including the junior gold sector, stated Edward Kelly, President, and CEO of Inca One. "Canacom Group is well-respected and recognized digital communications service provider and branding specialists, who are providing the Company with a wide range of services. We look forward to working with Deep Dive to increase market awareness of Inca One." Under the terms of the engagement, Deep Dive has been retained for a 6-month term and will be granted 400,000 common share purchase options of the Company (the "Options"), at an exercise price of $0.40 per common share, expiring on May 26, 2022. About Inca One Inca One Gold Corp is a TSXV listed gold producer operating two fully permitted gold mineral processing facilities in Peru. The Company has produced more than 92,000 ounces of gold, generating over US$125 million in revenue from its first six years of operations. Inca One is led by an experienced and capable management team that has established the Company as a trusted leader in servicing government permitted, small-scale miners in Peru. Peru is the world's seventh-largest producer of gold, and its small-scale mining sector is estimated by government officials to be valued in the billions of dollars annually. Inca One possesses a combined 450 tonnes per day permitted operating capacity at its two fully integrated plants, Chala One and Kori One. To learn more, visit www.incaone.com. Figure 1. Inca One's gold processing facilities in Peru (left: Chala One facility; right: Kori One facility) To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2645/96168_d9be8a41242cb848_001full.jpg. On behalf of the Board, Edward Kelly, President and CEO Inca One Gold Corp. For More Information Contact: Konstantine Tsakumis Inca One Gold Corp. ktsakumis@incaone.com 604-568-4877 NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. Statements regarding the Company which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. Such information can generally be identified using forward-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe," and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties by their very nature. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements due to factors such as: (i) fluctuation of mineral prices; (ii) a change in market conditions; and (iii) the fact that future operating results may not be accurately predicted based on this limited information to date. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to update any changes to such statements. Inca One believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable. Still, no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove correct, and such forward-looking statements included herein should not be unduly relied upon. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96168. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 10 2021 / GGX Gold Corp. (TSXV:GGX)(OTCQB:GGXXF)(FRA:3SR2) (the "Company" or "GGX") is pleased to announce that the technical team has started the permitting process for a bulk sample on the C.O.D Vein at the Company's 100% owned Gold Drop property (the "Property"). GGX Gold Intersects 129 g/t Gold and 1,154 g/t Silver Over 7.28 Meters at COD Vein On the Gold Drop Property Jan-11-2019: NR - Highlights for COD18-67 include: 129 g/t gold and 1,154 g/t silver over 7.28 meter core length (majority of samples greater than the upper 500 g/t analytical limit for tellurium). High-grade quartz vein intersection is near-surface (18 to 23 meters vertical depth). Part of exploratory shallow drilling designed to define high-grade mineralization and expand the understanding of controls on mineralization. Telluride mineralization is common in vein intersection. Visible gold in one section. The C.O.D vein has been explored over the last several field seasons with 155 surface drill holes totaling 10,292 metres completed from 2017 to 2020 in addition to trenches completed in 2017 and 2020. Majority of the drillholes intersected the C.O.D vein within 80 metres of surface, providing opportunities to delineate mineralization at depth. The bulk sample program at the C.O.D vein will provide further information on the metallurgy, recovery, and processing methods. The technical team is evaluating the resource potential at the C.O.D vein as well as processing sites for the bulk sample. Program Year # of Drillholes Drilled Metres 2017 27 1,493 2018 71 4,431 2019 38 2,474 2020 19 1,894 Total 155 10,292 C.O.D Vein drilling since 2017 Barry Brown, chief executive officer of GGX Gold, stated: "We continue to be focus on unlocking value at the Gold Drop property. The potential of a bulk sample at the C.O.D vein will provide invaluable information to our team as we continue to advance the project." Sebastien Ah Fat, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and consultant to the Company, approved the technical information in this release. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Barry Brown, CEO 604-488-3900 Office@GGXgold.com Photo of part of the Perky Vein Trench from 2020 (see news release dated Nov.11, 2020) Photo of the Highland Valley vein located southwest of the Gold Drop veins. Forward Looking Statement This News Release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the acquisition of certain mineral claims. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements and Revolver undertakes no obligation to update such statements, except as required by law. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the industry and markets in which the Company operates, including that: the current price of and demand for minerals being targeted by the Company will be sustained or will improve; the Company will be able to obtain required exploration licences and other permits; general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner; financing will be available if and when needed on reasonable terms; the Company will not experience any material accident; and the Company will be able to identify and acquire additional mineral interests on reasonable terms or at all. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including: that resource exploration and development is a speculative business; that environmental laws and regulations may become more onerous; that the Company may not be able to raise additional funds when necessary; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; fluctuating prices of commodities; operating hazards and risks; competition; potential inability to find suitable acquisition opportunities and/or complete the same; and other risks and uncertainties listed in the Company's public filings. These risks, as well as others, could cause actual results and events to vary significantly. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release SOURCE: GGX Gold Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/663630/GGX-Gold-Corp-Initiates-Bulk-Sample-Permit-on-the-COD-Vein-Historic-Mining-Camp-Greenwood-BC Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 10, 2021) - LaSalle Exploration Corp. (TSXV: LSX) ("LaSalle" or the "Company") announces that a total of 800,000 incentive stock options ("Options") have been granted to directors and officers of the Company of which 400,000 are subject to a vesting schedule over three years. Each Option entitles the holder to acquire one common share at $0.15 per share for a period of five years. About LaSalle Exploration Corp LaSalle is a Canadian exploration company focused on less explored districts of the Abitibi in Ontario and Quebec, recognized for mining investment based on mineral potential, policy and success., LaSalle is actively exploring Radisson in the developing Eeyou Itschee-James Bay region in Quebec as well as the Egan and Blakelock high-grade gold properties located in northeastern Ontario. LaSalle trades on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") under the symbol "LSX". Additional information about LaSalle can be found on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.lasallecorp.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors LASALLE EXPLORATION CORP. "Ian Campbell" President and Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (604) 647-3966 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/96209 Amagi, a NYC-based leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV, raised over $100m in funding. Backers included Accel, Avataar Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, and existing investor Premji Invest. The venture funds have bought out the stake held by Emerald Media (an investment platform backed by KKR) and Mayfield India. Nadathur Holdings continues as an existing investor. Led by Baskar Subramanian, co-founder and CEO, Amagi is a next-generation media technology company that provides cloud broadcast and targeted advertising solutions to broadcast TV and streaming TV platforms. It enables content owners to launch, distribute and monetize live linear channels on Free-Ad-Supported TV and video services platforms. The company also offers 247 cloud managed services bringing simplicity, advanced automation, and transparency to the entire broadcast operations. Overall, Amagi supports 500+ content brands, 800+ playout chains and over 2000 channel deliveries on its platform in over 40 countries. Clients include A+E Networks UK, beIN Sports, CuriosityStream, Discovery Networks, Fox Networks, Fremantle, Tastemade, Tegna, Vice Media, and Warner Media. It has presence in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, London, Paris, Singapore, broadcast operations in New Delhi, and an innovation center in Bangalore. FinSMEs 10/09/2021 Andreas Cleve, Co-founder & CEO / Lars Marcher, Chairman of the Board / Lars Maale, Co-founder & CTO (Photo: Business Wire) Corti.ai, a Copenaghen, Denmark-based company that leverages AI and Machine Learning to improve patient consultations, raised $27M in Series A funding. The round was led by Vaekstfonden and Chr. Augustinus Fabrik with participation from Hearcore, Id Invest and byFounders. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations, launch new products, accelerate growth, and its business reach, expanding its patient base from 15 to 100 million consultations a year. Founded by CTO Lars Maale and CEO Andreas Cleve in 2016, Corti.ai provides a software platform that leverages artificial intelligence to help healthcare personnel during patient consultations. Its machine learning platform can listen in during patient consultations and help to document, code, and quality assure the interaction in real-time. Corti started working within emergency medicine, supporting emergency calls focused on cardiac arrest and COVID-19 cases but has since then moved into supporting medical staff conducting consultations across healthcare. FinSMEs 10/09/2021 Smartwyre, a Denver, CO-based provider of an agtech digital platform, raised $10.5M in Series A funding. The round was led by High Alpha Capital with participation from existing investors Anterra Capital, Fall Line Capital, Revolutions Rise of the Rest fund and Cavallo Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to expand commercial, product development and engineering teams, make enhancements to its platform, and and invest in existing customer relationships. Led by Founder and CEO John Brubaker, Smartwyre provides a platform that provides real-time product, price, and rebate data for farm input manufacturers, distributors and retailers. The system gives access to insights from cost management to commercial pricing, improving industry profitability and preventing mismatches between production levels and the actual farmer demand. The company is headquartered in Denver, with additional commercial and engineering teams in North Carolina and London, UK. Smartwyre has mid-term plans to launch commercial operations in Europe and Latin America. FinSMEs 10/09/2021 Solugen, a Houston, Texas-based company decarbonizing the chemicals industry, raised over $350m in Series C financing. The round was led by GIC and Baillie Gifford with participation from Temasek Holdings, funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, Carbon Direct Capital Management, Refactor Capital, and Fifty Years. The company intends to use the funds to expand its Bioforge technology platform, which is used to produce lower-carbon and carbon-negative chemicals & materials for its key customers, and to expand the reach of its product portfolio. Founded in 2016 by Gaurab Chakrabarti, M.D., Ph.D., and Sean Hunt, Ph.D., Solugen aims to decarbonize the chemicals industry via a comprehensive line of environmentally-friendly products that allow companies be responsible stewards of the environment and their local communities. The company applies industrial biotechnology and green chemistry principles to re-design the production of a variety of end-use and novel chemicals. Solugens patented Bioforge processes produce chemicals from bio-based feedstocks and are based on breakthroughs in synthetic biology, metal catalyst engineering, and modular plant design. The companys solutions will also address clean water, sustainable materials, safer food, and healthy personal care. FinSMEs 10/09/2021 E-Commerce Online Networking Technology Marketing Business Concept Telos Brands, a San Francisco, CA-based technology-first eCommerce company focused on the Amazon FBA ecosystem, raised $2.1M in seed funding. The round was led by Picus Capital with participation from select business angels. The company, which has also raised an undisclosed amount of debt from several financing partners to support acquisitions, intends to use the funds to actively acquire Amazon FBA businesses and build out its marketing and software engineering teams. Led by Darien Lee, Telos Brands acquires and operates high quality Amazon FBA businesses and uses its proprietary suite of technology and operating practices to optimize and grow these brands. FinSMEs 10/09/2021 Tampa, FL (33646) Today Mostly cloudy this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 89F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, with mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Tampa, FL (33646) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. High around 90F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy after midnight. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Unlimited website access 24/7 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more! With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. Fontana A.B. Miller High School students who wish to explore careers in the aerospace industry and learn what it takes to be part of the next generation of astronauts and space explorers will meet at Ontario International Airport (ONT) on Saturday, Sept. 11, when the school launches its new Aviation and Space career technical education (CTE) pathway. Members of the Fontana School Board are Joe Armendarez, Jennifer Quezada, Mary Sandoval, Marcelino Mars Serna, and Adam Perez. The student board member for 2021-22 is Miranda Ordonez (front), who attends Fohi. At right is Superintendent Randal Bassett. (Contributed photo by FUSD) Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. Relief from Baldwin County continues to head to Louisiana but officials with some local charitable organizations are warning against self-deploying, saying supplies taken into areas that are just opening back up often never make it to the ones who need them the most. Being sympathetic neighbors, as soon as Hurricane Ida moved inland, relief efforts from Baldwin County begansome more organized than others. Those with years of experience coordinating such efforts said working with local VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster) groups is a sure way of knowing your collected goods are going to the ones who need it the most. Baldwin County VOAD is Baldwin County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. We are all vetted, non-profit churchesprograms that come together in times of disaster to work hand in hand to be good stewards of resources and to set up long-term recoveries, said Prodisee Pantry executive director, Deann Servos. In addition to her responsibilities at Prodisee Pantry, Servos is also leading a VOAD relief effort which will take much-needed supplies to Louisiana. Relief efforts by Saunders Yachtworks in Gulf Shores and Knights of Columbus of Daphne have both seen an outpouring of support from area schools and individuals. Marty Felsman with the Knights of Columbus grew up in south Louisiana and has friends there he wants to help. The Knights of Columbus Hall in Larose, Louisiana was damaged but is salvageable. What was going to go directly there will now be shipped from Prodisee Friday, September 10, 2021. We learned from experienced people that have done this before that self-deployment is not the right way to do it, explained Felsman. You can help some people but in the long run, it ends up causing confusion and a lot of waste. Felsman is confident his friends and others south of New Orleans will get what they need, even if not from his collection effort. VolunteerLouisiana.gov will be receiving Fridays shipment of food, water, and other critical supplies. It will then be dispersed through vetted organizations there. If you have a small community that has a hundred twenty-five residents, they will send what is needed for those one hundred twenty-five residents. Thats different than sending it in to where theres twelve thousand households, so they can adjust because these small towns down on the boot, down on the coast of Louisiana are much smaller. Their needs will be great and for a longer time. Thats why its important to work in an organized fashion, so that theyre not left behind, Servos explained. There are other great ways you can help. Care Cards are a great way to show support and lift up someones spirits in a tough time. Maybe your child can write a note and draw a pretty picture. Gift cards are also one of the best things you can buy right now. Not only will the money help someone in need but it will be spent in that community and help to get the economy back on its feet. Both can be dropped off at Prodisee Pantry on Highway 31 in Spanish Fort during regular business hours. Gulf Shores, Ala. (WALA) - According to the City of Gulf Shores the 49th annual shrimp festival has been canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. This is the second year in a row that the Festival has been canceled. In recent days the leadership of the Coastal Alabama Business Chamberand Annual National Shrimp Festival Committee have consulted with our volunteers, health care officials, tourism bureau, and a number of business partners. After weighing many factors surrounding this 4-day event, it has been decided that the health risks to our volunteers in particular; but also vendors, citizens, and visitors are too great and the festival is being cancelled. This decision is an extremely difficult one, but safety is our top priority. Several concerns entail our local hospitals ability to care for a large influx of new cases while at near capacity with existing patients. Also, our volunteers prolonged multi-day exposure to many attendees while in an environment that is impossible to control crowd size with safe distancing of patrons. A large number of volunteers have voiced legitimate concerns over their safety, equating to a reduced ability to adequately manage and man the event. This decision is much like that of other festivals such as Hangout Festand the pre-Hurricane Ida cancellation of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival over the same weekend. Our mission at the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, and through the Gateway Initiative, is to support our business community by providing commerce opportunities and workforce solutions. With the help of many partners it has been decided that this cannot be safely done when gathering a large number of people and vendors in a confined space over 4 days. The 2021 tourist season was a record breaking year and projections are strong for a busy fall. Our goal will be to work hard in making improvements to the festival in 2022, not only providing a quality experience but also to improve crowd monitoring and better controlled access. LINCOLN, Nebraska (Lincoln Journal Star) -- A former Lincoln man was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison Thursday for randomly stabbing a Black man in the neck at a restaurant in Oregon in 2019 in a manic episode. Nolan Levi Strauss, 27, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, previously pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime. According to court records, on the morning of Dec. 21, 2019, a 48-year-old Black man was sitting in the lobby waiting to turn in a job application at an Arbys restaurant in Ontario, Oregon, when Strauss approached him from behind and cut him across his neck. Following a struggle for the knife, the man freed himself, and Strauss was detained by a maintenance employee, who said Strauss told him he did it because the man was Black, "and I dont like Black people. The victim, Ronnell Hughes, was life-flighted to Boise, Idaho, for emergency surgery. The cut to his jugular vein required 50 stitches. Strauss spent time in the Oregon State Hospital until June 2020, when a judge found him mentally fit for a state court case against him to proceed. Three months later, a grand jury indicted him with a hate crime involving an attempt to kill. At sentencing, Hughes said he was seeing Strauss face for the first time in the courtroom. For someone to just sneak up on me and try to take my life from me, Im angry, he said, according to the Malheur Enterprise of Vale, Oregon. Strauss, who has a history of mental illness, was having a manic episode when it happened and hadn't been taking his medication, according to his attorney. I wouldnt do that in my right state of mind, Strauss told the judge Thursday, according to the Malheur Enterprise. Im happy that he survived. In the end, U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane sentenced him to 16 years, calling the attack a remarkable act of violence. Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug for the District of Oregon said the sentence should send a clear message to anyone contemplating similar acts of violence. Hatred and bigotry will not be tolerated, he said. Strauss had lived in Lincoln as recently as 2018, when he was sentenced to six months in jail for assaulting a Lincoln police officer. The Forest's Precious Healing Resin: Discover Peru's Balsam Raw Materials Among so many species in a profuse vastness of colors, aromas and flavors, the Amazon rainforest keeps countless mysteries in every tree we see. From exotic fruits to fragrant grasses, the Amazon biodiversity is enchanting. In the heart of the forest, a resin with healing powers for the body and spirit is removed from a tree through small incisions in its trunk. For many, many centuries medicine took its first steps and tried to find out how diseases spread. It was believed that certain diseases were transmitted by stagnant air, which was called miasma. At that time, doctors recommended the use of herbs and resins to smoke the environment in order to clean the air in the rooms and homes of the patients of these harmful miasmas. These treatments lasted for many centuries and were a remnant of the culture of ancient civilizations who saw in the aromas and fragrances of herbs and aromatic resins a form of purification and connection with divine beings. The native peoples of the Amazon have always sought in the forest for leaves, bark, wood, roots, and resins that have healing powers and that at the same time help in the connection with their deities. The wisdom of these peoples has been lost over the centuries, but some of these resins have withstood the test of time and today have proven pharmacological properties, such as Peru's Balsam. Known by several names such as Peru's Balsam, tolu balsam, America balm, red wood or incense wood, it is a tree with the scientific name of Myroxylon balsamum. It is a plant of the legume family native to the Amazon forest and from some regions of Mexico, and known to native peoples for many centuries. Its extraction takes place inside the forest through small incisions made in its trunk. As a form of protection, the tree produces a pasty and almost solid resin in a reddish-brown or yellowish-brown hue with antifungal properties that protect the tree. Peru's Balsam is oval, and its flowers have pale yellow tones. In addition to this resin, the wood of this tree is coveted for its strength and hardness, but its extraction is strictly controlled. In traditional cultures, Peru's Balsam is used in rituals of purification and the clearing of environments as a means of cleaning the air, as well as in rituals and religious ceremonies of worship to the gods. It is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-coughing properties and is widely used in traditional forest medicine in the form of a tincture to be ingested in cases of infections or inflammation of the respiratory system. In perfumery, the fragrance of Peru's Balsam is appreciated for its warm and spicy, resinous and balsamic nuances that blend with a camphorated and mysterious freshness that is very similar to the fragrance of myrrh and frankincense, but it differs from both by the more aromatic wild and spicy layers. This resin has been known for many centuries by world perfumery and is used in countless olfactory pyramids that seek incense-y and balsamic nuances that have fresh and mysterious touches. One of the perfumes that uses Peru's Balsam in a harmonious and comfortable way is the Spontaneous Generosity fragrance from State of Mind, mixing balm and sweet notes of tonka bean, caramel and cherry, creating an intense and comfortable fragrance with a mysterious touch. MOD Pizza Welcomes Becky Mulligan As Senior Vice President, Operations Mulligan Brings 25 Years Of Experience To MOD Executive Team September 10, 2021 // Franchising.com // SEATTLE - MOD Super Fast Pizza Holdings, LLC (MOD Pizza, MOD or the Company), the purpose-led, people-first, fast casual pizza pioneer, today announced the appointment of Becky Mulligan to the role of Senior Vice President, Operations, effective immediately. A restaurant industry veteran, she brings to MOD over 25 years of experience at leading brands. In her new role, Becky will oversee all aspects of operations, focusing on continuous improvement of MODs operational execution and the development and support of field leadership teams, in order to deliver a consistently exceptional experience to the MOD Squad and customers. She will lead the Field Operations and Operations Excellence teams, as well as manage operational standards for the Companys 80+ franchise locations. Becky will be based at the Company Support Center in Bellevue, Washington reporting directly to Scott Svenson, MOD co-founder and CEO. Becky joins MOD from AB Wellco, where she was Chief Executive Officer, overseeing three culinary brands (The Little Beet, Little Beet Table and Le Pain Quotidien US) currently comprised of 76 locations and three commercial kitchens. Prior to that, Becky spent 16 years at Starbucks Coffee Company excelling in local and regional leadership roles during periods of immense growth. While at Starbucks, she led several key initiatives including mobile order and pay, drive-through innovation, and delivery pilot programs. She also oversaw the Starbucks Mercato food program and created an employee development succession program for top field leaders. Were thrilled to welcome Becky to the MOD team and are excited for her to bring her hands-on approach and impressive track record to our field leadership team, said Scott Svenson, co-founder and CEO of MOD. As a true servant leader, Becky will fit in perfectly with our people-first culture, as we double down on our commitment to develop our people in advance of significant growth ahead. We are still in the early chapters of the MOD journey, and Becky is the perfect leader to help us continue to improve our execution to ensure we continue to deliver on our mission to build a brand that helps make a positive social impact in the communities we serve. Added Mulligan, It has been exciting to watch MODs incredible growth over the past several years, and Im thrilled for the opportunity to contribute to the next chapter of this exciting journey. MOD has established itself as a company committed to creating a truly inclusive workforce that always puts people first. The past 18 months have created dynamic shifts for the restaurant industry along with significant opportunities. Im excited to help lead MOD towards its very bright future. SOURCE MOD Pizza ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus We welcome your letters and columns! Use the button below to send us your thoughts. Remember: Letters must include your real name, town of residence and daytime phone number, which we use for verification. We do not accept anonymous letters or letters written under a pseudonym. Letters should be no more than about 400 words. Those of no more than 200 to 300 words are more likely to be published. Submit This photo provided by Tulane University shows George M. Strickler Jr., who worked as a civil rights lawyer and law professor. Strickler, who fought to desegregate Southern schools in the 1960s, died at his New Orleans home on Sept. 2, 2021 after a long illness. (Kathy Anderson/Tulane University via AP) Keep the conversation about local news & events going by joining us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Recent updates from The News-Post and also from News-Post staff members are compiled below. Arthritis is one of the most prevalent conditions affecting Americans today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, nearly 70 million people in the United States suffer from arthriti Eight inmates at the Linn County Jail have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a press release from the Linn County Sheriff's Office. The cases come after a former inmate who was transferred out of the facility Thursday tested positive for the virus. Current inmates from the same housing unit were tested by staff nurses. Eight out of the 18 inmates from that housing unit tested positive but were not showing symptoms. According to the news release, the Sheriffs Office is testing every inmate in the facility and mask protocols are being followed and were being followed prior to the outbreak. The news release states that this is the first COVID-19 outbreak at the Linn County Jail. Linn County Sheriff Jim Yon said the agency is waiting to hear back from the Oregon Health Authority to see if it will be helping out with getting the rest of the facility tested. The jails capacity is 230 and Yon said Fridays number of inmates was 159. How big of an issue is this? That will dictate how we move forward in terms of isolation and other protocols, Yon said in an phone interview. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald. "We still see shocking inequities in access to vaccines," the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said last week. More than half of the 5.4 billion vaccinations around the world have occurred in only 10 wealthy countries plus China. The United States has put enough shots in arms for 58% of its population; France is up to 68%. But Pakistan, with 238 million people in an unstable region, has vaccinated only 14%, and Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, only 1%. At the current rate, most of the world's population won't be vaccinated by the end of 2022, three years after the pandemic began. The virus will continue to spread and mutate, producing new, perhaps more dangerous variants. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Corvallis Gazette-Times. Biden and his aides know these things. "From the beginning of my presidency, I've been very clear-eyed that we need to attack this virus globally, not just at home, because it's in America's self-interest," Biden said last month. "We're going to be the arsenal of vaccines to beat this pandemic, as we were the arsenal of democracy to win World War II." But his administration's actions haven't matched those words. Tangents new city manager fell in love with local government in just the second grade, when he met the mayor of his home town of Anchorage, Alaska. Joe Samaniego said he knew from then on that he wanted to get involved in municipal governance. At a time when most young boys fantasized about being police officers or astronauts, Samaniego was dreaming of being an administrator, digging through the minutiae of public policy and making budgetary decisions. Of course, he also had a more typical passion of a young man: motor sports. Samaniego actually raced in stock cars and NASCAR races growing up, following in the footsteps of his father who was a driver himself. While he never went pro, Samaniego says motorsports have always been a passion for him. He even got to be a racetrack announcer for races in Anchorage in his younger years. Samaniego, 37, started his role as Tangents city manager in April, shadowing outgoing long-time city manager Georgia Edwards up until late June. He said hes come to appreciate all the little quirks about Tangent, like the fact that the current City Hall, inside the John Bass Estate, was once owned by a cat. Ron Garnetts mixed messages and conflicting ideas run rampant in his letter of Aug. 25. He immediately states he has the least possible interest in the opinion of others, then proceeds to offer his opinion to others. He justifies ignoring other opinions by knowing the five major lies, which are clearly his five major lies. He then refreshes us with his exclusive knowledge. I feel refreshed! (Sorry, Blazing Saddles addict here.) His five lies say you cannot trust lovers, debtors, those who follow science, our justice system or any government institutions; then he cites Oregon State University, a state institution, as a potential source of help. He cites We follow the science as the saddest and darkest lie, then accuses the followers as being heretical. Speaking out against a religion within that dogma can be heresy, whereas speaking out against hypotheses within science is just more science. He likens We follow the science to saying God wills it! He is likening verification or justification to professing or proselytizing. Lorde has explained the meaning behind this album "Many things revealed themselves slowly to me while I was making this album, but the main realisation by far was that much of my value system around caring for and listening to the natural world comes from traditional Maori principles. Theres a word for it in te reo: kaitiakitanga, meaning guardianship or caregiving for the sky, sea and land. Im not Maori, but all New Zealanders grow up with elements of this worldview. Te ao Maori and tikanga Maori are a big part of why people who arent from here intuit our country to be kind of magical, I think. I know Im someone who represents New Zealand globally in a way, and in making an album about where Im from, it was important to me to be able to say: this makes us who we are down here. Its also just a crazy beautiful language I loved singing in it. Even if you dont understand te reo, I think youll get a kick out of how elegant my words sound in it. Hanas translations for Te Ara Tika / The Path and Hine-i-te-Awatea / Oceanic Feeling in particular take my g-d breath away". Gettysburg, PA (17325) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 87F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Harriet Hageman announces in front of friends and family that she will be running against Liz Cheney in the GOP primary next year. Hageman said Thursday at Little America Hotel and Resort that she believes because she has the backing from former President Donald Trump, the only way Cheney would win is if the vote is split between Hageman and any other candidates. Gillette, WY (82718) Today Sunny to partly cloudy. High near 85F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low around 50F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Awards International will hold an annual event celebrating business excellence worldwide during the International Business Excellence Awards 2021. The awards ceremony will be held both online and in-person at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, Dubai on December 7th 2021. The International Business Excellence Awards 2021 will recognize winning organizations in 18 categories. Some of the categories deal with the influential contemporary business topics (Best Business Response to the Crisis, Best Sustainability Initiative, Distributed Workforce, Heroes in Pandemic, Best Diversity and Inclusion Programs). Others put the focus on evergreen issues (Best Customer Experience, Best Marketing or PR Agency, Best New Business, Best Website or App, Product Development, Most Effective Social Initiative, Best Applied Technology). Last but not least, there are categories which award the best individuals inside companies (Team of the Year, Leader of the Year, Health and Wellbeing, Best Company to Work for). Every company is welcome to apply for as many categories as they see fit and all the interested companies can enter the awards by September 24th, which is the Entry Deadline. After submitting an entry, each company will receive support in completing the entry from a dedicated Awards Consultant and evaluation of the entry for shortlisting. Once the entry has been put forward, the independent panel of judges will rate it by following a predetermined scoring system. Shortlisted entries will get further benefits: a customised logo and a visual element to share on their websites and social media channels, scores, and comments from a number of independent expert judges, promotion of each finalist separately across the network of followers and media partners. Submit your entries before September 24th and take place in an amazing celebration of international business excellence. Website: https://ibxawards.com/ New York, Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Brazilian Natural Gas Growth Opportunities" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06149543/?utm_source=GNW The retreat of Petrobras, the national oil company, from a series of businesses across the gas value chain, puts an end to its monopoly.This is expected to attract new investment and players, create a supply shock, and stimulate demand and investment across gas infrastructure, industries, and thermal generation, creating a virtuous cycle for Brazils development. The countrys gas business potential is enormous, though its market peculiarities should be carefully assessed to identify growth areas.This study looks at the transformation of the gas landscape and identifies the key trends shaping the coming decade. It also highlights business opportunities for participants to consider when designing their growth strategies to stay relevant and agile in the market.Key trends covered: Increasing energy consumption and natural gas leadership End of Petrobrass monopoly encouraging private investment Promulgation of the new gas law driving market development LNG as a critical element to sustain early market growth Biomethane takes off as an alternative gas supply Increasing gas supply through virtual pipelines Author: Maria Benintende Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06149543/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Simply Better Brands Corp. (the Company or Simply Better Brands) (TSX Venture: SBBC) announced their newest retail expansion into Costco. Their plant-based protein bar, TRUBAR, introduces a first-of-its-kind food category, where delicious, dessert-inspired flavor meets clean and simple ingredients. TRUBARs will be available for a limited time in Costco Southeast Clubs, located in GA, TN, NC, SC, FL, MS and AL in the United States. Costco will be carrying a dual pack "Oh Oh Cookie Dough" and "Daydreaming About Donuts" flavors. The entry into Costco builds upon our broad distribution at other U.S.-based strategic retailers like Amazon, Target, Whole Foods, Fresh Thyme and Walgreens, said CEO at Simply Better Brands, Kathy Casey. It is a proof point on our mission to acquire and build innovative, nascent wellness brands focusing on the Millennial and Gen Z cohorts. Obsessed with blurring the lines between healthy and delicious, TRUBARs have tapped into an entirely new space, which theyre coining as Indulgent Nutrition. For so long consumers endured the reality that most snacks either taste good, yet use unrecognizable ingredients, or they use clean ingredientsand taste like cardboard, said Co-Founder and CEO at TRU Brands Inc. (a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company), Erica Groussman. One of my big goals when bringing TRUBARs into emerging markets is to simplify the shopping experience, making it easier for those who aim to eat better but arent willing to sacrifice taste Gen Z generations in the rapidly growing plant-based, natural, and active lifestyle space. Building upon the success of the initial TRUBAR offering, TRU Brands Inc. plans to extend its flavor options and enter other consumer-centric subcategories. About Simply Better Brands Corp. Simply Better Brands Corp. leads an international omni-channel platform with diversified assets in the emerging plant-based and holistic wellness consumer product categories. The Companys mission is focused on leading innovation for the informed Millennial and Generation Z generations in the rapidly growing plant-based, natural, and clean ingredient space. The Company continues to focus on expansion into high-growth consumer product categories including CBD products, plant-based food and beverage, and the global pet care and skin care industries. For more information on Simply Better Brands Corp., please visit: https://www.simplybetterbrands.com/investor-relations. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contact Information Simply Better Brands Corp. Brian Meadows Chief Financial Officer +1 (855) 553-7441 ir@simplybetterbrands.com Forward-Looking Information Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward looking statements" as such terms are used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information are based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and are subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, that the Companys financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events and that the Company obtains regulatory approval. Specifically, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to availability of TRUBAR products in the United States and product expansion plans. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements and information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking statements and information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the Companys assumptions prove not to be valid or reliable, that the Companys financial condition and development plans changes, and delays in regulatory approval, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the wellness industries and to the Company, and as set forth in the Companys annual information form available under the Companys profile at www.sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements and information, other than as required by applicable law. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9a889f70-41e0-47a9-a0dd-e6f4b44c4b84 WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Americans enjoy baked goods every day. Behind that bagel, cookie, or piece of toast are nearly 800,000 people who work for the commercial baking companies producing those delicious products. Those companies are offering thousands of new career opportunities across the country. To help people looking for a new career learn more about this industry, Baking Works, the baking industry's careers site created by the American Bakers Association (ABA), is hosting a free Virtual Career Fair on September 28-29, 2021, from 2 pm - 4 pm EDT. While the baking industry is hiring nationwide, this career fair will feature companies looking for new employees in California, Kansas City, Massachusetts, and Maryland. The virtual event will give people with or without previous experience a chance to speak directly to hiring managers. "The baking industry companies hiring at this career fair are large scale manufacturing operations offering a wide variety of opportunities to interested candidates," said Christina Donnelly, the Director of Baking Works. "We encourage anyone looking to start a new career or take their skills to the next level to attend this virtual meet-and-greet and discover firsthand the positions waiting for them in this incredible community." More than 7,800 jobs are available for all skill sets, including equipment maintenance, engineering, production, sales, distribution, food safety, and more. Candidates can explore available positions at www.BakingWorks.org. "The flexible format of the Virtual Career Fair allows participants to schedule one-on-one meetings with recruiters to learn about industry career paths, growth opportunities, and company cultures," said Jennifer Colfelt, Vice President of Operations and Membership, ABA. "Attendees will hear stories about how a career in this fulfilling industry can lead to a lifelong career with growth potential." To hear testimonials from employees of the baking industry, watch and share this video in English and with Spanish subtitles. During the Virtual Career Fair, attendees will also learn about the low-cost beginner and advanced online training available through the Bakers Manufacturing Academy. Those who participate in two employer interviews will receive complimentary enrollment to the Baking Basics 101 course. ---- What: Baking Industry Virtual Career Fair When: September 28-,29, 2021; 2-4 pm EDT; 1-2 pm CDT, 12-1 pm MDT, 11 am - 1 pm PDT Where: Online, Register for the free event here: https://web.cvent.com/event/0576239a-ab17-46bd-b49a-cc84b1524985/summary B-Roll: Bakery Production and Bakery Aisle ---- Community calendar copy: Tuesday, Sept. 28 and Wednesday, Sept. 29 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT Baking Works, the wholesale baking industry's career center, is hosting a free virtual career fair for job seekers in California, Kansas City, Massachusetts, and Maryland. Attendees do not need to have any previous experience to speak directly with recruiters looking to hire thousands of people. Location: Virtual Registration: Virtual Career Fair Registration ---- Send Media inquiries to: Katie Juhl, Director of Marketing and Communications, American Bakers Association, kjuhl@americanbakers.org Related Images Image 1: Baking Works, the wholesale baking industry The wholesale baking industry is hiring nationwide. Attend Baking Works' virtual career fair on Sept 28-29, 2021 to find out more. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Nolcha Shows NYFW, in collaboration with InstaSleep Mint Melts, will host military spouses from the Assoc. of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs (AMSE) from around the country for an exclusive New York Fashion Week VIP experience on September 12, 2021, at 608 Fifth Avenue. The runway shows will feature "Ones to Watch," a collection of independent fashion brands that epitomize elegance, freedom, and individuality. "We are thrilled to welcome military spouses back for the second year at The Nolcha Shows. They are truly behind-the-scenes heroes who give up so much every day. We are proud to take this opportunity to turn the spotlight on them and bring them some joy," Arthur Mandel, Co-founder of Nolcha Shows, said. The VIP experience will start with hairstyling, led by award-winning and celebrated hairstylist Gerard Caruso, followed by a "glam session" by Monique Rinard with AOFM, jewelry provided by designer Randy Luna, and will conclude with front row seats, backstage access, and catered dining by Chef Tova. Military spouses truly are the backbone of the military community. With long deployments, demanding training schedules, and frequent moves, being a military spouse requires a different kind of sacrifice than we know our service members make. These hardships impact employment, leading to a 38% unemployment rate for military spouses. "We are excited and grateful to be able to continue this annual tradition of supporting our military and the spouses who support them," Dr. Robert Lee, Co-Founder of InstaSleep Mint Melts said. "We are grateful The Nolcha Shows is able to bring this exclusive experience to some of our military spouse entrepreneurs," Monika Jefferson, CEO of AMSE said. "Especially after the difficult year the military community has faced, we are ecstatic to offer some of our hard-working entrepreneurs the opportunity to relax, be pampered, and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." About Our Guests: Bree Carroll: Air Force spouse and Executive Producer of GY6 Show Deidra Lee Stubbs: Army spouse and member of the American Military Spouses Choir Laura Early: Army spouse and Chief Experience Officer/Founder of WISE Advise + Assist team Monika Jefferson: Air Force spouse and Founder/CEO of Assoc. Of Military Spouse Entrep SHOW DETAILS: WHEN: September 12, 2021 at 8:30 PM WHERE: 608 Fifth Avenue Fashion Designer Profiles: www.nolchashows.com/seasons/ss22/ ### About InstaSleep Mint Melts : They are a fast-acting drug-free sleep aid mint formulated by physicians. InstaSleep was developed to help people fall asleep faster and wake up without morning grogginess. www.instagram.com/instasleep Contact JT at JT@instasleep.us About AMSE- AMSE is a global social impact organization for military spouses to start, scale and sustain their businesses. Related Images Image 1 This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eco Oro Minerals Corp. (CSE:EOM) (the Company or Eco Oro) welcomes the Decision on Jurisdiction, Liability and Directions on Quantum (the Decision) issued on September 9, 2021 by the arbitral tribunal (the Tribunal) constituted under the auspices of the World Banks International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in relation to its claims against the Republic of Colombia (Colombia) pursuant to the investment protection chapter of the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Colombia (the Treaty). The Tribunal found that Colombia breached Article 805 of the Treaty in its treatment of Eco Oros investment in the Angostura gold and silver mining project located in northeastern Colombia (the Angostura Project), which Eco Oro was pursuing in connection with Concession Contract 3452. Eco Oro filed its Request for Arbitration with ICSID on December 9, 2016 pursuant to the Treaty after having invested hundreds of millions of dollars in developing the Angostura Project over the course of more than twenty years. During this time, Eco Oro declared substantial resources in connection with the Angostura Project. Importantly, Eco Oro was also lauded for its social programs and environmental practices, receiving awards both internationally and from the Colombian authorities. However, notwithstanding Eco Oros substantial investment and many related governmental commitments and assurances, in 2016, the Colombian Government deprived Eco Oro of vital rights under Concession Contract 3452 and thus destroyed the value of the Angostura Project. Eco Oro thus invoked the Treaty in commencing the arbitration and contending that Colombia violated investor protections to which Eco Oro was entitled under the Treaty. The Decision upheld Eco Oros claims that Colombia breached Article 805 of the Treaty, by failing to accord fair and equitable treatment to Eco Oros investments in Colombia relating to the Angostura Project. The Tribunal rendered certain findings with respect to damages, but has not yet determined what compensation will be awarded to Eco Oro as a result of Colombias breach of the Treaty. The Tribunal has requested from the parties further submissions on damages on specific questions arising from its findings. Shareholders are encouraged to exercise caution in making investment decisions in respect of the Companys shares, as the Company will not be able to assess the impact of the Decision on the financial condition of the Company or the amount of funds that will be available to each class of the Companys securities until a determination on damages has been made. For additional information, see Commitments, Contractual Obligations & Contingencies in the Company's most recent managements discussion and analysis, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Paul Robertson, Eco Oros CEO commented: Eco Oro is pleased that the Tribunal has acknowledged that Colombia violated the Treaty in taking measures that put an end to the Angostura Project, which had been a promising mineral development with the prospect for significant positive social and employment impact in the region. Eco Oro looks forward to the issuance of the Tribunals decision on the issue of compensation. Eco Oro was represented in this arbitration by a legal team led by partners Nigel Blackaby QC, Caroline Richard and Lee Rovinescu from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP, as well as Jose Vicente Zapata from Holland & Knight Colombia. For further information related to this Decision, please contact: Erin Harrison eharrison@theblissgrp.com Tel.: +1 203-610-9492 Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "seeks", "claims", "asserts", "in the event", "if", "believe", "assets", "position", "intends", "envisages", "assumes", "recommends", "estimates", "approximate" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon the current belief, opinions and expectations of management that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant litigation, business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, risks and other contingencies. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward looking statements. These factors include the risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Company Profile Eco Oro Minerals Corp. is a publicly-traded company and its arbitration against the Republic of Colombia is its core focus. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. SOURCE Eco Oro Minerals Corp. Paul Robertson, Chief Executive Officer Tel: +1 604 682 8212, TF: +1 855 682 8212. Eco Oro Minerals Corp. MIAMI, Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- While the concept of paid search marketing is very simple, the effectiveness it can have on an eCommerce website's long-term growth potential should not be underestimated. Some businesses lean heavily on their eCommerce PPC services to generate new streams of revenue with each passing season or trend. Pay-per-click advertising, or PPC, collectively refers to a group of many different ad types in which an eCommerce business effectively bids on, or "buys" specific keywords and then creates any of a variety of ad types to populate a viewer's screen according to a series of managed criteria. When a user clicks on the ad, the advertiser pays the price; hence, pay-per-click. There are many different types of PPC ads and eCommerce PPC campaigns. The classic PPC ad campaign revolves around search ads; these are the ads that populate the top of the search results pages based on the search query. The advertiser bids on the keywords associated with the search, and if certain applicable criteria are met, the ads will then display at the tops of the search engine results pages. Considering the fact that the top three search result listings earn the vast majority of clicks, these are very valuable positions to occupy, especially for competitive keywords. Search ads are not the only format of PPC ads available to businesses in the modern eCommerce market. There are also display ads, shopping ads, and video ads as well. In addition, businesses like Amazon, and even some social media platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, host their own ad management systems as well. For businesses with strong social media followings, the best PPC strategies might involve Instagram or Facebook ads. Because of the resources that should be allocated to an eCommerce PPC management strategy in order to maximize the return on investment while optimizing quality scores, many online businesses find it is in their best interest to partner with an eCommerce PPC service provider to perform the preliminary research, implement the ad campaign and make continuous, ongoing optimizations that will generate the greatest results. 1Digital Agency has been a leading provider of digital marketing services since its inception in 2012 and delivers highly optimized PPC management strategies to its customers. Their PPC management services involve research, planning, and implementation, as we as continuous optimizations to ad copy, landing pages, and to strategy, adjusting device, demographic, geographic, and even time-of-day- targeting in addition to remarketing and A/B testing, as necessary. For eCommerce businesses looking for a cost-effective solution for generating revenue associated with more competitive keywords while investing in eCommerce SEO for long-term success, eCommerce PPC management services constitute some of the most lucrative opportunities. To learn more about their services or to enlist their assistance with a free eCommerce PPC audit , please visit their website, 1DigitalAgency.com, or reach out to them directly, at info@1digitalagency.com or at 888-982-8269. Related Images Image 1: eCommerce PPC This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN) placed a full-page ad in The New York Times today, calling on the presidents of Costa Rica and Ecuador to protect migratory marine species by creating the Cocos-Galapagos Swimway. The ad, endorsed by Dr. Sylvia Earle of Mission Blue and more than 150 organizations around the world, was also published in La Nacion as both countries commit to protecting at least 30% of their marine territories by 2030. Research completed by an international group of marine scientists known as MigraMar indicates endangered marine species including green sea turtles, leatherback sea turtles, and scalloped hammerhead sharks become vulnerable to fishing activities when they migrate between Costa Ricas Cocos Island National Park and Ecuadors Galapagos Marine Reserve. Costa Rica is currently considering increasing protection around Cocos Island. The Cocos-Galapagos Swimway, which was declared a Mission Blue Hope Spot, forms an integral part of that initiative. More than 10,000 scientists and global citizens have called for the Cocos-Galapagos Swimway to be a fully-protected zone. Its important to think like the sharks, the sea turtles and the various forms of life that are not just found in places where weve named and claimed territory, said Dr. Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue. We must consider the creatures that occupy this liquid space that we call the ocean and realize that if we were to take action to protect them, its not good enough that Cocos and Galapagos have an area of a safe haven around them. What about the space in between? That has to be protected too. Thats the underlying rationale. Marine protected areas, such as Cocos Island National Park and Galapagos Marine Reserve, can restore the productivity of oceans, improve the ability to increase resilience to climate change, and provide socioeconomic benefits through non-extractive industries such as tourism. The presidents of Ecuador and Costa Rica have a unique opportunity to create a new paradigm for protecting ocean wildlife, said Mariano Castro of Turtle Island Restoration Network. Creating the Swimway will allow endangered species to migrate safely and connect two nations marine protected areas, something we hope will be a blueprint that is copied across the globe. Organizations among the more than 150 signatories from 20 countries include Center for Biological Diversity, CREMA, Endangered Species Coalition, Equilibrio Azul, Galapagos Conservation Trust, Grupo de los Cien, Humane Society International, Instituto Baleia Jubarte, Island Conservation, Jean-Michel Cousteaus Ocean Futures Society, Marine Conservation Institute, Mas Galapagos, MigraMar, Mision Tiburon, Oceanic Preservation Society, Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Sea Turtle Conservancy, Seacology, Shark Allies, SOS Galapagos, The Leatherback Trust, The SeaChange Agency and Upwell. Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN) is a global conservation nonprofit and leading advocate for the worlds oceans and marine wildlife. TIRN has led more than 25 tagging expeditions to Cocos Island since 2009 to help elucidate the migratory pathways of sharks and sea turtles in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Our work is based on science, fueled by people who care, and effective at catalyzing long-lasting positive change that protects the likes of green sea turtles, whale sharks and coho salmon. By working with people, communities, and our more than 90,000 members, we preserve and restore critical habitats like the redwood-forest creek banks of California to the biodiverse waters of Cocos Island. Led by legendary oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue is uniting a global coalition to inspire an upwelling of public awareness, access and support for a worldwide network of marine protected areas Hope Spots. Under Dr. Earles leadership, the Mission Blue team implements communications campaigns that elevate Hope Spots to the world stage through documentaries, social media, traditional media and innovative tools like Google Earth. Mission Blue embarks on regular oceanic expeditions that shed light on these vital ecosystems and build support for their protection. Mission Blue also supports the work of conservation NGOs around the world that share the mission of building public support for ocean protection. The Mission Blue alliance includes more than 200 respected ocean conservation groups and like-minded organizations. ### Attachments English French Spanish Nexans and Xignux announce agreement to acquire Centelsa from Xignux _JOINT PRESS RELEASE_ Paris, France / Monterrey, Mexico September 10th, 2021 Paris, France / Monterrey, Mexico, September 10, 2021 Nexans SA (Euronext Paris: NEX) announced today it has entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with Xignux SA of Mexico to acquire Centelsa, a premium cable maker in Latin America active in the production of cables for Building and Utilities applications (the Transaction). Centelsa, a Colombian based, iconic world class cable maker, has a total turnover of more than US$250 million and an Enterprise Value of US$225 million. Closing of the Transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to take place in the first half of 2022. Christopher Guerin, Nexans CEO said: Centelsa acquisition is fully aligned with the Groups strategic ambition to become a Pure Electrification Player and it enhances Nexans commitment to electrify the world. This world class, iconic South American operation further contributes to Nexans ability to serve renewable projects in the Andean Region and enhances the group capacity in our Building and Energy Distribution activity. This combination will be the stepstone to grow our best-in-class solutions and unique premium brand. Sergio Valdes, Viakable-Centelsa CEO, emphasized: The Centelsa team has demonstrated, for more than six decades, professionalism in delivering high value to our customers. As a global player in energy transmission, Nexans is a great fit to lead the next phase of growth for Centelsas customers and employees. Jointly, there is a promising future ahead. Nexans expects to fund the acquisition with a mix of available cash and debt, and expects the proposed transaction to be accretive to earnings in the immediate aftermath of the acquisition. About Centelsa CENTELSA is a manufacturing company of cables for energy and communications, which has been part of the industry since 1955, during which time it has retained its position as a recognized cable manufacturer in Colombia. It has a network of strategically located offices to cover the national and international markets, thus offering outstanding service levels. About Xignux Xignux is a Mexico-based company dedicated to the energy and food industries with sales in more than 40 countries. Xignux was founded 65 years ago and employs more than 28,000 people in five countries. Xignux manages companies that energize life and society to contribute to a better world. www.xignux.com About Nexans For over a century, Nexans has played a crucial role in the electrification of the planet and is committed to electrify the future. With around 25,000 people in 38 countries, the Group is leading the charge to the new world of electrification: safe, sustainable, renewable, decarbonized and accessible to everyone. In 2020, Nexans generated 5.7 billion euros in standard sales. The Group is a leader in the design and manufacturing of cable systems and services across four main business areas: Building & Territories, High Voltage & Projects, Industry & Solutions and Telecom & Data. Nexans is the first company of its industry to create a Foundation supporting sustainable initiatives bringing access to energy to disadvantaged communities worldwide. The Group pledged to contribute to carbon neutrality by 2030. Nexans. Electrify the future. Nexans is listed on Euronext Paris, compartment A. For more information, please visit www.nexans.comwww.nexans.com Nexans Contacts: Investor relations Aurelia Baudey-Vignaud Tel.: +33 (0)1 78 15 03 94 aurelia.baudey-vignaud@nexans.com Elodie Robbe-Mouillot Tel.: +33 (0)1 78 15 03 87 elodie.robbe-mouillot@nexans.com Communication Catherine Garipoglu Tel.: +33 (0)1 78 15 04 78 catherine.garipoglu@nexans.com Minaa El Baz Tel.: +33 (0)1 78 15 04 65 minaa.el_baz@nexans.com Xignux Contacts: Communication MediaContact@xignux.com Attachment Gloucester, MA (01930) Today Sun and clouds mixed. High 79F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low around 65F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph, becoming NW and decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 70%. They weren't even on the same continent when darkness, in full wing and fury, rained terror on the shores of America on Sept. 11, 2001. Amanda Trupiano was a freshman in high school in Mannheim, Germany, where her career Army father was stationed. Anthony Trupiano, the son of a Gloucester firefighter, was a sophomore at Gloucester High School, roughly 3,650 miles away. They didn't know each other. They didn't even know of each other. But, given their intertwined stories of love and loyalty, of family service and shared conviction, it now seems almost inconceivable that they wouldn't find each other. They met at Norwich University, the Vermont military university, and later each joined the U.S. Army Anthony as a commissioned first lieutenant on active duty and Amanda as a reservist in the Army National Guard. They both deployed at different times and separately to the hellfires of Iraq as America's wars in the Gulf region stretched on. They've both continued their service in civilian life. Anthony, 36, is a Gloucester police officer full-time since December 2020 and remains a captain in the Army National Guard. Amanda, 35, is a registered nurse at Winchester Hospital and a 14-year veteran of the Army National Guard. In perhaps their greatest service, they are the parents of their 5-year-old daughter Hayden. And on 9/11, the spectacle of America being attacked helped crystalize each of their respective commitments to serving their country. And that commitment, as if the beginning of its own fable, led them to each other. Paths to enlistment "I was a sophomore and I was in biology class," Anthony recalled of the 9/11 attacks. "The first plane had already hit the first tower and we actually watched as the second plane hit the second tower." In Germany, particularly on base, the attacks resonated for Amanda as if she and her family were still living in the states. "The whole base went into lockdown," Amanda recalled. "The school closed and there were armed guards patrolling everywhere. The worst part was we couldn't even call the U.S." In Gloucester, Anthony had an additional worry. On the morning of the attacks, his father Tony, in Florida to visit Anthony's sister, was scheduled to fly back to Boston. "His flight hadn't actually left before they established the nationwide no-fly zone and he ended up having to drive back." Anthony said. "It was a very scary time because you didn't know what was happening." Fast forward to Norwich. Amanda planned to commission into a branch of the military upon graduation in 2008. But during one of the final steps in the recruitment, while she was still in school, Amanda was denied enlistment because of a back injury. Undaunted, she kept trying to enlist and was consistently rebuffed. "In all, I tried to enlist eight times," she said. Finally, in her junior year, a doctor signed off. She signed her enlistment contract in her senior year. Upon graduation in 2008, Amanda completed her basic training in Missouri and joined her reserve unit based in Keene, New Hampshire. In June 2010, Amanda and her unit deployed to the Gulf region, first to Kuwait and then, on the Fourth of July, to Iraq. She was stationed at Army base Spiker in Tikrit. Her duty? "I was, and still am, a truck driver," she said. She hauled fuel, equipment and supplies all over northern Iraq, up to the border with Kuwait. "It was a great experience, a great unit," Amanda said. "It was obviously difficult being in that sort of situation. But it helped make me a soldier." Anthony initially pursued a career in law enforcement upon his graduation from Norwich, but those jobs were scarce. So, in 2010, he enlisted in the Army and was commissioned the next year. Separated by service As he was completing his officer candidate school training, Amanda rotated back and they got married in 2011, about two weeks after Anthony received his commission. "We actually didn't see each other for over a year," Anthony said. "We got engaged four months before she actually deployed. And then she had gotten back while I was in training. So I didn't see her until June 2011." In June 2014, it was Anthony's turn. He and his Army unit 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division deployed to the region, first to Kuwait and then into Iraq to help fight the surge of the Islamic state, ISIS. He served as an intelligence and advanced reconnaissance team leader in northern Iraq, where the Army was not only fighting ISIS, but also trying to perform humanitarian missions for those being persecuted by ISIS. "My wife, since she deployed first, had tried to describe it for me and paint a picture of what it was actually like," Anthony said. "I kind of painted my own picture when I got there. A lot of the stuff she had talked about, I was able to relate." Anthony, by now a captain, rotated home in March 2015 and left active service the next year. "One way or another, I knew that somehow I was going to serve my country in the military," Anthony said. "From an early age, I was always intrigued and attracted to actually serving. There was always something there, deep down inside. Kind of a calling." How could they not find each other? Contact Sean Horgan at 978-675-2714, or shorgan@gloucestertimes.com. Follow him on Twitter at @SeanGDT Gloucester, MA (01930) Today Sun and clouds mixed. High 78F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low near 65F. W winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 70%. MONGO [mdash] Ida Mae Christner, 94, Mongo, died at her home Sept. 9. Mrs. Christner was born July 28, 1927, in Topeka, to Martin W. and Lovina (Yoder) Yoder. Living her lifetime in LaGrange County, she was a homemaker and loved to cook and bake. She was a volunteer for many years at Miller' State parties matter less than they used to. They enjoy no monopoly on recruiting or training candidates. They face more restrictions when it comes to raising funds than super PACs and other outside groups do. Sometimes those groups can have more foot soldiers in place during a campaign than the parties themselves. And, at least in off years, many state parties barely even have anyone around to answer the phone. State parties have become really a shadow of what they used to be, says GOP consultant David Carney. Its kind of tragic.Still, theyre far from irrelevant. Advertising can be outsourced to super PACs, but some efforts cant. State parties do the often unglamorous work of building and maintaining a base, year in and year out, whether theres an election or not. They mobilize loyal supporters and have a standing knowledge of voter behavior and concerns. Parties also play a unique role in coordinating activity and messaging between candidates at all levels, from legislators to the presidency. A super PAC can fill the airwaves and Internet with effective, targeted negative messaging, but it cannot activate party supporters, who rely on local elected officials for guidance, support and patronage, says Matt Hennessy, a Democratic consultant.But state parties cant really compete with super PACs when it comes to raising funds. Thanks to the federal McCain-Feingold law, which abolished soft money -- unlimited funds donated to parties from wealthy individuals, corporations and unions -- theyve lost out in the contemporary money race. Its instead being poured into super PACs or so-called dark money groups that dont have to disclose the identity of their donors. Some politicians and commentators argue it would be better to lift restrictions on party fundraising. Parties are more accountable due both to federal reporting requirements and the fact that they have to worry about their reputations in future election years -- something not always true of super PACs.The U.S. Supreme Courts decision last year in the McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission case is making it easier for parties to raise money. Individual donors who previously could give no more than $74,600 to all parties in a given cycle can now offer well over $1 million. Congress also softened rules on donations to parties, which will make a big difference in a presidential year. Parties will be able to argue that giving money to them will help favored candidates to whom big donors have already maxed out their contributions. Already, Hillary Clinton has entered into joint fundraising agreements with a majority of state Democratic parties. Increased funds coming to state parties will boost turnout and advertising efforts that assist down-ballot candidates even more than the standard-bearers.No one likes the amount of money sloshing into politics. Yet, as the Brennan Center for Justice concludes in a recent report, organized parties plainly are more transparent than the shadow parties and other outside groups competing with them for resources. Governor Northam Announces CAVA to Establish Production and Packaging Operation in Augusta County Restaurant chain to invest over $30 million, create more than 50 jobs RICHMONDGovernor Ralph Northam today announced that CAVA, a Washington, D.C.-based fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant chain, will invest over $30 million to establish a new processing and packaging operation in Augusta County. The company will construct a 57,000-square-foot facility in Mill Place Commerce Park. Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina for the project, which will create 52 new jobs. Food and beverage processing is at the heart of the Shenandoah Valleys manufacturing sector, and it is an honor to welcome CAVA to the region, said Governor Northam. Global food products companies have been attracted to the unique combination of resources and talent that make Virginia the best state for business. The companies that choose to locate and expand in the Commonwealth have propelled Virginias success in this booming industry. We look forward to supporting CAVAs growth in Augusta County. CAVA's more than 130 restaurant locations nationwide serve a fully customizable Mediterranean menu of well-sourced and nutrition-forward ingredients prepared in-house every day. In 2018, CAVA acquired Zoes Kitchen, greatly broadening its footprint across the country. The brand also offers a wide array of CAVA signature dips and spreads available nationwide at grocery retailers. CAVA employs more than 900 individuals in Virginia through its Zoes Kitchen and CAVA restaurants. The Shenandoah Valley has built a reputation as a top location for food and beverage manufacturers, and CAVA is a strong addition to a region home to many industry leaders, said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. Augusta County offers natural resources and a highly skilled workforce that will benefit the company. We are excited to partner with CAVA on this major investment. As a Washington, D.C.-based business, the Commonwealth of Virginia is a part of our hometown community, said CAVA Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Brett Schulman. We opened our first restaurant in Virginia in 2012, and today we operate more than 30 CAVA restaurants where we employ over 900 team members. With the opening of our new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, we look forward to the opportunity to continue our support for Virginia and its communities. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Augusta County and the Shenandoah Valley Partnership to secure the project for Virginia. Governor Northam approved a $200,000 grant from the Commonwealths Opportunity Fund to assist Augusta County with the project. The Governor also approved a performance-based grant of $300,000 from the Virginia Investment Performance Grant, an incentive that encourages continued capital investment by existing Virginia companies. The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program will provide support for CAVAs job creation. This program is a workforce initiative created by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System and other higher education partners. Funding support comes from the Northam administration and the Virginia General Assembly. Launched in 2019, the program accelerates new facility start-ups through recruitment and training services that are fully customized to a companys unique products, processes, equipment, standards, and culture. All program services are provided at no cost to qualified new and expanding companies as an incentive for job creation. Food and beverage manufacturing is an essential sector of our economyfrom the local, regional, and state perspective, said Chair of the Augusta County Board of Supervisors Gerald Garber. With agriculture being a rich component of Augusta Countys background, present, and future, we are thrilled to welcome CAVA and believe the provided job opportunities will complement our workforces strengths. CAVA is a perfect addition to the Mill Place Commerce Park family and greater Verona area, said member of the Augusta County Board of Supervisors and representative of the Beverly Manor District G.L. Butch Wells. The companys commitment to health and consumer customization is inspiring and continues the tradition of valuing food in this communityleading to more stability for our citizens and our economy. CAVAs focus on extolling the virtues of food and family, and the companys entrepreneurial spirit perfectly resonates with the quality of life and philosophy of people in the Shenandoah Valley, said Executive Director of the Shenandoah Valley Partnership Jay A. Langston, Ph.D. It has been a pleasure assisting Augusta County and the CAVA team in choosing a location that embraces the spirit of wholesome food and the value of working hard, playing hard, and giving back to the community. We welcome CAVA to the Shenandoah Valleys robust food and agricultural community, and embrace its commitment to championing local community healthy eating initiatives. Yet again, Augusta County exemplifies the perfect mix to attract quality manufacturing facilities to our area, said Senator Emmett Hanger. CAVA will be able to expand on its operations here in Virginia and across the nation, and its workforce will enjoy all that this beautiful, family-oriented, and community-focused area has to offer. We welcome CAVA to the county and hope the company continues to grow and expand with its quality restaurants and healthy and delicious retail food products. CAVAs selection of Augusta County for its new facility continues the long heritage of food production centered in the Shenandoah Valley, said Delegate Chris Runion. An exceptional workforce coupled with excellent infrastructure assets continue to build upon the quality of life our community offers. We applaud and welcome CAVA to its new home. # # # For service to caving, as founding member and in a range of executive, training and assessment roles with the Chillagoe Caving Club, through contributions to the Australian Speleological Federation and other national caving groups, and as a caving instructor in a number of schools. Mr Estrada and his girlfriend tended to the injured driver until emergency services arrived. Mr Estrada reached into the front seat of the burning vehicle, pulled the driver out, and dragged him away to a safe distance. Mr Estrada stopped his car and ran towards the burning vehicle. Despite the heat and flames, he located the physically disabled driver, who was semi-conscious and unable to get himself out of the car. In the afternoon, Mr Estrada and his girlfriend were travelling along Old Cairns Track when they noticed a vehicle had crashed into trees and burst into flames. Mr Joven Estrada displayed considerable bravery during the rescue of a man from a burning vehicle at Malanda in Queensland on the 7 th of March 2019. Sergeant David William Raymond BM Mr Jacob Alexander Raymond Faith featured Faith GH pastor retiring after 45 years in ministry Courtesy photos The Rev. Randy Bremmer, left, his wife Tracy Bremmer, right, and their children Daniel, Natalie and Anna pose when Randy took over as senior pastor at Trinity Reformed Church in Grand Haven 13 years ago. On Sunday, he will give his final sermon as the churchs pastor, wrapping up a career of more than 43 years in the ministry. Courtesy photo Bremmer will retire after Sundays worship service at Trinity Reformed Church, 1330 S. Ferry St. This coming Sunday marks a special day for Trinity Reformed Churchs senior pastor, the Rev. Randy Bremmer. Bremmer will preach one final message at Sundays 10 a.m. service, marking the end of 13 years of service at the Grand Haven church and 43 years in ministry. The Midland native says his passion for a career in ministry began as a teenager attending Midland Reformed Church. For me its pretty simple, he said. It was through various means a human in divine impressed by Gods love for us, his love for people. I experienced that through many tangible ways, through people, the Holy Spirit and Scripture. Bremmer says he knew from a young age that spreading Gods love was his calling. If somehow, some way I can help other people experience God, that would be the best thing I could do with my life, the 1980 Calvin College graduate said. Thats been my north star ever since. But Bremmer also had a deep love of the great outdoors and comes from a family that was extremely influential in his journey. He says his father dropped a seed to develop an outdoor recreation ministry during his college years. The first half of my career, I took people biking, backpacking, whitewater rafting all over the United States and Canada and even into Europe, he said. I led a group of about 30 people on a bike trip in Europe for 12 weeks when I was 19 years old in 1978. Thats when everything kind of germinated. With the help of colleagues at Calvin, Bremmer founded Christian Adventures. I loved to get people outside and engaged in Gods creation, he said. Hopefully that would lead to spiritual conversations and spiritual growth, and oftentimes it did. Bremmer went on to lead spiritual journeys for 23 years, and has since gained interests in photography, reading and writing. But once he dipped his feet in pastoral work, it was time to start a new passage one that expanded across West Michigan. Bremmer received his first full-time pastor position in Traverse City, where he met his wife, Tracy. Shes been with me my entire pastoral journey, he said. I have to give her credit for being a great, supportive partner through my career. The Bremmers have triplets Daniel, Anna and Natalie who are all currently enrolled in college. After a brief pastor stint in Zeeland, the Bremmers found a home in Grand Haven. After applying at Trinity Reformed, Bremmer says he was intrigued by the unique situation at the church, 1330 S. Ferry St. They had a sincere desire to do what a church is supposed to do, he said. They had been through a difficult era, which led to a diminishment in membership. It was a tough time, but I have always been drawn to challenges. I saw the potential because of the people they were sincere, humble, and there was a clear message about communicating the Gospel. Bremmer said there was a certain beauty about Trinitys small, struggling congregation. When he took over in 2010, the membership was floating at around 85. The congregation has blossomed to 110 during a time when only 10 percent of churches recorded any sort of growth. Part of what I believe as a pastor is every church has a particular calling and purpose, Bremmer said. What I do is facilitate what God has in mind for that situation and represent the kingdom of God Gods love and bring it to Gospel in a unique way. Bremmer says he cant thank the Grand Haven community enough for its genuine support. The church and the greater community scooped our family up and blessed them, he said. Our kids have really thrived here. When Bremmer delivers his final words to Trinity Reformed on Sunday morning, he hopes the members leave with one key message: a compelling passion for the Gospel. God does indeed love us more than we can imagine, and Ive demonstrated that through Jesus, he said. If we put our faith in that, we can know God, and thats the best thing any human can experience. My passion for Scripture and Gospel, I hope that it radiates to touch others and the love for God continues. Israel-based StoreDot, the developer of extreme fast charging battery technology for electric vehicles (earlier post), has demonstrated a prototype 4680 form factor cell that is fully charged in just 10 minutes. StoreDots extreme fast charging cells have been in development for more than three years. Work for these technologies was kicked off at Warwick University in the UK with collaboration with StoreDots strategic partner BP. It has been further developed harnessing experts from across the globe. The work is covered with five patents in the area of cell design and uses StoreDots continuous tab technology. Such cell design increases throughput and addresses safety and performance issues typically associated with the hard case structure of cylindrical cells. Testing at StoreDot facility has shown promising low levels of internal resistance. Cylindrical cell samples are now ramping up the production lines at EVE Energy, StoreDots manufacturing partner in China. StoreDots XFC batteries deliver a 50% reduction in charging time at the same cost, in both pouch and cylindrical cell forms. Both formats are undergoing scale-up process at EVE Energy and will be ready for mass production in 2024. Achieving the goal of extreme fast charging a cylindrical cell in only 10 minutes has been on StoreDots technology roadmap from day one. After three years of vigorous development and testing, leveraging multiple vectors of our world class researches, I am hugely proud at the effective collaboration across our globe that enabled this important achievement. Its highly significant that we can offer Electric Vehicle manufacturers the choice of cell formats, utilizing our XFC technology that will overcome the current barriers to EV ownership: range and charging anxiety. We are pleased that our silicon-dominant XFC battery cell chemistry is adaptable and can be applied to various packaging formats, to suit changing market needs. Both our cylinder and pouch cell form factors are designed to be safe, reliable and stable, and are expected to be produced at scale by 2024. We are in advanced discussions with a number of global automotive manufacturers and we plan to supply them with various XFC cells, enabling a rapid transition to a zero-emissions electrified future. Dr Doron Myersdorf, StoreDot CEO This world-first application of silicon-dominant anode extreme fast charge cylindrical cells signifies a number of considerable challenges that had to be resolved compared to pouch technologies. The 4680 cylindrical cell format requires unique chemistry adaptation to offset greater internal pressures, gas release and avoidance of potential leakage. StoreDot is looking beyond its silicon-dominant XFC technology to future generation extreme energy-density (XED), based on solid-state technologies which are on target to enter mass production in 2028. StoreDots strategic investors include BP, Daimler, Samsung Ventures and TDK. Support local journalism We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Bidens sweeping new vaccine requirements have Republican governors threatening lawsuits. His unapologetic response: Have at it. The administration is gearing up for another major clash between federal and state rule. But while many details about the rules remain unknown, Biden appears to be on firm legal ground to issue the directive in the name of protecting employee safety, according to several experts interviewed by The Associated Press. My bet is that with respect to that statutory authority, theyre on pretty strong footing given the evidence strongly suggesting the degree of risk that (unvaccinated individuals) pose, not only to themselves but also unto others, said University of Connecticut law professor Sachin Pandya. Republicans swiftly denounced the mandate that could impact 100 million Americans as government overreach and vowed to sue, and private employers who resist the requirements may do so as well. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called it an assault on private businesses" while Gov. Henry McMaster promised to "fight them to the gates of hell to protect the liberty and livelihood of every South Carolinian. The Republican National Committee has also said it will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties. Such cases could present another clash between state and federal authority at a time when Biden's Justice Department is already suing Texas over its new state law that bans most abortions, arguing that it was enacted in open defiance of the Constitution. The White House is gearing up for legal challenges and believes that even if some of the mandates are tossed out, millions of Americans will get a shot because of the new requirements saving lives and preventing the spread of the virus. Biden is putting enforcement in the hands of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is drafting a rule over the coming weeks, Jeffrey Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said Friday. He warned that if a workplace refuses to follow the standard, the OSHA fines could be quite significant. Courts have upheld vaccination requirements as a condition of employment, both before the pandemic in challenges brought by health care workers and since the coronavirus outbreak, said Lindsay Wiley, director of the Health Law and Policy Program at American University Washington College of Law. Where Biden's vaccine requirements could be more open to attack is over questions of whether the administration followed the proper process to implement them, she said. The argument that mandatory vaccination impermissibly infringes on bodily autonomy or medical decision making, those arguments have not been successful and I dont expect that to change, Wiley said. I think the challenges that are harder to predict the outcome of are going to be the ones that are really sort of the boring challenges about whether they followed the right process. Emergency temporary standards under which the rules are being implemented on a fast track have been particularly vulnerable to challenges, Wiley said. But the risks presented by the coronavirus and the existence of a declared public health emergency could put this one on stronger footing than any other ones past administrations have tried to impose that have been challenged in court, she said. Indeed, the question of whether the mandate is legally sound is separate from whether it will be upheld by judges, including by a conservative-majority Supreme Court which has trended toward generous interpretations of religious freedom and may be looking to ensure that any mandate sufficiently takes faith-based objections into account. Vaccination has become politicized and there are many Republican district judges who might be hostile to the regulation for political reasons," said Michael Harper, a Boston University law professor. I could imagine an unfortunate opinion that attempted to justify this political stance by rejecting the use of OSHA against infectious disease rather than against hazards intrinsic to the workplace, Harper wrote in an email. The expansive rules mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated. Biden is also requiring vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government with no option to test out. That covers several million more workers. Republican-dominated Montana stands alone in having a state law on the books that directly contradicts the new federal mandate. The state passed a law earlier this year making it illegal for private employers to require vaccines as a condition for employment. But University of Montana constitutional law professor Anthony Johnstone said the federal rules would trump the state law. That means larger Montana businesses that previously couldnt require their employees to get vaccinated will now likely be required to, including hospitals that are some of the largest employers in the sparsely populated state. Given that the rules are still being drafted and haven't been released, experts say the devil is in the details. It remains to be seen exactly what the rule will require employers to do or not do, and how it accounts for things such as other rights that unvaccinated employees may assert, such as the right to a disability accommodation, Pandya said. For example with the growing number of fully remote businesses and workers if the rules are written to include people who don't have workplace exposure, there certainly is room for an issue there," said Erika Todd, an employment attorney with Sullivan & Worcester in Boston. Charles Craver, a labor and employment law professor at George Washington University, said the mandate presented a close question" legally. But he said the Biden administration did have a legitimate argument that such a requirement was necessary for employers to protect the safety of workers, customers and members of the public. The thornier question, though, is how employers and courts will sort through requests for accommodations for employees on religious or other grounds. Though such accommodations may include having an employee work from home, you can have a situation where someone has to be present and you cant provide an accommodation because of the danger involved," he added. I would not be a betting person if this went up before the Supreme Court, Craver said. I could even picture the court divided 5-4, and I wouldnt bet which way it would go. ____ Richer reported from Boston. Reporter Iris Samuels contributed to this report from Helena, Montana. Samuels 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. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California would bar police from using certain face-down holds that have led to multiple unintended deaths under a measure headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday. The bill expands on the states ban on chokeholds in the wake of George Floyds murder by a Minneapolis policeman. The Assembly gave final approval on a 50-15 vote. The measure by Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gipson, a former police officer himself, would prohibit police from using techniques that create a substantial risk of whats known as positional asphyxia. They include putting suspects face down, then pressing down on their backs with hands, elbows or knees to gain control. It defines the hold as placing a person in a way that compresses their airway and reduces their ability to breathe. That includes putting body weight on a restrained persons neck, torso, or back. The California State Sheriffs Association said the bill is too broad and neglects situations in which a subject creates a threat of death or serious bodily injury to an officer or another person. Barring the holds by trained officers makes it more likely they will have to use alternatives like batons or Tasers, the association said. Nevada enacted a similar ban last year as part of broader legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Many law enforcement agencies already restrict the practice. Police manuals warn that restraining someone face down for an extended period can lead to injuries or death. Gipson's legislation gained attention after 26-year-old Mario Gonzalez died in April. He was pinned down by four Alameda Police Department employees for more than five minutes before he died. About the same time, a jury in Southern California awarded more than $2 million to the family of a homeless man who died in 2018 after officers in Anaheim used a similar technique to restrain him. DALLAS (AP) Gov. Greg Abbott, in defending Texas' near-ban on abortions, says women and girls who are raped won't be forced to give birth because the new law "provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion. But that's not how pregnancy works. The Texas law which the U.S. Supreme Court allowed to take effect Sept. 1 bans abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, which is usually around six weeks into a pregnancy. However, six weeks into a pregnancy does not mean a woman has six weeks to make a decision. Here's a look at the new Texas law viewed as the biggest affront to the constitutional right to an abortion in decades: WHEN WOULD SOMEONE KNOW SHE'S PREGNANT? A positive pregnancy test does not mark Day 1 of a pregnancy. Instead, gestational age is measured by the first day of a woman or girl's last period. A typical menstrual cycle is 28 days, although many people have irregular cycles that are longer or shorter than that. Ovulation when an egg is released from an ovary and conception is most likely occurs around the midpoint of the cycle. Typically, women dont test for pregnancy until after theyve missed a period. Those with irregular cycles or unplanned pregnancies may not learn of the pregnancy until after the six-week mark. Extra-sensitive pregnancy tests can sometimes detect a pregnancy about five or six days before a missed period. That means someone who has regular periods and is carefully tracking her cycle could know of a positive result no earlier than about four weeks into a pregnancy. That would give her two weeks or less to get an abortion in Texas. This law does not give you six weeks after you have discovered you are pregnant, said Amy Jones, the chief executive officer of the Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center. Jones said she was confused by (Abbott's) statements and disheartened. Confusing information about this law really sets a survivor up to have a misunderstanding of what to expect should they need to seek out services to terminate a pregnancy, and I think that can be shocking and perhaps retraumatizing, she said. HOW MANY WOMEN AND GIRLS COULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS LAW? The Texas Health and Human Services Commission says about 15% of the about 55,000 abortion procedures performed in Texas in 2020 were at less than six weeks gestational age. That's about 8,000 abortions. The state's numbers are in line with the assertion from abortion providers that the law would bar at least 85% of abortions in Texas. In 2020, that would have been about 47,000 abortions. Abbott, a Republican, made his comments Tuesday at a press conference when asked whether the new law would force someone who was raped to carry the pregnancy to term since it does not require exceptions for rape or incest. He replied: It doesnt require that at all, because obviously it provides at least six weeks for a person to be able to get an abortion. Abigail Aiken, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin who studies reproductive health, explains that someone may not realize their period is late for a few days or even a week "and that brings you up to about five weeks already. And then after that you might need some time to make a decision about what you want to do about that pregnancy, and then you have to navigate the obstacle course that Texas law has already put in place when it comes to accessing in-clinic abortion in this state, Aiken said. State law requires people seeking an abortion to make at least two visits to an abortion clinic, waiting at least 24 hours to return after the initial visit. Other requirements include ultrasounds and counseling materials. During the press conference, Abbott also pledged to eliminate all rapists from the streets. Abbott's office did not respond to subsequent requests for comment. WHAT ARE THE DETAILS OF THE TEXAS LAW? The law allows any private citizen to sue Texas abortion providers who violate the law, as well as anyone who aids or abets a woman or girl getting the procedure. Abortion patients themselves, however, cannot be sued. The person who sues does not have to have a connection to the person getting an abortion. And the person who brings the lawsuit is entitled to at least $10,000 in damages if they prevail in court. Texas Right to Life, the states largest anti-abortion group, launched a website to receive tips about suspected violations and says it has attorneys ready to bring lawsuits. However, the website remained down Thursday, days after host GoDaddy kicked it off, saying it violated the companys terms of service. A spokeswoman for Texas Right to Life noted the website is mostly symbolic since anyone can report a violation and because abortion clinics appear to be complying with the law. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? A case is still proceeding in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, though the timing of future action is unclear. The Supreme Court declined to block the law from taking effect while that case makes its way through the legal system. In its 5-4 ruling, the court emphasized that it was not addressing the constitutionality of the law only that those seeking an emergency stay had not met the high burden to block it. On Thursday, the Justice Department sued Texas over the law, arguing that it was enacted in open defiance of the Constitution. The lawsuit asks a federal judge to declare that the law is invalid. ___ Bleed reported from Little Rock, Arkansas. TOKYO (AP) Japans outspoken vaccinations minister, Taro Kono, announced Friday that he is running to become the head of the governing party, who usually is chosen prime minister, and pledged to be reform-minded and gets things done. Kono, 58, a Georgetown University graduate who is fluent in English, has many fans among younger people, with whom he communicates via social media, a rarity in Japanese politics. With nearly 2.4 million followers on Twitter, he says he will keep tweeting if elected prime minister. I will embrace your views and worries, share information with you, convey a solid message and work with you to overcome this crisis that we face, Kono said at a packed news conference in Tokyo, referring to the pandemic. Kono's declaration comes a week after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's sudden announcement that he will not seek another term as head of the governing Liberal Democratic Party in a Sept. 29 vote. The winner is virtually certain to be elected prime minister by parliament because the party and its coalition partner hold a majority of seats. Two other lawmakers have already declared their candidacies: centrist former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and former Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi, who shares former Prime Minister Shinzo Abes right-wing ideology and revisionist views on wartime history. She is seeking to become Japans first female leader. Kono emphasized his achievements as vaccine minister, portraying himself as someone who gets things done, by tearing down bureaucratic barriers if necessary. Kono, who is also administrative reform minister, was picked by Suga to lead the country's vaccination campaign in January before its rollout in mid-February, months behind other countries. Within weeks, Kono was tasked with the ambitious goal of fully vaccinating all of the nation's elderly by the end of July, which he achieved by boosting the administration of doses to 1 million per day another goal set by Suga. Japan is now on par with the United States in terms of percentage of people who have received at least one shot, and will be in the top class among the Group of Seven industrialized nations by the end of September or early October, he said. Kono has been open about his ambition to become prime minister, a position that members of his family neared but never achieved. His father, Yohei Kono, served as top government spokesman in a coalition government and his grandfather was deputy prime minister. Kono is a liberal on social issues such as gender equality and diversity but hawkish on national security. Kono, who has also served as foreign and defense ministers, said he will work with countries that share democratic values and oppose unilateral" attempts by China to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas. Some governing party lawmakers are cautious about Konos past support for a phasing out of nuclear energy. On Friday, he said restarting nuclear reactors would be unavoidable if fossil fuel reductions and increased use of renewable energy are not enough to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Suga, who became prime minister a year ago, has faced nosediving popularity over his governments handling of the coronavirus, which many saw as slow and limited, and for insisting on hosting the Olympics despite widespread opposition due to health concerns. Having a fresh leader is important for the Liberal Democrats as they seek to increase their popularity ahead of an upcoming general election that must be held by late November. Kono was the most popular choice for prime minister in at least three recent public opinion polls, with former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba second and Kishida third. Takaichi, who is less well known, was lower in the rankings. Public popularity does not directly affect the selection of prime minister, who is elected by parliament from candidates presented by various parties. ___ Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi LANSING, Mich. (AP) Michigan health and business officials on Thursday renewed their plea for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, citing hospital workforce shortages, unnecessary deaths and concerns that end-of-summer travel and the return to school could fuel a surge in cases. About 59% of Michigan residents ages 12 and older have been fully vaccinated and 65% have gotten at least one dose. Those figures trail behind the national rates of 62% and 73%. Brian Peters, CEO of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association, said hospitals are operating at near capacity as coronavirus caseloads rise and high numbers of non-COVID-19 patients seek care they delayed earlier in the pandemic. The number of adults hospitalized with the disease Wednesday 1,300 was well below the state's peak of roughly 4,100 in April. However, Peters said there are fewer employees and non-virus patients who waited need higher levels of care and longer hospital stints. Our staffing is stressed to a level that we have not seen previously, Peters said. One of the ways to prevent that is to get the vaccine. There's just no question. Physicians said there is a new dimension of stress, sadness and fatigue on the front lines, as people die after refusing vaccines that work. Dr. Geneva Tatum, associate division head of pulmonary and critical care medicine at the six-hospital Henry Ford Health System in southeastern Michigan, said she is heartbroken and discouraged by patients who continue to remain unvaccinated because they thought they could outrun the disease." Of the system's 111 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 77% were unvaccinated, nearly 14% were fully vaccinated and 9% were between doses. Dr. Nicole Linder is the chief hospitalist at OSF St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group in Escanaba in the Upper Peninsula, where six counties top the state with the highest two-week case rates. She said health care workers were hopeful that enough people would receive the vaccine to end the pandemic, but the hospital is confronting a wave of new infections. The patients and usually their family members distrust medicine, which is partly why they did not get vaccinated, she said. Linder told the story of an unvaccinated patient whom she treated for the past three weeks. While hospitalized, the woman made calls to persuade at least six family members and friends to get vaccinated. But it was too late for her," Linder said. Despite everything that could possibly be done for her, she's going to lose her battle and lose her life. She's vivacious and gregarious and just a wonderful person. This did not have to happen. Her family didn't have to lose her. I am fatigued and I am heartsick and I am tired of watching people suffer needlessly and die of a disease that could have been prevented by a simple and safe and effective vaccine. People overestimate the effectiveness of coronavirus treatments in comparison to vaccines, she said. We truly need to get the message across that our best treatment for COVID is to never get it in the first place, Linder said. Business leaders joined in vaccination push. Vaccines, they said, can keep schools and child care centers open, protect employees on the job, give comfort to customers and prevent government-ordered capacity restrictions. President Joe Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans, including businesses that employ at least 100 workers who must be vaccinated or get tested weekly. A previously announced mandate for nursing home employees was to be expanded to include those in hospitals and other health care facilities. Many Michigan hospitals already are requiring workers to be vaccinated, though others are not. Biden also called on governors to mandate vaccines for teachers and school staff. Nine states have done so, but Michigan is not among them. A spokesman for Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said her office was reviewing the president's plan. She previously said she did not plan to issue broad" masking or vaccine requirements. ___ Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 WASHINGTON (AP) About a third of the female service members in the Air Force and Space Force say they've experienced sexual harassment and many can describe accounts of sexism and a stigma associated with pregnancy and maternity leave, a study released Thursday has found. The review, done by the Air Force inspector general, also concluded that minorities and women are underrepresented in leadership and officer positions, particularly at the senior levels, and get promoted less frequently. It echoed many of the findings of an initial review, released last December, which found that Black service members in the Air Force are far more likely to be investigated, arrested, face disciplinary actions and be discharged for misconduct. The two reviews into racial, ethnic and gender disparities across the Air Force and Space Force broadly confirm that biases exist, but the data does not fully explain why. The studies also reflect broader campaigns within the Defense Department and the Biden administration to root out extremism and racism. President Joe Biden has declared domestic extremism an urgent national security threat and the Defense Department is working to identify extremist behavior and eliminate it from the force. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, earlier this year, ordered military leaders to spend a day talking to their troops about extremism in the ranks, after a number of former and current military members took part in the assault on the U.S. Capitol in January. In addition, the Defense Department late last year endorsed a slate of initiatives to more aggressively recruit, retain and promote a more racially and ethnically diverse force. There are a lot of disparities within the Air Force, said Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall in a call with reporters. This includes things like promotions, how people are treated in their careers, how theyre treated in assignments, other areas under the judicial system, if you will, and also about perceptions that people have." In the latest study, about half of all female respondents said maintaining work/life balance and taking care of family commitments adversely affect them, while only 18% of men responding to the survey shared that view. It also found that about 25% of female Air Force and Space Force civilians said they had experienced sexual harassment during their careers. And it said some women across the force didn't trust their chain of command to address the bad behavior, and feared retribution. Women and minorities also said they believe they have to work harder to prove their competency. While the first study looked at disparities for Black service members, the latest one involved women, Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino personnel in active duty, the National Guard, Reserves and civilian workforce. As a result, the report said, thousands of female and minority Air and Space Force members reported instances of bias, discrimination and sexual harassment that contribute to the racial, ethnic and gender disparities laid out in the document. Lt. Gen. Sami Said, the inspector general, told reporters that some of the largest gaps are in operational jobs, which include pilots and other combat-related posts. As an example, in 2020, nearly 84% of the pilots in the active duty Air Force were white., and more than 92% were male. In contrast, 7.7% were female, 3% were Hispanic/Latino, 2.7% were Asian American, 2% were Black, 0.5% were Native American and 0.3% were Pacific Islander. The problem, according to Said, starts with recruiting. A common theme in surveys and group discussions, he said, was that women and minorities believe there is a "lack of people that look like us that can mentor us and advise us. Because they aren't brought in to key operational jobs at decent rates, they are at a disadvantage when competing with others for promotions and better jobs. In addition, the report found that Native Americans were 113% more likely to face a court-martial than their White peers, and that they and Hispanic/Latino Air Force members were 33% more likely to face criminal investigations. The second report released Thursday laid out some of the ongoing efforts to address shortfalls found in the December review on bias against Blacks. It also found they were less likely to be promoted and that one-third believed they don't get the same opportunities as their white peers. It said the Air Force is working to increase diversity awareness among recruiters and expand partnerships with institutions that have large minority populations to beef up recruiting. That effort would include directing more minorities to key career fields that have a greater opportunity for advancement. The Air Force also has set up new policies to track administrative actions based on age, rank, gender and race, and it recommended more training for commanders and other key leaders on unconscious bias. Said told reporters that he is 100% convinced that senior leaders are focused on the diversity issue. Its not a shiny object of the moment that fades, he said. More than 100,500 individuals participated in the anonymous survey for the latest gender and minority study. The participants also turned in more than 16,900 single-spaced pages of other comments and were involved in 122 small-group discussions. WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. is doubling the fine for people who break the rule requiring masks on planes, trains and other forms of public transit to slow the spread of COVID-19, with President Joe Biden warning Thursday that violators should be prepared to pay. First-time offenders would face a potential fine of $500 to $1,000 and second-time offenders could pay $1,000 to $3,000 under rules that the Transportation Security Administration said will go into effect Friday. The fine currently starts at $250 and can go up to $1,500 for repeat offenders. If you break the rules, be prepared to pay, Biden said as he announced the increase during a speech outlining sweeping new federal vaccine requirements as part of an effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant. The president also rebuked people who have been taking out their anger about the mask requirement on flight crews. And by the way, show some respect, he said. The anger you see on television toward flight attendants and others doing their job is wrong. It's ugly. The mask penalties are separate from any civil penalties the Federal Aviation Administration may issue for unruly behavior. The mask mandate has been controversial and has led to many tense encounters between passengers who dont want to wear a mask and flight attendants asked to enforce the rule. The Federal Aviation Administration said last month that airlines have reported 3,889 incidents involving unruly passengers this year, and 2,867 or 74% involved refusing to wear a mask. The rule requiring masks on planes and all public transit will remain in effect until at least Jan. 18, the Department of Homeland Security said. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said masks will be required as long as necessary to protect public health amid the pandemic. The mask order, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for responding to the pandemic, was first issued on Jan. 29, days after Biden took office. Before that, airlines had their own requirements for face coverings but former President Donald Trumps administration had declined to make it a federal rule. NEW YORK (AP) She was an unsuspecting radio station intern in 2003 when she pursued what she thought would be a career-making interview with a R&B superstar R. Kelly. Instead, she had a horrific experience while locked in a darkened room for days, she's now testified years later in lurid detail. She said she still lives with a strong belief she was drugged and violated by Kelly while she was unconscious. I was sexually assaulted, the woman told jurors on Thursday at Kelly's sex-trafficking trial. It wasnt something I invited. The witness, who testified without using her real name, became the latest in a string of accusers to take the witness stand against Kelly since the trial began in New York City on Aug. 18. Kelly, 54, has repeatedly denied accusations that he led a criminal enterprise that sexually exploited women, girls and even boys during a 30-year career highlighted by his anthem I Believe I Can Fly. His lawyers have portrayed his accusers as groupies who are lying about their relationships with him. Publicly recounting her experience with Kelly for the first time, the former radio intern said she was a 21-year-old single mother from Salt Lake City when she got up the nerve to approach Kellys entourage about an interview. It would have been my very first huge celebrity interview, said the witness, now 39. "I thought it would kickstart my career. She was invited to fly to Chicago and meet Kelly at his Chocolate Factory music studio, all paid for by the Grammy-winning recording artist. There, she was greeted by someone who made her sign a non-disclosure agreement, demanded personal information about her family and surprised her by asking if she needed protection specifically, a condom, she testified. No, Im not here for that, she responded. She was told to wait alone for Kelly in a windowless room. When she tried to step out, she discovered that the door was locked from the outside and that, after banging on the door with no response, she needed permission from Kelly to go to the bathroom or anywhere else, she said. I was scared. I was ashamed. I was embarrassed, she said. The witness claimed two days passed before she was finally given something to eat Chinese takeout and a soda. After only a few bites and sips from her meal, she passed out on a couch, she said. She awoke to find that someone had taken off all her clothes and felt wet stuff between her legs and on her thighs, she said. She also spotted Kelly in the corner pulling up his pants, she said, making clear to her he had assaulted her. Kelly left the room, saying he would be back soon, she said, the last time she saw him. What felt like another few days had passed before she was given a flight home, she said. She said on the way out of the studio, an employee warned her to keep her mouth shut about what had happened. The way it was put: Dont f--- with Mr. Kelly." She took it as a potential threat against her child and family. As he has with other accusers, defense attorney Deveraux Cannick pressed the witness on why it took several years for her to come forward with her accusations. He noted too her admission that she had a cell phone when she alleges she was locked in the room. Did you call 911? After you were raped, according to you, you didnt call 911? Deveraux asked on cross-examination. Thats correct, she responded. The woman's allegations resulted in a kidnapping charge listed in a sweeping racketeering indictment against Kelly thats kept him in jail since 2019. It alleges he together with others, did knowingly and intentionally secretly confine an individual that the document identified only as a Jane Doe. Another woman who testified on Thursday was someone who appeared on a sequel to a widely watched documentary series Surviving R. Kelly that portrayed him as a sexual predator. She has described having a tumultuous relationship with him but hasnt directly accused him of any crimes. The government instead was seeking to use her to corroborate testimony from other accusers that Kelly used spankings and other discipline to make women he was allegedly exploiting stay in line over months or years. It was fun in the beginning, she said of her time with him. However, she said, it later became controlling. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) State education officials are offering to pay for the salaries of 500 teaching assistants and offer them tuition subsidies in a two-year effort to jumpstart recruitment in K-12 schools. This program can serve as a pathway for more people to enter the education profession, Public Education Secretary Designate Kurt Steinhaus said in an announcement Wednesday. Educational assistants help out in the classroom but are not full-fledged teachers. They cant lead instruction or implement curriculum, and they dont need to have a degree. This year many have served as monitors for teachers presenting remotely. The $37 million New Mexico Teacher Fellows program is funded by the education department's share of $1 billion in federal money from relief packages passed in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Around 90% of those federal funds are being sent directly to school districts. On Thursday, the education department released a database that shows some of the initial spending, mostly on laptops and other emergency tools for remote learning. At the height of the pandemic, the education department used initial federal funds for emergency school needs like protective gear, temporary WiFi hotspots, and online learning supports like software. But the largest portion of funding is yet to be spent. Wednesdays teacher fellowship announcement signals a new phase in the departments efforts trying to leverage the temporary windfall of federal money for a longer-term goal: reducing the states chronic educator shortage by training candidates in-state. Around 600 teaching positions were vacant in the state in 2020. While the pandemic forced fewer retirements than education officials feared, New Mexico is tied for the oldest group of teachers in the nation. Attempts to bring teachers from outside the country have served as an imperfect stopgap, and substitute teachers are in short supply. The fellowship program aims to keep teaching assistants on the job and advance their careers so that they can fill higher-paying jobs in the future before they leave for another industry with higher pay. Teacher assistants earn around $25,000 per year, at or below minimum wage in some New Mexico towns. Even for part-time work, the positions are not competitive with entry-level jobs in other industries, like hospitality and construction. Education department officials hope local districts will take advantage of the state paying for base salaries to increase pay, for example by using a school districts own federal funds. The education department plans to start awarding teaching fellowships by the end of the year. The 500 fellows will have access to mentors outside their school, and a $4,000-per-year education stipend to pursue a degree at a community college or start towards a higher degree. They dont even have to study education and could put the stipend toward a degree useful on a school campus. That includes nursing, social work and speech pathology, said Gwen Perea Warniment, deputy secretary of Teaching, Learning and Assessment. All of them are important for school, and were in dire need of all positions, Warniment said. ___ Attanasio is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Follow Attanasio on Twitter. The vivo X70 series was unveiled yesterday only for the China market. However, the camera-obsessed trio will be available in other regions as well. Note that there are a few changes compared to the Chinese phones, mostly on the Pro model. The vivo X70 Pro+ stands head and shoulders above its siblings. It is powered by the Snapdragon 888+ chipset and exclusively features vivos new V1 chip, which uses AI for noise reduction and MEMC (motion estimation, motion compensation). The vivo X70 Pro switches over to the same Dimensity 1200 chipset as the vanilla X70 (the Chinese model uses the Exynos 1080 instead). This also means that the Pro loses the V1 chip, which is present on the Exynos variant. The vanilla vivo X70 is unchanged, except for switching from vivos new OriginOS to the OS it uses abroad Funtouch OS version 12 (based on Android 11). The X70 series will gradually expand to new markets India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and more. Only some of the three models may be available in a given country, vivo hasnt unveiled its exact plans. Pricing is also yet to be announced. Currently there are no plans to bring the X70 to Europe, even though the Old Continent did get the X60 Pro. The vivo X70 series is gradually expanding to new regions Before we wrap up, here a few more exclusives on the X70 Pro+ model, so that you know which model you should hope is available near you. The Pro+ alone has a high-transmittance glass lens by ZEISS. All three phones have ZEISS T* coating on the lenses, however, complete with the various logos, including the ZEISS Vario-Tessar trademark. The screen is a large 6.78 Samsung E5 AMOLED, an LTPO panel with a refresh rate between 1 Hz and 120 Hz, plus 300 Hz touch sampling rate. It is a 1440p+ display with 10-bit support. This is also vivos first phone with an IP rating of any kind and it is an IP68 (dust proof and water resistant). The Pro+ has faster wired charging, 55W, and even fast wireless charging, 50W. Here is a head-to-head spec comparison of the three models. Personnel from the Department of Public Health and Social Services, Guam Department of Education and the Guam National Guard conduct COVID-19 testing during a drive-thru clinic in Tiyan Sept. 9. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is sending workers to Guam to help with the COVID-19 response. Twenty years ago, the nation watched in horror as airplanes slammed into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon outside of Washington, D.C. and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. On Saturday, Guam will join other communities in remembering the events, and the victims, of the 9/11 attacks. At the Peace Memorial at Puntan Dos Amantes, or Two Lovers Point, the Rotary Club of Northern Guam will host a wreath-laying ceremony. The memorial was built originally so that we could designate Guam as a road to peace island. When the 9/11 tragedies occurred, then we incorporated elements of the attacks into our memorial, said Joe Rios, who heads the committee for the annual ceremony. The number of people allowed to attend the outdoor ceremony has been scaled down to 25, all of whom are vaccinated, to comply with the governors executive order on gatherings and congregations. A live stream video will be on the Rotary Club of Northern Guam Facebook page. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Gov Josh Tenorio will speak at the ceremony and lay a wreath. Representatives from the military, Guam Fire Department, the Pilots Union Association and Transportation Security Administration will also be in attendance. The one-hour event starts at 8:46 a.m., the time when the first plane hit the Twin Towers. The park will be open until 5 p.m., so those wishing to visit the memorial site after the ceremony can go there. Wreaths will remain at the memorial all day, Rios said. A parade of lights with fire engines from the Dededo Fire Department will also go to the park, accompanied by motorcycle riders. However, the riders will not be able to attend the ceremony because of the restrictions on gatherings. Jamaican Grill is also commemorating the 20th anniversary by hosting a free luncheon for Guams local and military first responders. The dine-in meal will be at all three of their locations in Dededo, Tamuning and Hagatna from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event started in 2002 as a way to honor those lost in the attacks and also to show appreciation for and thank first responders on Guam, said Omar Nobuo, Jamaican Grills marketing assistant. Guams largest private employers, including most hotels and corporations on the island, will have to require employees to either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or get tested weekly under President Joe Bidens plan to confront the national surge in virus cases. All federal employees and contractors must now get vaccinated under Bidens mandate, with no option to submit to weekly testing. Limited exemptions for medical and religious reasons are still in place. The plan, announced Friday morning, Guam time, will affect an estimated 100 million Americans, and is meant to curb the spread of the highly infectious delta variant of SARS-CoV-2. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has already mandated that employees of local bars, restaurants, theaters, gyms, and similar businesses get vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing. The Biden administration will now require the same of all businesses that employ more than 100 workers, and those businesses will also have to provide paid time off so that employees can get the vaccine or recover from side effects that result. The U.S Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to develop rules to implement the requirements for businesses. Violators may get fined as much as $14,000. Guam Department of Labor Director David DellIsola said he didnt know exactly how many Guam businesses would be affected by the policy, but it would involve the majority of the hotels and large businesses, corporations. So we have, not a gigantic amount, but we do have a number of businesses with more than 100 (employees), DellIsola said. Guam Hotel and Restaurant Association President Mary Rhodes said she had already shared the update with hotel operators, many of whom will fall under the mandated business category. There was no word yet on whether the local Department of Public Health and Social Services would have to shift any resources to accommodate an increased number of people who would be required to get tested weekly. Wed probably have to sit down with the governors office, sit down with the (Guam) Department of Labor, take a look at how many establishments and businesses there are in Guam with that type of labor force, Public Health public information officer Janela Carrera said. Many restaurants and businesses affiliated with the hospitality industry on Guam perform federal contract work, Rhodes said, and would need to comply. According to Adelup spokesperson Krystal Paco-San Agustin, the Leon Guerrero administration is not expecting any further vaccine requirements to be put in place locally, and employees of executive branch agencies in GovGuam will retain the option to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing. Around 86% of GovGuam line agency employees have already been fully vaccinated, and 90% have at least their first dose. The Biden administrations latest executive orders directly align with our local policies announced last month, the governor stated in a Friday press release. Health care workers will also be affected by the new mandates. Employees in hospitals, clinics and other facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid must get vaccinated. That would include Guam Memorial Hospital employees, who will no longer have the weekly testing option provided under local vaccine requirements. Employees at the Guam Regional Medical City, along with a majority of health care providers and clinics on the island, will also have to get the vaccine. Haiti - Insecurity : Mexican humanitarian aid blocked by gangs The 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid from the Mexican Government arrived in Haiti on Friday September 3, 2021 aboard the Frigate ARM "Papaloapan" (A-411) and the ARM "Libertador"(BAL-02) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34671-haiti-news-zapping.html could not be unloaded due to the climate of violence and insecurity in Haiti, revealed Wednesday, September 8 the President of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, in his conference of weekly press. He specified that on several occasions "there were shots fired from automatic weapons" and the Mexican authorities decided for reasons of staff safety, to anchor the boats offshore and to wait for better conditions and guarantee of security to disembark Mexican humanitarian aid, which includes among other things medical equipment, including a mobile hospital, medicines and food intended for the victims of the earthquake "[...] There are already several expeditions and we had problems unloading the food, because the gangs control part of Haiti" reported the Mexican President referring to one of the operations, the unloading of food which had to be suspended, explaining "The goods had started to be unloaded, the teams had almost finished half, when riots broke out..." See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34671-haiti-news-zapping.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34611-icihaiti-earthquake-mexico-sends-two-ships-loaded-with-1-729-tons-of-humanitarian-aid.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34559-haiti-flash-the-death-toll-rises-to-2-207-dead-and-12-268-injured.html S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Delmas 32 massacre : Police officer arrested Agents of the Central Direction of the Judicial Police (DCPJ) apprehended yesterday Wednesday September 8, the police officer St-Jean St Philippe, aka "Komandan Bobo" for his alleged implication in the shooting which caused the tragic death of about fifteen of people at Delmas 32 and Christ-Roi on the night of June 29 to 30, 2021 https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34131-icihaiti-delmas-32-slaughter-condolences-and-condemnation-of-france.html . Police officer Angelot Jeanty arrested on August 30 on the airport road is also suspected in this case. DCPJ investigators are hard at work to shed light on this issue. Former Senator Jean Charles Moise for the elections The former Senator Jean Charles Moise, Secretary General of the Radical Opposition party "Pitit Dessalin" trivializes the various discussions around political agreements for the establishment of the transitional government. According to him, there is no constitutional provision for the appointment of a new President and all these discussions are futile. Moise stands for the continuation of Prime Minister a.i., Ariel Henry to lead the country until the elections are organized. Loading tank trucks impossible In a correspondence addressed to the Minister of Justice on September 7, the Association of Petroleum Professionals (APPE) denounced the insecurity situation which compromises the fuel loading of tank trucks in the various terminals located in Thor, Martissant and Varreux. Assassination of Jovenel Moise Thursday, investigating judge Garry Orelien finally closed the hearing of the former coordinator of the presidential security unit, Jean Laguel Civil. His lawyer, Me Reynold Georges, claims that his client provided the magistrate with many details indicating that he had no involvement in the assassination. He informs that he has filed a request for the hand-up of the committal mandate for his client. Digicel will cooperate with justice Thursday, the CEO of Digicel, Maarten Boute, confirms having formally received Wednesday the request of Me Bed Ford Claude Commissioner of the Government of Port-au-Prince and and ensures that the company will give a favorable response, concerning the provision of report sheet of hone calls placed between Joseph Felix Badio cited in the assassination of President Moise and Prime Minister Ariel Henry https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34704-haiti-news-zapping.html Humanitarian assessment of the DPC The Directorate of Civil Protection (DPC) presented, this Thursday, the results of the operations carried out by the DPC in the Great South, following the earthquake of August 14, 2021 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34681-haiti-earthquake-latest-assessment-of-civil-protection.html With the 3 million gourdes at its disposal, the DPC has assisted nearly 70,000 victims out of the nearly 700,000 who require emergency aid. Around 180 to 190 aid trucks with 20 humanitarian convoys were sent to the affected areas every day. 40 organizations participated in these humanitarian aid operations. HL/ HaitiLibre Im old enough to remember our last days in Vietnam. It was a tough thing to see. The last d Read more What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 574-583-5121 or email cgrace@thehj.com. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Editor: We need to be focused on the deepest meaning of the reason for creation. O In addition to approving this years county budgets and salaries, the Hill County Commission Thursday allocated up to $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to the county health department to help its employees keep up with the delta variant-driven surge of COVID-19 in the community. Hill County Commissioner Diane McLean said the commission received a letter from Hill County Public Health Director Kim Berg requesting the $100,000 to help them bring on more contact tracers and case investigators like they did last year. Berg has said previously she sent multiple emails to the commission in the past months looking for ARPA funding for this reason but hadnt gotten a response. Berg, who is also the countys health officer, has said the department is buried in work just trying to investigate known cases and havent been able to get in touch with everyone whos been exposed to COVID-19 because theres not enough hours in the day. She said Thursday the new case rate in Hill County is already five times what it was at this time last year, and trends suggest it is only going to get worse now that so much of the departments authority has been curtailed. The department can no longer issue quarantine orders or even recommendations to people based on their vaccine status due to Montana House Bill 702, which outlaws discrimination against the unvaccinated, even if that information is volunteered by the contact. This put the department in the position of having to either order everyone exposed to quarantine, which is unnecessary for most vaccinated people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and would create more work than the department can physically do, or to cease issuing orders at all and simply recommend people listen to the CDC. The latter option was reluctantly recommended by Berg in a Hill County Health Board meeting last month and approved by the commission last week. After Thursdays meeting she said the department has been asking people to follow CDC guidelines, and they inform people that if they choose to ignore the recommendations they are open to liability if they spread COVID-19, something that has happened with other disease in the past. Im hoping it doesnt come to that, she said. However, Berg said, theyre already getting people openly saying they will not quarantine regardless of what the CDC or the department says. She said the department is trying to realign their script to address this, and the schools have been good about encouraging students to stay home when sick, but she still hears of a lot of symptomatic people going to school or work regardless. If youre dealing with COVID-19, or measles, or tuberculosis, it doesnt matter, quarantine is a basic step of public health that we need to take to protect others, she said. She said it appears that most who attend work or school despite symptoms arent doing it because they dont trust the health recommendations, but because they feel like they cant afford to miss it. Berg said this is the result of a culture that encourages people work even when its painful or dangerous and people need to try to deprogram this tendency out of their minds, even when its for illnesses other than COVID-19. She said its not only OK to stay home when sick, its the responsible thing to do. She said she hopes her departments inability to keep people home with quarantine orders doesnt lead to more COVID-19 spread, but she suspects this fall will be worse than last fall, in part because so few people are wearing masks and large events are being held again. Berg said during the meeting Thursday that the $100,000 shes requesting will allow the department to hire temporary contact tracers and case investigators much like last year, helping them keep up with the huge amount of new cases and avoid burnout as more and more come in. She said local schools have been helping by sending letters to contacts and lightening the workload, now that 90 percent of the departments time is spent just investigating the cases they know of. She said last year they were able to hire more people thanks to CARES Act funding, but were not able to keep people on as those extra funds were not replaced. The commission Thursday unanimously approved the allocation. Berg said the positions in question will likely offer $18 per hour, as they did last year, and anyone who applies will be a huge benefit to the department. She said shes hoping to get the postings for the jobs up by today or Monday. She also mentioned after the meeting that the health department just got this years flu vaccine and people in the community should get immunized as soon as possible. Were already seeing more illness in our community than we did last year, she said. I mean, we have a bad cold going around, we have strep (throat), pneumonia, and COVID-19, and thats just what we know of at this point. Brenda and Buzzie Hughes, owners of Buzzie's Bar-B-Q, are now open after closing for more than a week after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. EHHS students planted crosses for every 9/11 victim An East High student plants crosses in memory of Sept. 11 victims. On the morning of Friday, Sept. 10, students at East Henderson High filed out from their classrooms to gather solemnly around their schools entryway, to the sound of "Taps" being played by a classmate. In the grass at the center of the schools entrance, 2,977 small wooden crosses bore hand-written names of the casualties of Sept. 11, 2001. Students had spent the past two weeks crafting the crosses out of popsicle sticks and glue, meticulously writing the names of the individuals who lost their lives at the World Trade Center, on the ground in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Organized by the Social Studies department at East, the memorial was publicized to the rest of the school community to participate in moments of remembrance, said social studies teacher Devin Gordon. Teachers were encouraged to bring their classes out to the front of the school to take in the visual representation of the attacks magnitude. I know this isnt sacred ground, social studies teacher Daniel Corhn told a group of students, as he gestured to the plot of land in front of the school. But these crosses represent all those people who did not make it home to their families. Seniors Raphaella Alvarez-Poblete and Mack Mauger took on the charge of designing the banner that hangs above the memorial at the schools entryway. Though neither student had yet been born on Sept. 11, 2001, both said they have been touched by the social studies memorial this week and by their families shared experiences. The country really never reverted to the way it was, said Alvaraze-Poblete. I wasnt born; I wasnt there to feel that change, she said. But my elders tell me the United States changed after 9/11. My dad was actually a first responder and was across the bridge when it happened, Mauger said, and added that their mother was in tears this morning as both parents recollected the 20th anniversary of the tragedy. Seeing how much it struck them really made me feel something, Mauger said. Both Mauger and Alvarez-Poblete agree on the importance of researching the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and commemorating the lives lost, even though they and the rest of their classmates dont have vivid memories of that day in history. Even though we werent born, learning to stand united is the easiest way to get through a hardship, Alvarez-Poblete said. Mauger added, America may never truly recover from the trauma from the event, but we can grow stronger together. UNSUNG heroes of the coronavirus pandemic are to be celebrated at the Henley Festival next week. People were asked to nominate anyone who has made a difference over the last 18 months. Eighty-eight people were nominated and the winners will receive a pair of tickets for the closing night of the five-day festival, which begins on Wednesday. Liz Wells, 57, of Harpsden Road, Henley, was nominated for her work as a carer for vulnerable people during the pandemic. She has been caring for five people in the Henley area, doing their shopping, preparing hot meals and offering companionship. Beth Bowden, who nominated Ms Wells, said: She has tirelessly been a carer for multiple vulnerable people across the town during the pandemic, including my mum. Im a young adult carer and the respite she gives us with her joy, kindness and laughter has kept us going in the darkest of days. She always puts others before herself, going the extra mile, and her positivity is infectious. I honestly dont know what we would do without her. Ms Wells, who used to be a probation services officer, said: Beth sent me a message telling me she had nominated me and I was so touched. Ultimately, I was just doing my job but it felt lovely for someone to think about me. The people I cared for became good friends of mine during the pandemic. I made sure they felt safe and they had someone to talk to. The work of a carer has always been important but I think that during the pandemic it became vital because these people couldnt see anyone and could not leave their houses. It became even more important to go in and prepare their meals, make sure they had the right medication and that they felt safe despite everything that was going on in the world at the time. Some of their families live abroad so they needed someone to rely on and I felt I needed to do that for them. A lot of them are elderly and needed to see someone regularly their faces would light up when they saw me. They would ask me why they couldnt go out and I would explain it to them. We would do crosswords and chat and I would report to their families at the end of the day to make sure they knew their loved ones were okay. I was really glad I could go to work and I loved doing my job. I felt I was making a difference. It mademe feel worthwhile. Even after all the coronavirus restrictions were lifted, she was turning down invitations to go out. Ms Wells said: I made sure I was being extra careful. I would regularly test myself as I didnt want to put any of them at risk. They relied on me and I knew that without me going in, it would be difficult for them. That companionship and talking about their day really helped them. Im sure all the other carers feel the same. Being a carer is so important and to be recognised for it is lovely. Lidija Basic, 43, from Sonning, was nominated by her friend Sevim Gencer because of the emotional support she gave her during the lockdowns. The women have been friends for more than eight years, having met when they worked for the same software company. Ms Gencer said: Lidija has been a great friend to me over many years but the support I received from her over the last year-and-a-half is beyond anything else. As a person living alone with no family members here, I struggled so much during the lockdown, both mentally and emotionally. Lidija and her partner Andy did everything humanly possible to help me survive in these unprecedented times. Ms Basic, who works in web security, was surprised to be nominated as a hero. She said: I really didnt expect it and was really pleased. I feel quite emotional about it. The Henley Festival is one of the best events of the year and its great that they are doing something like this and promoting friendship. I was single for a long time and my friends were always there for me. All of a sudden I found myself in a very beautiful relationship during lockdown and I wanted to make sure that my friends were all right too. I was trying really hard to be there for them as I know how it is to be single during normal times and I imagined it would be difficult during the pandemic. In March last year, when the first lockdown started, she organised weekly calls with friends living across Europe. She said: We had them religiously every Thursday and we managed to forget about everything else that was going on and enjoy these evenings to the fullest. We chatted about everything and we went through the ups and downs together. Some people had lost their jobs, found new ones or even moved house. We looked forward to that time together every week. Alexandra Green was nominated by her mother because of her work as a cabin crew member. The 32-year-old, of Deanfield Road, Henley, has worked for British Airways for more than eight years. When the pandemic hit, she worked voluntarily on repatriation flights to Goa, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Ahmedabad in India. She would try to sleep on the flight out and bring the passengers straight home, meaning she worked 22-hour days. She also worked on flights to Shanghai and Beijing, helping to bring thousands of boxes of personal protective equipment to the UK. On her days off, she was part of the Henley Mutual Aid Group, helping people in the community. She did shopping trips for neighbours as well as collecting prescriptions and other goods that people needed. Ms Green said: When the pandemic hit, a lot of my colleagues were put on furlough and I decided to volunteer to work during the repatriation flights. We flew to places we normally dont fly to and that could result in 10-hour flights sometimes. I had to be really careful when I came back home as I was living with my mum and had to take my uniform off at the door. Since I had a lot of time off in between and after these flights, I also did the shopping for my neighbours and built a very good relationship with some of them. A couple in particular, who are 89 and 92, couldnt leave the house so I was making sure I chatted to them regularly as they had no one else to speak to. It was a difficult time for a lot of people and at the time you dont really think about anything, you just want to do as much as you can to help other people. Ms Green said she felt overwhelmed to be nominated, adding: Your mum is always going to be proud of you but having the recognition from the festival is nice. Catharine Darnton, who has been headteacher at Gillotts School in Henley for the past 13 years, was nominated because of her efforts in supporting families and students. She was nominated by Denise Williams, a member of the school suppport staff, whose daughter was in year 11 and had her final year disrupted. She said: I am in awe of the hours and hours [Catharine] has committed to her students and her staff team. She honestly hasnt had a break and continues to support some of the most vulnerable families in our town. She deserves a medal for simply making the Department of Education guidance workable, let alone run a track and trace system and an exams programme and keep the school open throughout. She isnt alone and many teachers and staff deserve the recognition but Im not sure any would disagree she would be a worthy recipient. Ms Darnton said: It is an absolutely lovely gesture by the Henley Festival and Im incredibly touched that it was one of my colleagues who nominated me. It has been a team effort to get through these times and I could not have done it without my team they really stepped up. Everyone needed to be innovative and creative. During the pandemic, schools in many towns across the country have been at the centre of the community in a way they werent before and it was the same for us we are all about our community. While people were at home from school, we needed to be creative and find ways to deliver remote teaching but also support our students and parents. Parents were incredible in handling it and I know they were really grateful schools were there for them. It took us a long time to get used to it and we are still in covid times, just in a different phase, and its going to take time to come out of it and it will continue to pose a challenge for us. Hayley Rogers, head of PE at the school, was also nominated by Ms Williams, who said: She is an absolute rock and led the staff team in school throughout the lockdown, supporting the most vulnerable students and providing security and consistency. Jo Bausor, chief executive of the festival, said: We were thrilled with the number of nominations we received. We wanted to give people a chance to say thank you to those that helped them during the pandemic. We hope the nominees will enjoy the night. Key workers are being offered cheaper tickets to Henley Festival. Pairs of seat tickets for Sunday, September 19, are being offered for 25 instead of the normal 65. For more information, email julia@henley-festival.co.uk I've updated my resume in the last week. I've updated my resume in the last month. I've updated my resume in the last 3 months. I've updated my resume in the last 6 months. I've updated my resume in the last 12 months. It's been more than one year since I updated my resume. I have never updated my resume. I don't have a resume. Vote View Results Free access for current print subscribers As a home delivery subscriber, you get free unlimited digital access to premium content on HenryHerald.com, including local news, local sports, obituaries, legal notices, local features, and the e-edition. All you need is your print subscription account number and your last name. Don't know your subscription number? Email access@henryherald.com with your delivery address. Activate your account now. BENTON HARBOR Gov. Gretchen Whitmers proposal to give Benton Harbor $20 million to replace lead water service lines in the city over the next five years is great, but not enough, said Jill Ryan, executive director of Freshwater Future based in Petoskey. Five years is still a long time. The residents need immediate assistance to get access to filters and clean drinking water, she said when contacted by phone Thursday. Freshwater Future was one of 20 organizations that filed a petition Thursday with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for emergency action under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The 35-page petition states that residents continue to live with significant and dangerous levels of lead contamination three years after the contamination was first discovered with no immediate solution in sight. Benton Harbor has been required to test its drinking water every six months since October 2018, when routine testing found that the amount of lead in the drinking water of sampled homes exceeded the action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb). The petition states that over the past three years, the city and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) have failed to take timely action to correct the problem. Even low levels of lead in the blood of children can result in behavior and learning problems, lower IQ and hyperactivity, slowed growth, hearing problems and anemia, the petition states. Even though officials have installed corrosion control systems at the citys water plant, Ryan said the amount of lead in the tap water has increased over the past three years. During corrosion control, chemicals are added to the water to coat lead pipes so lead doesnt leak from them. She said this is important because even after all of the citys water service lines are replaced, there could still be lead plumbing inside the house. Replacing the lead service lines will reduce the amount of lead in the water, but wont solve the problem, she said. City officials have repeatedly said the water leaving the citys water plant has no lead in it, meaning the lead is coming from water service lines or from the plumbing inside the house. An ongoing effort Municipalities have historically only been required to replace lead water lines up to the property line of a residence. As of Jan. 1, municipalities are required to pay to replace the lead service lines up to a few inches within the house. The petition lists several action steps that it says need to be taken. They include that residents be given technical and financial resources so they have a free source of safe drinking water and that the EPA make grants available to the city to assist in getting safe drinking water to residents. Also listed on the petition was the Benton Harbor Community Water Council, led by Edward Pinkney of Benton Township. While we thank Gov. (Gretchen) Whitmer for the $20 million to replace Benton Harbors lead service lines, the lead in water situation in Benton Harbor is and has been for the past three years a dire emergency, he said in a news release. We have watched our children, loved ones, and my fellow community members be subjected to high lead in water levels. It has been a struggle to get our water utility to properly test and protect the community from these high levels of lead. Nick Leonard, the executive director of the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, said his group has tried to intervene previously to no avail. A number of petitioners met with folks at EGLE in late 2019 to talk about things we thought were problematic with their response, Leonard said in the release. And their answer at the time was, things are under control, lead levels are going down, weve got this. And that simply wasnt the case. Leonard said in recent sampling periods, lead levels have been higher than in the initial lead exceedance in the fall of 2018. Theres been ... a lack of urgency, a lack of response that we found really troubling, he said. Benton Harbor residents have been living with this for far too long. Whitmers plan, which was announced Wednesday, includes expanding the program that already exists where city residents are able to get free water filters and cartridges from the Berrien County Health Department to filter out lead in their water. Uniontown, PA (15401) Today Thunderstorms likely this morning. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 76F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Breaking News Updates Would you like to receive our Breaking News updates? Signup today! Calendar Updates Would you like to receive our weekly Calendar updates? Signup today! Deals Updates Would you like to receive Deals updates? Signup today! Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Yes, I love all of them! I like the Antiques & Collectibles Show I go to the Arts & Crafts Fair. I love the Antique Car Show. I leave town, I dont care for crowds. Vote View Results Rebranding 9 September 2021 Dash Living, Asia's leading serviced co-living community, today announced the launch of a new 24-room property under its management located in Yau Ma Tei, its third co-living en-bloc in Kowloon. The new property, Dash Living on Tung Fong, is at 4 Tung Fong Street, between Nathan Road and Waterloo Road, just one-minute walk from Yau Ma Tei MTR Station and with an abundance of superb dining and shopping options nearby. Previously a hotel known as the Up-otel, the property has now been redecorated and is fully managed by Dash Living. Rooms are available for booking via Dash Living's website and automated sales flow. The property provides two sizes of studio units, all equipped with essential amenities, including mini-fridge, open closet, complimentary Wi-Fi and more. Tenants at Dash Living on Tung Fong will enjoy Dash's signature fully serviced, all-inclusive hassle-free living, and over 40 perks. The Perks are daily enjoyment including discounts or free access for fitness and beauty, lifestyle and dining, and coworking spaces. Founded by entrepreneur Aaron Lee in 2014, Dash Living has adopted an asset-light management model for long stay, along with software as a service (SAAS) with landlords. The success of the Dash Living model is reflected in its growth across Asia Pacific. With this new property in Yau Ma Tei, Dash Living now operates more than 1,300 units, comprising serviced apartments, co-living homes and hotel rooms located in Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo and Sydney. Dash Living has been consistently achieving an overall occupancy rate of over 90% for the past 18 months. Pipeline 10 September 2021 With 178 guest rooms and 21 pool villas with beachfront access, The Standard, Hua Hin will be a timeless destination for the Thai creative set and The Standard's global network of loyal clientele. A beloved getaway dating back to 1911, Hua Hin emerged as a destination when the construction of the railroad that connects Bangkok with the South first arrived at the pristine little beach town. By the mid-1920s, it became the chosen holiday retreat for the nobility. With time, the sleepy fishing village has transformed into a popular seaside destination without losing its old-world charm. Today, Hua Hin is a favorite weekend escape for residents of Bangkok who have been waiting for exactly what The Standard promises to offer: a stylish and vibrant beachfront resort. One that respects Hua Hin's understated Thai elegance, has appreciation of the history and local setting and combines it with a global sensibility and a bit of fun. Pipeline 10 September 2021 Opening in 2022, the hotel is already a landmark, housed in the King Power Mahanakhon Building, a 78-story mixed-use building that is one of the tallest in Thailand. Centrally located in the CBD between Sathorn and Silom, the hotel will reflect the dynamic energy of the Thai capital. With 155 rooms, penthouse, a terrace pool, fitness center, meeting rooms and a dynamic variety of food, drink and nightlife venues, from The Parlor to the Tea Room and renowned Standard Grill, as well as Thailand's first outpost of the acclaimed Mott 32 restaurant. The property is designed by Spanish artist-designer Jaime Hayon's Hayon Studio, in collaboration with The Standard's award-winning in-house design team. This breath-taking new addition to the Standard portfolio will sit proudly alongside the brand's award-winning vibrant US and European urban flagships, The Standard, High Line and The Standard, London, and in perfect counterpoint to our waterside retreats The Standard, Maldives, The Standard, Miami, and the forthcoming The Standard, Hua Hin and The Standard, Ibiza. Now Open 10 September 2021 Canopy by Hilton, Hilton's (NYSE: HLT) vibrant lifestyle brand that takes inspiration from local neighborhoods, today celebrates the brand's first hotel in Spain with the opening of Canopy by Hilton Madrid Castellana. The property, owned by Hotel Investment Partners (HIP), is located in the financial district of the city, a few minutes away from some of Madrid's most popular tourist attractions, including Real Madrid Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and the tree-lined Paseo de la Castellana, in addition to Gran Via and Plaza Cibeles. It is one of a trio of European openings under the Canopy by Hilton brand this year, following the summer opening of Canopy by Hilton Paris Trocadero, and the soon-to-open Canopy by Hilton London City. The theme of 'Red' Madrid underpins an interior decoration project that embraces popular "Madrileno" culture from the forefront of design. The project was masterminded by the studio of interior designer Jaime Beriestain and takes inspiration from the city itself as the cradle of cani [traditional Madrid] culture to produce a space by everyone and for everyone, in the words of Madrid's unofficial hymn. The 314-room hotel, with 12 meeting rooms, has a distinct neighbourhood and city feel, creating a comfortable environment for business and leisure travellers alike. Following the comprehensive refurbishment of the building's interior, the hotel was planned as a setting to be lived and enjoyed. Airy, open spaces greet the visitor in a lobby which creates an ambience conducive to conversation. The lobby is dominated by Canopy Central, a gastronomic meeting point where visitors can enjoy a specialty coffee or food prepared from healthy, local ingredients. On the mezzanine, locals and visitors mingle at Planta Z, a spectacular terrace where you can enjoy fun street food-style dishes with live music. The menu is focused on delicious, fresh and healthy cuisine, designed to be shared and combined with the extensive cocktail menu. A new casual meeting place in the capital for residents and visitors to experience the unique 'Madrid vibes'. Hotel guests can enjoy the exclusive Pool Terrace with views of Madrid's rooftops and skyline - a typically romantic Madrid scene. To complete this 100% local experience, the hotel welcomes all guests with violet sweets in their rooms, a souvenir that no visitor to Madrid should miss. Appointment 10 September 2021 Bambara announces the hire of Jerry Pacheco as its new executive chef. Jerry Pacheco first began his foray into the culinary industry at The Copper Onion, a renowned restaurant in Salt Lake City. He quickly worked his way from dishwasher to line cook where he basked in the opportunity to establish a foundational knowledge of French cooking. From there, Chef Jerry spent the past 12 years honing his craft at some of Salt Lake's best restaurants such as Avenues Bistro, Pago, Finca and Pallet among others. Having the opportunity to work in a variety of kitchens alongside some of the city's top chefs has helped mold his appreciation of the many diverse techniques and influences found in each respective restaurant. In 2017, Jerry accepted a position as sous chef at Bambara and quickly earned a promotion to executive sous after only 3 months working at the restaurant. After several years working at Bambara, Chef Jerry moved onto positions in a more entrepreneurial space - such as serving as a consultant to a new sushi restaurant to launching his own business. Today, Chef Jerry draws inspiration from both his Mexican heritage and love of Japanese culture while exploring new flavor profiles that incorporate time-honored techniques. He is thrilled to start this new chapter at Bambara as executive chef and shares how the team at Bambara is what truly sets the restaurant apart. Guests can look forward to Chef Jerry incorporating thoughtful and seasonally driven dishes inspired by his close-knit relationships with local farmers and purveyors. He also looks forward to collaborating with the local community to launch new programming and events at the restaurant on a monthly basis. Chef Jerry lives in the Rose Park neighborhood of Salt Lake with his wife, two daughters, and their two dogs, Naga and Phillip. Appointment 10 September 2021 AC Hotel by Marriott Jackson Ridgeland announced today the appointment of Amber Davis as Director of Sales. Davis joins the senior leadership team of the design-savvy, European-inspired hotel, located in The Township at Colony Park. Mississippi's first AC Hotel is actively recruiting engaging and collaborative candidates for a multitude of hospitality positions to join Davis and team for the much-anticipated opening later this year. With a career spent working entirely in Mississippi's hospitality industry, Davis is lending her skill set to the AC Hotel Jackson Ridgeland team to deliver a wealth of services that represent the perfect blend of form and function. Most recently, Davis worked as the Director of Catering at the Westin and Marriott in Jackson, Mississippi where she established herself as an innovative leader and built on her expertise. Prior to spearheading catering at Marriott, Davis was immersed in the industry working with brands such as Holiday Inn, Hyatt and Fairview Inn. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Mississippi. Davis joins General Manager Shane Aldridge and recently appointed Chief of Engineering, James Walker. Appointment 10 September 2021 Jay Gamble has been named general manager of Wintergreen Resort in Virginia following an extensive search including candidates from across the United States and Canada. Gamble will transition from Ragged Mountain in New Hampshire where he has served as general manager for the past three years. Both resorts are operated by Pacific Group Resorts, Inc. (PGRI). Gamble is a veteran of the mountain resort industry with 40-years of experience at notable ski resorts including Killington in Vermont, Sunday River in Maine, and Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire. In addition to his mountain operations and financial management background, he has extensive experience with the installation of chair lifts, snowmaking systems, and has served on the board of directors of Ski New Hampshire for the past two decades. Gamble comes to Wintergreen Resort amid ongoing capital expenditures and an upward trajectory driven by the Mission: Affordable season pass program and growth of the membership. With a focus on expanded year-around programming and operational improvements, Gamble is well suited to continue the goal of making Wintergreen one of the top mountain resorts in the Mid-Atlantic. Appointment 10 September 2021 The leading multinational hospitality company, Aimbridge Hospitality, proudly welcomes Mark Frances to the management team as Resort Managing Director of Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico. Frances will oversee the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico property and management team, home to the largest lagoon-style pool in Puerto Rico and the island's first floating waterpark over the ocean. Gonzalez will oversee the communications and marketing team, planning and overseeing communications and marketing strategies for the property. Frances brings more than 28 years of hospitality experience and has worked in luxury hotels all over the world including Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros Islands, St. Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Aruba and the UK. Frances' first step into hospitality was at a timeshare resort on the east coast of South Africa, entertaining kids as a Ninja Turtle and working as a busser, pot steward and server. He has traveled to 14 different countries to develop hotels as Global Director of Brand Operations for Carlson Hotels and was named "General Manager of the Year" for Carlson Hotels in 2014, while based in Aruba. Most recently, Frances operated the Queen Mary in Long Beach as the Managing Director. During his tenure at The BodyHoliday/LeSport in St. Lucia, one of the finest luxury health resorts in the world, as the resort General Manager, Frances help build the resort's award-winning name winning accolades, including TripAdvisor's Best Resort in the Caribbean, Best International Resort, Best Spa in the Caribbean, Conde Nast Traveler's Best International Resort & Spa and many others. Frances has served and taken care of numerous world leaders, including Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, George Bush, and multiple A-list Hollywood celebrities throughout the years. Appointment 10 September 2021 The leading multinational hospitality company, Aimbridge Hospitality, proudly welcomes Betty Gonzalez as Communications and Marketing Director of Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico. Betty Gonzalez brings more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry. During her tenure, she has led communications and marketing teams for resorts in Puerto Rico including Caribe Hilton, El San Juan Hotel and Casino, Waldorf Astoria Collection, The Condado Plaza Hilton, Embassy Suites San Juan and Dorado, Hampton in San Juan and Hilton Ponce Hold and Casino Resort. Gonzalez has been recognized for her strong marketing and communications expertise by being awarded 2019's SME Top Management Award in Tourism, 2019's Excel Award for Media Relations and 2019's Excel Award for Reopening Events at Caribe Hilton. Gonzalez enjoys giving back to the community with volunteer work at La Fondita de Jesus, El Buen Pastor, Hogar Casa Cuna San Cristobal and is an active board member of the Boys & Girls Club of Puerto Rico. Press Release 10 September 2021 Alexandria, VA "The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) supports the goals of the six-point plan to tackle the surge of COVID-19 put forth by President Biden today. The importance of vaccinations and testing are important and GBTA fully supports these initiatives." Advertisements "However, we were disappointed that another week has gone by without any details from the COVID Task Forces on when or how international travel to the U.S. will resume. The border restrictions put in place by President Trump and continued by the Biden Administration continue to block vaccinated travelers from the United Kingdom, Canada, European Union or Mexico from coming into the U.S. These restrictions, put into place prior to the availability of vaccines, have outlived their purpose and effectiveness. The continuation of these restrictions only serve to harm the U.S. economy." "GBTA continues to urge the Biden Administration to develop a framework of risk-based protocols to guide international travel, rather than the blanket travel restrictions that are currently putting a drag on travel and the economic recovery. Such a framework should be easy to understand, to communicate, and to implement." Statement from Suzanne Neufang, CEO, Global Business Travel Association. Press Release 10 September 2021 SINGAPORE Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the worlds largest hotel franchising company and leading provider of hotel management services with approximately 9,000 hotels across nearly 95 countries, continues to expand its portfolio in China with 20 new Microtel by Wyndham hotels by the end of 2022, located in key cities and emerging destinations across the country. Advertisements Designed to provide travelers with modern conveniences, Microtel by Wyndham made its debut in China in late 2019 as a midscale brand, with the launch of Microtel by Wyndham Guiyang Nanming in the Guizhou province. The brand has since grown to a collection of six hotels, including locations in Hangzhou, Hefei, Kunming, Lijiang and Tianjin. The most recent additions to this nationwide portfolio were Microtel by Wyndham Tianjin and Microtel by Wyndham Kunming City Center, which made its debut last month. Looking ahead, the brand will further extend its presence with new openings in destinations including Huangshan, Changsha, Qingdao, Fuzhou and more. The owner of Microtel by Wyndham Tianjin, Mr. Lin Chen said: The team at Wyndham had a deep understanding of my business needs from day one. We have received tremendous support and guidance from the team since our pre-opening, covering everything from branding to staff training. The Microtel by Wyndham brand is known for its high quality and strong identity, while the individuality of our hotel is never compromised. What we value about Wyndham, in addition to their extensive scale and distribution, is the innovative ideas behind their new brands like Microtel by Wyndham. We are extremely proud of our hotel and we look forward to continuing our strong relationship with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Mr. Joon Aun Ooi, President, Asia Pacific, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, commented: The accelerated expansion of our Microtel by Wyndham portfolio in Greater China is a strong demonstration of the power and recognition of our brands in the market. Our Microtel by Wyndham hotels offer comfortable rooms, thoughtful amenities and warm hospitality, appealing to travelers who are looking for an efficient and streamlined experience. We will continue to build on the success of this expansion as we look to register and introduce even more of Wyndhams 21 iconic and lifestyle brands like LaQuinta for our franchise sales and development teams to sell further reinforcing Wyndhams market-leading position with a total of 1,600 hotels across the Asia Pacific region, he added. Brilliantly Efficient Stays at Microtel By Wyndham Microtel by Wyndham offers modern and stylish accommodation, focusing on both form and function, that perfectly caters to the needs of business and leisure travelers. The hotels are brilliantly designed and meticulously planned to offer effortless and efficient stays. For instance, guests can enjoy a seamless digital experience through its self-check-in kiosk for contactless arrivals, along with smart design through its automated in-room services all while enjoying the warm and friendly service from Microtel by Wyndhams attentive staff. New Openings in 2021: Located within the China (Tianjin) Pilot Free Trade Zone, adjacent to a lifestyle mall and 10 minutes drive from Tianjin Binhai International Airport, the 165-room Microtel by Wyndham Tianjin offers spacious rooms, an all-day restaurant, a fitness centre, spa, self-service laundry and a meeting facility for up to 80 people perfect for all visitors in the booming metropolis of Tianjin. Located in the heart of Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, Microtel by Wyndham Kunming City Center is a convenient five-minute walk from Chuanxingulou Metro Station and Kunming North Bus Station, and 20 minutes drive from Kunming Railway Station. The hotel provides 131 spacious rooms, an all-day dining outlet serving local Yunnanese cuisine, a fitness centre, self-service laundry and meeting facilities ideal for business and leisure travellers in this picturesque city. Coming Soon: Microtel by Wyndham Huangshan Tangkou this 110-room new-build hotel is situated close to the Mount Huangshan Scenic Area in Anhui province, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most popular tourist attractions in China. The hotel is scheduled to welcome guests in Q3 2021. Microtel by Wyndham Changsha West this 135-key hotel will offer contemporary rooms and meeting space for up to 80 guests. Opening in Q1 2022, it will offer access to local attractions in Hunan province, such as Orange Island, Yuelu Mountain and Hunan Provincial Museum. Microtel by Wyndham is now present in hundreds of locations across the USA, Canada, Mexico, China and the Philippines. Wyndhams hotels and resorts participate in Wyndham Rewards, the worlds most generous rewards program with more than 50,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws, including the expected addition of hotels within the Asia Pacific Region and similar statements concerning possible future results or performance. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are not guarantees of future results or performance, speak only as of the date of this press release and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the risks described in Wyndham Hotels most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, any of which could cause actual results or performance to be materially different from the future results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Wyndham Hotels undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise. Press Release 10 September 2021 Summer brought promise of a travel boom in the U.S., with COVID-19 restrictions easing and vaccination rates rising. International destinations welcomed Americans back, and the sheer amount of people boarding planes was above and beyond expected. Advertisements Then, swiftly, the Delta variant swept through the states, and many started to wonder if wed ever get back to precedented times. Still, the desire to travel remained strong. We are in the midst of a shift from when will the pandemic end? to how do we learn to adapt? And, as we head into the fall, the question isnt whether people will travel its how theyll travel. We dug into Expedia Group proprietary data and surveyed Americans to uncover answers. Who is most eager to travel this fall? In a recent survey of 2,200 Americans conducted in collaboration with Morning Consult, we found the majority (58%) of respondents have travel plans during the fall but Millennials are in the lead (67%) compared to Gen Z (61%), Gen X (53%) and Boomers (53%). Across geographic regions, those who live in suburbia (62%) are most likely to travel as temperatures start to cool down, followed by city dwellers (58%). Unsurprisingly, travel plans scale with income level, as 80% of those making six-digit salaries have a trip booked in the next three months. Monthly trip searches were up 70% over the summer compared to earlier in the year according to Expedia Group Media Solutions Q2 Travel Recovery Trend Report, and were seeing positive signals continue into the fall. Where are travelers headed? Travelers are prioritizing sunshine and open attractions but Americans are also choosing cities over small towns, which may indicate some people are more comfortable visiting places where vaccination rates are high. These are the top U.S. locations from September through November based on hotel demand across Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Hotwire, Orbitz, and Travelocity. Las Vegas, NV Orlando, FL New York City, NY Cancun, Mexico Orange County, CA Chicago, IL Los Angeles, CA Riviera Maya, Mexico San Diego, CA Miami, FL Meanwhile, vacation rental trends tell us a slightly different story. Looking at the same months on Vrbo, here are some of the trending fall destinations for American travelers, where they can go off the grid, or soak up the sun oceanside. Pigeon Forge, TN Miramar and Rosemary Beach, FL Gulf Shores, AL Panama City, FL Fort Walton, FL Myrtle Beach, SC Hilton Head, SC Clearwater and St. Petersburg, FL Kissimmee, FL Fort Myers and Cape Coral, FL Who are they going with? While most people plan to take trips with a significant other, solo travel is on the rise in recent months, looking at bookings in the fall across multiple lines of Expedia Groups business. We surveyed Americans to find out why, and the top three reasons were a change of scenery (47%), self-discovery (34%), and to be fully immersed in their destination (27%). We also discovered Millennials and Gen Z (72%) are more into solo trips compared to Gen X (59%) and Boomers (47%). During the pandemic, solo travel can be a responsible option, and planning for one is easier than curating an itinerary for many. Solo travelers can flex their schedules around off hours for attractions, and they dont have to worry about party size limitations at restaurants or bars. Thats a wrap Whether youre dreaming of leaf peeping on Mount Rainier by yourself, or hitting up the best pumpkin patch in your home state with friends, let this serve as your reminder: your fall vacation is within reach. Were with you all the way. For daily updates about the state of travel, follow us on Twitter @ExpediaGroup, and on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/expedia/. Press Release 10 September 2021 Innovation, partnerships and enhanced coordination are essential for making wine tourism a driver of rural development. That was the takeaway message from the 5th UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism, held this week in Alentejo, Portugal, around the theme Wine Tourism a driver for rural development. Advertisements Aligning with the central focus of World Tourism Day 2021, due to be celebrated 27 September, the Conference brough public and private sector stakeholders together to identify ways to maximise the sectors potential contributions to inclusive growth. Also on the agenda was advancing digital transformation, marketing and promotion and the conservation of nature through a thriving wine tourism sector. Around 150 people attended the conference in person, with many more joining virtually to hear from a wide range of experts, from wine producers and distributors to tour operators, destinations and media. Connecting tourists to territories Opening the event, UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili: The pandemic has strengthened the role of tourism in advancing rural development. Wine tourism and its connection with the territory, local products and traditions opens new opportunities to advance jobs and inclusiveness in rural areas. Joining Secretary-General Pololikashvili for high-level panel discussions were Rita Marques, Secretary of State of Tourism of Portugal, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, State Secretary to the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Sofia Zaharaki, Deputy Minister of Tourism of Greece and Mariam Kvrivishvili, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. The Minister of State, Economy and Digital Transition for Portugal, Pedro Siza Vieira, affirmed: Wine tourism is at the forefront of our National Plan for Tourism. Its mission is to reach more visitors, from more countries, around the year, all over Portugal. He also announced the launch of the Portuguese Wine Tourism website and a first Wine & Travel Week to be held in Porto, in February 2022. Growing demand for authentic experiences Wine tourism is in increasing demand as consumers look for more open-air experiences in rural areas in the post-pandemic era. The conference stressed the importance of developing the whole tourism value chain to complement the activities at the wineries as a means to create more jobs and businesses, promote local products and improve the visitor experience. Mayor of Reguengos de Monsaraz, Jose Calixto added: "Local Authorities play a decisive role in enhancing the built and intangible heritage of winegrowing territories. For Reguengos de Monsaraz, this conference was the most important moment of the Vine and Wine history in the largest wine-producing regions in Portugal and will provide a further boost to rural development." The Conference was held on 8-10 September 2021, in the village of Monsaraz in the Alentejo region, in collaboration with the Government of Portugal, Turismo de Portugal and the Municipality of Reguengos de Monsaraz. The Italian village of Alba in Region Piemonte will host the 2022 edition of the UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism. The Minister of Tourism of Italy, Massimo Garavaglia, said The wine and food sector is increasingly proving to be a fundamental lever for Italian tourism. And it will be even more so in the future. For these reasons, the appointment next year in Italy of the sixth edition of the World Conference of Wine Tourism is doubly important. Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright took office in January planning to stand up for the little guy: small oil and gas operators, oil patch workers, landowners, and the small towns that rely on the energy industry regulated by his mislabeled agency. His first eight months, though, were not what he expected. Inherently, and, and unfortunately, theres things that have happened: COVID, the winter storm, pipeline attacks, cyber security issues. These are major impacts that take attention from what I wanted to do with this job, Wright told me in an interview at the Capitol Complex in Austin. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Biden's antipodal energy policy is bad for the climate I came here with a mission, thinking Im going to write some guidance documents that we really need at this agency, he added. And Im going to do everything I can to make sure that we get some even-ality to our market pricing. While the first six months were extraordinarily tough, the Republican, first-time officeholder has plenty of time left in his six-year term. Though, trying to tame global oil markets to eliminate the vast swings may take a little longer. Wright defeated incumbent Ryan Sitton in the 2020 GOP primary. Wright promised to apply his experience owning an oil field waste services company, which he considers proof of his dedication to the environment. Running a small business in the oil patch also exposed him to the industrys boom and bust cycle. When oil and natural gas prices are high, theres more work than hours in a day. But when prices drop, income evaporates like spilled water on a Texas sidewalk in August. I see so many people that go out and base their lifestyle on what our industry pays. So, you buy a boat, you buy a house, you bought a new pickup, and the next day you get laid off, Wright said. Its just so heart-wrenching to me to see that from people that I know. Thats where I come from, boots on the ground people. He invoked Texass rural middle class again when we talked about limiting methane emissions from oil and gas wells. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 10-times more damaging than carbon dioxide. But its also a valuable component of natural gas. Wright called for stricter rules on methane emissions immediately after winning in November, not because he was worried about climate change, but because mineral rights owners do not get paid for methane that escapes. One thing I never really see is people going out and intentionally dumping oil on the ground. Why? The economics are working on oil, Wright said. What we have to make happen is the economics have to work on the gas side. Wright promises not to give drillers exceptions from emissions rules unless they have a plan to end flaring quickly. But he also worries about the small producer, the ones with only five or six wells, who cannot afford the expensive equipment. Theyre important to me, very important, he said. Little things can impact his profitability, which makes his ability to buy from that local store and hire that local guy really hard to do if hes not making money. When I brought up climate change, Wright became vague about what climate science he believes. But he was adamant about the economics. Any steps, whether state or federal, should not cause irreparable harm to the people who depend on the oil and gas industry for their livelihoods. Will methane, CO2 and all that and get corrected? I think its getting corrected. I think the industry itself has done a pretty good job, he said. But I will say this; summers would feel a hell of a lot hotter if you didnt have the money to pay for the electricity to run that air conditioning. Ive got to weigh both. TOMLINSONS TAKE: replace this text with your teaser head and add hyperlink Wright is correct that oil and gas companies are stepping up efforts to reduce emissions. The Texas Methane & Flaring Coalition, a group organized by landowners and operators, reported last week that the amount of gas burned off with flares is down 73 percent compared to May 2019, and the percentage of gas flared from what is produced is down 72 percent. Environmental groups dispute these reports, just as the industry rejects the activists independent observations. Wrights attitude on the climate crisis will infuriate those trying to tackle it. But folks in the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford drilling areas feel seen and respected. Wright agreed to meet with me knowing that we disagree on many things. But both of us refuse to overlook the families who depend on oil and gas. We cannot allow them to become collateral damage in the climate crisis. Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics. twitter.com/cltomlinson chris.tomlinson@chron.com The number of drilling rigs operating in U.S. oil fields recovered by six this week as drillers brought offshore rigs back online after Hurricane Ida. The rig count rose to 503, after drillers added four offshore rigs in the Gulf of Mexico and two on land. Offshore drillers in late August shut down and evacuated rigs as a precaution ahead of the Category 4 hurricane. As of Thursday, four of the 11 stationary rigs in the Gulf of Mexico remain evacuated, and two of the 15 mobile rigs in the Gulf are still located off-site, according to the Interior Department. Drillers are still reeling from Ida, which forced operators to evacuate drilling rigs and platforms and damaged refineries and petrochemical plants. Royal Dutch Shell on Thursday said it could no longer fulfill its contracts in the Gulf of Mexico because of extensive damage to its West Delta-143 oil platform. Daily crude oil production in the US recovered only marginally yesterday, which drags the markets supply concerns further and is continuing to support prices, Rystads Oil Markets Analyst Nishant Bhushan. Shells force majeure is backing speculations that the full restoration of the US Gulf of Mexico crude production is yet weeks away. It is also an indication that the supply disruption may fade away slower than what the market previously estimated. Until Ida hit, the oil exploration and production sector has been buoyed by increased drilling activity since the rig count hit a pandemic low of 244 in August 2020. Drillers return to oil fields as vaccinations lifted economies and travel, boosting crude demand. The U.S. rig count, a leading indicator of the nations oil and gas production, last month crossed the 500 milestone. West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. crude benchmark, was trading around $69.52 midday Friday, down $1.38 from Thursday. Drillers this week added four rigs in the Permian basin, the nations most prolific oil field that has 249 rigs. There are 48 rigs operating in the Haynesville shale of east Texas and 34 rigs in the Eagle Ford of South Texas. Still, the number of operating rigs is about half of the 254 a year ago and far below the recent peak of nearly 1,100 at the end of 2018. Oils road to recovery remains tenuous as the highly infectious delta variant of the coronavirus threatens to dampen demand, just as OPEC is gradually raising production. In recent weeks, more U.S. companies announced plans to keep workers at home as the variant spreads and hospitalizations rise. Only about half of Americans 12 and older are fully vaccinated. Houstons known for its lack of zoning. Its also known for its master-planned communities. In a master-planned community, a developer fills in for the lack of direction given by the city, laying out not only where the homes will go, but also the neighboring parks and trails; office buildings and restaurants; even, in larger developments, schools and churches. The idea is that a homebuyer is interested in buying not only a home but also the lifestyle that the surrounding neighborhood can offer. Houston Habitat for Humanity is bringing that model to affordable housing, in one of the nations first master-planned communities created expressly for families of low and moderate incomes. Any neighborhood wants to be close to a grocery store and to a bank and health care and a library, said Allison Hay, executive director of Houston Habitat for Humanity. So why not carve out part of our land to bring services, not only to these homeowners but to the whole northeast side? On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston area home prices post double-digit gains The new community, Robins Landing, will span 127 acres in northeast Houston, just outside the loop. The mixed-use, mixed-income plan encompasses 468 single-family homes and as many as 500 apartment and senior housing units, all designed to be affordable for households making up to 120 percent of the Houston areas median income. The median income for a household living in the neighborhood surrounding Robins Landing is $37,000, 54 percent of the median income in the Houston area, according to recent census estimates. Part of the land will be set aside for a bank, a health clinic, a new branch of the Houston Public Library, a makerspace, a food hall and a resiliency hub where neighbors can go for power and supplies in the case of a disaster. A trail will run through the development, connecting it to Brock Park to the south and a portion of Greens Bayou Greenway known as Greens Thicket to the north. The ambitious project is an attempt to solve a problem places where land is inexpensive enough to build affordable homes are often under-resourced. By developing not only reasonably priced homes but also reasonably priced commercial real estate that it can lease out to organizations she frequently works with, Hay hopes to not only address that problem in northeast Houston but also establish a model that other affordable developers can emulate. On a Tuesday in July, she drove over to the site where construction will start as early as November. A field of wildgrasses waved before her as birds sung in the trees north of Tidwell Road and west of Verde Forest Park. Behind her, on the other side of Tidwell, an excavator was digging a detention pond 20 acres wide and 25 feet deep, where the water from the development will drain before joining Halls Bayou. Lush landscape stretched as far as the eye could see. I talk to my partners in San Francisco and they say you have how much land and youre doing what? She chuckled. This is how we can contribute to affordability. Its a great economic model. Mixed-income, mixed-use One of the reasons the project is possible is because the land a major cost for homebuilders is relatively inexpensive in the area. The 127 acres are currently assessed as being worth $2 million, or roughly $15,500 an acre, by the Harris County Appraisal District. Houston Habitat for Humanity was likely able to pick up the land at an even more affordable price it purchased the majority of the property in 2008, when the Great Recession was battering real estate. But the location also throws the definition of affordability into question. A three-bedroom, two-bathroom Houston Habitat for Humanity home currently goes for about $155,000. But Habitat is only building 100 of the homes for sale in Robins Landing; the rest will be built by its partners. On HoustonChronicle.com: Skyrocketing home price growth predicted to slow Those homes will target families with a higher income, up to 120 percent of what a median Houston-area household earns meaning the homes, if sold today, would go for around $247,000. While it would be considered affordable in many parts of Houston, that price is market rate in northeast Houston, where other builders have also benefited from low land prices. Hay said it was always the intention for the community to be mixed income. Even the most expensive homes in the community will still be targeting a price range that is in short supply data from housing market research firm Zonda show a housing shortage severely impacting new homes priced under $300,000, with less than a months supply on the market. And bringing in a large number of families with differing incomes will help attract resources to the area. Hay said she had tried to get a grocery store to be part of Robins Landing. You know what (grocers) want? Rooftops, she said. And theyre so right. Right here, they need houses. She wants Robins Landing to be the catalyst that eventually sparks more development including a new grocery store to complement the Fiesta Mart down the street. It may not be part of our development, she said. But it may be part of revving up, adding more to, what the northeast side is. Previous work in the area While this will be Houston Habitat for Humanitys first community with a plan to incorporate commercial, multifamily and senior living space and parks, it wont be the first time the nonprofit has planned a large community. When a developer that started a subdivision named Acorn Glen, a few minutes west of Robins Landing on Tidwell, went bankrupt after the housing crash of 2008, Houston Habitat for Humanity bought all of its 49 remaining lots. A few years ago, Habitat began building out the homes, energy-efficient brick buildings (brick has lower maintenance costs) with small front porches and back patios. Annie Clay moved into one in 2015. It is absolutely wonderful, she said. Beautiful homes, green spaces with the green trees. She loves taking walks in the mornings and sitting under her tree in the afternoons and speaks glowingly of her neighbors. She has encouraged her family to also become homeowners; three now have homes. When asked what she wished the neighborhood had, she spoke only of nearby resources. I would like to be able to do everything that I need in the neighborhood, she said, another grocery store, a dry cleaner and a bank nearby, a park in the subdivision where neighborhood kids could play. I love my neighborhood, but that would enhance it make it even better than what it is. Robins Landing is scheduled to take five years to complete, with its first homes ready for move-in as soon as the summer of 2022. Houston City Council is readying to vote as soon as October on allocating $4.79 million for the project, and Arnold Ventures, a philanthropic organization started by Houston billionaires John D. Arnold and Laura Arnold, is discussing providing $7.5 million in the form of a interest-free construction loan. rebecca.schuetz@chron.com; twitter.com/raschuetz At approximately 10:15 a.m., the Bellaire Police Department received a call from Texas Right to Life regarding an emailed bomb threat, according to the city of Bellaire. Located on the 4500 block of Bissonnet, Bellaire police officers were on scene when a US Postal Service employee was delivering mail and in that delivery was a suspicious package. Marcey Phillips was in high school when she gave birth to her eldest son about nine months before a shaken world witnessed the start of the two-decade War on Terror. Perpetrated by the terrorist network al-Qaida, as supported by the Taliban government, the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S. pushed Phillips to enlist in the military. A 39-year-old Conroe resident and Iraq War veteran, Phillips has been left disconcerted by the handling of last months withdrawl of American forces from Afghanistan. I understand that at some point you have to say, Lets go home. I just feel like there has to be a plan. A better plan could have been in place then that plan, Phillips said of the seemingly hasty exit by the U.S. I would have that distrust in leadership that they were going to do right by me if I was still in, if I was still deployable. NEVER FORGET: What 9/11 meant for Houston's Afghan Americans Duty bound Growing up in East Bernard, about a 90-minute drive southwest from Conroe, Marcey Walters knew she wanted to take up the family tradition of joining the U.S. Army. Her father and her paternal grandfather served during the Vietnam War and in World War II, respectively. Her maternal grandfather was in the U.S. Navy during World War II and his father, her great-grandfather, was an Army man in World War I. Marcey connected with her dads father, who died when she was only 2, by reading over his correspondence with family and over a journal he kept. All of his letters home were so upbeat and positive, but then he had his little diary that he carried with him like a little pocket (notebook) and on the same date, he would be talking about how terrible things were, she said. I just thought it was so neat that he had so much compassion for his family to keep things positive for them so that they didnt worry about him. An unexpected pregnancy forced a teenaged Marcey to put off her plans as the military, she explained, required her child to be at least 2 years old before she could enlist. Watching America burn on 9/11, the new mom was emboldened to follow in her forebears soldierly tracks. In my heart, I knew that was a direction that I wanted to go. I just didnt know my timeline and whenever (the attacks) happened it was like, OK. This is definitely going to happen. Im definitely going to serve, she said. MORE FROM THE AUTHOR: Ground Zero chaplain from The Woodlands longs for post-9/11 unity Her dad was worried because the situation reminded him of the leadup to Vietnam and he still remembered how that conflict affected some of his military friends. But seeing how impassioned his daughter was, he gave her no push back. She signed her enlistment papers in late 2002, fours day after her sons second birthday. Completing the mission Phillips one-tour deployment started in 2005 as part of the eight years she would complete with the Texas Army National Guard, where she eventually became a sergeant. Phillips ducked tracer ammunition rounds in Tikrit, Iraq while her unit endured a bevy of attacks in which many of its soldiers were killed. She moved to Conroe in 2008 with her husband, Scott Phillips, 43, whom she met while the two were in the same unit. Marcey Phillips left the service in part to help her husbands rehabilitation from severe injuries he sustained as a soldier. Now a mom to two additional boys, Phillips is a junior vice commander at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4709 in Conroe. She can be seen accompanied by Beignet, a short-legged, black-coated female Labrador retriever, who as an emotional support dog helps Phillips with her PTSD and is trained to detect oncoming seizures. The events taking shape in Afganistan these past several weeks have spurred concern among many Conroe veterans, she shared. The final U.S. military flights left Afghanistan at the end of August with the Taliban having retaken full control of the country. A few days before, in the capital city of Kabul, 13 U.S. troops died in an assault orchestrated by the Islamic State through a pair of suicide bombers and a gunman. Also claiming 60 Afghan lives, the strikes on Aug. 26 made it the deadliest day for American service members since an August 2011 incident in the country. As of Wednesday, the White House reported about 100 U.S. citizens remained in Afghanistan. For Phillips and other Conroe vets, she said, the pullouts execution has been a debacle jeopardizing the security of Americans and allies. COVID: Local 4 year old dies after contracting coronavirus It just goes against the fiber of our being to leave somebody behind and without a plan, without some kind of contingency to do our best by them, she said tearfully. Theyve done their best by us and thats the least that we owe them. The lack of a clearly definable victory in Afghanistan has Phillips and others at Conroes VFW post concerned former and active-duty military suicide rates will increase in the year to come. Philips said she knows of at least one U.S. Marine in Montgomery County who recently died of suicide. There was an average 17.2 military veteran suicides a day in 2019, according to the 2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report published by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Go check on your people. Dont be afraid to ask for help if you need it, has been the message Phillips said the Conroe VFW post has promoted recently, adding Lets work together to take care of each other. Further obligations Whatever worries she may have about current military morale, Phillips holds out hope for the familys legacy to continue. Hunter, her 11-year-old, has not shown any inclination. But Stone, her 9-year-old, has voiced interest in being a fifth-generation soldier. Phillips eldest son will turn 21 in a few months. Jalen Phillips is a student at Lone Star College. He wants to pursue a marketing career and has no desire to join the military, his mom said. He always says hes seen what weve gone through and doesnt want to go through it, Marcey Phillips said, referring to her husbands multiple surgeries and her PTSD. Jalen, she said, has told her he primarily remembers his maternal grandparents taking care of him as a kid. Still, one memory she has from 9/11 is seeing the traces of bloodshed on TV and immediately leaving the college campus she was at that morning to pick her baby boy from day care. I just needed him, she said. jose.gonzalez@chron.com twitter.com/jrgzztx It had been about a year and a half since the actors stepped foot on stage at Puffabellys. After a long, pandemic-forced intermission, Old West Melodrama is finally back up and running, with rehearsals underway for their October production. The performing group will make their return to Old Town Spring with Murder at the Tonylou Awards, starting Oct. 1. The interactive murder mystery will run each Friday and Saturday through Oct. 16 at Puffabellys Depot Restaurant. On HoustonChronicle.com: Old Town Spring restaurant Puffabelly's put up for sale This is our big return, so this is a really big, funny show to come back with, said director Jennifer Adams. Murder at the Tonylou Awards is set at a movie awards show, with featured stars including Lorna Lush, Monty Carlo, Celia B. De Milo, Claude-Jean, Angelina Canoli and Funky Brewster. Celebrity gossip columnist Constance Gabbles interviews guests as they arrive. Every single one of the movie characters will remind (the audience) of someone that they have seen in real movies, Adams said. But during the awards show, one of the characters is murdered. They all seem to have a reason for killing our one person that died. Mainly because theres been some kind of gossip that they didnt like, Adams said. The audience must help to identify the guilty party. We are an audience participation group, so the audience participates with us, we participate back with the audience, its a lot of fun, Adams said. We really encourage you to hoot and holler and joke with us. The performing group keeps its productions family-friendly and free of foul language, she said. Old West Melodrama stemmed from the Artistic Community Ensemble, which started performing about two decades ago. Although the ACE community theater group had to eventually disband, Old West Melodrama was able to continue performing regularly at the restaurant. On HoustonChronicle.com: New owners restore, reopen historical Wunsche Brothers Cafe & Saloon in Old Town Spring Almost 20 years later, its huge, Adams said. We enjoy doing it people know about it at Puffabellys, they know about it in Old Town Spring. The groups renown doesnt stop there. Its actors hail from across the greater Houston region including Pearland, The Heights, Waller, Tomball, Magnolia, Spring, The Woodlands, and Conroe; and some fans travel over 200 miles to see performances. We have audience members from as far away as Beaumont, League City, Conroe, Willis, Cypress, Dallas believe it or not. Some of the audience have moved and still come back when they can, said Jeannine Cole, the shows producer. They have also performed for residents of a 55-plus community between The Woodlands and Conroe called Windsor Lakes, where they hope to perform again soon. Old West Melodrama ran their last show at Puffabellys in February 2020 before COVID hit the Houston area. Theyve had to miss their past six productions, which take place each year in February, May, August and October. Weve had people asking us, When are you going to come back? A lot of these folks, they had already paid for shows last year, and then we kept carrying the funds forward, forward, forward, Cole said. Finally, they told patrons they had to issue refunds, though some fans tried to refuse in order to keep their tickets reserved. Some of them pay for two or three shows at a time because they want to make sure they get the seats they want. Back in the days of ACE, Cole said tickets would be sold until the audience was packed in like sardines. It was up to 90 degrees in there and people still came, she said. These days, the performances seat 78 people, leaving much more space between tables. Adams said the group has been rehearsing two or three days a week for their upcoming production, following health and safety procedures such as masking and social distancing when off stage. During performances, Adams said masks are encouraged but not required for audience members. Also encouraged: unbridled laughter and audience participation. Weve got people that have come to these shows from the very get go. They have been to all of our shows and they know: their role is to try to get the actors off of their lines, Cole laughed. They carry on and say things to the actors because theres no lights off, theres no curtains, and a lot of this takes place down in the center aisle of the restaurant. Old West Melodramas actors are excited to finally be returning to the stage, Adams said. She hopes the return of their interactive productions will also provide some welcome relief for members of the audience as well. Lets just all forget whats going on, let it sit to the back of our minds, and lets enjoy something that gives us a little lightheartedness, Adams said. Lets laugh, lets find the comedy in things that we used to find funny and silly, because thats all we are were just silly and we just want people to relax from the day and just laugh with us for a while. Murder at the Tonylou Awards was written by Tony Schwartz and Marylou Ambrose and produced by special arrangement with Tonylou Productions in Blooming Grove, Pennsylvania. Puffabellys is located at 100 Main St. in Spring. The shows start at 8 p.m., preceded by dinner and a preshow at 7 p.m. Tickets are priced from $14 to $20 per person, and audience members must also purchase dinner in order to attend the performance. For more information or to buy tickets, call 713-364-9190, email reservations@oldwestmelodrama.com or visit www.oldwestmelodrama.com. mfeuk@hcnonline.com Fort Bend Countys new Get Hired employee incentive program aims to encourage workers to apply for jobs with small businesses and nonprofits and stay on once they are hired. On HoustonChronicle.com: Bike ride raises funds for Fort Bend County domestic violence survivors After 90 days of employment at participating organizations, new hires should receive a hiring incentive of $500 to 1,000, depending on how much they make. For example, a person earning up to $15 per hour or $30,000 per year should be paid a $500 incentive. The funds will go to the business or nonprofit who will then pay the incentives to eligible employees. This is going to give incentive to our employers so that they can pass on that incentive to hiring employees and retain employees for long term, said Fort Bend County Judge KP George, during a press conference on Wednesday. And so, the labor market is very tight, we all know that this challenge is not a local issue. It is all over the country; we are facing that. George said the county and nation is still in the grips of a pandemic, but he hopes Get Hired will help to rebuild businesses and their staffs. He added that the program falls in line with the countys main concern of empowering residents and supporting the communitys small businesses. The program is being funded by the American Rescue Plan. County Auditor Ed Sturdivant said the Commissioners Court had allocated $50 million from the CARES Act to support area small businesses, which all went out to local organizations. From the American Rescue Plan, the court allocated $25 million to further bolster small businesses. But as some recovery took hold, Sturdivant explained that the businesses needed less, so only $3 million has been spent. The county, Sturdivant said, discussed with area chambers of commerce and economic development councils to discern where the excess funds could best be spent. They decided it was finding ways to hire and maintain good workers so that businesses could fully run. On HoustonChronicle.com: Community leaders team up to coordinate Louisiana hurricane relief drive at Gallery Furniture in Fort Bend County Sturdivant noted that extended benefits from the Texas Workforce Commission end Saturday, Sept. 11, and the $300 federal unemployment payments per week in ended in Texas in June. So were at a critical transition to help these people get back to work and at the same time help our businesses get back to full capacity, he said. Jerry Jones Jr., executive director of the Development Corporation of Richmond, encouraged businesses and organizations that have applied for assistance before and ones that never have to learn more about the program online and consider applying. Fort Bend County small businesses and nonprofits that have anywhere from $25,000 to $5 million in annual revenue and from one to 50 employees are eligible to participate. They also must have been active in generating funds in the county as of Dec. 31, 2020. George emphasized that the incentives are grants: businesses and nonprofits will not have to repay the funds. The program also offers organizations a 10 percent administrative fee allocation to ensure the incentives dont cost them anything. The employer application can be found at www.fortbendcountytx.gov. An informational webinar is slated for 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 10. Visit http://tinyurl.com/gethiredprogram to register. On HoustonChronicle.com: Three Fort Bend residents honored with a DeMerchant Spotlight Award Michele Forman and her husband, Charles, own Mimis New Orleans Cafe and Oyster Bar in Richmond and have already joined the Get Hired program. She hopes to bring on around 25 people to better staff the restaurant that has been around about six years. They have been shorthanded for a while. Forman said some of her employees are working 60 or 70 hours a week to keep things going, which can lead to burnout. We need more employees. So if this incentive is going to help people to apply, we gladly welcome it, she said. tracy.maness@hcnonline.com A Houston man was convicted of murder by a jury of his peers on Sept. 2, 2021. Darrell Wayne Holmes, 55, shot and killed a man in 2017 over his relationship with a woman. According to Fort Bend County Assistant District Attorney Lauren Valenti, Holmes shot and killed Terrance Hamilton, 56, in front of Hamiltons home on Dec. 21, 2017, in Missouri Citys Briargate community. The pandemic has prevented our ability to go to trial for so long, we are pleased to finally get justice for Terrance Hamilton and his family, said Valenti. And I want to thank the jurors for answering the call during our current health crisis, who delivered a just verdict in difficult times. Holmes and Hamilton had been involved with the same woman but had never met each other. On the day of the shooting, the woman ended her relationship with Hamilton to be with the defendant. Holmes received a photo of Hamilton from the woman and drove to his home in Briargate. Hamilton was standing outside his home. Holmes initially drove past Hamilton but turned around to confront him with a pistol. A verbal altercation began, which resulted in Hamilton being shot in the face. Holmes claimed self-defense and necessity, but evidence showed that Holmes had sought out his victim and provoked the encounter. Moreover, the defendant, as a felon, was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. The case has been reset to Nov. 2, 2021, for sentencing by the 434th District Court Presiding Judge J. Christian Becerra. Murder is a first-degree felony, usually punishable by a sentence of five to 99 years, or life imprisonment. Because of Holmes multiple felony convictions, the minimum sentence is 25 years. Holmes has an extensive criminal record in Fort Bend and Harris counties dating back to the mid-1980s, including felony drug and forgery convictions according to the Harris County and Fort Bend County district clerk records. Family Violence Division Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lauren Valenti and Chief Prosecutor Chad Bridges prosecuted the case. This was Fort Bend Countys first murder trial since the start of the pandemic. juhi.varma@hcnonline.com FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Kentucky lawmakers voted Thursday to strengthen the state's negotiating hand in trying to land huge economic development projects by tapping into budget reserves to offer lucrative incentives. The $410 million economic development package, requested by Gov. Andy Beshear, won legislative approval on the third and final day of a special session focused on COVID-19 issues. The governor quickly signed the measure into law Thursday night, his office said. Projects topping $2 billion would be eligible for the incentives. Beshear has said the state is pursuing at least five projects of that magnitude. The Democratic governor picked up solid support from Republican lawmakers to sweeten the state's offer in trying to land the mega-sized projects. These are the kinds of big ideas and projects and prospects that we should be supporting in a bipartisan manner, Republican Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer said. The measure aims to strengthen Kentuckys ability to prevail against competing states that write a check upfront in trying to attract such massive projects, Thayer said. Hours after the bill cleared the Senate, it won final passage in the House as lawmakers worked into Thursday night. Republicans have overwhelming majorities in both chambers. The incentives in the bill include up to $350 million in forgivable state loans and $50 million for worker training. The money would come from the states budget reserve trust fund, which now has nearly $2 billion. That fund is necessary to shore up the state in bad times, but it has another purpose reflected in the economic development measure, Republican Rep. Jason Petrie said. Its also for the good times, when opportunities come through and you have the wherewithal to take advantage of it when it presents itself to you, Petrie said. Rocky Adkins, the governors senior adviser, has said multiple Kentucky sites are drawing interest. But much of the attention has revolved around a Hardin County tract. The Glendale site was offered two decades ago when Kentucky unsuccessfully tried to land a Hyundai auto manufacturing plant that ultimately located in Alabama. Glendale is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Louisville. Republican Sen. Paul Hornback on Thursday balked at the amount of the incentives being offered in opposing the measure. Ive got a lot of companies in my community that have been there for 20, 30, 40 years, great contributors to the community ... that have never gotten any incentives, Hornback said. During the House debate, Republican Rep. Russell Webber said the incentives package gives Kentucky a great opportunity. But the bill includes safeguards and oversite provisions to protect the investments and guarantee lawmakers are able to monitor the incentives program, he said. There will be thresholds that these businesses are required to meet, Webber said. There'll be deadlines that theyre required to meet. Beshear has touted Kentuckys economic resurgence even as the delta variant has caused a record surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Any $2 billion-plus development would be certain to create loads of new jobs, with plenty of spinoff opportunities for even more job growth. TLALNEPANTLA, Mexico (AP) A section of mountain on the outskirts of Mexico City gave way Friday, plunging rocks the size of small homes onto a densely populated neighborhood and leaving at least one person dead and 10 others missing. Firefighters scaled a three-story pile of rocks that appeared to be resting on houses in Tlalnepantla, which is part of Mexico state. The state surrounds the capital on three sides. As rescuers climbed the immense pile of debris, they occasionally raised their fists in the air, the familiar signal for silence to listen for people trapped below. Firefighters and volunteers formed bucket brigades to pass 5-gallon containers of smaller debris away as they excavated. In this moment our priority is focused on rescuing the people who unfortunately were surprised at the site of the incident, said Tlalnepantla Mayor Raciel Perez Cruz in a video message. Authorities had evacuated surrounding homes and asked people to avoid the area so rescuers could work. Rescuers carried a body on a stretcher covered with a sheet past AP journalists. The Mexico state Civil Defense agency said in a statement that at least 10 people were reported missing. Among the volunteers were 30-year-old construction worker Martin Carmona, 30, and his 14-year-old son. They organized us in a chain to take out buckets of sand, stone and rubble, Carmona said. A co-worker lives there. He has a wife and two young children under the debris. Carmona and his son arrived to the pile before government rescuers and his friend was already there digging for his wife and kids. Neighbors began to complain that they need more help and organization. Carmona said rescuers heard children, but after two hours of removing debris, authorities told volunteers to leave the area. Only relatives stayed to help the rescuers. Search dogs clambered over the rubble with their handlers. Ana Luisa Borges, 39, said she lives just three houses down from those hit by the landslide. It thundered horribly, she said of the sound of the slide. I grabbed my youngest son and ran out (of the house). Then came a very big cloud of dust. Fortunately, her other four children were in school. There are a number of houses there, she said of the slide area. There was a building, but they tell us there are people there and children. I saw one person come out with head injury. Borges said they have been warned that another rock could come down and that she didnt know where they were going to sleep tonight. Theyve only told us that we have to leave (our homes)," she said. Tlalnepantla officials announced they were opening several shelters for displaced residents. The neighborhood is a heap of jumbled houses climbing the mountainside, many with corrugated tin roofs, separated in places by just a steep staircase. One massive boulder stopped against a two-story house barely its equal, knocking out the front wall and spilling the homes contents into the street. A path of destruction traced uphill. Maximinio Andrade, who lives with his parents and siblings 14 family members in all near the slide walked down the steep street pushing a flat-screen television on a hand cart. He had not been home at the time of the landslide, but feared thieves would enter now that the surrounding homes had been evacuated. Theyve already started stealing from the destroyed homes, he said. National Guard troops and rescue teams carrying lengths of rope made their way through narrow streets. Images from the area showed a segment of the steep, green side of the peak known as Chiquihuite sheared off above a field of giant rubble with closely packed homes remaining on either side. Mexico state Gov. Alfredo del Mazo said via Twitter that local, state and federal authorities were coordinating to secure the zone in case of more slides and to remove rubble to locate possible victims. The landslide follows days of heavy rain in central Mexico and a 7.0-magnitude earthquake Tuesday night near Acapulco that shook buildings 200 miles (320 kilometers) away in Mexico City. While visiting the scene later Friday, Del Mazo said authorities believe four homes were destroyed in the landslide and another 80 were evacuated as a precaution. Its likely the earthquake and the intense rain we have had in recent days have affected (the area) and for this came the landslide and the break up of the mountain, he said. EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) Three people suspected in a shooting that wounded seven people in southern Illinois were arrested early Friday, hours after a wild incident that included a getaway car crashing into a commuter train, police said. The shooting occurred Thursday afternoon in East St. Louis, across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. No details were released about the condition of the seven victims, which included a child, or a possible motive. East St. Louis Chief Kendall Perry, during a Friday afternoon news conference, would not speculate on what led to the shooting but said some innocent bystanders were among those shot. They had a target. I dont know what their motive was, but they werent shooting just randomly, Perry said. Perry said the city would impose a midnight to 6 a.m. curfew, increase police presence and pretty much just close all businesses down,. Stephen Pierce said he was waiting for a bus with his wife and two children when he heard boom, boom, boom. He said his wife was wounded in the arm. Our backs were turned and the next thing you know they just started shooting and it came at the back of my head and I didnt know what to do but to get up and run, Pierce told KMOV-TV. After the shooting, a vehicle collided with a MetroLink train, and the people in the car fled, Illinois State Police said. Video at the scene showed the car on tracks. KMOV said some train passengers were treated for injuries. Finally, at 2:30 a.m. Friday, three suspects were arrested in the basement of a partially demolished building in East St. Louis. Further information wasn't immediately available, police said. Pierce was emotional as he described what happened. I hope you go to jail for the rest of your life. You can't be shooting people up like that, man, get out of here, he said. LEXINGTON, N.C. (AP) A North Carolina sheriffs deputy has been fired after he was accused of assaulting a female, authorities said. The Davidson County Sheriffs Office confirmed that Donald Ray Mabe, 47, of High Point, no longer works for the department, WGHP reported Thursday. Mabe had been suspended. OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday that starting next week, the states indoor mask mandate will be expanded to include outdoor events with 500 or more attendees, regardless of vaccination status. The new requirement which takes effect Monday comes days after a similar outdoor mask mandates took effect in the states two most populous counties, King and Pierce, due to rising COVID-19 cases. An indoor mask mandate, regardless of vaccination status, has been in place in Washington since Aug. 23. Inslee said that while the outdoors remain the safest place for people, concerns about transmission still exist in outdoor areas where people are packed close to each other. He cited the outdoor Watershed Festival at the Gorge, a three-day country music festival that drew more than 25,000 people six weeks ago, that led to more than 200 infections. When you combine large crowds with the delta variant without any mitigation measures in place, were going to keep seeing these super spreader events, even in outdoor environments, he said. Last month, Oregon was the first state to reinstitute a statewide mask requirement for outdoor public areas where people are close together. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that everyone regardless of vaccination status wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas where there is substantial or high rates of COVID-19 and has recommended considering masks in crowded outdoor settings in areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases. As of this week, all of the states 39 counties were in the high threshold range, according to a CDC tracker. Washington has already imposed a vaccine mandate for most state workers, plus all public, charter and private school teachers and staff and those working at the states colleges and universities. There is no weekly testing alternative, and the only opt-out is a medical or religious exemption. An estimated 363,000 employees are covered under the mandate, though its unclear how many within that group are already vaccinated. Last weekend, Washingtons largest state labor union announced a tentative agreement for the order as it applies to state workers. The Washington Federation of State Employees, which had sued on behalf of its 46,000 workers, negotiated terms with the state that still must be ratified by members. The tentative agreement allows that anyone who is eligible to retire by the end of the year can forgo the vaccine if they use accrued or unpaid leave until they reach their retirement date. Those who miss the October deadline will also be allowed to take leave for up to 30 days in order to get vaccinated. And workers wont lose their jobs while they wait for a determination on their exemption request and those denied will have 45 days on leave to get fully vaccinated. Inslee said Thursday that the state is still in the process of bargaining with other state unions, and said that he thought the WSFE agreement template is a good one. There have been more than 531,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases plus more than 63,000 probable cases in Washington state, and 6,850 deaths. State health officials say that most of the states new infections are caused by the delta variant, a more contagious version of the coronavirus. As of this week, nearly 74% of people age 12 and older have initiated vaccination and 67% are fully vaccinated. A Crescent Park Village toddler was found dead Thursday evening after being left in a vehicle all for about 10 hours according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. The incident occurred at the 8100 block of Barnes Ridge Lane in southwest Houston. According to Sgt. Ben Beall of the Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide division, the mother of the toddler had three children ages 5, 3, and 1 who she was dropping off at day care this morning. Beall said that the 5-year-old and 3-year-old were dropped off but the mother left the 1-year-old in the vehicle and returned home to go about her daily activities. Beall added that the mother returned to pick up all three children from the day care but was notified by the staff that only two had been dropped off. Upon arriving back at the residence, the parents and staff from the day care found the girl deceased laying on the back seat floor boards. "It appears that she switched cars," Beall said. "There were three children that were transported to the day care and only two car seats in the car and the child was found on the floor board." According to Beall, the cause of death is pending an autopsy but heat could have been a contributing factor. "I understand that it was mid-to-upper 90s today, it was sunny so that would probably put you at 120 degree plus temperature inside the car," he said. Beall said that the mother is currently detained by HCSO at their office pending an investigation and interviews with both parents due to a language and culture barrier. "She obviously is extremely upset so we are trying to get her to calm down and get the statement from her as accurately and coherently as possible," he said. "At this point it does (appear accidental) but we are going to do a thorough investigation and we want to make sure we have answered all the questions." Joel.Umanzor@chron.com OnScene TV A suspected robber was thwarted during a heist Wednesday night when the robbery victim shot him in the face at a Shell gas station in southeast Houston near Airport Boulevard and Monroe Road, according to Houston Police. The would be thief, who police expected to survive, was arrested at the hospital, officials said. The person who shot him was also in custody and was cooperating with police, Lt. R. Willkens said in a media briefing earlier this week. Police said the victim was approaching the gas station's convenience store when a man, who'd just been dropped off, briskly walked over to him, pulled up his shirt, showed him a gun hidden under his clothing and told him to hand over his belongings. Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Houston ISD on Monday will stop taking the temperature of elementary students and all visitors entering a district school or building, Superintendent Millard House II announced Friday. This decision was made in consultation with the medical community and education professionals, House wrote in a letter sent to the community. The data are clear: temperature checks have not been found effective in limiting the spread of COVID-19. (1) Parents and caregivers of elementary students and (2) all visitors are asked to self-monitor for symptoms, staying home when sick. Public health officials welcomed President Joe Bidens sweeping measures that require COVID-19 vaccines for health care workers as some experts argued the administration should have imposed the mandate sooner. The mandate, announced by Biden on Thursday, would apply to health care facilities that accept Medicare, the government insurance program for the elderly, and Medicaid, the program for the poor. Most hospitals accept patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid. Five Houston hospital systems already require vaccinations as a condition of employment. Dr. James McDeavitt, dean of clinical affairs at Baylor College of Medicine, which put a vaccine mandate in place in July, said he supported the administrations action. Baylors vaccine requirement has been broadly accepted by its 10,000 employees , McDeavitt said. But, he added, he wished Biden had acted sooner. It is not going to help us with the current delta surge, he said. On HoustonChronicle.com: A 4-year-old Galveston County girl got a fever. She died of COVID a few hours later, in her sleep Bidens extraordinary effort to boost vaccinations comes as the highly infectious delta variant of the coronavirus drives a surge of COVID-19 cases concentrated in unvaccinated populations. More than one-fourth of Americans eligible for the vaccine have yet to get inoculated. COVID cases, meanwhile, have risen to an average of more than 150,000 a day nationally and COVID-19 deaths to more than 1,500 a day. In addition to hospitals, Biden said administration will adopt rules mandating that companies with more than 100 employees require workers to get vaccinated. Vivian Ho, chair in health economics at Rice Universitys Baker Institute, said such policies are necessary if the nation is to bring the pandemic under control, particularly since even vaccinated people can carry and spread the delta variant. That has led vaccine makers and scientists to recommend an additional booster shot for those already vaccinated. The requirement that large employers get workers vaccinated is absolutely essential, Ho said. The only reason we are talking about boosters right now is because we are worried people who are vaccinated are infecting those who arent, and overrunning our health care system. In June, Houston Methodist became the first hospital in the nation to announce it would require its staff to be fully vaccinated, a move that met months of resistance, including a lawsuit by some employees. Memorial Hermann and Baylor College of Medicine enacted their own vaccine mandates in July; St. Lukes Health and Texas Childrens Hospital announced similar plans in August. Kelsey-Seybold Clinic made vaccinations a condition of employment for its 4,000 employees last week, said Dr. Tony Lin, the clinics CEO. We believe that being vaccinated against COVID-19 is the most important step we can all take to end the COVID-19 pandemic, Lin said. Until now, the public hospital systems, Harris Health System, operated by Harris County, and UTHealth, run by the University of Texas, had encouraged worker vaccinations but were unable to require them under an order from Gov. Greg Abbott prohibiting public institutions from mandating vaccines. Bidens order overrides Abbott. On Friday, Harris Health System said it fully intends to embrace the vaccine mandate for workers at its two hospitals, 18 community health centers and 10 clinics serving the greater Houston area. The system has not yet set a date. UT Health said it would wait for guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service, expected in October. It has not instituted a mandate. St. Joseph Medical Center and UTMB Galveston said they are still evaluating Bidens plan. COVID Q&A: Scientists divided on what recent COVID decline means for Houston, U.S. Across Houston, many companies have held off on vaccine mandates fearing that it would cause some staffers to quit, said Bob Harvey, President and CEO, Greater Houston Partnership, a business-financed economic development group. A lot of businesses are waiting to hear the details before they get behind it, Harvey said. For those that were on the fence, and felt like it was the right thing to do, and wanted to do it, the federal mandate frankly makes it easier for them to move forward. About one in four Houston-area employers already require their workers be vaccinated for COVID-19 or have plans to do so, according to a recent survey by the Greater Houston Partnership. nora.mishanec@chron.com; becca.carballo@chron.com Ahmad Rashad remembers playing with friends in the street when news spread of the attacks overseas. He was around 10 and a refugee in conservative Peshawar, Pakistan, when it happened. He overheard celebratory songs praising Osama bin Laden: The jihadis stuck it to the infidels. But Rashads pro-democracy family was not among those celebrating, like many Afghans who fled the country during decades of conflict. His family had been refugees in Peshawar since he was a toddler. His father was a former government official and opposed jihadis and religious extremism. CONTRIBUTING: Afghan refuges quickly make an impact on Houston economy News that the U.S. would be invading Afghanistan stifled the excitement felt by some. Many of the hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees in Pakistan sighed a breath of relief. By December 2001, the U.S. had toppled the Taliban regime, paving the way for democracy, access to education and freedom of expression. It was an era of optimism, said Sher Jan Ahmadzai, director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Those who were forcefully pushed out of Afghanistan, they went back with happiness. His family had also been living as refugees in Pakistan. When I went back to Kabul in 2002, I saw happiness on the face of everybody. No restrictions. No fear, said Ahmadzai, who went on to work for the Afghan government. Within a year of the U.S. counterattack, Rashads family also returned to Afghanistan after a decade in Pakistan. He remembers eating candy and drinking the bottled water that Marines would hand out and attending a school built by Americans. I pretty much grew up with Americans, said Rashad, who now lives in Houston. In a matter of years, he would be the one handing out candy, as he later took a job as an interpreter for the U.S. military. MORE FROM THE AUTHOR: 6 year old boy found abandoned at Walmart Afghan American entrepreneur Omer Yousafzai watched the attacks and aftermath unfold thousands of miles from home, inside the apartment he and his brother shared in Houston. On Sept. 11, 2001, Yousafzai had been living in the U.S. for only a few months. He was 24. He remembers not believing the horrific footage he saw on the news. He watched in shock and struggled to comprehend what was happening, since he was still learning English. It was very painful to watch burning buildings, people, Yousafzai said. He still cant bring himself to watch through some of the footage from that day, showing people desperately jumping from the World Trade Center. Its an image he thinks about every year around this time. He said he remembers talking to his mom back home, who was in tears over the human tragedy. Yousafzai wanted to take action. He hoped to become a pilot for the military but couldnt because he wasnt a U.S. citizen at the time. Yousafzai came to Houston for law school, but after Sept. 11, applied for and was granted asylum. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Six years later, Yousafzai finally found his opportunity to serve the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. He worked for the military as a linguist and operations manager and hired many of the Afghan interpreters who today are in the U.S. under Special Immigrant Visas. I went there to make sure that we recruit the right people to do the job that the U.S. went there for, said Yousafzai, who believed in the promise of a stable Afghan government. I was hoping for a better alternative than what we had, even prior to (the) Taliban, he said. EXIT: Local vet worries hasty Afghanistan exit could hurt military morale He worked on military bases in Afghanistan from 2007 until 2012, where he faced life-threatening attacks. I was literally 20 feet away from a suicide bomber that blew himself up, Yousafzai said. I collected body parts from my own office because the whole office collapsed. The idea for his Houston restaurant, Afghan Village, was inspired by his time living on base. American service members loved the Afghan food that was sneaked onto base, so he decided to bring it to Texas. Sitting at a table inside his restaurant, Yousafzai thinks back to the pain of Sept. 11 and how it changed Afghans, Americans and the world in paradigm-shifting ways, but also small ones. Now, the common name Osama carries a negative connotation, thanks to the Saudi mastermind of the attacks. Yousafzai and his coworkers even call one of his employees named Osama by a different name, Mohammad, instead. After this incident, this name became like a trademark for a terrorist, Yousafzai said. For Rashad, the anniversary of the attacks made him reschedule his wifes C-section from Sept. 11 to Sept. 12. When you have a Muslim name and you have a same birthday, it might (get them) in trouble. And people dont like it, Rashad said. He also decided not to teach them the Afghan language Pashto and steers them away from religion and politics. His three kids were born in the U.S. and he admits they are spoiled a worlds difference from his childhood as a refugee. He shows photos from his phone of them swimming and playing. Theyre all too young to learn about the Sept. 11 attacks for now. But in the future he said hell share his honest opinion. I will tell my kids that the reason why it happened is because of religion, Rashad said. He emphasized that Sept. 11 is one example of suffering caused at the hands of religious extremism. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer A lot of people died innocent people died who didnt deserve to die but (Sept. 11) happened because of religion, he said. Twenty years later, Afghanistan is once again in the hands of a hard-line Islamic government. Rashad and his family are safely living in Houston, but many of the Afghan refugees who had returned to their country after the Talibans defeat are now evacuees in U.S. military bases, fleeing back to Pakistan or trying to get to another third country. Ahmadzai, the University of Nebraska professor, said while bin Ladens plan may have backfired, as it led to 20 years of U.S. presence in Afghanistan and a weakening of Islamic extremist ideology, the U.S. pulling out has ushered in a new era. Recent incidents in Afghanistan gave another breath to the life of al-Qaida and other extremist groups. They finally found out, Oh yeah, we can defeat the United States, if we stay persistent and thats what they did, Ahmadzai said. elizabeth.trovall@chron.com twitter.com/eliztrovall Now Playing: Get the latest local weather news from the Houston Chronicle and ABC13 Houston. Video: Houston Chronicle / ABC13 Houston Meteorologists are watching a tropical wave that could add to next week's heavy rain forecasts for the Houston area. A tropical wave is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms over Honduras, the western Caribbean Sea and portions of the Yucatan Peninsula, the National Hurricane Center said Friday morning. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released the final version of its Coastal Texas Study, which examines a proposed coastal barrier to protect the Houston region against storm surge. The report's completion marks a significant step for a concept that has taken years to develop. It began with the early imaginings of a Texas A&M professor, who designed a so-called "Ike Dike" to protect against devastating surge such as that seen on Bolivar Peninsula from Hurricane Ike in 2008. BACKGROUND: The final Ike Dike plan won't protect against every storm - especially with climate change Environmental advocates, regional planners and concerned residents are among those who have offered feedback on various project drafts. The details and big picture have been argued every which way. Now begins a years-long process before it can be built, leaving the region and the Houston Ship Channel still vulnerable to hurricanes as the design is sorted out and funding secured. Here's what you need to know now: WHAT'S IN THE PLAN The plan includes projects up and down the Texas Gulf Coast. But the bulk of the work focuses on the Houston region, where ocean-facing and bayside protections have been proposed. Most notable is a series of gates -- called the Bolivar Roads Gate System -- that will stretch from the east end of Galveston Island across the mouth of Galveston Bay to Bolivar Peninsula. They're designed to protect against a surge of up to 22 feet. Other coastal protections include 14- and 12-foot dunes that will run one behind the other on the island's west end and on the peninsula. Bayside protections include a series of measures to stop water from coming across part of the backside of the island. Gates are also planned for Clear Lake and Dickinson Bay. NEW TO THE PLAN Several changes were made in the final plan, compared to earlier drafts. An executive summary outlines the differences: Dunes have replaced the more durable levees that were once proposed. One giant gate was originally proposed to allow big ships to come in and out of the channel; the plan now calls for two smaller gates. The gates will remain open during normal weather days. The barrier on Galveston Island that protects against flooding from the bay was also changed to include more areas inside of it. The total project cost is now estimated to be $29 billion. MUST-KNOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS The final draft plan includes a 645-page Environmental Impact Statement, which advocates have been especially eager to see. Concern has centered on how the gates could reduce the flow of water between the bay and the Gulf, potentially affecting tide levels and wetlands, water quality, and fish and critter populations. Though the final design remains to be done, the document estimates the gates will reduce the entrance into Galveston Bay by 9.5 percent, creating half-inch lower high tides and half-inch higher low tides. This could affect hundreds of acres of wetlands. When it comes to the fish, planners wrote that species could be impacted that move at different life stages in and out of the bay. These include brown shrimp, white shrimp, gray snapper and red drum. WHAT DO THE EXPERTS SAY? All flood infrastructure of course has limits. Experts have cautioned that this project, however massive it is, still won't protect against every storm. It will be possible for surge to overtop the dunes and gates. This becomes especially important in the context of climate change, which is expected to cause sea levels to continue to rise and makes it more likely for hurricanes to be stronger. WHAT'S NEXT? The Corps' chief of engineers is expected to sign off on the plan and send it on to Congress by Oct. 12. It will be up to lawmakers to decide whether to approve and fund it. A local plan alternative can also be offered, but the local agency has to pay for any additional costs. In this case, that would be the Gulf Coast Community Protection and Recovery District, a taxing entity recently created by the Texas Legislature with members from Harris, Galveston, Chamber, Jefferson and Orange Counties. No further public comment is being accepted at this point. For more information, read the final report here. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Lee Dubois and Evan Sniadajewski, fisheries biologists with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, are studying sturgeons natural return to the Couderay River following the removal of a dam. Photo by Emily Stone 4 recording studio tips and tricks from David Bowie A creative pioneer in many ways, Bowie not only pushed the envelope when it came to songwriting but also innovated and broke new ground when it came to his production style. Here, we look at four influential approaches Bowie took in the studio. Guest post by Carla Malrowe of Soundflys Flypaper It goes without saying that David Bowie was a brave and pioneering artist of many firsts. He was both influential and inspiring in the way he went about his art. When we delve into some of the sonic explorations that came along with the making of two of Bowies most beloved albums, Low and Heroes (both from 1977), we start to see a bit of a pattern emerge. Bowies music was produced and recorded in ways that boasted courage in new sounds and ways of delivering meaning, and spontaneity, a central tenet of his songwriting style. With singular producers Tony Visconti and Brian Eno by his side, Bowie had himself a one-in-a-million production team in the studio, perhaps even further allowing him permission to take risks other pop artists wouldnt. New technologies were embraced and other techniques developed, which to this day, serve as influential to many a producer. Matthew Fink. My mission to learn more about the recording of Bowies Low and Heroes called for a conversation with distinguished producer, and avid Bowie fan, the riveting Matthew Fink. Together, Fink and I identified what we believe to be among the four most influential things that Bowie and his ingenious gang did in studio while they were recording and producing some of the 20th centurys greatest pop music pushing both listeners and artists boundaries in the process. Embracing Radical Electronics Bowie was keen to experiment with electronic effects at the time of creating Low, being curious of strange and radical sound development. In 1974, the Eventide H910 Harmonizer was released as the first commercially available digital audio effects device. As Visconti was one of the first producers to get his hands on one (the second person in the whole of Europe), allowed them to achieve a mysterious new sound in the studio a sound that no other producer could quite pin down at the time. Fink tells me the story of how Bowie and Eno were on a conference call with Visconti one evening. Visconti expressed his excitement over acquiring the Eventide H910 Harmonizer. When Bowie asked about what the device does, Visconti replied, It fucks with the fabric of time. The harmonizer combined de-glitched pitch change with delay and feedback. It could be controlled by a keyboard remote to instantly shift pitch in half steps. It featured a two-octave range and up to 112.5 milliseconds of delay. The use of the harmonizer in the studio was groundbreaking, being especially effective on the drums and vocal takes. Visconti notes that the specific sound, The Low Sound, has been used on hundreds of albums since. Recording Vocals With Gates Heroes was recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin a unique setting that was embraced and marvellously exploited for its acoustics. It is also known for being pivotal to the sound of Heroes. To capture Bowies multifaceted vocal sound, three microphones were used: one close up, one at 15 feet away, and one at 20 feet away. Fink explains to me that the first mic was relatively compressed, while the second and third mic was set up with gates that would open once a certain volume threshold was reached. The one closest to Bowie would capture the soft vulnerable timbre in Bowies voice while the furthest would capture his bold belting baritone, resonating through the hall, and creating a surging reverb. This technique was so successful because it embraced the said reverb created by the environment while no subdued detail went uncaptured which in turn, encouraged a unique vocal performance by Bowie. + Read more on Flypaper: 5 Creative Ways to Use Delay in Your Mix. Tape Flange on the Bass The bass on Heroes, played by George Murray, served as the foundational rhythm tracks of Bowies songs. A technique known as tape flanging was used on these bass tracks; a revolutionary sonic effect. The technique comprises two tapes that are run at the same time on a tape machine, setting one slightly out of sync to the first, explains Fink. The slight delay of one tape (less than 20 milliseconds) creates a swooshing sound that sweeps forwards and backwards out of time, as well as up and down the frequency spectrum. This effect, the said sweeping swoosh, was characteristic to the entire album, and inspired the origins of many effects pedals since. + Learn audio production, composition, songwriting, theory, arranging, and more whenever you want and wherever you are. Click here for unlimited access! Recording FX Straight to Tape The most common technique at the time was to record dry and add effects afterwards. Defying the norm, Bowie and his team decided to record effects straight to tape. It was a means to achieve an honest sound and to capture an honest sense of passion. As sonic triumphs would unveil itself, whether it had distortion, or delay, or an echo, it would be captured just as it occurred, right there in the moment. This is a technique that required bravery and confidence since, once captured, they would be stuck with it. At the end of the day, however, the result was worth the risk. Fink expressed how he learned this technique from Bowie and Visconti decades ago and how he follows it to this day: I compress to tape, I limit to tape, everything I do, I do straight to tape because thats how I hear it in the room on the day and thats how I want to hear it back. Engineers always tell me you cant limit to tape to which I always say F*^#ing watch me. Choosing the Alternative Musicians brave enough to explore alternative means to creating and capturing sound are always the ones who end up having something valuable to teach the rest of us. And from Mr. Bowie, we have tons to learn. His courageous zeal for artistic expression and experimentation truly paid off in his music, and holds influence over decisions made in recording studios to this very day. Keep searching for new sounds, keep the tape rolling, and keep looking for the most interesting way to say the thing you want to say. Thats how you stay relevant for over 50 years. Carla Malrowe is an avid alternative songwriter and vocalist from South Africa. Her electro-industrial project, Psycoco, just released their new single Stay Awake. Malrowes music is a haunting juxtaposition of electronic and analogue sounds with lyrics that explore a post-apocalyptic conflict between love and loss. Her solo album is underway. Share on: ADAMS, Mass. The Board of Health has issued a COVID-19 Public Health Directive that strongly suggests and reinforces the wearing of masks, social distancing, and other safety standards. The directive was rolled out at an emergency meeting early Thursday afternoon held in person and over Zoom. It asks but does not mandate residents to wear masks indoors in public, and to continue COVID-19 safety protocols as the Delta variant becomes more prevalent in Berkshire County "This is a call to action. We are asking people to use their sense of community and willingness to basically pick up those protocols that stopped the virus last winter," Chairman David Rhoads said. "We live in a community and that means all of us together so we are appealing to community spirit here." The directive is directed toward restaurants, businesses, and schools, including private schools. Dozens attended the meeting in person and attempted to social distance around the small Mahogany Room at Town Hall. Another dozen or so watched the meeting over Zoom. The conversation was at times confused and attendees were unsure if the Board of Health was considering an enforceable mandate or a suggestion. The order itself had a start date of midnight of Friday, Sept 10. Resident and School Committee member Mike Mucci had questions about the genesis of the directive and was unsure exactly what it meant to the community and the schools. "It sounds very grand and encompassing. I heard schools, outside of schools, business, public spaces, sports, venues. I heard everything," he said. "I am trying to understand if this was approved by other communities and why you decided to trump what DESE is going with." The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education promulgated its own guidelines for public schools, including universal masking, in August. Town Counsel Edmund St. John III, who was at the meeting via Zoom, said he had yet to review the directive and that it is not legally enforceable. Rhoads agreed and said the directive is a strong recommendation just shy of a mandate. He said non-compliance would further discussion and force the board to consider implementing more strict regulations. The conversation was sporadic and touched arguments over the effectiveness of masks, freedom, and the virus itself. Most attendees who spoke were in opposition. Resident John Cowie questioned the legality of the decision. He also felt that masks were ineffective, citing a Chinese study he found. "If you are really concerned about the Delta variant ... if you are really concerned about the kids why don't you close the schools," he said, and then claimed without prove that "masks generate germs and we are going to cause more problems with the kids." Rhoads disputed Cowie's sources and reiterated that when people wear masks the chance of transmission drops dramatically. He added, for instance, because of mask-wearing and hygienic practices common flu cases have been very low. Cowie did not agree and said the flu cases were only down because "COVID wiped it out, the COVID pushed it aside." One unmasked resident stormed into the meeting alleging that Rhoads' statements in regard to COVID-19 were unscientific and that the directive was unconstitutional. He waved a crumpled mask in one hand and a "Don't Tread On Me Flag" in the other and asked for a motion for Adams to become a "constitutional community" that went unanswered. There were a few who spoke in support of the directive and Hauflinger Haus owner Don Sommer said restaurant staff have been wearing masks throughout the pandemic, and he encouraged others to do the same. "I don't know why we are even having this discussion. What the board is offering is something that will help people in Adams and protect the kids," he said. "Most of the medical people and scientists say masks work, and they don't hurt people. People, let's put them on." Jim Daunis agreed with Sommer and said mask-wearing was for the good of the community. "Who is going to be the last person standing to say 'gee everyone else died maybe I should have worn a mask,'" he said. "This is for the general welfare and good of the population." Council on Aging Director Erica Girgenti said COA members are encouraged to wear masks. She wasn't sure if a mandate was needed on their end and said the schools seemed to be doing a good job as well. She did encourage the board to continue educating residents and felt they may have heard from more voices in support of the directive if they held the meeting in the evening instead of 1 p.m. The meeting was always on the edge of total chaos as more people edged closer to the perimeter of the Mahogany Room. Questions were shouted out and board members were often interrupted as they tried to answer them. Attendees asked a few times for specific numbers in regard to cases in Adams and wanted more historic data in terms of viral outbreaks in town. Rhoads did not have these specifics which irritated some attendees. "You came to this meeting with nothing ... you dont know and you want us to get behind you but we can't," Wayne Piaggi said. "You have not done your homework." The town had 38 new cases in the past two weeks ending Sept. 4, the second highest number in the county, and a 14-day daily incidence rate of 33 cases per 100,000, according to state data posted Thursday evening. Rhoads conferred with Code Enforcement Officer Mark Blaisdell who said his department is in constant contact with Berkshire Medical Center and the state Department of Public Health. Rhoads added that increased cases in step with relaxed regulations did spur this emergency meeting "This was a little rushed. I feel it was but because I feel an urgency," he said. "So take that into a consideration. We all feel some level of urgency here." He said the board will take up the conversation again at its next meeting at which the town's public health agent will be available to provide more data. Questions continued to ping pong across the room and attendee John Duquette inquired why Blaisdell did not have a mask on. Blaisdell responded that per town regulations, town employees did not have to mask in Town Hall. He also said he has a condition that exempted him. Duquette did not like that answer. "Where is your mask? COVID can't get you because you are a town employee?" he said as he ripped off his own mask. "It is fair when you want it ... does it matter if you are a visitor? Can you not still spread it?" Rhoads called for a point of order to regain control of the room. The conversation continued another few minutes but he eventually motioned to continue the discussion to the next meeting. He thanked those who attended. "This is good. This is what we are here for to hear everyone," he said. "Thank you for coming and thank you for your opinion." The Port of Shelton continues to grow and expand and Executive Director Wendy Smith and Port Commissioner Dick Taylor talk about the progress with Jeff Slakey. They are working on new CERB funding and the company that makes Squirrel Suits is coming to the Port. Reporters have been prevented from covering a vaccine drive amongst Myanmars Rohingya population in Rakhine State after their access to internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps was denied by police. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns these restrictions to press freedom and urges Myanmar authorities to allow the media to report without constraint. Members of the internally displaced Rohingya Muslim community people are seen at the Thet Kay Pyin camp in Sittwe, Rakhine State on June 5, 2021. Credit: STR/AFP Two news crews were denied entry to camps in Rakhine State, which house Myanmars largest Muslim population, prompting concerns of violations to press freedom. The incident follows a statement made in August by Zaw Min Tun, spokesman for Myanmars ruling military, ensuring that Myanmar would vaccinate its minority Muslim Rohingya population against COVID-19, referring to the group as Bengalis. Despite this claim, specific eligibility criteria were not disclosed. The Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine State are a population who, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, have faced decades of systematic discrimination, statelessness and targeted violence. Tun Tha, editor of Western News, a Rakhine state news outlet, stated that although media have freely reported on other IDP camps, they are unable to cover IDP camps with Muslim occupants without explicit clearance. We are free to cover Rakhine IDPs camp news, whereas we need permission to cover Muslim IDP camps. It seems authorities handle approaches to the Muslim community with discrimination. We take it as disruption of media access in this regard, Tun Tha said. Senior reporter with Development Media Group, Khin Tharapi Oo, and her team were also denied entrance to an IDP camp in Sittwe, Rakhine States capital. This is the first time Muslim refugees get vaccinated, we should be allowed to cover it. Authorities should not restrict us to cover this significant news. They do not have sound reason to restrict us, she said. The IFJ said: The continued restriction of press freedom in Rakhine State, Myanmar is of great concern, especially surrounding critical reportage regarding the minority Rohingya Muslim population. The IFJ condemns actions by the Myanmar military government that preclude the free flow of information. On September 8, Jammu and Kashmir authorities raided the homes of four journalists in Srinagar before their temporary detainment and questioning. The International Federation of Journalists and its affiliate the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) condemn repressive acts by police intended to stifle press freedom. Showkat Motta, the editor of Kashmir Narratormagazine; Hilal Mir, a reporter for the Turkey-based news outlet TRT World; and freelance journalists Azhar Qadri and Abbas Shah all had documents and electronic equipment seized. The searches were reported to have been conducted by both police and paramilitary troops. The four journalists were summoned for questioning following the raids at local police stations in Srinagar, where they were held for a day and have been summoned to return next week for further questioning. They seized a hard drive which contained my work, a desktop, hardcopies of the magazines archives and phones. I was later taken to the police station and set free in the evening, said Motta, one of the detained journalists. A senior police official stated that the journalists were being questioned regarding suspected links to Kashmir Fight, a blog allegedly run from Pakistan. A senior police official said that the four journalists were probed on the websites origins. The website, which is subject to an ongoing investigation by Indian police, is alleged to have published material that threatens journalists and political activists. A journalist from the region commented on the irony of the situation that journalists were being questioned about a website that actively endangers members of their profession. After India revoked Kashmirs semi-autonomous status in 2019, the worlds longest running lockdown of telecommunications and internet also served to stifle journalism in the region. Journalists in Kashmir continue to operate in an increasingly fraught environment with attacks and increasing harassment. The IJU president Geetartha Pathak said: IJU is surprised to know that Kashmir police and the authorities are often violating media rights and press freedom in the valley despite journalists and civil right bodies raising strong objection and condemning these violations of press freedom. IJU demands the authorities to stop such harassment against the press. The IFJ said: These raids are evident attempts from authorities to intimidate journalists and media workers in the Jammu and Kashmir region. The IFJ condemns these violations of press freedom and calls for the immediate cessation of police harassment towards journalists. As digital transformation has made cross-border selling more accessible, especially to midmarket companies, business owners increasingly appreciate the opportunities that lie in international markets. However, while targeting overseas customers has been made easier by e-commerces evolution--which was further accelerated by the pandemic--companies still face daunting challenges in selling across borders. The team at BlueSnap, a payment platform specializing in e-commerce, was up to the challenge. We were hearing about some of the mistakes companies were making, so we decided to do some research into how these companies were approaching international sales, as well as the challenges they were facing. What we found was even worse than we thought, says BlueSnap CEO Ralph Dangelmaier. In particular, the BlueSnap survey, conducted in conjunction with Pulse, revealed some of the key challenges that companies were facing as they embarked on a cross-border strategy. Lost business So, what did the survey reveal? Sixty-eight percent of businesses process payments where their business is headquartered rather than where they have a local entity and where their customers are located. They may use payment processing services popular in their headquarters country or rely on their banks to process international payments. The reasons for this choice range from convenience to avoiding currency exchange fees to simply not knowing about other options. However, these providers are less likely to process successful transactions than those specializing in cross-border payments. In fact, 40 percent of companies surveyed reported an international payment authorization rate of 70 percent or less. That translates to a loss of 30 percent or more of their cross-border sales. These are customers who want to buy from your business, and theyve gone through the entire transaction process only to be told that their payment wasnt authorized. Its hard to imagine a worse experience than that, Dangelmaier says. Inefficiency and technical debt The survey also found that more than 30 percent of respondents are using more than 4 payment processors to support their cross-border payments. Doing so usually means duplication of effort in coding various banks and payment methods and increased technical debt. In other words, there is increased cost due to additional labor, including the time it takes to fix coding issues and keep integrations up to date. Every time you work with a bank, youve got to code that multiple times. If you have an instance of fraud or refunds, youve got to code those multiple times, Dangelmaier says. The resources lost to inefficiency and technical debt start to add up. In many cases, these costs can total millions of dollars, he adds. Compliance issues Another issue that companies engaged in cross-border selling face is global compliance. From bank and payment card regulations to product restrictions and tax requirements, companies need to ensure theyre following the government directives and laws of the customers home country. Managing compliance in house often requires a dedicated team to monitor the shifting compliance landscape in multiple markets and ensure that your company is doing business lawfully in each. This is both expensive and time-consuming. A streamlined solution BlueSnap has studied these challenges and provides solutions to each of them. The global payment platform allows businesses to accept payments internationally with one integration and account that connects to a global network of banks. Because BlueSnaps network allows its customers to sell in roughly 200 geographies using more than 110 different currencies, and transactions can be processed locally in 47 different countries, authorization rates increase dramatically. In addition, the platform accepts more than 100 different types of payments and digital wallets. So, you dont need to worry about whether the customer is using a credit card, Google Wallet, iDEAL (the Netherlands), Boleto (Brazil), or other option to pay for an order. Such flexibility and improved approval rates build better customer relationships and help companies increase sales and reduce costs. BlueSnap also integrates with a companys back-office systems to make managing refunds and chargebacks easier while allowing companies to get better at spotting fraud. Built-in solutions for regulation and tax compliance alleviate the need to devote resources to ensure your company is complying. You can have broad settings at your disposal or customize your system for the countries you need, Dangelmaier says. Customers love that flexibility. The platform, along with our solution consulting services and unified global reporting, help customers find the answers they need and drive down costs. Thats what sets BlueSnap apart. By providing a single source for all online sales data, you can easily use the information for reconciliation and for making future business decisions. Picture yourself back in 2008. The U.S. is 7 years into what would become a 20-year war in Afghanistan. Lehman Brothers just filed for bankruptcy. The real estate market collapsed. A small incubator in Google launched a beta version of a new product called "Chrome." iPhones were released to the public less than a year ago. Windows Vista is Microsoft's flagship product, and Internet Explorer 8 doesn't even exist yet. Into that market, my brother Anton and I left the small startup we were a part of to start our own company. We were young and optimistic (and naive). We had a vision for online collaboration made simple using nothing but a browser; bringing people together, regardless of location, to work on their documents. No more emailing redlined Word documents, copies of PowerPoints with "please edit and return" or trying to merge Visio diagrams - we wanted to let people do it together. (Google was dabbling in this space, but nothing really stuck yet). Given the state of the world wide web at the time, we realized we needed to first build an engine that would allow services to communicate asynchronously (a pub/sub engine), on which we could build our collaboration suite. Over the coming months, we built an engine that would go on to publish trillions of messages over more than a decade of usage, sold to hundreds of companies all over the globe. This became our first product, WebSync. This was also our first mistake. We were so focused on building a collaboration platform that we didn't immediately want to go where the market was dictating, and where we saw high consumer interest--selling the streaming engine itself. I learned that when you feel a pull from customers, when people are willing to pay you for something, even if it's not the original product concept, it's time to consider a pivot. At heart, Anton and I were engineers. We wanted to "build cool things," a desire I think is widely shared with engineers all over the world. Who doesn't want to build a collaboration platform that can process one hundred thousand messages per second per CPU core on a 2008 Best Buy Special PC? That's fun stuff! The problem is that people don't always pay for cool technology. People pay for products that solve problems. In our case, we were solving a problem - our problem. Along the way, we found another problem, one whose solution was less cool, but for which we felt demand more quickly and definitively. The good news is that there was enough of a market for this less cool solution that despite my lack of product understanding, we were able to get something on the market. Real-time streaming of text content at low cost on commodity hardware was interesting for other forward-looking companies. That let us get customers, who then engaged us to help them build their applications, giving us a revenue stream that we used to fund our next projects (more on those projects in another post). The bad news is that we spent several early years scraping by on a few thousand a year in developer licenses (which seemed like a lot back then, to be fair) when we could have made a harder and faster pivot, properly evaluated how big of a problem the streaming engine was solving, determined how much people were willing to pay for a solution to this problem and, ultimately, invested in a more customer-focused product. We certainly would have made our lives a lot easier. WebSync may not have been what we set out to create, but it was what we had and what people were willing to buy. Twenty years ago, Tom Lo was a 23-year-old sales assistant, hoping to find his place as a new hire at Morgan Stanley. His office was on the 73rd floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, just five floors below where the second plane would strike on September 11, 2001. Lo made it out of the building that morning, but the awareness of how close he came to perishing that day has remained, inspiring him to pursue his passions despite any uncertainty--first by becoming a physician and eventually through entrepreneurship. In 2019, Lo became a partner in Spy C Cuisine, a decorated Chinese restaurant in Queens, and in February, he founded his own practice, Modern Renaissance Anesthesia, in New York City. Lo made the decision to start his own firm as the carnage of Covid-19 colored his days working in a New York hospital, where he was reminded, once again, that life is too short to ignore one's instincts. --As told to Marli Guzzetta On September 11, 2001, I got to my desk at Morgan Stanley at around 8 a.m. It was only my third week on the job, and it was my 23rd birthday. As a child, I had two dreams: to own my own restaurant and to be a doctor. After I graduated from college, I enrolled in the French Culinary Institute and began working for Didier Virot at his former restaurant, Virot. I loved food and loved working in kitchens, but the lack of stability in the restaurant industry made me uncomfortable. So it seemed like the right thing to do, a year later, to stop working in restaurants and use my network to find a job in finance. I'd only been at my desk a few minutes that morning when I heard this bang--like someone had slammed a metal desk against the floor--and looked out the window. My side of the building faced east, so I didn't have a direct view of the North Tower. What I could see was papers flying around outside, over 70 floors up, like it was raining paper. I kept thinking, "That doesn't make sense. Are people throwing papers off the roof?" At that point, no one around me knew that the first plane had just hit the North Tower--no one had smart phones yet, so word was not traveling then like it would today--but the floor fire wardens were telling us to evacuate. Everyone got up to head to the stairwells and walk down in a calm, orderly fashion. I followed people out to the 44th floor, where there was an elevator bank to get to the lower floors. That's where everyone was hanging out until a guy came on the PA system and announced that we could go back to our offices. But something wasn't right with this voice; it was timid, hesitant. Like, "Well, if you want to go back, you probably can ... " So I decided to wait. That's when the second plane hit our building, at 9 a.m. I didn't see it happen, but the whole building shook. Some people fell down; I didn't. Then, smoke started coming up and out of the elevator shafts, and the whole building started to sway. The worst part of that morning was hearing the metal screeching and creaking as the building went back and forth. For a few minutes, I was thinking: "The building is coming down. This is it. These are the last moments of my life." But then, the swaying stopped, and the building didn't topple over, so I headed for the stairwell again. A lot of people were leaving, walking down in a single file. If someone had told us "the building you are in is going to collapse in an hour," I think it would have been complete chaos. But people didn't really know what was happening, so they were calm. I thought things would be chaotic on the ground floor--but when we finally got down there, it was empty. Quiet. Everything was covered in ash. I heard someone say we were hit by a 737, and I thought, "That's not right; that's a jumbo jet. That couldn't happen." I was still confused. People in suits with walkie-talkies kept us away from the doors that exited out to the street. Instead, they herded us all onto a single narrow escalator, which went down to the basement level, where a huge mall used to exist under all of the World Trade Center buildings. That's how we were exiting the South Tower, single file on a single escalator. My head was pounding, and the slowness was terrible. I kept thinking, "Let's move it along." When we finally got to the mall in the basement, I leapt off the escalator, walked through the shops, and exited up to the street about a quarter mile away from the building. I came above ground on a park lawn just outside the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. People were rushing everywhere, and fire truck after fire truck drove by with sirens wailing. I looked back at my building. It was on fire. I could see the smoke rising from just above the floor where I worked and thought, "Wow, I wonder how they're going to put that out?" It was pandemonium. I started asking people what happened. Someone said two planes hit the World Trade Center. I thought, "No, that's not right. It was just one plane that hit the North Tower." There were also rumors in the crowd that other planes were headed for other cities: Washington, D.C., Chicago, where my brother lived. I kept thinking: "Am I in a dream right now?" As I was talking with people, a fireman got on a megaphone and started yelling, "Stand back! The building is not secure!" Right when he said that, I heard rumbling and turned back to see my building just ... collapse. I didn't really have time to process that, because a massive cloud of smoke formed at the base of the building and then started spreading out through the streets, toward us. No one knew what that cloud might contain--I thought there might have been a bomb, or maybe something poisonous in the smoke--so I started to run over the upper level of the Brooklyn Bridge. After taking three buses and walking miles through Brooklyn and into Queens, I finally got to my grandmother's house. The first thing I did was call my parents on the landline. They were on vacation in Italy--their first vacation ever. My mom said, "Hello." And I said, "Mom ... " And then there was silence--they hadn't known for the past six hours if I was alive--followed by crying. Both my mother and my father were crying. Until then, I'd never heard my father cry. My mother likes to say that angels were escorting me down the stairs and that I was reborn that day. After the attacks, I stayed in finance for about two more years. I was getting great work experience, but confronting your mortality makes you appreciate how fragile your life really is. Surviving September 11 left me with a nagging sense that I wasn't doing what I should be doing with my life. Finance lacked the soul I was looking for in my work, so I made some changes. In 2004, I started medical school, which was instantly rewarding. I also reached out to my old boss, Didier, and took a job cooking brunch at his new restaurant, Aix, on weekends. I loved my work as a medical student and loved getting back to food again. I helped Didier cook for charity events and fundraisers, and that led to an appearance on Iron Chef with Aix's pastry chef, Jehangir Mehta. When I graduated from medical school in 2008, I stepped away from food for a while to focus on my specialization as an anesthesiologist. For another decade, I stayed pretty head down in my medical career. Then, one day, I'd just gotten off my shift at the hospital when I walked into a restaurant in Queens called Spy C Cuisine. The food was phenomenal, simple but authentic Chinese with a lot of flavor. But the chef, Tom Lei, didn't speak much English, so he wasn't able to present the menu in an enticing way. I started going there all the time, and we became good friends. I'd make suggestions on how to better position the restaurant, and eventually in 2018, one of my childhood dreams came true and I became a partner. Since joining the restaurant, I've been able to earn Spy C a Michelin Bib Gourmand distinction, and last year, Andrew Yang came to the restaurant to host an event during his campaign. When the pandemic hit, I'd been working for several years as an anesthesiologist at a New York hospital. It was carnage--people dying left and right. Once again, I was reminded to make the most of my life, to change. If I started my own business, I thought, I'd have a bigger impact. So in February, I decided to leave my job with the hospital and establish my own anesthesiology practice. Comedian Janey Godley has been dropped from a Scottish government health campaign due to a series of offensive resurfaced tweets. The Glasgow-based performer had been signed onto the campaign to encourage the wearing of face coverings and lateral flow testing during the ongoing pandemic. Godley has apologised for the tweets, admitting that the offensive material contained terrible, horrific undertones. The comedian rose to online prominence during the pandemic through a series of viral videos in which she parodied First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. She has also featured on programmes such as BBC Radio Scotlands Breaking the News and Have I Got News For You on BBC One, and appeared as an actor in Traces. The Scottish Sun and The Daily Beast published a number of offensive tweets made by Godley. Some dated back almost a decade; the most recent example was from 2017. The tweets included racist comments about 50 Cent, Kelly Rowland and Snoop Dogg. After the tweets came to light, Godley issued an apology on Twitter, writing: There are tweets from my past social media that are horridly offensive, I believe in progress not perfection and I am far from perfect. People have every right to go through my social media and see what values I hold and to find hurtful phrases and statements is shocking, I am deeply sorry to everyone I offended. Comedy is no excuse to use disgusting and hurtful words that affect people and I know many of you expected better of me. I apologise for every single word that upset people. Per the BBC, a spokesperson for the Scottish government said that trust in public health messages was paramount. A series of unacceptable tweets by Janey Godley have been brought to our attention and, while she has rightly apologised, trust in our public health messages at this time is paramount. We have therefore taken the decision to withdraw any further campaign material in which Ms Godley features. The material will be discontinued immediately on our own channels and withdrawn as soon as possible from external media. Godley had offered to donate the fee she received for the advert to the STV Childrens Appeal. Some viewers of the National Television Awards (NTAs) have complained after Ant and Dec won Best Presenter for the 20th year in a row. The Im a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! duo took home the award in a ceremony last night (9 September), beating nominees including This Mornings Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond, and ex-Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan. Morgan previously bemoaned the dominance of Ant and Dec real names Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly and claimed that everyones sick and tired of Ant and Dec automatically winning this award, which bears no relation to reality. In their speech accepting the award, which is voted for by the public, Ant McPartlin said: This one means the most. Twenty years. This is really, really special. You have no idea how special this is. Donnelly, meanwhile, said: When you get to 20, you cant help but stop and look back at the first time we won in 2001, and so much has changed in both our lives since then but one thing that hasnt changed is how unbelievably grateful we are that you take time year after year to watch both of us. However, on social media, some fans complained about the duos monopoly on the Best Presenter prize. Who keeps voting for Ant and Dec? What the actual, wrote one viewer. Twenty years in a row for Presenter of the year? With all due respect this is just lazy to me, wrote another. Another person shared a Gif of a person yawning, alongside the caption: Ant and Dec winning for the 2,675th time. Now next year the NTAs dont have to worry about ruining their streak, and can finally award the award to an outsider talent, argued one Twitter user. Lets stop this monopoly now, its been fun, theyve been great, but I think even Ant and Dec would agree, its time to move forward n fairly. Morgan, who was booed by the crowd during the ceremony, aimed a dig at Ant and Dec after their win. Wow! What a shock! Congrats to Ant & Dec, he wrote. Thoroughly deserved 20th consecutive win - the way they held those jungle contestants to account during the pandemic was absolutely brilliant #ntas. Other winners on the night included Kate Garraway and Ricky Gervais, who picked up the Best Comedy award for his Netflix series After Life. Not that the question ever crossed my mind, but I think I know what the brilliant TV funnyman Greg Davies was up to during lockdown: hes been writing a brilliantly funny TV sitcom. No surprise, I suppose, but, anyway, its something of a triumph. The Cleaner has an intriguing format, albeit inspired by an existing German version, Der Tatortreiniger (Crime Scene Cleaner). It stars Davies as Paul Wicky Wickstead who, every week, encounters some scene of unspeakable bloody horror and, while going about the grim (but for him routine) business of getting the stains out of the curtains and off the ceiling, he bumps into friends, relatives and associates of the deceased. Or, in this first instalment, the murderer herself, Sheila, played by Helena Bonham Carter. Maybe this famous movie actor was herself at a bit of a loose end, but she makes an excellent job of portraying the killer as part-victim of low-level mental torture, and part insouciant sadist. Basically, she stabbed her husband to death with some ferocity (hence the mess in the kitchen) because he was obsessed with model railways and didnt let her smoke in the house. Dotty and charming, in other words, but still prepared to take the life of the man she married rather than recruit a divorce solicitor, which leaves the viewer queasily unsure quite what to make of her. Wicky, who meets her unexpectedly when she pops back to pack her bag and make good her escape, is not sure either. During the course of their long, wary conversations they strike up a bit of a friendship and, fancifully, plot a way of running away to the Dolomites together in his old van. Theres a very strange scene in which Sheila makes Wicky stay with her in the loo, and, believe you me, you can almost smell the tension. Homicide leaves you constipated, apparently. Their gross disparity in size (Davies stands at 6ft 8in) adds to the bizarreness of the relationship, but credibility is restored in all senses when Wicky betrays Sheila to the police. Hed rather make it to curry night at the pub, you see, than elope with an unstable beautiful woman. Tough call, mind. These self-contained comedy dramas are all cleverly done, and you have cameos from David Mitchell and Stephanie Cole to look forward to in the comings weeks. The only thing I found a bit distracting is that Davies sounds very much like Dominic Raab. Theres a joke in there somewhere, but, like Wicky, I think Ill just try to stick to doing my own humble job, and leave the gags to the big fella. A Taliban spokesman dismissed the idea of women serving in Afghanistans new government by saying that they should focus on birthing and raising children. Sayed Zekrullah Hashimi said in an interview with Afghan television network TOLOnews that women will not serve in the new government, and likened the idea to prostitution. He also said that allowing a woman to become a government minister would be to put something on her neck that she cannot carry. The video with English subtitles has been posted on Twitter by English-speaking Afghan journalists. Hashimi says: It is not necessary for a woman to be in the cabinet. Is it necessary that we should have a woman in the cabinet? In his ongoing exchange with the news presenter, he says: Over the last 20 years, whatever was said by this media, the US, and its puppet government in Afghanistan, was it other than prostitution in offices? The host says: You cannot accuse all women of prostitution. Hashimi says: I do not mean all Afghan women the four women protesting in the streets do not represent the women of Afghanistan. The women of Afghanistan are those who give birth to the people of Afghanistan, educates them on Islamic ethics... what a woman does she cannot do the work of a ministry. You put something on her neck that she can not carry. Women have been protesting against the Taliban forming an all-male interim government this week, that has no representation for women or minority groups. After returning to power last month, the Taliban has also said that boys and girls, and women and men, can no longer be in the same classrooms in schools and universities. This is despite the group insisting that it has distanced itself from its hardline stance that the old Taliban regime had when it was in power from 1996 to 2001. But there have been widespread reports that protesters and journalists have been beaten up by Taliban militants, corporal punishment has been carried out on the streets, and women and girls have been banned from playing sports. More than 200 women judges are trapped in hiding and are at risk of being killed, campaigners have warned, after the Taliban recently freed thousands of prisoners, including terrorists and senior al-Qaeda operatives, The Independent reported. Meanwhile, Russian state media RIA Novosti has reported, citing an unnamed Taliban source, that the group is considering holding the official inauguration of its new government on Saturday 11 September the 20-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the US. Wildlife activists are calling to stop the annual bear hunt after the animals suffered the effects of wildfires in Northern California and Nevada. Starting in 2010, the Nevada annual bear hunt uses dogs to chase bears up trees only to be shot down by hunters. The event is scheduled to take place on 15 September, which prompted activists to send a letter to the Nevada Department of Wildlife on 8 September. Of the 10 hunting areas, eight of them have burned, are still burning, or are near an area affected by a wildfire. The activists are focused on protecting bears partly because the animals dont have access to the same amenities as humans. Think of all the impacts on human communities, and all the hard work people have done to evacuate and to buy air filters for their homes and suffer with the smoke. Well, the bears are suffering everything were suffering without all those adaptations, Patrick Donnelly, Nevada state director at the Center for Biological Diversity, told The Independent. Local residents share the same sentiment as Donnelly. I was able to evacuate and thankfully my home was saved. The bears arent so lucky, Tobi Tyler, a resident of Lake Tahoe, said in a statement. Residents like Tyler were forced to evacuate from the Lake Tahoe area because of the Caldor Fire, which has been burning for nearly a month. While Donnelly said the bear hunt has always sparked controversy, this years fires make the request more urgent. Both California and Nevada declared a state of emergency, meaning the Nevada Department of Wildlife has the power to stop the event. Last week, a black bear had to be euthanised after getting third-degree burns from the Caldor Fire. Other bears have been seen roaming the empty streets of South Lake Tahoe, looking for food and water. Donnelly said that as the bears are running for their lives due to the fires, which are forcing them to migrate and be displaced from their homes. Beyond bears, the American Veterinary Medical Association says that animals with respiratory or cardiovascular issues are especially vulnerable to smoke. Higher temperatures and sustained droughts linked to the climate crisis are exacerbating wildfire seasons in California, and other regions of the US West. Campaign group Global Witness has accused social media platform Facebook of breaking equality law in the way it shares job adverts after sharing the results of an experiment. The group said Facebook failed to prevent discriminatory targeting of adverts and claimed that its algorithm is biased in choosing who would see them. The experience involved Global Witness creating four job adverts linked to real vacancies on Indeeds job site for nursery nurses, pilots, mechanics and psychologists. The only specification given by the group was that the ads should only by seen by adults in the UK. That meant that it was entirely up to Facebooks algorithm to decide who to show the ads to, said Naomi Hirst, who led Global Witnesss investigation. What it decided appears to us to be downright sexist. Almost all (96 per cent) of the Facebook users who were shown adverts for mechanics were men, while ads for nursery nurses were seen almost exclusively (95 per cent) by women. Of the people shown an ad for airline pilots, 75% were men, and 77% of users who were shown an ad for psychologists were women. Global Witness submitted another two adverts for Facebook, instructing the platform not to show one advert to women and the other to anyone over the age of 55. Both adverts were approved, although it did ask the organisation to tick a box saying it would not discriminate against these groups. Facebook claims its system shows people ads they may be most interested in, telling BBC News: Our system takes into account different kinds of information to try and serve people ads they will be most interested in and we are reviewing the findings within this report. Global Witness has filed a submission to the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission and has written to the Information Commissioner to attempt to force Facebook to change its ways. A spokesperson from Facebook said: Our system takes into account different kinds of information to try and serve people ads they will be most interested in, and we are reviewing the findings within this report. Weve been exploring expanding limitations on targeting options for job, housing and credit ads to other regions beyond the US and Canada, and plan to have an update in the coming weeks. In just a few days, the most famous faces in Hollywood will walk the red carpet at this years Met Gala. Hosted at the New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art, the gala is usually scheduled on the first Monday of May every year, and widely heralded as the most important event on the sartorial calendar. This year, however, it was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, with last years event cancelled altogether. From fashion designers and artists, to models and musicians, the gala is a whos who of Tinseltown, where A-listers come together to celebrate the fusion between art, fashion, and notoriety, and the unveiling of the fashion institutes blockbuster exhibition. Wendy Yu who is the founder and chief executive of Hong Kong-based investment business Yu Holdings has not only attended as a guest, but has also previously co-hosted the event alongside the likes of Blake Lively and Lupita Nyongo. In 2018, museum curator Andrew Bolton was endowed and named the Wendy Yu curator in charge of The Costume Institute at the museum. I enjoy seeing Andrew Boltons and Anna Wintours work being celebrated by the most important designers, industry leaders and celebrities, Yu says of the night. As a contributor to Vogue, and a patron of the Victoria and Albert museum with more than 199,000 Instagram followers, Yu knows all too well the influence her role in events inspired by art, fashion and business has on a global scale. We caught up with the entrepreneur in 2019 to find out everything she knows about the Met Gala, from how long it takes to get ready to seating plans. I have a dress-rehearsal to practice walking in my dress I usually prepare for the gala three hours before the event, having done a full dress rehearsal the night before so that I can capture some great photos without feeling pressurised. During fittings, Ill practice walking up stairs and sitting in my outfit because its so important to get a feeling for the dress so that you can wear it, and not the other way around. I tend to wear comfortable shoes to help me feel confident walking. I have a team of about 10 who help me get ready, from hairstylists to make-up artists. We have all worked together on many occasions before, so its like having my extended family around, which means it never feels stressful. "My favourite Met Gala dress was made by Oscar de la Renta. So far, I have worn American designers to the Met Gala. For my first Met Gala, I wore Zac Posen. The dress was picked out by the American Vogue team at a fitting in their offices. Last year, I wore custom Oscar de La Renta, which is one of my favourite brands of all time and the gown fit so beautifully and its timeless. I was very much involved at the beginning stages of the design process, but then I trusted the brands creative directors Laura and Fernando to work their magic with my final tweaks at the end. They really understand how to flatter a woman's body and help you look your best. Walking the red carpet gets easier the more you do it This will be my third year so I'm quite familiar now. I like to arrive early so that it is less congested and I'm able to have the time and space to have my picture taken properly. That said, the atmosphere is surreal. There's so much individuality and personality around you. It's a feast for the eyes. Anna Wintour does such an amazing job at creating a "never before, never again" sense of atmosphere. People are more relaxed at the gala than you think There is a real sense of effortless fun and flamboyance, which is not always the case at big events. The attendees first walk through the exhibition, and then we catch up with old friends and make new ones, and watch and guess what others are wearing. There is a long walk through the museum to dinner. The seating plan is not shared with guests in advance. Sometimes there is a performance before the dinner as well as an unexpected performance afterwards. As for the famous Met bathroom, it tends to be a rather relaxed and informal atmosphere. Everyone is helping each other and cracking jokes." Planning a Met Gala outfit takes months I often find out about the theme quite early on through my connection with The Met so I begin to think about which designers I might like to work with and feel would be best fitting months in advance. That said, the reality is that my decision and ultimately outfit always ends up being quite a last minute affair. This year I worked with a wonderful stylist and dear friend, Min Rui, who is a long-term stylist for Chinese celebrities such as Fan Bing Bing and Roy Wan, and has a great taste and vision as well as understanding me perfectly. He has narrowed the choice down for me to a few fashion houses who submitted their designs, which we then reviewed and picked our favourite. It is always a difficult decision, but ultimately I would say it comes down to a mood and an instinct. We are working with a fashion house that I have had the pleasure of working with before for couture. They are familiar with my body and my style, so the process has been incredibly fluid. I'm really excited about my outfit this year, as the theme is more playful and the colour palette is more vibrant, which reflects my personal style. The gala ends pretty early I have to say Im a bit boring when it comes to the partying aspect. It ends around 10pm and by that point I feel exhausted by all the excitement and am ready to go home. I sometimes drop by the after-party, but Im not much of a public drinker or dancer so I tend to call it a night pretty soon after. Follow The Independent's coverage on the Met Gala here. In recent years, the name Karen has become a pejorative term for a white woman who appears entitled or demands that things be done her own way. But a Facebook group with almost 2,000 women named Karen is pushing back against the stigma attached to their name and asking for people to be nicer to one another. Karen Feldman, one of the women in the private Facebook group called Karens United, told US news network NBC2 that the names poor reputation definitely doesnt make me feel better about her name. Nasty, thoughtless, selfish, you name it. If its a bad thing, thats what a Karen is, she said. In contrast, she said the real Karens she knows are pretty nice people. People are raw and sad and sensitive, and its time for us to start thinking about that, Feldman added. Start being nicer to each other. The description of the group on Facebook said: I dont wear my hair in an inverted bob, I dont give unsolicited advice, I rarely use coupons and I have absolutely no friggin desire to speak to your manager. Im just a mom trying to cuddle my home, my job and my family I honestly want to know why my name is suddenly associated with all things middle-aged and uninformed. Is there a Karen who is responsible for this faux pas? Lets hunt her down and reeducate her, but for the love of God, stop lecturing all of us. The origins of the Karen stereotype are uncertain, but it is believed to have started as a meme among black Americans as a way to satirise the racism levelled at them by white women in particular. One of the most famous examples of a Karen was Amy Cooper, a white woman who called the police on Christian Cooper, a black birder, when they got into a disagreement at Central Park over her dog being off the leash. After a video of the incident, in which Amy told authorities that an African American man is threatening my life, she was fired from her job at an investment firm, charged with one count of falsely reporting an incident in the third degree, and forced to surrender her dog temporarily. The Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson have been divorced for 25 years, but they remain close friends and co-parents to their daughters, Princess Beatrice, 33, and Princes Eugenie, 31. Prince Andrew and Ferguson have continued to live together in the dukes home in Windsor. They also frequently go on holiday. On Wednesday, Ferguson told local newspapers in Poland that she will remain committed to the duke no matter what, and that their wedding in 1986 was one of the best days of her life. Divorce is one thing, but my heart is my oath, my obligation, she said. It comes as the Queen welcomed both Sarah and Andrew to Balmoral on Tuesday. Heres everything we know about the relationship between the Duke of York and Ferguson: How did Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson meet? Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson reportedly first met as children, but it wasnt until the 1985 Royal Ascot when they met for the first time as adults. According to reports, Princess Diana played an instrumental role in setting the couple up. Sarah and the Princess of Wales were childhood friends, with Ferguson attending her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981. Vanity Fair reported that it was Diana who recommended that Ferguson be invited to an event at Windsor Castle during the Royal Ascot, and that she encouraged the romance between Sarah and Andrew. Less than a year after they met, Andrew proposed to Ferguson on 19 February 1986, on his 26th birthday. He proposed to her at Floors Castle in Scotland with a bespoke ring featuring oval-cut Burmese ruby surrounded by 10 diamonds. They announced their engagement publicly on 19 March 1986. When did Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson marry? On her wedding day in 1986 (PA) On 23 July 1986, Andrew and Ferguson tied the knot in a grand ceremony at Westminster Abbey. They received the title of Duke and Duchess of York on the same day. The duchess wore an embroidered ivory silk wedding dress, designed by Linda Cierach, which had a 17-foot train and the letters A and S sewed in silver beads. Ferguson arrived at the ceremony wearing a flower crown, but then changed into the York Tiara for the rest of the day. The tiara was gifted from the Queen and Prince Philip as part of a set that also included a necklace, bracelet and earrings. The wedding was attended by 2,000 guests and was watched by 500 million people on television. Andrew and Ferguson shared their first kiss as husband and wife on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. They went on to have two children, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. When did Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson divorce? Andrew and Fergusons divorce became official on 30 May 1996, but the couple separated four years prior. Following the separation, the palace announced that Ferguson would no longer carry out public engagements on behalf of the Queen. Ferguson moved out of the residence she shared with Andrew, the Royal Lodge, and into Romenda Lodge, Surrey, in 1992. Why did Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson divorce? The couples relationship is believed to have begun unravelling soon after they were married. Andrews career in the Royal Navy meant he was away for long periods of time and as a result, the couple reportedly only saw each other for around 40 days per year. Ferguson told Harpers Bazaar in 2007: I spent my entire first pregnancy alone. When Beatrice was born, Andrew got 10 days of shore leave. After the couple separated in March 1992, Ferguson became embroiled in a scandal that saw photographs of her and and John Bryan, an American business manager, published in the Daily Mirror. In the photographs, Bryan is seen kissing the duchess toes as she sunbathed topless. The scandal further estranged her from the royal family. Speaking about the split, she told Harpers Bazaar: When I met with Her Majesty about it, she asked, What do you require, Sarah? I said, Your friendship, which I think amazed her because everyone said I would demand a big settlement. But I wanted to be able to say, Her Majesty is my friend not right her nor have lawyers saying, Look, she is greedy. I left my marriage knowing Id have to work. Are Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson still close? Andrew and Ferguson remain close and live together at Andrews home at the Royal Lodge in Windsor whenever she is in the UK. Ferguson told The Sunday Times that the couple are very good co-parents together and said she was lucky to have the unusual living arrangement. Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson attend of the wedding of Princess Eugenie of York and Mr. Jack Brooksbank at St. Georges Chapel (Getty Images) I travel a lot and Ive always been able to make wherever I am home. If I am staying in a hotel I have the same family photographs and scented candles around me. When Im in the UK, Im lucky enough to stay at the Royal Lodge. I wouldnt call it my home as that would be presumptuous. In 2013, during a promotional event for her childrens book, Ferguson was asked if she and Andrew would remarry. She replied: Hes still my handsome prince, hell always be my handsome prince. Its lovely that we are such a family and the story has a happy ending all the time. The center-right candidate to succeed German Chancellor Angela Merkel touted his party's law-and-order and security credentials on Friday as he tried to turn around disappointing polls, questioning his left-leaning rival's stance toward the police and the military. Armin Laschet has been tapped by Merkel's Union bloc as the candidate to follow her after 16 years in office. But he again faced questions about tensions within his own party as the Sept. 26 parliamentary election nears. Recent polls show the Union trailing the center-left Social Democrats who have been helped by the relative popularity of their candidate, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz. As chancellor, I want to minimize risks and ensure security, said Laschet, the governor of Germany's most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia. Expertise on security is a core expertise of the Union, he added, boasting that he has applied a principle of zero tolerance toward crime in his state. Laschet criticized remarks by one of the Social Democrats' co-leaders, Saskia Esken, who said at the time of last year's anti-racism protests in the U.S. that there's also latent racism within the ranks of Germany's own security forces. Laschet said police and others deserve politicians' basic trust and not sweeping suspicions. Laschet said that the German military must have the money it needs to be able to act. Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Germany must really pursue the NATO aim of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense, arguing that Scholz had wanted to spend less on the military. Still, questions persisted over the Union's woes as it struggles to catch up in the polls. On Thursday, Markus Soeder who leads the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union, the sister party to Laschet's Christian Democratic Union said that if there is still a chance to break the trend, then its this weekend. Soeder earlier this year battled Laschet for the nomination to run for chancellor. Laschet, who on Sunday faces the second of three televised debates with Scholz and Green candidate Annalena Baerbock, said it's evident" the election will produce a tight result. He said Sunday heralds the elections' final sprint" as nothing has yet been decided. He's expected at a CSU party congress on Saturday. Laschet also said that Karin Prien, a regional education minister, will remain on a team of experts he presented a week ago to boost his campaign. A controversial right-wing former head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency who is running for Laschet's CDU in the election, Hans-Georg Maassen, had demanded Prien's removal after she said she was not at all thrilled about his candidacy and hinted that she might not vote for him if he were running in her constituency. - Follow APs coverage of Germanys election at https://apnews.com/hub/germany-election Members of the U.S. navys elite special forces SEAL unit joined Cypriot underwater demolition soldiers on Friday in a joint drill to hone skills in countering terrorist hijackings at sea. The exercise involved teams of U.S. and Cypriot special forces re-taking a ship controlled by terrorists. Cypriot Defense Minister Charalambos Petrides said after the drill that Cyprus and the U.S. are on the same strategic path to ensure security and stability in a turbulent region. He said close cooperation between the two countries special forces in the past two years aims to achieve peak preparedness in order to deal with asymmetrical threats and emerging crises. U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus Judith Garber said more joint drills will follow in the near future. The U.S. decided for the first time last year to provide military education and training funding to Cyprus following Congressional approval as part of Washingtons push to enhance ties with countries in the region in order to boost security. The funding is part of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy and Security Partnership Act that U.S. legislators approved in 2019. The legislation underscores U.S. support for a partnership between Greece Cyprus and Israel founded on recently discovered offshore gas deposits in the region. The Act also partially lifts a 1987 U.S. arms embargo on Cyprus that was imposed to prevent an arms race that could hamper efforts to reunify the ethnically divided island nation. Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy slammed PresidentJoe Biden for his new vaccine mandate that will affect 100 million Americans. While some organisations praised this new mandate, others were quick to criticise the announcement. Hes not mad at the Taliban anymore hes angry at you - or at least the 80 million Americans who havent been vaccinated what happened to him being the president for all Americans? Campos-Duffy said on Fox News Primetime. The Fox News host later said that the mandate was an attack on Americans freedoms. But wait - this is the same administration that promised us last spring that they would never crush the freedom of millions of Americans, Campos-Duffy said. The American Federation of Government Employees is planning to hold talks about the rule before it takes effect. The governor of South Carolina said: Biden and the radical Democrats (have) thumbed their noses at the Constitution. On Thursday, Mr Biden announced that employers with 100 or more workers will have to require vaccinations or get tested on a weekly basis. And health facility workers who received Medicare or Medicaid face the same decision, too. Executive employees contractors who work with the government will have to be fully vaccinated and not be able to opt out by testing. Weve been patient. But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us, Mr Biden said in a White House speech. He added that unvaccinated people can cause a lot of damage, and they are. Mr Biden has issued this mandate in the wake of the delta variant spread. Covid-19 cases, hospitalisations, and deaths have been on the rise throughout the US since the beginning of summer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The organisation also said communities with low vaccination rates were also driving the spread. Medical experts continue to advocate for people to get vaccinated because it prevents severe illness, hospitalisations, and deaths. Two days after flooding claimed at least 14 lives north of Mexico's capital, the streets of Tula remained submerged Thursday as full reservoirs upstream continued releasing more water. Mexican authorities say heavy rains in recent days in central Mexico filled the areas reservoirs to their capacity forcing water releases that only added to woes downstream in places like Tula. Late Wednesday, Hidalgo Gov. Omar Fayad and other local authorities had urged people in Tula and other vulnerable areas to move quickly to higher ground because more water was on its way from upstream reservoirs. The governor spent Thursday touring affected communities. In Tula the damage was largely to businesses and homes, while in Tepeji del Rio, Fayad said most of the destruction was in crop losses. The families of the Tula region are not alone, Fayad said via Twitter We are focusing our efforts on the people in this emergency caused by a natural phenomenon. The appropriate investigations will be carried out to improve protocols and to avoid that this tragedy reoccurs. At least 14 deaths occurred when the Social Security Institute's hospital in Tula flooded early Tuesday, according to hospital officials. Initially, two other deaths were attributed to the hospital, but health officials said those were patients who died shortly before the flooding occurred for other reasons. There were 54 patients in the hospital at the time. The power was knocked out around midnight and at 3 a.m., in a period of about 20 minutes, the water level rose rapidly, shutting down the hospital's emergency generator, Zoe Robledo, head of Mexicos Social Security Institute, said Wednesday. Unfortunately, neither the hospital's directors nor the heads of medical benefits nor the IMSS delegation in Hidalgo were warned unofficially nor formally of the phenomenon and its potential, Robledo said in a video message. Police officers are hunting for a woman who went missing after being accused of killing two of her children in a crash on the M1, with fears she could try to flee the country. Mary McCann failed to appear before Aylesbury Crown Court on Friday, where she was set to face two counts of causing death by dangerous driving. Judge Francis Sheridan has now issued a warrant for her arrest, with the Home Offices Border Force asked to place alerts at all ports and airports to prevent her from leaving the country. The judge said on Friday it was most likely that the 35-year-old would attempt to flee to Ireland. The warrant issued by Mr Sheridan is not backed for bail, meaning if she is found she will be held in custody until her next court appearance. Ms McCann, from Derby, has been charged over the deaths of her 10-year-old son Smaller and her four-year-old daughter Lilly after her white Vauxhall Astra crashed into a HGV on the motorway between J14 and J15 near Milton Keynes on 9 August. The mother of four and another child passenger survived the crash and were taken to hospital with minor injuries, while the lorry driver was not injured. She was initially arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and drink-driving. On Friday, her solicitors admitted that they had been unable to contact her since a funeral service for the two children was held. Prosecutor Heather Stangoe also told the court that Ms McCanns whereabouts was unknown at this time. Unfortunately, we do not know where she is. We were informed through her solicitor that they had failed to make contact with the defendant, Ms Stangoe said. Her bail address was her sister's and she is not there. She added: It was the funeral of her children this week. Her one-year-old child is with the grandmother and is safe. Additional reporting by PA The family of a woman who suffered domestic abuse by her partner have strongly criticised West Midlands Police for years of failings, after the force issued an apology. Suzanne Van Hagen was found dead at home by her nine-year-old daughter on February 8, 2013, the familys lawyers said. The chief constable of West Midlands Police, David Thompson, apologised on Friday for a number of failings by the force in the handling of Suzannes case, both before and after her death, including a failure to properly investigate Suzannes death. Lawyers for the Van Hagen family said that after bringing a civil claim against the force for failing to protect the victim, the police had issued the apology, admitted liability for the failings and agreed to pay substantial compensation. It followed a series of reviews and hearings into the case, including a force internal review in 2017, which the chief constable said had identified many failings. The familys lawyers said despite initially telling the family Miss Van Hagen had been murdered by her partner, John Worton - who was also found dead at the property - the force later issued a press release saying her death was believed to be due to an accidental drug overdose. Before her death there were eight incidents reported to the police of domestic abuse by Worton on Suzanne, yet no effective action was taken to protect her. After complaints from the family, the forces professional standards report team concluded: The police response... was very poor, inadequate, lacked positive action and was not as the force and the public could have reasonably expected. West Midlands Police did not take this domestic violence seriously, it found. Family lawyers also said that after Ms Van Hagens death, a female police liaison officer told her younger sister: Your sister had two legs and she should have used them. Following the forces apology, the victims mother, Ann Van Hagen, said: My beautiful daughter Suzanne deserves to be remembered as she was, not as this person whom the police tried to portray her as. The forces 2017 internal review found the officer in charge of investigating Ms Van Hagens death failed to make proper enquiries about marks to Suzannes neck. Instead, he took as fact a suggestion from a pathologist the marks might be linked to a sex game, the familys lawyers said. But in 2019, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority ruled: Mr Worton perpetrated a physical assault against Ms Suzanne Van Hagen including applying pressure to her neck which caused or contributed to her death. The victims father, Les Van Hagen, said the police had carried out an absolute betrayal of the trust we place in them. We tried to tell them our concerns, but they didnt listen, he said. It is a wicked and cruel thing to let down a family in this way. He added that the family was left with the terrible knowledge that Suzannes death was avoidable. Mr Van Hagen said that when the family was allowed into the address where his daughter died, in Frankley, Birmingham, there was clear evidence that Suzanne had tried to escape Wortons control, including packed suitcases in the hallway, and a letter in her handbag detailing the abuse. Her suitcase was in the hallway, her clothes were missing from the wardrobe, a letter shed written detailing the abusive relationship was in her handbag and her passport was found by her car. Having failed to protect her while she was alive, the police added insult to injury by failing to investigate her death properly, added Mr Van Hagen. She was written off in death as she had been in life. He added: We have had to fight every step of the way for justice for Suzanne and have had to do the polices job for them. Had we not pursued this, at great personal cost, Suzanne would have been branded a drug addict and what happened to her would have been regarded by the public as her own fault. A charity, Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA), helped the family to secure a domestic homicide review, which concluded that family, friends and neighbours of Ms Van Hagen had a greater understanding of the nature and risks of domestic abuse than any of the state agencies that came into contact with the victim had shown. It concluded that her death might have been prevented if a more positive and joined-up intervention, understanding of the nature of domestic violence/coercive control... (had) taken place. Frank Mullane, AAFDAs chief executive, praised the familys grit and integrity in their fight, adding it was shameful it took West Midlands Police eight years to get this right. He said a Birmingham Community Safety Partnership domestic homicide review, carried out several years ago, now needing re-assessing. Mr Mullane said: The only credible conclusion is that Suzanne was killed by domestic abuse. Lawyer Sarah Ricca of law firm Deighton Pierce Glynn, which acted on behalf of the family, said: This is a truly shocking case that starkly highlights the institutional discrimination women continue to face from the police in relation to domestic violence. Suzanne was failed by West Midlands Police in life and she was failed by them in death. Her familys long fight for justice over the past eight years shows just how hard it is to hold the powers that be to account in this country. A former student has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for hacking into a university computer system and selling answers to exams for thousands of pounds. Hayder Aljayyash, 29, was studying for a Masters degree in embedded system design at the University of South Wales. He had pleaded guilty at a hearing at Cardiff Crown Court to breaking into the universitys IT system between November 2017 and May 2019. Aljayyash, who was born in Iraq and had sought asylum in Britain, remained undetected for 18 months by using very sophisticated techniques, the court heard. He recruited his housemate and fellow student Noureldien Eltarki, 30, to find students to buy the exam answers. Eltarki, who was born in Libya, also plead guilty and was given a nine-month suspended sentence and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work for agreeing to sell the unlawfully obtained exam answers. Mathematics lecturer Liam Harris suspected that something was amiss while marking an exam in May 2019. He found that a number of students had answered the questions using the exact solutions with five students even copying the typing mistakes from his original working papers, prosecuting barrister Jim Davis said. The university then set up a war room to investigate the situation and ascertain the size of the data breach. About 140 million log records were processed, which identified an IP address linked to a house in Brook Street, Treforest. The house was where Aljayyash and Eltarki were both living. Police arrested Aljayyash on 30 May 2019, and seized his USB sticks and a laptop that held numerous files which matched those downloaded as part of the university breach, Mr Davis said. About 17,000 was also seized, news website Wales Online reported. Aljayyash used staff log-in details acquired using a sophisticated key logging device to access the network almost 700 times, the court heard. It was found that he had hacked the system to download 216 files that were exam papers, coursework, marking, and reports. The court heard Aljayyash made about 20,000 in total, including 6,500 from one second-year student. Aljayyash paid Eltarki 300 or 400 each time for finding students to buy the stolen papers. Sentencing Aljayyash, Judge Wynn Morgan told the defendant had obvious talent and skill, but that his actions were motivated by financial greed. He called the scheme very sophisticated and said it had damaged the reputation of the university, which spent 100,000 on its investigation and new security measures. The court heard Aljayyash was ashamed of his actions, and that he has been intent on helping use the internet for good by volunteering at a charity shop fixing laptops and helping other asylum seekers to learn how to use technology. Susan Ferrier, who defended Eltarki, told the court that he had realised he had made as stupid a decision. Judge Wynn Morgan told Eltarki that the scheme was evidently not your idea but you attempted making money on the side which is self-evidently wrong. Aljayyash plead guilty to three counts of obtaining articles by unauthorised access to computers and two counts of committing an act to impair reliability of data in computer. Eltarki plead guilty to money laundering and transferring criminal property. The BBCs new three-part documentary series A Killing in Tiger Bay airs for the first time on Thursday evening and tells the story of one of the most shocking miscarriages of justice in British legal history. Directed by Marc Evans and written by Helen Walsh, the team behind ITVs The Pembrokeshire Murders, the series concerns the brutal murder of prostitute Lynette White, the wrongful conviction of five innocent men and the eventual exposure of the real killer thanks to a breakthrough in forensic technology. White, 20, was found dead in her flat above a betting shop at 7 James Street in Butetown in Cardiffs seedy docklands area on Valentines Day 1988, having been stabbed 69 times by an unknown assailant in an assault police pathologist Bernard Knight would subsequently categorise as a mutilating attack with sexual overtones, according to Satish Sekars book about the case Fitted In (1997). Eyewitnesses reported seeing an agitated white man near the scene with blood on his clothing on 14 February and an E-FIT of the suspects likeness was duly released and broadcast on the BBCs Crimewatch UK as part of a South Wales Police investigation that ran for 10 months but proved fruitless. Then, in November, five black and mixed-race men were unexpectedly arrested in response to local yacht club secretary Violet Perriam telling detectives she remembered seeing a number of suspicious black men near the flat where White was killed. The five were swiftly accused of the murder, despite the police having previously said they were looking for a lone white male. One of the five was Stephen Pineapple Miller, Whites boyfriend and pimp, a cocaine addict said to have a mental age of 11, who was interviewed by South Wales Police 19 times over a period of four days and, after 13 hours of interrogation during which he had denied involvement in the killing on 307 occasions, finally - and falsely - he confessed. Miller also implicated four other local men in the crime: John Actie, Ronnie Actie, Tony Paris and Yusef Dullah Abdullahi. The first trial of the five accused at Swansea Crown Court, beginning on 5 October 1989, had to be halted after 82 days when the judge, Mr Justice McNeill, died suddenly of a heart attack. Resuming in May 1990, the trial finally concluded the following November with cousins John and Ronnie Actie cleared by a jury after two years in custody and Miller, Paris and Abdullahi all found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. The trio came to be known as the Cardiff Three as a major public campaign got underway calling for their case to be revisited, their cause boosted by media interest and programmes like Panorama and Channel 4s Butetown: The Bridge and the Boys casting fresh light on the story. They were duly acquitted by the Court of Appeal in December 1992. Eight years later, South Wales Police reopened the case and discovered fresh forensic evidence at the scene, including specks of blood on the cellophane wrapper of a cigarette packet and on a skirting board, which had since been painted over. While the UKs National DNA database failed to yield a match, the hunt for a new suspect, dubbed The Cellophane Man, was on. By January 2002, a new test known as a Second Generation Multiplex Plus allowed officers to create a reliable DNA profile from the blood retrieved from Whites flat and make a partial match with that of a 14-year-old youth who had not been born at the time of the murder. The match pointed them in the direction of the boys uncle, Jeffrey Gafoor, who had worked as a security guard at his familys shop in nearby Roath at the time of Whites death. A South Wales Police handout of Jeffrey Gafoor (PA) Gafoors description matched the original E-FIT and he was duly arrested on 28 February 2003, the suspect attempting to commit suicide by taking an overdose of pills when he realised he was about to be apprehended but was prevented from doing so by police, who had him under surveillance. Gafoor confessed to the killing on his way to hospital. He was proscuted for the murder at Cardiff Crown Court on 4 July and pleaded guilty, prompting audible gasps from the public gallery as he did so. Prosecutor Patrick Harrington QC described the moment Gafoor had confessed to the court: He took a deep breath and said, Just for the record, I did kill Lynette White. I have been waiting for this for 15 years. Whatever happens to me, I deserve it. The defendant had explained that, on the last night of Lynette Whites life, he had paid her for sex up front but changed his mind when he saw the state of her flat in Butestown, which had no electricity or running water, and then demanded back his 30, attacking her in fury which she refused. Prior to his sentencing, Mr Harrington told the court: He did not simply kill, he attacked in a barbaric manner, cutting, stabbing and slashing his victim over 50 times, cutting her throat, slashing both wrists, cutting, stabbing and slashing her face, arm and especially the torso. It is tempting to talk of the defendant having attacked in a frenzy, but the pattern of distribution of injuries suggests a particular mindset. Lynette White (PA) Gafoors sister said he never smoke, drank or took drugs and spent most of his time working, reading or watching television. Through his life he has been a loner, Mr Harrington summarised, an assessment that tallied with the opinion of his neighbours in the village of Llanharan, who described him as a recluse who would only speak to you out of necessity. Mr Justice John Royce sentenced Gafoor to life in prison with a minimum sentence of 13 years and told him: For 15 years, you kept your guilty secret and evaded justice even while others stood trial for the murder you knew that you had committed. Jeffrey Gafoor was recently rejected for probation for a third time when a Parole Board ruled he had not made as much progress as hoped since being transferred to open prison in 2020 as a result of Covid-19 restrictions being imposed. After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made while in custody, and the other evidence presented in the dossier, the panel was not satisfied that Mr Gafoor was suitable for release, the board wrote in its report. However, on assessing the benefits and risks of Mr Gafoor remaining in open conditions, the panel recommended that he should do so. He had made considerable efforts to address his areas of risk and had demonstrated steady progress. Mr Gafoor will be eligible for another parole review in due course. While in prison, Gafoor has reportedly taken part in programmes to address his decision-making, better ways of thinking and tendency to use violence. The family of a missing teenager have accused the Metropolitan Police of acting incompetently during their search for the schoolgirl. Aaliyah Chen, 15, went missing on Sunday evening after leaving through a window in her family home in Sidcup, south London, wearing black baggy trousers, a khaki top, and a black coat with beige trimming. Aaliyah is believed to be with a 24-year-old man, who allegedly groomed her via social media app Snapchat and was served with a child abduction warning notice in July in respect of his previous interactions with Aaliyah. Aaliyahs family claim that the police have mishandled the case due to their failure to quickly investigate an address in Brixton where Aaliyah is believed to have been following her disappearance and which is closely linked with the man in question. They also felt that the case was incorrectly classified by the police as medium risk before the designation was changed to high risk. In an appeal in The Guardian, Aaliyahs aunt, Laura Rushe, said: The first 36 hours felt like they were wasted. Information we provided was not given to the search team. Aaliyahs mother, Obaida Chen, pleaded with her daughter to come home in the appeal: Aaliyah, please come home if you see this, she said. We love you and miss you, you are not in any trouble at all. I just wish the police had acted earlier. The family contacted The Guardian after learning more about Richard Okorogheye, another young person who went missing and was later found dead, whose case is under investigation by the police watchdog due to alleged errors made by the Met. Prior to Aaliyahs disappearance, her family found that she had been in contact with the man in question for four months, and he was even arrested by police in February though he was not charged. In May, Aaliyahs phone was returned following an investigation, and in July, the man was served with a child abduction warning notice following continued contact between him and Aaliyah. The day before Aaliyahs disappearance, the 15-year-old was taken to hospital after her mother discovered her diary, which included details of Aaliyahs meetings with the man in question during school holidays as well as plans to leave home, including how to cope with little food. The family called the police and the diary was taken by the Met. Shortly after that, a suicide note was discovered on Aaliyahs phone. Aaliyah was hospitalised, but she was discharged the following day. She went missing that evening after kissing her mother goodnight. Aaliyah is believed to have travelled on the 51 bus across London at around 1am. Her family called the police soon after realising she was gone, and they feel that the Mets response has been incompetent. Ms Rushe said: Their coordination is appalling. One team did not know the other team had [Aaliyahs] diaries, adding that she thought the police might have found the pair if they had gone when they were supposed to, as Aaliyah is thought to have been at the aforementioned Brixton address while the police were investigating on Monday morning. Aaliyahs family believe she was groomed following a change in her interests, and that more could have been done to protect the schoolgirl. In a statement, the Met said: We are aware of concerns raised by Aaliyahs family regarding the initial response and ongoing investigation into her disappearance. We are conducting a wide range of enquiries to trace Aaliyah. The Met is committed to providing the best possible service to families of missing people, ensuring that they are supported by specialist officers and informed of investigative updates as soon as possible. We are continuing to keep Aaliyahs family updated on our investigation. They have stressed that anyone who sees Aaliyah should call 999 immediately, providing the reference CAD 4086/08Sep. Anyone who has any other information about her whereabouts should call 101. Newcastle University has apologised to a medical student after she was told that her skirt was too short during a roleplay exercise as part of a mock examination. The university admitted this week that the student, who posts on Twitter under the name thegradmedic, should not have received a yellow card warning from her examiner over the clothing. It said that the comment about the dress was made by a roleplay patient as part of the mock exam and then passed back to the student as feedback. The issue was first raised publicly in June when a friend of the student posted a photo of the black dress, which goes below the knee, on social media. A friend did their OSCE's with me recently and got yellow carded for wearing a short skirt'... could someone explain to me how it's 2021 and medical schools are still pushing sexist notions of primness upon its female student cohort, for daring to display their ankles, they wrote on Twitter. The medical student added that she complained to the university and was told that her outfit was the most inappropriate dress they had ever seen and that the the examiners word is final and the investigation is closed. However, in a statement published on Thursday, Newcastle University said that it wanted to apologise for any offence or distress caused by the incident. The comment was made by a role-play patient as part of an exam. All comments made by patients in exams are passed on to students as feedback, the university said on its official Twitter page. However, we agree it should not have resulted in a yellow card from the examiner. This is why, when the concerns were raised with us by thegradmedic earlier this year, they were investigated and the yellow card was rescinded. The statement added: We would not want any student to come away from these exams feeling remarks like this in any way reflect the values of the University and the issues will be addressed in future examination briefings. In response, the student involved questioned the statement, arguing that the criticism came apparently from the patient and examiner alike. However, in a separate set of tweets, she said that she would not be commenting further to media publications on the incident due to concerns about potentially exposing the individuals involved. That said, I hope Ive raised [the issue] in a way that is both appropriate but will invoke awareness/change, she added. I hope it leads to wider questions being asked RE discrimination, policies, but also the freedom (or lack of) for students/doctors to discuss issues without fear of repercussions. Delays in upgrading police computer systems could be putting the security and safety of the public at risk, a new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) warns. A replacement IT system scheduled to be completed last year is now expected to be completed until 2025-26 at the very earliest, posing potential problems for officers needing to access crucial information, the report says. It has urged the Home Office to urgently work with policy to replace out-of-date technology before it becomes obsolete. The Home Office has dismissed concerns over public safety and access for police as inaccurate. The two police IT systems the Police National Computer (PNC) and the Police National Database (PND) are considered vital to the countrys police and part of the UKs critical infrastructure. The PNC has been the main database of criminal records since 1974 and is used by officers across the country, while the PND is a national intelligence-sharing system launched in 2011. In 2016 the Home Office set out to develop a new technology, the National Law Enforcement Data Service (NLEDS), which was expected to merge the PNC and PND into one unified database in 2020. But the NAO said the programme is yet to deliver expected services and delays occurred when it became apparent the original project would be late, difficult and costly to roll out and maintain, and would not meet the needs of the police. The programme is now now not expected to be fully up and running with an equivalent to the current PNC until 2025-26, while the total cost to the government department has risen by 68 per cent to 1.1 billion. However, the PNCs current technology will be outdated and no longer have technical support available after December 2024 which could leave it at a higher risk of disruption for at least a year, the NAO warned. In autumn 2020 the police lost confidence in the programme, formally raising their concerns with the Home Offices permanent secretary, the NAO said. In response, Labours shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds accused Priti Patel of putting community safety at risk as a result of the problems. He said the report revealed an appalling lack of leadership and grip by the Home Secretary in making sure our police have the best technology at their disposal, adding: Ministers must urgently explain why there has been this additional delay with millions of pounds of taxpayers money wasted. According to the NAO report, the Home Office believes the actual risk of disruption is low due to contingency plans it has put in place. In June, the department told the NAO it had increased confidence in the deliverability of the programme, the report said. A Home Office spokesperson said the new system would be more effective and provide substantial savings for police and taxpayers, adding: The police continue to have full access to vital information while the service is implemented, with the Police National Computer remaining operational until the transition is complete. Parts of the programme are already delivering for the police, including the introduction of new technology which has made it quicker to successfully identify people pulled over at the roadside, saving officers over 19,000 hours to date. This is a complex programme and we have a dedicated and experienced team delivering it in a controlled and phased way. In May, an independent report called for urgent reforms after thousands of crime records stored by the PNC were wrongly deleted. Although the report blamed human error and management failures, it added that the mainframe computer used for background checks on suspects characters was build in the 1970s and must be updated or replaced. A refugee who fled religious persecution in Eritrea fears she will never be reunited with her daughter after a 13-year battle to be granted asylum in the UK. Addis fled the city of Keren in 2008 after her husband, a Pentecostal pastor, was imprisoned for his faith amid a government crackdown on the countrys minority churches, which began six years earlier. The 35-year-old, who shared the same religion, was also locked up with their five-year-old daughter, Lina Samuel, for two weeks before they were released and managed to escape to neighbouring Sudan. It was here Addis was forced to make the agonising decision to leave behind Lina - who has a serious heart condition - with her aunt while she went on to enter the UK by lorry. The mother had always hoped her daughter would one day join her in England, but as she faced constant refusals for refugee status over the next 13 years that dream seemed further and further out of reach. Addis said she was last in contact with her daughter more than a decade ago and has been unable to trace her since then. She told The Independent: I contacted my daughter in 2009 and talked to her on the phone but after that I dont know where she is, I dont know where my auntie is. My daughters heart problem is very bad; she is very sick. Its a very bad situation. Im in pain, she said through tears. I need her because she is like my sister. I can still hear her voice in my mind. Sometimes I dream and I see her. Addis was finally granted five years leave to remain in the UK a few months ago but at 19, Lina is now too old to be allowed to join her mother. Current UK immigration rules restrict family reunion for children over the age of 18 something Liberal Democrat peer Sarah Ludford is hoping to change with her private members bill. If passed, her Refugees (Family Reunion) Bill would see further provision made for leave to enter or remain in the UK to be granted to the family members of refugees and of people granted humanitarian protection. The bill, which had its second reading in the House of Lords on Friday, would also expand the UKs current family reunion rules so that child refugees can bring their parents and siblings to join them in the UK. Eritreans refugees play volleyball in a transit centre for new refugees arrivals from Eritrea in Wadsharefy, Sudan (Getty Images) Addis has approached organisations such as the British Red Cross over the years with Linas photograph and her aunts contact details but they have never been found. On Thursday, she received a travel document which will allow her to visit neighbouring countries such as Ethiopia and Sudan to search for her daughter, however she will first need to find a way of funding the trip. The mother said she was very scared and nervous about looking for her daughter because she does not know where or how she will be. Speaking ahead of her bills second reading in the Lords on Friday, Baroness Ludford said: Refugee families being torn apart is one of the most painful impacts of war, conflict and persecution. Through no fault of their own, conflict leaves parents separated from their children, sisters separated from their brothers, and its critical they are supported to reunite in safety. The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those in need, and communities up and down the country are all the stronger for this. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 11 September 2021 George Bush wells up at an event commemorating the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoystown, Pennsylvania Reuters World news in pictures 10 September 2021 A Taliban fighter lays his AK-47 rifle down during Friday prayers at a Mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan AP World news in pictures 9 September 2021 Paramilitary and public security forces take part in a parade to celebrate the 73rd founding anniversary of North Korea at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang KCNA via KNS/AFP/Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2021 A vendor pushes a cart of sugarcane juice past a fire at a demonstration in Bangkok as activists call for the resignation of Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha over the government's handling of the Covid-19 crisis AFP/Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2021 People take part in a religious procession on the occasion of the 417th anniversary of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib, at the Gurudwara Ramsar in Amritsar AFP/Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2021 A dog sits on the doorway as a shopkeeper clears muddy water from his shop after heavy rainfall flooded the banks of Bishnumati river in Kathmandu, Nepal AP World news in pictures 5 September 2021 apan athletes wave as Thank you' in Japanese is displayed in the stadium during the closing ceremony of 2020 Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony Reuters World news in pictures 4 September 2021 People demonstrate at the Zurich Pride parade with the slogan 'Dare. Marriage for all, now!', for the rights of the LGBTIQ community in Zurich, Switzerland. EPA World news in pictures 3 September 2021 China's Dong Lu competes in the Women's 200m individual medley final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Getty World news in pictures 2 September 2021 People look at cars abandoned on the flooded Major Deegan Expressway following a night of extremely heavy rain from the remnants of Hurricane Ida, in the Bronx borough of New York City Getty World news in pictures 1 September 2021 A one-legged stork rescued by an animal sanctuary eats fish with a new 3D-printed leg inside its enclosure near Frantiskovy Lazne, Czech Republic Reuters World news in pictures 31 August 2021 Women hold umbrellas to cover from rain as they wait to receive a dose of COVISHIELD vaccine in Kolkata, India Reuters World news in pictures 30 August 2021 Taliban fighters investigate a damaged car after multiple rockets were fired in Kabul AFP/Getty World news in pictures 29 August 2021 A Taliban fighter stands guard as Talibans acting Higher Education Minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani (not pictured) addresses a gathering during a consultative meeting on Taliban's general higher education policies at the Loya Jirga Hall in Kabu AFP/Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2021 A child that was evacuated from Afghanistan looks on at the U.S. airbase in Ramstein, Germany Reuters World news in pictures 27 August 2021 Soldiers take a selfie before a military parade in Chisinau, Moldova EPA World news in pictures 26 August 2021 Smoke rises from the site of a suspected suicide bombing outside Kabul airport in Afghanistan AP World news in pictures 25 August 2021 Egypts Ibrahim Elhusseiny Hamadtou in action during his Mens Singles Class 6 Group E Table Tennis match at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA World news in pictures 24 August 2021 People take pictures of fireworks outside the stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 23 August 2021 Staff members spraying disinfectant at a school ahead of the new semester in Bozhou, Chinas eastern Anhui province AFP/Getty World news in pictures 22 August 2021 A Taliban fighter stands guard at a checkpoint in the Wazir Akbar Khan area in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan AP World news in pictures 21 August 2021 Mexican firefighters known as "Topos" work in the early morning hours in a search and rescue mission, amid the rubble from last week's 7.2 magnitude earthquake, in Les Cayes, Haiti AP World news in pictures 20 August 2021 Bangladeshi vendor sells a religious item during a Muharram event at the premises of Hussaini Dalan in Dhaka, Bangladesh EPA World news in pictures 19 August 2021 Law enforcement officers with rifles take position near the US Capitol building in Washington DC as police investigate a possible explosive device in a truck near the heart of American government AP World news in pictures 18 August 2021 A Taliban fighter patrols in Wazir Akbar Khan in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan AP World news in pictures 17 August 2021 Art students paint messages of solidarity with people at risk in Afghanistans crisis outside an art school in Mumbai AFP/Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2021 Afghan people climb atop a plane as they wait at the Kabul airport AFP via Getty World news in pictures 15 August 2021 Taliban fighters patrol inside the city of Kandahar province in southwest Afghanistan AP World news in pictures 14 August 2021 A collapsed building is seen in Les Cayes, Haiti following a 7.2 magnitude earthquake which left at least 29 people dead Reuters World news in pictures 13 August 2021 Perseids are seen next to Milky Way during the annual Perseid meteor shower at Tres Mares peak, in Cantabria, northern Spain EPA World news in pictures 12 August 2021 A woman sits along the broken steps of a partially-collapsed building destroyed by bombardment during the May 2021 conflict between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City AFP via Getty World news in pictures 11 August 2021 People stranded at the Pakistani-Afghan border wait for its reopening after it was closed by the Talibans, who have taken over the control of the Afghan side of the border at Chaman, Pakistan EPA World news in pictures 10 August 2021 Supporters cheer outside French football club Paris Saint-Germains Parc des Princes stadium in Paris after Argentinian football player Lionel Messi landed in Le Bourget airport to sign for the club AFP/Getty World news in pictures 9 August 2021 People perform a folk dance to traditional music as they celebrate the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples in Mumbai, India EPA World news in pictures 8 August 2021 Thank you messages is displayed inside the stadium during the Olympic closing ceremony in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 7 August 2021 Pro-democracy protesters clash with police during a demonstration demanding Thai prime minister Prayut Chan-Ochas and King Maha Vajiralongkorn be held accountable for the governments failure to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, in Bangkok AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 August 2021 Members of local NPO release paper lanterns on Motoyasu River in front of beside the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, as it was known before 1945, and now called the Atomic Bomb Dome, as the city marks the 76th anniversary of the world's first atomic bomb attack AFP/Getty World news in pictures 5 August 2021 The Men's Decathletes pose for a photo following their competition on day thirteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan Getty World news in pictures 4 August 2021 Maronite clergymen pray near damaged grain silos at the port of Lebanons capital on the first anniversary of the blast that ravaged the port and the city AFP/Getty World news in pictures 3 August 2021 An underwater view shows Frances Charlotte and Laura Tremble during the womens duet technical routine artistic swimming event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games AFP/Getty World news in pictures 2 August 2021 Germany compete in the women's team pursuit qualifying event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Velodrome AFP/Getty World news in pictures 1 August 2021 enezuela's Yulimar Rojas competes in the women's triple jump final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Rojas took gold and broke the Olympic and World Record in the process AFP/Getty World news in pictures 31 July 2021 Elaine Thompson-Herah celebrates as she crosses the finish line to win the gold medal ahead of Jamaican teammate Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the women's 100m final at the Tokyo Olympic Games Reuters World news in pictures 30 July 2021 Athletes compete during the mens 3000m Steeplechase at the Tokyo Olympics Reuters World news in pictures 29 July 2021 Athletes compete in the BMX mens Olympic quarter-finals run at the Ariake Urban Sports Park in Tokyo AFP/Getty World news in pictures 28 July 2021 A picture taken with a drone shows researchers from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University investigating a dead fin whale found in the harbor of Terneuzen, The Netherlands EPA World news in pictures 27 July 2021 People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk past extra papers reporting on Japanese gold medalists at Tokyo Olympics AP World news in pictures 26 July 2021 The ball hits Thailand's Orawan Paranang's face as she competes against Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa during her women's singles round 3 table tennis match at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 25 July 2021 A woman walks in the rubble after flooding due to heavy rains in Dinant, Belgium, a week after more than 30 people were killed in floods in the country EPA World news in pictures 24 July 2021 A firefighter uses a drip torch to light a backfire in an effort to stop the spread of the Dixie fire in Prattville, California AFP/Getty However, it is essential that political support for refugees is maintained, including a recognition that it is plainly wrong to keep child refugees separated from their parents. The Refugee Council also fears the Nationality and Borders Bill, which is in its third of five Commons stages before it ascends to the House of Lords, will make the current rules more restrictive. The proposed changes to treat refugees differently based on how they arrived will see their rights to family reunion restricted, making it harder for these families to be together again, said a spokesperson for the organisation. Under the new legislation, knowingly arriving in the UK without permission will become a criminal offence. The bill, which would pave the way for the Home Office to effectively punish countries that refuse to take back their own citizens, would also give new powers for Border Force to stop and divert vessels suspected of carrying illegal migrants. Addis is a member of the VOICES Network UK, a collective of refugees and people seeking asylum who speak out about issues that affect them. A Home Office spokesperson said in a statement: The Government provides a safe and legal route to bring families together through its family reunion policy, which allows partners and children under 18 to join those granted protection in the UK. Where a family reunion application does not meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules, caseworkers will consider whether there are any exceptional circumstances or compassionate factors which may justify a grant of leave. Our New Plan for Immigration will fix the broken asylum system. We will welcome people through safe and legal routes whilst preventing abuse of the system, cracking down on illegal entry and the criminality associated with it. Thirty-one late-stage attack plots were disrupted over the past four years by intelligence officers, the director-general of MI5 has said. Ken McCallum said that the threat of terrorism in the UK remains a real and enduring thing and warned that recent events in Afghanistan could lead to a new 9/11-style attack plot. He added: We do face a consistent global struggle to defeat extremism and to guard against terrorism this is real problem. He told the BBCs Today programme on Friday: In the past four years, working with the police, my organisation has disrupted 31 late-stage attack plots in Great Britain. That number includes mainly Islamist attack plots but also a growing number of attack plots from right-wing terrorists. Mr McCallum said that the threats had not been diminished by the coronavirus pandemic. He revealed that even during the pandemic period, which we have all been enduring for the past two years, we have had to disrupt six late-stage attack plots. So, the terrorist threat to the UK, I am sorry to say, is a real and enduring thing. Speaking about the impacts of the Talibans take-over of Afghanistan, Mr McCallum said: The big concern, flowing from Afghanistan, alongside the immediate inspirational effect, is that terrorists reconstitute and once again cause us more in the way of well developed, sophisticated plots of the sort that we faced in 9/11 and the years thereafter. With the 20th anniversary of 9/11 on Saturday, Mr McCallum reflected on where he was when the planes hit the twin towers. He said: I was working as what we call an agent runner, working with human sources inside terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland. On the morning of 9/11, or the lunch time as it was in the UK, when the first plan struck the twin towers we turned on the television in the corner of a room. As the second plan struck, a colleague quietly said, Osama bin Laden, and someone else said, I guess we all know what were doing for the next 10 years of our lives, and so it proved. Asked if he knew who Osama bin Laden was at the time of the attacks, Mr McCallum responded: Yes, absolutely. We had been watching the rise of these Islamist extremist threats for some time, he added. Obviously al-Qaeda had struck the US embassies in East Africa in 1998. Wed seen attacks in Yemen in the year 2000. And something that is often forgotten is that in the UK, 10 months before 9/11, we disrupted with the police a bomb plot in Birmingham. [It was] not formally by al-Qaeda the organisation but this wave of terrorism was already coming towards us. The director-general said that the recent events in Afghanistan would not dramatically change terrorists capabilities overnight. But he said there would be a psychological boost, morale boost to extremists who were already residing in this country or other countries. He said that there could be a potential re-growth of al-Qaeda style directed plots of the type that we saw several years ago. He added: There is no doubt that recent events in Afghanistan will have heartened and emboldened extremists, and so being vigilant to precisely those kinds of risks is what my organisation is focused on. Describing how the terrorist threat had changed over the past decade, Mr McCallum reflected that although the number of plots MI5 disrupts now is higher than it was directly after 9/11, they are smaller plots of lower sophistication. He explained that Isis had achieved something al-Qaeda hadnt by managing to inspire lots of people with no direct connection to the organisation to take their online instructional material and attempt much smaller scale plots. He said these were by their nature harder to detect. Mr McCallum also compared terrorist threats with the challenges posed by foreign state-run spying campaigns. He said terrorism remained the biggest threat to life but that these more insidious state-run threats aimed to interfere in our way of life and our democracy. Supermarket food shortages will be over by Christmas, No 10 says rejecting industry warnings that shoppers must get used to permanent gaps on shelves. Boris Johnsons spokesman set up the hostage to fortune as he dismissed an extraordinary claim that the days when people could pick up almost any item they want, whenever they want, are over. The gloomy boss of the Food and Drink Federation said there was no prospect of the problems triggered by a combination of Brexit and Covid ending quickly. Its going to get worse and its not going to get better after getting worse any time soon, Ian Wright told an event organised by the Institute for Government. The result of the labour shortages is that the just-in-time system that has sustained supermarkets, convenience stores and restaurants so the food has arrived on shelf or in the kitchen, just when you need it is no longer working. And I dont think it will work again, I think we will see we are now in for permanent shortages. But, quizzed by The Independent, the prime ministers spokesman rejected the warning, saying: We dont recognise those claims. We have got highly resilient food supply chains which have coped extremely well in the face of challenges and we believe that will remain the case. Pressed on whether the shortages will ease to allow people to enjoy a normal Christmas, the spokesman replied: I believe so, yes. No 10s confidence comes despite the CBI business group warning that the labour shortages blamed for the gaps on shelves and restaurant menus could last up to two years. Despite gathering criticism, the government has rebuffed calls to loosen immigration rules to attract more HGV drivers, for example insisting businesses must stop relying on EU workers. However, the fear of creating a bigger crisis is expected to see the government shelve full post-Brexit import controls on imports from the EU, for a second time. Mr Wright said the shop shortages did not mean the country is ever going to run out of food. But he warned: The UK shopper and consumer could have previously expected just about every product they want to be on the shelf or in the restaurant all the time. Thats over, and I dont think its coming back. The food and drink industry is short of around half a million workers, he said, meaning it is missing about 1 in 8 the total number of people it needs in its workforce. The dearth was partly the result of EU nationals leaving the UK because of both the pandemic and the UK leaving the European Union. The lack of lorry drivers was partly caused by them moving to online retailers and starting to deliver for Amazon and Tesco to get better hours and pay. The UK could deploy lethal drone strikes in Afghanistan if the Taliban allows terrorists to operate in the country again, the defence secretary has suggested. Ben Wallace said on Thursday that he would be prepared to do whatever I have to do to protect the UK as he visited RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, where a new fleet of remotely-piloted Protector aircraft will be based. The government is investing 94m to upgrade the RAF station so it can house the drones, which are set to enter into service in 2024. When asked if the UK government would consider launching drone strikes in Afghanistan, Mr Wallace said: Ill do whatever I have to do to protect citizens lives and our interests and our allies, when were called upon to do so, wherever that may be. His comments follow concerns about the possibility of Afghanistan becoming a safe haven for terrorist groups under the Talibans leadership after western troops withdrew from the country last month. On Friday, the head of MI5 warned there was no doubt that the chaotic events in the country had heartened and emboldened extremists, potentially raising the terrorist threat to the UK. There is no doubt that events in Afghanistan will have heartened and emboldened some of those extremists and so being vigilant to precisely those kinds of risks [is what] my organisation is focused on along with a range of other threats, Ken McCallum told BBC Radio 4s Today show. Mr McCallum said that it would take time for al Qaida-style attacks to build but noted that there could be an immediate psychological boost for terrorists working independently in the UK or in other countries. We need to be vigilant both for the increase in inspired terrorism which has become a real trend for us to deal with over the last five to 10 years, alongside the potential regrowth of al Qaida-style directed plots, he added. The MI5 director-general also said that it was hard to give a simplistic answer for whether the UK was safer now than it was 20 years ago, when the 9/11 terror attacks took place in the US, due to the changing nature of global terrorism. The number of plots that we disrupt nowadays are actually higher than the number of plots that were coming at us after 9/11, but on average they are smaller plots of lower sophistication, Mr McCallum said. Additional reporting by PA The smell of death lingered for days after the killings. The bodies, more than a dozen in the uniforms of fighters, others in civilian clothing, were still scattered on the muddy ground. In a nearby churchyard, many more were already buried at least 59 people killed by forces from Ethiopias northern Tigray region, residents alleged. Six bodies of priests were laid to rest inside the church itself. In their rush to flee to safer areas of the Amhara region, residents said at times they placed multiple bodies in single graves. At the scene of one of the deadliest battles of Ethiopias 10-month Tigray conflict, witness accounts reflected the increasingly blurred line between combatant and civilian after the federal government weeks ago urged all capable citizens to stop the Tigray forces once and for all. When the Tigray fighters captured the village of Chenna Teklehaymanot in the Amhara region on Aug. 31, shortly after a military division defending the area left for unknown reasons, our (local) defence forces confronted them. Ordinary people here also joined with whatever they could, said 66-year-old Dagnew Hune. He told The Associated Press he witnessed the ensuing killings and helped to bury the dead. About 100 people are still missing, Dagnew said on Thursday, walking past what he said were fresh graves in the churchyard covered with tree branches and stones. Local officials have said as many as 200 people in all may have been killed over several days of fighting, with the worst of it on 4 September in Chenna Teklehaymanot after Ethiopian forces reportedly blocked an attempt by Tigray fighters to seize the city of Gondar. The Tigray forces have since retreated north, residents said, leaving survivors to check the pockets of dead fighters for clues to their identities. And some questioned why the division of Ethiopian soldiers had left them alone, with only local militia and residents to defend them.Since retaking their embattled home region from Ethiopian forces in June, the Tigray fighters have brought the war into the countrys neighbouring regions of Afar and Amhara, where Chenna Teklehaymanot is located. The Tigray forces say they are pressuring Ethiopias government to lift a blockade on Tigray that has left millions of people without telecommunications, electricity, banking services and almost all humanitarian aid. Now a massive humanitarian crisis that already affects millions inside Tigray is spreading as hundreds of thousands of people flee the Tigray fighters, fearing their retaliatory attacks. The Tigray forces have said they are not attacking civilians. But grieving witnesses and survivors in Chenna Teklehaymanot said the Tigray forces arrived demanding food, then killed people who tried to resist when the fighters killed their animals or looted their properties. Many of the innocent civilians here have lost their lives, said local priest Yared Adamu. Holding a cross, he walked inside the damaged church, where bullet casings were scattered on the ground. A spokesman for the Tigray forces, Getachew Reda, speaking with the AP on Friday, called allegations that Tigray fighters had targeted civilians in the village absolutely, absolutely false. He accused Amhara regional special forces of forcing civilians to fight, and of course they will be caught in the crossfire. Told that residents had not reported being forced to fight, Getachew replied, Whatever they told you was staged drama. He also denied allegations that the Tigray forces were retreating. Ethiopias widening war, with atrocities reported on all sides, has led to urgent calls by the United Nations, United States and others for an immediate cease-fire and a path to dialogue. But there is little peace in sight. Ethiopias government this year declared the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, which long dominated the national government before Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office, a terrorist group. That designation cant be lifted until a new federal government is formed, likely in early October, his spokeswoman told reporters on Thursday.What began as a political dispute has killed thousands since November. Now in the Amhara region, as in Tigray, some outraged civilians have joined the fight.Resident Kibret Bidere described himself as a member of the Amhara militia called the Fano. He told the AP his sister and her 1-year-old son had been killed, and his father was missing. Even today we are looking for the lost ones from morning to evening, but we havent found any, he said, nursing an injured arm from previous fighting. The villages traditional homes of grass and mud were emptying as residents departed through the mist, searching for safety elsewhere. Many had bundles on their backs. One, a gun propped on his shoulder. Our home was attacked by heavy artillery, said Senait Ambaw, who was leaving with her husband, clutching a chicken. All the people of Chenna have no home now. Its over. In the nearby town of Dabat, Amhara militia riding by on a truck fired their guns skyward in victory. Children ran after them, collecting the bullet casings from the ground. Cara Anna in Nairobi, Kenya contributed. The widow of a pilot whose hijacked jet was flown into the World Trade Center on 9/11, has recalled watching the plane strike and thinking we are a nation at war. Ellen Saracinis husband, Victor Saracini, 51, was the captain of United Airlines Flight 175, one of four planes that were seized by Al-Qaeda hijackers, and used to attack targets in New York and Washington DC. After the plane took off from Boston bound for Los Angeles, hijackers stormed the cockpit and killed the pilot, and the first mate, Michael Horrocks. They then flew the plane into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, striking at it 9.03am. The attack on the South Tower was the second plane to strike the WTC. Less than 20 minutes earlier, another hijacked jet, American Airlines Flight 11, had been flown into the North Tower. For many people, including Ms Saracini, it was the moment they knew these were not accidents. As Victors plane struck, we realised we were a nation at war, she told The Independent. Ellen Saracini and daughters Brielle and Kirsten at memorial mass in 2001 (AFP via Getty Images) Ms Saracini said she had been on the couples childrens school that day in Lower Makefield Township, Pennsylvania, overseeing a meeting for volunteers, when the first initial news reached them of what was happening in New York. She said somebody told her that an American Airlines plane was involved, so she cancelled the meeting and went home and saw [it] on TV. At around 10.30am that day, it was confirmed that her husband, a former navy aviator who who loved his family and also loved to drive his Corvette and his motorcycle, was presumed dead. A week later, she and her daughters, Brielle and Kirsten, attended a memorial mass for her husband, where he received a US navy honor guard, and she was handed a folded Stars and Stripes. In the years since the attacks, Ms Saracini has worked determinedly to improve aviation safety, and in particular to ensure the cockpits on passenger planes have a second door. In 2019, she saw real success when Congress passed the Saracini Aviation Safety Act, requiring all new aircraft to be fitted with a second cockpit door. Educating The Next Generation On 9/11 Yet, she has said her work is not complete as the 2019 law only applied to new aircraft. She said the Federal Aviation Administration has acknowledged cockpit doors remain vulnerable, so all operating planes should be required to have a second door. She is working with her congressman, Republican Brian Fitzpatrick, to push through a new measure. We can agree that September 11 changed the world. And there are things about September 11, that havent been answered yet. Havent been disclosed, havent been protected again, she said. So thats my part of standing up, to right the wrongs. And I wont stop. You know, the flight crews, Victors brothers and sisters are in the air flying. And theyve become my brothers and sisters. We cant leave them vulnerable up there. She added: And it will be Victors legacy, that he would not have died in vain. When South Tower was hit most people realised attacks were deliberate (Getty Images) Ms Saracini donated one of her husbands spare United Airlines pilot caps to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. She also made use of the cap, to symbolise her late husband, when their youngest daughter, Brielle, got married in 2017. Their daughters husband, Sean McGuire, also lost his father in the 9/11 attacks, and the couple met at a camp that had been established for the children whose parents had been killed that day. Ms Saracini previously told CBS News that her final words to her husband on the day he was killed, and his to her, were: I love you. A number of 9/11 survivors and relatives say the US government is still covering up for Saudi Arabia, two decades after Al-Qaeda hijackers killed almost 3,000 people. As the world prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of the attacks in New York and Washington DC, both survivors of the carnage, as well as relatives of those who died, say it astonishing the authorities have still not revealed all the information they have about the attacks. Right now, our government is failing us in the way they failed us 20 years ago when they did not keep my dad safe, Brett Eagleson, whose father, Bruce, died at the World Trade Center, told The Independent. He added: Theyre adding insult to injury. In the aftermath of the attacks, allegedly plotted by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and given a green light by Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, a series of investigations were carried out. One of the most comprehensive undertaken was the bipartisan 9/11 Commission Report, formally named Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. While 15 of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, the report did not point to any role by the Saudi state itself. Indeed, it said it found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded [Al-Qaeda] to conspire in the attacks, or that it funded the attackers. Motorcycle ride to honor 9/11 firefighters In the years since, family members and other campaigners have continued to push for the release of any other information the government had. Recently, it was revealed that even after the 9/11 Commission completed its probe, the FBI continued to investigate Saudi Arabias possible role, at least up until 2016, as part of what was called Operation Encore. That year, the government released the final, previously classified chapter of the report. It showed that the first hijackers to arrive in the US, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, were met and assisted by a Saudi national in 2000. That man, Omar al-Bayoumi, who helped them find and lease an apartment in San Diego, had ties to the Saudi government and had attracted FBI scrutiny, investigators have said. Among Mr Bayoumis contacts was Fahad al-Thumairy, at the time an accredited diplomat at the Saudi consulate in Los Angeles who investigators say led an extremist faction at his mosque. The two men left the US weeks before the attacks, yet have always denied any wrongdoing. There has been intense pressure on President Joe Biden to release whatever information the government or the FBI may have. Last month, around 1,600 relatives of those who died, issued a public letter, calling on the president to stay away from any memorial events, if he does not make public such information. We cannot in good faith, and with veneration to those lost, sick, and injured, welcome the president to our hallowed grounds until he fulfills his commitment, they wrote. The 9/11 families have been helped by a series of lawyers, among them Jim Kreindler, and Robert Haefele, who works for the Motley Rice law firm, who have pursued lawsuits against both the Saudi government and individuals, as filed subpoenas against the US government, demanding it make documents available. In what a considerable breakthrough, lawyers were able to question under oath of former Saudi officials, even though those depositions remain under court seal. Relatives and survivors have demanded transparency for 20 years (Getty Images NA) Last week, in what some campaigners believe could be a break through, Mr Biden issued an executive order ordering a review of such materials, and its release. As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, the American people deserve to have a fuller picture of what their government knows about those attacks, he said. The order said the information would be made public over the next six months except when the strongest possible reasons counsel otherwise. Of intense interest to campaigners, was an undertaking to make public by September 11 2021, an electronic communication dating to April 2016. Some believe it is the summary of the Operation Encore probe. This move will finally free up critical relevant factual evidence about September 11th, 2001 attacks and those sponsoring Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda in the days, months and years leading up to the hijackings and terror attacks, saidJodi Westbrook Flowers, a Motley Rice lawyer, who represents more than 6,600 family members and survivors. In a statement, the Saudi Embassy in Washington DC repeated the kingdoms previous denial of any complicity. Previous declassification of materials relating to the September 11 attacks, such as the 28 Pages, only have confirmed the 9/11 Commissions finding that Saudi Arabia had nothing to do with this terrible crime, it said. It is lamentable that such false and malicious claims persist. Mr Eagleson said he would wait to see what Mr Biden delivered and would judge him by his word. Another of the group, Sharon Premoli, who was on the 80th Floor of the North Tower when it was struck and who managed to walk out with other survivors, said she was heartened by Mr Bidens actions. Its a really positive departure from the two decades and the three administrations of stonewalling that weve experienced, she said. She said it the documents were heavily redacted, they would not serve the purpose for which they were intended purpose. Hopefully, they wont be, she added. Three administrations did care more about Saudi Arabia. Our own government subordinated the best interests of victims of terrorism and the American public, to the best interests of Saudi Arabia. And that is unconscionable. Additional reporting by Associated Press Nearly 100 years ago, the city of Manhattan Beach, California, seized a Black couples resort on a prime, beachfront piece of property, one of the few hospitality businesses in the area that catered to African-Americans during the era of Jim Crow segregation. Now, state legislators have voted unanimously to return the parcel to the familys descendants, in what one state senator calls a form of reparations. State representatives voted on Thursday to return the property, known as Bruces Beach, to the descendants of Willa and Charles Bruce, whose resort was taken by eminent domain in 1924 and later demolished. The bill is still waiting on a signature from Governor Gavin Newsom, but is expected to pass. "Im elated, walking on water right now," Duane Shepard, a Bruce family member, said on Thursday, according to the Southern California News Group . "This is one of the greatest things in American history right now." The bill, known as SB 796, is the culmination of an effort that began last summer, as racial justice activists around the country joined Black Lives Matter protests. Time and time again different government bodies have used their power to deny wealth and opportunities to many communities of color, the bills author, state senator Steven Bradford said in a statement. SB 796 represents economic and historic justice and is a model of what reparations can truly look like. The Bruces purchased the property in 1912, and set up one of the areas only resorts open to Black people at the time. At the time, numerous beaches, hotels, and other recreation venues were segregated or closed to African-Americans. The family built a resort, a lodge, a cafe, and a dance hall on the parcel. "Bruces Beach became a place where Black families travelled from far and wide to be able to enjoy the simple pleasure of a day at the beach," Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in April, when the county and state legislators announced their intention to return the land. But the areas white population rebelled against the development. The Klu Klux Klan tried to burn the property down. White couples harassed Black patrons, and residents put fake signs on the beach saying parking wasnt allowed. For those who defied them, some found the air let out of their tires. White neighbours resented the resorts growing popularity and prosperity of its African American owners, a recent report prepared by the city reads. In 1924, the Manhattan Beach Board of Trustees took things one step further, seizing the resort, ostensibly to develop a park, which was never built. Eventually, the land was transferred to the state in 1948, then to Los Angeles County in 1995. It now houses a training centre for lifeguards, and requires a change in state law to convert back into private property. The controversy didnt end there. Once the campaign to return the land heated up, an anonymous ad in a local paper complained that Bruce descendants were labelling Manhattan Beach a prejudiced place for an old injustice. We have been falsely accused of being a racist city! the ad read . The city also declined to offer a formal apology to the family earlier this year. We acknowledge and condemn what our city forefathers and some White residents did to Willa and Charles Bruce, four other Black families and a couple dozen White families 100 years ago, Suzanne Hadley, the mayor of Manhattan Beach, told The New York Times . But I do not agree that our current city must wear a scarlet R embroidered on our chest for the end of time. Those not fully vaccinated were 11 times more likely to die of Covid this spring, and ten times more likely to be hospitalised with the virus, than those who had had both doses of a vaccine, says a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another study, also published by the CDC on Friday, shows that the Moderna coronavirus vaccine was slightly more effective in preventing hospitalisations than those from Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson. However, it stressed the effectiveness of all three vaccines against the contagious Delta variant. The CDCs reports are consistent with findings from other studies in that they show that all vaccines give strong protection against hospitalisation and death, but are less effective in older adults, particularly those with underlying health problems. According to the research, the three vaccines were collectively 86% effective in preventing hospitalisation, with protection highest for those who received Moderna vaccines (95%) followed by those who used Pfizer-BioNTech (80%) and Johnson & Johnson (60%). Public health officials said it was far better for people to take whatever vaccine is available to them immediately, rather wait for a preferred one and delay getting a jab. The bottom line is this: We have the scientific tools we need to turn the corner on this pandemic, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at a White House briefing on Friday. Vaccination works and will protect us from the severe complications of covid-19. The clarity of the studies has been welcomed at a time when there has been much confusion about how effective vaccines are against the Delta variant and whether booster shots are required for full protection reports the Washington Post. President Joe Biden announced a raft of new measures on Thursday aimed at battling the Delta variant, including mandating all businesses with more than 100 employees to require their workers to be immunised or be tested every week. Over the past eight days, Covid fatalities have risen to an average of 1,500 a day across the United Sates the highest death rate since March. A former US Marine is accused of torturing a 11 year-old girl on the same night he allegedly murdered four of her family members, according to Florida police. Bryan Riley, 33, is charged on multiple counts, including murder and armed robbery, after he allegedly killed Justice Gleason, 40, Theresa Lanham, 33, their 3 month old baby and the babys grandmother Catherine Delgado, 62. Police also say he shot their dog. However, the only survivor from Mr Rileys alleged attack was Gleasons daughter. She claims Mr Riley tortured her after, according to police. He is said to have repeatedly shot a gun at her. It is believed that Mr Riley thought the girl was a girl called Amber who he thought was in danger in Gleasons house, said law enforcement We know that he was seeking out Amber, who wanted to commit suicide, who was the victim of sex trafficking, and it was all a figment of his imagination, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told reporters at a press conference. Where is Amber? Mr Riley is said to have asked the girl, according to Sheriff Judd. The girl told investigators that Mr Riley believed she was Amber, despite her informing him she was not. Police said after the girl told him she did not know where Amber was, Mr Riley is said to have become increasingly persistent. The witness told investigators that he counted to three and when she did not locate Amber he shot her twice; in the thigh and in the stomach. Mr Riley then asked her if she understood why he had to kill her parents, according to law enforcement. Because they are sex traffickers, Mr Riley is alleged to have said to her, according to investigators, when she did not answer him. Police said he shot her again twice. When the girl failed once more to tell him what he wanted to know, he said: I eliminated her. The girl attributed surviving to how she had played dead and prayed, police said. She was taken to hospital in a stable condition. This update was provided after details emerged since Mr Riley was first alleged to have entered their home in a reconnaissance on 5 September, according to law enforcement. It is believed that he was on a mission from God to save Amber from the family. It is believed by authorities that in the evening before, he had come to the area to assist with the Hurricane Ida clear up effort. During this period, he came into contact with Gleason, who at the time was said to be mowing his front lawn, according to authorities. Police said Mr Riley told Gleason about Amber, and how she was experiencing suicidal feelings and he refused to leave until he managed to talk to her. Confused by this, Gleason was said to become angry and then eventually Mr Riley left, said police. Authorities alleged that Mr Riley went home, and plotted to kill them. He came back to the same house armed with various firearms and wearing a bulletproof vest early the next morning. Throughout his time in the house, authorities estimated he shot dozens of bullets. Police estimated he left his house at 1am and said they received an alert about the incident at roughly 4.30am. Mr Riley now faces four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, two counts of shooting into a building, two counts of armed robbery with assault/battery, second degree arson and one count of attempted murder in the first degree with a weapon, according to law enforcement.. According to jail records, Mr Riley was not permitted bail and is still in custody. He is expected to enter a plea on 12 October during his arraignment hearing. A police department in Missouri has had all of its police officers resign, according to reports. Kimberling City Police Department has been severely impacted by all of its police officers quitting the force. A total of five officers handed in their notices; three officers, a sergeant and the chief of police. Craig Alexander. the former chief, reportedly told the towns mayor that he wanted a new challenge and for development when he quit on 23 August. He is said to be going to work for the Branson West Police Department. The other officers gave reasons that ranged from a shortage of qualified officers and support staff, dissatisfaction with pay and seeking other career paths. The Mayor of Kimberling, Bob Fritz told KY3 their leaving unexpectant and the short notice disappointing but will keep their feedback in mind by reviewing pay and working conditions. Responsibilities for calls supposed to go to Kimberling police officers will be handed over to Stone County Sheriffs Office. "It will be a struggle to fill the police department back up with qualified officers, but hopefully they can start working on that soon and get that accomplished," Doug Rader, the sheriff, told the same outlet According to Mr Rader, his department will not be able to deal with city ordinances for Kimberling. In addition, he gave an insight into the struggles of policing in the US today, saying a lot of departments were experiencing staffing issues. For example, police in Phoenix have been experiencing the same issues with staffing, which is said to date back to the year 2000. However, senior officials within the City of Phoenix have noticed a growing rate of turnover in their 2,900 officers. We are losing on average more than 11 more than we are hiring every month. Thats a significant number and its not a number seeing turnaround, Executive Assistant Chief Mike Kurkenback said, according to ABC15 on 8 September. As an incentive to join, they are giving out $7,500 in starting bonuses. No evidence has shown it is making a difference. The editor of a Utah newspaper has issued an apology for its gruesome coverage of a double murder after a backlash from readers. The Times-Independent, based in Moab, southwest Utah, published a headline revealing sordid new details of the unsolved murders of Kylen Schulte, 24, and Crystal Turner, 38, who were found dead on 18 August at a campsite in the South Mesa area of the La Sal Mountains. Unsealed search warrants filed in court this week said the newlywed couple were found partially undressed in a nearby creek with multiple gunshot wounds to the bodies. It had only previously been reported that the women were shot . Investigators are yet to identify a suspect in the double murder of Crystal Turner and her wife (GoFundme) The Times-Independent changed the headline on the story after receiving complaints. Editor Doug McMurdo told The Independent via email that the story hit like a sledgehammer. We should have been more restrained and I was the only one in a position to know this. McMurdo said many of the 5,000 residents of Moab, including he and his staff, had known the women. In his apology on the papers website, he said he should have crafted a less striking headline, a more thoughtful report. We should have honored the friends and family of those two women and not subject them to such gruesome details, he wrote. I failed The Times-Independent, which trusts me to make better decisions. I failed you, readers. For all of that, I offer deep regrets and sincere apologies. McMurdo explained that the paper had covered horrible crimes before, more than I can count, truly, and still I was profoundly affected. Stories like these are why the majority of Americans favor the death penalty, he wrote. Moab, a popular tourist destination, has been on edge since the double murders just over three weeks ago. On Facebook, readers were appreciative of the action taken by the paper, a family-owned business that has operated in Grand County since 1896. Thank you for taking responsibility, its a quality missing from a lot of folks these days, one wrote. Disturbing as it is, I appreciate the truth, another said. Others said the article should have contained a disturbing content warnings, and had been too graphic and distasteful. The newly unsealed documents stated that Ms Schulte had told friends there was a creepy man near their campsite that had been intimidating women there. Investigators were informed that Kylen had mentioned to her friends that if something happened to them, that they were murdered, the document said. The couple, who had only recently married, were last seen at Woodys Tavern on 13 August. Security footage from the bar shows them leaving at around 8.30pm. KUTV reported that the Grand County Sheriffs Office believe someone killed the women and fled the area. They are yet to identify a suspect in the case. GoFundme pages have been set up for both Ms Schulte and Ms Turner to help their families. Uber Eats, Grubhub and DoorDash - the nation's largest food delivery services - are suing New York City over a limit it put on fees the companies could charge in an effort to shield restaurants struggling to survive during the pandemic. The lawsuit was filed on Thursday in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, and claims the fees represent government overreach. The companies said in the suit that they were "instrumental in keeping restaurants afloat and food industry workers employed" and that they invested millions of dollars to support the industry during the pandemic. The companies hope to secure a jury trial and an injunction preventing New York City from extending a fee cap that was put in place in August, as well as unspecified monetary damages. In May 2020, the city first enacted price caps on third-party delivery services. The cap prevents the services from charging restaurants more than 15 per cent of an online order in fees and 5 per cent for any other services, including marketing. In August, the city passed several bills aimed at helping smaller restaurants. Included in those bills were prohibitions on some service charges and mandates requiring restaurant phone number to be posted on the services, according to The Associated Press. The city also extended the fee caps until at least early next year. New York Law Department spokesman, Nicholas Paolucci, told the AP that the extensions were legal and that the city intends to defend them in court. The lawsuit claims that the city is continually pushing back the expiration date of its price caps, essentially making them permanent. The complaint claims that the extensions have cost them "hundreds of millions of dollars. "The ordinance is unconstitutional because, among other things, it interferes with freely negotiated contracts between platforms and restaurants by changing and dictating the economic terms on which a dynamic industry operates," the lawsuit states. On Friday, DoorDash issued a statement regarding the lawsuit, saying: "Price controls can lead to higher prices for consumers, which can reduce orders and earnings for Dashers. Imposing permanent price controls in an unprecedented and dangerous overreach by the government and will limit the options small businesses rely on to compete in an increasingly competitive market." The food delivery services have been sparring with local governments across the nation over similar restrictions. Chicago accused DoorDash and Grubhub of hurting city restaurants and customers by charging high fees and using "deceptive" practices. The companies said Chicago's allegations were "baseless". The companies are also embroiled in a battle in California, particularly in San Francisco. The city accused the companies of violating state law by not classifying drivers as employees. In Washington DC, DoorDash settled with the city in 2019 over allegations it misled customers regarding the amount drivers made in tips. Power out, high voltage lines on the ground, possibly weeks until electricity is restored in some places: The dismal state of power in Hurricane Ida s wake is a distressingly familiar scenario for Entergy Corp., Louisiana s largest electrical utility. The power company has grappled with other widespread outages after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustave and Ike not to mention Laura, Delta and Zeta over the past decade and a half. Other Louisiana and Gulf Coast utilities have faced similar disasters, sometimes needing to rebuild entire networks. If anything, power restoration has gotten faster in recent decades. Still, critics question the enormity of the outage from Hurricane Ida and why it is still so widespread nearly a week after the storm slammed into the state with 150 mph (241 kph) winds. The concerns are most acute in the New Orleans area. All eight of the transmission lines that link a region of more than 900,000 people to power from the outside world failed during Ida even though storm damage in the area was less severe than to the south and west. As of Friday, Entergy had restored three of the lines. For all eight to fail, Im just wondering whether this could have been prevented and thats what were going to be looking into, New Orleans City Council Member Helena Moreno, who oversees energy regulation in the city, told WWL-TV. While Entergy was heavily criticized for widespread failures and slow restoration after Hurricane Gustav in 2008, many are holding back from pointing fingers post-Ida. Gov. John Bel Edwards said Wednesday that nobody is satisfied with a weekslong restoration process. But I am mindful that we just had the strongest hurricane, at least tied for the strongest, that the state has ever experienced. However, Entergy critic Logan Burke of the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a New Orleans group that seeks lower costs and greener energy, says the company's grid hasn't met expectations. Weve been led to believe the transmission system was built for this level of wind, but it couldnt have possibly been, Burke said. The isolation of metro New Orleans has always made power supply tricky, because there arent enough power plants inside the area to meet needs. But regulators are likely to ask why Entergy didnt use a new $210 million plant in eastern New Orleans to restart electricity. When it was lobbying the city to build the facility a process during which the company hired actors to pose as plant supporters, prompting a $1 million fine Entergy told officials the plant would have whats called black start capability, the ability to power up a blacked-out grid. It didnt work as advertised, said Andrew Tuozzolo, Morenos chief of staff. The plant does have black start capability, but Entergy determined that a small disturbance could knock the plant offline and that it would be better to use it along with electricity from elsewhere for greater stability in balancing the power load, said Entergy Louisiana CEO Philip May. If we have the ability to pursue a path ... that allows us to do this in a more controlled and more robust way, thats going to be the path we pursue, he said. Entergys transmission troubles were underscored when a high voltage tower crumpled beside the Mississippi River in the New Orleans suburb of Avondale during Ida. The utility says it builds new transmission towers to withstand winds up to 150 mph, but the company has said its oldest towers were only designed to withstand 100 mph (160 kph) winds. Its unclear how many older towers remain. Asked that question, Entergy spokesman Jerry Nappi replied in an email that the company seeks to upgrade "priority structures under yearly plans and bring up damaged towers to more resilient standards when repairing or replacing them. Flying debris hitting lines is often a bigger problem than damage to towers, and the overall transmission system may have been knocked offline not by destroyed towers but as circuits tripped. May has said the Avondale tower recently passed an inspection and hadnt been reinforced because it was already robustly engineered. Regulators could force Entergy to further toughen its grid, lessening future risks from the more frequent and severe storms wrought by climate change. Florida, for example, now requires every privately owned utility to submit an annual plan for making the electrical system more resistant to outages. But upgrades cost money and money usually comes from customers. When youre looking at something like storm hardening, the important thing to remember is that ultimately it is going to be the people that are paying all of these costs, said Ted Kury, director of energy studies at the University of Floridas Public Utility Research Center. Shouldering upgrade costs could burden customers who are still paying for old repairs. Louisiana Public Service Commission documents show Entergy customers outside the city of New Orleans have been charged nearly $2 billion to rebuild lines and refill storm damage reserve funds since 2005. Customers will be paying for 2008 hurricanes Gustav and Ike through next summer; and Isaac, which hit in 2012, through 2026. Entergy wants another $2 billion to cover costs from Laura, Delta and Zeta last year. Repairing Ida's damage will cost still more. With customers paying for old damage, its hard to focus on investing for the future, Burke said. It sucks up all the time and energy and capacity as costs start hitting bills, he said. Some upgrade ideas have been rejected as too expensive or technically impractical. While Louisiana encourages burying local distribution lines in new developments, studies have suggested that burying high voltage transmission lines could cost billions. There are also questions about feasibility, Kury said, because underground transmission lines can overheat and be damaged by water. David Dismukes executive director of the Center for Energy Studies at Louisiana State University, said he would "caution people that redundancy comes with a big cost, and usually when you start working and penciling the numbers out, the economics usually dont work out on this kind of thing. ___ Associated Press writer Melinda Deslatte contributed to this report. A Florida businessman who made headlines for helping Rudy Giuliani seek damaging information on Joe Biden in Ukraine pleaded guilty Friday to a charge alleging he helped facilitate illegal foreign campaign contributions in an effort to build a marijuana business in the U.S. Igor Fruman 56, entered the plea at a federal court in Manhattan after reaching a deal reached with prosecutors. Fruman's plea agreement does not require him to cooperate in other cases, U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken said. Initially charged in a wide-ranging indictment, Fruman pleaded guilty to a single count of solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national, who was not identified by prosecutors. Federal sentencing guidelines call for a punishment of 37 to 46 months in prison, though Fruman could get up to five years, the judge said. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21. The plea leaves two men including Lev Parnas, another Soviet-born Florida businessman and Giuliani associate to face trial next month. Mr. Fruman is not cooperating with the government and has determined that this is the fairest and best way to put the past two years of his life behind him, Frumans lawyer, Todd Blanche, said in a written statement after the plea hearing. He intends to continue to work hard, as he has his entire life, and raise his family in this country that he loves. We will not have any further public communications." Fruman was also charged with, but did not plead guilty to, arranging hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal donations to Republicans and political action committees while trying to get Americans interested in investigating Bidens son in Ukraine during the Democrat's successful run for president. Fruman apologized in court. He said he was not aware of laws prohibiting foreign campaign contributions at the time he engaged in the donation scheme. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos said in court Friday that Fruman sent text messages to the foreign national and that persons agent seeking $1 million in political contributions and that the foreign national wired two $500,000 installments for that purpose. In court Friday, Fruman said the donation scheme was part of an effort to encourage support for a fledgling marijuana distribution business that he and others were starting in states where the drug was being legalized. Giuliani, 77, has said he had no knowledge of illegal campaign contributions, but has acknowledged working extensively with Fruman and Parnas as he sought communications with Ukrainian figures. The Republican and former New York City mayor who once gained worldwide respect and admiration as America's Mayor after the Sept. 11 attacks was not charged in this case. But Giuliani has been under criminal investigation for his dealings with Ukraine while serving as a personal lawyer to then-President Donald Trump. In April, federal agents raided his Manhattan home and office and seized computers and cellphones, signaling a major escalation of the investigation. Authorities are deciding whether Giuliani's activities required him to register as a foreign agent. Giuliani has insisted his Ukrainian activities were conducted on behalf of Trump, not a foreign entity or person. Trumps efforts to press Ukraine for an investigation of the Bidens led the House to impeach the then-president, though he was acquitted by the Senate. Tenants of a building in Florida owned by the mayor of the town where a condominium block collapsed in June have been given 45 days to leave for repairs. Charles Burkett, the Surfside mayor, sent the people in his apartment block a letter informing them about the lease termination. The note said he had been awaiting approval from local authorities to carry out the work. Hurricane Irma, which hit in 2017, is thought to be the cause of the damage. "We regret that this work will create potentially dangerous conditions for residents," the letter from Mr Burkett read. Mr Burkett told residents that they need to be out of the building by 24 October, although current tenants can resume living there after the repairs have been carried out. They are expected to be finished after several months, according to reports. For tenants who have paid their rent on time and who have not damaged their unit, any unused rent will be refunded as will your full security deposit, the letter continued. In addition, the building will have its 40-year inspection prematurely. It comes after the deadly collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, the town that Mr Burkett is the mayor of. The condo building was in the process of its own 40-year inspection when it fell. The cause of its collapse is currently under investigation. It is believed that at least 97 people died after the collapse. The search for missing people lasted more than a month. In addition, families of the victims have come together to launch a legal case for damages, according to reports. A Missouri teacher resigned last week after his schools administration asked him to remove a rainbow Pride flag from his classroom and restricted him from discussing sexuality or sexual preference at school. John M Wallis, who was recently hired to teach speech, theatre and world mythology at Neosho Junior High School, said in a series of tweets said that the flag was a sign that his classroom was a safe space for all students. "At the beginning of the school year, I had two signs above my whiteboards that read In this classroom everyone is welcome and an LGBTQ+ pride flag on my bookshelf," Mr Wallis wrote on Twitter. "This was an attempt to make my classroom more open and welcoming for all of my students and nothing was ever taught about the flag because it stood there as a reflection of my classroom as a safe space for my LGBTQIA+ students." He has now filed a complaint with the US Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights, USA Today reported, after some parents raised complaints over the Pride flag to school authorities. He said he was told in a meeting that a parent had complained about him alleging that he would potentially teach their child to be gay. "In fact, the use of the pride flag in my classroom was compared to hanging the Confederate flag in my classroom, Mr Wallis said. He said that on the first day when he put up the flag in his classroom a number of students reached out to thank him, and that after he took down the flag students would approach him every hour to ask the reason why. "I answered truthfully while expressing that, if students had a problem with who I was, there were other open classes," he wrote on Twitter. "This led to three or more calls from parents accusing me of pushing my agenda in the classroom." Jim Cummins, the Neosho School District superintendent, said in a statement to the News Leader newspaper: "As per all personnel matters, there is a limited amount of information that is allowed to be shared by the school district." He said Mr Wallis resigned on 1 September to "pursue a different career path". Mr Wallis shared the letter he received from Mr Cummins with the Virginia newspaper. The letter was a written document of their discussion which he had to sign. Our classrooms cannot become a personal platform for pushing ones personal agenda. Your position in the Neosho School District is to teach speech and drama classes. You were hired because we believe you were the best candidate to do such, the letter read. "However, if you are unable to present the curriculum in a manner that keeps your personal agenda on sexuality out of your narrative and the classroom discussions, we will ultimately terminate your employment, it added. The instructions in the letter prohibit him from discussions regarding human sexuality and/or sexual preference, assignments related to the topic and display of references. Mr Wallis noted that Neosho does not mention gender identity or sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policy. He said no questions are raised when a heterosexual teacher displays pictures of their spouse but I have a flag and all hell breaks loose." Missouri state representative Crystal Quade offered her support to Mr Wallis and said the Missouri Nondiscrimination Act should become law. I am ashamed this happened and continues to happen in our state. You- and our kids- deserve better. #MOleg needs to be on the right side of history. MONA must become law and we must start putting ALL of our kids first, she said. In a strange twist to the already-odd story that five zebras are on the loose in Maryland, a congresswoman has released a statement denying involvement despite no official accusations having been made against her. Five zebras escaped from a private farm in Prince Georges County, Maryland on August 31, reported The Washington Post. Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat who serves as the congresswoman for the District of Columbia, released a statement ten days later, denying letting them loose. Local news has reported that the zebras were let loose on Saturday or Sunday of last weekend, a period of time during which I was enjoying quiet time at home with my family, she said in a press release. She also recapped her stance on freedom generally, saying she had fought for it throughout her career. My alibi is solid, but given my career of fighting for statehood for the District, which includes years of explaining the importance of having consent of the governed, and given my recent opposition to fences, I can understand why the charge was made. Her recent opposition to fences presumably refers to her campaign to have fencing around the Capitol Building grounds removed it was installed after the January 6 riot and taken down two months ago. There have not been any officially reported claims of her being involved with the zebras disappearance, but Ms Nortons press release said: The charges were made known when a member of the public noted that, historically, Norton has valued the principle of consent of the governed, most notably in the fight for statehood for the District. Over a week later, the zebras have still not been found. They got out, and theyre now still running loose, Rodney Taylor, head of the Prince Georges animal services division, said on Wednesday. We have not caught them yet. Mr Taylor told the Washington Post that authorities were still trying to capture the animals, which have been spotted by residents in various places across the state and DC suburbs. Given her press release, Ms Norton might have been expected to root for the zebras continued freedom, but she said: I hope the owners find the zebras and that all involved live long, full lives. Comedian Patton Oswalt has cancelled his upcoming shows in Florida and Salt Lake City, Utah because the venues wouldnt comply with his request to require attendees to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test. I did everything I could to prevent this. But my 2022 show in [Salt Lake City] and my 4 shows in Florida in December have been cancelled, Oswalt said on Instagram. Hopefully I will rebook them in the future. Every other venue on the tour even the Texas ones were cool about requiring proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test. Im really bummed about this. [Salt Lake City] is an eerily beautiful city where the sun refracts through the mountains and gives everything this otherworldly glow. And Florida well, I love Florida. Weve been best of frenemies since the mid-90s. In a video posted to the social media platform, the comedian said he requested the requirements to protect his fans against the virus. The tour entitled Patton Oswalt Live: Whos ready to laugh? was set to start on Friday 10 September in Medford, Massachusetts and end on 9 April 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. The good news is were keeping everyone who comes to these shows safe and healthy because the numbers are going up, Oswalt said. Now the bad news, of course, is there are five venues on the tour that are not complying with this. This difficult decision was made due to the rising numbers of Covid cases and also because I have an ego, but my ego is not big enough to think that people should die to hear my stupid comedy, he added. So hopefully, hopefully, in the future we can rebook those when sanity holds sway again. But this sucks, I was really looking forward to Florida, to Salt Lake City. Florida is one of a number of states that have banned the use of vaccine passports, which can be any documentation that an individual has been immunised. The Republican governor of the state, Ron DeSantis, has issued an executive order stating that vaccination information is private and should not be shared by mandate. Vaccine passports reduce individual freedom and will harm patient privacy, the order said. Oswalts show in Salt Lake City was going to be held at Kingsbury Hall at the campus of the University of Utah, Deseret News reported. The Executive Director of the Kingsbury Hall Performing Arts Centre, Brooke Horejsi, told the outlet that the school is following state law and the venue has to as well. The university has a vaccination requirement for students and health care university employees, but cannot extend that to patrons at campus venues for experiences presented by the University of Utah, the assistant dean said. However, outside rentals (like Live Nation) may make their own safety protocols. Unfortunately, Oswalts team had already made the decision to cancel the January show prior to this clarification, but were looking forward to rescheduling with him in the future especially after hearing how much he loves Utahs iconic scenery, she added. Close George W. Bush says US faces violence threat 'from within' at Pennsylvania 9/11 memorial Joe Biden visited the Pentagon to attend a wreath laying ceremony with First Lady Jill Biden. The president spent the majority of Saturday attending memorials, first at Ground Zero in New York, then at the Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and finally at the Pentagon in Washington DC. Mr Biden praised former President George W Bushs speech during an unannounced stop at a Shanksville, Pennsylvania fire department. Mr Biden commended Mr Bush for encouraging American unity, calling it a genuinely good speech, about who we are, were not. He went on to say that he core of who we are is not divided, its just this notion of, I dont know how to explain it. Former President Donald Trump did not visit Ground Zero Saturday to attend the 20th anniversary ceremony commemorating the 9/11 terror attacks. He did release a video earlier in the day attacking Joe Biden for the Afghanistan troop withdrawal, and later visited an NYPD precinct where he visited with police officers. During his visit to the police precinct he hinted that he would run for president again in 2024. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President George W Bush addressed families at the United Airlines Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where a memorial recognises passengers who brought down the plane after learning two others had been used to attack the World Trade Center in New York on 11 September, 2001. An earlier ceremony at the site of the World Trade Center collapse in New York City recognised the victims who were killed, as the names of the nearly 3,000 victims were read aloud over several hours. Former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton also attended the ceremony. Former presidential and New York mayoral candidate Andrew Yang is going to launch a new political party, according to two individuals close to him. Mr Yang, a businessman known for championing universal basic income (UBI), will likely announce the new group alongside the release of his forthcoming book, Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy, politico.com/news/2021/09/09/andrew-yang-third-party-511033">Politico reported on Thursday. While the former candidate hasnt publicly discussed any new party, promotional copy associated with the book launch give hints towards its potential platform. The machinery of American democracy is failing, Yang argues, and we need bold new ideas to rewire it for twenty-first-century problems, ads for the book read. Inspired by his experience running for office and as an entrepreneur, and by ideas drawn from leading thinkers, Yang offers a series of solutions, including data rights, ranked-choice voting, and fact-based governance empowered by modern technology, writing that there is no cavalry its up to us. On Thusday, Mr Yang cryptically tweeted, Excited. The Independent has reached out to Mr Yang for confirmation and comment. A Yang party would also likely centre around UBI payments. Mr Yang has argued for years that this is a key solution to solving poverty in the US, and his work on the issue has garnered him a national following. We need to realize Martin Luther King Jr.s dream of a guaranteed minimum income and get cash into the hands of people who need it most, Mr Yang said in a video announcing his mayoral campaign for New York City, which proposed giving between $2,000 and $5,000 to New Yorks poorest residents, regardless of immigration or former incarceration status. Prior to the election, his nonprofit, Humanity Forward, lobbied for stimulus payments as part of the federal Covid relief package, and has announced plans to donate $1 million to working families in the Bronx as well as service workers. A $1,000-a-month Freedom Dividend, was also the major plank of his presidential campaign, which touted the UBI programme as a way to offset job losses from automation. Despite his quick political rise, Mr Yangs record as an effective leader has come under scrutiny. Hes best known for the founding of his nonprofit Venture for America in 2011, a programme which placed entrepreneurs in startups in struggling cities around the country, hoping the experience would eventually empower them to create economic opportunity. Former President Barack Obama said the effort showed how Mr Yang was a champion for change. The group said its goal was to produce 100,000 jobs; a May analysis by The New York Times suggested Venture for America alumni had only created a few hundred. Mr Yang has never held elected office, and has had a string of unsuccessful or short-lived business ventures. He created a website called Stargiving that tried to arrange for people to spend time with celebrities as a way to encourage charitable giving, which he himself acknowledged failed spectacularly in one of his books. He also created a company called Ignition NYC that hosted networking parties for young professionals, which ceased after about a dozen events. He ran a test-preparation business, Manhattan GMAT, which was later sold to the large corporate test-prep firm Kaplan, earning Mr Yang more than $1 million. A Republican running for Senate in Ohio has called for mass civil disobedience in response to new vaccine mandates on large businesses. JD Vance, bestselling author of the Hillbilly Elegy, claimed the only way to stop President Joe Bidens naked authoritarianism was non-compliance with his order that every federal and private employer with more than 100 employees to take the vaccine or submit to weekly testing. Do not comply with the mandates. Do not pay the government fines, he said. Dont allow yourself to be bullied & controlled. Only mass civil disobedience will save us from Joe Bidens naked authoritarianism. Mr Vance, a former venture capitalist, is polling well behind his main rival for the Republican nomination in Ohio, Josh Mandel. Wow! @JDVance1 really triggered CNN this morning by calling for mass civil disobedience against Biden's vaccine mandate! #OHSen pic.twitter.com/4hIQYW7USP Ohio War Room (@OhioWarRoom) September 10, 2021 The race for the vacant Senate seat has seen both candidates seek to cast themselves as the most extreme and unwavering supporter of former President Donald Trump. Yesterday, Mr Mandel also issued a plea to his followers to not comply with the order. I call on my fellow Americans do not comply with the tyranny, and when the Gestapo show up at your door, you know what to do, Mr Mandel said in a video posted to his social media account. His comments were slammed by the Anti-Defamation League, which said: Being asked to wear a mask or take an FDA-approved vaccine is not equivalent to the actions of the Gestapo in Nazi-era Germany or the systemic annihilation of an entire group of people. These comparisons are beyond the pale and need to stop. The Republican governors of South Dakota, Georgia, Texas and South Carolina have promised to challenge the mandate in court. Republican governors are gearing up for a fight with Joe Biden after he introduced sweeping measures that will require millions of Americans to get Covid-19 vaccines. The president announced a string of tough new rules to combat the ongoing spread of the virus as the Delta variant continues to impact the country. Mr Biden announced that all federal employees need to be vaccinated, as well as employees of all contractors who do business with the federal government, with no option of regular testing to opt out. The Labor Department will also issue an emergency rule to require all private employers with 100 or more workers to mandate vaccines or weekly testing. The new plan ramps up the conflict between the White House and GOP governors, who have opposed mask and vaccine mandates in their home states. Some of them immediately promised legal challenges to the new rules. Texas governor Greg Abbott, who just passed the most restrictive abortion law in the nation, claimed that the new rules were an assault on an individuals right to choose. Bidens vaccine mandate is an assault on private businesses, he wrote on Twitter. I issued an executive order protecting Texans right to choose whether they get the Covid vaccine & added it to the special session agenda. Texas is already working to halt this power grab. I will pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach by the Biden administration, tweeted Georgias governor Brian Kemp. Arizona governor Doug Ducey branded Mr Bidens moves as egregious big government overreach and questioned the need for the requirements. The Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective tools to prevent the disease, but getting the vaccine is and should be a choice, Mr Ducey said in a statement. These mandates are outrageous. They will never stand up in court. We must and will push back. South Dakotas governor Kristi Noem tweeted that her office would pursue legal action against the White House. My legal team is standing by ready to file our lawsuit the minute [Joe Biden] files his unconstitutional rule. This gross example of federal intrusion will not stand, she tweeted. Mr Biden said in a Thursday afternoon address that almost 80 million Americans had still not got vaccinated, and that the patience of the rest of the country was wearing thin. The US has seen more than 40.6 million Covid-19 cases during the pandemic, with more than 654,000 deaths. The US President Joe Biden spoke to his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping for about 90 minutes, in their first conversation in seven months. The two heads of states held candid, in-depth and broad strategic communication and discussed the need to ensure competition does not veer into conflict, according to statements issued by the White House and Chinese state media. The White House statement said that Mr Biden and Mr Xi had a broad strategic discussion in which they spoke about the area where their interests converge and where the interests, values, and perspective diverge. They agreed to engage on both set of issues openly and straightforwardly, said the statement, adding that this discussion was part of the US ongoing effort to responsibly manage the competition between the US and the PRC. President Biden underscored the United States enduring interest in peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and the world and the two leaders discussed the responsibility of both nations to ensure competition does not veer into conflict," the statement said. A senior official told reporters that the two leaders focussed their conversation on economic issues, climate change and Covid-19. According to Chinese state media CCTV, Mr Xi told the US president that for some time, US policy toward China has caused serious difficulties in Sino-US relations, which is inconsistent with the fundamental interests of the two peoples and the common interests of all countries in the world. Xi called on the two nations to respect each others core concerns and properly handle their differences, added the report. The ties between the US and China, sharply deteriorated during the presidency of Donald Trump and have shown no signs of improvement under the new presidency of Joe Biden. Biden and Xi have not yet met in person, highlighting the tensions in their bilateral relationship. Last week, Chinas foreign minister Wang Yi warned the US that the deteriorating relations between the worlds two largest economies could undermine their cooperation on climate change. Earlier in March, Secretary of Antony Blinken and Chinas top diplomat Yang Jiechi sparred publicly on a range of issues from trade to human rights issues in Tibet, Hong Kong, and Chinas western Xinjiang region as well as the coronavirus pandemic. The phone call on Thursday was made at the behest of Mr Biden who has become exasperated by the unwillingness of the lower level Chinese officials to hold a proper exchange with his administration, according to the BBC. Accusing the Chinese of being mostly "unwilling to engage in serious or substantive" talks, a White House official told AFP that "we dont believe that that is how responsible nations act, especially given the global importance of the US-China competition. In the face of this deadlock, "President Biden understood the importance of engaging President Xi directly," the official said. An official told Reuters that Mr Biden has not planned to raise retaliatory action against China if the latter refuses to cooperate on a range of issues including the probe into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. The communist state has, however, denied the accusations of non-cooperation in the investigation. Additional reporting from the wires Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has lashed out at President Joe Biden, accusing him of making the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States excruciating. Mr Giuliani posted a tweet on the eve of the 20th anniversary of September 11, saying: Biden has made the 20th anniversary much more excruciating than ever before. It would be as if on 9/11, I removed FDNY and NYPD and told the civilians to fend for themselves or get terrorists to help. He is a disgrace. It was not immediately clear what the mayor was making reference to, although he followed up with another tweet about 10 minutes later, appearing to connect his statement to the recent withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. Biden has made the 20th anniversary much more excruciating than ever before. It would be as if on 9/11, I removed FDNY and NYPD and told the civilians to fend for themselves or get terrorists to help. He is a disgrace . Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) September 10, 2021 Biden left Americans in Afghanistan, he wrote. On Saturday, Mr Biden is to visit the three sites where the 9/11 attacks unfolded: Ground Zero in Manhattan, the Pentagon, and the field in Pennsylvania where the third plane crash-landed. The latter is thought have been destined for the US Capitol but hijackers were thwarted by the planes passengers and crew. The president is also expected to reflect on the attacks in a White House video, to be released in the morning. Mr Bidens remarks in the lead up to the anniversary have attempted to draw a line under the attacks, as well as the policies that followed them, which he indicated were sometimes to the detriment of the United States. In his statement about the end of the war in Afghanistan on 31 August, he said: As we turn the page on the foreign policy that has guided our nation the last two decades, weve got to learn from our mistakes. He added: The fundamental obligation of a President, in my opinion, is to defend and protect America not against threats of 2001, but against the threats of 2021 and tomorrow. Mr Giuliani was hailed as Americas mayor for his handling of the terror attacks, which was widely praised. In recent years he has become a more divisive figure, given his involvement in the Trump Ukraine scandal and his pushing of conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election. A Belarus-born businessman who made headlines for helping Rudy Giuliani seek damaging information on Joe Biden in Ukraine pleaded guilty Friday to a charge alleging he helped facilitate illegal foreign campaign contributions in an effort to build a marijuana business in the U.S. Mr Fruman, 56, entered the plea at a federal court in Manhattan after reaching a deal reached with prosecutors. Frumans plea agreement does not require him to cooperate in other cases, U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken said. I deeply regret my actions and apologise to the court, told the court. Igor Fruman leaves in Federal court in Manhattan, Friday, September 10, 2021 (AP) Mr Fruman emerged as a key figure in efforts to collect damaging information about Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign. He was charged two years ago with making hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions to Republican politicians and political action committees while trying to build interest in investigating Mr Bidens son Hunter in Ukraine. The Florida-based businessman, and co-defendant Lev Parnas, from Ukraine, previously pleaded not guilty to charges including that they concealed a $325,000 donation to support former U.S. President Donald Trumps re-election. Federal sentencing guidelines call for a punishment of 37 to 46 months in prison, though Mr Fruman could get up to five years, the judge said. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21. The plea leaves two men including Mr Parnas, another Soviet-born Florida businessman and Giuliani associate to face trial next month. Mr Fruman also was charged with helping a foreign national make donations to U.S. politicians to encourage support for a fledgling marijuana distribution business in states where the drug is legal. His lawyer, Todd Blanche, said in a written statement after the plea hearing that his client was not cooperating with the Government. Mr. Fruman... has determined that this is the fairest and best way to put the past two years of his life behind him. He intends to continue to work hard, as he has his entire life, and raise his family in this country that he loves. We will not have any further public communications. Mr Fruman told the court he was not aware of laws prohibiting foreign campaign contributions at the time he engaged in the donation scheme. He was also charged with, but did not plead guilty to, arranging hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal donations to Republicans and political action committees while trying to get Americans interested in investigating Bidens son in Ukraine during the Democrats successful run for president. Mr Giuliani, a one-time lawyer for former U.S. President Donald Trump, has not been charged or accused of criminal wrongdoing. The Associated Press contributed to this report Former governor Chris Christie says the GOP needs to kick out QAnon followers, white supremacists and wild extremists to leave the lying to the far-left Democrats. The once and potentially future presidential candidate included believers that the 2020 election was stolen among his truth deniers, which includes former ally, Donald Trump. We need to face the realities of the 2020 election and learn, not hide from them. We need to discredit the extremists in our midsts, the way weve done it before, Mr Christie said. We need to renounce the conspiracy theorists and the truth deniers. The ones who know better, and the ones who are just plain nuts. The ex-New Jersey governor made the comments at the Reagan Foundation on Thursday, as noted by Newsweek, which was first to report the speech. Mr Christie was a rival turned ally turned rival to Mr Trump during the former presidents rise to, and fall from, the White House. He has since become one of the Republican partys most vocal critics of the US Capitol riot on 6 January. He is seriously considering a 2024 presidential run, according to a report in Axios, and has been on a tour promoting his next book Republican Rescue: Saving the Party from Truth Deniers, Conspiracy Theorists, and the Dangerous Policies of Joe Biden, scheduled to be published on 16 November. While his harshest words at the Reagan Foundation speech were aimed at the extremist elements within his own partys ranks, Mr Christie said they needed to be purged so the GOP could focus on what he called the lies of the extremists in the Democratic party. We need to give our supporters facts, that will help them to put all those fantasies to rest pretending we won when we lost is a waste of time and energy and credibility, Mr Christie said. Lets leave the lying to the cynics and extremists both inside and outside of our party, and to the far left Democrats, he added. Mr Christie compared removing QAnon followers from the GOP to former president Ronald Reagan opposing the John Birch Society as an extremist fringe that believed the federal government was run by anti-American communists. Pander to the lies and the liars they say, The lies are crazy, but just nod and pretend to agree. Say as little as you can and get away and duck when the reporters come to follow up, he said. And whatever you do, dont upset the truth deniers or the conspiracy propagandists, the QAnoners, the white supremacists, the wild extremists whore making so much noise these days. Bow quietly to the haters on Twitter and Facebook. If not, they could easily come for you next." He said the party needs to embrace the truth, even when painful, so that the grievances and conspiracy theories die and their credibility returns. We need to fight left-wing government expansionist extremism, Mr Christie said, but we cannot do it by quietly capitulating to untrue extremism of our own. White House press secretary Jen Psaki has hit back at criticism of Joe Bidens decision to fire Republican military board appointees, saying some stood by silently while their former boss supported an insurrection. Speaking to CNN, Ms Psaki defended President Bidens decision to remove 18 military academy advisory board members appointed by Donald Trump. They included political operatives like Kellyanne Conway and Mr Trumps first press secretary Sean Spicer, who have said they will file a lawsuit to contest their removal. Ms Psaki said the Biden administration was confident in our legal abilities here. No one is looking to have a battle here, she said. The president of the United States, just as every president and every administration and Cabinet members, have the right to appoint people they deem as qualified. When asked why Mr Biden hadnt retained moderate appointees such as former national security adviser General HR McMaster, Ms Psaki said Mr Biden was entitled to appoint individuals who aligned with his values. Its not personal. I will say that there are some people, of course, on these boards that have supported or stood by silently while their former boss supported an insurrection, Ms Psaki said. Thats not really OK with us either, but youre right, there is a span of individuals on these boards, its really not more complicated than the president, his Cabinet and team wanted to be able to appoint a fresh layer of people. Several of the ousted appointees spoke out after the January 6 insurrection, in which thousands of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol as lawmakers were certifying the results of the 2020 election. Gen McMaster went further, saying afterwards that Mr Trump was foremost among the politicians who incited the riot. A predictable, if not unfortunate, outcome. Clinging onto vestiges of power against the peoples will is kind of your /Trumps / the GOPs thing. When youre fired, dont let the fascist victim complex hit you on the way out. https://t.co/YmsoFmvaPv Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 8, 2021 Ms Conway has continued to support Mr Trump, as he has cast doubt on the legitimacy of the 2020 vote, while Mr Spicer hosts a show on the far-right Newsmax cable channel, which has spread election misinformation. On Wednesday, Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called Ms Conways response predictable. When youre fired, dont let the fascist victim complex hit you on the way out, she wrote on Twitter. Five police officers who defended the Capitol have died, and more than 600 rioters have been arrested. One of the rioters, Ashli Babbitt, was shot dead by a US Capitol police officer while trying to breach a blockade near the Senate. Military advisory boards are appointed to academies such as the Board of Visitors to the Air Force Academy, Military Academy and the Naval Academy. Joe Biden has dared Republican governors to sue over his sweeping new vaccine and weekly testing mandates for large businesses. Have at it, President Biden said when asked about the Republican governors threatening to file lawsuits challenging the mandate. Have at it. President Biden to those governors threatening lawsuits over the vaccine-or-weekly-testing mandate for large businesses. He adds, "I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids." pic.twitter.com/rYc0QWHkOX The Recount (@therecount) September 10, 2021 Under the White House plan, every federal and private employer with 100 employees or more must require that unvaccinated workers either get the vaccine or submit to weekly Covid-19 testing. More than 80 million workers are expected to be affected by the mandate. Republicans immediately lined up to say they would fight the order in court, and called on businesses to revolt against the decree. South Dakota GOP Governor Kristi Noem said her state would stand up to defend freedom, adding see you in court. Texas governor Greg Abbott pledged to halt the power grab, while Georgias Brian Kemp said he would pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach. Our plan takes on the elected officials in states that are undermining the life-saving actions we need to take to defeat COVID-19. If these governors wont help us beat the pandemic, we will get them out of the way. pic.twitter.com/8XcibeNeV4 Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 10, 2021 Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mr Biden said: I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids. So cavalier with the health of their communities. The Presidents Twitter page later released a statement to say he wouldnt be deterred by the legal threats. If these governors wont help us beat the pandemic, we will get them out of the way. Announcing the new mandates on Thursday, Mr Biden took aim at Republican politicians who he identified as guilty of actively undermining the fight against Covid-19. He even took the rare step of criticising private citizens who have chosen so far to remain unvaccinated against the virus. Weve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin and the refusal has cost all of us. He said the country was divided between a silent majority of the vaccinated, who were eager to return to normal after more than a year of Covid-related public health restrictions, and a smaller minority of vocal vaccine skeptics who he said were preventing Americas economy from overcoming the pandemic. The collapse of the Afghan government, a surge of COVID-19 cases caused by the delta variant, devastating weather events, a disappointing jobs report. What next? After a torrent of crises, President Joe Biden is hoping to turn the page on an unrelenting summer and refocus his presidency this fall around his core economic agenda. But the recent cascade of troubles is a sobering reminder of the unpredictable weight of the office and fresh evidence that presidents rarely have the luxury of focusing on just one crisis at a time. Biden's unyielding summer knocked his White House onto emergency footing and sent his own poll numbers tumbling. The presidency is not a job for a monomaniac, said presidential historian Michael Beschloss You have to be multitasking 24 hours a day. Never has that been more true than summer 2021, which began with the White House proclamation of the nations independence from the coronavirus and defying-the-odds bipartisanship on a massive infrastructure package. Then COVID-19 came roaring back, the Afghanistan pullout devolved into chaos and hiring slowed. Biden now hopes for a post-Labor Day reframing of the national conversation toward his twin domestic goals of passing a bipartisan infrastructure bill and pushing through a Democrats-only expansion of the social safety ne t. White House officials are eager to shift Bidens public calendar toward issues that are important to his agenda and that they believe are top of mind for the American people. I think you can expect the president to be communicating over the coming weeks on a range of issues that are front and center on the minds of the American people, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki Certainly you can expect to hear from him more on his Build Back Better agenda, on COVID and his commitment to getting the virus under control, to speak to parents and those who have kids going back to school." During the chaotic Afghanistan evacuation, the White House was central in explaining the consequences of Bidens withdrawal decision and the effort to evacuate Americans and allies from the country. Now, officials want to put the State Department and other agencies out front on the efforts to assist stranded Americans and support evacuees, while Biden moves on to other topics. Its in part a reflection of an unspoken belief inside the White House that for all the scenes of chaos in Afghanistan, the public backs his decision and it will fade from memory by the midterm elections. Instead, the White House is gearing up for a legislative sprint to pass more than $4 trillion in domestic funding that will make up much of what Biden hopes will be his first-term legacy before the prospects of major lawmaking seize up in advance of the 2022 races. On Friday, in remarks on August's disappointing jobs report, Biden tried to return to the role of public salesman for his domestic agenda and claim the mantle of warrior for the middle class. For those big corporations that dont want things to change, my message is this: Its time for working families the folks who built this country to have their taxes cut, Biden said. He renewed his calls for raising corporate rates to pay for free community college, paid family leave and an expansion of the child tax credit. Im going to take them on, Biden said of corporate interests. While Biden may want to turn the page, though, aides are mindful that the crises are not done with him. Biden is planning to speak this week on new efforts to contain the delta variant and protect kids in schools from COVID-19. And his administration continues to face criticism for his decision to pull American troops from Afghanistan before all U.S. citizens and allies could get out. President Biden desperately wants to talk about anything but Afghanistan, but Americans who are hiding from the Taliban, ISIS, and the Haqqani network dont give a damn about news cycles, long weekends, and polling they want out, said Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska. He called on the Biden White House on Friday to provide a public accounting of the number of Americans and their allies still stuck inside Afghanistan. Biden also will soon be grappling with fallout from the windup of two anchors of the governments COVID-19 protection package: The federal moratorium on evictions recently expired, and starting Monday, an estimated 8.9 million people will lose all unemployment benefits. The president also is still contending with the sweeping aftereffects of Hurricane Ida, which battered the Gulf states and then swamped the Northeast. After visiting Louisiana last week, he'll get a firsthand look at some of the damage in New York and New Jersey on Tuesday. Already, he is trying to turn the destruction wrought by the hurricane into a fresh argument for the infrastructure spending he's been pushing all along, telling local officials in Louisiana, It seems to me we can save a whole lot of money and a whole lot of pain for our constituents if when we build back, we build it back in a better way. According to White House officials, even as other issues dominated headlines, Biden and his team have maintained regular conversations with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., about the presidents legislative agenda. His legislative team held more than 130 calls and meetings with members of Congress, their chiefs of staff and aides on the infrastructure bill and spending package, and his administration has held over 90 meetings with legislative staff on crafting the reconciliation bill. Responding to concerns raised by pivotal Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., over the price tag on the roughly $3.5 trillion social spending package, White House chief of staff Ron Klain told CNN on Sunday that he was convinced that the Democrat was very persuadable on the legislation. Cabinet officials have also been engaged with lawmakers, officials said, and traveled to 80 congressional districts to promote the agenda across the country while Biden was kept in Washington Biden, said Beschloss, may have a leg up on some of his predecessors at moving beyond the crises to keep his legislative agenda on track, given his 50 years of experience in national politics. If theres anyone who has a sense of proportion and distance and perspective at a time like this, he does, Beschloss told The Associated Press. For someone whos been in national life much more briefly and was new to the presidency, youre being stunned by things all the time. On Thursday, President Biden unveiled a sweeping new set of Covid vaccination mandates for public and private employees. By Friday, the Republican backlash had already begun. Are you people trying to start a full on revolt? Texas congressman Dan Crenshaw tweeted . Those businesses should openly rebel against any such rule, Rep Chip Roy wrote . South Dakota will stand up to defend freedom, warned Governor Kristi Noem. @JoeBiden see you in court. Under the presidents plan, every employer with at least 100 employees must require those workers either to get vaccinated or to undergo weekly Covid testing. In a national address on Thursday, Mr Biden argued the mandates are necessary because vaccine refusers are slowing the end of the virus and blocking overfilled hospitals from treating anything else. My message to unvaccinated Americans is this: What more is there to wait for? the president told the nation. Weve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin. And your refusal has cost all of us. Republican politicians quickly lashed out, decrying the plan as an attack on personal freedom and private enterprise. Even former vice president Mike Pence , who had not given a TV interview in almost a year, jumped into the fray. I have to tell you, the presidents speech yesterday was unlike anything I had ever heard from an American president, Mr Pence told Fox News. I mean, to have the president of the United States say that he has been patient but his patience is wearing thin thats not how the American people expect to be spoken to by our elected leaders. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy also weighed in. President Biden has made small business an enemy of his administration, the Republican leader said . Forcing main street to vax or pay a fine will not only crush an economy hes put on life support its flat-out un-American. Florida senator Rick Scott went further, urging businesses to rebel against the mandates. This is what you get electing people who support socialism, Mr Scott said in an extended Twitter rant . They want government controlling, compelling & mandating what people do. I encourage Americas job creators large and small to challenge this insane order, he added. We cannot allow this unhinged administration to do even more irreparable harm to American workers, businesses and our economy. The Covid-19 pandemic has so far claimed over 656,000 American lives, and new deaths per day have been rising in recent weeks. Only 53 per cent of the country is fully vaccinated, and vaccination rates are especially low in conservative states. On Twitter, Mr Bidens plan did have some supporters as well as critics. Texas governor Greg Abbott on Thursday signed a bill to restrict the ability of social media giants to block users, paving the way for action against such measures used by companies like Facebook, Twitter and Googles YouTube. The bill, now a law, will dilute the power of social media companies to block or censor people for their political viewpoints, the Republican governor said in a press conference. Mr Abbott said he was signing House Bill 20 into law to fight back against big tech political censorship, citing it as a threat to freedom of speech in the state. The law, which critics says will interfere with the safety policies of major social media platforms, is set to be challenged by Facebook, Twitter and Google, reported USA Today. Mr Abbott said: Freedom of speech is under attack in Texas. There's a dangerous movement by some social media companies to silence conservative ideas and values. Today I am about to sign a law that fights back against big tech political censorship. It prevents social media companies from banning users based on the users' political viewpoint. It allows Texans who are wrongfully de-platformed or restricted to be able to file a lawsuit, to get back on to that social media site, the governor said. The law, covering social media companies with over 50 million daily users, will also allow the Texas attorney general or any individual to file a lawsuit on behalf of anybody who was wrongfully restricted from access to the social media site, the governor said in a video address he shared on his Twitter account. It is now a law that conservative viewpoints of Texans cannot be banned on social media, Mr Abbott said. Under this law, the sites will have to disclose their content management and moderation policies. They will also have to implement a complaint and appeals process for content they remove, providing a reason for the removal and a review of their decision, House Bill 20 states. It also prevents email services from blocking email messages based on the content. Sites will have to review and remove illegal content within 48 hours, it said. The bill comes in the wake of Texass controversial abortion law which bans medical termination of pregnancy after the detection of cardiac activity - which usually occurs at around six weeks, when a woman may not yet be aware of her pregnancy. The law, which leaves enforcement to private citizens through civil lawsuits instead of criminal prosecutors, has been widely criticised for being anti-choice for women as it will require women to carry an unwanted pregnancy with lifelong consequences. Calling the law unconstitutional, the US Justice Department has sued Texas, stating that it was enacted in open defiance of the constitution. The law must be declared invalid to enjoin its enforcement, and to protect the rights that Texas has violated, argued the lawsuit filed in federal court. Attorney General Merrick Garland said that the act unlawfully infringes on the constitutional rights of women and is clearly unconstitutional under long-standing Supreme Court precedent. The Texas law is the biggest nationwide curb to abortion since the Supreme Court affirmed the landmark 1973 decision in the case of Roe v Wade that women have a constitutional right to an abortion. Former President Donald Trump is once again making unfounded claims of massive voter fraud, this time aimed at California's gubernatorial recall election. Mr Trump appeared on Newsmax this week, where he claimed that the recall election of California's Governor Gavin Newsom is "probably rigged." He provided no evidence for his claim, which he made only days before the elections deadline on 14 September. The move is likely a bit of preemptive damage control, as polling has suggested that Mr Newsom will likely survive the recall attempt. Politico spoke with California State Assemblymember Chad Mayes formerly a Republican, now an independent who said his phone has been awash with texts "saying 'don't let them steal it.'" Its this constant messaging that somehow if Republicans lose elections, its because of voter fraud. It is wrong, it is dangerous, and it needs to stop, Mr Mayes told the publication. Mr Trump is not the only Republican pushing the preemptive voter fraud claims. Larry Elder, the state's Republican front runner should Mr Newsom be recalled, has urged his followers to report "suspicious" recall activity and said he is ready to file a lawsuit challenging the election's results. He is also a believer in Mr Trump's fraudulent claims that the 2020 election was stolen. California's Republican Party has already created an "election integrity" website for voters to report suspicious election activity, and right-wing media has predictably leapt onto the voter fraud bandwagon. Tomi Lahren, a right wing media figure, claimed on Fox News that Mr Newsom would only survive the recall through election malfeasance. The only thing that will save Gavin Newsom is voter fraud, she said. The Republican obsession with eroding trust in the democratic process has had tangible results on voters' actions, not all of which have been beneficial to the party. In California, Republicans frequently voted early using mail in ballots, but Mr Trump and his Republican allies' constant hammering on mail-in voting as unreliable has caused hesitation among conservative voters while casting their ballots. Democrats have returned far more early-voting ballots than Republicans in the state, suggesting a significant shift in how Republicans vote. Youve got the fear factor where all the Republicans are holding onto their ballots because Donald Trump made the statement prior to Georgia, hold on to your ballots, dont vote in person, pro-recall consultant Anne Dunsmore told Politico. I got all of these crazy responses of, its a wasted vote. Similarly, Mr Trump and his allies' constant attacks on vote integrity have been blamed for the election losses of Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in Georgia's 2020 run-offs. "Telling everyone that the race was stolen when it wasn't cost the Republicans two Senate seats," Erick Erickson, a conservative radio show host and blogger in Georgia, said. "The going all-in on the cult of personality around President Trump hurt them as a result. They had to play up this, 'There's no way Donald Trump could have lost. It had to be stolen from him.' " The voter fraud messaging has left the California Republican Party with the difficult task of convincing its voters to participate in elections that party leaders have repeatedly said are invalid. Jessica Milan Patterson, the party's chair, explained how the party hoped to square those seeming incongruous ideas in the minds of its voters. I think making sure every voter is educated on the way they can vote and putting these security measures into place, being preventative, being proactive will help people gain confidence in the way they are voting, she said This is what were doing at the California Republican Party. It doesnt really matter to me what else is going on outside of that I want people to vote. I want people to have confidence in their vote. Police officer Michael Fanone has returned to work on limited duty eight months after being beaten and tased during the US Capitol riot on 6 January. He is one of four officers injured during the riot to have returned to work with the DC Metropolitan Police Department, while one remains on sick leave, according to The Washington Post. His return to a first full day of duty on Wednesday comes after recovery from both physical injuries and emotional trauma, the Post reported. A police spokesperson told the outlet that he was placed on modified duty with no firearm or arrest powers with the Technical and Analytical Services Bureau. Mr Fanone told the Post that he understands returning to street enforcement would not be wise, as his presence in the public eye could be a distraction. Mr Fanone has been one of the most high-profile officers to have responded to the riot, recently giving testimony to the House commission into the events of 6 January. Video footage from his body camera has become the visual low point of the violence. During the riot, Mr Fanone had a heart attack after being swarmed by the mob of Donald Trump supporters who beat him with a pole, tased him and threw him to the ground. Following the 6 January attack at the US Capitol, Mr Fanone went on something of a media tour with the major TV networks and newspapers to dispute criticisms police hadnt used sufficient force to repel the rioters. Mr Fanone told Time magazine he even turned down an offer to pose for a nude photoshoot in Playgirl, a claim denied by its publisher. He told Time that in addition to his life-threatening physical injuries, the attack led to post-traumatic stress disorder. Theres people on both sides of the political aisle that are like, Listen, Jan. 6 happened, it was bad, we need to move on as a country, he said. What an arrogant f***ing thing for someone to say that wasnt there that day, he says. What needs to happen is there needs to be a reckoning. The pro-Trump lawyers who sued to overturn the one-term presidents election loss in Michigan should pay the state more than $200,000 in legal costs, say officials. A judge ordered last month that the nine lawyers, who include Sidney Powell and Lin Wood, repay the fees to state and local election officials as part of sanctions against them. US District Judge Linda Parker will now review the $204,156 bill to see if the requests are reasonable. They include $180,000 requested by the City of Detroit , which spent the money hiring a private law firm to defend itself, and $20,000 for the office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Ms Powell, a former campaign lawyer for Donald Trump, and litigator Lin Wood, sued last year to try and overturn Joe Bidens victory there, which he won by 154,000 votes. The judge dismissed the lawsuit in December and has asked that legal profession disciplinary bodies investigate the lawyers to see if they should lose their licences. Last month the judge told them that they should have properly investigated Mr Trumps debunked claims of voter fraud before bringing their lawsuit. And she said sanctions were required against the attorneys to deter the filing of future frivolous lawsuits designed primarily to spread the narrative that our election processes are rigged and our democratic institutions cannot be trusted. She has also ordered the pair to take classes on the legal and ethical requirements of filing a lawsuit in the state. This lawsuit represents a historic and profound abuse of the judicial process, the judge said in her decision. And she added that the case was never about fraud it was about undermining the Peoples faith in our democracy and debasing the judicial process to do so. The lawyers who brought the suit now have 14 days to object to the filings from the state and city. Ms Powell has said that she had a duty to raise the issues on behalf of Mr Trump. We have practiced law with the highest standards, she said in July. We would file the same complaints again. We welcome an opportunity to actually prove our case. No court has ever given us that opportunity. The EUs former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier stunned ex-colleagues in Brussels by launching a blistering attack on the power of the European courts. Mr Barnier who is running for the French presidency against Emmanuel Macron said it was time for France to regain sovereignty lost to the European judiciary. The politician who negotiated the Brexit deal on behalf of Brussels appears to have adopted Eurosceptic rhetoric in his bid to win the presidency for the centre-right Republicans. We must regain our legal sovereignty in order to no longer be subjected to the judgements of the European Court of Justice or the European Court of Human Rights, the former EU Commissioner said on Thursday. Mr Barnier repeated his call for a referendum to impose a five-year moratorium on immigration to France from outside the EU. We will propose a referendum in September 2022 on the question of immigration, he told a rally in Nimes. Recommended Mr Barnier later issued a tweet attempting to clarify his rally remarks saying he did not want France to break entirely free of the European courts but to create a constitutional shield to give the country more power over immigration issues. Let us keep calm, the presidential candidate also tweeted, claiming he wanted to avoid any unnecessary controversy. While some found Mr Barniers remarks ironic given his stance defence of freedom of movement during the Brexit process others said he was in danger of destroying his legacy. One wonders how a sentence like that can come from such a committed European, Clement Beaune, Frances junior minister for EU affairs, told Politico on his latest remarks. Julien Hoez from the European Liberal Forum said: Michel Barnier is giving a masterclass on how to destroy your career and legacy in the desperate hope of looking electable to an electorate that just straight up dislikes you regardless. The 70-year-old Republican candidate, who left the EU Commission in March, was one of the most prominent faces of the Brexit negotiations and regularly criticised Brexiteers in the Conservative Party. Responding to his attack on the European courts, Conservative MP Simon Clarke tweeted: This is ironic in the extreme. Polls in France have next years contest as a race between incumbent Mr Macron and far-right National Rally candidate Marine Le Pen. But Mr Barnier is hoping to make a strong showing in the first round of the contest, which is scheduled for April 2022. France has approved citizenship to over 12,000 Covid-19 frontline workers under a special fast track scheme, the government announced on Thursday. The frontline workers include healthcare workers, security guards, checkout workers, garbage collectors, home-care providers and nannies. The French government said that it was a way to thank them for their services during the Covid-19 crisis. Marlene Schiappa, junior interior minister in charge of citizenship said that over 16,000 people had applied for a French passport over the past year under a special fast track scheme that allowed workers in essential services to apply for citizenship after just two years in France, instead of the usual five. She said that 16,381 had applied and of these, 12,012 became French. These front-line workers were there for the nation. It is normal that the nation makes a gesture in their favour, she added. In 2020, a total of 61,371 people acquired French citizenship. The fast track citizenship scheme was first announced in September last year. However, the announcement was met with concerns over whether citizenship is only granted to those considered good immigrants. Across France, protests have erupted in support of undocumented migrants. John Spacey who worked as a carer for the elderly during the pandemic was one of those given fast-track citizenship earlier this year. He was quoted by The Local as saying: It genuinely feels like a great honour to be offered citizenship. Mr Spacey said: Just before Christmas I received the news I was to be given a one-off payment from the State as a kind of merci for services rendered during the crisis, something for which I was very grateful and that Id not expected, given Id been being paid for my work anyway. He added: Then came another, far more unexpected, thank you the chance to apply for French nationality six months earlier than would have been possible under the normal rules and to have the process fast-tracked. All for doing a job I love. Meanwhile, Ms Schiappa said on Thursday: I welcome our new compatriots to French nationality and thank them in the name of the republic. The country also thanks them. Police in Madrid on Thursday arrested a former Venezuelan spymaster wanted on U.S. narcoterrorism charges, capturing him in a hideout apartment nearly two years after he defied a Spanish extradition order and disappeared. Gen. Hugo Carvajal, who for over a decade was late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavezs eyes and ears in the Venezuelan military, was arrested in the small apartment in which he had been holed up. He lived totally enclosed, never going outside or getting close to the window, always protected by people he trusted, Spain s police said in a statement on social media in which they posted a short video the moment heavily-armed officers put handcuffs on Carvajal. Spains high court, which handles extradition cases, in 2019 approved Carvajals extradition to the U.S., where he faces federal charges in New York and Florida for allegedly working with guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia to flood the U.S. with cocaine. The extradition order followed an earlier ruling, by a high court magistrate, throwing out the U.S. warrant for being politically motivated. In the interim, Carvajal was released and never heard from again except for a brief statement on social media last year where he said he went underground to protest what he viewed as political interference in his case. He has previously denied any wrongdoing. Im prepared for either situation, the good or the bad, Carvajals wife, Angelica Flores, told The Associated Press when contacted by phone with the news. Its up to him and others to give statements. This case will continue and well see how it ends. Nicknamed El Pollo (The Chicken), Carvajal has bete noire of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for over a decade. First indicted in 2011, he narrowly escaped extradition when he was arrested in Aruba in 2014 while serving as Venezuela's consul general to the Dutch Caribbean island. President Nicolas Maduros government successfully applied pressure on Aruba, which sits just miles off Venezuela's coast, to release Carvajal and when it did he received a hero's welcome upon his return to Caracas. But he was never a confidant of Maduro and in the complicated internal politics of Venezuela's ruling socialist party was relegated to a minor role as a backbench parliamentarian. In 2019, after opposition leader Juan Guaido led a street uprising and quickly won the U.S.' recognition as Venezuela's legitimate leader, Carvajal then openly rejected the government, urging members of the military to break with Maduro. While on the run, both from the DEA and Maduro, Carvajal traveled to the Spanish capital from the Dominican Republic under a disguised identity. He was greeted at Madrids airport by two Spanish intelligence officials, the AP has previously reported. From Europe, Carvajal had hoped to leverage contacts and knowledge of the Venezuelan deep state to mount a military-backed rebellion against Maduro. But to the frustration of many in Venezuelas opposition who have secretly tried to flip senior members of the military, he was arrested on the U.S. warrant days before a failed barracks rebellion on April 30, 2019. There was no immediate comment from Maduros government. The case against Carvajal in New York centers on a DC-9 jet from Caracas that landed in southern Mexico in 2006 with 5.6 tons of cocaine packed into 128 suitcases. Carvajal said that judicial probes in Venezuela and Mexico never linked him to the incident and that the alleged plane owner backs his alibi. But he faces incriminating evidence from phone records, drug ledgers and the testimony of at least 10 witnesses, according to an affidavit from a DEA special agent. Those witnesses include members and associates of the Cartel of the Suns, former high-ranking Venezuelan officials, according to the affidavit. The U.S. indictment also repeats an accusation that Carvajal provided Colombian rebels with weapons and protection inside Venezuela. The former general has scoffed at the allegations. He says his contacts with the FARC designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization were authorized by Chavez and limited to securing the release of a kidnapped Venezuelan businessman and paving the way for peace talks with the Colombian government. ___ Parra reported from Madrid. Here are the APs latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the minute information on APs coverage, visit Coverage Plan at https://newsroom.ap.org. TOP STORIES VIRUS OUTBREAK-BIDEN In his most forceful pandemic actions and words, President Joe Biden ordered sweeping new federal vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans private-sector employees as well as health care workers and federal contractors in an all-out effort to curb the surging COVID-19 delta variant. Biden sharply criticized the tens of millions of Americans who are not yet vaccinated, despite months of availability and incentives. By Zeke Miller. SENT: 1,230 words, photos, video. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-BIDEN-ANALYSIS Bidens war on virus becomes war on unvaccinated; VIRUS OUTBREAK-GLANCE. Also see VIRUS OUTBREAK-EMPLOYER MANDATES below. UNITED STATES-AFGHANISTAN-ENDANGERED ALLIES U.S. veterans, lawmakers and others say the relaunch of evacuation flights from Kabul has done little to soothe fears that the U.S. might abandon countless Afghan allies who risked their lives working alongside American troops. By Ellen Knickmeyer, Julie Watson, Bernard Condon and Padmananda Rama. SENT: 1,060 words, photos. With UNITED NATIONS-AFGHANISTAN UN envoy: World must prevent Afghanistan economic collapse; UNITED-NATIONS-AFGHANISTAN-POVERTY UN: Afghanistan teeters on brink of universal poverty; AFGHANISTAN-THE LATEST. Also see AFGHANISTAN-WYOMING-20 YEARS below. HURRICANE IDA Supply trucks are again delivering beer on Bourbon Street and the landmark Cafe Du Monde is serving up coffee and fried dough covered with white sugar, even if there werent many tourists or locals around to partake of either this day. With nearly all the power back on in New Orleans 11 days after Hurricane Ida stuck, the city is showing signs of making a comeback from the Category 4 killer. By Stacey Plaisance and Jay Reeves. SENT: 810 words, photo, video. With HURRICANE IDA-ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Oil-soaked birds found near oil spill at refinery after Ida. SEPT 11-A WORLD UPENDED The terrorist attacks on the United States nearly 20 years ago brought profound change in America and the world. The death and devastation stirred grief, rage and war. It also sparked solidarity, not only in the United States but among its allies even some rivals. Two decades later, that global goodwill is long gone. Many of the legacies of Sept. 11, 2001, have come undone, partly because of the way the U.S. conducted 9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. By Calvin Woodward, Ellen Knickmeyer and David Rising. SENT: 1,960 words, photos. An abridged version of 1,000 words is also available. For more 9/11 anniversary coverage, click here. ISRAEL-SETTLER VIOLENCE Tareq Zubeidi says he was abducted and beaten by a group of Israeli settlers after they found him and his friends eating snacks near an evacuated hilltop settlement in the occupied West Bank. More than three weeks after the Aug. 17 incident, he says he can barely walk and is afraid to leave his home. By Jack Jeffery and Imad Isseid. SENT: 890 words, photos. BURYING BLACK MORTICIANS Since the start of the pandemic, about 130 Black morticians have died from COVID-19. The deaths have left some of their successors struggling to fill a role of prominence that in many African American communities extends far beyond laying bodies to rest. By National Writer Adam Geller. SENT: 2,000 words, photos, video. An abridged version of 990 words is also available. TRENDING NEWS AIR FORCE BASE LOCKDOWN Report of gunshot triggered lockdown at Ohio Air Force base. SENT: 270 words, photos. CSI:-VEGAS Petersen and Fox brush off rust for CSI: Vegas reunion. SENT: 230 words, photo. MCDONALDS-VEGAN-BURGER McDonalds introducing McPlant vegan burger in U.K., Ireland. SENT: 210 words, photo. MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK VIRUS-OUTBREAK-LOS-ANGELES-SCHOOLS Students age 12 and older in the Los Angeles school system must be vaccinated before they can return to classrooms next year under one of the toughest anti-COVID mandates enacted in the nation. SENT: 850 words. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE LATEST. KENTUCKY-SPECIAL SESSION Kentucky lawmakers, many not wearing masks, voted to scrap a statewide mask mandate in public schools and shifted masking decisions to local school boards, acting in a special session as the states worst COVID-19 surge threatens to overwhelm hospitals. SENT: 810 words, photos. VIRUS-OUTBREAK-AUSTRALIA It can seem like Australias west coast has almost entirely avoided COVID-19. SENT: 1,000 words, photos. WASHINGTON UNITED STATES-CHINA Biden speaks with Chinas Xi Jinping amid growing frustration on the American side that high-level engagement between the two leaders top advisers has been largely unfruitful in the early going of the Biden presidency. SENT: 640 words, photos. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT-TEXAS-ABORTIONS The Justice Department sues Texas over a new state law that bans most abortions, arguing it was enacted in open defiance of the Constitution. SENT: 790 words, photos. NATIONAL AFGHANISTAN-WYOMING-20 YEARS The father of one of the first soldiers killed in Afghanistan 20 years ago is reliving the pain and anger as he watches fellow parents mourn the 13 soldiers killed at the tail end of the two-decade long war. SENT: 1,050 words, photos, video. ROBERT-DURST-MURDER-TRIAL Robert Durst is a sick, old, defenseless man beaten up and demonized by prosecutors to cover up a lack of evidence against him, his lawyer says in closing arguments at the New York real estate heirs murder trial. SENT: 950 words, photos. CALIFORNIA-RECALL-ELDER In two months, Larry Elder went from conservative talk radio host to leader of the Republican field in the California recall election that could remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office, drawing national headlines, attracting enthusiastic fans to his rallies and quickly banking millions for his first campaign. By Political Writer Michael R. Blood. SENT: 1,070 words, photos. ARIZONA-CANVASS-REPORT-FACT-FOCUS A report released this week in Arizonas largest county falsely claims to have uncovered some 173,000 lost votes and 96,000 ghost votes in a private door-to-door canvassing effort, supposedly rendering the 2020 election in Maricopa County uncertifiable. SENT: 830 words, photo. RACIAL INJUSTICE-CALIFORNIA BEACH California lawmakers unanimously moved to allow the return of prime beachfront property to descendants of a Black couple who were stripped of their resort for African Americans amid racist harassment a century ago. SENT: 330 words. INTERNATIONAL CYPRUS-TURKEY-GHOST TOWN Theres a groundswell of anger among thousands of Greek Cypriot refugees who fear their property in the Turkish-occupied ghost town of Varosha could be forever lost. SENT: 880 words, photos. SLOVAKIA-POPE Pope Francis is paying a visit next week to a neighborhood in Slovakia most Slovaks would not even think about going, which until recently even the police would avoid after dark. SENT: 810 words, photos. HONG-KONG Three leaders of the group that organized an annual Tiananmen candlelight vigil were being held in custody after they were charged with subversion under Hong Kongs national security law, as authorities intensify a crackdown on dissent in the city. SENT: 550 words, photos. ASIA-TYPHOON A strong typhoon skirted past most of the Philippines but appeared to be gaining strength and heading directly for Taiwan this weekend, forecasters say. SENT: 370 words, photos. TROPICAL-WEATHER-PACIFIC Hurricane Olaf scraped across the southern tip of Mexicos Baja California peninsula and spun back into the Pacific bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the twin resorts of Los Cabos. SENT: 250 words, photo. BUSINESS/ECONOMY VIRUS OUTBREAK-EMPLOYER MANDATES Larger U.S. businesses wont have to decide whether to require their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 it is now a federal law. By Business Writer Barbara Ortutay. SENT: 1,000 words, photos. FINANCIAL-MARKETS Shares advanced in Asia as investors step up buying despite another decline on Wall Street that kept the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq on track for their first weekly losses in three weeks. By Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach. SENT: 560 words, photos. PRODUCTER PRICES Labor Department releases the Producer Price Index for August. By Economics Writer Paul Wiseman. UPCOMING: 130 words after 8:30 a.m. release, then updated. SPORTS COWBOYS-BUCCANEERS Down one point with 1:24 to go in the kickoff to the NFL season, Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers rallied past the Dallas Cowboys 31-29. By Sports Writer Fred Goodall. SENT: 750 words, photos. US OPEN Emma Raducanu of Britain and Leylah Fernandez of Canada will meet in the first major final between two teens since the 1999 U.S. Open, when Serena Williams, 17, defeated Martina Hingis, 18. By Tennis Writer Howard Fendrich. SENT: 900 words, photos. ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT FASHION-LAQUAN SMITH Where the party girls at? Some were on top of the Empire State Building walking LaQuan Smiths New York Fashion Week runway in slinky blue and white sequin minis, barely there one pieces and shiny body hugging pants. SENT: 530 words, photos. With FASHION-MOSCHINO Puppies, giraffes and bears Oh My! on Moschino runway. HOW TO REACH US At the Nerve Center, Jerome Minerva can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, Wally Santana (ext. 1900). For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from http://newsroom.ap.org. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006. The controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has been completed, gas giant Gazprom has confirmed. The Russian state-controlled company completed the contentious project that aims to double the natural gas supply from Russia to Germany. Gazprom said in a statement on the messaging app Telegram, citing its CEO Alexei Miller, that the construction of Nord Stream 2 was "fully completed" on Friday morning (10 September). The project, which began construction in 2012, was strongly opposed by Ukraine and the United States. Nord Stream 2 is built under the Baltic Sea bypassing both Poland and Ukraine, raising objections from the countries. The Gazprom owned pipeline received investment from multiple European countries but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described the new pipeline as a powerful geopolitical weapon for Russia, which annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and has also thrown its weight behind a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine. Washington has strongly opposed the 764-mile long pipeline prompting Joe Bidens administration to sanction Russian companies and ships involved in the project, although German companies involved have not been sanctioned. In July, the United States and Germany reached a deal to allow Nord Stream 2s completion without US sanctions on German entities. This was based on terms that the US and Germany committed to countering any Russian attempt to use the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as a political weapon. They also agreed to support Ukraine and Poland by funding alternative energy and development projects. Additional reporting by AP Seven years into a simmering conflict that has cost thousands of lives, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has starkly warned that Russia has not given up on the idea of all-out war. Speaking at the Yalta security forum in Kiev on Friday, Volodymyr Zelensky said a major military operation remained a palpable possibility and that tensions between Kiev and Moscow were growing to such an extent that a precipice was now emerging between the two neighbours. All-out war would be the biggest blunder on Russias part, he said. Its a spooky scenario but unfortunately it isnt unlikely. The danger is reaching a point of no return. An undeclared war has undermined relations between the two countries since 2014 focused first on the annexation of Crimea in March of that year, a move declared illegal by the United Nations, before turning towards the eastern Ukrainian Donbas region, where Ukrainian troops continue to fight with Russian-backed separatists. Last year, Russia brought an estimated 100,000 troops to Ukraines eastern and southern borders in an operation that showed Moscows teeth even if there appeared to be little danger of it developing into something more substantial. Mr Zelensky said intelligence showed that there were Russian boots on the ground in Belarus, which also borders Ukraine. The world has changed, he said. Despite early movement on prisoner exchange in 2019, the personal chemistry between the Ukrainian showman-turned-president and Russias autocratic leader of the past 21 years remains testy. Mr Zelensky confessed that he wished he had more time to understand his opponent. In the meantime, the Ukrainian president insisted he remained committed to developing a constructive discussion, [with] more substantive conversation between the two leaders. He said that a meeting between the two, the possibility of which has been under discussion for several weeks, would have tangible results in prisoner exchange and demining. Mr Putin, on his part, remains committed to the notion that Ukraine is not a fully sovereign state at least, that appears to be the main premise of an extended essay on Russian-Ukrainian unity that was published in July. The Ukrainian leader took a swipe at that claim, arguing that respect for national sovereignty worked in a reciprocal manner. If you respect people, they respect you back, he said. Intelligent Russians understood that Ukraine was an independent nation, he said, adding that state propaganda had left its calling card on more average citizens. Russian media policy is now predicated on disrespecting Ukrainian independence. Unfortunately it does break down the average person, he said. Its dangerous because we have no option but to live as neighbours. Mr Zelensky, who has just returned from an important visit to the United States, said he had discussed Russian intentions in Ukraine at length with Joe Biden. The American president lent a sympathetic ear, he said, but remained silent on the issue of Nato membership. That prospect remains a major irritant in relations with Russia, with Moscow suggesting a declaration of neutrality is key to resolving the current conflict. Ukraines leader said that Nato risked losing relevance if it kept its doors shut to the largest country in Europe. If you want Russia to strengthen, you keep Ukraine out, he said. A Swedish couple have been told that they cannot name their son Vladimir Putin, local media has reported. The Swedish tax agency, Skatteverket, rejected the couples request to name their son Vladimir Putin - the name of the Russian president - according to SR, the countrys public radio broadcaster. Swedish parents are required to report the names of their newborn children to Skatteverket within the first three months from them being born. This is due to law Naming Law, first enacted in 1982 and updated in 2017. According to the rules, first names must not be offensive or risk causing discomfort or other problems for the bearer. They also arent allowed to clearly resemble surnames. It also includes names which for some obvious reason are not suitable as a first name. The law also applies for adults who wish to change their name. The couple, who live in the town of Laholm, southern Sweden, are unsure which of these principles formed the basis of the tax agencys decision. Figures from Statistics Sweden show there is a total of 1,413 men named Vladimir in the country. Either fewer than two or none of whom bear the last name Putin (the database does not show specific data below two). Other names rejected by the agency include Allah,Q, Ford and Pilzner. However, some names that have bypassed the law include Metallica and Google. The parents must now make a second request for a different name for their newborn son. According to website Routes North, a travel guide for Scandinavia, which used figures from Swedens official statistics bureau, the 10 most popular boys names in Sweden are Noah, William, Hugo, Lucas, Liam, Oscar, Oliver, Matteo, Elias and Adam. A firefighter has been killed and more than 1,000 people were evacuated from their homes as a wildfire raged out of control on Friday in the hills above Spanish resort town of Estepona. The blaze in the Sierra Bermeja mountain range started late on Wednesday and high winds were making it harder to bring under control as it spread along the Costa del Sol. A 44-year-old firefighter, who has not been named, died when he was encircled by the blaze on Thursday night. A column of smoke extended for 500 kilometres and can be seen on satellite images from space. The fire has destroyed 3,600 hectares (8,896 acres) of forest above Estepona, a Spanish resort which is popular with British holidaymakers and expatriates. Lynnclaire Dennis was woken by smoke and burning ash as the fire encircled her house. I looked out of my window and it was apocalyptic. It was just a red glow. It was terrifying. We have an image of Hell and brimstone and this was what it looked like, she told The Independent. I got my cat, my computer and a few other things and left but as I was coming down the stairs I missed the last step and hurt my ankle. I was in agony. I went back to my bedroom for 15 minutes to make sure my ankle was not broken. Ms Dennis, 69, an American scientist, managed to drive to a friends house but later returned to her home when she believed the fire had passed. The next thing I knew was that there were police and sirens outside my house again and I had to leave again. Whatever happens, it is all material stuff. You have to look after the people you love. Twenty-nine planes and helicopters were scrambled to work with 400 firefighters to try to extinguish the fire. What we have is a hungry monster. They are extremely voracious fires. We intend to confine it, enclose it within a few lines of control and bring it down, said Alejandro Garcia, deputy director of Infoca, the regional fire brigade. Carmen Crespo, the Andalusian regional agriculture minister, told journalists that investigators believe the wildfire had been started on purpose. What has happened and the consequences, fundamentally, on human lives and the natural environment are not fair, she said. Dense smoke from the blaze forced authorities to close a series of smaller roads in the area. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sent his condolences via Twitter to the firefighter who died: My hug and the solidarity of the entire government with the family and colleagues of the firefighter who died today while participating in the extinction of the fire in the Sierra Bermeja. RIP. A California surf instructor alleged to have killed his two-year-old son and 10-month-old daughter to save the world from serpent DNA faces the death penalty on two murder charges, according to authorities. Matthew Taylor Coleman, 40, was indicted on two counts of foreign first-degree murder of US nationals, Kaelo and Roxy, in Mexico. The attorney general will decide whether to seek the maximum death penalty or life imprisonment and fines up to $250,000. Mr Coleman was a devout Christian who went from praising God for the birth of his daughter less than a year ago to being an apparent follower of QAnon enlightened by the Illuminati. He allegedly stabbed his children to death for possessing "serpent DNA" passed down from their mother that would see them grow into "monsters". He knew it was wrong, but [said] it was the only course of action that would save the world, the FBI said in a criminal complaint. While the arrest affidavit didnt go into further detail on his enlightenment by QAnon and the Illuminati, their references in connection to monsters and "serpent DNA" align with the lizard people conspiracy. The lizard-people conspiracy claims blood-drinking reptilian humanoids have controlled the world for centuries since they established the Illuminati. Court documents claim Mr Coleman began receiving visions and signs revealing his wife, Abby Coleman, had become possessed by serpent DNA. Ms Coleman reported her husband and children missing on Sunday, 10 August, after he left the day before without saying where they were going. They hadnt had any sort of argument and she wasnt worried that they were in any danger or her husband would do harm, according to the affidavit. Using Ms Colemans Find my iPhone app, authorities tracked Colemans phone travelling between Rosarito, Mexico and San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego. Mr Coleman was stopped by authorities as he tried to return to the US at the Tijuana border. When the FBI learned he was alone and without his children, they contacted their Mexican counterparts and learned of the two dead bodies matching the description of Kaelo and Roxy. When confronted by authorities, Mr Coleman allegedly confessed to the killing. Acting US attorney Randy Grossman said in a statement that theyre determined to achieve justice for the two young victims. There are no words to describe the profound grief that envelops an entire community when a child is murdered, Mr Grossman said. Its not normal that you dont win a raffle but still get the prize, and its even weirder to enter a raffle and the prize to be a trip to space. On that basis, Christopher Sembroski has already managed two very unusual feats. Mr Sembroski is one of the four-strong crew headed to orbit on SpaceXs Inspiration4 mission. That journey, chartered by billionaire Jared Isaacman, will see the crew shot into space and spend three days there, before falling back down into the ocean. The rest of the crew Hayley Arceneaux, Sian Proctor and Mr Isaacman himself were specifically chosen on a variety of different characteristics. But Mr Sembroski is part of the mission by a very lucky accident. As part of the Inspiration4 mission, the team offered a ticket through the lottery that would help raise money for St Jude Childrens Research Hospital. People could donate to the hospital to receive a ticket, with the winner getting a seat on the journey. Almost 72,000 people entered, to raise around $113 million. And at the end of that SpaceX chose its winner randomly. Mr Sembroski was one of those 72,000 people who did enter the raffle for a ticket to space. But he did not actually win his ticket was given to him by a friend, who recognised that it his lifelong interest in space should be rewarded with a trip there. He is a 41-year-old aerospace industry employee who works at Lockheed Martin, and is a veteran of the US Air Force. He says his interest in spaceflight began early with stargazing from his schools roof and has continued ever since, working as a Space Camp counselor and simulating space shuttle missions. He then moved onto the Air Force, where he worked to maintain ballistic missiles. He was deployed for active service in Iraq and left active duty in 2007. After that, he earned a degree in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and has since gone on to his current job in Seattle. As with the rest of his crew, he has a value to represent, in line with how he got his place on the trip. His is Generosity; the rest have Hope, Leadership and Prosperity. France has announced a travel ban on unvaccinated Americans as cases of Covid-19 spike across the US. Following guidance from the European Union, one of the main tourist destinations on the continent has now removed the United States from its safe travel list. A decree issued by the French government on Thursday moved both the US and Israel from the green category to orange in effect banning nonessential journeys to the country for the unvaccinated. Unvaccinated travellers will still be allowed to travel to France but will need an essential reason to enter the country. They will need a negative Covid-19 test before their journey and will have to quarantine for seven days upon arriving in the country, CNN reported. The announcement comes as several other European countries also impose travel restrictions on US travellers. Spain updated its policy earlier this week to require Americans and other arrivals from the US to show a certificate that they have received two vaccination doses. Denmark and the Netherlands have also changed their requirements and now ask that people travelling from the US show proof of vaccination. Sweden has stopped all arrivals from the United States, regardless if travellers have been vaccinated or not. Last week, Italy started requiring all arrivals to show that they had had a negative PCR or antigen Covid test within three days of their journey for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. The European Union recommended its 27 member countries late last month to start limiting travellers from the United States after cases of Covid-19 increased in the country during July and August. Many European countries opened their borders to American tourists earlier this summer aiming to support their tourism industries and economies which has been harmed by the pandemic. Some countries, such as Germany, already started imposing new restrictions on US travellers before the EU guidance was issued as the highly transmissible Delta variant of the virus spread across the country. Other nations, such as tourist-reliant Greece, have said that they will stay open to vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers. Japan has been removed from the European Unions list of safe travel destinations, meaning travellers returning from the country are likely to face stricter rules around testing and quarantine. Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei and Serbia were also dropped from the list following a review by the governments of the EUs 27 member states on Thursday. Elsewhere, Uruguay has been added to the list of safe countries alongside Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Jordan, New Zealand, Qatar, Moldova, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Ukraine and China (subject to confirmation of reciprocity). The coalition advises that member states should gradually lift the travel restrictions at the external borders for residents of countries on the safe list. Criteria considered in decision-making includes the current epidemiological situation and overall response to Covid-19 adopted by a particular country. The list, which is reviewed every fortnight, exists as guidance aimed at unifying travel rules across the bloc, but its recommendations are not mandatory, with EU nations free to decide their own border policies. Decisions made by the bloc do not correspond to the UK following suit, however; Japan is currently on the UKs amber list, with inbound visitors to the country currently denied entry except in exceptional circumstances. A sharp rise in infections at the end of August led health officials in the east Asian country to warn that it was approaching a natural disaster. Japan recorded more than 20,000 new cases at the end of last month, setting a record high, with two-thirds of the countrys prefectures experiencing an explosive growth of infections caused by the Delta variant. Young people in their twenties and thirties accounted for the majority of the new cases, but cases of seriously ill patients have risen among people in their forties and fifties due to the countrys slow vaccine rollout. To date, the country has reported 1,603,112 confirmed cases of Covid and 16,525 deaths. According to Taro Kono, the minister in charge of vaccinations, more than 80 per cent of Japans elderly population have been double jabbed, compared with less than 20 per cent of those aged 12 to 64 who are eligible for the vaccine. Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community! Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region. The shooting of Tiger 3 is going on in Turkey and fans are eager to see Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif's sizzling chemistry. To amp up their excitement, it has now been revealed that they will be shooting for the most expensive romantic song on a budget of Rs 3 crore. This time, it will be bigger than the blockbuster song Swag Se Swagat from Tiger Zinda Hai. Twitter The makers of the film have always opted for extravagant ways to promoted the film. During the release of Tiger Zinda Hai, a beautiful portrait of Katrina on Austria's frozen lake was unveiled. This time, they are going bigger and grander! As per the reports, the song will be shot in the midst of the beautiful landscapes of Cappadocia. AFP "Tiger 3 has been planned on a grander scale by producer Aditya Chopra and director Maneesh Sharma as the story demands Tiger (Salman) and Zoya (Katrina) to hop from one country to another, chasing the antagonist. But the song that is being picturised on Salman and Katrina currently, choreographed by Vaibhavi Merchant with music composition by Pritam, is said to be one of the most romantic and costliest songs shot on them ever with many magnificent locales as part of it," an insider was quoted as saying by Pinkvilla. AFP The song will roll at the end of the movie, and of course, there will be a catchy and unique hook step. The song will be shot on a budget of whopping Rupees three crore. If rumours are to be believed, Emraan Hashmi is playing the antagonist in the film. While he denied being a part of the project, he is also in Turkey at the moment to shoot for a film and this has set the tongues wagging. India has reported 34,973 new Covid cases, 260 deaths in the past 24 hours, according to the data by the Union Health Ministry. Active cases: 3,90,646 Total cases: 3,31,74,954 Total recoveries: 3,23,42,299 Death toll: 4,42,009 Kerala Logs 26,200 New COVID Cases, 125 Deaths Kerala on Thursday reported 26,200 fresh coronavirus cases and 125 deaths which pushed the total infections in the state to 43,09,694 and the fatalities till now to 22,126, the state government said. BCCL The Test Positivity Rate (TPR) was recorded at 16.69 per cent after testing 1,56,957 samples in the last 24 hours and with this, 3.29 crore samples have been tested till now, a state government release said. Goa Achieved 100 % First Dose Covid Vaccination, Set To Complete 2nd Dose By October 31 All the COVID-19 vaccination eligible beneficiaries in Goa have been inoculated with the first dose, informed Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday. BCCL Earlier this month, Himachal Pradesh claimed 100 per cent Covid vaccination of adults with the first dose. Tamil Nadu Ban On Festivals, Gatherings To Continue Till October 31 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday announced the extension of the existing ban on festivals, political, social and religious gatherings in the state till October 31, as part of a stringent measure to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. and to safeguard from possible third wave. BCCL Insisting that the occasion calls for stricter protocols, he said events like festivals, political, religious and social events could turn into "super spreaders." Tamil Nadu on August 30 had announced the closure of beaches on Sundays for the public. 'Mu' Covid Variant Potentially Of concern, Says EU Agency The European Medicines Agency said Thursday a coronavirus variant known as "Mu" could be cause for concern, although there is no data yet to show it will overtake the dominant Delta strain. BCCL Mu, which was first identified in Colombia in January and is known scientifically as B.1.621, was classified earlier this month as a "variant of interest" by the World Health Organization. Maharashtra Reports 4,219 COVID-19 Cases, 55 Deaths Maharashtra reported 4,219 new coronavirus infections and 55 fatalities on Thursday, the state heath department said. BCCL It took the tally of infections in the state to 64,87,025 and death toll to 1,38,017, he added..Active cases: 3,90,646 Total cases: 3,31,74,954 Total recoveries: 3,23,42,299 Death toll: 4,42,009 Reuters The first commercial flight from Kabul Airport, which is now under the control of the Taliban took off on Thursday. The Qatar Airways flight to Doha had an estimated 200 foreigners, including Americans on board. As per reports, the flight operation was with the cooperation of the Taliban and the foreign minister and deputy prime minister helped facilitate the operation. Read more Tourists Deface 150-year-old Skywalk In Uttarakhand Within Days Of Opening Twitter In what is being called as sheer disgrace, multiple tourists defaced a 150-year-old skywalk in Uttarkashi's Nelong Valley, within days of its opening. Gartang Gali, was reopened for tourists after 60 years. Yet, within days, the renovated bridge has been defaced by visitors. Many engraved their names on the sheesham railing of the historic bridge, prompting the government to direct police to lodge an FIR and catch those responsible. Read more "Woman Can't Be A Minister... They Should Give Birth": Taliban Says In TV Interview TOLO Women can't be ministers, they should give birth, a Taliban spokesperson said in an interview, reinforcing the perception that the hardline group's claims of a new improved version since its brutal rule in Afghanistan in the 1990s are false. "A woman can't be a minister, it is like you put something on her neck that she can't carry. It is not necessary for women to be in the cabinet - they should give birth," Taliban spokesperson Sayed Zekrullah Hashimi told TOLO news. Read more After Love Jihad, Kerala Bishop Says Narcotic Jihad Is Being Used To Trap Non-Muslim Girls File Image Joseph Kallarangatt, the Catholic Bishop of the Pala Diocese in Kerala has triggered a controversy after claiming that youth of the state are becoming increasingly targeted using love and narcotic jihad. The highly influential Bishop made the controversial comments during an address to devotees. According to him, extremists were using such methods to destroy the youth belonging to other religions, where arms cannot be used. Read more Suicide Prevention Day 2021: Increased Number Of Suicide Cases Reported During COVID 2nd Wave Representational Image/iStock A study by a private hospital in Delhi has found that there has been a rise in cases of anxiety and depression among people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such cases spiked particularly in the lockdown period following the first wave. The study was conducted by Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, on 1,211 individuals from the general population during the second wave of COVID-19. Read more "Woman Can't Be A Minister... They Should Give Birth": Taliban Says In TV Interview AFP Women can't be ministers, they should give birth, a Taliban spokesperson said in an interview, reinforcing the perception that the hardline group's claims of a new improved version since its brutal rule in Afghanistan in the 1990s are false. Read more A man kept his mother's mummified body in the basement for more than a year after she died to continue collecting her pension and welfare benefits, according to police. The 89-year-old woman, who reportedly had dementia, is thought to have died of natural causes in June last year. EPS Son mummified mother's corpse The 66-year-old suspect lived with his mother near Innsbruck in the Tyrol region. He admitted in questioning that he froze her body with icepacks in the basement after she died, to guard against the smell. He then wrapped her in bandages to absorb any corporal fluid. He covered his mother with cat litter and finally the corpse was mummified, Helmut Gufler, in charge of the polices social security fraud unit, told public broadcaster ORF. When his brother came round asking about their mother, he said she was in hospital. Representational Image/AFP Got 50,000 since June 2020 The suspect would get his mothers benefits by post every month, but a new postman had recently asked to see the beneficiary. When the son refused, he reported it to the authorities, and the body was discovered on Saturday. Police believe he may have illegally received about 50,000 (42,000) in payments. Getty Gufler said the man had no other income, and had told them that the payments would have stopped immediately if he had reported the death, leaving him unable to afford to pay for his mother's funeral or to keep the house they had shared. As the Taliban-led caretaker government in Afghanistan gets ready to take oath, the criticism over a non-inclusive government only grew when a spokesperson of the militant group made disparaging comments on women on Thursday. Women can't be ministers, they should give birth, a Taliban spokesperson said in an interview, reinforcing the perception that the hardline group's claims of a new improved version since its brutal rule in Afghanistan in the 1990s are false. "A woman can't be a minister, it is like you put something on her neck that she can't carry. It is not necessary for women to be in the cabinet - they should give birth," Taliban spokesperson Sayed Zekrullah Hashimi told TOLO news. Women protest on streets Outraged by the formation of a hard-line, all-male Taliban government, scores of Afghan women, risking their lives, have taken to the streets to protest against the same. AFP Women protesters can't represent all women in Afghanistan," Hashimi added. The comments by Taliban spokesperson to TOLO News on the new Afghan government missing women ministers, have been widely shared on social media. The interviewer countered: "Women are half of the society." Taliban spokesperson's comments Hashimi replied: "But we do not consider them half. What kind of half? The half itself is misdefined here. The half means here that you keep them in the cabinet and nothing more. And if you violate her rights, not an issue." He added: "Over the last 20 years, whatever was said by this media, the US, and its puppet government in Afghanistan, was it anything but prostitution in offices?" TOLO You can't accuse all women of prostitution, the interviewer interjected. "I do not mean all Afghan women. The four women protesting in the streets, they do not represent the women of Afghanistan. The women of Afghanistan are those who give birth to the people of Afghanistan, educates them on Islamic ethics," said the spokesperson. A Taliban spokesman on @TOLOnews: "A woman can't be a minister, it is like you put something on her neck that she can't carry. It is not necessary for a woman to be in the cabinet, they should give birth & women protesters can't represent all women in AFG." Video with subtitles pic.twitter.com/CFe4MokOk0 Natiq Malikzada (@natiqmalikzada) September 9, 2021 "She cannot do the work of a ministry" On why he thought women could not be ministers, Hashimi said: "What a woman does, she cannot do the work of a ministry. You put something on her neck that she cannot carry." AFP The Taliban announced an all-male cabinet for its interim government on Tuesday, with hardliners and globally wanted terrorists in key ministries. Ever since its takeover of Kabul on August 15, the group known for its oppressive regime 20 years ago, has tried to distance itself from its old policies of excluding women from work and education. But there has been a mismatch between its words and actions. A group of physicists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created a way humans could get carbon-free energy forever. MIT Also Read: Scientists Steady Plasma At 50 Million Degrees, Promise Nuclear Fusion Energy Soon They were able to achieve this by building a large high-temperature superconducting electromagnet that can reach a field strength of 20 teslas, making it the most powerful magnet to be ever created. The creation of this magnet would now make it possible to create a fusion power plant that can produce more energy than it uses to keep things running -- which was a rather unsolvable hurdle. Fusion energy is generated using two small atoms that fuse together to make a larger one. No solid material can survive the temperatures that its capable of reaching. Also Read: Indian Firm Helped Build World's 1st Fusion Reactor For Endless Clean Energy This resulted in the need for a system to capture and contain something thats going to be as hot as 100,000,000 degrees or more while suspending it in a way it doesnt make contact with anything solid. And thats what the powerful fields of the magnet developed by MIT researchers are capable of achieving. These magnets were possible due to the commercial availability of a new ribbon-like material that allowed the MIT researchers to create a 20-tesla magnetic field in a facility just one-fortieth the size which would have otherwise been required in the case of conventional magnets. EuroFusion Also Read: China Building Worlds First Waterless Nuclear Reactor Using Thorium These magnets can allow engineers to build more compact fusion reactors that are inexpensive as well as carbon-free. Maria Zuber, MITs vice president for research and E. A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics explains, Fusion in a lot of ways is the ultimate clean energy source. The amount of power that is available is really game-changing. The fuel used to create fusion energy comes from water, and the Earth is full of water its a nearly unlimited resource. We just have to figure out how to utilize it. What do you think about this achievement of MIT engineers in having built the world's strongest magnet for generating clean fusion energy? Let us know in the comments section below, and keep reading Indiatimes.com for the latest science and technology updates. Reusable cloth masks maintain their ability to filter out viral particles, even after multiple washes over a year-long period. Reuters Also Read: Scientists Create Face Mask That Kills 80% Coronavirus In 8 Hours This is according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado, Boulder. To test out the efficacy of reusable face masks after multiple washes, they created double-layered squares of cotton, put them through repeated washing and drying (around 52 times signifying them being washed once a week for a whole year) and testing them every seven cleaning cycles. The masks werent really tested on humans but were attached to the end of a steel funnel through which researchers released a constant flow of air and airborne particles. They tested the fabrics using almost realistic conditions including higher humidity levels and temperatures to simulate the impact on the mask from human breath. Also Read: Scientists Invent Face Mask That Tells If You Have Covid-19 In 90 Minutes Marina Vance Even though researchers saw the cotton fibres falling apart over time after repeated washing and drying, researchers saw that they didnt affect the filtering ability significantly. Lead author Marina Vance, assistant professor in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering explained, It's good news for sustainability. That cotton mask that you have been washing, drying and reusing? It's probably still finedon't throw it away." The major noticeable change was that the inhalation resistance had gotten higher indicating that it became a little difficult to breathe for the wearer. It is important to note that the testing was done using a perfect fit in the laboratory. Basically, there were no gaps between the mask material and the persons face, resulting in a snug fit. Unsplash Also Read: Mumbai's BMC Advises People To Wear Double Masks, Why It's Actually Effective Cloth + surgical mask still better Researchers further tested on kinds of face masks and their effectiveness and found that a cloth face mask filtered out around 23 percent of the smallest particle size at around 0.3 microns on which the virus can travel. Bandanas were poorer at this filtration with just 9 percent success. On the other hand, surgical masks managed to filter 42 to 88 percent of tiny masks, and cotton masks on top of surgical masks reached around 40 percent of filtration efficiency. The best performance was by KN95 and N95 masks with filtration of 83 to 99 percent of the aforementioned particles. Vance added, I think the best mask might be the one that you're actually going to wear, and that is going to fit snugly against your face without being too uncomfortable." Have you been using a washable cloth mask all through the pandemic? How was your experience with non-surgical or non-N95 face masks? Let us know in the comments section below, and keep reading Indiatimes.com for the latest science and technology news and updates. The Milky Way galaxy, home to our planet Earth and the solar system harbours a lot of secrets about the universe that we may never know. Even then, scientists continue to confront the question of our existence including the origins of our solar system. Now, scientists have traced strange signals coming from the centre of the Milky Way. Unsplash Why the signals are strange The Earth is nowhere close to this region and scientists are perplexed owing to the repetitive nature of this radio signal. In a new study set to be published in The Astrophysical Journal soon, scientists claim that these signals represent energy signatures unlike anything ever recorded. The source of this energy is extremely bipolar, for it appears strongly on the radio spectrum strongly for weeks and then completely disappears within a day. Its behaviour isn't in sync with known profiles of any space object. Unsplash Why is this big? It could be a new space object unknown to mankind sending these signals. The scientists refer to it as potentially a "a new class of objects" that are being discovered through radio imaging. Also read: There's A 'Break' In One Of Milky Way's Spiral Arms. Here's Why It's A Big Deal Officially named "ASKAP J173608.2321635", the source was detected with help from the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope, which is situated in the remote regions of Australia. Between April 2019 and August 2020, the ASKAP survey recorded the strange signal 13 times. Every time, the signal would appear only for a few weeks before disappearing completely. Unsplash What's sending the signal from the centre of Milky Way? We really don't know. But scientists have a few guesses. For instance, the source of this radio signal could be a mysterious space object classified as galactic center radio transient (GCRT), which is a radio source which brightens and then dims out in the center of Milky Way. Also read: NASA Shares Pic Of Milky Way Galaxys Crowded Downtown 26,000 Light Years Away Till this date, only three GCRTs have been confirmed to exist. Even then, those objects only last for a few hours and disappear much quickly than the ASKAP object which seems to linger for a few weeks. What do you think is causing this unexplainable phenomenon in space? Let us know what you think in the comments below. For more updates on space mysteries and the latest in technology, keep following Indiatimes.com. Valerie Kaur, Indian American writer and producer of Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath, seen at the Vaisakhi Gala at The Carlu April 14, 2007 in Toronto. Kaur was a college student on Sept. 11 when she watched the Twin Towers of New York City's World Trade Center collapse on the television set in her parents' bedroom in Clovis, California. After their family friend, Sikh entrepreneur Balbir Singh Sodhi, was killed four days after the Sept. 11 attacks, Kaur traveled around the U.S. exploring the subsequent explosion in hate crimes against Sikh and Muslim Americans. Her documentary has been used in classrooms and communities across the country to inspire discussions about hate crimes. (Lucas Oleniuk/Toronto Star via Getty Images) Real-time social media posts from local businesses and organizations across Northern Virginia, powered by Friends2Follow. To add your business to the stream, email cfields@insidenova.com or click on the green button below. If you think Sonoran Restaurant Week is only about Mexican food, you may do a double take when you see dishes inspired by Moroccan, Jamaican, French, and Indonesian traditions on display during the annual event. Following the strong storms, tornadoes and historic flooding in the commonwealth, Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman provided information to home and business owners to help them file insurance claims for damages and tips to avoid repair scams. Property and business owners should get familiar with their policies or talk with a representative from their insurance company to identify what their policy covers and doesnt cover, Altman said in a press release issued by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID). Policyholders should also find out what their policy deductible is and any dollar limits on the amount of damage the policy will cover, she said. The department reminded homeowners that flood damage is not covered by most homeowners insurance policies, and a separate flood insurance policy is required to pay for damage caused by flooding. Experiencing significant home, property and business damage from a storm can be incredibly difficult, but we want Pennsylvanians to know there are resources available to help them through the process, Altman said in the release. The Insurance Department has brochures for homeowners and business owners with information on how to file claims for storm damage. These brochures include tips on what information is needed to file an insurance claim for storm damage, as well as what questions to ask and what to look for to spot a possible repair scam. Commissioner Altman also advised consumers to be wary of contractors with work vans or trucks that have out-of-state license plates or lack signs or insignias identifying the company name. Repairing a home or business after storm damage can be challenging, but following these tips can help Pennsylvanians file claims and lessen their chances of being scammed, Altman said. In addition, property and business owners should review their insurance policies annually to make sure they have the appropriate coverage. Source: Pennsylvania Insurance Department Topics Claims Windstorm Pennsylvania FineFix, Marylands uninsured motorist fine forgiveness program, officially ended on July 31, 2021. The FineFix program was a partnership between the Uninsured Division of Maryland Auto Insurance and the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) and was executed in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Budget and Managements Central Collections Unit (CCU). The program launched in September 2019 and gave eligible Marylanders the opportunity to pay 20% of their outstanding uninsured motorist fines and have the remaining 80% forgiven. Over the course of two years, nearly 20,000 program participants have paid in full and completed the FineFix program. This has resulted in more than $30 million dollars in fines being forgiven across the state of Maryland. As fines were cleared and drivers regained the ability to register their vehicles, more than 1,200 drivers obtained auto insurance policies through Maryland Auto and other carriers. This program was created to aid Maryland residents in removing financial barriers from registering and insuring vehicles. Additionally, FineFix was intended to facilitate economic growth for the state of Maryland and allow participants to take advantage of all available employment opportunities and fully engage in our economy, says Maryland Auto Executive Director Al Redmer Jr. in a company press release. One recent FineFix participant let us know that her fines were so overwhelming, she never thought shed be able to pay them off or drive again. Last month, through tears of joy, she made her final FineFix payment, completing the program. She has already bought a car and registered and insured it. The program was initially intended to end in mid-2020. However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and Marylands state of emergency, the Uninsured Division of Maryland Auto Insurance paused the program in April 2020, in order to provide additional financial relief to enrolled participants. In April of 2021, the FineFix program resumed and set an end date of July 31, 2021. Source: Maryland Auto Topics Maryland In remembrance of the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, we are republishing an August 2018 article, which contains the recollections of Britt Newhouse, former chairman of reinsurance broker, Guy Carpenter. Newhouse worked in the second World Trade Center tower destroyed that day, when 295 colleagues from Marsh McLennan and 63 consultants lost their lives. His story follows here. Some dates and details have been updated. Everybody has career-changing events and life-changing eventsand sometimes, as with the case of Britt Newhouse, events from those two worlds collide. Newhouse, the former chairman of reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter, was in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. He admits he was lucky to get out alive, but 295 of his colleagues died that day. Even after [20 years], its obvious that memories of that day are still raw for Newhouse. He recalls that mornings events as if they were yesterday. Ironically, in the midst of a tragedy brought by the worst of human behavior, he also saw humans at their best: people helping each other as they escaped the building and lower Manhattan. And later, colleagues, clients and reinsurers all pulled together to help the company rebuild. Some of us were going to die, and some of us were going to live, he said in a recollection of that day, which he penned in December 2001 so his children and grandchildren would have a record of his experiences. As one of the lucky ones, he wrote, its only right to remember and honor those who diedto think about them every day, rather than just once a year on the 9/11 anniversary. Following his retirement at the end of 2017, Newhouse sat down with Carrier Management to discuss the influences and events that had a personal and professional impact during his 38-year career at Guy Carpenter, a subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Cos. In addition to 9/11, he recalled the devastating impact of the investigation and lawsuits filed against Marsh and other brokers by then-New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. Of course, he has a lot of positive recollections as wellabout an interesting, diverse career and the life-long friendships he has developed with people across the industry. Perhaps the best place to start with a Newhouse career retrospective is with how he chose a career in the insurance industry. Newhouse says, wryly and without hesitation, that he joined the industry via nepotism It was absolutely nepotism. He landed his first insurance job at American International Group (AIG) because his father, Robert J. Newhouse Jr., a former chairman of Marsh, was friends with Maurice Hank Greenberg, AIGs ex-CEO. Yes, Newhouse is part of an insurance dynasty. His grandfather owned an agency in New York City, and his father, who died [in 2017], spent a long career at both Guy Carpenter and Marsh. One of his brothers, Robert J. Newhouse III, now retired, was a Marsh broker, and two of his nephews (James and Gray Newhouse) are currently working at Guy Carpenter. And last but not least, Newhouses son, Andrew, works for AXIS Capital. [Editors note: In 2021, James and Gray Newhouse are working at Guy Carpenter and Cysurance, respectively, while Newhouses son, Andrew, works at Aspen Re.] When he graduated from college as a Russian studies major in 1976, Newhouse had a choice of becoming a teacher or joining the Central Intelligence Agency, given that the Cold War was in full flow. I got confused and ended up joining AIG, but it was very much like the CIA, he said with a laugh. From Insurance Journals 9/11 Archives Insurance Companies Had Major Presence in World Trade Center While a myriad of businesses called the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center home, insurance companies were particularly hard hit with Tuesdays terrorist attack on the 110-story landmarks. One Mans Escape From the Destruction of the World Trade Center Although RLI lost its branch office in the World Trade Center as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the company was fortunate to have all its New York branch employees escape safely. A. Quentin Skip Orza II, vice president, RLI EPG, was one of three N.Y. branch employees in the building when the horrific events occurred. Heres his personal account of what happened. 9/11 Impact on Marsh & McLennan Cos. Nothing Short of Devastation Marsh & McLennan Companies Chairman and CEO Jeff Greenberg knew something had gone terribly wrong in New York City that Tuesday morning. Three years later, in an e-mail interview with Insurance Journal about that day, Greenberg discussed how Marsh families were impacted, and how the company has rebounded despite the terrible losses. I decided to give the insurance business a try to see if I liked it before I moved to Vermont to become a hippie plumber, he added. Newhouse thought AIG might have some use for his Russian language skills because it did business, even then, with the Soviet Union. He found he liked working at AIG and moved to Carpenter in 1979 when Frank Tasco, who was running the broker at the time, convinced him to join the company despite the fact that Newhouses father was still a Marsh executive. He spent most of his career at Guy Carpenter, although Newhouse did leave the broker briefly in 1993 when he joined a new company called Zurich Reinsurance Centre (ZRC), a subsidiary of Zurich Insurance (which ultimately became Converium and later was purchased by SCOR). He decided to leave Guy Carpenter because he had been traveling on business at least 100 days of the year and felt he needed a change. However, the experience wasnt a happy one. I learned a lot, particularly that I hated being on the underwriting side. I preferred the seat I had in the reinsurance transaction, which was working with the clients, understanding the clients needs and problems and what was driving them, Newhouse emphasized. I like working with a client to make the solution, package it up, present it to the reinsurers, negotiate with them, close the deal, put it to bed and make sure it works, he added. Whereas, as a reinsurer, youre just sitting at the end, waiting to be told, Heres the deal, take it or leave it. I didnt like the separation and removal from client management. As a result, within six months he returned to Guy Carpenter, where, over several years, he worked his way up to New York branch manager, then to Eastern regional manager, then to president and CEO of the Americas, a business area that included the United States, Canada and Latin America, or two-thirds of the reinsurance brokers business. In 2008, he was named chairman of Guy Carpenter, which really was a manufactured title because the company is 100% owned by Marsh & McLennan, and Marsh already had a chairman, explained Newhouse. Starting in 2008, he was repeatedly asked to stay in the role to provide continuity for the staff and clients and help with the transition of the business during a particularly tumultuous time in the companys history. He describes the role of Guy Carpenters chairman as chief influencing officer and always the bridesmaid, but never the bride. In other words, as titular chairman, he no longer had a real executive role, running a profit and loss center. He had a lot of seniority but no direct authority other than the influence he had over clients and colleagues. Why was such a special role necessary to the company? Within three short years, Guy Carpenter had received two devastating blows. In addition to the rebuilding required after 9/11, there was a lot of internal turmoil and senior management changes after Spitzer filed a lawsuit against the broker Marsh and its parent, MMC. Sept. 11, 2001 Taking those two events in succession, Newhouse first described his experiences of Sept. 11. When the first plane hit the North Tower, also known as Tower One, at 8:46 a.m., he had been sitting at his desk answering emails on the 52nd floor of the South Tower, or Tower Two. When the first plane hit, and we heard the explosions, we decided to close the office and send everybody home, Newhouse recalled. We didnt know what had happened. We just knew that something had exploded. The explosions triggered memories for some. A lot of our people had been in the tower during the first terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993, so they werent about to wait around and see what happened. Many went straight to the elevators and quickly got out, he said. There was no reason to think anything was going to happen to Tower Two. Newhouse and his colleagues didnt know that in less than 20 minutesat 9:03 a.m.the next plane would hit their building. He had been sitting at the receptionists desk, answering the phone and telling people to go home. When the plane hit Tower Two, he said the building shook violently and seemed to lift off the ground and lean way over. For a moment, Newhouse said, the building felt like it would topple into the plaza below. We all looked at each other in shock with our mouths open. Then the windows were covered with smoke and fire, which probably was a fireball from the planes gas tank, he recalled. I shouted: Okay, its time to go down the stairs!' Newhouse and his colleagues walked down a packed stairwell from the 52nd floor to safety. Many of his colleagues who had been in Tower One that day were not so lucky: 295 colleagues from MMC and 63 consultants lost their lives. He often ponders why some people that day were lucky and some were not. If hed spent 10 more minutes in the building, he said he probably wouldnt have made it out. Some people in the building managed to get down 80 flights of stairs, only to be killed by falling debris when they rushed out onto the street. It was so sad and so unfair, Newhouse added. Some of us were going to die, and some of us were going to live, he said in a recollection of that day, which he penned in December 2001 so his children and grandchildren would have a record of his experiences. As one of the lucky ones, he wrote, its only right to remember and honor those who diedto think about them every day, rather than just once a year on the 9/11 anniversary. At 6:30 a.m. the day after the attack, Newhouse went to a Marsh office in Connecticut to meet with the leadership team to start figuring out what happened to us, how badly we were hurt and how many people we lost. It was probably a good thing that I didnt have time to pause and think too much. I went right back to work the next morning. He said being busy helped him push through that terrible time. Obviously, we had lost everything as a company. Our clients and reinsurers sent us copies of everything and helped us rebuild our files, he said. Spitzer Lawsuit Ironically, he added, the company emerged stronger after both 9/11 and Spitzers 2004 lawsuit against MMC, which ultimately was settled when the company agreed to pay $850 million. Even after Spitzer, however, the uncertainties continued for MMC because there was a period when the company was being run by lawyers, who were focused more on compliance and targeting criminal and unethical behavior, said Newhouse. Rather than building its business, Guy Carpenter was internally focused. Newhouse said its ironic that all Marsh employees who had been prosecuted by Spitzer ultimately won their appeals. Nevertheless, New York State got nearly a billion dollars out of MMC, and it cost thousands of jobs, he continued. At Guy Carpenter, we didnt lose any business during the whole Spitzer period. We lost a few people, but not many, he said. We had two years of no new business because clients were uncertain what was going to happen to us. He did admit to one good result from the Spitzer episode: There is more transparency about the existence of contingent commissions and how brokers are remunerated. Another benefit, Newhouse said, is that Guy Carpenter and Marsh became stronger after 9/11 and Spitzer. I have said repeatedly to colleagues that there arent many companies that could have withstood both of these events in a 10-year period and come out stronger, he said. The reason is that both events forced us to collaborate better and more effectively because we were under a great deal of stress. And our clients wanted us to succeed. Realigning Business After Spitzer, another disruption loomed. Carpenter decided to reduce its dependence on its top 30 mega-insurer clientswhat Newhouse said was a necessary strategic move because these clients had grown through mergers and acquisitions and were buying less reinsurance. In line with this strategy, Guy Carpenter successfully replaced approximately 30% of its revenue with revenue from many medium, regional and specialty companies around the world, he said, noting that during these years, the company still showed organic growth of 2% to 6% a year. The result of this strategy is that Guy Carpenters business is now much more distributed and diversified than its ever been. During this transitional period, Newhouse focused on developing new clients as well as the maintenance and retention of existing clients. I spent a fair amount of my time on the segments that offered diversification to the businessgrowing our regional business, our specialty business and our non-U.S. business in Latin America and Europe. In 2007, Guy Carpenter tried to buy U.K.-headquartered reinsurance broker Benfield Group but lost out to Aon Corp., which was able to offer cash and purchased the company in 2008. We didnt have cash. We had stock and cash, Newhouse said. At the time, we were still handcuffed by the Spitzer backwash. See related sidebar: Newhouses Leadership Lessons Guy Carpenter next decided to restructure its European operations to run and manage European business from London, using a team approach, sharing resources across the business. Guy Carpenters business model was to take advantage of being a big intermediary, using the global resources of our entire firm while ensuring that clients feel like theyre dealing with a local office, he said. When the Spitzer cloud lifted around 2008, Guy Carpenter began showing strong top- and bottom-line organic growth, Newhouse affirmed. He decided to retire in August last year, after he had open heart surgery and his wife had been ill. I had already fulfilled my commitments to the company and the people I worked with, he said. Ive had a good time in my career. I love the company and the people. When I left Guy Carpenter, I was very confident that the company was in great hands with its management and leadership. In fact, the company has probably never been healthier. Newhouse finds reinsurance the most fascinating sector in the insurance industry. You get a macro, 50,000-foot altitude views of workers comp, property, marine, med mal, pollutionthe list goes on. You see all of these different aspects of insurance and how it affects commerce and peoples lives, communities and economic growth. Its fascinating. Massive Changes Ahead He offered some words of caution for the industry, however. The insurance industry is terrible at change unless its forced on them. I spent most of my last few years at the company thinking and worrying about technology and whats ahead for the industry, he said. When companies are faced with a technological revolution, its much easier to say, No, you cant prove that this technology or this business model or this new way of doing business is going to be important for us in the future.' If you cant prove the long-term value of an investment, then the people who believe that inaction is less risky than action have too much power, he emphasized. He described these types as the accountants and bean counters who arent facing the front lines of competition and client demands. Companies better be prepared to take some risk and apply some intuition based on experience in the business if they are going to survive whats coming in the next 20 years. Its not going to be tomorrow, or even next year, or even in five years, but over the next 20 years, the business is going to change massively, he continued. Understanding clients needs with respect to emerging technology and helping them adapt will be 30% of Guy Carpenters business offering in the future, Newhouse predicted. The original version of this article was published online by Carrier Management on Aug. 2, 2018, and it was republished on Sept. 10, 2021. LONDON Willis Towers Watson has around $5 billion of capital which could used for acquisitions, its president and incoming chief executive said on Thursday, as the insurance broker prepares for a future as a standalone company. Aon Plc, the worlds second-largest insurance broker, called off a $30 billion merger with Willis, the worlds third-largest, in July under regulatory pressure. Had the deal been approved, it would have created the worlds largest insurance broker. Willis shares jumped nearly 5% to a near-three-month high on Thursday as the firm told investors it planned to return at least $4 billion to shareholders through share buybacks by the fiscal year-end 2022. People were looking for a direction and weve been able to provide not just a direction but an inspiring direction, Carl Hess told Reuters by telephone, adding that after buybacks and dividend payments, weve got $5-plus billion to either repurchase shares or invest in the business. Investment could be inorganic or organic were not going to be doing M&A for M&As sake. Willis is going ahead with plans originally agreed during the Aon merger talks to sell its reinsurance business to rival Gallagher for an initial consideration of $3.25 billion. Activist investor TCI, founded by British billionaire Chris Hohn, is seeking to build up a stake in the London-based firm, according to media reports. Current Willis Chief Executive John Haley, who is retiring this year, would not confirm the reports. We get interest from investors all the time wanting to talk with us, either to kick the tires before they are doing an investment or if theyve started to invest, trying to understand a little bit more about the business, he said. We have conversations with pretty much anybody that wants to talk to us we dont disclose them. British insurers Prudential and Aviva have come under pressure from activist investors in the past 18 months to simplify their businesses and cut costs. (Reporting by Carolyn Cohn; Editing by Dan Grebler) Topics Mergers Willis Towers Watson Authorities believe a man fatally shot his wife and their two young sons in their northeastern Ohio home before turning the gun on himself. The bodies of Jeffrey Hull, 50; Heidi Hull, 46; Garrett Hull, 9; and Grant Hull, 6, were found around 1:15 p.m. Sept. 7 when officers went to the Avon Lake home to conduct a welfare check, authorities said. Its not clear when the shootings occurred or what prompted the violence. Heidi Hull was an operations senior vice president and Cleveland operations manager at commercial property insurer FM Global, according to information on the insurers website. She oversaw the companys operations in the region, which includes locations in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and parts of Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania. Officers went to the home after Heidi Hulls employer requested the welfare check because she did not take part in a scheduled conference call and no one answered the front door at the familys home. A preliminary investigation found that Jeffrey Hull likely killed his wife and sons before killing himself, authorities said, but the incident remains under investigation. Avon Lake police are investigating the deaths along with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Heidi Hull was the first woman ever to be promoted to senior vice president/operations manager in FM Globals 185-year history, the company said. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Ohio Global insurance broker USI Insurance Services announced the acquisition of Des Moines, Iowa-based Reynolds & Reynolds, Inc. Founded in 1976, Reynolds & Reynolds is an independent risk management and employee benefits agency doing business in Iowa and nationally. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. USI Chairman and CEO Michael J. Sicard said Reynolds & Reynolds introduces a local Iowa-based presence for USI and an expanded suite of risk management and employee benefit services. Headquartered in Valhalla, New York, USI is a national middle market broker approaching $2.0 billion in revenue with more than 8,000 professionals in approximately 200 offices throughout the United States. Source: USI Topics Mergers Iowa For a few long minutes on the morning of September 11, 2001, I believed I might die. I remember thinking, These bastard terrorists are going to get me, too. An insurance colleague at AIG had come into my office at 175 Water Street, about five blocks from the World Trade Center, shortly before 9 a.m. to say he read on the internet that a plane had hit the World Trade Centers North Tower. My first thought was it must have been a small plane whose pilot had succumbed to a medical emergency. Then, I looked out my office window and saw the sky filling with paper blown out of the upper floors of the Trade Center. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. It already felt like a major event. Recollecting my experiences from September 11 in Lower Manhattan brings back painful memories. I did not enjoy writing this piece, but I felt the younger generation in insurance could benefit from insights into how 9/11 monumentally impacted our industry. Too many people went down to the station or the office that morning and never came back. An ominous sky filled with fluttering paper. I later learned that most of that paper came from the North Tower offices of Marsh, site of the first jets impact. After a few minutes, groups of us began descending to the sidewalk outside our building to gape upward at the burning North Tower. Id guess two or three hundred AIG employees assembled. I assumed, naively, that helicopters would soon arrive to douse the flames. Shortly after 9 a.m., someone on the sidewalk yelled that another plane had just crashed into the South Tower. We couldnt see the initial impact of the second crash from our viewpoint, but, nonetheless, all questions about whether these were acts of terrorism were immediately answered. A security guard emerged from 175 Water Street and announced that the building was closing for the day. Nobody would be allowed back inside. More than half the crowd started heading for home. Since I lived three miles north in Gramercy Park, I decided to wait around to see the fire extinguished. If worse came to worst, I knew I could walk home. The South Tower fell at 9:59 a.m. As I watched this gigantic structure sink into itself, a sound akin to the crash of humongous concrete bowling pins filled the air. I knew instantly I had just witnessed the deaths of many people. I thought to myself, Even soldiers in war dont see that many people die at once. Surreal doesnt describe it. Within a few seconds, a large grayish cloud of smoke and debris advanced toward us. Someone in the crowd shouted that we should run because the cloud could be poisonous and might kill us. Thats when fear, and my mortality, gripped me. I truly thought I might meet my demise at the hands of terrorists. I alternately ran and walked up FDR Drive with eight colleagues. The scene was a war movie come to life. Frenzied people scurried as the piercing wail of sirens assaulted our ears. Emergency vehicles sped through the smoke in every direction. Lower Manhattan was a blinding swirl of panicked activity. Chaos. Everyone in my group made it safely to my home on East 18th Street. My land-line phone wasnt working, and cell-phone service was intermittent, so I sat at my computer and sent an email to almost my entire address book, letting the recipients know who was with me and which colleagues I knew were safe. While planes were grounded, rumors took flight. I later learned that one had me at a meeting at Aons offices high in the South Tower when the fuel-filled jets struck. Friends of mine were also falsely rumored to be at the World Trade Center that morning. The days and months after September 11, 2001, were an open, oozing wound in all of America, but particularly so, I believe, in New York City. Acrid smoke hovered over Manhattan 24 hours a day. Everywhere you went, homemade flyers showed victims in various poses from better days holding a child, flipping a burger on a grill, displaying a just-caught fish on the deck of a boat asking if anyone had seen the person who was now officially missing. We all knew, as did most likely the people who created the flyers, that these victims were not going to be found alive. But still, humans being human, we clung to hope. I heard the family of one missing insurance brokerage employee believed she was alive in the rubble below the Trade Center and surviving on junk food from a drug store in the buildings lobby. Of course, that wasnt true. From Insurance Journals 9/11 Archives Insurance Companies Had Major Presence in World Trade Center While a myriad of businesses called the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center home, insurance companies were particularly hard hit with Tuesdays terrorist attack on the 110-story landmarks. One Mans Escape From the Destruction of the World Trade Center Although RLI lost its branch office in the World Trade Center as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the company was fortunate to have all its New York branch employees escape safely. A. Quentin Skip Orza II, vice president, RLI EPG, was one of three N.Y. branch employees in the building when the horrific events occurred. Heres his personal account of what happened. A 9/11 Remembrance From Former Carpenter Chairman Newhouse Britt Newhouse, the former chairman of reinsurance broker, Guy Carpenter, worked in the second World Trade Center tower destroyed that day, when 295 colleagues from Marsh McLennan Cos. and 63 consultants lost their lives. This is his story. 9/11 Impact on Marsh & McLennan Cos. Nothing Short of Devastation Marsh & McLennan Companies Chairman and CEO Jeff Greenberg knew something had gone terribly wrong in New York City that Tuesday morning. Three years later, in an e-mail interview with Insurance Journal about that day, Greenberg discussed how Marsh families were impacted, and how the company has rebounded despite the terrible losses. On the morning of Sept. 12, I exited my building in Gramercy Park and walked a half block to Third Avenue. I felt like Id been transported to the Twilight Zone when I saw a police car coming down the avenue. It wasnt just any police car; it was a state police car from Michigan. At the time, I thought to myself, Is the world now so screwed up that we need police from Michigan to protect New York City? Of course, upon reflection, I realized the out-of-place police car was simply a message of unity and support for New York City, and all of America, really, from the good people of Michigan. On Friday, Sept. 14, I called Hertz to see if I could rent a car to drive to my sisters house at the Jersey Shore. The customer service rep was in Oklahoma. When she realized I was calling from Manhattan, she immediately dropped her businesslike tone and asked me, in a motherly fashion, if I was OK. I nearly cried. Everyone in America was concerned for, and supportive of, those closest to the tragedies, although I believe these atrocities affected every American to their core, not just those in close proximity to the carnage and/or those who lost a loved one. Most Americans, I think, felt helpless in those days immediately following 9/11. Giving blood was a powerful gesture of support but, unfortunately, there were not many injured victims who survived and needed blood. Basically, you either made it out alive or you perished. People dont typically live to tell about it when an enormous building collapses. Americans did, however, get an opportunity to support the first responders and those digging through the aftermaths rubble. A friend of mine volunteered to operate heavy equipment at Ground Zero a few days after 9-11. I asked him what it looked like close up. It looked like Hell, he said, Everything was on fire. The insurance industry was hit especially hard by September 11. Marsh suffered the most fatalities of any insurance organization; 295 employees and 63 consultants perished. Aon lost 176 employees. Almost everyone in commercial insurance in the New York City area knew at least one person who died in the attacks. When we got back to work at AIG a few days after September 11 (or maybe it was a week, I dont exactly remember), New York City-based employees reported to alternative AIG offices for a few days. When we were finally allowed to go back to 175 Water Street, for the first few days when I emerged from the subway, I took in a straight-on, close-up view of the still-smoldering Trade Center site. Then, after walking a couple of blocks, Id have to show my business card to a machine gun-toting soldier in order to be allowed through a security perimeter surrounding the Wall Street area. But showing your business card to a soldier to be allowed to get to your office did not seem crazy; it just blended in with the Michigan police car and all of the other new normals of surreal post-9-11 life. Im going to skip over details of the memorial services for individuals who died that day. They were all heartrending events. I attended three, but I know of people who went to 10 or more. The sadness was staggering, and it lingered for a long time. Every insurance meeting in the first few months after September 11 began with 15 or 20 minutes of discussion about where people were that day, who they knew that died or who had narrowly missed being at the Towers that morning. It was sort of an informal exercise in group therapy. AIG, and many other employers, offered free counseling to employees. I declined to participate, although, in hindsight, I should have gone. I would spontaneously and sporadically cry in the months following, usually while I was home alone. And Im sure I wasnt the only one. The insurance industry has gained a lot of new members since 2001, including the offspring of some who died in the attacks. The youngest among todays insurance professionals were not old enough in 2001 to understand what was happening. We lost a lot of exemplary insurance people on 9/11, people who no doubt would have gone on to do great things, including raising great families. In the early years after it happened, I would see bumper stickers with a silhouette of the World Trade Center next to the words Never Forget. I would think that it was preposterous to believe that anyone could forget 9/11 in our lifetime. And while that may be generally true, younger generations wont remember it as vividly, or think of it as often, as those of us who were adults at the time. Whenever someone mentions an event that occurred within the past 30 years or so, I automatically classify it as being before or after September 11. To me, the world changed profoundly that day. The pain of losing friends and loved ones on September 11 will never completely vanish, but perhaps we can take some cold comfort that our nation came together in those post-9/11 days as it had never done before, or since, in my lifetime. Americans were donating their time and money to help victims and support rebuilding and rebirth. Nobody was asking who they voted for, or who they thought won an election; support and comfort was given freely by just about everyone, including foreigners. Frances renown newspaper Le Monde ran a headline that screamed, We Are All Americans. If there had been a vaccine against terrorism available on September 12, I believe 100 percent of Americans would have taken it. Hopefully, Americans collectively learned many valuable lessons since September 11, and not just about preventing additional terrorist attacks, although those are certainly significant. Im sure it would be too much to expect our nation to rally around the 20th anniversary of September 11 to set aside political differences in order to work together for a brighter future. But one can hope. America has many times displayed its ability to move forward as one unified nation when circumstances demand it. Hopefully, those days will return as we face a relentless pandemic. And let us resolve to never forget the legacies of all those Americans, first responders and civilians alike, who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. We, as a nation, and as individuals, would do well to follow the battle cry of American hero Todd Beamer as he and his fellow Flight 93 passengers displayed unflinching courage in their quest to protect this country on 9/11 by sacrificing their own lives to save others. Its wishful thinking, but perhaps the 20th anniversary of September 11 will move us to be the best versions of ourselves that we can be. As Todd Beamer said so courageously, Lets Roll! Larry Goanos latest book, Professional Lines Insurance: An Oral History, contains a chapter on September 11, 2001. That chapter can be downloaded for free here. All profits from the sale of the book in the month of September will be donated to the National September 11th Memorial and Museum. This article was edited by Lee F. Lerner. Federal employment officials say Texas-based Dell Inc. has agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging the company paid a female IT systems analyst less than male coworker for the same work. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said Dell has agreed to pay $75,000 and provide other relief to settle an equal pay and sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the federal agency. According to the EEOCs lawsuit, Kea Golden worked as an information technology (IT) analyst for Dell beginning in September 2017. A the time of her hiring at Dell, Golden had 24 years of IT experience. In addition to Golden, Dell in September 2017 hired three male IT coworkers in the same department from another employer. While working with Dell, Golden performed the same tasks, assignments and work as one of her male coworkers with whom she worked at their prior employer. However, Dell paid Golden $17,510 less annually less than the male coworker. The Equal Pay Act (EPA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 both prohibit discrimination in compensation based on sex. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division (Civil Action No. 3:20-cv-03131) after attempting to reach a pre-suit settlement through the agencys conciliation process. The parties voluntarily agreed to settle the case, and the consent decree resolving the EEOCs lawsuit has now been approved by the federal court. In addition to paying $75,000 in monetary relief to Golden, Dell has agreed to provide specialized training on the EPA and Title VII; post a notice of employee rights under the EPA and Title VII; and report certain information regarding employee reports of discrimination to the EEOC for two years. Federal law requires that female and male employees receive equal pay for equal work, unless justified by a factor other than sex, Joel Clark, senior trial attorney in the EEOCs Dallas District Office, said in a media release. In too many fields, including IT, female workers are not compensated at levels equal to their male peers. Source: EEOC Topics Lawsuits The company overseeing the response to a large oil spill spurred by Hurricane Ida said that a containment dome has been placed over a broken undersea pipeline, stemming the flow into the Gulf of Mexico. Houston-based Talos Energy said in a statement that its oil spill response contractor had installed the containment dome on Sept. 6, allowing for the recovery of the oil coming from the sheared-off 1-foot-diameter (30-centimeter-diameter) pipe and transferring it to surface vessels. Talos said it does not own the ruptured pipeline that divers identified as the likely source of an 11-mile-long (18-kilometer-long) oil slick that appeared after the Category 4 hurricane made landfall on Aug. 29. The Associated Press first reported last week that aerial photos showed a large brown and black oil slick spreading about 2 miles (3 kilometers) south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana. The broken pipe is in relatively shallow water, at about 34 feet (10 meters) of depth. Talos said the rate of oil appearing on the surface had slowed dramatically over the weekend and that no new heavy black crude had been seen since Sunday. So far, the spill appears to have remained out to sea and has not affected the Louisiana shoreline. There is not yet any estimate for how much oil was in the water. The U.S. Coast Guard said over the weekend its response teams are monitoring reports and satellite imagery to determine the scope of the discharge, which is located in Bay Marchand, Block 4. Talos previously leased Bay Marchand, Block 5, but ceased production there in 2017, plugged its wells and removed all pipeline infrastructure by 2019, according to the company. The company said it is working with the Coast Guard and Louisiana regulators to coordinate the response and identify the pipes owner. During an overflight of the area on Sunday, the crew of a Coast Guard survey aircraft spotted another oil slick identified as coming from an oil platform belonging to S2 Energy, located approximately 5 miles (8 kilometers) away from the Bay Marchand site. According to the Coast Guard, the company reported that it has secured the wellhead to stop the leak and deployed a boom to contain a roughly 1-acre (.40-hectare) area of oil floating on the water. The amount of oil that leaked from the platform has yet to be determined. No one could be reached Sept. 7 at a phone number listed for S2 Energy in Covington, Louisiana, and no one responded to an email. The Coast Guard said it is prioritizing nearly 350 reported environmental incidents reported in Idas aftermath for further investigation by state, local and federal authorities. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Energy Oil Gas The death toll in Louisiana from Hurricane Ida rose to 26 on Sept. 8, after health officials reported 11 additional deaths in New Orleans, mostly older people who perished from the heat. The announcement was grim news amid signs the city was returning to normal with almost fully restored power and a lifted nighttime curfew. While New Orleans was generally rebounding from the storm, hundreds of thousands of people outside the city remained without electricity and some of the hardest-hit areas still had no water. Across southeastern Louisiana, 250,000 students were unable to return to classrooms 10 days after Ida roared ashore with 150 mph (240 kph) winds. The latest deaths attributed to Ida happened between Aug. 30 and Monday, but were just confirmed as storm-related by the Orleans Parish coroner, the Louisiana Department of Health said in a statement. Nine of the New Orleans deaths of people ages 64 to 79 came from excessive heat during an extended power outage, while the two others were from carbon monoxide poisoning, the department said. More than a million people were left without power, including the entire city of New Orleans, when Ida struck on Aug. 29. The states largest power company, Entergy, said it expected to have electricity in the city restored to 90% by evening on Sept. 8. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Police Department and Mayor LaToya Cantrell lifted an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew they had imposed two days after the hurricane hit. Louisiana Orders Insurers to Pay Hurricane Ida Evacuation Expenses Idas Inland Path May Reveal Hidden Risk, Test Mapping Methods of Hurricane Floods Across New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana, families are still waiting to hear when their children can return to school, as districts assessed hurricane damage. Prior to Ida, schools around Louisiana had been open despite widespread cases of COVID-19, although under a statewide mask mandate for all indoor locations. We need to get those kids back with us as soon as we possibly can, said Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley. In New Orleans, School Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. said damage to schools appeared to be mostly minimal, but power needs to be restored to all buildings, and teachers, staff and families need to return to the city to get schools up and running. Now more than ever, our children stand to benefit from the comfort that structured and routine daily schooling can bring, Lewis said in a statement. So, lets all come together to reopen our schools quickly and safely. Lewis said he expects classes for some will resume as early as next week and that all students will be back a week after that. No school reopening estimates have been provided for the five parishes that were hardest hit by Hurricane Ida and which are home to about 320,000 people: Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. James, St. Charles and St. John the Baptist. In those parishes, 96% of utility customers were still without power Wednesday. Bucket trucks and heavy power equipment were ubiquitous, but the task facing linemen remained daunting. Downed power poles and slack or snapped lines were still evident on long stretches of U.S. Highway 90 in St. Charles Parish. Heavy equipment trucks could be seen ferrying new poles to the area. Farther south, in the Terrebonne Parish city of Houma, trucks with linemen were on every street, and as the day progressed there were signs of progress: Traffic lights started flickering on, although sporadically, on busy Grand Caillou road by early afternoon. Linemen also were working south of Houma, in rural Terrebonne along Bayou Grand Caillou. But many of the homes were in no shape to connect. Coy Verdin was staying at his sons house in Houma. The home the 52-year-old fisherman shares with his wife, Pamela, near the bayou was a soggy, smelly mess, all but destroyed in the storm. All the ceilings fell. You can see daylight through the roof, Verdin said. All we have is basically a shell. Ida scattered most of his 200 crab traps to parts unknown. The only thing I have left is my boat and some of my commercial fishing rigging, he said. The St. John the Baptist Parish School System website said all schools and offices will be closed until further notification. Lafourche Parish Schools Superintendent Jarod Martin indicated a long and extensive road to recovery on that school systems website, with no timeline for a return in sight. Until power is restored to our facilities and were able to obtain further information regarding damage to the infrastructure of our schools, were unable to provide an estimated date for a return to in-person learning, the St. James Parish public school system said in an update. Statewide, about 342,000 homes and businesses remained without power on Sept. 8, according to the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Access to fuel also remained difficult, with the website GasBuddy.com reporting about 48% of gas stations in Baton Rouge had no gasoline. About 56% of stations in New Orleans were also dry. About 44,000 people were still without running water in Louisiana, the state health department reported. Thats significantly lower than the hundreds of thousands of people who had no water immediately after Idas landfall. Still, more than 570,000 people were being told to boil their water for safety. In many neighborhoods, homes remain uninhabitable. About 3,200 people are in mass shelters around Louisiana while another 25,000 people whose houses have been damaged are staying in hotel rooms through the Federal Emergency Management Agencys transitional sheltering program. Louisianas secretary of state announced that fall elections will be pushed back by more than a month because of the storm. In addition to the death and destruction Ida caused in Louisiana, the storms remnants brought historic flooding, record rains and tornados from Virginia to Massachusetts, killing at least 50 more people. Deslatte reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Associated Press Writer Jeff Martin contributed to this story from Marietta, Georgia. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Louisiana Emergency room nurses at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital briefly refused to clock in Sunday night as part of a protest over pay and working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic that they said has left them overwhelmed and feeling defeated. News outlets report that the night shift nurses briefly refused to start their shift on Sunday night as part of a planned protest. Nurses said they were fighting for equal compensation and described working through a surge of COVID-19 patients while being understaffed. The hospital said there were about 20 medical staff involved in the protest and the workers began their shifts after discussing their concerns with hospital leaders. One nurse, whose name was not given, told WVTM that nurses felt overwhelmed after working on the front line through multiple resurgences of the virus. Another unnamed nurse told the station that the protesting hospital workers felt defeated and wanted their voices heard. The nurses said it was part of a planned protest and said that patients were not denied care because day shift workers stayed late. The hospital in a statement said about 20 emergency room staff started their shift about two hours late Sunday night and that patient care was not impacted. We recognize the pressure COVID has put on our nursing staff, UAB Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Terri Poe said in a statement. She said the hospital has offered pay increases, bonuses and incentives when possible during the pandemic. The concerns voiced this week by emergency department staff will help inform ongoing discussions about compensation as we adjust the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape and pressures of the pandemic, Poe said. We continue to encourage the public to get vaccinated and to wear masks so we can end the pandemic sooner and relieve stress from our dedicated staff. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Alabama Civil Unrest Opinion Policies Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. Topics are chosen via relevancy and interests of the members, which are then discussed by the Editorial Board in order to reach a general consensus concerning the topic or issue. Feedback policy If you have a grievance concerning the content or argument of the Editorial Board, please contact either Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or the Editorial Board as a whole (editorialboard@iowastatedaily.com). Those wanting to respond to editorials can also submit a letter to the editor through the Iowa State Daily website or by emailing the letter to Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or Editor-in-Chief Sage Smith (sage.smith@iowastatedaily.com). Column Policy Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions. Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020 Data centres believed stark projections from EirGrid about the strain on the electricity network created by such centres were over-estimated. Internal briefings from the IDA describe how data centre operators in Ireland believed they were being blamed amid the crunch on Irelands electricity supply and they now had a negative profile. A briefing note prepared for the board of the IDA said recent concerns over so-called amber power alerts for electricity shortages had led to a number of significant public interventions. This included a warning from EirGrid that data centres had sought 1,000MW of additional power in the space of 12 months, at a time when total energy demand in Ireland was 5,500MW. EirGrid had also called for a review of data centre policy and said the centres would represent up to one-third of all electricity consumption by 2030 based only on existing connection agreements. The IDA note briefing said: Data centres view EirGrids figures as over-estimated. They are concerned about the negative profile that data centres continue to have and highlight how data centres are core to the evolving digital economy. The board note said despite concerns about the high electricity consumption of data centres, Ireland had the potential to deliver more than enough power. It said: It is worth noting that the country, in the long term, has the potential to support substantial growth in enterprise electricity demand, including from data centres, in particular if the country realises the full potential of offshore wind. The briefing went on to say that data centres had themselves become worried about the tightness of electricity supply, especially in the Dublin region. They had reluctantly signed up to what were known as flexible contracts, which included obligations to have on-site power generation options. However, data centres pointed out this directly contradicted their own sustainability policies as it mostly involved the burning of fossil fuels. The note said: This is a big issue, as investment in fossil-fuelled based generators is not viewed as an economical long-term investment. The IDA briefing also said that despite concerns about the direction of power regulation in Ireland, data centres still wanted to significantly invest in Ireland. Discussion points for the meeting included the fact that the country had so much renewable power generation potential. Offshore wind However, the briefing said this would mostly come from offshore wind and would require new maritime legislation to be passed quickly. It added: The country could accommodate all data centre investment that comes its way, and still have large quantities (and associated hydrogen) for export. The IDA note said it was hoped that the first major offshore wind operation off the east coast could be in place by 2026, although this was viewed as optimistic. In order to ensure this happens, all efforts need to be made to get the necessary [maritime] legislation in place, said the briefing paper. It said the largest data centres in Ireland viewed EirGrid forecasts about electricity demand as over-estimated, as they included speculative requests, rather than firm proposals. However, the briefing said: On the other hand, Host in Ireland data does show that the number of operational data centres has increased by 72% over the last three and a half years, ie an increase of 29 data centres, from 41 to 70. Increasing concern about the availability of power A list of recommendations in the paper acknowledged increasing concern about the availability of power but said there were a variety of reasons. It was not just confined to data centres, but also maintenance at existing plants, the closure of plants, lower supply from market auctions, and the challenge of integrating renewables into the power generation mix. The briefing recommended a joint approach between State agencies and data centres to ensure there was adequate power for all. This would include significant investment in power infrastructure, better demand flexibility by encouraging off-peak use, additional auctions for electricity capacity, and a long-term plan setting out supply and demand. A separate note also lamented the huge levels of untapped green wind power offshore that could be helping deal with any power shortages. It said there was also a further complication around upgrading natural-gas powered stations to handle periods when wind power generation was lower. However, natural gas being a fossil fuel is opposed by many, and this may cause further issues with developing generation capacity, said the note. Burma Junta Troops Killed in Civilian Attacks Across Myanmar Smoke from a junta-torched village in Gangaw Township, Magwe Region, on Thursday. / CJ More than 20 junta troops, including a high-ranking officer, were reportedly killed on Thursday and Friday during ambushes by Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) across the country, with the most fatalities in Yangon and Magwe regions. Dozens of civilian casualties were also reported in junta crackdowns. On Thursday morning, the Karen National Union seized two military camps in Karen State. Three junta soldiers, including a deputy battalion commander, were reportedly killed in Sanchaung Township, Yangon Region, on Thursday when PDF volunteers attacked a military vehicle. Following the attack, junta soldiers in around 10 vehicles blocked roads in the township. A video showed soldiers opening fire at random and swearing at a roadblock in Sanchaung. The area was still surrounded by the military on Friday. Myanmar has seen growing violence between junta troops and PDFs after the declaration of a peoples war against the regime by the civilian National Unity Government (NUG). When declaring a state of emergency on Tuesday, the NUGs acting president Duwa Lashi La called on all people to revolt against the rule of the military terrorists led by coup leader Min Aung Hlaing across the country. Since the declaration, the military regime has been escalating inspections, arrests and raids while PDFs have stepped up attacks. At least 15 to 20 junta soldiers were reportedly killed in Kyaukhtu in Magwe Region on Thursday morning in a PDF landmine attack on four military vehicles, according to the PDF. More than 22 civilians, including PDF members, were killed and others wounded by junta forces in Magwe Region and Chin and Kayah states on Thursday. On Friday morning, an intense shootout between junta troops and the Gangaw PDF in Magwe Region occurred in Hnan Khar village on the Kale highway, which connects Magwe and Sagaing regions, according to the groups leader. On Thursday junta troops torched more than 20 houses in Myintha village in Gangaw Township after several resistance attacks on the Gangaw-Kalay highway. During the raid, 22 teenage villagers who fought back with homemade firearms were killed by junta troops, according to a resident. Also on Thursday, four civilians, including a nine-month-old baby, were injured in random junta shooting after being attacked by civilian Chinland Defense Force at the Chin State mountaintop town of Thantlang. Houses were damaged by the gunfire and another was blown up by junta explosives, according to residents. In response to PDF attacks in Demoso Township, Kayah State, troops used explosives and shot at random in the towns residential areas on Thursday. A woman was killed and four others injured by junta explosives in Bawlakhe Township, Kayah State, on Thursday when junta troops used explosives on farmers near Nan Hpe village, according to the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force. A firefight between Laungon PDF and the Pyu-Saw-Htee militia, which is trained and armed by the junta, was reported at Launglon Township, Tanintharyi Region, on Friday morning. In the shootout, junta-appointed village administrator U Zaw Myo Oo, also a Pyu-Saw-Htee commander, was killed and other members were injured, the PDF leader told The Irrawaddy. Myanmars junta is also being attacked by ethnic armed groups in Kachin, Shan, Kayah, Mon and Karen states and Sagaing and Tanintharyi regions. By Thursday, almost 1,060 people had been killed by the junta forces, according to the advocacy group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. More than 7,990 people, including elected government leaders, have been detained by the junta or face arrest warrants. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta to Auction Over 12,000 Tons of Illegal Timber Myanmar Shadow Governments Declaration of War Echoes 1949 Rebellion Myanmar Rock Singer Ito Arrested for Alleged Anti-Regime Activities Burma Myanmar Junta to Auction Over 12,000 Tons of Illegal Timber Myanmars military regime will auction over 12,000 tons of timber. Myanmars military regime will auction off 12,500 tons of hardwood on September 16 and 30 as it seeks to raise hard currency to fund its coup. Myanma Timber Enterprise, the state-run entity which controls Myanmars timber sales, said the timber for sale includes 1,500 tons of teak logs and 1,000 tons of sawn teak. The auction will be held in Yangons Insein Township with buyers bidding online. In May, the junta held three separate auctions at which nearly 10,300 tons of timber were sold for around US$5 million, followed by another auction in June of more than 14,000 tons of timber. The wood sold in May and June reportedly came from a stockpile of 200,000 tons of illegally-harvested timber seized by the now-ousted National League for Democracy government. The UK and US-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) said in a statement in May that the military regime is seeking an injection of hard currency by selling off thousands of tons of illegal timber to international markets. Faith Doherty, EIA Forests Campaigns Leader, said, Why would this state enterprise do this, other than to obtain desperately-needed hard currency to continue the juntas brutal persecution of the people of Myanmar. Since the February 1 coup, the US, Canada, EU and Britain have sanctioned the regimes resources and environmental conservation minister, U Khin Maung Yi, as well as other relevant individuals in Myanmar, to prevent the junta from exploiting the countrys resources. However, twenty-seven Italian timber traders imported teak into the EU from Myanmar despite clear regulations, in the form of the EU Timber Regulation, which prohibit such imports, said the EIA in a September 1 report. The Italian traders imported wood worth between US$1.5 million and US$1.77 million from Myanmar between March and May this year. By continuing the trade, these companies are effectively supporting the military junta and its brutal repression of the Myanmar people as well as the destruction of the countrys forests, said the EIAs Doherty. The parallel National Unity government has warned that it will blacklist any bidder and government staff involved in the juntas timber auctions. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Shadow Governments Declaration of War Echoes 1949 Rebellion Myanmar Rock Singer Ito Arrested for Alleged Anti-Regime Activities Myanmar Regime Holding Over 100 Relatives of Activists as Hostages Burma Myanmar Military Tells Muslims Not to Contact Arakan Army Kyauktaw Township, Rakhine State. / The Irrawaddy Myanmars military has warned Muslim village leaders in Kyauktaw Township, Rakhine State, not to complain to the ethnic Rakhine armed group, the Arakan Army, and its political wing the United League of Arakan. The AA and Myanmars military engaged in heavy fighting for almost three years, with the military suffering heavy casualties and leaving hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced. But the fighting ceased in November 2020. Following the Feb. 1 coup, the AA has asserted its political control across much of Rakhine State, appointed political affairs officers and began making administrative decisions. It has since taken a grip over judicial decisions. A village leader, who asked not to be named, said the commander of militarys Light Infantry Battalion 375 summoned administrators and community representatives from five villages Pikethe, Pauktaw Plaung, Guppi Htaung, Shwe Lai and Pauktaw-Taung Oo to its headquarters on September 6 and were told not to complain to the AA. They told us to file complaints with the police or general administrative departments and not the AA. If they cannot help, they told us to speak to the military, he said. The village leader said the commander of the battalion and Military Operations Command 9, based in Kyauktaw, attended the meeting. He said they were told the AA does not form a legitimate government. AA chief Major General Twan Myat Naing told an overseas-based media group last month that the group is taking legal advice about exerting executive and judicial control in Rakhine State. He said there are also plans to administer Muslim villages. Kyauktaws Muslim villagers said their representatives are solving administrative issues as the police are not taking responsibility for any crimes. You may also like these stories: Junta Troops Killed in Civilian Attacks Across Myanmar Myanmar Junta to Auction Over 12,000 Tons of Illegal Timber Myanmar Shadow Governments Declaration of War Echoes 1949 Rebellion Burma Myanmar Regime Holding Over 100 Relatives of Activists as Hostages Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing / The Irrawaddy More than 100 civilians including children are being held hostage by Myanmars military regime, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). They are the relatives of wanted anti-regime activists and were arrested in place of the activists when junta troops could not find them at their homes. The regime took 177 people hostage between Feb. 1 and Sept. 8. It has released 40 of them, but 137 remain in custody. Of the 177, 15 are children, nine of whom have been released, leaving six in detention. On Sept. 5, junta troops detained human rights activist Ko Kyaw Minn Htuts wife and their 2-year-old son. The following day, Ko Kyaw Minn Htut, his brother and his uncle were detained in Monywa, Sagaing Region, according to one of their relatives. The 2-year-old child has not yet been released. And their whereabouts is still unknown. It appears Ko Kyaw Minn Htut turned himself in after learning that his wife and child had been taken hostage, the relative said. In another case, junta troops detained three sons, aged 17, 13 and 11, of a wanted activist in Ayeyarwady Regions Ingapu Township on Aug. 30 after failing to find him. The 13-year-old was released the following day but the other two are still being held at Ingapu Townships police station. Human rights activists say that by holding children hostage, the junta is violating not only child rights but also international humanitarian law. The military regime does not respect child rights, but violates the rights throughout the process starting with their arrest. It only wants to use them as deterrents [to their parents anti-regime activities], said a human-rights activist who asked not to be named. The regime also arrested a mother of twins, one of whom was shot dead by junta security forces in February, at her house in Yangon on Sept. 1. Nyi Nyi Aung Htet Naing, 23, was fatally shot while participating in a protest against the regime in Yangons Hledan on Feb. 28. Junta troops detained their mother as they could not find Ko Ko Aung Htet Naing, the twin brother of the victim. A total of 1,058 people including children have been killed by the junta since the coup, according to the AAPP, while 6,343 remain in detention and 1,984 people are wanted on arrest warrants. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta Finds Allies Among Well-Known Buddhist Monks Declaration of War Necessary as International Pressure Fails: Myanmar Shadow Govt Junta Troops Killed Across Myanmar as Resistance Steps up Operations Burma Myanmar Shadow Governments Declaration of War Echoes 1949 Rebellion Soldiers at the Battle of Insein outside Rangoon in 1949. The shadow National Unity Governments (NUG) declaration of war earlier this week against the military regime has echoes of 1949, when armed organizations rebelled against the government, occupied half the country and fought the Myanmar military. With NUG Acting President Duwa Lashila calling on civilian resistance fighters to target the junta and its assets and for ethnic armed organizations to join the fight against the regime, the NUG is hoping to unify anti-coup forces to fight the junta in more effective fashion. But just a few months after Myanmar gained its independence in 1948, several armed organizations took up arms against the then Anti-Fascist Peoples Freedom League (AFPFL) government over ideological conflicts and racial tensions. At that time Myanmars population was 17 million, compared to around 54 million today. The Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO), the then armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU) which was established before independence rebelled against the government after their demand to be allowed to secede from the Union was denied. The KNU was also at odds with the government over the Karen peoples territorial boundaries within the Union. Two Karen battalions from the Myanmar military one based in Pyay and the other in Taungoo in todays Bago Region as well as ethnic Karen police joined the KNDO. Other leftist units in Myanmars military including Battalions 1 and 3, based respectively in Thayet in todays Magwe Region and Mingalardon in Yangon, and some Bago-based units also rebelled against the government. The military-published history of internal insurgency in Myanmar said that there were only around 2,000 officers and men left in Myanmars military at the time. Anti-government groups, which also included different factions of communists, were stronger than the Myanmar military because they had weapons left behind after World War II and also because the defecting units took their arms with them when they joined the revolt. Troops from the Communist Party of Burma, which had a force of between 10,000 and 15,000 fighters, occupied towns in todays Ayeyarwady, Bago, Mandalay and Magwe regions, including Hinthada, Pyinmana, Yamethin, Myingyan and Pakokku. Meanwhile, the white-band faction of the Peoples Volunteer Organization, which was formed by independence hero General Aung San from war veterans as his own paramilitary force for the independence struggle, occupied towns in central Myanmar. The KNDO, which was believed to have at least 10,000 soldiers, occupied Mawlamyine and Thaton in Mon State, in collaboration with the Mon National Defence Organisation. By early 1949, the KNDO had taken control of Mandalay, Pyin Oo Lwin, Taungoo, Pathein, Meiktila and several other towns before its troops reached and occupied Insein Township in the north of Yangon. Between February 1 and May 22 in 1949, the KNDO was able to retain control of Insein, posing a great threat to the central government in Yangon. Amid the chaos, government employees went on strike across the country, which was ultimately counterproductive as it gave the government a breathing space. At the time, the Union government was completely broke. Fortunately, government employees came out on strike across the country. We didnt even have the money to pay their salaries, said the then Prime Minister U Nu. Yangon was surrounded by the vanguards of armed groups. The government was unable to control the rebellion around the country and was struggling to hold Yangon. Some international newspapers even started referring to the U Nu government as the Yangon Government. The Union of Myanmar (then Burma) was rocked violently throughout 1948 and until April 1949, wrote U Thant, a civil servant in the U Nu government who would later become United Nations Secretary-General, in his book Journey to Pyithawthar. As Myanmars military units were short of weapons, U Nu had to fly to New Delhi to seek help from his Indian counterpart Jawaharlal Nehru. Only after Nehru provided arms was the AFPFL government able to start reoccupying the towns taken by the rebels. U Nus government was also helped by the fact that the different armed groups were no longer collaborating because of their different political objectives. By 1950, the government had retaken control of most of the occupied towns. But more armed groups would later emerge and, over the next 70 years, Myanmar would continue to suffer from insurgencies until todays civil war. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Rock Singer Ito Arrested for Alleged Anti-Regime Activities Myanmar Regime Holding Over 100 Relatives of Activists as Hostages Myanmar Junta Finds Allies Among Well-Known Buddhist Monks Jolyn Choate is the superintendent of Hulbert Public Schools. In August, she received a shipment of masks from Cherokee Nation, three large boxes of which are pictured. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. The U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to review a case that centers on whether Native American families should receive preference in adoptions of Native children Ithaca, NY (14850) Today Scattered thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 78F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Rain ending early. Remaining cloudy. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Digital services and consulting Infosys launches Infosys Equinox to help enterprises deliver hyper-segmented, personalised omnichannel commerce experiences for B2B and B2C buyers. Infosys says the platforms future-ready architecture offers microservices and pre-built experiences to build curated digital journeys that enhance businesses digital commerce or launch it from scratch in a matter of weeks. Infosys Equinox also brings together best-of-breed service, product, platform and industry capabilities from Infosys, and its partners, in an integrated ecosystem, delivering end-to-end commerce-as-a-service for enterprises to drive results, throughout the purchase lifecycle. The platform is suited to retail, CPG, telecom, manufacturing, automotive and media, and is said to drive $15B+ in annual eCommerce gross merchandise value. Infosys Equinox helps businesses transform their marketing, merchandising, e-commerce, store operations, supply chain, and customer service through its four solutions: Microservices, Equinox Commerce, Equinox Experiences, and Equinox Marketing. According to Infosys, it delivers: Customer experience excellence Infosys Equinox facilitates closer consumer-brand interactions. It blends digital with physical experience to deliver more satisfying contactless shopping. Creating multi-sites adapted for multiple languages and currencies, with deeply localised features and real-time promotions is convenient with the platforms simplified business user tooling and workflows requiring no changes to the application code or configuration. Scale and flexibility to match shopper demands The platform offers mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive microservices that can easily integrate with an existing or new platform to deliver headless commerce capabilities. These microservices enable various commerce models used by enterprises including B2B, B2C, B2B2C, D2C, C2M, online marketplaces and digital malls. The platform builds upon leading open-source technologies. Relevance through innovation Infosys Equinoxs integrated ecosystem of capabilities, spanning from experience to operations, lets enterprises deepen customer relevance throughout the commerce value chain. Ranging from perceptive experience design by Wongdoody, to optimised retail execution with Infosys TradeEdge, the platform puts the shopper at the centre of the enterprises commerce strategy. Businesses can also deploy segment-specific, user experience innovations on-demand. Infosys Equinox offers commerce-as-a-service to engage with both B2B and B2C shoppers through one platform that has 50+% greater speed-to-market than any other solution when it comes to adding new microservices or starting a new commerce presence, explains Infosys executive vice president and global head consumer, retail, and logistics Karmesh Vaswani. Infosys Equinox provides the perfect balance between agility and adaptability and is a great way for leaders to cement their advantage and for challengers to up their commerce play. Infosys Equinox serves us as a digital hub powering over 250 of our global brand sites, B2B ecommerce and recipe sites, as well as direct-to-consumer (D2C) initiatives, says The Kraft Heinz chief information officer North America Eric Nelson. We are able to launch new brand sites in as little as three to five days. The platform also supports our hyper-personalization initiatives and distils real-time insights for our marketing programs. With Infosys Equinox, we planted the seeds of our new e-commerce platform, and now with the platform and the Infosys teams dedication, we are finally harvesting, says Young Living chief operating officer Prasad Gankanda. "Headless/API-first digital commerce has emerged as an architectural paradigm to help merchants deliver more engaging commerce experiences across every channel and touchpoint their customers are on, comments IDC research director digital commerce program Jordan Jewell. Infosys Equinox was architected cloud-natively as a headless commerce platform with the purpose of enabling B2C and B2B organisations to overcome the challenges of modern commerce and grow." ANALYSIS The British Government has given a clear indication that it will launch an advertising blitz to fight Facebook's move to roll out encrypted messaging to all its apps. The Times reported on Monday that Home Secretary Priti Patel was fully behind the launching of an ad campaign accusing Facebook of "blindfolding" police in their investigations into child sex abuse. Newspapers, radio and television will run the ads which will try to galvanise public opposition to end-to-end encryption. The sensitivity of users to reduction of privacy safeguards has been underlined by the shift from WhatsApp to Telegram and Signal after Facebook said it would be changing the privacy provisions for WhatsApp. At that time, as iTWire, even Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was found to be using Signal, the messaging app from Open Whisper Systems, which offers end-to-end encryption. But the best advertisement for the continued use of encryption has come from the Australian Federal Police, with the revelation that it used existing laws to read the encrypted messages of criminal gangs and take them down. An anti-encryption law was passed in December 2018 and its provisions were used to decrypt messages which were circulated within an app that had been used in a sting. Known as AN0M, the app was put out into circulation by a known criminal and then picked up by various others in the loop. Despite this, the government pushed through a bill giving even more powers to the AFP and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission to obtain three new warrants so they could tackle serious criminal acts online. Thus, the lack of evidence is unlikely to deter any government which is sufficiently determined to ram legislation through. In Australia, the Labor Party meekly assents to any law that deals with "national security". In April, Facebook said in a post that it would be stepping up its moves to include end-to-end encryption in both Messenger and Instagram. "Over the past year, we introduced a number of privacy and safety tools, including more privacy settings, an app lock, safer message requests, message forwarding limits and more," Gail Kent, Messenger policy director, wrote in a blog post. "Were also working hard to bring default end-to-end encryption to all of our messaging services. This will protect peoples private messages and mean only the sender and recipient, not even us, can access their messages. "While we expect to make more progress on default end-to-end encryption for Messenger and Instagram Direct this year, its a long-term project and we wont be fully end-to-end encrypted until sometime in 2022 at the earliest. "Moreover, the safety features weve already introduced are designed to work with end-to-end encryption, and we plan to continue building strong safety features into our services." The UK already has laws against encryption, the Investigatory Powers Act which is commonly known as the Snoopers Charter. The Australian law was modelled on that legislation. Facebook ignored British requests to appear before parliament following the Cambridge Analytica affair in April 2018. One should not be surprised if it chooses to give London the finger once again and proceed with its encryption plans. Cloud communications platform provider Whispir has appointed Jenni Pilcher to the role of chief financial officer. "Jenni joins the business following an extensive global search and is a welcome addition to our executive team. Jenni's strong public markets, international and scale up technology experience comprise a unique set of skills and expertise that is particularly relevant to Whispir given our growth ambitions," said Whispir CEO Jeromy Wells. "We are very much looking forward to Jenni joining the team, leading our Finance function and supporting the business more broadly as we execute our strategic plan." Pilcher is an experienced financial leader. She joins the company from Mach7 Technologies where she served as global CFO and company secretary. Her previous roles include CFO and action CEO at Alchemia, CFO and company secretary at Mesoblast, corporate accountant at Spotless, and senior financial accountant at Cadbury Schweppes. Pilcher started her career at PwC in New Zealand. She holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Massey University. Pilcher will take up the position on 1 November 2021 after Justin Owen steps down from the role. He will be retained in a consulting capacity for as long as required to ensure a smooth transition. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. When it comes to how he feels about big tech, Jeff Bartos didnt mince his words. From shadow-banning conservatives, censoring content online, biased fact-checking, and now funneling millions of dollars into our elections its become clearer than ever: Big Tech must be reined in, Bartos, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania, wrote on Twitter on July 1. But even as the suburban Philadelphia businessman parroted a popular Republican talking point, he and his wife also were enjoying the financial benefits that come with investing in such big tech titans as Alphabet Inc., which owns Google, and Apple. Financial disclosure forms that Bartos filed with the U.S. Senate as a requirement for his bid for the GOP nomination in 2022, show that he and his wife jointly and individually hold hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock in the Silicon Valley giants. Bartos isnt alone. Disclosure forms filed by Val Arkoosh, whos Bartos neighbor in heavily Democratic Montgomery County, whos also running, similarly show individual and joint investments in Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft that run to the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Arkoosh also serves on Montgomery Countys Board of Commissioners. As they head into the thick of one of the most closely watched U.S. Senate contests in the country, the filings underline the tightrope that the hopefuls walk as they talk tough on the outsized influence of big tech, but also see their wealth enlarged by their sizable investments. Both are part of a large field of Republican and Democratic candidates vying to replace Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, who is retiring in 2022. In a wide-ranging interview, Bartos kept up his drumbeat of criticism, even as he defended his investments. If anything, it proves Im not afraid to state my convictions, even if its against my financial interests, he said. I can advocate for policies that I think are right. As a shareholder, who owns stock, I believe that the company needs to change for the better. He added that its the responsibility, and the duty of shareholders to lodge such criticisms. Bartos, who accused social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook of behaving like Democratic super PACs for what he believes are unreasonable restraints on speech by conservatives, says hed support looking at anti-trust action if these companies dont take a hard look at what theyre doing and change their policies. Its a familiar grievance. Republican state lawmakers across the country, including Pennsylvania, began pushing legislation that would punish social media companies for policing content on their websites, the Associated Press reported. The efforts began surfacing not long after former President Donald Trump was banished from Twitter and Facebook for spreading baseless claims of election fraud on the platforms. Arkoosh, whose campaign declined an interview request, said through a spokesperson that she believes members of Congress owning or trading stocks is a conflict of interest. Arkoosh supports legislation to bar members of Congress from owning and trading stocks, and if elected, would put her eligible assets into a blind trust. the spokesperson, Rachel Petri, said in an emailed statement. And while theyre on opposite sides of the aisle, Arkooshs and Bartos respective criticisms of Big Tech mirror national trends that have Republicans and Democrats uniting on an issue at a time where bipartisan agreement on most issues is elusive at best and impossible at worst. In June, for instance, a bipartisan cadre of lawmakers on Capitol Hill rolled out a package of antitrust bills. That spirit of bipartisanship has not prevented the issue from being politicized in Pennsylvania or elsewhere. In a statement, Brad Bainum, a spokesman for the progressive super PAC American Bridge, said it was classic politician behavior for anti-Big Tech Jeff Bartos to own hundreds of thousands in tech company stocks. If he somehow manages to get out of this messy GOP primary, its clear Bartos cant be trusted to represent Pennsylvania families in Washington, Bainum said. But with most Americans harboring the same skepticism, even as they, too, pad their retirement portfolios with Big Tech stocks, one veteran observer said he doubts the average voter will share in that outrage. Even though you own stock in Alphabet, you can still say Google should be reined in because its anti-competitive, Republican consultant Christopher Nicholas said. Or theres Amazon, which is on both sides of the equation. [Political journalists] will notice, but Mr. and Mrs. Pennsylvania will not be overly concerned about it. That appears to be what Bartos is banking on as he heads into a competitive campaign season. The reality is that as [voters] parse through stuff, [they will] understand it through the lens of common sense, he said. An award-winning political journalist, John L. Micek is Editor-in-Chief of The Pennsylvania Capital-Star in Harrisburg, Pa. Email him at jmicek@penncapital-star.com and follow him on Twitter @ByJohnLMicek. Jacksonville, TX (75766) Today Mostly cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 86F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low near 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Donate Now As a public service during this pandemic, the Jewish News is providing free, unlimited access to all articles. Jewish News is a nonprofit publication that is owned by the community and relies on community support. Alexander has reported on courts and crime since June 2021. A fan of all things outdoors, he came to Teton County after studying journalism at Northwestern University. Evan Robinson-Johnson covers issues residents face on a daily basis, from smoky skies to housing insecurity. Originally from New England, he has settled in east Jackson and avoids crowds by rollerblading through the alleyways. Jonesboro, AR (72401) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 86F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 66F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Shirley Kay Hemby, of Pittsburg, KS, passed on September 13, 2021 at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, KS. She was born on May 8, 1948, in Pittsburg, KS, the daughter of Henry F. Nannie (Brown) Johns. Shirley was a graduate from Pittsburg High. On April 7, 1968, Shirley married Robert Walla Shoal Creek Morning is by George Haubein, an amateur photographer from Joplin, and is one of two of his photographs chosen for display in the My Missouri 2021 Photo Project, a touring exhibit thats now on display inside the Joplin Public Library. Joplin, MO (64801) Today Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low around 65F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Want to see? On YouTube, portions of video from an orbiting Predator drone recorded John Chapman's one-man fight atop Takur Ghar Mountain, which includes showing the moment that Philip Svitak's helicopter is hit by an RPG round and makes a controlled crash landing in the snow. It is the first live-action video of a Medal of Honor recipient ever recorded in the history of warfare. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oKMjTqdTYo Three years ago Barbara Porco, Ph.D., CPA/CFF, professor of accounting and taxation at Fordham University in New York, decided to teach a one-credit course on data analytics and sustainability reporting, an area she felt passionate about after years of study and research. "The expectation was that we would have minimal interest, Porco said. But within 15 minutes of registration, nearly 100 students tried to sign up, she said, and the university had to add course sections to accommodate the demand. Today, Porco teaches several undergraduate and graduate courses focused on sustainability accounting and ESG, the term for organizations environmental, social, and governance activities. ESG is an area of growing interest for the accounting profession. More U.S. companies are reporting their ESG data, and global standards bodies, such as the newly created Value Reporting Foundation, along with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, are ramping up their review of how organizations report on ESG factors. CPAs will need to become knowledgeable about ESG reporting, as they will likely encounter ESG-related issues in the workplace. Almost every Fortune 500 company already publishes a voluntary report on sustainability and that's only going to expand, said Jeffrey Hales, Ph.D., a University of Texas at Austin accounting professor, who teaches a stand-alone course on corporate sustainability. The climate crisis will likely lead to increased pressure on companies to report their data, he added. Businesses will be forced to address and manage ESG issues that arise, remain in compliance once standards are mandated, and report publicly on their movements. "And that is central to what the accounting profession is good at," noted Hales, who is also the chair of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), a nonprofit organization that recently merged with the International Integrated Reporting Council to form the Value Reporting Foundation. Accountants excel at identification of issues, measurement, and reporting in other words, giving high-quality information to help influence decision-makers, he said. Students are excited about ESG, said Susan Hughes, Ph.D., CPA, an associate professor of accounting at the University of Vermont (UVM) in Burlington. UVM requires all undergraduate students to complete a course in sustainability, and students in the Grossman School of Business may complete a theme in sustainability. The business school also offers a Sustainable Innovation MBA. Hughes teaches sustainability reporting at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students who complete a three-credit-hour course in sustainability reporting have a deeper understanding of the purpose and nature of financial reporting, in addition to their newfound knowledge in sustainability, she said. "The students find the topic so intriguing that they will go above and beyond on ESG-related assignments over and over again," Hughes noted. "The current generation of college students care deeply about the environment and the way employees and stakeholders are treated. They want to see all three of the ESG factors clearly presented in the ESG reports." Having ESG knowledge can set graduates apart. Public accounting firms covet graduates with some background in ESG and sustainability reporting, and "view sustainability assurance as a high-growth area," Hughes said. Porco, Hales, and Hughes offer the following advice for incorporating ESG topics into accounting classes: Start now. The ESG reporting landscape is in its "adolescent stages" in the United States (Europe is further along), said Porco, who is also the executive director for the Center for Professional Accounting Practices and the associate dean of graduate studies at Fordham. Thus it's a good time for faculty to jump in and learn about it. "Don't wait until it becomes all grown up," she said. "Come in now while it is still evolving." Get educated. Faculty can establish a solid foundation for teaching ESG by reading articles written by ESG publications, the Value Reporting Foundation, or the Global Reporting Initiative, and by regularly reviewing corporate sustainability reports, Porco noted. The Value Reporting Foundation's website provides "expansive information regarding business decision-making, external reporting, and investor decision-making," she said. Faculty should also examine the SASBs recommended standards for each industry or look to organizations like the AICPA or the Big Four firms for resources such as webinars and training, both Hales and Porco advised. (See the Deloitte, KPMG, EY, and PwC sustainability sites for more details.) Increased guidance around climate issues could intensify this fall. Faculty who teach corporate financial reporting should also "ask their students to assess the risk of each of the items that appear on the balance sheet and income statements," Hughes said. Students can also surmise if certain items are not included in basic financial statements. "Many of the things that are not included are likely associated with future risks," which can result in liabilities and expenses, she added. "These are the items ESG reporting will often be focused on." Offer real-world examples in assignments. To help students grasp the relevance of ESG and sustainability accounting, ask them to reflect on plausible scenarios. For instance, have them consider the economic impact of giving employees a day off to engage in community activities, Porco suggested. What would the payroll expense of that action be, and is it sustainable? Students can also do comparison exercises where they read the management discussion and analysis (MD&A) sections of corporate SEC filings and compare them to sustainability reports, where they can identify "similar and dissimilar messages and risk focuses," Porco said. Auditing students, meanwhile, can review assurance reports and do similar comparisons. These assignments can be offered as homework, group collaborations, or breakout room activities, she noted. Students should also review "the role of corporate governance" by looking at proxy statements, Hughes advised. There, they can find out who is on the board, how much executives are paid, the level of ESG experience among board members, and other things. "Quality governance is key to quality ESG reporting," she said. Individuals with specific interest in governance can visit Ceres.org, a nonprofit focused on sustainability efforts, and review the publications that link ESG and governance, she suggested. Bring in guest speakers. Hales advocates inviting guest lecturers from public accounting firms or public corporations to tell students what they do and why it's important. "More and more chief financial officers and controllers are aware of and managing sustainability reporting," he said. He has CFOs, CAOs, investors, and assurance providers address his students. "By bringing different perspectives and expertise into the classroom, students can see not only how ESG information gets produced and used in the real world, [but] they can also get insight into the different career paths that come from pursuing a degree in accounting," he added. Ultimately, teaching ESG can be a way to help students grasp the impact accounting can have upon the wider world. "I think of accounting as not debits and credits, but facilitating accountability, Hales said. "Use sustainability as a way to connect what you are already doing in class to the bigger purpose that [the accounting profession is] trying to achieve." In order to understand organizations environmental and societal impact, you must have information reported in a way that people can understand it, compare it, and rely upon it and only accountants can provide that, Porco summarized. "I sincerely believe that it is the accounting profession that can save the world." Cheryl Meyer is a freelance writer based in California. To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Courtney Vien, a JofA senior editor, at Courtney.Vien@aicpa-cima.com. Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 84F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High around 85F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Overcast. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Bamiyans cultural centre should have been completed last month, showcasing the remarkable heritage of a site that Afghanistans Taliban desecrated two decades ago by dynamiting ancient statues of Buddha. But the red carpet celebrations will have to wait. After the Taliban swept triumphantly into the capital Kabul, everything was put on hold. Everything is suspended, said Philippe Delanghe, from UNESCO, the UNs cultural agency, who said they are awaiting the decisions of the new regime. Afghanistan once stood on the legendary Silk Road trade route, a crossroads of ancient civilisations. Now in the hands of the hardline Islamist Taliban, there are fears its heritage is at risk. In March 2001, the Taliban spent weeks using dynamite and artillery to blow up two giant 1,500-year old statues of Buddha, carved into a cliff at Bamiyan, some 175 kilometres (78 miles) west of Kabul. Many consider the wanton destruction to be among the worlds worst cultural crimes. It was an act that brought the Islamists radical ideology to global attention, just a few months before Al-Qaeda who the Taliban hosted in Afghanistan carried out the devastating 9/11 attacks on America. We judge by history, and 20 years ago there were terrible results, Ernesto Ottone, UNESCOs assistant director general for culture, told AFP. Crossroads of civilisations In February, the Taliban said that Afghanistans relics were part of the countrys history, identity and rich culture and that all have an obligation to robustly protect, monitor and preserve these artefacts. Among Afghanistans top sites are the Buddhist shrines at Mes Aynak, and the 12th-century Minaret of Jam, a UNESCO World Heritage site. But since seizing power, the Taliban have said nothing more. There are worrying signs. In mid-August, residents in Bamiyan accused the Taliban of blowing up a statue honouring a Hazara leader an ethnic group persecuted by the Islamists who they had killed in the 1990s. AFP could not confirm the reports, but social media images appeared to show a decapitated statue. Philippe Marquis, director of the French Archaeological Delegation in Afghanistan (DAFA), told AFP he remains cautious about what will happen. We have no declarations saying: We are going to destroy everything or erase everything from the non-Islamic past', he said. Since 2016, it has become a war crime to destroy cultural heritage sites. Great concern Many are worried for the National Museum in Kabul, which survived being ransacked both during the 1992-1996 civil war that followed the Soviet military withdrawal, as well as under the Talibans first regime, from 1996-2001. Some feared the prospect of mass looting, as happened following conflict in Iraq and Syria, where extremist fighters raised funds by selling ancient artefacts on the black market. However, the Talibans seizure of Kabul was achieved with barely a shot being fired, and the museum appears to have emerged unscathed. Only a third of the thousands of priceless objects in Kabuls museum have been catalogued. Kabul museum director Mohammad Fahim Rahimi told the New York Times last month the Taliban had promised their protection. But he added he still has great concern for the safety of our staff and our collection. Smashed into pieces International funding for cultural protection has also been suspended, and it is not clear when it would resume. We are holding our breath, Marquis said. But I hope that soon we will be able to breathe a little lighter. Many Afghans who were working to protect cultural heritage have fled abroad, or are in hiding and too scared to speak out. Those who do have warned that the Taliban promises of protection are empty rhetoric to win international support. As illiterate extremists, they are proud to destroy non-Muslim monuments, said Mustafa, a former UNESCO employee at Bamiyan, now a refugee in Germany. An official who worked for the Bamiyan government said Taliban fighters smashed instruments and art objects belonging to the culture department after seizing the province in early August. I was sad, but I couldnt protest, the official said. I had no guarantee that they werent going to accuse me of idolatry and turn their guns on me and kill me. mep-jf-us/cyb/pjm/ecl/jfx THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY To listen to the podcast, click on the play button below: Our most faithful listeners will have by now realised that we are very interested in universal jurisdiction, since we have talked about it multiple times. This time we are going to dissect a very recent case which started being heard in Sweden in August. An Iranian 60 year old citizen was apprehended in Stockholm in late 2019, and has now to defend himself from very heavy war crimes accusations. He allegedly took active part in the so-called 1988 Iranian massacre, when over 5000 political prisoners were summarily executed in the span of 3 months. A trial of this kind, which could never take place in Iran under current conditions, has the potential of showing the way in prosecuting these kinds of crimes committed in the country, crimes which families still suffer the consequences from, having being denied closure for decades. To discuss this case and its implications for citizens of Iran and members of its diaspora, we turned to Gissou Nia Board Chair of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center and Head of Strategic Litigation at the Atlantic Council and Aida Samani Legal Advisor to Civil Rights Defenders, an NGO based in Stockholm who are both closely monitoring the trial. Recommended reading Iran: first trial for 1988 massacres opens in Stockholm Aida Samani (top left) and Gissou Nia (top right) get us up to speed on the Iran court case in Sweden. Asymmetrical Haircuts A special court on Friday accused the former leader of a key militia in the Central African Republic of crimes against humanity at the height of the civil war. Former captain Eugene Barret Ngaikosset, arrested nearly a week ago, was once a commander of the guard of president Francois Bozize, who was toppled in 2013 by the Seleka, a coalition of largely Muslim armed groups. He then became an important leader of the largely Christian and animist anti-Balaka militias, which Bozize founded to fight the Seleka. The two groups plunged the country into a bloody civil war, with the United Nations accusing them in 2015 of having committed war crimes and crimes against humanity between 2014 and 2015. Ngaikosset, arrested September 4 just outside the capital Bangui, was accused of crimes against humanity by two judges of the Special Criminal Court (CPS), the tribunal said in a statement. Made up of Central African and international magistrates, the court has been tasked with judging serious human rights violations since 2003 in this country that has been locked in civil war since 2013. CPS prosecutors must decide if Ngaikosset will be placed in custody while awaiting a possible trial, the statement said. The International Criminal Court in The Hague could also be tasked with handling the former captains case. Ngaikosset is dubbed by Central African media as the butcher of Paoua, referring to massacres committed by the army in the northwest city of the same name from 2005 to 2007, when he was a commander of Bozizes dreaded presidential guard. In a 2009 report, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said diplomats had at the time asked Bozize to take legal action Ngaikosset, who it said was implicated in generalised atrocities in the northwest. The ex-captain had set up a faction of the anti-Balaka, which means anti-machete, after Bozizes fall in 2013. And a report from the UN, which froze his assets abroad and issued a travel ban, accused him in 2015 of carrying out or supporting actions contrary to international human rights law. The civil war has dropped in intensity since 2018 but armed groups, some with past links to the Seleka or anti-Balaka, occupied late last year more than two-thirds of the country. Late last year, some elements launched a rebellion against the administration of President Touadera, who was re-elected on December 27. His army, with the support of hundreds of Russian paramilitaries and Rwandan soldiers, have today largely reconquered lost territory. Former Ivory Coast prime minister Charles Konan Banny died in a Paris hospital on Friday after contracting Covid-19, close aides said. Banny, 78, who was in office from 2005-2007, was being treated at the American Hospital in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine after contracting the disease in Ivory Coast. He changed my perception of Ivorian politics and of some of its actors, said Guillaume Soro, another former prime minister who is now in exile. A member of the Ivoirian Democratic Party (PDCI), French-educated banker Konan Banny became prime minister in December 2005 under a UN resolution. He served until April 2007. In 2011, after an electoral crisis left 3,000 people dead, he was named head of the Commission for Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation. The father-of-four had previously held the post of governor of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). He ran for president, unsuccessfully, in 2015 against current incumbent Alassane Ouattara. Sign up for myFT Daily Digest and be the first to learn about world news. Good morning.This article is our live version First FT communication.Register our Asia, Europe/Africa or America Version so that it will be sent directly to your inbox every working day morning.You can contact us in the following ways [email protected] What is your understanding of the news this week?Take our test. Good morning.The British government will put itself Collision process Together with todays data privacy activists and the European Union, it suggested at the time that the right to manual review of certain decisions made by computer algorithms could be revoked in the UK. This idea is part of an extensive plan to reform the UK data system after Brexit. Ministers said it will promote innovation and realize what the Minister of Culture Oliver Dowden called the data dividend of the UK economy. . This move means rewriting or deleting Article 22 of the EU Data Protection Regulations, which the UK absorbed into its regulations during Brexit, but is now seeking to streamline it as part of post-Brexit economic reforms. There are five more stories in the news 1. As the European economy improves, the European Central Bank will slow down its bond purchases Christina Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, said This lady is not getting thinnerReassured bond investors, even though the European Central Bank said it would reduce bond purchases to show confidence in the euro zones economic recovery. 2. Investors snapped up nuclear fuel uranium prices soared Nuclear power companies are facing competition Uranium supply From financial investors, they are betting that the price and demand for radioactive materials used in reactor fuel will rise sharply. 3. Biden and Xi Jinping held a second call to re-establish the relationship Joe Biden held His second call Since Chinese leader Xi Jinping took office as US president, little progress has been made in the two rounds of high-level meetings, aimed at breaking the deadlock in relations between the two countries. The White House stated that the two leaders had extensive strategic discussions. 4. The U.S. sues Texas over abortion ban U.S. Department of Justice Texas has been sued Oppose a new law that strictly restricts abortion, thinking it is blatant contempt of the Constitution. This move is a test of the federal governments legal power to challenge the law and prevent other states from taking similar measures. Democrats try to press Republicans on abortion The Democratic candidate for the governor of Virginia has tried Advance abortion He was at the center of the election campaign in less than two months before Election Day. 5. The first passenger flight leaves Kabul after the U.S. withdraws An international Passenger flightsSince the United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan 10 days ago, American citizens, including American and British nationals, have flown out of Kabul Airport for the first time. Coronavirus Digest this I Remove Japan From its safe travel list. It also dropped Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei, and Serbia. American Airlines Cut revenue forecast Because the Delta variant will slow down the booking speed. China Said it would sell its oil National Petroleum Reserve This is the first time Beijing has stepped up its efforts to curb inflationary pressures brought about by the commodity market. this British government Said it will start Cancel bankruptcy protection For debtors, companies are allowed to recover the unpaid bills of the bankrupt company through the courts. China has stated that it will sell oil from its national reserves for the first time Aly Song/Reuters follow Our live report with Sign up For us Coronavirus business update Regularly report how the pandemic affects the global economy. In addition, the British Financial Times will host a special event on the future of American healthcare on September 14.You can register for the digital conference here. The days to come EU Council of Ministers Finance ministers from 19 member states that use the euro will meet in Slovenia today. The EUs 27 finance ministers will also hold an informal meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Committee in the country today and tomorrow. UK, France and Germany release data France releases monthly industrial production data, and Germany releases consumer price index. The UK National Bureau of Statistics today released its GDP, trade and production index data. 9/11 20th Anniversary Saturday is the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attack in the United States where nearly 3,000 people died.Since then, Larry Silverstein, who owns the twin towers, has become Transformation of downtown New York, Wrote Joshua Chaffin of the British Financial Times. The last night of the prom BBC Prom 2021 End tomorrow. After the last blowout on Saturday night, the flags, horns and cello will be packed and taken away. (BBC) Cristiano Ronaldo prepares to play for Manchester United This football player will Playing for his old club This is the first Saturday in 12 years. The Portuguese strikers transfer was made after Manchester United heroes (including former head coach Sir Alex Ferguson) made an emotional appeal for his refusal to move to local rival Manchester City. The Royal Albert Hall will host the last nights promenade on Saturday Getty Images If you have any 9/11 memories you would like to share, please email them to [email protected] and they may appear in the newsletter on Monday. What are we still reading How to spot scientists peddling bad data Data falsification in scientific research is more common than you think. Tim Harford wrote, Explain why journals should require contributors to publish raw data. Explainer: Why Evergrande faces the risk of default As Chinas most indebted real estate company strives to escape the vicious circle of debt, Thomas Hale and Hudson Lockett collapsed How Evergrande found its place, And why the breach of appointment has an impact on the global market. Xi Jinping suppresses the fan army on celebrity culture In the latest crackdown on pop culture, the Chinese government has Aiming at the K-pop fan army And so-called feminized men. Edward White launched an investigation. The influence of pop stars such as the South Korean boy group BTS on Chinese youth has attracted attention in Beijing Rich Fury/Getty Images for iHeartMedia This is just the beginning of the battle between Apple and Googles App Store Why has the issue of Big Technologys abuse of power in the app store become popular recently? Brooke Masters wrote that part of it has to do with money. Strong and well-funded rivals like Epic CEO Tim Sweeney and Spotify are helping Handle a case In order to change. Did I mention that I am going to publish a book? Since the beginning of the pandemic, the rewards for writing books have decreased, So why would anyone bother? Simon Cooper explained. travel The country of Champagne may be known for its fine restaurants and luxurious hotels in the north, but Andrew Ames writes, Quiet village in the south Well worth the Tractor Odyssey, maybe 16 euros for a bottle or two. The quieter southern villages of the Champagne region are well worth a visit Charles Platiau/Reuters Sign up for myFT Daily Digest and become the first person to learn about US-China relations news. After two rounds of high-level meetings made little progress, Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke for the second time since becoming president of the United States in an effort to break the deadlock in relations between the two countries. The White House stated that the two leaders had extensive strategic discussions and Biden emphasized the United States lasting interest in peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world. The White House stated that the two also discussed the responsibility of the two countries to ensure that competition does not fall into conflict. The discussion took place in Washington on Thursday night. According to a senior US official, Biden asked to call after he concluded at the White House that Chinese officials who met with his American counterparts this year were unwilling to engage in serious or substantive dialogue. Respected What we get is the usual talking points, more for propaganda purposes, the official said before the conference call. President Xi does have centralized power in some very significant areas [so] It is very likely that the participation of the leadership is what is needed to move the ball forward. US Secretary of State Anthony Brinken and National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan met with Chinas top diplomat Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Alaska in March, including Open quarrel. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman held Follow-up meeting Meeting with Wang and junior officials in Tianjin last month. After visiting the main White House, he did not approve the chairman, reflecting the sluggish Sino-US relations and the impact of the epidemic on the travel restrictions of the leaders of the two countries. The President of the United States took a much tougher stance than most experts expected, and strongly condemned Xi Jinping and China for everything from suppressing the Hong Kong democratic movement to treating Uyghurs in Xinjiang. The US official said that the Biden administrations diplomatic contacts with China were not productive. She said that the Tianjin meeting was undermined by Chinas criticism of the United States on Twitter, while officials met behind closed doors this violation of the agreement was described as an antics designed for domestic propaganda purposes. These officials are basically reading the talking points They have no mobility and are performing for each other and the boss, the official said. She added that as officials prepare for Chinas 20th Party Congress next year, it is expected that Xi Jinping will assume the leadership of the party for the third time. This problem has been magnified. Considering centralized leadership, the real abolition of collective leadership has indeed increased the importance of talking with Xi Jinping the proposition to test whether he has more room for maneuver. Chinese officials blamed the deadlock on the United States and argued that Biden continued Tough policy The policies inherited from the Trump administration have hindered progress on issues where the interests of two rivals align, such as climate change.Before the meeting in Beijing and Washington Climate Envoy Last week, Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that the ball is now in a US court. Respected Evan Medros, an Asian expert at Georgetown University and former senior adviser to former President Barack Obama, said the call is a critical step that can pave the way for face-to-face meetings. In this kind of competitive relationship, leadership-level diplomacy is an important part of managing the competition, Medeiros said. Its been seven months. It has been a difficult seven months for the United States and China. Its time for the leaders to take control of the situation again. The Biden administration has been discussing the idea of ??meeting Xi Jinping at the G20 meeting in Italy in October, but the Chinese media hinted that he might only be able to participate in the event in a virtual way. Additional reporting by Tom Mitchell in Singapore Sign up for myFT Daily Digest and be the first to learn about Toyota Motor Corporation news. Due to the return of Covid-19 cases in Asia and the deepening of the semiconductor crisis, Toyota lowered its production forecast for this year. The worlds largest automaker warned that as chip shortages in Southeast Asia worsened, supply disruptions and forced factories to close, they need to cut annual production by 3%. Less than a month after the Japanese company said It is cutting Due to supply chain issues, global production this month was reduced by 40%. Toyota has closed factories around the world because parts cannot reach its factories, while Peugeot in Europe and Ford and General Motors in the United States have reduced their shifts due to semiconductor supply restrictions. The Japanese group said it will reduce production of 70,000 vehicles and 330,000 vehicles in September and October, respectively. It expects to produce 9 million vehicles by the end of the fiscal year in March, instead of the 9.3 million previously predicted. In August, it said it would reduce production by 360,000 vehicles in September. Although our factories and suppliers are adopting thorough quarantine and vaccination measures to deal with the pandemic in Southeast Asia, the spread of Covid-19 infection is still unpredictable and it is difficult to maintain operations due to local lockdowns, the company said in a statement. The statement said. Natural disasters and the coronavirus have exacerbated supply constraints, with a large portion of semiconductors being manufactured in Asia. Analysts said that the production cuts stemmed from the suspension of work in Malaysias factories producing brake system chips and Vietnams factories producing automotive wiring harness semiconductors. Toyota said that since the warning issued earlier in August, another component supplier in Malaysia has reported a new cluster of Covid cases. Toyotas head of global procurement, Kazunari Kumakura, said that although the company is scrambling to find alternative auto parts, it has become increasingly difficult to fill the supply gap. It is only in recent months that Japanese automakers, especially Toyota, have gotten rid of their worst shortages due to their huge chip inventories and supply chain management skills honed in past natural disasters. But even their supply chain is facing severe pressure from insufficient inventory levels. Jefferies analyst Takaki Nakanishi said: Although the Malaysian semi-chip factory has resumed operations, the utilization rate and delivery time did not lead to the rapid recovery envisaged on August 19, which is the reason for the additional production cuts. The brokerage estimated that the turbulence related to the pandemic will be resolved in October, and the global chip shortage will ease next year. in a Recent interview In an interview with the Financial Times, Hidetoshi Shibata, CEO of Japanese chip manufacturer Renesas Electronics, said that there are signs that some automakers are beginning to double and triple reservations for next year to increase inventory levels, which will cause more changes. Large gap between supply and demand. Sign up for myFT Daily Digest and be the first to learn about cryptocurrency news. Senior policymaker Benoit Coeure said in a speech on Friday that stablecoins and decentralized finance will challenge the business model of banks, and that monetary authorities must act faster to develop official digital assets. The comments of Coeure, a senior official of the Bank for International Settlements and a former member of the Executive Committee of the European Central Bank, highlighted the growing anxiety of financial authorities about the prosperity of cryptocurrencies and other digital financial innovations. Coeure said that decentralized financial companies and stablecoins-a store of value in the digital asset market-both pose a threat to intermediaries such as depository institutions and banks. He said at the Eurofi conference that central banks and financial regulators are now facing urgent issues of how to respond. [Central banks] There is a work to be done-to achieve price stability and financial stability-they must maintain their own capabilities, Cole said at a time Central bank digital currency: the future starts today[They] Action must be taken while the current system is still in existence-and act now. Coeure, who is leading the central banks digital currency research for BIS, urges policymakers to speed up their response to the threat of cryptocurrency and accelerate their work on digital assets supported by national policymakers, otherwise they will lose their key role in the financial system . The time for the central bank to act has passed, Coeure said. The central banks digital currency will take years to launch, and stablecoins and encrypted assets have emerged. This makes the beginning even more urgent. He also said that central banks and regulators need to consider what role banks will play after the emergence of central bank digital currencies, the role of intermediaries in the digital financial system, and the impact of these new asset designs. Coeure stated that the central bank treats traditional financial companies as part of the new digital currency payment infrastructure. But please dont get me wrong: In any case, global stablecoins, DeFi platforms, and large technology companies will challenge the banking model, he said. Compared with policymakers in developing economies, major central banks have been slow to respond to the challenges of Bitcoin and other private digital assets, and digital currency projects supported by central banks are at an advanced stage. In China, the digital version of the renminbi is already in the experimental stage and will be launched at the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics as part of the governments centralized cryptocurrency experiment. In contrast, the European Central Bank launched the investigation phase of the digital euro project in July this year, and the U.S. Central Bank has not yet decided whether to advance the digital version of the worlds primary reserve assets. Subscribe to our podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you get podcasts. Four pieces of indigenous artwork were vandalized Saturday night at the Spencer Museum of Art, according to the KU Public Safety Office and the Museum. ASHLAND, Ore. The Ashland Police Department says that it shot and killed a cougar within the Ashland city limits after it settled outside of a home, showing no fear of humans. Officers responded Friday morning after an Ashland resident called to report that afriend had gone outside of the home and encountered a cougar "in the garbage cans" outside. The cougar did not run away, which the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife said is normal behavior when cougars see people. When police arrived, the cougar had settled under the home's elevated porch. It did not seem perturbed by the presence of the officers, and was not scared away when police used sirens. After consulting with ODFW, Ashland Police decided it was time to kill the cougar due to safety concerns. The decision to put an animal down is never easy. The City of Ashland appreciates its long-standing partnership with ODFW and the support ODFW brings as difficult decisions such as this are made, said Tighe OMeara, Ashland Police Chief. ODFWs Steve Niemela, Rogue District Wildlife Biologist, supported the decision. Cougars normally display fear of humans and are nocturnal animals. With the cougar just feet away from the residents friend during daylight and showing no signs of fear and not responding to hazing efforts, human safety was an issue and this was the right decision, Niemela said. The cougar was a 60-pound male, ODFW said. Oregon is home to more than 6,000 cougars, and there are relatively frequent sightings in Jackson County. In 2018, Ashland Police shot at a cougar on the Southern Oregon University campus but did not kill it. Medford Police killed a cougar in 2019 after it was spotted around E Barnett Road and N Riverside Avenue. TULELAKE, Calif. The Antelope Fire in eastern Siskiyou County, once largely contained, is now a completely different animal. On Thursday it surged north and east, into the Lava Beds National Monument growing to roughly 143,512 acres with containment still estimated at 77 percent. The latest map of the fire is telling. The Antelope Fire started on August 1 after thunderstorms moved through the area. The original body of the fire, centered around the community of Tennant, has been buttoned up for weeks just one piece, on the far eastern side of the original fire, escaped containment lines earlier this week. That breach has since become the origin of what is practically a brand new fire, running north along the western edge of Lava Beds National Monument. "The fire has split into two fingers, around the Callahan Lava Flow, and is moving northeast into Lava Beds National Monument and also north toward Poverty Flat," fire officials said. Fire officials say that the Antelope Fire pushed hard up Forest Road 15 on Thursday. It entered Lava Beds through areas that were unburned by the 2020 Caldwell Fire, establishing on both sides of Forest Road 49 and inside the park boundary. The firefight is not entirely without good news. Officials said that containment line above Medicine Lake held overnight, and rains during the early hours of Friday morning helped to suppress some areas of the fire. "While this mitigated fire activity, many of the critically dry fuels (especially in the sage/juniper fuel type) continued to burn actively," officials noted. On Friday, crews plan to work on protecting structures north of the Three Sisters area, with firefighters assessing and prepping buildings in case the fire reaches them. Other crews may capitalize on the improved weather conditions to more directly attack the fire's edge. "They will continue to search out and extinguish any heat remaining along the line above Medicine Lake, and will start to clear and grade roads into the interior of the fire on the west/southwestern edges," officials continued. The Antelope Fire's rapid spread within the last several days has provoked a new flurry of evacuation orders and warning. Medicine Lake and areas north through the flats to the Oregon border are under an evacuation order, while areas south and east of Dorris are under an evacuation warning. For an interactive map of evacuation orders and warnings in Siskiyou County, click here. MEDFORD, Ore. Thursday, September 9 was a day to honor the life and the legacy of a life that was taken far too soon. The US Forest Service and fire crews from all over the Rogue Valley gathered to honor Frumencio Ruiz Carapia, a Medford man who died while working as a contracted wildland firefighter in Lane County last month. Thursday marked the memorial ceremony before Carapia's body is sent to Queretaro, Mexico, where his mother and brothers live. Flags flew at half-staff around the state on Thursday in Carapia's honor. I'm from Arizona, I didnt get to meet him and it hurts just as bad as anybody else here . . . any of these guys would do the same thing for me, said Jorge Amaya, the liaison to the Ruiz-Carapia family and his employer, GE Forestry. The 56-year-old Carapia was working along the eastern edge of the Gales Fire in August when he was struck by a falling tree. Though crews immediately tried to help him, Ruiz Carapia succumbed to his injuries at the scene. I knew him from a long time ago. We born in the same town in Mexico, and we came to US . . . and we know each other for a long time, we did the same kind of work for over thirty years, said Esteban Gonzalez, president of GE Forestry. Friends and family remembered Carapia as a caring, honest, and humble man. On August 26, a procession of firefighters and law enforcement officers from multiple agencies escorted Carapia's body as it was returned to Medford. I know the family is really hurting and we will try to help them the best way we can, Gonzalez said. LAKEVIEW, Ore. Fire investigators from multiple agencies are looking for information on possible human-caused wildfires in Lake County, Oregon State Police said on Friday. The investigation will include looking into the cause of the rapidly spreading Cougar Peak Fire, which covered an estimated 37,000 acres as of Thursday night with no containment. OSP said that the Oregon Department of Forestry, US Forest Service, and Lake County Sheriff's Office are investigating wildfire causes, including that of the Cougar Peak Fire. "This fire season has seen an increase in human caused fire starts," OSP said. "To help with the investigations, the OSP has a phone line for area residents and visitors to call in with information that could help." Anyone with information regarding a human-caused wildfire in Lake County can call 1-800-442-0776 or *OSP and reference Trooper Mike Hansen and OSP Case Number SP21-257103. The Cougar Peak Fire remained highly active on Thursday, as southerly winds brought gusts of up to 40 miles per-hour. By Friday morning, the fire had more than tripled in size, reaching 83,339 acres with no containment. Fire crews worked early in the day to strengthen containment lines along the southern flank of the fire, conducting burn-outs and building dozer lines to strengthen road systems in the area. However, the extreme winds pushed the fire into the Cottonwood Creek area, and the high winds and abundant smoke forced aircraft to land by early afternoon. Evacuations around the Cougar Peak Fire continued to expand on Thursday as flames surged to the north and east. "The team continues to prepare drafts and evacuation orders, but the fire continues to grow much faster than anticipated," the Lake County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. "This is making it a challenge to prepare tedious evacuation maps before the fire reaches the next trigger point for the next area." LCSO said that deputies have been going door-to-door in areas that need to be evacuated, also sending OR-Alert messages to homes in the area. "Please remain vigilant if you reside in these areas, officers may not have time to return to your home with new evacuation levels if the fire moves too quickly," LCSO continued. A Red Cross shelter has been established at the Lakeview Church of Latter-Day Saints on 17880 Highway 395. SALEM, Ore. Governor Kate Brown on Friday called for the Oregon legislature to convene a special session in order to adopt new congressional and legislative district maps. The session is scheduled to begin on Monday, September 20. The Oregon constitution calls for the legislature to reapportion legislative districts every ten years after the new US Census. Though delayed by the pandemic, the 2020 Census successfully wrapped up in October, and Oregon officials learned in April that the state would be one of a handful in the nation to gain a new Congressional seat. In Oregon, we believe your vote is your voice, and every voice matters, said Governor Brown. This special session is an opportunity for legislators to set aside their differences and ensure Oregon voters have their voices heard at the ballot box. Based on my conversations with legislative leaders, and the ongoing public testimony we are hearing from Oregonians across the state this week, I believe the Legislature is ready to begin the next step of the redistricting process. Oregon House and Senate committees composed of equal parts Democrats and Republicans revealed the options for Oregon's redrawn legislative and Congressional districts earlier this month, kicking off a series of virtual public hearings to gather input. The hearings end September 13. The Oregon Supreme Court ruled earlier this year in State ex rel Kotek v. Fagan that the deadline for the legislature to complete the redistricting process will be September 27 after lawmakers passed a bill allowing for an extension to that date. If the legislature fails to adopt new maps by that date, the duty falls to Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan who has pledged to create a People's Commission of Oregonians to advise her. A group called People Not Politicians is again championing a ballot measure, this time for 2022, that would remove the redistricting process from lawmakers and put it in the hands of a bipartisan commission. A similar push in 2020 ultimately faltered amid the pandemic after the Supreme Court blocked a lower court ruling that would have given the group more time to gather signatures. YREKA, Calif. After transitioning to remote learning this week because of ongoing coronavirus outbreaks, Yreka Union High School's superintendent says that the school will remain on that status through the end of next week. "The community rate of infection continues to rise at an alarming rate," Superintendent Mark Greenfield said in a letter. "Our exposed students (family members, friends and classmates) continues to require increasing numbers of students to be on isolation. Because of this trend, I do not feel it is in the best interest of our students and staff to return to full in-person instruction at this time." California does not have the same distance learning infrastructure as last school year, instead adopting Short Term Independent Study (STIS), which is supposed to be for students forced to isolate temporarily after being exposed to COVID-19. Yreka High students will now continue on STIS through Friday, September 17, with Greenfield saying that they intend to resume in-person study on September 20. Students will meet via Zoom with their advisory classes on Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in order to review or seek guidance as needed. Students are also encouraged to contact their regular course teachers. "The health and safety of all must be balanced with our educational goals and desires," Greenfield continued. "This is not an easy decision and no one, especially my administration, are taking it lightly. We must be able to protect all of our students the best we can; at this moment I do not believe the situation allows us to provide that security." Greenfield said that the YO and DHS programs will continue as normal, as they have not seem the same level of outbreak as the main YHS campus. "Our ability to distance and sanitize in this smaller environment allows us to be confident in their safe operation," Greenfield said. "We will ask that all parents and students do everything they can to help curtail the community spread we are seeing," the Superintendent concluded. "The simplest things are the best: stay away from congested gatherings, wash or sanitize your hands regularly and above all if you are positive isolate yourself from others." The 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 on the World Trade Center twin towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and in the skies over Pennsylvania, demands considered reflection. Two decades provide useful distance for relatively dispassionate discussion of how we reacted to the shocking, grotesque mass murder. The shorthand reference to the horror is 9/11. How would an objective analyst evaluate the response of us Americans? Concerning our national institutions and behavior as people, there is solid justification for high marks. Despite the terrible nature of the attacks, and the thousands of deaths of Americans as well as citizens of other countries, as a national community we were remarkably mature. The population as a whole did not react with hysteria or any extremism. Such incidents that occurred were infrequent, relatively isolated and have waned over time. Illegal anti-Islamic acts brought prosecution. Hopkinsville, KY (42240) Today Thunderstorms likely this morning. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. High 77F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. EUGENE, Ore. --- The original plan to construct a Winco Foods remains in motion after the Oregon Court of Appeals affirmed the decision of the lower courts. RELATED: WINCO PUTS FENCE UP AROUND OLD SHOPKO SITE DESPITE COURT BATTLE The site of the construction is the building of a former Shopko location off Coburg road in Eugene. According to the courts website, the case was affirmed without opinion. Initially, Living Strong LLC, the owner of the Mckenzie at Crescent Village, which is right across the street, appealed a decision by the city to allow WinCo to build a reconstructed rear loading dock and a bottle redemption center at the site of the former Shopko. There was also some kickback from members of the surrounding community. READ MORE: APARTMENT OWNERS CHALLENGE PLAN FOR NEW WINCO IN EUGENE Many of them said the new store would cause a traffic nightmare. However, on Thursday, several people expressed approval of the new grocery store. I think it's going to be convenient for everybody that lives off this road and everybody that works in these buildings right here, Genesis Meidanis said, I think it's going to be a really good thing. At this time its unclear when the store will be open for public use. EUGENE, Ore. -- Out of the chaos in Kabul, an Afghan family of six is finding refuge in Eugene, thanks to a local attorney and Catholic Community Services. The world watched in fear as the Taliban took over last month. Tens of thousands of Afghans scrambled to flee their homeland. Some were lucky to escape and are now starting a new life in the states. Bryan Boender, a Eugene attorney, is about to call his Afghan war buddy a neighbor. "We were able to leverage our contacts with active-duty soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines to try and organize an effort to evacuate my friend, his wife and their four children, and we were successful in that," Boender said. He said he received an email at about 4:30 a.m. on Aug. 24. The email said "Jackpot," following a picture of his friend and a marine commander who helped get the family out. Boender served as an army paratrooper in Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008. His friend was the unit's interpreter. "These men and women were instrumental in securing our safety by communicating intelligence to us in real-time in terms of what the locals were thinking and saying," Boender said. "If it weren't for interpreters like my friend, we wouldn't have been successful, we wouldn't have been able to do our job." Boender said he hopes the family will arrive just in time to have a seat at his Thanksgiving dinner table, but they could be here even sooner. "It's a gift and a blessing and a responsibility to have them," Boender said. He hopes the community will welcome this family into Eugene as future Americans and Oregonians. Christine Zeller-Powell with Catholic Community Services told KEZI 9 News they can't wait to welcome this family into Eugene. "I think anybody who's been able to navigate the difficulties faced by someone in this situation of having to flee their home country and navigate administrative processes and all of that and still keep their bearings and hold it together is going to do well here," Zeller-Powell said. Zeller-Powell said they've had a huge outpouring of help. You can go to their website if you'd like to get involved. In the last year we've lost thousands of family members, friends and co-workers to COVID-19. We'd like to give you a chance to honor their memory. Share a Memory ROCHESTER, Minn. - A man suspected of robbing one bank and trying to rob another is now in custody. The Rochester Police Department says its officers were called to the Sterling State Bank on 25th Street SE around 9:40 am about a man who did not display a weapon but did leave the leave with an unknown amount of cash. The Goodhue County Sheriff's Office says it was notified of an attempted robbery at the Pine Island Bank at 10:04 am. Using a description of a suspect, a county deputy spotted a man matching that description driving west of Pine Island. The Sheriff's Office says the vehicle was pulled over around 10:20 am on Highway 57 in Dodge County. The driver is believed to be responsible for both the Rochester robbery and the attempted robbery in Pine Island. The Goodhue County Sheriff's Office says he has been turned over to Rochester police but his name has not been released. MN DNR officers and the Dodge County Sheriffs Office assisted with the arrest. The FBI is helping with the investigation. The Goodhue County Sheriff's Office says this incident caused the Pine Island School to be temporarily be placed on lockdown as a precaution. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa A man is going to federal prison for living in North Iowa without registering as a convicted sex offender. Charles Gregory, 50 of Charles City, has been sentenced to 16 months in prison after pleading guilty in Cedar Rapids federal court to failing to register as a sex offender. Federal authorities say Gregory is required to register as a sex offender for life due to multiple convictions of aggravated sexual assault in 1990. Court documents state that Gregory, formerly of Illinois, was living and working in Iowa from May 2018 until September 2019 and did not register as a sex offender. After his prison term ends, Gregory will be on three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal prison system. Destination Medical Center and The City of Rochester celebrated the near completion of the Heart of the City project with a paver signing event on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Heart of the City project reimaged downtown Rochester, transforming the area between First Avenue and Peace Plaza with a new paved walkway and, eventually, towering light fixtures. The pavers consist of artwork by Ann Hamilton and phrases from Song for Water with De Wakpa Taka Odowa / Song for the Mississippi River by Dr. Gwen Westerman. Destination Medical Center Executive Director Patrick Seeb said he hopes future generations can remember Rochester through the signatures on the pavers. "We hope it is a long time in the future before they are ever unearthed but when that time eventually comes, generations from now perhaps, what we will have in many ways is the story of who was here at the time," Seeb said. MASON CITY, Iowa A body was found Tuesday in a Mason City house fire. Police and fire departments were called to the 100 block of North Tennessee Avenue just after 5 am on September 7. Firefighters say once they were able to enter and search the home, they found a deceased person. The Iowa State Medical Examiners office is doing an autopsy to identify the body and determine the cause of death. The State Fire Marshal and the Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting with the matter. DES MOINES, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is criticizing President Bidens plan to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for as many as 100 million Americans. The President announced his plan Thursday afternoon to use the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to force employers with more than 100 workers to either require vaccinations or weekly tests for the coronavirus. He says the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated. President Biden is also signing an executive order to require vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government with no option to test out. Reynolds responded with this statement: President Biden is taking dangerous and unprecedented steps to insert the federal government even further into our lives while dismissing the ability of Iowans and Americans to make healthcare decisions for themselves. Bidens plan will only worsen our workforce shortage and further limit our economic recovery. As Ive said all along, I believe and trust in Iowans to make the best health decisions for themselves and their families. Its time for President Biden to do the same. Enough is enough. Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel also announced Thursday the Republican National Committee intends to sue the Biden administration on their vaccine mandate: Joe Biden told Americans when he was elected that he would not impose vaccine mandates. He lied. Now small businesses, workers, and families across the country will pay the price. Like many Americans, I am pro-vaccine and anti-mandate. Many small businesses and workers do not have the money or legal resources to fight Bidens unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees, but when his decree goes into effect, the RNC will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties. Iowa Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson released a response of her own: "I share the outrage that many Iowans have already expressed to me regarding President Biden's unconstitutional vaccine mandate. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine is a personal choice, a choice my family and I decided to make because the vaccine is safe and effective, and a choice I believe Iowans should be able to make for themselves. Doling out fines to small businesses and punishments to workers will only worsen the economic challenges we are facing. This is the wrong approach to increasing vaccinations and moving our country forward." ROCHESTER, Minn. - An area employer is responding to President Bidens announcement requiring companies with more than 100 employees to get vaccinated or tested weekly. More than 85% of employees at Families First of Minnesota are vaccinated. The non-profit works as a resource for parents and offers child care programs. On Thursday the president announced companies with more than 100 employees will be required to ensure workers are vaccinated or get tested weekly. Families First of Minnesota is among those businesses with 170 employees. The executive director, Jon Losness, says he welcomes this mandate because he believes it will make it a safer environment for the children and families the company serves. Losness said, When they are vaccinated that means if they are exposed to someone they don't have to go home and quarantine for an extended period of time. They can go back to work. We think that's best for everybody and we know the vaccine reduces the risk of serious illness so we think it's a great move to keep everybody healthy. Losness does say the company is offering a $250 incentive to employees who get vaccinated. He also says if employees opt out of vaccinations it will e up to them to get weekly testing done and show proof to the company. Businesses that dont comply with the presidents mandate could face a $14,000 fine per violation. KIMT NEWS 3.- It will no longer be a decision for federal workers to get vaccinated or not. On Thursday, under President Biden's new executive order, employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government, are required to be vaccinated. Rodney Salter is a federal employee. He doesn't believe the President should make workers, including him, get the shot. "I thought this was the United States, land of the free. I'm starting to feel this is a dictatorship. That's just not right. We should all have our own choices to make." Biden's decision goes beyond what he announced earlier this summer when federal employees were allowed to opt-out of receiving the shot. Lily Schmitt doesn't work for the federal government but sees both sides to his decision. "There's pros and cons to it. I understand safety is a big concern for President Biden but I do believe that we are in America and freedom is a choice." Anika Kosiukvilai agrees with President Biden and believes he is doing the right thing. "I think it's a great decision. I think everyone should be vaccinated regardless of their job, but I definitely think it should be a requirement. These people are working with widespread people, they're a big part of their communities, and they meet a lot of people." While federal employees are now required to get the shot, officials believe there is more the private sector can do to encourage people to get vaccinated. Biden also wants the Labor Department to require all businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure their workers are either vaccinated or tested once a week. CRESCO, Iowa A multi-state wound management company is honoring Regional Health Services of Howard County (RHSHC). RistorixHealth has given its Clinical Distinction Award to RHSHCs wound clinic for meeting or exceeding patient safety goals and having with a 90% healing rate. This achievement reaffirms the quality of care RHS Wound Clinic provides its patients every day, says Katie Rieks, CNO. Despite a daunting pandemic, we have been able to maintain clinical excellence, and I am proud to be a recipient of an award that recognizes the hard work and dedication of our staff. RHSHC says the wound clinic is staffed with a multidisciplinary team of medical providers and nurses with advanced training in wound care and hyperbaric medicine. Its care team includes Mandy Powers, ARNP and Jessica Read, RN. RistorixHealth operates 25 care centers in eight states. EAGLE GROVE, Iowa (AP) A worker has been killed in an industrial accident at an Iowa pork processing plant. Prestage Foods of Iowa says the incident happened early Friday morning at its plant in Eagle Grove. The company says in a statement that 57-year-old company mechanic Jeffrey Leonardi was performing routine maintenance duties when he was killed. Company officials did not give details of the fatal accident. Prestage Foods CEO Jere Null says in the statement that Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials have been notified and the company will cooperate in that investigation, as well as conduct their own internal investigation. (KGO/CNN) -- Windsor elementary school in California found it can cut down COVID-19 cases by cutting the time for lunch A 4-year-old girl is dead after she was struck by a car while playing in a playground outside Whittier Elementary School in Harvey, Ill. ANTIOCH, Tenn. (WTVF/CBS NEWSPATH) Thomas Abbotts actions when a shooter entered a Smile Direct Club warehouse in Tennessee likely saved dozens of lives. Emergency calls reported an active shooter at the warehouse in Antioch the morning of Aug. 3. "He pulled the gun out and put the clip in... oh my God," recalled Abbott. As people ran for their lives, Abbott, a warehouse manager, did not. I could have ran and hidden, but I had two guys that was down and 30 or 40 people in a room that did not know what was going on. Abbott knew that during a shift change employee Antonio King walked in and started confronting people. "He says, 'you got a problem with me?' I said, 'no big guy I don't have a problem with you.' Then he yelled out, 'this is the day baby... this is the day.' And I said, 'big guy... what's going on. Let's just talk about it,'" said Abbott. According to Abbott, King pulled out a gun and fired a shot, missing him. King then went after other employees who ran for the front entrance to escape. Abbott followed. "He went outside, and he was trying to come back in, Abbott said. By that time, two security guards inside of the warehouse began exchanging gunfire with King. Both guards were shot. "I'm like, 'oh my God... they're both down. Both down.'" Abbott realized he couldnt let King back into the building since more than three dozen employees were still inside, so he turned to one of the security guards and asked for his gun. He gave me the gun and an extra clip," said Abbott. "And I took a couple shots at him to let him know there is somebody in here manning the gun." King returned fire. A bullet fragment ricocheted and hit Abbott in the chest, knocking him to the floor. +3 Gunman shot 3 workers at SmileDirectClub in Antioch, Tennessee, before officers killed him, police say An employee of a SmileDirectClub manufacturing facility in Tennessee opened fire there Tuesday morning, injuring three co-workers before police officers shot and killed him, authorities said. "Once I got hit and went down, I felt like, 'okay is this it Lord? Is this how I'm going to go?' And, then something popped into my head and I jumped back up." Abbott grabbed the gun and was able to keep King from getting back inside. By that time, Metro police arrived and confronted King outside of the warehouse, where he was fatally shot. "My heart does go out to the family of the young man." Abbott's just glad no one else died. Metro police said there's little doubt his actions saved lives. "I just hope if my wife or daughters are in that situation that somebody would do the same," said Abbott. "I just want to make sure everybody goes home safe." Abbott was treated for a minor gunshot wound to the chest and was released from the hospital the day of the incident. The two security guards survived. No one else was injured. Two Easy Ways To Subscribe! The Kodiak Daily Mirror offers full-service, five-day a week subscriptions with home delivery in addition to unlimited access to our online services (including our e-Edition). Online-access-only subscriptions include unlimited access to the Mirror's online services without delivery of the printed newspaper. (Note: New users: You must register and login before purchasing a subscription. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Kansas City Star. South Korea and Mongolia agreed during their virtual summit Friday to upgrade their relations to a "strategic partnership," Cheong Wa Dae announced. President Moon Jae-in and his Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh adopted a joint declaration on specific ways for strengthening forward-looking cooperation in various sectors. In the hourlong talks, the leaders noted that the two sides have developed friendly ties in politics, economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges since establishing formal diplomatic relations in 1990. "Based on these achievements, (they) agreed to upgrade the relationship between the two countries to a 'strategic partnership,'" Moon's office said. In 2011, South Korea and Mongolia elevated their formal relations to a "comprehensive partnership." Mongolia is a key partner in South Korea's New Northern Policy, aimed at improving strategic ties with northern countries, and has also proactively supported the Northeast Asia Cooperation Initiative for Infectious Disease Control and Public Health, suggested by Moon in September 2020 and born three months later. Moon especially expressed hope that South Korea will bolster "substantive cooperation" with Mongolia in the post-coronavirus era. He pointed out great potential for cooperation between South Korea, an industrial powerhouse, and Mongolia, rich in natural resources. He proposed that the two sides continue to expand mutual cooperation in eco-friendly industries, such as green energy. The Mongolian president agreed that synergy can be created by incorporating South Korea's advanced technology into Mongolia's eco-friendly infrastructure construction and resource development. In particular, they agreed on closer cooperation in health care, medical services, the environment and science technology. They also agreed to provide support for South Korean companies to participate in supplying energy, creating smart cities and establishing distribution and logistics systems in Mongolia. It marked their first talks since the Mongolian president was elected in June. He met with Moon in January 2018, when he visited here in his capacity as prime minister. (Yonhap) What others say: the centenary of a coal miners' battle SALEM, Ore. (KPTV) - Six people who are required to get COVID-19 vaccines to keep their jobs are suing Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and the state Health Authority, citing "natural immunity" as the reason they won't get a shot. PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) - A recent report featured prominently in The New York Times suggested breakthrough infections of COVID-19 are much more rare than current statistics show. The Times report stated the odds of a fully vaccinated person contracting COVID-19 on a given day are 1 in 5,000, citing statistics from King County, WA and other metro areas around the country. Dr. Scott Lindquist, Washington's State Epidemiologist cast some doubt on the reliability of the Times' calculations. Portland hospitals call in portable mortuary trucks as COVID cases remain high PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) - Two Portland area hospitals have called in portable mortuary trucks, as emergency rooms and Intensive Care Units across "I think those are numbers that are manipulated that don't take into the context of everyone who's asymptomatic," said Lindquist. Lindquist said data collected by the state show Washington has had more than 22,000 breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals, which accounts for less than 1% of all vaccinated people in the state. But Dr. Bill Messer, an infectious disease expert at OHSU, was more supportive of the 1 in 5,000 probability calculation, calling it a "fair attempt," though stopping short of calling it accurate. "One of the assumptions behind that rough number 1/5000 is that every day we all face the same risk of exposure day after day after day and that we really know isn't the case," said Messer. Numbers from Oregon and Washington show vaccinated people account for between seven and ten percent of COVID-19 cases, but Messer said that doesn't mean vaccinated people have that same chance of contracting a breakthrough case. School districts welcome students back to classroom, navigate pandemic protocols BEAVERTON, Ore. (KPTV) - Wednesday marks the first day back for many students in the Beaverton School District. "Breakthrough infections are much less common than the numbers suggest because we cannot count the number of people who are protected by their vaccines when they're exposed," said Messer. Despite a rise in breakthrough infections recently because of the more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19, both Messer and Lindquist said the vaccines remain effective against the virus, especially at preventing serious illness. OHAs most recent update on COVID-19 breakthrough cases, released Thursday, found that 80.7% of the 13,798 reported COVID-19 cases between August 29 and September 4 occurred in people who were unvaccinated. There were 2,657 breakthrough cases, accounting for 19.3% of the weeks cases. There were 21 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the states death toll to 3,394. OHA reported 2,437 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state total to 294,392. ONTARIO, Ore. (KPTV) - A Colorado trucker was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison Thursday for stabbing a man at an Oregon Arby's "because he was Black." According to the U.S Attorney's Office - District of Oregon, 27-year-old Nolan Levi Strauss was at a Pilot Travel Center in Ontario, Oregon, the morning of Dec. 21, 2019, when he saw a Black man walk into the adjoining Arbys Restaurant. Strauss did not know the man and had never seen him before, documents state, but he decided he wanted to kill the man. The man was at the Arbys to provide documentation for a pending job application. He sat in a booth by himself and waited to meet with the restaurant manager, when Strauss entered the building and approached the man from behind. Vancouver man sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for murder of transgender teen VANCOUVER, Wash. (KPTV) A Vancouver man has been given the maximum sentence for killing a transgender teenager in 2019. Suddenly, unprovoked and without warning, Strauss stabbed the man twice in the neck, cutting his jugular vein and causing blood to rush out of the mans neck. The man struggled to wrest the knife from Strauss, certain that he would die if he was stabbed again. A maintenance worker approached Strauss and directed him to drop the knife several times. Finally, the stabbing victim broke free from Strausss grip and ran to the other side of the restaurant where he collapsed on the floor, his clothes soaked with blood. While employees tried to provide first aid to the victim and his life-threatening injuries, the maintenance worker used a belt to secure Strausss hands behind his back and waited for police to arrive. While they waited, the worker asked Strauss why he stabbed the man. Because he was Black, and I dont like Black people," he replied. Strauss was arrested at the scene. In two interviews with the police later that day, Strauss explained his beliefs about Black people, describing them as manipulative, lacking morality, and not good people. As Strauss told police, the color of the victims skin was Strausss only problem with him. The stabbing victim suffered two large lacerations to his neck and had to be life-flighted to a hospital in Boise, Idaho, for emergency surgery. All Oregonians should be able to live and work without fear that their skin color will mark them for violence, said Special Agent in Charge Kieran L. Ramsey of the FBI Oregon Field Office. Beyond the physical and emotional damage done to a victim, such violence can infect an entire community with divisiveness and despair. This is not the kind of place that any of us want to raise our families, and we stand with the entire community in saying this is not acceptable and we will not allow it. The Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office is appealing a temporary injunction that is now blocking the enforcement of the states new law against school mask mandates. The appeal was filed Thursday morning, according to Alex Gerszewski, spokesman for the AGs Office. On Wednesday, an Oklahoma County judge signed a written order that gives school districts the ability to mandate face coverings with one caveat that they offer the same exemptions required by law for mandatory school vaccines. The State of Oklahoma and Governor Kevin Stitt are enjoined from enforcing certain sections of SB658 enacted in 2021 against any board of education of a public school district that has exemptions as described herein, reads the order just signed by District Judge Natalie Mai. Any mask mandate or requirement for students in a K-12 public school must include the same exemptions that are present in (the state vaccine statute citation). Under state law, parents and legal guardians may claim an exemption from immunizations on medical, religious or personal grounds. Oklahoma Attorney General Assistant Solicitor General Bryan Cleveland had previously indicated that the state plans to appeal the judges Sept. 1 ruling, which took effect only upon the written orders filing on Wednesday. On Aug. 13, some parents of children with serious medical conditions in Tulsa, Broken Arrow and Norman banded together with the Oklahoma State Medical Association to challenge the state constitutionality of Oklahomas ban on school mask mandates. The ban was passed last legislative session in Senate Bill 658 and signed into law by Stitt. The measure bars school districts from imposing mask mandates unless the governor declares a public health emergency, but Stitt has said repeatedly that this is something he wont do despite the current COVID surge. The plaintiffs argue that SB 658 violates the Oklahoma Constitution in four ways: A childs right to a free education in a safe environment Provisions for equal protection, because it applies only to public but not private schools Prohibition of special laws regulating the affairs of cities or school districts, because as it stands, school districts could not comply with city-enacted mask mandates, nor could cities enforce such legal mandates in schools, and Due process, because it is unreasonable or arbitrary and has no rational relationship to a legitimate state interest, including public health, safety, morals or general welfare. In issuing the temporary injunction, Judge Mai determined that the measure had created an unconstitutional division because it applied only to public schools but not private schools even though the risk to people at both kinds of institutions is equal. The plaintiffs are also seeking a permanent injunction against the state and Gov. Stitt in the case. Featured video: Increase in COVID-19 among younger patients since schools opened Preventing cervical cancer cases by the thousands. This CNN Hero is bringing life-saving care to remote areas of the world Weather Alert ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING... * IMPACTS: Low humidities, unseasonably warm temperatures, strong gusty winds, and wind shift with a cold front will create erratic fire behavior and new fire starts. * AFFECTED AREA: In North Central WY Fire Zone...284. In South Central MT Fire Zones...123...124...125...126...127 128...129. In Southeast MT Fire Zones...130...131...132. In Southeast MT and Northwest SD Fire Zone...133. * COUNTIES AFFECTED: In Central MT...Golden Valley...Musselshell...Wheatland. In North Central WY...Big Horn...Johnson...Sheridan...Washakie. In Northwest SD...Harding. In South Central MT...Big Horn...Carbon...Park...Stillwater Sweet Grass...Yellowstone. In Southeast MT...Carter...Custer...Fallon...Powder River Rosebud...Treasure. In Southwest MT...Gallatin. * COLD FRONT: Late this afternoon and evening. * WIND: West 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph, shifting to the north with the cold front. * HUMIDITY: As low as 11 percent. * TEMPERATURES: As high as 89 degrees. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. && BILLINGS, Mont. - A Billings woman remembers her family's harrowing experience on 9/11 when her brother was working in a building attached to the World Trade Center. Cassidy Brophy said her brother Brooks Barnes was at work the morning of September 11, 2001 at his office in New York City. The office was attached to one of the towers of the World Trade Center. Brophy was also at work as an operating room nurse in Billings when a co-worker told her a plane had flown into one of the towers. "It wasn't until I actually saw it on the TV that I was like, 'Oh my gosh! That's right where my brother works everyday,'' Brophy said. Brophy said it was a full day, hours and hours later, before they found out her brother was okay. "Even though it's been so long, it all comes rushing back this time each year, every year," she said. Brophy said her family is very fortunate: "He typically would have been in the subway transfer station under the Twin Towers when the first tower fell but had gone to work early." "And, they kind-of felt the building shudder. And, they thought it was a fire alarm until they got outside and actually looked up and saw the building on fire." "Everyone just kind-of started running and they saw the second plane hit the second tower. Nobody really knew where to go. He said it was just chaos." We're really lucky he's here. Every year, my heart goes out to the millions of people who were affected." There is a 20th Anniversary 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at City College at MSU Billings (3803 Central Avenue, Billings) on Saturday, September 11. Everyone is welcome to attend. It will begin at 8:46 a.m.. The ceremony will include a flyover, taps and comments from Billings Mayor Bill Cole. The ceremony will also feature guest speaker Lew Kosich, who was a pilot at the time of 9/11 and was directly involved in the response process. If you attend the ceremony, they ask you to enter from Shiloh Road and park in that first parking lot. SciLinean editorially independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit, free service for journalistspublishes concise "Quick Facts" summaries of science-related issues in the news, designed to be easily scanned and used by journalists. Each page has been reviewed by multiple independent experts. Sea level rise and climate change Earth's seas are rising at an accelerating rate, a direct result of human-caused climate change. Ocean temperatures are going up, causing ocean water to expand. And as land-based glaciers and ice sheets melt, they add water to the oceans. Differences in coastline geography, ocean currents, land subsidence, and other factors are causing some areasincluding the U.S. East and Gulf Coaststo experience greater sea level rise than others. Facts for Any Story Observations | The average global sea level has risen by about 20 centimeters (7-8 inches) since 1900, with about half of that occurring since 1993. Human-caused climate change has made a substantial contribution to this rise, resulting in a rate of rise greater than during any preceding century in at least 2,800 years.Causes | Global sea level rise is primarily a result of two factors: first, an influx of new water to the ocean due to the melting of land-based ice from mountain glaciers and the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets in response to the warming atmosphere and ocean; second, an increase in existing ocean water volume due to thermal expansionwater in the ocean expands as oceans absorb the heat trapped in Earth's atmosphere. In the 1970s and '80s, thermal expansion caused the largest share of sea level rise, but since the 1990s, melting land ice has caused about half the rise. The fraction of sea level rise caused by melting land ice is anticipated to increase over this century.Rates | The rate of global sea level rise is increasing due to the accelerated melting of ice sheets and mountain glaciers: It has more than doubled from approximately 1.5 mm per year throughout most of the 20th century to 3.3 mm per year from 1993 to 2020. Mountain glaciers contributed around 0.70 mm per year to global sea level rise from 1900 to 2018.The Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets' contribution to global sea level rise from 1900 to 2020 was 0.44 and 0.08 mm per year, respectively. But their mass loss has increased substantially in recent decades. From 2002 to 2020, the Greenland Ice Sheet has contributed about 0.78 mm per year and Antarctica has contributed 0.41 mm per year.Locality | Sea level rise is not equal around the globe. It varies along coastlines due to changes in Earth's gravitational field resulting from melting of land ice, changes in ocean circulation, the vertical rising or sinking of continents (geologic "uplift" or "subsidence"), and other factors. The U.S. Northeast has been experiencing a faster-than-global increase in sea level since the 1970s. Research suggests that warming surface waters and an influx of fresh water from the melting Greenland Ice Sheetconsequences of global warmingare reducing the density of surface waters near Greenland, lessening their ability to sink and drive the overturning circulation. This reduces the northward tug of Atlantic waters, allowing water to build up along the U.S. East Coast.The western Gulf of Mexico and parts of the U.S. East Coast are currently experiencing additional relative sea level rise caused by the withdrawal of groundwater and fossil fuels, which causes the land to sink. The amount varies widely by locationnegligible in some areas but quite significant in others, such as Galveston, TX, which has experienced a relative sea level rise of 3.5 mm per year since 1983 and is projected to experience a further two-meter (6.5 feet) rise by 2100 as a combined result of rising seas and land subsidence. Continuation of extractive practices will further amplify relative sea level rise in these locations.Flooding | As sea levels have risen, the annual number of high tide floods (sometimes referred to as "sunny day floods") has increased 5- to 10-fold since the 1960s in some U.S. coastal cities including Charleston, SC; Honolulu; Philadelphia; and San Diego. Projections indicate that tidal flooding will continue to increase in depth, frequency, and extent throughout this century due to climate change.Impacts | Nearly 40% of the U.S. population lives in densely populated coastal areas, where sea-level-rise-related increases in flooding, shoreline erosion, and storm surge threaten infrastructure critical to local jobs and regional industries, such as water and sewer systems, roads, and power plants. Disadvantaged communities, indigenous peoples, and coastal ecosystems are especially vulnerable to sea level rise impacts.Future | As global temperatures continue to increase, sea level will continue to rise. The rates of future heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions and hence global warming will determine how much and how fast it will rise.3 Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F) above pre-industrial levels would roughly halve sea level rise by 2100 compared to that resulting from 3 degrees C warming. Global average sea level is very likely to rise by 9 cm to 18 cm (3.6 inches to 7.2 inches) by 2030, compared to global mean sea level in 2000; by 15 cm to 38 cm (6 inches to 1.2 feet) by 2050; and by 30 cm to 1.3 meters (1 foot to 4 feet) total by 2100. Emerging science regarding Antarctic ice sheet instability suggests that, for higher greenhouse gas emission scenarios, a rise exceeding 6 feet by 2100 is physically possible, although the likelihood of that outcome remains uncertain.Research suggests that because of rising sea level, the odds of extreme coastal flooding will double approximately every 5 years for most U.S coastal locations. That means that by 2050, today's 'once- or twice-in-a-lifetime' coastal floods will occur every year for 70% of the U.S. coast, and will occur daily for 90% of the U.S. coast by 2100.Many U.S. cities, such as Miami, will experience greater sea level rise than the global average. In the short term, South Florida is projected to experience a rise of 25.3 cm to 53.3 cm (10 inches to 1.75 feet) above the local mean sea level from the year 2000 by 2040, and a rise of 53.3 cm to 1.4 meters (1.75 feet to 4.5 feet) from that 2000 baseline by 2070.Policies matter. Climate model projections show that if countries follow the emission reduction paths they have committed to under the Paris Agreement, the Earth's average temperature would rise about 3 degrees C (5.4 degrees F) by 2100, compared to pre-industrial levels. This warming would very likely induce about 24.4 cm (9.6 inches) of global sea level rise above 2015 levels. But if policies are implemented to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F), then global average sea level rise would be half that, about 12.2 cm (4.8 inches) by 2100. However, if instabilities in the Antarctic ice sheet are triggered this century then these projections will be significantly higher. Pitfalls to Avoid When reporting findings related to melting glaciers and ice sheets, don't forget to mention that global warming also causes thermal expansion (as ocean temperatures rise, the water expands), which also causes substantial sea level rise. High-tide floods are sometimes referred to as "nuisance floods," but this is a poorly chosen term to include in your reporting because these floods are much more than a nuisance. They are dangerous, damaging, and costly flooding events. Find references for these quick facts, useful resources, accessible experts, and more: https://www.sciline.org/climate/slr/ This fact sheet for reporters is one in a series produced jointly by two philanthropically supported, editorially independent services for journalists: SciLine and Climate Communication. This content is licensed as Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0. Journalists are free to use any text or video on this page with or without attribution to SciLine. SciLine is an editorially independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit service for journalists based at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Our goal is to help get more science into news stories. We connect reporters quickly to scientific experts and validated evidence. Our work is fully funded by philanthropies, and everything we do is free. Questions? Contact us at sciline@aaas.org Hoping to prevent another school year from being upended by the pandemic, President Joe Biden visited a Washington middle school Friday to push his new COVID plan, accusing some Republican governors of being cavalier with the health of children. Biden's plan, announced a day earlier, would require vaccinations for up to 100 million Americans and seek to ramp up virus testing. With those measures in place, he said, schools should present little risk for transmission of the coronavirus. I want folks to know that were going to be OK, Biden said during an appearance at Brookland Middle School, a short drive from the White House. We know what it takes to keep our kids safe and our schools open. But as the surging COVID-19 delta variant casts uncertainty over the start of a new school year in some cases prompting schools to shut down after a few days its unclear whether Bidens plan will go far enough to prevent mass disruption. Biden has little direct authority over most schools, which are generally governed at the local level, and his plan faces sharp resistance from Republicans. Under his expanded vaccine mandate, all employers with more than 100 workers must require them to get shots or test for the virus weekly. A separate provision requires vaccines for workers in Head Start programs and at schools operated by the federal government, affecting about 300,000 workers. The plan does not explicitly require vaccines for teachers in locally governed schools, but some education leaders believe the employer rule will effectively amount to a teacher vaccine requirement in many states. That part of the plan is being enacted through a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. And in states with OSHA plans, teachers will be among those required to get the vaccine or face testing, according to an interpretation by AASA, an association of school superintendents. It's expected to apply to 26 states, including several with Republican governors who opposed Bidens plan, such as South Carolina, Tennessee and Arizona. Biden did not address that aspect of his plan on Friday. Instead, he urged states to issue their own vaccine requirements for school workers. About 90% of school staff and teachers are vaccinated we should have that at 100%, Biden said. Im calling on all of the governors to require vaccination for all teachers and staff. Governors in a few states have already ordered teachers to get vaccinated, including in California, Oregon, New Jersey and New York. But most leave it up to school districts, and some Republican-led states have barred vaccine mandates. Biden on Friday rebuked Republican governors who vowed to fight his new rules. I am so disappointed that, particularly, some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids, so cavalier with the health of their communities, he said. Were playing for real here. This isnt a game. But most of his remarks struck a more conciliatory tone than a Thursday speech in which Biden vented his own frustrations with those who remain unvaccinated. He returned to a message of unity on Friday, insisting that weve got to come together to beat the virus. Speaking to students at Brookland, Biden applauded those who had already been vaccinated. If all of them get shots, Biden promised to invite them to a special visit at the White House. He also held up Washington, D.C., as a model. The city has hosted vaccine clinics at its public schools, and 65% of children age 12 to 17 have gotten at least their first shot, a rate that Biden said is among the highest in the nation. In a plea to Americas families, Biden urged parents to get teenagers and other eligible children vaccinated as soon as possible. He argued that its no different than standard vaccinations for measles, mumps, rubella and other diseases. Among the greatest threats to his plan, however, is the large population of children who are still too young to get the shot. Most elementary and middle schools have children below age 12 who have not been approved to receive the coronavirus vaccines. Speaking to those concerns, Biden said he supports an independent scientific process to review the shots but he also promised to make them available to younger children as soon as its safe. I will do everything within my power to support the Food and Drug Administration in its efforts to do the science as safely and as quickly as possible, he said. The expanded vaccine mandate does not apply to students, but some districts have moved to require shots for students. The Los Angeles district this week became the first major district to enact a mandate for students ages 12 and up. In addition to vaccines, Bidens plan aims to ramp up virus testing in schools. Testing policies vary widely by school and state. Some districts regularly test all students, including in the Los Angeles district, while some forgo any testing. And for many, its getting harder to find testing supplies amid a nationwide shortage in rapid tests. As part of the White House plan, the government is working to increase the supply of virus tests and make them available at retailers including Walmart and Amazon. Biden said it will lead to 300 million more coronavirus tests, including some for schools. I want all schools setting up regular testing programs to make sure we detect and isolate cases before they can spread, Biden said. The plan drew support from the countrys two largest teachers unions, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. Both groups have also endorsed vaccine mandates for all teachers and school staff. Other education groups that support the plan include the National School Boards Association, which said it comes at an extremely critical time. The group said it welcomes Bidens support even as education leaders face threats, abuse and harassment over their public health measures. Speaking alongside Biden on Friday, first lady Jill Biden praised educators as heroes for their work over the past year. A longtime community college professor, the first lady said Americans have a duty to protect students as they return to the classroom. We owe them a promise to keep their schools open as safe as possible, she said. We owe them a commitment to follow the science we owe them unity so that we can fight the virus, not each other. UPDATE: SEPT. 10 AT 4 A.M. Due to recent spikes in COVID-19 cases, starting Monday, all Plains High School students will be remote learning. On top of that, all extracurricular activities will be canceled until Sept. 20. To be clear, this is only for grades nine through 12. Kindergarten through eighth grade will still be on campus. To read the school's full statement, click here. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Due to a COVID-19 outbreak, Plains High School will be closed Sept. 9 for grades 9-12. During the closure, no new school work will be assigned. High school teachers will be available to help students by answering emails, using Google Classroom and taking phone calls. On top of class being canceled, extra curricular activities are also canceled. Right now, the school is conducting contact tracing in collaboration with the county health department. If your child has been affected, you'll be contacted. Grades K-8 will be in class Thursday. Busses will run as normal, with breakfast and lunch also being served as normal. With Laconia becoming a performing arts city, what supporting businesses do you think we need? ROME, SEP 10 - Italy's COVID-19 Rt transmission number and its incidence of cases has fallen, according to a draft of the latest weekly coronavirus monitoring report of the health ministry and the Higher Health Institute (ISS). It said the average nationwide Rt rate for the August 18-31 period was 0.92, down from 0.97 in last week's report. A Rt over 1 indicates that the epidemic is in a phase of expansion. The incidence of cases for every 100,000 inhabitants for the September 3-9 period was 64, compared to 74 in last week's report. The report said the pressure exerted on Italy's health system by COVID had increased slightly. It said the number of coronavirus patients in intensive care increased from 544 on August 31 to 563 on September 7, taking the proportion of ICU places occupied by COVID patients up from 5.7% to 6.2%. The number of coronavirus patients in ordinary hospital wards went up from 4,252 on August 31 to 4,307 on September 7, taking the proportion up from 7.3% to 7.4%. The definitive version of the monitoring report will be presented later on Friday after it has been examined by the government's 'control room' COVID taskforce. (ANSA). ROME, SEP 10 - Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese admitted on Friday that she was worried about extremism by anti-vax groups and protestors against the government's COVID-19 prevention measures, above all the Green Pass vaccine passport. "There is concern because the language is getting more and more inflamed," Lamorgese said at the presentation of a report by the customs agency. "There is a risk of extremism that could affect demonstrations (against the Green Pass)". Politicians, journalists and health officials and experts have been threatened by anti-vax extremists in Italy and in some cases attacked. A top virologist, Matteo Bassetti, was recently accosted by a 46-year-old man who has been cited for issuing serious threats. A video journalist from the La Repubblica daily was attacked by a protester at an anti-Green Pass sit-in outside the Education Ministry in Rome last week. And a pro-Green Pass teacher received a bullet in the mail. Carabinieri police said Friday that a 35-year-old man from the city of Latina had been reported to prosecutors over "aggravated threats" sent to Health Minister Roberto Speranza via email in April. Italian police said they had staged raids in several Italian cities on Thursday against anti-vax extremists. T he operation targetted members of a group called the 'guerrieri' (the warriors) on the Telegram messaging app who were allegedly considering conducting acts of violence in protests against COVID-19 measures, above all the Green Pass vaccine passport. They allegedly aimed to create a national network to destabilize the government's work. The raids took place in Rome, Milan, Venice and several other cities. Weapons such as knives and clubs were found during searches of suspects' homes. The eight suspects are aged 33 to 53 (ANSA). ROME, SEP 10 - The European Commission said Friday that two loans worth a total of 900 million euros that Rome granted Alitalia in 2017 were illegal state aid and Italy must get the money back. But the EU executive also said that ITA, the slimmed down State-controlled airline that is set to replace Alitalia next month, does not have to cough up that money. The Italian government granted Alitalia, which has been making losses since 2008, the loans after it went into extraordinary administration. The Commission said ITA "is not the economic successor of Alitalia and, hence, it is not liable to repay illegal State aid received by Alitalia". It said that the Italian State's 1.35-billion-euro capital injection into the new company are in line with market conditions, and therefore do not amount to illegal State aid. That does not mean, however, that it is now plain sailing for the launch of ITA. ITA has so far failed to find an agreement with unions on redundancies and labour contracts for the new airline and Alitalia workers have staged a series of protests. ITA will start operations in mid-October with 2,800 employees, compared to Alitalia's 11,000-strong workforce, and a scaled-down fleet of around 50 aircraft. Unions are taking part in talks at the economy ministry on Friday. (ANSA). ROME, SEP 10 - Italian Police Chief Lamberto Giannini has sent a circular letter to the nation's prefects and city police heads telling them to beef up security at potential sites linked to the United States in view of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The letter said the extra vigilance was necessary in part due to the "Afghan crisis". It referred to "diplomatic-consular, cultural, tourist and business targets" linked to the USA as well as "any other site or target considered at risk because of the circumstances". (ANSA). ROME, SEP 10 - Italian fashion great Giorgio Armani has announced that he will stage one of his One Night Only events in Dubai on October 26 while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) city is hosting the Universal Exposition. The event was meant to be staged in November 2020 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Armani hotels in Milan and Dubai but it had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise Expo 2020 had to be put off due to the pandemic but will now kick off on October 1 and run until the end of March next year. The Dubai One Night Only event will follow the same format as that used in other cities around the world - London in 2006, Tokyo in 2007, Beijing in 2012, Rome and New York in 2013 and Paris in 2014 - centred around a fashion spectacular show. (ANSA). Patrick Donmoyer, director of the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University, recently presented a webinar sponsored by Friends of the Cornwall Iron Furnace on the subject of House Blessing Stones: A Pennsylvania Dutch Tradition of Establishment. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the details of the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program as part of meetings with farmers and a tour of farms with Senator Leahy. #Tanzania's environmental watchdog announced that it has fined nine oil companies a total of 5.1 billion Tanzanian shillings ($2.2 million) over the violation of environmental rules. pic.twitter.com/XkldXTZ9Xi IANS Tweets (@ians_india) September 10, 2021 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will allow #vaccinated residents with valid visas, who were on the travel ban list, from countries like India to return starting from September 12, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) announced. pic.twitter.com/0Jyk0233i0 IANS Tweets (@ians_india) September 10, 2021 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) U.S. President Joe Biden's administration had reportedly praised the Taliban days before the 9/11 anniversary on its 20th year. The Biden administration had called the Taliban leadership as "professional and businesslike," according to The Daily Wire report. National Security Council Spokesperson Emily Horney had released a statement on Qatar Airways Charter Flight. Horney said on the statement the Taliban have been cooperative in facilitating the departure of Americans citizens and lawful permanent residents. The statement added that the militant group has shown "flexibility, and have been businesslike and professional" in the dealings with them in this effort. It went on to say that they will not be sharing details of the efforts before people are safely out of the country as there is an ongoing terrorist threat. Meanwhile, reports of the Taliban not allowing charter flights to leave have been circulating, including remarks from Rep. Michael McCaul. READ NEXT: Not Invited: Mom of Marine Killed in Afghanistan Asks Donald Trump and Not Pres. Joe Biden to Attend Son's Funeral Taliban Refusing Charter Planes to Leave Congressional and NGO sources said that the Taliban is denying charter planes the permission to leave the country. Multiple planes were carrying American citizens and green card holders, according to a CBS News report. A senior congressional source said that the Taliban is holding the said passengers hostage to get more out of the Americans. Three other sources confirmed that there were Americans in the area waiting to evacuate through charter flights. Meanwhile, the State Department had advised members of Congress to tell groups wanting to evacuate out of Mazar-i-Sharif that the federal government does not have personnel on the ground of the airport. The State Department added that it does not have air assets in the country and control of the airspace. McCaul noted that there were six airplanes at the airport carrying American citizens. State Department Blocking Flights U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had denied reports that the Taliban had blocked Americans attempting to fly out. Blinken said that the government had identified a "relatively" small number of Americans wanting to fly out from Mazar-i-Sharif, according to a Reuters report. The department secretary also claimed that the Taliban were upholding their promise to allow Americans with valid travel documents to leave the country. He said that they are not aware of anyone being held on an aircraft or any hostage-like situation. In a September 1 email to attorney Eric Montalvo, the State Department has said that the agency will not provide approval on charter flights, according to a New York Post report. However, they noted in the email that they will provide a "no objection" to the destination country government through the U.S. Embassy in the country. Montalvo is a former Marine and has organized a series of evacuation flights for people wanting to fly out of Afghanistan. The email of the State Department to Montalvo also warned him that no charters are allowed to land in most countries in the Middle Eastern region. The September 1 email also said that Montalvo needs to find another destination country, adding that it cannot be the U.S. either. READ MORE: Sen. Mitch McConnell Says Pres. Joe Biden Won't Be Impeached Over Afghanistan, Says Hold Him Accountable at 'Ballot Box' This article is owned by Latin Post Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Afghanistan: Taliban invite foreign diplomats to return to Kabul - from Sky News Sheriff Alex Villanueva from the Los Angeles County called the egg attack Larry Elder experienced a "hate crime" on Thursday, as he called on the "woke politicians" over the incident. It can be recalled that a White woman wearing a gorilla mask and pink wig threw an egg at Elder, while he was in the streets, and punched some of the governor hopeful's security staffers. In a Twitter post, Villanueva asked the public how the egg attack on the gubernatorial candidate was not a hate crime. QUESTION: How is this not a hate crime? ANSWER: Because woke privilege means a white woman can wear a gorilla mask and attack a black man without fear of being called a racist. Where is the outrage from our politicians?#Hypocrisy #WokePrivilege @LarryElder @GavinNewsom pic.twitter.com/h6vnXQ2Uzd Alex Villanueva (@LACoSheriff) September 9, 2021 READ NEXT: California Recall: VP Kamala Harris Rallies With Gavin Newsom; Larry Elder Cuts Tour After an Egg was Thrown at Him The sheriff took to Twitter to express his thoughts on the Wednesday incident that prompted the cancellation of Elder's campaign in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. "ANSWER: Because "woke privilege" means a White woman can wear a gorilla mask and attack a Black man without fear of being called racist," Villanueva said in his Twitter post. The Los Angeles Sheriff also wondered why the normally "outraged" politicians are not speaking up in Elder's defense. As Villanueva called on the politicians, former Democratic state Senator Gloria Romero thanked the sheriff for doing so. "Thank you, Sheriff, for calling it out," Romero said. The former senator then mentioned several California officials including Governor Gavin Newsom. Vice President Kamala Harris was also tagged by Romero in her statement, as well as Democratic groups from the state. Romero then urged the officials to decry the racism against Larry Elder. Probe Underway on Larry Elder Egg Attack Despite the dubbed racist attack against Larry Elder on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) did not mention whether they will investigate the said incident, The Washington Examiner reported. However, Sheriff Villanueva pointed out that the robbery-homicide unit of the LAPD will investigate the case. Villanueva emphasized that the White woman, wearing a gorilla mask and pink wig, might be one of the 20,000 felons released by the California governor. Villanueva also noted that he will also investigate the assault as a hate crime, contending that the woman was wearing a gorilla mask. The sheriff explained that wearing a gorilla mask has a message because the woman can wear any mask like the Groucho Marx mask. "People need to be held accountable on both sides of the aisle," the Los Angeles sheriff said in an interview. Villanueva then blasted Newsom, asking why the California governor did not call out the "reprehensible" behavior of Larry Elder's attacker on Wednesday. Larry Elder Calls out Liberal Silence on the Egg Attack As a probe for Elder's assault was underway, the governor hopeful on Thursday called on the silence of the Liberals on the egg attack he experienced. Elder said in a phone interview that it was clear to him that if he was a liberal and the same incident happened, "the left would be screaming about systematic racism. When asked whether the egg attack was racist, Elder said that he does not know either the attack was racially motivated or if the woman was mentally ill and might need treatment. The governor hopeful further noted that homeless advocates in the neighborhood told him that they do not know the attacker and the woman might be an outside agitator. "Maybe it was an idiot... Maybe it was just someone who doesn't like Larry Elder," the governor hopeful said about the attacker. READ NEXT: Gov. Gavin Newsom Tours Around Southern California Ahead of Recall Elections, Some Democrats Show Support This article is owned by Latin Post Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Woman in Gorilla Mask Throws Eggs at Larry Elder - From Fox News Members of the U.S. Coast Guard and British Virgin Islands authorities recently seized about 1,700 kilograms of cocaine with a value of about $51 million off the coast of Anegada. According to a U.S. Coast Guard press release, no one was arrested as part of the joint effort between the U.S. Coast Guard and British Virgin Islands police officers as smugglers fled the area after dropping at least 57 packages of cocaine into the sea. Multi-Agency Effort Stops Caribbean Drug Trafficking Attempt The multi-agency effort has dismantled major Caribbean drug trafficking, which resulted in the seizure of cocaine with an estimated "wholesale value" of approximately $51 million. The Coast Guard said multiple agencies, including the Caribbean Border Interagency Group and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force, were involved in the disruption and seizure of the drugs. On Friday, the Coast Guard cutter Richard Etheridge crew offloaded the 1,700 kilograms of seized cocaine at the Coast Guard Base San Juan in Puerto Rico. READ NEXT: Texas Border Agents Seize Almost $1M Worth of Cocaine, Methamphetamine in Two Separate Interceptions Drug Interception at the Caribbean The seizure happened during a routine patrol on the night of August. 27. The Coast Guard Cutter Richard Etheridge, a 157-foot fast response cutter homeported in Miami, responded to the sighting of a go-fast vessel in waters northeast of the British Virgin Islands. The Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan directed the launch of a Coast Guard MH-60T aircraft from Air Station Borinquen to assist cutter Richard Etheridge in locating the position of the go-fast vessel. Coast Guard and British Virgin Islands authorities continued with their communication to stop the suspected go-fast vessel. As the cutter Richard Etheridge closed in on the vessel, the smugglers proceeded to throw their cargo and flee the area at high speed. The Coast Guard helicopter crew then proceeded to assist cutter Richard Etheridge in locating the jettisoned cargo. In total, members of cutter Richard Etheridge recovered 57 bales, which tested positive for cocaine. Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander Capt. Gregory H. Magee said that despite the challenging sea state conditions, both crews displayed an outstanding job disrupting a major shipment of cocaine and kept the drugs from ever reaching the streets, Seapower Magazine reported. Magee further noted that their strong partnership with the British Virgin Islands and island nations throughout their area of responsibility resulted in safe and secure maritime borders from drug traffickers and other smuggling attempts in the Eastern Caribbean. Head of Intelligence for the Royal Virgin Islands Police, Detective Inspector Mike Jones, said the interception was a great example of the close working relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. in overseas territories. Jones noted that the excellent work of the U.S. Coast Guard forced the crew of the go-fast vessel to jettison their shipment. He added that they would continue to work closely with all agencies and partners to disrupt and detect the movement of narcotics, illegal money, and the individuals behind the trafficking. READ MORE: Brazilian Drug Cartel Boss 'Her Majesty' Arrested While on Holiday in Brazil's Southernmost State This article is owned by Latin Post Written By: Jess Smith WATCH: Coast Guard Seizes 18,000 lbs of Suspected Cocaine Worth Estimated $312 million - From ABC7 News Bay Area Melania Trump's former chief of staff, Stephanie Grisham, has announced that she will be publishing a memoir about her time serving the White House during former U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. Grisham was reportedly expecting retaliation for publishing her memoir, according to a Daily Mail report. The announcement of Grisham writing a memoir shocked the political world as she was seen as one of their most loyal aides. She had been with Trump since the early days of his presidential campaign. One close source claimed that Grisham will be telling her truth and let the chips fall where they may. The source added that the former loyal aide knows all the skeletons and she is opening doors. The person said that Grisham has been warned that the Trumps are going to strike back hard. The close source did not give away any further details about the memoir but said that Grisham "definitely has receipts." READ NEXT: New Poll: Donald Trump Would Beat Pres. Joe Biden in Presidential Rematch, With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Match-Up Stephanie Grisham's Memoir Grisham's memoir entitled "I'll Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw in the Trump White House" will be published on October 5 by Harper Collins, according to The Guardian report. A publishing source said that the book would reveal "surprising new scandals." Melania guarded her privacy and trusted almost nobody during her first lady stint. Grisham was one of the very few that was allowed in her inner circle. Only a few people know of the book's existence as Grisham has kept a low profile since she resigned on January 6. In addition, the book was reported to be heavily full of code names, according to an Axios report. Grisham's former West Wing colleague said that there isn't "enough water on earth to contain the fire" that she could include in her memoir, including parts of the first lady's circle. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the former president has yet to comment on the revelation of Grisham's memoir. Stephanie Grisham Grisham caught media attention when she was named as both the White House's press secretary, communications director, as well as communications director for the first lady, according to a People report. She then returned to the East Wing as Melania's chief of staff and spokeswoman in early 2020. She was scrutinized for her lack of briefings and her sharp defenses of the first lady, which included speaking out about comedians, other White House aides, and Trump detractors. Right after the January 6 Capitol riot, she resigned in the final days of the administration. She said at the time that it was an honor to serve the country. Grisham's memoir will be among the other books written by other Trump staffers, which had depicted chaos, dysfunction, and infighting during his administration. Some of the books had also depicted the former president's achievements positively. Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, had also written a book entitled "The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir." Trump had called Bolton as one of "the dumbest people [he has] met in government," according to a BBC News report. READ MORE: Pres. Joe Biden Admits Donald Trump's Deal With Taliban Resulted in a Year Without Combat Death in Afghanistan This article is owned by Latin Post Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: First Lady Melania Trump's Chief Of Staff Stephanie Grisham Resigns - from NBC News The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced that it will be doubling its fines for passengers who refuse to wear a mask. Starting Friday, the fine for refusing to wear a mask in flights, in airports, and on trains, buses and other forms of public transportation will increase to a range of $500 to $1,000 for first offenders, while penalties for a second offense will range from $1,000 to $3,000, The Washington Post reported. President Joe Biden announced Thursday that the TSA would double fines for travelers who refuse to wear a mask and, if someone breaks the rules, "be prepared to pay." Biden also said that passengers should "show some respect." Penalties imposed by the TSA are separate from those implemented by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for passengers who act out on flights. TSA officials have yet to comment on how many people have been fined so far. TSA Administrator David Pekoske said that the agency seeks to reinforce the importance of voluntary adherence by doubling the range of penalties. Pekoske added that they appreciate the majority of travelers who voluntarily follow the mask mandate. The TSA is in charge of enforcing the mask mandate in transportation setting. READ MORE: TikTok User Fat Trophy Wife Says She Was Removed From Alaska Airlines Flight for Wearing Crop Top Mask Mandate During Travel Airline crews have also been tasked with enforcing the federal mask policy on planes. The staff has repeatedly complained about the rise in unruly passenger behavior, according to a CNBC report. Last month, the FAA said it has already received nearly 4,200 reports of unruly passengers since the start of the year, with more than 3,000 of these refusing to wear a mask. The FAA also reported that it has suggested more than $1 million in penalties this year alone. Airline staff has also reported situations wherein visibly drunk passengers verbally abused them, shoved them, and kicked seats. The FAA hoped its zero-tolerance policy for in-flight disruptions would be enough to discourage potential offenders. The zero-tolerance policy could lead to fines of as much as $52,500 and up to 20 years in prison. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson also urged airport police to detain more passengers for being unruly or violent. He said many passengers were interviewed by local police and then released without criminal charges of any kind. Joe Biden's Vaccine Mandate Joe Biden said Thursday that the most recent vaccine mandate would affect around 100 million Americans. The new measures will include all federal workers and contractors and a requirement that large companies must impose vaccination or regular testing for employees, CBS News reported. Joe Biden also announced that the Department of Labor is developing an emergency rule to require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated or show a negative test at least once a week. The president's announcements had gained criticism, with the Republican National Committee saying that they plan to file a lawsuit against the Biden administration. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that there would be limited disability and religious exceptions to the federal employees' vaccine requirement. The American Foundation of Government Employees said that these changes should be negotiated with their bargaining units. AFGE president Everett Kelley noted that the union expects to bargain over the policy before its implementation. READ MORE: American Airlines Cancels Almost 400 Flights Over Staff, Maintenance Issues This article is owned by Latin Post Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: TSA Doubles Face Mask Fines - From KHON2 News Authorities are now looking for three suspects whose getaway car crashed into a commuter train after shooting six people in East St. Louis, Illinois on Thursday. According to Daily Mail, the train crash has temporarily disrupted services on the track. The MetroLink reportedly stopped operating between the 5th and Missouri and Emerson Park stations. Passengers, who experienced delays up to an hour, used Metro shuttles between stations. In a statement, the Illinois State Police said the shooting happened in the city's downtown area at around 4 p.m. local time. Six were hit with bullets, and a minor was also injured. USA Today reported that police spokeswoman Beth Hundsdorfer said the seven victims were hospitalized. But the victims' conditions and identities remain unclear. Meanwhile, around 10 passengers who were aboard the train sustained injuries during the collision. They were being treated on the scene. Police said the three suspects tried to flee the scene in their blue getaway vehicle but were struck by a passing commuter train as they attempted to cross the train tracks. All the suspects then fled on foot. On Thursday night, the state police said the "situation is still rapidly evolving," urging the public to avoid the area. Reuters reported that police said three suspects opened fire before trying to drive past a train at a nearby railroad crossing. According to a KSDK report, SWAT members and police officers had targeted a nearby home after the shooting as law enforcement used a drone, helicopter, and plane in search of the suspects. East St. Louis Mayor Robert Eastern III confirmed multiple victims were shot but did not release any additional information. READ NEXT: Houston Girl Played Dead as Gunman Killed Her Family in Horrifying Texas Massacre Mass Shootings in the United States According to Gun Violence Archive (GVA), more than 600 shootings occurred in 2020 compared to the previous year's 417, The New York Times reported. In June, two gunmen broke into a home in Chicago and shot eight people. The shooting has killed five people. Police said seven of those shots were struck in the head. In May, nine people were killed in a shooting in San Jose, California. The gunman, who was identified as a transit worker, also killed himself, according to authorities. Another gunman has managed to kill six people before shooting himself at a birthday party in Colorado Springs on May 9. Police said the gunman was the boyfriend of one of the female victims. In 2019, the GVA, a gun violence research group, recorded a total of 15,381 gun deaths, which included homicides, suicides, and accidents. There were also 29,568 gun-related injuries, according to CBS News. The GVA has also recorded 382 mass shootings in 2016, 346 in 2017, and 337 in 2018. Murder Rate in East St. Louis, Illinois According to a Belleville News-Democrat report, East St. Louis has 96 murders per 100,000, topping cities like Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. However, only 25 percent of the murders are charged in criminal court compared to a national average of 60 percent. Rachel Davis, executive director of the Prevention Institute, said community trauma could be a factor in community members not working with police to solve open homicide cases. Davis further noted that conditions like unsafe housing, failing schools, and lack of economic opportunity contribute to the likelihood of violence. READ MORE: Texas Man Arrested After Running Over Pregnant Wife, Killing Unborn Child This article is owned by Latin Post Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Multiple Victims in East St. Louis Shooting; Manhunt for Suspects After Crashing Getaway Car - From KMOV St. Louis Vanessa Guillen, Adam Toledo, and the COVID-19 victims will be honored in a "Dia De Muertos" or Day of the Dead exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Arts in Chicago, Illinois. Entitled "Dia de Muertos - A Time to Grieve & Remember," the Day of the Dead exhibit will be open to the public from September 10 to December 12, 2021. Located in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, the National Museum of Mexican Art is a museum that features Latino, Mexican, and Chicano art and culture. READ NEXT: Mexico: Miracle Baby Found Alive in Morgue After Being Declared Dead Has Died Vanessa Guillen, Adam Toledo, COVID Victims Featured on 'Dia De Muertos' Exhibit A special ofrenda in the first room that visitors see will feature photos of 200 COVID victims submitted by their loved ones to the museum over the past weeks, ABC7 Chicago reported. National Museum of Mexican Art chief curator Cesareo Moreno said he and his staff were putting the final touches on the exhibit this week. "Mourning is telling people's stories," Moreno stressed, adding that the Dia de Muertos is a "wonderful way" to deal with the pandemic and "the loss we have had over the last two years." Moreno noted that seeing the photos of at least 200 faces of those who died from the virus "was really intense, like no other year." Vanessa Guillen, Adam Toledo, and Ofelia Lara will also be featured in the Day of the Dead exhibit. Guillen is a Mexican American soldier who tragically died when another army member killed her after reporting sexual abuse in a Texas army base. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) earlier recommended renaming Fort Hood in Texas after Vanessa Guillen. Adam Toledo was a 13-year-old Latino boy who died after being shot by a Chicago cop last March. Footage released earlier by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) showed that Eric Stillman, the police officer who shot Adam Toledo, opened fire while the Latino teen already raised his hands. Meanwhile, Ofelia Lara, a Latina, is a Chicago resident who died of natural causes. After the Day of the Dead exhibit, the National Museum of Mexican Art will host Dia de los Muertos Xicago, a festival that will also be open to the public on October 30. The museum is inviting the public to sign-up online to build an ofrenda at the event that will take place at Harrison Park behind the museum. What is Dia De Muertos or Day of the Dead? Dia de Muertos or Day of the Dead is not simply a Mexican version of Halloween. Instead, it is Mexico's celebration of life and death. The Dia de Muertos originated several thousand years ago with the Aztec, Toltec, and Nahua people who considered mourning the dead disrespectful. The celebration's centerpiece is an ofrenda or altar built inside residences and cemeteries. The altars are meant to welcome the spirits back to the realm of the living. Thus, the altars are loaded with offerings such as water to quench the thirst after a long journey, food, photos, a candle for a dead relative, and even small toys if one of the family members who died was a child. The Dia de Muertos celebration takes place on November 1 and 2 - the All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day on the Catholic calendar. Although related, these annual events differ significantly in traditions and tone. In 2008, UNESCO added Dia de Muertos to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, an important list to preserve traditions worldwide, maintaining cultural diversity. READ MORE: Mexico Blocks Migrant Caravan Headed to U.S. Border This article is owned by Latin Post Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: What is Day of the Dead? - From National Geographic A San Luis Obispo County Superior Court judge ruled Thursday that convicted killer Scott Peterson will not be allowed to testify in Kristin Smart's murder trial at the moment. According to KSBY, Judge Craig van Rooyen said there was no evidence of any connection between Kristin Smart and Scott Peterson. Judge Denies Scott Peterson's Court Appearance at Kristin Smart's Murder Trial Judge Craig van Rooyen noted that there was no evidence that Scott Peterson was at the same party that Kristin Smart and Paul Flores attended just before she disappeared. Because of this, the judge decided to exclude Peterson's testimony as well as his brother Mark and father, Lee. However, KEYT reported that Van Rooyen did leave open a slight chance that Scott Peterson might be allowed to testify if the defense team can present new information that shows he is relevant to the case. Paul Flores is charged with the murder of Kristin Smart, and he's being held without bail. His father, Ruben, is charged as an accessory to the crime and is currently out on bail. They were both arrested and charged in April, nearly 25 years after Smart's disappearance. The two men pleaded not guilty. Paul Flores' defense attorney Robert Sanger has presented to the court a list of witness candidates he hopes to call to the stand to testify. One of them was Peterson. Scott Peterson and Kristin Smart knew each other while they both attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) more than 20 years ago. At the time that Smart disappeared on the night of May 24, 1996, the convicted killer was a Cal Poly student. Sanger earlier cited Peterson's statement about not wanting investigators to search a lake he was associated with. The lawyer argued that the statement was taken seriously by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, which resulted in searching two ponds on the property that Scott Peterson was known to have access to. At one point, investigators looked at Peterson as a potential suspect in Smart's disappearance. However, they could not find a connection. Thursday's hearing began with the cross-examination of San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office Forensic Specialist Shelby Liddell. Liddell testified that she collected soil samples and took photos last March and April at Flores' home, where investigators believe the remains of the 19-year-old student were buried. According to Liddell, there were 11 areas where the ground-penetrating radar was used in the backyard. Liddell noted that four of those spots that showed anomalies were excavated. Liddell said in one of those excavation sites under the deck, staining in the soil was discovered at about two to two-and-a-half feet and continued down. Liddell, who was the only witness to testify on Thursday, noted that a body could have been buried above the location to leave that kind of staining. Liddell earlier said a soil sample taken from the March dig tested positive for human blood; that's why they returned in April to collect more samples. According to court documents, Smart's remains were likely removed during a nighttime operation sometime in early February 2020. READ NEXT: Scott Peterson Murder Case: Sister-in-Law Says New Evidence Will Prove He's Innocent of Killing Pregnant Wife Detective Dismisses Scott Peterson's Connection to Kristin Smart Case Last month, Detective Clint Cole of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff told the court that multiple individuals were investigated as potential suspects, but Paul Flores was deemed the sole suspect "due to the consideration of a multitude of evidence." Cole noted that other people were also investigated as potential suspects in the case, including Scott Peterson, who was convicted in 2004 for the murders of his pregnant wife Laci Peterson and their unborn child. According to Cole, multiple people at the party that Smart attended before she disappeared told a prior detective on the case that Peterson was not at the party. They were also not able to identify pictures of him. Cole said the FBI was also asked to compare the Smart and Peterson cases within their database, and when they did, they found there were no contacts between Peterson and the Smart case. Cole noted that Scott Peterson was essentially cleared from being a suspect in the case after no evidence connected him to Kristin Smart's disappearance. Smart's body has yet to be found, but she was declared legally dead in 2002. READ MORE: Scott Peterson May Be Called in Kristin Smart Murder Trial as Defense Team Wants Convicted Killer to Testify This article is owned by Latin Post Written by: Jess Smith WATCH: Judge Rules Scott Peterson Will Not Testify in Paul Flores Preliminary Hearing - From NewsChannel 3-12 Hugo Carvajal, a former Venezuelan spy chief wanted on U.S. drug trafficking charges, was arrested in Madrid, Spain on Thursday. Spanish authorities said police arrested Venezuela's former head of military intelligence in a small apartment where he had been holed up. Former Venezuelan Spy Chief Arrested in Spain According to Deutsche Welle, the former Venezuelan spy chief is wanted in the U.S. on charges of drug trafficking. Hugo Armando Carvajal has been on the run since November 2019, after a court in Spain approved an extradition request from the US. "Arrested tonight in Madrid 'Pollo Carvajal'," the Spanish police said in its Twitter account. The tweet included a video of police officers putting handcuffs on Hugo Carvajal. The Spanish police said the former Venezuelan spy chief "lived totally cloistered, without going outside or looking out the window, and always protected by trusted people." It's still unclear whether Hugo Carvajal would be sent to the U.S. for his extradition in the past, but it may be slowed down by an asylum request that he previously submitted to the Spanish authorities. "I'm prepared for either situation, the good or the bad, it's up to him and others to give statements. This case will continue and we'll see how it ends," Carvajal's wife, Angelica Flores, told The Associated Press. READ NEXT: Couple in Venezuela Rescues Injured Sloths, Nurses Animals Back to Health at Home Shelter Who is Hugo Carvajal? Nicknamed "El Pollo ("The Chicken"), Hugo Carvajal had served as the chief of military intelligence of Venezuela during the presidency of the late Hugo Chavez. But in early 2019, the former spy chief fled Venezuela after coming out in support of President Nicholas Maduro's opponent Juan Guaido. After Venezuelan authorities stripped him of his rank as general, Hugo Carvajal made his way to the Dominican Republic before he went to stay in Spain. Carvajal has been suspected of being involved in large-scale drug trafficking operations with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas by U.S. officials. Based on an indictment filed in 2011, the former Venezuelan spy chief was accused of coordinating a shipment of more than 5.6 tons of cocaine from Venezuela with the U.S. as its destination. Carvajal also faced accusations of providing "heavily-armed security" to protect the drug shipments heading to the U.S. If convicted, the former Venezuelan spy chief could face between 10 years to life imprisonment, but he denies the said allegations. In 2019, Carvajal told the New York Times that he had been in contact with FARC in order to help facilitate the release of a businessman that the guerrilla group held as a hostage. He has denied his participation in the alleged drugs shipments and said he had reported numerous shipments of cocaine to authorities but was ignored. READ MORE: 3 Arrested After Stealing Identities of Several Florida Condo Collapse Victims for Shopping This article is owned by Latin Post Written by: Jess Smith WATCH: Spain Rejects Extradition of Ex-Venezuelan Spy Chief - From AP Archive Need help logging in? We have transitioned to a new user-friendly interactive website. You will need an account and a subscription to see the site in its entirety. HOME DELIVERY subscribers get online access for free with their subscription. If you are a home delivery subscriber, create a new account and follow the directions to validate your home delivery subscription. If you were a previous ONLINE ONLY subscriber, you should have received an email with directions on how to log in. If you are still experiencing issues contact us at bulletincirc@gmail.com. A Laois Green Party representative has hit out at county councillors over their 'bucking against' climate action and housing policies in changes they've attempted to make to the new Laois County Development Plan. John Holland, the partys representative in Portarlington-Graiguecullen district, claims that councillors have made it difficult to develop housing in urban centres and have instead encouraged car-dependent housing in rural areas. The Green Party is pushing for a town-centres-first approach to how we plan our housing, he says. It strengthens a town when you have people living in the centre. You get a stronger and more connected community, better health and education services for all and you reduce the need for daily car journeys. He claimed councillors voted to put a limit on the height of apartment blocks for Portlaoise and to change the regulations to make it easier to build houses in rural area. Were in the midst of a housing and climate crisis and the Government is striving to put proper and sustainable planning policies in place. Laois councillors have done us no favours by bucking against those policies and putting us out of step with other local authorities and the broader government planning strategy, said Mr. Holland. Councillors from all parties rejected changes to the plan made by Laois County Council planners on the back of recommendations made by the relatively recently established Office of the Planning Regulator. Councillors backed proposal from Sinn Fein's Caroline Dwane Stanley to ban any new apartment blocks built higher than three stories. The also reverted to the existing county development plan in relation to rural housing. The local representatives backed this move proposed by Fianna Fail's Cllr Padraig Fleming. He insisted that the new plan would restrict people from rural areas building homes in where the are from. The Minister responsible for Local Government can veto any amendments to the plan. The Office of the Planning Regulator can recommend the plan be revert back in line with its recommendations. An ecumenical service will take place at the Donadea 9/11 Memorial in Donadea Forest Park at 3pm on Saturday in memory of all those who died in the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington DC almost exactly 20 years ago. The memorial includes each name of the 343 New York firefighters, 23 NYPD police officers and 36 NY Port Authority officials who lost their lives in the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. It was inspired by the memory of young Irish American firefighter, Sean Tallon, who was among those who died. Sean spent his early childhood in Donadea, and attended school in Kilcock, before his family moved to New York. Members of his extended family continue to live in Donadea. The Donadea 9/11 Memorial consists of a striking scaled replica of the Twin Towers, carved from quarried Irish limestone and engraved with the names of each of those who died in the towers which the sculpture represents. The monument is set on a specially designed plinth on which the crests of the New York City emergency and rescue services are engraved. The sculpture is located among a plantation of oak trees, each tree representing a public servant who died in the attacks. The Donadea 9/11 Memorial has over the past 20 years been visited frequently by family members and friends of those whose names appear on the sculpture, by delegations from the NYPD, NY firefighters and the NY Port Authority and by numerous visitors from all over the world. The Donadea 9/11 Memorial was the creation of Friends of the Forest, a local group dedicated to the well-being of Donadea Forest, in conjunction with Coillte, and whose chairman was the late Fianna Fail TD, Michael Fitzpatrick. He was assisted by community advocate, Morna Hosey, the late George Hipwell of Coillte, Mrs Anne Ward, an aunt of Sean Tallon, and other local volunteers. Access to the event in Donadea on Saturday is through Donadea Forest Park. LIMERICK's Mary Immaculate College has gone green in support of the 9th annual Green Ribbon Campaign and to underline its commitment to promoting positive mental health attitudes and social inclusion. Now in it's 9th year, The Green Ribbon campaign, aims to emphasise the importance of ending mental health stigma by encouraging discussions about and deepening an understanding of mental health. By encouraging people to wear the Green Ribbon or placing the Green Ribbon in an email or other communication platform, individuals can show their support for the campaign and their commitment to influencing positive change in society through creating safe spaces for talking about mental health. Commencing this Friday, World Suicide Prevention Day, the Tara Building on MICs Limerick campus and the main building of the Thurles campus have been illuminated in green light as part of the campaign which will be supported by a range of activities during the month of September. MIC goes Green to highlight support for Green Ribbon campaign and to promote positive mental health attitudes | Mary Immaculate College https://t.co/SGbjYmCuFQ pic.twitter.com/U5cKP2pKx2 Faculty of Education, Mary Immaculate College. (@MICEducationFac) September 10, 2021 This campaign will culminate in a wear green to see change fundraiser in the final week of the campaign. MICs support for the campaign is the result of a cross-College initiative supported by the Mary Immaculate College Students Union, the Health Promotion Office and the Leadership for INClusion in the Early Years Programme. Commenting on the campaign, Professor Emer Ring, Dean of Early Childhood and Teacher Education at MIC said: We are delighted to be part of the #GreenRibbonIRL campaign and working with all of our colleagues and students to end the stigma. The Covid-19 pandemic has further amplified the importance of us all being open to having a conversation about mental health and letting someone know you are there for them and have time to listen. We are looking forward to the events planned by See Change around this years theme of how we can create a more inclusive society and ensure no one is excluded. Barbara Brennan, See Change Programmes Team Leader added: Its fantastic that Mary Immaculate College is getting involved in our Green Ribbon campaign to help tackle mental health stigma. Many young people still believe that mental health problems must remain hidden. We want to change this perception and encourage people to have open and honest conversations about mental health. Simply by wearing a green ribbon, youre letting people know its ok to have a conversation about mental health with you. There are a number of ways to support this campaign including the wearing of a green ribbon, the international symbol for mental health awareness, supporting the campaign online by adding the Green Ribbon twibbon to your social media platforms and by spreading awareness using the hashtags #GreenRibbonIRL #EndTheStigma. For more information click here. FINE Gael councillor Liam Galvin is seeking assurances that Athea will retain its GP service when Dr Kieran Murphy retires at the end of the year. Cllr Galvin has written to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly on the matter because he is concerned that Athea could go the way of other communities around the country who now find themselves without a doctor. There are numerous cases across rural Ireland of GPs retiring after a lifetime of service and their place not being taken by a younger doctor, he reminded the minister. And he has called on the minister and HSE to appoint a GP for Athea and for the HSE to acquire a building for a surgery. The upcoming vacancy has been advertised, Cllr Galvin acknowledged, but he said he was not willing to wait until Dr. Murphys retirement date to flag this issue. And he spelled out the situation in Athea, pointing out it is one of the largest parishes in County Limerick by area with a population of just over 1,850. However, he said, figures show almost 30% of the population is over 55 years of age. Surely the future of rural Ireland does not involve forcing this age group to travel long distances to enable them to engage with their doctor. This would be an unacceptable situation, he argued. Dr Murphy, who has been in practice in Athea for the past 37 years, has provided an invaluable and extensive range of services to the community, which has a huge number of voluntary organisations, Cllr Galvin said in his letter to Minister Donnelly. The loss of a GP service to the Athea community would be detrimental, the councillor claimed, and would have a negative knock-on effect on local businesses if people had to travel to other towns for doctors appointments. If we want to keep Athea live and well, let us provide a doctor, he said. If the GP service goes, it will be the death-knell of Athea. Cllr Galvin has been told the Minister is looking into the matter. The Limerick Leader understands that interviews are currently taking place. A MESSAGE of hope will emanate from Arthurs Quay Park this Friday night as people remember loved ones who have lost their lives to suicide. As dusk arrives in the city, people will gather to mark World Suicide Prevention Day, an annual awareness day which aims to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides. This year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, World Suicide Prevention Day takes place in the same month as the Green Ribbon campaign which aims to reduce the stigma around mental health issues. Normally, this would take place in May, but it was postponed from then. The vigil will take place from 7.30pm in Arthurs Quay Park, with a moment of silence observed at 8pm to remember loved ones who have died by suicide. Its a scene which will be reflected worldwide. The vigils organiser Amanda Clifford, of ABC for Mental Health said: The theme this year is Creating Hope through Action. We can all make a difference. Like every year, we have brought candles which we will give out to everyone who comes, and we will write Hope in big letters in the middle of Arthur's Quay Park. At 8pm all around the world, we stand together to remember those who have died through suicide, or those who are lost at the moment and need a light to guide them home, she added. As well as this vigil, Amanda said, many other events are taking place across the city through the month. Every Tuesday, a special talk will take place at the Hunt Museum, while the Urban Co-Op at the Ballysimon Road will see Wellness Wednesday taking place from 2pm to 5pm, Amanda added. The same venue will play host to a family day on September 18, where there will be art therapy for children, while alternative therapeutic ideas will be on offer for grown-ups. Amanda said: It's to show people no matter who they are, there are different types of treatment that can help you in different kinds of ways to help with your wellbeing and mental health. Every year, Green Ribbon is about how we can all make a difference. We can all help, we can all listen, we can all share. We can all talk, and all connect. The Arthurs Quay Park vigil has traditionally drawn a large attendance, but with the pandemic, social distancing must remain the order of the day. Usually, we go shoulder to shoulder in a circle, but this year we won't do this. We'll make sure we are a couple of metres apart. But it is a worldwide event at 8pm and we do ask everyone to light a candle, Amanda said. All are welcome at the vigil. For more information on other events click here. THE head of the Limerick garda division has suggested the government should consider retaining the current earlier closing times for the hospitality sector when Covid-19 restrictions are eased next month. Chief Superintendent Gerard Roche made his comments at the quarterly meeting of the Limerick Joint Policing Committee when asked about the post-pandemic policing strategy. The opening up of society and particularly the nightlife sector is going to put more pressure on us but we are expecting that. We have had it before and theres nothing new in it and our strategy will be to put people (gardai) on the ground, he told Fine Gael TD Kieran ODonnell. Since being allowed to re-open earlier this year pubs and restaurants have had to close by 11.30pm and Chief Supt Roche says such a restriction would be helpful after October 22. The closing of the pubs earlier at 11 and half 11 has helped a lot. It would be great if that could continue but its not my decision its a matter for the legislature and everyone else, he said adding that he believes there would be support for such a move. The publicans tell us they prefer it; the workers tell us they prefer it and its a matter of people coming out earlier and going home earlier but they dont seem to be as aggressive as, you know, they would be, maybe at 3 oclock in the morning, he told the virtual meeting. A day after Microsoft told employees that it has indefinitely delayed employees' return to US offices, CEO Satya Nadella said on Friday that companies forcing employees back to the office amid rising Covid delta cases are shortsighted. Im looking forward to the entire world overcoming this challenge, because until we do so any particular company, region thinking theyve found the answer, I think will just be shortsighted," Satya Nadella said in an interview with CNBC. Our new data shows there is no one-size-fits-all approach to hybrid work, as employee expectations continue to change. The only way for organisations to solve for this complexity is to embrace flexibility across their entire operating model, including the ways people work, the places they inhabit, and how they approach business process," said Nadella. Our new data shows there is no one-size-fits-all approach to hybrid work, as employee expectations continue to change. The only way for organizations to solve for this complexity is to embrace flexibility across their entire operating model, including the ways people work, the places they inhabit and how they approach business process," Nadella said. Microsoft had already postponed its planned return to the workplace from September to no earlier than Oct. 4, but now says the re-opening won't be next month. Microsoft employs about 181,000 full-time workers, of whom 103,000 are in the US. Given the uncertainty of COVID-19, we've decided against attempting to forecast a new date for a full reopening of our US work sites," Jared Spataro, a corporate vice president, wrote in a blog post. Microsoft will wait for public health guidance on when it is safe to return, Spataro said. It will then give workers a 30-day transition period to prepare. Last month Microsoft said it will require proof of vaccination for all employees, vendors and visitors to its U.S. offices starting this fall. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. WASHINGTON : The White House is asking Congress to pass a law providing green cards for the tens of thousands of Afghans the Biden administration evacuated from Kabul and is bringing to the U.S. on temporary humanitarian grounds. The proposal was included in a funding request the White House sent to Congress on Tuesday, asking lawmakers to provide $6.4 billion toward the Afghan refugee resettlement effort. That money would fund operations on U.S. military bases, where refugees are being housed and processed, as well as resettlement benefits for the Afghans once they arrive in the U.S. and speed up the processing of their immigration paperwork. The requested legal fix, which would allow all Afghan refugees brought to the U.S. to apply for a green card after a year, would provide a solution for the legal quandary the Biden administration created when it began bringing tens of thousands of Afghans to the country without a permanent immigration status. The administration has said that only a small share of those entering the U.S. qualified through the Special Immigrant Visa program, intended for Afghan interpreters, drivers, embassy workers and others who directly worked for the American military and U.S. contractors, along with their family members. Those Afghans are considered particularly at risk after the Taliban swept into Kabul in August and regained control of Afghanistan. We gave people an assurance backed by the U.S. government that we would protect people and their families if they helped us in specific ways," said Kristie de Pena, director of immigration policy at the Niskanen Center, a libertarian Washington think tank. If we dont follow through with that commitment, we are going to see both short- and long-term national security effects." While Republicans have been broadly supportive of Afghans who worked for the U.S., the proposal to give green cards to a broad set of the evacuees has prompted fresh criticism from some GOP lawmakers already upset with President Bidens handling of the wars aftermath. Joe Biden left behind thousands in Afghanistan who already have American citizenship, green cards, or pending visas, but now he wants to award unlimited green cards to people who didnt serve alongside our troops and who may even threaten our safety and healthall while exempting them from the normal refugee screening process," said Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.), a veteran whose office said hes helped hundreds of Afghans evacuate. This proposal is just another chapter in Bidens rolling fiasco of an Afghanistan policy." The State Department acknowledged last week that though the evacuation was intended to give priority to Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants, the majority of them had been left behind in the chaotic and rushed operation. Administration officials estimate that as many as 65,000 Afghans will arrive in the U.S. by the end of September, with another 30,000 arriving over the next year, according to people familiar with the matter. An administration official said the majority of the evacuated population aided the U.S. in some capacity, even if they dont qualify for Special Immigrant Visas, or are their family members. Without a change in the law, the Afghans entering outside the formal SIV program would need to apply for asylum or another permanent immigration status, such as a green card through a U.S. citizen family member. Obtaining a green card requires extensive background checks, submitting fingerprints and other biometric information and receiving a medical checkup. Normally, immigrants are barred from receiving a green card if they have committed a range of crimes, including using illegal drugs, though the Biden administration is proposing to waive some of those disqualifications in individual cases to preserve family unity." Still, some Republicans are concerned that the Biden administrations program will benefit Afghans whom Congress never intended to help when it created the Special Immigrant Visa program for Afghans in 2009. I support the resettlement of our Afghan allies who stood with us during our operations in Afghanistan, however it is becoming abundantly clear that the majority of those being processed are Afghan evacuees without a record of supporting our efforts," said Sen. Rob Portman (R., Ohio), the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security Committee. Creating a new pathway for Afghans also could place new burdens on an immigration system that is plagued with yearslong backlogs and understaffing. It could also pull resources away from other immigration programs. As part of its funding request, the administration asked for $193 million to hire additional staff at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that issues green cards. Already, immigrant-advocacy organizations have been mobilizing to try to connect each of the Afghans temporarily housed on U.S. military bases with a lawyer who could assist them with the immigration process. Republicans and some Democrats in Congress have expressed frustration with the administration, saying they cant get answers to specific questions about how many of the Afghans the U.S. is now aiding actually served alongside America during its two-decade war. At a press conference last Friday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas described the evacuated population as Special Immigrant Visa holders, individuals who have assisted the United States in Afghanistan, and all other vulnerable Afghans, such as journalists and vulnerable women and girls." Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Scientists discovered this esker (a sedimentary cast of a meltwater channel formed beneath an ice sheet), in a tunnel valley beneath the North Sea floor. The landscape is shown in an image based on high-resolution 3D seismic data. (Image credit: British Antarctic Survey) Like a bowl of spaghetti noodles spilled across the floor of the North Sea, a vast array of hidden tunnel valleys wind and meander across what was once an ice-covered landscape. These valleys are remnants of ancient rivers that once drained water from melting ice sheets. Now, scientists have achieved the clearest view yet of these channels. They're buried hundreds of feet beneath the seafloor, and they are enormous, ranging from about 0.6 to 3.7 miles (1 to 6 kilometers) wide. The new imaging reveals fine-grained details within these expansive features: small, delicate ridges of sediment, larger walls of sediment that can be miles long and craters called kettle holes left behind by melting chunks of ice. Related: See photos of Earth's vanishing ice "We didn't expect to find these kinds of footprints of the ice sheet within the channels themselves," said study lead author James Kirkham, a marine geophysicist at the British Antarctic Survey and the University of Cambridge. "And that tells us, actually, that the ice was interacting with the channels a lot more than previously assumed." A map of the North Sea showing the distribution of buried channels (tunnel valleys) that have been previously mapped using 3D seismic reflection technology. (Image credit: British Antarctic Survey) These channels are the footprints of glaciers left behind from between 700,000 and 100,000 years ago, when most of the North Sea, as well as the northern two-thirds of the United Kingdom and all of Ireland were often buried under huge ice sheets. (The ice advanced and retreated seven or eight times within this period, Kirkham told Live Science.) During periods when the climate warmed and the ice retreated, these ice sheets discharged water through hidden glacial channels beneath the ice. These channels left their imprint on the sediments below. More sediments then piled on top as the ice vanished, entombing the imprints deep beneath the seafloor. To see these ancient impressions, geophysicists use a technology called 3D seismic reflection. In this process, scientists shoot bursts of compressed air toward the seafloor. The resulting sound waves travel through the rock and sediment layers beneath the seafloor and bounce back, where they're picked up by a shipboard receiver. Because sound travels at different speeds through different types of rock and sediment, the data can be reconstructed into a picture of the subsurface. A map of the undersea tunnel valleys looks like a vast array of squiggles, like a scattering of spilled noodles. But zoomed in, the channels are visible in stunning detail. They meander and wind like rivers (which they once were), bounded by shear cliffs and rugged slopes. Some plummet 310 miles (500 km) deep into the sediment and are dozens of miles long. Image 1 of 4 Image of two cross-cutting tunnel valleys discovered using the new 3D seismic reflection data. In this image, the channels are shown in context of the high-resolution 3D seismic data which can be sliced both vertically and horizontally to reveal ancient glacial landscapes buried beneath the seafloor of the North Sea. (Image credit: British Antarctic Survey) Image 2 of 4 Scientists discovered this esker (a sedimentary cast of a meltwater channel formed beneath an ice sheet), in a tunnel valley beneath the North Sea floor. The landscape is shown in an image based on high-resolution 3D seismic data. (Image credit: British Antarctic Survey) Image 3 of 4 Image of an esker (a sedimentary cast of a meltwater channel formed beneath an ice sheet) that we have found within a tunnel valley using the new 3D seismic reflection data. (Image credit: British Antarctic Survey) Image 4 of 4 A map of the North Sea showing the distribution of buried channels (tunnel valleys) that have been previously mapped using 3D seismic reflection technology. (Image credit: British Antarctic Survey) Water and ice The landforms within the tunnel valleys paint a complicated picture of ice retreat, Kirkham said. At times, there are signs of fairly slow and steady retreat. For example, eskers are ridges of sediment around 16 feet (5 meters) high that can stretch for many miles. They're also seen in modern-day glaciers that are moving gradually. Related: Photos: Ancient human remains found beneath the North Sea In other spots, the channels are punctuated by small, delicate ridges that indicate fast, dynamic ice flow, Kirkham said. Another sign of fast-moving surges of ice and water are kettle holes, which are spots where a large iceberg that has detached from the main ice sheet and moved to a new location finally gets stuck and melts. The channels seem to have been carved by both water and ice. In some spots, there are braided channels meandering through the bottom of the canyons, Kirkham said. These were formed by flowing water, which seems to have eroded the sediment beneath the ice sheet. Once that void formed, however, the underside of the ice sagged into that gap, carving out a broader path. There are also places where valley walls seem to have collapsed, probably after the ice that was filling the valley melted away, enabling the sediment to slump in its stead. These undersea tunnel valleys are an interesting snapshot of the past, but their real value may be in helping to predict the future. As the climate warms, the ice caps are again on the retreat. If the climate gets hot enough, West Antarctica might someday look a lot like the North Sea did 100,000 years ago, Kirkham said. The Greenland ice sheet, too, is melting rapidly . Studying the remnants of the North Sea channels and how they formed could reveal more about the dynamics governing the loss of today's ice sheets. In particular, the geological record could hint at how small-scale factors like moving water affect how much ice ends up melting into the sea, and how quickly, which could lead to better models of sea-level rise. "In the future, we'd like to explore that idea a bit further by continued mapping, and also some computer modeling to work out how we've produced these landforms and what would need to happen at the base of an ice sheet to generate them," Kirkham said. The findings appear today (Sept. 8) in the journal Geology . Originally published on Live Science Click here to read the full article. Near the beginning of 7 Prisoners, the illuminated high-rise skyline of Sao Paulo draws murmurs of admiration from a group of young rural Brazilians as a minivan ferries them into the city for the first time in their lives. Theyve never personally known their world to be so big, though within minutes of Brazilian-American director Alexandre Morattos accomplished, socially conscious thriller, itll grow smaller than they could ever have imagined. As migrant labor turns swiftly and all too plausibly into modern-day slavery, vivid, in-the-moment terror turns to more sustained, sweaty moral panic: The only way out of this prison, it seems, is to become a jailer yourself. Morattos first film Socrates, a tender-tough, street-level study of a gay teen surviving homelessness in Sao Paulo, won him the Someone to Watch Award at the 2019 Independent Spirit Awards, and the more polished, pumped-up 7 Prisoners seemingly hits the screen with something to prove: not just talent, which was evident enough already, but a more mainstream sensibility. Job done: Produced by Fernando Meirelles and long-term mentor Ramin Bahrani, Morattos sophomore feature may not back down on his humanitarian concerns over poverty and exploitation in Brazils favelas, but its plain to see why Netflix hopped aboard this efficiently gripping, just-thoughtful-enough genre piece as its global distributor. Still, if 7 Prisoners sees Moratto stepping into a larger spotlight, its heartening to see him bringing a crucial past collaborator with him: Christian Malheiros, the young Brazilian newcomer whose mature, emotionally intuitive performance was so integral to the success of Socrates, and who once more assumes leading-man duties here with sturdy grace. Moratto and co-writer Thayna Mantesso give him fewer notes to play, however. Their story this time depends more on types than richly dimensional characters for its power: Malheiros naturally soulful presence fills in a fair few blank spaces in 18-year-old protagonist Mateus, the alpha male in a doting household of women, who must leave the family smallholding to provide for his mother and sisters with a big-city job. Spirits are high when he and a few other boys from his village hop into a Sao Paulo-bound shuttle, having all secured menial work at the same metal scrapyard on the city limits. The audience is unlikely to share the youths surprise when, upon arrival, working and living conditions arent remotely what they were promised: Theyre crammed into a filthy, cell-like dormitory, meals are an afterthought and their shifty new boss Luca (Rodrigo Santoro) is evasive on the subject of payment. When they raise their concerns, the situation worsens, fully exposing the trafficking trap into which theyve stepped: The boys are stripped of their phones, locked into their dorm when not working under strict surveillance, and have their wages suspended until the vast alleged debt of their living expenses is cleared. While his fellow prisoners variously weep, rage and make futile escape attempts, Mateus who, having passed eighth grade, is regarded as the brains of the group stoically comes to the realization that the only way out may be compliance, and eventual complicity, with Lucas corruption. As his cooperation gradually earns him privileges and promotion above the rest of the group, Mateus wrestles silently with his conscience: Is he climbing the ladder in the hope of pulling the others up with it, or just protecting himself in an otherwise hopeless scenario? Malheiros internally wounded performance makes the burden of these decisions clear in his heavy gait and deliberate, hesitant body language. The right course of action is never signposted. Elsewhere, 7 Prisoners goes a little too easy on its audience, even as Joao Gabriel De Queirozs grimy, shadowed camerawork and the films nippy, jagged editing hold us at a cool distance. Though Santoros performance is compellingly psychotic, Luca remains a surface-level villain, simple to root against even as the film hints at a similarly family-minded, come-from-nothing backstory to Mateus. Mateus peers, meanwhile, arent much defined beyond a single characteristic at a time hot-headed, anxious, and so on and thus dont really compete with the protagonist for our sympathies, even as feelings of betrayal arise. Its here where Morattos film, heart-quickening as it is, wants for the character-based subtlety and sensitivity of his debut. It immerses us so deeply in the what would you do aspect of its storytelling that what they do, and why, gets shorter shrift. Still, 7 Prisoners unfolds satisfyingly, precisely by not offering us complete satisfaction or certainty. The question hovers of whether Mateus can ever escape his prison altogether, or merely into one with more comfortable furniture. Reviewed at Venice Film Festival (Orizzonti Extra), Sept. 6, 2021. (Also in Toronto Film Festival.) Running time: 94 MIN. (Original title: 7 Prisioneiros) Running Time: Running time: 94 MIN. Production (Brazil-U.S.) A Netflix release and presentation of a Noruz Films, 02 Filmes production. Producers: Ramin Bahrani, Fernando Meirelles, Alexandre Moratto, Andrea Barata Ribeiro, Bel Berlinck. Crew Director: Alexandre Moratto. Screenplay: Moratto, Thayna Mantesso. Camera: Joao Gabriel De Queiroz. Editor: Germano de Oliveira. Music: Filipe Puperi, Rita Zart, Tiago Abrahao. With Christian Malheiros, Rodrigo Santoro, Bruno Rocha, Vitor Julian, Lucas Oranmian, Cecilia Homem de Mello, Dirce Thomaz. (Portuguese dialogue) Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. On Freedom: Four Songs of Care and Constraint By Maggie Nelson Graywolf. 288 pp. $27 - - - At the start of her new book, "On Freedom," Maggie Nelson admits that another book on freedom might, at this point in our story, seem unnecessary. "Can you think of a more depleted, imprecise, or weaponized word?" writes the celebrated cultural critic and poet. Say "freedom," and you simultaneously evoke jingoistic policies and legacies of resistance, jarring opportunism and escapist tranquility, defiance and ease, protection and condescension, potential and burden. Its symbolic presence is pervasive, often parodic: Shortly after beginning Nelson's book, on a walk around the neighborhood, I came upon a yoga studio imploring me to "liberate my spine," a grocery store billing itself as a "judgement-free zone," and a flag depicting a coiled rattlesnake and the phrase "Don't Tread on Me" - a Revolutionary War-era symbol that has since found its way to Second Amendment and tea party enthusiasts. "Freedom" is a term so malleable and vast, so replete with contradictions, so loaded and also so empty, that encountering it can sometimes feel like instant semantic satiation, that phenomenon whereby repeatedly hearing or seeing a word renders it uncannily meaningless, its letters devolving into unintelligible runes. But it's exactly these properties that kindle and sustain Nelson's interest in the concept of freedom. Indeed, she's a writer deeply drawn to in-betweens, uncertainties, and the way language bends and morphs in tandem with us, materially shaping our experience of the world and vice versa. Such concerns were central to "The Argonauts," her many-award-winning 2015 memoir about fluidity in the body and the home, as well as her other acclaimed, genre-twisting works, among them "Bluets," "The Art of Cruelty" and "Jane: A Murder." In "On Freedom: Four Songs of Care and Constraint," Nelson again brings a deliberate sense of indeterminacy to her project. While the subject might lend itself to didacticism, Nelson is explicit (notable, in this hyper-politicized time) that her words "do not diagnose a crisis of freedom and propose a means of fixing it (or us), nor do they take political freedom as their main focus." Instead, Nelson embraces the shape-shifting nature of the concept - and its metaphysical, even spiritual associations - envisioning freedom as "a reusable train ticket, marked or perforated by the many stations, hands, and vessels through which it passes." With this in mind, she invites readers to travel with her - and the dozens of other thinkers who enrich her prose - along the serpentine track. Ever attuned to inversion and instability, Nelson nimbly parses the "knot of freedom and unfreedom" without reflexively championing the former or condemning the latter. To do so, she delves into the complexities of the "freedom drive" in four realms: art, sex, drugs and the climate crisis. She devotes an expansive essay to each, exploring how notions of liberation and limitation collide and commingle in the culture, "producing marbled experiences of compulsion, discipline, possibility, and surrender." In the book's opening essay, "Art Song," Nelson takes up recent debates over art deemed harmful or illegitimate, because of the content of the work or the identity of the maker, or both; for example, White artist Dana Schutz's painting of Emmett Till, which incited protests at the 2017 Whitney Biennial. Nelson elegantly examines how the freedom to object to art we might deem ethnically nefarious sits beside "the homogenizing logic of paranoia" that presumes a singular reading or equates a "violent" piece of art with actual violence. "Art that makes some people feel sick makes others feel sane or enlivened; art that some people find irredeemably toxic, others find to be a cherished source of inspiration or catharsis," she writes, suggesting that the multitudinous nature of art is precisely where its freedom, both legally and emotionally, resides. The essay "The Ballad of Sexual Optimism" interrogates similarly thorny issues, from consent and coercion to the variegated sweep of sexual preferences. Nelson moves assertively beyond much of the orthodoxy of the #MeToo era, considering power as an inevitable (and often sexy) component of sex, and how freedom and agency in the sexual realm can look "nonsovereign." She describes, with particular clarity and passion, coming of age during the AIDS epidemic, when "forging a commitment to sex positivity was not about downgrading the feminist or queer liberatory missions of the '60s and '70s to a tinny, neoliberal version of empowerment. It was about insisting, in the face of viciously bigoted moralists who didn't care if you lived or died (many preferred that you died), that you had every right to your life force and sexual expression, even when the culture was telling you that your desire was a death warrant." Consequently, Nelson counsels against historically uninformed calls for sexual policing or narrow definitions of "ethical sex," which risk reinforcing "the flawed dichotomies of innocent/guilty, dangerous/not-dangerous, disposable/worthy, upon which the carceral state depends." Such dichotomies stalk the realm of drugs, too, and in "Drug Fugue," Nelson again seeks to complicate and destabilize, scoping the canon of literature about substances for the "flickering showcase it offers of our conjoined urges toward freedom and unfreedom, self-consolidation and dissolution, interiority and sociality, control and abandon." From "Madame Bovary" and "Naked Lunch" to Ellen Miller's "Like Being Killed," whose protagonist embarks on an excruciating regimen of drugs and BDSM sex in pursuit of "auto-extermination," Nelson ponders the "legitimate desire to feel high" alongside the snare of addiction. Of "famous addicts who double as feminist icons," like Courtney Love and Billie Holiday, she writes, "We don't need to put big contradictory messes into a machine and extrude either liberation or failure," an idea she underscores with sparing but powerful testimony about her own path to sobriety. "Drugs can grant nearly matchless access to feeling free while simultaneously working, over time, to diminish the space in a life for practices of freedom." In the book's last essay, "Riding the Blinds," Nelson surveys how the climate crisis provides new opportunities to contend with freedom's paradoxes and reimagine limitation as liberatory. The language of freedom suffuses climate denialism, with modifications to fossil fuel use framed as "a plot to steal American freedoms," and repurposed slogans like "Give me liberty or give me death" implying that a suicidal course is preferable to cutting emissions. Given this rhetoric, it's tempting to pit the drill-happy freedom-lovers against the obliging stewards of the Earth, though, as Nelson writes, "neither helps us seize the moment to shed some of freedom's more exhausted - and toxic - tropes and myths, or to experiment with its next iterations." We could, as Bill McKibben has argued, embrace our uniquely human capacity to truly restrain ourselves - to (BEGIN ITAL)not(END ITAL) extract, to do less - a terrain of freedom whose frontier we've yet to cross. Throughout "On Freedom," Nelson returns to the notion of freedom as not some future event, a day of reckoning or an "apocalyptic showdown," as economist Frederic Lordon has it, after which the world will be forever changed - language that chaperones freedom across the political spectrum - but rather as a practice, current and ongoing. It's a slant that makes possible anthropologist David Graeber's insistence on "acting as if one is already free." If Nelson is advocating for anything, it's that the practice of freedom should be spacious enough for its contradictions, its reversals, its sprawling expressions, its ragged edges; getting comfortable with this complexity is essential to finding our way through it. Many will be soothed, nourished, even thrilled by this proposition, which, for a book about a term as loaded as "freedom," is refreshingly flexible. Embrace ambivalence! Dwell in the muck! Others, though, will find it to be a capitulation or an easy way out. What good is circuitous contemplation and "thinking aloud with others" without taking a clear, resolute stance, especially in the face of immediate, tangible and copious assaults on basic freedoms, from voting to privacy to reproduction? I suspect that Nelson anticipates such reactions, even welcomes them, as is her style. For "On Freedom" is ultimately a book that asks us to boldly and generously enter the minefield, to pick up what we find useful, to be pushed and provoked, to polish and discard and reinvent, and then to decide, alone and, ideally, in communion, where to go next. - - - Meara Sharma writes about culture and the environment and is the editor-in-chief of Adi, a literary magazine of global politics. Click here to read the full article. Natasha Merkulova and Aleksey Chupov, directorial duo behind the Venice title Captain Volkonogov Escaped vying for a Golden Lion thought about Jean-Paul Belmondo when creating their main character, a USSR law enforcer who suddenly goes on the run and finds himself pursued by his former colleagues. The legendary French actor, known for Breathless and Pierrot le Fou, died on Sept. 6. In one of the earlier versions of the script, we even had a similar ending to Breathless. Then we changed it, but its spirit remained, Chupov tells Variety in Venice after the films world premiere. We grew up on his movies. The Russian-Estonian-French co-production, though set in 1938, is not a faithful take on the politically charged period, with the directors opting for a retro-utopia instead and, as they say, reinventing the past. Making a typical historical drama just wasnt interesting to us. I know people who like making them, but we are not these people, says Chupov. We wanted to combine different elements, mix them and see what happens. For us, it was an experiment. Loosely inspired by Russian fairy tales, the film sees Volkonogov Yuriy Borisov, recently spotted in Cannes Grand Prix winner Compartment No. 6 asking the families of his past victims for forgiveness, after a supernatural encounter makes him worry about the state of his own soul. In these stories, the hero always needs to do something three times in order to reach his goal, says Merkulova. Although the duo has been working together for years and is currently busy co-directing Netflixs Anna K, a contemporary reimagining of Leo Tolstoys iconic novel, starring Svetlana Khodchenkova and Borisov, she is usually the one taking charge once on set, Variety found out. Its generally difficult for the spectator to feel compassion for a villain thats why they need to see his entire journey. For us, the most interesting thing was to show this transition from a normal person to a torturer. How does it happen? We really believe that everyone is born good, adds Chupov. Everyone is born with a soul and some just let it sleep for a while. But it can always wake up, like in this case. You can spot that Russian fairytale code because our movie is really a parable, albeit based on some sad historical events that took place in our country. Still, instead of concentrating on the past or present situation in Russia, the directors chose a more universal approach, noting that even now, people are still being tortured and hurt all over the world. Russian history forms a base here; its our history and we know it best. But we are also addressing people in different countries because torture still exists, even though its really hard to believe. If someone watches our movie, and later on decides not to hurt another person, then it will serve its purpose, says Chupov, with Merkulova admitting that originally, the story was much more brutal. We realized that when you are showing this kind of violence, it just turns into white noise. You dont even notice it anymore. We decided to focus on the psychology of the protagonist instead, she says. They still wanted Captain Volkonogov Escaped to have some humor, however, with Merkulova appreciating the unobvious comedy of Yorgos Lanthimos. We wanted to introduce moments of black comedy, to give the spectator some temporary relief. In the world, in general, nothing is completely serious all the time, she says, with Chupov calling humor a great tool for tragedy. When you watch sitcoms, you always hear a laugh track. They are basically telling you: Laugh, laugh, this is the moment to laugh. When you watch dramas, they are telling you: Cry, cry, this is the moment to cry. We like to combine both, because humor helps you avoid pathos. Its as if someone was pinching you really hard and injecting you with painkillers at the same time. Captain Volkonogov Escaped was produced by Valeriy Fedorovich and Evgeniy Nikishov (Place of Power), and Aleksandr Plotnikov (LookFilm), and co-produced by Katrin Kissa (Homeless Bob Production), Charles-Evrard Tchekhoff (Kinovista) and Nadiia Zaionchkovska, with Memento International handling sales. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Ecuador-based Tropico Cine has pounced on the international sales rights to Javier Andrades drama Lo Invisible. This is Andrades second feature after his breakout film The Porcelain Horse, which represented Ecuador in the 2013 Academy Awards. Lo Invisible, which bows its trailer exclusively in Variety, will have its world premiere Sept. 12 in the Toronto International Film Festivals Discovery sidebar that spotlights directors to watch. Said Tropico Cine CEO and co-founder Lucas Taillefier: We started tracking Lo Invisible after seeing it as a work in progress at a film festival in Ecuador and were struck by its power even then. Its an elegant film that deals with a theme that is barely explored in Ecuadorian cinema; Anahi Hoeneisens performance is equally spectacular, he added. Tropico Cine has handled such Latin American gems as Alba, Neon Bull and Birds of Passage. Hoeneisen, who co-wrote the drama with Andrade, plays a woman who returns from a psychiatric clinic where she has been treated for her severe postpartum depression. But despite being enveloped by a phalanx of servants as well as husband and friends in her dazzling highlands mansion, she struggles to fall back into her role as the perfect high society wife and feels that no one really sees her, with the exception of her wise and wizened nanny, played by perfectly cast non-pro, Matilde Lagos. In contrast to his first fiction feature, Andrade opted to focus on a womans story. The Porcelain Horse was set in the coast, had a more masculine energy, a restless camera and a voiceover. For this one, I wanted a quieter, more intense film with a female lead and set in the sierra, the highlands of Ecuador, he said, adding: Anahi helped me navigate these feminine spaces in the world of Ecuadorian high society with more confidence and know how. The stately home is an integral element of the film. The house is full of mirrors, windows, and shiny surfaces which allowed us to film Anahi in a way that reflected her characters fractured mental state, observed Andrade. The trailer opens on a shot of Anahis character, Luisa, as she stifles her agonized screams followed by scenes of her coolly getting dressed for dinner. The camera focuses on her elegant nape and slick up-do as she glides into a dinner party that she is hosting. Hoeneisens real-life husband, Daniel Andrade (no relation to Javier) served as cinematographer, which contributed to a greater intimacy in the scenes. He knew her best and worst angles, he said. Although it was filmed before the pandemic, Lo Invisible was edited during the global health crisis which impacted the final outcome. Its a film full of anguish and our own feelings of isolation and uncertainty during the lockdown affected our editing, said Andrade, adding that the film kept writing itself even during post. He credits his Uruguayan-based editors Fernando Epstein and Hanne-Lovise Skartveit for distilling the essence of the scenes and simplifying the structure of the film. The emotion is between the takes, he added. Andrades next film, of which hes still seeking producing partners, Loretta Young and the Monsters, is again completely different. He describes it as a cross between Carrie and the magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a story of teenage heartbreak set in a fishing village of Ecuador. Lo Invisible is produced by Andrades Punk S.A., along with also Quito-based La Maquinita and Frances Promenades Films. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The journey from franchise to a competition slot at the Venice Film Festival to HBO series was the subject of Thursdays Venice Production Bridge conference, From the Philippines to the World: The On the Job Franchise and Exploring New Ways of Global Content Distribution. In good spirits in a market cocktail that followed on Thursday evening, Erik Matti, the director of On the Job: The Missing 8, as his new film is called, told Variety how he got to keep his film at three hours and 28 minutes, and show it at the festival, as well as divide this film, and his previous one, On the Job, into one six-part series for HBO. The series premieres on HBO in Asia on Sunday, two days after the film is shown in Venice. A half dozen festival engagements follow for the film version, he said, with announcements due shortly. When sales companies saw it was that long, they were not interested, he said. But as soon as it was selected for Venice, they wanted to see it again. But we said we were keeping it. This innovative strategy of creating a series out of a long film happened, thanks to the pandemic, with the question looming of how to release a film in a country where theaters are closed. Not to mention recouping costs. Paolo Bertolin, a programmer at the Venice Film Festival and a filmmaker, discussed the process at the morning panel with Matti, and the films producers, Quark Henares and Dondon Monteverde, in this get-together, presented by the Film Development Council of the Philippines. On the Job: The Missing 8 is the sixth Filipino film to show in competition in Venice. A few films with Filipino participation are taking part in the Venice film market this year, and in the Miu Miu Tales section for shorts, which includes Shangri-La by Isabel Sandoval. The Missing 8 is set on a fictitious island and has different characters and storylines to On the Job, Mattis hit film. Despite the part-shared title, it wasnt seen as a sequel. When it was first submitted to the festival it was sent in as an entirely separate project called The Missing 8. It was important the film could be understood by people who hadnt seen the first one, said Matti. The Missing 8 was three years in the making to accommodate both researching journalism a corrupt journalist is at the center of the new story as well as navigating the pandemic and the question of what to do with a film that turned out to be more than three hours in length and completed with theaters closed. Said Monteverde at the morning panel: Over a year ago, we were sitting discussing how we were going to show the film with theaters still closed. We didnt know if it would ever be shown and how long the pandemic was going to last. Now its not just going to be shown in the cinema and on HBO. Its going to be shown in something as prestigious as Venice. We hope international audiences will enjoy the film. The filmmakers sent the project into HBO and the results are this innovative solution of a series and film made from the same material. In order to create a six-part series for HBO, incorporating both the first and second films, Matti re-inserted cut material from the first film to create four main characters instead of one. Mattis On the Job premiered at the Directors Fortnight in Cannes in 2013. Although audiences in the Philippines largely ignored it, he said: It became a break-out hit once Netflix bought it for the U.S., and then the downloads started in the Philippines. Said Matti: We made this as a film. It was never intended to be a series. When we finished it was March 28. Theaters were closed. We asked where we could send it. Venice responded well and it became a good negotiating tool for HBO. We were interested in the legacy of HBO even though a bidding war started after Venice took it, so we took it there. Meanwhile, in Venice to talk up the films here, as well as new incentives launched in the Philippines is Liza Dino, chair and CEO of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). Its a great platform to reach out to the international community, she said. New incentives include the Film Location Incentive program, offering a 20% rebate on eligible Philippines spend; a co-production fund; and an ASEAN co-production fund for filmmakers from the region. Meanwhile, Mattis next project is up in the air with his main actor running for president. We will do the next one, he said. Pascal Diot, head of the Venice Production Bridge, told Variety: The VPB is glad to welcome the FDCP for the first time in the market, and we are supporting the Filipino cinema industry with pleasure, as it is for us one of the most inventive, diverse and talented industries in Southeast Asia. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Indian streamer ALTBalaji has revealed a focus on the burgeoning Indian youth market and a bulging slate. The streamer, a division of Indian TV czarina Ekta Kapoors Balaji Telefilms, has unveiled a slate of 30 titles across genres for the upcoming year, including new series and further seasons of existing shows. New commissions include Girgit, Class of 2021, 50G, Cold Mess, Power Show and Special Crime Unit. Code M, Cold Lassi and Chicken Masala, Apharan, Dhanbad, Paurushpur, Pavitra Rishta, The Verdict and Mentalhood have been renewed for second seasons, while Pulp Fiction, Ragini MMS and Baarish have been renewed for a third. ALTBalaji now has 2.4 million subscribers as per its latest financial results announced in August. There are 86 shows streaming on the platform currently. Balaji Telefilms Group COO Zulfiqar Khan says that the streamer is in a good space compared to its rivals in the youth market. This is significant because India is one of the youngest countries in the world, with more than 50% of its 1.3 billion population below the age of 25 and more than 65% below the age of 35. In 2020, the average age of an Indian was 29 years, compared to 37 for China and 48 for Japan. I think were speaking the youth language and hence, our base is far more concentrated, its young, Khan told Variety. ALTBalajis price points are easy on the wallet. Subscriptions are available for INR100 ($1.35) for three months, INR180 ($2.45) for six months or INR300 ($4.10) for a year. One of Kapoors mantras is the massification of content, making her shows available to as broad an audience base as possible and reaching the audience beyond the Indian metro agglomerations. Khan says that 60% of ALTBalajis audience is from non-metros. Were very clear that when we create content, it should go out to as many people as possible, across the length and breadth of the country. ALTBalaji is also known for its racy content, especially Gandii Baat, renowned for its frank depiction of sexuality, which began on 2018 and which has now completed six seasons. The compelling storytelling will continue and whatever is of the interest of the youth and what impacts their lives and their interests, says Khan. Some of it, people will say, Okay, this is very racy. If the youth move on to something new as they evolve, and then the new lot comes in and society evolves, generations move on we want to be at the right trajectory we want to catch them young, see what their interests are, and deliver content which is of their interests. Meanwhile, a major investor in Balaji Telefilms is billionaire Mukesh Ambanis Reliance Industries, which acquired a 24.9% stake in 2017. The deal gives Reliance Industries access to Balaji content for its Jio platform. Our working relationship with them is brilliant, one of brilliant partnership, says Khan. We engage with them, we talk to them. And, theyve got some some tremendous strengths. We do what we do best, they do what they do best. There is wise counsel on both sides. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Keshet 12 has ordered a second season of baking competition show The Perfect Dessert following its successful debut earlier this summer. The premiere season premiered on June 16 and scored the networks highest ratings for a baking show with an average rating of 17.7% and 28.1% share. The Perfect Dessert, which was originally developed and produced by July August Productions with Keshet Broadcasting, increased the slot average by 11%, compared with previous three months. The 10 episodes of the first season beat the ratings of UEFA Euro 2020, Celebrity Power Couple and Game of Chefs. In The Perfect Dessert, looks are everything. Here judges vote with their eyes first so only dishes with the combined wow factor of looks and taste make it through to the next round, and ultimately, the finale, said Ilanit St Hirsch, Keshet 12s head of programs and acquisitions. Each stage of this unique knockout competition format sees the non-professional contestants place their creations into a bespoke glass box to face a nail-biting double test. First test: aesthetics, judged behind closed doors. Second test: flavor, with sampling conducted in the company of the judges. Who will create the perfect dessert? St Hirsch said the company got the inspiration for creating the format when weve learned that the best-selling household electrical appliance in the U.S. was a bread maker. The executive said the show led to social media feeds getting packed by spectacular homemade baking images and videos. Sivan Morag, July August Productions executive producer on The Perfect Dessert said she viewed the show as an art show more than baking show because it incorporates lots of other skills like design, creativity, physics, chemistry and even architecture. The second season of The Perfect Dessert will again be produced by July August Productions, with Sivan Morag exec producing alongside St Hirsch. Keshet International is selling the show and will be launching it at Mipcom. The Perfect Desserts success on Keshet 12 proves it is fresh and on-trend, while also able to cut through and stand out in a busy and established sector, said Keren Shahar, Keshet Internationals COO and president of distribution. Other successful Keshet 12 non-scripted formats which have been sold by Keshet International include Rising Star which has been adapted locally in 17 territories; Boom which has traveled to 21 territories; and the hidden camera gameshow Deal With It! which has sold to 22 territories, including Italys Nove, Mexicos Televisa, and Slovenias Planet TV. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Italian auteur Mario Martone is a Venice aficionado. He was recently in competition on the Lido in 2018 with Capri Revolution, and then again in 2019 with The Mayor of Rione Sanita, a contemporary adaptation of the play about organized crime by late Neapolitan playwright Eduardo De Filippo. The Naples native is vying for the Golden Lion this time with The King of Laughter, a historical drama about Neapolitan theater luminary Eduardo Scarpetta played by Toni Servillo (The Great Beauty) who was De Filippos father. In 1904, at the height of his popularity, Scarpetta took a great risk: He staged a parody of La figlia di Iorio, a tragedy written by the greatest Italian poet of the day, Gabriele DAnnunzio. After all hell broke loose, Scarpetta ended up being sued for plagiarism by DAnnunzio himself. It was the beginning of the first copyright lawsuit in Italy, and a draining experience for Scarpetta and his family. It was also a challenging time that he overcame with an act worthy of a great thespian. Martone spoke to Variety about the moral issues he delved into in this story, but also the sensual side of the film in which traditional Neapolitan song is an integral part of the mise-en-scene somewhat the same way it would have been if the film had been set in Little Italy, and directed by Martin Scorsese. Excerpts. Simply put, how did the project originate? The film was born from making The Mayor of Rione Sanita. I came across the figure of Edoardo De Filippos father, which prompted the idea of bringing to the screen the story of Scarpetta and touching on this theme of paternity. Yes, paternity of various types. Its a theme that looms large in the film. There is moral paternity and amoral paternity. He has children with his wife, with his wifes sister and with his wifes niece. But of course the film is also about artistic paternity given that it touches on the theme of parody. I found it interesting that the protagonist is morally objectionable and yet his battle for freedom of expression is heroic. Of course seen in todays context there are lots of elements in his character that are not politically correct. Obviously you have a patriarchal and predatory figure, which of course has to be seen in its historical [late 19th and early 20th century] context. And also in the context of his being predatory but also very generous at the same time. What I mean by that is that he pushed for the education of both his male and female progeny. But hes certainly an amoral figure. Hes a primordial, mythological figure. A sort of Father Chaos who generates this extraordinary progeny. Then there is the artistic paternity theme. His amoral drive is also what pushes him to want to stage a parody. What is parody? Its when you lash out and say what cant be said, when you transgress. Scarpetta lashed out in parody with the same ferocity with which he preyed on the women in his family. But when he parodied DAnnunzio, that was an act of hubris. He went too far and got punished. And then that becomes a matter involving [political] power and freedom of expression. I loved the photography by Renato Berta with whom you also did We Believed and Il giovane favoloso. This is the film on which Renato and I were the happiest working together. It was very precise in the writing and the type of direction. The screenplay reads almost like a theater piece. There is no Steadicam, no drones. Its essential, basic film grammar. Which of course is also a way to represent a certain world. Its a form of cinema that wants to be evocative. Renato obviously liked this. He likes precision in the way a film is conceived. We worked on the transition between theater and life where the idea is for the audience to glide from one to the other. From the start, the film is steeped in Neapolitan song, I think its your most musical movie. I call it musical mise-en-scene. In this film, which has few exteriors you only get a glimpse of Naples its the music that broadens the visual field. The Neapolitan songs represent a sentimental journey. They are the songs I heard with my parents as child. They convey a Neapolitan sentiment, a mood. Its like Fado music in Portugal. So I wanted to steep the film in this sentiment. Its also the type of sentiment that is associated with Naples outside of Italy. I would tell my actors: Think that you are shooting a film in Little Italy [in New York] where all the cliches of being Neapolitan are played up. We know these cliches through Scorsese and Coppola movies. In depicting Scarpetta, we had to do something similar. We had to act like Neapolitans who have gone to another country and are preserving their identity. You are about to start shooting another Naples-set project set in the present-day. Talk to me about it. Its called Nostalgia and its all set in the Sanita neighborhood in Naples. Its the story of the return of a man who has been away for 40 years from Naples. He had been implicated in a criminal affair and had to abscond, sort of betraying his closest friend. He comes back after 40 years and hes back in this labyrinth. And his friend, meanwhile, has become a [Camorra mob] boss. Its a story that Ive been totally taken by. The protagonist, who is an antihero of sorts, is played by Pierfrancesco Favino (The Traitor). He is very introverted, the polar opposite of Scarpetta. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Mongolia is to launch film production incentives from early next year. The move adds to the attractions of a varied and little-exploited country. The countrys parliament in Ulaanbaatar approved the measures in late August in the hope of expanding its creative industries. We have been promoting Mongolia as a location since 2017 when we joined AFCNet [the Asian Film Commissions Network]. Now we have a government that is willing and planning for development of the content industries, Orgil Makhaan, president of the Mongolian National Film Commission told Variety. There is no reason why, over time, Mongolia cannot be the next New Zealand or Iceland. Primary among the package of measures is the establishment of a 30% location incentive scheme for qualifying and accredited film and television productions that take place in the country. Open to productions with a minimum spend of $500,000, the system is a cash rebate that is not linked to the tax system or other credits. A similar 30% rebate system is also being established for film and TV projects which use a substantial number of Mongolian personnel for post-production. The new law introduces two other rebates: a 10% cultural incentive available to productions that highlight Mongolian culture and heritage; and a 5% foreign crew and talent incentive. Significantly, the three schemes may be combined to generate rebates of 45% for particular projects that tick all the boxes. Alternatively, for those which dont meet all the criteria, there will also be a newly available 20% Mongolia Film Incentive. This applies to local or joint-film productions that promote Mongolian culture and heritage to international audiences. (Mongolia currently has no bi-lateral co-production treaties, meaning that all multinational projects are constructed as privately contracted joint ventures.) Several jurisdictions in Asia have introduced production incentive schemes over the past few years, including Malaysia, Thailand, The Philippines and Qingdao in China. Some schemes may be small in scale, but locations managers report that studio production heads expect to be able to access soft money schemes and that without them their locations and allied industries were at a disadvantage. For now, the Mongolian incentive scheme has no ceiling, meaning that even a mega-budget Hollywood tentpole could qualify for a 30% rebate. In practice, government is expected to set aside a specified budget that will be available from when the schemes become operational on Jan. 1, 2022. Wed love to have a Marvel or Loki film shoot here. In practice, wed probably try to work out something of good for both parties, said Makhaan. The country has already been accessed by shows including Netflix-Studio Dragon Korean series Crash Landing on You and Sink or Swim. We are working hard to make sure that all the details are ready by January. Accessing the scheme is likely to require a Mongolian partner or the establishment of a local company. And wed expect the production to use some local crew, though having an international cast is not going to be a problem, said Makhaan. We also have until January to establish the way that the cultural incentive will. Qualification may be through a point system, as in some other countries, though this has not been finalized, said Makhaan. We expect it to be overseen by an eleven-person committee, that involves three or four government representatives and the majority from the film industry. Since joining AFCNet, Mongolia has pitched itself at locations expos in Los Angeles and Busan. As the country diversifies its economy away from a heavy dependence on mining, it is re-branding itself as a modern nomadic society, and one that is open to soft-power and cross-border co-operation. Makhaan says that selling points include: Mongolias ease of connection (1.5 hours flight from Beijing, 3 hours from Seoul and 7 hours from Berlin); sunshine on 80% of days, even in winter; four distinct seasons; cityscapes reminiscent of ex-Soviet Bloc architecture; and hugely varied landscapes (deserts, icy mountains, steppe-grasslands, dense forests). We dont have New York-like streets or marine locations, though, with a massive freshwater lake, we come close on that front. And we have pretty much everything else, said Makhaan. Now we have the location incentives too. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. At 2:32 p.m. on Friday, the plane carrying the body of fallen Laredo Marine Lance Cpl. David Lee Espinoza who was among the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Aug. 26 attack in Afghanistan arrived home to his family in the Gateway City. At the Laredo International Airport, local and state officials awaited the arrival of the plane alongside the Espinoza family and religious leaders. Once the plane arrived and the coffin was lowered, the crowds stood silently and a prayer was provided by Diocese of Laredo Bishop James Anthony Tomayo. After about 15 minutes and a small procession of Marines taking the coffin to the cortege, Espinoza was driven off in a procession to Joe Jackson Funeral Home. And family members followed the procession as scores of people lined the streets of Laredo from the north to the south side of the city to pay their respects to one of the community's own. "Just like the mother of this young man, I am a mother as well, and this is very sad to see, said Laredoan Constantina Cantu, who watched the event along the procession. We see that these young people go leave their homes because they want to serve, and unfortunately some lose their lives during these deployments. Cantu brought her own son to the event, Ulises Antonio Cantu. And she was very emotional picturing how it would feel to have seen her own son in the same situation. "I also brought my child to look and see how a true hero because he truly was a hero is returned back home," Cantu said. Ulises Antonio Cantu, an elementary school student, said he felt sad at what he saw. But he said he wishes to serve his nation whenever he is of age. During the procession, several local establishments allowed their employees to go out and participate in the event, honoring a local hero as his body was transported to the funeral home. One of these locations was the WBCA offices. They laid a wreath, and WBCA President Natalie Hernandez was present to honor the passing of Espinoza. According to Hernandez, the procession very sentimental and brought tears to their eyes. She said it is something that they will never forget being a part of. Elsewhere around the city, others lines the streets to wait for the procession as it continued through its final track to the funeral home. "This afternoon is one to remember," said Laredoan Priscilla Pantoja, who also watched the event. "Men and women, boys and girls of all ages flooded the sidewalks in a sea of American flags. You could feel the outpouring of love from the entire community as we anxiously awaited the arrival of our local American hero. It was quite an emotional moment to see the procession go by. Our hearts are only full of pride and gratitude toward this young man. Prayers for his loved ones." Along the southern portion of the route, a father of a former Marine himself was present. He awaited the processions passing in an area surrounded by large Americans flags in Espinozas honor. "The feeling was so surreal, but the feelings of everyone around you could be felt so strongly," described Scott Roberts. "I had some time to reflect on what the mother must be feeling at this moment, and it reminded me of how my wife and I felt during every deployment our son had during his time with the U.S. Marine Corps." According to Roberts, he always felt shaken by the fact that life is so fragile and that his son in deployment could always be hurt. Nevertheless, he is grateful for the service of all of them, especially for individuals like Espinoza that gave their lives for the country they serve. "As a father of a former U.S. Marine Corps. soldier, there is nothing more somber than that of which we are all experiencing at this time," Roberts said. "I pray for the family and ask that we remember those loved and lost as they laid their lives on the alter of freedom. May David Lee Espinoza serve as a reminder on this weekend's 9/11 ceremonies that freedom is not free. Our children freely serve their nation, they are our blood and treasure. Today, we honor and celebrate the life of our hometown hero. May David rest in peace." As the procession continued back into the northern part of the city along McPherson, scores of people were also present to witness his voyage to the funeral home. They lined the roads all the way to the end of the procession next to the Joe Jackson Funeral Home, as the cortege arrived with Espinoza and his family behind them. "Watching the cortege as it neared Joe Jackson Funeral Home was a moving and surreal experience for me," said Michelle Marie Romani, another who paid her respects to the family and Espinoza Friday. "As a devout Catholic, I believe that death is not the end, and I live in hope that I will see my parents and my other loved ones who preceded me in the next life. However, we also need to remember that the shortest passage in the Gospel according to St. John is 'Jesus wept.'" According to Romani, though she tried to remain strong and appreciate the ceremony of patriotism that followed Espinoza's procession, she still wept for what she saw. "He is our brother, and as a Catholic, he was part of the body of Christ," Romani said. "When one member dies, we all weep. Yes, we have hope for the the life to come, but we still weep." Just like Cantu, who brought her child, many other children were also in the procession route waving flags, saluting their local hero and ultimately showing pictures of Espinoza in posters they made as a way to indicate how the young man who was just 20 years of age is leaving a legacy much larger than his life. One young boy stated that the event was so emotional that it was something he will never forget. "I will remember this day, always," Angel Contreras said. jorge.vela@lmtonline.com A suspected leader of the Cartel Del Noreste and alleged founder of the Tropa Del Infierno has been arrested in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, authorities said. Martin Rodriguez Barbosa, also known as El Cadete, was the chief of security of Juan Gerardo Trevino Chavez, also known as El Huevo. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, agriculture specialists and agriculture canine teams at Laredo Port of Entry have been busy over the past month as they uncovered multiple agriculture law violations and issued more than $20,100 in penalties. Preventing the entry of prohibited agriculture products into the U.S. plays a crucial role in CBPs agriculture mission as it limits the pathways for invasive, destructive plant and animal pests and diseases to ply their way in and wreak significant economic harm on our nations agricultural economy, said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. The first interception occurred on Aug. 14 when a white 2014 Toyota Tundra with a final destination of North Carolina arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge and was randomly selected for inspection by CBP agriculture specialists and the agriculture canine team. A negative declaration for fruits, meats, vegetables, plants or any prohibited ag product was received. The agriculture canine team alerted to the presence of a trained order originating from the purse. Upon the inspection of the purse, 17 live plants and three peppers for propagation were found undeclared within the purse. Agriculture specialists issued the driver a $300 penalty for attempting to import and failing to declare the prohibited agriculture products. Later in the evening on Aug. 14, a red 2004 Dodge Ram made entry at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge traveling to Fort Wayne, Indiana and was randomly selected for an agriculture inspection. A negative declaration for fruits, meats, vegetables, plants and any other prohibited product was received. Upon inspection of the luggage and vehicle, the agriculture canine team alerted to the presence of a trained odor originating from the luggage and vehicle. The alert led to the discovery of 24.25 pounds of pork and four dragon fruits were discovered undeclared within luggage and vehicle. The penalty was then levied at $1,000 because the prohibited items were part of a commercial importation. The prohibited agriculture products were seized and processed for on-site destruction. A pest was found on dragon fruit and submitted to USDA for identification. The third interception occurred the following day, on Aug. 15, when a traveler arrived in a taxi with a final destination of Dallas. CBP officers referred the traveler to secondary where they received a negative declaration for fruits, vegetables, plants, meats and other agricultural items. Upon initial inspection, undeclared peppers were found and the agriculture canine team was called in to assist. A further inspection then resulted in the interception of nanches and mangoes and additional fresh peppers. Because of the commercial nature of the interception, a $1,000 penalty was levied. The same day a black Ford F-150 made entry at the Juarez Lincoln International Bridge en route to Austin and was randomly selected for an agriculture inspection. A negative declaration for fruits, vegetables, plants and meats was received. Upon inspection, an agriculture canine team alerted to the presence of a trained odor. The alert led to the discovery of 46.29 pounds of undeclared peppers that were concealed within a bag of dirty laundry. A further inspection of the subjects belongings, resulted in the discovery of four plants and 0.5 ounces of seeds for propagation, all undeclared. The driver was assessed a $300 civil penalty for failing to declare and attempt to conceal prohibited agricultural products. The fifth incident occurred on Aug. 16 when a gray 2010 GMC headed to New Braunfels was randomly selected for an agriculture inspection. A negative declaration was received, however, upon inspection, the agriculture canine team alerted to the presence of a trained odor originating from a cooler. Upon inspection of the cooler, 2.20 pounds of pork and one dragon fruit were discovered. The driver was issued a $300 penalty for failing to declare the prohibited agriculture products. The sixth incident occurred on Aug. 17 when a red Chevy Silverado with a destination of Minnesota arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge. The vehicle was referred to secondary for an inspection by CBP officers where they received a negative declaration for agriculture products. While conducting the inspection, fresh peppers and pitayas were found within the drivers luggage. CBP agriculture specialists were asked to assist and upon a further inspection found 2.20 pounds of pork meat, five passion fruits, and three live plants within his baggage. Because of the commercial nature of the importation, the subject was issued a $1,000 penalty. A seventh incident occurred on Aug. 18 when a white Chevrolet pickup made entry at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge. At primary CBP officers obtained a negative declaration for agriculture products. As the officer conducted the primary inspection, he observed what appeared to be concealed live poultry hidden under the rear seat of the vehicle and was subsequently referred to secondary for an agriculture inspection. Upon inspection of the vehicle, five live poultry were discovered undeclared and concealed wrapped in stockings. The subject admitted that the poultry were to be sold in the United States. A $1,000 civil penalty was levied for attempting to import prohibited agriculture items with commercial intent and for being a previous violator. The prohibited agricultural items were seized and transferred to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Veterinary Services. The subject vehicle was seized by CBP under 19 USC 1595. For the month of August 2021, CBP agriculture specialists at Laredo Port of Entry intercepted over 4,350 prohibited agricultural items and levied 47 penalties totaling over $20,000. Attempting to bring in prohibited agricultural items could lead to traveler delays and may result in penalties ranging from $300 to $1,000. CBP Stands Tall on the Agriculture Front, Uncovering Violations, Issuing $20K in Penalties in August 2021 at Laredo Port of Entry Local authorities said they feel strong about the case against a man accused of killing a pregnant teen. Webb County District Attorney Isidro R. Chilo Alaniz announced on Wednesday the arrest of Joel David Chavez III, 24. Chavez was charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of Gracie Alexandra Espinoza, 19, and her unborn child. We feel very strong and confident of the case that the Laredo Police Department brought to the state, Alaniz said. This case took so long because it is a complex case. Its a delicate case. There were so many types of evidence that they needed to go through and they needed to do it right and get it tight. Alaniz spoke about the gathering of DNA evidence, blood evidence, video evidence, circumstantial evidence, interview evidence, eyewitness evidence, among others. You cant do that overnight, he said. Laredo Police Chief Claudio Trevino Jr. said authorities worked hard to collect the numerous pieces of evidence. We feel that we have a solid case, he said. The DA feels comfortable with the case proceeding to the next level for prosecution. Im proud of the officers, investigators that worked on this case and satisfied with the work they have done and continue to do because the case is not over. It moves onto the next step. The officers and investigators are ready to do their part. Alaniz said that the prosecutions job is to bring all the evidence to prove that Chavez is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for the killing of Gracie and her unborn baby. It is a jury that will decide if the evidence is sufficient to convict Chavez. We always put our faith in the jury system. We feel confident that we will win this case. We will wait to have that day in court, Alaniz said. Alaniz decided to move forward in presenting the case to a grand jury given that Friday is her death anniversary. Part of the reason why I decided to move this case quicker to a grand jury was because this Friday is the one-year anniversary of Gracies death, he said. The family has been put through anguish and a nightmare this year. Along with the police department, the case was already toward 100% completion coincidentally around this time. Rather than waiting for a grand jury down the road, I made the decision to present it (on Wednesday). The case was ready. To help the family as well, we just thought it was just appropriate to move forward with the case. Son of a cop Alaniz and Trevino also spoke about the rumors on social media about Chavez not facing justice because he was related to a retired LPD lieutenant. Its unfortunate that these rumors started on social media by different people out there, Alaniz said. I explained to Gracies mother that none of that is true, that the police department in this case has done a great job in putting the case together. She can have faith and confidence and trust in the DAs office that we are going to fight hard for Gracie, and were going to bring justice to Gracie, her family and the unborn baby. Alaniz expects to prosecute the case himself. On those comments about him being related to a former lieutenant, he is related to a former lieutenant but (that) played no part, Trevino said. It had nothing to do with how the investigation developed. This was a complicated case from the very beginning. But the tenacity of those investigators working the case paid off (on Wednesday). Trevino pointed out that there is confidence in the police department and mentioned how the department kept an open line of communication with Gracies family. I ask for people to continue to have that confidence, Trevino said. Trust us. Trust in the work we do. Our investigators do an exceptional job every day on different cases. We ask for patience. A lot of times in some cases, we dont want to rush cases. We dont want to jump into conclusions that later on hurt the case rather than help it. CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) International pressure mounted Friday on the junta that seized power in Guinea after the African Union suspended the country and as a delegation of West African officials came to urge a return to democratic rule. The African Union has suspended Guinea from all AU activities and decision-making bodies, the organization announced. The suspension comes after military officers in Guinea overthrew President Alpha Conde on Sunday. The 15-nation West African regional economic bloc, known as ECOWAS, had already suspended Guinea following the coup led by Col. Mamady Doumbouya. Mediators including foreign ministers from Ghana, Nigeria, Togo and Burkina Faso along with ECOWAS commission president Jean-Claude Kassi Brou met with Doumbouya on Friday at a hotel in Conakry, the capital. Doumbouya and the ECOWAS mediation team left the hotel without speaking to the media, but talks likely focused on the timing of a return to constitutional rule. Burkina Faso's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alpha Barry, said that the leaders will now report back to their respective presidents. The delegation was able to meet with deposed president Conde, who was at the headquarters of the Special Forces, according to Barry. We saw President Alpha Conde. He's fine," Barry said. The rest of the report will be made to the presidents. The delegation is now heading back to Accra, Ghana, he said. The group has urged the coup leaders to assure the safety of the deposed president and others who have been arrested. Conde remains in the custody of the junta, who have only said that he is in a secure location with access to medical care. Members of the delegation are believed to have met with Conde Friday, according to local media reports. Doumbouya and the special forces that put the West African nation under military rule for the first time in over a decade have criticized Condes government for corruption and the poverty of Guineas people. The junta leader portrayed himself as a patriot of Guinea, taking power for the people who remained poor. However, experts say the coup happened after tensions increased between the army colonel and the president because of a recent proposal to cut some military salaries. The junta has ordered the central bank to freeze all government accounts in an effort to secure state assets and preserve the countrys interest. The junta announced the temporary freezing of withdrawals on bank accounts related to public administrative and commercial establishments in all ministry departments and the presidency. The freeze also applies to the programs and projects of presidential initiatives, and outgoing members of the government as well as senior civil servants, administrators and financial authorities of the state. Condes removal by force came after he sought and won a controversial third term in office last year, saying the term limits did not apply to him. Conde was elected in 2010 in the countrys first democratic vote, with hopes that Guinea would see a fresh start after decades of corrupt, authoritarian rule and political turmoil. But in the years since, opponents say Conde failed to improve the lives of Guineans, most of whom live in poverty despite the countrys vast mineral deposits of bauxite and gold. Violent street demonstrations broke out last year after Conde organized a referendum to modify the constitution. The unrest intensified after he won the October election, and the opposition said dozens were killed during the crisis. ___ Petesch reported from Dakar, Senegal. Laredo College announced on Thursday morning that it is set to receive an astronomical amount of funding. On the heels of being named the No. 1 community college in Texas for a second straight year by BestColleges and beginning their 75th anniversary, Laredo College declared it is receiving $73,134,236 in federal funding a majority of which was designated for COVID relief. The funding includes more than $20 million in direct aid to almost 20,000 students. The funding is comprised of two parts: $53,239,581 in Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds/COVID allocations, and $19,840,655 in non-COVID allocations. Rep. Henry Cuellar was on hand for the event to announce the news. Interim President Dr. Marisela Rodriguez-Tijerina recognized his work to help obtain the funds and his past achievement of graduating cum laude at LC. $73 million dollars that has been infused to Laredo College, a large portion of that goes directly to the students, Cuellar said. If Laredo College got an amount of dollars, half of that went directly into the students, and of course the other (half) is indirectly to the students one way or another to make sure that the Laredo College has a safe environment to teach the students. As the pandemic has greatly impacted Laredo College and its surrounding community, these funds will address the financial fallout the pandemic has left and help the college move forward economically in a more efficient manner. Students will benefit directly with computer equipment and internet service for laptops, personal protective equipment, masks, cleaning/safety supplies and thermometers, as well as additional laboratory equipment to minimize the sharing of supplies. Other ways in which students will benefit is with new software and equipment to enable remote learning, including webcams, Adobe and campus wifi, student vaccine drives, and testing fees. This funding also includes support for academic tutoring, federal work study programs, STEM education and workforce/vocational training. The non-COVID funding includes programs such as Student Financial Aid Awards and the Student Support Services Program for academic tutoring, advice and assistance. More programs this funding includes are to promote leadership, excellence and preparedness of Hispanic and low-income students in the STEM field, as well as support students from underrepresented groups to prepare them for careers related to food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences. Cuellar added he observed students did have laptops at Laredo College, but personally he saw them having trouble with their hotspot and wifi connections, emphasizing the importance of this money going directly to the students and the infrastructure they need to have a more efficient campus experience. The breakdown of the HEERF funding includes the purchase of 1,110 laptops, as well as more than $130,000 in the purchase of internet service for laptops by providing or subsidizing the cost of high-speed internet to students or faculty to transition to an online environment. Rodriguez-Tijerina said that the college is offering two programs this semester, including one as a tuition waiver or discount, and the other for eliminating debut incurred from March 13, 2020 up until now. That makes a tremendous impact, because as we all know being former students, when you have debt, you cant register until you pay your debt, Rodriguez-Tijerina said. So that is very important to continue the progression of the students educational route. Emphasizing the great importance of the emergency aid for students, Laredo College set up free internet in its parking lots during the national lockdown for their students. Rodriguez-Tijerina added that this money also helps to reinvent how we increase accessibility to our students. cecilia.trevino@lmtonline.com The former U.S. Border Patrol agent accused of killing four women and kidnapping another could have a jury selection process as soon as March. Juan David Ortiz appeared in the 406th District Court for a status hearing on Thursday morning. As per the defense counsel, they were satisfied with the discovery that was provided by the state, according to the hearing notes. A final pre-trial hearing is set for March 1. A prospective panel for the jury selection process was set for March 28. A jury trial date is pending but may be set for April or May, the notes state. Ortiz has been behind bars since his arrest on Sept. 15, 2018. He was indicted on Dec. 5, 2018, on the charges of capital murder of multiple people, aggravated assault of deadly weapon, unlawful restraint with exposure to serious body injury and evading arrest. Ortiz is accused of killing Melissa Ramirez, 29; Claudine Anne Luera, 42; Guiselda Alicia Hernandez, 35; and Nikki Enriquez, 28; over a 12-day period, according to authorities. Law enforcement officials said that all were sex workers. Ortiz would allegedly pick them up on San Bernardo Avenue, drive them outside city limits and shoot them in the head, according to court records. All were killed in the same area near North U.S. 83 and Interstate 35 in northwestern Webb County. Authorities said that Ramirez, Luera and Enriquez were each shot in the head. Hernandez was shot twice in the neck but died of blunt force trauma after being struck in the head with an unknown object, according to officials. A fifth woman identified as Erika Pena escaped from the vehicle she was riding in with Ortiz and sought help from a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper. Her escaping led authorities to Ortiz, authorities said. Ortiz was off duty when he allegedly killed the women and may have used his service weapon in the homicides. A few weeks ago, Lydia Rodriguez thought her body was strong enough to fight the coronavirus without the vaccine. But after a week-long church camp, she and other members of her family tested positive for the coronavirus. By the time Rodriguez, 42, changed her mind and asked for the shot, it was too late, her doctor said. A ventilator awaited her, her cousin Dottie Jones told The Washington Post. Out of options, the Galveston, Texas, mother of four, asked her family to make a promise: "Please make sure my kids get vaccinated," Rodriguez, a piano teacher, told her sister during their last phone call. Rodriguez died Monday - two weeks after her husband, Lawrence Rodriguez, 49, also died after coronavirus complications. The couple fought the virus from hospital beds just a few feet from one another in a Texas intensive care unit, Jones said. Lydia and Lawrence Rodriguez, who were married for 21 years, were among the tens of millions of Americans who have not yet received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, which is available free to anyone over the age of 12. Health officials have stressed that the vaccine significantly lowers one's chance of becoming severely ill or dying of the virus. The now-orphaned children of the Rodriguez family join the millions tragically affected by the sometimes deadly illness. The case of the Rodriguez family echoes that of other unvaccinated patients who have begged their doctors for vaccine doses before being intubated. "Lydia has never really believed in vaccines," Jones, 55, told The Post. "She believed that she could handle everything on her own, that you didn't really need medicine." A neonatal nurse, Jones was familiar with the serious effects covid-19 had on mothers and babies she treated at the Sugarland, Texas, hospital where she worked. She shared with Rodriguez how she had watched patient after patient be connected to a ventilator for weeks without much improvement. Jones could have gone on and on. But her cousin's silence spoke for itself, she said. "I knew she would never get vaccinated," Jones told The Post. "I was very concerned." Rodriguez's husband, who shared her anti-vaccine beliefs, also declined to get the shot. Three of their four children are eligible but have not yet received the vaccine, Jones said. In early July, days after Rodriguez and the children returned from a Christian church camp, Jones's worst fears became true. One by one, each member of the family - including Rodriguez's husband, who did not attend camp because of work - tested positive for the coronavirus. The family didn't tell anyone they were sick until Rodriguez's husband drove her to the hospital on July 12 after she began experiencing shortness of breath. Rodriguez was admitted to the ICU, and her husband was admitted to another ward, Jones said. By then, the rest of the family stepped in to bring groceries and medicine to the couple's four children, who were all infected and quarantining at home. The youngest child was the only one to experience mild symptoms, Jones said. The rest were asymptomatic. At one point, Lawrence Rodriguez's condition appeared to be improving, but a couple of days after he was admitted, he was rushed to the ICU. He requested a coronavirus vaccine shortly before being put on a ventilator, Jones said, but it was also too late for him. He died Aug. 2. By then, Lydia Rodriguez was fully dependent on an oxygen mask that prevented her from talking to her children, who called to check in and sing Christian hymns to lift her spirits. "We are praying for you and taking care of the kids," Jones recounted telling her cousin during her last days. Hospital staff called the family on Aug. 16 to report that Rodriguez had died. The family has relayed her last wishes about the vaccine to the couple's 18-year-old twins, Jones said. The plan is to schedule an appointment for the 11-year-old daughter as soon as she qualifies, and the couple's 16-year-old son is expected to get the shot soon. The family has created an online fundraiser to help the Rodriguez children while the courts figure out who will become the guardian of the minors. Wednesday is expected to be a difficult day for the four siblings, Jones said. Their mom would have turned 43. Lockport, NY (14094) Today More clouds than sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 71F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some passing clouds. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks! Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics. The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc. The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics. The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates. Access to college recruiters and advisors its harder to line up higher education. Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family. Vote View Results Macra na Feirme has held high-level talks with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Charlie McConalogue, T.D along with Ministers for State Senator Pippa Hackett, and Martin Hayden, T.D. to outline the concerns and aspirations of young farmers regarding the CAP Strategic Plan. Macra na Feirme National President John Keane said It it paramount that this next CAP delivers for young farmers and that the interventions undertaken during the lifetime of the next CAP are supportive of the aspirations of young farmers in meeting the challenges of climate action, good environmental management, and ensure a sustainable income for the next generation of farmers. Longford teenager creates inspiringly realistic artwork Jessica Thompson catches up with local artist Nicole Forster to learn about realistic portraits and art In highlighting the challenges ahead to the trio of Ministers, Macra na Feirme called on the Department of Agriculture to maximise the funding allocated to young farmer supports and interventions. Keane added more of the same just will not do in encouraging generational renewal and addressing the challenges ahead. Macra na Feirme National President John Keane was joined at the meeting by Shane Fitzgerald, Chairman of Macra na Feirmes National Agricultural Affairs Committee. He said We have seen young farmers already respond very positively to existing environmental schemes. Young farmers are more likely to engage in additional environmental schemes, to embrace changes and innovate to meet the challenges ahead. Priority must be given to the next generation along with higher financial rewards for greater environmental ambition. Young farmers are ready, willing and able to meet the climate challenge, but need the financial supports from CAP to realise that ambition. In concluding his remarks Macra na Feirme National President John Keane said We look forward to continuing our engagement with Ministers McConalogue, Hackett and Heydon and the team of officials working on the CAP Strategic Plan. We are acutely aware of the very tight timeframes laid out by the EU Commission which the Department have to operate within. A Longford mother, currently living in Roscommon has joined forces with Irish mums across the country and successfully secured a six week commitment from NAPA to bring their intensive therapy pop-up centre to Ireland. Siobhan Cryan, from Drumlish, is mother to a fabulous little determined, strong lady called Zoe, who was born extremely premature and later diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Zoe is six years old, Siobhan told the Longford Leader. She was born extremely premature at 24 weeks gestation, weighing only 540 grams at birth. She spent the first year of her life in hospital before getting home to her family. Zoe has a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy which affects every child with this diagnosis different but for Zoe, it has affected her gross motor ability to walk and it has also affected her oral motor functions, of swallow, chewing , eating and speech. Zoe was 100% peg feed up until this year. Siobhan and her husband David discovered NAPA in 2018 after hours of Googling treatment and therapies that could possibly help Zoe develop her swallow ability. NAPA came up on Google and offered a treatment called Vital Stimulation, which is a tool that uses electrical current to stimulate the muscles responsible for swallowing. This is the only FDA approved device for the treatment of swallowing difficulties. Vital Stim is not available in Ireland for our kiddos, Siobhan explained. In 2019, we flew to Boston, completed a three-week intensive programme of Vital Stim, Physio and OT. There Zoe began to swallow spoonfuls of pureed food as well as drinking from a straw for the first time ever. Since then we have gone from strength to strength and in June 2021 Zoe came off her peg feeds as she can manage three meals a day albeit pureed. She still requires her G-tube for water and meds but all her nutritional needs are met from her oral feeding - a huge milestone. The NAPA (Neurological and Physical Abilitation) Centre was founded in 2008 by a mother who wanted to make the best therapies in the world available under one roof for children with physical and neurological challenges, having travelled the world looking for treatments for her own son. The centre combines speech, physical and occupational therapies as well as pioneering methods using robotics and assistive technologies. NAPAs therapists are highly qualified and experienced in working with complex needs. NAPA currently have four permanent clinics (located in the US and Australia) and are extending their reach by opening two further clinics, one in each of these jurisdictions. Alongside their permanent locations, the NAPA model also holds pop up clinics. For the first time, thanks to Siobhan and six other mums around the country, the NAPA centre will visit Ireland. Some of us have been to NAPA, other Mums want to experience NAPA. Myself and some of the mums started Telehealth with NAPA when Covid began, said Sioban. Zoe was to travel in July 2020 and 2021 but NAPA went online and we still see Nikki, her physio, once a week via Microsoft Teams. We always hinted at them that they should come to Ireland as years ago they did a pop up in the UK. Sharon, one of the mums reached out to NAPA and suggested it. They suggested that we put together a proposal document for them. We did so detailing cities and towns they could set up the pop in, airports that Boston flights came into, ie, Shannon and Dublin, venues, designed a brochure of Ireland and its attractions, maps of travel times from one part of the country to another, etc. We spoke to the CORU (regulatory body of health and social care professionals) and asked could the NAPA therapists register here in Ireland. We supplied them details and contacts of CORU and they began that process in January 2021. This also means that anyone with health insurance will be covered as they are registered therapists here in Ireland - again, huge. NAPAs highly skilled therapists will come to Ireland next August (2022) for two three-week blocks of intensive therapy sessions. They will not only be bringing their proven techniques and experience but also some of their leading edge technologies and equipment. This is an extraordinary and exciting opportunity for parents here to experience world-class therapeutic intervention for our children without the need to travel abroad, Siobhan explained. Pop-up dates will take place in a location that is yet to be finalised from August 22 to September 9, 2022, and September 12 to 30, 2022, costing $155 per hour. Intake forms for Ireland must be completed by September 15. Please note, you will not be able to register if the intake forms are not completed by this time. Registration will open on October 4 at 1pm IST. For further information regarding intake forms and registration process please refer to the NAPA website, https://bit.ly/3n8ghFu or see @NAPACentre on Facebook. There is also a Parents of Ireland NAPA Facebook group: https://bit.ly/3nlx87V. Senior officials in the Department of Justice have come under fire over the makeup of a new anti crime body which is due to replace the county's Joint Policing Committee (JPC). The first meeting of a new community safety partnership scheme is scheduled to take place later this month under the stewardship of former Galway and Louth County Council chief executive Martina Maloney. However, ongoing concerns over its size and statutory footing were relayed to Department of Justice chiefs in a letter sent by Longford County Council on behalf of Joint Policing Committee Chairperson Cllr Seamus Butler. When details surrounding the department's response was aired at the local authority's monthly council meeting this week, Cllr Butler was quick to hit back. "They didnt change one iota with the response," he said. "If they thought I was a thorn in their side before the Department of Justice has much more coming down the line as far as I am concerned." Longford is one of three locations, alongside inner city Dublin and Waterford, chosen to launch the pilot initiative in an attempt to increase cooperation between local communities and the State in the continued fight against crime. Cllr Butler's reservations were shared by fellow councillor and former JPC chairperson Cllr Gerry Warnock, who accused department officials of displaying "arrogance" towards local politicians in Longford. "I think, to be honest, elected councillors and elected politicians are far too passive with department officials," he said. "We really need our representative groups to step up to the plate and reinforce the very real issues councillors are facing and dealing with on the ground. "The democratic mandate we have to deal with those issues is being totally and utterly brushed aside not only by this department but every other department we deal with. "We really need to start looking at the future of local democracy and our input in these local committees because if we get any more passive we will be on the endangered species list and we will be railroaded time and time and time again." For more on this story, see next week's Longford Leader. World Suicide Prevention Day is on Friday, September 10 and that is also the date that two Tarmonbarry men, Eddie Coffey and Johnny Rhatigan, will conclude their Beauty to Beast fundraiser in aid of the Athlone & Midlands Samaritans. The pair have refrained from shaving or cutting their hair since December 31 last and after 252 days the bearded and long haired beasts will reappear as beauties during an eagerly anticipated shave off event at the Shannon Bar, Tarmonbarry. Longford Talks launches podcasts series A series of health & wellbeing podcasts have been produced for County Longford, this follows the similar launches in the neighbouring counties of Laois, Offaly & Westmeath. Eddie and Johnnys main motivation for undertaking the Beauty to Beast challenge is that it might save just one life and in turn save one family from having to go through the horror of life after a suicide. Eddies wife, Liz (nee Casey), explained that her husband and friend took on Beauty to Beast fundraiser in memory of her late brothers Willie and Paddy Casey and Frankie Lane. Liz candidly explained, I was the youngest child of six, and 32 years ago last June, my 15 year old brother, Willie took his own life tearing our family apart and sending us all into a new unknown horror we now called life. We did manage a lot of happy years and made happy memories. My wonderful Mum & Dad (Ann & Liam Casey) from Rathowen, Co Westmeath, tried their best to make our lives happy. Unfortunately we were hit with the sudden loss of our Dad in 2004 when he went to work driving his lorry one morning never to return, his poor heart had finally given up. Thankfully he was not driving at the time but he had pulled into a layby and we had a small search party looking for him, it was actually with the help of the wonderful broadcaster Gerry Ryan and his staff he was found so quickly as Gerry (RIP) issued a plea live on radio and a passing driver found his lorry." At the beginning of last year, Lizs family was hit by tragedy once again. But without any doubts our greatest family tragedy unfolded on Sunday January 26, 2020, when the news was broken to us that our second brother (Paddy, Edgeworthstown), my poor mothers final son, had also taken his life. We could not believe that this man who lit up the room when he walked in, the same man who was loved so dearly by his mum, sisters, wife and children and so many wonderful friends had made the choice to make us relive this horror. Liz said the idea to organise the fundraiser came about during a lockdown get together. She said they were with family friends Johnny Rhatigan and Patricia Lane. They had also suffered a tragic loss themselves on January 2, 2020, when Patricias wonderful brother Frankie Lane from Derrahaun, Kenagh, sadly decided it was time to leave this world. Liz revealed, We were still in our deepest grief. We wanted to do something that would try and stop another family going through the horror of life after suicide. It was hard to come up with an idea that was Covid friendly but with a bit of discussion we decided on the Beauty to Beast. Along with her wonderful strong mother Ann Casey and her beautiful sisters Josephine Casey (Limerick), Kathleen OShaughnessy (Legan) and Annemarie Wilson (Rathowen), Liz says that every day they think fondly of their fallen brothers. I was only seven years old when Willie passed so I cannot speak from my own memories, but from speaking with my older sister Josephine she tells me he was a gentle soul who never gave cheek and always gave a good energy. He was a funny boy but in his own very quiet way, he was kind and very gentle and had a great love for animals, he was very good at school and had so much potential for a bright future, which unfortunately living in rural Ireland in the 1980s he could not see. We can only guess his reasons as no note was left and as bad as the mental health system may be now, Im sure it was not something he would ever have heard of. As a family his cause of death and death in general was not spoken about, he was just gone, it was a taboo subject. Liz outlined that her brother Paddy was a fun-loving, kind and caring son, brother, father, husband, nephew, and uncle. He was surrounded by so many wonderful friends and seemed to be living his best life. He pretty much always seemed happy and had a laugh that was infectious. He was my rock, my family and his family's rock. You could always depend on him and his pure love. It was a complete shock to us all that he decided to leave this world. We had no signs he left no letter and we have no answers. I still lay awake some nights thinking about the whys, the lack of answers might be the hardest thing to deal with. You think you know someone inside and out it feels like you have lost the person and the past relationship you had. He knew too well what a suicide does to a family as it was in fact him that found Willie 32 years ago and its heart-breaking to think where his head must have been at in those final moments to put us all through all this again. Liz wished to express a massive thank you to each and every person who supported the Casey family through these tragedies. Most importantly I would like to send a massive thank you to the first responders who deal with this on a daily basis but never get the thanks they deserve. The Gardai and ambulance crew helped us through one of the hardest days of our lives and I need to say thank you. Liz concluded, My one true wish is to get people talking about suicide, to help them understand that the darkness they are currently living in only temporary that there is help out there and that so many more people care about them that they will ever know, everything can be changed with a little help. We hope that by our efforts, maybe some extra money will be raised for our local Samaritans, but more importantly to help show someone who is currently in turmoil that there is help available, that they are loved and life is worth living. You can follow the progress of the Beauty to Beast fundraiser on Facebook @beautytobeast2021 and can make a donation via https://www.idonate.ie/Beautytobeast. Athlone & Midlands Samaritans Athlone and Midland Samaritans have been providing emotional support to anyone experiencing feelings of distress or despair since it opened its doors in 1992. It has over 80 volunteers who come from all walks of life and who commit to keeping the helpline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.We can be reached by calling Freephone number 116 123 or by email jo@samaritans.org. You can also visit our centre at 3, Court Devenish, Athlone 2pm - 10pm Monday to Saturday. School & Education, Community, Charity & Cause By Chris Boyle Published: September 10 2021 I am profoundly grateful to all of the sponsors who stepped up to support a wonderful back-to-school tradition in our community, Legislator Bynoe said. To help young students begin the 2021-22 school year on the right foot, Nassau County Legislator Siela A. Bynoe (D - Westbury) recently joined with key community partners to host her annual back-to-school backpack event at the Tanglewood Preserve in Rockville Centre. Nearly 200 students of all ages received school supplies at the event, which were donated by Bethpage Federal Credit Union. In addition to school supplies, children received books from West Hempstead-based Moms Who Care, Inc. as part of their ongoing literacy-promoting initiative. The Lakeview Branch of the NAACP donated snacks and drinks, and EZ Time Rental donated the use of a bouncy castle that young guests enjoyed throughout the event. In addition, the Center for Science Teaching & Learning at Tanglewood Preserve provided youngsters free tours of its current exhibit. By working hand in hand with the Center for Science Teaching & Learning, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Moms Who Care, Inc. and a team of generous community partners, we have equipped nearly 200 local students with supplies that will help them start the academic year on the right foot, Legislator Bynoe said. I am profoundly grateful to all of the sponsors who stepped up to support a wonderful and empowering back-to-school tradition in our community. Ensure you get a print copy of the Loudoun Times-Mirror delivered weekly to your home or business! Complete online access is included with all print subscriptions purchased online. Plus, up to four other members of your household can share online access through this subscription with their own, individual linked accounts at no additional charge. (Are you a current advertiser? Ask your sales rep for our special advertiser rate code!) City of London Group PLC - asset manager specialising in UK SME market and home reversion - Says consolidated net asset value per share 49 pence at March 31 year end, compared to 60p in financial 2020. Pretax loss widens to GBP12.6 million from GBP9.7 million. Pumps funds raised in period into new UK SME bank, Recognise Bank Ltd, including GBP11.4 million share subscription and up to GBP6.9 million open offer in August - two major shareholders supporting the next stage of development by investing a further GBP11.4 million, says investor. Chief Executive Michael Goldstein says: "The group has made considerable progress in implementing its long-term strategy over the last 18 months. The process of re-focusing the group's business on banking activities is largely complete with Recognise Bank poised to become a deposit taking bank. The support offered by two of the company's major shareholders through the recently- announced capital raise is a sign of continuing confidence from our shareholder base in our strategy, and the opportunity that exists within the SME banking space." Current stock price: 70.00 pence Year-to-date change: down 17% By Josie O'Brien; josieobrien@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Tanfield Group PLC - investment firm headquartered in Newcastle Upon Tyne - Sees loss narrow to GBP268,000 in the six months ended June 30, from GBP369,000 the year prior due to lower legal fees during the period. Says its 49% stake in Snorkel International Holdings LLC valued at GBP19.1 million, though notes that the outcome of ongoing US and UK legal proceedings could affect this valuation. The company says it continued to receive support from shareholders, via loan note subscriptions, to fund its legal proceedings and day-to-day costs. Notes a 19% increase in Snorkel's sales to USD71.7 million in the first half, from USD60.2 million the previous year. Investigation into gross profit margins, which Tanfield has previously said it does not believe are not in line with industry averages, has commenced and remains ongoing. Current stock price: 2.49 pence, up 7.8% on Friday afternoon Year-to-date change: down 1.9% By Scarlett Butler; scarlettbutler@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Sharecast News) - London stocks edged up in early trade on Friday following heavy losses in the previous session, as investors digested the latest UK GDP data. At 0840 BST, the FTSE 100 was up 0.3% at 7,043.90. Figures released earlier by the Office for National Statistics showed that economic growth slowed to just 0.1% in July from 1% in June amid rising Covid cases and materials shortages. This missed consensus expectations for growth of 0.7% and leaves the UK economy 2.1% below pre-pandemic levels in February 2020. The ONS noted issues with the 'pingdemic' and materials shortages. ONS deputy national statistician Jonathan Athow said: "After many months during which the economy grew strongly, making up much of the lost ground from the pandemic, there was little growth overall in July. "Oil and gas provided the biggest boost, having partially bounced back after summer maintenance. Car production also continued to recover from recent component shortages. "Rising costs and shortages of raw materials pegged back the construction sector again." Paul Dales, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said the "measly" rise in monthly GDP "shows that amid rising Covid-19 cases and broadening product/labour shortages, the economic recovery has stalled". "More timely evidence suggests August may not have been much better," he added. Corporate news was scarce, but Cineworld ticked a touch higher after saying it would pay $170m of a judgement to dissenting shareholders of Regal Entertainment Group after the company's takeover of the movie theatre chain in 2018. A further $92m will be placed into an escrow account to be available to Cineworld as additional liquidity "under certain circumstance". The funds in the escrow account will paid to the dissenting shareholders no later than March 31, 2022. Market Movers FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,043.90 0.28% FTSE 250 (MCX) 23,833.57 0.14% techMARK (TASX) 4,713.76 0.10% FTSE 100 - Risers Rightmove (RMV) 749.80p 1.79% Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,946.00p 1.65% Antofagasta (ANTO) 1,417.00p 1.25% Ashtead Group (AHT) 5,816.00p 1.22% B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI) (BME) 591.00p 1.13% Rio Tinto (RIO) 5,220.00p 1.10% Imperial Brands (IMB) 1,543.50p 1.05% BHP Group (BHP) 2,070.50p 1.02% Experian (EXPN) 3,285.00p 1.01% Barclays (BARC) 183.40p 0.91% FTSE 100 - Fallers International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 149.82p -1.10% Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI) (CCH) 2,458.00p -0.97% Smith (DS) (SMDS) 452.20p -0.57% Barratt Developments (BDEV) 687.00p -0.52% Smith & Nephew (SN.) 1,353.50p -0.51% Just Eat Takeaway.Com N.V. (CDI) (JET) 6,822.00p -0.45% Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI) (SKG) 4,153.00p -0.43% SEGRO (SGRO) 1,271.50p -0.39% Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) 295.80p -0.37% British American Tobacco (BATS) 2,653.50p -0.36% FTSE 250 - Risers Dunelm Group (DNLM) 1,517.00p 2.64% Scottish American Inv Company (SAIN) 519.00p 1.96% Spire Healthcare Group (SPI) 241.50p 1.68% Chemring Group (CHG) 331.50p 1.53% Diversified Energy Company (DEC) 111.80p 1.45% Liontrust Asset Management (LIO) 2,490.00p 1.43% Pagegroup (PAGE) 640.50p 1.43% Clarkson (CKN) 3,965.00p 1.41% Baillie Gifford Japan Trust (BGFD) 1,090.00p 1.30% FDM Group (Holdings) (FDM) 1,344.00p 1.20% FTSE 250 - Fallers Babcock International Group (BAB) 333.30p -2.11% Avon Protection (AVON) 1,765.00p -1.89% TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 296.20p -1.66% CMC Markets (CMCX) 281.00p -1.40% Harbour Energy (HBR) 368.00p -1.39% easyJet (EZJ) 700.00p -1.16% QinetiQ Group (QQ.) 324.60p -1.10% Trustpilot Group (TRST) 426.60p -0.93% C&C Group (CDI) (CCR) 244.60p -0.89% Cairn Energy (CNE) 189.10p -0.89% (Alliance News) - SigmaRoc PLC on Friday said it has entered a "strategic collaboration" Marshalls PLC to develop ultra-low carbon products for the concrete building materials sector. Shares in SigmaRoc were trading up 3.5% at 114.40 pence each in London on Friday morning following the announcement. Marshalls shares were flat at 813.50p. The quarried materials group noted plans to develop new technology for an "environmentally conscious" marketplace with Marshalls, a West Yorkshire, England-based manufacturer of natural stone and concrete products for the construction and landscaping markets. "The aim of this collaboration is to share learnings in the application of current technologies while working together to develop new low carbon methods of production," said SigmaRoc. FTSE 250 constituent Marshalls will receive a low-carbon alternative to its product range as part of the deal, the company added. "By entering into a collaboration with SigmaRoc we envisage being able to give our customers the opportunity to use an ultra-low carbon alternative to a variety of traditional hard landscaping and construction products. We aim to significantly lessen the long-term environmental impact of hard landscaping solutions in alignment with our ambitious [environmental, social, and corporate governance] targets," said Marshalls Technical Director Nick Jowett. Despite its usual focus on major infrastructure work, SigmaRoc said the collaboration is focused on residential and urban projects, which make up a substantial segment of UK construction activity. "Ultimately, we see the collaboration as another stepping stone in our commitment to invest, improve, integrate and create a sustainable future for construction," said Michael Roddy, managing director of the Precast Products Group, SigmaRoc's concrete manufacturing platform. By Scarlett Butler; scarlettbutler@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Malibu, CA (90265) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 67F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 57F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Support Local Journalism The Malibu community needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please help keep us in print by making a contribution. Manchester Center, VT (05254) Today Partly cloudy early then heavy thunderstorms this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 78F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 58F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. The Kannur University has temporarily suspended the inclusion of the works and thoughts of RSS ideologues Golwalkar and Sawarkar in the syllabus on Friday. The syllabus of MA Governance and Politics at Kannur University was included the works of Golwalkar and Sawarkar in a topic on Hindutwa. The topic inclusion irked public and student unions staged protests against this by claiming that it trivialised the the contributions of Gandhi and Nehru in the freedom fights. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. To subscribe, click here. Already a subscriber? Click here. Robert Elton Rector, 84 yrs of Wilburton, Ok passed away at His home in Wilburton, Ok on Friday, September 3, 2021. Memorial Services will be on Friday, October 1, 2021 at 2 pm at the Waldrop Funeral Home Chapel in Wilburton, Ok Officiating will be Mr. Jay Caudill. Services are under the dir Atlanta, GA (30303) Today Cloudy with occasional showers this afternoon. High 78F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy with showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Atlanta, GA (30303) Today Overcast with showers at times. High 78F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Atlanta, GA (30342) Today Cloudy early, then off and on rain showers for the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Atlanta, GA (30342) Today Cloudy with occasional showers this afternoon. High 78F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Marietta, GA (30060) Today Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 78F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Marietta, GA (30060) Today Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 77F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. When it comes to making movies with a hilarious punch, director Rohit Shetty has always stood out. In real life, too, he has always been vocal about some issues. The judge of Khatron Ke Khiladi, Rohit, recently took a jibe at celebrities who ask paparazzi to cover them as they perform charity outside temples. He also spoke about actors dressing up for the airport and gyms. Instagram/Rohit Shetty Instagram/Rohit Shetty During an interaction with Janice, a social media star, Rohit opened up about this matter and said, "Kaun karta hai aisa? Phone karenge tabhi maalum padega na, photographer ko, ki bhai, main aaj yeh mandir ke bahar hai. Kaise maalum padega." When translated, he is basically trying to say, "Who does this? Only when you inform the paparazzi they will know that you are going to the temple. Otherwise, how will they know?" Instagram/Rohit Shetty Rohit also spoke about how the expenses of carrying different ensembles have increased. He also said if the paparazzi didn't know about the actor's schedule, they would go in shorts and vests. He said, "Ab uska kharcha alag ho gaya hai. Varna jab tak yeh photographers wahaan pohoche nahi the ya log bolte nahi the ki 'main utar raha hoon plane se', tab tak toh sab chaddi-banyan mein hi jaa rahe the." "Now, there is a whole expense behind airport looks. Before photographers reached there and before people began informing them about their schedules, everyone would go in shorts and vests." Instagram/Rohit Shetty On the work front, Rohit is currently a part of Khatron Ke Khiladi 11 as he is seen as a host. The series was shot amid the pandemic in Cape Town and often made headlines for its jaw-dropping stunts. The release of his next movie, Sooryavanshi with Akshay Kumar with Katrina Kaif, is awaited. In addition, he is also set to direct Cirkus in which Ranveer Singh would be seen in a double role. As for other actors, the movie also has Jacqueline Fernandez, Varun Sharma, Johny Lever etc. The film is said to release in 2021. Dino Morea went under the radar after his stint in Pyaar Impossible in 2010. Post that, the actor hardly made appearances until the Disney+ Hotstar series The Empire came into the picture. The series, which has been raved about and has been garnering positive reviews, gave Dino his big break after almost a decade. In an interview with Hindustan Times, the actor opened up about how he turned down several offers that came his way, and how he continued to hold on through insecurities and had to take up odd, small jobs just to keep going. Instagram/Dino Morea Instagram/Dino Morea After Pyaar Impossible, Dino received a role in Malayalam film Solo, which came later after seven years. He then had a couple of other shows, including Hostages, Tandav and Mentalhood and his latest project, The Empire. He mentioned that during his long absence, he was getting offers that were 'really bad'. He said, "If I did those films or roles, I knew that I would be digging my grave further. Ultimately, the industry is watching those films and they are going to say, What rubbish is he doing! The audience is going to watch those films and they are going to say, Yeh kya kar raha hai (what is he doing), flop actor!," Instagram/Dino Morea He also added, "It was a really tough time because you are getting further away from the industry. People are saying out of sight, out of mind and you, as an actor, are thinking, Will I even get an offer again? A lot of insecurities set in but you just have to be positive, you have to work on yourself and be ready that in the eventuality that an offer comes your way, you can just smash it and do really well." Instagram/Dino Morea He was also tempted to take offers to earn money as he had to run his house and pay his bills. However, it wasn't as easy for his survival as he didn't have a salaried job. Therefore, the actor remained firm and did not take offers for the sake of it. "Those were hard decisions but I knew that if I did this, I am only sinking further. Its like a stock market, your stocks are just getting worse and then no one is going to invest in those stocks if you keep making the quality of your stock bad. Instagram/Dino Morea Dino did 'small jobs' to survive, as he made small appearances here and there and got paid a small amount for marking his presence. The work included cutting ribbons at functions or being a judge in pageants. This helped him keep going, and he was thankful to people who noticed him. Dino also revealed that he lost his money in different businesses, and he did so because he believed the company would take off. He added, "What I earned in my previous years as an actor, I knew I had to invest smart to stay afloat. I was investing in a couple of businesses, some of them did decently well, some of them didnt." Instagram/Dino Morea Dino also said that he would continue to take his time for the next projects and would not compromise his integrity. He said, I have not figured it out yet but whatever I do next, obviously, I want to try and make it the best possible because I have waited nine years for an opportunity like this, so I am in no hurry to go out and prove myself again in the acting space. I just want to do good work," Instagram/Dino Morea He signed off by saying, As an actor, I am looking at various things at the moment, nothing is confirmed. And as a producer, I want to back good content. I had Helmet release last Friday and now, we have got a few more scripts and a few more shows, which I am producing. They say, when it rains, it pours. Its pouring and I am happy." Meridian, MS (39302) Today Rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. High 71F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 68F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Meridian, MS (39302) Today Rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. High 71F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 68F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Click here to log in and see all of our other subscription options for the Mesabi Tribune, including online only & auto-renewal subscriptions. AG Nessel Joins Local Muskegon Expungement Efforts for Veterans AG Nessel Joins Local Muskegon Expungement Efforts for Veterans September 10, 2021 MUSKEGON - Michigan Attorney Dana Nessel helped welcome attendees to the Veteran Resource Deployment event held in Muskegon Friday. The free expo - hosted by VanDyk Mortgage, JCI Greater Muskegon and the Muskegon County Department of Veterans Affairs - is offering wide-ranging resources for veterans and their families. Members of the Department of Attorney General were onsite to provide information regarding the expungement process. "Military servicemembers and their families give to our country each and every day, and it is my privilege to provide service to them through events like today," Nessel said. "My department has seen a significant increase in the number of applications submitted for expungement under the law. I believe our role in reviewing and processing expungement applications is so important because clearing a criminal record can make a real, meaningful difference in the life of an individual." Michigan's new expungement law - known as the Clean Slate law - took effect on April 11, 2021. The law created a specific process to expunge certain offenses that are no longer crimes in the wake of the passage of Proposal 1 in November 2018 that legalized the possession and use of recreational marijuana for adults in Michigan. Qualifying misdemeanor marijuana convictions may be expunged by individuals who complete a required application process. The new expungement law also expands the number of other misdemeanor and felony convictions a person may expunge. An individual convicted of up to three felonies, except life offenses and other serious felonies, and an unlimited number of certain misdemeanors can, with some exceptions, file an application with the convicting court to expunge all his or her convictions. Individuals with more than three felony convictions on their criminal record are not eligible to seek expungements under the new law. The Muskegon event runs until 2 p.m. Friday at the VanDyk Mortgage Convention Center. Information regarding Michigan's Clean Slate law and the expungement process is available via the Department of Attorney General website. ### Lynsey Mukomel agpress@michigan.gov Attorney General I-275 project update: traffic shift, lane closures, new ramp closures, and weekend work Diane Cross, MDOT Office of Communications, 313-375-2454 Transportation COUNTIES: Wayne Monroe COMMUNITIES: Ash Township Canton Township Huron Township Livonia Plymouth Romulus Van Buren Township ROADWAYS: I-275 I-96 M-14 6 Mile Road Newburgh Road Eureka Road South Huron Road OVERALL PROJECT END DATE: 2024 TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS AND UPDATES: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10 - 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12: Northbound I-275 will have intermittent closures between I-94 and M-14 to allow crews to safely move barrels for shifting traffic into the left lanes. Michigan State Police will be assisting with this closure. 7 p.m. - 6 a.m. nightly through mid-September: Patching will be completed on northbound I-275 from Ford Road to M-14 to handle traffic when rebuilding begins in 2022. Through Wednesday, Sept. 15: 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15: The Eureka Road and I-275 ramps will reopen. Wednesday, Sept. 15 - late September: Wednesday, Sept. 15 - late October (after the Eureka Road ramps reopen): Through early October: Eastbound and westbound M-14 will have single-lane closures at Schoolcraft Road. Mid-September - early October: The Metro Trail will be closed under Schoolcraft Road for substructure bridge work over the trail. Now through late fall: Southbound I-275 will have one lane open from Sibley Road to Will Carlton Road. The section from I-94 to Sibley Road will have all lanes open. Mid-September - late fall: 6 Mile Road will be closed over I-275 for bridge improvements through late September with traffic detoured. 5 Mile Road will close over I-275 once 6 Mile Road has reopened. I-275/6 Mile Road detours: Northbound I-275 traffic heading for westbound 6 Mile Road will use northbound I-275 to westbound 7 Mile Road, then southbound I-275 to westbound 6 Mile Road. Southbound I-275 traffic heading for eastbound 6 Mile Road will use southbound I-275 to eastbound Ann Arbor Road, then northbound I-275 to eastbound 6 Mile Road. Eastbound 6 Mile Road will be detoured to northbound Haggerty Road, then eastbound 7 Mile Road to southbound Newburgh Road back to eastbound 6 Mile Road. Westbound 6 Mile Road will be detoured to northbound Newburgh Road, then westbound 7 Mile Road to southbound Haggerty Road back to westbound 6 Mile Road. During this major multi-year project, work will be occurring in multiple areas at different times. Go to www.Revive275.org for more project details and updates. I-275 PROJECT DETAILS: The Michigan Department of Transportation will be repairing and rebuilding 24 miles of I-275 between Will Carlton Road and 6 Mile Road in Wayne County in six phases over four years. The project includes 10 miles of concrete pavement repairs, 14 miles of rebuilding concrete pavement, asphalt resurfacing of four interchanges, rebuilding concrete pavement of parts or all of six interchanges, improving 65 bridges and a retaining wall, drainage improvements, sign replacements, traffic signal modernizations, intelligent transportation system (ITS) improvements, sidewalk improvements that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and tree replacements. Additionally, a segment of the Metro Trail will be rebuilt to replace an adjacent retaining wall. Funding for this project is made possible by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Rebuilding Michigan program to rebuild the state highways and bridges that are critical to the state's economy and carry the most traffic. The investment strategy is aimed at fixes that result in longer useful lives and improves the condition of the state's infrastructure. SAFETY BENEFITS: This project will result in a smoother driving surface, extending the lifespan of the roadway and increasing safety. Drainage will also be improved by this work. The state of Alabama on Thursday asked to dismiss its lawsuit challenging the U.S. Census Bureau's use of a controversial statistical method aimed at keeping peoples data private in the numbers used for redrawing congressional and legislative districts. Alabama and three Alabama politicians had sued the Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau, in an effort to stop the statistical agency from using the method known as differential privacy." They also wanted to force the bureau to release the redistricting numbers earlier than planned. Normally, the data are released at the end of March, but the Census Bureau pushed the deadline to August because of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic. TIRANA, Albania (AP) Albanias new parliament members were formally sworn in and elected a new speaker Friday, in the houses first session after an April 25 election. Serving its third consecutive mandate, the left-wing Socialist Party of Prime Minister Edi Rama has 74 of parliament's 140 seats, while the main opposition center-right Democratic Party has 59. PHOENIX (AP) A police officer in metro Phoenix was charged Thursday with aggravated assault for his actions during an encounter four years ago in which he is accused of shooting a handcuffed man in the testicles with a stun gun. Glendale Officer Matthew Schneider, who has since retired, faces three felony assault charges stemming from the July 2017 encounter in a motel parking lot. Police say Johnny Wheatcroft, who was repeatedly shot with stun guns during the encounter, and his family were passengers in a car that was suspected of a traffic violation. Though Wheatcroft was charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest, the case was later dismissed at the request of prosecutors. The city of Glendale has acknowledged in court records that its officers used stun guns on Wheatcroft, but denied Schneider used a Taser to shoot Wheatcroft in the testicles. Glendale police have said Schneider instead zapped Wheatcroft on the thigh as the officer pulled on Wheatcrofts shorts during a struggle. The charges, first reported by ABC15 (KNXV-TV), dont mention stun guns, but allege that Schneider caused physical injuries to Wheatcroft while he was restrained. Wheatcroft had previously filed a lawsuit alleging excessive force, wrongful arrest and retaliation in violation of the First Amendment. Court records didnt list a lawyer who represents Schneider on the assault charges, and there was no listed phone number for Schneider. In a statement, the Glendale Police Department said Maricopa County prosecutors had previously declined to charge the officers and added that Schneider was disciplined in response to an internal investigation. The assault charges against Schneider were filed by Attorney General Mark Brnovichs office. The city will fully cooperate with any requests made by the Attorney Generals Office, the police department statement said. The Glendale Police Department works tirelessly to maintain the respect of the community they serve. Video footage from the encounter shows officers asking for identification for the passengers in the car. When Wheatcroft asked why officers needed IDs, Schneider raised the possibility of taking Wheatcroft to the police station. The officer also said he saw Wheatcroft stuffing something in a backpack and in the cars seats. With his stun gun placed on Wheatcrofts shoulder, Schneider asked if Wheatcroft was going to fight. Wheatcroft responded no. Later, another officer shot Wheatcraft with a stun gun in the back as officers were trying to get him out of the car. Wheatcrofts wife and two children yelled as they urged officers to stop. While Wheatcroft was sitting on the asphalt and leaning against the car, Schneider shot his stun gun at Wheatcrofts chest, according to the lawsuit. The police department has said the chest shot with the stun gun occurred after the wife assaulted the officer. The lawsuit alleges Schneider later pulled down Wheatcrofts shorts and used his stun gun to shoot Wheatcroft in the testicles. Wheatcroft screamed in agony as officers removed the stun guns prongs from his skin, prompting Schneider to put his stun gun on Wheatcrofts penis, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit quotes Schneider as saying, Keep fighting and youre going to get it again! You want it again? Shut your mouth! Schneider said, using profanity as he told Wheatcroft that he was done messing around. The police department previously said there was no proof that Schneider put a stun gun on Wheatcrofts penis. The lawsuit said Wheatcroft, his wife and their two kids were traumatized by the encounter. An anniversary celebration to honor famed veterinarian Jan Pol is set for this Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Isabella County Fairgrounds in Mount Pleasant. This year marks Pol's 50th year in veterinary medicine. His interested in animals came at a young age at his family's dairy farm in the Netherlands. He graduated from the Utrecht University Veterinary program in 1970 before immigrating to the United States in 1971. In 1981, he and his wife moved to Weidman and founded Pol Veterinary Services out of his garage, according to the Morning Sun. From humble beginnings to fame, Pol has his own show called "The Incredible Dr. Pol." The program shows Pol traveling to different farmlands in central Michigan to care for different pets and animals and can be found on Nat Geo WILD and Disney+. The free anniversary celebration "Dr. Polooza" features a meet and greet with Pol and his wife Diane, and various local vendors, food trucks and displays. At 1:30 p.m., there will be a memorial for 9/11 and a special presentation with Pol. Also, pictures and things collected by Pol will be set up for viewing at the event, according to the Morning Sun. "We try to give back to the local community as much as we can," Diane Pol said in a statement. "The main purpose is to celebrate." According to the event's Facebook page, 563 people are interested in attending and 117 have RSVPed. Address: 500 N. Mission Road, Mount Pleasant, MI 48858. Hours: noon. to 4 p.m. Find Pol's Facebook page here. TULA, Mexico (AP) Two days after flooding claimed at least 14 lives north of Mexico's capital, the streets of Tula remained submerged Thursday as full reservoirs upstream continued releasing more water. Mexican authorities say heavy rains in recent days in central Mexico filled the areas reservoirs to their capacity forcing water releases that only added to woes downstream in places like Tula. Residents who could reach their homes wrapped their feet in plastic bags and dragged ruined furniture, appliances, paintings and other belongings into piles in the street. A dull grey mud coated everything. Its a total loss of everything, all of the furniture, said Marielena Sanchez Pastrana. Obviously, were all healthy, thank God. Late Wednesday, Hidalgo Gov. Omar Fayad and other local authorities had urged people in Tula and other vulnerable areas to move quickly to higher ground because more water was on its way from upstream reservoirs. The governor spent Thursday touring affected communities. In Tula the damage was largely to businesses and homes, while in Tepeji del Rio, Fayad said most of the destruction was in crop losses. The families of the Tula region are not alone, Fayad said via Twitter. We are focusing our efforts on the people in this emergency caused by a natural phenomenon. The appropriate investigations will be carried out to improve protocols and to avoid that this tragedy reoccurs. At least 14 deaths occurred when the Social Security Institute's hospital in Tula flooded early Tuesday, according to hospital officials. Initially, two other deaths were attributed to the hospital, but health officials said those were patients who died shortly before the flooding occurred for other reasons. There were 54 patients in the hospital at the time. The power was knocked out around midnight and at 3 a.m., in a period of about 20 minutes, the water level rose rapidly, shutting down the hospital's emergency generator, Zoe Robledo, head of Mexicos Social Security Institute, said Wednesday. Unfortunately, neither the hospital's directors nor the heads of medical benefits nor the IMSS delegation in Hidalgo were warned unofficially nor formally of the phenomenon and its potential, Robledo said in a video message. Advocacy groups are urging the Biden administration to help provide safe drinking water in Benton Harbor, a low-income, predominantly Black city in southwestern Michigan where tests repeatedly have shown excessive lead levels in the water supply. In a petition filed Thursday with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, about 20 organizations said local and state officials have not responded adequately or quickly enough since the contamination was discovered three years ago. "Its urgent that the EPA intervene to give this community access to water that wont harm our health, especially our childrens health, said the Rev. Edward Pinkney, president of the Benton Harbor Community Water Council. EPA spokesman Tim Carroll said Friday that the agency was carefully considering the issues and concerns raised in the petition. We are closely monitoring lead-related health issues in Benton Harbor, Carroll said, adding that the city was among 10 communities that participated in discussions with the EPA as it reviews changes to federal lead and copper regulations made by the Trump administration. The petition was filed one day after Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called for spending $20 million in Benton Harbor to replace nearly 6,000 service lines most suspected of containing lead within five years. The funding would be part of a proposed $200 million expansion of a $500 million initiative Whitmer announced last year to upgrade water and sewer infrastructure in a state where Flint, another mostly Black city, became a nationwide symbol of lead-tainted water in 2014. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy has been working diligently with Benton Harbor to reduce lead contamination, spokesman Scott Dean said Friday. Free water filters have been available there since 2019, he said. The city installed technology two years ago to reduce pipe corrosion, he said, and the state helped Benton Harbor obtain $5.6 million in EPA funding to improve the corrosion controls. At the state's request, Benton Harbor has doubled the number of homes where water is sampled and is testing them more frequently, Dean said. Pinkney praised Whitmer for seeking the additional funding but said Benton Harbor faces a dire emergency." Repeated measurements in recent years have detected lead levels well above 15 parts per billion, the federal threshold for taking action, according to the petition. It says city and state actions, including the corrosion control measures, have been poorly implemented and ineffective. Too few local residents are aware of the water problems, it says, and information about how to obtain and use the free filters is scarce. The petition asks the EPA for a variety of steps: Emergency notification of Benton Harbor customers not to drink unfiltered water from the municipal system; free alternative drinking water sources, such as bottled water or mobile tanks; and home delivery of filters with instruction on their use. Its a simple matter of law and justice that the people of Benton Harbor deserve safe water, regardless of their race or income," said Nick Leonard, executive director of the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center. The petition argues that Benton Harbor's situation could be worse than that of Clarksburg, West Virginia, where the EPA in July issued an emergency order because of high lead content in the water. We note that Clarksburg has a 92% white population, while Benton Harbor has a population of about 90% people of color, the petition says. The Huron and Tuscola County health departments are "strongly" recommending that school students, staff, administration and faculty wear a mask during classroom instruction and indoors regardless of vaccination status, according to a new public health advisory issued Sept. 9. According to the advisory issued by Huron and Tuscola County Health Officer Ann Hepfer, both Huron and Tuscola counties are currently at a high risk of transmission of COVID-19. In Huron County, new weekly cases are at 116.2 per 100,000 and Tuscola County is at 111 new weekly cases per 100,000. That is above the threshold of 100 cases per 100,000. In Huron County, 55.1% of residents are fully vaccinated. That includes 80.8% of residents 65 and older and only 18.3% of those between 12 and 15. In Tuscola County, 56.2% of residents are fully vaccinated. That includes 75% of those 65 and older and 16.9% of those 12-15. "Evidence has shown the COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing infection, hospitalization and death," the advisory reads. "Although breakthrough infection can occur, incidence of hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 among vaccinated individuals is significantly lower than that of unvaccinated individuals." The advisory is being issued to provide heightened awareness of COVID-19 guidance for residents. "The cooperation of all residents in following best practices and safety precautions are needed to prevent a further surge in our local healthcare systems, to reduce any negative impacts to business, and to protect the health and safety of our citizens," the advisory reads. In addition to the advisory, Huron and Tuscola County Medical Director Mark Hamed also issued a statement noting that the American Board of Family Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics has issued a joint statement on the dissemination of misinformation by board certified physicians about COVID-19. The statement says that providing misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine by physicians may be subject to disciplinary actions, which include possible suspension or revocation of their medical license. "We also want all physicians certified by our boards to know that such unethical or unprofessional conduct may prompt their respective board to take action that could put their certification at risk," the statement reads. "Spreading misinformation or falsehoods to the public during a time of a public health emergency goes against everything our boards and our community of board-certified physicians stand for," the statement says. "The evidence that we have safe, effective and widely available vaccines against COVID-19 is overwhelming. We are particularly concerned about physicians who use their authority to denigrate vaccination at a time when vaccines continue to demonstrate excellent effectiveness against severe illness, hospitalizations and death." Hamed notes that it is impossible to diagnose or rule out COVID-19 without a test. "The symptoms can be similar to seasonal allergies, a cold, bronchitis, a sinus infection, all conditions which a COVID infection can mimic," Hamed said. "Only a test can determine whether it is COVID or not." "If a patient has symptoms that may be consistent with COVID and their physician is refusing to test them, that may possibly deviate from the standard of care expected during this pandemic and may perpetuate further community and school spread," Hamed continued. "Many of the COVID patients we're seeing in emergency departments across the state are patients who were diagnosed with the above conditions and not tested for COVID. Only after repeat office visits or worsening clinical severity did they finally get tested or directed to the emergency department. "By that time, many of them were either out of the window period for treatment with monoclonal antibody therapy, or had developed moderate-severe COVID and required hospitalization. Not to mention unintentionally spreading it to many people during that time." Hamed said people should encourage their healthcare providers to test for COVID, especially during this period of high transmission. Despite the health department's recommendations and advisory, schools in the Upper Thumb have so far not mandated masking. The Tribune spoke to most superintendents over the past couple of weeks, all of whom said students and teachers were welcome to wear masks, but they were not required. The health department issued the following guidelines as part of its advisory: 1. Strongly recommend that all school students, staff, administration and faculty regardless of vaccination status wear a mask while attending in classroom instruction and indoors extracurricular activities. 2. If your child has been identified as a close contact please follow your schools instructions for quarantine. This is the only way that we can begin to control the spread of infection and keep our children safe. 3. Get vaccinated as soon as possible. The local health departments offer vaccinations, and anyone can schedule an appointment. *Minors must have parental consent for vaccination. To schedule an appointment, visit www.tchd.us for Tuscola County or for Huron County visit www.hchd.us or call in Tuscola at 989-673-8114 or Huron at 989-269-9721 4. Wear a mask or face covering. Consistently wear a mask or face covering when you are in public indoor settings or in crowded outdoor areas where you cannot maintain physical distancing, regardless of vaccination status. 5. If you are sick, stay at home. Do not leave your residence and do not go to work, do not attend school. 6. If you have symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, seek testing as soon as possible. Isolate at home until your test results come back. If necessary, contact your healthcare provider or local health department for assistance. 7. If you test positive for COVID-19, immediately isolate yourself and notify your close contacts to quarantine. Do not wait for instruction from the Health Department as there may be delays due to rapidly rising cases. If you test positive for COVID-19 please call the health departments for further instructions. 8. Quarantine. If you are a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19, self-quarantine for 10 days from your last contact with them. Continue to monitor for symptoms for the full 14 days after exposure. See: If You Are Exposed to COVID-19 at www.tchd.us or www.hchd.us. a. If you are fully vaccinated you do not need to quarantine, unless you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Advised to seek testing at day 3-5 after exposure. 9. Adhere to safety precautions. All residents and visitors should follow precautions while in business establishments including wearing face coverings, social distancing, and capacity limits posted at business entrances. All residents and businesses are urged to follow all these safety precautions. Failure to do so will result in the continued spread of COVID-19 and cause prolonged harm to people, local hospitals, and businesses. NEW YORK (AP) Karen Tei Yamashita, this year's recipient of a National Book Award for literary achievement, is in some ways a departure from previous winners. The National Book Foundation announced Friday that Yamashita has been awarded its medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, a prize with a $10,000 cash award. Previous winners include Toni Morrison, Robert Caro and Walter Mosley. Yamashita will be honored during the annual National Book Award ceremony, which the foundation plans to hold as an in-person event in Manhattan on Nov. 17. Last year's awards were handed out virtually because of the pandemic. The 70-year-old Yamashita is an author and playwright who in such fiction (and meta-fiction) as I Hotel and Tropic of Orange employs multiple perspectives and narrative styles. She is little known to the general public when compared to Morrison, Caro and other medal winners, but she is deeply admired by those who read her work. The foundation praised her work as expansive and innovative" and "genre-defying. Yamashita and Maxine Hong Kingston are the only Asian Americans to receive the award in its 34-year history. Rare among DCAL winners, Yamashita does not publish through one of the New York houses, but with the Minneapolis-based nonprofit Coffee House Press. "Lifetime achievement awards have been given to writers who have had great acclaim and success, but they can also celebrate people who have done important work and have not had the same level of recognition," the foundation's executive director, Ruth Dickey, told The Associated Press. She (Yamashita) writes in such gorgeous and complicated ways about culture and racism and the fragility and strength of community. During a recent telephone interview, Yamashita called her books recuperations of history, and of people who are perhaps invisible or whose stories are not told. Her characters range from a Japanese community in a Brazilian rainforest to a Japanese-American dentist in Los Angeles and the Asian American activists who resided at the International Hotel in San Francisco in the 1960s and 1970s. A professor emerita at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Yamashita is a native of Oakland who moved with her family to Los Angeles when she was an infant. She grew up in what she would call in a 2020 essay for Guernica a series of bubbles, a protective community space of Japanese Americans who didnt have to explain to each other who they were or how they got there. Didnt have to explain the war, that theyd been imprisoned in camps, exiled non-alien citizens, had returned to the West Coast to try to resume their American lives." She attended Carleton College in Minnesota, studying English and Japanese contemporary literature and developing an interest in anthology that led to a life-changing fellowship in Brazil. She would remain there for nine years, absorbing the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Mario Vargas Llosa and other South American writers, meeting her future husband Ronaldo Lopes de Oliveira and gathering material for what became the novel Brazil-Maru. "While researching in Brazil, I became fascinated with two Japanese communal projects founded in the 1920s in the backlands of Sao Paulo," she told the AP. I felt my language skills in Japanese were insufficient for academic-anthropological work, so I turned the project into research for what I thought was an historical novel. I suppose my writing begins there. Yamashita's books blend fiction and nonfiction, the printed word and illustrations, and narrative forms ranging from manifestos to shooting scripts. She can weave decades of history through a single residence, like in I Hotel, a finalist for the National Book Award in 2010, or even through an isolated event. In her short story Colono:scopy," a patient undergoing a common medical procedure has visions of Walter Cronkite, Godzilla, the mushroom clouds of World War II and the building of the Transcontinental Railroad in the 19th century. Yamashita opens up her narratives as widely as she can but is careful about what she reveals. She long resisted writing about her relatives, remembering when her mother personally intervened to keep a magazine from publishing an essay about the family. For I Hotel, she interviewed former residents of the International Hotel and allowed some to review her manuscript before it was published. I brought them over to the house and we had a barbecue and we fed them. And I said, 'OK, here are the parts in which your stories were used, and I'd like you to take a look and I will delete anything you don't want in there,'" she explained. So when we get to dessert, this man gets up and walks around the table, then walks around the table in the other direction, and he goes off to the bathroom. And my friend said, You got him. You got him good. And then he came back and said, Mrs. Lee, let me tell you about Mrs. Lee. I had made this character up entirely, but he said You need to know a few more stories about Mrs. Lee." FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Kentucky lawmakers, many not wearing masks, voted Thursday to scrap a statewide mask mandate in public schools and shifted masking decisions to local school boards, acting in a special session as the state's worst COVID-19 surge threatens to overwhelm hospitals. The GOP-dominated legislature set education policies in response to disruptions caused by the virus, which has forced dozens of school districts to close classrooms. The masking provisions sparked emotional debate on the third and final day of the special session called by the Democratic governor to address the pandemic. Gov. Andy Beshear responded late Thursday night by vetoing portions of the bill nullifying mask mandates for K-12 public schools and child-care centers. Republican lawmakers quickly overrode his vetoes, completing their work to end statewide mask mandates. Lawmakers ended the special session soon after that. Beshear's veto message referred to masks as a safe and effective way to combat the spread of COVID-19. The governor previously issued statewide mask mandates and recently said he thought another mask order was needed to confront the current surge. The special session marked a power shift in the states response to the virus. Throughout the pandemic, Beshear acted unilaterally in setting statewide virus policies, saying his actions saved lives. Republicans branded his actions as overly broad and stringent. The special session comes as Kentucky's hospitals struggle with a record influx of virus cases. Beshear warned Thursday that only 90 adult intensive care beds were available statewide. He noted nearly two-thirds of Kentucky's hospitals face critical staffing shortages, and more than 300 Kentucky National Guard members will be headed to 21 hospitals to assist health care workers. Our hospital situation has never been more dire in my lifetime than it is right now, Beshear said. Working late into the night, Republican lawmakers asserted their newfound dominance in shaping Kentucky's pandemic policies the result of a state Supreme Court ruling last month. The court cleared the way for laws to take effect limiting the governors emergency powers to impose virus restrictions. The governor responded by calling the legislature into session. The school-related bill nullified the state school boards requirement that anyone in public K-12 schools wear a mask. It also ended a separate state mask mandate for child-care centers. Another bill winning final passage Thursday night imposed a prolonged ban on any statewide mask mandate, leaving masking decisions up to local governments and businesses. It was part of a broad measure addressing medical staffing, vaccines, tests and treatments related to COVID-19. Beshear also vetoed mask provisions in that bill. Republican lawmakers swiftly overrode that veto as well. The legislature also passed a measure to appropriate more than $69 million in federal funds for pandemic-related efforts. The funds are aimed at increasing COVID-19 testing for health care providers, schools, health departments and correctional facilities. The governor signed that measure into law, his office said. During debate on the schools bill, supporters said mask decisions are best left to local boards, to reflect the will of their communities. This bill will give local control back to the districts not mandating they do, not mandating they don't," said Republican Sen. Max Wise, the bill's sponsor. "They make the decision of what they think is best for their constituents in their communities. Opponents warned that lifting the mask mandate would put children and school staffs at greater risk of contracting COVID-19. By putting the burden on school boards to decide mask policies, Democratic Sen. Karen Berg said the legislature was abdicating its responsibility. I think you are asking for fights in school board meetings, where parents are going to be intimidated, where school board members are going to be intimidated, Berg said. Sen. Morgan McGarvey, the chamber's top-ranking Democrat, said removing blanket masking protections comes when the delta variant is infecting more young Kentuckians. More than 300,000 Kentucky students aren't old enough to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, he said. This bill ... is really a life-and-death bill, Democratic Sen. Reggie Thomas said. If we eliminate mask mandates, then we are putting all children and all school personnel at severe risk. In the House, Democratic Rep. Pamela Stevenson warned the virus is so pervasive that the lack of masking requirements in schools would mean that children are going "into the lion's den. Republican Rep. John Blanton countered that the bill removes a one-size-fits-all approach. We are not taking masks away from your children today, he said. Masks are still part of the tools that's provided for each and every school district across this state. Beshear had asked legislators to give him authority to, at a minimum, require masking when COVID-19 infection rates reach high levels. The school measure gives districts more scheduling flexibility to cope with virus outbreaks. It allows local school leaders to limit remote instruction to a particular school, grade or classroom depending on the extent of the outbreak instead of closing the entire district. The overriding goal is to keep children in class when possible, Wise said. NEW YORK (AP) Where the party girls at? On Thursday night, some were on top of the Empire State Building walking LaQuan Smith's New York Fashion Week runway in slinky blue and white sequin minis, barely there one pieces and shiny body hugging pants. In his first see now, buy now show, the designer hosted about 200 guests on the landmark's famous Observation Deck with sweeping cityscape views as the wind tried to make away with one of his model's huge black hats. This building is a true representation of New York City dreams, Smith told The Associated Press before his evening show. Me being a New York native, I have vivid memories of coming here as a kid. It's a full circle moment. And he meant that literally, sending his models all around the deck to an explicit soundtrack that screamed it's time to party. Im really excited to reinforce what it means to be unapologetically sexy. Im ready to start getting people out there again, Smith said. Kylie Jenner was out there. She showed up in her first public appearance since revealing her pregnancy with baby No. 2 in a custom Smith catsuit that put her growing belly on display under lace from neck to ankle. On the runway, his models including standout Winnie Harlow were dressed to let loose. Two walked in bright white with large matching poodles. Others carried mini Champagne bottles. One slightly cold-looking model showed off a bedazzled blue bikini. Smith allowed her a white open robe. Before making their way to the top, the designer hosted a cocktail party in the landmark's lobby. At 33, Smith has been building his sultry, luxe brand after launching in 2013, drawing some major celebrity fans who include Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Rihanna. Hailey Bieber (accompanied by hubby Justin) wore Smith's wool halter dress while meeting French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, in June. His heart remains in New York City, where fashion is everywhere and everything. It's in the subway, its in the streets, its in the bars, the nightlife, Smith said. New York in itself is a fashion moment. It's a fashion movie, from the high end to the low tier. For this collection, fashion came in electric blues, sequined whites and fishnet stockings worn with itty bitty bottoms and tiny tops. Necklines plunged. Cutaways were strategically placed at the hip and belly, and feathery jackets blew in the breeze. Smith carried an edgy black-and-white print into a grouping of looks that included a slit skirt below the knee with a matching bra top. He put a hood on a slinky sequined long-sleeve mini that exposed a matching bra. Other models seemed ready for bed, or at least ready to hit the sack. One wore a ruffly, lacy lingerie look in a soft blue. On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Smith shared that his mother had worked for an insurance company at the World Trade Center. She was on maternity leave after his younger brother was born when the towers fell. It was just a devastating time, he said. But I think we have to continue to find reasons to celebrate and honor the ones that we've lost. ___ Follow Leanne Italie on Twitter at http://twitter.com/litalie DALLAS (AP) President Joe Biden and his team are promoting an agreement reached with the U.S. airline industry to cut aircraft greenhouse-gas emissions 20% by decade's end, but the deal might not fly. In an announcement Thursday, the White House unveiled an array of measures to reduce climate-changing emissions. The administration is also setting a goal of replacing all of today's kerosene-based jet fuel with cleaner or sustainable fuel by 2050. Climate experts say that while the effort is laudable, the administration's approach is aspirational and unrealistic. The targets are voluntary, and robust government support will be needed to offset the higher cost of sustainable fuel up to three times more than regular fuel. Airlines in fact have talked up sustainable jet fuel for years and even made small investments in it, but it may prove to be a vision beyond Biden's promised reach. Airline executives have expressed concern in particular that flight shaming famously advocated by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg could catch on in the U.S. if the companies are seen as uncaring about the environment. WHITE HOUSE, touting Biden's steps to involve the government, aircraft makers, airlines and fuel suppliers to boost the use of cleaner fuels: The measures will result in the production and use of billions of gallons of sustainable fuel that will enable aviation emissions to drop 20% by 2030 when compared to business as usual. THE FACTS: That's a giant step that will be highly difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. Only 2.4 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, were produced in the United States in 2019, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In contrast, airlines burned 21.5 billion gallons of regular fuel that year. That means just over 0.01% of the nations supply currently comes from sustainable fuel. The airline industry says bridging the gap will require bold steps including grants and tax credits for producers, government support for research, and more. Biden is seeking a SAF tax credit as part of a $3.5 trillion spending bill being pushed in Congress by Democrats, but its outcome remains uncertain. Even with that money, it's not clear all those things would be enough to meet the administration's ambitious goals, according to aviation experts. Aspirational goals like this dont move markets, says Dan Rutherford, who oversees aviation research at the International Council on Clean Transportation, an environmental group based in Washington. Without a government mandate or very strong incentives, Rutherford says, I doubt that much SAF will be generated. He notes that the International Air Transport Association, a global trade group for airlines, had a voluntary goal of 10% sustainable fuel by 2017 and the federal government had a target of 1 billion gallons per year by 2018, and neither came anywhere close. Liz Jones, a climate-law attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, says the administration plan largely relies on biofuels aspirations that simply arent based on reality. Airlines have been announcing promises to become carbon neutral around the middle of the century, and some have invested in sustainable fuel as they defend against criticism over aviations role in climate change. Airplanes produce only around 3% of the worlds heat-trapping emissions, but their share is growing rapidly. Jones says, however, that nothing in the administration's plan would force airlines to live up to their promises. And even the best-case scenario doesnt cut climate pollution fast enough, she says. "The Biden EPA needs to set strong airplane emissions standards now, not get mired in the myth of sustainable airline fuels. The White House and airline trade groups are counting on tax credits to produce three billion gallons a year by 2030. Airline trade groups are pushing Congress to enact a tax credit of $1.50 to $2 per gallon, depending on how much the fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions when burned. Airlines for America, a trade group for the biggest U.S. airlines, had previously set a goal of producing 2 billion gallons of sustainable fuel in 2030. This week, the group agreed to back the White House goals. The airline group's president, Nicholas Calio, said the airlines are proud of our record on climate change, but we know the climate change challenge has only continued to intensify, and so it raised its goal for sustainable fuel. Airlines are also placing orders and making investments in startups that are designing aircraft powered by electricity or hydrogen. Some of the manufacturers aim to have small electric planes of up to 19 seats in service by the end of the decade. We want to operate aircraft that are very good for the environment in the long run," Andrew Nocella, the chief commercial officer of United Airlines, said this week. How they come to be and when they come to be is still a little bit TBD (to be determined)." ___ Associated Press writer Hope Yen contributed to this report. ___ EDITOR'S NOTE A look at the veracity of claims by political figures. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apnews.com/APFactCheck Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck WASHINGTON (AP) The Transportation Department is detailing efforts it says it is making to help airline customers who were wrongfully denied refunds after flights were canceled or changed during the pandemic. The department says in a new report that it investigated 20 airlines over failures to issue prompt refunds to customers, and 18 of those probes are still going. The department disclosed that an examination into United Airlines was dropped in January after the airline took steps resulting in thousands of customers getting refunds. In June, the department announced that it was seeking a $25.5 million fine against Air Canada, saying the airline improperly delayed refunds for more than 5,000 passengers by up to 13 months. The airline is fighting the penalty. The Transportation Department did not identify the other 18 airlines still under investigation in Thursday's report to the White House, but a footnote identified 10 U.S. carriers and 15 foreign ones a who's who of the industry that it contacted about the matter last year. Air Canada is far from being the only carrier that violated DOT refund rules," Bill McGee, an aviation expert at Consumer Reports, said Friday. McGee said both Consumer Reports and the Transportation Department received tremendously high numbers of complaints against United and Frontier Airlines. The department says it received about 30,000 complaints over airline refunds. The agency says at least nine airlines changed their policies to clarify that passengers are entitled to refunds, not just travel vouchers, when the airline cancels their flight or significantly changes the flight's schedule. Consumer groups and lawmakers have been raising the issue of refunds that were slow or never came since March 2020, when U.S. air travel nosedived and airlines canceled thousands of flights on short notice. Elaine Chao, who was Transportation secretary under President Donald Trump, issued a reminder to airlines of their obligation to offer refunds when they and not the customer cancel a trip, but refrained from stronger action against airlines. On Friday, consumer groups praised current Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for expanding the agency's staff for handling complaints and proposing to expand refunds to times when government lockdowns cause flight cancellations. But they said more needs to be done to help consumers who are still waiting for refunds from 2020 and those who received travel vouchers that will expire. For those looking to flex their creative abilities, there are a number of art studios in the state that offer classes, take-home kits and sip and paint parties. And as the weather changes and the days grow colder, artists can cozy up and paint their own pottery or weave their own blankets. Make your own soaps, candles, plates, bowls, mugs and more with these six art studios in Connecticut. Bradley Mountain Farm Southington Bradley Mountain Farm is known for its various goat related activities. The farm hosts goat yoga, goat cuddle sessions, goat strolls, goat hikes and more. However, the farm also offers its own soap-making class featuring, of course, goat milk. Workshop participants will take home three pounds of soap and will receive a bag of goat food to feed the goats who provided the milk. Bradley also offers take-home kits. Classes are $100 for a two-person session. Children 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 537 Shuttle Meadow Road, Southington; 860-385-4628; bradleymountainfarm.com Soap Bradley Mountain Farm Southington Bradley Mountain Farm at the 33rd Annual Connecticut Wedding & Bridal Expo 2018, January 27th and 28th. The event was held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Alyson Bowman / Hearst Connecticut Media Bradley Mountain Farm is known for its various goat related activities. The farm hosts goat yoga, goat cuddle sessions, goat strolls, goat hikes and more. However, the farm also offers its own soap-making class featuring, of course, goat milk. Workshop participants will take home three pounds of soap and will receive a bag of goat food to feed the goats who provided the milk. Bradley also offers take-home kits. Classes are $100 for a two-person session. Children 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 537 Shuttle Meadow Road, Southington; 860-385-4628; bradleymountainfarm.com The Pottery Factory Brookfield The Pottery Factory in Brookfield offers a lot more than just pottery. For those looking to pursue all kinds of art, the Pottery Factory has classes for candle making, glass fusing, paint your own pottery and canvas painting. The shop also offers take-home kits and classes. Participants can order their own supplies and follow along to the Factorys paid YouTube tutorials or purchase take-home kits to create their own chunky blankets, seascape resin and pottery. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday; 265 Federal Road, Brookfield; 203-885-0100; thepotteryfactory.com Pottery and more The Pottery Factory Brookfield Camille Egan, 9, of Brookfield, works on a painting during a canvas class at The Pottery Factory, in Brookfield, Conn, onThursday, September 25, 2014. H John Voorhees III The Pottery Factory in Brookfield offers a lot more than just pottery. For those looking to pursue all kinds of art, the Pottery Factory has classes for candle making, glass fusing, paint your own pottery and canvas painting. The shop also offers take-home kits and classes. Participants can order their own supplies and follow along to the Factorys paid YouTube tutorials or purchase take-home kits to create their own chunky blankets, seascape resin and pottery. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday; 265 Federal Road, Brookfield; 203-885-0100; thepotteryfactory.com Olive My Home Candle Bar Redding Olive My Skin in Redding sells soaps, skin care and candles made from olive oil, but it also allows shoppers to make their own candles on Thursdays. For $40, attendees can enjoy a drink and make their own candles with a selection of scents and colors. Attendees also receive 20% off all products in the Olive My Skin store. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday; 8 Main St., Redding; 203-587-1176; olivemyskin.com Candles Olive My Home Candle Bar Redding View this post on Instagram A post shared by Olive My Skin (@olivemyskin) Olive My Skin in Redding sells soaps, skin care and candles made from olive oil, but it also allows shoppers to make their own candles on Thursdays. For $40, attendees can enjoy a drink and make their own candles with a selection of scents and colors. Attendees also receive 20% off all products in the Olive My Skin store. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday; 8 Main St., Redding; 203-587-1176; olivemyskin.com The Pottery Piazza Plainville In Plainville, The Pottery Piazza offers the opportunity to shape and paint your own pottery and create unique mosaics. The shop also hosts parties for adults and children in store and online and sells take-home kits. These kits include string art, mosaics, ornaments, tie-dye and stoneware. Kits range from $20-$113. Noon-7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, noon-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; 17 Farmington Ave., Plainville; 860-517-8553; thepotterypiazza.net Pottery and more The Pottery Piazza Plainville View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Pottery Piazza (@thepotterypiazza) In Plainville, The Pottery Piazza offers the opportunity to shape and paint your own pottery and create unique mosaics. The shop also hosts parties for adults and children in store and online and sells take-home kits. These kits include string art, mosaics, ornaments, tie-dye and stoneware. Kits range from $20-$113. Noon-7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, noon-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; 17 Farmington Ave., Plainville; 860-517-8553; thepotterypiazza.net The Claypen West Hartford As fall approaches, The Claypen in West Hartford offers many make-your-own crafts, including custom clay jack-o-lanterns. In the summer, the studio hosts camps for kids. Year-round it facilitates walk-in pottery making and painting and workshops for adults and kids. Noon-6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; 997 Farmington Ave., West Hartford; 860-233-3322; theclaypen.com Pottery and more The Claypen West Hartford View this post on Instagram A post shared by the claypen (@theclaypen) As fall approaches, The Claypen in West Hartford offers many make-your-own crafts, including custom clay jack-o-lanterns. In the summer, the studio hosts camps for kids. Year-round it facilitates walk-in pottery making and painting and workshops for adults and kids. Noon-6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; 997 Farmington Ave., West Hartford; 860-233-3322; theclaypen.com The Clay Date New Haven The Clay Date is another all-in-one kind of studio where guests can pursue a number of creative activities on a walk-in and appointment basis, such as candle making, glass fusion, pottery painting, T-shirt design and mosaic. The studio also sells take-home pottery painting kits with items such as plates, bowls, figurines, mugs and piggy banks. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 146 Amity Road, New Haven; 203-387-2521; theclaydate.com Venice, FL (34285) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies early then periods of showers late. Low near 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. A generation ago, the smoldering wreckage and public anger over the 9/11 attacks drove young Americans into military recruiting stations in the days and months after the worst attack since Pearl Harbor. "After 9/11, so many people were walk-ins," said Col. James Welch, commander of the Army's 2nd Recruiting Brigade. But two decades later, many new recruits have no memory of the attacks, and the Afghanistan withdrawal and winding down of operations in Iraq leave limited combat opportunities. Those signing up today are more interested in benefits and economic security than taking it to terrorists overseas, according to recruiters. The military has largely shifted back to pre-9/11 recruiting pitches of service as a career that can teach technical skills and provide GI Bill benefits as the legacy of the attacks fades among young troops and loses its power as a recruiting tool. "As we reflect on 20 years of combat, it's hard to realize we have soldiers coming in that weren't even alive on that day [of the attacks in 2001]," Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston said in an interview. "I even ask young soldiers sometimes why we were in Afghanistan, and sometimes they can't clearly articulate it." Read Next: Slowing Housing, Food Allowance Raises Could Save the Pentagon Billions, Congressional Report Says Recruiters interviewed by Military.com said benefits are the bottom line for most enlistees these days, and research backs that up. Several studies, including a 2018 survey from Rand Corp. on junior enlisted, found economic factors, including job security, pay and benefits, are the leading reasons people join the military. "It's back to where we were at pre-9/11 where people want to serve for experience, training and college tuition," Welch said. On paper, the 9/11 attacks didn't appear to cause a spike in recruiting that same year. Five thousand more recruits actually signed up with the Army a year earlier. The number increased 3,749 to 79,604 in 2002, but enlistments rose above 80,000 in 2006 and 2007 as the Iraq War escalated and the Bush administration surged forces. In 2018, the Army missed its recruiting goal for the first time in more than a decade and blamed a war-weary public. That largely marked a transition to the career-focused recruiting style that had been common in the '90s. The allure of combat with special operations forces is still a draw. But for the generation after 9/11, the military is seen as an avenue to guaranteed health care and cheap college, along with other benefits such as generous home loan opportunities, straight out of high school. Those benefits have always been a big draw for recruiting, especially during times of relative peace. A Rand study in 2001 had the same findings as the one in 2018 -- in that today's recruits share more with generations that came before the 2001 attacks. "We wanted to serve at the time, but it wasn't about being forward deployed [to a combat zone]," said Grinston, who enlisted in 1987. Combat "wasn't something that you were aware of, it wasn't something real." Smarter with Better Gear The new crop of recruits from Generation Z is different in another way from the post-9/11 generation. They grew up with the internet, are the most educated and the most ethnically diverse and largest generation in American history. The military has publicly lamented that an estimated 70% of Americans are ineligible for service, mostly due to obesity, criminal records or lack of a high school education. But those who are eligible may be of a higher caliber. "When I showed up to 3rd Group, there were still some Vietnam guys running around; they were as hard as you could be. They were legends," Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Woods, who has been in the Army since 1993 and serves in the 3rd Special Forces Group, told Military.com. "But we were smarter, and our gear made us better." Newcomers to the special forces community are also smarter and more physically fit than his generation, Woods said. Instead of a single or handful of computers issued to a unit, everyone in an office has two. Night-vision optics are now obligatory on any packing list, but back when Woods joined, he said there weren't enough to go around. Woods said the days of relying solely on running and ruck marches for physical fitness are long gone. Now, it's holistic health, including nutrition, smarter workouts that incorporate CrossFit-style exercises, traditional weightlifting, stretching, yoga and physical therapy. "It's just way ahead of what we had, and now when people get hurt, they go through rehab, they last longer," he said. -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. Related: What Schools Teach About 9/11 and the War on Terror Weather Alert THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. A MISSING ENDANGERED PERSON ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE MISSOULA POLICE DEPARTMENT. SOPHIE ELHAJJ, A 14 YEAR OLD WHITE FEMALE, HAS GONE MISSING. SOPHIE IS 5 FEET 4 INCHES TALL, 115 POUNDS, WITH BLUE EYES AND BLONDE HAIR. SHE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING A NAVY HOODIE, JEANS, AND CARRYING A BLACK BACKPACK. SOPHIE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN OR HEARD FROM SINCE 8:30 ON TUESDAY MORNING IN THE MISSOULA AREA. BASED ON NEW INFORMATION, THERE IS CONCERN THAT SHE MAY TRY TO HARM HERSELF. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON SOPHIE, PLEASE CONTACT MISSOULA POLICE DEPARTMENT AT 4 0 6, 5 5 2, 6 3 0 0, OR DIAL 911. SUPPORT THIS INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM The article youre about to read is from our reporters doing their important work investigating, researching, and writing their stories. We want to provide informative and inspirational stories that connect you to the people, issues and opportunities within our community. Journalism takes a lot of resources. Today, our business model has been interrupted by the pandemic; the vast majority of our advertisers businesses have been impacted. Thats why the Weekly is now turning to you for financial support. Learn more about our new Insiders program here. Thank you. JOIN NOW Lansdale, PA (19446) Today Sunshine and a few afternoon clouds. High 87F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low around 65F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Today's Headlines Would you like to receive our daily news? Sign up today! Breaking news Sign up for breaking news alerts from morning-times.com!!! Week in Sports Get a weekly local sports round-up from www.morning-times.com every Saturday morning!!! Moultrie, GA (31768) Today Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 82F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Showers this evening then scattered thunderstorms developing overnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Commodity prices continue to seesaw between the continued production shut-ins resulting from Hurricane Ida in the Gulf of Mexico and the continued impact of the pandemic, now being fueled largely by the delta variant of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The market is now laser focused on the supply situation in the U.S., Andrew Lebow, senior partner at Commodity Research Group, told Bloomberg. The losses from the extended outage in the Gulf are being felt more. West Texas Intermediate on the New York Mercantile Exchange evenly split gains and losses during the four trading days of this week shortened by the Labor Day holiday. Prices began the trading week with a 94-cent loss but ended the week rising $1.58 or 2.3 percent to close at $69.72 per barrel, up from $68.35 at Tuesdays close. The posted price closed at $66.20 a barrel, according to Plains All American. Continued outages in the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Ida sent natural gas prices soaring on the NYMEX, with prices at the Henry Hub crossing the $5 per Mcf barrier Thursday. Prices rose two of four trading days, following a 14 cent drop Tuesday with a 35-cent jump Wednesday and another 12-cent jump Thursday before giving back 9 cents Friday. Prices closed the week at $4.94 per Mcf. There is always something interesting happening, Economist Ray Perryman commented to the Reporter-Telegram by email. I expect oil prices to stay in the current range for a while high $60s to low $70s per barrel. The current drama of the day is that China is selling some of its stockpile. That could put downward pressure on the price, although markets principally served by WTI are unlikely to be much affected. The biggest downside risk is that the pandemic reaches a level where shutdowns, restrictions, and travel limitations once again reduce global demand. In its September Short-Term Energy Outlook, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said it expects that natural gas prices will remain higher in the coming months following Hurricane Ida. The agency forecast fourth-quarter Henry Hub spot prices to average $4 per million British thermal units (MMBtu), a 16 percent increase from its August forecast. EIA also revised its 2022 forecast of the average U.S. natural gas price to $3.47/MMBtu, a 13 percent increase over its previous forecast. U.S. natural gas prices ended August at $4.33/MMBtu, bringing the monthly average to $4.07/MMBtu, a 77 percent increase over August 2020, EIA said. For his part, Perryman commented, The natural gas prices are likely to not be sustainable at around $5 per Mcf over the next few months. I would expect to see some reductions, though not to the very low levels we have seen in recent years. The current drama there is that we are still dealing with some of the aftermath of Hurricane Ida on the supply side, which will correct itself soon. The other issue is that Russia is playing games with Europe, where supply is more tenuous, and threatening its recovery. In years gone by, that wouldnt have mattered much, as gas was mostly a domestic market, wrote. He noted that is changing to some extent with liquefied natural gas exports and global integration, but he added that still has only a minimal effect. The bottom line is that, as I look out over the next few months, there is just likely to be too much supply to support a sustained $5 price. And as with oil, the potential for COVID disruptions is a potential concern, Perryman wrote. Kirk Edwards, president and chief executive officer of Latigo Petroleum, attributed the current levels of commodity prices to the actions of the Biden Administration. On oil prices and especially natural gas prices, we are seeing what the consequences of the new Biden administration have been. Clearly, with no national energy policy that concentrates on our domestically produced oil and gas, we are going to have higher prices, he told the Reporter-Telegram by email. Drilling activity began recovering from the effects of Hurricane Ida, with four offshore rigs returning to work after the previous weeks 13-rig decline. Combined with the addition of two land rigs, the US rig count rose by six this week. That puts 503 rigs at work nationally, according to oilfield services firm Baker Hughes and data analytics firm Enverus. A year ago, there were 254 rigs at work, 249 less than this week. There were 401 rigs drilling for crude oil, up seven for the week and 221 more than the 180 drilling for oil last year. The number of rigs seeking natural gas fell by one to 101, 30 more than the 71 drilling for gas last September. Texas added three rigs for 235 at work statewide, 130 more than the 105 reported last year. New Mexicos rig count of 82 was unchanged for the week. Louisiana (up four) and Utah (up one) joined Texas as producing states with higher rig counts while Pennsylvania was the only producing state to report a decline, down two rigs. The Permian Basin rig count rose by four to 254, 130 more than the 124 at work in the basin a year earlier. Lea County, New Mexico, remains the most active in the Permian with 50 rigs, unchanged for the week. Eddy County, New Mexico, follows with 30 rigs, also unchanged for the week. Midland County added a rig for 28 rigs drilling within county lines, followed by Martin County with 25, down one. Reeves County fell two rigs to 21 while Howard and Loving counties each reported 16 rigs for a second week. Ector County saw its rig count double to four for the week. Crockett County saw renewed activity with one rig going to work this week. Enverus Rig Analytics reported its US rig count rose 13 to 607 as of Sept. 8. The count is up 3 percent in the last month and 60 percent year-to-date. The largest week-over-week changes occurred in the Anadarko Basin, adding five to reach 53, and the Gulf Coast, rising by four to 71. While the total U.S. active rig count is 116 percent higher than it was a year ago, rig numbers are still 33 percent below this time in pre-pandemic 2019. By major play, Enverus reports, the Anadarko Basin is down 29 percent from two years ago, and Appalachia is down 25 percent. The DJ Basin, which has also seen an increase in required well setbacks and a more rigorous permitting process, is down 52 percent. The Gulf Coast is still down 28 percent, and the Permian is down 38 percent. The Bakken, having endured an ongoing Dakota Access Pipeline saga that at points put into question whether the lines takeaway might be shut in, is off 51 percent. Ector County ISD Superintendent Scott Muri on Wednesday discussed the possibility of closing campuses as the latest COVID-19 surge continues to impact the community. If ECISD were to follow in the footsteps of other districts that have canceled in-person classes, it would likely be on an individual school basis rather than the entire district, Muri said during a press conference. We do not anticipate at this time a full-district closure, he said. It would be more of an isolated incident, and our numbers at several of our schools are getting higher, really beyond a level of which were comfortable. ECISD is averaging between 60 to 80 positive cases a day district-wide, according to Muri. However, he said there are a variety of factors beyond overall case numbers that could lead to a school closure. In some cases, it's the number of staff members that are absent from a school, which may indicate that we can't safely open, he said. We simply would not have enough adults to operate school safely, and that would be a district decision. Muri said they are continuing to monitor COVID-19 cases at individual schools and seek advice from medical professionals on if an outbreak might necessitate a school closure. Theres also a possibility that an outbreak may mean part of a school needs to be closed but not an entire school, he said. Earlier this month, the Texas Legislature approved a bill that expands virtual learning until 2023. Previously, all districts were required to resume in-person learning with no option for online classes. Muri said they are currently trying to incorporate a virtual learning program but facing a staffing challenge. Under the new law, teachers are not able to teach classes in-person and online, meaning ECISD will need to find staff solely for the online program, Muri said. He said there is no timeline yet on when virtual learning might be available. The ECISD board of trustees approved a resolution last month that would require all students and teachers to wear masks. The resolution will not go into effect until the Texas Supreme Court makes a decision on if mask mandates in school will be allowed. We do not feel that we have the legal authority to [put a mask mandate in place], so we are anxiously awaiting a decision that will give us that authority, Muri said. Currently, ECISD is not planning to cancel sporting events. Muri said they have limited attendance to indoor events. VAROSHA, Cyprus (AP) The freshly paved street with its new bicycle lane markings meanders through the heart of abandoned Varosha, in ethnically split Cyprus' breakaway north, to a crumbling cinema in front of Savvas Constantinides family home. Yet a rope line prevents the Greek Cypriot cardiologist from walking down a shrub-festooned side street to see the home he fled as a 6-year-old refugee in 1974, while Turkish troops approached the Famagusta suburb. Like any tourist or sightseer, Varoshas Greek Cypriot former residents must look from behind ropes at empty houses and schools, gutted hotels and looted stores. They cant enter their lost homes. Thats the rule Turkish Cypriot authorities imposed last October, when they partly opened Varosha Maras in Turkish to visitors amid much fanfare, after keeping it uninhabited and sealed off by Turkish troops for nearly half a century. They cite public safety, as many buildings are crumbling. But it's the absurdity of playing sightseer in his former home that grates on Costantinides, 53. Now, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots are dangling the opportunity of letting at least some Greek Cypriots reclaim their Varosha property if they accept the rule of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state as legitimate a move that's sowing consternation and discord. Theres tremendous anger about what has happened here. Turkey has committed a huge crime, Costantinides said. Today, were living the same crime again. ... Its as if theyre performing an autopsy and tourists are coming to witness it. Its a shame, a shame for humanity. With its white sand beaches and luxury hotels, Varosha was once the pride of the eastern Mediterranean island's booming tourism industry. Then in 1974, Turkey invaded in response to a coup aiming at union with Greece. About 180,000 Greek Cypriots fled Cyprus northern third, including 15,000 Varosha residents. Tens of thousands of Turkish Cypriots settled the north whose declaration of independence only Turkey recognizes. Varosha was kept untouched, to be used as a bargaining chip in peace negotiations, despite two United Nations Security Council resolutions the latest in 1992 for its return to its residents under U.N. administration. After decades of fruitless talks, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots last year changed tack on Varosha, under a major policy shift seeking to formally partition Cyprus between two sovereign and equal states ignoring the agreed-upon framework for a federation of Greek- and Turkish-speaking zones. That shift was condemned by the U.N., the EU, the U.S., Russia and others as gravely undermining hopes for peace. In July, Turkey and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar raised the stakes, inviting Greek Cypriots to reclaim their property and live under Turkish Cypriot administration in a tiny sliver of Varosha ahead of a potential wider opening. Applications must go to the Immovable Property Commission, a Turkish Cypriot legal body endorsed by the European Court of Human Rights. The IPC was created to adjudicate property cases of Greek Cypriots seeking to reclaim their property, as a first step before potentially reaching the ECHR. Greek and many Turkish Cypriots saw the invitation as a Turkish Cypriot ploy to cement control of Varosha and secure implicit acknowledgement of their rule from its former inhabitants. The Greek Cypriot government, which represents the island internationally, fears a rush of applications to the IPC could trigger a mass property sell-off both in Varosha and elsewhere that the north would exploit politically. The IPC has received nearly 7,000 applications since 2006, and essentially purchased Greek Cypriot properties in about 1,200 of these cases with the remainder still pending. It has ruled to return or exchange property with land elsewhere in the north only a dozen times. Oz Karahan, the Turkish Cypriot president of the left-wing peace association Union of Cypriots, says Turkish Cypriots who lost property of their own in the south empathize with Varosha's refugees. He's among many Turkish Cypriots who consider Tatars rule illegitimate, claiming his election followed unprecedented Turkish interference. Turkeys new policy is clearly aiming to make Varosha part of its ... illegal regime in the north, Karahan said. Standing in a garden in front of the school he graduated from more than 50 years ago, Simos Ioannou, the Greek Cypriot mayor-in-exile of Famagusta, claims Turkey's move sought to undermine the peace talks and cause upheaval in the south. I believe it was done to plant a tombstone on the Cyprus issue, to compel us to live under Turkish Cypriot administration and to foment division among the Greek Cypriot residents of Varosha, he said. On his first visit to Varosha since 1973, Ioannou said the refugees could have returned long ago had Turkey heeded the U.N. resolutions. But theyre afraid we will prove that we can live peacefully with (the Turkish Cypriots), he added. Ioannou said 37 Varosha property owners are known to have applied to the IPC, but very few expressed a willingness to return under Turkish Cypriot administration. Constantinides's home lies outside the section of the suburb where Greek Cypriots have been told they can reclaim their properties. But he said he won't give up trying to get back what belongs to his family. I hope that a way can be found where we can return as owners and not as tenants or tourists, but for certain, Ill fight for my rights," he added. "I owe it to my parents who toiled to build this, I owe it to my daughter. At a time when the delta variant's summer surge has renewed the nation's divisions surrounding the coronavirus vaccine, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Monday said mandates enforcing vaccination did not reflect what it meant to be an American. "Vaccine mandates are un-American," Jordan tweeted. But critics were quick to pan Jordan's Labor Day message as being off - way off - by nearly 2 1/2 centuries. History shows that George Washington, the commander in chief of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, made the bold decision in 1777 to require his troops to be immunized after a smallpox outbreak devastated the nation. The act would be repeated by presidents and military leaders throughout U.S. history - including just last month by the Defense Department - and a 1905 decision by the Supreme Court upheld mandatory vaccinations as American. "Congressman Jordan is just wrong. There's more than enough history to show we have a precedent for requiring vaccines that goes all the way to George Washington," Julian Zelizer, a political historian at Princeton University, told The Washington Post. "This claim that it's somehow un-American doesn't match with the actual historical record. I don't think there's much of an argument here." A spokesman with Jordan's office did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday. Jordan's dismissal of vaccine mandates as un-American comes as the summer surge in covid-19 cases from the highly transmissible delta variant has generated a sharp rise in public fears and intensified the ongoing partisan debate surrounding vaccination and masking. A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that while the increasing number of employer mandates may boost vaccination, the potential for blowback remains high. About 7 in 10 unvaccinated workers who are not self-employed say they would probably quit if their employer required them to be vaccinated and did not grant a medical or religious exemption. Fewer than 2 in 10 American workers say their employer requires people who come into work to be vaccinated. Among workers whose employer lacks a mandate, about 3 in 10 are unvaccinated. Though roughly 8 in 10 Democrats support vaccine mandates for workers, more than 6 in 10 Republicans remain opposed, polling data shows. In Ohio, Jordan's home state is seeing a seven-day average of 6,022 new daily coronavirus cases, according to data compiled by The Post. Nearly 3,300 people in the state are hospitalized for covid, as hospitalizations have increased by 16 percent since last week. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the Ohio Department of Health, said in a news briefing last week that roughly 98 percent of those hospitalized for the virus are unvaccinated, describing the situation in the state as a "hospital pandemic of the unvaccinated." Even though less than 49 percent of the state is fully vaccinated, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has reiterated that Ohio will not have a vaccine mandate. Speaking at an August news conference, DeWine said vaccination is "an individual decision that people will have to make and government should not be involved in mandating it." Yet there is a long history of mandatory vaccination and immunization supported by American leaders. Benjamin Franklin supported inoculation against smallpox constantly in his Philadelphia newspaper. In his autobiography published posthumously, Franklin said he had "long regretted bitterly, and still regret" that he had chosen to wait to inoculate his 4-year-old son, Franky, who died of smallpox. John Adams and Martha Washington were also immunized against smallpox. After seeing how the disease had ravaged American forces, George Washington instructed an army doctor in Philadelphia to begin administering inoculation - a controversial method of immunization in the 1700s in which patients developed mild cases of smallpox before being immune - to the soldiers. "I have determined that the troops shall be inoculated," Washington wrote in February 1977. "Necessity not only authorizes but seems to require the measure, for should the disorder infect the Army in the natural way and rage with its usual virulence we should have more to dread from it than from the Sword of the Enemy." The smallpox epidemic killed more than 100,000 people between 1775 and 1782. While the measure was not a popular one among soldiers, there is no evidence of mass refusal against immunization, according to the Library of Congress. The much safer vaccination method using cowpox - the word vaccine derives from the Latin word for "cow" - would not be developed until 1796. The issue surrounding mandatory vaccinations in the United States made its way to the Supreme Court in the early 1900s, when a smallpox vaccination law in Cambridge, Mass., was challenged by a man who refused to comply. Massachusetts had led the nation in passing vaccine law, but Henning Jacobson, a pastor, said his refusal to be vaccinated against smallpox was a personal decision. In a February 1905 decision, the Supreme Court ruled 7-to-2 that public health could supersede individual rights. "(T)he liberty secured by the Constitution of the United States to every person within its jurisdiction does not import an absolute right in each person to be, at all times and in all circumstances, wholly free from restraint," Justice John Marshall Harlan wrote for the majority. "There are manifold restraints to which every person is necessarily subject for the common good." The Supreme Court recently declined to take up a case challenging a vaccine mandate at Indiana University. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who received the request because she is the Supreme Court justice tasked with emergency petitions from that region of the country, did not give a reason for why the high court won't block the mandate. But the "partisan resistance to public health" that Jordan and many Republican leaders are raising amid the latest surge in cases is something the nation hasn't encountered to this degree, Zelizer said. "What we haven't had is almost a party position that just flies in the face of public-health experts who are not only saying this about the importance of the vaccine but also demonstrating it in the data," he said to The Post. "And these are big platforms (on which) Jordan and Republicans are expressing these views. That's quite a combination and it's why it's been such a difficult challenge." Critics and liberals on social media noted Washington's efforts in response to Jordan and the first president's name trended on Twitter well into Tuesday. Some, like MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin, said Jordan "either doesn't know his American history or is lying to score political points." "There is nothing anti-American about a vaccine mandate," tweeted Robert Reich, the former secretary of the Labor Department during the Clinton administration. As The Washington Post's Philip Bump wrote Tuesday, Jordan "broadly espousing the idea that mandated vaccinations are incompatible with the idea that America is predicated on individual freedom" gets a little gauzy when the country's history of vaccinations is explored. Zelizer said that while Jordan's tweet might suggest individual liberty to be the only tradition in the U.S., the public good, the foundation of public-health policy, remains "just as strong of a tradition in this country and has been recognized in the courts again and again." "We need to make sure that tradition is important," he said. "Certainly, there's a scenario where this resistance is stronger than what it should be for what is a rational decision. But that thirst for normality could at least make a dent in the Republican argument that Jordan and others are still holding on to." - - - The Washington Post's Gillian Brockell contributed to this report. When you were a carefree kid, the hardest decision you had to make at a pool party was which color freeze pop you wanted. Well, its time to make popsicle decisions again: This summer Truly, a brand known for their hard seltzers and lemonades, came out with alcoholic Lemonade Freeze Pops. Dailys Cocktails, known for their frozen pouch drinks, also premiered alcoholic popsicles called Dailys Poptails. But which alcoholic popsicle brand reigns supreme this summer? Ive taken the guesswork out for you: Recently, when the temperature was in the 90s, a mixed gender group of alcohol enthusiasts in their late 20s and early 30s (which is just code for me and my friends) decided to cool down with a pool party. I brought both brands of alcoholic popsicles and everyone thoroughly compared the brands and I took notes. Below are the results. Ill go over the price differences, alcoholic percentages, and, most importantly, flavor. Which popsicle has more bang for your buck? Trulys Lemonade Freeze Pop Variety Pack costs $17.99 on Drizly for a box with 12 popsicles. The alcohol by volume (ABV) is 5%. For the same amount of popsicles, Dailys Poptails only cost $16.99. Their ABV is 6.8%. This means with Dailys, youre spending less money and getting a higher amount of alcohol. If your main focus is consuming as much alcohol as possible through popsicles or if you plan to buy a substantial amount and want to save money, Dailys Poptails is the clear winner. However, if you want a frozen trip to flavortown and taste is your top priority, keep reading as your buying decision may change. Dailys Poptails Variety Pack Dailys drizly.com $16.99 Shop Now Which is the tastier popsicle? Trulys Lemonade Freeze Pops come in three flavors, including Original Lemonade, Mango Lemonade, and Strawberry Lemonade. The Original Lemonade tastes exactly how you would imagine it would. It tastes just like a mostly frozen Truly Hard Seltzer Lemonade. In terms of the Truly popsicle flavors, this tended to be either peoples favorite or least favorite flavor. However, even people who ranked it third for the Truly flavors still enjoyed it. Its refreshing like Italian ice and you can taste the alcohol a bit more than other flavors. Truly Lemonade Freeze Pop Variety Pack drizly.com $17.99 Shop Now The Mango Lemonade was most peoples favorite myself included. The flavor by far beat the others. It wasnt overwhelming, while still being delicious. As popsicle eater Aryn gushed, while eating her mango lemonade popsicle, I havent been this giddy eating a popsicle since I was six years old. Strawberry Lemonade was the middle of the pack. Tasty, but not a favorite. The flavor was subtle and summery, but didn't stick out among the other choices. All of the Truly popsicle flavors are a light lemonade color, eliminating your childhood urge to pick a flavor based on your favorite hue. A lot of people actually liked the lack of color as they didnt fear it would turn their lips and teeth weird colors. Popsicle fan Amanda explained, I like that theyre not colorful. You can take them seriously. Having slightly less alcohol in the popsicles, compared to Dailys, means the popsicles were firmer because hard alcohol (think 40-80 proof) doesnt completely freeze at standard home freezer temperatures like beer or wine does (you can steal that fun fact for your own pool party). Most agreed the firmness was better than having it slushier, especially because the sun quickly softens them. Overall, the consensus was that these popsicles definitely had to be bought for future gatherings. The Dailys Poptails popsicle flavors include Green Apple, Strawberry, and Watermelon. Visually, the colors are bright and vivid, which instantly set them apart from the Truly popsicles. The Green Apple color looks as if it would glow in the dark, though sadly, tests concluded that it does not (I told you we were getting scientific). Several people commented that it tastes like Jolly Ranchers, but I could only describe it as tasting like pure Halloween. That may not be the clearest adjectival phrase, but Im sure it would be a welcome treat at Halloween parties. I was excited for the Strawberry flavor since it felt like it would be the easiest direct comparison to Truly. The description of this flavor ranged from just like gummy bears to the aftertaste is like Seagrams. Most people agreed that Trulys Strawberry Lemonade flavor was superior to Dailys Strawberry, because Dailys was a bit too syrupy sweet. Finally, we get to the interesting Watermelon flavor which is interesting because not a single person described it as tasting like watermelon. When the first person to try the flavor said it tasted like bubblegum with a walnut aftertaste, I laughed, but when I finally got around to trying it, I had to agree it was an accurate description. Even weirder? Despite not sound super appealing, this ended up being the favorite Dailys Poptails flavor. Its a unique flavor I hadnt really experienced, and definitely worth a try. With all flavors taken into account, judged solely on flavor, Trulys Freeze Pops were the near-unanimous winner. Most people agreed that even their least favorite Truly flavor was tastier than their favorite Poptail. Truly was truly better. The consensus was that Truly is worth buying and either brand is worth enjoying if somebody else is supplying popsicles. However, if you want to save a few dollars, get a higher alcohol content, or take more Instagram-worthy photos with bright colors, Dailys Poptails might be what you need. The best option? Get both and conduct your own taste test with a group of friends (and make sure to tell me what you think the Watermelon flavor tastes like)! Tips for consuming alcoholic popsicles Do use a drink koozie to to hold your popsicle stick if your hands are getting too cold. I was proud of my boyfriend for coming up with this idea before somebody went to fetch oven mitts. Dont stick one in your drink to use as a flavorful ice cube. They arent solid enough and will melt in your drink on a hot day. Somebody learned this the hard way. Do use scissors to cut them in half if you have a lot of people who want to try a bunch of different flavors. These popsicles are larger than I expected and they cut easily with sharp scissors. Dont cut your mouth on the freeze pops. If not cut strategically, you can get some sharp corners. Do eat them quickly. They taste much better frozen than when they turn into liquid and you can taste the alcohol more. Do try a variety of flavors. You never know what you might like best! Muskogee, OK (74401) Today Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. PITTSFIELD A west-central Illinois business is among a dozen in Illinois that hope to benefit from a $464 million national project to build or improve renewable-energy resources. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Thursday that the project is meant to boost renewable energy projects in rural communities in 48 states and Puerto Rico. Beard Implement Co. will receive $19,500 to install an 80-kilowatt solar array that will help power its Pittsfield location. The project is expected to save more than $11,000 a year and replace enough energy to power nine houses for a year. All together in Illinois, 12 loans worth $179,000 have been funded. USDA continues to prioritize climate-smart infrastructure to help rural America build back better, stronger and more equitably than ever before, Vilsack said. We recognize that lowering energy costs for small businesses and agricultural producers helps to expand economic development and employment opportunities for people in Americas rural towns and communities. USDA is financing $129 million of the investments through the Rural Energy for America Program. It provides funding to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses buy and install renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements. The electricity expected to be saved is equivalent to what 35,677 houses would use in a year. Another $335 million is being funded through the Electric Loan Program, which also will affect Illinois communities. The loans will help build or improve 1,432 miles of lines to strengthen reliability in rural areas. The loans include $102 million for investments in smart grid technology, which uses digital communications to detect and react to changes in electricity use. Were making sure power lines are being strengthened, Vilsack said Thursday. What we do is provide resources that enable electricity to rural areas. It may well be that lines need to be improved. Some are being put underground to increase resilience and reliability. The idea is that it makes it possible to do the maintenance work that makes the system more reliable, improving over 1,400 miles of lines in those areas and states. Where theyre being improved, it will benefit people through access to power. LONDON (AP) Britains economic growth slowed more than expected in July as concern about the spread of the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19 overshadowed the governments decision to end most social distancing rules. The economy expanded 0.1% in the month, down from 1% in June. Economists had expected gross domestic product to increase by 0.5%, according to a survey conducted by Pantheon Macroeconomics. CARROLLTON The city has received a $99,000 USDA grant to help build a bike path. The project previously received $413,260 through the Illinois Department of Transportation, with the city contributing $4,450. The path is meant to help bring pedestrian traffic into the citys business district. It will be built along an abandoned railroad. Mayor Mike Snyder said the city is excited for the project. Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) The Hungarian government has offered to assist Poland in conducting border surveillance on its eastern border with Belarus in an effort to deter migrants from entering the country illegally, Hungary's president said Thursday. A serious migration crisis has developed on the Polish-Belarusian border, and events in Afghanistan "are likely to put even greater migration pressure on Poland in the future, Hungarian President Janos Ader said at a joint press conference in Budapest with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda. Hungary will offer its help in surveillance and maintaining a 370-kilometer (230-mile)-long fence which is currently under construction along the border, Ader said. The country will also share experiences with its own border barrier that it began erecting in 2015 during that year's influx of migrants into Europe. Poland, a strong ally of Hungary's right-wing government, last week declared a state of emergency at a 3-kilometer (nearly 2-mile) strip of land along its border with Belarus amid increasing migration pressure. European leaders, including those from Poland and the Baltic states of Latvia and Lithuania, have accused authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of sending migrants across their borders to destabilize the EU in revenge for sanctions it has imposed on his Kremlin-backed regime. At the press conference Thursday, Duda thanked Ader for the offer of assistance at the border, adding that Belarus had been taking hybrid measures, pushing migrants into Poland. Duda also met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who assured him of Hungarys full support over what Orban called an attack on Poland by the EU's executive branch after it moved to impose financial penalties on the country to ensure compliance with EU law. The European Commission on Tuesday said it wants the European Court of Justice to impose daily fines against the government in Warsaw in a long-running dispute over Polands judicial system. The conflict comes as both Hungary and Poland face other financial penalties from the EU over concerns that their nationalist governments are not complying with EU rule of law standards. Orban called the decision to fine Poland outrageous and completely unacceptable, his press chief Bertalan Havasi told Hungarian news agency MTI. Hungary's government had agreed to pass a resolution supporting Poland, and will examine possibilities for taking legal action on Warsaws behalf, Havasi added. Late Thursday, the Illinois House approved an energy policy bill which aims toward a carbon-free future while also using taxpayer money for a $700 million bailout of Commonwealth Edison's parent company, Exelon. The measure passed with 83 votes in favor, needing 71. The bill, Senate Bill 2408, now heads to the Illinois Senate. The Senate is scheduled to return to Springfield on Monday to vote on the House proposal. Pritzker said he will sign the bill as soon as possible. Exelon has threatened to close the nuclear plant in Byron if the bailout doesn't pass on Monday. "Today, with the House passage of SB 2408, the State of Illinois is one historic step closer to reaching a 100 percent clean energy future," Pritzker said in a statement. "For many years, comprehensive energy legislation that puts consumers and the climate first has been debated while scientists around the world have sounded the alarm about the growing impacts of climate change. SB 2408 puts the state on a path toward 100% clean energy and invests in training a diverse workforce for the jobs of the future. Illinois will become the best state in the nation to manufacture and drive an electric vehicle, and equity will be prioritized in every new program created. "The days of utility companies writing energy legislation to pad their profits has ended because SB2408 puts consumers and climate at the forefront, prioritizes meaningful ethics and transparency reforms, and institutes key ratepayer and residential customer protections," Pritzker continued. Pritzker thanked members of the Clean Jobs Coalition and labor leaders for "fighting for working families across the state and ensuring a just energy transition for Illinois' energy workforce." The package would increase power bills for residential customers by an average of $4.50 Rep. Marcus Evans, D-Chicago, who sponsored the bill, said. Two pillars of Democratic support, labor union groups and environmentalists, both back the plan. The two sides had been debating throughout the summer how to phase out municipally-owned coal plants in Springfield and near St. Louis in Washington County. The Illinois General Assembly has spent time this summer attempting to pass a bill addressing clean energy, but saw efforts stall out due to feuding between labor and environmentalists. A previous version of this bill failed to pass due to concerns about phasing out natural gas-fueled plants before the middle of the century, which was an integral part of Pritzker's plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to WBEZ. The bill sets a target for the Prairie State Generating Station one of the U.S.'s largest sources of carbon pollution and Springfield's city-owned plant to reduce climate-damaging emissions by 45% by 2035 and completely eliminate them by 2045, per the Chicago Tribune. That goal was set by an amendment from earlier this week requiring coal plants to be 100% carbon-free by Dec. 31, 2045. The plants can use any technology, including the burning of hydrogen produced by renewable power, to meet those levels, Reuters reported. "This bill provides a clear path to reducing our carbon emissions. It puts Illinois on a clear timeline to a greener economy. It makes significant investments in the development of renewable energy. It protects jobs and people in your communities," House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch of Hillside said Thursday. The plan faces opposition from consumer advocates who argue that the bill is a giveaway to ComEd and Exelon after ComEd's recent scandal, admitting in federal court in 2020 that the company engaged in a long bribery scheme in Springfield. Two Exelon nuclear plants were bailed out in 2016 as part of that bribery scheme. Republicans opposed the Democrats' latest effort, and cited concerns about energy reliability with the elimination of fossil fuel-burning plants. "This is an energy bill; its not an energy plan whatsoever," Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer of Jacksonville said. "It has no plan for the future. It just has consequences." "I voted against the energy bill approved tonight because it severely impacts manufacturing jobs in the Metro East," Amy Elik, R-Fosterburg, said in a statement. "It schedules Prairie State Energy Campus for closure, putting hundreds of people out of work in our region and thousands out of work throughout Illinois. The energy bill forces the largest utility rate increase in the history of Illinois onto ratepayers. Manufacturers need electricity to manufacture, the bill approved today will result in less energy produced to meet our energy demands, leaving businesses with nowhere to turn except to move out of Illinois. "The energy policies coming out of Springfield and Washington continue to harm manufacturing jobs in our state," Elik continued. "I hope the State Senate votes down this bad energy bill when they meet in Springfield next week." Consumer advocates argue that the plan would further policies guaranteeing profits for ComEd and Ameren Illinois. "The General Assembly is choosing to continue rewarding scandal-plagued ComEd with guaranteed profits," Abe Scarr, director of the Illinois Public Interest Research Group, told the House Executive Committee on Thursday. "This outcome is absolutely unnecessary." The proposal faces opposition from business groups including the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois Manufacturers' Association due to the potential cost for commercial and industrial power customers, the Tribune reported. Getty Images More than $5.6 million has been awarded in adult literacy grants to help students enhance reading, mathematics, writing and English language skills, Lincoln Land Community Colleges Adult Volunteer Literacy Program will receive $64,531 of the funding, according to Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. Jacksonville Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Roylee D. Poore, 21, of 202 S. Prairie St. was arrested at 10 a.m. Thursday on a domestic battery charge after being accused of striking and biting his girlfriend during an argument. Zoie P. Kennedy, 21, of Jacksonville was cited on a disorderly conduct charge at 2:24 a.m. Thursday in the 500 block of East Morton Avenue after being accused of fighting with another woman. Compiled by David C.L. Bauer South Jacksonville will be home to the traveling World War II memorial this weekend. The memorial will be on display at Prairie Land Heritage Museum, 1005 W. Michigan Ave. Several key players helped in escorting the memorial during its final stage of travel into South Jacksonville, including the South Jacksonville Police Department, Illinois State Police, Patriot Guard Riders, Jacksonville Police Department, Morgan County Sheriff's Department, South Jacksonville Streets Department and South Jacksonville Fire Department. At one point in his running, four-year war with the news media, former President Donald Trump referred to it as the enemy of the people, a remark that rightfully drew a cascade of denunciations from news organizations, academics, members of Congress and the punditocracy that inhabits cable television opinion studios. The remark was needlessly provocative, inflammatory and profoundly stupid. It revealed the occupant of the highest elected office in the land and a leader of the free world as a petty, petulant, thin-skinned bully who sought refuge in insults and undisguised contempt for those who expressed views contrary to his. Now, as President Joe Biden is reeling from an onslaught of criticism for his administrations chaotic handling of the military withdrawal from Afghanistan, those who gleefully belabored Trump and stoutly defended the media have turned on it, complaining bitterly that news organizations have become obsessed with the unfolding debacle and have unfairly and incorrectly blamed the president. In a clear-cut case of the warning Live by the media, die by the media, last years cheerleaders have become this years boo birds. Bidens defenders have rushed to his side to refute those who disagree with the administrations characterization of the withdrawal as a resounding success. The president handled the evacuation brilliantly, they argued, even in the face of horrific television images of desperate Afghanis storming the airport in Kabul hoping to board a plane to safety. The deaths of 13 American military personnel and nearly 200 Afghanis in a suicide bombing at an airport gate effectively destroyed the resounding success claims. Report piled atop report from sources deemed reliable and credible by the media that the administration was slow to react as the Taliban swept through the country, putting the Afghani forces to flight and seizing complete control in less than two weeks. These reports were compounded by accounts of a divided White House and a president who disregarded the advice of his military leaders in his zeal to end American involvement in a 20-year war, the longest in the nations history. One of the more vocal critics of the coverage has been Philippe Reines, a longtime adviser to Hillary Clinton, who argued the media has deliberately treated Biden unduly harshly to justify its treatment of Trump and to prove it can be even-handed. Reines, still suffering from the psychological trauma by Clintons defeat in 2016, was joined by longtime Clinton family political guru James Carville who described the media coverage as stupid and hysterical. Biden has been supported by some in the media chattering class who pop up on Sunday morning talk shows to promote the Administration narrative and in particular, to blame Trump for negotiating a lousy withdrawal deal with the Taliban in the first place. But what must be most galling to the Biden team is the torrent of criticism from major media outlets whove been generally and often openly supportive in the past. If the administration expected theyd fall in line and dutifully record the White House crafted narrative, it was a glaring and naive misunderstanding of the medias foundational obligation to report as factually and accurately as humanly possible on a rapidly developing, perilous and chaotic sequence of events. What reporters saw on the ground in Afghanistan and conveyed to their viewers and readers was often sharply at odds with the administrations repeated assurances that the situation was under control and successful. There was simply too much visual evidence proving otherwise and reporting it was an example of journalistic professionalism and integrity, unsullied by partisan spin. While the presidents defenders had the good sense to avoid for the most part the low-level rhetoric employed by his predecessor, they went down the same path - blaming the media for reporting objectively and deviating from their preferred story line. Biden was elected in significant measure because he was not Trump, a conclusion supported by post-election polling which showed a majority of his votes came from those who wanted Trump driven from the White House rather than out of a favorable response to Biden policies. Much remains to be seen and experienced before the final chapter in the Afghanistan tale is written. The situation is unsettled and will exert a lingering impact American politics including the 2022 Congressional midterm elections. What is irrefutable, though, is that the media has done its job and has nothing to apologize for. Carl Golden is a senior contributing analyst with the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University in New Jersey. He can be reached at cgolden1937@gmail. Is so-called Off-Earth Manufacturing really the environmental panacea that Jeff Bezos and other proponents say it is? In July, Richard Branson rocketed into suborbital space aboard a craft he helped fund, launching a new era of commercial space travel. About a week later, Amazons Jeff Bezos flew into space on his own Blue Origin rocket. Both rockets emitted plumes of white smoke and tons of kerosene, releasing more greenhouse gases in a few minutes than a typical car would over two centuries. These rockets also emitted black carbon or soot into upper layers of the atmosphere, contaminating the air for years to come. Space companies counter environmental concerns about space flight with promises to construct greener spacecrafts and to transform space into the newest global economic powerhouse. We need to take all heavy industry, all polluting industry, and move it into space and keep Earth as this beautiful gem of a planet that it is, said Bezos after returning from his trip. Bezoss vision, otherwise known as Off-Earth manufacturing, centers on the transition of planet-exploitative industries into space. Many materials extracted on Earth are also available in space. Celestial bodies like asteroids and the moon contain water and water-derived propellants that can be used for in-space infrastructure. With the global mining industry tumbling from a market value of over $1.6 trillion in 2010 to $656 billion in 2020, space resources appear as realistic alternatives for mining. According to a report by Goldman Sachs, asteroid mining has costs comparable to traditional mines. Off-Earth manufacturing does drive energy and mining industries away from exploiting the finite resources on Earth, but the construction of such complex systems in space poses many challenges. Apart from the huge expense of launching materials into space, architects familiar with normal conventions of physics will be forced into a foreign field of designing for zero-gravity spaces. Additionally, large amounts of materials need to be produced and transported that are incredibly durable, able to withstand extreme temperatures, and that transmit information without loss. The road to space commercialization is long and arduous, but the launching of SpaceX and Blue Origin rockets is a key stepping stone. As expenses of space travel continue to decrease, interest and investments in the global space industry will only increase. Bezos has already announced he is spending $1 billion every year on Blue Origin. Venture capital firms are pouring money into space startups. According to recent data from Space Capital, almost $38 billion has gone to space infrastructure companies over the past decade. On a wider scale, the global space industry is expected to generate over $1.1 trillion by 2040 in a report by Morgan Stanley, up from the $447 billion in a 2020 report by the Space Foundation. Will time tell if Off-Earth manufacturing can help ease environmental pressures down here on our own planet? One has to wonder why we are so concerned with moving our polluting industries off-planet when we could concentrate instead on cleaning them up down here or eliminating them entirely. EarthTalk is written by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org. The University of Massachusetts partners with SupplyLogic in an innovative outcome-based framework to transform how the University system communicates with its students, alumni, applicants, employees, and broader community through print and branded merchandise. Dursts lawyer says prosecutors demonized sick, old man View Photo LOS ANGELES (AP) Robert Durst is a sick, old, defenseless man beaten up and demonized by prosecutors to cover up a lack of evidence against him, his lawyer said Thursday in closing arguments at the New York real estate heirs murder trial. Attorney Dick DeGuerin told jurors not to be swayed by ghastly images of the body Durst dismembered in Texas and tossed out to sea, saying it was only meant to make them hate him. DeGuerin conceded his client did look really bad after nearly three weeks of testimony, including nine days of punishing cross-examination that exposed several lies. He accused the prosecutor of beating up on a sick, old man who cant defend himself. I wouldnt blame you after hearing what youve heard if you hate Bob Durst and believe hes a liar, DeGuerin said in Los Angeles Superior Court. Making Bob Durst a liar does not make him a killer. Durst, 78, who sat hunched in a wheelchair as his lawyer spoke, has pleaded not guilty to murder in the point-blank shooting of Susan Berman in December 2000 at her Los Angeles home. Prosecutors said Durst killed her as she planned to speak to authorities about how she provided a phony alibi for him when his wife went missing in New York in 1982. DeGuerin said prosecutors failed to prove how, when and where Kathie Durst was killed, though he said circumstantial evidence indicates she is probably dead. Her body has never been found, and no one has been charged with a crime in connection with her disappearance. Robert Durst said he put his wife on a train bound for New York City after a weekend at their lakeside home in Westchester County and never saw or heard from her again. He has admitted lying about having cocktails with neighbors that night and speaking with his wife by phone after she reached their Manhattan penthouse. DeGuerin said there is no credible evidence to support the prosecution theory that Berman had impersonated Kathie Durst the next day to phone in sick at the medical school she attended. Prosecutors said the call made it appear Kathie Durst was alive after she was last seen by her husband. If you remove the emotions that the prosecution has played upon that Bob Durst is a bad guy and Bob Durst lies and that Bob Durst will lie about anything and look at what the evidence or lack of evidence is, then you see theres no evidence, DeGuerin said. During his many days on the stand, Durst said he had lied under oath and would lie to get out of trouble. He said he had not killed Berman or his wife, but said he would lie if he had done so. DeGuerin said it was like the trick question: Have you quit beating your wife? Whats a good answer to that? DeGuerin said. The problem is the false premise: beating your wife. If you had killed Susan, would you tell us? Its a false premise. Although Durst is only on trial in Bermans killing, prosecutors presented evidence he killed his wife to provide the motive for killing Berman a key witness. Several of Bermans friends testified she either told them Durst admitted killing his wife or she helped cover his tracks. Prosecutors have also introduced evidence from a Galveston, Texas, trial in which Durst was acquitted of murder. DeGuerin successfully defended Durst in the 2001 killing of Morris Black. Durst testified that Black pulled a gun on him and was shot during a struggle for the weapon. He was convicted of disposing of evidence for chopping up Blacks body and dumping it in Galveston Bay. DeGuerin accused prosecutors of trying to inflame the jury by dredging up the Texas case, particularly displaying gruesome images of body parts that washed ashore. The prosecution is trying to get a do-over of that trial, DeGuerin said. Prosecutors said Black was killed because he discovered Dursts identity while he hid out disguised as a mute woman because he feared he was going to be charged with killing his wife in New York. DeGuerin said that made no sense under the prosecutions theory. Berman was the witness who could connect him to Kathie Dursts death, and she was killed nine months earlier. The theory of the prosecution is that Morris Black found out that Bob Durst was Bob Durst, DeGeurin said. But Bob Durst didnt have anything to worry about anymore if you accept the prosecution theory that Bob Dursts motive for killing Susan Berman was to shut her up. DeGuerin did little to minimize or explain what a prosecutor said was the most damning piece of evidence against Durst the so-called cadaver note directing police to Bermans lifeless body. In interviews for a documentary film, Durst denied writing the note that he said only the killer could have written. But he was caught in the lie when the makers of The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst confronted him with an envelope he sent Berman a year earlier with identical handwriting and Beverly Hills misspelled as Beverley on both. You can ignore everything else in this case, Balian said. The defendant has stipulated, I wrote the cadaver note and envelope that only the killer could have written. Durst testified that after discovering Bermans body, he wanted police to find her but didnt want anyone to know he had been in her house because he feared he would be suspected of killing her. He acknowledged that even he had difficulty imagining he could have written the note without killing Berman. Its very difficult to believe, to accept, that I wrote the letter and did not kill Susan Berman, Durst testified. Balian said it was one of the truest things Durst said amid a ton of lies. By BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press Spain arrests Venezuelan spymaster wanted on US drug charges View Photo MADRID (AP) Police in Madrid on Thursday arrested a former Venezuelan spymaster wanted on U.S. narcoterrorism charges, capturing him in a hideout apartment nearly two years after he defied a Spanish extradition order and disappeared. Gen. Hugo Carvajal, who for over a decade was late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavezs eyes and ears in the Venezuelan military, was arrested in the small apartment in which he had been holed up. He lived totally enclosed, never going outside or getting close to the window, always protected by people he trusted, Spains police said in a statement on social media in which they posted a short video the moment heavily-armed officers put handcuffs on Carvajal. Spains leftist government last year approved Carvajals extradition to the U.S., where he faces federal charges for allegedly working with guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia to flood the U.S. with cocaine. The extradition order followed a back-and-forth legal battle in which Spains National Court reversed an earlier ruling by a high court magistrate throwing out the U.S. warrant for being politically motivated. In the interim, Carvajal was released and never heard from again except when he said last year that he was going underground to protest what he viewed as political interference in his case. He resurfaced on social media earlier this month, posting with little notice what could be a preview of his eventual defense: a statement accusing former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who was for years the U.S. main caretaker in the war on drugs, of fabricating evidence against him and the Chavez government even as it was cooperating with U.S. prosecutors to arrest Colombian narcos hiding inside Venezuela Its a lie that will eventually collapse, Carvajal wrote. Ive always trusted that the truth will prevail. Its not clear when Carvajal could be sent to the U.S. But his extradition may be slowed down by an asylum request he previously submitted to Spanish authorities. Im prepared for either situation, the good or the bad, Carvajals wife, Angelica Flores, told The Associated Press when contacted by phone with the news. Its up to him and others to give statements. This case will continue and well see how it ends. Nicknamed El Pollo (The Chicken), Carvajal has bete noire of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for over a decade. First indicted in 2011, he narrowly escaped extradition when he was arrested in Aruba in 2014 while serving as Venezuelas consul general to the Dutch Caribbean island. President Nicolas Maduros government successfully applied pressure on Aruba, which sits just miles off Venezuelas coast, to release Carvajal and when it did he received a heros welcome upon his return to Caracas. But he was never a confidant of Maduro and in the complicated internal politics of Venezuelas ruling socialist party was relegated to a minor role as a backbench parliamentarian. In 2019, after opposition leader Juan Guaido led a street uprising and quickly won the U.S. recognition as Venezuelas legitimate leader, Carvajal then openly rejected the government, urging members of the military to break with Maduro. While on the run, both from the DEA and Maduro, Carvajal traveled to the Spanish capital from the Dominican Republic under a disguised identity. He was greeted at Madrids airport by two Spanish intelligence officials, the AP has previously reported. From Europe, Carvajal had hoped to leverage contacts and knowledge of the Venezuelan deep state to mount a military-backed rebellion against Maduro. But to the frustration of many in Venezuelas opposition who have secretly tried to flip senior members of the military, he was arrested on the U.S. warrant days before a failed barracks rebellion on April 30, 2019. There was no immediate comment from Maduros government. The case against Carvajal in New York centers on a DC-9 jet from Caracas that landed in southern Mexico in 2006 with 5.6 tons of cocaine packed into 128 suitcases. Carvajal said that judicial probes in Venezuela and Mexico never linked him to the incident and that the alleged plane owner backs his alibi. But he faces incriminating evidence from phone records, drug ledgers and the testimony of at least 10 witnesses, according to an affidavit from a DEA special agent. Those witnesses include members and associates of the Cartel of the Suns, former high-ranking Venezuelan officials, according to the affidavit. The U.S. indictment also repeats an accusation that Carvajal provided Colombian rebels with weapons and protection inside Venezuela. The former general has scoffed at the allegations. He says his contacts with the FARC designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization were authorized by Chavez and limited to securing the release of a kidnapped Venezuelan businessman and paving the way for peace talks with the Colombian government. ___ Goodman reported from Miami. By JOSHUA GOODMAN and ARITZ PARRA Associated Press Writers Tuolumne Public Health reports 43 new COVID-19 cases since yesterday and 258 active cases including 14 who are hospitalized. The total current case rate, a 14-day average for Tuolumne County is up to 48.3 from 47.9 per 100,000 population yesterday. Todays newly reported cases include 14 cases age 17 or under and 6 cases age 60 and older. The gender and age breakdown is; 2 girls and 3 boys age 0-11, 3 girls and 6 boys age 12-17, 5 women and 1 man age 18-29, 4 women and 2 men age 30-39, 5 women and 4 men age 40 to 49, 1 woman and 1 man 50-59, 4 women age 60 -69, and 2 women age 80 to 89. Of the 43 new community cases, 37 were unvaccinated, and 6 were vaccinated. There were no new Sierra Conservation Center (SCC) inmate cases, the California Department of Corrections reports 23 active inmate cases, the most at one correctional facility in the state. The active count is decreasing from a peak of 136 on August 4th. A total of 1,586 inmates have tested positive at the SCC with no deaths, the facility manages 3,376 inmates including all southern fire camp inmates. Calaveras County Public Health reports 19 new Covid cases since yesterday and 60 active cases including 4 Covid hospitalizations. There are 5 new cases age 0-17 and 1 new case in an individual are 65 years old or older. Since the pandemic began Calaveras has had 429 Covid-19 positive people who are 17 and under and 559 Covid-19 positive people 65 and over. Mariposa Public Health reports 17 new Covid cases since yesterday, there are 40 active cases including 10 Covid hospitalizations. Three cases are individuals age 19 or younger and 3 are age 60 or older. Seven of the cases reported today were unvaccinated, 3 of the cases were vaccinated, and 7 cases are under investigation. COVID-19 Testing Public Health officials say, As a reminder, the symptoms of COVID-19 can sometimes be dismissed as allergies, a cold, wildfire smoke irritation, indigestion, etc. If you are experiencing any new or worsening symptoms, even if its only one of the symptoms, please get tested right away and avoid close contact with others while waiting for your results. Symptoms can include fever or chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, cough, fatigue, headache, muscle or body aches, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. If you have more serious symptoms such as pain or pressure in your chest, trouble breathing, bluish lips or face, sudden confusion, having a hard time staying awake, dizziness, contact your healthcare provider or urgent care. If you believe you have been exposed to COVID, schedule an appointment to get tested 5 days after exposure. If you are having any symptoms, please get tested right away. The State testing site is open 7 days a week beginning from 7 AM to 7 PM at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds. Appointments should be made rather than walking in. Appointments can be scheduled at www.lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123. Testing is also available through, some pharmacies, at Rapid Care or the hospital emergency department if you are experiencing any symptoms, or contact your healthcare provider. COVID-19 Vaccines Vaccine appointments can be made at local pharmacies and through myturn.ca.gov or by calling 833-422-4255. Anyone 12 and older is eligible for a COVID vaccine, Pfizer is approved for anyone age 12 or over. As detailed here healthcare workers are required to be vaccinated by September 30. The Pfizer vaccine requires 3 weeks between doses and the Moderna requires 4 weeks. The J&J vaccine requires only one dose. Call or email with any questions you may have Tuolumne is available at (209) 533-7440 Health@tuolumnecounty.ca.gov, Mariposa at (209) 259-1332 or mariposacovid19@gmail.com more numbers are available on our COVID-19 page here. Public Health continues to strongly encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated, as the most important step to reduce the spread of disease and prevent serious illness and death, as well as to reduce the impact on the healthcare system. In addition, the continued practice of other preventive actions like wearing a mask in public, keeping your distance, avoiding crowds, washing hands, and staying home when sick will help slow the spread of the virus. Health Officials detail, Choosing to help the Public Health Department slow the spread of COVID-19 helps protect you, your family, and your community. We all need to work together to slow the spread of COVID-19. We strongly encourage everyone to be part of the solution and answer the phoneit may be the health department calling to let you know your test result came back positive for COVID-19, or that you have been in close contact with someone who has it. For more information on contact tracing click here, for isolation and quarantine information go here. Israeli media: 4 Palestinian escapees captured, 2 at large View Photo JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli media reports say two more of the six Palestinian who broke out of a maximum-security prison this week have been arrested at dawn Saturday, leaving two prisoners at large. The prisoners captured included Zakaria Zubeidi, a well-known militant leader from the second Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s. Photos showed Zubeidi and another unidentified man sitting on the ground, blindfolded and handcuffed. Armed Israeli soldiers in civilian uniforms posed behind them. There were no immediate details where the latest two escapees had been caught. It came hours after Israeli police said they had caught two of the six Palestinians whose daring escape has captured the countrys attention. Shortly afterward, Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket toward Israel that the Israeli military said was intercepted by air defenses. No Palestinian group claimed responsibility for the rocket attack, which is believed to be linked to the re-arrest. On Friday night, police said the first two were caught in the Arab-majority city of Nazareth in northern Israel. The announcement identified them as Mahmoud Aradeh and Yakub Kadari members of the Islamic Jihad militant group who were both serving life sentences. They showed no resistance. Israeli media reports said a civilian alerted police to two suspicious figures. A video circulating on social media showed Israeli police shackling a man from his feet into the backseat of a police vehicle and asking the suspect for his name. The man, wearing jeans and green T-shirt, calmly identifies himself as Kadari and answers yes when asked whether he is one of the escapees. Kadari was serving two life sentences for attempted murder and bomb planting. The six Palestinians tunneled out of the Gilboa prison on Monday, setting off a furious manhunt across Israel and in the West Bank. For the Palestinians, the fugitives were heroes who succeeded in freeing themselves from multiple life sentences. Fighting against Israel and taking part in attacks against the Israeli military or even civilians is a source of pride for many. In the Gaza Strip as well as in the West Bank, Palestinians had organized sit-ins and joyful gatherings to celebrate the prison break. They escapees included four members of the militant group Islamic Jihad who were serving life sentences as well Zubeidi. All of the prisoners are from the nearby city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank. As soon as the news about the capture of the two fugitives was confirmed Friday, a flurry of bitter posts expressing disappointment and shock filled the Palestinian social media sphere. There was no immediate reaction from the Palestinian Authority, but Abdeltaif al-Qanou, a spokesman for the Gaza-ruling Hamas movement, said despite the re-arrest, the prisoners have scored a victory and harmed the prestige of the Israeli security system. The escape has exposed major flaws in Israels prison service and set off days of angry criticism and finger pointing. It has also increased tension between Israel and the Palestinians. Earlier Friday, Hamas had called for a day of rage to protest Israeli crackdown against imprisoned Palestinians, but the day passed without major confrontation. But in Jerusalem, a Palestinian suspected attacker died shortly after being wounded by Israeli police gunfire in the towns Old City, where he had reportedly tried to stab officers. By JOSEF FEDERMAN and FARES AKRAM Associated Press Arizona sells Unilever bonds over Ben & Jerrys Israel move View Photo PHOENIX (AP) Arizona has sold off $93 million in Unilever bonds and plans to sell the remaining $50 million it has invested in the global consumer products company over subsidiary Ben & Jerrys decision to stop selling its ice cream in Israeli-occupied territories, the latest in a series of actions by states with anti-Israel boycott laws. The investment moves state Treasurer Kimberly Yee announced this week were mandated by a 2019 state law that bars Arizona government agencies from holding investments or doing more than $100,000 in business with any firm that boycotts Israel or its territories. Arizona appears to be the first of 35 states with anti-boycott laws or regulation to have fully divested itself from Unilever following Ben & Jerrys actions. Illinois warned the company in July that it had 90 days after its investment board met to change course or it too would sell. Florida and other states have taken similar action, according to IAC For Action, the policy and legislative arm for the Israeli-American Council. While Ben & Jerrys, which is based in Vermont, is owned by London-based Unilever, it maintains its own independent board, which Unilever said makes its own decision on its social mission. Ben & Jerrys announced on July 19 that maintaining its presence in the occupied territories was inconsistent with our values. Ben & Jerrys decision brought a strong reaction from Israel, which vowed to act aggressively in response to the move, including by urging U.S. governors to punish the company under anti-boycott laws. Arizona and 34 other states have laws against boycotts of Israel. U.S. groups that support Israel are split on whether pushing back on Unilever for Ben & Jerrys decision is appropriate. The Israeli-American Council urged governors to act through IAC For Action. IAC for Action Director Joseph Sabag called boycotts of Israel antisemitic and said it is important to fight them at the state level. The Israeli American community is sensitive to it, because I would say more than other parts of the Jewish American community, we experienced the national origin aspect of antisemitism in a more pronounced way, Sabag said Friday. Thats really why were very proactive. Its our children who are being affected by this in the classrooms and are being made fearful and intimidated and to feel harassed. Thats definitely what our communitys interest is in the matter. But the head of J Street, a Washington, D.C.-based pro-Israel organization that backs a two-state solution, supported Ben & Jerrys decision and said punishing the company is gravely dangerous. Its not anti-semitic to criticize Israeli policy or to not sell ice cream in illegal settlements, President Jeremy Ben-Ami tweeted in July. Its actually a truly pro-Israel decision. The anti-boycott laws face court challenges, as Arizonas did after it was first enacted in 2016. A Flagstaff lawyer who contracted to help defend jailed people sued on First Amendment grounds, arguing that the law violated his free speech rights. A U.S. District judge in Arizona blocked enforcement while the case proceeded, but the Legislature changed the law so it only applied to contracts worth more than $100,000, effectively ending the case because it no longer applied to the Flagstaff man. The state was ordered to pay $115,000 for his attorney fees. In Arkansas, the publisher of a weekly newspaper sued to block that states law on similar grounds. A trial judge dismissed the case, ruling that a boycott of Israel is neither speech nor inherently expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment. But a split three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revived the Arkansas Times lawsuit in February, finding that supporting or promoting boycotts of Israel is constitutionally protected yet the Act requires government contractors to abstain from such constitutionally protected activity. The ruling is not the last word: In June, 8th Circuit judges agreed to hear the case and vacated the three-judge panels decision. They are set to hear arguments in the case later this month. Both cases were brought by the American Civil Liberties Union. Meanwhile in Arizona, Yee wrote to Unilevers investor relations department on Sept. 2 to tell the company that although Ben & Jerrys is run independently, Arizona law would require her to sell Unilever assets if the decision was not rescinded. I gave Unilever PLC, the parent company of Ben & Jerrys, an ultimatum: reverse the action of Ben & Jerrys or divest itself of Ben & Jerrys to come into compliance with Arizona law or face the consequences, Yee, a Republican who is running for governor, said in a statement. They chose the latter. Unilever said in an Aug. 2 letter to Deputy Treasurer Mark Swenson that it has never supported boycotts of Israel, commonly called Boycott Divestment Sanctions, or BDS, but that Ben & Jerrys operates independently. The company had no additional comment. The Arizona investments were in bonds and commercial paper held in the states short-term fixed-income investment fund. The Arizona law enacted in 201 6 and revised in 2019 had broad, bipartisan support and was signed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey. He tweeted that the Ben & Jerrys decision is discrimination. Arizona will not do business with a company that boycotts Israel in 2016 and 2019, I signed bills to make sure of it, the tweet said. Arizona stands with Israel. By BOB CHRISTIE Associated Press California may require menstrual products in public schools View Photo SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California public schools and colleges would have to stock their restrooms with free menstrual products under legislation sent Thursday to Gov. Gavin Newsom as womens rights advocates push nationwide for affordable access to pads, tampons and other items. The bill by Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia builds on her 2017 law requiring low-income schools in disadvantaged areas to provide students with free menstrual products. Several other states were considering or have required free menstrual products in public schools, according to advocacy group Womens Voices for the Earth. Purdue University in Indiana decided last year to offer free feminine hygiene products in campus bathrooms. Garcia also had prompted California to follow the lead of at least 10 states by exempting menstrual products from sales taxes, which she said cost women a collective $20 million a year as other health items like erectile dysfunction medication were exempt. The advocacy group says more than half the states still tax menstrual products as a luxury item. Worldwide, many countries have eliminated such taxes, including Britain, Australia, Canada and India. The new California legislation expands the 2017 law to grades 6 to 12, community colleges and the California State University and University of California systems, starting in the 2022-23 school year. It encourages private schools and colleges to follow suit. There were no registered opponents and few opposition votes. Often periods arrive at inconvenient times. They can surprise us during an important midterm, while playing with our children at a park, sitting in a lobby waiting to interview for a job, shopping at the grocery store, or even standing on the Assembly floor presenting an important piece of legislation, Garcia said in a statement. Convenient access, she said, would alleviate the anxiety of trying to find a product when out in public. She said her measure was inspired by Scotland, which last year declared access to menstrual products to be a human right and required public places to provide them free of charge. Ideally, Garcia said, menstrual products would be as common in restrooms as toilet paper and paper towels. By DON THOMPSON Associated Press Court: DeSantis ban on school mask mandates back in force View Photo ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) The on-again, off-again ban imposed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to prevent mandating masks for Florida school students amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak is back in force. The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Friday that a Tallahassee judge should not have lifted an automatic stay two days ago that halted enforcement of the mask mandate ban. The upshot is that the state could resume its efforts to impose financial penalties on the 13 school boards currently defying the mask mandate ban. Those have included docking salaries of local school board members who voted to impose student mask mandates. DeSantis spokesperson Christina Pushaw said in a tweet that the appeals court decision means the rule requiring ALL Florida school districts to protect parents rights to make choices about masking kids is BACK in effect! The U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday it has begun a new grant program to provide funding for school districts in Florida and elsewhere that lose money for implementing anti-coronavirus practices such as mandatory masks. White House press secretary Jen Psaki amplified that position at a briefing Friday, saying that President Joe Bidens administration will use money and other resources to support any school officials who do the right thing by students, and that includes putting in place mask requirements and other requirements that will keep them safe. Also Friday, the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights sent a letter to Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran to inform him that the federal agency would be investigating whether the states ban on mask mandates violates federal civil rights laws that protect students with disabilities. DeSantis has argued that the new Parents Bill of Rights law reserves solely for parents the authority to determine whether their children should wear a mask to school. School districts with mandatory mask rules allow an opt-out only for medical reasons, not parental discretion. The governor, who had predicted a victory at the appeals court, said in a tweet there is no surprise here and added: I will continue to fight for parents rights. Charles Gallagher, attorney for parents challenging the DeSantis ban, said he is disappointed by the appeals court decision. With a stay in place, students, parents and teachers are back in harms way, Gallagher said in a tweet. The back-and-forth legal battles stem from a lawsuit filed by parents represented by Gallagher and other lawyers contending that DeSantis does not have authority to order local school boards to ban mask mandates. Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper agreed in an Aug. 27 order, then on Wednesday lifted a stay that had blocked his ruling from taking effect. The appeals court now has put that stay back in place as the governor seeks a ruling making his mask mandate ban permanent. The appeals judges noted that a stay is presumed when a public officer or agency seeks appellate review of a judicial order. We have serious doubts about standing, jurisdiction, and other threshold matters, the appeals judges wrote in a one-page decision. Given the presumption against vacating the automatic stay, the stay should have been left in place pending appellate review. In his previous order, Cooper said the overwhelming evidence is that wearing masks provides some protection for children in crowded school settings, particularly those under 12 who are not currently eligible for vaccination. The court battle comes as Florida copes with the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus that has overrun hospitals across the state. On the Parents Bill of Rights, Cooper said his previous order follows the law that reserves health and education decisions regarding children to parents unless a government entity such as a school board can show their broader action is reasonable and narrowly tailored to the issue at hand. The next stage of the legal fight will test whether Coopers conclusions are correct. By CURT ANDERSON AP Legal Affairs Writer US doubles the fine for people who break mask rule on planes US doubles the fine for people who break mask rule on planes View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. is doubling the fine for people who break the rule requiring masks on planes, trains and other forms of public transit to slow the spread of COVID-19, with President Joe Biden warning Thursday that violators should be prepared to pay. First-time offenders would face a potential fine of $500 to $1,000 and second-time offenders could pay $1,000 to $3,000 under rules that the Transportation Security Administration said will go into effect Friday. The fine currently starts at $250 and can go up to $1,500 for repeat offenders. If you break the rules, be prepared to pay, Biden said as he announced the increase during a speech outlining sweeping new federal vaccine requirements as part of an effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant. The president also rebuked people who have been taking out their anger about the mask requirement on flight crews. And by the way, show some respect, he said. The anger you see on television toward flight attendants and others doing their job is wrong. Its ugly. The mask penalties are separate from any civil penalties the Federal Aviation Administration may issue for unruly behavior. The mask mandate has been controversial and has led to many tense encounters between passengers who dont want to wear a mask and flight attendants asked to enforce the rule. The Federal Aviation Administration said last month that airlines have reported 3,889 incidents involving unruly passengers this year, and 2,867 or 74% involved refusing to wear a mask. The rule requiring masks on planes and all public transit will remain in effect until at least Jan. 18, the Department of Homeland Security said. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said masks will be required as long as necessary to protect public health amid the pandemic. The mask order, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for responding to the pandemic, was first issued on Jan. 29, days after Biden took office. Before that, airlines had their own requirements for face coverings but former President Donald Trumps administration had declined to make it a federal rule. By BEN FOX Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) A Florida businessman who gained notoriety for helping Rudy Giuliani seek damaging information on Joe Biden in Ukraine pleaded guilty Friday to a charge alleging he facilitated illegal foreign campaign contributions in an effort to build a marijuana business in the U.S. Igor Fruman, 56, entered the plea in federal court in Manhattan after reaching a deal with prosecutors. Fruman's plea agreement does not require him to cooperate in other cases, U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken said. Initially charged in a wide-ranging indictment, Fruman pleaded guilty to a single count of solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national. The plea resolves the case against him. Federal sentencing guidelines call for a punishment of 37 to 46 months in prison, though Fruman could get up to five years, the judge said. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21. The plea leaves two men Lev Parnas, another Soviet-born Florida businessman and Giuliani associate, and Ukraine-born investor Andrey Kukushkin to face trial next month. A fourth person, David Correia, was sentenced in February to a year in prison for fraud involving a company he ran that brought Giuliani on as a consultant. Mr. Fruman is not cooperating with the government and has determined that this is the fairest and best way to put the past two years of his life behind him, Frumans lawyer, Todd Blanche, said in a written statement after the plea hearing. He intends to continue to work hard, as he has his entire life, and raise his family in this country that he loves. We will not have any further public communications." Fruman was also charged with, but did not plead guilty to, arranging hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal donations to Republicans and political action committees while trying to get Americans interested in investigating Bidens son in Ukraine during the Democrat's successful run for president. Fruman apologized in court. He said he was not aware of laws prohibiting foreign campaign contributions at the time he engaged in the donation scheme. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos said in court Friday that Fruman sent text messages to the foreign national and that persons agent seeking $1 million in political contributions and that the foreign national wired two $500,000 installments for that purpose. In court Friday, Fruman said the donation scheme was part of an effort to encourage support for a fledgling marijuana distribution business that he and others were starting in states where the drug was being legalized. While prosecutors have kept the identity of the donor secret, a lawyer for one of the defendants revealed him during one court hearing to be Russian businessman Andrei Muraviev. Business and other court records show that Muraviev was an investor in a marijuana company with Kukushkin in California. Some of the donations made during the campaign to win support for the marijuana business went into the campaign coffers of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican whose name has been floated as a potential presidential candidate. Giuliani, 77, has said he had no knowledge of illegal campaign contributions, but has acknowledged working extensively with Fruman and Parnas as he sought communications with Ukrainian figures. The Republican and former New York City mayor who once gained worldwide respect and admiration as America's Mayor after the Sept. 11 attacks was not charged in this case. But Giuliani has been under criminal investigation for his dealings with Ukraine while serving as a personal lawyer to then-President Donald Trump. In April, federal agents raided his Manhattan home and office and seized computers and cellphones, signaling a major escalation of the investigation. Authorities are deciding whether Giuliani's activities required him to register as a foreign agent. Giuliani has insisted his Ukrainian activities were conducted on behalf of Trump, not a foreign entity or person. Trumps efforts to press Ukraine for an investigation of the Bidens led the House to impeach the then-president, though he was acquitted by the Senate. HONG KONG (AP) Three leaders of the group that organized an annual Tiananmen candlelight vigil were being held in custody Friday after they were charged with subversion under Hong Kong's national security law, as authorities intensify a crackdown on dissent in the city. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China's chairman Lee Cheuk-yan, as well as vice-chairs Albert Ho and Chow Hang-tung were charged with inciting subversion of state power under the national security law. The alliance itself was also charged with subversion. Chow was denied bail, days after she was arrested for failing to comply with a police request for information. Lee and Ho are currently serving jail sentences for their roles in unauthorized assemblies in 2019. The next court hearing for the case is scheduled for Oct. 28. For the past 30 years, the alliance organized the candlelight vigil that saw tens of thousands of people mass in the city's Victoria Park to commemorate China's bloody military crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijings Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. It was the only large-scale public commemoration of the crackdown on Chinese soil, featuring crowds of people lighting candles and singing songs to support democracy. Police have banned the vigils for the past two years citing the coronavirus pandemic, although critics believe the ban is part of the crackdown on dissent Beijing and Hong Kong's leaders have waged following months of anti-government protests in the territory in 2019. Authorities have now characterized the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China as a foreign agent, and sought details about the group's operations and finances in connection with its alleged activities and links with democracy groups overseas. Chow and four other leading members of the alliance had refused to cooperate with the police request for information, and were arrested this week for failing to comply. The five pleaded not guilty Friday, and were denied bail. The next court hearing will take place Oct. 21. Police on Thursday confiscated computers, documents and promotional materials from the closed June 4 museum, which was run by the alliance to commemorate the Tiananmen crackdown. Police said 2.2 million Hong Kong dollars ($280,000) worth of assets belonging to the alliance were also frozen. On Friday, a Facebook post was posted on Chow's account urging Hong Kongers not to "accept their fate. Maybe the other party will crush the obstacle that is us, but resistance is about gathering strength in exchange for some time and space, to allow more obstacles the opportunity to grow, the post said. As long as we still have the will to fight, we have not lost. Over the past year, dozens of pro-democracy activists have been arrested, others have left the city for exile abroad, and the city has amended electoral laws to increase the number of seats for pro-Beijing legislators while reducing those that are directly elected. The national security law, imposed by Beijing on the city in June last year, criminalizes subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion to interfere in the city's affairs. Critics say the national security law, which has been used to arrest more than 100 people, rolls back freedoms promised to the former British colony when it was handed over to China in 1997. Hong Kong had been promised it could maintain freedoms not found on the mainland for 50 years, such as freedom of speech and assembly. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Chow's Facebook post was made on Friday. Miss Flavia went first, in March. Some of her staff were ready to go next. One teacher, 22-year-old Mishelle Acosta, said she didnt care that her parents opposed the coronavirus vaccine, and got jabbed. But not every employee at Houstons Museum District Child Care Center was as eager. Some of the other 15 women working there had questions about the vaccines potential side effects, its effectiveness, whether it was adequately tested during its rushed production and if it caused pregnancy complications. Weeks passed, the vaccine became more widely available and more employees got inoculated. Director Flavia Souza at the Museum District Child Care Center in Houston on Sept. 1, 2021. Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune They started seeing that we were getting vaccinated and we didnt turn into zombies, said Flavia Souza, director of the child care center, which cares for roughly 70 children ages 2 through 5. But some were not ready. Issa Arevalo, a 24-year-old teacher, said she hesitated because I just felt like there wasnt enough research [on the vaccines]. The centers owners discussed requiring employees to be vaccinated. Some large businesses in other states were making the same calculation, weighing the health benefits of vaccination for staff and customers against individual freedoms and the difficulty of finding new employees during an ongoing labor shortage. By August, national companies including Disney, Facebook, Google and Tyson Foods announced that their employees must show proof of vaccination or potentially submit to regular testing. That same month, United Airlines said its U.S. employees must be vaccinated by October, while Delta Airlines said unvaccinated employees have to pay $200 per month to remain on the companys health plan. But in Texas, where the fast-spreading delta variant has flooded hospitals with COVID-19 patients, large companies, including American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, are strongly encouraging employees to get the vaccine, but not requiring it. One large Texas hospital system Houston Methodist announced a vaccine mandate for its massive workforce this spring. After strong resistance by some employees including a lawsuit that was later dismissed 153 employees who refused to be vaccinated by the June deadline resigned or were fired. But mandates have been the exception for businesses in Texas, where Gov. Greg Abbott banned government entities from requiring employees to be vaccinated and signed a bill that will punish businesses that require customers to show proof of vaccination. Violators are cut off from getting state contracts and risk losing their state licenses or permits. When two Austin restaurants last month required customers to show proof of vaccination, the state threatened to revoke their liquor licenses. Abbott also has banned local governments from enacting measures intended to slow the spread of the virus like government vaccine mandates. Cities, counties and school districts in the states major urban areas have responded with lawsuits challenging Abbotts order and many have defied it. Louvaine Reid comforts a baby at the Museum District Child Care Center. Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune It kind of comes from our governor and politicians, Souza said. Theyre the ones setting the rules and setting the examples. I feel like a lot of people would be more strict on the vaccine if they had more support from [political leaders]. Dr. Vivian Ho, health economist at Rice University, said businesses are generally wary of entering a political conflict, and whether to require vaccination has become a heated argument. Government holds the purse strings, Ho said. Businesses are affected by all sorts of decisions by government, and Abbott and the state government control their taxes and all sorts of regulations they can dramatically harm [businesses]. By May, at least 13 of the 16 staffers at the child care center were vaccinated. That was an encouraging development women of color make up most of the center's workforce, and according to state health data, about 42% of Hispanic women and 34% of Black women are fully vaccinated, compared to 48% of all Texans. While Souza and the centers owners decided not to require vaccination at that point, Souza made it her mission to convince them to do it voluntarily. The first step was to educate them, she said. Parents with children at the child care center said that theyve seen other centers close during the pandemic, but Museum District Child Care has stayed open its running at capacity. Only once did the center close during the pandemic right after Februarys winter freeze, when Souza and a few others at the center contracted the virus and they closed the facility for a week. Miss Flavia and the team were really good about communicating the protocols they had in place, very clean and clear, said Sehban Zaidi, who has a 2-year-old at the child care center. Souza implemented temperature checks and mask mandates for employees and sent regular safety protocol updates to parents, who were no longer allowed inside the building they must drop off and pick up their children at the front door. But Souza made an exception for one parent, giving him a special invitation to the facility this spring. Ryan Bouillet adjusts his 3-year-old son Remy's mask before entering Museum District Child Care Center in Houston. Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune A familiar expert Some days Souza chatted about the pandemic with Doug Litwin as he picked up his 2-year-old son Alex. Litwin works in data intelligence in health care and has a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology. I have read more about the history and science behind vaccines than the average person, Litwin said. Souza thought her staff could benefit from listening to Litwin and asking him questions. So she invited Litwin to come to the facility on a Saturday when no children were there, only staff. He came and talked for like two hours, she said. Educating them, how the virus works, how the vaccine works, how the vaccine helps. Because it was very new. But he brought flyers for them, answered their questions and their concerns. With vaccine misinformation exploding through social media, Litwin offered a familiar face for employees and spoke clearly and with authority, they said. He explained why the vaccine is safe and why he trusted it. People dont know what to believe any more, Litwin said. I have more years of scientific training than anyone should ever have and its hard for me to figure out whats going on online sometimes. I understand the fear. Arevalo, still unvaccinated at that point, had questions about whether the vaccine would lead to issues down the road with pregnancy or infertility. Litwin said he has seen no evidence that getting inoculated now would negatively impact pregnancy or childbirth later on. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends COVID-19 vaccination for all people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. I would give it to my sons right away if it was approved for kids, Litwin said. Final push Acosta and Arevalo have been friends for years and both got jobs at the child care center late last year. As the vaccines rolled out in December, they eventually found an apartment and became roommates. Acosta quickly got the vaccine after Texas officials announced in the first week of March that teachers and child care workers were eligible. Arevalo said she wasnt in a rush. She never opposed it, she said. She was just skeptical. Her friend understood her hesitation. We did have a lot of teachers that were concerned because, you know, they werent sure what it was that they were going to be putting in their bodies, Acosta said. After listening to Litwin speak to the staff, Arevalo started thinking more about whether she should get vaccinated. Then she received news that helped push her to get the shot. Issa Arevalo and Mishelle Acosta, who both work at the center, initally had different thoughts about whether to immediately get vaccinated for COVID-19. Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune After her family moved to a different area of Houston in 2011, Arevalo grew close with their new neighbor the mother of one of her classmates. Arevalo said she would often go over to the womans house for dinner, and she became like my second mom ... We got very, very close. Last winter, Arevalo learned that the neighbor had been hospitalized with COVID-19. She spent weeks in the hospital. She ended up passing away in April, Arevalo said, wiping tears from her eyes. After that, I got the vaccine right away. By May, only a few employees remained unvaccinated. The owners and Souza told the staff that vaccinated employees would no longer be required to wear a mask at work. We were all ready to do away with the masks, said teacher Ann Scroggins. I dont remember exactly how many were left, Souza said. But there were the last few who went to get the vaccine once we dropped the mask mandate if youre vaccinated. Educating them in a comfortable environment was key, she said. So was the example she and others set by getting vaccinated first, showing that safety was critical especially in a job working with young children who are especially vulnerable to the new delta variant. Now, as Souza looks to hire a couple more employees, COVID-19 vaccination is required for the job. With the recent surge in cases, employees are all required to wear masks again at work. So far during the latest surge, the center hasnt had a single positive case. Darla Cameron contributed to this report. Disclosure: Facebook, Google and Rice University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Join us Sept. 20-25 at the 2021 Texas Tribune Festival. Tickets are on sale now for this multi-day celebration of big, bold ideas about politics, public policy and the days news, curated by The Texas Tribunes award-winning journalists. Learn more. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2021/09/09/coronavirus-texas-vaccine-houston-day-care/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. For more than a decade, the 13th Floor Haunted House has been appropriately operating out of a creaky, multi-level building in San Antonios downtown, just across the way from the dusty train tracks that splinter out of Sunset Station. Previously, the dark hallways of the 108-year-old haunt were grounds for the citys first cold storage facility. Now, come every fall, they are stalked by at least 62 professional scare actors. I dont frequent haunted houses, and I generally avoid being scared. Yet, on a recent Thursday afternoon, I found myself anchored outside of the attraction, catching the first wisps of fall in my best brown leather jacket, confronted by a posse of silent and sinewy gargoyles. I stared them down while waiting for general manager Albert Bafford, to green-light my entry through their ominous padlocked keep. Camille Sauers/MySA While the 13th Floor doesnt officially open its doors until September 17, I wanted to take a look around, and more importantly, get to know some of the frightening characters that creep behind its corners. I followed Albert up a set of shadowy stairs. He told me to watch my step. I fully expected a handsy Pennywise-type to lurch out of the floorboards and drag me down to hell. Instead, I was led into a shockingly regular room with a microwave and a humming AC unit, flanked by a pair of comfy couches, where two unmasked scare actors lay in wait. Katie Fincher and Donovan Guzman have been seasonal employees at the 13th Floor for several years. Both in their 20s, Fincher comes from the type of tiny Texas town that boasts fewer than 500 people. When shes not embodying La Llorona and other prickling figures, she assumes the role of costume manager, distressing and altering clothes from the thrift to suit up your worst nightmare. Guzman, a former varsity theater nerd, moonlights as an attraction lead and floor manager. Taking in my surroundings cautiously, my eyes darted toward a bulbous sinister clown mask resting on top of the round table, one we ultimately decided to gather around. There he is, I thought to myself, succumbing to a strange sense of relief. Interestingly, the group shares that clowns are one of the creatures people tend to be most terrified of. My own uneasiness dates back to stumbling into a birthday party as a child and hiding under the table when an uncanny Valley Bozo stumbled in. I was happy to hear I was not alone. I asked the actors what it feels like to frighten people. Guzman was quick to answer. Fear is such a primal emotion that people love to seek out, and to be able to give them that excitement, that rush of adrenaline and see the look on their facesits exhilarating and it makes you feel alive. Fincher agreed, adding, Its a lot of fun, I love when you get to some younger people and they try to run away and theres nowhere to run. Later on, she assures me, while wearing twin blonde braids and overalls, I dont like to make children cry, I like how happy they get, when they realize that, 'Oh this is a lot of fun, they're not actually monsters, they're characters.' Camille Sauers/MySA Beginning in September, and in the days leading up to Halloween, the actors at the 13th Floor in San Antonio must transform themselves almost nightly. Come the witching hour, the metamorphosis process at both ends of the haunt looks different for everyone, though all staff must report to the building by 4:30 p.m. Guzman, donning glasses and sporting a strip of bleach through his black curly hair, tells me he usually approaches a night of scaring by hydrating and eating light, snacking on something like a granola bar. During the drive over, you might find him listening to some heavier pop-punk to transfigure into the right head space. My Chemical Romance, Black Veil Bridesthey really get the mojo pumping, shares Guzman. Upon arrival, hell start pulling on his rags and applying makeup while catching up with friends. Together they might do some vocal warm-ups to prepare the voice for anything that might come its way. Since the haunted house is interactive, the show changes night after night. One has to be prepared. Camille Sauers/MySA Once dressed, hell start to stretch. Guzman is a slider, meaning that under his costume, hell wear protective knee pads and steel-toe boots to nimbly glide across the floor. Its a popular type of scare at the 13th Floor, usually carried out by someone in a zombie suit. Fincher, due to her costume duties, usually arrives early, around 3 p.m, to socialize and prepare the scary skins to be seen and feared on the floor. In the morning, after waking up late, shell snack and energize herself up with a few rousing Disney songs. Once the festivities begin, she has clearance to roam the building, interacting with the crowds, striking up conversation, and spooking those looking for a scare. Guzman's main ritual, one he performs right before setting out, is a practice taken from his varsity theater days. Without fail, he recites a poem. Old friend, catch your breath, take your time, I want the whole tale, every gesture and cry, I have labored for this. With scare sessions lasting about six hours, the wind down process, depersonalizing from the character, takes time. After she clocks out, Fincher usually hits the McDonalds drive-thru line by her house. Nothing is better than a Powerade after working at a haunted house, she explains. Guzman also goes the fast-food route before wiping off his makeup. It always starts with you know, you leave here with your makeup still on and you end up scaring some poor person at Whataburger, covered in blood and clown makeup, saying Ill have a number 5. Camille Sauers/MySA Employees at 13th Floor use air-brushed, alcohol-based makeup for all performances, applied by makeup artists with sparkling silver handled spray guns. Its tough to get off. However, Ponds, the white greasy cold cream beloved by grandmothers, is the unanimous weapon used to fight against it. The scare actors would appear, in their personal lives, not so typically frightening after all. Most are regular folks with day jobs, working in hospitality or at other performance-based attractions. Some people like Christmas, we like Halloween, jokes Bafford, sipping an energy drink. Were not all satanists. A typical pre-COVID weekend night at the 13th Floor trafficked 7,000 people. Last year, when heightened precautions were taken, the company could still rely on about 3,000 or so people, those who decided their pandemic-era agoraphobia simply wasnt enough of an adrenaline hit. More extensive cleaning procedures are still being taken this season, and the house is still excluding gimmicks like the sweaty clutches of the claustrophobia bag from this year's lineup. However, masks are no longer required for patrons. Thematically, crowds can expect two different themes to stimulate the senses. Dollmaker channels a creepy Pinocchio gone wrong, Island of the Dolls aesthetic, while Bad Blood nods to movies like Lost Boys, Underworld, and Twilight. Altogether, it's a bloody vampiric mess. Camille Sauers/MySA At the close of my conversation, I was able to preview the nearly empty building, safely battling my fear of haunted houses with no jump scares on the table, observing all the thrift store curios repurposed into a horror film scene. I was told that the 108-year-old building is professed to be haunted in its own right, usually by the spirit of a young girl. Slightly sweaty, I still kept my guard up. I did side-eye Pennywise in the break room earlier, after all. After shaking Alberts hand, I was on my way, a little more ready for fall a little less afraid of the dark. San Antonio is getting a new spooky season experience where thrill-seekers can raise spirits with spirits at the Lambermont Castle next month. Haunted Tavern, the Be Afraid of the Dark pop-up series hosted by Rock Star Beer Festivals, will take over the downtown venue on Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16. Event organizer Ryan Wieczorek says a third date may be added, depending on demand. Each 90-minute session will welcome about 140 guests to a four-part interactive cocktail journey through the property, which is said to be haunted. The tour includes ghost stories with corresponding cocktails conjured up to match the tale. "There should be some scares and frights that happen throughout the night, but for the most part, they're just there for a good time," Wieczorek says of the event. Though spooky, Wieczorek says the encounters shouldn't scare away the faint of heart. "No one is going to come up and grab you," he assures. "There are parts where you could get scared, but for the most part it's more to entertain," Guests are invited to dress up for their tour their Haunted Tavern experience. Wieczorek says there will be photo opportunities, giving party guys and ghouls the chance to snag a picture with the entertainers, and maybe an orb or two. The pop-up is traveling throughout the U.S., stopping in cities throughout Florida and in Nashville, Dallas, and Austin. This is the first time the event is adding the Alamo City to its haunt. Wieczorek says if there's enough local interest, The Boozy Cauldron Tavern, which he describes as an "adult magic show" where "Harry Potter meets Moulin Rouge" may be the next pop-up event. Tickets are on sale via Eventbrite for $40. Each day has two sessions, at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., to chose from. WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted former Kansas state Rep. Michael Capps on 19 counts alleging that he tried to defraud federal, state and county government organizations out of more than $450,000 in coronavirus relief funding. The U.S. Attorney's office in Kansas said in a news release that Capps, a Republican from Wichita, filed forms inflating the number of employees he had at two businesses and a sports foundation, and then applied for loans to pay the non-existent employees. The alleged fraud involved the Small Business Administrations Paycheck Protection Program and Emergency Injury Disaster Loan programs, which are designed to provide assistance to businesses that struggled during the pandemic. According to prosecutors, Capps also defrauded the Kansas Department of Commerces Small Business Working Capital Grant program and Sedgwick Countys CARES Act grant program. Capps is charged with multiple counts of making a false statement, bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. The Associated Press couldn't immediately find a phone number for Capps, and the charging documents don't list an attorney for him. His initial court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 22. Messages left with his two businesses were not returned. The FBI and Sedgwick County District Attorney's office began investigating the loans after the Wichita Eagle published the findings of its own investigation in December. Capps was one of three Wichita-area Republican officials who were embroiled in an unrelated controversy over trying to cover up a plot to smear Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple during last years mayoral election. The men were recorded discussing a way to frame another GOP official for the production of an ad that falsely suggested Whipple was accused of sexual harassment when he served in the Kansas Legislature. Whipple was reelected. Capps resisted calls to resign from the Legislature when the recordings were released but he lost his reelection bid last year after serving only one term. LAS VEGAS (AP) A judge in Las Vegas has dismissed a lawsuit in a dispute over control of the Republican party in the Las Vegas area, telling acting party leaders and a Trump faction claiming control that courts shouldn't settle what she termed an intra-party political fight. The decision Thursday by Clark County District Court Judge Susan Johnson in Las Vegas overturned a court order last week by another judge but did not immediately resolve the question of Clark County Republican Central Committee leadership. ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. (AP) Three men are charged with murder and a search is underway for two more suspects in connection with a death in North Carolina in May, police said. Roanoke Rapids police charged Anthony Shearin, 20, Shantron Person, 20, and Stepheon Ashe, 22, with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, news outlets reported Thursday. The three are being held in the Halifax County jail without bond, and it's not known if they have attorneys. BUTLER, Wis. (AP) Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch launched her campaign for governor on Thursday by likening herself to former President Donald Trump and deriding the Democratic incumbent as a weak failure. The Republican told a couple hundred supporters at an envelope factory where her father used to work that if Trump could overcome the odds to win in 2016, friends, we can do it. No more failed, incompetent and chaotic leadership. The race is a top priority for Republicans who control the Wisconsin Legislature but have been blocked by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. He's vetoed Republican bills to make absentee voting more difficult, restricted access to abortions and prohibited enforcement of any future federal gun control laws. Kleefisch promised to sign the election bills into law on her first day in office. Under a Republican governor, Democrats would not have the votes to stop the GOP agenda heading into the 2024 presidential election in the battleground state President Joe Biden narrowly won. Kleefisch took aim at Evers immediately, accused him of siding with rioters and not doing more to quell violence that erupted last summer in Kenosha after Jacob Blake, a Black man, was shot by police. She also faulted Evers for closing schools early in the COVID-19 pandemic, but did not lay out any of her own plans for dealing with the increasing spread of the virus other than promising to keep schools open. He may shut down our schools, he may shut down our economy, he may shut down our churches but today we begin to shut down Tony Evers," Kleefisch said. Evers' campaign spokesman Sam Roecker countered that Evers has taken bold action to ... clean up the mess" that Kleefisch left behind during the Walker years. Because of Governor Evers' steady leadership, Wisconsin is bouncing back stronger than before with a record surplus, low unemployment and $4 billion in tax relief delivered in his first term, Roecker said. Kleefisch promised to hire 1,000 more police officers, ban sanctuary cities, send the National Guard to secure the U.S. southern border, expand the private school choice program and keep elections safe and secure. Kleefisch, 46, is trying to become the first female governor in Wisconsin history. She is the best-known Republican to officially get into the race against Evers, who is seeking a second term in 2022. State Rep. John Macco, of Green Bay, longtime lobbyist Bill McCoshen and 2018 U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson, a former Marine, are also considering runs for governor as Republicans. Kleefisch was born in Michigan and her family moved to Ohio where she won the Miss Ohio Teen USA title in 1994. She worked as a television reporter in Illinois and then in Milwaukee, where she met her future husband, former state Rep. Joel Kleefisch. He was also a reporter at the time. Kleefisch's first run for office was for lieutenant governor in 2010. Kleefisch was diagnosed with colon cancer in August 2010. Less than two weeks before winning the five-person lieutenant governor primary she had a tumor removed. She completed chemotherapy treatment during her first year in office. They literally cut out half my guts," Kleefisch told supporters. "Even with half my guts, I still have twice as much guts as Tony Evers. Kleefisch served as Walker's lieutenant governor his entire time in office, including the Act 10 union fight and the unsuccessful 2012 recall. She was also involved with bringing Foxconn to Wisconsin, a deal that fell well short of meeting estimates for jobs or economic development that Walker and the Taiwan-based company promised. During the lieutenant governor campaign, Kleefisch said that there was no consensus that people have caused climate change. And she told a Christian radio program that extending domestic partner benefits to gay state employees could lead to approving marriage to dogs or furniture. She later apologized for her poor choice of words. During the 2018 campaign, Kleefisch apologized to Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Mandela Barnes for repeatedly claiming without evidence that he knelt during the national anthem at the state fair. After Evers defeated Walker in 2018, Kleefisch was appointed to serve as executive director of the Womens Suffrage Centennial Commission in Washington, D.C. A year ago, Kleefisch formed a conservative policy group called the 1848 Project. Last week, Kleefisch released 56 policy proposals which included a host of conservative priorities including banning the teaching of critical race theory in public schools. Political newcomers Jonathan Wichmann, Leonard Larson Jr., Adam Fischer and James Kellen have also filed paperwork to run as Republicans. The Republican primary is 11 months away on Aug. 9. KABUL, Afghanistan More than 250 foreign nationals have left Afghanistan in the past three days, says Zalmay Khalilzad, Washingtons special envoy and the architect of an often criticized deal with the Taliban. The deal signed last year provided for the safe withdrawal of U.S and NATO troops but say his critics was heavily weighted in favor of the hardline-Islamic movement. In a series of tweets Khalilzad praised both the Middle Eastern State of Qatar, whose national airline carried out the flights and the Talibans cooperation in this important effort, for the recent departure of foreign nationals from Afghanistan. We will continue to engage the government of Qatar, the Taliban, and others to ensure the safe passage of our citizens, other foreign nationals, and Afghans that want to leave, Khalilzad tweeted. However, hundreds of Afghans, including U.S. citizens and green card holders, remain stranded in northern Afghanistans Mazar-e-Sharif waiting to be evacuated but stopped by Taliban rulers demanding travel documents. ___ MORE ON AFGHANISTAN: Flight takes about 200, including Americans, out of Kabul Pentagon chief: al-Qaida may seek comeback in Afghanistan Analysis: Taliban hard-line path worsens Afghanistan dilemma As flights resume, plight of Afghan allies tests Bidens vow Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan ___ UNITED NATIONS -- The United Nations chief says all countries should engage with the Taliban and deliver the same message: The Afghan people should live in peace under an inclusive government that respects basic human rights including for women and girls, and Afghanistan should not be a sanctuary for terrorism anymore and should play a constructive role in international relations. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a news conference Friday its important that independently of different strategies, of different forms of contact, all countries are able to convey the same message and to engage with the Taliban in an effective way. He said the U.N. is permanently engaging with the Taliban and we believe that a dialogue with the Taliban is absolutely essential at the present moment. Guterres said humanitarian aid is also essential and efforts must be made to prevent an economic meltdown in Afghanistan. He said the countrys financial situation is very difficult and it is essential to find ways, through some waivers or some mechanisms to inject cash in the economy to avoid a meltdown. Looking ahead, Guterres said, what would be positive is to have simultaneously the formation in Afghanistan of an inclusive government that respects previous international commitments by the Afghan state and takes into account concerns about terrorism, human rights and other issues leading to a normalization of the relations of the international community with Afghanistan. ___ ANKARA, Turkey The U.N. refugee agency chief said Friday the UNHCR will engage with the Taliban in order provide assistance to millions of displaced Afghans. Filippo Grandi, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, also said his agency has so far not observed large numbers of Afghans trying to cross into other countries but warned that the situation could change if conditions in the country deteriorate. The priority number one for my organization is to step up, scale up our humanitarian work to help those displaced... Winter is coming. It is very cold in Afghanistan during winter, Grandi said. He said: And in order to do that, UNHCR, like other humanitarian organizations, will engage, will discuss with the Taliban. We will discuss with anybody that controls an area where there are people in need. The UNHCR chief made the comment in the Turkish province of Gaziantep, near the border with Syria, at the end of a four-day visit to the Turkey. Turkey, which already hosts some 3.7 Syrian refugees and some 300,000 Afghan migrants, has expressed concern over the potential of large numbers of Afghans heading its way. ___ ISLAMABAD Pakistans foreign minister says the international community is not in a hurry to recognize the Taliban government, although it has a desire to engage with it. Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke at a joint news conference after holding talks with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares in the capital, Islamabad. Qureshi said that he had come to this belief after having meetings with diplomats from various countries. He said that people are watching, they are waiting, they are looking at the unfolding events of Afghanistan. Qureshi said I see a desire to engage but not a rush to recognize the Taliban. In his remarks, Albares said Spain wants to see a stable and peaceful Afghanistan. He also said Spain wanted safe transit for those who wanted to leave Afghanistan to travel to Spain. ___ MOSCOW Russias top diplomat says the foreign is not recommending that an official delegation be sent from Moscow to a ceremony inaugurating a new government in Afghanistan. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week appeared to suggest that Russia could send high-level representation to such a ceremony if the Taliban formed a government that sufficiently represented the countrys ethnic groups. But on Friday he was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying he envisioned only representation by Russias ambassador. ___ BERLIN German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle says 10 of its correspondents in Afghanistan have left the country for Pakistan, after it was previously unable to get them out of Kabul by air. Deutsche Welle said in a statement Friday that the journalists, including its only female correspondent in Afghanistan, were able to leave on Thursday. It didnt detail how exactly they got out of Afghanistan, but said that due to a variety of reasons an evacuation by air had not worked out. The group had waited unsuccessfully outside the Kabul airport for days. As a result, the broadcaster said, all options were explored to get the group out of the country by another route. Deutsche Welle director general Peter Limbourg thanked the German government, without whom this evacuation would not have been possible, and Qatar, which he said made an enormous effort. He said authorities in Islamabad had granted permission for the evacuation of the families on humanitarian grounds. The evacuated correspondents are to be taken to Bonn, Germany. The broadcaster said it is in talks with authorities to bring relatives of the employees of its Dari and Pashto services to Germany, as well as two correspondents and their families who had returned to their hometowns after weeks of waiting in Kabul. ___ MADRID Spains foreign minister is in Islamabad for talks with Pakistani officials aimed at easing the transit of Afghan people who worked with Spain before Afghanistans fall into the hands of the Taliban. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares is scheduled to hold meetings with Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan and his counterpart, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, among other officials. In a video released by the Spanish ministry, Albares said that the goal was to hold talks with one of the main key players in the region and find ways to leave no one behind. The minister said he would give assurances to the Pakistani government that Spains embassy would deal fast with Afghans who worked for the country in order for them not to become a burden for Pakistan. Albares is the first trip by a Spanish foreign minister to Pakistan in 70 years of diplomatic relations. ___ ISLAMABAD Pakistans foreign minister says it is the collective responsibility of the international community to help Afghanistan to avert a humanitarian crisis. In a statement Friday, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that despite having limited resources, Pakistan a day earlier sent a plane carrying food and medicines to Kabul. Qureshi said more such aid will be dispatched to Afghanistan via land routes. Qureshi made his comments ahead of the visit of his Spanish counterpart, Jose Manuel Albares, who was expected to arrive in the capital, Islamabad, later Friday, for talks on Afghanistan. Qureshi said that a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan wouldnt be anyones interest in the region or in the world. Pakistan wants the international community to unfreeze Afghanistans assets to enable Kabul use its own money to avert a worsening humanitarian crisis. The Taliban government currently does not have access to the Afghanistan central banks $9 billion in reserves, most of which is held by the New York Federal Reserve. These reserves were blocked amid last months political turmoil in Afghanistan. ___ UNITED NATIONS The United Nations development agency says Afghanistan is teetering on the brink of universal poverty which could become a reality in the middle of next year unless urgent efforts are made to bolster local communities and their economies. It said the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has put 20 years of steady economic gains at risk. The U.N. Development Program outlined four scenarios for Afghanistan following the Talibans Aug. 15 assumption of power that predict the countrys GDP will decline between 3.6% and 13.2% in the next fiscal year starting in June 2022, depending on the intensity of the crisis and how much the world engages with the Taliban. That is in sharp contrast to the expected 4% growth in GDP before the fall of the government. Afghanistan pretty much faces universal poverty by the middle of next year, Kanni Wignaraja, UNDPs Asia-Pacific Director, told a news conference Thursday launching its 28-page assessment. Thats where were heading -- its 97-98% (poverty rate) no matter how you work these projections. Currently, the poverty rate is 72% and Wignaraja pointed to many development gains after the Taliban were ousted from power in 2001: Per capita income more than doubled in the last 20 years, life expectancy at birth was extended by about nine years, the number of years of schooling rose from six to 10, and we got women into university. But she said Afghanistan now faces a humanitarian and development disaster resulting from political instability, frozen foreign reserves, a collapsed public finance system, a crush on local banking because of this, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. ____ UNITED NATIONS The United States has a message for the Taliban: If it lives up to all its commitments, brings greater stability to Afghanistan and the region, demonstrates widespread inclusion, and protects the gains of the last 20 years well work with it. But U.S. deputy ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis, who delivered the message at a U.N. Security Council meeting on Thursday, stressed that any legitimacy and support will have to be earned. He said the standards the international community has set are clear and include facilitating safe passage for Afghans and foreign nationals who want to leave Afghanistan and respecting the countrys obligations under international humanitarian law including those related to the protection of civilians. Were watching closely to see that those standards are met, he said. DeLaurentis told the council that following the U.S. withdrawal and the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan needs the United Nations and the U.N. political mission in the country more than ever. He said the United States remains committed to the people of Afghanistan, and as the countrys largest humanitarian donor it is helping partners on the ground provide assistance, but the needs are vast. With the diplomatic footprint in the country reduced, DeLaurentis said, the U.N. has a vitally important role to play not only in coordinating aid but in preventing human rights violations and abuses and pursuing accountability for those that have occurred, and in protecting children and civilians. The corner of Prue Road and Casina is where our tale starts, with an SAPD officer finding a pair of small, empty caskets on the side of the road. Found beside debris from an ongoing CPS construction site, the two caskets baffled news stations throughout San Antonio. Who leaves tiny caskets out in the open? What macabre being unearthed and discarded the funeral rites? How did they end up here? Our sister publication reported no foul play was suspected, and yet it left readers wondering: What is going on? There was plenty of reason to be nervous. After all, San Antonio has a strange track record when it comes to caskets. KSAT 12's David Elder quipped: "Please, for the love of 2021 just put them back." The answer to this intriguing saga is a little more Scooby Doo than Unsolved Mysteries. Paul Berry, chief communications officer for San Antonio's Public Works released a statement on the matter, which also doubles as a lesson in transparency. "Early last week, as part of construction work by a City contractor for a voter-approved 2017 Bond Project to improve Prue Road from Babcock to Laureate Drive, a contractor digging a trench for utility lines, came across two caskets from an abandoned pet cemetery that happened to be located adjacent to the work being done on Prue Road." Pause for effect. "When the utility work was completed the contractor was directed to rebury the caskets where they were found. Unfortunately, the trench was filled without the caskets being placed in their original location. We have secured the location and plan to rebury the caskets in the same area where they were found." There you have it, the start of San Antonio's own Pet Sematary. The White House is praising San Antonio's successful delivery of Emergency Rental Assistance funds, along with other state and city programs across the U.S. Members of the Biden administration gathered for a webinar on September 8 to highlight U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Devvelopment's ERA programs and efforts to stop evictions amid the pandemic. In the online event led, hosted by Treasury Chief Recovery Officer Jacob Leibenluft and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Mayor Ron Nirenberg talked about how San Antonio distributed 92 percent of its round 1 ERA funds by the end of July. "San Antonio, like most every other city in America, struggled with the inequalities and inequities of poverty long before COVID-19 began," Nirenberg said during the event. San Antonio pushed its risk mitigation money and ERA funds into the Emergency Housing Assistance Program in April 2020 for a total budget of $189.3 million. Nirenberg says the city has approved over $136.7 million in emergency rental, mortgage and utility assistance for over 46,000 households. That's 72 percent of total EHAP funding. ERA funds accounted for 51 percent of that budget, which served over 12,000 San Antonio residents. Bexar County also received $5 million in ERA funds, which has been used to serve 600 households outside of the San Antonio city limits. Nirenberg says part of that success is due to a tiered distribution system that targeted the most vulnerable individuals and families. San Antonio has since opened up a housing assistance call center to provide round-the-clock assistance. "This comprehensive framework is now nationally recognized and I'm extremely proud of the work that's being done to keep a roof over our neighbor's heads," Nirenberg added. San Antonio also recently applied for grant funds to fund legal aid for upcoming eviction cases after the nationwide halt on evictions ended. Other Texas officials highlighted include Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who also distributed 92 percent of its round 1 ERA funds. International Palestinian factions call for day of rage Ramallah, Sep 10 (IANS) | Publish Date: 9/10/2021 12:34:59 PM IST Leaders of Palestinian factions, including the Islamic Hamas Movement, have called for a day of rage on Friday to support Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Wasel Abu Yousef, a member of the executive committee of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), told reporters in Ramallah that all the West Bank and Gaza factions agreed to designate Friday as a day of rage, reports Xinhua news agency. Friday will be a day of confrontation with the Israeli soldiers at roadblocks and checkpoints in solidarity with the prisoners and in rejection to the endless violations against their rights, Abu Yousef said. In Gaza, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) said in two separate press statements that they call on the Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to join a day of rage on Friday. The PIJ calls on all Palestinian people to continue the state of anger and confrontation in the Palestinian territory, said Tariq Selmi, spokesman for the group in Gaza in a statement. On Monday, six Palestinian prisoners escaped from the Gilboa prison in northern Israel through a tunnel they dug underneath the jail. Israeli authorities tightened their measures in across all prisons later. By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Bird Song of the Day * * * #COVID19 At reader request, Ive added this daily chart from 91-DIVOC. The data is the Johns Hopkins CSSE data. Here is the site. I feel Im engaging in a macabre form of tape-watching. We already start to an instant rebound from Labor Day, I assume because reporting is returning to normal. Nevertheless, Labor Day, as the end of summer, also signals life changes for Americans, so those changes will affect the numbers too. We shall see! Vaccination by region: 53.4% of the US is fully vaccinated, a big moment, bursting through the psychological 53% barrier (mediocre by world standards, being just below Ecuador, and just above Switzerland and Malaysia). Every day, a tenth of a percentage point upward; this stately progress seems to continuue no matter what is in the news. However, as readers point out, every day those vaccinated become less protected, especially the earliest. So we are trying to outrun the virus (I have also not said, because its too obvious, that if by Bubba we mean The South, then Bubba has done pretty well.) Case count by United States regions: Covid cases top ten states for the last four weeks: Fresh-squeezed numbers from Florida. From CDC: Community Profile Report September 10, 2021 (PDF), Rapid Riser counties, this release: It would be nice if all that lovely green were not a reporting artifact, but. This map, too, blows the Blame Bubba narrative out of the water. Not a (Deliverance-style) banjo to be heard. Previous release: (Red means getting worse, green means bad but getting better.) Test positivity: Hospitalization (CDC): Here the CDCs hospitalization visualization, from the source above: Deaths (Our World in Data): We are now well past the peak of last year at this time. Which I am finding more than a little disturbing. (Adding: I know the data is bad. This is the United States. But according to The Narrative, deaths shouldnt have been going up at all. Directionally, this is quite concerning. Needless to see, this is a public health debacle. Its the public health establishment to take care of public health, not the health of certain favored political factions.) Covid cases worldwide: * * * Politics But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? James Madison, Federalist 51 They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery. Frank Herbert, Dune They had learned nothing, and forgotten nothing. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord Biden Administration Capitol Seizure Hundreds of law enforcement officials were prepped early for potential Jan. 6 violence [Politico]. Just two days before armed rioters stormed and ransacked the Capitol, about 300 law enforcement officials got on a conference call to talk about the possibility that Donald Trumps supporters would turn violent on Jan. 6. They specifically discussed the possibility that the days gatherings would turn into a mass-casualty event, and they made plans on how to communicate with each other if that happened. The officials were so prepared for chaos that they even had a hashtag to share information on the FBIs private communication service: #CERTUNREST2021. These previously unreported details come from a person familiar with the call and an email summarizing it obtained by the transparency group Property of the People. The Wall Street Journal first reported that the call occurred. Reporting indicates a significant number of individual [sic] plan to or are advocating for others to travel to Washington, DC to engage in civil unrest and violence, reads the summary of the call, which included officials from so-called fusion centers regional intelligence hubs set up after 9/11 to track major domestic threats. The extent of the FBIs awareness that the rally by Trump backers could turn violent raises fresh questions about why national security and law enforcement officials didnt do more to protect the Capitol on that volatile day. Our patience is wearing thin: Biden imposes vaccine mandates for 100 million Americans [Sydney Morning Herald]. Our. Whos we? More: The rules, introduced in an attempt to curb the spread of the highly contagious and economically damaging Delta variant, will require all workers at companies with over 100 employees to be vaccinated or to be tested for COVID-19 weekly. Weve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, Biden said in a direct and unusually blunt message to unvaccinated Americans. And your refusal has cost all of us. The roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated. Biden is also signing an executive order to require vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government with no option to test out. That covers several million more workers. Wonderfully clarifying that the party of the PMC playing gatekeeper as usual is imposing draconian workplace restrictions, which will disproportionately impact the poorer Black and working class populations, especially essential workers (and women who are disproportionately nurses and teachers). The hesitant arent all Bubbas. I guess well see. Here is a thread on the OSHA aspects of Bidens plan: Background here is that Biden killed his own OSHA's proposed covid rule for general industry months ago. Among other things, it would have required masks in many circumstances, as well as paid quarantine and isolation for virtually all businesses Justin Feldman (@jfeldman_epi) September 9, 2021 Love it or leave it: The vaccine mandate doesnt actually force you to get vaccinated, you can always just quit your job. Cant afford to? Shouldve budgeted better Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) September 10, 2021 On the politics: Swing-state poll of employer vax mandates Favor: 68% Oppose: 32 Favor: 63% Oppose: 37 Favor: 61% Oppose: 39 Favor: 64% Oppose: 36 Favor: 68% Oppose: 32 https://t.co/RgcWcXSr8F Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) September 10, 2021 Lambert here: I have to say, its hard to imagine Obama doing anything like this (which is not to say Bidens plan is workable or adequate). Advantage, Biden, exactly as with Afghanistan (which will quickly be forgotten except among irredentist factions of The Blob and whoever is planning our next war MR SUBLIMINAL In Africa . If Biden gets lucky on the numbers (its happened before), and he manages to lock Manchin into a room and set it on fire, the Democrats may do alright in the midterms. At least hes trying! I think I need to get out my Magic Markers on his speech, though, which is not going to play well everywhere. The question is: Will it play well enough? UPDATE The Surprisingly Strong Supreme Court Precedent Supporting Vaccine Mandates [Politico]. Jacobson v. Massachusetts, 1905: Jacobsons claim was essentially the same as that taken for granted by vaccine skeptics today: That they have the personal liberty under the U.S. Constitution to decide for themselves whether to take the shot. Backed by a group called The Anti-Vaccination Society, Jacobson made a formidable case, incorporating many of the same arguments about freedom from government interference that are ricocheting around cable TV this summer, and mouthed by politicians. One mans liberty, they declared in a 7-2 ruling handed down the following February, cannot deprive his neighbors of their own liberty in this case by allowing the spread of disease. Jacobson, they ruled, must abide by the order of the Cambridge board of health or pay the penalty. But the question isnt vaccines as such. The question is these vaccines. Democrats en Deshabille UPDATE Yeah, good. OK: Speaker Pelosi: "I say to my Republican friends, take back your party. The country needs a big, strong Republican Party. And I say that as a leader in the Democratic Party Don't have it be a cult of personality on the extreme, extreme, extreme right." pic.twitter.com/dpfDI6xy9U The Hill (@thehill) September 10, 2021 But ya know what the country definitely doesnt need? This guy: In belated honor of Bernies birthday, I will recount my first meeting with the legend: Bernie: So youre the researcher huh? So you know more about me than I do myself? Me: Thats what you pay me for Senator B: [waving hand, walking away] ugh, thats what you all say. tyson brody (@tysonbrody) September 9, 2021 This guy, or anybody like him. Realignment and Legitimacy All reactionaries are paper tigers (paywalled) [Carl Beijer]. Right-wing nightmare scenarios of massive armed resistance never happen. If the clownish Capitol riot is the best the right-wing can do, then reaction to the vaccine mandate is nothing to worry about. Stats Watch Inventories: United States Wholesale Inventories [Trading Economics]. Wholesale inventories in the US increased 0.6 percent month-over-month to $722 billion in July of 2021, in line with the preliminary estimate and easing from a 1.2 percent rise in June. It was the twelfth consecutive month of gains. Durable goods rose more than anticipated (1 percent vs 0.9 percent in June) while nondurable goods inventories declined (-0.1 percent vs 0.2 percent in the preliminary estimate). On a yearly basis, wholesale inventories advanced 11.5 percent in July. * * * The Bezzle: How Audible robs indie audiobook creator [Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic]. Amazons ACX is a self-serve audiobook production platform: writers spend thousands of dollars to produce audiobooks of their own work. Amazon strongly incentivizes ACX producers to sell exclusively through Audible (which also distributes to Itunes). If you go exclusive, you get a better split of the proceeds 40%. Thats right: though you bore all production costs and Amazon has no costs associated with selling your audiobook, Amazon still keeps the majority of the revenue from it, even if you grant them exclusivity. As unfair as that may sound, it gets a LOT worse. As part of its effort to lure customers to Audible, Amazon now grants no-questions-asked returns on audiobooks, and claws back the lost revenue from those returns from the audiobook creators.: From 2020, still germane The Bezzle: Wells Fargo to pay $250M fine for mortgage oversight lapses [The Hill]. Those lovable scamps at Wells Fargo just cant seem to get it right, cant they? Tech: Value engineering at Apple: Explanation to whom it may concern pic.twitter.com/3s2qDZpZ0f Chlil (@ChlilChillTzlil) September 9, 2021 Makes perfect sense for this stupid mouse design. But putting critical components next to heat sources, I dunno. I quick tour of Apple tear-down sites yields nothing. Readers? Concentration: U.S. judge in Fortnite case strikes down Apples in-app payment restrictions [Reuters]. A U.S. judge on Friday issued a ruling in Fortnite creator Epic Games antitrust lawsuit against Apple Incs App Store, striking down some of Apples restrictions on how developers can collect payments in apps. But more importantly: The judge ruled Epic failed to demonstrate Apple is an illegal monopolist , but did show the smartphone giant engaged in anticompetitive conduct under California laws. The judge issued a nationwide injunction blocking Apple anti-steering provisions rules that limit app developers from pointing users outside of Apples ecosystem. The judge said these rules hide critical information from consumers and illegally stifle consumer choice.' Concentration: Apple not a monopoly but must allow alternate payment methods for apps, judge rules [Apple Insider]. Apple prevailed in breach of contract clauses. Specifically, Epic needs to pay damages equal to 30% of the $12,167,719 in revenue Epic games collected through Epic Direct Payment, plus any revenue collected through November 1 to date of judgement, plus interest. Part of the ruling was the definition of the market at stake, which was a contentious point of the trial. Ultimately, after evaluating the trial evidence, the Court finds that the relevant market here is digital mobile gaming transactions, not gaming generally and not Apples own internal operating systems related to the App Store, the judge wrote. The mobile gaming market itself is a $100 billion industry. The size of this market explains Epic Games motive in bringing this action. Having penetrated all other video game markets, the mobile gaming market was Epic Games next target and it views Apple as an impediment. The judge was clear that Apple is not a monopoly, however. Saying that success is not illegal the judge ruled that Epic could not demonstrate that Apple was engaging in monopolistic behavior. While the Court finds that Apple enjoys considerable market share of over 55% and extraordinarily high profit margins, these factors alone do not show antitrust conduct. Success is not illegal, said the Judge. The final trial record did not include evidence of other critical factors, such as barriers to entry and conduct decreasing output or decreasing innovation in the relevant market. The Court does not find that it is impossible; only that Epic Games failed in its burden to demonstrate Apple is an illegal monopolist.' Not decreasing innovation? Really? I cant speak to the iPhone, not owning one, but if a Martian looked at the first Mac desktop in 1984, and compared it to todays Mac or Engelbarts work before it theyd be hard-pressed to find a difference. Of course, desktop, files, folders We are all bureaucrats now, administering ourselves, so perhaps social relationships must change before the Mac UI does. Nevertheless. Mr. Market: Dow stages over 300-point U-turn and trades lower, as opening gains fizzle [MarketWatch]. The Dow industrials pivoted lower and the broader stock market struggled to end a series of losses on Friday, as investors weighed COVID-19 vaccine mandates announced by President Joe Biden to fight the coronavirus delta variant that some worry is slowing the economic recovery. * * * Todays Fear & Greed Index: 39 Fear (previous close: 42 Fear) [CNN]. One week ago: 54 (Neutral). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Sep 9 at 12:38pm. Health Care Gotta wear shades: Today, we shared positive pre-clinical data demonstrating our ability to combine 6 mRNAs against 3 different respiratory viruses in 1 vaccine: COVID-19 booster + Flu booster + RSV booster. #mRNA pic.twitter.com/6AEkhSJrO5 Moderna (@moderna_tx) September 9, 2021 Might as well mandate them all, I guess. Plus, maybe we can get away with not changing any ventilation systems. Win-win! Poor building design sped up Covid spread, says academic [Architects Journal]. [Orla Hegarty, assistant professor at University College Dublins School of Architecture] argues that while many building with high ceilings and good air flow posed a low risk of transmission, similar to being outside, other buildings were hotspots for disease spread with three types being particularly notable: 1) Meat and food production facilities have been associated with numerous outbreaks, as cold, dry air is recirculated to save energy creating optimum conditions for virus spread. 2) Hospitals and nursing homes are large buildings containing vulnerable people. They sometimes have poor ventilation especially when in an older, converted building. Patients tend not to wear masks, while medical staff may not be wearing the right grade of mask to protect from aerosol spread. 3)Hospitality buildings and schools often contain lots of people but may not have sufficient ventilation in the pandemic. Well worth a read. Were Asking the Impossible of Vaccines [The Atlantic]. Eventually, all discussions about sterilizing immunity become nerdy quibbles over semantics. Holy moley, if there were an Oscars for goal-post moving, this would be a top candidate. To my simple, laypersons mind, a vaccine I only need to take once (possibly with a booster), like polio or measles, is sterilizing. A vaccine I have to keep taking, like a flu vaccine, is not. I wonder if of our experts would care to comment on this article, which, however motivated, seems designed to normalize the rapidly waning effiicacy of todays Covid vaccines. Vaccine timeline: A reminder of how vaccine development has been speeding up but scicne and medicine did especially amazingly for this pandemic. A new benchmark? pic.twitter.com/rLfaEqtQo7 . , (@MackayIM) September 10, 2021 Hopefiully, no corners were cut. Mu: everything you need to know about the new coronavirus variant of interest [The Conversation]. The World Health Organization (WHO) has added another coronavirus variant to its list to monitor. Its called the mu variant and has been designated a variant of interest (VOI). A VOI is not a variant of concern (VOC), which is a variant that has been proven to acquire one of those characteristics, making it more dangerous and so more consequential. Mu is being monitored closely to see if it should be re-designated as a VOC. We have to hope not. There are four other VOIs being watched by the WHO eta, iota, kappa and lambda but none of these have been reclassified as a VOC. That might be the case with mu as well, but we have to await further data. What makes mu particularly interesting (and concerning) is that it has what the WHO calls a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape. In other words, it has the hallmarks of being able to get around existing vaccine protection. Mu was first seen in Colombia in January 2021, when it was given the designation B1621. It has since been detected in 40 countries, but is thought to currently be responsible for only 0.1% of infections globally. Rats, more coronaviruses! (podcast) [This Week in Virology]. The TWiV team explains what the Biden report on SARS-CoV-2 origins did not: evidence that the virus came from Nature, not a lab; and reveals new coronaviruses in rodents that inhabit populated areas in southern China. Nature the magazine? First Ive heard. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/09/sterilizing-immunity-myth-covid-19-vaccines/620023/ * * * Our Famously Free Press Im so old I remember when New Yorker cartoons were actually funny: Horsepaste is the new RussiaRussiaRussia. Remember when the Times belittled Trump by presenting him as Putins [snicker, snicker] gay lover? Same deal here: The New Yorker belittles Mark Zuckerberg (I think) be presenting him as [snicker, snicker] a cross-dresser or trans. And they all have In this house signs on their lawns with rainbows! Screening Room Jackpot-ready: Amazon Studios heading to Asheville area to film new series Peripheral https://t.co/vgEOfkMMOO William Gibson (@GreatDismal) September 9, 2021 Hefty Mart, the corporate auteur. I wondered why Agency was so creepy and bad. Perhaps Gibson wanted to write something he was sure Bezos would greenlight. Groves of Academe These tips seem well-thought-out to me: 1. College instructors: Now that we are back to teaching in person again, have you thought about how the design of your course encourages or discourages students from making prudent decisions with regard to COVID risk? I've adapted my upcoming 180-student course in a few ways. Carl T. Bergstrom (@CT_Bergstrom) September 10, 2021 Especially this one: 11. This requires that I write thoughtful open-book, open-internet questions that test for high-level mastery of the material. That awful Proctorio-style spyware is absolutely out of the question. Almost a year ago I wrote a long thread about that here: https://t.co/sU1XI1iLJ0 Carl T. Bergstrom (@CT_Bergstrom) September 10, 2021 Maybe this should be the norm? Imperial Collapse Watch The Bauhaus gasps its last: Former J.C. Penney (1966) Midway Mall Elyria, OH pic.twitter.com/AIT6VUKXPH Midwest Modern (@JoshLipnik) September 9, 2021 Class Warfare Elevator Pitch: Americas Got Talent, but for the Non-Profit Industrial Complex: Usher, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Julianne Hough will host competition series The Activist. Activists go head-to-head in challenges to promote their causes, with their success measured via online engagement, social metrics, and hosts input. (https://t.co/Oe2u8Aobxc) pic.twitter.com/HvaUaGTcl4 Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) September 9, 2021 From the description, though, the show appears way too close to reality News of the Wired No: I dont even remember giving permission for our fridge to email. Its barely a year old, its screen time is highly restricted and its a fridge. It should only speak when its spoken to. Its a fridge. Dan Hon (@hondanhon) September 9, 2021 What Its Like to Fix: Linotype, Intertype, and Other Old Presses [iFixIt]. Everything on the Linotype machine was made to be fixed. This machine was made to last hundreds of years, and many hours of operation. They were designed in 1886, and with proper care and maintenance, they are still running today, [David Seat] wrote. The oldest Linotype he works on is in Denmark, originally built in 1905. The main problems that I run into on Linotype Machines are sticky keyboards, dirty mats and magazines, transfers not lined up properly, or bad heaters in the pots, Seat wrote. These make up about 75 percent of the repairs that I have to perform. The most difficult fixes are replacing the pots mouthpiece or plunger. Cleaning out a keyboard is one of the most time-consuminga reassuring bit of continuity with todays technology. Because hes traveling the country, and because each machine is thousands of parts, Seat doesnt always have what he needs to finish a job. Sometimes he doesnt have the time for the full repair, either. Its one of the worst parts of the job. Being on a job and knowing the machine needs many hours of work to be proper, but getting limited to a few hours to try to make it function a little, when you know it could be so much better. I wonder if the parts problem could be solved by 3-D printing. Anyhow, if you want to publish a newspaper during the Jackpot, best have one of these. Maybe you can pick one up at a yard sale * * * Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (RH): RH: Peppers on the left, tomatoes center and right. Nice project! * * * Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the recently concluded and thank you! successful annual NC fundraiser. So if you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldnt see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals: Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated. If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!2:00PM Water Cooler 6/8/2021 By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She is currently writing a book about textile artisans. Ive long taken a jaundiced view of the influence business has on politics and public policy a perspective I first developed by studies with Tom Ferguson at MIT in the early 80s. The most obvious way business shapes our politics directly is via campaign contributions (or even more directly, outright bribes). Business also wields various carrots and sticks, proffering or withholding, promises to site a particular plant or facility somewhere. Politicians engage in unseemly beauty contests to win: Pick me! No,me! These contests purport to bring jobs and other benefits, but often extract tax and other concessions that leave the winning bid anything but. And business also acts indirectly, using public relations tactics to shape public opinion (or foster elite consensus). Increasingly, that means deploying social media. With this as a bit of background, readers will understand why I found an article, Big oils wokewashing is the new climate science denialism, in yesterdays Guardian so interesting. The thesis: Big Oil has moved on from outright climate denialism to mounting more subtle social media campaigns to get what it wants: Alas, the success Big Oils success with these campaigns has effectively delayed meaningful action on climate change, as well as left industry critics a step behind if not exactly wrong-footed as they seek to define offsetting strategies and tactics: By downplaying the urgency of the climate crisis, the industry has new tools to delay efforts to curb fossil fuel emissions. And worse yet: even industry critics havent fully caught up to this new approach. If you just focus on climate denial, then all of this other stuff is missed, explains Robert Brulle, an environmental sociologist and visiting professor at Brown University. Brulle, who published a peer-reviewed study in 2019 that analyzed major oil corporations advertising spending over a 30-year period, says the lions share of ad dollars were directed not toward denial, or even toward the industrys products, but toward pro-fossil fuel propaganda campaigns that remind people over and over again about all the great things oil companies do, how dependent we are on fossil fuels, and how integral the industry is to society. Theyre spending probably five or 10 times more on all this corporate promotion advertising, he says. And yet the climate movement seems to only focus on the science denial part. To be sure, it would have been difficult if not impossible to maintain a denialist stance with a straight face when virtually every day brings another account of a climate catastrophe unfolding somewhere around the globe : extreme storms, wildfires, too much (or too little) rain. The Guardian recognizes that big Oils PR strategy has shifted. But the goal remains the same: to delay taking any meaningful action on climate change for as long as possible. Alas, industry critics have failed to adjust what theyre doing in response. Oil companies stopped pushing overt climate denial more than a decade ago. And while conspiracy theories claiming climate change is a hoax may surface occasionally, they are no longer an effective strategy. Instead, the fossil fuel industry, utilities and the various trade groups, politicians and think tanks that carry water for both, have pivoted to messages that acknowledge the problem, but downplay its severity and the urgency for solutions. Instead companies are overstating the industrys progress toward addressing climate change. In a paper published in the journal Global Sustainability last July, economist William Lamb and nearly a dozen co-authors catalogued the most common messaging from those who would prefer to see inaction on climate for as long as possible. According to Lambs team, the industrys discourses of delay fall into four buckets: redirect responsibility (consumers are also to blame for fossil fuel emissions), push non-transformative solutions (disruptive change is not necessary), emphasize the downside of action (change will be disruptive), and surrender (its not possible to mitigate climate change). This was a paper that was born on Twitter, funnily enough, Lamb says. Lamb and collaborators Giulio Mattoli and Julia Steinberger began compiling the fossil fuel messaging they saw repeatedly on social media. Then they asked other academics from various fields to add what they were seeing too, and patterns soon emerged. Lamb says they explicitly left denial out of the equation. What we tried to do was really examine delay as something distinct, he says. From our view, delay had not received the kind of attention it deserves. Social Justice Warriors: Energy Firms Engage in Wokewashing Now that the industry has moved along from outright denialism, what arguments does it emphasize instead? Of all the messaging geared toward delaying action on climate, or assurances that the fossil fuel industry has a grip on possible solutions, Lamb and other authors agreed that one theme was far more prevalent than the rest: the social justice argument. This strategy generally takes one of two forms: either warnings that a transition away from fossil fuels will adversely impact poor and marginalized communities, or claims that oil and gas companies are aligned with those communities. Researchers call this practice wokewashing. Drilling down for some specifics, the Guardian discusses how various Big Oil firms have highlighted how enacting green environmental policies would hurt minority or impoverished communities. And it doesnt matter that some claims are just not true: many a recent visitor to India, for example, could tell of how wind turbines have sprung up along the coasts of Gujarat, or throughout Tamil Nadu. An email Chevrons PR firm CRC Advisors sent to journalists last year is a perfect example. It urged journalists to look at how green groups were claiming solidarity with Black Lives Matter while backing policies which would hurt minority communities. Chevron later denied that it had anything to do with this email, although it regularly hires CRC and the bottom of the email in question read: If you would rather not receive future communications from Chevron, let us know by clicking here. Another common industry talking point argues a transition away from fossil fuels will be unavoidably bad for impoverished communities. The argument is based on the assumption that these communities value fossil fuel energy more than concerns about all of its attendant problems (air and water pollution, in addition to climate change), and that there is no way to provide poor communities or countries with affordable renewable energy. Chevron also claimed solidarity with Black Lives Matter last year, although it is also responsible for polluting the Black-majority city its headquartered in: Richmond, California, where Chevron also pays for a larger-than-average police force. Meanwhile the American Petroleum Institute, Big Oils largest trade group and lobbyist, funds diversity in stem programs, but it also declines to acknowledge the disproportionate impacts on communities of color. Discourses of delay dont just show up in advertising and marketing campaigns, but in policy conversations too. Weve gone through thousands of pieces of testimony on climate and clean energy bills at the state level, and all of the industry arguments against this sort of legislation included these messages, says J Timmons Roberts, professor of environment and sociology at Brown University, and a co-author on the discourses of delay paper. Needed: Field Guide to Defeat Discourses of Climate Change Delay Permit me to quote some further details about discourses of delay: In a recently published study focused on delay tactics in Massachusetts, for example, Roberts and his co-authors catalogued how fossil fuel interest groups and utility companies in particular used discourses of delay to try to defeat clean energy legislation. Another recent study found similar campaigns against clean energy and climate bills in Connecticut. The social justice argument is the one were seeing used the most, he says. Lamb sees the same thing happening in Europe. Often you do see those arguments come from right of center politicians, which suggests hypocrisy in a way because theyre not so interested in the social dimension on parallel issues of social justice like education policy or financial policy. While the social justice argument stands out as a favorite at the moment, Lamb says the others are in regular rotation too, from focusing on what individual consumers should be doing to reduce their own carbon footprints to promoting the ideas that technology will save us and that fossil fuels are a necessary part of the solution. These things are effective, they work, Roberts says. So what we need is inoculation people need a sort of field guide to these arguments so theyre not just duped. Consider yourself inoculated. By Thomas Neuburger. Originally published at Gods Spies An uncomfortable fact. We have two problems with Covid in the U.S., not just one. They do overlap, but each on its own is responsible for the persistence of the virus among us.Let me explain. Lets You and Him Fight I can hire one half of the working class to kill the other half. Jay Gould (cited here) First, people who are virulently anti-vaxx are being media-stirred to be even more anti-vaxx, because freedom, with new rebels added by the day. These people would exist anyway, but not in these numbers, except for the culture war that: Republicans Party supporters like Richard Viguerie started in the late 1970s and cynically continue to profit from electorally, and Democratic Party supporters exacerbate by demonizing anyone on the idiot side of the political fence. The still-approved term for the other sides supporters, though not said in public by people with standing, is deplorables. Lower down on the people with standing scale, the term is used freely. For example: Remember when people criticised Hillary Clinton for calling Trump supporters a basket of deplorables Once again, she was right Edward Hardy (@EdwardTHardy) January 30, 2021 This was written after the January 6 riot, but note that it targets Trump supporters, meaning all Trump voters, including those who voted Republican just because they couldnt stomach mainstream Democrats. To put a number to it, that comment tars close to 75,000,000 voters out of the total voting pool of 160 million Americans. Thats a lot of people to disdain. And this remark is certainly not alone. From just this month: When Hilary Clinton told America that Donald Trumps supporters were a basket of deplorables, she was right. What she failed to mention was just how damn proud of it they are! Never Just Survive! THRIVE! (@LastBubbleRises) August 28, 2021 And another: It was wrong for Hillary Clinton to say half of Trumps supporters belong in a basket of deplorables. They all do. Jeff Timmer (@jefftimmer) May 11, 2021 You get the idea. Half of the voting public is being driven up to hate the other half, and each side happily participates. As a result, we have a war that will never end unless those promoting it stand down. Which they wont. All this has made being deplorable a badge of honor on the one side #ThankYouHillary for coining the term Basket of Deplorables. We wear that like a badge of honor. Rick S. (@SundayServices) November 8, 2017 and made treating right-wing voters as if they were deplorable a badge of membership on the other. For example, consider this snarky comment Sending my horse into the feed store to buy ivermectin for me. Works every time. Breakfast Nook Wolf (@TheSlyWolfy) August 31, 2021 and this, from the queen of mainstream anti-Trump orthodoxy which freely conflated using the horse version of ivermectin with using the FDA-approved, known-safe people version available in pharmacies. All of which leads to events like this: So pharmacies are all now requiring dx codes for IVM. Wont fill if c19 related. Naturally if you are concerned about use of veterinary products, what you want to do is aggressively cut off human grade use under medical supervision. This sort of strategy has always worked out well Dr. Eric Osgood MD (@EdoajoEric) August 26, 2021 Its impossible not to conclude that the pharmacy above is responding to Democratic ecosystem orthodoxy and violating its duty as pharmacists to do it. Reminds one of those (deplorable) days when right-wing pharmacies wouldnt fill birth control prescriptions. Because of all this, we may be closing in on the maximum percentage of Americans who will be vaccinated, until a greater enough number of deaths tragedies that touch a great many more families and friends lays all of us low and humbles the violently angry on every side. Clearly, one hopes and prays not to see that outcome. Which sadly means one hopes this war wont end. The Falsely-Named Pandemic of the Unvaccinated Hides the True Nature of Our Vaccines Moderna, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca do not require that their vaccine prevent serious disease, only symptoms. Dr. William Haseltine But all this public panic, anger and shaming of the unvaccinated by the vaccinated what the Sun-Times calls the pandemic of the unvaccinated, for example hides another fact. The Covid vaccines, as good as they are, were not designed to prevent infection in the first place, only symptoms. Let that sink in. The current Covid vaccines were not designed to prevent infection. Thats a major reason why breakthrough infections occur. In addition, because the vaccines do prevent severe symptoms and a vast majority of cases, the number of breakthrough infections must, by definition, be under-counted. This, from September 2020, was written by Dr. William Haseltine, formerly of the Harvard Medical School and a hero in the fight to genetically characterize AIDS (bio here and here): Prevention of infection must be a critical endpoint. Any vaccine trial should include regular antigen testing every three days to test contagiousness to pick up early signs of infection and PCR testing once a week to confirm infection by SARS-CoV-2 test the ability of the vaccines to stave off infection. Prevention of infection is not a criterion for success for any of these vaccines. In fact, their endpoints all require confirmed infections and all those they will include in the analysis for success, the only difference being the severity of symptoms between the vaccinated and unvaccinated. Measuring differences amongst only those infected by SARS-CoV-2 underscores the implicit conclusion that the vaccines are not expected to prevent infection, only modify symptoms of those infected. It may well be true that these vaccines, to some degree, do protect against infection, but (to use a club brandished against those who recommend studying ivermectin) no clinical studies, to my knowledge, have established that, or have established the degree of that protection. Its certainly true that the world wanted these vaccines on the market on the fastest schedule possible. And its also true that they have saved a great many lives. Just look at the ratio of infections-to-deaths prior to the vaccine rollout, and the same ratio afterward (chart above). But it is also true that its not just the unvaccinated who are infecting the vaccinated, since both vaccinated and unvaccinated can be Covid carriers and spreaders. Which means that, even if the world were 100% vaccinated with these vaccines, the vaccinated who host the virus would provide ample breeding ground for variants. In other words, with these vaccines as our only real defense, we may survive the virus living among us, but the virus among us may survive as well. We all expect an effective vaccine to prevent serious illness if infected. Three of the vaccine protocolsModerna, Pfizer, and AstraZenecado not require that their vaccine prevent serious disease[,] only that they prevent moderate symptoms which may be as mild as cough, or headache. [emphasis added] If so, the unvaccinated are not responsible for that. Our global Covid strategy is. My position with Nashville Post has evolved since 2000 when I began work with the now-defunct The City Paper. TCP became a Post sister pub in 2008 (when I began some Post work) and folded in 2013. I have worked mainly with the Post since late 2011. Follow William Williams Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today (Natural News) The city of Tucson, Arizona has stopped its Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandate after State Attorney General Mark Brnovich ruled that such a mandate was illegal. In June, Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill into law that prohibits city and county officials from requiring employees to provide proof of vaccination as a condition for continued employment in city and council governments. Despite this, the Tucson City Council composed entirely of Democrats passed an ordinance on Aug. 13 requiring city employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The citys nearly 4,400 full-time and non-permanent employees had to provide proof of vaccination by Aug. 24. Those who could not provide proof of vaccination would be subjected to disciplinary action, including possibly getting suspended for five days if they continued to refuse the vaccine. City employees were allowed to ask for exemptions on medical or religious grounds, as is required by federal law. In response to this, Ducey issued an executive order reminding and warning the Tucson City Council to not proceed with its vaccine mandate. Tucsons vaccine mandate violated state directives Duceys executive order was followed up by a statement released by Brnovich on Tuesday, Sept. 7. This statement said Tucsons vaccine mandate was illegal because it violated both the law that Ducey signed and the executive order he issued after the fact. The attorney generals order for Tucson to rescind its vaccine mandate is the result of an investigation started by a complaint from Republican State Sen. Kelly Townsend. Arizona law allows legislators to request the attorney general to open an investigation on ordinances and other orders passed by local governments. Brnovich warned Tucson officials that unless they rolled back the vaccine mandate, he would order the state treasurer to withhold the revenue the state would share with the city. Local governments in Arizona are eligible to receive additional funding from the state. According to the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, a municipal network of more than 90 incorporated towns and cities in the state, Tucson is slated to receive more than $175 million. Katie Conner, spokesperson to the attorney general, announced Brnovichs ruling during a video call with other state officials. She said what Tucson was trying to impose upon city workers was offensive considering that state legislators have clearly spoken. In a statement following Brnovichs ruling, Townsend said she was relieved. She was also elated that public employees in Arizona can use the attorney generals ruling to not only preserve their ability to make medical decisions for themselves without illegal coercion from the government, but that they have a stronger defense when seeking damages, if necessary. (Related: Vaccine mandate in Ecuador province defeated by health freedom organization.) Tucson officials responded negatively to state ruling Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, a Democrat, claimed without evidence that Brnovichs ruling was politically motivated and not based on science. She also accused the attorney general of using Tucson to further his political ambitions. Brnovich is running to become the Republican Partys candidate against incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly. It is deeply unfortunate, but not surprising, that the attorney general is prioritizing his political ambitions over his responsibility to objectively interpret the law, she said. This report reads more as a campaign speech filled with political commentary rather than a fact-based legal opinion. Tucson City Manager Michael Ortega admitted that city officials were not sure whether the vaccine mandate was legal when they passed it. Ortega also ordered the city to comply with the state attorney general. Until we have a better understanding of our legal position in relation to todays report, I have instructed staff to pause on the implementation of the policy, he said in a statement following Brnovichs ruling. Other city officials are figuring out how to keep pushing the citys vaccine mandate despite Brnovichs ruling. We are evaluating the implications of the Attorney Generals opinion that the Citys vaccine requirement violates a statute that does not yet have legal effect, said Mike Rankin, the citys attorney, in a statement. Senate Bill 1824, the bill Ducey signed that bans vaccine mandates, does not take effect until Sept. 29. As of Aug. 24, around 354 full-time and non-permanent employees of the city are not fully vaccinated and have not asked for an exemption. Thanks to the intervention of Ducey and Brnovich, these 354 workers have been saved from being coerced into getting the experimental and deadly COVID-19 vaccines. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com AZCentral.com (Natural News) Another government bureaucrat posing as a health official has declared that the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) plandemic is never going away and will be with us forever. Kerry Chant, Australias health chief, says that Australians, and really everyone, need to get used to taking endless booster shots for the Chinese Virus. The only way to continue living, she says, is to comply. We need to get used to being vaccinated with COVID vaccines for the future, Chant announced during a recent press conference. I cant see COVID is not going to be with us forever. In the following video, you can hear Chant announcing this for yourself: Dr Chant We need to get used to being vaccinated with covid vaccines for the future pic.twitter.com/WKkvfvDOE9 Razorback1111 (@razorback11111) August 30, 2021 As a public health doctor, we always want to have diseases go, to be totally eliminated, but that is not on the horizon in the near future, Chant went on to reveal. Booster doses and repeat doses will be part of it. Chant further explained that the Australian government, using Australian taxpayer dollars, has already purchased large quantities, of Donald father of the vaccine Trumps Operation Warp Speed injections for administration in 2022 and beyond. This will be a regular cycle of vaccination and revaccination as we learn more about when immunity wanes, Chant admitted. Chant: People will be getting vaccinated regularly for the Fauci Flu In a separate answer to a reporter, Chant reiterated that many more Wuhan Flu shots are coming, and that people will be getting vaccinated regularly for it whether they like it or not. If they refuse the jabs, people will not be allowed to buy, sell, travel or live. This is how the beast system will eventually transform this abomination into the full mark of the beast as warned about in the Bible. Since Australians largely accepted the Australian governments door-to-door testing scheme, Chant believes that door-to-door vaccinations are the logical next step for corralling the hesitant into the fully vaccinated fold. Whilst its human nature to engage in conversation with others, to be friendly, unfortunately this is not the time to do that, Chant said about how Australians should avoid being social and keep to themselves in fear of catching Chinese Germs. So even if you run into your next-door neighbor in the shopping center dont start up a conversation, now is the time for minimizing your interactions with others, even if youve got a mask, do not think that affords total protection, she added. Australia continues to suffer under what is known as a zero covid policy that mandates extreme measures for even just one or two cases of the disease. The country faces an endless barrage of lockdowns that have characterized the country as some kind of prison island where there is no escape from all the medical fascism. If an Aussie tries to protest these draconian measures, he or she could face fines of up to $11,000 along with constant harassment from police officers who are being tasked with visiting resisters at their homes as a form of intimidation. A doctor in the employ of government is a violation of the Hippocratic Oath, wrote one commenter at Summit.news about people like Chant, Tony Fauci and Rochelle Walensky, all of whom are phony doctors using their self-ascribed authority to push medical tyranny. The mRNA / DNA vaccines ARE the cause of new mutations because the vaccines DONT KILL the virus, thus letting it fester and grow in the throats and noses of the already vaccinated, wrote another. The already vaccinated ARE the vectors! All the booster shots in the world, even one a month, isnt going to change this reality. To keep up with the latest news about Chinese Virus injection deception, visit ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: Summit.news NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Dr. Richard Bartlett delivered a piece of good news during the Grand Rapids, Michigan leg of the Reawaken America Tour last month: The Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is 100 percent treatable. There are people right now who are getting their loved ones off the ventilator; there are people who are getting their loved ones out of the ICU [intensive care unit] and back to the regular floor; and there are actually patients coming out of the hospital and going back home to their loved ones recovering from COVID, because there are treatment strategies that work, Bartlett told hosts Pastor David Scarlett and Amanda Grace during the tours Health and Freedom Conference. Scarlett shared the interview in the first episode of his Brighteon.TV program His Glory. Budesonide reduces risk of hospitalization and recovery time of COVID-19 patients During the interview, Bartlett related that researchers at the University of Oxford found that early treatment of inhaled budesonide reduced the need for urgent care and hospitalization in people with COVID-19 by as much as 90 percent. The study also found that inhaled budesonide given to patients with COVID-19 within seven days of symptoms also reduced recovery time. Participants allocated the budesonide inhaler also had a quicker resolution of fever, symptoms and fewer persistent symptoms after 28 days. The study also demonstrated that there was a reduction in persistent symptoms in those who received budesonide. I want people to be equipped and prepared. I want them armed and dangerous against the virus. I want the people to win against the virus, Bartlett said. Some doctors are afraid Unfortunately, not all doctors do. Many of them are scared of doing something thats not in line with the CDCs [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] protocol, he said. Thats why Bartlett encouraged people to take their stand now. This is not the time to just sit on the sidelines. They [the doctors] might not be listening to the right voice, so you have to stand up for your loved ones. Youre the advocate for your loved one in the hospital right now, he said. But some medical practitioners are going against CDC protocols to save lives. One of them is Dr. Ben Marble, who created the telemedicine website MyFreeDoctor.com at the start of the pandemic. According to Bartlett, volunteer doctors at the website have treated over 20,000 acute COVID patients with a near-perfect success rate of 99.98 percent. In an interview last year that racked up more than 4 million views in less than a month, Bartlett said he has a 100 percent survival rate for his COVID patients since the start of the pandemic by using the treatment strategy centered on budesonide. Hes also recommending an antibiotic called clarithromycin, along with zinc to enhance immune function and low-dose aspirin to help prevent clotting issues seen with the disease. Budesonide widely used for over two decades Doctors have prescribed budesonide for more than 20 years as preventive medicine for asthmatics. In theory, employing inhaled budesonide to fight COVID-19 makes practical sense. Scientists have learned that the morbidity from COVID-19 occurs because of the devastating effects of the virus and from an inflammatory state that begins about a week or so into the illness. If physicians can interfere before the surge of inflammation begins, the disease might be prevented from progressing in severity and keep patients out of hospitals. Bartlett has written a paper with case reports describing favorable outcomes for two of his patients with the regimen. A lab study in the U.S. also showed that budesonide inhibited the ability of a coronavirus to replicate itself and inflame the airways. FDAs only approved drug for COVID-19 causes multiple organ failure The only treatment for the disease approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) involves remdesivir. It is approved for use in adults and children at least 12 years old who weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kilograms). Remdesivir is an antiviral medication that targets a range of viruses. It was originally developed over a decade ago to treat hepatitis C and a cold-like virus called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Remdesivir wasnt an effective treatment for either disease, but it showed promise against other viruses. It works by interrupting the production of the virus. Coronaviruses have genomes made up of ribonucleic acid (RNA). Remdesivir interferes with one of the key enzymes the virus needs to replicate RNA, preventing the virus from multiplying. According to reports, up to 31 percent of patients who received remdesivir have developed multiple organ failure and/or acute kidney failure. (Related: Did Fauci knowingly fast-track approval of drug with deadly COVID-like side effects?) WHO against use of remdesivir in hospitalized patients Last November, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a conditional recommendation against the use of remdesivir in hospitalized patients, regardless of disease severity, as there was no evidence that the drug could improve survival and other outcomes in those patients. The recommendation was part of a guideline on clinical care for COVID-19. It was developed by an international guideline development group that included 28 clinical care experts, four patient-partners and one ethicist. The evidence the group had at the time suggested no important effect on mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, time to clinical improvement or other patient-important outcomes. The group recognized that more research was needed to provide higher certainty of evidence for specific groups of patients. You can watch His Glory hosted by Pastor David Scarlett live on Brighteon.TV every Friday from 5 to 6 p.m. Follow Pandemic.news for more news and information related to the coronavirus pandemic. Sources include: Brighteon.com WearTV.com Fortune.com NIH.gov WHO.Int (Natural News) Adam Crabb, Australian journalist (The Crazz Files): the Australian government is now plunging the country into the darkest period in its history. The coronavirus is not the cause of this darkness. The Regimes use of the coronavirus as a pretext to establish a totalitarian system of control over the Australian people is the cause of this darkness. (Article by Jon Rappoport republished from Blog.NoMoreFakeNews.com) An Australian woman advocated freedom. Freedom from lockdowns and mandates. So she was criticized on social media? She was censored? She was ARRESTED. Her name is Monica Smit. Shes sitting in jail. The fascist authorities agreed to release her on bail, if she renounced everything she stood for. Does that sound familiar? The USSR. Show trials. The massive power of the State coming down on an individual. Monica Smit refused the deal. She clings to her faith, her courage, her vision, her ideals, against the scum of the earth. The very least we can do is spread her story far and wide. Here are the details. The Age, September 1, 2021: A woman charged with incitement and accused of urging people to attend anti-lockdown protests remains in custody despite being granted bail, because she has refused to agree to conditions imposed by a magistrate. [Incitement? Is that what demanding freedom now means? In Australia, yes.] Monica Smit, the founder of activist group Reignite Democracy Australia which opposes the Victorian governments handling of the COVID-19 pandemic remained in custody at a Melbourne police station on Wednesday over her refusal to sign a bail consent form. Ms Smit was granted bail on two charges of incitement and three of breaching the Chief Health Officers directions, but after a 10-minute conversation with her lawyer to clarify the conditions she had to accept to get bail, defence counsel Marcel White told Melbourne Magistrates Court the 33-year-old did not want to sign the consent form. Magistrate Luisa Bazzani responded: Its a matter for her. I am not about to sweet talk her into bail if she wants to stay in custody. [Monica Smit doesnt want to stay in custody. She wants to keep her right to advocate for freedom in Australia.] Ms Smit was arrested on Tuesday and was to stay in custody at Dandenong police station on Wednesday night. The only way she could be released on bail was by agreeing to the magistrates conditions and signing the consent form, or by taking her bail application to a higher court. Police allege Ms Smit incited people on social media to attend two anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne last month, including the violent August 21 event where at least 4000 people demonstrated and where at least nine police officers were injured. [I see. Telling people to attend a protest, where it turns out that police are injured, equals telling people to attack the police? Is that what youre saying? Apparently so. Are you listening to your own lies?] Prosecutor Anthony Albore said Ms Smit used the messaging app Telegram to encourage people to attend the protests. Ms Smits group has 18,000 followers on Telegram, the prosecutor said, as well as 67,000 followers on Facebook and an email list of 63,000 people. Court documents state that in the lead-up to the August 11 protest, Ms Smit posted that lockdowns take lives and urged people to demonstrate. [So? Lockdowns DO take lives. Many, many lives. And urging people to DEMONSTRATE? Is that suddenly a crime? Are protestors supposed to stand silent with their heads bowed for a few hours, praying to the Prime Minister to set them free?] She [Smit] also posted numerous messages before the August 21 protest, the documents allege, including: The more they lock us up, the more people will have nothing left to lose and thats when Australia stands up! [Nothing left to losethats another true statement. And for making the statement, SHE is now locked up. In jail. Obviously, Monica should have written, and thats when Australia lies downlets go out into the street and demand our enslavement] Other posts encouraged people to wear masks while travelling to the protest but to take them off once in central Melbourne. Another message said: Stand up Melbourne. [Ooo. Take off your masks. Another incitement to mayhem. People who show their faces are terrorists.] Prosecutors did not oppose Ms Smit getting bail as long as it was subject to conditions. After legal argument over the conditions, Ms Bazzani ruled that if Ms Smit was to get bail she had to abide by a 7pm curfew, abide by the Chief Health Officers directions and not incite anyone to breach those directions or publish anything that might incite breaches. She also had to remove any material previously published online that might incite people, not attend protests, and had to wear a mask when outdoors unless she had a medical exemption. [USSR tactic. Perhaps Monica should appear in court, in chains, before television cameras, and read a prepared statement confessing to capital crimes.] The magistrate refused to include two conditions proposed by police: a call for Reignite Democracy Australias social media accounts to be deactivated, and an order which would have prohibited online discussions about lockdown measures. Ms Bazzani said those two proposals would overstep the mark. [Thank God for the merciful State. They love us, they really do.] Ms Smit, a self-described journalist, was arrested in Brighton on Tuesday, not long after filming herself talking about small-scale anti-lockdown protests. [Shes a self-described journalist, whereas talking news head puppets on television are described as journalists by their bosses. Yes, thats a crucial difference. Of course. Lets make it a crime for people to describe themselves as journalists.] She faces a further two charges of breaching the Chief Health Officers directions by attending a protest in Melbourne on October 31 last year. [More charges. The Chief Health Officer has all the rights of a dictator. Naturally. And the sheep should kneel before him. Does he wear a ring? Can we kiss it? I have an idea. Lets tell him to kiss THIS.] end of The Age article JUDGE: So Mr. Madison, I understand you and your friends are composing a document called THE CONSTITUTION. Im also told this founding document declares FREEDOM the preferred state of affairs in our new nation. JAMES MADISON: Yes, your honor. Thats right. Why are you asking? Is there a problem? JUDGE: There most certainly is. Freedom is a flexible concept. It must be given and taken away by those who have wisdom. MADISON: Who are these wise ones? JUDGE: The men who are running things. They can assess issues of safety and danger as they arise and measure the amount of freedom allowed to the people at any given moment. MADISON: Really. Well, once the new nation is founded, I assure you youll be removed from your position of power. Youll be seen as a felon. JUDGE: I doubt that. MADISON: Then youre not only a criminal, youre a moron. Read more at: Blog.NoMoreFakeNews.com and Tyranny.news. (Natural News) Two active-duty staff sergeants of the United States Armed Forces filed a lawsuit against three federal agencies, challenging plans to require COVID-19 vaccinations among military troops, even those who have acquired natural immunity due to previous infection. The lead plaintiffs, Army Staff Sergeant Dan Robert, a drill sergeant at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Marine Staff Sergeant Hollie Mulvihill, an air traffic controller at Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina, filed their lawsuit on Aug. 17 as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that he would seek approval to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for active-duty service members beginning Wednesday, Sept. 15. The lawsuit is lodged against the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On Monday, Aug. 30, the plaintiffs asked U.S. District Court Judge Raymond Moore to grant a temporary restraining order to halt COVID-19 vaccinations for military troops while legal questions were being resolved. The plaintiffs had written that they will sustain immediate physical harm by being forced to take a vaccine for a virus, which they already have natural immunity against due to previous infection. Moore denied the request two days later on Sept. 1, stating that the plaintiffs attorneys hadnt presented a legal basis for the harm they seek to prevent. Nonetheless, the twos lawsuit continues through standard court procedures. A trial date has not been set as of the time of this writing, according to court records. DoD is following its own rules Dale Saran, one of the plaintiffs attorneys, told the Military Times on Friday, Sept. 3, that the DoD itself might not be abiding by its own rules. According to Saran, Army Regulation 40-562 presumptively exempts active-duty service members from any vaccination requirement if theyve had a previous documented infection. Saran also referenced a document from the U.S. Army Medical Command that was obtained by the Military Times on June 13. The document outlined authorized medical exemptions to vaccination requirements, including evidence of immunity based on documented infection and similar circumstances. Saran said the immunity mentioned in that document can be granted if a service member has already contracted COVID-19. If you get the virus and survive it, thats as good as it gets, he added. Furthermore, Robert and Mulvihill referenced in their lawsuit an Aug. 24 interview by Brett Giroir, who led the COVID-19 testing program during former President Donald Trumps administration. In the interview, Giroir said that natural immunity is important and that theres still no data to suggest that vaccine immunity is better than natural immunity. Austin released a memo that same day, declaring that service members were considered fully vaccinated two weeks after completing the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or two weeks after receiving a single dose of a one-dose vaccine. Those who have been infected with COVID-19 previously are not considered fully vaccinated. Lasting natural immunity is gained after recovery from COVID-19 The lawsuit also cited long-established precepts of virology demonstrating that immunity provided by recovery from an actual infection is at least as effective, if not more so, than any immunity conferred by a vaccine. (Related: Policymakers ignoring natural immunity to covid in favor of vaccine immunity.) In fact, a recent study published in the journal Nature showed that after infection with the Wuhan coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), most people seemed to have some protection against the virus for at least a year. Even those who have had mild infections enjoyed some protection against the virus. The study, which was led by researchers from The Rockefeller University in New York City, also found that the participants antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 continued to evolve for up to a year following infection. Antibodies, which the body produces in response to infection, can linger in the blood plasma for several weeks. However, their levels significantly drop with time. In addition, the researchers found that recovered participants who werent vaccinated still maintained most of their plasma antibodies against the viruss receptor-binding domain (RBD). The RBD is a short fragment from a virus that binds to a specific receptor to gain entry into healthy host cells. They also found that recovered participants memory B cells immune cells formed following a primary infection evolved to produce a broader and more potent range of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Another study published in Nature suggests that people who have been infected with the virus will likely make antibodies against it for most of their lives. The study, which was conducted by researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, showed that long-lived antibody-producing cells were present in the bone marrow of recovered COVID-19 patients. The study provides evidence that immunity triggered by COVID-19 infection will be long-lasting. Learn more about how the government is pushing for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations at VaccineWars.com. Sources include: UncoverDC.com Newsweek.com Nature.com 1 Nature.com 2 ScienceDaily.com (Natural News) United Kingdom authorities waived the rules on the treatment of sewage due to the shortage of required chemicals. The government told wastewater plants that they may be able to discharge liquid waste that has not been fully treated due to the disruption caused by supply chain failure or lack of truck drivers. Sewage is already an issue, and effluent is getting into Britains rivers and waterways through storm overflows, which are designed to be used during extreme weather to prevent overloading. The Environment Agency published a regulatory waiver that allowed companies to discharge effluent without meeting the usual conditions in their permits, positing that if supplies are low, they must use the chemicals to treat the most polluting discharges. The same waiver is related to the feared shortage of the availability of ferric sulfate, a solution that is used to suppress the growth of algae. This temporary relaxation of the rules will only last until the end of the year to allow discharges from water treatment facilities that cannot comply with permit conditions due to the unavoidable shortages of chemicals. The disruption of supplies of ferric sulfate is caused by the shortage of truck drivers who deliver the chemical. However, drinking water will not be affected. A government spokesman noted that water supply will not be affected as no water company has yet notified it of a shortage of ferric sulfate; however, it was introducing the regulatory position as a precautionary measure. (Related: Utah city orders citizens to avoid drinking water after chemical contamination; what will you do in a water emergency?) Lack of truck drivers impact the chemicals industry The chemicals industry is only the latest in a series of sectors that have been hit by the shortage of truck drivers caused by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent weeks, fast food chains saw shortages of chicken and milkshakes, and Ikea is struggling with the supply of hundreds of products, including mattresses. The Chemical Business Association (CBA) said that it had been warning Boris Johnson, transport secretary Grant Shapps, and business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng since June about the potential disruption in the supply of critical chemicals for the water and agriculture industry. A spokesperson for Water UK also said that they have been experiencing some disruption to the supply of ferric sulfate in England, but pointed out that the lack of supply is solely on distribution: There is no shortage of chemicals in factories. Concerns of driver shortages will be worse in the chemical industry in particular due to the additional qualifications and requirements for those carrying hazardous substances. Tom Doggett, the chief executive of the CBA said that when if a potential driver is faced with a job that does not deal with dangerous substances or one that gets paid the same but has to handle hazardous chemicals and be qualified to do so, it is clear which job the driver would go for. The problems on staffing shortages have been blamed on the furlough scheme that is keeping some staff out of circulation. The EU workers are also leaving the U.K. following Brexit. The Confederation of British Industry warned that shortages could last up to two years, and the list of shortage occupations should be widened to include heavy goods vehicle drivers as well as others. A spokesperson said that as driver shortages demonstrate, the shortage is a widespread problem caused by several factors, including an aging workforce. Most of the solutions are likely to be driven by industry, with progress already being made in testing and hiring, and a big push towards improving pay, working conditions and diversity. We recently announced a significant package of measures, including plans to streamline the process for new drivers to gain their HGV license, and increased capacity for HGV driving tests, the spokesperson said. Sources include: Bloomberg.com TheGuardian.com BBC.com (Natural News) Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen has warned that the United States is on track to default on the national debt by October if the government does not do anything to raise the debt limit. On Wednesday, Sept. 8, Yellen sent a letter addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. In the letter, Yellen warned that the Department of the Treasury is running out of money. She added that the department was also running out of extraordinary measures it can use to keep the federal government within its legal borrowing limit. Without any action from Congress or the White House, the country will reach this limit by next month. The so-called extraordinary measures Yellen is using have been in place since the federal debt limit was reimposed on Aug. 1 after being suspended for two years in July 2019. The debt limit is the amount of money Congress allows the Treasury Department to borrow to keep the federal government running. When it was suspended, the public debt stood at around $22 trillion. When the limit was reinstated, it was reset to $28.4 trillion, which was the countrys current existing level of debt. Once all available measures and cash on hand are fully exhausted, the United States of America would be unable to meet its obligations for the first time in our history, Yellen warned. Yellen was unable to say specifically when in October the Treasury Department would no longer be able to keep the federal government funded. Without action from Congress or the White House, the U.S. could end up being unable to pay off its debts. This would send debilitating shockwaves through the worlds fragile financial systems. (Related: CORRUPT: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen taking massive bribes and payoffs disguised as speaking fees.) The Treasury Secretary is demanding that Congress act immediately to deal with the debt. Waiting until the last minute to suspend or increase the debt limit can cause serious harm to business and consumer confidence, raise short-term borrowing costs for taxpayers and negatively impact the credit rating of the United States, she claimed. Yellen even tried to plead with Congress by using the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. At a time when American families, communities and businesses are still suffering from the effects of the ongoing global pandemic, it would be particularly irresponsible to put the full faith and credit of the United States at risk, she said. Democrats still unsure how to pass debt limit increase Yellen pointed out that some recent measures proposed to address the debt limit have enjoyed broad support among both Republicans and Democrats alike. But GOP leaders have said they will refuse to support any effort from the Democratic Party to deal with the debt limit by attaching it as a provision to an emergency budget bill that Congress will need to pass before the start of the budget year on Oct. 1. Such emergency legislation is necessary to avoid a government shutdown. Republicans are daring Democrats to attach a debt limit increase to its $3.5 trillion infrastructure plan. The Democrats are hoping to pass this plan in a way that would bypass the Senate filibuster. This way, the Democrats can pass it without any Republican votes. The Democrats are hoping to pass the infrastructure plan through a process known as budget reconciliation. This process does not require the Democrats to get 60 votes from the Senate to bypass the filibuster. This means they can pass it without any support from Senate Republicans. But Pelosi insisted on Wednesday that the Democrats will not use the reconciliation measure to pass an increase in the debt limit. She tried to appeal to the Republicans by saying that the Democrats supported lifting the borrowing limit during former President Donald Trumps term because its the responsible thing to do. I would hope that the Republicans would act in a similarly responsible way, she added. Learn more about how close the United States is to defaulting on its debt by reading the latest articles at DebtCollapse.com. Sources include: TheHill.com ABCNews.go.com (Natural News) Conservative attorney Thomas Renz continues to discuss the problems with how hospitals are addressing the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on his show Lawfare on Brighteon.TV. Being a lawyer, he can only really approach these from a legal perspective. To gain more insight into these problems from the point of view of someone in the medical field, Renz has invited his good friend, Dr. Bryan Ardis, on his latest episode of Lawfare. Here, Ardis says that American doctors are prevented from thinking critically about the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch the full episode of Lawfare below or on Brighteon.TV. American doctors not trained to think critically Taking to Renz, Ardis discusses how the problem with todays doctors and healthcare professionals is how they arent able to think critically. He blames this on the American education system, which instead simply teaches them to select the best option out of multiple ones presented to them. The American educational system has taught you how to nail down a series out of of a possible four, he stated. Since when does life occur in multiple-choice questions? This lack has prevented American doctors from thinking critically and making their own decisions about how to treat COVID-19 patients. Instead, they end up relying on what has been passed down from so-called medical authorities. There it is obvious that medical doctors are being restricted in their ability to use critical thinking, bedside education, and clinical experience to make decisions on behalf of their patients that theyre seeing that are sick with COVID-19 or any infections or any diseases, he continues. Its really quite disgusting. That said, Ardis points out that there have been doctors like him who have stood up over the last year and a half against a tyrannical model. But he also points out that its hard for doctors in hospitals to stand up, as they remain employees of these same hospitals. They are not independent, he points out. Their actual salary is extended to them from their hospital administrators and they are being told you will follow this horrible genocidal protocol of remdesivir, [vancomysin], myosin and dexamethasone that is proven to cause acute kidney failure leading to pulmonary edema, or fluid building up in your lungs. Ardis points out that this treatment has caused patients to drown, but that doctors are being told to call it COVID pneumonia. It is not theyre drowning your loved ones to death on their own fluids by causing acute kidney failure in a proven cocktail of drugs known to cause acute kidney failure in multiple organ failure in five to 10 days. Pharmacies also prevented from fulfilling prescriptions for alternative treatments Ardis then explains how its not just hospitals that are shutting down alternative COVID-19 treatments in favor of those approved by so-called authorities, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He points out that pharmacies, such as CVS and Walgreens. He says that these authorities are effectively threatening pharmacies to tell their employees to not fill any prescriptions for medicines they havent approved. They can tell pharmacists do not fill these certain early treatment proven protocols for COVID-19, for the flu, do not write or fill prescriptions of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin which had been FDA approved for [40] years in respect to hydroxychloroquine.' (Related: Why is ivermectin STILL not being prescribed for covid?) These and other actions by authorities are keeping Americans from getting access to possible lifesaving treatments for COVID-19 and other diseases. Everyone from doctors to pharmacists is being strongarmed to prescribe only a limited number of treatments, some of which actually do more harm than good. For more on how the American medical system is failing COVID-19 patients, tune in to Lawfare with Thomas Renz, every Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Brighteon.TV. Sources include: Brighteon.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) If you currently live in Australia, youre probably already aware that some pretty draconian measures have taken place in the name of public health. (Article by Jeff Thompson republished from TheOrganicPrepper.com) But this next step has crossed the Rubicon into entirely new territory one in which authorities can legally go into a citizens social media account and change what they posted and can make changes to their browsing histories. The bills passing through the Australian Parliament of late have been mind-boggling but this one goes so far beyond the pale that its practically unbelievable. Why? And why is this an issue? Because just the other day, the Surveillance Legislation Amendment Bill of 2021 otherwise known as the Identify and Disrupt Bill was passed by both houses after having originated within the House of Representatives. Even more alarming for Americans is the question that must be running through your head. Is Australia the testing ground for a Brave New World coming to the USA soon? Consider this. You live in Australia and regularly read the fantastic website, The Daily Express. Occasionally, youll post a link to one of these articles on your social media along with a quick blurb such as great read, something to consider, or the like. Thats all youve done. Nothing more. Nothing less. Surely this wont be a problem, will it? Thanks to the new law, it sure could be. The Identify and Disrupt Bill gives both the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission the authority to disrupt data by modifying, adding, copying, or deleting data to frustrate the commission of serious offences online. It also allows the police to take over a persons online account for the purposes of gathering evidence to further a criminal investigation. [source] Here is the summary of the bill directly from the Parliament of Australia government website. Australian Spokesperson for Justice heavily criticized the bill Senator Lidia Thorpe released a statement on August 27, stating, this bill enables the AFP and ACIC to be judge, jury and executioner. Thats not how we deliver justice in this country. Senator Thorpe goes on to say amendments put forward to protect innocent people from abuse of power were outvoted by the major parties. She also brings up concerns that the bill does not identify why these powers are needed. [source] The bill, framed as being targeted only towards serious criminal activity, does not define that serious criminal activity. This is where it becomes ambiguous and could lead to abuse of power. Essentially, the Australian government could frame anyone, and they will then have no power to say that isnt me, as its under the persons online signature. Activist support group says the new powers may be used against activists MALS (Melbourne Activist Legal Support) raised concerns that the language of the bill enables authorities to identify and disrupt not only criminals, but activists as well. This would mean that anti-war activists, anti-mining and climate action groups, and others could face serious federal offenses. These groups could be considered criminal networks simply by visiting the same websites as organized criminals. The Human Rights Law Centre explains it like this: if someone commits a relevant offence using WhatsApp, then every user of WhatsApp worldwide would be a member of that criminal network of individuals. [source] What does this mean? If we go back to our initial example, authorities could easily decide that you are promoting harmful content or some other similar nonsense. For those Americans who havent been paying attention, this is not uncharted waters for Australians. Weve recently witnessed Australia arrest a pregnant woman in her home in front of her screaming children simply because she attempted to organize an anti-lockdown/pro-freedom protest via a Facebook post. She was thus deemed a threat to public safety and hauled away in handcuffs one hour before an ultrasound appointment. [source] We later saw Australian police arrest hundreds at (yet another) large anti-lockdown/pro-freedom protest within the country. [source] Then we saw the creation of veritable concentration camps for Australian citizens. [source] In short, tyranny is nothing new to Australia. The history of being a penal colony seems to have ingrained itself into its politicians minds, as they view their own citizens with an air of distrust and disdain. Read more at: TheOrganicPrepper.com and Fascism.news (Natural News) As President Biden toured damage from Hurricane Ida along the east coast last week, he did what all Democrat Marxists do: He exploited the disaster for political gain. Speaking to assembled officials and reporters, Biden said the storm damage was the latest sign that global warming/climate change is a code red situation, and if we dont hand over all of our sovereignty, independence, and liberty to government bureaucrats soon, the world will perish. Folks, the evidence is clear: Climate change poses an existential threat to our lives, to our economy, and the threat is here. Its not going to get any better, Biden said in New York after touring a street in Queens torn up by Ida. And so, folks, we got to listen to the scientists and the economists and the national security experts, Biden claimed. They all tell us this is code red; the nation and the world are in peril. We can look around the wreckage and the ruins and the heartbreak from so many communities. Precious lives lost in Louisiana, in New Jersey, in New York, he said. Subway stations flooded. Decaying infrastructure pushed beyond the limits. In short, Joe Biden like every other left-wing Democratic politician is flat-out lying about the alleged existential threat of human-caused climate change. This is the same hoax leftists have been trying to perpetuate on Western society since the overpopulation scare of the late 1960s-early 1970s; our world population has grown by billions of people since, and not only does earth still have plenty of room and plenty of resources, but in many societies, populations have actually decreased due to a falling birth rate. But theres more evidence of the big climate lie, as reported this week by WorldNetDaily: Less than 10 years remain before the oft-claimed tipping point for the planet, but sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is the highest its been in nine years, increasing more than 30% from last year, while the Antarctics level is well above normal. Thats according to the Ocean and Sea Ice Satellite Application Facilitys High Latitude Processing Center, pointed out climate-change skeptic Tony Heller. Most years the Arctic loses ice, but this year ice extent has increased more than 77,000 square miles, he wrote on Twitter, adding that the mainstream media propaganda outlets would no doubt ignore the fact (and they did). At the same time, WND reported, citing Hellers research, sea melt this past summer took place at the lowest level in 15 years, while the expanse of Anarctic sea is very much above average as well. In January 2019, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., drew attention to the claim of some climate-change activists that a U.N. climate report the previous year concluded the planet had only 12 years to address climate change, WND noted. At an annual Martin Luther King Now event in New York City, she went on to defend her multi-trillion dollar Green New Deal which she says is vital to saving the planet. Millennials and people, you know, Gen Z and all these folks that will come after us, are looking up, and were like: The world is gonna end in 12 years if we dont address climate change, and your biggest issue is how are we gonna pay for it?' she said. This phenomenon has actually been years in the making. As Natural News reported in October 2017, Arctic Sea ice mass was already growing then: Greenland experienced a 10 times higher level of surface ice than it did five years ago. And confirming that this is not a fluke occurrence taking place in only one year, Greenlands most well-known glacier the Petermann Glacier has been growing slowly and steadily for the past five years. Sources include: NaturalNews.com WND.com (Natural News) For the past three years, the federal government has been prescribing ivermectin to all refugees entering the country from the Middle East, Asia, North Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Despite now claiming that the off-patent pharmaceutical drug is just horse paste for livestock, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reportedly been advising the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for years to give both ivermectin and albendazole to all refugees upon arrival to the United States. Newly uncovered documents show that refugees are being told to take two doses of 200 mcg/Kg of ivermectin once a day for two days prior to their departure for America. The government knows that by doing this, refugees will be free and clear of disease because ivermectin works. Mind you, the CDC and the IOM have been prescribing ivermectin to refugees to prevent viral infections, not just parasites. This completely debunks the fake news lie that ivermectin is strictly an anti-parasite drug when used in humans, and has no effect on the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19). This might seem like a shock, but not so much when considering that ivermectin has been used for decades to fight disease in humans. It was only when the plandemic arrived that suddenly it became cow medicine unfit for human consumption. In Africa, if we compare countries distributing ivermectin once a year with countries which do not give ivermectin I mean, they dont give ivermectin to prevent Covid, but to prevent parasitic diseases but anyway, if we look at Covid numbers in countries that give ivermectin, the number of cases is 134.4 per 100,000, and the number of deaths is 2.2 in 100,000, says Dr. Haruo Ozaki, one of Japans top health officials. Now, African countries which do not distribute ivermectin: 950.6 cases per 100,000 and 29.3 deaths per 100,000. I believe the difference is clear. Studies show that ivermectin is effective against covid Even in a worst-case scenario, an ivermectin overdose might make someone feel nauseous or experience diarrhea. Death is not really a risk factor, in other words though the same cannot be said for Chinese Virus vaccines. Those, it turns out, are highly deadly. Untold thousands of people have died from Fauci Flu shots, while ivermectin has killed nobody, as far as we can tell. Why, then, does the mainstream media and government not want anybody to have it? The answer is because ivermectin does not generate much profit for Big Pharma, seeing as how it is an off-patent generic medication that can be produced for just a few pennies a pill. Another answer is because people taking ivermectin would put an end to the plandemic, which is not what the medical fascists want. Instead, they want you to suffer under endless lockdowns while wearing your mask and getting routine booster injections for the rest of your life. Meanwhile, refugees who are not even American citizens are being handed ivermectin at the very same time that actual Americans are being told that they cannot get a prescription for it. This is why many Americans are buying the animal version at feed stores, where it is available over the counter. Merck, the company that produces ivermectin, is also developing a drug to treat Covid which will make them much more money than the cheap antiviral ivermectin, reports Infowars about another reason why ivermectin is frowned upon as a covid remedy. Or, it could be that the Covid vaccines still being used under Emergency Use Authorization would no longer have that emergency approval if a legitimate low-risk treatment were available. The latest news about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) tyranny can be found at Fascism.news. Sources for this article include: Infowars.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A new study brings further clarity as to the effects of Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine spike proteins on the human cardiovascular system. According to science, vaccine-induced spike proteins change heart cells, disrupting their functionality. This was observed specifically in the small blood vessel cells that surround the heart, although it was also found to occur elsewhere. A pre-print of the study was presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress, demonstrating that vaccine-induced spike proteins bind to cells known as pericytes. This binding causes pericytes to begin releasing a chemical that causes heart inflammation. (RELATED: Learn more about how covid vaccines are causing heart attacks.) The small blood vessels that are targeted by vaccine-induced spike proteins do not just exist around the heart, by the way. They are located all throughout the body, suggesting that Donald father of the vaccine Trumps Operation Warp Speed injections cause systemic inflammation. Vaccine-induced spike proteins are like a cancer that eventually overtakes the body For their research, the team took small vessel cells from the heart and directly exposed them to spike proteins that are found in (Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca) or produced by (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) Chinese Virus injections. After this, they watched as the spike proteins merged with the cell membranes, releasing their genetic material. Upon completion of this process, it was observed that the spike proteins essentially hijacked the cellular machinery, causing it to replicate the virus before eventually bursting out and spreading to other cells like a cancer. This mechanism has the potential to spread cellular and organ injury beyond the infection sites and may have important clinical implications, the scientists wrote. For instance, in patients with disrupted endothelial barrier and increased vascular permeability due to underlying diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and severe obesity, S protein molecules could easily spread to the PC compartment and cause, or exacerbate, microvascular injury. From this, the team was able to deduce, at least speculatively, that blocking what is known as the CD147 receptor could potentially help to protect the vasculature of injected patients from infection, not to mention the collateral damage caused by the S protein. Even uninfected cells can be damaged by vaccine-induced spike proteins In actual tests, though, the team found that blocking CD147 receptors did not prevent all inflammation. All it did was slightly reduce the effect of the vaccine-induced spike proteins on pericytes. Pericytes are found all over the body, including the brain and central nervous system, reports GreatGameIndia. It was discovered in a related study that the mRNA jabs from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna also induce prion-based disease in the brain, causing it to degenerate. This often manifests as some form of dementia, which is why many are now warning that taking these injections could lead to Alzheimers disease or some other form of neurodegeneration. The spike protein outer shell of the coronavirus contains prion-like regions that give the virus very high adhesion to ACE2 receptors in the human body, explains GreatGameIndia. It never would have been possible for any of this to happen, it is important to clarify, had Tony Fauci not illegally funded the gain-of-function research that allowed the China Virus to cross species from animal to human in the first place. This special relationship between the S protein and ACE2 receptor is the key to cross-species infection which made it possible for the coronavirus to make a jump from animals to humans, GreatGameIndia further reveals. However, this cross-species jump was not natural and was achieved by the team led by the Batwoman of China, Shi Zhengli. To learn more about this, check out the COVID-19 Files Scientific Investigation on Mysterious Origin of Coronavirus. Covid vaccines ARE the pandemic This is all spelled out even further in the latest dump of more than 900 pages worth of top secret documents about the plandemic, revealing for the first time the complex web of lies and deception that brought us to this point in history. Fauci, Zhengli, Peter Daszak of the EcoHealth Alliance, and many others in the United States Government are all complicit and have yet to face justice for their crimes against humanity. You can be sure they will, though if not in this life, then certainly in the next. Since each new day seems to bring fresh new revelations about the situation, perhaps we will not have to wait that long. Maybe a time will come when enough people are aware of the truth that something finally gets done now and justice gets served. If people dont see whats going on, then its on them, wrote one commenter at GreatGameIndia. We are going through a Vaxdemic and its those who took the toxic jab that are transmitting either Graphene Oxide or Synthetic Spike Proteins to children. Thats the reason they are also getting sick, not to mention having to wear a face mask. Another pointed to a video from Dr. David Martin and Reiner Fuellmich explaining how the so-called Delta variant does not even exist unless, of course, it is just vaccine-induced disease under a different name. My father got jabbed in March; he had a heart attack (no prior history of heart problems) last month, a Natural News commenter added with a personal anecdote confirming the latest research. To keep up with the latest news about injuries and deaths caused by Fauci Flu shots, be sure to check out ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: GreatGameIndia.com NaturalNews.com Archive.is GreatGameIndia.com GlobalResearch.ca (Natural News) Lilian Franck has put out a new documentary film called TrustWHO that exposes billionaire eugenicist Bill Gates as the worlds number-one financier of terrorism and genocide. The way Franck frames it is that Gates is the primary contributor to the World Health Organization (WHO), the public health arm of the globalist United Nations. Were it not for the gobs of cash Gates is constantly throwing at it, the WHO probably would not even exist, at least not in its current capacity. No other entity on earth, including entire national governments, sends more cash to the WHO than Gates. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. talks all about this in his new book Vax-Unvax, which is set to be released in November. Gates has used his money strategically to infect the international aid agencies with his distorted self-serving priorities, Kennedy writes. The U.S. historically has been the largest direct donor to WHO. As revealed by The Defender, Gates contributes to the WHO via multiple avenues, one of them being his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Another is GAVI, which was founded by the Gates Foundation in partnership with the WHO, the World Bank, and a handful of vaccine manufacturers. As of 2018, the cumulative contributions from the Gates Foundation and GAVI made Gates the unofficial top sponsor of the WHO, even before the Trump administrations 2020 move to cut all his support to the organization, The Defender reported. The WHO is basically run by Bill Gates Even Politico called out Gates for his undue influence over the WHO and its agenda. A disproportionate amount of the WHOs resources are spent on what can only be described as Gates personal pet projects, that expose revealed. His sway has NGOs and academics worried, Politico reported. Some health advocates fear that because the Gates Foundations money comes from investments in big business, it could serve as a Trojan horse for corporate interests to undermine WHOs role in setting standards and shaping health policies. In her film, Franck covers all this and more, including how Gates routes additional funding to the WHO through SAGE (Strategic Advisory Group of Experts), UNICEF and Rotary International. All in all, Gates contributions to the WHO amount to over $1 billion. Back when the WHO was first founded, the film goes on to explain, it maintained autonomy in deciding where and how funds were disbursed. Now, thanks to influence from Gates, at least 70 percent of the WHOs funding is tied to special projects. Gates vaccine obsession has diverted WHOs giving from poverty alleviation, nutrition, and clean water to make vaccine uptake its preeminent public health metric. And Gates is not afraid to throw his weight around, Kennedys book also explains. The sheer magnitude of his foundations financial contributions has made Bill Gates an unofficial albeit unelected leader of the WHO. Gates steered WHO funding to secret projects during the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic, and he did it again with the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19), revealing much of what he had planned at the Event 201 gathering back in Fall 2019. Interestingly, the WHO showed absolutely no concern about H1N1 six weeks before it was declared as a pandemic. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the UN body changed the definition of a pandemic, removing all severity and high mortality criteria to render any worldwide epidemic of a disease as a pandemic. This is why it was so easy for governing bodies all around the world to declare the Chinese Virus as a pandemic, even though there are few visible signs to suggest that people are really even getting sick on a massive scale like the mainstream media and White House are claiming. The latest news about the Chinese Virus and other globalist scams can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Dr. Bryan Ardis revealed the death protocol used by hospitals to treat Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) patients. He told The Matrixxx Grooove Show hosts Jeff Peterson and Shannon Shady Grove about this protocol during the programs Sept. 2 edition on Brighteon.TV. A staunch critic of ill-advised hospital protocols, Ardis defended the use of more effective treatments for COVID-19 patients. Peterson and Grove opened the show by emphasizing the importance of standing up for ones rights. We need to start learning how to stand up, and Jeff and I are trying to present you ways to stand up that you guys [are going to] really enjoy, Grove said. Peterson then welcomed Ardis and noted how We The People had no idea about their rights as patients. The doctor acknowledged this fact, mentioning that thousands of people have been reaching out to him on a weekly basis. Every week, theyre pleading with us that he have a loved one in the ICU [intensive care unit] who is dying. [They] want help getting those people on different protocols and hospitals, but the doctors wont listen, Ardis said. Ardis continued that hospital administrators were not being helpful with their insistence on using drug treatments that cause more harm than good. He revealed that these same hospitals used an ICU cocktail made up of three drugs the antiviral remdesivir, the anti-inflammatory dexamethasone and the antibiotic vancomycin. The doctor remarked that remdesivir caused acute kidney failure in 35 percent of patients who used the drug within five to ten days. When combined with dexamethasone and vancomycin, it caused acute kidney failure in up to 45 percent of patients in a span of five days. Ardis added that research on remdesivir only attested to the drugs negative effects on the renal system. Even though the use of the three-drug cocktail has caused the kidneys to shut down, Ardis said hospitals have been adamant on following this protocol. Incidentally, Ardis said in early August 2021 that remdesivir was still approved by U.S. health authorities despite having a high death rate. [Dr. Anthony Fauci] knew for two years before he mandated this drug that it was deadly, he said that time. (Related: Did Fauci knowingly fast-track approval of drug with deadly COVID-like side effects?) Hospitals covering up the truth about COVID-19 deaths Peterson then clarified: This acute kidney failure basically makes [COVID-19 patients] fill up with water and they think its pneumonia, but its really the poison thats killing their kidney making the body fill up with water in laymans terms? Ardis replied in the affirmative, saying that acute kidney failure causes the bodies of COVID-19 patients to retain water. He explained, When you cause acute kidney failure [in patients] with drugs that theyre using in ICUs while they have an intravenous drip that is putting water into their body their abdomen, heart and lungs eventually fill up with water. The doctor continued the resulting pulmonary edema water accumulating in the lungs is then wrongly diagnosed as COVID pneumonia. [Hospitals] are misdiagnosing that as COVID pneumonia that you continue to hear [when] its actually pulmonary edema, Ardis said. Peterson also played an earlier video with him, Grove and Ardis talking about a lawsuit filed by lawyer Thomas Renz. Renzs lawsuit alleged that the federal government covered up 45,000 deaths caused by the COVID-19 vaccine within a three-day period. Out of the governments 11 different reporting systems for vaccine injuries, Ardis said one of them alone has 45,000 [deaths] and they have not released the total. (Related: Thomas Renz discusses how hospitals covid protocols are killing patients who arent infected Brighteon.TV.) Given the 45,000 vaccine deaths from one reporting system being covered up, the doctor described moves to vaccinate children for COVID-19 as disgusting. He said: Now, they [want to] push it on every child, and they passed a law that by September [2021] theyll [be] able to vaccinate every five-year-old in America before they go to school. Censored.news has more articles about how the medical system conceals the number of actual deaths from COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. Sources include: Brighteon.com LifeSiteNews.com (Natural News) British funeral undertaker John OLooney spoke to independent journalist Lindie Naughton recently, giving her the full scoop about what is really going on with all the elderly people who are supposedly dying from covid in care homes and hospitals. Corrupt politicians and their media brainwashers, OLooney revealed, are lying to the public about there being a deadly virus that is killing old people. In truth, virtually all seniors are dying from the Big Pharma drugs they are being given, he says. The most prominent death drugs being given to the elderly are Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines, which OLooney says caused deaths among old people to spike by about 250 percent. As part of my work I visit hospitals routinely. During the pandemic I got to speak to many medical staff, OLooney told Naughton. We all understood we were being lied to and this was fraud. As an undertaker, part of OLooneys job is to keep a mortuary record, or guest book, showing a record of any unusual events observed during the burial or cremation process. Undertakers at large, OLooney maintains, saw strange patterns of death at elderly care homes where old people were dying not from the Chinese Virus, but rather from the medications they were being given by their caretakers. Terminal cancer patients are routinely being recorded as covid deaths, OLooney says. You can watch a video of Naughtons interview with OLooney below: The plandemic is really just mass genocide in disguise The same thing is being observed with delta and the other new variants that are supposedly spreading like wildfire throughout the population. Elderly people, upon receiving the experimental chemical injections they are calling vaccines, are dying in record numbers. Any death that occurs in the age of the Wuhan Flu, it turns out, is automatically labeled a covid death, especially when it occurs in an old person. This is an easy way for the medical fascists to pad the numbers and make it seem like we are in the throes of a pandemic. According to OLooney and others who work in his industry, the pandemic is actually a deliberate mass genocide. People are dying, he says, because someone else wants them to die and is killing them with drugs. There are almost no real-life journalists who are willing to investigate this, Naughton being one of the exceptions. It is an uncomfortable and very politically incorrect subject that would likely cost many of them their jobs, hence the silence. It is a subject that deserves attention, though. Indias massive delta wave, which was reported back in the summer, directly coincided with that countys mass vaccination campaign. Similar spikes in disease and death have been observed elsewhere immediately following the introduction of the jabs. As we have identified in many articles here on Principia Scientific International, the pandemic is a coordinated international ploy based on allopathic germ theory, increasingly seen as a scam pushed by the major pharmaceuticals companies a litany of costly and unnecessary procedures and fake vaccines, warns Principia Scientific International. The longer this is allowed to go on, the more the death numbers are going to rise. And if the prevailing narrative that the unvaccinated are responsible for this is allowed to prevail, then a global medical police state will be crystallized as the new normal. The jab is the delta variant,' wrote one commenter below the video interview. The obvious is for some reason not obvious. The 5G is also the cause of the scamdemic and it is the reason why in India, 5G towers are being burned down because they understand the correlation. The latest news about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) deception can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: Principia-Scientific.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Stop Hate Awareness Program President and CEO David Sumrall accused the government of employing psychological warfare and torture against the supporters of former President Donald Trump who are being charged for their varying roles in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6. As of the last count, a total of 638 people have been arrested and charged since the incident. The number of people charged in the so-called insurrection is expected to keep growing as Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents pore through video footage, social media posts, phone location data and tips from the public. The FBI is real. Theyve been to my house. They have my employee under house arrest, Sumrall told host Dan Happel of Connecting the Dots on Brighteon.TV. FBI agents come in with guns blazing, ready to shoot somebody. Theyre trying to get someone to snap. I have a story of one of the men that they arrested. They laid hands on his wife, trying to get to him, to incite him to do something so they can say see we got one of those crazy Trumpers.' The FBI is pursuing virtually every person who took part in the riot that left five people dead, including a Capitol police officer, and more than 100 other officers injured. Prosecutors have said that the riot also caused at least $1.5 million in damages to the historic building. (Related: The false and exaggerated claims still being spread about the Capitol riot.) Sumrall said one of the people arrested by the FBI has cancer and cant get treatment inside prison. Theres also a pregnant woman under house arrest. Some of the people arrested had been moved from state to state without informing their families and relatives. This is psychological warfare. This is torture, Sumrall said. This is the system that we live in. This is nothing the people need to suffer through for standing up for their president. Double standard of the law Happel highlighted the injustice of it all by comparing the cases of Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa rioters to the Trump supporters. The U.S. Attorneys Office and the Department of Justice dropped almost all the charges against BLM and Antifa rioters, who burned down cities and even killed people. And yet, at the same time, they made it very clear that they plan on pursing the so-called insurrection at the Capitol to full completion and prosecution. Happel said. That is a double standard of the law. No question about it. Sumrall called it a travesty. He was there when things unfolded and was convinced that the demonstration had been infiltrated by agitators and posers from the left. (Related: VIDEO: Capitol Police removed barriers and allowed protesters to walk right into the Capitol.) It was a beautiful day. The most patriotic day, hands down, in my life. It was beautiful to see people come together peacefully to redress their grievances with their government. Thats the point, thats the whole story, Sumrall said. And then you got the bad guys that came in and really mucked it all up for everybody. They made us look bad. They did things for optic reasons. But he knew the FBI would not take a closer look on that angle, or even consider it. They dont want the truth. They just want to build a case to smear any conservative, Sumrall said. The suspects in the riot at the Capitol are a varied group, including an ousted West Virginia lawmaker, several police officers and a left-wing activist from Utah. Most of the rioters were allowed to leave the crime scene, forcing investigators to conduct a national manhunt for the pro-Trump crowd that stormed the halls of Congress. Just weeks after the riot, FBI officials said they had already been inundated with 140,000 videos and photos from members of the public. According to federal criminal code, seditious conspiracy means an effort to conspire to overthrow the U.S. government. The punishment is up to 20 years in prison. Interestingly, only a few of the rioters facing federal charges came from pro-Trump strongholds. Based on the George Washington University extremism tracker, most of them came from districts that voted for President Joe Biden in last years election. Its all about the optics With hundreds of additional investigations still ongoing, prosecutors are expected to bring more serious charges against some defendants who have already been charged, according to FBI Director Christopher Wray. This is far from over. And with each arrest and each case we bring, not only are we driving toward accountability for the attack but were also learning more about what was out there beforehand so we can use that to get better moving forward, Wray said. Sumrall has figured that out a long time ago. They want the optics. They dont want this to go away, he said. The charges against the suspects arrested to date fall into three broad categories. At one end of the spectrum are those accused of illegally entering the Capitol but not engaging in any violence. They face misdemeanor charges such as trespassing and disorderly conduct, both of which carry little to no jail time. At the other end are the members of three far-right groups the Oath Keepers, the Three Percenters and the Proud Boys who had been accused of by prosecutors of having planned and coordinated their attack on the Capitol months in advance. They face multiple felony charges of conspiracy and other offenses. The rest of the defendants face a combination of lesser misdemeanor charges and more serious felony charges of destruction of property and assaulting police officers. Watch the full episode of Connecting the Dots with Dan Happel featuring David Sumrall here: You can catch Connecting the Dots with Dan Happel live every Tuesday from 5-6 p.m. on Brighteon.TV. Follow IdentityPolitics.news for more news and information related to partisan politics. Sources include: Brighteon.com Insider.com VoaNews.com (Natural News) A report has emerged to suggest that American citizens are trapped in Australia right now with no escape amid the countrys latest round of Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) tyranny. Steve Quayle published the contents of a letter he says he received from someone who claims her friends daughter is currently facing abject fascism in Sydney with no way to leave the country to return to the United States. This trapped individual and her husband are saying that there are no inbound or outbound flights between the U.S. and Australia anymore because the entire country has been plunged into a total lockdown. As we have been reporting, Australia really ramped up the medical fascism in response to media reports about the so-called Delta variant, which is apparently extra scary. Consequently, anyone who happens to be in Australia is up a creek without a paddle, at this point, including Americans who are being told that they must comply with all lockdown requirements. They are not permitted to go further than 2 miles from their home without facing expensive fines or imprisonment, the letter explains. Australians cant buy, sell or earn a living without getting a beast system injection The person who wrote the letter included a transcript of a text message she received from the mother of the trapped daughter and her husband. It explains that Australian officials are trying to force these trapped Americans to get vaccinated against their will. my daughter is in Australia and theyre trying to force her to take the jab because she works in a hospital, part of the message reads. It is so intense in Australia! The doctor McKayla works for had to close down her surgeries, so shes been looking for another job. Trying to escape this tyranny has been a challenge, the message goes on to explain, because the couple currently holds a pricy $2,600 per month mortgage. It is also difficult to find other employment when even the local grocery stores are requiring the jab in order to get paid. They cant leave Sydney! the woman lamented. No airplanes in & no airplanes out. They cant even drive their car more than 2 miles from their home without police officers checking where theyre going and if theyre not going to a doctors office, or something essential, they get huge fines or thrown in jail! The woman cannot quit her job at the hospital and still receive unemployment, and she also cannot be fired and get unemployment. She is basically stuck either complying with the states demands or going jobless and ultimately losing her home and ability to eat. There is also no way to go to a U.S. Embassy for protection as there are no flights in or out of the country. The couple would basically be forced to live at the embassy, which the woman says she will not do alone if her husband does not come with her. People that were traveling out of Australia, before everything hit the fan, havent been able to come back to their own country and homes for over 11 months! the message goes on to explain. A few weeks ago she said shed rather die than have to live like theyre living in Sydney with no freedoms, no travel, no conversations with people. For a full six months, the woman has stood her ground against the mandatory injections, but now she has reached the end of the road. There is no way out except compliance, unless she wants to give up everything. You can read the full letter online. The latest news coverage about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine tyranny can be found at Fascism.news. Sources for this article include: SteveQuayle.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Google whistleblower Zach Vorhies warned the public that Google is pushing ideas that could potentially destabilize the United States and make it fall without the enemy firing a shot. The question is: Who is the enemy? I really dont know the answer to that question and I know that its one of their greatest secrets, Vorhies told host Mike Adams during his appearance at the Health Ranger Report on Brighteon.TV. This group of globalists, for lack of a better term, is using the transgender movements and racism as wedges in order to divide Americans and keep them fighting against each other. According to Vorhies, Google got the ball rolling through censorship. They had this algorithm called machine learning fairness, which they were secretly unleashing into Google Search, Google News and YouTube in order to manipulate the information landscape, take control of elections and be able to move America to their corporate values, he said. Vorhies hinted that the main players from the Vanguard Group, Inc., which is the biggest investor behind Google, are possibly the enemies wanting America to fall. However, no one knows the people who own or control the company and thats by design. The destabilization, Vorhies said, is part of a larger scheme to render people useless as Big Tech companies introduce artificial intelligence and robot labor. Vorhies opens door for more Big Tech whistleblowers The madness of Googles attempt to mold the reality of humanity into a version dictated by its corporate values has been portrayed in the book co-authored by Vorhies and New York Times bestselling author Kent Heckenlively titled Google Leaks. (Related: Zach Vorhies: Portrait of a whistleblower.) As a senior engineer at Google, Vorhies watched in horror from the inside as the 2016 election of Donald Trump drove the tech giant into a frenzy of censorship and political manipulation. It quickly became clear to him that Google was attempting nothing less than a seamless rewriting of the operating code of reality in which many would not be allowed to participate. From Google rewriting their news algorithms to target Trump to using human tragedy emergencies to inject permanent blacklists, Vorhies and Heckenlively provide a first-hand perspective on how Google turned to the dark side to seize power. In the summer of 2019, he collected and released 950 pages of documents to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the public through Project Veritas to reveal what Google was doing. It quickly became one of the most popular whistleblower stories and started a trend in Big Tech industry. Earlier this year, Adams interviewed Facebook censorship whistleblower Ryan Hartwig. Hartwig related his experience as bilingual content moderator for Facebook when he worked at Cognizant. According to Hartwig, he was initially assigned to monitor content for Latin America before getting transferred to monitor content for North America. He started to see bias in Facebooks censorship when hes monitoring content for the latter. In one instance, he was told to delete a viral video in which a Trump supporter is being attacked although there was really no violation. He eventually decided to make a list of biased censorships against conservatives. A journalist he contacted referred him to Project Veritas, which asked him to do undercover works. His work with Project Veritas focused on how Facebook allowed attacks on people who dont support LGBT while censoring posts against the same group. Hartwig also wrote a book titled Behind the Mask of Facebook detailing his expose. He said the overarching message on his book is that Facebook can pick and choose what rules to follow and that it can make exceptions anytime it likes. Biden administration encourages censorship Even the government is encouraging censorship these days. (Related: Marsha Blackburn calls Biden an authoritarian for supporting Big Tech censorship.) In July, the Biden administration called on Big Tech companies to censor narratives considered by the government as misinformation about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). Misinformation is defined by health officials as information that is false, inaccurate or misleading, according to the best available evidence. Critics quickly decried the effort, saying that the government was effectively telling Big Tech to violate the First Amendment. This is uncharted territory. They now are openly admitting they collaborate with Big Tech, said Amy Tarkanian, a former Nevada Republican Party chairwoman. Meanwhile, Clay Travis, co-founder of OutKick, said that the advisory should be terrifying to anyone who values free speech. In the advisory, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said technology platforms can redesign recommendation algorithms to avoid amplifying misinformation, hire more people to police content and boost messaging from trusted messengers and subject matter experts. The new advisory claimed that social media platforms have greatly contributed to the unprecedented speed and scale of misinformations spread. It said that misinformation, particularly on social media websites like Facebook, has hindered vaccination efforts, sown mistrust, caused people to reject public health measures, use unproven treatments, prolonged the pandemic and put lives at risk. As Surgeon General, my job is to help people stay safe and healthy, and without limiting the spread of health misinformation, American lives are at risk, Murthy said in a statement. From the tech and social media companies who must do more to address the spread on their platforms, to all of us identifying and avoiding sharing misinformation, tackling this challenge will require an all-of-society approach, but it is critical for the long-term health of our nation. Watch the full episode of the Health Ranger Report here: You can watch the Health Ranger Report with Mike Adams from Monday to Friday at 3-3:30 p.m. live on Brighteon.TV. Follow TechGiants.news for more news and information related to Big Tech companies. Sources include: Brighteon.com 1 Brighteon.com 2 TheEpochTimes.com In France, a court has found eight individuals guilty of trafficking rhino horn and ivory between Europe and East Asia, including members of an Irish crime ring. There were four men, three Irish and one English, who was sentenced to prison for allegedly being members of the Rathkeale Rovers gang. However, two of them were saved because their sentences were postponed. The court also imposed a total of 316,000 ($371721.42) in fines. Three individuals were not present at the special court in Rennes, west France, and international arrest orders have been issued for them. Commends from Environmental Groups Charlotte Nithart, head of the Robin des Bois (Robin Hood) environmental group, applauded the decision, calling it "educational and dissuasive... for all those who engage in wildlife trafficking and speculate on endangered animals." "There is poaching before trafficking, which creates social and environmental devastation," she remarked following the verdict on Wednesday. Related Article: Dog Meat Traders in Indonesia to be Prosecuted After Truck With 78 Traumatized Dogs is Intercepted Catching the Perps Police stopped a BMW vehicle in a random highway traffic inspection in September 2015 and discovered four uncertified elephant tusks and 32,800 ($38771.37) in cash, prompting an investigation by French prosecutors. The car's passengers, some of whom claimed to be antique dealers, were later discovered to be part of an international network of rhino horn and ivory traffickers, with numerous Chinese and Vietnamese individuals among them. Trafficking Criminal Organizations According to police, the Rathkeale Rovers, a criminal group named after a town near Limerick in southern Ireland, was reported to be among the Irish and English suspects. In addition, gang members have been linked to a dizzying range of frauds spanning Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Australia, many of which have roots in the Travelling community. The smugglers had two factories in France where they turned ivory and rhino horn into powder or flakes and other things, which were subsequently shipped to Vietnam and China for use in traditional medicine. Seizing "Exotic" Goods During the inquiry, a huge horn weighing approximately 15 kilograms was seized. Once processed, Robin des Bois estimated that it would have been worth about 13 million in export items. According to Robin des Bois, auction shops in Cannes, Toulouse, and Le Puy aided the export of tusks to Vietnam and China. Target of Inter-agency Investigation According to the Europol police agency's website, the Rathkeale Rovers were the subject of a combined investigation by European police in 2010 that resulted in 31 persons being detained, including rhino horn theft. The group has trafficked illegal antiquities, cigarettes, electrical items, vintage automobiles, and forged coronavirus test certificates. It has amassed a reputation for deceiving clients and contractors, giving it the nicknames "asfaltaris Irlandese" in Italy, "teerkolonne" in Germany, and "les fake bitumeurs" in France. According to reports, the tarmackers have also worked in South America, Mexico, the United States, and South Africa. Europol warned in February that members of the Rathkeale Rovers were falsifying coronavirus test results and selling them to travelers via a mobile phone app. Michael Hegarty, a senior member of the group, was sentenced to 18 months in jail in 2017 by a federal court in Miami for smuggling a libation cup - a drinking vessel carved from rhino horn - from the United States to England. Also Read: Pigs Cut While Still Alive: Hidden Cam Showed Extreme Animal Cruelty in Slaughterhouse For more animal news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! The urgency of fighting against the novel coronavirus sprouts unusual discoveries that continue to surprise us. This just proves how vast knowledge is and how diverse its application can be. Scientists recently found that one of America's most dreaded snakes could be an effective ally in fighting against COVID-19, stopping the virus' replication by up to 75 percent. The impact of COVID-19 outbreak to the world's economy and public health systems drove many experts to find best possible means in eradicating the virus. Researchers did not just limit their study on common therapeutics, but also widely studied and developed peptide-based medicines to treat infectious diseases. Developing new medicines from peptides Bothrops jararacussu most commonly known in South America as 'jararacussu' is highly venomous pit viper species native to Brazil, Paraguay and parts of Bolivia and Argentina. The black-and-yellow-scaled reptile has rather potent venom, enough to kill sixteen people. Bothrops venoms are characterized by edema, hemorrhage, pain, and inflammation; however, the mechanisms of tissue damage may vary and depend upon the snake's species. In a new published study, this potent venom was examined by scientists as means of fighting COVID-19. The initial finding reveals that the venom contains a specific element that can be linked to an enzyme found in the coronavirus. So far, the results have been found 'promising' in stopping the virus from replicating by up to 75 percent. This certain molecule in the jararacussu's venom could help fight the pandemic. Also read: Incest Between Arctic Polar Bears Now Alarmingly Common Due to Climate Change A 'breakthrough' that could lead to development of new COVID-19 drugs "We were able to show this component of snake venom was able to inhibit a very important protein from the virus," said Rafael Guido, a professor at the University of Sao Paolo. Researchers extracted fragments of snake venom peptides - a short chain of an amino acid - to connect the PLPro enzyme in SARS-CoV-2 virus which plays a critical role in replicating viral polyproteins, enabling viral spread. "We're wary about people going out to hunt the jararacussu around Brazil, thinking they're going to save the world... That's not it!" said Giuseppe Puorto, a reptile expert at Sao Paolo. "It's not the venom itself that will cure the coronavirus." This means that scientists don't have to hunt for jararacussu as they can just extract and synthesize peptides in a laboratory. They believe this study could be a "breakthrough that could lead to the development of new drugs against Covid." The experts now study the effectiveness of different doses of the molecule, as well as determining if whether it can prevent the coronavirus from entering the cell in the first place. Surprisingly, this study is not the first to use snake venom to synthesize drugs. In fact, "many blood pressure and heart failure drugs are derived from an active ingredient known as captopril found in snake venom," according to British Heart Foundation. If tested and proven effective, this finding could add up to many more research efforts that produced a number of vaccines across the globe. Also read: 1 Dead, 7 Infected by Vietnamese Man Who Was Found Guilty Spreading COVID-19 Mexicans are posting stunning footage of flashes of blue light flashing through the skies after a powerful earthquake struck Acapulco on the country's Pacific coast on Wednesday. Este es el momento en el que se observaron las luces en el cielo esta noche, durante el #sismo registrado en #Acapulco, #Guerrero pic.twitter.com/Xeg2BZzF28 Foro_TV (@Foro_TV) September 8, 2021 The 7.0 magnitude quake struck 11 miles northeast of the resort city of Guerrero in the state's southern region. Although at least one person was killed, buildings were damaged, and rockslides strewn across a major roadway, the quake did not inflict extensive damage. It did, however, frightened many. #Apocalipsis Un pequeno ensayo del apocalipsis. pic.twitter.com/ljTcD0DNN5 Dios (@Dios_Padre) September 8, 2021 The earthquake lasted about a minute and was felt 200 miles distant in Mexico City. As buildings shook, walkways undulated, and blue lights flashed spectacularly in the sky, residents ran into the streets. Users quickly began using the hashtag #Apocalipsis, Spanish for the apocalypse, the biblical phrase for the end of the world. Troy Shinbrot, a physicist at Rutgers University, believes the blue lights aren't an indication that the world is ending. "If it did," Shinbrot explained, "the apocalypse would have happened a thousand years ago when this was first found." However, in an interview with NPR, he stated that "seismic lights" have been documented throughout history and occur regularly. Related Article: Powerful 7 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Acapulco, Mexico Damaging Buildings in its Wake Explaining the Lights Some scientists think that the luminosity, or eruption of light, is generated by friction between rocks near the Earth's crust, releasing energy into the atmosphere. Then, near the planet's surface, a flare of light is created. Shinbrot claims to have detected voltage fluctuations comparable to what happens when the Earth's crust slides during an earthquake in his laboratory. He advises anyone interested in science to take a roll of sticky tape into a dark closet and peel down a strip fast. Then, according to Shinbrot, a light glow will be released. However, he warns against drawing too many parallels between "earthquake lights," or EQL, and the sticky tape experiment because scientists still don't know much. "Geophysicists vary on the extent to which they believe that individual reports of anomalous illumination near the time and epicenter of an earthquake truly represent EQL," the USGS said on its website. USGS Claims USGS earthquake scientist Austin Elliott warns against relying on films purporting to show the EQL phenomena. He claims that most of what was seen in Mexico's skies on Tuesday night after the earthquake were power flashes caused by swinging electrical grid cables colliding with other lines, trees, or buildings. "It would have been impossible to identify whether observable natural electrical phenomena were going on alongside the brilliant power flashes from the electrical grid," Elliott adds. Naturally Occurring Phenomena Victor Manuel Cruz Atienza, a seismologist at Mexico's National Autonomous University, believes the phenomenon exists but claims that yesterday night's sky was filled with much electrical activity due to a downpour. "We can't be positive the earthquake caused the light display we saw last night," he told NPR. "Especially considering the downpour, we were having." He said it was difficult for him to see the difference in numerous films circulating on social media. Both Cruz Atienza and Shinbrot believe that there will be more opportunities to observe the blue flashes in Mexico's skies. And, as many Mexicans have pointed out, it will most likely happen in September. This is because many of Mexico's most powerful earthquakes have occurred over this period, including an 8.2 magnitude quake that rocked the state of Oaxaca four years ago on Sept. 7, 2017, and Mexico City's catastrophic 8.0 earthquake on Sept. 19, 1985. Also Read: Solar Storm Watch: Auroras to Light up the Night Sky as Two Solar Blasts Hit Earth For more news updates about what's happening to our environment, don't forget to follow Nature World News! According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, toxic algal blooms have brought over 300 Americans to the emergency department in recent years. In addition, researchers looked at ER visits due to algal bloom exposure across the country from 2017 to 2019, and they warn that because blooms are anticipated to grow more regular and pervasive, doctors will need to be on the alert for these cases. Harmful Algal Bloom Algae blooms occur when huge colonies of blue-green algae or plant-like microorganisms develop fast in both saline and freshwater settings. When these blooms start pumping large amounts of poisonous byproducts into the surrounding water and air, they can become dangerous. Algae may create various toxins, each with its own set of consequences, but many of them can harm the organs of wildlife, pets, and humans. In addition, blooms often, but not always, create noticeable changes in the color of the water's surface. We still don't know a lot about these blooms, including how often they make people sick. As a result, CDC researchers looked at de-identified data from the National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP), which gathers data on symptoms reported in emergency departments. These systems would serve as an early warning system for developing illnesses or other concerning health patterns in an ideal world. The team discovered 321 algal bloom-related ER visits between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2019. Respiratory problems were the most common reason for these visits (41%), followed by gastrointestinal (14%) and neurologic (10%) issues; some people also reported a rash (8 percent ). A third of the trips took place in the Southeast United States. Warmer months are more likely to see algae blooms, and ER visits have also increased during those months. Related Article: Toxic Algae Blamed For Shut Down of Access in Some Parts of California River Determining the Death Toll The authors claim that ER data may be used to "determine the amount of disease in the United States due to hazardous algal bloom exposure." They do warn, however, that there are certain limits. For one thing, the NSSP only covers 70% of the country's emergency rooms. In addition, they had to depend on written material regarding the symptoms for roughly two-thirds of the instances they found, rather than a formal diagnosis connected to bloom exposure. They also found a few cases in which a diagnostic code indicated bloom exposure, although the symptoms reported were most likely unrelated. Nonetheless, the findings demonstrate that algal blooms are a hazard for more than simply wildlife and unlucky pets. According to the authors, the United States had a significant increase in emergency room visits in 2018, which coincided with a red tide algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico. And these blooms are expected to become more of a problem in the future. According to the researchers, warmer temperatures will make blooms more prevalent over time and in locations where they haven't before occurred (runoff from industry and agricultural factories also fuel the problem by providing algae with ample nutrients). Recent Tragedy A family of three and their dog died unexpectedly while trekking in California in August. The research is still underway, but one possible cause is exposure to algal blooms. Officials noted algal toxins in a river near where the family was discovered over the weekend, and they continue to urge people and their dogs to keep away from the water. Also Read: Experts Warn Lake Erie Might Have Another Toxic Algae Bloom this Summer For more environmental news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! In the United States, a new virus is threatening both wild and domestic rabbits. The deadly virus, known as Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2), causes rabbit hemorrhagic illness similar to Ebola. It has already been documented in the western and southern United States. Pandemic Among Rabbits The Covid-19 epidemic is now wreaking havoc in many places. But, unfortunately, it isn't the only sickness that the United States will have to cope with within 2021. So what is the cause behind this? According to local officials, Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2) is spreading throughout the animal population in Texas and numerous other states. Rabbits are spreading Hemorrhagic Disease, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife. It's been discovered in Texas, Arizona, California, and a few more places. Related Article: Deadly Virus Detected in Hawaiian Dolphin May Trigger Global Outbreak Amongst Marine Animals RHDV2 Spread Multiple instances have been reported in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado, and other states since March 2020. (as you can see from the above map). So, while we've been fighting Covid-19, the surrounding animal population has been coping with a highly lethal virus. RHDV2 has been verified in the rabbit population of numerous counties in Texas, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife. Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Gaines, Hale, Hockley, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Lubbock, Pecos, Presidio, Randall, Terrell, and Ward counties. Although RDHV2 is not harmful to people, it can inadvertently be transmitted to wild animals, resulting in incalculable deaths. For example, if someone had the virus on their clothing or shoes, it might readily spread from one region of the state to another. And if that happened in Texas (or anyplace else), the effects would be disastrous for local wildlife. According to the US Department of Agriculture: "RHDV2 is extremely infectious and affects both domestic and wild rabbits, unlike other rabbit hemorrhagic disease viruses. Sudden death and blood-stained noses produced by internal bleeding are frequently the sole symptoms of the illness. In addition, infected rabbits may develop a fever, refuse to feed, or exhibit respiratory or neurotic symptoms." It's crucial to know that RHDV2 vaccinations haven't been licensed in the United States if you keep rabbits or reside in a region where wild rabbits are common. So, whenever you're around ill or dead animals, take adequate biosecurity precautions. After all, the illness has already wreaked havoc in several other countries worldwide. Origins of the Disease According to a study on the history of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease, in the 1980s, the viral illness that was exceedingly deadly and highly infectious in domestic and wild rabbits decimated European rabbit populations. The first outbreak of this recent illness, known as rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD), was discovered in a group of commercially-bred Angora rabbits imported from Germany in the Jiangsu Province of the People's Republic of China in 1984. In less than a year, RHD killed 140 million domestic rabbits in China and spread over an area of 50 000 km squared. Also Read: CDC Declared Salmonella Outbreak in 17 US States Linked to Italian Meat For more animal and health related news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! On Thursday, the Biden administration took the initial steps toward safeguarding Alaska's pristine Bristol Bay, home to one of the world's most lucrative sockeye salmon fisheries and lies above enormous copper and gold resources long sought after by mining corporations. The government has filed a suit in the United States District Court for the District of Alaska to overturn a Trump-era decision that removed environmental protections from Bristol Bay, roughly 200 miles southwest of Anchorage. If the court agrees, the government may start drafting long-term safeguards for the region. Reversing What Trump Did The Environmental Protection Agency said in a statement that President Donald J. Trump's administration acted illegally in 2019 when it dismissed fears that a proposed large gold and copper mine would endanger fisheries and withdrew federal safeguards from Bristol Bay. Because the Trump administration refused a critical permit for the project, known as Pebble Mine, in 2020, the action will have a minimal immediate impact. That happened when President Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. and Fox News host Tucker Carlson, both of whom love hunting and fishing in the area, formed an unusual alliance with environmentalists and Native tribes to fight the project. However, environmental campaigners pointed out that the Pebble Limited Partnership, the firm proposing to develop the mine, appeals to the Army Corps of Engineers' decision to deny the permission. To get the metals, the business intends to excavate a hole that is more than a mile square and a third of a mile deep. It is believed that the metals are worth at least $300 billion. The project would entail building a 270-megawatt power plant, a 165-mile natural gas pipeline, an 82-mile road, and enormous tailings ponds, some of which would be poisonous. Iliamna Bay would also need to be dredged for a port. Related Article: Saving "America's Amazon": Biden Restores Environmental Safeguards Protecting US' Largest National Forest One Step at a Time There is now nothing in place to prevent a future attempt at a mining operation in the area. However, the Biden administration's plea to the court is the first step toward that change. Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington State, a Democrat, stated in a statement to The New York Times, "I'm glad the Biden administration has taken this vital step to guarantee lasting protection for this unique watershed and the salmon and people it supports." "Mining in the Bristol Bay watershed would have irreversibly harmed the world's largest sockeye fishery." The planned Pebble Mine, located in two watersheds that supply fish-spawning rivers, was deemed to inflict irreversible damage by both federal and state agencies. According to scientists, it would damage more than 130 kilometers of streams, 2,800 acres of wetlands, and 130 acres of open water. President Biden campaigned on a vow to "listen to the scientists and safeguard Bristol Bay." "It is no place for a mine," Mr. Biden said, praising the region as essential to Alaska Natives' way of life, a popular fishing destination, and the source of half the world's sockeye salmon. Obama's Original Plan After a three-year scientific review, President Barack Obama's administration concluded in 2014 that the Pebble Mine project could have "catastrophic" effects in some parts of Bristol Bay, including "complete loss of fish habitat due to elimination, dewatering, and fragmentation of streams, wetlands, and other aquatic resources." Obama's Environmental Protection Agency made a draft finding under a Clean Water Act clause that would have functioned as a veto and effectively barred mining in the region. However, the Pebble Limited Partnership sued the government many times, and the decision was still pending when Mr. Trump entered office. In 2019, the Trump administration, which had already repealed over 100 environmental rules, yanked the Obama-era designation and declared it "outdated," citing litigation filed by the Pebble Mine as one of the significant new events. Partnering with the EPA In a statement, Mike Heatwole, a spokesperson for the Pebble Mine Partnership, said the business expects to track the E.P.A.'s activities to see how they affect the project and permitting process. He stated, "As the Biden Administration pursues reduced carbon emissions for energy production, they should understand that such transformation would necessitate considerably greater mineral output, particularly copper." "The Pebble Project continues to be an essential domestic supply of the minerals required by the administration to meet its green energy objectives." In a statement, E.P.A. Administrator Michael Regan said that if the court rules favor the Biden administration, the agency will set a timeline for beginning the Clean Water Act procedure to preserve Bristol Bay from development. Mr. Regan stated, "What's at risk is preventing pollution that would disproportionately affect Alaska Natives and safeguarding a healthy future for North America's most productive salmon fishery." Also Read: 200 Health Journal Calls Out World Leaders to Address How Climate Change Causes Health Hazard For more environmental news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! Science reveals that the dreaded Tyrannosaurus or T. Rex was actually not always at the top of the food chain. About 90 million years ago, a giant apex predator twice the length of a T. Rex existed. Dinosaurs have been quite successful in emerging and ruling the Earth between 240 million and 230 million years, until the time when a giant asteroid hit at the end of the Cretaceous period. They had evolved widely from mostly dog- and horse-size creatures into the most enormous beasts that ever existed on land. One among these groups is the meat-eating dinosaur which researchers named as Ulughbegsaurus uzbekistanensis, a new species identified as a carcharodontosaurian theropod dinosaur from a fossilized jawbone found in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The apex predator of the Bissekty ecosystem The 26-foot-long (8 meters) beast weighing 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms) - that is twice larger the length and more than five times heavier of T. Rex - is a medium to large-sized predatory theropod dinosaur. Experts believe it thrived on the southern supercontinent Gondwana from the Late Jurassic epoch to the end of the Cretaceous period, but disappeared on the northern supercontinent Laurasia after the Turonian stage of the Cretaceous. Its chunk of jawbone was found in Uzbekistan's Kyzylkum Desert in the 1980s, and rediscovered by researchers Uzbekistan museum collection in 2019 was enough to suggest that it was a carcharodontosaur, or a "shark-toothed" dinosaur. They were believed to have roamed around the planet during the Late Cretaceous epoch, between 92 and 90 million years ago. "We described this new genus and species based on a single isolated fossil, a left maxilla, or upper jawbone," said lead author Dr. Kohei Tanaka, a paleontologist at the University of Tsukuba. Researchers were able to measure its size through the preserved portion of the maxillary tooth row, which later on indicated that "this individual was at least 7 m (23 feet) in total body length and over one ton in body mass." Also read: Special Lizard-Like Fossil Older than Most Dinosaurs May Explain the Origin of Lizards A case of convergent evolution "Our discovery indicates carcharodontosaurs were still dominant predators in Asia 90 million years ago," study lead researcher Kohei Tanaka, an assistant professor at the Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Tsukuba in Japan said. Peter Makovicky, a professor of paleontology at the University of Minnesota, although not involved in the study, agreed that U. uzbekistanensis was likely at the top of the local food chain. The team believed that the U. uzbekistanensis which is the last known occurrence of a carcharodontosaur is not far from and share similar characteristics with that of a tyrannosaur, thus a case of convergent evolution. "As one of the latest surviving carcharodontosaurians in Laurasia, this large predator's coexistence with a smaller tyrannosauroid reveals important constraints on the transition of the apex predator niche in the Late Cretaceous," said senior author Professor Yoshitsugu Kobayashi, a paleontologist at the Hokkaido University Museum. Also read: 7,200-Year-Old Skeleton of 'New Type' of Ancient Human Unearthed in Indonesia For ages, domestic animals have been a part of human existence. They include companion animals (such as dogs, cats, guinea pigs, fish, and birds such as parrots) as well as creatures that provide humans with benefits (like cattle, goats, poultry birds, etc.). Whatever role these creatures play in our lives, they always show us their love and dedication. Animals are very clever animals who can comprehend what we say and respond in their own unique way. Domestic animals will find a place in your house and heart whether you live on a farm in a hamlet with cattle as your companions or in a city flat. Dogs are the most devoted and loyal creatures among home pets. Like the four-year-old dog named Baekgu that saved his owner from near death when his owner collapsed in a rice field. Baekgu South Korea's First Honorary Rescue Dog According to press announcements from the county and provincial administrations, Baekgu's owner, a dementia-stricken 90-year-old woman from Hong Seong, South Korea went missing on August 25. Police discovered the lady, known as Kim, and her little white dog fleeing the town after reviewing security camera footage from a neighboring farm. They organized a search with the help of the fire department and local citizens who searched the area as it rained. She was eventually discovered in a rice field, around two kilometers (1.3 miles) from her home, 40 hours (about 1 and a half days) later. She had passed out in a wet place where the rice had grown tall hiding her, leaving her drenched and unable to escape. According to a press release issued by the police on Monday, she would not have survived if it had not been for Baekgu's faithfulness Even as the weather worsened and the night became colder, Baekgu remained by her side, keeping her temperature up even as she began to exhibit signs of hypothermia. Officials awarded Baekgu with the task of rescuing the 90-year-old woman. The search team sent out a thermal drone, which found the little dog's thermal signature in a rice field. According to the press statement, the woman is now healing in the hospital, and officials granted Baekgu a new title for his bravery on Monday. Last year, the National Fire Agency issued a law allowing honorary firefighters, fire ambassadors, and rescue dogs to be appointed, making Baekgu the first honored rescue dog in the country. A floral garland was draped around Baekgu's neck at the event, which was attended by a small audience, including the province governor. "At a difficult time, due to Covid-19, Baekgu created an unbelievable miracle and moved everyone," Gov. Yang Seung-jo said. The daughter of the 90-year-old woman, Shim Geum-sun, said Baekgu was adopted three years ago after she was assaulted by a larger dog. Also read: Brazilian Pit Viper Venom Found to be 75% Effective Against COVID-19 Domestic Animals Saving Owner's Life Several households pets have rescued their owners from danger. These heroes have rescued their owners from animal assaults, warned them of fires, fought with larger animals or hazardous things such as snakes, and so on. Some dogs can even detect heart attacks and alert others to save their owners' lives. Dogs are also employed as blind guide dogs, and they are the most fantastic guides a blind person could wish for. Dogs are without a doubt man's best friend. Also read: Cats Found to Have 7 Distinct Personality Traits, New Research In the Northwest, record-challenging dry weather and warmth have been predominant for almost all summer, but AccuWeather forecasters reveal a change in this pattern will finally provide some relief, meaning there will both lower temperatures and required precipitation. Driest Spring and Summer in 77 Years Since scientists started record-keeping at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, it has been the driest spring and summer ever witnessed in 77 years, as per National Weather Service. Just about 6.78 inches of rain has been estimated there since the 1st of March and this is the least amount of rainfall for that period on record. In the region, that wasn't the only record set. There was rainfall on just 41 days over that same period of time. In the past, the least number of days rain fell in that duration was 46 set in 1951 and 1992. In spite of a pattern change for the area, there is a possibility the dry streak will persist for Emerald City. Cooler air will be noticed in coastal locations, but rain could possibly still be at bay. Alyssa Smithmyer, an AccuWeather Meteorologist said: "A pattern shift across the Northwest is expected as a dip in the jet stream shifts over the region." The cooldown began on Thursday but will actually be seriously noticed by Friday. Also Read: Greenland's Summit Experiences Rainfall for the First Time in Recorded History Limited Rainfall Smithmyer said on Friday, Eugene, Oregon, is predicted to attain a high of 73 degrees Fahrenheit and this kind of different from a high of 91 observed Wednesday. Normally, on the 10th of September Eugene attains a high of 80 degrees. The region the cooler air will be easily noticed is farther to the north. Smithmyer stated that "Seattle is forecast to drop to a high of 69 degrees on Friday, compared to Wednesday's high of 80." This will make Seattle shift from a number of degrees above normal to a number of degrees below average, with 74 degrees as its normal high. In spite of the cooler air, little rainfall or even none is anticipated along the coast. However, the story will be different farther inland. Exceptional Drought A movement from the Pacific Ocean coupled with a ripple in the jet stream will get to the interior Northwest by Friday. Both features will prompt the development of a widespread area of precipitation. Much of the area is in a serious drought, as per the United States Drought Monitor. Some places are even undergoing exceptional drought - the most extreme type of drought. There is a possibility for 0.10 - 0.25 of an inch of rainfall to occur over many interior regions from the Oregon Cascades to Montana's Rocky Mountains. It is likely that some places could witness higher amounts locally. Since August 21, Boise, Idaho, has not witnessed one drop of rain, but that streak could possibly end on Friday. Related Article: Extreme Drought in Year 2100 Could Affect 700 Million People, Study Predicts For more news, updates about drought and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News! According to information published by Yonhap News Agency on September 10, 2021, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has signed a 985.7 billion won (US$853 million) deal with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. to build the new KSS III Batch II class submarine. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link A model of KSS III Batch II submarine (Picture source: Blog.naver) The KSS III submarines are the final phase of the Korean Attack Submarine program, a three-phased program to build 27 attack submarines for the Republic of Korea Navy between 1994 and 2029. The lead vessel, Dosan Anh Changho, was launched in 2018. It began sea trials in 2019 and is planned to be ready for service by 2020. The 83.5-meter-long and 9.6-meter-wide submarines can carry 50 crewmembers and can operate underwater for 20 days without surfacing. The KSS III has a submarine version of the Korean Vertical Launching System which will be able to carry up to ten indigenous "Chonryong" land-attack cruise missiles and "Hyunmoo" submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), becoming the first submarine in the South Korean navy to have this kind of capability. It also has many other improvements compared to its predecessors built with a greater degree of South Korean technology, especially in the later batches, which will include Samsung SDI lithium-ion batteries. The KSS III Batch II will be 89 meters long and heavier. This is around five and a half meters longer than the Dosan Ahn Changho, the first submarine built with local technology. Weather Alert ...RAIN...BREEZY WINDS...COOLER TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE FOR THIS WEEKEND... .A vigorous weather system may affect north central Oregon and south central Washington this weekend and bring the seasons first significant rain to portions of the area along with breezy winds. A cool front is expected to move across the area Friday night with developing rain showers along with breezy winds into Saturday. With increasing confidence some locations could receive over a quarter inch of rain especially in the area mountains. Any outdoor festivities should keep aware of the possible changing weather conditions as the weekend nears including any updates to the weather forecast. New Castle, PA (16103) Today Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. New Castle, PA (16103) Today Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High near 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Newburyport, MA (01950) Today Mostly cloudy this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 84F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Thunderstorms. Low near 65F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Newburyport, MA (01950) Today Mostly cloudy early with scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 84F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 64F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Help support your local hometown newspaper/website. Independent local news reporting matters. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, for as little as $3, so we can continue to provide independent local reporting on our communities. Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 Americans, including 161 Connecticut residents. Ceremonies remembering the victims and first responders will be held at monuments, schools and other locations across the Danbury area. Bethel Bethels fire companies will hold a 9/11 ceremony Saturday outside the Clifford J. Hurgin Municipal Center, 1 School St., beginning at 7:30 a.m. First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker said the ceremony will end shortly after 8 a.m. and mark the exact times that the hijacked airliners impacted the buildings in New York and the Pentagon and the crash following the heroic efforts of the passengers in Shanksville, Pa. Knickerbocker said he will be out of town for his sons wedding this weekend, but Selectman Richard Straiton will represent and speak on behalf of the Board of Selectmen during the ceremony. Brookfield Brookfield will host a candlelight vigil on Saturday night in honor of the 20th anniversary of 9/11 at the Town Hall Bandstand. The vigil will start at 7 p.m. and feature speakers who will share their stories with community members. The event will be sponsored by the Brookfield Museum and Historical Society. In case of rain, the vigil will be held the following night, Sept. 12. Danbury Students, staff and other city officials will gather at St. Joseph School on Friday morning for a ceremony honoring the Sept. 11 anniversary. The event begins at 10 a.m. rain or shine on the schools front lawn on Main Street. Police, firefighters, EMS, and representatives from the mayors office and veterans affairs are expected to attend. The city will host a 20th Year Remembrance Ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday at Elmwood Park, where Danburys 9/11 Memorial sits. Kent The 20th anniversary ceremony remembering all those lost in the 9/11 attacks will be at Town Hall at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. New Fairfield The town of New Fairfield will hold a ceremony Friday morning to remember and honor the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. This years event will take place on the field of New Fairfield High School, 54 Gillotti Road, at 10 a.m. To many of us, it is hard to believe that the tragic events of Sept. 11 occurred 20 years ago. As we approach this milestone, I am reminded that all of our current students were born after that tragic day, and those in their 20s may have only a distant memory of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, First Selectman Pat Del Monaco announced Monday. Its for that reason that the own is collaborating with New Fairfield Public Schools for this years 9/11 ceremony. The theme Never Forget will be centered on our students and youth and involved local students, she said. All members of the public are welcome to attend the ceremony. U.S. Rep Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., is expected to speak at the event. Parking at the high school is limited due to construction, but additional parking and a shuttle bus will be available at Saint Edward Church, 21 Brush Hill Road, beginning at 9:30 a.m.. For those unable to attend Fridays event, a solemn observance will be held at the 9/11 Memorial Park near the New Fairfield Senior Center on Route 37 at 5 p.m. Saturday. New Milford A 9/11 ceremony will be held at the 9/11 monument at Patriots Way Plaza overlooking Youngs Field from 8-10 a.m. Saturday. Residents can gather at the monument beginning at 9 a.m. The service is open to the public and will begin at 8:46 a.m. The Water Witch Hose Co. 2 will toll the bell nine times, then 11 times at 8:46 a.m. New Milford police, ambulance and fire departments will assist VFW Post 1672 and the American Legion Ezra Woods Post 31 with the changing of the colors. Redding To honor the Sept. 11 anniversary, a bell-ringing ceremony will be held on Saturday morning at the Town Green Gazebo. The ringing will reflect the times 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m. the planes hit the World Trade Centers. A moment of silence will be held in between the times. First Selectwoman Julia Pemberton has invited residents to attend. The United Ride will pass through Reddings Town Green area between 11:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. Flags flank the Town Green and the opposite side of the street. Citizens are welcome to cheer the ride on, wave flags, etc. Ridgefield A 9/11 ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the memorial monument on 195 Danbury Road. The Ridgefield Police Department Honor Guard and Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department Color Guard will attend. First Selectman Rudy Marconi will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and the welcome. Pastor Kevin Royal from St. Mary Parish will give the invocation, while Polly Castor, member of the First Church of Christ, will give the benediction. Daniela Sikora and the Ridgefield Chorale will perform, while piper Tom Elliott will perform Amazing Grace. Speakers include 2021 Ms. President U.S. Ridgefield Maggie Fleuette, with reflection from Dr. Fred Turpin, retired clergy and psychotherapist. Ridgefield Poet Laureate B. Fulton Jennes will give a reading. Attendees will be invited to lay a flower on the monument. Roxbury In memory of 9/11, the church bells from the Congregational Church and Christ Church Episcopal will ring on Saturday morning. The bells will toll for one minute each at 9:59 a.m. and 10:28 a.m., the times the towers fell. The Roxbury Board of Selectmen have also urged residents to find the time to do one good deed during the day to honor those killed as well as the bravery and heroism of the first responders. Sherman Sherman is having a 9/11 remembrance ceremony at the Sherman Firehouse on 9/11 at 9 a.m. All are welcome. Southbury The Southbury VFW is having a brief 9/11 memorial ceremony at 8:30 a.m. Saturday on the Memorial Green. You have permission to edit this image. Edit Close Ahead of a key meeting of vaccine advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration, the New England Journal of Medicine will publish Israeli data showing that a booster shot of Pfizer's vaccine dramatically decreased severe Covid-19, Dr. Nachman Ash, director general of the Israeli Ministry of Health, told CNN. Israel began its booster program August 1, giving boosters to 2.8 million people so far. To date, much of the country's data on the efficacy of booster shots has not been reviewed by outside experts and published in a medical journal. Having peer-reviewed data published in a prominent medical journal would be helpful to members of the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee when they meet on September 17, a longtime member of the committee said. "That's always true -- we would prefer independent reviewers look carefully at every piece of evidence and have their criticism and shape their revisions," said Dr. Paul Offit, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Pennsylvania and committee member. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also needs to sign off on any booster shots. "Peer review is really important. They critically review the paper and correspond with authors for explanation and clarification," said a senior CDC official working on the Covid-19 response. "I absolutely think that will make a difference." Offit and others have asked for more data on booster efficacy, as President Joe Biden's administration has faced criticism for getting ahead of the science by announcing a specific date -- the week of September 20 -- that boosters would start, even before the FDA and US Centers for Disease Control have weighed in on whether the US should begin a booster campaign. Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, director of public health services at the Israeli Ministry of Health, and Ron Milo, a professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science, will present data next week at the FDA advisors' meeting, Ash said. The data from the Israeli Ministry of Health, posted last month on a pre-print server, looks at more than a million Israelis over the age of 60 who received a booster between July 30 and August 22. It found that 12 days or more after the booster was given, the relative risk of severe illness decreased more than ten times and the relative risk of confirmed infection decreased more than 11 times. The New England Journal of Medicine does not comment on prospective publications, said Dr. Eric Rubin, the journal's editor in chief. He noted that the FDA does its own internal review of data, and that his journal moves in a timely fashion to review data that could improve public health. "If we are able to inform a public discussion, then we will work rapidly to do that," he said. Ash said the New England Journal of Medicine will also be publishing a second set of set of Ministry of Health data before the FDA advisers meet next week. That study showed that people over age 60 who received their second dose in March were 60% more protected against infection and 70% more protected against severe Covid-19 compared to those who received their second dose in January. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Stacker compiled a list of important events in American Jewish communities since the 14th century based on historical accounts, news, and government records. TownNews.com Content Exchange Timeline of Jewish history in the US 1585: Joachim Gans lands on Roanoke Island 1654: Three Jewish refugees from Brazil establish a community in New Amsterdam 1730: Jews in New York build their first synagogue, Shearith Israel 1740: The British Plantation Act gives Jews limited citizenship in the colonies 1776: Gershom Mendes Seixas, leader of Shearith Israel, drafts a prayer for peace between the United States and Great Britain 1788: The US Constitution is adopted by the majority of states, giving Jews full rights under federal laws 1796: Dr. Levi Myers of Georgetown, South Carolina, becomes the first Jew to serve in a state legislature 1823: The first Jewish American periodical, The Jew, is published in New York 1837: Solomon H. Jackson publishes the first American-printed Passover Haggadah 1841: David Levy Yulee becomes the first Jew to serve in Congress and become a US senator 1859: American Jews make a first attempt at organizing an overall national Jewish organization, the Board of Delegates of American Israelites 1860: Morris Jacob Raphall becomes the first rabbi to lead an opening prayer at a meeting of Congress 1862: The US government appoints army chaplains to serve Jews 1873: The Union of American Hebrew Congregations is established with the hope of embracing all American synagogues 1881: Pogroms in Russia cause Eastern European Jews to immigrate to the US at a rapid pace 1916: Louis D. Brandeis is appointed to the US Supreme Court 1918: The first American Jewish Congress meets 1921, 1924: The Immigrant Acts of 1921 and 1924 ban Eastern European Jews and other immigrant groups from entering the US 1927: The National Conference of Christians and Jews is established to encourage interfaith interactions 1939: News of the mass slaughter of Polish Jews reaches the US 19451952: Hundreds of thousands of displaced persons, many of whom are Jews, are refused admission to the US after World War II 1948: The US government recognizes Israel's sovereignty immediately after it declares independence 1955: The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations forms, becoming one of American Jewry's most powerful organizations 1964: Congress passes the Civil Rights Act, officially guaranteeing all rights to Jews and other minority groups 1968: The Jewish Defense League forms 1972: The first woman rabbi, Sally Priesand, is ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion 1983: The Jewish Theological Seminary faculty votes to ordain women as rabbis 1993: The US Holocaust Memorial Museum opens in Washington, DC 2000: Senator Joseph Lieberman becomes the first Jew nominated for the vice-presidency on a major party ticket 2018: Deadly shooting at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, kills 11 Jews during services Microsoft announced Thursday that it's scrapping plans to fully reopen US offices early next month because of concerns about the Delta variant. The tech giant declined to set a new reopening date but promised to give employees 30 days' notice. "Given the uncertainty of Covid-19, we've decided against attempting to forecast a new date for a full reopening of our US work sites in favor of opening US work sites as soon as we're able to do so safely based on public health guidance," Jared Spataro, Microsoft's corporate vice president for modern work, said in a blog post. Microsoft had planned to fully reopen its Redmond, Washington, headquarters and many other offices in the United States as early as October 4. "The evolving Delta variant is compelling many of us to adjust plans for reopening worksites," Spataro wrote. "It's a stark reminder that this is the new normal. Our ability to come together will ebb and flow." Microsoft joins a growing list of major companies forced to delay their back-to-office plans. Wells Fargo, BlackRock, CNN and others pushed back their plans to reopen offices after Labor Day until October. Amazon, Facebook and other tech companies have said they won't be back in the office until 2022 at the earliest. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) -- It's been almost 20 years since the 9/11 attacks in New York City. In New Mexico, there are two beams that once held up the World Trade Center before that tragic day. The Deacon at Sacred Heart Church, Robert Vigil said, You can imagine how many of those beams crumbled twisted up if you look at how twisted they are. So the power of what took place that day. The steel beams were a gift from the former New York City mayor after a letter was sent telling the story of the old church bell. The story goes that the church bell was lost for several years when the old church was knocked down and rebuilt. Several years later when a man was digging in his backyard, he found the bell and took it to the Hispanic Cultural Center, thats when they discovered the inscription Sagrado Corazon. The bell was returned to the church and after several fundraising attempts to build a new bell tower, community leaders decided to write a letter to the New York City Mayor. Vigil said, We received a response from the mayor of that time and he said That's an incredible story... You will be the first church to receive two full size beams but you have to pick them up by Saturday. This was a Monday. Soon after, people all over the country and in the local community came together to help. One truck driver volunteered to go all the way to ground zero for the beams. After driving for over 50 years he had never transported something like this. And he said that at every state line people were just gathered by the hundreds to greet him and escort him to each state border, Vigil said. The steel beams represent death but also the resurrection of the community. In the middle of a pocket of poverty. A small community like Barela's with such a big tie to New York City. That's why I call it a miracle, Vigil said. The thick steel beams with missing rivets and curved tears show a small part of the story of what happened on Sept. 11, 2001. I think that's what people do when they come here and they touch this and go Wow how can something like this just really touch my heart it's symbolic of history, Vigil said. People from all over come to this chapel to remember those that lost their lives. People will just come and touch the beams and the emotions that I see take place. I get the chills just touching these beams just now, Vigil said. You got the names here which sometimes people just come and they just sit here and cry as they touch this wall. Then they kneel and pray. Vigil says 9/11 shows that people should be thankful for each day and thankful for all the people who protect us. Were all unique, were all different but were all the same. We all need the same things and we definitely need each other. So the best way is to build bridges even amongst tragedies, Vigil said. Sacred Heart Church will be ringing its bell at the exact time the two planes hit the towers on Saturday, the chapel will also be open to visitors throughout the day. Florida's 1st District Court on Friday reinstated a stay on mask mandates in schools, blocking local school requirements for now, court documents show. Lawyers for Gov. Ron DeSantis filed the emergency appeal after a judge ruled on Wednesday that the state must stop its enforcement of a mask ban. The latest court ruling comes amid a showdown between the state and some local school districts that have insisted on requiring students to wear masks as Covid-19 infections surge. The civil rights enforcement arm of the US Department of Education added to the issue Friday, saying it is opening an investigation into whether the Florida education department "may be preventing school districts in the state from considering or meeting the needs of students with disabilities" with the mask mandate ban. The Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) sent a letter to Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran Friday, detailing how "OCR is concerned that Florida's policy requiring public schools and school districts to allow parents to opt their children out of mask mandates may be preventing schools in Florida from meeting their legal obligations not to discriminate based on disability and from providing an equal educational opportunity to students with disabilities who are at heightened risk of severe illness from COVID-19." The federal department last month said it had sent letters to state school officials in five states -- Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah -- notifying them of investigations into whether their state mask restrictions prevented students with disabilities from "safely returning to in-person education, in violation of Federal law." At the time, OCR said it had not opened investigations in Florida and other states "because those states' bans on universal indoor masking are not currently being enforced as a result of court orders or other state actions." On August 27, Second Circuit Judge John Cooper ruled against DeSantis, allowing Florida schools to institute mask mandates while the case was appealed at a higher level. Cooper ruled DeSantis had overreached when he issued an executive order in late July directing the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Department of Health to issue emergency rules giving parents a choice on whether their children should wear masks in class. The state threatened to withhold funding from districts that violated the order and required masks, but 13 Florida school districts have implemented mask mandates without a parental opt-out, in defiance of the governor. DeSantis tweeted he was not surprised by Friday's ruling. "The 1st DCA has restored the right of parents to make the best decisions for their children. I will continue to fight for parents' rights," he added. School districts react Some school districts with mask mandates, though, said Friday that the appeals court decision wouldn't immediately change their policies. Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Florida's largest school district, will continue to enforce a mask mandate as the appeals process runs its course, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho told CNN's Erin Burnett Friday, "for one simple reason -- it works," he said. Broward County Public Schools, the second-largest district, will continue to implement its current policy, Interim Superintendent Dr. Vickie Cartwright said in a press conference Friday. The district has lost four staff members -- two teachers and two paraprofessionals -- to Covid-19. "We're in the middle of a pandemic and we've got to respond accordingly to what's in the best interest of our students related to the pandemic," Cartwright said. "We look forward to the future ruling from the District Court of Appeals." Orange County Public Schools, which includes Orlando, will "continue to monitor the court proceedings," spokesperson Michael Ollendorff said. "Our current policy remains in place through October 30," Ollendorff said. Leon County Public Schools, which includes Tallahassee, won't comment on the ruling and "will continue to mandate masks" through eighth grade, according to spokesperson Chris Petley. There will also be no changes in the mask policy at Lee County Public Schools, according to spokesperson Rob Spicker, who said "the mask requirement remains in place." Lee County includes Fort Myers. Brevard Public School System spokesperson Katherine Allen said the system had "not been notified of any changes to our current policy at this time." "The decision is disappointing, but we understood from the beginning that the legal battle over masks in schools would take time and not every decision would be favorable," said Alachua County Public Schools spokesperson Jackie Johnson. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. The effort to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom took off last year amid a backlash to his aggressive restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus. But when the last ballots are cast in Tuesday's special election, it may be the fears about the surge of the Delta variant that allow him to keep his job. For more than a year, the Covid-19 pandemic has been the dominant theme in the Republican-led effort to oust the Democratic governor -- and it is still the central factor in the closing days of this race. Day after day in his ads and his public appearances, Newsom frames the recall vote as a "life and death" choice for voters, while his leading GOP opponent, conservative talk radio host Larry Elder, promises to do away with Newsom's mask and vaccine mandates as one of his first acts in office. Ironically, it's that contrast on the issue that at first seemed to make Newsom most vulnerable that has shifted the trajectory of the race in his favor. In late July and early August, California Democratic leaders were worried as the polls tightened and Newsom appeared to be in trouble. Despite running in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 2 to 1, his party's voters were disinterested in the recall, while Republicans were enthusiastic as Elder emerged as the GOP frontrunner to replace the governor. But around that same time, the highly contagious Delta variant was taking hold in California and across the nation. Cases in children began rising at an alarming rate just as parents were preparing to send them back to school. The power of governors came into sharper focus as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, both Republicans, tried to prevent school districts from enforcing mask mandates in schools. Suddenly the prospect of a governor like Elder, who might eliminate pro-active measures that have helped mitigated the surge, seemed frightening to many Democratic voters who might have otherwise sat out the special election. In the most recent polling from the Public Policy Institute of California, only 39% of likely voters said they would vote "yes" on recalling Newsom, while 58% said they'd vote "no." A majority of voters would have to support the recall effort in order for it to be successful, but if it does succeed, a replacement candidate could win with a mere plurality. Newsom's advisers note that he played "offense rather than defense" on the Delta variant and that they were able to run on policy by highlighting his aggressive approach to stopping the spread of the virus rather than shying away from it -- a message that national Democrats have helped him deliver in the final weeks of the race. For Vice President Kamala Harris, who was with the governor on Wednesday, and President Joe Biden, who unveiled new vaccine mandates Thursday and is expected to visit the state on Monday, leaning into the Democratic governor's management of the pandemic is also a defense of their own strategy and a test of the party's messaging heading into a midterm election year. A sharp messaging contrast Elder has tried to channel the anger at Newsom, who was hazed by his opponents as "a tyrant" during the height of the pandemic last year, by pledging to make his first action as governor the repeal of Newsom's mask mandates and required testing for state workers. He often, to applause at his events, pledges to do this before he has his "first cup of tea" as governor -- something Newsom has mocked him for. Elder and other GOP candidates have repeatedly reminded voters about Newsom's unmasked visit to an elite Napa Valley restaurant last November for a birthday party at a time when he was urging Californians to stay home and avoid large gatherings outside their household -- a mistake Newsom acknowledged and apologized for. While Elder says he has been vaccinated because of his age and an "underlying co-morbidity," he told reporters on Wednesday in Los Angeles that more people should accept and respect other Californians who choose not to get vaccinated. "What I'm opposed to are vaccine mandates and face mask mandates," Elder said. When pressed on whether he, as governor, would punish businesses that have mask or vaccine mandates, the Republican demurred and said he didn't believe his power would extend that far. "I do believe that virtually everybody in California who wants to be vaccinated has been able to be vaccinated," Elder said. "If you're poor, you can get vaccinated for free. A lot of people have made a very different decision. And I think we ought to respect that decision." Newsom, by contrast, warned at a Wednesday rally with Harris that Elder would "walk us off that same Covid cliff as Texas, and Florida, Tennessee and Alabama and Georgia," where cases have been surging among unvaccinated people. "It's true California has among the lowest case rates in America, and among the highest vaccination rates in America. Because we believe in science, we believe in public health," Newsom continued. "All that is on the ballot in the next week." The Democratic governor hammered that message again at an appearance in Fresno Thursday: "The consequences couldn't be more pronounced; couldn't be more sharp. This is about life and death." Last year, it was not just Republicans, but also some Democrats and independents, who were frustrated by what they viewed as erratic Covid protocols from the governor that were confusing and hard to follow -- including a four-tiered, color-coded system that he ultimately abandoned that guided phased re-openings of everything from shopping centers to places of worship. Many parents also felt Newsom had catered too much to the teachers' unions and did not do enough to get schools reopened during the 2020-2021 academic year. For all of the complaints about Newsom's Covid shutdowns and varying regulations last year, the majority of Californians agree with him -- not his GOP rivals -- on mask and vaccine mandates. And there is a growing fury among some vaccinated Californians about how the unvaccinated are putting them and their children in danger. As of Thursday, 56.8% of Californians were fully vaccinated and the seven-day case positivity rate was 4.5%, according to the California Department of Public Health. In a CBS News/YouGov poll in early August, 67% of Californians said private businesses or employers should be allowed to mandate vaccines for their employees and 69% said vaccines should be mandatory for health care workers. In Public Policy Institute of California's recent survey, Californians named Covid-19 as the top issue facing the state, outpacing jobs and the economy, homelessness and housing. Among likely voters, 58% approved of the way Newsom was handling the coronavirus outbreak. National Democrats echo Newsom's message As Newsom has nationalized the race and warned that California could go the way of Florida and Texas, so too have the top Democrats who have come to the governor's defense. Rallying for the governor last weekend, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren framed the race as a "life and death choice" where the "consequence can't be more pronounced" because of the coronavirus. Harris on Wednesday lauded Newsom as someone who "stepped up to the moment" on Covid and "did not say this problem is too big for me." And former President Barack Obama, in an ad released on Wednesday, said the race was as a decision "between protecting our kids and putting them at risk" of getting Covid. "Governor Newsom has spent the past year and a half protecting California communities," Obama said. "Now Republicans are trying to recall him from office and overturn common-sense Covid safety measures for health care workers and school staff." The strategy gets at something Democrats have believed from the outset of the race: While anger at Newsom over Covid may have fueled the recall fire, Californians would ultimately side with him when deciding who would best handle decisions about their health and the health of their families. Conversations with Newsom supporters at his events have highlighted this. "A huge part of it for me, and for other people I know, is Covid," said Kayla Dobson, a 33-year-old who lives in Los Angeles and is supporting Newsom. "It is really Covid. It is so clear -- obviously with a lot of political issues there is so much nuance, but with Covid it is really unnuanced in a lot of ways. ... I am not a single-issue voter, but on this I can be a single-issue voter." Even Cindy Mediavilla, a 67-year-old Democrat who voted against Newsom in the 2018 gubernatorial election, said she believes he has done a "very admirable job as governor" when it comes to tackling the virus. "For me, the whole four years under the previous White House administration -- a person whose name I never mention -- living in California was like 'thank God we live here, in a sane state,'" Mediavilla said. "So just the idea of a Republican in Sacramento, I can't stand it." The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Louisiana officials are discussing new ways to safeguard areas outside the state's flood protection system that suffered severe destruction from Hurricane Ida's brutal landfall. "We have got to fundamentally change the way in which we are thinking about protecting those areas, particularly Grand Isle," said Chip Kline, Executive Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Activities. "Sand dunes on the Gulf side of the island and segmented breakwaters are not going to cut it. "So we're going to be working with the Corps of Engineers and our congressional delegation to look at new strategies on how we can provide better protection, more resilient protection, and strengthen structures around Grand Isle and Lafitte," Kline said. Grand Isle -- Louisiana's last remaining inhabited barrier island at the southern tip of the state -- was pummeled by Ida's fierce winds, heavy rain and storm surge. The Category 4 storm made landfall August 29 near Port Fourchon, about 10 miles southwest of Grand Isle, with winds up to 150 mph. The storm's hurricane-force winds extended 50 miles from the center. Bryan Adams, director of Jefferson Parish Fire Services, had said 40-50% of houses on Grand Isle were gone and all the camps were damaged. "I've never seen it look like this. It's decimated," Adams said after surveying the storm's ruins. On Thursday, Kline said the devastation experienced in areas unprotected by Louisiana's levee system would not be forgotten. "I want the people of Lafitte and Grand Isle to know that this governor and the state's coastal program are not going to forget about those areas," said Kline, who is also the chairman of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board. In contrast, Kline hailed the protection the state's Hurricane Risk Reduction System provided in other areas. "No levee overtopping, no levee failures, no levee breaches -- so a very different picture on the ground today after Hurricane Ida, compared to the picture we saw on the ground, following Hurricane Katrina," Kline said. "And that is thanks to the federal investment of $14 billion around the Greater New Orleans area." Ida cut a deadly path through the region, destroying businesses and neighborhoods and leaving hundreds of thousands without power. It also claimed the lives of at least 26 people in Louisiana and two in Mississippi. Some areas are still in the dark as power outages linger There are more than 189,000 customers, which include homes and businesses, still without power in Louisiana more than 11 days after the hurricane struck, according to PowerOutage.us. "Our crews are encountering massive damage -- particularly in the hardest-hit areas," Entergy Louisiana Vice President of Distribution Operations John Hawkins said. "We have assembled a storm team of nearly 26,000 people who will not stop until the last light is back on." Ochsner Health officials said full power in their New Orleans hospitals is back on, but that's not the case for other facilities. It could be four weeks before the health system's St. Anne Hospital in Raceland, Louisiana, and Chabert Hospital in Houma, Louisiana, are fully operational. New Orleans on Wednesday lifted the curfew imposed as power was restored to most of the city. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Flights of Afghan refugees to the US were paused Friday after four cases of measles were discovered among Afghans who had recently arrived in the country. The White House said the halt was recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after the four measles cases were diagnosed. "Operation Allies Welcome flights into the United States have been temporarily paused at the request of the CDC and out of an abundance of caution because of four diagnosed cases of measles among Afghans who recently arrived in the United States," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. She did not say where the cases were located. Flights of Afghans have been coming to the United States from military bases in Germany and Qatar. Many are operated by commercial carriers. Fort McCoy, an army base in Wisconsin that has been taking in Afghan refugees, said in a statement Friday that "Operation Allies Welcome identified a single guest who had arrived" last Saturday and "who presented with symptoms consistent with measles." A measles diagnosis was confirmed the following day. "Immediately following notification of the suspect case, the guest was placed in isolation and guests at risk of exposure were placed in quarantine. Post-exposure vaccination was also provided to those at risk and contact tracing was completed. Since the identification of the case, no other guests have been diagnosed with measles," the statement said. Measles is a highly contagious virus that can lead to serious health complications. It was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. However, travelers have continued to bring the virus to the United States, leading to local spread and outbreaks among people who aren't vaccinated. Psaki said the individuals found to have measles were being quarantined in accordance with public health guidance and that contact tracing had begun. She said arriving Afghans were required to be vaccinated for measles as a condition for their entry into the United States. The vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella is currently being administered to Afghans at military installations in the United States, Psaki said. She added the administration is exploring measures to vaccinate people at overseas locations. Individuals are also being offered Covid-19 vaccines and tested for the virus. The Biden administration continues to grapple with how it will safely vet and resettle thousands of people who fled the Taliban as it took over Afghanistan this summer. Since August 17, approximately 60,000 people have arrived in the US as part of Operation Allies Welcome, the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday. Of those arrivals, 11% are US citizens , 6% are US lawful permanent residents , 83% are other "Afghans at risk," including Special Immigrant Visa holders and other visa holders, SIV applicants, and others. The group also includes a small number of third country nationals that were also evacuated and processed, DHS said. While Afghans are vetted before coming into the US, those who hurriedly departed the country without paperwork prompted additional screening and caused long delays. There are currently more than 40,000 Afghans across eight military facilities in the US, with that number expected to grow as an increasing number of Afghans finish their screening overseas and are brought to the US. The Department of Defense Inspector General is now evaluating the military's process for screening and tracking of Afghan evacuees this month, including individuals who are flagged as security risks. The Pentagon last month also acknowledged unsanitary conditions at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar -- the base where the US military temporarily stationed thousands of evacuees from Afghanistan. This story has been updated with additional details Friday. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Dozens of birds have been submerged in oil from spills in Louisiana caused by Hurricane Ida, and wildlife officials expect more will be found. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) said in a news release that birds have been observed "within heavy pockets of crude oil" at the Alliance Refinery where the spill occurred "as well as [in] nearby flooded fields and retention ponds." The spill happened on August 29 in Belle Chasse, which is in Plaquemines Parish and part of the greater New Orleans area. The effort to save the birds and other animals may take weeks, the LDWF said. Some birds have already been captured and transported to designated rehabilitation locations. The bird species affected include black-bellied whistling ducks, blue-winged teal and a variety of egret species. Wildlife officials also found alligators, river otters and nutria covered in some degree of oil. The US Coast Guard (USCG) has been investigating hundreds of oils spills since the massive storm made landfall. The USCG said it is "prioritizing" approximately 350 oil spill "incidents for further investigation by state, local, and federal authorities" in the wake of the powerful Category 4 storm. The incidents range from "minor to potentially notable pollution reporting," Coast Guard Petty Officer Gabriel Wisdom said. LDWF is working the spill in conjunction with the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the Coast Guard and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service along with assistance from the Alliance Refinery. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Officials in Richmond, Virginia, have called off the search for a nearly 134-year-old time capsule that was believed to be embedded in the huge pedestal base of the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that was removed Wednesday. It was thought to contain about 60 artifacts, many of which were related to the Confederacy, according to a post on Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's official website. More than a dozen workers spent about 12 hours on Thursday wrestling with the heavy stones at the base of the monument searching for the time capsule. They used cranes and other heavy equipment to move 21 granite blocks, including some that weighed more than 8,000 pounds, Grant Neely, the chief communications officer for the governor's office, told CNN in an email. They also dug a large, 5-foot-deep hole near the cornerstone of the monument with shovels. The plan was to turn the time capsule over to the state's Department of Historic Resources' conservation lab, which would examine its contents, but the search came up empty. "After a couple of long hard days, it's clear the time capsule won't be found -- and Virginia is done with lost causes," Neely said. "The search for this moldy Confederate box is over. We're moving on." The 12-ton statue of Lee on his horse was dedicated in 1890 and became a scene of protests following the murder of George Floyd. The pedestal is now covered with graffiti. On Wednesday, crews used cranes and other equipment to lift the statue from its spot on Monument Avenue in the state capital after the Virginia Supreme Court ruled it could be removed. In March, experts from Jamestown Rediscovery found a void in one corner of the pedestal after scanning it with an extremely high-frequency ground-penetrating radar typically used for concrete inspections. The void wasn't big enough to hold the time capsule, but it was an interesting clue, Jamestown Rediscovery Director of Archaeology David Givens told CNN. He said he was surprised that the capsule wasn't found. "When we're looking back into the past, it's not always as easy as people think, Givens said. "This is a community of folks working together to solve this mystery, but we're basing our research on history and science and archeology, detective work." Givens said his team conducted more scans on Thursday to see if they could detect any metal objects or other voids in the monument, but didn't find anything. He said he believes the time capsule was placed in the monument because a number of witnesses reported being there for the event, but they didn't have enough information to find it. "So the mystery remains unsolved, and I'm good with that," he said. An October 27, 1887, Richmond Dispatch article posted on the governor's website said that the items were donated by 37 Richmond residents and were put in a copper box that was to be placed in the cornerstone of the monument. The items included Confederate money, uniform buttons, lists of soldiers who served in the war, bullets and other memorabilia from the Battle of Fredericksburg, maps of Richmond at the time and a photo of Abraham Lincoln in his coffin, according to the article. Givens said the contents would give an insight into the thought process of the people who created the time capsule. A new time capsule was built for the pedestal that contains 39 items chosen to represent the current cultural moment in Virginia. It includes a Black Lives Matter sticker and a Virginia is for Lovers pride pin, a photograph of a ballerina in front of the Lee monument taken last year, a booklet with photos of 24 immigrants, prayer beads that belonged to someone who died of Covid-19 along with an expired bottle of the Pfizer vaccine, a mask and a CDC vaccination card. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. A second Qatar Airways passenger flight, which arrived in Afghanistan on Friday, has now departed for Doha from Kabul Airport, a day after more than 100 foreign nationals left on another plane with the Taliban's approval. Friday's flight was carrying 158 passengers, including US, German, Canadian, French, Dutch, British, Belgian and Mauritanian nationals, a Qatari official said. The passengers will land in the Qatari capital at 8 p.m. (1 p.m. ET) and be transported to the compound facility currently hosting Afghans and other evacuees. According to US National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne, 21 US citizens departed Afghanistan Friday, including 19 via the chartered Qatar Airways flight out of Kabul and two via land passage to a neighboring country. Eleven lawful permanent residents (LPRs) from Afghanistan were also with the group of US citizens that left the country by land. "We are continuing intensive work across the U.S. government to facilitate the safe transit of these individuals and other U.S. citizens, LPRs, and Afghans who have worked for us who wish to leave Afghanistan," Horne said. "We will continue to provide proven options for leaving. It is up to Americans who remain whether they choose to take them," she added. Earlier on Friday, the aircraft was seen landing in Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport on Qatari-funded Al Jazeera Arabic television, and aid was seen being unloaded before passengers boarded the plane. This is the second such flight to depart from the airport. On Thursday, the first international passenger flight to take off from Afghanistan since the chaotic US military airlift last month landed in Qatar, carrying scores of foreign nationals, including Americans. The planes' departures are the first sign that at least some foreign nationals who want to leave Afghanistan will be able to do so, following weeks of uncertainty. Civilians have been left scrambling to find safe passage from the country since the Taliban takeover in mid-August threw a US-led evacuation effort into confusion. The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement that 49 French citizens and their dependents were "evacuated" Friday from Kabul in an operation assisted by Qatar. The operation ferried the passengers to Doha, the Qatari capital, from where a flight chartered by the French Foreign Ministry will return them to Paris. The statement did not specify which flight the French citizens and dependents took from Kabul to Doha. Passengers on board Thursday's chartered Qatar Airways flight that departed from Kabul airport -- including Canadian, Ukrainian, German, British and US citizens -- were among some 200 foreigners that the Taliban have cleared to leave the country, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. Thursday's flight happened after Qatar worked with parties on the ground to transport the passengers in a Qatari convoy and secure a safe passage to Kabul's airport. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Than, Qatar's deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, thanked the Taliban for their "cooperation" in restarting flights, adding that this was a signal that the militant group's "positive statements" can be "demonstrated into action." The cooperation was also praised by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, who said it offered "another concrete demonstration" of the administration's commitment to help US citizens and others depart Afghanistan if they choose to do so. The top US diplomat said the departure of the flight "was the result of the Department's regular and close engagement with our regional partners, particularly with Qatari authorities, who facilitated [Thursday's] flight." "We also have been in regular -- typically daily -- contact with Americans remaining in Afghanistan. We have provided them, including those aboard this flight, with specific guidance and instructions. Our message to those who remain in Afghanistan is simple: if you wish to depart Afghanistan, we will help you do so," he said. This comes after Blinken blamed the grounding of charter flights in Mazar-i-Sharif, northern Afghanistan, on the Taliban, saying that the militant group was not allowing them to leave. The Taliban claimed "that some of the passengers do not have the required documentation," Blinken said. More flights expected Afghanistan's Civil Aviation Authority is preparing for more flights to start operating from Kabul, according to an aviation source who spoke to CNN. Both major Afghan carriers Kam Air and Ariana Afghan Airlines plan to restart different routes, according to the source. The source said that the handling company at the airport will be the same one that was used prior to the shutdown of the airport after the fall of Kabul in mid-August. The terminal at the airport in Kabul is "ready" for flights, the aviation source told CNN. Other international flights are expected in the coming days. The last US military planes left Kabul's airport just ahead of an August 31 deadline, marking the full withdrawal of American forces. That landmark moment came only two weeks after the Taliban seized control of the capital. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Monday that progress on getting Kabul airport "back to normal" had been held up by the damage done to radar facilities. In the meantime, thousands of Afghans who worked with international organizations in the country remain left behind after seeking to flee during last month's airlift. Many of them fear retribution from the Taliban, but Afghanistan's new acting prime minister, Mohammad Hasan Akhund, said Wednesday that his government promises amnesty for "all those who have caused the Taliban fighters to suffer, and are responsible for the most severe types of torture and abuse." "No one will be able to prove that he was subjected to revenge. And in such tense circumstances, it is easy to do what you want. But the movement is disciplined and controls its gunmen," he told Al Jazeera in an interview, adding that the Taliban "have not harmed anyone because of his previous actions." The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Pikeville, KY (41501) Today Cloudy this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 81F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. The automatic gate on the west side of the terminal at Willard Airport in Savoy is shown in October 2019. Police said early Saturday morning, Jan. 2, 2021, a Champaign woman was seen on surveillance video ramming her car into the gate in an effort to get out of the locked area around the taxiways and runways. 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). The locations of where Champaign police said shots were fired in an apparent drive-by shooting about 2:50 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, and where a multiple-vehicle accident occurred shortly after. A Champaign school bus was hit by gunfire in the incident; no one on board was hurt. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Students who received eyeglasses through a school-based program scored higher on reading and math tests, Johns Hopkins researchers from the Wilmer Eye Institute and School of Education found in the largest clinical study of the impact of glasses on education ever conducted in the United States. The students who struggled the most academically showed the greatest improvement. The study, with implications for the millions of children who suffer from vision impairment but lack access to pediatric eye care, is published today by JAMA Ophthalmology. "We rigorously demonstrated that giving kids the glasses they need helps them succeed in school," said senior author Megan Collins, a pediatric ophthalmologist at the Wilmer Eye Institute, associate faculty at the Berman Institute of Bioethics, and co-director of the Johns Hopkins Consortium for School-Based Health Solutions. "This collaborative project with Johns Hopkins, Baltimore City and its partners has major implications for advancing health and educational equity all across the country." The team studied students who received eye examinations and glasses through the Vision for Baltimore program, an effort launched in 2016 after Johns Hopkins researchers identified an acute need for vision care among the city's public school students: as many as 15,000 of the city's 60,000 pre-K through 8th-grade students likely needed glasses though many didn't know it or have the means to get them. Vision for Baltimore, which is beginning its sixth year, is operated and funded in partnership with the Johns Hopkins schools of Education and Medicine, Baltimore City Public Schools, the Baltimore City Health Department, eyewear brand Warby Parker, and national nonprofit Vision To Learn. The Baltimore health department conducts screenings, Vision To Learn performs eye exams and Warby Parker donates the glasses. In addition to providing more than $1 million in support, Johns Hopkins works closely with the program team to provide technical assistance. In five years Vision for Baltimore has tested the vision of more than 64,000 students and distributed more than 8,000 pairs of glasses. The Johns Hopkins study is the most robust work to date evaluating whether having glasses affects a child's performance in school. The three-year randomized clinical trial, conducted from 2016 to 2019, analyzed the performance of 2,304 students in grades 3 to 7 who received screenings, eye examinations and eyeglasses from Vision for Baltimore. The team looked at their scores on standardized reading and math tests, measuring both 1-year and 2-year impact. Reading scores increased significantly after one year for students who got glasses, compared to students who got glasses later. There was also significant improvement in math for students in elementary grades. Researchers found particularly striking improvements for girls, special education students, and students who had been among the lowest performing. The glasses offered the biggest benefit to the very kids who needed it the most the ones who were really struggling in school." Megan Collins, Senior Author The overall gains for students with glasses were essentially equivalent to two to four months of additional education compared to students without glasses, said lead author Amanda J. Neitzel, deputy director of evidence research at the Johns Hopkins Center for Research and Reform in Education. For students performing in the lowest quartile and students participating in special education, wearing glasses equated to four to six months of additional learning-;almost half a school year. "This is how you close gaps," Neitzel said. The academic improvements seen after one year were not sustained over two years. Researchers suspect this could be a result of students wearing their glasses less over time, possibly due to losing or breaking them. To maintain the academic achievement, the researchers say in addition to providing the initial exams and glasses, school-based vision programs should develop stronger efforts to make sure children are wearing the glasses and to replace them if needed. "This study, grounded in thorough and rigorous research, has proven our most fundamental assumption in launching Vision for Baltimore six years ago that providing kids glasses in their schools will significantly improve academic success," said Johns Hopkins President Ron Daniels. "These results validate the dedication of all of the program's committed partners, from the principals, staff and teachers across Baltimore City schools to the optometrists at Vision to Learn and the school vision advocates from Johns Hopkins. Looking forward, we hope to work with our state and city leaders to ensure that this impactful program has sustainable funding for years to come." Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that food science principles have helped them determine how unusual droplets within cells stay organized and avoid dissolving into the rest of the cell's gelatinous interior. The researchers say their work could advance scientific understanding of cell evolution and help scientists in the food and chemical industry develop better ways to keep liquid mixtures from separating. The cells of all living organisms hold a collection of mini biological machines called organelles. These structures run the cell's powerhouse mitochondria, brainy nucleus and other operations, all with a defined border and encased in a membrane. However, there are other cell parts that appear as viscous, membrane-free "blobs," but they serve distinct purposes, such as regulating genes, sending chemical signals or storage sites for specialized molecules. Scientists have long thought these somewhat mystifying droplets might be a primordial version of organelles, and the Johns Hopkins-led research team worked with laboratory worms to study them further. A report on the research team's findings about these droplets, which are called biomolecular condensates, appears Sept. 10 in Science. I hope this work will help convince scientists that biomolecular condensates are highly sophisticated cellular compartments. We found they have regulated roles and respond to the environment, just like other organelles. And we found that they do have membranes, just not the type we're used to seeing." Geraldine Seydoux, Ph.D., the Huntington Sheldon Professor in Medical Discovery and vice dean for basic research at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Biomolecular condensates were first dubbed "granules" in the 1970s by scientists who used electron microscopy to peer more closely at the structures in many organisms, including squiggly creatures called C. elegans, whose relatively simple biology has made them a common laboratory model for studying everything from modern gene-cutting technology to protein structure. The condensates in worms, which look tough and similar in appearance to grains of sand, are known as P granules. In 2014 in Seydoux's lab, graduate student Jennifer Wang conducted genetic analyses to find a protein called MEG-3 in worm P granules. Wang's experiments showed that another protein, PGL-3, creates the viscous liquid droplets, the "core" of P granules, and that MEG-3 loiters on the outside of the P granule, making small "clusters" that coat the surface of the P granules. "What we didn't understand was these proteins could just linger on the outside of P granules yet be so integral to stabilizing the interior of the granules," says Seydoux. The mystery was still unsolved when, in January, 2020, Seydoux was looking for the right words to describe their observations. She Googled "solids stabilizing liquids" and found references to the food science concept of Pickering emulsions. "I had an OMG moment when I read more about this phenomenon," says Seydoux. An emulsion is a mixture of two liquids that don't normally mix well, like oil and water. A Pickering emulsion is such a mixture that is stabilized, like the everyday carton of milk from the grocery store. Unprocessed cow milk is naturally unstable, and the fat droplets in milk tend to glom together to reduce the overall surface area among the fat molecules. The fat molecules or cream rise to the top and separate from the whey, or watery liquid in the milk. To avoid milk separation and stabilize the liquid, dairy processors push milk through a small needle, which breaks up the fat droplets, coats them with a protein called casein and avoids creating a creamy layer of fused fat molecules. Seydoux says it occurred to her that MEG-3 might act in a way very similar to casein's effect in milk, lowering the surface tension of the droplets to keep them from fusing together. And MEG-3's tendency to remain around the surface of P granules suggested to her that it acted as a kind of membrane, she adds. In their experiments, Seydoux and her team showed that PGL-3 droplets coated with MEG-3 stay evenly separated on glass slides, with twice as many droplets compared with uncoated condensates that fuse together, forming fewer and larger droplets on the glass slide. "This is a well-known phenomenon in food science, and now we see that it may also be happening inside a cell," says Seydoux. Seydoux and her team also engineered worm egg cells that lacked MEG-3 and saw that the uncoated P granules dissolved more slowly. This and other experiments, says Seydoux, suggest that MEG-3 not only stabilizes the droplets under normal conditions but also allows the droplets to respond more quickly when environmental conditions change. Seydoux's team of postdoctoral students, including cell imaging specialist Andrew Folkmann and biochemist Andrea Putnam, sought help to complete their studies from an expert in physical chemistry who could guide them through the physics of Pickering emulsions. Several months after adding bioengineer Chiu Fan Lee from the Imperial College of London to the team, he helped them identify a missing component in their MEG-3 worm model: an enzyme called MBK-2 that helps the liquid inside P granules become less viscous. "Together, these experiments provide an explanation for how this primordial soup inside cells can assemble into compartments that resist fusing together and that respond to developmental cues," says Seydoux. The team plans further studies to determine the precise physical structure of MEG-3 and additional details about how it works. If further studies pan out, MEG-3 could provide a renewable resource for developing Pickering emulsions in the food and chemical industry, they say. Seydoux and the team have filed patents on the use of MEG-3 as a tool for developing Pickering emulsions. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is set for an overhaul to drive greater innovation and growth in the UK's data sector and better protect the public from major data threats, under planned reforms announced by the Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden today. One year on from the publication of the National Data Strategy, the government has today launched a wide-ranging consultation on proposed changes to the UK's data landscape. As part of this, a new governance model is planned for the ICO, including an independent board and chief executive to mirror the governance structures of other regulators such as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Ofcom. This follows the selection of John Edwards as the government's preferred candidate as the new Information Commissioner, who is currently serving as the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner. Now that we have left the EU, the government wants to create a pro-growth and trusted data regime that unleashes data's power across the economy and society, for the benefit of British citizens and British businesses. The reforms outlined in this consultation will: Cement our position as a science superpower, simplifying data use by researchers and developers of AI and other cutting edge technologies. Build on the unprecedented and life-saving use of data to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Secure the UK's status as a global hub for the free and responsible flow of personal data - complementing our ambitious agenda for new trade deals and data partnerships with some of the world's fastest growing economies. Reinforce the responsibility of businesses to keep personal information safe, while empowering them to grow and innovate. Ensure that the ICO remains a world-leading regulator, enabling people to use data responsibly to achieve economic and social goals. Reforms will broaden the remit of the ICO and empower the Information Commissioner to champion sectors and businesses that are using personal data in new, innovative and responsible ways to benefit people's lives in areas such as healthcare - building on the use of data in tackling Covid-19 - and financial services. The government wants to remove unnecessary barriers to responsible data use. This can help deliver more agile, effective and efficient public services and further strengthen the UK's position as a science and technology superpower. A recent example is researchers from Moorfields Eye Hospital and the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology making a breakthrough in patient care using AI technology. The researchers successfully trained machine learning technology on thousands of historic depersonalized eye scans to identify signs of eye disease and recommend how patients should be referred for care. This new way of using data has the potential to revolutionize the way professionals carry out eye tests. The government's data reforms will provide clarity around the rules for the use of personal data for research purposes, laying the groundwork for more scientific and medical breakthroughs. Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said: Data is one of the most important resources in the world and we want our laws to be based on common sense, not box-ticking. Now that we have left the EU, we have the freedom to create a new world-leading data regime that unleashes the power of data across the economy and society. These reforms will keep people's data safe and secure, while ushering in a new golden age of growth and innovation right across the UK, as we build back better from the pandemic." The protection of people's personal data will be at the heart of the planned data reform. Far from being a barrier to innovation or trade, regulatory certainty and high data protection standards allow businesses and consumers to thrive. The consultation sets out plans to impose tougher penalties and fines for nuisance calls and text messages. These sanctions would be overseen by the ICO and build on government action in recent years that has included holding individual directors liable for nuisance calls made by their respective companies. The government will maintain the UK's world-leading data protection standards and proposals will be built on key elements of the current UK data protection regime (General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018), such as principles around data processing, people's data rights and mechanisms for supervision and enforcement. However, the government recognizes that the current regime places disproportionate burdens on many organizations. For example, a small hairdressing business should not have the same data protection processes as a multimillion pound tech firm. Our reforms would move away from the "one-size-fits-all" approach and allow organizations to demonstrate compliance in ways more appropriate to their circumstances, while still protecting citizens' personal data to a high standard. The use of algorithmic or automated decision-making is likely to increase substantially in coming years. We want organizations to be confident that their AI-powered services are a force for good and will not inadvertently harm consumers. Reforms to our data regime can also help ensure that organizations can better understand and mitigate the risk of bias in their algorithmic systems. These aim to help organizations identify what is driving bias, so that they can take steps to make sure their services are not inadvertently biased or replicating societal and historic discrimination, or drawing inferences that could be deemed unfair (for example, insurers predicting someone's fitness levels from their purchasing habits). Minister for the Cabinet Office Lord Frost said: These reforms are another example of how, having gained new regulatory freedoms outside of the EU, we can now take bold action in the national interest and in the interest British businesses and consumers. Our new data regime will cement our status as a science superpower by removing unnecessary burdens and boosting innovation and growth right across the UK." Bojana Bellamy, President of Centre for Information Policy Leadership (CIPL), said: The UK Government's plan to reform data protection regime is bold and much needed in the modern digital and data driven age. It could be a win-win for all - organizations, individuals, and society. It enables organizations to leverage data responsibly, for economic and societal benefits and to build their brand as trusted data stewards. It gives individuals assurances and more effective protection from genuine harms. Accountability, risk- and outcome-based approach will be welcomed by all - these are the founding blocks of modern regulation and a modern regulator. I hope other countries follow the UK's lead." Sue Daley, Director of tech and innovation, techUK and co-chair of the NDS Forum said: The data reform consultation is the start of an important conversation that must include a wide range of stakeholders to explore how we could make the UK's data protection framework work better for citizens and businesses. The National Data Strategy Forum has a key role to play to make this happen as well as supporting the other activities announced today to deliver the missions of the National Data Strategy." Dr James Field, Founder & CEO LabGenius, said: At LabGenius, data is at the core of our mission to revolutionize the way drugs are discovered. By combining machine learning, synthetic biology and robotic automation, we are accelerating evolution to bring advanced therapeutics to patients faster. Ensuring that there are routes for businesses and scientific researchers to utilize data will help drive innovation like ours, however, these new routes must be trusted and command the confidence of the public." Baroness Joanna Shields OBE, CEO BenevolentAI and Co-Chair GPAI, said: This set of ambitious announcements are welcome. Data is a foundational asset for modern societies; creating accessible and trusted routes for businesses, civil society and researchers to access data and utilize data will help drive innovation and create better digital services. But these new routes must command the confidence and trust of the public." Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) The government has also today announced that world-leading experts have been appointed to the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation's (CDEI) refreshed advisory board. This includes Jack Clark (Co-founder of Anthropic and former Policy Director at OpenAI), Dr Rumman Chowdhury (Director of Machine Learning Ethics, Transparency and Accountability at Twitter), Jessica Lennard (Senior Director of Global Data and AI Initiatives at VISA), and James Plunkett (Executive Director of Advice & Advocacy at Citizens Advice). Since its establishment in 2018, the CDEI has grown into a respected center of expertise, which has produced internationally recognized research. Going forward, the CDEI will focus on enabling trustworthy use of data and AI in the real-world. The CDEI's multidisciplinary team of specialists, supported by an advisory board of technical specialists and expert thought leaders, will work in partnership with organizations to deliver, test and refine trustworthy approaches to data and AI governance, and address barriers to innovation. It is already working on some of the most pressing issues in the field, from helping the Ministry of Defence to develop ethical principles for the use of AI across the defense portfolio to partnering with the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles to embed ethical due diligence in the future regulatory framework for self-driving vehicles. It is also helping the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to develop the features of trustworthy Smart Data schemes, based on extending the experience of Open Banking to new sectors. Columbia University Irving Medical Center, its Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Pfizer Inc. have established the Columbia-Pfizer Clinical Trials Diversity Initiative, with the aim of reducing health disparities by increasing the participation of underrepresented minorities in clinical trials and enhancing the diversity of clinical researchers. Pfizer will provide a three-year, $10 million grant to Columbia to help establish and expand the Initiative. Improving diversity among clinical trial participants is a critical step toward reducing racial and ethnic disparities in health. In the United States, 12% of the population is Black and 18% is Hispanic or Latino. But among the 32,000 patients who participated in the clinical trials that led to the FDA approval of new drugs in 2020, only 8% were Black and 11% were Hispanic, according to the agency. People of different ethnicities can have different responses to the same medicine or treatment, so a lack of diversity among clinical trial participants means doctors cannot know if the treatment will be effective in all the patients they treat. Increasing diversity in trials will improve the treatment of patients from underrepresented groups and is a moral imperative as well as a fundamental medical issue." Anil K. Rustgi, MD, Interim Executive Vice President and Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine at Columbia University and director of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center Rod MacKenzie, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer at Pfizer, said, "Diversity of representation in clinical trials is a matter of equity, which is a core Pfizer value. We are deeply committed to ensuring our clinical trials reflect the diversity of the communities like New York in which they are conducted. We look forward to working with Columbia University both to offer any willing individual, regardless of background, the opportunity to participate in and contribute to clinical research, and to expand the roster of diverse clinical researchers who are helping us conduct studies." The Columbia-Pfizer Clinical Trials Diversity Initiative will work to improve the diversity of participants in clinical trials by examining the barriers that prevent participation by individuals from underserved groups. The initiative will expand Columbia's Community Health Workers Program network to connect with underserved populations and create culturally sensitive engagement tools. The effort also will include identifying new ways to make clinical trials more accessible through telemedicine, wearable technology, and home visits. The Initiative also aims to improve diversity among clinical research faculty and staff. Columbia will help build an additional pipeline of diverse clinical investigators through a new National Diversity Clinical Trials Leadership Program to increase the number of faculty and staff from underrepresented groups as well. "A diverse research staff not only helps to improve trust in clinical trials among participants from underserved groups but improves the entire clinical trial enterprise by bringing different questions, experience, and perspective to the table," Rustgi said. Genetic muscle diseases lead to progressive muscle wasting and often early death, with few treatment options and no cure. Some gene therapies that use a harmless virus to deliver a functioning copy of a disease-causing gene to cells have shown promise in clinical trials for a subset of muscular dystrophies, but have faced challenges. High doses of the gene-carrying virus are needed to reach the muscles throughout the body and the viruses used in these trials often end up in the liver more than in the muscle. This has led to high levels of the virus in the liver, severe adverse side effects, and even death in some trial participants. Researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and Harvard University have developed a new family of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) -; the gene-delivering workhorse of gene therapy -; that improve targeting of the muscle tissue, which could be safer and more effective for patients with muscle disease. This group of viral vectors, which the researchers call MyoAAV, is more than 10 times more efficient at reaching muscle than those currently used in clinical trials and largely avoids the liver. The team showed that, because of this increased efficiency, MyoAAV can be used to deliver therapeutic genes at around 100 to 250 times lower doses than other viral vectors used in other studies and trials, potentially reducing the risk of liver damage and other serious side effects. In a study published in Cell, Sharif Tabebordbar, a research scientist at the Broad, and collaborators describe how they modified the outer protein shell of AAV, known as the capsid, to create MyoAAV. They did this using a method they developed called Directed Evolution of AAV capsids Leveraging In Vivo Expression of transgene RNA (DELIVER). Using MyoAAV, the researchers delivered either therapeutic genes or the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system specifically to muscle cells. They improved muscle function in mouse models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the most common form of genetic muscle disease, and of a rarer disease called X-linked myotubular myopathy. The researchers also found that MyoAAV can effectively deliver gene therapies to muscle in nonhuman primates and to human muscle cells. The findings are the culmination of 10 years of work from Tabebordbar, the study's first author, who has devoted his career to finding a better gene therapy for genetic muscle disease. When Tabebordbar was a teenager, his father began having trouble walking and eventually became wheelchair-bound. He was later diagnosed with a rare genetic muscle disease. "I watched my dad get worse and worse each day. It was a huge challenge to do things together as a family genetic disease is a burden on not only patients but families. I thought: This is very unfair to patients and there's got to be a way to fix this. That's been my motivation during the 10 years that I've been working in the field of gene therapy," said Tabebordbar, who is in the lab of Pardis Sabeti, institute member at Broad and a professor at Harvard University. "There have been many capsid engineering studies, which we've learned a lot from, but what we've done here is very comprehensive. We've evolved a family of capsids, found the mechanism by which it delivers genes, showed that this mechanism is conserved between species, and showed that we can provide a therapeutic benefit in animal models with an extremely low dose of the virus. Now we're extremely excited about how this can be used to enable effective drug development for patients," said Tabebordbar. Homing in on muscle The field of gene therapy has made significant advances in restoring functional copies of dysfunctional genes for a range of genetic diseases. Delivering functioning genes to muscle cells has shown promise for treating muscle diseases, but has been challenging. Scientists have been doing preclinical work for in vivo gene therapy for the last 15 years and have made tremendous progress. We know that if you get enough of the drug into the target tissue, it's going to be efficacious. It's all about delivering a safe dose of the virus." Sharif Tabebordbar, research scientist at the Broad Tabebordbar and his team started with AAV9, a commonly used gene-delivery vehicle in gene therapy, and used DELIVER to improve its ability to shuttle genes into muscle cells. The researchers first generated millions of different AAV capsids by adding random strings of amino acids to the portion of the AAV capsid that is exposed on the surface of the virus and binds to cells. They then injected the capsids into mice and non-human primates and sampled and sequenced muscle tissue throughout the body to look for the capsids that had successfully delivered their genetic cargo. They found a family of capsid variants -; MyoAAV -; with a unique surface structure that specifically targets muscle cells and used MyoAAV for the next step: attempting to treat genetic muscle disease in animal models. "Our method is unique because we screened a wide array of capsids and used very stringent selection criteria. We wanted to find capsids that could not only physically enter the cell, but also proceed through different steps of transduction and express their transgenes," said Tabebordbar. Gene repair in mice In the mouse model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, MyoAAV carrying CRISPR-Cas9 led to more widespread repair of the dysfunctional gene, called dystrophin, in muscle tissue compared to the conventional AAV9 carrying the CRISPR components. The muscles of the MyoAAV-treated animals also showed greater strength and function. In collaboration with Alan Beggs' lab at Boston Children's Hospital, the research team showed that MyoAAV was also effective at treating X-linked myotubular myopathy (XLMTM) in mice, a disease that is lethal after about 10 weeks in these animals. After receiving a 100 times lower amount of the virus that is currently used in clinical trials, all six mice treated with MyoAAV in the study lived as long as normal mice, while mice treated with AAV9 lived only up to 21 weeks of age. MyoAAV designed for nonhuman primates also delivered genes to muscles in these animals far more efficiently than naturally occurring capsids currently used in clinical trials. MyoAAV also successfully introduced genes to human cells in the lab. The various MyoAAV capsids used a similar mechanism to deliver genes to mouse and human muscle cells, suggesting that MyoAAV can be used for potent muscle-directed gene delivery across different species. "All of these results demonstrate the broad applicability of the MyoAAV vectors for delivery to muscle. These vectors work in different disease models and across different ages, strains, and species, which demonstrates the robustness of this family of AAVs," says Amy Wagers, a co-senior author of the study, professor and co-chair of Harvard's Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, and senior investigator at the Joslin Diabetes Center. "We have an enormous amount of information about this class of vectors from which the field can launch many exciting new studies." The research team, which included graduate students Kim Lagerborg, Alexandra Stanton, and Simon Ye in the Sabeti lab at Broad, believes DELIVER has the potential to make highly specific viral capsids for any type of tissue, which could spur the development of gene therapies for genetic diseases affecting various organs with unmet medical need. "We have developed a family of viral capsids that exquisitely targets skeletal muscle, that we've been able to test through multiple preclinical stages and in multiple disease models," said Sabeti. "We went through many, many preclinical steps to find something that may potentially be ready for the clinic in the near future." A new report finds that many men and women in the United States continued to experience psychological distress, depression, and anxiety half a year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Data show that during the pandemic, almost half (42%) of participants in the study reported at least mild psychological distress and 10% of participants reported moderate-to-severe psychological distress. Individuals with pre-existing health conditions, such as cancer, were more likely to report depressive symptoms during the pandemic. The article appearing in the journal, Lancet Regional Health-Americas, took a unique look at changes in psychological distress. The report, led by Corinne Leach, senior principal scientist, American Cancer Society, used data from the American Cancer Study's Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) cohort from two waves, 2018 and July- September 2020, to characterize levels of psychological distress among U.S. men and women during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also identified factors associated with increased depression and anxiety during the pandemic, including sociodemographic characteristics, stressors, and comorbid conditions associated with increased risk for poor COVID-19 outcomes. A secondary focus examined the association of these factors with longitudinal change in psychological distress. Financial stressors, such as loss of employment and reduced compensation, or work/life balance stressors, such as caregiving responsibilities, were also examined. According to the data, individuals with these types of life stressors more likely had an escalation of psychological distress during the pandemic. The report suggests that adults are continuing to experience psychological distress beyond the initial lockdown period. The results of this and prior studies support the importance of regular mental health assessment and subsequent mental health support among those with a history of mental health issues and those who may be isolating to keep themselves safe from COVID-19 or other infections. Results also highlight the importance of investigating the continued and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health as social distancing, a factor previously associated with depression and anxiety, continues to be promoted over a year into the pandemic and as the world slowly opens again, potentially triggering different types of anxiety as people adjust to a new normal. "Several learning opportunities for how to improve population mental health during and after pandemics, natural disasters, or other life-altering events have been created by the COVID-19 pandemic and regular mental health assessment by healthcare professionals is needed to better provide support for those at risk of developing, or those already experiencing, anxiety and depression," said the authors. "These data from the American Cancer Study's Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) cohort in particular will help clinicians identify populations vulnerable to persistent mental health and other long-term issues to provide earlier clinical support." Non-Hispanic Black individuals in four U.S. states experienced a 38% increase in the rate of opioid overdose deaths from 2018 to 2019, while the rates for other race and ethnicity groups held steady or decreased, according to a new study by the National Institutes of Health published in the American Journal of Public Health. These alarming data are in line with other research documenting a widening of disparities in overdose deaths in Black communities in recent years, largely driven by heroin and illicit fentanyl. The research emphasizes the need for equitable, data-driven, community-based interventions that address these disparities. The research was conducted as part of the HEALing Communities Study, which aims to significantly reduce opioid-related overdose deaths by helping communities implement evidence-based practices to treat opioid use disorder and reduce other harms associated with opioid use in New York, Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Ohio. It is the largest addiction implementation study ever conducted and is administered in partnership by NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration through the Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative. We must explicitly examine and address how structural racism affects health and leads to drug use and overdose deaths. Systemic racism fuels the opioid crisis, just as it contributes mightily to other areas of health disparities and inequity, especially for Black people. We must ensure that evidence-based interventions, tailored to communities, are able to cut through the economic and social factors that drive disparities in substance use and addiction, to reach all people in need of services." Nora D. Volkow, M.D., NIDA Director For this study, data were collected from death certificates for 2018 and 2019 across 67 communities with a total population of more than 8.3 million people in the four states participating in the HEALing Communities Study. The researchers calculated rates and trends of opioid overdose deaths overall and for each state, and then further analyzed trends by race and ethnicity (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, other). Overall, the investigators observed no change in the opioid overdose death rate in these states from 2018 (38.3 deaths per 100,000 people) to 2019 (39.5 deaths per 100,000 people). However, the researchers observed a 38% overall increase in the opioid overdose death rate for non-Hispanic Black individuals from 2018 to 2019, across these four states. There were no changes overall among the other racial and ethnic groups. Trends varied at the state level and increases among non-Hispanic Black individuals were highest in Kentucky (a 46% increase) and Ohio (a 45% increase). The investigators did not observe a significant increase in Massachusetts among non-Hispanic Black individuals. While opioid overdose death rates were unchanged for non-Hispanic Black individuals in New York, there was an 18% decline among non-Hispanic white individuals, suggesting that non-Hispanic Black individuals have not benefitted equally from prevention and treatment efforts. The study authors note that these data add to the evidence of increasing disparities in opioid overdose deaths by race and ethnicity, and highlight the importance of access to timely, local data to inform effective community-tailored strategies to reduce these deaths. Numerous evidence-based prevention and treatment interventions exist for addressing the opioid overdose crisis, overdose education and naloxone distribution, medications for opioid use disorder, behavioral therapies, and recovery support services. Unfortunately, these interventions have largely failed to gain widespread implementation in community settings including addiction treatment, general medical care, social support services, schools, and the justice system. To address this challenge, the HEALing Communities Study is working with local, state, and federal partners to gain access to data on opioid-related overdose fatalities, treatment, and other related health concerns in a timelier fashion and include important demographic information including race and ethnicity. Early access to these data was instrumental in informing HEALing Communities Study intervention planning, including discussions ensuring evidence-based practices are equitably available to all racial and ethnic groups. For example, these data informed partnerships with Black community organizations to improve access to overdose education and naloxone distribution. While the data presented here were critical in shaping public health response, the timeliness of data about drug use, addiction, and overdose is an ongoing challenge. National and state data are typically collected annually, access to the data is limited, and data may not be available for months. Health data related to race and ethnicity may be limited or completely unavailable, and mortality data are particularly lagged due to the time required for toxicology testing. "The more local and timely data communities have access to, the more tailored their approach can be for interventions," said lead author Marc Larochelle, M.D., M.P.H., a general internal medicine physician at Boston Medical Center and assistant professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. "We know there are disparities in implementation of effective strategies for reducing opioid overdose deaths, but early access to better data like these allows communities to address equity with improved intentionality." The Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative, and NIH HEAL Initiative, are registered service marks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nearly 2.7 million people in the U.S. lost their health insurance over a 12-week period in the spring and summer of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study led by researchers at Duke University and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. However, a different pattern emerged in fall 2020. While rates of employer-based coverage continued to decline during the fall and winter, people increasingly enrolled in government health insurance programs to fill the coverage gap. The study appears in the September issue of the JAMA Health Forum. We wanted to do this research because there was a lot of uncertainty about the impact of the pandemic on the loss of health insurance." M. Kate Bundorf, J. Alexander McMahon Distinguished Professor of Health Policy and Management, Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy "While the study shows that people lost employer-sponsored coverage, which is not surprising given the magnitude of the job loss, we also find that many people gained coverage through public programs. Many of these programs are newly available through the Affordable Care Act, indicating that recent policy changes created a safety net that has been supporting many people during the pandemic." The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic saw a huge and rapid decline in employment, with the unemployment rate peaking at 14.7 percent in April 2020. Employment drops during a recession typically play out over months, not days or weeks, said Bundorf. The initial two-month employment decline during 2020 was about 50 percent larger than the two-year decline in the Great Recession. The primary source of health insurance coverage for U.S. working-age adults is through their employer, so losing a job not only leads to loss of income, but loss of health insurance. The high cost of COVID-19-related health care increased the possible negative consequences of being uninsured. The researchers used data from the 2020 Household Pulse Survey, a U.S. Census Bureau survey of over 1.2 million adults across all states and Washington, D.C. They analyzed data and documented the change in insurance coverage from April 23 to Dec. 21, 2020. From April 23 through July 1, 2020, the number of uninsured increased by 1.4 percentage points, representing more than 2.7 million people. The decline in overall coverage was driven by a decline in rates of employer-sponsored coverage that was only partially offset by an increase in other sources of coverage, at least initially. While employer-sponsored coverage continued to decline between August and December, 2020, increases in other sources of coverage fully offset the decline, resulting in stable rates of overall coverage during that time period. "Some expected many more people would have lost their insurance coverage given the enormous decline in employment," she said. "However, our study found that, while employer-sponsored insurance did indeed decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people enrolled in coverage from other sources, primarily government programs." The increase in numbers of uninsured people in the spring and summer was concentrated in states that had not expanded Medicaid. Early in the pandemic, the decline was also concentrated among men, people aged 27 to 50 years, Hispanics and low-income families. For these groups, employer-sponsored insurance declined and increases in other sources of coverage did not fully offset the decline. "It does appear that the mechanisms put in place by the Affordable Care Act played an important role in insulating people from the impact of losing their health insurance," Bundorf said. The results suggest that Medicaid in particular provided a safety net for a broad population. The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid coverage to all low-income adults in many states, and The Families First Coronavirus Response Act prevented states from terminating Medicaid coverage during the pandemic. The researchers found that enrollment in public programs increased throughout the year, but found no evidence of increases in individual private insurance. "It may be that as the pandemic progressed, people became more aware of the options for coverage," said Bundorf. "We hope that people continue to assess their options if they lose their employer-sponsored coverage. There are alternatives but the system is complicated. In some cases, people need to act promptly during a pre-specified open enrollment period." Insurance coverage trends for 2021 are not yet clear, Bundorf said. "The labor market has improved, hopefully leading to increases in employer-based coverage and reductions in the number of people without coverage," Bundorf said. "Policies also promoted enrollment in ACA Marketplace coverage with expanded open enrollment periods and increases in subsidies suggesting that more people may have turned to private insurance during 2021." While unemployment rates are now much lower, at 5.6 percent in May of 2021, employment recovery has lagged among racial and ethnic minority populations. That points to the continued importance of safety-net programs, both in providing coverage and addressing disparities, the authors said. As the economy continues to improve and employment increases, it will be important to track whether rates of employer-sponsored coverage recovered in 2021 or people continued to rely on public programs or remain uninsured, the authors added. Most patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy (surgical removal of the appendix) or cholecystectomy (surgical removal of the gallbladder) found virtual follow-up care more convenient than traditional in-person appointments, yet equally as satisfying, according to a study published as an "article in press" on the website of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. "Offering virtual visits allows us to care for more patients in new ways within the surgical world," said lead study author Kristen Harkey, DNP, ANP-BC, a nurse practitioner in the department of surgery at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. "It also makes patients more comfortable engaging with other health care providers virtually and possibly even seeking out virtual care." Virtual visits are real-time, video-based chats between patient and health care provider. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, video-based virtual appointments were expanding at-home options for patients needing follow-up surgical care. Researchers say that as surgeons shift to virtual visits for low-risk patients, it is important to evaluate the impact on patient satisfaction. Our understanding of factors that influence patient perception of having received person-centered care remains incomplete. This is one of the first studies to assess patient perception of post-discharge virtual visits and to compare that with traditional in-person appointments." Caroline Reinke, MD, FACS, senior study author, associate professor of surgery, Atrium Health, Charlotte The study design was a mixed-methods analysis of patient satisfaction and convenience as part of a non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial. The analysis involved 289 patients, ages 18 to 90, who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy or cholecystectomy at two hospitals in Charlotte between August 2017 and March 2020. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups (virtual or in-person) and patient responses were analyzed by three groups: 135 virtual visits, 53 crossover visits (randomized to a virtual visit but crossed over to an in-person visit), and 101 office visits. There were no significant differences in demographics by groups. Patient satisfaction and convenience were measured by a survey-;11 multiple choice and two open-ended questions-;sent to all patients via email immediately after their post-surgery visits. The analysis compared responses between face-to-face visits and virtual appointments. Key findings Of the 289 patients who completed the postoperative visits, 127 responded to at least one open-ended question (72 virtual visit patients, 14 crossover patients, and 41 office visit patients). These statements provided a clearer picture of what their visit meant to them. Patients found virtual visits no different from face-to-face visits on measures of satisfaction. Patients reported that interactions with clinicians, quality of care, efficiency of the visit, and access to care were the reasons for their satisfaction. Respondents felt virtual visits were more convenient. Video appointments were seen as more efficient, enabling patients to complete their follow-up surgical care in the comfort of their home or even at work during a break, therefore eliminating travel and wait time. Of the respondents who participated in virtual visits, 78.8 percent said they would choose a virtual appointment for future follow-up care. Less than half of respondents who had office visits said they would choose in-person visits for that same care. Barriers were different for patients getting virtual care versus in-person care. Reasons patients did not like their virtual visits include technological difficulties logging on, navigating the app, and connection issues: 27.5 percent reported a technical issue with their virtual appointment. Challenges for patients completing in-person office visits included long commute times and difficulty finding the appointment location. Over half said they would choose a virtual visit or had no preference for future follow-up care. "Our primary message is that patients can get excellent care at virtual or in-person visits. The virtual visit can be an amazing tool in the surgical care toolbox, but it's not the right answer for all patients all the time," Dr. Reinke said. "It's really a patient-specific question and one that we can't answer for them based on assumptions on what their preference might be." One study limitation is that non-English speakers were unable to use the platform. However, the team has since expanded the service to include interpreters for multiple languages. Another limitation is an entirely urban study population. "The next questions are, 'What are the disparities in utilization of virtual care?' and 'Is there a way to decrease those disparities?'" Dr. Reinke said. "It's really a great opportunity to learn more about how to meet patients who reside in any setting in a way that is best for them." Gov. Gavin Newsom's covid-19 rules have been a lightning rod in California's recall election. But there's a lot more at stake for Californians' health care than mask and vaccine mandates. Newsom, a first-term Democrat, argues that their fundamental ability to get health insurance and medical treatments is on the line. Republicans are seeking to "take away health care access for those who need it," according to his statement in the voter guide sent to Californians ahead of Tuesday's recall election. Exactly where all the leading Republican recall candidates stand on health care is unclear. Other than vowing to undo state worker vaccine mandates and mask requirements in schools, none have released comprehensive health care agendas. Nor has Kevin Paffrath, the best-known Democrat in the race, who wants to keep existing vaccine and mask mandates. Outside of his pandemic measures, Newsom has, in conjunction with the legislature, funded state subsidies to help low- and middle-income Californians buy health insurance; imposed a state tax penalty on uninsured people; and extended eligibility for Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program for low-income people, to undocumented immigrants ages 19 to 26. This year, he signed legislation to further expand eligibility to unauthorized immigrants ages 50 and up. Republicans opposed all those initiatives. Voters, who have been mailed ballots, have two choices to make: First, should Newsom be removed? Second, who among the 46 replacement candidates should replace him? A Public Policy Institute of California poll released Sept. 1 showed that 58% of likely voters want to keep Newsom in office. To see where the leading recall candidates stand on health care, KHN combed through their speeches and writings, and scoured media coverage. Republicans John Cox and Kevin Kiley and Democrat Paffrath also consented to interviews. Republicans Larry Elder and Kevin Faulconer did not respond to repeated requests for interviews. Larry Elder Elder, 69, a conservative talk radio host, is far ahead of other candidates in polls. Elder believes health care is a "commodity," not a right, and wants government out of health insurance. He opposes Obamacare even some of the most popular provisions of the 2010 law embraced by other Republicans, such as allowing children to stay on their parents' health insurance until age 26 and guaranteeing coverage for people with preexisting medical conditions. "Forcing an insurance company to cover people with pre-existing conditions completely destroys the concept of insurance," Elder wrote in a 2017 opinion piece on his website. In a 2010 opinion piece on creators.com, he wrote that he would end Medicaid, the state-federal health insurance program for low-income people, and phase out Medicare, the federal insurance program for older Americans and some people with disabilities. (As governor, he would not have the authority to do either.) Instead, he wants people to rely primarily on high-deductible health plans and pay their hefty out-of-pocket costs with money they have saved in tax-free accounts. Elder told CalMatters he doesn't think taxpayers should spend money on "health care for illegal aliens" but also recently told CNN he has no plans to limit their eligibility for Medi-Cal, saying it's "not even close to anything on my agenda." Elder calls himself "pro-life" but has said he doesn't foresee abortion access changing in California. Still, anti-abortion activist Lila Rose tweeted that Elder had promised her he would cut abortion funding and veto legislation that made abortion more accessible. Kevin Faulconer In campaign stops and debates, the mayor of San Diego from 2014 to 2020 has cast himself as a moderate, experienced leader who worked with Democrats to clear the city's streets and provide shelters for homeless people. Faulconer, 54, often refers to San Diego's success at decreasing homelessness as one of his greatest achievements in office. But that success came only after a 2017 hepatitis A outbreak killed 20 people and sickened nearly 600 others, most of whom were homeless. Faulconer and the city council were criticized for not intervening sooner to open more restrooms and hand-washing stations, despite warnings from health officials. The city's 12% reduction in the number of people sleeping on the streets from 2019 to 2020 resulted largely from efforts to curb the spread of covid by placing people in shelters. A fiscal conservative, Faulconer is moderate on health care. He supports abortion rights and two years ago vowed not to restrict them. If elected governor, Faulconer said, he would push to expand California's paid parental leave program to 12 weeks at full pay. Currently, new parents get up to 70% of their income for up to eight weeks. John Cox Cox, 66, has centered his campaign as he did his unsuccessful 2018 gubernatorial bid against Newsom on his business credentials. The lawyer and accountant thinks the solution to California's health care troubles lies in the free market, for example by letting patients know the cost of care ahead of time so they can shop for a better deal. "I understand that health care is expensive, and families cant afford it very well," Cox said in an interview with KHN. But thats because "theres not enough price discrimination, not enough consumer orientation, not enough consumer choice." Health care is expensive partly because doctors and hospitals can charge whatever they want, and patients overutilize care because they don't have to pay the full price, he said. He favors health savings accounts with some government assistance for low-income people, which he said would make consumers more discriminating and keep health care prices in check. But he doesn't want to take profit completely out of health care. "I certainly want companies to make money from providing health care," Cox said. "Because I think thats what gives them an incentive to innovate." Kevin Kiley Kiley, 36, a state Assembly member representing a suburban Sacramento district, often speaks out against government interference in people's lives. The former teacher and attorney believes government rules about insurance coverage, doctor-patient relationships and independent contracting have contributed to higher health costs. Like Elder and Cox, he wants more transparency and consumer choice in health care. "I'm not sure it's necessary to be continually specifying what every single plan needs to entail," Kiley said in an interview with KHN. "I don't know that legislators are always in the best position to be weighing in." Rather than provide health benefits to undocumented immigrants, Kiley said, lawmakers should scrutinize Medi-Cal, which covers about one-third of Californians but is failing to provide basic preventive care, including childhood vaccines, to some of its neediest patients. Kiley downplayed the coverage gains made under Obamacare that have reduced the state's uninsured rate from about 17% in 2013 to about 7%, saying a reduction was inevitable because of state and federal requirements to get health insurance or be penalized. He has authored legislation, which did not pass, to increase funding for K-12 student mental health, which he says has only become more urgent in the pandemic. Kevin Paffrath Paffrath, 29, made his fortune giving financial advice on YouTube and renovating houses in Southern California. If elected, Paffrath said, he would create 80 emergency facilities across the state to connect homeless people with doctors and substance use and mental health treatment. And he would require schools to offer better mental health education. He also wants to create vocational programs for interested students ages 16 and up. With better job training and higher salaries, Medi-Cal rolls would naturally shrink, he argues. "It's not Californians' fault that one-third of Californians are on Medi-Cal," Paffrath said in an interview with KHN. "It's our schools'." Paffrath supports the Affordable Care Act and said he is willing to consider questions such as whether California should adopt a single-payer health system or manufacture generic prescription drugs. Paffrath said he's most interested in cutting health insurance red tape, which creates bureaucratic hurdles for patients, makes doctors spend more time on paperwork than patient care, and discourages new providers from entering the field. This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. A new poll finds strong support among older Americans for requiring health care workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19. In all, 61% of people aged 50 to 80 say the vaccine should definitely be required for all health care workers. An additional 19% say it should probably be required. The remaining 20% said no to such a requirement. The data come from a national survey taken in August, when COVID-19 cases had begun to surge again in parts of the country, and the three vaccines available in the U.S. were all still under emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The data were also collected before the newly announced federal initiative that will lead to vaccination requirements for nearly all health care workers whose employers accept Medicare and Medicaidestimated at 17 million people. The poll was conducted as part of the National Poll on Healthy Aging, based at the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation and supported by AARP and Michigan Medicine, U-Ms academic medical center. As our country tries to get the coronavirus under control, its important that health care employers and health providers hear the voices of those who are most likely to turn to them for help. Those voices, overwhelmingly, are saying, Please get vaccinated to protect your patients and yourself.' Preeti Malani, poll director, infectious disease physician at Michigan Medicine and professor at the U-M Medical School Key findings: Across the total poll sample, support for a health care worker vaccine requirement was mostly consistent between men and women, and across different levels of income, education, physical health and mental health. Older adults who had already gotten vaccinated80% of the 2,157-person samplestrongly supported a vaccine requirement for health workers. More than 91% of them said it should definitely or probably be required. Only 35% of the unvaccinated respondents said the same. 75% of Black respondents said the vaccine should definitely be required for health workers, compared with 57% of white respondents and 65% of Hispanic respondents. Only 9% of Black older adults opposed a vaccine requirement, compared with 22% of whites and 18% of those of Hispanic background. The rest of each group said the vaccine should probably be required. Age did make a difference, with a 20-point gap between respondents over and under age 65. In all, 72% of those aged 65 to 80 said the vaccine should definitely be required, compared with 52% of those aged 50 to 64. The remaining members of both age groups were almost evenly split between probably supporting a requirement and opposing one. Employment status also mattered. People over 50 who are currently working were more likely to oppose a requirement for health workers (24%), compared with 17% of those who are retired or not working. When the poll team looked at what region of the country respondents live in, the highest percentage of opposition to a requirement was in the Midwest, with 25% saying health care workers should not be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine. At the time of the poll, COVID-19 activity was highest in the South, and 82% of older adults there agreed that vaccination should definitely or probably be required for health workers. Even as the federal vaccination requirement takes shape, many health care employers have been considering or implementing vaccination requirements for their staff. Health care providers at the Veterans Health Administrations hospitals and clinics, and in all branches of the military, are already subject to a requirement. Meanwhile, 11 states have bans on vaccination mandates in place. Many health care workers in many professions have already gotten vaccinated voluntarily and were among the first vaccinated in many states starting in December 2020. A team of international scientists has recently assessed the strategies adopted by the Nordic countries to curb the trajectory of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Their findings reveal that to decrease the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), it is important to minimize the number, size, and duration of transmission clusters by limiting large-scale gatherings and subsequent mixing of people in the community. A preprint version of the study is available on the medRxiv* server while the article undergoes peer review. Study: Assessment of COVID-19 intervention strategies in the Nordic countries using genomic epidemiology. Image Credit: Antony McAulay/ Shutterstock Background Despite similar demographics and political structures, the Nordic countries, including Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, and Sweden, had adopted different strategies to control SARS-CoV-2 transmission during the first phase of the pandemic when no vaccines were available. In contrast to Sweden, where more relaxed pandemic-curbing interventions were adopted, Norway, Denmark, and Finland initially went for a strict nationwide lockdown. In Iceland, the focus was mostly on testing and contact tracing. In the current study, the scientists have examined the impact of COVID-19 mitigation strategies adopted by the Nordic countries on the propagation, evolution, and transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Study design The scientists collected and aligned all Nordic and global sequences of SARS-CoV-2 available in the GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data) and the Nextstrain databases, respectively. From each alignment, they generated a phylogenetic tree to analyze transmission clusters. The transmission cluster is the monophyletic clustering of more than one viral sequence from the same country. They primarily examined the number of transmission clusters, cluster size (the number of cases in each cluster), and duration of the cluster (the time between the first and last case). In addition, they determined the correlation between cluster size and duration. Important observations Comparing cluster numbers between different Nordic countries revealed that Sweden has the highest number of clusters, followed by Denmark, Norway, and Finland. The lowest number of clusters was observed in Iceland. Similarly, comparing cluster sizes between different countries revealed that Sweden and Denmark have the largest and comparable cluster size, followed by Norway, Finland, and Iceland. Except for Finland and Iceland, other Nordic countries exhibited an induction in cluster size during winter (September December 2020). Alike cluster size, the cluster duration showed a similar trend, with Sweden and Denmark having the highest cluster duration compared to other Nordic countries. In contrast to the cluster size, the cluster duration exhibited a decreasing trend during the winter season. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was observed between the size and duration of transmission clusters. Study significance The study highlights the variation in number, size, and duration of SARS-CoV-2 transmission clusters in Nordic countries. The largest cluster size observed in Sweden and Denmark indicates that one primary infection/source is responsible for multiple secondary infections. The induction in cluster size observed during winter could be due to more indoor activities that subsequently increase the contact frequency and risk of transmission. Another reason could be waiving of COVID-19-related restrictions during the autumn. Importantly, a reduction in cluster size observed towards the end of winter could be due to government-imposed restrictions. Completely different cluster characteristics observed in Iceland could be due to its isolated location and small population size. In Norway and Finland, strict measures (rigorous testing, contact tracing, and isolation) have been implemented to curb viral transmission. This coincides with the significantly shorter cluster duration than Sweden and Denmark. Overall, the study highlights the significance of country-specific control measures in curbing the viral spread. As mentioned by the scientists, countries should focus more on restricting dense gatherings and subsequent mixing of people in the community. *Important notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. The National Institutes of Health has awarded a $12.25 million grant to the University of California San Diego to develop and enhance brain-sensing and brain-stimulating platform technologies to enable treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy. The project is led by UC San Diego electrical engineering professor Shadi Dayeh who leads the Integrated Electronics and Biointerfaces Laboratory and brings together expertise from all across UC San Diego, including the Jacobs School of Engineering and Health Sciences. The nation-wide team includes researchers and longtime collaborators of Dayeh at Massachusetts General Hospital led by Dr. Sydney Cash and Oregon Health & Sciences University led by Dr. Ahmed Raslan. Epilepsy, a group of neurological disorders characterized by repeated seizures, affects more than 3.4 million people in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and nearly one-third of these individuals suffer from poor seizure control even after all current medical therapies are pursued. In these situations, clinicians try to identify the abnormal brain tissue that generates the seizures. Surgeons then target this area for surgical removal, or for implantation of an electrical pulse generator that modifies seizure generation. Current technologies to identify the specific regions in the brain that trigger epileptic seizures called epileptic foci are imprecise. Improved mapping of these targets will allow better surgical planning and more generally will enhance our understanding of brain physiology. Dayeh's work in brain-computer interfaces began when he realized his lab's materials science, device, and integration techniques could allow for sensor grids that offer the tantalizing possibility of providing surgeons with a much clearer picture of the spots in the brain likely initiating the seizures. One of the improvements is an 100-fold increase in the density of sensors embedded within the grids. The new NIH grant will allow the team to expand technical refinement of these higher-density grids and their testing in pigs to the point where they are ready for full-scale clinical trials in people. "UC San Diego leads the world in neurotechnology development for less invasive brain interfaces," said UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. "This new grant affirms the UC San Diego interdisciplinary research approach in which engineers, surgeons, and clinicians and researchers of all stripes engage in sustained research collaborations." This grant is a significant win for the campus and the region that will have long-lasting positive impacts. The deep collaborations between neurosurgeons and engineers at UC San Diego will shape the future of medicine for the better." David Brenner, MD, Vice Chancellor, UC San Diego Health Sciences "The team is making incredible progress on these large, flexible grids of sensors with high sensor density. This combination of attributes has the potential to launch a new era of neurotechnologies for improved patient outcomes. These advances are only possible when engineers intensively collaborate with clinicians, shoulder to shoulder, in order to understand how the technologies are being used in the clinic and how they can be improved," said Albert P. Pisano, Dean of the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. Higher resolution recording and stimulation for better diagnosis and treatment The sensor grids the team plans to test will collect information that is 100 times higher resolution than what is collected in the grids already approved for longer-term use in humans. Both classes of sensor grids function using the same basic principle, though there are important differences. The sensors are embedded in a thin flat material that is placed directly on the surface of the brain in order to record brain activity. Each sensor in the grid records the brain waves being produced by the area of the brain near each sensor. Compared to the grids that have already been approved for longer-term use, the new UC San Diego sensor grids have many more sensors per unit of surface area, and the substrate material is more flexible and better conforms to the brain surface, which helps with signal quality. The advances in both the sensor density and the flexibility are thanks to fundamental materials science advances made in Dayeh's lab in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. "Materials science and advanced technology integrations are leading to big advances in less invasive sensor technologies which rest on the surface of the brain cortex," said Dayeh. "There is so much potential for materials science to advance clinical medicine, but it needs to be done extremely carefully and the work must engage clinicians and patients as soon as possible. That's what we've been doing, and this grant will allow us to continue this important work." The higher density of sensors in the UC San Diego grids means the information about where specific brain activation patterns are originating is more precise. This precision is useful for identifying the spots in the brain that are triggering the seizures. The researchers also believe that the higher resolution information could uncover a much deeper understanding about the origins of epilepsy. In addition, some of the sensors are also able to gently stimulate the surface of the brain. The new UC San Diego grids can target specific areas for electrical stimulation with greater precision, which allows smaller amounts of electrical stimulation to be used and for that electrical stimulation to be applied with greater precision. "While we currently have advanced options for patients with epilepsy who do not respond to medication, we are always seeking better options that can improve care," says Sharona Ben-Haim, MD, neurosurgeon at UC San Diego Health who is a co-investigator on this project. "A more powerful brain sensor may enable neurosurgeons to better identify brain tissue that is causing seizures, and remove this region with greater precision, which may translate to reduced side effects and faster recovery times for patients." The team will also be testing related probes that are inserted down into the cortex, rather than resting on the surface. In some cases, information available from these kinds of "depth probes" is necessary to identify the areas triggering seizures. With the NIH funding, the team will do the work necessary to show that the UC San Diego sensors are capable of functioning as well, if not better than, approved versions of the sensors. In addition, the team hopes to show that the higher density of sensors and stimulators allows the team to collect new kinds of information "emerging biomarkers" that could help identify better ways to diagnose and treat drug-resistant epilepsy. "This grant demonstrates the power of UC San Diego's robust neuroscience and engineering ecosystems. Improved temporo-spatial resolution will help usher in a new era for the treatment of neurological disease and provide new insights into the music of the brain," says co-investigator Alexander Khalessi, MD, MBA, chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at UC San Diego Health and professor of neurological surgery, radiology and neuroscience at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "In addition to better serving our epilepsy patients, we have the opportunity to leverage materials science and computational power to decode this final frontier of nervous system function." A one-month window The grant is designed to fund the efforts necessary to advance the safety and efficacy testing of the UC San Diego grids to the point where the next step is full-scale clinical trials in which the sensor grids are implanted for up to 30 days. These grids have already been used to safely record signals from the surfaces of human brains, for short periods of time, during surgeries in which a portion of the skull was already going to be temporarily removed. The one-month window is important because people with drug-resistant epilepsy typically need to be monitored with implanted brain sensors for at least two weeks in order to collect the best data for determining what regions in the brain are triggering the seizures. "We've been fortunate to collaborate with neurosurgeons at UC San Diego, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Oregon Health & Sciences University in order to demonstrate that our high-density grids are safe and effective in humans for short periods of time," said Dayeh. "This NIH BRAIN Initiative grant will allow us to keep advancing this work to the point that we are ready for clinical trials where the sensor grids are implanted for much longer periods of time in people. I'm thrilled that we'll have the opportunity to do this work as a community here at UC San Diego, and with our external partners." A broader view of brain activity at high resolution In addition, the UC San Diego grids can be printed in formats that are significantly larger than the grids being developed elsewhere, similar in area coverage to those currently used in the clinic, but with a much higher sensor density. The team is planning to print and test grids that are about six centimeters by six centimeters offering 4,096 sensor channels plus 256 electrical-stimulation channels. This is compared to only 36 sensor channels and 36 electrical-stimulation channels in commercial grade grids with a similar surface area that are now being used in the clinic. With this combination of higher resolution, broader coverage, and longer-use times the researchers hope that future generations of these sensor grids will eventually be useful in applications well beyond drug-resistant epilepsy. The high-resolution information coming from larger regions of the surface of the brain, for example, could be incorporated into future generations of brain-computer interfaces designed to help people with severe paralysis communicate and control prostheses. Interrelated projects funded by the grant to build an advanced Epilepsy Monitoring System The grant also includes funding for engineers at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering to lead multiple efforts needed to make the device wireless and make it clinically viable. This includes the wireless transfer of data and the energy necessary to power the implanted components of the device, and the software display of the high channel count recording. The grant also includes funding for sustained conversation and dialog that includes researchers from multiple fields, patients, patient advocates, and bioethicists. In parallel, UC San Diego is planning to build up capacity for good manufacturing practice (GMP) medical device manufacturing on campus. The larger goal is to be able to manufacture sensor grids on campus that are cleared for use in clinical trials. These efforts position UC San Diego as a national and global leader in neurotechnology for less invasive brain interface technologies. The project, officially entitled "Thin, High-Density, High-Performance, Depth and Surface Microelectrodes for Diagnosis and Treatment of Epilepsy" is supported through the National Institutes of Health's Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative under award number UG3NS123723. Funding is contingent on milestones and is made through the NIH's Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, part of a large effort among federal and non-federal partners to use knowledge about how the brain works to develop more effective therapies for neurological disorders. Collaborators UC San Diego Eric Halgren, Departments of Radiology and Neurosciences Gert Cauwenberghs, Department of Bioengineering Gal Mishne, Department of Computer Science and Engineering Peter Asbeck, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Mark Stambaugh, Qualcomm Institute Sharona Ben-Haim, Jerry Shih, David Barba, Alexander Khalessi, Department of Neurological Surgery Xinlian Zhang, Family Med And Public Health Michael Kalichman, Research Ethics Program Massachusetts General Hospital Sydney Cash, Angelique Paulk, Department of Neurology Ziv Williams, Robert Richardson, Functional Neurosurgery Oregon Health & Sciences University Ahmed Raslan, Department of Neurological Surgery Ilker Yaylali, David Spencer, Department of Neurology Goldsboro, NC (27530) Today More clouds than sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. (Newser) Amazon's chief financial officer said this summer that to keep staffing up during the pandemic, "We're spending a lot of money on signing and incentives." The cost of staying hired up will be going up, after Amazon announced Thursday that it will pay the full cost of four-year college tuition for its hourly workers, CNBC reports. The offer applies to about 750,000 US employees. Target and Walmart have improved their educational assistance recently, as well, as they try to attract employees. "It's a very competitive labor market out there," the Amazon executive said. story continues below The rules released so far cover: Eligibility . Once they've worked for Amazon for three months, hourly employees in its operations network can tap the benefit. Operations employees include those in Amazon warehouses and distribution centersthe people who pack the boxes. Whole Foods employees are left out, per CNN. . Once they've worked for Amazon for three months, hourly employees in its operations network can tap the benefit. Operations employees include those in Amazon warehouses and distribution centersthe people who pack the boxes. Whole Foods employees are left out, per CNN. The launch . The program will begin in January, per the AP. Workers can remain in it as long as they work full time or part time for the company. . The program will begin in January, per the AP. Workers can remain in it as long as they work full time or part time for the company. What's paid . Tuition, fees, and textbooks are fully covered. So are programs for workers wanting to attain high school diplomas, GEDs, and English as a second language certifications. . Tuition, fees, and textbooks are fully covered. So are programs for workers wanting to attain high school diplomas, GEDs, and English as a second language certifications. The colleges. Hundreds of schools across the country will be part of the program, but the company said it's still compiling the list. Amazon has an education program, but it doesn't cover bachelor's degrees. Also on Thursday, Amazon said it will train some 300,000 employees for higher-skilled jobs in the company, keeping a promise made in 2019. Amazon said in May that it plans to hire 750,000 warehouse and delivery network workers in the US and Canada. "Career progression is the new minimum wage," a workforce development executive at Amazon told the Wall Street Journal. "Most adult learners dont have the luxury of quitting their jobs and going to school full-time." (Read more Amazon stories.) (Newser) This year's Ig Nobel prizes were handed out virtually for the second year in a rowbut the science involved was as delightfully weird as ever. Winners of the prizes for unusual research, which are usually awarded at a Harvard ceremony, included a team that determined transporting rhinos hanging upside down from a helicopter, as happens in conservation work, does not harm the animals, BBC reports. The team, which used a crane to hang a dozen rhinos in Namibia upside down for 10 minutes each, was awarded the transportation prize. They won a trophy they had to assemble themselves from a printout and a counterfeit $10 trillion Zimbabwean banknote. More: A peace prize for beard research. The Ig Nobel peace prize went to University of Utah researchers who tested the hypothesis that men evolved beards to protect themselves from punches to the face, the Guardian reports. After dropping weights on a fiber epoxy composite that resembled bone, covered in sheared and unsheared sheepskin, they concluded that hairy skin absorbs more energy, providing some protection. story continues below Cat-human communication . Swedish scientist Suzanne Schotz won the biology prize for her study of "purring, chirping, chattering, trilling, tweedling, murmuring, meowing, moaning, squeaking, hissing, yowling, howling, growling, and other modes of cathuman communication," per the Ig Nobel website. . Swedish scientist Suzanne Schotz won the biology prize for her study of "purring, chirping, chattering, trilling, tweedling, murmuring, meowing, moaning, squeaking, hissing, yowling, howling, growling, and other modes of cathuman communication," per the Ig Nobel website. The obesity-corruption link. A professor at the Montpellier School of Business in France won the economics prize for research on post-Soviet states that found the most corrupt countries had the most obese politicians, the Australia Broadcasting Corporation reports. Discarded gum is definitely gross . The ecology prize went to Spanish researchers who confirmed that discarded gum stuck to sidewalks for months was teeming with bacteria, reports the AP. Their paper said the findings had implications for "forensics, contagious disease control, or bioremediation of wasted chewing gum residue." . The ecology prize went to Spanish researchers who confirmed that discarded gum stuck to sidewalks for months was teeming with bacteria, reports the AP. Their paper said the findings had implications for "forensics, contagious disease control, or bioremediation of wasted chewing gum residue." Sex as a nasal decongestant. Other winners included a team that investigated whether changes in odors in a movie theater indicates how violent or scary or movie is, a 1971 study of cockroach control in submarinesand an investigation of whether sex is an effective nasal decongestant, which won the medicine prize. German researcher Cem Bulut, who gave volunteer couples a device to measure nasal airflow before sex and immediately after climax, said sex with orgasm appears to be at least as effective as commercial decongestants, but "some people couldnt focus on the device," per the Guardian. (Last year's laureates included an anthropologist who tested a story about a knife made from frozen feces .) (Newser) Three leaders of the group that organized an annual Tiananmen candlelight vigil were being held in custody Friday after they were charged with subversion under Hong Kong's national security law, as authorities intensify a crackdown on dissent in the city. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China's chairman Lee Cheuk-yan, as well as vice-chairs Albert Ho and Chow Hang-tung, were charged with inciting subversion of state power under the national security law, the AP reports. The alliance itself was also charged with subversion. story continues below Chow was denied bail, days after she was arrested for failing to comply with a police request for information. Lee and Ho are currently serving jail sentences for their roles in unauthorized assemblies in 2019. For the past 30 years, the alliance organized the candlelight vigil that saw tens of thousands of people mass in the city's Victoria Park to commemorate China's bloody military crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijings Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. It was the only large-scale public commemoration of the crackdown on Chinese soil, featuring crowds of people lighting candles and singing songs to support democracy. Police have banned the vigils for the past two years citing the coronavirus pandemic, although critics believe the ban is part of the crackdown on dissent Beijing and Hong Kong's leaders have waged following months of anti-government protests in the territory in 2019. Authorities have now characterized the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China as a foreign agent, and sought details about the group's operations and finances in connection with its alleged activities and links with democracy groups overseas. Police on Thursday confiscated computers, documents, and promotional materials from the closed June 4 museum, which was run by the alliance to commemorate the Tiananmen crackdown. On Friday, a Facebook post was posted on Chow's account urging Hong Kongers not to "accept their fate." "As long as we still have the will to fight, we have not lost," the post said. (Read more Hong Kong stories.) (Newser) President Biden spoke with China's Xi Jinping on Thursday amid growing frustration on the American side that high-level engagement between the two leaders' top advisers has been largely unfruitful in the early going of the Biden presidency. Biden initiated the call with Xi, the second between the two leaders since Biden took office. It comes at a moment when there is no shortage of thorny issues between the two nations, including cybersecurity breaches originating from China, Beijing's handling of the coronavirus pandemic and what the White House has labeled as "coercive and unfair trade practices by the Chinese, the AP reports. story continues below But Biden's aim with the 90-minute call was less focused on any of those hot-button issues and instead centered on discussing the way ahead for the US-China relationship after it got off to a decidedly rocky start in his tenure. The White House said in a statement the two leaders had a broad, strategic discussion in which they discussed areas where our interests converge, and areas where our interests, values, and perspectives diverge." It said the leaders "discussed the responsibility of both nations to ensure competition does not veer into conflict." Their last phone call was in February, weeks after Biden took office. Xi in the call appeared to echo some of the complaints, telling Biden that US government policy toward China caused "serious difficulties" in relations, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. "This is not in the basic interests of the two peoples, the Chinese leader said, according to Xinhua. "Chinese-US confrontation will bring disaster to both countries and the world." Ahead of the call, a senior administration official told the AP the White House has been unsatisfied with early engagements with the Chinese. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said White House officials were hopeful that Xi hearing directly from Biden could prove beneficial. The White House official said Biden made clear to Xi that he had no intention of moving away from his administrations policy of pressing China on human rights, trade, and other areas where it believes China is acting outside international norms. (Read more President Biden stories.) (Newser) The 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks is bringing back traumatic memories for countless Americansincluding Steve Buscemi, who was a New York City firefighter before he was an actor. He served with the Engine 55 company in Manhattan from 1980 to 1984, and returned to volunteer with the company after the attacks. "I kept calling the fire house ... and of course there was no answer," Buscemi recently told Marc Maron's WTF podcast, per Fox News. "Because I knew that they would be there. And then I eventually learned that five of them were missing. One of them was a good friend of mine I used to work with." story continues below Buscemi said he grabbed his old gear the morning after the attacks, went to Ground Zero, and walked around until he found Engine 55. "I asked if I could join them," he said. "I could tell they were a little suspicious at first, but I worked with them that day." Buscemi said he spent the next five days working 12-hour days at Ground Zero, and he feels it definitely left him with PTSD. "When I stopped going and tried to just live my life again, it was really, really hard," he said. "I was depressed, I was anxious, I couldnt make a simple decision." He added: "It's still with me. There are times when I talk about 9/11 and Im right back there." In an essay in Time, the 63-year-old says at the time, the dust was "more of a nuisance: pulverized concrete and who-knows-what that clogged a face mask, so fast you worked better without one." He notes that more firefighters are believed to have died from toxic exposure at the site than died on 9/11but says that if the truth about carcinogens in the air had "been shared with the firefighters, Im pretty sure they would have kept on working." Buscemi, a longtime advocate for firefighters' welfare, says, "Never forget, because people are still struggling. People are still dying." (Read more 9/11 anniversary stories.) (Newser) In Rutherford County, Tennessee, the issue of school mask mandates has split the community so badly that some adults were unable to remain civil when a teenager talked about his dead grandmother at a school board meeting. Grady Knox, a junior at a Murfreesboro high school, was heckled and laughed at when he told the Tuesday night meeting that his grandmother, a former teacher in the county, died from COVID last year "because someone wasn't wearing a mask," NBC News reports. In video from the meeting, a man can be heard saying, "Shut up" and women in the background with anti-mask signs can be seen smiling and snickering. story continues below Other adults applauded after Knox finished speaking. He told the meeting that he was worried about getting infected at school and passing the virus on to his surviving grandparents. "They're higher risk than me, so I dont want to give them COVID," he said. The teenwho remained calm while being heckledalso said students are worried about missing classes due to COVID exposure, the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal reports. After the meeting, he said he was a "little shaken" by the behavior of some audience members. "If they laugh at me about a personal story about my grandmother, that's just disrespectful, I feel," he said, per WSMV. Knox said he hopes people won't see the hecklers as representative of Rutherford County. Earlier in the three-hour meeting, deputies had to escort two pediatricians who had spoken in favor of a mask mandate to their cars. "I really regret that the young man was treated the way he was," county director of schools Bill Spurlock said at a meeting two days later. "We owe him an apology." At that Thursday night meeting, the board voted in favor of a monthlong mask mandate starting Sept. 13. (Read more Tennessee stories.) (Newser) Judge Judy Sheindlin is returning to television on Nov. 1 with a new red robe, a granddaughter in tow, and the challenge of competing with herself. She announced on Thursday the start date and name of her new show, Judy Justice, which will be available weekdays on the little-known IMDb TV, a free streaming service offered by Amazon. Sheindlin, 78, will be joined on Judy Justice by a new television bailiff and stenographer, reports the AP. Sarah Rose, a law clerk and Sheindlin's granddaughter, will be a legal analyst. "She's smart, sassy, and opinionated," her grandmother says. "Who knows where she gets those traits?" story continues below Judy's old show: Sheindlin moved to the new program when her syndication deal with CBS Media Ventures ended with some acrimony after 25 years. For more than a decade, Judge Judy has been syndication's most popular show, with the tart-talking New Yorker arbitrating small claims cases. CBS promptly cut a deal to keep Judge Judy reruns on the air. Filming for the old Judge Judy ended after CBS bought the show's old episodes from Sheindlin. That enabled CBS to continue selling rights to air them through the syndication market without having to pay her to make new episodes. Sheindlin moved to the new program when her syndication deal with CBS Media Ventures ended with some acrimony after 25 years. For more than a decade, Judge Judy has been syndication's most popular show, with the tart-talking New Yorker arbitrating small claims cases. CBS promptly cut a deal to keep Judge Judy reruns on the air. Filming for the old Judge Judy ended after CBS bought the show's old episodes from Sheindlin. That enabled CBS to continue selling rights to air them through the syndication market without having to pay her to make new episodes. A relationship gone sour: Sheindlin, a former New York judge who was widely believed to be the country's highest-paid television star, was also said to be unhappy with CBS for giving priority time slots to Drew Barrymore's new show at the expense of Hot Bench, another court show that Sheindlin created, according to the Wall Street Journal. "We had a nice marriage," Sheindlin told the Journal earlier this year. "It's going to be a Bill and Melinda Gates divorce." Sheindlin, a former New York judge who was widely believed to be the country's highest-paid television star, was also said to be unhappy with CBS for giving priority time slots to Drew Barrymore's new show at the expense of Hot Bench, another court show that Sheindlin created, according to the Wall Street Journal. "We had a nice marriage," Sheindlin told the Journal earlier this year. "It's going to be a Bill and Melinda Gates divorce." Judge Judy versus ... Judge Judy? Judge Judy viewers have been conditioned through the years to seeing reruns, says Bill Carroll, a veteran analyst of the syndication market. The show's look and format was kept so consistent through the years so that "if you were to say to most viewers that these are not new shows, they would say, 'Oh, really?'" Carroll notes, adding that the reruns are almost certain to surpass Judy Justice in viewership. Judge Judy viewers have been conditioned through the years to seeing reruns, says Bill Carroll, a veteran analyst of the syndication market. The show's look and format was kept so consistent through the years so that "if you were to say to most viewers that these are not new shows, they would say, 'Oh, really?'" Carroll notes, adding that the reruns are almost certain to surpass Judy Justice in viewership. What's in it for everyone: Still, the value of Judy Justice to IMDb TV will be in driving new viewers to the service, where they may be exposed to other offerings. "For them, it can't be anything but good," Carroll says. "For her, it allows her to do what she loves to do." Two of Sheindlin's longtime producers, Randy Douthit and Amy Freisleben, will join her on Judy Justice. (Read more Judy Sheindlin stories.) (Newser) After Republican governors promised to fight President Biden's sweeping new vaccine mandates, Biden himself had a three-word response: "Have at it." Reporters asked Biden about the backlash Friday morning, notes the Hill. I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids, so cavalier with the health of their communities, said Biden. He did not name names, but Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp have spoken out. And Florida Politics expects its state's governor, Ron DeSantis, to join the dissenters in earnest soon. Were playing for real here," said Biden, "and this isnt a game, and I dont know of any scientist out there in this field that doesnt think it makes considerable sense to do the six things Ive suggested. story continues below More to come: Just how bad will this dispute get? The headline at Mike Allen's Axios piece about all this is "America's civil war of 2021." It notes that GOP Senate candidate JD Vance, author of Hillbilly Elegy, advocated "mass civil disobedience" in response to the new White House rules pushing vaccines for nearly all US workers. Just how bad will this dispute get? The headline at Mike Allen's Axios piece about all this is "America's civil war of 2021." It notes that GOP Senate candidate JD Vance, author of Hillbilly Elegy, advocated "mass civil disobedience" in response to the new White House rules pushing vaccines for nearly all US workers. The plan: Here is Biden's six-point plan, as presented by the White House. Here is Biden's six-point plan, as presented by the White House. A hashtag: Newsweek notes that the hashtag "I WILL NOT COMPLY" was trending on Twitter. Newsweek notes that the hashtag "I WILL NOT COMPLY" was trending on Twitter. One view: In a New York Times essay, Reason senior editor Robby Soave writes that Biden is making a mistake. He notes that President-elect Biden once said vaccines should not be mandatory. As president, however, Biden is now guilty of overreach, something Democrats will surely regret once a Republican regains the White House. Also, "the mechanism of enforcementa presidential decree smuggled into law by the Department of Labor and its Occupational Safety and Health Administrationis fundamentally undemocratic," writes Soave. "Congress is supposed to make new laws, not an unaccountable bureaucratic agency." (Read more President Biden stories.) (Newser) In an address delivered on hallowed ground for the GOPthe Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Californiaformer New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told the Republican Party it needs to turn away from the direction Donald Trump has taken it and stop "this lying." Republicans should accept the results of last year's presidential election, he said, and "renounce the conspiracy theories," CBS reports. "We need to give our supporters facts that will help them put all those fantasies to rest so everyone can focus with clear minds on the issues that really matter," Christie said Thursday night in Simi Valley. "We need to quit wasting our time, our energy, and our credibility on claims that won't ever convince anyone of anything." story continues below Christie's appearance was part of a speaker series that includes former Vice President Mike Pence and former House speaker Paul Ryan, who also was critical of banking the party's future on the former president. "If the conservative cause depends on the populist appeal of one personality, or on second-rate imitations, then we're not going anywhere," Ryan said. "Voters looking for Republican leaders want to see independence and mettle." Christie, who was once a major supporter of Trump, echoed that by saying no one person is "worthy of blind faith and obedience." He had also criticized the president after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, per Politico, saying Trump had violated his oath of office. "All this lying has done harm to our nation, to our party, and to each other," Christie said. But Christie is interested in being president, and he's said he wouldn't be opposed to running against Trump. The Republican Party consists of three groups, Chris Cillizza writes in a CNN analysis: backers of Trump, backers of Trump's values who want him to step aside, and others who don't now and never did support him. Christie presented a list of what he called Republican values, but it's clear after the speech that he doesn't have a place in any of those groups. That makes it difficult to see where his Republican support would come from. Christie is "a man without a political country," Cillizza writes. "And those people aren't relevant in our politics." (Read more Chris Christie stories.) Shamokin, PA (17872) Today Partly cloudy this morning with thunderstorms becoming likely this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 83F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Local top story Mountainside Estates expected to be completed in December Tim Zyla / TIM ZYLA/STAFF PHOTO Mountainside Estates is pictured Thursday along Trevorton Road in Coal Township. Tim Zyla / TIM ZYLA/STAFF PHOTO Local officials talk during an interior tour of Mountainside Estates Thursday on Trevorton Road in Coal Township. Pictured, from left, are Housing Authority of Northumberland County (HANC) Deputy Administrator Pat Mack, Northumberland County Commissioner Chairman Sam Schiccatano, Pennsylvania Sen. John Gordner, R-27, Northumberland County Commissioner Joseph Klebon and HANC Executive Director Ed Christiano. Tim Zyla / TIM ZYLA/STAFF PHOTO Officials listen to Housing Authority of Northumberland County Executive Director Ed Christiano, right, during an interior tour of Mountainside Estates Thursday in Coal Township. Tim Zyla / TIM ZYLA/STAFF PHOTO Northumberland County Commissioners Joseph Klebon, left, and Sam Schiccatano, right, stand with Housing Authority of Northumberland County Executive Director Ed Christiano for a photo inside the hallway of Mountainside Estates Thursday in Coal Township. COAL TOWNSHIP Construction is nearing completion on a multi-million dollar senior citizen housing unit in the 2000 block of Trevorton Road. During a tour of the facility Thursday morning, Housing Authority of Northumberland County (HANC) Executive Director Ed Christiano said he expects the facility to be move-in ready by December. The housing authority is currently seeking applications for potential residents, who are required to be 62 years of age or older and meet income eligibility requirements: Single residents under $27,600 and two-person families under $31,560. Northumberland County Commissioner Chairman Sam Schiccatano said he is excited for the completion of the project, which is being built on the grounds of the former Northumberland County Nursing Home. They used to call this the poorhouse, Schiccatano said. Now theyll be calling it the penthouse. The facility has 32 one-bedroom units (757 square feet) and four two-bedroom units (967 square feet), with four of the units being handicapped accessible. All units will feature a living room area, eat-in kitchen, bathroom with grab bars and/or reinforcements and spacious closet storage. A wrap-around porch with seating for small gatherings gives access to the lobby of the three-story building, which will serve as a social gathering place. On the second floor is a spacious community room with large windows to allow light inside and provide residents with views over the valley. There are also plans for a fitness room, library and central laundry area. The project has received funding of $10,588,912, the vast majority of which has been received through the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, which accounts for $9,227,912 of the investment. HANC Deputy Administrator Pat Mack said the federal tax credits are received by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA), which allocates them to county housing authorities across the state. The housing authorities then seek out private equity firms that are willing to purchase the credits at a discount to provide the capital for projects such as Mountainside Estates. Since construction began, 35 to 40 employees of Grimm Construction, of Waymart, have been working on the completion of the facility, Mack said. Demand from the public has been high since the project was announced, and Christiano said the housing authority is currently processing 33 applications. He said once occupants are selected, the housing authority will form a waiting list of those not chosen. He recommended interested seniors contact the authority at 570-339-5844 to receive information on the application process. Schiccatano said he is pleased with the progression of the project and is excited to see it in operation. Theyve done an outstanding job with this and it will be a great addition to the county for residents, especially in the lower end of the county, who need affordable housing, he said. A lot of people over 62 are living in half-doubles and cant keep up anymore this is a much more convenient living environment for them. State Sen. John Gordner, R-27, said he had stopped at the facility last week while in the area for a check presentation to the Trevorton Fire Co., but Thursday was the first opportunity he had to tour the inside of the facility. Theres a lot of activity, its very exciting, Gordner said. Gordner commended the projects consultant, Mullin & Lonergan (M&L) Associates, of Pittsburgh, for producing the application that received approval for funding from PHFA. (M&L) has had great success all around the state and have been involved in projects in Columbia County, he said. I think this was the housing authoritys third application for this facility and the consultant put together a great application that we were able to get funded. Gordner said HANC has a great track record for successful projects in the county. It was about a four-year effort to get this funded, he said. Its a $10 million project for our area. You see things like this in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and its nice to have one here in Trevorton. Unexpected budget hike Along with the COVID-19 pandemic came a historic rise in the price of building materials, which has forced the budget of the facility to be raised by nearly $500,000, according to Mack. Gordner said the state legislature added a $50 million line item into the state budget, which went into effect June 30, to help offset cost increases for housing projects such as Mountainside Estates. I would think this project would be near the top of the list to receive some of that money, he said. Aside from the $9.2 million in funding received from the LIHTC program, Mountainside Estates also received PHFA funding from Penn HOMES ($500,000) and PHARE funds ($500,000). The Northumberland County Commissioners approved $100,000 from its Act 137 affordable housing fund and donated the land being used, which was valued at $25,000. The county housing authority also allocated $236,000 from its nonprofit organization. More than housing Gordner said aside from the state-of-the-art facilities that are included at Mountainside Estates, one of the biggest benefits for residents is the sense of community it will bring. We certainly know in our area theres a need for affordable housing, he said. But also, if you look at COVID, theres a need for seniors to be able to socialize. Back in the day people would stoop sit and make sure their neighbor was OK or if they needed groceries and living in a place like this will meet all of those needs. Commissioner Joseph Klebon echoed the statements made by Gordner. The seniors who will be living here will have neighbors who have the same ideals and interests as them. Its very important that people maintain contact with others and maintain friendships thats the mental and psychological part of this that goes beyond the construction of a building, he said. There will be activities and holiday events its a win-win for everybody. Klebon said some seniors in the area are unable to maintain their own properties, or even afford property taxes, and Mountainside Estates will provide an alternative for them. They can live here and enjoy themselves without worrying about mowing the lawn or property taxes, he said. Shamokin, PA (17872) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning. Thunderstorms likely during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 83F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here On behalf of the Airport Police and Fire chapter of the Public Safety Employee Association, Officer Shea Hallett, left, presents Chief Roger Stevener a check for the first Great Alaskan 9/11 Stair Climb. The event, which is Saturday at the Carlson Center, 2010 Second Ave., pays tribute to fallen first responders who died on Sept. 11, 2001, in terror attacks on the United States. Participants will run up the equivalent of 110 flights of stairs, equal to the stairs in the World Trade Center. Courtesy Fairbanks International Airport Police & Fire Department The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. Community Perspective Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer. Letters to the editor Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer. Pet of the Week: Shy cat, spirited puppy in the spotlight this week Former Venezuelan official, charged in narco-terrorism conspiracy, is arrested in Spain, US DOJ says Have an opinion on a recent story or event around the University of Cincinnati? Let us know what you think! If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click the button below to email David Rees, editor-in-chief. For news tips or story ideas, contact one of our editors. Email the editor DANBURY Enrollment at the public schools could be the highest ever this year. As of Wednesday, 11,711 students were enrolled in the district, but that figure is expected to surpass 12,000 students. Danbury remains popular amongst families seeking a place to live in Connecticut, Superintendent Kevin Walston said at Wednesdays school board meeting. The paperwork for 327 students is pending, while administrators anticipate another 100 students to enroll in the next couple weeks, he said. Of course, we may continue to receive families, Walston said. We always continue to get another rush of students in January and February. Enrollment was 11,660 as of Oct. 1 of last year. That was lower than the previous year, when more than 11,900 students attended the schools. That downturn attributed to COVID-19s effect on immigration trends, in addition to parents keeping their children out of school during the pandemic. Danbury is adding classrooms to Ellsworth Avenue Elementary School and plans to construct a career academy for middle and high school students due to the influx of children. Enrollment could reach a peak of about 12,425 students in 2024-25, according to the most recent high-model projections from a demographer. The low-model projections reach a peak in 2023-24 with about 12,260 students. Rising enrollment has sparked concerns about overcrowding in the schools, especially as COVID-19 has meant students shouldnt be crammed together. Crowded hallways at Danbury High School were cited at Wednesdays meeting. It's very crowded, normally, Principal Dan Donovan said. But I can tell you, this being my sixth year in this building, its not more or any less than the start of any school year. Part of the problem is that new students need to learn the best direction to walk in the hallways. Every year when we come in, we have to teach probably about 850 freshmen how to walk in the hallways and where to go, he said. Some sophomores who were on remote learning last year are new to the building, too, while some juniors were only in the freshman academy wing until March of 2020. The school has set up one-way hallways and directional changes, with staff in hallways pointing out which ways students should go, Donovan said. Staff are monitoring congestion points through cameras, he said. If congestion doesnt die down within a week or so, the school may consider dismissing students at different times, he said. It is crowded, Donovan said. Were well aware of it, and were going to monitor it closely. Coping with the death of her husband may have gotten easier over the last 20 years, but former New Fairfield resident Jane Blackwell says time has not healed all wounds. I guess you find ways because you have to, but it doesnt go away, said the widow of Christopher Joseph Blackwell, a New York City firefighter who grew up in New Fairfield and died rescuing people at the World Trade Center the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. The 42-year-old father of three was a decorated firefighter with Bronx-based Rescue Company No. 3 one of the more than 200 New York City fire units dispatched that fateful morning when terrorists hijacked commercial airliners and crashed them into the twin towers. Blackwell who had celebrated his 20th anniversary with the citys fire department just five weeks prior was among the more than 340 firefighters who died in Lower Manhattan that day. I never thought that he would go to work and not come home, said Jane Blackwell, who still lives in the Putnam Lake, N.Y., area, where she and her husband relocated to from New Fairfield in the mid-1980s. Christopher Blackwell had been a New York City firefighter for more than 20 years, as well as a part-time paramedic with Danbury Ambulance but his first responder experience dated back even further. When he was 16 years old, Blackwell became a volunteer with New Fairfield Volunteer Fire Company A. After graduating from Danburys Immaculate High School in 1977, his wife said he joined the U.S. Air Force as a firefighter paramedic. He was discharged at the right time to become a firefighter in New York. New York City firefighters not only had to be at least 21 years old, she said, but had to live in one of the five boroughs or certain counties within the state. He had been in Putnam Lake since coming home from the Air Force because he was trying to get on the job, and I moved over in 1985 the year we got married, Jane Blackwell said. She said he chose Putnam Lake because of its close proximity to New Fairfield and he didnt want to cut ties with the town where they grew up and met. Involved in countless rescues throughout his career, Blackwell earned some of New Yorks highest awards, including the Thomas Kenney Award for Courage in 1990 and the New York Medal of Valor in 1992. He also received the Heroism and Community Service Medal in 1989, according to his obituary. He had a uniform full of medals, his wife said. One of his really big medals he got for saving a lady after a plane went off the runway at LaGuardia (Airport). Jane Blackwell said she will never forget the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. I was at work. I worked for Danbury Ambulance, and some of the crew people had the TV on in the backroom when it all started to go down, she said. When American Airlines Flight 11 hit the World Trade Centers north tower at 8:46 a.m., Jane Blackwell said her colleagues started coming up to her and asking if her husband was working that morning. That was how she first learned something was going on in New York City, and she went into the backroom to watch the TV. Chris worked for a rescue fire company and they automatically go to anything big, no matter where theyre stationed, so I assumed he was headed there, she said. After United Airlines Flight 175 flew into the south tower shortly after 9 a.m., Jane Blackwell said there was no doubt in her mind that her husband was either there or on his way. Things changed very quickly and I knew he was going there. I knew his unit would be there. There was no question asked, she said. Jane Blackwell said she continued watching the news with her colleagues up until the towers fell. The south tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m., followed by the north tower at 10:28 a.m. As soon as they came down, I booked it. My kids were at school and I had to go get them, she said. I knew it wasnt good. They knew what their father did, and I didnt want them hearing about it in school. I wanted them all out. Jane Blackwell said her husband was an absolutely terrific dad to their three children who were around 14, 13 and 11 years old when he died. Chris loved his children more than anything, she said. He would do anything for them, anytime. He didnt miss events. He was always there, even with his busy schedule. Although she cant remember how long it took to find out, Jane Blackwell said learning that her childrens father would not be coming home was devastating. We still talk about him all the time. We miss him very much, she said. I feel like hes missed so much. With my oldest getting married, my son getting married and having children, and my youngest getting married soon all that kind of stuff, it hurts. We wish he was here. Jane Blackwell said she believes he would be proud of the people their children have grown up to be and their accomplishments over the last 20 years. All in their 30s, the children became first responders: Alexandra an environmental conservation officer, Ryan a New York City firefighter, Samantha an emergency room nurse. They all turned out to be good kids and Im not just saying that because theyre mine, she said with a laugh. BROOKFIELD The phone rang once, twice, three times and went to the answering machine. It was the landline ringing, and Rosemary Hofmiller didnt always answer it. But when she heard the voice on the other side, and the request, she quickly picked up the phone. Yes, she said in answer to the question from a Hearst Connecticut Media reporter. She very much wanted to talk about her sister-in-law Judith Hofmiller, who died on Sept. 11, 2001, when the twin towers fell. Judys name is one of 358 employees inscribed on a glass memorial outside Marsh & McLennans New York offices, who was killed that day. When Judy died, a New York Times reporter spoke to her then-partner Robert Winkis. That initial story, one that would be repeated and reprinted in the aftermath of the tragedy, didnt include the fact that Judy had a son, or five siblings and step-siblings, or a grieving mother, or adoring nieces. At the time, Rosemary had been told that the New York Times would be doing short profiles of the victims. We waited and waited and waited to be contacted, Rosemary said. But a call never came. Finally, she called the paper herself, only to learn theyd already been in touch with Winkis and had wrapped up Judys part of the piece. According to an online obituary, Winkis died in Maryville, Tennessee, nearly eight years ago. Judys step-sister Pat Nizen, who was just one year older than Judy, also said it was frustrating that other family members were never contacted to talk about her life. Her mother was alive, she said, and so were her brothers. It should have been about the family. There should have been a family thing in there. Judys mother died five years ago at the age of 98. A brother and step-brother have also both since died. Nizen would have loved to tell reporters about growing up with Judy, the adventures and bike rides and big Italian dinners with all six siblings and step-siblings crowded around. She would have told them that Judy was always happy, and quick to smile her beautiful smile. The reporting captured some of the broad strokes in her life. Judy was 53 when she was killed. She worked at Marsh & McLennan as a senior software consultant. She lived in Brookfield with her boyfriend of 16 years. But the family felt like there was so much that was missing: Nighttime whispers in the bedroom Nizen and Judy shared as teenagers, laughing about boyfriends and dances and schoolwork. Her love of games all kinds of games that demonstrated a quick mind, one good at solving puzzles. Memories of a special aunt that brought treats and who was always right on time. Her special nut bread. Judys love for her son. She was very much in our lives, Rosemary said. All those things were never captured in the original reports. Some family members felt they didnt get a say in Judys story. The Judy they remember Two decades later, her family is finally getting the opportunity to tell the world about their Judy. Judys family was close-knit. They gathered together often. Nizens father, Charles Graves, married Judys mother, Emma Hofmiller Graves, when the two girls were teenagers. In true Brady Bunch fashion, each brought three kids from previous marriages together to form their family of eight. Nizen remembers a fridge always filled with spaghetti and meatballs. When Judy walked into a room, her presence was felt, Rosemary said. It makes her sad to think of the grand-nieces and nephews she never got to know, love, and influence. She had such a vibrance, such a presence, which is so missed, she said. Judy was great with little kids, and especially her nieces and nephews. She was a happy person. Near the end of her life, she was emailing frequently with one of her nieces. One of the last family events Judy went to was a joint graduation party for Rosemarys daughters. One was graduating from high school and the other from grammar school. Judy left behind envelopes containing money orders for Rosemarys daughters. A while after her death, Rosemary found one of the envelopes. The envelope still had the money order in it with Judys signature. Rosemary made a copy just so they could keep something of her. Then she used the money left behind to buy a charm depicting the World Trade Center for her daughters charm bracelet in remembrance of her aunt. It was like God wanted that to be, Rosemary said. David Cannella, Judys son, still lives and works in Connecticut. He did not wish to be interviewed, but sent along one of the few photos he has left of his mother. Most of the others went with Winkis when he moved away, according to David. In the photo, a smiling Judy wears large, rose-tinged glasses framed by waves of brunette hair. Her lip color matches the red hoops in her ears. She has a dimple on her chin and looks out-of-frame to her left. Her beautiful smile is what Nizen remembers most now, 20 years down the line. The profile in the Times didnt capture everything her family had hoped, but it did mark her skill with needlework. She loved to do handwork, Rosemary said, Ive got so many things that she made. Judy could always help you fix your knitting, Nizen said. She would pop by her niece Nicole Kollmans home on her way back from work in the city with little gifts for Kollman and her babies, breezing in to help with a diaper change or bottle feed. Kollman said she would bring hand-stitched pillows and burp clothes, or offer some of her special nut bread that Kollman so loved. After she passed away my grandmother gave me her recipe but I've never made [it], just can't, Kollman wrote in an email. I'm sorry my children never got to know her. I'm sorry she never really got to know them. I hope she knows how much she is missed. Kollman watches the tribute every year and said she breaks down every time. Even now, twenty years later, she said she struggled to write about her beloved aunt. She was just fabulous, Kollman wrote. This is killing me right now, sorry, literally bawling, hope the phone doesn't ring. BANGKOK (AP) A strong typhoon skirted past most of the Philippines on Friday but appeared to be gaining strength as it headed directly for Taiwan this weekend, forecasters said. The Philippine meteorological agency said Typhoon Chanthu was on the cusp of becoming a category 5 super typhoon with sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour (134 mph) at its center and gusts up to 265 kph (165 mph) as it moved past the extreme northeastern portion of Cagayan province. A super typhoon is one with sustained winds of 220 kph (137 mph) or more. Landfall was still not ruled out for Cagayan and authorities warned that even if the eye of the storm remained off the coast, it could bring flash floods and landslides, as well as gale to storm-force winds on shore, and cause extremely rough seas. Mariners are advised to remain in port or take shelter in port until winds and waves subside, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said. Current forecasts are that it will most likely hit the east coast of Taiwan on Sunday morning, with the potential of hitting the island head-on if it tacks more to the west, or missing it entirely if it veers to the east. Taiwans Central Weather Bureau has issued a typhoon warning as it tracks the storm. The bureau said high waves were expected along Taiwans southern coast and in the Bashi Channel between its southern tip and the northernmost island in the Philippines. The likelihood that this typhoon will reach super typhoon category is not ruled out, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said in its Friday evening bulletin. On Sunday, weakening trend may begin as the typhoon interacts with the rugged terrain of Taiwan but will remain within typhoon category. The agency added that public and disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned are advised to take all necessary measures to protect life and property. On its current course, the typhoon is not expected to hit mainland China but has the potential to by Monday if it moves more westward than currently expected. Typhoons are called hurricanes in the North Atlantic, central North Pacific and eastern North Pacific, but are the same weather phenomenon. A smaller typhoon slammed into the eastern Philippines on Tuesday, causing power outages in several provinces before weakening into a severe tropical storm as it moved west-northwest over the Sibuyan Sea. About 20 typhoons and storms batter the Philippines each year, aside from seasonal monsoon rains. The country also lies in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a region prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, making it one of the worlds most disaster-prone nations. Commented Kiran Sidhu, CEO and Founder of Halo, "Our team has stepped up efforts to focus on higher-quality sales throughout the summer and this is driving continued strong revenue growth in August. The expected improvement in gross margins from these initiatives combined with a significant reduction in corporate overhead over the coming quarters should accelerate our path toward profitability as we progress toward our stated goal of being a West Coast operator focused on Oregon and California. As Halo opens dispensaries in Southern California in the later part of 2021, we expect our revenue growth to continue to accelerate." ____________________________________ 1 These preliminary and unaudited financial results are subject to customary financial statement procedures by the Company and its auditors. Actual results could be affected by subsequent events or determinations. While the Company believes there is a reasonable basis for these preliminary financial results, the results involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. These preliminary fiscal results represent forward-looking information. See "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements" and "Financial Outlook". About Halo Collective Inc. Halo is a leading, vertically integrated cannabis company that cultivates, extracts, manufactures, and distributes quality cannabis flower, oils, and concentrates, and has sold approximately eleven million grams of oils and concentrates since inception. The Company continues to expand its business and scale efficiently, partnering with trustworthy leaders in the industry who value Halo's operational expertise in bringing a host of quality products to market. Halo currently operates in the United States in Oregon and California, Canada, Southern Africa in the Kingdom of Lesotho, and the United Kingdom. The Company sells cannabis products principally to dispensaries in the U.S. under its brands Hush, Winberry, Mojave, and Exhale, and under license agreements with Papa's Herb, DNA Genetics, Terphogz, and FlowerShop*, a cannabis lifestyle and conceptual wellness brand that includes G-Eazy as a partner and key member. As part of continued expansion and vertical integration in the U.S., Halo boasts several grow operations throughout Oregon and two planned in California. In Oregon, the Company has a combined 11 acres of owned and contracted outdoor cultivation, including East Evans Creek, a six-acre grow site in Jackson County with four licenses owned and operated by Halo and two third-party licenses under contract to sell all of their product to Halo; Winberry Farms, a one-acre grow; and William's Wonder Farms, a three-acre grow site in Applegate Valley, under contract to sell all of its product to Halo pending the closing of Halo's acquisition of its licenses and business assets. In California, the Company is building out Ukiah Ventures, a planned 30,000 sq. ft. indoor cannabis grow and processing facility, which will include up to an additional five acres of industrial land to expand the site. Recently, Halo partnered with Green Matter Holding in California to purchase a property in Lake County, developing up to 63 acres of cultivation, comprising one of the largest licensed single-site grows in California. Halo also plans to expand its operations in California by opening three dispensaries in North Hollywood, Hollywood, and Westwood, one of which may house a FlowerShop* branded experience. In Canada, Halo acquired three KushBar retail cannabis stores located in Alberta as a first in its planned entry into the Canadian market, leveraging its Oregon and California brands. With the KushBar retail stores as a foundation, the Company plans to expand its foothold in Canada. Halo has also acquired a range of software development assets, including CannPOS, Cannalift, and CannaFeels, as well as a discrete sublingual dosing technology, Accudab. The Company intends to spin-off these assets, and its intellectual property and patent applications into its subsidiary Halo Tek Inc. Halo expects to complete a distribution to shareholders on a record date to be determined by Halo. Halo has recently announced its intention to reorganize its non-U.S. operations into a newly formed entity called Akanda Corp., whose mission will be to provide high-quality and ethically sourced medical cannabis products to patients worldwide. Akanda will seek to deliver on this promise while driving positive change in wellness, empowering individuals in Lesotho, and uplifting the quality of the lives of employees and the local communities where it operates, all while limiting its carbon footprint. Akanda will combine the scaled production capabilities of Bophelo Bioscience & Wellness Pty. Ltd., Halo's Lesotho-based cultivation and processing campus located in the world's first Special Economic Zone (SEZ) containing a cannabis cultivation operation, with distribution and route-to-market efficiency of Canmart Ltd., Halo's UK-based fully approved pharmaceutical importer, and distributor that supplies pharmacies and clinics within the U.K. With a potential maximum licensed canopy area of 200 hectares (495 acres), Bophelo has scalability that is arguably unmatched in the world today. For further information regarding Halo, see Halo's disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com Connect with Halo Collective: Email | Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram Non-IFRS Financial Measures Organic Revenue is a non-IFRS financial measures that the Company uses to assess its operating performance and does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. Management defines Organic Revenue as Revenue excluding revenue from Halo Winberry Holdings, LLC and Halo KushBar Retail Inc. This data is furnished to provide additional information and is a non-IFRS measure and does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. The Company uses this non-IFRS measure to provide shareholders and others with supplemental measures of its operating performance. The Company also believes that securities analysts, investors and other interested parties, may use this non-IFRS measure in the evaluation of companies, many of which present similar metrics when reporting their results. As other companies calculate this non-IFRS measure differently than the Company, this metrics may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Halo's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Halo's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". Forward-looking information may relate to anticipated events or results including, but not limited to the expected results of operations and changes to operating expenses currently expected by management, the number of stores to be added by the end of the year, management's plans regarding its portfolio of cannabis businesses, revenue outlook, the expected size and capabilities of the final facility planned at Ukiah Ventures, the size of Halo's planned cultivation facility in Northern California, and the ability of Bophelo and Canmart to serve the U.K. market, the proposed spin-off with Halo Tek Inc. and Halo's proposed plans to re-organize its non-U.S. operations via Akanda Corp. By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Halo is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Halo has made certain assumptions. Although Halo believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. Among others, the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: inability of management to successfully integrate the operations of acquired businesses, changes in the consumer market for cannabis products, changes in the expected outcomes of the proposed changes to Halo's operations, delays in obtaining required licenses or approvals necessary for the build-out of Oregon operations, dispensaries or Canadian operations, the proposed spin-out with Halo Tek Inc. or the proposed re-organization with Akanda Corp., delays or unforeseen costs incurred in connection with construction, the ability of competitors to scale operations in Northern California, delays or unforeseen difficulties in connection with the cultivation and harvest of Halo's raw material, changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; and the other risks disclosed in the Company's annual information form dated March 31, 2021 and other disclosure documents available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Halo does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to Halo or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice. Financial Outlook This press release contains a financial outlook within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. The financial outlook has been prepared by management of the Company to provide an outlook for the sales of the Company during August 2021 and may not be appropriate for any other purpose. The financial outlook has been prepared based on a number of assumptions including the assumptions discussed under the heading "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements" above and assumptions with respect to market conditions, pricing, and demand. The actual results of the Company's operations for any period will likely vary from the amounts set forth in these projections and such variations may be material. The Company and its management believe that the financial outlook has been prepared on a reasonable basis. However, because this information is highly subjective and subject to numerous risks, including the risks discussed under the heading "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements" above, it should not be relied on as necessarily indicative of future results. Non-Solicitation This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. SOURCE Halo Collective Inc. For further information: Halo Collective Inc., Investor Relations, [email protected]; www.haloco.com/investors Related Links https://haloco.com/ TORONTO, Sept. 9, 2021 /CNW/ - The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) officially launched a West Kowloon neighbourhood promotion after featuring popular promotions "Old Town Central" and "Sham Shui Po Every Bit Local" in the "Hong Kong Neighbourhoods" campaign. The "West Kowloon" neighbourhood programme highlights the district's rich heritage and vibrant street life in Yau Ma Tei and Jordan along with its two new world-class museums M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) which will open at the end of the year and next and become landmarks in art and cultural tourism. As art is inseparable from our life, the West Kowloon neighbourhood promotion builds a bridge between the local life of the bustling communities of Yau Ma Tei and Jordan, which are home to many historical architectures, time-tested stores and traditional craftsmanship, and the artistic lure of the WKCD. Throughout the continuous evolution and revitalization, the neighbourhood has a lot of astonishing experiences for the public and visitors to uncover. The HKTB expects the campaign to draw people from across the city to rediscover it from new perspectives to drive in-depth local tourism and stimulate economic activities in the neighbourhood The Hong Kong Tourism Board officially launched a West Kowloon neighbourhood promotion (CNW Group/Hong Kong Tourism Board) Hong Kong Tourism Board Executive Director Mr. Dane Cheng: Experiential tourism is a rising and inspiring trend, particularly where it blends arts and culture with authentic local life. (CNW Group/Hong Kong Tourism Board) HKTB Executive Director Mr Dane Cheng said: "Experiential tourism is a rising and inspiring trend, particularly where it blends arts and culture with authentic local life. The HKTB has chosen to launch this large-scale promotion before borders reopen because we want residents to savour the experience first and discover hidden gems in their community, rekindling their enthusiasm and appreciation and creating a harmonious art-life aura in the West Kowloon neighbourhood. We hope Hong Kong people will then share their experiences with friends and relatives outside Hong Kong. Besides, visitors around the world are eager to travel as soon as travel restrictions are eased, and we will be able to capitalize on the opportunities if we are well prepared in advance. We are also encouraging tour operators to create in-depth tours for Hong Kong residents to help them plan ahead for the return of international visitors. "The HKTB believes the West Kowloon neighbourhood programme will not only drive domestic tourism and stimulate consumption, but also spread a positive message and showcase Hong Kong's new art and cultural travel opportunities to the world and fire up interest in the district among visitors, who are keen to return as soon as borders reopen." Five walking routes to uncover a rich heritage Starting from the beautiful shoreline at the West Kowloon Cultural District, the "West Kowloon" neighbourhood programme extends to Yau Ma Tei and Pitt Street, and spans along Nathan Road to reach streets and paths around Austin Road, Jordan. To reflect the unique characteristics of each area, the HKTB has devised five thematic walking tours focused on Heritage & Craftmanship, Cultural Arts and Culinary Arts. The routes cover many little-known corners of the city that are often overlooked by residents and visitors alike, such as a bookstore hidden in the Tin Hau Temple, a seafood restaurant transformed into an art hotel, and a condiment store promoting western dishes fused with traditional fermented tofu. The routes offer recommendations for more than 50 points of interest, shops, and restaurants, and are available as an interactive e-map on the West Kowloon neighbourhood campaign page of the HKTB website. Special offers have been arranged with shops and restaurants in the neighbourhood for people who take part in the walks to encourage spending. Photo spot with spectacular large-scale art installations Art is a central theme of the West Kowloon neighbourhood promotion. As well as the M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, the HKTB has teamed up with "FriendsWithYou", a pop-art duo featuring Samuel Borkson from Florida, US, and Arturo Sandoval III from Cuba, to bring their gigantic art installation and signature pop-art characters to Hong Kong and share the positive vibes to the neighbourhood. The installations will be in the Art Park in the West Kowloon Cultural District from 23 September to 14 October with free admission, giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy international art exhibits and create photo memories. A variety of areas will be decorated as part of the promotion. The footbridge and subway between the WKCD and Jordan will be transformed into an "Arts Corridor". Thematic buntings with a programme webpage QR code will meanwhile be displayed around the Yau Ma Tei and Jordan MTR stations and on lampposts along Museum Drive. The HKTB has also made promotional films featuring well-known personalities from the neighbourhood, who guide viewers along the streets and sidewalks and give their first-hand perspectives to viewers worldwide who are currently unable to visit in person. For more details about the "Hong Kong Neighbourhoods West Kowloon" campaign, please go to www.discoverhongkong.com/westkowloon-en. Members of the media can download the press release and photos from the following links: Press release: https://bit.ly/3jWlNJ0 Photos: https://bit.ly/3jWtVJB "West Kowloon" programme page: https://www.discoverhongkong.com/westkowloon/en Appendix to this announcement: https://bit.ly/3npAaYq SOURCE Hong Kong Tourism Board For further information: For media inquiries, please contact: Jorge Lee, [email protected], (416) 366-2389 ext 206 Related Links https://www.discoverhongkong.com/ Ultra-low cost carrier celebrates expansion of service in Jamaica with fares as low as $129 CAD all-in TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2021 /CNW/ - Swoop today announced new non-stop service between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Kingston Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) in Jamaica. As part of the airline's winter schedule, the new service will operate twice weekly, beginning December 8, 2021. To celebrate today's announcement, Swoop is offering a limited quantity of introductory one-way fares between Kingston and Toronto starting from just $129 CAD all-in. "We are thrilled to be expanding our presence in Jamaica with the introduction of service to Kingston to connect friends and families this holiday season and year ahead," said Bert van der Stege, Head of Commercial & Finance, Swoop. "Our travellers have embraced our always affordable flights to Jamaica and we look forward to building on our success in the region with our new non-stop service connecting Toronto and Kingston." The ultra-low cost carrier (ULCC) is also set to resume service between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Montego Bay Sangster International Airport (MBJ) tomorrow at 7:00 am EST. Swoop's return to Montego Bay marks the beginning of the airline's restoration of its international network, with flights to the U.S. and Mexico set to resume through the fall. "The return of Swoop to MBJ is a welcome one and we are elated at Swoop's commitment to ensure that passengers from our second largest market, Canada, and specifically the province of Ontario, have a low-cost option when visiting Jamaica to see family and friends or those who wish to vacation on our beautiful island," said Shane Munroe, CEO of MBJ Airports Ltd. "We continue to prioritize the health and safety of our citizens and visitors in keeping with our mission of providing a "Safety-Assured" environment welcoming travellers safely to our island of Jamaica." Details of Swoop Service to Kingston and Montego Bay, Jamaica Route Planned Start Date Peak Weekly Frequency Total one-way price (CAD) Base fare (CAD) Taxes and fees (CAD) NEW Toronto (YYZ) Kingston (KIN) December 8, 2021 2x weekly $129 CAD $13.44 $115.56 NEW Kingston (KIN) Toronto (YYZ) December 8, 2021 2x weekly $129 CAD $6.36 $122.64 Toronto (YYZ) Montego Bay (MBJ) September 11, 2021 3x weekly $129 CAD $13.44 $115.56 Montego Bay (MBJ) Toronto (YYZ) September 11, 2021 3x weekly $129 CAD $30.94 $98.06 Special introductory fares are limited quantity. Book by Sep 15, 2021 (11:59 p.m. ET) or while seats last, for travel between October 2, 2021 and January 18, 2022. Blackout dates between December 11, 2021 and January 6, 2022. To learn more about Swoop please visit FlySwoop.com and for information on how Swoop is ensuring a safe and healthy travel experience visit FlySwoop.com/traveller-safety. Additional Quotes "The Jamaica Tourist Board is thrilled to see Swoop returning to the destination with the resumption of its Montego Bay flight this month, in addition to the exciting launch of the airline's new Kingston service this December," said Angella Bennett, Regional Director, Canada, Jamaica Tourist Board. "Swoop is an important airline partner for us in the Ontario market and we truly value their continued support and confidence in the destination. Whether you're looking for sun and sand or a cultural city escape, Jamaica is ready to welcome customers for a safe and seamless getaway this fall and winter season." "We're excited to support the introduction of this new route as well as Swoop's resumption of flights to Montego Bay," said Janik Reigate, Director, Strategic Customer Relationships, Greater Toronto Airports Authority. "Swoop passengers will find Toronto Pearson has many measures in place to protect their health and safety throughout the airport, such as improved air quality, low and no-touch check-in and bag drop and contactless shopping and dining options." About Swoop Swoop is on a mission to make travel more affordable and accessible for all Canadians. Established in 2018 as an independent subsidiary of the WestJet Group of Companies, Swoop is Canada's ultra-not-expensive airline. Offering scheduled service to destinations in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean, Swoop's unbundled fares put travellers in control of purchasing only the products and services they desire. Swoop's modern fleet of nine Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft, equipped with in-seat power and Wi-Fi connectivity has safely carried more than 3 million travellers in three years of operation. Flyswoop.com allows travellers to quickly and easily book flights, manage bookings, check-in, view boarding passes, track flights and access Wi-Fi service in-flight. SOURCE Swoop For further information: For Swoop media relations, please contact [email protected] In Mumbai, where Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the biggest celebrations of the year, the police on Thursday imposed Section 144 in the city from September 10 to 19 to curb the public celebrations in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the festivities for Ganesh Chaturthi are set to begin from Friday, devotees across the country geared up to celebrate the ten-day festival with less pomp and more vigour amid COVID-19 restrictions and protocols. Like last year, the ongoing pandemic has again put a halt to large-scale celebrations in many parts of the country this year too. In Mumbai, where Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the biggest celebrations of the year, the police on Thursday imposed Section 144 in the city from September 10 to 19 to curb the public celebrations in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. No processions of Ganpati will be allowed and more than five persons cant gather at a place, said the Mumbai Commissioners office. Devotees in the city will have to take the darshan of Lord Ganesha online and they cannot visit mandaps across the city. Its an important festival for us. We were not able to celebrate last year, so this time were very excited. We are taking all precautions, said a Mumbai resident. In Pune too, this year all Ganesh mandals will do the immersion at their pandals, said Ravindra Shisve, Joint Commissioner, Pune City Police on Thursday. He said people can use mobile visarjan (immersion) vans for the immersion of idols. In Andhra Pradesh, the state government has decided not to allow Ganesh pandals and immersion processions this year due to COVID-19. Meanwhile, Telangana High Court directed the state government not to allow idols of Lord Ganesh, made from plaster of Paris, to be immersed in Hussainsagar lake in Hyderabad. The court has also asked the state government to construct special rubber dams for the immersion of eco-friendly idols. After the order came, the markets in Hyderabad witnessed an increased demand for eco-friendly Ganesh idols. The Karnataka government last week also released the guidelines for Ganesh Chaturthi which allowed the celebrations only in place in districts where the Covid positivity rate is less than 2 per cent. It further said, Only eco-friendly Ganapati idols are allowed. Not more than 4 feet tall Ganesha idol should be installed anywhere in the state. Not more than 2 feet tall Ganesha idol allowed to be installed inside homes. No processions are allowed. Immersion is only allowed in mobile immersion tanks, tubs. On Thursday, Ganesh Utsav Seva Samiti along with other organisations staged a protest earlier in the day at BBMP head office demanding the withdrawal of guidelines restricting mass gathering on the festival. The government in Karnataka is allowing other festivals with large gatherings but they are setting guidelines for us. We ask the BBMP and the state government to withdraw the guidelines, Shashikanth Sharma, a protestor told ANI. However, people in Bengaluru welcomed the governments directives and said the decision is in favour of the environment. The PoP idols are not good for the environment. Also, the COVID-29 pandemic is still not over, and going to public gatherings for celebration and emersion is dangerous for us. We are going to buy a small eco-friendly idol and immerse it in a bucket at home, said a local. In Odisha, a Puri-based artist Saswat Sahoo has made a Ganesha idol using matchsticks. It took me 8 days to prepare this 23 inches long and 22 inches wide idol using 5621 matchsticks. I will follow COVID protocols and offer prayers at my home, he said. Ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi, people throng markets of Delhi to buy Ganesh idols on Thursday. We will celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at our home. I am very excited about it. I have been celebrating it for 7 years, said a resident of Delhi. Uttar Pradesh government also advised the citizens to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at home only, and not install idols in public places. All COVID-19 protocols should be followed during the celebrations, the government said. The first outreach programme took place in 2020 from January 18-24 after the abrogation of Article 370. Under the initiative, 36 ministers visited the 60 places, 52 in Jammu and eight in Kashmir. A Mega Outreach Programme will begin in Jammu and Kashmir from today with 70 union ministers, who will be visiting the union territory in the next nine weeks. The programme, which was postponed due to the parliament monsoon session, will see the visit of eight union ministers every week, four each in every J&K division. They will talk to the people, administration and representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) and address their problems. The problems that are beyond the scope of their responsibility will be reported to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Prime Ministers Office (PMO). Earlier this week, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar went to the union territory with his deputies, Kailash Chaudhary and Shobha Karandlaje and interacted with farmers and agricultural scientists about welfare schemes and policies. We visited the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institute also and participated in the various programs. The horticulture sector has shown good growth in the valley because of the efforts of the horticulture department, said Tomar. Dr Jitendra Singh, the only union minister from Jammu and Kashmir is helping the home ministry to fix schedules for the visit. The first outreach programme took place in 2020 from January 18-24 after the abrogation of Article 370. Under the initiative, 36 ministers visited the 60 places, 52 in Jammu and eight in Kashmir. The outreach was designed to make aware the public about certain schemes by the central government as well as get feedback from the ground. The TN chief minister said that archeological excavations will take place in different parts of the world to search for Tamil roots, including at the ancient port of Muziris, now known as Pattanam in Kerala. A carbon dating analysis of rice with soil found in a burial urn at Sivakalai in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, has yielded the date of 1155 BC which shows that the Thamirabarani civilisation dates back to 3,200 years. After hearing of this analysis that was made by Miami-based Beta Analytic Testing Laboratory, M.K Stalin announced that the establishment in the Porunai museum in Tirunelveli costs Rs 15 crore. The finding has established that the Porunai river [Thamirabarani] civilisation dates back to 3,200 years. It is the governments task to scientifically prove that the history of the Indian subcontinent should begin from the Tamil landscape, said Stalin in a suo moto statement. The TN chief minister said that archeological excavations will take place in different parts of the world to search for Tamil roots including at the ancient port of Muziris, now known as Pattanam, in Kerala. He also mentioned that studies would be conducted in Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia where king Rajendra Chola had established his rule. Talking about the Keezhadi excavation, he said that the carbon dating of objects have proven that Tamils achieved literacy even before 6th Century BCE. Keezhadi had united all the Tamils, he said in a statement. Commenting on the Tamil antiquity, he mentioned Prof. Susmita Basu Majumdars findings that conclude that the silver coin with sun and other symbols indicate towards a pre-Mauryan civilization. Rakesh Tiwari, former Director-General, Archeological Survey of India said that there might have been contacts between North India and South India as early as 600-700 BCE. The Resistance Front led by Ahmad Masoud termed the Taliban's caretaker government illegitimate and a vivid enmity with the people of Afghanistan. The Resistance Front in the Panjshir has vowed to declare a parallel government in Afghanistan even as the Taliban recently announced its caretaker government in the country, reported local media. The Resistance Front acknowledged that they will establish a transitional democratic and legitimate government which is forged based on the votes of people and is acceptable to the international community, reported Khaama Press citing a statement put out by the front on Wednesday. The Resistance Front led by Ahmad Masoud termed the Talibans caretaker government illegitimate and a vivid enmity with the people of Afghanistan, Khaama Press added. On Tuesday, the Taliban formed the interim Islamic Emirate, appointing hardliners, who oversaw the 20-year fight against the US-led military coalition, in its new government. The members of the new government announced by the group chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid was dominated by members of the groups old guard, with no women included. Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund has been appointed as Prime Minister with two deputies Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Molavi Abdul Salam Hanafi. Resistance forces said that the Taliban is a threat to the world and vowed resistance against them. Xerox is moving its shares and XRX ticker symbol to the Nasdaq Global Exchange Market on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, the last full day of summer. In opting to move to the Nasdaq, the Norwalk-based office systems giant cited a better structure for standing up new businesses in its words as spin-off companies. After acquiring the augmented reality company CareAR earlier this year, Xerox announced last week a mashup of CareAR with its existing DocuShare and XMPie business lines to create a system for field technicians to get on-the-spot assistance for any issues they encounter in troubleshooting problems with document and content management systems or others. Xerox pegged CareARs initial valuation at $700 million. Speaking in late July on a conference call, Visentin highlighted some of Xeroxs recent innovations, including from its famed Xerox PARC center in Silicon Valley that invented computer innovations like the graphic user interface and mouse. Xerox PARC developed an Internet of things system called Eloque to assess bridges for signs of deterioration that could result in a failure. In the U.S. alone, 42 percent of bridges are at least 50 years old and nearly 231,000 bridges are in immediate need of repair and preservation work, Visentin said in July. Our Eloque solution uses tiny fiber optic sensors that attach to a bridge to accurately measure structural health. Advanced analytics are then used to evaluate the sensors data and deliver insights ... in real time, revealing if the bridge has structural problems or damage that needs repair. Xerox has remained profitable throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with net income of $91 million in the second quarter of this year. But the companys shares have yet to recover to their price of nearly $38 in February 2020, trading at $21.28 mid-morning on Thursday. Xerox debuted on the New York Stock Exchange on July 11, 1961, about eight years in advance of moving its headquarters to Stamford from its historic base in Rochester, N.Y. In 2008, Xerox shifted its headquarters to Norwalk, with the office located today in the Merritt 7 Corporate Park. The companys shares have been sold publicly since April 17, 1936, when it was known as Haloid. Shares peaked in January 1999 at $163.34. Three years ago, the company emerged from an extended proxy battle that spilled into New York state court, after billionaire investor Carl Icahn fought a $6 billion sale agreement to Fujifilm Holdings. In 2019, Xerox launched its own bid to acquire HP, which had its New York Stock Exchange IPO three months ahead of Xerox joining the exchange in 1969. With HPs board balking at the deals value to its shareholders, Xerox scotched the pursuit at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) Five men accused of planning to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last year because of her COVID-19 restrictions want to postpone their October trial until 2022. Attorneys said in a court filing that they're still plowing through hours of audio secretly recorded by informants and FBI agents. They're also investigating recent developments related to the conduct of agents. When the 20th annual CT United Ride rumbles through most of Fairfield County Saturday, riders will notice a number of changes. The ride will depart from Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. The rides traditional Norwalk start is unavailable due to a large number of construction vehicles being stored on the site. A film crew will be document the event, and organizers will make a charitable donation on behalf of the community with the best spectator turnout. For the first time, the annual ride and anniversary will align, said organizer Fred Garrity, of Trumbull. I have that conversation every year, Garrity said of a calendar quirk that occurred due to the first ride taking place in 2001, a few weeks after the 9/11 terror attacks. Thus, the second annual ride took place in 2002, on the first anniversary of the attacks. Last years ride was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the skipped year means that this years 20th annual ride will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary. The CT United Ride is a fundraiser for charities related to first responders. Garrity said it is the largest 9/11 tribute in Connecticut, and the largest motorcycle ride in New England. We think this will be our largest ever turnout, Garrity said. The event typically draws about 2,000 riders for the uninterrupted, police-escorted nonstop ride that ends at Bridgeports Seaside Park. The previous largest turnout was in 2011, the 10th anniversary, which fell on the date, and drew over 4,000 riders. This year is the 20th anniversary, and again it falls on Sept. 11, and weve heard that riders are coming in from all over the East Coast. Registration for the event is $30 per rider or passenger. Participants can register at Captains Cove in Bridgeport on Friday, Sept. 10 from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., or at Sherwood Island the morning of the ride from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. The opening ceremony and 9/11 tribute will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 11 and will feature the CT State Firefighters Pipe and Drum Corps, the tolling of a fire bell, and a starting arch consisting of a 50-foot American flag suspended between two fire ladder trucks. The motorcade is expected to begin at 11:30, and proceed directly to Interstate 95, proceeding one exit south to Route 136 in Westport. From Route 136, the ride will resume its traditional route through Westport, Wilton, Redding, Bethel, Newtown, Monroe, Trumbull, Fairfield and Bridgeport, arriving at Seaside Park about 1:15 p.m. In all, up to 25 fire companies and 35 police departments are involved in the ride. The 60-mile ride is nonstop, rain or shine, along a closed route, with riders escorted by police and proceeding through intersections and stop lights without stopping. Motorists are required to wait for the entire motorcade to pass, until the last emergency vehicle passes. Motorcyclists are not allowed to join the ride in progress, and those in the ride are discouraged from exiting the route. The full route is available at the rides website, ctunitedride.com. As an added charitable aspect of this years ride, the community with the most enthusiastic spectator support will have a $2,500 charitable donation made on behalf of the community to a nonprofit agency to be selected by that communitys mayor or first selectman. Were going to see which town has the most spectators, and the most people lining the side of the road with their red, white and blue, Garrity said. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A panel of federal judges reversed course Friday and blocked a Tennessee restriction that outlaws abortions because of a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, or because of the race or gender of the fetus. The ruling also kept a six-week abortion ban blocked. Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee enacted the restrictions last year as part of a sweeping anti-abortion measure. The law gained national attention because it banned abortion as early as six weeks making it one of the strictest in the country but it included several other anti-abortion components. In its multipronged decision, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati affirmed previous rulings that have blocked the states six-week abortion ban. The law states that if the six-week ban is deemed unconstitutional a time frame when most people dont know theyre pregnant then the ban would begin at various other gestational stages. We take note that state legislatures recently have passed more anti-abortion regulations than perhaps at any other time in this countrys history. However, this development is not a signal to the courts to change course," Senior Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey wrote for the majority. "It is, in fact, just the opposite. The judiciary exists as a check on majoritarian rule. Abortion rights groups said the decisions bring some relief in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court allowing Texas' near-ban on abortions to take effect. The U.S. Department of Justice has sued over the Texas law, which allows any private citizen to sue Texas abortion providers who violate the law, as well as anyone who aids or abets a woman or girl getting the procedure. The two Tennessee restrictions include felony penalties for physicians found in violation. The court of appeals today rightly respected nearly 50 years of precedent by blocking these dangerous laws, said Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the ACLUs Reproductive Freedom Project. With all eyes on the devastating effect of Texas abortion ban, this is a welcome news for Tennesseans and the rule of law. Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slaterys spokesperson, Samantha Fisher, said Slatery's office is disappointed with the ruling and will seek further review. The 6th Circuit's ruling on the so-called reason bans marked a turnaround. The six-week ban and the reasons ban were immediately blocked by a lower federal court just hours after Lee signed the anti-abortion package into law. However, a 6th Circuit panel ruled later last year that the state could enforce the reason bans while abortion rights groups continue their court battle against that law. Two of the three judges in Friday's decision were not part of the previous ruling. The new ruling says the reasons ban does not give medical professionals a reasonable opportunity to know when they are permitted to perform an abortion. As a result of this ambiguity and uncertainty, many abortion providers might well choose to steer clear of anything that could possibly be construed as prohibited conduct, effectuating the inaccessibility of a right deemed fundamental under the Constitution, Daughtrey wrote. In April, the full 6th Circuit let another ban on abortions based on a Down syndrome diagnosis take effect in Ohio, reversing two earlier decisions blocking the 2017 law's enforcement. Friday's opinion cited differences in the Ohio law and the facts of each case for the opposite outcome for Tennessee. The Ohio law doesn't include the reasons of race and sex and the Ohio case did not address the line of argument against the Tennessee restriction that it was unconstitutionally vague, the opinion states. All three judges agreed to keep the six-week ban blocked. Judge Amul R. Thapar dissented on the reasons ban but also broadly addressed abortion, writing that the courts should return this choice to the American people where it belongs. The state legislatures can do what we cant: listen to the community, create fact-specific rules with appropriate exceptions, gather more evidence, and update their laws if things dont work properly," Thapar wrote. "And if the public is unhappy, it can fight back at the ballot box. Down syndrome is a genetic abnormality that causes developmental delays and medical conditions such as heart defects and respiratory and hearing problems. According to the National Down Syndrome Society, about one in every 700 babies in the United States or about 6,000 a year is born with the condition, which results from a chromosomal irregularity. When Abdul-Rehman Malik watched in horror as the World Trade Center towers fell, he knew the world had changed. As an activist, as a Muslim, as a teacher I knew. I knew right away - in my bones, in my gut, Malik said. The fear for me was that in addition to those precious lives that were lost to 9/11, that communities of color, Muslim communities, people who looked like Muslims, would be targeted, and that the response to violence would be more violence, and that there would be a bloodlust that would be unleashed. The day that changed the course of history also shifted the individual trajectories of Connecticut-based Muslims. Malik, who 20 years ago was a high school history teacher in Toronto but now heads up the Muslim Leadership Lab at Yale University, said he felt a great responsibility in the wake of the attacks. Ed Stannard / Hearst Connecticut Media There were those who wanted to commit murder to achieve a political end, and they wanted to do so in the name of my faith, he said. That was not acceptable to me. That feeling would shape a career in which Malik traveled the world to support religious scholars standing up against theological and ideological extremism, he said. Meanwhile, Sept. 11, 2001, moved Reza Mansoor, a cardiologist at Hartford Hospital and president of the Islamic Association of Greater Hartford, toward outreach work in which he would educate the public about Islam and concepts such as Shariah. Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media Once rarely mentioned by non-Muslim Americans, Shariah took on an almost exclusively negative connotation in the United States after the attacks, Mansoor said. But in Arabic the word literally means the path, and in the context of Islam it describes the path to success or salvation, according to Mansoor. Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media Early Islamic scholars defined Shariah as a set of six general principles, broad guidelines for society to follow, Mansoor said. They include the right to the protection of life, family, education, religion, property and human dignity, he said, adding that those guidelines have parallels to American values. While different interpretations of Shariah have led to the creation of legal systems, Mansoor said, there is no such thing as Shariah law. But in mainstream American culture the term Shariah, frequently used to describe the practices of extremist groups like the Taliban, has been completely bastardized, he said. As inquiries poured in seeking clarification about Shariah in the wake of 9/11, Mansoor began a quest to educate others about Islam. Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media He wrote a book, Stigmatized! From 9/11 to Trump and Beyond: An American Muslim Journey. It featured an appendix about Islam, he said. Omer Bajwa, director of Muslim Life in the Chaplains Office at Yale University, also would take up the task of educating others about Islam. In 2001, he was a graduate student at Cornell University. Somewhere along the way, because I was so active with my (Muslim Students Association) our phone started ringing off the hook, he said. You fall into the public outreach work in the aftermath of 9/11 I was doing so much public speaking, so much interfaith engagement. Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo Though he originally had hoped to become a journalist, Bajwa decided to shift his focus to Islamic studies and ultimately became a chaplain. He described 9/11 as the major inflection point in his life. The same applied to many of Bajwas peers, as 9/11s aftermath prompted some to do amazing community work and led to burnout for others, he said. There was such an overwhelming need but also such hostility and ignorance and really terrifying levels of Islamaphobia that were stoked post-9/11, he said. Im very visibly Muslim. Im brown-skinned I used to have a big bushy black beard, you know, that I wear for religious reasons. Ive been called Osama and Taliban more times than I care to remember in the last 20 years, Bajwa said. At the airport, Bajwa said he has been pulled into Transportation Security Administration screening rooms on multiple occasions, he said, attributing the experience to profiling based on his Muslim identity. The levels of harassment, even through official channels and discrimination that weve had for 20 years, its demoralizing, he said. Lisa Kinney-Bajwa, the student services coordinator at Yale Divinity School, is married to Omer Bajwa, and the two were together on Sept. 11, 2001. It was just a devastating day, Kinney-Bajwa said. As an American it was a devastating day and then being Muslim on top of it youre like this is bad, because the repercussions of this are just gonna be devastating. Kinney-Bajwa, who converted to Islam as a young adult, did not have much experience living as a Muslim prior to the attacks. But afterward she experienced a heightened self-consciousness about her identity and fear of how the public would respond to her. She asked readers to remember that American Muslims felt the pain of 9/11 just like the average American felt the pain of it, she said. To be able to express that pain about it doesnt happen as much as it should because were usually too busy apologizing. While 9/11 might have sparked a new career path for her husband, Kinney-Bajwa felt differently affected. She has a degree in art therapy but did not pursue a career in it, partly because she worried clients would take issue with her headscarf, she said. I let being visibly Muslim kind of hinder what I think I want to do, she said. I feel like Ive definitely held back professionally. Only recently did Kinney-Bajwa start a job at Yale. meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com NEW HAVEN Many Connecticut firefighters went to ground zero in New York in 2001, after the planes hit and the smoldering skyscrapers crumbled into rocks, pebbles and acrid dust. They went to help search for survivors. When there were no survivors, they searched for bodies. Then, as things got even bleaker and the work got even more grim, they sifted through smoking and steaming pile for weeks, looking for any remains. But few rushed in from four minutes away and got there before some Fire Department of New York firefighters could arrive from Brooklyn, then learned as they served that they had lost good friends, colleagues and people New York City firefighters with whom they had done joint training. New Haven Fire Chief John Alston Jr. did. Alston is 60 now, and his life is different because of what happened that day. At the time, he was 40 and a Jersey City, N.J., firefighter assigned to the Heavy Rescue squad. He still has the helmet he wore that day currently being refurbished. Mark Zaretsky / Hearst Connecticut Media He has model firetrucks displayed on a shrine-like shelf in his office in Fire Headquarters on Grand Avenue, just below a poster of the twin towers. Theyre Fire Department of New York trucks from companies that lost people in the collapses. Alston can tell you which friend he lost was associated with each company represented on each truck. Mark Zaretsky / Hearst Connecticut Media Theres Vernon Cherry, who drove a ladder truck. He could sing, Alston said. Theres Lt. Peter Martin from Rescue 2 and Andy Fredericks aka Andy Nozzles from Squad 18, and FDNY Deputy Chief Ray Downey. Alston also fondly recalled Jersey City fire dispatcher Joe Lovero, a fire buff who went to the towers that day. He ended up losing his life. Like many people who were directly touched by Sept. 11, it changed Alstons life, he said. For a short while, it changed how I viewed the world, he said. Where I would normally have faith in people, I didnt. It also taught him never take anything for granted, he said. ... Live every day like its the most important day. Alston, who lived in Plainfield, N.J., at the time, found out about the first plane that hit the World Trade Center from a neighbor. He had just gotten rid of cable and had yet to install a satellite dish, so he had no TV at home. The neighbor told him that a plane had hit the World Trade Center, he said during a recent interview in the office hes had in New Havens Fire Headquarters since relocating to become New Havens chief in 2016. It just sounded odd. Mark Zaretsky / Hearst Connecticut Media He went across the street to briefly watch TV coverage at his neighbors. Then he went to work. Alston felt like he was in a movie as he headed to his Jersey City fire station. But this was no movie. About a quarter of the way to Jersey City, you could see the towers from the road, Alston said. It looked like smokestacks. In those first minutes, before the buildings tumbled, there was confusion. At first, the supervisor who was on told him not to go to his regular firehouse. Then he was told to go to his regular firehouse while the on-duty guys went to the city, he said. Then it changed and he also was told to drive through the eerily-closed Holland Tunnel into lower Manhattan. Then he got to what was to become known as ground zero, which was very familiar to him. Because we trained with New York all the time, we knew where to go and what to do, he said. When he arrived, Alston could see that World Trade Center Tower 7 the smaller, lesser known building that also collapsed along with the twin towers, still was on fire. He initially was assigned to the corner of Vesey and Church streets, about three blocks from the fallen buildings. He watched as Tower 7 went down. The fires were raging inside that building, and there were several other buildings that were on fire, Alston said. Early on, confusion reigned both at the scene and in firehouses throughout New York. You didnt know who was working and who wasnt because many firefighters whose shifts were ending jumped on the firetrucks heading to the scene along with those who were just coming in, Alston said. Alston, like many of the proud, tough firefighters and cops who were at ground zero, has gone to and through therapy in the years since. He replays the memories etched into his consciousness when the anniversary rolls around, as well as in between. I remember seeing a police officer and that look of horror on his face, Alston said. That made an impact on me. He guessed that he probably would have seen a similar look on his own face, had he been able to see it. Im a man of faith, and I just kept telling myself, My God is bigger than this our God is bigger than this, he said. At that moment, a moment when buildings were still falling and firefighters were still hoping to recover living survivors, no ones cellphones were working, Alston said. But at one point, he checked his Sprint phone and found that it was working. I called my dad, he said. At that point, a broadcast reporter, Lisa Evans, saw him and asked if she could use his phone, Alston recalled. She called in her story on it, he said. Alston spent 18 uninterrupted hours at ground zero during that first stretch, as police, firefighters and medical workers from all over the Northeast and at least as far away as Chicago descended to help in the search and recovery operation. Then Jersey City Fire Chief Tom Kearney called us back in about 18 hours later, he said. He wanted us home. He wanted us to talk to our families. Alston went home early that morning. I went to my church, he said. Then he went to his house. His oldest son, John III now 34 and assistant director of admissions at Clark Atlanta University came home from school. They hugged. I collapsed on him, Alston said. In the days that followed, Alston was back at ground zero as it became clearer and clearer that they were looking for bodies and remains and not survivors. What was it like? It was hand-to-hand, bucket ... sifting through. He, and hundreds of others, would retrieve a big pile of debris and sift through it then do it over and over for days. At that time, there also were many new residents of Jersey City Manhattanites, who had evacuated either temporarily or for longer, and in some cases decided to move to New Jersey rather than go back to their old homes. In some cases, they were just walking to get out of New York. In the days and weeks that followed, there were so many volunteers who came. They set up blood banks. We had lots of support. But in the weeks, months and years that followed, there also were tough times even for a big, tough, career firefighter like Alston. What was demoralizing was, for me, I had lost my sense of security, he said. There were several times I didnt want to get out of bed on the various anniversaries. On Sept. 11 and in the days, weeks and months that immediately followed, we found out ... that America loved firefighters, Alston said. But years later, those warm feelings seemed to have faded somewhat, he said. Then there were the constant reminders of what had happened. Years later, I saw a bunch of refrigerated trailers outside Bellevue Hospital, the oldest public hospital in the United States and one of the largest. It was a strange feeling when he learned what was stored in the trailers. It was body parts, he said. Alston recalled some tough times he went through in the years following the attacks. I became a pretty angry young man for awhile, he said. I thank God Ive gotten better, he said, recalling that his wife, Cheryl, saw me when I was in bed in a fetal position at one point, and said, Weve got to get you help. He credits the therapy, in part, for helping him get through it but more so than the therapy, my pastor, J. Michael Sanders, he said. The Rev. J. Michael Sanders, pastor of Fountain Baptist Church in Summit, N.J., was amazing, Alston said. Among other things, Sanders taught Alston not to worry about what he cant control, he said. Mark Zaretsky / Hearst Connecticut Media At one point, it became beneficial for Alston to talk about what he had gone through, he said. In 2014, he was selected to speak to a group of Navy SEALs in Virginia Beach, Va. While there for the assignment, he met a SEAL whose father had worked in the World Trade Center and who was at work for the last time that day. He had a conversation with the man. He wouldnt say what they talked about, but said it helped. Alston, like many who worked at ground zero in the months following the attacks, now is a member of the Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund because I dont know what going to happen. In fact, several of his co-workers from that time have died of what are believed to be Sept. 11-related injuries including former Deputy Chief Tim Kearney, brother of the Jersey City chief at that time, who died of cancer in 2020. For years, Alston has been going to New Yorks official Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony at ground zero and hell be there again this year, he said. Meanwhile, his youngest son, Malcolm, now 31, who was 11 at the time, has followed his father into firefighting. He now is a lieutenant in the Plainfield, N.J., Fire Department, Alston said. mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Iowa Republican legislators and the governor prohibited mask mandates in schools for purely political reasons to appease complaining constituents, a lawyer representing a mother and her sons argued Thursday. The popularity of the governor and the legislature is the reason for it, said Dan McGinn, a Council Bluffs lawyer who is representing Frances Parr. Parr, the mother of twin boys, sued the state, Gov. Kim Reynolds and several state officials last month in Polk County District Court. She wants a court to order the state to issue a universal mask mandate for all students and school personnel until a voluntary plan can be implemented that separates mask-wearing students and staff from those who refuse. The hearing focused on whether Judge Celene Gogerty should issue a temporary injunction to prevent the state from enforcing the law while the case proceeds. Gogerty said she would consider arguments and issue a ruling soon. Assistant Attorney General Sam Langholz argued that lawmakers have many reasons to keep school boards from enacting mask requirements, including concerns about the effects masks have on a child's communication, development and relationships. He said lawmakers might have wanted to alleviate the burden of school boards handing the politically hot issue of masks. However, none of those issues came up as lawmakers quickly pushed through the bill on the last evening of the legislative session in May with no committee meetings or opportunity for public input. McGinn argued there are no medical, educational or scientific justifications for the law. He said during debate that lawmakers only complained about mask mandates and they just wanted to get it off the books and forbid communities from having mask mandates to appease people. Parr asserts that the law Reynolds signed violates her constitutional rights. She claims education is a fundamental right and therefore courts must find the Legislature had compelling interests in passing the law and narrowly tailoring it to meet those interests. Langholz said there is no fundamental right to education in Iowa and he asserted it's unlikely the Iowa Supreme Court would conclude that if asked. The state has filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing Parr has no standing to challenge the law. A separate hearing will be set to argue that motion. Parr's sons were set to start first grade in the Council Bluffs Community School District this fall, but she is teaching them at home over fears for their safety. Iowa is among nine states that have banned schools from implementing universal mask mandates either by passing a law or by a governor's executive order. A group of parents of disabled students filed a separate lawsuit last week seeking to strike down Iowas law, arguing it endangers their health and denies equal access to education. The lawsuit is backed by the American Civil Liberties Union and disability rights organizations. The U.S. Department of Education also has launched investigations into whether the Iowa law and similar measures in four other Republican-led states illegally discriminate against students with disabilities or health conditions. A Florida judge ruled Wednesday that the state cannot enforce a ban on public schools mandating the use of masks to guard against the coronavirus, while an appeals court sorts out whether the ban is ultimately legal. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) A Santa Fe ethics board has dismissed efforts by Mayor Alan Webber to impose financial disclosure requirements on fraternal organizations that have criticized his handling of clashes over historical monuments and tributes. Webber is seeking a second term in the November election amid disputes over monuments and tributes to New Mexicos Spanish colonial history and armed conflicts of the 19th century. Webber attorney Jeff Herrera argued Thursday that voters have a right to know more about spending by the groups that sponsored a newspaper ad and yard signs that were critical of the mayor, in the runup to the election. Board members voted 4-0 to dismissed the complaint on several grounds. Board member Paul Biderman said city campaign disclosure requirements don't apply to groups that aren't primarily political organizations, and that allegations of collusion with a rival candidate were misdirected. The incumbent mayor is vying against fellow Democrat JoAnne Vigil Coppler, a City Council member, and Republican Alexis Martinez Johnson, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2020. Webbers complaint took aim at the Union Protectiva de Santa Fe, an advocacy group for Spanish colonial heritage and pride, along with local chapters of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars alleging that the groups bankrolled newspaper ads, yard signs and social media spots in coordination with Vigil Coppler. Virgil Vigil, president of the Union Protectiva, said dismissal of the complaint was a victory for free speech as local Hispanic residents defend historial monuments and traditions. He said the group's advocacy campaign was launched prior to the election season, without addressing whether it actively supports Vigil Coppler. We started this process in June of last year, at that point nobody was running for office, he said. It has to do with respecting the city and the culture." A monument honoring Union soldiers who died fighting Indigenous tribes and Confederate soldiers was toppled by a tumultuous crowd last year. A counterclaim filed by Union Protectiva accuses the mayor of bullying and using city-sponsored recreational events to promote his reelection. Conflicts over history in Santa Fe have escalated amid a national conversation about public markers paying tribute to historical figures linked to racism, slavery and genocide. Indigenous leaders and some younger Latino activists say figures from the regions Spanish colonial era shouldnt be celebrated because they oversaw the enslavement of Indigenous populations and tried to outlaw their cultural practices. During Webbers tenure, Santa Fe discontinued an annual reenactment of the return of Spanish settlers 12 years after the Pueblo Indian revolt of 1680. NEW HAVEN The New Haven Police Department is hiring, with the goal of recruiting residents and better representing the community. City officials and residents, gathering outside the police substation on Winchester Avenue in Newhallville, announced the department on Monday will begin accepting applications for dozens of open positions and stressed the importance of hiring local people. Interim Chief Renee Dominguez said the department currently has 319 officers on staff, but is budgeted for 406 positions. We have so many vacancies that we need to fill. We want to fill them with New Haven residents; we want to fill them with the people who want to serve their community, said Dominguez. One of the best jobs in the world is being a police officer. Mayor Justin Elicker noted that hiring residents would help the city grow, as local people can take advantage of salaried jobs with benefits, and use that steady paycheck to improve their lives, including potentially buying a home. It also would help officers with their police work, he said, as they can draw on existing relationships and credibility with their neighbors. The departments success is based on our ability to reflect the community that our officers work in, said Elicker. People that are living in our community, have history and background in our community, have those relationships already, are more likely to receive information from people ... (and) are more likely to have a better outcome in a time of crisis, because of that history, that knowledge, that experience. Sgt. Paul Finch, head of the departments recruitment efforts and background check process, said police will hold informational sessions in the coming weeks, including this Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bowen Field, on Zoom Sept. 16, and at the Ralph Walker Ice Rink Sept. 20, with the goal of helping people with their questions and concerns regarding the application process. Well fill you in on the process and youll be able to spend time with us, and ask us any questions that you may have, said Finch. The department also will hold a conditioning clinic Sept. 18, Finch said. He urged those interested in applying to begin training immediately, noting the physical demands of the agility test. Dominguez said the department was striving to recruit more regularly. By doing so, she said, it can maintain its manpower, ease the burden on current officers and allow the department to expand its community policing efforts, instead of having to focus on the daily demands of emergency calls. It not only affects the officers and their mental health, and how draining it is on themselves ... (and) their families, said Dominguez. But it affects the community. The Rev. Boise Kimber, joined by other graduates of the departments most recent clergy academy, said the gathering represented a bittersweet moment in the neighborhood and the city, given the consistent toll of gun violence. He issued a plea for Black residents of the city to take advantage of the opportunity and apply. Beyond that, he urged those involved in training to be more sensitive to the difficulties some residents face in passing background checks and joining the force. Some residents carry issues from decades ago that may not affect their ability of doing the job, but would show up on a background check, he noted. Many residents also have dealt with trauma firsthand, he said, which may affect psychological exams. If youve grown up in this city, grown up in Newhallville, grown up in Dixwell, some of us have got some problems, said Kimber. Weve had to deal with more than what other individuals who have come from the outside (have). Those interested in applying can do so by visiting the department or through PoliceApp.com, Finch said. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com BOISE, Idaho (AP) President Joe Biden will be in Boise, Idaho on Monday to visit the National Interagency Fire Center. Biden's trip to the western U.S. will also include a stop in Sacramento, California to survey wildfire damage. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Alvin Buyinza, The Conversation and Jamaal Abdul-Alim, The Conversation (THE CONVERSATION) US$1.7 trillion. Thats how much college students and graduates owed in federal student loan debt as of July 2021. The rising amount of student loan debt can pose serious challenges for individual borrowers. For that reason, colleges and universities and even the federal government have been pursuing solutions to alleviate the burden. But what are the best ways to go about student debt relief? Who should qualify? And what practical effect will debt relief have, not only on individual borrowers but society and the economy as a whole? To answer these questions, The Conversation sought out an array of scholars from economists to philosophers who all specialize to some degree in student loan debt and how it impacts those who borrow. 1. How does student loan debt affect borrowers? Student loan debt doesnt just cause financial harm to borrowers. Kate Padgett Walsh, an associate professor of philosophy at Iowa State University, argues that it also causes mental, emotional and physical harms as well. Walsh and two other scholars Dalie Jimenez, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine, and Raphael Charron-Chenier, an assistant professor of sociology at Arizona State University write on how student loans affect borrowers well after they graduate. Students who are the first in their family to attend college and low-income students have a much harder time paying off their student loans, and they end up defaulting more often than other students, Walsh and her colleagues write. 2. Will student debt relief help the economy? Some economists argue that relieving student loan debt will help boost the economy. However, William Chittenden, an economist at Texas State University, writes that the economic benefits of canceling student debt might be modest at best. If all US$1.5 trillion in federal student loans were forgiven, the average borrower would have an extra US$393 per month, Chittenden writes. It is estimated that the economy would only grow by about $100 billion, or about 0.5% Chittenden argues that student debt relief should be targeted toward borrowers that typically owe less than $10,000 but who are more likely to default on their loans. Demographically, this would benefit people of color and women the most, since women on average owe more than two-thirds of outstanding student loan debt, and 85% of Black college graduates owe money on student loans, compared to just 69% of white college graduates. 3. Who benefits when colleges clear outstanding balances? Colleges and universities are using federal money from the American Rescue Plan to clear outstanding debts for students and recent graduates who enrolled in their institution on or after March 13, 2020. Both students and their respective institutions will benefit from this debt clearance, according to Chittenden. The debt clearance will enable students to continue with their education and pursue career goals, he writes. Meanwhile, institutions will be able to clear debts without tapping into their own finances. For recent graduates, having debt outstanding to their school may prevent them from obtaining a transcript or proof that they graduated, Chittenden writes. By clearing the debts for recent graduates, alums can, as noted by the chancellor of City University of New York, Felix V. Matos Rodriguez, move ahead in pursuit of their educational and career objectives without the specter of unpaid tuition and fees. 4. Is filing for bankruptcy a solution to clearing student loan debt? As things stand now, student loan borrowers are mostly barred from discharging their loans through bankruptcy. However, under the proposed FRESH START through Bankruptcy Act, borrowers can get their federal loan debts discharged if they prove that the debt caused undue hardship during the first 10 years of payment. Brent Evans, assistant professor of public policy and higher education, and Matthew Patrick Shaw, assistant professor of public policy, education and law, both at Vanderbilt University, explain what proving undue hardship entails for borrowers looking to discharge their student loan debt through bankruptcy. Declaring bankruptcy is not an ideal option to deal with student loans because it comes with substantial immediate and long-term consequences, they write. Editors note: This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversations archives. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/student-loan-debt-is-crushing-americans-4-essential-reads-166338. It seemed like Niagara Falls High School was having a good start to the year despite some busing challenges. Niagara Falls, NY (14301) Today More clouds than sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 73F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. NU REMEMBERS. Niagara University student Quinlyn Kinmartin, a social work major, walks among hundreds of flags on the front lawn of the campus on Thursday. The project, undertaken by Introduction to Criminal Justice course students assisted by the universitys Border Community Service program, is in advance of a 9/11 remembrance ceremony at 9 a.m. Saturday. Arranged by NUs Veteran Services Office, area first responders will be honored during the ceremony at the flag pole between Alumni Chapel and Glynn Hall (formerly St. Vincents Hall). The keynote speaker will be Master Sgt. Tara Wichtowski, who will share her experience of being at Ground Zero shortly after the attacks. The ceremony is open to the public. Controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has advocated a ministry for herders in Nigeria. Gumi, known for his interaction wi... Controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has advocated a ministry for herders in Nigeria. Gumi, known for his interaction with bandits in the North, said the Federal Government should create a Ministry of Nomadic Affairs. He said the ministry would address the challenges surrounding herders. In a Facebook post on Friday, Gumi also berated those criticizing him over his negotiations with bandits. The post reads partly: I said my mission has not failed but it was sabotaged or discouraged by the same influential people that benefit from the chaos or like us to destroy ourselves and leave the herdsmen in perpetual ignorance. Some said we have tried amnesty, but it didnt work. You didnt try amnesty but tried amnesia. Amnesty without rehabilitation, reconciliation, and reparation is no amnesty. Ask the former Niger Delta militants who killed security men in the past what an amnesty is. What stops us from having a Federal Ministry of Nomadic Affairs where their grievances and complaints will be addressed? The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore in Katsina State has joined its National Body to distance itself from the recent unguarded outburst credited t... The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore in Katsina State has joined its National Body to distance itself from the recent unguarded outburst credited to its National Secretary, Saleh Alhassan. At a press briefing held at the NUJ Secretariat on Friday, the state chairman Miyetti Allah, Hassan Kuraye, condemned the unguarded derogatory statement of the National Secretary, saying it does not in any way reflect the view of the association at both the national and state chapter. The Chairman of Miyetti Allah in the state, Kuraye, said the National Chairman and all its executive members will be visiting the state soon to appeal and seek the Governors forgiveness over the derogatory remarks. Kuraye also claims the National Secretary must be regretting his utterances. We request to have your indulgence this morning to make some issue clear as far as the relationship between Miyetti Allah Hore and the Katsina Government is concerned. One of us, the national secretary of Miyetti Allah, cattle Hore, Alhassan Saleh, made some negative utterances against His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari, which were found so heavy to the entire Fulani race across the landscape of Nigeria. The National Secretariat of Miyetti Allah Hore has already distanced itself from those negative utterances made by Alhassan Saleh and we felt it is imperative for us as the state chapter of the Miyetti Allah Hore to align ourselves with the National Secretariat of our noble union and distance ourselves equally. As such, we felt it will be important for us to make ourselves clear on those utterances. He made the utterances on his own and he is standing alone as far as we are concerned. He has shown some signs of remorse when he was contacted by the national chairman, We are pleading with the Executive Governor of Katsina State Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari to please forgive and forget those utterances because we are law-abiding citizens of this country. Miyetti Allah cattle Hore is a registered and law-abiding association. The National Chairman of Miyetti Allah Hore is coming to Katsina personally with his Executives to plead with His Excellency to forgive and forget those negative utterances for us to continue to forge ahead, to continue to make some progress. In a nutshell, we are here to say that the utterances made by our national secretary are not good. At least by the age of His Excellency and the position he is occupying, he deserves some respect so that the successes we have been recording, from the inception of this administration will continue to thrive and more progress would be made, Kuraye disclosed Recall that Alhassan Saleh recently in an interview painted the Katsina Governor in derogatory terms for daring to label the Fulanis as primarily responsible for banditry in the North. The National Secretary, while urging Nigerians to ignore Masaris statement, described Governor Masari as a confused drunkard. Saleh was reportedly quoted to have said: Did you take that drunkard serious? My governor, do you take him seriously? Cant you see that he is already tired? Records should come from security operatives not from a confused human being. All of them talking, they are stealing security votes, they should find solutions, create ranches for these herders and accommodate them. Which people do you find along the Sahel Sahara desert? They are many tribes, is it by a physique that you now identify a Fulani man? The bandits are criminals, why should you attach tribe to it,? Thats why we are not happy. You dont need to attach a tribe because it will affect innocent persons. Forget that man, that man is the worst Governor Katsina has had; we are just praying for his time to lapse. Saleh Hassan had said. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Overcast. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 70F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Rain showers this morning with overcast skies during the afternoon hours. High 71F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. The return to school means homework. The Jefferson Parish Library has a plethora of help for those who need help with their lessons. The following free services are available on the right-hand side of the librarys website. Tutor.com offers one-to-one learning solutions for students through educational institutions such as colleges, universities, K-12 schools, and public and state libraries. It connect learners with qualified, expert tutors online, on-demand, 24/7. The site provides help in more than 200 academic subjects and test preparation areas. The companys philosophy is that when a learner needs help, the best way to get it is right away from an experienced expert. Tutor.com experts are online 24/7, ready to help. Brainfuse HelpNow HelpNow offers real-time help from thousands of certified tutors across the country in subjects such as math, science, reading/writing, and social studies. The Writing Lab and the Send Question Center options let students get help at any time of the day without connecting with a live tutor. The Send Question Center is for nonwriting assignments such as math or science. Other features include: Homework Help: Interaction with live tutors in math, science, reading/writing, social studies, PSAT/SAT, ACT, AP and state standardized tests. Skills-Building: Choose a topic to receive real-time help. Personalized eLearning Tools: My File Sharing, My Session Replay, My Tutoring Archive, My Tests Archive, and more. 24-Hour Writing Lab: Submit essays and other forms of writing for constructive feedback. Homework Send Question: Submit homework questions for expert guidance. Adult Learning Center: Access a library of adult learning content (GED) and live, professional assistance in resume/cover letter writing, U.S. citizenship prep, MS Office Essential Skills Series, and more. Foreign Language Lab/Spanish-Speaking Support. The library also features help for those studying foreign languages. Two of the librarys free programs Pronunciator and Mango can be accessed on the librarys home page by scrolling down the right-hand side. Pronunciator Pronunciator is a set of webpages, audio and video files, and mobile apps for learning any of 163 languages. In each lesson (drop-down menus) students learn words in order and can click to repeat when needed. The software can listen and score pronunciation, and students can record their voice, and compare it to the lesson. Some languages have grammar lessons as well as vocabulary. The "Main Course" has "Core Vocabulary" with 100 categories from beginner to intermediate, Powerful Phrases with 50 travel categories, and 100 verbs conjugated. Some languages have audio downloads of songs, with lyrics, called ProRadio. Some have videos with subtitles that let learners loop any phrase in the video. There are lessons to prepare for the U.S. citizenship exam as well as and health vocabulary. The recorded voices are native speakers of each language. Mango Mango teaches language and culture through proven methodologies that build conversational skills in more than 70 languages and more than 20 English courses. It is accessible across mobile and desktop platforms with features that allow for offline learning. Through adaptable exercises and learning activities, learners pick up on new vocabulary, intuit unfamiliar grammatical structures, train pronunciation, and boost their cultural IQ. Activities include: Conversational, bite-sized lessons Listening & Reading Activities Critical-thinking and memory-building exercises More than 20 ESL/ELL/ESOL paired-approach courses for learners of English Theres more The following free educational databases are available through the librarys website. Click on the database tab on the librarys home page to access a world of educational resources, including: ABC Mouse, National Geographic, National Geographic Kids, Reference USA, Scholastic GO!, Scholastic Teachables, World Book Online Encyclopedia, Science Reference Center, Learning Express Library, History Reference Center, and Biography Research Center. Since Hurricane Ida, New Orleans musicians have continued to perform just not in New Orleans. But two weeks after the storm, that has started to change. With power now restored to most of the city, several venues are presenting live music the weekend of Sept. 10 including the Broadside, which reopens this weekend after a summer hiatus. If you need to have some fun and forget about the storm, the pandemic and all the associated hardships as the evacuated New Orleanians who filled a bar in Grayton Beach, Flor., on Labor Day to hear Flow Tribe clearly did hear are some options. FRIDAY, Sept. 10 Following several weeks of summertime silence, the Broadside, the outdoor venue next to the Broad Theater on N. Broad St., returns to actions with blues-based slide guitarist John Mooney & Bluesiana. Mooneys slippery slide transports the style of Son House to the Big Easy. The Bluesiana that will back Mooney features Raymond Weber on drums, Rene Coman on bass and Dan Alleger on keyboards. This will be Mooneys first local show with Bluesiana since the 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Show time is 8 p.m.; tickets are $20. +4 Defying COVID and a hurricane, Flow Tribe brings New Orleans funk to evacuees in Florida GRAYTON BEACH, Florida In a perfect, or at least post-coronavirus, world, Flow Tribe and other New Orleans bands would have spent Aug. 29 on Tipitinas, New Orleans flagship music venue, is hosting a weekend of free shows, sponsored by Crystal Hot Sauce, to benefit the New Orleans Musicians Clinic and the Second Harvest Food Bank. Donations of canned goods and cleaning supplies will be accepted. Fridays featured act is jam-band guitarist Billy Iuso backed by an all-star band consisting of Brad Walker, Reggie Scanlan, Andriu Yanovski and Ezell Smith. Show time is 9 p.m. SATURDAY, Sept. 11 The Grammy-winning New Orleans Nightcrawlers brass band hits the outdoor Broadside for a free, get back to New Orleans after the hurricane party. Show time is 7 p.m. After repairs were made to an Ida-caused hole in its roof, d.b.a. plans to reopen Saturday with the Treme Brass Band at 8 p.m. Admission is free. The free weekend at Tipitinas continues with The Quickening and Bakeys Brew. Show time is 9 p.m. After shutting down live music because of COVID, then delaying the restart because of Hurricane Ida, Faubourg Brewery plugs back in on Saturday. The Mike Doussan Duo will perform from noon to 4 p.m. The brewerys restaurant partner, Fete au Fete, has not reopened yet, but grilled hamburgers and hotdogs will be available for purchase. SUNDAY, Sept. 12 Trombonist Corey Henry & the Treme Funket play a free show at the Broadside starting at 7 p.m. The Palmetto Bug Stompers are at d.b.a. at 7 p.m.; admission is free. TUESDAY, Sept. 14 The Lil Baby show scheduled for Sept. 14 at the Smoothie King Center has now been postponed to Oct. 17. WEDNESDAY, Sept. 15 Starting at 7 p.m. at the Broadside, the Nikki Glaspie and Brian Haas Duo is followed by Brendan Bull, Brad Walker, Brian Haas, Jonathan Freilich and James Singleton playing a set of compositions by Singleton. Note: This story has been updated to reflect the postponement of the Lil Baby concert. Freshman Congressman Troy Carter is now among those calling for a top-down federal civil rights probe into the embattled Louisiana State Police, in response to a series of beatings of Black motorists by Monroe-area troopers and allegations of complicity from higher-ups. In a letter Friday, Carter, D-New Orleans, urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to launch the kind of pattern-or-practice investigation that has landed the New Orleans Police Department under court-monitored reforms for close to nine years. The Louisiana chapter of the ACLU and the Legislative Black Caucus have already made requests similar to the one made by Carter Friday. Those civil investigations, authorized in a 1994 crime bill, are conducted separately from criminal probes. The Obama administration pursued them aggressively before the Trump administration largely shelved them under orders from then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions. President Joe Bidens administration has resumed them, with Garland this year announcing pattern-or-practice investigations into police in Minneapolis and Louisville following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of officers in those cities. The death of Ronald Greene, a 49-year-old Black barber, after a high-speed chase ended in a crash and a brutal arrest by Louisiana troopers on a Union Parish roadway in May 2019 has sparked similar outrage and a national glare over the states premier law enforcement agency. Troopers tased, beat, shackled and dragged an unarmed Greene, then left him prone on his belly for several minutes before he died. A federal criminal investigation is ongoing into alleged civil rights abuses by troopers who were involved in Greenes arrest, or the beatings of at least three other Black men during traffic stops in the Monroe area in 2019 and 2020. Sources with knowledge of the probe say the FBI and federal prosecutors have expanded their investigation to review claims of a far-reaching attempt within LSP to whitewash Greenes violent death and muzzle internal investigators who pushed to arrest troopers over it. Charges could come within weeks. In the meantime, four former troopers with Troop F, the predominantly White group that patrols a dozen northeast Louisiana parishes, have been booked on criminal charges over those other violent incidents. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Among the allegations are that troopers in those incidents turned off or mislabeled body camera footage, or flatly lied in police reports. Revealing police body-cam videos of Greenes violent arrest, first published by the Associated Press, have been followed by more recent allegations, from within and outside the agency, that LSP supervisors tried to bury criminal acts by troopers. Carter's letter noted an AP dispatch Thursday that outlined "at least a dozen cases in the last decade where senior LSP members ignored or concealed evidence of beatings, denied accountability, and impeded efforts to root out misconduct. "Had it not been for the work of investigative journalists, we may never have heard of Ronald Greene," Carter wrote." My heart breaks for the Greene family and the countless other individuals whose fate was sealed and concealed by LSP, and whose names we still do not know." Greenes mother has said that State Police first portrayed his death to family as the result of a vehicle crash. The family filed a federal lawsuit against the agency last year. Months after the crash, Col. Kevin Reeves, the since-retired State Police superintendent, allegedly characterized Greenes arrest as awful but lawful, according to an investigator's notes. Reeves had been the commander of Monroe-based Troop F before taking the top job. An AP report this week described other instances of troopers shutting off or muting their body cameras, and a common practice of supervisors failing to review the footage before signing off on use-of-force reports. George Strickler Jr., a retired Tulane University law professor who fought to desegregate Southern schools in the 1960s and was pushed out of a University of Mississippi teaching job amid uproar over his work on behalf of Black clients, died Sept. 2 at his home in New Orleans. He was 80. After graduating from Yale Law School in 1966, the Vidalia native worked with North Mississippi Rural Legal Services, a University of Mississippi affiliate that was dedicated to providing legal help to poor people. He also taught part time at Ole Miss' law school. But the program's civil rights work quickly aggravated state lawmakers and Ole Miss trustees, who pushed the school to cut ties with the program after its lawyers filed a lawsuit to desegregate two public school systems in Marshall County. With a colleague, Michael Trister, Strickler sued the school over its refusal to let them continue teaching while also working with the legal services program. A federal appeals court ruled in the pair's favor in 1969, finding that Ole Miss allowed other professors to do outside legal work while Strickler and Trister were barred from teaching just because they wished to continue to represent clients who tended to be unpopular. Strickler went on to work with the Lawyers Constitutional Defense Committee, an organization that recruited lawyers to help in civil rights cases, where he challenged discriminatory practices affecting Louisiana schools. During a U.S. Senate committee hearing in 1970, Strickler told lawmakers how Black public school students were being hurt by policies that allowed textbooks and other resources to be transferred from integrated public schools to the private schools to which many white students were moving. "What I'm suggesting is that there must be some way to provide aid for these students," Strickler said, according to a transcript. Their school system is integrated on paper, at least, and Black students are still suffering from the effects of discrimination." In 1975, he won a court ruling forbidding Louisiana to provide state money for things such as textbooks, transportation and school supplies to racially discriminatory or segregated private schools. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Ann Woolhandler, who started working with Strickler as a young lawyer, recalled how an opposing attorney in a case Strickler won said afterward: Ive known attorneys who were smarter than I was but I worked harder, and Ive known attorneys who worked harder than I did but I was smarter. But George Strickler worked harder and was smarter than I was. I think anyone would have admired his legal skills and versatility, said Woolhandler, now a University of Virginia Law School professor. Strickler joined the Tulane Law School faculty in 1979 and taught civil rights and employment discrimination law before retiring in 2016. He argued more than 100 federal cases throughout his career, including a freedom of speech case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1982 on behalf of an assistant district attorney in New Orleans who sued over her firing. Outside of the courtroom, Strickler's passions included duck hunting, dog training and collecting vintage bikes, said his son, Andrew Strickler. He is survived by his wife, Michelle Girardin of New Orleans; and two sons from a previous marriage, J. Sloane Strickler and Andrew Strickler; and three grandchildren. A handful of Jefferson Parish schools will reopen starting Sept. 20, kicking off students staggered return to the classroom after Hurricane Ida inflicted major damage to a third of the districts 81 campuses, officials announced Friday. However, most schools won't be back until next month, according to the plans. Only 11 schools will reopen at first. They include: Bridgedale Elementary, Estelle Elementary, Harahan Elementary, Harold Keller Elementary, Harry S. Truman School, Metairie Academy for Advanced Studies, Phoebe Hearst Elementary, Ralph J. Bunche Elementary, Ray St. Pierre Academy for Advanced Studies, Washington Elementary and Woodland West Elementary. Another 20 campuses will open on Sept. 24, and 41 more will welcome students on Oct. 1 (see list below) . Three campuses will be closed indefinitely: Grand Isle School, Leo Kerner Elementary and Fisher Middle-High School, which are located in particularly hard-hit areas of lower Jefferson. Officials said they are sorting out the logistics to get those students in an instructional setting as soon as possible. Meanwhile, charter schools will communicate their own plans to employees and families, district officials said. Zecilly Laurenti, who has five children in Jefferson Parish public schools, said Friday she was relieved to get a timeline for they could return to school. Four attend Chateau Estates Elementary, which reopens on Sept. 24. The fifth will have to wait until Ella Delhonde Elementary reopens on Oct. 1. Still, she is glad to know when their days will be structured again. "They want to be in a rhythm," Laurenti said. "And this was traumatizing for them." School employees will be expected to report to their campuses two days prior to their opening dates, and officials might change the school calendar to make up for classroom time lost to Ida. Each academic year has additional classroom time built in as a contingency for emergency closures. But, with Ida, the system has already used up its cushion, and any waiver of the required instructional time would need to come from the governor, district officials said. The district stopped short of saying whether officials would consider that as an option. In an email to the district, system Superintendent James Gray acknowledged the reopening schedule would prompt questions that he might not be able to immediately answer, but he said he would release additional updates each Tuesday and Thursday as long as needed. "Know that we are working to make the best decisions we can for children, employees, families and Jefferson Parish as a whole," Gray said. The initial reopening plan for Louisianas largest public school system came nearly two weeks after Ida barreled onto Louisianas coast Aug. 29 as a Category 4 storm wielding winds of 150 miles per hour. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Some schools, such as Kerner and Fisher, were flooded and might end up being razed. The school in Grand Isle was also devastated along with the rest of the barrier island sitting just east of where Ida made landfall at Port Fourchon. Ida caused significant damage to at least another 27 campuses, officials have previously said. The hurricane blew the roofs off some school buildings, allowing rainfall to pour down from the upper floors, meaning campuses further inland were not spared by the potent hurricane. Even campuses that fared relatively well have hurdles to overcome before welcoming students back. The districts internet has been down, and officials werent immediately sure how many school buses would be available early in the reopening process. In addition, many of the districts 6,000 employees evacuated, complicating efforts to get schools open again. Ida marks at least the second calamity in as many years to close Jefferson's public schools. The coronavirus pandemic sent students, teachers and other staffers home in March 2020 and delayed the start of the following academic year, with some keeping up with their coursework virtually. Hurricane Zeta, which blew through the New Orleans area as a lower-end Category 3 storm in October, also caused some district closures. Schools opening Sept. 24 Park Academy for Advanced Studies Alice Birney Elementary Allen Ellender School Bonella A. St. Ville Elementary Clancy-Maggiore Elementary School for the Arts Congetta Trippe Janet Elementary Ella C. Pittman Elementary Ella Dolhonde Elementary Granville T. Woods Elementary Greenlawn Terrace Elementary Isaac G. Joseph Elementary J.C. Ellis Elementary John James Audubon Elementary Joshua Butler Elementary Marie Riviere Elementary Paul J. Solis Elementary Shirley T. Johnson Gretna Park Elementary Strehle Community School T.H. Harris Middle Woodmere Elementary Schools reopening Oct. 1 A.C. Alexander Elementary Alfred Bonnabel Magnet Academy High Bissonet Plaza Elementary Chateau Estates School Cherbonnier-Rillieux Elementary Douglass Community East Jefferson High Emmett Gilbert School of Excellence at Ford George A. Cox Elementary School Geraldine Boudreaux Elementary School Grace King High Green Park Elementary Gretna Middle School Gretna No. 2 Academy for Advanced Studies Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies Hazel Park/Hilda Knoff Elementary Helen Cox High J.D. Meisler Middle Jefferson Elementary Jefferson Virtual High School John Ehret High John Q. Adams Middle Joseph A Cuillier Sr. Career Center L.H. Marrero Middle L.W. Higgins High Lincoln Elementary School for the Arts Lionel Collins Elementary Livaudais Middle School McDonogh No. 26 Elementary Mildred S. Harris Elementary Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy Riverdale High Rudolph Matas Elementary Ruppel Academie Francaise Stella Worley Middle Terrytown Elementary Thomas Jefferson Academy Tom Benson School Walter Schneckenburger Elementary West Jefferson High William Hart Elementary The Orleans Parish Coroner's Office confirmed that seven residents of apartment complexes for seniors who died in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida likely perished because of the excessive heat during the extended outage after the storm. The deaths include four of the five residents who died at a group of 10 senior complexes that were evacuated by the city starting five days after Ida, when sweltering temperatures and a lack of air conditioning left tenants struggling to find food, water and ice. The other three deaths attributed to the hot conditions occurred in three separate complexes for older adults that were also left without power but were not evacuated. Those complexes have not, so far, been the focus of city officials' ire. The details released on Thursday also confirm that Laura Bergerol, a photographer whose death has galvanized anger against insurance companies that did not cover the cost of evacuations, likely died due to the heat in her unpowered apartment. The seven senior deaths, along with three others in homes or apartments that were not dedicated to elderly residents, highlight the plight of vulnerable residents unable to leave or access air conditioning in a city where the heat index soared over 100 degrees for days after the storm. And they raise questions about whether greater outreach or a more robust city-assisted effort to help people get out of New Orleans could have saved lives. The list of deaths, released by the coroner's office on Thursday, provides some additional details on most of the 14 New Orleanians whose deaths the state Department of Health has determined were caused by Ida. The majority of those deaths were linked to the blackout that engulfed the region when Entergy's transmission lines failed in the Category 4 hurricane. As of Wednesday, 10 days after Ida's passage, the utility company had restored power to about 90% of its customers in the city. +2 New Orleans seniors evacuated from several buildings after five die in aftermath of Hurricane Ida New Orleans on Friday and Saturday evacuated 10 apartment complexes full of senior citizens, five of whom died amid the sweltering heat follow Days after the storm, city officials began to check in on 10 complexes that rent apartments to independent older residents and found they lacked power and staff, and that conditions were deteriorating. The city evacuated those apartments starting on Friday, sending their residents to state-run shelters elsewhere in Louisiana. Following those evacuations, the city announced that five residents had died in the aftermath of the storm. Jefferson Parish checked in on two similar complexes within its borders the day after the storm and had their remaining residents evacuated the next day. Two additional complexes were evacuated in the days that followed. No deaths of residents in those complexes has yet been reported. +4 Jefferson Parish evacuated senior buildings 2 days after power went out. New Orleans waited. In Jefferson Parish, buses were waiting outside the Wynhoven Senior Living Center and Metairie Manor apartment buildings two days after Hurric The results released by the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office on Thursday are preliminary and could change as the investigations continue. The coroner's list of likely heat-related fatalities includes deaths at three of the complexes in New Orleans. Myron Jones, 65, died at Christopher Inn; Reginald Logan and Deborah Anderson, both 74, died at Flint Goodridge Apartments; and Clarence Washington, 79, died at Nazareth Inn. Those deaths were all listed as occurring on Sept. 4, the day after the first evacuations started, though it is not clear whether the date simply indicates when their bodies were discovered. A fifth death at a complex that was evacuated, Annunciation Inn, is still under investigation, Coroner's Office spokesperson Jason Melancon said. Those complexes have been been in city officials' crosshairs since the evacuations, with Mayor LaToya Cantrell and others decrying the conditions residents were left in. Property managers, including the Archdiocese of New Orleans and HRI Properties, have shot back that they asked for help in the days following the storm but never received it. The Coroner's Office list also includes deaths at several complexes that have not drawn as much attention, though they appear to have been included in the 32 senior-focused apartment buildings city officials checked in with starting about six days after Ida. "The properties that were closed under the emergency order were done due to emergent concerns for the preservation of life, whether due to a death at the facility, lack of on-site property/building management, or overall building conditions," City Communications Director Beau Tidwell said. "Whether closed or not, all residents on these building premises were offered transportation to state shelters." Get hurricane updates in your inbox Sign up for updates on storm forecasts, tracks and more. e-mail address * Sign Up David Sneed, 65, was found dead at Marais Apartments at 1501 Canal St., which is advertised as being for seniors, on Sept. 3. Tidwell said city officials checked in on Marais Apartments on Sept. 5, a week after the storm, and found power had already been restored. The city had not received any reports of deaths at that building, he said. Corinne Labat-Hingle, 70, was found dead at Heritage Senior Residences at Columbia Parc, a mixed-income complex. Her death was reported on Sept. 2 and is also listed as likely heat-related. Tidwell said one of the cooling buses the city had dispatched around New Orleans during the outage was sent to that complex on Sept. 3 and the property manager was asked if any residents were interested in being evacuated. "To our knowledge, no information was received from the manager," he said. Illey Joseph, 73, was also discovered to have died of likely heat-related causes on Sept. 2 at Village De Jardin near Interstate 10 in New Orleans East, another complex for seniors. It was not immediately clear whether the city had reached out to residents of that building. Three additional deaths that are likely attributable to the heat were reported at homes or apartment complexes that are not designed explicitly for seniors. Those include Bergerol, a 66-year-old photographer whose body was found in her Bywater Art Lofts apartment. Bergerol, who had preexisting medical conditions, had expressed concern on social media about the heat amid the power outage and castigated her rental insurance company for not paying for a hotel room so she could evacuate. +2 Neighbors of New Orleans photographer Laura Bergerol suspect her death is an Ida casualty Laura Bergerol wanted to evacuate the city ahead before Hurricane Ida. And after. But she never managed to get out. Bergerol's death has served to rally outrage at insurance companies and Entergy on social media and in the community at large, with many demanding more concern be shown for the plight of those who cannot evacuate on their own. The state Department of Insurance ruled Wednesday that insurance companies must pay for hotel rooms and meals for people who left ahead of Ida, whether they were under a mandatory evacuation order or not. Keith Law, 65, was found in a home in Algiers and his death was reported on Sept. 5. Abraham Cause, 68, was found in a home near Lakefront Airport. His death was reported on Sept. 2. The Louisiana Department of Health has also reported another death likely attributable to the heat and lack of oxygen during the power outage that is not included in the Coroner's Office tally, bringing the total number of known heat-related deaths to 11 in New Orleans. Tidwell said that of those 11 deaths, just one person was listed on the city's Special Needs Registry, which was set up to ensure that vulnerable populations are registered with the city and are able to get particular attention during and after a disaster. Beyond the heat-related deaths, the Coroner's Office also released the names of two people who died of carbon-monoxide poisoning after the storm. They are among six New Orleanians who have died in that manner since Ida, which officials say owes to the use of gas generators to get power during the blackouts. Hasan Amli, 24, who was found in a building in Freret, and Giovanni Villatoro, 44, who was found in a home in New Orleans East both died of carbon-monoxide poisoning. The state Department of Health also lists an additional death in New Orleans as storm-related: a 25-year-old man who drowned while driving on a flooded street the day after the storm. He was not included in the list of storm-related deaths released by the Coroner's Office. Staff writer Ramon Antonio Vargas contributed to this report. A tropical depression is likely to form Sunday or Monday in the Gulf of Mexico, hurricane forecasters said Friday morning. UPDATE: Tropical Storm Nicholas forms in Gulf, heavy rainfall expected for Texas, Louisiana coasts It's one of three tropical disturbances they are tracking on the meteorological peak of the Atlantic hurricane season. The system in the Gulf is expected to head west toward Mexico and Texas, but forecasters said it will bring rain to parts of Louisiana, mainly in the southwestern part of the state. The shaded area on the graphic is where a storm could develop and is not a track. The National Hurricane Center releases a track when a tropical depression forms or is about to form. If it strengthens into a tropical storm, the next available name is Nicholas. Meanwhile, Hurricane Larry is speeding toward Newfoundland and another tropical depression is likely in the Atlantic. Here's what to know about the tropics as of 7 a.m. Friday from the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service. Disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico Another tropical depression is expected to form in the Gulf of Mexico, forecasters said Friday. It would be the third Gulf storm within two weeks. Hurricane Ida hit southeast Louisiana Aug. 29 as a powerful Category 4 storm, and then Tropical Storm Mindy hit the Florida panhandle Wednesday. The latest disturbance has a 70% chance of developing into at least a tropical depression within five days. As of 7 a.m., the disturbance -- a tropical wave -- was over Honduras, the western Caribbean Sea and portions of the Yucatan peninsula. It's producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. It's expected to move into the Bay of Campeche, forecasters said, and merge with another weather system this weekend over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. The system is expected to develop into a tropical depression before making landfall along the western Gulf coast of Mexico and possibly Texas. 'Quite a bit of rainfall' Parts of Louisiana and Texas will "see quite a bit of rainfall" early next week from the system, regardless of development, forecasters with the National Weather Service said Friday. The heaviest rain in Louisiana is expected in the southwestern part of the state. A steady increase in moisture is expected Sunday through next week, with rounds of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms likely, forecasters said Friday. Heavy rain also is expected across portions of Central America through Saturday, forecasters said. This system could increase winds and seas across the Gulf waters during the upcoming weekend as well, forecasters said. Read the full advisory. Hurricane Larry in the Atlantic Get hurricane updates in your inbox Sign up for updates on storm forecasts, tracks and more. e-mail address * Sign Up Hurricane Larry is quickly heading toward southeastern Newfoundland, forecasters said in their morning advisory. It's expected to bring hurricane-force winds, a dangerous storm surge and heavy rainfall to the area Friday night. A hurricane warning and a tropical storm warning is in effect for parts of Newfoundland. As of 7 a.m., Hurricane Larry was about 650 miles southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland, and is moving northeast at 26 mph. On the forecast track, the center of Larry will pass well southeast of Nova Scotia on Friday and move over southeastern Newfoundland Friday night. Larry has weakened and now has winds of 85 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane. Gradual weakening is expected in the next day or so, but Larry is expected to remain a hurricane until it passes Newfoundland. It then is expected to become an extra-tropical storm on Saturday and then absorbed by a larger system by the end of the weekend. Swells generated by Larry will continue to affect the U.S. East Coast, the Bahamas and Bermuda. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Read the full advisory. Tropical depression likely in the Atlantic A tropical depression is likely to form late this weekend or early next week in the Atlantic, forecasters said. It's too soon to tell where it could go. As of 7 a.m., a strong tropical wave is expected to emerge off the west coast of Africa by Friday night, forecasters said. It's expected to move northwest over the far eastern Atlantic near the Cabo Verde Islands. Residents on the Cabo Verde Islands should monitor the system, forecasters said. It has a 70% chance of developing into tropical depression within five days. Read the full advisory. Next available name The next available names are Nicholas, Odette and Peter. Systems are named when they strengthen into tropical storms. Storms Ana, Bill, Claudette, Danny, Elsa, Fred, Grace, Henri, Ida, Julian, Kate, Larry and Mindy formed earlier this season. Elsa, Grace, Ida and Larry strengthened into hurricanes. Last year, there were so many storms that forecasters ran out of names and had to use the Greek alphabet. It's only the second time in recorded history that the Greek names had been used. Things have changed for this season. If needed, forecasters will use a list of supplemental storm names instead of the Greek names. Storm categories 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 Don't miss a storm update this hurricane season. Sign up for breaking newsletters. Follow our Hurricane Center Facebook page. Eight days after Hurricane Ida made landfall, Mike Abdul was tired. He still didnt have electricity at home, and his business Queens Beauty Supply on South Claiborne Avenue had been looted not once. Not twice. But three times. Its bad. They were breaking in over and over, during the daytime, too, said Abdul, who has owned the store since 2009. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, another beauty supply store he managed was looted. Taking expensive wigs, human hair, accessories, clothing, all the different glues. We shouldnt be going through this. They should have a better way to handle things, he said. Abduls break-ins were among the 118 looting incidents reported by the Orleans Parish Sheriffs Office between Aug. 29 and Sept. 3. By Friday, those agencies had made 72 looting arrests in connection to post-storm burglaries, according to the NOPD, and issued 17 warrants. Since the Category 4 hurricane roared ashore on Aug. 29, city officials have been tight-lipped about the number of looting incidents and arrests, in part to avoid perpetuating a false narrative about this city, NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said two days after the storm. Many of the citys 400,000 residents had evacuated prior to Hurricane Idas landfall, and more left in the days after, as widespread power outages lingered and temperatures rose. The city's dataset of calls reported to the New Orleans Police Department shows a spike in alleged burglaries during that time. Between Aug. 29 and Sept. 7, a total of 235 people called the NOPD to report that their businesses had been burglarized, and 180 people reported burglaries in their homes. That's more than 3 times the number of burglaries reported to NOPD during all of last August. That month, residents called in 26 alleged business burglaries and 119 residential break-ins. The calls to the city's 911 and 311 lines are classified by type. There is no heading for looting only business and residential burglaries. Looting is defined as the intentional, unauthorized entry into and burglary of a home or business that is left unattended because of a disaster or other emergency. Burglaries committed in businesses, vehicles or residences that were vacant because of evacuation orders or hurricanes qualify as looting incidents. The charge is a felony punishable by five to 15 years in prison. Get hurricane updates in your inbox Sign up for updates on storm forecasts, tracks and more. e-mail address * Sign Up On Aug. 31, one suspect arrested on looting charges was in possession of a pack of gum and two packs of Newport cigarettes. Another had a 5-Hour Energy shot and scratch-off lottery tickets. Susi Q. Beck, a chef who helped start Dirty South Disaster Relief in the days following Hurricane Idas landfall, said some people loot because they find themselves in crisis situations following a disaster and need help. On Wednesday, Beck woke to find a man grabbing a drink from the cooler in their fenced backyard. He said, Im not stealing, Beck said. I said, Youre my neighbor, baby. Take something to drink.' +11 Stricken by Hurricane Ida, New Orleans restaurants spring into action to feed others Local baker Kelly Mayhew drove back to New Orleans the night after riding out Hurricane Ida with family in Texas, but he didnt come back to b From a 7th Ward lot fringed with banana trees, Beck was distributing food, gas, ice, water and other supplies to hundreds of people. Looting isnt the problem. Hoarding is the problem, they said. If we have life-saving medication in Walgreens and nobody can access it, thats hoarding. When youre in crisis and instability, you have the experience of feast or famine. Our whole system is in crisis. Corporations are hoarding resources and creating famine in communities. To curb looting and keep people off the vacant streets as blackouts persisted and grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations remained largely shuttered, officials instituted an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, and the NOPD assigned officers working with Louisiana State Police troopers and the National Guard to patrol for looting suspects. The Orleans Parish Sheriff did not provide the number of deputies and staff on duty. Abdul, who runs the beauty supply store, feels these efforts may be too little, too late. Im tired of crime, tired of looting, tired of things not being done correctly, said Abdul, who questions whether he will remain in New Orleans. Its a disappointment as a business owner. Ramon Vargas contributed to this report. Breeze Airways, a new airline with a hub in New Orleans, said it will give free tickets to first responders, Louisiana residents and "others who can help the city rebuild" after Hurricane Ida. The company said it will donate about 10,000 roundtrip tickets, which it says are worth $1 million in travel. Hurricane Ida made landfall Aug. 29 in southeast Louisiana as a catastrophic Category 4 storm. It knocked out power to metro New Orleans for almost two weeks. However, the hardest-hit areas are west of the city and along the state's coastline. So far, 27 people have died during the storm or in the aftermath, many from heat exhaustion or carbon monoxide poisoning from generators. Flying out of New Orleans? Unless you are going to a major hub, expect connections Flying out of New Orleans in the coming days? If you're not headed to Atlanta, Dallas, or other major airline hub, be prepared to catch a connection. But as of Friday, life was starting to get back to normal in the urban areas. Power is back on for much of New Orleans and Jefferson Parish, and the boil water advisories have been lifted. Flights have resumed at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport as well. Breeze Airways, created by the founder of JetBlue, on Friday resumed flights out of New Orleans, one of the new carrier's four main bases of operations. Who is eligible for a free ticket? Breeze said the free tickets are open to several groups of people, including: First responders Louisiana residents "Others who can help the city rebuild" Another group that can apply: residents from the cities where Breeze flies direct from New Orleans "who are willing to travel to New Orleans to help volunteer, help family and friends or contribute in other ways to rebuild New Orleans," the company said. Get hurricane updates in your inbox Sign up for updates on storm forecasts, tracks and more. e-mail address * Sign Up Where Breeze Airways flies Breeze in July started offering flights out of New Orleans. Now it operates direct flights to nine locations from the city: Akron/Canton, Ohio Bentonville/Fayetteville, Arkansas Charleston, SC Columbus, Ohio Louisville, Kentucky Norfolk, Virginia Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Richmond, Virginia Tulsa, Oklahoma How can you get a free ticket? Breeze is offering 10,000 BreezePoints, which it says is the equivalent of $100 or one roundtrip ticket, for its "New Orleans Relief & Recovery Travel Program." To enter, the company said you have to create a guest account at www.flybreeze.com for the person seeking to travel and fill out an application, using the email address associated with the guest account. Applicants should list the reason for travel and "how their visit will help rebuild homes, revitalize the city or provide volunteer services to its residents," a company statement said. The deadline to apply is Sept. 22. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, and the company said it will notify you by email within two weeks if you are getting a free ticket. You must book your trip by Oct. 31 and finish your travel by Feb. 14, 2022, the company said. Read more about the program. Objectively speaking, pushing the fall primary election back from Oct. 9 to Nov. 13, and runoffs from November to December, is the right choice. Mass dislocation, destruction and distraction due to Hurricane Ida made the delay, announced Wednesday, the obvious alternative. Ida upended everyones best laid plans, and nobody lays out plans more precisely than people who stage elections and run political campaigns. The calendar dictates logistics of holding the vote, and the hurricane made sticking to the original schedule nearly impossible. Registration deadlines were supposed to be this week, along with deadlines for choosing poll commissioners. But people who serve in those roles remain scattered, and its not clear how many or which polling locations will be relocated due to damage. Early voting was supposed to start Sept. 25, but power isnt even due back to the hardest hit locales by then, and voters whose homes suffered serious damage will be displaced even longer. Conceivably mail balloting might have helped overcome some obstacles, but Louisiana is one of the states that has bought into national GOP resistance to the concept, so there are no provisions for the average Louisianan to vote by mail unless they meet a list of specific legal qualifications. The schedule also dictates strategy, and the storm has upended the usual rhythms of campaigning. Candidates generally launch outreach to voters just after Labor Day, but now they also have to be sensitive to voters immediate plights, and also their moods; most people busy regrouping and dealing with damage will probably have little patience for standard political tit-for-tat, at least for a while. Like any disaster, Ida could have repercussions on the campaigns themselves. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said Ida affected 42% of Louisiana voters, but not all areas have major local races on the ballot. The highest profile are in New Orleans, where voters will choose a mayor, city council, sheriff and other municipal officials. The city escaped the worst of Idas wrath but suffered severe effects, including a blackout that lasted a week and a half. And any time theres a major disaster, the spotlight automatically falls on those currently in office. Government matters at times like this, and officials already in position can either show their stuff while everyones watching or fail on a bigger-than-usual stage. Mayor LaToya Cantrell doesnt have any prominent challengers, but her daily broadcast updates and the administrations ability to get things back on track are sure to shape voter opinion toward her. The New Orleans City Council regulates Entergy New Orleans, the utility that went down in the storm and then got power back up pretty quickly even as it frustrated residents by missing some of its announced service resumption times. So all I have to say there is, look out. The council can also investigate other high-profile failures, including apartment complexes where elderly residents were left in sweltering heat. And officials can and are hosting food and water distribution events, another way to show theyre on the job. Challengers and candidates for open seats, meanwhile, have to work to find relevant public roles and gauge how soon anyone wants to hear from them in the first place. Statewide, the shift in dates could affect the prospects of a pair of longtime Republican and business goals, which are on the ballot as constitutional amendments. One would centralize the collection of sales taxes, which are now gathered on a local level. The other would drop maximum personal income tax rates and eliminate the state deduction on federal income taxes. With the biggest races in heavily Democratic New Orleans, where these proposals are expected to be less popular, proponents need as many GOP-leaning voters elsewhere to show up as possible. Many of the areas hit hardest by Ida tend to vote Republican, so rescheduling the election gives proponents a better shot at getting their message out to sympathetic voters. Of course, they first have to show theyre sympathetic to what those voters are facing in their own lives and to convince that them the constitutional amendments are still important even with everything else going on. Supporters of these measures already faced a challenging road. Even with a delayed election date, Ida makes it that much more so. Norman, OK (73070) Today Sunny to partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 90F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 66F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. The days are growing shorter and pumpkins are popping up at supermarkets from coast to coast, precursors to a dramatic shift that is about to take place on hillsides and mountain ranges all across the continent. One of the tell-tale signs that autumn has arrived is when forests transition to a palette of vibrant colors, a transformation so grand that it can be seen from space. The exact timing of when the leaves change colors is related to the weather leading up to fall, and the recent weather patterns across the United States have tipped the hand of Mother Nature. AccuWeather meteorologists are ready to make their annual fall foliage forecasts all the way from New England through New Mexico. In early August, AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok provided a sneak peek at the foliage outlook with AccuWeathers annual fall forecast, and now with meteorological autumn underway, he is providing a more detailed outlook on the foliage forecast. Here is what leaf peepers across the contiguous United States can expect to see when heading into the great outdoors this fall. Appalachians and Northeast Some of the most popular places to enjoy fall foliage in the eastern U.S. are expected to feature vibrant displays this autumn. It is expected to be a much different season compared to what unfolded in 2020. Last year, trees became stressed later in the summer in parts of the Northeast due to a couple of extended periods of dryness, Pastelok said. As a result, there were early leaf droppings, and the brightness was OK, but not great. A much different story is expected to unfold this year across much of the Northeast with many areas seeing more impressive colors, but the changing of the leaves may not take place right on schedule. Pastelok also noted that results can be mixed in terms of bright fall colors due to differences in precipitation amounts picked up in recent months. Pastelok added that while there will be "great colors" for parts of the region this season, they may emerge about a week or two behind the typical peak of fall foliage due to a surge of mild weather. For places like Vermont, New Hampshire and upstate New York, the peak of the fall foliage typically occurs in late September and the first week of October. However, this year it could occur closer to the second week of October. Farther south in the Ohio Valley, Pennsylvania, southern New England and northern mid-Atlantic, rainfall has averaged near to above normal this summer and colors can be vibrant, Pastelok said. There is the chance that colors could overachieve in this area. If the rest of September is a bit drier, Pastelok said that there could be excellent conditions in these areas. Excellent conditions, though, are a bit of a long shot this year due to precipitation amounts. Such a scenario is certainly not out of the question, but the record-setting rain that Ida unloaded over Pennsylvania, New Jersey and southern New England around the start of September after the second half of summer brought with it well above-normal rainfall, which could limit the chances that leaves will overachieve this fall. For instance, Central Park in New York City measured more than 7 inches of rain on Sept. 1 as flash flooding from Ida wreaked havoc across the city. To put that amount of rainfall in perspective, this single day accounted for nearly twice the amount of rain that typically falls in Central Park throughout all of September. The central and southern Appalachians have a similar forecast on tap, but the wet weather could have a bigger influence on the colors that appear on the trees. Colors should be good for most of this region with more yellows and oranges, Pastelok said. Wet weather influences how much red shows up in the leaves, but even without the red leaves, there should be beautiful displays in some of the more popular mountain destinations. Taking a trip over the Blue Ridge along Skyline Drive and through Shenandoah National Park, the fall scenery should still be quite nice this fall, Pastelok said, referring to a popular spot in Virginia's Appalachians about 75 miles west of Washington, D.C. The same goes for visitors traveling to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and other outdoor destinations across Appalachia. There is one potential snag that could occur and throw a wrench in the colorful displays, however: If a windy tropical system were to hit the region right around the time when the foliage is expected to reach its peak, Pastelok warned, leaves could be blown off the trees before residents and travelers have a chance to soak in the colorful scenery. Great Lakes, Mississippi Valley and Tennessee Valley Leaf peepers across the Midwest and the Mississippi Valley are likely to have a good showing this year thanks to the weather patterns that have evolved over the past few months. Areas farther south and east across the Midwest that picked up more rainfall throughout the summer, when compared to western areas in the grips of a drought, are expected to exhibit more vibrant colors with more reds and oranges, according to Pastelok. Chicago and Detroit are among the areas that Pastelok highlighted for nice fall foliage viewing this fall. Because of the drought farther west, Minnesota and surrounding areas may miss out on vibrant colors this autumn. Even if there are some periods of rain throughout September, it will be too late to help the foliage. We are expecting more dull colors, more brown and perhaps early leaf dropping, especially for western and northern areas of Minnesota and the eastern Dakotas, Pastelok added. Colors are projected to be near or slightly better than normal farther south through the Mississippi River Valley and surrounding regions. This includes areas around Little Rock, Arkansas, St. Louis, Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee, and Lexington, Kentucky. For the Tennessee Valley, we are holding back on brighter reds and oranges due to rainfall, and more rain is expected in this region through September, Pastelok said. Fall foliage should be good to excellent viewing with near-normal peak times, he added. Similar to areas farther east, if a tropical system like Ida were to make landfall along the Gulf coast and maintain gusty winds as it pushes inland, then it could blow the colorful leaves off the trees in addition to causing damage. Otherwise, AccuWeather forecasters expect vibrant colors across this area. Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains will be split in half in terms of fall foliage displays this year with one region that will sizzle and another region that will fizzle. The active monsoon over the Four Corners this year did more than help with short-term drought concerns. The moisture set the stage for a vibrant display of fall foliage across the mountainous landscape. As a result, the foliage in the Four Corners this year will be particularly better compared to 2020, Pastelok said, a year when the monsoon was virtually nonexistent. This includes the southern Rockies across New Mexico and into Colorado. Aspen trees in particular will be more vibrant than last year, although this will not be the case across all of Colorado. Although not deciduous trees, Aspens are known to turn stunning golden-yellow hues in the fall due to a lack of photosynthesis. The Aspens can brighten around the normal peak, which occurs from mid-September through mid-October, Pastelok said. Southern parts of Colorado should have the best and most vibrant color due to more monsoon rainfall. This means that Aspens in places like Rocky Mountain National Park in northern Colorado may not be quite as stunning as those farther south. Foliage is not anticipated to be quite as colorful across the northern Rockies with early leaf drop likely, in part due to widespread drought conditions. Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and northern Utah all are experiencing severe to extreme drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. This drought increases the stress on the trees, reducing the colors visible in the leaves before they fall off the deciduous trees in the region. West Coast The fall foliage across the West Coast states in 2020 was below normal in terms of colors, and a repeat is likely to unfold in 2021 with duller colors predicted across most of the region. This includes almost all of California and the eastern areas of Oregon and Washington. Even if there are pockets of good colors in a few spots, the displays will be nothing like those along the East Coast, in part due to the active wildfire season. Wildfires and smoky conditions will make it difficult to visit and admire the colors in some areas once again this fall season, Pastelok said. In some cases, lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service have been shut down due to the risk of wildfires, cutting off access to some areas that people may often travel to for viewing the fall foliage. However, the foliage will not be a bust across the entire region. The colors across the Cascades should be good, Pastelok said, referring to the mountain range that extends from Washington through Oregon and into Northern California. But, he noted, that they may not be quite as impressive as last year. This could mean trees in the Cascades may be the highlight of the West Coast foliage, making it a popular spot for leaf peepers that do not want to travel across the country to enjoy colorful mountainsides this autumn. Williamsport, Pa. Williamsport Bureau of Police Agent Laura Kitko helped expose a text communication thread between a 52-year-old man and 14-year-old girl, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed Wednesday. Kitko said the communication started on June 15 when Dwayne Allen Koons, 51, of Jersey Shore met the juvenile as she attended a picnic at his home. During one communication, as the two messaged through a mobile game, Koons allegedly sent the juvenile a picture of herself at the picnic. The juvenile allegedly told Kitko that Koons sat close to her at the picnic and would not leave when she asked him to sit on the other side of a couch. Kitko said the juvenile thought Koons had taken a picture of her as they sat on the couch. According to the report, Koons told the accuser she was pretty and talented during a conversation. Koons allegedly told the juvenile she will like it when referring to sexual remarks made during a communication. Kitko said Koons asked the juvenile several times for pictures as they communicated. According to the affidavit, the juvenile told Koons she was disturbed and Koons should go hump a teddy bear. Koons allegedly replied he would hump her teddy bear. Koons allegedly went through the juveniles Facebook page and told her which pictures were good ones and sent her a friend request. Kitko said, she felt uncomfortable throughout the conversation because of some of the comments Koons made and that he was texting her so much while he was working as a truck driver. Koons, who is being held at the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $35,000 monetary bail, was charged with third-degree felony unlawful contact with a minor, third-degree criminal use of a communication facility, first-degree misdemeanor corruption of minors, and second-degree misdemeanor criminal solicitation. Courts records show Koons is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 14 with Judge Christian Frey. Docket sheet Bloomsburg, Pa. When Bloomsburg police officer Quentin Reinford viewed a surveillance video on Aug. 26, he said he witnessed a man break into a ticket booth at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds and stay there for nearly two hours. Justin Charles Bozarth, 33, of Bloomsburg was charged with one count of third-degree felony criminal trespassing and a summary charge of criminal mischief after officers said they viewed the video. Reinford said Bozarth could be seen on the video as he entered the fairground and went into a ticket booth with his bicycle and a large black bag. According to the report, Bozarth was in the booth for approximately two hours before leaving through a plexiglass window that was later found to be broken. Bozarth allegedly barricaded the door to prevent access from the outside. According to the report, a nail or screw was jammed into the door to prevent the handle from functioning as intended. Offices said a small mirror was discovered inside the booth. Bozarth was charged with one count each of third-degree felony criminal trespassing and a summary charge of criminal mischief. According to court records, Bozarth is being held at the Columbia County Prison in lieu of $50,000 monetary bail as he awaits a Sept. 15 preliminary hearing. Docket sheet Hurricane Larry won't be coming any closer than about 800 miles to the East Coast of the United States, AccuWeather forecasters say, but on Wednesday the monster storm was already making its presence felt, stirring up dangerous waters off the beaches up and down the Eastern Seaboard and coming ominously closer to Bermuda. Larry is expected to deal a glancing blow across Bermuda as dangerous seas and surf continued to radiate outward toward the East Coast of the U.S. AccuWeather forecasters expect parts of Atlantic Canada to take a head-on hit from Larry, which will remain a massive storm, with either a dangerously close approach or direct landfall. As of Thursday morning, Larry was still a powerful Category 2 hurricane -- down from a Category 3 on Wednesday morning. Maximum sustained winds were 100 mph (155 km/h) on Thursday. The hurricane was churning 210 miles (335 km) east-southeast of Bermuda and moving north-northwestward at 16 mph (26 km/h). A tropical storm warning was in effect for the islands of Bermuda. Satellite images showed that the monster hurricane was not only large in size, but its eye was also rather large and menacing. Hurricane-force winds of 74 mph or greater extend outward up to 90 miles (150 km) from the center of the massive storm. Winds of tropical storm force, 39 mph (63 km/h) or greater, extend outward to 220 miles (350 km). The eye of Larry was about 60 miles (97 km) across Tuesday morning, but it was even bigger, close to 70 miles wide, Sunday. To put that in perspective, the width of Florida at Miami's latitude is about 75 miles across. As Hurricane Ida approached the Louisiana coastline as a Category 4 storm more than a week ago, its well-defined eye was 17 miles wide. Larry will continue to move northwestward and then take a turn more toward the north over the Atlantic this week, and large swells will continue to propagate outward from the hurricane's core. As these swells reach shallow waters of the U.S. East Coast, large breakers and dangerous rip currents will result. With limited lifeguard coverage after Labor Day weekend, beachgoers are strongly urged to heed advisories from local officials. The storm also has the potential to disrupt maritime operations across the Atlantic. Cruise ships and trans-Atlantic shipping vessels along with those operating offshore fishing boats were urged to monitor the progress of the hurricane. Larry is predicted to remain at Category 2 strength as it moves east of Bermuda through Thursday, and the storm will maintain its massive size. "Larry is forecast to pass about 200 miles to the east of Bermuda on Thursday, but some outer fringe rain and winds are likely to brush the islands," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty said. Larry has been rated as less than 1 on the AccuWeather RealImact Scale for Hurricanes. Tropical storm conditions with rough seas and surf and sudden, drenching squalls began Wednesday night and are expected to continue into Thursday on the islands of Bermuda. Waves will pound unprotected coastal areas of Bermuda with overwash potentially leading to coastal flooding. Waves will first impact the east- and southeast-facing shoreline into Wednesday then shift to the north- and northwest-facing shoreline Thursday as the hurricane passes by to the east. Winds are forecast to gust between 30 and 50 mph (48 and 81 km/h) on the islands with an AccuWeather Local StormMax gust of 60 mph (97 km/h) possible. Any issues from wind are likely to be minor and generally limited to sporadic power outages. Most structures on Bermuda are built to withstand the impacts of a direct strike from a significant hurricane. Rainfall is forecast to generally be light -- on the order of an inch or less -- with the glancing blow from Larry on the islands. Beyond Bermuda, the next land area in the storm's path is Newfoundland, Canada, which juts out into the Atlantic. Larry's forward speed will increase as it approaches the region, and the storm will slowly begin to weaken as it moves over cooler water. "Larry is forecast to pass near Cape Race, Newfoundland, or possibly farther west over the island during Friday night or early Saturday morning," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and Canada Weather Expert Brett Anderson said. During Newfoundland's encounter with Larry, the system is forecast to hit with the intensity of a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 74-95 mph (119-153 km/h), regardless of official classification of tropical versus non-tropical by the National Hurricane Center (NHC). With Larry forecast to impact Newfoundland, the Canadian Hurricane Centre had already issued Hurricane and Tropical Storm watches for southeastern Newfoundland as of early Thursday morning. Wind gusts of 80-100 mph (129 - 161 km/h) and an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 110 mph (177 km/h) are possible over a small area near where Larry makes landfall. Winds this strong can cause significant property damage, topple numerous trees and lead to widespread power outages. Larry is forecast to interact with an approaching cold front, which can enhance rainfall to some extent, Anderson said. A general 1-4 inches (25-100 mm) of rain is anticipated with an AccuWeather Local StormMax rainfall of 6 inches (150 mm). "Much of this rain may fall in a 6- to 12-hour time frame and is likely to trigger flash flooding, mudslides and road washouts," Anderson warned. This region of Canada is no stranger to hits from the tropics. "Newfoundland has been the target of nearly three dozen named tropical systems since 1950, although most were downgraded to extratropical systems by landfall," said AccuWeather Senior Weather Editor and Meteorologist Jesse Ferrell. AccuWeather refers to these systems as tropical rainstorms due to the ongoing potential danger and damage due to not only heavy rain, but also strong winds. "The most recent direct hit was from Leslie in 2012, but that system was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical rainstorm before landfall," Ferrell said. The last tropical system to hit officially as a hurricane was Igor in 2010. Damage from Igor in Newfoundland was estimated at $200 million at the time, which made the storm the costliest in the province's history. Much of the damage was due to washed-out roads from as much as 10 inches (250 mm) of rain that fell. Larry's long duration as a major hurricane has greatly influenced the Accumulated Cyclone Energy, or ACE, for the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, and it's likely to continue to do so in the coming days. ACE is a measure that meteorologists use to examine the intensity of all tropical storms and hurricanes over their entire duration. As of Sept. 7, the ACE for this season was 64.8, which is well above the 30-year average of 42.9 from 1981-2010, according to the Colorado State University. In comparison, the total ACE for the 2020 season was 230. Besides Larry, there are other areas in the Atlantic basin that AccuWeather meteorologists will be monitoring for tropical development over the next several days, including Tropical Storm Mindy which quickly developed in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday afternoon. Mindy made landfall Wednesday evening at 9:15 p.m. EDT over St. Vincent Island in the Florida Panhandle. Mindy will bring torrential rain and the risk of flooding to the northeastern Gulf Coast area as well as part of the southern Atlantic coast, before it loses wind intensity as it moves into the western Atlantic this weekend. Instant unlimited access to all of our content on www.northcoastcitizen.com. The North Coast Citizen E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement. Local 2 more COVID-19 deaths reported as September turns into deadliest month since February John Bailey, File Dr. Monal Patel, an internal medicine physician with Harbin Clinic, is given her first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 21, 2020, by Redmond Regional Medical Center nurse educator Jake Sullivan. Both hospitals began receiving their initial shipments and began vaccinating staff members in late December. The number of deaths following a surge of COVID-19 infections is continuing to climb as September is becoming the deadliest month for the virus since February. So far, the Georgia Department of Public Health has reported the deaths of 16 Floyd County residents this month. Two more were reported on Thursday. Deaths of Floyd County residents from COVID-19 in 2021: January: 29 February: 19 March: 12 April: 9 May: 9 June: 1 July 3 August: 8 Since the pandemic began, 220 Floyd County residents have died from COVID-19 and 45 more are suspected to have died from the disease caused by the virus. At this point 247 residents of neighboring Bartow have died from COVID-19, alongside 26 others suspected to have been killed by the virus. Its a similar story in Gordon County, which has lost around 149 people, and Chattooga County, where the disease has claimed over 70 lives. After vaccinations were approved for use, the number of COVID-19 infections, and resulting deaths dropped dramatically. Even with the low vaccination rates in Northwest Georgia just 36% of Floyd County residents are fully vaccinated it appeared the virus wasnt much of an issue any longer. However, the highly infectious Delta variant changed things. Public Health and local medical officials are saying the primary victims of the new strain of COVID-19 are the unvaccinated. While a small number of vaccinated Georgians with other medical issues have been hospitalized, hospitals are being overwhelmed with the unvaccinated. Floyd Medical Center routinely releases figures on its social media showing that less than 10% of the patients theyre currently treating for serious COVID-19 infections are vaccinated. On Wednesday, of the 131 patients being treated at the hospital, 121 of them had not been vaccinated against COVID-19. The influx of patients has devastated an already ailing medical community, and healthcare leaders across Northwest Georgia last week issued a collective plea for the community for help. We need your help like never before, the letter stated. The pandemic its current surge driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant continues to spread throughout Northwest Georgia and is quickly becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated. Most new cases, hospitalizations and people in our critical care units on ventilators and advanced oxygen support are unvaccinated. Rome, GA (30161) Today Cloudy early, then off and on rain showers for the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Rome, GA (30161) Today Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 78F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Rome, GA (30161) Today Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 79F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Roseburg, OR (97470) Today Mostly cloudy early, then sunshine for the afternoon. High around 80F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 47F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Roseburg, OR (97470) Today Cloudy early, becoming mostly sunny this afternoon. High around 80F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 47F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Retired U.S. Navy Capt. James R Ros Poplar III holds a framed piece of the wall from his Pentagon office that he got after the 9/11 attacks 20 years ago. Poplar, who retired after more than 40 years with the federal government, keeps the memento inside his Navy Room in his Quicksburg home. Harmful algae bloom gone from river, but advisory still in effect Impact Networking, an information technology company based in suburban Lake Forest, moved its Hammond office to the new 2929 Carlson Drive office building off the Borman Expressway in 2017. The office, one of about 25 the company has around the country, has grown so much it's now going to move into a new three-story $4.5 million office tower ATG Real Estate Development is building in Hammond's Oxbow Landing. It will be the sole tenant of the third and final office building ATG is building, with the others being shared by law offices, professional service firms, a college, a co-working space and other tenants. Impact Networking's new three-story office tower also will have a terraced roof with a big red cube magnifying the Impact logo to the more than 186,000 vehicles that pass by the neighboring busy stretch of the Borman Expressway each day, developer Eric Gastevich said during a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday. "Impact's logo is the cube, which will face the highway side," he said. Impact Networking will take over the 14,000-square-foot space in 2911 Carlson Drive once construction is complete next summer. It plans to employ up to 65 people in the Hammond office, which serves all of Indiana north of the Indianapolis metropolitan area. Peoples Bank is donating its Woodmar branch in south Hammond to Purdue University Northwest. The Munster-based bank, which was founded in East Chicago in 1910 and has since grown across Chicagoland, plans to continue to operate the branch at 7120 Indianapolis Boulevard while renting a smaller space in the building. It will donate the property to the Purdue Research Foundation. The university will house economic and community leadership development staff in the building. Peoples Bank said the arrangement will create efficiencies for both it and Purdue. The donation will be a great benefit to Peoples Bank, as well as Purdue Northwest and the surrounding communities, said Robert Lowry, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Peoples. Peoples Bank plans to do a 10-week remodel of the building before the deal officially closes. The donation agreement will enter Peoples Bank into a long-term lease to rent 45% of the building, including the drive-thrus for bank customers. The bank said it will reduce its annual operating expenses by 50% at a time when more people are doing routine banking transactions online instead of at brick-and-mortar branches. Valparaiso has awarded $300,000 in grants to 50 businesses to help them keep the lights on and workers on the payroll as the coronavirus pandemic persists. We created this grant as another way to support our business community, Mayor Matt Murphy said. We have extraordinary businesses in Valparaiso, and we recognize the hardships theyve had to overcome over the past 18 months." Valparaiso created the Valpo Invests in Business grant to help businesses that were forced to close, operate at reduced capacity or lost normal business during the pandemic. A supplement to the federal Paycheck Protection Program loans that helped small businesses retain workers, the funding was intended to help businesses maintain their operations and jobs, especially low- and moderate-income jobs. The city secured state funding through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, as well as some additional support from the Valparaiso Redevelopment Commission, to pay for the program. Valparaiso has put more money in the hands of local businesses than any other community statewide under this grant, Murphy said. Kanye West donned a full face mask to host three livestreamed listening parties for his 10th studio album. Beyond that, he didn't say a word, or even tweet. After years of alienating longtime fans with forays into conservative politics and sometimes exhausting media spectacle, pops King of All Controversy mostly let the music speak for him when unveiling Donda. In the tradition of Marvin Gayes Here, My Dear or Phil Collins Face Value, its a prickly, personal divorce album full of introspection, conflicting emotions and bursts of musical innovation. Its also a nearly-overbooked showcase for of-the-moment talent, some half Wests age: Shenseea, Fivio Foreign, Baby Keem, The Weeknd, Lil Yachty, Roddy Ricch. Theres drill music alongside church organs so many organs! Theres New Kanye earnest praise of God hes done miracles on me mingling with Old Kanye jokey self-awareness: Ill be honest, we all liars, I repent for everything that Imma do again. Theres reggae legend Buju Banton, rap legends JAY-Z, The LOX and Jay Electronica, multiple jabs at longtime foil Drake. Its 27 tracks clock in at one hour, 49 minutes. Tails on the Trails Located near St. Louis, MO (Ballwin), Tails on the Trails is a group of dog lovers who are ready to go "Beyond the Sidewalk" with their best furry friends. Their main goal is to spend true quality time with their pups doing fun activities, rather than just rushing through the daily grind by simply walking around their neighborhoods. They say you don't need to be a dog parent to join, but you'll have to embrace their pooches! Phoenix Holistic Dog Meetup This training group in Phoenix, AZ is for dog parents who want to have better relationships with their dogs, to enjoy good times, and to help their dogs reach their fullest potentials. Phoenix Holistic Dog Meetup welcomes all dogs, even "bully" and large breeds, because they know how challenging it can be to find a meetup that is willing to include them. This group offers a safe, loving environment where members can explore a new philosophy of holistic dog parenting. Downward with Your Dog GARY Three men were wounded in two separate shootings Thursday, including a man who was flown to a Chicago hospital after he was shot more than a dozen times, police said. Gary police responded to the first shooting about 5:30 p.m. in the 2500 block of Van Buren Street, Cmdr. Jack Hamady said. Officers found a 31-year-old Gary man with a gunshot wound to his lower back in the front yard of a residence, he said. The Gary Fire Department took the man to a local hospital for treatment. About 9:30 p.m., two men were shot while they were sitting in a vehicle at a gas station in the 4800 block of Broadway, police said. After canvassing the area, police learned a man dressed in all black fired multiple shots at the driver's side door of the victims' vehicle. The driver suffered more than a dozen gunshot wounds and was flown by helicopter from a local hospital to a Chicago hospital for treatment, Hamady said. The passenger suffered gunshot wounds to his leg and foot, police said. The shootings brought the total number of gunshot victims in Gary so far this year to 125, Hamady said. The city had logged 113 gunshot victims at the same time last year. CROWN POINT A new interim director for the Lakes of the Four Seasons Public Safety Department has been appointed following the resignation of its former leader. On Thursday, it was announced that Larry Hunt has been named the interim director for the department. The former director, Craig Philp, served the Lakes of the Four Seasons community for 23 years, a statement from the Lakes of the Four Seasons said. "I want to thank the community for allowing me to help over the years," Philp wrote. "I wish the department and its members the best of luck in their future endeavors and new path." The Lakes of the Four Seasons Public Safety Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. Lakes of the Four Seasons is a gated, private community that is home to an estimated 7,300 residents, according to its website. The community's property owners association and two of its security guards were subjects of a criminal investigation that later led to charges being filed. On Sept. 1, a judge accepted a pretrial diversion agreement that said if the gated community complies with the terms of the agreement for 12 months, Lake County prosecutors agreed to dismiss the case against the property owners association. Gray told police he and his grandmother were arguing and she began hitting him with a cane. Defense attorney Scott King read Gary's statement to police, in which Gray wrote he told his grandmother to leave him alone but she continued to come at him. Gray claimed he went to a vehicle to grab a gas can, threatened to burn down the house and started striking matches while holding the gas can near the front door. King took issue with Burke's suggestion that it wasn't reasonable to believe Gray was striking matches while simultaneously holding a gas can. "It's stupid beyond belief, but, yes, it does happen," King said. According to Gray's story, one of the matches started a fire, he spilled gas and then tossed the gas can, and he fled when the flames became "too big." King said it was true that Gray initially lied to police, giving them different stories. However, King argued Gray never intended to start the fire or kill his grandmother. Burke told the jury the state needed to prove that Gray intentionally or knowingly killed Booth Walker and started the fire. Lanes reopened after Indiana Department of Transportation workers were injured when a semitrailer slammed into two INDOT vehicles earlier in the morning, state police said. The area reopened Friday afternoon following a lengthy closure, said Indiana State Police Sgt. Davonne Barlow. The workers were examined at an urgent care facility, said Hunter Petroviak, public relations director for INDOT's Northeast District. They were patching a section of northbound Interstate 65 in the area of 61st Avenue when the crash happened. A passenger in the semi was airlifted with serious injuries following the 2 a.m. crash, state police said. The victim's condition was unknown Friday evening. INDOT had the shoulder and third and second lanes closed at the time of the crash for the patching crews, Petroviak said. The semi hit the first truck-mounted crash cushion and then the second. One of the INDOT vehicles was totaled, as were both the mounted crash cushions on the two vehicles, he said. The driver of the truck refused treatment, according to police. Indiana State Police said no arrest in connection to the crash was made as of Friday afternoon and the incident was still under investigation. HAMMOND A generous estate gift from a retired Purdue University Northwest professor who died earlier this year will be used for student scholarships. The more than $700,000 gift to the university was left by Maria Longas, professor emerita of chemistry, who died in January, according to a news release from the university. Longas decided to use her estate to help support the university back in 2017 when she was still a full-time professor, but asked that her planned donation stay anonymous until after her death. Dr. Longas wanted to leave a legacy for Purdue Northwest students, said Jamie Manahan, executive director for development and major gifts officer for PNW, in the release. She cared deeply about our students and wanted to give them more opportunities to succeed. The endowed scholarship created in her name will fund scholarships to help those with financial need. As an advocate of women in the sciences and gender diversity on college campuses, preference will be given to women for the Dr. Maria O. Longas Scholarship that will offer financial support to full-time PNW students based on academic strengths and financial need. Top Hoosier Republicans are pushing back on Democratic President Joe Biden's efforts to bring a close to the COVID-19 pandemic by boosting vaccination rates across the country. Gov. Eric Holcomb and Attorney General Todd Rokita said Friday they believe the president has gone too far by pledging to use federal workplace safety regulations to potentially penalize large companies that fail to ensure their workers either are vaccinated against COVID-19 or regularly tested for the virus. Holcomb said he agrees with Biden the vaccine "is the number one tool that will protect us and our loved ones against COVID-19" and the vaccine will "end the pandemic." But the two-term state chief executive also said he strongly believes "it's not the state or federal government's role to issue a vaccine mandate upon citizens and private businesses." "I believe it is fundamentally a citizen's right to choose whether or not to get the vaccine. While I wish everyone would get the vaccine, we are a country built on this exact type of freedom," Holcomb said. "The announcement from President Biden is a bridge too far. Private businesses should be able to look at their own mission, their staff and their goals and make the decision best for them that will keep their doors open." VALPARAISO Porter County Community Foundation has set up a new agency to focus on improving life for children in their first three years of life. The foundation has devoted nearly $1 million in seed money over the next three years to get the new effort off the ground, President and CEO Bill Higbie said. The consequences are dire not only for the individual but also for the community at large when a child doesnt receive the necessary attention during its 1,000 days, Higbie said. This is a call Ive been waiting for for 20 years, since I first moved to Porter County, said Mary Jane Eisenhauer, executive director of First Things First Porter County. Eisenhauer was pregnant and had a 2-year-old then. She had witnessed the experience of a social worker helping mothers navigate the first 1,000 days in a childs life and expected that to happen here, too, following the birth of her second child. I knocked on the door of the neighbors next door, who also had a new baby, and said, Where do we go to get a home visitor? The response was astonishment. Eisenhauer wants to change that. After over a year and a half of lockdowns, face coverings and now mask mandates, the American notion of freedom has been challenged as we know it, but not for the first time. During the Revolutionary War, the countrys troops were falling not at the hands of the British, but from deadly smallpox. A look at what the Foundering Fathers did in the past and what they would think of today's pandemic and how they would handle its spread. BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) Federal and state lawyers will meet in North Dakota next week to negotiate a settlement for money that the state claims it spent on policing protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline. North Dakota filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2019, seeking to recover more than $38 million in damages from the monthslong pipeline protests almost five years ago. State Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem and other state lawyers will meet with attorneys from the Corps and Justice Department at the federal courthouse in Bismarck on Sept. 16. U.S. Magistrate Judge Alice Senechal will preside over the negotiations, which are closed to the public. We will know on the 16th if they are serious in settling, Stenehjem said. Its the first sit-down meeting with state and federal lawyers to work out a settlement, Stenehjem said. Federal judges handling the case have strongly suggested the negotiations, he said. If no settlement can be reached, a trial is set for May 1, 2023. EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) A shooting in southern Illinois left at least six people wounded, authorities said, and the suspects reportedly crashed their getaway vehicle into a passenger train before being captured hours later. The wounded were taken to area hospitals following the Thursday afternoon shooting in East St. Louis, according to Illinois State Police. Details on their conditions werent released. Three suspects were taken into custody about 2:30 a.m. Friday in a basement, KMOV-TV and KSDK-TV reported. They had reportedly tried to out-run a MetroLink train Thursday at a nearby crossing and their vehicle was struck, and then they continued to flee. The Associated Press left a message Friday seeking updated information from state police. Authorities didnt immediately indicate whether a motive for the shooting was known. Late one evening 55 years ago, in the winter of 1966, an Irish-American teenager named Gwen Taylor climbed through the window of her familys house in Coalinga, a small town in Californias San Joaquin Valley, and, flipping up the kickstand on a bicycle parked outside, pedaled by moonlight through the vineyards of this farming region, and across Interstate 5 to a town called Huron. No more than 15 miles separated two places that were, in crucial ways, universes apart. As late as the 1960s, the inhabitants of Coalinga, a onetime railway coaling station, were primarily Caucasian, whereas Huron was populated largely by Mexican Americans or Mexican migrants who regularly risked the illegal border crossing in search of seasonal work harvesting the worlds tomatoes, melons, sugar beets, grapes and asparagus. My mother hates when I tell this story, the designer Willy Chavarria said over a glass of chilled white wine on a recent rainy evening, referring to his origins as the son of a white girl from a sundown town, where it was once thought unsafe for those with brown skin to be seen after nightfall, and of William Robles Chavarria, a migrant worker himself and an activist whose mother on occasion fed Cesar Chavez, the legendary civil rights activist and co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association, at her kitchen table. My parents met in high school, which began to be integrated only after the civil rights movement, Mr. Chavarria, 54, said. She used to sneak out of the house and ride to Huron through the crop fields to see my father. And then unexpectedly, in July 1967, little Willy came along. The 9/11 attack turned out to be a Pyrrhic victory for Al Qaeda. The group shattered in the immediate aftermath of the Taliban regimes collapse, and most of its top leaders were either killed or captured, Lahoud wrote. Those who survived went into hiding and lost the ability to carry out major assaults abroad. America could have credibly declared itself the wars winner at the end of 2001, sparing countless lives, trillions of dollars and our national honor. Instead, we remained in Afghanistan and invaded Iraq, where our war sowed chaos that would enable the rise of ISIS. In time, ISIS, originally a spinoff of Al Qaeda, came to eclipse the group founded by Bin Laden. ISIS indiscriminate brutality, especially against other Muslims, appalled an earlier generation of jihadists; some of Al Qaedas original leadership ended up like many other aging, disillusioned radicals, disgusted by the excesses of their progeny. But this doesnt mean Bin Laden failed. Today Al Qaeda has reconstituted itself it is now far larger than it was two decades ago. And the United States in September 2021 is in truly terrible shape. Twenty years ago we were credulous and blundering. Now were sour, suspicious and lacking in discernible ideals. The advance of freedom is the calling of our time; it is the calling of our country, George W. Bush said in 2003. But this epoch of aggressive jingoism, ethnic profiling, escalating paranoia, torture, secret prisons, broken soldiers, dead civilians and dashed imperial dreams has left freedom in retreat both globally and here at home. Bushs own political party has radicalized against democracy. Faith in human freedom has curdled into the petulant solipsism of the anti-vaxxers. Since 9/11, more Americans have been killed by far-right terrorists than by jihadists. White supremacists have both recruited disillusioned veterans of the war on terror and encouraged their supporters to join the military to gain tactical experience. Of the 569 people the Department of Justice has charged in the Jan. 6 insurrection, at least 48 have military ties. You cant draw a straight line between the twin towers falling and America entering a protracted nervous breakdown; the end of any empire has multiple causes. But in his recent book Reign of Terror: How the 9/11 Era Destabilized America and Produced Trump, Spencer Ackerman convincingly links the madness that overcame this country after Sept. 11 with the rise of a president who, among other things, campaigned on a promise to end Muslim immigration and bring back torture. The painful condition of neither peace nor victory, against an enemy seen as practically subhuman, itself required vengeance, Ackerman wrote. Trump offered himself as its instrument. Declaring his presidential candidacy in his golden tower, he asked, When was the last time the U.S. won at anything? Elizabeth I. McCann, a theater producer known for what one journalist called her steel and wit who in a dizzying four-decade career won nine Tony Awards, many of them as half of McCann & Nugent Productions, and gave New York audiences more than 60 Broadway productions, including such hits as Equus, Amadeus and Les Liaisons Dangereuses, died on Thursday in the Bronx. She was 90. Her death, in a hospital, was announced by her longtime associate and friend Kristen Luciani, who said Ms. McCann had cancer. McCann & Nugent, which Ms. McCann formed in 1976 with Nelle Nugent, had a remarkable five-year winning streak, taking the Tony for either best play or best revival every year from 1978 to 1982. The first was for Dracula, a sexy variation on the classic vampire story; the rest were for dramas or satires. These included The Elephant Man (1979), the story of a physically disfigured man in Victorian England; Amadeus (1981), about the composer Antonio Salieris bitter musical rivalry with Mozart in 18th-century Vienna; and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1982), an eight-and-a-half-hour adaptation, imported from London, of Charles Dickenss 19th-century social satire. Lawrence O. Gostin, a Georgetown University law professor who specializes in public health, added: The presidents plan is bold, audacious and unprecedented. But I do think its entirely lawful. Hes on extremely strong legal ground. The moves, which Mr. Biden said would cover 100 million people, are part of a broader White House effort to curb the pandemic, which began to spin out of control in July even as Mr. Biden and his top aides were forecasting a summer of joy and declaring independence from the virus. Since then, the highly infectious Delta variant has spread rapidly, fueling a spike in cases and deaths. Also on Thursday, Mr. Biden ordered mandatory vaccination for nearly 300,000 educators in the federal Head Start Program and at more than 200 federally run schools. He announced that he would use the Defense Production Act to increase the production of rapid testing kits and would work with retailers, including Amazon and Walmart, to expand their availability. And he said the Transportation Security Administration would now double fines on passengers who refuse to wear masks. If you break the rules, be prepared to pay and by the way, show some respect, Mr. Biden said, in a salty reference to angry airline passengers who refuse to mask up. The anger you see on television toward flight attendants and others doing their jobs is wrong. Its ugly. Experts say vaccine mandates are highly effective at preventing the spread of infectious disease; that is why schools require vaccination against measles, mumps and other childhood ailments. Since the announcement on Aug. 25 that the Pentagon would require active duty military personnel to be vaccinated against Covid-19, the percentage of military members with at least one shot rose from 76.22 percent to 82.96 percent, according to Pentagon data. But Mr. Biden is unveiling his plan in a deeply polarized environment around Covid-19 vaccination, and experts seemed split on how effective it will be. Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said the actions might be too little, too late, and warned that Americans opposed to vaccination might dig in and bristle at being told what to do. The American Hospital Association was cautious, warning that the moves may result in exacerbating the severe work force shortage problems that currently exist. President Biden on Thursday amplified calls for states to take more aggressive measures to keep children in school amid surging coronavirus cases, calling on governors to require vaccinations for all school employees and for districts to implement more regular testing. In the latest iteration of the White Houses plan to combat the coronavirus pandemic, the administration will also require teachers and other employees of schools run by federal agencies to be vaccinated as part of his broad push to get the federal work force protected. That requirement would apply to those who teach in Head Start programs, Department of Defense Schools, and schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Education. Collectively, those schools serve more than 1 million children and employ nearly 300,000 staff, according to the plan released by administration officials. In remarks Thursday evening, during which Mr. Biden sold his plan to an American public that is divided on vaccines, he also made impassioned pleas to populations outside of his control: He implored parents to get their eligible children ages 12 and older vaccinated, and state leaders to help raise the 90 percent of the nations teaching force that is reportedly vaccinated to 100 percent. Moving aggressively to combat the spread of the Delta variant, President Biden announced a six-part plan on Thursday that would touch on nearly every aspect of society, in what amounted to the most expansive use of his presidential authority since he took office in January. Here is what is in the plan. Enacting new vaccination requirements To increase the number of Americans who are vaccinated, the Labor Department will develop an emergency rule requiring all private-sector businesses with more than 100 employees to require that their workforces be fully vaccinated or test negative at least once a week. The rule would affect an estimated 80 million workers. Employers will also be required to give paid time off for employees to get vaccinated. In an expansion of his earlier push to vaccinate the federal work force, Mr. Biden signed an executive order requiring all executive branch employees and federal contractors to be vaccinated, with no exception to test out of the requirement. Mr. Biden said he intended to extend a vaccination requirement that applies to health care workers who treat patients on Medicare and Medicaid in nursing homes to all other medical facilities, including hospitals and at-home care. This is an economic downturn that has been spawned from a public health crisis, Cecilia Rouse, the chairwoman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said last month in an interview. So we will get back to economic health when we get past the virus, when we return to public health as well. That is likely true even in places that already have high inoculation rates. Mr. Bidens inability thus far to break through vaccine hesitancy, particularly in conservative areas, has also become a psychological spending drag on those in highly vaccinated areas. That is because vaccinated Americans appear more likely to pull back on travel, dining out and other activity out of fear of the virus. People who vaccinate themselves very early are people who are already very careful, said Jesus Fernandez-Villaverde, a University of Pennsylvania economist who has studied the interplay between the pandemic and the economy. People who do not vaccinate themselves are less careful. So there is a multiplier effect when it comes to those kinds of decisions. The economic effect from the virus varies by region, and it has changed in key ways over the course of the pandemic. In some heavily vaccinated parts of the country including liberal states packed with Mr. Bidens supporters virus-wary Americans have pulled back on economic activity, even though infection rates in their areas are low. In some less-vaccinated states like Texas that have experienced a large Delta wave, data suggest rising hospitalization and death rates are not driving down activity as much as they did in previous waves. It appears the latest Covid surge has been less impactful on the economy than previous surges in Texas, said Laila Assanie, a senior business economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, which surveys employers in the state each month about their activity during the pandemic. Business owners, Ms. Assanie said, said they were better prepared this time around. But there were zebras five, in fact, that had recently escaped from a nearby farm and had been roaming freely through the backyards and roads of Prince Georges County, just as they would in the grasslands of eastern Africa. When I first heard about it I was like, OK, youve got to be kidding me, right? Zebras? said Rodney Taylor, chief of the Prince Georges County Animal Services Division. Over 39 years in animal control, he has had to corral the occasional cow or other farm animal. But never a zebra. Most times, were dealing with a dog and cat more than anything else, he said. The wandering zebras first came to the attention of the authorities on Aug. 31 after they escaped from a privately owned farm in Upper Marlboro, Md., about 20 miles southeast of Washington, Mr. Taylor said. He said that he did not know how the zebras got loose, but that they were part of a zeal of 39 (yes, thats what a bunch of zebras are sometimes called) that had been brought to the farm from Florida about two weeks ago. He said he was not sure why the farm owner, whom he identified as Jerry Holly, had been keeping zebras in Maryland, but they were not part of a zoo or other exposition. We were standing about a block or two from the North Tower, and we both turned around slowly toward the noise and saw the tower begin to collapse. Crowds of terrified people were running toward us. It was hard to process what was happening, but it reminded me of a scene from a Godzilla movie. The woman Id been talking to figured it out before I did. Its falling! she screamed and grabbed my hand. Run! I started to run, but I was wearing heels and could only shuffle. So I kicked off my shoes and ran barefoot. The massive debris cloud consumed us, and people started scattering, trying to get indoors at nearby buildings. A doorman at one apartment building was waving his arms, beckoning us to seek cover. Once inside, the residents welcomed us into their homes, giving us water to drink and wet towels to wipe away the ash. A woman named Phyllis noticed my bare feet and gave me a pair of Birkenstock sandals that happened to be just the right size. She was visiting from Atlanta, and told me to keep them. It turned out I needed those shoes. Over the course of the day, as I tried to make my way home, I ended up walking nearly 10 miles. First, evacuation boats took us across the river into New Jersey, away from the dangers of Lower Manhattan. I met a man who was also trying to get home, so we walked north along the water together, trying to find a ferry or bridge that would allow us to get back to our families in the city. Everything had shut down for security reasons, but we kept walking, and finally made it to the George Washington Bridge at the top of Manhattan. It was late at night before we were allowed to cross over and head home. When I finally walked into my Brooklyn apartment around 10 p.m., my 2-year-old was wide awake and waiting for me. Mama got new shoes, she exclaimed. At Thursdays joint news conference at the airport, Taliban and Qatari officials hailed the flight as the moment that Afghanistan reconnected with the international community. While that may have been overstated many world leaders clearly remain deeply wary of the countrys new leaders American officials had words of praise Thursday for the militants that U.S. forces battled for two decades. The Taliban have been cooperative in facilitating the departure of American citizens and lawful permanent residents on charter flights from H.K.I.A., Emily Horne, a National Security Council spokeswoman, said in a statement, referring to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. They have shown flexibility, and they have been businesslike and professional in our dealings with them in this effort. This is a positive first step. The State Department confirmed that Americans were on the plane, which later landed in Doha, Qatars capital, but would not say how many there were. A spokesman, Ned Price, said more than 30 Americans had been invited onto the flight but that some did not go. At Kabuls airport Thursday, as passengers were being checked in for the flight to Qatar, the mood of relief stood in stark contrast to the scene there just over a week ago. Safi, 42, who is from Toronto, was among those passing through security to board the plane. He said he had tried to leave during the evacuation but had given up as chaos enveloped the streets outside the airport. At the end of August, a suicide bombing attack at the gates of the airport killed scores of Afghans and 13 U.S. service members. Marking is a dancers secret weapon. Think of it as going through the motions of choreography without actually performing it. As the hands glide through the dance, the feet move along its spatial pathways. A finger spinning in the air? That signifies a turn. For dancers, marking doesnt just preserve energy, its a memorization tool, connecting the movement to the mind. You see it in class, in rehearsals, during a backstage warm-up. But where you dont usually see it is in a performance. Until now. This fall, the artist and choreographer Madeline Hollander is bringing this ritualistic and secret language of dance to the stage. For Review, part of the Performa biennial in October, Hollander worked with 25 New York City dancers whose shows were cut short or canceled by the pandemic. They will meet on a stage to mark through dances they were meant to perform; from that, Hollander has created a requiem of this period in time. While the future remains uncertain, this display of marking leaving behind personal traces of what was meant to be seems both correct and poignant. Much on the dance calendar is still in flux, which fittingly includes aspects of Hollanders performance. It will be outdoors, like most Performa events, but exactly when and where is still up in the air. She does know this: Review will be shown in the round on a sunken stage. The pandemic brought dance to a halt on multiple fronts, shutting down not only theaters but also the spaces where dancers train. Alongside the gradual return of live performance in New York, dance studios have been making a cautious comeback, as they reopen for in-person classes with safety protocols in place. Thats good news for anyone, professional or amateur, who has grown weary of dancing at home, alone, in front of a screen. Across the city this fall, opportunities to dance offline abound: One way to shake off the pandemic blues, even as the pandemic presses on. As much as were thankful for being able to work virtually, its a completely different energy to be with each other in person, said Jimena Martinez, the executive director and co-founder of Cumbe: Center for African and Diaspora Dance in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Like many dance studios, Cumbe switched to a fully online schedule early in the pandemic. Its indoor, in-person classes in forms like Afro-Haitian dance, Samba and Chicago-Style Steppin resumed this month. (The studio continues to offer virtual and outdoor classes.) Martinez said online classes have had their benefits, attracting new students from beyond Brooklyn who couldnt normally get to the studio. But the joyful, even therapeutic power of dancing together in a shared space with live drumming, a staple of many Cumbe classes has been hard to replicate on Zoom. The Marron Atrium of the Museum of Modern Art is a big, awkward space, a hollow that rises from the second to the sixth floor. Since opening amid MoMAs 2004 expansion, it has hosted many projects but few as complex as Who Is Queen? by Adam Pendleton, which arrives on Sept. 18. Over several months, the artist has built three black scaffold structures 60 feet high, off the walls, like an endoskeleton. Each forms a layered, irregular grid, with internal ladders and landings. The ensemble fires off references De Stijl, Le Corbusiers Unites dHabitation, Manhattan tenements. But the use of lumber two-by-fours and so on evokes humble home-building, and the overlaps where planks are bolted together generate a kind of shimmer and rhythm. Pendleton, 37, is best known as a painter of abstract canvases in a distinctive black-and-white style that challenge how we read language. Made using spray-paint, brush and silk-screen processes, they incorporate photocopied text, words unmoored from context, letters scrambled and repeated. Here, his large paintings are dispersed on the scaffolds at different heights, some deliberately obscured by the lattice. Paul Goldberger of The New York Times described the galleries as bunkers, a vaguely Egyptian version of postmodern architecture. Some art critics carped over the collection, irritated by Mr. Laclotte and his colleagues decision to include a range of work from the mid-19th century to about 1915, rather than just the blue-chip Impressionists. In any case, the public poured in, and Mr. Laclotte was proud of the passions his new museum seemed to inspire. A few years after the Musee DOrsay opened, he found himself with a group of American curator friends, two of whom were arguing about the museum. One was shouting, I hate Orsay, the other, I love Orsay, he wrote in his memoir. At that point, I said to myself that the battle was won. The museum inspired pleasure, interest and intellectual debate exactly as we had wished. The debate around the Musee dOrsay, however, was a tepid academic tiff compared with the one that erupted when plans for a multiphase renovation and expansion of the Louvre, called the Grand Louvre, were unveiled in the early 1980s. The vast, rambling palace that was the Louvre the most famous art museum in the world and the home of the Mona Lisa was by the 1970s cramped, dingy, disorganized and impossible to navigate. Mr. Laclotte described it as a sea serpent that he and his colleagues were forever wrangling. One wing of the museum had been taken over by the Ministry of Finance, which turned it into a warren of offices. The Cour Napoleon, the Louvres central courtyard, was a parking lot by day and a gay cruising spot by night. When Francois Mitterrand, head of the countrys Socialist Party, was elected president in 1981, he gave his go-ahead for the renovation. (Large cultural institutions in France are run by the state.) For years, they have worked their way to the top of the classical music industry. They have confronted stereotypes that they are too weak to lead. They have shared advice about how to deal with sexist comments and even how to dress. Now a group of women could be on the cusp of breaking barriers in one of musics most stubbornly homogeneous spheres: the male-dominated world of orchestral conducting. In the history of American orchestras, only one woman has risen to lead a top-tier ensemble: Marin Alsop, whose tenure as music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra ended last month. Her departure has ushered in an unsettling era for the countrys musical landscape. Among the 25 largest ensembles, there are now no women serving as music directors. Casting began in early 2020. After Isaac met with Levi, he wrote to Chastain to tell her about the project. She wasnt available. The producers cast Michelle Williams. But the pandemic reshuffled everyones schedules. When production was ready to resume, Williams was no longer free. Chastain was. That was for me the most amazing miracle, Levi said. Isaac and Chastain met in the early 2000s at Juilliard. He was in his first year; she, in her third. He first saw her in a scene from a classical tragedy, slapping men in the face as Helen of Troy. He was friendly with her then-boyfriend, and they soon became friends themselves, bonding through the shared trauma of an acting curriculum designed to break its students down and then build them back up again. Isaac remembered her as a real force of nature and solid, completely solid, with an incredible amount of integrity, he said. In the next window, Chastain blushed. He was super talented, she said. But talented in a way that wasnt expected, thats challenging and pushing against constructs and ideas. She introduced him to her manager, and they celebrated each others early successes and went to each others premieres. (A few of those photos are used in Scenes From a Marriage as set dressing.) In 2013, Chastain was cast in J.C. Chandors A Most Violent Year, opposite Javier Bardem. When Bardem dropped out, Chastain campaigned for Isaac to have the role. Weeks before shooting, they began to meet, fleshing out the back story of their characters a husband and wife trying to corner the heating oil market in 1981 New York the details of the marriage, business, life. It was their first time working together, and each felt a bond that went deeper than a parallel education and approach. Something connects us thats stronger than any ideas of character or story or any of that, Isaac said. Theres something else thats more about like, a shared existence. Chandor noticed how they would support each other on set, and challenge each other, too, giving each other the freedom to take the characters relationship to dark and dangerous places. They have this innate trust with each other, Chandor said. The great crises in U.S. history have often inspired the country to great accomplishments. The Civil War led to the emancipation of Black Americans and a sprawling program of domestic investment in railroads, colleges and more. World War II helped spark the creation of the modern middle class and cemented the so-called American Century. The Cold War caused its own investment boom, in the space program, computer technology and science education. The attacks of Sept. 11 which occurred on a sparkling late-summer morning 20 years ago tomorrow had the potential to leave their own legacy of recovery. In sorrow and anger, Americans were more united in the weeks after the attacks than they had been in years. President George W. Bushs approval rating exceeded 85 percent. It isnt hard to imagine how Bush might have responded to Sept. 11 with the kind of domestic mobilization of previous wars. He could have rallied the country to end its reliance on Middle Eastern oil, a reliance that both financed radical American enemies and kept the U.S. enmeshed in the region. While attacking Al Qaeda militarily, Bush also could have called for enormous investments in solar energy, wind energy, nuclear power and natural gas. It could have been transformative, for the economy, the climate and Bushs historical standing. Bush chose a different path, one that was ambitious in its own right: the freedom agenda. He hoped that his toppling of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam Hussein in Iraq would inspire people around the world to rise up for democracy and defeat autocracy. For a brief period the Arab Spring, starting in 2010 his vision almost seemed to be playing out. Bank of America made sweeping changes to the companys leadership Friday that elevated several executives, including three women, to senior jobs and all but guaranteed that Brian Moynihan, the chief executive, would remain at the helm of the nations second-largest bank for years to come. The company promoted Alastair Borthwick, its current head of commercial banking in New York, to chief financial officer. It also gave more responsibilities to Dean Athanasia, who runs the consumer-banking division from Boston. Lauren Mogensen was elevated to general counsel. Mr. Moynihan is 61, and the race to succeed him is likely to be a long one. Senior executives being groomed for top jobs typically need several years of experience helping to oversee all aspects of a company before they are deemed eligible to take the helm. Mr. Moynihan signaled his intention to stick around: In a letter to staff, he said the new cohort of leaders will help him run the bank in accordance with a growth strategy he put in place in 2010 when he took the chief executive job through its second decade, with me and with all of you. For once, Washington seemed to get in front of a crisis. When the first wave of coronavirus spread across the country in the spring of 2020, it ravaged the economy, pushing millions of low-income tenants to the brink of eviction. Over the next year, Congress responded with a series of relief packages that included a $46.5 billion fund for emergency rental assistance. That represented one of the biggest infusions of federal housing aid in generations. But the promise of that help has long since given way to confusion and desperation as national eviction protections lapse with the vast majority of that rental assistance sitting unspent, precipitating the precise crisis Washington had hoped to avoid. How did this happen? That is what White House officials and members of Congress are asking. On Friday, the House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing to examine the shortcomings of the fund, known as the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which had only distributed a fraction of its total funding by Aug. 1, according to the Treasury Department. The Supreme Courts decision to strike down the national moratorium on evictions last month has transformed a vexing administrative problem into an acute human crisis, placing at least 2 million renters in immediate danger of eviction, according to one estimate. Follow our latest coverage of business, markets and economy. S&P 500 - % Dow - % Nasdaq - % An annual report on U.S. poverty and Apples newest products: the week ahead. Monday Oil demand outlook: OPEC is scheduled to release a report providing oil demand estimates for next year. The demand outlook could be affected by mounting uncertainty caused by the Delta variant. Tuesday Consumer Price Index: The Labor Department is set to publish its monthly report on price increases. Investors will look for signals on whether inflation is temporary or could last longer than economists and policymakers currently expect. Poverty report: The Census Bureau will release its annual report on income and poverty in the United States. Poverty is expected to have risen slightly last year, despite the huge increase in unemployment, signaling that government aid helped offset the economic impact of the pandemic. Apple iPhone event: Apple is set to unveil its latest line of iPhones and other products at a virtual event. Thursday Retail sales: The Commerce Department will publish data on spending for the month of August. Shopping at U.S. retailers dropped sharply in July, and another decline in sales could signal a slowdown in the broader economic recovery. Friday Consumer sentiment: The University of Michigan will publish its monthly consumer sentiment index, a key indicator into the economic recovery. The index fell more than 13 percent in July as consumers expected price increases to continue. Read more The S&P 500 drops for a fifth day, its worst stretch since February. U.S. stocks fell for a fifth straight day on Friday, with the S&P 500 ending the week down 1.7 percent in its longest losing streak since February. For the day, the S&P, the benchmark U.S. index, fell 0.8 percent. Apple, which as the largest company in the S&P 500 by market capitalization has an outsize impact on the index, dropped 3.3 percent after a federal judge ordered the company to stop restricting app developers in its App Store from directing customers to other ways to pay for their services. Google, which is locked in its own court case over payments for apps, fell 1.9 percent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite ended the day 0.9 percent lower. But the losses werent confined to the tech sector. Companies relying on the end to pandemic-related precautions took a beating, one day after President Biden announced that he was resorting to what will effectively be a vaccine mandate for tens of millions of U.S. workers. American Airlines was one of the worst-performing stocks of the day, falling 6.2 percent, and United Airlines and Delta Air Lines performed nearly as poorly. The casino company Penn National Gaming fell 4.9 percent, and Las Vegas Sands was down 4.2 percent. The health care giant Cigna fell 4.3 percent. Kroger, the grocery store chain, fell 7.5 percent after it reported that sales in the three months ending Aug. 14 declined from the same period last year. U.S. producer prices rose 0.7 percent in August from July, the Labor Department reported on Friday, a sign of continuing inflation. The Producer Price Index was up 8.3 percent from a year earlier, the largest jump since the 12-month data was first calculated in 2010, according to the Labor Department. In a call following its financial report, Kroger executives said that the costs of products were rising and that it believed that inflation for the full year will be higher than originally contemplated. Coral Murphy Marcos and Read more Advertisement Continue reading the main story Mattel dusts off He-Man, with a nod to diversity. Image Sun-Man, a character created in 1985 by a New Jersey mother, will be officially added to the Masters of the Universe roster. Credit... Bryan Anselm for The New York Times When Mattel introduced the brawny superhero He-Man in 1982, he was an instant hit. Four years later, at the peak of its popularity, sales of the sword-and-sorcery toy line soared to $400 million in the U.S. Now, nearly four decades after their first appearance, He-Man and the rest of the Masters of the Universe are looking to conquer the toy aisles again. But Mattel is trying to revive a dormant franchise for a new generation of consumers ones who expect content that reflects their world. To help, the toymaker has teamed up with Netflix to produce two new animated series to go along with two toy lines that have already hit retailers shelves. And Mattel is expanding the Masters of the Universes roster of muscled heroes with the introduction of Sun-Man, a Black character created in 1985 by a New Jersey mother who wanted to create a role model for her son. Image Yla Eason started Olmec Toys in 1985 to make Sun-Man and other multicultural toys. Credit... Bryan Anselm for The New York Times Image The intention was to give positive Black presentation in imagination and creativity, she said. Credit... Olmec Toys, via Yla Eason My son said he couldnt be a superhero because he was Black. He was 3, said Yla Eason, an assistant professor of professional practice at Rutgers University. So she started her own company, Olmec Toys, to make Sun-Man and other toys for Black, Hispanic and Native American children. The intention was to give positive Black presentation in imagination and creativity, she said. That concept resonates more powerfully today, said Ed Duncan, a senior vice president at Mattel who is overseeing Sun-Mans official introduction into the lineup. Reintroducing a Black hero for todays kids not only feels good, it feels important, he said in an email. Sun-Man is such an aspirational character, from his aesthetic design to his character traits and powers. In the two Netflix series Masters of the Universe: Revelation, (developed by Kevin Smith, who created raunchy films like Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back), and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, (aimed at younger audiences) some characters were reimagined as Black. Children need to see themselves represented in the world around them, said Rob David, the vice president of creative content for Mattel Television and an executive producer for the two animated series. The TV screen is a window and also a mirror, he said. Image Ed Duncan, the Mattel executive who is overseeing Sun-Mans official introduction into the Masters of the Universe toy line. Credit... Alex Welsh for The New York Times The Masters of the Universe revival is part of a larger expansion strategy under Mattels chief executive, Ynon Kreiz, to dust off aging franchises. We have a treasure trove of brands, some that were shelved for whatever reason, said Richard Dickson, the president and chief operating officer of Mattel. Brands that are lined up for expansion include the Magic 8 Ball, the Major Matt Mason action figure and the card game Uno. Expanding its intellectual properties could make Mattel more profitable at a time when the toy industry is booming. After tumbling 4 percent in 2019, U.S. toy sales jumped 16 percent to $25.1 billion last year, according to the NPD Group, a research firm. Mattel reported a 40 percent increase in net sales in its most recent quarter compared with the same period in 2020. Ynon Kreiz changed a lot about the business, said Gerrick Johnson, an equity research analyst for BMO Capital Markets. He looked at the profitability of the licenses. Pulling a brand like Masters of the Universe out of the vault is a smart strategy, he said, because Mattel can turn around and sell licenses for a range of products, like bedsheets and backpacks. Beyond toys and the series and a long-gestating movie project Mattel is lining up partnerships in publishing and in softgoods, which include clothing and bedding, said Mr. Dickson, who declined to provide additional details. Adults who grew up with the original He-Man and kept the brand alive on fan websites and conventions like Power-Con, which starts Saturday in Anaheim, Calif., are excited about his comeback, but wary of overkill at mainstream retailers. Im worried about there being too much and crowding the market, said Danny Eardley, the lead author of The Toys of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Poor performance could signal to Mattel that there is not enough interest. But Mr. Dickson wants to allay those fears. Its obvious that we let the property go dormant over time, he said. But we are strategic about every toy that we put out. Read more Toyota to cut production 40% in October because of the chip shortage. Image An employee works on a Yaris car at the Toyota car factory in Onnaing, France. Credit... Michel Spingler/Associated Press Toyota Motor said on Friday that it will make about 40 percent fewer cars and trucks around the world in October as a result of complications from a shortage of computer chips and Covid-19 restrictions affecting the production of parts in Southeast Asia. It will be the second month in a row that Toyota, the worlds largest automaker by the number of cars and trucks sold, has slashed production because of the shortage and the pandemic. It is the latest sign that the auto industry could be hamstrung by the chip shortage well into 2022. In a statement, Toyota said it now expects to produce 330,000 fewer vehicles in October than it had previously planned. Its North American operations would likely see production lowered by 60,000 to 80,000 vehicles in October. The company also said global output in September would fall about 70,000 vehicles short of previously lowered production targets. Key reasons for the production adjustment include a decline in operations at several local suppliers due to the prolonged spread of Covid-19 in Southeast Asia and the impact of tighter semiconductor supplies, the automaker said. Although our plants and suppliers are taking thorough quarantine and vaccination measures in response to the pandemic in Southeast Asia, the spread of Covid-19 infections remains unpredictable, making it difficult to maintain operations due to lockdowns at various locations. For the fiscal year ending March 31, Toyota now expects to produce nine million cars and trucks, down from an earlier estimate of 9.3 million. Until recently, Toyota had weathered the chip shortage better than many other automakers because of its close ties with suppliers and its large stockpile of parts and components. Most automakers had forecast that the chip shortage would ease in the second half of this year. Yet, companies are still being forced to slow output and temporarily idle plants. Advertisement Continue reading the main story F.A.A. awards $100 million in grants to efforts to reduce aviations environmental impact. Image The grants are part of the federal Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise program, which began in 2010. Credit... Scott McIntyre for The New York Times The Federal Aviation Administration announced more than $100 million in grants on Friday to help make flying more environmentally sustainable and less noisy, the first such awards since 2015 under a decade-old program. The grants, which are part of the Biden administrations efforts to combat climate change, will go to some of the worlds largest aviation companies, including Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, Honeywell Aerospace and GE Aviation. The money is designated for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or noise pollution. Recipients must invest at least as much of their money as they receive from the government. Across the country, communities have been devastated by the effects of climate change but, if we act now, we can ensure that aviation plays a central role in the solution, the transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, said in a statement. The nations largest airlines this year pledged to eliminate net carbon emissions by 2050, but it is not clear how they will achieve that goal. Electric airplanes that can carry a few hundred people do not exist and may not be feasible for many years or decades. Some companies, like Boeing, have said replacing or supplementing oil-based jet fuel with alternatives, sometimes made from waste, could help reduce emissions. Airbus is working on developing a hydrogen-powered plane. Its not clear how viable either approach will be. President Biden has taken a series of actions aimed at slashing carbon emissions, including setting goals of eliminating emissions from the power sector by 2035 and having as many as half of new cars sold be electric by 2030. On Thursday, his administration set a target for replacing all jet fuel with sustainable alternatives by 2050. We enthusiastically support the approach laid out for our industry by the Biden administration, the chief executive of American Airlines, Doug Parker, said in a statement. The new grants are the third round of funding under the Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise program, a public-private partnership that began in 2010. No grants were issued under former President Donald Trump, who has called climate change a hoax. The F.A.A. has already spent $225 million on such grants, including on projects to improve engine systems, aircraft wings, flight path software and alternative jet fuels. The investments have helped develop technology that will reduce carbon dioxide emissions equal to removing about three million cars from the road by 2050, according to the agency. GE Aviation said it and the F.A.A. would together invest $55 million over the next five years to explore engine improvements, electrification, noise reduction and alternative fuels. Those efforts include exploring new engine fan designs, improved heat management and new combustors that could lower the amount of nitrogen oxides released by the companys engines. It just allows us to move faster, said Arjan Hegeman, general manager of advanced technologies for the company. We only have so many people and so much of a budget, and any type of participation and partnership that can help us do more and bring some of these important technologies earlier to maturation and therefore earlier to the market is just a fantastic opportunity. Mr. Hegeman said some of the technologies being developed now could appear in finished products by the end of the decade or soon after. The maintenance, repair and overhaul division of Delta Air Lines and other companies plan to use the grant money to develop better coatings for engine fan blades to reduce fuel use and extend the life of engines. Like our quest for safer skies, making flying sustainable requires us to constantly look for ways to improve, the F.A.A. administrator, Steve Dickson, a former Delta pilot, said in a statement. Separately, United Airlines and Honeywell on Thursday announced an investment in Alder Fuels, a producer of alternative jet fuels. United said it would buy 1.5 billion gallons of the fuel. Read more Advertisement Continue reading the main story Britains economic recovery nearly stalled in July as Delta variant spread. Image A shopper in London. Retail sales in Britain fell in July, contributing to the first decline in consumer-facing services since January. Credit... Hannah Mckay/Reuters The British economy almost stalled in July, even as most of the final pandemic restrictions were lifted. The services sector, which had been the engine of the economic recovery this year, ground to a halt as the Delta variant spread across the country, forcing people to stay home and consumer spending to decline. Gross domestic product increased by 0.1 percent in July from the previous month, according to the first estimate by the Office for National Statistics, a slower expansion than most analysts had expected. Although Britain eked out a sixth consecutive month of gains, the pace was considerably slower. The main reason the economy grew at all was the reopening of an oil field after planned maintenance. Services and manufacturing output were flat and construction contracted for a fourth month. Output from the service industry, which include shops, restaurants and hotels, fell for the first time since January, the statistics agency said, primarily because of a decline in retail sales. These services are still nearly 7 percent below their prepandemic level. In the overall services sector, the return of music festivals and other large events in July wasnt enough to offset declines in advertising, real estate and elsewhere. At the same time, manufacturing was hampered by a struggle to fill vacancies and construction companies were waylaid by price increases and scarce materials such as steel and lumber. The economy was still 2.1 percent below its prepandemic size in July and could struggle to fully recover as shortages of staff and products weigh on economic activity. Making up that last G.D.P. lost portion of output will be the hard bit as the early gains from the reopening have been largely exhausted, analysts at the Royal Bank of Canada wrote in a note. The Bank of England expects the economy to return to its prepandemic size this year, but the shape of the recovery has changed. The central bank said last month that faster growth in the second quarter would be offset by a slowdown in the third quarter. Since then, the central bankers have been paying close attention to supply chain disruptions and their impact on inflation. Because of the persistence of the virus, the central bank still hasnt seen the rebalancing of demand toward services (such as travel and office catering), and away from goods (like cars and work-from-home equipment) that it expected, Andrew Bailey, the Bank of England governor, told British lawmakers this week. And so, the global demand for goods was pushing commodity prices higher, like oil and metals, he said. Policymakers expected supply bottlenecks to eventually be resolved as the pandemic comes to an end, but Mr. Bailey said he was more concerned about how long the mismatches in the labor market would go on. Businesses across nearly every sector have complained about not being able to fill positions, even though unemployment has risen and many people are still furloughed from their jobs. At the moment, were seeing some leveling off of the recovery, Mr. Bailey said on Wednesday. Read more Fords exit from India hits workers, dealers and customers. Image A Ford showroom in New Delhi, India. The automaker said it would close its operations in the country. Credit... Altaf Hussain/Reuters Ford Motors decision to close its Indian operations was met with shock and defensiveness on Friday, after it became the latest American company to close its doors in a country with both tremendous possibilities and high hurdles. The decision announced on Thursday would affect 4,000 employees as well as hundreds of dealers and a considerable number of customers. More than $272 million has been invested in setting up dealerships that employ about 40,000 people, said Vinkesh Gulati, president of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations in India, which represents more than four-fifths of the countrys retailers. Many Indians were expecting delivery of their new Ford vehicles on Friday, the day of the Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, the birthday of a god worshiped as the harbinger of good things and a symbol of prosperity. Now, selling those cars could become difficult. The first priority is service, but when a company exits, whatever they may say for confidence building, no comment will ring true because customers are scared, Mr. Gulati said in a telephone interview. Ford is the latest prominent American vehicle manufacturer to leave India, following Harley Davidson which exited in the winter of 2020 and General Motors, which quit the local market in 2017. Global manufacturing giants had long looked at Indias growing middle class as a market to grab. They had also been enticed by the countrys cheap labor and promises by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cut red tape and make business easier to conduct. Though the government has made some progress, it has struggled to remove barriers and construct a robust ecosystem. Industry experts say a lack of demand has discouraged the private sector. The economy has also taken a hit from the pandemic. India recently posted strong economic growth on paper, but the official figures benefited from a sharp contraction last year when the government locked down the economy to contain the coronavirus. Economists say India will struggle in coming years to make up the growth lost from the pandemic. Real household income fell last year, as unemployment grew and tens of millions of middle-class Indians fell into poverty. Ford plans to phase out its plants in India. A vehicle assembly plant on its western coast in Gujarat will be shuttered by the fourth quarter of 2021 and another for vehicle and engine manufacturing in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu by the second quarter of 2022. The company hopes to restructure its operations around electric vehicles and niche markets, like providing imported Mustangs to India. Government officials on Friday defended Indias business environment in the local media, saying other automakers have prospered. Still, industry figures showed that demand for new vehicles has weakened in recent years, and automakers are dealing with industrywide challenges like a tight market for computer chips. Read more Advertisement Continue reading the main story Bank of America makes sweeping leadership changes. Image Brian Moynihan, the chief executive of Bank of America, announced the changes in a staff memo. Credit... Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Bank of America overhauled its top management Friday after the decisions of two key executives to retire prompted a cascade of changes. Alastair Borthwick, who has run the commercial banking business for nine years, was appointed chief financial officer starting in the fourth quarter, the bank said in a statement. He succeeds Paul Donofrio, who will become vice chair and oversee sustainable finance. Lauren Mogensen will become global general counsel at the end of the year, succeeding David Leitch, who will retire next year. The heads of the banks investment-banking and trading divisions will stay in their current roles and report directly to the chief executive, Brian Moynihan. As we focus on the path ahead and what it requires, and individuals decide they are ready to transition and/or retire, we are able to promote and expand colleagues from inside the company resulting in new opportunities, smooth transitions, and continued momentum, Mr. Moynihan wrote in a memo to staff. Aditya Bhasin was promoted to chief technology and information officer. His predecessor, Cathy Bessant, will become vice chair of global strategy. The latest from the trial of Theranoss Elizabeth Holmes. Video The disgraced founder of the blood testing start-up Theranos arrived at the federal courthouse and stood trial for two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 10 counts of wire fraud. Credit Credit... Mike Kai Chen for The New York Times The judge in the trial of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of the blood testing start-up Theranos, canceled Fridays proceedings after a juror said he might have been exposed to someone with the coronavirus. The juror reported no symptoms, and is getting a lab test on Saturday. Out of caution, Judge Edward J. Davila of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California proposed going dark while awaiting the test results. The trial is expected to last four months. Lawyers for the government and the defense made their opening statements on Wednesday, and a former controller for the company began to testify before the proceedings ended for the day. [Read more about the trials opening statements.] The governments case Robert Leach, an assistant U.S. attorney, methodically described the times that Theranos came close to going out of business. Out of time and out of money, Elizabeth Holmes decided to lie, he said, in what became a refrain Mr. Leach described Theranoss false claims that its technology was being used on battlefields. He showed apparently falsified reports that Ms. Holmes gave to investors from pharmaceutical companies endorsing Theranoss technology. He said she had peddled wildly exaggerated revenue projections and had used the news media to execute her fraud. The scheme brought her fame, it brought her honor, and it brought her adoration, Mr. Leach said. The defense The defense argued that Ms. Holmes was a hardworking, if naive, entrepreneur who did not succeed but did not commit any crimes. The villain the government just presented is actually a living, breathing human being who did her very best each and every day, said Lance Wade, a lawyer with Williams & Connolly who represents Ms. Holmes. Trying your hardest and coming up short is not a crime. Mr. Wade argued that the reality of Theranoss failure was more complicated than the governments presentation and that the company had built some valuable blood-testing technology. Image There has been intense media interest in Elizabeth Holmess trial. Credit... Nick Otto/Agence France-Presse Getty Images The circus Interest in the trial was so high that a line began forming to get into the federal courthouse before 5 a.m. Entering the windy alley in front of the courthouse at about 8 a.m., Ms. Holmes was swarmed by camera crews. She was escorted through the scrum by her boyfriend, Billy Evans, and family members. Curious members of the public also showed up, as did a crew of three blond-haired women in black suits who resembled the defendant. At one point, Mr. Evans and the women in black passed around a padded seat for the courtrooms hard benches. Whos Who in the Elizabeth Holmes Trial Erin Woo Reporting from San Jose, Calif. Whos Who in the Elizabeth Holmes Trial Erin Woo Reporting from San Jose, Calif. Carlos Chavarria for The New York Times Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced founder of the blood testing start-up Theranos, stands trial for two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 10 counts of wire fraud. Here are some of the key figures in the case Whos Who in the Elizabeth Holmes Trial Erin Woo Reporting from San Jose, Calif. Stephen Lam/Reuters Holmes founded Theranos in 2003 as a 19-year-old Stanford dropout. She raised $700 million from investors and was crowned the worlds youngest billionaire, but has been accused of lying about how well Theranoss technology worked. She has pleaded not guilty. Whos Who in the Elizabeth Holmes Trial Erin Woo Reporting from San Jose, Calif. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Ramesh Balwani, known as Sunny, was Theranoss president and chief operating officer from 2009 through 2016 and was in a romantic relationship with Holmes. He has also been accused of fraud and may stand trial next year. He has pleaded not guilty. Whos Who in the Elizabeth Holmes Trial Erin Woo Reporting from San Jose, Calif. Jefferson Siegel for The New York Times David Boies, a prominent litigator, represented Theranos as its lawyer and served on its board. He tried to shut down whistle-blowers and reporters who questioned the companys business practices. Whos Who in the Elizabeth Holmes Trial Erin Woo Reporting from San Jose, Calif. Getty Images The journalist John Carreyrou wrote stories exposing fraudulent practices at Theranos. His coverage for The Wall Street Journal helped lead to the implosion of Theranos. Whos Who in the Elizabeth Holmes Trial Erin Woo Reporting from San Jose, Calif. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, via Getty Images Tyler Shultz and Erika Cheung are former Theranos employees and were whistle-blowers. They worked at the start-up in 2013 and 2014. Shultz is a grandson of George Shultz, a former secretary of state who was on the Theranos board. Whos Who in the Elizabeth Holmes Trial Erin Woo Reporting from San Jose, Calif. Eric Thayer for The New York Times James Mattis, a retired four-star general, was a member of Theranoss board. He went on to serve as President Donald J. Trumps secretary of defense. Whos Who in the Elizabeth Holmes Trial Erin Woo Reporting from San Jose, Calif. Edward Davila, a federal judge for the Northern District of California, will oversee the case. Kevin Downey, a partner at the Washington law firm Williams & Connolly, is the lead lawyer for Holmes. Robert Leach, an assistant United States attorney for the Northern District of California, will lead the prosecution for the government, along with other prosecutors from the U.S. attorneys office. Read more about Elizabeth Holmes: They Still Live in the Shadow of Theranoss Elizabeth Holmes Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes Indicted on Fraud Charges Copy story link Aug. 30, 2021 Item 1 of 9 Read more Advertisement Continue reading the main story Kate Lucadamo, a spokeswoman for the City Council, said the body would fight the lawsuit. Restaurants are not just a critical part of New York Citys economy, they are part of our culture and our way of living, Ms. Lucadamo said. The Council could not allow third-party delivery apps to continue their predatory practices unchecked. The lawsuit comes as third-party delivery-app usage has soared during the pandemic, even as efforts to regulate the apps have also increased. San Francisco voted to make a 15 percent cap on fees permanent, but Mayor London Breed declined to sign it, saying that a permanent cap oversteps what is necessary for the public good. Chicago recently sued the food delivery apps for charging restaurants and customers high fees and engaging in deceptive practices. Girding the argument from food delivery apps is the idea that restaurants do not have to enter into agreements with them. The City Council does not regulate fees from other marketers that restaurants might use, such as Google, Yelp or online reservation apps. The fee caps chosen by the City Council are also arbitrary and not supported by economic impact studies, the lawsuit charges. Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats have argued that third-party delivery apps allow restaurants to tap into a huge customer base that the apps have spent millions of dollars to cultivate. Andrew Rigie, the executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, called the arguments from the three companies disingenuous. Many restaurant owners feel that they have no choice but to subscribe to one of the third-party delivery app platforms or be left behind in a competitive marketplace where customers now rely on the apps for food deliveries. Some of the third-party delivery companies have also participated in practices such as placing on their apps the menus of restaurants they have not contracted with or purchasing internet domain names for restaurants. When Mattel introduced the brawny superhero He-Man in 1982, he was an instant hit. Four years later, at the peak of its popularity, sales of the sword-and-sorcery toy line soared to $400 million in the U.S. Now, nearly four decades after their first appearance, He-Man and the rest of the Masters of the Universe are looking to conquer the toy aisles again. But Mattel is trying to revive a dormant franchise for a new generation of consumers ones who expect content that reflects their world. To help, the toymaker has teamed up with Netflix to produce two new animated series to go along with two toy lines that have already hit retailers shelves. Our overall goal is permanent change, said Kelly Leon, an Education Department spokeswoman. We are building a student loan system that works for borrowers and provides them the relief authorized by Congress that has proven elusive for far too long. Understand the Infrastructure Bill One trillion dollar package passed. The Senate passed a sweeping bipartisan infrastructure package on Aug. 10, capping weeks of intense negotiations and debate over the largest federal investment in the nations aging public works system in more than a decade. The final vote. The final tally in the Senate was 69 in favor to 30 against. The legislation, which still must pass the House, would touch nearly every facet of the American economy and fortify the nations response to the warming of the planet. Main areas of spending. Overall, the bipartisan plan focuses spending on transportation, utilities and pollution cleanup. Transportation . About $110 billion would go to roads, bridges and other transportation projects; $25 billion for airports; and $66 billion for railways, giving Amtrak the most funding it has received since it was founded in 1971. Utilities . Senators have also included $65 billion meant to connect hard-to-reach rural communities to high-speed internet and help sign up low-income city dwellers who cannot afford it, and $8 billion for Western water infrastructure. Pollution cleanup : Roughly $21 billion would go to cleaning up abandoned wells and mines, and Superfund sites. Persis Yu, the director of the National Consumer Law Centers Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project, said she was pleased to see the Education Department moving more quickly to approve claims but would like to see the administration go further: a blanket cancellation of $10,000 or more in debt for all federal borrowers. Even with all the programs we have, were not getting relief to all of the people who need it, she said. Barely 1 percent of federal loan borrowers have benefited from this years discharges, she added. While the departments actions so far have generated little controversy few oppose giving military personnel, disabled borrowers and scammed students the relief to which theyre legally entitled the idea of more broadly canceling student debt is a lightning rod. Republicans dislike the idea of saddling taxpayers with the cost, and its critics on the left see it as a subsidy for those with expensive professional degrees. Blanket debt forgiveness creates a moral hazard for current and future student borrowers and is poorly targeted, Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana and a member of the Senates Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, wrote in an opinion piece. Mr. Biden endorsed large-scale debt cancellation on the campaign trail, but said he wanted it done legislatively. Congressional backers, however, acknowledge that they dont have the votes: The proposal did not make it into the $3.5 trillion budget social policy bill that Democrats are now scrambling to pass. Two Democratic senators, Chuck Schumer of New York and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, have pressed the Education Department to use a novel legal maneuver to cancel a chunk of federal student debt without congressional action. Toyota Motor said on Friday that it will make about 40 percent fewer cars and trucks around the world in October as a result of complications from a shortage of computer chips and Covid-19 restrictions affecting the production of parts in Southeast Asia. It will be the second month in a row that Toyota, the worlds largest automaker by the number of cars and trucks sold, has slashed production because of the shortage and the pandemic. It is the latest sign that the auto industry could be hamstrung by the chip shortage well into 2022. In a statement, Toyota said it now expects to produce 330,000 fewer vehicles in October than it had previously planned. Its North American operations would likely see production lowered by 60,000 to 80,000 vehicles in October. The company also said global output in September would fall about 70,000 vehicles short of previously lowered production targets. Key reasons for the production adjustment include a decline in operations at several local suppliers due to the prolonged spread of Covid-19 in Southeast Asia and the impact of tighter semiconductor supplies, the automaker said. Although our plants and suppliers are taking thorough quarantine and vaccination measures in response to the pandemic in Southeast Asia, the spread of Covid-19 infections remains unpredictable, making it difficult to maintain operations due to lockdowns at various locations. For months, Molly Moon Neitzel, the founder and chief executive of Molly Moons Homemade Ice Cream in Seattle, has debated whether to require her 180 employees to be vaccinated. On Thursday, when President Biden announced rules that would mandate such requirements, she felt relieved. We have six to 10 who have chosen not to be vaccinated yet, she said. I know it makes people on their teams nervous. The new rule, which Mr. Biden has instructed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to put in place by drafting an emergency temporary standard, will require companies with more than 100 employees to mandate that their workers be fully vaccinated or face weekly testing. The move, which thrusts the U.S. government and businesses into a partnership with little precedent and no playbook, will affect some 80 million workers. Ms. Neitzel said she planned to comply with the order but was waiting for more details and a discussion with her team before deciding what that would entail. Like many businesspeople, she wants her employees vaccinated, but is uncertain what impact the new requirement will have on the companys procedures, workers and bottom line. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working around the clock to make Covid vaccines available to young children, it said in a statement on Friday. In the meantime, however, the agency urged parents not to seek out the shots for children who are under 12, and therefore not yet eligible for vaccination. The agency said that it hoped vaccines would be available for young children in the coming months, but that it could not offer a more specific timeline. However, once it has applications from the vaccine manufacturers in hand, it will be prepared to complete its review as quickly as possible, likely in a matter of weeks rather than months, Dr. Janet Woodcock, the acting F.D.A. commissioner, and Dr. Peter Marks, of the agencys Center for Biologics Research and Evaluation, said in the statement. The available vaccines, none of which have been cleared for children under 12, may not be a safe or effective dose for young children, the agency noted. Pediatric clinical trials, which will help determine the right vaccine dose for children under 12, are still underway. Children are not small adults and issues that may be addressed in pediatric vaccine trials can include whether there is a need for different doses or different strength formulations of vaccines already used for adults, Dr. Woodcock and Dr. Marks. Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. A day after the horrors of that crystalline blue Tuesday morning 20 years ago, I, like so many, carefully preserved a copy of The New York Times dated Sept. 12, 2001, with its screaming banner headline stretched across the top: U.S. ATTACKED But I hadnt given any thought to the paper of the day before until this July, when a fellow teacher, Rob Spurrier, walked into my summer journalism classroom at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and handed me his yellowing copy. With a big anniversary of 9/11 approaching, he said, Heres your story. I scanned the front page of that Sept. 11, 2001, national edition of the paper, with its comfortingly single-column headlines, like: KEY LEADERS TALK OF POSSIBLE DEALS TO REVIVE ECONOMY On the top left was a big photo of an orange tent in Bryant Park for Fashion Week. Under it was the cable and network scramble for morning television watchers. Below the fold was a tizzy over school dress codes what a reporter called the tumult of bare skin. I saw my friends point. Looking at those two front pages side by side was a stark reminder of how drastically 9/11 changed our world. The main things Kirsten Dunst wanted out of her trip to Italy were to sleep soundly on the plane and to drink a Bellini upon arrival. She would have considered anything else to be a bonus and, as it turned out, those bonuses were considerable. Dunst had gone to Italy for the Venice Film Festival, where she was premiering The Power of the Dog, a new Netflix movie directed by Jane Campion that features one of the 39-year-old actresss best performances. She arrived on the last day of August, after months at home raising a newborn baby and a year before that stuck at home because, well, duh. So you can imagine how Dunst felt when she got off the plane, boarded a boat at sunset and sped toward her hotel with the lights of Venice twinkling on the horizon. As she took it all in, Dunst began to well up: A full day of air travel, four sleepless months of child-rearing and the most beautiful city you ever saw can do that to a person. The next 48 hours were a whirlwind. Dunst tried to overcome her jet lag and hung out at the hotel pool, where she sipped Bellinis with her brother and watched elderly, moneyed Italians swan about. The next day, Dunst donned an Armani Prive gown that made her feel bulletproof and accompanied Campion and the films lead, Benedict Cumberbatch, to the premiere at the Sala Grande. In New York City, ghost guns constitute a small but growing percentage of the thousands of guns seized over the last two years, according to Deputy Inspector Courtney Nilan, who leads a police unit charged with taking guns off the street. She said that in 2020, the police recovered about 150 ghost guns, as compared with 48 the year before, and just 17 in 2018. The police also recovered 75 matched parts last year that had yet to be assembled, she said. By August of this year, Inspector Nilans team had recovered about 120 of the weapons, as well as 30 matched parts that had yet to be assembled. She expects the total seized by the end of this year to exceed last years number. Inspector Nilan said in an interview that the guns were now in wider circulation. In the past, you haven't really seen gang members walking around with ghost guns, she said. A lot of times it would be the hobbyists or it would be someone who was mentally ill and couldnt get a gun legally. And were seeing this year, that 17-year-old gang member either stopped on the street or in a car, and he has that ghost gun now. Prosecutors around the country have adopted a number of strategies to fight the spread of ghost guns. In San Francisco, where last year nearly half of all recovered guns used in murders were ghost guns, the district attorney, Chesa Boudin, has filed lawsuits against three organizations that sell the weapons online. Traditional law enforcement approaches to gun safety are not working, said Mr. Boudin in an interview. Its far more effective to prevent these companies from dumping guns onto our streets by the tens of thousands than to sit back and idly hope that police can seize all of these unlawful guns one at a time. Manhattan is not seeing close to the same level of saturation as San Francisco. But along with charging individual defendants, Mr. Vance and the New York State attorney general, Letitia James, have called upon the Biden administration to implement a rule proposed by the Department of Justice that would expand the definition of a firearm to include the parts that make up a ghost gun. Doing so would close a loophole that advocates of gun control say has allowed the weapons to proliferate. Mr. Stringer, the city comptroller, expressed similar concerns about the policy, and said on Twitter that his office would push back its full return for at least another month. We will be delaying a fuller return to the workplace until at least Oct. 12, to give us more time to assess the situation on the ground and build out a program for hybrid work, Mr. Stringer wrote. Mr. Mayor, this is not the time for a my way or the highway approach. Nevertheless, Mr. de Blasios plan seems reasonable to some epidemiologists, who note that New York Citys coronavirus rate is low compared with other parts of the country, and at some point, life will in fact have to return to some level of normalcy. One thing that I say to folks is, If not now, when? said Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. What are we waiting for? Last fall, we could all say we have to hold off and not do things and wait until the cavalry arrives, and the cavalry is the vaccines. Now, he argued that the risk to the vaccinated is low. At this point, a vaccinated person is at much lower risk of having a significant health complication from this virus than a typical person is in a typical flu season, Dr. Jha said. But Dr. Jha also added, I would hope people use this as an opportunity to ask some hard questions about the nature of work and what kind of work needs to be done in person. If there is dissension among Mr. de Blasios employees, there is also support from New York Citys business leaders. For New York City to flourish, they argue, its office districts must again be vibrant. It is hard to overstate how much things changed after the attacks, from the commercial makeup of Lower Manhattan and airline travel to personal relationships and private lives. Even now, the remains of those who died are still being identified. As my colleague Dan Barry asks, what does it mean to never forget? Someday, he writes, there will be no one alive with a personal narrative of Sept. 11, and time will transform a visceral memory into a history lesson. But for now, for many, the day remains a lived experience. Here are just some of the ways Sept. 11 changed the city and its people forever. [Read more of our coverage marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.] How 9/11 changed policing Surveillance technology that came into use after Sept. 11 has fundamentally changed the way the New York Police Department operates, altering its approach to finding and foiling terrorist threats, but also to cracking minor cases. What we realized and had to grapple with from a very young age was fighting for a more democratic city, fighting for equity without even knowing these terms, Ms. Hanif said. We needed to grow up in a way to become the warriors of our communities. Ms. Hanif, now 30, is trying to do just that. She is on track to be elected the first Muslim woman to serve on New Yorks City Council, representing Brooklyns 39th District, which encompasses the Kensington neighborhood where she grew up. For Ms. Hanif, the fallout from Sept. 11 became a driving force in her pursuit of politics. And she is not alone: Other Muslims from her generation are entering New Yorks electoral ranks, too. Its a hugely important moment, said Mohammad Khan, 35, president of the Muslim Democratic Club of New York. I think it shows the increasing relevance and power of Muslim New Yorkers, he continued, citing the legacy and ongoing influence of Black Muslim leaders like State Senator Robert Jackson and Councilman I. Daneek Miller of Queens, the only Muslims who have served on the City Council so far. On Sept. 11, Mr. Khan was a junior at Stuyvesant High School, just blocks from the World Trade Center. Like Ms. Hanif, he also sensed a shift in public perceptions toward Muslim Americans after the attacks. Being Muslim felt like it became a lot more politicized as an identity, he said. I think for some people there is a choice to either back away from that identity and try to make yourself less Muslim whatever that means or lean into that identity. But not everyone has the privilege to make that choice, Mr. Khan acknowledged, especially not Muslim women in hijabs, whose visibility can make them targets. Without the option to hide, many female Muslim leaders have decided to do what Mr. Khan mentioned above, and lean into their identities. In the United States, Sept. 11 led directly to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the passing of the Patriot Act, the Authorization for Use of Military Force, the use of warrantless surveillance programs, and special registration of immigrants and foreign students from Muslim countries. Outside the United States, the attacks served as justification for the 20-year war in Afghanistan; the invasion and occupation of Iraq; the indefinite detention of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay; the use of torture at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere; the killing of thousands of U.S. and foreign service members; the periodic bombing of Pakistan, Yemen, Syria and Somalia; the deaths of some 800,000 people, including 335,000 civilians; and the displacement of an estimated 38 million people. At each step in this parade of horrors, we were reminded that the United States was attacked on Sept. 11. The terrible wound of that day was left open, causing pain and anger that lasted for years. In that continually grieving state, the public was perhaps more willing to accept what it might not have otherwise security theater at our airports, constant surveillance, bombs being dropped on wedding parties in Afghanistan. The fact that the United States itself went on to attack, and wreak even greater violence against innocent civilians around the world, was largely omitted from official narratives, as it was in the museum. This erasure is not accidental. After the initial phase of fighting, the Pentagon did not release regular and precise reports of civilian casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. We got out of the body count business years ago, Mark Kimmitt, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general and former State Department official, said in 2018. The numbers, while relevant, are not something that we quote, nor do we keep in our back pocket. The work of counting the civilian dead fell instead to human rights groups, research centers and special sections of newspapers. Likewise, the speeches of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama were more likely to offer assurances that the nation was staying the course or fulfilling our commitment than to give an honest accounting of the wars. Every time I heard them speak, I wondered what goals they wanted to achieve. Was it the surrender of the Taliban? The capture of Osama bin Laden? The fall of Saddam Hussein? The staging of elections in Iraq and Afghanistan? Each milestone was reached, and yet the wars continued, largely out of sight. Within the first few months of combat operations, news of the wars disappeared from front pages. Nightly news broadcasts spent so little time on the wars that yearly coverage was measured in seconds per newscast. But the erasure of the wars proved lucrative for some. The U.S. government outsourced almost every aspect of the war effort to private military contractors like KBR and Blackwater, including the housing, feeding and clothing of troops. Companies like Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin reaped tens of billions of dollars in profit. Waste and abuse were rampant. One study found that the U.S. Army had spent $119 million annually to lease 3,000 cars in Afghanistan, at a cost of $40,000 per car. Another investigation revealed that TransDigm, an aircraft parts supplier, had profit levels of as much as 4,000 percent on some spare parts. Even when the Pentagons internal auditors identified overcharges, the contracts were often paid out anyway. It is perhaps telling that Palantir Technologies and Lockheed Martin are co-sponsors of a special exhibit at the September 11 Museum: a room dedicated to the Navy SEALS raid that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011. These companies have profited handsomely from the global war on terror and want to ensure that Americans remember this raid, rather than the years of failures and needless deaths that preceded and followed it. That Sept. 11 represented a chance to make a buck was not what most of us had in mind when we saw the tribute posters that went up shortly after the towers came down. But from the commercialization of the phrase never forget, which appears on pens, shirts, mugs and baby onesies, to the privatization of the war effort, which shifted billions of taxpayer dollars into corporate coffers, Sept. 11 became a business. The museum engages in this type of transaction as well. A cheese platter in the shape of the United States, with hearts marking the sites of the terrorist attacks, was removed from sale in 2014, after a public outcry at the vulgarity of the display. But the museum store continues to sell a variety of other items, including toy police cars. A decade ago, Kaushik Basu, a Cornell University economist, caused a furor in India when he proposed that for a certain class of bribes, the act of giving a bribe should be considered legal. Basu, who at the time was the chief economic adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, described the reaction in his 2016 book, An Economist in the Real World: The Art of Policymaking in India: What I did not anticipate was the level of anger (and misreporting) that my note would generate. It began with small mentions of my paper in the newspapers, followed by lacerating editorials and op-eds. Some of them stemmed from the mistaken view that I was somehow condoning corruption and saying that bribery should be made legal. Two members of Parliament wrote to Singh in protest. Then the television channels picked this up and there were some screaming matches debating the idea, Basu wrote. Im writing about this dust-up at a 10-year remove for two reasons. One is that Basus idea is genuinely interesting, although as Ill show, not perfect. The other is that it says a lot about how hard it is to change policy when, rightly or wrongly, the change offends peoples sense of common sense or justice. A bit of background. Countries differ on whether bribery is punished symmetrically (same for givers and takers) or asymmetrically. According to a 2014 article in the Journal of Public Economics, the United States, Britain, France and Germany are like India in equally punishing givers and takers of harassment bribes. In contrast, China, Japan and Russia have comparatively mild punishments for bribegivers, the article says. I dont know of any major changes since that article appeared. This compilation by the law firm Baker McKenzie is a good resource. In his 2011 proposal, Basu was referring to what he calls harassment bribes, also known as speed money, which are bribes demanded for the performance of legal activities, such as getting a license. (Collusion bribes, where the giver is trying to get special treatment illegally, are a different matter.) She suggests that the anti-science, narcissistic, antisocial Covid deniers are displaying a collective grief response. We are all grieving the loss of big things and small things. But some of us are rushing into a collective denial of death and loss. That grief wears differently on people, depending on what self they brought to the grieving process. And living in an individualistic society that values health as a moral good is not helping. Tressie: I am watching the different ways that groups of people respond to Covid, especially around vaccines and public-health messages. We have collectively experienced a lot of loss, over 600,000 deaths so far. Yet we do not have a way to think about all of the loss, how it is so different for everyone and yet the same collective experience. I am thinking about the big losses but also about the small losses, like our professional identities as we lost jobs or our work changed dramatically and the loss of our daily rituals. I managed solitary confinement in my home for nine months just fine. But every time I thought about browsing bookstore displays, I got unbearably emotional. Those little rituals anchor our core identity and ability to interact with others. Still, I cannot deal with the Americans who are insane as it pertains to Covid denialism. What is up with them? Martha: This is practically a Freudian notion of a kind of manic defense against death. It is not like formal mania. Its not psychosis. It is an activated, grandiose invulnerability, and you see this a lot, even on an individual level. You see funerals that are a celebration of life, where you can just tell that everybodys feeling their appreciation and the gratitude and their presence. And that they can still sort of hear the persons voice in their ears. It is like the horror hasnt hit them yet. Theyre in an initial, almost ecstatic phase of grief where youre just so relieved that you remember the person or that youre alive, you had your toes curled on the dip so you didnt fall in. Theres a kind of manic response that is activated and grandiose and inflated by massive, collective crisis. Tressie: What many of us struggle to understand is how and why this manic response is so unchecked by logic or even motivated self-interest. Is there something about our Western mode of thinking or our collective belief in rugged individualism that makes us rush through the process of grief in these weird, counterproductive ways? Martha: On this territory, there is no culture that is plugged into the radio, television or reads books that hasnt been indoctrinated to believe in this kind of notion of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. If you are living in a community that fosters a kind of humility and interdependency and mourning and sense of mortality, youre doing that as a radical act against that individualistic way of thinking. * That sense of community requires a lot of humility, precisely the thing I am afraid that the onslaught of Covid denial stories is robbing me of by undermining my empathy for others. Martha helped me with perspective. This is not a problem of individual moral certainty or persuasion. This is a social problem with big structural issues. That does not absolve me of my responsibility for seeing the humanity in people I vehemently disagree with, but it does make me feel less guilty about being unable to save them. I still do not understand how we can be in community with people who, by withdrawing from their social responsibility, are actively harming others. But I do not think I have to understand it. I dont think that I even have to be in community with Covid deniers. I have to somehow be in community with the people who are behaving in socially responsible ways without demonizing those who are not. Demonizing them turns my community into a reactionary force, which is precisely how the vaccines and masks became weaponized to begin with. It is a classic case of not becoming what you despise by losing focus on what you value. Still, I honked my horn at that little rally last week, and it was definitely not in solidarity with the anti-vaccine demonstrators. Baby steps. Unvaccinated individuals who were never infected by Covid would certainly benefit from vaccination. But the coercive approach has major downsides. The most anti-vaccine Americans those who are adamantly refusing the jab because of a misguided belief that its dangerous will probably not change their minds because the government is strong-arming employers. On the contrary, the federal mandate might actually be taken as confirmation of their paranoid suspicions that the vaccines have less to do with their health and more to do with social control. As a practical matter, its undeniable that the federal mandate will engender a titanic backlash and create a spate of lawsuits. Vaccine holdouts have already taken legal action against employers requiring vaccination: Todd Zywicki, a law professor at George Mason University in Virginia who had recovered from Covid and has antibodies, recently fought his institutions mandate and prevailed. And Republican governors are certain to battle Mr. Biden over this policy. Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota, a Republican, tweeted at the president, See you in court. Its true that courts have upheld vaccine mandates in certain circumstances: In a 1922 case, the Supreme Court famously ruled that a city ordinance could deny admission to students who failed to get the smallpox vaccine. But the assertion that a public official can completely sidestep the legislative process and enact a much farther-reaching vaccine mandate via administrative action should elicit skepticism from even those who vigorously support vaccination. There are other ways to nudge the populace in the right direction. Rather than punishing the unvaccinated, the government could create an incentive for vaccination by lifting restrictions for the vaccinated. This was the approach initially taken by the C.D.C., which said this year that since the vaccinated were well protected, they could almost always safely discard their masks. Unfortunately, the more transmissible Delta variant spooked federal health officials, and the C.D.C. reversed course. Some municipalities, including Washington, then reimposed mask mandates, even though the science hasnt actually changed: The vaccinated are still well protected from Covid. Some people would probably voluntarily get the shot if they knew for certain that a vaccination card was a ticket to living a normal life once again. Regrettably, Mr. Bidens mandate moves in the exact opposite direction, with the White House saying his plan will ensure that strong mask requirements remain in place. If the government is concerned about vaccine hesitancy, it should trust the vaccines and drop other restrictions. People should know that if they get vaccinated, they will be better off. Instead, the White House is sending the message that people must get vaccinated but should hardly expect things to be different afterward. Its worth repeating that the federal vaccine mandate represents a broad expansion of the executive branchs power. And Mr. Biden will not be the chief executive forever. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, a plausible 2024 Republican presidential candidate, has used his current authority to prohibit private vaccine mandates in his state. Is this really the time to solidify the idea that the president is the ultimate authority on whether such things should be required or forbidden? The failure of Nazi Germanys nuclear program is well established in the historical record. What is less documented is how a handful of uranium cubes, possibly produced by the Nazis, ended up at laboratories in the United States. Scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Maryland are working to determine whether three uranium cubes they have in their possession were produced by Germanys failed nuclear program during World War II. The answer could lead to more questions, such as whether the Nazis might have had enough uranium to create a critical reaction. And, if the Nazis had been successful in building an atomic bomb, what would that have meant for the war? Researchers at the laboratory believe they may know the origins of the cubes by the end of October. For the moment, the main evidence is anecdotal, in the form of stories passed down from other scientists, according to Jon Schwantes, the projects principal investigator. It was like a version of Modern Family meets Groundhog Day, said Elana Hirsh Widmann, after she and Michael David Schoenbrum settled into her childhood room in Morristown, N.J. They had left their Gramercy Park apartment in March 2020 when the pandemic hit to stay with her family for a couple of weeks, which in fact turned into seven months. When they first met, in January 2015, it was thanks to a mutual friend. Ms. Widmann had arrived in New York in 2014 after graduation from Washington University in St. Louis, and was living with two roommates in Murray Hill. Mr. Schoenbrum had moved to Greenwich Village a year earlier with two friends after graduating from Georgetown. It took him six months to finally reach out to her after their friend made the suggestion. I wanted to be rooted here with enough of a runway for a relationship, said Mr. Schoenbrum, now 31. In January 2020, the couple found out that Dr. Mancini had leukemia. I flew to Iowa to attend my grandfathers funeral, Dr. Flannery said. The morning after flying to Iowa, I woke up to over 20 missed calls from John. Dr. Mancini had stayed in Boston to go to a doctors appointment and had been called early in the morning with the shocking diagnosis. I was frantic to get back to Boston and John, she said. I was certain once I got back to him, I would never let him out of my sight. But by March it became clear that the two had to be separated, as Dr. Flannery noted that she was working in a hospital and taking care of kids from all over the country and world. Covid testing and personal protective equipment protocols were also still being developed. For his safety, the couple lived apart for three months. We were very fortunate to have Johns family home in Rhode Island as his safe haven, Dr. Flannery said. He would come back to Boston for his doctors appointments, and I would put a new load of groceries in the trunk and wave to him. On Aug. 17, 2020 Dr. Mancini, who is doing well on cancer treatment, proposed to Dr. Flannery in South Kingstown, R.I., on a beach near his familys summer home. The proposal almost didnt happen due to the requirements for Covid tests when crossing state borders, Dr. Flannery said, but after some careful rule following, John was able to get on one knee and ask while recording from his phone. I was so excited I forgot to say yes, prompting John to ask a second time. Joining the pandemic boom in cosmetic tuneups, many follicularly challenged men have used their time away from the office to embark on a fresh new look of their own: a hair transplant. To some, a recarpeted scalp is a way of turning back the clock to a glorious youth. To others, its a business move, a way to burnish their image so as to rearm themselves for a return to the corporate trenches. But to many, its well, a little awkward. Wait, werent you the guy with the comb-over? Always, the dilemma is, what are people going to say? said Robert Golden, 51, a tax adviser in Los Angeles who sprang for a hair transplant last winter while working remotely. Do you tell anybody youve done it? Men often feel sheepish about undergoing a hair transplant, at least at first, said Fabien Beretta, the executive director of the Beverly Hills Hair Group in Beverly Hills, Calif., where Mr. Golden went for his transplant. Men are a little more iffy about getting anything cosmetic, he said. Women talk about it openly. Guys want to hide it. Fashion Week is back in full force, and theres a lot to see. Blink (or scroll too fast on Instagram) and youll miss the details: tiny bags, tall shoes, feathered hats, leather capes and diamond dog collars. Every day well spotlight one thing we saw on the runways that delighted or mystified us. Props are not unusual on the runway. Just Thursday afternoon, the Wonka-esque designer Jeremy Scott gave the model Gigi Hadid a baby bottle to carry down his Moschino runway, in a show that turned rainy Bryant Park into a demented nursery. Was the bottle really a clutch in disguise? Yes. But it did the essential trick of a prop: signaling the Rugrats theme to the audience and getting Ms. Hadid into her sexy-baby character. Later in the evening, though, LaQuan Smith raised the prop ante when he staged a packed show at the Empire State Building, becoming the first designer to host a show at the New York City landmark. Mr. Smiths events always feel more like parties than traditional runway shows, with clubby soundtracks, complementary Champagne and fans that swarm his venues (arguably more so than any other show at New York Fashion Week), cheering on models as they serve in sensual tight dresses and catsuits with sheer panels. But the luxurious Art Deco site that Mr. Smith booked for New York Fashion Week inspired him to go bigger, which is why his props included poofy full-size poodles, strutting alongside models on the 86th floor observation deck of the building. In just a few years, Topo Chico, the sparkling water sourced from Monterrey, Mexico, went from big in Texas to the bubbliest thing since spiked seltzer. These days, hip restaurants in Brooklyn serve bottles of it alongside vegan empanadas and Oaxacan tacos. American grocery giants like Whole Foods and Kroger stock their shelves with it. In 2016, you could buy Topo Chico in 30 states. Now it can be purchased in all of them. The brands growth is part of a much bigger trend Americas seemingly insatiable demand for sparkling water but theres another secret to Topo Chicos rapid success: The Coca-Cola Company. The beverage company acquired Topo Chico in 2017 and significantly widened its distribution, making it one of the most popular sparkling waters today. Sales climbed quickly after the acquisition: Bloomberg reported that over one 12-month period from 2018 to 2019, sales rose 39 percent, to almost $130 million. According to Coca-Cola, those numbers continue to rise. Neels opposition to the prevailing artistic modes of her time was mirrored in her resistance to the societal norms for women. In 1975, one year after the Whitney presented Neels first major retrospective, the critic Laura Mulvey used the term the male gaze in her essay Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, which gave language to what Neels paintings had subverted for decades, suggesting at least one reason her work had been routinely dismissed. Throughout her life, fellow artists condescended to her: Men were embarrassed to be included in group shows that featured her work. (The artist Alex Katz once referred to her as an angry housewife.) Middle-class white women in the mid-20th century were expected to either depend on their husbands for financial security or to hold an appropriate job, like a teacher or a nurse. Neel did neither. When she moved to Harlem in 1938, it was yet another rejection of the status quo, seen by some as career suicide. Greenwich Village, where Neel had previously resided, would go on to become the center of the mens club for the Abstract Expressionist stuff, as Hartley calls it. It was where an artist ought to be, or so said conventional wisdom. But Neel, who already felt herself to be an outsider, disliked convention of any kind. I ... hate the conformity of today, she wrote in the artist Alfred Leslies anthology The Hasty Papers in 1960, everything put into its box. When she moved uptown, she witnessed a greater diversity, an anticonformity that energized her work over decades, whether it was fashionable or not. In March, the Metropolitan Museum of Art celebrated Neels art, as well as her radical humanity, with Alice Neel: People Come First, one of the largest retrospectives of her work to date, comprising over a hundred paintings and drawings. This month, David Zwirner gallery, which represents Neels estate, will present a collection of the artists early works, including streetscapes and portraits, at its West 20th Street space in New York City. Continued and growing interest in Neels paintings could be viewed as inevitable her focus on those who lived on societys margins speaks directly to our cultural moment but the advocacy of her family and other supporters has played a vital role in bringing new audiences to her work. Hartleys own championing of his mothers oeuvre has been significant in her abiding relevance (his persistence ensured that the Whitneys plans for a Neel retrospective were realized in 1974, 10 years before she died), and preserving her home is another way to grant the artist the sense of permanence within the canon that she was denied for much of her life. As for how to stock up: Surgical masks are readily available at online retailers like Amazon or Target. And although it was difficult, if not impossible, to find respirator masks like N95s at the beginning of the pandemic, they are more readily available now. On its website, Wirecutter has a comprehensive breakdown of the different types of medical masks, and where to buy ones you can trust. And what happens once I land? Most airport and airline requirements tee up nicely, so travelers can safely assume that the mask they wear in-flight will be the one that stays on through baggage claim. Are masks required on trains or buses around Europe? Broadly, yes. Country-specific mask requirements for airplanes and airports generally apply to all forms of public transportation, including trains and buses. But that doesnt mean standards will be universally enforced; unlike an Air France agent at Charles de Gaulle Airport, for instance, a bus driver in a small French town may not look twice at a fabric mask. Id like to eat inside a restaurant or visit a museum. Will I need to wear a mask? Although indoor masking rules are among the most perplexing parts of a multi-leg Europe trip just as in the United States, theyre usually set by regional or local governments signs will be everywhere, from restaurants to museums. When in doubt, just ask. Travelers may also find an increasing number of commonalities: Many countries, including the ones youre visiting, are requiring that patrons show some form of proof, be it paper or digital, of vaccination status, recovery from Covid-19 or virus test results in order to enter indoor venues like restaurants. Large, high-capacity indoor sites like museums are requiring masks nearly across the board, regardless of health pass or vaccination status, although exactly which type of mask is acceptable will vary by venue. The rules at smaller indoor venues like restaurants are at the whim of a number of factors from national or city-specific guidelines to an individual owners health policies. BOSTON Not so long ago, Bostons leading progressives called themselves sisters in service, linking arms to take on this citys overwhelmingly white, overwhelmingly male old guard. For a time, they headlined one anothers fund-raisers. They marched together at the head of parades. They even shared a campaign headquarters, unthinkable in the sharp-elbowed history of this citys politics. But that time is over. Over the past month, Bostons mayoral election has become a fierce competition between four women of color, any of whom would represent a departure from this citys norm. With a preliminary election on Tuesday set to winnow the field to two, City Councilor Michelle Wu, a favorite of the citys young left, appears poised to take one spot. The other is up for grabs, with sparks flying between the two Black front-runners, City Councilor Andrea Campbell and Kim Janey, the acting mayor. Exceptionally dry conditions in Sacramento and other parts of Northern California were expected to complicate firefighters efforts on Friday as they battle about a dozen major wildfires across the state. A red flag warning indicating that the combination of warm temperatures, very low humidity and strong winds could spark new fires was issued for the Sacramento region and areas east toward the California-Nevada state line until 11 p.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Areas east and south of San Francisco were also included in the warning. Fire safety precautions should be exercised to prevent additional fires, the Weather Service said, adding that fires could also start from lightning. By early Friday, light rain showers and thunderstorms were moving across Northern California, the Weather Service said. Lets say youre sold a delivery van and the selling point is when it runs out of power, you can still turn it on to drive it because of a black start feature, said Helena Moreno, the president of the City Council. So then one day youre in that situation, theres no power to your van, and even though it has black start the van wont start, she said. Is that what you were sold? Of all American cities, New Orleans is one of the most vulnerable to climate change. In addition to rising sea levels and more powerful storms, the growing threat comes from the sheer number of days with dangerously hot temperatures projected to reach 115 a year in Louisiana by 2050, more than triple the current number. The power plant, built in a predominantly Black and Vietnamese area of the city already populated with junkyards, truck stops and a NASA facility, was sold as a down payment on energy resilience a guarantee that, even if storms cut off connections to the rest of the electrical grid, the city would be able to swiftly fire up its own power plant and send electricity to hospitals, nursing homes and at least some of the neighborhoods sweltering through the aftermath of a powerful summer storm. It was a grand gamble: a $210 million commitment to fossil fuel technology in a city that had already become a national symbol of the perils of climate change. Ms. Sahar started to lose hope after trying to move forward for more than five hours. But then Kabir, an airport worker, took her through an employee-only door and onto the tarmac. He said he did not know her but felt a responsibility to help. She was crying, he said. She was alone, and nobody came to her. Kabir told one of his friends to stay with Ms. Sahar while he tried to find a way to leave. She attempted to board her flight to Istanbul, but flight crew members said the plane was already full and were turning people away. About an hour later, Kabir called. He told his friend and Ms. Sahar that they had five minutes to get on a plane in another section of the tarmac. Its lights were off when they reached it, Ms. Sahar said. They climbed the stairs to the plane, and even though Ms. Sahar did not have a ticket, the flight crew let them both on. They were the last two people to board. About 20 minutes later, the flight took off. It was far from full, with every other seat empty, she said. Later, a crew member told Ms. Sahar that the plane did not have permission to fly, and that it had been chartered to evacuate the airline owners family and friends. She did not see any other plane take off that night. On the flight, she said, feelings of guilt, shock and grief collided. But mostly, she felt numb. Ms. Sahar did not know where they were going. About an hour in, she asked the person seated next to her, who did not know either, but they soon learned that they were on their way to Ukraine. Covid Updates: F.D.A. Warns Parents Against Getting Children Under 12 Vaccinated A court ruling allows Floridas mask mandate ban to continue for now. A C.D.C. study found unvaccinated people are 11 times more likely to die if infected. Follow our live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here. The F.D.A. again warns parents not to get children under 12 vaccinated yet. Image Pediatric clinical trials, which will help determine the right vaccine dose for children under 12, are still underway, the Food and Drug Administration said. Credit... Christopher Capozziello for The New York Times The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working around the clock to make Covid vaccines available to young children, it said in a statement on Friday. In the meantime, however, the agency urged parents not to seek out the shots for children who are under 12, and therefore not yet eligible for vaccination. The agency said that it hoped vaccines would be available for young children in the coming months, but that it could not offer a more specific timeline. However, once it has applications from the vaccine manufacturers in hand, it will be prepared to complete its review as quickly as possible, likely in a matter of weeks rather than months, Dr. Janet Woodcock, the acting F.D.A. commissioner, and Dr. Peter Marks, of the agencys Center for Biologics Research and Evaluation, said in the statement. The available vaccines, none of which have been cleared for children under 12, may not be a safe or effective dose for young children, the agency noted. Pediatric clinical trials, which will help determine the right vaccine dose for children under 12, are still underway. Children are not small adults and issues that may be addressed in pediatric vaccine trials can include whether there is a need for different doses or different strength formulations of vaccines already used for adults, Dr. Woodcock and Dr. Marks. Health officials have previously expressed concern that full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for people 16 and up might prompt parents to seek, or doctors to give, the shots off-label to young children, specifically warning against the move. Children younger than 12 make up a sizable unvaccinated population in the United States. Some vaccine manufacturers are still enrolling children in their trials and others are still giving the shots and monitoring children for potential side effects, the F.D.A. noted in its statement. The trials will follow participants for at least two months to ensure that the researchers are able to detect any adverse events. Vaccine manufacturers then have to analyze the data and then formally apply for authorization or approval from the F.D.A. Then, the agency will carefully, thoroughly and independently examine the data to evaluate benefits and risks, Dr. Woodcock and Dr. Marks said. They added, Just like every vaccine decision weve made during this pandemic, our evaluation of data on the use of Covid-19 vaccines in children will not cut any corners. In an interview published on Friday, Ozlem Tureci, the co-founder of BioNTech and its chief medical officer, told Der Spiegel, a German news site, that we will be presenting the results from our study on five- to 11-year-olds to authorities around the world in the coming weeks. Initially reluctant to enact mandates, President Biden is now moving more aggressively than any other president in modern history to require vaccination, including in schools. The president traveled to Brookland Middle School in Washington on Friday with Jill Biden, the first lady, a college professor who returned to the classroom this week. In his remarks, Mr. Biden urged parents to get eligible children vaccinated, and promised a White House visit to the school once every student received a vaccine. The safest thing you can do for your child 12 and older is get them vaccinated, the president told the crowd. Youve got them vaccinated for all kinds of other things measles mumps rubella for them to go to school, to be able to play sports, theyve had to have these vaccinations. Get them vaccinated. A slate of new requirements announced this week would apply to those who teach in Head Start programs, Department of Defense Schools, and schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Education. Collectively, those schools serve more than 1 million children and employ nearly 300,000 staff, according to the plan released by administration officials. We cannot always know what the future holds, but we do know what we owe our children, Dr. Biden said on Friday. We owe them a promise to keep their schools open as safe as possible. We owe them a commitment to follow the science. The surge of new cases, driven by the more contagious Delta variant, ripping through unvaccinated communities has also impacted children, who are currently being hospitalized at the highest levels reported to date, with nearly 30,000 entering hospitals in August. Children still remain markedly less likely to be hospitalized or die from Covid-19 than adults, especially older adults. But experts say that the growing number of hospitalized children, however small compared with adults, should not be an afterthought, and should instead encourage communities to work harder to protect their youngest residents. Christopher F. Schuetze contributed reporting. Emily Anthes and An appeals court allows Florida to continue its ban on school mask mandates for now. Image The first day of school, last month, at iPrep Academy in Miami. Credit... Lynne Sladky/Associated Press Floridas ban on school mask mandates can remain in place while a legal challenge makes its way through the courts, an appeals court ruled on Friday. It reverses the decision of a lower court judge who had put the ban on hold and allowed the states largest school districts to require face coverings amid a deadly coronavirus surge. The ruling in favor of Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, and other state officials by the First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee means the Florida Department of Education can continue to punish local school officials who impose mask mandates without an opt-out provision available for parents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised everyone in schools to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status. In the trial courts in Tallahassee, state and federal, we typically lose if theres a political component to it, but then in the appeals court, we almost always win, Mr. DeSantis said on Wednesday. The state has begun to withhold funds equivalent to the school board members monthly salaries from two districts Alachua in Gainesville and Broward in Fort Lauderdale that were the first to put strict mask mandates in place. In all, 13 of Floridas 67 districts have imposed similar mandates, in defiance of the state. Floridas hardline stance on mask mandates has drawn a response from the U.S. Department of Educations civil rights office, which announced Friday it was investigating whether Florida was preventing schools from meeting the needs of students with disabilities. The office was already investigating five other states with mask mandate bans. The investigations make good on the Biden administrations promise to use the federal governments muscle including civil rights investigations and legal action to intervene in states where governors and other policymakers have come out against mask mandates in public schools. The Biden administration has pledged to restore funding to any district that is penalized for implementing C.D.C. mitigation recommendations, such as universal masking. The federal Education Department has already informed districts that they can use federal relief funds to plug gaps, and announced Thursday a new grant program that would provide an additional pot of funding to make districts whole if theyre financially penalized. In a brief ruling, three judges on the more conservative appellate court wrote on Friday that they have serious doubts about basic matters in the case, including whether the parents who filed the initial lawsuit had legal standing to do so. These doubts significantly militate against the likelihood of the appellees ultimate success in this appeal, they wrote. Late last month, after a four-day trial, Judge John C. Cooper of the states Second Judicial Circuit had ruled in favor of the parents, saying that school districts mask mandates were narrow, reasonable and necessary to protect a compelling state interest namely, the safety of students and staff. The state immediately sought a stay, or hold, on the ruling, pending its appeal. On Wednesday, Judge Cooper rejected the stay, briefly allowing the mask mandates to remain in place until Fridays appellate court ruling. Erica L. Green contributed reporting. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Unvaccinated Americans are 11 times more likely to die of Covid, the C.D.C. reports. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 0:59 - 0:00 transcript The Unvaccinated Are 11 Times More Likely to Die, C.D.C. Says Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said a study showed individuals who were not fully vaccinated were far more susceptible to infection and death from the virus. In this study, over 600,000 Covid-19 cases from April through mid-July were evaluated and linked to vaccination status. Looking at cases over the past two months when the Delta variant was the predominant variant circulating in this country, those who were unvaccinated were about four-and-a-half times more likely to get Covid-19, over 10 times more likely to be hospitalized and 11 times more likely to die from the disease. The key to reducing transmission is getting more people vaccinated. And even if youre young and relatively healthy, and youre not worried about the consequences to yourself, you could pass the virus onto other people. And thats why this collective responsibility we have as a society to make sure we are not only taking care of our own health, but reducing the chances we pass the virus onto somebody whos more vulnerable thats why this is so important. And thats what the efforts that the president announced yesterday will help us do, reduce transmission, protect lives and protect our children as well. Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said a study showed individuals who were not fully vaccinated were far more susceptible to infection and death from the virus. Credit Credit... Rozette Rago for The New York Times A day after President Biden issued broad vaccine mandates aimed at propelling American workers to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, federal health officials released a handful of studies highlighting how effective the shots are at preventing infections, hospitalizations and deaths even while the highly contagious Delta variant has been dominant. Three studies that drew data from different U.S. regions evaluated the protective power of the vaccines. One looked at more than 600,000 virus cases in 13 states, representing about one quarter of the U.S. population, between April and July, and concluded that individuals who were not fully vaccinated were far more susceptible to infection and death from the virus. They were 4.5 times more likely than vaccinated individuals to become infected, 10 times more likely to be hospitalized, and 11 times more likely to die from the coronavirus, the study found. Vaccine protection against hospitalization and death remained strong even when the Delta variant was the dominant form of infection. But the vaccines effectiveness in preventing infection dropped from 91 percent to 78 percent, the study found. The studies underscore a series of similar findings in recent weeks. As we have shown, study after study, vaccination works, said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at a White House Covid briefing on Friday. As more and more Americans become vaccinated, experts always expected that immunized people would represent a greater percentage of hospitalized patients. What I want to reiterate here is its still well over 90 percent of people who are in the hospital who are unvaccinated, Dr. Walensky said. We still have more than 10 times the number of people in the hospital who are unvaccinated, compared to vaccinated, she added. The unvaccinated are not a monolith. They include people who were opposed to vaccines even before the coronavirus pandemic, a group that consumes misinformation on the internet falsely claiming that vaccines commonly cause dangerous side effects and injuries. There are also unvaccinated Americans who have little access to health care, who have not seen a doctor in years and are disconnected from the medical establishment or who are simply afraid of needles. Some have religious objections, or are concerned that the vaccines were developed too quickly, though they are the culmination of decades of scientific research. Others have already had Covid and believe that they have immunity that makes a vaccine unnecessary, although the C.D.C. urges previously infected people to get vaccinated because natural immunity may not be enough to prevent reinfection. And millions of unvaccinated Americans have no choice in the matter: They are under 12 years old and are still waiting for a vaccine to be cleared for their use. Two other studies published on Friday detected waning protection from the vaccines among older adults. One study, conducted at five Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, found that protection against hospitalization declined with age, to 80 percent for those aged 66 and older, down from 95 percent for adults aged 18 to 64. A second study found vaccine effectiveness dropped off at age 75. The findings could help identify populations who may be in need of additional doses or booster shots. In August, the Food and Drug Administration authorized giving third doses of Pfizer-BioNTechs and Modernas coronavirus vaccines for some people with weakened immune systems, including organ transplant patients. But officials have said there is insufficient data on whether the vaccines effectiveness declines over time to recommend boosters for healthy adults. The data also suggests that the Moderna vaccine may be slightly more effective at preventing infections and hospitalizations with the Delta variant, compared with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Both of the mRNA vaccines had higher efficacy rates than the Johnson & Johnson shot, but the studies were not originally designed to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of different vaccinations. In the study of 33,000 medical encounters in nine states between June and August, the Moderna vaccine had an effectiveness rate of 92 percent against infection, compared with 77 percent for the Pfizer-BioNTech shot. Sharon LaFraniere and Julie Bosman contributed reporting. Will vaccine mandates slow the pandemic? Yes, scientists say but not immediately. Image A line for Covid vaccinations last month in Corona, Queens, one of the New York neighborhoods that were hit earliest and hardest in the country at the start of the pandemic. Credit... Byron Smith for The New York Times President Bidens new coronavirus vaccine mandates will have sweeping ramifications for businesses, schools and the political discourse in the United States. But for many scientists, the question is a simpler one: Will these measures turn back a surging pandemic? The answer: Yes, in the longer term. It has become clear that the nation cannot hope to end the pandemic with some 37 percent of Americans not having received a single dose of Covid vaccine, several experts said in interviews. Cases and hospitalizations are only expected to rise as Americans move indoors in homes, schools and offices in the cooling weather. The administrations new plan should stem the flood of infections and return the country to some semblance of normalcy over the longer term, the researchers said. Its going to fundamentally shift the arc of the current surge, said Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of Brown University School of Public Health. Its exactly whats needed at this moment. The vaccine mandates will protect millions more people, particularly against severe disease, and relieve pressure on the health care system, said Natalie Dean, a biostatistician at Emory University. It also sets a precedent for other organizations to make similar decisions about mandates, she said. But some experts cautioned that the results from the aggressive plan would take many weeks to unfold. Immunization is not an instant process at least six weeks for a two-dose vaccine and the administration did not emphasize the measures that work more quickly: masking and widespread rapid testing, for example. The nation has been overtaken by the contagious Delta variant, a far more formidable foe than the original version of the virus. The optimism of the spring and early summer gave way to dread as experts observed the variants march across Asia and Europe, sending rates soaring even in Britain, which had successfully protected most of its older adults. The variant became the dominant version of the virus in the United States only in mid-July, and the consequences have been beyond anything experts predicted. Reassuringly low numbers of cases and hospitalizations in June have risen inexorably for weeks to nearly 10-fold their levels. About 1,500 Americans, the vast majority of them unvaccinated, are dying each day. The mandates arrived on Thursday after weeks of arguments from public health experts that the federal government must do much more to raise vaccination rates. The administrations mandates will affect nearly 100 million Americans. Among them are health care workers. The administration will require that any provider receiving Medicaid or Medicare funding impose a vaccination requirement on staff. This is the measure mostly likely to have an immediate impact, experts said, because health care facilities are high-risk settings for transmission. And there is ample historical precedent for the decision to hold hospitals to certain standards notably, the historical directive to desegregate patients by race, said Dr. Jha. We have a real dearth of leadership from health care systems that have not mandated within their own organizations, and it is imperative that the president require that patients be protected, he added. The requirement may drive some health care and nursing home workers, particularly many who are close to retirement age, to leave the profession. Even so, there is more to be gained than lost by the mandates, said Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, founding director of Boston Universitys Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy and Research. This is an important step to get us out of the pandemic, she said. The very people who are taking care of the vulnerable coming into the hospital need to be our first line of defense. The Labor Department will require all private-sector businesses with more than 100 employees to require that their workforces be fully vaccinated or be tested at least once a week. Employers will be required to give paid time off to employees to get vaccinated. That move alone will affect 80 million Americans; its not clear how many are already vaccinated. In any event, the effects will not be immediately evident. Given the time required between the first two doses of the vaccine, and then for immunity to build up, the effect of all these mandates is unlikely to be felt for many weeks, said Bill Hanage, an epidemiologist at Harvard University. And Dr. Hanage was skeptical that the mandates would be successful in inoculating millions more people than have already opted for the vaccine. Some of the people who most urgently need to be protected are older adults who will not be affected by workplace requirements. Im sure that the anti-vaxxers are already prepared to be up in arms about this, he said. (Republican governors in several states have decried the mandates as unconstitutional and say they plan to file suits to stop them.) By insisting that vaccination is the way out of the pandemic, officials in both the Trump and Biden administrations have de-emphasized the importance of masks and testing in controlling the pandemic, several experts said. Its a lot quicker to put on a mask than it is to get a bunch of people vaccinated, Dr. Hanage said. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Have at it, Biden says to Republicans whove threatened to challenge vaccine mandates. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:38 - 0:00 transcript Have At It, Biden Tells Republicans Threatening to Challenge Mandate A day after unveiling a plan to push two-thirds of American workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, President Biden suggested the mandates would withstand Republican efforts to defy them. [applause] Have at it. [applause] Look, I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids, so cavalier with the health of their communities. This is, this is, were playing for real here. This isnt a game, and I dont know of any scientist out there in this field that doesnt think it makes considerable sense to do the six things Ive suggested. But you know, its let me conclude with this: One of the lessons I hope our students can unlearn is that politics doesnt have to be this way. Politics doesnt have to be this way. Theyre growing up in an environment where they see its like a war, like a bitter feud. If the Democrat says right, everybody says left, if the Democrat says left, they say right. I mean, its not how we are, its not who we are as a nation, and its not how we beat every other crisis in our history. We got to come together. And I think the vast majority you look at the polling data the vast majority of the American people know we have to do these things. A day after unveiling a plan to push two-thirds of American workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, President Biden suggested the mandates would withstand Republican efforts to defy them. Credit Credit... Pete Marovich for The New York Times President Bidens far-reaching assertion of executive authority to require Covid-19 vaccines for 100 million American workers relies on a set of complicated legal tools that will test the power and the limits of the federal government to compel personal health care decisions. To more aggressively confront the coronavirus pandemic, Mr. Biden is pulling several levers of presidential power: He is using an emergency provision in the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970; he is threatening to withhold federal funding from hospitals and other health care organizations; and he is embracing his authority as chief executive of the sprawling federal work force and its contractors. Together, the presidents actions are an assertive use of his jurisdiction over American life as the occupant of the Oval Office. Until Thursday, under Mr. Bidens leadership, the White House had been far more cautious about mandating vaccines than his counterparts around the world, especially in Europe. On Friday, facing accusations from Republicans of an abuse of power and threats of lawsuits, Mr. Biden had a simple retort. Have at it, he said. The right of government to impose vaccines has been established since at least 1904, when the Supreme Court issued a 7-to-2 ruling that Cambridge, Mass., could require all adults to be vaccinated against smallpox. But more recent cases including the first Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act call into question whether Mr. Biden or any president could simply order all Americans to get shots. That is not what Mr. Biden is doing. By requiring that companies maintain safe workplaces through vaccination, legal experts said Friday that the president was relying on the federal governments well-established constitutional power to regulate commerce and the 51-year-old law establishing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Once OSHA drafts an emergency temporary standard, officials said the agency would begin enforcing the rules: collecting reports of violations and sending out inspectors who will be empowered to impose $13,650 fines for violations and up to $136,500 for those that are willful or repeated. The constitutionality of this regulatory effort is completely clear, said Donald B. Verrilli Jr., who served as solicitor general under President Barack Obama. In a situation like this, one where were in the middle of a public health emergency, courts recognize that they lack the institutional competency to make judgments about whats in the best interest of public health and safety. Mr. Bidens adversaries are already accusing him of an abuse of power, claiming he has gone too far in confronting a virus that has claimed the lives of more than 600,000 Americans. Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, called the presidents actions utterly lawless. Gov. Brian Kemp, Republican of Georgia, said the move was blatantly unlawful, and Georgia will not stand for it. In a fund-raising email sent on Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, a Republican who has issued antimask orders, wrote, Joe Biden has declared war on constitutional government, the rule of law, and the jobs and livelihoods of millions of Americans. But top aides to the president do not appear to be shaken by what they say was an expected response from those quarters. White House officials believe he has clear authority to compel federal workers to be vaccinated as a condition of their employment by the government. And they say requiring hospitals and other health care organization to vaccinate its workers a mandate that covers as many as 17 million people is a reasonable condition in exchange for taking federal health care reimbursements. Julie Bosman contributed reporting. Michael D. Shear, Noam Scheiber and Advertisement Continue reading the main story Republicans seize on Bidens novel use of a law on workplace safety to attack his vaccine mandates. Image President Biden announced his sweeping new strategy to confront the coronavirus at the White House on Thursday. A series of Republican governors immediately pledged to fight the plan on legal grounds, to which Mr. Biden responded, Have at it. Credit... Al Drago for The New York Times President Bidens far-reaching assertion of presidential authority to require vaccines for 80 million American workers relies on a first-of-its-kind application of a 51-year-old law that grants the federal government the power to protect employees from grave dangers at the workplace. White House officials believe the emergency authority provided by Congress under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 is a legitimate and legal way to combat the coronavirus pandemic. But they acknowledge that the laws emergency provisions, which were employed in previous decades to protect workers from asbestos and other industrial dangers, have never been used to require a vaccine. The novelty of the effort is at the heart of legal threats from Republican lawmakers, governors, pundits and others, many of whom have vowed to challenge the presidents use of the workplace rules. Gov. Brian Kemp, Republican of Georgia, said the move is blatantly unlawful, and Georgia will not stand for it. Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, called Mr. Bidens actions utterly lawless on Twitter. Utterly lawless. https://t.co/6t40F6Orwj Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 10, 2021 In a fund-raising email sent on Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, a Republican who has issued antimask orders, wrote, Joe Biden has declared war on constitutional government, the rule of law, and the jobs and livelihoods of millions of Americans. But top aides to the president do not appear to be shaken by what they say was an expected response from those quarters. On Friday morning, Mr. Biden responded to threats of lawsuits from his adversaries. Have at it, he said. And experts said the administration appeared to be on strong legal ground because it was relying on existing authority granted to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration by the legislative branch and supported by decades of judicial rulings. Mandates imposed before the latest Biden move have spurred vaccinations. Image The inoculation rate of frontline health care workers at the Department of Veterans Affairs has increased since a vaccine mandate for them was announced about seven weeks ago. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times President Bidens new coronavirus vaccination mandates prompted some backlash Thursday, but the two federal departments that already require vaccinations as well as several states, cities and private-sector companies say their mandates are already doing what they intended: getting more shots in arms. Since the Pentagon announced last month that active-duty military personnel would be required to be vaccinated, the percentage of service members with at least one shot rose from 76 percent to 83 percent, according to Defense Department data. At the Department of Veterans Affairs, which issued a vaccine mandate for its 115,000 frontline health care workers seven weeks ago, 82 percent of those employees are now fully vaccinated, up from 77 percent, and the number of shots it has given to all of its workers has more than doubled since early July, said Terrence Hayes, a spokesman for the department. The increases elude the goal of getting virtually every employee vaccinated, although in the military, where troops have long been used to taking orders and avoiding voluntary actions, the numbers are expected to rise higher soon. Each service branch is working through its enforcement plan; once the Army makes its official announcement, those numbers are likely to increase, considering it is the largest branch of the military. Military leaders had grown tired of vaccination rates that had stagnated for months. The low vaccination rate was threatening troop readiness, commanders said, and at the Department of Veterans Affairs, there was fear that vulnerable veterans would be sickened by workers, a concern at nursing homes and private hospitals as well. Advertisement Continue reading the main story GLOBAL ROUNDUP Some Indian states move to curb crowds at religious festivals. Image Gathering at a market in Mumbai on Thursday, a day before the start of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Credit... Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters After a giant Hindu pilgrimage contributed to a catastrophic coronavirus surge this spring, some states in India are preparing for a new season of religious festivals by imposing crowd limits, as experts warn of the threat of a third wave of infections. Several festivals taking place in September and October typically draw large crowds to temples, processions and markets. In the past, the authorities have struggled to get devotees to follow health protocols. The Kumbh Mela, which drew millions of pilgrims to the banks of the Ganges River in the spring with hardly any testing or social distancing, was widely blamed for spreading the virus, as pilgrims carried infections back to their villages and towns. Prime Minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist government faced criticism for allowing the Kumbh Mela to take place despite warnings that it would become a super-spreading event. Last month, Mr. Modis government asked states to take suitable measures to avoid large gatherings during the coming festive season, and to impose local restrictions if needed. At a news conference last week, Dr. V.K. Paul, head of the national Covid-19 task force, reinforced the warning, saying: We shall celebrate the festivals within the family we should not have big gatherings. States have responded with varying measures in the days before a festival celebrating Ganesh, the Hindu elephant god. In the southwestern state of Karnataka, the government said that gatherings should be capped at 20 people, and imposed a 9 p.m. curfew. In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, officials announced a ban on large celebrations, and offered payments to idol-making potters whose businesses would be badly affected. The western state of Maharashtra, among the worst hit by the spring Covid wave, draws some of the biggest crowds for the festival, known as Ganesh Chaturthi. In Mumbai, the state capital, the authorities issued guidelines limiting processions to 10 people, all of whom must be fully vaccinated and masked, news media reported. Although Indias outbreak has eased, the country continues to report nearly 40,000 new cases and nearly 400 deaths daily. With Covid fatigue kicking in and the economy still flailing, many states are reluctant to impose strict restrictions. Prime Minister Narendra Modis government has bet that a ramped-up vaccination drive can boost immunity and keep another wave from being as deadly as the last. With localized virus surges taking place in a handful of states, Dr. Lahariya said that continued restrictions could help prevent a nationwide third wave as Indias vaccination rates remain relatively low. After a slow start to vaccinations, India has administered more than eight million doses per day over the past week. More than 700 million doses have been given nationwide, but less than one-fifth of the countrys roughly 900 million adults are fully vaccinated, according to official statistics. In other news around the world: The French government announced on Thursday that it had granted citizenship to more than 12,000 foreign essential workers to thank them for their service during the pandemic. Data from the Health Observatory of the Ile-de-France region, an area that includes Paris, show that immigrants made up a quarter of essential workers who remained active during lockdowns. Of those working in the hospitals in the region, 23 percent are immigrants, though some may already be citizens. Singapore opened its borders to more countries and loosened quarantine rules for some inbound travelers on Friday, even though its daily case count on Thursday surged to over 400 for the first time since August 2020. But the number of severe cases has leveled off at an average of 23 per day this week, according to data released by Singapores Ministry of Health. In Vietnam, officials in Ho Chi Minh City, the epicenter of the countrys outbreak, said they planned to allow economic activity to resume in the city next week. We cannot resort to quarantine and lockdown measures forever, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said last week, Reuters reported. The Covid-19 pandemic is evolving in a complicated and unpredictable manner and may last for a long time. The lead developer of the AstraZeneca vaccine says a mass booster program is unnecessary. Image Prof. Sarah Gilbert last year in Oxford, England. Credit... Mary Turner for The New York Times As Britains vaccine watchdog deliberates whether to introduce a booster program for healthy people vaccinated against the coronavirus, Prof. Sarah Gilbert of Oxford University, who led the development of the AstraZeneca vaccine, said on Thursday that a third dose was unnecessary for most. Prof. Gilbert said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph that booster shots should be prioritized only for the immunocompromised and elderly, because in most people, the immunity from two doses is holding up. We need to get vaccines to countries where few of the population have been vaccinated so far, she said. We have to do better in this regard. The first dose has the most impact. The comments came as Britains medicine regulator recommended on Wednesday that both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines could be used as safe and effective booster doses. The regulators chief executive, Dr. June Raine, said in a statement that it would now be up to Britains vaccines watchdog, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, to advise on whether booster jabs will be given and if so, which vaccines should be used. Britains health secretary, Sajid Javid, announced this month that a third vaccine dose would be offered to those with severely compromised immune systems, aged 12 and over. The vaccination committee is deliberating whether to roll out boosters more widely, ahead of a winter season that may bring a rise in the number of coronavirus cases. Several countries have already begun giving booster shots to healthy vaccinated people, or will start this month. But ethical questions about vaccine inequalities have been raised, as these programs are limited to wealthier nations. The World Health Organization asked wealthy countries to hold off on administering booster shots for healthy patients until at least the end of the year as a way of enabling every country to vaccinate at least 40 percent of their populations. Advertisement Continue reading the main story New York City mayor orders municipal employees back to the workplace. Image New York City municipal workers are required to return to work this month. Credit... Benjamin Norman for The New York Times On Monday, as New York City students fully return to public schools, the citys entire municipal labor force, the largest in the nation, will return to work. Mayor Bill de Blasio has ordered the citys more than 300,000 employees to report to work five days a week, with no general hybrid or remote option. The move will be closely watched in cities around the nation, as the mayor navigates a thicket of safety procedures. Office workers will have to be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing, and masks will be required in most indoor communal settings. Social distancing will not be required, except where workers are interacting with the public. The move has been met by significant resistance from unionized workers. But Mr. de Blasio has been determined to restore the city to some semblance of its prepandemic existence, and he believes that returning to work will greatly help efforts to revive the citys economy. The New York Times interviewed roughly a dozen city employees, and all but one disapproved of the mayors plan. Many worried about working in cramped, open work spaces with unvaccinated colleagues; others wondered how they would balance their child-care responsibilities, should their children have to quarantine following an in-school exposure. Several workers interviewed, who sought anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said that they or their colleagues would be likely to start looking for other jobs with more flexible work-from-home policies. To me, this is crazy, Henry Garrido, executive director of the citys largest public union, District Council 37, said in an interview. Because at this point, theres a new reality. Jeffery C. Mays contributed reporting. France grants citizenship to more than 12,000 foreign essential workers. Image Marlene Schiappa, the French minister who oversees citizenship matters, said in a statement: These frontline workers have served the nation. It is only natural that the nation should embrace them. Credit... Thomas Samson/Agence France-Presse Getty Images The French government announced on Thursday that it had granted citizenship to more than 12,000 foreign essential workers to thank them for their service during the pandemic. These frontline workers have served the nation, Marlene Schiappa, the French minister in charge of citizenship matters, said in a statement. It is only natural that the nation should embrace them. Data from the Health Observatory of the Ile-de-France region, an area that includes Paris, show that immigrants made up a quarter of essential workers who remained active during lockdowns. Of those working in the hospitals in the region, 23 percent are immigrants, though some may already be citizens. In September 2020, Frances interior ministry reduced its legal residency requirement for citizenship applications from five years to two, and accelerated the application process for essential workers, including health care professionals, cashiers, child care providers and garbage collectors. More than 16,000 such workers have applied for citizenship, and more than 12,000 have already received it, according to the interior ministry. Leontine Gallois , Hari Kumar, John Yoon and Advertisement Continue reading the main story WASHINGTON In their first conversation in seven months, President Biden spoke on Thursday with President Xi Jinping of China, expressing concern over Chinas cyberactivities while arguing that the leaders of the worlds two largest economies could set aside their differences to work together on climate change. The call amounted to a break in what experts have called one of the lowest points in the relationship between the two countries in decades. It was only the second time that the leaders have spoken since Mr. Bidens inauguration; the lack of communication is a measure of the rising tensions between their nations as they seek to maneuver to limit the global influence of the other. The call, which a senior administration official said lasted 90 minutes, came at a particularly delicate time. Tensions are growing over Taiwan and the South China Sea, and Mr. Biden is trying to rally the West in what he calls a battle between autocracy versus democracy. It also came less than two weeks after the United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan, where China has been interested in mining for commodities. Even as Mr. Bidens senior officials stressed the importance of engaging directly with Mr. Xi after months of stalled discussions, administration officials on Thursday evening gave remarkably few details from the call. Mr. Biden did push China to agree to a set of guardrails for policymaking while also emphasizing the need to mitigate climate change, officials said. The California State Legislature this week approved a measure that would make the state the first to outlaw stealthing, the act of removing a condom during sex without a partners consent. The bill, which was approved unanimously on Tuesday, awaits the signature of Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, who has until Oct. 10 to sign it into law. A spokesman for the governor said his office did not comment on pending bills. If approved, the measure would amend the states civil definition of sexual battery and make stealthing a civil offense, meaning victims could sue their assailants for damages. Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia of California, who sponsored the bill, said the measure would give victims another resource to hold assailants accountable. It would also make it clear that this is not just amoral, but also illegal, she said in an interview on Thursday. Not only has that not happened, Senate logjams and partisan battles over nominees have gotten worse. It now takes nearly four months for a presidential nominee to be confirmed, compared with half that time in the Reagan era. More than 200 Biden nominees are languishing in confirmation purgatory, some of them for months, Mr. Stier said. The problems started in January, when, amid a surge in domestic terrorism, Senator Josh Hawley, Republican of Missouri, slowed confirmation of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, saying he had questions about his stance on immigration. At the time, Michael Chertoff, a homeland security secretary during the George W. Bush administration, called the slow-walking irresponsible and unconscionable, saying it could put the lives of Americans in jeopardy. This spring, Senator Rick Scott, Republican of Florida, slowed the confirmation of three Department of Homeland Security nominees the deputy secretary, the under secretary for strategy, policy and plans and the general counsel seeking greater administration attention on the U.S. border with Mexico. The deputy secretary, John K. Tien, has been on the job for less than two months, and Robert Silvers, the under secretary for strategy, for less than a month. In August, the Senate left for its monthlong summer break with nearly 30 State Department nominees in limbo. Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, is blocking their confirmation votes while demanding that Mr. Biden impose sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline linking Russia and Germany. Among the nominees that Mr. Cruz has bottled up is Brett M. Holmgren, who was nominated in March as assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research. But it is not only Republicans slowing the process. Democrats grouse that liberal members of their party balk at nominees with corporate backgrounds, making acceptable appointees harder to find. Moderate Democrats have also raised objections about some nominees. On Thursday, Mr. Biden withdrew his nomination of David Chipman to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives after Senator Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with the Democrats, and Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia, joined Republicans in objecting to Mr. Chipmans past statements supporting some gun control. Jamie S. Gorelick, who served on the 9/11 Commission, called the Senates approach lackadaisical and dangerous. During the Clinton administration, Ms. Gorelick was the Pentagons general counsel, and later the deputy attorney general. Then too, it was hand-to-hand combat getting individual assistant secretaries and the like confirmed, she said. WASHINGTON Republican aides challenged their Democratic counterparts on Friday in a debate before the Senates top rules enforcer that could determine whether as many as eight million undocumented immigrants have a path to citizenship. The debate, which took place behind closed doors, came as House committees were drafting and advancing key components of a sweeping $3.5 trillion spending plan Democrats have been pushing that would greatly expand the social safety net and test the bounds of the Senates rules. Democrats have sought to include a long-sought overhaul of immigration law in the ambitious economic package, prompting objections from Republicans, who say the proposals are not truly budgetary in nature. The aides senior Democrats and Republicans with expertise in immigration law and the budget met with Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian, who serves as the chambers arbiter of its own rules. It was unclear how quickly after the debate Ms. MacDonough would make a ruling. He was captured in Turkey in 2006 and held by the Central Intelligence Agency as a high-value detainee, then was transferred to U.S. military custody at Guantanamo Bay the next year. Even before his capture, according to his lawyers, he had been diagnosed with spine problems and signs of degenerative disk disease. His condition became acute in 2017 when guards discovered him incontinent in his cell. The Pentagon rushed a neurosurgical team to the base before the arrival of Hurricane Irma for the first of five spine surgeries in nine months. Mr. Hadi now relies on a wheelchair and walker inside the prison, and a padded geriatric chair for support in court. Guards also keep a hospital bed inside the courtroom where he has slept when heavy painkillers caused him to nod off. Mr. Hadis case has highlighted the challenges the Defense Department faces in managing aging detainees at Guantanamo Bay. While U.S. troops and other residents of the base are routinely sent to military health care facilities in the United States, the Pentagon has had to bring experts and sophisticated medical equipment to Guantanamo for the prisoners because the law forbids their transfer to the United States for any reason not trial or imprisonment or emergency health care. The United States is obliged to provide adequate health care to war captives under the Geneva Conventions. For years, prison commanders have also boasted that the care the Guantanamo detainees receive is equal to that it provides U.S. service members, and at times more immediately available because medics at cellblocks are on duty around the clock. However, in an emergency filing on Thursday, defense lawyers said that Mr. Hadi was notified that specialist treatment was not available for several weeks. The Finance Committee is also leaning toward changing the rules that large business partnerships have used to avoid taxation and evade Internal Revenue Service audits. Congress drafted the rules when partnerships were dominated by small businesses, like doctors offices. But increasingly, partnerships are large companies or subsidiaries of major corporations, arrayed in complex, overlapping configurations to allow their owners to shift profits, losses and deductions to evade taxes. Some 70 percent of partnership income now goes to the top 1 percent of earners, and the tax minimization methods have become so complex that ordinary I.R.S. agents are not allowed to conduct certain audits without the assistance of top-flight I.R.S. lawyers. The constant theme running through our tax code is, paying taxes is mandatory for working people, but optional for wealthy investors and mega corporations. Thats especially true when it comes to pass-through businesses and partnerships, the preferred tax avoidance tools for those at the top, Mr. Wyden said. To change all that, Democrats want to constrain partnerships from gaming the system. Under the new rules, if two partners who were members of a single corporate group sold a shared asset, the profit would have to be divided equally, not parceled out disproportionately to maximize tax advantages. Similarly, partnership debt, which allows partners to take deductions and claim cash distributions, could not be shuffled from partner to partner to reduce their tax liabilities. Those changes, without any increase in tax rates, would raise $172 billion over 10 years, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation, Congresss official scorekeeper on tax matters. Though it would raise less revenue, about $100 billion, the tax on buybacks could be the more far-reaching measure. Over the past decade, Apple has been the king of the stock buyback, spending $423 billion to retire its stock. Microsoft, in a distant second place, spent nearly $129 billion. Some Democrats have favored setting the tax so high that buybacks would make no economic sense. But Democratic tax aides said on Thursday that they were trying to balance the desire to curtail stock buybacks with the need to raise revenue. At the very least, a 2 percent tax on buybacks could encourage companies to use excess cash to pay higher dividends, which shareholders pay taxes on. When the law first came out and I was reading it, I thought I was missing something, said Mary Ziegler, a professor at the Florida State University College of Law who specializes in the history of reproductive law. It almost seemed like anyone could sue anyone and that didnt seem right. But it was. It really is that extraordinary. Here are some questions and answers about the enforcement provision. Are there other laws that use the same mechanism? Not really or at least not with the same scope as the Texas law. While giving private citizens the right to file suit in lieu of or in tandem with criminal enforcement by state officials is a staple of medical malpractice cases and other forms of tort law, the Texas law is different. It removes enforcement entirely from state jurisdiction, and vastly expands who can sue, and who can be sued, over abortions. The statute, for example, permits anyone even people who live outside Texas to file a complaint in any court in the state if they believe an abortion has been performed. It also makes nearly everyone involved in the procedure except for the woman who receives the abortion liable to suits, meaning that doctors, nurses, insurance companies, even Uber drivers who help take women to clinics, could be vulnerable. According to Ms. Ziegler, the notion of using civil lawsuits to curb or stop abortions first emerged in the early 1990s, when a Texas pastor named Mark Crutcher created a program called Spies for Life that published manuals showing people how to use the legal system to go after abortion clinics and providers. In 1999, Louisiana passed its own law giving women who had abortions the right to sue their providers. Mr. Biden had anticipated the attacks. In announcing his plan on Thursday, he said that he would do what he could to require more Americans to be vaccinated to combat those blocking public health, adding If those governors wont help us beat the pandemic, I will use my power as president to get them out of the way. On Friday, Mr. Biden said that his mandates would withstand Republican challenges. Have at it, said Mr. Biden, who was delivering remarks at a middle school in Washington. I am so disappointed, particularly that some of the Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids, so cavalier with the health of their communities. Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas called the actions an assault on private businesses in a statement on Twitter. He said he issued an executive order protecting Texans right to choose whether or not they would be vaccinated. Texas is already working to halt this power grab, he wrote. Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona wrote on Twitter: The Biden-Harris administration is hammering down on private businesses and individual freedoms in an unprecedented and dangerous way. He questioned how many workers would be displaced, businesses fined, and children kept out of the classroom because of the mandates, and he vowed to push back. Mr. Bidens vaccination requirements will be imposed by the Department of Labor and its Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is drafting an emergency temporary standard to carry out the mandate, according to the White House. OSHA oversees workplace safety, which the agency is likely to contend extends to vaccine mandates. The agency has issued other guidelines for pandemic precautions, such as a rule in June requiring health care employers to provide protective equipment, provide adequate ventilation and ensure social distancing, among other measures. By requiring that companies maintain safe workplaces through vaccination, legal experts said Friday that the president was relying on the federal governments well-established constitutional power to regulate commerce and the 51-year-old law establishing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The campaign to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom has been going well for the governor lately. Less so for Tag the bear. Animal rights people are suing us, said Keith Bauer, the longtime trainer for the 1,000-pound Kodiak who became famous this year as part of a campaign stunt for John Cox, one of the four dozen or so candidates challenging Mr. Newsom. Its ridiculous. Mr. Cox, a San Diego Republican who lost to Mr. Newsom in a landslide in 2018, garnered attention this spring when he began making appearances with the bear to underscore his campaign theme that Mr. Newsom was a privileged beauty while Mr. Cox was a powerful beast. Bryan Pease, a lawyer who leads the board of the Animal Protection and Rescue League in San Diego, said the nonprofit group sued to enjoin Mr. Cox and the bears owner from bringing Tag back to San Diego. I still have no intention of going back to, like Monday through Friday, 8 to 5. I think that ship has sailed for me, she said. She has no desire to structure her workday around drop-off and pickup times for her children, nor does she miss the stress of running late to the office and having to pull over while driving to take a conference call. Kristen Surya, a New York-based lawyer in the music industry, is also determined to protect her energy when she returns to the office. As an introvert, she finds the highly social atmosphere of a record label draining at times. People love coming and talking to you, she said. Its very social in a way that, like, makes me die inside, she joked. Her offices initial reopening date of early September has now been postponed indefinitely because of the Delta variant. But Ms. Surya is already thinking about the boundaries she will need to set when the office does reopen. If I feel like I want to leave at some point in the day, Im just going to have to let myself do that, she said. Ellen Ernst Kossek, a professor at Purdue University who is studying work-life boundaries and career equality, says that while employers still hold a lot of power, workers also need to create the post-pandemic workplace they want. She advises workers to have conversations with their managers about the flexibility they really need and how that will affect their performance. But she also warns: Offering more remote work options and flexible hours in a culture that still expects employees to overwork may actually do more harm than good, contributing to a greater erosion of boundaries between work and personal life. The pandemic has confirmed this: Instead of using time spent on commutes, breaks and socializing at work to rest, most people simply worked more. A recent survey also found that 39 percent of women fear that taking advantage of flexible work arrangements will negatively affect their career growth with Black and Latinx women the most concerned. Other research points to some reasons, namely the fear that not having a physical presence will result in being passed over for promotions and decrease womens influence and informal interactions with decision makers. Suzi Kang, a quality assurance engineer based in Lincoln, Neb., was given the option to telework at the beginning of the pandemic. But she was very aware of the trade-offs. On one hand, she worried that remote work would make it harder for her to build relationships, especially as someone who started her job only three months before Covid. On the other hand, she often felt like an outsider as someone who identifies as Asian in an industry dominated by white men. In the end, she decided the trade-off was worth it. It does help to not have to put on a different persona for work, she said. NAIROBI, Kenya American Green Berets were training local forces in the West African nation of Guinea last weekend when their charges peeled away for a mission not listed in any military training manual: They mounted a coup. Gunfire rang out as an elite Guinean Special Forces unit stormed the presidential palace in the capital, Conakry, early Sunday, deposing the countrys 83-year-old president, Alpha Conde. Hours later a charismatic young officer, Col. Mamady Doumbouya, announced himself as Guineas new leader. The Americans knew him well. A team of about a dozen Green Berets had been in Guinea since mid-July to train about 100 soldiers in a special forces unit led by Colonel Doumbouya, who served for years in the French Foreign Legion, took part in American military exercises and was once a close ally of the president he overthrew. The United States, like the United Nations and the African Union, has condemned the coup, and the U.S. military has denied having any advance knowledge of it. [explosion] In one of the final acts of its 20-year war in Afghanistan, the United States fired a missile from a drone at a car in Kabul. It was parked in the courtyard of a home, and the explosion killed 10 people, including 43-year-old Zemari Ahmadi and seven children, according to his family. The Pentagon claimed that Ahmadi was a facilitator for the Islamic State, and that his car was packed with explosives, posing an imminent threat to U.S. troops guarding the evacuation at the Kabul airport. The procedures were correctly followed, and it was a righteous strike. What the military apparently didnt know was that Ahmadi was a longtime aid worker, who colleagues and family members said spent the hours before he died running office errands, and ended his day by pulling up to his house. Soon after, his Toyota was hit with a 20-pound Hellfire missile. What was interpreted as the suspicious moves of a terrorist may have just been an average day in his life. And its possible that what the military saw Ahmadi loading into his car were water canisters he was bringing home to his family not explosives. Using never-before seen security camera footage of Ahmadi, interviews with his family, co-workers and witnesses, we will piece together for the first time his movements in the hours before he was killed. Zemari Ahmadi was an electrical engineer by training. For 14 years, he had worked for the Kabul office of Nutrition and Education International. NEI established a total of 11 soybean processing plants in Afghanistan. Its a California based NGO that fights malnutrition. On most days, he drove one of the companys white Toyota corollas, taking his colleagues to and from work and distributing the NGOs food to Afghans displaced by the war. Only three days before Ahmadi was killed, 13 U.S. troops and more than 170 Afghan civilians died in an Islamic State suicide attack at the airport. The military had given lower-level commanders the authority to order airstrikes earlier in the evacuation, and they were bracing for what they feared was another imminent attack. To reconstruct Ahmadis movements on Aug. 29, in the hours before he was killed, The Times pieced together the security camera footage from his office, with interviews with more than a dozen of Ahmadis colleagues and family members. Ahmadi appears to have left his home around 9 a.m. He then picked up a colleague and his bosss laptop near his house. Its around this time that the U.S. military claimed it observed a white sedan leaving an alleged Islamic State safehouse, around five kilometers northwest of the airport. Thats why the U.S. military said they tracked Ahmadis Corolla that day. They also said they intercepted communications from the safehouse, instructing the car to make several stops. But every colleague who rode with Ahmadi that day said what the military interpreted as a series of suspicious moves was just a typical day in his life. After Ahmadi picked up another colleague, the three stopped to get breakfast, and at 9:35 a.m., they arrived at the N.G.O.s office. Later that morning, Ahmadi drove some of his co-workers to a Taliban-occupied police station to get permission for future food distribution at a new displacement camp. At around 2 p.m., Ahmadi and his colleagues returned to the office. The security camera footage we obtained from the office is crucial to understanding what happens next. The cameras timestamp is off, but we went to the office and verified the time. We also matched an exact scene from the footage with a timestamp satellite image to confirm it was accurate. A 2:35 p.m., Ahmadi pulls out a hose, and then he and a co-worker fill empty containers with water. Earlier that morning, we saw Ahmadi bring these same empty plastic containers to the office. There was a water shortage in his neighborhood, his family said, so he regularly brought water home from the office. At around 3:38 p.m., a colleague moves Ahmadis car further into the driveway. A senior U.S. official told us that at roughly the same time, the military saw Ahmadis car pull into an unknown compound 8 to 12 kilometers southwest of the airport. That overlaps with the location of the NGOs office, which we believe is what the military called an unknown compound. With the workday ending, an employee switched off the office generator and the feed from the camera ends. We dont have footage of the moments that followed. But its at this time, the military said that its drone feed showed four men gingerly loading wrapped packages into the car. Officials said they couldnt tell what was inside them. This footage from earlier in the day shows what the men said they were carrying their laptops one in a plastic shopping bag. And the only things in the trunk, Ahmadis co-workers said, were the water containers. Ahmadi dropped each one of them off, then drove to his home in a dense neighborhood near the airport. He backed into the homes small courtyard. Children surrounded the car, according to his brother. A U.S. official said the military feared the car would leave again, and go into an even more crowded street or to the airport itself. The drone operators, who hadnt been watching Ahmadis home at all that day, quickly scanned the courtyard and said they saw only one adult male talking to the driver and no children. They decided this was the moment to strike. A U.S. official told us that the strike on Ahmadis car was conducted by an MQ-9 Reaper drone that fired a single Hellfire missile with a 20-pound warhead. We found remnants of the missile, which experts said matched a Hellfire at the scene of the attack. In the days after the attack, the Pentagon repeatedly claimed that the missile strike set off other explosions, and that these likely killed the civilians in the courtyard. Significant secondary explosions from the targeted vehicle indicated the presence of a substantial amount of explosive material. Because there were secondary explosions, theres a reasonable conclusion to be made that there was explosives in that vehicle. But a senior military official later told us that it was only possible to probable that explosives in the car caused another blast. We gathered photos and videos of the scene taken by journalists and visited the courtyard multiple times. We shared the evidence with three weapons experts who said the damage was consistent with the impact of a Hellfire missile. They pointed to the small crater beneath Ahmadis car and the damage from the metal fragments of the warhead. This plastic melted as a result of a car fire triggered by the missile strike. All three experts also pointed out what was missing: any evidence of the large secondary explosions described by the Pentagon. No collapsed or blown-out walls, including next to the trunk with the alleged explosives. No sign that a second car parked in the courtyard was overturned by a large blast. No destroyed vegetation. All of this matches what eyewitnesses told us, that a single missile exploded and triggered a large fire. There is one final detail visible in the wreckage: containers identical to the ones that Ahmadi and his colleague filled with water and loaded into his trunk before heading home. Even though the military said the drone team watched the car for eight hours that day, a senior official also said they werent aware of any water containers. The Pentagon has not provided The Times with evidence of explosives in Ahmadis vehicle or shared what they say is the intelligence that linked him to the Islamic State. But the morning after the U.S. killed Ahmadi, the Islamic State did launch rockets at the airport from a residential area Ahmadi had driven through the previous day. And the vehicle they used was a white Toyota. The U.S. military has so far acknowledged only three civilian deaths from its strike, and says there is an investigation underway. They have also admitted to knowing nothing about Ahmadi before killing him, leading them to interpret the work of an engineer at a U.S. NGO as that of an Islamic State terrorist. Four days before Ahmadi was killed, his employer had applied for his family to receive refugee resettlement in the United States. At the time of the strike, they were still awaiting approval. Looking to the U.S. for protection, they instead became some of the last victims in Americas longest war. Hi, Im Evan, one of the producers on this story. Our latest visual investigation began with word on social media of an explosion near Kabul airport. It turned out that this was a U.S. drone strike, one of the final acts in the 20-year war in Afghanistan. Our goal was to fill in the gaps in the Pentagons version of events. We analyzed exclusive security camera footage, and combined it with eyewitness accounts and expert analysis of the strike aftermath. You can see more of our investigations by signing up for our newsletter. The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. Sign up to get it by email. This week, Melbourne added another tally to its count of beloved institutions lost to the pandemic. This time, though, the reaction has been slightly more mixed. The Melbourne Star, our questionable answer to the London Eye and the Singapore Flyer, announced on Monday that it would stop lighting up the city skyline after 13 years of intermittent operation, citing the pandemic on top of existing challenges like increasing numbers of high-rises in the Docklands area. In the days since, people have paid tribute to its misfortune-filled history, including stories of how it first opened in 2008 for a biblical 40 days and 40 nights before shutting down because of structural defects; how it could have reopened in January 2013 if there was no wind, no rain for the next four months an unrealistic scenario for most places and laughably so for Melbourne; and the time in 2018 when passengers got trapped in it for over an hour, leading some to make use of the urinal bags in the emergency kits. I moved to Melbourne just months after the current iteration of the Melbourne Star opened at the end of 2013, freshly rebranded from the Southern Star in an image overhaul with debatable success. Coming into the city on the SkyBus, it loomed in the distance, impressively big, gleaming white, bracketed by the high-rise buildings of the C.B.D. OTTAWA Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus decision to call an election two years ahead of schedule has not worked out as planned. Polls have consistently tracked a decline in voter support for his Liberal Party and a rise in backing for its nearest rivals, the Conservatives, leaving the parties in a statistical tie. The bulk of the 36-day campaign, the shortest allowed by law, came during Canadas all-too-brief summer, when many voters minds were far from politics. The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, where the Canadian military fought, further distracted the publics attention. So for Mr. Trudeau and his rivals, particularly Erin OToole of the Conservatives, the debates this week in each of Canadas official languages were crucial opportunities to define the campaign before Election Day, Sept. 20. Few issues divide urban and rural Canada more than guns. In cities and suburban areas, polls have shown for years that theres strong support for even tighter restrictions. Horrific crimes like last years shooting and arson spree in Nova Scotia increase that sentiment. But in many rural areas and Indigenous communities, guns are a part of everyday life. Totaling up the numbers has been difficult since the Conservative government led by Stephen Harper eliminated the registry for shotguns and standard rifles. But the Small Arms Survey, a project based in Switzerland, estimates that there are 12.7 million legal and illegal guns held by private owners in Canada. There are 2.2 million Canadians who hold a license to buy and own guns. Last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau banned 1,500 models of assault-style semiautomatic rifles after the shooting rampage in rural Nova Scotia that left 23 people dead. Although some designs of semiautomatics can still be owned, their use is limited. Erin OToole, the Conservative leader, began the election campaign by promising to roll back Mr. Trudeaus assault weapon ban and roll back other Liberal anti-gun measures. He argued that they penalized law-abiding gun owners but did little or nothing to stop gun crime, although assault weapons have been used in mass shootings in Canada. In place of a ban, he proposed cracking down harder on smuggling, something Mr. Trudeau had already advanced, and hiring 200 additional members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who would be assigned to gun and gang crimes in Toronto and Vancouver. BRUSSELS Pushing back against European complaints that the Biden Administration had failed to consult its allies over the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Jens Stoltenberg, NATOs secretary-general, said those objections were exaggerated and that NATO had given unanimous approval for the withdrawal as far back as April. Mr. Stoltenberg also said that talk of a new, separate European Union military force which some have argued is necessary in the aftermath of the collapse of Afghanistan could only weaken the trans-Atlantic alliance and divide the continent. You see different voices in Europe, and some are talking about the lack of consultation, but I was present in those meetings, Mr. Stoltenberg said late Thursday in a wide-ranging interview at NATOs headquarters. Of course the United States consulted with European allies, but at the end of the day, every nation has to make their own decision on deploying forces. He acknowledged that the consultation was somewhat artificial, because once the United States decided to withdraw, he said, it was hard for other allies to continue without the United States. It was not a realistic option. That consists of investigating academics publications, court experts opinions and books, for which he bills as much as $400 an hour. But the bulk of his clients typically fall into two categories: Men seeking to discredit their ex-wives amid or after a divorce (but never vice versa) and people trying to undermine their neighbors credibility in nasty disputes over property lines. He says he now receives about 50 inquiries a month, and that people have begun sending him tips on big cases like the one he mounted against Christine Aschbacher, the Austrian labor minister who stepped down in January after a plagiarism scandal. Its a gold mine, he said of Austrians schadenfreude. Mr. Weber took an odd life route to his current station. Born in Salzburg to a strict and controlling office-clerk father who checked his school bag each evening, and a mother who worked as a homemaker, young Stefan showed early signs of being a math prodigy. May you remain humble in triumph, a teacher cautioned the 11-year-old Stefan. He excelled in most subjects, with physical education being the clear exception. Even these days, when his partner, Birgit Kolb, hikes in the Alps, Mr. Weber opts for the cable car for the climb to the top. As a student at the University of Salzburg, he realized that the triumph his teacher had foreseen long ago was not going to be found in math. Despite his prodigious memory, he was unable to follow the university math professors and instead turned to the idiot degree everyone studies: communications. Communications was a breeze, and Mr. Weber went on to teach at eight universities of applied sciences in Austria and Germany, always vying for tenure. He never attained it. MADRID Venezuelas former intelligence chief has been arrested in Madrid for a second time, almost two years after he evaded an extradition order to the United States to stand trial on drug-trafficking charges. The Spanish police detained the former spy chief, Hugo Carvajal, late Thursday and released a video of his arrest on Twitter. The police said Mr. Carvajal had been living fully shut-in at an undisclosed location in Madrid, relying on the help of allies whom they did not identify. Mr. Carvajal was a prominent figure in the government of the Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, before breaking with him in dramatic fashion. He released a video in February 2019 that accused Mr. Maduro of running a corrupt dictatorship whose top officials were engaged in drug trafficking. He fled to Spain, where he was detained on the American extradition request in April 2019, but then released from a Spanish prison after a court deemed the request to have been too abstract to establish his involvement in drug trafficking. JERUSALEM The Israeli police said on Saturday that they had captured four of the six Palestinian fugitives who escaped a maximum-security prison this week, in a case seen as a rare humiliation of the countrys security establishment. Two of the prisoners, Mahmoud al-Arida and Yaqoub Qadri, were captured Friday night on the southern edge of Nazareth, in northern Israel, five days after they had escaped through a hole in the floor of the shower cubicle in their cell and tunneled out of a prison about 15 miles southeast of the city. A second pair, Zakaria Zubeidi and Mohammad al-Arida, Mahmouds brother, were seized on Saturday morning in a truck parking lot in Umm el-Ghanem, a village east of Nazareth. Mr. Zubeidi was a prominent militant leader during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, in the 2000s, and was a former commander of the Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a militant group loosely affiliated with Fatah, the secular group that dominates Palestinian politics in the occupied West Bank. The other three recaptured inmates are members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an Iran-backed Islamist militant group, and have been serving life sentences for involvement in attacks on Israeli civilians, the police said. Video published by the Israeli news media showed the two prisoners who were captured Friday handcuffed inside police cars, wearing civilian clothes. Israeli news outlets reported that the pair had been arrested after a tip by Nazareth residents, who said they had asked for food. More video released by the police on Saturday morning showed two blindfolded men, said to be Mr. Zubeidi and Mohammad al-Arida, being led by officers to police cars. When the first wave of coronavirus spread across the country in the spring of 2020, it ravaged the economy, pushing millions of low-income tenants to the brink of eviction. Over the next year, Congress responded with a series of relief packages that included a $46.5 billion fund for emergency rental assistance. But the promise of that help has long since given way to confusion and desperation as national eviction protections lapse and the vast majority of that rental assistance sits unspent, precipitating the precise crisis Washington had hoped to avoid. On Friday, the House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing to examine the shortcomings of the fund, known as the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which had only distributed a fraction of its total funding by Aug. 1, according to the Treasury Department. The Supreme Courts decision to strike down the national moratorium on evictions last month has transformed a vexing administrative problem into an acute human crisis, placing at least 2 million renters in immediate danger of eviction, according to one estimate. All three have since developed severe illnesses, including cancer and Parkinsons Disease, and there are hundreds of thousands of other people similarly exposed. Amit Friedlander, 37, who in the fall of 2001 was a senior at Stuyvesant High School blocks away from Ground Zero, recalled being sent back to class while the smell of smoldering rubble from the collapsed towers still lingered in the air. Barbara Burnette was a New York City police detective who helped for several weeks with recovery efforts in the smoldering debris of the collapsed towers and like Ms. Velazquez-Stetz and countless other responders wore no mask. In the days after September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Val Velazquez-Stetz, then a Jersey City police officer, helped with rescue efforts at Ground Zero and can still recall the air being so laden with dust that, It was like being in a snowstorm. All three have since developed severe illnesses, including cancer and Parkinsons Disease, and there are hundreds of thousands of other people similarly exposed. Amit Friedlander, 37, who in the fall of 2001 was a senior at Stuyvesant High School blocks away from Ground Zero, recalled being sent back to class while the smell of smoldering rubble from the collapsed towers still lingered in the air. Barbara Burnette was a New York City police detective who helped for several weeks with recovery efforts in the smoldering debris of the collapsed towers and like Ms. Velazquez-Stetz and countless other responders wore no mask. In the days after September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Val Velazquez-Stetz, then a Jersey City police officer, helped with rescue efforts at Ground Zero and can still recall the air being so laden with dust that, It was like being in a snowstorm. The Sept. 11 terror attack on the World Trade Center has been remembered for the 2,753 lives lost that horrific morning. But that toll in New York has very likely been eclipsed by deaths from exposure to toxic pollutants in the air in the weeks and months after the collapse and that number keeps growing. Immediately after the twin towers fell, the roughly 90,000 firefighters, paramedics, police officers and others who selflessly rushed to the scene were hailed as heroes. But over the years, as the publics attention waned, health problems, like cancer, respiratory illnesses and other ailments, remained and have continued to emerge. By some estimates, more than 400,000 people in Lower Manhattan, including those who lived, worked and studied there, were exposed to toxic material from the pulverized towers, leading to health issues that were diagnosed many years later. Of the 111,005 ground zero responders and survivors enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program, 4,610 have died, according to officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although the program does not collect information on cause of death, some health officials believe many died from Sept. 11-related illnesses and that the toll is in fact higher, given the likelihood that many people have died who were not enrolled in the program and did not know their illness was Sept. 11-related. Most responders have registered for federal medical coverage and settlements. But only a small fraction of civilians affected by the toxins have done so. Many are unaware that they are able to, or even that the illnesses they are suddenly experiencing years after 2001 may be a result of the lethal dust and smoke of the smoldering rubble where the towers stood. 9/11 and After How Students in 12 Countries Are Taught About 9/11 > Venezuela > Iraq > United Kingdom > South Korea > France > Brazil > Germany > United States > Australia > Russia > South Africa > Pakistan Twelve teenagers born after 9/11 told us what they have learned about the event and its aftermath and what has been left out. For those born after Sept. 11, 2001, there are no memories of that dark day to shape their views. There is only education formal, and informal. With the terrorist attack and the wars that followed having entered the realm of history, we sought to understand how these events are being taught. What is stressed? What is overlooked? We examined textbooks from all over and talked with educators. But mostly we wanted to hear directly from young people, and so we interviewed students born after the attacks in 12 countries. Their voices offered only a hint of the diversity of instruction on Sept. 11 worldwide, but their impressions and experiences were striking. From Moscow to Manhattan, from Karachi to Caracas, from Berlin to Baghdad, students have come away with very different perspectives on terrorism, Islam, war and American power. If there is a consensus, it can be found in what students told us their education has been missing: depth. They want to know more. What did you learn about 9/11 in school? The lessons taught about 9/11 reflect national agendas if it is taught at all. Im actually certain weve never studied it.>Im actually certain weve never studied it. Polina Russia These types of discussions dont take place in our schools.>These types of discussions dont take place in our schools. Faisal Rehman Pakistan In my primary school, they briefly mentioned it.>In my primary school, they briefly mentioned it. Xolisa Nohenda South Africa The teacher had slides of the planes hitting the twin towers.>The teacher had slides of the planes hitting the twin towers. Lucas Villar Brazil We were supposed to watch a documentary about 9/11>We were supposed to watch a documentary about 9/11 Ariadna Clareth Sanchez Rojas Venezuela in high school, but in the end they never played it.>in high school, but in the end they never played it. Ariadna Clareth Sanchez Rojas Venezuela We talked about 9/11 being the first event that>We talked about 9/11 being the first event that Noemi Grette France showed that terrorism existed, and that it was>showed that terrorism existed, and that it was Noemi Grette France a threat to the whole world.>a threat to the whole world. Noemi Grette France It was taught separately as an example>It was taught separately as an example Kim Donghyeon South Korea of international conflict post-globalization.>of international conflict post-globalization. Kim Donghyeon South Korea While talking to my history professor,>While talking to my history professor, Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq he told me it happened to threaten the U.S.>he told me it happened to threaten the U.S. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq And thats what resulted in the U.S. occupying Iraq.>And thats what resulted in the U.S. occupying Iraq. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq In seventh grade, we were given a project>In seventh grade, we were given a project Karen Zhang United States to interview a family member who was personally>to interview a family member who was personally Karen Zhang United States affected by 9/11.>affected by 9/11. Karen Zhang United States Thats when I started to have a lot deeper connection>Thats when I started to have a lot deeper connection Karen Zhang United States to the event.>to the event. Karen Zhang United States Schools around the world vary widely in their approach to teaching 9/11, if they teach it at all. Biz Herman, a doctoral candidate in political science at the University of California, Berkeley, has collected 850 textbooks from 90 countries. We worked with Ms. Herman to examine many of the textbooks commonly used by middle and high school students and found that Iran, Venezuela, Egypt, Syria and Mozambique are a few of the countries that do not mention the attack. In New York and elsewhere in the United States, the Sept. 11 curriculum has been overtly personal and emotional. Students have been asked by their teachers to explore the experiences of their own families. But at a remove from the bloodshed, and with attitudes of varying warmth toward the U.S., other countries handle the subject with their own nationalistic tilt. In England, descriptions of the attack appear in one popular textbook in a section titled Terrorist Groups in Action, which also explores how the British government handled the Irish Republican Army. Spanish, French and Russian textbooks discuss Sept. 11 alongside terrorist attacks that struck their own citizens. Textbooks from (clockwise from top left) Germany, Russia, South Africa, the U.S., Sweden and South Korea. Source: Biz Herman, University of California, Berkeley Textbooks from (clockwise from top left) Germany, Russia, South Korea, the U.S., Sweden and South Africa. Source: Biz Herman, University of California, Berkeley But some countries teach students that the events of that day offer a lesson, or perhaps a warning, for the worlds powers. South Korean and Indian students learn that the strikes on the World Trade Center in New York and on Washington were a consequence of globalization. A Pakistani textbook describes the attack, which left almost 3,000 dead, as an incident, and dwells on the risks that come from American hegemony. Striking an even sharper note, a textbook of Modern and Contemporary World History from China includes a photo of the twin towers in flames near a section on geopolitics. No one power can dominate the world on its own, it says. What are textbooks and what are they for? Ms. Herman asks. It would seem simple: that it's for educating kids. But its actually for setting national agendas, for sharing a particular narrative. And sometimes its for educating kids. How did you first learn about 9/11? Horrific images endure. But what came next is often poorly explained. I dont remember precisely how old I was,>I dont remember precisely how old I was, Xolisa Nohenda South Africa but I remember I saw it on a news report.>but I remember I saw it on a news report. Xolisa Nohenda South Africa Buildings being bombed, like the terrorist attacks>Buildings being bombed, like the terrorist attacks Xolisa Nohenda South Africa and stuff like that. I never I was feeling really astonished.>and stuff like that. I never I was feeling really astonished. Xolisa Nohenda South Africa It was a right-wing Pakistani newspaper>It was a right-wing Pakistani newspaper Faisal Rehman Pakistan that came to our house regularly.>that came to our house regularly. Faisal Rehman Pakistan The headline was,>The headline was, Faisal Rehman Pakistan After the 9/11 attack, the U.S. downfall has begun.>After the 9/11 attack, the U.S. downfall has begun. Faisal Rehman Pakistan It was a documentary on television.>It was a documentary on television. Ariadna Clareth Sanchez Rojas Venezuela I felt sad>I felt sad Ariadna Clareth Sanchez Rojas Venezuela hearing from so many people who had seen their colleagues die>hearing from so many people who had seen their colleagues die Ariadna Clareth Sanchez Rojas Venezuela because they could not get out in time.>because they could not get out in time. Ariadna Clareth Sanchez Rojas Venezuela I was like, watching true crime videos excessively>I was like, watching true crime videos excessively Polina Russia on YouTube when I saw photos and videos of people>on YouTube when I saw photos and videos of people Polina Russia jumping out.>jumping out. Polina Russia I think thats why there are conspiracy theories>I think thats why there are conspiracy theories Noemi Grette France around this.>around this. Noemi Grette France Its because its so shocking.>Its because its so shocking. Noemi Grette France Its something that is so threatening and frightening>Its something that is so threatening and frightening Noemi Grette France that when you see it, you just cant believe it happened.>that when you see it, you just cant believe it happened. Noemi Grette France Why was it so easy to hijack four planes?>Why was it so easy to hijack four planes? Ariadna Clareth Sanchez Rojas Venezuela How did they pass security checks?>How did they pass security checks? Jelena Marie Bielke Germany Did they have prior intelligence?>Did they have prior intelligence? Dorea Nengese United Kingdom How did such a big terror incident>How did such a big terror incident Faisal Rehman Pakistan take place in such a safe country?>take place in such a safe country? Faisal Rehman Pakistan I still dont have the answer for that.>I still dont have the answer for that. Faisal Rehman Pakistan Many people born after Sept. 11 learn about that day at a young age, but how it happens varies. Some see documentaries about the attack, but others stumble across it on YouTube or hear a chance remark that sets them on a path to learn more. Many of the students we interviewed said they had first heard 9/11 referred to obliquely, as if the adults talking had forgotten that they were not alive when the attack happened. When asked, the adults would give them a basic rundown of the facts the hijacked planes, the toppled buildings, the number killed without much context. What they remember are the images. When you see the archival images, youre like: How is this possible? said Noemi Grette, 18, a recent high school graduate from Bordeaux in France. But the photos and video leave so much unanswered, say young people like Ariadna Clareth Sanchez Rojas, 16, a 10th grader in Ciudad Los Teques, Venezuela. The questions that I have are: First, why was it so easy for the Taliban to hijack four airplanes from the U.S.? she said, mixing up the Taliban with their allies in Al Qaeda. And the other question that I have is: Why did that war really start between the U.S. and Afghanistan? What impact did 9/11 have on your world? For some teenagers, the American response to 9/11 matters as much as the attacks It had such a big impact on the United States,>It had such a big impact on the United States, Karen Zhang United States and I feel like its an event that you cant really>and I feel like its an event that you cant really Karen Zhang United States accept just happened, since it was clearly>accept just happened, since it was clearly Karen Zhang United States purposefully done. It wasnt an accident.>purposefully done. It wasnt an accident. Karen Zhang United States It was a moment where everyone realized>It was a moment where everyone realized Jelena Marie Bielke Germany that there are, of course, bad people>that there are, of course, bad people Jelena Marie Bielke Germany and that we are not as safe as we thought we were.>and that we are not as safe as we thought we were. Jelena Marie Bielke Germany The world didnt become a better place.>The world didnt become a better place. Lucas Villar Brazil It just got worse.>It just got worse. Lucas Villar Brazil When the war in Afghanistan started,>When the war in Afghanistan started, Faisal Rehman Pakistan thousands of people were forced to migrate toward Pakistan.>thousands of people were forced to migrate toward Pakistan. Faisal Rehman Pakistan We had to leave our ancestral area, our home,>We had to leave our ancestral area, our home, Faisal Rehman Pakistan our land and our property, and we had to migrate>our land and our property, and we had to migrate Faisal Rehman Pakistan to the city.>to the city. Faisal Rehman Pakistan It has sparked national conflicts between people.>It has sparked national conflicts between people. Polina Russia I dont mean, like, the war itself,>I dont mean, like, the war itself, Polina Russia but just the hatred.>but just the hatred. Polina Russia Because people are frightened of terrorist attacks,>Because people are frightened of terrorist attacks, Noemi Grette France they tend to stigmatize more Muslim people.>they tend to stigmatize more Muslim people. Noemi Grette France I think a lot of people, when they think of terrorism,>I think a lot of people, when they think of terrorism, Felix Tonkin Australia they think of Islamic terrorism.>they think of Islamic terrorism. Felix Tonkin Australia Its really sort of painted a sort of a boogeyman, really,>Its really sort of painted a sort of a boogeyman, really, Felix Tonkin Australia that a lot of people like to look at.>that a lot of people like to look at. Felix Tonkin Australia When Saddam Hussein fell, the state, and its security institutions, fell.>When Saddam Hussein fell, the state, and its security institutions, fell. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq And that motivated extremists to roam the streets,>And that motivated extremists to roam the streets, Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq and to threaten people and kill them.>and to threaten people and kill them. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq The death of my father, and many innocent civilians,>The death of my father, and many innocent civilians, Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq is directly tied to the Iraq war.>is directly tied to the Iraq war. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq When the post-9/11 generation assesses the impact of the attack on their lives, they often point to what they can see: the long waits to get through airport security, the concrete bollards at the front of public squares to block a potential truck bomb. But for many students, the lines between that day and the wars that followed are something of a blur, like a thunderstorm with clouds that have merged. The ramifications can be deeply personal. Faisal Rehman, 18, said that Americas invasion of Afghanistan led Taliban fighters to safe houses in the border region of Pakistan where his family lived, forcing them to leave for Karachi. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi, an 18-year-old high school senior in Baghdad, said that if not for the events of Sept. 11, Saddam Hussein would have still been among us. Regime change ended dictatorship, he noted, but it also produced more terrorism inside Iraq. His father was shot and killed in 2005 when Mujtaba was just a toddler. He was washing his car, which was a big car, he said. I was standing next to him. For others, like Dorea Nengese, 18, who recently graduated from an East London high school filled with students whose families migrated from Afghanistan, Iran and other Middle Eastern countries, Sept. 11 will be forever remembered as a spark for anti-Islamic prejudice and intense debates about whose narratives should be given prominence. Why, she asked, are students expected to know everything about America without learning about how global affairs are viewed by people from other countries? What did these events teach you about America? Students aware of 9/11 and what followed are often deeply skeptical of American motives. The response after 9/11 told me about the U.S.>The response after 9/11 told me about the U.S. Jelena Marie Bielke Germany that they kind of want justice,>that they kind of want justice, Jelena Marie Bielke Germany but in a really weird way, kind of,>but in a really weird way, kind of, Jelena Marie Bielke Germany because its not really justice to bomb a country.>because its not really justice to bomb a country. Jelena Marie Bielke Germany Public opinion here is that after 9/11,>Public opinion here is that after 9/11, Faisal Rehman Pakistan America launched a war against the Taliban>America launched a war against the Taliban Faisal Rehman Pakistan and terrorists as cover for the occupation of Afghanistan.>and terrorists as cover for the occupation of Afghanistan. Faisal Rehman Pakistan I really vividly remember I think it was Bush >I really vividly remember I think it was Bush Dorea Nengese United Kingdom I think it was that president >I think it was that president Dorea Nengese United Kingdom him doing all these speeches and saying>him doing all these speeches and saying Dorea Nengese United Kingdom very emotive kind of slogans like,>very emotive kind of slogans like, Dorea Nengese United Kingdom Youre with us or against us.>Youre with us or against us. Dorea Nengese United Kingdom And the whole war on terror.>And the whole war on terror. Dorea Nengese United Kingdom As if 9/11 justified everything else that happened.>As if 9/11 justified everything else that happened. Dorea Nengese United Kingdom Perhaps 9/11 was the perfect pretext for>Perhaps 9/11 was the perfect pretext for Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq George W. Bush to accomplish two goals at once:>George W. Bush to accomplish two goals at once: Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq He brought down the Taliban in Afghanistan>He brought down the Taliban in Afghanistan Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq and then went to Iraq to bring down Saddam Hussein.>and then went to Iraq to bring down Saddam Hussein. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq My history teacher always taught us that>My history teacher always taught us that Noemi Grette France America has this peace guard role>America has this peace guard role Noemi Grette France in the world.>in the world. Noemi Grette France I think that the U.S. had no choice but to retaliate>I think that the U.S. had no choice but to retaliate Kim Donghyeon South Korea because the attack took such a huge toll>because the attack took such a huge toll Kim Donghyeon South Korea on its people.>on its people. Kim Donghyeon South Korea But I also think the U.S. was too aggressive>But I also think the U.S. was too aggressive Kim Donghyeon South Korea during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.>during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Kim Donghyeon South Korea For many Americans, remembering Sept. 11 means grappling with the legacy of trauma. With a more international perspective, young people elsewhere often find themselves asking how such a powerful country could be so vulnerable and what lay at the root of its response at home and around the world. Some students said American power should still be seen as a force for good. Xolisa Nohenda, 17, a 12th grader in Johannesburg, South Africa, said most of her peers believed that the U.S. plays a big role in defending people. But for many, it has become common to question American motives. In almost any lesson that touches on the United States, textbooks from many countries emphasize American military might. Some also suggest that the U.S. attacked Afghanistan and Iraq to obtain oil or other natural resources. Even teenagers who were not taught from those texts seem to have absorbed a sense of deep skepticism. I don't know a lot about the war between Iraq and the U.S. but I do know that they, I think, fought about oil, and there was a lot of money involved, said Jelena Marie Bielke, 16, a high school junior in Berlin. And the U.S. wanted to get the oil. The American response to Sept. 11, she said, showed that the Americans kind of want justice, but in a really weird way because its not really justice to bomb a country. Whats gone wrong with 9/11 education? Students blame outdated curricula, fear and political agendas for ignoring 9/11 in schools. Our teachers were anticipating that wed known about 9/11,>Our teachers were anticipating that wed known about 9/11, Dorea Nengese United Kingdom because America its like, how could>because America its like, how could Dorea Nengese United Kingdom you not know?>you not know? Dorea Nengese United Kingdom Theres a general consensus that people know>Theres a general consensus that people know Karen Zhang United States what the event was, especially because>what the event was, especially because Karen Zhang United States we live in New York City and many of our parents>we live in New York City and many of our parents Karen Zhang United States had already lived through it.>had already lived through it. Karen Zhang United States We want to focus more on our countrys history,>We want to focus more on our countrys history, Xolisa Nohenda South Africa on our continents history, and its a lot.>on our continents history, and its a lot. Xolisa Nohenda South Africa They didnt want to go into the topic because>They didnt want to go into the topic because Ariadna Clareth Sanchez Rojas Venezuela they said that it was too complicated to explain to us.>they said that it was too complicated to explain to us. Ariadna Clareth Sanchez Rojas Venezuela I remember asking my teacher,>I remember asking my teacher, Faisal Rehman Pakistan Sir, I read about 9/11 in the newspaper >Sir, I read about 9/11 in the newspaper Faisal Rehman Pakistan can you tell me more about it?>can you tell me more about it? Faisal Rehman Pakistan He said firmly,>He said firmly, Faisal Rehman Pakistan Son, these wars are political.>Son, these wars are political. Faisal Rehman Pakistan We dont learn such things in school.>We dont learn such things in school. Faisal Rehman Pakistan For a lot of people who might be teaching 9/11,>For a lot of people who might be teaching 9/11, Felix Tonkin Australia they dont really view it as history.>they dont really view it as history. Felix Tonkin Australia They view it as a contemporary event>They view it as a contemporary event Felix Tonkin Australia that happened in their lifetime.>that happened in their lifetime. Felix Tonkin Australia They suffered the consequences of 9/11.>They suffered the consequences of 9/11. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq When something hurts you,>When something hurts you, Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq or crushes you from the inside,>or crushes you from the inside, Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq then of course you dont talk about it.>then of course you dont talk about it. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq We study wars. What is not scary>We study wars. What is not scary Polina Russia about a war that is very scary about>about a war that is very scary about Polina Russia a terrorist attack that they wont talk about?>a terrorist attack that they wont talk about? Polina Russia And sort of, like, I think its a very>And sort of, like, I think its a very Polina Russia controversial question to be honest.>controversial question to be honest. Polina Russia Many of the students we interviewed offered sharp insights on why their elders do not teach about Sept. 11 with more context and rigor. Some said schools are always slow to adapt, sticking with outdated textbooks that can take years to update. I think its time for us to change this educational system and, I don't know, try to focus on something more forward looking, said Lucas Villar, 18, a high school senior in Rio de Janeiro. Other students blamed politics and discomfort with trauma. I think sometimes some things are not talked about, because maybe the government failed to control it, said Polina, 19, a university student in Russia, who asked that her surname not be used to protect her privacy and avoid trouble with the authorities. Like, I dont want to get political, but I really do think that some things are not included just because it might sabotage the general picture of the country. Maybe kids would not feel safe in their country, or it might trigger some sort of thought, some negative thinking about their safety, and what they have to go through. Maybe some phobias. Felix Tonkin, 17, a 12th grader in Sydney, said some countries (including Australia) may be hindered by a sense of shame about mistakes they made in Afghanistan and Iraq. That's a hard thing to teach, absolutely, he said. But I think its an important thing to teach as well. In Karachi, Mr. Rehman said he had once asked his teacher to explain and got this reply: Son, these wars are political. We dont learn such things in school. You can learn about them later in life. What grade would you give your education? Students want a more nuanced, contemporary and international education. A D-plus because I think that theyve>A D-plus because I think that theyve Felix Tonkin Australia touched on it briefly, they mentioned it.>touched on it briefly, they mentioned it. Felix Tonkin Australia But I think that they could go a lot deeper>But I think that they could go a lot deeper Felix Tonkin Australia and I think theres a lot more that they could teach us.>and I think theres a lot more that they could teach us. Felix Tonkin Australia I would give it a D.>I would give it a D. Faisal Rehman Pakistan I'm looking at a B-minus here.>I'm looking at a B-minus here. Xolisa Nohenda South Africa An F.>An F. Polina Russia I dont remember discussing it in class ever.>I dont remember discussing it in class ever. Polina Russia I give them 2 out of 10.>I give them 2 out of 10. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq A 2.5.>A 2.5. Lucas Villar Brazil Id give them 50 points out of 100.>Id give them 50 points out of 100. Kim Donghyeon South Korea I would give them a 3 out of 20.>I would give them a 3 out of 20. Ariadna Clareth Sanchez Rojas Venezuela Maybe a C or a D plus!>Maybe a C or a D plus! Noemi Grette France Id give them an A.>Id give them an A. Dorea Nengese United Kingdom It almost felt like a bit of a privilege to learn about>It almost felt like a bit of a privilege to learn about Dorea Nengese United Kingdom foreign countries and the history that happened>foreign countries and the history that happened Dorea Nengese United Kingdom in other parts of the world.>in other parts of the world. Dorea Nengese United Kingdom Iraqis have a big role in writing the history of these events.>Iraqis have a big role in writing the history of these events. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq They experienced many events that can be compared to 9/11 >They experienced many events that can be compared to 9/11 Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq it just happened in a different way.>it just happened in a different way. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq But Iraqis also survived war and destruction.>But Iraqis also survived war and destruction. Mujtaba Ali al-Saadi Iraq I would try to explain in a better way why 9/11 happened.>I would try to explain in a better way why 9/11 happened. Lucas Villar Brazil Because I think that for most of us >Because I think that for most of us Lucas Villar Brazil it doesnt make any sense.>it doesnt make any sense. Lucas Villar Brazil Across the board, students born soon after Sept. 11, 2001, told us they longed for their teachers and school systems to embark on a deeper dive into the subject, from the historical context leading up to the attack all the way through the long-term impact. For many, 9/11 has come to symbolize one of the flaws of modern education: an unwillingness to look more closely at relatively recent events that shape the present. I feel lost, because sometimes I watch the news and I dont understand anything thats happening, said Mr. Villar, in Brazil. And I think the school could help me with that, having more classes about whats going on now, and not just what happened 300 years ago. Several students also said they needed to know more about Sept. 11 because one day they may be called upon to explain the era of terror to their children. I feel like I do have responsibility to not only learn about just what happened, but I feel like also just the long lasting legacy of it, and just all the effects and aftermath, said Karen Zhang, 17, a rising senior at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan. More specifically, she said that along with Sept. 11, there should be a bit more of, I think, the history of the U.S. in the Middle East. Mr. al-Saadi, in Baghdad, said he could understand why so few teachers wanted to teach about 9/11. When something hurts you, or crushes you from the inside, then of course you dont talk about it, he said. And yet, he and many others argue, that trauma is exactly why the subject must be taught. To process the pain. To learn from the failures. To help the next generation do better than the last. What does it mean to be Muslim and American? Before Sept. 11, 2001, for children growing up in Muslim homes, it was just another part of our identities. I was a girl scout, Pakistani, my favorite color was green, and I happened to go to the mosque every Eid with my family. But after Sept. 11, it was the only thing anyone saw. The first time I was stopped by airport security, I was 11 years old. My experience is far from unique. Millennial Muslims came of age in the shadow of an event that has forever cast our identity into question. Being judged by our faith alone was a gantlet we all had to face. And it wasnt one that grew easier with time, as some in our communities hoped it would. As the war on terror metastasized, Islam became synonymous with terrorism for much of America. And the questioning of our faith didnt fade, even as the anger and confusion of Sept. 11 did. Hate crimes against Muslim Americans have yet to drop to what they were before the attacks, and according to a recent study in JAMA Psychiatry, U.S.-born Muslim adults are twice as likely to attempt suicide as members of other religious groups. Islamophobia has become ever present white noise, with the volume turned up during the Donald Trump era but a persistent hum in the years before and since. Twenty years after Sept. 11, millennial Muslims in America my generation can finally take stock of the past two decades. For the children who were just beginning to piece together their personalities as the fall of 2001 rolled around, our experiences of the days immediately following Sept. 11 the playground taunts, the piercing fear, the hushed conversations at home are nearly uniform. But the way it has shaped our adult lives is not. For some, it set us directly on our life paths, whether as activists or politicians or members of the armed forces. For others, the ripple effects were subtler, felt decades after the fact. But after I spoke to dozens of millennial Muslims in America, one thing became clear: while everyone reacted differently, there was always a reaction. The interviews have been edited for clarity and length. Shaniyat Chowdhury joined the Marines after high school, hoping to help support his family. He later realized that serving wasnt enough to make his fellow service members respect him or his faith. When 9/11 happened, I felt angry because I was born in New York, so I felt like someone was attacking my home. Ive always had that sense of identity, regardless of my faith, because I was American first. I had cousins in the military, so I had this idea growing up that Im going to be in the military one day. My dad was waiting tables. My mother was cleaning hotel rooms for a living. We needed the money, so it also felt like a quick and easy way to be able to help my family. After I enlisted, there was a staff sergeant in my platoon who always questioned me about my allegiances. I wasnt sure if he was joking or not. Hed say, Are you really Muslim? Are you Hindu? Wheres your family from? Theres a lot of conservative ideology among the military. When they talk about wars, and shooting Afghans and Iraqis, they would talk about them in a disgusting manner. Im thinking, How can they even say that when Im here as a Muslim? Im, like, right next to them. They didnt think of me as an outsider because I was with them. But when they looked at other Muslims who werent in the U.S. military or who were not American, quote unquote, they treated them as if they were just dirt. In 2015 a picture of me blew up on social media because Trump had said something about the Khan family. My cousin had posted this picture of me and my cousins in military attire as if to say, We, as Muslims, are proud Americans, and we served our country. I remember seeing people I served with saying blatantly disrespectful things about Muslims, that Trump was right about the Muslim ban. They were disregarding that Im someone that served. It sucked. I never would have expected that from them. Here I am, signing up to fight for my country, but even when I do that, even when I try to wear the American flag on my uniform, it still wasnt enough. Sarah Haider dug into her Muslim faith in the wake of Sept. 11 but eventually left the religion. Islamophobia has made it difficult for former Muslims to be critical of Islam, she says, without being tokenized by the right. I was young enough that 9/11 itself was a confusing day, but in the immediate years following, it became important to me as a young believer to be visibly Muslim in a show of solidarity with my faith community. When I was in middle school, I decided to wear hijab. Later I started to have a lot of questions, and I remember that I wasnt finding answers to those questions. People ask me, When did you choose to leave the faith? Which is an interesting phrasing because belief is not a matter of choice. You either do or you dont. There was just a point where it fell apart in my mind. I thought, I guess I cant call myself a Muslim anymore. As ex-Muslims, we have the problem of being perceived as Muslim. We face the anti-Muslim bigotry that Muslims face. But we also have an inability to talk about our negative experiences of the faith. Theres a lot of people who seem to think that now is not the right time. To them I say, When will we be able to talk? If it is the case that Islam has a specific problem with fundamentalism at the moment, people like us are part of the cohort pushing back against fundamentalism. And its pretty heartless to say, Islamophobia is a thing, so your problem being forced into marriage or being abused is not a relevant fight for the moment. Im not going to wait on anyones permission to start speaking up about the things that need to be discussed. Its politicized, so it is much harder on the left. Its easier on the right. But Im not on the right. Growing up, Mohamed Sharif preferred that people saw him as Black, not Somali or Muslim. After last years racial justice protests, he sees commonality between the struggles of the Black and Muslim communities. Growing up, I identified as African American. I didnt want to identify as a Somali or a Muslim. Nowadays, kids are more comfortable claiming their identity because there are so many people like them around. Back then, my mind as a child was thinking, I need to blend in. I shouldnt stand out. My parents hated it. People would say things like, When you talk, it sounds like youre rapping. So I thought, Let me just play this role. Before 9/11, there wasnt really much emphasis in the community about holding on to your Islamic identity. After 9/11, the religion was being attacked left and right. I became friends with a convert. This guy was the most religious person Ive ever seen in my life. He used to tutor me because I was failing math. He didnt memorize the Quran he actually understood it. He showed me you could be a successful practicing Muslim. I moved to Minnesota in 2013. The older Somali generation, they dont understand how complex the situation is for African Americans. All they see is crime rates. They dont see the story behind it. The youth that knew the situation, we were already supportive of the Black Lives Matter movement. After the George Floyd incident happened, even the elders came on and decided to support it. They know that if they dont support it, the people that will be affected most are their grandchildren. A cop isnt going to look at you and say, Oh, this is a Somali. At the end of the day, what happened to Floyd could happen to any of us. Sisters Eldina and Esada Kucevic hid their Muslim identity after the World Trade Center attacks, which their father barely survived. As theyve grown, they have slowly become more open about their faith. Eldina Whenever people would ask me, Oh, what religion are you? I knew to lie. I would change the subject or avoid it completely. But I think I had an easier time than my older sister. She has darker features. Her name is Esada, and people used to call her Esada bin Laden. Esada Even to this day, when someone says Osama, I literally cringe. My dad worked on the 102nd floor of the World Trade Center. When 9/11 happened, it was surreal. I was like, Thats where Dad works. Finally we got hold of him. I remember him coming home covered in gray ash. When kids would say stuff like, Oh, your family did the twin towers. It was your family that attacked the U.S. Id say, My dad was in the towers. Why would I attack my family? But I never defended the religion the way I should have. Being in middle school, I didnt know enough. Eldina We have a little sister. In her Spanish class one day, they were eating something with pork in it, and she wasnt eating it. One of the students was like, Why arent you eating it? And she said, Im Muslim. I freaked out on my sister. We had not talked about it up to that point, but when that happened, I said, This is the end. Now everyone is going to know! Esada My mom never said not to tell people. We just didnt. Eldina I went to college right after high school and was interacting with lots of different types of people and even other Muslim students. That was formative for me. Around the same time, I told someone else, and they completely forgot. For me, it was such a big moment, but for her, it was as if I told her I grew up in New Jersey and she forgot the state. In my hometown, I always felt like it was the biggest part of my identity. Like, once Im this, Im nothing else to people. If I saw people from my high school now, I would tell them, You know what? Screw you if you dont like me because of it. I have a different mentality. Abdul Yafai spent summers in Yemen, where he was known as the American, while back home in Illinois, kids called him Osama. As the war on terror has continued, he has experienced fallout in both places. My family comes from a very rural part of South Yemen called Yafa. Every year, my father would take us back for summers, and I even lived there for about three years. My dad always had a sense of paranoia. Hed always tell me, Any day that something happens between Arabs and America, you might have to go back home. So you have to know your way around. Right after 9/11, there was a kid who called me Osama, and I got into a fight with him. The following year, I went to Yemen, and I asked my dad, They always call me the American, al Amreeki, and when Im in America, theyre always pointing me out as Arab. Which one am I? I didnt know, being in elementary school, that I was having an identity crisis. Sept. 11 vocalized anti-American sentiment in the Middle East. In Yemen, people supported the terrorists, saying, America had it coming. But I also kept hearing, We want to go to the U.S. if we can. It was very confusing at the time for me. I didnt know if I should feel privileged or ashamed. When I was in Yemen, I would see American drones buzzing in the sky far away, surveying the land. And every now and then, you would hear a drone strike. I was in the same region of Yemen as Anwar al-Awlaki when he was killed in 2011. If something were to happen to me in Yemen by an American drone strike, it would just be a days news. I dont really think I have any special protection being an American. Noha Thalib moved to the United States from Saudi Arabia weeks before the attacks on Sept. 11. In the years that followed, she began wearing the hijab as a symbol of her faith. I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. My spirituality wasnt conscious back home. My exposure to Islam was pushed in the U.S., especially when the 9/11 conversation comes up. Im like, Ive got to pull my boots up and know what Im talking about. It comes up with my moms family because theyre Christian. They would ask me questions. They would try to convert me and say its because of 9/11. I didnt even know that Muslims died there until I went to the memorial and looked up their names. I heard stories about women getting their hijab ripped off, made fun of, people saying, You dont belong here. Get out of this country. Its like secondary trauma, where you didnt experience it but you hear it so often that you feel like you did. There have only been two times Ive wanted to take off my hijab. The first time, I was going through some really tough times and heartbreak. The second time was 2016, when Trump was elected. It was as if 9/11 happened again, and for four years. I was sleeping a lot. I was isolated. I was like, I should take off my hijab. I didnt feel safe. I just felt very visible those four years. Ive had clients who I can tell with their eyes, how they look what possibly theyre thinking. When I was a nursing assistant, I came into a room and greeted a patient. The first thing that came out of her mouth was, Are you a terrorist? I could tell the way she asked me, she was actually being genuine. I still feel misunderstood, but I dont let that dominate my mind. People are going to think what they think. Theres only so much you can do. Asad Dandia embraced Islam as a counterculture identity in his teens. After he discovered one of his friends was a New York Police Department informant, he became consumed with a lawsuit against the police. BANGKOK Thailand plans to reopen Bangkok and other key destinations to foreign tourists next month, officials said on Thursday, aiming to revive its battered travel industry after indications the number of new coronavirus infections may have peaked. Bangkok, Hua Hin, Pattaya and Chiang Mai will be added to a programme in which fully vaccinated visitors who commit to a series of tests can enter, under certain criteria, said government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchan. The scheme is underway on the islands of Samui and Phuket https://reut.rs/3nioKWn, where about 70% of the local population were required to be fully inoculated https://reut.rs/3hhiGKa. The plan to allow quarantine-free entry initially announced in June https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-targets-reopening-within-120-days-economy-flounders-2021-06-16 was questioned after new daily infections soared in August to as high as 23,000, with record fatalities on many days. Stillwater, OK (74078) Today Sunny to partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 67F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Reports of the bizarre rat king phenomenon date back to the 16th century, but the recent discovery of a Russian farmer who found five small rats with their tails tied in a giant knot is once again causing scientists to scratch their heads. A rat king occurs when the tails of multiple rodents become so entangled that even an adult human, let alone a creature without opposable thumbs and advanced brain, would have trouble detangling. Rat kings have been reported numerous times since the mid-16th century, but scientists have yet to properly understand how and why it occurs, or even if it is a natural phenomenon or just a man-made hoax. The discovery of a new rat king in a flooded field in Russia has once again brought the very existence of the phenomenon into the debate. Photo: Alibulat Rasulov Russian farmer Alibulat Rasulov, who owns agricultural land in the countrys Stavropol region, shared an unusual finding on social media, late last month. In a short clip, he showcases five small field rats some alive, some drowned with their tails tangled in a large knot. Just like all the other people who have observed the rat king phenomenon over the years, Rasulov was dumbfounded by his discovery but theorized that the rats mother somehow secured together in an attempt to keep them from falling into the water that was flooding their home. The very existence of the rat king phenomenon has been called into question several times, as no example of live rats becoming entangled in this way have been reported in modern times, leading some to believe that it is nothing but a man-made hoax. However, a very similar phenomenon has been observed in other long-tailed rodents, like squirrels, some of which have even been caught on camera. Science has yet to explain how those occur as well. Several theories to explain the rat king phenomenon have been formulated over the centuries, some completely bonkers, and others are only barely plausible. The most widely accepted theory is that in the case of black field rats, which have very long tails and live together in tight quarters during winter, the tails may come in contact with a sticky or frozen substance (sap, sebum, urine, etc). This causes the tails to become glued together, and the rats then get even more entangled as they try to break free and pull in opposite directions. Today, the opinion of scientists and historians on the existence of rat king is mixed. Some believe this natural tail entanglement could theoretically occur naturally, while others are convinced that it is just a myth perpetuated by fake examples. I definitely wouldnt put it past humans both in old and modern times to come up and perpetuate this type of hoax, but at the same time, those modern occurrences involving other rodents hint that there may be some truth to it. Landor & Fitch is behind the design of the XX New York campaign, which supports a volunteer team fundraiser for the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fundalso known as Answer the Call. The agency has provided logo design and tagline creation (20 years since the towers fell and heroes rose up), merchandise design and promotional asset design and creation. Answer the Call provides immediate and ongoing financial assistance to the families of FDNY, NYPD, and PAPD heroes killed in the line of duty. Since the organization was founded in 1985, they have distributed approximately $155 million to the families of fallen first responders. In 2021 alone, they expect to distribute over $4.5 million to approximately 550 families. Prosek Partners launches a video series on how the finance industry has the capacity and responsibility to help shape solutions for the worlds energy transition. Developed with Proseks sustainable finance consulting partner Blue Dot Capital, the series features interviews with leaders across the banking and investment management space who both have significant climate strategies in place and are actively committed to furthering the transition to a more sustainable energy future. We are lucky to work with some of the biggest players in the industry tackling climate change and given our own commitment to the issue, wanted to use our platform to share their thoughtful approaches to address the pressing need for immediate climate action, said Prosek Partners CEO and managing partner Jennifer Prosek. Redwood Climate Communications, which focuses on public relations for climate tech startups, companies and corporate initiatives, opens for business. Redwood, part of tech firm Strange Brew Strategies, offers such services as strategic counsel, writing, media relations, and marketing content and consultation, targeting any organization whose central function contributes to climate change mitigation or adaptation. The agency is led by Josh Garrett, who was previously vice president of cleantech at Antenna, working with such clients as Google Nest and Stem. SBS co-founders Dave Donohue and John OBrien serve on Redwoods board of directors. Our role is to educate diverse audiences about whats required to curb the crisis, and which organizations are offering the most effective and promising solutions, Garrett said. C3 Public Strategies, a Core Strategic Group company, acquires Grassroots Girl, which provides customized voter-contact platforms primarily for Republican candidates and ballot initiatives. Grassroots Girl founder Lane Koch has joined CSG as vice President and will operate out of the firms St. Louis office. Before founding Grassroots Girl in 2020, Koch was senior vice president at EXPolitix and national director of program and business development at Vanguard Field Strategies. Wherein the 2018 election cycle, she helped manage grassroots operations for more than 50 campaigns in 20 states. Having Lane based in our St. Louis office certainly strengthens our Midwest presence, but Lanes experience shows she and her team are a nationwide force, said CSG president and CEO Jeff Flint. Robert E. Lee Donald Trump had nothing but praise for Confederate General Robert E. Lee after watching televised images of a crane removing the statue of that slave-owning American traitor from its base in Richmond. He hailed Lee as a military genius who would have led the South to victory, except for Gettysburg. Thats like saying the New York Mets would have won the World Series, except they didnt make the playoffs. Trump is not known for his humor but he has to be kidding. Gettysburg was a disaster for Lee and his army. It was pure hubris on Lees behalf to think his undermanned army could take on the 90K federal troops who were dug in at well-fortified positions at Gettysburg. Against the advice of trusted advisor General James Longstreet, who wanted to fight on a more favorable ground, Lee ordered waves of frontal assaults on the federals. On the third day of heavy fighting, Lee ordered General Pickett to charge the center of the Union lines. It was a suicide mission. Marching in a mile-long formation, the rebels were shredded by cannon and musket fire from Little Round Top. Half of the 13K men in Picketts Charge were killed, wounded or captured. Upon returning to the Confederate base, Lee ordered Pickett to reorganize his men for another attack. General Lee, I have no division now, Pickett famously said. Lee lost a third of his 70K troops at Gettysburg, which became known as the High-Water Mark of the Confederacy for the temporary breach of the Union line at Cemetery Ridge. He wrote a letter of resignation to Confederate president Jefferson Davis, which was rejected. If only we had Robert E. Lee to command our troops in Afghanistan, that disaster would have ended in a complete and total victory many years ago, said Trump. Its Lees statue and that of the other Confederate traitors (Jeb Stuart, Stonewall Jackson, Matthew Fontaine Maury and Davis) on Richmonds Monument Ave. that should have been taken down many years ago. Tallying the economic and mental cost of COVID-19. A Gallup study finds 45 percent of workers have been affected a lot by the pandemic. Fifty-three percent of that group temporarily stopped working, half took pay cuts and 49 percent worked fewer hours due to COVID-19. Only one in five are engaged workers who are enthusiastic about their jobs, while 43 percent are stressed, 25 percent are sad and 24 percent are angry. Gallup estimated that low employee engagement costs the global economy $8.1T. If 80 percent of an organizations employees are not engaged at work, the organizations resilience during a crisis will be at high risk and leaders wont be able to consistently reach their goals. There is no way for leaders to be effective when their people arent paying attention to them, says Gallups State of the Global Workplace: 2021 Report. CANNABIS ordered on the internet was found in the direct provision centre in Banagher, Tullamore District Court heard. Judge Catherine Staines was told last week that Irvin Lewis Casanova Sierra, a 32-year-old man with an address at Room 15, Shannon Lodge Hotel, Main Street, Banagher, had left the jurisdiction and would not be present for prosecutions alleging possession of cannabis at the hotel and at Harbour Road in the town on February 2 last year. After Judge Staines ruled that the hearing of the case could go ahead in Mr Sierra's absence, Garda Jerry Sheehy outlined how he had observed the defendant hanging around the side of a vacant building. When the garda spoke to Mr Sierra he smelled cannabis and when he was searched the accused handed over a small amount of the drug. The man told the garda it was CBD flower cannabis he had for himself and said he had more cannabis in his hotel room. Garda Sheehy said Mr Sierra was 100% co-operative and invited the guards to the hotel room and there he handed over two more small plastic tubs of cannabis. The contents were sent to the laboratory at Forensic Science Ireland and certificates for cannabis were returned for both containers. Three days later Mr Sierra was formally interviewed at Banagher Garda Station where the accused detailed that the tubs contained CBD cannabis plant buds which he used for inhalation with a water pipe and vaping for medical purposes. The defendant said it helped him with his anxiety, autism, stress disorder and schizophrenia. He said he bought the items for 60 on an online website two weeks earlier and that was his first order in Ireland. The tubs contained California small buds mix which is known as haze, a strain of cannabis known as indica which the accused said is legal because it has a minimum amount of THC [Tetrahydrocannabinol ], less than 0.2%. The man said he used it medically because of its 22% CBD content and he believed it was legal according to EU regulations. His understanding was that if the THC was over 1% it would be illegal and he said he neither sold it or supplied it to anybody. When Judge Staines was told the man had no previous convictions she said that because he had left the jurisdiction there was no point in imposing a fine. She applied the Probation Act. One of Ireland's oldest women has died at the age of 107. The much loved Nancy Stewart from Clonard was highly regarded and well known in the nearby community of Edenderry, Co Offaly. She was a vibrant woman right into her final months and was featured on RTE on a number of occasions encouraging people to get out and vote at elections, including in the 2020 General Election. When the Covid-19 lockdowns began last year, Nancy's granddaughter Louise Coughlan moved in with her, making Nancy the oldest woman in Ireland living in her own home until her death on Friday morning. In a moving Facebook post, Louise wrote: "My best friend left for heaven this morning at 6am. She didnt tell me she was leaving but god came and took her to her forever home beyond the blue sky and right beside the sun, the moon and the stars. "Ill never be able to put into words how broken my heart is yet how full of love and gratitude it is for one human who gave me all I need to see the world in a forever kind and generous way. I love you granny," she continued. "You were my world for so long and for so many others, but now we must let god, my dad and all the angels and saints be blessed with your presence. "Forever the other half of my heart, forever my reason to smile even when I feel low. The world doesnt seem half as bright without you in it, but I know you will help me find my sparkle when the time is tight. "We will meet again and when we do, I know you will have the kettle on. All my love from here to eternity. Dont worry Ill turn the lights off before I close my eyes tonight. My best friend forever. Lou. "To all our Facebook family we will grieve together, we will walk on together and we will heal together with Nancy in our hearts forever. Its all gran would wish for us all," she concludes. Nancy Stewart was older than Ireland. Born three years before the 1916 Rising, she lived through the war of independence, a civil war and two world wars, and even in the face of Covid-19 and lockdown, she powered on with a smile on her face and plenty of chat. She wrote a letter to Ireland last October, giving us hope and inspiration to get through the hard times, even reading parts of it aloud herself. Warm your heart by watching this video made by Living and Laughing with Lou at that time. President Michael D. Higgins will travel to Rome next week, for a series of high-level meetings at which the future of European cooperation in a post-pandemic world will be discussed. At the invitation of the President of the Italian Republic, H.E. Sergio Mattarella, President Higgins will participate in a meeting of the Arraiolos Group of EU Presidents. The group is composed of 13 non-executive Presidents who meet annually to discuss contemporary issues. The meeting is taking place in the Quirinal Palace in Rome on Wednesday, September 15. The 15 Heads of State will reflect on European cooperation in the face of global challenges, including the economic changes needed post-Covid and the Future of Europe discussion underway. On Friday, September 17, President Higgins will also discuss these and other issues with Pope Francis, whose statements on issues such as development, migration and climate change President Higgins has often referred to as inspirational. The Presidents itinerary in Rome also includes bilateral meetings with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, the President of Malta, Dr George Vella, the President of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, President Marcelo Rebelo De Sousa of Portugal and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. In the context of Irelands role at the UN Security Council and the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit, President Higgins will also be meeting with the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Qu Dongyu. He will also be discussing Irelands relations with the World Food Programme with WFP staff members. President Higgins will commence his visit with a meeting at the Villa Spada with some members of the Irish community in Rome. The meeting is organised by the Irish Ambassador to Italy Mr Colm O Floinn and the Ambassador to the Holy See Mr. Derek Hannon. For Dany Barrientos Ramirez, photography is essential in promoting human rights because it has incredible ability to tell impactful stories. Images have a very strong power, he said. The power to transform opinions, the power to illustrate, and the power above all to generate personal changes in decisions. Ramirez, 36, is a documentary photographer, who uses his photos to shine a light on the inequalities and hardships suffered by marginalized communities in Honduras. For his work as a human rights defender, UN Human Rights invited him to take part in the Free & Equal campaign a global campaign that promotes equal rights and fair treatment of LGBTQI+ people. As a child, Ramirez enjoyed flipping through magazines in his home in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The images featured throughout the magazines sparked his curiosity. He had a desire to see the world. His passion parlayed into a profession as a photographer where he had the chance to get to know himself for the first time and learn about the world around him. He studied photography in Guatemala City at La Fototeca. Ramirezs work has been featured in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Chile and the United States. Hes currently working on a new project in Honduras that collaborates with the LGBTQI+ community and is an advocate for promoting human rights on the migration situation in Honduras. Today, the Honduran Salvadoran lives in Tegucigalpa, Honduras dedicating his life to documentary and commercial photography where he focuses on issues related to human rights, migration and the LGBTQI+ community. Giving a voice to migrants Focusing on migration is personal for Ramirez. His parents were displaced due to the armed conflict in El Salvador. He said when he started to work on photographing migrants, he was trying to understand what it was like for his parents and other migrants. And I wanted to understand that a bit, he said. What was it like and how had that dynamic been for my parents. Because of the privilege that I have, I have not lived that experience. So, I wanted to give it a voice and I wanted to find spaces to delve into the reflections that the migrant makes along their journey. Hes won accolades for his series of images captured in Guatemala that told the story of the diaspora of Salvadorans, Hondurans and Guatemalans on their dangerous journey to the United States. In 2019, he held a series of talks in cultural spaces to discuss the migration crisis in the country and photographed the migration situation and the human rights violations suffered by the Honduran population. Changing perception of LGBTQI+ Ramirez has turned his documentary lens toward the LGBTQI+ community in Honduras, his own community. He is doing this because there are not many photographers whose work portrays this community in a positive light. It is very scarce and added to this is also the need to create images and a visual imaginary where members of the LGBTQI+ population can be portrayed with dignity, he said. He also said that persecution is something an LGBTQI+ Honduran lives with daily. We always live on the fringes of public policy, on the fringes of health, education, integration or specialized policies for us, and we are being persecuted all the time, he said. I know it sounds unreal, but it is the day to day for many. Ramirez added that the media continue to overlook these issues in their reporting and the perception of this community must change. He urged LGBTQI+ Hondurans to tell their own stories. I find it totally unfair that we are categorized as subhuman all the time and that we are treated with disdain, he said. Supporting his community Another way Ramirez reaches out to his community is through his work on the Free & Equal campaign that provides messages of hope. I loved how a lot of people identified with the messages, he said. They are people who constantly receive information or comments that tell them that their life is wrong. This may be the first time where LGBTQI+ Hondurans can see someone speak openly about their homosexuality, he added. It removes the political component and removes the component of judgment and negative bias that members of the LGBTQI+ community may have here in Honduras, he said. Ramirez stressed the importance of this work in Honduras because hes met some people who were afraid of being open about their sexuality. We talked to those people, and they listened, he said. So, we are sure that these types of messages have a positive impact. For those who are still afraid to stand up and be seen, Ramirez encouraged them to keep fighting for their rights. I admire you for your resilience, he said. I admire you for your ability to survive in a world that is not designed for us. And I encourage you to keep looking for information, to keep looking for protection, to keep looking for any instrument or tool that can be provided that can help you. 10 September 2021 Disclaimer: The views, information and opinions expressed in this article are those of the persons featured in the story and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia: Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing (MSREI), the private real estate investment arm of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, has raised $3.1 billion for a new fund dedicated to global real estate bets. The North Haven Real Estate Fund X Global (G10) exceeds its original fundraising target and surpassing the size of its predecessor fund, North Haven Real Estate Fund IX Global, which raised $2.7 billion in 2018. G10 has been established to make value-add / opportunistic real estate investments globally to generate superior risk-adjusted returns utilizing prudent leverage. With a flexible global mandate and a patient, disciplined approach, G10 will follow a strategy that the MSREI team has successfully employed in its three predecessor global funds - G7, G8, and G9 - across which they have acquired over $17 billion of gross real estate assets in over 100 separate investments. Capital deployment for G10 is well underway and MSREI has a substantial pipeline of opportunities in process. G10 investors include a sophisticated group of public and private pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, and individuals from around the world, with over 80% of the institutional capital representing commitments from existing North Haven Real Estate clients. The $65.5 billion Maryland State Retirement & Pension System committed $100 million to the fund. "We are extremely pleased with the continued investor support and trust from both ...................... To view our full article Click here Opalesque Industry Update - Mariner Wealth Advisors, a national wealth advisory firm headquartered in Kansas City, announced that it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire Cincinnati-based RIA, The Pinnacle Group, in a deal that closes Sept. 24, 2021. This is Mariner Wealth Advisors' fifth acquisition since the sale of a minority stake in the company to Leonard Green & Partners in April. The firm currently has 395 advisors across 53 offices, and this will be its second office in the Cincinnati metropolitan area. "We're thrilled to welcome such a talented group of individuals to the Mariner Wealth Advisors family while being able to expand our presence in Cincinnati," said Marty Bicknell, CEO and president of Mariner Wealth Advisors. "The Pinnacle Group's approach to financial planning, including their retirement planning solutions for businesses, fold into our services and firm goals seamlessly. I'm excited to see what we can accomplish together." The Pinnacle Group, with more than $600 million in assets under management (AUM), has built a trusted reputation with its clients since its founding in 1994. With a significant stake of its AUM in retirement plans, this deal will contribute to the further growth of Mariner Wealth Advisors' own retirement plan solutions, a platform designed to aid businesses in managing their employer-sponsored retirement plans for employees. Additionally, the firm's high volume of referrals from CPAs will integrate seamlessly with Mariner Wealth Advisors' existing CPA Alliance. "This is an incredible opportunity for The Pinnacle Group to continue our legacy of helping clients build a successful financial future and provide an attractive career path that offers new opportunities for growth and development to our team," said J. Scott Sims, president and founder of The Pinnacle Group. This deal continues Mariner Wealth Advisors' summer streak of growth. Since July, the firm has announced four acquisitions - Allegiant Private Advisors, AdvicePeriod, Channel Islands Group and Commonwealth Advisory Group - and added over $7 billion in assets under management. The Pinnacle Group will assume the Mariner Wealth Advisors name at closing, and the Cincinnati office remains under Sims' leadership. The owners and founders of The Pinnacle Group were advised on the transaction by the investment banking firm of ECHELON Partners. Smt Esther Dhanraj is an ex-Christian, who quit her faith after practicing it for 25 years. She holds a Masters degree in English Literature from Osmania University, India and a Masters in Divinity (Apologetics) from Luther Rice University, Georgia, United States. An expert in Christian doctrines and practices, she has been engaged in debates on TV channels as well as actively fighting conversions at grassroot levels in rural India. She also counsels Hindu families whose youngsters youth have either become Christian or are contemplating Christianity. The experience of Smt Esther Dhanraj assumes significance in this context. Excerpts from an exclusive on-line interview she had with Organiser representative, Pradeep Krishnan: You were born in a Telugu Brahmin family and converted to Christianity when you were 17 when your parents switched faiths? What prompted your parents to convert to Christianity? I was about 12-13 years when I first heard someone utter the name Jesus. This person was a Christian from Tamil Nadu and was our neigbhour when my family was residing in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. He was from Tamil Nadu and lived away from his family, for his work at Telco. My parents being very friendly people opened their home to this person, and would sometimes send him food. Those were very rough times for my family, with my mothers ill-health, and my fathers professional upheavals. This neighbour who saw our family closely observed our difficult situation started talking to my parents about Christianity and Jesus. He told them that Jesus will solve all our problems and we needed Jesus in our lives. My mother needed a minor surgery. She and my father needed to travel to Hyderabad to her sisters home who arranged for the surgery. While they were gone, my maternal grandmother looked after my four siblings and me. In the absence of my parents, the neighbour continued to preach and read the Bible to us, and invited us every night before bedtime, to pray with him. In Hyderabad, my aunts family friend who was a Christian introduced my parents to a pastor of a nearby church. Being in a very vulnerable state, my mother succumbed to the sweet-talk the pastor engaged in. A few months after her surgery we moved to Hyderabad. After the move, we started going to the church as a family. Eventually, my parents got baptised in the faith. Later, my siblings and I got baptised one after another. My baptism was in the year 1992. How did your parents encounter the conflict in their minds between the ancestral faith and the newly introduced faith? I dont think there was any conflict. Usually, the way conversions are designed, there is no scope for the converting family or individual, for looking back in regret. The pastor is closely monitoring the transition of the family. He is with the family every week, giving them the hope, (which I now know is false one) he partakes in their happy times and sad occasions. He used all his training in propagandising his religion to the family that he is proselytising. I cannot exactly tell what went on in my parents minds, but outside there was no regret, and no qualms about exhibiting their new religious stance to their friends and relatives. In hindsight, I can say that in some sense they were proud of their decision because now they were saved and all their problems have been taken over by Jesus to solve them. I must note here, my maternal grandmother who lived us, was a staunch Hindu, who followed her daily religious rituals very strictly. She was very particular about doing puja every day. She practiced Ayurveda and was well read in Bhagwad Gita and Bhagavatam. For as long as she lived, two religions were practiced in our house. She and my parents mutually respected each others religious practices. For her sake my mother held on to wearing the bottu even after she converted to Christianity. There were weekly prayers at my house conducted by the pastor and a few other church elders. My grandmother never objected to it and in fact interacted with the pastors, sometimes engaging with them in friendly debates. She was a pillar of strength to our parents. If a family like yours, who were upper middle class, well educated and having good status in the society was converted to Christianity, what according to you would be the plight of the poor and downtrodden Hindus? My thesis is: the day world hunger ends, Christian proselytisers will be out of job. Conversions happen to not just poor and the downtrodden. It happens in any class of people. The only factor fueling conversions is human need and human expectation for a magical solution to that need. But you are right, my father who was a well-read person, and who held some very important job positions in his career, in a variety of sectors, couldnt survive the onslaught of Christian propaganda. No amount of education, experience and exposure can come to the rescue when the proselytizer has cast his net at you. But I have to tell you, times have changed. We have stepped into the age of information. Consider this the second age of Enlightenment and this time it is India that is walking toward light. Here is a thing: at the higher end of the chain of proselytising sits the educated and the upper class. Precisely the youth from educated and upper classes. There are two reasons why youth get into proselytising one, employment. Two, conviction that Christianity is true. The first category needs to be shown some other source of employment and the other group needs to be shown the real face of Christianity. This is where I feel we come in. Why did you leave Christianity? I went to the United States on an immigrant visa by virtue of marriage. I am someone who likes to keep on studying, taking exams and getting degrees. All that changed now. But back then, the first thing that came to my mind when I knew that I was going to be spending the next few years of my life in the United States, was to go for another masters degree from a US university. I had two options a Masters degree in Education Management (I was running a prep school and was a freelance education consultant, before I left for the States) and Master of Divinity (the highest non-doctoral research degree in Christian studies). On the one hand, was my opportunity to fulfil my life long desire of conducting a deeper study of the bible, and study Christian history as an academic in order to know the place of my own ethnicity in the bible and on the other hand was my chance to make my dream career in the US school system in a senior management position. I was in two minds. The devoted Christian that I was, I prayed. And god directed me to take up Christian studies. I imagined God calling me to serve him in India, because God was disheartened to see India reeling in idol worship, and needed gifted preachers like me. I thought I had the divine duty to save India from darkness. I had no doubt, I could change the demography of India once I became a trained evangelist. Aided with such confidence, I enrolled in the degree in last quarter of 2010. I have to tell you here that there are two kinds of master degrees offered in the US. One takes a shorter duration to complete and the other, longer, with more hours of study and more courses to complete. M. Div is the longer masters degree. It is a non-Ph D degree but is a research-oriented degree. M Div usually offers two tracks of study Apologetics and Ministry. Ministry has got to do with pastoring a church and apologetics is the defense of the Christian faith against criticism. I opted for apologetics. The first course that I took was a course called the Introduction to Old Testament. The text that was prescribed for this course is titled Survey of the Old Testament Introduction. It is a book that justifies the Old Testament, defends its theology, and rebuts criticism of it. It took me just that very first course of the very first semester of my 5-year degree, for my 25-year faith to come crashing down. It might surprise you that a text book that was supposed to reinforce my faith and affirm my decision to become a Christian propelled me in exactly the opposite direction. The text book spoke of things that I was hearing for the very first time in 25 years. For example, I have never heard either from a critic or from an apologist that the Bible had discrepancies. And here was Americas acclaimed apologist (the author of the text book I mentioned) who was saying that exact thing. Of course, that statement of his was followed by a but and dozens of chapters to explain the discrepancies away. But that acceptance by him was enough for me to know that the Bible indeed had errors. Imagine the shock of knowing that the book around which I had built my entire adulthood, on the basis of which I had taken life changing decisions, had errors in it. Errors to me meant that it was not a divine work. From there, my faith went south. 'Constantine made use of the beliefs of a small messianic cult for unifying the various warring religious factions of his kingdom. He manufactured a new narrative in a dying and rising savior god. It was a political conspiracy' Why do you say that Christianity is a political conspiracy? Two thousand years after the alleged life of Jesus on earth, the debate is still about whether Jesus is a historical person. The fact that the defenders of Jesus historicity, called historicists, could not prove with substantial evidence that he existed in the 1st century CE, indicates that Christianity probably did not need a central figure for it to take birth. If it does not have a founder, how did it start? This question opens a gamut of probabilities of how Christianity came into existence. The suggested probabilities suggested from its origin of an ancient Mediterranean myth of a dying and rising savior god to its creation out of vacuum, by the Roman elite. Whatever way it was started, it could not have developed and spread without state approval. If Christianity didnt have Constantines support, we would have been reading it as a sentence or a page or a chapter or at the most a volume in history books. Like the coming and vanishing of hundreds of cults in those times. Constantine made use of the beliefs of a small messianic cult for unifying the various warring religious factions of his kingdom. For that, he manufactured a new narrative out of the existing beliefs in a dying and rising savior god. Knowing there is no truth in something we do but still do it for a gain is called conspiracy. Constantine knew the new religion he was creating had no truth in it, because he remained a Sun-worshipper till the end of his life. But he made it the official religion for his political success. That makes it a political conspiracy. You were telling that the Christian priests approach persons who are vulnerable with a human touch and Hindu priests on the other hand teach scriptures? Could you please elaborate on this point? What I mean is that, the pastors approach human need with the attractive solution. Sometimes they offer money on the spot. A lot of times they pay from their pockets. Of course, they do so with an agenda, knowing that if they are able to win this needy person, which they do, they will get so much more in the form of weekly donation and monthly tithes. But the person that overcome by his need cannot rationalize why a stranger goes out of the way and falls into the trap. Moreover, the pastor makes it seem as if it is a divine plan. But when a needy human being goes with his problems to a temple, the priest there offers him solutions that cost more money to the already burdened person. I agree with you that the priest has limited resources and does not belong to an ecosystem. That is my whole point. Why cant we empower our priests, educate them about the need to be sensitive to? Why cant we build an ecosystem where Hindus feel belonged and do not have to seek out solution out from jackals in sheeps clothing? I am not finding fault with the priest. I understand the priest, unlike the pastor, neither has the wherewithal or the training to handle such situations. I am finding fault with the system itself or the lack, thereof. 'Many gullible believers who were desperate for a miraculous healing have come to their senses through these pandemic times, otherwise cancer and AIDS expelling pastors went into hiding' What are the major differences between American Christians and Indian Christians? Christians are the same all over, when it comes to believing blindly. They are sheep regardless of what country they come from. The only difference is in the way they defend their faith and justify their bible. Indians are more defensive and we know offense is best form of defense. Here is a thing: American Christianity does not have a rival worldview to fight against. India does. In India, Christianity is faced with a giant. Also, because Christians in India have to give up something very dear to them their identity to become Christians. The loss of their identity, in addition to the guilt of abandoning their heritage, and the doubt whether they made the right decision or not, bears heavily on their subconscious minds. So, the moment they do that, they turn on their defensive mode. We see that Christians of recent decades are unable to get rid of their caste and sect identities, more than in any other earlier decades. American Christians do not have to deal with this situation. What are your views on religious conversions? I always wonder, why would the god of the universe want an ordinary, (sometimes illiterate) pastor to propagandize him? Isnt god himself capable of showing his might to people that he wants to follow him? If he was able to reveal himself to a desert tribe once, why cant he do it again? Especially, if it can prevent nasty and sometimes bloody fights? And if he so mighty and wonder-working being, why cant isnt the whole world Christian, even after 2000 years of Christianitys invention? Why is converting of a small planet taking so long when he was able to create millions of such planets, much larger in size, in just seven days? The very fact that one human being has to convince another that a certain religion is true or a certain god is the true god, itself indicates that something is not right about that god or his religion. Do you now consider yourself a Hindu? In my view every person that subscribes to the idea of Dharma, Karma and Punarjanma is a Hindu. This is something I learnt from my conversations with experts in the field. By that definition, every civilised human being of the world is almost Hindu. Excuse my usage of almost. What I mean is with the exception of Punarjanma concept, every person living a socially conscious life adheres to the principles of dharma and karma, knowingly or unknowingly. As for believing in the concept of Punarjanma, I am 7 studying about it. The brutal 1921 Malabar anti-Hindu massacre by Islamists marks centenary this year. The horrors of this genocide have now become a national talking point. Both Islamists and communists had been trying to whitewash this anti-Hindu massacre as freedom movement. Hundreds of Hindus were killed during this genocide, thousands converted, many were raped and tortured. Gorkhas, who were part of the army back then, played an important role in crushing these Islamists and saving Hindus from the cruel Jihadis of Malabar. Before the arrival of Gorkhas, the Malabar Special Police (MSP) had a major role in stopping the Hindu massacre from spreading to more areas. With the thunderous war cry "Jai Maha Kali" Gorkhas like lions charged on Moplah fanatics & crushed them. Blessings shower from above on Hindus with the words 'Aayo Gorkhali' (Gorkhas are here). Hindus of Malabar owe a lot to Gorakhnath's devotees.#100yrsMalabarHinduGenocide pic.twitter.com/klPLwewjdo J Nandakumar (@kumarnandaj) September 6, 2021 During this rebellion, Moplas went deep inside the forest and launched quick attacks. Gorkhas were brought in since they were aware of such difficult terrain and later they crushed the Jihadis of Malabar. Gorkhas, with their war cry Jai Maha Kali were swift in their action and stopped the Islamists from killing more Hindus. Gorkhas trace their lineage to the saint Gorakshanath who lived in the 11th century and are connected with the Gorakhnath Mandir in Gorakhpur. Yogi Adithyanath is the chief priest of Gorakhnath Mandir. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday held talks with his Australian counterpart Peter Dutton and discussed ways to expand the bilateral defence cooperation, as well as, cooperation in emerging defence technologies. "India-Australia discussions today focused on our bilateral defence cooperation and expanding military engagements across services, enhancing defence information sharing and cooperation in emerging defence technologies," said Rajnath Singh. "We held talks on bilateral defence cooperation as well as regional issues. Both sides are willing to take steps towards greater cooperation on India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," he added. Rajnath Singh also emphasised that India is committed to building a robust partnership with Australia for the security and growth of the entire region. Meanwhile, Dutton noted that India's leadership is essential to Australia's Indo-Pacific strategy. "India's leadership is essential to Australia's Indo-Pacific strategy. We share one of the world's important oceans. We both want a stable, resilient, secure and strategic neighbourhood," said Dutton. After the conclusion of the meeting, Rajnath Singh also tweeted, saying that both the countries are keen to work jointly to realise the full potential of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. "Had a very fruitful discussion with the Defence Minister of Australia, Mr Peter Dutton on the bilateral defence cooperation as well as regional issues. Both of us are keen to work jointly to realize the full potential of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," Rajnath Singh tweeted. "This partnership is based on our shared vision of free, open, inclusive and rule-based Indo-Pacific region. Both, Australia and India have tremendous stakes in peace, development and free flow of trade, rules-based order and economic growth in the region," he added. India is set to host the first-ever 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with Australia on September 11. Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Peter Dutton from the Australian side will meet with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. India has 2+2 Ministerial format meetings with very few countries, including the USA and Japan. A similar decision was taken for Russia but no dates have been announced yet. (ANI) In a major breakthrough, Assam Police have arrested a gang of seven cybercriminals from a place called Laharighat in Morigaon district. This vicious cybercriminal gang is using fake documents to obtain loans from banks and financial institutes in various peoples names in the district. Many victims had come to know about those bank loans taken in their name using their documents after getting repayment notice from the banks only. A team of Morigaon police led by Adit Boro, in charge of the Laharighat Police Station, arrested seven accused persons on Thursday (9/9/21). Police seized 107 SIM cards and 10 Aadhar cards of various unknown persons, two PAN cards, two swipe machines. The arrested cyber crooks have been identified as Zainul Haque, Mosharraf Islam, Asadul Islam, Rashidul Hoque, Ferdus Alam, Irshwad Parvez, and Saddam Hussain. Laharighat police station in-charge Adit Boro told media that this gang is running cyber crimes in a unique modus Operandi. They collect photos and documents of various persons in the district. Then they apply for PAN and AADHAR cards for those persons. They use their mobile numbers while applying for the cards and use fake address proofs for that. Once the gang get the PAN and AADHAR card they apply for loans in banks, financial institutions or in government schemes. The arrested gang has already cheated several lakhs of rupees from banks in many victims' names. A case (C / NO-596/21 U / S-120 (B) / 419/420/468/471/34) was registered against those accused at the Laharighat Police Station under R / W SEC- 66 (C) 66 (D) of IT Act. Laharighat police further revealed that a much bigger gang is active in the district and working on the same modus operandi. Of late the interior minority-dominated area Laharighat has become a cybercrime base of Morigaon district. The arrested criminals are experts in computer and cyber technology. They have cheated many victims by hacking cell phones and diverting OTP in their mobiles. Further investigations are on to nab the mastermind behind the cybercriminal racket. Governor Ravi met Netaji's interpreter, Poswuyi Swuro, and visited Netaji's house in Nagaland. Kohima: On his last day as the Governor of Nagaland, R. N. Ravi on On Thursday (September 9), paid a visit to Phek district's Ruzhazo village, the first Indian village liberated from British control and administered by the Azad Hind Government of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in 1944, a Raj Bhavan release said. The Governor also visited Chozuba and Yoruba villages in the district during the day. Ravi also visited Poswuyi Swuro, a veteran freedom fighter whom Netaji had appointed as dobashi (interpreter) during his stay in the village to unite the warriors of Azad Hind Fauj against the British. Governor Ravi also visited the house in Ruzhazo village, where Netaji stayed during his military campaign against the British in Nagaland. Veteran freedom fighter and warrior of Netaji's Fauj, Swuro shared his memories of association with Netaji when they fought the British with the Governor. The Governor's visit began with Japan Riba Government High School Chozuba, where he interacted with the members of the Chozuba Village Council. Ravi also interacted with the Ruzhazo Village Council members. The Governor expressed his gratitude to the people of the three villages for their warm hospitality. Given the rich historical connections of these places with the Indian freedom struggle, the Governor assured the people of the area to accord them because of recognition. He also had first-hand information on the ongoing National Highway construction in the district. Catholic bishop Joseph Kallarangatt was addressing the faithful at Marth Mariam Pilgrim Church at Kuravilangad in Kottayam district on Wednesday (September 8). Muslims use love-jihad and narcotic-jihad to end the non-Muslims, said Catholic bishop Joseph Kallarangatt on Wednesday (September 8). "They've realised that in a nation like India, taking up weapons & destroying others isn't easy, they're using other means. Their aim is to promote their religion & end non-Muslims. They use 'love jihad' & 'narcotic jihad," ANI quoted Pala (Kerala) Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt. He added, "Jihadis, through love or other means, use women from other religions for misusing, for terrorist activities, or for economic gains..Those trying to prove that there's no 'love jihad' are trying to feign ignorance. It's not just a love marriage, it's a war strategy." The bishop also warned about how narcotics were used to destroy the non-Muslims. "The narcotic jihad is the activity of spoiling the life of non-Muslims, particularly youths, by making them addicted to drugsVarious types of drugs are being used in ice-cream parlours, hotels and juice corners run by hardcore jihadis. They are using various types of drugs as a weapon to spoil non-Muslims", bishop Joseph said. He added, "The rave parties, which promote use of narcotics, and the drugs being seized from such events have presented this fact before us. We see a lot of people among us who lost their jobs or abandoned studies after they became drug addicts." The bishop said that in the perspective of jihadis, non-Muslims have to be annihilated. When the agenda is spreading the religion and eradicating non-Muslims, attaining that agenda manifests in different manners. He emphasised that love-jihad and narcotic-jihad are two such ways. On Thursday (September 9), OpIndia Editor Nupur Sharma announced she would be shifting her base from Kolkata to Delhi. The OpIndia Editor Nupur J Sharma announced on Thursday (September 9) that after the unrelenting persecution by the Mamata Banerjee government, she has decided to move to Delhi from Kolkata. After the unrelenting persecution by the Mamata Banerjee government and threats received over the past few years, I have decided to move to Delhi. Staying in West Bengal under the current regime, it is next to impossible to report the truth, read a statement issued by her. She added, For the safety of my family and to continue to uphold Dharma as OpIndia has been doing since its inception, me leaving my home of decades became a necessity. Remember how she was pretty happy, hardly a year or two back at her daughter getting admission in her favourite school. Everything has to be redrawn and rebuilt because democracy is being saved by a maniac, Rahul Roshan, CEO of OpIndia, posted. Many expressed their shock and anguish over the turn of events. Shocked that those who pretend to be its guardians have discarded #FreeSpeech no condemnation, no letters, not a peep of protest. A journalist is being forced to leave her home, her state, to protect her family. Stay strong @UnSubtleDesi! posted Vice-President of Delhi-based Think Tank Gautam Chikermane. Continuing its witch-hunting process, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government had filed yet another case against news portal OpIndia Editor-in-Chief Nupur Sharma and its CEO Rahul Roushan. The copy of the new FIR was never uploaded either on the West Bengal polices website or CIDs website. Nupur Sharma and Rahul Roushan got to know of the FIR when they received a summons from the CID. Later, the action in this FIR was also stayed by the Supreme Court. Sarkar was killed in the post-poll violence in the Narkeldanga area of West Bengal shortly after the assembly election results were announced on May 2. Kolkata: West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Dilip Ghosh and party members on Thursday (September 9) paid respects to party worker Abhijit Sarkar, who was killed in the post-poll violence. "BJP members pay respects to party worker Abhijit Sarkar, a victim of post-poll violence, whose body was handed to his family after 4 months. Many such incidents can happen. It's important to pay respects to our worker who lost his life," Ghosh told ANI. Speaking further, the BJP leader alleged that there was corruption by the state government in a post-mortem of victims of post-poll violence. "It took 4-months to hand over the body so that evidence can be removed," Ghosh said. Sarkar was killed in the post-poll violence in the Narkeldanga area of West Bengal shortly after the assembly election results were announced on May 2. Earlier, the High Court had asked for a second autopsy for BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar. The court also extended the National Human Rights Commission's investigation to July 13. Several incidents of violence have been reported at various places after the announcement of the Assembly poll results on May 2. Courtesy: ANI Youth Congress has extended support to Pala Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt, of the Syro Malabar Church in Kerala for his comments over narcotic and love jihad. Islamists in Kerala have been running a hate campaign against the Bishop for his comments criticising the conspiracy to kill non-Muslims using the tactics of various Jihads. The Pala assembly constituency Youth Congress committee also said that the Bishop was expressing the doubts of society and they also added that they wouldnt allow someone to hunt the Bishop for his statement. The Youth Congress also asked the state government to conduct an inquiry and reveal the truth to the public. Earlier, Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt had said that there is a planned conspiracy to woo Christian youth to drugs and a section is silently working in Kerala for that. Joan Ruth (Geurts) Thompson, passed away at the Wesley Acres Health Center in Des Moines Iowa on September 8, 2021, at the age of 86 years. Joan was born on January 14, 1935, to Floris W.A. and Sophia (Vos) Geurts. Joan graduated from Pella High School with the class of 1953 and resided in D The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM) was established in 2014 as an advisory body at the service of the Holy Father. The mission entrusted to the PCPM is to propose initiatives to the Roman Pontifffor the purposes of promoting local responsibility in the particular Churches for the protection of all minors and vulnerable adults (Statutes, Art. 1). The PCPMs main concern from the start was how to find the best way to protect children and how to help the Pope and the Church achieve this goal. Its role, however, is not to take any responsibility for individual cases of abuse (which is the competence of a prosecutorial body or a court). It became obvious that in many cases, the behaviour of the Church, which was intended to defend itself, was plunging it further and further into harms way, thus causing damage. The greatest resentment has been caused because those in positions of authority have protected reputations and tried to avoid scandal by covering up and relocating perpetrators (moving abusers), leading to other children being abused rather than protected. Thus, the PCPM agreed on general fundamental principles: credibility, transparency, responsibility, accountability. Anyone who has responsibility for others must be held accountable, in a transparent way, for how they use their authority, rather than self-regulating behind closed doors. This includes the regulation of the professional aspects of their roles, such as pastoral, teaching, counseling and community involvement. In its first period, the PCPM undertook a number of activities and initiatives that touched on general problems, such as the pontifical secret and mandatory reporting. At the same time, it launched several local initiatives. Efforts focused mainly on areas already in the public eye for example, Chile. The PCPM was involved in the organisation of several projects and conferences such as a Latin American Safeguarding Conference in 2017 cohosted with the Archdiocese of Bogota, with the participation of CLAR, CELAM, Catholic Schools, government entities, international and local NGOs, international media and other Christian denominations. It then moved into research to assess the status of implementation of safeguarding education and formation in Catholic schools, beginning with pilot projects in South Africa, Colombia, India, the Philippines and Tonga. Towards Central and Eastern Europe In a certain sense, Central and Eastern Europe remained outside the Commissions main field of interest during that initial period. Whereas initially it seemed that the Churches in the region were spared these problems, it later became evident that this, however, was not the case. The idea the need to organize a conference for this region originated toward the end of 2017, prior to the international Summit held in the Vatican. Our common mission of safeguarding Gods children was initially planned for February 2019. Due to the February meeting convened by Pope Francis, the Conference was postponed until 2020. Unfortunately, the pandemic made it impossible to organise it in that period, which led the PCPM to approve holding the Conference in September 2021. It was already clear in 2017 that the phenomenon of sexual abuse was much broader in scope in Central and Eastern European countries and that it was not limited to just one country. Hence, the PCPM, agreed it was important to organise this Conference on a wider regional level. Furthermore, due to the size and importance of the Church in Poland, as well as the number of cases that have come to light there, it was decided that the Conference would be held in Warsaw, but that it would not focus solely on the situation in Poland. Within the region there are different countries, different religious situations and different ecclesial communities. Notwithstanding this diversity, the problem of the sexual abuse of children exists on a different scale throughout the region. In order to respond to this challenge, it is necessary to exchange experiences between Churches in the entire region. In the fight against the scourge of the sexual abuse of minors and, in pursuit of its statutory goal of promoting local responsibility in local Churches, the PCPM expresses full solidarity with the Churches of Central and Eastern Europe in their yearning to prevent and confront the evils of the betrayal of young people in their region. A way of expressing this solidarity is to provide opportunities for Church leaders to come together and to learn from one another and from those who have particular experience in and/or have confronted the realities of the crisis in a spirit of communion and are resolved to secure a safe place for our young people in the Church. The Conference will also address prevention. Our Common Mission will be attended by representatives of almost all the countries belonging to Central and Eastern Europe: Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Romania, Croatia, Belarus, Hungary, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Albania, Bulgaria. From each country persons have been designated by the local Conferences of Bishops, including the coordinator or delegate of the Conference, and representatives of religious congregations. Pope Francis 2019 Motu proprio Vos estis lux mundi, which establishes a procedure for holding accountable Church leaders, will be the basic document for this conference. Dynamically evolving situation Circumstances have changed since the PCPM was first established. We have identified two stages in most local Churches: first, the growing awareness that some members of the clergy have abused minors; second, it then becomes clear that the leadership of the Church has severely failed in their response to reported allegations. The concentrated developments in 2018, with allegations affecting high profile leaders in the Church, such as Cardinal McCarrick, and the negligence of ecclesial authorities in handling complaints, have significantly and adversely affected the trust and credibility in the leadership of the Church in the eyes of the public. The interpretation of the law in the civil arena, regarding holding a superior representing an ecclesiastical legal entity responsible for the act of a subordinate, has changed: namely, that it is possible to hold an ecclesiastical legal entity liable for the damage caused by the sexual abuse of a priest, even if it did not occur within the framework of the fulfilment of a clerics express canonical mission (i.e. teaching religion or administering the sacraments). Within the ecclesiastical arena, Pope Francis has determined that if bishops fail in their task, they shall be held accountable. The crisis calls for a theological and canonical reflection on the diocesan bishops responsibility to provide prevention, intervention, justice and healing. In Central and Eastern European countries, the social and institutional awareness of the problems of child sexual abuse (CSA) is beginning to emerge. The Church is similarly awakening to this problem. There is still a strong culture of secrecy and mistrust, a consequence of the communist past. It is of great importance that the Conference is also taking this into account. The Conferences main goals: To share experiences and to reflect on how the Churches of Central and Eastern Europe are dealing with the sexual abuse of minors by members of the clergy. To inspire Church leaders to assume their responsibility and to properly deal with CSA, promoting a correct response to crimes perpetrated by members of the clergy and to the serious mistakes made by Church leaders, and a strong engagement in favour of their prevention. To promote clearer understanding of the Holy Sees position on clerical CSA. To promote improved understanding between the offices of the Holy See regarding the particular assistance the Churches in this region need in dealing with clergy CSA. To create a common motivation in the area of creating safe Church environments in this region. To create a platform for collaboration and exchange on a regular basis between countries in the region. To promote communication of Church leaders with believers and with society. To create a coordinating team, a platform to foster ongoing collaboration and exchange on creating safe environments for minors. The beginning, not the end From the beginning, a strong, common opinion shared by the members of the PCPM, was that the area of best practices should include training, education and formation programs. Another crucial issue identified is to guarantee the right to information. Existing information is insufficient; there is especially a lack of information regarding jurisprudence. Among many different actions needed, providing the victims of sexual abuse with truth and justice is profoundly important. This is the reason why there needs to be minimum standards regarding the right to information. No local Church, no matter where it is situated, is immune from the consequences of the CSA tragedy. Lessons of responsibility, accountability and transparency must be learned from other jurisdictions. The topic of the right to information is still at a preliminary stage. It will therefore require a longer and deeper study so a thorough analysis of the functioning system can be made through the exchange of experience. This clearly shows that this Conference is the beginning, not the end, of this activity. It is intended to be the catalyst for joint initiatives and joint action. Prof. Hanna Suchocka is a Professor of Constitutional Law and specialist in human rights at the University of Poznan. She is a former Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland (1992-1993), and Ambassador of Poland to the Holy See (2001-2013). In 2018, Pope Francis appointed Professor Suchocka for a second term to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Hanna Suchocka Listening without prejudice; speaking out with courage and parrhesia; dialoguing with the Church, with society, and with the other Christian confessions. The General Secretariat for the Synod has published the Preparatory Document, along with a Vademecum (or handbook) to indicate the guiding principles that will direct the path of the Synod on Synodality. The solemn opening of the Synod will take place in Rome on October 9-10, and in the particular Churches on October 17; and will conclude in the Vatican in 2023 with the assembly of bishops from around the world. The Preparatory Document, released on Tuesday, is intended above all to be an instrument facilitating the first phase of listening and consultation of the People of God in the particular Churches, which will take place from October 2021 to April 2022. Journeying together In other words, as the document says, it constitutes a sort of construction site or pilot experience that makes it possible to immediately begin reaping the fruits of the dynamic that progressive synodal conversion introduces into the Christian community. The text opens with a fundamental question: "How does this journeying together, which takes place today on different levels (from the local level to the universal one), allow the Church to proclaim the Gospel in accordance with the mission entrusted to Her; and what steps does the Spirit invite us to take in order to grow as a synodal Church?" Steps towards synodality To respond to this question, the Secretariat of the Synod points out some concrete steps. First of all, it is necessary to live a participative and inclusive ecclesial process that offers everyone especially those who for various reasons find themselves on the margins the opportunity to express themselves and to be heard; and then to recognize and appreciate the wealth and the variety of the gifts and charisms that the Spirit liberally bestows for the benefit of the whole human family. Further, it is necessary to examine how responsibility and power are lived in the Church, as well as the structures by which they are managed, bringing to light and trying to convert prejudices and distorted practices that are not rooted in the Gospel. The document invites us to look at how the Christian community can be accredited as a credible subject and reliable partner in paths of social dialogue, healing, reconciliation, inclusion and participation, the reconstruction of democracy, the promotion of fraternity and social friendship; as well as how we can regenerate relationships among Christians, with representatives of other Christian confessions, and with other social groups, with the organizations of civil society, and with popular movements. These concrete steps will take place within an historical context marked by epochal changes in society, beginning with the global tragedy of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led pre-existing inequalities and injustices to explode. At the same time, the document recognizes that the synodal process is being undertaken in a context in which the Church herself must face the lack of faith and the corruption even within herself, emphasizing that we cannot forget the suffering experienced by minors and vulnerable people due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power, and the abuse of conscience committed by clergy. However, it is precisely in the furrows dug by the sufferings of every kind, the document continues, that new languages of faith and new paths flourish, in order to found anew the path of Christian and ecclesial life. These are occasions to offer ample space for renewed participation and appreciation of the laity, and especially of women and young people, as requested by recent Synods. Active evangelizers With regard to the laity, the document reiterates that all the baptized are active participants in evangelization; and so it is essential that on the synodal path, pastors not be afraid to listen to the Flock entrusted to them. In a synodal Church, it insists, quoting Pope Francis, everyone the faithful, the bishops, and even the Bishop of Rome himself has something to learn, all listening to each other, and all listening to the Spirit of truth. This includes a call to deepen our relationship with other Christian communities. A synodal Church, it says, is a prophetic sign, above all for a community of nations incapable of proposing a shared project, through which to pursue the good of all. More concretely, the preparatory text proposes a series of questions to guide the consultation with the People of God, beginning with the fundamental question: "How is this journeying together happening today in your particular Church?" It is necessary, therefore, to ask what experiences in ones own diocese this question brings to mind: What joys did they provoke? What difficulties and obstacles have they encountered? What wounds have they brought to light?... What are the prospects for change, and the steps to be taken? Levels of synodality The document goes on to explain three levels of synodality: the level of the style with which the Church ordinarily lives and works the level of ecclesial structures and process [and] the level of synodal processes and events in which the Church is convoked by competent authority. These three levels of articulation of synodality are distinct, but must be held together in a coherent way; otherwise, a counter-testimony is transmitted, and the Churchs credibility is undermined. In this evaluation of experiences, account must also be taken in the particular Church of the internal relations between the faithful, pastors, parishes, and communities; but also between the bishops (among themselves and with the Pope), and with the intermediate bodies. One must also consider the integration of diverse forms of religious and consecrated life; of associations and movements; and of the various institutions, such as schools, hospitals, universities, foundations, and charities. Beyond internal relationships, it is important to consider external relations, and possible joint initiatives, with other religions, with those who are distant from any faith, and with the various spheres of politics, culture, finance, labour, trade unions, and minorities. Facets of lived synodality Finally, the preparatory document indicates ten thematic nuclei that articulate different facets of lived synodality. These core areas should be explored in greater depth in order to contribute in a richer way to the first phase of consultation: * The Journeying Companions: that is, reflecting on what we define as our Church, and on our companions, especially among the marginalized or those who are beyond the ecclesial boundaries; * Listening: to young people, women, consecrated men and women, and those who are discarded or excluded; * Speaking Out: considering whether a free and authentic style of communication, without duplicity and opportunism, is promoted within the community of the Church and in its institutions; * Celebrating: thinking about how prayer and liturgy effectively inspire and guide our walking together, and about how the active participation of the faithful can be promoted; * Coresponsible in the Mission: reflecting on how the community supports members who are engaged in service, such as the promotion of social justice, human rights, or preserving our common home; * Dialogue in Church and Society: rethinking places and means of dialogue in the particular Churches, with neighbouring Dioceses, with religious communities and movement, with various institutions, with nonbelievers, with the poor; * With the Other Christian Denominations: what are our relations with our brothers and sisters of other Christian confessions? What areas are involved, and what are the fruits and the challenges of our relationships? * Authority and Participation: how is authority exercised in our particular Church, what is the experience of teamwork; how are lay ministries promoted? * Discerning and Deciding: asking what procedures and methods are used to make decisions; how the decision-making process is articulated with decision-taking; what tools are promoted for transparency and accountability; * Forming Ourselves in Synodality: in essence, looking at the formation offered to those in positions of responsibility in the Christian community, to help them to be more capable of listening and dialogue. The Secretariat of the Synod is asking each Diocese to condense the fruit of their reflections into a maximum of ten pages, supplementing them, if necessary, with other supporting texts. The goal, it insists, is not to produce documents, but to plant dreams, prophecies, and hopes. Salvatore Cernuzio As he announced at the end of the Angelus on Sunday, 5 September, the Holy Father will be leaving for an Apostolic Journey to Budapest and Slovakia on Sunday, 12 September. The following is the itinerary of the visit which will conclude on Wednesday, 15 September. Pope Francis will depart from Romes Fiumicino International Airport on Sunday, 12 September, and arrive at Budapest International Airport at 7.45 am. Following an official welcome, he will meet with the countrys bishops and representatives of the Ecumenical Council of Churches and Jewish communities. In the morning, the Pope will preside over Holy Mass for the closing of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress which began on 5 September. He will then depart for Bratislava, Slovakia, where he is expected to land at 3:30 pm. Following an ecumenical meeting at the Apostolic Nunciature, Pope Francis is scheduled to have a private meeting with members of the Society of Jesus. On Monday 13, the Holy Fathers first full day in Slovakia will include a courtesy visit to the President of the Republic, as well as meetings with authorities, members of civil society and the diplomatic corps. He will then meet bishops, priests, religious, consecrated persons, seminarians and catechists at the Cathedral of Saint Martin in Bratislava. After a private visit to the Bethlehem Center, the Holy Father will have a meeting with the citys Jewish community. On Tuesday morning, Pope Francis will leave for Kosice where he will preside over the Byzantine Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. Later in the day, he will meet with the Roma community and with young people, before flying back to Bratislava. On Wednesday, the final day of his visit to Slovakia, Pope Francis will preside over Holy Mass at the National Shrine in Sastin. Following a farewell ceremony, he will depart for Rome, where he expected to land at 3:30 pm. The full itinerary of the Holy Fathers visit can be found on: www.vatican.va On the first two days of the Jewish month of Tischrei, which this year falls on September 7 and 8, the Jewish people are blessed with a new year. It is a celebration that is prescribed in the Torah (Leviticus 23: 24-25; Numbers 29: 1-6). However, unlike Pesach (Passover), on which the departure of the Children of Israel from Egypt is commemorated and the beginning of spring and the barley harvest are celebrated, and unlike Shavuot (Pentecost) when the picking of the first fruits and the beginning of the wheat harvest are celebrated, the Torah does not give any explicit reason why the New Year should be observed at the beginning of the seventh month of Tischrei (the months being counted from the first one when freedom from slavery in Egypt was realized). Why does the New Year begin in the seventh month? The answer can be found in the fact that Rosh Hashanah (the head of the year) is celebrated in connection with the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and Sukkot (booth) in the same seventh month of Tischrei. There is a reason that links the three of them. Sukkot, which is celebrated from the 15th of Tischrei for seven days with an additional eighth day of rejoicing, marks the end of a cycle of agricultural work (Exodus 23:16; 34:22). The time to plow, sow, wait anxiously for the rains, to see the germination and development of the crops, and to harvest those crops now begins again. The farmer rejoices in seeing the fruit of his labor. Sukkot is the expression of the cycles of nature, of life. For this reason the scroll of Ecclesiastes is read on it, and the meaning of existence is pondered. Yom Kippur, which falls on the tenth day of the month, is the time whenafter a process of repentance and contrition (teshuvah) is carried out by each individualGod absolves the errors and sins they have committed. This process takes place at the beginning of that month. That is why the prophet Ezekiel (40:1) uses the term Rosh Hashanah (the first and only time it appears in the Bible) to designate the tenth day, which corresponds to Yom Kippur, since both are part of the same process. There can be no absolution from God if there has not previously been human repentance and contrition (Yad Hachazakah, Hilkhot Teshuvah 1: 3. See Kesef Mishneh ad locum). It must be done every day of life, but from the beginning of Tischrei repentance must occur in a more intensive way in order to reach Yom Kippur as a reformed person who has make strides in becoming a better human being. The sages of the Talmud specified that the 1st of Tischrei is the day when God judges all humans (Rosh Hashanah 1:2). The Midrash (Vaikra Rabba 29:1) explains that this is the day for this judgment to occur because on that day on which the first human being was created, was forbidden to eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, on which he transgressed, and when God judged and acquitted him. The Midrash ends by saying that just as God absolved Adam, God will also absolve people who know how to return to him. Rosh Hashanah is, in Jewish tradition, the day dedicated to every individual, as part of the great human family, to celebrate the adventure of their existence. But what is the meaning of existence? What is to celebrate? Ecclesiastes, the text read on the feast of Sukkot, does not find an answer to this question, because whatever was, is, and will come to pass (1: 9), the wise and the fool alike will have the same end (2: 1316). They must comply with the precepts of God. That is the only thing that has been revealed to us (12: 1314). However, the intricate beauty of nature and the ability of human beings to admire and discover the laws that govern it; the great human constructions, the constant improvement of technology, the ongoing knowledge acquired in the sciences are all indications that the existence of the individual cannot be seen as a mere repetitive or insignificant routine. The statement of Ecclesiastes: there is nothing new under the Sun cannot be applied throughout all time. Nor can this statement be applied to the discovery of love, the birth of a child, or of a grandchild. One purpose of reading this text on Sukkot would be to teach about an incorrect vision of existence, one which does not find a meaning to existence and only conceives it in a hedonistic way. The sages of the Talmud (Shabbat 30, b) affirmed that Ecclesiastes is a text full of incongruities. As long as you are insensitive to the small and great things that comprise your existence, as long as you do not know how to raise your eyes to the heights and perceive the message of mercy and faith from the One who has created everything, then life will remain merely an inconsequential or meaningless interval between birth and death. The word for year in Hebrew is shanah, which comes from the consonantal root shnh, meaning change. However, the same root is also used to suggest the idea of repetition. Thus, it is in the hands of each person to choose between the two ways of conceiving of life: to choose change and renewal in order to improve our human condition, or to remain in repetitious circles of mediocrity. Since in the Jewish tradition Rosh Hashanah is the day when human beings can choose to transform their lives and so magnify the breath of God that is within them, it can fittingly be called the Day for Humanity. The prayers of the Jewish people during this time invoke the help of God for the most important of Gods creatures so that they may be enabled to choose a life that transforms. Abraham Skorka A Synod is celebrated, and thus it is not appropriate to subject it to the mechanism of scoop, of sensational news. At the same time, this is the key factor and the invitation to be considered for the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will be based on the theme For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission. These comments were made by the General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, Cardinal Mario Grech, streaming live from the Holy See Press Office to present the Preparatory Document and the Vademecum for the Synod on synodality: two instruments developed by the General Secretariat to enliven the first phase of the synodal itinerary in view of the assemblys celebration. And if at last the Synod is no longer reduced to an assembly event, the Cardinal noted, but is instead articulated in a step-by-step process, then all the more, the meaning of the celebration must be affirmed and preserved. Not because the Synod should be confined to a ritual dimension, but rather in order to highlight its spiritual dimension in this journey of the Church. A Synod, he added, is understood only in light of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit who guides the Church in her journey through history. When the Pope opens the synodal journey on 10 October in Saint Peters, an analogous event will follow in every diocese the following Sunday. It is a matter of liturgical celebrations, Cardinal Grech said: in addition to the moments that will prepare and accompany it, there will be two celebrations, one at the level of the universal Church, and the other at the level of the local Church, to build the heart and reveal the sense of what we are going to do. The Secretary General then explained the significance of the two biblical icons that have been chosen: one presents Jesus, with the crowd and his disciples around him. Indeed, a Synod is a journey of discipleship, of following, and a progressive approach to Jesus, entering ever deeper into the logic of the Gospel. The Synod, Cardinal Grech underscored, is a reading and re-reading of the Gospel. The second icon presents Peter in the home of Cornelius: it is that commencement of a process that will find its solution in the Council of Jerusalem. In this regard, the Cardinal observed that the entire journey of discernment on the question that truly shook the primitive Church to its foundations is understood only as obedience to the Holy Spirit. Indeed, without the Holy Spirit, the Synod would become a game of roles, and the consultation of the People of God, which constitutes the first moment of the synodal journey, would end up being reduced to an opinion poll, forcing the sensus fidei of the People of God into the mechanism of public opinion. Not by chance, the Adsumus, Sancte Spiritus the prayer that was recited at the beginning of every session of the Second Vatican Council is situated at the beginning of the Vademecum as the most necessary indication. The Synod, said the Cardinal, will succeed or fail to the extent that we trust in the Spirit and entrust to the Spirit all our choices and our projects. To understand communion, participation and the mission in light of the principal of synodality, it is important to consider that it is a matter of a true and proper conversion not just pastoral but also spiritual in the footsteps of the Second Vatican Council. Indeed, synodality is revealed more and more as the mature fruit of the reception of the Council, which includes its fundamental ecclesiological principal: the synodal journey begins with the consultation of the People of God in the particular Churches. On this subject, the Cardinal highlighted that the consultation of the People of God and the discernment of pastors at the level of national and continental Conferences are both spiritual moments, that is, in the Spirit. The Cardinal then called for reflection on the fact that the task of a journalist is to read reality in the light of correct communication. But this is precisely what provides the courage to emphasize that it is correct communication to say that a Synod is not a parliament. And also that a synodal process is not a game of roles, in which the stronger one conditions and subjugates the other. A Synod is an experience and exercise in listening to the Spirit by listening to one another. What the Holy Father expects from this assembly and what the Secretariat intended to do by preparing the synodal journey is to put the entire Church in a position to live an authentic synodal experience; a time of listening to the Spirit in which everyone will learn a form and style of Synodal Church; in which it assumes the choice that is most valuable in a synodal Church: Journeying together. To reduce the Synod to issues that have always been debated is to divert or put obstacles in the way of a process that has a single and indispensable objective: to listen to the Spirit while listening to one another, Grech concluded. Augustinian Bishop Luis Marin de San Martin, Under Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, spoke of the diocesan phase of the journey, highlighting four key words: coherence, enthusiasm, creativity and courage. This phase, he said, is already a Synod rather than preparation towards it. It is oriented towards listening and consulting the People of God in every particular Church in order to discern while listening to the Spirit, how to undertake the journey together in ones own particular Church, as well as what measures should be taken to improve it. True consultation and truly listening to the People of God are indispensable conditions for fruitful listening and discernment of the Spirit, he pointed out. The consultation should be as broad as possible, involve all those who want to contribute to the common good and those on the margins should have the opportunity to express themselves and be listened, the Bishop added. Diocesan bishops will have two instruments to help them: they will be able to appoint a representative and a team for synodality in every diocese, and convene a synodal assembly to help with the final discernment. The Under Secretary also highlighted that the Document and the Vademecum help but do not condition because they are not an imposition but rather an open possibility. Moreover, he continued, the basis of the participation is the experience of Christ, listening to the Spirit and the shared evangelizing mission. It is thus not a battlefield but a joyful and renewing ecclesial experience. Father Dario Vitali, ordinary professor at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Consultor of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, explained the Preparatory Document, which he defined as a conceptual map that allows us to understand the challenges. What we expect from the Spirit, he said, is to become a Synodal Church. Professor Myriam Wijlens, who teaches canon law at the University of Erfurt, Germany, also a Consultor for the Synod of Bishops, spoke of the different aspects of synodality. There is the style which is the modus vivendi and operandi with which the People of God live and work, and there are the structures and processes regulated by theology and canon law that must facilitate listening and discernment. The Preparatory Document reminds us that journeying together can be understood in two interconnected perspectives. The first, she said, has to do with the internal life of Churches, including lay people, clergy and religious. It also has an ecumenical dimension because we share the gift of baptism. The second dimension, the professor continued, explores journeying together with the whole human family and is focused on relations with people from other religions, with people who are distant from the faith and with people from specific areas and social groups, such as the poor and the excluded ones. Sister Nathalie Becquart Xaviere, Under Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, presented the Vademecum at the press conference, the result of many good practices gathered from around the world, that is, synodal experiences at different levels. She explained that a commission of 10 people from all the continents and with different responsibilities had worked in a synodal way to edit it. The aim is that the Vademecum will involve people in a spiritual process and the objective of the first few months is that of reaching bishops, diocesan pastoral councils and religious congregations. The challenge, she stressed, is to create the time and space for a synodal experience of listening and discernment. What remains 20 years after the bloodiest attack in history? First and foremost, an immense sense of loss. In those terrible hours of September 11, 2001, the lives of three thousand people were cut short. Mothers, fathers, children and friends were torn forever from the embrace of their loved ones. Lives cut short by a murderous madness that made real something hitherto unimaginable: turning airliners into missiles to sow death and destruction. In the 20 years since that tragic morning on the East Coast of the United States, young people have grown up orphaned and parents continue to mourn children who never came home. What strikes us, today as then, as we scroll through the names of the victims are the more than 70 nationalities to which they belong. It was thus an attack on the United States, but at the same time on the whole world, on all humanity. This is how it felt in those frantic hours and perhaps even more so in the days that followed as the immense scale of the tragedy became clearer. Never Forget is the admonition that stands out today at the Ground Zero Memorial. Two words that have been repeated countless times over the last 20 years to underline the fact that memory cannot and must not fail when the pain is so great. What also remains from that day as an indelible mark is the sense of sacrifice, the witness of those who gave their lives to save the lives of others. It is moving to consider that one tenth of all the victims of September 11 were firefighters. In New York, an entire generation of firefighters died that day. They died saving lives. They climbed the stairs of the Twin Towers as people descended in desperation. They knew what they were getting into, climbing those stairs filled with debris and shrouded in smoke, but they didn't stop. They knew that only their courage, only their sacrifice could save those trapped in the skyscrapers torn apart by the planes. If the already tragic death toll did not take on an even more catastrophic dimension, it is thanks to them, to those firefighters and other rescuers who embodied the power of good in the face of unbridled evil. Part of the bitter legacy of September 11, 2001, and this on a global level, is the sense of insecurity and fear that we are now somehow used to living with. Since that day, taking a plane is no longer a normal thing. On the other hand, the subsequent terrorist attacks of Islamist origin, which followed that dreadful attack in 2001 by Al Qaeda, have lent support to the theorists of the clash of civilisations. In this 20-year period, xenophobic and anti-migrant movements have grown, a side effect of an instability that was precisely one of the objectives of those who brought the attack to the heart of the United States. Unfortunately, as has tragically emerged in recent weeks in Afghanistan, America and the West were unable to offer a strategy equal to the epochal challenge posed by the ideologues of global terrorism. Twenty years after September 11, the Taliban who had given refuge to Osama Bin Laden are once again in power in Kabul and isis has returned to strike in a grim and, in many ways, surreal remake. Today, therefore, there are far more questions than loose knots concerning the future, while the costs, first and foremost in human lives, of the reaction to those terrifying attacks are very high. So, what is the legacy of September 11? Twenty years later, we still remember the motto United We Stand, which became, even visually through flags and posters hoisted in the streets of Manhattan, the spontaneous response of New Yorkers to the horror experienced on September 11. Over the years, that motto has taken on an ever broader and deeper meaning. Standing together in spite of attempts to tear down our common humanity. Today, that call for unity, for human fraternity as Pope Francis tirelessly reminds us becomes the only winning strategy. It is a strategy that requires foresight, courage, and patience in the conviction, as John Paul ii stressed immediately after the attacks, that even if the forces of darkness appear to prevail, those who believe in God know that evil and death do not have the last say. Alessandro Gisotti Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey says President Joe Biden is overreaching with his new requirement for employees of large businesses to be vaccinated or regularly tested for COVID-19 Do you appreciate the work we do as the only independent media outlet dedicated to serving OU students, faculty, staff and alumni on campus and around the world for more than 100 years? Then consider helping fund our endeavors. Around the world, communities are grappling with what journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. We believe The OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and tomorrow by helping launch the careers of media professionals. If youre able, please SUPPORT US TODAY FOR AS LITTLE AS $1. You can make a one-time donation or a recurring pledge. Everybody has their own stories of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. People know where they were and what they were doing that Tuesday. I am just 23 years old, and I remember that day 20 years ago. In fact, its one of my first memories. When I was younger, my siblings and I went to our grandmothers house during the day while my parents went to work (she is a saint, I know). It started as any typical Tuesday would, I was eating cereal and watching cartoons with my brother that was our routine. Our sisters had already left for school they used to catch the bus from Grandmas house and we were just hanging out and doing our own thing. Then, something unexpected happened. My grandfather showed up in the middle of the morning. He and my mom worked at the same company she worked in the office while he worked in the shipping warehouse. Tuesday nights, he worked at one of the local bowling alleys and bowled on a mens league (for which, coincidentally, my grandma was the secretary). So, seeing my grandpa on a Tuesday was indeed strange. He ended up taking my brother and I home where my parents already were with my sisters. My parents had the news on as the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York was on fire I, along with plenty of others, will always remember the way the black smoke contrasted against the picture-perfect blue sky in New York. Then, I saw one of my first memories unfold right in front of my eyes as a plane struck the South Tower. My mom screamed at the television it was a scream of fear, anger and sadness. I have never heard a scream since that day. I did not know the scope of why my mom was screaming I thought it just because something really bad was happening (again, I was three). My moms best friend was in the South Tower. Michelle Goldstein worked in brokerage services at the AON Corporation an insurance company. The company occupied floors 98-105 in 2 WTC 12 floors above the top of the impact zone from United Airlines Flight 175. After the towers collapsed, I remember my mom crying. A sight, even to this day, breaks my heart. Later, my dad explained to us four kids that, Mommys best friend went to Heaven. I almost immediately went and gave my mom a hug I knew she needed one. Each Sept. 11 for the last 19 years, I always give my mom a hug or, since I have been at Central Michigan University for the last three years, I make a point to call my mom and give her a hug over the phone. Also, for the last three years, I have tried to find stories about Mommys best friend in Heaven. So, this year the 20th anniversary of the attacks I want to give my mom a hug through this column (and dont worry, Ill still call her). I also want to share a little about Michelle, too. Michelle was truly my moms best friend they went to high school together and attended the University of Florida together. Michelle was fun-loving and faced any situation with the biggest smile on her face and from photos I have seen, she had one of the most beaming, beautiful smiles in the world. Of course, I have only heard stories funny times at UF or one particular story how my mom and Michelle had some car troubles before heading to see their friend in North Carolina while driving from Gainesville, Florida. Michelle somehow sweet-talked her way to have their friend drive from North Carolina, all the way back to Gainesville and back to North Carolina. Michelle was such an influential part of my moms life and still is to this day. My mom honors Michelles life every year by sharing photos, stories and an always beautifully written tribute. I know this year will be no different except it might be the most emotional. Each September for the last 20 years has been a time for reflection and a time to remember Mommys best friend in Heaven. In the recent years, I have found stories about Michelle, I always say thank you for helping to shape my moms life so she could become the woman she is today helping me be the man I am today. Michelles legacy will live on, especially now 20 years later. I will never forget you, Michelle. Initially, Jim Crissman and his friends had an interest to build a mountain bike trail 20 years ago. Crissman connected with Midland City Parks and Recreation and started flagging a single-track trail in City Forest on Sept. 11, 2001. From there, Crissman and a dozen or so volunteers would head out to the trail on the weekend and clear the section of the trail that he had laid out -- moving logs, pruning trees, and trimming brush until the group had a new section of the trail to utilize. It was all volunteer labor, Crissman said. So, by the next spring, we had a celebration to open the trail. We had the North Loop and the South Loop done, and that was eight miles. With other loops built and slight reroutes completed over the years, the single-track trail has reached out to 16 miles with about 50 bridges scattered along the trail, Crissman said. Over the years, the City of Midland, which operates City Forest, has added bridges along the way and has made improvements as needed. Crissman said he has done the same over the last 20 years, too. We just keep improving it whenever theres erosion, wherever mud holes develop. We armor the trail as appropriate with either wooden bridges or concrete, Crissman said. We use recycled sidewalk to armor the hills where we're getting a lot of sand erosion. We break up the concrete into manageable-sized chunks, roughly two feet square, and turn them upside down. (We lay) them rough side up, we lay them in to armor those sections so theres a durable, grippy surface for people to walk or ride a bike. The trail has continued to improve so much over the last two decades that Crissman said whenever he calls Parks Supervisor Bart Heil, there is usually one joke and a message: "Keep working on the trail." We get more bang for our buck out of this trail than anything else we do, Crissman recalls Heil saying. With volunteer labor, I'm sure that's true. They pay for materials, but it doesnt amount to all that much. It's in the hundreds per year, not thousands and it just gets a ton of use. With as much local use as the trails get, they are also a national destination and has been for some time. Crissman said he ran into a father and son about 10 years ago who had a license plate from North Carolina. They make a point of hitting this trail on their way to Northern Michigan every year, Crissman said. Its a good trail, its quite challenging. Other than my kids, its my proudest accomplishment theres no question about it. Crissman worked as a veterinary pathologist at Dow Corning until last year, when he retired. He said he has been able to both work and play on the trail more in the last year since his retirement. Im an avid mountain biker, I still mountain bike quite a bit, Crissman said. I dont have to wait for the weekend anymore. I can go down (whenever). On the side, Crissman said he is a bit of a creative guy. He said he has a passion for woodworking and built a workbench over the summer. Along the way, too, Crissman has two published written works a 2010 novel titled Root Cause: The Story of a Food Fight Fugitive and a 1998 poetry book titled Jailbait in Holy Water. Crissman added he had plenty of people to thank along the way who help set up the trail and move it forward toward its success over the years. Crissman said Gary Putt was influential to help set up the groundwork for the trail. Tom Canale was a major help and served as an interim trail coordinator while Crissman was in in the process of possibly moving away during the recession in 2008. Crissman added that Curt and Gussy Petersen were both influential people to help the trail and bring it to its glory. Crissman credited another person, Jeff Adamcik a former linebacker for Saginaw Valley State. Crissman said Adamcik could carry two, 80-pound mini-bridges like it was practically nothing. The trails parking lot can be found at 2840 E Monroe Road. Savvy Senior: How to replace important documents that are lost... Dear Savvy Senior, Can you tell me what I need to do to replace a variety of important... Using something old for a new outdoor adventure Putting prime venison in the freezer is definitely a bonus. Midland Remembers: Willard Dow, Walking in His Fathers... Though the odds are against it, sometimes the sons of great men become great men themselves, and... SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California lawmakers unanimously moved Thursday to allow the return of prime beachfront property to descendants of a Black couple who were stripped of their resort for African Americans amid racist harassment a century ago. What was known as Bruces Beach in the city of Manhattan Beach was purchased in 1912 by Willa and Charles Bruce. They built the first West Coast resort for Black people during an era when racial segregation barred them from many beaches. The couple built a lodge, cafe, dance hall and dressing tents with bathing suits for rent. Bruces Beach became a place where Black families traveled from far and wide to be able to enjoy the simple pleasure of a day at the beach, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in April when the county announced plans to return the property. But the Ku Klux Klan tried to burn it down, and white neighbors harassed the couple and their customers. Bogus 10 minutes only parking signs were posted and beachgoers often returned to find the air had been let out of their tires, according to a legislative analysis. Manhattan Beach used eminent domain to seize the land in 1924, ostensibly for use as a park. Instead, the property languished until it was transferred to the state in 1948, then transferred to Los Angeles County in 1995. It will take the state law that legislators sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday to transfer the property to the couple's descendants. The transfer would also have to be approved by county supervisors. The bill will finally do the right thing, to undo a wrong committed by the city of Manhattan Beach and aided by the state and the county, Democratic Sen. Steven Bradford said. It represents economic and historic justice and is a model of what reparations can truly look like." Council members in Manhattan Beach, a predominantly white and upscale city of about 35,000 people on the south shore of Santa Monica Bay, formally condemned the property seizure in April. BRUSSELS (AP) The European Unions competition watchdog on Friday cleared an injection of Italian government funds into new national flag carrier ITA, and said the company would not be held accountable for illegal state aid given to its predecessor Alitalia. Just a month before ITA takes to the skies, the European Commission which polices anti-trust and competition issues in the 27-nation EU said capital totaling 1.35 billion euros ($1.6 billion) that Italy intends to grant the new venture is in line with market conditions and cannot be considered as illegal state aid. The commission said ITA will operate less than half of the aircraft now run by Alitalia which has been in the red for more than a decade and only parts of its handling and maintenance businesses. ITA will also drop its predecessors loss-making routes. At the same time, Brussels ordered the Italian government to recover 900 million euros ($1.01 billion) from Alitalia, saying that a probe concluded that the money constitutes illegal state aid. But its unlikely that all the money, which is supposed to come from the sale of company assets, will ever be recovered. Today marks a fresh start for Italys air transport, which had to overcome many challenges, commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said. Once ITA takes off, it is for Italy and the management of ITA to make use of this opportunity, once and for all. Alitalia has been in deep financial trouble since 2008. The airline was in desperate need of funds in 2017 but had lost its access to credit markets due to its woes. To keep it afloat, the Italian government stepped in, providing two loans of 600 million and 300 million euros. At the same time, the carrier entered special bankruptcy proceedings. The following year, the commission opened a probe into the government loans. The two loans gave Alitalia an unfair advantage over its competitors on national, European and world routes. Hence, they constitute illegal state aid, and must now be recovered by Italy from Alitalia, Vestager said in a statement. But the question is moot, given that Alitalia is exiting the market anyway. Italys Economy Ministry announced in July that a new airline to replace Alitalia would launch on Oct. 15. Alitalias last flights are expected to operate up until then. The ministry said the new carrier would be ITA, which stands for Italia Trasporto Aereo, or Italy Air Transport. With the first ITA flights just weeks away, the Italian government is still trying to reach an agreement with Alitalia unions whose members risk losing their jobs. Under EU rules, the slimmed down new airline can only hire a fraction of the bloated Alitalia workforce. A new round of talks with the finance ministry was scheduled for Friday. Alitalia has some 10,000 employees. The new company may take on some of the staff, who in recent years staged strikes to demand more attention to the airlines future. In recent months, they also faced uncertainty over getting paid on time. ITA had planned to start operating about 2,750 to 2,950 employees in its aviation sector, raising the number to 5,550-5,700 by the end of 2025. The deal to create ITA also calls for slashing the number of slots, especially at Romes main, Leonardo da Vinci airport. Milans Linate Airport, popular with business travelers since it is close to Italys financial and fashion industry capital, will also see some slots reduced. Among its routes, ITA plans to operate flights to New York from Milan and Rome, and to Tokyo, Boston and Miami from Rome. Destinations from Rome and Milans Linate airport will include Paris, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt and Geneva. ___ Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report. Two decades later, Midlands Chief of Police Nicole Ford said the memory of Sept. 11, 2001 is still vivid in her mind. Which, she said, was unlike any other incident that shes been involved with throughout her 24 years in law enforcement. Ford began her career in Northfield Township, which is home to larger cities like Ann Arbor located in Washtenaw County. She said her former police department always had television news channels on in the squad room. Twenty years ago, On Sept. 11, Ford walked into the squad room, looked up and witnessed the first plane crash into the Twin Towers. I stopped in my tracks and I watched it, Ford said. She recalled her initial thoughts while seeing the plane crash. Ford said there were thoughts such as what a terrible accident and the pilot must have had a medical emergency, similar to the stories of many Americans who saw the attack before 911 as we know it unfolded. Minutes later, Ford witnessed a horrifying reality as the second plane crashed. At which point, I remember hollering to my (police chief) and I was like Chief, you might want to come watch this, she said. He came (into the squad room) and the rest of the staff watched the replays of it. But we still had to function that day. After witnessing the 2001 New York terrorist attacks, Ford said she had to go back to patrolling Northfield Township roads. It was so eerie, she said. People were driving around and honking horns and there was no air traffic. It was just such a surreal feeling from that point on for the rest of my shift. Its a feeling that many Americans still experience 20 years later. 911 prompted industry improvements Those moments from Fords early career shaped the rest of her career along with other first responders who play a role of protecting citizens. Some of our local first responders say the use of technology would largely help first responders ability to effectively respond to tragedies nationwide. I dont think anything is limited just to Midland County, Sheriff Myron Greene said. I think our whole country as far as law enforcement is concerned changed after that day. But certainly here locally, I can attest that there are several areas where improvements have been made. Greene and Ford said one of the biggest improvements since 911 was in communication. Greene explained sharing information between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies creates a unified front. And Ford said there was a nationwide effort to better connect local law enforcement and fire departments. One of the changes was interoperability, which she explained as different emergency responders having the ability to better communicate through systems, like a radio, at the same incident. Another improvement thats come overtime is sharing information. Because of federal jurisdictions, Ford explained, certain agencies operated without sharing information to neighboring organizations. They didnt often share and 911 was an excellent example of the necessity to share information, Ford said. I think most local agencies (incorporate) that into their local jurisdictions to make sure that we are doing a better job. In addition, Ford said 911 prompted a push for incident command training. She said Midland City Police department requires Incident Command School (ICS) training, which teaches personnel efficient operations during an event. With agencies shifting the focus on sharing information, Greene said citizens are more likely to communicate with police departments, and officers recognize the importance of providing information back to communities. More people have cell phones now than ever, Greene said. So, more citizens are becoming more involved in reporting suspicious activity or something that just doesnt look right. We get a lot more calls (to) check on vehicles that are parked in an area that might seem odd." Were always looking to share information with the public to make them more aware of situations that could potentially be an unsafe situation, Greene continued. But, certainly being involved in the community and allowing the public to be involved with your agency creates a good dialogue for information sharing. Recalling unity after tragedy Theres been industry changes to advance police response to major tragedies. And the communitys perception of those industries and the world evolved with that. As time has passed, communities across the country continue to hold observances to unite citizens again on Sept. 11. Even if it is only for one day in todays political climate. It was really refreshing to see the unity and patriotism that followed 911, Ford said. Then, the support for police and fire was unmeasurable and like I've never seen it again in my career. And Greene said people working in first responder professions, like himself, have the desire to protect others. (Sept. 11) was an attack upon all of us as Americans, he said. Early on, definitely, people were more patriotic and took more pride in our country they made it personal. For me, personally as a law enforcement official, I always have that commitment to keeping our community safe, regardless of whether it's somebody committing a retail fraud or somebody that would want to (commit) a major incident that would involve a number of community entities or the public in general. Midland County added 73 new COVID-19 cases between Thursday, Sept. 9 and Friday, Sept. 10. COVID-19 numbers reported from Sept. 9-10 Midland County: 73 cases were added; pandemic total is 7,594 cases, 730 probable, 102 deaths and three probable deaths. Bay County: 70 cases and one death were added; pandemic total stands at 11,302 cases, 734 probable, 351 deaths and 15 probable deaths. Gladwin County: 23 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 2,125 cases, 420 probable, 58 deaths and four probable deaths. Isabella County: 102 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 5,912 cases, 1,024 probable, 98 deaths and five probable deaths. Saginaw County: 137 cases and three deaths were added; pandemic total stands at 21,753 cases, 1,546 probable, 622 deaths and 21 probable deaths. The state added 6,095 cases and 59 deaths between Thursday and Friday. Overall, Michigan is at 970,412 cases and 20,506 deaths. Recovered According to the Midland County Health Department website, which was updated Sept. 7, 7,259 Midland County individuals have recovered from COVID. The state reported that as of Sept. 3, a total of 887,790 persons have recovered. Testing Midland Countys seven-day rolling positivity rate on Sept. 8 was listed at 7.5%, and Gladwin County's was listed at 16.2%. Our 12-county region is listed at 11.1% and Michigan is at 9.3%. MidMichigan Health statistics As of Sept. 9, MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland was listed as having a 95% bed occupancy, with 25 COVID patients and one in the ICU. MidMichigan Medical Center in Gladwin was listed as having a 32% bed occupancy, with two COVID patients and none in the ICU. Both medical centers reported having at least 15-30 days worth of personal protection equipment (N95, surgical masks, gowns, gloves and eye protection) on hand. MidMichigan Health posted on Facebook on Friday afternoon that it was experiencing high patient volumes in its urgent cares and emergency departments throughout the health system. This trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, the post stated. Patients are asked to allow for extra time for visits and be aware that registration might be cut off before closing time. "We recommend coming earlier in the day or using the book online feature to make an appointment. Please call ahead if you have contagious symptoms so we can safely treat you," the statement read. Schools Below is a report provided by Midland Public Schools on the presence of COVID-19 in local schools; the format of the report was recently modified, omitting the number of students/staff currently in quarantine. As of Friday, Sept. 10, MPS reported 114 staff/students are close contacts to an individual who was confirmed COVID-19 positive and 41 staff/students are currently tested positive for the virus. Schools with one or more staff/student confirmed positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday include Dow High (1), Midland High (2), Jefferson Middle (3), Adams Elementary (17), Central Park Elementary (4) Chestnut Hill Elementary (4), Plymouth Elementary (3), Siebert Elementary (7) and Woodcrest Elementary (2). Midland County vaccinations The Michigan COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard lists Midland's completed vaccine rate is 64.9%. Currently, the vaccines are not authorized to be given to those under age 12. Midland County Health Department is hosting a weekly walk-in vaccination clinic from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday on the second floor of the Midland County Services Building, 220 W. Ellsworth St., Midland. Future COVID-19 vaccine clinics in Midland County are listed at www.co.midland.mi.us/HealthDepartment/COVIDVaccineInformation.aspx. Those with questions may call 989-832-6380 or email MCDPH@co.midland.mi.us. Rep. Annette Glenn this week commemorated a fallen police officer and hosted a Midland firefighter at a special ceremony at the Michigan Capitol. Glenn honored Michael Andrews, an officer with Saginaw and Tittabawassee townships. Andrews, a former Michigan State Police trooper who lived in Midland, died of COVID-19 complications in May. Glenn invited Justin Fox of the Midland Fire Department to attend the Capitol ceremony. The ceremony marks the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, honors first responders and military members who protect us every day, and remembers those in Michigan who have died in the line of duty. Michael Andrews and Justin Fox, like all first responders in our community and military members in our armed forces, deserve our thanks and admiration, stated Glenn, R-Midland. I am privileged and honored to take place in this solemn ceremony remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice and thanking those who remain on the front lines protecting us every day. U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar issued a statement this week, after Today, President Joe Biden announced a vaccine mandate on American businesses with 100 or more employees. "The federal government has no right to impose this requirement on private businesses or private citizens," said Congressman John Moolenaar. "President Biden declared that America was free from COVID restrictions in July, but now he is reluctant to let the American people make their own decisions. This federal overreach is alarming and every American should be concerned about how this president and future presidents will abuse the power of the federal government to make Americans do what they want. "I encourage everyone to get one of the vaccines and protect themselves from COVID-19, and I trust Michigan residents to do what is best for them and their families." Biden announced sweeping new orders Thursday that will require employers with more than 100 workers to mandate immunizations or offer weekly testing, the Associated Press reports. The new rules could affect as many as 100 million Americans, although it's not clear how many of those people are currently unvaccinated. The announcement came as the U.S. is still struggling to curb the surging delta variant of the coronavirus, which is killing thousands each week and jeopardizing the nations economic recovery. Large swaths of the private sector have already stepped in to mandate shots for at least some of their employees. But Biden said Thursday that "many of us are frustrated with the nearly 80 million Americans who are not fully vaccinated, according to the Associated Press. A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, found half of American workers are in favor of vaccine requirements at their workplaces. AP reports such mandates have already been gaining traction following the Food and Drug Administrations full approval of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are available under emergency authorization, but haven't been formally approved. About 59% of remote workers said they favor vaccine requirements in their own workplaces, compared with 47% of those who are currently working in person. About one-quarter of workers in person and remote said they are opposed, according to the Associated Press. Moolenaar stated the White House did not say why the mandate applied to businesses with 100 or more employees, or which part of the Constitution allowed it to impose such a mandate. Director of Content and Operations Spencer McKee is OutThere Colorado's Director of Content and Operations. In his spare time, Spencer loves to hike, rock climb, and trail run. He's on a mission to summit all 58 of Colorado's fourteeners and has already climbed more than half. Paducah, KY (42003) Today Partly to mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 81F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. During a visit to Pikeville on Sept. 1, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell shared his thoughts on the COVID-19 vaccine and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan while addressing members of the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Pikeville Rotary Club. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Jan Kubis, has revealed that the 5+5 Joint Military Commission will develop an action plan for a "sequenced, phased and verifiable withdrawal" of mercenaries and foreign fighters from Libya Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The United states Friday issued a statement expressing deep concern over the ongoing conflicts in Ethiopia and what it described as the continued human rights abuses and atrocities Timber Allocations Approved for Restart of Paper Excellence's Pulp Mill in Prince Albert The Government of Saskatchewan is allocating the timber through the Ministry of Energy and Resources under The Forest Resources Management Act. The Government of Saskatchewan is allocating the timber through the Ministry of Energy and Resources under The Forest Resources Management Act. Sept. 9, 2021 - The Government of Saskatchewan today announced the approval of timber allocations to support the restart of the Paper Excellence pulp mill in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. "One of the key goals of Saskatchewan's Growth Plan is to increase forestry product sales and exports and create more forestry-related jobs in the province," Energy and Resources Minister Bronwyn Eyre said. "The restart of the Paper Excellence pulp mill is expected to create over 1,650 direct and indirect jobs, while enhancing northern and Indigenous economic and labour development opportunities within our world-class forestry sector." "The reopening of the pulp mill in Prince Albert is welcome news for Saskatchewan's sustainable forestry sector," Environment Minister Warren Kaeding said. "The facility will play an important role in making the most effective use of Saskatchewan's forest resources, including utilizing chips and other smaller pieces of wood from sawmill production." With the $550 million capital investment by Paper Excellence to refurbish and upgrade the facility, the mill capacity will be 350,000 tonnes of Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft (NBSK) pulp annually, requiring approximately 1,800,000 m3 of softwood fibre. The Government of Saskatchewan is allocating the timber through the Ministry of Energy and Resources under The Forest Resources Management Act. The province is allocating the majority of the timber required for this project, while the remaining balance will be secured by the company through commercial agreements negotiated with other mills, Indigenous timber allocation holders and private landowners. Carlo Dal Monte, Vice President of Energy and Strategic Development for Catalyst (a Paper Excellence company), said, "This fibre is critical to the restart of the Prince Albert pulp mill which is currently planned for the fall of 2023. This decision reflects the Saskatchewan government's forward thinking and robust job creation ambitions. They have been terrific to work with taking a real interest in our project and the Prince Albert community." The Government of Saskatchewan noted that in 2020 more than $1.1 billion worth of Saskatchewan forest products were sold an almost 30 percent increase over the previous year. SOURCE: Government of Saskatchewan and Paper Excellence Read a related article on PaperAge: Paper Excellence Eyes Restart of Prince Albert Pulp Mill after $600 Million in Investments - Feb. 8, 2021. This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions The West Gates at Los Angeles International Airports (LAX) Tom Bradley International Terminal have been awarded LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council. The US$1.7bn West Gates facility opened in May this year, boasting 15 additional gates, a new checked-bag storage system, and biometric boarding gates, among other technologies. ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> Beatrice Hsu, president, LAX board of airport commissioners, said, The certification of the West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal at the LEED Gold level is a reflection of our board of airport commissioners vision to ensure a sustainable future for our airports. LAX and Van Nuys Airport are charting a course toward a greater mix of renewable energy, efficient design and thoughtful planning that is setting new standards for the airport industry. Justin Erbacci, CEO, LAWA, said, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is creating efficient, sustainable facilities with the guest experience at its core, and the West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal is an example of how we can reimagine the LAX experience from the ground up. We are continuing to design, build and deliver a new LAX that offers the best amenities, state-of-the-art technology and sustainable features. The facilitys sustainability features include: Cool roofing and paving materials that reduce heat absorption. Reduction of electricity consumption by 29% through a combination of incorporating daylighting, insulated glass, efficient HVAC and smart interior lighting design systems. Reduction of 41% in potable water consumption, led by the installation of water-saving plumbing fixtures and complemented by a gray water system, allowing for a larger reduction in potable water use. Use of more than 24% recycled content in the building, 10% of materials from local resources, and 80% of all new wood products from certified sources. Diversion of 98% of its construction waste from landfills. The joint venture of Turner-PCL served as the contractor for the project, with Corgan and Gensler serving as architects. Other LAX projects to achieve LEED Gold certification include the Tom Bradley International Terminal, the Central Utility Plant and Alaska Airlines Board Room Lounge in Terminal 6. Rim Country is home to the largest stand of ponderosa pine trees in the world. But the majestic beauty of the forest can also be extremely dangerous. The region's two newspapers, The White Mountain Independent and Payson Roundup have teamed up to produce Catastrophe: A Forest in Flames - a six months-long, in-depth series that will focus on how the largest and deadliest wildfires in Arizona history happened, what has been done since then, and what could be done to have a healthier forest. We believe we have the responsibility of educating the community on the vital issues facing the forests, and take that role seriously. The sea does not speak French or maybe it does. The waters that cover the southern borders of Ghana, the Gulf of Guinea, is the only reason Ghana is not surrounded by French-speaking countries on all four cardinals. It might be a stretch but I do not think it is a mere coincidence the sea at the southern border is called the Gulf of Guinea; Guinea being a French-speaking country. Every direction you look as a Ghanaian, you are either met with oui, ca va? or quoi on our borders. If any of these words made no sense to you, you are part of this dangerous category of nationals called the average Ghanaian. The average Ghanaian does not want anything to do with French as a language; after all, it does not put money in my pocket a gross misconception birthed by a fatal logic. The dark background of this hatred for French stems not only from how French teachers are notorious for brutalizing students for their lack or slowness in comprehension of the subject, but also how poorly structured the curriculum is. Not many people have fond memories of their French teachers. From basic school through to senior high school, the lack of practicality of the French course is palpable. It is almost as if it was designed to numb the interest of people in the language at a young age. Ask any Ghanaian school-going child to name their least favourite subjects, and French will dominate the answers like they did the world in the era of Napoleon. Of course there are also the usual suspects like Science and Maths but at least those two subjects have many admirers. https://7233eb739d7d4e64c9897af40e8923ea.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html French, however, is loathed by all. Why is it that the subject so useful even outside the classroom is so chaffed by everyone forced to study it. If we realise the need for every Ghanaian to speak basic French then why do we do such a horrible job at teaching it? In an era where we have a revolutionary initiative like the African Continental Free Trade Area headquartered in Ghana which essentially means that Africans and African organisations can freely move, live and work anywhere within the region, the ability to speak French is no longer a luxury or a course to be tolerated in JHS far from that, it has become a competitive tool for career advancement and soon enough, survival. We cannot afford to let our children go through only the mindless repetition of French conjugation rules, reciting obsolete poems and writing a less than inspiring exam. It is far too limiting for the fully integrated world they would be living in that we are already living in. Scoring A1 in French exams means nothing if we cannot actually communicate. If you have ever visited any of our neighbouring Francophone countries you would quickly realise that the average person is able to communicate in basic English; reverse the roles for an average Ghanaian and chaos would break out. Having understood the absolute need for French and observing how horribly we teach it, the idea for a different approach to French education began to form. SPiiKA was what the young visionary female founder chose to name her organisation and the belief was simple, make French fun and practical for the average Ghanaian. SPiiKA began to teach learners to speak French in September 2019, venturing into online education before it became mainstream some 7 months down the line. The startup boasts of having taught at least 140 Ghanaians to actually speak the language. To prove this, we tested out a couple of their students and we must say they are doing pretty well, much better than the average Ghanaian. The fun-filled and innovative way SPiiKA has structured their lessons has made learning French less of a chore and more of a hobby. It is initiatives like these that give hope that the promise of AfCFTA will not just remain a theoretically brilliant idea but one Ghanaians actually take advantage to better our national and personal fortunes. SPiiKA has delicately crafted learning modules for kids using kid-friendly videos and tools to amplify their interest and set them on a path to loving the language and grow to become business leaders with command on the English language. Since learning multiple languages increases the overall cognitive function of a person, SPiiKA offers the opportunity to properly nurture the brilliance in children. The visionary behind this trailblazing institution has created a friendly environment that tolerates errors from beginners who are learning the language; this creates more room for corrections and confidence when speaking the language. We should, no, we MUST change how we teach French in our classroom but as we go through the often-torturous process of educational reform, an initiative like SPiiKA is all too needed. It has become necessary to recalibrate the minds of Ghanaians on the absolute importance of being able to communicate in French, being surrounded by French neighbors on our borders. In a wider vein, the ECOWAS block has eight Francophone countries out of the 15 members and at this point, the smart play in this ever-evolving and competitive world is to learn to speak some French for real this time. Let us see if this young startup, determined to bear the flag of this French revolution (no pun intended) can do it. It needs to get done. Source: 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. Featured Video The government will fully address the menace of accumulated waste in communities as part of its sanitation fight, Madam Cecelia Dapaah, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources has said. She said overflowing waste-dumping sites had long affected sanitation outcomes and land use, and that the Government had taken a drive towards total waste management. The Minister was inspecting the construction of a multimillion cedis intergraded waste treatment facility in the Volta Region, a nationwide initiative which she said was born out of the Presidents vision to make Ghana a clean city. She said the Ministry had taken on some of the oldest landfills in the country in an effort to reclaimed vast lands for farming. Last year we had the initiative of evacuating mountains and mountains and mountains of waste. Some were a hundred years old, some were 60 years some were 50 years old. Am sure, that those who have benefited from this, if you check from your villages, you will realize, that they were indeed monuments of waste within the environment. We realized that these were posing very serious challenges to the wealth and health of the people and we are lucky that very soon we are going to have a second phase of this project so that we can clear all these mountains from the environment. Because now the new model we are rolling out with the collaboration of the private sector, is to have the full chain of waste management, Madam Dapaah said. The Minister reassured that Government facilitated private investments in the waste sector to help score the ultimate in Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). She said, the WASH sector is open for other entities and individuals to also invest. Others must take the risk and invest in the sector because your efforts will not be in vain. Madam Dapaah said research and training centres that formed part of the integrated compost project, anticipating the enhancement in research and waste management. The success of the model is a success of the whole Ghana in WASH, she stressed. Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, CEO of Jospong Group of companies, which is partnering government on the integrated waste treatment project, thanked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo for his confidence and support for the private sector. He said the commitment of stakeholders including the sector minister, made possible the realization of the waste treatment facilities, which when completed, would help communities live in clean environments. The Volta Integrated Waste Treatment Facility is a GHC15million complex being constructed to process among others, plastic, and medical waste, and is currently at about 65 percent complete. 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. Featured Video Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has condemned the coup in Guinea. She told the BBC that she had great confidence in the West African block Ecowas to resolve the situation. "I'm sure that Ecowas, which has successfully responded adequately to similar crisis will do so in keeping with the constitution and the rule of law in Guinea," she told the BBC's Focus on Africa. Ms Sirleaf said the setting up of transitional bodies would ensure that the provision of services to the public continues. The former head of state expressed concern at how Guinean President Alpha Conde was treated by the military. "He was not properly dressed and for somebody who has served his country for so many years, he was put in a very unsettling position," Ms Sirleaf said. She said the coup trend in West Africa was "worrying" and attributed it to the "changing ways" and urged governments to "ensure their institutions are consistent with the national agenda". Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Guinea's military junta has ordered banks to freeze all government-related accounts so as to "secure state assets". The junta, which took over control last weekend, says the order affects institutional and individual accounts of the outgoing government. Senior officials of the government of ousted President Alpha Conde will not be able to access their accounts. The coup leaders seized power on Sunday and said they wanted to end rampant corruption, human rights abuses and mismanagement. The West African regional bloc Ecowas - which is seeking a return to a constitutional order - has deployed a mission to hold talks with the Guinean authorities. The bloc has also called for the release of President Conde who has been detained by the military. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A former United Kingdom High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin has waded into the ongoing discussion on the do-or-die comment made by former President John Dramani Mahama. He did this when he tweeted at actor John Dumelo who is also a former Parliamentary Candidate in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency in last years elections, saying, @johndumelo1 my friend, have you patented the slogan I Dey Do Or Die 4 U yet? Mr Mahama had indicated that the 2024 election is going to be a do-or-die affair at the polling stations. Speaking on Techiman-based Akina FMs on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, as part of his thank-you tour, Mr Mahama said This current president has made elections life and death for him, he uses his Delta forces and invisible forces enrolled in the security agencies. You see some Military and police officers and ask whether these are indeed officers. They wear earrings and all sorts of things and you cant tell whether this is a police officer or a soldier. We know they have infiltrated the security with some of their people. Look at what happened at Techiman South the ways they shot at the crowd, it was intended to kill people. We hope that in the next elections we wont see scenes like that again. We have learnt our lessons from happenings during the 2020 polls. The 2024 elections will be won or lost at the polling station. It will be do-or-die at the polling stations. The right thing must be done during the polls. We will win the elections at the polling station and wont wait for collation centre results nor petition the Supreme Court if aggrieved, he said. Despite the criticism against his comments, Mr Mahama in an interview on Moonlite FM in Sunyani on Wednesday, September 8, justified his comments saying they were harmless and those who dont understand English should stop the school interpretation. He insisted that there was fraud in [the 2020] elections. . .that is why I said we learned lesson from it. So the next elections, he said in Twi, we wont wait and go to the Supreme Court. He added in English: We will do it at the polling station and collation centre and I say it will be do-or-die. For him, Africans, as Ghanaians are, should know that proverbs are part of daily expressions and are used especially in situations where use of plain language will not be prudent. In English, we have idiomatic expressions. Those who dropped out of school do not understand idiomatic expressions. Do or die means a critical assignment you have and you must do the needful or perish. And so you must do the needful, he stated in English, changing tongue to Twi by saying: I meant NDC must not wait to go to the Supreme Court again. What we must do at the polling station and collation centre must be done! Tweet below- .@johndumelo1 - my friend, have you patented the slogan I Dey Do Or Die 4 U yet? (((Jon Benjamin))) (@JonBenjamin19) September 9, 2021 Source: twitter/ghanaweb.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. Featured Video News Release: The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Undertakes Operations at Osu With reference to an incident that occurred at a facility at Osu yesterday, Tuesday, 7th September, 2021, the Police Administration wishes to bring to the attention of the public some facts. pic.twitter.com/vH4KiuQA3q Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) September 8, 2021 OSU KFC robbery this noonday light robbery chale pic.twitter.com/l5uAfEqgTw bryt neymar (@Brytneymar) September 7, 2021 The incident seen on the Oxford Street, Osu in Accra on Tuesday, September 7 which was described as robbery was a covert operations at Osu against the activities of some suspected criminals undertaken by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police, a police statement has said on Thursday September 9.According to the Police, the fallout from the operations was witnessed by some members of the public and no one was hurt, neither was any property damaged in the process.Videos went viral on social media capturing gun-wielding personnel moving in and out of the KFC eatery at Osu.A tweet on Wednesday by KFC said an alleged suspect entered the restaurant, following which the police was called.But the Police statement said With reference to an incident that occurred at a facility at Osu yesterday, Tuesday, 7th September, 2021, the Police Administration wishes to bring to the attention of the public some facts.The anti-robbery unit of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police undertook an intelligent-based covert operations at Osu against the activities of some suspected criminals.The fallout from the operations was witnessed by some members of the public and no one was hurt neither was any property damaged in the process. Source: 3news.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A 27-yearold Bolt driver who stole from a passenger at Ashaiman in Greater Accra has been jailed for six-months. The Ashaiman District Court handed the six-months jail sentence to Atsu Kwame Augustia for stealing from one Elizabeth Nyamavor. The Ghana News Agency (GNA) reports that the court presided over by Mrs. Eleanor Kakra Barnes Botchway, sentenced Atsu to prison after he pleaded guilty to the charges, contrary to section 124(1) of the criminal offences Acts 1960, (ACT 29). The facts of the case indicated that on July 8, 2021 at Community 22 in Ashaiman, the convict dishonestly appropriated a Samsung galaxy J4 plus phone valued at GH800, a bag containing school uniforms valued at GH89, shoes valued at GH25, a voters ID card, an ABSA visa card and cash in the sum of GH402 which belonged to the complainant [Nyamavor]. Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Samuel Aperweh told the court that Nyamavor, aged 32 years, is a nurse living at Lebanon Zone 4, Ashaiman, whilst the convict Atsu Kwame Augustia aged 27, is a driver living at Dansoman, Accra. Prosecution said on July 8, 2021 at about 2:30pm, the complainant requested for the services of Bolt transport to be taken from Lebanon Zone 4 to Sanko 4 Junction on the Michel Camp road. Chief Inspector Aperweh told the court that the complainant applied for the services online and the accused was the driver sent by Bolt to provide the service. Prosecution said the complainant boarded the said Bolt car to pick her children from school before going home. When they got to the school, the complainant got out of the car and asked the accused to wait while she goes to bring the children. According to prosecution, the complainant while leaving the vehicle left her bag containing the items mentioned above in the car under accuseds care. When the complainant returned with the children, she realised that the accused had left with the items. Prosecution said on July 31 at about 11am, the complainant went to Community 22 Police Station and lodged a formal complaint. Police instituted investigation into the matter. Prosecution said Bolt was contacted with the details of the said vehicle to furnish police with the drivers details, which was obliged. It was revealed that the accused was a spare driver who was temporarily engaged by one Bright Appiah, the official driver of the said vehicle. Chief Inspector Aperweh said with the assistance of Appiah the accused was arrested at Dansoman in Accra. Prosecution said during investigation, the accused person admitted the offence in his caution statement and stated that he spent the GH402 and dumped the school uniform, the sandals, and the ID card on the roof ceiling of his mothers shop and also sold the mobile phone to one Quashie at Dansoman. Accused then led police to Dansoman where complainants phone, UBA, SSNIT and voters ID cards were recovered. After investigation the accused person was charged with the offence of stealing and put before the court. 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. Featured Video France has granted citizenship to more than 12,000 foreign-born health workers to thank them for their services during the Covid crisis. The French government made the announcement on Thursday September 10. These essential workers include security guards, checkout assistants and other frontline workers. Marlene Schiappa, junior interior minister in charge of citizenship, said over 16,000 people had applied for a French passport over the past year under a special scheme. She noted that the scheme sped up the application procces for workers in essential services, allowing them to apply for citizenship after just two years in France, instead of the usual five. Of these, 12,012 became French, she said. 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. Featured Video The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has cautioned the public against a proliferation of fake electricity meters that are being sold to unsuspecting customers. The Eastern Regional General Manager of the Company, Mr Michael Baah, said at a media briefing at Koforidua in the Eastern Region that surveillance reports indicated that some people had disguised themselves as ECG staff and were selling fake and substandard meters to unsuspecting members of the public. People have infiltrated our electricity distribution network with illegal meters and are selling fake and substandard meters to the public, he said. Five people, three from Suhum and two from New Abirem in the Eastern Region have so far been arrested and are helping the police in their investigations. He said over the last few months, some unscrupulous people had gone to the rural communities to sell fake and substandard meters to some people. Some of the fake meters, he said, could easily cause fire outbreaks because of how they were designed and moulded. Mr Baah has therefore cautioned prospective customers in the Eastern Region to desist from acquiring meters from sources other than the company. He said the company had enough meters to meet the demands of its customers and that the district had been instructed to hasten the meter acquisition process to help address issues of delay. He has therefore advised the general public to employ the services of the Energy Commission and certified electrical contractors to wire their premises and to facilitate their meter acquisition process and also prevent fire outbreaks. "The ECG is also making efforts to improve our services to our cherished customers on a daily basis and therefore wants to entreat assembly members to be wary of people who approach them with meters which are not from ECG. We want to advise them to get in touch with ECG about the power needs of their electoral areas," he added. Mr Baah said the company would not rest on its oars but would work hard to arrest and prosecute perpetrators who sold fake or substandard meters to the public. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng has been furnished with a new and permanent office complex offered by the state about two years ago. Staff of the Office have permanently moved from the previous office in Labone to its new location at 6 Haile Selassie Avenue, South Ridge in Accra near Parliament House. These offices to be occupied by the newly appointed Special Prosecutor are fitted with a holding cell. The ten-storey office complex also comes with a sick bay, an intelligence unit and a forensics laboratory. Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor, told officials from the US Department of Justice and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) stationed at the US Embassy in Accra who paid a courtesy call on him on Wednesday September 1, 2021 that he was running against time to move into the ten-storey. The meeting centred on capacity-building and mutual legal assistance for the new Office of the SP. Agyebeng told the delegation that the office will require training in the areas of intelligence, investigation, prosecution and asset tracing and recovery as it gets ready to recruit. The US Embassy resident legal advisor, Bill Houser, described Agyebeng as the ideal man for the SPs job, considering his academic qualifications and experience. Information gathered by DGN Online indicates that Kissi Agyebeng is keenly taking steps to to address OSPs staff constraints. Hes collaborating with the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame to get substantial logistics and to recruit staff for what will be a critical anti-corruption institution. Agyebeng reportedly inherited from his predecessor, Martin Amidu, nine employees in total on assuming office on August 5, 2021. The Office of the Special Prosecutor Act 2017 (Act 959) mandates the SP under Section 3(f) to co-operate and co-ordinate with the attorney general and other competent authorities in Ghana and abroad in performing his duties. Source: Daily Guide 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. Featured Video The New Patriotic Party(NPP) in the Savannah region has condemned a death threat by some members of the NDC on one of the popular media personnel,Haruna Mahama. We the NPP in the Savannah Region condemn in uncertain terms the backward threats by the NDC on the life of a media practitioner in the line of duty. It is much so especially when the NDC is complaining about some culture of silence within the media fraternity. The threat of death on the journalist Mr. Haruna comes from a publication he did from a political radio show on his media outlet Nkilgi Fm, where Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader was chastised by his listeners for working against John Mahama. The journalist said his life was under threat both in Tamale and throughout the Savannah Region because the Minority Leader boys have threatened to end his life if they find him either in Tamale or anywhere in his home Region. Mr. Mahama Haruna has since served notice, that he will recuse himself from his media practice at Nkilgi Fm for fear of losing his dear life to the NDC and its surrogates. There is tension currently in the NDC in the Northern region between supporters of Haruna Iddrisu and an NDC financier Alhaji Fuzak. Some youth group believed to be boys of Alhaji Fuzak have accused the Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Tamale South constituency,Haruna Iddrisu of campaigning against former president John Dramani Mahamas bid to become president again. The Director of Communications of the NPP in the Savannah region , Mohammed Issah said the militantly violent history of the NDC that has been practiced all through to date as confirmed by the Former President John Mahama in his unpopular Do or Die comment, in no uncertain terms is worrying and unfortunate. He indicated that the NPP has reached out to Mr. Mahama Haruna and further reported the unfortunate death threats to the Savannah REGSEC for the appropriate security to be arranged for the journalist and any other media personnel who feels threatened. The Ministry of Information has also been duly informed as it leads a campaign on the Coordinated Mechanism for The Safety of Journalists. The government under H.E President Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is relentless in its efforts to protect every single media person from any part of the country. Mr. Issah called on the Communication Officer of the NDC in the Savannah region , Malik Basintale and the NDC to join in condemning the unfortunate death threats at the media fraternity. The NDC must also give out these recruited miscreants from Tamale for prosecution to serve as a deterrent to others. Source: Daily Guide 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. Featured Video Former President John Dramani Mahama is laying claim to the much-talked-about Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme which the Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) initiated in 2017 as part of measures to ensure food security in the country. He said he started the programme and his opponents, the NPP, came in and changed the name to PFJ and are taking credit for it. Similar to the claims he made on the free SHS last year when the 2020 general election was approaching, Mr. Mahama said it was the NDCs programme which they started with funding from the government of Canada for the agriculture sector. His sensational PFJ claim is coming in the wake of his Do or Die threat ahead of the 2024 election, which many have condemned, but he had justified and decided not to offer any apology for it. Speaking in Dormaa in the Bono Region on Wednesday during his Thank You tour, Mr. Mahama said specifically that before this government came in, we had an arrangement with Canada. They were giving us funding for agriculture because they had realised that it was the sector creating more jobs. When they came into office, they named it PFJ. It was originally a programme that we were working on. They just came and continued it. More Attacks He then said the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative has failed and that there is going to be food shortage in the country next year. Planting for Food and Jobs has failed. There will be famine in Ghana next year. The Canadian funding has been exhausted and we need to find alternative funding to sustain the programme but there is no money at the Ministry of Finance. He said that prices for food crops are going up astronomically, adding one of my siblings is a farmer. He is telling me this year there is no fertiliser. He had to buy his own fertiliser and a bag of fertiliser is expensive now. He normally cultivates 300 acres of maize but this year he had to reduce it to 80 acres. It shows that there is going to be hunger because the PFJ has failed. Agric Ministry The Minister of Food and Agricultures Press Secretariat reacted to the former Presidents claims, saying Ghana is not facing food shortage. Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) is very much on course. Our attention has been drawn to rather unfortunate comments by the former President, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, on his ongoing campaign tour across the country. The former President, in an attempt to shift public discussion from his rather reckless and infamous Do or Die comment which has attracted public backlash, has decided to attack one of governments most successful flagship policies Planting for Food and Jobs. In fact, apart from becoming desperately notorious for making reckless comments in recent times, the former President is now also engaging in scare-mongering, thriving on lies and falsehoods just to put fear in Ghanaians, the statement said, adding in a meeting in the Bono Region, former President Mahama is on record to have made several false claims about the PFJ programme which was introduced by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led administration in 2017. Setting Records The former President claimed in his speech that the Planting for Food and Jobs programme was an initiative of the previous NDC administration and that his regime secured funding from the Canadian Government for its implementation. This is completely false. The fact is that the Planting for Food and Jobs is a wholly Government of Ghana (GoG) funded programme. Mr. Mahama has in fact, confused the Modernising Agriculture Ghana (MAG) programme, which involves a $100M Canadian Grant, exclusively meant for the expansion of extension services programme with that of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative which involves five major areas the Food Crop Model, Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD), Rearing for Food and Jobs (RFJ), Greenhouse Villages (for Vegetable production and Export) and Mechanisation for Food and Jobs, the statement said. The statement said that this grant from the Canadian Government under the MAG programme, was supposed to be released in four tranches, over a four-year period. This translated into 25million Canadian Dollars every year, adding however, it is instructive to note that since 2017, Government of Ghana has spent over $400m Dollars on the PFJ, expenditure of which had gone into subsidies of improved seeds and fertilisers for farmers. Expenditure Plan The ministry said that the advisors of former President Mahama failed to explain to him the real story behind this Canadian Grant which it said had strict expenditure plan, adding that the funds could not be spent on any other programme apart from extension support. Poor Record It must also be stated that the previous administration of the NDC led by Mr. John Dramani Mahama, left the agriculture sector in a state of moribund and comatose, the statement said, adding Ghana was importing virtually every food item; including thousands of tonnes of maize, plantain, banana etc. from neighbouring countries. Available data in 2016 indicates that Ghana imported about 113,855 and 79,771 metric tonnes of maize respectively in 2015 and 2016, and same could be said of other major staple foods such as yam, plantain and soyabean. The food situation of this country was so bad that farmers could not afford fertiliser for their crops, leading to low yields. It said, Planting for Food and Jobs therefore, came to reverse this trend and by the end of 2017 and mid-2018, Ghana became the hub of food supply in the West African sub-region. In fact in 2017, a total of 81,193 tonnes of food items including maize, yam, rice, plantain and soyabean were exported to neighbouring countries. This trend has continued up to now. More Recognition The statement said that Ghana has since 2017 gained international recognition for its success in revamping the agricultural sector. Global organisations such as World Bank, Alliance For Green Revolution Africa (AGRA), African Development Bank (AfDB), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), amongst others, have all commended Government of Ghana for the implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative. In 2019, Ghana placed 3rd in the Global Food Security Index by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU). In the 2020-21 Report by The Permanent Interstate Committee for drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), Ghana was recognised as the only country in the West African sub-region with stable food security situation, thanks to the successful implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme. It said today, farmers in the country are better off, in terms of their production capacity, purchasing power and economic situation, than they were in 2016. This has been largely due to the implementation of deliberate policies and programmes by the President Nana Akufo-Addo-led administration of the NPP. Scare-Mongering The statement said it is needless for the former President to say that Ghana is likely to face food shortage leading to hunger in the coming year, saying it is only an act of scare-mongering, adding that perhaps, he is being haunted by his long held incompetent title which has led to his obsession for failure. The statement said that before the arrival of COVID-19, supply of inputs including fertilisers under the PFJ programme never experienced any challenges but the pandemic posed serious challenges on governments revenue generation capacity, leading to the effects on general subsidy of fertilisers under the programme. It is however, important to make a distinction between government subsidised and open market fertilisers. Despite the fall in local revenue mobilisation which forced government to reduce the subsidy capacity, general supply of fertiliser on the market has not been disrupted and many more farmers have had easy access to them, the statement pointed out, adding that we believe that one of the major objectives of the PFJ programme, which was to introduce farmers to the adoption of fertilisers and improved seeds, has been significantly achieved. The statement reiterated the fact that the country is very safe from any threats of food shortage and that the former President is only engaging in a desperate scare-mongering just for political expediency. Source: Daily Guide 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. Featured Video Former Head of Monitoring at the Forestry Commission, Charles Owusu, has castigated the Ghanaians calling for a coup d'etat to happen in Ghana. On Sunday, September 5, 2021, a Military unit led by a former French legionnaire, Lt Col Mamady Doumbouya took over the reins of the Peoples Republic of Guinea. The Military unit calling themselves the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development detained the country's President Alpha Conde and reportedly dissolved the constitution. After news broke about the Guinean coup, some Ghanaians took to social media complimenting the Military and hoping for a similar fate in Ghana. A principal person quoted to be in support of a coup in Ghana is the leader of the "Fix the Country" movement, Barker-Vormaqor, who posted on his Facebook page saying Neho! I welcome the news of a military coup in Guinea. Still waiting on confirmation of its success. Hopefully a new transition process is put in place quickly. Guinea shall work again. Contributing to Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Charles Owusu was utterly shocked that any Ghanaian would call for a coup. He reminded such people of the repercussions of staging a coup in a country stressing "there's no way you can capture a sitting President without casualties. Even civilians will die...but yet still we have people living in this country who, because their party isn't in power and others who haven't obtained what they're seeking for, so they are wishing that it is possible that a coup could happen in Ghana. That is the language of other people. It's sad!" He offered an advice to Ghanaians saying, "what we can't use money to buy, we can't use power or money to protect it. That's life; nothing on earth is important than it. Your legacy in the world is your life''. 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. Featured Video Media panelist Chris Walker of CBC Daybreak asks a question to the field at The Penticton Heralds All-Candidates Forum, Wednesday at the Penticton Lakeside Resort. The two hours, 10 minute forum, which did not have an audience, can be viewed online at: pentictonherald.ca by scrolling down to the bottom of the page or on the Penticton Herald Facebook page. Quebec Premier Francois Legault walks out of a news conference at the end of a three-day pre-session caucus, Friday, September 10, 2021 in Quebec City. Legault criticized the first question asked by the moderator at the federal leaders debate. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, Liberal LeaderJustin Trudeau, Green LeaderAnnamie Paul, New Democratic Party LeaderJagmeet Singh and Bloc LeaderYves-Francois Blanchet participate in the federal election French-language leaders debate in the Grand Hall of the Museum of History, in Gatineau, Que., Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole and his wife Rebecca wave from the steps of the airplane prior to departing Ottawa on Friday, September 10, 2021. Canadians will vote in a federal election Sept. 20th. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn Thank you for reading the Philadelphia Tribune. You have exhausted your free article views for this month. Please press the "subscribe" button below and see our introductory price of $0.25 per week for 13 weeks. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you next month. "I'm Living the Dream" Says WSOP Online Main Event Chip Leader Edson Tsutsumi Jr. September 10, 2021 Will Shillibier The final table of the 2021 World Series of Poker Online Main Event on GGPoker is only a couple of days away, with nine players all vying for the $2.5 million first prize, and the coveted WSOP bracelet. The chip leader Edson "CrownUpTsu" Tsutsumi Jr., who took time away from preparing for the most important final table of his life to speak with PokerNews. Remember, you can follow all the action from the Main Event final table right here on PokerNews on Saturday, September 11 from 17:00 GMT. Read More: Edson Tsutsumi Leads WSOP Online Main Event Final Table A Dream Come True for Tsutsumi Like many poker players, Tsutsumi had always dreamed of making a big final table like this. Heading into the WSOP Online he knew there was a possibility, but says that he tried to remain calm and focused on the grind. "At the beginning of every online series, no matter how much people say you shouldn't expect things, it's impossible not to imagine it happening to you. We study hard so that moments like this can happen, and I am so grateful to God for that opportunity. "I think it will take some time to sink in that I'm actually at the final table." Road to the Final Table Having advanced through Day 1 with a comfortable stack, Tsutsumi opted to keep his routine the same ahead of Day 2. He says there was no special preparation, he just rested well and enjoyed some dinner with friends who gave him some "positive energy" ahead of Sunday. "I was always just taking it one step at a time and wanting to do the best in each situation." The rest and positive energy did the trick, as the following day Tsutsumi navigated his way through the field, ending up not only at the final table, but as the chip leader. "To be honest, I was in absurd flow," said Tsutsumi. "I just played and played, table by table. I didn't focus on the number of players and I hadn't even looked at the payouts. I was always just taking it one step at a time and wanting to do the best in each situation." Which Four Players Belong on the Mount Rushmore of Poker? Having made the final table at approximately five o'clock in the morning in Brazil, Tsutsumi said it took him three hours to sleep due to the adrenaline. But now comes the difficult part, staying calm and preparing for the biggest final table of his life. "I've been playing a lot recently, so I already needed a good break. So in short I'm basically getting a lot of rest! I don't want to change anything or do anything difficult as an experiment. Here in Brazil we have a famous phrase that means 'On a winning team, don't change anything!'" 2021 WSOP Online Main Event Final Table Position Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Edson "CrownUpTsu" Tsutsumi Jr Brazil 60,403,591 101 2 Aleksei "Ha KoJleHu" Vandyshev Russia 54,232,812 90 3 Joe "assisup4rent" Serock United States 45,567,634 76 4 Espen "COVFEFE-19" Jorstad Norway 19,575,928 33 5 Christine "Yunaa" Do Canada 15,918,120 27 6 Nikita "VSMPZD" Kuznetsov Russia 13,454,800 22 7 Dawid Smolka Poland 13,154,945 22 8 Renan "legal" Meneguetti Brazil 12,581,552 21 9 Dimitrios Farmakoulis Greece 9,067,144 15 Brazilian Poker Community With not one, but two Brazilians at the final table of the 2021 WSOP Online Main Event, Tsutsumi says that he is even more motivated as a result of the messages he has received from the Brazilian poker community. Related: "A Brazilian Storm is Coming" says Joao Simao After WSOP Bracelet Success "The Brazilian community is one of the best in the world, no doubt about it. I've never had so many positive messages and so many people cheering me on. People I know, people I don't know, even poker players I've always been a fan of! "I talked to Renan [Meneguetti], and discussed some hands we played. But we are rooting for each other, we want a Brazilian heads-up! But I'm living the dream, and regardless of the result I'll be very happy." Both Tsutsumi and Meneguetti have the opportunity to become the latest Brazilian bracelet winners but also go one step better than 2020 runner-up Bruno Botteon. Whatever happens, they know that they'll have the whole of Brazil right behind them. Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. Travelers and workers at Charleston International Airport will be asked to recognize a moment of silence Sept. 11 on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. At 8:41 a.m., an announcement will be made that a remembrance event will occur in five minutes. At 8:46 a.m., the minute on Sept. 11, 2001, when the first jetliner crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, the following announcement will be played throughout the terminal. "Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen, At this time, we ask that you pause to recognize a moment of silence and remembrance of those lost on this day 20 years ago. Today we remember the innocent victims and pay tribute to the heroic fire fighters, police officers, emergency personnel, and ordinary citizens who risked their lives so others might live. Thank you." The former CEO of SCANA Corp. will be sentenced next month for his role in the failed $9 billion expansion of the V.C. Summer nuclear plant, widely considered the costliest business boondoggle in South Carolina history. Kevin Marsh is scheduled to appear Oct. 7 before U.S. District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis in Columbia. The hearing starts at 10 a.m., according to online notice. The former utility executive will spend at least two years in prison and repay at least $5 million for defrauding electric ratepayers, according to a plea deal that was disclosed earlier this year. Marsh appeared in court in February for the first time to plead guilty to fraud charges and to formally accept responsibility for his role in the collapse of the decade-long effort to build two reactors at the aging V.C. Summer plant in Fairfield County. He was released afterward without having to post money for bond. His plea deal capped a three-year fraud investigation by the FBI, U.S. Attorney's Office for South Carolina, the State Law Enforcement Division and the S.C. Attorney General's Office. Prosecutors said Marsh's main crime was his failure to inform regulators and the public about the myriad delays and construction problems that were driving up the cost of the project and would eventually doom the deal in July 2017. As part of his plea, Marsh is required to cooperate with state and federal prosecutors as they continue to investigate. SCANA, a Cayce-based holding company that owned South Carolina Electric & Gas, was the majority investor in the Midlands project, with a 55 percent stake. State-owned Santee Cooper controlled the rest. Sign up for our business newsletter. Our twice-weekly newsletter features all the business stories shaping Charleston and South Carolina. Get ahead with us - it's free. Email Sign Up! Combined, the two utilities spent $9 billion before pulling the plug on the expansion, which was supposed to usher in a new era of clean nuclear power in South Carolina. Now, their electric customers will be paying down that debt for decades. The financial pressures weakened SCANA to the point that it and SCE&G agreed to be sold to Dominion Energy of Richmond, Va., in a sale that closed in early 2019. Santee Cooper also faced intense scrutiny after abandoning the V.C. Summer project. Lawmakers looked at selling the Moncks Corner-based power and water provider but instead passed a law earlier this year that places restrictions on some of its business operations. Prosecutors said Marsh has been cooperating with the probe since since last fall. He is the second former high-level SCANA executive to plead guilty to defrauding ratepayers and the first of the four individuals who have been charged to date to face sentencing. Former chief operating officer Steve Byrne pleaded guilty in July 2020. His sentencing date has not been determined. The V.C. Summer investigation extends beyond SCANA and Santee Cooper to Westinghouse Electric Co., the lead contractor on the failed project and the designer of the two reactors. Carl Churchman, who was the Pennsylvania-based company's top official at the Jenkinsville construction site, pleaded guilty to perjury in June. He acknowledged he lied to an FBI agent about his role in passing along fraudulent projections to SCE&G and Santee Cooper executives that claimed the reactors would be online by a crucial 2020 deadline. Last month, a federal grand jury indicted Jeffrey A. Benjamin, Westinghouse's former senior vice president for new plants and major projects. He is accused of 16 counts of fraud and conspiracy. Benjamin pleaded not guilty on Aug. 31. Get the SC business stories that matter. Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free. COLUMBIA An Atlanta breakfast icon is coming to Columbia's Five Points. Flying Biscuit Cafe is planning to open a location at 936 Harden St., just up the street from Chick-fil-A and Waffle House. The chain has about 25 locations in the Southeast and is known for serving breakfast all day, including thousands of biscuits baked every day at each restaurant, according to the restaurant's website. It has received several awards as a top destination for breakfast in Atlanta. The Columbia restaurant's co-owner, John Robert Barth, said Sept. 9 that they hope to open the Five Points location in November or December. It's the latest in the stretch of redevelopment of the 900 block of Harden, in which numerous older storefronts have been revamped. Spectrum, the cellphone and home internet/cable provider, was the first tenant to move into the revamped space. Mac & Cheese, please A grand opening is set for Sept. 22 for the first South Carolina location of I Mac & Cheese restaurant, just off Killian Road in Northeast Richland. The restaurant works in a quick-service format that will be familiar to anyone who has ever dined in a Chipotle. Customers pick a series of toppings and sauces to go on their pick of mac and cheese or other bases such as grilled cheese or whole wheat pasta. The restaurant, in the Kroger shopping center, will hold a raffle at the grand opening with an alluring first prize: free mac and cheese for one year. The winners shouldn't tell their doctor. Sign up for our Columbia business and real estate newsletter. Get all the latest industry happenings from the Midlands, plus exclusive development news and more in your inbox each week. Email Sign Up! Fully occupied on Clemson Road A retail center in Northeast Richland that features a new location for East Bay Deli recently has become fully leased, according to the NAI Columbia real estate firm. Charleston-based East Bay now has five locations in Richland and Lexington counties, including on Main Street downtown and newly opened Parkland Plaza in Cayce. The retail strip at 2708 Clemson Road, near Killian Elementary School, also features Pacific Dental Services and Alpha Nail Spa. The project was developed and leased by Ben Kelly and Patrick Chambers at NAI Columbia. Cars for auction A national seller of used and salvage cars has relocated to a new location in Lexington. IAA has opened a location at 422 Two Notch Road in Lexington, not far from Interstate 20 and U.S. 1. IAA serves auto dealers and brokers and those in the business of providing cars for parts through auctions and other sales. COLUMBIA Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin has endorsed his former aide in the race to succeed him in the mayor's office. Sam Johnson, 33, picked up Benjamin's endorsement over City Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine, a longtime ally who is godmother to one of the mayor's daughters. Benjamin also passed over Councilman Daniel Rickenmann and former Councilman Moe Baddourah, who also are running to succeed the mayor not seeking a fourth term. I think its the new energy; its the new ideas, Benjamin said Sept. 8 in response to why he picked Johnson instead of those hes worked with on council. Johnson now has the backing of three members of the council to lead South Carolina's second-largest city, with outgoing District 1 representative Sam Davis and District 2's Ed McDowell previously announcing their support for his campaign. The city election is Nov. 2. Johnson worked in Benjamin's office the first six years of his tenure, with a hand in the BullStreet redevelopment and Famously Hot New Year event. While Johnson has not held elected office, his campaign has claimed the most experience in the mayor's office by virtue of his time as Benjamin's assistant. "I know that he has the heart of a lion and the compassion that comes with fatherhood, it changes your perspective on the world," Benjamin said. Benjamin supported Johnson over Devine, seeking to become the city's first woman to hold the office. Rickenmann is finishing his third term on council, having held an at-large seat for eight years before winning a seat to represent District 4 for his current term. In securing the support of Davis and McDowell, Johnson was also able to advance his top policy proposal: that the city hire a public health chief to oversee the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and any ongoing health issues in the city. Now with Benjamin publicly on Johnson's side, the proposal could receive a more urgent push, though Devine and Rickenmann have questioned the need for such a position and requested a harder look at options for addressing health issues. Johnson also has called for hiring dozens of new police officers and raising pay for police and fire employees. After leaving Benjamin's office, Johnson earned a law degree from the University of South Carolina and works as a policy adviser and consultant at Nexsen Pruet and its public relations arm, NP Strategy. Devine, who has served on council since 2002, said in launching her campaign she hadn't sought the mayor's endorsement and would focus on earning votes. Devine has secured endorsements from former council members Hamilton Osborne, Anne Sinclair and Luther Battiste. She announced the endorsement of Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, a Columbia native, on social media soon after Benjamin's backing of Johnson. "She is going to work hard and do all the right things for all of us," Lyles said in a video. Four of the seven seats on City Council will have new members in 2022. In addition to the mayor's race, seven candidates are running for Devine's citywide seat: Tyler Bailey, Heather Bauer, Aditi Bussells, John Crangle, Deitra Matthews, John Tyler and Aaron Smalls. Developer and former state commerce chief Joe Taylor is running unopposed for Rickenmann's seat representing areas east of downtown. Former city department head and attorney Tina Herbert is facing Christa Williams, a Department of Corrections officer and nonprofit founder, in the race to replace Davis for District 1. Four South Carolina school districts have found an innovative use of their federal COVID-19 relief fund dollars: asking teachers to get one of the coronavirus vaccines by offering full-time employees cash bonuses. Anderson School District 5 is giving employees $500 if they have proof they are 100 percent vaccinated. Colleton County School District is handing out $300. More coverage To read more in-depth stories from The Post and Courier's Education Lab, go to postandcourier.com/education-lab. Richland School District Two is awarding $250, and Orangeburg County School District is giving them $200. Anderson 5 and Colleton County are also offering similar incentives to students. Anderson 5 is cutting $100 checks to fully vaccinated students who have parental consent, and Colleton County is giving them a $20 gift card. A spokeswoman for Richland Two told The Post and Courier they are looking for different ways to encourage students to get vaccinated but do not know if they will start offering a monetary incentive. Members of most of the districts are on board with the incentives. Liz Humphrey, the S.C. Education Association's local Orangeburg president, who is also a middle school science teacher in the district, said the checks prompted some teachers and custodians she knew to get vaccinated. "It made people feel better and made a lot of us that have younger kids who can't get vaccinated feel more comfortable," she said. Humphrey's 4-year-old daughter was recently diagnosed with coronavirus. She said she's heard nothing but positive things about the incentives from her colleagues and believes more districts should start offering them. The response has not been enthusiastic in every district. In Anderson 5, discontent started brewing shortly after locals learned about checks going to students. A small group of residents formed a Facebook group that organized rallies protesting the initiative. While many members are parents of students enrolled in Anderson 5 schools, some are people who do not have children in any of the district's schools. The incentives come after the coronavirus' highly contagious delta variant started spreading speedily through South Carolina schools. Dozens of schools have returned to remote learning and entire districts have gone virtual. Dr. Valerie Cave, superintendent of Colleton County schools, said her district is offering rewards because they are fighting to keep their schools open. "We strongly encourage our employees and eligible students to receive vaccination for their safety," she said in an emailed statement to The Post and Courier. South Carolina schools recently received $3 billion of federal funding as part of a federal COVID-19 relief package. Anderson 5, Colleton County and Orangeburg are tapping into the funds for the checks they are giving vaccinated employees and students. Richland Two plans to pay for the incentives with money from these funds too but is waiting for their application to be approved. "If it's not approved, we will pay for it with other funds," Harry Miley, chief financial officer for Richland Two, said. The bonuses are available to any eligible staff member or student who is fully vaccinated, not just ones who got vaccinated in the past couple of weeks. All the districts are also offering a smaller amount of money to part-time employees. ANDERSON Tom Wilson remembers the first time he learned about vaccines. It was the late-1950s, and Wilson was in elementary school. The polio virus was ravaging the country. When a vaccine for the crippling infection was approved, Wilson watched relief wash over the adults in his life. His entire community, including classmates, teachers, principals and parents, were all on the same team. Now in 2021, the Anderson School District 5 superintendent is trying to convince his community to get another vaccine. But as misinformation and anger spread, Wilson is stuck choosing between pleasing parents and promoting public health. More coverage To read more in-depth stories from The Post and Courier's Education Lab, go to postandcourier.com/education-lab. On Aug. 26, Wilson sent an email to Anderson 5 parents informing them of a new vaccine incentive program. Using money from $28.9 million in federal COVID-19 relief, the superintendent is offering $100 to any Anderson 5 high schoolers who have been or plan to be vaccinated. The district had started a similar program for employees back in May where they offered $500 to full-time workers and $250 to part-timers. The percent of vaccinated employees rose from 50 to 80 percent since the program's inception. This is being offered to students as the coronavirus's highly contagious delta variant tears through schools across the state, forcing entire districts to return to virtual learning. Anderson 5 has not been immune to the virus's spread: Nearly 1,600 of its 13,500 students are in quarantine. Wilson believes the incentives will help Anderson 5 schools stay open. Already, 387 students have signed forms and gathered parent permission to get their $100 checks since they started getting distributed on Sept. 8. But not all community members are happy about this. A contingent of outraged residents recently formed a Facebook group and have started planning demonstrations to voice their objections to Wilson and other district education officials. District 5 Guardians Christine and Michael Shirley woke up at 6 a.m. to ensure they would be the first to arrive at the rally for medical freedom at the Anderson 5 offices on Sept. 2. The couple drove an hour to get to the district by 7 a.m. with their children and a megaphone in tow. Dozens of community members soon joined the Shirleys at the demonstration. Signs hovered above the maskless crowd with the words choice not coercion and no vax, no bribe. They pushed against caution tape separating the crowd from the districts administrative building and listened to speeches. As school buses drove students to their destinations, Michael said that he made a point to tell the students they were the future and not to accept bribes. The group returned on Sept. 10 with about 60 to 70 people in attendance. This time, the district locked its office doors and put out caution tape while the crowd prayed, sang "God Bless America," and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. The group calls themselves the District 5 Guardians. More than 1,300 parents and community members are involved in a Facebook group under the same name. They hope to bring an end to the incentive program, which many of them consider to be bribery and an abuse of district power. They are supported by community politicians like Pastor Mark Burns, who Time Magazine called "Donald Trump's Top Pastor," and state Rep. Jonathon Hill, who encouraged the crowd at the Sept. 10 rally to fight Wilson and the Anderson 5 board "to the gates of hell." "You have to prove to them that you're mad at them because of what they're doing to our kids and to our teachers; you have to prove to them that you are indeed mad enough to vote them out," Hill said. While many members of the group are parents of Anderson 5 students, others, like the Shirleys, do not have a connection to the district schools. Christine and Michael started homeschooling their three children six years ago. Even though their children are not impacted by the incentives, the couple, like many of the other District 5 Guardians, feel the program coerces students into getting vaccinated. A hundred dollars is a lot to turn down, and may put students at odds with their parents, Christine said. Amanda Miller, whose three children attend Centerville Elementary School, first heard of the incentive program from friends with children in high school. Feeling that the district overstepped its bounds, Miller chose to attend the Sept. 2 protest. She believes that the incentive ultimately takes control away from parents. "The job of the school district is teaching kids how to think and not necessarily what to think, Miller said. Wilson doesn't see it that way. Students are required to have their parents sign the district's vaccine form before getting the $100. The vaccine itself only requires guardian permission for children aged 12 to 16. In South Carolina, anyone 16 and older is able to get the vaccine without parent approval, but Wilson felt it would be best to make sure parents were aware that their students were getting vaccinated. This stuff is for real. Its serious. Weve seen students dying across the state. This is not something to play with, Wilson said during a Zoom interview with The Post and Courier. Prioritizing public health The incentive program is just one of many unpopular decisions district leaders have made since the start of school. In Charleston County, protesters have repeatedly stormed board meetings often shouting in opposition to the district's mask requirement, which goes against South Carolina law. The school board ultimately had to clarify that students will not be penalized for refusing to wear a mask. The South is in worse shape than a lot of other parts of the country just because of the divisiveness and the politics. Whatever it is, its hurting us, Wilson said. Anderson 5 isn't the only district to offer the incentive. Colleton County, Orangeburg and Richland Two school districts have all implemented similar programs. Colleton is offering $300 to full-time employees, $150 for part-time and $20 gift cards to students. Richland Two has a $250 incentive for full-time workers, $150 for part-time and $100 for substitute teachers that have worked 10 or more days. In Orangeburg, full-time employees have access to $200. Education leaders across the state have applauded the ways these districts are promoting the vaccine. "Our big thing right now is mask up, vax up, and speak up because the anti-mask club is not the majority, but its loud. Loud, loud, loud, said Sherry East, president of the South Carolina Education Association. Rev. Johnny Donald, Jr., the vice-chair of the Anderson 5 school board, said he also supports Wilson's decision to create an incentive. Donald feels that the vaccine will help district schools stay open. He has heard opposition from the public, but doesn't consider it overwhelming. He only received nine or 10 emails from people complaining about the cash incentives, several of whom do not have connections to the district. Despite the noise, Wilson plans to continue the incentive program and possibly expand it to middle school students. The superintendent hopes that the Anderson 5 district and community can move out of the pandemic just as his childhood community overcame the polio epidemic 60 years ago. GEORGETOWN Georgetown County Fire Chief Mack Reed announced his retirement Sept. 10, according to a Facebook post from the department. Reed started as fire chief for the Georgetown County Fire in 1989 and will retire at the end of the month. Reed led the fire department as it consolidated in 2005 with Georgetown County EMS. The agency provides service to portions of the county located west of the Waccamaw River. This news come as the department faces staffing shortages in the last two years as several stations back in 2020 were staffed with just one firefighter. "Chief Reed's legacy will forever be ingrained in the history of the fire service in Georgetown County," the post stated. Georgetown County will begin to search for a replacement in the next few weeks. GREENVILLE Some patients arriving by ambulance at hospitals in Greenville County must wait more than an hour just for a bed due to a crush of patients seeking care for COVID-19 symptoms. Nearly two dozen patients in the past 10 weeks who arrived by Greenville County ambulance for care at Prisma Healths Greenville Memorial and Pelham Medical Center, and Bon Secours St. Francis Downtown, had to wait more than two hours for a bed. The data released by Greenville County EMS tracks the amount of time since July 1 that its medical teams have spent with patients at hospitals waiting for beds to clear for newly arriving patients. The bottleneck is the result of hospitals dealing with patients coming to already-full emergency departments seeking care, and hospital staff needing to find beds in other parts of the space to place COVID-19 patients. At one point this week, Dr. Tom Blackwell, director of GCEMS, spent hours observing the scene at Greenville Memorial. The waiting room was full. Every bed was full. A hallway lined with stretchers was full and a second hallway set up for overflow was also full, he said. So when ambulance crews arrived with new patients, there was nowhere to put them, he said. Every room is filled, he said. Every stretcher has got a patient on it. The result? Ambulance crews stay with patients while hospitals scramble for space. When EMS transports a patient to a hospital, the team calls ahead to notify the hospital of an incoming patient. In normal circumstances, the hospital has a bed prepared for the patient upon arrival. The EMS crew brings the patient inside the hospital on its stretcher, turns the patient over to hospital staff, submits a report, cleans and prepares its equipment and returns to the field. It's a process called crew turnaround time that takes about a half-hour in all, he said. But in recent weeks, crews have been left standing with patients inside the hospital, monitoring vital signs and waiting for the transfer, he said. At one point this week eight different ambulance crews were stuck at a hospital with patients, he said. Out of 10,055 patients transported by EMS since July 1, crews have had a turnaround time under 30 minutes less than 44 percent of the time. On 370 trips, a crew has spent longer than an hour before it could return to the field, according to EMS data. "This further complicates our ability to have adequate resources to respond to incoming 911 calls," Greenville County Administrator Joe Kernell said in a briefing to County Council on Sept. 7. The lag in turnaround time has depleted the number of available ambulances and increased county EMS response times in some instances, Blackwell said. It is causing a delay and we hate it, Blackwell said. Sign up for our Greenville weekly update newsletter. Sign up for weekly roundups of our top stories, news and culture from the Upstate. This newsletter is hand-curated by a member of our Greenville news staff. Email Sign Up! The call center is prioritizing calls based on level of need and type of emergency, he said. The longest wait has been 84 minutes, he said. He didnt have overall response times immediately available but said on a scale of one to five, EMS is at a three in level of emergency. The backlog comes as Prisma Health, the largest hospital system in the state, hit an all-time high of patients on Sept. 7. It reported treating 568 COVID-19 patients across its network of 11 hospitals in the Upstate and Midlands. Its previous peak was 546 patients in January. Prisma announced Sept. 8 that it would suspend elective surgeries at its Upstate community hospitals in response to the surge in hospitalizations. Urgent surgeries would continue, but elective surgeries would be delayed through at least Sept. 17. The health system would re-evaluate its capacity then, according to a statement from the health system. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, but we must take these additional steps to care for this large number of extremely sick patients, said Dr. Wendell James, chief clinical officer for Prisma Health in the Upstate. More than 90 percent of those hospitalized with the virus are not vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the health system. James urged residents to get vaccinated, calling it critical to reduce the load of new cases. Blackwell said he is working with hospital leadership to figure out a solution to the bottleneck causing EMS delays, including possibly contracting with a provider to staff an intake tent outside the hospital for emergency room patients to wait in until beds become available inside. Meanwhile, EMS is considering further temporary changes to its system to deal with the surge of calls for help. Were preparing for this to get worse, he said. The next step would be to delay low priority calls in favor of more urgent needs, he said. Greenville County EMS is also weighing whether to decline to transport low priority patients, he said. EMS would still respond and evaluate a patient, then arrange for family or rideshare services like Uber or Lyft to transport the patient in order to keep ambulances available for higher priority calls, he said. Blackwell called those contingency plans could occur if the situation worsens. He said the best thing people can do even those with COVID-19 symptoms is evaluate whether theyre truly in an emergency and need an ambulance. If a patient has mild symptoms or just wants a COVID test, an ambulance is not the best choice, he said. Patients should seek treatment at urgent care centers or their own doctor, he said. Otherwise, it could mean an eight-hour wait for patients at the emergency room, he said. The latest data from South Carolina Children's Hospital Collaborative shows the number of children hospitalized, in critical care and on a ventilator because of COVID-19 is headed in the wrong direction. As of Sept. 9, 32 children are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 14 are in critical care and 11 are using ventilators. The data shows all of the children in a hospital due to COVID-19 are unvaccinated, even though most of them are at least 12 years old and are eligible for vaccinations. Statewide numbers New cases reported: 2,198 confirmed; 1,268 probable. Total cases in S.C.: 630,257 confirmed, 149,641 probable. Percent positive: 12.9 percent. New deaths reported: 50 confirmed; 5 probable. Total deaths in S.C.: 9,655 confirmed, 1,395 probable. Percent of ICU beds filled (with COVID-19 and other patients): 82.64 percent. S.C. residents vaccinated In South Carolina, 57.9 percent of people who are eligible for the vaccine have received one shot, and 48.9 percent of eligible residents are considered fully vaccinated. Hardest-hit areas As of Sept. 9, Greenville (262), Richland (163) and Lexington (162) counties saw the highest totals of newly confirmed cases. What about tri-county? Charleston County had 143 new cases on Sept. 9, while Dorchester had 92 and Berkeley had 78. Deaths DHEC releases county-level data regarding COVID-19 deaths and the ages of those who have died from the virus on Tuesdays. According to the data published Sept. 7, at least 352 people in South Carolina died from the virus Aug. 29 to Sept. 4, and their ages ranged from pediatric (younger than 18) to elderly (65 and older). Greenville County recorded 39 COVID deaths that week the highest number in the state. Health officials have reported that the vast majority of patients who are dying from the coronavirus at this stage of the pandemic are unvaccinated. Hospitalizations Of the 2,587 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Sept. 9, 562 were in the ICU and 417 were using ventilators. Student, teacher and faculty cases DHEC's school dashboard shows, through Sept. 6, there have been 5,865 probable and confirmed cases among students and employees in the state's public and charter schools during the current school year. Variants of concern DHEC sequences a small, random sample of positive COVID-19 cases each week to determine which variants of concern (alpha, beta, gamma and delta) are circulating in the state. According to data published by the agency that is up to date through Sept 1, 2,313 samples have been identified as variants of concern over the course of the pandemic. More than 1,066 of those samples have been identified as the delta variant, which health officials say is now the dominant strain in South Carolina. What do experts say? According to national forecasts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6,400 to 19,500 new COVID-19 hospitalizations will likely be reported by Oct.4 and between 430,000 and 1.5 million new COVID-19 cases during the same time period. The Lowcountry was wringing itself dry after the remnants of Tropical Depression Mindy dumped over 2 inches of rain in just a few hours on Sept. 9. After making landfall in Florida as a tropical storm Sept. 8, Mindy weakened as it washed over coastal Georgia and South Carolina with its flooding rains. The depression unleashed heavy rainfall over the Charleston peninsula and inland areas, causing flooding by 11 a.m. The piling water shuttered some intersections that flood quickly when hard rains fall, including King Street and Huger streets, the area around Cannon Park and Washington Street between Laurens and Hassel. A weather station near downtown Charleston's medical complex recorded nearly 2 inches of rain in three hours that morning. Floodwaters cascaded through streets around the hospitals, forcing police to set up barricades. At a low spot on Calhoun Street, cars and trucks plowed through, creating wakes that rippled toward several businesses. Workers in a nail salon used towels to keep floodwaters from entering their store, but the waves created by passing cars won that battle. Thursday's storm was another reminder of how vulnerable Charleston has become to flooding from passing storms, rain bombs and King tides amid the accelerating forces of climate change. As The Post and Courier has documented in its Rising Waters series, these drenchings can become downright dangerous: damaging property, stranding motorists and swallowing cars whole. The National Weather Service's Charleston office had issued a flood warning for Charleston and Berkeley counties in the morning, and meteorologist Bob Bright said astronomical influences and swells generated by Hurricane Larry in the Atlantic created an unusually high tide in the area, bringing a risk for flash flooding amid the oncoming rains. Tides peaking just as the rain fell would also contribute to the problem, making it harder for stormwaters to drain. Tides in Charleston Harbor were close to 6.8 feet around 11 a.m., just shy of the 7-foot level where minor tidal flooding begins. Sign up for our free Hurricane Wire newsletter Hurricane Wire is a pop-up newsletter during hurricane season that delivers anyone who lives on the East Coast all the information they need to know as storms brew in the Atlantic and beyond. Email SUBSCRIBE Forecasters from the hurricane center reported in their 5 p.m. public advisory that Mindy was traveling east-northeast at 23 mph with sustained winds at 35 mph. Mindy was forecast to gradually weaken the night of Sept. 9 and dissipate the following day, the hurricane center said. Meanwhile, large swells caused by Larry in the Atlantic were forecast to continue to impact East Coast shores through the end of the week, according to the hurricane center. The center reported in its 5 p.m. advisory for Larry that the storm was 185 miles northeast of Bermuda and traveling north-northwest about 20 mph. Maximum sustained winds were near 90 mph, making Larry a Category 1 hurricane. Larry is forecast to move away from Bermuda by Sept. 9 and move over southeastern Newfoundland the night of Sept. 10 or the following morning, the center said. Forecasters expected Larry to begin weakening Sept. 10, but said it should remain a hurricane until it passes Newfoundland. The Canadian Hurricane Centre has issued a hurricane warning for parts of Newfoundland. A tropical storm warning remained in effect for Bermuda. Tony Bartelme and Jocelyn Grzeszczak contributed to this report. GEORGETOWN Five months after conservationists announced the creation of a new state park along the Black River, the Lowcountry Land Trust has secured 444 acres of the Millgrove Plantation property in Georgetown County, which fronts the river. The new conservation easement adds to a growing amount of land that authorities hope will protect the Black River basin, which is part of the sprawling Winyah Bay watershed. The Black River's headwaters are in Lee County, but the portion of the waterway designated a State Scenic River is located in Williamsburg and Georgetown counties. That designation enables the Department of Natural Resources to help landowners, conservation groups, state agencies and adventurers manage the resource responsibly, promote good stewardship and provide public access. Millgrove Plantation is situated about 15 miles north of Georgetown, just west of the Rocky Point Community Forest, one of five tracts of land that comprise the new state park. It remains in private hands but now is ineligible for real estate development. The public, while unable to access the property freely, benefits from improved water quality, preservation of the ecosystem and an undisturbed riverfront, said David Ray, conservation manager for the Lowcountry Land Trust. Easements are great synergy, allowing people to maintain private ownership yet protect the land and surroundings, Ray said. The project was funded by the South Carolina Conservation Bank, with support from Ducks Unlimited, which helped secure a North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant. The momentum of land protection along the Black River continues with the addition of Millgrove to the seven other properties that the Conservation Bank has helped to protect, Conservation Bank Executive Director Raleigh West said in a statement. I commend the collaboration between local, state, and federal entities as well as the willingness of a conservation-minded landowner to bring this project to fruition. To date, the Conservation Bank has provided nearly $3 million in funding to Black River projects, helping to protect 3,100 acres and 4.5 miles of river frontage. The ecology of Millgrove Plantation includes pine-filled uplands, a variety of hardwood trees, native grasses, wetlands and forested streams. The property also features remnants of old rice fields. This and other easements along the Black River will help protect the floodplain and wetland tributaries. The conservation efforts on the Black River are essential to the ecological health of the Lowcountry, Lowcountry Land Trust President and CEO Ashley Demosthenes said. Nearly 18 months after first proposing the Charleston peninsula be encircled by an 8-mile seawall, the Army Corps of Engineers released a major update to its plan, predicting it will cost $1.1 billion, or several hundred million less than originally thought. The updated plan, released Sept. 10, kicks off a 45-day period for the public to send in comments on the proposal. It addresses one question that has lingered since the idea was first floated: whether a wall would deflect waves and push more flooding onto surrounding areas like West Ashley or Mount Pleasant. The Corps said having a wall would push water levels a maximum of just 1 or 2 inches higher on these neighboring landmasses, according to simulations it has completed. The biggest change may be the lower price, and the improved ratio of benefit to cost, which could make the project far more competitive for federal approval and funding. Of the cost, Charleston has to pay 35 percent, now down to about $384.5 million. The proposal is the most ambitious on the table to protect the city's historic core from sea-level rise and tidal flooding effects that are already eating away at Charleston's edges and expected to worsen as the planet warms. Public comment The public can comment on the Army Corps' plan through Oct. 25 by: Emailing chs-peninsula-study@usace.army.mil Sending a letter to Charleston District, Planning and Environmental Branch, 69A Hagood Ave., Charleston SC, 29403. Leaving a message at (843) 329-8017. Mayor John Tecklenburg said in a Sept. 10 press conference the plan enables "the outright ability for the city of Charleston to remain here, to be here. It answers that existential threat of what happens to the city in light of storm surge, sea level rise, climate change." The updated Charleston plan also comes at an interesting moment for the Corps. While a $14.5 billion levee project recently protected the city of New Orleans from Hurricane Ida's surge waves, other places are eschewing the engineering group's plans. Miami-Dade County in Florida recently said it would not pursue the Corps' design for a seawall along the back edges of Biscayne Bay, including through several waterfront neighborhoods. At the same time, Charleston regularly experiences flooding now from intense rainstorms that swamp slow-draining streets, a problem the wall would not improve alone. A day before the Corps' new report was released, the same scenario played out as the remnants of tropical system Mindy traipsed over the Lowcountry, putting several roads in downtown Charleston under water. The city is working on several drainage projects but some worry the long-term focus on the seawall proposal is distracting money and attention from those efforts. It's also a project that needs to go through several rounds of approval by the city and the Corps and Congress before detailed design could even begin, let alone construction. "(Rainfall events) are the most common types of flooding were experiencing," said Jason Crowley of the Coastal Conservation League. "We still have all of these other things we need to be prioritizing and this continues to suck the oxygen out of the room." Some watchers of the plan are also frustrated, arguing that the Corps has been too inflexible with its original idea of a large, engineered barrier, and has given only cursory attention to two minority neighborhoods that would stay outside the wall's perimeter. Cost changes The proposal is in many respects similar to the first version, released in April 2020. The wall would encircle most of the downtown peninsula; it would be 3 feet higher than Charleston's highest sea wall, The Battery; it would include pumps, five being permanent and five mobile, to drain rainfall that falls inside the perimeter of the wall. One change was announced earlier this year and shaved off some $300 million in price: the Corps will no longer try to construct a 4,000-foot-long rock pile, or breakwater, offshore of the wall to slow down incoming waves. The changes that have been made since, however, have gone a long way to reduce the total cost, said Project Manager Wes Wilson. Moving the alignment of the wall onto high ground, instead of through marsh in some places, reduced construction and wetland mitigation costs by $250 million. The Corps also reduced the power of the drainage pumps it will use, equating to $75 million in savings. Wilson said the original plan assumed the pumps needed to be the same size as in New Orleans, a "conservative" assumption that wasn't borne out when further analysis was done on how much water the walls would trap. The city has the option to make those pumps larger again, if it wants, but would have to pay by itself for the additional cost, Wilson said. The Corps also revised its math on the properties the wall would protect and found that property values rose since it last collected them in 2019. All those factors, in addition to updated economic modeling, mean the Corps now reports the ratio of benefit to cost for the work is 10.2, or almost five times higher than the number it originally reported. The ratio is in part what determines if Congress will agree to fund the work down the road, and the new benefit-cost number is highly competitive, said Dale Morris, the city's incoming chief resiliency officer. A score of 10.2 is "perhaps one of the highest, if not the highest, in the nation for this kind of project," Morris added. Missed alternatives While the plan is refined, some are frustrated that the Corps is sticking to the concept of a wall at all, instead of relying on lighter touches such as living shorelines, or specially-placed oyster reefs that slow down waves. Susan Lyons is a founder of the flooding advocacy group Groundswell and a member of a city committee that is assessing the Corps' plan. She said the city needed to make a comprehensive water-management plan first and then decide how the Corps' plan fits into it. A consultant for Charleston has said the same in the past. Another frustration, she said, is that important details like the appearance of the wall won't be determined until after the city says it wants to move forward, and the Corps starts a more detailed engineering and design effort after. "I think that the Army Corps and the city are trying to sell this project in a big way," she said, adding, "Youre buying a car sight unseen, and thats a problem." Crowley, of the Conservation League, added that the plan still gives little attention to Rosemont and Bridgeview Village, two minority communities at the north end of the Charleston peninsula. The Corps has said it would be too costly to extend the wall that far, and that the buildings there can be protected with elevation or floodproofing measures. The updated plan "continues strong emphasis on primarily benefiting the wealthy neighborhoods, because of this cost-benefit focus," Crowley said. If the city formally decides to move forward, Charleston will have to send the Corps a letter in November or December agreeing to pursue the plan and signal it can pay for its part, said Mark Wilbert, the city's retiring chief resiliency officer. When the Corps' leadership also agrees and Congress budgets money, that would begin the detailed design phase. The city will face another challenge then, though, which has hung over the entire affair from the beginning and remains unanswered: how to pay the hundreds of millions it would owe toward design and construction. A lawsuit filed against the Dorchester County Sheriffs Office accused one of its deputies of unlawfully assaulting and arresting a 19-year-old man in April. Charleston attorney Jerry Meehan filed suit Sept. 8 on behalf of his client, Jamel Floyd. The eight-page document named Dorchester Sheriff L.C. Knight and Deputy Brandon Smith as defendants. The lawsuit contends Floyd was walking in his neighborhood when the deputy ordered him into a patrol car, which Floyd refused. It seeks at least $25,000 in damages and requests a full jury trial. Separately, the State Law Enforcement Division confirmed it has an active investigation involving Smith regarding the incident, which took place April 16. No other information was available, spokesman Tommy Crosby said, as the investigation is ongoing. The Dorchester County Sheriffs Office will not comment on pending litigation, sheriff's Lt. Rick Carson, a spokesman, said. Floyd, who is Black, was walking on English Road, west of U.S. Route 17 in unincorporated Dorchester County near Summerville when Smith, who is White, approached him, demanding Floyd get inside his patrol card, the lawsuit alleges. The teen refused, telling Smith he was simply walking home, according to the lawsuit. Smith then told Floyd he had 3 seconds to comply and get in the car, the lawsuit alleges. After Floyd again refused Smiths request, Smith began shouting expletives at Floyd and moving closer to him. The officer then grabbed Floyd around his neck and slammed him on the ground, continuing to hold Floyd there for a brief period of time, the lawsuit alleged. The officer completely loses his temper, said Meehan, Floyds lawyer, who said he and Floyds mother viewed Smiths body camera and dash camera video. Smith slams the car door, charges at Jamel, picks him up, body slams him, Meehan described. The Post and Courier has filed a public-records request under the state's Freedom of Information Act for Smiths employment records and the dash and body camera videos. The sheriffs office had not responded, though it has 10 days to do so. In the incident, Floyd had his hands flat up and asked Smith to stop, the lawyer said. The deputy seemed to realize he lost his temper, Meehan said, because he ultimately told Floyd to leave the area. A sheriffs office incident report contradicts some of what the lawsuit alleges. Smith was dispatched to English Drive after a neighbor reported a suspicious person in the roadway. Smith found Floyd, who said he was walking through the neighborhood to get home. Floyd, who has a "mental history," his lawyer said, without providing details, regularly takes walks through his community. Every time he walks on English Road, some neighbors harass him, Smith wrote in the incident report, citing a statement from the teenager. A neighbor, who claimed she had a no trespass order against Floyd, told Smith she had found two sheets of paper on her property resembling song lyrics. Floyd said the papers were a song he had written, but his friend placed them on the neighbors property without Floyd knowing. The Post and Courier could find no court records filed against Floyd among Dorchester County Circuit Court records other than the pending civil lawsuit. Smith told the woman he would give Floyd a ride home, and asked the teenager several times to get in the back of his patrol car. Floyd refused, so Smith told him to instead leave the area. Floyd started cursing and causing a disturbance, according to the incident report. I told Mr. Floyd if he did not stop cursing, I would arrest him, Smith wrote in the report. Mr. Floyd stated I was not going to put my hands on him, and he was not going to jail. Smith approached Floyd, directing him to put his hands behind his back. Floyd walked away, and Smith grabbed him by his left arm. Floyd began pushing away, and the officer grabbed him by his waist, picked him up and assisted him to the ground, face down. While detaining Floyd, Smith got up off the teenager and asked him to leave the area. I did not place handcuffs or arrest Mr. Floyd, wrote Smith, whose body camera was on during the incident. In addition to accusing Knight and Smith of unlawful assault and arrest, the lawsuit accused them for negligence and recklessness, as well as the intentional infliction of emotional distress on Floyd. Meehan said he and his client were confident in their position. People shouldn't treat people like this, the lawyer said. Its become too commonplace that you have bad officers that dont have good race relations and dont know how to deal with people with mental health issues. No court date has been scheduled, though a negotiation session is scheduled for April. Meehan said the sheriff's office has not yet been served. NORTH CHARLESTON A domestic argument over pornography sparked a shooting that injured a 7-year-old girl at a hotel Sept. 7, authorities said. Nakia Barrow, 30, is charged with first-degree domestic violence and unlawful conduct toward a child on allegations she fired the stray round that struck her daughter in the left arm. North Charleston police spokesman Harve Jacobs said Sept. 8 the child is expected to be OK. Officers responded about 6 p.m. Sept. 7 to Room 232 at Extended Stay America, 5059 N. Arco Lane in North Charleston, for reports of the shooting, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. The girl's mother and father were in the room, the affidavit states. The girl was rushed to a hospital for a gunshot wound to her left arm. The girl's father told officers Barrow became enraged after finding pornography on his phone. He said Barrow grabbed a firearm, racked a round and pointed it at him while he pleaded with her to put it down, the affidavit states. The girl's father said he took a step toward Barrow and she fell backward, discharging the gun and striking the girl, according to the affidavit. Witnesses in neighboring rooms reported hearing a man shout, "You gonna pull a gun on me," before the bang, the affidavit states. Barrow is being held at the Charleston County jail with bail set at $125,000 on the two offenses. Every year, South Carolina students spend the weeks surrounding Sept. 11 learning about the day when terrorists toppled the World Trade Center. The state is one of just 14 in the nation that includes 9/11 in its education standards, according to reporting by CBS News. South Carolina is joined by New York, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma and Texas. The way those standards operate in the classroom varies from state to state. South Carolina's 2019 social studies standards require districts to teach students about "the events of September 11 and the subsequent War on Terror" in fifth grade and in high school U.S. history and Constitution courses. While teachers can have flexibility on the exact lessons, they are required to adhere to the standards set out by the state, said Ryan Brown, spokesman for the S.C. Department of Education. It's even more important to teach students about the attacks as the nation recognizes the 20th anniversary. "For those that are students in school now, they were not alive and they don't remember it. It's a way to teach them about the world events that are happening now," he said. Students start learning about 9/11 in fifth grade. By the end of the year, they must be able to compare and contrast "the focus of the U.S. as a world leader before and after the September 11, 2001, attacks." The goal of the standard is to have students understand what led to the attacks and the reasoning behind the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Once students reach high school, they are expected to bring the attacks in to a broader context. In U.S. history and Constitution classes, students learn about the country from 1945 to the present. The Cold War and post-9/11 eras play a major part in the instruction in those years. Students are expected to understand how America's identity as a world leader shifted and evolved before and after the attacks. "It ties together a lot of things that are important to not just United States history and South Carolina history but world history as a whole," Brown said. The state also has "inquiry-based standards" for sixth, seventh and eighth grades, which push students to be more thoughtful about the context surrounding world events. Although the 9/11 attacks are written into the curriculum during those years, the students learn about other major wars and conflicts. The state encourages teachers to weave those conflicts together to incorporate modern history. Brown is not surprised that South Carolina is in the minority of states that require 9/11 instruction. The Palmetto State has a long history and strong military connections that make honoring and reflecting upon 9/11 a priority. "A lot of this is paying tribute and helping people understand how the men and women of South Carolina served oversees and why they did so," he said. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Texas state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin (center at lectern), stands with fellow lawmakers in the House Chamber in Austin, Texas, as she opposes a bill that would ban abortions as early as 6 weeks into a pregnancy and allow private citizens to enforce it through civil lawsuits. File/AP My son is not yet 2 years old and he loves to hug trees. We wander through Congaree National Park and Sesquicentennial State Park, marveling at the height of each towering loblolly, longleaf pine and bald cypress. Hes so young, yet he knows the trees are special and is moved to wrap his tiny arms around them. With each climate disaster facing our country and world, I look into the future and I wonder what will remain of the majestic trees, or of the flowing Congaree River and the animals that have lived here for centuries. Will the beauty that surrounds us here in the Midlands be but a faded memory for my son? I urge U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson and Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott to support the $3.5 trillion reconciliation budget bill being drafted in the U.S. House. I ask these lawmakers to end fossil fuel subsidies and commit to 100% clean energy in order to create new, sustainable jobs that strengthen both our bodies and economy with clean air. I encourage these lawmakers to let the record show that they chose to protect the future for generations of children, helping to preserve the beauty of this state and country for them to enjoy as we have. If you, too, are concerned for what the future holds, please join me in calling for our representatives and senators to support and pass the reconciliation bill; the bipartisan budget bill simply isnt enough. This is our chance. EMILY DOERING-WHITE Hampton Trace Lane Columbia Honor our fallen Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that resulted in our countrys intervention in Afghanistan. It is not the time to debate the efficacy of our intervention, but it is the time to remember and commemorate those individuals who lost their lives on that fateful day. It is also a time to pay homage to those men and women who responded to these terrorist acts and, in the process, gave their lives serving their fellow man. To do this, all are welcome at the PFC Ralph H. Johnson American Legion Post 147, 968 Folly Road on James Island, at 11 a.m. Saturday. We are honor-bound to remember and respect the sacrifice of others. STEVE DRISCOLL Commander PFC Ralph H Johnson American Legion Post 147 Folly Road James Island Help rescue groups Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email Sign Up! Editor's note: Two websites listed below have been corrected. Despite the recent incredibly incompetent evacuation of embassy personnel, U.S. nationals and special immigrant visa applicants, several nonprofit, volunteer organizations are working to help those left behind. These volunteers and retired military members have used donations and friendships with various allies to save thousands of U.S. personnel, Afghan interpreters, Afghan friends and even a few dogs. Reading about these efforts and those involved is nothing short of heartwarming and renewed hope for us. They have encountered tremendous danger and, sadly, many obstacles by the U.S. State Department. Below are some of the rescue organizations. Donations are needed, so please support them. Thank you, and God bless America. DIANE SMITH Barrier Island Court Mount Pleasant Rule of law eroding Sept. 1, 2021, is a day that every man and woman in the United States should remember: It is the day the U.S. Supreme Court was no longer an apolitical institution in our government but rather an arm of the Republican Party enforcing the will of a minority of Americans. The decision, or lack of decision, on the constitutionality of the Texas abortion law was preordained when former President Donald Trump added three justices to that court. While this is a victory for the right-wing Republican Party and various religious elements in this country, it is a defeat for the rule of law. The courts in this nation, including the Supreme Court, have always relied on prior decisions as authority or precedent to guide them in similar cases. On Sept. 1, the court ignored the precedent that gives women the right under the 14th Amendment to obtain an abortion before fetus viability, 22 to 24 weeks. Furthermore, sanctioning the establishment of a citizen gestapo with a $10,000 bounty for successfully suing anyone who aids or abets a woman getting an abortion after 6 weeks is vigilantism at its worst and reminds anyone familiar with history of the fascist regime in Germany. The Texas law and the Supreme Courts failure to uphold an injunction of this odious law until the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on the law, which is the standard practice, is just another example of the erosion of the rule of law and our democracy. LYNNE P. KRAMER Fish Creek Court Summerville NYC: A man in a New York City electronics store looks at rows of television screens during the broadcast of a videotape of Osama bin Laden, which was released by the United States government, on Dec. 13, 2001. Mike Segar/Reuters chester county Commissioners OK local declaration of disaster emergency due to Hurricane Ida @PottstownNews on Twitter Evan Brandt has been a staff reporter for The Mercury for more than 20 years. He covers municipal, school district, political, state government, federal government and environmental news. On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, a group of 19 militants orchestrated a coordinated attack against The World Trade Center in New York City and The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, by highjacking four planes and flying them into buildings. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks and more than 6,000 were injured. @montcocourtnews on Twitter Carl Hessler Jr. is a multi-media reporter who writes about crime and justice from the Montgomery County Courthouse for 21st Century Media Newspapers Greater Philadelphia area publications. Follow Carl on Twitter: @MontcoCourtNews Joe Biden today announced sweeping new coronavirus vaccine mandates of the kind he and key administration officials have previously said they would not impose. Biden will require that all federal employees be vaccinated, with no option for those who prefer to be regularly tested instead. More audaciously, Biden will mandate all employers with more than 100 employees to require that their employees be vaccinated or, alternatively, that the employees take weekly coronavirus tests. The White House estimates that Bidens new policy will affect about 80 million workers about two-thirds of the countrys workforce. Businesses that ignore the mandate could be fined up to $14,000 per violation. Much of the instant commentary Ive seen about this decision views it as an attempt to deflect attention from the Afghanistan debacle. That may be part of whats going on. But the main reason for the policy is that the surge of the coronavirus constitutes a massive threat to Bidens presidency and to his political party. Biden campaigned relentlessly on the pandemic. He blamed Donald Trump for it, ridiculously, and pledged to end the pandemic. He expected the vaccines that were about to become available (thanks in part to Trump) to do the trick, and he expected the end of the pandemic and the resulting economic surge to ensure his popularity. It hasnt worked out that way, and voters are holding Biden responsible. Thats why he has reversed course on vaccine mandates. Its an act of desperation. At the same time, his vaccine mandates will likely produce significant health benefits. I say likely because we dont know for sure. Israel vaccinated its population pretty thoroughly, yet new coronavirus cases there are at an all-time high and daily deaths from the virus are approaching one. Moreover, any health benefits have to be weighed against the loss of freedom to control ones body that Bidens mandates entail. There is no objective means of performing such weighing. It comes down to ones values. Are Bidens mandates lawful? My sense is that the federal government as an employer probably has the right to condition employment on being vaccinated. Imposing such measures on other employers is, of course, more problematic. The government can and does impose certain requirements on employers that do business with it. But Bidens mandates go further. They extend to employers of a certain size whether they do business with the feds or not. The Biden administration will claim authority to do so via OSHA the Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The claim will be that OSHA has the authority to order companies to take actions to protect their workers when the Secretary of Labor determines they face a grave danger. OSHA is an area of the law about which I know next to nothing. Thus, Im best advised not to opine at this point on whether OSHA provides a lawful basis for Bidens stunning assertion of federal power. However, I do know this much OSHA does not override the Constitution. The Biden/Garland Justice Department has sued the state of Texas over its new anti-abortion law. You can read the complaint here. Whatever ones views of the Texas law, the DOJs suit is baseless. Its filing demonstrates that under Joe Biden and Merrick Garland, the DOJ has become a hyper-partisan, unprincipled, and lawless tool of the left. The Department of Justice lacks authority to file any lawsuit unless a statute grants litigation authority to the Attorney General. The DOJs complaint cites no statute granting such authority. None exists. Otherwise the DOJ would have cited it. Merrick Garland may consider the Texas statute unconstitutional. He may be right. But he lacks the free-standing authority to challenge statutes he deems unconstitutional, no matter how much the Democrats leftist base clamors for him to do so. Congress has enacted various statutes that authorize particular kinds of enforcement actions to remedy violations of the Constitution. E.g., 18 U.S.C. 242; 42 U.S.C. 2000c-6; 34 U.S.C. 12601. If the DOJ can bring a suit like this one, which is supported by no such statute, Congress wouldnt have enacted these statutes because the DOJ already had authority to bring federal court litigation for any violation of the Constitution. The DOJs lawsuit is abusive. It lacks a sound basis in the law. I suspect that Garland understands this. Im pretty sure he understands that the Fifth Circuit, full of Republican appointees, is highly unlikely to countenance the suit. If the case gets to the Supreme Court, the DOJ might get three votes, but its possible that only Justice Sotomayor will go along with its lawless position. The DOJs case is that weak. Accordingly, the DOJs suit is best viewed as an attempt to appease the pro-abortion Democratic base. If/when its tossed, Biden and Garland can say that they at least tried to stick up for abortion rights in Texas, and blame conservative judges for demurring. However, Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure authorizes sanctions against parties that file lawsuits for any improper purpose and lawsuits that are not warranted by existing law or by a nonfrivolous argument for extending, modifying, or reversing existing law . In my view, the governments suit against Texas is a good candidate for Rule 11 sanctions. NOTE: The Wall Street Journal editors also consider the DOJs case abusive. If Code Pink demonstrators start screaming during a congressional hearing, should they be charged with a felony and sentenced to 20 years in prison? They have not been, and as much as I dislike Code Pink, they should not be. Thirty days in the hole seems like a sufficient sentence. But the federal statute that criminalizes obstructing an official proceeding of Congress makes such obstruction a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. And according to the Washington Post, federal prosecutors are applying that statute to the protesters at least 235 of them who entered the Capitol in January of this year. A few judges have noticed the disconnect. U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta recently asked how federal prosecutors distinguish felony conduct qualifying as obstructing an official proceeding of Congress from misdemeanor offenses the government has brought against those who interrupt congressional hearings. Dissatisfied with the answer, Judge Mehta complained: Essentially, what you said is, Trust us. And that is a real problem when it comes to criminal statutes, to suggest, We know it when we see it, and well pick and choose when it is an appropriate exercise of prosecutorial discretion. Of course, the problem is particularly acute in cases like Code Pink and Jan. 6, where the government is likely to pick and choose based on its sympathy, or lack thereof, for the protesters. Mehta is the second judge to raise this concern in these cases. Judge Randolph Moss voiced it last month. Moss and Mehta were appointed by President Obama. Both judges have said that the government must put individuals clearly on notice as to how corruptly obstructing or influencing Congress differs from ordinary trespassing, parading or disorderly conduct in the Capitol lesser charges that are punishable by no more than six months in prison. Both suggest that the statute in question falls short and thus is unconstitutionally vague. Their point has special resonance in the case of many of the January 6 defendants the substantial number of them who entered the Capitol but did little more than mill around peacefully for a while. I know of one such defendant who did nothing more than that, and left when a Capitol police officer instructed him to. Yet this defendant and others like him face the prospect of being prosecuted for obstructing an official proceeding. In my view, they did no such thing. But even if they had, their obstruction was less direct than what occurs when Code Pink types try to shout down speakers during congressional hearings. One of the prosecutors told Judge Mehta that the key thing here is that the January 6 defendants acted corruptly because they intended to intimidate Congress. The claim that those protesters who simply milled around in the Capitol intended to intimidate Congress is truly a stretch. Shouting at members of Congress during a hearing seems more intimidating than wandering around unseen by any member. In any event, whatever their intent, a protesters presence in the building, without more, obstructed nothing. On a related note, I learned tonight that a group of leftists has told Justice Kavanaugh youre going to hear from us over the Supreme Courts dismissal of the initial challenge to that Texas abortion statute. They have scheduled a protest next week outside of Kavanaughs home. 18 U.S. Code 1507 subjects those who with the intent of interfering with, obstructing, or impeding the administration of justice, or with the intent of influencing any judge, juror, witness, or court officer, in the discharge of his duty, pickets or parades in or near a building housing a court of the United States, or in or near a building or residence occupied or used by such judge. . .shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both (emphasis added). If the anti-Kavanaugh folks carry through with their threat, which would clearly amount to intimidation, will the Biden Justice Department prosecute them under this statute? Will it ask for a one-year prison sentence? I very much doubt it. These protesters are on the DOJs side. Yes, no matter what Yes, but it depends on variety No, for medical reasons, uncertainty No, principle Vote View Results The Enugu State Government has said it would carry out classification of hotels, eateries and other hospitality-related businesses to boost the tourism potential of the state. The General Manager, Enugu State Tourism Board, Steve Odo, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Thursday. Mr Odo said the classification would be performed according to the facilities provided in them and their locations. He said the facilities would be classified into A, B, C and D and at the end projected in all the boards information, electronic and media platforms for ease of access and patronage. The board believes that hotels, eateries and other hospitality-related businesses in the state are not well-placed, information-wise. Little did people living outside the South-east or the country know about them. The exercise will further open them up for business and avail international and local tourists first hand and comprehensive information on them. Tourists will achieve this through well-placed information and location of these facilities via the boards information and media platforms with ease, he said. Mr Odo said the state government had ensured a conducive environment for tourism and hospitality businesses to thrive in the state. In terms of security, Enugu State remains one of the most secure in the country. We have a good nightlife culture and our people love visitors and tourists also. Our cuisines are quite unforgettable and we have the best of local dishes and best grade of local wine (palm wine) to make a tourist wish to come back asking for more, Mr Odo said. He urged the management of hotels, eateries and hospitality businesses in the state to get duly registered with the government through the board. Mr Odo regretted that for some years running, some of the facilities had not paid their yearly renewal fees, thus denying the government of necessary revenue. Enugu State Tourism Board Law 2013 requires every hospitality, tourism and tourism-related establishments to apply for registration within 60 days of its operation and be registered, if so approved. The board has the right to refuse to grant such applications, if the establishment does not conform to the minimum standard, he said. According to him, no hospitality and tourism-related activities or other such events would be held in the state, unless they were registered with the board upon payment of the approved fees. He appealed to the state-owned media houses and others to assist in the sensitisation of the owners of the facilities on the need to register and formalise their operations. ADVERTISEMENT Through this, they can also enjoy government recognition, patronage and (the) states tourism board advertising platforms to boost their business potentials even beyond the country, Mr Odo said. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT Nigerias state-owned oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), could be teetering on the brink of bankruptcy as the groups current liabilities outweigh its current assets by as much as N4.6 trillion, the auditors report of its 2020 financials issued on Wednesday showed. The group reported a net profit of N287.2 billion (Corporation: N235.3 billion) during the year ended 31 December 2020 and, as at that date, the current liabilities exceeded its current assets by N4.6 trillion (Corporation: N729.1 billion), the auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said. These events or conditions, along with other matters as set forth in Note 42, indicate that a material uncertainty exists that may cast significant doubt on the group and corporations ability to continue as a going concern. But NNPC directors said they are upbeat about the corporations potential to keep running in the short term. The directors assess the groups future performance and financial position on an ongoing basis and have no reason to believe that the group will not be a going concern in the year ahead, they said in the report. READ ALSO: NNPC, whose accounts had for years been kept away from public knowledge, announced its first profit in 44 years late August. That has provoked curiosity among analysts, intent on knowing how the firm dramatically curbed losses from N803 billion in 2018 to N1.7 billion in 2019 and then the steep swing to a N287.2 billion profit last year. Despite reporting the profit, accumulated losses in recent years came to N1.5 trillion for the group and N395 billion for the corporation. Among the moves taken to mitigate the big threat to the continuity of its operations revealed by the audit scrutiny is NNPCs proposed recapitalisation, which Group Managing Director Mele Kyari said on Tuesday would come in the form of an initial public offering in three years time. In January, cash-starved NNPC entered a pact with trading partners to pay it $1 billion in advance to finance the refurbishment of the Port Harcourt refinery, its biggest refinery infrastructure, requiring the corporation to pay back over seven years. It had consummated a similar deal five months earlier when it agreed with Matrix and Vitol Group for a $1.5 billion prepayment to be repaid with 15,000 barrels of crude with each of the parties for five years. ADVERTISEMENT In a move that could become a major boost to the Nigerian economy, a syringe manufacturing company in the country is set to export its products to Germany. The company, Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Ltd, is based in Akwa Ibom State, Nigerias South-south. Owned by a Turkish national, Onur Kumral, Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Ltd is one of the several industries attracted to Akwa Ibom State by Governor Udom Emmanuels administration. We applied for CE certification. CE certification is the standard of Europe and we are hoping to get it before the end of this year. We have all the qualifying stuff. A German company requested syringes from us but we need those certifications, the CEO of Jubilee Syringe, Mr Kumral, said in an interview published on August 16 by PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Kumral sees the deal between the Jubilee Syringe and the German firm as a revolution waiting to happen, for the Nigerian economy. It is not easy to get those EU certifications in Africa. That would be a reverse back policy. It strikes a revolution. We would love you to witness that one with us. READ ALSO: When the first container is loading, we will all witness it. This is huge because it is reversing back. That is a huge revenue for the country in terms of exchange rate. That is an important milestone that we targeted in the last two years, he said. Mr Kumral said the syringe company is working on raising its production capacity from 400 million capacity per year to between 800 million or one billion. We will, hopefully, do that at the end of 2022, he added. Apart from Jubilee Syringe, the Turkish businessman and investor also owns a flour mill, Kings Flour Mill and a construction company, VKS Construction Ltd, in Akwa Ibom. He revealed that his company is planning to set up a factory in Nigeria to produce Turkish textiles. His business employs about 2,000 persons directly and 25,000 indirectly, he said. Mr Kumral spoke on how COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted on his business ventures. During this post COVID-19, to bring materials, starting from timber, aluminum to steel, have been raised to about 70 per cent on dollar prices because of supply and demand problems. The transportation to Nigeria from Europe is about double now. So, this also affected our budget. Post COVID-19 investment budget and the duration are not the same. Let me give you an example, when I ordered an injection machine from Austria, I was able to get that in three months, maximum four months. If you go now and request from those same people, they will give you a minimum of nine months. Also, one could pay some percentage in advance and some percentage when they are loading. Now, you have to pay 100 percent up front before any business is done. So, all the cash flows, all your schedules on it have changed. We are revising that now, he said. ADVERTISEMENT United Bank for Africa (UBA) saw its bottom-line between January and June leap by more than a third with growth in two key earnings sources interest and fees & commission providing the major boost. Profit after tax expanded from N44.4 billion N60.6 billion, the earnings report of the tier 1 lender, published by the Nigerian Exchange, showed on Friday. The bank generated the bulk of its fees & other commission from higher earnings from electronic banking, which contributed N29.6 billion, 65 per cent bigger than what it earned in the corresponding period of last year. UBAs pre-tax profit stood at N76.186 billion, one-third higher than its figure for half year 2020. On the balance sheet side, total assets grew from N7.8 trillion to N8.3 trillion boosted by significant jump in investment securities at amortised cost. Meanwhile, the big-cap lender declared in a separate statement an interim dividend of N0.20 per share to be paid to stockholders who buy the companys shares by September 23. Payment is scheduled for September 30. Shares in UBA closed in Lagos on Friday at N7.85 per unit, shedding 3.18 per cent. A professor in the Department of Community Health, Primary Care, College of Medicine, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akin Osibogun, has said that Nigeria needs an average of N693 billion to achieve herd immunity against the ravaging coronavirus. Mr Osibogun stated this on Tuesday during his presentation as the keynote speaker at the third edition of research fair by the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojoo. The research fair with the theme; Creative and Innovative Solution to the COVID-19 Pandemic, also had Mr Osibogun speaking on the topic; Prevention is Still Better than a Cure: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic. He said the estimated fund will be enough to vaccinate about 140 million Nigerians with two doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines, which will create a herd immunity for Nigerias estimated 206 million population. Two doses of AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccines at $3 per dose for 140m Nigerians will give us herd immunity. The two doses will cost $840 million plus another $840 million for the cost of administration which will total $1.680 billion, he said. The N693 billion estimation is calculated based on the official exchange rate of N412 per dollar as of Tuesday. Vaccination so far Nigeria had commenced COVID-19 vaccination on March 5, 2021, having received approximately four million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines from COVAX. Since then, the country has received more doses of various approved vaccines and has so far inoculated over four million persons. READ ALSO: To achieve herd immunity against COVID-19, Nigeria had set an ambitious goal of vaccinating 40 per cent of its over 200 million population before the end of 2021, and 70 per cent by the end of 2022. About 70 per cent of the total population needs to receive the COVID-19 vaccines to completely eradicate the virus, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib said in January ahead of the vaccine rollout. Mr Shuaib said about 40 per cent will be vaccinated in 2021, while the remaining 30 per cent will be covered in 2022. To vaccinate 40 per cent of Nigerias 200 million citizens means 80 million people would have received their full doses by the end of this year. But with only about four million persons vaccinated so far, Nigeria may not meet it set target. Vaccines safety Mr Osibogun said ongoing research in Nigeria shows COVID-19 vaccines are safe and immunogenic based on data collected so far in selected states including Lagos, the epicentre of the disease in the country. He noted that there are thousands of variants of SARS-COV-2 circulating globally. Viral mutation has led to increased transmissibility and decreased sensitivity to neutralising antibodies. The Delta variant is more transmissible and more virulent, he said. ADVERTISEMENT He said the currently available vaccines appear to be effective against most of the variants, however, there is a need for continuous monitoring of new variants that may require modifications to the vaccines. He explained that rapid vaccination of large populations may help stop viral variation and end the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to note that the strength of the vaccines is to prevent serious manifestation of disease and not to prevent infection. Other layers of protection like face masks, hand washing are still recommended even after vaccination, he said. A human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, said the police operatives who tortured a fresh university graduate to death in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, had wanted to secretly dispose of the body. It was one telephone call that prevented the police from doing so, Mr Effiong, a lawyer to the deceased student, said on Wednesday while briefing reporters in Uyo on the circumstances surrounding his death. The briefing was organised by an NGO, Youth Alive Foundation, in collaboration with Community Stakeholders for Social Good, Akwa Ibom State Civil Society Forum, and Youth Advocacy Cluster, Akwa Ibom State, and was attended by some relatives of the deceased student. Mmanti Umoh, a member of the #EndSars panel in the state, was also at the briefing. Kubiat Akpan, 28, was reported dead a few hours after he was arrested on August 29, tortured to death by the police, according to an autopsy report. The autopsy was ordered by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Amiengheme Andrew, after the lawyer, Mr Effiong, publicly accused the police of killing Mr Akpan. After Mr Akpans death, the police spokesperson, Odiko MacDon, said in a statement that the late student was a suspect in a robbery and cultism investigation, a claim Mr Effiong dismissed as false and irresponsible. The late student had just graduated from the Department of Architecture, University of Uyo, and was waiting for mobilisation for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps scheme, before the sad incident. The police commissioner had also ordered the arrest, detention, and questioning of an assistant superintendent of police, Michael Joweigha, over the students death. Phone call that changed the course of things When Mr Akpan was picked up by the police at a popular store, Eni Stores, in Uyo, around 8p.m., he frantically made a phone call to an aunt, informing her of his arrest. The aunt, who knows the officer that heads the division which arrested Mr Akpan, called the officer, Daniel Akpan, a deputy superintendent of police, and politely requested him to look after the student, that she would be coming over to the station in the morning. Unfortunately, that did not happen, as the student was tortured to death the night he was arrested. And what did they do after his death? They took his corpse to the mortuary and dumped it as an unknown corpse, the lawyer, Mr Effiong, said at the press briefing. Mr Effiong said the officers who took the corpse to the mortuary refused to identify themselves, a fact that has been confirmed by PREMIUM TIMES. They recorded an entry at the mortuary as an unknown corpse who had an accident at Nsit Ibom Local Government Area of the state, Mr Effiong said. This newspaper has also confirmed that the officers lied to the mortuary attendant about where the corpse came from. If not for that one call, because we are reliable informed that they (the police) are now regretting that they allowed him (the late student) to make that call to contact his aunt, we wouldnt be sitting here today, we would have been looking for Kubiat as a missing person, the lawyer said. Footage from the CCTV camera at Eni Stores was played for reporters; it showed how several armed police officers stormed the store to arrest the late student. ADVERTISEMENT Relying on the footage and other information, Mr Effiong and the family of Mr Akpan said it was obvious that several officers, and not one person, tortured the student to death. They called on the police authorities to bring to book all the officers who were involved in the incident. They also said the head of the police division which arrested Mr Akpan is culpable in the students death, and, therefore, should be suspended immediately to give room for a smooth investigation. The police spokesperson, Mr MacDon, on Wednesday, granted an interview to a local radio station where he insisted that the late student was under criminal investigation. Mr Effiong challenged the police to mention the robbery incident that they say the student was involved in, who lodged a report against him and to whom. He also sought to know if the police had ever gone to look for the student at his department in the university or ask his parents to turn him in for questioning. The Youth Alive Foundation and other NGOs that organised the press briefing called on the police and the Akwa Ibom State Government to ensure that justice is done for the late Mr Akpan and his family. The average Akwa Ibom parent now lives in constant fear that either their daughters, like Iniubong Umoren, would be raped and gruesomely murdered while on a job search or their sons, like Kubiat Isaac Akpan would be framed up, arrested, tortured and disposed by the men of the police paid with their tax to protect them from harm, the groups said in their position which was presented by the Programs Lead, Youth Alive Foundation, Akwa Ibom State, Joe Otu. Controversial Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has again condemned the ongoing military onslaughts against armed bandits in Zamfara and others Northwest states of Nigeria. Mr Gumi said only residents of the adjoining states are suffering the effects of the military action in Zamfara, as the bandits have since allegedly escaped. By the way, what you may not hear is that the bandits over the years have developed escape routes from aerial bombardments. They told us: you can only kill our women and children with your attacks!, the cleric posted on his verified Facebook page. He continued: Just yesterday (Thursday), two contingents of banditry victims came to me that their loved ones were abducted by bandits in Kaduna suburbs Rigachukun and Keke. An escapee engineer in the later said when he overheard and understood that they (bandits) were strangers in the area as they were calling the locals to lead them, that gave him the courage to slip through densely grown maize plantations to escape. The point is that, if Zamfara is on fire for them, definitely it goes without saying that they will migrate to other areas. So, is the whole of Nigeria going to be under lock-up in incommunicado? (sic), Mr Gumi queried. War has never been the solution anywhere anytime he said, urging the Nigerian government to grant an amnesty to the bandits. Mr Gumi had visited some bandits in their forest hideouts and has consistently advised the government to negotiate with them in order to bring an end to banditry in the region. Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle and his counterparts in Katsina had engaged bandits in their state in dialogue but the approach failed to end the menace. They have now withdrawn from the process and endorsed military actions. Also, Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and his Niger State counterpart, Abubakar Sani, are also opposed to dialogue with the outlaws. The cleric denied that he has sympathy for the criminals. Rather, he said his concern is for his country, his state and humanity. I am a qualified Medical Doctor who knows what it takes to precisely excise a brain tumour without destroying the delicate surrounding brain tissues. I was a commissioned military officer who knows what the military is for and what is the capability of our military. I am an intellectual with a Ph.D. from Abroad. I am an Islamic scholar who knows the immorality of killing innocent lives. So, silence for me in this ocean of oblivion is not an option, Mr Gumi said. He added that a sensible person would not allow his dwelling to be a theatre of war, adding, killing rats in your rat-infested sitting room with an iron rod will only end up destroying your gadgets and furniture probably without killing any. We should not mask out poor governance with artillery power. Peace mission My mission has not failed but it was sabotaged or discouraged by the same influential people that benefit from the chaos or like us to destroy ourselves and leave the herdsmen in perpetual ignorance, Mr Gumi continued. Some said we have tried amnesty but it didnt work. You didnt try amnesty but tried amnesia. Amnesty without rehabilitation, reconciliation, and reparation is no amnesty. Ask the former Niger Delta Militants who killed security men in the past what an amnesty is. What stops us from having a federal ministry of Nomadic Affairs where their grievances and complaints will be addressed? All the bandit leaders we saw complained of how some repentant ones were picked and extra-judicially killed after the surrender of their weapons. Without their trust of the very unjust system all Nigerians complain of, which they took arms to fight, peace and negotiations with them will not work. This brings our role of mediation. They (bandits) know as religious men we will not deceive them, and they came out in troops to meet us. To our astonishment, it is the same unjust system that turns round to betray our peace mission. Some of the press for giving a negative narrative, whom I also term criminals-in-purpose. Some of the politicians who I see as urban-bandits who, out of their share mismanagement of our meagre resources and misplacement of priority, cause the death and infirmity of more people than the bandits affect. Of recent, how many Nigerians die of cholera -a water-born disease- because of lack of simple clean water to drink, or typhoid, malaria, and malnutrition? A nation with a maternal mortality rate of almost 500000/annum because of the lack of adequate maternal health facilities and qualified staff. A country where its highly-priced medical personnel is looking for a window to escape the inferno. Such a country, please! ADVERTISEMENT READ ALSO: As for the economic impact of the areas now under siege, its just a matter of time, youll hear them crying out. Already yesterday a man from Tsafe came begging because of economic stagnation, one would have thought that Gusau the capital is closer than Kaduna to beg. As for those cynics that have no value to add in the dilemma except vituperation, and abuses, we know that is the substance they are made up of. No qualms whatsoever! you dont expect fragrance from faeces, Mr Gumi said. So, what is the solution? Good Intelligence! Good proficient policing, engagement of the local herdsmen in policing, rehabilitation, reconciliation, and reparation of all victims of banditry. The good, honest judiciary that protects peoples rights. Money and time well spent on these will surely kill the disease and heal the nation of this delinquency, crimes, and bad governance, he concluded. The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Friday, ordered the Rivers and Lagos state governments to stay action on their bids to collect Value Added Tax (VAT) pending the resolution of the legal dispute on the matter. A three-man panel of the appellate court ordered that the enforcement of the judgment of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, latched on to by the state governments be put on hold. Haruna Tsanami, the judge who delivered the lead ruling of the panel, also suspended the operation of the law passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly and assented to by Governor Nyesom Wike, for the collection of VAT by the State government. The court held that since parties had submitted themselves to the jurisdiction of the court for adjudication on the issue, they must not do anything that will destroy the subject matter of the appeal. Specifically, Mr Tsanami granted status quo ante bellum in favour of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and against the respondents. The suit was then fixed for September 16, 2021, for hearing of an application by the Lagos State government to join the suit. Lagos State needed to apply to be joined in the case because it was not part of the case at the trial court. FIRS in an appeal marked CA/PH/282/2021, is praying the court to set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, which granted power to the state government to collect VAT. The tax collection agency also asked the appellate court to stay the execution of Rivers judgment. Backstory Recently, the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt in a verdict held that it was unconstitutional for the FIRS to collect VAT and personal income tax in Rivers State. Besides that, the court had ruled that Rivers State Government, and not the agent of the Federal Government the FIRS was authorised by the Nigerian Constitution to collect personal income tax in the state, PREMIUM TIMES had reported. Emboldened by the court order, both Governor Wike of Rivers State and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, had signed into law bills authorising the state governments to collect VAT, a move being resisted by the FIRS. The move has heightened the national debate on Nigerias uneven fiscal federalism. About N651.77 billion, for instance, was generated as VAT in the first half of 2020, an 8.45 per cent increase when compared with half-year 2019. The Nigerian government in February 2020 increased the VAT rate from 5 per cent to 7.5 per cent, while it had anticipated a deficit of N2.18 trillion ($6 billion) for the 2020 budget. While signing the bill into law, Mr Wike said the federal government had been perpetuating illegality through VAT collection by FIRS, and that the various states in Nigeria have been strangulated financially and reduced to beggars. ADVERTISEMENT Premium Times reported how the Lagos government also toed the same path on Friday. President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday appealed to the striking members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to return to their duty posts while negotiations continue to resolve the conflict. According to a statement issued on Friday and signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, the President also pleaded with other health workers who are currently warming up for similar actions to reconsider their positions, saying the nation need them now more than ever before. Mr Buhari made the plea on Friday while receiving the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) who paid him a visit at the state house in Abuja. He said no matter how long negotiations may take, it is still the best way to resolve crisis. The President was quoted as saying, The lives of citizens that could be lost or damaged when doctors withdraw services, are precious enough to be worth opting for peaceful resolution of differences. The President assured that all outstanding benefits owed medical doctors will be cleared, but only after necessary verifications must have been carried out. Caution He noted that embarking on industrial action at a critical health period for the country and citizens was not a good option. He said, Protecting our citizens is not to be left to government alone, but taken as a collective responsibility, in which especially medical professionals play a critical role. Let me speak directly to the striking doctors. Embarking on industrial action at this time when Nigerians need you most is not the best action to take, no matter the grievances. This Administration has a good track record of paying all debts owed to government workers, pensioners and contractors and we have even revisited debts left by past administrations, once due verification is done. Debts genuinely owed health workers will be settled. I learnt that some of the 12 points demand in the ongoing strike were already addressed. Though the review of a new hazard allowance has not been fully negotiated because of the sharp and deep division within the ranks of the striking doctors. President Buhari, who has been criticised in the past for periodically seeking medical attention abroad despite the nations ailing health sector, spoke on the outstanding issue of the circular issued by the Head of Service, removing house officers, and NYSC doctors from scheme of service. He said there was a circular from National Salaries and Wages Commission to clarify that they will continue to earn the wages attached to them on their present wage structure. I request that the agreement reached in the meetings of 20th and 21st August captured in the MOU which I have seen be religiously implemented, he added. To further improve the health sector, the President said budgetary allocations had been increased and a Health Sector Reform Committee, under the chairmanship of the Vice President, had been commissioned to identify and address weaknesses in the health system and align with global best practices that raise public confidence. We are also supporting initiatives to expand health insurance coverage and bring more resources to health financing. We have many more challenges ahead and much more to do, for our large population. In this respect, it is important to remind you that, as senior medical personnel and representatives of one of the most respected professional groups in the world, your responsibility for the health and wellbeing of Nigerians are clear. It does not end only with the welfare of your members, but continues with a sense of responsibility for the entire country and its sociopolitical health and national stability, he added. ADVERTISEMENT President Buhari noted that Nigerias source of revenue over many years was dwindling, with a rising population. The global economy has been seriously affected by the pandemic, and despite recent pleasing news of more than five per cent economic growth of Nigeria in the last quarter, we are still having fiscal challenges to deal with, like most other countries. The source of revenue that Nigeria has depended on for so long experienced global decline, our population is rising fast and the tension arising from both, is fuelling agitation among our youth. Organisations like the NMA could play a very useful moderating role in society, the President said. The President commended the positive role the NMA has been playing, as the apex professional medical association in Nigeria, especially with regard to the ongoing industrial action. This is a befitting role for the NMA, as a mature organisation, led by responsible members with long experience. I am proud also to learn of various feats that have been achieved in our hospitals, like the separation of conjoined twins and also the valiant efforts of our health personnel in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, much of which has earned us recognition at home and abroad, and the recent appointment of one of your colleagues as Assistant Director General of the World Health Organisation. We again warmly congratulate Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu for his elevation. President Buhari admonished that the course of COVID-19 in Nigeria was not yet entirely clear, and response to it must be collective. In his remarks, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said the NMA had been playing a critical role in development of the health sector, particularly in tackling pandemics, participating in policy formulation and population health. NMA reacts Meanwhile, the president of the NMA, Innocent A. Ujah, thanked the President for appointing the associations members into strategic positions in government, assent to the Medical Residency Act and immunisation coverage. Mr Ujah said the association was concerned about the industrial action embarked upon by doctors, and had been doing its best to alleviate the suffering of patients across the country, while appealing for an urgent resolution. The NMA president thanked President Buhari for the takeoff grant for the Federal Universities of Health Sciences in Otukpo, Benue State, Azare, Bauchi State and Ila Orangun, Osun State. Mr Ujah suggested an appropriate funding model for the new institutions. He assured the President of the continuous support of members of the association to improve health in the country. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, his wife, Dolapo, and former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday, attended the funeral and thanksgiving service of the late Emmanuel Abiodun at Iperu-Remo, Ogun. The deceased, father of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, passed away on August 2. He was 89. The funeral service held at St. James Anglican Church, Iperu-Remo. Fondly called Baba teacher, the late Abiodun was an accomplished teacher and spent a big part of his teaching career at the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, where he held several positions. Governors present at the service included Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Abudulrahmam Razaq of Kwara, alongside some deputy governors. Also in attendance were Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker, House of Representatives, Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and some members of the Federal Executive Council. Former governors of the state Olusegun Osoba, Gbenga Daniel, Ibikunle Amosun and royal fathers also attended the service. A former Governor of Edo, Adams Oshiomhole, President, African Development Bank (AfDB) Akinwunmi Adesina, CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa were at the service. In his message, Mr Osinbajo said the gathering was to celebrate not just the passing of the father of a brother and friend but to celebrate the passing of a rare breed. A man who loves his family; he served the community, his nation and his God and he served them well. He enjoyed the grace of God and the mercies of God himself; if you look at his biography, you will find that he enjoyed the mercies of God; a man in his time, has been a graduate with a degree in English Literature, a master degree and a doctorate, all almost 50 to 60 years ago. But he did not take that grace for granted; he gave back to the society; he became a teacher, a teacher of teachers and was celebrated even in his lifetime as `Baba teacher; he taught so many and gave back to so many people. But he kept giving back to the community and he kept giving back on serving the church, Mr Osinbajo said. The vice president said that such inheritance was neither in possession nor in money, pointing out that it was the gospel of Jesus Christ that he gave to his children and to all of those that he came across. Mr Osinbajo extended the condolences of President Muhammadu Buhari to the governor, his mother and all members of the deceaseds family. Earlier in his sermon, the Olusina Fape, Diocesan Bishop of Remo, said that `death is a debt which everybody must pay. Mr Fape urged Christians to live their lives in a manner that would earn them heaven when they die. He said that ones status would not earn one heaven unless one lived a worthy life. ADVERTISEMENT The archbishop thanked God for the impactful life of the deceased as a Christian father. He lived a humble life to the service of God and humanity, he said. At least 18 bishops attended the service alongside Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and his wife, Folu. In his remarks, Mr Abiodun, who thanked the vice president and all those who attended the service, said it was a celebration of a worthy life lived by his father. His legacy was that of service to God and humanity through his teaching ministry, he said. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT The Akwa Ibom House of Assembly has passed for second reading a bill seeking to ban open grazing of livestock in the state. The bill, sponsored by Udo Kieran, member representing Oruk Anam State Constituency, was considered by the House and passed for second reading on Thursday during plenary. Leading the debate on the bill, Mr Kieran said the bill seeks to prevent the destruction of farms, crops, ponds, settlements and properties caused by open rearing and grazing of livestock and protect the environment from degradation and pollution. The bill, which appeared to enjoy unanimous support from lawmakers, was referred to the joint Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Lands, Housing and Urban Renewal. The committee is expected to report back to the House within two weeks. When passed into law and assented to by Governor Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom will join the list of states in Nigeria that have enacted law to ban open grazing. Rivers, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ekiti and Abia states have enacted similar laws. Lagos State anti-open grazing bill which has just been passed into law is awaiting the assent of the governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. READ ALSO: Similar bills are at various levels in Enugu and Delta States. Southern states in Nigeria had reached a resolution on July 5, 2021, in Lagos to enact a law prohibiting open grazing. The governors, at the meeting, urged member states to enact legislation against open grazing of cattle in their states on or before September 1. Only five states were able to have the anti-open grazing law in place before the deadline. A civil society organisation, the YIAGA Africa, has lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for consistently evolving measures to improve the quality and transparency of elections in the country. The groups Director of Programmes, Cynthia Mbamalu, made the remark in a statement in Awka on Thursday. Ms Mbamalu described the deployment of technology in the nations electoral process as an imperative and welcome development. She spoke against the backdrop of INECs plan to deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter accreditation to enable near real-time viewing of results. Ms Mbamalu described the system as a multifunctional integrated device that could serve multiple purposes for different activities in the nations election value chain. The BVAS can serve as the INEC Voter Enrolment Device during voter registration and accreditation on election day, replacing the smart card reader. It will also serve as the INEC Results Viewing Device to be used for election results up-load on election day. This recent innovation is worthy of commendation, especially because it is designed to ensure full voter authentication on election day. Where fingerprint authentication fails, facial authentication will be done. Where both fingerprint and facial authentication fails, the voter will not be allowed to vote, she said. Ms Mbamalu said the deployment of the new machine would further guarantee the credibility of the voter accreditation and result management process. This will, by extension, also promote transparent elections, she said. She said it would significantly reduce or possibly eliminate incidents of multiple voting, Permanent Voter Card buying and selling and theft. According to her, the machine will go a long way to guarantee the sanctity of the ballot as well as boost citizens confidence in the process and encourage citizens participation. Yiaga Africa looks forward to the BVAS pilot exercise in the Isoko South State Constituency by-election in Delta. We urge the commission to document critical lessons from the deployment, make effort to bridge any gap identified and train its ad-hoc staff to build their capacity on how to use the BVAS, she said. Ms Mbamalu urged INEC to ensure urgent review and timely release of the manual and guidelines for election ahead of the forthcoming Anambra governorship election. She also urged the National Assembly to accelerate the passage of the Electoral Amendment Bill to legalise the deployment of technology for accreditation, voting and transmission of election results. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Leaders of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore in Kastina State have distanced themselves from a comment by the National Secretary of the association, Saleh Alhassan, describing Governor Aminu Masari as a drunkard. Mr Alhassan had called Mr Masari a drunkard and a tired leader for saying majority of those perpetrating in banditry are Fulanis. They are the same people like me, who speak the same language like me, who profess the same religious beliefs like me, the governor had said in an interview with Channels Television. So, what we have here on ground are bandits; they are not aliens, they are people we know, they are people that have been living with us for 100 of years. The remarks drew strong rebuke from the national scribe of the Fulani cattle herders group. But at a press briefing Friday afternoon in Katsina, Hassan Kuraye, chairman of the association in the state, said Mr Alhassan was on his own and didnt seek for clearance before the interview. READ ALSO: We have spoken with the national executive members and they said Saleh Alhassan did not reflect the true stand of the association on the issue, the local leader of the group in Katsina said. While describing the utterances of the scribe as uncalled for and embarrassing to the entire Fulani race, Mr Kuraye tendered an apology on behalf of the group to Mr Masari and urged him to forgive and forget the unpalatable comments by the official. He also said the national president would lead members of the groups executive committee to Katsina next week to speak with the governor on the matter. A Nigerian virologist and lecturer of microbiology and molecular genetics at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, Adamawa State, Malachy Okeke, has offered what he termed scientific reasons the rampaging coronavirus pandemic cannot be eliminated. In a piece he titled; Post COVID-19 Era is an Illusion: the Epidemic May be Controlled but the Virus is Here to Stay, Mr Okeke said unlike small pox which was significantly eliminated in the 70s, available evidences have indicated that COVID-19 is going nowhere soon. He said the earlier the world realised this the better, noting that what the people should focus on is how to manage the pandemic to limit its consequences. He wrote; Is there any hope that the pandemic or epidemic will be ended by the current response measures and, will life return to normal where face masks, social distancing and therapeutic interventions are no longer needed? The answer to these questions is a definite NO. I will in this essay outline the scientific and public health reasons why a post pandemic era is highly improbable and the goal of response measures globally and in Nigeria should be to keep the epidemic under control but not to eliminate it. Okekes hypothesis According to the don, though the rapid advances in molecular medicine, scientific brilliance and collaboration among scientists, and massive funding from governments and charities made discovery and rollout of vaccines against the virus possible within an unprecedented time frame, evidence has shown that the vaccines cannot protect against transmission. He said the achievement of a herd immunity targeted through massive vaccination of a large portion of the global roughly 7 billion people is clearly impossible considering the attitudes of the rich nations in hoarding the vaccines as against the struggles of the underdeveloped and developing nations. At the time the vaccines were licensed, the data on their effectiveness in preventing COVID-19 virus transmission was not unavailable. We now know that while the vaccines are highly effective against serious illnesses, they are not so effective in preventing virus transmission. That is why vaccinated individuals can get re-infected and transmit the virus to susceptible individuals within the population. We teach our first-year undergrads the scientific method and how to draw conclusions based on data. Sadly, in this case some of the best vaccinologists in the world made a wrong call on the herd immunity hypothesis and the world is paying a heavy price, Mr Okeke said. Also, the virologist noted that data have shown that the protection offered by the vaccines is temporal and not lifelong, adding that statistics have shown that the protection conferred by the vaccines start to wane after six months. The wane in immunity is higher in COVID 19 vaccines based on the messenger RNA platform (Pfizer, Modena) than in those based on the virus-vector platform (AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson). Unlike the smallpox vaccine which generated lifelong immunity in which robust immunological memory can be activated and clonally expanded to mop up any new Orthopoxvirus infections, COVID-19 vaccines do not possess the ability to generate robust immunological memory that can effectively nullify the virus if reinfection is to occur months or years post vaccination. Thus, unlike the smallpox vaccine which eradicated the pandemic of smallpox by 1970, present COVID 19 vaccines will not end the pandemic. The waning of immunity in those that have been vaccinated is in part responsible for the current upsurge of cases around the world, particularly in the USA, Israel, and UAE, he noted. Ecological, public health factors The virologist also noted that beyond the vaccine-related factors that could make the end of the pandemic unrealisable are also some viral, ecological and public health factors. He noted that the SARS-CoV-2 virus that originally led to COVID-19 is error prone when copying its genetic material, noting that the enzyme that copies the virus RNA material during its replication (growth) in host cells makes a lot of errors resulting in mutations (heritable change in genetic material). Most of these mutations are harmless or deleterious to the virus, but one or two of those mutations may confer a fitness advantage to the virus allowing it to emerge as a dominant mutant or variant. Many of such variants have already emerged with WHO classifying them as Variants of Concern (Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta), Variants of Interest (Eta, Lota, Kappa, Lambda) and several others that are currently being monitored, he said. More hosts Another reason advanced by the scientist is that unlike smallpox virus which only infects humans, the COVID-19 virus infects other hosts including cats, dogs, fruit bats, among others. He wrote; However, although animal to human transmission has not been reported, there are many cases of human to animal transmission. Most scientists agree that the COVID 19 virus emerged because of zoonotic spillover (jump of the virus from an animal host to human). It is thus likely that the virus has animal host(s) that provide the ecological niche for its continued maintenance and circulation in the wild. Therefore, even in the unlikely scenario that the virus is eliminated from the human population, secondary spillover events can occur in which the virus emerges from the wild to cause new outbreaks in humans. Way forward The lecturer noted in his piece that part of the reasons the virus has continued to spread is the fatigue among the people especially in their failure to observe non-pharmaceutical precautionary measures such as wearing of face masks, regular hand washing and maintaining of social distancing culture. He accused many rich nations of relaxing or completely abandoning public health measures and urged nations to ensure that these measures are regularly observed by the people. ADVERTISEMENT Israel, Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, many states in the USA removed restrictions, and the virus came back with a vengeance forcing those countries to immediately reintroduce the mitigation measures and, in case of Australia, a complete lockdown of its capital Sydney. The lesson here is that, even when we have vaccines against COVID 19, it is almost impossible to control the virus without strict adherence to mitigation measures like social distancing and wearing of face masks, he concluded. He, therefore, listed substantial vaccination coverage, rapid testing and genome surveillance, mandatory adherence to the mitigation measures on face mask and social distancing as well as the development or deployment of new generation of vaccines that are effective in preventing disease and virus transmission simultaneously as the lasting solutions to preventing the pandemic from constant resurgence. ADVERTISEMENT The police in Lagos have redeployed and slammed an investigation on the Divisional Police Officer of Denton Police Division, Adegoke Atilade, for allegedly losing his pistol after having sex in his office. This development was contained in a statement released by Adekunle Ajisebutu, the Lagos police spokesperson. Punch Newspaper on Thursday reported that Mr Atilade detained his lover, one Jennifer Madueke, over his missing service pistol after allegedly having sex with her at his office. Mr Atilade after detaining the lady at his station for three days, transferred her to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, where she continued her detention. According to the report, the DPO invited Ms Madueke to his office on the night of August 27, slept with her till Saturday morning, and released her at about 5 a.m. On September 4, one week after the sex escapade, Mr Atilade reportedly invited his lover for them to see again, only for him to detain her and accused her of stealing his service pistol. He allegedly kept and tortured her in his cell till September 6, telling her to confess to stealing the pistol. He thereafter took her to SCIID from where she led the police to her house for searching and possible recovering the missing pistol. According to the report, the effort failed as no pistol was found at her apartment. Mr Ajisebutu said the police commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered an investigation into the incident and an immediate redeployment of Mr Atilade from Denton Police Division. This is to inform the general public that the Lagos State Police Command is not oblivious of the reported case of theft of service pistol against one Jenifer Madueke f and the allegation of sex in the office against DPO Denton Police Division, CSP Adegoke Atilade as published on page 4 and 5 of todays edition of the Punch. In the interest of fairness and justice, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered an independent, thorough and unbiased investigation into the case, the statement reads. Mr Ajisebutu said appropriate actions will be taken against any one found culpable at the conclusion of the investigation, and justice would be served to all parties. Mr Ajisebutu, a chief superintendent of police, said the public would be kept abreast of developments in the case. ADVERTISEMENT The 36 state governments have sued the federal government for allegedly refusing to remit funds generated from stamp duties into state governments accounts. The plaintiffs suing through their respective attorneys-general, filed the suit against the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, representating the federal government They urged the court to order the federal government to refund over N176billion collected as stamp duties on individual persons transactions within their respective states for the period of 2015 to 2020. They contended that the power to collect stamp duties lies squarely with the states and not the federal government. The suit is coming at a time the Rivers State government is locked in a fierce legal tussle with the Federal government over revenues from Value Added Tax (VAT). Recently, the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, had ruled in favour of the state over the VAT imbroglio, a decision the Federal government has since appealed against. Prayers In the case filed at the apex court, dated August 24 and marked SC/CV/690/2021, the plaintiffs urged the court to determine whether or not having regard to the mandatory provisions of Section 4(2) of the Stamp Duties Act Cap. S8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) the plaintiffs (all the state attorneys) are not the sole authority to administer and collect stamp duties on all transactions involving individuals/persons within their respective states? They further prayed the court to determine whether having regard to the provisions of Section 4(2) of the Stamp Duties Act Cap. S8 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria read in conjunction with the provisions of Section 163, items 58 and 59 of the Second Schedule part I and items 7 (a) and (b) of the second Schedule part II and other provisions of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the defendant (Malami) could claim, retain, distribute or in any other manner deal with the monies or sums collected as stamp duties on individual persons transactions within the respective states of the plaintiffs without reference to, concurrence of, input or agreement of the plaintiffs? The plaintiffs also asked the court to ascertain whether or not they are entitled to 85% of all stamp duties collected on electronic money transfer levy, on electronic receipts or electronic transfer for money deposited in deposit money banks and financial institutions, on any type of account to be accounted for and expressed to be received by the person to whom the transfer or deposit is made in the plaintiffs respective states. Among other prayers, they urged the court to declare that they are the sole authorities entitled to administer and collect stamp duties on all transactions involving individuals within their respective states. The plaintiffs also asked the court to issue an order, compelling Mr Malami to account for and refund all monies collected by way of stamp duties on individual persons transactions within the respective states of the Plaintiffs from the period 2015-2020 and thereafter till the time of the judgment. Other prayers sought by the state governments include: A declaration that the defendant is not entitled to collect, administer, or keep the proceeds of any stamp duties on transactions involving individuals within the respective states of the plaintiffs or any manner interfere with the Plaintiffs right and authority in the administering the provision of Section 4(2) of the Stamp Duties Act Cap. S8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria. A declaration that the plaintiffs are entitled to all the sums of money collected by the defendant as stamp duties through whatever source or means in their respective states from 2015-2020 and thereafter till the time of the judgment of this honourable court with respect to individual persons transactions. A declaration that the plaintiffs are entitled to 85% of all stamp duties collected on electronic money transfer levy, on electronic receipts or electronic transfer for money deposited in deposit money banks and financial institutions, on any type of account to be accounted for and expressed to be received by the person to whom the transfer or deposit is made in the plaintiffs respective states. An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant by himself, privies, agents or any persons by whatever name or how so ever called from appointing anyone for the purpose of collecting Stamp Duties on individual persons transactions within the respective states of the plaintiffs henceforth, plaintiffs prayed the court. The suit has yet to be slated for hearing. ADVERTISEMENT On Thursday, Rivers State in the South-south displaced the countrys commercial city and coronavirus pandemic epicentre, Lagos State, to rank first on the daily chart of new infections. While Rivers State reported 257 cases, Lagos recorded 157 cases to take the second position on the log. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) disclosed this in an update shared on its Facebook page late Thursday night. The disease centre noted that seven additional deaths were recorded within the last 24 hours, adding that 727 new infections were reported across 17 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. The data indicates that the new cases increased Nigerias total infections to 197,773 while the fatality now stands at 2,585. The agency also noted that the country has successfully treated and discharged 185,597 COVID-19 cases, although 9,591 are still down with the illness. Breakdown After Rivers and Lagos States, Edo in the South-south followed with 85 cases to rank third, while Imo State in the South-east recorded 63 cases. The FCT in the North-central recorded 33 cases; Delta, 28; Kaduna, 27; Benue, 17, while Akwa Ibom and Ekiti State recorded 13 cases each. This is followed by Taraba and Bayelsa with 12 and five cases respectively. Kano and Ogun States recorded four cases each while Oyo State recorded three cases; Abia, Nasarawa and Plateau States recorded two cases each. Ned Nwoko, a former lawmaker, has criticised the Nigerian governors recent protest letter against the payment of a controversial debt associated with the Paris Club refund. Mr Nwoko is one of the federal governments six creditors controversially owed $418million debts associated with the refund. In a September 6, 2021 letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, Mr Nwoko said there was no justification to continue to withhold the payment of his $142 million share of the money. Writing through his team of lawyers, the former federal lawmaker said the governors suits challenging the indebtedness, which they cited in their protest letter, had no bearing on his case. Mr Nwoko, who is himself a lawyer, maintained that the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF)s protest letter to the finance minister contained misinformation and ignored age-long established legal principles. There is NO CASE in court over the payment to our client to warrant a stay of execution of the judgment by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr Nwokos legal team, led by Joe Gadzama, wrote. Controversies PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the governors wrote to the finance minister, Zainab Ahmed, following her directive to issue promissory notes to the creditors. The promissory notes, when issued, are to authorise payments to the creditors through deductions from the monthly allocations of state and local governments for 10 years. President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the issuance of the promissory notes to the creditors, ignoring repeated calls by the Kayode Fayemi-led NGF for the suspension of the payment for a forensic audit to be carried out, PREMIUM TIMES reported. Mr Fayemi, the Ekiti State governor, since becoming the chairperson of the NGF in May 2019, had been asking for a forensic audit into the agreements and the work done by the creditors leading to the monetary judgements validating their monetary claims. Some of the creditors, like Mr Nwoko, claimed they provided legal consultancy services to the NGF to help them recover funds over-deducted by the federal government from their monthly allocations to service, buy back the Paris Club loan and make the London Club loan exit payments, between 1995 and 2002. One of the consultant creditors outlandishly claimed he earned $47.8million from helping the NGF to reverse a $478million judgment on the Paris Club refund matter. Others among the six creditors claimed to have executed contracts for the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), a claim the association and an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)s report had discredited. Virtually all the consultants and contractors obtained consent judgements awarding the humongous amount of funds in their favour. But the current leadership of the NGF and ALGON demand that the awards be scrutinised before the creditors are paid. Series of exclusive reports by PREMIUM TIMES had exposed the controversies surrounding the suspicious debts. Despite the raging controversies, the newspaper reported how the finance ministry, through its permanent secretary, Aliyu Ahmed, subsequently directed the Debt Management Office (DMO) to issue promissory notes to the six creditors as the means of settling the debts. In protest, the NGF, through their lawyer, Femi Falana, wrote a September 1, 2021 letter, to the finance minister, Zainab Ahmed, urging her to withdraw the payment directive, which they said was in disregard for their appeals and other suits challenging the indebtedness. ADVERTISEMENT Defiance to legal processes is an act of corruption and lawlessness, the governors said in their letter, and advised the minister to be guided by the Supreme Courts warning against such conduct. Governors erroneous claims But, in his letter to the justice minister, Mr Malami, (one of the Buhari administrations top officials behind the desperate push for the payment) Mr Nwokos lawyer said he had previously corrected the obvious fundamental error which Mr. Falana, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had fallen into. He pointed out the governors alleged mix-up between his case and the one the NGF was challenging in court. According to him, the payment by promissory notes to Mr Nwoko is not founded on Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/130/2013 which Mr. Falana, SAN, is seeking Leave to appeal against. The judgment being enforced, with respect to our client, is a CONSENT JUDGEMENT in which the NGF, Mr. Falanas client, is a party to, that is Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/148/2017. The lawyer, Joe Gadzama, also argued that it was erroneous for the NGF to ask the finance minister to stop the payment based on their pending suits which he said had nothing to do with the judgements his client was enforcing. Questioning the propriety of the appeal being pursued by the governors, Mr Gadama asked, The question with a notorious answer is, CAN A PARTY APPEAL A CONSENT JUDGEMENT? The answer is NO. It is unfortunate that what is essentially a legal issue of simple contract is being politicised and sensationalised to skew public opinion and blackmail the Federal Ministry of Finance into declining the payments. Payment justification Justifying Mr Nwokos entitlement to the monetary claim, Mr Gadzama said his client spent his funds to execute the contract with payment hinged on the success of the recovery of over-deducted Paris Club and London Club loan for the NGF and ALGON. He added that despite the risk of bearing the whole of the possible losses, Mr Nwoko engaged other professionals and in some cases borrowed through private arrangements to achieve the objective. The states and local governments never had confidence in the chances of success of these consultancies and will not stake their money to fund the inherent costs therein, the letter stated. It added that Mr Nwoko agreed to the percentages of the achieved recovery, which he said was now being enforced. Mr Nwokos lawyer also noted that his client gave substantial concessions to the NGF and discounted the sum he is entitled to in the judgements being enforced. According to him, EFCC had investigated and issued three reports exonerating Mr Nwoko of any wrongdoing concerning his claim. But PREMIUM TIMES expose on the matter showed that the EFCC had in a previous report sent to the AGF office questioned the legitimacy of the $159million being claimed by one of the six creditors. EFCCs ongoing investigations Mr Gadzama said while his client had been exonerated, the EFCC was still investigating a case of diversion of funds meant for legal consultants in connection to the Paris Club refund by the NGF. The NGF was then being led by former Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Yari. The creditors lawyer alleged that the governors arm-twisted the former finance minister Kemi Adeosun, into paying to them $8.5million and N19.4 billion as first and second instalments of the five per cent provided for legal fees. He also accused the NGF of illegally appropriating $100million out of the $350million approved by President Buhari for Mr Nwokos firm, Linas International Limited. Instead of paying the authentic consultants, the NGF paid later-day consultants, Mr Gadzama wrote. According to him, the anti-corruption agency is now investigating cases involving the questionable and later-day consultants hurriedly contrived and used by the NGF to funnel these sums of money. It is always easy to forget that people had paid back to EFCC the money paid to them without justification, he added. Mr Yari, who was then the chairman of the NGF as of the time of the transactions, had repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in his handling of the proceeds of the Paris Club refunds. PREMIUM TIMES, however, reported that Mr Yari, who was recently interrogated by the EFCC, had been under the anti-graft agencys searchlight over his handling of the Paris Club funds since 2017. Mr Nwokos lawyer said should the Mr Fayemi-led NGF have the conviction that the body is corrupt, the bold thing to do is to call them out and conduct internal self-cleansing. Nothing stops the governors from conducting Forensic Audit on their activities, the creditors lawyer wrote. In a rousing speech Thursday night, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo submitted that despite the nations current challenges, Nigerians must avoid drifting towards voices that appeal to darker impulses but instead counter fear, despair, and division with inspiring faith, creative optimism, and solidarity. He specifically called on the elites to act in solidarity and build a consensus to settle contending issues in the nation and enlarge the circle of opportunity, especially for the young people. In the same vein, the VP said the nations political, economic, and religious leaders must shun divisive narratives so as to bring all Nigerians together, heal rifts between communities and build bridges across divides. Mr Osinbajo stated this on Thursday evening in Abuja during his keynote address at the Leadership Conference and Awards on the theme: National and Regional Insecurity: The Role of Political and Non-Political Actors in Stabilization and Consensus Building. The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar, was chairman at the event attended by some state governors and members of the Federal Executive Council including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and Health Minister, Osagie Ehanire. Referring to the phrase, Noblesse Oblige which in English means nobility obligates, the VP stated that it conveys the idea that nobility extends beyond mere entitlement and requires people of noble status to fulfill social responsibilities. Explaining, he noted that the highest office and duty of the elite is sacrifice, sacrifice, and more sacrifice. The VP urged the nations elites to be prepared to tell our constituencies the truth even if it hurts our political fortunes or our popularity. READ ALSO: The vice president also called on the nations elites to stop depending or promoting tribal and religious fault lines for legitimacy, noting that the external reasons we cite as reasons for our problems cannot thrive without severe internal weaknesses in our society. He added, we must be able to say to the young men and women who say secession is the only way or that we should break up into little nations that that is the way of extinction not development. We must, as religious leaders, be able to tell our adherents that people of other religions are not their enemies, they are brothers and sisters and that they must not allow those who will benefit by division and strife to tell them differently. The VP stated further that all Nigerians must endeavour to promote civilised values including affirming the value and sanctity of human life, rather than violence, ethnic and religious fault lines to drive national change. While he emphasised the need to reform institutions for law and order to thrive, the VP also noted the importance of building consensus and mediating elite competition and conflict in finding an acceptable middle ground among contesting options to the resolution of issues. Emphasising the importance of corporate social responsibility, good corporate citizenship and what he termed transformational elitism in nation-building, the VP stated that, in times of crisis, the elite must broaden its horizons beyond their specific disciplines and sectors. Accordingly, business leaders understand that it is not enough to focus on making profits; businesses need a healthy society within which to operate and make profits. This is why there are now such concepts as corporate social responsibility and good corporate citizenship. Addressing how elites can drive national transformation, the vice president added: the media elite must recognise that they have a responsibility to exercise discernment in the deployment of their platforms and must reflect upon whether they are amplifying the most insensate, intemperate, and incendiary voices in our midst while marginalising voices of reason. The political elite must accept through policies and actions, that the purpose of power must be to better the lives of those we serve and give the young great hope for the future. Once we put on the lens of social responsibility, different and higher imperatives come into play. This is what transformational elitism looks like. The vice president, who is also a lawyer, had a word for his colleagues in the legal profession. According to him, legal practitioners understand that the imperative of transformative leadership in the legal sector today calls for the Bar and the Bench to insist on the integrity of our system of justice, to insist on speed in the dispensation of cases and to call out anyone who compromises the system. He then turned to the attendees at the Leadership Newspaper Conference, saying those of us in this conference are by virtue of our pedigree and status, members of a privileged minority. The contrast between our exceptional circumstances and the material conditions of the majority of our compatriots imposes a moral obligation on us to work for the common good, towards a society that works for all by spreading the circle of opportunity. Highlighting how the nations elites are integral to the process of deepening national unity, the VP said, in times of crises, we learn and relearn lessons in solidarity and in the value of pulling together. In times of adversity, societies buffeted by uncertainty and anxiety are tempted to drift towards voices that appeal to our darker impulses, to those that traffic in fear, despair, and division. Elites such as those gathered here today must counter such voices by inspiring faith, creative optimism, and solidarity, Mr Osinbajo counselled. Speaking of himself, he assured that I remain unyielding in my belief that we will prevail over adversity by the strength of our togetherness. The present moment is crying out for leaders that can bring our people together, heal rifts between communities and build bridges across divides. ADVERTISEMENT While calling for compromise and broad-based constructive engagements on national issues, the VP reiterated the need for all Nigerians, regardless of tribe, ethnicity, or religion, to come together for nation-building purposes, stating that, the recognition that the system is not working optimally for many of our people should inspire a broad-based movement for reform that works to recalibrate the present order and attune it more to the aspirations of our people. He urged Nigerians to resist temptations of being led astray by those with ulterior motives in pushing particular agitations. According to him, it is also understandable that we may find that some of these agitations resonate with us. We may consider them legitimate causes and identify with them as such. However, the temptation is that our sympathy with legitimate causes blinds us to the destructive and illegitimate means employed by those that pursue these causes. This is a temptation that we must resist. Backing up his assertion, Mr Osinbajo quoted Martin Luther King Jr., who famously said, Destructive means cannot bring about constructive ends. He continued: in a country as diverse as ours, the aim of our national conversations should be to promote a consensus for progress rather than to promote discord and disharmony. We must be committed to continuing this tradition of renewing our nation through the tried and trusted means of conciliation, compromise, and consensus. The VP further said, there is no doubt that our country is going through times of trial and testing. Many of our people are dealing with adversity on several fronts. It is understandable for discontent to emerge and inspire agitation. In a democracy, agitation the act of making our voices heard in respect of our concerns is entirely legitimate. What is profoundly problematic is when we employ destructive and illicit means in pursuing agitation. Our system is not perfect, but it does prescribe the ways in which discontent can be channelled through constitutionally-guaranteed rights to vote, to associate, to protest, and to express ourselves. Change is possible through the system, but only if we engage it rather than destroy it. Thus, while the current system is not perfect, it can only be improved as more of our people engage it, the VP declared. He then explained that no project of social renewal and transformation can succeed without the involvement and leadership of elites or in a climate of socio-political instability, adding that the task before us is that of renewing the social contract, creating more inclusive institutions, growing the economy and generating opportunities for our population. Laolu Akande Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity Office of the Vice President ADVERTISEMENT The Nigerian Army has said its troops have arrested a top commander of Boko Haram, Yawi Modu, recently declared wanted by the force. In a statement on Thursday in Abuja, the Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, a brigadier general, said the troops also raided an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) materials hub in Borno and Yobe States. The army had over five years ago declared over 100 terrorists wanted. It also published their pictures and pasted in public places. The arrest of the commander comes even as several members of the terrorists group have repented and handed over themselves and families to the authorities. Boko Haram and ISWAP have terrorised the North-east zone and Lake Chad region for over a decade. The statement by Mr Nwachukwu said the army recovered over 200 bags of fertilizer recently banned by the federal government due to its explosive nature. Read full statement: OPERATION HADIN KAI: TROOPS ARREST HIGH PROFILE BOKO HARAM TERRORIST, RAID IED MATERIALS HUB IN THE NORTH EAST Troops of Sector 2 Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have arrested a high profile Boko Haram member and raided Boko Haram Improvised Explosive Devices materials hub in Damboa and Gashua Local Government Areas of Borno and Yobe States respectively. These operational feats were recorded following robust operations conducted by troops of OPHK. Following a tip off, a wanted BH/ISWAP terrorist, one Yawi Modu, who has been on the wanted list was nabbed along Damboa-Wajiroko road. READ ALSO: Relatedly, troops have successfully busted a Urea Fertilzer syndicate known for supplying terrorists with IED materials. The market is believed to be the notorious hub for IED materials for BHT/ISWAP. These ISWAP criminals facing the reality of obvious depletion are desperately acquiring IED materials to make explosive devices with which to unleash terror on innocent civilians, in a bid to remain relevant and present a posture of potency. In the sting operation conducted, a total of Two Hundred and Eighty One 50 Kg bags of Urea were recovered from the warehouses in the market and two notorious BHT distributors were also arrested. Recall that Urea fertilizer has been banned by Government because its use as a major component for manufacturing IED by terrorists. The suspects and materials recovered are currently undergoing preliminary investigation. While commending the vigilance and resilence of the troops, the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has reassured them of his support in decisively tackling the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists. ONYEMA NWACHUKWU Brigadier General Director Army Public Raltions 9 Sep 2021 ADVERTISEMENT Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Usman Gonma, in charge of zone 6, on Monday charged his zonal officers to always respect the human rights of citizens while performing their duties. The AIG gave the charge while addressing officers at the State Police Command Headquarter, Calabar, during a familiarisation tour of the Command. He tasked officers to be professional in their conduct to show people that they are professionals, adding that there is no democracy without human rights. We cannot pretend about this. Any police man who still thinks that there is no human rights is not serious and needs to be educated that human rights is one of the tenets of democracy. You must be very professional, behave like a policeman at any given time. Professionalism should be your keyword and discipline should be your cardinal principle, he said. Mr Gonma assured officers of the zone of his readiness to channel their needs and challenges to the Inspector-General of Police for intervention. The Commissioner of Police, Cross River Command, Aminu Alhassan, said that crime rate in the state was low when compared to other states of the federation. He, however, stressed that rapid urbanisation and development had brought some emerging security threats. According to him, the effectiveness of the command was being hampered by some challenges. Although manpower shortage is all over the federation in Nigeria Police, but that of Cross River is terrible and needs immediate redress, he said. In Akwa Ibom State, which is under the AIGs watch, civil society organisations are currently agitating for justice for Kubiat Akpan, a 28-year-old student who was recently tortured to death by the police. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT The Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders has berated the proscribed Indigenious People of Biafra (IPOB) over its continued sit-at-home order in Imo State. The socio-political pressure group is the umbrella body of youth organisations in the South-east geo-political zone. Their groups position was contained in a statement co-signed by its President-General, Goodluck Ibem, and Secretary-General, Kanice Igwe, and made available to reporters in Owerri on Thursday. The group called on IPOB to fully enforce the cancellation of its sit-at-home directives which they said were negatively affecting social and economic activities in Imo. It added that observing the order on Mondays would disrupt students from writing WAEC examinations. The group also said that families who survive on a daily income would be worst hit by the sit-at-home order. It called on residents of the state to defy the order henceforth. It is not a hidden information that our secondary school students sitting for WAEC examinations will be writing English Language on Monday, September 13, and we cannot afford to have them miss the paper. Asking these students to sit at home on Monday when other students in the country and other West African countries will be writing the same examination is the worst disservice anyone can do to our students. Many persons depend on a daily income, and such persons are at the receiving end of this order and this is why the cancelled sit-at-home order should be duly enforced, the group said. President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday visited Imo to commission projects executed by Governor Hope Uzodinmas administration. Imo State is seen as the hub of the pro-Biafra group, IPOBs operations in Nigerias South-east. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT A Badagry Chief Magistrates Court in Lagos on Friday ordered the remand of a 23-year-old man, Paul Anthony, who stole two mobile phones in a church. The defendant had pleaded guilty to stealing the phones, both valued at N110,000 at the premises of the Celestial Church of Christ, Oluwatife Parish, Ibereko, Badagry. According to the prosecutor, Ayodele Adeosun, the defendant committed the theft on August 30, at 12 a.m. READ ALSO: He said the defendant stole a Tecno Spark 2 and an Infinix phone belonging to Sunkanmi Dosu. The prosecutor said the accused was caught after the theft and handed over to the police. He noted that theft contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The Chief Magistrate, Fadaunsi Adefioye, adjourned the case until September 10 for review of the facts and sentencing. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT A former student activist of the Lagos State University (LASU), Yusuf Alowonle, also known as Omomeewa, has been buried in Lagos. The former LASU students union presidential aspirant, who was shot dead, was buried in Atan cemetery, Yaba, on Friday afternoon as sympathisers decked in black mourned. Mr Alowonle, a 2019 graduate of Educational Management, was shot dead in a suspected robbery attack not too far from the school gate in August. Mr Alowonle, who was also the Lagos Coordinator of the Education Right Campaign, was shot alongside a school staffer, Waheed Majekodunmi, also known as Majek. Following the incident, the management of the institution assured that all issues surrounding the attack will be adequately addressed. Prior to his death, Mr Alowonle had faced the management disciplinary committee where he was accused of admission racketeering. Tributes The national coordinator of the ERC, Hassan Soweto, described the deceased as a dedicated human rights activist, pro-worker advocate, and socialist persecuted to death by the tyrannical management of the Lagos State University. He also accused the LASU management of complicity in the death of Mr Alowonle. He did not provide any evidence to back his claim We have every reason to believe that the management of the Lagos State University is precariously responsible for your death, he said. Last month, the LASU management had given an account of the events leading to Mr Alowonles death. Mr Soweto promised support for his family adding that his certificate will be obtained posthumously. He died a fulfilled man, this is very sad to me. I cant explain it. I pray that God will grant him eternal peace. LASU cannot go scot-free, Yusuf Nurudeen, the familys lawyer said. Samuel Olalere, Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Joint Campus Committee, Lagos chapter described him as dependable, unbribable. ELIZABETHTOWN [mdash] Kenneth M. Eddy, 68, of Elizabethtown passed away Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, at his home. He was a kind soul that always saw the good around him. He loved transforming the earth into lovely gardens and his work can be seen at the Colonial Gardens and many other locations 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Prince William community has proven resilient. The Prince William Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning -- 4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS. We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover. We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Prince William Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. Cold Plastic , which had until now been available to order only from abroad and has already been utilized in a host of mega-projects across Saudi Arabia, is a fast-drying gloss paint, based on the latest technology of road marking paints, Centrecoat Methyl Methacrylate (MMA), and recommended for marking traffic signs and signals on public and private roads as well as parking areas. The product is renowned for its excellent resistance to friction, UV rays, and other environmental stressors. Jazeera Paints' highly dependable formulation is suitable for both interior and exterior applications on asphalt, concrete, and epoxy surfaces, and is already a top-performing choice for street and building signage. It is also regularly used in buildings like hospitals and factories. "We're extremely proud to be the first stockist for 'Cold Plastic' in the region," said Hani Saraya, Project Sales Manager at Jazeera Paints. "The demand for a reliable and long-lasting product of this nature is high among both corporate and government clients, and we're thrilled to be the first and only company providing regional fulfilment at an affordable price without compromising on quality." Mr. Saraya continued, "Jazeera Paints, as a leading company in Saudi Arabia, attends to inventing the best products and construction solutions. As we continuously seek uniqueness and creativity, we, after conducting much research and numerous experiments, are pleased to present Cold Plastic, the top product in street paints with the highest quality." The long-life Cold Plastic is just the latest offering in the company's well-established range of products. It is available to order from Jazeera Paints' official website at https://jazeerapaints.com. More about Jazeera Paints Founded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 1979, Jazeera Paints is a pioneering paint manufacturer in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and MENA, with an established reputation for manufacturing and exporting high-quality and eco-friendly paints. Jazeera Paints is the leading company, outside the United States, that manufactures "Green Seal" certified paint products, which meet the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) requirements. Through the Jazeera Paints Academy, Jazeera Paints endeavors to raise the level of quality and progress of the paint industry in the region. In 2012, the academy became the first institution to offer specialized training in paint manufacturing and applications in the GCC countries and MENA region as a whole. Follow us on https://twitter.com/JPaintsGlobal. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1612089/Jazeera_Paints_Cold_Plastic.jpg SOURCE Jazeera Paints Related Links https://jazeerapaints.com ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In a Full Member Call today the Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines (ASBM) introduced gastroenterologist Ralph McKibbin, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF as the organization's incoming chairman. Dr. McKibbin began his three year term on September 1st, succeeding outgoing chair Madelaine Feldman, MD, FACR. Dr. McKibbin will be the fourth chairman since ASBM was founded in 2010. A practicing gastroenterologist in Altoona, PA, Dr. McKibbin is past president of both the Pennsylvania Society of Gastroenterology and of the Digestive Disease National Coalition (DDNC). He has written extensively on the issues of non-medical switching and insurance industry utilization management techniques including step therapy and copay accumulator adjustments. He recently served as the lead author on the DDNC paper "Patient Access To Care And Treatments In The Cost-Shifting Era: Preserving the Patient-Provider Decision-Making Relationship" and an authored an op-ed in support of a Pennsylvania bill to restrict non-medical switching and similar practices such as mid-year benefit changes. "Biosimilars are a helpful tool in controlling health costs," said Dr. McKibbin. "It is also important to me that my patients are able to maintain control over their condition without unnecessary or inappropriate switching. ASBM has worked for more than a decade to ensure patients have access to these new treatment options without compromising on safety, efficacy or quality; I look forward to working with them over the next three years to advance that mission." "As the U.S. biosimilar market continues to grow and mature, it is important that patients and their healthcare providers remain in control of treatment decisions," said Michael Reilly, executive director of ASBM. "Dr. McKibbin has a record of embracing the therapeutic and savings benefits that biosimilars can bring to patients while being cautious not to jeopardize the control they have over their treatment. His expertise will make him a great asset to ASBM." Reilly also praised Dr. Feldman's leadership: "Dr. Feldman led ASBM during a difficult time, keeping ASBM engaged on important biosimilar policy issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. As ASBM Chair, she was a tireless champion for patients- sharing physician perspectives at many biosimilar forums nationwide, expanding ASBM's membership, and co-authoring three important whitepapers during her term." Dr. Feldman will continue to remain involved with ASBM, joining the Advisory Board as Immediate Past Chair. ### Media Contact: Michael Reilly (202) 222-8326 [email protected] SOURCE Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines DUBLIN, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "China Automotive Chassis-By-Wire Report, 2020-2021" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. China's Brake-by-Wire Assembly Rate Is only 2%, Indicating Huge Growth Potentials With the mass production of L3-L4 autonomous driving, the necessity of Chassis-by-Wire has become increasingly prominent. What is the status quo of Chassis-by-Wire? What is the more advanced product form? Who will lead this market? On the whole, companies that deploy Brake-by-Wire and Steer-by-Wire simultaneously are more likely to provide users with integrated Chassis-by-Wire solutions, and will grab more lucrative opportunities before autonomous driving is implemented. At present, such companies include Bosch, CNXMotion (a joint venture between Continental and Nexteer), ZF, Mando and other foreign companies, as well as Chinese companies like NASN. In addition, China-based Great Wall Motor has also started its layout. It conducts independent research and development of Brake-by-Wire and Steer-by-Wire through its two subsidiaries, EA Chassis and HYCET. In 2023, Great Wall Motor will commercialize smart Chassis-by-Wire which integrates a new EEA, Steer-by-Wire, Brake-by-Wire, Shift-by-Wire, Throttle-by-Wire and Suspension-by-Wire to dabble in L4 autonomous driving. Brake-by-Wire takes the lead in mass production, and Bosch dominates the field There are two key Chassis-by-Wire products: Brake-by-Wire and Steer-by-Wire. Brake-by-Wire has taken the lead in mass production thanks to the demand from new energy vehicles and L3 autonomous driving. China's Brake-by-Wire assembly rate was 1.6% in 2020, and it is expected to exceed 2.5% in 2021. In 2020, Bosch's Brake-by-Wire products (iBooster, iBooster 2.0, IPB) seized a market share of over 90%, signaling an absolute dominant position. In the EMB era, Brembo, Mando, Haldex, and EA Chassis get a head start Currently, Brake-by-Wire is mainly divided into Electro-Hydraulic Brake (EHB) and Electro-Mechanical Brake (EMB). EHB evolves from the traditional hydraulic brake system. Compared with the traditional hydraulic brake system, EHB boasts a more compact structure and better braking efficiency. It is currently the main mass production solution of the Brake-by-Wire system. Bosch IPB/iBooster, Continental MK C1/MK C2, ZF TRW IBC, Bethel Automotive Safety Systems WCBS, etc. are all EHB solutions. EMB completely abandons brake fluid and hydraulic pipelines that are seen in the traditional brake system, but uses the motor to drive the brake to generate the braking force. It is a true Brake-by-Wire system and is expected to become the development trend. At present, there are no mature EMB products on the market. Major foreign companies such as Brembo, Mando, and Haldex have displayed or released related products, and they may get a head start in future marketization. Steer-by-Wire represents the next-generation development route Compared with the booming Brake-by-Wire market, Steer-by-Wire seems too quiet. At present, only four production models of Infiniti adopt mechanically redundant Steer-by-Wire (namely Direct Adaptive Steering? (DAS)) from Kayaba. DAS retains the mechanical transmission steering mode. When Steer-by-Wire fails, the driver can take over the control. But for autonomous driving, the backup & redundant technology roadmap of the electronic control system may be a better choice. SBW will see mass production in 2022-2023, with Bosch and Mando taking the lead in layout Currently, SBW is still dominated by foreign companies. Bosch, Mando, JTEKT, Nexteer, Schaeffler, etc. have taken the lead in the layout, and they will conduct mass production in 2022-2023. Bosch will launch SBW- Motor Redundant Backup System in 2023 Bosch adopts the redundant backup technology roadmap for the electronic control system. Its Steer-by-Wire system was first unveiled at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show, but the product is expected to be applied in 2023. Mando will mass-produce Steer-by-Wire products in 2022 Key Topics Covered: 1. Automotive Chassis 1.1 Vehicle Structure and Role of Chassis 1.2 Chassis Structure and Operating Principle of ICE Vehicles 1.3 Demand of Smart Cars for Chassis Systems 1.4 New Features of Chassis-by-Wire 2. Chassis-by-Wire Market 2.1 Chassis-by-Wire Structure 2.2 Five Systems of Chassis-by-Wire 2.3 Status Quo of Domestic Chassis-by-Wire Industry 2.4 Policies for Brake-by-Wire and Steer-by-Wire 2.5 Steer-by-Wire Market 2.6 Brake-by-Wire Market 3. Leading Chassis-by-Wire Suppliers 3.1 Bosch 3.2 Continental 3.3 Schaeffler 3.4 Nexteer 3.5 ZF 3.6 Brembo 3.7 Bethel Automotive Safety Systems 3.8 Mando 3.9 JTEKT 3.10 NSK 3.11 Kayaba 3.12 Shanghai NASN Automotive Electronics 3.13 Ningbo Tuopu Group 3.14 GLOBAL Technology 3.15 Zhejiang Vie Science & Technology Co., Ltd. 3.16 Tianjin TRiNova Automotive Technology Co., Ltd. 3.17 Shanghai Tongyu Automotive Technology Co., Ltd. 3.18 Skywilling 3.19 Nanjing JWD Automotive Technology Co., Ltd. 3.20 China Automotive Innovation Corporation (CAIC) 4. Chassis-by-Wire Application of Automakers 4.1 SAIC 4.2 Dongfeng Motor Corporation 4.3 BYD 4.4 Great Wall Motor 4.5 Chery 4.6 Other OEMs 4.6.1 FAW Hongqi 4.6.2 BAIC BJEV 4.6.3 GAC 4.6.4 Changan For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/u1s9dy Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Twenty-eighth Regular Session of the CEC Council, September 910, 2021, Chaired by Mr. Michael Regan, Administrator of the U.S Environmental Protection Agency MONTREAL, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - The Council of the CEC affirms our commitment to environmental cooperation as we conclude our first regular session under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and its companion Environmental Cooperation Agreement (ECA). The Parties' unwavering commitment to the CEC since its inception in 1994 is firmly rooted in the understanding that addressing the environmental challenges of our time requires ambitious and innovative solutions that transcend national borders. Our countries share a common vision for a prosperous and sustainable economy that will help protect the environment and health of communities across North America, particularly underserved and vulnerable communities. North America can be a global leader on linking nature and climate. We share geography, critical habitats, key waterways, and a common desire to conserve and enhance biodiversity for current and future generations. We affirm our obligation to support the implementation of the environment chapter of the USMCA, recognizing the importance of cooperation to achieve shared environmental goals and to promote sustainable development with strengthened trade and investment relations that will benefit our people. Our work reflects the priorities for trilateral action to protect, conserve, enhance and sustainably use natural resources in North America. As we focus on generating green growth in North America and building an inclusive and sustainable future, we recognize that our renewed trade relationship provides ample opportunities as well as full responsibility for delivering transformative and innovative solutions for our nearly 500 million citizens. This Session affirmed the critical importance of robust science for evidence-based decision-making, particularly the value of the CEC in facilitating information sharing and coordination of approaches, as well as the invaluable role of traditional ecological knowledge. Climate Change and Environmental Justice Solutions This year's theme for the Regular Session, Climate Change and Environmental Justice Solutions, links scientific elements with the respective socioeconomic factors each North American country faces. As a region, we look to solve the multifaceted crises on our continent and our planet. We recognize the importance of protecting the health and environment of all of our communities, including those who are more vulnerable to disproportionate climate impacts, and of trilateral cooperation and addressing environmental issues through our respective domestic laws, regulations and policies. The Council Session agenda advanced the CEC's work and mission in the context of the new trilateral environmental cooperation agreement, the new trade agreement, and the 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, bringing together the CEC's three constituent bodies, namely the Council, Secretariat, and the members of the Joint Public Advisory Committee, as well as the Traditional Ecological Knowledge Expert Group (TEKEG) that inform the work of the CEC. Deliverables from the Regular Session The countries launched a new grant program, EJ4Climate, which will make $2 million USD available for underserved and vulnerable communities, including Indigenous communities, in Canada , Mexico , and the United States , to address climate-related impacts. The program will directly fund community-based organizations to support community-driven solutions to the challenges of climate change. This program operationalizes the commitment made by the United States during the 2021 Leaders Summit on Climate for the EPA to support environmental justice and climate resilience by funding $1 million USD in grants and cooperative agreements through the CEC. available for underserved and vulnerable communities, including Indigenous communities, in , , and , to address climate-related impacts. The program will directly fund community-based organizations to support community-driven solutions to the challenges of climate change. This program operationalizes the commitment made by during the 2021 Leaders Summit on Climate for the EPA to support environmental justice and climate resilience by funding in grants and cooperative agreements through the CEC. The CEC introduced three new large-scale initiatives: working on mitigating 'black carbon' for the improvement of air quality and support for environmental justice in a local context; addressing 'ghost' fishing gear in marine ecosystems; and supporting environmental education. The Council supported the creation of an additional initiative on Indigenous approaches to freshwater management in North America . . The CEC awarded $45,000 CAD to the winners of the 2021 Youth Innovation Challenge, which tasked young entrepreneurs to submit bold innovations for climate change and environmental justice solutions. Winning solutions included: an organic plastic waste disposal solution that uses microbes to degrade plastics in just weeks ( Canada ); a device that supports honey-producing bees and marginalized communities affected by declines in bees ( Mexico ); a pilot program that helps producer families adopt sustainable community forestry production ( Mexico ); and a solution to transform 'fugitive' CO 2 emissions from power plants into sustainable solar commodities, particularly helping marginalized communities located near coal-fired plants ( United States ). CAD to the winners of the 2021 Youth Innovation Challenge, which tasked young entrepreneurs to submit bold innovations for climate change and environmental justice solutions. Winning solutions included: an organic plastic waste disposal solution that uses microbes to degrade plastics in just weeks ( ); a device that supports honey-producing bees and marginalized communities affected by declines in bees ( ); a pilot program that helps producer families adopt sustainable community forestry production ( ); and a solution to transform 'fugitive' CO emissions from power plants into sustainable solar commodities, particularly helping marginalized communities located near coal-fired plants ( ). The CEC will soon open calls for proposals for the North American Partnership for Environmental Community Action (NAPECA) community grant program, which supports local and Indigenous communities. This cycle's theme will support local communities in their efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking Ahead The CEC's work has supported progress in all three countries to reduce air and water pollution; share information and improve responses on extreme weather and climate events; conserve, protect, and promote the sustainable use of biodiversity in marine as well as terrestrial ecosystems; conserve priority species, including the iconic monarch butterfly; and prevent food loss and waste, among others. As we continue to strengthen our cooperative relationship, we look forward to building on these efforts to address environmental concerns and challenges in the context of liberalized trade in North America, including continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, with opportunities for sustainable, resilient and equitable growth. We look forward to continuing our support for the CEC, including the Secretariat, JPAC and the TEKEG, other government agencies, and all stakeholders involved in this renewed era of trilateral cooperation. We look forward to next year's annual Regular Session, which will be hosted by Mexico. About the CEC The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) was established in 1994 by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States through the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation, a parallel environmental agreement to NAFTA. As of 2020, the CEC is recognized and maintained by the Environmental Cooperation Agreement parallel to the new Free Trade Agreement of North America. The CEC brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including the general public, Indigenous People, youth, nongovernmental organizations, academia, and the business sector, to seek solutions to protect North America's shared environment while supporting sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations. Find out more at: www.cec.org. The CEC is governed and funded equally by the Government of Canada through Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Government of the United States of Mexico through the Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, and the Government of the United States of America through the Environmental Protection Agency. SOURCE Commission for Environmental Cooperation JACKSON, Mich., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of CMS Energy has declared a quarterly dividend on the corporation's preferred stock. The following dividend is payable Oct. 15, 2021, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Oct. 1, 2021: $0.30625 per depositary share on the 4.200% Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock (NYSE: CMS PRC). CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) is a Michigan-based energy provider featuring Consumers Energy as its primary business. It also owns and operates independent power generation businesses. For more information on CMS Energy, please visit our website at cmsenergy.com. To sign up for email alert notifications, please visit the Investor Relations section of our website. SOURCE CMS Energy Related Links http://www.cmsenergy.com OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SilverPoint Senior Living is proud to announce they have assumed operations of Fountainbrook Assisted Living, a 74-unit community located in Midwest City, Oklahoma. This will bring a proven management team to oversee operations of Fountainbrook and cultivate a culture where the residents and staff enjoy a positive and purposeful experience. "As SilverPoint has continued to expand throughout Texas, it made sense to continue our growth to Oklahoma. We are thrilled to be working with the great folks at FountainBrook and look forward to making a difference in the lives of seniors in the Midwest City area for many years to come," says Shawn Corzine, Chief Executive Officer at SilverPoint. Silverpoint will bring their Engaged Life program to Fountainbrook where the focus is to encourage and assist the residents to engage in ways that impact the lives of others. From connecting with local schools to helping a local charity, making a meaningful impact on the life of someone else is the goal. Having staff on site and available round the clock, Fountainbrook provides a full range of services and amenities to their residents. Personalized care plans ensure each resident receives the individualized care they need. Dining with three meals a day, housekeeping services and a vibrant activities program are just a few of the services the residents at Fountainbrook enjoy every day. Fountainbrook is located just northeast of Tinker Air Force Base on the north side of Highway 40, off of 15th Street, and is just minutes away from SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital. About SilverPoint Senior Living SilverPoint Senior Living is a Texas senior living management company specializing in operating independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities. Their management services include portfolio management; development and acquisition; accounting and financial; marketing and sales; and IT and digital transformation. SilverPoint is strongly committed to its five core values of family, purpose, fun, integrity. SilverPoint is also a certified 2021 Great Place to Work. For more information about SilverPoint Senior Living, please visit www.silverpointsl.com or call 830-730-4472. Kelly Schwennesen SilverPoint Senior Living [email protected] SOURCE SilverPoint Senior Living Related Links https://silverpointsl.com FACTS AT A GLANCE Edition: 8; Released: September 2021 Executive Pool: 773 Companies: 79 - Players covered include Aphria; Aurora Cannabis; CannTrust Holdings, Inc.; Canopy Growth; Cronos Group Inc.; Dixie Brands Inc.; GW Pharmaceuticals plc; Hexo Corp.; Keef Brand; Koios Beverage Corporation; MedReleaf Corp.; New Age Beverages Corporation; OrganiGram Holdings; Phivida Holdings Inc.; The Alkaline Water Company; Tilray; VCC Brand; Vivo Cannabis Inc. and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Type (Non-Alcoholic, Alcoholic); Component (Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Cannabidiol (CBD)) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific; Rest of World. Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry ABSTRACT- Global Cannabis Beverages Market to Reach US$2 Billion by the Year 2026 Cannabis has been gaining considerable popularity globally. Its use for recreational purposes (factoring in the illegal usage) is much higher in comparison to its medicinal use. The market is anticipated to be on a growth path due to the growing cannabis demand in the mainstream market. The changing legal status of marijuana in a growing number of countries worldwide, including several US states, is attracting more and more food and drink companies to the vibrant cannabis beverages market. The continued deregulation of cannabis, escalating societal acceptance, growing awareness of CBD benefits, and availability in familiar/popular formats are some factors supporting growth in demand and sales of cannabis beverages. The CBD-infused beverages are gaining popularity in the US where they are becoming easily available through mainstream retail outlets. The growing interest in wellness drinks is also likely to drive gains in the market. The market is also benefitting from other factors such as better living standards, increasing disposable income levels, and legalization of recreational cannabis in several countries. Off-trade channels such as lounges, clubs, restaurants, cafes, and hotels are likely to augment the product's visibility and popularity among customers. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Cannabis Beverages estimated at US$799.8 Million in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$2 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 16.9% over the analysis period. Non-Alcoholic, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 17.5% CAGR to reach US$1.6 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Alcoholic segment is readjusted to a revised 15.7% CAGR for the next 7-year period. Non-alcoholic cannabis beverages dominate the market and are also expected to register strong growth, mainly supported by growing demand from female and new customers, especially millennials, and also rising interest in wellness drinks among customers. Cannabis-infused alcoholic beverages are also gaining strong popularity, given their capability to offer the alcohol effect, but with health advantages and no calories. They are mainly used by people who consume cannabis as well as alcohol. The U.S. Market is Estimated at $649.1 Million in 2021, While Asia-Pacific is Forecast to Reach $146.7 Million by 2026 The Cannabis Beverages market in the U.S. is estimated at US$649.1 Million in the year 2021. The country currently accounts for a 70.9% share in the global market. Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$146.7 Million in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 14.2% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Canada and Europe, each forecast to grow at 16.7% and 16.1% respectively over the analysis period. North America is a dominant market, mainly driven by growth in the US market. Subsequent to the legalization of the use of hemp and its derived CBD products, sales of hCBD (hemp-cannabidiol) gained considerable impetus. Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, District of Colombia, and 33 States have granted approval to medical cannabis programs (publicly available), which led to the introduction of many cannabis drinks. Further, 13 states in the country permit the usage of high CBD and low THC products for medical uses, which has resulted in strong adoption of CBD infused cannabis drinks. Europe is another region that is likely to register surging demand, due to the growing interest in cannabis among consumers and the rising introduction of products. In developing regions such as Latin America, Oceania, and Asia, cannabis-based beverages have registered nominal growth due to the prohibition of THC products. By Component, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Segment to Reach 1.1 Billion by 2026 Demand for cannabis beverages infused with THC is being supported by the growing consumption among adult customers for recreational reasons. The euphoria they offer as well the therapeutic benefits are anticipated to foster their demand. In the global Tetrahydrocannabinol (Component) segment, USA, Canada, and Europe will drive the 16.2% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$422.5 Million in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of US$1.2 Billion by the close of the analysis period. The market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$76.6 Million by the year 2026. More MarketGlass Platform Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide. Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years. CONTACTS: Zak Ali Director, Corporate Communications Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Phone: 1-408-528-9966 www.StrategyR.com Email: [email protected] LINKS Join Our Expert Panel https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp Connect With Us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./ Follow Us on Twitter https://twitter.com/marketbytes Journalists & Media [email protected] SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Related Links http://www.strategyr.com DUBLIN, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Toilet Roll Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Impact and Recovery to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global toilet roll market as it emerges from the COVID-19 shut down. The global toilet roll market is expected to grow from $20.15 billion in 2020 to $21.37 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1%. The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $27.08 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 6%. Reasons to Purchase Gain a truly global perspective with the most comprehensive report available on this market covering 12+ geographies. Understand how the market is being affected by the coronavirus and how it is likely to emerge and grow as the impact of the virus abates. Create regional and country strategies on the basis of local data and analysis. Identify growth segments for investment. Outperform competitors using forecast data and the drivers and trends shaping the market. Understand customers based on the latest market research findings. Benchmark performance against key competitors. Utilize the relationships between key data sets for superior strategizing. Suitable for supporting your internal and external presentations with reliable high quality data and analysis Report will be updated with the latest data and delivered to you within 3-5 working days of order. Where is the largest and fastest growing market for the toilet roll? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The Toilet Roll market global report answers all these questions and many more. The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography. It places the market within the context of the wider toilet roll market, and compares it with other markets. The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market. The market size section gives the market size ($b) covering both the historic growth of the market, the impact of the COVID-19 virus and forecasting its recovery. Market segmentations break down market into sub markets. The regional and country breakdowns section gives an analysis of the market in each geography and the size of the market by geography and compares their historic and forecast growth. It covers the impact and recovery trajectory of COVID-19 for all regions, key developed countries and major emerging markets. Competitive landscape gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in recent years are identified. The trends and strategies section analyses the shape of the market as it emerges from the crisis and suggests how companies can grow as the market recovers. The toilet roll market section of the report gives context. It compares the toilet roll market with other segments of the toilet roll market by size and growth, historic and forecast. It analyses GDP proportion, expenditure per capita, toilet roll indicators comparison. Major players in the toilet roll market are Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, Georgia-Pacific, Seventh Generation, Cascades, Essity, Reckitt Benckiser, Angel Soft, Caprice Green Toilet Paper and Charmin Ultra Soft. The toilet roll market consists of sales of toilet roll also called as toilet paper used as a sanitary paper. The market includes the sales of toilet paper made from recycled paper or fresh leaves pulp and used for cleaning and maintaining personal hygiene, which are disposable and easily degradable products. The company's manufacturing toilet rolls are primarily engaged in manufacturing of toilet roll with one, two or multi layers, ultra-toilet papers and more used in household or commercial segments. The increasing consciousness of the public to maintain cleanliness and personal hygiene especially among urban regions is increasing the demand for toilet rolls in public premises called Away-from-home (AFH) toilet paper. Countries with the fastest growing consumer markets like India and Indonesia are experiencing wider exposure to away-from-home toilet paper even if they don't consider toilet paper as a means of personal hygiene, could also increase the demand for toilet paper. In 2019, the revenue for away-from home tissue paper was US$ 27.48 Billion among which the major demand is experienced by the toilet paper in public premises. Therefore, the increase in demand for away-from home hygiene products among residents of urban regions is expected to drive the market. Companies in the toilet roll market are increasingly using Through Air Drying (TAD) Technology, a high standard technology to produce paper. Toilet paper produced using TAD technology makes it suitable for rolled products and has high absorbency with improved properties of bulk. Ultra toilet paper is produced using TAD technology in which during drying the paper air is blown into the fibres. US is extensively using TAD technology in the production of tissue papers. For instance, Valmet is using eTAD Technology which produces soft, improved bulk and absorbency products with lower energy consumption and a sustainable process. This will give access to premium and ultra-premium tissue markets to the tissue manufacturers. The toilet roll market covered in this report is segmented by product into pulp paper, recycled paper. It is also segmented by type into 1 ply, 2 ply, 3 ply, others, by distribution channel into online channel, offline channel and by end user into household, commercial. Instability in the pulp prices affects tissue paper manufacturing restraining the tissue paper manufacturing market. The high pulp prices increase the tissue prices by 10%, which decreases the volume of tissue paper sold. Instability in pulp prices can be observed following an imbalance between the pulp supply and demand caused due to various factors like seasonal demand, foreign producers' influence in several markets, and more. The average price of hardwood pulp on September 28 in Shandong was 3675 RMB/ton, which was increased by 50 RMB/ton to 1.38% compared with the average price of 3625 RMB/ton on September 1, which is used in the manufacturing of tissues and toilet paper. Owing to the increase in demand by China which is considered to be the largest consumer of pulp globally. The price of the toilet paper whose major component is a pulp is affected primarily by the changes in the price of pulp which is expected to hinder the market growth. In 2019, Cascades a Canada-based packaging and tissue products manufacturing company acquired Orchids Paper Products for an amount of US$207 million. The deal will benefit Cascades by supporting its revenue with the acquisition amount generated by the assets of Orchids Paper Products that includes Barnwell, South Carolina and Pryor, Oklahoma operations, and certain commercial arrangements and will help in execution of their strategic plan of modernization. Orchids Paper Products, a US-based company produce, convert and supply high quality consumer tissue products. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Toilet Roll Market Characteristics 3. Toilet Roll Market Trends and Strategies 4. Impact of COVID-19 on Toilet Roll 5. Toilet Roll Market Size and Growth 5.1. Global Toilet Roll Historic Market, 2015-2020, $ Billion 5.1.1. Drivers of the Market 5.1.2. Restraints on the Market 5.2. Global Toilet Roll Forecast Market, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion 5.2.1. Drivers of the Market 5.2.2. Restraints on the Market 6. Toilet Roll Market Segmentation 7. Toilet Roll Market Regional and Country Analysis 7.1. Global Toilet Roll Market, Split by Region, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion 7.2. Global Toilet Roll Market, Split by Country, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion 8. Asia-Pacific Toilet Roll Market 9. China Toilet Roll Market 10. India Toilet Roll Market 11. Japan Toilet Roll Market 12. Australia Toilet Roll Market 13. Indonesia Toilet Roll Market 14. South Korea Toilet Roll Market 15. Western Europe Toilet Roll Market 16. UK Toilet Roll Market 17. Germany Toilet Roll Market 18. France Toilet Roll Market 19. Eastern Europe Toilet Roll Market 20. Russia Toilet Roll Market 21. North America Toilet Roll Market 22. USA Toilet Roll Market 23. South America Toilet Roll Market 24. Brazil Toilet Roll Market 25. Middle East Toilet Roll Market 26. Africa Toilet Roll Market 27. Toilet Roll Market Competitive Landscape and Company Profiles 27.1. Toilet Roll Market Competitive Landscape 27.2. Toilet Roll Market Company Profiles 27.2.1. Procter & Gamble 27.2.1.1. Overview 27.2.1.2. Products and Services 27.2.1.3. Strategy 27.2.1.4. Financial Performance 27.2.2. Kimberly-Clark 27.2.2.1. Overview 27.2.2.2. Products and Services 27.2.2.3. Strategy 27.2.2.4. Financial Performance 27.2.3. Georgia-Pacific 27.2.3.1. Overview 27.2.3.2. Products and Services 27.2.3.3. Strategy 27.2.3.4. Financial Performance 27.2.4. Seventh Generation 27.2.4.1. Overview 27.2.4.2. Products and Services 27.2.4.3. Strategy 27.2.4.4. Financial Performance 27.2.5. Essity 27.2.5.1. Overview 27.2.5.2. Products and Services 27.2.5.3. Strategy 27.2.5.4. Financial Performance 29. Key Mergers and Acquisitions in the Toilet Roll Market 29. Toilet Roll Market Future Outlook and Potential Analysis 30. Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/q6p2wq Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Receive FREE Sample Report in Minutes! Key Highlights Offered in the Report: Information on how to identify strategic and tactical negotiation levels that will help achieve the best prices. Gain information on relevant pricing levels, detailed explanation of the pros and cons of prevalent pricing models. Methods to help engage with the right suppliers and discover KPI's to evaluate incumbent suppliers. Fetch actionable market insights on post COVID-19 impact on each product and service segments. Some of the Top HR Benefits and Administration Services suppliers listed in this report: This HR Benefits and Administration Services procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. Automatic Data Processing Inc Aon plc Xerox Corp Fetch actionable market insights on post COVID-19 impact on each product and service segments: www.spendedge.com/report/hr-benefits-and-administration-services-market-procurement-research-report Related Reports on Professional Services Include: Asset Recovery Services - Forecast and Analysis: The asset recovery services will grow at a CAGR of 9.49% during 2021-2025. Asia Asset Recovery Pte Ltd., TES-Amm Singapore Pte Ltd., and Iron Mountain Inc. are among the prominent suppliers in asset recovery services market. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. 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Which pricing models offer the most rewarding opportunities? Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 1,200+ market research reports. SpendEdge's SUBSCRIPTION platform Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SOURCE SpendEdge Related Links https://www.spendedge.com/ SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After a week-long trial, a federal jury awarded the City of Pomona $48 million in damages from SQM North America Corporation, a subsidiary of a large Chilean mining company, for the costs of cleanup of the toxic chemical perchlorate from the City's groundwater supply. Fertilizer sold by SQMNA and used for decades in the citrus orchards of Pomona had been tainted with perchlorate which ended up in Pomona's drinking water supplies. James Makshanoff, City Manager for the City of Pomona, said "After 10 long years, Pomona has achieved its goal which is to make sure that the citizens of our City will not have to pay the cost of cleaning up a mess created by a large foreign corporation doing business in our city. This is not only a win for our community, but it is a win for all communities because it tells big corporations who are polluting our water and threatening the health of our citizens that they will be brought to justice. The City is grateful to our attorneys at SL Environmental Law Group whose expertise and perseverance were critical to the successful outcome of our case." Perchlorate is a toxic chemical that can be particularly harmful to children as it disrupts hormones needed for healthy growth and development. The presence of perchlorate in 14 of its drinking water wells created substantial additional water treatment expenses for Pomona, including building and operating a specialized plant to remove the contaminant from its water. After the source of the perchlorate was identified as a contaminant in sodium nitrate fertilizer imported from Chile by SQMNA, the City filed a products liability lawsuit against the corporation. Ken Sansone, Partner at SL Environmental Law Group and lead attorney for Pomona said, "The civic leaders of the City of Pomona should be commended for standing up on behalf of their citizens against a large international corporation to make sure that the company that created this pollution pays to clean it up. SQMNA fought hard for nearly a decade, but justice prevailed. We are honored to have had the opportunity to fight for the City and satisfied with the outcome." About SL Environmental Law Group SL Environmental Law Group focuses exclusively on water contamination litigation on behalf of city and state governments and public and private water utilities. SL Environmental Law Group has delivered over $1 billion from corporate polluters to their clients. For more information visit www.slenvironment.com. For media inquiries, contact: Izzy Weisz Communications at SL Environmental Law Group [email protected] Ph:831-535-2356 James Makshanoff City Manager at City of Pomona [email protected] Ph: 909-620-2051 SOURCE SL Environmental Law Group Related Links http://slenvironment.com The piece, "These Lights, Which Shine," draws inspiration from a Yiddish poem by Hannah Senesh, titled Yeish Kochavin or "There are Stars." Upon reading the brief poem, Senesh's words instantly resonated with Nowlin. The words draw upon the imagery of light from stars in the night sky as a metaphor for how the memories those we have lost live on well after they are gone. Nowlin's piece expands upon this idea in musical form, touching lightly on the loss suffered on September 11 th , but largely building up to a realization that those we have lost never truly leave us. There are stars whose light reaches the earth only after they themselves are no more. There are people whose radiant memory shines in the world even after they themselves have left it. These lights - which shine in the darkest night - These, these illumine the path for us all. Translation by Bruce L. Ruben View and listen to "These Lights, Which Shine" https://youtu.be/15vsm4RmZgQ SOURCE United States Marine Band The transaction, structured as a sale of the entirety of IFCN China, which will be grouped as "Mead Johnson China Business Group [2] " includes the manufacturing plants in Nijmegen, the Netherlands and Guangzhou, China as well as a royalty-free perpetual and exclusive license of the Mead Johnson and Enfa family of brands in China. It is regarded as the most pioneering business model in China's infant nutrition market - serving one market by two types of resources, which lays down an exemplary roadmap for the localized growth of international brands in China. Mr. Zhu has extensive professional experience in infant nutrition business. Prior to joining Mead Johnson China Business Group, he held several senior management positions in the industry in China, including as CEO of a domestic nutrition company, leading its sales, development strategy and overall business management for 14 years. Looking forward, Mr. Zhu commented on the ambition of the company: "We will build a more localized operation mechanism and develop a consumer-centric innovation system, with access to Mead Johnson's global research and supply chain resources. Our goal is to become most preferred choice of international infant formula brand in China." Mead Johnson China Business Group plans to implement strategic transformation with focus on three areas - optimizing the local demand-oriented product portfolio, improving a Chinese consumer-centric digital platform and strengthening its value chain system. During its 28-years' operation in China, Mead Johnson has built up a comprehensive research network and R&D team in the country, which have continuously conducted clinical-proven nutritional research for Chinese babies. Mead Johnson China Business Group also has two world-class production bases in Guangzhou and the Netherlands. Reckitt Benckiser Group announced earlier that Enda Ryan who led IFCN business under Reckitt's leadership has been retained by Reckitt as SVP, Greater China to oversee the Reckitt Health and Hygiene business in Greater China. [1] Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong [2] Mead Johnson China Business Group consists of Mead Johnson Nutritionals (China) Ltd., Mead Johnson Nutrition (Hong Kong) Limited, Mead Johnson Nutrition (Taiwan) Ltd., Mead Johnson B.V., Mead Johnson Pediatric Nutrition Institute (China) Ltd., Mead Johnson Pediatric Nutrition Technology (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd., Mead Johnson Nutrition International Holdings Pte. Ltd. About Mead Johnson China Established in 1905, Mead Johnson is a well-known infant formula and child nutrition brand committed to empowering moms and nourishing children for the best start in life with science-based product innovation. Mead Johnson entered China in 1993, with a portfolio composed of brands including Enfinitas, Enfamil, Enfagrow, Enfa Total Grow, EnfaGentlease, and food for special medical purpose, including nutrition for preterm and low birthweight babies, and formulas against protein allergies. Mead Johnson Pediatric Nutrition Institute (MJPNI) was established in Guangzhou in 2011, dedicated to the advancement and application of paediatric nutrition science in China. With the purpose as of "nourish the best of life for babies in China", Mead Johnson China has helped Chinese society to improve the nutrition condition of underprivileged mothers, left-behind children and children with special nutritional needs. The well-known social impact programs such as "Best Start in Life", "Baby Love 1+1", "Embrace Life", and "Saving PKU Children" has brought positive changes to the society. The establishment of Guangzhou Mead Johnson Charity Foundation demonstrated a step-change of the company's commitment on building a long-term social impact platform to amplify the social impacts efforts with many partners with the same determination. Primavera Capital's acquisition of Reckitt Benckiser Group's Infant Formula and Child Nutrition business in China (incl. mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong) was completed on 9 September 2021. SOURCE Mead Johnson China Business Group PHOENIX, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The North American Association of Visionary Churches (NAAVC) have filed in Federal District Court motions for emergency legal protective measures for sixty-year-old church minister and Navy veteran Clay Villanueva. Villanueva was arrested by authorities August 23, 2021 at the Los Angeles International Airport, while boarding a flight for South America to resume his cancer treatment in Peru. According to Mr. Villanueva's attorney and General Counsel for the NAAVC, Charles Carreon, "We are petitioning the Federal District Court in Phoenix for an emergency hearing, to address Villanueva's immediate release from prison. I have personally contacted attorney for Maricopa County Evan Hiller, and attorney for the Arizona Attorney General Drew Ensign to inform them that Mr. Villanueva's situation is perilous in the extreme. Government attorneys denied knowing the source of this arrest warrant issued by their own agencies, and yet Mr. Villanueva remains in jail. Mr. Villanueva suffers from stage-3 lymphatic cancer, and he is suffering from malnutrition, hypothermia, and close contact with unmasked people packed together in overcrowded confinement. This is exactly how people die in jail." Clay Villanueva is a minister for a small ayahuasca visionary church in Phoenix, Arizona. Villanueva describes his church as a religious center for the spiritual healing of people with addictions, grief, loss, and life challenges of all types including depression and PTSD resulting from war combat. According to Villanueva, "We've been here to help people heal the spirit, so they can heal their minds and bodies as well. Our communion sacrament is ayahuasca. Who can honestly say they have the authority to deny us our right to connect with God?" In 2006 in what's become known as the O Centro Decision, The US Supreme Court affirmed visionary churches their right to use ayahuasca as a communion sacrament. As part of that court mandate, the DEA was directed to establish an exemption process to affirm churches' ability to practice with the least restrictive means of government intrusion into their religious faith. According to Carreon, "My clients and I looked at the DEA's published exemption process and realized that it required any church filing for an exemption to halt their religious practice until the government had approved their religious beliefs and practices. After some 15 years the DEA has approved zero ayahuasca visionary churches to worship their faith under the DEA's sad exemption scheme. Two weeks after we filed our lawsuit in May 2020, the DEA's HIDTA taskforce ran a guns-out raid of Mr. Villanueva's church and home; then Arizona moved to seize his home and church; then as charged in our recent complaint, an arrest warrant was secretly entered into the warrant database, resulting in his recent surprise arrest at LAX. The attorneys and law enforcement officers who have engaged in these violations will be called to account in Federal Court as we move for Mr. Villanueva's immediate release." The following parties have been named in this suit including, Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General of the United States; D. Christopher Evans, Acting Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary of the Dept. of Homeland Security; Troy Miller, Senior Official Performing the Duties of Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the United States of America; Maricopa County, Matthew Shay, and Marco Paddy. Donations to support Mr. Villanueva and the NAAVC case can be made here: https://gofund.me/ccee9ef6 About the North American Association of Visionary Churches (NAAVC): With offices in Arizona and California, the NAAVC represents a national network of community-based churches focused on the rights of religious organizations and their congregations. For additional information visit https://www.naavc.org. Community liaison contact: 1-415-506-9871 SOURCE North American Association of Visionary Churches FACTS AT A GLANCE Edition: 17; Released: April 2021 Executive Pool: 22303 Companies: 121 - Players covered include ABB Limited; Acciona Energia SA; China Longyuan Power Group Corporation Limited; DeWind Inc.; Dongfang Electric Corporation Limited; Enel Green Power S.p.A.; ENERCON GmbH; Envision Energy Limited; Eurus Energy Holdings Corporation; GE Renewable Energy; Guodian United Power Technology Company Limited; MHI Vestas Offshore Wind A/S; Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Ltd.; NextEra Energy Resources, LLC; Nordex SE; Senvion S.A.; Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, S.A.; Suzlon Energy Limited; Vestas Wind Systems A/S; Xinjiang GoldWind Science & Technology Co., Ltd. and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Segment (Wind Power) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa. Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry ABSTRACT- Global Wind Power Market to Reach 68.3 Thousand Megawatts by 2026 Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Wind Power estimated at 58.3 Thousand Megawatts in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of 68.3 Thousand Megawatts by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 2.6% over the analysis period. The U.S. Market is Estimated at 16.1 Thousand Megawatts in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach 13.4 Thousand Megawatts by 2026 The Wind Power market in the U.S. is estimated at 16.1 Thousand Megawatts in the year 2021. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of 13.4 Thousand Megawatts by the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 4.8% over the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 0.6% and 1.9% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 1.2% CAGR. More MarketGlass Platform Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide. Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years. CONTACTS: Zak Ali Director, Corporate Communications Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Phone: 1-408-528-9966 www.StrategyR.com Email: [email protected] LINKS Join Our Expert Panel https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp Connect With Us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./ Follow Us on Twitter https://twitter.com/marketbytes Journalists & Media [email protected] SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Related Links http://www.strategyr.com BOSTON, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of Massachusetts physicians today announced the launch of AllaraCare, a revolutionary approach to healthcare characterized by transparent pricing and a direct relationship between consumers and their doctors. Led by Dr. Mark Allara, the plan frees patients and physicians from big insurance payer-driven restrictions, resulting in better care for patients and lower costs for employers while helping physicians spend more time on care and less time on administrative tasks. "Rising healthcare costs are crippling U.S. businesses," says Allara, "and physicians spend more time meeting insurance company requirements than caring for patients. We're changing that." "Until now there hasn't been much choice but to suffer the annual increases imposed by insurers or traditional self-funded models," says AllaraCare CEO Curt Davis, "We've built a unique approach that makes sure that patients, physicians, and employers no longer have to be held hostage by insurers, returning as much as 43% to employers and their employees, while enabling doctors to spend more time caring for patients." AllaraCare is also combining complete cost and quality transparency with 'A+ Navigators', people charged with helping members navigate the complexity of care through just a call or a click. "When everybody knows what everything costs and have personalized care guidance better decisions are possible and everyone benefits: better care, more choice, and an end to the madness of insurer-driven healthcare costs," notes Allara. AllaraCare is immediately available in Eastern Massachusetts with aggressive regional and national growth plans. About AllaraCare AllaraCare is helping patients, providers, and employers take back the practice of healthcarewithout the nonsense imposed by insurance-driven systems. By combining direct relationships between doctors and patients, total cost transparency, and AllaraCare's highly-trained A+ Navigators, our team helps everyone involved make better decisions, resulting in higher quality, lower-cost care. To learn more about how AllaraCare can help you take back healthcare, visit us at http://www.allaracare.com MEDIA CONTACT Curt Davis [email protected] AllaraCare 408-398-3913 Photo(s): https://www.prlog.org/12884185 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE AllaraCare Related Links https://www.allaracare.com/ LOS ANGELES, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Oak Strategic Opportunity REIT, Inc. announced today that the board has elected Laurent Degryse to serve as an independent director on the board, effective September 2, 2021. Mr. Degryse is filling a vacancy on the board as a result of the resignation of Eric Smith, a member of the company's board of directors since 2009. Smith notified the company that he was resigning from the board effective as of September 1, 2021. With these changes, the board remains comprised of five directors, three of whom are independent. Degryse has also been appointed to the board's conflicts committee and its audit committee. Mr. Degryse previously served as an independent director of Pacific Oak Strategic Opportunity REIT II, Inc., and brings over 20 years of real estate development industry experience to the board. For the past six years he has been self-employed and engaged in real estate development and private equity activities as a partner at American Discovery Capital. Mr. Degryse founded Urbis Development, a real estate development company located in Luxembourg, and served as its managing director until it created a joint venture with another real estate company, Herpain SA, and became Herpain Urbis. He went on to hold director roles with various Herpain Urbis companies that were involved with real estate development and construction for office, residential and commercial real estate in Belgium. He also manages his own portfolio of investments in Europe, Asia and the United States. "We are pleased to welcome Laurent to the board of Pacific Oak Strategic Opportunity REIT," said Peter McMillan, chairman of the board and president of Pacific Oak Strategic Opportunity REIT. "Mr. Degryse's professional and personal experience on owning and managing real estate in Belgium offers insights and perspective with respect to our investment portfolio and our focus on European investment opportunities." "On behalf of the board and the company's management team, I want to express our sincere thanks to Eric for his invaluable leadership and the tremendous contributions he made during his years of service," continued McMillan. About Pacific Oak Strategic Opportunity REIT Pacific Oak Strategic Opportunity REIT, Inc. is a public, non-traded corporation headquartered in Los Angeles, California, that has elected to be taxed and currently qualifies as real estate investment trust. The REIT invests in opportunistic real estate and other real estate-related investments and manages a portfolio valued in excess of $2 billion1 comprised primarily of office, apartment, single-family rental and hotel assets. 1 Reflects the December 2020 net asset value ("NAV") for real estate and investments in unconsolidated joint ventures, adjusted for subsequent acquisitions and dispositions, plus the June 30, 2021 value for equity securities, for investments in the portfolio as of June 30, 2021. Value has been adjusted for the company's share of consolidated and unconsolidated joint ventures. For more information, see the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on December 10, 2020. Contact: Jennifer Franklin Spotlight Marketing Communications (949) 427-1385 [email protected] SOURCE Pacific Oak Strategic Opportunity REIT, Inc. HOUSTON, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE: PWR) announced today the pricing of its offering (the Offering) of (i) $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 0.950% senior notes due 2024 (the "2024 Notes") at a price to the public of 99.946% of their face value, (ii) $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 2.350% senior notes due 2032 (the "2032 Notes") at a price to the public of 99.939% of their face value and (iii) $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 3.050% senior notes due 2041 (together with the 2024 Notes and the 2032 Notes, the "Notes") at a price to the public of 99.480% of their face value. The Offering is expected to close on September 23, 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Quanta intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering, together with borrowings under the term loan facility it is negotiating, which the company expects to enter following the closing of the Offering, as well as borrowings under its revolving credit facility or cash on hand, or a combination thereof, if necessary, to finance the cash portion of the consideration for its pending acquisition of Blattner Holding Company. BofA Securities, Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC acted as joint book-running managers for the Offering. The Offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on September 14, 2020, and only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus. Copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relating to the Offering may be obtained from BofA Securities, Inc., NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department, Email: [email protected] and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC toll-free at 1-800-645-3751. You may also obtain these documents free of charge by visiting the Electronic Data Gathering and Analysis Retrieval System (EDGAR) on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of the Notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Quanta Services Quanta Services is a leading specialized contracting services company, delivering comprehensive infrastructure solutions for the utility, communications, pipeline and energy industries. Quanta's comprehensive services include designing, installing, repairing and maintaining energy and communications infrastructure. With operations throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and select other international markets, Quanta has the manpower, resources and expertise to safely complete projects that are local, regional, national or international in scope. For more information, visit www.quantaservices.com. Forward Looking Statements This press release (and any oral statements regarding the subject matter of this press release) contains forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the "safe harbor" from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the anticipated timing of the closing of the Offering, Quanta's intended use of proceeds therefrom, the closing of the Blattner Acquisition, and Quanta's entry into a new term loan facility, as well as statements reflecting expectations, intentions, assumptions or beliefs about future events and other statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Although Quanta's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions and by a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict or beyond Quanta's control, including, among others, those described in the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relating to the Offering and other risks and uncertainties detailed in Quanta's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2020, Quanta's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended Mar. 31, 2021 and Jun. 30, 2021 and any other documents that Quanta files with the SEC. For a discussion of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, investors are urged to refer to Quanta's documents filed with the SEC that are available through Quanta's website at www.quantaservices.com or through EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of this date. Quanta does not undertake and expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Quanta further expressly disclaims any written or oral statements made by any third party regarding the subject matter of this press release. Derrick Jensen, CFO Kip Rupp, CFA, IRC - Investors Quanta Services, Inc. (713) 629-7600 SOURCE Quanta Services, Inc. Related Links https://www.quantaservices.com Canada's largest developer of compliance-grade carbon credits targets global expansion CALGARY, AB, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Radicle Group Inc. (Radicle), the leading Canadian player in the carbon credit ecosystem, is pleased to announce an investment by TELUS Ventures , Canada's most active corporate venture capital fund, and other investors as part of its debenture financing round. With operations in Canada, the US, and Brazil, this funding will enable Radicle to enter new markets to help organizations across the globe monetize their environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) efforts. It will also support further development and updates to Radicle's proprietary software to ensure alignment with emerging reporting requirements being demanded by regulators, clients, and their supply chains. "As the leading Canadian developer of compliance-grade carbon credits, we are committed to making a difference by enabling planet-positive solutions to reduce emissions, balancing people, planet, and profit," said Ed Alfke, CEO of Radicle. "On behalf of Radicle, we are very pleased that TELUS Ventures has made this commitment to work with us. They share our mission of helping organizations across the globe in their ESG efforts." To date, Radicle has worked with more than 3,000 clients, generating CAD$100M in value through carbon credits; removed six million tonnes of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere; and traded over US$300M in environmental commodities. "TELUS Ventures is focused on enabling an ecosystem of innovation by partnering with disruptive, market-transforming companies, including those with a focus on sustainability," said Mario Mele, vice president Corporate Strategy, TELUS Ventures. "As we come together to tackle environmental challenges unlike any we have faced before, it's more important than ever that we support those companies making a difference for future generations. With a strong alignment in culture and mission, our investment in Radicle is an opportunity for TELUS as a global leader in social capitalism to advance its commitment to sustainability by supporting organizations possessing strong ESG principles." Radicle plans to use the funds raised to scale up their operations and expand into new business lines and geographies to capitalize on the extensive growth expected throughout the carbon credit ecosystem. About TELUS Ventures As the strategic investment arm of TELUS Corporation (TSX: T,NYSE: TU), TELUS Ventures is one of Canada's most active corporate venture capital funds. TELUS Ventures invests globally in companies from Seed to Pre-IPO with a focus on innovative technologies such as AgTech, HealthTech, Connected Consumer, IoT, AI, and Security to actively drive new solutions across the TELUS ecosystem. Led by a team of experienced operators, investors and executives, the Ventures team is passionate about creating positive social impact through financial tools and has invested in more than 90 companies since inception. For more information please visit: ventures.telus.com . About Radicle Radicle helps guide today's progressive companies towards tomorrow's sustainable future. From our early beginnings in Calgary, Canada, when we developed one of the world's first software platforms to measure, qualify, and aggregate greenhouse gas emissions, we've now taken root internationally to leverage data, insights, and technology to safeguard our shared tomorrow. Radicle works with agriculture, energy, forestry, manufacturing, commercial, and financial services to enable planet-positive solutions by increasing efficiency while lowering costs and emissions. We believe that financial and environmental sustainability are two sides of the same coin: balance between the two is possible. Visit radiclebalance.com to learn more. SOURCE Radicle Group Inc. Related Links http://radiclebalance.com/ WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) participated in a virtual briefing with Members of the Biden-Harris Administration on the evacuation and resettlement of our Afghan allies following the end of the Afghanistan War. Mayors spoke with Biden Administration officials about how cities can support resettlement efforts and help the Afghans who stood with the United States during the war. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, former Delaware Governor Jack Markell, who is serving as the White House Coordinator of the resettlement effort, and Robert Fenton Jr., Senior Response Official of the Unified Coordination Group, outlined the Administration's plans, and the group discussed the needs facing this vulnerable community. At its recent 89th Annual Meeting, the USCM adopted a policy resolution in support of resettlement efforts, and mayors across America have welcomed Afghan refugees. Both mayors and Biden Administration officials pledged to continue coordinating to ensure that we support the brave Afghans who worked alongside the United States during the two decades we were in Afghanistan. Mayors participating in the meeting included: Dayton (OH) Mayor Nan Whaley , USCM President , USCM President Many others Additional participants in the meeting included: Alejandro N. Mayorkas , Secretary of Homeland Security , Secretary of Homeland Security Jack Markell , White House Operation Allies Welcome Coordinator and Former Delaware Governor , White House Operation Allies Welcome Coordinator and Former Delaware Governor Robert Fenton Jr. , Senior Response Official of the Unified Coordination Group About the United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors Related Links www.usmayors.org SINGAPORE, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- KT Corp. (KRX: 030200;NYSE: KT), South Korea's largest telecommunications company, has acquired Singapore-headquartered Epsilon Telecommunications, a global connectivity provider that simplifies how businesses connect applications and data around the world and in the cloud. The acquisition matches Epsilon's agile innovation in international networking with KT's world-class telecommunications services, customers, leadership, and resources. "We are excited to announce the acquisition of Epsilon and welcome the team to the KT family of businesses. Epsilon provides mission-critical networking for global digital transformation and maximising the value of cloud for enterprise customers. It has a tremendous mix of technology, teams and innovation that are directly aligned with KT's vision for enabling enterprises with digital platforms," said Dr. Hyeonmo Ku, CEO at KT Corp. "Epsilon provides great value with its Infiny platform and global network, which offers customers an agile approach to global networking. Both companies share a vision for global digital transformation and the power that digital platforms have to change industries." Epsilon's NaaS platform Infiny provides businesses with a suite of high-performance connectivity and communications services at the click-of-a-button. KT benefits from Epsilon's fully managed connectivity services with automation, orchestration and a comprehensive approach to end-to-end service delivery. Epsilon offers consistent and reliable connectivity to leading data centres, clouds and internet exchanges via its global private backbone network. "The acquisition of Epsilon by KT is a great milestone on our company's journey and recognition of the hard work of our teams across the globe. The timing is right to support Epsilon with new resources and the backing of a world-leader in telecommunications. We look forward to continuing to grow Epsilon and provide innovative solutions and experiences for our new and existing customers across the globe," said Michel Robert, Chief Executive Officer at Epsilon Telecommunications. "The acquisition is a logical next step for both businesses and a fantastic opportunity for customers, partners and internal teams." KT gains connectivity to the world's leading communications and technology hubs in 41 cities, with extensive presence across the Asia-Pacific including Mainland China. With Epsilon's suite of connectivity solutions spanning cloud connectivity, ethernet (DCI), remote peering, access, SD-WAN, colocation and voice, KT is extending its capabilities to meet the changing demands from carriers, channel partners and enterprises across the globe. SOURCE Epsilon Telecommunications SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Trial Lawyers is pleased to announce that William Kershaw of Kershaw, Cook & Talley has been selected for inclusion into its Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers in California, an honor given to only a select group of lawyers for their superior skills and qualifications in the field. Membership in this exclusive organization is by invitation only and is limited to the top 100 attorneys in each state or region who have demonstrated excellence and have achieved outstanding results in their careers in either civil plaintiff or criminal defense law. The National Trial Lawyers is a professional organization comprised of the premier trial lawyers from across the country who have demonstrated exceptional qualifications in criminal defense or civil plaintiff law. The National Trial Lawyers provides accreditation to these distinguished attorneys, and provides essential legal news, information, and continuing education to trial lawyers across the United States. With the selection of William Kershaw by The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100, he has shown that he exemplifies superior qualifications, leadership skills, and trial results as a trial lawyer. The selection process for this elite honor is based on a multi-phase process which includes peer nominations combined with third party research. As The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 is an essential source of networking and information for trial attorneys throughout the nation, the final result of the selection process is a credible and comprehensive list of the most outstanding trial lawyers chosen to represent their state or region. To learn more about The National Trial Lawyers, please visit: http://thenationaltriallawyers.org/. Contact: Kelci Bradshaw - [email protected] (916) 779-7000 SOURCE Kershaw, Cook & Talley Related Links http://thenationaltriallawyers.org/ As a longstanding pioneer of the industry, vivo is bringing joy to users worldwide by heightening the standards of mobile photography and smartphone innovation with the X70 series. Starting today, the vivo X70 series is gradually rolling out in markets such as India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, and more, expanding its regional presence across APAC and the Middle East. The availability and specifications of each X70 series device may differ according to local market conditions and consumer preferences. Advancing Mobile Imaging Together with ZEISS Reflecting vivo's commitment to spearheading the field of smartphone photography, the X70 series is thoroughly ingrained with premium mobile imaging software and hardware capabilities co-engineered with ZEISS, a legend in the world of optics for 175 years. "Once again, vivo is breaking boundaries by delivering exceptional mobile photography advancements jointly developed with ZEISS, a global leader in optics and opto-electronics," said Spark Ni, Senior Vice President and CMO of vivo. "Smartphones are trustworthy tools for users to capture memories, a digital gateway to tell their own stories and share those creations with the world. With the X70 series, vivo is actively closing the gap between mobile and professional photography by infusing user-oriented innovation with cutting-edge technology." The vivo X70 series incorporates top-notch computational imaging features inside and out, resulting in an intuitive photography experience that enables users to capture or record remarkably natural-looking photographs or videos. On the camera specs front, the entire X70 lineup has 32MP front cameras, while rear quad-camera arrays have been installed on both the X70 Pro+ (50MP + 48MP + 12MP + 8MP) and the X70 Pro (50MP + 12MP+ 12MP + 8MP), with the X70 using a tri-camera system (40MP + 12MP + 12MP). In addition to the Biotar Portrait Style's legendary swirly bokeh, vivo has supplemented three groundbreaking ZEISS Style Portrait features inspired by the iconic, classic lenses Distagon, Planar and Sonnar for X70 series users to shoot with. "Distagon" style gives off an anamorphic look, offering dynamic perspective effects for critical architecture and interior photography that exudes Hollywood filmmaking aesthetics. The "Planar" adaption introduces classic bokeh effects, revealing true characteristics and conveying genuine expressions through portrait photography. "Sonnar" mode is known for its creamy bokeh, making it well suited for portraiture with depth and clarity to document authentic events. The entire vivo X70 lineup has achieved certified compliance to ZEISS T* Coating, collectively reducing reflections and enhancing light transmission to reduce ghosting, stray light and other image artifacts for guaranteed imaging brilliance. The recognizable ZEISS logo and ZEISS T* Coating label are stamped on the X70 series' rear camera array, while a ZEISS Vario-Tessar trademark has been subtly engraved on its protruding flashlight panel. High-End Professional Photography Flagship The X70 series includes new technologies as well as the latest iterations of vivo's iconic multi-modal photography and videography features, allowing users to thoroughly manifest their creativity in high-definition and produce vivid multi-media content with no compromises on quality. At the top of the line, the X70 Pro+ boasts the new Imaging Chip V1 and High-Transmittance Glass Lens. The new imaging chip, self-designed by vivo, employs an AI system to apply NR (noise reduction) and MEMC (motion estimation, motion compensation) effects across the board. The upgraded singular glass lenses ensure extra-low dispersion for improved image quality. The X70 Pro+ combines its 50MP Ultra-Sensing GN1 Sensor and 48MP Sony IMX598 Ultra-Wide Gimbal Camera with 360 Horizon Leveling Stabilization technology, resulting in unshakable stability even during extreme action-packed shooting sequences. Meanwhile, the X70 Pro and X70 models utilize an Ultra-Sensing Gimbal Camera coupled with Gimbal Stabilization 3.0 technology for users to capture steady images or videos in dynamic motion. VIS 5-Axis Ultra Stable Video technology has been furnished on the X70 Pro and X70, integrating enhanced OIS with EIS to transition the X/Y-axis with Z-axis rotation for well-rounded stability. Owing to the high-performing device imaging capabilities, a suite of vivo's multi-modal photography and videography features including Real-Time Extreme Night Vision, Super Night Video, Pure Night View, Pro Cinematic Mode and more are available on the X70 series for users to unleash their potential and explore a multitude of new visual aesthetics. Top-Line Performance Gains As vivo's premium flagship revolutionizing mobile imaging, the X70 series lineup consists of three powerhouse devices with specs that can satisfy even the most demanding high-performance smartphone user. The X70 Pro+ is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus 5G Mobile Platform, while the X70 Pro and X70 devices run on the MediaTek Dimensity 1200-vivo chip to provide unrivaled CPU and GPU performance. These power-efficient integrated processors allow users to get the most out of 5G connectivity every day[1], with the X70 Pro+ harnessing an upgraded version of LPDDR5 while the other two models use LPDDR4X and UFS 3.1 for lightning quick sequential reading and writing speeds. Despite its sleek and compact form factor, the vivo X70 Pro+ is equipped with a sizeable 4500 mAh (TYP) battery and vivo standard charger (FlashCharge Adapter 11V / 5A) that supports 55W FlashCharge and, for the first time, Qi-compatible 50W Wireless FlashCharge technology. Meanwhile, the X70 Pro and X70 models hold 4450 mAh (TYP) batteries or 4400 mAh (TYP) batteries respectively, along with a vivo standard charger (FlashCharge 11V / 4A) that supports 44W FlashCharge technology for long-lasting performance.[2] The X70 Pro+ is decked with a 6.783-inch WQHD Display made of E5 High-Brightness Luminescent Materials. With support for a native 1 billion color display, up to 2K resolution, and a high pixel density of 517 PPI, the X70 Pro+ is optimized for true-to-life user sensory experiences. The X70 Pro and X70 devices are outfitted with 6.56-inch displays that can peak at 120Hz refresh rates and 240Hz response rates for smooth scrolling and viewing. The X70 Pro+ is certified with an IP68 rating, becoming the inaugural vivo smartphone to attain the authoritative global standard of protectivity. Offering splash, liquid, and dust resistance, the device is ideal for users who live life on the fly. Perennial Design and Seamless Interface To live up to the expectations of an ultimate professional photography flagship smartphone, vivo has gone all out on the X70 series and spared no effort to ensure timeless style with a formidable build. Fluorite AG a revolutionary industrial design process developed by vivo has been utilized to shroud the X70 series devices in crystallized glass with a prismatic surface that exudes fluorescent effects under the light. The rear quad-camera array of the X70 Pro+ is veiled by a Ceramic Window that spans almost half of the entire device body, exhibiting its grand status as the high-end model of the X series and pinnacle of contemporary mobile photography technology. Alternatively, the X70 Pro and X70 rear cameras are encased within vivo's new Cloud Valley design, a concept that boldly divides the camera array and flashlight into two opposing panels. The X70 Pro+ is available in Enigma Black, while the X70 Pro and X70 models are available in Cosmic Black or Aurora Dawn colorways. Cosmic Black is inspired by the eternal vigor and exuberant vitality of our universe, a colorway symbolic of vast and deep darkness dotted by glittering silver hues to represent the stars during a pitch-black night. Aurora Dawn is an homage to the iridescent radiance of the Northern Lights in the polar sky, an eye-catching and gorgeous complexion. The X70 series is the first vivo lineup to come with Funtouch OS 12, providing a more efficient, immersive, and personalized user experience. Funtouch OS 12 comes with a new set of widgets for users to organize and customize their home screens, redefining how apps display important information without users opening the app, allowing them to customize their phone experience and gain quick access to what matters to them. A hassle-free music experience is also created with the newly launched Nano Music Player, enabling users to access their favorite music from different apps like Spotify and JOOX, with one click and within one widget on the home screen. [1] Disclaimer: The coverage and services of 5G networks are subject to the actual deployment of local operators. [2] Disclaimer: The actual charging power is adjusted dynamically according to changing user scenarios and subject to actual use. About vivo vivo is a technology company that creates great products based on a design-driven value, with smart devices and intelligent services as its core. The company aims to build a bridge between humans and the digital world. Through unique creativity, vivo provides users with an increasingly convenient mobile and digital life. Following the company's core values, which include Benfen*, design-driven and user orientation, vivo has implemented a sustainable development strategy, with the vision of becoming a healthier, longer-lasting world-class corporation. While recruiting and developing the best local talents, vivo is supported by a network of 10 R&D centers in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Nanjing, Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Xi'an, Taipei, Tokyo and San Diego, focusing on the development of state-of-the-art consumer technologies, including 5G, artificial intelligence, industrial design, photography and other up-and-coming technologies. vivo has also set-up five production hubs (including brand authorized manufacturing center), across China, South- and Southeast Asia, with an annual production capacity of nearly 200 million smartphones. As of now, vivo has branched out its sales network across more than 50 countries and regions, and is loved by more than 400 million users worldwide. *"Benfen" is a term describing the attitude on doing the right things and doing things right which is the ideal description of vivo's mission to build technology for good. Please stay informed of vivo's news at https://www.vivo.com/en/about-vivo/news SOURCE vivo BEIJING, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a report from China.org.cn: The 2021 HPP Investor Matching Meeting, organized by the Haidian Pioneer Park (HPP), a high-tech business incubator, wrapped up in Beijing on Thursday. The meeting, which aims to connect investors and high-quality projects, attracted over 100 startup teams working in the fields of artificial intelligence, new-generation information technology, and health and medicine. Around 40 teams made their way into the final round to 10-minute-long, one-on-one meetings with investors to introduce their teams, technologies, operations, and future plans. Zhao Xinliang, director of the HPP, said the park is dedicated to aligning enterprises with investors through roadshows, project promotions, and investor matchmaking events to meet the financing needs of the businesses in the park. So far, the HPP has helped companies to acquire equity funds worth over 15 billion yuan (US$2.33 billion) and recommended nearly 300 companies to be listed on Beijing's fourth board market, Zhao said. The annual matchmaking event was launched in 2017 and has helped over 280 businesses to connect with over 150 institutional investors. 2021 HPP Investor Matchmaking Meeting held in Beijing http://www.china.org.cn/china/2021-09/10/content_77745752.htm SOURCE China.org.cn NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As per the findings of Zion Market Research study, 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) industry gathered revenue about US$ 700 million in 2020 and is slated to earn revenue of approximately US$ 23,291.5 million by 2025. The 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market is projected to register CAGR of approximately 97.4% in 2020-2025. Apparently, onset of 5G technology has allowed mobile systems interconnect with needs of fixed line solutions and price points. Furthermore, 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) assists network operators for delivering ultra-high-speed broadband to suburban regions, thereby aiding home & business applications. All these aforementioned aspects will steer expansion of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market over upcoming years. In addition to this, outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has led to quick transition in employee & employer mindset and has resulted in rise of work at home activities. Moreover, working from home activities has translated into large-scale internet bandwidth usage, thereby prompting humungous demand for high-speed & reliable internet connectivity. Apparently, improved broadband access is requirement of large number of employees working from home to enhance output. In addition to this, speedy and reliable broadband access is crucial for zoom meetings, file sharing, and content streaming activities as well as slew of bandwidth applications for employees working from homes. This has created a necessity of having strong network infrastructure that can improve uploading, uplink, downlink, website loading, and downloading speeds, thereby generating need for setting up of 5G network facilities for seamless internet operations. As per the U.S government, nearly thirty million U.S. residents do not have high speed internet access and hence the U.S. administration has focused on supporting US$ 1.2 trillion infrastructure plan and has allotted funds worth nearly USD 65.1 billion for reinforcing digital infrastructure in the country. Hence, requirement of high speed internet for over 80 million internet users in the U.S. has culminated into need for deploying next-generation fixed wireless access networks aided by novel mm Wave-driven fixed wireless access systems. This is projected to steer growth of 5G fixed wireless accesses (FWA) market within span of few years. Get free Sample of this Research Report - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/5g-fixed-wireless-access-market High Speed, Seamless, Strong, and Secured Network Connectivity Demand To Drive Market Growth Expansion of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market over forecast timeline can be attributed to huge demand for next-gen 5G fixed wireless access network systems embedding ultra-fast millimeter wave technology in both metro cities as well as rural areas in developed countries such as the U.S. In addition to this, with smart city concept gaining momentum across globe, the market for 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) is projected to gain traction in the years to come. Apart from this, 5G fixed wireless access based on ultra-fast millimeter wave technology can provide ultra-high speed broadband solutions to customers and can be most preferred alternative to any other kind of fixed-line broadband services in years to come. With mmWave technology becoming a buzzword for wireless internet service providers and FWA systems, the 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market size is projected to witness a geometric leap over forthcoming years. Also, 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) makes use of standard 3GPP protocol for delivering ultra-high speed broadband services to residential customers & commercial enterprises, thereby prompting expansion of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) industry over forecast timespan. Network infrastructure domain is on cusp of new revolution due to massive need for high speed internet connectivity and this will facilitate growth of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) industry over ensuing years. Request for Customization on this Report - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/custom/4654 North American Market to Garner Huge Returns By 2025 With customers in countries such as the U.S. preferring 5G FWA over fixed-line DSL, fiber, and Cable, growth of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market in North America is slated to accelerate assiduously in next few years. Additionally, massive funding by the U.S. administration in Network Infrastructure sector for improving speed & network connectivity to boost productivity of employees working from home will add to earnings of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market over years ahead. Efforts made by players based in countries such as the U.S. and Canada to offer secured, robust, and seamless internet connection & bandwidth to residential, industrial, and commercial spaces will embellish growth of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) business in North America. Key players profiled in study include United States Cellular Corporation,Samsung Electronics, Hrvatski Telekom, Qualcomm Technologies, Nokia Corporation, Swisscom, Mimosa Networks, Huawei, Cohere Technologies, TELUS Corporation, Ericsson, Arqiva, Siklu Communication, Cellular South, Orange, Mobile Telephone Networks, Telefonica, and Verizon Communications. This review is based on a report by Zion Market Research, titled, "Global 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) Market-By Offering (Hardware and Services), By Demography (Urban, Semi-Urban, and Rural), By Application (Internet of Things, Broadband Internet, Pay TV, and Others), and By End-User (Residential, Commercial, Industrial, and Government): Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, and Forecast, 20202025." Inquire before Purchase of this Research Report - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/5g-fixed-wireless-access-market This report segments the global 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) market into: By Offering Hardware Customer Premises Equipment Devices Access Units Services By Demography Urban Semi-Urban Rural By Application Internet of Things (IoT) Broadband Internet Pay TV Others By End-User Residential Commercial Industrial Government By Region North America The U.S. Canada Europe France The UK Spain Germany Italy Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Southeast Asia Rest of Asia Pacific Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa & GCC South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa Browse Other Related Research Reports 5G Infrastructure Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/5g-infrastructure-market 5G Chipset Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/5g-chipset-market 5G Applications and Services Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/5g-applications-and-services-market 5G IoT Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/5g-iot-market Voice-Over-5G (Vo5G) Market - https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/voice-over-5g-vo5g-market About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the client's needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us. Contact Us: Zion Market Research 244 Fifth Avenue, Suite N202 New York, 10001, United States Tel: +49-322 210 92714 USA/Canada Toll-Free No +1-855-465-4651 US OFFICE NO +1-386-310-3803 Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com Blog - https://zmrblog.com/ SOURCE Zion Market Research The AAPPL 2021-22 updates to the format of the Advanced Interpretive Listening and Interpretive Reading test items. Tweet this The AAPPL 2021-22 also features an update to the format of the Advanced Interpretive Listening (IL) and Interpretive Reading (IR) test items. In addition to long listening passages and reading texts with four multiple choice questions each, there will be short paragraph-length passages and texts, each with a single multiple choice question. This innovation is intended to improve the test taker's overall experience and allow for greater variety in the topics and language being assessed, while continuing to maintain a high degree of consistency in the test's validity and reliability. AAPPL, developed by ACTFL and administered by LTI, is an assessment of proficiency and performance designed to complement classroom-based language learning. As an assessment of K-12 standards-based tasks across the three modes of communication as defined by the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages, AAPPL assesses Interpretive Reading, Interpretive Listening, Interpersonal Listening/Speaking, and Presentational Writing. The AAPPL is currently available in Arabic, Chinese-Mandarin, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. ACTFL's website provides more detailed information about the AAPPL, including demos and helpful tools for teachers. For those seeking language assessment options for Hindi, Russian, and Thai, starting in January 2022, ACTFL will be offering these languages through the ACTFL OPI & WPT for the Seal of Biliteracy (SOBL). About ACTFL: Providing vision, leadership and support for quality teaching and learning of languages, ACTFL is an individual membership organization of more than 13,000 language educators and administrators from elementary through graduate education, as well as government and industry. Since its founding in 1967, ACTFL has become synonymous with innovation, quality, and reliability in meeting the changing needs of language educators and their learners. It is where the world's educators, businesses, and government agencies go to advance the practice of language learning. ACTFL's work as a trusted, independent center of excellence empowers educators to prepare learners for success in a 21st century global society; helps government agencies build language capacity in the U.S. and abroad; and connects businesses with the resources and relationships they need to succeed. About LTI: Language Testing International (LTI) is the exclusive licensee of ACTFL assessments. LTI is committed to offering language assessment products supported by the highest levels of service and utilizing the latest web-based technologies to deliver valid, customized results quickly and efficiently. Tests are conducted and rated by ACTFL-Certified Testers and Raters. SOURCE ACTFL Related Links https://www.actfl.org/ NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced that data from its robust neuroscience portfolio will be presented at the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS) Virtual Congress 2021, taking place September 17-22. More than 20 abstracts across disease states, including Parkinson's disease, spasticity and cervical dystonia, will be presented. "At AbbVie, we are committed to addressing the unmet needs of people living with a wide range of movement disorders," said Sebastian Sorsaburu, MD, vice president, global specialty care medical affairs, AbbVie. "Our research presented at MDS 2021 builds upon our expertise in neuroscience and reinforces our mission to advance the standards of care for people living with these debilitating diseases." Researchers will present results from several studies in advanced Parkinson's disease, including long-term, real-world data for DUODOPA (levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel), as well as additional data on the long-term, real-world use of BOTOX (onabotulinumtoxinA) in patients with spasticity and cervical dystonia. Key AbbVie abstracts for the MDS Virtual Congress 2021, which will all be available as virtual e-posters beginning at 8:00 a.m. CDT on September 10, are outlined below. Key AbbVie Abstracts at MDS 2021 Abstract Title DUODOPA Abstracts Dyskinesia, Pain, and Quality of Life in Parkinson's Disease: Post Hoc Analysis from the DYSCOVER Study Effects of Levodopa-Carbidopa Intestinal Gel on Dyskinesia and Non-Motor Symptoms Including Sleep: Results from a Meta-Analysis with 24-Month Follow-Up Registry Analysis (In Progress) to Evaluate Clinical Outcomes and Disease Burden of Advanced PD in Patients with Motor Fluctuations and Dyskinesia Managed with Oral Dopaminergic Therapies Versus Device-Aided Therapies Impact on Dyskinesia in Advanced Parkinson's Disease Patients Treated with LCIG: Analysis from the COSMOS Study Comparative Effectiveness of Carbidopa/Levodopa Enteral Suspension and Deep Brain Stimulation on Pill Burden Reduction in Medicare Patients with Advanced Parkinson's Disease Long-Term Real-World Effectiveness of Carbidopa/Levodopa Enteral Suspension After 36 Months of Treatment Initiation: Final Results from PROviDE Study Levodopa/Carbidopa Intestinal Gel (LCIG) Reduces Fluctuations and Shortens Time to On Without Troublesome Dyskinesia in Advanced Parkinson's Disease: Post-Hoc Analyses of 54-week LCIG-Monotherapy Trial Real-World Characteristics of Advanced Parkinson's Disease Patients Initiating Carbidopa/Levodopa Enteral Suspension Impact of Device-Aided Therapies on QoL and Off-Time Improvement in Advanced Parkinson's Disease Patients: Comparative Effectiveness Results from a Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis Overview of the Population of Patients with Advanced Parkinson's Disease (aPD) Initiating Therapy with Levodopa-Carbidopa Intestinal Gel (LCIG): POMPE-PARK Study on French Health Insurance Data (2013-2017) BOTOX Abstracts OnabotulinumtoxinA Treatment in Patients with Upper Limb and Lower Limb Spasticity from the ASPIRE Study Neutralizing Antibody Conversion with OnabotulinumtoxinA from Global Studies Across Multiple Indications with a Focus on Movement Disorders: A Meta-Analysis Benefits of Treatment with OnabotulinumtoxinA in Naive and Non-Naive Patients with Cervical Dystonia are Sustained Over Time: Preliminary Completer Analysis from CD PROBE Impact of Disease Severity on Presentation Subtype and OnabotulinumtoxinA Utilization in Patients with Cervical Dystonia: Results from the CD PROBE Completer Population A Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP) Did Not Decrease 150-kDa BoNT/A Toxin Adsorption to Surfaces or Increase Toxin Potency or Duration in a Prototype Formulation OnabotulinumtoxinA Exhibits Greater Efficacy Compared to Purified Botulinum Neurotoxin A (Bont/A-150 KDA) in Peripheral Pain Models Disease State Abstracts Classification of Advanced Parkinson's Disease in OBSERVE-PD Patients Based on the MANAGE-PD Screening Tool COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Advanced Parkinson's Disease in the US Current Perspectives on the Management of Cervical Dystonia Among Global Clinicians About BOTOX BOTOX was first approved by the FDA in 1989 for two rare eye muscle disorders blepharospasm and strabismus in adults. Today, BOTOX is FDA-approved for 12 therapeutic indications, including Chronic Migraine, overactive bladder, leakage of urine (incontinence) due to overactive bladder caused by a neurologic condition in adults, cervical dystonia, adult and pediatric spasticity, severe underarm sweating (axillary hyperhidrosis), and pediatric detrusor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition. BOTOX (onabotulinumtoxinA) Important Information Indications BOTOX is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used: To treat overactive bladder symptoms such as a strong need to urinate with leaking or wetting accidents (urge urinary incontinence), a strong need to urinate right away (urgency), and urinating often (frequency) in adults 18 years and older when another type of medicine (anticholinergic) does not work well enough or cannot be taken To treat leakage of urine (incontinence) in adults 18 years and older with overactive bladder caused by a neurologic disease who still have leakage or cannot tolerate the side effects after trying an anticholinergic medication To treat overactive bladder due to a neurologic disease in children 5 years of age and older when another type of medicine (anticholinergic) does not work well enough or cannot be taken To prevent headaches in adults with chronic migraine who have 15 or more days each month with headache lasting 4 or more hours each day in people 18 years or older To treat increased muscle stiffness in people 2 years of age and older with spasticity To treat the abnormal head position and neck pain that happens with cervical dystonia (CD) in people 16 years and older To treat certain types of eye muscle problems (strabismus) or abnormal spasm of the eyelids (blepharospasm) in people 12 years of age and older BOTOX is also injected into the skin to treat the symptoms of severe underarm sweating (severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis) when medicines used on the skin (topical) do not work well enough in people 18 years and older. It is not known whether BOTOX is safe and effective to prevent headaches in patients with migraine who have 14 or fewer headache days each month (episodic migraine). BOTOX has not been shown to help people perform task-specific functions with their upper limbs or increase movement in joints that are permanently fixed in position by stiff muscles. It is not known whether BOTOX is safe and effective for severe sweating anywhere other than your armpits. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION BOTOX may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX: Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms including: loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect away from the injection site when BOTOX has been used at the recommended dose to treat chronic migraine, severe underarm sweating, blepharospasm, or strabismus. BOTOX may cause loss of strength or general muscle weakness, vision problems, or dizziness within hours to weeks of taking BOTOX. If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities. Do not receive BOTOX if you: are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX (see Medication Guide for ingredients); had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA); have a skin infection at the planned injection site. Do not receive BOTOX for the treatment of urinary incontinence if you: have a urinary tract infection (UTI) or cannot empty your bladder on your own and are not routinely catheterizing. Due to the risk of urinary retention (not being able to empty the bladder), only patients who are willing and able to initiate catheterization post treatment, if required, should be considered for treatment. Patients treated for overactive bladder: In clinical trials, 36 of the 552 patients had to self-catheterize for urinary retention following treatment with BOTOX compared to 2 of the 542 treated with placebo. The median duration of post-injection catheterization for these patients treated with BOTOX 100 Units (n = 36) was 63 days (minimum 1 day to maximum 214 days) as compared to a median duration of 11 days (minimum 3 days to maximum 18 days) for patients receiving placebo (n = 2). Patients with diabetes mellitus treated with BOTOX were more likely to develop urinary retention than nondiabetics. Adult Patients treated for overactive bladder due to neurologic disease: In clinical trials, 30.6% of patients (33/108) who were not using clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) prior to injection, required catheterization for urinary retention following treatment with BOTOX 200 Units as compared to 6.7% of patients (7/104) treated with placebo. The median duration of post-injection catheterization for these patients treated with BOTOX 200 Units (n = 33) was 289 days (minimum 1 day to maximum 530 days) as compared to a median duration of 358 days (minimum 2 days to maximum 379 days) for patients receiving placebo (n = 7). Among patients not using CIC at baseline, those with MS were more likely to require CIC post injection than those with SCI. The dose of BOTOX is not the same as, or comparable to, another botulinum toxin product. Serious and/or immediate allergic reactions have been reported, including itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, dizziness, or feeling faint. Get medical help right away if you experience symptoms; further injection of BOTOX should be discontinued. Tell your doctor about all your muscle or nerve conditions, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as you may be at increased risk of serious side effects, including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing from typical doses of BOTOX. Tell your doctor if you have any breathing-related problems. Your doctor may monitor you for breathing problems during treatment with BOTOX for spasticity or for detrusor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition. The risk of developing lung disease in patients with reduced lung function is increased in patients receiving BOTOX. Cornea problems have been reported. Cornea (surface of the eye) problems have been reported in some people receiving BOTOX for their blepharospasm, especially in people with certain nerve disorders. BOTOX may cause the eyelids to blink less, which could lead to the surface of the eye being exposed to air more than is usual. Tell your doctor if you experience any problems with your eyes while receiving BOTOX. Your doctor may treat your eyes with drops, ointments, contact lenses, or with an eye patch. Bleeding behind the eye has been reported. Bleeding behind the eyeball has been reported in some people receiving BOTOX for their strabismus. Tell your doctor if you notice any new visual problems while receiving BOTOX. Bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infections (common colds) have been reported. Bronchitis was reported more frequently in adults receiving BOTOX for upper limb spasticity. Upper respiratory infections were also reported more frequently in adults with prior breathing-related problems with spasticity. In pediatric patients treated with BOTOX for upper limb spasticity, upper respiratory tract infections were reported more frequently. In pediatric patients treated with BOTOX for lower limb spasticity, upper respiratory tract infections were not reported more frequently than placebo. Autonomic dysreflexia in patients treated for overactive bladder due to neurologic disease. Autonomic dysreflexia associated with intradetrusor injections of BOTOX could occur in patients treated for detrusor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition and may require prompt medical therapy. In clinical trials, the incidence of autonomic dysreflexia was greater in adult patients treated with BOTOX 200 Units compared with placebo (1.5% versus 0.4%, respectively). Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you: have or have had bleeding problems; have plans to have surgery; had surgery on your face; weakness of forehead muscles; trouble raising your eyebrows; drooping eyelids; any other abnormal facial change; have symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI) and are being treated for urinary incontinence (symptoms of a urinary tract infection may include pain or burning with urination, frequent urination, or fever); have problems emptying your bladder on your own and are being treated for urinary incontinence; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if BOTOX can harm your unborn baby); are breastfeeding or plan to (it is not known if BOTOX passes into breast milk). Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using BOTOX with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines until you have told your doctor that you have received BOTOX in the past. Tell your doctor if you received any other botulinum toxin product in the last 4 months; have received injections of botulinum toxin such as Myobloc, Dysport, or Xeomin in the past (tell your doctor exactly which product you received); have recently received an antibiotic by injection; take muscle relaxants; take an allergy or cold medicine; take a sleep medicine; take aspirin-like products or blood thinners. Other side effects of BOTOX include: dry mouth, discomfort or pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, neck pain, eye problems: double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids, swelling of your eyelids, dry eyes; drooping eyebrows; and upper respiratory tract infection. In adults being treated for urinary incontinence, other side effects include urinary tract infection and painful urination. In children being treated for urinary incontinence, other side effects include urinary tract infection and bacteria in the urine. If you have difficulty fully emptying your bladder on your own after receiving BOTOX, you may need to use disposable self-catheters to empty your bladder up to a few times each day until your bladder is able to start emptying again. For more information refer to the Medication Guide or talk with your doctor. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Please see BOTOX full Product Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide. Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information. DUODOPA (levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel) EU Indication DUODOPA is indicated for the treatment of advanced levodopa-responsive Parkinson's disease with severe motor fluctuations and hyperkinesia or dyskinesia when available combinations of Parkinson's medicinal products have not given satisfactory results. Important DUODOPA EU Safety Information Duodopa is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to levodopa, carbidopa or any of the excipients, narrow-angle glaucoma, severe heart failure, severe cardiac arrhythmia, acute stroke, selective type A inhibitors and nonselective MAO inhibitors, conditions contraindicated for adrenergics (e.g. pheochromocytoma, hyperthyroidism, and Cushing's syndrome), and suspicious skin lesions or history of melanoma. Some warnings and precautions include the following: Device and Procedure-related complications, sudden onset of sleep: caution should be exercised when driving and operating machines. Caution in: severe cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, renal, hepatic or endocrine disease, or history of peptic ulcer disease or of convulsions. Risk of symptoms resembling Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome following abrupt dose reduction or discontinuation. Monitor all patients for the development of mental changes, depression with suicidal tendencies, and other serious mental changes. Caution in chronic wide-angle glaucoma; monitor for intra-ocular pressure changes. Patients with past or current psychosis should be treated with caution. Monitor patients regularly for the development of impulse control disorders, for example Dopamine Dysregulation Syndrome (DDS). Polyneuropathy has been reported; evaluate for history/signs of and known risk factors before starting therapy. Periodic evaluation of hepatic, haematopoietic, cardiovascular and renal function is recommended during extended therapy with Duodopa. Some reported complications include, but are not limited to, abscess, pneumonia (including aspiration pneumonia), and sepsis. Patients with Parkinson's disease have a higher risk of developing melanoma. Monitor patients for melanomas on a regular basis when using Duodopa. Duodopa is not recommended during pregnancy. Breast-feeding should be discontinued during treatment with Duodopa. The most common adverse reaction was complication of device insertion. The very common ( 10%) and common (1% to < 10%) device and procedure -related adverse reactions reported in the clinical trials included in clinical trials included: Abdominal discomfort, Abdominal pain, Peritonitis, Pneumoperitoneum Postoperative wound infection, incisional cellulitis, pneumonia/aspiration pneumonia, excessive granulation tissue, device dislocation, device occlusion, complications of device insertion, incision site erythema, post-procedural discharge, stoma complication, incision site pain, Postoperative Ileus, Post procedural complication, Post procedural discomfort, post procedural haemorrhage. Most of these adverse reactions were reported early in the studies, subsequent to the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy procedure and occurred during the first 28 days. Drug related undesirable effects that occur frequently with the Duodopa system include nausea and dyskinesia. This is not a complete summary of all safety information. See DUODOPA full summary of product characteristics (SmPC) at https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/. Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information. About AbbVie in Neuroscience At AbbVie, our commitment to preserve the personhood of those living with neurological and psychiatric disorders is unwavering. Every challenge in this uncharted territory makes us more determined and drives us harder to discover and deliver solutions for patients, care partners and clinicians. AbbVie's Neuroscience portfolio consists of approved therapies and a robust pipeline in neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, bipolar I disorder, major depressive disorder, migraine, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, post-stroke spasticity, schizophrenia, stroke and others. We have a strong investment in neuroscience research, with our Foundational Neuroscience Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and our Neuroscience Discovery site in Ludwigshafen, Germany, where our research and resilience in these challenging therapeutic areas is yielding a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of neurological and psychiatric disorders, and identifying targets for potential disease-modifying therapeutics aimed at making a difference in people's lives. About AbbVie AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @AbbVie on Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and LinkedIn . Forward-Looking Statements Some statements in this news release are, or may be considered, forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, failure to realize the expected benefits from AbbVie's acquisition of Allergan plc ("Allergan"), failure to promptly and effectively integrate Allergan's businesses, competition from other products, challenges to intellectual property, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry and the impact of public health outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics, such as COVID-19. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of AbbVie's 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. AbbVie undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law. SOURCE AbbVie Related Links abbvie.com OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation, a Proud Partner of the East Oakland Black Cultural Zone Collaborative, announced the upcoming anniversary of the AKOMA Outdoor Farmer's Market. The celebration will take place on Sunday, September 19, 2021 at Liberation Park from 10:00 am until 7:00 pm. The Market and UMOJA Outdoor Roller Skating Rink will be open and we will honor the Market Vendors, Supporters, Visitors and Team Members. We will also honor the work of the Black Cultural Zone to create its first Black Cultural Zone Community, Commercial and Cultural Hub. One Year Anniversary AKOMA Outdoor Certified Farmers Market in Oakland California at Liberation Park. Oakland's Only Outdoor Wood Floor Skating Rink - UMOJA Outdoor Skating Rink at Liberation Park. Don't miss out on: AKOMA Market 10:00 am until 3:00 pm (Early Bird Specials with our Market Vendors) (Early Bird Specials with our Market Vendors) Family Skating 11:00 am until 2:00 pm Adult Skating 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm The CDC launched this certified Market on September 06, 2021, in the midst of the Pandemic, to offer East Oakland, Black and Brown farmers, retailers and chefs an opportunity to operate during those challenging times. The Market now hosts more than forty vendors, offers Yoga services with its partner Spearitwurx, also a Proud Partner of the East Oakland Black Cultural Zone, and family skating at the UMOJA Outdoor Roller Rink. "The Akoma Outdoor Market has become a site of sacred community gathering in which all members of our community have the opportunity to grow their business dreams, build long standing community relationships, and exist in the physical manifestation of a thriving black cultural zone," said Ndidi Love, the Economic Development Manager at the CDC. The East Oakland Black Cultural Zone Collaborative (the "Collaborative") was formed by Eastside Arts Alliance and several non-profit organizations located in East Oakland. The East Oakland Black Cultural Zone, conceived in 2014, addresses the disparate impact of decades of disinvestment in East Oakland and more recent displacement of Black People and Black Businesses from their legacy communities here in Oakland by centering Black Arts and Culture within a community development framework. The Collaborative designated the East Oakland Black Cultural Zone as the 50 square blocks from High Street to the San Leandro Border. The purpose of the Black Cultural Zone CDC (the "CDC"), a California nonprofit corporation founded in 2019 by the East Oakland Black Cultural Zone Collaborative, is to "innovate, incubate, inform and elevate community driven projects that allow our people and culture to "THRIVE". Our vision is for a robust and vibrant renaissance in legacy Black communities; vibrant, thriving Black Arts, Cultural and Commercial areas in a thriving economy; an ecosystem anchored by Black Arts, Culture and Commerce; and collective power that assures our inalienable human right to love, health, wellness, belonging, power, safety and self- determination. The mission of the Black Cultural Zone CDC is to unapologetically center Black arts, culture and economics as we collectively design, resource, transform and build collective power for our communities. FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact info: Name: Ndidi Okwelogu Organization: Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation Address: 7101 Foothill Boulevard Oakland California 94605 Phone: +1-510-463-4559 Website: www.blackculturalzone.org IG/FB: @blackculturalzone SOURCE Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation Aspiring Minds (now SHL) recently undertook an extensive study of candidate assessments and survey data, for the Govt. of Haryana, and supported by Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The objective of this study was to understand the impact of the apprenticeship program on employability of candidates in Haryana. Thousands of apprentices from a mix of Government & Private, Service & Manufacturing and Small-Medium-Large organizations were assessed as part of this research. NEW DELHI, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspiring Minds, now SHL, recently undertook an extensive study of candidate assessments and survey data, for the Govt. of Haryana, and supported by Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The objective of this study was to understand the impact of the apprenticeship training program to help improve the employability of ITI candidates in Haryana. The collaborators wanted to understand the key areas of improvement of such initiatives through quantitative research on the job-readiness of candidates before and after the program. There was a 25-35% improvement in candidate performance in English Language, Analytical Ability and Computer Programming. Workplace behavioural traits of candidates improved on average by ~40%. Candidates have improved consistently across gender, establishment type and rural-urban groups in all parameters. "Creating pathways out of poverty for our youth is a top priority for us, and we know how important it is to identify high-impact skilling interventions to ensure candidates are employable," said Prachi Windlass, Director India Programs from Dell Foundation. "The research project conducted by Aspiring Minds has helped the Haryana Government get deeper insights into Apprenticeship. It showed that increased supervision, on-the-job mentoring along with peer learning can significantly augment the performance of an apprentice. This further strengthens Haryana Government's belief and commitment towards providing quality apprenticeship," said Dr. Raja Shekhar Vundru, IAS from Haryana Government. 59% of candidates strongly agreed that apprenticeship helped them in getting a job and 90% of rated the program as good or very good. More than half the candidates affirmed that they learnt and applied new concepts which were useful for an impactful learning experience. "The outcomes of this study will be important for future interventions of the governments not just in Haryana but across different states in India. The insights from these assessments helped quantify the impact of apprenticeship programs and which parameters make most impact. Consequently, such rich data and insights will help design better apprenticeship programs," said Varun Aggarwal from SHL. Key recommendations of the report include: providing hands-on tasks to candidates for effective and applied learning, ensuring that the candidates spend regular hours at the workplace, regular supervision and training and regular assessment to measure the performance of candidates and the effectiveness of the program. "These learnings can now be incorporated into the design of the Government's programs to make apprenticeship even more effective," added Dr. Raja Shekhar Vundru, IAS from Haryana Government. Contact: Niyaatii Swami, [email protected] SOURCE SHL Related Links www.shl.com Why: On September 9, the White House announced plans for the President to sign a new executive order that would require all federal government employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. It has been reported that President Biden hopes similar policy will be adopted by state governments and private companies. Following this news, while over 150,000 new COVID-19 cases are being reported per day in the United States, Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. has assembled the latest state law requirements related to mask mandates, vaccine passports and employer liability. Mask Mandate: As of September 8 , of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia , and the five U.S. territories, 30 jurisdictions have some form of mask mandate in place, while 11 jurisdictions prohibit state or local governments from imposing mask mandates. 15 jurisdictions have no mask mandates, either because no mandate was imposed, or because a mandate was lifted or allowed to expire. As of , of the 50 U.S. states, the , and the five U.S. territories, 30 jurisdictions have some form of mask mandate in place, while 11 jurisdictions prohibit state or local governments from imposing mask mandates. 15 jurisdictions have no mask mandates, either because no mandate was imposed, or because a mandate was lifted or allowed to expire. Vaccine Passport: In addition, as of September 8, 2021 , 11 jurisdictionsAmerican Samoa, California , Colorado , District of Columbia , Guam , Hawai'i, Illinois , Louisiana , New Jersey , New York , and Puerto Ricohave implemented some form of a COVID-19 vaccine passport, allowing or requiring a person to show their vaccination status upon request. 22 jurisdictions have banned all or some proof of vaccination requirements. Of those 22 jurisdictions, 13 states have enacted legislation prohibiting proof of vaccination, while the other nine states have banned proof of vaccination through executive order, with most of the prohibitions applying only to government agencies. However, there are broader prohibitions in Texas and Florida , where private businesses are barred from requiring proof of vaccination. In addition, as of , 11 jurisdictionsAmerican , , , , Hawai'i, , , , , and Puerto Ricohave implemented some form of a COVID-19 vaccine passport, allowing or requiring a person to show their vaccination status upon request. 22 jurisdictions have banned all or some proof of vaccination requirements. Of those 22 jurisdictions, 13 states have enacted legislation prohibiting proof of vaccination, while the other nine states have banned proof of vaccination through executive order, with most of the prohibitions applying only to government agencies. However, there are broader prohibitions in and , where private businesses are barred from requiring proof of vaccination. Employer Liability: As of September 8, 2021 , 40 U.S. jurisdictions have enacted legislation or issued an executive order imposing some limitations on liability for COVID-19 transmission. Perhaps the most common feature of shield laws is to provide a shield against liability for ordinary negligence and require that a plaintiff show gross negligence or intentional misconduct. Who: Cathleen Calhoun, Legal Analyst; Pamela Wolf, Sr. Legal Analyst Cathleen Calhoun, J.D., is a health law legal analyst at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. with areas of expertise in health care compliance, Medicare benefits and coverage, health care reimbursement and more. Cathleen can give insight on the importance of keeping track of state law requirements and ways to keep employees safe, healthy and comfortable when returning back to office. Pamela Wolf, J.D., is a senior employment legal analyst at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. who tracks and analyzes employment issues including White House and federal agency developments, federal regulations, court decisions, state and federal legislation, and labor and employment trends. Pamela can discuss the important steps and questions employers should consider when it comes to developing back to office COVID-19 policies and protocols for their employees. "The rise of the delta variant of the coronavirus has caused an increase in mask mandates and a slowing or pause of back-to-office plans for many employers. From August to September 2021, the number of jurisdictions with some form of mask mandate has risen from 18 to 30, impacting both employers and their employees." Cathleen Calhoun, Legal Analyst "Against the backdrop of state laws shielding employers from COVID-19 liability issues, and the delta variant continuing to raise serious concerns, employers are still intensely focused on managing coronavirus spread in the workplace. This includes questions of whether to impose vaccine mandates and whether to require employees to work in-person, remotely, or a combination of both." Pamela Wolf, Senior Legal Analyst Contact: To arrange an interview with Cathleen Calhoun, Pamela Wolf or other legal experts from Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. on this or any other related topics, please contact Linda Gharib: [email protected]. About Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the healthcare; tax and accounting; governance, risk and compliance; and legal and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2020 annual revenues of 4.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,200 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY). For more information about Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., visit www.WoltersKluwerLR.com, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. MEDIA CONTACT: Linda Gharib Director, Brand & Communications Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. Tel: +1 (646) 887-7962 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. "The most important initial step is to get vaccinated and once vaccinated assess a person's response to the vaccine. This response is shown by the production of specific neutralizing antibodies that can control the virus, not just a measurement of total antibody production. The neutralizing antibody test will provide a level of comfort that one is armed against COVID. Once the level of neutralizing antibodies falls below a critical level, a warning light goes on that a booster may be needed. The FourthWall test results are also in accordance with the World Health Organizations (WHO) suggested levels of vaccine effectiveness. An additional comfort level after vaccination, in those who have flu-like symptoms, is to have a rapid PCR test for active presence of COVID," Dr. Hausman added. All COVID vaccine makers say that their shots wear after about six months. President Biden said that the US will make boosters available eight months after people receive their vaccine. That leaves a few months where people could be unprotected from COVID and not know it. A PCR test will tell you if you have COVID right now. The neutralizing antibody test will tell you if you still have enough neutralizing antibodies to protect you from getting COVID in the first place. Dr. Hausman explains that once your level of neutralizing antibodies falls below a critical level, a booster may be needed. The neutralizing antibody test results are also in accordance with World Health Organization suggested response levels to vaccination. "If you got your shot six months ago, you either need to get the booster shot, take a neutralizing antibody test to see if your vaccine is still working, or return to your pre-vaccine safety measures until you get a booster shot," said Epitome Risk CEO Lisa Wilson. "The vaccine wears out at different rates in different people because everyone is different. Epitome Risk and its private lab FourthWall are not political organizations. We care about people having access to information so they can advocate for their health." "We sell the only at-home neutralizing antibody test, but you can get a neutralizing antibody test with a blood draw from your doctor or a CLIA-licensed lab. It's easy and important. But you need to know your antibody numbers so you know how to take care of yourself during COVID,"said Wilson. About FourthWall Testing FourthWall Testing is a private lab owned by Epitome Risk that offers rapid COVID testing services, neutralizing antibody testing, and immune assessment solutions. Wilson says the cPass test can be ordered online for $170, which can be reimbursed through flexible spending accounts, and includes roundtrip shipping to your home and back to the lab. Test results are provided to clients in 24-28 hours. Epitome Risk has been measuring levels of neutralizing antibodies since December 2020. FourthWall Testing is one of the only labs in the world measuring levels of neutralizing/blocking antibodies after vaccination and also performing a longitudinal evaluation of vaccinated people," said Wilson. About Epitome Risk Epitome Risk is a leader in risk management, COVID-compliance measures, and safety support for corporate and professional sporting events, and television and film productions. Epitome Risk was looking for a neutralizing antibody test and began working with Genscript to tailor an offering for their clients. Available for immediate interview Lisa Wilson, CEO Epitome Risk Solutions Dr. Marvin S. Hausman, MD FourthWall Testing Media Contact Karen Campbell cell | text 667-206-0208 [email protected] SOURCE Epitome Risk TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, more and more medical clinics began to embrace the idea of telemedicine as a way to care for patients. From both a safety and practicality standpoint, this change in approach continues to make sense for all involved. Dr. Richard Tytus, Co-Founder and Medical Director of Banty Inc. According to a recent survey conducted by SingleCare, 43% of respondents did not know if telemedicine services were being offered by their healthcare provider pre-pandemic. This can be due to a number of factors, including clinics not properly communicating with patients about available virtual medicine options. Dr. Richard Tytus , Co-Founder and Medical Director of telemedicine solution Banty Inc. , believes it is crucial to keep patients in the know about all treatment options available to them. With regards to telemedicine services, Dr. Tytus suggests informing patients about them by: Casually bringing up the topic: During an in-person appointment, a member of the clinical team (i.e., doctor, nurse, front desk person, etc.), can casually mention the availability of virtual visits to patients. Some highlights of this service should be mentioned as a way to at least get the person thinking about telemedicine During an in-person appointment, a member of the clinical team (i.e., doctor, nurse, front desk person, etc.), can casually mention the availability of virtual visits to patients. Some highlights of this service should be mentioned as a way to at least get the person thinking about telemedicine Having printed resources available: Before a person exits the clinic, see that they are offered a brochure or flyer outlining further details regarding the telemedicine services being offered by the practice. This resource can be taken home and fully analyzed once a patient has more time to collect their thoughts and truly consider moving away from solely making in-person appointments Before a person exits the clinic, see that they are offered a brochure or flyer outlining further details regarding the telemedicine services being offered by the practice. This resource can be taken home and fully analyzed once a patient has more time to collect their thoughts and truly consider moving away from solely making in-person appointments Making all details accessible online: A clinic's website is a great place to share a more detailed look at the telemedicine services being offered by a practice. Here, more specific points regarding how a virtual visit can be made and attended should be outlined. What's more, a patient-friendly virtual medicine FAQ would be worth publishing here as well. Don't forget to also use your social media channels as a way to talk to patients about telemedicine A clinic's website is a great place to share a more detailed look at the telemedicine services being offered by a practice. Here, more specific points regarding how a virtual visit can be made and attended should be outlined. What's more, a patient-friendly virtual medicine FAQ would be worth publishing here as well. Don't forget to also use your social media channels as a way to talk to patients about telemedicine Following up regularly: Without putting any pressure on a patient, clinic staff should follow-up with them to see if they've put any further thought into participating in virtual visits. This will certainly jog a patient's memory and help them remember that seeing their doctor online - when possible - would be a more convenient experience than travelling to an in-person appointment "As a healthcare professional, patients expect you to have their best interests in mind," adds Dr. Tytus. "By thoughtfully and respectfully sharing the benefits of a telemedicine solution like Banty Medical with them, you are helping these individuals learn that there is more than one effective way to visit with their doctor. Since these patients already trust you, they should by extension trust a recommendation of this nature." Banty.com's video call service offers all subscribers a custom, permanent URL (i.e., Banty.com/MyMeeting ); a secure, end-to-end encrypted meeting space; excellent video quality; unlimited meetings each month; and straightforward scheduling tools. Banty has a number of solutions that are meant to make it easy to meet with those who matter most to you. (Watch the 'Banty Is Easy' video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhmVdwrR_w8&t=10s ) Today, everyone has a mobile number and an email address. In the near future, everyone will have a Banty video chat address: Banty.com/YourName About Banty Founded in 2020, Banty offers exceptional video conferencing solutions for Businesses , Enterprise , Medical Practices , Virtual Events , and Personal use . Banty video conferencing is easy to use and ultra-secure. The platform provides users with a dedicated Banty.com URL , accessible via any desktop browser or through iOS and Android mobile apps. In order to receive government approval to become a verified medical platform, Banty was upgraded to meet new cyber security standards, making it one of the most secure platforms available. Each day, the Banty team goes above and beyond to ensure the platform remains one of the most secure and innovative virtual meeting solutions in the world. For more information, please visit Banty.org/solutions, or follow Banty on social media to learn more about the latest platform innovations: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram. Media Contact: Scott Wilson [email protected] 289-259-8059 SOURCE Banty Inc. As a public company, Benson Hill is committed to transparency with investors, regardless of their size and economic stake. To help facilitate these connections and enhance engagement, Benson Hill is partnering with Say Technologies, ("Say") a Robinhood Markets company, that has built an innovative communication platform to make it easier for investors to exercise their ownership rights. Benson Hill will utilize Say Connect to solicit questions from investors ahead of a special retail-focused webcast on September 17, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. ET. The Company will also utilize the Say Connect platform in connection with quarterly earnings calls following the completion of its transaction with Star Peak. Starting today, retail investors who are current holders of Star Peak stock, can submit and upvote questions to management. To submit questions, please visit the Say Connect platform at: https://app.saytechnologies.com/bensonhill-2021-september. Shareholders with brokers at Say Technologies can participate directly through their individual investing app or broker website. Retail investors who are not current holders of Star Peak stock can submit questions to [email protected]. Questions can be submitted through September 13, 2021. "Benson Hill is a company with a bold mission to change how we think about and produce food, and we're extending that approach to how we show up as a public company," said Matt Crisp, Chief Executive Officer of Benson Hill. "Consumers are driving revolutionary changes in our food system, which is also helping power our business. As investors, they deserve to have the same access as the largest financial institutions. By partnering with Say ahead of our expected listing, we wish to engage with our retail stakeholders and operate in a different way from traditional public companies." "We're excited that Benson Hill has partnered with Say to more meaningfully connect with its investors ahead of its listing as a public company," said Zach Hascoe, co-founder of Say Technologies. "Benson Hill is joining a growing number of public companies giving their shareholders the tools they need to make their voices heard by leveraging Say Connect." The Company will respond to questions from retail investors on a webcast scheduled for September 17, 2021 at 11:00 am ET. A link to the webcast can be found at https://bensonhill.zoom.us/j/99439020066 and on the Benson Hill investor website at https://bensonhill.com/investors/. About Benson Hill Benson Hill moves food forward with the CropOS platform, a cutting-edge food innovation engine that combines data science and machine learning with biology and genetics. Benson Hill empowers innovators to unlock nature's genetic diversity from plant to plate, with the purpose of creating healthier, great-tasting food and ingredient options that are both widely accessible and sustainable. More information can be found at bensonhill.com or on Twitter at @bensonhillinc. On May 10, 2021, Benson Hill announced a definitive business combination agreement with Star Peak Corp II (NYSE: STPC). Upon the closing of the business combination, Benson Hill will become publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol "BHIL". Additional information about the transaction can be viewed at: https://bensonhill.com/investors/ or https://stpc.starpeakcorp.com/. A Special Meeting to approve the pending business combination between Star Peak and Benson Hill, among other items, has been scheduled for September 28, 2021 at 11 a.m. ET. All stockholders as of August 9, 2021 are encouraged to vote their shares by September 27, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET. More information on how to vote can be found at: https://stpc.starpeakcorp.com/How-to-Vote/. Additional Information This communication is being made in respect of a proposed merger transaction (the "proposed transactions") involving Star Peak and Benson Hill. The proposed transactions will be submitted to stockholders of Star Peak for their consideration and approval at a special meeting of stockholders. In connection with the proposed transactions, Star Peak has filed a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement") with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and a definitive proxy statement / prospectus to be distributed to Star Peak stockholders in connection with Star Peak's solicitation for proxies for the vote by Star Peak's stockholders in connection with the proposed transactions and other matters as described in such Registration Statement, as well as the prospectus relating to the offer of the securities. Star Peak is mailing a definitive proxy statement / prospectus and other relevant documents to its stockholders as of the record date established for voting on the proposed transactions. Investors and security holders of Star Peak are advised to read the definitive proxy statement / prospectus in connection with Star Peak's solicitation of proxies for its special meeting of stockholders to be held to approve the proposed transaction because the proxy statement / prospectus contains important information about the proposed transaction and the parties to the proposed transaction. Stockholders may also obtain copies of the definitive proxy statement / prospectus, without charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to: Star Peak Corp II, 1603 Orrington Ave., 13th Floor Evanston, IL 60201. No Offer or Solicitation This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Participants in the Solicitation Star Peak and Benson Hill and their respective directors, executive officers, other members of management, and employees, under SEC rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of Star Peak's stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction, including a description of their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is set forth in the Registration Statement that has been filed with the SEC by Star Peak, which includes the proxy statement / prospectus for the proposed transaction. Information regarding the directors and executive officers of Star Peak is contained in Star Peak's filings with the SEC, and such information is also in the Registration Statement that has been filed with the SEC by Star Peak, which includes the proxy statement / prospectus for the proposed transaction. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or Star Peak's or Benson Hill's future financial or operating performance. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of other financial and performance metrics and projections of market opportunity. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "should," "expect," "intend," "will," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "predict," or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Star Peak and its management, and Benson Hill and its management, as the case may be, are inherently uncertain factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: 1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the definitive merger agreement with respect to the business combination; 2) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Star Peak, the combined company or others following the announcement of the business combination and any definitive agreements with respect thereto; 3) the inability to complete the business combination due to the failure to obtain approval of the stockholders of Star Peak, to obtain financing to complete the business combination or to satisfy other conditions to closing; 4) changes to the proposed structure of the business combination that may be required or appropriate as a result of applicable laws or regulations or as a condition to obtaining regulatory approval of the business combination; 5) the ability to meet the NYSE's listing standards following the consummation of the business combination; 6) the risk that the business combination disrupts current plans and operations of Benson Hill as a result of the announcement and consummation of the business combination; 7) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the business combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain its management and key employees; 8) costs related to the business combination; 9) changes in applicable laws or regulations; 10) the possibility that Benson Hill or the combined company may be adversely affected by other economic, business and/or competitive factors; 11) Benson Hill's estimates of its financial performance; 12) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on business and financial conditions; and 13) other risks and uncertainties set forth in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in Star Peak's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2021, in the proxy statement / prospectus relating to the proposed business combination (when available), and other documents filed or to be filed with the SEC by Star Peak. Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward looking statements will be achieved. There may be additional risks that Star Peak and Benson Hill presently do not know or that Star Peak and Benson Hill currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Neither Star Peak nor Benson Hill undertakes any duty to update these forward-looking statements, except as otherwise required by law. SOURCE Benson Hill Related Links bensonhill.com Get Free Access to all Industry Challenges Key Insights Provided for Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores In addition to analysis on how key challenges are expected to impact retail businesses, BizVibe company profiles contain numerous high-quality insights to help users discover, track, compare, and evaluate suppliers or sales prospects. These insights include: Relevance and influence of industry trends and challenges, segmented by region Press releases and news coverage referencing key trends and challenges Risk of doing business score, segmented by operational, financial, compliance, and country risk Top company competitors at the global, regional, and national levels Names of top company decision makers, including job titles and social profiles Company financials such as annual revenue, profitability ratios, and management effectiveness View 50+ Company Data Points for Free Beer, Wine, and Liquor Store Product and Service Categories BizVibe's platform provides access to over 10 million buyer and supplier company profiles. Businesses from more than 200 countries are categorized into 40,000+ product and service categories, each providing detailed insights tailored to the needs of procurement and sales teams globally. The beer, wine, and liquor store industry group features 75,000+ company profiles categorized into multiple product and service categories, enabling clients to identify and connect with potential new business partners across diverse market segments. Get Free Company Profile Access for all Categories BizVibe for Buyers and Sellers BizVibe is a modern B2B platform dedicated to connecting buyers and sellers from around the world. Powered by the latest best-in-class solutions, BizVibe is designed to help companies generate leads, shortlist suppliers, request proposals, and identify global companies. Evaluate companies side-by-side to compare key metrics and initiate productive partnerships. Buyers use BizVibe to discover suppliers from among more than 5 million companies using advanced search filters and comparison tools. Features for buyers include: Shortlist potential suppliers Track and compare companies Set up custom news alerts Quickly create and customize RFIs Explore BizVibe's buyer services: https://www.bizvibe.com/buyers Sellers can take advantage of BizVibe's smart sales intelligence tools to discover, evaluate, and communicate with prospects across 300+ categories. Features for sellers include: Identify and qualify sales prospects Receive customized prospect recommendations Analyze and evaluate potential buyers Integrate CRMs for efficient data transfer Discover BizVibe's seller tools: https://www.bizvibe.com/sellers About BizVibe BizVibe has been conceptualized and built by a team based out of Toronto, Bangalore, and London. We are a branch of Infiniti Research and have dedicated units in all three locations. BizVibe helps buyers find the most relevant suppliers from around the world and helps sellers target prospects who need their products and/or services. For more information, please visit www.bizvibe.com and start for free today. Contact BizVibe Jesse Maida Email: [email protected] +1 855-897-5880 Website: https://www.bizvibe.com/ SOURCE BizVibe BROWNSBURG, Ind., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Brownsburg Health Care Center will hold a celebratory event on September 19, 2021 from 2pm-6pm, to commemorate its 50th Anniversary. A presentation from the Brownsburg Chamber of Commerce, a rededication of the facility, and a proclamation from the City of Brownsburg will recognize Brownsburg Health Care Center's long-standing commitment to the community at the event. The event will also have live music, food and giveaways by local vendors. Jim Gephart, Brownsburg Health Care Center's original owner and founder, identified a need in his town for senior care, with his heart for the elderly. Brownsburg Health Care Center, formerly known as Golden Manor, Indiana's first nursing facility opened In September 1971. In reverence and respect for the man who made such an impact on the lives of so many, and whose building continues to serve the Brownsburg area and surrounding communities, they will be hosting his wife, Mary, as their honored guest at their upcoming 50th Anniversary Celebration. Brownsburg Health Care Center not only has a commitment to the community, but also their residents. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has given Brownsburg Health Care Center a four-star rating for quality of resident care. About Brownsburg Health Care Center Brownsburg Health Care Center is one of twenty-one health care communities in the Health Services Management portfolio who provide comprehensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services as well as long-term skilled nursing care in Brownsburg, Indiana. To learn more: https://www.brownsburghcc.com/ . About Health Services Management Health Services Management has extensive experience and a proven track record as an operator, manager, and owner of skilled nursing and long-term care communities since 2000 and currently operates nineteen skilled nursing facilities, and two assisted living communities in Florida, Texas, Indiana, and Tennessee. The Health Services Management network proudly employs more than 2,000 individuals and has developed multiple long-lasting strategic partnerships in each of the communities that it serves. The management team continuously seeks out and evaluates facilities for acquisition to provide continued company growth. For more information: https://www.HSMgroup.org . Media Contact: Bayshore Marketing Group [email protected] 727-316-5578 SOURCE Brownsburg Health Care Center Related Links https://www.brownsburghcc.com/ MIAMI, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL;NYSE: CUK), the world's largest cruise company, today announced a new initiative making pre-board testing more convenient and accessible for its guests. The effort will facilitate access to pre-cruise COVID-19 viral testing for guests of Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn at more than 1,500 convenient Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) patient service centers and retail pharmacy testing locations throughout the U.S. The program helps streamline pre-cruise preparation for guests planning to sail aboard Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line or Seabourn. Currently, all guests, regardless of vaccination status, must present a negative COVID-19 viral test taken no more than three days before their embarkation, along with additional health and safety requirements. Beginning September 13, 2021 and after, in accordance with CDC directives, all vaccinated guests must present a negative COVID-19 viral test taken no more than two days before their embarkation (for example, if a cruise leaves on a Saturday, guests should schedule their tests for the Thursday before embarking). Details about requirements are available on the Carnival Corporation cruise line brand websites. The pre-board test (molecular or antigen) is one of the added measures recently implemented by the company's cruise lines, which have been operating with enhanced health and safety protocols designed to change as needed to adapt to the evolving public health environment. "Access to testing continues to play an important role in the restart of our guest operations, and working with Quest simplifies the process for our guests by making it easier to access convenient testing options from a trusted national laboratory provider," said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corporation. "These testing protocols are part of our layered approach to safeguarding the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit." Guests may schedule testing with Quest Diagnostics at more than 1,500 locations, including Quest Diagnostics patient service centers and select Walmart and other retail pharmacy locations throughout the U.S. Appointments are required and may be scheduled online via secure link provided by Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line or Seabourn. Results are typically available within 48 hours via email or mobile application*. Carnival Corporation has worked closely with health and medical experts globally and nationally, as well as with authorities in destination countries, to put in place comprehensive health and safety protocols for protection and mitigation across the entire cruise experience for all of the company's nine brands. This includes cross-industry learnings and best practices based on the proven health and safety record of industrywide sailings, and input from top scientists and public health, epidemiological and policy experts. Details about enhanced protocols, including the latest information and requirements for each Carnival Corporation cruise line brand, are available at their websites. *Turnaround time can fluctuate with demand, supplies and other factors, and vary by region. About Carnival Corporation & plc Carnival Corporation & plc is one of the world's largest leisure travel companies with a portfolio of nine of the world's leading cruise lines sailing to all seven continents. With operations in North America, Australia, Europe and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Cruises (Australia), Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard. Additional information can be found on www.carnivalcorp.com, www.carnival.com, www.princess.com, www.hollandamerica.com, www.seabourn.com, www.pocruises.com.au, www.costacruise.com, www.aida.de, www.pocruises.com and www.cunard.com. SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc Related Links www.carnival.com WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) announced today public sanctions against 51 current or former CFP professionals or candidates for CFP certification, effective immediately or on the date noted in each case. Public sanctions taken by CFP Board, in order of increasing severity, include Public Censures, Suspensions, Temporary Bars, Permanent Bars and Revocations of the right to use the CFP marks. More than three-fourths of the public sanctions announced in this news release are the result of "Historical Investigations" opened by CFP Board following background checks conducted on all CFP professionals to detect potential misconduct that previously had not been reported to CFP Board. This misconduct can include regulatory actions, firm terminations, customer complaints, arbitrations, and civil court litigation that involve professional conduct, criminal matters, bankruptcies, civil judgments, and tax liens. CFP Board's Enforcement Process As part of their certification, CFP professionals make a commitment to CFP Board to abide by CFP Board's Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code and Standards), or its predecessor, the Standards of Professional Conduct (Standards), which included the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Rules of Conduct and Financial Planning Practice Standards. CFP Board's Procedural Rules set forth the process for investigating matters and imposing sanctions where violations have been found. CFP Board enforces its ethical standards by investigating alleged violations and, where there is probable cause to believe there are grounds for sanction, presents a Complaint containing the alleged violations to CFP Board's Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission). The Commission meets at least six times a year to review any matter in which CFP Board has alleged that a CFP professional has violated the Code and Standards, or its predecessor Standards. The Commission functions in accordance with the Procedural Rules and reviews all matters on a case-by-case basis, considering the details specific to an individual case. If the Commission determines there are grounds for sanction, then it may impose a sanction. More information on CFP Board's enforcement process can be found at CFP.net/ethics/enforcement. The Public Sanctions A short summary of each sanction can be found below. At CFP.net/verify-a-cfp-professional, CFP Board provides the public with: The ability to check on any individual's CFP Board disciplinary history and CFP certification status. Links to other sources of information about CFP professionals that may be more recent or that may contain information that has not led to CFP Board discipline and does not appear on CFP Board's website. This information may include customer disputes, disciplinary actions taken by a regulator or employer, certain criminal matters, and certain financial matters (such as bankruptcy proceedings and unpaid judgments or liens). Links to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's (FINRA) BrokerCheck and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) Investment Adviser Public Disclosure databases for individuals who are subject to FINRA or SEC oversight. STATE NAME LOCATION SANCTION California M. Franklin Parrish, CFP Walnut Creek Public Censure Florida Thomas A. Walsh, CFP Sarasota Public Censure Georgia R. Stephen Lane, CFP Decatur Public Censure Ohio Jason S. John, CFP Powell Public Censure Texas Donald Lee Laseter, CFP Dallas Public Censure Washington Ronald C. Peck, II, CFP Kirkland Public Censure California Patrick Walsh Westlake Village Administrative Suspension Florida Paul Clough Sebring Administrative Suspension Florida Frank W. Hubbell, III Lady Lake Administrative Suspension Florida Winston G. Mollena Longwood Administrative Suspension Georgia John E. Anderson Senoia Suspension Georgia Mark J. Stevens Roswell Suspension Illinois Norbert Filian Hoffman Estates Administrative Suspension Kansas Mark P. Cussen Overland Park Suspension New York Anthony Anzalone New York Administrative Suspension New York Carl Serafino New York Administrative Suspension Ohio Steven R. French Cincinnati Suspension Ohio Timothy P. Jarvis Lancaster Administrative Suspension Ohio Julie Weekley Columbus Administrative Suspension Ohio Christopher Wendel Celina Administrative Suspension Ohio Steven L. Meier Columbus Administrative Suspension Pennsylvania Joseph DeMuro, Jr. Camp Hill Administrative Suspension Texas Wade L. Neyland Marquez Suspension Washington Jacqueline M. Jacobsen Clinton Suspension Wisconsin Annie L. McGrath Madison Administrative Suspension California Hayato Tamura Anaheim Temporary Bar Florida Kevin Cantwell Sound Beach Temporary Bar Maine James Loeser Saco Temporary Bar New Jersey Robert A. High Montvale Temporary Bar Ohio Matthew Maxwell Avon Lake Temporary Bar Oregon Adam Brooks Bend Temporary Bar Pennsylvania Timothy Higgins Harrisburg Temporary Bar Utah Donald Blair Midvale Temporary Bar Maryland William Dixon Urbana Permanent Bar Maryland Daniel Jossen Bethesda Permanent Bar Maryland John Sullivan Ellicott City Permanent Bar Ohio Richard A. Earls, Sr. Fairfield Township Permanent Bar Oklahoma Thavaselan Subramaniam Tulsa Permanent Bar California Scott A. Van Epps Sacramento Revocation Florida Robert A. Dow Melbourne Revocation Florida Jack Stevison, Jr. Laud By Sea Revocation Illinois George E. Arocha Kankakee Revocation Illinois Daniel McGarry Geneva Revocation New York Michael Roy Blueweiss Huntington Station Revocation New York Larry B. Hughes Brooklyn Revocation New York Travis R. Nelson Merrick Revocation New York Eric P. Storberg Staten Island Revocation Pennsylvania Daryll D. Claxton Havertown Revocation Tennessee William King Knoxville Revocation Texas George M. Warner Rowlett Revocation Texas Yamara Beck San Antonio Revocation PUBLIC CENSURE CALIFORNIA M. Franklin Parrish, CFP (Walnut Creek, California): In June 2021, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order in which Mr. Parrish received a Public Censure. Pursuant to Section E.2 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code and Standards), a CFP professional may not engage in conduct that reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a CFP professional, upon the CFP marks, or upon the profession. Such conduct includes a personal bankruptcy or business bankruptcy filing or adjudication where the CFP professional was a Control Person of the business, unless the CFP professional can rebut the presumption that the bankruptcy demonstrates an inability to manage responsibly the CFP professional's or the business's financial affairs. On November 1, 2019, Mr. Parrish filed for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, and CFP Board filed a Complaint for Single Bankruptcy on February 5, 2021 pursuant to Article 3.3 of the Procedural Rules. In his Answer to the Complaint, Mr. Parrish admitted to the bankruptcy but denied that the existence of the bankruptcy demonstrates an inability to manage responsibly his financial affairs. After a hearing, the Commission concluded that Mr. Parrish did not demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence that he had rebutted the presumption that the bankruptcy demonstrates an inability to manage responsibly his financial affairs. The Commission determined that, although Mr. Parrish stated that he had medical issues leading to loss of income, he did not present adequate evidence to meet his burden and, instead, the evidence showed that the bankruptcy was more likely caused by excessive spending. Accordingly, the Commission concluded that Mr. Parrish violated Standard E.2.c. of the Code and Standards, providing grounds for sanction, and issued to him a Public Censure. FLORIDA Thomas A. Walsh, CFP (Sarasota, Florida): In May 2021, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Mr. Walsh entered into a Consent Order pursuant to which Mr. Walsh agreed that CFP Board would issue a Public Censure. In the Consent Order, Mr. Walsh consented to findings that, in April 2016, Mr. Walsh accepted transaction instructions from a client via email, sold securities from a client's account, and later learned that the client's email had been hacked. This conduct was contrary to his employer's policies and procedures because he executed sales and effected wire transfers without verbally confirming that he was authorized to do so. Mr. Walsh was terminated by his employer for this conduct, and then the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) issued Mr. Walsh a Cautionary Action Letter (CAL) finding that his conduct violated FINRA's rules. Mr. Walsh also failed to disclose his termination and FINRA's CAL to CFP Board as required. Mr. Walsh consented to findings that this conduct violated the Rules of Conduct, providing grounds for sanction, including: Rule 5.1 of the Rules of Conduct, which states that a certificant who is an employee/agent shall perform professional services with dedication to the lawful objectives of the employer/principal; Rule 6.5, which states that a certificant shall not engage in conduct which reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a certificant, upon the CFP marks, or upon the profession; and Rule 6.2, which states that a certificant shall meet all CFP Board requirements to retain the right to use the CFP marks. Accordingly, the Commission issued to Mr. Walsh a Public Censure. GEORGIA R. Stephen Lane, CFP (Decatur, Georgia): In July 2021, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Mr. Lane entered into a Consent Order pursuant to which the Commission issued Mr. Lane a Public Censure. The Commission imposed this sanction after determining that Mr. Lane failed to timely pay his federal taxes resulting in a debt in excess of $120,000, while also recognizing that he has a plan in place to address that debt and a record of compliance with that plan. Pursuant to the Consent Order, Mr. Lane also consented to the Commission's finding that his conduct violated Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, which states that a certificant shall not engage in conduct which reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a certificant, upon the CFP marks, or upon the profession, providing grounds for sanction. Accordingly, the Commission issued to Mr. Lane a Public Censure. OHIO Jason S. John, CFP (Powell, Ohio): In August 2021, CFP Board issued an Order of Public Censure to Mr. John pursuant to Article 3.4.c. of the Procedural Rules after he admitted that he filed a single personal bankruptcy on April 9, 2019 , confirmed that he had no other bankruptcy matters, and admitted that the bankruptcy matter demonstrates an inability to manage responsibly his or his business's financial affairs in violation of Article E.2.c. of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct. Accordingly, CFP Board issued to Mr. John a Public Censure. TEXAS Donald Lee Laseter, CFP (Dallas, Texas): In May 2021, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Mr. Laseter entered into a Consent Order pursuant to which Mr. Laseter received a Public Censure. In the Consent Order, Mr. Laseter consented to CFP Board's findings that he failed to register as an investment adviser with the State of Texas Securities Board despite providing investment advice to a limited number of clients for over 20 years. This failure resulted in the Texas Securities Board issuing a disciplinary order and $15,000 fine to Mr. Laseter when he registered with Texas in 2016. Mr. Laseter also consented to findings that he made a false statement to CFP Board on his 2018 Ethics Declaration when he failed to disclose his 2016 Texas Securities Board Disciplinary Order to CFP Board. Pursuant to the Consent Order, Mr. Laseter's conduct violated Rule 4.3 of the Rules of Conduct, which states that a certificant shall be in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements governing professional services provided to the client, and Rule 6.2 of the Rules of Conduct, which states that a certificant shall meet all CFP Board requirements to retain the right to use the CFP marks, providing grounds for a sanction. Accordingly, the Commission issued to Mr. Laseter a Public Censure. WASHINGTON Ronald C. Peck, II, CFP (Kirkland, Washington): In August 2021, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Mr. Peck entered into a Consent Order in which Mr. Peck agreed that CFP Board would issue a Public Censure. In the Consent Order, Mr. Peck consented to findings that, in October 2018, he entered into a consent order (Order) with the State of Washington Department of Financial Institutions - Securities Division on behalf of himself and his company, of which he is sole owner. The Order found that Mr. Peck violated the State of Washington Securities Act, Chapter RCW 21.20.040(3) between July 2017 and March 2018 by transacting business in the State of Washington as an investment adviser for compensation while not being licensed as an investment adviser in the State of Washington. As part of the Order, Mr. Peck agreed to pay a $10,000 fine prior to completing the registration process. Mr. Peck also consented to CFP Board's findings that he failed to disclose the Order to CFP Board within 30 days as then-required by Article 13.2 of CFP Board's Disciplinary Rules and Procedures. Mr. Peck also falsely stated to CFP Board that he had not been subject of a regulatory investigation by not disclosing the Order in his 2019 Ethics Declaration. Mr. Peck consented to findings by CFP Board that this conduct violated Rule 4.3 of the Rules of Conduct, which states that a certificant shall be in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements governing professional services provided to the client, and Rule 6.2 of the Rules of Conduct, which states that a certificant shall meet all CFP Board requirements to retain the right to use the CFP marks, providing grounds for sanction. Accordingly, the Commission issued to Mr. Peck a Public Censure. SUSPENSION CALIFORNIA Patrick Walsh (Westlake Village, California): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order suspending Mr. Walsh's right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Walsh's failure to acknowledge or respond to CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by the Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought information about: (1) a 2016 Financial Industry Regulatory Authority arbitration settled for $156,000 and (2) a 2015 Federal Tax Lien for $122,696. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Walsh has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. Walsh's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension wherein Mr. Walsh's right to use the CFP marks is suspended for one year and one day. Mr. Walsh's suspension was effective as of June 28, 2021. FLORIDA Paul Clough (Sebring, Florida): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order suspending Mr. Clough's right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Clough's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate allegations that Mr. Clough was subject to a 2014 civil judgment filed against him in favor of Magnum Air Dynamics in the amount of $579,620. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Clough has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Clough's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension wherein Mr. Clough's right to use the CFP marks is suspended for one year and one day. Mr. Clough's suspension was effective as of July 19, 2021. Frank W. Hubbell, III (Lady Lake, Florida): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order suspending Mr. Hubbell's right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Hubbell's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate allegations that Mr. Hubbell was the subject of civil suits, one in 2012 and one in 2017. CFP Board further sought to investigate allegations that Mr. Hubbell misled CFP Board by failing to disclose these civil actions on his biennial Ethics Declaration forms. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Hubbell has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Hubbell's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension wherein Mr. Hubbell's right to use the CFP marks is suspended for one year and one day. Mr. Hubbell's suspension was effective as of June 2, 2021. Winston G. Mollena (Longwood, Florida): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an order suspending Mr. Mollena's right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Mollena's failure to cooperate with CFP Board's investigation through his lack of response to CFP Board's investigative correspondence, including a Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI. CFP Board sought to investigate allegations that Mr. Mollena was terminated from his firm for his "failure to respond to home office request regarding disclosure of financial events." CFP Board further sought to investigate allegations that Mr. Mollena misled CFP Board by failing to disclose his termination on his Ethics Disclosure forms. Mr. Mollena's conduct could have violated Rules 5.1 and 6.2 of the Rules of Conduct. Mr. Mollena failed to acknowledge receipt of an NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. Pursuant to Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Mollena has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension wherein Mr. Mollena's right to use the CFP marks is suspended for one year and one day. Mr. Mollena's suspension was effective as of June 10, 2021. GEORGIA John E. Anderson (Senoia, Georgia): In July 2021, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order in which Mr. Anderson received a one-year-and-one-day suspension of his right to use the CFP certification marks. The Commission issued its order after determining that, among other things, Mr. Anderson filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2020, which discharged $135,748 of debt, including liens, interest, and penalties owed to the Georgia Department of Revenue in the amount of $17,835.15 for tax year 2015, and federal income tax liabilities owed to the Internal Revenue Service, including liens, interest, and penalties for tax years 2010, 2011, and 2015, in the amount of $71,872. Mr. Anderson also filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2006, which he then converted into a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, but he was not a CFP professional at the time of that filing. Mr. Anderson also is in arrears on the mortgage of his primary home, but he is negotiating a payment plan to pay that debt. The Commission determined that Mr. Anderson's conduct violated Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a certificant shall not engage in conduct which reflects adversely on his integrity or fitness as a certificant, upon the CFP marks, or upon the profession, providing grounds for sanction. Accordingly, the Commission issued to Mr. Anderson a suspension for one year and one day. Mr. Anderson's suspension is effective from August 28, 2021 until August 29, 2022. Mark J. Stevens (Roswell, Georgia): In July 2021, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order in which Mr. Stevens received a one-year-and-one-day suspension of his right to use the CFP certification marks. The Commission concluded that Mr. Stevens's conduct violated Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a certificant shall not engage in conduct which reflects adversely on his integrity or fitness as a certificant, upon the CFP marks, or upon the profession. The Commission issued its order after determining that, among other things, Mr. Stevens has four outstanding federal tax liens issued against him between 2009 and 2012 by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that total over $200,000 combined. The Commission also determined that Mr. Stevens has no plan in place to repay the tax liens and is currently listed as "uncollectible" by the IRS. The Commission also found that Mr. Stevens's actions show a pattern of inability to manage his personal finances in such a way to withhold sufficient taxes, make yearly adjustments to tax withholdings to meet his tax liability, or to pay off the balance of his tax liability. Accordingly, the Commission issued to Mr. Stevens a suspension for one year and one day. Mr. Stevens' suspension is effective from July 1, 2021 until July 2, 2022. ILLINOIS Norbert Filian (Hoffman Estates, Illinois): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order suspending Mr. Filian's right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Filian's failure to acknowledge or respond to CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by the Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought information about a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Arbitration filed October 7, 2019. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Filian has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. Filian's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension wherein Mr. Filian's right to use the CFP marks is suspended for one year and one day. Mr. Filian's suspension was effective as of June 28, 2021. KANSAS Mark P. Cussen (Overland Park, Kansas): In June 2021, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Mr. Cussen entered into a Consent Order pursuant to which the Commission issued to Mr. Cussen a suspension of one year and one day. The Commission imposed this sanction after determining that Mr. Cussen failed to pay federal taxes each year for seven years, resulting in federal tax liens amounting to $126,000.00. Mr. Cussen has no previous disciplinary history with CFP Board and there is no evidence that Mr. Cussen's conduct involved clients or caused client harm. Pursuant to the Consent Order, Mr. Cussen also consented to the Commission's finding that his conduct violated Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a certificant shall not engage in conduct which reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a certificant, upon the CFP marks, or upon the profession providing grounds for sanction. Accordingly, the Commission suspended Mr. Cussen's CFP certification for one year and one day, effective June 21, 2021. NEW YORK Anthony Anzalone (New York, New York): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order suspending Mr. Anzalone's right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Anzalone's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate a 2018 Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Arbitration against Mr. Anzalone that settled for $25,000 on August 14, 2019. CFP Board further sought to investigate whether Mr. Anzalone misled CFP Board by failing to disclose this arbitration on his subsequent Ethics Declaration form. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Anzalone has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Anzalone's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension wherein Mr. Anzalone's right to use the CFP marks is suspended for one year and one day. Mr. Anzalone's suspension was effective as of June 2, 2021. Carl Serafino (New York, New York): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order suspending Mr. Serafino's right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Serafino's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate: (1) a 2016 New York State Tax Warrant for $5,573.77 and (2) a 2019 Federal Tax Lien for $44,640 filed against Mr. Serafino, which could demonstrate Mr. Serafino's inability to manage responsibly his financial affairs. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Serafino has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Serafino's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension wherein Mr. Serafino's right to use the CFP marks is suspended for one year and one day. Mr. Serafino's suspension was effective as of July 6, 2021. OHIO Steven R. French (Cincinnati, Ohio): In August 2021, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) issued an order in which Mr. French received a one-year-and-one-day suspension of his right to use the CFP certification marks. The Commission issued its order after determining that, among other things, Mr. French entered into a Cease-and-Desist Consent Order (Consent Order) with the State of Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Securities (Division). Mr. French admitted to misreporting to the Division the status of his investment advisory practice by stating that he did not manage assets when he had 14 long-time clients. The Consent Order found that he made a false representation to the Division in an inquiry into the conduct of his business. The Commission concluded that the multiple instances of violations of Ohio law and the attempt to mislead a regulator reflect adversely on both Mr. French's integrity and fitness as a CFP professional in violation of Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct. Furthermore, the Commission determined that Mr. French failed to timely disclose the Consent Order to CFP Board and misrepresented on a CFP Board Ethics Declaration in April 2019 that he had never been the subject of a governmental agency or self-regulatory organization inquiry or investigation, which violated Rule 6.2 of the Rules of Conduct. Accordingly, the Commission issued to Mr. French a suspension for one year and one day. Mr. French's suspension is effective from August 28, 2021 until August 29, 2022. Timothy P. Jarvis (Lancaster, Ohio): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order suspending Mr. Jarvis' right to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Jarvis' failure to file an acknowledgment and response to CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate Ohio State Tax liens filed February 25, 2017 in the amount of $42,002.00 and on January 23, 2021 in the amount of $3,654.00. Mr. Jarvis failed to report the State Tax liens to CFP Board as required by Standard E.3 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code & Standards) and may have violated Standard E.2.d of the Code & Standards, which requires a CFP professional to refrain from adverse conduct, including conduct resulting in a federal tax lien on property owned by the CFP professional, unless the CFP professional can rebut the presumption that the federal tax lien demonstrates an inability to manage responsibly the CFP professional's financial affairs. In accordance with Article 4.2. of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. Jarvis' conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension. Ms. Jarvis' suspension was effective as of July 28, 2021. Julie Weekley (Columbus, Ohio): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order suspending Ms. Weekley's right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Ms. Weekley's failure to file an Answer to a Complaint as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate Federal Tax Liens filed on September 13, 2018 in the amount of $70,658.93 and on August 8, 2019 in the amount of $103,679.00. Ms. Weekley failed to report the Federal Tax Liens to CFP Board as required by Standard E.3 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code & Standards) and may have violated Standard E.2.d of the Code & Standards, which requires a CFP professional to refrain from adverse conduct, including conduct resulting in a federal tax lien on property owned by the CFP professional, unless the CFP professional can rebut the presumption that the federal tax lien demonstrates an inability to manage responsibly the CFP professional's financial affairs. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Ms. Weekley's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension. Ms. Weekley's suspension was effective as of July 28, 2021. Christopher Wendel (Celina, Ohio): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order suspending Mr. Wendel's right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Wendel's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate facts surrounding five settled customer disputes, one pending customer dispute, an Ohio Division of Securities Regulatory Action, and a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Arbitration. CFP Board further sought to investigate whether Mr. Wendel misled CFP Board by failing to disclose his any of these matters on his biennial Ethics Declaration forms. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Wendel has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Wendel's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension wherein Mr. Wendel's right to use the CFP marks is suspended for one year and one day. Mr. Wendel's suspension was effective as of June 2, 2021. Steven L. Meier (Columbus, Ohio): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order suspending Mr. Meier's right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. Meier's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate whether Mr. Meier is the subject of two tax liens, both filed in 2019. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Meier has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Meier's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension wherein Mr. Meier's right to use the CFP marks is suspended for one year and one day. Mr. Meier's suspension was effective as of June 2, 2021. PENNSYLVANIA Joseph DeMuro, Jr. (Camp Hill, Pennsylvania): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order suspending Mr. DeMuro's right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Mr. DeMuro's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate allegations that Mr. DeMuro was party to a December 9, 2013 Civil Action Court of Common Pleas in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. CFP Board further sought to investigate allegations that Mr. DeMuro misled CFP Board by failing to disclose his civil action on his Ethics Declaration forms. Mr. DeMuro's conduct may have violated Rules 5.1 of the Rules of Conduct, which requires a certificant to perform professional services with dedication to the lawful objectives of his or her employer/principal, and Rule 6.2 of the Rules of Conduct, which requires a certificant to meet all CFP Board requirements. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. DeMuro has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. DeMuro's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension wherein Mr. DeMuro's right to use the CFP marks is suspended for one year and one day. Mr. DeMuro's suspension was effective as of June 2, 2021. TEXAS Wade L. Neyland (Marquez, Texas): In June 2021, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Mr. Neyland entered into a Consent Order pursuant to which the Commission issued Mr. Neyland a suspension of one year and one day. The Commission imposed this sanction after determining that Mr. Neyland failed to pay his federal taxes resulting in a debt of $91,866.29 over the course of three years. Pursuant to the Consent Order, Mr. Neyland also consented to the Commission's finding that his conduct reflected adversely on his integrity or fitness as a certificant, upon the CFP marks, or upon the profession, in violation of Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, providing grounds for sanction. Accordingly, the Commission suspended Mr. Neyland's certification for one year and one day effective June 23, 2021. WASHINGTON Jacqueline M. Jacobsen (Clinton, Washington): In May 2021, the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and Ms. Jacobsen entered into a Consent Order in which Ms. Jacobsen agreed that CFP Board would issue a six-month suspension of her CFP certification. In the Consent Order, Ms. Jacobsen consented to findings that she entered into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) finding that Ms. Jacobsen misused firm funds in December 2016 and January 2017 by using funds from her Alternative Flexible Grid Program Account at the firm in a manner inconsistent with the firm's permitted use of the funds. In the AWC, Ms. Jacobsen consented to a six-month suspension from association with any FINRA member in any capacity and a $5,000 fine. In the AWC, Ms. Jacobsen also consented to a finding that her actions, which resulted in her termination from the firm, violated FINRA Rule 2010. The FINRA suspension was effective from May 4, 2020 to November 3, 2020. Pursuant to the Consent Order, Ms. Jacobsen consented to findings that her conduct violated Rule 5.1 of the Rules of Conduct, which provides that a certificant who is an employee/agent shall perform professional services with dedication to the lawful objectives of the employer/principal, and Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, which states that a certificant shall not engage in conduct which reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a certificant, upon the CFP marks, or upon the profession, providing grounds for sanction. Accordingly, the Commission issued to Ms. Jacobsen a six-month suspension of her CFP certification effective May 24, 2021. WISCONSIN Annie L. McGrath (Madison, Wisconsin): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order suspending Ms. McGrath's right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. This sanction followed Ms. McGrath's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate allegations that SSM Health Care of Wisconsin Inc. filed a civil suit against Ms. McGrath, resulting in a 2016 judgment entered against Ms. McGrath. CFP Board further sought to investigate whether Ms. McGrath misled CFP Board by failing to disclose this civil suit on her subsequent Ethics Declaration form. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Ms. McGrath has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Ms. McGrath's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Suspension wherein Ms. McGrath's right to use the CFP marks is suspended for one year and one day. Ms. McGrath's suspension was effective as of June 2, 2021. TEMPORARY BAR CALIFORNIA Hayato Tamura (Anaheim, California): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order temporarily barring Mr. Tamura from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and a one day. This sanction followed Mr. Tamura's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate Mr. Tamura's (1) 2019 Voluntary Resignation and (2) then-pending 2019 Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Arbitration. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Tamura has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Tamura's conduct, and the fact that Mr. Tamura relinquished his certification prior to the issuance of the Order, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Temporary Bar wherein Mr. Tamura is temporarily barred from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. Mr. Tamura's temporary bar became effective as of July 8, 2021. FLORIDA Kevin Cantwell (Sound Beach, Florida): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order temporarily barring Mr. Cantwell from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and a one day. This sanction followed Mr. Cantwell's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate an outstanding 2017 Federal Tax Lien filed against Mr. Cantwell. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Cantwell has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Cantwell's conduct, as well as the fact that Mr. Cantwell had relinquished his right to use the marks prior to entry of the Order, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Temporary Bar wherein Mr. Cantwell is temporarily barred from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. Mr. Cantwell's temporary bar became effective as of July 6, 2021. MAINE James Loeser (Saco, Maine): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order temporarily barring Mr. Loeser from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and a one day. This sanction followed Mr. Loeser's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate various civil judgments filed against Mr. Loeser, including a 2014 civil judgment for $33,403 in favor of a bank, a 2015 civil judgment for $6,116 in favor of a second bank, and 2017 civil judgments for $10,654 and $14,069 in favor of a limited liability company. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Loeser has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Loeser's conduct, as well as the fact that Mr. Loeser had relinquished his right to use the marks prior to entry of the Order, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Temporary Bar wherein Mr. Loeser is temporarily barred from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. Mr. Loeser's temporary bar became effective as of July 12, 2021. NEW JERSEY Robert A. High (Montvale, New Jersey): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order temporarily barring Mr. High from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and a one day. This sanction followed Mr. High's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate a 2020 customer complaint filed against Mr. High, alleging unauthorized use of the client's e-signature, and Mr. High's resignation following these allegations. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. High has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. High's conduct, as well as the fact that Mr. High had relinquished his certification prior to issuance of CFP Board's Order, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Temporary Bar wherein Mr. High is temporarily barred from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. Mr. High's temporary bar became effective as of July 6, 2021. OHIO Matthew Maxwell (Avon Lake, Ohio): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order temporarily barring Mr. Maxwell from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and a one day. This sanction followed Mr. Maxwell's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate a 2012 Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Arbitration and a 2018 criminal Aggravated Menacing Felonious charge filed against Mr. Maxwell. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Maxwell has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Maxwell's conduct, and the fact that Mr. Maxwell relinquished his certification prior to the issuance of the Order, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Temporary Bar wherein Mr. Maxwell is temporarily barred from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. Mr. Maxwell's temporary bar became effective as of July 14, 2021. OREGON Adam Brooks (Bend, Oregon): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order temporarily barring Mr. Brooks from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and a one day. This sanction followed Mr. Brooks's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate a 2014 customer complaint filed against Mr. Brooks and settled for $85,000 and a 2013 Chapter 7 Bankruptcy filed by Mr. Brooks. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Brooks has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Brooks' conduct, and the fact that Mr. Brooks relinquished his certification prior to the issuance of the Order, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Temporary Bar wherein Mr. Brooks is temporarily barred from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. Mr. Brooks's temporary bar became effective as of July 26, 2021. PENNSYLVANIA Timothy Higgins (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order temporarily barring Mr. Higgins from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and a one day. This sanction followed Mr. Higgins's failure to acknowledge receipt of CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate a guilty plea entered by Mr. Higgins with respect to a 2019 harassment and assault charge filed against him. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Higgins has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Higgins's conduct, as well as the fact that Mr. Higgins had relinquished his right to use the marks prior to entry of the Order, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Temporary Bar wherein Mr. Higgins is temporarily barred from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks for one year and one day. Mr. Higgins's temporary bar became effective as of July 12, 2021. UTAH Donald Blair (Midvale, Utah): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order temporarily barring Mr. Blair from seeking CFP certification. This discipline followed Mr. Blair's failure to acknowledge or respond to CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) and a second NOI, as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought information about a 2018 misdemeanor stalking charge against Mr. Blair. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Blair has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. Blair's conduct, as well as the fact that Mr. Blair had already relinquished the CFP marks prior to the entry of CFP Board's Order, CFP Board issued a temporary bar, effective as of July 6, 2021. PERMANENT BAR MARYLAND William Dixon (Urbana, Maryland): In July 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently barring Mr. Dixon from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Dixon's intentional failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required timeframe. CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Dixon was terminated from his firm in 2019 due to his submission of non-genuine client signatures on multiple customer forms. Additionally, CFP Board alleged that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) opened an investigation into Mr. Dixon's termination. At the conclusion of FINRA's investigation, Mr. Dixon entered into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC), on May 11, 2021, in which he was barred from associating with any FINRA member organizations due to, among other reasons, his failure to provide FINRA information and documents it requested during its investigation. CFP Board's Complaint further alleged that Mr. Dixon's conduct violated Rules 4.3 and 5.1 of the Rules of Conduct. Mr. Dixon declined to file an Answer to the Complaint with CFP Board within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Dixon has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Dixon's conduct, and the fact that Mr. Dixon allowed his CFP certification to lapse prior to the issuance of the Order, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Permanent Bar wherein Mr. Dixon is permanently barred from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks. Mr. Dixon's administrative permanent bar became effective as of August 28, 2021. Daniel Jossen (Bethesda, Maryland): In July 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order that permanently barred Mr. Jossen's ability to obtain CFP certification. This sanction followed Mr. Jossen's expiration of his certification and his intentional decision to not respond to CFP Board's Notice of Investigation (NOI) within the required timeframe. CFP Board sought to investigate three customer complaints filed against Mr. Jossen in 2020 and 2021; his 2021 resignation from his former firm; and his 2021 bar from associating with a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) member firm. Mr. Jossen did not provide a response to CFP Board's second NOI within 30 calendar days as required by Article 1.1 of the Procedural Rules. In accordance with Articles 4.1.a. and 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Jossen is deemed in default, and based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Jossen's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Permanent Bar. Mr. Jossen's administrative permanent bar was effective as of August 16, 2021. John Sullivan (Ellicott City, Maryland): In July 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently barring Mr. Sullivan from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Sullivan's intentional failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required timeframe. CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Sullivan violated Standard E.5 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code and Standards) when he refused to respond to CFP Board's requests for information and Notice of Failure to Cooperate. CFP Board sought to investigate Mr. Sullivan's 2020 termination from his firm under allegations that he accepted a loan from an advisory customer against firm policies and filed an incorrect compliance report regarding that customer loan. Mr. Sullivan declined to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Sullivan has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Sullivan's conduct, and the fact that Mr. Sullivan allowed his CFP certification to lapse prior to the issuance of the Order, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Permanent Bar wherein Mr. Sullivan is permanently barred from applying for or obtaining the right to use the CFP certification marks. Mr. Sullivan's administrative permanent bar became effective as of August 28, 2021. OHIO Richard A. Earls, Sr. (Fairfield Township, Ohio): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently barring Mr. Earls from seeking CFP certification. This sanction followed Mr. Earls's relinquishment of his certification and his intentional decision to not file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required timeframe. CFP Board alleged that Mr. Earls violated CFP Board's Terms and Conditions when he failed to satisfy his Duty of Cooperation by refusing to respond to CFP Board's requests for information and a Notice of Failure to Cooperate. CFP Board sought to investigate four federal tax liens filed against Mr. Earls totaling $512,545.77 and five Ohio state tax liens filed against Mr. Earls totaling $61,747.00. Mr. Earls did not file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1 of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Earls has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, and based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Earls's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Permanent Bar. Mr. Earls's administrative permanent bar was effective as of June 3, 2021. OKLAHOMA Thavaselan Subramaniam (Tulsa, Oklahoma): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently barring Mr. Subramaniam from seeking CFP certification. This sanction followed Mr. Subramaniam's intentional decision to not file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint alleging that Mr. Subramaniam violated Rule 6.5 of CFP Board's Rules of Conduct when he failed to pay his federal tax obligations for years 2015 and 2019 in the total amount of $150,378.00, resulting in the issuance of a federal tax lien. Mr. Subramaniam did not file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Subramaniam has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, and based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Subramaniam's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Permanent Bar. Mr. Subramaniam's administrative permanent bar was effective as of June 10, 2021. PERMANENT REVOCATION CALIFORNIA Scott A. Van Epps (Sacramento, California): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Van Epps's rights to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Van Epps's intentional decision to not file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint alleging that Mr. Van Epps violated CFP Board's Terms and Conditions when he refused to respond to CFP Board's requests for information and Notice of Failure to Cooperate. Mr. Van Epps declined to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. Van Epp's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Van Epps's revocation was effective as of June 10, 2021. FLORIDA Robert A. Dow (Melbourne, Florida): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Dow's rights to use the CFP marks. This sanction followed Mr. Dow's intentional decision to not file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint alleging that Mr. Dow violated Rules 6.2 and 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct based upon Mr. Dow's two misdemeanor convictions for alcohol related criminal conduct and his allegedly intentional misstatements on his 2018 Ethics Declaration provided to CFP Board. Mr. Dow declined to file an Answer to the Complaint with CFP Board within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Dow has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Dow's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Dow's revocation was effective as of June 17, 2021. Jack Stevison, Jr. (Laud by Sea, Florida): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an order permanently revoking Mr. Stevison's right to use the CFP certification marks. This discipline followed Mr. Stevison's intentional failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. CFP Board sought to investigate circumstances surrounding Mr. Stevison entering into a February 2020 Cease and Desist Order (Order) with the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (FOFR). In the Order, FOFR found that Mr. Stevison overcharged advisory fees when compared to the fees stated in the investment advisory contracts with his clients. Mr. Stevison refunded his clients all of the unauthorized fees and agreed to cease and desist from any such violations of Florida state law in the future. Mr. Stevison's conduct may have violated Rule 4.3 of CFP Board's Rules of Conduct, which states that a certificant shall be in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements governing professional services provided to the client. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Stevison has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. Stevison's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Stevison's revocation was effective as of June 17, 2021. ILLINOIS George E. Arocha (Kankakee, Illinois): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Arocha's rights to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Arocha's intentional decision to not file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required timeframe. CFP Board alleged Mr. Arocha failed to pay his tax obligations in three consecutive years causing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to file tax liens against him. Mr. Arocha also failed to pay his federal tax obligations to the IRS between 2015 and 2018 causing him to have an outstanding balance with the IRS not currently included in the tax liens filed against him. CFP Board also alleged that the Illinois Department of Insurance suspended Mr. Arocha's Illinois insurance producer license due to his outstanding state income taxes and an unfiled state tax return. CFP Board also alleged that Mr. Arocha intentionally made false and misleading statements to CFP Board on his biennial Ethics Declaration to conceal this regulatory action and facilitate the renewal of his certification. CFP Board further alleged that Mr. Arocha's conduct provided grounds for sanction due to violations of Rule 6.2 of the Rules of Conduct, which requires a certificant to meet all CFP Board requirements to retain the right to use the CFP marks, Rule 6.5 of the Rules of Conduct, which states that a certificant shall not engage in conduct which reflects adversely on his or her integrity or fitness as a certificant, upon the CFP marks, or upon the profession. and Standard E.5 of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, which states that a CFP professional may not make false or misleading representations to CFP Board or obstruct CFP Board in the performance of its duties. Under Article 4.1.a. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Arocha has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Arocha's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Arocha's revocation was effective as of June 10, 2021. Daniel McGarry (Geneva, Illinois): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. McGarry's rights to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. McGarry's intentional decision to not file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required timeframe. CFP Board alleged that Mr. McGarry violated Standard E.5 of CFP Board's Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct when he failed to satisfy his Duty of Cooperation by refusing to respond to CFP Board's requests for information and a Notice of Failure to Cooperate. CFP Board sought to investigate three outstanding federal tax liens and two outstanding state tax liens filed against Mr. McGarry. Mr. McGarry declined to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. McGarry has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. McGarry's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. McGarry's revocation was effective as of July 2, 2021. NEW YORK Michael Roy Blueweiss (Huntington Station, New York): In July 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Blueweiss's right to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Blueweiss's failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint. CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Blueweiss failed to cooperate with CFP Board's investigation into a customer complaint alleging that he made unsuitable recommendations of structured notes and a related separation after allegations. CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Blueweiss's conduct violated Rule 6.1 of the Rules of Conduct. Mr. Blueweiss failed to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days of the date of service, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Pursuant to Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Blueweiss has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. Blueweiss's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Blueweiss's revocation was effective as of August 19, 2021. Larry B. Hughes (Brooklyn, New York): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Hughes's right to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Hughes's intentional decision to not timely file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint, which alleged that Mr. Hughes violated Standard E.5 of CFP Board's Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct (Code and Standards) when he refused to provide information in response to CFP Board's requests for information and Notice of Failure to Cooperate. CFP Board's requests for information pertained to the outstanding federal tax lien filed against Mr. Hughes in 2019 and the three outstanding civil judgments filed against him. Mr. Hughes declined to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Hughes has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Hughes's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Hughes's revocation was effective as of June 24, 2021. Travis R. Nelson (Merrick, New York): In April 2021, CFP Board issued an order permanently revoking Mr. Nelson's right to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Nelson's failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required timeframe. CFP Board's Complaint alleged that Mr. Nelson was terminated from his employment in 2019 for signing a client's name without that client's knowledge or consent. CFP Board alleged that, during a subsequent Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigation, Mr. Nelson made false and misleading statements about the circumstances of the termination. After admitting his false and misleading statements, Mr. Nelson was suspended from FINRA in all capacities for 19 months and fined $10,000.00. CFP Board alleged in its Complaint that Mr. Nelson made the same false and misleading statements to CFP Board regarding his termination and also about the FINRA investigation. Mr. Nelson declined to provide an Answer to the CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. In accordance with Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Nelson is in default for failure to provide an Answer to the Complaint. Therefore, pursuant to Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Nelson's revocation was effective as of May 4, 2021. Eric P. Storberg (Staten Island, New York): In June 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Storberg's rights to use the CFP certification marks. CFP Board alleged that Mr. Storberg violated CFP Board's Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct when he failed to satisfy his Duty of Cooperation by refusing to respond to CFP Board's requests for information and a Notice of Failure to Cooperate. CFP Board sought to investigate four federal tax liens filed against Mr. Storberg totaling approximately $360,000. Mr. Storberg did not file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. In accordance with Articles 4.1.b. and 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Storberg is deemed in default, and based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Storberg's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Storberg's revocation was effective as of July 19, 2021. PENNSYLVANIA Daryll D. Claxton (Havertown, Pennsylvania): In July 2021, CFP Board issued an order permanently revoking Mr. Claxton's right to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. Claxton's failure to provide evidence to CFP Board that he was in compliance with a Discretionary Interim Suspension Order issued by the Disciplinary and Ethics Commission (Commission) and that he was no longer using the CFP certification marks. On November 11, 2020, the Commission issued Mr. Claxton an Interim Suspension Order after the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania charged Mr. Claxton with 50 counts of Child Pornography, three counts of Criminal Attempt-Dissemination Photo/Film of Child Sex Acts, three counts of Dissemination Photo/Film of Child Sex Acts, and one count of Criminal Use of Communication Facility. Pursuant to the terms of the Interim Suspension Order, Mr. Claxton had 45 calendar days from the date the Interim Suspension Order was issued to deliver evidence that he was no longer utilizing the CFP marks. Mr. Claxton failed to deliver such proof, and under Article 4.1.c. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Claxton has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope, and harmfulness of Mr. Claxton's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Claxton's revocation became effective as of August 1, 2021. TENNESSEE William King (Knoxville, Tennessee): In August 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. King's right to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction followed Mr. King's intentional failure to file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint, as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Mr. King entered into an Offer of Settlement in September 2020 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) whereby Mr. King agreed to be barred from association with any broker, dealer, or investment adviser. Pursuant to the Offer of Settlement, the SEC found that, from August 2015 through September 2018, Mr. King solicited investors to make various investments in a penny stock without disclosing to investors that he received approximately $72,000 in shares as a commission and that he retained approximately $447,000 in shares as fees. This conduct violated Sections 206(2) and 206(3) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. In connection with the Offer of Settlement, the SEC also found that while he was soliciting investors to make these investments, Mr. King operated as a broker-dealer without being registered to do so. This conduct violated Section 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The SEC ordered Mr. King to pay disgorgement of $519,634.00, prejudgment interest of $33,388.13 and a civil penalty of $75,000. Mr. King's conduct violated Rule 4.3 of CFP Board's Rules of Conduct, which states that a certificant shall be in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements governing professional services provided to the client, and Standard E.3.c. of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, which requires a CFP professional to refrain from adverse conduct. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. King has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. King's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. King's revocation was effective as of September 3, 2021. TEXAS George M. Warner (Rowlett, Texas): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Mr. Warner's right to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction follows Mr. Warner's failure to provide proof of compliance with an Automatic Interim Suspension imposed by CFP Board after it received evidence that Mr. Warner was permanently barred from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) in all capacities on February 25, 2021. FINRA's bar was based on its findings that Mr. Warner refused to respond to FINRA's December 28, 2020 request to produce information and documents, which resulted in FINRA barring Mr. Warner from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Mr. Warner's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Mr. Warner's revocation was effective as of June 25, 2021. Yamara Beck (San Antonio, Texas): In May 2021, CFP Board issued an administrative order permanently revoking Ms. Beck's rights to use the CFP certification marks. This sanction followed Ms. Beck's intentional decision to not file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within the required timeframe. CFP Board alleged that Ms. Beck violated CFP Board's Terms and Conditions when she failed to satisfy her Duty of Cooperation by refusing to respond to CFP Board's requests for information and a Notice of Failure to Cooperate. CFP Board sought to investigate a federal tax lien in the amount of $440,572. Ms. Beck did not file an Answer to CFP Board's Complaint within 30 calendar days as required by Article 3.2 of the Procedural Rules. Under Article 4.1.b. of the Procedural Rules, Mr. Beck has been deemed in default. In accordance with Article 4.2 of the Procedural Rules, based on CFP Board's determination of the seriousness, scope and harmfulness of Ms. Beck's conduct, CFP Board issued an Administrative Order of Revocation. Ms. Beck's revocation was effective as of June 10, 2021. ABOUT CFP BOARD Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. is the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board sets standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CFP certification one of the most respected certifications in financial services so that the public has access to and benefits from competent and ethical financial planning. CFP Board, along with its Center for Financial Planning, is committed to increasing the public's awareness of CFP certification and access to a diverse, ethical and competent financial planning workforce. Widely recognized by firms and consumer groups as the standard for financial planning, CFP certification is held by more than 90,000 people in the United States. SOURCE Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Related Links http://www.cfp.net Stock Market Symbols GIB.A (TSX) GIB (NYSE) cgi.com/newsroom MONTREAL, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB) announced today that it has priced its previously announced offering of senior unsecured notes. CGI will issue US$1.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes, consisting of US$600 million aggregate principal amount of 5-year notes and US$400 million aggregate principal amount of 10-year notes. The 5-year notes will bear interest at the rate of 1.450% per annum. The 10-year notes will bear interest at the rate of 2.300% per annum. The offering is expected to close on or about September 14, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. The net proceeds from the offering of the notes are expected to be approximately US$988.5 million after the initial purchasers' fees and estimated offering expenses. CGI intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to repay indebtedness in an amount of approximately C$1,245 million under its unsecured committed term loan credit facility maturing in March 2023. The notes will be offered and sold to qualified institutional buyers in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A and outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "Securities Act"). The notes will be offered and sold in Canada on a private placement basis pursuant to exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable Canadian securities laws. The notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. The notes have not been qualified by way of prospectus in any province or territory of Canada and may not be offered or sold in Canada except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable Canadian securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the notes and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of any notes in any jurisdiction where such offering or sale would be unlawful. About CGI Founded in 1976, CGI is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With 78,000 consultants and other professionals across the globe, CGI delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. CGI Fiscal 2020 reported revenue is C$12.16 billion and CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Forward-looking information and statements This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other applicable United States safe harbours. All such forward-looking information and statements are made and disclosed in reliance upon the safe harbour provisions of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. Forward-looking information and statements include all information and statements regarding CGI's intentions, plans, expectations, beliefs, objectives, future performance, and strategy, as well as any other information or statements that relate to future events or circumstances and which do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts. Forward-looking information and statements often but not always use words such as "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "anticipate", "foresee", "plan", "predict", "project", "aim", "seek", "strive", "potential", "continue", "target", "may", "might", "could", "should", and similar expressions and variations thereof. These information and statements are based on our perception of historic trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other assumptions, both general and specific, that we believe are appropriate in the circumstances. Such information and statements are, however, by their very nature, subject to inherent risks and uncertainties, of which many are beyond the control of CGI, and which give rise to the possibility that actual results could differ materially from our expectations expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not restricted to: risks relating to the closing of CGI's offering of the notes, risks related to the market such as the level of business activity of our clients, which is affected by economic and political conditions, external risks (such as pandemics) and our ability to negotiate new contracts; risks related to our industry such as competition and our ability to attract and retain qualified employees, to develop and expand our services, to penetrate new markets, and to protect our intellectual property rights; risks related to our business such as risks associated with our growth strategy, including the integration of new operations, financial and operational risks inherent in worldwide operations, foreign exchange risks, income tax laws, our ability to negotiate favourable contractual terms, to deliver our services and to collect receivables, and the reputational and financial risks attendant to cybersecurity breaches and other incidents; as well as other risks identified or incorporated by reference in this press release, in CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A and in other documents that we make public, including our filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators (on SEDAR at www.sedar.com) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (on EDGAR at www.sec.gov). For a discussion of risks in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, see Pandemic Risks in section 8.1.1. of our Q3 2021 quarterly MD&A. Unless otherwise stated, the forward-looking information and statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and CGI disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. While we believe that our assumptions on which these forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are based were reasonable as at the date of this press release, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking information or statements. Furthermore, readers are reminded that forward-looking information and statements are presented for the sole purpose of assisting investors and others in understanding our objectives, strategic priorities and business outlook as well as our anticipated operating environment. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Further information on the risks that could cause our actual results to differ significantly from our current expectations may be found in the section titled "Risk Environment" of CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A, which is incorporated by reference in this cautionary statement. We also caution readers that the above-mentioned risks and the risks disclosed in CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A and other documents and filings are not the only ones that could affect us. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial could also have a material adverse effect on our financial position, financial performance, cash flows, business or reputation. SOURCE CGI Inc. Related Links www.cgi.com NAPLES, Fla., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the City of Naples announced the launch of Speak Up Naples, an intensive online community outreach initiative and in-person design charrette led by the Naples Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) in partnership with renowned planning firm DPZ CoDESIGN. SpeakUpNaples.com will act as the definitive online hub for community engagement to envision future development scenarios of the 41-10 District. The boundaries of the District are: US 41 (a six-lane roadway to the west and south), Goodlette-Frank Road (a six-lane roadway to the east), and 7th Avenue North to the north. Speak Up Naples! The charrette involves extensive community outreach efforts to encourage participation from Naples residents as well as existing businesses and property owners in the 41-10 District. Stakeholders are encouraged to register at SpeakUpNaples.com to share insights, take surveys, and provide input to participate in the design initiative. The compilation of information will culminate with a week-long public charrette mid-November to explore future development options of the 41-10 District into a premier mixed-use destination combining art, architecture, restaurants, shops, offices, and residential uses. Everything from street design, traffic controls, parking, stormwater infrastructure and drainage, to locations for bike racks, added green spaces, and decorative elements will be explored. "This is an opportunity to examine the existing infrastructure and zoning so we may craft a master plan that is cohesive, unique, and above all implementable. With input from residents, businesses and property owners, we can collectively create the most inspiring long-term vision for this District," said Raymond Christman, Chair of the CRA. To facilitate the process, DPZ CoDESIGN, has enlisted Gibbs Planning Group, Langan Engineering & Environmental Services and IWPR Group. To learn more about the 41-10 District Master Plan, visit www.SpeakUpNaples.com or contact Jeff Oris, Interim CRA Manager, [email protected]. About the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA): The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is an independent governmental agency created by the City of Naples for the purpose of redeveloping a defined geographic area of the City. The CRA is governed by a board consisting of seven (7) members who are the same individuals as those serving as Naples City Council. The terms of office of the CRA Board members are concurrent with the terms of the Mayor and the members of the City Council. Chair Raymond Christman and Vice-Chair Michael McCabe are designated by a majority vote of the City Council. The CRA is assisted by input from the Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board (CRAAB) whose members are primarily property and/or business owners from the district and appointed by the City Council. The boundaries of the CRA district are shown on the CRA District Map, which can be found here. For more information about the CRA, visit www.naplesgov.com/cra. About DPZ CoDESIGN: DPZ CoDesign has been a leader in the practice of planning and urban design for more than four decades. Founded in Florida by Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, DPZ has provided services to over 500 new and existing communities across the globe, including an extensive and diverse portfolio of downtowns. DPZ's work is split between municipal and private clients, with a unique understanding of the delicate balance of design flexibility needed to adapt to changing market demands balanced against design predictability. DPZ has worked extensively in Florida and has a long-standing connection with the City of Naples that began in the early 90's conducting the Fifth Avenue South Master Plan Charrette. For more information about DPZ CoDESIGN, visit www.dpz.com Media Contact: Irina Woelfle 203-832-6773 [email protected] SOURCE City of Naples "The collaboration between our two organizations is a strategic step in growing our expansive marketplace of virtual health solutions. Our Companion Care product has always focused on care for seniors however, by adding caregiver support through eFamilyCare we have created a holistic offering. We can now offer an end-to-end package which encompasses both the patient and the caregiver. This solution will save our employer groups thousands in claims dollars year-over-year." Kimberly Darling , CEO & Founder Evidence reflects that providing family caregivers with expert advice improves the wellbeing of these employed caregivers. When family caregivers are educated and empowered, their own wellbeing and absenteeism is improved. For years there was no real solution to help support those who care for our loved ones. In fact, it's estimated that 92% of family caregivers want to receive virtual advice and support according to the American Academy of Home Care Medicine.1 Source (1): American Academy of Home Care Medicine 2019. "This pandemic has highlighted the urgent and ongoing need for caregivers within our society. Caring for the chronically ill as well as the 53 million family caregivers who care for them has never been more important. Yet often caregivers, 24 million of whom are balancing jobs with caregiving, do not receive support in managing their loved ones' healthcare needs or their own stress and anxiety. With the senior and chronically ill population only growing, and with the healthcare industry continually pushing care to the home, family caregivers need guidance. eFamilyCare was founded to provide tech-enabled, expert-driven caregiver support to meet this need. We are so excited to partner with Competitive Health to bring about a holistic solution for their Companion Care product. Together, we can support those who are doing much of the work for their loved ones but lack convenient and reliable expert resources." Naveen Kathuria , Chief Executive Officer With nearly 50% of the workforce responsible for an aging loved one's care, employers are facing what is fast becoming a caregiving crisis. Together, Competitive Health and eFamilyCare plan to leverage the power of their partnership to deliver an innovative solution to employers and employees. CHI is proud to offer this valuable caregiver benefit to employer groups and associations through its digital healthcare marketplace. About Competitive Health, Inc. Competitive Health, Inc . is the preeminent supplier of digital health solutions. The firm's direct agreements with the nation's leading digital health solutions, telehealth companies, retail clinics, and PPO networks, position Competitive Health to provide unlimited access and unprecedented savings to clients and members. Competitive Health has saved hundreds of millions of dollars for employer groups, insurance carriers, third-party administrators, affinity groups and exchanges, since 1996. For more information, visit: https://competitivehealth.com/ . About eFamilyCare eFamilyCare is an online family caregiving service that connects you with expert care advisors dedicated to helping you care for your loved ones. Their care advisors help members build a personalized plan that provides ongoing support for family caregiving. eFamilyCare's Co-Founder, Dr. Eric Rackow (President of NYU Hospitals Center) saw first-hand the need to better support family caregivers of patients who were unnecessarily experiencing frequent hospitalizations. His insights led him to develop a unique model of complex chronic care management and homecare solutions nationwide. His story, like the other founders of eFamilyCare, helped to create the first-ever digital platform to connect family caregivers to medical experts anytime, anywhere. For more information about eFamilyCare, visit https://efamilycare.com/. Read more about this partnership at: https://bit.ly/caregiversupport-partnership SOURCE Competitive Health, Inc. Related Links http://competitivehealth.com/ "Plavac Mali is a predominant red wine variety growing in Dalmatia which is very recognizable for its distinct aroma and tannins, and deserves a celebration around the time it is typically harvested," said Mirena Bagur, co-founder of Croatian Premium Wine Imports, Inc., an importer, online retailer, and advocate for wines of Croatia. "This day will be recognized annually in the week surrounding September 21 st , with various events, educational and promotional content in local geographies where Plavac Mali is presented. For example, in Boston we are organizing a wine pairing dinner featuring various Plavac Mali wines and a few tastings in boutique wine stores." About the Croatian Wine Alliance a Public-Private Collaboration Lead by Aroma Wine Co., and Croatian Premium Wine Imports, Inc.,the US-based duois working with organizations around the globe to raise awareness of premium Croatian wines, including the Wines of Croatia, https://vinacroatia.hr/en/, a wine organization within the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Vino Dalmacije, https://vinodalmacije.com/ the association of winemakers in Dalmatia, and Croatian National Tourist Board, importers and distributors in US, Canada, Australia, and Europe. In addition, the Republic of Croatian Embassy and Consulates in the US are supporting the US importers. For a full list of participating organization, visit https://www.facebook.com/internationalplavacmaliday. How to Celebrate International Plavac Mali Day Follow Plavac Mali's adventures on https://www.facebook.com/internationalplavacmaliday Tag that page when you post your own content and use hashtag #plavacmali and #internationalplavacmaliday Create your own tastings, wine pairings, giveaways or educational events in person or virtually, and tag the social media handles Write articles about #plavacmali Invite the media to the virtual event on September 20 , at noon Eastern time to present Plavac mali and the wine industry in the region. Media can register for the Zoom link, here: http://eepurl.com/hGY1xf to present Plavac mali and the wine industry in the region. Media can register for the Zoom link, here: http://eepurl.com/hGY1xf Encourage others to participate in celebrations. About Plavac Mali The UC Davis and University of Zagreb conducted a DNA study of the variety only to discover that Plavac Mali (vitis vinifera) is a descendant of Zinfandel (aka Tribidrag or Crljenak kastelanski) created a natural hybrid with another indigenous variety, Dobricic. Plavac Mali produces several styles of wines, from medium-bodied and easy-drinking, to elegant and robust wines. The aromas in Plavac mali are predominantly dark berries and Mediterranean herbs with expressive tannins, and mineral on the palate. Plavac Mali means 'little blue', referring to its appearance, small and dark blue berries. The annual production of Plavac Mali is over five million bottles annually, which is 7.5% of the total Croatian wine production, according to the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, and due to its distinct taste and a capacity to age well is the most likely red wine purchased and exported by both the wine industry and the consumers. "Plavac Mali is the most important variety in Dalmatia, as well as the main variety in two PDOs, including Dingac, the first Croatian PDO and the recently protected Ponikve," said Leo Gracin, Doc. Dr. Sc. of Oenology, president of Vino Dalmacije Association and assistant professor at the University of Split, Studies of Mediterranean Agriculture. "Plavac Mali achieves a distinctive quality on the steep, southern slopes of the islands and coast of Dalmatia. The wines from Plavac mali are full-bodied, strong with ripe tannins and pronounced aromas of dark-berry fruit. In addition, by maturing in wooden barrels, this varietal acquires an additional structure and, with its delicate oak aromas, achieves its full potential that only the world's best wines from warm areas can be proud of." Croatia's Wine Tourism Croatia has a unique wine history dating back 5000 years, and four key wine regions, each growing distinct grape varieties Slavonia and Danube, Uplands, Istria, and Dalmatia. Croatia's gastronomic offerings have been on the rise and its exceptional wines are beginning to get the attention they deserve. Plavac Mali variety is grown in the Dalmatian wine region of Croatia, which has begun engaging with tourism as early as 1800, based on its natural beauty, mild climate and its millennia of history. With the recent changes in economic development in the region, it has quickly become a sought-after destination for many around the world. "There are countless vineyards in Croatia, each with its own character, that reflect the various terrains, and the region of Dalmatia is certainly one of our jewels," said Ina Rodin, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Office, North America. "In Dalmatia, one can enjoy sophisticated experiences in Michelin Star restaurants to the local konobas, world-known vineyards to smaller producers -- all taking pride in the country's gastronomic legacy and celebrating our ties with the land and sea." While tourism is a very strong industry sector, Dalmatia has also invested in the IT infrastructure on the continent and the islands to make it possible to not only offer a complete solution to visitors, but also enable everyday productivity for the digital nomads. "We have looked at ways to combine various branches of economy into making Dubrovnik and Dalmatia an enjoyable and productive destination for people who would like to stay here longer than for a quick vacation," said Nikolina Trojic, Mr.Sc, president of the Dubrovnik county's Chamber of Commerce. "From the older, famous appellations to the newer ones, wineries have created wine tourism content, combining their award-winning wines with gastro offerings, and fun and educational content." Aroma Wine Co. As the Founder and CEO of Aroma Wine Co., NJ, Anna M. Viducic taps into her 20-plus years of experience and knowledge of the hospitality and wine industries to strategically guide wineries through the intricacies of the U.S. trade, media, and consumer markets. For more information, follow Anna on social media: Instagram and Facebook and website: Aroma Wine Co.. Croatian Premium Wine Imports Based in the Boston Metro Area, Mass., CPWI imports, distributes, and online retails indigenous Croatian wines to most US states. The company portfolio includes 70+ wines from all Croatian wine regions. For more information, inquiries or to place an online order, visit www.CroatianPremiumWine.com/wine, contact us at [email protected] and follow us at LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. SOURCE Croatian Premium Wine Related Links croatianpremiumwine.com NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CurePSP has awarded Venture Grants totaling $320,000 to scientists at Harvard Medical School, Columbia University, UT Southwestern Medical Center, and UCLA. The studies will investigate gene therapy, neuroprotective enzymes, activation of autophagy, and identification of microglia associated with toxic protein accumulation as possible therapeutic agents in the treatment of several neurodegenerative diseases. Diseases like progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are caused by the toxic accumulation of a naturally resident protein in the brain called tau that leads to the destruction of neurons. Symptoms include loss of motor control, behavioral disinhibition, cognitive impairment, and difficulties in swallowing and speech. They are termed "prime of life" neurodegeneration because, unlike Alzheimer's disease, they frequently strike in middle age. They are currently incurable and largely untreatable. Dr. Rachel Bailey of the Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas will study gene replacement therapy to combat toxic accumulation of the tau protein. Dr. Bailey will test a way to use a virus to deliver two types of RNA: one to prevent the manufacture of abnormal tau and the other to encode an aggregation-resistant form of tau. Dr. Daniel H. Geschwind of UCLA's Department of Neurology and his team will test four new, orally available drugs in mice genetically engineered to produce abnormal tau protein. The drugs enhance the activity of an enzyme called puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase. This enzyme cuts up tau protein and enhances the brain cells' autophagy system, which disposes of some types of abnormal proteins, including tau. Dr. Maria Catarina Lima da Silva of the Department of Neurology of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston will, like Dr. Geschwind, investigate small-molecule activators of autophagy to clear toxic protein accumulation in the brain. Rather than using mice, Dr. Lima da Silva's approach will utilize neurons grown from stem cells derived from skin biopsies of human patients. She will study orally available compounds that activate an enzyme called ULK1, an autophagy enhancer. Dr. Marta Olah of Columbia University's Department of Neurology in New York City will study microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, which in recent years have been shown to be a major participant in the neurodegenerative process. Dr. Olah will use a new method to sequence the RNA in individual microglial cells, creating a map of which cells are encoding which proteins in proximity to degenerating neurons. This study could generate new insights into the disease process and new targets for drugs. CurePSP's Venture Grants are awarded twice a year. Applications are reviewed and recommended to CurePSP's board of directors by an independent scientific advisory board. The next application deadline is December 17, 2021. About CurePSP CurePSP is the nonprofit advocacy organization focused on progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and other prime of life neurodegenerative diseases, a spectrum of fatal brain disorders that often strike during a person's most productive and rewarding years. Currently, there is no effective treatment or cure for these diseases, which affect more than 150,000 people in the U.S. alone. Since it was founded in 1990, CurePSP has funded nearly 200 research studies and is the leading source of information and support for patients and their families, other caregivers, researchers and doctors, and allied healthcare professionals. CurePSP is based in New York City. Please visit www.curepsp.org for more information. Contact: Dr. Kristophe Diaz Executive Director & Chief Scientific Officer (646)-725-1453 [email protected] SOURCE CurePSP, Inc. Related Links www.curepsp.org "Relevance! DaLand's vision of the future and ours is synchronous. We believe in using the core to its fullest." Tweet this Diamond's CEO John Faust continues, "not only can DaLand enhance the member experience, but we will also enhance the staff experience." Daly and Faust look forward to a near future when the credit union will be able to "train new employees that they will find everything they need in the core," Faust illustrates. Faust explains the strategic impact of the credit union's long-term partnership to adopt CODE discipline and abandon the treadmill of this years' software "solutions." "Today, people crave being part of something special." The credit union's brand promise"that's YOUNITY"commits the credit union to more than traditional "banking" and its commodity products, platforms, and processes. The CODE Engine is designed by DaLand CUSO to drive optimization and modernization of FI operations, and is fueled by a proprietary philosophy of using core data to drive connection to community and digital commerce for relevance in the 21st Century. The goal: connecting institutions to their communities via optimized operations strengthened by a valuable spectrum of digital portals and professional services to support operational transformation. While holding the specifics of his plan close, Faust makes it clear that its Diamond's operational strategy that has been transformed byand forthe digital age. "We're part of something bigger. By retaining data, we will be able to do some amazing things." About DaLand CUSO Based in Rocky Hill, CT., DaLand CUSO is the next-generation CUSO created by Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union to collaborate nationally and connect community organizations locally to their target audiences in the digital age. DaLand CUSO is comprised of two divisions: the Solutions Team, which draws upon the CUSO's vast technical and professional experience in business analysis and strategy consulting services, project management and operational optimization through use of its uniquely skilled business analysts and PMs; and CODE Engine Manufacturing, which extends operations to deliver frictionless digital interactions while prioritizing institutional control and stewardship of data to ensure community FIs anchor the future of commerce and connection in local economies. Additional information is available at www.DaLandCUSO.com About Diamond Credit Union Diamond Credit Union is the 15th largest credit union in Pennsylvania and is headquartered in Pottstown, Pa., with six additional offices. Diamond serves Berks County and the Tri-County Region and holds over $800 million in assets with over 64,000 members. For more information about Diamond Credit Union, please visit diamondcu.org. Contact: Jessica Fongemie [email protected] SOURCE DaLand CUSO LLC Related Links www.dalandcuso.com CHICAGO, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a research report "Electromagnetic Weapons Market By Product (Lethal Weapons, Non-lethal Weapons), Application (Homeland Security, Military), Platform (Land, Naval, Airborne), Technology (Particle Beam Weapons, Laser-induced Plasma Channel), and Region Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Electromagnetic Weapons Market is estimated at USD 509 million in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 1,282 million by 2026, at a CAGR of 20.3 % from 2021 to 2026. The electromagnetic weapons market is growing at a significant rate across the world, and a similar trend is expected to be observed during the forecast period. Increased demand for electromagnetic weapons in combat operations, rising modernization and investments in the defense sector for developing electromagnetic weapons for military platforms, rapid advancements in AI, big data analytics, and robotic technologies, increasing focus on the development of small, compact electromagnetic weapons for a UAV platform are fueling the growth of the electromagnetic weapons market. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=79630239 Based on technology, the particle beam weapons segment is projected to lead the electromagnetic weapons market from 2021 to 2026. Particle beam weapons destroy or neutralize a target through a stream of highly energized atomic particles. These weapons are of two types: charged particle beam weapons and neutral beam weapons. The general idea of such type of weapons is to hit the target with a stream of accelerated particles known as the particle beam, with high kinetic energy, which is then transferred to the molecules of the target. The particle beam from a particle beam weapon can heat the target extensively, which can cause damage; however, the power required to produce a particle beam of this strength can be quite high. In 2003, the US military used high-power microwaves in the Iraq War to disrupt and destroy Iraq's electronic systems. Based on product type, the lethal weapons segment will register the highest growth from 2021 to 2026. The electromagnetic weapons market is dominated by the lethal products segment. These lethal products, mainly focused on military application, include rail guns, electromagnetic bombs (e-bombs), electromagnetic pulse (nuclear and non-nuclear EMP), and high-power microwave guns. Huge investments are being made in the R&D as well as demonstration and testing of lethal electromagnetic weapons. Based on Platform, the naval segment will register the highest growth from 2021 to 2026. Naval-electromagnetic weapon systems consist of weapons that are used in naval applications, for instance, on combat ships and submarines, among others. The naval segment is further divided into combat ships, submarines, and unmanned surface vehicles. Defense ships are specifically designed for use by coast guards and naval forces to ensure the security of water borders. These ships are different from commercial ships in terms of application, design structure, capabilities, and technologies. Several countries are modernizing their militaries and hence are increasing their defense budgets. The naval segment will witness high growth in the forthcoming years due to modernization programs for coastal defense across countries. Browse in-depth TOC on "Electromagnetic Weapons Market" 133 Tables 46 Figures 201 Pages Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=79630239 The electromagnetic weapons market in Asia Pacific is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2021 to 2026. Asia-Pacific contributed a share of 22.5% to the electromagnetic weapons market in 2021. China, India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and rest of Asia-Pacific have been considered in the Asia-Pacific electromagnetic weapons market. The demand for electromagnetic weapons market has increased in recent years, due to the rapid economic development and increasing security threats, across Asia-Pacific region and the increase in border disputes. The military spending of China, Japan, and India has been increasing in recent years due to increased possibilities of being targeted by terrorist attacks. This report includes a study on the marketing and development strategies, along with the product portfolios of leading companies. It consists of profiles of leading companies, such as Lockheed Martin Corporation (US), Northrop Grumman Corporation (US), Thales Group (France), BAE Systems (UK), Raytheon Technologies (US), Elbit Systems (Israel) and L3Harris Technologies (US). Related Reports: Directed Energy Weapons Market by Technology (High energy lasers, High-power microwave, electromagnetic weapon technology, Sonic weapon technology), Platform (Land, Airborne, naval, Space), Application, Range, Product and Region - Forecast to 2026 Smart Weapons Market by Product (Missiles, Munitions, Guided Projectile, Guided Rocket, Guided Firearms), platform (Air, Land, Naval), Technology (Laser, Infrared, Radar, GPS, Others) & Region - Global Forecast to 2021 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/electromagnetic-weapons-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/electromagnetic-weapons.asp SOURCE MarketsandMarkets BEIJING, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- First High-School Education Group Co., Ltd. ("First High-School Education Group" or the "Company") (NYSE: FHS), the largest operator of private high schools in Western China and the third largest operator in China[1], today announced that it will release its unaudited financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2021, before the U.S. market opens on September 28, 2021. First High-School Education Group's management will hold an earnings conference call on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 PM September 28, 2021, Beijing/Hong Kong Time). Please dial in 15 minutes before the conference is scheduled to begin using below numbers. International +1 646-828-8199 United States 800-581-5838 Hong Kong 800-961-113 Mainland China 4001-209107 Passcode 737894 A telephone replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following numbers until October 5, 2021. International +1 719-457-0820 United States 888-203-1112 Replay Access Code 2526106 A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the company's investors relations website at https://ir.diyi.top/ About First High-School Education Group First High-School Education Group is the largest operator of private high schools in Western China and the third largest operator in China[1]. First High-School Education Group has a network of 19 schools, offering 14 high school programs, seven middle school programs and four tutorial school programs for Gaokao repeaters, as of December 31, 2020. All of schools of the Company are strategically located in Western China. The Company aspires to become a leader and innovator of private high school education in China. For more information, please visit https://ir.diyi.top/. [1] In terms of student enrollment as of September 1, 2021, according to an industry report commissioned by First High-School Education Group and prepared by China Insights Industry Consultancy Limited. For Investor and Media Inquiries Please Contact: In China: First High-School Education Group Lillian Liu Tel: +86-130-6281-8313 E-mail: [email protected] The Blueshirt Group Ms. Susie Wang Phone: +86 138-1081-7475 Email: [email protected] In the United States: The Blueshirt Group Ms. Julia Qian Phone: +1 973-619-3227 Email: [email protected] SOURCE First High-School Education Group Co., Ltd Related Links https://ir.diyi.top/ AKRON, Ohio, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On the eve of the twentieth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, the FirstEnergy Foundation is donating $20,000 to the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial in honor of those who lost their lives that fateful day. Located in Shanksville, Pa., the memorial stands at the crash site of United Flight 93, marking the final resting place of the 40 passengers and crew members who fought back against terrorists who hijacked their plane. Their bravery likely saved hundreds, if not thousands, of lives by preventing the plane from reaching its intended target. "Like the rest of the nation, FirstEnergy employees watched in great sadness as the events of September 11, 2001, unfolded. We were humbled by the courage of the Flight 93 passengers who fought to take back control of the plane despite knowing their likely fate," said Lorna Wisham, president of the FirstEnergy Foundation. "On behalf of all FirstEnergy employees, we're pleased to present this gift in support of a memorial that ensures these heroes are never forgotten." This gift marks the second grant from the FirstEnergy Foundation to Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial, the 501(c)3 nonprofit responsible for the education and preservation of the monument. In 2011, the Foundation contributed $5,000 to the memorial on the tenth anniversary of the attacks. For more information about Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial, visit www.flight93friends.org. The FirstEnergy Foundation is funded solely by FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) and provides support to non-profit, tax-exempt health and human services agencies; educational organizations; cultural and arts programs and institutions; and civic groups in areas served by FirstEnergy's 10 electric operating companies and in areas where the company conducts business. FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter: @FirstEnergyCorp. SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. Related Links http://www.firstenergycorp.com GAINESVILLE Fla., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Longtime Gainesville-based law firm Avera & Smith has announced that the National Trial Lawyers named Attorney Alexandria Avera into its Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers in Florida. This honor is only given to those lawyers who demonstrate superior skills and qualifications in the field. "We are extremely proud of Alexandria for her remarkable legal work on behalf of our clients, said Dawn Vallejos-Nichols, Managing Partner, Avera & Smith. "This is a significant professional recognition that she's earned through dedication to the legal field and those she represents." Alexandria Avera joined Avera & Smith as an associate attorney in September 2018, a firm founded by her grandfather more than 65 years ago. Her focus is on complex or catastrophic injury cases and medical malpractice Members of the Top 40 Under 40 are selected by invitation only and limited to the just 40 attorneys in each state/region who have demonstrated excellence and have achieved outstanding results in their careers in either civil plaintiff or criminal defense law. The National Trial Lawyers is a professional organization comprised of the premier trial lawyers from across the country who have exhibited exceptional qualifications in criminal defense or civil plaintiff law. The selection process for the Top 40 Under 40 honor is based on a multi-phase process which includes peer nominations combined with third party research. The National Trial Lawyers provides accreditation to these distinguished attorneys, and also provides essential legal news, information, and continuing education to trial lawyers across the United States. To learn more about The National Trial Lawyers, please visit: http://thenationaltriallawyers.org. Avera & Smith has represented Floridians for more than 65 years with a legacy of personal service and genuine care for clients and the local community. Visit avera.com for more information. SOURCE Avera & Smith TITUSVILLE, Fla., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GenH2, a leading developer of hydrogen infrastructure solutions and liquid hydrogen production, announced the purchase of an over 10-acre campus for its new global headquarters in Titusville, Florida. The property will undergo a $35 million renovation and build-out to accommodate GenH2's needs as the hydrogen economy continues to grow exponentially. The new campus will encompass an advanced research lab, light manufacturing center, educational and training classrooms for community engagement, an observation deck and outdoor walking trails, in addition to offices and conference rooms for employees. It will be home to more than 100 employees. The GenH2 campus will also include a hydrogen technology visitor center and gallery, which will be open to the public. GenH2 founder and CEO Cody Bateman and his team chose the City of Titusville and specifically northern Brevard County for their new headquarters following a collaborative partnership between Rocket City Commercial and the North Brevard Economic Development Zone. Phase I of the project is expected to be completed in early 2022. For Bateman, it was fitting that the company's global headquarters be located just a few miles away from the Kennedy Space Center. Bateman, like many of his colleagues at GenH2, formerly worked for NASA before pursuing new endeavors. Our foundation and history go back to this area where many of our employees had been contractors or employees at NASA," said Bateman. "This is an ideal location for us, where we are confident that we can hire the work-force we need and where we are proud to have the support of the City of Titusville, Brevard County and the State of Florida." The Titusville global headquarters will join GenH2 facilities in Texas, New Mexico, and other locations around the country where the company is building a footprint. In total, the company expects to hire 400 new employees in the next two years. "The hydrogen economy is taking off faster than anyone anticipated, and is reaching a 'tipping point,'" Bateman adds. "Aggressive milestones both nationally and globally are pushing growth across the landscape. In order to meet market demands, we intend to be fully operational and producing our liquid hydrogen and filling stations by 2023." Liquid hydrogen has a long legacy within the space industry. However, hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) are also gradually gaining a foothold in the automobile market. According to data compiled by the California Fuel Cell Partnership, 11,187 hydrogen fuel cell cars have been sold and leased in the U.S. There are also 48 hydrogen fuel cell buses currently in operation in the Golden State. According to Bateman, part of the slow rollout of these zero-emission vehicles is the lack of hydrogen filling stations. In California, there less than 50 stations in operation. The goal of GenH2 is to greatly expand that number and be able to place smaller and more efficient hydrogen stations across the country. Bateman is looking beyond just the needs of the automobile industry when it comes to using hydrogen power. "The hydrogen economy is here, not only for cars, but for the long-term future for semi-trucks, light rail trains, shipping and hydrogen-powered drones." About Cody Bateman Bateman is a businessman, scientist and philanthropist. He has founded several startups including Advantek Research, providing engineering solutions for the DoE, and Cryotek, a leader in cryogenic engineering focusing on the technological commercialization of liquid hydrogen for vehicles, drones, maritime applications and supply infrastructure. As the Chairman and CEO of GenH2, Bateman is widely recognized as a leader in the field of hydrogen infrastructure research and development and is an outspoken advocate for the Hydrogen Economy. For more information, visit www.CodyBateman.com. About GenH2 GenH2 is an industry leader in liquid hydrogen infrastructure solutions. The Titusville, Florida-headquartered technology company was founded by Cody Bateman, who is widely recognized as a visionary and expert in this industry. The GenH2 team of former NASA researchers and developers possesses decades of experience researching, engineering and producing hydrogen solutions. At GenH2, they are focused on the mass production of infrastructure solutions necessary for the transition to a clean energy economy. GenH2 technology will allow safe onsite production and storage of pure liquid hydrogen, making the product accessible for everyday use. GenH2 has engineered the first end-to-end filling station solution to make pure hydrogen on site with zero CO2 emissions; the company has plans to deliver its product to hundreds of locations across the country in the coming years. Learn more about GenH2 at www.DiscoverHydrogen.com. Media Contact: Melissa Perlman BlueIvy Communications 561-310-9921 [email protected] SOURCE GenH2 Related Links http://www.discoverhydrogen.com DUBLIN, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Nanosatellite and Microsatellite Market Research" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global nanosatellite and microsatellite market size is expected to grow from USD 2.3 billion in 2021 to USD 5.7 billion by 2026, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20.4% Commercial companies, researchers, academia, and the government are building CubeSats for various operational missions. Commercial companies use these miniature satellites for global imaging and communications while researchers and academia continue to use them for R&D. These CubeSats provide an affordable means of demonstrating exciting new technologies, along with driving the drastic miniaturization of systems and encouraging a new approach to spacecraft integration "By Type, Nanosatellite segment to grow at the higher CAGR during the forecast period" Satellites with mass (including fuel) between 1 kg and 10 kg are nanosatellites with dimensions as small as 10 cubic centimeters. Historically, the first nanosatellite was launched at the beginning of this millennium, which triggered a series of opportunities in various space-based projects, ranging from technological research to biological experimentation. Several innovative methods of control and development have enormously boosted the optimum usage. A CubeSat is a nanosatellite's extended design with a standard unit volume of 10 x 10 x 10 cm and can be clubbed up to six units depending upon the mission or assignment. Several low-mission costs with considerable efficiency have majorly attracted the commercial and civil sectors in the past, followed by the government, energy, and the military defense and intelligence sectors to some extent. The constant innovation and technological advances of miniaturizations of electronics are expected to boost the commercial sector significantly. This, in turn, will affect the proportion of nanosatellite launches during the next couple of years for its economic value and the capabilities of such missions. It is expected that the demand from across the verticals for nanosatellite services will increase tremendously over the next few years. These services help meet the various business challenges; thus, creating growth opportunities and accelerating technological innovation. "By Verticals, the Commercial segment to hold the larger market size during the forecast period" Private companies can invest in small satellites as they are cheaper, faster to build, and can be launched for commercial purposes. The geospatial technology using Earth-imaging small satellites for agriculture, education, intelligence navigation, mapping, and other uses has driven the commercial sector in the past decade. Nanosatellites or microsatellites help commercial companies gather global real-time data and distribute it at a surprisingly low price across a wide geographic area to their customers. Nanosatellites and microsatellites are used for commercial purposes, such as communication, voice, data, and videos, internet communication, and video chat. Between 2013 and 2017, almost half the nanosatellites were launched on military or civil missions and the remaining half for business purposes. The outlook for the next few years is expected to be different. According to Alen Space, by 2022, up to 75% of all nanosatellites will be launched into orbit for commercial reasons. Telecommunication players such as Telesat currently use small satellites to provide internet access to the world at the same speed as fiber-optic cables, which is not otherwise possible through conventional satellites. Telecommunication players, such as OneWeb, are currently using nanosatellites to provide internet access to the world at the same speed as fiber-optic cables. This was not possible through conventional satellites. Market Dynamics Drivers Proliferation of Leo-Based Services to Better Connect Remote and Inaccessible Regions Rapid Escalation of the Production and Launch of Small Satellites to Revolutionize the Space Industry Rising Demand for Earth Observation Related Applications Restraints Limited Access to Space Stringent Government Regulations to Hinder the Growth Opportunities Growth in the Demand for Satellite Imagery from Non-Governmental Players Increase in the Number of Application Areas Increase in the Number of Space Exploration Missions Growing Technological Advancements to Transform Space Exploration Challenges Raising Capital and Funding of Satellite Manufacturing and Launch Concerns Related to Space Debris Case Study Analysis Nanoavionics Gomspace Alen Space Gomspace Companies Mentioned Aac Clyde Space Alen Space Alexspace Astrocast Dauria Aerospace Endurosat Exolaunch Gauss Gomspace L3Harris Lockheed Martin Millennium Space Systems Nanoavionics Northrop Grumman OHB Se Planet Labs Pumpkin Raytheon Ruag Space Sierra Nevada Corporation Spacequest Spire Global Surrey Satellite Technology Swarm Tyvak For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/wk2mhi Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc. ("Goodness Growth" or the "Company") (CSE: GDNS;OTCQX: GDNSF), a physician-led, science-focused cannabis company and IP incubator, today announced that it is hosting a free cannabis expungement clinic on Saturday, September 11 at its Green Goods cannabis patient center in Minneapolis. The event will be the first cannabis expungement clinic to be held in Minnesota. Green Goods Minneapolis will host the cannabis expungement clinic with the support of attorneys, law professors and law students from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law and other local attorneys providing pro bono work. The clinic is a free event designed to help Minnesotans with simple, non-violent cannabis convictions learn how to clear their criminal records. The event aims to reduce the harm caused by the ineffective and often racially biased "War on Drugs" and help more Minnesotans, but especially people of color, qualify for meaningful employment within the cannabis industry or other industries. In Minnesota alone, more than 53,000 citizens were convicted of low-level (misdemeanor or petty misdemeanor) cannabis-related charges in just the 20-year-span from 1998 to 2018. Petty misdemeanor and misdemeanor cannabis convictions can still show up on a criminal background check and negatively affect a person's ability to get a job, qualify for a loan, or even rent a home. "For decades, cannabis prohibition has been enforced unequally among people of different races and socioeconomic classes," said Dr. Kyle Kingsley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Goodness Growth Holdings. "As cannabis is legalized in more and more states across the nation, there are far too many people whose lives are still being impacted by something that is decriminalized in most states, including Minnesota. Hosting expungement clinics such as this to help people clear simple cannabis charges is an important priority for our organization and a major step toward overcoming the injustices of cannabis prohibition." Minnesota's laws allow for the expungement and vacating of some non-violent, simple cannabis convictions through a multi-step process. At the Green Goods expungement event, attorneys will be available to meet with interested people, review their specific cases and determine if they are a candidate for expungement within Minnesota law. If they are, attorneys will provide step-by-step instructions and assistance gathering necessary records and filing paperwork needed to start the expungement process. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT at the Minneapolis Green Goods cannabis patient center, located at 207 South 9th Street. All expungement clinic participants must bring their case information and court records with them on the day of the event. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, masks and social distancing will be required, and all attendees will have their temperature checked upon arrival. To help maintain social distancing, all attendees will need to register in advance by visiting https://us.bookingbug.com/home/131082-Minnesota-Medical-Solutions. The Minneapolis expungement event is one of four similar clinics that Goodness Growth Holdings is hosting or supporting in September to recognize expungement month. The Company is also hosting a virtual clinic out of its Green Goods dispensary in Frederick, Maryland, and is supporting clinics in Capitol Heights, Maryland, and New York City. About Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc. Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc., is a physician-led, science-focused holding company whose mission is to bring the power of plants to the world. The Company's operations consist primarily of its multi-state cannabis company subsidiary, Vireo Health, Inc., and its science and intellectual property incubator, Resurgent Biosciences, Inc. The Company manufactures proprietary, branded cannabis products in environmentally friendly facilities and state-of-the-art cultivation sites and distributes its products through its growing network of Green Goods and other retail locations and third-party dispensaries. Its team of more than 500 employees is focused on the development of differentiated products, driving scientific innovation of plant-based medicines, and developing meaningful intellectual property. Today, the Company is licensed to grow, process, and/or distribute cannabis in eight markets and operates 18 dispensaries across the United States. For more information about Goodness Growth Holdings, please visit www.goodnessgrowth.com. Contact Information Investor Inquiries: Sam Gibbons Vice President, Investor Relations [email protected] (612) 314-8995 Media Inquiries: Albe Zakes Vice President, Corporate Communications [email protected] (267) 221-4800 SOURCE Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc. Related Links http://www.goodnessgrowth.com CHICAGO, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- COURT-APPROVED LEGAL NOTICE If you purchased any Chicken product in the United States from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2020, you may be eligible to receive money from class action Settlements totaling $181 million. Para una notificacion in espanol, llame gratis al 1-877-888-5428 o visite nuestro website www.overchargedforchicken.com . Settlements have been reached in a class action antitrust lawsuit filed on behalf of End-User Consumer Plaintiffs with Defendants: Fieldale Farms Corporation ("Fieldale"); George's Inc. and George's Farms, Inc. ("George's"); Mar-Jac Poultry, Inc., Mar-Jac Poultry MS, LLC, Mar-Jac Poultry AL, LLC, Mar-Jac AL/MS, Inc., Mar-Jac Poultry, LLC, and Mar-Jac Holdings, Inc. ("Mar Jac"); Peco Foods, Inc. ("Peco"); Pilgrim's Pride Corporation ("Pilgrim's"); and Tyson Foods, Inc., Tyson Chicken, Inc., Tyson Breeders, Inc., and Tyson Poultry, Inc. ("Tyson") (collectively, "Settling Defendants"). This Court-ordered notice may affect your rights. Please review and follow the instructions carefully. The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois authorized this notice. Before any money is paid, the Court will hold a hearing to decide whether to approve the Settlements. Who is Included ? For settlement purposes, members of the Settlement Class are defined as all persons and entities who indirectly purchased fresh or frozen raw chicken (defined as whole birds (with or without giblets), whole cut-up birds purchased within a package, or "white meat" parts including breasts and wings (or cuts containing a combination of these), but excluding chicken that is marketed as halal, kosher, free range, or organic) from Defendants or alleged co-conspirators for personal consumption, where the person or entity purchased in California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island (after July 15, 2013), South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin from January 1, 2009 (except for Rhode Island, which is from July 15, 2013), to July 31, 2019, and for Pilgrim's from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2020. In addition to the Settling Defendants, the other Defendants in this lawsuit for purposes of this notice include: Agri Stats, Inc. and Claxton Poultry Farms, Inc.; Foster Farms, LLC and Foster Poultry Farms; Harrison Poultry, Inc. and House of Raeford Farms, Inc.; JCG Foods of Alabama, LLC, JCG Foods of Georgia, LLC, Koch Foods, Inc. and Koch Meats Co., Inc.; Mountaire Farms, Inc., Mountaire Farms, LLC, and Mountaire Farms of Delaware, Inc.; O.K. Foods, Inc., O.K. Farms, Inc., and O.K. Industries, Inc.; Perdue Farms, Inc. and Perdue Foods LLC; Sanderson Farms, Inc., Sanderson Farms, Inc. (Foods Division), Sanderson Farms, Inc. (Processing Division), and Sanderson Farms, Inc. (Production Division); Wayne Farms, LLC; and Simmons Foods, Inc. and Simmons Prepared Foods, Inc. (collectively, "Unsettled Defendants"). If you are not sure if you are included, you can get more information, including a detailed notice, at www.overchargedforchicken.com or by calling toll-free 1-877-888-5428. What is this Lawsuit About ? This class action, In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation (End-User Consumer Action), N.D. Ill. Case No. 1:16-cv-08637, is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Durkin presides over this class action. End-User Consumer Plaintiffs allege that Defendants and their co-conspirators conspired to stabilize the price and supply of chicken, as of January 1, 2009, in violation of federal and state consumer and antitrust laws. The Settling Defendants have not admitted any liability concerning, and continue to deny the legal claims alleged in, this lawsuit, and would allege numerous defenses to the Plaintiffs' claims if the case against them were to proceed. Nevertheless, the Settling Defendants agreed to settle this action to avoid the further expense, inconvenience, disruption, and burden of this litigation and any other present or future litigation arising out of the facts that gave rise to this litigation, to avoid the risks inherent in uncertain complex litigation and trial, and thereby to put to rest this controversy. The case is still proceeding on behalf of the End-User Consumer Plaintiffs against the Unsettled Defendants who may be subject to separate settlements, judgments, or class certification orders. What does the Settlement Provide? Under the terms of the Settlement Agreements, the Settling Defendants will pay a total of $181,000,000 to resolve all Settlement Class claims against them and their affiliates. In addition to this monetary benefit, the Settling Defendants have also agreed to provide specified cooperation (as set forth in the Settlement Agreements) in the End-User Consumer Plaintiffs' continued prosecution of the litigation. Co-Lead Counsel may request to delay distribution of Settlement funds if future settlements with additional defendants are reached. Settlement updates will be provided on the Settlement website at www.overchargedforchicken.com or may be obtained by contacting the Claims Administrator. A portion of the Settlement Proceeds has been and will be used by the Claims Administrator for notice and administration costs. Additionally, Co-Lead Counsel will request that the Court award attorneys' fees and permit the reimbursement of certain litigation costs and expenses. The request will be filed at least fourteen days before the deadline to object to the Settlements and posted on the website www.overchargedforchicken.com . Co-Lead Counsel will seek attorneys' fees of no more than 33.3% of the Settlement Fund or $60,273,000, and the total amount of costs sought will be no more than $8.75 million. Co-Lead Counsel will also request service awards of up to $2,000 for each of the Class Representatives. All Settlement funds that remain after payment of the Court-ordered attorneys' fees, costs, and litigation expenses will be distributed on a pro rata basis at the conclusion of the lawsuit or as ordered by the Court. What are your Rights and Options ? Submit a claim online at www.overchargedforchicken.com by December 31, 2022. This deadline may be changed by the Court, and any extended claims deadline will be posted at www.overchargedforchicken.com . If you submit a timely claim, you will automatically be eligible to participate in the distribution of any funds received in future settlements unless you opt out of those future settlements. You do not need to take any action to remain a member of the Settlement Class and be bound by the Settlement Agreements. As a Settlement Class member, you may be able to participate in (or exclude yourself from) any future settlement or judgment obtained by End-User Consumer Plaintiffs against the Unsettled Defendants in the case. If you do not want to be legally bound by the Settlement Agreements, you must exclude yourself by November 10, 2021, or you will not be able to sue or continue to sue the Settling Defendants or their affiliates for the Released Claims (as defined in the Settlement Agreements). If you exclude yourself, you can't get money from the Settlements. If you don't exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you may still object to the Settlement Agreements by November 10, 2021. The detailed notice explains how to exclude yourself or object. Details may also be found on the FAQs page of the Settlement website. The Court will hold a hearing in this case (In re: Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation (End-User Consumer Action), Case No. 1:16-cv-08637 (N.D. Ill.)) on December 20, 2021, at 9:00 a.m., to consider whether to approve the Settlement Agreements. You may ask to speak at the hearing, but you do not have to. This notice is only a summary. You can find more details about the Settlements at www.overchargedforchicken.com or by calling toll-free 1-877-888-5428. Please do not contact the Court. SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP and Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, PLLC "We have a long-standing history of developing sustainable technologies and refrigeration solutions and are committed to continue investing in the future," said Scott Martin, Director, Research, Industry Relations and Development. "We are proud to be a founding member of the EPA's Greenchill program and greatly appreciate the recognition of Hillphoenix's continuous efforts to advance sustainable technologies in partnership with customers on best practices." "We congratulate Hillphoenix for their ongoing achievements as part of the GreenChill Store Certification Program," said Kirsten Cappel, GreenChill Program Manager. "By being the commercial systems manufacturer with the most systems installed in GreenChill certified stores in the past year, Hillphoenix is being recognized for Store Certification Excellence for the tenth consecutive year. Their support of the supermarket industry to reduce harmful refrigeration emissions and transition to advanced refrigeration technologies is exemplary and good for both the environment and business." Hillphoenix has a long history and consistent record of advancing sustainable refrigeration: In the mid-1990s, the company introduced Second Nature systems, one of the first cooling technologies to reduce global-warming emissions. systems, one of the first cooling technologies to reduce global-warming emissions. In the early 2000s, Hillphoenix installed its first Second Nature low-temperature CO 2 secondary system and CO 2 Cascade systems, respectively. secondary system and CO Cascade systems, respectively. In 2012, the first North American CO 2 Transcritical Booster System was installed furthering Hillphoenix's capabilities to provide both low- and medium-temperature refrigeration to display cases and walk-ins without relying on any HFC refrigerants. Transcritical Booster System was installed furthering Hillphoenix's capabilities to provide both low- and medium-temperature refrigeration to display cases and walk-ins without relying on any HFC refrigerants. Thousands of Second Nature systems have shipped by Hillphoenix utilizing low global warming potential and natural refrigerant solutions. About the GreenChill Partnership EPA's GreenChill Program is a voluntary partnership with food retailers, refrigeration system manufacturers, and chemical manufacturers to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease their impact on the ozone later and climate change. GreenChill provides supermarkets and other industry stakeholders with information and assistance to: transition to environmentally friendlier refrigerants, reduce the amount of refrigerant they use, eliminate refrigerant leaks, implement environmental best practices, and adopt green refrigeration technologies. There are nearly 13,000 GreenChill Partner stores throughout the nation. For more information on EPA's GreenChill Program, please visit www.epa.gov/greenchill. About Hillphoenix Hillphoenix branded products and services deliver advanced design and manufacturing of commercial refrigerated display cases and specialty products along with commercial and industrial refrigeration systems and integrated power distribution systems. Training, design, energy and aftermarket services are available through the Hillphoenix Learning and Design Centers and The AMS Group. For more information visit www.hillphoenix.com, or call 800-283-1109 About Dover Food Retail Dover Food Retail, part of Dover Corporation with headquarters in Conyers, Georgia, is the partner to customers seeking to create unique food experiences. Employing the capabilities of our industry-leading brands, Anthony and Hillphoenix, we are able to provide insight and a comprehensive portfolio of innovative solutions that enables our customers to sell more food, more profitably. Our ability to evolve with the ever-changing market demands is driven by our passion for understanding our customers' business and providing them with the best quality products and services they need to succeed both today and in the future. Our focused, forward-thinking approach, combined with the strength of our brands, sets the stage for streamlined product development, a broader product portfolio, and cutting-edge technology resulting in redefining what is possible for customers in the food retail value chain. About Dover: Dover is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider with annual revenue of approximately $7 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services through five operating segments: Engineered Products, Fueling Solutions, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Refrigeration & Food Equipment. Dover combines global scale with operational agility to lead the markets we serve. Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for over 65 years, our team of over 24,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what's possible. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV." Additional information is available at dovercorporation.com. SOURCE Hillphoenix Related Links http://www.hillphoenix.com LONDON, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- History was made on September 7th 2021, when the inaugural CARICOM-Africa Summit was held virtually under the theme 'Unity Across Continents and Oceans: Opportunities for Deepening Integration'. The meeting, which was delayed a year due to the pandemic, aimed at 'Promoting closer collaboration between Africa Diaspora, People of African Descent and the Caribbean and Pacific region and institutions.' Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta led the summit with leaders of 69 countries between Africa and the Caribbean. Among matters discussed were greater economic trade and investment opportunities between Africa and the Caribbean and solidarity in addressing global challenges, including climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. "Colleagues, we have it within our power to demand change in the international system and to fight for it and to make it happen. But only if we act harmoniously," said President Kenyatta. "We are a population of approximately 1.4 billion people, with great natural and wealth-creating resources including oil, gas, agriculture, minerals, forestry, tourism, fisheries and much more." Dominica's Prime Minister, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, said urgent progress was needed on all that was discussed, and his island nation stood ready to play its part. He shared the excitement and expectations across the Caribbean and Africa for closer cooperation and contact between the continent and the region and supported the call for an annual summit. In recent years, many African nationals from Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and more have opted for dual nationality through the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programmes offered by several Caribbean nations like Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis. These programmes permit individuals to contribute to a nation's economy and gain additional travel rights, something African passports lack. "The Caribbean CBI route allows African communities to build and grow their business and investments internationally, and it makes families feel a part of a region that they share a cultural heritage with," says Micha Emmett, who is a South African dual-qualified lawyer and the CEO of a London headquartered citizenship advisory. "With ties strengthening between Africa and the Caribbean region, we can only expect more persons to partake in this initiative that is a win-win for both sides," she added. Meanwhile, CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett said the cycle of history has brought the Caribbean and Africa into a new union "that is freely entered into." "As we seek to rebuild our economies we must become alive for the opportunities for investment," she added. [email protected], www.csglobalpartners.com SOURCE CS Global Partners ROCKAWAY, N.J., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, USA ("HSS") volunteers in 22 states celebrated the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan or "Universal Oneness Day" by reaching out to first responders, community leaders, and elected officials state representatives, mayors, governors, US senators, and congresspersons -- tying the traditional rakhi (a string bracelet) around their wrists and extending greetings highlighting the importance of civic responsibility and universal acceptance. Raksha Bandhan with Honorable Congressman Danny K. Davis, IL Raksha Bandhan with Police Department at South Brunswick Township NJ During these meetings, HSS volunteers shared their COVID-19 relief work and vaccination outreach efforts with FEMA. They also discussed how to continue working collaboratively in the communities. Raksha Bandhan, observed in India by sisters tying the rakhi to their brothers, reminds each individual that they are responsible for protecting society and the planet. Selected highlights of these events included: HSS volunteers participated in candlelight vigils at several places in memory of 13 fallen Heroes of Afghanistan's terror attack. During one such event in Houston , an Afghan woman, Shekella, shared her tragic experiences in Afghanistan. Later she tied a rakhi to the State Rep Jetton Jacey, indicating that the Afghan community needs protection during these challenging times. terror attack. During one such event in , an Afghan woman, Shekella, shared her tragic experiences in Afghanistan. Later she tied a rakhi to the State Rep Jetton Jacey, indicating that the Afghan community needs protection during these challenging times. At Dallas Texas Police Department, Police personnel attended a Hindu Culture Workshop. Police Department, Police personnel attended a Hindu Culture Workshop. In a Buddhist Monastery in California , the Respected Lama and devotees interacted with the HSS Volunteers. Some of the comments were received by the first responders or elected officials. "Thank you for taking the time to share your culture with our employees!" Flower Mound Tx Police Department Police Department "The Schaumburg IL Police enjoyed a visit with the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) to observe Raksha Bandhan and talk about community outreach programs. Thank you, HSS, for all you do in the community and your well wishes for our safety and protection!" - Schaumburg IL Police Department and talk about community outreach programs. Thank you, HSS, for all you do in the community and your well wishes for our safety and protection!" - Schaumburg IL Police Department In her video message, Congresswoman Young Kim (CA-39) extended her warm wishes on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan and appreciated HSS for the honor by tying her a rakhi and celebrating this festival with her. All members of the various communities expressed their appreciation and said they looked forward to celebrating this joyous annual event in the future. Media Contact: Vikas Deshpande 973-500-8477 [email protected] SOURCE Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA The surge in the number of students also brings new problems for the start of the school season. Many of the new students are leaving the country for the first time and coming to France to study. But with the impact of the pandemic, everything is much more complicated than before. In addition to preparing a ton of administrative documents, Chinese students have to get tested, get vaccinated, and keep an eye on the ever-changing entry policies. After solving all those questions and landing in Paris, students face another problem, which is transport. Most Chinese would carry at least two big suitcases, preventing them to transfer by train, metro or bus. The awaiting taxi also has conflicting fame for their prices for foreigners. HungryPanda, the leading Asian food delivery company, partners with Caocao Mobility Paris to provide the airport transfer service with a comfortable and safe experience. The airport transfer service will last to 25 September as the first step of the cooperation between these two companies. All Caocao cars prepare drivers who can speak Mandarin for more convenient communication. All drivers have been vaccinated and provide an ultimate experience for Chinese customers. Caocao Mobility Paris is a new mobility platform offering elegant and spacious vehicles in Paris and its region, accessible to people with reduced mobility and eco-friendly. The company is a French start-up supported by the automotive group Geely and have served more than 30 million passengers. Through the airport transfer service, HungryPanda aims to provide a one-stop service for overseas Chinese, from transport to food delivery. The exclusive partnership is also a whole new attempt for HungryPanda to expand with more business models. HungryPanda is dedicated to seeking new opportunities to provide premium lifestyle services for overseas Chinese, and establishing a leading platform to support the development of overseas Chinese communities. SOURCE HungryPanda Ltd Hunt Club brings its competitive edge to clients by tapping into its talent referral network of over 5M candidates. Tweet this With fundamental shifts underway in the hiring market and talent preferences becoming ever more complex, Hunt Club brings its competitive edge to clients by tapping into its proprietary talent referral network of over 5 million candidates and 11,000+ subject matter experts. Reverse engineering the network effects of the talent market, Hunt Club's machine learning technology maps talent pools to identify target candidates in half the time it takes others to locate prospective candidates. Combining technology, node-driven network mapping, context-aligned introductions, and white-glove recruiting services, Hunt Club is able to connect, convince, and place the right talent faster than the competition. "Hunt Club is changing the way search is done because we have been in the trenches innovating with leading technology companies as the market continues to make step-change shifts. Our experts, our tech, and our understanding of these changes in the market are accelerating our ability to solve the evolving challenges of our clients' rapid team growth," said Nick Cromydas, CEO and Founder of Hunt Club. "Joining the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America is a testament to the hard work and determination of the people working at our company. Our mission is to create the best hiring experience through technology and the largest talent network. Our growth demonstrates that our new approach to search is working." "The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we've lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people." About Hunt Club Hunt Club is the modern talent company for the digital business world. Serving high-growth companies, it is the only search service powered by a network of 5 million candidates and 11,000+ industry leaders who refer top talent nationwide directly to our client's most important positions. Enabled by machine-learning technology and led by experienced talent strategists, Hunt Club connects clients with high-quality talent faster than the competition. Imagine if you could deploy hundreds of Chief Technology Officers to search for your next technology hire or highly regarded VPs of Marketing to source a digital marketerthat's reality with Hunt Club. Welcome to the future of search. We're rethinking every part of the search process to deliver the most efficient and effective hiring experience for employers and candidates. Contact: Amanda Price VP of Marketing Hunt Club [email protected] SOURCE Hunt Club CHESTERFIELD, Mo., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- iCover, a Missouri-based Insurtech that provides an algorithmic underwriting Platform as a Service (paas) for life insurance companies, raised an undisclosed amount in seed funding. The company intends to use the funds raised to expand insurance distribution through a direct-to-consumer offering, increase technical staff and expand sales and marketing efforts. iCover also announced a multi-year partnership with KSKJ Life, headquartered in Joliet, IL, that allows iCover to onboard KSKJ Life's full suite of products which includes Final Expense, Term Life, Whole Life and Annuities on the platform to digitize their new business processes. "We are excited about the partnership we have established with the iCover team. The experience and expertise that they offer, from the platform to business development, support our growth strategies and commitment to provide excellent service to our members and agents." (Tony Mravle, CEO for KSKJ Life) "KSKJ Life is an ideal partner for iCover, they have an innovative mindset, agile approach to delivery and the suite of products that could help enhance the iCover platform." (Hari Srinivasan, CEO for iCover) About iCover iCover is a cloud-based algorithmic underwriting platform that helps insurers sell to the middle market. By leveraging data and predictive analytics iCover can quote, underwrite, and deliver life insurance in under 5 minutes. iCover was built by industry insiders Hari Srinivasan and Nicole Mwesigwa who applied their 30+ years of InsurTech experience and intimate knowledge of automated underwriting technologies. To learn more about iCover, visit www.icoverinsure.com. About KSKJ Life KSKJ Life is a Christian, community-focused life insurance company that has provided financial security to its members and their families for over 127 years. Licensed to do business in 19 states across the US, KSKJ Life has experienced tremendous financial growth over the past decade reaching over $551 million in assets. Founded in Joliet, Illinois, KSKJ Life offers competitive life insurance and retirement products, premier personalized service and meaningful member benefits and programs, with over 50,000 members nationwide. As a not-for-profit organization, KSKJ Life makes a difference by reinvesting back into local communities and is dedicated to continuing its mission by helping families achieve financial security through the introduction of new products, increased technology and expansion of distribution channels. For more details, visit www.kskjlife.com . HARI SRINIVASAN CEO and Founder [email protected] 314.255.3861 SOURCE iCover Related Links www.icoverinsure.com "The world is experiencing a significant shift and, as we look ahead, we want to offer even more comfortable and casual options such as knitwear, as well as fashion forward seasonal fabrics," said Drew Green, CEO of INDOCHINO. "Our customers may be back in the office, working from home or somewhere in between, and we're here to help them build their wardrobesand their style confidenceon their own terms. Retro-inspired fabrics form the basis of INDOCHINO's new custom suiting collection. Bold glen checks and houndstooths are paired with rich camels for a look from a bygone era that's suave and sophisticated. Textured corduroys and moleskins in ivory, tobacco and mahogany are casually styled and worn both together and as separates for a modern take on 70's favorites. INDOCHINO is also launching the Monza range, a selection of high-end 100% wool fabrics from the Guabello mill in northern Italy. The perfect complement to the brand's midweight Milano line, the Monza's gray, olive, and stone blue fabrics add luxury, warmth and pizzaz for the rapidly cooling weather. For formal events and winter weddings, INDOCHINO's luxurious velvet suits are now available as tuxedos, both in store and online. Emerald, black and navy fabrics feature in its brand campaign, while burgundy, purple and brown are more colorful options available. With an aim to provide more comfortable and casual options, INDOCHINO is expanding into a new product category and launching its first ready to wear knitwear collection exclusively online. Customers will be able to add crew necks, short sleeve polos and long sleeve polos in a range of sizes to their shopping cart. Fall/Winter custom suits are priced at $429 USD, the Monza line is available for $549 USD and velvet dinner jackets are $399 USD. INDOCHINO knitwear is $79 USD. View the collection online here . ABOUT INDOCHINO As the global leader in made to measure apparel, INDOCHINO has developed the shopping experience of the future. Born out of the belief that you don't need to spend a fortune on a custom wardrobe, INDOCHINO was the first company to disrupt the retail sector by making perfect-fitting, personalized apparel on a mass scale. Customers take on the role of designer, picking out every detail of their garments to make them truly one-of-a- kind. These are made to their precise measurements and shipped directly to their door, hassle free. The company's Omni-channel approach allows them to shop online or in person at any INDOCHINO showroom. For more information, visit www.indochino.com . SOURCE Indochino Apparel Inc. Related Links www.indochino.com VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- InMotion Hosting , the industry leader in premium web hosting and customer support, is celebrating 20 years of empowering small businesses and entrepreneurs around the world. For two decades, InMotion Hosting has helped drive small businesses by providing great products, services, and support in a commitment to the success of their customers. Since its first server went online in 2001, InMotion Hosting has consistently grown and evolved to meet the needs of its customers. InMotion Hosting is celebrating their 20th anniversary with a sale on hyperfast hosting. After having outgrown its Los Angeles headquarters, InMotion Hosting expanded to the east coast and began operations in a 450 square-foot office in Virginia Beach in 2004. In 2010, it became the first web host to Go Green, moving to a larger green data center in Los Angeles. The company introduced BoldGrid, its easy drag-and-drop website builder, in 2015, then celebrated the grand opening of its Denver office the following year. In 2019, InMotion Hosting expanded yet again, purchasing and opening a 61,000 square-foot office in Virginia Beach that now serves as their east coast headquarters. Last year, the company demonstrated its commitment to open source technology by becoming an Open Infrastructure Foundation partner. Despite all its growth and expansion, InMotion Hosting is still as committed to its customers' success as it was when it opened 20 years ago, and was named a PCMag Editors' Choice for The Best Web Hosting Services of 2021. It also remains 100 percent employee-owned and operated, which is one of the reasons it was officially Certified by Great Place to Work this year. "As we reflect on the last twenty years, we are thinking about our customers and team members, and how far we have come as an organization," said Todd Robinson and Sunil Saxena, Co-Founders of InMotion Hosting. "A lot has changed in 20 years, but our organizational goal has remained constant: to offer our customers the best service experience in the hosting industry, offering exceptional support services and best-in-class products. Today, we have the privilege of serving over 250,000 satisfied customers. It has been exciting to see our customers start and expand their businesses with us over the years, and it's rewarding to know our products and services helped them achieve their goals. As we look ahead to the next 20 years, we welcome the opportunity to evolve our business to meet our customers' changing needs. We thank our IMH team members for taking care of customers every day and for making IMH a great place to work. Looking forward to the next 20 years!" Now, as it celebrates its 20th anniversary, InMotion Hosting wants to empower small businesses and entrepreneurs. That is why the company is offering big discounts on Shared, WordPress, Reseller, and VPS Hosting. With this sale, customers can get their best-valued plan for the introductory price of their starter plans. InMotion Hosting is offering the following deals: Shared Hosting : Power Plan for $5.99 /mo. Same price as Launch plan but 4x faster, and comes with a free domain, free SSL, and cPanel with 1-click installs. WordPress Hosting : WP-2000S for $6.99 /mo. Same price as WP-1000S, 6x faster, and includes a free domain, free SSL, unlimited email accounts, and more. Reseller Hosting : R-2000S for $21.39 /mo. Get a R-2000S for the intro price of a R-1000S, featuring room to grow with 120GB SSD storage, 50 cPanel accounts, and more. Managed VPS Hosting : 2GB RAM now starting at $19.99 /mo. New introductory price offers a 58% discount. *All offers end September 30th, 2021 at 12:00pm PDT. The path for launching a successful business startup has changed a lot since 2001. From website builders and tools, to creating eCommerce storefronts, to scalable cloud infrastructures, InMotion Hosting has empowered small businesses with the "next big thing" for more than 20 years. Stay ahead of the curve on a powerful platform with innovative tools engineered to get you to your future successes. About InMotion Hosting InMotion Hosting is a privately held technology company providing web hosting, cloud-based solutions and managed services to businesses and entrepreneurs across the globe. With more than 250,000 satisfied customers, InMotion Hosting's mission is to bring tools, platforms and outstanding customer service within anyone's reach to transform their online presence. Since 2001, we have built our foundation around 24/7/365 U.S.-based customer support and open source technology. Our partnerships include SuperMicro and the Open Infrastructure Foundation. Learn more about InMotion Hosting at inmotionhosting.com and on Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn , and YouTube . Media Contact: Carrie Smaha (757) 693-5451 [email protected] SOURCE InMotion Hosting Related Links https://www.inmotionhosting.com Italvolt's gigafactory, which once fully operational, is destined to become one of Europe's largest production and storage sites of lithium batteries for electric vehicles, with a planned capacity of 45 GWh. This represents one of the most important and largest industrial investment projects in Italy in modern times, involving an overall investment of around 3.4 billion euros. The site in Scarmagno has been selected for its existing infrastructure and strategic geographical location in terms of good road and rail connections. The site will be able to leverage Piedmont's productive capability, the leading region in Italy for automotive industrial production. The land will be reclaimed and repurposed by Italvolt, dedicating an area of 300 thousand square meters to constructing the new plant. Out of this, 20 thousand square meters will be dedicated to creating a Research & Development centre. The next step for Italvolt is obtaining building permits by the beginning of 2022 so work can begin in the second half of the year. Pininfarina's Architecture Division will design the new plant with a strong focus on environmental and social impact. Pininfarina intends to develop a new generation industrial plant integrated into the economic and social fabric of the region. Lars Carlstrom, CEO and Founder of Italvolt, stated: "The agreement with Prelios Sgr represents a crucial step in the implementation plan of our gigafactory project. We are delighted to have concluded the purchase of the land with input from local authorities. In recent months they have made a significant contribution to the promotion of Italvolt's project. The decommissioned site offers excellent potential to restore the local industrial heritage, offering jobs and environmental improvements." In the first half of 2021, the electric mobility industry saw a significant increase in growth, not only in Europe but globally. In Italy, for instance, in the first six months of 2021, registrations of electric and plug-in hybrid cars quadrupled, compared to the same period last year. As a result, the demand for lithium-ion batteries in Europe is expected to grow at a rate of 24% per year, driven by electric mobility exceeding 1,200 GWh in 2035. Lars Carlstrom added: "We are proud to be the promoters of a project that will become one of the largest gigafactories in Southern Europe. We are certain that this will pave the way for new industrial initiatives dedicated to battery production. To achieve the challenging goal, set by the European Commission, to complete the transition towards a zero-emission automotive industry by 2035, it is necessary to accelerate battery production, and Italvolt is ready to do its part." Patrick Del Bigio, CEO of Prelios Sgr, commented: "We are very pleased with the result achieved. The area that hosted the historic Olivetti will come back to life in the following months with a new industrial project focused on the business of electric mobility, which today presents itself as a highly strategic and innovative sector, just as Olivetti was in the 1960s in the IT sector. Therefore, the industrial heritage of the site remains intact with important socio-economic developments that will derive from the focus on green industrialization. With this focus, Prelios SGR has also been particularly committed and has contributed to the operation's success, working in close coordination with representatives of the public administration and all the other actors involved, as well as defining the best value of the real estate asset." Andrea Tronzano, Councillor for the Budget of the Piedmont Region, said: "This is a moment of great excitement for Piedmont. This step is extraordinarily important for the Canavese area and beyond and demonstrates Italvolt's willingness to build the battery factory on schedule. Piedmont wants a gigafactory, and this news can only give us great pleasure. Now we will support the business plans through helping government access the resources of Pnrr." Certain administrative matters associated with the agreement are expected to be met within 12 months from the signing. On legal matters, Italvolt was assisted by Dentons, with a team led by Managing Partner Federico Sutti and composed of Partner Federico Vanetti and Associates Lorenzo Ugolini and Cristina Garlaschelli. GDP assisted Prelios Sgr - Studio Legale e Tributario with a team led by Founding Partner Prof. Andrea Gemma, with Partner Elisabetta Mattozzi and Managing Associate Chiara Adele Pero. ITALVOLT Italvolt is building a Gigafactory with a 45 GWh production capacity for battery cells in Saramango, Italy. Our key goal is to contribute to the green industrialization by becoming one of the main suppliers of green batteries in Europe and establishing Italy's presence as a preeminent battery manufacturer. This also means playing our part in the circular economy and ultimately the regeneration of natural resources. Italvolt is also concerned with the rejuvenation of a historical power house of industry with ESG aspects at the forefront of its strategy and this includes creating an eco-valley of research and innovation through our 20,000 m2 advanced R&D centre. People, community and education are of particular importance with an open platform factory design that engages and involves local residents and that provides growth alongside a sustainable future. PRELIOS SGR PRELIOS SGR is the Prelios Group's fund manager. One of the leading Italian real-estate fund and asset managers, it promotes and manages alternative investment funds (investment funds and SICAFs) and separate accounts, and provides advisory services for major national and international investors on the formulation and execution of the best movable and immovable asset investment and management strategies across Italy. At December 2020, Prelios SGR had assets under management for approximately 6.4 billion Euro through 38 alternative investment funds, including one umbrella fund, and two SICAFs. Prelios SGR is a signatory of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment network, which works for the integration into investment practices of the six responsible investment principles incorporating environmental, social and corporate governance issues. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1612860/Italvolt_Spa_Signing.jpg SOURCE Italvolt Spa Related Links https://www.italvolt.com "This weekend, we were up against some of the most talented cook teams from across the country and it was truly a privilege to compete alongside them," said Jordan Kirkpatrick of Janky Leg BBQ. "Fortunately, all the pieces fell into place, and we had a great cook on Saturday. We couldn't be more honored to be named the first Smithfield Classic Nashville Grand Champion. We won't be coming down from this high for a while!" In addition to Janky Leg BBQ, Smithfield also congratulates Up from the Pits BBQ for taking home the brisket title, as well as Continental Barbecue Co. for the chicken title, Blue Chip BBQ for the pork ribs title and Rub My Rack BBQ for the pork title. This competition also included a distinctive Military People's Choice Award in which members of the U.S. reserve forces had the unique opportunity to visit the participating teams' cook sites to learn more about the sport and sample Smithfield Fresh Pork Ribs from their grills as they took a turn as a judge. Indiana-based team Farmers Retreat BBQ took home this coveted prize and first Smithfield competition title of its kind. "We're so excited to celebrate the pitmaster pros that share our passion for barbecue," said Laura Pall, senior brand manager for Smithfield at Smithfield Foods. "Congratulations to Janky Leg BBQ on their incredible win, as well as to all 50 teams for serving up some of the best barbecue Nashville's ever seen. We hope to be back again next year." As Smithfield's first competition in Music City, the brand made this an event to remember with a high dollar prize along with making donations to local and national charities and hosting a special Military Salute dinner to thank service members for their efforts in the community over the past year. All entrance fees were donated to two worthy organizations: the Kansas City Barbecue Society Foundation, which provides scholarships to members' children, and the United Way of Greater Nashville, a major partner in the Nashville COVID-19 response. Smithfield is proud to continue its investment in the sport of barbecue. In 2017, the brand created its Smokin' With Smithfield Grant Program, which supports sanctioned barbecue competitions and events across the country by deepening the prize pool in overall and major meat categories. In addition, the Smokin' With Smithfield Committed Cooks program, established in 2016, rewards teams who cook with Smithfield Fresh Pork products and serve as brand ambassadors during competitions. For more information, visit SmokinWithSmithfield.com/bbq-fest-nashville-2021 and for grilling tips and recipe inspiration, visit Smithfield.com. About Smithfield Smithfield isn't only a leading provider of high-quality pork products. We're a leading provider of the most important part of any meal: high-quality meat. The rest of the meal is just a side dish. And we take our meat-duties seriously. We make meat for meat lovers. The kind that makes your stomach growl and your mouth water. And we've been doing it since 1936. All of our products have always come directly from farms right here in the USA meeting the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. To learn more about Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods. About Smithfield Foods, Inc. Headquartered in Smithfield, Va. since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Our 63,000 team members are dedicated to producing "Good food. Responsibly." and have made us one of the world's leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including our industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30 percent across our entire U.S. value chain by 2030. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield, Eckrich and Nathan's Famous, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. About The Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) The Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, celebrating, promoting and educating the public about barbeque as a distinctively American cuisine. KCBS is the world's largest organization of barbeque and grilling enthusiasts, with approximately 20,000 members in the U.S. and over 36 countries. KCBS sanctions nearly 500 barbeque contests worldwide each year; including destination contests such as the American Royal World Series of Barbecue the Jack Daniel's Invitational and the KCBS World Invitational, presented by Smithfield. For more information, visit us online at www.KCBS.us, on Facebook at @KansasCityBarbequeSociety, on Instagram as @kcbbqsociety and on Twitter @KCBBQSociety. About United Way of Greater Nashville At United Way, we unite the community and mobilize resources so that every child, individual and family thrives. Together, we are working to create a community where every child receives a quality education, no one lives in poverty or poor health, and the most basic needs of our families are met. We are uniquely positioned to the lead this fight by bringing individuals, businesses, nonprofits and government to the table to have the tough conversations, mobilize the resources and make the smart investments that will create lasting solutions for our region's most pressing issues. For more information, visit unitedwaynashville.org and follow us on social media @UWNashville. SOURCE Smithfield Foods, Inc. Related Links www.smithfieldfoods.com MORRISVILLE, N.C., Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- JupiterOne, the cybersecurity industry's leading provider of cyber asset management and governance solutions, today announced that it has been named a winner of the annual SINET 16 Innovator Award . The winning companies were selected for having "the most innovative and compelling technologies in their fields to address cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities" by SINET, an organization that works to accelerate cybersecurity innovation through public-private partnerships. The winners were chosen from a field of 190 applicants from 18 countries. The applicants were evaluated in a series of two rounds by the SINET Judging Committee, made up of 117 private and government security professionals, including leading risk executives, experts in government intelligence and defense agencies, venture capitalists, and investment bankers. "JupiterOne is honored to receive this significant industry recognition as one of this year's SINET 16 Innovators," said Erkang Zheng, Chief Executive of JupiterOne. "We know that the market competition is fierce, so we are very proud of the work that our whole team put in to achieve this distinction." SINET launched the award program 12 years ago to accelerate innovation across industry sectors and government agencies by increasing the awareness of value-add technologies developed by early-stage and emerging security companies. SINET focuses on introducing leading innovators into the cybersecurity industry. It accelerates innovation by encouraging collaboration, breaking down communication barriers, and facilitating high-level sharing of ideas and best practices between senior-level security professionals from the private and public sectors and solution providers, buyers, researchers, and investors. About JupiterOne JupiterOne is a cyber asset management and governance solution company, providing visibility and security into your entire cyber asset universe. JupiterOne creates a contextual knowledge base using graphs and relationships as the single source of truth for an organization's cyber asset operations. With JupiterOne , teams can discover, monitor, understand, and act on changes in their digital environments. Cloud resources, ephemeral devices, identities, access rights, code, pull requests, and much more are collected, graphed, and monitored automatically by JupiterOne. Visit us on social media: Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube. For Media Inquiries: Nathaniel Hawthorne for JupiterOne Lumina Communications (661) 965-0407 [email protected] SOURCE JupiterOne CLEVELAND, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Key Family Wealth, the family office division of division of Key Private Bank announced it has received the 2021 Wealth Management "Family Office" Industry Award, recognizing the best client initiative or program in wealth management. Key Family Wealth was selected for "Family Office Best Client Initiative " from a shortlist of six exceptional family office firms. The award recognizes the achievements of Key Family Wealth's Business Advisory Services which has helped dozens of owners successfully transition their privately held businesses over the past several years. The WealthManagement.com Industry Awards acknowledge firms bringing new innovations to market that help financial advisors deliver quality client solutions and service. Winners were selected from more than 900 entries received from more than 340 companies. A panel of independent, industry-leading wealth management experts, including trusted advisors and consultants, served as judges for the awards. The judging process is based on an evaluation of quantitative measures, including the initiative's scope and scale, as well as qualitative measures, such as innovation and creativity. "We are honored to be recognized by WealthManagement.com for our business advisory services," said Gary Poth, executive managing director and head of Key Family Wealth. "Being recognized for the quality of our BAS capabilities highlights our commitment to serving first generation entrepreneurs and their families." About Key Family Wealth Key Family Wealth, the multi-family office division of Key Private Bank, is one of the largest and oldest multi-family offices in the country managing more than $17.9 billion in AUM at August 31, 2021. Key Family Wealth develops and implements impactful investment, tax, and estate strategies to help ultra-high net worth families grow, retain, and protect wealth across generations. Clients receive a dedicated team of advisors with expertise in investments, tax, philanthropic, credit and estate planning who are focused on delivering a world class client experience. About Key Private Bank For nearly 200 years, Key Private Bank has been at the forefront of helping affluent families take a comprehensive approach to building, managing, and protecting their wealth in any market environment. As a fiduciary, Key Private Bank combines the tailored insights of our local teams with the national expertise of wealth and investment strategists to deliver objective advice and personalized solutions for each of our clients. Key Private Bank is honored to have received multiple prestigious awards for providing clients across the U.S. with outstanding service, expert advice, and sound financial direction year after year. Key Private Bank has $60.9 billion in AUA and $47.7 billion in AUM at June 30, 2021. About KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY) KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $181.1 billion at June 30, 2021. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of more than 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications, and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC. SOURCE KeyCorp Related Links www.key.com LONDON, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SMART Technologies, the EdTech company with a 30- year track record of creating learning solutions that encourage student collaboration and engagement, and GLUU, a UK pioneer in integrating mental health into the National Curriculum, today announced a collaboration to better support school leaders and teachers in addressing the mental health of learners. Research is showing a worrying and accelerating increase in children suffering severe anxiety or showing symptoms of extreme stress - even in children as young as 7 years old. Educators have long known that mental wellbeing and attainment go hand-in-hand; if children are struggling emotionally or socially, they are more likely to face academic challenges. In the wake of social isolation, terrifying news headlines, and nearly a school year of lost instructional time, students are facing unprecedented stressors. And, whilst Government seeks to add long term capacity to the mental health system over the course of several years, educators face an urgent need for tools that can be used immediately in the classroom. To help, GLUU and SMART have come together to support educators in quickly accessing tools and resources that support the immediate needs of students as they return to the classroom. Beginning over the next couple of weeks, teachers will be able to access, for free, mental wellbeing resources covering key areas of concern for students around the world. The eight focus areas split into four activities for each and can be used as a series of activities or as independent, one-off tasks for students aged six to twelve. Using GLUU's content and Lumio's platform has allowed for engaging, interactive activities such as word searches, quizzes, and exit tickets that students can interact with from their own device. All of these activities foster critical thinking and are designed to be delivered to individuals, small groups, or whole classes. This makes these new mental health resources accessible and scalable for teachers and learners. Jeff Lowe, EVP at SMART Technologies said: "We've heard from all around the world that there has never been a more urgent need to adjust curriculum and pedagogies to reflect the emerging landscape resulting from COVID-19. It is vital that we respond quickly but thoughtfully to help schools help children by evolving a new model which places equal emphasis on wellbeing, and we are pleased to be working with GLUU to deliver much needed support to teachers." Christine Major, CEO at GLUU commented: "We need to support school leaders, teachers and our pupils now, and being able to do so at scale is key. SMART is one of the most trusted educational brands globally and our collaboration will mean that tens of thousands of teachers can access immediate, free mental wellbeing support crafted by leaders in this field." Lumio is a digital learning tool that lets teachers transform lessons into active, collaborative learning experiences that engage students on their devices, wherever they are. Teachers use Lumio to enhance PDFs, Google Slides, and Microsoft files with interactive activities and multimedia content, then deliver them to students via Google or Microsoft Teams. Students engage with Lumio lessons individually and in groups, actively exploring, creating, and collaborating using their devices, in class and at home. Teachers get meaningful, ongoing insight into students' progress, so they can see where everyone is in their learning. About the organizations: SMART Technologies SMART is a world leader in education technology, providing interconnected solutions to help every person discover and develop the greatness within them. The first SMART Board launched in 1991. Since then, SMART has continued to innovate through SMART Notebook, the world's most popular collaborative learning software, and through Lumio, the award-winning cloud-based learning software. With a full range of products used by millions of educators and students around the world, SMART creates connections that matter. To learn more, visit smarttech.com. GLUU GLUU helps teachers find more time so that pupils can thrive. We spawn shared goal partnerships between schools and industry to co-curate Solutions which give teachers more time to do what they do best, teach. www.gluu.tech 1 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/schools-need-6bn-for-pupils-to-recover-from-lost-learning-due-to-covid-ztqtbpc3t SOURCE SMART Technologies; GLUU Related Links http://smarttech.com http://www.gluu.tech LANSING, Mich., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Michigan Chamber announces the appointment of Leah Robinson as Director of Tax Policy & Legislative Affairs. She is also responsible for staffing, organizing and directing the Chamber's Tax Policy Advisory Committee. "We are excited to welcome Leah to our team," said Wendy Block, Vice President of Business Advocacy and Member Engagement for the Michigan Chamber. "Leah has the policy background and relationships necessary to hit the ground running and be an effective advocate for Chamber members." "I am honored to have the opportunity to work with the Chamber to help ensure free enterprise and promote job competitiveness in Michigan," said Leah Robinson, Director of Tax Policy & Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Chamber. "After seeing the impact of COVID-19, it is critical to protect the businesses who make up our unique state and emphasize their crucial role to Michigan's economy. "I am thrilled to help champion these efforts with the Chamber," continued Robinson. Robinson comes to the Michigan Chamber with expertise on wide-ranging policy initiatives after working in Washington DC and serving in the Michigan House of Representatives as a legislative director and policy advisor. Robinson, who received a Bachelor and Master of Arts degree in Political Science from Virginia Tech, handled multiple policy portfolios while in the Michigan Legislature, including guidance and analysis for businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent Executive Orders. If you would like to reach out to Leah, she can be reached at [email protected]. SOURCE Michigan Chamber of Commerce Related Links http://www.michamber.com "As Chairman of the Board, be assured, I will remain active in our company and continue to work closely with Tony on our company's future growth and development," said Harvey L. Massey. "This year, I will be celebrating my 80 th birthday and I look forward to spending more time with our family and friends, taking time to travel and enjoying our ranches." Tony Massey has been President of Massey Services since 2006. Mr. Massey added, "Tony has done an excellent job of managing the operations of our company and is most deserving of this promotion and the responsibilities that come with the title of Chief Executive Officer. He is an experienced executive with a commitment to service excellence and a true passion for our team members, our customers and our communities. I am confident that he will continue to successfully lead our company into the future." Tony Massey joined Massey Services in 1989 after graduating from the University of Alabama. He received his MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College and completed the OPM Key Executive Program at Harvard's Graduate School of Business Administration. About Massey Services Based in Orlando, Florida, Massey Services is the nation's fifth largest pest prevention company and the largest privately held family-owned company in the industry. Celebrating 36 consecutive years of profitable growth, Massey Services and its subsidiary organizations employ more than 2,400 team members that provide residential and commercial pest prevention, termite protection, landscape and irrigation services to approximately 700,000 customers from Service Centers throughout Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina and Oklahoma. For more information about Massey Services, please visit www.masseyservices.com Contact: Michael A. Monahan Moxe Integrated Marketing [email protected] 407-581-4222 Ext. 201215 SOURCE Massey Services Related Links http://www.masseyservices.com/ BOSTON, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Medal of Honor Recipients are recognizing ordinary Americans today as part of its Citizen Honors Awards for Valor and Service. Launched in 2007, the awards program is just one of numerous ways that the Congressional Medal of Honor Society (the Society) carries out its mission to promote the values embodied by the Medal: courage, sacrifice, integrity, commitment, patriotism, and citizenship. The awards event is taking place during the Society's annual convention week and will be attended by nearly half of the 67 living Medal of Honor Recipients. The week's agenda includes a variety of outreach activities to veterans and students, meetings, a memorial service, and a ceremony at the South Boston Vietnam Memorial to mark the 40th anniversary of its dedication. "Medal of Honor Recipients come together each year to recognize service and commitment beyond the call of duty, not only on the battlefield, but also at home in the course of everyday life," said Drew Dix, President of the Society. Today's awards honor individuals who put the Medal of Honor values into action by a single act of valor and includes both 2020 and 2021 honorees since last year's ceremony was postponed. The 2020 and 2021 Awards for Service, which recognizes individuals and organizations making a positive impact on their communities, were presented this summer in Charleston, South Carolina, located across the harbor from the Society's headquarters on the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The 2020 Citizen Honors Awardees for Valor are: Singular Act of Heroism: Riley Howell (Waynesville, North Carolina) Riley Howell was selected for his singular act of heroism on April 30, 2019, when he protected fellow students from a gunman in his classroom on the University of North Carolina, Charlotte campus. Though Howell succumbed from injuries related to the incident, he is credited with saving the lives of countless other students and faculty members. Singular Act of Heroism: Keanon Lowe (Portland, Oregon) Keanon Lowe was selected for his courageous act on May 17, 2019, when he successfully wrested a gun from a student before a shot was fired at Parkrose High School in Portland, Oregon. Lowe has been hailed as a hero for quickly analyzing and controlling the situation, while showing extreme empathy for the gunman. Lowe took the gun, spoke with the student, and guided him out of the classroom. Young Hero Award: Christian Garcia (Santa Fe, Texas) Christian Riley Garcia was selected for his courageous act on May 18, 2018, when he secured a classroom door to protect his fellow classmates and teacher during an active shooter incident at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas. Christian saved many lives that day, though he succumbed to his injuries sustained during his act of heroism. Young Hero Award: Cody Runyon (Rochester, Minnesota) Cody Runyon was selected for his courageous act on June 6, 2018, when he saved the life of a fellow swimmer at his neighborhood pool in Rochester, Minnesota. Runyon, then 13, pulled another boy from the bottom of a pool and saved his life. 2021 Citizen Honors Awardees for Valor are: Singular Act of Heroism: David Dorn (St. Louis, Missouri) David Dorn was selected for his singular act of heroism on June 2, 2020, when he left his home to try to save his friend's livelihood and protect his community during riots and looting in St. Louis, Missouri. During his act of heroism, a gunman fired at Dorn, mortally wounding him. Dorn was a 38-year veteran police officer and considered a pillar of his community. Singular Act of Heroism: Raina Neeland (Bagley, Minnesota) Raina Neeland was selected for her singular act of heroism on Aug. 17, 2020, when she rescued three children after they were swept over the Clearwater Dam at Clearwater Lake, Sinclair Township, Minnesota. She saved the young cousins before succumbing to the currents herself. Young Hero Award: Chris Stone (Santa Fe, Texas) Chris Stone was selected for his singular act of heroism on May 18, 2018, when he acted as a human shield to secure a classroom and protect fellow classmates during an active shooter incident at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas. Though Stone succumbed to injuries related to the incident, he is attributed with saving the lives of many students. About the Congressional Medal of Honor Society: The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Medal of Honor and its Recipients, inspiring Americans, and supporting the Recipients as they connect with communities across the country. Chartered by Congress in 1958, its membership consists exclusively of those individuals who have received the Medal of Honor. There are 67 living Recipients. The Society carries out its mission through outreach, education and preservation programs, including the Medal of Honor Museum, Congressional Medal of Honor Outreach Programs, the Congressional Medal of Honor Character Development Program, and the Congressional Medal of Honor Citizen Honors Awards for Valor and Service. The Society's programs and operations are funded by donations. As part of Public Law 106-83, the Medal of the Honor Memorial Act, the Medal of Honor Museum, which is co-located with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society's headquarters on board the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was designated as one of three national Medal of Honor sites. Learn more about the Medal of Honor and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society's initiatives at https://www.cmohs.org. Contact: Kristi Hellmuth [email protected] SOURCE Congressional Medal of Honor Society Related Links https://www.cmohs.org LANSING, Mich., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Michigan Chamber issued the following statement in response to the Biden Administration's announcement that it will pursue a new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard requiring employers with more than 100 workers to require vaccination or weekly testing. "Not all states are alike and not all businesses are alike but, in Michigan, this type of top-down state government mandate will have a devastating impact on jobs and the economy," said Rich Studley, President and CEO of the Michigan Chamber. "It is unclear whether OSHA has clear legal authority to arbitrarily impose this regulatory burden on employers and employees," continued Studley. "Job providers should be trusted to work with their employees to determine the best course of action on vaccines and other H.R. policies and to operate free of undue governmental infererence." "For over a year and a half, Michigan employers have been working to follow CDC, OSHA and MIOSHA guidance and keep their employees, customers and workplaces safe from COVID-19," said Wendy Block, Vice President of Business Advocacy and Member Engagement for the Chamber. "While we agree that increasing the number of vaccinated individuals is a sensible goal and an effective strategy to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, the President's plan goes too far," continued Block. "Employers should not be forced to require employees to get vaccinated or check their vaccination status. "This proposal creates winners and losers, pits employers against their employees and, given Michigan's fierce talent market, will almost certainly have the unintended consequence of causing vaccine resistant or vaccine hesitant to quit jobs at places of business with more than 100 employees and look for employment elsewhere," concluded Block. SOURCE Michigan Chamber of Commerce Related Links http://www.michamber.com Designed to provide travelers with modern conveniences, Microtel by Wyndham made its debut in China in late 2019 as a midscale brand. The brand has since grown to a collection of six hotels, including locations in Hangzhou, Hefei, Guiyang, Kunming, Lijiang and Tianjin. The most recent additions to this nationwide portfolio were Microtel by Wyndham Tianjin and Microtel by Wyndham Kunming City Center, which made its debut last month. Looking ahead, the brand will further extend its presence with new openings in destinations including Huangshan, Changsha, Qingdao, Fuzhou and more. The owner of Microtel by Wyndham Tianjin, Mr. Lin Chen said: "The team at Wyndham had a deep understanding of my business needs from day one. We have received tremendous support and guidance from the team since our pre-opening, covering everything from branding to staff training. The Microtel by Wyndham brand is known for its high quality and strong identity, while the individuality of our hotel is never compromised. What we value about Wyndham, in addition to their extensive scale and distribution, is the innovative ideas behind their new brands like Microtel by Wyndham. We are extremely proud of our hotel and we look forward to continuing our strong relationship with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts." Mr. Joon Aun Ooi, President, Asia Pacific, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, commented: "The accelerated expansion of our Microtel by Wyndham portfolio in Greater China is a strong demonstration of the power and recognition of our brands in the market. Our Microtel by Wyndham hotels offer comfortable rooms, thoughtful amenities and warm hospitality, appealing to travelers who are looking for an efficient and streamlined experience. We will continue to build on the success of this expansion as we look to register and introduce even more of Wyndham's 21 iconic and lifestyle brands like LaQuinta for our franchise sales and development teams to sell further reinforcing Wyndham's market-leading position with a total of 1,600 hotels across the Asia Pacific region," he added Brilliantly Efficient Stays at Microtel By Wyndham Microtel by Wyndham offers modern and stylish accommodation, focusing on both form and function, that perfectly caters to the needs of business and leisure travelers. The hotels are brilliantly designed and meticulously planned to offer effortless and efficient stays. For instance, guests can enjoy a seamless digital experience through its self-check-in kiosk for contactless arrivals, along with smart design through its automated in-room services all while enjoying the warm and friendly service from Microtel by Wyndham's attentive staff. New Openings in 2021: Located within the China (Tianjin) Pilot Free Trade Zone, adjacent to a lifestyle mall and 10 minutes' drive from Tianjin Binhai International Airport, the 165-room Microtel by Wyndham Tianjin offers spacious rooms, an all-day restaurant, a fitness centre, spa, self-service laundry and a meeting facility for up to 80 people perfect for all visitors in the booming metropolis of Tianjin. Located in the heart of Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, Microtel by Wyndham Kunming City Center is a convenient five-minute walk from Chuanxingulou Metro Station and Kunming North Bus Station, and 20 minutes' drive from Kunming Railway Station. The hotel provides 131 spacious rooms, an all-day dining outlet serving local Yunnanese cuisine, a fitness centre, self-service laundry and meeting facilities ideal for business and leisure travellers in this picturesque city. Coming Soon: Microtel by Wyndham Huangshan Tangkou this 110-room new-build hotel is situated close to the Mount Huangshan Scenic Area in Anhui province, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most popular tourist attractions in China. The hotel is scheduled to welcome guests in Q3 2021. Microtel by Wyndham Changsha West this 135-key hotel will offer contemporary rooms and meeting space for up to 80 guests. Opening in Q1 2022, it will offer access to local attractions in Hunan province, such as Orange Island, Yuelu Mountain and Hunan Provincial Museum. Microtel by Wyndham is now present in hundreds of locations across the USA, Canada, Mexico, China and the Philippines. Wyndham's hotels and resorts participate in Wyndham Rewards, the world's most generous rewards program with more than 50,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide. About Microtel by Wyndham Microtel by Wyndham is an award-winning chain of more than 340 hotels located throughout North America, China, Mexico and the Philippines. Consistently over-delivering on both guest and owner expectations, this brand is ranked best-in-class by organizations like The Harris Poll and has earned 16 J.D. Power honors. Microtel prides itself on being an innovator, offering an exceptional experience at a reasonable price with an array of complimentary amenities including free Wi-Fi and continental breakfast. Other amenities available at most hotels include meeting and fitness centers, swimming pools and the opportunity to earn and redeem points through Wyndham Rewards, the brand's guest loyalty program. Travelers can join the program for free at www.wyndhamrewards.com. If you are interested in developing a hotel, please visit development.wyndhamhotels.com. About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world's largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with approximately 9,000 hotels across nearly 95 countries on six continents. Through its network of approximately 798,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 21 hotel brands, including Super 8, Days Inn, Ramada, Microtel, La Quinta, Baymont, Wingate, AmericInn, Hawthorn Suites, Trademark Collection and Wyndham. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services. The Company's award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers 89 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws, including the expected addition of hotels within the Asia Pacific Region and similar statements concerning possible future results or performance. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are not guarantees of future results or performance, speak only as of the date of this press release and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the risks described in Wyndham Hotels' most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, any of which could cause actual results or performance to be materially different from the future results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Wyndham Hotels undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise. Media Enquiries: Abigail Foo Senior Manager, Brand, PR & Communications Asia Pacific Wyndham Hotels & Resorts M: +65 9067 8040 [email protected] Scott Carman Senior Director, Global Communications Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc. +1 (973) 753-6590 [email protected] SOURCE Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Related Links https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/ WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA's Perseverance Mars rover successfully collected its first pair of rock samples, and scientists already are gaining new insights into the region. After collecting its first sample, named "Montdenier," Sept. 6, the team collected a second, "Montagnac," from the same rock Sept. 8. Analysis of the rocks from which the Montdenier and Montagnac samples were taken and from the rover's previous sampling attempt may help the science team piece together the timeline of the area's past, which was marked by volcanic activity and periods of persistent water. "It looks like our first rocks reveal a potentially habitable sustained environment," said Ken Farley of Caltech, project scientist for the mission, which is led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California. "It's a big deal that the water was there a long time." The rock that provided the mission's first core samples is basaltic in composition and may be the product of lava flows. The presence of crystalline minerals in volcanic rocks is especially helpful in radiometric dating. The volcanic origin of the rock could help scientists accurately date when it formed. Each sample can serve as part of a larger chronological puzzle; put them in the right order, and scientists have a timeline of the most important events in the crater's history. Some of those events include the formation of Jezero Crater, the emergence and disappearance of Jezero's lake, and changes to the planet's climate in the ancient past. What's more, salts have been spied within these rocks. These salts may have formed when groundwater flowed through and altered the original minerals in the rock, or more likely when liquid water evaporated, leaving the salts. The salt minerals in these first two rock cores may also have trapped tiny bubbles of ancient Martian water. If present, they could serve as microscopic time capsules, offering clues about the ancient climate and habitability of Mars. Salt minerals are also well-known on Earth for their ability to preserve signs of ancient life. The Perseverance science team already knew a lake once filled the crater; for how long has been more uncertain. The scientists couldn't dismiss the possibility that Jezero's lake was a "flash in the pan": floodwaters could have rapidly filled the impact crater and dried up in the space of 50 years, for example. But the level of alteration that scientists see in the rock that provided the core samples as well as in the rock the team targeted on their first sample-acquisition attempt suggests that groundwater was present for a long time. This groundwater could have been related to the lake that was once in Jezero, or it could have traveled through the rocks long after the lake had dried up. Though scientists still can't say whether any of the water that altered these rocks was present for tens of thousands or for millions of years, they feel more certain that it was there for long enough to make the area more welcoming to microscopic life in the past. "These samples have high value for future laboratory analysis back on Earth," said Mitch Schulte of NASA Headquarters, the mission's program scientist. "One day, we may be able to work out the sequence and timing of the environmental conditions that this rock's minerals represent. This will help answer the big-picture science question of the history and stability of liquid water on Mars." Next Stop, 'South Seitah' Perseverance is currently searching the crater floor for samples that can be brought back to Earth to answer profound questions about Mars' history. Promising samples are sealed in titanium tubes the rover carries in its chassis, where they'll be stored until Perseverance drops them to be retrieved by a future mission. Perseverance will likely create multiple "depots" later in the mission, where it will drop off samples for a future mission to bring to Earth. Having one or more depots increases the likelihood that especially valuable samples will be accessible for retrieval to Earth. Perseverance's next likely sample site is just 656 feet (200 meters) away in "South Seitah," a series of ridges covered by sand dunes, boulders, and rock shards that Farley likens to "broken dinner plates." The rover's recent drill sample represents what is likely one of the youngest rock layers that can be found on Jezero Crater's floor. South Seitah, on the other hand, is likely older, and will provide the science team a better timeline to understand events that shaped the crater floor, including its lake. By the start of October, all Mars missions will be standing down from commanding their spacecraft for several weeks, a protective measure during a period called Mars solar conjunction. Perseverance isn't likely to drill in South Seitah until sometime after that period. More About Perseverance A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith --broken rock and dust. Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and bring them to Earth for in-depth analysis. The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA's Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover. For more about Perseverance: https://www.nasa.gov/perseverance SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- National PTA will mark its annual Back-to-School Week celebration Sept. 13-17 to support families, teachers, administrators and PTA leaders as the new school year gets underway. In conjunction with the week, the association will launch the fifth season of its Notes from the Backpack podcast, as well as a toolkit to enhance the use of family-school communication technologies. Office Depot is the presenting sponsor of National PTA's Back-to-School Week. Additional support for the week comes from BAND, a free group communication app. Both companies are Proud National PTA Sponsors. "As we begin a new school year, we want families, teachers, administrators and PTA leaders to get a great start and support their success all year long," said Anna King, president of National PTA. "Our goal for our Back-to-School Week is to provide important information, resources and expertise to help build strong partnerships between families and schools and help meet the critical needs of our school communities." Throughout the week, the association will share tips and tools on social media using #PTABackToSchool and at PTA.org/BackToSchool to help families, educators, administrators and PTAs plan their school year, engage their communities and support students' and families' needs. Among the resources, National PTA has created a toolkit to help school communities navigate the marketplace and enhance the use of technologies for family-school communication. The toolkit includes considerations for decision-making, recommendations for educators and advocates, a landscape of 20+ leading technologies and how they compare, a mapping tool to let families know what schools are using, questions to get family and teacher input into these technologies and related resources to learn more. National PTA collaborated with the American Federation of Teachers, the School Superintendents' Association and the Consortium on School Networks to bring together research, as well as the voice of parents, teachers and school system leaders to create the toolkit. The project was funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Season five of Notes from the Backpack will launch Sept. 15 and will feature episodes on trending topics in education and raising children. Guests will include Captain Erin Sauber-Schatz, from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Marley Dias, youth activist and writer, among other nationally acclaimed experts. Episodes will be released every other week this fall and will be available to stream at PTA.org/BackpackNotes. "At PTA, we bring knowledge, tools and resources into the lives of families; raise our voices to advocate for children at the national, state and local levels; help students, families, schools and communities navigate the challenges they face every day; and help families and schools build strong partnerships to help students reach their full potential," added Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. "We are pleased to mark our Back-to-School Week, launch another season of our podcast and provide our toolkit for family-school communication technologies to help make this school year a success." As part of the association's efforts to support families in the new school year, National PTA, in partnership with the CDC Foundation, also hosted a Back to Class Virtual Town Hall live on Facebook on Sept. 1. The town hall featured remarks from First Lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden, as well as a conversation with CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky and U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona. American Academy of Pediatrics President Dr. Lee Ann Savio Beers, American Psychological Association Chief Executive Officer Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr., and other experts in family engagement, family-school partnerships, mental health and social emotional well-being also provided insights. The event was moderated by NBC Nightly News Sunday Anchor and Senior National Correspondent Kate Snow and addressed parents' questions and concerns on how to help keep their children safe and in school this year, how to partner with teachers to address missed instruction this past year, and what they can do to support their children's social and emotional well-being. The town hall can be viewed on National PTA's Facebook page. The project for the Town Hall and listening sessions with parents was supported by the CDC Foundation by way of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and as part of a financial assistance award totaling $447,531 with more than 99% funded by CDC/HHS and $2,400, less than 1%, funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government. About National PTA National PTA comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org. SOURCE National PTA Related Links http://www.pta.org SOUTH ORANGE, N.J., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- What's more important than your pet? Check out Dr. Ernest Rogers, a Veterinary Medicine Specialist in a free OBHEALTHY Q&A Physician Health Network zoom webinar on "Your Pet and COVID-19." Set for Saturday, Sept 11, ET 1-3 pm, click here to sign up early. Dr. Rogers will answer questions about pet health and wellness. Specifically, he will talk about protecting your pet and COVID-19. In addressing pet owners concerns, he responds to preventive care, vaccinations, parasitic control, microchips and safety. PETS MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LOVED. Check out "Your Pet and Covid-19" zoom webinar on OBHEALTHY Physician Health Network, Sat Sept 11, 1-3 pm ET. Get answers to pet care questions. Playback will be available on youtube.com Always ready to offer safety tips, a person is advised not to walk pets on hot asphalt, as it burns their paws when the weather is hot. He highlights the avoidance of harmful treatment, and puts a strong emphasis on the owner's willingness to ask questions about care. In Dr. Rogers' opinion, owners can make a difference in the longevity of their pets. About OBHealthy Webinar OBHealthy Physician Health Network hosts a free zoom webinar from 1-3 pm ET on the second Saturday of each month. The "Ask Your Medical Questions" webinars help individuals get answers to medical questions from physicians and healthcare providers located in the New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania (Tri-State) area. Previous webinar sessions are available on youtube.com. www.obhealthy.com Reporters or journalists interested in additional information, email [email protected] with your request. CONTACT: Teri Major 862-240-9016 [email protected] SOURCE OBHealthy.com CARLSBAD, Calif., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermo Fisher Scientific today announced the Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Japan's regulatory agency, has granted approval for the Oncomine Dx Target Test as a next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based companion diagnostic (CDx) for patients with RET-fusion positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who may be treated with Eli Lilly and Company's selpercatinib (formerly known as LOXO-292). The MHLW granted orphan drug designation for selpercatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that selectively binds to the RET receptor, in 2020. "This approval will help patients suffering from non-small cell lung cancers whose tumors are positive for fusions in the RET receptor, providing access to new, potentially more effective treatments," said Hiroo Murota, vice president and general manager, Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan. "We will continue to advance precision medicine by expanding our companion diagnostic tests that identify biomarkers associated with targeted therapies." Thermo Fisher currently offers the only globally-distributable NGS companion diagnostic solution approved and reimbursed by government and commercial insurers in more than 15 countries, including the U.S., multiple European nations, Japan, South Korea and the Middle East, covering more than 550 million lives globally. Thermo Fisher's Oncomine Dx Target Test now has approvals in Japan for five biomarkers with a total of ten associated targeted therapies for NSCLC patients. The CDx markers and therapies include: BRAF V600E mutation dabrafenib in combination with trametinib V600E mutation dabrafenib in combination with trametinib EGFR mutations afatinib, gefitinib, erlotinib, osimertinib mutations afatinib, gefitinib, erlotinib, osimertinib ALK fusions alectinib, crizotinib fusions alectinib, crizotinib ROS1 fusions crizotinib, entrectinib fusions crizotinib, entrectinib RET fusions selpercatinib About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue exceeding $30 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 80,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services and Patheon. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com. Media Contact Information: Mauricio Minotta Phone: 760-805-5266 Email: [email protected] Jen Heady Phone: 617-275-6547 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific Related Links http://www.thermofisher.com WAPATO, Wash., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pace International LLC, a leading provider of sustainable postharvest solutions and technologies for the fresh produce industry, announced today the introduction of PrimaFresh 60 Organic (OR). PrimaFresh 60 OR is the latest advancement in Pace's organic premium line of edible plant-based coatings, developed specifically to enhance dehydration control in stone fruit and maximize its fresh appeal. The innovative coating technology provides a longer-lasting, durable shine, while significantly reducing moisture loss from the fruit. Lower dehydration shows significant benets for a better fresh appearance and less shrinkage at the retail level. Like all of Pace's plant-based coatings, PrimaFresh 60 OR was designed for versatile performance in the packing line and performs exceptionally well compared to other conventional coatings. "In the US, consumers are looking for greater shine with their stone fruit and on peaches specifically. With all fruit, Pace's goal is to maintain the freshness of fruit naturally to provide the marketplace with a quality, premium product," said Michelle Smith, Pace's Senior Manager, Sales and Field Services South US. "Working alongside our customers has shown us the marketplace is requesting an organic coating that extends shelf life. We are excited that we are now able to offer a select number of customers this solution and look forward to extending this outreach to more customers," added Smith. "The introduction of PrimaFresh 60 OR in California is another example of how Pace continues to meet the needs of our customers by providing a diversified portfolio of innovative organic, sustainable solutions in the global marketplace," said Jorge Gotuzzo, Senior Director of Marketing. "We are excited about expanding the PrimaFresh 60 OR offering this coming year to further support our customers in the stone fruit industry." About Pace International LLC Pace International LLC is a subsidiary of Valent BioSciences LLC, a Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. business. Pace collaborates with growers, packers and agricultural organizations to develop innovative solutions to enhance, protect, and preserve fruit and vegetable quality and freshness. Pace is the leading global provider of sustainable postharvest solutions and technologies, equipment and technical services to maximize efficiencies in packing operations and increase the freshness and value of harvested crops. For more information, visit the company's website at www.paceint.com. About Valent Biosciences LLC Headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois, Valent BioSciences LLC is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. Valent BioSciences is the worldwide leader in the development, manufacturing and commercialization of biorational products, with sales in 95 countries around the world. Valent BioSciences is an ISO 9001 Certified Company. For additional information, visit the company's website at valentbiosciences.com. SOURCE Pace International Related Links https://www.paceint.com Though interactions, educational support dogs can assist people in improving mental wellness and achieving personal goals as well as these dogs can benefit from people to become better integrate into society by building up their courage and confidence. To break the stereotype that service dogs are limited to specific breeds, the team purposely chose stray dogs and train them to become educational support dogs . The educational support dogs can support people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depressive disorder and other disabilities. Through interaction between dogs and human beings, educational support dogs play a role like teaching assistant to these people in need, to live with their symptoms and thus improve their emotional state of mind. By leveraging the power of love and the professional services , the Paw for Good team stimulates mutual growth for both the dogs and the disadvantaged groups by facilitating interactions between them, creating a mutually beneficial and sustainable ecosystem. Stray dogs deserve a second chance "Stray dogs are just like exceptional children to some extent. They both are frequently ignored by society, and yet, they actually have great potentialities. We just rarely give them chances to exert their potential and often give them up before they can demonstrate their abilities," said Angel YC Chen, head of the Paw for Good team. "We often have prejudices about stray dogs (at the very beginning) as we generally suppose these animals to be quite dangerous. The dogs can feel it if we act unfriendly towards them, but, if we give them some time , we will find that they are actually very gentle and willing to believe in us as long as we are willing to put our guard down and treat them appropriately." She added, "I think the approach is also applicable to children with special educational needs as I have improved my own mental health by interacting with therapy dogs. They are both disadvantaged and may improve their mental wellness by helping each other." Taiwan's first emotion management class provided via educational support dogs Educational support dogs that used to be strays have been professionally trained to improve people's metal health by interacting with them. The main concept of emotion management class with educational support dogs arise from therapy dog program worldwide. The first therapy dog program worldwide was launched in 1750. By triggering emotional changes in individuals and reducing their negative emotions, therapy dogs can increase the motivation to change one's behavior and improve one's mental stability while helping reduce their stress, depression and anxiety, significantly enhancing their interpersonal skills. The team has visited 12 counties and cities across Taiwan and served over 15,000 persons at 126 institutions by providing over 370 classes and lectures, all of which has come together to build a bridge connecting human beings with dogs. Qualified educational support dogs can assist people with ASD, ADHD, depressive disorders or disabilities as well as children with special needs. Giving parents a new appreciation for their children "After having been diagnosed with ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and Tourette syndrome, my child was exposed to extremely emotional highs and lows. For example, he would push his classmate just because the child accidentally touched him or moved too slowly in situations where they had to walk line up," said Yulian, the mother of a child, attending in the Paw for Good's emotion management class for children). "Every time that happened, I collapsed and started crying in his presence after yelling at and scolding him. But this is actually a combination of three feelings: resentment, disappointment and sadness." "I found that he began to show empathy after taking the class, which I think is one of major changes in him. Sometimes when we see someone walking a dog in the park, his brother would always want to pet the dog. In the past, when that happened, he would get an angry look and ask his brother not to do that as he thought it to be a wrong. But now, he has suddenly become very patient and would tell his brother that they should ask for the owner's permission before petting the dog, and then teach his brother how to get close to the dog. Previously, that is something he definitely would not do and he even felt that dogs are dirty. I'm really moved to see him making such progress." "I think he has now become a child with patience and willing to control his anger, quite different from one he used to be, the one that showed no empathy for others. In fact, I didn't have high expectations when we decided to let him join the class. I didn't expect that the instinctive behavior of animals could change a child with emotional disorders. I feel it's really amazing. Thank you for guiding me to get to know my child from different perspectives. " Paw for Good Interactive Education Program The fundraising program is expected to achieve the following three objectives: Transform stray dogs into confident instructors that no longer wander the streets aimlessly and can help people via a professional training program Increase the motivation for people with ASD, ADHD, depressive disorder or disabilities to pursuit possible changes their behavior while reducing their stress, depression and anxiety by giving them opportunities to interact with therapy dogs, and, by doing so, enhance their interpersonal and social skills To provide disadvantaged groups in each of the counties, towns and cities across Taiwan with an opportunity to participate in a program to benefit mutually from interactions between human beings and dogs In addition to rewarding supporters of the program with intricately deigned gifts, the Paw for Good team expects the small therapy animals to accompany the people they are caring for through every single challenge in their lives, further spreading kindness across a wider community. Crowd fundraising date: 8/24 - 11/10 SOURCE Industry Accelerator & Incubation Center of Chung Yuan Christian University The Extreme Weather Sliding Glass Pet Door is easy to install and a terrific option for renters planning the next move with their furry family members. The pet door is available in medium and large sizes and the height automatically adjusts to ensure a proper fit. The door arrives in two sections with a top and bottom panel for pet parents to simply attach and insert into the door track, and it secures with the included removeable adhesive strips or screws. Another great feature, the Extreme Weather Sliding Glass Pet Door comes with a security bar to mount between the door frame and interior sliding portion of the glass door to lock. Pet owners can simply unhook the security bar from the bracket to unlock their sliding glass door. "Our PetSafe pet doors are designed to give dogs and cats the freedom to safely come and go as they please, but we always keep the pet parent in mind as well in development," says Nick Frank, PetSafe Category Manager for Pet Doors. "We've found that energy efficiency and a smooth, do-it-yourself installation process provide value and peace of mind to our customers, so the new Extreme Weather Sliding Glass Pet Door makes an excellent addition to the product portfolio." At night or in inclement weather when a dog or cat will stay inside, pet parents can slide the closing panel over the pet door opening and lock in place for extra security and energy efficiency. The PetSafe Extreme Weather Sliding Glass Pet Door is available for purchase at petsafe.com and major retailers. About PetSafe PetSafe is dedicated to keeping pets healthy, safe and happy through innovative product solutions. As an industry leader, PetSafe brand offers behavioral, containment and lifestyle solutions. PetSafe brand is owned by Radio Systems Corporation, headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and services over 50 countries globally. For more information, visit petsafe.com. Media Contact: Rachel Worley Senior PR Specialist 615.417.9870 [email protected] SOURCE PetSafe Related Links https://www.petsafe.net/ WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Family Research Council today criticized President Joe Biden's mandate that federal government employees and contractors take the Covid vaccine, as well as his plan to order private businesses with 100 or more employees to take the vaccine or undergo weekly testing. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins made the following comments: "President, or more appropriately, Comrade Biden's vaccine mandate affecting millions of Americans is an unprecedented and unacceptable abuse of power. If allowed to stand, this will have far-reaching consequences for civil liberties, conscience rights, religious freedom, human dignity, and the ability of families to make health decisions. "President Biden is telling Americans that you will be vaccinated or be placed on a special watch list and possibly lose your job. For a president who pledged to bring unity to the country, this dictate will bring more significant division and further erode trust between Americans and their government. His heavy-handed approach will turn people against the very vaccine he is trying to promote. I'm not anti-vaccine; in fact, I encourage those in high-risk categories to get the vaccine. Decisions of vaccination should be made based on science and not politics. The Biden administration's failure to include natural immunity, health status, and religious objections in their immunization campaign raises numerous efficacy and ethical questions. Until those questions and issues are resolved, Americans have a right, not only a responsibility, to resist this unconstitutional and unethical mandate. "Consider that on the same day the Biden administration sued the state of Texas, arguing that a woman should be able to have the choice to kill her unborn child, and then two hours later announced Americans can't have a choice as to whether to take a vaccine. It is clear the Biden administration is guided not by the science, but by the politics of the Left. "This idea that the government feels entitled to dictate what's best for us ought to sound all kinds of alarm bells. Americans must decide if they want to accept this form of soft despotism. Will we live in freedom? Or will we live in fear? "At the end of the day, this is all going to come down to an election, because as long as we have the current regime in place, we're going to continue to get this type of authoritarian, over-reaching government, and we must resist it," concluded Perkins. SOURCE Family Research Council Related Links http://www.frc.org CHICAGO, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Parus Holdings, Inc., a pioneer in voice-enabled technologies, is pleased to announce today that it has won an important victory against Apple in a patent dispute over its voice-user interface technologies for retrieving information. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected in its entirety Apple's attempt to invalidate key Parus patents. The '431 and '084 Patents are asserted in the district court cases against Apple, Google, and Samsung (6-19-cv-00432, 6-19-vc-00433, 6-19-vc-00438) in the Western District of Texas and the case against LG (3-20-cv-05896) in the Northern District of California, all initially filed in 2019. These district court cases have been stayed pending the results of various IPRs. Parus also has asserted different patents in other district court cases currently pending in the Western District of Texas against Microsoft and Google. Taj Reneau, Chairman and CEO said, "As a result of the current state of the patent laws in the U.S., it has been a costly, protracted battle to defend the validity of our patents. We are pleased the Patent and Trademark Office confirmed that Apple failed in its attempt to prove that the claims of the '431 and '084 Patents are unpatentable. Today's ruling starts clearing the way for us to proceed with our infringement case against Apple with patents that have been challenged at the PTAB and other patents, which we believe covers millions of units sold by Apple each year." About Parus Holdings, Inc. Parus Holdings, Inc. is a pioneer of voice-enabled unified communications and voice assistant solutions, including messaging, voice search, collaboration, video and real-time communications for mobile communities and over 50,000 business customers. Our patented solutions, our deep understanding of the needs and challenges of the customers we serve, and our passion for outstanding customer service have kept Parus at the forefront of the voice communications industry for more than twenty years. Parus brands include Webley, WebleyMD, ScreenSight, Parus Interactive and CommuniKate. Parus Holdings, Inc., founded in 1997, is a venture-backed, privately held company headquartered in the Chicago, Illinois. SOURCE Parus Holdings Inc. Related Links parus.ai Watch Briefing 2 Prostate cancer is the most common cancer after skin cancer, and the second leading cause of death in American men. If affects 1 in 8 men, with the number rising to 1 in 6 for Black men and comprises more than 1 in 5 of all new cancer diagnoses for Hispanic men. In 2021, an estimated 248,530 men will be newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, a nearly 30 percent increase over 2020 statistics. It is estimated more than 34,100 of those diagnosed in 2021 will die from this disease. Study Details Publication #: PD34-03 Racial Disparity in the Utilization of New Therapies for Advanced Prostate Cancer: Black and Hispanic men have a high burden of prostate cancer mortality. In 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new immunotherapy agent for treating metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Using National Cancer Database data, researchers analyzed annual trends of men with mCRPC treated with chemotherapy or immunotherapy between 2010 and 2015 and compared utilization by demographic and clinical features. A multivariate analysis was then performed to determine predictors of receiving immunotherapy vs. chemotherapy. Results showed: Of the 1,238 patients included as part of the study, 63 percent were white, with private insurance. Overall, there was increased utilization of immunotherapy from 2010 to 2013, followed by a decrease in 2015. Simultaneously, there was a decrease in utilization of chemotherapy from 2010 to 2013. The increase use of immunotherapy was predominately in white men and not seen in Black or Hispanic men. Chemotherapy seemed to be used more often in a comprehensive community cancer program. Study Details Publication PD3-02 Racial Disparities in Prostate Cancer Treatment in a Multi-Institutional Regional Collaborative: Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, many cancer resources were diverted, leaving scores of patients, including those with prostate cancer, with limited to no access to surgical treatment. Although early-stage prostate cancer does not always require immediate treatment, researchers compared prostatectomy rates between Black and White patients with localized prostate cancer during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and prior. Results showed: A little more than 1 percent of Black men underwent prostatectomy surgery during the initial wave of COVID-19, while 26 percent of White men underwent surgery. However, before the pandemic, there was no difference between either race in the rates of the prostatectomies. Changes in surgical volume varied by site (33 percent increase to complete shutdown), with sites that experienced the largest reduction in cancer surgery, caring for a greater proportion of Black patients. Researchers concluded systemic inequities exist within health care and are likely applicable across medical specialties. Public health efforts are needed to fully recognize the unintended consequence of the diversion of cancer resources to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to develop balanced mitigation strategies as viral rates continue to fluctuate. Study Details: Publication MP60-05 Molecular Profiling of Prostate Cancer Reveals Increased Inflammatory Markers and Poor Clinical Outcomes in African American Men Compared to European American Men: For years, researchers have been trying to understand why African American men tend to harbor more aggressive prostate cancer than men of other racial and ethnic groups; however the underlying cause continues to remain controversial. This limited data prompted researchers in Michigan to explore the differences in tumor biology for African American and European American men with prostate cancer in order to better assess the impact on their outcomes. Analyses of more than 1,500 probes were performed to assess the expression of 517 genes in prostate cancer radical prostatectomy specimens from nearly 640 African American and European American men. The primary endpoint was biochemical recurrence and the secondary endpoint was prostate cancer specific mortality. Results Showed: Twenty-four percent of African American men and 18 percent of European American men developed biochemical recurrence. African American men with a prostate cancer Gleason Grade 1-2 had a higher incidence of biochemical recurrence, compared with Eastern European men following radical prostatectomy, suggesting a more aggressive biological behavior in African American men with early stage disease. 1-2 had a higher incidence of biochemical recurrence, compared with Eastern European men following radical prostatectomy, suggesting a more aggressive biological behavior in African American men with early stage disease. However, the biochemical recurrence risk was not significantly different between African American and European American men with Gleason Grade 3-5 disease. 3-5 disease. Differential Gene Expression and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis revealed upregulation of inflammation, TNF-alpha signaling, apoptosis, androgen response and epithelial to mesenchymal transition, among other pathways in African American men compared to European American men. The molecular profile of prostate cancer in African American men is different from that of European American men, with inflammation playing a prominent role. "These studies highlight important research in better predicting the behavior and outcomes of prostate cancer in African American men compared to men of other racial and ethnic groups," said Dr. McNeil. "They also illuminate the systemic inequities and opportunities within healthcare to eliminate the burden of disease in minority populations." Publication Number PD34-03 INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Black and Hispanic patients have a high burden of prostate cancer mortality and this may be related to barriers to treatment. In 2010, Sipuleucel-T immunotherapy was the first FDA approved agent (since docetaxel) for metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). We sought to identify whether there was disparity in the utilization of immunotherapy in the treatment of black and hispanic patients with mCRPC. METHODS: Using the National Cancer Database, we identified patients between 2010-2015 with likely minimally/asymptomatic mCRPC: PSA 50-200ng/ml, Charlson 0-2, age <70, stage M1, treated with chemotherapy or immunotherapy. We analyzed annual trends for chemotherapy and immunotherapy use and compared utilization by demographic and clinical features. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine predictors of receiving immunotherapy vs chemotherapy. RESULTS: 1238 patients were included. Most were Non-hispanic white (63%), with private insurance (46.4%). Overall, there was increased utilization of immunotherapy from 2010 to 2013 (from 3.8% to 39.8%), followed by decrease to 10.9% in 2015 and, simultaneously, there was decreased utilization of chemotherapy from 2010 to 2013 (from 96.2% to 60.2%). The increased use of immunotherapy was predominantly in white patients and not seen in black and Hispanic patients (Figure 1). Relative to chemotherapy, immunotherapy was less likely to be used in a comprehensive community cancer program (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.30 0.89), and patients with mid-high SES (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.31 0.78). CONCLUSIONS: FDA approval of Sipuleucel-T in 2010 for mCRPC led to increased utilization of immunotherapy shortly thereafter, but this was mainly in white patients. Black and Hispanic patients proportionately did not exhibit increased utilization of this novel agent after 2010. Further study is necessary to help understand barriers to access to new treatment in mCRPC and eliminate the burden of disease in minority populations. Publication Number PD03-02 INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Minority communities disproportionately shouldered poor COVID-19 outcomes, however the impact of the pandemic on prostate cancer (PCa) surgery is unknown. To that end, we sought to determine the racial impact on PCa care during the first wave of the pandemic. METHODS: Using a multi-institutional collaborative we evaluated practice patterns for Black and White patients with untreated non-metastatic PCa during the initial COVID-19 lockdown (March-May 2020) compared to prior (March-May 2019). Patient and practice characteristics were compared by race using Fisher's exact and Pearson's chi-square to compare categorical variables and Wilcoxon rank sum to evaluate continuous covariates. We determined the covariate-adjusted impact of year and race on surgery, using logistic regression models with a race*year interaction term. RESULTS: Among the 647 men with non-metastatic PCa, 269 received care during the pandemic and 378 prior. Surgery was significantly less likely in Black men (1.3% v 25.9%; p<0.001), despite similar COVID-19 risk factors, biopsy Gleason grade group, and comparable surgery rates prior (17.7% vs. 19.1%; p=0.75). Black men had higher PSA (8.8 vs. 7.2 p=0.04) and were younger (38.2% vs. 24.4% <60 yr; p=0.09). Regression results demonstrated an 94% reduced odds of surgery (OR=0.06, 95% CI 0.007-0.43; p=0.006) for Black patients, with no change for White patients (OR=1.41, 95% CI 0.89-2.21; p=0.142), after adjusting for covariates. Changes in surgical volume varied by site (33% increase to complete shutdown), with sites that experienced the largest reduction in cancer surgery, caring for a greater proportion of Black patients (figure). CONCLUSIONS: In a large multi-institutional regional collaborative, odds of prostatectomy declined only among Black patients during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. While localized prostate cancer does not require immediate treatment, this study illuminates systemic inequities within healthcare. Public health efforts are needed to fully recognize the unintended consequence of diversion of cancer resources to the pandemic in order to develop balanced mitigation strategies as viral rates continue to fluctuate. Publication Number: 60-05 INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: African American men (AAM) with prostate cancer (PCa) often harbor more aggressive disease compared to European American men (EAM). However, the underlying cause for disparities in PCa outcomes is controversial. We performed gene expression analysis to characterize differences in tumor biology in AAM and EAM with PCa and assess the impact on outcomes. METHODS: Microarray analyses using 1,507 probes were performed to assess the expression of 517 genes in PCa radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens from 270 AAM and 369 EAM from 1991-1996. The primary endpoint was biochemical recurrence (BCR) and secondary endpoint was PCa-specific mortality (PCSM). Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were performed adjusting for age, pre-treatment PSA, Gleason grade group (GG), and T-stage. Differential Gene Expression (DEG) analysis was performed using the limma R package, with correction for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure (false-discovery rate (FDR) of <0.05 considered significant). Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was performed to identify enriched hallmark pathways using R package fgsea. RESULTS: The median age of AAM and EAM was 64 (IQR 56-72) and 62 (IQR 54-70) years, respectively. A total of 66 (24%) AAM and 67 (18%) EAM developed BCR (p=0.002; median follow up 10.5 and 13.8 years, respectively). Sixteen men experienced PCSM in each group (5.9% and 4.3% in AAM and EAM, respectively; p=0.080). Interestingly, among those with GG1-2 disease, AAM were more likely to develop BCR than EAM (HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.34, p=0.004). However, the BCR risk was not significantly different between AAM and EAM with GG3-5 disease (p=0.370). DEG and GSEA revealed upregulation of inflammation, TNF-alpha signaling, apoptosis, androgen response, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition, among other pathways, in AAM compared to EAM (Figure 1; FDR <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: AAM with GG1-2 PCa had a higher incidence of BCR compared with EAM following RP, suggesting a more aggressive biologic behavior in AAM in early disease. The molecular profile of PCa in AAM is different from that in EAM, with inflammation playing a prominent role. Prognostic gene signatures accounting for these biological differences are needed to facilitate better disease management. The full abstracts are also available for viewing: https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000002038.03 https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000001967.02 https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000002095.05 About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has nearly 23,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy. Contact: Taylor Titus, AUA 443-454-3743, [email protected] SOURCE American Urological Association STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Riko's Pizza announces the September 13th Grand Opening of their second Long Island location in Mineola, New York (124 Old Country Road). This represents a steady expansion of the popular Connecticut-based restaurant franchise. Their other Long Island franchise location is located at 3120 Hempstead Turnpike. The new Mineola location is brought to you by the same Levittown-area locals who brought the Hempstead location to Long Island. They strategically chose the former Faddy Malone's location on the busy Hempstead Turnpike for its steady flow of traffic and high visibility in the community, and they are equally excited about the new Mineola location. Frank Sciremammano, a partner of the group, explained "We are excited about bringing the Riko's brand to Mineola. We feel this is a great addition to the community, and look forward to bringing our unique high quality product to the area." Riko's Pizza principles, Rico Imbrogno and Luigi Cardillo, are excited about the newest franchise location, and Luigi explained "Frank and his partners were our first franchisees, and the fact they are opening a second location within a year of their first location opening speaks volumes about the experience they've had as part of the Riko's franchise family." He added "Their Hempstead location is performing really well and we're confident the Mineola location will, too. Frank and his partners are just amazing brand partners. They are like-minded and they truly care about the product." The new Mineola location at 124 Old Country Road officially opened on Wednesday, July 21st, and the Grand Opening will happen on Monday, September 13th. Riko's Pizza is a unique and one-of-a-kind "thin crust" pizzeria with locations in Fairfield County, CT, New York, and Florida. Riko's brings something new to the table, and it's not just their delicious thin crust pizza. Those interested in joining the Riko's Pizza family as a franchise operator can learn more by calling Steve Gardner at 201-873-2463, emailing him at [email protected], or visiting https://rikosfranchise.com. Riko's Thin Crust Pizza at 124 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York, open: Monday 10:30AM10PM Tuesday 10:30AM10PM Wednesday 10:30AM10PM Thursday 10:30AM10PM Friday 10:30AM11PM Saturday 11AM11PM Sunday 11AM10PM Phone: 516-495-4873 Website: RikosPizza.com SOURCE Rikos Related Links https://www.rikospizza.com/ TAIPEI and SAN DIEGO, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Senhwa Biosciences, Inc. (TPEx: 6492), a drug development company focusing on first-in-class therapeutics for oncology, rare diseases, and novel coronaviruses, announced that their first patient has been successfully dosed, in a Phase 1b clinical study of Pidnarulex as a potential treatment for solid tumors with Homologous Recombination (HR) gene mutations, at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Canada. This new Phase 1b open-label, multi-center Expansion study (in both US and Canada) was designed to determine a tolerable dose of Pidnarulex in patients with selected solid tumors with BRCA1/2, PALB2, and other HR gene mutations. This dose will be used in future Phase II trials. "We are very excited to begin enrollment in our Phase 1b clinical trial for evaluating Pidnarulex in patients with BRCA1/2, PALB2 and other homologous recombination gene mutations. This is an important milestone and marks a new paradigm in the treatment of cancers with specific pathogenic mutations," stated Dr. John Soong, Chief Medical Officer of Senhwa Biosciences. In a previous Phase 1 trial, Pidnarulex demonstrated clinically significant and lasting benefits in patients with specific tumor biomarkers, such as BRCA1/2, and PALB2 mutations and that were also resistant to platinum and other chemotherapeutics. This past May, the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) issued new guidance for patients and doctors, advising that individuals with PALB2 mutations be surveilled similarly to individuals with BRCA mutations. The experts have identified the PALB2 mutation as the third most important breast cancer gene after BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, as it also increases a patient's risk of developing ovarian and pancreatic cancer. "The new guidelines for the PALB2 mutation not only raises the public's awareness and provides guidance regarding how to manage that risk, but also validates that our hard work is going in the right direction," said Tai-Sen Soong, Chief Executive Officer of Senhwa Biosciences. While BRCA1/2 deficient tumor cells are more sensitive to PARP inhibitor (PARPi) treatments, PARPi resistance is not uncommon in clinical use. According to an article published on Molecular Cancer in 2020, more than 40% of BRCA1/2 deficient patients fail to respond to PARPi alone. By targeting the G-quadruplex DNA structure instead, Senhwa's Pidnarulex also has great potential as an alternative treatment for patients who have developed resistance to PAPRi or other chemotherapies. About Pidnarulex (CX-5461) Specific mutations within the HR pathway may be exploited by Pidnarulex through a "synthetic lethality" approach by targeting the DNA repair defects in HR Deficient tumors. Specifically, Pidnarulex is designed to stabilize DNA G-quadruplexes of cancer cells, which leads to disruption of the cell's replication fork. While acting in concert with HR pathway deficiencies, such as BRCA1/2 mutations, replication forks stall and cause DNA breaks, ultimately resulting in cancer cell death. About Senhwa Biosciences Senhwa Biosciences, Inc. is a leading clinical-stage company focused on developing first-in-class, next-generation DNA Damage Response therapeutics for patients with unmet medical needs in oncology. Headquartered in Taiwan, with an operational base in San Diego, California, Senhwa is well-positioned to oversee the development of its compounds. Development is currently focused on two lead products, Silmitasertib (CX-4945) and Pidnarulex (CX-5461), both with novel mechanisms of action as anti-cancer drugs for the treatment of multiple indications. Clinical trials are currently ongoing in Australia, Canada, United States, South Korea, and Taiwan. Visit Senhwa Biosciences website for more details: www.senhwabio.com SOURCE Senhwa Biosciences, Inc. Related Links http://www.senhwabio.com QINGDAO, China, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SOS Limited ("SOS" or the "Company") (NYSE: SOS) today reported its unaudited interim financial results for the six-months ended June 30, 2021. Our net revenue was $184.5 million, up 17 times over the six-months ended June 30, 2020. Gross Profit improved to $17.2 million from $0.08 million and gross margin increased to 9.3% from 0.8% comparing to the period ended June 30, 2020. Results from Operations Revenue Net revenue was $184.5 million, up 17 times over the prior period. The robust growth of revenue demonstrated the strong and effective execution of the Company's strategy, mainly due to rapid market expansion from regional to national, and the addition of cryptomining and commodity trading operations, both of which took advantage of our blockchain expertise. Unaudited interim condensed consolidated Statements of comprehensive of loss (US$ thousands, except share data and per share data, or otherwise noted) Six months ended 30-Jun-20 30-Jun-21 US$ US$ Revenue 9,917 184,489 Business taxes and surcharges (8) (11) Net revenue 9,909 184,479 Operating costs (9,830) (167,238) Gross profit 79 17,240 Gross margin ratio 0.8% 9.3% As of June 30, 2021, SOS focused on six product lines and services, including insurance marketing, telecom call center, bankcard call center, SaaS services, cryptocurrency mining and commodity trading. Insurance marketing represents 7.23% of our total revenue, and the remaining consists of 0.18% from our telecom call center, 0.15% from our bankcard call center, 0.14% from our SaaS services, 8.2% from our cryptocurrency mining operations and 84.11% from our commodity trading. Product lines US$"000" Percentage Insurance marketing 13,338 7.23% Cyptocurrency mining 15,126 8.20% Telecom Call center 324 0.18% Bank call center 278 0.15% SaaS 253 0.14% Comodity trading 155,170 84.11% Total 184,489 100% We begun generating revenue from our cryptocurrency mining operations since February 2021. We have mined an aggregate of 132.1 units of BTC and 1,853.1 units of ETH as of June 30, 2021 from our mining pools as compared to 42.2 units of BTC and 916.9 units of ETH as of March 31, 2021, which represents a 213% increase in BTC and 102% increase in ETH. There are three major reasons which explain why production output increased: (i) The first quarter of 2021 is a short quarter for production as it took approximately the first two months of the year to set up our first batch of mining rigs, and we only began to generate revenue from the end of February 2021; (ii) We increased our hash rates as more rigs were installed; and (iii) The Chinese government's announcement on the ban of certain types of cryptocurrency mining in mainland China only came into effect at the end of June 2021, which made minimal impact on our operating results for the second quarter of 2021. Operating Costs and Expenses Operating costs were $167.2 million for the period ended June 30, 2021, representing an increase of approximately 17 times compared to operating costs of $9.8 million for the period ended June 30, 2020. The increase in operating costs and expenses includes data acquisition costs for our insurance marketing business, landline telephone expenses for call centers, maintenance expense and hardware depreciation for our cryptocurrency mining rigs, and costs of goods sold for commodity trading. General and Administrative Expenses General and administrative expenses were $37.4 million for the period ended June 30, 2021, representing an increase of approximately 14 times compared to general and administrative expenses of $2.7 million for the period ended June 30, 2020. The increase in general and administrative expenses was mainly associated with share-based compensation expenses of $17.9 million and significant increases in legal expenses related to class action lawsuit against the Company and its management. GAAP Operating Loss Our net loss for the period ended June 30, 2021 was $20.4 million according to GAAP, representing an increase of approximately 2.5 times compared to a net loss of $8.8 million for the period ended June 30, 2020. The loss resulted from increased expenses related to class action against the Company and its management and share-based compensation expenses. However, overall gross margin which reflects the performance of our operating businesses and excluding the foregoing expenses increased from 0.8% to 7.9% for the periods ended June 30, 2021 and June 30, 2020, respectively, showing improvement in our earning ability. Income Tax The company paid $0.58 million in corporate income tax for the current period. Non-GAAP adjusted loss before income tax expenses was $1.9 million for the period ended June 30, 2021, as compared to $1.3 million loss before income tax expenses for the period ended June 30, 2020. Compared to GAAP results, this loss excludes $17.9 million in share-based compensation. GAAP net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders was $20.4 million for the period ended June 30, 2021, as compared to a net loss of $8.8 million for the period ended June 30, 2020. GAAP EPS was $(0.04) per share for the period ended June 30, 2021, as compared to $(0.17) per share for the period ended June 30, 2020. Balance Sheet and Cash Flow As of June 30, 2021, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $185.5 million, compared to $0.61 million for the period ended June 30, 2020. The net increase in cash flow was mainly due to financing through registered direct offerings. The Company believes that its cash resources are adequate to fund its current operations and short-term growth initiatives. Unaudited condensed consolidated statement of cash flow (US$ thousands, except share data and per share data, or otherwise noted) Cash flows from operating activities: 30-Jun-20 30-Jun-21 Net (loss) (8,768) (20,411) Adjustments: Depreciation and amortization 3 5,509 Share-based compensation 737 17,927 Loss on acquisition 5,679 - Inventory - (102,566) Receivables, prepayments and other assets (12,393) (196,620) Due from RPTs - (10,183) Intangible assets (12,221) Accrued liabilities 14,678 24 Accounts payable - (13,118) Tax payable (15) (6,024) Other payables (8,339) Due to RPTs 2,406 Contract liability and lease liability 4,450 Net cash used in operating activities from discontinued operation 545 - Net cash used in operating activities 466 (339,165) Cash flows from investing activities: Purchase of property, equipment and software (202) (34,205) Disposition of assets P2P - 3,500 Investment in equity (593) - Net cash used in investing activities (795) (30,705) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from share issuance 898 551,824 Proceeds from private equity placement - Net cash provided by financing activities 898 551,824 Exchange gain/(loss) - 2,887 Net increase/(decrease), effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalent 569 184,841 Cash and cash equivalent at beginning of the period 41 610 Cash and cash equivalent at end of the period 610 185,451 Cash Flow Used In Investing Activities The Company, through its subsidiaries, SOS Information Technology New York Inc. and China SOS Ltd., purchased BTC and ETH mining equipment for an aggregate cost of approximately $34.2 million. Financing Activities The Company received aggregate net proceeds of US$513.1 million from registered direct offerings from December 22, 2020 to March 31, 2021. About SOS Limited SOS is an emerging blockchain-based and big data-driven marketing solution provider, with a nationwide membership base of approximately 20 million in China. SOS is also engaged in blockchain and cryptocurrencies operations, which currently include cryptocurrency mining and maybe expand into.cryptocurrency security and insurance in the future Since April] 2021, we launched commodity trading via our subsidiary SOS International Trading Co. Ltd, The core infrastructure of SOS' marketing data, technology and solutions to insurance and emergency rescue services is built on big data, blockchain-based technology, cloud computing, AI, satellite, and 5G network, etc. SOS has created a cloud "software as a service (SaaS)" platform for emergency rescue services, with three major product categories: basic cloud, cooperative cloud, and information cloud. This system provides innovative marketing solutions to clients such as insurance companies, financial institutions, medical institutions, healthcare providers, auto manufacturers, security providers, senior living assistance providers, and other service providers in the emergency rescue services industry. For more information, please visit: http://www.sosyun.com/. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including, but not limited to, our expectations for future financial performance, business strategies or expectations for our business. These statements constitute projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements, and are not guarantees of performance. SOS cautions that forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Words such as "may," "can," "should," "will," "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "target," "look" or similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Specifically, forward-looking statements may include statements relating to the Company's: expected hash rate for its mining rigs; intention to grow and install more mining rigs; ability to execute its business plan; changes in the market for SOS' products and services; and expansion plans and opportunities. These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release and our management's current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but not are limited to, the risk factors described by SOS in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). These risk factors and those identified elsewhere in this press release, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from historical performance and include, but are not limited to: Chinese government's policies and regulatory oversight of crypto currency mining operation and our other operations; SOS's cryptocurrency mining, commodity trading and marketing solutions businesses are still under development, with many uncertainties in the future direction and integration of these various business segments; Failure to manage the newly launched commodities trading business effectively; Loss of key customers in the commodity trading business; failure to access a large quantity of power at reasonable costs could significantly increase SOS operating expenses and adversely affect our demand for SOS's mining activities; shortages in, or rises in the prices of mining machines may adversely affect the Company's business; any significant or prolonged failure in the data warehouse facilities and data mining facilities that SOS operates or services it provides, including events beyond its control, would lead to significant costs and disruptions and would reduce the attractiveness of its facilities, harm its business reputation and have a material adverse effect on its results of operation; security breaches or alleged security breaches of our data warehouses could disrupt SOS operations and have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operation; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in SOS's SEC reports or documents filed or to be filed with the SEC by SOS. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements in deciding whether to invest in our securities. We do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. SOURCE SOS Limited Abstracts Include: Publication # MP29-15 COVID-19 Associated Cystitis (CAC): Increased Urinary symptoms and biomarkers of Inflammation in Urine in Patients with Acute COVID-19 Emerging evidence suggests the bladder is one of many organs targeted by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2), which contributes significantly to COVID-19 morbidity and leads to organ-specific complications. Hear from the first U.S. group to identify severe and bothersome de novo genitourinary symptoms in patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, termed COVID-19 Associate Cystitis (CAC). The study sought to determine if this was associated with pro-inflammatory cytokines in the urine of patients. Key findings: COVID-19 patients reported severe de novo genitourinary symptoms, most notably an increase in urgency, frequency, and nocturia. SARS-CoV-2 infection results in increased expression of proinflammatory biomarkers in the urine. The variance between individuals may reflect the severity and duration of their disease, and/or the presence of comorbidities. This data supports that COVID-19 patients, especially those with CAC, have increased inflammatory cytokines in the urine. Publication # MP63-02 New or Worsening Overactive Bladder Symptoms After Recovery from COVID-19 Since the emergence of COVID-19 in December 2019, it has become evident that additional to the respiratory impairment, many other organ systems are targeted by the disease-causing SARS-CoV2 virus. Due to the paucity of data regarding genitourinary symptoms in COVID-19, this study set out to investigate the disease manifestation(s) in bladder function. Key findings: Results showed an increase in the number of patients suffering from new or worsening OAB symptoms after their recovery from COVID-19, which necessitated hospitalization Exacerbation of symptoms post-COVID-19 in patients with existing OAB was evident by increases in symptom severity scores and deteriorating QOL. At present, the pathophysiological mechanisms of de nova or worsening OAB symptoms after recovery from COVID-19 are unknown. "COVID-19 affects multiple systems throughout the human body," Dr. Sutherland said. "These two studies highlight that it's crucial we understand how the virus affects urinary tract tissues, particularly in patients with OAB, to be able to strategize effective treatment options." Full abstracts can be viewed online: https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000002026.15 https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000002103.02 About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 22,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy. Publication Number: MP29-15 Title: COVID-19 Associated Cystitis (CAC): increased urinary symptoms and biomarkers of inflammation in urine in patients with acute COVID-19 INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Emerging evidence suggests that the bladder is one of many organs targeted by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2), which contributes significantly to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) morbidity and leads to organ-specific complications. We were the first U.S. group to identify severe and bothersome de novo genitourinary symptoms in patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, termed COVID-19 Associate Cystitis (CAC). We then sought to determine if this was associated with pro-inflammatory cytokines in the urine of patients. METHODS: With IRB approval, hospital discharged COVID-19 patients with normal renal function (N=53) and asymptomatic controls (N=12) completed an AUA Urology Care Foundation Overactive Bladder (OAB) Assessment Tool to determine their current urinary symptoms (score of O to 25, increasing severity) and provided a urine sample. Urine samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 using PCR, CRP by ELISA, and pro-inflammatory cytokines using Luminex assays following manufacturer's instructions. RESULTS: The median total OAB symptom score in both men and women with COVID-19 was 18 (range 4-21). The median total QOL score for both men and women with COVID-19 was 19 (range 8-24). Median age was 64.5 (range 47-82). Symptoms of CAC include increased urinary frequency, urgency, nocturia, and pain or pressure upon voiding. These symptoms were not due to urinary tract infection, acute renal injury, prostatitis, or urinary retention. These symptoms have caused worsening QOL in CAC patients, and nocturia the most bothersome symptom. The majority of COVID-19 patients did not have virus in their urine. The levels of GRO/CXCL-1, IL-6, IP-10, and CRP were significantly increased in urine samples from COVID-19 patients compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 patients reported severe de novo genitourinary symptoms, most notably an increase in urgency, frequency, and nocturia. SARS-CoV-2 infection results in increased expression of proinflammatory biomarkers in the urine. The variance between individuals may reflect the severity and duration of their disease, and/or the presence of comorbidities. This data supports that COVID-19 patients, especially those with CAC, have increased inflammatory cytokines in the urine. AUTHORS: Michael B. Chancellor*, Royal Oak, MI, Melissa Wills, Ryan Timar, Detroit, MI, Sarah N. Bartolone, Royal Oak, MI, Nevedita Dhar, Sorabh Dhar, Dragana Komnenov, Detroit, MI, Laura E. Lamb, Royal Oak, MI Publication Number: MP63-02 Title: New or Worsening Overactive Bladder Symptoms After Recovery from COVID-19 INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Since the emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in December 2019, it has become evident that additional to the respirafory impairment, many other organ systems are targeted by the disease-causing SARS-CoV2 virus. Due to the paucity of data regarding genitourinary symptoms in COVID-19, we set out to investigate the disease manifestation(s) in bladder function. We identified recovered COVID-19 patients presenting with new or worsening overactive bladder symptoms, known as COVID-19 Associated Cystitis (CAC). METHODS: We used AUA Urology Care Foundation Overactive Bladder (OAB) Assessment Tool to screen COVID-19 recovered patients at our urban-located institution from 5/22/2020 to 12/31/2020. Primary outcomes include patient responses to 5 symptom and 4 quality-oflife questions (QOL). We reported median symptom scores, as well as quality-of-life scores, based on new or worsening urinary symptoms stratified by sex. RESULTS: We identified 350 patients with de novo or worsening OAB symptoms. In patients with new onset OAB symptoms, the median symptom score was 18. Patients with worsening OAB symptoms had a median pre-COVID-19 symptom score of 8 which was exacerbated post-COVID-19 as indicated by the median symptom score of 19. The median total QOL score for both men and women was 19. In patients with worsening OAB, median pre-COVID-19 QOL score was 9 compared to median post-COVID-19 QOL score of 20. Median age was 64.5 (range 47-82). Median length of stay was 10 days (range 5-30). CONCLUSIONS: Here we report survey-based results of patients suffering from new or worsening OAB symptoms after recovery from COVID-19 which necessitated hospitalization. The total median symptom score for patients with de nova OAB was 18 and QOL score was19, irrespective of sex, indicating moderate to severe OAB. Exacerbation of symptoms post-COVID-19 in patients with existing OAB was evident by increases in symptom severity scores and deteriorating QOL. At present, the pathophysiological mechanisms of de nova or worsening OAB symptoms after recovery from COVID-19 are unknown. AUTHORS: Wen Chen*, Dragana Komnenov, Ryan Timar, Melissa Wills, Sorabh Dhar, Nivedita Dhar, Detroit, MI SOURCE American Urological Association Related Links www.auanet.org All presenting donors who participated in today's event received a Red Cross first aid kit, courtesy of Suburban Propane. Suburban Propane President and CEO, Michael Stivala was in attendance and donated blood along with his wife, Kelly. Mr. Stivala is a proud member of the New Jersey Regional Council of the NJ Region of the Red Cross. Suburban Propane employees from the company's headquarters in Whippany generously donated their time as volunteers assisting donors at today's event. "As the nation marks the 20th anniversary of the attacks on September 11th, we should hold in our hearts the memory of all those who were lost, honor the brave responders who helped that day and in the aftermath, and rekindle the spirit of service to help our neighbors in need," said Rosie Taravella, CEO, American Red Cross New Jersey Region. "As longtime partners of the American Red Cross, Suburban Propane is honored and humbled to sponsor this event alongside the Jersey City Police and Fire Departments as our country marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks," said Nandini Sankara, Spokesperson at Suburban Propane. "As a New Jersey-based company, we will never forget the events of that tragic day, nor will we forget the heroic efforts of the brave women and men who sacrificed their lives to save others. We are grateful to be able to provide our support and encourage all available donors to join us in giving the gift of lifesaving blood." This initiative is part of Suburban Propane's SuburbanCares corporate pillar, which is dedicated to supporting community efforts across the company's footprint in the United States. This year, Suburban Propane's SuburbanCares pillar is undertaking initiatives to help children and adults in numerous underserved communities; including Dayton, OH; Boise, ID; Detroit, MI; Philadelphia, PA; Santa Fe, NM; Santa Rosa, CA; Columbia and Charleston, SC; Detroit, MI; New Brunswick, NJ; and has fed healthcare professionals in some of the most COVID-19 affected regions in the nation; including Florida, California, Texas, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Washington, DC. About Suburban Propane Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. is a publicly traded master limited partnership listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol SPH. Headquartered in Whippany, New Jersey, Suburban has been in the customer service business since 1928 and is a nationwide distributor of propane, renewable propane, fuel oil and related products and services, as well as a marketer of natural gas and electricity and an investor in low carbon fuel alternatives. The Partnership serves the energy needs of approximately 1 million residential, commercial, governmental, industrial and agricultural customers through approximately 700 locations across 41 states. The Partnership is supported by three core pillars: (1) Suburban Commitment showcasing the Partnership's 90+ year legacy, and ongoing commitment to the highest standards for dependability, flexibility, and reliability that underscores the Partnership's commitment to excellence in customer service; (2) SuburbanCares highlighting the Partnership's continued dedication to giving back to local communities across the Partnership's national footprint and (3) Go Green with Suburban Propane - promoting the clean burning and versatile nature of propane and renewable propane as a bridge to a green energy future and developing the next generation of renewable energy. For additional information on Suburban Propane, please visit www.suburbanpropane.com . About the American Red Cross The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross. SOURCE Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. Related Links http://suburbanpropane.com BEAVERTON, Ore., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tektronix, Inc. announced today that test and measurement engineers looking to speed up and simplify calibration of their fleet of test and measurement equipment have a powerful new tool with the upgraded version of the popular cloud-based asset management software CalWeb. Managing large fleets of test and measurement equipment for calibration services can be a time-consuming, manual process. CalWeb solves for this with a web-based app that enables customers to see their calibration and repair histories and related documentation all in one place. All information is stored securely and globally accessible from any computer or mobile device. "Customers manage complicated fleets of test and measurement equipment, often with multiple brands that require calibrations or other services at different times. With CalWeb, we simplify all of that for customers, so they can track all their services on all equipment from the palm of their hand," says Tektronix Service and Support Organization vice president Corey Christmann. With service teams in more than 100 locations worldwide, Tektronix is a leading accredited calibration services provider with more than 75 years of experience serving the world's largest mission-critical manufacturers in aerospace and defense, semiconductor, automotive, medical, and wired and wireless communications. The CalWeb 2021 upgrades provide instant access to more information and can integrate smoothly with existing systems. The four key new functions include: New barcode creation, printing, and scanning CalWeb can create and print barcodes to tag equipment and correlate it to chosen database fields. Customers can then use a smartphone or barcode scanner and instantly view calibration history and certificates, repair history, and other useful information. CalWeb can create and print barcodes to tag equipment and correlate it to chosen database fields. Customers can then use a smartphone or barcode scanner and instantly view calibration history and certificates, repair history, and other useful information. New integration through CalWeb REST API The secure REST API ensures CalWeb can easily integrate with any customer's in-house IT system. Programming language agnostic, the REST API features standard HTTP request function calls with Swagger and Postman API development tool sandboxes. The secure REST API ensures CalWeb can easily integrate with any customer's in-house IT system. Programming language agnostic, the REST API features standard HTTP request function calls with Swagger and Postman API development tool sandboxes. New report generation tool No more manual spreadsheets and hours of analysis. Create, run, and download customized reports on any assets managed through CalWeb with the click of a button. Flexible functionality enables the creation of both ad-hoc and scheduled reports. No more manual spreadsheets and hours of analysis. Create, run, and download customized reports on any assets managed through CalWeb with the click of a button. Flexible functionality enables the creation of both ad-hoc and scheduled reports. Expanded equipment management capability CalWeb users can now get automatic notifications when any of their test and measurement equipment is due for calibration. CalWeb can be used to manage all equipment, from any manufacturer beyond Tektronix brand products. "These powerful CalWeb features answer our customers' needs for streamlined fleet management and improved communications around the calibration of all their products, regardless of the brand," says Christmann. "The ability to scan and access documentation, run reports and integrate swiftly with existing systems advances our service software beyond expectations." Tektronix works as a strategic partner for calibration services, delivering tailored solutions that save time and cost in achieving accredited and/or compliant calibrations on over 140,000 different electronic test and measurement equipment models from more than 9,000 manufacturers. Tektronix employs over 180 ISO/IEC 17025-accredited parameters and offers an extensive global service network that encompasses 100-plus locations with more than 1,100 experienced technical associates. About Tektronix Tektronix, Inc., headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, delivers innovative, precise and easy-to-operate test, measurement and monitoring solutions that solve problems, unlock insights and drive discovery globally. Tektronix has been at the forefront of the digital age for the past 75 years. More information on our products and solutions is available at Tek.com . Follow us on LinkedIn , Facebook , Twitter , YouTube and Instagram , and to stay connected. Learn more from our engineers on the Tektronix blog and read our latest announcements in our Newsroom . Tektronix and CalWeb are registered trademarks of Tektronix, Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. SOURCE Tektronix, Inc. Related Links https://www.tek.com TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. ("TGOD" or the "Company") (TSX: TGOD) (US-OTCQX: TGODF), a leading producer of premium certified organically grown cannabis, announces today that the Company has received final approval from the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") to list its common shares (the "Common Shares") and listed Common Share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") on the CSE (the "Listing"). As previously noted, pursuant to Part VII, Section 720 of the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") Company Manual, the Company will voluntarily delist from the TSX its Common Shares and Warrants (the "Delisting") and has received approval from the TSX to do so. No action is required on the part of holders of the Common Shares and Warrants in respect of the Listing and the Delisting. The Corporation will continue to trade under the symbol "TGOD" on the CSE. The Delisting of the Common Shares and Warrants from the TSX will take effect at the close of business on September 10, 2021, and the Listing of the Common Shares and Warrants on the CSE will take effect on September 13, 2021, to ensure, to the extent possible, continued, and seamless trading liquidity for holders of Common Shares and Warrants. The ownership of the Common Shares and Warrants will not be affected by the Delisting, and holders of the Common Shares and Warrants will maintain their existing rights under applicable corporate law and the Company's constating documents. Trading of the Common Shares on the OTCQX Best Market will be unaffected by the Delisting and the Listing. "The conclusion of this process is an important milestone in the path forward for the Company. Our listing on the CSE allows the Company to accelerate its plans for entry into the U.S. market. We look forward to sharing our plans with investors as the opportunities advance," said Sean Bovingdon, Chief Executive Officer, and Interim Chief Financial Officer of TGOD. "We will continue to identify partners that can leverage our organic expertise and utilize our intellectual property, while allowing for synergies to make agreements accretive in the short and long term." About The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD ) (USOTC: TGODF) is a premium certified organically grown cannabis company focused on the health and wellness market. Its organic cannabis is cultivated in living soil, as nature intended. The Company is committed to cultivating a better tomorrow by producing its products responsibly, with less waste and impact on the environment. Its Canadian facilities have been built to LEED certification standards and its products are sold in recyclable packaging. In Canada, TGOD sells dried flower and oil, and recently launched a series of nextgeneration cannabis products such as hash, vapes, organic teas and dissolvable powders. Through its European subsidiary, HemPoland, the Company also distributes premium hemp CBD oil and CBD-infused topicals in Europe. By leveraging science and technology, TGOD harnesses the power of nature from seed to sale. As of today's date, TGOD's Common Shares and Warrants issued under the indentures dated December 19, 2019, June 12, 2020, October 23, 2020 and December 10, 2020 trade on the TSX under the symbol "TGOD", "TGOD.WS", "TGOD.WR", "TGOD.WA", and "TGOD.WB" respectively. TGOD's Common Shares trade in the US on the OTCQX under the symbol "TGODF". For more information on The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd., please visit www.tgod.ca . Cautionary Statements This news release includes statements containing certain "forwardlooking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forwardlooking statements"). Forward looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, expansion of the Company into other jurisdictions including the United States, any added benefits of the Company's expansion into other jurisdictions, status of discussions with other parties relating to entry into the U.S. market, synergies with potential partners, and creating added shareholder value. Forwardlooking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "should", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forwardlooking statements throughout this news release. Forwardlooking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties (including market conditions) and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forwardlooking statements, including those risk factors described in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form filed with Canadian securities regulators and available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. Neither the TSX nor the TSX's Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. Related Links https://www.tgod.ca/ SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ultradent Products, Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of high- tech dental materials, is honored to be recognized a 2021 Fortune Magazine Best Workplace in Manufacturing and Production. The selection comes after a rigorous evaluation of company culture and extensive employee feedback. Ultradent Products is honored to be recognized as a 2021 Fortune Magazine Best Workplace in Manufacturing and Production. "We're very honored to be named among such prestigious companies as those recognized as Fortune's best," says Ultradent President and CEO Dirk Jeffs. "Ultradent is driven to improve oral health globally and prioritizing our workplace culture is vital to this mission. We cherish the success of our team members and being selected as a Fortune Top Manufacturer validates many of the progressive initiatives, we utilize to create this unique environment." Ultradent's culture has been carefully curated since the company originated in 1978, created in the basement of Founder and CEO Emeritus Dr. Dan Fischer. "We have always sought to share our workplace with others who unite with our core values of integrity, care, hard work, innovation, and quality," Fischer says. "We believe that happiness in the workplace is paramount. Not only do colleagues look forward to coming to work, they enjoy their day more and are more productive. To fulfil the innovation we want to bring into the dental community, we need people who care for each other." From Fortune Magazine, September 10, 2021 2021 Fortune Media IP Limited. Used under License. Fortune, Fortune Media (USA) Corporation and its affiliates are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of, Ultradent. About Ultradent Products, Inc. Ultradent Products, Inc., is a leading developer and manufacturer of high-tech dental materials, devices, and instruments worldwide. Ultradent's vision is to improve oral health globally. Ultradent also works to improve the quality of life and health of individuals through financial and charitable programs. For more information about Ultradent, call 800.552.5512 or visit ultradent.com. CONTACT: ShaLyse Walker Public Relations Manager 801.553.4777 [email protected] Daniel Lewis Communications Manager 801.553.4777 [email protected] SOURCE Ultradent Products, Inc. Related Links http://www.ultradent.com WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate has endorsed, and they recommend attorney Erik Karst of the law firm of Karst von Oiste for a Navy Submarine Veteran who has just been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Erik Karst of the law firm of Karst von Oiste is one of the nation's most capable mesothelioma attorneys and he specializes in assisting Navy Veterans with this rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure. A mesothelioma compensation claim involving a Navy Submarine Veteran might be in the millions of dollars-if their exposure to asbestos occurred prior to 1982 as attorney Erik Karst of the law firm of Karst von Oiste is always happy to discuss at 800-714-0303. www.karstvonoiste.com/ US Navy Submarine Veteran Mesothelioma Asbestos Warning Sign Mesothelioma The Advocate says, "If you are a Navy Submarine Veteran and you have just been diagnosed with mesothelioma anywhere in the nation and or you are their family please do not start acting impulsively and order 'free' generic booklets, kits, guides, or do it yourself compensation calculators-or other nonsense. To get specific information about mesothelioma compensation, how the process works and what your claim might be worth please call attorney Erik Karst of the law firm of Karst von Oiste at 800-714-0303. At a minimum Erik Karst of Karst von Oiste is an amazing resource when it comes to mesothelioma compensation and he will be very helpful to a Navy Submarine Veteran with this rare asbestos exposure cancer." www.karstvonoiste.com/ Types of US Navy Nuclear Submarines from the US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate: Lafayette Class Nuclear Submarine (9 boats in class) James Madison Nuclear Submarine (10 boats in class) Sturgeon Class Nuclear Submarine (37 boats in class) Benjamin Franklin Nuclear Submarine (12 boats in class) Los Angeles Class Attack Submarine (62 boats in class) Ohio Class Nuclear Submarine (18 boats in class) US Navy Submarine Bases are situated in the following states: Connecticut - New London , Washington -Navy Base Kitsap, Georgia-Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Virginia-Navy Station Norfolk , Hawaii-Naval Station Pearl Harbor, California -Naval Base Point Loma. https://USNavyMesothelioma.Com The US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate wants a Navy Veteran with mesothelioma or their family members to know that the size of a mesothelioma compensation settlement is based on how, where and when a person like this was exposed to asbestos. A Navy Veteran's discharge papers called a DD214 might be extremely helpful and the asbestos exposure probably took place in the 1960s or 1970s. https://USNavyMesothelioma.Com According to the CDC the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon. However, based on the calls the US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate receives a US Navy Veteran who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma could live in any state including New York, Florida, California, Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska. www.karstvonoiste.com/ For more information about mesothelioma, please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: https://www.cancer.gov/types/mesothelioma Media Contact: Michael Thomas 800-714-0303 [email protected] SOURCE US Navy Veterans Mesothelioma Advocate NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eastern Union, one of the country's largest commercial real estate finance firms, has named Victoria Smith to the position of senior data specialist in the company's newly launched Commission Data Broker Division. Ms. Smith, who joined the firm earlier this year as a summer intern, will play a central role in the management and training of "commission data brokers" (CDB), a new professional job category introduced to the industry by Eastern Union. Victoria Smith of Jacksonville FL has been named a senior data specialist with Eastern Union. Specialists in research and analysis, CDBs function as research-oriented lead generators. They access and examine ownership records of commercial properties in selected locations. They then identify specific owners who might represent qualified leads. These leads, in turn, are contacted by loan originators. If a CDB pinpoints an owner who ultimately closes a mortgage with Eastern Union, they share in the commission generated by the transaction. Traditionally, there have been two primary career entryways into the commercial real estate sector: brokers and underwriters, according to Eastern Union president and co-founder Ira Zlotowitz. The CDB position now adds a third route. "Victoria Smith quickly emerged as one of our top interns, distinguishing herself as a standout among our very first wave of commission data brokers," said Mr. Zlotowitz. "Demonstrating both data management and people management skills, she showed her readiness to take on full-time responsibilities. "As an industry innovation, the position of 'commission data broker' represents a new pathway to success in the world of commercial real estate finance," he said. "We're counting on Ms. Smith to play an important role in nurturing our first generation of standout researchers." "I look forward to working with commission data brokers who will stand in the vanguard of a new profession," said Ms. Smith. "Leveraging my background in data analytics, I am committed to nurturing their success in this breakthrough career category." CDBs can be employed full-time or part-time. Work can be performed remotely and at any time of the day. Work hours can be tailored to the individual's needs and fit around one's own schedule. Commission data brokers may also choose to take on broker-related responsibilities. The position is for detail-oriented and analytically minded people, Mr. Zlotowitz said. Eastern Union provides the necessary training and support. For information about the position of commission data broker, visit this link. Victoria Smith, who will be based in Jacksonville, FL, previously served as a senior customer service advocate in the Jacksonville office of OptumRx, a pharmacy and healthcare services company. Ms. Smith holds a bachelor of science degree in data management and data analytics from Western Governors University in Salt Lake City. She also earned an associate of science degree in computer science from Gateway Community College in New Haven. About Eastern Union Founded in 2001, Eastern Union is a leading, national commercial mortgage brokerage firm. It employs more than 125 real estate professionals and closes an average of $5 billion in transactions annually. Eastern Union leverages its relationships with lenders and its marketplace knowledge to secure the best available rates and terms. Eastern Union, headquartered in New York, closes transactions of all sizes across the United States. It secures financing for all asset types. Transactions -- which can include multi-state and multi-site portfolios -- encompass both conventional and structured financing. In 2020, Eastern Union's Multi-Family Group reset market pricing by offering a quarter-point fee for refinancing properties backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Capital introductions are handled through Eastern Union's affiliate, Eastern Equity Advisors. Eastern Union's free eCALC app instantly helps investors value and underwrite deals. For more information, visit www.easternunion.com. Media contact: Steve Vitoff Eastern Union 516 652 0785 [email protected] SOURCE Eastern Union HOUSTON, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- WaterBridge Holdings LLC (together with its subsidiaries, "WaterBridge") announced today that it has closed a transaction with Colgate Energy, LLC ("Colgate") to acquire the produced water infrastructure associated with Colgate's recent asset acquisition from Occidental. In connection with the acquisition, WaterBridge and Colgate have entered into a new 15-year produced water management agreement for all of Colgate's operated acreage within a significantly expanded Area of Mutual Interest in Reeves and Ward Counties, Texas. The acquired assets include 10 water handling facilities and associated water midstream infrastructure with aggregate handling capacity of approximately 100,000 bpd, as well as approximately 50 miles of produced water pipelines. WaterBridge will manage the newly acquired produced water infrastructure and integrate these assets into its broader southern Delaware platform. Further, WaterBridge and Colgate have consolidated existing produced water management contracts into a new produced water management services agreement whereby Colgate has dedicated all of the operated acreage recently acquired from Occidental, as well as the legacy Colgate and Luxe Energy acreage previously dedicated to WaterBridge. Subsequent to this transaction, Colgate will have over 86,100 gross operated acres dedicated to WaterBridge in the southern Delaware Basin. "Colgate's decision to expand their relationship with WaterBridge further validates our position as the water solutions provider of choice in the Delaware Basin," says Jason Long, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of WaterBridge. "This transaction further enhances our ability to manage and distribute over two million barrels per day of produced and recycled water across our Permian platform." "Five Point and WaterBridge have built the leading water solutions platform in the Permian by continuing to support the success of our customers," says David Capobianco, Chairman of the Board of WaterBridge and CEO of Five Point Energy. "We are excited to strengthen our relationship and to further expand our operations to support Colgate's growth in the region." With the closing of this transaction, WaterBridge has approximately 600,000 acres operated by over 20 blue-chip producers under long-term dedication in the southern Delaware Basin. The newly acquired infrastructure will be integrated into WaterBridge's extensive Delaware Basin water network, which following this transaction provides over 2.1 million bpd of water handling, reuse and redelivery capacity via 959 miles of large-diameter pipelines and 97 water handling facilities. Advisors Winston & Strawn LLP served as legal advisor to WaterBridge in connection with the transaction. About WaterBridge Holdings LLC WaterBridge, a portfolio company of Five Point Energy, is the largest pure play water solutions provider in the industry. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, WaterBridge operates in the Delaware Basin in west Texas and the Arkoma Basin in southeast Oklahoma. WaterBridge develops, owns and operates permanent, integrated water infrastructure networks that handle full-cycle water requirements of its blue-chip customer base under long-term, fee-based contracts. WaterBridge benefits from a first-mover advantage in the emerging water midstream sector with the most experienced management team in the industry. For further information, please visit www.h2obridge.com . About Five Point Energy LLC Five Point Energy is a leading private equity firm focused on building businesses within the midstream and energy infrastructure sectors. The firm was founded by industry veterans who have had successful careers investing in, building and running midstream companies. Five Point's strategy is to acquire and develop in-basin assets, provide value-added growth capital, and build world-class midstream companies with premier management teams and industry-leading E&P partners. The firm is focused on providing in-basin crude oil, natural gas, liquids and water management midstream solutions to E&P companies in the Permian Basin, Eagle Ford, Mid-Continent and Rockies. Based in Houston, Five Point targets equity investments ranging from $10 million to over $500 million and has over $3 billion of capital under management across multiple investment funds. For further information, please visit www.fivepointenergy.com. SOURCE WaterBridge Holdings LLC Related Links http://www.h2obridge.com NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE:BR), a global Fintech leader, today announced that the first fixed income trades for Sponsored General Collateral (GC) Service were completed via Broadridge's post-trade processing solution, in conjunction with DTCC and BNY Mellon. Offered by DTCC's subsidiary Fixed Income Clearing Corporation (FICC), the newly launched Sponsored GC Service will provide the opportunity for Sponsored Members to transact triparty repo activity with their Sponsoring Members on a general collateral basis. The Broadridge functionality expands the current fixed income footprint developed for the FICC's Sponsored Service which began with Sponsored Repo in 2018. "Sponsored GC represents a fantastic opportunity to expand our post-trade capabilities into new asset classes," said Vijay Mayadas, President of Capital Markets at Broadridge. "Broadridge, in conjunction with DTCC and BNY Mellon, has worked with multiple clients who seek to be first providers of GC to adapt to changes in market structure and expand their post-trade tech stacks, which helps increase liquidity and reduce balance sheet consumption." The Sponsored GC Service expands the arsenal of instruments available under sponsored programs with keen interest from firms that are cash providers and with holdings in MBS, which are now eligible with sponsored GC expansion. Other benefits of the GC initiative include expanded financing offerings by FICC members with their clients who are non-FICC members, the ability to net down balance sheet positions, and improved efficiencies with the potential for reduced costs. Sponsored Repo saw strong growth across a diverse list of Broadridge clients as far back as 2018, both globally and regionally. Sponsored GC was structured by FICC in a similar manner, so firms involved in Sponsored Repo have grasped the concepts and the opportunity for Sponsored GC quickly, and many are integrating or planning the addition of GC to compliment Sponsored Repo. Although both Sponsored Programs share commonalities, there are differences between the two offerings which make them uniquely attractive. For example, Sponsored GC requires members to initiate deals through normal Triparty processing, extended to now include the MBS collateral space and instills different FICC processing timelines. Sponsored Repo, on the other hand, settles transactions via legacy netting and settlement processing, requires a reverse repo or repo transaction to initiate the Sponsored Repo flow, and is for overnight and term deals only. In addition, many of the same firms are also closely eyeing the proposed new SFT Clearing Service under NSCC to complete the circle, as the SFT Clearing Service will include a sponsored-like offering for equity financing and is anticipated to be launched later in 2021, subject to regulatory approval. About Broadridge Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR), a global Fintech leader with over $4.5 billion in revenues, provides the critical infrastructure that powers investing, corporate governance and communications to enable better financial lives. We deliver technology-driven solutions to banks, broker-dealers, asset and wealth managers and public companies. Broadridge's infrastructure serves as a global communications hub enabling corporate governance by linking thousands of public companies and mutual funds to tens of millions of individual and institutional investors around the world. In addition, Broadridge's technology and operations platforms underpin the daily trading of on average more than U.S. $9 trillion of equities, fixed income and other securities globally. A certified Great Place to Work, Broadridge is a part of the S&P 500 Index, employing over 13,000 associates in 21 countries. For more information about us and what we can do for you, please visit www.broadridge.com. Investors: W. Edings Thibault Investor Relations + 1 516-472-5129 [email protected] Media: Gregg Rosenberg Corporate Communications +1 212-918-6966 [email protected] SOURCE Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. Related Links http://www.broadridge.com GROVE CITY, Pa., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the nation marks 20 years since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 killed nearly 3,000 Americans, Wendell August Forge has partnered with the 9/11 Memorial and Museum to handcraft a new ornament that will benefit the non-profit organization. "Wendell August is honored to create a piece that not only honors those lost that day, but proceeds will also go to an incredible organization that helps to maintain the memorial and museum," said Wendell August Forge's president, Christian Werner. The Never Forget Ticket was commissioned by the 9/11 Memorial and Museum to raise funds to educate future generations about the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Wendell August Forge's handcrafted ornament. Proceeds will benefit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. The relationship first started between the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and Wendell August Forge after the non-profit commissioned the giftware company to create a handcrafted ticket to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11. That ticket can be purchased on the museum's website and specifically benefits the organization's Never Forget Fund. That fund was created to ensure that future generations never forget the lessons of 9/11. You can purchase the ornament at wendellaugust.com or at either of their two physical locations in Grove City, Pennsylvania and Holmes County, Ohio. About Wendell August Forge Celebrating nearly 100 years, Wendell August Forge continues to proudly handcraft heirloom-quality personalized metal giftware. Made in America using time-honored traditions, we create gifts of enduring beauty, by hand, for you. Find our locations or shop online at www.wendellaugust.com Contact: Alex DeGroff [email protected] 724-748-9501 SOURCE Wendell August Forge Related Links http://www.wendellaugust.com DENVER, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Contained in the new book from TJFR Press, "September Twelfth: An American Comeback Story," is a photo of what may well be the last receipt generated in the shops of the World Trade Center before the Twin Towers collapsed. The receipt, for two $5 refrigerator magnets plus tax, is from the Lechters Housewares store located on the concourse of the North Tower. It is time-stamped "8:55 AM," nine minutes after American Airlines Flight #11 struck the North Tower, 90-plus floors above Lechters. This may well be the last receipt generated in the shops of the World Trade Center before the Twin Towers collapsed. (Photo courtesy of Joanne Lipman) Signed copies of "September Twelfth: An American Comeback Story" are now available exclusively from http://GutenbergsStore.com The story of the receipt is one of many touching 9/11 anecdotes that author Dean Rotbart includes in his detailed account of how the staff of The Wall Street Journal responded when the paper's headquarters located directly across the street from the World Trade Center was decimated by smoke, ash, and falling debris. As Rotbart writes in "September Twelfth": "For Rebecca Distler, September 12, 2001, promised to be an extra special day. Not only was the sixth-grader turning eleven years old, but she had just started at a new school. Rebecca told her mom, Joanne Lipman, a senior editor at The Wall Street Journal, that she'd like refrigerator magnets for her locker. "Before work on the morning of September 11, Lipman was browsing the aisles of the Lechters Housewares store located on the concourse of the World Trade Center. When she spotted a violin-shaped magnet, she knew it would be perfect for Rebecca. The novelty had a button in the middle that, when pushed, played a little tune. Lipman pressed it idly while waiting to check out. "For good measure, Lipman also grabbed a magnet in the shape of a flip mobile phone." Before the day ended, Lipman would play a key role in producing the Pulitzer Prize-winning next day edition of the Journal. As Lipman waited to pay, she could hear a commotion coming from the corridor. She witnessed a security guard shooing a crowd of people toward the World Trade Center's Church Street exit. The Lechters cashier was concerned. "Everybody's running. Maybe we should get out of here." Lipman pushed the two magnets forward. Once again, the anxious cashier looked apprehensively toward the concourse. "We've got to leave." Rotbart writes that Lipman was, and is, an exceptionally congenial individual. "But she didn't rise to the upper echelons of the journalism profession without knowing how to stand her ground. All the more so when the cause was Rebecca's birthday." Lipman rolled her eyes at the nervous cashier. After all, the editor hadn't heard anything. The commuters being steered to the exits looked more annoyed than worried. Lipman figured whatever it was, it was most likely a false alarm. "Ring this up first. I'm not leaving until I pay." Lipman handed the cashier a $20 bill to cover the two five-dollar magnets. Adding in the 83 cents in sales tax, the cashier returned $9.17 and a receipt. Rebecca Distler, who will turn 31 years old on September 12, 2021, was married in June 2019. She is a leader in the field of global digital health. Rotbart doesn't know if she still has the two magnets, but he assumes that she does. Lipman, Rebecca's mother, is now a Yale University journalism lecturer, an on-air contributor to CNBC, and the bestselling author of "That's What She Said: What Men Need to Know (and Women Need to Tell Them) About Working Together." Lipman still has her Lechters receipt. "September Twelfth" is a universal and timeless comeback story offering models of courage, determination, and resurrection. Journalism groups, independent booksellers, schools, businesses, museums, and others interested in purchasing bulk copies, or copies for resale, may place their orders at [email protected]. For pricing details and additional information, phone 1-800-TJFR-659 (800-853-7659). To schedule interviews or media appearances with Rotbart, contact TJFR Press at [email protected] or phone 303-296-1200. SOURCE TJFR Press BOSTON, Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gene Gebolys, CEO, World Energy, a low-carbon solutions provider for transport, attended the White House Roundtable on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) today with Federal Agencies and aviation sector stakeholders to discuss the Administration's whole-of-government strategy to achieve a net-zero carbon aviation sector by 2050. World Energy has been a leader in the commercialization, production, and distribution of low-carbon fuels for more than 20 years and operates the world's first, and America's only, commercial-scale SAF production facility empowering leaders like Amazon Air, United, JetBlue, Rolls-Royce, and Boeing, among others to lead the movement to lower carbon transport. Gebolys shared his experiences in developing low-carbon fuels and policy to enable organizations to drive down emissions across the land, air, and sea. Gebolys laid out the policy principles to expand on what World Energy pioneered in Los Angeles and said it came down to five key areas, speed, sustainability, scale, innovation, and carbon markets. World Energy plans to produce 150 million gallons of SAF per year by 2024 from fats, oils, and greases by hydro-processing. For more information on how fuel providers plan to scale production and on the Virtual White House Roundtable on Sustainable Aviation Fuel session, read the Fact Sheet: Biden Administration Advances the Future of Sustainable Fuels in American Aviation, available here. About World Energy World Energy exists to deliver ever-better solutions at scale to those leading the push to net-zero carbon transport. We empower those committed to net-zero carbon to cut emissions now. We operate a growing network of integrated fueling facilities to enable customers to meet their reduction commitments while growing their business. For more information, visit www.worldenergy.net . SOURCE World Energy Related Links www.worldenergy.net DUBLIN, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Clear Aligner Market (2021 Edition) - Analysis by Age (Teenagers, Adults), End User (Hospitals, Dental and Orthodontic Clinics), By Region, By Country: Market Insights and Forecast with Impact of COVID-19 (2021-2026)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Clear Aligner Market was estimated at USD 2367.17 Million in the year 2020. Clear aligners represent one of the most attractive areas in the dental industry due to the significant advantages of clear aligners over conventional wires and brackets, including appearance, patient compliance and convenience. The market for clear aligners will be majorly driven by its growing awareness and wider availability. The market remained flat in 2020 considering the significant disruptions caused by the pandemic. However, the pent-up demand and low level of penetration will result in significant results for the players operating in the clear aligner market. The rising prevalence of dental malocclusion across the world is the major factor responsible for the growth of the clear aligners market. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. Furthermore, the growing competition for advanced product launches for scanning and 3D printing by key players and increasing awareness among people about dental care and the rising customer spending is driving the clear aligners market growth. The growing demand for aesthetics and surge in the demand for these aligners in orthodontic treatment are likely to fuel the market growth during the forecast period. Significant technological advancement, improvement in per capita spending, the betterment of economic indicators, and increased penetration by key companies in the developing regions are contributing to the growth of the market. Scope of the Report: The report presents the analysis of Clear Aligner market for the historical period 2016-2020 and forecast period of 2021-2026. The report analyses the Clear Aligner Market by value (USD Million) The report analyses the Clear Aligner Market by Age (Teenagers, Adults) The report analyses the Clear Aligner Market End User (Hospitals, Dental & Orthodontic Clinics). The Global Proteomics Market has been analysed By Region ( North America , Europe , Asia Pacific , LAMEA) By Country ( United States , Canada , Germany , U.K, France , China , Japan , South Korea , Singapore and Indonesia ). , , , LAMEA) By Country ( , , , U.K, , , , , and ). The key insights of the report have been presented through the frameworks of the attractiveness of the market has been presented by region, by Age, By End User. Also, the major opportunities, trends, drivers and challenges of the industry has been analysed in the report. The report tracks competitive developments, strategies, mergers and acquisitions and new product development. The companies analysed in the report include Align Technology, Dentsply Sirona, 3M , Danaher Corporation, Henry Schein , Smile Direct Club, Straumann Group, Geniova Technologies SL, Ivoclar Vivadent, Carestream Health Key Topics Covered: 1. Report scope & Methodology 2. Strategic Recommendations 3. Clear Aligner Market: Product Outlook 4. Global Clear Aligner Market: Sizing and Forecast 4.1 Global Clear Aligner Market Size, By Value, Year 2016-2026 5. Global Clear Aligner Market Segmentation - By Age, By End User 5.1 Competitive Scenario of Global Clear Aligner Market: By Age 5.1.1 Teenagers - Market Size and Forecast (2016-2026) 5.1.2 Adults - Market Size and Forecast (2016-2026) 5.2 Competitive Scenario of Global Clear Aligner Market: By End User 5.2.1 Hospitals - Market Size and Forecast (2016-2026) 5.2.2 Dental & Orthodontic Clinics - Market Size and Forecast (2016-2026) 6. Global Clear Aligner Market: Regional Analysis 6.1 Competitive Scenario of Global Clear Aligner Market : By Region 7. North America Clear Aligner Market : An Analysis (2016-2026) 7.1 North America Clear Aligner Market : Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 7.2 North America Clear Aligner Market - Prominent Companies 7.3 Market Segmentation By Age (Teenagers, Adults) 7.4 Market Segmentation By End User (Hospitals, Dental & Orthodontic Clinics ) 7.5 North America Clear Aligner Market: Country Analysis 7.6 Market Opportunity Chart of North America Clear Aligner Market - By Country, By Value, 2026 7.7 Competitive Scenario of North America Clear Aligner Market: By Country 7.8 United States Clear Aligner Market: Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 7.9 United States Clear Aligner Market Segmentation - By Age, By End User (2016-2026) 7.10 Canada Clear Aligner Market: Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 7.11 Canada Clear Aligner Market Segmentation - By Age, By End User (2016-2026) 8. Europe Clear Aligner Market : An Analysis (2016-2026) 8.1 Europe Clear Aligner Market : Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 8.2 Europe Clear Aligner Market - Prominent Companies 8.3 Market Segmentation By Age (Teenagers, Adults) 8.4 Market Segmentation By End User (Hospitals, Dental & Orthodontic Clinics ) 8.5 Europe Clear Aligner Market: Country Analysis 8.6 Market Opportunity Chart of Europe Clear Aligner Market - By Country, By Value, 2026 8.7 Competitive Scenario of Europe Clear Aligner Market: By Country 8.8 Germany Clear Aligner Market: Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 8.9 Germany Clear Aligner Market Segmentation - By Age, By End User (2016-2026) 8.10 United Kingdom Clear Aligner Market: Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 8.11 United Kingdom Clear Aligner Market Segmentation - By Age, By End User (2016-2026) 8.12 France Clear Aligner Market: Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 8.13 France Clear Aligner Market Segmentation - By Age, By End User (2016-2026) 9. Asia Pacific Clear Aligner Market : An Analysis (2016-2026) 9.1 Asia Pacific Clear Aligner Market : Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 9.2 Asia Pacific Clear Aligner Market - Prominent Companies 9.3 Market Segmentation By Age (Teenagers, Adults) 9.4 Market Segmentation By End User (Hospitals, Dental & Orthodontic Clinics ) 9.5 Asia Pacific Clear Aligner Market: Country Analysis 9.6 Market Opportunity Chart of Asia Pacific Clear Aligner Market - By Country, By Value, 2026 9.7 Competitive Scenario of Asia Pacific Clear Aligner Market: By Country 9.8 China Clear Aligner Market: Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 9.9 China Clear Aligner Market Segmentation - By Age, By End User (2016-2026) 9.10 Japan Clear Aligner Market: Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 9.11 Japan Clear Aligner Market Segmentation - By Age, By End User (2016-2026) 9.12 South Korea Clear Aligner Market: Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 9.13 South Korea Clear Aligner Market Segmentation - By Age, By End User (2016-2026) 9.14 Singapore Clear Aligner Market: Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 9.15 Singapore Clear Aligner Market Segmentation - By Age, By End User (2016-2026) 9.16 Indonesia Clear Aligner Market: Size and Forecast (2016-2026), By Value 9.17 Indonesia Clear Aligner Market Segmentation - By Age, By End User (2016-2026) 10. Global Clear Aligner Market Dynamics 10.1 Drivers 10.2 Restraints 10.3 Trends 11. Market Attractiveness 11.2 Market Attractiveness Chart of Global Clear Aligner Market - By Age, 2026 11.3 Market Attractiveness Chart of Global Clear Aligner Market - By End User, 2026 11.4 Market Attractiveness Chart of Global Clear Aligner Market - By Region, 2026 12. Competitive Landscape 12.1 Major Technological Innovations, Mergers & Acquisitions and Role of Manufacturers 12.2 Pricing Analysis 12.3 Key Financial Metrics 12.4 Market Share Analysis 13. Company Analysis 13.1 Align Technology 13.2 Dentsply Sirona 13.3 3M 13.4 Danaher Corporation 13.5 Henry Schein 13.6 Smile Direct Club 13.7 Straumann Group 13.8 Geniova Technologies SL 13.9 Ivoclar Vivadent 13.10 Carestream Health For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4cv7p9 Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com DUBLIN, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Personal Care Ingredients Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Growth and Change" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global personal care ingredients market. This report focuses on personal care ingredients market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the personal care ingredients market which will be shaping and changing our lives over the next ten years and beyond, including the markets response to the challenge of the global pandemic. The global personal care ingredients market is expected to grow from $12.20 billion in 2020 to $12.78 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.81%. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challengein the forecast period can be attributed to growing demand for personal care products and rise in disposable incomes. The market is expected to reach $15.63 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 5.16%. Reasons to Purchase Gain a truly global perspective with the most comprehensive report available on this market covering 12+ geographies. Understand how the market is being affected by the coronavirus and how it is likely to emerge and grow as the impact of the virus abates. Create regional and country strategies on the basis of local data and analysis. Identify growth segments for investment. Outperform competitors using forecast data and the drivers and trends shaping the market. Understand customers based on the latest market research findings. Benchmark performance against key competitors. Utilize the relationships between key data sets for superior strategizing. Suitable for supporting your internal and external presentations with reliable high quality data and analysis Where is the largest and fastest growing market for the personal care ingredients? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The Personal Care Ingredients market global report from the publisher answers all these questions and many more. The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography. It places the market within the context of the wider personal care ingredients market, and compares it with other markets. The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market. The market size section gives the market size ($b) covering both the historic growth of the market, the influence of the COVID-19 virus and forecasting its growth. Market segmentations break down market into sub markets. The regional and country breakdowns section gives an analysis of the market in each geography and the size of the market by geography and compares their historic and forecast growth. It covers the growth trajectory of COVID-19 for all regions, key developed countries and major emerging markets. Competitive landscape gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in recent years are identified. The trends and strategies section analyses the shape of the market as it emerges from the crisis and suggests how companies can grow as the market recovers. The personal care ingredients market section of the report gives context. It compares the personal care ingredients market with other segments of the personal care ingredients market by size and growth, historic and forecast. It analyses GDP proportion, expenditure per capita, personal care ingredients indicators comparison. Major players in the personal care ingredients market are BASF SE, Ashland, Solvay, Dow, Clariant, Croda International Plc, Evonik Industries AG, J.M. Huber Corporation, Solvay S.A, Huntsman International LLC, The Lubrizol Corporation, Akzo Nobel N.V, Pharmacos, Nouryon, Lonza, Berkshire Hathaway Inc, KCC Corporation, Galaxy Surfactants, Oxiteno, Eastman Chemical Company, SABIC, Symrise, Sinerga S.p.A., SG Ceresco Inc, PRIDE SEEDS, Grain Millers Inc, Innospec, AEP Colloids, and Jarrow Formulas Inc. The personal care ingredients market consists of sales of personal care ingredients by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that produce personal care ingredients for skincare, haircare, oral care, and make-up products. The ingredients used in the product are usually obtained through synthetic and natural sources. Synthetic materials include parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, formaldehyde, and propylene glycol; whereas natural ingredients include cocoa butter, coconut oil, soy seeds, and essential oils. The main type of personal care ingredients are emollients, surfactants, emulsifiers, rheology modifiers, conditioning polymers, and others. . Emollients are the natural ingredients used in personal care products that help hair and skin to soften and moisturize. Surfactants are compounds that are compatible with water and oil which lower the surface tension between two liquids and are used to clean and foam in shampoos and hair conditioners, shower gels, liquid soaps and bath additives. Emulsifiers keep unlike ingredients such as oil and water from separating in an emulsion and are used in creams and lotions to mix water with oils. Rheology modifiers are thickeners or viscosity modifiers that give control over the viscosity, suspension and texture of advanced personal care and home care solutions. Conditioning polymers absorb into the proteins of the skin and hair improving skin feel and hair manageability, making the skin and hair softer and smoother. The types of sources for extracting personal care ingredients include natural and synthetic and these ingredients. These personal care ingredients are used in skincare, hair care, oral care, cosmetics, and other applications. North America was the largest region in the personal care ingredients market in 2020. Europe was the second largest market in personal care ingredients market. The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. Side effects of chemical based personal care products could act as a restrain for the personal care ingredients market in the forecast period. The common side effects of using substandard quality and unregulated chemical based personal care products include allergies, discoloration, texture alteration or permanent damage to the skin or hair. Some common chemicals found in beauty products, likesuch as paraben, used as a preservative in deodorants, moisturizers, shampoos, body wash and makeup increasesincrease chances of breast cancer as it has a chemical structure similar to that of estrogen. The detrimental effects of using chemical based personal care products impacts the market for personal care ingredients in the forecast period. In June 2020, Givaudan, a Switzerland-based manufacturer of fragrances, flavors, and active cosmetic ingredients acquired Indena's cosmetics business for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition will expand the capabilities of Givaudann's active beauty business with Indena's commitment to continue manufacturing ingredients for Givaudan and to provide innovation capabilities and other supporting services to the company. Indena is an Italy-based company engaged in the development, identification, and production of high-quality active ingredients derived from plants, for use in the health food, pharmaceutical, and personal care industries. The increasing young population would contribute to the demand for personal care ingredients in the forecast period. The growing desire to look good and presentable drives the demand for personal care products for the increasing youth population. For instance, in 2019, the global youth population aged 15 to 24 years was 1.2 billion, which is expected to increase to around 1.4 billion by 2065. The increase in the youth population is expected to drive the personal care products demand, thereby driving the market growth in the future. Key companies functioning in the market are focusing on new product innovations to meet the demand of the consumers and benefit the users while maximize revenues. For instance, in January 2019, Symrise AG, Germany-based cosmetic ingredients company introduced the first benzyl alcohol-based preservative blend with the added power of SymSave H, SymOcide BHO. The product protects cosmetics from undesired microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria. The product also contains the multifunctional ingredients Hydrolite CG, an emollient, and SymSave H, an antioxidant. In another instance, in 2020, Germany based chemicals company, BASF SE partnered with Netherlands based Isobionics to launch Santalol, an alternative to sandalwood oil, produced on a biotechnological basis from renewable raw materials. The new alternative prevents depletion of natural resources and is suitable for use in perfumes and other personal care products. The countries covered in the personal care ingredients market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USAand USA. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Personal Care Ingredients Market Characteristics 3. Personal Care Ingredients Market Trends and Strategies 4. Impact Of COVID-19 On Personal Care Ingredients 5. Personal Care Ingredients Market Size and Growth 5.1. Global Personal Care Ingredients Historic Market, 2015-2020, Billion 5.1.1. Drivers Of The Market 5.1.2. Restraints On The Market 5.2. Global Personal Care Ingredients Forecast Market, 2020-2025F, 2030F, Billion 5.2.1. Drivers Of The Market 5.2.2. Restraints On the Market 6. Personal Care Ingredients Market Segmentation 7. Personal Care Ingredients Market Regional and Country Analysis 7.1. Global Personal Care Ingredients Market, Split By Region, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, Billion 7.2. Global Personal Care Ingredients Market, Split By Country, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, Billion 8. Asia-Pacific Personal Care Ingredients Market 9. China Personal Care Ingredients Market 10. India Personal Care Ingredients Market 11. Japan Personal Care Ingredients Market 12. Australia Personal Care Ingredients Market 13. Indonesia Personal Care Ingredients Market 14. South Korea Personal Care Ingredients Market 15. Western Europe Personal Care Ingredients Market 16. UK Personal Care Ingredients Market 17. Germany Personal Care Ingredients Market 18. France Personal Care Ingredients Market 19. Eastern Europe Personal Care Ingredients Market 20. Russia Personal Care Ingredients Market 21. North America Personal Care Ingredients Market 22. USA Personal Care Ingredients Market 23. South America Personal Care Ingredients Market 24. Brazil Personal Care Ingredients Market 25. Middle East Personal Care Ingredients Market 26. Africa Personal Care Ingredients Market 27. Personal Care Ingredients Market Competitive Landscape and Company Profiles 27.1. Personal Care Ingredients Market Competitive Landscape 27.2. Personal Care Ingredients Market Company Profiles 27.2.1. BASF SE 27.2.1.1. Overview 27.2.1.2. Products and Services 27.2.1.3. Strategy 27.2.1.4. Financial Performance 27.2.2. Ashland 27.2.2.1. Overview 27.2.2.2. Products and Services 27.2.2.3. Strategy 27.2.2.4. Financial Performance 27.2.3. Solvay 27.2.3.1. Overview 27.2.3.2. Products and Services 27.2.3.3. Strategy 27.2.3.4. Financial Performance 27.2.4. Dow 27.2.4.1. Overview 27.2.4.2. Products and Services 27.2.4.3. Strategy 27.2.4.4. Financial Performance 27.2.5. Clariant 27.2.5.1. Overview 27.2.5.2. Products and Services 27.2.5.3. Strategy 27.2.5.4. Financial Performance 28. Key Mergers and Acquisitions In The Personal Care Ingredients Market 29. Personal Care Ingredients Market Future Outlook and Potential Analysis 30. Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dfxzr6 Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com PIPESTEM, W.Va., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the fall, the mountains and forests of West Virginia come alive with spectacular colors, and the most exciting way to experience the fall foliage is ziplining through the mountains and over the gorges in southern West Virginia. Being the third most forested state, West Virginia provides a lush tableau of colors that are especially attractive to adventure travelers. Colorful Fall Foliage at Pipestem State Park in West Virginia Ziplining Under A Canopy of Leaves at Pipestem Adventures Imagine flying 300 feet in the air under a canopy of leaves. That experience becomes a reality at Pipestem Adventures. As you zip from tree to tree you can see for a mile across the Mountain State. The cooler weather in the fall makes it the perfect time to zipline, and Pipestem offers breathtaking views as visitors sail on lines that cross over the Bluestone River Gorge three times at speeds up to 50 mph. There are 9 ziplines up to 1,700 feet in length. Late September through the end of October is the perfect time to experience peak fall colors from the ziplines at Pipestem Adventures which are open until October 31st. Pipestem State Park is an adventurer's paradise. In addition to ziplining, visitors can enjoy other adventures such as hiking, mountain biking, archery and skeet shooting during the fall season. As the forests explode with rich colors of red, orange and yellow, West Virginia's beautiful vistas engage the senses with their visual splendor, the scent of the fall and the sound of the crunch of leaves underfoot. Among the prime destinations for leaf peeping is the state's only National Park the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The second week in October is the ideal time to view the colors in the most photographed and iconic sites in the state. During 6 weekends in September and October, serious rafters from around the world visit West Virginia to take on the challenge of whitewater rafting on the Gauley River. During this distinct time of year the dam at Summersville Lake is released, creating guaranteed flow on the Gauley River. The river consists of 2 distinct sections The Upper and Lower Gauley and each is typically run separately as a full day trip. View all of the Pipestem Adventures activities at www.pipestemadventures.com. Pipestem activities can be booked by calling 1-833-WV-Parks (1-833-987-2757) or visiting wvstateparks.com. Some activities require advanced reservations and other considerations. Experiences at New River Gorge National Park and on the Gauley River can be explored and booked at www.AceRaft.com or by calling 800-787-3982. Contact: Kristen Cooper Kristen Cooper Public Relations (310) 717-0521 [email protected] SOURCE Pipestem Adventures Related Links http://www.pipestemadventures.com/ United Nations, Sep 10 : Warning that terrorism continues to threaten Afghanistan, India has demanded the Taliban to keep its commitment to not allow the country to be used by terrorists. Citing last month's "deplorable" attack on the Kabul Airport that killed 13 American soldiers and more than 170 Afghans, India's Permanent Representative T.S. Tirumurti said on Thursday that "terrorism continues to pose a serious threat to Afghanistan". He said that the resolution adopted last month when India presided over the Council "noted the commitment of the Taliban not to allow the use of the Afghan soil for terrorism, including from terrorists and terrorist groups designated" by the UN. The resolution took into account the "collective concerns" on terrorism and "underlined that Afghan territory should not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or to finance terrorist acts", he said at the Council meeting on Afghanistan. "It is therefore important that commitments made in this regard (by the Taliban) are respected and adhered to." Tirumurti said that he hoped that the Taliban will also respect its commitment to allow Afghans to travel abroad and ensure secure departure for them and all foreign nationals. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, raised the issue of Taliban's leadership being on the UN's list of terrorists. Of the 33 members of the interim government announced by the Taliban, many are on the UN sanctions list, including Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the two deputy prime ministers, and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, she said. "All of you will need to decide which steps to take regarding the sanctions list, and the impact on future engagement," she told the Council. Lyons added that the protest around the country "show that the Taliban have won power, but not yet the confidence of all Afghan people". Afghanistan's Permanent Representative Ghulam Isaczi, who has defied the Taliban regime, said that the Security Council should reevaluate exempting the insurgent leaders from UN sanctions since they have failed to resolve the conflicts through peaceful means. "The Council must use all its diplomatic tools, including the full implementation of existing multilateral sanctions to ensure that the Taliban is sincere and genuine in finding a comprehensive settlement," he said. He urged all countries to withhold recognition of any government in Afghanistan "unless it's truly and formed on the basis of free will". "I further urge you to draw a red line, regarding Taliban treatment of women and girls, and respect for the rights of all." He said that the protests in his country, which the Taliban is brutally suppressing, are a sign that that the people will not accept a totalitarian system imposed upon them and will demand their freedom. Isaczi added that the Taliban was committing atrocities, and possible war crimes, in the Panjshir Valley with the support of foreign terrorist fighters and foreign intelligence and military. Malala Yousafzai, who was attacked by extremists in Pakistan for advocating girls' education, reminded the Security Council of its commitment to protect the rights and dignity of women and girls. "We must support education for Afghan girls, because it is a human right and because it is vital to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. "So today I'm here to call on the Security Council to protect Afghan girls and women," and "send a clear and unequivocal message to the Taliban" that a fundamental condition for a working relationship is giving girls their right to education, she added. Tirumurti appealed to the international community "to come together, rising above any partisan interests, to stand together with the people of Afghanistan in their desire for peace, stability and security in the country". "We reiterate the need for the voices of Afghan women to be heard, aspirations of Afghan children to be realised and the rights of minorities to be protected. We call on humanitarian assistance to be provided urgently and underline the need to provide unhindered access to the UN and other agencies in this regard." He said that India has contributed significantly to the development of Afghanistan through more than 500 development projects in each of the 34 provinces of the country in critical areas of power, water supply, road connectivity, healthcare, education, agriculture and capacity building. India also sent 75,000 metric tonnes of wheat last year to Afghanistan as humanitarian aid, he said. "We hope that these developments projects and the education and human resource development imparted by India over the years will help in contributing to the development of an inclusive and progressive polity." (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New York, Sep 10 : Canadian 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez collected her third top-5 win of the week, overcoming No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 to storm into the US Open final here on Friday (IST). Fernandez, ranked world No.73, battled past the Belarusian at the Arthur Ashe Stadium after saving a set point in the first set before taking it in the tiebreak. The Canadian teen continued her giant-killing run with the 2-hour and 20-minute victory and has now beaten four seeds in a row to make it into her maiden major final. Fernandez, who turned 19 on September 6, is now the second Canadian teenager in the last three years to make it into the US Open final, joining 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu, who was also 19 when she lifted the trophy. Fernandez came into the US Open with mixed results of and her close encounters over former top-20 players Ana Konjuh of Croatia and Kaia Kanepi of Estonia in the opening two rounds in New York were her first back-to-back wins since she claimed her first WTA singles title in Monterrey in March. But she struck form here with top-5 wins over world No.3 and defending champion Naomi Osaka of Japan in the third round and world No.5 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the quarterfinals. She also had a fourth-round win against No.16 seed, former World No.1, and former US Open champion Angelique Kerber of Germany. By adding world No.2 Sabalenka to her list of opponents she beat, Fernandez becomes the youngest player to overcome three top-5 players at a Grand Slam event since Serena Williams accomplished the feat during her title run at the 1999 US Open. Against Sabalenka, Fernandez was sturdy in the face of stiff competition, saving seven of the 11 break points she faced to limit her amount of dropped service games to four -- matching Sabalenka's total. The power-hitting game of Sabalenka helped the Belarusian lead in winners by 45 to 26, but the speed and precision of Fernandez extended rallies past their breaking point, and Sabalenka finished the day with 52 unforced errors. By contrast, Fernandez had fewer unforced errors than winners, with 23. It was Sabalenka who dominated early proceedings, using strong serves and forehands to win 12 of the first 14 points and lead 3-0. But Fernandez used deep returns to check Sabalenka's service, which had been nearly flawless here, at 4-2. Sabalenka fired a double fault on the third break point of that game to drop serve. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Bengaluru, Sep 10 : The Karnataka government has ended the weekend curfew in the border districts of Kerala and Maharashtra following a decrease in the number of new Covid-19 cases. The decision was taken in a meeting held on Thursday and orders were issued later in the evening. The state-wide Covid-19 positivity rate stood at 0.73 per cent and it has come down below 2 per cent in all the districts. The expert committee had recommended weekend curfew in districts that recorded more than 2 per cent of Covid positivity. The bordering districts especially, Kodagu, Mysuru, Dakshina Kannada which borders Kerala have also recorded less number of cases, as well as a low positivity rate. The number has also decreased in Chamarajnagar and Hassan districts, where a large number of students and workers commuted from Kerala. The state government had recently issued a circular for all educational institutions and companies to restrict the movement of people from Kerala. The Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada also issued a directive restricting the movements from and towards Kerala till October 31. The state government has given authority to the respective District Commissioners to take a call on imposing weekend curfews and other measures based on the Covid situation. However, night curfew will continue in the state including the border districts, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. The government has also directed authorities of the border districts of Kerala and Maharashtra to strengthen checkposts. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Tokyo, Sep 10 : The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will dispatch a team of experts to Japan in December to review the country's plan to dump radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the sea. The plan was proposed after China and South Korea, as well as local fishing communities, have voiced strong criticism against releasing the contaminated water accumulated at the plant since the 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami, reports Xinhua news agency. "The agency is firmly committed to ensuring that the review is comprehensive and objective and that the results are conveyed to the international community," Lydie Evrard, head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security of the IAEA, said during an online news conference on Thursday. The Japanese government decided in April to start discharging the water into sea from around spring of 2023. The decision has received strong criticism from China and other neighbouring countries. China has expressed serious concerns, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian saying that Beijing urged the Japanese side to take a responsible attitude and treat the issue of nuclear waste disposal with caution. Meanwhile, South Korea has also voiced its "grave concerns", with Foreign Ministry spokesman Choi Young-sam saying "it will be difficult to accept if the Japanese side decides to release the contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant without sufficient consultations". Evrard said the IAEA will select the inspection team members from 11 countries including China and South Korea. IAEA staff may travel to Japan sometime next year to present the results before the actual discharge of the nuclear water, she said. Water pumped into the ruined reactors at the Fukushima plant to cool the melted fuel, mixed with rain and groundwater, which has also been contaminated, is being treated using an advanced liquid processing system to remove most contaminants. However, substances like tritium, a radioactive byproduct of nuclear reactors, are hard to filter out. According to some marine experts, traces of ruthenium, cobalt, strontium, and plutonium isotopes in the wastewater also raise concerns. Patna, Sep 10 : Political killings continue in Bihar amid the panchayat elections. A political party supporter has been gunned down in Bihar's Vaishali district. The incident took place on Thursday as the filing of nomination for the first phase of election ended. The deceased's relatives alleged that a probable village head (Mukhiya) candidate may be involved in the murder. Anutosh Raj, the brother of deceased Ashutosh Raj alleged that his brother was campaigning for a candidate in Ghataro south Panchayat. As Ashutosh enjoyed influence over the villagers, the rival candidate was perturbed. "He had threatened my brother to stay away from the campaign or join him which he refused. I strongly believe that person was behind the murder of my brother," Anutosh Raj said. Raghav Dayal, the DSP of Hajipur (Sadar) said: "The deceased family leveled murder allegations on a candidate running for the post of village head. Investigations are underway to identify the attackers. Once they are identified, the motive and actual conspirators will be caught." Earlier on August 21, the husbands of two village heads were killed in Patna and one in Rohtas districts. September 10 : After his spectacular performance as Harshad Mehta in Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, Pratik Gandhi is all set to make his Bollywood debut with Raavan Leela. The makers of Raavan Leela on Thursday dropped the trailer of the film, which is not only hard-hitting but also sends across the message of seeing religion in a new perspective. In the trailer, Pratik is seen playing a simple village man but plays the demon Raavan in the play Ram Leela. He questions the character who plays Ram why people see Raavan as the villain and look down upon him when he had not cut off any ones nose like Lakshman did to Raavans sister; the why people worship Ram? To this, he gets the reply from his co-actor who plays Ram, because I am god. The trailer hints at a hard-sitting film that questions the hypocrisy and double standards of the society regarding religion, and how religion is always used by politicians and leaders to win over people. Pratiks performance as Raja Ram Joshi, an enthusiastic village actor will leave everyone mesmerised after seeing the trailer of Raavan Leela. The trailer shows the village called Khakhar prepping for the Ram-Leela play, in which Pratik gets the role of Raavan. However, in real life, he falls in love with the girl (Aindrita Ray) who plays Sita. The trailer shows how the couple fights blind faith of the society in religion. It will be interesting to see if they could fight against fake religious beliefs and finally come together. The trailer ends with a hard-hitting scene, which is definitely a show-stealer, wherein Pratik asks his co-actor Ankur Vikal why Raavan becomes a villain when Ram also insulted his sister Shurpanakha? Besides Pratik Gandhi, Raavan Leela also features Aindrita Ray, Ankur Bhatia, Abhimanyu Singh, Rajesh Sharma, Ankur Vikal, Rajendra Gupta, Gopal Singh and others. Directed by Hardik Gajjar, Raavan Leela will hit the theatres on October 1. Jakarta, Sep 10 : The number of inmates killed in the fire at a prison in Tangerang, a town near the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, has increased to 44, the Law and Human Rights Ministry reported. "Three people died today after being hospitalised due to severe burns," Rika Aprianti, Ministry spokesperson, told Xinhua news agency on Thursday. Currently, five inmates are still under medical treatment at a hospital, including one who broke his leg after jumping from a height of two metres amid the fire. The fire broke out on Wednesday at Block C2 of the overcrowded prison, which held up to 2,072 inmates with the designed capacity of 600 people. The fire spread in locked detention rooms and killed 41 people on the same day, including two prisoners from South Africa and Portugal. Medics struggled to identify the bodies because of the serious burns. Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly said that that the fire was suspected to be caused by an electrical short circuit. New Delhi, Sep 10 : Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Friday drew an analogy between the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Taliban after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat statement about the working women. Singh was commenting on Bhagwat's comment on men being breadwinners and women the housewives. Digvijaya Singh in a tweet said, "Do Taliban and RSS have a similarity of views on Working Women? Looks like it, unless Mohan Bhagwat ji and Taliban change their views." This is the second time this week that the terror organisation has been compared with the RSS. Incidentally Singh has supported and defended lyricist Javed Akhtar and told reporters on Tuesday when asked that everyone has freedom of speech: "I do not know in which context he said so. But our Constitution has given us the right to express ourselves." Digvijaya, who is bitter crtitic of the RSS, has been slamming the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and had alleged that the organisation was dividing the Hindu and Muslim communities by spreading lies and fake narrative. He said that when the DNA of Hindus and Muslims being one, then "why were issues like 'love jihad' raised if that was the case?". The DNA statement was also made by Mohan Bhagwat. As per the reports, the Bollywood-lyricist Akhtar had said he saw an uncanny resemblance between the Taliban and the RSS as 'just like the Taliban want an Islamic State, there are those who want a Hindu Rashtra here in India'. He had said that the right wing across the world wants the same things. "Just like the Taliban want an Islamic State, there are people who want a Hindu Rashtra. These people are of the same mindset, be it the Muslims, Christians, Jews and Hindus," Javed Akhtar was quoted by some TV channels. The BJP had slammed the statement of Akhtar, while he got the support of 150 eminent people. Over 150 citizens from different walks of life have condemned the hounding of prominent Bollywood personalities Javed Akhtar and Naseeruddin Shah. In a signed statement, the citizens said, "We, the undersigned, unequivocally support the recent interview given by author and poet Javed Akhtar to the media in the context of the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan. Phnom Penh, Sep 10 : The National Assembly of Cambodia has ratified the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's largest free trade agreement (FTA), which comprises 15 Asia-Pacific countries. Ninety-three lawmakers, who were present during the parliamentary session on Wednesday, unanimously adopted the pact, which will be next reviewed by the Senate before being submitted to King Norodom Sihamoni for endorsement, reports Xinhua news agency. Signed on November 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega trade deal between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak said the Cambodian government has projected that the RCEP accord will boost the country's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2 per cent, exports by 7.3 per cent and investment by 23.4 per cent. "The RCEP agreement will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region, further expand regional value chains and create more employment and market opportunities for peoples and businesses in the region," he told Parliament. "It also gives support to the world on the multilateral free trade system." Cheam Yeap, chairman of the National Assembly's Commission of Economy, Finance, Banking and Audit, said that the pact will enter into force 60 days after six ASEAN member states and three of the non-ASEAN signatories ratified the agreement. "This agreement will create an open trade and investment atmosphere for the region and will ultimately contribute to global economic growth and development," he said. Covering a region with a combined GDP of $26.2 trillion, or about 30 per cent of global GDP, the RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Once in effect, the deal will eliminate tariffs on as much as 90 per cent of goods traded between its signatories over the next 20 years. Amman, Sep 10 : Jordan's Court of Cassation has upheld the ruling against former Finance Minister Bassem Awadallah and royal family member Sharif Hassan Ben Zeid to 15 years in prison for inciting acts against the crown. In its ruling on Thursday, the Court of Cassation said that the verdicts were taken in accordance with the rule of law and after the two were found guilty of the charges, Xinhua news agency reported. In July, the State Security Court sentenced Awadallah and Ben Zeid to 15 years in prison for inciting acts against the regime, carrying out acts that endanger the safety of the kingdom, and fomenting sedition. In June, the State Security Court announced prosecution against Awadallah and Zeid, charging them with harming the safety and security of Jordan and destabilising the country. Zeid was also charged with possession of narcotics, according to the state-run Petra news agency. In April, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Prince Hamza, Awadallah, and Zeid had contacts with external powers to take some actions against the country. Mumbai, Sep 10 : Pavan Malhotra, Supriya Pathak, and Ranvir Shorey will feature in the upcoming web series 'Tabbar' in pivotal roles. Directed by Ajit Pal Singh and written by Harman Wadala, 'Tabbar' is a family thriller. The other actors in the series are Gagan Arora, Sahil Mehta, Paramveer Cheema, Nupur Nagpal, and Kanwaljit Singh in prominent roles. Veteran actress Supriya Pathak plays the role of a mother in the web series, however, her character explores many shades in the show. In a candid conversation with IANS, Supriya Pathak said, "For me, Sargun is an epitome of strength and nurture. While the primary role of the mother remains the same, Sargun's transition throughout the journey of the show is what impressed me the most." She added, "I have played the character of a mom many times, but portraying Sargun opened different avenues for me as an actor and I got to explore the many shades of the character in 'Tabbar'. I thoroughly enjoyed working with director Ajit Pal Singh and my co-stars Pavan Malhotra, Gagan and others." Seasoned actor Pavan Malhotra portrays the role of Omkar Singh, the head of the family and a doting husband and father. Sharing about his character, he said, "Tabbar is all about family togetherness and I am grateful to the director for giving me Omkar Singh. It's great to be back on the SonyLIV OTT platform playing characters that challenge me as an actor." Gagan Arora who plays the role of Happy, says it was challenging for the actor to portray the role. "I am extremely elated and excited for the launch of Tabbar on SonyLIV as it marks my third project with the platform. Playing the role of Happy was challenging as it is different from the roles I have essayed in the past." "While Tabbar revolves around the Singh family and the strong bond they share with each other, it's the twist in the tale that makes this story an interesting watch. We all turn to our family when we face problems and the makers gave me an amazing onscreen family including seasoned actors Supriya Pathak and Pavan Malhotra," said Gagan. Produced by JAR Pictures productions, 'Tabbar' will stream on SonyLIV soon. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Bhubaneswar, Sep 10 : The college density in Odisha remained stagnant at 23 and remained below the national average during the years 2014-19, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said in a report. In its latest report on the outcome in higher education in the State, the CAG said the number of universities had increased from 21 to 28 and the colleges from 705 to 883 during the period from 2014-15 to 2018-19. The average enrollment per college had increased from 606 to 682 during the period. However, the college density (number of colleges per 1 lakh population of 18-23 years) has remained constant at 23 and was low as compared to the national average and the better performing States, the CAG said in the report, which was tabled in Assembly on Thursday evening. The college density at all India-level has been increased from 27 in 2014-15 to 28 in 2018-19. There also remains a huge gap in the college density in Odisha (4.19 crore population) and States with comparable population like Kerala (3.34 crore) and Andhra Pradesh (4.94 crore), the auditor said. The CAG also observed that the department of higher education (DHE) had neither made any assessment nor prepared master plans for establishment of new government colleges in blocks, municipalities and NACs, despite having provision in the Orissa Education Rules, 1991. The last government college in Odisha was established in the year 1991. It was only after a substantial gap, eight model degree colleges were established in the educationally backward districts in 2016-17. Jharsuguda, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts did not have a government college till 2018-19. Similarly, 19 blocks were devoid of any kind of higher educational institute and only 12 per cent of the government colleges were present in the rural areas, it says. Population of SC (17.13 per cent) and ST (22.85 per cent) categories constitute about 40 per cent of the total population of the State. The CAG observed that 15 blocks of six districts with more than 60 per cent SC and ST population in the State have no degree colleges. There was no long term vision on the part of the DHE to provide a continuous supporting mechanism for the students and improve results, CAG added. Dar Es Salaam, Sep 10 : Tanzania's environmental watchdog announced that it has fined nine oil companies a total of 5.1 billion Tanzanian shillings ($2.2 million) over the violation of environmental rules. In a statement on Thursday, Samuel Gwamaka, the Director General of state-run National Environment Management Council (NEMC), said the nine companies have been fined after it was established that they constructed filling stations across the country without undergoing an environmental impact assessment (EIA), reports Xinhua news agency. "The nine oil companies should pay the fines within 14 days beginning Friday," Gwamaka told a news conference in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam. He said an ongoing crackdown on oil companies that are operating filling stations without undergoing the EIA across the country has established that there are about 393 companies flouting the environmental rule. He said NEMC has established that most of the oil companies have constructed filling stations without EIA, adding that the crackdown was continuous. New Delhi, Sep 10 : There were early morning showers on Friday in the national capital that lowered the minimum temperature to 22.4 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal. As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data updated at 8.30 a.m., the Ayanagar observatory recorded maximum rainfall at 32 mm, 18 mm rainfall was recorded at Palam, 6 mm at Lodhi Road, while 5 mm rainfall was recorded at Safdarjung observatory. The city is likely to receive another spell of rain later in the day as the IMD has predicted moderate rain on Friday. The Met Department has also predicted moderate rain for the next three days. The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 32 degrees Celsius while the minimum will be around 25 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature on Thursday was at 34 degree Celsius. Earlier this month, Delhi recorded the highest rainfall in September in the past 19 years. According to IMD, the rainfall on September 1 was the highest that Delhi recorded in September in almost two decades. The air quality in the city was in the 'moderate' category with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded 159 at Lodhi Road around 9 a.m. on Friday. Bengaluru, Sep 10 : The Karnataka government is all set to form a high-level committee to remove controversial lessons from the textbooks pertaining to religion from Class 1 to 10. It will also remove controversial texts blaming Vaidika dharma (Vedic way of life, Hinduism) for the rise of other religions such as Jainism and Buddhism in India. The government will form a high-level committee to take a look at all such contentious issues in Class 1 to 10 textbooks, sources said. The committee is being formed as objections came for the controversial text in the Social Science subject Part 1, prescribed for 6th standard students. The contentious content talks about the birth of new religions, especially Buddhism and Jainism. The lesson says, during the Vedic period (1500 BC to 600 BC), the rituals like 'homa' and 'havana' (tradition of offering precious food items into the sacred fire to please gods), in which large quantities of foodgrains, milk, ghee led to food scarcity. The lesson also discussed rituals of the sacrifice of animals. The lesson further said it was believed that such rituals are only to find solutions. Common people could not understand chants as they were in Sanskrit, whereas Buddhism and Jainism taught simple ways which led to their growth, it mentioned. The Karnataka State Brahmin Development Board had met then Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in February objecting to the parts of a chapter in social science textbooks. The Yediyurappa government issued a circular on February 17 instructing that the chapter should neither be taught nor used for evaluation. Sources in the government said, it has already been decided to remove this controversial chapter from the next academic year. "It has been decided to form a committee under the chairmanship of Rohith Chakratheertha, a member of the Kannada Development Authority. The government will announce the formation of a committee soon," the sources said. It has also been decided to appoint 16 other members, including representatives from the Rashtrothana Parishat,, the frontier organisation of RSS, researchers from Mythic Society, folklore studies and from other reputed institutions. The committee will also include representatives of reputed educational institutions of the state. The committee will take a relook at the content of the page numbers 82 and 83 under the title "Reasons for the emergence of new religions" in the Social Science Part -1 textbook prescribed for Class 6 students. The content given in the first two paragraphs under the title and six beginning lines of page number 83 will also be discussed. Sources explain that the content claiming drawbacks of Vedic religion giving way for the emergence of new religions will be dropped from the academic year 2021-22. The committee will also take a relook at contentious issues related to religion in textbooks of Social Science, Environmental Science and Languages from Class 1 - 10. The government has already directed the Department of Public Instruction to form a committee of experts and academicians to find out any content hurting sentiments of any religion in the form of lessons prescribed for children from Class 1 to 10. The government has also said a high-level committee will further deliberate on the report by the Department of Public Instruction. Sources explained that the government is expected to announce the committee soon. The decision to exclude the chapter from teaching was earlier opposed by experts who maintained that the students will lose out on critical thinking. It is to be seen how the academicians respond to the recent decision to overhaul all the textbooks from Class 1 to 10 on contentious religious issues in the state. September 10 : Kartik Aaryan is a busy actor, shuttling from one set to another. While he is shooting for new films like Freddy, he is also completing Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, which had started filming in 2019. The film faced a number of obstacles due to Covid-19 pandemic, and finally its director Anees Bazmee got behind the camera to finish off the last leg of the film. Some time back, Kartik and Tabu resumed shoot for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. Recently, both the actors started off to shoot for the dramatic climax, where Kartik and Tabu are pitted against each other. The climax of the comedy-horror film involves a lot of drama and action, wherein Kartik and Tabu had to do a lot of screaming and shouting. Reportedly, while doing the climax scene, Kartik suddenly lost his voice. According to a leading daily, Anees Bazmee and the crew members got frightened as Kartik couldnt speak. Doctors were immediately called in, who reportedly assured that it was nothing serious. However, Kartik needs to rest his voice. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is a standalone sequel to Priyadarshan's 2007 iconic horror comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa starring Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan. Directed by Anees Bazmee and produced by Bhushan Kumar, the film also stars Kiara Advani. Earlier this year, the film's shoot had resumed but had to be stopped abruptly in March when Kartik tested positive for Covid-19. Back then, Tabu had joined the shoot but had brought her own Z++ bio bubble to the sets. Kartik had shared a picture of it and wrote, Welcome back @tabutiful Ji But she refuses to come out of bubble, brings her own portable Z++Bio-Bubble to shoot #BhoolBhulaiyaa2. Apart from Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Kartik Aaryan has Dhamaka, Captain India, and the Hindi remake of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, which originally starred Allu Arjun, in the pipeline. Kartik will also be seen in Sameer Vidwans directorial, which was earlier titled Satyanarayan Ki Katha. Kartik has recently started shooting for Ekta Kapoors romantic thriller Freddy, also starring Alaya F. The film went on floors on August 1 in Mumbai. It is directed by Shashanka Ghosh of Veere Di Wedding fame. San Francisco, Sep 10 : Tech giant Microsoft has announced that it is scrapping plans to fully reopen US offices early next month because of concerns about the Delta variant. Microsoft declined to set a new reopening date but promised to give employees 30 days' notice, reports CNN. "Given the uncertainty of Covid-19, we've decided against attempting to forecast a new date for a full reopening of our US work sites in favour of opening US work sites as soon as we're able to do so safely based on public health guidance," Jared Spataro, Microsoft's corporate vice president for modern work, said in a blog post. Microsoft had planned to fully reopen its Redmond, Washington, headquarters and many other offices in the US as early as October 4. "The evolving Delta variant is compelling many of us to adjust plans for reopening worksites," Spataro wrote. "It's a stark reminder that this is the new normal. Our ability to come together will ebb and flow," Spataro added. Microsoft joins a growing list of major companies forced to delay their back-to-office plans, the report said. Amazon, Facebook and other tech companies have said they won't be back in the office until 2022 at the earliest, it added. Wellington, Sep 10 : Arrivals and departures across the New Zealand border fell in July 2021 from the previous two months, due to ongoing interruptions to two-way quarantine-free travel with Australia, the country's statistics department Stats NZ said on Friday. Total movements across the New Zealand border in July 2021 were 147,900, down from 189,500 in May 2021 and 175,500 in June 2021, Xinhua news agency quoted Stats NZ as saying. Trans-Tasman travel made up almost three-quarters of all New Zealand border crossings in July 2021, it said. "The Trans-Tasman travel bubble has been the main driver of border crossings since it started in mid-April 2021," population indicators manager Tehseen Islam said in a statement. The fewer border crossings seen in July 2021 reflect ongoing pauses in travel from some Australian states and territories in July, and the suspension of quarantine-free travel from Australia to New Zealand in late July, Islam said. Provisional data for August 2021 shows a further fall in the number of border crossings. This also reflects the suspension of quarantine-free travel from New Zealand to Australia in mid-August, he said. In July 2021, 36,500 New Zealand residents returned from a short-term trip overseas. This is well below the 340,200 arrivals in July 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic, statistics show. Of those who specified the main country visited in July 2021, 63 per cent (22,300) were returning from a trip to Australia and 30 per cent (10,700) from the Cook Islands, Stats NZ said. About 70 per cent of the New Zealand-resident arrivals returning from Australia in July 2021 were visiting friends and relatives, and 16 per cent travelled for holiday and vacation, it said. Of those returning from the Cook Islands, 92 per cent were on holiday and vacation, and 5 per cent were visiting friends and relatives, the statistics show. Net migration was provisionally estimated at 4,400 in the year ending July 2021 compared with 78,500 in the year ending July 2020, a drop of 74,100, Islam said. Puducherry, Sep 10 : The Puducherry Central Prison at Kalapet is witnessing some major reforms with the Inspector-General of Police, Prisons, Ravideep Singh Char taking the initiative to promote the mental and physical health, and skill development of the prison inmates. The IG initiated the reforms in July 2021 and results have started coming out. The prisoners to start with made 51 Vinayaka idols as part of the Vinayaka Chaturthi celebrations and the idols were sold off in minutes. The Puducherry Central prison officially launched the products with the slogan, "The second chance. Live life with dignity". Ravideep Singh Char, IG prisons told IANS, "The reforms were initiated to make Puducherry central prison a model one in association with Sri Aurobindo Society. Idol making and weaving are two programmes that have been initiated along with yoga so that the prisoners have something to look forward to in life." He said that the Vinayaka idols that were made by the prisoners were sold off like hot cakes in five minutes and more orders are coming in. The officer said the prison was planning to operate a bakery unit, canteen, organic farming, and goshala (rearing of cows). These, according to the IG are not only to keep the prisoners engaged but also to make them develop a skill so that they can eke out a living later. The Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) is already associated with the central prison for providing psychological counselling to the prisoners to improve their mental health. Routine dental checkups of the prisoners are also being conducted, the IG said. Noted dance trainer Aloka Nanda, who was imparting dance and music therapy training to prisoners in West Bengal prisons successfully, has commenced dance and music therapy sessions for inmates at Puducherry Central prison also. The jail department will train those who show interest in dance and music to take them up as a vocation so that they can use this skill for a living after walking out of the prison, said the IG. The IG also said that with the installation of CCTV cameras the inflow of contraband drugs has stopped inside the prison. He also said that 25 wardens have been recruited to take care of the staff shortage the prison was facing. Latest updates on Ganesh Chaturthi Festival 2021 New Delhi, Sep 10 : The BJP has fielded city lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee in the September 30 bypolls for the Bhabanipur assembly constituency seat. Tibrewal is the lawyer of post poll violence cases in West Bengal. The BJP on Friday announced three candidates for the bypolls. Milan Ghosh will contest from Samserganj and Sujit Das has been fielded from Jangipur by the saffron party. Priyanka Tibrewal graduated from Delhi University and studied law from Calcutta University. She practices at the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court. She also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Assumption University, Thailand. Tibrewal is handling a wide range of cases from defending victims of atrocities of the State Government, such as in the Raniganj riot case or the Purulia murder case, and has always stood up for the cause of justice and liberty, say the party workers. Tibrewal has also held various instrumental roles in the BJP and has been a state officer bearer. She played a crucial role in the recent post-poll violence incidents in West Bengal -- bringing up the cases to the Calcutta High Court to seek justice for the murder of Abhijeet Sarkar. Tibrewal has been successful in getting court order for CBI investigation and also constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for investigating the post poll violence cases. West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh has claimed that Banerjee will face another defeat in Bhabanipur like Nandigram. "We are going to fight the bypolls with our fullest strength and will win all the three assembly seats. Mamatadi will face another defeat in Bhabanipur," Ghosh said. Counting will be held on October 3. St. Kitts & Nevis, Sep 10 : Trinbago Knight Riders spun their way to a six-wicket win in their 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) against Barbados Royals here on Friday. This was Trinbago's fifth win in this year's CPL and moved them to a share of the top place in the league table. Trinbago won the toss and opted to field. The decision served them well as the Barbados Royals were kept inside 100 runs. Opener Kyle Mayers (24) was the only batsman who managed anything sizeable against a lethal Trinbago bowling attack. Mayers scored a fluent 24 runs off 12 balls and that was the highest score of the innings as Trinbago's spinners Kharry Pierre, Akeal Hosein and Sunil Narine combined to take seven of the nine wickets that fell, including that of key batsmen Glenn Phillips, Jason Holder and Azam Khan. When it came to chasing, Trinbago lost two early wickets in the PowerPlay. However, Colin Munro anchored the innings and took them to victory. Munro, Darren Bravo and Tim Seifert carefully accrued runs, and despite losing four wickets, it ended up being a comfortable win for Trinbago due to the efforts of Munro's 41 not out. Meanwhile, the Jamaica Tallawahs defeated the Saint Lucia Kings by 55 runs at Warner Park, St Kitts to keep their chances of a play-off berth alive, even as all six teams still have a mathematical chance to reach the latter stages. St Lucia Kings remain in third place in the table with all teams having two more group matches left to play. The Tallawahs got off to a lightning start courtesy an aggressive 56 in 24 balls from Kennar Lewis. Lewis was supported by Shamarh Brooks (34) as the Tallawahs reached 78/1 off their PowerPlay overs. Despite wickets falling, Tallawahs managed to maintain a fast scoring rate with contributions from the middle order. Imad Wasim pushed the Tallawahs past 200 with a 10-ball innings worth 27 runs including three consecutive sixes in the 20th over. The Kings chase started as fast with Andre Fletcher (30) and Mark Deyal (33) as they reached 79/1 off their first six overs. Roston Chase (30) and Deyal put on 66 in just 32 balls but both fell in the space of two balls to Carlos Brathwaite to bring the Tallawahs back into the match. Tallawahs squeezed the Kings in the middle overs with Brathwaite keeping things tight. Tallawahs took two wickets in two balls twice more as the Kings chase faded and the Tallawahs emerged victorious. Brief scores: Barbados Royals: 93/9 (Mayers 24, Azam Khan 17, Joshua Bishop 17; Pierre 3/16, Seales 2/12) lost to Trinbago Knight Riders: 99/4 (Munro 41*, Bravo 19; Amir 2/19, Bishop 2/20) by six wickets. Jamaica Tallawahs: 211 all out (Lewis 56, Brooks 34; Royal 3/37, Royal 3/53) beat Saint Lucia Kings: 156 all out (Deyal 33, Chase 30; Imad 3/34, Brathwaite 2/13) by 55 runs. Los Angeles, Sep 10 : The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second largest school system in the US, has announced that all eligible students aged 12 and older are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. According to an order approved by the school district's board of education, the fully vaccination of this group should be completed by January 10, 2022, unless they have medical or other exemptions, reports Xinhua news agency. The school district became the largest one in the country to mandate Covid-19 vaccination for all eligible students. LAUSD is home to more than 640,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade at over 1,000 schools. The district covers 1,839 square km and includes the City of Los Angeles as well as all or parts of 31 smaller municipalities plus several unincorporated sections of Los Angeles County. LAUSD noted the latest step will provides another layer of safety in schools and the order will help reduce transmission and ensure students can remain on campus in the safest possible environment. "The science is clear, vaccinations are an essential part of protection against Covid-19," LAUSD Interim Superintendent Megan K. Reilly said in a statement. The safety measures taken by LAUSD also include daily health checks for everyone going onto school campuses, masks, comprehensive Covid-19 testing, contact tracing and isolation of cases, hand sanitizer, increased sanitization and cleaning of schools, and upgraded ventilation. School officials said LAUSD is committed to providing access to vaccinations for all eligible students and staff. Mobile vaccination teams began visiting schools at LAUSD since August 30. Los Angeles County is the most populous in California and the country. The Golden State announced last month that it will implement first-in-the-nation measure to require all teachers and school staff to get vaccinated as schools return from summer break amid the Covid-19 Delta variant spread. Around 3,000 LAUSD students were reportedly in isolation after testing positive for the virus in their first week of school. Chandigarh, Sep 10 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday thanked the central government for hiking the minimum support price (MSP) for six Rabi crops before the sowing season begins even as the agitating farmers bodies continued their protests in Karnal city in his state. He said this decision would prove to be an important step towards the goal of doubling the income of the farmers. The Chief Minister said Haryana is the first state in the country where highest price of sugarcane is being given. This state government has increased the price of sugarcane by Rs 12 per quintal with which the price has been increased from to Rs 362 per quintal. This rate is the highest in the country and Rs 2 more than the price being given in neighbouring Punjab. Khattar said in the six Rabi crops the MSP has been increased from Rs 40 to Rs 400 and in many crops there has been an increase of up to 100 per cent. The Karnal agitation is the second batch of protests started by the farmers against the three contentious laws past by the Centre last year. The agitations began on November 26, 2020. The Karnal protests entered its fourth day on Friday. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, Sep 10 : Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has warned of a sharp increase in violence against journalists and mediapersons in Afghanistan under the Taliban rule. It said that in the past two days dozens of violent cases against journalists have been recorded by the RSF, TOLO News reported. Reza Moini, head of the RSF's Afghanistan desk, said that in the past 48 hours 24 journalists were detained by the Taliban and released after several hours. "In the past 48 hours, dozens of violent cases were registered against journalists in Afghanistan by the RSF," he said. On Wednesday, Etilaatroz newspaper in Kabul said five of its reporters were detained by the Taliban while covering a women's protest. Two of the reporters who were detained during the protest said the Taliban beat them badly and they were hospitalised, the report said. Meanwhile, some reporters in the provinces said the Taliban has imposed limitations on them. The Taliban, however, acknowledged the treatment of reporters but said they will try to prevent such incidents in the future. "We are regretful of the reporters becoming victims over the past few days. We tried to address their challenges. If they were transferred to a safe place by the Mujahideen, which was interpreted as being detained, we will also work on this and try to see they are treated properly," said Anaamullah Samangani, a member of Taliban's cultural commission said. The organisations that support and defend journalists, both inside and outside the country, have voiced their concerns over the dangerous situation of journalists in Afghanistan and called for the end of violence against reporters. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, Sep 10 : O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), an Institution of Eminence, and the Intellectual Property Talent Search Examination Academy have entered into a strategic partnership to spread awareness and build capacity in the areas of innovation, entrepreneurship, and intellectual property rights. An MoU between JGU and IPTSE was signed in the virtual presence of Mr. Sourabh Sachdeva, Director of IPTSE, with Dr. Sheetal Chopra, Honorary Course Advisor of IPTSE and Director of IPR Policy, Ericsson India, and Mr. Ramanan Ramanathan, Senior Vice President at TCS and the First Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission. Also present were Prof. Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik, Registrar of JGU, Professor (Dr) Ashish Bharadwaj, Dean of the Jindal School of Banking & Finance (JSBF) and Prof. (Dr.) S.G. Sreejith, Executive Dean of the Jindal Global Law School (JGLS). The MoU covers the Intellectual Property Talent Search Examination - an IP Olympiad conducted for students at various levels of their academic career. As part of the MoU, JGU and JSBF will organise workshops, seminars, webinars and training programmes for faculty members and students. The university will also incorporate the platform into the curriculum of the courses offered under the BA Hons Finance & Entrepreneurship. In addition to integrating the platform into the curriculum, JGU will also help the students prepare for the certificate-based examination conducted by IPTSE academy. The keynote address was delivered by Mr. Ramanan Ramanathan on "Nurturing Entrepreneurship and Innovation among Young Indians" where he mentioned that digital technology will play an even bigger role in the future for the purpose of empowering our youth in schools and universities as well as business and industries. He said that "innovative technologies have allowed us to live in an unprecedented creative time in the history of our civilization and enabling us to reimagine a new world as well find new innovations that the world has not thought about so far. I exhort the students to leverage the advantage that is available to them as they are living in a world standing on the shoulders of giants who laid down the foundation enabling the students to dream a new future." The best innovations in the Atal Tinkering Labs came from students who were able to apply their creativity to problems that were faced by their communities and not necessarily from the toppers in the schools. Successful start-ups were able to achieve success because of sparking latent creative genius, curiosity, and passion for discovery. Ramanan called on students "to make an impact, an impact that will resonate across the world". In the opening remarks, Prof. Sridhar Patnaik highlighted the achievements of O.P. Jindal Global University and the importance placed by the university on the interdisciplinary nature of teaching. He said that "JGU focuses on innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship as highlighted by the multi-disciplinary contribution of the JSBF, JGLS and other schools to train students. I am confident that the MoU will strengthen our efforts in teaching and training students in innovation and IPRs." He also emphasized on the different initiatives introduced by the university related to intellectual property rights - Centre for Intellectual Property & Technology Law, and the Jindal Initiative on Research in IP & Competition (JIRICO) - which bring together stakeholders to conduct research on IPRs. The university was also awarded the Jean Monnet Chair by the European Commission for conducting research and teaching in the areas of technology law. Speaking on this occasion, Prof. Ashish Bharadwaj, Dean of JGU's Finance School, which will drive this partnership forward, stressed on the importance of understanding how impactful innovation takes place in India. Professor Bharadwaj said that "The entrepreneurial spirit of individuals makes it possible to overcome adverse situations in life and address challenges in business thereby pushing the boundaries of imagination and technology. A lot of the tech and non-tech innovations and technological solutions that we see daily have become an integral part of our lives. The proven IP system made it possible for the benefits of these solutions and techniques to percolate to all sections of the society. We want to bring these insights to our students of finance, entrepreneurship, business, law and other disciplines so that they can become informed innovators and socially-aware entrepreneurs." Dr. Sheetal Chopra, Director, IPR Policy, Ericsson India expressed conveyed her appreciation for the initiative being taken by the two academic institutions with the support of leading corporations and government agencies. She said, "This landmark partnership and long-term association will bring about indispensable awareness towards the importance of innovation and intellectual property rights. This initiative will facilitate the faculty and students from JGU to come forward to help the community and other institutions to set up an IP policy which is the need of the hour." Mr. Sourabh Sachdeva, Director at IPTSE Academy, said, "IPTSE has consistently worked towards the enhancement in the understanding of the benefits of IP amongst students of various streams and for this purpose organise several activities including webinars, conferences, debates, and faculty development programs." The registrations for the 4th IP Olympiad are now open and open to engineering and management students. Researchers and faculty members are eligible to participate in this Olympiad. Prof. (Dr.) S.G. Sreejith, Executive Dean of Jindal Global Law School, delivered the closing remarks and expressed confidence that the students of JGLS would benefit immensely from this partnership between JGU and IPTSE Academy especially due to the focus of the Law School on IP through a variety of courses being offered, and faculty members & students being active participants in research and dissemination of intellectual property discourse in India. New Delhi, Sep 10 : A number of former Afghan government officials have accused exiled President Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, of lying. The former officials stated that Ghani, who allegedly fled Afghanistan with millions of US dollars in cash, has committed national treason and that his "corrupt leadership subdued the country to the Taliban (Islamic Emirate)", Ariana News reported. Ghani, however, rejected the claims stating that he had fought against corruption during his tenure as president. In a statement released on Wednesday, Ghani called for a neutral organisation to probe the allegations against him. He reiterated that he left the country to thwart security threats against him and to avoid "bloodshed" in the country. "Leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life, but I believed it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6 million citizens," he said. Meanwhile, a number of political experts called for the launch of an investigation into Ghani. Roya Rahmani, former Afghan Ambassador to the US, stated: "I am very disappointed with the fact that (former) President Ghani left his path. This was what surprised me, indeed, I had at least better expectations of him; The leadership was corrupt." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Mexico City, Sep 10 : Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has written a letter to his US counterpart Joe Biden raising the need for a new strategy to deal with undocumented migrants, according to the Foreign Ministry here. The letter was delivered by Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard during a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the White House on Thursday, prior to the resumption of the US-Mexico High Level Economic Dialogue after five years of suspension, the Ministry said in a statement. In the letter, Lopez Obrador highlighted "the need for a new approach to the phenomenon of Central American migration", saying that he is "in favor of an approach that prioritises development and opportunities" in regions that are the source of mass migration. The Ministry added that both sides "reaffirmed their willingness to strengthen cooperation on the main issues of bilateral relationship" in the meeting. The Mexican delegation stressed the importance of moving toward reopening the US-Mexico border to benefit trade and productive activities, while protecting the health of people in both countries amid the Covid-19 pandemic, it said. In June this year, the number of undocumented migrants reaching the US-Mexico border hit the highest level in more than 20 years. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it apprehended 180,034 migrants in May. The number was up slightly from 178,854 in April and 172,000 in March. It was the biggest monthly total since April 2000 with increasing numbers coming from outside Central America. This includes countries like Ecuador, Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti and even some African nations. Kolkata, Sep 10 : Moidul Islam, a teacher and one of the leaders of Sikshak Oikya Mancha (Teachers' Unity Forum), -- that has been fighting against the illegal transfer of primary teachers -- have complained before the Calcutta High Court against police high-handedness. Islam said that a large number of police gathered in front of his house at Beliaghata in North Kolkata on Thursday night and tried to force him to go to the police station. The incident was brought to the notice of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha who immediately asked the teacher to file a case and told that, if possible, the case will be heard on Friday itself. The incident is proving to be a huge embarrassment to the police and the Mamata Banerjee government. Around midnight, a 200-men strong unit of the Kolkata Police cordoned of the residence of Moidul Islam and asked him to go to the police with them. Islam who was also the candidate of Indian Secular Front in the assembly elections refused to go at night and assured that he would be at the police station in the morning. "I am a teacher and they have come at midnight to take me to the police station. They could have sent me a notice. I am not an anti-social. No legal procedure has been followed. They were behaving with me as if I was a criminal," Islam said. However, after nearly three hours the police left the spot and Islam decided to move the court. Five contract teachers of Sishu Shiksha Kendra (Primary School) protesting against their transfer to places far off from their homes tried to commit suicide by consuming poison in front of Bikash Bhawan -- the state education department on Tuesday evening. The teachers -- all women -- were rushed to a government hospital where the condition of two were reported to be serious. The Tuesday incident occurred when some contract teachers of Sishu Sikhsha Kendra were agitating against their alleged transfer to far off areas -- some 600 to 700 kilometres away from their homes. When police came and tried to move the agitating teachers, five women teachers took out bottles of poison and swallowed the content. Sources in the police claimed that Islam is the leader of these teachers' organisation and there is specific complaint that he instigated the teachers to consume poison and his interrogation was very important for the investigation. The police, however, had no answer why at that time of the night such a huge force raided his house. State BJP President Dilip Ghosh said: "Moidul Islam is a leader and more importantly he is a teacher. So, this kind of behaviour is not at all expected from the police and the state government." "However, one can expect anything from this government. They are behaving 'autocratic'. They neither have any respect for law nor for the people of this state. This is exactly what is expected from this party," he added. Mumbai, Sep 10 : National Award-winning actress Revathi returns to Hindi cinema with the upcoming film 'Aye Zindagi', whose shoot starts here from Sunday, September 12. The film is written and directed by debutant director Anirban. Talking about the film, Anirban said, "Being a doctor, I get people to share with me their most intimate secrets, hopes and desires, which gives me a unique window into human existence. I have personally lived with this story for many years, and I am excited to bring it to screen with such a talented cast and crew." He added: "With this true story of loss, love, grief and redemption, I hope the audiences will be able to appreciate the beauty of the human spirit and the life-changing power of ethical organ transplants, where death is not just the end, but also the beginning of a new life." Talking about she got interested in the film, Revathi said, "When Anirban narrated the story to me, I was moved by his passion and vision for it. Even though it's a heartening story and a feel-good one too, I know it is going to be a challenging one, for a hospital is not an easy location to shoot an entire film." Set in the backdrop of an organ transplant, the film will have Revathi as the female protagonist, along with the rising star Satyajeet Dubey, who plays the young Vinay Chawla, in an ensemble cast that includes former Miss Kerala Indu Thampy in her Hindi debut, acclaimed Gujarati actor Hemant Kher (previously seen in the web series 'Scam 1992'), Shrikant Verma, Sawan Tank and Mahesh Sharma. 'Aye Zindagi' is being produced by Shiladitya Bora's Platoon One Films, which had released the National Award-winning Marathi film 'Picasso' last year. Bora said: "When we first heard the incredible but true story of real people, upon which the film is based, we knew it deserved to be told on screen not only for its rich and engaging narrative, but also for the sheer beauty of human relationships built around ethical organ donations. Cinema is a powerful medium to reach a large audience, and we believe this story will resonate with the audience as well as bring a fresh perspective on a complex and often misunderstood subject." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Hyderabad, Sep 10 : Actor Rana Daggubati will soon be seen sharing screen space with renowned Telugu star and politician Pawan Kalyan in their project 'Bheemla Nayak'. While Rana's look is still kept under wraps, he is excited to work with Pawan. 'Bheemla Nayak' is the Telugu remake of Malayalam film 'Ayyapayum Koshiyam', in which Pawan will be seen playing the titular character, who is a cop. Talking about working with Pawan Kalyan, the actor told IANS: "Getting an opportunity to work with the power star Pawan Kalyan has truly been wonderful and I'm grateful to be sharing screen space with him in a film of such a grand scale. Now that the shoots have started in full force, I'm all geared up for the movies." Besides this Rana is also awaiting the release of his film 'Virataparvam', which also stars actress Sai Pallavi. He says all his projects are truly exciting. "All these stories are very exciting and have appealed to me on various levels. I'm truly excited to be a part of these interesting projects," he says. Rana is also rumoured to be part of actor Shah Rukh Khan's next film, which is being directed by Atlee. While no confirmation has been given, it is said that he will join the shoot of film starring Shah Rukh, Nayanthara and Priyamani soon. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Srinagar, Sep 10 : A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper and a woman were injured on Friday when militants hurled a grenade at the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar district. The police said militants hurled a grenade towards the headquarters of 29 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) battalion in the Chanapora area of Srinagar. "The grenade exploded resulting in injuries to a jawan and a local woman. "The area has been cordoned off for searches," said the police. Additional forces have reached the spot and a search operation has been started to nab the attackers. New Delhi, Sep 10: Blinded by its support for Pakistan, China is going ahead with backing in Afghanistan a Taliban-led government which is infested with ministers who have been tagged as international terrorists by the United Nations. In docking with Pakistan's ISI, China risks losing the PR war in the region, driving mistrust and suspicion among important regional players including Iran, Russia and some of the key Central Asian Republics. China on Wednesday announced that it is backing the new Taliban government, dominated by the banned Haqqani network and others who have been practitioners of terrorism or ultra-extremism. Beijing supported this government handpicked by the Pakistani ISI chief Faiz Hameed who had parked himself in Kabul to assemble a new government and direct a military operation against the anti-Taliban resistance that had germinated in the Panjshir valley in the northern Afghanistan. "China attaches importance to the Afghan Taliban's announcement of the formation of an interim government and some key roles. This has put an end to the anarchy in Afghanistan that lasted for over three weeks and is a necessary step for Afghanistan to restore domestic order and pursue post-war reconstruction. We noticed that the Afghan Taliban said that the interim government is formed to restore social and economic order as soon as possible," said the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The timing of the Chinese support could not have been worse. The Taliban's image from an organisation which deserved the benefit of doubt of mutating into a more moderate force had turned 360 degrees on Sunday. A stunned region on Sunday saw Pakista's ISI micro-managing the group, leaving no doubt that the Taliban core was nothing more but a proxy of the ISI. While Hameed was sitting in Kabul, Pakistani drones, helicopters and special forces were working in coordination to decimate the resistance mounted by Ahmad Masood and his Tajik fighters who had raised the banner of revolt in the famed Panjshir valley. Rapid geopolitical shifts followed. Instantaneously, neighbouring Tajikistan shed all inhibitions and assumed the role of a frontline state to target the Pakistan-backed Taliban. Afghan pilots who had deserted Kabul and landed in Dushanbe after Taliban's August 15 takeover apparently flew sorties to provide humanitarian assistance to the beleaguered Panjshiris. Surely the Chinese are unlikely to be welcomed in Dushanbe after demonstrating that they are hand in glove with the tainted Pakistanis who are killing ethnic Tajiks in the Panjshir valley. The betrayal of the Panjshiris by the China-friendly Pakistanis, who might have used Chinese drones to "martyr" some of Tajik stalwarts, has already gone viral over the social media and the Internet in the entire region, inflaming anti-China sentiment rapidly. Chinese popularity is also expected to take a beating in Iran, which has been incensed by Pakistan's powerplay in Afghanistan, especially in the Panjshir valley where the people share strong linguistic and cultural ties with Tehran. Trained in the Badlands of Syria and Iraq, Iran has trained militia groups of Afghans, organised under the banner of the Fatimyou brigade which has the capacity to launch covert strikes inside Afghanistan, should Tehran decide to do so. Chinese support for the Pakistanis inside Afghanistan is likely to further infuriate the Baluch and other separatist groups which are already targeting Chinese projects which have been undertaken under the flag of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). By alienating a large number of governments and people in the Eurasian region, on account of its blind support of Pakistan, China now should be ready for severe blowback which can shatter its dreams of extending CPEC to Afghanistan, and coveting the resources of the country, which is known as the graveyard of empires. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative Guwahati, Sep 10 : Vikram K. Doraiswami, India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, has said that there was a need for greater communication linkages between the two neighbouring nations with a special emphasis on the northeast. During his three-day trip to Assam from Wednesday to Friday, Doraiswami held discussion with state Governor Jagdish Mukhi, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other stakeholders on the prospect of boosting trade and economy and further improvement of multi-model communications between Bangladesh and the northeastern states, officials in Guwahati said on Friday. In a tweet, Sarma said: "Discussed how improved trade and connectivity between India and Bangladesh will lead to socio-economic development of people on both sides. The government of Assam is all willing to contribute to this growing cooperation." Also taking to Twitter, Doraiswami said: "Also honoured to see the dynamic and development-driven Chief Minister, the Hon Himanta Biswa Sarma to discuss the trade, eco, transport and P2P opportunities for Assam and the NE Region with a prioritized partnership with Bangladesh. Delighted by HCM's support and guidance." Doraiswami in his first visit to Assam as Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh met Mukhi at the Raj Bhavan here on Thursday and discussed the current status of bilateral relationship and development initiatives including trade and commerce. A statement by the Raj Bhavan said that Doraiswami briefed the Governor about the major projects that are being taken up by India to strengthen the overall bilateral relationship particularly communication, trade, commerce and more people-to-people contacts. "With regard to communications, some ongoing projects with special focus on railways, road connectivity, waterways connectivity, access to northeast India and projects related to power sector were discussed," the statement said. The Governor also fondly recollected to the High Commissioner about his interaction with the President of Bangladesh and the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India. Governor Mukhi informed about his interaction with various senior functionaries and representatives from Bangladesh during India Bangladesh stakeholder meeting organised by the Assam's Industries and Commerce Department in 2019 and later on another programme held by India Foundation. He expressed happiness on the present Indo-Bangla bilateral relations which is primarily based on mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries, adding that Assam will play a more important role in strengthening this tie. Mukhi, a renowned academician, also said that education is an important sector where both can work more collaboratively. He requested the High Commissioner to lay more emphasis on student exchange and cultural exchange programmes. The Governor also urged to focus on special digital connectivity and bandwith facilities for India's northeastern states and link up with the Internet Gateway at Cox Bazar. The Assam government is keen to contribute significantly to the growing partnership and cooperation between India and Bangladesh in trade, connectivity as identified during the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh, he said. He said that in doing so, the people on both sides of the border will reap the benefits of accelerated socio-economic progress. Four Indian northeastern states of Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) and Assam (263 km) share an 1,880-km border with Bangladesh. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Jaipur, Sep 10 : Rajasthan police has detained RPS officer Hiralal Saini from Udaipur after a viral video showed him engaging in sexual gestures along with a woman constable in a swimming pool in the presence of her six-year-old son. The officer allegedly was seen making obscene gestures with the constable's son in the video that went viral on Wednesday. The SOG team's child pornography unit arrested him from a Udaipur resort and brought him to Jaipur for further investigation late Thursday. The SOG got information about the DSP being at Ananta Resort and reached there at 11 p.m. to take Saini into custody. Both police personnel were suspended a day back and a departmental inquiry has ordered against them even before the arrest. The video clip purportedly showed Saini, who worked as the circle officer of Ajmer's Bewar, indulging in sexual activities with the female constable of Jaipur Police Commissionerate in the swimming pool. The woman constable's husband said that he has lodged a complaint against his wife and the RPS officer at the Chitawa police station in Nagaur district. In his complaint, he said that they were married in 2001. They were blessed with a baby boy six years back and in 2008, she got the job of a constable in the Rajasthan Police. According to him, his wife uploaded the video on July 13 wherein she was seen engaging in sexual activities with the RPS officer in a swimming pool in presence of her minor son. After the video started doing the rounds on social media, both personnel were suspended on Wednesday. The complaint made by the constable's husband was sent to the office of the DGP. A departmental inquiry has been ordered against them. The RPS officer has claimed that it was a doctored video clip. Mumbai, Sep 10 : For the second consecutive year, millions of people in Mumbai, the coastal Konkan region and other parts of the state on Friday cheerfully welcomed Lord Ganesha amid stringent restrictions to ward off the lurking threats of the Covid-19 'third wave'. The state's biggest public festival's lowkey celebrations were further hit by an abrupt change in the rules -- banning all physical 'darshan' at the 2,400-odd public associations which have erected marquees (pandals) for devotees -- disappointing the organisers. "We were all geared to conduct the festival with full Covid-19 protocols but at the last-minute, the new rule with Sec. 144 has been clamped. This has come as a shock to all, but we shall strictly adhere to the government norms for public safety," the BrihanMumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshutsav Samanway Samiti (BSGSS) President Naresh Dahibhavkar told IANS. The missing crowds could entail huge losses of over Rs 100-crore for the public associations which had hoped to collect devotees offerings in their coffers besides sponsors and advertisers, for carrying out various charitable services round-the-year, rued Dahibhavkar. Undaunted, the ordinary folks lustily chanting 'Ganpati Bappa Morya', started bringing the idols of their beloved lord since last night to their homes, housing societies, public or private complexes and associations, and virtually every household in villages, for the low-key but highly devotional celebrations over the next 10 days. This morning, lakhs of families performed the 'sthapna poojas' followed by traditional 'aartis' to mark the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. On Saturday, a majority of the households would give the first send-off and perform the immersions of the Ganpati idols marking the one-and-half-day celebrations of the fest ending on September 19. Considered the God of wisdom, the pot-bellied-elephant-headed Lord Ganesha brings in prosperity and good fortune and drives away obstacles ('vigna') and ill-luck. This year also, the idol height is restricted to 4 feet for marquees and 2 feet for home worship -- a significant drop from the pre-pandemic era when some of the majestic Lord Ganesha idols benignly stared down at devotees from 20-feet plus pinnacles. Hoping to make the best of the austere celebrations, the BSGSS have decided to enhance their Covid-19 volunteer forces by at least 20 per cent to grapple the potential 'third wave', said Dahibhavkar. "From tomorrow, we shall launch health campaigns, organise blood donations and other social activities in a planned manner to avoid crowds," he added. Celebrated across the country, the Mumbai-Pune-Nashik-Konkan quadrangle is the main epicentre of the festival with some of the biggest celebrations witnessed here annually. Not willing to take any chances with the 'third wave' apparently round-the-corner, the government has permitted only 'online' darshans since even temples and other places of worship are shut as per the Centre's directives. "We have made all necessary arrangements for online darshans," said actor Aadesh Bandekar, the Chairman of Shri SiddhiVinayak Mandir Trust, Mumbai, who is accorded the Minister of State (MoS) status. The curbs notwithstanding, lakhs of idols of Lord Ganesha came to the homes of people, ranging from Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, ministers, Leaders of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis and Pravin Darekar, NCP President Sharad Pawar, state Congress President Nana Patole, city unit chief Bhai Jagtap, leaders of various parties, lawmakers and activists. Lord Ganesha is also visiting top industrialists, film stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Urmila Matondkar, Nana Patekar, Madhuri Dixit-Nene, the Kapoor clan, the Dutt family, and many more. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in) Latest updates on Ganesh Chaturthi Festival 2021 -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Karnal, Sep 10 : With the ongoing farmers agitation at the mini-Secretariat in Haryana's Karnal entering its fourth day on Friday, the Karnal Bar Association extended support to the protest. Echoing the demand of the agitating farmers, the association has also demanded the immediate removal of officer Ayush Sinha. Karnal Bar Association member Paramjeet Singh said that no one is above the law. Ayush Sinha has misused his power and we demand his immediate sacking. We have come here to support the farmers protest wholeheartedly, he added. Advocate Surjeet Madhana said that we have extended complete support to the farmers agitation. "Two of our members were beaten badly by the police during the protest at the toll plaza on August 28. Raising our voice against this brutal action, the Karnal Bar Association has called for a two-day work suspension in the court. We demand from the government to sack the officer immediately and a case should be registered against him". Surjeet is the ex General Secretary of the Karnal Bar Association. Advocate Ranveer Singh Mallik said that the ongoing tussle between the farmers and the government will lead nowhere. In a democratic nation, only talk can lead us to any conclusion. The government cannot be so rigid in a democratic nation. Our farmers are fighting peacefully for their demands for almost one year. Taking a step ahead, the government should talk with the farmers and must consider their demands, he added. Meanwhile, the local administration has restored the internet facilities in Karnal. However, Jarnail Singh, a farmer at the protest site, said that restoration of internet is not enough, we are fighting here for our genuine demand to sack Ayush Sinha and give compensation to the family of the farmer who died in the incident. September 10 : A reality show featuring Priyanka Chopra, Usher and Julianne Hough as hosts, which has been announced recently, is being trolled brutally on social media. The show called The Activist has been touted as a competition series that features six activists and three high-profile public figures. They team up to work together to bring change to one of three important world causeshealth, education, and environment. Netizens criticised the show for making activism as a competition to create awareness for such crucial world causes. They also criticised the show for spending such huge amounts in creating the sets and giving away a prize money. Instead, they point out, why that amount of money cannot be given in real for such causes. Actor Jameela Jamil tweeted, Couldnt they just give the money its going to take to pay this UNBELIEVABLY expensive talent and make this show, directly to activist causes? Rather than turning activism into a game and then giving a fraction of the much needed money away in a prize? People are dying. Couldnt they just give the money its going to take to pay this UNBELIEVABLY expensive talent and make this show, directly to activist causes? Rather than turning activism into a game and then giving a fraction of the much needed money away in a prize? People are dying. https://t.co/GLCUZcGgfb Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamil) September 10, 2021 Cameron Kasky, an American activist and advocate against gun violence, tweeted, Dumb sh*t like this reminds us how useless the word activist has become. Theres people putting their lives on the line to demand change from the abusive ruling class and then theres lazy white losers like me who just complain on the internet all day. All activists. Jamaal Anthony Bowman, American politician and educator serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 16th congressional district, wrote in a tweet, Im gonna activate the block button if I see any of yall watching this mess. Another user wrote, Usher: Your TikTok dance about insulin rationing was inspiring, but 90 views is pathetic. For that reason, I'm out." Yet Another user wrote, capitalism capitalizing and exploiting activism and poc struggles by using privileged people is such an american thing to do and, quite frankly, its disgusting." Priyanka, who is a part of The Matrix Resurrections, recently shared the trailer of the film. Directed by Lana Wachowski, the film stars Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Ann Moss, Yahya Abdul Mateen II, Jada Pinkett Smith and Priyanka Chopra. Beijing, Sep 10 : Chinese phone maker Xiaomi has announced that it will release three generations of Android OS upgrades and four years of security updates with its upcoming 11T series. Xiaomi is gearing up to launch its next-generation flagship model - the Mi 11T series on September 15. "With the continuous improvement made to smartphone hardware, the life cycle of a smartphone is gradually lengthening, meaning users aren't required to replace their smartphones as frequently. For this reason, more consumers place great importance on receiving the latest operating system updates, along with the latest features," said Albert Shan, Head of Product & Technology, Xiaomi International said in a statement. In addition to offering four years of updates to these upcoming smartphones, the brand is also planning to bring support for extended Android OS updates and security updates to its previous offerings that exist in the market. Xiaomi is also planning to offer longer support for its other devices as well. The Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro will feature a 6.67-inch AMOLED and a 6.67-inch OLED screen, respectively, with a Full-HD+ (1080x2460 pixels) resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Both smartphones are expected to sport a triple rear camera setup comprising a 108MP primary sensor. The Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro may draw power from a 5G-enabled MediaTek chipset and a Snapdragon 888 processor, respectively, coupled with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. They will run on Android 11-based MIUI 12.5 and pack a 5,000mAh battery. New Delhi, Sep 10 : "We could hear their screams and cries through the walls," the cellmates of the journalists tortured by the Taliban in Kabul said. The cellmates had even heard the sounds of women crying from pain. Taliban fighters have been accused of beating and detaining journalists for covering protests in the Afghan capital Kabul, Al Jazeera reported. Two reporters for the Etilaatroz newspaper, Taqi Daryabi and Nematullah Naqdi, were detained by the Taliban while covering a women's protest in the west of Kabul on Wednesday morning. Two other journalists from the newspaper, Aber Shaygan and Lutfali Sultani, rushed to the police station along with the newspaper editor, Kadhim Karimi, to inquire about the whereabouts of their colleagues. But the moment they reached the police station, they say, Taliban fighters pushed and slapped them and confiscated all their belongings, including mobile phones, Al Jazeera reported. "Karimi barely finished his sentence, when one of the Taliban slapped him and told him to get lost," Shaygan told Al Jazeera, adding that as soon as they introduced themselves as journalists, the Taliban treated them with disdain. The three men were taken into a small holding cell with 15 people in it, two of whom were reporters with Reuters and Turkey's Anadolu Agency, Shaygan said, the report added. It was while they were in holding that the three heard reports of the disturbing abuse suffered by Daryabi, 22, and Naqdi, 28, who were being held in separate rooms. "We could hear their screams and cries through the walls," the cellmates said of the piercing cries. "The cellmates had even heard the sounds of women crying from pain." Pictures showed clear physical evidence of the floggings and beatings with cables both men were subject to. Daryabi's lower back, upper legs, and face were covered with deep red lesions, while Naqdi's left arm, upper back, upper legs, and face were also covered in red welts, the report said. "They were beaten so bad, they couldn't walk. They were hit with guns, they were kicked, they were whipped with cables, they were slapped," Shaygan said. He said the violence was so brutal that Naqdi and Daryabi had lost consciousness from the pain. Though all five men were released after several hours in detention, Shaygan said they were issued a stern warning from a Taliban official before leaving: "What these protesters were doing is illegal and by covering such things, you all broke the law. We will let you go this time, but next time you won't be let out so easily." Al Jazeera said those claims of illegality by the official struck Shaygan and his colleagues as going directly against statements the Taliban have made about freedom of the press in their "Islamic Emirate". At an August 17 press conference, the group's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said: "Private media can continue to be free and independent; they can continue their activities... Impartiality of the media is very important. They can critique our work so that we can improve." Mujahid made similar claims at a private gathering of journalists working for foreign media late last month. At the time, Mujahid encouraged journalists to be transparent and report the realities of life in a Taliban-run Afghanistan. But in the ensuing weeks, Afghan social media has been full of videos and pictures showing the group's armed fighters trying to keep journalists from doing their job. During that time, the Taliban has repeatedly been accused of abuses against journalists, the report said. Shaygan and his colleagues were surprised to find that other journalists who had been detained that day were in possession of letters from Mujahid that granted them "the right to operate" at virtually any location as journalists. This, he said, was further proof of the disconnect between the leadership and the foot soldiers of the Taliban. "They don't want us to operate freely, they just want media to parrot their propaganda to the world." Adding to his frustration and confusion is the fact that he and his colleagues were merely inquiring about the detention of their co-workers at the time of their detention and abuse. "We just wanted to find out what happened to our friends." Jammu, Sep 10 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that he is a Kashmiri Pandit and feels at home whenever he visits Jammu and Kashmir. Rahul Gandhi is on a two-day visit to Jammu. He visited the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Reasi district on Wednesday. "My family is a Kashmiri Pandit family. A delegation of Kashmiri Pandits met me today. "They said the BJP has done nothing for them while the Congress had implemented many welfare schemes for them. I promise my Kashmiri Pandit brothers that I will do something for them. "J&K has a special place in my heart, but I am pained also. There is brotherhood in J&K, but the BJP and the RSS are trying to break the bond of that brotherhood." He said the BJP had snatched away the statehood from the people of J&K which should be restored. He raised his hand and said, "Hand means 'Daro Mat'. You can see hand in pictures of Lord Shiva and Wahe Guru." He said after J&K, he would also be visiting Ladakh. He paid obeisance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine where he was accompanied by J&K Congress president G.A.Mir and many party workers and supporters during his 13 kilometre long trek to the shrine. Aligarh : , Sep 10 (IANS) The portrait of Jinnah has returned to haunt Aligarh Muslim University once again. The BJP unit in Aligarh has now written a letter with their blood to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to ensure the removal of the portrait of Jinnah from the campus. BJP spokesperson in Aligarh, Shivang Tiwari, warned that they will force the authorities to take down the portrait, "if the AMU authorities did not remove it themselves." In 2018, a similar demand had been made by party MP Satish Gautam and led to a clash with university students when activists of various right-wing organizations had tried to force their way into the campus to remove the portrait of Jinnah. The letter has been submitted to the district administration with a request to forward it to the Prime Minister. Bengaluru, Sep 10 : Karnataka Police have arrested three persons, including the mother of a 10-year-old boy, who was murdered in February, Bengaluru DCP South East Srinath Mahadev Joshi told on Friday. Mico Layout police investigating the case identified the accused as the friend of the boy's mother, his lover and the mother herself, who was an accomplice. The arrests were made on August 27, soon after the mother registered a complaint of her missing son after maintaining silence for six months. The police has also recovered a plastic pipe used to assault the boy, the car used to shift his body and torch, Joshi stated. The main accused had quarrelled with the boy and assaulted him with a plastic pipe when his mother was not present at his residence. The incident had happened on February 7, 2021. Later, he had called his lover and the mother of the boy to his house and shown them the dead body. The main accused and his lover made the mother promise not to tell about the incident to anyone. After convincing the mother, the couple had sent her to her parent's house. The prime accused along with his lover then shifted the body to his car. They have told the police that they threw away the dead body in an isolated place near Baragur in Tamil Nadu. However, the mother lodged a complaint with Mico Layout police in August to avoid suspicion. The police grew suspicious about the other two accused who accompanied her to the station to lodge the complaint. They kept a close watch on their movements and the main accused spilled the beans soon. Lucknow, Sep 10 : The flagship campaign of the Yogi Adityanath government 'Mission Shakti', is now moving beyond women. It is now aiming at sensitizing men and making them aware of the rights of women. The Uttar Pradesh Women's Welfare Department, under the Mission Shakti campaign, is organising awareness programmes to sensitize men about the rights of women. Within a month, 10 lakh people of the state have been made aware across the state through various modes of communications like seminars and workshops. According to the government spokesman, work is being done to make men aware of their legal rights and to educate them about the benefits of women welfare schemes of the state government. Programs are also being organized by the department in the gram sabhas of different blocks by forming different teams. A special awareness programs will be organized by the department in the state till September 21, under which the awareness drive will be conducted about various laws and provisions related to violence against women and children. The awareness campaigns will be conducted at the level of village level against harassment of women and children, domestic violence, drug abuse, trafficking, child marriage, discrimination, child labour and other exploitation. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had launched the third phase of Mission Shakti on August 21. Under the third phase of Mission Shakti in 75 districts of the state, more than one million people were made aware by the department which included over 4.80 lakh men and more than 5.94 lakh women. A 'Swavlamban Camp was also organised to impart information about other schemes including Destitute Women Pension Scheme, Mukhya Mantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana, Mukhya Mantri Bal Seva Yojana. The applications of schemes were also being accepted under one roof to enable women folks to get benefits of the self-employment opportunities. Patna, Sep 10 : Former Janata Dal (United) MLA Rambalak Singh was on Friday held guilty in a case under the Arms Act and for attempting to murder CPI(M) leader Lalan Singh by the district court of Samastipur in Bihar. The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment on September 13. He was sent to 14 days judicial custody. Rambalak Singh is a former MLA from the Vibhutipur Assembly constituency. He, however, lost the election in 2020. An FIR for attempt to murder and Arms Act violation was registered against him in the Vibhutipur police station. As per the allegation, Rambalak along with his brother was involved in an attack on CP1(M) leader Lalan Singh. The incident happened when Lalan Singh was returning from a marriage function on June 4, 2021. Rambalak Singh and his brother, who were on a bike, intercepted him near Vibhutipur and opened fire at him. Lalan Singh sustained injuries on his hand. The FIR was filed on June 4 and the former MLA was on interim bail ever since. The bail stood cancelled after he was pronounced guilty by the court and was sent to judicial remand. Udupi : , Sep 10 (IANS) Karnataka Minister for Energy, Kannada & Culture Sunil Kumar warned the opposition Congress on Friday against politicising the handling of the drug mafia in the state by the ruling BJP government. Kumar was reacting to former minister Shivaraj Tangadagi's statement that BJP ministers and legislators should be diagnosed to ascertain whether they consumed drugs or not. Kumar urged everyone to join hands in creating a narcotics-free Karnataka. "It's not about people, whoever is the accused, the police will knock on their doors, irrespective of which party they belong to. They should face investigation. It is important for the future generation, we must act tough on drugs," the minister said. After the BJP assumed power in Karnataka, there has been a major crackdown on the drug mafia. Stringent measures are being initiated. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who was also the Home Minister under his predecessor B.S. Yediyurappa, had begun the process. "It's not about the involvement of my children or their children, these stringent measures are required for the good of the society," he said. Chandigarh, Sep 10 : Punjab government employees failing to take even the first dose of Covid vaccine for any reason other than medical will be compulsorily sent on leave after September 15. This strong measure was announced on Friday by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to protect the people of the state from the disease, and to ensure that those who are vaccinated do not have to pay the price for continued vaccine hesitancy of those who are not. At a virtual Covid-19 review meeting, the Chief Minister said vaccine effectiveness is evident from the data being analysed. Special efforts were made to reach out to the government employees, and those who continue to avoid getting vaccinated will now be asked to go on leave till they get the first dose. Amarinder Singh also allowed teaching and non-teaching school staff who had taken at least one dose of vaccine more than four weeks ago to resume duties, subject to submission of weekly RT-PCR negative test reports. However, all those with co-morbidities shall only be allowed once they are fully vaccinated, he added. School Education Secretary Krishan Kumar earlier pointed out that currently only fully vaccinated staff members are allowed to come to schools. Health Minister Balbir Sidhu suggested that the gap for the second dose be reduced for the school staff to 28 days but Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan informed the meeting that the Centre had rejected the state's request to allow them to be treated as essential services. The Chief Minister noted with satisfaction that with aggressive testing, the situation in schools had remained under control. As many as 321,969 school students along with 33,854 teaching and non-teaching staff samples have been taken in the month of August, across 5,799 schools, and a total of 158 cases have tested positive so far, which accounts for a positivity rate of only 0.05 per cent, he added. Citing the latest zero-survey, he revealed that for children in the age group of 6-17 years, the positivity was at 60 per cent, and it was higher in the age bracket of 14-17 years. It was spread equally across gender and place of residence, as per the survey, which has confirmed "that our children, even though affected by Covid, have remained largely safe from serious disease," noted the Chief Minister. The Health Minister urged the Chief Minister to ensure availability of sufficient vaccines to ensure vaccination of all eligible people before the festivals. The Chief Minister said he will pursue the matter with the Union Health Minister, who had earlier assured him of additional supplies. He directed the Health Department to ensure that all staff at sweet shops, kiosks, dhabas, etc., are vaccinated with at least one dose. Noting that the state had already vaccinated more than 57 per cent of the eligible population, with the first dose administered to 1.18 crore and second to 37.81 lakh people, Amarinder Singh ordered further intensification of the vaccination drive. Teachers, parents of young children and vendors should be given priority for inoculation against Covid, he directed. The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction at the fact that the vaccine stocks supplied to the state had been utilised without any wastage. New Delhi, Sep 10 : Crude oil futures rose on Friday following continued supply concerns over Hurricane Ida's impact on the offshore output in the US. Currently, the November contract of Brent crude futures on the Intercontinental Exchange is trading at $72.50 per barrel, higher by 1.47 per cent from its previous close. Similarly, the October contract of WTI crude on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) was trading at $69.13 per barrel, higher by 1.45 per cent from its previous close. As per reports, the hurricane has severely impacted the daily output and producers in the Gulf of Mexico who are still struggling to restart operations days after Ida swept through the region. A week back, US President Joe Biden's administration had announced to release 1.5 million barrels of crude oil from the country's Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to address the fuel shortage caused by Hurricane Ida. Chandigarh, Sep 10 : Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday ordered extension of the existing Covid-19 restrictions till September 30, in view of the upcoming festival season, with a limit of 300 on all gatherings, including political, and strict enforcement of wearing of masks as well as social distancing. He also made it mandatory for organisers, including political parties, to ensure that participants, management and staff at food stalls, etc., in festival related events are fully vaccinated, or at least have had a single dose. Calling for continued vigil in the light of the festivals, the Chief Minister urged all political parties to lead by example, while directing the DGP to ensure compliance of restrictions by all. DGP Dinkar Gupta said with the case load decreasing, people had started being lax about wearing masks, which the Health Department should strictly enforce with the help of the police. Amarinder Singh also directed Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan to make joint administration-police flying squads in each district to ensure compliance at restaurants, marriage palaces etc. Chairing a virtual Covid review meeting, the Chief Minister directed the Department of Social Security to prepare to open Anganwari Centres within this month. The opening of these centres will be subject to vaccination of staff and other guidelines to be worked out jointly with the Health Department. The Chief Minister also ordered increase in testing from the current 45,000 per day to at least 50,000 per day as part of the preparations for the possible third wave. Along with sentinel testing, outreach camps and testing should be taken up, especially where public gathering is expected to take place on account of the festival season, he directed, adding that all infrastructure augmentation work should be expedited and completed. Pointing out that the GIS-based surveillance and prevention tool with an auto trigger mechanism for localised restrictions was now live in all districts, Amarinder Singh directed the Health Department to take micro-containment measures using these tools for areas or localities where cases are more than five. K.K. Talwar, head of the state's Covid expert committee, said while the situation currently was under control, there was need to prepare for the third wave, and also for the upcoming festival season. He urged the Chief Minister to appeal to all religious organizations to make regular announcements from temples and gurdwaras for wearing of masks. Market committees should be asked to do the same in view of the crowds expected in markets, he suggested, adding that shopkeepers and their staff should also be tested more aggressively on account of the festival season. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, Sep 10 : Afghan nationals living here held a protest against Pakistan on Friday, accusing it of sending terrorists into their country. The Afghans gathered in Delhi's Chanakyapuri area and protested carrying posters and banners. They wanted to go to the Pakistani High Commission, but were not allowed by the Delhi Police. Afghan citizen Dr Abdul Ghafoor Arab told IANS, "Pakistan has been sending terrorists to our country for the last 40 years. They have torn our country into pieces. Pakistan's army is present in Afghanistan. All these Talibanis are Pakistanis." "We are dying every day, hundreds of Afghans have died so far. Taliban, Daesh are all made in Pakistan. Without Pakistani training Taliban cannot do anything." Among the protesters was 8-year-old Mohammad Ilyas, who said, "I am fighting for my country. We have helped other countries in difficult times, but they did not help us in difficult times." "My complaint is with America, why are they doing this to us. Why are they not helping us. America is helping the Taliban. "My family members are trapped in Afghanistan. They have neither food nor water. If they step out of the house there, the Taliban will take them away." The protesting Afghan nationals held Pakistan responsible for their plight. After the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August, a new government was formed. According to information, there are about 14 such members in the interim government of Afghanistan who are on the UN's list of designated terrorists. These include caretaker Prime Minister Mullah Hassan and both his representatives. Afghan citizen Neelab told IANS, "Who has given Pakistan the right to enter our country and blast bombs there? We call upon all the countries to warn Pakistan. Why is it spreading violence in our country? Pakistan should take care of its own country, don't interfere with ours." "All Talibanis are Pakistanis, Afghani people don't kill their own people, Masood's son is trying to save his country because he is a true Afghan. If he was a Pakistani, he wouldn't have been fighting Taliban and Pakistan." Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 10 : The Kerala Police team, which probed the suicide of a final year ayurveda medical student, on Friday submitted a 500 page charge sheet in Kollam court, accusing her husband of abetment of suicide and nine other sections under the IPC. It was on June 21 that Vismaya was found hanging at her husband Kiran Kumar's home in Kollam district. The reason that surfaced was Kumar was unhappy with the brand new car, along with 1.20 acre of land and 100 sovereigns of gold, he was given as dowry after their marriage last year. He was harassing Vismaya as the car, worth Rs 10 lakh, had low mileage and he wanted to sell it and buy a new luxury car. Kumar, who was an Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector in the Kerala Motor Vehicles Department, was arrested and in a first of its kind action, dismissed from service also as the case evoked a public outcry. Police finished the probe in express time, and the charge sheet lists 102 witnesses, 96 documents and 56 material objects as evidence. The judicial custody of Kumar ends on September 20 and with the submission of the charge sheet, it will be difficult for him to get bail as the trial is expected to start soon. Chennai, Sep 10 : Makkal Needhi Maiam president and South Indian Superstar, Kamal Haasan has called upon the Tamil Nadu government to conduct a detailed probe into the illegal sand mining at the mouth of Cooum river which is near the Marina beach in the state capital Chennai. The superstar in a statement on Friday said that illegal sand mining has raised several concerns including the theft of sand, inaction of the government machinery, continuation of the illegal sand mining operations despite a change in government in the state and environment degradation. Haasan said that the sand at the mouth of Cooum river is generally sea sand as it was near Marina beach. He said that sea sand was not used for construction purposes and that those who sell this sand were doing a grave injustice to the construction industry. He said that the buildings constructed with sea sand would fall down. The state government and police must probe where this sand was being sold and who the end-users were. Kamal Haasan said that the lives of people who stay in the buildings constructed by using this sand will be in danger as these buildings can collapse any time. He urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to immediately act and conduct a detailed probe to apprehend those responsible for this. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, Sep 10 : The Delhi Board of School Education (DBSE) has entered into an agreement with the International Baccalaureate (IB) that would change the face of education in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Friday. "Under this agreement, international experts will visit our schools, our teachers will be trained accordingly, a student assessment programme will be planned out and Delhi's schools will be verified and certified, all as per international standards," Kejriwal said at a press conference here. The DBSE signed the MoU with International Baccalaureate on August 12 to implement IB programmes in 30 government schools this year, including 20 of its new Schools of Specialised Excellence (SOSE). "Currently, we are starting with 30 Delhi government schools. Later, private schools can also get affiliated with the board," the Chief Minister said. "Till now, we had seen two kinds of educational systems around us, as per which a child from a poor family would study in a government school and a child from a well-off family will go to a private school. Now, Delhi government's new agreement with IB will narrow this gap and children from the poorer section of the society will also get quality education, which is important for eliminating poverty in the society." The IB is a private international education board with its headquarters in Geneva. It has around 5,500 schools in 169 countries. There are currently 193 IB schools in India, all of which are top-end elite private schools. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Chennai, Sep 10 : A man was killed and seven others were injured in a blast at an illegal firecracker unit in Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar district on Friday, police said. The blast occurred at the residence of Balamurugan at Thayilapatti in the district's Vemukottai, and the deceased was identified as Shanmugaraj, 60. Sources told IANS that the manufacturing of firecrackers was taking place in a make-shift structure when the blast occurred due to mixing of chemicals. Shanmugaraj, who suffered 100 per cent burn injuries, succumbed to his injuries at the government hospital, Sivakasi. The injured, admitted to the same hospital, were identified as Balamurugan 30, with 65 per cent burns, Muthuraj, 40, Muthuselvi, 36, Seetha Lakshmi, 38, Selvamary, 40, Suganthi, 24, and Muthumuneeswari, 28. Four persons, including a pregnant woman and a child, had died due to the blast at another illegal firecracker making unit in the same village earlier in the year. The incident came even as squads of Virudhunagar District Collector, Meganatha Reddy were conducting inspections for illegal firecracker units for the past two months. Reddy was not available for comments. Hyderabad, Sep 10 : Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday decided to convene a preparatory meeting for the implementation of the Telangana Dalit Bandhu scheme in four mandals on a pilot basis. The meeting will be held at Pragathi Bhavan, the official residence of the Telangana chief minister on September 13. The chief minister recently announced that Dalit Bandhu will be implemented in four mandals -- Chintakani in Madhira constituency, Tirmalgiri in Tungaturthy, Charakonda mandal in Achampet and Kalwakurty constituencies and Nizam Sagar in Jukkal constituency. This is in addition to the ongoing implementation of the scheme on a pilot basis in Huzurabad Constituency. Ministers, zilla parishad chairpersons, collectors from the four districts of Khammam, Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar and Nizamabad, legislators from Madhira, Tungaturthy, Achampet, Kalwakurty, Jukkal constituencies, SC welfare minister Sri Koppula Eswar, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, SC Development Secretary, CM Secretary Rahul Bojja, Finance Secretary will participate. The CM said the Karimnagar district collector will attend the meeting as a special invitee and share his experiences at the ground level while implementing the scheme in Huzurabad. The government has selected four mandals in four Assembly constituencies, which are represented by Dalit MLAs (constituencies reserved for scheduled castes) in the north, east, west and southern parts of the state. The scheme will be implemented for all Dalit families in these mandals. The government has taken up Dalit Bandhu as a movement. It has already released Rs 2,000 crore for implementation of the scheme for all Dalit families in Huzurabad constituency. Under the scheme, every beneficiary 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. Addressing a public meeting on August 16 in Huzurabad constituency to launch the scheme, the chief minister had announced that the government will disburse over Rs 2,000 crore to 21,000 Dalit families in Huzurabad in the next two months. He had also declared that all the 17 lakh Dalit families in the state will be benefited by the scheme. The scheme implementation across the state for all Dalit families will cost Rs 1.7 lakh crore. He said the government will allocate Rs 30,000 crore to Rs 40,000 crore in the budget every year for 3 to 4 years. September 10 : After his mother Aruna Bhatias death on September 8, Akshay Kumar leaves for the UK today along with wife Twinkle Khanna and their children, Aarav and Nitara. The actor, who was shooting in the UK, had to rush to Mumbai from UK after hearing about his mothers ill health. Today, Akshay and his family were spotted at the Mumbai airport while they were leaving for the UK. Akshay reportedly left for the UK to resume shoot for Cindrella. He was shooting for the film, when he had to return to Mumbai, where his mother was admitted in Hiranandani hospital. At the airport, Akshay was seen obliging the paparazzi with folded hands and thanked them as he proceeded to the airport entrance. Twinkle was seen holding Nitaras hand as Aarav was also spotted with them. After Aruna Bhatia breathed her last, Akshay took to social media and expressed his grief. Akshay, who was close to his mother, wrote, She was my core. And today I feel an unbearable pain at the very core of my existence. My maa Smt Aruna Bhatia peacefully left this world today morning and got reunited with my dad in the other world. I respect your prayers as I and my family go through this period. Om Shanti, he tweeted. A day after his mothers death, it was the actors 54th birthday. On the occasion, Akshay shared a picture with his mother and wrote, Would have never liked it this way but am sure mom is singing Happy Birthday to me from right up there! Thanks to each one of you for your condolences and wishes alike. Life goes on. Akshay Kumar was shooting for his upcoming film Cinderella in the UK. The film is the official remake of the Telugu movie Rakshasudu. Helmed by Ranjit M Tewari, the film is bankrolled by Vashu Bhagnani. The film also stars Rakul Preet Singh. Both Ranjit Tewari and Vashu Bhagnani have earlier collaborated on Akshays last release, BellBottom. Apart from Cinderella, Akshay Kumar has Raksha Bandhan, Sooryavanshi, Ram Setu, Bachchan Pandey, Prithviraj and Atrangi Re in the pipeline. Mumbai, Sep 10 : One person has been arrested in connection with the shocking rape and brutalisation of a 30-year-old woman in Mumbai late on Thursday night, police said on Friday. According to police, after raping the women in Khirani Road area of Sakinaka, the accused allegedly pushed a rod into her genitals before escaping. Sakinaka Police Station's Senior Police Inspector Balwant Deshmukh said that the accused, identified as local, Madhu Chavan, 45, has been arrested and is being interrogated in connection with the dastardly crime. The victim, who was found bleeding profusely, was rushed in a critical condition to the BMC's Rajawadi Hospital, but Deshmukh declined to comment on her health status, saying "she remains under treatment". Top police officials rushed to the spot for investigations, and to nab the others involved, in the crime that came on the eve of the state's biggest festival Ganeshotsav which started on Friday. New Delhi, Sep 10 : President Ram Nath Kovind would visit Prayagraj on Saturday, a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said. During visit, Kovind will lay the foundation stones for the Uttar Pradesh National Law University and new building complex of the Allahabad High Court, it said. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Hyderabad, Sep 10 : Air India's first ever direct flight from Hyderabad to London was launched from the GMR Hyderabad International Airport here on Friday. The national carrier's flight AI 147 took off from the Hyderabad International Airport on Friday morning. Senior officials from the airport, Air India and other stakeholders were present at the terminal on the occasion. Non-stop Air India flights will operate between Hyderabad and the Heathrow Airport twice a week -- Monday and Friday. Air India Flight A 147 will depart from Hyderabad at 1.30 a.m. on Monday and arrive at the Heathrow Airport at 7.30 a.m. (local time). The same flight will depart from Hyderabad at 5.30 a.m. on Friday and arrive in London at 11.30 a.m. (local time). The return flight AI 148 will depart from London at 9.45 a.m. (local time) and arrive in Hyderabad at 11.35 p.m. "Europe has been the most favoured destination for Indians. The non-stop Air India flight to London will establish seamless air connectivity to Europe. This long-awaited popular new route will help leisure travellers, students seeking admissions to educational institutions in London and extend opportunities for businesses and MICE travellers in the coming years. We are hopeful that the Air India flight will receive tremendous acceptance from the people of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and nearby states," said Pradeep Panicker, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. Kohima, Sep 10 : Political circles in Nagaland and other northeastern states are abuzz after the Centre on Thursday transferred Nagaland Governor Ravindra Narayan Ravi to Tamil Nadu, as he was the government's interlocutor for the much-debated Naga peace talks, which are now in the last stages of finalisation. Though a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique late on Thursday night said that Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi has been given the additional charge as Nagaland Governor until regular arrangements are made, there is no official word yet about who would be the Centre's interlocutor for the vital Naga peace talks. Ravi, a former Intelligence Bureau (IB) official, has been transferred to Tamil Nadu at a time when his relation with the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) turned very sour. The leaders of NSCN-IM, the dominant Naga group, had openly criticised Ravi, who on his part had slammed the outfit for its various demands, especially over a separate flag and constitution. Ravi, a 1976 batch IPS officer of Kerala cadre, was appointed as the Centre's interlocutor for the Naga peace talks on August 29, 2014, immediately after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government took charge. He was appointed as the Deputy National Security Advisor in October 2018 before being named the 19th Governor of Nagaland on August 1, 2019. Within a year, the government and the NSCN-IM signed the "Framework Agreement" on August 3, 2015. Ravi and NSCN-IM also got engaged in a war of words over the collection of "tax" from the public by the Naga outfit. The NSCN-IM had said that taxation is the legitimate right of every government of a nation state. "The Nagas declared their independent status as a sovereign nation one day ahead of India, and have defended their sovereign right thus far," it said. The officer-on-special duty (OSD) to the government of India and the interlocutor for the Naga peace talks, Gurmeet Singh, in a statement without naming the NSCN-IM had recently said that a Naga armed organisation engaged in the peace process has issued a statement, which has been carried by the media, saying that they have the right to collect "tax" from the people and further added that their right has been recognised by the representative of the government of India after having dialogue with them. "Such an erroneous statement is likely to cause confusion among the people. Taxation is a sovereign function which can be exercised only either by the government of India or the state government. The government of India does not recognise any such right by any other entity. "Forcible collection of money by any entity is extortion which is a criminal offence punishable under the laws," Singh had said in his statement. Last week, the Naga Students' Federation (NSF), an influential students' body, had urged Ravi to "rise from his self-induced slumber" and "hold his tongue and act on the interest of peaceful co-existence" between the Nagas and their neighbours. The NSCN-IM since August 1997 has held around 80 rounds of negotiations with the Centre with NSCN-IM General Secretary Th Muivah leading the delegation of the outfit. The NSCN-IM and intelligence sources said that while many of the 31 demands of the Nagas have been almost resolved during the talks with the Centre, differences remain over a separate flag and a separate constitution. Ravi had outrightly rejected the demand for a separate flag and a constitution for the state as demanded by the NSCN-IM. The Central government has also been separately holding peace talks with eight other outfits which came together a few years ago under the banner of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs). (Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in) Karnal, Sep 10 : Ahead of the farmers' unions call to decide the further course of action on September 11, a meeting is being held at the Karnal mini secretariat. However, the meeting was not scheduled earlier as Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait had announced that talks can only be restored when a case is registered against SDM Ayush Sinha. Additional Chief Secretary Devendra Singh and Deputy Commissioner of Karnal Nishant Yadav are participating in the meeting. From the farmers side, BKU president Gurunam Singh Chaduni and the state leadership will present their demands. The farmers are sitting on dharna outside the district secretariat in Karnal for the last four days over their demand to sack Ayush Sinha and register a case against him. At a press conference on Friday, Deputy Commissioner Nishant Yadav said that the work of the district secretariat is going on smoothly. Meetings have been held twice with farmers' organizations but were inconclusive. He said, "There is no need for the general public to panic. They will not face any trouble or problem in any of their official work". He said that the synergy between the farmer and the administration should be maintained. He also made an appeal to the farmers organizations that the administration is ready to talk continuously, their doors are always open. The farmer organizations can come and talk at any time. Talking about Saturday's farmers' meeting, the administration said that the common man should not face any problem during the protest. New Delhi, Sep 10 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met his Australian counterpart Peter Dutton in Delhi on Friday and discussed defence cooperation as well as emerging regional issues. "Both sides agree to work jointly to realise full potential of India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership based on shared vision of a free, open, inclusive and rule-based Indo-Pacific region," a Defence Ministry statement said. Rajnath Singh said that he had a fruitful and wide-ranging discussion with Dutton on bilateral defence cooperation as well as regional issues. "Both of us are keen to work jointly to realise the full potential of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. "Both Australia and India have tremendous stake in peace, development and free flow of trade, rules-based order and economic growth in the region," he said. He said that their discussions focused on bilateral defence cooperation and expanding military engagements across services, enhancing defence information sharing, cooperation in emerging defence technologies, and mutual logistics support. Both sides noted with happiness that Australia joined the Malabar Exercise in 2020. "In this context we also expressed satisfaction in the continued participation of Australia in Malabar Exercise this year," Rajnath Singh said. He apprised Dutton about India's recent efforts towards "Atmanirbhar Bharat" and growing innovation ecosystem in India. "We discussed opportunities to work together in defence science and technology areas," he said, inviting the Australian industry to take advantage of India's liberalised foreign direct investment policies in the defence sector. "We both agreed that there are opportunities of bilateral collaboration for co-development and co-production," said Rajnath Singh, adding that India is committed to building a robust partnership with Australia for security and growth of the entire region. New Delhi Sep 10 : So, finally the Taliban 2.0 has unveiled its government. It has no surprises. It is a no show on the much-trumpeted inclusiveness. There was brazenness though. Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, who heads what has been officially billed as the caretaker set-up for the next six months, had etched his name in record books 20 years ago by ordering the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha statues that date back to the sixth century. At least 17 of the 33-member ministry in the new set-up figure on the UN sanctions list. It is an all-Pashtun team. Women have been shown the door as if to teach a lesson to the women groups which have hit the Kabul streets demanding their place under the Taliban sun. In fact, the Ministry of Women's Affairs, which did pioneer work under the Ashraf Ghani regime, stands disbanded now. Both Moscow and China are not hiding their apprehensions. Both are no longer sure of influencing Kabul, which has slipped firmly into Rawalpindi's grip. "No plan of negotiations with the Taliban regime," say the Russian officials while slipping in the caveat that contacts through the embassy in Kabul would be maintained to "ensure the safety of our diplomats" et al. In his media interaction on Wednesday, Dmitry Peskov, press secretary to President Vladimir Putin, echoed Moscow's concerns that are as old as Hindukush mountains. "We have talked many times about the threat that can potentially emanate from Afghanistan," he said when he was asked if Russia sees a threat to its security from the Taliban. He identified the threats as drug trafficking and infiltration of terrorist groups. Russia has just reinforced its Tajikistan military facility with 12.7 mm heavy machine guns, NSV Utyos. This shows that Moscow is not letting its guard down. The new guns can destroy lightly armoured targets, fortified firing points and enemy air assets from a distance of 100 metres to 5 1/2 kilometres. China is not hiding its cold feet though it is providing emergency aid of 200 million yuan ($31 million) to Afghanistan, including food and three million Covid-19 vaccine doses. China is worried by reports that some international terror forces based in Afghanistan are already crossing the borders into the neighbouring countries, said a front-page dispatch in South China Morning Post (SCMP) on Thursday. "Taliban must cut its ties with all terrorist groups," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at his virtual meeting with the war torn-country's neighbours - Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Natural corollary is the Chinese demand to Taliban: "Take forceful combative measures." China expects its Afghan neighbours to chip in with counter-terrorism measures. "All parties need to step up sharing of intelligence and border control efforts, making immediate arrests of terror groups coming from Afghanistan to ensure regional stability," Wang Yi was quoted as saying. The message is thus clear from Beijing and Moscow. Both are showing red card to not only the Taliban, but also their mentors in Pakistan, who are just celebrating the installation of a hardline interim government. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Muhammad Qureshi demurred as Wang delivered his punch line but offered neither a protest, nor held out a promise of action. This is surprising since the composition of the Taliban government bears Pakistani stamp and has exposed its time-tested double-speak. There are one too many giveaways. Firstly, the interim team was announced within three days of the visit of the head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, to the blood-soaked Kabul city. Secondly, the team carries Hameed's imprint with the all-important interior ministry entrusted to ISI protege, Sirajuddin Haqqani. Not only Sirajuddin, several others in the ministerial team are known hardliners. All of them toe Rawalpindi Shura (Pak Army's Corps Commanders) line. Their dominance signals that the Taliban government would keep India at bay. It interalia means that the Taliban would help the likes of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) with local bases for renewed export of terror to Kashmir. All a part of the IOYs since LeT and JeM had rushed their armed cadres to Afghanistan to fight along with the Taliban 2.0. The composition of the interim government has surprised the observers and diplomats alike who expected to see the Taliban don the mantle of moderation. And embrace the minority ethnic groups, which also had fought alongside the Taliban warriors all these years of American presence on the Afghan soil. Pakistan had also gone to the town declaring that it was expecting an inclusive government in Kabul. Prime Minister Imran Khan and his army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who is the real architect of the latest Taliban victory, have been harping on inclusive mantra. The turn of events show that Pakistan orchestration was a deceptive game. Its real intent was installing Sirajuddin Haqqani as the real power Tsar and thus secure back seat driving rights for the ISI. The new government supremo, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, heads Rehbari Shura, the Kandahar-based Taliban's decision-making body. He pipped the much-fancied Abdul Ghani Baradar, who, with his Doha stint, has cemented his pro-America image. The new ministers leave no doubt that Afghanistan would be run according to the Sharia laws. There will be no concessions whatsoever. Hopes of chastened Taliban in the driver's seat have died with the ban on protests and slogans that don't have 'approval'. As the Washington Post reports, the dreaded Ministry for Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Vice and Virtue Ministry, as it is called derisively) is back. A little-known cleric called Mohamad Khalid leads 'the restored department' to implement Taliban's interpretation of medieval Islamic law in a country where the post-9/11 generation of young Afghans has enjoyed the fruits of modernity and freedom. Frankly, the world did not expect that once in power, the Taliban would go back to their old antediluvian beliefs. But that is what they have done. They have thus put a question mark over the ability of Afghanistan under the Taliban marching ahead economically, politically or socially to meet the aspirations of its 40 million people. Taliban cannot dream of a miracle by banking on myopic Pakistan or China's Yuans. More so, since both demand a heavy price as trade off. A potential for developing strains in ties with China already exists: The brutal treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority virtually on the borders with Afghanistan. Taliban's rank and file, as also their allies in the Islamist militancy, are baying for Chinese blood. China is aware of the ground reality. Wang-speak at the Afghan neighbours' meet makes it clear that Beijing will not tolerate any mischief whatever be its disposition in strategic terms. Countdown has begun for a new show! Any doubt? Chandigarh, Sep 10 : Fearing losing momentum in the agitation against the three contentious Central farm laws, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a group of 32 farm unions, on Friday asked the political parties in Punjab to suspend their campaigning till the assembly elections, slated in early next year, were announced. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Balbir Singh Rajewal told the media here after the day-long deliberations with the political parties, except the BJP, that they had told the political parties not to hold big rallies till elections in the state are announced. "The rallies not only divert people from the 'morcha', but also divides the people along political lines and could threaten the morcha of farmers against the three agriculture laws," he said. Rajewal said both the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) were not categorically clear about their stand on the agitation of the farmers. Earlier in the day, the farmers leaders met Congress leaders led by its state President Navjot Sidhu. They also held separate interactions with SAD and AAP leaders. The SAD had asked the farmers leaders to retain the national character of the farmer agitation by not imposing any restrictions on political activities in the state even as it offered all help to buttress the ongoing agitation on the borders of Delhi. Talking to the media after the meeting with the farmers representatives, SAD leaders Prem Singh Chandumajra and Maheshinder Singh Grewal said "a conspiracy is afoot by the Centre to restrict the kisan movement to Punjab and then suppress it by imposing President's Rule in the state". "Our fight is with the BJP at the national level. Political activity has not been restricted due to the kisan andolan in any other state in the country. Going to the people is as much your right as ours and this should not be restricted," they said. They also reiterated their unstinted support to the farmers agitation. "We understand that the kisan movement should not be affected at all. We will not hold rallies on any day on which the SKM announces a special programme. We are also ready to support the 'sangharsh' by sending our cadre to the Delhi border protest sites. The SKM is also free to set a quota for participation from every political party and we will adhere to it." New Delhi, Sep 10 : The Taliban have appointed a minister for the promotion of 'virtue' and the prevention of 'vice', according to the list of the newly-announced cabinet for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The Ministry of Women's Affairs, a body under the previous Afghan government, was not included at all. And none of the cabinet members, mostly top Taliban members, included any women, Al Arabiya reported. When the Taliban were in power during between 1996 and 2001, they had enforced an extreme hardline interpretation of Sharia. Women were banned from leaving their homes without a male escort, and they also had to wear burqas, covering the body from head to toe. Under the Taliban rule, there was gender segregation in most public locations, limits on which jobs women could hold, bans were in place on listening to music and watching television, and men were on occasion forced to grow their hair and beards, the report said. The ministry for promotion of virtue and the prevention of vice was disbanded by then President Hamid Karzai after the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, and was replaced by the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs. After the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan on August 15 this year, they launched a charm offensive to project a moderate image to the world, promising not to retaliate against employees of foreign governments and to protect the rights of women. Activists and local journalists, however, say the reality on the ground is quite different, with many concerning reports of home searches and arrests of the very people the Taliban said they would not retaliate against, the report added. Women activists and former female political leaders say that they expect to be treated as "second class" citizens at best. Panaji, Sep 10 : Even as beach shack operators in Goa have grudgingly welcomed the state government's decision to slash their licence fees by 50 percent, tourism trade stakeholders have sought more relaxations on Covid restrictions in order to spur visitor traffic. "We had actually asked the government for a 100 per cent fee waiver and if not, then it should be at least 75 per cent. But now that the government has given us 50 per cent, we won't grudge them for it. Something is better than nothing," All Goa Shack Owners Welfare Society President Cruz Cardoso said. On Thursday, the state cabinet had cleared the proposal to halve the annual beach shack licence fee of Rs 1 lakh to help tide over the state's shack owners through the pandemic-hit times, which has seen a sharp dip in tourist traffic. "The numbers are yet to pick up. Maybe if the government allows re-opening of more tourist avenues, then more tourists will come. But it all depends on the Covid situation and protocol which will have to be followed," Cardoso said. At its peak before the pandemic, nearly eight million tourists visited the state annually, but the arrival of the pandemic and the subsequent restrictions on travel and Covid-related protocols have led to tourist footfalls taking a hit. Goa's 105-km-long coastline has around 400 beach shacks dotting the coastal sandy stretches. Shacks are a crucial part of the Goa beach experience and allow visitors to sip and munch while enjoying a view of the waves. According to Travel and Tourism Association of Goa President Nilesh Shah, the immediate future of the tourism industry in Goa depend on what turn the Covid situation in the country eventually takes. "A lot of verticals like casinos, watersports, river cruises, spas, and nightclubs continue to remain closed as part of Covid restrictions. Depending on the situation over the next few weeks, if the government relaxes some of these restrictions we could see an uptick in tourism," he said. Mumbai, Sep 10 : Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Friday launched a vegan meat alternative brand on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi for his friends and colleagues, Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh. Taking to Twitter, SRK said, "My friends Genelia and Riteish were discussing who would launch their plant-based meats venture. I opened my arms wide and said 'Main Hoon Naa'. I wish the entire team of Imagine Meats my best as they dish out #TheHappyMeat." He also posted a photo of himself with his arms open wide, holding two packets of Imagine Meats products. Talking about the intention behind launching the vegan meat product, Riteish said, "We're extremely glad to launch our plant-based meat venture and we are confident that Imagine Meats' uniqueness will in a way help us drive a solution to the complexities plaguing our planet. "The enthusiasm has only doubled up with our dearest Shah Rukh Khan launching the website today. We've worked for years to turn this project into reality and I would like to thank everyone who have been very patient with the announcement. Cannot wait for you all to indulge in the awesome world of plant-based goodness." Genelia said, "SRK is always a call away, so when we thought of someone to launch our labour of love, it was natural of us to think of him. We have crafted each meal with our hearts, forged from the idea of building a better, kinder planet for our children. Happy to present it to everyone on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi!" New Delhi: BJP workers enroll new members during a membership drive at Jhandewalan in New Delhi, on Dec 30, 2014. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Sep 10 : With an eye on the Assembly elections scheduled in Uttar Pradesh next year, the BJP is planning to enroll over 1.5 crore new members in the politically important state. Currently, the saffron brigade has over 2.5 crore members in Uttar Pradesh. The 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly is likely to go to the polls in February-March next year. The Vice President of BJP's Uttar Pradesh unit, Vijay Bahadur Pathak, told IANS that as part of its 'booth jeeto, chunav jeeto' (win booths to win elections) campaign, the party will launch a membership drive to enroll new members before next year's state polls. "As per the plan, BJP workers will enroll a minimum 100 new members at over 1.53 lakh polling booths in Uttar Pradesh, where the party has a committee. During the membership drive, the party is targeting to enroll a minimum of 1.5 crore members in the state," Pathak said. "These around 4.25 crore party members will ensure BJP's victory in Uttar Pradesh with a thumping majority. The membership drive will be launched soon," he added. In the first phase of 'booth jeeto, chunav jeeto', the BJP has constituted a 21-member committee at the booth level and also held a 'Satyapan Abhiyan' (verification campaign). "Out of around 1.63 lakh polling booths in the state, we have formed committees in 1.53 lakh booths. Due to several political issues, the formation of booth-level committees at around 10,000 polling booths has been delayed which will be completed soon," Pathak said. The saffron party has directed its state units, especially in the five poll-bound states -- Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa -- to form a 21-member committee of party workers at each polling booth. This committee will consist of women, youth, Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Caste (OBC) and members from the other sections of the society. Another UP BJP leader said that over four crore BJP members will secure the votes of their family and friends for the party. "With the efforts of the old and new members, the party will achieve its target of getting more than 50 per cent votes in the state polls," he claimed. (Shashi Bhushan can be reached at shashi.b@ians.in) New Delhi, Sep 10 : The Reliance Infrastructure-led BSES has commissioned a first-of-its-kind 'Urban Microgrid System' at the 'LV' (low voltage) distribution network in Delhi. The system has been set up in the Malviya Nagar area of the national capital. According to the company, the system is a move towards accessing sustainable growth and green energy sources. "Their efforts include the deployment of 'Solar PV' rooftop, 'Solar PV', 'Wind Parks', and other renewable energy sources, as well as 'Demand Side Management' (DSM) with energy efficiency to optimally manage power demand, especially during peak hours," said a company statement. "In partnership with leading national and international domain leaders, Reliance Infrastructure-led BSES is spearheading these efforts in the national capital," it added. The micro-grid was inaugurated on Friday by Satyendar Jain, Minister for Power, Government of Delhi. The project has been implemented under the umbrella of the Indo-German Solar Partnership Project (IGSEP), commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany, which is contributing towards India's renewable energy goals. On behalf of Germany, the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has signed an agreement with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. It has now partnered with BSES Rajdhani Power Limited to set-up a first-of-its-kind Urban Microgrid System at the LV distribution network in Delhi. With the growing integration of renewable into conventional energy sources, microgrids will play a critical role in enabling the transition and increasing the reliability of power supply. Set up at a cost of around Rs 5.5 crore, the Microgrid is a grid-connected system consisting of 100 KWp Solar PV and 466 kWh Lithium IonBattery Energy Storage System (BESS). Hyderabad, Sep 10 : Ganesh Chaturthi began in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Friday on a contrasting note amid Covid-19 restrictions and protocols. Unlike last year when the 10-day festival was confined to homes in view of the pandemic, Telangana, this year, allowed installation of idols in public places. However, in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, authorities have decided not to allow Ganesh pandals and immersion this year too. As part of implementing the Covid-19 protocol and as per the advisory from the Home Ministry, the Director General of Police in Andhra Pradesh issued an order denying permission to hold Ganesh festival celebrations at public places. The move by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government drew strong criticism from opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Andhra Pradesh High Court, however, upheld the decision of the state government not to permit Ganesh festivities at public places by erecting pandals. The court said Ganesh idols and pandals can be set up in private places. However, the number of participants in the puja is limited to five. In Telangana, the festivities began with pomp and gaiety. Hectic activity was seen in markets in Hyderabad and other towns in the state on the eve of the festival with devotees buying idols and puja material. With no restrictions on installation of Ganesh idols at public places, large number of idols were seen being transported in trucks to different parts of Greater Hyderabad. Devotees offered puja since morning at their homes, temples and in specially-erected pandals. Authorities appealed to the organisers of pandals to ensure strict adherence to Covid-19 precautionary measures like wearing of masks and maintaining social distancing. For the first time in over four decades, no Ganesh pandals were erected at public places in Hyderabad last year. The 10-day long festival will conclude with massive immersion procession in Hyderabad on September 19. Hundreds of idols are immersed every year in Hussain Sagar lake in the heart of the city and several other lakes in and around the state capital. The Telangana High Court on Thursday directed the authorities not to allow immersion of idols made with plaster of Paris (PoP) in Hussain Sagar and other water bodies. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice T. Vinod Kumar also asked the officials to explore the use of an inflatable rubber dam used during dredging operations in the Hussain Sagar to form pools to immerse the idols. The court also directed the authorities not to allow immersion of idols into Hussain Sagar on the Tank Bund side as the stretch was recently renovated. The court also asked authorities to take steps to ensure that idols are not brought to Hussain Sagar lake from far-off places and encourage immersion locally. Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan and her Haryana counterpart Bandaru Dattatreya worshipped the famous Ganesh idol at Khairatabad. This year, the organisers have installed 40-feet tall idol. Large number of devotees from Hyderabad and other districts made a beeline to offer puja at Khairatabad. Police imposed traffic restrictions in the area to ensure smooth conduct of the festivities. Greeting people on Ganesh Chaturthi, Soundararajan appealed to them to follow all Covid precautions. "Those who have not taken vaccine should take it as this the only way we can protect ourselves," she said. Dattatreya said he prayed for an end to the pandemic and the well-being and prosperity of all. He said the festival is celebrated every year in an atmosphere of communal harmony. Union Culture and Tourism Minister G. Kishan Reddy also offered worship at Khairatabad. He also participated in puja programme held at the BJP office. Telangana minister T. Srinivas Yadav and local MLA Danam Nagender were among the other prominent people who offered prayers at Khairatabad Ganesh. The Governor also held Ganesh puja at Raj Bhavan along with the staff members. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his wife Shobha performed special pooja on the occasion of Vinayaka Chavithi at Pragathi Bhavan, the official residence of the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister's son and minister K.T. Rama Rao, his wife Shailima, MP Santosh Kumar, CM's grandson Himanshu, granddaughter Alekhya and others participated in the puja. Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu offered puja at NTR Trust Bhavan in Hyderabad. New Delhi/Jammu, Sep 10 : Apart from Rahul Gandhi's visit to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, there was one political development which was most watched and discussed in Delhi -- the presence of Ghulam Nabi Azad on the same stage as the former Congress president. Rahul Gandhi took Ghulam Nabi Azad's name first in his address and also sat beside him during the workers meet. It was the second time in a month that Azad was seated beside Rahul Gandhi. The optics show that the G-23 leaders have toned down their tirade against the Congress leadership, particularly the close aides of Rahul Gandhi who are alleged to be interfering in party affairs on Rahul's behalf. The bonhomie may not last long if members of the G-23 are not given party nominations for Rajya Sabha elections slated for October 4. A party insider said that, "the problem started with the Rajya Sabha nomination of KC Venugopal and it may end with the Rajya Sabha candidature. If Azad gets the party ticket it will send a message across the board that Rahul Gandhi is ready to take everyone along as Azad is the most senior leader in the party." However, no formal dialogue has been initiated by any side. Azad was one of the prime movers of the letter written to Sonia Gandhi in August 2020 for visible and effective leadership in the party and elections from the block to the Congress Working Committee level. The grand old party is likely to contest two seats -- one in Tamil Nadu and the other in Maharashtra. In the alliance arrangements during the state polls one seat was promised to the Congress by the DMK and the other seat is from Maharashtra which is vacant after the demise of Rajiv Satav. Many leaders are said to be in the fray including former Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mukul Wasnik, Milind Deora, Sanjay Nirupam and Pramod Tiwari. Sources said that Rahul Gandhi is in favour of Praveen Chakravorty who is the chairman of the data analytics department. But sources say that the DMK is averse to the idea of sending a non political person to the Upper House of Parliament while Ghulam Nabi Azad shares a good rapport with the DMK leadership. New Delhi, Sep 10 : Many members of the new Taliban cabinet are on the United Nations sanctions list, including the Prime Minister, two Deputy Prime Ministers and the Foreign Minister, according to the UN Special Representative for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons. "What is of immediate and practical importance to those around this table is that of the 33 names presented, many are on the United Nations sanctions list, including the Prime Minister, two Deputy Prime Ministers and the Foreign Minister. All of you will need to decide which steps to take regarding the sanctions list, and the impact on future engagements," Lyons said in a briefing to the UN Security Council. "Those who hoped for, and urged for, inclusivity will be disappointed. There are no women in the names listed. There are no non-Taliban members, no figures from the past government, nor leaders of minority groups. Instead, it contains many of the same figures who were part of the Taliban leadership from 1996 to 2001," she said. "Al Qaeda members remain in Afghanistan, visibly welcomed and sheltered by the de facto Taliban authorities. Islamic State Khorasan Province remains active and could gain strength. Concerns on these essential matters of international terrorism will not be allayed simply by Taliban promises," Lyons added. The UN envoy said that they are also concerned that despite the many statements granting general amnesties to ANDSF (Afghan National Defense and Security Forces) personnel and those who have worked as civil servants, there have been credible allegations of reprisal killings of ANDSF personnel, and the detention of officials who worked for the previous administrations. "We have received reports of members of the Taliban carrying out house-to-house searches and seizing property, particularly in Kabul," she said. And while the Taliban have provided many assurances that they will respect the rights of women within Islam, Lyons said they are receiving increasing reports where the Taliban have prohibited women from appearing in public places without male chaperones besides preventing women from working. They have limited girls' access to education in some regions and have dismantled the Department of Women's Affairs across Afghanistan, as well as targeting women's NGOs. "We are also extremely disturbed at the increasing violence used against Afghans who are protesting Taliban rule. This violence includes shooting above the crowds, persistent beatings, intimidation of media, and other repressive measures. Instead, the Taliban should seek to understand the legitimate grievances of these many Afghans who fear for their futures," Lyons added. The impact of these recent developments is also felt beyond the Afghan borders. Many countries around Afghanistan are apprehensive about how the Taliban rule will affect their own security. "They fear the effect of an expanded Islamic State that the Taliban cannot contain. They also fear a wave of refugees coming across their borders. They fear the consequences of the large amount of arms left behind in Afghanistan. They fear that the Taliban will be unable to stem the illegal economy and the flow of drugs from Afghanistan," Lyons said. (Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at sanjeev.s@ians.in) New Delhi, Sep 10 : Facebook-owned WhatsApp has completed building end-to-end encrypted backups and will soon begin rolling out this extra layer of privacy and security protection to the users, the company announced on Friday. The company claimed that with end-to-end encrypted backups, no other messaging service at WhatsApp's scale will provide this level of security for people's messages. "We are announcing this now to provide the broader technical community with our approach before it's available to our beta testers and eventually everyday users," the company said in a statement. "In the coming weeks, we will be adding end-to-end encrypted backups as an additional layer of security for those who want it," the company added. If someone chooses to back up their chat history with end-to-end encryption, it will be accessible only to them, and no one will be able to unlock their backup, not even WhatsApp. "This is a really big privacy advancement, particularly at our scale of more than 2 billion users who send more than 100 billion messages a day," the company said. "We believe that this will give our users a meaningful advancement in the safety of their personal messages," it added. The company will be releasing this as an optional feature and in the coming weeks it will be rolling this out to iOS and Android users. WhatsApp is reportedly working on other privacy features too. Recently, a report said that WhatsApp will soon let users hide their online status from anyone who can't be trusted. Currently, 'Last Seen', 'Profile Picture' and 'About' can either be seen by everyone, contacts, or no one at all. There are no customisable options, the report said. Hyderabad, Sep 10 : People demanding justice to a six-year-old girl raped and murdered by her neighbor in Singareni Colony of Saeedabad area in Hyderabad ended their protest following an assurance by authorities to ensure harshest punishment to the guilty within a month. Protestors called off their seven-hour long sit-in on Champapet-Sagar Road after the assurance and series of measures announced by Hyderabad District Collector L. Sharman to help the victim's family. The body of the girl, who was missing since 5 p.m. Thursday, was found in the house of her neighbor after midnight. The autopsy report revealed that she was sexually assaulted and strangulated to death. The incident triggered tension and angry protest by local residents. When the police reached the spot, local residents staged protest, demanding that the accused be handed over to them. They tried to stop police from shifting the body for autopsy till the accused was handed over to them. Some of the protestors pelted stones and threw chilli powder on policemen. The incident triggered tension and additional force was rushed to the area to maintain law and order. Police said Raju, in whose house the girl's body was found, was absconding and all efforts were being made to arrest him. His family members were being questioned to find out his whereabouts. Residents of Singareni Colony on Friday staged protest on Champapet-Sagar Road, demanding harshest punishment to the guilty and justice to the victim. The protestors demanded that the culprit be killed in an "encounter". Hyderabad Collector Sharman and Deputy Commissioner of Police Ramesh Reddy rushed there to pacify the protestors. They promised that a fast-track court will be set up to ensure that the guilty get the harshest punishment within a month. Sharman announced immediate assistance of Rs 50,000 to the victim's family. The family of the victim had migrated from Nalgonda district for livelihood. Her father is working as an auto-rickshaw driver. The Collector said a two-bed room house will be allotted to the family at a place of their choice. He also promised an outsourcing job to an educated member of the family. The official said two siblings of the victim will be provided free education. New Delhi, Sep 10 : The huge trust deficit between Nagaland Governor RN Ravi and the Naga groups reportedly led to his exit from the state as he was crossing swords with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) for the last two years. He has been shifted to Tamil Nadu, a Rashtrapati Bhavan (President House) communiquA said on Thursday. Ravi, an IPS 1976 batch officer from the Kerala cadre who had retired as Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau in 2012, was appointed government interlocutor for the Naga peace talks in 2014 and 2015. He signed a framework agreement with the NSCN-IM on behalf of the Centre on August 3, 2015, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2019 he was made the Governor along with his previous responsibility. In fact the Naga peace talks began to derail in early 2020 when (NSCN-IM) leader T Muivah refused to hold any dialogue with R N Ravi following a dispute over the framework agreement signed in 2015. It was also alleged that he twisted the Framework Agreement (FA) and misled the Standing Committee of Parliament on the steps taken to solve the Naga issue. "The fact is that the Framework Agreement is outside the purview of Indian Federation/Constitution. But in his report furnished to the Parliamentary Standing Committee he manipulated in his own narrative that was far from the actual meaning as very unambiguously worded in layman's language in the original copy of FA," said a source. The NSCN-IM has been demanding a separate constitution and flag for the Nagas and the assimilation of all Naga inhabited areas in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. "He, as an interlocutor, had signed a framework agreement with the NSCN-IM on behalf of the Centre on August 3, 2015, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and now he was tampering with its content," a source in the Naga group said. He also said that after this NSCN leader T Muivah sought his immediate removal as the government's representative in the peace talks. Recently, the ruling People's Democratic Alliance in Nagaland led by Neiphiu Rio had also expressed its reservation about the Independence Day speech. The alliance in a statement said that Ravi's statement was not well received by the people of Nagaland. In his speech on August 15, Ravi had alleged that "a deeply entrenched network of vested interests has emerged during the period which has misappropriated the dividends of peace and did not allow them to reach the people." Following the deadlock between Ravi and the NSCN (Isak Muivah), the government sources said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah also opened other channels to resume talks with the NSCN(IM) and from then on it was expected that he will be relieved of his responsibility of interlocutor. The NSCN (I-M) had entered into a ceasefire agreement with the Centre in 1997 and has held over 100 rounds of talks -- within and outside the country -- but nothing substantial came out as the Government could not allow them to have a separate constitution and flag. Apart from NSCN(IM), the Centre is also separately holding peace talks with eight other Naga armed groups which came together a few years ago under the banner of "Naga National Political Groups" or NNPGs. New Delhi, Sep 10 : In 43 days, the BJP has trained nearly 7 lakh health volunteers to fight Covid-19, BJP President J.P. Nadda said on Friday. The saffron party has also asked its workers to set a new benchmark in vaccination drive on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday on September 17. Nadda had launched the Rashtriya Swasthya Swayamsevak Abhiyan of the party on July 28 to train four lakh health volunteers in two lakh villages across the country. "I had started the 'abhiyan' with the goal of training at least four lakh 'swasthya swayamsevaks' (health volunteers) in two lakh villages across the country. In 43 days, we have trained and created a force of 6,88,000 volunteers. Soon the number of our health volunteers will cross eight lakh, further strengthening our force of health volunteers in dealing with the Covid pandemic," Nadda said. Nadda mentioned that all the health volunteers are trained in antigen testing, blood pressure management apart from other skills which are needed in identifying a Covid patient and also to provide them basic treatment. He also urged the party workers to set a new benchmark in vaccination on the Prime Minister's birthday. "I would urge the BJP workers to ensure that whosoever has been left unvaccinated in their booths should get their vaccination done at their nearest vaccination centre on September 17, the birthday of Prime Minister Modi," Nadda said. Nadda mentioned that BJP workers will ensure and coordinate that everyone gets vaccinated without any delay. "On September 17, we will go out with full preparation to make the mega vaccination drive a success. It is the responsibility of every BJP worker to ensure that no one is left out of this massive vaccination drive being carried out across India," the BJP chief said. He also appealed to all the BJP workers to make maximum efforts to make the Covid vaccination drive highly successful. "Each and every worker of the party should motivate people across the country to get vaccinated at the earliest," he said. New Delhi, Sep 10 : Peaceful protesters in many parts of Afghanistan have met with an increasingly violent response from the new Taliban authorities over the past four weeks, including the use of live ammunition, batons and whips, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Friday. OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said the Taliban issued an instruction prohibiting unauthorised assemblies. A day later, they ordered telecommunications companies to switch off access to internet on mobile phones in specific areas of Kabul. Shamdasani said that as Afghan women and men take to the streets during this time of great uncertainty, "it is crucial that those in power listen to their voices". "We call on the Taliban to immediately cease the use of force towards, and the arbitrary detention of, those exercising their right to peaceful assembly and the journalists covering the protests," she added. From August 15 to 19, people had gathered in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces to mark national flag-raising ceremonies. Credible reports indicate that during that period, the Taliban reportedly killed a man and a boy, and injured eight others with live fire, in an apparent attempt to disperse the crowds. On September 7, during a protest in Herat, the Taliban reportedly shot and killed two men and wounded seven others. That same day in Kabul, further credible reports indicate that the Taliban beat and detained protesters, including several women and up to 15 journalists. On Wednesday, as a largely female group of demonstrators gathered in the Dashti-Barchi area of Kabul, at least five journalists were arrested and two were severely beaten for several hours. The OHCHR added that during a demonstration in Faizabad city in Badakhshan province held by several women, including activists and human rights defenders, the Taliban fired in the air and allegedly beat several protesters. A small group of women in Kabul was violently dispersed, as the Taliban fired shots in the air over their heads. That same day, women were violently dispersed during protests in Kapisa and Takhar provinces, and several women's rights activists in Kapisa were detained. Shamdasani recalled that peaceful protests are protected under international human rights law. She said that "authorities must ensure a safe, enabling and non-discriminatory environment for the exercise of human rights, including freedom of expression and peaceful assembly". Blanket restrictions on peaceful assemblies constitute a violation of international law, as do blanket internet shutdowns which usually violate the principles of necessity and proportionality. Journalists involved in reporting on assemblies must not face reprisals or other harassment, even if an assembly is declared unlawful or is dispersed, the OHCHR said. The spokesperson reminded that "there is an obligation to ensure that any use of force in response to protests is a last resort, strictly necessary and proportionate, and firearms must never be used except in response to an imminent threat of death or serious injury". Rather than banning peaceful protests, she added, "the Taliban should cease the use of force and ensure the freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, including as a means for people to voice their concerns and exercise their right to participate in public affairs". Patna, Sep 10 : A lawmaker of Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United on Friday asked the State Election Commission to take immediate action against Leader of Opposition in Assembly Tejashwi Yadav for allegedly distributing money to women of a village in Gopalganj district. "Tejashwi Yadav was caught on camera distributing Rs 500 currency notes to women in Garauli village (under Basghat Masurai panchayat in Baikuthpur block of Gopalganj). The village comes under Panchayati Raj area and a model code of conduct is imposed in the state for Panchayat election 2021," MLC Neeraj Kumar said in a letter to the SEC. "Tejashwi Yadav is sitting on a key constitutional post in Bihar. The act of Tejaswi Yadav is violation of model code of conduct. Hence, the election commission should take action against him," he demanded. Neeraj Kumar claimed that the video was taken from the official Facebook account of the RJD where it was uploaded with the title of 'Tejashwi Yadav has taken the blessing of women of the paternal village of RJD MLA Prem Shanker on the day of Teej festival' on Thursday. Commenting on the video, going viral, he said: "Who is that prince dropping money in the lap of poor villagers? As poor villagers do not know him, someone says that he is a son of Lalu Prasad. The person sitting on the front seat of the SUV also introduces himself as he is Tejashwi Yadav, son of Lalu Prasad." The BJP's Bihar unit also reacted sharply to this video. Chief spokesperson and OBC wing national General Secretary Nikhil Anand alleged: "The RJD is a party of one family which sells tickets during elections. It has no organisational structure on the ground that helps to earn votes. Hence, he (Tejashwi) is distributing money to shift momentum of Panchayat election in favour of RJD or RJD supported candidates. BJP requested the Election Commission to take strongest action against Tejashwi Yadav who is sitting on a constitutional post in Bihar and still violating the model code of conduct in broad daylight." New Delhi, Sep 10 : Flood risk prediction and mitigation can help avoid tragedy when disaster strikes, but how to know which areas need preventative measures the most? A new online tool developed by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B), can possibly be a solution. WebFRIS interface, a tool to account for geographic variations in socio-economic vulnerability, is accessible and easy-to-use, and holds the potential to help local governments and citizens save lives and protect livelihoods, a release from IIT-B said. India reports the second-highest flood damages in the world, with over 1,600 people getting affected by floods annually. Uncontrolled growth, poor planning and infrastructure, and the effects of climate change have added to the complexities involved in preventing and mitigating flood related damage. "The key to flood prevention is obtaining accurate and timely flood risk information. Flood risk consists of two components - hazard and vulnerability. Hazard accounts for factors like regional rainfall, flood inundation and weather phenomena such as cyclones; vulnerability includes both physical vulnerability and socio-economic vulnerability," the researchers said. Web-based platforms are ideal for generating this information because they are inexpensive, reliable and instantaneously available even in the remote areas. However, most existing web-based flood information systems use highly technical jargons that only researchers can understand. Realising the urgent need for an accessible online tool, the researchers at IIT-B have developed WebFRIS, a flood risk information system to provide socio-economic vulnerability analysis. Published in the Journal of Environmental Management, WebFRIS, or Web Flood Risk Information System, aims to simplify flood risk information and communicate it to a wider audience, including government bodies and local citizens. According to IIT-B professor Subhankar Karmakar, who led the study, "WebFRIS provides precious ground-level information to the disaster management authority. This can enable formulation of more targeted solutions and strategies and enhance the opportunity for effective flood mitigation, thereby increasing social capacity and resilience." For the development of WebFRIS, Karmakar and his team focused on Jagatsinghpur district in Odisha. Jagatsinghpur, a part of the Mahanadi River delta, is one the most severely flood-affected regions in the country. Karmakar and team first used mathematical models and statistical data to calculate the flood hazard and vulnerability of the region and quantify flood risk. They then designed a web platform to store and visualise all the flood-related data in the form of maps. Finally, to ensure that non-technical audiences could easily understand the data, they translated the measures of flood risk into qualitative information, classifying the risk into colour-coded categories from very low to very high. Their efforts have resulted in a web tool that can provide data on flood hazard, socioeconomic vulnerability, and flood risk for individual villages in the Jagatsinghpur district. "If we integrate flood risk maps in early warning systems, communities that live in high-alert regions can be prioritised during flooding, which can improve the community's preparedness for natural hazards in the long run," Karmakar said. Karnal, Sep 10 : The farmer unions' meeting with the Haryana govrnment representatives ended late on Friday night at the mini secretariat in Karnal. After the three-hour long meeting with the Haryana Additional Chief Secretary and other officials again ended inconclusively, the farmer unions decided to resume the meeting again at 9 am on Saturday to mull the over the demands of the agitating farmers. The farmers at the protest site now expect some positive outcomes from Saturday's meeting. Bhartiya Kissan Union President Gurunam Singh Chaduni said that Friday's meeting ended on a positive note. "We are again meeting tomorrow morning and we expect some positive outcomes from the government," he said. Chaduni also said that Saturday's meeting is expected to be short, which is likely to yield some positive outcomes. BKU's Haryana unit chief Ratan Man Singh said, "We have discussed the issues with the state officials and the meeting ended on a positive note. We will meet again tomorrow with our demands." Asked about BKU leader Rakesh Tikait's participation in the meeting, Singh said that his representative may participate in the meeting on Saturday as he is not present in Karnal at the moment. Meanwhile, the farmer unions are also meeting on Saturday afternoon to discuss the future course of action if their demands are not met by the government. Additional Chief Secretary Devendra Singh and Deputy Commissioner of Karnal Nishant Yadav participated in the meeting on Friday evening. From the farmers' side was represented by Chaduni and other state leaders. The farmers are sitting on dharna outside the mini secretariat in Karnal for the last four days over their demanding action against IAS officer Ayush Sinha, the then Karnal SDM who was caught on camera allegedly telling policemen to hit the farmers if they crossed the line during their protest on August 28. The agitating farmers are also seeking Rs 25 lakh compensation and a government job for kin of the farmer who died in the incident, and Rs 2 lakh compensation each for the injured persons. London, Sep 11 : Another 37,622 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 7,168,806, according to official figures released on Friday. The country also recorded another 147 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 133,988. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test, the Xinhua news agency reported. The latest data came as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that in England, Covid rates were rising in children aged from two to those in year 11, and for those aged 35 to 49 in the week to September 3. "It was expected that Scotland's school return (on August 19) would lead to rise. Since English schools did not go back until September 1, the ONS data released today will not report on the effect of English school's return. I would expect next week's ONS data to show the beginning of a rise due to schools, this is because I expect England to follow Scotland," said professor James Naismith from the University of Oxford. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the use of Pfizer and AstraZeneca as Covid booster vaccines. "We know that a person's immunity may decline over time after their first vaccine course. I am pleased to confirm that the Covid-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and AstraZeneca can be used as safe and effective booster doses," said Dr June Raine, Chief Executive of MHRA. "This is an important regulatory change as it gives further options for the vaccination programme, which has saved thousands of lives so far." It will now be for Britain's vaccine advisory body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to advise on whether booster jabs will be given and if so, which vaccines should be used. About 89 per cent of people aged 16 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 80 percent have received both doses, the latest figures showed. More than half of all teenagers aged 16 to 17 in England have already received their first dose, just over four weeks after the green light was given for this age group to be offered the vaccine. To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Beef Jerky Experience in St Charles, MO is joining other businesses in the area, helping to raise funds for the family of fallen Marine, Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz. "Its our way of giving to the noble cause of supporting the Schmitz family during this difficult time. This young man, only 20 years old, is a true hero for this nation," says Cory and Scott Neer, owners of Beef Jerky Experience, located at 1320 Bass Pro Drive, off 5th Street. "Weve developed a hero gift box with 13 jerky SnackPaks, all made in the U.S.A in delicious small batch jerky flavors and Giannois chocolates or melt-in-your-mouth taffies. We are discounting this special hero box and 20% of sales are earmarked for the Schmitz family." Sale of this special hero box starts Wednesday, September 8th, the day LCPL Schmitz remains arrive in St.Louis and continues for 13 days through September 20th. To purchase the box and donate to this family, you can come in or call the store at (636) 226-5335. It can be picked up, delivered free within 30 miles of the store or shipped anywhere in the United States at a nominal charge. Beef Jerky Experience is a locally owned premium jerky and specialty grocery store. Scott Neer is a retired police officer and fire fighter from High Ridge, MO, son of retired St Charles County Sheriff Thomas Neer. I consider myself blessed by the men and women in uniform who risk their lives daily to protect our freedoms. Cory Neer says A Cuban native and naturalized American citizen, Cory is staunchly patriotic, ensuring she does all she can to support military and first responders. Their staff, Jared Sanford and Kaelee Colligan are equally enthusiastic, integral participants in their resolve to contribute to this cause. Beef Jerky Experience is a delightful shop, full of healthy snacks and amazing treats. It has something for everyone, from unique suckers for kids, to the hottest lollipop in the world; collections of hot sauces; gourmet popcorn, candied peanuts and of course, an amazing variety of healthy and delicious beef, pork, turkey and wild game jerky. About the Beef Jerky Experience The Beef Jerky Experience was founded in 2010 and is the countrys first national jerky franchise. The company is headquartered in Kodak, Tennessee and there are currently over 90 franchise locations, including 6 founder-owned stores. Beef Jerky Experience specializes in more than 100 varieties and sizes of premium jerky including exotic meats like kangaroo, alligator, venison and elk, as well as guest favorite flavors such as Prime Rib and Cherry Maple. Jerky is lean, high in protein, low in calories, contains less than 3% fat. Beef Jerky has an extremely long shelf life. Millions seek out and enjoy this protein packed snack every day. Stockton Hyundai announces that they offer a huge variety of used vehicles options for the Stockton, CA, region drivers Stockton Hyundai is eager to announce that they offer a huge variety of used vehicles options for the Stockton, CA, region drivers. Stockton Hyundai prides itself in providing the best certified used vehicle options at the best price. Certified pre-owned vehicles available at Stockton Hyundai come with a manufacturer-backed warranty, are of high quality, and are in their best condition. All Hyundai used vehicles have a striking design, uncompromising quality, and human-focused technology. The certified pre-owned vehicle inventory of the dealership consists of Hyundai vehicles that are a maximum of five years old, must pass the 173-point quality assurance insurance inspection conducted by the dealerships technician, and have a clean, non-branded title that is the same as the Vehicle History Report. The Hyundai Certified pre-owned vehicle offers a suite of benefits Valued at $2,349 to drivers. The benefits are: Reinstatement of the 10-Year/100,000-Mile CPO Powertrain Limited Warranty Remainder of the 5-Year / 60,000-Mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty Comprehensive 173-Point, quality assurance inspection 10-Year / Unlimited Mile Roadside Assistance CARFAX Vehicle History Report Rental car and travel interruption reimbursement for covered repairs SiriusXM Satellite Radio "All-Access" Trial for three months On the official website of Stockton Hyundai, individuals can find what certified pre-owned vehicles are in stock, how to get a quote, and how to customize the vehicles. If questions arent answered on the website, the dealership encourages rivers to contact a sales representative from the Stockton Hyundai team. Interested individuals can also visit the dealership located at 2979 Auto Center Cir, Stockton, California. iBUYPOWER Case Mod Contest Banner iBUYPOWER, a leading manufacturer of high-performance custom gaming PCs, today announced the first ever iBUYPOWER Case Mod Contest 2021, themed around the latest video game titles with support for NVIDIA DLSS technology. The contest opened September 9, 2021 to modders in the US and Canada. To enter the competition contestants can submit their contact information, photos of past mods, a description of their next mod, and a sketch or drawing of the concept for consideration. The entry period will close on September 16, 2021 at 11:59PM PDT. iBUYPOWER will then review all entries and announce two winners, on September 22nd, to create a video game themed build, focused around one of the many NVIDIA DLSS supported titles, in the newly released HYTE Revolt 3 m-ITX Case. iBUYPOWER will supply a Revolt 3 i7BG RDY pre-built system to each winning contestant to eliminate the need to source components and to utilize in their mod. Modders will have between October 1st to October 27th to complete their video game themed build. During that time, contestants will post progress pictures to social media using #iBPCASEMOD2021 and #IBPxNVIDIA. Completed build images are to be submitted directly to iBUYPOWER and will be unveiled on October 29th on the iBUYPOWER website and on social media. For full contest details, please visit: ibp.gg/casemod About iBUYPOWER Since 1999, iBUYPOWER has embodied its core beliefs of Perseverance, Unity, Strength, and Ambition, to deliver on its promise to build the best gaming systems for the most discerning gamers. Even in a time when PCs were not as ubiquitous as they are today, we fueled the passion for gaming by giving our customers the highest quality in custom built computers. Our systems have since become the backbone for professional gamers, game developers, LAN centers, major esports tournaments, collegiate esports, and everyday consumers. iBUYPOWER has worked intimately with brands such as Intel, NVIDIA, AMD, Microsoft, WD, ASUS, Bethesda, MLG and many more. Superior performance, reliability, cutting edge technology and timely production make iBUYPOWER the authority in PC gaming. Leland Hove, a US military veteran who grew up on a small farm in northwestern North Dakota and worked in an oil field before enlisting in the Army and volunteering to go to Vietnam, where he spent fourteen months in the mechanized infantry, has completed his new book Lelands Vietnam Experience: a vivid portrait of war in the eyes of a young man fighting on the other side of the world. It had been over fifty years since Leland had volunteered to serve in Vietnam at the age of eighteen and served fourteen months in the infantry. He did not want to talk about itthe nightmares were enoughalthough he was very thankful to God for bringing him through many scraps that he should not have lived through. He served as the point man for over eight of those fourteen months. The point man was the first man to walk through the jungle or down the rice paddy dike while everyone else in the platoon walked at six feet intervals behind him. At one time, after getting back home, he found himself disgruntled enough to sell his metals in a garage sale. Published by Page Publishing, Leland Hoves engrossing book is a must read for history and military enthusiasts. Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase Lelands Vietnam Experience at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing understands that authors should be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com Lynda Martin, a former Illinois resident who moved back to her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, to be near her family after her retirement, has re-released her book Putting Love to the Test: a prequel to her 2019 work centered on the Nolan family, Putting Love First. No female in the Nolan family shall ever marry! Sisters Cheyenne, Brianne and Roxanne grew up listening to family members whisper about the generations-old curse. No one knew who made the curse, or why. To the sisters, it was nothing more than an old-wives tale! Each sister has found her soul mate and is looking forward to a life of love happily ever after. Unfortunately, the path to happiness is littered with roadblocks. The relationships are suddenly tested, as each couple is faced with a situation that threatens to crumble what they thought was a strong love bond. The sisters find themselves making war, not love with their mates. Will love win, or would the most damning, oft-forgotten part of the curse, It will not last win out after all? Published by Page Publishing, Lynda Martins mesmerizing tale follows three sisters once-solid relationships as they confront the challenges of life, love, and family in the shadow of a generations-old superstition. Readers who wish to experience this compelling work can purchase Putting Love to the Test at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing understands that authors should be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Ryan Nickulas for Potomac Lifestyle Award-winning hairstylist, father, and public figure Ryan Nickulas covers the September issue of Potomac Lifestyle magazine. The former reality star of LOGO's The A-List: New York discusses the new phase of his life, moving to a new city, remote learning with twins through quarantine, surviving Covid, and of course great style! We cant control things like a pandemic or a partner but we can control our own attitude and mindset, Nickulas said. I knew that I would not be able to move forward without being kind to myself. This was something he made a deliberate decision to work on. The stylist also discusses celebrating a 15-year business relationship with hair extension company Platinum Seamless. Ryan has generated more than $1 million in revenue from the product, and now focuses on license distribution and training an education team to ensure that everyone in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia can achieve great hair. Now, as Nickulas is settling into the co-parenting groove and building up strength after Covid, he wants to give back. Nickulas is passionate about boosting the careers of up-and-coming artists. I cant be a man of privilege without responsibility, he said. Nickulas purposely sought out independent local designers from the communities hes always championed, namely the LGBT community and Black and Latino-owned businesses. Im finally in a position where I get to help talented underdog stylists get their shine, and Im so grateful for that." Pick up a copy of Potomac Lifestyle now. Article by Erica Moody @ericalynnmoody Photography by Tony Powell @tonypowell1 Wardrobe @thestylemonsters Follow Ryan Nickulas on IG @ryannickulas 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid Available at Colonial Toyota The new 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid is now available at Colonial Toyota in Milford, CT. Customers looking for a fuel-efficient sedan with impressive features can head to the Colonial Toyota Dealership in Milford, CT, to check out the 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. It comes with a 1.8-liter inline-4 engine that delivers 121 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. It is mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission. The 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid is comfortable and has decent fuel economy figures. The seats are designed to give you an exciting driving experience. The infotainment system is user-friendly, and the cabin is clutter-free. It has an 8-inch touchscreen, a 6-speaker audio setup, two USB ports, and Bluetooth. The cargo space is 13.1 cubic feet which is decent. It comes standard with 15-inch alloy wheels and LED headlights/ daytime running lights/taillights. The 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid comes with great safety features. It comes standard with ten airbags. Adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, lane-departure alert, and automatic emergency braking are some of the safety features available in the 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. The official website of Colonial Toyota gives detailed information about the latest Toyota vehicles by providing model research and comparison pages. Customers interested in learning more about the 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid can visit the dealerships website at Colonial Toyota. Colonial Toyota showroom is located at 470 Boston Post Road, Milford, CT. Dave Herrera - 'Hella Country' Cover Art What 'Hella Country' means to me is a culture of people who are hardworking, never give up, and do what they can to provide for their families with the environment that surrounds us. Cali-Country artist Dave Herrera has released a new single, "Hella Country." The song about farmers and ranchers has quickly transitioned from being a catchy tune into a lifestyle anthem. The single is now available on all streaming services. Herrera was inspired to write the song while working his family ranch in his town surrounded by rice fields, orchards, cattle farms, vineyards, and other blue-collar families. With the help of co-writer, Cory Coppin, and co-producer, Jeff Baldwin, he wrote "Hella Country" to remind listeners that being country is more than music. It is also a lifestyle of hardworking individuals fighting to keep their homes thriving amongst droughts, wildfires, and other natural disasters. The song has become more than just a track for those in the fields. "Hella Country" represents a culture of people. It is a state of mind that people all over the United States embrace of hard work and living in beautiful landscapes. Herrera explains,What 'Hella Country' means to me is a culture of people who are hardworking, never give up, and do what they can to provide for their families with the environment that surrounds us." Herrera calls on listeners to embrace the country side of themselves and celebrate it.I hope listeners find their Hella Country! It is a sense of freedom, being outdoors, working hard, enjoying life or whatever makes you HAPPY! That is Hella Country! About Dave Herrera: Raised in Sacramento, CA, by a single mother and his grandparents, Dave Herrera's love for music developed in high school. However, music wouldn't become his path until his grandfather's health began to deteriorate before his passing - a man he thought of as a father figure - that Herrera's mindset about pursuing music professionally started to evolve. Herrera released his first single, "Hollywood Sign," a ballad about two lovers finding true love under the Hollywood sign in 2020. He then saw secondary radio success with his second release, "Visiting Nashville," in 2021. Since that release, Herrera has come out with two other singles, "Boys Were Back in Town," and a song about the first love of his life a 69' Chevelle titled "My First 69." Herrera continues to put his spin on Cali-Country music as he combines pop beats, electric guitars, and the storytelling lyrics of country music. Along with his singles, Herrera takes pride in creating music videos that are entertaining for all ages. The music video for "Visiting Nashville" now has 440K+ views and rising. Herrera can also be found on TikTok and Instagram, keeping his fans up to date with his family, friends, and band when not performing or in the studio. Herrera is currently in the studio and will embark on a radio tour and live shows later this year. For more information on Dave Herrera, visit http://www.daveherreralive.com and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. ABET accreditation is the most prestigious recognition for engineering and technology programs. It also assures employers of the caliber of the graduates and their readiness to take on job challenges by employing their technical, non-technical, and problem-solving skills. ~Dr. Wael Ibrahim ECPI University is pleased to announce the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET has accredited the Universitys Bachelors degrees in Electronic Systems Engineering Technology (ESET) and Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) programs for the Online, Newport News, and Virginia Beach campuses. As the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology, ABETs accreditation assures that programs meet standards to produce graduates ready to enter critical technical fields that are leading the way in innovation and emerging technologies, and anticipating the welfare and safety needs of the public. We are extremely excited about the opportunities ABET will afford our graduates, said ECPI University President Mark Dreyfus. In addition, our employer partners see many new possibilities working with the University to improve their world class workforces. ABET accreditation is the most prestigious recognition for engineering and technology programs, said Dr. Wael Ibrahim, Dean of Engineering Technology. Achieving this accreditation is a testimonial of the quality of our programs, and to the dedication of our faculty and staff to ensure our graduates are well-equipped with the knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience they need to enter the workforce. Being a graduate of a program that is nationally and internationally recognized for meeting quality standards provides students and graduates with the confidence that they are well prepared for their future careers. It also assures employers of the caliber of the graduates and their readiness to take on job challenges by employing their technical, non-technical, and problem-solving skills. Sought worldwide, ABETs voluntary peer-review process is highly respected because it adds critical value to academic programs in the technical disciplines, where quality, precision and safety are of the utmost importance. Developed by technical professionals from ABETs member societies, ABET criteria focus on what students experience and learn. ABET accreditation reviews look at program curricula, faculty, facilities, and institutional support and are conducted by teams of highly skilled professionals from industry, academia, and government with expertise in the ABET disciplines. ABET is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization with ISO 9001:2015 certification. It currently accredits 4,307 programs at 846 colleges and universities in 41 countries and areas. More information about ABET, its member societies, and the accreditation criteria used to evaluate programs can be found at http://www.abet.org. About ECPI University With campuses in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Texas and Online, ECPI University is a recognized leader in awarding STEM+H degrees through innovative delivery of education to meet the needs of military and new-traditional students. ECPI University offers Masters, Bachelors, and Associates degrees, and certification training in Technology, Health Science, Business, Criminal Justice and Culinary Arts. For more than 50 years, ECPI University has been helping students achieve their educational and career goals in a hands-on, student-centered environment, while working collaboratively with employers to ensure its graduates have the knowledge and skills they need to be successful. For more information about ECPI Universitys ABET-accredited programs, visit its websites Electronic Systems Engineering Technology and Mechanical Engineering Technology pages. ### After 2020, were ecstatic to witness the return of live events in 2021. The fact that several of our long-standing clients recently won best in show honors is truly icing on the cake." The Trade Groupan award-winning, event marketing and experiential design firmis pleased to announce that four of its clients won best in show honors at trade shows held in the summer of 2021. The firm provided various services to the winning clients, including exhibit design, engineering, manufacturing, graphic design, printing, onsite support and more. According to Malcolm Gilvar, Chief Revenue Officer at The Trade Group, After 2020, were ecstatic to witness the return of live events in 2021. The fact that several of our long-standing clients recently won best in show honors is truly icing on the cake. We were honored to play a role in creating winning exhibit designs for our clients events. Large, glamorous branded graphics, a Hollywood-inspired step-and-release photo opp and an abundance of live plants helped J. Berry Nursery stand out at the 2021 Nursery Landscape Expo in Austin. The Texas-based nurserys inline display also featured elegant seating areas and products displays with clean white and dark brown accents. J. Berry changes its theme almost every year, which is fun because we get to execute an entirely new look with the same exhibit, says Senior Design Consultant John Lutton. Flooring design company Karndean impressed judges with its 50x50 island exhibit at Surfaces 2021 in Las Vegas. According to TTG Sr. Account Executive Jack McAndrew, The overall design of the exhibit and flooring in the space were huge hits with the client, judges and attendees. The upper deck meeting area and the individual product cubbies on the towers also turned out beautifully. TTG Senior Design Consultant Austin Montgomery believes that successfully executing connected operations company Samsaras complex design vision was the key to the best show win at PWX 2021. The big challenge was finding a budget-friendly way to source 2,700 LED lights for the clients inspired design. We tapped one of our innovative lighting partners to help, and the end result was stunning. Positioned in the corner of the 20x20 island booth, angled walls were jam-packed with full-color LEDs programmed to simulate movement. The wow factor this exhibit delivered was simply unmatched at PWX, Montgomery says. This is the second time tech company Semnox has won a best in show award for its 10x20 inline display. For its win at Amusement Expo International 2021 in Las Vegas, TTG Account Executive Hillary Hancock says, Semnoxs clean, inline display allowed its products to shine, and an interactive kiosk was a hit with attendees. Gilvar applauds The Trade Group team members who contributed to these projects. As he explains, These clients specialize in very different industries, which is something we truly enjoy about our client base. Our team stepped up to create these stand-out displays and overcome some unique challenges. Were excited to get back to the business of live events and help more clients earn those best in show wins. To learn more about The Trade Groups creative design, engineering, fabrication, printing and event marketing solutions, call (800) 343-2005 or visit http://www.tradegroup.com. ABOUT THE TRADE GROUP The Trade Group is an award-winning, full-service event marketing and creative design firm specializing in trade shows, esports events and activations, corporate events, brand activations, corporate interiors, retail merchandising, commercial graphics and experiential solutions. Since 1986, the companys team of live event, design and engineering experts has helped thousands of clients amplify their brands and successfully navigate a wide range of events and experiences. Clients rely on The Trade Group for: event ideation, creation and production; esports expertise; exhibit design and fabrication; graphic design and production; strategic marketing solutions; technology integration and more. Press Contact: Sierra Reed Director of Marketing The Trade Group (800) 343-2005 sreed@tradegroup.com Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP has added Shareholder William E. Turner II, to address increasing client demand for assistance with transactions and investments surrounding blockchain, other emerging technologies, and alternative financial models. Turner, who joined Greenberg Traurigs Chicago office and is part of the highly ranked Corporate Practice, focuses his practice on advising clients in commercial blockchain transactions, venture capital investments, and mergers and acquisitions. He has represented clients on more than 50 commercial blockchain transactions and product launches and has advised numerous companies in connection with traditional and digital asset-based investments and acquisitions in the U.S. He was previously at Steptoe & Johnson LLP in Chicago. Its exciting to work with investors and companies as they develop new financial models with transformative technology thats having a growing impact on the capital markets, said Turner. Since I work on many cross-border transactions, the ability to tap into Greenberg Traurigs global platform will be a significant asset for clients in the U.S. and abroad. As financial technology has become an increasing part of corporate practice, Greenberg Traurigs Emerging Technology Practice brings together attorneys with experience in legal matters surrounding AI, big data, augmented reality and cloud computing to work with clients across industries. This practice also dovetails with the interdisciplinary Blockchain & Digital Assets group that focuses on blockchain and cryptocurrency matters. Turner will be a valuable part of both practices. As fintech continues to grow, clients increasingly seek commercial opportunities involving cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. Adding an attorney with Wills experience allows us to even better address the legal challenges that relate to the development and utilization of digital assets, said Barbara Jones, who serves as co-chair of Greenberg Traurigs Blockchain & Digital Assets group and co-managing shareholder of the firms Los Angeles office. Among the representative transactions Turner has handled, he has advised a cryptocurrency exchange and stablecoin issuer on numerous commercial transactions, represented a Swiss investor in many venture capital investments in U.S. technology businesses, and advised an alternative legal services provider in a reorganization as it spun off two businesses. As the demand for mergers and acquisitions and venture capital investments continues to grow, were seeing strong client interest in digital currencies and blockchain transactions. Will strengthens our ranks with his fintech expertise, in addition to his overall transactional experience, said Bruce March, co-chair of the firms global Corporate Practice and a Fort Lauderdale office shareholder. Turner graduated cum laude from Northwestern University School of Law in 1995 and earned his B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago in 1992. He is admitted to the Illinois Bar. About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has approximately 2200 attorneys in 40 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. The firm is net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage and Mansfield Rule 3.0 Certified. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Heather Howze, a new writer, grasping the hearts of readers all around with her romantic tragedy, has completed her new book The Love That Ended So Tragic": an emotional rollercoaster of a book that will take the reader on the ten-year journey of Hannah and Antonys doomed relationship, with shocking twists, turns, happy and sad moments all in one novel. Howze writes, I headed over to my mothers house to bring her the good news that I had met my soulmate. Now, one may think that was a bit of a stretch to say that we were meant to be future spouses, but hey, if a Disney princess can meet the love of her life in a day and people accept it, so could I. My mother seemed to be very excited to see how confident I was in myself and approved immediately. I spent the rest of the day with her then went back to my place in Poway. As soon as I got home, I received a call from none other than Tony himself. We talked for hours and hours about anything we could think of about ourselves. I couldnt stop thinking about his handsome, mixed-race face. He was unique! Japanese and Korean mixed with white. What a great couple we would make. Published by Page Publishing, Heather Howzes exciting tale takes place in San Diego, California, 19962007. The author is sharing an important part of her life with this novel, engaging with readers who relate to such a love story. Howze will continue to further her career as an author with many more books and interesting reads to come. Take the summer romance all in, as every page is worth reading. Readers who wish to experience this emotional book can purchase The Love That Ended So Tragic" at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. The Importance of the Delisting of LTTE for the exercise of Socio-political Equality of Global Tamil Diaspora. A statement released by the Tamil genocide memorial today said: Marking 20 years since the 2002 Norwegian facilitated Ceasefire agreement between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) on 22 February 2002, the Canadian Tamil organizations are hosting a conference that will focus on: 1. The impact and consequence of the listing of LTTE as a terrorist organization, a movement that was fighting in defence of the right to Self-determination of Eelam Tamils. 2. The prolonged extension of the listing of LTTE as a terrorist organization despite the movement having ceased its operations in 2009. 3. Understanding that the continuous renewal of the ban that stigmatizes and discriminates against the whole Tamil diaspora that has been fighting for the rights of Tamils in Eelam using democratic means. Ever since the British colonial rulers left Ceylon in 1948, Tamils have been subjected to periodic pogroms resulting in the killing of thousands and thousands of innocent Tamil civilians. In 1976, after three decades of failed non-violent protests against the genocide perpetrated by the GOSL, Tamils chose through a democratic process to establish an independent state of Tamil Eelam. In detailing the cause for the emergence of the LTTE and its evolvement into a conventional army gaining parity of status with the government of Sri Lanka militarily the statement noted: The democratic mandate of the Tamils in 1976-77 was countered by the Sinhalese-led governments though tacitly supporting anti-Tamil pogroms in 1977, 1981, and 1983. "An oppressive military occupation of the Tamil homeland by Sri Lankan armed forces, composed mainly of Sinhalese, unleashed indiscriminate attacks, mass detention, and torture of Tamil youth involved in non-violent political struggle." "This led to the emergence of the LTTE with grassroot support of the Tamil people to counter the GOSL in an international armed conflict for Tamil self-determination." By the 1990s, the LTTE had become the Tamil Eelam defence force, and the armed conflict was one between the two parties: the GOSL and the LTTE. The LTTE also evolved into the de facto government responsible for numerous civil functions throughout the territory it controlled in the Tamil homeland with the overwhelming support of the Tamil people. After attaining a military parity of status by 2002, the LTTE entered into an internationally mediated ceasefire agreement enabled by the Norwegian Government, also supported by the USA, European Union, and Japan. As of 2003, the LTTE set forth the Interim Self-Governing Authority (ISGA) proposal as part of the internationally facilitated peace process. The LTTE mobilized itself to help the victims of the 2004 tsunami despite the restrictions placed by Sri Lanka. Disregarding the absence of any violence on the part of the LTTE, in 2006, Canada and European Union listed LTTE on their terrorist list, jeopardizing the peace process. This clearly tilted the balance in favour of the Sri Lankan government and offered a green light for it to proceed with its genocide against the Tamils. In 2008, Sri Lanka unilaterally broke the internationally-mediated ceasefire agreement with the LTTE and began a military offensive in the Tamil homeland with indiscriminate aerial bombardment of Tamil civilian areas. Tamil Eelam government was destroyed in May 2009 with the LTTE silencing its weapons Echoing the Tamils' sentiments after the war ended in 2009, the statement questioned, whether the new international norm was to deny the rights to external and internal self-determination of Eelam Tamils. Rather than ushering peace and dignity, the international peace process achieved the complete opposite in the dreams of peace with justice in the Tamil homeland in 2009. "Hundreds of thousands of Tamils were killed and after the war ended thousands of prisoners of war were tortured and executed. All traces of the struggle including Tamil memories and sacred graves were also destroyed after the war ended." Highlighting the current situation in Sri Lanka, the statement said, "Since 2009, the genocide continues in many new forms, and Tamils have lost more land to Sinhalese colonization in the last 12 years than ever before." The statement, in not failing to analyse the effects and impacts of the LTTE ban and the Global war on terror noted: "Since 2009, Canada has reviewed and renewed the ban against the LTTE five times, drawing the ire of the Tamil community about this act of stigmatizing the Tamil diaspora and politically expounding the Tamil aspirations." It further pointed out that, "In 2020, Britains Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission found that the Home Office decision to keep the LTTE proscribed as a terrorist organization was flawed and unlawful." "The Global war on terror initiative by the USA after 9/11 targeted terrorism. It provided enormous power to the governments around the world and punished the people who seek freedom from genocide more than it did with real terrorism. While governments such as genocidal Sri Lanka are free to commit crimes of genocide, the continuous ban on the LTTE suppressed political action by the majority of diaspora Tamils who feel tarnished by the stigmatization as terrorists in the post 9/11 era." We are confident that a Conference with academics, legal experts, and organizations will shed light on this important issue. With that as the background, we announce a Conference dedicated to the above issue to be held on December 11, 2021.The statement concluded As of September 8, 2021, the Coalition for Tamil Political Rights comprising: Tamil Genocide Memorial (TGM), Quebec Tamil Development Association (QTDA), Ottawa Tamil Association (OTA), Canadian Tamil Coalition for Justice and Accountability (CTCJA),Tamil Rights Group (TRG),United Tamil Solidarity Front (UTSF),Tamil Canadian Centre for Civic Action (TCCCA) is organizing the conference, with additional non-profit organizations in Canada to join this Coalition for the conference. ENDS For more information please Contact: community@tamilconferences.org or +1 (647) 547 0199 Customers can now easily schedule their Ford vehicle service online at Bickford Ford dealership at their convenience. Bickford Ford dealership in Washington offers a platform where customers can schedule their vehicle maintenance service at their own convenience. The service center serves the surrounding cities of Seattle, Everett and more. Customers in these areas are also encouraged to schedule their services periodically at the dealership. Regular maintenance service helps increase the vehicles health and longevity. The Ford maintenance service at the dealership is presided over by a team of experts who have vast experience in this field. The maintenance service covers oil changes, tire rotations, brake replacements and more. The dealership maintains a low service turnaround time and high-quality work. Customers who wish to maintain their vehicles in good health are encouraged to utilize this service scheduling platform to their benefit. Please visit bickford.net to learn about the dealership, its vehicle inventory, vehicle services and more. In case of any questions or concerns, customers can contact the dealership team by phone, (866) 489-3673 or visit the dealership in person at Bickford Ford, 3100 Bickford Avenue Snohomish, WA 98290. For more details, customers can access relevant contact information on the dealership website. OnlineTherapy.com, a premier global database that connects carefully vetted therapists with clients, has published a recent survey report that examines Taliban control of Afghanistan and its impact on American war veterans. The study highlights responses from 1,250 Afghanistan veterans ages 18 and older and found that 70% have struggled with their mental health since serving in Afghanistan. According to the study, 90 percent of Afghanistan war vets with a history of mental illness are experiencing new or worsening mental health symptoms. Seventy-five percent are experiencing new or worsening symptoms of depression, and 50 percent of respondents reported more frequent thoughts of suicide. Similarly, worsening mental health issues such as outbursts of anger and increased drug or alcohol use were cited. Survey results indicate that symptoms of depression, anger, and suicidal ideation are higher among male veterans with a history of mental health issues than female veterans. Thirty-five percent of men reported new suicidal thoughts, compared to 29 percent of women. Veterans who experienced depression symptoms for the first time account for 40 percent of men versus 33 percent of women. Forty percent of male respondents with a history of mental health issues also say they are using drugs or alcohol more frequently, compared to 33 percent of women Younger veterans, age 18 to 24 years old, whove experienced mental health symptoms in the past, seem to experience outbursts of anger at a higher rate. The situation has also triggered new drug and alcohol use among 25% of people in this age group. Thirty-six percent of people from this group say they are most likely to start counseling after the takeover in Afghanistan. Among the oldest veterans of the War in Afghanistan, new thoughts of suicide appear to be an emerging issue. Forty-two percent of veterans 55 and older report that they have been experiencing new suicidal thoughts since Afghanistans fall. OnlineTherapy.com conducted this study to gain insight into the impact of war on military veterans. The organization created and paid for this comprehensive study, which was administered on August 26, 2021, via Pollfish an online survey platform. Appropriate respondents were found via a screening question. Respondents also had to confirm that they were comfortable taking a survey that included questions regarding suicide and mental health. To access the complete report, visit: https://www.onlinetherapy.com/taliban-takeover-exacerbates-vets-mental-health-symptoms/ ABOUT ONLINETHERAPY.COM OnlineTherapy.com connects people with therapists all over the world. With advanced search tools, clients can find carefully vetted therapists based on education and experience, or use a personal matching tool to identify the best counselor for their specific needs. The platform also provides resources for therapists that want to start or expand their virtual practice. In addition to an extensive directory of professionals, users can access articles, reviews, and a podcast series. To learn more, visit https://www.onlinetherapy.com/. FashionLAB Market Logo FashionLAB Market is a boutique trade show that offers an intimate and personalized experience for buyers and brands New York. Huge convention halls. Thousands of fashion brands. Paying exorbitant prices to exhibit. Impersonal, run-of-the-mill experiences. Until now, that's how most of the big fashion shows in New York have been. Until now. The second edition of FashionLAB Market is here. This boutique trade show event created by Spaniards Anna Giralt and Raquel Navalon, has established itself as one of the most interesting alternative fashion events taking place right after New York Fashion Week. The event, created in 2020 as a response to the cancellation of big shows like Coterie, has grown exponentially, both in the number of participating brands and in number of interested buyers attending. Led by FashionLAB Agency, this new edition will be held from September 17 to 19 in an events space in Chelsea. FashionLAB Market is a boutique trade show that offers an intimate and personalized experience and that was created with both attending buyers and participating brands in mind. The event will feature a multitude of novelties such as virtual catwalks, raffles for two unique experiences provided by Air Europa and Aire Ancient Baths, main sponsors of the event, as well as free rides for buyers. Every afternoon attendees will be able to enjoy a tasting of typical Spanish products offered by COVAP and cocktails, among others. "It's very positive that buyers are coming back to New York," says Anna, co-founder of FashionLAB Agency and a established consultant in fashion business strategies in the US, "it's an indicator that New York is still the fashion capital of the United States and that the economy is recovering." This is good news for the more than 26 European and local fashion brands that will be the main attraction of this event. Thanks to the careful work completed prior to the event, in which FashionLAB Agency studies buyers and brands ensure the best possible match, these 26 brands will be able to sell their spring-summer 2022 collections to buyers of the caliber of Anthropologie, Neiman Marcus or Free People, with whom agreements have been made in previous editions. Some of the brands that will be available in the FashionLAB Market include established leaders in the market such as Maliparmi and Camper, as well as brands that begin their journey in the American market this season such as Clo Emotional Design and Lola & Lo. You can make an appointment to visit the trade show and see the collections in person on September 17, 18 and 19, from 9am to 6pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 9am to 5pm on Sunday. The designers and the FashionLAB Agency team are available for individual interviews. Please email us at marina@fashionlabagency.com to schedule an interview or to visit the show (visits are by appointment only). The show will take place at the White Space Chelsea venue, 555 W 25th Street, New York, NY 10001. ### About FashionLAB Agency Founded by Spanish entrepreneurs Anna Giralt and Raquel Navalon in 2015, FashionLAB Agency is the leading brand ambassador in North America for European fashion houses. From its showroom business to multi-brand boutiques and department stores, the agency offers a wide range of fully customized services, including strategy consulting, public relations, and many other services. As might be expected, FashionLAB Agency is located in the heart of Manhattans Garment District and is one of the few showrooms in the city that has been 100% operational throughout the pandemic. More information about FashionLAB here: https://www.fashionlabagency.com/ ### About Security Measures for COVID-19 Visitors who cannot present proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test at the entrance will be required to wear a mask at all times. Capacity will be limited to 30% of the total capacity of the venue, which is 250 people. When we look to drive down building carbon emissions and make more robust and equitable outcomes, the PHPP energy model is the organizing tool that makes it all possible, The Passive House Network announced today the launch of the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) course as an online, on-demand, training for Passive House home design and construction. The PHPP is used by architects, engineers, consultants, and contractors - as an integrated design and construction tool. When we look to drive down building carbon emissions and make more robust and equitable outcomes, the PHPP energy model is the organizing tool that makes it all possible, said Ken Levenson, PHN Executive Director. Levenson noted, The PHPP is an Excel-based tool that allows the designer to simulate the behavior of the building both during peak times - winter and summer - and over an entire year. Its a flexible, easy-to-use model that allows for quick iteration and design alternate evaluation. The PHPP course is self-paced, allowing participants to repeat and review sections as needed to fully absorb the lessons. It offers 24 AIA continuing education credits. The training is organized around 9 learning objectives that give students a thorough grounding in PHPP practice for homes, and include: Learn the structure, inputs, and outputs of PHPP software Select and input appropriate climate data sets in PHPP Measure and record building characteristics (areas, volumes, etc) Specify building assemblies and components Model HVAC systems Assess building heat loss, energy demand, and summertime overheating risk Understand proper sourcing of performance data Gain practical experience in completing a PHPP assessment for a residential development Intended Audience: Architects, developers, self-builders, and other building professionals. The course was developed in collaboration with Peel Passive House Consulting Ltd. Founder, Andrew Peel stated, We are excited to help offer this course to Passive House practitioners across the US and North America because understanding and working with the PHPP is essential to making effective Passive House buildings. The course, Using PHPP in Passive House Design and Certification, is part of a larger Passive House education pathway, that begins with introductory classes, including a suite of on-demand introductory topics offered by the Building Energy Exchange (BEEx), based in NYC, the core Certified Passive House Designer and Certified Passive House Tradesperson courses, and other specialized expert training, all organized to build on each other and support growing high-performance competency as we work to make buildings a solution to our climate, health, and social crises. This course can be accessed at: https://naphnetwork.org/education/specialized/phpp/ About The Passive House Network: The Passive House Network (PHN), formerly know as NAPHN, is a high-performance building literacy program. We provide comprehensive, high-quality Passive House education to stakeholders across the building industry from architects and engineers to builders and developers, to regulators and policymakers. We demystify the impact of design and construction choices, form knowledge-sharing networks, raise expectations, and transform how professionals fundamentally think and work. PHN is an independent national non-profit educational organization affiliated with the International Passive House Association (iPHA) and the Passive House Institute (PHI), located in Darmstadt, Germany. PHN has chapters based in New Jersey (http://www.njpassivehouse.com), Washington DC (http://www.naphnetwork.org), the Rocky Mountain Region (http://www.phrockymountains.com), Minnesota (http://www.passivehouseminnesota.org) and Pennsylvania (http://www.passivehousepa.org). PHN supports the widespread adoption of the international Passive House design and construction standards, building science principles and protocols, as a critical response to our climate crisis - providing unparalleled effectiveness in mitigating climate disruptions and adapting to rapidly changing environmental conditions. http://www.naphnetwork.org About Passive House: Passive House is an international building standard and methodology, applicable to buildings of all kinds from office buildings to hospitals, new-build and renovations, that results in a dramatic drop in operational energy use, and more comfortable and healthy occupants - meant to aggressively mitigate our climate crisis while providing resilient adaptation. The Passive House Standard was developed by the Passive House Institute (PHI), an independent scientific research organization, located in Darmstadt, Germany, and includes specific requirements for energy use and comfort of occupants. The Passive House Standard is being successfully applied to thousands of buildings and millions of square feet around the world, from Boston to Beijing. The Passive House methodology starts with reducing cooling, dehumidification, and heating loads by focusing, not on gadgets and active technology, but instead on fully integrated durable passive building components, such as proper continuous thermal-bridge-free insulation, continuous airtightness, high-performance windows and doors, and ventilation that includes a high-efficiency heat/energy recovery core, carefully calculated, and all integrated with the entire architectural process of design and construction. http://www.passivehouse.com http://www.passipedia.org CONCORD [mdash] Doris McKenzie April 19, 1927 - January 7, 2021 Doris Ann Tilley McKenzie passed away January 7 at the Gardens of Taylor Glen in Concord NC. Doris was born in Rainelle, WV to Claude and Eula Tilley. She is survived by her twin sister Dora Lee Campbell of Shelby and her childr If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here. Submit Borough President Donovan Richards poses Friday with a monument that The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey along with the JFK Chamber of Commerce unveiled to honor those killed in the 9/11 attacks. Over the weekend, I saw two tweets with roughly the exact same time stamp. The first one, stamped at 2:32pm, was from the official account of the United Nations (UN) spokesperson announcing that UN officials were in Kabul discussing humanitarian issues with The Taliban. The second tweet, from investigative reporter Lara Logan, included reports of The Taliban executing Afghan women police officers including one who was six months pregnant. It was stamped 2:43pm. It makes you wonder what the actual purpose of the UN is these days. The neo-liberalism of this relic, which seeks to legitimize The Taliban and welcome it into the global community, will result in many more senseless deaths. And they will use American dollars to do so. The U.S. currently funds 22% of the entire UN budget, contributing roughly $675,000,000 tax dollars. This is more than double the next largest donor, China, who contributes $336,000,000. Its bad enough the UN bureaucrats are so foolish in foreign policy. One could argue they are even more clueless and moronic on energy and environmental issues. Heres one small, or rather, enormous, example of the UNs green stupidity: two months from now, an anticipated 30,000 activists will gather is Glasgow, Scotland, for yet another international conference on climate change. There, in large auditoriums with impressive sound systems and jumbo screen TVs, they will live stream charts and graphs of climate panic porn predicting the inevitable end of mankind unless we immediately stop using fossil fuels. Rest assured, there will not be one slide on the carbon footprint of 30,000 activists gathering in Glasgow. But Ill write more about UN Hypocrisy Fest in November once they finalize the speakers. Im sure youll be just as excited to hear billionaires like Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg tell us how we need to alter our lifestyles for Mother Earth before boarding their Gulfstream Six to the mega-yacht in Capri. But well have to wait: theres plenty of UN hypocrisy for today. The most recent example of UN stupidity is the August 25th letter from CERD, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is part of the UN Commission on Human Rights. The focus of the letter was, of course, the U.S. and especially the known source of all racial strife: oil pipelines. Line Three, a proposed pipeline to ship tar sands from Alberta, Canada to Superior, Wisconsin, is the new pipeline of attack for the green movement now that Joe Biden granted their wish of stopping the Keystone XL Pipeline. No one gained from the Keystone decision. Oil still arrives from Canada, as it did previously, via the more carbon intensive railroad and truck, but that was never the issue. It was never about carbon footprints or the Earth. Its about the battle. As a Wellesley College student titled her 1969 thesis on communist activist Saul Alinsky There Is Only the Fight. Hillary Clinton would probably agree with the green movements tactic of never declaring victory: just move on to the next target. Line Three. This project would project would infringe the rights of the Anishinaabe indigenous peoples, in particular by significantly reducing their traditional source of food, the manoonim wild rice the UN letter states without any specifics. Reportedly, this project would exacerbate the already disproportionate impact of climate change on indigenous peoples in Minnesota it adds without any data of how the indigenous Minnesota people are faring. But facts are not necessary when you have a green agenda. Just ask the 30,000 climate advocates gearing up to fly to Glasgow. Heres the line that really should make you break your screen: the Line 3 project would furthermore increase the risk of violence against indigenous women, including sex trafficking and sexual abuse, due to the significant influx of workers and the establishment of camps composed of male workers. Yes, you read that correctly: an accusation that American energy workers will sex traffic and abuse the native women of Minnesota. Id like to ask Governor Tim Waltz if he will let this accusation go unanswered. Some UN bureaucrat besmirching the people of your state for a political agenda. Id like to ask Middle Class Joe Biden if his team will stand by the American energy worker before such a disgusting claim. I wish they would both tell the UN Committee to, politely, pound sand. To make this letter even more offensive, more egregious, more infuriating is the author of the Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is Yanduan Li, delegate from China. Yes, thats right, the country that has over one million Uighurs in slave camps is sending their diplomats to blast America for building an oil pipeline to its largest trading partner. The slave owner chastising you for wearing white after Labor Day. Chinas myriad of human rights abuses run the gamut from the persecution of the media and lack of a free press to crackdowns on human rights in Hong Kong to nationwide censorship to forced sterilization to political imprisonmentthe list is seemingly without end. It is the systematic abuse of a brutal regime. The Biden Administration and the Governor of Minnesota should rip up that letter. On TikTok so the Chinese are sure to see it. And if the UN had any credibility left, it would assume Yanduan Li from China is as much a threat to human rights as the country she represents. But they wont. Its the same UN meeting with The Taliban while they are murdering women police officers. Its the same UN telling you to go green as it books celebrity entertainers for a week-long junket in Scotland. Energy is a critical resource and sadly has been the source of countless wars and acts of violence. America has many energy enemies: Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Iraq. Its sad to now have to count the UN on that list. And even sadder to know were paying for all of it. Now is the time for the Biden Administration to see American energy independence as more critical than ever before. Daniel Turner is the founder and executive director of Power The Future, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for American energy jobs. Contact him at daniel@powerthefuture.com and follow him on Twitter @DanielTurnerPTF There is little that reveals the immorality and dishonesty of the left more than its labeling the term "colorblind" racist. Here are just a few of countless examples: The University of California publishes a list of "microaggressions" -- terms and ideas it considers racist -- that white people should avoid using. The list includes the term "colorblindness" as well as statements such as "there is only one race, the human race." The left's racist war on colorblindness is everywhere. Psychology Today published an article by a psychology professor titled, "Colorblind Ideology Is a Form of Racism." HuffPost published a piece titled, "How Colorblindness Is Actually Racist," in which the author gives three examples of statements white people make that are racist: "I am colorblind." "I see people, not color." "We are all the same." The Walt Disney Co. recommends that its white employees atone for their racism by "challeng(ing) colorblind ideologies and rhetoric" such as ... "I don't see color." Even the U.S. Army got into the act. It sent an email to all personnel saying that the word "colorblind" is "evidence of white supremacy." (The Army later withdrew the email after a congressman threatened a federal investigation.) I could give dozens of other examples of the left's Orwellian labelling of "colorblind" as "racist." Why Orwellian? Because becoming colorblind is precisely what people opposed to racism should aspire to. That is why Martin Luther King Jr.'s most famous quote, from his most famous speech, is: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." The left's position is that Martin Luther King Jr. was wrong. But it's the left that's wrong. The colorblind person is the very definition of a non-racist person. Here's one obvious proof: The worst racists -- defenders of slavery, supporters of Jim Crow laws and the Ku Klux Klan, just to cite American examples -- were the least colorblind people. Color is the one thing they and all racists see in people. Precisely because they defined people by their color, they justified their subjugation of black people. Colorblind means one does not believe a person's color is in any way significant. Isn't that the ideal? Shouldn't we define a person by their heart, mind, personality and, as Martin Luther King Jr. said, above all, character? When people, of any color, look into a mirror, do they see color? No, they don't. They see a human being. When a white person looks into a mirror, does he or she think, "Look, a white person!"? When a black person looks into a mirror, does he or she think, "Look, a black person!"? Of course not. When we look at ourselves, we see John, or Jessica, or Tameka, or Jose. We see ourselves -- not color. Why isn't that how we would want everyone else to see us? The left's insistence that color is important is one of the most racist and anti-human doctrines of our time. It was precisely when America was most racist that people's color was deemed most important. Why would we want to return to that time? Why is your skin color any more important than your hair color or, for that matter, the color of your shoes? Name one important thing your color tells others about you. You can't. Does your color tell us if you're kind, or smart, or what foods or music you like, or what you do for a living? Does it tell us anything about the most important thing about you -- your values? No. Your color tells us nothing about you. So, why should anyone not be colorblind? To be colorblind means one ignores the least important thing about you. Isn't that a good thing? And isn't the opposite position -- that your race is important -- racist? Those of us who regard the Bible as the greatest book ever written, as the greatest repository of wisdom, must be colorblind. The only thing the Bible tells us about the first human being, Adam, from whom we are all descended, is that he was created in God's image. If the Bible placed any significance on race, wouldn't it have told us Adam's color? That there were Christians who defended slavery on race grounds only proves that there were Christians who didn't take the Bible seriously. Conversely, some Christians who did take the Bible seriously organized the first large-scale effort in world history to abolish slavery. One final thought: Imagine that tomorrow every human being became blind. Would the world be more -- or less -- racist? COPYRIGHT 2021 CREATORS The president has exhausted his patience. He had tried all the incentives and emotional exhortations and even red-white-and-blue appeals to the patriotism that beats in American hearts. Yet, at least in his estimation, not enough people listened: One-fourth of those eligible still have not rolled up their sleeves, bared their arms, and voluntarily taken their COVID shots. What more is there to wait for? What more do you need to see? an exasperated Joe Biden asked the unvaccinated on Thursday. Weve made vaccinations free, safe, and convenient. The vaccine has FDA approval. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot. But Biden wont wait for an answer to his questions. He and his administration are done with the coaxing. Now, the president has picked up the stick by announcing new vaccine mandates. Employers with more than 100 workers will be required to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or else provide weekly testing for the virus under penalty of stiff fines. Any health care provider that receives federal Medicare or Medicaid dollars must do the same. Anyone boarding a flight must wear a mask or incur a doubled fine, courtesy of the TSA. How did it come to this? Biden explained not only the need for the sweeping mandates but also said exactly who is to blame. This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated, he said, and its caused by the fact that despite America having an unprecedented and successful vaccination program, despite the fact that for almost five months free vaccines have been available in 80,000 different locations, we still have nearly 80 million Americans who have failed to get the shot. He scolded the unvaccinated: Our patience is wearing thin and your refusal has cost all of us. He dared Republican governors to try and stop him: If these governors wont help us beat the pandemic, Ill use my power as president to get them out of the way. And he changed a course he set long ago. While president-elect, Biden was asked about mandatory vaccinations just weeks after the first successful vaccine trials were announced. No, I dont think it should be mandatory. I wouldnt demand it be mandatory, he said in December, adding, But I would do everything in my power just like I dont think masks have to be made mandatory nationwide I will do everything in my power as president of the United States to encourage people to do the right thing. That voluntary route had seemed to work. The president told a crowd gathered at the White House to watch Fourth of July fireworks that we are closer than ever to declaring our independence from a deadly virus. The crowd wasnt masked. Neither was Biden. He was confident, and he was conciliatory. Please, if you havent gotten vaccinated, do it, he pleaded. Do it now, for yourself, for your loved ones, for your community and for your country. Even when the delta variant of the coronavirus started burning across the country, the White House stuck to that message and that tone. When asked if the president should start blaming the unvaccinated, as Republican Gov. Kay Ivey had done in Alabama at the end of July, press secretary Jen Psaki was definitive. Well, I dont think our role is to place blame, but what we can do is provide accurate information to people. Should the federal government step in and issue vaccine mandates, she was asked. Thats not the role of the federal government, Psaki replied. That is the role that institutions, private sector entities, and others may take. That certainly is appropriate. Lest there be any confusion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky insisted on July 30 that there will be no federal mandate. Since then, the president has overcome his mandate allergy. We can and we will turn the tide on COVID-19, he said at the White House on Thursday in announcing his directives. We have the tools, and now we just have to finish the job with truth, with science, with confidence, and together as one nation. Those words caught Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson by surprise. A rare Republican ally, he was held up recently as an effective partner by the White House for his willingness to allow teachers to require masks in public schools. By the time Biden finished his speech, though, Hutchinson had soured. He told RealClearPolitics that the administrations embrace of mandates is frustrating in the sense that it is a reversal of policy. It is a change, and an impulsive reaction by the president to the current surge. Hutchinson, who chairs the National Governors Association, added that he now worries the mandates may harden the resolve of the unvaccinated because the more the government pushes, there's a temptation for people to resist. Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte was similarly frustrated, and he dismissed the employer mandate as first unlawful, and second un-American. He told RCP that in his state we are already having enough trouble getting people back to work, and here is one more thing that makes it harder. Gianforte has signed into law a bill that makes it illegal for private employers to require vaccines as a condition of employment. This edict from the Biden administration is unlawful in Montana, he said, promising to fight the mandate and all but ensuring a fight in the courts. The president did not address such looming legal battles, and he did not answer a reporters questions about the constitutionality of the order. He turned and walked away from the lectern Thursday, unmasked. A former Supreme Court litigator, Sen. Mike Lee has already reached his verdict. He told RCP that by coercing private citizens to undergo a medical procedure, the president has shown a wanton disregard for the U.S. Constitution. It isnt that Lee objects to the vaccine. He took it, and he explained at length earlier this year why he did. The Utah Republican, like many of his conservative colleagues, objects to making the shot mandatory. He didnt hold back in his criticism of the president and his new policy. As a would-be autocrat, Biden endangers the very fibers of this great nation, Lee said. Freedom and agency are the hallmarks of the American experiment. The Supreme Court's fateful step of judicializing abortion in 1973 effectively removed it from the political process for nearly a half-century. Americans' passionate feelings on the matter were displaced from legislative disputes (where they belonged) to the composition of the Supreme Court, resulting in crude, openly political, circuslike nomination battles that have characterized nearly all recent appointments. But now the Court seems poised to toss the question back into the political realm. I say this not so much because of what happened with the Texas law but because the Court is scheduled to hear arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, a Mississippi case aimed squarely at Roe v. Wade. The Texas Heartbeat Act currently causing such angst may be remembered as a sideshow. Bear in mind that in declining to issue an injunction, the Supreme Court did not endorse the substance of the law. It ruled only that the appellees lacked standing. The drafters cleverly designed a scheme to evade an injunction, and they succeeded. But to what end? In due course, someone will sue an abortion provider or a best friend who gave a pregnant woman the name of a clinic, and the defendants will respond by challenging the constitutionality of the law. At that stage, when there is a true case or controversy, the Texas Heartbeat Act will wend its way through the courts and wind up at the Supreme Court eventually. Evading injunctive relief is not the same as evading judicial review altogether. So, for a period of weeks or months, it will be nearly impossible to obtain a legal abortion in Texas. To achieve a temporary halt on abortions, Gov. Greg Abbott and the Republicans in Texas' legislature have demonstrated contempt for any value other than hamstringing review. Do the drafters and Republican lawmakers who adopted this law really want to invite the kind of spying and informing their law envisions? Do they really want bounty-hunters to enrich themselves on the backs of women in trouble? Do they really want to make Texas look like East Germany? Mississippi's law, by contrast, is a straight-up challenge to the "undue burden" standard enunciated in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. It would ban abortions after 15 weeks' gestation except in cases of health emergencies and fetal abnormalities. There are no bounty hunters or nosy neighbors looking to settle a score or teach someone a lesson. The Court has not yet upheld a state law limiting pre-viability abortions, but Dobbs may be the case that does so. It would be far healthier for our society if citizens were asked to debate and decide these matters for themselves, in their own states, without the help of nine lawyers on the Supreme Court. These are exactly the sort of issues that free people must grapple with if they want to be considered self-governing. Nearly every poll on abortion has found that most Americans favor legal abortion in the first 12 weeks and oppose it (to varying degrees) thereafter. Polls asking whether Americans support Roe are useless because few know what it says. If Americans are somewhere in the mushy middle, the two political parties have arrayed themselves at the extremes. The past five years have demonstrated the dangers of excessive polarization. We are tearing each other apart over mask mandates, for God's sake. How well equipped are we to debate and discuss an issue that is even more emotionally volatile? Nevertheless, if the Supreme Court overturns Roe and Casey, or limits their scope, the ball will be back in the citizens' court. I'm not optimistic that compromise or mutual understanding is possible on this issue, but let me offer some personal recollections that may help. My husband and I, as adoptive parents, were active in adoption charities and advocacy for many years. Adoption brings together people from both sides of the abortion divide. We met Hillary Clinton and Mary McGrory, a fierce liberal columnist who was on former President Richard Nixon's enemies list, at adoption events, as well as former Republican Congressman and Majority Whip Tom DeLay. He and his wife had raised three foster children. I was happy to help Erica Pelman launch In Shifra's Arms, a Jewish charity dedicated to helping women who experience crisis pregnancies. ISA was clear from the outset that its goal was to help women, not to lobby about changing laws. There were pro-choice and pro-life women on the board, united in the desire to let women know that they were not alone. An Guttmacher Institute survey on women's reasons for having abortions noted that more than one-third of the women in the study had considered placing their children for adoption but rejected it because they believed it was "morally unconscionable" to give a child away. It seems highly doubtful that the 7 million Americans who are adopted would agree. An estimated 1 to 2 million couples are waiting to adopt children. In 2018, there were about 619,000 abortions. Most people are shocked to learn that there's even a registry for couples waiting to adopt babies with Down syndrome. Adoption is a loving alternative to abortion. Perhaps we can begin to listen to and hear each other if we start there. COPYRIGHT 2021 CREATORS.COM In an unprecedented move, President Biden requested the resignation of 18 former Trump administration officials, including myself, who were appointed to serve on the Board of Visitors of the Naval Academy, West Point, and the Air Force Academy. In its partisan blacklisting of political opponents, the Biden administration has broken with tradition of previous presidents. In a Wednesday press briefing, White House press secretary Jen Psaki called into question the qualifications of me and everyone else appointed by President Trump. These statements and actions have nothing to do with my qualifications or the qualifications of anyone else the president is ousting. For the past year, the boards havent been allowed to meet. The reason for the Biden administrations actions is clear: They want to inject far-left ideology such as critical race theory into the curriculum of the service academies without the pushback or oversight that Congress intended when the boards were established. As far as the qualifications of those who were terminated, they include: Meaghan Mobbs, an Afghanistan veteran and West Point graduate; Lt. Gen. Guy Swan, former commander of U.S. Army North and vice president of the Association of the U.S. Army; Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster; and former Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Jack Keane. Biden and Psaki can disparage these public servants all they want, but their credentials speak for themselves. Ironically, Gen. McMaster is receiving West Point's highest honor this Saturday, Sept. 11, days after being booted from the service academy board. As Meaghan Mobbs said, "It is tragic that this great institution is now being subjected to and hijacked by partisan action that serves no purpose and no greater good." This administration is attacking the qualifications of people who have served our country and is setting a dangerous precedent by politicizing these institutions. Our military and the service academy boards should be beyond the reach of petty political stunts like this. While it has been an unspoken tradition that previous White House press secretaries dont criticize the job of the current holder of that job, Jen took to the podium to personally question my qualification and service. Each of us chooses how to serve this nation. I won't ever question how anyone does that, including Jen Psaki. However, I won't sit back and allow anyone to question my service, qualifications, or patriotism from the White House podium. Joining the military and wearing the uniform of this amazing country remains one of the greatest decisions of my life. For 22 years, I have had the honor of serving alongside some of the most talented, patriotic and brave individuals America has to offer. I'm a proud graduate of the U.S. Naval War College. I have done multiple tours, and politics has never entered into my service. I have served under five presidents of both parties; when you wear the uniform, you serve the commander-in-chief. We take an oath, as officers, to the Constitution, not to a political party. The service academies have traditionally been no-go zones for partisan politics. These hallowed institutions are where people come together to give their best and ensure our militarys future officers have the tools and education they need to successfully lead. Until now, just days before the 9/11 anniversary, no administration ever attempted to turn the service academies into an ideological weapon. Remember, it was Joe Biden who, in his inauguration, pledged to bring America together and unite our nation. It is disappointing and tragic that just days from the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks that President Biden and the White House press secretary have chosen to act in this manner. Instead of unifying America, this president is tearing us apart by engaging in partisan politics when he should be working to bring stranded Americans home from Afghanistan. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/09/2021 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. villain Chris Conran has apologized for disrespecting Jessenia Cruz and going about their breakup the wrong way in pursuit of Alana Milne , but he apparently also feels wronged by his Season 7 co-stars."Finally watched the episode, and I feel there are a few things that need to be said: First and foremost, I take complete accountability for my blatant disrespect towards Jessenia, and handling the situation poorly," Chris wrote in a Wednesday Instagram Stories posting."I did reach out to Jessenia to apologize after getting home, and I would like to reiterate my sincerest apologies to her now. My past behavior is not a reflection of who I am or who I want to be, and it was never my intention to maliciously or purposefully hurt anyone on the show."As shown on Tuesday night's episode of , Chris and Jessenia had become one of the strongest couples on the beach, but once newcomer Alana Milne showed up to an invite-only VIP party hosted by Tituss Burgess , Chris kissed her right away and proceeded to make out with her on the dance floor right in front of Jessenia."I've been doing work privately to work through my relationship & communication skills. I'm an awful communicator and I'm an extremely non-confrontational person," Chris continued."It's something I've needed to fix and I'm glad it's been brought to light."After Jessenia left the VIP party early alone and brokenhearted, Alana joined the Paradise cast the next day and asked Chris out on a date, and he said "yes" without hesitation.From there on out, Chris and Alana were all about each other, and so the couple was accused of having a pre-show relationship and strategy for the Paradise process, similar to how Brendan Morais had dated Natasha Parker until his real romantic interest, Pieper James , arrived.Jessenia told the cameras Alana had once "thrown herself" on Chris in San Diego, CA, which "wasn't a good look" and it appeared Chris had been waiting for her in Paradise the entire time."I entered Paradise with integrity. I was by no means in a relationship prior to the show. Nobody in the 'San Diego Crew' was in a relationship beforehand. I hung out with both Alana and Jessenia in a group setting," Chris explained."I met both of them, and had the same preshow relationship prior to Paradise. Flirty, and excited to potentially see them on Paradise."He added, "I am so sorry Alana got mixed up in all of it, and I beg all of you to stop attacking and harassing her. She doesn't deserve the hate she's receiving, and the death threats need to stop."Once Chris and Alana coupled up in Paradise, Joe Amabile and Riley Christian rushed to Jessenia's defense and led an attack on Chris in which they scolded him for wanting "clout" and being "dishonorable."Chris was essentially forced or kicking out of Paradise, which resulted in Alana leaving the show as well since she knew the environment had become a toxic place for her.Jessenia told Chris to f-ck himself, follow his heart, and "get the f-ck out of Paradise," and Riley and Joe agreed that was the right decision to make.After Chris apologized in his post, he decided to stand up for himself, claiming he had been treated unfairly and unjustly once he decided to focus on Alana."The hateful messages I'm receiving aren't fun, and the way I was attacked and pushed out of Paradise sucked. It reminded me of getting ganged up on in high school by the 'cook kids,'" Chris explained.And when Alana asked the group if anyone wanted to know what she thought of the situation prior to her exit, Jessenia, Joe and Riley clapped back, "No!"Chris therefore said, "I understand I was low hanging fruit since I'm not a fan favorite, but it also takes a huge level of disrespect for grown men to shut a woman down when she's trying to use her voice. You two know she deserves an apology. We cannot have a culture where we silence women on this show.""All in all, I was not in a relationship prior to the show. I arrived single, and left single. Don't compare me to Brendan and Pieper, because it is not the same.""I was disrespectful to Jessenia, and should have carried myself better. I am sorry for my actions, but I do not regret following my heart on the show," he concluded.Chris proceeded to share posts from his friends supporting him and calling him an incredible man.Chris also re-posted complaints from Bachelor Nation who believe he had been wronged by the other guys on the beach.The Bachelorette alum Blake Horstmann , for example, joked about how the point of Paradise is to make out with multiple people and date around without a real commitment until the end.And Season 7 BIP cast member Noah Erb wrote to Chris on Instagram, "I think you definitely could have handled that situation better but I don't think you should have been kicked off the beach like that... you're still a 6/10 guy and have my address if you need it."And Noah told Alana, "You were a lil spicy to [Jessenia], but I don't think you should be getting any hate whatsoever."Back in August, Jessenia denied having anything more than a friendship with Chris before traveling to Mexico to film the show."We had dinner or lunch, that kind of thing, but it was never anything beyond that... Just to set the record straight, there was absolutely no romantic relationship going on before the show even started," Jessenia told Us Weekly in August."I had my first impression of him in San Diego and figured, you know, he seems cool."'s seventh season is going to continue on Tuesday nights at 8PM ET/PT on ABC.Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group Showtime released a full trailer for Dexter: New Blood on Wednesday. The revival series premieres Nov. 7. ADVERTISEMENT A teaser trailer premiered in July along with the show's San Diego Comic-Con@Home panel. The new trailer shows more of Dexter Morgan ( Michael C. Hall )'s life in Iron Lake, New York under the name Jim Lindsay. Dexter is working at an outdoors store, dancing with the locals and dating police chief Angela Bishop (Julia Jones). He now sees visions of his sister Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), who died in the final season of the original series. Deb accuses Dexter of biding his time until he's able to kill again. She chastises him for learning nothing from his exploits in Miami, which led to her death as well as deaths of over loved ones. Near the end of the trailer, Dexter claims that he is evolving as a serial killer. The trailer ends with Harrison (Jack Alcott) finding him. Harrison is the son Dexter had with Rita ( Julie Benz ). Dexter gave up Harrison when he fled from Miami at the end of the series. Dexter ran for eight seasons on Showtime from 2006 - 2013. SUTTONS BAY The Leelanau County Board of Commissioners approved a motion asking the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department to rescind its public health order and recommend a mask-optional policy for Leelanau schools. The motion, approved along party lines, was made by Republican Commissioner Melinda Lautner, who also called for Thursdays special meeting. Commissioners Debra Rushton, Will Bunek and Rick Robbins, all Republicans, also voted yes, though the motion has no teeth. The latest on COVID-19 Continuing coverage of COVID-19 and its impact. If you have a question about the novel coronavirus pandemic and haven't been able to find an a About 20 of those in attendance were against the mask mandate, with a few of them calling for a vote of no confidence in Lisa Peacock, health officer for the BLDHD and the Northwest Michigan Health Department, who with Medical Director Josh Meyerson put the masking mandate in place Aug. 27. The NMHD includes Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet and Otsego counties. It calls for all school districts, camps and child care centers to adopt a policy requiring universal masking for all students, staff and visitors, regardless of their vaccination status. The mandate comes on the heels of a spike in COVID-19 cases largely attributed to the highly-contagious delta variant and the rise in cases in children. Just an hour earlier President Joe Biden ordered sweeping new federal vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant. The rules mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated, as will employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government with no option to test out. In addition to the vaccination requirements, Biden moved to double federal fines for airline passengers who refuse to wear masks on flights or to maintain face covering requirements on federal property in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. By state law, only the Michigan health officer and county health departments have the authority to issue public health orders. Health departments are also independent units of government over which county boards have no legal authority, said county Administrator Chet Janik after consulting with county attorneys. That authority belongs to the BLDHD Board of Health, which is made up of three members from Leelanau County and three from Benzie County. The county is represented by the Lansing-based Cohl, Stoker and Toskey, which represents the majority of counties in the state. Peacock was not at the meeting because of a commitment made several weeks ago, Janik said. Commission members heard public input for more than two hours and received 53 letters that are part of the meetings record. About 70 constituents supported masking in schools between written and public comment. To argue against masking in schools as the Delta variant becomes more prominent is like playing Russian Roulette with our children, wrote Lois Bahle, of Suttons Bay. This is the time for leadership and doing the right thing. Many of those against the mandate cited lack of studies proving that masks work, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Cheryl Bunek said masks do more harm than good. I love my grandkids, Bunek said. If there was something out there that was going to protect them Id be for it. Some mothers cited problems their children are having with the masks, everything from headaches to anxiety attacks to behavioral problems. Theyre so small, they dont deserve to be masked, said Liz Moeggenberg. Leelanau probate and family court Judge Marian Kromkowski wrote that she would not remain silent in the face of a call for a vote of no confidence in Peacock or for cuts in the health department funding that have been suggested by some. This is absolutely unwarranted and, if passed, will be an embarrassment that will go down in the history of any commissioner who supports any such measure, Kromkowski wrote. Leelanau County is not the first to bristle under the mandate. On Aug. 30, the Benzie Central Schools Board of Trustees voted 5-2 to ignore the mandate and adopted a mask-optional policy. A special meeting of the Benzie County Commission followed, with several commissioners saying the health department order was governmental overreach. By law, those who defy health department orders may face misdemeanor charges and other penalties. No action was taken by the Benzie Commission, but Trustee Evan Warsecke requested that a discussion of the issue be placed on the agenda of the next commission meeting. The next day the Benzie Central school board revisited the issue, adopting on a vote of 4-3 a universal mask policy that complies with the health department order. The Grand Traverse County Commission recently approved a Resolution in Support of Vaccine Awareness and Medical Autonomy that bans the county from mandating vaccines and COVID-19 testing for employees and changes messaging distributed by the Grand Traverse County Health Department, which must now encourage people to talk to their health care provider about the risks and benefits associated with the vaccine. Medical personnel in the community, including from Munson Healthcare, have said the resolution hinders the health department from doing its job and that it is not helpful in increasing the overall vaccination rate in northern Michigan. Editor's Note: This article was updated 9/10/21 to make clearer the number of people speaking versus writing their stance on the health department mask mandate. UGA students share their passion for books and reading with the masses through their TikTok, Youtube and Instagram accounts. Greenville, NC (27833) Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Greenville, NC (27833) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours. A few storms may be severe. High 82F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening will give way to steady rain overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Cloudy early, then thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 81F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Showers and thundershowers early, then overcast overnight with occasional rain. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Beckley, WV (25801) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 78F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Ten years after the 9/11 attacks, Americans were reasonably positive about the state of their rights and liberties. Today, after 20 years, not as much. Thats according to a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research that builds on work conducted in 2011, one decade after the pivotal moment in U.S. history. Some questions were also asked on polls conducted in 2013 and 2015. Americans were relatively united around the idea that the government did a good job protecting many basic rights a decade after the terrorist attacks, which produced a massive overhaul of the country's intelligence services and the creation of agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security. Along with those changes came a creeping concern about government overreach, although Americans as a whole remained fairly positive. That attitude has eroded in the years since, with far fewer people now saying the government is doing a good job protecting rights including the freedom of speech, the right to vote, the right to bear arms and others. For example, the poll finds that 45% of Americans now say they think the U.S. government is doing a good job defending freedom of speech, compared with 32% who say its doing a poor job and 23% who say neither. The share saying the government is doing a good job is down from 71% in 2011 and from 59% in 2015. Dee Geddes, 73, a retiree in Chamberlain, South Dakota, said she was frustrated at the governments apparent lack of ability to safeguard the amount of private information available, especially online. It bothers me when I can go on the internet and find pretty much anything about anybody. It makes me feel sort of naked," said Geddes, who identifies as a Republican. It does bother me how much the government knows about us, but that goes back to the fact that theres so much out there period. Its discouraging." About half now say the government is doing a good job protecting freedom of religion, compared with three-quarters who said the same in 2011. More Americans now think the government is doing a poor job than a good one at protecting the right to equal protection under the law, 49% to 27%. In 2011, opinions were reversed, with more people saying the government was doing a good job than a poor one, 48% to 37%. The poll also finds that 54% of Americans say its sometimes necessary for the government to sacrifice some rights and freedoms to fight terrorism, compared with 64% a decade ago. Now, 44% say thats never necessary at all. A majority of Democrats say its sometimes necessary, which is largely consistent with previous AP-NORC polls. But Republicans are now closely divided, with 46% saying its sometimes necessary and 53% saying its never necessary. In 2011, 69% of Republicans said it was sometimes necessary, and 62% said the same in 2015. Brandon Wilson, 23, a business and animation student at College of DePage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois who described himself as a conservative, said he understood that steps taken after Sept. 11 may have initially seemed to constrain Americans rights, but that he ultimately felt the actions had been for the greater good. I think its a good idea, Wilson said of measures such as increased airline passenger screening. The government is helping the general public and, overall, trying to make people's lives better." On the whole, though, Americans have grown more wary of government surveillance in the name of national security, the poll shows. The poll asked about a variety of rights and liberties, including many of those outlined explicitly in the Constitutions Bill of Rights, as well as several protected by laws and court rulings. It finds 44% now say the government is doing a good job protecting the freedom of the press, compared with 26% who think the government is doing a poor job. In both 2011 and 2015, about 6 in 10 said the government was doing a good job. Americans are about equally divided on how the government is doing at protecting the freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. About one-third say it's doing a good job and about one-third say it's doing a poor job. In 2011 and 2015, views were slightly more positive than negative, though less than half of Americans said the country was doing a good job. Tony Gay, 60, a retiree who lives in Cincinnati, said that he generally supported the government's moves to protect civil liberties. He said his 10 years of Army service helped reinforce his opinion that sacrifice is sometimes necessary to safeguard freedoms. You can't have your freedom 24/7 if theres no one there to protect it, Gay said. "So when they put restrictions on travel, Im all for that, because its to make sure that Im safe, and make sure that the person next to me is safe. Forty-three percent of Americans think the U.S. government is doing a good job protecting the right to vote, while 37% say its doing a poor job. By comparison, 70% said it was doing a good job in 2015 and 84% said the same in 2011. Americans also are now divided on whether the government is doing a good or poor job protecting the right to bear arms, 35% to 36%, but in 2011, more said it was doing a good job than a poor one, 57% to 27%. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say the government is doing a good job of protecting several rights and freedoms, including the freedom of religion, the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press and the right to keep and bear arms. But Democrats are somewhat more likely than Republicans to say the government is doing a poor job enforcing equal protection under the law, 54% to 46%. Views among Democrats and Republicans are largely similar on how well the government is protecting the right to vote, and the views among both have become notably less positive than in the earlier polls. Even if he's relatively comfortable with the government's protection of basic civil liberties, Gay said he feels periodic review of the policies, and those making them, should be necessary. Its like when youre in politics, you have free rein, Gay said. It gives me mixed feelings about who is watching over us. ___ Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP. ____ The AP-NORC poll of 1,729 adults was conducted Aug. 12-16 using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points. WASHINGTON (AP) Evacuation flights have resumed for Westerners, but thousands of at-risk Afghans who had helped the United States are still stranded in their homeland with the U.S. Embassy shuttered, all American diplomats and troops gone and the Taliban now in charge. With the United States and Taliban both insisting on travel documents that may no longer be possible to get in Afghanistan, the plight of those Afghans is testing President Joe Biden's promises not to leave America's allies behind. An evacuation flight out of Kabul on Thursday, run by the Gulf state of Qatar and the first of its kind since U.S.-led military evacuations ended Aug. 30, focused on U.S. passport and green card holders and other foreigners. For the U.S. lawmakers, veterans groups and other Americans who've been scrambling to get former U.S. military interpreters and other at-risk Afghans on charter flights out, the relaunch of evacuation flights did little to soothe fears that the U.S. might abandon countless Afghan allies. A particular worry are those whose U.S. special immigrant visas meant for Afghans who helped Americans during the 20-year war still were in the works when the Taliban took Kabul in a lightning offensive on Aug. 15. The U.S. abandoned its embassy building that same weekend. For all intents and purposes, these peoples chances of escaping the Taliban ended the day we left them behind, said Afghanistan war veteran Matt Zeller, founder of No One Left Behind. It's among dozens of grassroots U.S. groups working to get out Afghan translators and others who supported Americans. An estimated 200 foreigners, including Americans, left Afghanistan on the commercial flight out of Kabul on Thursday with the cooperation of the Taliban. Ten U.S. citizens and 11 green-card holders made Thursdays flight, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. Americans organizing charter evacuation flights said they knew of more U.S. passport and green-card holders in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif and elsewhere awaiting flights out. In the U.S., National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said Thursdays flight was the result of careful and hard diplomacy and engagement and said the Taliban have shown flexibility, and they have been businesslike and professional in our dealings with them in this effort. But many doubt the Taliban will be as accommodating for Afghans who supported the U.S. In Mazar-e-Sharif, a more than weeklong standoff over charter planes at the airport there has left hundreds of people mostly Afghans, but some with American passports and green cards stranded, waiting for Taliban permission to leave. Afghans and their American supporters say the Taliban are blocking all passengers in Mazar-e-Sharif from boarding the waiting charter flights, including those with proper travel papers. Zeller pointed to the Taliban appointment this week of a hard-line government. It includes Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is on the FBIs most-wanted list with a $5 million bounty for alleged attacks and kidnappings, as interior minister, a position putting him in charge of granting passports. The Trump administration all but stopped approval of the Afghan special immigrant visas, or SIVs, in its final months. The Biden administration, too, was criticized for failing to move faster on evacuating Afghans before Kabul fell to the Taliban. The U.S. had also required some visa-seekers to go outside the country to apply, a requirement that became far more dangerous with the Taliban takeover last month. There are all of these major logistical obstacles, said Betsy Fisher of the International Refugee Assistance Project, which provides legal services to SIV applicants. How will people leave Afghanistan?" She said with no clear plan in place, the U.S. government could wind up encouraging people to go on risky journeys. In July, after Biden welcomed home the first airlift, he made clear the U.S. would help even those Afghans with pending visa applications get out of Afghanistan so that they can wait in safety while they finish their visa applications. Since the military airlifts ended on Aug. 30, however, the Biden administration and Taliban have emphasized that Afghans needed passports and visas. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Thursday the administration was looking at steps like electronic visas. Hundreds of Afghans who say they are in danger of Taliban reprisals have gathered for more than a week in Mazar-e-Sharif, waiting for permission to board evacuation flights chartered by U.S. supporters. Among them was an Afghan who worked for 15 years as a U.S. military interpreter. He has been moving from hotel to hotel in Mazar-e-Sharif and running out of money as he, his eight children and his wife waited for the OK from the Taliban to leave. Im frightened I will be left behind, said the man, whose name was withheld by The Associated Press for his safety. I dont know what the issue is is it a political issue, or they dont care about us? The interpreter's visa was approved weeks before the last U.S. troops left the country, but he could not get it stamped into his passport because the U.S. Embassy shut down. He said Thursday that he doesnt trust Taliban assurances that they will not take revenge against Afghans who worked for the Americans. Biden, already criticized for his handling of the evacuation, is being pushed by Democrats and also on both sides by Republicans, with some saying hes not doing enough to help Americas former allies and others that hes not doing enough to keep potential threats out of the U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. Mike Waltz, both Republicans, said in a statement that hundreds of those at-risk Afghans and U.S. residents remain trapped behind enemy lines. The Biden administration must provide Congress and the American people ... with a plan to get them safely out of Afghanistan. The Association of War Time Allies estimates tens of thousands of special immigrant visa applicants remain in Afghanistan. An American citizen in New York is trying to get two cousins out of the country who applied for SIVs late last year and were still waiting for approval when the U.S. Embassy shut down. She said both cousins worked for a U.S. aid group for a combined eight years and are frightened the Taliban will find them. Theyre scared, they feel abandoned. They put their entire lives at risk, and when the U.S. was exiting, they were told they would get out, said the American, Fahima, whose last name and the name of the aid group are being withheld to protect her cousins. Where is the helping hand? ___ Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City; Watson from San Diego and Condon from New York. WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AP) Ohios Wright-Patterson Air Force Base went into lockdown for several hours while security officials investigated reports of a shooter on the campus but eventually gave the all-clear early Friday morning. Two individuals reported hearing one gunshot at the base just east of Dayton just after 9 p.m. Thursday, said Col. Patrick Miller, the Installation Commander at Wright-Patterson AFB. The report initiated a series of events leading to the lockdown. Over the next four hours, officials from the 88th Airbase Wing said responders conducted two sweeps of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, a three-story, 850,000-square-foot headquarters for the center described as the Department of Defenses primary source for foreign air and space threat analysis. The lockdown was lifted with the announcement of an all-clear around 1:40 a.m. No threat was identified and no injuries were reported, Miller said. It was unclear whether the sound the two individuals heard was a gunshot. Miller declined to speculate on what caused the sound. The sweeps of the NASIC involved multiple people so that responders could search the entire building. It's not a single master key that gets you into the door of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Miller said. And so it took multiple folks to come in and unlock some doors for our security forces to get through and sweep that area. About 100 people were working inside the center at the time, he said. Everyone got out safely. Additional investigation was planned to determine the cause of the sound. Miller said people at the facility have trained for lockdown situations, saying two active shooting exercises have been conducted there in the past year. TORRINGTON In response to the states bill allowing recreational marijuana in Connecticut, the Planning & Zoning Commission is enacting a one-year moratorium on new cannabis businesses, starting Sept. 25. Gov. Ned Lamont in June signed into law Senate Bill 1201, which legalizes and regulates the adult use of cannabis in Connecticut. The legislation contains comprehensive reforms that address many areas, including equity, criminal justice, public health and public safety, according to the state website, ct.gov. Commissioners held a public hearing Sept. 8 on the moratorium. This moratorium is temporary and limited to cannabis establishments, to provide the commission with the time necessary to consider adoption and potential changes to our own ordinance and regulations, said City Planner Martin Connor. The Connecticut General Assembly has passed a bill allowing cannabis establishments, and existing dispensaries are exempted. The moratorium goes into effect Sept. 25 and will be in place until the same date in 2022. But it could be a shorter period of time if the commission is able to draft, present and approve its own regulations over the next year. The statute has already been adopted, but the state isnt likely to put it in place until next year, so it gives the commission time to work on it, Connor said. Some who attended the public hearing said the moratorium would prevent them from applying to the state for the proper permits to run a cannabis sales business. But Connor said that wasnt the case. Under the legislation, cannabis business licenses will be granted based on a towns population one store per 25,000 people, according to Connor, and the state is using a lottery system to provide those licenses. He said Torrington is likely to be able to have two of them, since its population is about 40,000. But people can still apply for those permits, Connor said. Thomas Macre, a co-owner and manager of Still River Wellness, a medical marijuana distributor on Winsted Road in Torrington, said the moratorium wasnt a big concern. Still River Wellness celebrated its second year in business in June. The dispensary serves about 2,000 patients, many of whom live in Torrington, and has 11 full-time employees, Macre said. We operate quietly, responsibly and with no infringement on other businesses, he said. Were here, were local, and we want to have a partnership with the city. I think (the moratorium) is a good idea, he said. It buys the commission time to draft their own regulations. My only concern was the one-year time frame, because it seems like the state is moving pretty quickly and if applications for new businesses are available, I want to do that; and I want to be able to stay in Torrington. Were planning our next step. It was nice of them to say they werent saying no, that they were just buying time. Still River Wellness clients wont be affected by the moratorium, Macre said. Medical marijuana patients will definitely need to be prioritized, he said. So wed separate the business, to keep our patients in their comfort zone, doing things the way theyve been doing them, by appointment. Patients are allowed to use a certain amount per month and they dont pay taxes, and they get a higher concentration (of cannabis), he said. For other users, theyll be taxed at a higher rate, and theyll get lower levels. So our patients wont want to change. .... Its a benefit to stay where they are, with us. Commission Chairman Greg Perosino said the board could make its new regulations a priority. Moratoriums dont have to last a whole year, he said. We can make it a priority, so that were dealing with it in an ongoing basis. If it takes us five months, six months to get it done, and its the way we like it and the way we want it, then thats what well do. Were not going to put off drafting new regulations until the twelfth month of the moratorium. This is just giving us as much room as we can afford to take. Connor said Mayor Elinor Carbone was working with Police Chief Bill Baldwin on an ordinance. Theyre working on that, regarding the use of marijuana in public, and that could work in concert with our development of a regulation for facilities and retail sales, he said. Were just trying to create the best opportunity to regulate (marijuana) on a retail level. Commission member Tom Telford said the states new bill still was a work in progress. There are a lot of variables that have been mentioned, like tax abatements. But at this point, we dont even know who will get what, he said. So theres a lot of questions that arent answered yet. If were approving retail sales, I want us to be the shining star on how were going to do it, Perosino said. Black and Hispanic women make up about 25 percent of the states female population but represent about 53 percent of domestic violence arrest cases for adult females in 2020, judicial branch data shows. Its a disparity that is playing out in courtrooms across the state, according to public defenders who contend that Black and brown women often face harsher penalties and longer court proceedings to gain a favorable outcome. This is real, it is very real, said Jassette Henry, a senior assistant public defender in New Britain and a tri-chair of the Racial Justice and Cultural Competency Committee within the states Division of Public Defender Services. The question is, what are we going to do about it? Black people are overrepresented in arrests, Henry said. Its not surprising that Black women are getting arrested in a domestic violence incident at a higher rate. They call police and wind up arrested. Its also about how they are treated in the system and what kind of hoops they have to go through to get a favorable disposition. Its very disturbing. This is a real issue. According to judicial branch figures analyzed by C-HIT, in 2020, Black women were charged in 2,118 domestic violence cases, and Hispanic women were charged in 1,525 cases compared with white women, who were charged in 2,963 domestic violence cases during the same period. The cases include females 18 years and older. The inequality is not new, the data show. Black and Hispanic women made up an average of 49 percent of the domestic violence cases filed against adult women from 2016 to 2019, even as overall domestic violence cases involving females dropped from 8,160 to 6,772. The demographic data was compiled from police arrest reports, judicial branch officials said. The cases range from disorderly conduct to murder, officials said. Adult white women make up about 75 percent of the states female population, according to estimates provided by the U.S. Census American Community Survey. Adult Black women make up 10.8 percent and adult Hispanic women make up about 14.4 percent of the population. The domestic violence arrests are a microcosm of what youre seeing in the wider system, said Christine Rapillo, the states chief public defender who runs the Division of Public Defender Services. Poverty drives a lot of this. We see higher rates of arrest in poorer communities, which tend to be communities of color. Lack Of Diversity In Criminal Justice, Understanding The Culture One problem is that there isnt much employee diversity in the states criminal justice system positions that deal with defendants of color, Henry said. There are offices in the division that have no Black or Hispanic public defenders, Henry said. If attorneys dont understand our culture, how can they advocate for their clients? How do we deal with this inside the courtroom when we are in front of a white judge or a white prosecutor? And how do we educate our public defenders who are not people of color to understand our culture? The key is hiring a more diverse workforce and educating law enforcement and court staff, including judges, in cultural competency, Rapillo said. If you have never stood in the shoes of a Black woman, you arent going to know what cultural factors are driving the situation, Rapillo said. We need a more diverse workforce, and we can educate people to be more aware. Diversity brings different perspectives to the work. The Division of Criminal Justice, which encompasses the states prosecutors, is committed to hiring people of diverse backgrounds, thoughts and experiences, according to a statement issued by the agency. The Division is continually working to assemble a staff that reflects the communities we serve because we believe diversity strengthens the Division and bolsters trust in the criminal justice system, the statement said. The agency said decisions about whether to pursue criminal cases are based on the facts of the case, the evidence and the law. Prosecutors in Connecticut strive every day to achieve justice for all parties involved in a case, making sure to consider the needs of the victims and the safety of society, the agency said. New Approaches: Connecting Women To Services Service providers contend that they serve victims of domestic violence in a culturally competent way. But many acknowledged that the coronavirus pandemic highlighted inequities in the system and forced providers to seek ways to engage more women of color to seek services. Black women may be more hesitant to call police or seek services because the arrest of a partner could mean a loss of income, or a protective order could bar a partner from contact, which could lead to child care issues for the victim, some providers said. Overall, our services are pretty evenly split among demographic groups, said Maria Guzman, director of Safe Connect, a program offered by the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence. But disparities in the way cases are handled can still exist in ways we dont recognize, Guzman said. CCADV is the umbrella organization for the states 18 providers that offer shelter and counseling to victims of domestic violence. Statewide, about 60 percent of clients are white, 30 percent are Hispanic and 20 percent are Black, according to Tanya Johnson, CCADVs vice president of operations. We recognize that there are many people who will not come through traditional brick-and-mortar service providers, Johnson said. They go to faith-based and smaller providers. Its very formidable for people to seek help when English isnt their first language or if they are experiencing extreme poverty. Women of color are perceived as strong and able to take care of themselves and their families, Guzman said. That can lead to some hard decisions, she said. Do I ask law enforcement to intervene when communities of color are being incarcerated at higher rates? Communities of color are much more conscious of police brutality. Law enforcement may not always be the best option. We have to offer options that are relevant for them. CCADV started a program last year to provide training in English and Spanish to faith-based communities so the organizations can recognize domestic violence and connect victims with resources since many women of color will not turn to regular channels for help. We train faith-based leaders in how to have the difficult conversation about domestic violence and how to do outreach to break the silence of domestic violence, said Wanda Gaines, director of diversity and accessibility for CCADV, who conducts the training in Spanish. We know that different cultures dont want to talk about domestic violence. We are teaching leaders what domestic violence is and how to bring this into their conversations with people. The Center for Family Justice, which provides shelter and domestic violence services in Bridgeport and surrounding towns, also offers outreach through a Latino team that goes to churches and into the community. When we think about who we trust, women of color are not going to be walking into the police department to seek help, said center CEO and President Debra Greenwood. You have to ask women of color, what are your experiences? Some have sons, and they say Im afraid they cant be out on the street. When you are afraid, you have a mindset that immediately puts a wall up. The pandemic and the social justice issues that came to the forefront in 2020 highlighted areas where domestic violence service providers needed to do better, said Barbara Damon, executive director of the Prudence Crandall Center in New Britain. Sometimes it means crafting a safety plan that doesnt include police, she said. Its easy for us to think we know what the best thing is in any situation, Damon said. But thats not always true. Now were talking about how you can be as safe as possible. The key for us is not to give into stereotypes and meeting people where they are and taking the time to understand white privilege and the built-in racism in our society. We cant do this work without that understanding. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (c-hit.org), a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting. STAMFORD The lawyer for a man accused of slaying a 19-year-old Stamford High School graduate following a months-long feud has asked a judge to review whether there is enough evidence to warrant a murder charge against him. Attorney Stephan Seeger requested a hearing of probable cause on behalf of his client, 21-year-old Everett Brown, during a brief hearing held remotely Thursday afternoon. Brown, also a Stamford resident, faces a murder charge along with multiple other charges for his alleged role in the fatal shooting of Courtney Lewis, 19, during a car meet-up in a West Side parking lot on April 18. Under state statute, all murder defendants are permitted a probable cause hearing though most defendants often choose to waive them. During a probable cause hearing, the state presents its evidence and a judge is called upon to decide if there is enough to justify a murder charge. At Thursdays hearing, Seeger said he and his client had discussed the pros and cons of holding a probable cause hearing and decided to move forward with it. Local defense attorneys say they often opt against holding probable cause hearings because the evidence presented during the hearing goes on the record and is permanently preserved, even if a witness dies or is not able to testify at the trial. Browns probable cause hearing is tentatively scheduled to begin on Dec. 8. Brown was arrested April 21 and charged with unlawful discharge of a firearm, first-degree reckless endangerment, carrying a pistol without a permit, risk of injury and carrying a dangerous weapon. Three weeks after his initial arrest, Brown was also charged with murder and four counts of first-degree assault. According to the arrest warrant, Brown had a long-running feud with Lewis dating back to a confrontation the two had at a prior car meet in Norwalk around September 2020. In the lead-up to the shooting, Brown allegedly messaged Lewis on social media, sending him pictures of handguns and claiming he and his friends from New York were going to come after Lewis, according to the warrant. The threats and intimidation got so bad, the warrant said, that Lewis even told a loved one that he wanted to make sure they werent around in case Brown ever took his life, the warrant said. When Lewis learned Brown was present at the April 18 meet-up at RPM Raceway near the Greenwich border, he became incensed and confronted him, the warrant said. According to the warrant, Lewis and Brown argued. Brown then allegedly pulled a gun and fired multiple shots into Lewis chest. Two others a 33-year-old and a 17-year-old were also struck by the gunfire, police said at the time. Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to police. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Files Nomination For Bhabanipur Bypolls West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday filed her nominations for Bhabanipur by-elections that are scheduled to take place on September 30. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo was seen accompanied by other TMC leaders to file her nominations. Meanwhile, earlier today, state opposition Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) fielded advocate Priyanka Tibrewal to take on the Chief Minister in the upcoming by-elections. Read more here BJP Plans To Vaccinate Highest Number Of People On PM Modi's Birthday: J P Nadda As a part of India's largest vaccination drive, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is looking forward to vaccinate the highest number of people in a single day on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday. This will be initiated under the Central Government's 'National Health Volunteers Campaign' launched in the month of July. Read more here Arvind Kejriwal Signals Grand Ganesh Chaturthi Pujan, Invites People To Join Live Telecast After banning Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in public places at the National Capital of Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced holding the 'Ganesh Pujan' programme at 7 pm today. In the press conference addressed by the Chief Minister, he cited the Government order of not allowing Pandal constructions due to COVID-19 and added that this event will be telecasted on all TV channels. Requesting citizens to join the 'grand programme,' CM Kejriwal additionally urged citizens to include their children. Read more here Afghan Nationals Protest Against Taliban, ISI Outside Pakistan High Commission In Delhi Afghanistan nationals in India carried out a demonstration against the Taliban and Pakistan outside the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi's Delhi's Chanakyapuri on Friday. Afghan men, women and children were seen standing in support of the Ahmad Massoud-led Resistance Force and protesting against Pakistan's military offensive in the country. Read more here Haryana: Mobile Internet Services Restored In Karnal; Farmers Continue To Protest Mobile internet services have been resumed in the district of Karnal in Haryana, where farmers are staging a demonstration demanding action against officials behind the lathi-charge last month. Assistant District PRO Raghubir Singh said, "As of now, there is no plan to suspend the services again. The Haryana Government extended the ban on the internet network services on Tuesday as the farmers gathered in big numbers around the mini secretariat. The mobile internet and SMS service in Karnal district were restricted to prevent any disturbance to the peace and public order. Read more here Pashupati Paras Gets An Invite For Ram Vilas Paswan's Barkhi; 'family Equation Different' As a year passes since the death of Lok Janshakti Party founder Ram Vilas Paswan, his son Chirag Paswan has arranged a 'Barkhi' event and has been inviting the who's who of the political world for it. Despite the tussle for the LJP leadership with Chirag, his uncle Pashupati Paras has also got an invitation, which the latter has accepted pointing out that 'the family environment is different from the political environment'. Read more here Rahul Gandhi Chants Jai Mata Di, Says 'Whenever I Visit J&K, I Feel Like I Have Come Home' Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressed party functionaries in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on Friday where he highlighted his family's old association with the region. Hitting out at the BJP, the Wayanad MP alleged that the saffron party was attempting to tarnish the culture of Kashmir and had left the UT in a 'weakened' state after stripping away its statehood. Read more here UP Polls: Congress To Embark On 12,000 Km-long Yatra; Priyanka Gandhi Conducts Review Meet Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the Congress party has decided to embark on a 12,000 km-long yatra 'Hum Vachan Nibhayenge Pratigya' (we will fulfill our promises) Yatra across the state. During a meeting of the Congress state unit's Advisory and Strategy Committee chaired by party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday, the detailed programme for this mass outreach initiative was chalked out. As per sources, this Yatra will cover major villages and towns as a part of its route. Sources also indicated that the Sonia Gandhi-led party will start a zone-wise election campaign. Read more here 'Shocked and outraged' Top UN Official Reacts To Afghan Women Being Assaulted, Says Taliban Should Respect Rights After a Taliban spokesperson justified the terror group's ultra austere restrictions on women and asserted that it wasn't necessary for women to be a part of the cabinet as "they should give birth", a top United Nations official expressed shock and outrage and asked the Taliban to respect women. Read more here United Nations Envoy Calls For Modus Vivendi To Fuel Cash Flow In Afghanistan UN Envoy for Afghanistan, on Thursday, 9 September 2021, called for a modus vivendi for money to flow in the Taliban controlled state and tackle the dire humanitarian crisis that has ensued. Addressing a virtual UN Security Council meeting, Deborah Lyons said that while frozen funds and assets were necessary to deprive the Taliban of resources, it could trigger an economic slowdown and throw millions of Afghans in poverty and hunger while setting the country back for generations. Notably, international organisations and western powers including the US have frozen billions of funds including donor aids. Read more here Amid ongoing Friday prayers, terrorists hurled grenade at Security Forces in the Chanpora area of Srinagar. Despite missing their target, two people including a jawan of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 29th Battalion and a civilian lady received injuries as the grenade exploded along the roadside. According to the onground information picked by the Republic Media Network, the area was cordoned off and the two injured were rushed to the hospital. The attack was carried right outside Chanpora Chowki where visuals of CRPF jawans were seen. It is significant to note that this was the first attack by the terrorists after separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani's death and sources informed that such untoward incidents were expected by the Security Forces. Meanwhile, the restrictions put by for security reasons post-Geelani's death were in place and internet services were expected to resume soon. Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist nabbed in Awantipora The current terrorist attack is getting reported a day after a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist was caught from the Androosa Khrew area of Awantipora in Kashmir jointly by Kashmir police and Security Forces. The Awantipora Police Unit of the Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Thursday released a statement informing that 50 RR Unit of the Indian Army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) performed a joint cordon and search operation in the Androosa Khrew area of the police district Awantipora. Separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's death The Security Forces in Kashmir was already on high alert after pro-Pakistan separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani died on September 1 at his residence in Hyderpora on the outskirts of Srinagar city. Geelani, who spearheaded separatist politics for over three decades in Jammu and Kashmir, died after a prolonged illness. He was buried at a mosque near his residence in a quiet funeral organised by authorities, amid tight security and restrictions with mobile connectivity by and large snapped in Kashmir. Srinagar, Sep 9 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir police on Thursday said it was following due process of law in connection with recent raids at the houses of four journalists here. IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar asserted that the security force was not harassing the scribes, and only doing its job while investigating a sensitive case. He advised media not to spread "false news or narratives which may amount to unnecessary interference" in the investigation. "Those involved in the case will be arrested as and when adequate evidences are collected against them," the officer added. The police had on Wednesday conducted searches at the residence of Hilal Mir, Shah Abbas, Azhar Qadri and Showkat Mitra, and later took them to a police station for questioning. They were released later in the evening that day, but their laptops and mobile phones were seized for technical evaluation. Giving details of the investigation so far, a police spokesman said the matter came to the fore when the security personnel were probing another case registered at the Kothibagh Police Station. The police came across credible evidence which linked the four journalists to a blog with sensitive content, he said. On the basis of the evidences collected, searches were conducted at four different places after obtaining proper search warrants from the competent court of law, the spokesman said. "For the purpose of investigation, all the above four persons were called for questioning and were allowed to go in the evening and have been directed to present themselves again on Friday," he said. Many mobile numbers belonging to those in Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have been found. The scribes have also been found to be in contact with various virtual numbers, the spokesman added. PTI MIJ SRY (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu had planned to constitute a special disciplinary committee to probe the August 11 ruckus in the Upper House. However, the plan of the RS chairman might have reached an impasse as sources on Thursday claimed that all the Opposition parties had refused to be a part of it. August 10 and August 11 of the Monsoon Parliament had witnessed violent protests by the opposition, leading to an MP stooping down to his lowest integrity and attempting to throw a book aimed at the RS chairman. Congress, TMC & DMK refuse to partake While the Congress in a letter to Naidu refused to be a part of the inquiry, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which was at the centre of the controversy, attested that it did not receive any calls to join the probe. Congrees Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh said, "We have nothing whatsoever to do with any so-called disciplinary committee." The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) too refused to be a part of the committee intending to establish an investigation on the incident which took place on Aug 11 in Rajya Sabha. DMK leader Tiruchi Siva, in a report by PTI, said, "We will go with other opposition parties and will not be a part of any such committee." Mallikarjun Kharge vexed at Venkaiah Naidu Leader of Opposition in the House Mallikarjun Kharge maintained that both the Congress as well as other opposition parties wanted to conduct constructive discussions in the House. Kharge alleged that the government not only brushed aside the opposition parties' demands for discussion but also rushed through the crucial bills and policies which would potentially have grave and adverse effects on the country. Kharge appended that the issue could be discussed in the all-party meetings. Kharge acknowledged that he had received a call from Naidu on September 3, proposing to constitute a committee to investigate the incident which took place on Aug 11 in Rajya Sabha. Responding to the same, Kharge maintained that he would not join the probe as 'it was an attempt to intimidate MPs into silence'. He added, "It will not only suppress the voice of the people's representative but deliberately brush aside all those that are uncomfortable to the govt." Parliament Ruckus: Case History The Monsoon Session of the Parliament, filled with dramatic events and unfortunate scenes in the name of protests against the Pegasus scandal and farmers' stir, came to an end on August 11. While there were protests in both Houses of the Parliament, it was the Rajya Sabha that witnessed the worst chaos, with opposition leaders entering the well of the House, shouting slogans, jumping atop tables, tearing rule-books, and flinging pieces of papers in the Chair's face. As the Monsoon Session of the Parliament was brought to an end, Vice President of India and RS Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu broke down while addressing the house. Speaking about the ruckus in the Upper House, Naidu expressed anguish over the behaviour of several opposition members and condemned the stalling of Parliament proceedings. Image Credits - Republic World/PTI Scientists in Australia have observed a butterfly species that feeds on its own offspring. Yi-Kai Tea, the study's lead author and a doctorate candidate at the University of Sydney's School of Life and Environmental Sciences, claimed this was the first time cannibalism in insects has been documented. The study, which was published on Wednesday in the Scientific Naturalist magazine, demonstrated how milkweed butterflies, which belong to the Danainae subfamily of butterflies, defied conventional wisdom about how insects care for their young ones, according to Xinhua. The behaviour doesn't fit into categories of predation, parasitism or mutualism Tea explained that the behaviour does not easily fit into the usual categories of predation, parasitism, or mutualism, and thus provides a fresh challenge to evolutionary theory. He also stated that they have invented the term 'kleptopharmacophagy,' which translates as "chemical theft for eating". Male butterflies in the woods of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, were observed removing toxins from larvae, even their own species, to make substances that could help them attract a partner, according to Tea. He described it as "strange" for a species to hurt its own progeny, hence reducing its chances of passing on its genetic code. Tea told Xinhua that it appears contradictory that in their search for toxins, the species are attacking larvae of other Danainae butterflies as well as their own. He claimed that in the end, it was a display of an animal putting its offspring's life ahead of its own. He also added that butterflies are often mistakenly thought to be delicate species found in flower fields and meadows. The truth is that they are quite "metal" and do a variety of bizarre and unexplainable things. Milkweed butterflies are known to feast on dead insects While milkweed butterflies have been known to feast on other dead insects, this was the first record of family members eating each other alive. Regardless, whether the caterpillars died as a direct result of being scratched to death is yet unknown. Tea said he and his colleagues vacationing scholars were taken aback and assumed it was a one-time occurrence, according to Xinhua. However, after comparing their findings to those of other amateur naturalists, they felt it was something worth investigating further. As the conflict has spread into the Afar region, Ethiopian Federal Government has claimed that Tigrayan forces were defeated in the war-hit region. Following the defeat, Tigray has withdrawn forces from the region, the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Dina Mufti said at a presser. Denying the claims, Tigray informed that it has "merely redeployed" troops from the Afar region to the more offensive Amara region. "The Afar Militia has been working in close collaboration with the National Defence forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has sustained a lot of losses over the past weeks," Ethiopian Prime Ministerial Abiy Ahmeds Spokesperson Billene Seyoum said at a presser. According to Al Jazeera, Mufti asserted that the TPLF forces "were defeated and left." Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds Spokesperson Billene Seyoum also claimed that the militia in the war-torn regions of Afar has been working in close collaboration with the national defence forces, following which the TPLF have "sustained" heavy losses over the past weeks. Meanwhile, refuting all claims made by Ethiopia, Tigrayan Spokesperson Getachew K Reda mentioned that they had decided to move the army to the Amara highlands to curb violence in the area. However, either claim remains unverified so far. Tigray denies defeat can. We are taking very measured steps to avoid unnecessary loss of press ganged civilians while relentlessly destroying whatever is left of the capabilities of enemy forces. There is no chance #Abiy will have his way. We wont stop until our conditions are met & fully. The Getachew K Reda (@reda_getachew) September 9, 2021 Meanwhile, through a series of Twitter posts, Advisor to the President of Tigray State Getachew K Reda rubbished the claims made by the Ethiopian counterpart. "Stories they are churning out every minute to hoodwink their supporters into believing they are reversing our advance are simply not true. There was no fighting in #Afar, and the fighting in Amhara region is proceeding in a manner that will make sure #Abiy cannot lie his way out," he wrote. He also added that Ethiopia is "trying to have their supporters believe that they are making advances in the battlefield in Amhara and Afar" but "they are not." "Thousands (of the Ethiopian forces) are being mopped down by our forces," Reda asserted. The conflict between Tigray and Northern Ethiopia Months after Nobel Peace Prize winner Ethiopian Prime Minister Agbiy Ahmed took the chair, he launched a "coordinated attack" against the rebel forces in the Northern Tigray region in November 2020. The Prime Minister made the call after the Afar leftist political front TPLF besieged a key Ethiopian military base at Sero by using tanks and machine guns. This had led to the inition of a 10-month long prolonged war in the region. Thousands of people have lost their lives due to the shelling in the Horn of Africa, while over 2 million have been displaced, as per reports. In January 2021, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) informed that about 56,000 fled to neighbouring Sudan amidst the ongoing war. Meanwhile, PM Abiy had promised to hold a national-level democratic election including the TPLF. However, the elections were delayed due to the ongoing pandemic. To which, the TPLF expressed displeasure by stating that the postponed elections have amounted to an unconstitutional extension of Abiys Prime Ministerial term. The Ethiopian Federal Government also declared the Tigray elections invalid. Image: AP/representative The Nigerian police officials on Thursday announced that they have initiated a thorough search in the nation's southern state of Ogun for the kidnappers who abducted three employees of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo. According to the police, an anti-kidnapping squad was dispatched to Seseri Village in the Obafemi-Owode local government region of Ogun on Wednesday evening to search the areas where the abduction was said to have happened. The victims who were kidnapped were identified as employees at the Obasanjo Farms, which is operated by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, said Abimbola Oyeyemi, a spokesperson for the police in Ogun state, during a telephonic conversation with Xinhua. Abductors engaged in shooting at victims' vehicles before the act As per the law enforcement officer, the kidnappers pursued the victims, shooting at their vehicle and then abducting them. The police officer further guarantees the public that the kidnappers will be apprehended the earliest and that the hostages will be released soon. In the past months, a number of similar gunmen strikes in Nigeria have resulted in murders and abductions. As per This Day, a Nigerian news portal, The victims were recognised as Obasanjo Holdings' Financial Controller, Group Auditor, and Group Store Manager. Abimbola Oyeyemi also stated that the incident might have occurred around 6 p.m. on Wednesday in Abeokuta. The Nigerian portal also mentioned that a similar kidnapping was witnessed, that of Fasasi Olanigan, a retired lecturer from the Federal Polytechnic, from the Abeokuta-Imasai route in Ogun. According to reports, Olanigan was abducted by gunmen who abandoned his vehicle by the side of the road. The report also suggests that it was unclear at the time of reporting whether the kidnappers had attempted to contact the victims' relatives for ransom. Abduction statistics of Nigeria As per Vanguard, within the last eight months, from January to mid-August of 2021, Nigeria has seen a stunning 111 abduction cases. The overall statistic comprises police-confirmed instances as well as eyewitness testimonies that were later published in the media. Many additional unrecorded cases may have occurred, according to Vanguard, particularly in the North-West and North-Central states of Niger, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina, where robberies are rampant. As a consequence, the total might easily exceed the aforementioned 111 cases. With 605 victims of kidnapping, February saw the largest number of abduction cases. July trails behind February with 327 victims with January close behind, having 284 hostages. Vanguard reports that the issue was exacerbated by the nation's apparent security architecture failure, particularly in the northwest and northeast of Nigeria. (Image: Unsplash) The Danish government proposed on Tuesday that immigrants work 37 hours a week in exchange for welfare benefits. The minority Social Democratic government's proposal stated that there are still too many people, particularly those from non-Western origins, who do not have a job to get up to in the morning. Many women of foreign heritage, particularly from the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Turkey, are said to be unemployed. The plan stated that if people come to Denmark, they must work and support themselves and their families. If they are unable to sustain themselves, they must participate and contribute the equivalent of a typical working week in order to earn the entire welfare benefit. Plan is yet to be put to vote in the 176-seat parliament The initiative will begin with those who have some knowledge of Danish, and local municipalities will provide skill training. The plan has yet to be put to a vote in the 179-seat parliament. Despite the fact that the Social Democrats do not have a majority, they are likely to receive backing from centre-right members in order to approve the bill. The notion is "foolish," according to Mai Villadsen, a legislator from the opposition Red-Green Alliance. She suggested that it would put downward pressure on other workers' earnings. "The foundation of our welfare society is a strong safety net," Villadsen remarked on Twitter. The proposal didn't sound bold enough, according to Mirka Mozer, the president of a Copenhagen-based charity that assists immigrant women in finding work. She said that they have a lot of women that are willing to work, including 37-hour jobs, but there has to be more 37-hour employment. Her organisation, the Immigrant Women's Center, registered nearly 13,000 people from 57 different countries in 2018. Immigrants are 14.1% of Denmark's population According to Mozer, the company has relationships with hundreds of companies that give jobs to immigrant women, but most of the positions are barely 4 to 10 hours per week. She said that some people are concerned that their welfare, benefits may be cut if they can't find a 37-hour job. Immigrants and their descendants account for 14.1 per cent of Denmark's population of almost 6 million. (With inputs from AP) (Image: AP/ Unsplash) The World Bank has constantly extended support and focused on helping countries address the unprecedented developments under the clutches of COVID-19. On Thursday, September 9, the World Bank announced to provide Ukraine with 230 million US dollars by December this year to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the global COVAX initiative, reported Xinhua news quoting Ukrinform news agency. The report further stated that this was announced during a meeting between Ukraine's Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko and the World Bank Regional Country Director for Eastern Europe, Arup Banerji, in Kyiv. The theme of the meeting was "Emergency response to COVID-19 and vaccination in Ukraine." Speaking to the media after the meeting, Banerji stated that the bank is ready to provide $230 million to Ukraine to help the country at this hour of need. During the meeting, both leaders discussed a wide range of issues from Ukraine's financial and banking sector reforms to the implementation of pension reform in the country. Under the "First Development Policy Loan in the Field of Economic Recovery," Ukraine's Finance Ministry had signed an agreement with the World Bank in the month of June. Under this, Ukraine had urged the World Bank to provide with a loan worth $350 million to address the impacts of COVID, reported Xinhua news. The report also suggested that the Word Bank has been one of Ukraine's largest lenders and investors since 1992. So far, it has implemented more than 80 projects and programs worth $14 billion in the second-largest European country. 'World Bank granted over $15 billion in the last 15 months' It should be noted here that in the largest-ever crisis response, the World Bank has granted over $15 billion in the last 15 months to help the world transition to recovery by saving lives, protecting the backward, and securing foundations of the economy, according to a report by PTI. This represents a subsequent increase of more than 60% over the 15 months prior to the pandemic, the bank said in its statement in July. The World Bank, in June, sanctioned over $4 billion for the purchase and deployment of COVID vaccines for 51 developing countries, half of which are in Africa. According to the World Bank report, more than half of the financing was deployed by the International Development Association (IDA), the banks fund for the worlds poorest countries. Image: AP/Arup Banerji/Twitter Experts say that Pakistan is starting to face the effects of the 'crisis of its own making' as the Taliban and other outfits began to consolidate their position in Afghanistan after the exit of US and NATO forces from the war-torn country. According to a Canada-based think tank International Forum for Rights and Security (IFRAS), PM Imran Khan-led country is currently witnessing an uncertain phase due to a crisis in the neighbouring country. 'Pakistan is not a saviour but a perpetrator of Afghanistan crisis' IFRAS claimed that Pakistan is not a saviour but the perpetrator of the grave crisis in Afghanistan. "It was about the American negation to take Pakistan on board with its strategies about the region. Pakistan was the chief proponent in supporting the idea of US withdrawal from war-torn Afghanistan. Relations between Pakistan and the US or China have been seen by experts as a client-patron association," said IFRAS. Pointing at the complex problem faced by Pakistan, the think tank said, "For Pakistan, things were not too complex until China became the principal strategic danger to the US with its progressively belligerent economic and foreign framework. Pakistan is facing a tough time in the management of balancing between two great powers." Experts on Pakistan engagement in Chinese Belt and Road Initiative IFRAS personnel confer that Pakistan overlapped the limits when it engaged sensibly in the Chinese Belt and Road (geopolitical) Initiative as a consequence of which the linkage of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is viewed sceptically by the US. Also, the situation 'got out of hand' for Pakistan when the US was exhausted of its Afghan misadventure and constrained by mounting Chinese influence, pushing them to get close to India as a long-term organic partner. Pakistan celebrated the Taliban incessant and violent territorial gains in Afghanistan. The PM of Pakistan lauded the Taliban's victory and had said that they broke 'shackles of slavery'. However, he seems to have failed to see the fact that the terror outfit's victory could possibly trigger militants in his own nation. For weeks, Pakistani leaders and ministers lauded the Taliban's conquest and even travelled to meet with the Taliban Cabinet. On the contrary, Islamabad is currently observing unrest across the Afghanistan border. The recent victory of the Taliban has incited an insurgency in Pakistan itself. In fact, Pakistan's hard-line religious parties now aim to reshape the country in a more fundamentalist Islamist image. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday announced a USD 20 million allocations to support humanitarian operation in Afghanistan, saying the "de facto" authorities in the war-torn country have "pledged" to cooperate to ensure assistance is delivered to the people. "The people of Afghanistan need a lifeline. After decades of war, suffering and insecurity, they face perhaps their most perilous hour. Now is the time for the international community to stand with them," Guterres said at a humanitarian conference on Afghanistan convened in Geneva. At the global conference, Guterres announced a USD 20 million allocations from the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund to support the humanitarian operation in Afghanistan. Cautioning that "time is short and events move quickly in Afghanistan," Guterres appealed to the international community to extend that "lifeline to the people of Afghanistan - and do everything we can - and everything we owe - to help them hold on to hope." The United Nations convened the High-Level Ministerial event on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan to highlight the acute needs in the country and underscore the urgent funding support and actions required by international partners to support the people of Afghanistan. As Afghans urgently need food, medicine, health services, safe water, sanitation, and protection, UN agencies and non-governmental partners have launched a flash appeal seeking USD 606 million for the remainder of the year to bring vital relief to 11 million people. He told the conference that he had asked UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths to travel to Kabul last week to meet the leadership of the Taliban. Griffiths had met with Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and the militant outfit's leadership in Kabul to engage with the authorities on humanitarian issues. "The de facto authorities pledged to cooperate to ensure assistance is delivered to the people of Afghanistan. Our staff and all aid workers must be allowed to do their vital work in safety without harassment, intimidation or fear," Guterres said. Last week, the Taliban announced a hardline interim government led by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, chief of the Taliban's powerful decision-making body 'Rehbari Shura'. He will be the Acting Prime Minister while Baradar will be his deputy in the "new Islamic government. At least 14 members of the Cabinet, including acting Prime Minister Mullah Akhund, are listed on the UN Security Council's terrorism blacklist. The UN chief said that in order to continue the life-saving efforts in Afghanistan, four things are required right away - funding; help to boost humanitarian access; need to safeguard the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan and need to ensure that the humanitarian response saves lives but also saves livelihoods. On funding, Guterres said, we need more. We need it quickly. And we need it to be flexible enough to adapt to the fast-changing conditions on the ground." He urged for help from the international community to boost humanitarian access, including the airbridge with Kabul and other hubs in Afghanistan. "The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service established an airbridge from Islamabad into Kandahar, Mazar and Herat, with operations running since the end of August. This work must continue. Much more is needed." He added that "we need to be able to move aid workers and humanitarian supplies in and out of the country." Emphasising that one of the bright spots of Afghanistan today is the new generation of women leaders and entrepreneurs, educated and flourishing over the last two decades, Guterres said Afghan women and girls want to ensure that gains are not lost, doors are not closed and hope is not extinguished. This is central to the future of the country and every Afghan. Expressing concern that the people of Afghanistan are facing the collapse of an entire country "all at once", Guterres said Afghanistan faces a development emergency and progress of the two last decades must be protected. "In doing so, we must ensure that local economies remain functional; that people can stay in their communities and in their homes; that they have access to basic services, basic income and social protection. Guterres said the conference is not simply about what "we will give to the people of Afghanistan. It is about what we owe. Despite reservations about the Taliban regime, the United Nations has warned that Afghanistan faces a "complete breakdown" if the international community does not find a means to maintain money pouring into the country. According to Al Jazeera, about $10 billion in assets held by Afghanistan's central bank have been frozen abroad, giving the incoming administration significant influence. Afghanistan was facing a slew of crisis The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently released a report that said that the country's poverty rate could increase by up to 25 percent as a result of Afghanistans real gross domestic product (GDP) being affected to a large extent. However, Deborah Lyons, the UN special envoy for Afghanistan, told the Security Council on Thursday that a way must be found to get the money into the country to avoid a total breakdown of the economy and social order, noting that Afghanistan was facing a slew of crises, including a depreciating currency, sharp increases in food and fuel prices, and a cash shortage at private banks, according to Al Jazeera. She also stated that the authorities lack the financial means to pay salaries. She said that the economy must be allowed to breathe for a few more months, allowing the Taliban to demonstrate flexibility and a genuine desire to do things differently this time, particularly in terms of human rights, gender, and counterterrorism. Lyons also added that safeguards could be devised to ensure the funds were not misappropriated. Foreign donors, led by the United States, funded more than 75% of the Afghan government's public spending, which collapsed after the US withdrew its soldiers after 20 years in the country. The administration of US President Joe Biden has stated that it is open to giving humanitarian supplies, but that any direct economic lifeline, such as the unfreezing of central bank assets, will be subject to Taliban measures, such as allowing people to escape safely. On Thursday, the first civilian flight from Kabul landed in Qatar, carrying more than 100 passengers. The Taliban have also been denied access to $440 million in new emergency reserves by the International Monetary Fund. Russia and China have urged for the release of Afghanistan's foreign assets Jeffrey DeLaurentis, a senior US diplomat, told the Security Council that the Taliban is looking for worldwide recognition and assistance. Their message is straightforward, any legitimacy and support must be earned. Russia and China, which have both offered Afghanistan millions in emergency aid, have both urged for the release of the country's frozen assets. China's Deputy UN Ambassador Geng Shuang said that these assets belong to Afghanistan and should be used for Afghanistan, not as leverage for threats or restraints. Image: AP Islamabad, Sep 9 (PTI) The neighbouring countries of Afghanistan on Thursday issued a joint statement after the first ministerial meeting, urging the Taliban to form an inclusive government and follow moderate policies. It was the first ministerial meeting of Afghanistan's neighbours -- China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan -- since the Taliban took over in Kabul. The joint statement was issued a day after the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan met virtually on Wednesday at the invitation of Pakistan. They urged the UN to take responsibility for peace and reconstruction of Afghanistan. The statement stressed on the Taliban to form an open, inclusive governmental structure, which practices moderate policies, adopts friendly policies towards neighbours of Afghanistan and respects the fundamental human rights including those of ethnic groups, women and children. The ministers also emphasised that the relevant members of the UN Security Council should take responsibility for peace and reconstruction of Afghanistan by providing vital economic and humanitarian assistance. The international community should not abandon the people of Afghanistan, it said. They called for allowing unhindered access and protection to United Nations entities and other international humanitarian organisations to provide necessary aid and assistance to the people in need in Afghanistan. The statement expressed support for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, and non-interference in its internal affairs, and noted that the future of Afghanistan should be determined by its people, in accordance with the provisions of the UN Charter. The statement noted that the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan provided the people of Afghanistan an opportunity to determine their own future, which should allow in practice to realise the Afghan-led, Afghan-owned process for national peace and reconciliation. It recognised that the changes undergone in Afghanistan prove yet again that there is no military solution to this issue, emphasising the importance of an inclusive political structure in Afghanistan with participation of all ethnic groups. It cautioned against the possibility of incitement and role of spoilers, both inside and outside the country, to derail efforts towards an all-inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan. It affirmed the importance of sustained international engagement on Afghanistan, especially in supporting its humanitarian and development needs. Condemning the terrorist attacks on Kabul airport and other places of ethnic and religious groups, the statement emphasised that Afghanistans territory should not be allowed to pose a threat to other countries. It also reiterated that terrorist organisations, such as ISIS, al-Qaeda, East Turkestan Islamic Movement, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Balochistan Liberation Army, Jondollah and others should not be allowed to maintain a foothold on Afghanistans territory. The group expressed readiness to keep ports open for Afghanistan and ensure the smooth cross border flow of goods to facilitate Afghanistans access to external support and committed to continue providing medical supplies as well as technical and other assistance to the people of Afghanistans efforts to fight COVID-19. They also urged the international community to provide adequate, predictable, regular and sustainable financial support in line with the principle of international responsibility and burden sharing for the Afghan refugees including for their timely and well-resourced repatriation. They pointed out that the continued increase of narcotic drugs production over the past 20 years in Afghanistan has caused serious harm to the people of Afghanistan and the international community, and stressed the need to stop narcotic drugs production in Afghanistan. The Foreign Ministers agreed to meet on a rotating basis, holding their next meeting in Tehran, and to set up a mechanism of regular consultations of Special Envoys for Afghanistan, as well as regular meetings of representatives of Embassies in Kabul to discuss and coordinate their joint efforts, the statement added. The meeting comes a day after the Taliban unveiled a hardline interim government led by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, with key roles being shared by high-profile members of the insurgent group, including a specially designated global terrorist of the dreaded Haqqani Network as the interior minister. The Taliban seized control of war-torn Afghanistan in mid-August, ousting the previous elected leadership which was backed by the West. Pakistan has already said before the announcement of the caretaker government by the Taliban that it will not accord recognition to the new government on the basis of regional consensus. PTI SH CPS (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) Asserting that an effective and representative multilateralism is essential for building resilience against current and future global challenges, the BRICS grouping on Thursday recommitted itself to instil "new life" in the discussions on reform of the UN Security Council and keep working to revitalise the General Assembly. In the Delhi Declaration, adopted after a summit between leaders of the member states of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the influential grouping pledged its resolve towards strengthening and reforming the multilateral system to make global governance more responsive and agile, effective, transparent, democratic, representative and accountable to member states. The member states also reiterated their commitment to upholding international law, including the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. "The pandemic has reinforced our belief that effective and representative multilateralism is essential for building resilience against current and future global challenges, promoting well-being of our people and building a sustainable future for the planet," said the declaration issued after deliberations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazil's Jair Bolsanaro. During discussions, there was a strong echo of need for reform of not just the UN Security Council, but other institutions of global governance system as well, Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, said at an online briefing. The BRICS noted that despite the many successes of the UN system and its associated architecture, its continued relevance would be determined by its ability to adapt to contemporary realities and respond to the evolving and inter-connected challenges of our time. The leaders endorsed the BRICS joint statement on strengthening and reforming the multilateral system adopted by the member states foreign ministers. They agreed that the task of strengthening and reforming the multilateral system encompasses making instruments of global governance more inclusive, representative and participatory to facilitate greater and more meaningful participation of developing and least developed countries, especially Africa, in global decision-making processes and structures, and make it better attuned to contemporary realities. They also called for inclusive consultation and collaboration for the benefit of all, while respecting sovereign independence, equality, mutual legitimate interests and concerns to make the multilateral organisations more responsive, effective, transparent and credible. The leaders also stressed on the importance of making multilateral organisations more democratic, objective, action-oriented and solution-oriented so as to promote cooperation in building international relations based on the norms and principles of international law, and the spirit of mutual respect, justice, equality, mutual beneficial cooperation and realities of the contemporary world. They highlighted the importance of strengthening capacities of individual states and international organisations to better respond to new and emerging, traditional and non-traditional challenges, including those emanating from terrorism, money laundering, cyber-realm, infodemics and fake news. The leaders vowed to promote international and regional peace and security, social and economic development, and preserve natures balance with people-centered international cooperation at its core. "We recommit to instil new life in the discussions on reform of the UN Security Council and continue the work to revitalise the General Assembly and strengthen the Economic and Social Council," the BRICS said. "We recall the 2005 World Summit Outcome document and reaffirm the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more representative, effective and efficient, and to increase the representation of developing countries so that it can adequately respond to global challenges, it said. China and Russia reiterate the importance they attach to the status and role of Brazil, India and South Africa in international affairs and supported their aspiration to play a greater role in the UN, the declaration said. We appreciate the role of South Africa and India during their membership of the UN Security Council for 2019-2020 and 2021-2022 respectively, and congratulate Brazil on its election as a member of the UN Security Council in 2022-2023, it said. The BRICS also reaffirmed its commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in its three dimensions economic, social and environmental. Stressing the importance of achieving the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and its Goals, the member states reiterated their commitment to the achievement of all SDGs, including SDG-12 which identifies sustainable consumption and production patterns as a vital element of sustainable development. The leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to the full implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), its Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement, and to the principles of the UNFCCC including Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities in the light of different national circumstances. The BRICS nations appreciated the New Development Banks substantive progress in membership expansion despite challenges emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic. "We reiterate that the process of expansion should be gradual and balanced in terms of geographic representation in its membership as well as supportive of the NDB's goals of attaining the highest possible credit rating and institutional development," the BRICS said. The leaders also asserted that the macroeconomic stability of the BRICS economies will play a major role in achieving global recovery and stability. PTI ASK ANB ANB (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) As Singapore plans to reopen economic activities, the government on Friday expressed concerns over a "sharp increase" in the number of COVID-19 cases in the coming weeks that might "overwhelm" the city-state's healthcare system. The average daily number of Covid-19 cases has risen from 76 two weeks ago to 288 in the past week, according to media reports. While we expected an increase in the number of cases every day when we open up, the sharp rate of increase is worrying, Covid-19 multi-ministry task force co-chair Gan Kim Yong told a press conference. Although our vaccination rate has now surpassed that of many countries and is one of the highest in the world, we want to be sure that the number of cases will not suddenly spike, which can lead to more serious cases, and which will, in turn, overwhelm our healthcare system, he said. Countries like Israel and the UK have seen a sharp spike in cases after easing their COVID-19 measures, despite high vaccination coverage, noted Gan, who is also the trade minister. Therefore we want to be cautious and give ourselves more time to be certain that a high number of daily cases will not result in a high number of serious cases or deaths. The next two to four weeks is, therefore, crucial, as we will find out if patients eventually develop serious illnesses and complications subsequently, he said. This is the first time Singapore is experiencing an exponentially rising wave of infection in the community, the health ministry said in a press release. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, who is also a co-chair of the task force, said as Singapore is now 18 days -- about 2 weeks -- into the current wave, it is likely to see cases increase exponentially, potentially hitting a peak of around 3,000 before it begins to stabilise. But how this actually unfolds will depend on what Singaporeans do collectively -- including whether it tests extensively, he said. Nevertheless, Ong said Singapore is sticking to its course for now on a transition towards endemic living. "As far as possible, we dont want to reverse course in our transition plan... But were not racing ahead, we are actively responding, watching and monitoring, he said. Finance minister Lawrence Wong, who is also the co-chair of the task force, said, Very soon, we will reach 1,000 cases a day. And in a few weeks time, we will probably get to 2,000 new cases a day. "All countries that have opened up have had to deal with such waves. For us, it's happening faster than we had expected. And thats why we have to take a more cautious approach in the current situation and make sure that we adjust quickly to this fluid and rapidly changing infection situation." Singapore has so far reported a total of 70,039 cases, including 457 infections recorded on Thursday, while 57 people have died due to the deadly disease. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Repeated school closures during the coronavirus pandemic have led to alarming levels of inequalities in learning opportunities for children in the South Asian countries, the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) said. In its latest report, the agency pointed out the gap was wider with girls and children from poor families. It pointed out that the overall learning rates plunged dramatically across South Asia. The research was conducted in India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, all of whom have been dealing with school closures since early 2020. The research stated that 80 per cent of children in India aged between 14 to 18 years reported a lower level of learning than those who attended their classes physically in schools. A similar pattern was observed in Sri Lanka where 69 per cent of children were reported to learn less or a lot less as compared to the pre-pandemic era. School closures in South Asia have forced hundreds of millions of children and their teachers to transition to remote learning in a region with low connectivity and device affordability, said George Laryea-Adjei, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia. Even when a family has access to technology, children are not always able to access it. As a result, children have suffered enormous setbacks in their learning journey, he added. The study also noted that even when electronic devices were available, children were denied full-time access to it. Not only that, the student-teacher contact was also reduced to a minimum after classes went online. For instance, 52 per cent of children in Sri Lanka had reported contacting teachers five days a week, but it reduced to eight per cent in primary schools. Better training of teachers UNICEF, in the research, also proposed solutions to the problem. It suggested better training of teachers so that they could fully use the technology and even reach students with no access to technology. This is a critical investment we need to make for children as the region gears up for future waves of COVID-19. We need to build systems which can weather any storm and keep children learning, no matter the circumstances," said George Laryea- Adjei. Closed classrooms Poor connectivity Limited digital devices = Widening inequities UNICEFs new research reveals the cost of #COVID19 on childrens learning in South Asia. https://t.co/Vw4WaOfdQH UNICEF South Asia (@UNICEFROSA) September 9, 2021 Image: UNICEF/Twitter New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) Australia on Thursday said it is deeply disappointed over the composition of the interim cabinet of the Taliban and that it is in touch with its closest partners and allies over the developments in Afghanistan. Australia's High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell said that the situation in Afghanistan is likely to be discussed at the inaugural two-plus-two ministerial dialogue between India and Australia on Saturday. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Peter Dutton will visit India from September 10 to 12 to take part in the dialogue with their Indian counterparts. "Australia wants to do much more with India. We have high expectations from the relationship and so does India," he told reporters. On the Taliban unveiling the interim cabinet, O'Farrell mentioned exclusion of women and not any representations from the Hazara community as well as other minorities besides members from the previous government. He also mentioned the inclusion of members of the Haqqani network who were UN-listed terrorists. He said Australia has been focusing on ensuring safe passage to those wanting to leave the country, end of violence and protection of human rights of women and children. "We are deeply disappointed," O'Farrell said. The Australian position on Afghanistan has striking similarities with that of India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who speaking at the Afghanistan conference co-convened by the US and Germany on Wednesday, said the use of Afghan soil to promote terrorism in any manner by any country is unacceptable. He said the world seeks an Afghanistan free of terrorism, providing unhindered access for humanitarian assistance, respecting the right to travel and establishing an inclusive government. "Regarding counter-terrorism, we are all clear that the use of Afghanistan's soil to promote terrorism in any manner by any country is unacceptable. The Taliban has made public declarations to this effect. It is absolutely essential that they live up to their words," Jaishankar said. Asked whether concerns over China's behaviour in the Indo-Pacific would figure in the two-plus-two dialogue, the high commissioner suggested that it would be unusual to have meetings between two Quad members without discussion on the region. A statement by the Australian foreign ministry on Wednesday said Payne and Dutton will visit Jakarta, New Delhi, Seoul, Washington and New York to advance Australia's relationships with its close friends and strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific region. Foreign Minister Payne said that among the most pressing issues for discussion was cooperation on the region's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and ensuring the recovery takes place in a way that reflects "our values and principles". "During our meetings and engagements across the four countries, we will discuss our continuing partnerships to overcome the pandemic, including through the equitable, safe and effective distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, and our shared path to global economic recovery," Minister Payne said. Dutton said the visits are an important opportunity to build on already strong defence relationships. "I am very much looking forward to meeting with my counterparts face-to-face to build on our already strong relationships and to discuss further our shared interests in keeping our region safe and secure," Dutton said. The two-plus-two dialogue between the foreign and defence ministers was instituted as part of an overall goal to expand strategic cooperation between the two countries. India has such a framework for talks with a very few countries including the US and Japan. The defence and military cooperation between India and Australia is on an upswing in the last few years. In June last year, India and Australia elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and signed a landmark deal for reciprocal access to military bases for logistics support during an online summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. The Australian Navy was part of the recent Malabar naval exercise that also featured navies of India, the US and Japan. PTI MPB ANB ANB (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) In a significant development, the first civilian flight with American and foreign nationals left Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport on Thursday. The Qatar Airways flight was allowed to evacuate 200 foreigners, mainly Americans and European nationals. This development comes as a breakthrough amid reports which claimed that the Taliban had blocked all chartered planes from leaving the country. According to a US official, the Qatar Airways flight to Doha successfully evacuated 200 Americas, Germans, Hungarians and Canadians from Afghanistan. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said that there were at least 13 UK nationals also on board. The Qatar Airways flight marks the first successful operation since the chaotic airlift of more than 1,20,000 people concluded on August 31. A few days ago, the US had alleged that four planes chartered to evacuate several hundred people from Afghanistan were not being allowed to leave. Top Republican on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas had accused the Taliban of not letting the planes with Americans take off saying that they were effectively holding them hostage. There had been uncertainty over the Taliban's promises and claims over letting foreign nationals leave the nation after the US withdrawal. The terror group had claimed that it would uphold 'safe passage' for foreigners and Afghans willing to leave the country. The UNSC had also called on the Taliban to facilitate the return of people wanting to leave Afghanistan in its resolution adopted on August 30. White House NSC calls Taliban 'professional' Meanwhile, the White House National Security Council has issued a statement over the evacuation and has said that the Taliban acted "businesslike and professional" in facilitating the evacuation of US citizens to Doha. In her statement, NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne has said that the Taliban has been cooperative in facilitating the departure of people on charter flights from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. "They have shown flexibility, and they have been businesslike and professional in our dealings with them in this effort. This is a positive first step," the statement read. More than 6,000 American citizens and lawful permanent residents have been brought back to the United States under Operation Allies Welcome so far. Hong Kong Police conducted a raid at the Tiananmen museum erected in memory of Chinese victims who died in the 1989 massacre. The museum was built to pay respect to the victims of 1989 crackdown at Tiananmen Square on pro-democratic protestors from in and out of Beijing. The Hong Kong Police also seized the photograph and video exhibit from theJuly 4th museum. As per reports, the museum was run by four pro-democratic leaders, including activist and lawyer Chow Hang Tung. All the arrested have been booked under National Security Law, which could mean life imprisonment if proven guilty. According to DW, the arrests came after Hong Kong democracy activists pleaded guilty to participating in an unsanctioned candlelight march to commemorate the victims of the massacre on 4 June. Exhibit items seized, activists booked under National Security Law The officers, who raided the museum, seized artwork, photographs, videos, documents, and other exhibits from the museum. As a part of the evidence, the police authorities also took away the giant logo of the museum and the paper model of the Goddess of Democracy as a symbol of the student movement in Beijing. Several members of the museum were arrested on 9 September, Thursday following the raid. Hong Kong Police also arrested the core members of the pro-democratic Hong Kong Alliance Group that organised the 9 September candle march vigil. The group has now been accused of violating National Security and dubbed as a "foreign agent" by authorities. As reported by DW, they were also questioned about their operational and financial information. 2. Its absurd that, without providing any evidence nor court approval, the police can arbitrarily label an organisation of being a "foreign agent. Even before a trial begins, Hong Kong Alliance is presumed guilty. It completely violates the presumption of innocence in the past. Nathan Law (@nathanlawkc) September 8, 2021 Police detained12 Democracy activists Prior to the current crackdown, as many as 12 Pro-Democracy activists were detained by the police on the charges of unauthorised gathering at the Victoria Park on4 June to mark Beijing's bloody crackdown at Tiananmen Square, AP reported. Seven out of the 12 were accused of inciting others against the government. The protestors have been sentenced to 5 years prison term each. Among the activists who pleaded guilty on Thursday include lawyer Albert Ho, former lawmaker Eddie Chu and Figo Chan, a former leader of the Civil Human Rights Front which was known for organizing large-scale pro-democracy rallies in the city, AP mentioned. The 12 are expected to enter mitigation pleas. (With inputs from AP) (Image: AP) Taro Kono, Japanese Cabinet minister in charge of vaccinations, announced his candidacy in the race to lead the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Friday. The former defense and foreign minister put his name in the hat for the election to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Whoever wins the Sept. 29 party vote is almost certain to be the next government leader. Kono, 58, a graduate of Georgetown University and fluent in English, is a rarity in Japanese politics, which are dominated by elderly men. He has many fans among younger people, with whom he communicates via social media. While Japan's initial vaccine rollout was late and slow, Kono takes credit for the vaccination rate picking up. He said that the vaccination rate is on par with the United States bringing Japan to "top class" within the G7 nations. Suga's decision to not run in the race was important to give his party a fresh leader ahead of a general election that must be held by late November. The new party leader almost certainly will become Japan's next prime minister because of the parliamentary majority held by the party and its coalition partner. Kono said that while Japan may seem like its falling behind other countries, he hopes to push Japan forward. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) The daughter and heir apparent of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said that she will not run for the presidency in May 2022, but many remain sceptical after months of talks she has attended with the country's major political blocs. Sara Duterte-Carpio, the mayor of Davao, announced on Thursday, 9 September 2021, (local time) that she will not run for the presidency due to her father's plan to run for vice president. Duterte's daughter denies presidential bid On Wednesday, the elder Duterte accepted his party's candidacy for vice president. He is constitutionally forbidden from seeking re-election to the presidency, and analysts believe he is trying to get around the rules by standing for the country's second-highest post. His supporters have proposed an all-Duterte presidential ticket, with Duterte-Carpio running for president and her father running for vice president. Duterte was formerly the mayor of Davao, and when term limitations prevented him from running for re-election, he ran as vice mayor, with Duterte-Carpio serving as mayor. In recent polls, the younger Duterte has emerged as the frontrunner for the 2022 presidential election. Across the country, huge banners depicting Sara Duterte-image Carpio's and slogans asking her to run have surfaced. She has done little to dampen the speculation, meeting with major political parties and famous politicians, some of whom have expressed interest in running for vice president. On Facebook, hundreds of thousands of people have joined groups and pages with the slogan "Run, Sara, Run." Philippines Presidential bid Politicians have to officially declare their candidacy until 8 October 2021. They can, however, withdraw their candidacy until November 15 or if they can find another candidate to run in their place. When one of the candidates pulled out of the contest in 2015, Duterte filed to run for President, despite previously stating that he would not run. When asked if she would run for president if her father dropped his vice presidential ambition, Sara Duterte-Carpio told the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper on Thursday, "(That) is a hypothetical issue... I can't say (that) at this time because I don't have all of the information of the actual scenario." The PDP-Laban Party nominated President Duterte as its vice-presidential candidate on Wednesday, with Senator Bong Go, his most loyal adviser, as president. Go, on the other hand, declined the nomination. He has previously stated that he would leave the decision to run for president to the Duterte family. Image: Sara Duterte-Carpio Our Next President/Facebook As tension in Central Asia continues to exacerbate, the Russian Federation has reinforced its military bases in Tajikistan with new machine guns. According to a report by The Frontier Post, a fresh batch of 12.7 mm heavy machine guns NSV Utyos recently entered service with the 201st Russian military base to enhance its combat capabilities. Located in the cities of Dushanbe and Bokhtar, Tajikistan holds Russia's largest international military base. Notably, the arms are specifically designed to destroy manpower, lightly armored targets, fortified firing points and enemy air assets. Although Russian President Vladimir Putin had opened talks with the Taliban, Moscow has expressed clear apprehensions against the Islamist ideology destabilising international borders. Earlier this week, Moscow and New Delhi joined hands to firewall Central Asian countries bordering the conflict-hit Afghanistan. Notably, conflict and violence have escalated manifold in Afghanistan since the Taliban took complete charge of the country, forming a government encompassing internationally wanted terrorists. Additionally, the fall of Kabul to the insurgents have also triggered fears that neighbouring countries including Tajikistan, which shares an 843 miles long border with Afghanistan, could be used to launch terror operations. Russian NSA Nikolay Patrushev visits New Delhi The meeting between India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and his Russian counterpart, Nikolay Patrushev recently took place in New Delhi. According to the on-ground information accessed by Republic TV, the security leaders were expected to focus on three subjects including the Afghanistan crisis and terror threats from terrorist organizations- Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The meeting between security leaders was held a day after the Taliban in Kabul announced its Government. At the backdrop of Moscow making no final decision on recognising the Taliban Government in Afghanistan, this high-level bilateral and security meeting is taking place. The current developments also highlight India's importance and participation in the ongoing Afghanistan crisis. India and Russia also discussed humanitarian and migration issues in Afghanistan along with prospects of the Russian-Indian joint efforts beamed at creating conditions for driving a peaceful settlement process based on an intra-Afghan dialogue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had received Patrushev and these meetings are also a follow-up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 24 August. File Image: AP The Russian Federation is not planning to negotiate with the Taliban, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said as the insurgents announced their new caretaker government in Afghanistan. Addressing media reporters on Friday, Peskov stated they have contacted the Taliban through their embassy as it was essential for safeguarding diplomatic staff deployed in the war-ravaged country and also for other technical issues. Previously, countrys President Vladimir Putin had ascertained that Russia would not shut down or relocate its embassy from Kabul. When questioned about security threats from the Taliban, Peskov pointed out drug trafficking and terrorist infiltrations. It is worth mentioning that for years of poppy cultivation has been the largest source of the Talibans income, some estimates peg it around 60%. Back in 2000, the group banned poppy cultivation in a bid to get international legitimacy. However, soon they took a 'u-turn' after protests against the same grew. Earlier this week, Moscow and New Delhi joined hands to firewall Central Asian countries bordering the conflict-hit Afghanistan. Notably, conflict and violence have escalated manifold in Afghanistan since the Taliban took complete charge of the country, forming a government encompassing internationally wanted terrorists. Additionally, the fall of Kabul to the insurgents has also triggered fears that neighbouring countries including Tajikistan, which shares an 843 miles long border with Afghanistan, could be used to launch terror operations. "A threat can potentially emanate from Afghanistan. We have talked about this many times. This is drug trafficking and the infiltration of terrorist groups there," Peskov pointed out. Russia reinforces military base Meanwhile, as tension in Central Asia continues to exacerbate, the Russian Federation has reinforced its military bases in Tajikistan with new machine guns. According to a report by The Frontier Post, a fresh batch of 12.7 mm heavy machine guns NSV Utyos recently entered service with the 201st Russian military base to enhance its combat capabilities. Located in the cities of Dushanbe and Bokhtar, Tajikistan holds Russia's largest international military base. Notably, the arms are specifically designed to destroy manpower, lightly armored targets, fortified firing points and enemy air assets. Although Russian President Vladimir Putin previously touted talks with the Taliban, Moscow has expressed clear apprehensions against the Islamist ideology destabilising international borders. Image: AP Russia on Tuesday started joint military exercises with Tajikistan near the Afghan border, following the Taliban conquering of Kabul. Around 1,000 Russian soldiers from the 201st military base in Tajikistan participated in the exercises, as well as tanks, artillery, helicopters and drones, Russia Defense Ministry said in a statement. Footage showed artillery shooting towards mountainous areas of Tajikistan, while soldiers fired machine guns from helicopters. The military exercises will continue at Russia's largest foreign base for a month, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The Tajik-Afghan border is over 1,300 kilometers long. Russia has pledged to offer military assistance to its ally and other ex-Soviet Central Asian nations if they face incursions of militants from Afghanistan. Three Central Asian nations Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are members of the Moscow-dominated security pact of several ex-Soviet nations, the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The latest drills follow joint exercises involving troops from Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan which concluded last Tuesday. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) In a massive development, Russia will skip the Taliban government's inauguration ceremony in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Kremlin said on Friday. Earlier this week, the speaker of Russia's upper house of Parliament said that the nation would be represented by ambassador-level officials at the inauguration, the RIA news agency reported. On Monday, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov had said that Russia is happy to take part in the new Taliban government's ceremony if it's inclusive. "We want to support the process of formation of a government that will reflect the whole spectrum of the Afghan society," he had said. He had also confirmed that Moscow had received an invitation to the event. Notably, the Taliban has been on Russia's list of terrorist and banned outfits since 2003. Taliban had invited Russia, Pakistan, China, Iran and Turkey for the swearing-in ceremony. The Chinese Foreign Minister, however, said that Beijing had no information regarding the invitation at the moment. Distinctly, Pakistan, Russia and China are still operating their embassies in the war-torn country. Meanwhile, Pakistan has also remained mum on the invitation. However, Islamabad's top spy was present in Kabul earlier this week. Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Faiz Hameed had also met Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar (now deputy PM) on Monday. Taliban forms government The Taliban on Tuesday announced the interim government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The new government is led by Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhand as Prime minister, which Mullah Baradar and Mawlawi Abdul Hanafi his deputies. There is no women in the new cabinet. Taliban spokesperson Sayed Zekrullah Hashimi recently also said that women can't be ministers under the Taliban rule and they should restrict themselves to giving birth. Due to repeated COVID-related lockdown, South Asian schools have suffered major learning disruptions and inequity in the distribution of knowledge, according to research conducted by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The interruptions caused by the Covid-19 curfews have hindered the academics of over 400 million children in India, Pakistan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. The study reported that the children learned "significantly less" than the pre-pandemic levels. Last year there was a 17% increase in attacks on schools compared to 2019. This International Day to #ProtectEducationFromAttack, @UNICEF and our partners call on governments to spare no effort to ensure children are safe to learn. pic.twitter.com/OmWIzukj7S Henrietta H. Fore (@unicefchief) September 9, 2021 With the world grappling with Covid-19, most educational institutions had shifted to remote learning. However, with the lack of infrastructure in the South Asian nations, education has faced a significant setback among children aged 14-18 years. Approximately 80% of the children learned at alarmingly low rates since the shift to online classes in India. Similarly, in Sri Lanka, 69% of parents mentioned that their children learned "less." The impact was greater for households with disadvantages like the absence of internet connectivity and a smooth electricity supply. "School closures in South Asia have most hundreds of millions of children and their teachers to transition to remote learning in a region with low connectivity and device affordability," said George Laryea-Adjei, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia. Major reasons behind learning setback Stating the reasons behind the major blow to the learning process, George said that "low connectivity and access to digital devices have severely hampered efforts to roll out remote learning." As per the statistics displayed in the UNICEF study, about 42% of Indian children between 6-13 years reported "not using" any type of remote learning facilities during the lockdown. This indicated the unavailability of resources to access online education. About 23% from Pakistan reported an inability to access devices to support remote learning. "Water and disadvantage households have been the worst hit, with many families struggling to afford even a single device," UNICEF said in a statement. Reopening of schools is of utmost importance: UNICEF Following the low rates of teacher-student contact, UNICEF South Asian Regional Director said that "safe reopening of schools must be considered an utmost priority for all governments." Highlighting the necessity of teacher-student engagement in learning, he added, "investing in teachers will ensure the teachers and school can adapt to all situations the more teachers are trained, equipped and supported on distance and blended learning, the better they will be able to reach all students." The comments from the director came after the UNICEF study recorded 8% teacher-student engagement in Sri Lankan public schools. In its public statement, UNICEF also highlighted a list of rules that the governments must undertake to ensure "learning recovery." The organisation urged the governments of the said counties to ascertain "quality remote learning," and equip and train teachers to reach out to children with no access to technology. The statement also appealed to parents and caregivers to focus on providing adequate guidance to "continue home-based learning." With inputs from ANI Image: PTI (representative) As the Taliban has announced interim government in Afghanistan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called on the international community to make use of all tools in order to counter the global terrorist threat in the war-ravaged nation. He urged the international community to support the establishment of an "inclusive" government in Afghanistan, according to ANI. The UN Chief in a report titled 'The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security' has termed the present situation in the war-torn nation as highly "fluid". Guterres in a report issued on the situation in Afghanistan condemned the blast near Kabul airport on August 26. He said, "Afghanistan must never again be used as a platform or safe haven for terrorist organisations to threaten or attack any country". The UN chief urged the Security Council and the international community to act together to fight the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan. Global terrorist threat in Afghanistan "Afghanistan must never again be used as a platform or safe haven for terrorist organisations to threaten or attack any country. I appeal to the Security Council and the international community as a whole to speak with one voice, act together and use all tools at its disposal to counter the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan, ensure that fundamental human rights are respected and support the establishment of an inclusive government," ANI cited Guterres as saying in a report. Pointing out to the present situation in the war-torn nation, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that scenes of chaos and unrest have been witnessed, according to ANI. The report said, "uncertainty and fear have caused alarm, as well as trepidation for what lies in the balance in terms of the hope, progress and the dreams of a generation of young Afghan women and girls, boys and men". Guterres asserted that people across the world have been witnessing the situation in Afghanistan "with a heavy heart and deep disquiet about what lies ahead". The UN Secretary-General has expressed concern over the increase in civilian casualties in the war-ravaged nation. To ensure the safety of people. Guterres has called upon the Taliban and all other parties to exercise restraint for protecting international humanitarian law. He raised concern over the restrictions being imposed in Afghanistan and added that the rights of women must be protected. "It is essential that the hard-won rights of Afghan women and girls are protected. It is also essential to have an inclusive government representing all Afghans, including women and the different ethnic groups", ANI quoted Antonio Guterres as saying. IMAGE: AntonioGuterres/Twitter Inputs from ANI Appearing on the largest global debate on Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, moderated by Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, M Ashraf Haidari, the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Sri Lanka, laid bare Islamabad's deeds in the Taliban's return and ongoing strife in Afghanistan. Attacking the Imran Khan-led administration, Haidari said, "Even as we speak we can go online and see who is causing this, including the violence of the last three months or the sanctuary to Taliban for last two decades; there's no question who's been supporting Taliban." He further said that the international community should help Afghans to form an inclusive government in the war-torn country that is acceptable to its people and foreign nations. Haidari said, "if they (Pakistan) are going to play games, it will only come back and haunt them. No one should play with extremism and terrorism because we know what happened on 9/11." Pakistan's support for the Taliban is no secret. Recently, Pakistan's interior minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad said that the country has been a custodian of the Taliban. The motormouth minister further said that Islamabad has "taken care of Taliban for a long time." Pakistan military also assisted the Taliban against resistance forces in Panjshir. Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligences chief Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed also visited Kabul and met Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. 'Taliban should include women and minorities' Afghanistan's Ambassador to Sri Lanka further that the Taliban should include women in the new government as they represent 50% of the population. He also demanded the inclusion of ethnic and sectarian minorities, and the people of the former government. "Afghanistan is one of the most diverse countries...they (women and minorities) want to be represented, their voice needs to be heard...International communities are clear on recognition those include truly meaningful inclusive government where all Afghans find their voices and the government that can move Afghanistan forward out of chaos, violence and destruction of Taliban's over past three months which has pushed to the economic collapse that is affecting every Afghan," he said. The interim government announced by the Taliban includes 33 ministers. However, none of them are women. Taliban spokesperson Sayed Zekrullah Hashimi recently said that women can't be ministers and they should restrict themselves to 'giving birth'. The terrorist organisation has also launched an offensive against minorities, according to several reports. In the latest developments, Colombian trade union members have invited people to protest against the tax reform and corruption. Through a statement, the trade union association has called on Colombians "to mobilise on September 28" to resume demonstrations against the new tax bills presented before the Congress on July 20. The tax proposal drew widespread criticism from the citizens after it was proposed in April this year. In his statement, Colombian Trade Union Leader Francisco Maltes Tello said that the newly-presented reforms were not discussed with the trade unions and the governmental organisations. The revised bill was just presented by the government of President Ivan Duque as a measure to meet the debt and expanding fiscal deficit, Al Jazeera reported. "We are inviting all Colombians to mobilize on September 28 in the name of life, peace, and democracy against the new package (of reform) of (President Ivan) Duque and corruption," ANI reported quoting Maltes, citing his interview with a local broadcaster. Protests against the tax reform The rallies in Colombia initiated on April 28 and continued even after the withdrawal of the first legislation on May 2. The "contentious tax reform" bill invoked thousands of students and trade union workers to demonstrate on the streets of the South American nation. The weekly protests were suspended last month on June 15 following the spike in COVID-19 cases in the country. On September 7, protestors took to the streets again in several Colombian cities with an array of demands besides the withdrawal of the reformed tax laws. The protestors demanded social and health care improvements, demilitarisation of cities, and dissolution of Mobile Anti-Disturbance Squadron Forces, educational equality, and probe into corruption cases, the news agency reported. The protesters gathered in Bogota and raised slogans against the government. The demonstrations, led by the National Strike Committee, also urged the government to "make decisions in favour of the Colombians." As per official data, the six-week long-running protests have claimed more than two dozen deaths roughly as a result of violent clashes with the law enforcement forces. However, human rights activists reported more than 80 casualties. (With inputs from ANI) (Image: AP) The vice-president of the European Commission on Friday warned against a renegotiation of the Northern Ireland Protocol. "I will not mince my words. The protocol is not the problem... it is the only solution we have," Maros Sefcovic, the EU's chief Brexit official, said in a speech at Queen's University in Belfast. Renegotiating it, as the UK government has requested, would bring "instability, uncertainty and unpredictability" to Northern Ireland, he continued. The leader of the largest unionist party on Thursday warned that the power-sharing government could collapse if the protocol is not changed within weeks. The protocol lays out rules for Northern Ireland trade and was agreed by the UK and the EU last year as part of the Brexit agreement. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that has a land border with the 27-nation trade bloc. The deal the two sides struck before Brexit means customs and border checks must be conducted on some goods moving between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) In major developments, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has sanctioned new "tactics" to send back small migrant boats that cross the English Channel. The decision was met with considerable backlash by the French government, who said that the strategy formulated by Patel could "endanger human lives" of the asylum seekers, The Guardian reported. According to the new "tactics," the UK-bound migrant boats will be sent back to the French waters. Meanwhile, UK Border Staff are being trained for months to enforce the "turn-around" tactics at the sea. However, the Border Forces informed that they will be able to employ the policy only after consultation with the maritime security forces. A BBC report said that the UK border forces will implement the tactics based on weather and other parameters considering the safety of the migrants. France hits out at the UK govt over the controversial law According to reports, the French Interior Ministry has rejected the proposal and released a statement saying that France could not accept the migrants' return on grounds of "safeguarding human lives at sea takes priority over considerations of nationality, status, and migratory policy". France also warned the UK of the "negative impact" on cooperation between the nations if it went forward with the implementation of the new anti-migrant rule. Additionally, France Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin also pointed out that the said strategy violated the international maritime law that says at-risk human lives in international waters must be saved. Meanwhile, following a meeting with Patel on 8 September, Gerald accused the British Home Secretary of financial blackmail. Gerald said that his British counterpart refused to pay the 54.2 million pound "extra action" sanction which was promised at the beginning of the year. "I really said it to my counterpart Priti Patel. The friendship between two countries deserves better than posturing which undermines the cooperation between our ministries," BBC quoted Gerald as saying. Spike in migrant boats across the English Channel The English Channel, which is one of the most dangerous and busiest shipping lanes in the world, has observed a record spike in migrant boats in the past months. According to the UK Home Office record, in the past one week, about 1,000 people crossed the water body by boat. On Monday alone, about 785 people rowed across the Channel. Overall, in 2021 about 13,500 asylum seekers have crossed in small boats. Image: AP The Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, met on Thursday with an elite group of Cuban scientists who showed him locally-produced COVID-19 vaccine candidates. O'Malley, who maintains a strong bond with Latin American immigrant communities in the US, visited the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) in Havana. He said he was "grateful" to know that scientists in Cuba are collaborating with counterparts in the United States. Mayda Mauri Perez, vice president of Cuba's state-owned BioCubaFarma company, said O'Malley's visit could contribute to vaccine development. BioCubaFarma has created several vaccine candidates, three of which have already been approved by national health authorities. With the Abdala and Soberana vaccines in circulation, Cuba became the only country in Latin America that has developed a vaccine for the virus. Despite the vaccination efforts, thousands of daily COVID-19 cases are recorded by authorities, putting the healthcare system under pressure. Cuba is the only country in Latin America to have developed its own vaccines against COVID-19 three of them so far and it is hoping to win World Health Organization approval for their use in other nations. The cardinal planned to visit the Dominican Republic later Thursday and then head to Haiti to observe aid efforts for victims of the recent earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Washington, Sep 10 (PTI) Complete vaccination against COVID-19 is highly effective at preventing hospitalisation, emergency department visit, and intensive care admission due to infection with the virus, according to a study involving data from nearly 200 hospitals around the US. The real-world evidence, published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Thursday, was gathered from electronic health records (EHRs) which demonstrate that the vaccines provide high levels of protection for populations disproportionately affected by the virus. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaborated with six US healthcare systems plus the Regenstrief Institute, to create the VISION network to assess COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness. All these institutes contributed hospitalisation and ICU data for patients older than 50 years of age from a total of 187 hospitals, in addition to data from emergency departments and urgent care clinics. Data analysis showed two-dose mRNA vaccination -- Moderna and Pfizer -- was 89 per cent effective at preventing COVID-19 hospitalisations, and 91 per cent effective at preventing emergency department or urgent care visits. The two-dose vaccination was 90 per cent effective at preventing COVID-19 intensive care unit admission, the researchers said. The effectiveness was significantly lower in individuals who received only the first dose of the two shot-vaccination, they said. "This study confirms that these vaccines are highly effective," said study lead author Mark Thompson, a member of the CDC COVID-19 Response Team. "They offer significant protections for people older than 85, people with chronic medical conditions, as well as Black and Hispanic adults. All are groups who have been hit particularly hard by this disease," Thompson said. The researchers said they hope this finding will convince more people to get vaccinated to protect not only themselves, but their community. The study also looked at the effectiveness of the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine. It was found to be 73 per cent effective against emergency department and urgent care visits, and 68 per cent against hospitalisations. However, the authors of the study noted that the smaller sample size may affect the precision of these estimates and state that more data is needed. "This real-world evidence corroborates the results of clinical trials and provides even more confidence in the vaccines," said research paper author Shaun Grannis, a professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine, US. PTI SAR SAR (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A shooting incident that occurred in the city of East St. Louis, Illinois in the United States has left nearly six people hospitalised as per reports from US media. According to an NBC broadcaster, police originally obtained details about 12 persons who were injured but till now only six injuries have been formally confirmed. The suspects of this action are being searched by the police with priority. According to Associated Press, several people became the victim of gunfire in the late Thursday afternoon in southern Illinois. Officials informed that at least three suspects smashed their getaway car into a commuter train and are still on the run. According to the Belleville News Democrat, the gunshot victims included a male and a woman, although previously police did not initially provide a precise number of casualties. More about the shooting incident in Illinois As per the East St. Louis Police Chief Kendall Perry, the incident happened outside the East Side Meat Market where multiple victims were shot. The situation was still active throughout Thursday night. the shooting perpetrators attempted to escape from a MetroLink train at a close-by junction but they were struck. According to KMOV-TV, police were looking for the offenders in a forested region. East St. Louis is a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri which comprises approximately 6 miles that is 9.66 kilometres, east of the city. According to an Illinois State Police press statement, the shooting incident occurred after 4 p.m. The public was advised to stay away from the gunshot scene. As per Associated Press, a spokesperson for Bi-State Development who manages MetroLink, Patti Beck stated that In the area of the shooting, MetroLink was disrupted for up to an hour. the commuters were being shuttled between the two impacted stations by bus shuttles. Another shooting incident in the US A few days back, as per USA Today, In a neighbourhood of North Lakeland, Florida, four people were killed, an 11-year-old girl was also wounded on September 5. According to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, The shootings occurred around 4:30 a.m. inside of two distinct residences on the same land where the police had an encounter with the suspect. The suspect is identified as Bryan Riley from Florida who surrendered when he was shot once. The gunfire encounter resulted in no injuries to law enforcement officials. Officers found an 11-year-old girl who was shot several times, along with a man, two women, and a baby who were discovered dead after Riley was apprehended. (Image: Unsplash) A Bangladeshi couple was convicted and served a jail term in the USA for conspiring to help the Islamic State (ISIS). A press release by the US Justice Department on Thursday informed that US District Court Judge Joshua Wolson sentenced Shahidul Gaffar, a 40-year-old Bangladeshi residing in Pennysylvania, and his 35-year-old wife, Nabila Khan, to 18 months and two years imprisonment respectively. According to the press release, Gaffar and Khan were found guilty of conspiring to give material assistance and resources to the Islamic State, a recognised foreign terrorist organisation. The press release added, The defendants encouraged and financially supported the efforts of Nabila Kahn's brothers to join the murderous terrorist group ISIS (Islamic State), which is a direct threat to the United States." Khan sold her jewellery to fund brother's travel to Syria The press release stated that according to court records, Gaffar and Khan gave financial assistance to two of Khan's brothers who flew to Syria to join the Islamic State in 2015. The press release highlighted that the couple had talked about the brothers' trip and even deeply planned it in early September 2014. As per the press release, Khan had requested her sister in Bangladesh to sell Khan's jewellery and give the money to their oldest brother in addition to helping him go to Syria in January 2015. Furthermore, Khan's second brother came to the United States on a student visa and lived with Khan and Gaffar in Pennsylvania during the period of June 2014 to February 2015, before returning to Bangladesh. The couple also provided funds to assist Khan's second brother's journey to Syria to start working with ISIS. A significant threat to the nation As per the acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams, the case brings in great emphasis and prime priority on the US Justice Department and the United States Attorney's Office. It focuses on safeguarding the nation from any security threats, the press release said. The US attorney said the accused aided Nabila Kahn's brothers to join the terrorist organisation ISIS, which poses a significant threat to the USA. The Islamic State is a Salafi jihadist terrorist organisation and formerly unrecognised state-like entity. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi established the Islamic State, which rose to worldwide attention in 2014 after driving Iraqi security forces out of major cities. The Islamic State, founded in 1999, swore allegiance to the Al-Qaeda terrorist network and was actively involved in the Iraqi resistance when Western forces invaded the country in 2003. (Image: Unsplash) China's growing demand for natural gas has been driving closer engagement with Turkmenistan, renewing questions about Russia's role in Central Asia, once regarded as Moscow's backyard. Soaring gas prices appear to be the main motivator behind China's agreement to restart an unfinished and technically challenging project to drill three new wells in Turkmenistan's giant Galkynysh (Revival) gas field, which is ranked as one of the five largest in the world. According to Interfax, the project "of particular complexity" was started by Gulf Oil & Gas FZE of the United Arab Emirates but never completed. The project is believed to be one of a package of contracts valued at U.S. $9.7 billion (62.6 billion yuan) in 2009 to develop parts of the formerly-named South Iolotan gas field, producing gas under high pressure with sulphur content requiring treatment for export. State-owned China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) Chuanging Drilling Engineering Co. Ltd. won an international tender for the project to be completed in 30 months, Interfax said citing Turkmenistan's state media. CNPC is to be paid with 17 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas annually for three years, the reports said. Reuters cited an unidentified Chinese industry source as saying that "the wells are likely to start pumping next year, but that the amount of gas CNPC expects to receive could be significantly below 17 bcm (600 billion cubic feet) a year." "The CNPC works are aimed at boosting gas output in Turkmenistan, where natural reserve declines and higher local consumption have led to supply reductions to China in recent years," the industry source said. But Turkmenistan's mercurial president, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, offered a more ambitious vision of plans for gas exports to China, predicting that deliveries would gradually rise from the current level of 40 bcm to 100 bcm per year. That goal may be the highest since CNPC began importing through the 2,000-kilometer (1,242-mile) Central Asia-China Gas Pipeline (CAGP) system crossing Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan over a decade ago. As of mid-May, supplies have totaled 300 bcm since December 2009 when the CAGP opened the first of three strands known as Line A, Turkmenistan said earlier this year. Berdimuhamedov also called for construction of a long- stalled Line D project through Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, originally predicted to bring CAGP capacity up to 80 bcm per year. Reuters has cast doubt on Turkmenistan's volume claims, citing Chinese customs data showing imports of only 29 bcm last year. Even at the lower figure, Turkmenistan is still China's largest source of imported pipeline gas. But the challenging Galkynysh project and the Line D plan may be getting a new look as a result of record spot market prices for liquefied natural gas (LNG) and China's rising demand to replace higher carbon-emitting coal. "The cost of non-contractual LNG has reached such a price that Chinese importers prefer to increase pipeline gas supplies," Azerbaijan's Turan News Agency said. In late July, Turan cited estimates by the ICIS commodity intelligence service that China's costs for Turkmenistan's pipeline gas stood at U.S. $195 per thousand cubic meters (mcm), less than half the LNG spot market price of U.S. $426/mcm at the time. That differential forced some local suppliers in China to stop buying LNG, Turan said. Although it is unclear how long the conditions will last, the resulting shortages may have caused reconsideration of previously unattractive projects like the difficult wells and Line D. While Berdimuhamedov is likely to have overstated the prospects for exports to China, Beijing has encouraged the outlook for growth with offers of extensive cooperation and investment to come. Possible win-win During a visit to Ashgabat on July 12-13, Foreign Minister Wang Yi painted a bright picture of the potential benefits from future cooperation, according to caspiannews.com. Among the plums dangled were offers of solutions to "existing problems" in the oil and gas sector, as well as "new energy, green energy (and) nuclear energy" as part of a "long-term strategic partnership," the report said. Wang suggested cooperation on high-tech development that seems unlikely for the isolated, officially neutral autocracy of Turkmenistan. The benefits included development of a digital economy and "cross-border e-commerce." Wang said. Most striking was Wang's offer of a measure of protection from unspecified security threats. "China is ready to step up cooperation with Turkmenistan in traditional and non-traditional security fields and help the country safeguard its national security," Wang said. The timing of Wang's proposal suggests that China may be inching toward a role as a regional guarantor against risks of instability in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. But the prospect of Chinese protection may be lost on Turkmenistan, which has maintained its neutrality policy since the regime of Berdimuhamedov's predecessor Saparmurat Niyazov, as well as ties with the Taliban and successive Afghan governments for over two decades. While threats from other fundamentalist groups may emerge, Turkmenistan has stayed focused on the stability of its 764- kilometer (474-mile) border with Afghanistan and its long- sought goal of supplying gas across the country to Pakistan and India. Unlike its neighboring Central Asian republics, Turkmenistan's neutrality policy keeps it outside the largely-symbolic affiliation of the Chinese and Russian-led Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the post-Soviet Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). On Aug. 26, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said that trade and transit with Afghanistan for petroleum products, grain and other goods remained unchanged, Interfax reported. "More than 70 train cars and about 160 trucks pass through the Imamnazar-Aqina and Serhetabad-Torghundi checkpoints every day," the ministry said. On Aug. 30, Berdimuhamedov told European Council President Charles Michel that Turkmenistan stood for "settling the situation in Afghanistan exclusively with peaceful, political-diplomatic means and methods." He added that Turkmenistan had also granted dozens of permits for flights of evacuation planes through its airspace, Interfax said. But while Turkmenistan seems unlikely to take China up on its security offers, the initiative leaves questions unanswered about what role in the region China is planning to play. Security matters As China's energy demand grows, it remains unclear whether a military presence in Central Asia will follow and whether it will take the lead in cooperation with Russia on regional security, despite a history of mistrust. Twenty years since the signing of their bilateral friendship and cooperation treaty and the founding of the SCO, Russia and China have been staging military exercises that could point the way toward joint security operations in the region. The first recent exercise, named Zapad/Interaction-2021, was held on Aug. 9-13 in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. A statement by the National Ministry of Defense made clear that China regarded it as a significant event. "For the first time, the Russian military was invited to China on a large scale to participate in a strategic campaign exercise organized by the Chinese side," the official Xinhua news agency quoted a ministry spokesperson as saying. As part of the exercise, the two sides designed a command information system for mixed groups of Chinese and Russian troops, enabling them to carry out effective coordination, the spokesperson said. The result demonstrated "the determination and ability of both sides to jointly deal with security threats, and safeguard regional security and stability," the official said. A second exercise, dubbed "Peace Mission 2021," is to be held on Sept. 11-25 under SCO auspices in Russia's Orenburg region near the border with Kazakhstan. It will include over 550 Chinese troops mainly from the Northern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Xinhua said. Defense and energy experts say that China and Russia are drawing closer, raising the possibility that China could be called upon to shore up Central Asian security, which Russia now guards with a single motorized rifle division near Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan. In a recent online forum for the Jamestown Foundation in Washington, military expert Pavel Felgenhauer said that senior Russian officers have had to suppress their misgivings about China's influence in Central Asia and accept the necessity of relying on China's strength. "Russian resources are actually spread out a bit too thin" to cover its strategic needs, including the concentration of forces on the border with Ukraine, problems with Belarus and garrisons in the Far East, Felgenhauer said. "Where will we get the reserve troops if we need to bring five divisions or more ... five divisions at least, strength into Central Asia?" he asked. "And China has the divisions," said Felgenhauer. China could raise 10 divisions or more "easy" to send into Central Asia "to keep the lid on any kind of insurgency there," he said. Moscow does not want to rely on Chinese involvement in the region, but it appears to be preparing to do so, "because the alternative is seen as worse," Felgenhauer said. The potential for Russian and Chinese security cooperation in Central Asia is arguably not the result of sudden change in Afghanistan, but rather the consequence of development over time. "From my point of view, Russia and China have been reconciling any differences or rivalry over Central Asia ever since the creation of the SCO was announced in 2001," said Edward Chow, senior associate for energy security and climate change at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "What's happening in Afghanistan only pushes their cooperation and coordination closer," Chow said. Left unanswered is whether China can be relied upon to safeguard the competitive energy interests of Turkmenistan and Russia with equal commitment. Russia has invested some U.S. $55 billion to develop its 3,000-kilometer Power of Siberia pipeline to export gas to China, competing with supplies from Turkmenistan. Russian pipeline deliveries are scheduled to reach 10 bcm this year and are expected to rise to 38 bcm by 2025. The seven had criticized Prime Minister Hun Sen for his response to the coronavirus. A court in Cambodias capital Phnom Penh sentenced seven opposition activists to 18 months in prison Thursday for incitement after they used social media to criticize the government for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The Phnom Penh Municipal Court delivered the sentences to the members of the banned opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), who included one Buddhist monk, in absentia because all seven of them are living abroad. Judge Ouk Reth Kunthea ordered authorities to arrest the activists upon their return to Cambodia. Ron Chanthy, one of the convicted activists who currently lives in Thailand, refused to accept what he called an unjust verdict, saying the court and Prime Minister Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) had worked together to prevent him from running in Cambodias commune elections to be held next year and general elections in 2023. He said that in admonishing the government for its response to the pandemic, he was simply exercising his freedom of speech and not inciting anyone to act against the state. I will continue to speak out against the government, he told RFAs Khmer Service, adding that he believes it is useless to appeal the verdict. There is no justice for me because the court is being influenced by Hun Sen. Cambodias Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP in November 2017 over an alleged plot to overthrow the government. The move came amid a wider crackdown by Hun Sen on the countrys political opposition, independent media, and NGOs that paved the way for his CPP to win all 125 seats in parliament in the countrys July 2018 elections. The activists had established a Facebook page called CNRP Fighters through which they slammed policies they say led to Cambodias nearly 2,000 deaths and 97,000 infections from COVID-19 since the coronavirus was first detected in the country in early 2020, including 400 deaths and 14,500 cases in the last month alone. Thursdays verdicts followed an Aug. 26 trial in absentia for the activists and monk, who is currently living in Canada, in which the only person present was a representative of the plaintiff, who is a police officer. Another of the convicted activists, Mao Vibol, said he believes Cambodias courts are protecting Hun Sens power by unfairly prosecuting his political opponents. What we have been doing is rightthat is why the public follows us [on Facebook], he said. Our work has rightfully caused Hun Sen concern. Jailed activists questioned Also on Thursday, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court Investigative Judge Sin Sovanroth questioned Kong Mas and Khat Bunphengtwo CNRP activists who have been jailed for eight months after being convicted of conspiracy. The two were arrested in December 2020 for working to facilitate CNRP Deputy President Mu Sochuas return to Cambodia from self-imposed exile to avoid what she says are a string of politically motivated charges and convictions. In January, Mu Sochua and fellow party leaders and activists were prevented from boarding a Singapore Airlines flight to Phnom Penh from Los Angeles because they had been refused visas to enter Cambodia. Mu Sochua and eight other CNRP leadersincluding acting CNRP President Sam Rainsywere sentenced in absentia in March to between 20 and 25 years in jail. The nine, who were prohibited from returning to Cambodia to defend themselves in the trial, were also banned from voting or running as candidates in future elections. Speaking to RFA, Am Sam Ath of Cambodian rights group Licadho said that Thursdays questioning of Kong Mas and Khat Bunpheng did not comply with court procedures, adding that the pairs convictions were politically motivated and should be resolved through dialogue. Without political negotiation, the activists will continue to stay in prison, he said. The arrests, charges and detentions are politically motivated and have no basis in law. Attempts by RFA to reach court spokesman and prosecutor Plang Sophal for comment went unanswered Thursday. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. A court in Hong Kong on denied bail to one of the organizers of a now-banned candlelight vigil for the victims of the , 1989 Tiananmen massacre, amid an international outcry at subversion charges laid against three of its key members. Chow Hang-tung, vice chair of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, was returned to custody on after the hearing, the contents of which are not allowed to be reported by the media under Hong Kong law. Dozens of supporters showed up to support Chow outside the court building wearing T-shirts bearing the words "Never forget ," "Overturn the verdict" and, simply "Truth." One supporter, who gave only the surname Law, said it was important not to cave in to attempts by the authorities to silence people through fear. "We shouldn't take on the fear inflicted by the regime, and become terrified ourselves," Law told RFA. "Chow Hang-tung has already been brave enough to argue against the absurdity of the national security law from her prison cell." ", I am wearing this to amplify what she said." The Alliance itself, chairman Lee Cheuk-yan and vice-chairs Chow and Albert Ho were all charged with "incitement to subvert state power" on , under a draconian national security law imposed on Hong Kong by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from , 2020. U.K. foreign secretary Dominic Raab tweeted after their arrests that they were "a chilling demonstration of how the National Security Law is being used by Beijing to dismantle civil society and stifle political dissent in Hong Kong." Declining rule of law The London-based rights group Hong Kong Watch said the arrests marked "a further deterioration" in the rule of law in the city, and in the freedoms its residents once enjoyed. "The only 'crime' the members of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China have committed is holding an annual vigil to remember the Chinese people who were murdered in Tiananmen Square in 1989 by the Chinese Communist Party for daring to call for democracy," the group's chief executive Benedict Rogers said in a statement. "We urge the U.K. government to reflect on the declining state of the rule of law in Hong Kong," Rogers said, calling for a ban on British judges serving in the Hong Kong judiciary, as they have continued to do since the 1997 handover to China. For three decades, the Alliance organized mass vigils of tens, sometimes hundreds, of thousands of people in Hong Kong's Victoria Park, to commemorate the victims of a bloody military crackdown on the student-led Chinese democracy movement in 1989. As the only public commemoration of the massacre on Chinese soil, the event often drew former leaders and participants in the 1989 protests on Tiananmen Square, although in later years many were denied entry by Hong Kong immigration. National security police have now categorized the Alliance as "a foreign agent," and on also raided the Memorial Hall, a museum preserving historic materials linked to the 1989 crackdown, removing many boxes containing computers, documents and promotional materials, as well as exhibits. The raid came after the arrests and charging of five Alliance members, Chow Hang-tung among them, for failing to comply with a request for information from the national security police, who had demanded the group supply details of its membership, funding sources and activities in recent years, under Article 43 of the national security law. 10 years in jail Chow and the Alliance refused to comply, arguing that the Alliance was spontaneously founded by the people of Hong Kong in solidarity with the pro-democracy movement in mainland China. The overseas-based Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) network said Chow, Lee and Ho could face jail terms of up to 10 years for "incitement to subvert state power." Alliance committee members Tsui Hon-kwong, Simon Leung, Tang Ngok-kwan and Chan To-wai were also arrested due to their non-compliance with the national security police's information request, it said. "The Hong Kong Alliance had always upheld the vision for a China that was ruled democratically, where the rule of law mattered, and where human rights were genuinely respected," CHRD research and advocacy coordinator William Nee said in a statement emailed to RFA. "The central government and their local allies are simply using the national security law to crush that democratic vision and ensure that there is no significant opposition to the increasingly dictatorial rule of Xi Jinping as head of the CCP," Nee said. He said the information request from police had demanded evidence of the Alliance's activities dating back to 2014, six years before the national security law took effect, despite promises from Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam that it wouldn't be applied retroactively. Nee called for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained Alliance members. A spokesperson for the foreign affairs office of Beijing's Central Liaison Office in Hong Kong said Raab's comment on the subversion arrests was "irresponsible." "Certain Western politicians disregard the facts, invert black and white, view Hong Kong's national security law ... as a thorn in their side," the spokesperson said. "[They] have fully exposed their sinister intentions to interfere with the rule of law in Hong Kong [and] undermine the long-lasting stability of Hong Kong," they said, vowing to "counterattack" if such comments continued. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. The phone call comes amid growing tensions over Chinese actions in Tibet, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and the South China Sea. US President Joe Biden and China's President Xi Jinping are shown in a combined image taken from file photos. U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinas President Xi Jinping spoke in a phone conversation Thursday described by the White House as part of an effort to manage competition between the two powers, while Beijing on Friday called the outreach driven by American anxiety and need for Chinese cooperation on a range of global issues. The conversation on Thursday night U.S. time, the two leaders second since Biden took office in January, covered areas where our interests converge, and areas where our interests, values, and perspectives diverge, the White House said in a Sept. 9 statement. This discussion, as President Biden made clear, was part of the United States ongoing effort to responsibly manage the competition between the United States and the [Peoples Republic of China], the White House said. President Biden underscored the United States enduring interest in peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and the world, and the two leaders discussed the responsibility of both nations to ensure competition does not veer into conflict. Chinas state-controlled media asserted on Friday that China had gained the upper hand in the exchange, however, noting that the conversation had been initiated at the request of the United States. The phone call highlighted Washingtons growing anxiety and need for Chinas cooperation on key global issues, including the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, climate change, and efforts to contain the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, Chinas Global Times said in a Sept. 10 report. While the discussions sent positive signals that both sides are aiming to maintain communication, the U.S. should take more action in correcting previous wrong deeds and respecting Chinas interests, and not expecting China to cooperate while keeping it as an adversary, the nationalistic, Chinese Communist Party-backed tabloid said. Growing tensions The phone call came amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing over Chinese actions in Tibet, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang, where authorities are believed to have held up to 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in a vast network of internment camps since early 2017. The U.S. has also spoken out against military threats by China against the democratic, self-governing island of Taiwan, which China claims as a renegade province but which has never been ruled by Beijing nor formed part of the Peoples Republic of China. At the same time, tensions have grown amid encroachments by China on the territorial waters and maritime resources of neighboring states in the South China Sea, which China claims almost in its entirety. In a meeting in Anchorage, Alaska in March, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confronted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and State Councilor Yang Jiechi with U.S. criticisms of Chinese policies, prompting an angry rebuttal from the Chinese side. And in September, U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry was denied a meeting in Chinas port city Tianjin with high-ranking officials, a move widely reported as a diplomatic snub. Turning the page Speaking to RFA, Alexander Huangan associate professor at the Tamkang School of Strategic Studies at Taiwans Tamkang Universitysaid that Biden in Thursdays phone call had raised general points of principle, while China focused on stating Chinas stance on the issue of Taiwan. It is very obvious that the United States took the initiative [in the discussion] and that China was passive, Huang said, adding that top-level talks of this kind seldom lead to substantive changes in strategic direction. After talks between the two sides in Alaska and Tianjin, it was definitely necessary to turn the page, he said. The two leaders tone in Thursdays call may now calm tensions, hawkish voices, and harsh words, and bickering may temporarily slow down, leading toward more high-level dialogue between the two sides in the future, he said. Yi-feng Tao, an associate professor of political science at National Taiwan University, said that after the Alaska and Tianjin meetings "all broke up unhappily the two sides seemed to be getting more and more rigid, so both hope to control risks and not to make mistakes." "The United States also needs to make sure that Beijing understands that despite the fall of the Afghan government, the United States stance on the Indo-Pacific region and the international order has not changed." Reported by RFAs Mandarin Service. Translated by Paul Eckert. Written in English by Richard Finney. Former Nanjing Normal University professor Guo Quan had criticized Beijing's response to COVID-19 and called for multi-party democracy. A court in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu has tried Guo Quan, a former professor from Nanjing Normal University, for "incitement to subvert state power" after he criticized the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s response to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan. Guo, a former judge, stood trial on Sept. 9 by video call at the Xuzhou Intermediate People's Court, pleading not guilty and defending himself vigorously in terms of free speech protections enshrined in the Chinese constitution, his lawyer told RFA. In a trial that lasted more than five hours, Guo, now 53, addressed the court for nearly two hours, engaging in a systematic legal defense of the articles he published online that were submitted in evidence by the state prosecutor's office, his attorney said. "He told them he wasn't afraid of going jail, and that he is ready for that ... and is willing to pay the price given the [current political] reality," Guo's lawyer Chang Boyang told RFA after the trial. "He said he isn't guilty, but understood that the court could decide to convict him anyway." Guo was detained by Nanjing police on Jan. 31, 2020 and held at the Nanjing No. 2 Detention Center on charges that were unknown at the time. Guo had been writing online about the COVID-19 outbreak in China and had criticized the governments response, according to the Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) network. His family were informed on Feb. 26, 2020 of his formal arrest for "incitement to subvert state power." Held incommunicado for much of his pretrial detention, Guo finally received a visit from defense attorney Si Weijiang in the Nanjing No. 2 Detention Center on Oct. 12, 2020, CHRD said. Guo was described by Si at the time as being in good spirits and having a healthy appearance. He told Si then that he didn't fear prison, the group said. A former associate professor at Nanjing Normal University, Guo had previously served a 10-year jail term from 2009 on the same charge after he set up the China New People's Party in 2007. Calling for multi-party democracy According to Chang, the prosecution case rested on less than 20 articles criticizing the CCP's COVID-19 response, social injustice, and official corruption. The articles sought to "divide the people from the ruling party" and negate the existing political system by advocating multi-party democracy, the indictment said. "He spoke for around half of the length of the trial, talking about his views and ideas as expressed in those articles," Chang told RFA. "He likened dictatorship to the sun, to the yang, which is toxic if it is too extreme, and said the back-and-forth nature of multi-party democracies was closer to traditional Chinese culture." Guo's octagenarian mother Gu Xiao declined to comment when contacted by RFA on Sept. 9. "Go ahead, report it, but please don't disturb me: I'm in very poor health," Gu said. Chang said Guo had become far more moderate in his political views over the past decade, and had refused to live in exile, despite being encouraged to leave China by the local police. He said Guo's Christian faith had strengthened and was sustaining him through his most recent detention. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. A growing number of children are leaving school and picking up arms out of desperation. Security forces in Myanmar are targeting anti-junta youth activists throughout the country, forcing many to drop out of school and take up arms with militia groups seeking to unseat the military regime despite international laws prohibiting children from becoming soldiers, family members said Thursday. Youth activists, many of whom say they felt hopeless about their future under military rule, began to join the widespread resistance movement against the junta after it seized power from Myanmars democratically elected government in a Feb. 1 coup. Many have been arrested or even killed in clashes with the military, prompting concern from observers who lament what they say is an increasingly lost generation of children forced to sacrifice their dreams in the hopes of reclaiming their country from an oppressive regime. In the seven months since the coup, security forces have killed 1,058 civilians and arrested at least 6,343mostly during crackdowns on anti-junta protestersaccording to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). The junta says it had to unseat Aung San Suu Kyis NLD government, claiming the party engineered a landslide victory in Myanmars November 2020 election through widespread voter fraud. It has yet to present evidence of its claims, though, and public unrest is at an all-time high. Among the youth activists who have joined the fight against the military is 16-year-old Zaw Myo Mai Laban from the Kachin state capital Myitkyina, who went underground in June after around 50 soldiers and police officers tried to arrest him at his home for taking part in anti-junta protests. We know young students like us are not physically fit for fighting yetweve only just passed childhood, the member of the Basic Education Students' Union Network (BESUN) of hundreds of students from more than 50 townships told RFAs Myanmar Service. However, we are doing this with the sole intention of fighting injustice and oppression. We give encouragement to one another when we find ourselves weak and try harder to be competent for the revolution. Zaw Myo Mai Laban said that ethnic armed groups in the liberated areas of the countrys remote border regions had initially refused to allow those under the age of 18 to attend military training, in accordance with international laws prohibiting the use of child soldiers, but eventually relented due to the strong enthusiasm of the young students. It is true that I am underage according to international law and laws against child soldiers, but [the military is] killing people whether they are underage or not, he said. International law doesnt mean anything to the military. Students demonstrate in Pegu region's Paungde township, Feb. 19, 2021. Citizen journalist I would rather fight Despite the militarys heavy-handed response to anti-junta protests, many high school students continue to take part in the gatherings, particularly in Myanmars largest cities Yangon and Mandalay. A student with BESUN in Mandalay, who spoke to RFA on condition of anonymity, said he participates in protests daily for the future of the countrys youth. We are more afraid of losing our future than we are of the military, he said. Education in Myanmar at present is completely in shambles. Conditions were just about to see some improvement when they staged this coup. All our hopes were dashed We had a spirit of revolution long before the coup, and their atrocities made us want to fight back even more. When your friends are killed, there is little you can do but grieve for them. I would rather fight for them instead, he said. Most of the high school students now involved in the anti-junta movement are minors under parental guardianship. Many parents told RFA they are worried about their sons and daughters being arrested, maimed, or killed, although some have allowed their children to join the protests. The mother of two high school students aged 15 and 17 in Yangons South Okkalapa township said she accompanies her children to protests but has asked them not to join the armed uprising. I went along with them so they would not get into trouble or be harmed, because you cant stop them from joining the protests, she said. However, I asked them not to do anything like take up arms because they are not old enough. If they get arrested and sent to prison for taking part in the protests, at least I could go and see them. I may be selfish, but I cannot allow my young kids to join a revolution. A student with the Launglon township branch of BESUN in Myanmars Tanintharyi division, who also declined to be named, said he regularly speaks with parents as part of an effort to bring more youths into the anti-junta movement. If students dont get involved in politics, politics will work against them, he said. We enlightened [parents] by explaining that students have been detained and tortured too. This helped them understand why we have taken to the streets, and they allowed their sons and daughters to join us. Investigating youth activists Meanwhile, authorities have spared no effort in investigating high school students involved in anti-junta activities. In Myanmars Bago region, five high school students were arrested in the first week of September, including one who died in detention while being interrogated. According to AAPP, at least 23 school age children were among those killed in the past seven months since the coup, while at least 20 high school students have been arrested. An AAPP spokesman told RFA that school age children are still very much at risk from the military. If things continue like this, the children in our country will no longer have a future, including those who would one day be the nations leaders, he said. Children must have the right to freedom of movement and to follow their dreams. They shouldnt be living in fear. However, at present, they must be careful even of what they wear because of current restrictions. The loss of their future is a loss for the country. Calls by RFA to military spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun seeking comment went unanswered Thursday. Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. The panel, which has no state backing, aims to galvanize international action to hold China accountable for alleged maltreatment of the minority group. Geoffrey Nice (C), chairman of the Uyghur Tribunal, gives the opening address on the first day of hearings investigating alleged abuses against Uyghurs in China, in London, June 4, 2021. China has denounced the second round of a Uyghur Tribunal scheduled to begin Friday in London to investigate whether the governments alleged rights abuses targeting ethnic Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in its far-western Xinjiang region constitute genocide. More than 30 witnesses and experts testified about torture, rape, and other human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) during the first set of hearings in early June. Uyghur exiles described forced abortions, arbitrary arrests, and forced labor, while international legal experts weighed in on the applicability of laws on genocide and other statutes. Such evidence and other credible documentations of abuse have formed the basis of genocide accusations against Beijing laid by several Western governments and legislatures, including the United States. The allegations, if proved, could implicate China in a campaign to deliberately destroy the Uyghurs, and constitute the commission of genocide as defined in Article 2 of the Genocide Convention of 1948. The independent peoples tribunal was set up because it is not possible to bring China before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Though China has signed and ratified the Genocide Convention, it has entered a reservation against ICJ jurisdiction. Though the London panel has no state backing and any judgments will be nonbinding on any government, it aims to galvanize international action to hold China accountable for the abuse. Another group of witnesses and experts have been lined up to provide testimony during the second round of hearings on Sept. 10-13. China has denied widespread and documented allegations that it has subjected Muslims living in the XUAR to severe rights abuses. As it did during the first session, Beijing has condemned the tribunal and smeared its participants ahead of the start of the second round. Responding to a question about the Uyghur Tribunal at a news conference in Beijing on Thursday, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian blasted the panel as a kangaroo court that has nothing to do with law, justice or truth, and is just another farce staged to smear and attack Xinjiang. Zhao noted that the tribunal is funded mostly by the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), which he said is an organization dedicated to separating Xinjiang from China. The WUC is an international organization based in Germany that represents the collective interests of Uyghurs in the XUAR and abroad. Zhao discredited WUC president Dolkun Isa as a terrorist listed by the Chinese government and prominent British lawyer Geoffrey Nice, who chairs the nine-member tribunal, as a veteran British agent notorious around the world for filing frivolous lawsuits on human rights. Political farce, pseudo-court The Foreign Ministry spokesman also took aim at Adrian Zenz, an independent researcher with the Washington D.C.-based nonprofit organization Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, branding him an anti-China swindler. Zenz testified at the first round of hearings about Chinas policy to reduce Uyghur population growth in the XUAR. He has also produced reports documenting Chinas use of birth control and population transfer policies to reduce the Uyghur population, the forced sterilization of Uyghur women, and the detainment of Uyghurs in internment camps in the XUAR. The Uyghurs are a predominantly Muslim group estimated at more than 12 million people in the XUAR. China has held up to 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in a network of detention camps since 2017, though Beijing says the facilities are vocational training centers meant to deter religious extremism and terrorism. In a report published in August, Zenz concluded that Chinas plans to reduce the ethnic minority population may constitute genocide under the U.N. Genocide Convention by presenting empirical evidence that the Uyghurs are being destroyed as a people. These so-called Chair, experts, and witnesses have deplorable track records and are habitual liars, who have become a laughing stock in the international community a long time ago, Wang said. He accused Zenz of hurling absurd accusations and fabricating lies and rumors. An article in Chinas state-owned newspaper Global Times on Thursday also took aim at the Uyghur Tribunal with a grim nod to the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the U.S. The political farce and the pseudo-court of the so-called Uyghur Tribunal will have its second hearing starting Friday, just one day before September 11, a time which should be used to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks in the U.S., the article said. Kristian Petersen, an assistant professor of religious studies at Old Dominion University, who has written about Islam in China, wrote in an op-ed for Al Jazeera on Wednesday that the U.S. embrace of Chinese claims about Uyghur terrorism has facilitated the repression of the minority group. Following the terrorist attacks, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) defined Uyghur resistance as part of the worldwide terrorism emergency and not as a local issue of separatism as it used to in the past, he wrote. After the series of airline hijackings and suicide attacks committed in the U.S. in 2001 by militants linked to the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda, Chinese authorities increasingly portrayed its repression of Muslim minorities in the XUAR as part of the Global War on Terror to destroy terrorist groups. Petersen cited the U.S. governments addition of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) on its list of terrorist organizations in 2002 in exchange for Beijings support for efforts to overthrow the Taliban in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks by the Afghanistan-based militants. With official international support of war on terror proponents, the legal and political apparatus had already been set in motion to frame and justify the CCPs crackdown on any Uyghur dissent as an anti-terrorism effort, Petersen wrote. The ETIMs designation as a terrorist organization thus became the linchpin of U.S. complicity in the CCPs oppression of Uyghurs. In October 2020, however, the U.S. State Department removed the ETIM from its designated terrorist list, with a U.S. official saying that there had been no credible evidence in a decade that the group still existed. 'This brutal regime' Dolkun Isa of WUC told RFA that the scheduling of the second round of Uyghur Tribunal hearings on the eve of the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks was profoundly significant because China used the tragedy as a pretext to launch a war on the Uyghurs culminating with todays genocide. On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the international community must understand that China hasnt fought and isnt fighting so-called terrorism in East Turkestan, he said using the Uyghurs preferred name for Xinjiang. Its eradicating an ancient people whose country was occupied and colonized by this brutal regime. The international community must show its political will and action to stop this ongoing Uyghur genocide, he said. The tribunal is expected to issue a final verdict on whether China is committing genocide or crimes against humanity in December. Reporting and translation by Alim Seytoff of RFA's Uyghur Service. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is calling on Tajikistan to add an ailing 70-year-old journalist who has been imprisoned for six years on politically motivated charges to a list of thousands of prisoners due to be freed under a mass presidential amnesty. Hikmatullo Saifullozoda, a member of the banned Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), is being held in the most appalling conditions and has many health problems, the Paris-based media freedom watchdog said in a statement on September 9. According to the group, Saifullozoda contracted a serious form of COVID-19 and underwent a heart operation in June in the infirmary of the prison where he is being held. Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RSFs Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, said the journalist is in danger of dying in prison. Detained for purely political reasons, he risks spending another 10 years behind bars, where he is the victim of mistreatment. His release could save his life. Furthermore, he poses no danger to society or to the authorities in Tajikistan. Saifullozoda, the editor of the IRPT's Najot (Salvation) newspaper, was arrested in 2015 and sentenced the following year to 16 years in prison after a court found him guilty of involvement in a purported insurrection against Rahmon's government. More than 16,000 prisoners are expected to be freed under the amnesty law adopted by parliament earlier this month and signed by President Emomali Rahmon to mark the 30th anniversary of Tajikistans independence on September 9. Saifullozoda will probably not be among those who are released, RSF said, adding that his sentence will probably be reduced by only four years, although he should benefit from the priority release reserved for persons over the age of 55 who are seriously ill. The IRPT, long an influential party with representatives in the Tajik government and parliament, was labeled an extremist and terrorist group and banned in September 2015 -- moves the party and human rights groups say were unjustified and politically motivated. Dozens of IRPT officials and supporters have been prosecuted and many of them imprisoned, drawing further criticism of Rahmon's government from rights groups. As a result of increasingly repressive policies, Tajikistan has fallen 46 places in RSF's World Press Freedom Index since 2015 and is now ranked 162nd out of 180 countries. A Bulgarian fugitive wanted in several European countries on money-laundering and drug-trafficking charges has been arrested in Kyiv after years on the run. The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry confirmed on September 10 that Ukrainian authorities had captured former wrestler Evelin Banev. Ukraines National Police on September 7 announced it had arrested a man wanted on an Interpol notice but did not disclose his identity. Banev was captured in a parking lot as he walked toward his car, according to a police video posted to YouTube. Bulgaria said it is working on extraditing Banev to Sofia. The 56-year-old was facing trials in three countries for money laundering and drug trafficking when he was last seen in public at a hearing in the Sofia Court of Appeals in September 2015. Banev had been detained in Bulgaria in 2012 and handed over to Italian authorities for a trial in Milan. In Bucharest, Romanian authorities were also requesting his extradition on similar charges. Then Italy allowed Banev to return temporarily to Sofia in 2015 in order to attend his Bulgarian trial. That's when he disappeared, apparently fleeing and going into hiding before the authorities could return him to Italy or extradite him to Romania. He's since been sentenced in absentia by an Italian court to 20 years in prison, by a Romanian court to 10 1/2 years, and more recently by a Bulgarian court, all for money-laundering or cocaine-smuggling offenses. More recently, Swiss prosecutors in December indicted Banev along with Credit Suisse and one of the Swiss bank's former employees for allegedly helping to launder about $39 million of drug money through the bank. Russia's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by would-be State Duma candidate and businessman Dmitry Potapenko against his removal as a candidate for allegedly owning "foreign financial instruments." The court's September 1 ruling was published on September 9 and means that Potapenko will be removed from the party list of the Russian Party of Liberty and Justice for the September 17-19 national legislative elections. Potapenko was also seeking a single-mandate seat in the Duma from a district in Moscow. Under Russian law, candidates and Duma deputies are not allowed to own foreign financial instruments such as shares of company stock. The same provision was used to bar popular Communist Party candidate Pavel Grudinin in July and several candidates from the liberal Yabloko party, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), A Just Russia, and the New People party. Yabloko candidate Yekaterina Kolesnikova was disqualified for owning "foreign financial instruments" worth $68. Potapenko was accused of owning shares in several companies that are traded on foreign stock exchanges, including Russian search engine Yandex and the state-owned Russian savings bank Sberbank. Potapenko has said he does not own any disqualifying instruments, but instead holds only depositary receipts, which are domestic financial instruments that represent shares in companies traded abroad but are considered an alternative to actual international trading. Iranian journalist Masoud Kazemi was exultant when he was released from Tehran's notorious Evin prison in April 2020. "The nightmare is officially over," tweeted Kazemi, the former editor of the monthly magazine Sedaye Parsi, posting a photo of the prison where he had been held for 300 days. Little did he know that a new nightmare was about to begin. Following Kazemis release, the feared intelligence branch of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) repeatedly summoned him and tried to force him to "cooperate." Following many months of pressure and harassment to work with the IRGC, Kazemi left Iran for Turkey, where he and his wife are hoping to seek asylum in a third country. Kazemi says he still worries he could be targeted by Iranian intelligence bodies, who are known to surveil Iranian activists in Turkey. He told RFE/RL that four days after purchasing a Turkish SIM card for his mobile phone, he received a call from his former interrogator who said he wanted to say "hi," in a call that let Kazemi know he hasn't been forgotten and that his location is likely known. "I dont feel safe," said Kazemi, who has been in Turkey for the past four months amid reports of the detention and deportation of many Iranian asylum seekers by Turkish police. Kazemi's plight began in November 2018 when he was detained and later convicted and sentenced to a total of 4 1/2 years in prison on multiple charges of acting against national security and insulting Irans supreme leader, charges that stemmed from his articles and social-media posts. The vague charges are often brought against intellectuals and activists that authorities want to silence. Kazemi would have to serve two years -- the longest of his multiple sentences. He also would be banned from any journalistic activities for two years after his release, and he received a one-year travel ban. But due to the coronavirus pandemic, Kazemi and thousands of other prisoners were temporarily released to prevent the spread of the deadly disease in Irans overpopulated prisons. Kazemi and others who had served one-third of their terms were freed for good. Yet being out of prison did not free him from the claws of the IRGCs intelligence branch that has in recent years arrested and pressured scores of journalists, activists, environmentalists, and dual nationals. "During my time in prison, I got to know many political prisoners and I was in touch with them daily [after I was released]. I would then provide the media with news about [those still imprisoned] that was published without my name being cited [as the source]. That was the reason I was summoned the first time after my release," he said. Intelligence agents played Kazemi an audio clip of one of his calls with prisoners and told him they were aware that he was providing news from inside Evin prison to media outlets. He said the agents asked him to spy on his friends and contacts, including journalists, political activists, and womens rights advocates. Kazemi said he was also asked to help identify some people behind several popular anonymous Twitter accounts. When Kazemi refused, the intelligence agents threatened to open a new case against him and they also pressured his wife, Shima Tadresi, by reviving an old case against her over her criticism of the forced wearing of the hijab. He says many journalists who have received similar pressure have either lost their jobs or were forced to quit and find other jobs. Kazemi says he knows journalists who are selling newspapers and working in cafes. Kazemi himself, who also worked for the reformist Sharq daily, painted buildings to earn a living. When he found a public-relations job in an accounting firm, he says the IRGC threatened the firms manager, who then decided not to hire him. Finally, on the day his travel ban was lifted, he applied for a passport and traveled to Turkey with his wife, hoping for a better future in a country where they could both work freely. Kazemis decision to emigrate from Iran highlights the tough conditions journalists face in the country. Dozens have been summoned, pressured, and sentenced to prison in recent years. Many have been forced to flee while those working in the country have to submit themselves to tight censorship rules and unwritten red lines. Kazemi says in recent years the pressure by intelligence bodies on journalists has increased. "Before [authorities] used to quickly arrest journalists, but now I know numerous journalists who have been summoned, harassed, interrogated. Their computers and other equipment -- including cell phones -- are confiscated and the content is used to threaten them and ask them to cooperate," he said. "When a journalist gets arrested, it is reported in the media and rights and media groups react, as they did when I was arrested. But pressuring journalists is less costly for [authorities than arresting them]," Kazemi said, adding that such pressure on journalists often goes unreported. Reza Moini, the head of the Iran/Afghanistan desk at Reporters Without Borders, told RFE/RL that in the past three years more than 50 journalists have been summoned, threatened, and interrogated -- sometimes over the phone -- by Irans intelligence ministry and the IRGCs intelligence branch because of their work, including covering topics deemed sensitive by the government. Iran is ranked 174th out of the 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders 2021 World Press Freedom Index. BISHKEK -- Orozaiym Narmatova, a member of the opposition United Kyrgyzstan political party and an outspoken critic of President Sadyr Japarov, has been detained in the southern city of Osh as she tried to leave the country. Narmatova's lawyer, Seiitbek Dovlotov, told RFE/RL that his client was arrested at the Osh airport when trying to leave for Russia on September 10. Dovlotov said that Narmatova, who currently lives in Russia, was detained on suspicion of publicly calling for people to seize power from the government, adding that the arrest was sanctioned by a court in Bishkek, the capital. United Kyrgyzstan's leader, Adakhan Madumarov, called Narmatovas detention "an act of blatant lawlessness," and demanded her immediate release. The party's representative in Osh, Zamir Shamshidin, told RFE/RL that investigators have transferred Narmatova to Bishkek. The Interior Ministry issued a statement saying that Narmatova, who is also a leader of the I Do Not Agree and I Have Rights movements, was detained for "holding frequent gatherings in Russia at which she constantly expressed unfounded criticism targeting the Kyrgyzstans political leadership with the aim of increasing the mood among labor migrants and people residing in Kyrgyzstan to protest." The ministry accused Narmatova of wanting to create conditions for inciting inter-regional hatred and aiming to seize power. Narmatova came to Kyrgyzstan several days ago to attend a funeral for one of her relatives and was trying to return to Russia on September 10. She has been one of Japarov's most-vocal critics, chiding him for failing to follow through on the promises to increase freedoms that he made when he came to power in the wake of anti-government demonstrations after disputed parliamentary elections in October. MOSCOW -- A Moscow court has sentenced Maria Alyokhina, a leading member of the Pussy Riot protest group, to one year of so-called "restricted freedom," a parole-like sentence, for allegedly violating restrictive measures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus by calling on people to protest against the detention of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny. The Preobrazhensky district court handed down the sentence to Alyokhina on September 10 after finding her guilty of publicly calling for people to take part in unsanctioned rallies to support the Kremlin critic in January. According to the court ruling, Alyokhina is not allowed to leave her home from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., attend public events, or leave Moscow without police permission. Alyokhina was one of two Navalny supporters still facing charges for publicly calling for people to take part in the rallies. The final person whose hearing in the case is pending is the chief of the Physicians' Alliance NGO, Anastasia Vasilyeva. In the other cases, close associates and supporters of Navalny, including his brother Oleg, have been handed parole-like sentences restricting their freedom in recent weeks. Media reports said that Navalnys spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh and his close associate Lyubov Sobol fled Russia after they were sentenced, which had not been confirmed either by the two women or their lawyers. Aleksei Navalny was arrested on January 17 after returning to Russia from Germany, where he was treated for poisoning with a Novichok-type nerve agent that he says was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin has denied any role in the incident, which was the latest of numerous attacks on Navalny. More than 10,000 people were rounded up during nationwide rallies protesting Navalny's arrest organized in more than 100 Russian towns and cities on January 23 and January 31. On February 2, Navalny was convicted of violating the terms of his suspended sentence related to an embezzlement case that he has called politically motivated. The remainder of Navalny's suspended sentence, 2 1/2 years, was then replaced with a real prison term. That ruling sparked new protests that were also forcibly dispersed by police. More than 1,400 people were detained by police in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other Russian cities during those demonstrations. Russia and Belarus have launched massive joint military drills near NATOs borders as Moscow and Minsk vowed to deepen their military ties amid persistent tensions with the West. The Zapad-2021 weeklong military exercises kicked off on September 10 and with venues including Belarus, Western Russia, and the Baltic Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Up to 200,000 servicemen, about 80 planes and helicopters, 290 tanks, 240 artillery pieces, multiple rocket launchers, and mortars, as well as 15 ships will be involved in this year's drills, which are conducted every four years, according to Moscow. What could be the biggest military exercises in Europe in decades have raised alarms at NATO, which says the Kremlin has refused to invite observers as it is obligated to do under an international agreement. Russia and Belarus are formally part of a "union state" and have been in talks for years on further integration of their countries. On the eve of the start of Zapad-2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belaruss increasingly isolated authoritarian ruler, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, met in Moscow where they agreed to deepen the integration of their ex-Soviet countries, including in areas of defense. Putin said Moscow would provide Minsk with around $640 million in loans by the end of next year, and that he agreed with Lukashenka on a new unified natural-gas market. Putin, in power for more than 20 years, and Lukashenka, in power for nearly three decades, also discussed building a single defense space, the Russian president said. For his part, Lukashenka told reporters there was a "breakthrough" and that 28 separate "road maps" had been agreed to after many years of negotiations. However, the two leaders sidestepped the question of whether after more than 20 years of talks, they had finally agreed to fully create a "union state" -- a major step toward reunifying the two ex-Soviet republics' economies and political structures. If it comes to fruition, the union state would potentially undermine Belaruss sovereignty, something Lukashenka has strenuously resisted for years. But the Belarusian ruler has been increasingly isolated since last years presidential election in which he claimed reelection to a sixth term. The vote was condemned by Belaruss opposition as rigged and prompted months of street protests that Belarusian security forces have harshly cracked down on. Western nations have refused to recognize Lukashenka as a legitimate president and slapped his government with sanctions. Meanwhile, tensions along Belarus's border with the European Union have risen in recent months with Brussels accusing Minsk of intentionally sending thousands of migrants into bloc through Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Russia's relations with the West have also been tense in recent years over a host of actions by Moscow, including aggression against Ukraine, election interference, state-sponsored hacking, and human rights abuses at home. Russia said it has completed the construction of the controversial Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline after the Biden administration agreed in May to waive congressionally mandated sanctions against the Kremlin-backed project. Aleksei Miller, the chief executive officer of Russia's state-owned energy giant Gazprom, announced on September 10 that the pipeline -- consisting of two parallel lines stretching 1,230 kilometers each -- had been completed after more than a one-year delay caused by U.S. sanctions. Nord Stream 2 will reroute Russian natural gas exports to Germany under the Baltic Sea, circumventing Ukraine and depriving Kyiv of as much as $2 billion a year in transit fees. Ukraine vehemently opposes the project, which it calls a security threat. The U.S. Congress passed sanctions in 2019 and 2020 to stop the completion of Nord Stream 2, which was initially slated for launch in 2020. However, the Biden administration waived some of the sanctions in May in an attempt to mend relations with Germany, a key U.S. ally. Nord Stream 2 still needs to be certified and approved for use before it can begin exporting natural gas to Germany. Certification is expected to take up to four months but will only start once all the paperwork is completed, which entails checks by the German Economics Ministry and Gazprom. Following Miller's announcement, Ukraines presidential spokesman Serhiy Nykyforov said that Kyiv will keep on opposing Nord Stream 2 "before and after its completion and even after the gas is turned on." Based on reporting by TASS, Interfax, Reuters, and AFP Russian tech company Yandex said a cyberattack on its servers this summer was the largest known distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack in the history of the Internet. In a September 9 blog post, Yandex said it had identified a powerful new botnet, a network of computers infected with malware and controlled without the owners knowledge, that has also carried out DDoS attacks in other countries. A DDoS attack is a hacking attempt to disrupt the traffic of a targeted server or network by overwhelming the target with a torrent of Internet traffic. "Our experts did manage to repel a record attack of nearly 22 million requests per second (RPS). This is the biggest known attack in the history of the Internet," Yandex said in a statement. The attack began in August and reached a record peak on September 5. But this is just one of many attacks aimed not only at Yandex, but also at many other companies in the world. The attacks have been going on for several weeks, their scale is unprecedented, and their source is a new botnet about which little is known so far, the company said. U.S. cybersecurity firm Cloudflare, which is widely used by businesses and other organizations, said in August the largest DDoS attack it was aware of reached 17.2 million RPS earlier this year. That attack was said to be three times larger than previously known ones. Ukraines closely watched judicial reform inched forward as the nations Western backers submitted lists of foreign legal experts who will help Kyiv choose and review judges. The United States and Europe say judicial reform in Ukraine is key to taming the influence of tycoons, cutting endemic corruption, and opening the country to greater foreign investment. Washington and Brussels have made its successful implementation a top priority in their relations with Kyiv. In a step applauded by the West, Ukraines parliament in July passed bills that aim to reboot two key pillars of the nations judicial system: the High Council of Justice (HCJ), which nominates judges for presidential appointment, and the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ), the institution empowered to select new judges. Anti-corruption activists have said that the two bodies are compromised, having repeatedly allowed the appointment of politically controlled and dependent judges. The new legislation calls for the creation of a six-person panel consisting of three foreigners and three Ukrainians to shortlist 32 candidates for 16 HQCJ seats. It also stipulates the creation of a six-member Ethics Council to assess the members of the HCJ. In a statement on September 10, Ukraines international partners announced that they had submitted their recommended lists of foreign experts for the two panels to Kyiv. These nominations reflect our ongoing commitment to support key reforms aimed at strengthening the rule of law, attracting foreign investment for business and economic growth, and advancing Ukraines Euro-Atlantic aspirations, said a joint statement by Western backers, including the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. The next step is for the panels to begin short-listing and reviewing judges. Experts say vested interests oppose judicial reform and seek to undermine it. Ukraine has a long history of passing reforms but failing to implement them successfully. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has told a conference he could not exclude the possibility of a full-scale war with Russia, even as he said he continues to seek a peace agreement with the Kremlin to end fighting in two eastern regions. When asked on September 10 at the annual Yalta European Strategy (YES) summit about the likelihood of a large-scale war with Russia, Zelenskiy said it would be the "worst thing" that could happen, but did not rule it out. "There is such a possibility," he said, adding it would be the "biggest mistake" by Russia. The Kremlin earlier this year amassed more than 100,000 troops on Ukraine's border and in the occupied territory of Crimea in what the United States called an act of intimidation against Kyiv. The military buildup came as Ukrainian forces battle Moscow-backed fighters in two eastern regions in a low-intensity war that has killed more than 13,200 since 2014. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in the fighting, even though there is substantial evidence of Russian fighters and arms crossing into Ukraine. Zelenskiy said he had been seeking another meeting with Putin to resolve the fighting in the east, but that the Russian president has shown little interest. The two first met in Paris in December 2019 for peace talks. "They do not see the point in this -- to resolve the issue and quickly end the war," Zelenskiy said. "And this is my problem...how to make them want to talk about the de-occupation of our territories in detail." Zelenskiy, a political novice, won in a landslide in 2019 in part on a promise to end the war in the east. In the months after taking power, Zelenskiy reached three agreements with Russia and the separatists on prisoner exchanges. However, the completion of those swaps has not led to a breakthrough in peace talks, with fighting in the east picking up in recent months. During the YES conference, Zelenskiy reiterated his desire to have Ukraine join NATO, saying his country would be a strong addition to the military alliance. Russia has called Ukraine's membership in NATO a "red line." Zelenskiy raised the issue of NATO membership for Ukraine with U.S. President Joe Biden earlier this month during his first official trip to Washington. The Biden administration has said the door is open to Ukraine to join NATO in the future, but did not give a clear path to membership. PRAGUE -- The former U.S. special envoy to Ukrainian peace talks warned of lasting damage from recent events in Afghanistan and pointed to challenges from Russian actions and setbacks in Ukraine. In a wide-ranging interview, Kurt Volker said the U.S. withdrawal in Afghanistan had incurred "a lot of damage," and warned of the perils of "deescalating" and "compartmentalizing" the approach to Russia. "Our adversaries see weakness, lack of resolve, and a vacuum," Volker said. "And our allies are going to be unwilling to commit and follow the United States in some other operation in the future, given the way we walked away from this one." "So I think [the withdrawal] has left a lot of damage in its wake," he added. Volker spent two years as the U.S. State Department's special envoy to Ukraine before stepping down in 2019 amid the fallout from President Donald Trump's call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that July. The call revealed that Trump had conditioned additional U.S. military aid to Kyiv on Zelenskiy working to dig up dirt on Trump's political rival, Joe Biden, and Biden's son. The scandal led to Trump's first impeachment. Volker testified in the impeachment proceedings against Trump. In the interview, Volker, who also served as U.S. ambassador to NATO, argued that Ukraine's Western partners have failed to address one of Kyiv's more pressing issues: the near completion of the Russian-built Baltic Sea pipeline, Nord Stream 2. The pipeline will bring Russian gas directly to Germany, bypassing existing pipeline networks in Ukraine and depriving Kyiv of billions of dollars in transit fees. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden moved to allow the pipeline to be completed -- part of a deal reached with German Chancellor Angela Merkel who has steadfastly support the pipeline. "For Ukraine, the issue is security, and I don't think the U.S. and Germany have really addressed that," Volker told RFE/RL. Volker criticized U.S. policy toward Russia. "When Russia pushes to do something, we immediately try to deescalate, and knowing that, Russia pushes even further," Volker said. "That has been tremendously to the disadvantage of not only the West, but -- of course -- Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and others." "And then, the other [mistake] is that by compartmentalizing -- saying, 'Well, we want to work with Russia here and disagree with them there' -- that actually gives a lot of leverage to Russia." Volker also criticized the government of Georgia, which the United States has backed, but also warned, amid deepening political turmoil there. "We have seen [the Georgian] 2018 presidential election having significant flaws. We saw disputes over the 2020 [general] election and the failure to constitute the parliament with everybody in it, and the failure to reach some kind of accommodation between the government and the opposition [on] how to get the results of the election understood and accepted and move on," Volker said. "Georgia looks less mature as a democracy today than it did a few years ago," Volker said. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there were signs that a bright new era could be dawning in the long-troubled relationship between Moscow and Washington a decade after the Soviet collapse. The clouds gathered quickly. Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward. First To Phone The September 11 attacks changed the world in many ways -- but some changes that were forecast following that harrowing, horrific day never quite happened, or started to take shape but then faded and fizzled. One of the predictions that emerged in the aftermath of the attacks was that the Cold War was finally really over, a decade after the Soviet Union disintegrated, and that a new era of cooperation and cordiality between the United States and Russia was at hand -- or could be. This notion was based largely on a couple of things that Russian President Vladimir Putin, then less than halfway through his first term, said and did at the time. Literally a couple of things. One: He was the first foreign leader to call President George W. Bush after Al-Qaeda hijackers brought down the World Trade Center, damaged the Pentagon, killed nearly 3,000 people, and stunned the country with the enormity of a seemingly incomprehensible blow. Two: He aided the U.S.-led military operation in Afghanistan -- where the Taliban had shielded Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who was behind the 9/11 attacks -- by opening Russian airspace for U.S. humanitarian flights, sharing intelligence, and acquiescing to U.S. deployments in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia, which Russia still considers part of its sphere of influence. The September 11 attacks occurred at a time when Putin was interested in improving ties with the West, Angela Stent, a former U.S. State Department and National Intelligence Council official who is a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, wrote in a September 8 article. Putin believed that the road to restoring Russia as a prosperous great power lay through enhanced economic cooperation with the U.S. and Europe, Stent wrote. The terrorist attacks provided an opportunity to partner with America and elevate Russias international standing. Three months before 9/11, meeting Putin for the first time at a summit in Slovenia, Bush answered in the affirmative when asked whether Americans could trust the former KGB lieutenant colonel and elaborated: "I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy, adding: I was able to get a sense of his soul. Two months after 9/11, Putin visited Bush at his ranch in Texas for an overnight stay and a barbecue. The U.S. president signaled a sense of fresh promise for the relationship by suggesting that Putin had brought rain to the arid state, and -- when challenged at a joint appearance by a student who asked about progress bridging divisions on the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty -- said that the United States and Russia had a difference of opinion on the matter but added, Our differences will not divide us. That is precisely what they did, however. After reacting mildly when the United States pulled out of the ABM treaty in 2002, Putin has put the issue high on a list of grievances about U.S. actions over his 20 years in power. 'Seriously Mismatched' In 2003, Putin lashed out with unexpected ferocity over the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. In 2004, the Orange Revolution protests that helped bring a pro-Western president to power in Ukraine further soured ties between Washington and Moscow. By February 2007, with Bush still in office, Putin had unleashed a diatribe against Washington at the annual Munich Security Conference, hitting out over a series of complaints that would become increasingly familiar in the nearly 15 years that have passed since then. And by December 2011 -- almost a decade ago now -- he was accusing the United States, and in particular Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, of fomenting large protests driven by evidence of widespread fraud in favor of the ruling party in parliamentary elections and dismay over his plans to return to the presidency after a four-year hiatus as prime minister. Today, nearly 20 years later, ties between Moscow and Washington are close to their Cold War lows, and in some ways even chillier. The period immediately after 9/11 was in retrospect the high point in U.S.-Russian relations in the three decades since the Soviet collapse, Stent wrote. What Went Wrong? According to Stent, The problem with the post-9/11 honeymoon was that U.S. and Russian expectations from the new partnership were seriously mismatched. For one thing, Putins pitch to Bush on cooperation seemed predicated largely on the idea that the two countries were in the same boat, both targets of terrorists -- Russia with the two wars in Chechnya and related militant attacks in Moscow and other cities, chiefly the 1999 bombings that served as a catalyst for the Second Chechen War, which helped catapult Putin into the Kremlin -- and now the United States with 9/11. Quid Pro Quo? Moscows expectation, it increasingly appeared, was that the new era of cooperation was one in which Washington would turn a blind eye to its concerns about the Russian governments actions, handing it carte blanche to do as it pleased not only in terms of counterterrorism policy but also across the board -- that the United States would not, even could not, take it to task on democracy, human rights, or the rule of law any longer. Putin may also have wanted some other concessions from the United States, such as a free hand in other former Soviet republics -- meaning that it could count on Washington not to object to efforts to influence Ukraine, for example, or Georgia, or Kyrgyzstan. The quid pro quo, unstated and only dawning on Washington much later, was for the U.S. to keep out of what Russia saw -- and still sees -- as its backyard, James Nixey, director of the Russia-Eurasia program at the British-based think tank Chatham House, wrote in a September 9 comment. Putin may also have also assumed that, if Russia joined the international alliance, it would be as a co-leader with the United States, Nixey wrote. The atrocity of 9/11 was really an opportunity for Russia, a genuine potential turning point and a chance to create a new relationship with the outside world -- but its expectations were unrealistic, he concluded. The notion that the United States would abandon its concerns about the Kremlins conduct at home in the name of solidarity and cooperation against terror became particularly fraught following the horrific wave of attacks that hit Russia in just over a week in the summer of 2004. Suicide bombers brought down two Russian passenger jets on one night on August 24, another killed 10 people outside a Moscow subway station on August 31, and militants calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya seized a school in the town of Beslan in the neighboring North Ossetia region on September 1, starting a 52-hour hostage siege that left 334 people dead, more than half of them children, after security forces launched a bungled rescue bid. Beslan became known to some as Russias 9/11 -- and Moscow used that comparison to suggest that U.S.-Russian cooperation against terrorism was now a matter of course, in demand like never before, and should come with no questions asked. A Step Back To The Future But Putins response only exacerbated Western concerns about Russias direction under the former Federal Security Service chief and about the prospects for rights and democracy, adding to fears that he was rolling back the gains made in those areas since the Soviet collapse. In an address a day after the Beslan tragedy ended, he suggested that Western countries may have abetted terrorists in a bid to weaken Russia and pull it apart --a goal that he and other Russian officials have frequently ascribed to the West, or at least to some in the West, ever since. Several days later, citing the need to strengthen the unity of the country and avoid further attacks, he restructured the political system to hand the Kremlin more authority. The United States took notice. In an unusual rebuke of an ally, President Bush said he was concerned that Putin's moves to centralize power could undermine democracy, The Washington Post reported at the time. Ties deteriorated after that, and Putins Munich speech ensued. After a short-lived thaw that accompanied President Barack Obamas reset of Russia ties that came mainly during Dmitry Medvedevs 2008-12 presidency, relations resumed a downward spiral as Putin returned to the presidency. They hit new lows in 2014, when Russia seized control of Crimea from Kyiv and fomented separatism in eastern Ukraine, stoking a war that has killed more than 13,000 combatants and civilians and continues to simmer despite cease-fire deals. Meanwhile, the moves Putin made in 2004 appear, in retrospect, to have been a crucial step toward the situation as it stands today, ahead of State Duma elections on September 17-19. Protests were dispersed violently by security forces last winter and the authorities are conducting what critics say is a massive campaign of repressions to clear the way for the unpopular ruling party, United Russia, to do as well as possible in the elections for the Duma as well as local and regional balloting. The Duma is Russias lower parliament house and a key lever of power for Putin, who last year pushed through a constitutional amendment allowing him to seek two more six-year stints as president after his current term ends in 2024. Yes! I got it as soon as possible Yes, but only so I could take my mask off Not yet, but I plan to No. I have no plan to get vaccinated Vote View Results Written By Joe Schulz served as the reporter of the Green Laker in 2019 and 2020, before being hired as a reporter for the Commonwealth in October 2020. He is from Oshkosh and graduated from UW-Oshkosh in December with a bachelor's degree in journalism. | The legacy of three homes on South Main Street is woven between a few of the earliest families to inhabit River Falls. Through stories from relatives, research collected by ancestors, the Pierce County Historical Association and the River Falls Historic Preservation Commission and strategic puzzling together, we can follow a deep line of history that has lived in these homes for centuries. Though the properties have been passed through generations, they along with the land they sit on, were recently purchased by Frisbie Companies. Come Sept. 14, demolition is scheduled to begin and a senior living facility built. 660 S. Main St. The story starts in 1867 with the emigration of Frank and Anna (Jansa) Rosenberg from Bohemia. Charla (Moore) Kusilek, great-granddaughter of the Rosenbergs, recently wrote Legacy of a Family in Small Town U.S.A, River Falls, Wisconsin, available at Freeman Drug, to document the ancestry and history of her family, specifically the Rosenbergs. Though not a property with prospects of being demolished, Kusileks home at 306 N. Main St. was the home in which Frank and Anna raised their children, Ben, Maggie and Kusileks grandmother, Emma. Kusilek received a Century House Award for the North Main Street home and was recognized at the Pierce County and Wisconsin State fairs this summer. Daniel Levings, a painter, married Rebecca (Loomis) Levings, and according to Dan Geister, Pierce County Historical Association, the two arrived in River Falls in 1856, subsequently building the home at 660 S. Main St. in 1858. Kusileks great-uncle Ben Rosenberg married Mary Levings, who inherited the home. Ben took over his fathers establishment in 1899. My mother spoke of her grandpas downtown business as an eatery, saloon, confections and cigar store, said Kusilek. Ben also opened the Princess Theatre, a melodrama, in that building. It became the area's first motion picture theater in 1915. When Ben died in 1933, Mary married Harve Wygant, a harness maker with a shop on South Main Street associated with Lunds Hardware. The two also ran a root beer stand in a, then, vacant lot south of their home until Harve passed away in 1971. Mary then married Lewis Deans. 684 S. Main St. The future of the properties Frisbie Companies, the buyer of the three homes, has development plans for a new senior living facility which were approved by the River Falls City Council on Aug. 24. With one more step of approval to go, demolition of the 660 and 684 S. Main St. homes are scheduled to begin immediately following that final green light around Sept. 14. The house at 700 S. Main St. is part of a larger project likely beginning in mid November, anticipates Matt Frisbie of Frisbie Companies. Construction is scheduled to take 14 months, marking a tentative completion date of early 2023. The fire department has been training on the houses for the last couple of months and they will continue to train on them until they come down, Frisbie wrote in an email. Gloria Linehan, genealogist, has also done extensive research and documentation to preserve the histories of her family's history in two of the homes on South Main Street. In the late 1870s, Fred and Betsey Brackett purchased a property south of the South Fork bridge and built the home known today as 684 S. Main St. By 1880, the Bracketts had sold the house and six lots, adjoining the Levings house at 660 S. Main, for $1,600 to Hester Hessie Dunn. John and Angus Dunn were partners in a hardware store from 1900-1922 at 101 S. Main St., which now houses CrankWorx Bike Shop. Based on Geisters research, he estimates that after Angus died in 1949, Myron and Milton Finstad purchased the property that in recent years laid at 684 S. Main St. In 1972, the home was transplanted to its current location when the building that houses Associated Dentists & Orthodontics of River Falls was built. 702 S. Main St. Owner of the first shoe store in River Falls, Eugene Boyer built the home at 702 S. Main St. in 1868. He sold the property to Milton Bradley. who used it as a tenant house. Bradley moved away and six lots, including his home south of the Levings, was purchased by Michael Francis Linehan and wife Mary E. (Corcoran) Linehan in 1891. They had at least 13 children, including Lenore who owned the home for a number of years, according to Jayne Hoffman, River Falls Historical Preservation Commission. The Linehans made considerable renovations. Glorias great-grandfather Michael did the actual work himself including the addition of a second level in 1893. For the coming years, the home was filled with various extended Linehan family members. Glorias grandfather James Daniel Dan Linehan lived in the home from about age 12 until he was an adult, becoming the River Falls plice chief from the 1930s to the 1950s. From 1964 onward, the home became known as the McEwen house, as it was left to Lenores nephew William McEwen and his wife, Maureen, in her will, along with the rest of the property. After returning to River Falls, Judge William McEwen had a private law practice until he was elected Pierce County judge in 1968. He died in 2002. Support local journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Rutland, VT (05701) Today Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 79F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Ipswich - Joseph David Short, 77, a long-time resident of Ipswich, entered into eternal life on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, following a battle with cancer. Joseph was born in Memphis, Tennessee on May 9, 1944, the son of the late Sammons Short and Gladys (Watkins) Short. He was the husband o Heres How You Can Commemorate 9/11 This Year in San Diego A Sanford woman endorsed a proposed economic development project at a public hearing Wednesday, doing so with an unusual request. We want them here because Lee County is committed to making life better for everyone, so I would respectfully request that Project Frame company be asked to set aside a certain number of jobs for the homeless, the unemployed and the underemployed people, Mary Harris said, speaking at the Lee County Board of Commissioners meeting. Project Frame company, still unidentified, is being wooed by the Sanford Area Growth Alliance to locate a building- products manufacturing operation in Lee County, according to Jimmy Randolph, SAGAs CEO. It would bring an $18 million tax investment with construction, machinery and equipment, Randolph has said. The county is being asked to provide an incentive payout of up to $275,595 over five years. In return, Project Frame would create at least 235 jobs with an average annual wage of $50,720, which is about 15% above the average county wage, according to SAGA. The money, thats an enticement for them to come here, but its not the only thing were looking at, Harris said. We want people to know that they can get jobs, that they can settle here and this company would provide the kinds of homes people need. There are 182 homeless people in the county, Harris said, and 3,000 unemployed residents. Those numbers could be reduced if the company agreed for a portion of its workers to come from those populations. How do we do this? We ask the companys human resources department to work with (Christian Outreach United Center of Lee County) and others to spread the word about jobs. We ask the companys human resources to accept missions and church addressed for the homeless. They dont have one, Harris said. The benefits would be a reduction in the number of people staying in shelters, intervention and crime. Economically, it would benefit the county and local businesses, Harris said. An annual salary of $50,000 or more is twice the poverty level in Lee County and would support a family of four, she said. It increases individual spending so they could rent or buy houses, for shopping and food. In return, Project Frame would have loyal and dedicated workers. After Harris spoke, Commissioner Robert Reives commended her for the remarks. Thats the most eloquent endorsement Ive heard in 30 years, Reives said. I cant tell you how much I appreciate what you said. Randolph also spoke at the hearing and told the commissioners the company wants to remain anonymous for now. The company does not wish its identity to be disclosed, he said. We have six to eight weeks of due diligence before details are disclosed. MOSCOW (AP) Russia's state-controlled gas giant said Friday it has completed the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany, a contentious project that Ukraine and the United States have strongly opposed. Gazprom said in a statement on the messaging app Telegram, citing its CEO Alexei Miller, that the construction of Nord Stream 2 was fully completed on Friday morning. A special election to recall Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant is expected to take place sometime after this years general election, according to King County elections officials. The group seeking to recall Sawant aptly named Recall Sawant said in a Thursday Facebook post that they had submitted 16,243 signatures to the King County Elections Office, which would far exceed the 10,687 signatures needed to trigger the recall election. We are now one step closer to holding Councilmember Sawant accountable, Henry Bridger II, the Recall Sawant campaign manager, said in the post. After seeing her ignore the laws that hold our elected officials accountable, District 3 voters are sending a clear message: Its time to recall Sawant. Elections spokesperson Halei Watkins said the group turned in the signatures on Wednesday. She said her office has yet to count them and was unable to confirm the groups figure. Sawant herself had hoped the election would end up on the Nov. 2 general election ballot. General election turnout is typically high, and Sawants solidarity team which is fighting the recall said in July they would gather recall signatures from District 3 voters in an attempt to force the issue onto the Nov. 2 ballot. But those efforts appear to have failed. Watkins said Nov. 2 election ballots went to print Thursday and the recall vote is not on them. Watkins said elections officials will start validating signatures on Sept. 16, and expects the process to take anywhere from two to four weeks. If they reach 10,687 valid signatures that figure represents 25% of votes cast for either Sawant or challenger Egan Orion in the 2019 general election then a recall election must be held sometime between 45 and 90 days from when the signatures were validated. Watkins expects the election to be held sometime between the middle of November and the middle of January. Sawant has repeatedly accused the recall campaign of missing the Nov. 2 election intentionally, hoping that many of Sawants supporters wont turn out to vote in the winter. Now more than ever, its time for progressives in Seattle and beyond to speak out against the Recalls voter suppression tactics, Sawant's solidarity team wrote on Facebook Wednesday. Winter special elections have up to 50% lower turnout than general elections, with even lower numbers among working-class people, communities of color, renters, and young people. We have to organize and make sure THIS election is different. The recall campaign has denied that it wants low turnout. In April, the Washington Supreme Court issued a ruling allowing three charges in the recall petition against Sawant to move forward. The court ruled that charges of opening City Hall to protesters, leading a protest to Mayor Jenny Durkan's private residence and using public funds to promote a ballot initiative were factually and legally sufficient and could proceed in the recall. Watkins said officials in her office are working on projections for how much the recall election will cost the county, and expects to have a figure sometime next week. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) An Arizona judge ruled Thursday that expert testimony on cellphone data will be allowed in the case of a U.S. Air Force airman who is accused of kidnapping and killing a Mennonite woman. Authorities used the data and other records to link Mark Gooch to the shooting death of Sasha Krause, 27. She disappeared from her church community outside Farmington, New Mexico, in January 2020, as she was gathering material for a Sunday school class. Her body was found more than a month later in a forest clearing outside Flagstaff, Arizona, with her hands bound by duct tape. Gooch's attorney, Bruce Griffen, sought to prevent testimony from a man who reviewed cellphone and other data from testifying at Gooch's trial that's scheduled to start later this month. Griffen argued that Sev Dishman doesn't have enough experience in working particularly with data from AT&T to say with precision where Gooch was when Krause disappeared. Griffen also noted a warning with the data that says it cannot be relied on to establish location. Coconino County Superior Court Judge Cathleen Brown Nichols denied the defense motion. She said Dishman established he is an expert through work with his current employer and his time in the military. Prosecutor Ammon Barker said the cellphone data lines up with Goochs financial records, surveillance video and Gooch's admission that he was in northwestern New Mexico around the time Krause went missing. The jury would have a hard time interpreting the data without Dishman's guidance, Barker said. Where the defendant was traveling and where he was at certain times and dates is going to be crucial to this case, Barker said. Dishman, a retired Army sergeant major, said he has consulted or reviewed cellphone data records for law enforcement hundreds of times in the U.S. and teaches courses on the technology for investigative purposes. He agreed that the cellphone data shouldn't be considered alone. I'm using this as bread-crumb activity, he said. The motion was one of several that Brown Nichols took up during a hearing Thursday that will continue Friday afternoon. She didn't immediately rule on all of the requests, including one from the defense to determine whether statements that Gooch made to a detective were lawfully obtained. She said she needed more time to listen to the interview. Brown Nichols denied a request from Barker to admit evidence that Gooch might have targeted Mennonites in burglaries as a teenager in Wisconsin. A childhood friend of Gooch testified Thursday that he didn't recall Gooch saying he disliked Mennonites. Gooch and Krause didn't know each other, and prosecutors aren't sure why he would have targeted her. Luke Air Force Base where Gooch was stationed in metropolitan Phoenix is about a seven-hour drive from Farmington. Gooch told authorities he traveled to northwestern New Mexico and to two Mennonite communities near Phoenix because he craved the fellowship. He denied he had anything to do with Krause's disappearance or death, according to public records. He faces life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder. Gooch attended Thursday's hearing virtually from jail with a black eye, the result of a fight a few days ago with another inmate, said Coconino County sheriff's spokesman Jon Paxton. Authorities are investigating what led up to it. Gooch's parents were members of the Mennonite church, and he grew up in the faith but never officially joined the church, he told authorities. Griffen has asked that evidence on Gooch's connection to the Mennonite church and communication with his family also be excluded from the trial. He said the prejudice is far too great. Barker said the evidence points to a pattern of alleged disdain Gooch had for Mennonites. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden spoke with China's Xi Jinping on Thursday amid growing frustration on the American side that high-level engagement between the two leaders' top advisers has been largely unfruitful in the early going of the Biden presidency. Biden initiated the call with Xi, the second between the two leaders since Biden took office. It comes at a moment when there is no shortage of thorny issues between the two nations, including cybersecurity breaches originating from China, Beijing's handling of the coronavirus pandemic and what the White House has labeled as coercive and unfair trade practices by the Chinese. But Biden's aim with the 90-minute call was less focused on any of those hot-button issues and instead centered on discussing the way ahead for the U.S.-China relationship after it got off to a decidedly rocky start in his tenure. The White House said in a statement the two leaders had a broad, strategic discussion in which they discussed areas where our interests converge, and areas where our interests, values, and perspectives diverge. The White House is hopeful the two sides can work together on issues of mutual concern including climate change and preventing a nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula despite growing differences. Beijing, however, has pushed back against U.S. pressure and increasingly has suggested it could remain broadly uncooperative until Biden dials down criticism on what it deems Chinese internal matters. Xi in the call appeared to echo some of the complaints, telling Biden that U.S. government policy toward China caused serious difficulties in relations, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. This is not in the basic interests of the two peoples, the Chinese leader said, according to Xinhua. Chinese-U.S. confrontation will bring disaster to both countries and the world, Xi added. Xi said the two sides should cooperate on climate change, epidemic prevention, economic recovery and other issues, Xinhua reported. Ahead of the call, a senior administration official said the White House has been unsatisfied with early engagements with the Chinese. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said White House officials were hopeful that Xi hearing directly from Biden could prove beneficial. The White House official said Biden made clear to Xi that he had no intention of moving away from his administrations policy of pressing China on human rights, trade and other areas where it believes China is acting outside international norms. High-level engagement in the early going has been most notable for each side blasting the other with recriminations. Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned Biden climate envoy John Kerry that deteriorating U.S.-China relations could undermine cooperation on climate change. Wang told Kerry, who was visiting Tianjin for climate talks with his Chinese counterparts, by video link that such cooperation cannot be separated from the broader relationship and called on the U.S. to take steps to improve ties, according to the Foreign Ministry. In July, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman faced a long list of demands and complaints, including accusations that the U.S. was trying to contain and suppress Chinas development. Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng urged the U.S. to change its highly misguided mindset and dangerous policy. In March, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan had heated exchanges with Chinese Communist Party foreign affairs chief Yang Jiechi when they met with top Chinese officials in Anchorage. At that meeting, Yang accused the U.S. of failing to deal with its own human rights problems and took issue with what he said was American hypocrisy. Administration officials suspect that some of the rhetoric in those high-profile meetings was more about playing to a domestic audience through the press than sending a message to the White House. With that in mind, Biden highlighted the importance of two leaders ability to have private conversations and be clear about their priorities, the administration official said. Biden from the start of his presidency has sought to put greater focus on China, rallying allies to speak in a more unified voice about Beijings human rights record, its trade practices and its militarys increasingly assertive behavior that has unnerved U.S. allies in the Pacific. He sees Beijing as the most significant economic competitor to the United States and a growing national security concern. But the president has also expressed hope that his long-running working relationship with Xi, one that dates back to when he served as Barack Obamas vice president, could pay dividends in the two nations cooperating on certain critical issues. The two spent time on the call reminiscing about their time traveling together when they were both vice presidents, the administration official said. The White House said the leaders during the call agreed to engage openly and straightforwardly on issues where the nations are at odds and where there is agreement. McDonald reported from Beijing. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California Gov. Gavin Newsom will get a boost in the final days of a campaign that is trying to kick him out of office from the nation's most prominent Democrat: President Joe Biden. Biden will join the first-term Democratic governor in the Southern California city of Long Beach on Monday, the day before voting ends. He's the last of a string of prominent Democrats who have come to the deep-blue state to assist Newsom as he faces a recall election. Vice President Kamala Harris, a California native, campaigned alongside him Wednesday, and former President Barack Obama appeared in a campaign ad urging Californians to vote no on the recall. Biden's visit, his first to California since taking office in January, underscores the importance of his party maintaining the governorship in the nation's most populous state, which has the fifth-largest economy in the world. California has been the breeding ground for progressive policies on climate change, immigration and more. Beyond Harris, a handful of Biden's Cabinet members have roots in the state. Newsom also has been one of the most aggressive governors when it comes to the coronavirus, mandating that children wear masks in school and that health care workers get the vaccine. His restrictions on businesses and schools have been a driving force behind the recall as the pandemic remains a dominant force in American life during the first year of Biden's presidency. The visit also gives Biden a chance to demonstrate his political clout amid a difficult stretch of his presidency following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. A poll by the Public Policy Institute of California taken from Aug. 20-29 showed 58% of Californians approve of Biden's job performance. A terrorist attack in Afghanistan killed 13 U.S. service members and many more Afghans on Aug. 26. The California Republican Party criticized Harris' visit, saying it was inappropriate for her to campaign while Californians remain stuck in Afghanistan. On Thursday, an estimated 200 foreigners, including Americans, left Afghanistan on a commercial flight out of Kabul. Talk radio host Larry Elder, the GOP frontrunner in the recall, said Harris and Biden were trying to distract attention from Newsoms record on widespread homelessness, rising crime and long-running school and business closures during the pandemic. All California voters received ballots in the mail. The ballots have two questions: Should Newsom be recalled and, if so, who should replace him? He'll be removed from office if more than half of voters want him gone. Bidens stop in the state is part of a two-day trip to the Western United States. Hell stop Monday in Boise, Idaho, to visit the National Interagency Fire Center and then head to Sacramento, California, to survey wildfire damage before appearing with Newsom. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that Biden wants to highlight how wildfire season has become a year-round event, and how one in three Americans or nearly 100 million people have been affected by various forms of severe weather this year. Scientists say climate change has made the American West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. Biden also will visit Denver on Tuesday to promote his economic agenda. ___ Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report. ___ See APs complete coverage of the California recall election: https://apnews.com/hub/california-recall LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) The Nigerian army said Thursday that its troops have arrested a high-profile member of the Boko Haram extremist group in northern Borno State, where the rebels' 12-year insurgency is concentrated. Army spokesman Onyema Nwachukwu said Yawi Modu was detained along the Damboa-Wajiroko road, a notorious route where both the extremists and Nigerian troops have recorded casualties over the years. Nwachukwu said the army also raided two locations in Borno and a neighboring area where improvised explosive devices materials were made. The sites were believed to have been used by Boko Haram and its breakaway faction Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP). He did not provide further details regarding the operation, other than saying 251 bags of Urea fertilizer used in making explosives were also recovered and two notorious Boko Haram terrorists" arrested. In some parts of northeast Nigeria, authorities have banned the importation of Urea fertilizer, citing its use by extremists in making bombs. The reported arrests come a week after the army said nearly 6,000 members of the jihadi group surrendered in the northeast, marking one of the largest defections since the insurgency began there 12 years ago. Nwachukwu said the obvious depletion faced by the extremists is making them to be desperately acquiring IED materials to make explosive devices with which to unleash terror on innocent civilians. The United Nations Development Program estimates that the conflict has resulted in the 350,000 deaths, with 314,000 of those from indirect causes. BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) Romanias governing National Liberal Party on Thursday blocked with the help of an opposition party a no-confidence motion brought by a former coalition partner, capping a week of political turmoil in the Eastern European country. The crisis began last week after Liberal Prime Minister Florin Citu sacked Justice Minister Stelian Ion a member of the USR-Plus junior coalition partner for not approving a 10-billion-euro ($12 billion) regional infrastructure development program. USR-Plus withdrew support for Citu and tabled a no-confidence motion with the support of the far-right AUR party against him. The center-right Liberals abstained from Thursdays vote in parliament along with the opposition Social Democrat Party (PSD), which meant that a reading of the procedure could go ahead but not the actual vote, as there wasn't a quorum. Citu also challenged on Wednesday the legality of the motion against him with the Constitutional Court on a technicality, and is pushing to block the vote until after the courts ruling. All six USR-Plus ministers resigned Tuesday and their resignations were accepted by President Klaus Iohannis Wednesday. Interim ministers have been appointed. The Liberals are set to hold an internal party leadership election later this month, which Radu Magdin, a political analyst at Bucharest-based Smartlink Communications, believes is behind Citu's move to stall the vote. Citu is afraid that the no-confidence vote would force the PSD to join USR-Plus and AUR and vote against the government, he told The Associated Press. This way, the Citu cabinet would very likely lose the confidence of parliament. PSDs interest, Magdin says, is to "prolong the political life of Citus Liberals for some time. Rising prices of utility bills will make this winter one of discontent ... (and) without controlling the resources of the government, Citu would lose the race for PNL leadership," he said. USR-Plus had expressed concerns over the transparency of how the regional development funds, which would give power to local authorities, would be managed. In a statement last week the party said the funds could fill the accounts of (local) barons. In an interview with The Associated Press this week, former prime minister and Liberal party leader Ludovic Orban said that he blames the prime minister for the current turmoil. He provoked this crisis, by the decision he took without my approval, and mainly the decision of choosing to dismiss the minister of justice," he said. A decision in which I was not consulted and I didnt approve of." Orban and Citu will face off later this month in the partys leadership elections. MOSCOW (AP) The presidents of Russia and Belarus said Thursday they have made significant progress on integrating their countries economies, including forming common energy and financial markets. The moves would bolster Belarus as it faces Western sanctions imposed in response to political repression after a disputed presidential election, and to its forced diversion of an airliner carrying a prominent opposition journalist. They would also give Russia a strengthened position in a country that acts as a buffer with NATO members. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko met Thursday for nearly four hours and announced that 28 programs strengthening integration were approved. The programs fall under a 1999 union agreement that calls for close political, economic and military ties but stops short of a full merger. Russia has buttressed Belarus economy with cheap energy supplies and loans. But ties often have been strained, with Lukashenko scolding Moscow for trying to force him to relinquish control of prized economic assets and eventually abandon his countrys independence. The programs include establishing a single gas market by the end of 2023. The talks came as Russia and Belarus began military exercises that are to involve some 200,000 servicemen, including 2,500 Russians sent to Belarus. Officials say the exercises do not envisage specific countries as adversaries. But the chief of Belarus' general staff, Maj.-Gen. Viktor Gulevich, said the exercises will become a kind of signal for the collective West of the futility of talking from a position of strength with the peoples of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and other countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. After large demonstrations broke out in Belarus in August 2020 following a disputed election that officials said gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office, Russia said it would be willing to send troops to Belarus if the country requested them. The demonstrations persisted for months, but subsided in the winter as police harshly cracked down on protesters. Authorities have arrested and imprisoned prominent opposition figures and closed many independent media outlets. Following the presidents' meeting, Putin said conditions in Belarus had notably stabilized.. BANGKOK (AP) Thailands Parliament on Friday approved a constitutional amendment changing how lawmakers are elected, a move expected to allocate more seats to big parties at the expense of smaller ones. The change, passed at a joint session of the House and Senate by a vote of 472 to 33, with 187 abstentions, comes into effect after the expected approval of King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The amendment is a legacy of the long and bitter political struggle between supporters and opponents of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire populist who was ousted as prime minister by a 2006 military coup. The system of mixed-member proportional representation approved Friday will give voters two separate ballots instead of the single one used in the 2019 election. One will be for their favored candidate in single-seat constituencies, and the other for the political party they support. Four hundred members of the House will be directly elected, while the 100 party list posts will be divided according to the nationwide party preference votes. Clauses remain in the constitution that critics charge are undemocratic, including the power of the unelected Senate to vote jointly with the House to elect the prime minister. It does not matter which election systems we use as long as the senators still have voting power for the prime minister. The election system is almost meaningless, tweeted Prajak Kongkirati, a political scientist at Bangkok's Thammasat University. Current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha took power in 2014 by leading a coup as army commander. He was chosen by the joint houses of Parliament to be prime minister after the 2019 general election, in which he did not run. Friday's amendment to election rules is a throwback to the system implemented under a 1997 constitution that sought to disadvantage smaller parties which had held leverage over the formation of coalition governments by trading their loyalty for Cabinet posts, perpetuating a political spoils system. That change allowed Thaksin to use his fortune to bring regional political power brokers into his own party and build what his critics charged was a parliamentary dictatorship after he won the 2001 general election. Thaksin fled into exile after his 2006 ouster from power, but his political machine retained its power and popularity. A 2017 constitution implemented under a military government set up new election rules designed to reduce his machine's influence by handicapping bigger parties. The 2017 charter provided for 350 lawmakers elected directly by their constituents, and 150 from party lists under a complicated system of proportional representation that, roughly speaking, awarded seats in inverse proportion to those won by parties under the constituency vote. The system backfired when the military-backed Palang Pracharath party performed more poorly than expected in 2019 and a new reformist party proved more popular than anticipated. Palang Pracharath was able to form a government, but only by assembling a messy coalition of smaller parties. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) An Ohio woman pleaded guilty Friday to helping plan the killings of eight members of a family, becoming the second member of her own family to admit to a role in a shocking crime prosecutors say stemmed from a dispute over custody of her granddaughter. Angela Wagner, 50, pleaded guilty in southern Ohios Pike County to conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, along with burglary, evidence tampering and other charges. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped aggravated murder charges against her and recommended that she serve a 30-year prison sentence. Her agreement to testify against other remaining defendants was also part of the deal, they said. She didn't make any statements during the hearing. Her husband and their two adult sons also were charged in the 2016 slayings of seven adults and a teenage boy from the Rhoden family. Wagners plea comes nearly five months after her son Edward Jake Wagner pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and other charges and agreed to testify against the other three in a deal that would help all four avoid potential death sentences. George Billy Wagner III and George Wagner IV have pleaded not guilty. The fatal shootings at three trailers and a camper near Piketon in April 2016 terrified residents in a stretch of rural Ohio and launched one of the states most extensive criminal investigations, which led to the Wagners arrest more than two years later. The Wagners spent months planning the killings and targeted some of the victims, but some sadly were killed because they happened to be there, said special prosecutor Angela Canepa. Most of the victims were repeatedly shot in the head, and some showed signs of bruising. Three young children at the scenes were unharmed. The victims were 40-year-old Christopher Rhoden Sr.; his ex-wife, 37-year-old Dana Rhoden; their three children, 20-year-old Clarence Frankie Rhoden, 16-year-old Christopher Jr., and 19-year-old Hanna; Clarence Rhodens fiancee, 20-year-old Hannah Gilley; Christopher Rhoden Sr.s brother, 44-year-old Kenneth Rhoden; and a cousin, 38-year-old Gary Rhoden. Prosecutors say the Wagner family planned the killings for months, motivated by a dispute over custody of the daughter Jake Wagner had with Hanna Rhoden. The Wagners used guns with homemade silencers, allowing them to kill their victims as they slept, according to the prosecutors. Angela Wagner was fully aware of the plans and bought several items used to carry out the killings, including phone jammers that would have prevented the victims from calling for help, Canepa said. She also forged custody documents and monitored some of the victims' social media accounts before the killings, Canepa said. Wagner approached prosecutors about a deal and gave them new information after her son pleaded guilty, Canepa said. Jake Wagner pleaded guilty in April on the fifth anniversary of the slayings and said in court that he was deeply and very sorry. He hasnt been sentenced, but his lawyer said he understood that he would spend his life in prison. Christopher Rhoden Sr.s brother, Tony Rhoden Sr., has said the family was grateful for the first plea as some semblance of justice. He also has sued the Wagners. That case is pending. ___ Seewer reported from Toledo. Thank you for reading! You have reached your 30-day limit of free access to SentinelSource.com, The Keene Sentinels website. If you would like to read two more articles for free at this time, please register for an account by clicking the sign up button below. We hope you find The Sentinels coverage of the Monadnock Region valuable. We rely on our subscribers to bring you strong local journalism and hope you will consider supporting our work by taking advantage of this special subscription offer here. Good morning, Bay Area. Its Friday, Sept. 10, and San Francisco schools are not being overwhelmed by the delta surge. Heres what you need to know to start your day. After the World Trade Center was destroyed by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001, many were skeptical that tall towers would rise again in American cities. But 20 years after 9/11, there are more skyscrapers than ever. Central Park Tower in New York City. Trump Tower in Chicago. Salesforce Tower in San Francisco. See the special report from design critic John King, who explores tall buildings that have been built since 9/11 in San Francisco and other major cities. Sapeidah and Ghazal Saeedi belong to the post-9/11 generation. They are too young to have experienced the events of a day 20 years ago, but their lives are shaped by it. Jeffrey Orth carried a U.S flag across the Golden Gate Bridge every day for months after the terror attacks, embodying a sense of patriotism that surged at the time. The 20-year civil rights journey for two women and the Bay Area Muslim community. The Chronicles guide to local events, offerings and memorial services for communal remembrance and healing. Zero outbreaks Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle New data from the San Francisco Department of Public Health shows there have been no coronavirus outbreaks in San Francisco schools since students returned to in-person learning in mid-August. Officials said 5,543 of the citys 118,000 children have had the virus, just 13 have been hospitalized since the beginning of the pandemic, and none has died from it. That defies national trends that have shown a significant rise in cases and hospitalizations among school-age children amid the delta surge, particularly in areas with low vaccination rates and no mask mandates, Jill Tucker writes. BinaxNow vs. Ellume: Heres why one rapid COVID test seems to be sold out everywhere. President Bidens vaccine mandate means many more people, even in the Bay Area, need to be vaccinated to reach a level of community immunity to end the delta surge. A Chronicle analysis shows how the delta surge has changed the death divide between California's Republican and Democratic areas. Experts weigh in on the best masks for kids. A California bill would make it illegal to obstruct vaccination sites. Around the Bay Provided by Gloria Dias Hailed as a hero: A volunteer crossing guard at a Lafayette middle school pushed children from the path of a vehicle that ended up striking him, causing fatal injuries. S.F. corruption probe: Recology agrees to pay $36 million for its role in bribes to former San Francisco Department of Public Works director Mohammed Nuru. 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. Wildfire watch: A red flag warning issued for most of Northern California raises concerns that dry lightning might spark new blazes and drive existing fires. An alternative to jail: S.F. is starting a new therapeutic community that provides transitional housing and substance use counseling using a controversial approach. Magical or a mess ? A new law to streamline San Franciscos notoriously complicated business permitting process is receiving mixed reviews. Also: San Franciscos next major skyscraper will break ground in 2022. A return to events: Moscone Center welcomed its first major convention since March 2020s pandemic closures. Also: Yelp will move its headquarters in S.F. and plans for an office return early next year. Starring: San Francisco Warner Bros. Pictures The first trailer for The Matrix Resurrections dropped Thursday, and San Francisco is front and center in the movie teaser. Viewers see the city skyline at the beginning of the trailer, and near the end, theyll catch a glimpse of the soaring Salesforce Tower. Last year before the pandemic hit, cast and crew were spotted filming throughout San Francisco in areas including Chinatown and a downtown BART station. Read more about the anticipated film and watch the full trailer here, and see if you can identify the city spots in the trailer with this quiz. Bay Briefing is written by Kellie Hwang and Anna Buchmann and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact the writers at anna.buchmann@sfchronicle.com and kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com. The fight to make California truly a sanctuary state where local authorities do not collaborate in federal immigration enforcement in almost any circumstance is down to the wire, and the outcome rests with a handful of state senators, most of them Democrats, some of whom had been supportive until just days ago. Its a battle aimed, in part, at stopping state prison officials from calling immigration authorities when an inmate, who is not a United States citizen, is about to be released, which facilitates a transfer into immigration custody that almost always leads to deportation. The bill before the Senate, Assembly Bill 937, called the Vision Act, would eliminate a carveout from previous legislation that effectively allows the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to continue the practice of informing Immigration and Customs Enforcement when a non-citizen inmate is eligible for release. Currently when a state prisoners sentence is up, or they have earned early release, instead of walking out of the prison gates to freedom, the inmate is handcuffed by ICE and taken into custody. AB937 would stop this practice. The bill also builds upon a law signed four years ago by extending protection to all non-citizen inmates, regardless of the crime they were convicted of, from transfer to immigration custody upon release. Opponents argue that non citizens who commit serious crimes, like murder or child abuse, should be subject to deportation upon completion of their sentence. Proponents of the bill argue that any person released has served their time and should be free to go, no matter what they were incarecerated for. Its a battle that immigrant rights activists have waged for years, chipping away at law enforcement collaborations with a series of bills going back to 2013. The current bill sponsor, Assembly Member Wendy Carrillo, D-Los Angeles, has called the ICE transfers a double punishment that unfairly targets someone based solely on immigration status. On Thursday the bill was expected to come up for a vote, and senators have until the session ends on Friday to vote. Twenty-one votes are needed to gain Senate approval. Opposition to the bill comes from local law enforcement groups, including the California State Sheriffs Association and the Peace Officers Research Association of California. Then, last week, just days before the legislative deadline, the California Police Chiefs Association entered the fray issuing a statement saying AB937 provides protections for violent felons and curtails law enforcement operations. Chris Catren, the Police Chiefs Associations first vice president, said collaborating with immigration officials is necessary because the risk of recidivism is high. Once somebody has come to this country and has done these heinous things, if theres a mechanism for them to no longer be here to likely re-offend, then that should probably be taken, Catren told The Chronicle. Recidivism has long been an issue in California. Yet CDCR findings published last year examining data from 2014-2015 show low recidivism rates for people with long sentences, those convicted of crimes like murder or rape who are the very people addressed in this bill. It is notable that offenders released from prison in Fiscal Year 2014-15 who had been sentenced to an indeterminate (life) term continue to have a very low recidivism rate, the report said. The rate cited was 2.3%. Some key Democratic senators appear swayed by the Police Chiefs Associations arguments. According to activists, Senator Bill Dodd, D-Napa had previously voiced support of the bill. Yet he told The Chronicle in an email statement, Im supportive of limiting state cooperation with federal immigration authorities, but without an amendment to allow law enforcement to communicate with federal authorities in the very limited circumstances of serious and violent felons, like rapists, child molesters and murderers, Im unable to vote for AB 937. 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. Californias sanctuary struggle has divided Democrats and the law enforcement community. Retired San Francisco police sergeant, Carl Tennenbaum, who is running to be the next Sheriff of Sonoma County, supports AB937. His group, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, used social media to counter the Police Chiefs Association. The #VisionAct allows CA to benefit from its significant investments in the rehabilitation, education, and training of individuals in CDCR who earn their release and are ready to contribute to their communities, the group tweeted. Tannenbaum said he does not think communities are at any greater risk once an individual has earned release, rather that it is unfair to hand them over to ICE. A person has been arrested and charged and they complete their sentencing and now theyre exposed to an additional punishment or penalty, which may not always be appropriate, or in some cases it might not even be legal, Tannenbaum said. Transfers from local authorities to ICE are based on an individual not being a U.S. citizen, yet Tannenbaum said it is not always possible to know an individuals immigration status. A coalition of groups have been working to stop immigration enforcement activities in California for a decade, said Angela Chan, policy director of the Asian Law Caucus. It has been a priority for the immigrant rights community in California to stop ICE transfers, Chan said, and this is the bill that does that. The bill could come up for a vote Thursday night or anytime Friday, when the legislative session closes. If it doesnt, proponents would have to wait another year. Deepa Fernandes is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: deepa.fernandes@sfchronicle.com A federal appeals court has revived a Richmond mans challenge to his conviction and death sentence for a 1986 murder-for-hire, citing the prosecutors removals of nine of 11 Black prospective jurors. Curtis Lee Ervin was convicted of accepting $2,500 from Robert McDonald of Pinole to kill his ex-wife, Carlene McDonald. A jury found that Ervin and another man, Orestes Robinson, kidnapped her from her home in El Sobrante in November 1986 and then took her to Tilden Park in Berkeley, where Robinson held her down while Ervin stabbed her to death. Ervin and McDonald were sentenced to death and Robinson was sentenced to life in prison. McDonald and Robinson both died in prison. The state Supreme Court unanimously upheld Ervins death sentence in 2000, but he then appealed in federal court, challenging the composition of the jury that convicted him. That jury had one Black member, while most or all of the others were white, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in Fridays ruling. The court said the prosecutor had used his peremptory challenges each sides ability to remove a prospective juror without stating a reason to dismiss nine of the 11 Blacks on the panel and six of about 30 prospective jurors who were not Black. Ervin, now 68, is Black. U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh of San Jose rejected Ervins appeal in 2015, finding no discrimination in the juror challenges she examined. But the appeals court said Koh must reconsider the case under stricter standards for racial bias in jury selection that the U.S. Supreme Court declared in a 2019 ruling. The case could be assigned to another judge if President Bidens nomination of Koh to the Ninth Circuit is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Under the state Supreme Courts ruling, the appellate panel said, courts must compare the Black prospective jurors who were dismissed by the prosecutor with non-Black jurors who were not challenged, an analysis that Koh did not conduct in her 2015 ruling. The judge must also examine any racially based differences in questioning prospective jurors and investigating their backgrounds, and the prosecuting offices past record on such issues, the court said. In addition, the court said, the prosecutor, James Anderson, apparently misrepresented his reasons for removing one Black prospective juror. Anderson said he was concerned about the jurors deeply religious bent and the mans statement that he had undergone a religious conversion, but the juror never made any such statements and said he did not belong to any church, the court said. The court also cited Andersons comments to a New York Times interviewer in 2005, after retiring from a 35-year career in the district attorneys office. The former prosecutor recalled being told by a judge, early in his career, that if you have a cop case, be careful of Blacks on the jury, because they dont like cops. Judge John Owens wrote the 3-0 ruling reinstating Ervins case. Defense lawyers Pamala Sayasane and Robert Bryan said Ervin is an innocent man who has spent 30 years on Death Row. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. A black man is in prison because of the misconduct and racial bias of the prosecutor, Sayasane said in a statement. The District Attorneys Office was not immediately available for comment. But Anderson, contacted at his home, said Friday the only thing he cared about when questioning prospective jurors in capital cases was how strongly they favored the death penalty. Its obvious that a lot of the African American community dont like cops, probably with good reason, Anderson said. But I dont care if they were Black, or white, or whatever. ... If they werent able to give me a definite answer about how strongly they felt on the death penalty, they were gone. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko A federal appeals court has rejected an attempt to block Tuesdays recall election, rejecting a lawsuit that claimed the rules violate voters rights because Gov. Gavin Newsoms successor could be chosen by a minority of voters on a ballot from which the governor is excluded. The lawyer who filed the suit said Friday he would pursue the case after the election. The suit, filed Aug. 13, argued that Californias recall election laws violate the one person, one vote constitutional standard set by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1964. If 51% of the voters decide to recall Newsom, the plaintiff noted, he would be replaced by the candidate with the most votes on the second part of the ballot, even if that candidate received 20% or less of the total. The suit sought either to cancel the election or to add Newsoms name to the second part of the ballot, which would have nullified the votes that were already cast and require a new election. But U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald of Los Angeles rejected the claims Aug. 27, ruling that the states laws met constitutional standards, and the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco refused to intervene Wednesday. The plaintiff has not shown that (Fitzgeralds) order is clearly erroneous and thus is not entitled to an injunction to halt the election, said the panel of Judges Michael Hawkins, Paul Watford and Kenneth Lee. The case remains before the court, however, with written arguments from both sides scheduled through mid-October, possibly followed by a hearing. More for you Another poll shows Newsom likely to defeat recall by wide margin The appeal is alive and well, and the plaintiff expects to prevail, said Los Angeles attorney Stephen Yagman, who filed the suit on behalf of a voter. If Newsom is recalled, Yagman said, he will argue that the election was invalid and should be overturned, and if the governor remains in office, the current rules could still be invalidated for any future recall elections. 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. Newsom was not involved in the suit, and the state laws were defended in court by Secretary of State Shirley Weber, represented by Attorney General Rob Bonta, both of whom Newsom appointed to office. In arguments to the appeals court, Bontas office said that excluding the incumbent governor from the list of replacement candidates in the second part of the ballot ensures that an official who is recalled by a majority vote on the first issue is actually removed from office ... and not simultaneously reinstated by a mere plurality. Such a restriction does not severely burden voting rights to the contrary, it promotes the purpose of the right to recall, the states lawyer said. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko San Francisco is beginning a program that will provide housing, therapy and drug and alcohol counseling for men instead of sending them to jail, or as a place to land when they get out. Whats noteworthy is that it uses a rare and sometimes controversial model in San Francisco to help participants who struggle with addiction. The program isnt a licensed drug treatment facility, and its organizers stress it promotes overall lifestyle changes, not simply abstinence from drug use. One goal, though, is for participants to stop using drugs without the help of medication to stave off the cravings, standard in most programs in San Francisco and supported by evidence as effective. But with overdoses spiking in San Francisco, officials are trying new approaches. The initiative was the result of a coalition of those in recovery and advocates, many from the Black community, begging the city to fund an option that has helped some people stop using. The new program, run under the Adult Probation Department, will house 86 formerly incarcerated men. The city is spending $3.3 million on the program, which is operated by Bayview-based nonprofit Positive Directions Equals Change. While elected officials celebrated the official launch Thursday, 22 residents moved in a month ago. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle Mayor London Breed, who spoke at the opening of the newly refurbished five-floor building, a former motel on the northern edge of the Tenderloin, said she had lost family members to drugs and the criminal justice system. We cant just say we want people who commit crimes to be locked up, not unless, when they come home, we have something available for them to turn their lives around, Breed said. As someone who grew up in this city, we see a lot of programs that are available that are supposed to be programs that serve a particular community, more specifically that serve African-Americans, but they dont always work. Its not a one-size fits all, she said, adding abstinence should not be a unique model. We understand that health experts have a difference of opinion as it relates to providing treatment for people who have troubles with substance use, but ... this is a model that we know has proven effective for some people. The new program, which Supervisor Ahsha Safai pushed for, aims to target the often overlapping challenges of criminal justice involvement, homelessness and addiction. In recent counts by the city, nearly 3 out of 4 people in jail had a history of severe mental illness and substance use, or substance use alone, and more than 1 in 3 people were homeless when arrested. While addiction isnt a requirement to get in the new program, the new initiative will be one of the first fully city-funded programs supporting people who struggle with substance use that promotes total abstinence. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle Thats in contrast to the San Francisco Health Department, which practices a harm reduction model that invests in reducing overdose risks and increases housing, mental health and drug treatment. San Franciscos behavioral health director, Dr. Hillary Kunins, previously told The Chronicle abstinence is the goal of many treatment programs as part of harm reduction, but any program should include medications based on scientific evidence that they reduce the risk of overdose deaths. Program director Cregg Johnson said he knows medication-assisted treatment is needed sometimes, but would refer participants to other treatment providers to get it or send them to detox in another one of his facilities. We never turn anybody away, he said. There is a need for more abstinence-based treatment in the city. ... The community is being made comfortable and not accountable. 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. Some harm reduction advocates previously slammed the proposal as drug jail. But other experts said total abstinence programs shouldnt be ignored especially since overdose deaths continue to be high amid the current approach. The new program includes peer-led recovery groups, therapy, community service, job and housing support, and a lifetime of aftercare. Residents stay in the program for six months, then transitional housing in the same site for up to two years, longer than state insurance-funded options. People who have re-offended or are at risk of re-offending, are on probation, parole or release before their trial are prioritized. Others may attend as an alternative to sentencing. Participants can be referred by the district attorney, public defender or courts. Lucas Cruz said this kind of program has kept him clean since December. After getting out of custody, the 22-year-old from Berkeley entered a treatment program in San Francisco, but he didnt fit in the program, relapsing and leaving after three months. Instead, in December, he landed in another residential program run by Positive Directions Equals Change. He moved into the new site on Geary Street a month ago, is studying fashion at the Academy of Art University and visits his family in Oakland once a week. In my experience, many residential treatment programs confine people to being in a certain way, whereas here, were given more of a creative space to be who we are with the support and structure, said Cruz. Its not so much do this, do that its continue to do what youre doing, but in this way instead. Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mallorymoench Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell issued an online statement Thursday regarding the citys search for a city manager, but the message raised eyebrows among community members for its assertion that candidates not be put off by the involved nature of the citys residents. Any qualified candidate will do their due diligence in researching our city before deciding to apply, McConnells statement reads. While we want to send the message that we are an involved community that keeps a close eye on our government officials, and any malfeasant or ill-intended individual need not apply, we also do not want to alarm qualified candidates to the point that they do not submit an application for consideration. As a community, we need to focus on attacking the idea, project, or result instead of attacking the individual, McConnell said. The statement, posted on the citys website and Facebook page, drew some derision from community members online, who appeared to jeer at the mayors wording and the revolving door of city managers. Honestly I dont know what to make out of this statement, a commenter named George Gong wrote on Facebook. I believe a decent candidate would keep a lot in consideration before even applying. Vallejos turnover of city managers alone would (in my opinion) send a serious yellow flag. Interim City Manager Anne Cardwell replaced former city manager Greg Nyhoff, who resigned in early July. Her last day on the job is Oct. 7, said Christina Lee, the citys public information officer. Cardwell and McConnell could not be reached for comment Thursday. In her resignation letter, Cardwell said only that she found another opportunity that was a better fit for me and my family. After putting in her 45-day notice with the city, Cardwell told the Vallejo Times-Herald that she enjoyed some parts of the job, but that it was challenging because of vocal critics who made false, negative and demoralizing statements about city employees. 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. Anyone who fears public scrutiny and speech should not apply, a Facebook commenter named Johnny Pianka wrote under McConnells statement. McConnell said Vallejos next city manager should be someone who can establish productive dialogue and build trust with community members, the city council and other city employees. He noted that the citys recruitment process must involve community input to understand what type of city manager best fits your needs. It could take city officials 12 to 16 months to hire a new city manager, McConnell said in his statement. Lee said most of the city hall staff is pretty sad that Cardwell is leaving because a lot of us think that shes done a very fair job. She echoed McConnells assertion in his statement that many cities are struggling to fill high-level positions because of unprecedented pandemic-related challenges. Andy Picon is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: andy.picon@hearst.com Twitter: @andpicon More than 3,000 lightning strikes were recorded in Northern and Central California during a 24-hour period ending Friday evening, sparking some new fires but none that have become major incidents, fire officials said. Thunderstorms that rolled through the Bay Area and across the state on Thursday night delivered some of the lightning and also dampened bone-dry vegetation with small amounts of rain, fire officials said. Eight new fire starts all of which were sparked by lightning were recorded in the Caldor Fire area in El Dorado County, Amador County and in the Tahoe Basin, Cal Fire officials said during a Friday afternoon community meeting. Four new fire starts from lightning were reported at the Lake Tahoe Basin, Caldor Fire operations section chief Kyle Jacobson said. Firefighters also battled the Windy Fire in Tulare County on the Tule River Indian Reservation. It had burned 115 acres by Friday afternoon. Two small fires were also reported in Mendocino County northeast of Cloverdale, but they were quickly contained. The storms brought lightning, but also brought temporary moistening of dry fuels in the Caldor Fire zone, said Cal Fire incident commander Anale Burlew. She urged residents to understand that those moistened fuels will dry out and were going to be right back to where we are with ... critically dry fuels. This is not a season-ending event, unfortunately, Burlew said. Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA, said the rain, while light, may have prevented some lightning fires but cautioned that record-dry vegetation increases the possibility that small fires that werent detected could pop up in coming days. Roughly 110 lightning strikes hit the ground in the Bay Area, including one in the area of last years massive SCU Lightning Complex fires in Santa Clara County. The weather service uses an extensive network of lightning sensors to track and count lightning strikes. Farther north, the storm brought heavy winds to Shasta County, where it whipped the Dixie Fire toward the small towns of Hat Creek and Old Station. The storm also dropped small amounts of rain that did little more than dampen vegetation in the Dixie Fire zone. The welcome moisture wont help firefighters much because the forest is extremely dry, said Cal Fire in a morning briefing. Firefighters were diverted from the Caldor Fire to fight five lightning fires Thursday after 10 p.m. throughout El Dorado County, said Cal Fire spokesperson Diana Swart. Lightning from heavy storms passing through started the largest blaze, on Kanaka Valley Road in a small town called Rescue. That fire, burning in heavy brush and steep terrain, was 30% contained as of 10:15 a.m. Its very important that we are not complacent today that we dont let these few raindrops lull ourselves into a sense of complacency and that we seize the opportunity ahead of us in the next 24 hours to turn the corner, said Burlew, at a Caldor Fire briefing Friday. Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California The Caldor Fire remained on Friday night at 218,459 acres with 53% containment and nearly 4,000 personnel assigned. Jacobson said during a Friday afternoon community meeting that fire officials anticipate an increase of containment on Saturday. North of the Caldor Fire, the Dixie Fire grew by more than 3,000 acres from Friday morning to Friday evening, reaching 950,591 acres, according to a Cal Fire Friday evening incident update. Erratic winds increased fire activity in the northern part of the Dixie Fire as it has crossed north of Highway 44 into the Hat Creek Rim area, Cal Fire officials said in a Friday evening incident update. The fire remained at 59% containment on Friday night. *Lightning Update #2* Santa Rosa had multiple strikes overnight w/ rain & no significant incidents to report. Residents should survey properties for damage as a result of a strike, including trees that may have been struck & could be smoldering. Report any fires to 911. pic.twitter.com/CIAIriyAun Santa Rosa Fire Department (@SantaRosaFire) September 10, 2021 Omar Shaikh Rashad, Michael Cabanatuan and Lauren Hernandez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: omar.rashad@sfchronicle.com, mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com, lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com SACRAMENTO Sapeidah Saeedis earliest memory is of losing her twin sister, Ghazal. It happened as kindergarten let out and the girls were separated in the rush for the bus. Sapeidah began to panic. Then, as quickly as the fright began, it was over. The sisters found each other in the crowd. Ghazal was not lost. Sapeidah wasnt alone. They paid the fare and rode the lumbering bus home. Home was in the city of Herat in Afghanistan. And somewhere beyond their knowing, a tragedy 6,500 miles away began shaping their lives years before their birth. For the Saeedi family, the events and aftershocks of Sept. 11, 2001, would drive them from one homeland in search of another. That journey brought them to California, where they try to imagine what the future holds for them and the place they left. Here, youre not home, but youre home, Sapeidah tried to explain. Youre in the middle of something. U.S. and Afghanistan, youre in the middle. You dont know which way to go. Along with their younger sister, Haniyah, Sapeidah and Ghazal, who were born in 2005 and are now 15, belong to the post-9/11 generation an age group that numbers approximately 73 million people in the United States alone. Too young to have experienced the events of a day 20 years ago, they must, nevertheless, find their way in its shadow. Like most of their peers, the Saeedi sisters didnt grow up learning about 9/11 or even of the U.S. invasion of their country. At their private school in Herat, their history classes were concerned with the old, not the contemporary. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle The history we learned about was pointless, Sapeidah said flatly. Its from years ago. ... So you wouldnt know what was actually happening in the country at the moment. You had to listen to the news. But nobody liked the news, so nobody knew what was going on. History as an abstraction isnt a new concept. The idea of 9/11 receding into history is. A recent Pew Research Center analysis determined that the events of 9/11 cling powerfully to the minds of Americans old enough to remember where they were when two hijacked planes hurtled into the World Trade Center buildings, but otherwise noted that an ever-growing number of Americans have no personal memory of that day, either because they were too young or not yet born. While the sisters formal education about 9/11 wouldnt occur until they reached the U.S., some American students say the subject isnt always taught in a nuanced way. Gabrielle Listana, 13, an eighth-grader at Presidio Knolls Middle School in San Francisco, remembers first learning about 9/11 in third grade, when the teacher played a video for the class that didnt show the actual attacks but left an impression nonetheless. It was like, Oh, this could happen to me, Gabrielle said. It was just something in the back of my brain. ... Third-graders obviously have other things to think about. Elaheh Khazi, 15, a junior at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont, also first encountered 9/11 in the third grade, where the focus was on the first responders who rushed into poisonous smoke clouds and falling rubble to rescue the wounded and recover the dead. In elementary school, we always honored the firefighters, Elaheh recalled. But as she grew older, Elaheh says 9/11 still only registered as an occasional classroom lesson about heroes and villains. Meanwhile, the treatment her older sister received for wearing a hijab and the news her father consumed on various cable news channels complicated the narrative. Honestly, sometimes it was a little hurtful because how they portrayed the terrorists like Muslims, said Elaheh, who has extended family in Afghanistan. I knew that wasnt right. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle The younger generation certainly isnt untouched by their parents trauma, noted Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Brennan Center for Justices Liberty & National Security Program and an authority on government secrecy and surveillance, especially when it comes to the bargains struck in the grip of fear. Americas two-decade campaign in Afghanistan, the nations longest, means there are now adults who have no idea what its like to not be at war, Goitein said, while the expansion of domestic spying operations and the creation of an immigration police force means there are communities that have endured 20 years of official state suspicion. There was this sense that we were willing to give up whatever we needed to give up for some added security and we werent particularly interested in asking questions, said Goitein, a former Department of Justice civil attorney who was taking a deposition in Indiana on the day of the attacks. We said, Keep us safe, but we didnt ask ... about the techniques being used or for proof that those techniques were keeping us safer. Two decades later, Americas ledger includes two quagmire wars that cost thousands of lives, trillions of dollars and untold opportunity costs, while a new generation came of age in a country at war with terror and its own ideals. A fathers secret plan For the Saeedi sisters, the concept of their country at war felt vague and faraway. They didnt fully realize how the approaching trouble consumed their parents. Even before 9/11, their father said he tried to immigrate to Turkey to escape Taliban rule. But after the U.S. invasion unseated the fundamentalist government in October 2001, Abdul Rahim Saeedi stayed to help build what came next. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle He began working for the U.S. Agency for International Development, a federal foreign aid group, as a strategy planning adviser within his citys local government. He was helping shift local government departments to new computer and software systems, but the rumors proliferated nonetheless: Abdul worked with the Americans. Abdul forsook his Muslim faith. Abdul was rich. Abdul began worrying about kidnappings and ransom demands. He changed his routes to work and texted his wife each afternoon to make sure their daughters arrived home. It was dangerous for me, for my family, he said. I was worried about my daughters. In 2014, he quietly applied for a Special Immigrant Visa with the hope of moving his family to America. The sisters didnt learn their intended destination until almost two years later, when they flew to Kabul for an interview at the U.S. Embassy. On the day were supposed to have the interview, he said were actually going to (the) USA, not Turkey, Ghazal said. The sisters felt ambivalent about leaving. Sapeidah and Ghazal had started sixth grade and were more rooted in their hometown. Plus, they didnt want to leave their grandfather and aunt, who lived on the second floor of their two-story home. The younger Haniya thought of it as a vacation. She didnt understand why her big sisters were crying. It took me a while to realize I wouldnt be able to go back, Haniya, now 13, recalled. But they couldnt deny their curiosity. They knew nothing of America except for the glimpses they caught on television from the movies their father watched. Theyd seen Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, and wondered where such fantastical images originated. Provided by Sapeidah Saeedi Everyone talks about outside of Afghanistan and how its magical, Ghazal said. I remember always picturing what it was like. It took another six months to find out. American dream, deferred Turlock was not the Magic Kingdom. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle The Saeedi family arrived in the Central Valley farming community in October 2016. It was just weeks before Donald Trump was elected president on an anti-immigration platform that translated into several attempts to ban Muslims from entering the country and a 60% drop in refugee admissions, according to an analysis of State Department data. But the turbulent political moment was not front of mind for the Saeedis. The $900 they received in monthly rental assistance didnt stretch far enough for the family of five. Abdul said he felt like he was on his own to figure out how to obtain a drivers license and find a job. A case worker referred him to the local Walmart and suggested he also try getting hired on as a farm laborer, while a job training program put on by a refugee aid organization proved too rudimentary for his needs. Believe me, they taught us, This is dollar, this is quarter, this is penny, Abdul groused. Back home, Abdul was a well-paid government employee and his wife, Lailama, taught Dari Persian literature in elementary and high schools. Here, they were barely clinging to the bottom rung. Amid their parents economic struggles, the Saeedi girls navigated their own adjustments. Bused 40 minutes to a school outside of town, the twins were put in different classrooms for the first time in their lives, so we wouldnt depend on each other, Sapeidah said. It was just hard. You have no one to talk to or anything. In late 2017, the Saeedis traded the rural farmland of Stanislaus County for a tree- and car-lined neighborhood in suburban Sacramento, which they still call home. The area has a large Afghan community, as Sacramento has been one of the top destinations for refugees in recent years. The sisters welcomed the move but still missed home. This past June, the Saeedis returned to Afghanistan. The journey was long and made longer by pandemic restrictions, canceled flights and lengthy layovers. After two days of travel, the girls touched down in Herat, unable to restrain their tears. Theyd been away almost five years, an eternity in adolescence. They stayed in their childhood home. The first floor was barren. The city bustled with more people who had moved in from the countryside. Roving produce stands and corner bakeries drew crowds. Cars slogged around four-way roundabouts. Sapeidah counted one traffic light. The three weeks passed like a dream. It felt unreal, Haniya said. On July 28, the sisters were back in their adopted country. On Aug. 12, the same day they started their junior year, the Taliban took over Herat. The girls aunt lost her job because women cant go to work anymore, Sapeidah said. It was just a month, and the whole country turned upside down. Well probably never go back anytime soon, Ghazal mused, even if the Taliban get out. The sisters havent quite figured out how to frame the detours their lives took because of events that preceded them. The roads not traveled havent fully revealed themselves. So they concentrate on the present. Haniya just started high school, while her sisters have entered their hectic junior year. There are International Baccalaureate exams to cram for, community service requirements to meet, cross-country practices to squeeze in, learners permits to get, friends to see in person. And a year of remote learning left everyone feeling behind. It was a horrible year, Sapeidah admitted. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle While that was a common refrain for most students, some say their privilege their ability to attend good schools, their parents relative economic stability, their Americanness freed them to get socially engaged. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle In San Francisco, Gabrielle is juggling her last year of middle school with her second year on the citys Youth Commission, which she saw as an avenue to achieve some of the things she and her peers marched for during last summers Black Lives Matter protests. In Fremont, Elaheh is balancing junior year with her duties as the new co-president of the Bay Area Student Activists. In a roundabout way, she thinks she may have been drawn to grassroots organizing because of 9/11. I think it might have influenced me in a way to become an activist, to speak up for people who are oppressed, Elaheh said. Farther out, college looms like a vague certainty. The Saeedi sisters parents want them to pursue careers in the medical field. Ghazal wants to find a campus outside of Sacramento, to see a little more of California. Sapeidah sees herself returning to their home country at some point after graduation. Her heart is there, she says. Haniya isnt quite so sure. Then Ghazal refocuses everyone on the immediate task. Honestly, she said, everyone is just trying to survive high school. Raheem Hosseini is a San Francisco Chronicle editor. Email: raheem.hosseini@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @raheemfh Chotto Matte, an international string of high-end Nikkei restaurants, is plotting an ambitious, over-the-top location in San Francisco, complete with a massive rooftop terrace overlooking Union Square. The restaurant will open next year on the top floor of 100 Stockton St., a redevelopment of the former Macys Mens store. Its a major opening for the Bay Area, where Nikkei restaurants which combine Peruvian ingredients with Japanese techniques are few and far between. Chotto Matte will serve dishes like sashimi with aji amarillo peppers, smoked lamb chops and gyoza with sweet potato-yuzu puree. Theres also a robata grill menu section devoted to marinated meats, seafood and vegetables cooked on the Japanese charcoal grills. In addition, tables will be outfitted with hibachi grills and the restaurant will have a sushi bar. Dishes unique to the San Francisco location, created by a local head chef, will be on the menu, too. The Union Square outpost marks the first West Coast location for Chotto Matte, which owner Kurt Zdesar first opened in London in 2013. Hes since expanded to Miami and Toronto, with more outposts planned for Beverly Hills and Saudi Arabia. All of the Chotto Matte restaurants are visually arresting, and San Francisco will be no different. They plan to cut a hole in the ceiling to build an atrium in the middle of the dining room, filled with plants open to the sky above (the Miami restaurant has a similar design). In addition, the ceiling will have a curving design meant to evoke the steep hills of San Francisco. The restaurants outdoor space, located on the 3,000-square-foot rooftop terrace, will feature an entire palm tree, tropical plants and fire pits. The entire restaurant, inside and out, spans a massive 14,000 square feet. Provided by Chotto Matte Zdesar, whos worked in restaurants for over 30 years and also owns international dim sum chain Ping Pong, fell in love with Nikkei food at a restaurant in Shanghai nearly two decades ago. Before opening Chotto Matte, he spent months eating and cooking in Peru, from upscale Nikkei restaurants to street food stalls. He learned the history of Nikkei, a cuisine that developed when a wave of Japanese people immigrated to Peru in the early 1900s to work on plantations and picked up the countrys food traditions. Zdesar prickles at a term commonly used to describe Nikkei cuisine: fusion. I hate the word fusion. Fusion sounds like they were forced together. This is an evolution of cuisine, he said. Nikkei is a category of its own, he added. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Since opening Chotto Matte, Zdesar said Nikkei cuisine has spread throughout London but is still a growing cuisine in America. New York Citys first Nikkei restaurant opened just four years ago. Kaiyo is perhaps the only dedicated Nikkei restaurant in the Bay Area. The menu at acclaimed Japanese restaurant Nobu which has a Palo Alto outpost has Peruvian influences, but it doesnt identify as a Nikkei establishment. Zdesar hopes to continue to expose more diners to Nikkei food as he expands throughout the United States. Chotto Matte will serve as the capstone for the eight-story mixed-use building developed by real estate firm Blatteis & Schnur, Inc., according to a press release. The developers hope it will revitalize this part of the city. While we have some of the best restaurants in San Francisco this will be a preeminent dining experience for Union Square, Kazuko Morgan of commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, which represented the buildings landlord, said in a press release. Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany If you have ever waited in line for bomboloni at the Ferry Building on a Saturday morning or recall the huge pecan butter and whisky scones that Absinthe used to sling back in the day, youve already been acquainted with the work of Luis Villavelazquez. Hes not a household name, but over the last 11 years, the pastry chef has grown to become one of San Franciscos most versatile and creative dessert ghostwriters. Now, after 18 years in the restaurant business, Villavelazquez is finally ready to step out of the shadows: Hes opening his own shop in the Tenderloin, with plans for a dessert tasting menu and pop-ups. Called Les Elements, the new space will also be home to experiments from his long-running pastry consulting business and wholesale operation. Hes currently producing work for his private clients, but once he gets final approval from the health department, the public can come in for pastries, a la carte service and dessert tastings on evenings from Thursday through Saturday. Courtesy of Tamara Palmer That three-course dessert tasting menu ($32), a unique offering in a city where savory tasting menus dominate, will be the star of the show. It will highlight Villavelazquezs dessert philosophy: studying old techniques and recipes and transforming them into modern creations. Ive always thought of my skill set as cultural anthropology, said Villavelazquez. Take, for instance, his tres leches cake. In the U.S., bakeries tend to use cows milk. Instead, Villavelazquez has opted for goats milk, the traditional ingredient used in Mexico. He came up with the idea to infuse a sweet tea flavor into the milk with the use of chamomile and honey, and layers the cake with small cubes of roasted peaches to balance its gentle and sweet flavors with the earthy funk of the goats milk. Other tasting menu items include a bread pudding, where bread is replaced with bomboloni and cake. He tops off the creation with a brown butter sauce and a generous shaving of black truffle. Another dessert was inspired by the melon puddings and cakes Villavelazquez sampled in Tokyo on a trip a few years ago. At Les Elements, that has turned into a parfait with layers of melon cake, melon mousse, fresh melon and shards of candy he calls melon glass. The dessert spot has an extensive a la carte menu as well, with items like a vegan chocolate chip cookie made with Valrhona chocolate, a cheesecake made with candy cap mushrooms, which impart a maple flavor, and meringue tarts featuring lemon and blackberry. Some of the tasting menu desserts will also be served up as larger versions that feed up to four people. Courtesy Tamara Palmer Opening Les Elements is a big move for Villavelazquez, an industry veteran whos worked as a pastry chef for nearly two decades. Until now, though, hes largely worked for others in the industry. Hes had past pastry chef stints at Elizabeth Falkners acclaimed establishments Citizen Cake and Orson, and hes revamped dessert menus at Japanese restaurant Ozumo and now-shuttered French gem La Folie, among others. Since 2010, hes taught at the City of College of San Franciscos Culinary Arts and Hospitality Studies Department, where he graduated from in 2004. His students, in turn, have gone on to work at top S.F. restaurants like Mister Jius, Spruce and Tartine Manufactory. Much of that experience will be on display at Les Elements, sometimes in the form of desserts like the Midnight Chocolate, a devils food cake creation with whipped chocolate ganache that was inspired by his time at Citizen Cake. And at other times by the mentoring he continues to provide. Hes very meticulous and innovative, said Sarah Watson, a pastry chef who recently moved from rural Washington to assist Villavelazquez, who shes known for seven years, as a cook. I almost feel like Im going to school all over again. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Courtesy of Tamara Palmer Aside from the three days a week that Les Elements will be open to the public, Villavelazquez plans to host pop-up collaborations with both local and international chefs and plans to have regular industry meet-ups of local pastry chefs to build a community. Even though his space is new, Villavelazquez is already thinking about expansion plans. Hes eyeing other small spaces in the immediate area; eventually, he wants to have multiple spaces that connect to each other philosophically and offer a related experience where you can just do one, two and three, he explained. One such additional space, for example, could focus on coffee. I want to poke at my counterparts, my savory friends who have always doubted that pastry chefs can have a profitable operation, he said. Opening soon. Les Elements, 442 Hyde Street, (415) 741-8666, leselementssf.com Note: This story has been updated to reflect that Les Elements Midnight Chocolate dessert was inspired by Villavelazquezs time at Cititzen Cake. Tamara Palmer is a freelance writer, professional DJ and publisher of California Eating, a website and occasional print zine. Email: food@sfchronicle.com Rapid at-home antigen tests have become convenient tools for people hoping to quickly determine whether their cold symptoms are COVID-19. But the tests, which are not as accurate as PCR lab tests but return results in far less time, can be hard to find in the Bay Area. The two at-home tests approved by the Food and Drug Administration are Abbott Laboratories BinaxNow and Ellumes COVID-19 home test. But at least in the Bay Area, its challenging to find a drugstore that isnt sold out of BinaxNow, though Ellume is far easier to get. Calls to numerous Bay Area drug stores including CVS and Walgreens found that many were sold out of BinaxNow but had Ellume kits available. Store employees said that supply was variable depending on the day. Online, too, many retailers including Walgreens and Walmart appear to be out of stock of BinaxNow. Even if you are able to place an online order, the tests may not be shipped immediately due to the high demand. BinaxNow is cheaper than Ellume, but its still a significant cost. The product, made by Abbott Laboratories, comes in a two-test kit and is sold for around $23.99. Ellume has only one test swab and is sold in most places for $38.99. We typically dont recommend Ellume because its more expensive, said Nam Tran, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at UC Davis and a member of Californias COVID-19 Testing Task Force, who noted that in Davis, BinaxNow is virtually nowhere to be found. President Biden said on Thursday that his administration would use federal law to ramp up production of rapid home tests, and also ensure that retailers including Walmart, Amazon and Kroger sell test kits at cost starting most likely next week. At cost means that the seller would not make profits, but it was not immediately clear what the new price would be. BinaxNow and Ellume are the same in terms of how they collect samples, according to UCSF infectious disease expert Peter-Chin Hong. Both are better at detecting people with symptoms rather than people without symptoms, he said. Antigen tests, which detect proteins from the coronavirus, are less accurate than polymerase chain reaction or PCR tests, which examine small amounts of the virus genetic material, said Chin-Hong. The (antigen test) is kind of a coarse instrument, said Chin-Hong. Its maybe like a child in a field looking for a helium balloon, and the balloon has to be huge and bright for the child who is the instrument, but if there are balloons that are deflated and small, the antigen wont pick it up. The PCR test, by contrast, is more like a key that fits into a lock, he said. Overall, experts say, people should use antigen tests about three to five days after exposure to the coronavirus, and use a PCR test often required by schools or other workplaces for added clarity. The two BinaxNow testing kits are meant to be used 36 hours apart, for accuracy in case a person gets a false negative. Test results are available in 15 minutes. To complete the Ellume test, the user must first download an app and answer a number of questions, with results also available in 15 minutes. As for the choice between BinaxNow and Ellume, Tran said, Go with the one that is available, easy to use, and that you can afford. 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. John Koval, media spokesperson for Abbott Laboratories, said that the company is seeing unprecedented demand as case rates rise and has been been scaling up manufacturing. However, the companys production was hobbled after it laid off hundreds of workers at two manufacturing sites and destroyed millions of test cards earlier this year, believing that demand had dwindled, according to the New York Times. Ellume, with its app component, may not be the most intuitive test kit for the technologically unsavvy but it offers an electronic receipt for the test that can be shown to employers if needed. But the biggest benefit of the test is that it can be used for international travel for people coming back into the U.S but you have to take it under video observation by a proctor. Abbott also has a BinaxNow Home Test versus the Self Test that is approved for international travel, but its not the one thats available over the counter. Editors note: This story was updated Sept. 13 to correct the amount of time needed to complete the Ellume test. To complete the test, the user must first download an app and answer a number of questions, with results available in 15 minutes. Chronicle staff writer Aidin Vaziri contributed to this report. Annie Vainshtein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avainshtein@sfchronicle.com Even in the Bay Area, many more people need to be vaccinated to reach a level of community immunity to not only end the delta surge but thwart future waves. Local pediatric infectious disease experts have weighed in on what types of masks are best for kids. And with COVID rapid home tests hard to find in the Bay Area, heres what to look for and where. Resources on COVID-19 and Californias reopening: For detailed maps and new city-by-city Bay Area data, check out The Chronicles Coronavirus Tracker. To get regular updates on our coverage, sign up for our coronavirus newsletter. Latest updates: FDA could authorize Pfizer vaccine for 5-to-11-year-old children, report says: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration could authorize the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for 5 to 11-year-old children by the end of October, Reuters reported on Friday, citing sources familiar with the situation. Reuters reported that Pfizer will have enough data two months worth from clinical trials in the age group to seek emergency authorization from the FDA. Click here to read Reuters report. California extends surge order for San Joaquin Valley hospitals: Intensive care availability remained below 10% in the 12-county San Joaquin Valley region this week, prompting the state to extend a surge order first issued Sept. 3 for at least another week. The order requires hospitals within the region to accept transfers from other counties that have run out of ICU beds, and for counties outside the region to take transfers if there are no available beds in the region. ICU availability was 8.2% for the region as of Thursday. Statewide, 18.7% of ICU beds were available. FDA vaccine chief very, very hopeful about shots for kids 5-11 by years end: In response to a question from the Associated Press about whether vaccines for kids in that age group would be available by years end, Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Research and Evaluation, responded: I am very hopeful in that regard. Very, very hopeful in that regard. CDC reports strong vaccine effectiveness against severe COVID: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday released reports reinforcing evidence that the vaccines continue to provide strong protection against hospitalization and death from COVID-19, even during the delta surge. There were some differences across age groups and the type of vaccine given, but overall the vaccines were 86% effective at preventing hospitalization, according to one report. That protection dropped to about 80% for the Pfizer vaccine and 60% for Johnson & Johnson, and it fell to 76% across all vaccines for people 75 and older. Ohlone Community College mandates vaccinations: The board of trustees at the Fremont college approved a policy requiring all student and staff who visit the schools campuses or participate in athletics or other off-campus school activities to be fully vaccinated. The requirement, which exempts people with religious or medical needs, takes effect on Sept. 30. Washington state to require masks for large outdoor events: People attending events with 500 or more attendees will need to wear face coverings starting on Monday, Gov. Jay Inslee announced. The state continues to see high case numbers that rival the winter surge. Masks are already required for most indoor public spaces. 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. Berkeley restaurants, gyms begin requiring proof of vaccination: For the first time on Friday, Berkeley businesses where food or drink are served, or where people exercise indoors (like gyms and yoga studios), will require proof of vaccination for customers 12 years and older. People must have completed a full course of the vaccine one dose for Johnson and Johnson, or two doses for Moderna or Pfizer with 14 days having elspased after their final shot. L.A. schools to require student COVID vaccinations: The Los Angeles Unified School District has become the first major school district in the U.S. to require that students 12 and older attending class in person receive COVID-19 vaccinations. The board of the nations second-largest school district approved the measure 6-0 on Thursday afternoon, the New York Times reported. Ultimately, the mandate will apply to more than 460,000 students. How the delta surge changed Californias political death divide: Months into the delta surge, a COVID-19 death divide has opened up between Californias Republican and Democratic strongholds, according to a Chronicle data analysis. The analysis shows that counties that voted heavily for Donald Trump have seen higher death rates than their bluer counterparts since vaccines became widely available in June a shift from the period before, when Democratic-leaning counties had higher death rates. It also found a large vaccination gap between the most Trump-heavy counties and the Joe Biden-heavy ones. Read the full story. S.F. schools report no COVID outbreaks: Since San Francisco schools reopened to in-person learning in mid-August, no COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred and case rates have remained steady among young children in recent months, even as the highly contagious delta variant has spread, according to data released Thursday by the Department of Public Health. Read the full story Hundreds of mourners, including law enforcement officers from across the nation, gathered at an outdoor music theater in Connecticut Thursday for the funeral of a state police trooper who was swept away in floodwaters from the remnants of Hurricane Ida. Sgt. Brian Mohl, a 26-year veteran of the department, was working the overnight shift when he called for help around 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 2, saying his vehicle had become trapped in rising flood waters near the Pomperaug River in Woodbury. Dive teams found his empty vehicle in the river just after daybreak. Sgt. Mohl, who was 50, was found an hour later further down the river. Sgt. Brian Mohl pursued what was good and right for decades along the highways and back roads of this state, Rev. Michael Dolan, a state police chaplain, told mourners at the Xfinity Theater in Hartford. In a moment, that pursuit concluded and we find ourselves here. Mohl was remembered as a hard working, blunt, straight-shooting trooper who loved the midnight shift. He also was eulogized as a kind and generous family man and friend, who had a nickname for everyone. He loved shopping in bulk at Costco, giving gifts and teasing those he loved. His younger sister Laura Singh remembered how he would sneak around her house changing the toilet paper rolls in the bathrooms so that they pulled from underneath rather than over the top. Another of his sisters, Frances Gordon, said her brother always seemed to be working. It's not a surprise to me that his way of leaving us was via the job, she said. Service to the greater good, right? Mohl is survived by his wife, Susan, a 14-year-old son, two stepchildren and three grandchildren. He is is the 25th Connecticut trooper to die in the line of duty since the agency was formed in 1903, the department said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. An honor guard fired a 21-gun salute and a bugler played taps as the funeral concluded, before a final call was transmitted across the state police radio system to thank Mohl for his service. Your brothers and sisters will take the watch from here, it concluded. ___ This story corrects the spelling of Sgt. Brian Mohl's name. R368LRH/AP TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) A Florida woman convicted of helping mastermind the killing of her husband more than two decades ago was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in prison after a previous life sentence was tossed on appeal. A Leon County circuit judge handed down the sentence for Denise Williams, rejecting arguments from her attorney that she was only a minor participant in the plot to kill her husband, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. Williams, 51, was convicted in 2018 of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The 1st District Court of Appeal vacated the first-degree murder conviction last fall, which meant a resentencing was needed for the conspiracy charge. DENVER (AP) A Colorado state trooper honored for shooting and killing an armed man outside the governor's office over a decade ago has been charged with felony menacing and accused of pointing a gun at a driver near the state Capitol, prosecutors said Friday. Jay Hemphill, who was still assigned to the unit that provides security for the governor and the state Capitol before being placed on leave because of the allegation, is accused of yelling and pointing his gun at the woman, who was making a right turn onto a street he was crossing on Aug. 25, an arrest affidavit said. Hemphill reported the incident, which was captured on video, to a patrol sergeant shortly after it occurred, the document said. SACRAMENTO Gov. Gavin Newsom is on track to win next weeks recall election in a landslide, according to a new poll released Friday. The survey, conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times, found that the recall campaign is trailing by more than 20 percentage points, with only 38.5% of likely voters in favor of removing Newsom before the end of his term and 60.1% opposed. The results align closely with another poll published last week by the Public Policy Institute of California that showed the first-term Democrat poised to survive the Sept. 14 special election by about 19 percentage points. Its a sharp turnaround from this summer, when a July survey led by Berkeley IGS had likely voters nearly evenly split on the recall. That warning sign jolted Democrats, who had been largely ambivalent about the race in its early stages, and the Newsom campaign, which has been barnstorming across the state in recent weeks warning about the danger if the governor is replaced by a Republican. The findings underscore a significant change in tempo in the state, as decidedly more Californians are attending to the pending election, and are intent on voting no, G. Cristina Mora, co-director of the Institute of Government Studies, said in a statement. Several summer developments have bolstered Newsoms prospects. As the delta variant fueled another surge of coronavirus cases in California, the governor ordered a series of new mask mandates and vaccine requirements that proved popular with a liberal-leaning electorate, particularly as Newsoms rivals promised to overturn them if elected. The governor also found a foil in conservative talk radio host Larry Elder, who has risen to the top of the field of 46 replacement candidates. Newsom has repeatedly bashed Elder, who would be Californias first Black governor if elected, as out of step with the states electorate on issues like the minimum wage, abortion and climate change. The poll released Friday suggests that Elder continues to extend his lead in the second question on the recall ballot, which asks voters who should serve out the remainder of Newsoms term if he is recalled. Elder was the choice of 38% of likely voters surveyed, up from 18% in the July poll by Berkeley IGS. Kevin Paffrath, a Democrat best known for making financial advice videos on YouTube under the moniker Meet Kevin, was second with 10%. He was followed by three Republicans: former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer at 8%, state legislator Kevin Kiley at 4% and San Diego County real estate investor John Cox at 4%. Newsom defeated Cox in the 2018 governor race by a record 24 percentage points, a result in line with what public polling now indicates could happen with the recall. The Berkeley IGS poll was administered online last week with a random sample of 9,809 registered voters across California. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.8 percentage points. Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff Shannon Huffaker said the anger she carries with her about the year of in-person education her daughter and son lost during the pandemic still feels like a raw wound. She remembers being incensed when Gov. Gavin Newsom allowed indoor businesses like restaurants and some bars to reopen as the pandemic temporarily eased last fall, even as most schools, like those in her childrens district in Albany, remained shuttered, with students forced to learn on computer screens. They were really struggling with being alone, being lonely, Huffaker said of her daughter and son, now 10 and 12. Just a giant swath of kids in public schools missed huge amounts of their education. Huffaker, a Democrat, said she felt so frustrated with Newsom and state officials over the slow pace of school reopenings that she considered voting to recall him in the Sept. 14 election. But as the recall campaign hit fever pitch, Huffaker found that few candidates vying to replace Newsom talked much about the schools issue. Moreover, she said, she was disappointed that no viable, progressive replacement candidate emerged, and she feared a Republican like radio personality Larry Elder could win. I would very much like to vote for someone else, Huffaker said of Newsom. But Im not going to vote for someone else and risk having a crazy, conservative talk show host become the governor. Her sentiment is emblematic of how pandemic-era school closures once a lightning rod that helped propel the effort to recall Newsom to the ballot have largely faded to the background of the campaign to oust the Democratic governor as other issues such as homelessness and crime surged to the fore. In the depth of the pandemic, Newsom became the focus of frustration over shuttered classrooms. It was an issue the governor didnt entirely control: Decisions about when to reopen schools for in-person learning were ultimately made at the local level, and many school districts chose not to reopen in fall 2020 or early 2021, even when Newsoms administration allowed them to do so under the states now defunct color-coded tier reopening system. Nevertheless, parents in communities across the state demanded Newsom use his emergency powers to force schools to reopen faster. Whether he had the legal authority to issue such an order is debatable. Attention to the slow pace of school reopenings has become a less prominent issue in the final stretch of the recall campaign, in part, because schools are now open again. Kristen Murakoshi/Special to The Chronicle Districts across California welcomed students back for in-person learning when the new school year started about a month ago, and so far there have been relatively few cases of in-school transmission and no big COVID-19 outbreaks. More Information Guide: Step-by-step guide to recall election, the ballot and getting your vote counted. sfchronicle.com/recall-ballot Road to the recall: This story is the fifth in an occasional series on key issues for voters who will decide Tuesday whether to remove Gov. Gavin Newsom from office. Find all of The Chronicle's coverage at sfchronicle.com/recall. See More Collapse Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at California State University Los Angeles, said education became less of a binary political issue as the states focus shifted from how soon to push districts to reopen to how to do so safely amid the spread of the highly infectious delta variant. You cant make a bumper sticker out of that, he said. Sonenshein said exasperation over the pace of school reopenings was crucial last winter in helping recall supporters gather more than 1.7 million signatures to get on the ballot. At the time, it seemed like an issue that spoke to a universal frustration among parents. That was the clearest moment when public discomfort could be very clearly aimed at the governor in a way that would resonate, Sonenshein said. But that doesnt quite fit now. It didnt wear well after a while. Newsom has faced a long, complicated juggling act on school closures. Early in the pandemic, there was little opposition to emergency measures to shut schools. But many parents expected kids to return to classrooms in the fall of 2020, after many sectors of the states economy had reopened with safety protocols in place. Hopes for a swift return to in-person learning evaporated as California was hit with major surges in infections in the summer and winter. The state struggled to get districts to move, particularly as teacher unions, a core group of the governors base, warned that rushing back into the classroom would be dangerous. By the late winter, the recall movement had gained momentum. The governors Republican opponents, including former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and businessman John Cox, sought to make school closures a centerpiece of the case against Newsom. He tried to coax districts to reopen with financial incentives. At first, he proposed offering $2 billion in incentives for districts to reopen by mid-February. That plan fizzled because of a weeks-long impasse with state legislators. The governor and lawmakers ultimately reached a deal to provide districts with money if they restarted at least some in-person learning by March 31. But in reality, many large districts, including San Francisco, only opened for some in-person learning for a handful of days before the end of the last academic year. Then, over the summer, Newsom and legislators required districts to end most distance learning for the current school year by allowing pandemic-era emergency measures to expire. And the GOP replacement candidates have seldom mentioned the slow back-to-school process in the final stages of the contest. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle Elder, the Republican front-runner in the recall, has instead railed against Newsoms recent safety protocols for schools. This summer, the governor mandated that teachers be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing, and state guidelines still require that students wear masks. I think thats an assault on freedom, Elder said during a news conference last month. Nathan Click, a spokesperson for Newsoms campaign, said voters today are far more concerned about whether his GOP opponents would repeal safety measures, such as vaccine and mask mandates, than how quickly schools reopened. Were hearing that from parents across the state, Click said. They want to keep their schools as safe as possible. Recent polling suggests that anger over school closures has faded among many voters. Last week, the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California released a survey that found education and schools were the top issue for only 1% of likely recall voters. For many parents, though, the consequences of a year of remote education from lost learning to mental-health challenges still linger. Several activists who helped lead the push to reopen schools said Newsoms challengers havent done enough to capitalize on the issue. Ross Novie, a father who founded the LA School Uprising, a parent advocacy group, said he voted for Newsom in 2018 but supports the recall because failing to open schools earlier caused vast societal harms. He said his son and daughter, both high schoolers, saw their grades suffer tremendously while they watched Zoom classes from their bedrooms for a year. Now his daughter is struggling to get caught up as she applies to colleges. Novie said hes surprised the issue hasnt been more at the forefront of the campaign. He said hes considering voting for Faulconer or Kevin Kiley, a state legislator on the ballot, because theyve been the most vocal about schools. Theres no way he should be let off the hook for what was the most disastrous education policy in our states history, Novie said of the governor. Were going to pretend this didnt happen? Megan Bacigalupi, an Oakland mother who is executive director of Open Schools CA, a statewide parent advocacy group, said extended school closures turned many parents into single-issue voters. Bacigalupi, a Democrat, said that if a sizable number of Democrats turn against Newsom, it will be due to resentment over the lost year of in-person learning. She hasnt taken a public stance on the recall, though she called the 46 candidates on the ballot unsatisfactory replacements. But Im still really angry about what happened to my kids, she said. I think our memories will be long in the trauma that we remember and reflect on. Bacigalupi said its especially clear now a month after schools reopened amid a statewide surge of the delta variant that in-person instruction could have safely resumed last fall. She said that view is bolstered by the lack of in-school transmission in large districts such as San Francisco. But Newsom has received decent marks from public health experts over the states cautious approach, particularly as other states that reopened schools without strong safety protocols in place, such as Florida and Texas, have seen numerous closures after COVID-19 outbreaks among students. In Florida, at least five districts have shuttered classrooms again due to the rampant spread of the delta variant in those communities. Meanwhile, parents and school districts have sued Gov. Ron DeSantis administration to block his executive order that prohibited districts from requiring masks. The situation is even grimmer in Texas, where at least 45 small school districts have stopped in-person learning because of the spread of the virus, though the rate of in-school transmission is unclear in many cases. Arnab Mukherjea, chair of the Department of Public Health at Cal State East Bay, said that while remote learning had profound consequences, from learning loss to delayed social development for many children, its hard not to view Californias approach as a success compared to other states. Other places that were a little more hasty ... you see the repercussions of that, Mukherjea said. Our doors are still open and our lights are still on. They have to deal with not only sending kids home, but sending some of those kids to the ICU. Educators have also been among the governors strongest backers. Jeff Freitas, president of the California Federation of Teachers, said Newsom allowed districts to decide, with input from teachers, when they felt ready to safely reopen an approach he said has made the states reopening safer in the end. He made decisions based upon science, not based upon pressure, Freitas said. The governor basically allowed for the local decision-making process to happen. But parents upset by the states handling of reopenings say they worry another round of closures could be around the next corner. And the issue could still have lasting political consequences. Kristen Murakoshi/Special to The Chronicle Huffaker, the Albany mother of two, said she fears districts havent been provided enough resources to constantly test teachers and students for the virus. She said she hopes to vote for a Democrat other than Newsom in next years regular election for governor. You feel constantly afraid that your kids school is going to shut down, that something is going to shift, Huffaker said. Its very raw, and its still really present. Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner For Katey McKee, San Franciscos new law to streamline the permitting process for business owners was magical. She got her permits to open a cafe in the Mission within 30 days, just as voter-approved ballot measure Proposition H promised unheard of before the change. But for Zack Schwab, whos opening a bagel shop in the Lower Haight, the same process was a mess. It took 45 days, by his count, from when he first tried to submit his application to get his permits. The process was delayed by multiple snags pushing back construction and increasing costs. The intent of it is so great and so crucial in trying to actually refill a lot of these vacant storefronts, he said. It just feels like the classic bureaucratic difficulties. If the whole point of the legislation is to cut through that, clearly theres work to be done. While many entrepreneurs have been helped over the last nine months by the new law to streamline the citys byzantine business permitting process, others have found it falls short. 2 1 of 2 Amy Osborne / Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Amy Osborne / Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less The help is critical as many small businesses struggle to rebound from a pandemic that crippled them for 18 months. The city is aware of the struggles and is trying to help. We have this collective goal of making San Francisco the easiest place, the most streamlined place, to open a small business, Supervisor Matt Haney said during a city hearing Thursday. And we are moving more quickly in that direction than we have in a long time. San Francisco has been deemed the most difficult city in the nation to open a small or medium-sized business, said Laurel Arvanitidis, of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, during a Thursday hearing on Prop. H. The complexities have led to a lucrative industry of permit expediters to help. Prop. H, passed by voters in November, reduced the time to get permits to within 30 days and required departments to work better together. It applied to businesses in certain commercial corridors and downtown neighborhoods until this week, when it expanded to include all storefronts that arent yet permitted or need a special permit to change their use. More than 150 business owners have used the citys website to determine if theyre eligible for Prop. H, and about a third filed online applications, said Bridget Hicks, senior planner in charge of the program. Others have chosen to apply in person, but the city isnt yet tracking those numbers, Hicks said. Permits filed in person, however, are most often approved and issued the same day they are submitted, she said. Of the applications submitted online, every permit received approvals in less than 30 days, with an average time of 14 business days, Hicks said. The online Prop. H application prompts prospective business owners to fill out a questionnaire, then creates a list of documents required for permits, Hicks said. Prop. H also allows more flexibility in using outdoor space, restaurants to rent space to co-working firms, retailers to operate pop-ups in vacant stores and nonprofits to run out of vacant stores. The legislation also got rid of special permit approvals and neighborhood notification requirements, which have led to lengthy delays in the past. But some business owners, including Schwab, expressed frustration that it could take weeks of preparation and multiple attempts to finally submit an application and start the citys 30-day clock ticking. Hicks defended Prop. H as a success and said the legislation intended to place the permit applications in business owners hands. Sharky Laguana, president of the San Francisco Small Business Commission, said that Prop. H is absolutely the right direction for the city to be heading but that its a work in progress. Some entrepreneurs said Prop. H has been very helpful. McKee, who owns Glama-Rama Salon on Valencia Street and opened Milk SF cafe next door on July 1, said Prop. H has been magical and wonderful. McKee said the building department was more punctual than I could keep up with. By the end of January, she had all her permits. Prop. H also eliminated the need to notify the neighborhood of the spaces change of use. We slipped right through real quick, she said. Schwab finally received his permits for Schloks bagel shop on Aug. 31. This marked 45 days after he first submitted the application although according to the city, due to an error that required him to resubmit two weeks later, it was still within the laws 30-day time frame. The city saw his application as incomplete and said that once complete, it was in the citys hands for just 17 days, according to Victor Ruiz-Cornejo, a policy adviser in the mayors office. 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. Even as we are working to make improvements to make this program run well, and make sure all businesses get permitted within the 30 day window, we are still nowhere near the 180-270 days it used to take to go through this process, said Jeff Cretan, mayor London Breeds spokesperson. Schwab remains frustrated by what he said was a confusing process. He unexpectedly needed to apply for a full permit to cut a door in a wall and had to resubmit the entire application because of a mix-up. He was also unable to access the software that shows applicants real-time comments from plan checkers, which also slowed the process. I think people need to know to not bank their livelihoods on the 30 days, he said. Clint Tan, co-owner of Noodle in a Haystack, a ramen restaurant opening in the Inner Richmond, is about two weeks into the 30-day Prop. H timeline. Hes been frustrated by a lack of communication between departments and confusing requirements. But to Hicks, theres always going to be back and forth on projects that require the sign-off of multiple departments with their own complex compliance codes, from planning and building to fire. Before the 30-day clock even started ticking, Tan spent a couple weeks finalizing his application and another week figuring out how to pay for it. Hes been paying rent since June 1. While he appreciated help from the Prop. H team, he said the process has been beyond frustrating. Tan wonders how much Prop. H is doing to support small businesses. Hes thinking about his own backup plans, including selling the lease and returning to run his ramen pop-up out of his house. Businesses are the lifeblood of our city, and theyre (the city) putting up these little hurdles, he said. How are you going to recover from this pandemic? Elena Kadvany and Mallory Moench are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com, mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany, @mallorymoench Nic Coury/Associated Press The trial of former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes has been delayed just a day after opening statements took place after a juror was potentially exposed to the coronavirus, according to multiple reports. Fridays hearing was postponed and the next trial date is Tuesday, Sept. 14. During an emergency Zoom hearing late Thursday, Judge Edward Davila said a juror may have been exposed last weekend and was awaiting a coronavirus test. The juror is vaccinated and isnt showing symptoms. LONDON (AP) Rebekah Ingram's remote internship has come with a series of unexpected challenges: She lacks a proper office set-up, her mother often calls for her while she works, and her dog barks during video calls. Her situation will sound familiar to anyone who has worked from home during the coronavirus pandemic. The difference for Ingram is that she, like many other young people who started jobs in the past 18 months, hasn't spent any time in a traditional office. She speculates that remote work is way more informal. Its kind of trippy because ... youre working but youre in your own environment, said the 22-year-old, who is interning at Like Minded Females Network, a global tech and entrepreneurship non-profit based in London. Many 2020 graduates left school and entered a world in turmoil, with limited job prospects. Some lost work opportunities as companies canceled internships or froze hiring altogether. As restrictions have eased in many places, jobs have become easier to find, but work remains far from normal. Most of all, many young workers say, they know they're missing out when their office is the four walls of their bedroom. They wish they had more chances for everyday social interactions with their colleagues, both to build camaraderie and to find mentors. Sohini Sengupta, 22, had an easy transition to remote work because she was used to doing it at school, but she feels she lacks a sense of community at her job. When I started working, I took a look at my workplaces website and I could see photos of them taking trips together, enjoying themselves at the pool table at the office ... something I had no chance to experience, said Sengupta, who lives in Calcutta, India, and is working as a production trainee at India Today, a media outlet based in New Delhi. Annabel Redgate, 25, a public relations account executive at PR agency TANK in Nottingham, England, began her current job in February. When pandemic-related restrictions began lifting a few months ago, she started to reach out to colleagues to meet for drinks after work. Now TANK has begun a staggered return to the office, and its the social atmosphere shes most looking forward to. PR is a very personal industry, so Im excited for the atmosphere in the office," she said. For Maya Goldman, a 23-year old health reporter based in Washington, D.C., beginning her career remotely has meant struggling to set boundaries for herself, a process she figures she would have seen modeled by her bosses if she had been working in the office. It was hard to figure out ... when was appropriate to tell my bosses that I was done for the night, or when I should take lunch, and how long I should take lunch for, Goldman said. Many employers are conscious of the need to help new remote workers feel welcome. At 9 every morning, employees at Trevelino/Keller, a marketing firm in Atlanta, participate in Spotify at 9, where they all play the same song and talk about it on Slack. Theyve also held book clubs and watched TED talks virtually. It's part of an effort to make sure while youre waking up every day in your first career remotely, you feel like youre part of a company and youre part of our culture, said Dean Trevelino, co-founder of the firm. Liza Streiff, CEO at Knopman Marks Financial Training, a financial education company in New York, recently held a barbecue at her place, the first in-person event for the company since the pandemic. Many of her employees were meeting in person for the first time. It was two of the youngest workers an intern and another worker who recently joined full-time following an internship who told Streiff how much this meant to them. Companies are also helping employees take advantage of mentoring opportunities they may feel they're missing out on. Trevelino/Keller, Like Minded Females Network, and Knopman Marks have all implemented buddy programs during the pandemic, pairing new hires with more senior employees they can turn to for advice and help navigating their companies. Not all new employees feel they're missing out by working remotely. Many have found it easier to juggle work and life when they don't have to commute to an office every day. For Matthew Toale, a marketing apprentice at Find Your Flex, a U.K-based job agency, the pandemic shift to remote work had another benefit it made networking more comfortable. As an introvert, he struggled at events and has been far more successful at online networking. Networking online "is a lot easier for me than jumping in headfirst into a face-to-face conversation, Toale said. As the pandemic wanes, many companies may allow employees to continue working from home, at least some of the time. Mabel Abraham, a professor at Columbia Business School, says there's no data available yet on the possible ramifications of so many young workers starting careers remotely. She said some may experience a disconnect with bosses and other older co-workers who have had a harder time adapting to remote work. But Suneet Dua, chief product officer at accounting giant PwC U.S., the accounting firm giant, suspects the impact will be positive, both in building resilience and adaptability in young workers as well as technological advances that have been made to allow remote work. Thats the biggest benefit for our society that we can ever imagine that were not even seeing right now," he said. (What) were going to see in three to five years is going to be amazing. Theres also been some buzz about remote work offering more opportunities for diversity, but Abraham cautions that it can actually heighten workplace inequalities. Thats because it may create a divide between newly hired employees from different backgrounds who may live far away and a core group of existing workers who live closer and will eventually return to the office. The core workers tend to be a more homogenous group, maybe more male or more white for example, she said. Sonya Barlow, founder of the Like Minded Females Network, hires people based on skills rather than their resume or experience, mindful of the barriers to entry that some groups can face in the corporate world. I tend to hire people who are fresh graduates or and have taken alternative education routes, Barlow said. One of those hires was Ingram, who was working at a grocery store when the pandemic began but dreamed of starting her own business. Over the last few weeks, Ingram has finally had a chance to meet Barlow face-to-face, working alongside her in a co-working space or meeting with clients in coffeeshops. She's found it refreshing to get away from her home office and is hoping to build the skills she'll need to become an independent business owner. I would love to just get everything I can out of this internship, she said. ___ Follow AP coverage of how the coronavirus pandemic is transforming the economy at: https://apnews.com/hub/changing-economy This article was first published on NerdWallet.com. In order to make informed business decisions, such as seeking financing, you need to be able to understand your financial performance especially since the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way many small businesses operate. Navigating your financial metrics doesnt mean you have to sit crunching numbers on a calculator, however. When you use technology, like accounting software, you can automate data processing and instead spend your time looking at the actual insights the data provides, says Ben Richmond, a chartered accountant and U.S. country manager at Xero, a cloud-based accounting software platform provider. With the right tools, you can take more control of your business and have more confidence, he says. Here are four metrics that are essential to understand when managing your business finances. 1. Cash flow Cash flow, or the amount of money coming into and going out of your business, is one of the most important indicators of financial performance. Richmond uses the analogy of a business as an amazing Ferrari, and cash flow, the gas. If youve got no gas, the Ferrari is nothing but an ornament sitting in the garage, he says. Most bookkeeping and accounting software platforms allow you to automatically generate a cash flow statement. Understanding how much cash you have on hand is the first step, Richmond says. Then, you can create cash flow predictions and take action from those insights. For example, you can determine whether you need to tighten up expenses to make sure youre well funded. On the other hand, if youre experiencing growth and have a cash flow surplus, you can decide the best way to capitalize on that opportunity. 2. Profit Profit is the big picture goal for most businesses. The profit and loss statement, which shows your profit (or loss) over a period of time, is one of the most useful reports to have at your disposal. What percentage of revenue is generated from your top three clients or products? How many employees are needed to run operations? These are numbers small-business owners need to know, said Marko Mijuskovic, via email. Mijuskovic is a certified exit planner and senior partner at WestPac Wealth Partners, a wealth management firm headquartered in San Diego. Like the cash flow statement, you can generate a profit and loss statement automatically using accounting software. Then, you can identify opportunities to cut down on unnecessary expenses and prioritize your most successful products and services in order to maximize profit. 3. Accounts payable The common saying holds true: You have to spend money to make money. And by actively monitoring your accounts payable the money you owe to vendors or suppliers for purchases made on credit you can determine how much cash youre going to need and when youre going to need it. Youll want to make sure that you have enough cash to keep your business running and pay your vendors on time. Not having enough cash generated from business revenues to meet obligations is one of the top reasons that businesses fail, said Sallie Mullins Thompson, a certified public accountant who works with small-business owners, via email. Making on time (or even early) payments allows you to maintain a good relationship with your vendors, take advantage of potential payment discounts and build business credit which is essential if youre looking for financing in the future. Accounting software can help streamline your accounts payable at a basic level, but dedicated accounts payable software can automate the process even further. 4. Accounts receivable Which invoices are outstanding? How long does it take for your customers to pay their invoices? How much of your cash is typically tied up in unpaid invoices? These questions all speak to your accounts receivable, the money that customers owe your business for goods or services that have already been delivered. Tracking your accounts receivable has similar benefits to tracking your accounts payable: By determining how long it takes your customers to pay their invoices and making sure they pay on time you can better manage your cash flow and avoid losing out on profit. Accounts receivable software can streamline this process, as well as provide tools to help improve communication with your customers. These platforms can also aggregate all of your accounts receivable data in one place so you can gather additional insights about your businesss performance. Understanding your accounts payable and receivable goes a step further than strictly looking at your business on a cash basis cash in, cash out Richmond says. Tracking these movements allows you to think ahead and get a full picture of the business, he says. Randa Kriss writes for NerdWallet. Email: rkriss@nerdwallet.com. The article Know These 4 Business Financial Metrics to Track Performance originally appeared on NerdWallet. - Cal Fire: See incident reports from Cal Fire's website. - Maps: View maps from the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Forest Service's InciWeb. - Road closures: Get updates from Caltrans District 2's Twitter feed. - Evacuations: Find the latest information from Cal Fire. - Dixie Fire information line: (530) 255-4023. LATEST Sept. 10, 9:30 a.m. California's Dixie Fire made a run in its northwest corner Thursday amid erratic winds, triggering new evacuations and threatening the communities of Hat Creek and Old Station. Joshua Rubinstein, a spokesperson for Cal Fire, said Friday morning that Old Station didn't suffer major damage. "Old Station is still under mandatory evacuation," Rubinstein said. "The positive is it didnt directly impact the community and no structures lost. But the battle is not over." The community of Hat Creek hasn't been impacted directly as of Friday morning, he said, but resources are deployed along the Hat Creek river that runs through the valley in the area. "We dont want it to get into that drainage because it will increase fire behavior," he said. Weather conditions are expected to improve Friday with winds abating. Rubinstein said the plan is to go in with direct attack hand crews, engines and dozers on the ground in that northwest area. "Were planning our tactics around the weather thats expected to be more cooperative today," he said. Sept. 9, 11 p.m. California's nearly 2-month-old Dixie Fire, burning 250 miles northeast of San Francisco, roared back to life Thursday amid erratic winds, triggering new evacuations and threatening the communities of Hat Creek and Old Station, as well as a collection of radio telescopes designed to look for alien broadcasts. The 928,741-acre monster blaze that ignited July 13 in the northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Range was 59% contained as of Thursday evening, and firefighters had the upper-hand across much of the blaze, Cal Fire said. But Thursday, in the northwest corner that spreads across Lassen and Shasta counties, flames raced north as a cold front from the Pacific Northwest dropped into California, delivering erratic winds. Noah Berger/AP Both winds and dry lightning are in the forecast overnight and more aggressive fire behavior is expected with extremely dry, flammable vegetation on the ground. The Dixie Fire is the second-largest California wildfire on record. Only last years August Complex was larger at 1,032,648 acres. The fire activity triggered new evacuations including mandatory evacuations in Old Station: Find the latest details on all new evacuations from the Lassen County Sheriff's Department and the Shasta County Sheriff's Department. Old Station is a community of about four dozen people located 13 miles north of Lassen Volcanic National Park. With a gas station and a few general stores and a cafe, it mostly serves as a stop for travelers exploring the region's outdoor recreation attractions. It's home to Subway Cave, one of the largest and most easily accessible lava caves in the world. Vanessa Singh with Cal Fire didn't know as of 9 p.m. Thursday whether the fire had passed through Old Station. "I can't confirm that right now," Singh said. "It was close. It was evacuated last night. Last I was told, it hadn't hit Old Station." Hat Creek, with a population of about 300 people, is 20 miles to the north of Old Station. The community is best known as the home to the Allen Telescope Array at Hat Creek Radio Observatory, a 42-dish radio telescope that can survey vast swaths of the sky, listening for radio broadcasts from alien civilizations. The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Im The telescope is named for the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who gifted millions to the project. It's managed by the SETI Institute, a nonprofit research organization in Mountain View devoted to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Wael Farah, a research scientist with SETI, said Thursday night that the site is under an evacuation warning, but all staff except for him have left. "I am still here on site, but might either leave tonight or tomorrow morning," Farah wrote in an email. "The flames are roughly 5-10 miles away. I can see them from here, but they are still on the other side of the rim.Things might change depending on the wind conditions; I'm hoping for the best." This story originally appeared on KCRA. WALNUT GROVE, Calif. A fire in Walnut Grove on Thursday caused devastating damage to the landmark Giustis Place restaurant. The kitchen fire erupted around 3 p.m. and flames soon engulfed the building. "It's taken a little over a hundred years to create a local gathering hole and it took about two to three hours to destroy it, said owner Mark Morias. Morias stared at what was left of his multi-generational business created by his grandfather in the early 1900s as it burned to the ground Thursday afternoon. Giustis website describes the business as the oldest restaurant and bar in the California Delta, going back to 1912 with four generations of family ownership. It has more than 1,200 hats on its ceiling and pictures of celebrities who have visited and other memorabilia on its walls. The business has been featured on the show "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives." It's known for homestyle meals and its deep roots in the community. With no fire lines in the area, firefighters had to bring in their own water tankers and use a pump to siphon water out of the Delta to fight the flames. Morias said he smelled something strange in the morning but didnt see anything. Around 3 p.m., he said his son called him and said the smell was getting stronger. So he went downstairs and saw around the propane water heater that there was a little fire so he went upstairs and got an extinguisher and extinguished it, but it creeped up the side of the wall, Morias said. "[When] we got here, there was fire out the back of the building, up the wall. There's old saloon-style construction, so it was already up the attic when we got to the scene already, said Walnut Grove Assistant Fire Chief Dave Robinson. Customer Christopher Lee, of Walnut Grove, had been coming to Giusti's for decades and just had lunch there Wednesday. "It's hard to internalize looking at it now, and it's just a shame, Lee said. Tony Ferreira told KCRA 3 he has had at least 30 important celebrations there in his lifetime. "They probably do 150 lunches a day out of that place. It's just the spot where we come where we're comfortable. We do business deals here, we do business lunches here. Birthday, anniversaries. I could go on and on and on, Ferreira said. Morias watched with some members of his family from the parking lot as the volunteer firefighters did everything they could to save his business. He said hes hopeful that at least one of the rare treasures inside survived. "The one thing that I hope is still intact is our old cash register that was purchased in 1906 or 03 by my grandfather. It still has the purchase sticker on the bottom of the drawer, he said. By 11 p.m. Thursday, the fire was mostly out, but a pile of rubble was still smoldering. Two fire trucks and about six firefighters remained as a precaution. Morias said he can't commit to rebuilding just yet, but it's been a very long day and told KCRA 3 that right now, he just needs a beer. One of the most popular hikes in Hawaii, the Haiku Stairs, is now one step closer to removal. The Honolulu City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to remove the Stairway to Heaven in a nonbinding resolution urging the City Administration to remove the Haiku Stairs and its accessory structures to stop trespassing, reduce disturbances to local neighborhoods, increase public safety, remove potential liability to the City, and protect the environment, according to the City Councils agenda. Honolulu has allocated $1 million for the removal. Mayor Rick Blangardi will be the ultimate decision-maker on the stairs if he approves the budget. With its spectacular views and the sensation of walking into the clouds, the stairs are regularly featured in Instagram and social media posts from visitors and residents alike. But the hike itself is also illegal, complete with a $1,000 fine if youre caught. The steps also have a storied history: leading to a top-secret Navy radio station atop the Haiku Valley that was used to communicate with ships in the Pacific theater during World War II. In the decades after, ownership of the steps shifted hands multiple times, from the Navy to the Coast Guard to Honolulus Board of Water Supply. The city of Honolulu has owned the site since 2020. Many neighbors in the area are supportive of the removal. They have long complained about trespassing and litter. One Haiku resident told Hawaii News Now that during a community stakeout, 191 trespassers were counted between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. However, others have called for a managed plan of the site instead of a full removal, including offering ticketed access. To lose the stairs would be a catastrophe," Vernon Ansdell of the Friends of Haiku Stairs, a group that advocates for the site, told KITV. The group recently rallied in Honolulu to save the stairs. "This is a priceless Windward treasure. And they must not be destroyed." SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) The New Mexico Department of Health says people who got a COVID-19 vaccine shot between Aug. 2-31 must sign up by Friday if they want to claim the $100 incentive being offered to entice people to get inoculated. New Mexico residents who got one of the two-shots of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine are eligible. To claim the money you must register at vaccineNM.org before 5 p.m. Friday. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) Two men have been sentenced to decades in prison for robbing and killing a South Florida plumber. Jamal Lamar Head, 35, was sentenced in Fort Lauderdale federal court Thursday to 60 years in prison, while Keon Travy Glanton, 35, received 33 years, according to court records. Both previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit robbery, carjacking resulting in death and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. JACKSON, Calif. (AP) Authorities in Northern California say deputies responding to reports of shots fired found a woman and two men dead inside a rural home. Amador County Sheriff deputies who went to the home in Pine Grove on Wednesday were met by a 45-year-old woman who told them she saw her 46-year-old boyfriend shoot his father and flee the scene, the Amador County Sheriff's Office said in a statement Thursday. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Oregon and clog the medical system, state health officials say the rate of coronavirus in unvaccinated people is currently five times higher than in those who are vaccinated. A report released by the Oregon Health Authority on Wednesday shows that more than 80% of COVID-19 cases last week were among unvaccinated people. Breakthrough cases fully vaccinated people who test positive for the coronavirus accounted for about 20% of last weeks cases. Since the start of the pandemic there have been 16,417 reported breakthrough cases identified in Oregon, which is about 6% of the state's total amount of cases throughout the pandemic. About 5% of the state's breakthrough cases have been hospitalized and less than 1% have died. The median age of those deaths is 80, officials said. Oregon is in the midst of its worst COVID-19 surge since the start of the pandemic which health officials say is fueled by unvaccinated people and the highly transmissible delta variant. Although the number of cases slightly decreased last week from the previous week, the health authority also reported the state's ninth straight week of increasing COVID-19 hospitalizations. As of Thursday, there were just 56 available adult intensive care unit beds available and hospital beds were at 93% capacity. The latest projections from the Oregon Health & Science University shows that while hospitalizations have peaked, the current COVID-19 surge is far from over. The new forecast predicts that hospitals across the state will remain under severe strain for the next two to three months. In addition, the health officials have reported sharp increases in daily deaths associated with COVID-19. Last week there were 176 reported coronavirus-related deaths. This grim trend follows several weeks of record, or near record, daily cases and hospitalizations, Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen said on Wednesday. Oregonians should be prepared to see this tragic toll escalate dramatically in coming days and weeks. But, Allen and other health officials maintain that many of the deaths could have been largely preventable if people were vaccinated. Currently 67% of the states adult population are fully vaccinated. But in some parts of the state seven of Oregon's 36 counties more than 50% of the adult population remain unvaccinated. In an attempt to ramp up vaccination efforts staff and volunteers in K-12 schools, health care workers and state employees in Oregon are required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18. This week some counties have been met with vaccine challenges specifically when it comes to vaccinating law enforcement. Officials from Oregons most populous county Multnomah and Portland announced this week that they are exempting law enforcement from a COVID-19 vaccine order after county officials say a vaccination requirement for local officers is now legally dubious due to new guidance from the state health authority. Under Oregon law, local municipalities can only issue vaccine mandates for police officers if a federal or state rule requires it. Officials in Multnomah County and Portland believed Gov. Kate Browns vaccination mandate issued last month for state healthcare workers covered officers because they receive some medical training. But new guidance from the Oregon Health Authority said law enforcement was probably not subject to the governors orders as providing medical care was likely not a fundamental part of their job. Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury said on Thursday she had no choice but to exempt deputy sheriffs, parole and probation officers as the state has tied our hands. She called on the state to require vaccinations of local law enforcement, which would allow the county to move forward with their own vaccine mandate that encompasses law enforcement. Rudy Owens, a spokesman for the health authority, said on Friday that health officials and Brown are continuing to explore every way we can to increase vaccination rates in Oregon. In addition, on Thursday President Joe Biden announced sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant. The expansive rules mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated. ___ Sara Cline is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Preliminary standardized test scores released Thursday showed an expected drop in student achievement last year after the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted classes. State education officials briefed school board members on the preliminary results from standardized tests students took last spring. The average ACT score for 11th graders in the 2020-21 school year was 17.2, compared to 18.2 the year prior. The percentage of students in second through eighth grades considered proficient in English language arts was under 53% for each grade. The percentage considered proficient in math ranged from 34% of second graders to only 14% of eighth graders. Superintendent Eric Mackey said the drop was expected after schools got our legs knocked out from under us with COVID. Many schools implemented remote learning during portions of the COVID-19 pandemic and in-class learning was also interrupted when students were sent home to quarantine. Last year was a horrible year for teachers. We had students who were in school part of the time. They were out of school part of the time. We had students die. We had teachers die. We had parents to die. It was just a really bad year and the test results are going to show that, Mackey said. Students took a new assessment last year called the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program, complicating comparisons with prior years. However, Mackey said the tests showed a drop in proficiency. The drop was most dramatic in math. More than 40% of eighth-grade students were considered proficient in math in 2018-2019 tests, a number that education officials had expressed concern about. That figure plummeted to 14% last year under the new assessment. The numbers discussed Thursday came from raw unverified data, but Mackey said he did not expect the state scores to change much. District and school level numbers will be available Sept. 27 after schools verify them. Mackey said the state has already implemented a recovery effort with targeted remediation. He said the state saw record participation in summer reading camps as families voluntarily try to make up ground lost to the pandemic. But the superintendent added that he is also concerned about this year after the state has seen a surge in cases that has caused some schools to temporarily close. Public schools reported nearly 9,200 virus cases in students and staff last week. Mackey said he expects well over 10,000 cases to be reported this week. I am very worried about this year at this point, he said. According to the scores discussed Thursday: 43% of second graders were considered proficient in English language arts and 34% were consider proficient in math. 51% of third graders were considered proficient in English language arts and 30% were considered proficient in math. 52% of fourth graders were considered proficient in English language arts and 24% were considered proficient in math. 46% of fifth graders were considered proficient in English language arts and 25% were considered proficient in math. 45% of sixth graders were considered proficient in English language arts and 22% were considered proficient in math. 43% of seventh graders were considered proficient in English language arts and 16% were considered proficient in math. 52% of eighth graders were considered proficient in English language arts and 14% were considered proficient in math. JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) A bill intended to help address staffing concerns at medical facilities failed to win sufficient support in the Alaska Senate Friday after members narrowly adopted vaccine-related provisions some said represented a step back in efforts to protect public health during the pandemic. The bill could be taken up again. Senate President Peter Micciche recessed the floor session shortly after the vote. BUCKEYE, Ariz. (AP) An Arizona prison inmate who was serving a 22 year sentence for second-degree murder has died after he apparently hanged himself in his cell, prison officials announced Thursday. Prison staff found Anthony P. Rinaldi, 36, in his cell at the Lewis Prison southwest of Buckeye on Wednesday. He was unresponsive and was pronounced dead after paramedics took him to a hospital for treatment. PHOENIX (AP) Arizona has sold off $93 million in Unilever bonds and plans to sell the remaining $50 million it has invested in the global consumer products company over subsidiary Ben & Jerry's decision to stop selling its ice cream in Israeli-occupied territories, the latest in a series of actions by states with anti-Israel boycott laws. The investment moves state Treasurer Kimberly Yee announced this week were mandated by a 2019 state law that bars Arizona government agencies from holding investments or doing more than $100,000 in business with any firm that boycotts Israel or its territories. Arizona appears to be the first of 35 states with anti-boycott laws or regulation to have fully divested itself from Unilever following Ben & Jerry's actions. Illinois warned the company in July that it had 90 days after its investment board met to change course or it too would sell. Florida and other states have taken similar action, according to IAC For Action, the policy and legislative arm for the Israeli-American Council. While Ben & Jerry's, which is based in Vermont, is owned by London-based Unilever, it maintains its own independent board, which Unilever said makes its own decision on its social mission. Ben & Jerry's announced on July 19 that maintaining its presence in the occupied territories was inconsistent with our values. Ben & Jerry's decision brought a strong reaction from Israel, which vowed to act aggressively" in response to the move, including by urging U.S. governors to punish the company under anti-boycott laws. Arizona and 34 other states have laws against boycotts of Israel. U.S. groups that support Israel are split on whether pushing back on Unilever for Ben & Jerry's decision is appropriate. The Israeli-American Council urged governors to act through IAC For Action. IAC for Action Director Joseph Sabag called boycotts of Israel antisemitic and said it is important to fight them at the state level. The Israeli American community is sensitive to it, because I would say more than other parts of the Jewish American community, we experienced the national origin aspect of antisemitism in a more pronounced way, Sabag said Friday. "Thats really why were very proactive. Its our children who are being affected by this in the classrooms and are being made fearful and intimidated and to feel harassed. ... Thats definitely what our communitys interest is in the matter.' But the head of J Street, a Washington, D.C.-based pro-Israel organization that backs a two-state solution, supported Ben & Jerrys decision and said punishing the company is gravely dangerous. Its not anti-semitic to criticize Israeli policy or to not sell ice cream in illegal settlements, President Jeremy Ben-Ami tweeted in July. Its actually a truly pro-Israel decision. The anti-boycott laws face court challenges, as Arizona's did after it was first enacted in 2016. A Flagstaff lawyer who contracted to help defend jailed people sued on First Amendment grounds, arguing that the law violated his free speech rights. A U.S. District judge in Arizona blocked enforcement while the case proceeded, but the Legislature changed the law so it only applied to contracts worth more than $100,000, effectively ending the case because it no longer applied to the Flagstaff man. The state was ordered to pay $115,000 for his attorney fees. In Arkansas, the publisher of a weekly newspaper sued to block that state's law on similar grounds. A trial judge dismissed the case, ruling that a boycott of Israel is neither speech nor inherently expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment. But a split three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revived the Arkansas Times' lawsuit in February, finding that supporting or promoting boycotts of Israel is constitutionally protected ... yet the Act requires government contractors to abstain from such constitutionally protected activity. The ruling is not the last word: In June, 8th Circuit judges agreed to hear the case and vacated the three-judge panel's decision. They are set to hear arguments in the case later this month. Both cases were brought by the American Civil Liberties Union. Meanwhile in Arizona, Yee wrote to Unilever's investor relations department on Sept. 2 to tell the company that although Ben & Jerry's is run independently, Arizona law would require her to sell Unilever assets if the decision was not rescinded. I gave Unilever PLC, the parent company of Ben & Jerrys, an ultimatum: reverse the action of Ben & Jerrys or divest itself of Ben & Jerrys to come into compliance with Arizona law or face the consequences," Yee, a Republican who is running for governor, said in a statement. "They chose the latter. Unilever said in an Aug. 2 letter to Deputy Treasurer Mark Swenson that it has never supported boycotts of Israel, commonly called Boycott Divestment Sanctions, or BDS, but that Ben & Jerry's operates independently. The company had no additional comment. The Arizona investments were in bonds and commercial paper held in the state's short-term fixed-income investment fund. The Arizona law enacted in 201 6 and revised in 2019 had broad, bipartisan support and was signed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey. He tweeted that the Ben & Jerry's decision is discrimination. Arizona will not do business with a company that boycotts Israel in 2016 and 2019, I signed bills to make sure of it, the tweet said. Arizona stands with Israel." CHENNA TEKLEHAYMANOT, Ethiopia (AP) The smell of death lingered for days after the killings. The bodies, more than a dozen in the uniforms of fighters, others in civilian clothing, were still scattered on the muddy ground. In a nearby churchyard, many more were already buried at least 59 people killed by forces from Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, residents alleged. Six bodies of priests were laid to rest inside the church itself. In their rush to flee to safer areas of the Amhara region, residents said at times they placed multiple bodies in single graves. At the scene of one of the deadliest battles of Ethiopias 10-month Tigray conflict, witness accounts reflected the increasingly blurred line between combatant and civilian after the federal government weeks ago urged all capable citizens to stop the Tigray forces once and for all. When the Tigray fighters captured the village of Chenna Teklehaymanot in the Amhara region on Aug. 31, shortly after a military division defending the area left for unknown reasons, our (local) defense forces confronted them. Ordinary people here also joined with whatever they could, said 66-year-old Dagnew Hune. He told The Associated Press he witnessed the ensuing killings and helped to bury the dead. About 100 people are still missing, Dagnew said on Thursday, walking past what he said were fresh graves in the churchyard covered with tree branches and stones. Local officials have said as many as 200 people in all may have been killed over several days of fighting, with the worst of it on Sept. 4 in Chenna Teklehaymanot after Ethiopian forces reportedly blocked an attempt by Tigray fighters to seize the city of Gondar. The Tigray forces have since retreated north, residents said, leaving survivors to check the pockets of dead fighters for clues to their identities. And some questioned why the division of Ethiopian soldiers had left them alone, with only local militia and residents to defend them. Since retaking much of their embattled home region from Ethiopian forces in June, the Tigray fighters have brought the war into the country's neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara, where Chenna Teklehaymanot is located. The Tigray forces say they are pressuring Ethiopias government to lift a blockade on Tigray that has left millions of people without telecommunications, electricity, banking services and almost all humanitarian aid. Now a massive humanitarian crisis that already affects millions inside Tigray is spreading as hundreds of thousands of people flee the Tigray fighters, fearing their retaliatory attacks. The Tigray forces have said they are not attacking civilians. But grieving witnesses and survivors in Chenna Teklehaymanot said the Tigray forces arrived demanding food, then killed people who tried to resist when the fighters killed their animals or looted their properties. Many of the innocent civilians here have lost their lives, said local priest Yared Adamu. Holding a cross, he walked inside the damaged church, where bullet casings were scattered on the ground. Spokesman for the Tigray forces Getachew Reda, speaking with the AP on Friday, called allegations that Tigray fighters had targeted civilians in the village absolutely, absolutely false. He accused Amhara regional special forces of forcing civilians to fight, and of course they will be caught in the crossfire. Told that residents had not reported being forced to fight, Getachew replied, Whatever they told you was staged drama. He also denied allegations that the Tigray forces were retreating. Ethiopias widening war, with atrocities reported on all sides, has led to urgent calls by the United Nations, United States and others for an immediate cease-fire and a path to dialogue. But there is little peace in sight. Ethiopias government this year declared the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, which long dominated the national government before Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office, a terrorist group. That designation cant be lifted until a new federal government is formed, likely in early October, his spokeswoman told reporters on Thursday. What began as a political dispute has killed thousands since November. Now in the Amhara region, as in Tigray, some outraged civilians have joined the fight. Resident Kibret Bidere described himself as a member of the Amhara militia called the Fano. He told the AP his sister and her 1-year-old son had been killed, and his father was missing. Even today we are looking for the lost ones from morning to evening, but we havent found any, he said, nursing an injured arm from previous fighting. The villages traditional homes of grass and mud were emptying as residents departed through the mist, searching for safety elsewhere. Many had bundles on their backs. One, a gun propped on his shoulder. Our home was attacked by heavy artillery, said Senait Ambaw, who was leaving with her husband, clutching a chicken. All the people of Chenna have no home now. Its over. In the nearby town of Dabat, Amhara militia riding by on a truck fired their guns skyward in victory. Children ran after them, collecting the bullet casings from the ground. ___ Cara Anna in Nairobi, Kenya contributed. CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australias highest court on Friday agreed to hear a challenge to a police officer using his law enforcement job as a defense against a charge of murdering an Indigenous man. Constable Zachary Rolfe could become the first police officer to be convicted in Australia of unlawfully killing an Indigenous person. Rolfe shot Kumanjayi Walker three times in a bedroom of his family home in the central Australian Indigenous township of Yuendumu during an attempted arrest on Nov. 9, 2019. Walker had stabbed Rolfe with a pair of scissors during a struggle. The murder charge relates to the second and third shots that killed the 19-year-old and that prosecutors allege were unnecessary. Three High Court judges on Friday agreed to hear a challenge by prosecutors to the Northern Territory Supreme Courts interpretation of defenses available to Rolfe. Five Supreme Court judges found that Rolfe could claim immunity from criminal liability under a law that protects police officers acting in good faith in the performance or purported performance of law enforcement duties. The judges ruled that a jury should decide whether Rolfe's actions fitted the criteria of the immunity clause. But prosecutors had argued that that defense should not be available to Rolfe. Body-cam footage allegedly recorded Rolfe explain that he fired the fatal shots to prevent his partner Constable Adam Eberl from being stabbed. Prosecutors argued that because Rolfe was protecting Eberl, he was no longer trying to arrest Walker and was therefore not indemnified by the Northern Territory Police Administration Act. Prosecutor Philip Strickland told the three High Court judges on Friday that if their court did not decide the indemnity question, Rolfe could be acquitted on an incorrect interpretation of the law. In the particular circumstances of this case, the murder of an Indigenous man, ... an acquittal on an incorrect basis should not be tolerated because it can be cured by this court, Strickland said. Justice Jacqueline Gleeson, one of the three judges, said the alleged murder of a young Indigenous man by a police officer was a matter of the gravest community concern. The prosecutors challenge will be heard by five or seven High Court judges at a date yet to be announced. Rolfe, 30, has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. His trial is delayed until after the High Court makes its ruling. He would face a potential sentence of life imprisonment if convicted. He was released on bail when he was charged and lives with his parents in Canberra, the national capital where the High Court is based. Rolfe sat silently with his parents Deb and Richard in the court during Fridays hearing. He has been suspended with pay from the Northern Territory Police Force since he was charged. Walker's death was protested at rallies around Australia that followed the death in custody of George Floyd, a Black man, in the United States last year. Indigenous Australians account for 3% of the population and have poorer health, lower education levels and shorter life expectancies than other ethnic groups. Indigenous adults account for 27% of the prison population. ARCATA, Calif. (AP) Authorities shot and killed a man armed with a gun Thursday in Northern California, two days after another man was shot and wounded after hitting a Sacramento County sheriff's deputy with a rock in a separate incident, authorities said. A 911 call of a person with a gun sent California Highway Patrol and Arcata police officers to an unincorporated area of Humboldt County at around 11 a.m., authorities said. They saw a man in his 30s, wearing a leather jacket and armed with a handgun. During a 15-minute confrontation, the officers tried de-escalation techniques" but the man ignored commands to put down the gun, county Sheriff William F. Honsal said at a news conference. The officers followed the man when he walked off and opened fire after he pulled the gun, which was in a holster, Honsal said. The man was pronounced dead at a hospital, the sheriff said. His name wasn't immediately released. Meanwhile, a Sacramento County sheriff's deputy wounded a 25-year-old man who attacked him Tuesday night after the man allegedly carjacked his grandmother, authorities said. A 72-year-old woman called authorities to report that her grandson had assaulted and carjacked her, leaving her in the street, according to a Sheriff's Office statement. She was taken to a hospital for treatment of a possible broken arm. A few minutes later, authorities received reports that someone had crashed a car into a ditch outside a county home and attacked someone who went to check on the driver. The man tried to enter a locked home, then picked up a large river rock and was walking down the street when a deputy spotted him and ordered him to stop. During a confrontation, the man hit the deputy in the head with a rock, knocking him down, then began fighting with him until the deputy opened fire, the Sheriff's Office said. The man was taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition, the Sheriff's Office said. MONROE, La. (AP) Kathy Spurlock, an award-winning journalist who served as editor of several newspapers in Louisiana and Mississippi, died Friday after a long illness. She died at her home in Monroe, Louisiana, The News-Star reported. She was 67. Spurlock served two stints at the newspaper, including 21 years as its top editor when she retired in 2016. She was a mentor to Barbara Leader, who is now the top Louisiana editor for Gannett, the company that owns The News-Star. Kathy hired me at The News-Star when I had little newspaper experience and her faith in me provided the confidence I needed to grow and succeed, Leader said. She not only supported and encouraged me in my career, but did the same for countless other journalists who are now working around Louisiana and in other states. Long after she retired from The News-Star, she stayed involved in our work. Always a journalist, she sent us news tips through social media, texts and phone calls. She will be greatly missed. Spurlock often said the best part of being a journalist was the ability to make a difference in peoples lives and their communities. Spurlock graduated from Louisiana Tech University and started her career at The News-Star in 1975. She was promoted to various midlevel editor positions at The News-Star and the former Monroe Morning World. In 1982, she became editor of Louisiana Suburban Press in Baker, and moved in 1985 to the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate. In 1989, she returned to Gannett as metro editor of The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi. She came back to Monroe in 1995 as executive editor, adding general manager to her title in 2014. During Spurlocks tenure, the news department was transformed from a once-daily print publication to a digital and print information center. The newspaper was recognized for its investigative reporting, commentary, innovation, economic development, public service and community service work under her leadership. She also was an award-winning writer for editorial commentary and columns. Spurlock served as a past president of the Louisiana/Mississippi Associated Press Media Editors board of directors and chair of the Louisiana Press Associations Freedom of Information Committee and on the national board of the American Society of News Editors. She is survived by her husband, Lindsey Wilkerson, a daughter, Anne Perrone, and two grandchildren. Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Physicians who spread misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine could now have their license to practice medicine suspended or completely revoked, according to a new policy adopted by the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure. The policy, adopted on Sept. 7, says that doctors have an ethical and professional responsibility to practice medicine in the best interest of their patients and share factual and scientifically-grounded information with them. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) The body of a woman was found among the contents of a waste disposal truck at a waste transfer station in Belmont, the New Hampshire attorney general's office said. The body of Jessica Lurvey 28, was found by Belmont police on Thursday and was discovered when contents were being removed and separated" from the truck, the attorney general's office said in a news release Friday. BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) Gov. Doug Burgum said Friday that Joe Bidens directive that large companies require COVID-19 vaccinations is overreach, and he said he's asked North Dakota's attorney general to look at legal options to challenge it. Burgum, a Republican, said the mandate steers our country down a dangerous path away from states rights and the freedom of private businesses to make their own decisions on vaccinations. Biden immediately pushed back at Republican governors on the issue, calling them cavalier with the health of children and communities. Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said he met by teleconference with fellow GOP attorneys general Friday to look at legal options. I'm adamantly pro-vaccination, but I'm also pro-federalism, Stenehjem said. This is federal overreach. Biden's directive would mandate that employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or be tested for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated. North Dakotas Legislature overwhelmingly passed a law this year that was signed by Burgum prohibiting the state from issuing vaccine mandates, unless the vaccine is fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration or during a public health emergency or disaster. The FDA has since given full approval to the Pfizer vaccine. Jim Poolman, a former state lawmaker and state insurance commissioner, now is part owner of three restaurants in Bismarck, West Fargo and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Poolman said the restaurants collectively have more than 100 employees, about half of whom are vaccinated. Im pro-vaccinations. Im vaccinated, my family is vaccinated and most of the management is vaccinated, Poolman said. "But Im also pro letting people decide for themselves. Poolman said the restaurant industry has just begun recovering from shutdowns due to the coronavirus. The industry is having a hard time attracting and retaining employees anyway, and now this comes down the pike, he said. BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Former Colombian soldiers arrested in Haiti in the assassination of President Jovenel Moise have accused local authorities of torture, saying theyve been burned, stabbed and hit in the head with a hammer, among other things. Details of the alleged torture are contained in a Sept. 6 letter addressed to Colombias president and other high-ranking officials as well as the Interamerican Court of Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross. It was signed by the 18 former soldiers arrested in the slaying. Relatives of the soldiers provided a copy of the letter to The Associated Press but asked not to be identified for their safety. In the letter, the soldiers accuse Haitian police officers of shooting at them with powerful weapons when they tried to turn themselves in with their hands raised just hours after Moise was killed at his private home on July 7. We were deceived by people and companies in the United States and Haiti that seek to accuse us of acts for which we are not responsible. Dont let an injustice be committed, they wrote. Several days after the killing, Colombian President Ivan Duque said the majority of the former soldiers arrested were duped and thought they were traveling to Haiti for a legitimate mission to provide protection. He said only a small group of them knew it was a criminal operation. In the letter, the ex-soldiers describe how police tortured and then executed one of their colleagues who was injured after being shot by Haitian officers while trying to turn himself over. He was one of three former Colombian soldiers killed. The letter also accuses police of kicking some ex-soldiers in the testicles and even burned one of them in their groin, allegedly while saying that human rights dont exist in Haiti and that they could do whatever they wanted. The ex-soldiers alleged that other colleagues were thrown against walls, one had his foot burned with hot oil, another was kicked in the mouth and suffers from two broken teeth and that police released at least three of them to a crowd that attacked with machetes or stabbed them. They also accused authorities of keeping all of them handcuffed for 24 days, and that they didnt receive food or water in the first two days after their capture. They wrote that the bathrooms in the cell they were being held at in police headquarters werent working, so feces filled the area and caused their wounds to become infected. The lack of timely medical attention also was denounced by the Colombian Ombudsmans Office, a state entity in charge of ensuring human rights, after a July 26 visit with the ex-soldiers. In its report, the office warned that three of the detainees had considerable injuries and needed specialized medical treatment. Once they were transferred to a penitentiary, the ex-soldiers said there were no bathrooms and no potable water, which they either have to buy or wait for a good Samaritan to bring them some. They noted that they get fed only once a day and that some of the ex-soldiers have lost up to 44 pounds (20 kilograms). The United Nations and other organizations have long denounced prison conditions in Haiti, noting that they are severely overcrowded and that inmates are often ill-treated, sometimes tortured and can spend more than a decade behind bars without going to a single court hearing or being charged with anything. In their letter, the ex-soldiers added they dont have an attorney, dont know what charges they face and that theyre barred from calling their families: We find ourselves completely isolated. The ex-soldiers also said that Haitian authorities already had prepared written statements before interviewing them and ordered them to sign the documents drafted in a language they didn't understand. Torture has been employed as a way to obtain statements, they wrote. The ex-soldiers said one of the main officials overseeing the case was responsible for the torture, calling him a professional in torturing humans. They did not identify him. We thank you in advance for your attention and prompt response to this cry for help and complaints, they wrote. Neither the office of Colombias president nor the foreign ministry immediately returned messages for comment. A spokeswoman for Haitis National Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Haitian authorities have detained more than 40 suspects in the killing of Moise during an attack in which his wife, Martine Moise, was injured. Meanwhile, court clerks investigating the case have gone into hiding after being threatened with death if they didnt change certain names and statements in their reports. In addition, a Haitian judge assigned to oversee the investigation stepped down last month citing personal reasons. He left after one of his assistants died in unclear circumstances. A new judge has been assigned, but the former Colombian soldiers have yet to appear in court. ___ Associated Press writer Danica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico contributed to this report. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A defendant in a North Carolina trial who was shot by a police officer after he scuffled with sheriffs deputies inside a courtroom has died, officials said Friday. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said in a news release that the shooting occurred on Thursday inside the Person County Courthouse in Roxboro after Christopher Thomas Vaughan, 35, tried to take a bailiffs weapon. News outlets report Vaughan had become enraged after he was found guilty of false imprisonment. A report released this week in Arizona's largest county falsely claims to have uncovered some 173,000 lost votes and 96,000 ghost votes in a private door-to-door canvassing effort, supposedly rendering the 2020 election in Maricopa County uncertifiable. But its conclusions aren't supported by any evidence, according to county election officials and outside election experts, who called the report's methods quasi-science" and its findings inaccurate. Still, the 11-page document which is separate from an ongoing partisan audit in the county has been shared widely in conservative media and by Republican politicians, including state Rep. Mark Finchem, who is campaigning to be Arizona's secretary of state the state's top election official. Report author Liz Harris, an unsuccessful Republican legislative candidate and a real estate agent in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, declined to respond to specific questions but said a more comprehensive version of the report would be released soon. Heres a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: An estimated 173,104 missing or lost votes and an estimated 96,389 ghost votes cast by people who didnt appear to live at their voter registration addresses indicate that the 2020 election in Maricopa County included irregularities and is uncertifiable. THE FACTS: The report doesn't provide evidence for these far-fetched claims, and the county's election results have been certified for months. The Grassroots Canvass Report that gained traction on social media on Wednesday weaves a narrative of hundreds of thousands of voting errors in Maricopa County, but it bases those allegations on interactions with a fraction of that number of votes, analyzing data on just 4,570 voters in a handful of voting precincts. Harris claims in the report that these smaller-scale findings can be extrapolated out to the entire county at a scientifically correlated confidence level of 95%, but Stanford University political science professor Justin Grimmer said that's inaccurate. From the description in the report, it is clear that this was not a random sample, Grimmer said. Even if it was random, he said, certain areas were oversampled, and the authors didnt take into account that the people who responded to the canvassers were likely different than those who didnt respond. Their sample simply cannot justify their inference to the entire county, Grimmer said. Harris' initial report offered just one specific example out of nearly 270,000 alleged ballot irregularities. It claimed on the cover that an address in Goodyear, Arizona, was a vacant lot from which voters cast illegal ballots. But that claim was quickly debunked on Twitter by a local ABC15 reporter and county officials. In fact, the address is a legitimate place of residence, according to Maricopa County Assessor Eddie Cook. In 2020, it housed three registered voters who cast general election ballots, according to Megan Gilbertson, spokeswoman for the Maricopa County Elections Department. After the error was pointed out, Harris released a new version of the report with a different example on the cover. But the new example, an allegedly vacant lot in Tempe, Arizona, also wasn't evidence of any foul play. The address is vacant now but used to be a mobile home park, according to Gilbertson. In 2020, one person who cast a mail-in ballot listed it as his permanent address. He requested his ballot be sent to a temporary address elsewhere, which is legal. And there are other concerns to be aware of when it comes to sweeping claims of lost votes and ghost votes, according to Tammy Patrick, a senior adviser at the Democracy Fund and a former Maricopa County elections official. Claims of lost votes or votes cast but never counted are problematic because research shows when people are asked if they voted months later, some will lie and say they did. Voters will over-report their participation in light of social pressure to demonstrate actions that they perceive as socially desirable, Patrick said. Meanwhile, claims of ghost votes or votes cast from addresses where people don't seem to live don't consider the fact that military and overseas voters are legally allowed to vote from their last domiciled address, Patrick said. In an email to the AP, she called the report yet another example of individuals who do not understand elections in Arizona using quasi-science to justify a preconceived position and further set a narrative." Called for comment, Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer said he was happy to address questions about potential errors but that so far, no actual problems have been identified." He said he asked Harris for specific examples of irregularities in March and she never followed up. Harris declined to answer most specific questions about the report, but said the first specific claim about a vacant lot was a typo." She said that she was confident in her findings and that a more comprehensive report would be released soon. Finchem, the secretary of state candidate who shared the report on social media, declined to comment. ___ This is part of APs effort to address widely shared misinformation, including work with outside companies and organizations to add factual context to misleading content that is circulating online. Learn more about fact-checking at AP. WESTPORT, Conn. (AP) Margaret Eckert lost her brother-in-law, Sean Rooney, on Sept. 11, 2001. She lost her sister, Beverly, eight years later in a plane crash as she flew to Buffalo, New York, to present a memorial scholarship in her husband's honor. Eckert was among the family members who spoke Thursday at Connecticut's annual ceremony honoring Rooney, of Stamford, and the other 160 people with Connecticut ties who died in the terrorist attacks. Eckert said that while she feels a double loss from that tragedy, what she remembers most 20 years later, is the kindness of others and a feeling of unity in the country without regard to political affiliation. For all the horror of the day, people pulled together to support each other," she said. My own neighbors in Massachusetts and my adopted neighbors in Stamford reached out with casseroles and kind words. We smiled at strangers. It was a theme reflected more than once during the ceremony at the state's memorial site on Sherwood Island State Park. Gov. Ned Lamont told those gathered that he remembers not only Sept. 11, but also the day after. I remember the silence, he said. There were no planes, no noise, no nothing. It was so quiet. And I remember the world, very briefly, just being as one. Just the little acts of kindness as we looked out for each other, and felt the pain of those who had lost, reaching out for maybe somebody alone and what we could do. After the speeches, as has happened each year since the memorial was dedicated in 2002, family members and friends read the 161 names aloud. They then walked to the 9-foot granite monument that overlooks Long Island Sound. It was a spot where on a clear day 20 years ago, people gathered and watched the smoke rising from lower Manhattan. AUBURN, Maine (AP) An infant whose father is charged with her murder suffered injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome, a prosecutor said Friday. The 2-month-old victim had a skull fracture and hemorrhaging, said Assistant Attorney General Lisa Bogue, who described the infant's death as a very violent event. The Food and Drug Administrations vaccine chief said Friday the agency will rapidly evaluate COVID-19 vaccinations for younger children as soon as it gets the needed data and won't cut corners. Dr. Peter Marks told The Associated Press he is very, very hopeful that vaccinations for 5- to 11-year-olds will be underway by years end. Maybe sooner: One company, Pfizer, is expected to turn over its study results by the end of September, and Marks say the agency hopefully could analyze them in a matter of weeks. In the U.S., anyone 12 and older is eligible for COVID-19 vaccines. But with schools reopening and the delta variant causing more infections among kids, many parents are anxiously wondering when younger children can get the shots. Pfizers German partner BioNTech told weekly Der Spiegel Friday that it was on track in the coming weeks to seek approval of the companies' COVID-19 vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds. Moderna, which makes a second U.S. vaccine, told investors this week to expect its data on that age group by years end. Both companies also are testing their vaccines down to age 6 months, but those results will come later. FDAs Marks spoke with the AP Friday about the steps involved in clearing pediatric vaccines. The conversation has been edited for clarity and length. Q: Many parents had hoped for vaccines for children under 12 by the time schools reopened. Why is it taking so long? A: Before you can actually approve something in an age range, you actually have to study in that age range. ... Children under the age of 12, theyre not little adults, theyre not. And so one does actually have to study this and even change perhaps the dose thats being given and in fact, thats had to happen, change the dose. We have to then be able to look at the data at FDA when it gets submitted to us. Well look at it very rapidly and feel confident that when we that weve looked through the data that these are going to be safe and effective and that we can reassure parents that the benefits of their child getting one of these vaccines certainly outweighs any risks. Q: The American Academy of Pediatrics cited delta's growing threat to children in urging a faster decision, after FDA requested expanded child studies. Why does FDA want that extra data? A: Im not sure that theres much disagreement. We clearly want to see children in the age range 5 to 11 vaccinated as soon as possible. But the difference between the smaller dataset and the larger dataset is not very much in terms of time, because there were enough willing participants here parents who were very interested in having their 5- to 11-year-olds vaccinated that it didnt take that much longer. Well be able to give people I think a much better sense that these vaccines are indeed safe and effective for their children. Q: Could 5- to 11-year-olds be vaccinated by the end of the year? A: I am very hopeful in that regard. Very, very hopeful in that regard. Q: How fast can FDA act once the companies submit their data? A: Pfizer made a public statement that they intended to give us their data by the end of September. ... Were going to do a thorough job on that as quickly as we can so that at the end of the day, hopefully within a matter of weeks rather than a matter of months, well be able to come to some conclusion -- again, barring some finding that were not expecting. Q: How will the trials show effectiveness for kids? A: In the 12- to 15-year-olds, we saw an immune response that was actually as good or better in this case, it was for the Pfizer vaccine it was actually better than in 16 and up. And so wed want to see something similar to that. Q: Will the trials give information about very rare side effects like the heart inflammation sometimes seen in teens and young adults? A: Well know at least that its not ... happening at some much higher rate in younger children. That we can rule out. And well also make sure that there arent any other side effects that we havent seen in the older age range. Q: Two of FDAs top vaccine reviewers recently announced theyre leaving. The agency also is evaluating booster shots for adults. Is that making a child vaccination decision more difficult? A: Im not worried that were going to suffer any delays because of that. ... We will be parallel processing. Q: There are reports that some parents are seeking adult vaccines for their kids. Whats your advice? A: My strongest advice is please dont do that. Please let us do the evaluation that we need to do to ensure that when you do vaccinate your child, you vaccinate the child with the right dose and in a manner thats safe. If you want to do something now for your child, make sure that youre vaccinated, that your household is vaccinated, that all the people that come in contact with your children are vaccinated and that your child knows how to wear a mask. ___ 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. The new federal vaccine requirement announced by President Joe Biden has created another worry for large businesses: With help wanted signs up almost everywhere, some could lose valuable employees or won't be able to find new ones. Biden announced sweeping new orders Thursday that will require employers with more than 100 workers to mandate vaccinations against COVID-19 or offer weekly testing. The new rules could affect as many as 100 million Americans, although it's not clear how many of those people are currently unvaccinated. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moodys Analytics, says the vaccine mandate could go a long way to boost the economy. The evidence across countries is that more vaccinations means fewer infections, hospitalizations and deaths, which in turn means a stronger economy, he said. But even those who favor Biden's decision as a way to stop the coronavirus from spreading further are afraid that vaccination-averse workers will quit, or job seekers won't apply for their openings. Some workers may also switch to smaller companies where shots in the arm arent required. In a tight marketplace, it's very difficult to find employees, much less to keep our current employees, said Jonathan Chariff, CEO of South Motors, a group of 12 auto dealerships in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area with more than 1,100 workers. It's easy for them to go and find another job elsewhere. To be sure, the mandate could make some employees more comfortable working with others in tight spaces. Indeed, Chariff said his company supports Biden's move and wants to make sure all workers are vaccinated to keep them safe, especially after two employees died from the virus. However, the company decided against requiring them because of the labor shortage. Right now, Chariff has 80 to 100 openings. Karl Wadensten, CEO of Richmond, Rhode Island-based VIBCO Vibrators, was an early adopter of masks, weekly virus testing and temperature checks at his manufacturing business and has encouraged vaccinations, but fears hed lose employees if he forced them to get the jab. Wadensten, whose company makes industrial vibrators used in dump trucks and other applications, said Friday he is waiting for more clarity about what the Biden orders will mean for his business, which has a small number of government contracts. His workforce has been hovering just above and below 100 employees, of whom about 85% are vaccinated. For that other 15%, it would be detrimental to their beliefs and values that they have, he said. Conversely, smaller companies see being exempt as an advantage. Like other businesses, Alan Dietrich, CEO of Crater Lake Spirits in Bend, Oregon, is facing staff shortages. He has a 36 workers, with an immediate need for two or three more. Being left out of the mandate is helpful for hiring, he said. We are still finding that a small but meaningful number of people in our area are vaccine hesitant, and staffing is so tough that even one person is significant to us. On the other hand, he said, the business is more susceptible to slowdowns or shutdowns due to positive tests. But a statewide mask mandate in Oregon definitely helps keep our staff safer, he said. The Associated Press reached out to a wide range of companies since Thursdays announcement. Many, like General Motors and Ford, said they favor vaccines but were analyzing the executive order. Others noted that they already require vaccinations. Walmart, the nations largest private employer, was one of the first major companies to mandate vaccines for workers at its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, and its managers who travel within the U.S. must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. But it excluded front-line workers such as cashiers, who according to the company have a lower vaccination rate than management. The tech industry has largely been at the forefront of vaccine requirements, making the sector in general a likely supporter of Bidens policy on the issue. In late July, Google became one of the first major U.S. employers to decide all its workers needed to be vaccinated before returning to the office. Facebook quickly adopted a similar policy a few hours after Google took its hard stand on vaccines. Angela B. Cornell, a clinical professor at Cornell Law School who focuses on labor law, said the mandates are a positive step for businesses. This shift will make it a lot easier for employers to push those individuals who have been on the fence or who have been opposed, she said. Companies wont have to worry about being sued, since its a government mandate and not one from the employer, she said. Per Bidens order, the millions who work as employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government wont have the option to get tested instead of taking the vaccine. The order also requires large companies to provide paid time off for vaccination. Those who dont work for federal contractors and are afraid of the vaccine can choose weekly testing instead, but many people who are simply hesitant are more likely to get immunized, said Dorit Reiss, a professor at the University of California Hastings College of the Law who has studied vaccine mandates for nearly a decade. The testing is sufficiently burdensome that most of them would prefer just to be vaccinated, she said. Half of American workers favor of vaccine requirements at their workplaces, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Such mandates have already been gaining traction following the Food and Drug Administrations full approval of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are available under emergency authorization, but haven't been formally approved. Cole Stevenson, an assembly line worker at Ford's pickup truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan, said the requirement is a huge overreach by the government. He hasn't been vaccinated and is concerned that the vaccines were released before being properly tested. They just havent done as much as they should have to be putting it into people now, said Stevenson, who plans to get tested weekly rather than get vaccinated. I just dont trust it. The COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the U.S. have in fact been proven safe and remarkably effective against the worst outcomes of the disease in studies of tens of thousands of people and in following their real-world performance. More than 177 million Americans are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but confirmed cases of the virus have shot up in recent weeks. Theyve now reached an average of about 140,000 cases per day. On average, about 1,000 Americans die from the virus daily, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 650,000 Americans have died from the virus since January of 2020, according to Johns Hopkins University. Britton Durbin, a utility worker in Dunnellon, Florida, who is vaccinated, said mandates are needed to make sure workers are safe and the power company he works for can operate without being interrupted by people getting sick. His company hasnt mandated vaccines yet, but has encouraged them. In the last couple of months, three colleagues have died of COVID-19. When I know my co-workers are vaccinated, its reassuring, said Durbin, 32. Theres less of a chance of them getting sick or passing on. ____ Associated Press Writers Anne D'Innocenzio, Joseph Pisani and Mae Anderson in New York, Zeke Miller and Paul Wiseman in Washington, D.C., Michael Liedtke in San Ramon, California, David Koenig in Dallas, Matt O'Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, and Alex Veiga in Los Angeles contributed to this story. BANGKOK (AP) Fifteen to 20 villagers, including several teenagers, have been killed in some of Myanmars deadliest fighting since July between government troops and resistance forces, a villager and reports by independent media said Friday. The fighting near Gangaw township in the northwestern Magway region started on Thursday, two days after a call for a nationwide uprising was issued by the National Unity Government, a opposition organization that seeks to coordinate resistance to military rule. The fighting broke out when more than 100 troops arrived in four military vehicles to secure the area in Myin Thar and five other nearby villages, a resident told The Associated Press by phone. Members of a lightly armed village self-defense militia fired warning shots but could not stop the soldiers from entering the area and clashes continued after that, said the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity to safeguard his personal security. The opposition movement that rose against the armys February seizure of power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi was initially peaceful, but gradually began fighting back after security forces used deadly force to break up nonviolent protests. The National Unity Government's call on Tuesday for a peoples defensive war has received an enthusiastic response on social media, but its actual impact on the ground is hard to measure. Media sympathetic to the opposition reported an outburst of small-scale shootings and sabotage by the resistance, particularly the toppling of cell phone transmission towers. But similar activities have been happening for several months and details are difficult to independently verify. The villager who described the new fighting said at least 11 members of the self-defense group were killed, according to what others in his village told him. Photos of what were described to be their bodies circulated widely Friday on the internet, and were clear enough to be identifiable to those familiar with them. We only have handmade guns and percussion lock firearms, the villager said. When it rained, the guns became useless. There are many casualties due to the imbalance in weapons. Myanmar's government troops are well-equipped with modern weapons and have access to air and artillery support. The villager said other residents told him that most members of the villages defense force are youths and that five of those killed were 9th- and 10th-grade students. A middle-school teacher was also said to have been killed, the villager said. Members of the more than 2,000 households in the area had fled to the jungle, he added, while soldiers camped in abandoned homes and at the local Buddhist monastery. Four more people were confirmed dead after fighting broke out again Friday morning, he said, and an unknown number of houses were burned. Reports by independent media put the death toll among the villagers at 20 or more. Khit Thit Media, an online news service, said it was told by villagers that the dead included seven non-combatants in addition to the militants. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an independent organization that keeps detailed tallies of people killed or detained by the military government, there have been 1,058 activists and bystanders killed since Februarys army takeover. The government this week claimed resistance forces have been responsible for the deaths of 933 people, reported Popular News, citing Deputy Home Minister Gen. Soe Tint Naing. In a Thursday briefing for foreign diplomats also attended by the news service, Soe Tint Naing said those killed included security personnel, civil servants and people believed by the resistance to be government informers. In the ghastly rubble of Ground Zero's fallen towers 20 years ago, Hour Zero arrived, a chance to start anew. World affairs reordered abruptly on that morning of blue skies, black ash, fire and death. In Iran, chants of death to America quickly gave way to candlelight vigils to mourn the American dead. Vladimir Putin weighed in with substantive help as the U.S. prepared to go to war in Russia's region of influence. Libyas Moammar Gadhafi, a murderous dictator with a poetic streak, spoke of the human duty" to be with Americans after "these horrifying and awesome events, which are bound to awaken human conscience. From the first terrible moments, America's longstanding allies were joined by longtime enemies in that singularly galvanizing instant. No nation with global standing was cheering the stateless terrorists. How rare is that? Too rare to last, it turned out. Civilizations have their allegories for rebirth in times of devastation. A global favorite is that of the phoenix, a magical and magnificent bird, rising from ashes. In the hellscape of Germany at the end of World War II, the concept of Hour Zero, or Stunde Null, offered the opportunity to start anew. For the U.S., the zero hour of Sept. 11, 2001, meant a chance to reshape its place in the post-Cold War world from a high perch of influence and goodwill. This was only a decade after the Soviet Union's collapse left America with both the moral authority and the military and financial muscle to be unquestionably the lone superpower. Those advantages were soon squandered. Instead of a new order, 9/11 fueled 20 years of war abroad. In the U.S., it gave rise to the angry, aggrieved, self-proclaimed patriot, and heightened surveillance and suspicion in the name of common defense. It opened an era of deference to the armed forces as lawmakers pulled back on oversight as presidents gave primacy to the military over law enforcement in counterterrorism. It sparked anti-immigrant sentiment, primarily directed at Muslim countries, that lingers today. What most nations agreed was a war of necessity in Afghanistan was followed two years later by a war of choice as the U.S. invaded Iraq on false claims that Saddam Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction. Thus opened the deep, deadly mineshaft of forever wars." Convulsions ran through the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy long a force for ballast gave way to a head-snapping change from Bush to Obama to Trump. Trust in America's leadership and reliability waned. Other parts of the world were not immune. Far-right populist movements coursed through Europe. Britain voted to break away from the European Union. China steadily ascended in the global pecking order. Now, President Joe Biden is trying to restore trust, but there is no easy path. He is ending war, but what comes next? In Afghanistan in August, the Taliban seized control with menacing swiftness as the Afghan government and security forces that the U.S. and its allies had spent two decades trying to build collapsed. No steady hand was evident from the U.S. in the disorganized evacuation of Afghans desperately trying to flee the country. In the United States, the 2001 attacks had set loose a bloodlust cry for revenge. A swath of American society embraced the binary outlook articulated by Bush Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists" and has never let go of it. Factionalism hardened, in school board fights, on Facebook posts, and in national politics, so that opposing views were treated as propaganda from mortal enemies. The concept of enemy also evolved, to include immigrants as well as terrorists. The patriot under threat became a personal and political identity. Trump would harness it to help him win the presidency. For the U.S., the presidencies since Bushs wars have been marked by an effort to pull back the military from the conflicts of the Middle East and Central Asia. The perception of a U.S. retreat has allowed Russia and China to gain influence in the regions and left U.S. allies struggling to understand Washingtons place in the world. The notion that 9/11 would create an enduring unity of interest to combat terrorism collided with rising nationalism and a U.S. president, Trump, who spoke disdainfully of the NATO allies that in 2001 had rallied to Americas cause. To be sure, the succession of U.S. presidents since 9/11 scored important achievements in shoring up security, and so far U.S. territory has remained safe from more international terrorism anywhere on the scale of that Sept. 11. Globally, U.S.-led forces weakened al-Qaida, which has failed to launch a major attack on the West since 2005. The Iraq invasion rid the world of a murderous dictator in Saddam. Yet deadly chaos soon followed his overthrow. The Bush administration, in its nation-building haste, had failed to plan for keeping order, leaving Islamist extremists and rival militias to fight for dominance. Today, the legacies of 9/11 ripple both in obvious and unusual ways. Most directly, millions of people in the U.S. and Europe go about their public business under the constant gaze of security cameras while other surveillance tools scoop up private communications. The government layered post-9/11 bureaucracies on to law enforcement to support the expansive security apparatus. Militarization is more evident now, from large cities to small towns that now own military vehicles and weapons that seem well out of proportion to any terrorist threat. Government offices have become fortifications; airports a security maze. But as profound an event as 9/11 was, its effect on how the world has been ordered was temporary and largely undone by domestic political forces, a global economic downturn and now a lethal pandemic. The awakening of human conscience predicted by Gadhafi didnt last. Gadhafi didnt last. Osama bin Laden has been dead for a decade. Saddam was hanged in 2006. The forever wars now are over or ending. The days of Russia tactically enabling the U.S., and China not standing in the way, petered out. Only the phoenix lasts. ___ Rising reported from Bangkok; Knickmeyer and Woodward from Washington. AP National Security Writer Robert Burns contributed to this report. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Republicans in Pennsylvanias state Senate are pushing forward what the GOP calls a forensic investigation of last years presidential election, scheduling a Senate committee meeting for next Wednesday to vote on subpoenas. It is another sign that Pennsylvania Republicans will follow in the footsteps of Arizonas Senate GOP, whose widely discredited and partisan election audit began with subpoenas in search of fraud to legitimize former President Donald Trump's baseless conspiracy theories that the election was rigged against him. The newly scheduled meeting came after the top Republican in the chamber, President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, said Friday that he wants to issue subpoenas for information and testimony from top state election officials and the states voter registration system. In his statement, Corman also said the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee which plans to meet Wednesday should take other steps necessary to get access to ballots and other voting materials to begin a full forensic audit of the 2020 General Election." In its online agenda, the Republican-controlled committee said it will meet to consider a motion to authorize the issuance of subpoenas, but did not give further details. Democrats have vowed to fight any subpoenas in court, and say the Republicans' aim to get a hold of ballots would violate a voters constitutional right to keep their voting choices a secret. Election officials from Democratic Gov. Tom Wolfs administration declined to testify before the committee Thursday. The GOP's taxpayer-funded undertaking comes as Trump continues to press battleground states where he lost to investigate the election. Trumps false claims of a stolen election have been debunked by the courts, his own Justice Department and scores of recounts. Corman and fellow Republicans also have repeatedly distorted the actions of judges and state officials leading up to last years election, perpetuating the idea that Democrats cheated. Arizona's so-called audit, funded mostly by Trump allies, continues to drag on and does not remotely resemble any kind of audit that is accepted by the election administration community. The undertaking in Pennsylvania could cost millions of dollars, and Republicans have yet to answer major questions about how it will work, who will work on it or where a potentially vast amount of documents and equipment will be stored. Democrats have sharply criticized it, saying the Republicans' sham audit or fraudit is a stunt to erode the legitimacy of President Joe Bidens victory and an extension of a national campaign to attack voting rights. Biden beat Trump in Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes, according to certified results. The state senator who is chairing the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee at Corman's behest is Sen. Cris Dush, who visited the Arizona audit and vowed to bring it to Pennsylvania. Dush, R-Jefferson, was also one of 64 Republicans in Pennsylvanias Legislature who signed a statement last December urging members of Congress to block Pennsylvanias electoral votes from being cast for Biden, despite no evidence of widespread fraud in the election. Democrats say the ultimate goal of the Republicans undertaking is to undermine access to voting and eliminate Pennsylvanias mail-in voting law. Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Allegheny, said the Republican quest to get ballots is shocking and a blatant disregard of a voters constitutional right that their ballot is secret. Costa also said it contradicts statements by Republicans that the aim of the forensic investigation is to find and fix election problems, not to rehash last years election. Cormans office responded Friday to Costas statements about ballot privacy by saying that nothing that has been announced as part of this investigation has the potential to jeopardize ballot secrecy whatsoever. Last month, Corman seemed to stand behind thoroughly discredited conspiracy theories about a plot to tip the election by casting ballots for dead voters. He told a pro-Trump online broadcast host that any ballots received by the committee would be compared to voter rolls so we can match them up to see who voted, where were they living, were they alive. ___ Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/timelywriter. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed two bills on Friday that would have limited how public school teachers can discuss certain racial concepts and raised penalties on those who engage in violent protests. The vetoed education bill was part of a national effort by Republicans in more than two dozen states to combat views they associated with critical race theory, a framework legal scholars developed in the 1970s and 1980s that centers on the belief that racism is systemic in the nations institutions and maintains the dominance of whites in society. GOP lawmakers across the country have used critical race theory and indoctrination as catchall phrases to describe racial concepts they find objectionable, including white privilege, systemic inequality and inherent bias. Republican governors in eight states have signed bills or budgets into law banning the teaching of critical race theory in K-12 schools or limiting how teachers can discuss racism and sexism. North Carolina's bill would have prevented educators from compelling students to personally adopt any of 13 beliefs, and it was the focus of heated debate in the legislature. Cooper said Friday that the measure would have inserted politics into education. The legislature should be focused on supporting teachers, helping students recover lost learning, and investing in our public schools. Instead, this bill pushes calculated, conspiracy-laden politics into public education, he said in a news release announcing the veto. Top Republican lawmakers in North Carolina said House Bill 324 sought to reveal questionable classroom activities and respond to parents' frustrations over how teachers and school districts operate. But Republicans, who did not appear to have sufficient votes to override the Democratic governors veto, have not identified a single case of alleged indoctrination that the North Carolina measure would have prevented. State Senate leader Phil Berger, a Republican, issued a statement Friday decrying Cooper's move. Its perplexing that Gov. Cooper would veto a bill that affirms the public school systems role to teach students the full truth about our states sometimes ugly past," he said. The other vetoed measure would have allowed business owners to sue individuals who damaged their property for three times the actual damages they incurred, charged those who assault emergency responders with a more serious felony, even if nobody was physically injured, and jail those charged with rioting or looting for up to 48 hours without bond. While Republicans believed the measure would hold rioters and looters accountable and better keep the public and law enforcement safe, Democrats and civil rights groups thought the punishments outlined in the bill were excessive and could deter people from taking to the streets to exercise their constitutional rights to free speech and assembly. Cooper said Friday that people who commit crimes during riots should be prosecuted under existing laws and that the legislation was unnecessary. The governor signed nine other bills, including measures meant to improve the rights of foster parents and protect the rights of pregnant women who are incarcerated. ___ Follow Anderson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BryanRAnderson. ___ Anderson is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. HONOLULU (AP) Hawaii Gov. David Ige is requiring government contractors and visitors to state facilities to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Ige issued an executive order Thursday that takes effect Monday, the Honolulu-Star Advertiser reported. The looming recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom has revealed something of a paradox among Californians: We hold dear our ability to recall elected leaders from office but believe the process by which we do so to be deeply flawed. In recent weeks, there have been a growing number of calls to reform the states recall laws, as well as a (now dismissed) lawsuit that claimed the upcoming election was unconstitutional. As of July, two-thirds of Californians thought the process was ripe for change, according to a poll by the Public Policy Institute of California. Recalls in California are, frankly, confusing. In this election, some voters are unsure if they can vote on both questions on the ballot. Many are mystified as to how someone who wins as few as 10% of the votes could walk away the leader of 40 million people. Its not a healthy structure, Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles, told me. Im hoping after this one is over that were all going to sit down and say, Theres got to be some better rules. But, as with so many things, it is easier said than done. The core components of Californias recall process are laid out in the state constitution, where our right to a recall was enshrined in 1911. And amending the constitution is a difficult, two-step process. First, the state Legislature would have to pass the proposed amendment with two-thirds support in each house. (Alternatively, voters could collect close to 1 million signatures in support although experts say this route is less likely.) Then, the amendment would appear on a statewide ballot, where it would require a simple majority to become law. The big items that have people in a twist those things are all in the constitution, Matt Coles, a law professor at the University of California, Hastings, told me. There are some less fundamental changes that could be approved by the Legislature without needing voter approval, such as a ban on paid signature gathering. But the most common ideas Ive heard would require constitutional amendments. Ive laid some of them out below: More signatures to qualify for the ballot To get a recall on the ballot, the California Constitution requires that supporters collect signatures equal to 12% of the total votes cast in the previous election for governor. That is among the lowest thresholds in the nation and part of why California is the unofficial recall capital of America, experts say. In 2020 alone, at least 14 governors nationwide faced recall efforts, but only Californias attempt proceeded to a ballot, The New York Times editorial board wrote Thursday, saying that was due in part to those other states higher thresholds. In the poll by the Public Policy Institute of California, more than half of Californians supported raising the threshold to 25%, a common level set by other states. State Sen. Josh Newman, a Democrat of Fullerton who was recalled in 2018, told me he planned to introduce legislation next year that would raise the bar to 20%. Limiting recalls to illegal or unethical activity Currently, an elected official in California may be recalled for any reason, a provision explicitly stated in the constitution. But 60% of Californians support rules that allow recalls only for illegal or unethical activity, according to the recent poll. Replacing the recalled governor with the lieutenant governor In some states, such as Oregon and Michigan, a governor who is recalled by voters is automatically replaced by the lieutenant governor. But in California, as well as most of the 19 states that allow recalls of state officials, the choice is left in the hands of the voters. Newman told me he planned to propose a constitutional amendment early next year to change that, which would eliminate the replacement question on the ballot. Thats what creates this incentive to stage a recall election, he said. Somebody could squeak through with a very small plurality. State Sen. Ben Allen, a Santa Monica Democrat, has proposed a different fix. He has introduced a constitutional amendment that would allow a politician facing a recall to also run as a replacement candidate. Others have suggested holding the replacement election on a separate day from the recall election. Having a runoff between the top two replacement candidates has also been floated. All these changes, again, would require rewriting the states constitution. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. (AP) A judge has ordered a suburban Kansas City restaurant to close temporarily because the owner repeatedly refused to follow a mask mandate. Jackson County Judge James Kanatazar on Friday granted the county's request for a temporary restraining order against Rae's Cafe in Blue Springs. The county also filed a motion seeking to permanently prevent the owner from operating in violation of the health order. Before the judge's ruling, Jackson County health officials and sheriff's deputies served the cafe owner, Amanda Wohletz, with an order to close because the mask mandate was being ignored. But the business continued to operate Friday morning. Raes Cafe's food permit was suspended last week. The owner then reopened as a private club, which charges customers $1 to join and prohibits masks. Jackson County said in a statement it would take the necessary steps to ensure the health order is enforced. Wohletz has said she and all her workers are medically exempt from the mask mandate but has not explained what medical conditions they have, The Kansas City Star reported. The county said Rae's Cafe is the first business it has tried to close for not following county requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Indianas constitution gives the Legislature full authority to meet whenever it wants, a top state lawyer argued Friday in a bid to squash Gov. Eric Holcombs lawsuit challenging the increased power state legislators gave themselves to intervene during public health emergencies. Holcomb contends that the law passed this spring despite his veto violates the constitution by giving legislative leaders the authority to call lawmakers into an emergency session when the governor has declared a statewide emergency. Republican legislators advanced the law following criticism from conservatives over a statewide mask mandate and other COVID-19 restrictions that Holcomb imposed by executive order. Holcomb's lawsuit, now being weighed by a Marion County judge, has divided Indianas Republican hierarchy as he maintains the constitution permits only the governor to call the General Assembly into special session after its annual session ends. Republican state Attorney General Todd Rokita has sided with legislators and unsuccessfully argued that courts shouldnt consider Holcombs lawsuit. On Friday, state Solicitor General Thomas Fisher, a top Rokita deputy, pointed the judge to state constitution language stating The length and frequency of the sessions of the General Assembly shall be fixed by law. Fisher argued that a 1970 constitutional amendment allowing the Legislature to meet each year gave lawmakers maximum flexibility on deciding when to meet, and that legislators could pass a law setting meeting times outside their current annual sessions that begin in early January and adjourn by the end of April. The governors lawsuit seeks to prevent the Legislature from doing in summer and fall what it can do in winter and spring and prevent lawmakers from representing their constituents in response to statewide emergencies, Fisher said. The Legislature has the existing authority to terminate emergency orders issued by the governor with a simple majority vote. Numerous Republican lawmakers sponsored such resolutions during this years session, but legislative leaders didnt advance any of them for votes before the regular legislative session ended in April. Richard Blaiklock, one of the private lawyers representing Holcomb, said the constitution gives authority only to the governor to call the Legislature into a special session. He argued legislators were trying to make an end run around the constitution with the emergency session law. It acts, it looks, it walks like a special session, Blaiklock said. It is a special session by another name. Holcomb has said he's worried that any action taken by the Legislature under the new law could be challenged as illegal and lead to significant uncertainty during a time of emergency. Blaiklock said if legislators want the authority to meet at any time, then they should seek to amend the state constitution rather than set up an illegitimate session. For whatever reason, they decided not to follow that process and went the wrong way, Blaiklock said. Marion County Judge Patrick Dietrick gave both sides 10 days to submit more court documents before he makes a decision. Legal experts anticipate the dispute will ultimately be decided by the state Supreme Court. WASHINGTON - Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is criticizing the high court's refusal to block a Texas abortion statute that bans the procedure as early as six weeks into pregnancy, allowing the red state to implement the strictest antiabortion law in the nation. In an interview with NPR, the 83-year-old justice appointed by President Bill Clinton said the Supreme Court's unsigned opinion last Wednesday "was very, very, very wrong - I'll add one more very." In a 5-to-4 decision, the court's most consistent conservatives - Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, plus President Donald Trump's nominees to the court Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett - said they would let the Texas law stand ahead of lower court battles over whether it is constitutional. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court's three liberals, including Breyer, who argued against keeping the law from being implemented as it plays out in court. The law allows private citizens to take legal action against anyone who helps a woman terminate her pregnancy - setting a $10,000 award to be paid by the defendant for any successful lawsuit to stop an abortion. "We thought that, that particular case should not be decided just on an emergency basis," Breyer said in the interview, "but it's a procedural matter and so we'll see what happens in that area when we get a substantive matter in front of us." The court's move drew sharp criticism from President Joe Biden who said the court's action "unleashes unconstitutional chaos." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., pledged to call a vote on legislation that would enshrine a woman's right to an abortion into federal law. Abortion providers say the ban effectively eliminates the guarantee in Roe v. Wade and subsequent Supreme Court decisions that women have a right to end their pregnancies before viability, and that states may not impose undue burdens on that decision. The Texas law is novel for incentivizing private citizens to police abortions. It empowers anyone living in the state of Texas to sue an abortion provider or anyone else they suspect is "aiding and abetting" abortions after the six-week mark. Those opposing the law say this may be far-ranging and could include the abortion provider, to anyone who drove, counseled or referred a woman for an abortion. In recent years, Republican-led states have passed a wave of restrictive abortion laws. Two states this year - Montana and New Hampshire - have banned abortion after 12 weeks, and 17 others tried. The Texas law took effect Sept. 1, effectively ending most abortions in the nation's second-most-populous state. There are also currently no exceptions to the six-week rule for victims of rape, sexual abuse or incest. Last week, the Justice Department sued Texas, declaring the law unconstitutional and asked for an injunction blocking its enforcement. At a news conference, Attorney General Merrick Garland said he was committed to explore legal avenues to challenge the ban. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas hospitals will receive $50 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds for extra pay for nurses to keep them on the job but will be required to report monthly on how many nurses theyve lost and why under a plan a state task force approved Friday. Kansas law required a bipartisan pandemic response task force to spell out how the $50 million would be spent, and the task force added the reporting requirement. The task forces meeting came a day after President Joe Biden imposed new vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans. Republican officials in Kansas and across the nation strongly criticized Bidens mandate. Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican and a task force member, proposed the reporting on nurses who've been terminated. He called Biden's new federal vaccine requirements dictatorial edicts. We've had frontline workers I mean, you can call them heroes on the front lines for the last year and a half, Masterson said. He also said he worries that "We're gonna get some of them premium pay and we are going to give some others a pink slip. Earlier in the week, Masterson proposed to make hospitals with vaccine mandates ineligible for retention incentives, a proposal that failed on a 5-2 vote. The task force also added requirements for hospitals to report monthly on their turnover rates among nurses. The change was requested by Jon Rolph, a Wichita restaurant company CEO that Kelly appointed to the panel. The retention incentives are capped at $13 an hour and $25,000 a year to comply with federal requirements. The program will last six months. Meanwhile, Attorney General Derek Schmidt signaled that he's likely to join other Republican state officials in challenging Biden's new vaccine requirements. Schmidt issued a statement saying that no president has the authority to issue the mandate that Biden did Thursday. The Democratic president's requirements affect federal government workers and contractors, health care workers and employees of companies with 100 or more workers. Private employers would have to get their employees vaccinated or tested weekly. Republican governors in Montana and Wyoming as well as Oklahoma's GOP attorney general have all vowed to fight the mandate. In Missouri, Republican Gov. Mike Parson is considering calling a special session of the Legislature to challenge it. Schmidt said: If the presidents overreaching rhetoric becomes federal action, then rest assured we will vigorously challenge it. Republicans in the state's congressional delegation also promised to fight the mandates. In a tweet, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall called it a terrifying glimpse of the new Marxist Dem Party. Kansas Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Alan Cobb said employers be allowed to decide whether to require vaccinations for their workers and neither states nor the federal government should either require vaccinations or prohibit vaccine mandates from employers. The only Kansas Democrat in Congress, Kansas City-area Rep. Sharice Davids, avoided directly endorsing or criticizing Biden's actions, tweeting that listening to scientists would allow the U.S. to put this pandemic behind us. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly also avoided a public position for now. Spokesperson Sam Coleman said her office is seeking more guidance from the federal government and Kelly will make decisions "based on science, not politics. The more contagious delta variant has caused an increase in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations since late June. Kansas averaged 1,433 new cases, 35 new hospitalizations and 19 additional deaths a day during the seven days ending Friday, according to state health department data. Meanwhile, U.S. government data showed that Kansas continues to lag behind the nation as a whole in vaccinations, with 49.3% of its 2.9 million residents fully inoculated as of Friday. The national figure was 53.6%. ___ Andy Tsubasa Field 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. ___ On Twitter, follow John Hanna at https://twitter.com/apjdhanna and Andy Tsubasa Field at https://twitter.com/AndyTsubasaF LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating an altercation Wednesday in Venice involving a group of homeless people and supporters of Larry Elder, Republican candidate for governor. No charges have yet been filed, but the departments Robbery-Homicide Division is looking into the incident, according to LAPD Officer Lizeth Lomeli. Lomeli said the case had been assigned to that unit because its high profile. Elders visit to Venice began with a handful of Golds Gym patrons gathering outside his black-and-red campaign bus to cheer the candidate as he stepped off. The heckling began a few minutes later, as members of the Venice Neighborhood Council Public Health & Safety Committee walked Elder down Sunset Avenue. The confrontation with Elder heated up as the group turned onto encampment-lined Third Avenue, with a handful of people circling the group, screaming profanities at Elder and shouting at him to get the hell out of here. After the group rounded the corner back onto Hampton Drive, what appeared to be an egg was thrown at Elder. It kind of glanced his head, an Elder campaign staffer said of the object. A woman in a gorilla mask riding a bicycle threw the small white object past Elders head, as seen in a video posted on Twitter by Spectrum News reporter Kate Cagle. The woman appeared to be white, Elder is Black. Ape characterizations have been used as a racist trope for centuries. Moments later, the woman took a swing at a man who appeared to be part of Elders team. The man was hit by at least one other heckler just before Elder was escorted into a white SUV. Today I kicked off the Recall Express bus tour, Elder tweeted Wednesday evening. Before we even left Los Angeles, my security detail was physically assaulted, shot with a pellet gun, and hit with projectiles. The intolerant left will not stop us. We will recall Gavin Newsom. We will save California. Elder continued to campaign Wednesday and had multiple appearances scheduled for Thursday. ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The defense attorneys for a Connecticut physical therapist accused of killing his wife and their three children at their home in central Florida want his initial confession excluded from his trial. Anthony Todt talked to detectives when he was arrested at the hospital following the January 2020 killings. But they didn't properly inform him of his Miranda rights before the interview, Assistant Public Defender Peter Schmer said in an Aug. 31 motion. The motion also said that Todt, 45, was also suicidal and had diminished capacity because he was under the influence of a Benadryl overdose, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Schmer said the combination of factors led to an invalid waiver of Todt's rights. Todt is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of animal cruelty in the killings of Megan Todt, 42, and their children, Alek, 13, Tyler, 11, and Zoe, 4. The family's dog Breezy was also killed. He worked in Connecticut and spent weekends in Florida with his family. Todt pleaded not guilty. Federal authorities and Osceola County Sheriff's deputies found the victims on Jan. 13, 2020, when they went to the home in Celebration, near Walt Disney World, to arrest Todt on insurance fraud charges related to his physical therapy business. The victims were wrapped in blankets and had stab wounds and toxic amounts of Benadryl in their bodies, according to autopsy reports. Schmer contends in the motion that Osceola Sheriff's detectives Cole Miller and Ryan Quinn recited an incomplete Miranda warning when they interviewed Todt. During the initial interview, Todt told detectives that his heads spinning a little. He also said ... Im foggy. Im in a fog right now, the motion said. Following the first confession, the detectives interrogated Todt two more times and read him the full Miranda warning before Todt repeated his involvement in their deaths, the motion said. Todt has since blamed his wife for the slayings in jailhouse writings. Schmer argued Todts emotional state made him unable to execute a knowing, intelligent and voluntary waiver of his Miranda rights. A Sept. 20 hearing is scheduled to determine whether Todts confession should be excluded from his trial, which is set to begin Sept. 27. BEIRUT (AP) Lebanons new prime minister pledged Friday to gain control of one of the worlds worst economic meltdowns, saying lifting subsidies was a critical priority for the small countrys government formed after a year of political stalemate. It is a momentous task facing the 24-minister Cabinet, which includes fresh faces who are prominent experts in their fields, but which still reflects Lebanons fractious politics. The countrys economic crisis, unfolding since 2019, has been described as one of the worst in the world in the last 150 years. It impoverished more than half of the population within months and left the national currency in a freefall, driving inflation and unemployment to unprecedented levels. The new government is expected to undertake critically needed reforms, as well as manage public anger and tensions resulting from the lifting of fuel subsidies by the end of the month. Lebanons foreign reserves have been running dangerously low, and the central bank in the import-dependent country said it is no longer able to support its $6 billion subsidy program. The government is also expected to oversee a financial audit of the Central Bank and resume negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for a rescue package. Few believe that can be done with a government that leaves power in the hands of the same political parties that the public blames for corruption and mismanagement of the countrys resources. The biggest winners are the political parties, collectively, said Maha Yahya, director of Beirut-based Carnegie Middle East Center. What is very clear is that it is the epitome of business as usual. Everybody in that Cabinet was named by the political leadership. Some are more competent than others. But the political decision-making is elsewhere. After more than a year of bickering among political rivals over the shape of a government, a sudden breakthrough was reported early Friday and the new line-up was announced at the presidential palace. Experts and politicians say a final nudge to Lebanons rival parties to compromise may have come from the countrys equally divided international supporters - the United States, France and Iran - after Lebanons economic unraveling reached a critical point that risked a social explosion. Crippling shortages in fuel and medicine threatened to shut down hospitals, bakeries and the countrys internet and caused friction, sometimes violence, in long queues to fill up vehicles. Mikati, one of Lebanons richest businessmen who is returning to the post of prime minister for the third time, sent a message to the tired and exhausted public saying he hears their pain. Holding back tears, Mikati said he recognized the pain of Lebanese mothers who cannot feed their children or find aspirin to ease their ailments, as well as to students whose parents can no longer afford to send them to school. We hope to reach what people want and to at least stop the collapse that is happening, he told reporters at the presidential palace. The agreement breaks a 13-month deadlock, one of Lebanons longest periods without a fully functioning government at a time when the country was sliding deeper into financial chaos and poverty. Lebanons government resigned after the catastrophic Aug. 4, 2020 explosion at Beirut port, that left more than 200 people killed and the city maimed. The economic meltdown was made worse by the deadlock among rival political groups. Mikati became a favorite for the post earlier this year after he was endorsed by most of Lebanons political parties, including the powerful Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group and the other major Shiite party, Amal, led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. He took over from former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who abandoned efforts to form a government after eight months after failing to agree with President Michel Aoun on the Cabinets makeup. The power struggle in Lebanons sectarian-based system revolved around which group has a blocking vote over policies at a time of much-needed reforms. But it also reflected the growing power of Hezbollah and its allies at the expense of once powerful western-backed Sunni and Christian parties. U.S senators visited Lebanon earlier this month while a senior State department official spoke to the Lebanese president and Mikati, urging the formation of a government. Separately, French President Emmanuelle Macron called the newly elected Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who said he supported the formation of a strong government in Lebanon. The American message was really pushing forward for the government to be formed, said Alain Aoun, a lawmaker representing the largest Christian block close to the Lebanese president, while the same message came from Irans president in a phone call Macron. Both were messages that recognized the reality on the ground in Lebanon and signaled that support would be forthcoming once a government is formed to stem the rapid collapse, said Salem Zahran, a political analyst. This is the best that could happen to Hezbollah, Zahran said. The group has allies in both the Public Works and Utility ministry which oversees the airport and port and the Culture ministry. Many members of the new Cabinet are experts in their fields. Firas Abiad, director general of the Rafik Hariri University Hospital who has won praise for his transparency in handling the pandemic, was named health minister. A top Central Bank official, Youssef Khalil, was appointed as finance minister, and Bassam Mawlawi, a judge, is the new interior minister. Yahya, the analyst, said Mikati has an uphill battle with a government that has no common purpose. This government is like a shot of morphine. Definitely some money will come in but this is all short term. The country is still not on any sustainable path to recovery. The public was mostly skeptical, although somewhat relieved. Ali Sharafeddine who owns a company that sells power generators said the new government is no different from previous ones, formed by the same political groups that have ruined Lebanon. They're just fooling us, said the 51-year-old Sharafeddine. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) A North Carolina man has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a 3-year-old boy who was sleeping inside his home, police said Friday. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in a news release that detectives filed multiple charges against QuaTonio Stephens, 21, including accessory after the fact to murder, seven counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and three counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) A man who spent 21 years in prison over the killings of two people in a Bakersfield gang shooting that he denied committing was freed Thursday, his lawyers announced. Dwight Jones, 41, was released from the Lerdo Pretrial Facility in the California central valley community, according to the Project for the Innocent at Loyola Marymount University. Jones was convicted of a gang-related drive-by shooting at Casa Loma Park on Aug. 6, 1999, where a wake and barbecue were being held following a funeral for a slain associate of a local gang, authorities said. Jones and several other people were arrested in the shooting. Two men were acquitted at trial. When Jones was arrested, he told police that he had been on the street in front of his house at the time of the shooting," said the Loyola statement. But the most critical witnesses who could have attested to Joness alibi were not called to testify at trial, and he was convicted of two counts of murder, and four counts of attempted murder, along with multiple gun and gang enhancements." Jones, 20, was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. The Loyola Project for the Innocent said it obtained new statements from witnesses who said they saw Jones outside his home and that DNA testing showed he hadn't left a palm print on the car used in the shooting. Faced with possibly retrying the case or requesting resentencing, the Kern County district attorney's office offered Jones the option of pleading to reduced charges without formally acknowledging guilt. Jones accepted and on Sept. 2, he was resentenced to time served in prison after pleading no contest to two counts of voluntary manslaughter. Jones wasn't found factually innocent and the district attorney's office still has confidence in the conviction but "doing a trial 22 years after the fact was going to be problematic, Assistant District Attorney Joseph Kinzel told KGET-TV. EUGENE, Ore. (AP) A Colorado trucker who nearly killed a Black man by slashing his neck in an unprovoked attack at an eastern Oregon truck stop was sentenced on Thursday to 16 years in federal prison. Nolan Levi Strauss, 27, pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime involving an attempt to kill, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. His lawyer argued that Strauss committed the crime because he was off his mental health medication and having a manic episode. But prosecutors said there was no mistaking Strauss racial animosity in the Dec. 21, 2019, ambush in Ontario. Strauss, of Colorado Springs, walked into the Arbys next to the Pilot Travel Center along Interstate 84 near the Idaho border and stabbed Ronnell Hughes in the neck. Hughes grabbed his attackers hands and fought for control of the knife before he was able to break free from Strauss. Truck stop workers subdued Strauss. Hughes was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and then flown by helicopter to Boise, Idaho, for emergency surgery. As Strauss was being restrained, a worker asked him why he attacked a stranger, and Strauss responded, Because he was Black and I dont like Black people, according to prosecutors. Hughes flew to Oregon from Jacksonville, Florida, on Wednesday night for the sentencing and said he had never seen his attacker because he snuck up behind me as he sat there. I dont have any enemies and for someone to just sneak up on me and try to take my life from me ... Im angry, somebody I dont even know, Hughes, 49, told U.S. District Judge Michael J. McShane in a Eugene courtroom. The slashing cut his jugular vein and injured his thyroid cartilage. Hughes required months of physical therapy to regain his voice and motion in his neck and arm. The prosecutor played segments of a police interview with Strauss after his arrest as he continued to say he targeted Hughes only because he was Black and reiterated his disdain for Black people, reciting a series of epithets. Strauss in court acknowledged that he targeted Hughes because of the color of his skin. Im extremely sorry for what I did. I wouldnt do that in my right state of mind, he said. Im happy that he survived. Strauss said hes learned that he must take his meds at all times. ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) A Maryland Eastern Shore judge who was about to be arrested at his home on federal charges of sexual exploitation of a child was found dead Friday, officials said. FBI agents went to the residence of Caroline County Circuit Court Judge Jonathan Newell in Henderson, Maryland, early Friday. Upon entering the residence the agents found Newell suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, a joint statement from Acting Maryland U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lenzner and other officials said. He was pronounced dead at 6:43 a.m. Maryland State Police will lead the investigation into the apparent suicide. According to a federal affidavit unsealed Friday, investigators from the Maryland State Police responded to a cabin in Fishing Creek, Maryland, on Hoopers Island on July 23 after a minor found a video camera in the bathroom, took photos of it with his phone and called his parents. Police arrived and interviewed two minors. One of the minors said the two had spent the night at the cabin, along with a man and four other boys. Investigators interviewed Newell at the cabin the same day, according to the affidavit. The 50-year-old judge waived his Miranda rights and agreed to be interviewed. Newell told police that 10 members had access to the cabin who come and go. Newell also denied placing a camera in the bathroom, the affidavit said. According to the affidavit, Newell went to his bedroom after the interview to plug in his cell phone and make calls. Investigators observed him reaching under his bed and placing his fist up to his mouth. Investigators suspected that Newell had ingested evidence because a memory card from a box with camera equipment appeared to be missing. He was taken to a hospital for CT scans, which showed he had ingested a metallic object, the affidavit said. Authorities executed search warrants at Newell's cabin, truck, boat and office and seized numerous digital devices. Investigators found a hard drive in a safe at Newell's residence that showed videos of boys showering, the affidavit said. In some of the videos, Newell is seen setting up the camera in the bathroom, the affidavit said. The FBI interviewed several youths who said they had been to the cabin with Newell and that he had checked their naked bodies for ticks while in the bathroom. Newell had been on leave for more than a month. He had been a judge since 2016. Before that, he was the county's state's attorney since 2003. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Friday that Democratic President Joe Bidens new federal vaccine requirements are clearly unconstitutional and said he believes Biden issued the mandate to try to distract the world from the fallout over his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan. This is the same bait and switch. The president wants us to be talking about anything but Afghanistan, the Republican governor said at a news conference outside the Governors Mansion in Jackson. He wants us to talk about anything but Afghanistan, and sadly, hes willing to trample on the rights of 100 million Americans to try to help himself politically. That, to me, is disgusting. Biden's sweeping new federal vaccine requirements announced Thursday mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated. Reeves called the requirements tyrannical and said a member of the executive branch does not have the authority to mandate that workers be vaccinated. Its clearly unconstitutional for the president, to unilaterally with one signature, decide something of this magnitude, he said. Every person in America should be scared to death of what this President is trying to do, he continued. You know, every tyrant in history has said that what they were trying to do was because it was in the best interest of the people. He said he expects the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the requirement and said Mississippi will join other states in filing a lawsuit. He called it an attack on hard-working Americans. In essence, what the president saying is... hard-working Americans many of whom work here and live here in Mississippi hard-working Mississippians have to choose between either injecting themselves with something and potentially having the ability to earn a living to produce food for their family, he said. Thats a ridiculous choice. Reeves said he made the decision to get the shot and encourages Mississippi residents to do the same. But if he has the ability to unilaterally do this, then there is no limit on the powers of the presidency, he said. Thats not called a true democracy. That is tyranny and we do not want that in America. Mississippi is among the least vaccinated states, with 41% of residents fully vaccinated, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health. Reeves on Friday also announced that he will expand Mississippis COVID-19 state of emergency for an additional 30 days. He said the extension will ease the process of marshalling additional resources, like healthcare workers, to help the state fight the virus. It will also allow the governor to call on the keep Mississippi National Guard for aid, if necessary. ___ Leah Willingham is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Officials from Oregon's most populous county Multnomah joined Portland on Thursday in exempting law enforcement from a COVID-19 vaccine order after county officials say a vaccination requirement for local officers is now legally dubious due to new guidance from the state health authority. Under Oregon law, local municipalities can only issue vaccine mandates for police officers if a federal or state rule requires it. The county believed Gov. Kate Browns vaccination mandate issued last month for state healthcare workers covered officers because they receive some medical training. But new guidance from the Oregon Health Authority said law enforcement was probably not subject to the governors orders as providing medical care was likely not a fundamental part of their job. Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury said on Thursday she had no choice but to exempt deputy sheriffs, parole and probation officers as the state has tied our hands. She called on the state to require vaccinations of local law enforcement, which would allow the county to move forward with their own vaccine mandate that encompasses law enforcement. The governors office has not yet responded to any inquiry into whether such a legislative fix is being considered. We have asked and are still asking the state to require these vaccinations, Kafoury said in a statement. The Legislature is having a short session in a matter of days and could change this. We are not giving up. In the meantime, Kafoury said the county is working to possibly require unvaccinated county employees, including law enforcement, to be fitted for and wear an N95 mask. The health authority's new guidance also caused confusion in Oregons largest city, where Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced on Wednesday that he would not be mandating the citys police force get vaccinated. I am disappointed that we cant hold all of our City employees to the same vaccine requirement, Wheeler said in a statement. However, state law prohibits us from requiring vaccinations for police officers unless theres a federal or state law, regulation or rule that mandates they get vaccinated. Currently, statewide, staff and volunteers in K-12 schools, health care workers and state employees are required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18. On Thursday President Joe Biden announced sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant. The expansive rules mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated. Biden is also signing an executive order to require vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government with no option to test out. ___ Sara Cline is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. UNITED NATIONS (AP) The new U.N. special envoy for Yemen said Friday that the Arab worlds poorest nation is stuck in an indefinite state of war and resuming negotiations to end the more than six-year conflict wont be easy. Hans Grundberg, a Swedish diplomat who took up the post four days ago after serving as the European Unions ambassador to Yemen since 2019, told the U.N. Security Council that there are no quick wins in Yemen's civil war. To chart the best way forward, he said, he plans to review what has worked and what hasnt, and "listen to as many Yemeni men and women as possible. The conflict parties have not discussed a comprehensive settlement since 2016, Grundberg said. It is therefore long overdue for the conflict parties to engage in peaceful dialogue with one another under U.N. facilitation on the terms of an overarching settlement, in good faith and without preconditions. Yemen has been convulsed by civil war since 2014 when Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of the capital of Sanaa and much of the northern part of the country, forcing the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to the south, then to Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in March 2015, backed by the United States, to try restore Hadi to power, and threw its support behind his internationally backed government. Despite a relentless air campaign and ground fighting, the war has deteriorated largely into a stalemate and spawned the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. The U.S. has since suspended its direct involvement in the conflict. Grundberg said the U.N.s approach to ending the conflict must include "meaningful participation of women. He said his first consultations with Yemenis and key regional and international parties will soon start. The Security Council welcomed Grundberg's appointment and said in a brief statement that it expects the parties to meet with him and with each other under U,N. auspices, in good faith and without preconditions. Surveying the complex situation in Yemen, Grundberg said that since early 2020 the focus has been on the Houthi offensive in the government-held city of Marib which has cost the lives of thousands of young people and left thousands of displaced civilians living in constant fear of violence and having to move again. In the key port city of Hodeida, there has been a noticeable decline in cease-fire violations, but hostilities in southern districts are of particular concern, he said. In southern Yemen, Grundberg said, there have been regular flare-ups of violence and basic services and the economy have deteriorated. He stressed that southern grievances and demands must play a part in determining the path forward. Ghada Eltahir Mudawi, a deputy director in the U.N. humanitarian office, told the council that the threat of famine is not over in Yemen but there has been a surge in donor funding over the past few months with the U.N. receiving more than $1.9 billion -- 50% of its total requirement. As a result, she said, the U.N. has scaled up assistance, reaching 12.8 million people in June -- 3.3 million more than in May -- and famine has been prevented in the first eight months of the year. Mudawi said a high-level side event on Yemen will take place on Sept. 22 at the U.N. General Assemblys annual gathering of world leaders co-hosted by the European Union, Sweden and Switzerland. Entesar Al-Qadhi, executive director of the Marib Girls Foundation for Development, said three of the 200 families that fled their homes in the embattled city this week to escape attack were her relatives. Beyond the threat of missiles, she told the council that the conditions in camps for the displaced are dire, saying people are battered by winds, floods and heat of the desert without sufficient shelter and dont have sufficient assistance and services. She urged the Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding a halt to Houthi attacks on Marib, saying this should pave the way for a Yemen-wide cease-fire. She also called on council members to support an inclusive peace process and ensure the full, equal and meaningful participation of diverse women, youth and civil society in all stages. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) In the closing days of the recall effort that could remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, his campaign has found a familiar foil that's as big as Texas. In fact, it is Texas. New Texas laws banning most abortions and restricting ways to vote are highlighted by Newsom and other Democrats as evidence of what a Republican governor could do in California should voters remove Newsom a year before his first term ends. Newsom also says his GOP opponents will follow the lead of Texas, Florida and some other Republican-led states by rolling back mask and vaccine requirements. He has framed the issue a matter of life and death" for Californians. The last day to vote in the recall is Tuesday and Democrats are using stronger rhetoric to drive their voters to the polls. There are nearly two times as many registered Democrats as Republicans in the state, meaning a strong turnout should enhance Newsom's chances of surviving. More than 7 million of California's 22 million voters already have cast ballots and Democrats so far have made a strong showing. Meantime, recent polls show the recall failing by double digits. If those polls are wrong and a majority choose to remove Newsom, it's almost certain a Republican would take the governorship since no Democrat with significant political standing is among the 46 replacement candidates. The leader in that field is talk radio host Larry Elder, a conservative Republican who opposes abortion and is seeking to become the state's first Black governor. California and Texas are the nations two most populous states and political opposites. California and its nearly 40 million residents are governed by Democrats who champion progressive policies on health care, workers rights and immigration. Texas, home to about 30 million people, is led by Republicans who have been on the forefront of conservative efforts on the same topics. The new Texas abortion law prohibits the procedure once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity in a fetus. It took effect Sept. 1 after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block it. The whole idea that a constitutional right, the right to choice, the right to reproductive freedom, rights of women, now are under assault what a remarkable moment it is in American history, Newsom said while campaigning Wednesday. He cast Elder as someone that celebrates what just happened to women in Texas, and is celebrating the prospect of overturning Roe v. Wade, the court case that established nationwide abortion rights. Vice President Kamala Harris and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren are among national Democrats who have reinforced Newsom's message that the California race is central to the fight over the nation's values. Governors matter, Warren said at a rally with Newsom last weekend after discussing the Texas law. We can look away while they take womens rights ... or we can fight back. Leaders in California and Texas have a history of using each other's state as a political tool. In 2013, then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry cut a radio ad encouraging California businesses to decamp for Texas and its lower taxes and then followed it up with a recruiting trip to the state. Former California Gov. Jerry Brown dismissed the effort as barely a fart." Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has gloated about some businesses, including Oracle and Hewlett Packard Enterprises, moving their headquarters from California to his state during the pandemic. California's population growth has slowed in the last decade and so the state lost a congressional seat for the first time while Texas kept growing fast and gained two. Texas policies attract people more than any other state," Abbott tweeted recently, linking to a story about California businesses leaving the state. Ray Sullivan, who was chief of staff to Perry, said it makes sense for political leaders in the two states to do battle. Texas is the biggest, boldest, best-known Republican-led state in the country. California is the biggest, loudest, high-profile liberal state in the country, he said. Sullivan said Newsom and fellow Democrats are using scare tactics by bringing up Texas's abortion law. California is not going to become socially conservative just because they remove their governor, he said, noting the state Legislature would still be overwhelmingly Democratic. California Democrats dispute that. Even before the Texas ruling, California supporters of abortion rights were warning voters that a Republican governor could put that access at risk by using a line-item veto to slash budget funding for reproductive health and appointing conservative judges. If you have a leader thats hell bent on taking away rights, doing actions that are harmful for people in getting access to care, theyll find a way to do that, said Jodi Hicks, president of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. California is not insulated from that happening either. Even before the abortion law took effect, Newsom was drawing a sharp distinction between his handling of the pandemic and how leaders in Texas and Florida responded. Those states are governed respectively by Abbott and Ron DeSantis, who have sought to ban local mask mandates and taken a more hands-off approach to how businesses operate. By contrast, in the early days of the pandemic Newsom imposed the nation's first statewide shutdown. More recently he has mandated that children wear masks in school and that health care and state workers be vaccinated. Jessica Lavariega Monforti, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at California Lutheran University and an expert in voting and elections, said the contrast on abortion rights is likely to be a more potent message for voters because the pandemic contrast has long been clear. That Texas' law was allowed to take effect by the Supreme Court shocked many people, particularly after courts have put laws banning abortion or drastically restricting it on hold in 13 other states. Now you have to be a little bit more on your toes in the state and local arena," she said. "You cant just rely on federal institutions like the court to step in. ___ See APs complete coverage of the California recall election: https://apnews.com/hub/california-recall COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called President Joe Biden's newly announced vaccine mandate affecting millions of American workers a mistake on Friday. The directive issued by Biden, a Democrat, a day earlier could require vaccines for as many as 100 million Americans, including private-sector employees, health care workers and federal contractors. I think the President made a mistake by announcing federal vaccine mandates, DeWine, a Republican, said in a tweet. We should be focused on the science of preventing virus spread the vaccine is our best tool to stop COVID but people and business owners should make their own decisions about vaccination, the governor tweeted. DeWine took an early and aggressive stance against the coronavirus, becoming the first governor to close schools in the spring of 2020 and later issuing a statewide mask mandate. But he's stepped back from talk of mandates since, hinting his hands were tied by fellow Republican lawmakers when they passed a bill limiting an Ohio governor's ability to issue public health orders. However, DeWine also opposes a GOP bill currently pending in the Legislature that would prohibit employers from requiring vaccines of any kind. He similarly called that bill a mistake, saying specifically that, in the case of hospitals, it would strip their authority to decide how to keep patients safe. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Ohio has risen over the past two weeks from 3,759.43 new cases per day on Aug. 25 to 5,949.86 new cases per day on Sept. 8, according to data collected by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering. The state Health Department reported 9,019 new coronavirus cases Friday, the highest single-day total since early January. As of Friday, about 6.2 million Ohioans have have received at least one dose of the vaccine, or 53% of the population, according to the state Health Department. About 5.7 million people, or 49% of the population, have completed the process. Only 20 states rank worse for the percentage of vaccinated residents, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ___ Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus contributed to this report. Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Oklahoma Attorney General John OConnor has appealed a state judges temporary injunction that prohibits the state from banning mask mandates in public schools. The appeal, filed Thursday, cited the state's sovereign immunity and argued that the law passed earlier this year by the Legislature is constitutional. The Legislature may reasonably exercise its ... power over public schools without regulating private schools, the filing said. The appeal also said the state is immune from the lawsuit filed by the Oklahoma State Medical Association and four parents who oppose the law. District Judge Natalie Mai cited the fact the law did not apply to private schools in approving the temporary injunction on Sept. 1. Mais ruling, which she formalized in writing on Wednesday, allows for exemptions to mask requirements for medical or personal reasons. SILAT Al-DHAHR, West Bank (AP) More than two weeks after the attack, Tareq Zubeidi still spends most of his time in bed, too scared to leave home even if the wounds on his feet allowed him to walk normally. The 15-year-old is haunted by the memory of what he describes as a brutal attack by Israeli settlers, who he says beat him with clubs, tied him to a tree and burned the soles of his feet. When I sit by myself I start thinking about all of them, and then I start sweating and my heart rate starts to increase, Zubeidi said. While there were no witnesses to corroborate Zubeidi's account, the Aug. 17 incident took place in an area that sees frequent violence between hard-line Jewish settlers and local Palestinians. BTselem, an Israeli human rights group that monitors settler violence, said it was not able to verify all the details of Tareqs account but that it is clear that the boy was physically and mentally abused. The group documented at least seven settler attacks on Palestinians and their property in the area around Zubeidi's village in the last two years. It says that when the Israeli military intervenes, it often sides with the settlers. The Palestinians claim the West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as the main part of a future independent state. The Israeli military says troops were dispatched to Homesh, a nearby settlement that was forcefully evacuated in 2005, after reports of Palestinians throwing rocks. When the soldiers arrived they found settlers chasing a Palestinian teenager who was later returned to his family, the military said in a statement. Settler groups with links to Homesh declined to comment or said they were unaware of the incident. Zubeidi said he and some friends took some snacks up to the hilltop where the settlement once stood and found a place to relax. At around 9:30 a.m. they heard people shouting in Hebrew and looked up to see a small group of settlers coming toward them. He denied he or his friends threw rocks, saying I dont know anything about that. Instead, he said, they fearfully ran down the hill toward their village of Silat al-Dhahr. Zubeidi said an earlier knee injury slowed him down, allowing another group of settlers in a car to catch up with him and knock him over as he descended the gravely street that connects Homesh with the main road. Four settlers got out of the car and there were two others who were traveling by foot," he said. "One of them had a gun. The settlers beat him with wooden clubs before blindfolding him and tying him to the hood of the car, he said. They drove for about five minutes, back up the hill, before the car came to a sudden halt, sending him tumbling to the ground. Then they started to hit me, spit on me and swear at me, he said. He said the settlers tied him to a tree and whipped him with a belt. Then they took him down, cut his legs with a knife and burned the soles of his feet with a car cigarette lighter. In the end, they hit him over the head with a club, knocking him unconscious, he said. When he came to, he was in an army jeep with an Israeli soldier who he says immediately began threatening him. He told me that if anything happens in the settlement we will arrest you, and if there is any stone-throwing, you will take full responsibility, Zubeidi said. His father, Abdul Razek Zubeidi, said his son was taken to a hospital that afternoon and spent the night there. A medical report said he had bruising on his shoulder and cuts on his feet. Photos taken shortly after the incident appear to show two dark wounds on the soles of his feet. Abdul Razek Zubeidi said he immediately reported the incident to the Palestinian police, who said they contacted the Israeli army. Abdul Razek said he has heard nothing from Israeli authorities. The family says it has not filed a complaint to Israeli police, fearing it would be a waste of time. Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military law, giving them few avenues for legal recourse, while the nearly 500,000 Jewish settlers in the territory have full Israeli citizenship. Homesh was one of four settlements in the West Bank that were evacuated as part of Israels withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005. But settlers from another nearby settlement still go the hilltop to study and pray, according to Israeli media. In addition to the more than 130 settlements authorized by Israel, there are dozens of unauthorized settlement outposts. Israel is reluctant to evacuate them because doing so risks igniting clashes between settlers and soldiers. The Palestinians and most of the international community view all settlements as a violation of international law, as well as an obstacle to peace, because they threaten the territorial contiguity and viability of any future Palestinian state. The U.N. envoy to the Middle East, Tor Wennesland, raised Tareq's case at a meeting of the Security Council last month, describing the incident as a heinous act and calling on Israeli authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable. Tareq's mother, Hanan Zubeidi, fears it could have been much worse. Imagine, my son tells me that he was beaten up by them, she said. "I did not expect to see him alive. MARTINSVILLE, Ind. (AP) Authorities are urging the public to help them solve one of Indiana's oldest cold cases, the death of a college student in 1977. Ann Harmeier was 20 years old and returning to Indiana University when her car stalled on State Highway 37, just north of Martinsville. Her body was discovered five weeks later in a nearby cornfield. KOSICE, Slovakia (AP) Pope Francis is paying a visit next week to a neighborhood in Slovakia most Slovaks would not even think about going, which until recently even the police would avoid after dark. Francis will make the visit to the Roma community in the Lunik IX quarter of Slovakias second largest city of Kosice one of the highlights of his pilgrimage to the heart of Europe. Francis will be the first pontiff to meet the most socially excluded minority group in Slovakia. A fitting place to go for the pope of the peripheries, Lunik XI is the biggest of about 600 shabby, segregated settlements where the poorest 20% of the countrys 400,000 Roma live. Most lack basics such as running water or sewage systems, gas or electricity. Its a huge honor for us, said Lunik IX mayor Marcel Sana, who has been a local resident since he was 2. Even if he says just a few words, his presence will be a big boost for all those living here, the socially disadvantaged and poor people who need such support." For Peter Zatkulak, one of four priests who belong to the Salesians of Don Bosco, a Catholic congregation that moved to Lunik IX in 2008, the popes arrival is a chance to restart relations between the Roma and the rest of the population. Roma have long suffered racism and discrimination in Slovakia and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe, and continue to face huge hurdles in employment and education. The Roma have been segregated from the majority many times in the past and we didnt want to see it, Zatkulak said. But we needed to integrate them and thats whats happening now. Through a prayer, wed like to seek reconciliation between the Slovaks and the Roma, and also the Church, because we have harmed each other and that has to end. Its time to say sorry and start all over again. He said Francis is key in the process. We, the people from Kosice, need to remind the world that every big city has a dark side that we dont want to see. And Francis greatness is that hes turning our attention to it, he said. Lets be ashamed about our past wrongdoings but lets try to fix them. Andrea Buckova, the Slovak government envoy for Roma issues, said she hoped Francis trip will give the area a boost for the following days and months, and not just a one-time step. The news about the popes visit has quickly spread to every corner of Lunik IX, raising expectations of its estimated 6,000 inhabitants. Ive heard about him, that he tends to visit the poorest, which might be the reason why he decided to come because this is the poorest neighborhood in Slovakia, Monika Gulasova said. The 19-year-high school student leads a choir at Sunday Masses at a church established by the Salesians. It means for me he will bring a new light and hope to our neighborhood, she said. She and several members of her choir, whose singing to the beat of drums creates an unusual sound for a Mass in this Roman Catholic stronghold, will be among those chosen to sing for Francis. Its wonderful hes coming. Its (a gift) from the Lord, it comes from the Lord that hell be at Lunik IX," said Anna Turtakova, 67. Sana, the first local Roma mayor with a university degree, took charge in 2014. That sparked a host of improvements in the communist-era concrete apartment blocks. Gone are the notorious heaps of garbage, and uninhabitable buildings have been demolished. Streetlights are in place again while dozens of surveillance cameras help ensure safety and order. The local school is well-regarded, and playgrounds have opened for local children. But from the stage to be built for Francis in front of the Salesians center, it will be obvious that despite the mayors effort and recent improvements poverty still rules here. On the edge of Lunik IX, the most impoverished occupy a slum consisting of improvised shacks spread among trees and bushes. Jan Horvath, who lives there with his wife and four children, was planning to go to see the Pope with his family but didnt expect much. Well see what it brings to us but nobody is going to help us, the 41-year-old said. We have to rely on ourselves. With the warm summer days coming to an end soon, he is worried about keeping warm in the freezing winter months. One of his neighbours, Dyoniz Horvath, 56, was more positive about the papal trip. Hopefully, at least something will change for us. Hes after all the second hand of the Lord, or of the Jesus Christ. Who else should we trust than him? Francis arrives in Slovakia after a brief stay in Hungary on Sunday. While in the country until Wednesday, he will also visit the capital, Bratislava, as well as Presov and Sastin. The last papal visit to Slovakia was made in 2003 by Pope John Paul II. MOSCOW (AP) The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday summoned U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan, to complain about alleged interference by American digital giants in Russias upcoming parliamentary election. A ministry statement said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov claimed Russia "possesses irrefutable evidence of the violation of Russian legislation by American digital giants in the context of the preparation and conduct of elections to the State Duma." The statement did not give details of the complaint, but Russian authorities have pressured Google and Apple to remove apps of the Smart Voting initiative designed by the team of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The program aims to advise voters which candidates are in the best position to defeat candidates from United Russia, the party that dominates parliament, in the Sept. 19 election. A U.S. State Department spokeswoman, Jalina Porter, said Sullivan met with the deputy foreign minister to discuss a range of issues in support of President Biden's desire for a stable and predictable relationship with Russia. She declined to comment on the Russian claims of election interference by the U.S. tech companies. Russian authorities this year declared Navalny's organizations to be extremist, and hardly any Kremlin critics have been allowed on the ballot for the parliament election. Although the other sizable parties on the ballot routinely support President Vladimir Putin as does United Russia Smart Voting's intent is to undermine United Russia's dominance of the political landscape, thereby casting a shadow on Putin. Navalny devised the idea in 2018 and it has proved to be effective in previous regional elections. In 2019, it helped opposition candidates win 20 of 45 seats on the Moscow city council. Authorities have blocked most access to Smart Voting's website, leaving it available largely through apps, and it is unclear how widely it will be used in the parliamentary election. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The Saudi Arabia of today is far different from the Saudi Arabia of Sept. 11, 2001. All but four of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudi citizens, and the Saudi kingdom was the birthplace of Osama bin Laden, the head of al-Qaida and mastermind of the attack 20 years ago. In the two decades since then, Saudi Arabia has confronted al-Qaida on its own soil, revamped its textbooks, worked to curb terror financing and partnered with the United States to counter terrorism. It wasn't until the last five years, though, that the kingdom began backing away from the religious ideology upon which it was founded and which it espoused within and outside its borders Wahhabism, a strict interpretation of Islam that helped spawn generations of mujahedeen. For countless numbers of people in the United States, Saudi Arabia will forever be associated with 9/11, the collapse of the World Trade Towers and the deaths of nearly 3,000 people. To this day, victims families are trying to hold the Saudi government accountable in New York and have pushed President Joe Biden to declassify certain documents related to the attacks, despite Saudi government insistence that any allegation of complicity is "categorically false. Victims of a 2019 shooting at a Florida military base and their families are also suing Saudi Arabia for monetary damages, claiming the kingdom knew the Saudi Air Force officer had been radicalized and could have prevented the killings. Saudi Arabia's close partnership with the United States, including the presence of American troops in the kingdom after the first Gulf War, made its leadership a target of extremist groups. It is important to realize that the terrorists who struck the U.S. on September 11 have also targeted Saudi Arabias people, leadership, military personnel and even our holiest religious sites in Mecca and Medina on multiple occasions, Fahad Nazer, the Saudi Embassy spokesperson in Washington, told The Associated Press. He said Saudi-U.S. counterterrorism work has saved thousands of lives. Yet even as Saudi Arabia battled al-Qaida and later attacks by the IS group, the Al Saud rulers continued to give ultraconservative clerics monopoly over preaching and influence over society in exchange for their staunch backing of the monarchy. That decades-old pact unraveled before a roomful of foreign investors in 2017 when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman declared a return to moderate Islam. A year earlier, with backing from his father the king, the prince had clipped the powers of the country's religious police the ones who would chase young Saudi men and women out of parks for mingling, go after cars playing music and force stores to close during the five daily prayers. Its a new country. It is a country in the making," says Raghida Dergham, founder of the Beirut Institute think tank and a longtime columnist in Saudi papers. What has happened over the past 20 years in Saudi Arabia, Dergham says, has amounted to a major cleanup of extremism ... and it has not been easy." The crown prince doubled down in April of this year in remarks to Saudi TV. He said Saudi identity is built on its Islamic and Arab heritage. His words appeared to equate the two, and pointed to the broader effort the state has embarked on to affirm a national Saudi identity that is no longer tied to pan-Islamic causes nor the religious ideologies of Sheikh Mohammed Ibn Abdul-Wahhab, whose ultraconservative teachings of Islam in the 18th century are widely referred to by his name. If Sheikh Mohammed Abdel-Wahhab came out of his grave and found us adhering to his text and closing our eyes to independent reasoning (ijtihad) or deifying him, he would be the first to oppose such a thing, Prince Mohammed said. Ali Shihabi, who has ties to the royal court, says the kingdom's new tone signals to any fence-sitting clerics" that moderation is the only path to take going forward. Moderation, though, goes only so far. As Saudi Arabia works to alter perceptions and control the narrative of its past for new generations of Saudis two decades after 9/11, it remains politically repressive. Prince Mohammed's rapid changes are part of a hurried effort that have coincided with him amassing power by sidelining rivals, like the countrys former counterterrorism czar, and clamping down hard on critics, including the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey by agents who worked for the prince. Bruce Riedel, a Brookings Institution scholar who served at the CIA for 30 years, says the U.S.-Saudi relationship has gone through fundamental changes over the years, but that even in the best of times its a tough sell to portray Saudi Arabia as Americas best friend. While Saudi Arabia remains far from an open society, the cloud of social restrictions that loomed over generations in the kingdom is dissipating. No longer are eye-popping concerts, movie theaters and women driving impossible or illegal. My own perspective is that theres envy of the younger generation that get to have these opportunities, says Hisham Fageeh, a 33-year-old Saudi filmmaker, actor and writer working in Los Angeles who grew up in the shadow of 9/11. But there are questions about where this new path will lead. Theres multiple doors that people can walk through, Fageeh says. The challenge is going to be, how do we integrate all our parts our past, our present and our future?" In the two decades since 9/11, Saudi Arabia and the world have been reshaped by social media, the internet and global connectivity. In Saudi Arabia, though, there is also a massive generational shift taking hold. Well over a third of the population of Saudi Arabia is under 14, born years after 9/11. More than 60% are under 35. All came of age in the aftermath of the Sept. 11th attacks. They, like the 36-year-old crown prince, were not even born when the Shah of Iran was toppled in 1979 and replaced by an anti-U.S. and anti-Saudi Shiite regime. That same year, Sunni Muslim extremists laid siege to Mecca, Islams holiest site. Saudi rulers responded to the events of that year by empowering the states hardliners and allowing Wahhabism to further shape life in Saudi Arabia. A struggle for power between Saudi Arabia and Iran emerged, one that has continued to play out in sectarian proxy wars across the Middle East. As recently as the still-current Syrian civil war, Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf states either encouraged or turned a blind eye to the arming, financing and recruitment of jihadi fighters who battled Shiite militias and Iran-backed fighters. But it was the shared effort of the United States, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in the 1980s that may be reverberating loudest today. Years before being stripped of his Saudi citizenship, bin Laden and other mujahedeen were armed and financed by the CIA and the kingdom to defeat the Soviets in Afghanistan during the Cold War. Years later, bin Laden would plot the 9/11 attacks from al-Qaida's base in Afghanistan, sheltered by the Taliban the group that, as of a few weeks ago, are back in power. When judging Saudi Arabia, Dergham says, look at the wider strategic interests that have long underpinned U.S.-Saudi relations. Americans just think Saudi Arabia equals 9/11, she said. You know, wake up and smell the roses. This has been a partnership, an alliance with the United States for years and years. ___ Dubai-based Associated Press journalist Aya Batrawy covers Saudi Arabia. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ayaelb COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Republicans in the South Carolina House plan to meet as soon as they can to figure out how to fight back against President Joe Biden's order that all larger businesses require their employees be vaccinated against COVID-19. The letter Friday to his Republican colleagues, House Speaker Jay Lucas said the president's order goes against every notion of privacy and promises to give Gov. Henry McMaster and state Attorney General Alan Wilson whatever help they need to fight it with state executive orders or lawsuits. Republicans McMaster and Wilson also have also vowed action against the order and Lucas said they may have to lead for now because the General Assembly is not in session and can only come back into special session for only a few items like the budget and redistricting without a two-thirds vote. Republicans hold 81 of the chamber's 124 seats just under that threshold. It serves no purpose for the majority caucus in the House to coalesce around an unenforceable, unconstitutional, improper solution to an unenforceable, unconstitutional, improper problem, Lucas wrote. More succinctly, two wrongs do not make a right. The Republican from Hartsville said he would try to get the House Republican caucus to meet as soon as possible. The Senate unanimously passed a bill in April preventing employers in South Carolina from mandating COVID-19 vaccines for workers with exceptions like health care workers or employees who deal with vulnerable populations. The proposal ended the 2021 session in a House committee. Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey said the House can take up his chamber's bill. I really would be surprised if a federal court doesnt stop this before we can come back in session, the Republican from Edgefield said. Biden's order requires employers with more than 100 workers to mandate immunizations or offer weekly testing. Throughout the summer, South Carolina has remained in the bottom 10 of states for percentage of the population fully vaccinated with just under 45% of the eligible population currently at that point. The state has been suffering another COVID-19 surge. Prisma Healthcare has more patients hospitalized with the virus than even the peak last winter before the vaccine became widely available. The health system had to postpone elective surgeries in Greenville and smaller hospitals. Daily COVID-19 case counts that were around 150 in June have soared above 5,000. The average number of deaths each day from the virus this month has been above 40, a level only seen during last winter. Lucas said he and his family are vaccinated, but he doesn't think government should be ordering anyone to get the COVID-19 shot. McMaster has said repeatedly this summer he received COVID-19 shots and that being vaccinated is the best way to fight the disease. The governor responded just hours after Thursday's order, saying on social media the president and Democrats thumbed their noses at the Constitution and promised to fight them to the gates of hell to protect the liberty and livelihood of every South Carolinian. Wilson said Biden's order created a constitutional crisis. With a swipe of a pen, Biden radically changed the scope and power of the presidency. He bulldozed the legislative branch and commandeered private businesses, Wilson posted on social media. Lucas said he thinks Biden's administration is exploiting political division with vaccines for partisan gain and the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed deep fault lines. The House Speaker said his fellow Republicans must stay united to protect the people of South Carolina. It seems the issues around this pandemic have taken us all to a place where good and well-meaning policy is being swallowed by sound bites and petty politics, Lucas wrote. Across the country, an AP-NORC poll conducted in August found 55% of Americans in favor of requiring government workers to be fully vaccinated, compared with 21% opposed. Similar majorities also backed vaccine mandates for health care workers, teachers working at K-12 schools and workers who interact with the public, as at restaurants and stores. ___ Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP. ___ Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) An argument between students about a dispute on social media led to a stabbing at a high school in Indianapolis, authorities said. Officials released more details about the incident Wednesday at North Central High School. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) The federal Environmental Protection Agency is proposing the addition of a former munitions factory in west Tennessee to a list of prioritized Superfund toxic cleanup sites, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen said. The EPA has proposed adding the National Fireworks site in the Memphis suburb of Cordova to its Superfund National Priorities List for removal of toxic chemicals detected in groundwater, Cohen, D-Memphis, said in a statement Thursday. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, R, on Thursday signed a bill that would prohibit large tech companies from blocking or restricting people or their posts based on their viewpoint, setting the stage for a legal battle with the tech industry. The law applies to social media companies with more than 50 million monthly active users in the United States, including Facebook, Twitter and Google's YouTube, and requires them to create reports on any illegal or potentially policy-violating content, as well as build a complaint system, where people could challenge companies' decisions to remove content or flag illegal activity. "It is now law that conservative viewpoints in Texas cannot be banned on social media," Abbott said. Abbott's signature follows a similar effort in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis, R, signed a law that would bar social media companies from suspending political candidates in the run-up to elections, and make it easier for the Florida state attorney general and individuals to bring lawsuits when they think tech companies have acted unfairly. A federal judge in June blocked that law from taking effect, suggesting it would be found unconstitutional after tech industry groups brought a challenge. DeSantis's administration appealed the judge's ruling. Tech industry groups have criticized the Texas law, and the industry is likely to bring a similar challenge in the Lone Star State to prevent it from taking effect. The Texas law argues that social media platforms function as "common carriers," reflecting an increasingly common argument in conservative circles that social media companies should be forced to host all users. It was popularized by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas who earlier this year suggested in an opinion that social media companies could be regulated like common carriers, such as phone companies, which face specific regulations because of the importance of the services they offer. Abbott in March criticized the tech companies for acting as "judge and jury" in determining what viewpoints should be allowed online, when announcing his support for a similar social media bill. Conservatives have long claimed without evidence that Silicon Valley social media companies are censoring them based on their political affiliation. The companies deny those accusations. "America was built on freedom of speech and healthy public debate, and efforts to silence conservative viewpoints on social media are wrong and weaken public discourse," he said in a statement. Conservatives have escalated their attacks on tech over the last year, particularly after companies including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube took the unprecedented step of banning former president Donald Trump from their platforms for violating their policies around the Jan. 6 attacks at the Capitol. Both Abbott and DeSantis are viewed as potential presidential contenders heading into the 2024 election, and their focus on the social media companies underscores how the GOP increasingly views tech regulation as an issue that rallies political supporters. Adam Kovacevich, the CEO of the Chamber of Progress, which counts Facebook, Google and other tech giants among its funders, said he believes the Texas law runs afoul of the First Amendment, but Republicans are moving forward with it because they see it as an opportunity for political gain. "This will certainly be ruled unconstitutional as well, but republicans won't pay any price because they view it as good politics," he said. "It's going to keep heading into a First Amendment Buzz Saw." ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (AP) A threat of physical violence has caused a synagogue in a Minneapolis suburb to cancel preschool and shift Sabbath services online Friday. Beth El Synagogue in St. Louis Park was informed that the Anti-Defamation League regional office in Chicago received the threat on its website that specifically targeted a Beth El Synagogue and that St. Louis Park was also referenced. All Beth El facilities in the region were notified and officials said there were indications that the threat may have come from the Twin Cities area. No other details of the threat were provided. Beth El managing director Matt Walzer says the decision to close the synagogue as the Jewish Sabbath begins Friday and in the midst of High Holy Days was made out of an abundance of caution, the Star Tribune reported. Walzer said synagogue representatives have been in close contact with local and federal law enforcement. They are actively investigating in collaboration with the ADL in Chicago and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, he said. LA CONNER, Wash. (AP) The Swinomish Tribe is threatening to sue the federal government to speed up estuary restoration and salmon preservation on the Skagit River delta. Much of the estuary has been drained and closed off with tide gates to facilitate agriculture, but such habitat is crucial for juvenile salmon. The tribe says that under an agreement reached in 2010 following a prior lawsuit the Army Corps of Engineers isnt supposed to grant construction permits to dike districts for work on the tide gates unless they first restore estuary habitat. But for the past five years, the Corps has been doing just that, the tribe says. During that time, at least 660 acres should have been restored. The restoration efforts are now behind the agreement's schedule, which calls for restoring 2,700 acres by 2035. At the current pace, it will take a century to complete that, tribal scientists say. The tribe notified the Army Corps this week that it intends to sue within 60 days, saying the agency has allowed the dike districts to violate the Endangered Species Act. Skagit River Chinook salmon are protected under the law. The Army Corps and NOAA Fisheries said they are reviewing the tribe's claims. We are gravely concerned about the current state of the Skagit River estuary, which is critical for Chinook recovery in the Puget Sound, Swinomish Tribal Chairman Steve Edwards said in a news release. There are tribal members that cant feed their families because our salmon are hurting and cant recover without more estuary habitat. NOAA Fisheries has identified degraded estuary habitat as one of the main threats to Skagit River Chinook, which are a primary food source for endangered Southern Resident orcas. Frank Augstein/AP LONDON (AP) The Sept. 11 attackers failed in their aim of making people in open societies live in permanent fear, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as he marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11. In a video message due to be played at a ceremony on Saturday, Johnson said the U.S. was the worlds greatest democracy, and it was a reflection of its openness that people of almost every nationality and religion were among almost 3,000 people killed in the attacks. Sixty-seven British nationals were among those killed when hijacked planes crashed into New Yorks World Trade Centre, the Pentagon in Washington and a field in Pennsylvania. UNITED NATIONS (AP) Afghanistan is teetering on the brink of universal poverty that could become a reality in the middle of next year unless urgent efforts are made to bolster local communities and their economies, the United Nations development agency said in a report launched Thursday. It said the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has put 20 years of steady economic gains at risk. The U.N. Development Program outlined four scenarios for Afghanistan following the Talibans takeover that project the countrys GDP will decline between 3.6% and 13.2% in the next fiscal year starting in June 2022, depending on the intensity of the crisis and how much the world engages with the Taliban. That is in sharp contrast to the expected 4% growth in GDP before the Taliban assumed power for a second time on Aug. 15. Afghanistan pretty much faces universal poverty by the middle of next year, Kanni Wignaraja, UNDPs Asia-Pacific director, told a news conference launching its 28-page assessment. Thats where were heading its 97-98% (poverty rate) no matter how you work these projections. Currently, Afghanistan's poverty rate is 72%.. UNDP pointed to many development gains over the last 20 years that are now at risk of being reversed: Per capita income more than doubled; life expectancy at birth was extended by about nine years; and the number of years of schooling rose from six to 10 with hundreds of thousands of girls getting an education denied under the Taliban's previous rule from 1996 to 2001. Wignaraja said Afghanistan now faces a humanitarian and development disaster resulting from political instability, frozen foreign reserves, a collapsed public finance system, a crush on local banking because of this, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. UNDP said Afghanistans foreign reserves now cover just one week of imports, which the country is heavily reliant on for oil, food and machinery. Abdallah Al Dardari, UNDPs representative in Afghanistan, said that by the time the Taliban took over, the Afghan population was already on the brink of collapse economically and socially. With universal poverty looming, he said, the most important thing is saving livelihoods, which can also save lives. He said UNDP has put together a package for local communities to support livelihoods, to support jobs for young men and women and to reach households with disabled people and men and women over age 65. UNDP also wants to make sure it reaches the 65,000 enterprises in Afghanistan owned by women, and that a million young men and women find jobs, he said. All of this will reach about 9 million Afghans, Al Dardari said in a video brieing from Istanbul. Most importantly, we preserve through this package 20 years of economic and social development in Afghanistan. He said 70% and more of the Afghan economy is made up of informal activities and 70% of that sector is owned by women, and therefore we need to focus on women in Afghanistan to prevent poverty. Wignaraja said right now its the micro-businesses and small farmers that are keeping things going in Afghanistan. She was asked whether the Taliban had approved the package that UNDP is pursuing to prevent universal poverty. We have not yet had to ask for national permissions, Wignaraja replied. We have been allowed at the local level, as part of the U.N. development and humanitarian community, to get on with our work. And lets hope that that continues, because otherwise the bottom is going to fall off. LIMASSOL, Cyprus (AP) Members of the U.S. navys elite special forces SEAL unit joined Cypriot underwater demolition soldiers on Friday in a joint drill to hone skills in countering terrorist hijackings at sea. The exercise involved teams of U.S. and Cypriot special forces re-taking a ship controlled by terrorists. Cypriot Defense Minister Charalambos Petrides said after the drill that Cyprus and the U.S. are on the same strategic path to ensure security and stability in a turbulent region. He said close cooperation between the two countries special forces in the past two years aims to achieve peak preparedness in order to deal with asymmetrical threats and emerging crises. U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus Judith Garber said more joint drills will follow in the near future. The U.S. decided for the first time last year to provide military education and training funding to Cyprus following Congressional approval as part of Washingtons push to enhance ties with countries in the region in order to boost security. The funding is part of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy and Security Partnership Act that U.S. legislators approved in 2019. The legislation underscores U.S. support for a partnership between Greece, Cyprus and Israel founded on recently discovered offshore gas deposits in the region. The Act also partially lifts a 1987 U.S. arms embargo on Cyprus that was imposed to prevent an arms race that could hamper efforts to reunify the ethnically divided island nation. MULLINS, S.C. (AP) When the last mourners departed and funeral director Shawn Troy was left among the headstones, he wept alone. For five decades, the closing words at funerals in this town of 4,400 had been delivered by his father, William Penn Troy Sr. Now the elder Troy was gone, one of many Black morticians claimed by a pandemic that has taken an outsized toll on African Americans. I walked over to his grave and I could hear him talking to me, Shawn Troy said. And he said, You got it. You can do it. ... He passed the baton on to me, so Ive got to get running. He is hardly alone. Since the start of the pandemic, about 130 Black morticians have died from COVID-19, according to the association that represents them. Deaths of funeral workers are not closely tracked. But the National Funeral Directors Association, which represents the broader industry, said it has not seen a corresponding rise in COVID deaths among its members. The deaths of Black morticians are particularly notable because of the prominent role they have long played in many communities. Often admired for their success in business, a number including the elder Troy have been elected to political office, served as local power brokers, and helped fund civil rights efforts. At the same time, the homegoing services they arrange have frequently served as communal touchstones, drawing mourners together with pageantry, preaching and song. Black funerals are more celebration, and thats no disrespect to my colleagues across the country. Were more, I should say, intimate, said Hari P. Close, president of the National Funeral Directors & Morticians Association and the operator of a Baltimore funeral home. The association represents Black morticians. The deaths have come despite concerted efforts by morticians to protect themselves from the virus and limits imposed on the size and scope of burial gatherings to keep it from spreading. We were getting bombarded with COVID bodies, said Dr. Mary Gaffney, who stepped in to run her brother, Jeremiahs, funeral home in Inwood, New York after he died of the virus last May. At least 95,000 Black Americans have died of COVID, according to an AP analysis of data from the National Center for Health Statistics, perishing at the highest rate of any racial group in the U.S. In Mississippi, funeral director Luzern Sonny Dillon tested positive for COVID early this year. Just in case I dont make it out of here, this is what I want you all to do, he told his wife, Georgia, from a hospital bed in March. He died weeks later at 72. Family members scrambled to keep the funeral homes, in McComb and Tylertown, running in his absence. But there was little filling the role that Dillon occupied beyond the mortuary. In his 20s, he had been one of the first Black candidates elected to local political office. Later, he worked with the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. to rename a boulevard for the slain civil rights leader. He pushed to get more Black citizens to vote. Dillons civic role fit a pattern common in many African American communities, where morticians have long been prominent, said Suzanne E. Smith, a professor at George Mason University who authored a book about the Black funeral business. The best known include the Ford family of Memphis, Tennessee, funeral home operators who sent a father and son to Congress. In Detroit, funeral director Charles Diggs Sr. was a state legislator before his son won a seat in Washington and helped found the Congressional Black Caucus. In cities throughout the South, funeral directors often supplied the limousines for visiting civil rights leaders when they came to rally supporters. By late this summer, Georgia Dillon was preparing to turn over the business to her daughter and son-in-law. We talk and we cry and we try to build each other up. We tell each other weve got to keep his legacy going, she said. In New York, Gaffney is trying to do much the same, after years of practicing medicine while her brother ran the funeral home started by their parents. During the first months of the pandemic, Gaffney said she warned her brother, who had some chronic health issues, to isolate himself. But his death weeks later, at 65, confronted her with responsibilities well beyond her expertise. With deaths soaring, she rented a refrigerated trailer to handle the overload. Every other week, Gaffney drove to New York from her home in Charlotte, North Carolina to take on the responsibilities her brother had left behind. Its been an emotional journey, said Gaffney said. South Carolinas Troy has faced somewhat different challenges, after years of working alongside his father. The Troys had agreed that Shawn would take over the business during the next few years. But he had expected to do so with his fathers counsel, whose death left a void well beyond the chapel. The elder Troy, known as Penn, had served as a county commissioner, local school board member and church treasurer. But those were just his official duties. If my mother didnt have enough to feed us, hed help us out. When youre talking about Mr. Penn, he was the community, said Jessica Godbolt, a former neighbor. When officials voted to close a school because of declining enrollment, Troy pushed to turn it into a science academy that drew more students, said Cynthia Leggette, a longtime friend. Noting that a citizens committee lobbying for school improvements was overwhelmingly white, Troy brought Black parents into the fold. Last summer, both Troys were hospitalized with COVID. The first months after his August death were the hardest. Penn Troys charisma gave life to the business of death. Shawn Troy had mostly worked behind the scenes. Near sunset recently, Troy paced down a row of headstones, planting tiny flags at an empty plot to mark it for a burial the following morning. Not 50 feet away, shadows stretched across his fathers grave. I dont think Ill ever get over it, he said. But Ill get through it. ___ Associated Press reporters Allen G. Breed and Angeliki Kastanis contributed to this story. EAGLE GROVE, Iowa (AP) A worker died early Friday in an industrial accident at a pork processing plant in north-central Iowa, according to Prestage Foods of Iowa. The incident happened early Friday morning during the overnight shit at Prestage Foods' plant in Eagle Grove, the company said in a statement. The company said 57-year-old company mechanic Jeffrey Leonardi was performing routine maintenance duties when he was killed. Company officials did not give details of the fatal accident. PHOENIX (AP) Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is planning to push legislation that will require that students be taught about the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. Ducey announced the plan on Friday, a day before the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon using hijacked jetliners. A fourth commercial jet with terrorists in control was headed toward Washington D.C. before passengers stormed the cockpit. The plane crashed into a Pennsylvania farm field, killing all on board. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A North Carolina judge has set a mid-October deadline for state lawmakers to follow a court-ordered plan to provide full funding for improving public education or he will take action himself. State Superior Court Judge David Lee said he was very disheartened that the General Assembly is funding a small part of a plan calling for at least $5.6 billion in new education funding by 2028, news outlets reported. Lee has scheduled a court hearing on Oct. 18, and said if the plan isnt fully funded by then, he will consider options on how the court can resolve the matter. Pat Ryan, a spokesman for Senate leader Phil Berger, also accused Lee of overstepping his authority, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported. I dont know how much clearer we can be, Ryan said in a statement Wednesday. If Judge Lee wants to help decide how to spend state dollars a role that has been the exclusive domain of the legislative branch since the states founding then Judge Lee should run for a seat in the House or Senate." Lee's warning marks the next stage in the Leandro school funding case first filed in 1994 by low-wealth school districts to get more state funding. The case is named after a Hoke County student who has since graduated from college. The N.C. Supreme Court assigned Lee to oversee the case after Judge Howard Manning retired. Over the years, the state Supreme Court has ruled that the North Carolina Constitution guarantees every child an opportunity to receive a sound basic education and that the state wasn't meeting that standard. In June, Lee approved a seven-year plan agreed to by the State Board of Education, Democratic Gov. Roy Coopers administration and the plaintiffs. The $5.6 billion plan includes a 5% pay raise this year for teachers, more money for low-wealth school districts and expanding the NC Pre-K program. Republicans in the House and Senate each passed their own versions of the budget and are trying to reconcile the differences. The Leandro plan calls for $690.7 million in new education funding this year and $1.06 billion next year. The Senate budget included $191.6 million this year and $213.7 million next year. The House had $370 million this year and $382.1 million next year. Covering Californias parks for the first time over a summer, it seemed to me that a lot of people were going missing, overheating, wandering off trails and falling to their deaths. When I called up some search-and-rescue professionals to ask about whether all of this was unusual, their answer surprised me. It wasnt. I then asked if California was in step with national trends involving inexperienced people venturing into nature unprepared during the pandemic and making rookie mistakes. No, they said. In fact, their operations often involved people who had lots of experience. And they tended to be male. And more often than not, they were out in the wilderness all by themselves. Four men who tragically lost their lives this year in California fit that mold perfectly. Read our story about them here. More: Another culprit weighed in the deaths of Calif. family found on trail. A new possibility is being investigated in a case that one sheriff has called the most mysterious of his career. Read more. Popular SF parks could soon get parking fee of up to $10. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is considering parking fees at seven parks and sites in San Francisco and Marin. Read more. Last week's top story: The curious tale of the shrunken mammoths on the Channel Islands. After about 20,000 years on the islands, Columbian mammoths had become pygmies. We could have looked them right in the eyeballs. Read more. California Parklands is curated by California Parks editor Ashley Harrell. Contact Harrell at Ashley.Harrell@sfgate.com. The last time Wendell Ward went to the cabin his father built in 1941, he vacuumed the carpet and mopped the floor. He was planning to return to the small red cabin in the woods a week later on Labor Day, and so he cleaned the cabin before he left, as he had always done. Ward had been following the daily updates of the Caldor Fire closely. His familys cabin, built in Phillips, a half hour drive southwest from Lake Tahoe, was one of dozens of old-timey homes nestled in the trees just off Highway 50 near Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort and in the direct path of the fire. Still, when Ward left the cabin, he thought the fire was holding steady, that it wouldnt travel this far. But just in case, he took the log books that had documented the cabins entire history, with records from nearly every visit by his family. He also took the ashes of his nephew, who had loved this cabin dearly before he died. Among the things Ward left behind was a blanket. It belonged to his grandmother. Gray wool with letters stitched in red thread that spelled the name of a long-shuttered lumber mill: Caldoor. Its short for California Door Company, a lumber mill that sourced its wood from a logging town called Caldor. On Sunday, Aug. 29, the Caldor Fire surged, driven by winds, and made its advance up to the crest of the Sierra Nevada. That day, the fire burned more than 20,000 acres in 24 hours. Sierra-at-Tahoe fired up its snowmaking guns and sprayed down all of its buildings in hopes of protecting the ski resort. Along Highway 50, from Twin Bridges to Echo Summit, dozens of small cabins in the woods owned by generations of families hardly stood a chance against the hot, raging flames. There were more than 50 cabins in Wards neighborhood in Phillips. Three remain standing. The Caldor Fire, which is now more than 50% contained, has burned almost 218,000 acres and destroyed 778 homes, many of them in Grizzly Flats, a community in El Dorado County that the fire swept through in its initial days. That number could have been much higher if thousands of firefighters hadnt arrived just as the flames entered the Lake Tahoe Basin. Remarkably, the homes in South Lake Tahoe were saved. Still, in addition to hundreds of full-time residences that burned to ashes in Grizzly Flats, many mid-century cabins tucked into the woods in Phillips and at Echo Lake did not survive. The structures were more than summer retreats. For the families that built them, and cared for them, and passed them down from one generation to the next, these cabins were family heirlooms. The grief comes in waves, Wards daughter Krystle Lynn Yue told me. Yue has been coming to the cabin since she was born. When I spoke to her on the phone, just days after the cabin burned, she was just beginning to process the loss. I could feel the rawness of her emotions, even on the phone. Its like grieving a person, Yue said. It was just this constant in our lives. Ward, who is 63 years old, is also grieving the loss. It happened so suddenly and so violently, he said. Ward lives in Diamond Springs, a small town near Placerville. Its the same town where he was born and raised, and where his father grew up, too. In the first half of the 20th century, logging and lumber were big industries in this region. The California Door Company operated a sawmill in Diamond Springs and shipped timber in from the logging town of Caldor in the Eldorado National Forest. Ward says the lumber train used to run through his property, and he still finds railroad spikes when hes mowing the lawn. It was a huge company in my day, Ward said, and it had a lot to do with my life. Daniel Fishel / Special to SFGATE The Ward family cabin was 80 years old when it burned. In a twist of irony, the cabins life is marked at its beginning and its end by Caldor. In 1929, Wards grandfather was killed on the railroad that connected Caldor to Diamond Springs and was used to transport lumber. After her husband died, Ethel Maude Ward Meyers (she went by Maude) purchased a half acre of land on the Phillips tract. In the summer of 1941, Maudes son, Sydney, who is Wendells father, built the cabin with his brother-in-law. The cabin was built with lumber from Caldor. The cabin was originally built as a garage, just large enough to park a Model T Ford. Sydney intended to build a summer home alongside the cabin, but history took a radical turn when the United States entered World War II. The following year, on the day after he graduated high school, Sydney enlisted in the Army and fought in Europe. After the war, when Sydney returned, he decided to forgo the larger house. Instead, he converted the garage into a small living area with a loft, adding a kitchen and a small bathroom. The cabin was just 262 square feet. Yue told me about wicker rocking chairs they kept on the small porch all summer. Come winter, snow would pile up, sometimes burying the cabin itself. The loft was big enough for two beds, a queen and a twin. Downstairs, a single room encompassed the couch and a dining table. Yue said shed open up the windows on both sides of the cabin to let the breeze flow in. Wendell was too young to remember his first visit to the cabin, but in the log books that he rescued from the fire, theres an entry his mom recorded about bringing her 7-week-old son up there. It was just the most peaceful place in the world, Wendell said. If some member of our family or friends had a terrible tragedy thats where you went. About 11 years ago, when Wards wife was battling cancer, they went to the cabin while she recovered from chemotherapy. Theyd let their dogs run around in the woods. The South Fork of the American River runs around the back of their property. As generations of family members grew up, they marked their heights on a particular wall inside. Everybody took naps in the cabin, Ward said. When the Caldor Fire made its run up the crest and into the Lake Tahoe basin, officials repeatedly said the fire was burning with extreme intensity. Based on the aftermath, Ward agrees. After the fire destroyed his cabin and burned through Phillips, he went up to see what remained. I wanted to see with my own eyes, he said. It is absolutely a moonscape. I had an aluminum shovel, a snow shovel and a regular shovel leaning against the cabin. The shovel handles, of course, are burned up. The steel regular shovel is warped all to heck. The aluminum is vaporized. It is not there. Now, Ward and his extended family are trying to figure out their next steps. The matter of how to rebuild is complicated. The cabin was so old and featured many homemade accoutrements like renegade electrical wiring with screw-in fuses and no breaker panel Ward said they werent able to insure it. Information about permitting, about rebuilding the water system, about modern-day codes is still hard to come by, and hes hoping to learn more at an El Dorado County emergency meeting on Friday. Ward said the mood is tense in Diamond Springs right now. The small town is full of fire refugees who lost their homes in Grizzly Flats. Considering my fathers life, this is a walk in the park, he said. I cant feel sorry for myself. I cant allow myself or anyone to become a victim. That would be so disrespectful of my parents' life, as hard as they worked. I just have to figure out how to do this. Everyone knows someone who, overnight, turned their social media feed into a high-energy, emoji-filled, nonstop advertisement. For most of us, its old classmates people you accumulated as friends on Facebook over the years but never really knew. Suddenly, Kristy from high school, who exchanged four words with you in the ninth grade, really, really wants you to join her #squad of #girlbosses. For those who are not in the #girlsquad, this was one of the many ways Facebook became an unbearable place in the 2010s. There are now countless groups, blogs and forums dedicated to mocking, reporting and even helping deprogram participants in direct sales companies (the less charitable would call them pyramid schemes, although legally most have never been ruled as such). LuLaRich, which came to streaming on Amazon Prime on Friday, is a four-part exploration of one of the most infamous direct sales companies, LuLaRoe. If the name doesnt ring a bell, maybe this will: leggings ripping like wet toilet paper. Multi-level marketing companies, or MLMs, all work in about the same way. To start their business, participants must buy initial inventory from the company; this can sometimes come at the cost of thousands of dollars. After receiving their start-up packages, they then must turn around and sell that product in order to recoup their cash or even hope to make a profit. Most MLMs offer commissions or bonuses for people who also recruit other sellers into the company, referred to as their downline. Early adopters can thus accumulate massive downlines, receiving a commission for each purchase made by their recruits. The structure inevitably leads to a miniscule minority of big moneymakers at the top and a sea of people squeaking by at the bottom. For the company itself, sales rarely matter. Recruits do. Since recruits must buy product when they join, the company makes money regardless of whether or not those products are ever resold to actual consumers. According to former employees interviewed in LuLaRich, the cost to join LuLaRoe used to be about $5,000 upfront. For some, the MLM world of weight-loss shakes and press-on nails has gone beyond mere annoyance and into the intolerable. One prominent group on Reddit, called antiMLM, has more than 700,000 members. Many share stories of losing friends and family to MLMs, cut out of their lives for not supporting their loved ones endeavors. Few companies are cited as often LuLaRoe, the once-dominant now mired in litigation clothing empire. The company made headlines in 2017 for a host of issues with its famous buttery soft leggings. Sellers took to social media to beg the company to issue refunds for leggings that they allege arrived damp, moldy or torn, and late-night hosts mocked the wild prints, some of which looked awkwardly and unintentionally sexual. Next came dozens of lawsuits. Jeremy Drey/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images For anti-MLMers who voraciously followed the saga as it happened, LuLaRich wont offer too many groundbreaking revelations. Nonetheless, the delight is in the storytelling, which weaves together new interviews, jaw-dropping footage from company events and legal depositions, as well as heartbreaking personal stories of dreams unfulfilled. The most astonishing moments come courtesy of the companys co-founder DeAnne Stidham. In LuLaRich interviews and recordings of a 2019 deposition by the state of Washington, she vacillates from being almost pathologically on-brand to astonishingly, upsettingly candid. In Stidhams glowing retelling of her childhood, she lingers on stories of capitalist perseverance and bootstrap financial victories. Mom and Dad built dreams. And they taught us, she ends one story, leaving you convinced this is one of her go-to motivational anecdotes. But in a later scene, the mask drops. As shes rifling through screenshots of LuLaRoe sellers social media posts during a deposition, she pulls a face and says to the lawyers, She only got two likes. Thats sad. As the lines blur between personal and professional life, things get worse. In the third episode, a few former sellers say they felt pressured by Stidham to get gastric sleeve weight loss surgery at the Obesity Not 4 Me clinic in Tijuana (yes, really). When asked about this by LuLaRich producers, Stidham angrily responds, They come to me sobbing and crying, hating themselves, which, even if true, is a disgusting violation of her co-workers trust. LuLaRoes insertion of insidious life advice into workplace culture is further illustrated by a disturbing clip of a conference session entitled Escaping the Victim Mindset. A speaker warns sellers to avoid the drama triangle, where sellers blame their inability to move product on others. The message is explicit: If youre not successful with LuLaRoe, you just arent working hard enough. Another photo from a convention shows DeAnne Stidham standing in front of a huge screen with the slogan: HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE!! As anyone with mental health struggles will tell you, this is a deeply damaging mindset for anyone to ascribe to, let alone at a work conference. What LuLaRich does lack, however, are the voices of the average LuLaRoe consultant. Almost all of the former sellers interviewed for the documentary were high-ranking mega-earners. One couple says on camera they were taking home monthly bonuses of up to $42,000 at their peak. But while their stories are the most dramatic and astonishing, theyre not representative of the rank and file, who were also sold the dream of full-time income at part-time hours. According to LuLaRoes own 2020 financial disclosures, the median gross profit from sales of clothing to customers was $1,438.66 a far cry from even part-time income. Some individuals who recruited others into the company received income from the Leadership Compensation Plan, but even then that only contributed an additional $1,235.97 on average for the year. Eighty-five percent of sellers received no compensation at all from the leadership plan. Knowing all of that, the most telling moment of LuLaRich comes when DeAnnes husband and co-founder Mark Stidham explains the companys ethos. I will tell you right now: Were not in the clothing business, he proclaims. Were in the people business. National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue arrives in Helsinki, beginning his official visit to Finland (Photo: VNA) Vietnamese Ambassador to Finland Dang Thi Hai Tam (Photo: VNA) Economy, trade and investment are the top priority areas of Finland in its relations with Vietnam. Finland now ranks 70th out of 140 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. It has provided non-refundable aid for the Southeast Asian country with a total amount of about US$340 million since 1973. In recent years, as Vietnam became a middle-income country, Finland does not provide more non-refundable aid to Vietnam in particular and to other countries around the world in general, but only continues providing aid to complete all ongoing programs. According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Finland Dang Thi Hai Tam, Finland considers Vietnam an important partner in Southeast Asia. She proposed the two sides bring into full play the complementarity of the two economies for a new stage in economic development. The Vietnamese community in Finland is very honoured and proud to welcome the top legislator to Finland, Tam said, adding that the visit is a source of encouragement for and reflects the attention the Party and State pay to the Vietnamese community in Finland. Currently, Finnish businesses and organisations have many initiatives and solutions that can help Vietnam develop further and Vietnam is also an attractive market for Finnish businesses, she added. This visit is aimed at implementing the foreign policy set by the 13th National Party Congress, contributing to further promoting the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.From September 10-11, Hue is expected to discuss with Finnish leaders on bilateral cooperation and strategic cooperation fields, directions to strengthen legislative collaboration as well as international and regional issues of mutual concern. The two sides will also talk how to control the Covid-19 pandemic, including cooperation in the supply of vaccines, drugs and medical supplies.Within the framework of the visit, there will be many investment promotion and business connectivity activities between the two countries.Since Vietnam and Finland established diplomatic relations on January 25, 1973, the bilateral traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation have been maintained and developed well. Sharon, PA (16146) Today Thunderstorms likely this morning. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. High 73F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. 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. Its the home of many wildlife residents, and now it has welcomed a new family. Bridgeports Beardsley Zoo has accepted two American bison to join its 350 animals, according to a release. The new residents are a mother and daughter duo from Roers Zoofari in Virginia: 6-year-old Clara and her year-old daughter, Eleanor. The American bison joined the bald eagle in 2016 as one of the official national symbols of the U.S., according to the National Parks Service, as well as the first national mammal of the U.S. According to Beardsley Zoo, the beast was scarce in the late 1800s due to habitat destruction and hunting, but a 1905 breeding program at the Bronx Zoo established enough bison for a small herd eight years later, paving the way for all 50 states to be home to bison today. LISBON, Portugal (AP) Jorge Sampaio, a former two-term president of Portugal and one of the most prominent political figures of his generation, has died. He was 81. The current Portuguese president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, announced Sampaios death on Friday. He did not give a cause of death, though Sampaio had been in delicate health for several years and had been in hospital for the past two weeks. Sampaio prepared himself to be a fighter, and the banners of his fight were freedom and equality, Rebelo de Sousa said in a televised statement. He said Sampaio was like a red-haired hurricane in the 1960s when as a young lawyer he stood up to Portugal's then-dictatorship. But over his six-decade political career in Portugal as a center-left Socialist and later as a diplomat for the United Nations, Sampaio earned praise for his low-key, down-to-earth manner. He once said he had always wanted to become an orchestra conductor. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a former prime minister of Portugal, called Sampaio a remarkable leader and compassionate human being.." Portugal lost a statesman and I have lost a dear friend, Guterres added. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa praised Sampaio as an upstanding politician who defended democracy. We bow down before the memory of a man who always fought for freedom, for democracy, and whose moral uprightness brought prestige to our countrys political life, said Costa. He said Portugal would observe three days of national mourning, when Portuguese flags on public buildings fly at half-staff, from Saturday. Funeral details were to be announced later. At home, Sampaio was perhaps best remembered for controversially bringing down a center-right government in 2004, when he was head of state. That was when Social Democratic Party leader Jose Manuel Barroso quit as prime minister to become president of the European Commission. He was replaced by his partys vice president, Pedro Santana Lopes. After several months of government in-fighting, public gaffes and contradictions, Sampaio called early elections to end what he called a grave crisis of credibility and instability. The subsequent election delivered a landslide victory to the center-left Socialist Party, which Sampaio had once headed. Sampaio began his political career while studying law at Lisbon University in the late 1950s, rising through the ranks of underground student movements which opposed the then dictatorship of Antonio Salazar. After graduating, he defended prisoners tried by special courts that dealt exclusively with political cases. He associated with extreme leftist movements after the 1974 Carnation Revolution toppled the dictatorship and introduced democracy. He took up his first government post, as secretary of state for foreign cooperation, in 1975. He was fluent in English, having lived for a year in the United States when he was eight as his father, a renowned Portuguese doctor, went to study at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Sampaio, whose mother was an English teacher, also spent time in England as a youngster. He switched his allegiance to the mainstream Socialist Party in 1978 and from the following year was returned five times to parliament as a Socialist lawmaker. Sampaio ran successfully for mayor of Lisbon, the capital, in 1989, when he also became leader of the Socialist Party. His two-term stint as mayor of the Portuguese capital provided a stage for his election as president in 1996 and his re-election in 2001, winning both elections by comfortable margins. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed Sampaio as his special envoy on tuberculosis in 2006. The following year, Annans successor Ban Ki-moon made him the U.N. High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations. Sampaio is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Johns Hopkins University is in Baltimore, Maryland, not Pennsylvania. Convenient home delivery Unlimited website access 24/7 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more! Get the Ludington Daily News delivered straight to your door and receive unlimited access to our website and e-Edition when you purchase a Print + Digital Subscription. Earier this month, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva, who also the heads of the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of Covid-19 Outbreak, had announced that the government is planning to make vaccination certificate mandatory for those visiting public places, using public transport or those crossing provinces. Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that 75 per cent of people over 30 years of age are to be vaccinated by the first week of September and from September 15 onwards, a digital card would be issued to those who have taken both the doses. On Wednesday, the Army Commander said that over 50 per cent of those above 30 years of age have already been vaccinated with two doses, as he urged those above 60 years to get inoculated as early as possible. Military-controlled vaccination centres are being run around the country while army-run mobile vaccination fleets have also been deployed to administer Covid vaccines to the elderly, sick, handicapped and feeble sections. On Tuesday, epidemiologists had announced that 91 per cent of those who succumbed to Covid-19 had not been vaccinated while 8 per cent had received only one dose. Around 77 per cent of those died were above 60 years of age. Amid the fast-spreading transmissible Delta variant, Sri Lanka is planning to vaccinate all above 30 years and children over 12 years of age. Health authorities had announced that in place of Alpha variant, which was dominant earlier, now the Delta variant has taken over, and 75 per cent of the new cases are found with this variant. Medical experts have also found four mutations of the Delta variant in Sri Lanka. Neelika Malavige, the HoD of Immunology and Molecular Sciences at the Sri Jayawardenapura University, stated that further examinations are been carried out together with international laboratories to find out how far these mutations have spread and their transmission rate. On Wednesday, Sri Lanka reported 4,446 new Codid cases and 190 deaths, taking the island nation's overall Covid death toll to 7,750 so far. --IANS sfl/arm She is one of the key speakers in the upcoming event "Dismantling Global Hindutva". Her knowledge and academic works on Indian history is not only regarded distorted, but completely manipulated and biased. She rose to the mainstream after the launch of her book "Aurangzeb: The Man and the Myth". New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) Audrey Truschke, an Associate Professor at the Rutgers University in the US, has been in the headlines for the past few days. Presently, she is known to be one of the most controversial figures in India due to her derogatory remarks on Hindu Gods. Her sudden upsurge as an academician and historian with an anti-India stance makes it highly imperative for everyone to know her background and the people behind her. A thread by a Twitter handle '@OSINTWa_com' has exposed Truschke and dissected the reason behind her sudden upsurged attacks on India, its culture and history. The thread starts by stating that the real story is not "what she is saying" but the story is "who is she" to get to know her ulterior motive. In-laws and Missionary Business in India Truschke's father-in-law Nathan Rehn and her husband Thane Rehn once had a very long and extensive business of church/missionary activities in India. Nathan Rehn is a lead pastor at the Baptist Church of Monterey, California. He has been associated with the Church since the 1990s. He came to India post 2000 during which he saw a potential of conversion business through the church and later via his NGO. In 2008, he formed an NGO, Bless India Ministries Incorporated (BIMI), with the motto "To Win India For Christ ". BIMI used to fund crores of rupees annually to the "Christ the King of Kings Ministries Welfare Association" (CKKMWA) headed by Devdas Mekala, one of Nathan's disciples in Andhra Pradesh. BIMI sent over Rs 6.86 crore to CKKMWA between 2010 and 2017 for the purpose of setting up churches and performing conversions. During his stay in India, Nathan Rehn continued to open several branches of his NGO for conversion business in Andhra Pradesh, and in Orissa border until 2017. But the Government of India brought in the new Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and tightened the noose of thousands of NGOs in India. After that, BIMI stopped sending funds to India via the same channel, which also halted Nathan's ancestral business in the country. Since then, Truschke turned against India by resorting to propagating her distorted and manipulated academic works and toying with the Indian history by glorifying the likes of Aurangzeb and deeming India as a fascist state. OSINTWA in its thread has put forth very well that Truschke's anti-India and anti-Hindu stance is not a fight about ideology. It's because her family business was blemished due to tightened FCRA laws by the Indian government. Deep-links with Pakistan In yet another thread posted on September 9, OSINTWA exposed Truschke's deep connections with Pakistani institutions. Before getting established as a historian, Truschke came in contact with some key people not long back. She met Thane Rehn in 2007, and later got married to him. Thane Rehn was in India with his father Nathan Rehn in the conversion business. He also visited Pakistan as a summer intern in the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan during the early stages of his career. In 2007, Truschke also met a Pakistan-origin professor named Manan Ahmad Asif, a historian with critical views and academic works on India. Manan Ahmad played a significant role in establishing Truschke into the entire ecosystem. Both of them attended several events together and promoted each other on various platforms. Truschke also obtained a fellowship course from the American Institute of Pakistan Studies (AIPS) in 2012-13. AIPS is an organisation with the mission to encourage and support research on issues relevant to Pakistan and promotion of scholarly exchange between the US and Pakistan. Manan Ahmed is one of the managing trustees of AIPS, while Truschke is still an active member of the institution. The thread also mentions that prior to visiting Pakistan, Truschke had also visited India in 2006, which she has never revealed or mentioned till today. Team OSINT did a thorough research which now answers as to why she came, who called her, where she came and what all she did before turning against India. Truschke's ulterior agenda behind her distorted academic works on India and derogatory remarks now becomes unconcealed. She blatantly deems India and its establishment as fascist and promoters of genocide. But on the contrary, she herself is an apologist of a genocide maniac like Aurangzeb. She regularly attacks India on the lines of minority freedom in South Asia, but also refrains from speaking about the minority population in Pakistan. In its latest thread, OSINTWA also stated about coming up with the third part of Truschke's expose that would explain the people behind her and the nexus that backs her globally. --IANS san/arm Ninety-three lawmakers, who were present during the parliamentary session on Wednesday, unanimously adopted the pact, which will be next reviewed by the Senate before being submitted to King Norodom Sihamoni for endorsement, reports Xinhua news agency. Phnom Penh, Sep 10 (IANS) The National Assembly of Cambodia has ratified the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's largest free trade agreement (FTA), which comprises 15 Asia-Pacific countries. Signed on November 15, 2020, the RCEP is a mega trade deal between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its FTA partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak said the Cambodian government has projected that the RCEP accord will boost the country's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2 per cent, exports by 7.3 per cent and investment by 23.4 per cent. "The RCEP agreement will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region, further expand regional value chains and create more employment and market opportunities for peoples and businesses in the region," he told Parliament. "It also gives support to the world on the multilateral free trade system." Cheam Yeap, chairman of the National Assembly's Commission of Economy, Finance, Banking and Audit, said that the pact will enter into force 60 days after six ASEAN member states and three of the non-ASEAN signatories ratified the agreement. "This agreement will create an open trade and investment atmosphere for the region and will ultimately contribute to global economic growth and development," he said. Covering a region with a combined GDP of $26.2 trillion, or about 30 per cent of global GDP, the RCEP agreement is an unprecedented, modern, comprehensive, high-quality and reciprocal mega-regional trading arrangement that accommodates the broadest possible interests, conditions and priorities of different countries. Once in effect, the deal will eliminate tariffs on as much as 90 per cent of goods traded between its signatories over the next 20 years. --IANS ksk/ Jorgensen is on five days' visit to India with a business delegation. New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS) Indian Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav on Thursday met Danish Climate, Energy and Utilities Minister Dan Jorgensen to discuss general bilateral cooperation in the areas of environment and climate change. Acknowledging the historical and friendly ties between the two countries, Yadav highlighted the contribution of Denmark in the 'White Revolution' in India, because of which today India is the largest producer of milk in the world, an Environment Ministry release said. Yadav also appreciated the contributions of Denmark in setting up the clean and wind energy hub in Tamil Nadu and Danish companies that have made significant investments in India in diverse sectors. Both the ministers held discussion on Green Strategic Partnership (GSP) and upcoming COP26 meeting, the annual climate change conference that would be held at Glasgow. Reinstating the findings of the recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Physical Science Summary for Policy Makers (SPM), Yadav highlighted that the world must recall about the forgotten phrases 'Equity, CBDR-RC, and National Circumstances' that are the bedrock of UNFCCC (the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change) and its Paris Agreement and emphasised that COP26 should ensure a balanced outcome with equal treatment to all agenda items like adaptation, finance, response measures, etc. The two environment ministers also discussed the Joint Action Plan to take forward the Green Strategic Partnership (GSP) in the environment sector. --IANS niv/vd A joint venture and shareholder agreement has been signed between the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, in New Delhi on Thursday, according to the NEA. Kathmandu, Sep 10 (IANS) In a major boost for bilateral power trade, Nepal and India have signed an investment agreement for the construction of the second Butwal-Gorakhpur 400 KV cross-border transmission line. The agreement was signed by NEA Managing Director Kulman Ghising and PGCIL Executive Director Y.K. Dixit. After completing the project, Nepal, and India can easily trade around 2,000 MW of energy from this dedicated transmission line. The proposed transmission line is a major component of the $630 million "Nepal Compact", an agreement between the Nepal government and the US' Millennium Challenge Corporation to fund electricity and road projects of strategic importance in Nepal. An agreement on implementing the transmission line is also a prerequisite for the multi-million dollar MCC-Nepal compact -- viewed by many in Nepal as a counter-initiative under the Indo-Pacific Strategy of the US against China's Belt and Road Initiative -- to become effective. Nepal's Council of Ministers has already approved the NEA's proposal to invest 50 per cent shares in the company to be set up for the construction of the Butwal-Gorakhpur cross-border transmission line. The signing of the agreement has paved a way for both sides to set up the joint venture company with 50 per cent share each of the NEA and the Power Grid for the construction of the section on the Indian side,as well as completing the legal procedure, Ghising said. It will take three and half years to complete the construction of the project that will be 120 km long - around 100 km will be on the Indian side and rest on the Nepali side. The transmission line will become a major energy lifeline between Nepal and India, NEA spokesperson Prabal Adhikari said. A meeting of the Nepal-India Energy Joint Steering Committee had decided, in October 2019, to build the transmission line but due to the Covid pandemic, further negotiations were put on hold. The total cost of the project would be (Nepali) Rs 7 billion (Indian Rs 4 billion). During the meeting in Delhi, the Nepali delegation also discussed selling the sale energy from Nepal to India. Nepal is adding around 456 MW energy soon and during the rainy season, it wants to sell the spare energy to India. Nepal is also importing over 300 MW of energy from India during the winter season to meet its energy demands. As per the power utility's estimate, Nepal will have a surplus of around 8,000 MW by 2025 as the country's generation capacity is expected to reach 10,924 MW while peak demand is likely to be 2,981 MW. In line with the multiple requests from Nepali authorities and the surplus power projections, India has also agreed to formalise the terms related to the energy banking mechanism which will allow Nepal and India to exchange power on a need basis. --IANS giri/vd New Delhi [India], September 11 (ANI): Two Uzbekistan nationals coming from Dubai were apprehended at Indira Gandhi International Airport for smuggling gold by hiding it in the oral cavity, the Delhi customs department said on Friday. During the search, 951 grams of gold in form of dentures and a metallic chain was recovered from them. "Officers of Customs AIU, IGI Airport apprehended 2 Uzbeki nationals on 28/8 night coming from Dubai in the Green Channel. On search, 951 gms gold in form of dentures and a metallic chain was recovered from their oral cavity," tweeted Delhi customs on Friday. Further probe in this matter is underway. The customs authority also held one Indian passenger coming from Muscat and recovered gold concealed in the pockets. "On 28th night, officers of AIU, IGIA stopped 1 Indian pax coming from Muscat on basis of profiling. Upon detailed search, 1801 gms gold in form of brown paste was recovered from concealed pockets in his jeans. His receiver was also nabbed from outside airport,' the customs said in a tweet. (ANI) The year 2021 has been ideal for start-up growth. The Indian start-up ecosystem has showed tremendous resilience in this quarter. Despite the fact that the catastrophic second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic affected businesses across industries in early 2021, many investors continued to cherry-pick opportunities and park their funds in Indian enterprises with growth potential and strong returns. According to Tracxn statistics, Indian enterprises, including startups, raised $33.2 billion in total capital over 1321 agreements between January 1 and August 31, 2020. This is the first week of September and the investors are still on the same inertia of investing in the Indian startups. Bengaluru based retail platform Dukaan that enables small merchants with no programming skills to set up an online store in 30 seconds, has raised $11 M in a pre-Series A round. The investing round was led by 640 Oxford Ventures along with existing investors Lightspeed Partners, Snow Leopard Ventures and Matrix Partners India. Venture Catalyst, HOF Capital, Old Well Ventures, LetsVenture, 9Unicorns, Oyo's Ritesh Agarwal and Nothing's co-founder and CEO Carl Pei also participated in this funding round. This new investment allows us to aggressively expand our operations, while building our team of highly skilled designers and developers. Additionally, this capital accelerates our ability to establish key strategic partnerships to grow our paying merchant base. We started with our monetisation journey on a small merchant base last quarter, and more than 2,000 merchants have enrolled in our Dukaan premium subscription plan so far. Premium subscription is just one of the revenue streams, which contributes almost 10 percent to our revenues, said Suumit Shah, CEO and Co-founder, Dukaan. Bangladeshi B2B commerce firm ShopUp that combined with India's fashion-focused etailer Voonik in 2020, has raised $75 million in a new round of funding headed by Peter Thiel's Valar Ventures, with participation from Prosus Ventures, which was previously known as Naspers. This is Valar Ventures and Prosus Ventures' first investment in Bangladesh. Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, is one of Silicon Valley's wealthiest venture capitalists. This round was also attended by Sequoia Capital and Flourish Ventures, both of whom made their first investments in the neighbouring market with ShopUp. The company wants to digitise the fragmented retail business and solve problems in areas such as suppliers, lending, and transportation. Sujayath Ali, who co-founded Voonik, became a co-founder of ShopUp in February of last year. Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation (HHSIF), Honeywell's philanthropic arm, has partnered with ICT Academy for a three-year project to establish centres of excellence for skill development in 50 institutions throughout the country. Honeywell has contributed INR 10 crore (INR 100 million) in the first year to build these centres, which will provide certifications in AI, Machine Learning (ML), Big Data Analytics, and Nanotechnology. Through the project cycle, this upskilling programme will empower 15,000 students, half of whom are women, and offer job placements. Certifications in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), big data analytics, and nanotechnology will be available at the centres. This upskilling programme is projected to assist 15,000 students, half of whom are women, in completing the project cycle and finding work. The programme offers a globally recognized certificate that will benefit bright students from marginalized sections of society who are enrolled in engineering, arts, and science colleges in tier-I and tier-II cities across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. HHSIF is also establishing centres for women students, demonstrating Honeywells commitment to promoting inclusion and diversity in the countrys workforce," Honeywell said in a statement. Hyderabad based B-school, Indian School of Business (ISB)s DLabs incubator received Rs 5 crore under the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme by the department of promotion of industry and internal grade, Union ministry of commerce and industry. ISBs DLabs Incubator Association will use the fresh funds for prototype development, early-stage startups for proof of concept, product trials, market entry and commercialization. Many good ideas dont see the light of day because they could not get early-stage funding. This grant will help us fix it, said professor Bhagwan Chowdhary, faculty director, ISB DLabs. Logistics aggregator Shiprocket is in talks with Singapore's national wealth fund Temasek to lead a new round of fundraising for $200 million. They claimed that in addition to existing investors, other cross-border investors could join the investment round, which is projected to value the Delhi-based company at around $800 million. Shiprocket gathers delivery requests from direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, micro entrepreneurs, and small businesses, and transfers them to logistics companies like Delhivery and Ecom Express. Aside from shipping, it also provides its technological stack to retailers, allowing them to combine their shopping websites with platforms such as Shopify. Shiprocket has raised around $94 million to date. Shiprocket claims an annual revenue run rate of $80-90 million, with 130,000-140,000 active merchants on its site each year. It has been concentrating on the burgeoning direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand area, which presently sees roughly 2-3 million daily shipments. Indian delivery and e-commerce logistics company, Delhivery secured $76.4 million ( 558 crore) in a series I round led by Addition LLC, a firm led by renowned startup investor Lee Fixel. The Gurugram-based startup has allocated 146,961 Series I Compulsory Convertible Preference Shares (CCPS) at a price of Rs 37,900 per share to Addition LLC. Fixel previously worked for Tiger Global, a New York-based hedge fund, for 13 years, from 2006 to 2019. He was in charge of Tiger Global's $3.3 billion investment in Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart. In September 2019, Lee Fixel launched his own investment firm, Addition LLC, and has made investments in news aggregation startup Inshorts and its social network platform, Public. The latest round of funding comes months after a FedEx division invested $100 million in Delhivery, and the startup completed a subsequent $277 million round. As part of the transaction, FedEx Express also enters into a long-term commercial partnership with Delhivery. Although FedEx Express will focus on international export and import services to and from India, Delhivery will promote FedEx Express's international products and services in India and handle pick-up and delivery operations within the country. Zoho Corporation, an Indian software-as-a-service (SaaS) startup has invested $5 million in Voxelgrids, a Bengaluru-based medical devices company that makes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners. The investment will be made in two parts over the next two years with Zoho owning around 25 per cent stake in Voxelgrids. The investment from Zoho would allow Voxelgrids to build planned relationships for design and intellectual property licensing opportunities, rapid market penetration and partner with original equipment manufacturers. DeepTech products, like ours, require a significant amount of time from completing the R&D (Research and Development) to taking the product to market, and most often, this is the time where we face insufficient funding. The investment from Zoho will help us bridge this gap and speed up our efforts to scale, said Arjun Arunachalam, Founder of Voxelgrids. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Retail mall landlord Scentre has moved a step closer to its $670 million office tower project above Westfield Parramatta after its bid to almost double the height to 47 storeys was approved by the NSW government. Upon completion, it will be the third-largest tower in the bustling capital of Sydneys west. Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes approved the 22-storey addition to the building, which he said would boost construction jobs in Sydneys second CBD and will add 105,000 square metres of commercial space. The concept plan for a 47-storey office tower above Westfield Parramatta, which will add thousands of square metres of new commercial space and support hundreds of construction jobs in Sydneys second CBD, has been given the green light by the NSW Government Parramattas status as Sydneys second CBD will be further enhanced by this development, Mr Stokes said. News Corp Australias executive chairman Michael Miller has told local staff the companys commentators such as Andrew Bolt and Rowan Dean will not be muzzled as part of a company-wide editorial project focused on climate change and reducing carbon emissions. In an all staff email obtained by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Mr Miller confirmed plans for a company-wide climate change campaign in October, but said the push was not conceived due to pressure from advertisers and that different viewpoints will be featured in it. Our plans are not in response to any advertiser questions or concerns, he said. However, since the coverage this week, it has been great to be contacted by our clients and major Australian companies who are interested in how they can be involved. News Corp Australasia chairman Michael Miller said columnists and commentators wont be muzzled. Credit:Jessica Hromas All our commentators and columnists will be encouraged to participate, and their views will not be muzzled . They put the call-out for retired army officers, stood down Qantas pilots and now kids. Desperate farmers, who are about to harvest the second biggest wheat crop in a decade, are so short of staff that some will be using their primary school aged children to drive tractors and other heavy machinery. It is desperate, said James Jackson, NSW Farmers Association president. People will have primary school kids driving tractors with chaser bins and stuff for sure. He said farmers have been scrambling to find staff wherever they can. Weve got 80-year-olds driving trucks. The world is crying out for our grain at the moment, says northern NSW farmer Matthew Madden. Credit:Grace Quast A years worth of farming work hinges on the success of the four- to six-week harvest period of the winter grain crop, which includes wheat, barley, canola and chickpeas, and the stakes have never been higher. The NSW wheat crop alone is worth as much as $3.85 billion, with prices skyrocketing given a global shortage in wheat after a prolonged drought in North America. A bubble announced on the border between Queensland and NSW on Friday will alleviate some stress on farmers in the movement of labour. When I was 15-years-old, I took a two-hour train ride on my own from my home in Leamington Spa to London. I then navigated the tube underground system to get to the Tate Gallery to see an exhibition by Swiss artist Jean Tinguely. He is still my favourite artist to this day. And I wasnt kidnapped, even though I was still a kid. The reason I raise my non-kidnapping experience, is because I have realised that I have never been trained in kidnapping risks. Now you may well ask why I should ever be in need of a talking to kidnappers 101 course. It is not as though I have worked in war zones (though I did once do a shift in a burger bar when I was 15 and I imagine that was pretty similar). Are we wasting time at work finding solutions to problems that may never eventuate? Credit:Dionne Gain Picture my utter astonishment when I saw a recent tweet from Dr Cerian Griffiths, a legal expert on 18th century fraud and contemporary financial misconduct. The good Dr Griffiths was planning a trip from her university to the British Library in London. However, she alleges her institution required her to complete training before the rail journey. Her exasperated tweet from September 2 read Im trapped in a Kafkaesque nightmare. In order to book train tickets to visit the British Library for one day, I need to undertake six training courses, including Kidnap for Ransom and Female Traveller Security. I may just pay for the bloody tickets myself. My first response to the course Kidnap for ransom was for or against? She reports being reassured that in her training she learnt: Keep calm, 40 per cent of hostages are released unharmed. Thats great then, I am more likely than not to be harmed. I can fully imagine some workplace health and safety wonk in a reflective jacket getting unnecessarily excited about hazards such as books falling from shelves and a failure to place a sign in the lavatory warning people that the hot tap is prone to emit hot water. However, I had no idea that readers going about their peaceable business furtively thumbing 50 shades of bondage rubber, or the Top 50 Australian prime ministers between 2007 and 2021, were at risk of being frog-marched out of the short loan section and into a waiting helicopter. This may explain the silence in libraries. Everyone has duct tape over their mouths. Thousands of casual staff at the University of Sydney were notified on Thursday that they have been denied permanent jobs following an assessment of their eligibility. The University of Sydney has confirmed 69 of 4173 casual staff assessed were offered permanent employment. National Tertiary Education Union NSW secretary Damien Cahill said it appeared the university had taken a very minimalist black letter approach to casual employment and conversion and a very mean-spirited approach. Many casual staff at the University of Sydney are disappointed they have been denied permanent employment. Credit:Steven Siewert Much of the casual work that goes on at Sydney uni and most other universities in Australia is actually ongoing in nature and therefore should be given ongoing contract in secure employment. They are taking a formalist definition and not converting people, Mr Cahill said. No re-runs for ABBA movie As the wave of ABBA nostalgia sweeps the globe following the release of the bands first new music in 40 years, now seems as good a time as any to resurrect the film ABBA: The Movie, shot during their historic 1977 tour of Australia and co-produced by the late Reg Grundy. They way they really were ... ABBA at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest. Their hit song, Waterloo, won. Credit:Olle Lindeborg In theory, its a great idea the film remains an extraordinary time capsule of another time except for one glaring problem: its lead actor, the jailed paedophile Robert Hughes. PS spoke with several television executives this week who have all ruled out giving the film an airing in 2021, agreeing that while it has had late-night screenings over years, at the moment it is untouchable because Hughes is in jail serving a 10-year sentence for historic child sex offences. In 2014 the former Hey Dad! star and husband of one-time showbiz power agent Robyn Gardiner was sentenced to a maximum of 10 years and nine months in jail after a jury found him guilty of 10 charges relating to sexual and indecent acts perpetrated on four young girls in the 1980s and 1990s. Back in 1977 he was a budding actor who scored his first big break when he landed a role in the ABBA film, playing a hapless radio reporter who spends most of the film chasing the band across the country trying to score an interview. Convicted paedophile Robert Hughes. Credit:Janie Barrett In 1991 Hughes told former Herald journalist Cotton Ward: Getting the part in the ABBA movie was a knockout. When it turned out to be the lead role in an international film I was flabbergasted. Hughes was paid a modest weekly wage during the shoot, and complained bitterly that he saw no residuals in the years that followed, claiming his contract with Grundy had mysteriously vanished. But missing contracts are the least of TV executives worries with the film today. Viewing the film in light of Hughes conviction makes scenes featuring Hughes, in particular those showing him interviewing children about their adoration of Abba, more than a little awkward. As one network programmer said: It just looks creepy. Hughes was cast in the role by Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom who had been making music clips for ABBA before signing up to do the movie. Co-producer Grundy used the film to create a vast range of merchandise around the band, and it was a money spinner. For the time, the film had a huge budget reportedly more than $1 million and was shot in an array of iconic venues, from the washed-out ABBA concert at the old Sydney Showground in Moore Park to the now demolished Sebel Town House. Hallstrom went on to direct The Cider House Rules (1999), Whats Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) and Chocolat (2000). The quartets members Anni-Frid Lyngstad, now 75; Benny Andersson, 76; Bjorn Ulvaeus, 73; and Agnetha Faltskog, 71, scored their big breakthrough in 1974 when they won the Eurovision Song Contest, but it was Australia that was the first market to really embrace Abba in a fanatical way. Hallstrom later said the script was written during an eight-hour flight from Singapore to Sydney, though the end product was the result of plenty of improvisation, which the director later admitted was pretty silly. Teo flies out Weeks after the NSW Medical Council slapped conditions on Dr Charlie Teos registration following several complaints, the celebrity neurosurgeon has left Australia for a three-month sabbatical in Europe. Dr Charlie Teo is off on a European sabbatical. Credit:Quentin Jones But dont expect Teo to take up basket-weaving or painting classes. Aside from catching up with friends PS is informed Teo will be embarking on an international road trip to promote his Omniscient brain scan machines, kicking off in Germany. However, girlfriend Traci Griffiths has not joined him on the trip, which had been planned for a year, well before the Health Care Complaints Commission investigation got under way. Last month Teo told the Murdoch press he would consider his future on his self-imposed sabbatical, describing the medical watchdogs move against him as soul-destroying. Costas Penthouse woes continue Just months after Sydney porn king and Penthouse Australia publisher Damien Costas creditors voted to annul his bankruptcy despite being owed millions of dollars, the trustee who endorsed the annulment, David Sampson of BPS Recovery, has been issued with an official caution by watchdog the Australian Financial Security Authority. While the caution letter is not a finding that any rules were breached, it constitutes a light rapping on the knuckles. Sampson told PS: I take this matter very seriously and I do not consider it appropriate at this stage to publicly respond to any specific issues in relation to the matter. Damien Costas of Australian Penthouse. Credit:Nic Walker Investigators have also proposed AFSA Enforcement consider investigating the proof of debt form used by Costas creditor, PSHD Capital Pty Ltd. PS previously revealed PSHD requested a change in trustees, which resulted in Sampsons appointment. PSHD was formerly known as HMD Capital Pty Ltd. HMD, according to ASIC records, was owned by convicted drug smuggler Sean Dolman, who is currently in prison over Australias biggest-ever meth bust, in which 1.2 tonnes of the drug were found off Western Australias coast in 2017. Dolman is a former business partner of Costas. At the time of Dolmans arrest, Costas told PS he was shocked. Medichs shiny new toy There has been a very loud and very noticeable addition to Sydney Harbour in recent days, with the arrival of Sydney property developer, art collector, and former pub owner Anthony Medichs new $25 million Mangusta super yacht, Royale X. Anthony Medich has taken delivery of a new Mangusta super yacht. It is understood Medich, who is the son of millionaire businessman Roy Medich and the nephew of convicted killer Ron Medich, has been waiting for the shiny new toy to arrive for some time. In 2015, Anthony Medich was reportedly cashed up with the sale of three pubs in two weeks, worth about $50 million. Meanwhile, his father shared in a $500 million windfall with his jailed brother in April that resulted from the sale of their substantial landholding adjacent to the proposed second airport at Badgerys Creek. All performers in the award-winning musical Come From Away, which closed its doors in Sydney on June 27, will have to be vaccinated before they return to the stage when NSW begins reopening next month. The show is the first Australian theatre company to mandate vaccinations, which also extends to the crew. Lead by example: producer Rodney Rigby outside the closed-down Capitol Theatre in Haymarket Credit:Janie Barrett We want to lead by example, said producer Rodney Rigby. We want to be a safe house and get back to work as fast as we possibly can. The move comes after productions on Broadway and in Londons West End introduced similar no jab, no play rules for performers earlier this year. Jenni Rickards father is a Vietnam veteran, her grandfather was a soldier in World War II, and her great uncle Teddy Sheean was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. She has never fought in a war, but she has witnessed the cost. As the president of the Australian Parents Council, she wants children to understand those costs, and supports a plan to explore conflicting views in the national history curriculum. This is why she was worried when federal Education Minister Alan Tudge said this week that the Anzac legend was not going to be a contested idea on my watch. Jenni Rickard, of the Australian Parents Council, with a photo of her soldier grandfather. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen For Ms Rickard, the danger lies not in teaching students about differing views of Anzac Day, but in denying them. She believes they should learn from the past. Educating our children, not indoctrinating our children, is at the core of a quality education, Ms Rickard said. Like former Prime Minister John Howard, who famously rejected a black armband view of the nations past, Mr Tudge is critical of what he describes as an overly negative approach to history in a draft revision of the national curriculum. But Associate Professor Heather Sharp, an education academic who specialises in history, described Mr Tudges approach as Howard on steroids. Iain Harrison remembers clambering up the sandy dunes at the Inverloch surf beach when he was a toddler, more than 50 years ago. They were covered in spinifex and coastal daisies and when he made it to the top, there was a view of the sea. When the Inverloch Surf Lifesaving Club was built a decade ago the dunes were still there, but now they have disappeared. In the eight years to 2020, the coastline in front of the club has moved landwards by about 50 metres, an average of about seven metres per year. Inverloch Surf Lifesaving club President Warren Cook, pictured here with his daughter Jasmine. When the surf lifesaving club was built 10 years ago, it had no view of the sea but now the water is 30 metres from the door. Credit:Jason South Mr Harrison is a member of the club and has always holidayed at Inverloch, 140 kilometres south-east of Melbourne. Hes a horticulturist and has been aware of the scientific reality of global warming, and the accompanying sea level rise and intense weather, since the 1980s. As work stress mounted, so did the symptoms: night terrors, adrenal fatigue, brain fog, anemia, excruciating back pain, and swelling and inflammation. I became stuck in a swirl of negativity. I broke out in random rashes and had my first panic attack. I lost friends and my ability to lightheartedly communicate with others because I knew nothing but darkness and pain. All your blood work is within normal range, my doctor would say as I sat hunched and miserable in her patient chair. I returned multiple times, begging for more detailed blood tests, knowing that something must be wrong with my hormones. But I was informed that when blood tests come back within normal range, theres no basis to request further analysis. Trusting my doctor and desperate to pull myself out of the nightmare, I instead tried everything from nutrition plans and therapy to energy healing and Ayahuasca ceremonies (Shaman-led plant medicine rituals), but relief was fleeting. This rollercoaster dragged on until early 2019, when fate landed me on a fasting retreat in Thailand. My body and mind responded remarkably to the week of detox. I felt mostly like myself again, a tiny miracle. Convinced my diagnosis was a destroyed gut microbiome from parasites years prior, I quit a promising job in Sydney to spend the year healing my gut in Bali. However once there, blood work quickly revealed my bodys detox centre, the liver, had been under chronic stress and was the main concern. While friends went for drinks and ate at the islands countless beautiful cafes, I spent my time on liver support protocols, sober and sugar-free, taking herbs and doing acupuncture, sauna and colonics. I turned 34 feeling the best I had in years. I spent my time on liver support protocols, sober and sugar-free, taking herbs and doing acupuncture, sauna and colonics. I turned 34 feeling the best I had in years. But returning to Australia in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, I faced the shattering realisation that my symptoms redeveloped unless I remained on strict detox protocols. At my wits end, I began educating myself on the liver, learning that in addition to processing toxins, one of its main functions is to regulate and excrete hormones. It was time to revisit my fibroid. Not your ideal plot twist During the next ultrasound appointment I discovered thered been a gross oversight in my scans. Not only had my fibroid increased to the size of a grapefruit, but to my surprise, the sonographer mentioned a second, orange-sized growth. The second fibroid had been included in my previous two reports but, unbelievably, my GP had failed to notice it. From the first time wed discussed the initial fibroid, Id had two. Now totalling 14 centimetres the size of a small rockmelon surgery was not only overdue but my only option. I changed GPs and was immediately referred to Dr Choi. Propelled by shock and regret, I dove into my own research and became the kind of patient Dr Choi politely described as highly engaged and inquisitive. Thankfully, she encouraged my endless questions, explaining that its imperative females feel empowered by physicians who understand our needs and concerns. Filling in the blanks An MRI revealed my two fibroids had merged together in what Dr Choi described as a snowman. It was causing abdominal distention, swelling out below my belly button. Youre presenting as five months pregnant, Dr Choi exclaimed in our first consult. It took me a beat to realise the enormity of this statement: my body had been functioning under pregnancy-like stress for four or so years. Suddenly, the motley crew of physical and emotional symptoms Id been suffering started to make sense. Larger fibroids in certain locations can push on internal organs and joints and even lead to painful or uncomfortable sex. The constant pressure of the growth can impact gut health, disrupt the pelvic bowl and create a domino-effect throughout the body. For me, that included pelvic misalignment or tilt, causing referred pain in my hips, back and neck; bloating and swelling; a compacted colon; and worst of all, a compressed bladder. I was making upwards of 15 bathroom trips a day. Dr Choi explains that pressure symptoms are vague and varied and as a result, can be easily overlooked by both patient and GP. Add to that both the female tendency to push through discomfort and the gender pain gap, and large growths in particular locations can fly under the radar for years. Period irregularities are more easily recognised as common symptoms of fibroids, cysts, polyps and endometriosis. If you experience heavy and painful periods or random bleeding throughout your cycle, the cultural script that this is normal is incorrect your body could be sending you a message. Now totalling 14 centimetres the size of a small rockmelon surgery was not only overdue but my only option. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, acupuncturist and founder of Sydneys The Dao clinic, Elizabeth Cullen, believes that women should connect to their periods and open a dialogue with health practitioners. The menstrual cycle is a females monthly report card and a beneficial way to check on ones health each month, says Cullen. Many women tolerate symptoms such as expected pain with the cycle and spontaneous and heavy bleeding, but they shouldnt ignore them. We have now raised generations of women who have got on with it without knowing that the monthly bleed can be an inherent strength rather than a burden. Its all about the hormones Loading The most crucial yet difficult piece of my health puzzle was deciphering why my symptoms were also mental and emotional. Unfortunately, when my GP initially explained fibroids to me, shed buried the lead: fibroid growth is linked to hormones like oestrogen and progesterone. While fibroids are not the cause of hormonal imbalances (youll likely have existing issues that could then result in fibroid growth), it is possible for larger growths to actually intensify hormonal symptoms. Fibroids do not cause hormone issues directly, Dr Choi explains, but if someone suffers from hormonal symptoms, the presence of large fibroids may make them more noticeable due to its pressure effects. In that way, my fibroid had been a flashing siren, alerting me to hormone dysfunction. Physical pain I can tolerate, but my emotional symptoms were crippling. Id become hypersensitive, easily stressed and irritable, and experienced mood swings, anxiety, exhaustion, trouble sleeping, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and an intense bout of depression. Finally learning that my fibroid had been exacerbating my hormonal imbalances helped me understand that I wasnt broken or crazy. I had a logical reason as to why it felt like my identity had evaporated. Alternative modalities such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are well-versed in the role oestrogen and progesterone play in fibroid growth. The TCM focus is on investigating why a patient has experienced a fibroid in the first place, says Cullen. [This involves] restoring hormonal balance to prevent further growths, in addition to encouraging overall balance in the entire body. Were often told fibroids cause no symptoms and this default stance in medicine meant that it took many years and multiple doctors to have both pressure symptoms and hormone implications discussed seriously. Modern medicine also favours a wait until surgery approach, but once youve grown fibroids, youre at higher risk of growing more. Surgery isnt a cure-all. Bias in gynaecology is holding us back Despite 80 percent of women developing fibroids during their lifetime, modern medicine still lacks a nuanced understanding around their cause and treatment. Were not exactly certain why women grow fibroids; its usually multifactorial, explains Dr Choi. Most of the cases are idiopathic, which means no known cause. While surgical removal has made huge strides reducing invasiveness for women through robotic-assisted laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery, medical treatments that focus on prevention and management remain worryingly inadequate. Globally, uterine fibroids are among the most significant diseases of reproductive-age women, writes James H. Segars, MD in his 2020 study into fibroid research. Despite the magnitude of the problem, nonsurgical and medical options for treatment are extremely limited. One reason [is] that funding for research on uterine fibroids has been sparse in comparison to the scope of the problem. It may feel counterintuitive to question your doctor, but considering the lack of research and palpable gender bias facing female health issues, its important to advocate for yourself and get informed using reputable sources to know your best options, says Dr Choi. My quiet, slow road to recovery Ten months after a robotic-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy, my journey is centred on hormonal recovery. Under the care of an incredible new GP who specialises in both hormones and gut health, my five-year mystery struggle is over. I finally received my diagnosis: what Id experienced in 2015 was hormonal collapse. After this appointment, I sat in my car and cried. Loading All Id needed in 2015 was a few extra blood tests to discover multiple hormonal imbalances and a hereditary liver variation that affects hormone processing and excretion. One result was long-term oestrogen dominance, which can lead to fibroid growth. While my 14-centimetre snowman may be gone, my body still echoes its impact. My pelvic tilt continues to cause back and hip pain, something Im correcting with a physical therapist. I still struggle with stress, weight and other hormone-controlled issues, but things are gradually improving. Mentally, I sometimes have moments of bitterness and regret at losing five years of my life to a largely avoidable situation. But these are now my lessons to share. Irrevocably changed by this experience, Im no longer afraid to trust my intuition, push for my needs to be taken seriously or leave practitioners who arent serving me. Now deeply connected to my body, I finally understand it is solely my job to protect her. Be the driving force, suggest that you should take some tests, because a simple thing like an ultrasound scan can make a huge difference, says Dr Choi. Just remember to ask for your own copy. Womens Health Week runs 6-10 September 2021. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size It was 20 years ago. It was a Tuesday and it was hot. I remember I was wearing a white shirt and a white skirt with a picture of a dragon. An outfit Id never have worn in Sydney, but New York does that to you. It makes you brave. My husband, Tony, and I had moved there following our July wedding. After four years working in the photography department at Who magazine in Sydney, Id been offered a two-year contract as its US-based photo editor in the People magazine office, an opportunity I couldnt refuse. Neither of us had been to New York. We were newlyweds, loved up and excited to be starting a new chapter of our lives in the worlds most vibrant city. We were renting a not quite legal sublet in a building on the Lower East Side. In the lifts one of which was programmed to stop at every floor from sunset on Fridays in observance of the Sabbath wed eavesdrop on conversations between our eccentric neighbours; we were seriously living in a Seinfeld episode. In a short space of time, we fell in love with Manhattan: its bars and shopping and crazy roller skaters in Central Park. From the only window in our tiny apartment, we had a perfect view of the Empire State Building, with its ever-changing rainbow of night lights. We were living the dream. At about 8.40am on September 11, I left home for another day at work. As I came around the corner of our building, I noticed what a great view we had of the World Trade Centre, about 2 kilometres along East Broadway. I stood and gazed at it for a moment, thinking about my mums visit in a few weeks time and how wed take her to the rooftop observation deck of the South Tower, 110 floors up. The view was amazing. I walked down the stairs to my nearby subway stop and took the train. By the time I got off at Rockefeller Centre 20 minutes later, the world had changed forever. It was immediately apparent that something had happened. There was a sense of panic and confusion as commuters darted around me on their phones, trying to catch the news on the TVs in the underground shops. Feeling rattled, I got into the elevator and headed straight up to my office on the 37th floor. Advertisement The Who office comprised a team of four: Karen, an Aussie whod arrived two years earlier, Charlie and Jeff, two Americans, and me. All of them were in a visible state of shock as they stood around the TV, where I joined them and caught up on the details: at 8.46am, while I was underground, American Airlines flight 11 had flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Centre. At 9.03am, while I was in the lift, a second plane, United Airlines flight 175, also from Boston, had crashed into the South Tower. It was now just after 9.10am. From our office window, we could see thick brown clouds of smoke billowing up into the blue dome of the sky downtown. I got in touch with Tony, who was at home in our tiny apartment and was alerted to the disaster by a deep rumble, which hed feared was a bomb on the subway. It was such a relief to hear his voice, and that he was shaken, but okay. Now, like us, he was paralysed in front of the TV, witnessing a terrifying chronology of events that was hard to digest: another American Airlines flight slamming into the Pentagon in Washington at 9.37am; the collapse of the South Tower just before 10am; followed by another United Airlines flight crashing out of the sky into a Pennsylvanian field at 10.02am. At 10.28am, we watched in horror as the North Tower began its hideous, slow-motion crumple. Tegan and her husband, Tony, had been in New York for just a few weeks when 9/11 happened. Credit:Courtesy of Tegan Sadlier and Tony Clayton It was deadline day at People, but already the team was mobilising to put together a new issue dedicated to the days events. My job was to keep my Sydney colleagues looped in on the coverage, but I had a few hours: much of Australia was still asleep, blissfully unaware of the crisis. Until then, there was no way I could concentrate on work. I was sure of only one thing: I needed to be with Tony. We made a plan. With the city now in lockdown, the subway was shut, so wed have to walk. I would head six blocks east to First Avenue and walk south as he headed north on the same side. There were five kilometres between us and no mobile reception. At some point, wed have to meet. There was no other option. I left the office at about 11am, promising to be back later. Even this far uptown, the streets were busy with people trying to get home, crowds heading on foot towards the bridges. As I started down First Avenue, I passed medical centres where the unscathed were already lining up outside to give blood. Advertisement Very few were heading, like me, towards the tragedy: the vast majority were trying to get away from it. They were quiet, haunted-looking and growing in numbers, becoming dustier, filthier, more torn and damaged the further south I walked. Some were on their own, others walking arm in arm, bruised and bloody. I couldnt imagine what theyd been through, what theyd seen. They were a distraction I almost had to block out, though, along with the smell of burning plastic and electronics, to focus on my mission: Tony. By the time we found each other, around the halfway point, we were exhausted. We fell into each others arms as if wed been separated for an eternity and sobbed as the masses, like zombies, continued their melancholy march around us. It was 1pm. Smoke rises from the World Trade Centre. Credit:Courtesy of Tegan Sadlier and Tony Clayton We headed back to the safety of our apartment and watched the news: the words terrorist attacks were being used, as we sat numb and frightened, trying to process what was happening around us, just down the street. The US was under attack, and it was completely overwhelming. At 3pm, Tony and I began the long walk back uptown to 49th Street. Sixth Avenue, never less than an iconic picture of New York energy a pulsating artery of yellow taxis and traffic jams was eerily deserted, swallowed by an apocalyptic silence. New York was holding her breath. Back in the office, we spent the afternoon and evening on the phone, talking to colleagues, friends and family in Sydney who were waking up to the tragedy. We went through the details of the morning over and over again, as if by repeating the facts wed somehow accept them. An eerily deserted 6th Avenue on the evening of the attacks. Credit:Courtesy of Tegan Sadlier and Tony Clayton Advertisement I did a radio interview with 2GB, where my father was working at the time, but can remember nothing about what I said. The horror of September 11 consumed us for weeks. There were constant reminders in our neighbourhood: the sickly smell of burning plastic and electricals from Ground Zero; the normally bustling streets closed to allow the passage of noisy trucks and the ambulances that never came. Working on the 37th floor of a landmark building now felt perilous. I struggled with having to go there, the expectation that wed all continue as normal. For a while, Tony, who didnt yet have a job, came with me: if there was another attack, at least wed be together. Every street corner was plastered with posters of the missing. Every fire station became a shrine. Candle-light vigils were an almost nightly occurrence, the citys sadness palpable. When the first plane since the tragedy flew over Manhattan, everyone looked up. My 30th birthday, just two weeks later, was a sombre affair; a quiet dinner with a few friends, all sharing the same unease. No one was in the mood for celebration. I struggled with having to go there, the expectation that wed all continue as normal. For a while, Tony, who didnt yet have a job, came with me: if there was another attack, at least wed be together. Over the next few months, though, New York did what she does best and distracted us from our distress. In October, my mum came to stay as planned. Later, Tony and I took advantage of cheap flights and, nerves jangling, flew to New Orleans. We spent Thanksgiving in Marthas Vineyard and on Christmas Day we had brunch at the famous Plaza Hotel and it snowed. Loading My contract would now finish in March, more than a year early; American companies were cutting funding for international postings. We thought about trying to stay, but it really wasnt the climate for foreigners to be looking for work. Tony and I had always been adamant we wouldnt have children but now, somehow, we didnt feel so invincible any more: our selfish little lives had been humbled. We took it as a sign that we were supposed to go home and maybe think about having a baby. So thats what we did. Newlyweds Tegan and Tony had fallen in love with New York, including Central Parks crazy roller skaters Credit:Courtesy of Tegan Sadlier and Tony Clayton Advertisement For 20 years, I havent been able to watch or read anything about 9/11. Even with the passing of time, the memories filled me with an overwhelming sadness. Nor have I ever felt able to volunteer the information to strangers that I was there: I didnt feel strong enough to withstand their inevitable questions. But 2021 is a year of personal milestones: our 20th wedding anniversary and my 50th birthday. Between them lies a third, more public commemoration: 9/11. Perhaps two decades of happy personal memories are finally giving me the courage to remember everything about that day, too. Had 9/11 not happened, we might never have left. But those terrifying hours showed us our fragility, our inconsequentiality. Today, I wont turn off the TV. Tony and I will watch all the images with our 17-year-old son, Finbar hell be 18 in three weeks and tell him our story, how the events of those terrifying few hours shaped our lives and the people weve become. Had 9/11 not happened, its possible we might never have left. But those terrifying hours showed us our fragility, our inconsequentiality, which prompted us to come home and start a new chapter in our lives, one in which he has had a starring role. Its every parents wish that their teenager sees them finally as an individual in their own right, as someone who has had their own formative, if scarring experiences. This year, for the first time in his life and mine, I feel ready to answer Finbars questions about that life-changing day. All of them. To read more from Good Weekend magazine, visit our page at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times. The best of Good Weekend delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Sign up here. At a time when most kids my age were counting sheep, I was lying awake pondering all the ways the human race was likely to meet its end: tsunamis, melting icecaps, devastating (and unprecedented) weather events, burning wildlife More than 30 years later, the terror Id experienced a persistent worry about the future of our planet and the life it shelters has a name, ecological or climate change anxiety. Perhaps best described by the American Psychological Association as the chronic fear of environmental cataclysm that comes from observing the seemingly irrevocable impact of climate change and the associated concern for ones future and that of next generations, eco-anxiety is making itself known to psychologists around the globe. Hot days are associated with increased hospital admissions for mental and behavioural disorders. Credit:Stocksy A 2018 study by the Australian National University reported that 89 per cent of Australian year 7 students reported being worried about climate change (63 per cent for adults). And while eco-anxiety is not yet considered an official mental health disorder, the Australian Medical Association has declared climate a health emergency. In her Sydney practice, psychologist Dr Amanda Ferguson says patients presenting with climate-related anxiety are on the increase. Theres depression and often a sense of resignation around it, she says. But the anxiety, too, leaps on particularly hot days, during bushfires, or when were experiencing unusually fierce storm activity. Data shows that hot days are associated with increased hospital admissions for mental and behavioural disorders. Sydneysiders wanting to enjoy new freedoms for the vaccinated on Monday may have to settle for soggy picnics, or mark the calendar for the following weekend, with a string of rainy days forecast for next week. But this weekend will provide a taste of summer and prime conditions for lockdown exercise, with the mercury predicted to climb into the high 20s on Saturday and Sunday with plenty of sunshine. A red sunrise at Avalon on Friday ahead of a warm day with a warmer weekend predicted. Credit:Nick Moir Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Neale Fraser said it would be a warm weekend before a cold front moves through the states south-west on Sunday, cooling things off in the city from Monday. He said temperatures will be well above average throughout the state on Saturday and most areas, aside from alpine regions, will reach at least 20 degrees. Nearly 200 years before any couple tested a relationship by trying to assemble an IKEA flat-packed Billy bookshelf, prefabricated and portable buildings - including NSWs Legislative Council - flooded into Australia. Shipped from the United Kingdom, Singapore and Germany in wooden crates, some of these buildings came with instructions. Others didnt. These portable buildings were part of a Victorian-era love of mail-order, according to NSW Parliaments collections and heritage co-ordinator Wes Stowe. A catalogue advertising the building that ended up becoming NSWs upper house included fences, warehouses, dwellings, arcades, government buildings and military barracks. Dr Jennifer Preston, the chair of the NSW Institute of Architects heritage committee, at Retort House at Sub Base Platypus in North Sydney. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Australia has more surviving examples of these 19th-century portable buildings than anywhere else in the world. It is estimated that 117 still exist across Australia, including around 17 in NSW. It all comes wrapped in what one minister privately calls the mother of all caveats: that health authorities will be able to clamp down on movement if coronavirus cases surge in certain suburbs or areas. There was much enthusiastic spruiking from Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Deputy Premier John Barilaro on Thursday, with a clearly relieved Treasurer anticipating an incredibly bright summer. The business community welcomed the news with open arms, with the Committee for Sydney hailing it as the road map we desperately needed. Premier Gladys Berejiklian (centre), Deputy Premier John Barilaro (left), Treasurer Dominic Perrottet (right) before a daily press briefing. Credit:James Brickwood Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello says the road map is about crystallising incentives and trying to further turbocharge vaccine uptake. Its basic behavioural science, he says. We are the first state to provide a road map out and every state will follow. We are trying to show the nation how we can open up to the world. Loading Yet, its unquestionably a gamble, albeit a calculated one. There is a level of nervousness among some of Berejiklians senior colleagues that belies the outward confidence they can pull the tightrope walk off. At the end of the day it will depend on how our ICUs are tracking, one senior government figure admitted to the Herald. There is so much that could happen between now and then [the 70 per cent opening date]. This is the balancing act of trying to provide confidence and hope but being honest at the same time in the light of uncertainty. Berejiklian counts on the vaccine uptake kicking in quickly enough to put the brakes on case numbers and hospital admissions. Despite the insistence of Barilaro on Friday that public health advice had endorsed the road map, a senior government insider confirms Chant and her team remained worried about too much relaxation before a double vaccination rate closer to between 80 and 85 per cent. Chant danced around this when journalists attempted to grill her on Thursday, instead deflecting to underscore the need to get vaccination rates as high as possible. She also avoided addressing whether she was comfortable sticking to the road map if the effective reproduction rate of the virus (the Reff or R rate) was above one at the time 70 per cent double dose is reached ie still on a trajectory for increasing community transmission. According to the University of Melbournes James McCaw, a modeller who advises the federal government, the current R value in NSW is 1.07. That remains a concern. There are also concerns about the Delta variants potential to take root in parts of the community where vaccination rates are lower. In NSW there are about 66,000 people aged over 70 who are yet to have a first dose and about 330,000 people over 50 yet to have a first dose. While first-dose figures in parts of the citys west surge past 80 per cent, rates of vaccination in the citys eastern suburbs and metro Sydney are low: 36 per cent of people in City of Sydney LGA have been fully vaccinated and only 60 per cent have had their first dose. Mosman has about 55 per cent of its residents fully vaccinated, Cumberland is at about 34 per cent. Epidemiologist and global health researcher from the Australian National University Meru Sheel says another reason to take easing of restrictions cautiously is that unlike in Britain, where cases have risen but hospitalisations have so far been manageable, Australia has not had a high disease burden. The British populace has naturally acquired immunity that Australia has not, Dr Sheel says. Modelling released by Melbournes Burnet Institute just last Monday projects ICU operations in NSW will tip over to overwhelming status in the next two months, with peaks of 3434 patients hospitalised and 947 patients in ICU. Yet at the same time the citys pubs will see the return of eager (vaccinated) drinkers, fuelled by the citys warm pre-summer glow. Brendan Crabb, director of the Burnet Institute, says the assumption in Mondays modelling was that restrictions currently in place would be maintained. If restrictions ease, that will affect the [model] Crabb warns. In addition to high vaccination rates we need very effective test, trace, isolation and quarantine to keep numbers low; that is critical. And [these measures] can only work well if numbers are low. I understand the desperation to open and to reward people to get vaccinated but it needs to be balanced. In the end it will not be the government that will determine if another lockdown is needed, its pressure on the health system. The police arrived in Dubbo [to reinforce stay-at-home orders] so everyone buggered off to the outback. This was a friends succinct assessment of a largely Aboriginal communitys response to COVID enforcement, which sparked Wilcannias hotspot nightmare. Wilcannia is four hours back o Bourke. COVID should never have reached there. Wariness of officialdom among Australias First Nations peoples is entirely rational and wholly predictable. What COVID shows is that its not their problem. It belongs to all of us. Can architecture help fix it? Kaunitz Yeung Architectures award-winning Pilbara Aboriginal Medical Service building at Newman in the Pilbara, Western Australia. Credit:Robert Frith Is there an architecture of trust? If so, how would it look? The idea that architecture conditions our behaviour is known as architectural determinism. Ive never been quite persuaded. Its not clear that, as Winston Churchill told the House of Lords on October 28, 1943, We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us. Influence, sure. Shape? Hmm, not so much. But it is true that our built environment can feel either benign or hostile, friend or foe. Its also true that these qualities inhere partly in the building or place, and partly in how we perceive it. And that this interactive relationship with place, part objective, part subjective, can subtly influence how we feel and how we act. His sentences were sometimes incomplete and he was often lost for ideas or words. He was a very vague historian and witness generally, Justice OMeara said. That said, he had a pleasant manner, and he impressed me as a witness of truth who made every effort to give evidence without in any way embroidering his account. Mr Shahid now works as a security guard because he doesnt have to speak too much, he said. Mr Shahid, who provided a statement through his lawyers at Maurice Blackburn, told The Age he was pleased with the court outcome. It has taken eight years and six days, he said. It was a hard time for me and I had nothing in my hand. I am happy. I spoke to my mum and told her: Mum, we win. She told me they prayed all night. Maurice Blackburn senior associate Patricia McMullan said the money did not undo the harm, but it provided comfort to her client and his family that he had financial security. Muhammad Salman Shahid now lives with an acquired brain injury. Credit:Joe Armao The negligence in this case was so clear and so obvious, the circumstances are terribly tragic, Ms McMullan said. Our client is a wonderful man, a gentle soul. He had big dreams for his life in Australia, in our land of opportunity, but those dreams have been destroyed. Although it wasnt initially known how the first taxi driver, Mr Brar, had died, Justice OMeara said the striking and unusual circumstances of the death of a man in his 30s in good health should have rung alarm bells. It should have been forseeable to a reasonable, cautious and prudent person in the position of Mr Choudhary that the condition of the vehicle might conceivably present a serious risk to the health of a subsequent driver or passenger, Justice OMeara said. It was later discovered that taxi M2081 had a complete severance, or rupture, of the tailpipe from the rear muffler. Significant quantities of carbon monoxide had seeped into the car. While Mr Shahid bought his own uniform and was required to return the taxi with a full tank of petrol after each shift, the company was responsible for maintaining the vehicle, according to Justice OMeara. The case was defended by the Transport Accident Commission, which indemnified Mr Choudharys company because it was a road accident. Justice OMeara rejected the TACs argument that no such duty had been breached because no risk of injury was reasonably forseeable. Mr Shahid, the defence argued, had otherwise been provided with a taxi that was reasonably and properly inspected, serviced and maintained. Mr Choudhary, who The Age attempted to contact on Friday through his company, said in his evidence that police told him Mr Brars death had looked like a heart attack. Asked why he didnt arrange an inspection of the taxi afterwards, Mr Choudhary said: Because the reason of his death was his medical condition. Thats why it did not come into my mind that something could be wrong in the car and that can have some problem. Justice OMeara awarded $450,000 in damages and about $1.1 million in loss of future earning capacity. Mr Brars widow sued the same company in 2017. After his death, the coroner also recommended the Taxi Services Commission consider mandatory carbon monoxide monitoring periodically, as well as warning drivers to turn their engines off while resting. The commission, now called Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria, said there had been extensive regulatory reform over the past five years to improve safety. The ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel Synagogue, headquartered around the corner on Glen Eira Avenue, issued a statement distancing itself from the event. Adass Israel congregation was not responsible for the Rosh Hashanah public health order breach, a spokesman said. The gathering in question was an independent group of worshippers, un-affiliated with Adass Israel, and was not held at one of our premises. Adass Israel has taken all necessary steps to ensure our synagogue and buildings are compliant with public health orders. Filmmaker and academic Danny Ben-Moshe, who spent a year filming Melbournes Adass community for his documentary Strictly Jewish, said the Adass community was formed by post-war migrants as an umbrella for a range of ultra-Orthodox sects. That was the only way they could sustain themselves collectively because they simply didnt have the numbers, he said. Bear in mind that these communities were wiped out, virtually; these are really the fragments of the communities that were left from the Second World War. Whats happened over recent years is by definition they have large families and so they have grown over the last maybe three to five years. Some groups ... have grown to such an extent that they can branch out on their own. One group branching out is the Satmar sect, which is characterised by strict religious observance, distrust of outsiders including other Jewish people, Mr Ben-Moshe says and anti-Zionism (believing the creation of the state of Israel was an anti-messianic act). Members of Satmar can be seen in videos of the confrontation outside the synagogue this week. Described by Mr Ben-Moshe as Jewish fundamentalists, members of the Satmar community have come under fire for holding minyans (prayer and worship groups of a minimum of 10 men) since last March. Jewish historian and academic Mark Baker said groups refusing to abide by lockdown rules were outliers in the broader Jewish community. It cant be emphasised enough that the vast overwhelming majority of Jews dont belong to this group who dont abide by the rules. The vast majority respect the rules and are doing it tough like everyone else. Dr Baker said the group was following a fundamentalist interpretation of theology. I think what were seeing here is a particular zealous worldview, where they believe they were acting in a tradition of martyrdom by resisting the authority of the government. Dr Baker said he found the groups flouting of lockdown requirements flummoxing because it went against two central tenets of Judaism: first, the principle that the law of the land is law and, secondly, the principle that the protection of life comes before all else. Both men expressed concern that the highly publicised gathering would lead to anti-Semitic abuse and sentiment against the Jewish community. Ultra-Orthodox Jews are a small minority, estimated to represent less than 5 per cent of the Jewish community in Australia. The Council of Orthodox Synagogues of Victoria, which does not represent ultra-Orthodox people, also condemned the actions of the group. This particular congregation reported in the media over the Jewish New Year holiday, is a fringe element of Melbourne Jewry and is not a member of the Council of Orthodox Synagogues of Victoria. A Victoria Police spokeswoman said 11 fines of $5452 had been issued to people who attended the illegal gathering on Tuesday, and investigations were ongoing. The sickening shock of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States exactly 20 years ago is receding into the past but the question of how history will remember the event is more alive than ever. There is, of course, no moral ambiguity about the atrocious attack by 19 al-Qaeda terrorists who hijacked four planes, destroying the World Trade Centre, hitting the Pentagon and killing almost 3000 innocent people. Debate is raging, however, about the wisdom of the Wests response to the attack, especially since the collapse of the US-backed regime in Afghanistan. Former prime minister John Howard, who committed Australias troops to the cause, has argued that the invasions of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003 were a success because they protected the world from further attacks. I think because of whats been done, its probably less likely that something like September 11 will happen again, Mr Howard told the Herald. He said this outweighed the loss of 47 Australian lives and the deaths of many tens of thousands of US, NATO, Iraqi and Afghan troops and civilians. Time before the international climate conference is getting short. The Americans will be watching Australias policy progress, and turning the screws. The Americans will be watching Australias policy progress, and turning the screws. Climate was not mentioned in Bidens phone call to Morrison last week, which was centred on Afghanistan, ANZUS and the coming QUAD meeting. But it is one of the items on the agenda when Defence Minister Peter Dutton and Foreign Minister Marise Payne meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin at next weeks AUSMIN talks in Washington. The QUAD leaders meeting, also in Washington, involving the US, Australia, Japan and India, is expected to be later this month; the PMs trip will give Biden an opportunity to talk to him about climate policy. Morrison is wedged between the strong and increasing US pressure to boost Australias ambition on climate and the limited flexibility provided by the Nationals. Morrison is wedged between US pressure to boost Australias ambition on climate and the limited flexibility provided by the Nationals. Credit:Stephen Kiprillis The Americans are not fooled by the federal governments oft-repeated narrative that Australia has a good record on climate that it keeps its word and meets and exceeds targets. The Americans response to Australias boast about bettering targets is along the lines of, If you are going to exceed the target, why dont you set the target higher? The US sees Australia as a poor performer and demands more. Firstly, it wants a firm commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, not Morrisons current fudge of net zero as soon as possible, preferably by 2050. Secondly, it wants Australias current limited ambition for 2030 to be improved, which is an especially hard ask (although an alternative would be for Australia to talk about some other medium-term target say 2035). What Morrison signs up for in his Glasgow policy will come down in large part not just to what Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce is willing to accept but what Joyce is able to deliver. Sources say Joyce does not want to make Morrisons position difficult for Glasgow. The two men are pragmatists; they are anxious to avoid friction in this pre-election period. But whether Morrison, who is autocratic by nature, fully understands the situation Joyce finds himself in is less clear. Joyce won the Nationals leadership in part because his followers liked the way he thumbed his nose at things such as the 2050 target. They thought he was the man to stand up to the Liberals, in contrast to Michael McCormack, the leader he ousted. Joyce won the Nationals leadership in part because his followers liked the way he thumbed his nose at things such as the 2050 target. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen. Joyce also won, it should be noted, only narrowly and with a ragbag of followers, including a number who are not on board on climate change. Nor is a sizeable section of the partys base, notwithstanding the concerns of many farmers and the position of farm organisations, who fully understand the implications of global warming for bushfires, droughts and floods and want robust action. Many of the base these days are in the mining areas. Joyce has authority in his party, but not the near absolute control Morrison currently enjoys over the Liberals. When Joyce keeps saying he is waiting to see a plan for getting to net zero emissions, the media and others rightly point out hes sounding as though hes outside government, rather than at the very heart of it. What he means, however, is that while he and Morrison have had conversations about their general positions, he is waiting for the expert technical detail, and the costs, to be laid out. Two pragmatists: Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The Nationals argue the rural sector carried most of the weight in the earlier cutting of emissions, where a major component was reducing land clearing. They are insistent the regions should be protected in whatever policy is put forward for Glasgow. On a more cynical level, there is the prospect of some big financial pay-off for the regions to get the Nationals across the line. That may work. But from Joyces point of view, if fringe parties like One Nation creamed off some Nationals votes, particularly in Queensland, on the climate issue, a good financial deal could still be a negative electorally. The Biden speech was noted in Australian official circles. Credit: Supplied The Nationals Queensland seats are on inflated margins, thanks to a perfect storm of factors in 2019, but Queensland is a state of big swings. Joyce would have to be adroit (in the words of one Nationals source) in his campaigning in these areas when defending a firm 2050 target. Joyce cant afford to lose seats at the election. Of course a change of Nationals leader would be expected if the Coalition lost office, but even if the government is returned, Joyces leadership could be vulnerable if the Nationals numbers went backwards. Some of his supporters (George Christensen, Sam McMahon) will not be in the next parliament, and the competent, smooth-talking David Littleproud, at present deputy leader, would be a very viable alternative, although others could also eye the job. New state Opposition Leader Matthew Guy says he will tell the Liberal Party to introduce quotas and other mechanisms to diversify if it fails to get more women into winnable seats before the 2022 election. Mr Guy, who toppled former leader Michael OBrien on Tuesday to complete his comeback from leading the Coalition to a crushing election defeat in 2018, said he wouldnt tap his colleagues on the shoulder to retire, but would insist the party adopt a new approach. When people do retire, I will be telling the party, not asking the party, to diversify, he said on Friday. State Opposition Leader Matthew Guy supports diversity among Liberal Party candidates. Credit:Wayne Taylor In his first interview with The Age since his return to the leadership, Mr Guy also rejected the characterisation that his last campaign led to division in the community by highlighting African gang crime, instead blaming Labor and his federal colleagues for the fuelling the issue. London: An Australian woman whose brother-in-law died when MH17 was downed over Ukraine has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop lying and admit to his people the Kremlins involvement in the mass murder of the 298 people on the flight. Lisa Clancys brother-in-law Mick Clancy was returning from a holiday celebrating his retirement with his wife Carol in July 2014. The retired teachers from Wollongong had saved up for years to buy first-class tickets for their trip of a lifetime so that Mick could travel comfortably as he had health problems. Carol and Mick Clancy died in the downing of MH17 in 2014. Their itinerarys last destination was home, sweet home via flight MH17 departing from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur. The flight was blown out of the sky, killing all on board, including 38 Australian citizens and residents. Washington: Prime Minister Scott Morrison is preparing to use his first one-on-one meeting with Joe Biden later this month to urge the US President to make challenging Chinas growing influence in the Asia-Pacific one of his top foreign policy priorities. Morrison is set to meet Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga at the first face-to-face meeting of the Quad grouping at the White House on September 24. Morrison is also expected to hold his first bilateral meeting with Biden since the President took office in January during his trip to Washington. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined Biden and Morrison for their first in-person meeting at the G7 summit in Cornwall in June. PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs received SOS: Season of Storms here on Wednesday from the books author, Fabian Adekunle Badejo, said his publisher House of Nehesi (HNP). The new poetry collection, presented to Prime Minister Jacobs on International Literacy Day, opens with a live wire of experiences borne of hurricanes Irma and Maria. Prime Minister Jacobs told Badejo that she was looking forward to reading the poems. In SOS: Season of Storms Badejo focuses firstly on the St. Martin story. He offers, as memories or solutions, clear, crafted poems about cackling children, the elderly, the mentally disturbed, Dutch marines, and disaster hazards faced by the general population of our Borderless St. Martin, said HNP projects director Lasana M. Sekou. SOS is also a witness that in his writings right after the storms, Badejo exposed what would become challenges in Dutch disaster relief, said Sekou. He did this ahead of the delivery shortcomings that have been arising between The Hague and the territorys government in Great Bay, headed by Prime Minister Jacobs. Following Wednesdays presentation, Badejo said, Im confident that Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs will identify with, and hopefully draw good use from the poems in SOS as they move from hurricanes to protests, to COVID-19 life and death issues instead of statistical incidents, said Badejo. Highlighted among Badejos protest poetry is the PPRN land issue in the northern part of St. Martin and the anti-corruption #EndSARS NOW! in Nigeria. The third main theme of the book is found in the chapter by the same name, Pandemic. SOS: Season of Storms is available at Arnias and Van Dorp bookstores, SOS radio station in Marigot, the African Market store on Frontstreet, Amazon, and SPDbooks.org. ~ Company collaborates with the Ministry of Health to encourage vaccination ~ PHILIPSBURG:--- Flow & the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor have partnered to encourage vaccinations on St. Maarten in the drive to reach the 85% vaccination goal. The Telecoms operator will participate in the CPS Vineyard Office Park Vaccination Pop-up Fair this Saturday and has committed to providing any persons vaccinated on the day with a free Chippie top-up. The effort is part of the companys pledge to support the local communities it serves and assists in the return to a stable economy. Our team is part of our island community, and we want to do our part in increasing our vaccination rate to keep our customers, our friends, and our loved ones safe, says Flow Country Manager Eastern Caribbean, Charlesworth Sydney. With a higher vaccination rate, we can also look forward to more visitors returning to our island because they feel safer deciding to do so. This will of course benefit us all because our islands economy and livelihoods depend on our guests. With the vaccination Pop-Up Fair, the Vaccination Management Team (VMT) is also taking steps to make sure the public gets accurate information on vaccination and debunks any false rumors and incorrect information. Medical professionals and other health experts will be on hand Saturday to answer questions on vaccines and advise on other matters, such as boosting your immune system and overall health. With the new approach, the VMT wants to make sure that truthful, factual information is available so that the public can make informed decisions on their health and wellbeing. To date, the (VMT) has vaccinated 25.495 persons with the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. We applaud the Ministry, the CPS team, and our overburdened healthcare workers for their steadfast commitment to keeping our community safe. In talks with the Minister, we saw an opportunity to support and didnt hesitate to do so. We believe in the benefits of corporate citizens supporting local leadership and will offer our support when called upon. As citizens, we all want what is best for our island, our families, and our livelihoods and the best way for us to remain the top tourist destination in the Caribbean is by making sure that our visitors know that they will be safe when coming to our shores. Sydney commented. Minister Ottley commented: As Minister of VSA, I encourage everyone to come out and get vaccinated. I am extremely happy that FLOW and other stakeholders came on board and offered their services. We hope that Saturday will be a success and we can continue working towards herd immunity, let us drive to 85. The vaccination fair at the CPS facility in the Vineyard Office Park in Philipsburg will run from 9 am to 3 pm. Aside from the free credit offered by Flow, the visiting public can also look forward free pizza from Dominos Pizza and information from various health experts. We are proud to support the Health Ministry in the good work that they are doing and encourage anyone who is hesitant, to come out and get the right information to make an informed decision, Sydney stated. Susie Rogers, 77, of Somerset, passed away on Monday, September 13, 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. Audrey Kletscher Helbling is a Faribault writer, blogger and former journalist who grew up in a little house on the prairie. Really. Find her blog, Minnesota Prairie Roots, at mnprairieroots.com. The Nicollet County Historical Society presents Shadows at the Crossing at Traverse des Sioux in St. Peter at the start of October. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Alabama's rapid rise in the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 appears to have stabilized, yet the state still faces the "real crisis of an overwhelming number of patients needing intensive care, nearly all of whom aren't vaccinated, the chief health officer said Friday. After threatening to reach an all-time high for hospitalizations during the coronavirus pandemic, state hospitals have seen a slight decline in recent days, said Dr. Scott Harris, head of the Alabama Department of Public Health. Overall hospitalizations dropped below 2,700 on Thursday for the first time in more than a week, he told a news briefing. We have had a little bit of a plateau over the last week. Im very thankful for that. The numbers arent great. But the numbers at least have not continued to go up, he said. Still, unvaccinated people sick with COVID-19 and a relatively small number of vaccinated people who contracted the illness continue to need more intensive care beds than the state has, he said. Patients who normally would be treated in ICU wards are instead being cared for in emergency rooms, normal beds or even gurneys left in hallways, he said. We continue to have a real crisis in Alabama with our ICU bed capacity," Harris said. "Yesterday there were about 60 or so more patients requiring ICU care than we have ICU beds in the state. While Harris said Alabama's vaccination numbers have improved in recent weeks as the state recorded double-digit deaths daily for a month or so, just under 40% of the state's residents are fully vaccinated, compared with 53% nationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With vaccine demand increasing, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and UAB Medicine said they would open two drive-through vaccination sites in the Birmingham metro area. Still, health officials are frustrated with the way disinformation spread online, conspiracy theories and other factors are keeping vaccination numbers lower than needed to stop the pandemic. Former U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, who rose to prominence treating patients on the Alabama coast, told a briefing Thursday that she is still preaching to get members of her own family to accept the vaccine. Trust seems to have eroded as she tries to build relationships with patients in discussions about COVID-19, she said. The best thing is just to listen and listen to patients when they have real concerns, particularly about misinformation. We try to clear it up, Benjamin said. More than 12,500 people have died of COVID-19 in Alabama, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University. The death count is the 17th highest in the country overall and the eighth highest per capita at roughly 257 deaths per 100,000 people, and Harris said about 90% of those dying weren't vaccinated. Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases has remained mostly constant around 3,827 per day. Hospitals are seeing younger and sicker patients than at any time during the crisis, Harris said. There were about 1,222 new cases per 100,000 people in Alabama over the past two weeks, which ranks fifth in the country. The school year has already begun, and still Connecticut educators are worried about pandemic health and safety measures, and questioning their careers, survey results from the states largest teachers union show. The Connecticut Education Association on Friday shared its members concerns about the new school year, including COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Nearly 1,000 educators participated in the union survey. Respondents said their priorities included school ventilation systems, social distancing and COVID-19 testing but some districts have not been responsive to their fears. Schools are split, for example, on regular screen testing for unvaccinated students. Plus the stress of teaching during a pandemic prompted a slew of teachers to think about retiring early or change professions, the results also show. More than a third of educators said they would consider leaving their jobs. The survey released this week queried a random sample of unionized teachers in late August. They were excited to be going back, said Kate Dias, president of the union. And apprehensive about... safety and security. Educators rated their stress levels last year an 8.7 on a 10-point scale. That didnt necessarily surprise us, said Dias. During a pandemic, we were teaching in lots of modalities, there was a lot of change, a lot of stress. But by late summer when the survey was administered, 38 percent of respondents said they are considering leaving the teaching profession the equivalent of roughly 16,000 teachers, the union estimated. It was a little disappointing to see that people are coming back into this school year still at an elevated stress level, said Dias. The concern that brings about is whether or not we can sustain working under that sense of stress for extended periods of time: a whole other year. We cant afford to have 38 percent of our educators leave the profession, she said. Many of those concerns are related to school working conditions. A vast majority of the teacher respondents 97 percent commented on their schools HVAC systems and ventilation. (They) said were really, really, really concerned that our buildings are old and not updated in this particular capacity, said Dias. But despite that widespread consensus, just 27 percent of union members said their concerns about facilities were being actively addressed. So we see a disconnect between a priority, a real, considerable working condition, and whether or not people feel its being responded to, she said. Donald Williams, executive director of the union, said poor air quality and ventilation is an issue not only while a contagious virus is spreading, but also as respiratory problems like childhood asthma are on the rise. He also pointed to climate change, which has already begun to impact classrooms, particularly during the warmer months. Theres a real equity issue as to the districts that can afford to put air conditioning in all their schools and those districts that cannot, Williams said. Temperatures get hotter and more extreme every single year. And with an influx of federal dollars for Connecticut schools $1.1 billion that can assist with enhancement and capital improvement union representatives suggested now is the time to invest in these air quality systems. Now that excuse is gone, said Williams. Alongside ventilation, educators cited concerns about other COVID-19 mitigation strategies, including social distancing and regular testing for COVID-19. The union also shared that as of late August, 89 percent of its members had been vaccinated. We anticipate that has continued to grow, said Dias. So among our members, we really are tracking far ahead of the community at large in terms of vaccination. Joslyn DeLancey, vice president of the union, suggested that the state use the survey data to better support educators. We need to make an investment in our schools, she said. Your teachers working conditions are your students learning conditions. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) The Illinois House on Thursday approved a wide-ranging plan to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050, with a compromise allowing two coal-fired plants to remain open until 2045 but cut their emissions by nearly half in the next 14 years. The plan was endorsed 82-33 after 2 1/2 hours of debate not over the goal of shrinking the state's carbon footprint, but how to do it and what will replace the power currently generated by fossil fuels. Republicans largely rejected the proposal saying that they support helping keep northern Illinois nuclear plants operating but that the abrupt end of coal-generated power would cost thousands of jobs and merely leave Illinois reliant on energy produced by burning fossil fuels in other states. Before Thursday night's vote, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, unhappy with a proposal that won Senate approval last week, lauded and agreement he said puts consumers and climate first, while protecting and creating jobs." He pledged to sign the measure into law if the Senate accepts the House changes. Senate President Don Harmon immediately called his members into session on Monday, just as the state's power giant threatened to start powering down unprofitable nuclear plants. The idea is that Illinois would do its part to slow climate change by eliminating carbon emissions. The legislation, which is sponsored by Democratic Rep. Marcus Evans of Chicago, requires a $700 million subsidy to keep the states nuclear power-plant fleet afloat, and includes provisions that would close coal plants in central and southwest Illinois, invest in renewable energy such as wind and solar and a $4,000 rebate to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles. We can look forward to opportunity for clean energy and the opportunity of job growth and a new opportunity for collaborative work towards making our environment better," Evans said in opening House debate Thursday night. Earlier Thursday, the House approved an overhaul of ethics rules for lawmakers, lobbyists and others after Pritzker used an amendatory veto to change a plan approved in May. The chief change from the clean-energy proposal the Senate adopted affects two coal plants, Springfield's municipally owned City Water Light & Power and the Prairie State Generating Co. in Marissa, 41 miles (65 kilometers) southeast of St. Louis. Private power plants burning coal must close by 2045. But after pressure from environmental groups, lawmakers would now require a step-down in carbon emissions of 45% by 2035 in the latest version of the bill. Democratic Rep. Bob Morgan of Deerfield noted that the United Nations has called issues surrounding climate change Code Red for humanity." The planet is not waiting for us, Morgan said. Driving the action as much as Pritzker's pledge to make Illinois a no-carbon state by 2050 is Exelon's threat to begin closing nuclear plants it owns in Byron and Morris. That would cost thousands of jobs and a large share of the carbon-free power the state already produces. But critics complain that Exelon, which got a nuclear-fleet subsidy in an energy plan several years ago, is getting a monstrous ratepayer gift despite an ongoing federal investigation invovling its subsidiary, ComEd. ComEd acknowledged to federal prosecutors last year that it had engaged in a decadelong bribery scheme in Springfield that has implicated former House Speaker Michael Madigan and led to indictments of Madigans closest confidante and a former ComEd CEO, among others. Some opponents have questioned the increase of utility rates under the plan, saying it could cost ratepayers as much as $15 or more monthly. Evans said Thursday the increase would not top $4.50 a month. And there are other hidden costs, said Rep. Charles Meier, an Okawville Republican whose district includes Prairie State. Meier said Prairie State's municipal and co-op owners have taken steps to boost its clean energy production to 12%, compared with 7% statewide. He said the solar power grid necessary to replace Prairie State's generation capacity alone would eat up 123,000 acres (49,800 hectares) of prime farmland. Were guessing, said Rep. Keith Wheeler of Oswego said earlier Thursday Were putting a huge goal on the board and if we dont guess right, well be buying fossil-based power from neighboring states. At the same time, Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, a Jacksonville Republican, pointed out that the legislation doesn't affect any coal-fired plants which provide power to universities and state-owned facilities, including a plant two blocks from the Capitol which helps light up downtown Springfield state buildings. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the subsidy in the legislation will go to Exelon, which owns the nuclear plants, not to ComEd. ___ Follow Political Writer John OConnor at https://twitter.com/apoconnor MADISON, Wis. (AP) A Wisconsin woman who admitted to helping stab a classmate to please online horror character Slender Man will be freed Monday from a mental health institution under strict conditions, a judge ruled Friday. Anissa Weier, 19, will be released after spending almost four years at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute in Oshkosh. A conditional release plan calls for her to live with her father, submit to around-the-clock GPS monitoring and receive psychiatric treatment, among other things. She won't be allowed to use the internet except at home, and the state Department of Corrections will monitor her online activity. Weier and a friend, Morgan Geyser, both were committed to Winnebago after pleading guilty to attacking Payton Leutner when they were all 12 years old. Geyser stabbed Leutner multiple times as Weier urged her on. Leutner suffered 19 stab stab wounds including one that narrowly missed her heart and barely survived. Waukesha County Judge Michael Bohren said the conditions of Weier's release were fair and the plan provides for the protection of the community as well as for Leutner and for Weier herself. Weier, dressed in a dark suit and smiling occasionally, said nothing during the 20-minute proceeding. The judge delayed her release until Monday after her attorney, Maura McMahon, said the mental health facility would be able to better process her release after the weekend. She looks forward to moving on into a productive life, McMahon told the judge. Leutners family declined to speak during the hearing. Leutner declined to comment when reached by phone later Friday afternoon. As part of Weier's release conditions, a case manager will monitor her medication for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and a personality disorder. Her cellphone won't be able to access the internet, and she won't be allowed to use social media at all. She also wont be allowed to consume alcohol or drugs, enter a bar, possess a weapon or have any contact with Leutner or her family. Deputy District Attorney Ted Szczupakiewicz said he had no objections to the release conditions. The attack happened in May 2014, after Weier and Geyser invited Leutner to a sleepover. The next day they lured Leutner into the woods at a Waukesha park. Weier and Geyser left Leutner for dead, but she managed to crawl out of the woods and a passing bicyclist found her. Police found Weier and Geyser later that day walking on Interstate 94 in Waukesha. They told investigators said they attacked Leutner because they thought it would make them Slender Mans servants and prevent him from killing their families. After the stabbing they began walking to Slender Man's mansion, they said. The Slender Man character grew out of internet stories. Hes depicted as a spidery figure in a black suit with a blank white face. Sony Pictures released a movie about Slender Man stalking three girls in 2018. Weiers father, Bill, blasted the film as an attempt to capitalize on a tragedy. Weier eventually pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree intentional homicide. Borhen sentenced her to 25 years at Winnebago in December 2017. In her petition for conditional release, she argued that she had exhausted all her treatment options at the facility and needed to rejoin society. She vowed shed never let herself become a weapon again. Bohren ruled in July that Weier no longer posed a threat and ordered state officials to draw up a release plan. Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Bohren sentenced her to 40 years in a mental health facility in February 2018. She has argued that her case should have been heard in juvenile court, but an appellate court ruled last year the case was properly heard in adult court. Her trial attorney, Anthony Cotton, said Friday that Geyser has not filed a petition for release and declined further comment. Court records show that during her sentencing, Bohren ruled that conditional release would pose a significant risk of bodily injury to Geyser or others. ___ Associated Press writer Doug Glass in Minneapolis contributed to this report. ___ Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trichmond1 ST. LOUIS (AP) Missouri's Republican-led Legislature could soon be considering legislation similar to a new Texas law that bans most abortions, and abortion-rights advocates protested that prospect Thursday before a bill was even written. About 200 abortion-rights protesters rallied on the steps of the old St. Louis courthouse against the possibility of further restrictions on the procedure. Karla Stribling, 56, of Warrenton, said she's worried that the Texas law the most restrictive in the nation would become a blueprint for Missouri and other states. The Texas law prohibits abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, which usually happens around six weeks, before some women know theyre pregnant. The Justice Department on Thursday sued to overturn the Texas law, and courts have blocked similar restrictions elsewhere. But Texas law leaves enforcement up to private citizens through civil lawsuits, which could help it survive legal challenges. At less than six weeks, a lot of women dont know theyre pregnant, Stribling said. Its going to be so hard to get an abortion and only the wealthy will be able to get one, like in the past. Its all going backward. Republican Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, of Arnold, said she plans to file a bill based partly on the new Texas law. It's likely many others will follow suit in the heavily Republican state Legislature, especially heading into 2022 elections as GOP candidates look to capitalize on their conservative credentials. Missouri lawmakers in 2019 passed a bill that would ban abortions as early as the eighth week of pregnancy, but it's entangled in legal battles. A hearing on the case in federal appeals court is scheduled for Sept. 21. Coleman said she hopes to enact legislation that won't perpetually be tied up in legal challenges. She plans to craft a bill that, as in Texas, would allow private citizens to sue abortion providers. It would be the next piece of making sure that Missouri is abortion free," Coleman said. Were doing everything we can to realize that goal and will continue to do so. Any legislative action on abortion is still months away. Republican Gov. Mike Parson has said he doesn't plan to call lawmakers back for a special session before their regular legislative session begins in January. Parsons spokeswoman repeated that he has no plans for a special session on abortion following the U.S. Supreme Courts decision this month to allow the Texas law to take effect. Republican lawmakers in at least half a dozen states have said they planned to introduce bills using the Texas law as a model, hoping it provides a pathway to enacting the kind of abortion crackdown they have sought for years. ____ Ballentine contributed from Columbia, Missouri. STAMFORD On the day Mayor David Martins vaccine mandate for city employees went into effect, about half of Government Center staff had received both COVID-19 shots, according to an early count of vaccinated employees from the city. But, more are likely fully vaccinated their paperwork just has not yet been processed. The mayor announced in early August that he would require shots or a weekly COVID-19 test for city personnel by Tuesday in response to the delta variants prevalence. However, the mandates reach falls short of covering everyone who works in the Government Center. Martins rule does not cover agencies or third parties that lease out space from the Government Center, including employees at the Stamford Senior Center, though those agencies may have their own vaccine mandates. Though mandated by a separate entity, the Board of Education, employees at Stamford Public Schools are also required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or undergo weekly testing. About 1,990 people work at the Government Center, and 1,000 employees submitted proof that they are fully inoculated. Another six documented that they have a single dose, according to Director of Human Resources Al Cava. To comply with the protocols laid out by Martin in August, the city would have to test approximately 984 employees every week. However, that figure is likely incomplete, according to mayoral spokesperson Rachel LaBella. It remains crucial to realize that this number does not represent the total number of City employees that are vaccinated, she said Thursday in an email. This number accounts for the number of employees that have completed the documentation indicating they are fully vaccinated with HR as of Tuesday. Out of the remaining employees, many of these individuals are, in fact, fully vaccinated and simply have not yet had their vaccination status documented. LaBella maintains that the number will continue to rise in the coming days and weeks, since the documentation process for 1900 employees (many of who work nights and weekends) is time consuming. On top of the vaccine card collection process, the city is also working to establish a testing program for city employees who opt out of vaccination, though the exact details have yet to materialize. Although Mayor Martins original vaccine mandate still stands, the city is currently working on nailing down the logistics behind the weekly COVID testing alternative, LaBella said. In light of many municipalities in our area, the state, as well as many local private businesses currently requiring vaccines and/or periodic testing, the whole process has become a little more complex, so as a result the city will defer the effective date of the testing requirement to the week of Sept. 13, she continued. Stamford was likely the first municipality in Connecticut to mandate full vaccination among all its employees as a response to the delta variants rapid fire spread across the nation. Government Center staff who decline to get vaccinated must submit a weekly negative COVID-19 test starting next week. Employees were also permitted to request an exemption from the vaccine requirement for either medical or religious reasons from the citys human resources department by Aug. 20. But effectively testing nearly 1,000 people presents another hurdle for the Government Center. Employees can choose between getting tested by the city weekly or proving their own negative PCR tests to the mayoral administration. We are in the process of putting together an employee testing program with one or more vendors, special mayoral assistant Laura Burwick wrote in an email. There is no contract at this time, but we anticipate entering into contract(s) with vendors to provide this service. veronica.delvalle@hearstmediact.com Contributed Photo / Stamford Police Department STAMFORD Police are searching for a man suspected of stealing packages left on the doorstep of an apartment complex in downtown Stamford. Sgt. Sean Scanlan said the man was caught on camera taking numerous packages from outside the Residences on Bedford apartment complex at 1425 Bedford St. around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday night. GREENWICH Ahead of this month's sentencing, lawyers for Javier Da Silva, who pleaded guilty in the death of a 24-year-old woman and dumped her body in Greenwich 2019, say he is remorseful for the crime. According to a pre-sentencing report filed this week by his court-appointed lawyers, Da Silva is taking responsibility for the death of Valerie Reyes, a bookstore worker from New Rochelle, N.Y., whom he briefly dated. At the outset, it must be noted that neither Mr. Da Silva nor his attorneys are attempting to minimize the seriousness of his crimes. He understands the significant effect his conduct has and continues to have on Ms. Reyess family and acknowledges that this court must sentence him to a substantial term of imprisonment, wrote his defense lawyers, Mark DeMarco and Jason Ser. Da Silva, 26, is facing 30 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death in Federal District Court in New York on Feb. 4, 2020, a year to the day that Reyes body was found in a suitcase off Glenville Road in Greenwich. She died by asphyxiation. Mr. Da Silva has expressed true, heartfelt remorse for the crime that he has committed. ... In fact, the greatest remorse he feels is for the pain and suffering caused to Ms. Reyes and her family, his defense lawyers said. According to the sentencing documents, Da Silva came to the U.S. in 2017 to flee the economic collapse that his native nation of Venezuela endured. His father drove a truck and managed a service station, and his mother worked as a hairstylist, according to the memorandum, and Da Silva attended three colleges in Venezuela but did not earn a degree. In order to pay for his plane ticket to the United States, his father sold the family television and Javier borrowed the balance from his aunt, the court papers state. Since arriving in the United States, overstaying a visa, Da Silva worked for several companies doing disaster cleanup work and was most recently employed as a cashier and cook for a restaurant in New York City, the court papers state. He was also a heavy user of marijuana and condensed cannabis products, his lawyers said. The lawyers included a number of testimonials from Da Silvas family. Mr. Da Silvas family members extol him as an decent, generous, kind, sincere, devoted and intelligent young man, his lawyers wrote, aiming to seek a lighter sentence from Judge Vincent Briccetti on Sept. 23. The defense submission did not explain what motivation or rationale led Da Silva to go to Reyes apartment in New Rochelle the night she disappeared in January 2019, or its violent outcome. Federal prosecutors say he struck her violently, bound her with tape and placed her in a suitcase that he later drove to Greenwich. The federal authorities also said a financial motive was tied in with the killing he used her debit card on various occasions to withdraw approximately $5,350 in cash from Reyes bank account, and he also sold an iPad belonging to Reyes in the days following her death. He was arrested without incident at his residence in Queens on Feb. 12, 2019, the day before Reyes funeral Mass in New Rochelle. Reyes body was found by DPW workers in Greenwich who spotted the suitcase off the side of lower Glenville Road. She had been reported missing by her family in the days before. Federal prosecutors are expected to file their own pre-sentencing memorandum next week. Briccetti will pass down the sentence in Federal District Court in White Plains, N.Y. Da Silva was being held at the Westchester County Jail in Valhalla, N.Y., until sentencing, when he will be transferred to a federal correctional facility. His sentencing has been repeatedly postponed due to complications to the criminal justice system imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. rmarchant@greenwichtime.com Milton, PA (17847) Today Thunderstorms, accompanied by locally heavy rainfall at times. A few storms may be severe. High near 85F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected.. Tonight Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Hazleton, PA (18201) Today Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 81F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Published: 10 September 2021 Net costs of municipalities social and health care activities continued growing in 2020 The data of Statistics Finland's statistics on local government finances show that the net costs of municipalities' operational economy grew by 2.9 per cent to EUR 33.8 billion in 2020. The growth was mainly due to the higher net costs directed at social and health care activities than in the year before. The net costs of social and health care activities were 4.2 per cent higher than one year previously and they totalled EUR 20.0 billion. Data for the compilation of the statistics on local government finances were collected from all 310 municipalities and 136 joint municipal authorities in Finland. Operational economy of municipalities in 2020, EUR million 1) Municipalities Operating costs Operating income Net costs Change Change % Social services and health care, total 22 138 2 093 20 045 808 4,2 Of which: Specialised health care 7 579 236 7 342 112 1,5 Educational and cultural activities, total 12 465 961 11 504 53 0,5 Of which: Primary education 5 616 309 5 306 40 0,8 Other activities, total 11 455 9 232 2 222 91 4,3 Operational economy, total 46 058 12 287 33 771 952 2,9 Operational economy of municipalities 1) Operating costs include operating expenses, depreciations and reductions in value as well as costs carried forward. Operating income includes operating income and income carried forward, change in inventory of finished products and production for own use. Net costs are the difference between operating costs and operating income. Changes in net costs are calculated compared to the previous year. The total operating costs of municipalities amounted to EUR 46.1 billion in 2020 and they grew by 1.5 per cent from the previous year. The operating income of municipalities amounted to EUR 12.3 billion and it decreased by 2.0 per cent from the previous years level. As a combined effect, the net costs of the entire operational economy amounted to EUR 33.8 billion and they increased by 2.9 per cent. When examining the operational economy, the net costs of each task entity, that is, social and health care activities, education and cultural activities and other activities, were higher in euros than in the previous statistical reference year. As in previous years, most of the net costs of the entire operational economy were directed at social and health care activities, where municipalities recorded 59.4 per cent of the net costs of the entire operational economy. Thus, the total net costs of these activities amounted to EUR 20.0 billion, which meant a 4.2 per cent growth from the previous statistical reference year. The biggest and second biggest shares of net costs of social and health care activities were formed by specialised health care and primary health care. In total, EUR 7.3 billion on net was used for specialised health care and EUR 3.7 billion for primary health care services. 1) Municipalities spent EUR 11.5 billion net on providing education and cultural activities last year. This meant that the activity in question was the second largest in the entire operational economy measured by net costs. The share of net costs of education and cultural activities in the operational economy was 34.1 per cent, and the combined net costs grew marginally by 0.5 per cent from the level one year ago. The biggest net costs in education and cultural activities were generated from the provision of basic education and the second biggest from the provision of early childhood education. During the statistical year, municipalities spent EUR 5.3 billion on basic education on net and EUR 3.0 billion on early childhood education. A total of EUR 2.2 billion on net were allocated to other activities of municipalities, which in the statistics on local government finances include all activities of municipalities apart from social and health care activities and education and cultural activities. The share of other activities in the net costs of the entire operational economy was 6.6 per cent. In examination of the statistics on local government finances, the net costs of other activities grew by 4.3 per cent from the comparison year. Operational economy of joint municipal authorities The gross costs of joint municipal authorities operational economy amounted to EUR 19.0 billion and the corresponding operating income was also EUR 19.0 billion in 2020. In comparison to the preceding year in gross, operating costs grew by 3.6 per cent and operating income similarly by 3.6 per cent. As in the previous years, a majority of the operating costs of joint municipal authorities were directed at social and health care activities, which accounted for 76.2 per cent of the gross operating costs of the entire operational economy. The gross costs of these activities grew by 3.5 per cent from the previous year's level and totalled EUR 14.5 billion. Gross operating income was realised almost at the same magnitude as gross operating costs. Gross operating income amounted to EUR 14.5 billion and increased by 3.6 per cent from the year before. In the operational economy of joint municipal authorities, gross costs directed at education and cultural activities totalled EUR 1.1 billion, so the combined share of these activities in all costs of the operational economy was 5.8 per cent. The accrual of gross income from education and cultural activities amounted to EUR 1.2 billion by the end of the statistical reference year. Operating costs decreased compared with the level of the previous year by 1.4 per cent while corresponding income grew by 3.5 per cent. Information on the statistics Statistics on local government finances contain data on municipalities and joint municipal authorities financial statements, operational economy, investments and activities. Data for the statistics are collected from all municipalities and joint municipal authorities in Finland. The data content and data collection of the statistics on local government finances were revised starting from the statistical reference year 2015, for which reason the data of the statistics on local government finances are not directly comparable with the data of statistics on finances and activities of municipalities and joint municipal authorities published in previous years. In the statistics on local government finances, municipal enterprises are combined with the data on basic municipalities and joint municipal authorities, while this was not done in the statistics on finances and activities of municipalities and joint municipal authorities. The revision also brought changes to the activity classification of municipalities and joint municipal authorities. The data reported to Statistics Finland for the statistics are released as is at unit level in Statistics Finlands Data on finances reported by municipalities and joint municipal authorities database. The release for the statistical reference year 2020 is Statistics Finland's last release on statistics on local government finances. Starting from data for 2021, the data on local government finances will be collected and published by the State Treasury. Statistics Finland would like to thank all the data providers and stakeholders for long continuous cooperation in the production of the statistics. 1) Primary health care services include outpatient care in primary health care, ward care in primary health care and oral health care. Source: Local government finances 2020. Statistics Finland. Inquiries: Karen Asplund 029 551 3611, Jens Melfsen 029 551 2578, kuntatalous@stat.fi Head of Department in charge: Katri Kaaja Publication in pdf-format (235.3 kB) Updated 10.09.2021 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Local government finances [e-publication]. ISSN=2343-4163. 2020. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 15.9.2021]. Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/kta/2020/kta_2020_2021-09-10_tie_001_en.html As many as 2,520 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 have been recorded in the last 24 hours, with 43,996 tests being carried out, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) reported on Friday. These are cases that have not previously had a positive test. As of Friday, 1,115,901 cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Romania and 1,063,360 patients have been declared cured. Countrywide, 9,243,808 RT-PCR tests and 2,641,978 rapid antigen tests have been processed so far. In the past 24 hours, 16,061 RT-PCR tests were performed (6,070 based on case definition and medical protocol and 9,991 on request) and 27,905 rapid antigen tests. Apart from the newly confirmed cases, following the retesting of patients who were already positive, 259 people were reconfirmed positive. 41 COVID deaths over past 24 hours, death toll hits 34,914 As many as 41 deaths in SARS-CoV-2 patients have been reported in the last 24 hours, to which another 2 add, occurred prior to the reporting period, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informs today. The deceased patients are 21 men and 22 women who had been hospitalised in the counties of Arad, Arges, Botosani, Bistrita-Nasaud, Braila, Caras-Severin, Calarasi, Cluj, Constanta, Dolj, Gorj, Galati, Hunedoara, Iasi, Maramures, Mures, Neamt, Prahova, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, and in Bucharest City. Of these fatalities, three were in the 30 - 39 age range, five in the 50 - 59 age range, 13 in the 60 - 69 age range, 13 in the 70 - 79 age range and nine in people over 80 years of age. 40 of the victims had known underlying medical conditions, two did not suffer from comorbidities and for one there has been no such report so far. Romania's COVID-19 death toll as of Friday stood at 34,914 Most new COVID cases - in Bucharest (345), followed by Timis, Cluj and Constanta The most new infection cases with SARS-CoV-2, compared to the previous report, were recorded in Bucharest - 345 and the counties of Timis - 138, Cluj - 124, Constanta - 118, Iasi - 105, Suceava - 103, informs, on Friday, the Strategic Communication Group, Agerpres informs. The fewest cases were recorded in Covasna - 2 and Tulcea - 4. All the counties and the City of Bucharest remain in a green scenario from the point of view of novel coronavirus infections, with the highest incidence per thousand inhabitants being registered in the counties of Satu Mare - 1.97, Ilfov - 1.52, Bistrita-Nasaud - 1.39, Timis - 1.27 and Bucharest - 1.33. 543 COVID-19 patients in intensive care; hospitalised persons - 4,298, 107 children A number of 4,298 people infected with the novel coronavirus are hospitalised in Romania in specialist care facilities, out of whom 107 children, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) announced on Friday. According to the cited source, 543 patients are admitted to intensive care, five of them being children. On the Romanian territory, 14,595 people confirmed with the novel coronavirus infection are in isolation at home and 3,838 are in institutionalized isolation. Also, 54,229 people are in quarantine at home and 97 people are in institutionalized quarantine. Prime Minister Florin Citu described as "not serious" Dacian Ciolos' proposal for USR PLUS to nominate the future candidate for prime minister. "Honestly, s not serious proposal. The National Liberal Party is the largest right-wing party in Romania, it will be the largest political party in Romania, you can't impose a prime minister ... If the negotiations go in this direction, I already consider them not serious and they do not make any sense", Citu declared on Friday in Galati. USR PLUS co-chair Dacian Ciolos had stated that the party he represents will not return to power if it does not have the guarantee that it can carry out reforms and proposes that, within a new coalition with PNL and UDMR, USR PLUS should give the prime minister, arguing that "there is power to be divided", the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, so that "there can be a balance of power". Co-chairman of Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity alliance (USR PLUS) Dan Barna declared on Thursday that he is willing to take part in negotiations with Prime Minister Florin Citu, but that his formation will not give up the request regarding the appointment of a new premier. "If PM Citu informs us that he is willing to take a step back and withdraw, we will go and discuss, my fellow ministers are ready and the entire party is ready for this coalition to make a comeback with a new Prime Minister. This PM has neither the moral resources, nor the competence - unfortunately, we noticed that they never existed, regardless of how much credit we gave him. We need a new PM," Barna told private broadcaster Digi 24. He added that PM Florin Citu's "insinuations" that USR PLUS would negotiate with PSD (Social Democratic Party) regarding the position of PM are "ridiculous". "It is a blatant lie. How could I ever negotiate with Marcel Ciolacu, who supports Florin Citu through an active vote in Parliament? When everyone sees the reality. It's one thing to dream (...) This negotiation does not exist and has never existed," Barna specified. According to Barna, another "untrue thing" said by the prime minister is that the USR PLUS amendments have supposedly been introduced in the Emergency Ordinance regarding the "Anghel Saligny" program. "The adopted form of PNDL 3 [National Local Development Program] does not contain any of the USR PLUS amendments. It is another false information that the PM spread in the public space last night, among many others," he said. USR PLUS (Save Romania Union, Freedom, Unity, Solidarity Party) co-chair Dacian Ciolos said on Friday that he will step down as leader of the Renew Europe Group if he is elected president of the USR PLUS. The clarifications were made during a debate, organized in Cluj, between the three candidates for the USR PLUS leadership: Dan Barna, Dacian Ciolos and Irineu Darau. "At the moment, in the European Parliament, I spend a lot of time to do my job as the leader of a political group, the third political group. I am perfectly aware that if I am to be elected president of this party, I must invest my time in this work and I will clearly give up the presidency of the European Parliament group, because I will not be able to do both. This activity as party president is a full time executive responsibility," he said.Ciolos also mentioned that his mandate as leader of the Renew group is valid until the end of this year, given that elections are held every two and a half years in each European parliamentary group."The fact that I would no longer be a group leader will not influence in any way the quality of the political actions of the other colleagues from the USR PLUS delegation who already have consolidated positions there. (...) Each of them has consolidated a position there, and not because I was the group leader, but because they are competent and because they have proven political qualities that will help them to continue to represent well our delegation. So I guarantee you that we will not lose anything," Ciolos said. Chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Ludovic Orban said on Friday in Giurgiu that he will not accept any agreement with the Social Democratic Party (PSD) to end the current government crisis, and the only "honorable" solution is to rebuild the coalition. Orban pointed out that there are three options for getting out of the crisis, namely rebuilding the existing coalition, an agreement with PSD or going into opposition. "The crisis must be resolved at all costs. I don't think the person and fate of one person are more important than Romania and the PNL. The sooner we end this crisis, the better things will go. You know very well that there are three options, it is not complicated. We have the option to rebuild the existing coalition, we have the option to make an agreement with PSD and the option to go into opposition. These are the three options, there are no other options. Personally, I am telling you that I will not accept any agreement with the PSD. Any agreement that the PNL has made over time with the PSD has ended to the PNL's serious disadvantage and to the PSD's gain," said Ludovic Orban, Agerpres informs. The PNL leader added that the option of a minority government cannot be accepted and he does not want to go into opposition, and the solution is to rebuild the coalition. "We cannot even accept to remain clinging as a minority government at the PSD's pity, which will obviously throw us out of power exactly when it suits them best, after we compromise ourselves and after we no longer have the capacity to govern. I do not want in the Opposition. The PNL has a vocation to govern. All the efforts I have made throughout my career have been in the direction of winning elections and leading the PNL to government. Strategically, the only honorable solution, from the point of view of the electorate, that, in fact, is supported by almost 70% of the electorate, based on the sociological research we have carried out, is to rebuild the coalition. It's not complicated, we know very well the price for rebuilding the coalition. Whether this price will be paid now, in two days, in a week or in 45 days, this price will be paid, believe me when I tell you," Ludovic Orban maintained. Orban stressed that in the September 25 elections, the Liberals need to choose a person who can negotiate the most advantageous form of government. "On September 25, practically, your choice is almost much easier even from the perspective of the political strategy and the existing perspectives, whoever can rebuild the governing coalition and whoever cannot rebuild the governing coalition. (...) We need to elect at the helm of the PNL a person who has the science, the art, the experience to be able, in the current political context, to negotiate the governing formula that will be the most advantageous and that will give us the possibility to govern as well as possible," concluded Orban. PNL leader Ludovic Orban participated on Friday in the meeting of the PNL Giurgiu County Board of Directors in which the candidacy motion for the party presidency was presented. Interim Health Minister Cseke Attila signed an order on Friday on awarding meal vouchers to Romanians who are about to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Under the document, these persons qualify for five meal vouchers worth 100 lei in total. "Fully vaccinated persons will be able to take possession of the meal vouchers at the vaccination centres, the family physician's offices or outpatient clinics, depending on the place where the immunisation is performed, based on the name registries. The vouchers can be collected 60 days of the inoculation of the second dose," according to a press statement released by the Health Ministry, Agerpres informs. Qualifying for the meal vouchers are all persons getting fully vaccinated after the entry into force of the emergency ordinance providing for the award of vouchers, namely August 31, 2021. The order of the minister of health will enter into force once it is published in the Official Journal. The main objectives of interim Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Transformation Tanczos Barna are to replace physical folders and cut through red tape. "Replacing the physical folders and getting rid of the red tape that characterises the administration system in Romania is my number one goal and it certainly was for my predecessor as well. We will not be able to solve this problem in a few weeks in the interim, but the priority for this ministry must be digital transformation and interconnection of public bodies so as to cut through the red tape whereby the citizen is sent from one counter to another for various approvals, stamps, signatures and papers. Complex investment and complex IT solutions will surely do the trick," Tanczos told AGERPRES on Friday. The minister specified that Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan ( PNRR) provided considerable funding for this area."My goal is to continue the project started by the ministry during the preparation and negotiation of PNRR, to ensure continuity, because a team has left that worked hard on this project and it is absolutely necessary and even mandatory that all PNRR knowledge, all experience, everything that was added in 2021 and in the inter-ministerial discussions to be taught and carried on," added Tanczos.At the same time, he pointed out, there are still a number of important objectives in the area of research."Here too, any interruption of negotiations both nationally and internationally could generate problems. We have the Magurele project, an extremely important project, because we must succeed in Romania being practically welcomed back to this European consortium of resources and for ELI - the programme at Magurele - to be continued. There are already discussions here with the Hungarian side and the Czech side, discussions that give us hope that we can make up for the lost time and get back on a normal path. Romania's acceptance to this consortium it is a priority and it is an essential thing," said Tanczos.He pointed out that as far as the Magurele project in concerned, "unpleasant things can happen.""We have already talked to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have contacted the Hungarian side and the Czech side, we have assured them of our full support for this project and we will soon probably meet them. It is very important for Romania to show seriousness and commitment to this subject," added the minister.Regarding the Consultative college in the field of research, which during the summer had some discussions launched by the former minister, Tanczos said that he will go further, because there are signals that many people would have wanted to participate in the discussions but they did not receive information and data to be present."We have already had some telephone conversations with the chairman of the Romanian Academy and next week we will probably meet on this topic," the minister added.Regarding the national budget revision for research funding, Tanczos said that the way of allocating funds for the core programme should be re-discussed inside the ministry, given that there are many research projects that have not basic funding, some of which are even on financial deadlock threshold."And the procedures, methods, formulas for allocating public funds to support research must be re-discussed, because we cannot allow the important research institutes due to the Romanian state to end up in a situation in which they are not sustainable," the minister argued.Tanczos said rebuilding the ruling coalition is the only solution for maintaining political stability and, from that point of view, there should be openness from both the Save Romania Union - Freedom, Unity and Solidarity (USR PLUS) alliance and the National Liberal Party PNL."Unfortunately, in the last few days, too many categorical statements were made and too many trenches have been dug. I believe that my colleagues at USR PLUS must be more conciliatory and there must be openness on the part of the PNL to rebuild the coalition, to continue in the same formula. At the moment, the situation in Parliament also shows that there is no viable alternative to the PNL - USR PLUS-UDMR coalition," the minister said. Our grandson, Lance Corporal Luis Hernandez, was in the same graduating MCRD class of 2019 as Jared Schmitz, and was also present at the airport bombing in Kabul, roughly 700 from the blast. I knew Luis, now stationed in Saudi Arabia, would have been at the parade if he had been on leave at home, so Jeff and I went in his place. ROLLIN WITH THE FIN MAN V: This is it! The tour to the Charles Gallagher Museum in St. Louis Produce Row is next Friday! If you plan to join us for this very special tour, you need to get your tickets NOW! We still have a few seats available, so call me at 314-327-FINS (3467) with your credit card information. Look for the big, yellow school bus at the park and ride lot on the Southwest corner of Gravois and I-270 at 9 a.m., or at Lilac Avenue and I-270 at 10 a.m. Lunch is included and will be served at the Gallagher site. Mr. Gallaghers impressive collection includes over 30 special-interest vehicles, plus an impressive collection of Russian Orthodox Christian icons. The price for this tour is $45 per person including transportation and lunch. Call me at 314-327-FINS (3467) to place your ticket orders by credit/debit card. This is an exclusive Rollin with the FIN MAN event and attendance will be limited to 40 guests. We are expecting a sellout, so please reserve your seats NOW! 5. Split the bill easily When sharing an expense as a group, you can pick up the tab, rake in a pile of credit card rewards and get your friends to reimburse you. Some digital wallets like Venmo and Google Pay, offer a way to easily split the bill. With Venmo, you can request a payment from one or several contacts in the app. You can also change the amount requested for each user. Google Pay allows users to track the status of payments made by contacts in the app. Use these options cautiously because if you're not reimbursed, the bill is your responsibility. 6. Track expenses Some digital wallets, like Google Pay, facilitate managing your finances. The app offers insights on spending patterns, access to a total balance across all linked accounts and a view of the balance available. Google Photos may also be linked to search transactions. 7. Get better fraud protections Digital wallets may require verification of identity with a PIN, pattern, fingerprint or other option before being able to make a payment. Its an added layer of security thats not present on a physical wallet. If someone took your debit or credit cards, they could potentially use the information on them to go on a shopping spree. Health care in retirement is a big-ticket item. Experts estimate that an average 65-year-old retired couple in 2021 would need about $300,000 in after-tax savings earmarked for health care costs in their post-work life, even with Medicare, according to Fidelity. The totals are daunting, but you can take steps to keep costs as low as possible with the right planning, good insurance choices and a healthy understanding of your conditions and coverage. Try these strategies now and in retirement to help control your health care bills. Take advantage of an HSA A health savings account allows you to put pretax money away for medical expenses. You can invest the funds, and both the principal and earnings are tax-free if you use them for eligible medical costs, today or in the future. This creates a powerful savings tool. To use an HSA, you must have a high-deductible health plan. If that kind of plan makes sense for you, experts recommend saving money to your HSA and leaving it untouched for as long as possible. In 2021, you can save up to $3,600 pretax as a single person or up to $7,200 if you have family coverage. PHOENIX Arizona has sold off $93 million in Unilever bonds and plans to sell the remaining $50 million it has invested in the global consumer products company over subsidiary Ben & Jerrys decision to stop selling its ice cream in Israeli-occupied territories, the latest in a series of actions by states with anti-Israel boycott laws. The investment moves state Treasurer Kimberly Yee announced this week were mandated by a 2019 state law that bars Arizona government agencies from holding investments or doing more than $100,000 in business with any firm that boycotts Israel or its territories. Arizona appears to be the first of 35 states with anti-boycott laws or regulation to have fully divested itself from Unilever following Ben & Jerrys actions. Illinois warned the company in July that it had 90 days after its investment board met to change course or it too would sell. Florida and other states have taken similar action, according to IAC For Action, the policy and legislative arm for the Israeli-American Council. While Ben & Jerrys is owned by London-based Unilever, it maintains its own independent board, which Unilever said makes its own decision on its social mission. Ben & Jerrys announced on July 19 that maintaining its presence in the occupied territories was inconsistent with our values. AWARDS The Illinois Department of Transportation received a regional honor in the Americas Transportation Awards for best use of technology and innovation for its Interstate 255 rehabilitation project in the Metro East. The competition was sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. EXPANDING North Dispensaries opened a medical cannabis delivery service in Jefferson County. The 300 Group joined the Valley Insurance Agency Alliance family of independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois. HELPING OUT Purina announced a $25,000 grant to Greater Good Charities to help people and pets impacted by Hurricane Ida and flooding in Tennessee. Purina also worked with GGC to provide about 4,000 pounds of dog and cat food and 2,000 pounds of cat litter to help shelters and pet owners affected by the Dixie Fire in northern California. CLAYTON As retail reeled during the coronavirus pandemic, a group of local investors kept buying shopping centers. MRP Capital Group, a Clayton private equity real estate firm, buys Walmart shadow centers shopping strips located near the giant discount retailer in small towns overlooked by other real estate investors. And despite the pandemic walloping traditional brick-and-mortar retail, the firm is booming. It raised $105 million to buy 42 properties over the past year and aims to keep buying. Its an example of a retail model thats working, even as shoppers go online and the pandemic continues to hit storefronts. Its kind of the new Main Street where Walmart is the center of these communities. Its where everybody goes grocery shopping and makes other purchases, said managing partner Jordan Breck. Everything that they cant do at a Walmart, they can do with our centers. Many brick-and-mortar retailers struggled during the pandemic. Foot traffic died. Some stores had to close for a while. Rent still came due. Shoppers, meanwhile, headed online to make purchases. ST. LOUIS By the time city liquor control officers reached Reign Restaurants front door one Saturday in May, it was 1:50 a.m., way past closing time. They could see people still drinking inside, but when the officers tried to enter, a very large security officer blocked their path. As the officers stood outside on Washington Avenue, for 22 minutes, patrons slipped out the back door, drinks still in their hands. Now, after months of trouble and mountains of complaints, City Hall is putting Reign on trial. Hearings, which begin Friday, will decide the fate of the establishment. For most of the spring and summer, officials have fielded complaints from Washington Avenue denizens who blame Reign for fights in their streets, broken bottles on the sidewalks and gunshots waking them up at night. But after two shootings in four days last month, city officials are cracking down. The 10 a.m. hearing could end with the revocation of Reigns liquor license a fatal blow for almost any nightspot. Here are a few of our staff picks for things to do Aug. 27-Sept. 2. So youve written a bestselling novel. Congratulations but dont celebrate too long. What about the next book, and the next? Will those please the readers who loved the first? More importantly, will they sell? Three British mystery novelists with new books out this week have taken different approaches to their body (so to speak) of work. Paula Hawkins probably had the biggest challenge in following up her own success. Her first thriller, 2015s The Girl on the Train, was a runaway hit, quickly snapped up for a big-screen feature with Emily Blunt in the lead. Since then, Hawkins has written just two more books. Into the Water, in 2017, got mixed reviews and was optioned for a movie yet to happen. But the newly arrived A Slow Fire Burning marks a distinct rebound; it actually may be Hawkins most satisfying work, with complicated characters who come to life and propel the story. A Slow Fire Burning (the title refers to a horrible wrong many years in the past) begins with the discovery of a gruesome murder on a London houseboat. Who stabbed troubled young artist Daniel to death, and why? As a result, some school districts, or individual school buildings, are now considering the mask mandates that were passed at the beginning of the school year in Wright City, and in the city of St. Louis, and in every school district in St. Louis County. About an hour after Dunagan gave the task forces daily briefing, President Joe Biden took to the national airwaves to announce a new front in the battle against the pandemic, pushing sweeping federal mandates to require vaccination. Biden will require a vaccine for all federal employees and contractors, and also has instructed the Department of Labor to issue a rule requiring all businesses in the country with 100 or more employees to meet a vaccination mandate of their own. The president will require vaccination for all health care employees in American hospitals, and expand access to testing. We have the tools to combat the virus if we can come together as a country and use those tools, Biden says. Many of us are frustrated with the nearly 80 million Americans who are still not vaccinated, even though the vaccine is safe, effective and free. The three have been charged by the St. Clair County state's attorney's office with one count of felon in possession of a weapon and seven counts of aggravated battery/discharge of a firearm, the state police said, adding that bail has been set at $950,000 each. Witnesses reported seeing three men leaving the scene of the shooting with weapons. The shooting sparked a 10-hour manhunt involving multiple local police agencies. At 2:30 a.m. Friday, officers about a block from the crime scene arrested three people in the 600 block of St. Louis Avenue. The incident came on the heels of two other fatal shootings this week. On Sunday, a 3-year-old girl was hit by a stray bullet while she slept in her home, and later was declared brain-dead. On Tuesday, a 16-year-old was killed in a shooting. Eastern said additional measures also would be taken, including the hiring of more officers and improved safety measures, most prominently the curfew. He acknowledged that not all will be happy about the curfew, but said it was necessary under the circumstances. "It's better to be sure we have safe businesses so they can sell the goods and services they do, and the citizens of East St. Louis are safe," he added. Watkins has said that Chansley, 34, has repudiated the QAnon conspiracy. It was Chansleys third failed bid for freedom. He pleaded guilty Sept. 3 to a felony charge of obstruction of an official proceeding, admitting being among the first 30 rioters to push past police lines and enter the building. Chansley used a bullhorn to rile up the crowd and demand that lawmakers be brought out, his plea says, before entering the Senate gallery and and then taking a seat recently occupied by then-Vice President Mike Pence. Chansley told a Capitol police officer that Pence was a traitor and wrote a note saying, Its only a matter of time. Justice is coming. Chansley also refused repeated requests by officers to leave. On Friday, Watkins called it a sad day for Jake, noting that his grandfather died Thursday. Watkins has said Chansleys grandfather was his sole male role model and cited the mans imminent death in his motion seeking release from jail. In his order, Lamberth rejected Watkins concerns that the declining health of Chansleys grandfather could trigger psychological problems. Watkins said the prison system as well as the court system, prosecutors and defense lawyers are ill-equipped to deal with the mentally ill. SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE Charles Blaich still remembers watching the first World Trade Center tower falling as he rode the Staten Island ferry to Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001. He was a New York deputy fire chief at the time and helped lead the rescue and recovery efforts following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. On Friday, he spoke to airmen and civilians at Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County about that days enduring power 20 years later. Blaich recalled firefighters disembarking the ferry and heading to the disaster, as area contractors handed over all the tools we couldve wanted to aid in the effort. He remembered seeing a colleague covered with thick gray dust as he and others grabbed masks and rushed to help. He talked about the resolve of the firefighters and regular people as they worked to save lives and later sift through the wreckage. And as night drew near on Sept. 11, he remembered more contractors appearing with lights, illuminating the scene like Yankee stadium. At the end of the day, we brought light onto a horrible, dark scene, Blaich said. Regardless of whether Parson calls a special session, lawmakers will have a ready-made soapbox next week when they gavel into their annual veto session on Wednesday. The one-day session was expected to be a quiet affair, but members of the Republican-led House and Senate now have an opportunity to opine on the presidents decision. A spokeswoman for Parson, who has resisted issuing mask mandates or shutting down businesses to halt the spread of a deadly virus for the past 18 months, said Friday she was gathering information about what, if anything, the governor intends to do. An insult Parson has been reluctant to call special sessions this year on other subjects, including major Republican issues such as changes in election law following former President Donald Trumps 2020 election loss. But the governor, who is vaccinated after having contracted COVID-19 last year, called Bidens decision an insult. Vaccination protects us from serious illness, but the decision to get vaccinated is a private health care decision that should remain as such, Parson said on social media. My administration will always fight back against federal power grabs and government overreach that threatens to limit our freedoms. CLAYTON The St. Louis County Council on Thursday fired County Auditor Mark Tucker after a two-hour, closed-door hearing that capped months of deliberation about replacing Tucker with a better-qualified financial watchdog. The move comes a year after Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway issued a report that was sharply critical of Tucker, a former health care lobbyist, blaming lax oversight by his office for allowing abuses by former County Executive Steve Stenger to go unchecked. In recent months, the council reopened applications for the job and amended county ordinances to raise qualifications and pay for the position, one of the few countywide positions that reports to the legislative body. The council had intended to nominate a successor, whose appointment would automatically replace Tucker because of his expired term. But on Thursday, the council voted 5-0 to fire Tucker after it heard testimony from current and former employees of the auditors office who alleged Tucker had showed up to work only a handful of times over the past year, according to an official who took part in the meeting. Five votes would meet a county charter provision requiring a two-thirds vote of the council to remove an auditor from office for incompetence, neglect of duty or malfeasance. I was in the Boston area visiting family and attending a friend's wedding on Saturday. That Sunday, my fiancee Betsy Taylor and I celebrated our recent engagement with a party at my parents' house. Our plan on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, was to visit Marthas Vineyard. Then our plans changed. I was sleeping late. Betsy told me the news of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center. We watched on television as smoke billowed from the North Tower, then came the second attack. At the time Betsy was a news reporter for The Associated Press in St. Louis. We called into our Missouri offices, and soon found ourselves driving toward Boston's Logan Airport after hearing reports that some of the crashed planes departed from there. We did some brief reporting at the airport and after some conversations with our bosses, we decided to try to get to New York City that night. I was unprepared to cover the largest news event of my life. I had a film camera, a 24mm lens and a half dozen rolls of film. My cellphone battery was draining, and I hadn't packed a charger. But there we were, driving toward ground zero in our rented convertible. Along the way, we stopped at The Providence Journal-Bulletin to pick up a digital camera and lenses friends there agreed to lend me. As the sun set, we stopped again at a highway overpass in Connecticut where people waved American flags toward passing cars. At the time that was unusual. Chasing history Approaching New York City, traffic was thin. We tucked in behind what appeared to be a FEMA convoy and followed it onto an exit ramp for Manhattan, barely squeezing by an unmanned barricade on the highway. A towering plume of smoke was rising in the distance. Times Square was deserted. We should've stopped to photograph that, but we were focused on getting to Betsy's sister's apartment, where we could stay. The next morning, I documented history as I encountered it. The streets were mostly empty of cars; I recall it being quiet other than the sound of sirens in the distance. The closer I walked toward ground zero, the thicker the layer of dust from the fallen towers became; it covered my shoes as I walked. It didn't occur to me at the time how toxic that dust could've been. As I got closer I began to see the burned out, smashed husks of cars that had been crushed by falling debris and hastily removed from the immediate scene. "Will is not dead. Just can't go home," was scrawled on a dusty window. On the hood of a car, someone had written "I love USA" along with a misspelling of the word vengeance. Paper from the collapsed offices littered the ground. Firefighters and police officers from all over continued to funnel into the scene. Medical personnel in masks followed them. A perimeter guarded by police officers and later by soldiers surrounded ground zero. A few civilians gathered at the edge of the scene, some covered their mouths and noses with tissues. Others just breathed the smoke and dust-filled air. There was some compelling photojournalism being produced during those historic days in New York City. None of it was being produced by me; I was frustrated, not just for myself, but because I wanted to show readers what had happened. An important part of news is bearing witness to it. I talked with photo editor Bryan Moss back in St. Louis, expressing my doubts about what I was producing. He gave me some great advice. "Make photos that you'll want to show your children and grandchildren when you get older," said Moss. In the coming days, I followed Moss advice as best I could. I spent part of an afternoon photographing people as they hung up posters of their missing loved ones around the city. I tried to localize the story by focusing on members of Missouri Task Force One, an urban search and rescue team. I looked to make pictures showing how people were pulling together, helping in any way they could. I made pictures at public memorials and vigils that reflected people's grief and sorrow. After five days of photographing, I was done both emotionally and physically, but aware of the fact that many others had been through so much more. Lost more than I could ever imagine. Another photographer from the Post-Dispatch was arriving. I felt relieved. But leaving also made me feel guilty. Digging up memories Last Sunday I was thinking a lot about 9/11. I spent part of the week working on stories about the upcoming anniversary, watched a documentary and saw the coverage of the flags going up on Art Hill. I looked for the images I'd made on 9/11, buried somewhere in my personal files. After a quick search of the basement I popped back upstairs, proud Id located the DVD with the images. Betsy cautioned me, "You know those pictures probably didn't get any better with age. You were a young photographer." "I know, but it's history," I told her. The news you need to know as you start your day. Includes the top story of the morning and Your Daily 6. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Wake Up to Politics author and St. Louis native Gabe Fleisher joins the Post-Dispatch for a conversation about 9/11's legacy for younger Americans ahead of his column on the same subject. There was a meme that went around social media last year maybe you saw it in your Facebook feed. Born into the world during 9/11, it went. Now graduating into a pandemic. The graphic was intended as a salute to those of us who graduated high school last year, in the class of 2020. But as I suppose kids often do with the memes their parents share on Facebook, I distinctly remember laughing at it with my friends. The image, and others like it, applauded us as though we were uniquely worthy of praise and extraordinarily resilient. Never mind that we felt pretty ordinary: Those were just the events that had happened to fall during our lifespans, we shrugged. All we had done was live through them. Some of the posts were even accompanied by graphics of the Twin Towers. But how, we asked, could we be applauded as resilient for surviving an event we dont remember or that some of us (myself included) were not even alive for? But with the 20th anniversary of 9/11 (and, thus, my own 20th birthday) approaching, and a year of COVID college behind me, Ive begun to wonder if the Facebook posts we scoffed at may have had some merit. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Six Black farmworkers in Mississippi say in a new lawsuit that their former employer brought white laborers from South Africa to do the same jobs they were doing, and that the farm has been violating federal law by paying the white immigrants more for the same type of work. Mississippi Center for Justice and Southern Migrant Legal Services filed the federal lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of the six workers against Pitts Farm Partnership, which grows cotton, soybeans and corn in the Mississippi Delta's Sunflower County. The lawsuit said the farm violated regulations of a foreign worker visa program, which requires equal treatment of U.S. workers and their immigrant counterparts. It seeks an unspecified amount in damages, including money the U.S. workers say they were shorted because of the uneven pay scale. The Associated Press left messages by phone and email with Pitts Farms seeking comment about the lawsuit. There was no immediate response by Thursday afternoon. Four of the plaintiffs Andrew Johnson, Wesley Reed, Gregory Strong and Richard Strong said they did agricultural work from February through November and Pitts Farm Partnership usually paid them the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, with $8.25 an hour for weekend work. UNITED NATIONS The new U.N. special envoy for Yemen said Friday that the Arab worlds poorest nation is stuck in an indefinite state of war and resuming negotiations to end the more than six-year conflict wont be easy. Hans Grundberg, a Swedish diplomat who took up the post four days ago after serving as the European Unions ambassador to Yemen since 2019, told the U.N. Security Council that there are no quick wins in Yemens civil war. To chart the best way forward, he said, he plans to review what has worked and what hasnt, and listen to as many Yemeni men and women as possible. The conflict parties have not discussed a comprehensive settlement since 2016, Grundberg said. It is therefore long overdue for the conflict parties to engage in peaceful dialogue with one another under U.N. facilitation on the terms of an overarching settlement, in good faith and without preconditions. Yemen has been convulsed by civil war since 2014 when Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of the capital of Sanaa and much of the northern part of the country, forcing the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to the south, then to Saudi Arabia. LONDON (AP) The Sept. 11 attackers failed in their aim of making people in open societies live in permanent fear, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as he marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11. In a video message due to be played at a ceremony on Saturday, Johnson said the U.S. was the worlds greatest democracy, and it was a reflection of its openness that people of almost every nationality and religion were among almost 3,000 people killed in the attacks. Sixty-seven British nationals were among those killed when hijacked planes crashed into New Yorks World Trade Centre, the Pentagon in Washington and a field in Pennsylvania. Johnson said the attackers tried to destroy the faith of free peoples everywhere in the open societies which terrorists despise and which we cherish and failed. But while the terrorists imposed their burden of grief and suffering, and while the threat persists today, we can now say with the perspective of 20 years that they failed to shake our belief in freedom and democracy; they failed to drive our nations apart, or cause us to abandon our values, or to live in permanent fear, Johnson said. Dick Cheney made the legally dubious decision as vice president on 9/11 to take command at the White House from an underground bunker. He issued the order to close U.S. airspace and for Air Force warplanes to shoot any aircraft, including passenger planes, out of the sky. He famously warned that the coming wars would force the United States to go to the dark side, which is exactly what followed with secret kidnappings, renditions and waterboarding torture of terrorism suspects. Cheney never yielded in his defense of such interrogation techniques and rivaled President Bush in his popularity among conservatives. He remained popular even after shooting an acquaintance in the face while hunting. Bush once jokingly referred to Cheney as Darth Vader. Cheney retired to his ranch in Wyoming and championed the U.S. House candidacy of his conservative daughter, now-U.S. Rep. Lynn Cheney. But after both publicly criticized President Donald Trump, the Cheneys are now rejected as pariahs in their own party. Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. Iran is still running the Shia rebel operations. Iran is their main source of outside support and the Iranian ambassador, one of the few in the rebel-occupied capital, is a former Quds Force general who is in Yemen more as a Quds Force commander than a diplomat. This ambassador doesnt make many requests, but he does issue a lot of orders. The IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) is the separate military force formed in the 1980s to protect the religious dictatorship that has ruled Iran since the 1980s. The Quds Force is a component of the IRGC that instigates, supervises and sustains foreign rebellions and terror campaigns that might expand Iranian power and keep potential enemies on the defensive. The IRGC is also the main component of the radical faction in the Iranian government. The radicals, who put the expansion of Iranian power above everything else, are at war with the nationalists in the Iranian leadership that want to emphasize improving the economy and living standards for Iranians. The religious rulers of Iran see the nationalists as a threat and have given radicals, including the Quds Force, more authority, and resources in 2021. Yemen is seen as the cheapest and most successful of Irans overseas wars. Those in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq are all suffering setbacks and embarrassing Iranian defeats. In Yemen Iran is regularly and inexpensively attacking archenemy Saudi Arabia directly. Its not just the Shia rebels of northern Yemen who are the problem, but the Iranian ballistic missile and cruise missile attacks on Saudi Arabia as well as the growing use of naval mines in the Red Sea and land mines wherever the Shia rebels are operating. The Shia rebels refuse to discuss any peace deal that includes the removal of Iranian operations from Yemen. In typical Iranian fashion, the Iranian government denies that it is behind the continuing violence in Yemen. That sort of worked for a while after the current civil war broke out in 2014. After a few years Iran admitted, or rather an IRGC general boasted that Iran had been covertly supporting an uprising among the Shia Arab tribes of Yemen for years before 2014. Many Yemenis knew this but were ignored for a long time because Yemen was famous for its many conspiracy theories and scams. Yemen has long been rated as one the most corrupt nations on the planet and that plays a large part in Iranian success at continuing to smuggle weapons and Iranian personnel into Yemen. If you know who to bribe and can afford it, anything is possible. The Iranian problem is that Shia Arabs are a minority in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. There are lots of Shia Arab tribes just across the border in southwest Saudi Arabia but those tribes have been well treated by the Saudis and see no point in supporting their violent cousins in Yemen. The Saudis continue taking care of their Shia subjects by preventing the hundreds of Iranian missiles (mostly ballistic or cruise types) from hitting anything valuable (property or people) in the southwest. Iran continues to deny any involvement in all those attacks, and insists its just resourceful Shia tribesmen building ballistic missiles and explosives laden UAVs used on one-way trips as cruise missiles using their own resources. No one, including Iran or Shia Arab rebels, believe that but it remains the official position of the rebels and Iran. The most powerful weapon Iran and Yemens Shia rebels have is the disunity of the rest of Yemen. The Sunni tribes in the south want autonomy or a separate state, a situation that was the norm for centuries. A united Yemen is a relatively new concept, only achieved in the 1990s. In the north, where the Shia tribes predominate, there are Sunni tribes that oppose the civil war, as well as a growing number of Shia Arabs. There are also disagreements among the Arab oil states, mainly the Saudis and the UAE, on how to deal with the Iranian threat in Yemen. Unable to do much about Saudi air power, Iran has increased its efforts to disrupt traffic in the Red Sea, where several major Saudi ports handle most of the imports for western Saudi and a network of pipelines and ship loading facilities that soon will be able to handle all Saudi oil exports. Suez Canal traffic passes through the Red Sea and the second largest Yemeni port is on the Red Sea. All this justifies the increased Iranian efforts to covertly use naval mines in the Red Sea. While these are Iranian mines, its proxy Yemen Shia rebels take credit for placing the mines in the water. Hundreds of these mines have been placed off the Yemen Red Sea coast in the last few years but the damage so far has been minor. No ships have been sunk, even though a small percentage of the mines were more modern and deadly bottom mines that rest on the ocean floor in shallow water. Perhaps the less-effective mines were used on purpose, to disrupt shipping, but not sink a lot of it, because that might create a major international uproar and calls for international military action against Iran. With all this in mind, Iranian efforts in Yemen are not crazy, risky, or expensive. But they are causing more pushback by the many foreign enemies Iran has made. Many of those foes in the West have imposed crippling sanctions on Iran and the increasingly aggressive Iranian efforts to disrupt Red Sea traffic is not having the desired effect. Instead, it has resulted in Israeli, American and Arab warships training together in the Red Sea. Quds Force recruiting and training methods are causing problems. Many of the rebel fighters are teenagers coerced to join or attracted by the money. The heavy losses among these young fighters in central Yemen (Marib) are hurting rebel morale and making recruiting even more difficult. Iran appears to believe the heavy losses are worth it because the rebels need a big win to improve their negotiating position. A Quds Force general has been running the rebel operations for over a year and will not allow the rebels to negotiate a peace deal that includes Iranian banishment from Yemen. Its one of those defeat is not an option situations for Iran and the Saudis. Yemenis are more willing to compromise but they are no longer in control. September 8, 2021: In central Yemen (Marib province) the Shia rebel offensive continues and after seven months has still not achieved its two main objectives. The most obvious one is the Marib provincial capital, which is 120 kilometers east of the rebel held national capital Sanaa. The other one is the Marib oil fields. Yemen has some oil resources and, even though those are tiny compared to what Iran and the other Arab states in the region have, were enough to supply internal needs as well as provide some for exports. Production and exports halted several years ago but possession of Yemenis oil resources is a prestige thing. The Yemeni government and the Arab coalition also want to use Marib as a base area for a possible ground advance in the rebel held national capital Sanaa. Since February most of the combat in Yemen has been in Marib. The rebels have suffered heavy casualties without much to show for it. The government forces, mainly tribal militias with access to Saudi air and artillery support have sometimes been able to regain lost ground. The rebels ignore this and insist they will prevail. Captured rebels and monitoring rebel communications reveals that many of the replacement fighters are there mainly for the pay or because of rebel threats to block food aid. Seven months of offensive operations have been costly, with rebel daily casualties to exceed one or two hundred dead and wounded. When the Marib offensive began in February it was assumed it would follow the usual pattern of being intense for a few days or weeks and then fading. The fade didnt come until May when the rebels reduced the ground attacks to deal with the morale problems all their casualties had caused. That pause did not last long and fighting soon resumed. Calling the fighting a rebel offensive was misleading, as most of the time the fighting involved only artillery and mortar fire as well as dozens of cruise and ballistic missile strikes. The government forces respond with even more artillery fire and air strikes, all provided by the Arab Coalition. During the first six weeks of this intense fighting the dead and wounded amounted to nearly 500 fighters from both sides as well as a few civilians. Since then, the rebels have suffered most of the losses, which are now over a thousand dead and many more wounded. Government forces, supported by artillery and airstrikes, halted rebel attacks, some coming from three directions. Saudi pilots and ground forces have gained a lot of practical combat experience since 2015. Saudi pilots are much more accurate and surer of themselves than they were during the first two years (2015-16). On the ground the Saudis supply artillery and troops trained to quickly and accurately request and direct air and artillery support. All these ground teams have a year or more of combat experience and it makes a difference. The air strikes usually involve smart bombs directed at targets identified by Saudi air controllers on the ground. The Saudi pilots also have American Sniper targeting pods that enable them to make out individuals and identify vehicles on the ground. The heavy casualties in Marib, and the few other areas where there is still shooting, many areas controlled by the rebels are full of angry Shia and Sunni civilians who have seen less food and other foreign aid getting in and more of their sons recruited to fight for the rebels. That pays well, compared to anything else available and gets the family priority when food and other aid is distributed. But too many of those conscripted sons are coming back dead or crippled. The rebels make an effort to return the bodies, which earns them some good will. In a third of their territory that is enough and now the rebels are kidnapping more civilians and holding them as hostages to obtain compliance from families or clans. Many of those kidnapped are suspected of providing information to government forces. This is often the case for someone in the family. The hostage tactic is an ancient one in Arabia and still works, but not as well as it used to. There is still cell phone service in Yemen and bad news gets out quickly, often with pictures or video. September 5, 2021: In central Yemen (Marib province) Saudi Arabia confirmed that a recent airstrike killed Haidar Serhan, an Iranian Quds Force officer and eight of his subordinates. By monitoring communications in Yemen and media in Iran for funerals of IRGC and Quds personnel as these are usually noted, often along with praise for those who died in combat. The Quds Force team was in Marib to improve training and morale of rebel forces, who have been taking heavy casualties from airstrikes and artillery fire. There are proven techniques for avoiding detection and an airstrike and the rebel forces need some help in that area because most of their casualties are from the airstrikes. September 4, 2021: In northeast Saudi Arabia, air defense systems intercepted three ballistic missiles and three cruise missiles (UAVs carrying explosives) headed for the Persian Gulf tanker loading port of Ras Tanura. Some of the debris from the intercepts fell on a residential neighborhood of the nearby city of Dammam, damaging 14 homes and injuring two children. The Shia rebels claim to have carried out the attacks using Iranian ballistic missiles large enough to cover the distance (1,100 kilometers) from northwest Yemen to the target area on the Persian Gulf coast. These missiles are similar to the ones the Shia rebels have used in the past, but with a second stage attached carrying a lighter warhead. Once the Saudis have collected and analyzed the debris from the ballistic missile a positive identification can be made. This is the second attack on this target using a longer range ballistic missile. An attack in March used only one missile, which was als0 intercepted. Three UAVs were also used in todays attack and also shot down. A similar UAV attack here earlier in the year was traced back to an Iranian ship in the Persian Gulf. Later in the day the Shia rebels fired a ballistic missile at the Saudi oil facility at Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast and about 860 kilometers from the Yemen border. This one was either intercepted or failed and missed its target. September 3, 2021: In southeast Yemen (Mahra province) border security officials caught Hassan Ali Al Emad, a major Shia rebel official who was trying to enter from Oman disguised as an Omani. Emad did not speak the very distinctive dialect found in Oman and was soon identified as a Shia from northwestern Yemen. Saudi intel helps with border security here and was able to identify the illegal visitor as Emad, who was returning from Iran via a smuggling route that Iran had used for years but had become less safe over the last few years. Flying into the Shia-controlled capital Sanaa was risky because there was an air embargo and regular flights were not allowed and those that were allowed required passengers to be vetted by the Saudis. Mahra province includes the entire border with Oman. The ancient Oman smuggling route is controlled by the local Mahra tribe, which lies astride the Yemen/Oman border. Marah province borders Saudi Arabia in the north and Oman in the east. The Saudis and Omanis have recently agreed to lock down their mutual border. The Yemen/Oman border has received help from Saudi troops who have been in Mahra province since 2017. The Saudis were only concerned about the Iranian arms smuggled to the Shia rebels via nearby ports in Mahra and Oman. Most of the Mahra smugglers cooperated, if only because long-term it is better to do business with the Saudi government than be at war with them. The new border controls also checked visitors for Iranians or Shia rebels trying to cross with a valid ID. The Iranians paid well for moving arms across the border but the Saudi troops operated checkpoints and patrols that made it difficult to get the smuggled weapons to rebel-controlled territory 300 kilometers to the west. The Oman government helped by arranging talks between the Saudis and Mahra tribal leaders from Oman and Yemen. Eventually a deal was worked out and Iran lost regular use of the Oman land route to the Yemen rebels. While Oman maintains good relations with Iran, it also maintains even better relations with the United States and Britain. The Saudis are an ally, so Oman does not take orders from the Saudis but does get along with them. September 2, 2021: Yemen is sending refugees back to Africa. Most of the refugees are smuggled into Yemen by Somali and Yemeni fishermen working for smuggling gangs in both countries. About 32,000 refugees are stranded in Yemen, often for several years. The majority are from Somalia and Ethiopia and willing to take free transport (by air) to their home countries. The smuggling route crosses the Gulf of Aden, which means a 750-kilometer voyage by boat to get to Yemen. This is short enough for small cargo and fishing boats to easily travel back and forth. For thousands of years there has been sea traffic on this route and over the last few decades that has involved more smuggling, usually of drugs and illegal migrants from Somalia or Ethiopia. The people smugglers typically overload boats for the two-day voyage across the Gulf and in a typical year hundreds of refugees are lost at sea. The people smuggling business changed after 2014 as the Iran backed Yemen Shia rebels, normally outnumbered, and outgunned by the government forces, took advantage of the post 2011 revolution to start a civil war to put a pro-Iran government in power. This disrupted the people smuggling operations because Saudi Arabia and its allies enforced a naval blockade on Yemen to stop Iranian from smuggling in weapons. The blockade often turned back the people smuggler boats after arresting the smugglers on board to gain more information on the smuggling gangs. Some illegals still got to Yemen but the Saudis had increased security on their border with Yemen. That meant most of the refugees, except those who could afford a more expensive detour, were stuck in Yemen. That situation worsened in 2020 when covid19 restrictions further limited the movement of illegal migrants into Saudi Arabia. While most foreigners had already fled Yemen, the Somali refugees in Yemen were giving up on the efforts to go north and seeking ways to get back to Somalia. In 2015 there were over 300,000 Somalis in Yemen, most of them there illegally. Foreigners, particularly illegal migrants, became a target in Yemen during the civil war because that conflict prevented Yemeni people smugglers from moving their clients north to the oil-rich Arab states and beyond. The most hospitable and accessible refuge for Somalis in Yemen was Somalia. So far most of the Somalis stuck in Yemen have returned to Somalia despite the continuing violence there. The civil war in Yemen has been a lot deadlier than the al Shabaab violence in Somalia, killing a lot more people and creating a lot more refugees. September 1, 2021: International shipowners associations agreed to reduce the HRA (High Risk Area) off Somalia from most of the East African coast and deep into the Indian Ocean to a smaller area encompassing the EEZs (Exclusive Economic Zones) off Somalia and Yemen and the approaches to the Persian Gulf. EEZs extend 380 kilometers off the coast and the new HRA found that this is where the piracy risk remains, closer to Yemen than to Somalia. The piracy patrol already had more ships watching the Yemeni Coast and Persian Gulf entrance, where Islamic terrorist groups have turned to piracy but have so far been more of a threat than successful. The threat near the Persian Gulf entrance has been increased by Iran, which tried using some of its commandos to seize a ship, but the crew carried out their anti-piracy safety drill before the Iranians could board. The crew reached their fortified safe space and disabled the engines. The Iranians tried to get the engines going but failed and fled before help arrived and killed or captured any of them. The crew heard the pirates speaking and realized they were Iranians. As usual, Iran denied any involvement. The recent missile and mine attacks were disproportionately directed at Israeli-owned ships. Groups staging an attack to make it appear like someone else did it is an ancient practice referred to as false flag attacks. Like many other criminal activities, rapid technology developments have made it more difficult to make these successfully. August 29, 2021: In the south (60 kilometers north of Aden city) Shia rebels based in Taiz province, about a hundred kilometers to the north, used UAV reconnaissance to spot where troops were gathered for training at and military base and quickly fire four guided rockets to hit specific targets. As a result, over 40 soldiers were killed and nearly twice as many wounded. Shia rebels have lost most of the territory they used to occupy in Taiz province. Earlier in the year the rebels controlled 30 percent of the province but now it is only a few coastal areas in the north of the province. Initial Partners Include One, Best Buy, SoCalGas and the State of California LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Enervee (www.enervee.com), the leading provider of online marketplaces for energy-efficient products, has announced the rollout of Eco Financing (www.ecofinancing.com), an innovative program to make it easy and affordable to purchase energy-efficient appliances. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908006010/en/ Eco Financing (www.ecofinancing.com) makes it easy and affordable to purchase energy-efficient appliances. (Graphic: Business Wire) The program is launching in partnership with fintech lender One, the State of California, and Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas). Enervee is also partnering with major retailers including Best Buy, which will provide end-to-end delivery, installation, and haul-away services. With Eco Financing, online retail shoppers can buy energy-efficient appliances up to $5,000 with no money down, instant rebates and favorable loan terms, with no penalty for early repayment. The statewide Residential Energy Efficiency Loan (REEL) program enables One to provide Californians with longer loan terms and rates significantly lower than credit cards or other market-rate financing options. This results in low monthly payments: An energy-efficient appliance with a total cost of $1,000, for example, can be paid back with monthly installments of less than $25 while helping the borrower save on energy bills. Eco Financing will initially be available to the 5.7 million residential customers of SoCalGas through the SoCalGas Marketplace. Access will expand within California through the REEL program and to other states later this year. Consumers can make purchases such as dishwashers, clothes washers/dryers, and kitchen ranges, as well as smart thermostats, with more categories to come. Eco Financing marks the first microloan initiative of the REEL program, which is administered by the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA) housed within the State Treasurers Office. Since 2016, REEL has helped move California toward its ambitious climate goal of doubling energy savings by 2030. The program has facilitated $25 million in home energy efficiency improvements for Californians. It took close cooperation with the California State Treasurers Office, deep data integrations with One and national retailer Best Buy, and SoCalGass desire to better serve their customers to make Eco Financing a reality, said Enervee CEO Matthias Kurwig. The new Enervee commerce platform represents a major evolution from previous online stores provided by utilities. Thanks to the credit enhancement available to REEL lenders, One is able to offer loans with favorable terms and expand access to borrowers who otherwise might not qualify, said Brian Hamilton, CEO of One. Eco Financing advances our mission of improving the financial lives of hard-working families in a way that doesnt negatively impact the place we all call home. As the utility lead for the State of Californias REEL program, SoCalGas is pleased to be the first to provide affordable and inclusive online retail financing to our customers, said Gillian Wright, senior vice president and chief customer officer at SoCalGas. Delivering financing through the high-volume marketplace channel will allow us to cost-effectively scale the impact of REEL, benefitting all Californians. This partnership has the capacity to help many more Californians save energy and reduce expenses and to assist California in making progress on its fight against climate change, said Treasurer Ma. For additional information, please visit www.ecofinancing.com. About Enervee Enervee is a clean technology company that combines data science, behavioral science, and digital marketing to drive better energy-related buying decisions across dozens of consumer product categories. Our Commerce platform, featuring Choice Engine technology and Eco Financing, eliminates longstanding market, cognitive/psychological and financial barriers that prevent consumers from following through on their ambition to buy energy-using products that save energy and money and contribute to a clean energy future. You can learn more at www.enervee.com. About One One, a financial technology company, was launched in 2019 and is based in San Francisco and Sacramento. With venture capital backing from Obvious Ventures, Foundation Capital, Core Innovation Capital and others, Ones mission is to help improve the financial lives of hard-working families and individuals by seamlessly combining saving, spending, sharing, and borrowing into one account. As a result, every One customer has access to high-yield savings, affordable credit that grows with them, and tools to help automate their money management. You can learn more at www.onefinance.com. About SoCalGas Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million consumers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines will continue to play a key role in Californias clean energy transitionproviding electric grid reliability and supporting wind and solar energy deployment. SoCalGas's mission is to build the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy company in America. In support of that mission, SoCalGas is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045 and to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply to core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills, and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for customers. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook. About the REEL Program Administered by the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA) housed in the State Treasurers Office, the Residential Energy Efficiency Loan Program (REEL) was launched in 2016 as a pilot program under the authority of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) with support from the states four major investor-owned utilities. REEL and its sister programs for small businesses and affordable multifamily housing were designed to leverage private capital for energy efficiency retrofits using a credit enhancement in the form of a loan loss reserve. The programs support Californias goal of doubling energy efficiency savings by 2030. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908006010/en/ Media contacts: Scenario Communications (for Enervee) Ron Hofmann | Grace Hagan | Lindsay Shapiro P: (424) 303-3998 | 610-547-8296 | 215-681-3384 E: ron.hofmann@scenariopr.com | grace.hagan@scenariopr.com | lindsay.shapiro@scenariopr.com One Meg Sloan | CMO P: 650.799.3390 E: meg@onefinance.com Southern California Gas Company Candice Lee | Office of Media and Public Information P: (213) 709-5295 E: clee4@socalgas.com State Treasurers Office Noah Starr | Kaylee DAmico P: (916) 653-2995 | (916) 653-3036 E: Noah.Starr@treasurer.ca.gov | Kaylee.Damico@treasurer.ca.gov Source: Enervee Paris, September 8th 2021, 5:45 pm PRESS RELEASE Eramet: Signature of an agreement with Meridiam and the Gabonese State regarding their acquisition of an equity interest in Setrag, operator of the Transgabonese railway Opening of 40% of the capital of Setrag, Comilogs subsidiary, to Meridiam, a private investor, specialising in long-term management of sustainable public infrastructure Disposal of 9% of the capital held by Comilog to the Gabonese State Strengthening of Setrags balance sheet to support the ongoing railway renovation programme and future developments within the company Signature of an amendment to the concession contract, which extends its duration and confirms the new share capital structure of the subsidiary Eramet announces that Meridiam has acquired an equity interest in Setrag through a capital increase of c.30m, enabling the investment fund to become a shareholder with a 40% stake in the Gabonese subsidiary. In addition to its capital contribution, Meridiam also commits to contributing c.40m to the financing of Setrag and to bringing its rail expertise in order to ensure the future development of the Transgabonese railway. In addition, the Gabonese State acquires 9% of Setrags capital from Comilog, an Eramet group subsidiary, which remains the companys majority shareholder with a 51% stake in the capital. Setrag, which operates the railway line linking Libreville to Franceville in Gabon over a distance of approximately 650 km, is a vital player in the countrys economy. The company ensures the transport of freight and passengers with an average of 330,000 annual passengers and nearly 9 million tons of goods transported in 2020, of which approximately 90% was mining freight. A new dynamic is currently being deployed. It aims to strengthen the upgrading plan (Plan de Remise a Niveau, PRN) in order to improve the railways performance through modernisation and security actions. It also aims to develop the transport capacity of travellers and goods from 12 million tons to 19 million tons, in order to support the growth of the Gabonese economy. Meridiam, having extensive experience in infrastructure investment management, particularly in Africa and especially in Gabon, will contribute to the success of this transformation, which should enable Setrag to position itself as a reference in rail transport, particularly in terms of safety and quality of service. Kleber Silva, Eramet Deputy CEO in charge of the Mining and Metals Division, commented: "Meridiams acquisition of an equity interest in Setrags capital represents an important milestone in the path of progress that we have been following for three years. Its infrastructure management experience in Africa and its rail expertise around the globe will further strengthen our railway operations. By acquiring a stake in the subsidiary's capital, the Gabonese State, Eramet's long-standing partner, confirms its commitment to growing the Gabonese transport business to support the country's growth. In financial terms, this transaction significantly strengthens Setrags balance sheet, which will allow it to support its future development projects and thus rise to the highest standards in rail transport." Calendar 25/10/2021: Publication of 2021 third-quarter turnover ABOUT ERAMET Eramet transforms the Earths mineral resources to provide sustainable and responsible solutions to the growth of the industry and to the challenges of the energy transition. Its 13,000 employees are committed to this through their civic and contributory approach in all the countries where the mining and metallurgical group is present. Manganese, nickel, mineral sands, lithium and cobalt: Eramet recovers and develops metals that are essential to the building of a more sustainable world. As a privileged partner of its industrial clients, the Group contributes to making robust and resistant infrastructures and constructions, more efficient means of mobility, safer health tools and more efficient telecommunications devices. Fully committed to the era of metals, Eramets ambition is to become a reference for the responsible transformation of the Earths mineral resources for living well together. www. eramet .com ABOUT SETRAG Setrag (Societe d'Exploitation du Transgabonais) is the concession holder of the railway line linking Owendo to Franceville in Gabon. A real catalyser for the country's economic development, the Transgabonais is the subject of an ambitious upgrade programme by the State and Setrag. The company's ambition is to become an international reference in the railway sector by relying on a high-performance model that contributes to the population. Setrag is a subsidiary of the Compagnie Miniere de l'Ogooue (Comilog), itself a subsidiary of the French mining and metallurgical group, Eramet. It employs 1,550 people, half of whom are spread out along the 24 stations of the 648 km Transgabonais line. ABOUT MERIDIAM Meridiam was founded in 2005 by Thierry Deau, with the belief that the alignment of interests between the public and private sector can provide critical solutions to the collective needs of communities. Meridiam is an independent investment Benefit Corporation under French law and an asset manager. The firm specializes in the development, financing, and long-term management of sustainable public infrastructure in three core sectors: mobility, energy transition and environment, and social infrastructure. With offices in, Addis Ababa, Amman, Dakar, Istanbul, New York, Luxembourg, Paris, Toronto and Vienna, Meridiam currently manages US$10 billion and more than 90 projects and assets to date. Meridiam is certified ISO 9001: 2015, Advanced Sustainability Rating by VigeoEiris (Moodys) and applies a proprietary methodology in relation to ESG and impact based on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). INVESTOR CONTACT Director of Investor Relations Sandrine Nourry-Dabi T. +33 1 45 38 37 02 sandrine.nourrydabi@eramet.com PRESS CONTACT Communications Director Pauline Briand pauline.briand@eramet.com Image 7 Marie Artzner T. +33 1 53 70 74 31 | M. +33 6 75 74 31 73 martzner@image7.fr Attachment VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- InMotion Hosting, the industry leader in premium web hosting and customer support, is celebrating 20 years of empowering small businesses and entrepreneurs around the world. For two decades, InMotion Hosting has helped drive small businesses by providing great products, services, and support in a commitment to the success of their customers. Since its first server went online in 2001, InMotion Hosting has consistently grown and evolved to meet the needs of its customers. After having outgrown its Los Angeles headquarters, InMotion Hosting expanded to the east coast and began operations in a 450 square-foot office in Virginia Beach in 2004. In 2010, it became the first web host to Go Green, moving to a larger green data center in Los Angeles. The company introduced BoldGrid, its easy drag-and-drop website builder, in 2015, then celebrated the grand opening of its Denver office the following year. In 2019, InMotion Hosting expanded yet again, purchasing and opening a 61,000 square-foot office in Virginia Beach that now serves as their east coast headquarters. Last year, the company demonstrated its commitment to open source technology by becoming an Open Infrastructure Foundation partner. Despite all its growth and expansion, InMotion Hosting is still as committed to its customers' success as it was when it opened 20 years ago, and was named a PCMag Editors' Choice for The Best Web Hosting Services of 2021. It also remains 100 percent employee-owned and operated, which is one of the reasons it was officially Certified by Great Place to Work this year. "As we reflect on the last twenty years, we are thinking about our customers and team members, and how far we have come as an organization," said Todd Robinson and Sunil Saxena, Co-Founders of InMotion Hosting. "A lot has changed in 20 years, but our organizational goal has remained constant: to offer our customers the best service experience in the hosting industry, offering exceptional support services and best-in-class products. Today, we have the privilege of serving over 250,000 satisfied customers. It has been exciting to see our customers start and expand their businesses with us over the years, and it's rewarding to know our products and services helped them achieve their goals. As we look ahead to the next 20 years, we welcome the opportunity to evolve our business to meet our customers' changing needs. We thank our IMH team members for taking care of customers every day and for making IMH a great place to work. Looking forward to the next 20 years!" Now, as it celebrates its 20th anniversary, InMotion Hosting wants to empower small businesses and entrepreneurs. That is why the company is offering big discounts on Shared, WordPress, Reseller, and VPS Hosting. With this sale, customers can get their best-valued plan for the introductory price of their starter plans. InMotion Hosting is offering the following deals: Shared Hosting: Power Plan for $5.99/mo. Same price as Launch plan but 4x faster, and comes with a free domain, free SSL, and cPanel with 1-click installs. WordPress Hosting: WP-2000S for $6.99/mo. Same price as WP-1000S, 6x faster, and includes a free domain, free SSL, unlimited email accounts, and more. Reseller Hosting: R-2000S for $21.39/mo. Get a R-2000S for the intro price of a R-1000S, featuring room to grow with 120GB SSD storage, 50 cPanel accounts, and more. Managed VPS Hosting: 2GB RAM now starting at $19.99/mo. New introductory price offers a 58% discount. *All offers end September 30th, 2021 at 12:00pm PDT. The path for launching a successful business startup has changed a lot since 2001. From website builders and tools, to creating eCommerce storefronts, to scalable cloud infrastructures, InMotion Hosting has empowered small businesses with the "next big thing" for more than 20 years. Stay ahead of the curve on a powerful platform with innovative tools engineered to get you to your future successes. About InMotion HostingInMotion Hosting is a privately held technology company providing web hosting, cloud-based solutions and managed services to businesses and entrepreneurs across the globe. With more than 250,000 satisfied customers, InMotion Hosting's mission is to bring tools, platforms and outstanding customer service within anyone's reach to transform their online presence. Since 2001, we have built our foundation around 24/7/365 U.S.-based customer support and open source technology. Our partnerships include SuperMicro and the Open Infrastructure Foundation. Learn more about InMotion Hosting at inmotionhosting.com and on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Media Contact:Carrie Smaha(757) 693-5451318602@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inmotion-hosting-celebrates-20th-anniversary-with-big-sale-301373091.html SOURCE InMotion Hosting A member of the Air Force stands guard near Air Force Two at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on June 6, 2021. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) WASHINGTON One in three female members of the Air Force and Space Force have experienced sexual harassment during their military careers, according to a Pentagon survey of more than 100,000 troops. The most common type of harassment was sexual jokes, the survey found. Women also said they experienced sexual comments about their appearance and repeated attempts by some service members to establish unwanted sexual or romantic relationships. The Air Force inspector general released the survey results Thursday in a report thats part of a broader effort in the service to examine race and gender inequality. These disparities and gaps in trust affect our operational readiness, said Gina Ortiz Jones, undersecretary of the Air Force. We dont have time or talent to lose. We will actively work to rebuild that trust. Some women who participated in the survey said they experienced sexism and sexual harassment but did not trust their chain of command to address the problem. They feared retribution and believed nothing would come of reporting the inappropriate behavior. Female service members said they also experienced sexism and a negative stigma associated with being pregnant and taking maternity leave. Across the board, female and minority members of the Air Force and Space Force remain underrepresented in leadership positions and promotions, the report found. Nearly half of the women surveyed reported having to work harder than their male peers, and 38% of them said they had to conform their behavior to be more like men in order to succeed. The Air Force inspector general issued a similar report in December that focused on Black service members. That investigation found Black airmen faced disparities in disciplinary action and career opportunities when compared to their white peers. The newest report expanded the look at racial disparities to include Hispanic, Asian and Native American service members. Like female service members, many racial and ethnic minorities reported having to work harder and behave more like white men to succeed in the Air Force. Minority airmen and guardians said discriminatory and racist remarks were not appropriately addressed by their chain of command, which led to distrust of their unit, according to survey. Gen. CQ Brown Jr., Air Force chief of staff, and Gen. John W. Raymond, chief of space operations, vowed in statements issued Thursday that they would take the feedback and use it to improve. The Air Force is working on a root cause analysis for the disparities found by the inspector general, they said. Its being led by the Air Education and Training Command at Joint Base San Antonio in Texas. These reviews are important to help us identify and address racial, gender and ethnic disparity issues that negatively affect our airmen and guardians, Brown said. We must continue to listen to our people, understand what they are experiencing and receive their feedback as we take steps to improve. A large crowd surrounds a car carrying U.S. special operations troops on an assignment in Guinea, as shown in this screenshot from a video posted on Twitter. A military coup forced the U.S. team to cancel its training mission in the country. (Twitter/The House of Congo) A team of U.S. Green Berets on a recent training mission in the West African nation of Guinea needed local security forces help to make it through a chaotic street scene after the countrys president was ousted, U.S. Africa Command confirmed Friday. A video circulating on social media this week shows three U.S. soldiers in a car that is surrounded by people jumping up and down as its making its way to the U.S. Embassy in the Guinean capital of Conakry. Armed Guinean troops are seen providing security. Guinean security forces provided an escort to Conakry to ensure the safe passage of the team, U.S. Africa Command said in a statement. The soldiers were part of an Army special operations team that was forced to cancel planned training activities after a military seizure of power Sunday, AFRICOM said. It added that they had been moved to the U.S. Embassy. The video appears to depict part of that relocation, AFRICOM said. During the video, the soldiers car is surrounded by a crowd, which appears to more excited than threatening. In a screenshot from a video posted on Twitter, a car carrying U.S. soldiers passes through a raucous crowd in the African country of Guinea. A coup there forced U.S. Africa Command to cancel a training event. (Twitter/The House of Congo) In a screenshot from a Twitter video, a Green Beret smiles at the crowd as Guinean troops escort the U.S. Africa Command team to the U.S. Embassy in the country. (Twitter/The House of Congo) The soldiers dont appear to be overly concerned. One Green Beret in the video is smiling and holding his arm out the window to shake hands with passers-by. U.S. special operations units routinely conduct small training missions with local forces in Africa and other countries known as Joint Combined Exchange Training events, or JCETs. A military team led by Guinean Col. Mamady Doumbouya seized control over the weekend and deposed the countrys president. Doumbouya had received extensive training in France, served for a time with the French military and took part in various international missions, including in Afghanistan, according to the BBC. The U.S. government and military are not involved in this apparent military seizure of power in any way, AFRICOM said. The United States strongly condemns these actions in Guinea and any attempts at forceful seizures of power or unconstitutional actions. Col. David Pasquale and Command Sgt. Maj. Patrick Whitetree case the 2nd Infantry Division Artillery colors at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Sept. 8, 2021. The unit is relocating to Camp Humphreys, South Korea. (U.S. Army) CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea An artillery headquarters unit within the 2nd Infantry Division is moving permanently to Camp Humphreys, the largest U.S. military base overseas, according to Eighth Army. The Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division Artillery is composed of roughly 100 soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. The unit is expected to complete the move Thursday, according to a news release. The units mission is to assist with command and control of forces and to maintain its mission as the force field artillery headquarters for the 2nd Infantry Division, Eighth Army said. The move is not expected to increase the number of U.S. artillery weapons in South Korea. It is fitting we return this storied unit to the peninsula in time for the units 104th anniversary, Col. David Pasquale, commander of the 2nd Infantry Division Artillery, said in the press release Friday. The unit saw combat during both World Wars and during the Korean War. It was temporarily stationed on the peninsula in 1965 as a deterrent to North Korea. The South Korean military was consulted prior to the move, according to Eighth Army. The battalion-sized 5-17th Heavy Armed Reconnaissance Squadron is also expected to arrive in South Korea next year. Roughly 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed on the Korean Peninsula. Spc. Ryan James, 20, of Baytown, Texas, paratrooper with the Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade, was found dead in his barracks Sept. 7, 2021. (U.S. Army) A paratrooper from the 173rd Airborne Brigade was found dead in his barracks in Italy this week, the Army said. Spc. Ryan James, 20, of Baytown, Texas, was found unresponsive Tuesday, the Armys Southern European Task Force, Africa said in a statement. James was serving with Battle Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, based in Vicenza, Italy, it said. The Army is investigating the death. Spc. Ryan James was an intensely passionate and driven paratrooper who served his country admirably, said Lt. Col. Kevin M. Ward, commander of 2-503 PIR. His strength of character, work ethic and remarkable maturity consistently built up those around him. James joined the Army in December 2019 and was assigned to the regiment in August 2020. He showed consistent, stellar performance as an infantryman and had earned the highest physical fitness score in his platoon, Ward said in the statement. During Spc. James first week in the battalion, he placed a bet that he would don a Ranger Tab within his first two years in the unit, Ward said. He was well on his way to achieving that goal. His awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Army Parachutist Badge. The young soldier is survived by his parents, the statement said. He never settled for the minimum but always pushed himself to excel, Ward said. In everything he did, he was relentlessly committed to those with whom he served. He will be sorely missed but never forgotten. The Marine Corps on Okinawa has replaced firefighting foam known to contain harmful contaminants with a more environmentally friendly version. (Vanessa Jimenez/U.S. Marine Corps) CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa The Marine Corps on Okinawa this week replaced its supply of aircraft firefighting foam known to contain harmful contaminants PFOS and PFOA with a more environmentally friendly version, according to a Marine spokesman. Most of the potentially toxic aqueous firefighting foam was at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan but also at other camps and installations around the island prefecture, according to an email Thursday from Marine Corps Installations Pacific spokesman Lt. Col. Matthew Hilton. Supplies of that foam were shipped elsewhere in Japan to be incinerated, Hilton said. He did not provide details on when or how much material was shipped. This action significantly reduces the environmental risk posed by PFOS and PFOA on Okinawa and is another concrete demonstration of MCIPACs transparency and its strong commitment to environmental stewardship, Hiltons statement reads. PFOS and PFOA are man-made organic compounds. Studies involving lab animals show exposure to PFOA increases the risk of certain tumors of the liver, testicles, breasts and pancreas, according to the American Cancer Society. Studies involving humans and PFOA are so far inconclusive. The Marine Corps on Okinawa has replaced firefighting foam known to contain harmful contaminants with a more environmentally friendly version. (Vanessa Jimenez/U.S. Marine Corps) Neither the Marine Corps nor the Air Forces 18th Wing on Okinawa responded to emails Friday seeking further information on the replacement firefighting foam. U.S. Forces Japan in 2019 said replacement foam coming to Kadena Air Base on Okinawa would contain trace amounts of PFOA but no PFOS. Hiltons statement said the Marines new foam meets Department of Defense requirements and still provides the same life-saving benefits in the event of a fire. A spokesman for Okinawa prefectures Military Base Affairs Division said it learned of the replacement foam from Hiltons statement. I dont know what the alternative product is, the spokesman said by phone Friday. I cannot say if this alternative product is good or bad at the moment. Its customary in in Japan for some government officials to speak to the media on condition of anonymity. The prefecture first asked the U.S. military to replace the firefighting foam after a spill in 2019, the spokesman said. He called the Marine Corps move progress. On Aug. 26, the Marines released treated water containing low levels of the toxic compounds into prefectures wastewater system and ultimately into the ocean. The water was captured during accidental spills of firefighting foam at MCAS Futenma. Prefectural Gov. Denny Tamaki said he learned of the August release as it happened and demanded that it stop. The Okinawa Defense Bureau, which represents Japans Ministry of Defense, did not respond to a request for comment Friday. Mari Higa Matthew M. Burke Marines assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment rush aboard a CH-53E Super Stallion during Exercise Koolendong in Australia's Northern Territory, Aug. 16, 2021. (Joey Holeman/U.S. Marine Corps) Marines preparing to head home from Australia showed off their gear and thanked Darwin residents Friday as their six months of field training Down Under comes to an end. Thousands attended a community event at Robertson Barracks, the Marines home away from home in Australias Northern Territory, according to an email Friday from a spokesman for Marine Corps Rotational Force Darwin. Capt. Thomas deVries said the Marines and Australian Defence Force brought out Humvees, 7-ton trucks, armored personnel carriers, M777 howitzers, a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, a sniper display, military working dogs and a robot dog. They also showed off AH-1Z Viper, UH-1Y Venoms and Tiger helicopters, an MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor and RQ-21 Blackjack drones. Marines were thanking the community for their support and talking about the gear, deVries said. The 2,200 Marines started arriving in Australia in April for their 10th rotation Down Under since 2012. They quarantined for two weeks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. They spent the summer in field exercises that began with humanitarian and disaster response operations and ended in August with an island-seizing drill, deVries said. The Marines finished the two-week Exercise Koolendong, their last field training event, on Aug. 31 at Bradshaw Field Training Area, he said. The event involved more than 1,000 Marines working with 1,000 Australian soldiers in a task force commanded by Australian Army Brigadier Ash Collingburn, deVries said. The rotational force for the first time was part of a combined task force, he said. It was definitely the largest exercise that has taken place for us this rotation, deVries said. During Koolendong, the task force simulated the destruction of an enemy anti-ship missile positioned on a fictional island, he said. Marines will head home to bases in the United States and on Okinawa over the next six weeks, deVries said. Bree Kuhn was arrested Sept. 8, 2021, and charged with first-degree premeditated murder in the death of her husband. (Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office) PENSACOLA, Fla. A 34-year-old chief petty officer at Naval Air Station Pensacola is accused of locking her husband in their garage and fatally shooting him as he spoke to a 911 dispatcher, officials said. Bree Kuhn of Gulf Breeze was arrested Wednesday night and charged with first-degree premeditated murder in the death of Collin James Turner, 34. The couples children were inside the house during the shooting. Its just a sad case a very sad case of people arguing, and then, it gets to this point, Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson said during a news conference Thursday. Johnson said the couple had argued about their children. He wanted to take the kids out of state, and she didnt want to go, Johnson said. Deputies went to the home about 12:53 p.m. Wednesday after the couple got into a heated argument and Kuhn called 911. They found no evidence of a physical altercation and left. A second call came in about 5 p.m. He called that time, Johnson said. Same thing another argument. Responding deputies found nothing alarming and left again. At 6:22 p.m., Turner called 911 again. While on the phone, he says that hes locked in the garage, Johnson said. During the phone call with dispatch, you hear gunshots. He states, basically, She just shot me. Then, you hear three more. When deputies arrived at the home four minutes later, they found Turner dead and Kuhn in a state of shock, the sheriff said. I cant go into what she said or anything like that, Johnson said. But to put it the best way, Id say (she was in) shock, probably. Youre a Navy chief one day, and the next day, youre in jail. He said two children were placed in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families, while a third child was turned over to the biological father. Kuhn was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail. Jail records didnt list a lawyer who could speak on her behalf. A B-25 Mitchell aircraft from WWII will be part of the 50th National Stearman Fly-In. (Screen capture from video/The Register-Mail) GALESBURG, Ill. (Tribune News Service) Aviation enthusiasts have an opportunity to get a close look at a historic B-25 Mitchell aircraft from WWII at the 50th National Stearman Fly-In. The Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) is displaying the Berlin Express as part of a tour, with a stop at the National Fly-In through Sunday. According to Berlin Express pilot Matt Cooper of Seattle, the tour allows for people to gain an appreciation for the history of the people who made sacrifices for us to be here today. (It) allows us to interact with a lot of people who have a personal history with this sort of aircraft from the wartime era. Its an honor to be a part of it, Cooper said. According to the EAA website, the Berlin Express was first accepted into what was then the U.S. Army Air Forces in December of 1943. The airplane served out the war in a low-key role as an administrative aircraft, eventually being used as a trainer. It was eventually sold as surplus, and years later was restored, and appeared in the 1970 film Catch-22, starring Alan Arkin. Several years after the film, the plane was donated to the EAA Aviation Foundation, which fully restored it beginning in 1975. It eventually was moved into the EAA Aviation Museums Eagle Hangar, where it remained for the next few decades. Now, restored to its markings from the movie, along with the B-17, Aluminum Overcast, it tours the country. EAA Galesburg Chapter 1643 vice president Aaron Repp of Maquon, who is a flight instructor at Jet Air in Galesburg, was among a group who flew on the B-25 on Thursday afternoon, and the highlight for him was climbing into the nose gunner position during the flight. The view is like nothing else, with the cornfields underneath you, and to be able to have that canopy to see out of is magical! Repp said. Cooper said he hopes to have a safe and successful weekend. Were gonna make a lot of noise, and I hope that we help to draw bigger crowds to Galesburg for the Stearman Fly-In, he said. EAA Galesburg Chapter 1643 is sponsoring flights aboard the Berlin Express. The eight-seat aircraft (which you can move about in while in flight) will take you on an approximately 24 minute flight around Galesburg. Flights are $360 for EAA members and $400 for non-members. Ground tours are also available, $10 for individuals and $20 for families, with group rates available). Also for ground tours, children under 8 are complimentary with an adult ticket and all active military or veterans are free. Visit https://www.eaa.org/shop/flights/flytheB25.aspx for pricing and more information. (c)2021 The Register-Mail, Galesburg, Ill. Visit The Register-Mail, Galesburg, Ill at www.galesburg.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Retired Army Col. Marilyn Wills was working at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, when a highjacked airplane crashed into the building. She and others escaped by forcing out a second-floor window above the damaged wall shown here. (Department of Defense) Lt. Col. Marilyn Wills sat in a 9 a.m. meeting on Sept. 11, 2001, waiting for her turn to speak. The 16 people in the conference room knew nothing about planes crashing into the World Trade Center in New York City that morning. When American Airlines Flight 77 slammed into the Pentagon at about 9:37 a.m., the blast launched Wills from her chair to the other side of the table. At first, she thought there was some sort of construction accident, she said because that section of the building had recently been renovated. The room went dark. Wills reached for the doorknob, but it was too hot to grab, so she began crawling to the other exit. Another woman, a civilian, clung to her belt as they formed a small caravan of survivors in search of a safe exit. The womans nylon pantyhose had begun to melt to her legs, and she told Wills that she didnt think she could continue. Oh yes, you can. Just get on my back. Ill carry you, Wills said she told the woman. With smoke filling the air, the small group forced a second-floor window out of its frame and began helping each other out, eventually forming a human ladder with those below them. Wills wanted to go back to look for more people, but a colonel told her no. He ordered her to go through the window. The only [order] in the Army I did not want to obey, Wills said. She thought of those she knew were still inside, including Marian Serva, a congressional affairs contact officer for the Army. She had a daughter who was getting ready to go to college, and the relationship she had with her daughter is the relationship I wanted to have with my girls. So I think of her often, and I think of her daughter, Wills said. Serva died that day, along with 124 other Defense Department personnel. The 59 people aboard Flight 77 also died at the Pentagon. In New York City and Shanksville, Pa., officials grappled with devastation left by the three other hijacked commercial airplanes used in the coordinated terrorist attack. In total, nearly 3,000 Americans died that day. Wills began her Army career as military police, but was serving on 9/11 as a congressional affairs liaison for the Armys personnel office, known as the G-1. Now a retired colonel, she joined three other retired Army officers on Wednesday to discuss what it was like to be inside the Pentagon on 9/11 as the 20th anniversary approaches Saturday. In the G-1 office alone, 29 Army personnel died, including Lt. Gen. Timothy Maude, the deputy chief of staff. Four retired Army officers spoke Wednesday about their experiences surviving the 9/11 terrorist attack at the Pentagon. Between Defense Department personnel and the passengers aboard American Airlines Flight 77, 184 people died at the Pentagon that day. The youngest was 3 years old, the oldest 71. (Department of Defense) Transitioned to war The 9/11 terrorist attacks sparked a drastic change in American military operations. What had been a relatively calm period for the military transitioned to war immediately, said retired Col. Mark Lewis, who works now as the acting assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs. On 9/11, he was the G-1s director of plans and resources. Less than a month after 9/11, American military forces invaded Afghanistan, beginning a war that would become the longest in U.S. history. Troops later invaded Iraq, and the two countries quickly became the frontlines of Americas Global War on Terror. Though troops still deploy to Iraq, the war there ended in 2011. Operations ended in Afghanistan on Aug. 31 after weeks of a chaotic evacuation effort at the airport in Kabul. I'm glad that it's over. Now it's ours to remember those that gave that sacrifice. We're not naive enough to believe it's going to be the last time. We just need to be ready, and the generations that come after us have got to be ready, Lewis said. Taking the opportunity to discuss 9/11 on the anniversary of the attacks is one way to do that. Those who died on 9/11 were just the tip of the iceberg of life lost, he said. Retired Col. Roy Wallace, who still works at Army G-1 as the assistant deputy chief of staff, said he understood the gravity of 9/11 when he realized that these wars were a different kind of war. The enemy that we've been fighting for the last 20 years disappears in a puff of smoke. It's an ideal. It's not a country, he said. Retired Col. Gerry Kitzhaber, who works now as with the assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs, said it wasnt until hed evacuated the building on 9/11 that he had some idea about what had happened. Standing in a center courtyard at the Pentagon, he noticed some Air Force personnel gathered around something on the ground a piece of airplane about the size of a turkey platter, he said. Once outside the Pentagon, Kitzhaber spoke to a delivery man who had seen the plane fly into the building. The next thing he said kind of took us by surprise. He said he could see the people in the windows of the airplane, as it came in. We just didn't know how to process that, he said. Freedom isnt free While sharing his story, Lewis became emotional when he spoke of remembering Maude, who he described as the quintessential general smart, focused and caring. Lewis should have been inside Maudes office on 9/11 when the plane struck the Pentagon. He went to see him for a scheduled meeting at 9:15 a.m., but was told to come back. The general was busy and behind schedule, Lewis was told by Deborah Ramsaur, Maudes secretary, who also died that day. Wallace, who had also been in Maudes office that morning, said he continues to share his story about the experience on 9/11 so that people remember freedom isnt free. Two years ago, he spoke to seniors at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., where the only future officers who were alive on 9/11 were still in diapers. If you aren't a student of history, there's a wise man who said, you're doomed to repeat it, he said of his message to cadets and other groups to which he speaks. I think the real message is the resilience that came out of it, and not the actual [acts of terrorism]. The four retired officers said they all eventually went back to the Pentagon to work. Wills recalled the smell of fumes, burning bodies and electrical wires that lingered long after the attacks. I'd walk down the hallways, and I would think that I saw a ghost because I knew I saw Marian. I knew I saw Gen. Maude. I knew I saw these people, she said. It was difficult, when I would go sit in the new general's office, and they had opened up a flight path to fly back over the Pentagon again. As I'm sitting in a meeting, I'm watching these planes go by. Her new boss understood, she said. And with time and work, Wills said her fear lessened, because I knew I had to continue to serve. The Statue of Liberty stands in front of a smoldering lower Manhattan at dawn, seen from Jersey City, N.J., on Sept. 15, 2001 . The Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States nearly 20 years ago precipitated profound changes in America and the world. (Dan Loh/AP) In the ghastly rubble of ground zero's fallen towers 20 years ago, Hour Zero arrived, a chance to start anew. World affairs reordered abruptly on that morning of blue skies, black ash, fire and death. In Iran, chants of "death to America" quickly gave way to candlelight vigils to mourn the American dead. Vladimir Putin weighed in with substantive help as the U.S. prepared to go to war in Russia's region of influence. Libya's Moammar Gadhafi, a murderous dictator with a poetic streak, spoke of the "human duty" to be with Americans after "these horrifying and awesome events, which are bound to awaken human conscience." From the first terrible moments, America's longstanding allies were joined by longtime enemies in that singularly galvanizing instant. No nation with global standing was cheering the stateless terrorists vowing to conquer capitalism and democracy. How rare is that? Too rare to last, it turned out. ___ Civilizations have their allegories for rebirth in times of devastation. A global favorite is that of the phoenix, a magical and magnificent bird, rising from ashes. In the hellscape of Germany at the end of World War II, it was the concept of Hour Zero, or Stunde Null, that offered the opportunity to start anew. For the U.S., the zero hour of Sept. 11, 2001, meant a chance to reshape its place in the post-Cold War world from a high perch of influence and goodwill as it entered the new millennium. This was only a decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union left America with both the moral authority and the financial and military muscle to be unquestionably the lone superpower. Those advantages were soon squandered. Instead of a new order, 9/11 fueled 20 years of war abroad. In the U.S., it gave rise to the angry, aggrieved, self-proclaimed patriot, and heightened surveillance and suspicion in the name of common defense. It opened an era of deference to the armed forces as lawmakers pulled back on oversight and let presidents give primacy to the military over law enforcement in the fight against terrorism. And it sparked anti-immigrant sentiment, primarily directed at Muslim countries, that lingers today. A war of necessity in the eyes of most of the world in Afghanistan was followed two years later by a war of choice as the U.S. invaded Iraq on false claims that Saddam Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction. President George W. Bush labeled Iran, Iraq and North Korea an "axis of evil." Activists of Pakistan militant religious parties stand with a banner which reads, "Americans, think why you are hated all over the world," during a rally on Sept. 15, 2001, in Islamabad, Pakistan to condemn possible U.S. attacks on neighboring Afghanistan. (B.K. Bangash/AP) Northern Alliance soldiers watch as U.S. air strikes attack Taliban positions in Kunduz province, Afghanistan, on Nov. 19, 2001. (Ivan Sekretarev/AP) U.S. Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit try to take shelter from a sand storm at forward operating base Dwyer in the Helmand province of southern Afghanistan, on May 7, 2008. (David Guttenfelder/AP) Thus opened the deep, deadly mineshaft of "forever wars." There were convulsions throughout the Middle East, and U.S. foreign policy for half a century a force for ballast instead gave way to a head-snapping change in approaches in foreign policy from Bush to Obama to Trump. With that came waning trust in America's leadership and reliability. Other parts of the world were not immune. Far-right populist movements coursed through Europe. Britain voted to break away from the European Union. And China steadily ascended in the global pecking order. President Joe Biden is trying to restore trust in the belief of a steady hand from the U.S. but there is no easy path. He is ending war, but what comes next? In Afghanistan in August, the Taliban seized control with menacing swiftness as the Afghan government and security forces that the United States and its allies had spent two decades trying to build collapsed. No steady hand was evident from the U.S. in the harried, disorganized evacuation of Afghans desperately trying to flee the country in the first weeks of the Taliban's re-established rule. Allies whose troops had fought and died in the U.S-led war in Afghanistan expressed dismay at Biden's management of the U.S. withdrawal, under a deal President Donald Trump had struck with the Taliban. THE 'HOMELAND' In the United States, the Sept. 11 attacks set loose a torrent of rage. In shock from the assault, a swath of American society embraced the us vs. them binary outlook articulated by Bush "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists" and has never let go of it. You could hear it in the country songs and talk radio, and during presidential campaigns, offering the balm of a bloodlust cry for revenge. "We'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American way," Toby Keith promised America's enemies in one of the most popular of those songs in 2002. Americans stuck flags in yards and on the back of trucks. Factionalism hardened inside America, in school board fights, on Facebook posts, and in national politics, so that opposing views were treated as propaganda from mortal enemies. The concept of enemy also evolved, from not simply the terrorist but also to the immigrant, or the conflation of the terrorist as immigrant trying to cross the border. Rev. M. Timonthy Elder, Sr., retired, repositions one of his wind-blown U.S. flags in Bristol, Fla., on Sept. 13, 2001. Elder displayed the flags as a show of his family's support for America following terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington two days earlier. (Phil Coale/AP) An Army carry team marches toward a transfer case containing the remains of Spc. Kyle E. Gilbert at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Sept. 23, 2015. According to the Department of Defense, Gilbert, 24, of Buford, Ga., died in a non-combat related incident Sept. 21, 2015 in Bagram, Afghanistan. (Steve Ruark/AP) A plane takes off from Washington Reagan National Airport on Sept. 11, 2020, as a large U.S. flag is unfurled at the Pentagon ahead of ceremonies at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial to honor the 184 people killed in the 2001 terrorist attack on the Pentagon, in Washington. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) The patriot under threat became a personal and political identity in the United States. Fifteen years later, Trump harnessed it to help him win the presidency. THE OTHERING In the week after the attacks, Bush demanded of Americans that they know "Islam is peace" and that the attacks were a perversion of that religion. He told the country that American Muslims are us, not them, even as mosques came under surveillance and Arabs coming to the U.S. to take their kids to Disneyland or go to school risked being detained for questioning. For Trump, in contrast, everything was always about them, the outsiders. In the birther lie Trump promoted before his presidency, Barack Obama was an outsider. In Trump's campaigns and administration, Muslims and immigrants were outsiders. The "China virus" was a foreign interloper, too. Overseas, deadly attacks by Islamic extremists, like the 2004 bombing of Madrid trains that killed nearly 200 people and the 2005 attack on London's transportation system that killed more than 50, hardened attitudes in Europe as well. By 2015, as the Islamic State group captured wide areas of Iraq and pushed deep into Syria, the number of refugees increased dramatically, with more than 1 million migrants, primarily from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, entering Europe that year alone. The year was bracketed by attacks in France on the Charlie Hebdo magazine staff in January after it published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, and on the Bataclan theater and other Paris locations in November, reinforcing the angst then gripping the continent. Already growing in support, far-right parties were able to capitalize on the fears to establish themselves as part of the European mainstream. They remain represented in many European parliaments, even as the flow of immigrants has slowed dramatically and most concerns have proved unfounded. THE UNRAVELING Dozens of countries joined or endorsed the NATO coalition fighting in Afghanistan. Russia acquiesced to NATO troops in Central Asia for the first time and provided logistical support. Never before had NATO invoked Article 5 of its charter that an attack against one member was an attack against all. But in 2003, the U.S. and Britain were practically alone in prosecuting the Iraq war. This time, millions worldwide marched in protest in the run-up to the invasion. World opinion of the United States turned sharply negative. In June 2003, after the invasion had swiftly ousted Saddam and dismantled the Iraqi army and security forces, a Pew Research poll found a widening rift between Americans and Western Europeans and reported that "the bottom has fallen out of support for America in most of the Muslim world." Most South Koreans, half of Brazilians and plenty more people outside the Islamic world agreed. Iraqi civilians and U.S. soldiers pull down a statue of Saddam Hussein in downtown Baghdad, in this April 9, 2003. The U.S. invaded Iraq on false claims that Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction. (Jerome Delay/AP) A U.S. soldier of Company B, 4th Infantry Regiment frisks an afghan man in his house during a search operation in Sinan village in Zabul province, southeastern Afghanistan. (Rafiq Maqbool/AP) And this was when the war was going well, before the world saw cruel images from Abu Ghraib prison, learned all that it knows now about CIA black op sites, waterboarding, years of Guantanamo Bay detention without charges or trials and before the rise of the brutal Islamic State. By 2007, when the U.S. set up the Africa Command to counter terrorism and the rising influence of China and Russia on the continent, African countries did not want to host it. It operates from Stuttgart, Germany. THE SUCCESSES Over the two decades, a succession of U.S. presidents scored important achievements in shoring up security, and so far U.S. territory has remained safe from more international terrorism anywhere on the scale of 9/11. Globally, U.S.-led forces weakened al-Qaida, which has failed to launch a major attack on the West since 2005. The Iraq invasion rid that country and region of a murderous dictator in Saddam. Yet strategically, eliminating him did just what Arab leaders warned Bush it would do: It strengthened Saddam's main rival, Iran, threatening U.S. objectives and partners. Deadly chaos soon followed in Iraq. The Bush administration, in its nation-building haste, failed to plan for keeping order, leaving Islamist extremists and rival militias to fight for dominance in the security vacuum. The overthrow of Saddam served both to inspire and limit public support for Arab Spring uprisings a few years later. For if the U.S. showed people in the Middle East that strongmen can be toppled, the insurgency demonstrated that what comes next may not be a season of renewal. Authoritarian regimes in the Middle East pointed to the post-Saddam era as an argument for their own survival. The U.S.-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq killed more than 7,000 American military men and women, more than 1,000 from the allied forces, many tens of thousands of members of Afghan and Iraqi security forces, and many hundreds of thousands of civilians, according to Brown University's Costs of War project. Costs, including tending the wars' unusually high number of disabled vets, are expected to top $6 trillion. For the U.S., the presidencies since Bush's wars have been marked by an effort not always consistent, not always successful to pull back the military from the conflicts of the Middle East and Central Asia. The perception of a U.S. retreat has allowed Russia and China to gain influence in the regions, and left U.S. allies struggling to understand Washington's place in the world. The notion that 9/11 would create an enduring unity of interest to combat terrorism collided with rising nationalism and a U.S. president, Trump, who spoke disdainfully of the NATO allies that in 2001 had rallied to America's cause. Even before Trump, Obama surprised allies and enemies alike when he stepped back abruptly from the U.S. role of world cop. Obama geared up for, then called off, a strike on Syrian President Bashar Assad for using chemical weapons against his people. "Terrible things happen across the globe, and it is beyond our means to right every wrong," Obama said on Sept. 11, 2013. THE NEWISH ORDER The legacies of 9/11 ripple both in obvious and unusual ways. Most directly, millions of people in the U.S. and Europe go about their public business under the constant gaze of security cameras while other surveillance tools scoop up private communications. The government layered post-9/11 bureaucracies on to law enforcement to support the expansive security apparatus. A volunteer passes through the first full body scanner installed at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago on March 15, 2010. The technology produces a cartoon-like outline rather than naked images of passengers by using X-rays. (M. Spencer Green/AP) Taliban fighters patrol Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 19, 2021. The Taliban celebrated Afghanistan's Independence Day by declaring they beat the United States, but challenges to their rule ranging from running a country severely short on cash and bureaucrats to potentially facing an armed opposition began to emerge. (Rahmat Gul/AP) Militarization is more evident now, from large cities to small towns that now own military vehicles and weapons that seem well out of proportion to any terrorist threat. Government offices have become fortifications and airports a security maze. But as profound an event as 9/11 was, its immediate effect on how the world has been ordered was temporary and largely undone by domestic political forces, a global economic downturn and now a lethal pandemic. The awakening of human conscience predicted by Gadhafi didn't last. Gadhafi didn't last. Osama bin Laden has been dead for a decade. Saddam was hanged in 2006. The forever wars the Afghanistan one being the longest in U.S. history now are over or ending. The days of Russia tactically enabling the U.S., and China not standing in the way, petered out. Only the phoenix lasts. ___ Rising reported from Bangkok; Knickmeyer and Woodward from Washington. AP National Security Writer Robert Burns contributed to this report. Ten years after the 9/11 attacks, Americans were reasonably positive about the state of their rights and liberties. Today, after 20 years, not as much. That's according to a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research that builds on work conducted in 2011, one decade after the pivotal moment in U.S. history. Some questions were also asked on polls conducted in 2013 and 2015. Americans were relatively united around the idea that the government did a good job protecting many basic rights a decade after the terrorist attacks, which produced a massive overhaul of the country's intelligence services and the creation of agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security. Along with those changes came a creeping concern about government overreach, although Americans as a whole remained fairly positive. That attitude has eroded in the years since, with far fewer people now saying the government is doing a good job protecting rights including the freedom of speech, the right to vote, the right to bear arms and others. A new AP-NORC poll finds Americans are less likely than 10 years ago to think the government is doing a good job protecting rights guaranteed under U.S. law, including freedom of speech and the right to vote. (Kati Perry/AP) For example, the poll finds that 45% of Americans now say they think the U.S. government is doing a good job defending freedom of speech, compared with 32% who say it's doing a poor job and 23% who say neither. The share saying the government is doing a good job is down from 71% in 2011 and from 59% in 2015. Dee Geddes, 73, a retiree in Chamberlain, South Dakota, said she was frustrated at the government's apparent lack of ability to safeguard the amount of private information available, especially online. "It bothers me when I can go on the internet and find pretty much anything about anybody. It makes me feel sort of naked," said Geddes, who identifies as a Republican. "It does bother me how much the government knows about us, but that goes back to the fact that there's so much out there period. It's discouraging." About half now say the government is doing a good job protecting freedom of religion, compared with three-quarters who said the same in 2011. More Americans now think the government is doing a poor job than a good one at protecting the right to equal protection under the law, 49% to 27%. In 2011, opinions were reversed, with more people saying the government was doing a good job than a poor one, 48% to 37%. The poll also finds that 54% of Americans say it's "sometimes necessary for the government to sacrifice some rights and freedoms to fight terrorism," compared with 64% a decade ago. Now, 44% say that's never necessary at all. A majority of Democrats say it's sometimes necessary, which is largely consistent with previous AP-NORC polls. But Republicans are now closely divided, with 46% saying it's sometimes necessary and 53% saying it's never necessary. In 2011, 69% of Republicans said it was sometimes necessary, and 62% said the same in 2015. Brandon Wilson, 23, a business and animation student at College of DePage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois who described himself as a conservative, said he understood that steps taken after Sept. 11 may have initially seemed to constrain Americans' rights, but that he ultimately felt the actions had been for the greater good. "I think it's a good idea," Wilson said of measures such as increased airline passenger screening. "The government is helping the general public and, overall, trying to make people's lives better." On the whole, though, Americans have grown more wary of government surveillance in the name of national security, the poll shows. The poll asked about a variety of rights and liberties, including many of those outlined explicitly in the Constitution's Bill of Rights, as well as several protected by laws and court rulings. It finds 44% now say the government is doing a good job protecting the freedom of the press, compared with 26% who think the government is doing a poor job. In both 2011 and 2015, about 6 in 10 said the government was doing a good job. Americans are about equally divided on how the government is doing at protecting the freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. About one-third say it's doing a good job and about one-third say it's doing a poor job. In 2011 and 2015, views were slightly more positive than negative, though less than half of Americans said the country was doing a good job. Tony Gay, 60, a retiree who lives in Cincinnati, said that he generally supported the government's moves to protect civil liberties. He said his 10 years of Army service helped reinforce his opinion that sacrifice is sometimes necessary to safeguard freedoms. "You can't have your freedom 24/7 if there's no one there to protect it," Gay said. "So when they put restrictions on travel, I'm all for that, because it's to make sure that I'm safe, and make sure that the person next to me is safe." Forty-three percent of Americans think the U.S. government is doing a good job protecting the right to vote, while 37% say it's doing a poor job. By comparison, 70% said it was doing a good job in 2015 and 84% said the same in 2011. Americans also are now divided on whether the government is doing a good or poor job protecting the right to bear arms, 35% to 36%, but in 2011, more said it was doing a good job than a poor one, 57% to 27%. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say the government is doing a good job of protecting several rights and freedoms, including the freedom of religion, the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press and the right to keep and bear arms. But Democrats are somewhat more likely than Republicans to say the government is doing a poor job enforcing equal protection under the law, 54% to 46%. Views among Democrats and Republicans are largely similar on how well the government is protecting the right to vote, and the views among both have become notably less positive than in the earlier polls. Even if he's relatively comfortable with the government's protection of basic civil liberties, Gay said he feels periodic review of the policies, and those making them, should be necessary. "It's like when you're in politics, you have free rein," Gay said. "It gives me mixed feelings about who is watching over us." ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,729 adults was conducted Aug. 12-16 using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points. Buy Photo Service members salute after placing a wreath in front of hundreds of firefighters' helmets and pieces of protective gear at a ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 10, 2021, to mark the 20th anniversary of the attacks of 9/11. (Karin Zeitvogel/Stars and Stripes) RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany American service members, veterans and civilians in Germany marked 20 years since 9/11 on Friday and vowed to carry on the memory of the thousands killed that day and in the wars that followed. At ceremonies at Ramstein Air Base, Daenner Kaserne in Kaiserslautern and Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, scores of people remembered those who died when hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. and a field near Shanksville, Pa. They also paid homage to the emergency workers who rushed in to try to save lives and to the troops who gave theirs while fighting the anti-terrorism campaigns that followed the attacks. Standing in front of an enormous American flag and hundreds of firefighters helmets and other equipment arranged in a triangle in a field at Ramstein Air Base, Maj. Gen. Randall Reed, commander of the Third Air Force, spoke of one of his abiding memories from 20 years ago. Buy Photo Maj. Gen. Randall Reed, commander of the Third Air Force, speaks at a memorial ceremony Sept. 10, 2021, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. (Karin Zeitvogel/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo A wreath laid by service members at Ramstein Air Base sits in front of hundreds of firefighters' helmets and protective gear during a ceremony on Sept. 10, 2021, to mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. (Karin Zeitvogel/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo First responders listen to Maj. Gen. Randall Reed at a ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Sept. 10, 2021, to mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11. (Karin Zeitvogel/Stars and Stripes) It was the picture of a New York City firefighter, standing amidst the rubble of Ground Zero, lifting the American flag out of the rubble and passing it to a hand waiting above, he told the crowd of around 100 airmen, first responders and civilians. That hand waiting above was an American soldier, who said five words: Ive got it from here. The U.S. military took that flag from the first responders and carried it forward, he said, taking it to Afghanistan, where they gave hope to the oppressed, inspired children to pursue an education and helped their parents provide better lives for them. But throughout Americas longest war, we knew that flag that went forward would come home, he said, alluding to the end of U.S. involvement in the war in Afghanistan, where around 2,200 American troops and hundreds of thousands of civilians lost their lives over the past 20 years. President Joe Biden earlier this year set Sept. 11 as the deadline for U.S. troops to leave Afghanistan. They completed their pullout weeks ago amid chaotic scenes in Kabul as Afghans scrambled to be evacuated and a suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. troops and scores of Afghans. But the flag came home, Reed said, a piece carried by each of the 122,000 people who fled Afghanistan. More than 30,000 of those Afghan evacuees were given temporary shelter at Ramstein before moving on to new lives in the U.S. They are part of a new generation who will carry the flag and say as Afghan-Americans, Well take it from here, Reed said. Buy Photo A wreath laid Sept. 10, 2021, in Clay Kaserne's Veterans' Memorial Park in Wiesbaden, Germany, commemorates the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S. (David Edge/Stars and Stripes) At U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbadens Clay Kaserne, officials laid a wreath to first responders who 20 years ago helped in the aftermath of the attacks. They knew full well that the gravity of the situation would affect the entire country and civilized world, said Lt. Col. John Jackson from the Wiesbaden Directorate of Emergency Services. Of the 2,753 people who died in New York that day, 403 were first responders, according to a tally compiled by CNN. A further 184 people were killed at the Pentagon, and 40 passengers and crew members died when the plane they were on crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. About 7,000 U.S. troops died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to Defense Department data. People from 77 countries died in the attacks, Army Col. Douglas Levien, the deputy commanding officer of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, said at a ceremony at Daenner Kaserne. He recalled that after the attacks, German troops and police manned the gates at American bases, standing shoulder to shoulder with U.S. troops. Buy Photo Army Col. Douglas Levien speaks at a 9/11 memorial at Daenner Chapel in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on Sept. 10, 2021. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo A U.S. service member salutes while the national anthem is played during a 9/11 memorial at Daenner Chapel in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on Sept. 10, 2021. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo U.S. service members outside Daenner Chapel in Kaiserslautern, Germany, fire into the air on Sept. 10, 2021, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Gold Star mother Mary Aguirre-Garza attends a 9/11 memorial at Daenner Chapel in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on Sept. 10, 2021. Aguirre-Garzas son Army Cpl. Nathaniel Aaron Aguirre died in Iraq in 2006. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes) We are stronger together, said the Brooklyn native, urging the dozens of people in the audience to never forget the events of 9/11. Levien lost five close friends in the attack on the World Trade Center in New York and later deployed to Afghanistan. Gold Star mother Mary Aguirre-Garza, whose son Army medic Cpl. Nathaniel Aaron Aguirre was killed in Iraq in 2006, choked back tears as he spoke. Sometimes these events become piercing, she told Stars and Stripes afterward. The pain never goes away. Heard about the best-selling book about the adventures of an eleven-year-old named Potter? No, not that onethe one about the military kid. All the magic in this new book, The Islanders, by Mary Alice Monroe and Angela May, emanates from the bonds of family and friendship, and all the spells are cast by the natural beauty and wildlife of a Carolina barrier island. Jake Potter is the son of dual-service parents an Air Force C-17 pilot and an Army officer stationed in New Jersey. When Jakes soldier father is seriously injured in Afghanistan and is hospitalized stateside, Jakes mom goes with him. With both his parents away, Jake has to spend the summer with his eccentric grandmother, known to everyone as Honey. Honey lives on DeWees Island, S.C. Soon Jake discovers that like Honey, her isolated island home has a few quirkssome more challenging than charming. Jake meets a couple of local kids, Lovie and Macon, and begins to find the brighter side of island life. Honey gives Jake the nature journal his father kept when he was an eleven-year-old, offering Jake a peek into his fathers childhood and a way to see the island through his dads eyes. Jake, Lovie and Macon help Honey with sea turtle rescues and of course manage to get into a little trouble. Along the way they learn more about themselves and each other. The authors wisely avoid having the story turn too much on Jakes military connection, creating a well-rounded narrative that rings true for all young readers. Though deeply affected by military life, Jakes character has other dimensions, and his connection to his parents is not based on their careers. The story also emphasizes the bond of friendship Jake shares with Lovie and Macon rather than what sets him apart. Each friend faces challenges unique to his or her life, and Jakes trials are not portrayed as greater or less than his friends, only different. The pleasure of reading a book with such a well-rounded military character as the protagonist outweighs the occasional misstep, as when Jakes mom says, Youre in charge now, Private, before leaving him with his grandmother. Modern military families are learning not to place adult expectations on their children during times of crisis, and few would expect them to bear military rank. However, the rest of the story clearly shows Jake has the support he needs to meet his challenges. Against a backdrop of nature and conservation, The Islanders addresses themes of friendship, caring for family, facing fear, taking responsibility, and more. The story also touches on topics related to military life: moving, missing friends, family separation, injury, and recovery. All wrapped up in a gentle, encouraging story that middle schoolers can understand and process. The Islanders is already a best-seller, so perhaps readers can hope this is only the first in a series of books showcasing the life and adventures of a military kid. With a little island magic, Jake and his friends could fly even higher than that other Potter kid. Terri Barnes is a book editor and the author of Spouse Calls: Messages from a Military Life, based on her long-running column in Stars and Stripes. Her three military kids are now adults, but she still reads childrens books for fun. Contact her online at terribarnesauthor.com. A child looks at angel figures, Aug. 4, 2002, placed at the edge of the field near Shanksville, Pa. where United Flight 93 crashed on Sept. 11, 2001. Forty-four people died, including the hijackers. (AP) Like a broken bone that never healed properly, it still aches. Painful national reminders are to be appreciated, because often the distorted priorities of politics, culture, society, and technology distract us from the importance of catastrophes that happened many years ago. Lest we forget, ruthless terrorists hijacked four jumbo jets on September 11, 2001, and used them as weapons of mass destruction against the United States, murdering nearly 3,000 people on U.S. soil, including 72 law enforcement officers, 343 firefighters, and 55 military personnel. Furthermore, the attacks forever damaged Americans trust and faith in the inherent goodness of fellow humans, leaving a collective gaping wound on our national psyche that still festers to this day. For those with a connection to people who died in the terror attacks, the wound of 9/11 remains raw, and the yearly anniversary continues to be a day of deep sadness and reflection. For others like me who witnessed the horrific event live on television as it happened (in my living room, one hand clasped over my gaping mouth, the other holding my 1-year old daughter, feeling the sting of tears and wondering if more attacks were on the way) but have no personal connection to the victims, a protective scab has formed allowing us to treat September the 11th as a day interspersed with moments of remembrance, when we bow our heads in silence and shudder thinking of the images that shocked us two decades ago. But for many, the trauma, the historic toll and the graphic images have become hazy, clouded by two decades of desensitizing war, political wrangling, racial protests, cultural controversy, overexposure to violent viral images and the endless ebb and flow of everyday life. Complacent adults and the younger generation who have no personal recollection of the terror attacks might be wondering, The anniversary of 9/11 is just like Pearl Harbor, right? More than 660,000 Americans have died of COVID-19, but were supposed to remember one day 20 years ago when our country got attacked by 19 terrorists? Whats the big deal? September 11th must always stand out as a pivotal moment in U.S. history, when Americans were slapped hard in the face with the frightening truth that terrorists will stop at nothing to accomplish their hateful goals unless we stand united against them. Nearly 3,000 innocent men, women and children may have died in the attacks on September 11, 2001, but the event launched the U.S.-led Global War on Terror, which has to date killed 7,057 American military service personnel and resulted in the suicide deaths of 30,177 men and women who fought in post 9/11 war operations. Furthermore, of the 3,764,000 post-9/11 veterans, 53,249 were wounded in action, 413,858 suffered traumatic brain injuries, and approximately 752,800 suffered from PTSD or major depression. All in all, 1.5 million service members were left with a mental or physical disability connected to their post-9/11 military service. And to those devastating figures we must add the recent tragic deaths of 13 heroic patriots who answered the call of duty that less than 1% of brave Americans receive. Eleven marines, one soldier and a Navy medic died at the hands of a terrorist suicide bomber at the Abbey Gate in Kabul Airport in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021, the last U.S. service personnel to die in Operation Freedoms Sentinel, which ended with the abrupt pullout of U.S. troops and the immediate takeover of the Taliban last week. Yes, 9/11 was, and is, a very big deal. This weekend, every American at home and abroad needs to take a moment to study what happened 20 years ago. If we are ever to successfully combat terrorism, we cannot bury our outrage under the minutia of everyday life. We must put aside the dirty, infectious, poisonous political, cultural and racial conflicts in which weve embroiled ourselves in recent years, and unite around the uniquely American principles of democracy, freedom and individuality. Every September 11th, Americans must remove the dressing, rip the scab from our collective wound, and together as a nation, feel the raw pain, anew. Read more at themeatandpotatoesoflife.com, and in Lisas book, The Meat and Potatoes of Life: My True Lit Com. Email: meatandpotatoesoflife@gmail.com. Nigerian soldiers patrol in Kankara , Nigeria, on Dec. 16, 2020. Nigeria's army announced on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, that a high-profile Boko Haram member has been arrested. (Sunday Alamba/AP) LAGOS, Nigeria The Nigerian army said Thursday that its troops have arrested a high-profile member of the Boko Haram Islamic militant group in northern Borno State, where the rebels' 12-year insurgency is concentrated. Army spokesman Onyema Nwachukwu said Yawi Modu was detained along the Damboa-Wajiroko road, a notorious route where both the militants and Nigerian troops have recorded casualties over the years. Nwachukwu said the army also raided two locations in Borno and a neighboring area where improvised explosive devices materials were made. The sites were believed to have been used by Boko Haram and its breakaway faction Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP). He did not provide further details regarding the operation, other than saying 251 bags of Urea fertilizer used in making explosives were also recovered and "two notorious Boko Haram terrorists" arrested. In some parts of northeast Nigeria, authorities have banned the importation of Urea fertilizer, citing its use by militants in making bombs. The reported arrests come a week after the army said nearly 6,000 members of the jihadi group surrendered in the northeast, marking one of the largest defections since the insurgency began there 12 years ago. Nwachukwu said the "obvious depletion" faced by the militants is making them to be "desperately acquiring IED materials to make explosive devices with which to unleash terror on innocent civilians." The United Nations Development Program estimates that the conflict has resulted in the 350,000 deaths, with 314,000 of those from indirect causes. Global temperatures are expected to reach a warming threshold of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit in the next 20 years, United Nations climate change experts reported in August 2021, unless there are immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse emissions. (Robert Fellingham/U.S. Army) CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea Leaders from defense institutes across the world converged in Seoul this week to raise the alarm on military threats posed by irreversible and abrupt climate change. Global temperatures are expected to reach or surpass a warming threshold of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit in the next 20 years, United Nations climate change experts reported in August, unless there are immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse emissions. Without action, the planet is in store for increasing heat waves, longer warm seasons and continued sea-level rise, contributing to coastal flooding and erosion, according to the report. Panelists from the United States, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, India and Bangladesh gave their assessment of these threats during a three-day seminar hosted by South Koreas Ministry of Defense. Tom Middendorp, Netherlands former chief of defense and chairman of the International Military Council on Climate and Security, warned Wednesday that nations had a responsibility to prepare for the implications of climate change. I cannot remember any other conflict in my military experience where we had this level of scientific foresight, he said during the virtual portion of the seminar. We know whats coming to us. The Netherlands, according to Middendorp, appropriates a significant amount of its defense budget for protection against the sea," because much of its population lives below sea level. As sea level rises, its a big issue in a country like the Netherlands, he said. Severe heat patterns are also already having a direct impact on military equipment, according to Shafqat Munir, head of the Bangladesh Center for Terrorism Research. Troops stationed in Mali as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force have been unable to use their communication devices until the evening, when the temperature cools off, Munir told the panelists. Excessive heat is going to render military equipment useless, Munir said. Were already seeing some of that in action. The U.S. military recently described climate change as a top national security issue and incorporated it into its wargame simulations. A Defense Department assessment in 2019 found 79 installations impacted by climate change. Today, no nation can find lasting security without addressing the climate crisis, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said during a climate change seminar in April. We face all kinds of threats in our line of work, but few of them truly deserve to be called existential. The climate crisis does. Climate changes biggest impact on national defense is the way it undermines and destabilizes societies, said Sharon Burke, a former U.S. assistant secretary of defense for operational energy. She told the panel that while the military is unable to fight climate change through conventional means, it may well result in military missions ranging from humanitarian, disaster relief and combat. If the nations of this world are unable to cut greenhouse gas emissions if we fail, then militaries should be planning for profound insecurity and more military missions later in this century, or possibly sooner, if we hit certain tipping points, Burke said. Buy Photo A new dress code may be coming soon to students at Defense Department schools worldwide. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) A proposed update that simplifies the dress code for service members children at Defense Department schools is available for parents to review. The update looks a lot like the dress codes in place at individual schools within the Department of Defense Education Activity from Europe to the Far East, although this one appears to uniformly apply to all schools, according to DODEAs website. It also appears to streamline lengthy dress codes at individual schools into less than a dozen bullet points. The proposed dress code can be read here and parents and community members can email their comments here. Department of Defense Education Activity is seeking feedback on a proposed dress code that would apply to its students at military bases worldwide. (DODEA) We really want to garner feedback from our communities for this dress code, DODEA-Pacific chief of staff Todd Schlitz told Stars and Stripes by phone Thursday. Schlitz said he didnt know when the new code, if approved, would take effect. DODEA headquarters in Virginia did not respond to emails seeking further information on Wednesday and Thursday. The updated code applies many of the same rules found in student handbooks from DODEA schools. Clothing must cover the body continuously from one armpit across to the other armpit, over the torso and waist area, on down to no shorter than 8 inches above the kneecap at any time, the new code reads. Footwear must be age appropriate, among other attributes, and jewelry, grooming, accessories and apparel that denote membership in a street gang associated with criminal behaviors are also out of bounds. Individual schools spell out similar prohibitions but lack the language specific to the proposed update. The dress code for Yokota High School in Tokyo, for example, does not specifically mention street gangs or criminal behavior. The proposed DODEA-wide code also bans wearing sunglasses, masks, caps and the hood on a hooded sweatshirt inside the school building, the reason being the students head, face and ears may not be hidden obscured. The proposed updates likewise prohibit see-through or mesh garments unless wearing appropriate clothing underneath. It stipulates a minimum 2-inch strap for sleeveless garments and no garments with discriminatory or hateful speech or imagery, or that advocate use of alcohol, cannabis and other controlled substances. Other rules are more subjective, such as not allowing clothing that is inappropriate to learning or attire not commonly found in school environments, like costumes. The updated code balances what DODEA defines as appropriate dress for a learning environment with individual self-expression, according to the proposal. Use of a dress code helps to teach the art of balancing respect for the task at hand with the right to enjoy self-expression, it reads. Exceptions to the dress code can be made to accommodate expression of religious beliefs, or a medical condition or disabilities, the proposed code states. Accommodations can be made for cases of financial hardship, according to the DODEA regulation that covers dress codes. The dress code falls under the DODEA regulations on student rights and responsibilities, which is reviewed every two years. We continually rotate through and look at our programs and guidance and make updates, Schlitz said. Chow Han Tung, vice chairwoman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, center, is escorted by police in a van to a court, in Hong Kong, Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 as she was charged with "inciting subversion of state power" under the national security law. (Kin Cheung/AP) HONG KONG Three leaders of the group that organized an annual Tiananmen candlelight vigil were being held in custody Friday after they were charged with subversion under Hong Kong's national security law, as authorities intensify a crackdown on dissent in the city. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China's chairman Lee Cheuk-yan, as well as vice-chairs Albert Ho and Chow Hang-tung were charged with inciting subversion of state power under the national security law. The alliance itself was also charged with subversion. Chow was denied bail, days after she was arrested for failing to comply with a police request for information. Lee and Ho are currently serving jail sentences for their roles in unauthorized assemblies in 2019. The next court hearing for the case is scheduled for Oct. 28. For the past 30 years, the alliance organized the candlelight vigil that saw tens of thousands of people mass in the city's Victoria Park to commemorate China's bloody military crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. It was the only large-scale public commemoration of the crackdown on Chinese soil, featuring crowds of people lighting candles and singing songs to support democracy. Police have banned the vigils for the past two years citing the coronavirus pandemic, although critics believe the ban is part of the crackdown on dissent Beijing and Hong Kong's leaders have waged following months of anti-government protests in the territory in 2019. Authorities have now characterized the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China as a foreign agent, and sought details about the group's operations and finances in connection with its alleged activities and links with democracy groups overseas. Chow and four other leading members of the alliance had refused to cooperate with the police request for information, and were arrested this week for failing to comply. The five pleaded not guilty Friday, and were denied bail. The next court hearing will take place Oct. 21. Police on Thursday confiscated computers, documents and promotional materials from the closed June 4 museum, which was run by the alliance to commemorate the Tiananmen crackdown. Police said 2.2 million Hong Kong dollars ($280,000) worth of assets belonging to the alliance were also frozen. On Friday, a Facebook post was posted on Chow's account urging Hong Kongers not to "accept their fate." "Maybe the other party will crush the 'obstacle' that is us, but resistance is about gathering strength in exchange for some time and space, to allow more 'obstacles' the opportunity to grow," the post said. "As long as we still have the will to fight, we have not lost." Over the past year, dozens of pro-democracy activists have been arrested, others have left the city for exile abroad, and the city has amended electoral laws to increase the number of seats for pro-Beijing legislators while reducing those that are directly elected. The national security law, imposed by Beijing on the city in June last year, criminalizes subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion to interfere in the city's affairs. Critics say the national security law, which has been used to arrest more than 100 people, rolls back freedoms promised to the former British colony when it was handed over to China in 1997. Hong Kong had been promised it could maintain freedoms not found on the mainland for 50 years, such as freedom of speech and assembly. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Chow's Facebook post was made on Friday. Buy Photo Tokyo reported another 1,242 infections on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, about half as many new cases as a week prior. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) TOKYO New coronavirus cases continued to decline in Japans capital city Friday, the day after the national government extended a state of emergency across nearly half the country. Tokyo reported another 1,242 infections, about half as many new cases as a week prior, according to public broadcaster NHK. Meanwhile, U.S. military bases ended the four-day work week after Labor Day with 58 new cases of COVID-19, the coronavirus respiratory disease. Japan on Thursday reported 10,389 new cases and 88 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Almost 50% of the countrys 62.5 million people are fully vaccinated. The government on Thursday extended to Sept. 30 a public health state of emergency scheduled to end Sunday in 19 prefectures, including Tokyo and Okinawa. Though infections are decreasing, Japan still registers high numbers, and its health-care system is strained. Yokota Air Base, the headquarters of U.S. Forces Japan in western Tokyo, discovered 16 cases between Sept. 4 and Friday, according to a news release from the 374th Airlift Wing. Two people were in restricted movement after traveling outside Japan and another nine were already quarantined as close contacts. Five were identified by public health authorities. The base has 21 active cases. Also Friday, Principal Justin Treisch of Yokotas Joan K. Mendel Elementary School wrote in a letter to parents and staff that some individuals at the school had tested positive for COVID-19. He said contact tracing was underway but did not indicate the school would close or cancel classes. He did not respond to an email Friday seeking further information. Yokosuka Naval Base, homeport of the 7th Fleet south of Tokyo, reported two people tested positive, according to a base news release Friday. One immunized individual turned up positive during contact tracing. An unimmunized person tested positive after recently arriving in Japan. The base is monitoring 58 patients. Sasebo Naval Base on Kyushu Island has had four people test positive for COVID-19 since Tuesday after falling ill, according to an official Facebook post Friday. The base is monitoring 19 patients. On Okinawa, Kadena Air Base reported Friday that 36 people had tested positive since Sept. 4. The base had 68 active patients Friday. It provided no further information on those cases. Okinawa prefecture said another 301 people had tested positive on Friday, according to the prefectural Department of Public Health and Medical Care. Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki on Thursday said the fifth wave of COVID-19 on the island had peaked. However, the number of positive cases remains high, and the health-care system is still overwhelmed, he said at a news conference. He urged continued caution going into Silver Week, a pair of Japanese holidays on Sept. 20 and 23. We believe that infection control during this period is vital, because after the same consecutive holidays last year, the downward trend had turned to an increase, he said. Russian tanks roll at the Pravdinsky range in Russia during Zapad 2017, a Russia-Belarus exercise. The countries say they will have about 12,800 troops taking part in this year's upcoming event, which takes place every four years. (Russian defense ministry) MOSCOW Russia and Belarus began a massive weeklong military exercise on NATOs borders Friday after President Vladimir Putin and Belaruss leader agreed on a new effort toward integrating the nations, including creating a single defense space. The Zapad 2021 exercise, involving 200,000 personnel, has NATO members and other neighboring countries on edge, echoing worries this spring over an unannounced Russian military buildup near Ukraine. The Zapad (meaning West) exercise is held regularly but comes with Russian relations with NATO increasingly fraught. Belaruss president, Alexander Lukashenko, is facing Western sanctions because of harsh crackdowns on protests over last years presidential election that was widely viewed by Western officials as rigged. Putin called Russia and Belarus the Union State, a reference that fits with Moscows long-held ambitions for a federation between the two countries. Today we discussed matters relating to building a single defense space and ensuring the security of the Union State along its borders, Putin told journalists late Thursday after meeting Lukashenko in Moscow. He said Zapad 2021 was not targeting anyone. However, conducting these exercises is logical given that other alliances, for example NATO, are moving fast to build their military presence close to the borders of the Union State and the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries, he said, referring to Russias defense treaty with a group of former Soviet republics. The twinning of Zapad 2021 with new moves toward a Union State suggests an increasing Russian military posture in Belarus in future, with Lukashenko dependent on Putin after growing internal opposition threatens his 27-year grip on power. Sandwiched between Russia and NATO, Belarus, like Ukraine, is seen by Moscow as a buffer zone, core to its security interests. Putin stepped in as Lukashenkos only major ally last year when Lukashenko faced massive post-election protests. Western countries slapped tough sanctions on Belarus over the violent crackdown on protesters, the jailing of opposition figures and journalists and the forced landing of a Ryanair commercial flight in May with an anti-Lukashenkojournalist on board. Lukashenko responded with fiery rhetoric against Western threats and declined to guard Belaruss E.U. borders, sending thousands of migrants, including Iraqis and Afghans, into Lithuania and other neighboring countries. Thursdays integration talks saw Putin and Lukashenko agree to take steps to unify or harmonize 28 program areas, including customs, agricultural policy, energy markets, monetary policy and others. They ruled out a single currency or parliament for now. It was the latest in Russias efforts, going back to 1997, to fold Belarus into its financial, political and trade systems. By the beginning of last year, the effort seemed all but dead. But Moscow has renewed its efforts, with Lukashenko isolated from the West, politically weakened and reliant on Russian loans and political support. No details were offered on Thursdays proposals, including whether a single defense space would allow Russia to place military equipment in Belarus on NATOs border. Should we need a closer integration still be it military, political, economic we will do that instantly, as soon as we feel the demand from our people, in Belarus and in Russia, Lukashenko said. Earlier this year, Ukraine complained that Russia left most its troops and equipment in place close to its border after the spring exercise. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that all-out war with Russia was possible. If there is a powerful escalation from Russia, this is the worst thing that can be. Regretfully, there is such possibility, he said. Zelensky lamented the fact Ukraine has not made progress on its aspirations to join NATO. Moscow has made it clear that it will not tolerate Ukraine joining the alliance. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he regretted Zelenskys comment about a possible war. We would not like to indulge in any apocalyptic expectations, he said. Lithuanian officials are concerned that deepening integration Moscow and Minsk could result in a permanent joint military presence in Belarus, which would create a security deficit in the region for NATO, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said in an interview Every time, it is very worrying to have a nontransparent military presence on the borders of Lithuania, the Baltic states and Poland, said Landsbergis said. We dont know which areas will be used, what kind of equipment will be used and what kind of troops there will be in definite numbers. This is the most worrying thing. NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu called on Russia and Belarus to act transparently and stick to international commitments. This is especially important when there is increased military activity along our borders, to reduce risks and avoid any accidents or incidents. Russias deputy defense minister, Nikolai Pankov, said the exercise was purely defensive. Russias Defense Ministry said it was strictly guided by the principles of maximum transparency when conducting combat training events. But Western officials and have complained that Russian military exercises consistently skirt reporting obligations mandated by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and understate troops, creating uncertainty and undermining stability. Western analysts have warned that Russia could use the exercise to permanently station more equipment and forces in Belarus, where it has no military bases. Under the OSCEs Vienna Document, designed to ensure transparency and confidence on military exercises, nations must invite foreign military observers when more than 13,000 troops participate. Russia declared 12,800 troops would take part in Belarus, just under the limit, but gave the overall participation figure as 200,000. NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said NATO observers were not invited to the exercises. NATO Review magazine, reported that Russia deployed between 60,000 and 70,000 troops in Zapad 2017 but only declared 12,700 of them. The military exercise, follows Lukashenkos announcement last week that Russia would soon supply Belarus a large amount of military equipment, possibly including S-400 surface-to-air missiles. In the near future Russia will supply us I wont say how much money or what with dozens of planes, dozens of helicopters and the most important air defense weapons. Maybe even S-400s. We need them very much as Ive said in the past, Lukashenko said last week, according to Belta state news agency. In a word, the most modern equipment. We will equip ourselves. Putins promise to Lukashenko last August that Russia would send in military support if protests got out of control helped the Belarusian leader to cling on through last years political crisis. Lukashenko has ruled Belarus, a nation of 10 million people, since 1994 by crushing dissent, jailing opponents and running successive flawed elections, while relying on Russia for loans and cheap oil, which it sells to Europe at higher prices. Moscows contradictory claims on troops numbers are in a clear violation of the Vienna Document, said Kristjan Mae, head of the NATO and E.U. Department at Estonias Ministry of Defense. There is not a whole lot that the allies can do. It will be pointed out to Russia, but it has essentially become normalized. He said Zapad was neither transparent or predictable and highlighted a conventional military imbalance in the region, which he called the soft underbelly of NATO. Mae said NATO should be conducting its own reinforcement exercises to signal our military readiness and capabilities. Piotr Zochowski, senior fellow at the Center for Eastern Studies, a Polish think tank, said Lukashenko was using the exercises as a means of tightening his military grip on the country and further stifling dissent. But the repression of dissent also serves Putins interests, Zochowski said, as instability in Belarus could prompt anti-Putin sentiment at home. Moscow is interested in making Belarus increasingly isolated on the international arena, because this leads to deepening of Minsks dependence on Russia, Zochowski said. Thebault reported from Brussels. A Qatar Airways aircraft takes off with foreigners from the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021. U.S. veterans, lawmakers and others say the relaunch of evacuation flights from Kabul has done little to soothe fears that the U.S. might abandon countless Afghan allies who risked their lives working alongside American troops. (Bernat Armangue/AP) WASHINGTON Evacuation flights have resumed for Westerners, but thousands of at-risk Afghans who had helped the United States are still stranded in their homeland with the U.S. Embassy shuttered, all American diplomats and troops gone and the Taliban now in charge. With the United States and Taliban both insisting on travel documents that may no longer be possible to get in Afghanistan, the plight of those Afghans is testing President Joe Biden's promises not to leave America's allies behind. An evacuation flight out of Kabul on Thursday, run by the Gulf state of Qatar and the first of its kind since U.S.-led military evacuations ended Aug. 30, focused on U.S. passport and green card holders and other foreigners. For the U.S. lawmakers, veterans groups and other Americans who've been scrambling to get former U.S. military interpreters and other at-risk Afghans on charter flights out, the relaunch of evacuation flights did little to soothe fears that the U.S. might abandon countless Afghan allies. A particular worry are those whose U.S. special immigrant visas meant for Afghans who helped Americans during the 20-year war still were in the works when the Taliban took Kabul in a lightning offensive on Aug. 15. The U.S. abandoned its embassy building that same weekend. "For all intents and purposes, these people's chances of escaping the Taliban ended the day we left them behind," said Afghanistan war veteran Matt Zeller, founder of No One Left Behind. It's among dozens of grassroots U.S. groups working to get out Afghan translators and others who supported Americans. An estimated 200 foreigners, including Americans, left Afghanistan on the commercial flight out of Kabul on Thursday with the cooperation of the Taliban. Ten U.S. citizens and 11 green-card holders made Thursday's flight, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. Americans organizing charter evacuation flights said they knew of more U.S. passport and green-card holders in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif and elsewhere awaiting flights out. In the U.S., National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said Thursday's flight was the result of "careful and hard diplomacy and engagement" and said the Taliban "have shown flexibility, and they have been businesslike and professional in our dealings with them in this effort." But many doubt the Taliban will be as accommodating for Afghans who supported the U.S. In Mazar-e-Sharif, a more than weeklong standoff over charter planes at the airport there has left hundreds of people mostly Afghans, but some with American passports and green cards stranded, waiting for Taliban permission to leave. Afghans and their American supporters say the Taliban are blocking all passengers in Mazar-e-Sharif from boarding the waiting charter flights, including those with proper travel papers. Zeller pointed to the Taliban appointment this week of a hard-line government. It includes Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is on the FBI's most-wanted list with a $5 million bounty for alleged attacks and kidnappings, as interior minister, a position putting him in charge of granting passports. The Trump administration all but stopped approval of the Afghan special immigrant visas, or SIVs, in its final months. The Biden administration, too, was criticized for failing to move faster on evacuating Afghans before Kabul fell to the Taliban. The U.S. had also required some visa-seekers to go outside the country to apply, a requirement that became far more dangerous with the Taliban takeover last month. "There are all of these major logistical obstacles," said Betsy Fisher of the International Refugee Assistance Project, which provides legal services to SIV applicants. "How will people leave Afghanistan?" She said with no clear plan in place, the U.S. government could wind up encouraging people to go on risky journeys. In July, after Biden welcomed home the first airlift, he made clear the U.S. would help even those Afghans with pending visa applications get out of Afghanistan "so that they can wait in safety while they finish their visa applications." Since the military airlifts ended on Aug. 30, however, the Biden administration and Taliban have emphasized that Afghans needed passports and visas. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Thursday the administration was looking at steps like electronic visas. Hundreds of Afghans who say they are in danger of Taliban reprisals have gathered for more than a week in Mazar-e-Sharif, waiting for permission to board evacuation flights chartered by U.S. supporters. Among them was an Afghan who worked for 15 years as a U.S. military interpreter. He has been moving from hotel to hotel in Mazar-e-Sharif and running out of money as he, his eight children and his wife waited for the OK from the Taliban to leave. "I'm frightened I will be left behind," said the man, whose name was withheld by The Associated Press for his safety. "I don't know what the issue is is it a political issue, or they don't care about us?" The interpreter's visa was approved weeks before the last U.S. troops left the country, but he could not get it stamped into his passport because the U.S. Embassy shut down. He said Thursday that he doesn't trust Taliban assurances that they will not take revenge against Afghans who worked for the Americans. Biden, already criticized for his handling of the evacuation, is being pushed by Democrats and also on both sides by Republicans, with some saying he's not doing enough to help America's former allies and others that he's not doing enough to keep potential threats out of the U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. Mike Waltz, both Republicans, said in a statement that hundreds of those at-risk Afghans and U.S. residents remain "trapped behind enemy lines." The Biden administration "must provide Congress and the American people ... with a plan to get them safely out of Afghanistan." The Association of War Time Allies estimates tens of thousands of special immigrant visa applicants remain in Afghanistan. An American citizen in New York is trying to get two cousins out of the country who applied for SIVs late last year and were still waiting for approval when the U.S. Embassy shut down. She said both cousins worked for a U.S. aid group for a combined eight years and are frightened the Taliban will find them. "They're scared, they feel abandoned. They put their entire lives at risk, and when the U.S. was exiting, they were told they would get out," said the American, Fahima, whose last name and the name of the aid group are being withheld to protect her cousins. "Where is the helping hand?" ___ Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City; Watson from San Diego and Condon from New York. Bodies covered in plastic lie on the ground amid the rubble of a Houthi detention center destroyed by Saudi-led airstrikes in Dhamar province, Yemen, on Sept. 1, 2019. A United Nations panel in a report presented to the Human Rights Council on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, said that at least 18,000 Yemeni civilians have been killed or injured by airstrikes since the countrys war escalated in 2015. (Hani Mohammed/AP) UNITED NATIONS The new U.N. special envoy for Yemen said Friday that the Arab world's poorest nation is "stuck in an indefinite state of war" and resuming negotiations to end the more than six-year conflict won't be easy. Hans Grundberg, a Swedish diplomat who took up the post four days ago after serving as the European Union's ambassador to Yemen since 2019, told the U.N. Security Council that "there are no quick wins" in Yemen's civil war. To chart the best way forward, he said, he plans to review what has worked and what hasn't, and "listen to as many Yemeni men and women as possible." "The conflict parties have not discussed a comprehensive settlement since 2016," Grundberg said. "It is therefore long overdue for the conflict parties to engage in peaceful dialogue with one another under U.N. facilitation on the terms of an overarching settlement, in good faith and without preconditions." Yemen has been convulsed by civil war since 2014 when Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of the capital of Sanaa and much of the northern part of the country, forcing the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to the south, then to Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in March 2015, backed by the United States, to try restore Hadi to power, and threw its support behind his internationally backed government. Despite a relentless air campaign and ground fighting, the war has deteriorated largely into a stalemate and spawned the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The U.S. has since suspended its direct involvement in the conflict. The U.N.'s approach to ending the conflict must include "meaningful participation of women," Grundberg said. Surveying the complex situation in Yemen, he said that since early 2020 the focus has been on the Houthi offensive in the government-held city of Marib which has cost the lives of thousands of young people and left thousands of displaced civilians living in constant fear of violence and having to move again. In the key port city of Hodeida, there has been "a noticeable decline in cease-fire violations," but hostilities in southern districts "are of particular concern," he said. In southern Yemen, Grundberg said, there have been regular flare-ups of violence and basic services and the economy have deteriorated. He stressed that southern grievances and demands must "play a part"in determining the path forward. Ghada Eltahir Mudawi, a deputy director in the U.N. humanitarian office, told the council that "the threat of famine is not over in Yemen" but there has been a surge in donor funding over the past few months with the U.N. receiving more than $1.9 billion -- 50% of its total requirement. As a result, she said, the U.N. has scaled up assistance, reaching 12.8 million people in June -- 3.3 million more than in May -- and famine has been prevented in the first eight months of the year. Mudawi said a high-level side event on Yemen will take place on Sept. 22 at the U.N. General Assembly's annual gathering of world leaders co-hosted by the European Union, Sweden and Switzerland. A United Nations human rights official warned the Taliban on Friday to immediately cease using force against peaceful protesters in Afghanistan, following weeks of violent attacks on demonstrators across the country by its fighters, including alleged fatal shootings. Protesters across various provinces in Afghanistan over the past four weeks have faced an increasingly violent response by the Taliban, including the use of live ammunition, batons and whips, the official, Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a media briefing in Geneva, according to a transcript of her remarks. We call on the Taliban to immediately cease the use of force toward, and the arbitrary detention of, those exercising their right to peaceful assembly and the journalists covering the protests, she said. Her comments added to the increasingly bleak picture of Taliban rule in the weeks since the Islamist militant group took power, after initial pledges to govern inclusively and respect press freedoms and womens rights. An interim government named by the Taliban this week consists entirely of Taliban members, contains no women and eliminates the ministry in charge of ensuring opportunity and rights for women and girls. A Taliban spokesman, defending the appointments, said they were result of discussions held all over the country. As it named the caretaker government, the Talibans harsh handling of protests was on full display earlier this week in Kabul, the capital, where activists and journalists said they faced lashings by Taliban fighters escorting marches. Among those beaten were two journalists who work for Etilaatroz, an Afghan newspaper, the outlet said on Twitter. Photos shared on social media showed their backs covered with red and purple bruises. The Taliban should seek to understand the legitimate grievances of these many Afghans who fear for their futures, Deborah Lyons, the U.N. secretary generals envoy to Afghanistan, said in a briefing to the Security Council on Thursday, speaking about the attacks on protesters. Lyons also said there were credible allegations that reprisal killings have been carried out against members of the former governments security forces, despite Taliban pledges of amnesty for soldiers and government officials. We have received reports of members of the Taliban carrying out house-to-house searches and seizing property, particularly in Kabul, she said. Lyons added that she was increasingly worried by a growing number of incidents of harassment and intimidation targeting Afghan members of the U.N. staff. The U.N. cannot conduct its work work that is so essential to the Afghan people if its personnel are subjected to intimidation, fear for their lives, and cannot move freely, she said. Thousands of people, including some U.S. citizens, have attempted to leave Afghanistan since the end of the U.S. military airlift on Aug. 31, but the flow has been limited. A second civilian airliner left Kabul late Friday bound for Qatar carrying American and other foreign passport holders, according to a Qatari official briefed on the details. The first civilian flight, on Thursday, carried 10 U.S. citizens and 11 green-card holders, according to the State Department. It was not immediately clear how many of the 158 passengers on Fridays Qatar Airways flight were U.S. citizens. Those departing also included French, Dutch, British, Belgian and Mauritanian nationals, and at least some of the passengers were ferried to the airport in a Qatari convoy, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the logistics. An U.S. fighter jet refuels from an Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker. (Shawn Nickel/U.S. Air Force) WASHINGTON The Biden administration announced a goal Thursday of replacing all jet fuel with sustainable alternatives by 2050, setting forth a plan to dramatically boost production of fuels made from waste or plants to drive down the environmental cost of flying. The use of what are called sustainable aviation fuels is in its infancy, with a handful of refineries in operation around the world. But airlines are banking on them as a major part of their efforts to cut emissions and become carbon neutral by the middle of the century. In a fact sheet announcing the plan, the White House said speeding adoption of the new fuels and other steps to reduce emissions from flying "will transform the aviation sector, create good-paying jobs, support American agriculture and manufacturing, and help us tackle the climate crisis." The federal government's new goal targets annual production of 3 billion gallons of the fuels by 2030 a level the White House says would enable a 20 percent cut in carbon emissions from flying. Production on that scale would represent just over a tenth of the fuel airlines consumed in 2019 but would be a huge leap from the estimated 4.5 million gallons that is estimated to have been produced in the United States last year. Currently, the alternative fuels have to be combined with conventional jet fuel, and eliminating fuel made from crude oil would require technological breakthroughs to allow engines to run entirely on the alternatives. As part of the administration's push, the Departments of Transportation, Energy and Agriculture have agreed to undertake a "Grand Challenge" to help coordinate their efforts to develop the fuels. Major airlines have backed the plan and also announced new initiatives Thursday to make greater use of the fuels and cut their emissions in other ways. The Biden administration is pushing to dramatically cut emissions from the transportation sector, which is the biggest source of greenhouse gases in the United States. In August, the president signed an executive order calling for half of new cars and light trucks to be battery powered or plug-in hybrids by 2030, and has proposed fuel economy rules to start driving down emissions in the meantime. But the prospects of improving fuel efficiency of jets or switching to electric-powered flights are limited, so the aviation industry is banking on alternative fuels to meet its emissions goals. Sustainable aviation fuel refers to a number of different kinds of jet fuel made from ingredients other than crude oil. A refinery owned by World Energy in Paramount, Calif., for example, uses waste fat, oil and grease. While the alternative fuels can't currently replace conventional jet fuel entirely, they can be mixed with it and used with existing engines and refueling systems. Burning the fuels still produces carbon dioxide. The emissions savings come from either growing sources of carbon which pulls carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere or using waste as an ingredient. Determining the benefits requires a complicated analysis known as a life cycle assessment. Using the fuel from the Paramount refinery cuts carbon emissions by 80 percent a figure airlines have widely adopted in marketing materials but Nikita Pavlenko, a fuels researcher at the International Council on Clean Transportation, cautioned that "the picture is much more complicated." A review by Pavlenko's organization found that what is known as sustainable jet fuels produced by some methods could result in substantially smaller emissions savings and in some cases lead to even higher emissions. It would probably fall to the Environmental Protection Agency or other government regulators to assure that fuels used by American carriers were actually cutting emissions. At the same time, some research has concluded there are methods of making the fuels that could drive emissions below zero. United Airlines said Thursday it is planning to work on such an approach with Honeywell and biofuel firm Alder Fuels using forestry and crop waste. "To scale SAF [sustainable aviation fuel] as quickly as necessary, we need to look beyond existing solutions and invest in research and development for new pathways like the one Alder is developing," said Scott Kirby, the airline's chief executive. But there are also questions about just how much waste or other ingredients are available to be turned into fuel. "There's not nearly enough used cooking oil to go around," Pavlenko said. In the short term, the cost of the alternative fuels is likely to hold back their adoption. Before the pandemic scrambled the industry, airlines paid about $2 per gallon for jet fuel. Airlines for America, a trade group for major carriers, says the alternative fuels can cost at least three times as much. Government subsidies could help bridge the gap. In May, a coalition of airline trade organizations and unions wrote to congressional leaders proposing a $1.50 per gallon tax credit for fuels that reduce emissions by half, rising to $2 for those that drive down emissions even further an idea President Biden endorsed in his budget. The industry has also called for grants and loan programs to support investments in production facilities. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Tribune News Service) A former U.S. Navy pilot who admitted to coercing a minor to engage in illicit sexual conduct and to distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography, all while actively serving in the U.S. Navy and following his retirement from active service, was sentenced Friday to life in federal prison. Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus announced the sentence Friday. Ronald W. Zenga, 45, of Middletown pleaded guilty Nov. 19, 2020, to coercion of a minor, distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to life in federal prison and lifetime federal supervised release, and pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $500,000. Cases involving the coercion and sexual exploitation of children are among the most heart-wrenching and disturbing cases that federal prosecutors confront, Myrus said in a prepared statement. This case is particularly troubling because, as the prosecutor in this case stated in a court filing, (Zenga) abused the most sacred trust a human being can be given, responsibility for the health and well-being of another living soul. Thanks to the work of our dedicated law enforcement partners both here and abroad, this defendant has been held to account for his vile crimes. We hope that todays result will provide some relief to the victim in knowing that the man who preyed upon her will be safely locked away. Ronald Zenga committed heinous crimes and had the audacity to brag about his exploits online hubris which ultimately led to his arrest. The abuse and exploitation of children is deeply cruel, violating the trust and safety of victims and generating trauma that may never fully heal. We hope that todays sentence provides a measure of justice to those he harmed, said Matthew Millhollin, special agent in charge for the Homeland Security Investigations Boston Field Office. According to court documents and information provided to the court, in September 2018, Homeland Security Investigations agents in Providence received information from the Bedfordshire Police Department in the United Kingdom that an individual, later identified as Zenga, was communicating with a BPD agent through a Russian file sharing website. The communications graphically described ongoing sexual encounters with a young minor child. Zenga described several years of sexual encounters with a child, dating back to the childs prepubescent years. On Oct. 17, 2018, HSI agents and members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested Zenga and executed a court-authorized search of his Middletown residence. Forensic previews of Zengas electronic devices resulted in the discovery of emails and files of child pornography shared, received, and possessed by Zenga. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams. 2021 www.newportri.com. Visit newportri.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC . Buy Photo Pentagon employees stand for the national anthem before the 9/11 observance ceremony at the Defense Departments headquarters on Sept. 10, 2021. (Caitlin Doornbos/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON Hundreds of Pentagon employees gathered Friday in the center courtyard at the headquarters of the Defense Department to pay tribute to 125 of their colleagues who died at the building on 9/11. It was in that courtyard where some survivors of the attack 20 years ago poured out of the building to escape the billowing smoke and fire after al-Qaida hijackers slammed American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon at about 9:37 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001. It was the third of four hijackings that day that killed a total of 2,996 people in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon. Speaking to the crowd Friday, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks talked about the departments resiliency that carried the nation through the attacks and subsequent two decades of war, noting the Pentagon never fully closed following the attack, despite near-total destruction of one side of the building. On 9/11, the next day, and in the months and years that followed, we saw this Pentagon community respond [with] that incredible resilience, Hicks said. We saw resiliency through acts of selflessness. Pentagon employees and first responders on that day who worked to rescue survivors and fight through an inferno uniformed and civilian [personnel], side-by-side, [ran] into a building that was destroyed to save other people. Hicks was one of dozens at the ceremony who had been at the Pentagon when the attack happened, she said. At the time, she worked as the deputy director for resources for the undersecretary of defense for policy. Buy Photo The color guard arrives at the 9/11 observance ceremony in the Pentagon courtyard on Sept. 10, 2021. (Caitlin Doornbos/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks speaks with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., following the 9/11 observance ceremony for Pentagon employees on Sept. 10, 2021. (Caitlin Doornbos/Stars and Stripes) [Former Defense] Secretary [Donald] Rumsfeld held a press conference to let the American people know that the Pentagon would continue to operate. There was a resiliency through duty, she said. So that next day, like many other employees, I headed back into this building And that resiliency lasted well beyond 9/11. Friday was the Pentagons first 9/11 observance ceremony without troops on the ground in Afghanistan. President Joe Biden last month ordered the end of the U.S. involvement in nearly two decades of war in that country, with the final American troops leaving the country on Aug. 30. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan shortly after the attacks, removing the Taliban government from power after it had allowed al-Qaida to plot 9/11 from the country. But after 20 years of fighting, the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in the final two weeks of U.S. forces being deployed there. Looking out at the crowd gathered on a beautiful sunny day, Hicks called it a fitting moment to rededicate ourselves to that resilient spirit. We do so to honor those we lost and remember the innocent that have been taken from us, she said. And we do so to bring renewed purpose to ensuring we remain vigilant in defending our democracy and our nation. Rotorua Lakes Council hopes to secure more than $113 million in government funding for infrastructure developments to enable the construction of 5000 new homes in the city. The funding is made up of $28.5m for central Rotorua, $23.7m for eastern Rotorua, and $61.5m for the west. The council estimates the investment will yield an additional 5236 homes: 2151 in the east, 1320 in the west and 1765 in the central city. The estimates are based on developments already being actively considered, but the council believes there are more opportunities for further intensification in those areas. It comes as council officers present its expression of interest in the funding to the Rotorua Lakes Council Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee meeting on Thursday. The council hopes to draw the funding from the $3.8 billion Housing Acceleration Fund, which was announced by the government in March 2021. Part of the Housing Acceleration Fund - $1b - is allocated to infrastructure investment and aims to increase the pace and scale of housing delivery by helping fund infrastructure for housing, according to a report prepared for the meeting by council senior strategy advisor Jacque White. Much of the councils expression of interest relates to enabling stormwater infrastructure. A strategic decision was made to focus on enabling infrastructure to support intensification as we have very few consented greenfield opportunities, the report stated. The majority of the councils latent development opportunity was through infill intensification and redevelopment associated with brownfield intensification, Whites report said. Brownfield refers to land with some infrastructure that can be redeveloped, while greenfield development is land without any infrastructure already in place. Whites report said the approach was closely aligned with the National Policy Statement on urban development. "To achieve the housing outcomes proposed in each application, we also need to complete an Intensification Plan Change which is being actively worked on. The Western and Eastern proposals look to accelerate projects within the Stormwater Master Plan and 30-year Infrastructure Strategy, whereas the Central [city] proposal contains projects not identified within the Stormwater Master Plan and 30 Year Infrastructure strategy as intensification within the central area was not anticipated. The report said the council had received letters of support from Te Arawa Lakes Trust, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Fordlands Community Centre, the Bay Trust, Rotorua Trust, Habitat for Humanity and a number of housing developers. Kainga Ora was responsible for administrating the fund and would evaluate the proposals, the report said. Proposals would be assessed on the number of additional dwellings, the proportion of lower-cost homes, access to amenity and opportunity, environmental outcomes and Maori and mana whenua involvement. It would also be based on how critical the funding was to advancing infrastructure and housing development, how cost-effective the proposal was and if all parties were contributing, and how quickly the project could advance. Applicants with successful expressions of interest would receive a Request for Proposal from the government requiring more information on the proposals, and the council expected that on October 4. The expressions of interest to the government for the funding have already been submitted, and the report serves to inform councillors. The report noted it was too early in the process for public consultation, however, if funds were allocated consultation would be required in the consenting phase of the infrastructure project. Consultation had also been undertaken through the 30-year infrastructure strategy and the Long-term Plan, and the decisions aligned with Vision 2030 goals and strategic outcomes in the councils housing strategy, the report said. Council funding for the projects were also included in the 30-year infrastructure strategy and Long-term Plan. Rotorua Lakes Council. Photo / File / Stephen Parker / Rotorua Daily Post. HIGH HOPES FOR HOUSING Three areas for government funding were identified. CENTRAL: Funding sought: $28,540,000 To significantly upgrade stormwater infrastructure, including redirecting water to the east, away from the Utuhina Stream by upgrading the Tilsley St pump station and increasing stormwater pipe and drain capacity. Maximum possible intensification yield: 1754 additional dwellings, a significant proportion of these will be considered affordable. The estimate is based on developments which are actively being considered but the council believed there was significantly more opportunity for intensification. WEST: Funding sought: $61,550,000 To further progress stormwater upgrades and expansion in the western suburbs, including the construction of four major stormwater detention ponds / basins with wetlands and upgrades to existing pipes and drains. Estimate enabling of 1320 additional dwellings, a significant proportion of which would be affordable. EAST: Funding sought: $23,760,000 To further progress stormwater upgrades for the Wharenui Blocks and expansion within the eastern suburbs, including three detention ponds with wetlands, new stormwater drains, culvert upgrades and realigning existing channels. Estimated 2151 additional dwellings. SOURCE: Rotorua Lakes Council The first stage of one-way quarantine-free travel with Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu will start in October for recognised seasonal employer workers. We want to provide certainty to the horticulture industry that we are moving forward with safe quarantine-free travel for RSE workers in time for the upcoming picking season, says Agriculture Minister Damien OConnor. There will be additional health measures in place for these workers that includes being vaccinated with at least one dose pre-departure, complete a period of self-isolation on arrival and return negative Covid-19 tests at day 0 and day 5. Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says, We need to take a cautious approach to opening up quarantine-free travel with the Pacific. While Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu havent had any community cases of COVID-19 we know first-hand how quickly Delta can spread if it gets in We are starting solely with RSE workers for several reasons. RSE workers come to New Zealand in a cohort, and stay in employer-arranged accommodation. This helps mitigate any additional risk from Covid-19 by ensuring they go into self-isolation in a pre-organised place immediately upon arrival. Damien OConnor says it also reflects the important benefits that flow from the RSE scheme for New Zealand, Pacific partner countries, workers, and their families and communities. Up to 14,400 RSE workers normally come through New Zealand each year, with approximately 10,500 being in the country at peak harvesting times pre-Covid. Substantial planning has been under way both in New Zealands horticulture and viticulture sectors and in our partner countries for the arrival of these workers, with some incoming flights deferred in August and September because of New Zealands Alert Level 4 settings, says OConnor We will be closely monitoring this first stage of one-way quarantine-free travel. Our intention remains to broaden eligibility for quarantine-free entry to New Zealand from these countries and Tokelau when we can be sure it is safe to do so. In the meantime, other people entering New Zealand from these countries will need to meet existing MIQ requirements, says OConnor. Officials in New Zealand are working with partner Pacific countries and the industry on the final measures that need to be in place, with exact flight dates in October to be confirmed. Do you already have a paid subscription to any of the SWNewsMedia newspapers? If so, you can Activate your Premium online account by clicking here. 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You live by the Ski Valleys snow report even when youre hours away. You follow every Taos post on Instagram. Our small town occupies a BIG part of your heart. Keep in touch with all things Taos when you subscribe to FIVE of our national award-winning magazines, plus access to the website and e-edition for a full year at the special low rate of just $55. Seminole, FL (33772) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low 76F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Gansan Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 3,908 Thanked: 2,446 Times re: Residents snub e-scooter owner while installing charging point | He takes scooter to 5th floor home! These are initial hiccups. This will in no way stunt the growth of EVs. The best solution will be to invite companies like Revolt to set up charging stations inside if the complex is large enough. Nobody has an EV in our apartment complex yet. But as secretary of the complex I am mulling what will be the options, since it is only a matter of time before they arrive on the scene. We have only 16 apartments in two blocks, ground floor + 1 floor only. Two wheeler EVs can be charged right at their parking spot easily by ground floor residents, as they will be practically outside the window. First floor residents can also do, but they will have to run longer cables from their window. The problem will come when some buy EV cars. Car parking is away towrds the entrance to the complex. I am thinking of installing a few points from the common meter, with seperate metering for them. There will be a switch near the originating point near the common meter (the area is secured), which can be switched on/off by the security or office bearers. The total reading of that seperate meter will be apportioned among the EV owners at a standard rate for four wheelers and another for two wheelers each month. There will be no charge based on the distance run by the vehicle. During dry months when we purchase water by tankers, we already apportion the cost equally to each apartment, there is no metering system because each apartment has three inlet points for water from the OHT. People are fine with it. This too will be similar. That is my decision, though I have not told anybody yet. I have a secret weapon if anyone comes and objects to any plans. It is called "Well, from tomorrow you are secretary!" That will be all, no more objections! Last edited by Gansan : 8th September 2021 at 16:27 . lucifer1881 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 321 Thanked: 1,146 Times Re: Hampi - A Tale of Two Cars and Two Seasons The Rapid outshines the X3. Skoda 1 BMW 0 The Rapid is fast, a rare case of a car living up to its name. It pulls like a WAP7 locomotive. 0 to 100 happens in no time. It may have a 3-pot 1.0 litre engine but its mating with the 6-speed DSG gearbox is what makes orgasms possible. Put your foot down and she shoots across the tarmac. Put your foot down in "S" mode and she shoots across even before you realise that was what you wanted her to do. The word for this sort of responsiveness is "telepathy". By the lake on the Hospet-Hampi highway Yes, there is some turbo lag when you put your foot down in "D" mode but that is splitting hairs. You can always switch to "S" or manually drop a gear or two when you want to overtake in the narrowest of gaps. The downside to all this, of course, is that the suspension is not tuned for comfort. A two hour drive is fine. But a 6 hour one is not friendly to 40-year old bones. Skoda could have mitigated some of this by putting in regular profile tyres instead of the low profile ones. Honestly, low profile tyres do nothing of any positive note in the real world - they just make the car less comfortable. The real world has potholes and speed breakers. It is not a place where one takes a corner at 100 kph. May be I am being unfair in comparing two cars across different classes. The Rapid keeps all the promises it makes, and then some. The ground clearance is good enough to get over the speed bumps on Karnataka State Highways, which means it is good enough to cross over the Himalayas. The brakes are fantastic, almost painful at times. The traction control and ABS are very competent. By the Canal The internal space is at par for a car its size. She could do with a few more cubby holes for those knick knacks that one tends to accumulate on a road trip but it is not an issue for a weekend getaway. The 12V charging sockets in both front and rear are very thoughtful. The projector headlamps illuminate all the way to Xanadu. During the 4 days of this trip, I drove the Rapid in all sorts of weather - from scorching heat to blinding rain - and on all sorts of surfaces - from the butter smooth NH7 to the dirt tracks in between Hampi's boulders. Each and every time I got behind the wheel, she put an ear-to-ear smile on my face - a grin so large it was obscene. Did I miss the Elantra? Of course, I did. I am biased and prejudiced because I am in love with her. But does the Elantra mind that I may also be falling for the Rapid? No. If there is sky above and ground below, then all you need is a beautiful road Enough has been said and written, and then said and written some more about the Elantra. She has been an absolute beaut. She may be the old girl but like many old girls she still has her wily ways. The Rapid had very large shoes to fill, and I hoped with all my heart that she did, for the Rapid is the wife's car. And wife's car is better than heaven - them's the rules.The Rapid is fast, a rare case of a car living up to its name. It pulls like a WAP7 locomotive. 0 to 100 happens in no time. It may have a 3-pot 1.0 litre engine but its mating with the 6-speed DSG gearbox is what makes orgasms possible. Put your foot down and she shoots across the tarmac. Put your foot down in "S" mode and she shoots across even before you realise that was what you wanted her to do. The word for this sort of responsiveness is "telepathy".Yes, there is some turbo lag when you put your foot down in "D" mode but that is splitting hairs. You can always switch to "S" or manually drop a gear or two when you want to overtake in the narrowest of gaps.The downside to all this, of course, is that the suspension is not tuned for comfort. A two hour drive is fine. But a 6 hour one is not friendly to 40-year old bones. Skoda could have mitigated some of this by putting in regular profile tyres instead of the low profile ones. Honestly, low profile tyres do nothing of any positive note in the real world - they just make the car less comfortable. The real world has potholes and speed breakers. It is not a place where one takes a corner at 100 kph.May be I am being unfair in comparing two cars across different classes. The Rapid keeps all the promises it makes, and then some. The ground clearance is good enough to get over the speed bumps on Karnataka State Highways, which means it is good enough to cross over the Himalayas. The brakes are fantastic, almost painful at times. The traction control and ABS are very competent.The internal space is at par for a car its size. She could do with a few more cubby holes for those knick knacks that one tends to accumulate on a road trip but it is not an issue for a weekend getaway. The 12V charging sockets in both front and rear are very thoughtful. The projector headlamps illuminate all the way to Xanadu.During the 4 days of this trip, I drove the Rapid in all sorts of weather - from scorching heat to blinding rain - and on all sorts of surfaces - from the butter smooth NH7 to the dirt tracks in between Hampi's boulders. Each and every time I got behind the wheel, she put an ear-to-ear smile on my face - a grin so large it was obscene.Did I miss the Elantra? Of course, I did. I am biased and prejudiced because I am in love with her. But does the Elantra mind that I may also be falling for the Rapid? No. Last edited by lucifer1881 : 8th September 2021 at 22:51 . Bottom line: Windows 11 brings several impressive changes, but it also shares a lot in common with Windows 10. After applying a fresh coat of paint, Microsoft seems to be encouraging users to upgrade their hardware to take advantage of these optimizations, and there's no explanation as to why it can't backport most of them to Windows 10. Next month, Microsoft will start rolling out Windows 11 to people with supported PCs. Those looking to upgrade their aging devices will be able to choose from several new models from the company's many OEM partners. As we approach the release date, it's worth looking at what Windows 11 brings to the table. As our readers know, there's been a lot of controversy around the system requirements for the new operating system, which are admittedly stricter than any previous version of Windows. Microsoft just posted a video discussing this at length. Microsoft's reasons are not entirely clear, but we know the company insists on TPM 2.0 support and relatively new CPUs from AMD and Intel. Still, the Redmond company won't stop you from installing Windows 11 on an unsupported PC should you wish to do sokeep in mind that you won't receive any OS updates if you do. The deep integration of Microsoft Teams in Windows 11, along with the new security requirements, indicates the company is simply adapting its operating system to the post-pandemic, zero-trust world. Many companies feel like they've had to trade security to continue business operations with their employees mainly working from home, so this is good news for them. At the same time, the TPM 2.0 requirement is a new step for anti-cheat systems, so gamers who enjoy online multiplayer games can hope for fewer cheaters in their lobbies as more developers take the example of Riot Games. Windows 11 may look like Windows 10 with a redesigned UI on the surface, but VP of Enterprise Management Steve Dispensa says there are plenty of changes under the hood that will make Windows 11 feel faster in actual use. For instance, how the operating system prioritizes apps and processes has changed to favor apps running in the foreground and will carry forward to situations where you launch additional apps. That means that even when your PC is under heavy load, you can still launch any other app with no lag as you would if the system were idle. As demonstrated in the video, the CPU load stays the same, which can save you a lot of time, not to mention your mental sanity. The same principle applies across the Windows UI and the Microsoft Edge browser, but one can only hope that Microsoft does the right thing and lets you easily switch to a different browser. Saving resources such as CPU cycles and reducing RAM usage by 30 percent with sleeping tabs sounds cool, but it's not a must-have for people who prefer Chrome or Firefox and are okay with their resource usage. Another area where Windows 11 is improved is that it offers an optimized instant-on experience as your device resumes from sleep, just like your phone is always one unlock away from being ready to use. Microsoft says it has changed the way its new operating system talks to the hardware in your system, and now it will also remember the priority states so that the resume process feels faster. As a result, the wake-from-sleep time has been reduced by 25 percent, while Windows Hello authentication is 30 percent faster. Microsoft reduced the overall disk footprint of Windows 11 thanks to the "expanded use of compression technologies," but it has not explained that in more detail. Instead, we are told that inbox apps and components that aren't needed are simply a stub until you open them, at which point they get downloaded on your system. It will probably save some space here and there, but this raises the question of why can't Microsoft do the same with the Office suite. Circling back to the hardware requirements, Dispensa explained that having an Intel 8th generation and AMD Ryzen 2000 series CPU or newer is motivated by performance to some degree. However, the move to a single 64-bit architecture and UEFI-based firmware and Secure Boot is Microsoft's way of shaking off risks related to legacy 32-bit systems equipped with BIOS firmware. This doesn't explain why you can't use older CPUs, but Microsoft will supposedly have more on that in the coming weeks. For now, the company wants us to believe that systems that don't meet the minimum system requirements of Windows 11 have 52 percent more kernel mode crashes according to internal tests, while those that do meet them have a 99.8 percent "crash-free experience." If these numbers look a little odd, it's because they don't entirely support Microsoft's rationale. If a PC that meets the minimum requirements is virtually crash-free, how much worse can a slightly older one be? Moving on to compatibility and servicing, the company says apps that work on Windows 10 will work the same on Windows 11no surprises there. However, it doesn't say why all the other optimizations are baked into Windows 11 but can't be backported to Windows 10. Features like DirectStorage for gaming are coming to the users who can't or don't want to upgrade to Windows 11. So, Microsoft is essentially abandoning the 1.3 billion Windows 10 users that don't want to stay on the bleeding edge. The servicing model will be one major feature update per year, which is neither good nor bad. Most people don't care about these, and the same goes for many companies who use Windows across their infrastructure. Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 will get two years of support, while Enterprise and Education editions will get three years of support, so you can at least wait a year or two before needing to update. Perhaps the biggest insult to Windows 10 users is that Microsoft is introducing changes to the update engine in Windows 11namely delta updatesthat could have also been backported to Windows 10. Update sizes will be reduced by up to 40 percent, but Windows 10 users won't be getting that. Overall, Windows 11 should be an exciting release. Still, Microsoft's strict minimum requirements make it look as if the company and its OEM partners are trying to force users to upgrade to newer hardware and fan the flame of the PC market. In a nutshell: China's two biggest gaming corporations, Tencent and NetEase, have lost a combined value of more than $60 billion dollars in the last 24 hours. That figure is eight times more than Microsoft paid to acquire Bethesda's parent company ZeniMax. The stock rile up comes as China continues to overregulate the video game industry in China. Last month, Chinese officials mandated that children under 18 years of age can only play video games for a total of one hour on Fridays, weekends, or holidays. Previous rules allowed for 1.5 hours during the week and three hours on holidays and weekends. State-run news outlet Xinhua News Agency notes that Chinese regulators met with industry leaders again this week, advising them to stop focusing on profits and begin making changes to game design that do not "induce additions." "The authorities ordered the enterprises and platforms to tighten examination of the contents of their games," reported Xinhua. "Obscene and violent content and those breeding unhealthy tendencies, such as money-worship and effeminacy, should be removed." Additionally, the Chinese government has reportedly begun limiting the number of licenses it issues for online games. State-run South China Morning Post notes that the agency handling such licensingthe National Press and Publication Administrationis prompt about releasing lists of approved titles at the end of each month. However, it has not yet revealed its approved list for August. While NetEase has not commented on the recent meetings or the stock plummet, Tencent spoke with Bloomberg, saying it agrees with regulators. "We believe in healthy gameplay and take very seriously the physical and mental health of minors," Tencent told Bloomberg in a statement. "We appreciate the guidance and instruction from the relevant regulators and will work hard to be in full compliance with all rules relating to youth game addiction and content regulation." What just happened? Microsoft is waving the white flag on trying to predict when itll fully reopen its US work sites. Jared Spataro, corporate VP for modern work at Microsoft, said they had originally planned to fully reopen Microsofts Redmond headquarters on October 4. The evolving Covid-19 Delta variant, however, prompted them to adjust those plans. Its a stark reminder that this is the new normal, Spataro said. Given the pandemics uncertainty, Microsoft has decided to quit trying to forecast a full reopening date. Rather, the tech giant will work towards opening work sites as soon as they can safely do so, based on public health guidance. Once that point is reached for a given work site, Microsoft will start a 30-day transition period in order to give employees enough time to prepare for the change. A new survey out today reveals that 90 percent of Microsoft employees currently feel included in their work, an all-time high for the Redmond company. Similarly, 90 percent of those polled said they have confidence in their manager while 96 percent said their manager treats them with respect and dignity. Spataro said these results show that employees dont have to be physically together to feel like theyre in it together. Microsofts survey also paints an interesting picture of the pros and cons of remote versus office work, and one that likely resembles what others are experiencing across the country and around the globe during this unique time. With no end in sight, it seems increasingly likely that more companies will follow Microsoft in simply playing things by ear and stop trying to peer into their crystal ball for the answers. What just happened? This week, the president of Brazil issued a decree temporarily setting new rules for which posts social networks can remove. It is the first time a government has tried to stop social media companies from taking down content that violates their rules. According to the new rules, social networks can only immediately take down content involving violence, drugs, or nudity, or if they encourage crime or violate copyrights. Removal of any other content will require a court order. The Brazilian government's Twitter account said the decree "forbids the removal of content that may result in any kind of 'censorship of political, ideological, scientific, artistic or religious order.'" Most notably, misinformation about topics like Covid-19 or elections will require social media companies to seek a court order. This new decree comes only a few weeks after YouTube removed videos from Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for spreading alleged misinformation about Covid-19. The New York Times notes that social media companies have 30 days to update their policies before facing penalties from Brazil. It is unclear how this will affect the way social media content appears outside of Brazil. 3. It is also guaranteed that the social network will have to justify the removal of content under the terms of Brazilian laws. Without a just cause, the social network will have to restore the removed content. Government of Brazil (@govbrazil) September 6, 2021 "You can only imagine how hard it would be for a big platform to get a judicial order for every single piece of disinformation they find," said Rio de Janeiro State University law professor Carlos Affonso Souza. YouTube said it is still analyzing the rules before it makes any changes. Even if it can't remove content, it will still find ways to warn users about misinformation. Facebook is concerned the decree will limit its ability to stop online abuse and may violate constitutional rights. Twitter is also concerned about the new decree's effect on Brazilian internet law. The measure itself may, in fact, only be temporary. Those tracking law and politics in Brazil told NYT the president's decree is a stop-gap order designed for emergencies. It may expire in 120 days if Brazil's congress doesn't make it permanent. The big picture: Facebook is adding to a growing list of companies that are rushing to develop their own chips. Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Tesla, and Baidu are all looking to cut their reliance on silicon giants like Intel, AMD, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. The main reason is that custom silicon designed for specific workloads needs less power to run and can be more scalable than general-purpose hardware. The latter has become a commodity that any competitors can use and doesn't allow for tight integration with the software. Facebook is one of several companies jumping on the custom Arm-based silicon train and becoming more self-reliant. According to a report from The Information, the social giant has been developing a family of special chipsets for accelerating machine learning tasks. One of these will be used in training the AI that handles content recommendations. This effort dates back to 2018 when it transpired that Facebook was looking to hire engineers with experience in designing FPGAs and ASICs. One year later, the company revealed plans to create an AI pipeline for its data centers with the help of partners like Intel, Qualcomm, Marvell, Esperanto, and Habana -- which is now owned by Intel. However, the new report suggests the social giant has changed its mind and is developing the new chips completely in-house. A company spokesperson clarified to us that "Facebook is always exploring ways to drive greater levels of compute performance and power efficiency with our silicon partners and through our own internal efforts." This suggests the company plans to do the transition in small steps over the coming years, as the new chips aren't meant to completely replace third-party solutions just yet. The company is also developing a chip for video transcoding to improve the infrastructure that delivers videos and livestreams in its apps. This is similar to what Google has been doing with its "Argos" Video Coding Units (VCUs) to accelerate the transcoding of videos uploaded to YouTube. What just happened? The judge presiding over the case between Epic Games and Apple just issued a permanent injunction against Apple that will come as a major blow to how it runs the App Store. While the court didn't decide entirely in Epic's favor, it still represents a win for the company, which has already tried to act on a similar decision made recently in South Korea. The ruling essentially says that Apple can no longer stop developers from pointing customers towards payment methods outside of Apple's own App Store. This comes mere days after Apple decided to let some apps direct customers to subscriptions outside its App Store in response to a Japanese antitrust investigation. Late last month, South Korea became the first country in the world to prohibit app store owners from blocking outside payment systems. Epic's battle with Apple started last year when Epic started letting Fortnite players on iOS make in-app purchases through Epic's own store, sidestepping Apple's payment system. Apple banned Fortnite from its platform, which led Epic to sue, claiming the way Apple runs the App Store is monopolistic. While this week's ruling is decidedly in Epic's favor, the judge did not agree with Epic's claim that Apple is a monopolist. Indeed, it didn't agree with either Epic's or Apple's definition of the market affected by the case. Epic's claim is based on the idea that iOS is a market in itself, in which Apple holds a monopoly. Apple on the other hand asserts that games on iOS compete with all digital games on all platforms, of which Epic and Apple are just two. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers instead took the opinion that the market of concern here encompasses all mobile gaming transactions -- not all video games but also not iOS by itself. "The mobile gaming market itself is a $100 billion industry. The size of this market explains Epic Games motive in bringing this action," the ruling reads. "Having penetrated all other video game markets, the mobile gaming market was Epic Games next target and it views Apple as an impediment." Under this definition, Gonzalez-Rogers ruled that Apple's behavior is anti-competitive, but not monopolistic. Fortnite will return to the iOS App Store when and where Epic can offer in-app payment in fair competition with Apple in-app payment, passing along the savings to consumers. Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) September 10, 2021 Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney isn't satisfied with the ruling. "Todays ruling isn't a win for developers or for consumers," he said on Twitter. "Fortnite will return to the iOS App Store when and where Epic can offer in-app payment in fair competition with Apple in-app payment, passing along the savings to consumers." In the hours following the ruling, Apple's stock price fell by around three percent. In response to the new South Korean law, Epic asked Apple to restore Fortnite's account on the App Store, announcing plans to relaunch Fortnite for iOS in South Korea with both Epic and Apple as payment options. Apple then told MacRumors that there is no basis for reinstating Fortnite until Epic agrees to "play by the same rules as everyone else." (Photo : GettlyImages/ SOPA Images ) Apple Car Apple is reportedly developing its electric vehicle, the Apple Car, independently. The tech giant chose not to seek any assistance from other automakers, and it is now selecting suppliers for car parts. Apple to Manufacture Apple Car Independently According to Korea's Maeil Economic Daily, the tech company has had its own automobile hardware research and development team since 2014. However, due to some issues in the development stage of the vehicle, Apple contacted other automakers such as Toyota, BMW, Hyundai, and Nissan to explore joint development and offer a contract to team up with production. According to Reuters, the tech company's vehicle hardware research and development department stopped its operations back in 2016. Also Read: Apple Wants Batteries for the Apple Car to be Manufactured in the US, Source Says Although its hardware team seized its operation, its software research team that focused on self-driving continued. The talks with other automakers fell apart because of repeated delays. Also, since the auto industry is shifting towards electric vehicles, it has slowed down any joint development and production agreement between companies. Large automakers are reluctant to become a manufacturing subcontractor for Apple, according to MacRumors. Both Kia and Hyundai rejected Apple's proposals to become Apple Car's manufacturers. On the other hand, the tech giant decided that it could not delay the launch of the vehicle any further and would do the manufacturing of the car independently instead. With these talks stalling, the tech giant has turned again to its own development and restored the full operation of its research unit. Even though Apple's vice president of special projects, Doug Field, left to join Ford, Apple believed it had enough engineers to work on the vehicle. Apple has already sent a Request for Information or RFI to major automobile part manufacturers. The company also sent a Request for Proposal or RFP and a Request for Quotation or RFQ. This is a sign that the final parts supplies for the car are now being selected for outsourced production. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple plans to launch the vehicle around 2025 to 2027. Apple Car Testing According to Apple Insider, the company's use of sleek lines in other products could be applied to the vehicle. It may also have wide-swinging doors that remove the need for a permanent center door pillar, which can make the openings larger. Since the vehicle has a self-driving system, it could change the overall design of the vehicle and may result in more radical layouts because there would be less need for conventional seating arrangements. In April 2017, the vehicle was first sighted as it was taken out for a self-driving car test. The vehicle was spotted at an Apple facility. The initial tests involved adding more equipment to a pre-existing car. On the roof of the vehicle, there is a custom frame. Radar arrays are also mounted onto the front and rear areas. Cameras that are around the car's exterior are in protective housings, providing the self-driving system with a 360-degree view of its surroundings. In August 2017, a road user spotted the updated version of the company's self-driving testbed. The car was seen parked outside of an Apple office in California. Related Article: Apple Recruits Former Mercedes Engineers as Tech Giant Continues to Work on Apple Car This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Mastercard confirmed purchasing CipheTrace, a blockchain analytics startup. This just shows that the multinational financial company has taken an interest in the world of cryptocurrency. "Mastercard will extend its capabilities deep into the field of digital assets with an agreement to acquire CipherTrace," said Mastercard via its official blog post. This is a major deal since CipherTrace is one of the leading crypto companies, with more than 900 cryptocurrencies on its platform. The latest acquisition was announced on Thursday, Sept. 9. However, Mastercard hasn't confirmed the exact amount it spent to purchase the giant blockchain firm. CipherTrace is a California-based blockchain firm that develops tools to help businesses and law enforcement manage digital currency transactions. Mastercard's acquisition of the company is a massive one since it could protect its consumers into cryptocurrencies. Mastercard CipherTrace Acquisition's Details According to CNBC's latest report, Mastercard's shares went up by 0.6% last Thursday morning, Sept. 9, after successfully buying CipherTrace. Also Read: Chia Cryptocurrency Miners Are Reselling SSDs as 'New' Following Price Crash [BEWARE] Mastercard's Cyber and Intelligence President Ajay Bhalla explained that cryptocurrencies are now affecting many people since various individuals across the globe are now using these digital assets to pay and receive payment. However, he added that security should be enhanced, especially since the crypto market is experiencing massive growth. As of the moment, security experts are still concerned about BTC, ETH, and other crypto brands since people can make transactions anonymously. They also discovered that hackers and other online attackers are also using digital currencies to transfer funds to not be easily identified. In other news, El Salvador decided to make Bitcoin a legal tender. On the other hand, a crypto whale warns about a massive price decrease in the market. Mastercard Plans Opening Network To Selected Cryptos Purchasing CipherTrace is only one of the efforts of Mastercard to enter the crypto market. The American multinational financial service also announced that it is planning to open its network to selected cryptocurrencies. However, the company hasn't named any brand yet. For more news updates about Mastercard and other financial firms, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: 250,000 $ETH Burned | Where do 'Burned Coins' Go? This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : GettlyImages/ SOPA Images ) ps5 restock PS5 restocks may happen sooner than you think. On Sept. 9, Sony will hold a PlayStation Showcase, an online event that will reveal all of the upcoming games for the PS5 console. Because of the nature of the event, there is a good chance that a restock will also be announced, particularly at Sony's own retail store, PlayStation Direct. PS5 Restock Schedule Major retailers have been quiet about the console's restock since the Labor Day weekend, but several online sources on Twitter indicated that Target and Walmart are gearing up for another wave of PS5 consoles, according to GameRant. However, both retailers haven't announced anything yet. Best Buy and GameStop are also overdue for a restock, and customers will likely hear from them soon regarding a stock drop. Also Read: PS5 Restock Alternative? This AMD PC Kit Alternatively Includes Console Processor The PS5 console has been so difficult to find since its launch late last year. One of the main reasons it is challenging to get your hands on a console is its unexpected popularity. The PS5 is Sony's best-selling console and has already sold more than 10 million units, according to TechRadar. Also, due to the current chip shortage, the console's production has been slow, and the supply and demand chain was thrown off. However, Sony did assure its customers that they have enough chips to meet the company's goal of selling more than 14 million units this year. Bots are also a problem. Scalpers are using software to purchase a massive number of consoles at once, leaving just a few stocks for actual customers to purchase. Major retailers added numerous bot protections during restocks, but it is not an assurance that the scalpers won't be able to go through. PS5 Availability The console restock has been rare recently, especially since when the consoles drop, it will only be available for a couple of minutes, and then it disappears, according to NewsWeek. Antonine's last restock was on Aug. 31, while Walmart dropped P5 stocks on Aug.5, Aug.12, and Aug. 25. Sony dropped stocks on Aug. 17, Aug. 19, and Aug. 24. Meanwhile, GameStop dropped PS5 stocks were dropped on Aug. 3, Aug. 17, and Aug. 25. Amazon's last restock was on Aug. 25, and more recently, it dropped stocks on Sept. 2. Target dropped the PS5 consoles on Aug. 10 and Aug. 27, while Best Buy has not dropped any stocks since July 23. PS5 on PlayStation Direct PlayStation Direct is the retailer that is known to release PS5 frequently as it is Sony's official store. The restock usually happens at 2:00 P.M. Pacific Time and 5:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time. The store also drops the stocks in the middle of the week. Lately, Sony has been sending email invites to a few lucky customers so they can have exclusive access to the store. The exclusive queue usually starts at 12:00 P.M. Pacific Time or 3:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time. To get invited to these special queues, you need to sign up for a PSN account. While signing up for PSN, make sure that you accept marketing emails from Sony. The priority access emails are randomly sent. Related Article: PS5 Restock 2021: Around 18 Million Consoles Coming Soon; Here's Latest Updates This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple Bug Bounty program is the iPhone maker's project to reward security experts, who can find internal flaws and other systems issues in its newly released products and other services. "Apple offers public recognition for those who submit valid reports, and will match donations of the bounty payment to qualifying charities," said the giant tech creator via its official blog post. The Cupertino tech giant offers thousands or even millions of dollars depending on the issue that you discover. To give you more idea, here are the categories that cybersecurity researchers can participate in: iCloud ($100,000) Device attack via physical access ($100,000-$250,000) Device attack via user-installed app ($100,000-$250,000) Network attack with user interaction ($150,000-$250,000) Network attack without user interaction ($250,000-$1,000,000) Based on these numbers, the rewards offered by the Apple Bug Bounty program are quite great. However, some security experts complain about certain issues. Apple Bug Bounty Program Disappoints Security Experts Luta Security CEO Katie Moussouris, who helped start the Defense Department's bug bounty program, said that Apple has a massive backlog of system issues it needs to fix. Also Read: Apple Car Head, a Tesla Veteran, Leaves to Work with Ford-the Fourth Exec to Depart the EV Project "What do you expect is going to happen if they report a bug that you already knew about but haven't fixed? Or if they report something that takes you 500 days to fix it?" said Moussouris via Apple Insider. This is not the only issue that Katie and other security experts complain about. They are also frustrated about the delayed payments, poor internal communication, as well as the so-called insular culture of the program, which drastically affects the company's device security efficiency. Aside from the Bug Bounty program issue, Apple also faces a U.S. Labor Board investigation about alleged unfair labor practices. Apple employees also recently shared their negative workplace experiences. Incorrect Payments are Being Sent? Cedric Owens, a security researcher who discovered a flaw that could allow hackers to bypass MacBook's security system, also shared his experience in the Apple Bug Bounty program. He said that he was supposed to receive around $100,000 from the company, but he was only paid $5,000. Owens complained that it is unfair since the issue they detected could lead to a sensitive data breach, which falls under the categories "Device attack via physical access" and "Device attack via the user-installed app." For more news updates about the Apple Bug Bounty program and other similar stories, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Apple to Independently Manufacture Apple Car, Currently Selecting Partners for Car Parts This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Pexels/Pixabay) Coughing app Editor's Note: We've learned that Hyfe has been available on both iOS and Android. You can download it for free from Google PlayStore. To learn more, visit https://www.hyfe.ai/faq Hyfe Inc., a Delaware-based company, is reportedly developing an app to diagnose patients with a disease or condition by listening to their cough. Hyfe Inc. is Developing a Health App According to The Wall Street Journal, the company's scientists are recording millions of types of coughs using several apps. They are currently training an artificial intelligence or AI to identify what is causing the patient to have the symptom. The scientists are hopeful that the app can help determine if someone is ill. The app is said to detect if a patient has pneumonia, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COVID-19. It is also said that it can detect how severely ill a person is. A cough occurs when something irritates the airways, and it stimulates the nerves. It then sends a message to the brain to get rid of the irritation by letting it out. Also Read: World AI Conference: China Boasts Artificial Intelligence Prowess in Healthcare Field The brain sends a signal to the muscles in the chest and abdomen to use the air from the lungs to expel the irritant. The chief medical officer of Hyfe Inc., Dr. Peter Small, told The Wall Street Journal that different diseases have different cough sounds. For example, someone with asthma will wheeze, while someone with pneumonia will have crackling sounds coming from their lungs. Dr. Small explained that AI could pick up the patterns in the cough. This is something that humans cannot detect just by listening. He also stated that when a patient goes to the doctor, they can't know everything about the patient's cough in just one visit. Researchers stated that an app would be faster than visiting a doctor because it could screen dozens of patients in one day. Also, it is cheaper because there is no fee compared to visiting healthcare professionals. Hyfe is currently conducting a study in Spain that lets the app record sounds while running it on the phone all day. The researchers found that there are instances wherein a person can start having a coughing fit without realizing that they are ill. The cough test apps will not be released to the public yet. This is because the AI is still being trained. Also, companies will have to address privacy concerns because data sharing will be a major part of it. AI in Healthcare According to Forbes, several companies are now using AI to help in diagnosing and treating patients. A study done by Stanford University tested an AI algorithm that detects skin cancers, and it performed really well. Meanwhile, a Danish AI software company tested a program that listens to phone calls that medical dispatchers take. The algorithm will analyze what someone says, and the tone of voice and background noise will detect whether the caller is suffering a cardiac arrest. The AI has a 93% success rate. Baidu Research is currently testing an algorithm added to an AI that identifies breast cancer metastasis in patients. In 2018, then Prime minister Theresa May said that AI would help the National Health Service or the NHS predict the early stage of cancer. This is to prevent cancer-related deaths by 2033. It will examine medical records, genetic information, habits, and more. In July, a health app that uses AI was launched. It can detect early signs of cognitive impairment. Related Article: Top 10 AI Healthcare Startups For 2021 This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Facebook and Ray-Ban have debuted their "Ray-Ban Stories" which was initially leaked to the public amidst its official release from both the companies for September 9, earlier today. Wearable technology is known to be a "smart glasses" venture for Facebook and Ray-Ban, something which has not yet happened before for both companies. The smart glasses venture was initially confirmed by Mark Zuckerberg himself, CEO of Facebook, in a July earnings call which has excitedly teased the product. The wearable tech would have been released by September 9, but has leaked to the public hours earlier, but did not make have much of a difference as it did not have its full specs. Facebook and Ray-Ban's 'Ray-Ban Stories' Smart Glasses Facebook and Ray-Ban have officially released their smart glasses collaboration which brings a wearable technology that can be used for multiple purposes. According to Facebook, this is a first-generation smart glasses of its kind, and it can "Capture, Share, and Listen," making it one of the earliest devices with these features. Essilor Luxxotica's CEO, Rocco Basilico, has appeared in the showcase of the smart glasses, alongside the Facebook CEO, where both have discussed the technology within the device. The main purpose of the device is like those spy glasses which can record both audio and video straight into the wearable device. However, what sets the Ray-Ban Stories apart is that it can link with a smartphone and have it upload to the social media platform in the form of vertical stories. Yes, the video output of the wearable tech is vertical, hence the name "Ray-Ban Stories," fitting that of Facebook and Instagram stories. Read Also: WhatsApp Moderator Can Read Your Messages, ProPublica Reveals Despite Facebook Saying Otherwise Ray-Ban Stories: Leaks Hours Ahead Hours ahead of the release, the Ray-Ban Stories have been leaked by several anonymous people and have been picked up by known publications, which have shown the first look it has. The device has no Facebook logo or brand on it, which is ideal if users would use it as a fashion accessory. As much disappointing that is to Facebook is, it would not have mattered as the company has already aimed to release it on the said day, and the initial leaks have not dived into specifics of the device. What Does it Do, Where to Buy Ray-Ban Stories? Like popular camera applications that can transfer content over WiFi, Ray-Ban Stories is fully dependent on an application that could access its files. Here, users can have it uploaded to Facebook, Instagram stories and send it to users via WhatsApp, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, and more. The device would feature the "point-of-view" of a person, hence a wearable on their visual perspective. Users can click the side or use voice control to begin recording. The Ray-Ban Stories is available for the US and UK markets via the Ray-Ban Store, and it boasts of 20 style combinations that users can pair with the base glasses, resembling a Wayfarer. Related Article: Facebook Anonymous Posting in Groups | Here's How to Do It This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Amazon is now offering to pay their hourly workers' college tuition fully, and it would be a part of their program where the student would continue to work and balance it with their education. Student loans are one of the largest problems of students in the country, where they need to work part-time to help offset the costs. The e-commerce company has recently made its intentions known for hiring out more employees for its global expansion, which it aims to achieve in the coming years. Amazon's focus on the workforce is not only by offering jobs but also handing out opportunities for them to further their careers with regards to education. Amazon Full College Tuition for Hourly Workers Amazon has recently announced in its press release that it would expand its education and skills grant, which aims to pay for 100 percent of the college tuition of 750,000 of its hourly workers. This program is focused on those who are "operation employees" or part-timers that have taken a job at Amazon to pay for student loans. The e-commerce company has allotted a massive $1.2 billion fund that would be completed by 2025, covering the expenses of these workers about school. It would include tuition, books, and other required fees by their college or university. This is called the "Career Choice" program, and anyone is eligible to apply. The program said that it would accept even those with only three months of working with Amazon, provided that they are enrolled in a college and are operational employees. Other qualifications would be subject to screening and approval of those who are in charge of the Career Choice program. There are also rumors that the e-commerce company wants to monitor behavior via the keyboard activities of its employees. Read Also: Amazon 'Just Walk Out' Tech to Come for Washington and California Whole Foods Store in 2022 Amazon Career Choice College Program Amazon said that it would pay school fees in advance and would not make students pay for it initially and have it reimbursed in the future. Anyone is eligible to do this and can even work on getting technical skill training or certifications so that they can further their careers. The Big Tech company claims to be "career creators" not just with the opportunities within Amazon but through the Career Choice program that sends the students to college. Not everyone can pay for college tuition and other fees, and it is generally known that studying for tertiary education is very expensive. Amazon, Other Retailers' College Program Moreover, Amazon joins other e-commerce and retail giants about this venture. This includes Target, which announced their ventures last August, and Walmart, which revealed it last July. The program for college tuition is more expansive and inclusive now, as anyone that works for these companies is eligible upon approval. The venture is focusing more on giving opportunities for its workers and soon professionals. Related Article: Amazon Accuses Elon Musk Companies, like SpaceX, of Breaking Government Rules and Regulations in FCC Letter This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NASA has opened its registrations for the 2022 Human Exploration Rover Challenge for interested participants, focusing on making a vehicle for the Artemis Moon mission. The venture of NASA would soon bring back humans to the lunar surface, and the rover may or may not come to the mission with them. The national space agency has initially asked for the models or designs that would be used for Artemis mission's Lunar Terrain Vehicle, and it would be bought or purchased by NASA. The agency has not yet named any partner companies for the winner of the venture, and the world would still have leeway for 2024's launch. NASA 2022 Human Exploration Rover Challenge The competition to bring the lightweight rover for out-of-this-world terrain, featuring the Lunar and Martian courses, is coming for next year. NASA has opened up the registration for the annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge, aiming to bring the best rover that can be used by astronauts on foreign planets. The rover would not be used for actual missions, but it aims to spark the creativity and engineering skills of students and organizations for the future creation of popular rovers. Creating the device would integrate students into the U.S. space programs, which would further the project as the future progresses, and space becomes more accessible. The competition is an annual contest that invites more than 100 teams to participate and debut its rover to be driven over the course that spans for half a mile, having two drivers in the cockpit. This year's HERC would be the 28th competition that would take place and invite the genius of these students, bringing a light vehicle that can take on the drastic conditions of space in under 8 minutes. Read Also: NASA to Replace Aircraft's Cockpit Window with 4K Video Screen-Completes Testing NASA 2022 HERC: How to Register NASA has set up a website to register for the 2022 Human Exploration Rover Challenge that would take place the next fall, April 28 to 30. The event would take place in the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The event would now allow only one participation or entry for each school or university, something which has changed from before's maximum of two rovers. The space agency wants more schools to debut its vehicles, and encourage wider participation among the engineers that would bring their rover. What is HERC's Goal? HERC's goal is to spark creativity among the students of universities that aim to be engineers. The venture would focus on immersing them in the space ventures of the country, which would soon be more expansive and available to the public. NASA and other space agencies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and more aims to make space more accessible and available to the public. Related Article: ISS Astronauts Wake Up to the Smell of Smoke Followed by Blaring Fire Alarms This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Image from Unsplash Website) Delta Air Lines to Implement $200 Monthly Health Insurance Surcharge for Unvaccinated Employees Delta Air Lines just announced that they will be implementing a $200 monthly health insurance surcharge for their unvaccinated employees. As of the moment, only 20% of Delta's unvaccinated employees have just gotten the jab. Delta Airlines Announces $200 Monthly Health Insurance Surcharge According to the story by CNBC, Delta Air Lines announced that it will be requiring a $200 monthly health insurance surcharge for those employees that remain unvaccinated. As of the moment, 20% of Delta's unvaccinated employees have already gotten the COVID-19 jab, according to Dr. Henry Ting, the chief health officer of Delta. Dr. Ting noted in an Infectious Disease Society of America briefing that he thinks that that is a large number when it comes to shifting that group that's remained most reluctant. Out of the 80,000 Delta employees, it was noted that 20,000 still remain unvaccinated, according to Ting, who is reportedly also an adjunct professor of medicine at the said Emory University School of Medicine and is also a professor emeritus at the official Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. Help Fight COVID-19 and Address Financial Risk The surcharge was initially announced on August 25, 2021, and is supposed to go into effect on November 1, 2021. It is supposedly meant to help motivate people to go out and get the COVID-19 vaccine as well as "address the financial risk" that comes with the choice of not getting vaccinated, according to Ed Bastian, Delta CEO, in an employee memo that announced the move. The airline actually calculated that the average medical cost that is associated with a hospital stay for COVID-19 would cost the company a whopping $50,000 per person. Such a surge in vaccination among Delta's ranks was notably somewhat surprising. As of the moment, the vaccine passport is already being looked at as a way to help monitor the virus. Read Also: Rockley Photonics: Apple Watch Partner Announces Venture with Medtech Firms for Non-Invasive Health Sensors COVID-19 Surveys Some recent surveys have reportedly shown that paying people to get vaccinated is not actually enough to help sway those that are already strongly opposed to getting vaccinated. The airline's negative financial incentive, however, has clearly resonated. Health officials are warning that the Delta variant of COVID-19 could be "eating lungs" of those that remain unvaccinated. The announcement reportedly boosted Delta's vaccination rate from its original 74% to a whopping 78% in the span of just two weeks, according to Ting. Ting reportedly noted that the airline's current unvaccinated population actually represents a cohort of people who are still the most reluctant in comparison to any group, nationally or even at Delta Air Lines. Those individuals were reportedly on the fence, have questions, and also want to do more research in order to make decisions based on their very own timeline. The COVId-19 vaccines are reportedly rigorously researched, scrutinized, and also evaluated for safety as well as efficiency by the official Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A large amount of data already shows that the vaccine's effectiveness does protect against COVID-19. Related Article: Hyfe Inc. is Developing an App With AI That Can Detect Disease By How a Person's Cough Sounds This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Urian B. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. SpaceX's Super Heavy Booster has been installed once again in the orbital launch mount of Starship On Wednesday, Sept.8, the huge Super Heavy rocket was put again to its previous location in South Texas at the Starbase site of the company. Super Heavy Booster Now Back Again to Starship's Mount According to SpaceX's report, the reinstallation of 70-meter Heavy Booster 4 or B4 happened just over a month after SN20, a prototype spacecraft was stacked on the Starship vehicle. For those who do not know Starship, it is the official mode of transportation of SpaceX, which allows people to move from Earth to other parts of the solar system, such as Mars. Last May, the company completed a series of flights using the prototype of the Starship. SpaceX is preparing for the release of Booster 4 this time after the SN15 vehicle's trip in May. Super Heavy Booster and SN20 Eyes Orbital Test Flight In late August, the second batch of 29 Raptors for Super Heavy Booster was placed, according to Teslarati's report on Thursday, Sept.10. For the first orbital test flight of the space company, SpaceX hopes that the SN20 and Booster 4 will have a successful campaign for the program. If the plan goes well, the SN20 will circle around the Earth on the way to its orbit. It would hit the Pacific Ocean specifically to the location near Kauai Island in Hawaii. Meanwhile, the Super Heavy Booster will fly for a while before plunging to the Gulf of Mexico after a few moments. Following a series of pre-launches, SpaceX is eyeing the best for its reinstalled Booster 4. At the moment, the launch operations of Starship will undergo an environmental assessment that will be accomplished by the US Federal Aviation Administration. It's not yet announced when the review will end. Read Also: SpaceX's Inspiration4 is Launching Next Week Aboard the Dragon, And the Mission is a Go A Look Back of Super Heavy's Orbital Launch Earlier in August, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk teased "Mechazilla," its launch tower which will be beneficial for future rocket launches. At the time of writing, the Super Heavy Booster together with the Raptor engines was moved to the "orbital launch pad." According to the tech tycoon, "Mechazilla" will be a big help for the upcoming rocket ventures of the company. The initial usage will involve the Starship and the Super Heavy. In the future, it is imminent that Musk would have an alternative to the Falcon 9 when it comes to payload delivery. At this point, we could surmise that the SpaceX CEO prefers a newer space vehicle that offers more effective power and reusability. Regarding the Super Heavy Booster rocket, Musk mentioned somewhere in July that he was planning to add around 32 to 33 Raptor engines. In addition, the progress that he thought could also impact the count of Starship's engines to nine from six. Related Article: SpaceX Hires Engineers for Crew Starship's Life Support System Amid Blue Origin vs. NASA Lawsuit This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joseph Henry 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Madisonville, KY (42431) Today Cloudy this morning followed by isolated thunderstorms this afternoon. High 81F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. ADA [ndash] Graveside Services for Delbert Gene Wallis, 96, of Byng, was 10 a.m. Monday, Sep. 13, 2021, at Rosedale Cemetery, David Gray officiated. Mr. Wallis passed away Friday, Sep. 10, 2021, at his home. He was born March 13, 1925. He retired from Ideal Cement. Survivors are his three so Two weeks after Hurricane Ida felled countless trees and electrical lines, nearly half of St. Helena Parish still lacked power. And the outages were expected to continue through the end of the month, leaving residents without air conditioning, refrigeration and other vital services. Forty-eight percent of St. Helenas 6,955 utility customers 3,397 accounts, which could include a single person, a family or a businesses still had no power on Friday, Louisiana Public Service Commission data show. While DEMCO restored energy to customers in the Greensburg area last weekend, persistent outages left swaths of the parishs southern band near Montpelier and Pine Grove without power. Honestly, what were really having to do is rebuild our electrical grid, Louisiana Rep. Robby Carter, D-Greensburg, said. What was left behind was hardly salvageable. Most of St. Helenas 10,920 residents never imagined a hurricane coming so far north with such terrifying force. But in a particularly hot summer fueled by climate change, the warmth of Louisianas wetland coast allowed Idas winds to retain strength all the way to Mississippi. St. Helenas energy infrastructure was gutted in its wake. +2 How powerful was Hurricane Ida? Its hurricane-force winds didn't stop until it hit Mississippi. Hurricane Ida was so powerful that it was still savaging parishes to the East of Baton Rouge with hurricane-force winds 16 hours after it made Gusts tore thick black power lines off of their poles and left them strewn across roads. Some telephone poles were shattered in two. The storm uprooted pine trees some whose roots extended more than 10 feet below ground rupturing buried fiber cables that transmit internet signals. Rebuilding the power grid has turned out to be a massive undertaking by state, parish and federal agencies in the two weeks since Ida touched down, Carter said. A stream of Louisiana National Guard members who first arrived in the parish last week have cleared hundreds of downed trees from roads so linemen can access and repair splayed power lines and poles. Meanwhile, a Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster recovery center has gone up in Greensburg, offering residents a place of relief from the September heat that many are battling without air conditioning. For those who have generators, the costs of staying cool are beginning to stack up. It gets expensive if youre constantly buying gas, emergency director Roderick Matthews said. This is already a low-income parish, and with people expending so many resources to stay cool, thats going to have long-term effects. The St. Helena Parish School District said on Sept. 3 that it would call employees back to its three buildings next Monday. Classes are set to resume Sept. 27 but only if 80% or more students across the district have power by that date. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up 37% of Tangipahoa still without power after Ida; FEMA delays 'unacceptable,' officials say Tangipahoa Parish officials are pleading with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to speed up delivery of resources as huge swaths of the Other parts of the parishs infrastructure are steadily returning to normal. Lines at gas stations have shrunk. Mail has begun trickling back, albeit sporadically, residents said. While some residents water access was cut off in the storms immediate aftermath, those on public water systems have since seen access restored. Marie Morgan, a Pine Grove resident and DEMCO customer, has gone without power since the weekend of the hurricane. She and her husband, Bobby Morgan, feel lucky to have a generator they've used to stay cool in their home. Demand for gas has dipped in recent days; so keeping the cool air flowing hasn't been too difficult, she said. But the couple hasn't been able to do laundry or take warm showers for two weeks. Morgan is steeling herself for up to three more weeks without electricity. "It's just a matter of being patient, and being uncomfortable for a little while longer," she said. "We know this too won't last forever." In a parish whose landscape is largely shaped by rolling hills and thick pine forests, removing toppled limbs from roads was the first step in refurbishing the power grid. The Louisiana National Guard has been key in clearing those arteries, said Carter. I dont know what we wouldve done without em, Carter said. Otherwise, it might have taken months to clear those roads. And without the roads cleared, there wouldve been no way to begin clearing power lines. He initially feared a halt in mailed paychecks could leave residents strapped for cash to buy necessities. But banks have reopened and resumed direct deposit payments, he said. Matthews encouraged residents who need help to come to the emergency center located at 7067 La. 10 in Greensburg. Mini-pods remain open at fire stations parish-wide where people can collect tarps, ice and ready-to-eat meals. And those who need shelter can report to 31676 La. 16 near Amite. In the immediate response to Hurricane Ida, Louisianas government dispatched thousands of emergency response officials, bought generators to keep hospitals and prisons running, and deployed fuel tankers after infrastructure in the southeast part of the state collapsed. All of that came with a price tag: Louisiana has so far tallied more than $160 million in expenditures, a number that is expected to rise steadily as the state repairs damaged buildings and continues providing necessities to hard-hit areas. +10 Blue roofs approved for nine more parishes hit by Ida, including East Baton Rouge Homeowners in East Baton Rouge Parish and nine other parishes have been authorized to get free, temporary roofs in the wake of Hurricane Ida, Records show the Governors Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness ordered $4.5 million worth of tarps, spent nearly $9 million on trucks of ice and millions more on potable water for prisons, pumps and generators to keep hospitals running and teams to restore communications for first responders, among other things. The figures are expected to change as the recovery slogs on, and as some of the purchase orders made immediately after the storm are canceled. Still, the spending totals provide the first glimpse of the scale of the states response in the nearly two weeks since Ida made landfall. The feds and local officials will spend millions more, perhaps billions, on blue roofs, individual assistance and the like. Considering the path Ida took -- across the heavily populated southeastern part of the state -- the total spending on the storm will ultimately be a big number, said Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne. Still, the $160 million logged so far is actually less than at the same point in time last year after Hurricane Laura, another Category 4 storm, hit southwest Louisiana, Dardenne said. Thats partly because the state is no longer spending millions of dollars to put hurricane survivors up in hotels, something done last year as a pandemic precaution to avoid mass shelters. Meanwhile, the early look at the damage to state properties, like prisons, colleges and other government buildings, doesn't look as bad as could be expected from a storm of Idas magnitude. By comparison, some university buildings and other state-owned structures in southwest Louisiana last year took a beating, some of them requiring complete rebuilds. The overall initial assessment of damages at correctional facilities, LDH facilities, higher ed facilities...We did not sustain the level of damage you would expect, Dardenne said. Dardenne said Louisiana could still hit the $684 million spending mark that triggers a higher level of federal help. Currently, the feds are picking up 75% of the tab for the spending on Ida recovery, with the state responsible for 25%. After the state hits $684 million, the federal share jumps to 90%. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up So far, the bulk of the spending has been by GOHSEP, which is the main agency responsible for responding to Ida. The most recent list of purchase orders made for Ida show GOHSEP has tallied $106 million in orders, though those dont translate exactly to money spent because orders could be canceled. The largest spending item is an estimated $51 million on the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a disaster relief compact passed by Congress in the 1990s which lets states send personnel, equipment and other resources to disaster areas. +3 White House proposes long-sought relief for southwest Louisiana over 2020 disasters LAKE CHARLES The White House on Tuesday issued a long-sought request for relief for southwest Louisiana more than a year after Hurricane Lau The agency placed nearly $40 million in orders with Garner Environmental, a disaster response firm with ties to Mike Edmonson, the former Louisiana State Police commander who resigned in 2017 but was subsequently hired as a consultant for the firm. That company provided mostly points of distribution, where people can get needed goods in hard-hit areas. The state also leaned on that firm for pandemic response in 2020. GOHSEP snapped up $26.5 million worth of generators and related services, a crucial resource after Ida knocked out power and water to a huge swath of the state. The state will continue to spend money on Ida as damage assessments are completed and state buildings are repaired. Dardenne said the biggest problems for state assets will likely be mold and water intrusion on buildings that lost electricity for an extended period, though the assessments are in the early phases. +11 Mother of three gets blue roof after Hurricane Ida; 'Blessed to be first on the list' Ten days after Hurricane Ida shredded her roof, Candace Pepp was the first of up to 70,000 households in Louisiana to get a temporary roof Wed After GOHSEP, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry has spent the most of any other agency so far. That agency is charged with sending fuel tankers to hospitals, first responders and other vital government functions to keep them running after Ida caused a severe gasoline shortage. The agency has spent $13.7 million to date on that, as well as on things like keeping evacuated animals safe and food distribution. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain said the agency has dispensed nearly 1.3 million gallons of gasoline, which must be purchased by the taxpayer-funded agency. The number of gallons delivered per day peaked on Sept. 3 at 175,741, but Strain said he expects the number to stay above 100,000 for some time because several southeastern parishes still are almost completely out of power. When you look at what it takes to run the government, its a lot, Strain said. Homeowners in East Baton Rouge Parish and nine other parishes have been authorized to get free, temporary roofs in the wake of Hurricane Ida, officials said Thursday. The issue of blue roof eligibility has been a sore spot with most of Louisiana's congressional delegation, which sent a letter to FEMA Administrator Deane Criswell earlier this week asking that the agency revise the criteria used to decide which parishes qualify. Col. Zachary Miller, commander of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Hurricane Ida recovery effort, said the expansion followed a request from the office of the governor in consultation with parish leaders and others. +11 Mother of three gets blue roof after Hurricane Ida; 'Blessed to be first on the list' Ten days after Hurricane Ida shredded her roof, Candace Pepp was the first of up to 70,000 households in Louisiana to get a temporary roof Wed Newly-eligible parishes are East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Martin, St. Mary, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana. They join the 15 previously authorized parishes: Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Terrebonne. That means all 25 parishes declared disaster areas from the Category 4 storm qualify for the roofs. +2 As blue roofs near installation in Louisiana, state leaders push for wider qualifications Louisiana congressional leaders Monday asked federal officials to revise the criteria used for which parishes get temporary roofs after East B The roofs are industrial-strength plastic sheeting designed to keep homes dry until permanent repairs are made. The work is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency. The first such roof went up in New Orleans East on Wednesday. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up More than 48,000 applications for the coverings have been filed, with up to 70,000 expected. Miller said the plan is for 400 roofs per day to be going up in six days. "We will very quickly be working across the entire state with these crews," he said. Miller said the aim is to meet all of the requests in around 60 days, weather permitting. John Bel Edwards wont echo state leaders call for blue roof expansion; latest on Ida recovery Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday he is not ready to echo complaints by Louisiana's congressional delegation that federal officials are being Whether any criteria changed in how parishes are approved is unclear. U.S. Reps. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson and three others requested new benchmarks in which parishes qualified. This is good news for the Hurricane Ida victims across several parishes," Graves said in a statement. "We all know that allowing homes to take on more water while waiting for repairs only means more damage, more mold, more cost, and more delays. Homeowners and those in permanently occupied rental property can apply at blueroof.us or by calling 1-888-766-3258. Facing mounting pressure for Department of Justice oversight and court-ordered reforms at Louisiana State Police, Col. Lamar Davis touted a number of changes already implemented at the embattled agency during a rambling press conference Friday afternoon, including a new specialized force investigation team that will probe in-custody deaths and shootings. Davis sketched out the new unit and other measures he said State Police are taking as he defended his administration in the wake of recent media reports on its handling of alleged excessive-force incidents involving a group of Monroe-area troopers and Black motorists and mounting criticism over a lack of transparency. An Associated Press report this week highlighted a series of violent incidents caught on body-camera videos that were lost or ignored for years by State Police higher-ups. In the case of Ronald Greene, the Black motorist who died in a violent altercation with troopers on a Union Parish roadway in May 2019, Davis attempted to explain a lack of discipline handed to the ranking officer at the scene, Lt. John Clary, who was accused of withholding his bodycam video. Davis said there wasn't enough evidence that the omission was intentional, while insisting on his commitment to reform and pledging to hold troopers accountable all the way up the chain of command. 'Awful but lawful': In Ronald Greene case, State Police leaders rejected early arrest of trooper Months after Ronald Greene died following a violent struggle with Louisiana state troopers who brutally beat and repeatedly tased the unarmed "I do not condone any form of excessive force," Davis said. "Nor will I tolerate this type of behavior in my agency." Meanwhile, calls for a so-called "pattern or practice" investigation are getting louder, with U.S. Rep. Troy Carter on Friday becoming the latest lawmaker to demand such a probe of State Police. Such investigations typically spur reforms through a consent decree and long-term supervision by a federal judge. In presenting a host of reforms some that mirror changes enacted in other cities placed under consent decree Davis seemed to be making the case for why federal oversight isn't necessary for his agency. He made a similar statement to the AP earlier this week. However, his speech Friday veered into long explanations of procedural and administrative rules to illustrate why sometimes State Police leaders can't be as transparent or decisive as they would like with troopers accused of misconduct. He claimed the agency often can't release bodycam footage during an investigation because it could jeopardize prosecutions, though he failed to explain any detrimental effects from leaked videos in the Greene case. After some videos of Greene's arrest were leaked earlier this year, State Police decided to release the rest of the footage voluntarily. During the news conference, Davis softened his stance on potential federal oversight: "With regards to the Justice Department, if they decide that they're going to come in and assess us on that then I welcome it," he said. Violent, buried videos from Louisiana State Police show pattern of beatings targeting Black people LSP says 67% of its uses of force in recent years have targeted Black people double the percentage of the state's Black population. Minutes after the news conference wrapped up, state Rep. Ted James, D-Baton Rouge, chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, panned the hourlong presentation, saying it did nothing to quell concerns. "I think they're recognizing the heat is on. And I think this was an attempt to try to water down some of what is going to be coming, what has come and what is set to come from the Legislature," James said. "I don't have any more confidence, because the problem is not the policies that they have in place. The problem is when those policies are violated, they don't do anything to hold officers accountable and there's a culture of shielding those things, hiding those things." Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up State Sen. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, similarly slammed the agency. "I respect Col. Davis, but on this one, I see it different," Fields said. "I hope the federal government would have their watchful eye on State Police. Some of these guys are acting as though they answer to no one. "Don't hide behind some administrative rules. No, that's a bunch of hogwash. At the end of the day, if you're an officer for State Police and you hid evidence, you need to be held accountable," Fields said, referencing Clary and other supervisors he believes were involved in the coverup. Davis was appointed to take the helm of State Police last fall after his predecessor, Col. Kevin Reeves a former commander of Monroe-based Troop F, the unit at the center of the present controversy stepped down as the scandal widened. A federal criminal investigation is ongoing, focused on alleged civil rights abuses by Monroe-based troopers in several instances against Black motorists. The investigation started after the Greene family filed a lawsuit last year accusing State Police of beating Greene to death and covering up their actions, initially claiming he died in a car crash following a high-speed chase. Ranking Louisiana trooper at scene of Ronald Greene's violent death cleared of misconduct A Louisiana State Police internal investigation into alleged misconduct by the ranking trooper at the scene of Ronald Greene's beating and dea The recent AP story asserted a pattern of violence kept shrouded in secrecy. According to agency data, 67% of its uses of force in recent years have targeted Black people double the percentage of Louisiana's Black population. Davis said during the press conference that he was concerned about the numbers and doing his best to make real changes in how some troopers interact with the public. The AP found troopers habitually turned off or muting body cameras during pursuits and sometimes omitted uses of force from official reports. When footage is recorded, the agency routinely refuses to release it. Davis presented a long list of recently implemented reforms: a more stringent and organized process requiring supervisors to routinely review bodycam footage of their subordinates; putting troopers through implicit bias training; revisiting the policy on when to release bodycam footage; and strengthening rules against excessive force, including banning the use of impact weapons to the head and neck. Davis also pledged his commitment to making State Police more diverse. That has been a particular problem at Troop F, where just 9% of troopers are Black, records show. "The ultimate goal is to save lives," he said. "We are better than we were yesterday, and we will be better tomorrow than we are today. We're committed to changing." James said many of the reforms Davis described followed a resolution the Legislature passed in June that asked the State Police Commission to adopt changes put into state law this year for other policing agencies. Among them are a requirement for anti-bias training and policies for body-worn and dashboard cameras. City Hall in downtown New Orleans is shown in this photo on January 12, 2017. (NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune file photo by Chris Granger) A blue tarp is weighted down by lengths of wood on the roof a townhouse along Siegen Lane, as the occupants cook outside on Monday in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, which blew through the area a week earlier. The Australian sharemarket closed higher on Friday but the spectre of COVID-19 and significant global economic uncertainty followed investors for most of the week. The S&P/ASX200 finished Fridays session 0.5 per cent higher to 7,406.6, though across the week its losses were 1.55 per cent. Sharp falls in the iron ore price on Monday and Wednesday sent miners lower, with BHP losing 3.15 per cent over the five days of trading $41.16, while Rio Tinto finished 4.7 per cent lower to $106.22. Both companies rebounded slightly on Friday but it wasnt enough to reverse the weeks losses. COVID has weighed on markets globally. Credit:AP Uncertainties about Chinas steel outputs and its construction industry were also front of mind for traders, after Moodys and Fitch downgraded property giant China Evergrande this week as fears rose about the companys ability to repay its debts. US markets were also weaker, with jitters after the Federal Reserves economic report, the Beige Book, pointed to an economic downshift in July and August and the impact of the Delta variant on consumers. Australian shares managed to shake off some nerves by the weeks end, with gold miners and energy stocks powering the index forward. Energy stocks rallied on Friday after Oil Search and Santos confirmed the terms of a planned $21 billion merger, which would propel the newly formed company into the top 20 largest oil and gas producers globally. Oil Search finished Fridays session ahead 2.2 per cent higher to $3.73, while Santos wasup 0.5 per cent to $6.06. Market watchers remained unfazed despite the ASXs lacklustre week, arguing there is not yet enough evidence that the market is overheating. Chief analyst at Wealth Within Dale Gillham said the market had largely been driven by drops in miners and banks on Thursday, which make up the majority of the index. Stock markets typically crash because of rampant speculation, which is an emotionally charged bull run where the masses suffer from the fear of missing out (FOMO). This also leads to the overuse of leveraging, he said. We are not seeing any signs of an increased uptake with leveraging because if this was the case, the stock market would be incredibly bullish right now. Kalkine chief executive Kunal Sawhney noted that the local market was buoyed by a strengthening gold price at the end of the week, with the price up 0.46 per cent to $US1,802 per ounce. The cautious risk sentiment dominating the globe amid concerns over the Delta variant seems to be reviving investors interest in so-called safe havens like gold and the US dollar, he said. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Steve Baird, airline executive, looked at his phone and saw the text message. A friend had sent him a link to an ad for the top job at the International Justice Mission, an anti-slavery charity. Baird knew little about the scourge of modern slavery, other than it was fundamentally immoral and abhorrent. And he wasnt keen on working in the charity sector, assuming non-government organisations never had enough money to drive big, consequential change. I could see the downsides of going into an NGO, he said. It just wasnt a path I thought I would go down. Yet what had always appealed to me was how to help people who need a leg up. Steve Baird knew little about modern-day slavery until he took on a job trying to prevent it. Credit:Wolter Peeters But his wife, Annemaree whos a tough critic knew and admired the organisation, from her time working as a lawyer in Washington. She said, the work they do is brilliant. You should take a look at that, he recalls. Baird, then a marketing executive at Virgin Airlines, took her advice and, after a lot of reading, discovered just how prevalent modern slavery had become. It is hard to look away from once you become aware of it. For many years, he had volunteered his Friday nights to help Sydneys homeless behind St Marys Cathedral in the city. While he got to know many of the blokes well some even helped him work up his marriage proposal he was saddened to see the same people coming back, week after week, seemingly unable to break the cycle of poverty. International Justice Mission, or IJM, however, had broken the chains of modern slavery for 70,000 people around the world, getting them out of bondage. Advertisement We are meeting for a lockdown lunch via Zoom on Bairds one-year anniversary as IJMs chief executive officer. A virtual office backdrop surrounds him on the computer screen, cloaking any glimpse of the Blue Mountains home he shares with his wife, three young sons, eight chickens and two dogs a spoodle and a cavoodle. The owner of Kickaboom, a Glenbrook cafe, has delivered Bairds meal: a salad with pecans and pepitas ... and fried chicken. One offsets the other, he says, smiling. Kickaboom cafe delivers a meal to Steve Baird at his Glenbrook home. Credit:Wolter Peeters But there is no pretence about his dessert: a Portuguese tart and a butterscotch latte. They do a homemade butterscotch sauce; the butterscotch latte has a cult following, he says.Its good for the good times and the bad times. The veggie grain bowl with fried chicken, butterscotch latte, and Portuguese tart from Kickaboom cafe in Glenbrook. Credit:Steve Baird Ive picked up a takeaway meal of red salmon curry with Asian greens and rice from Barzura in Coogee, with just the right amount of kick. The salmon red curry from Barzura cafe in Coogee. Credit:Anna Patty Advertisement After we compare our menu choices, and Baird noted my lack of dessert, he tells me how COVID-19 clinched his decision to leave the corporate sector. Like many who have re-evaluated their work during the pandemic, Baird says it accelerated a shift he had been considering. Virgin Airlines had given him a good career but was facing voluntary administration. It was just a good chance to step back and think: what do I want to do? he says. I could see there was a high degree of integrity in what IJM was doing. Loading With a marketing mans nous, Baird also knew that IJM needs to constantly raise awareness of modern slavery if its campaign to get the state government to enact its tough anti-slavery legislation is to succeed. For more than three years, the NSW Modern Slavery Act has been in limbo. In 2018, it passed parliament with the support of all parties. Premier Gladys Berejiklian backed it strongly. Britains former anti-slavery commissioner Kevin Hyland even called it world-leading. The NSW law goes further than similar Commonwealth legislation by establishing an anti-slavery commissioner and criminal penalties of up to $1.1 million if companies with an annual turnover of more than $50 million fail to report, or provide false information on, the risk of slavery in their supply chains. The threshold under the Commonwealth Act is higher at $100 million, limiting its scope and power. Advertisement But at the 2019 election, the architect and champion of the bill Christian Democrat MP Paul Green was not re-elected, and big business interests started pushing back. The historic legislation was effectively put on ice, shunted to a committee for review, so it aligns with the Commonwealth law. The Commonwealth legislation is a step in the right direction, but there are no penalties, says Baird. What we desperately need is some people who are saying this is a huge issue, and we need some people on the inside rattling the can. We cannot accept that our supply chains could have people in slavery helping to make goods. We need more people to stand up and say this is completely unacceptable. We cannot accept that our supply chains could have people in slavery helping to make goods... this is completely unacceptable. Steve Baird Baird says the forced-labour industry generates an estimated $US150 billion ($AUS205 billion) in illegal profits each year. Slavery is not only rampant in business supply chains. Australia is the third highest consumer in the world of online sexual exploitation of children. The online sexual exploitation of children has trended upwards during the COVID-19 pandemic, he says. This is not child pornography. This is the live sexual abuse of children sometimes as young as two years old. It is one of the most abhorrent forms of slavery. Of the estimated 40 million people in modern slavery, 10 million are children. One of Bairds IJM colleagues in India, Raja Ebenezer, was trapped in slavery and working 18-hour days at the age of 12. After his parents were tricked into bonded labor at a brick factory to pay for their daughters wedding, Ebenezer and his younger brother went looking for them and ended up getting caught. He was rescued by IJM and later trained to become a lawyer. He now works for the organisation and helps other children in similar situations. Bairds Christian faith and family upbringing help explain why he is at odds with the political party that his family served for many decades. His brother, Mike, was NSW treasurer, then premier, and his father, Bruce, was the NSW minister who helped win the 2000 Olympics for Sydney and later served in the federal parliament. Both are considered men of principle: the classic combination of hard head and soft heart. But Steve Baird fears the Liberals have caved to corporate interests on this crucial moral issue. Advertisement Bruce and Judith Baird with their three children Mike, Julia and Steve, who is the youngest. Baird was seven years old when, in the early 1980s, his father who had been Australias trade commissioner in New York and an executive with Esso gathered the family to explain how their lives were going to change. Guys, guess what, Steve recalls his father saying. Im going into politics, and we think this is a great way to live a life of faith and make a difference in the community. And as part of that my pay is going to halve. It just means our holidays will be a little less fancy, but this is an important thing to do. Wow, this is a bit exciting, Baird thought at the time. His fathers decision made him realise there was more to life than boats and cars, and you can actually make some calls that go against the grain to make a difference. Steve Baird chats online from his Blue Mountains home with a virtual office backdrop behind him. Credit:Anna Patty It must have lodged in the back of his mind for more than 35 years because Baird made a similar speech to his children last year, upon accepting the job at IJM. Expecting a rousing response, the eldest of his three sons instead asked him to talk us through what that means day-to-day before coming around to the decision. After Bruce Baird moved from state to federal politics at the 1998 election, he didnt enjoy the same success, partly because he gained a reputation as a rebel on former Prime Minister John Howards backbench. He publicly opposed the governments harsh approach to the mandatory detention of asylum seekers. Befriending a future Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd through the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship probably didnt help, either. But Steve was particularly impressed that his fathers prayer group included people from right across politics. Mike Baird took on politics cautiously, and only after a long wait. He initially studied theology at Regent College in Canada, with plans to become a church minister. Instead, he became a banking executive, finally entering NSW politics in 2007. Advertisement FICTION Once There Were Wolves Charlotte McConaghy The late Barry Lopez once observed that the wolf exerts a powerful influence on the human imagination. It takes your stare and turns it back on you. For Lopez, part of what this reflected gaze revealed was our failure to comprehend that we are not separate from the world, or other species. But it also served as a reminder of the existence of other ways of being, as meaningful in themselves as our own. These failures endure. But in a world now shaped by human activity and defined by hastening ecosystem collapse and extinction, they have acquired a new urgency. Charlotte McConaghys novel is vivid and raw with feeling. Credit:Emma Daniels Charlotte McConaghys new novel, Once There Were Wolves, is animated by this reality. Its narrator, scientist Inti Flynn, is head of a project that aims to reintroduce wolves to Scotland. Like the famous Yellowstone rewilding project, Intis project is at one level about environmental repair: wolves control deer numbers, reducing the pressure on seedling trees and allowing the forests to regenerate. But it is also about something deeper: an attempt to regenerate the world, to recover some of its complexity and wonder. Even before the wolves have been released, Intis project meets with opposition from many of the locals, in particular the farmers. For some, this is simply concern about the safety of their flocks, or fear the wolves might prey upon humans. Others, though, see the wolves and the return of the forest as an affront to their way of life. I want to see glens dotted with sheep and people. People are the lifeblood of a place, declares one farmer early in the book. This mood darkens even further once the wolves are released, and, almost immediately, one of the wolves is killed by a farmer. As Henry Reynolds and Nicholas Clements argue in Tongerlongeter, their compelling and harrowing account of his troubled life and blood-soaked times, Tongerlongeter led Australias most effective Aboriginal resistance campaign in its most significant war. More people lost their lives in the Black War than in any other conflict on Australian soil. Crowds of curious onlookers rushed to witness the scene. At the head of the march strode the imposing figure of Tongerlongeter, the Poredareme warrior whose country stretched north as far as Oyster Bay, south to the Tasman Peninsula, and inland almost as far as Oatlands and the Coal Valley. He was one of the most feared leaders of the loose confederation of Oyster Bay Big River nations that had launched more than 700 attacks since 1824, killing or wounding more than 350 white settlers and terrorising the colony. It was little surprise that Hobarts residents saw the marchers presence as a hopeful sign that the war was over. Hobart, Van Diemens Land, January 7, 1832. Twenty-six survivors of the Black War that had raged across the island for the previous eight years, marched down Elizabeth Street in battle order, trailed by a large pack of dogs. Each male carried three spears in his left hand and one in his right. Accompanied by their conciliator, missionary George Augustus Robinson and 13 of his Aboriginal associates, they shrieked their war song as they advanced towards Government House, where Governor George Arthur waited to meet them. Tongerlongeter forgotten and unacknowledged like so many Indigenous warriors who resisted the invasion of their Country also led the first march of war veterans in Australian history. Long before the first Anzac Day on April 25, 1916, Australians died defending their homeland on their own soil. Yet two centuries later, as we eulogise the men and women who died serving Australia in overseas conflicts, we fail to honour our Indigenous patriots in the same field of vision. In his landmark book The Other Side of the Frontier (1981), Henry Reynolds asked when Australians would make room for the Aboriginal dead on our memorials, cenotaphs, boards of honour and even in the pantheon of national heroes. In a series of publications over the next 40 years most notably his history of frontier conflict in Tasmania, Fate of a Free People (1995) and more recently in Forgotten War (2013) Reynolds has continued to ask the same question, honing his arguments on the anvil of contemporary politics and memory as he insists that we apply the sacred, ubiquitous phrase, Lest We Forget to those who bled on their own soil. Credit: Both Reynolds and Clements, author of The Black War: Fear Sex and Resistance in Tasmania (2014), know this history (and the lie of the land) intimately. Clements, who writes most of Tongerlongeter, provides the finer grained story while Reynolds, who writes the opening chapters and conclusion, reveals its broader national and international significance. Their decision to reframe a history theyve both written about before through a biographical lens pays extraordinary dividends. Now we can see the experience of invasion and war through Tongerlongeters eyes and the various roles he played throughout his life father, husband, diplomat and warrior and we catch glimpses of his character: a jocular man who was at once fierce and defiant, clever and kind, brutal and revengeful. By focusing the horror film of the Black Wars history through the experience of one man, Reynolds and Clements powerfully reveal the personal and collective trauma wrought by war and dispossession. Im considering writing a book about neighbours, a course of action that is apparently extremely dangerous. My friend laughed when I told her, and suggested Id have to go into hiding after it was published. You columnists are accustomed to offending, she observed, but do you really have to target people youre likely to see every time you step out your door? But my idea wasnt sparked by a desire to complain about those with whom I share a fence. What got me thinking was the breakdown of the unfortunately misnamed Brunswick Good Karma Network, a Facebook group dedicated to promoting community co-operation and positivity that had to be shut down because of vicious squabbling and abuse. Perhaps the demise of this group isnt so surprising. Online communities often descend into toxic nastiness and, when you add the fuel of actual physical proximity into the mix, explosions can be expected. Theres something primal about the physical boundaries around the places where we live. Incursions on those boundaries, in whatever form they take, can evoke a unique sort of rage. Credit: Which is why neighbourhood disputes are so plentiful, and so bitter: parking disputes, pet disputes, tree disputes and noise disputes often driven by those who have the local council on speed dial, just waiting for something to be built or demolished, cut down or planted, so they can complain. Labor senator Kristina Keneally has hit back at suggestions that her being parachuted into the safe seat of Fowler is a blow to diversity and vowed she will fight for the local community. Senator Keneally on Friday confirmed she would switch from the Senate to the culturally diverse lower house seat, after months of internal tensions over whether she or fellow Senator Deb ONeill would be selected first on the ticket, rather than in the difficult-to-win third spot on the ticket. There has been disquiet of Senator Keneallys move, with retiring MP Chris Hayes known to favour lawyer Tu Le, a daughter of Vietnamese refugees, to replace him. On Saturday, Labor MP Anne Aly, the first Muslim woman elected to Federal Parliament, told the ABC that Labor needs to do better on diversity...this is a huge failure for Labor when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Labor senator Kristina Keneally has hit back at criticism of her move to the lower house. Credit:Rhett Wyman But Senator Keneally who currently lives more than 40km away on exclusive Scotland Island hit back at criticism that her being parachuted into the seat was not appropriate for the seat of Fowler. Im proud to be part of a party that gets cultural diversity. And let me take this head on because Im a little bit disappointed in some of the media coverage here. If you look across south-western Sydney youve got MPs Ed Husic, Michelle Rowland, Mike Freelander, she said, as well as a number of state MPs from culturally diverse backgrounds. Im proud to be part of a party that supports gender diversity and that supports multicultural diversity. This is a community I will live in, I will love and I will represent. I know how to fight for communities like this its why Ive gone into politics. And that is why, come the next election, I want to go into the House of Representatives, as the voice of every family, every small business, every faith community in Fowler and stand up for them in every possible way. Within the NSW Right faction, frontbencher Chris Bowen is said to have been backing Ms Keneally while fellow powerbroker Tony Burke is understood to have been backing Ms Le. Senator Keneally is also a long-time ally of Labor leader Anthony Albanese, who backed her in on Saturday for the seat of Fowler. We will have strong candidates in all seats, be that held seats, but importantly, well have strong candidates in our seats across the board. And I look at Labors team and the team that I lead and what I see is a diverse team. Just across where were standing here, in fact, our local member is Linda Burney, the first Indigenous woman elected to the House of Representatives, he said. Im very proud to lead a diverse team, an effective team, and a team that will be able to lead our nation through. A man in Sydneys southwest has been charged after allegedly importing a childlike sex doll, as authorities note a 653 per cent increase in the number of these products seized in the past two years. Australian Border Force officers intercepted a package on July 28 that was allegedly marked as containing a clothing mannequin, but upon further examination was actually found to contain a childlike sex doll. The 23-year-old man was arrested and charged with the alleged importation of tier two goods, namely a child-like sex doll. Credit:ABF The detection was referred to ABF investigators, who executed a search warrant at a home in Heckenberg, in Sydneys south-west earlier this week, where they arrested a 23-year-old man. Authorities seized a number of mobile electronic devices that will undergo further digital forensic examination. The man was arrested and charged with the alleged importation of a tier-two good, namely a child-like sex doll. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size My first trip to Afghanistan was in the winter of 1993. I hid my camera gear in the car as we drove towards the capital, Kabul, avoiding militia roadblocks by driving fast and tossing thousands of Afghani banknotes out the windows, so the soldiers would chase the money and not shoot us. The country was in chaos, a legacy of its communist days and nine-year war with the Soviet Union. Different warring factions had divided the city into a serrated maze of frontlines and trenches. I was bunkered down inside the main hospital. The wounded were arriving in droves, casualties of the shelling. Theres one photo I recall most, the one I chose not to take. I saw a gurney and a child underneath a sheet. I lifted the sheet and to my horror, saw no face except one eye. Momentarily turning around, I saw the childs parents looking at me. I gently lay the sheet back over the body. Over 20 years of travelling to Afghanistan, I always sought to tell the human stories of Afghans and the attempts by many brave Allied soldiers to build a better life for them after the Taliban tyranny. In 2005, I was embedded with a US Army Psychological Operations Unit in Kandahar. After six weeks of missions with American soldiers, my flak jacket and helmet felt like part of my body as we rumbled out of Kandahar Airfield inside a packed Humvee. Above my head, AC/DCs Hells Bells was blaring out of a loudspeaker; later it was Rage Against the Machine and even the Star Wars theme. They played the music to annoy their enemy: Its the only way we can find the Taliban, my psych-ops guide explained. Otherwise you just dont see them. One marine described it to me: Its like chasing ghosts. These shadows pop out of caves and attack you, and then they drop their guns and run away. Two decades after the September 11 attacks, the ensuing US invasion, and the images of desperation and turmoil at Kabul airport as the heart-wrenching evacuations unfolded, I cant offer any solution to the many problems facing Afghanistan. What I can offer is respect for the beauty and tragedy of the place Afghans call home. Advertisement Tajik refugees, Saki Camp, Northern Afghanistan, 1993 During this, my first trip to Afghanistan, I went to cover a refugee crisis in the north of the country. A civil war in neighbouring Tajikistan had forced tens of thousands to flee to safety, with the irony that safety meant living in arctic conditions in a desert of death. It was so cold that I could only take a few frames at a time before I had to stuff my hands deep inside my thermals again. Men were busy digging great big holes in the earth to cover with tents or small ones for the many dead. People huddled around fires cooking and offered me the little food they had. To say theyre hospitable to guests is an understatement. I wandered across the dusty plains like a lost explorer, searching for images. The photograph I always go back to is of a wedding ceremony inside the camp. It was the only normal thing I saw that day, the only time I saw a smile and heard a laugh. Northern Alliance soldier, Bagram, 1998. Credit:Stephen Dupont Northern Alliance soldier, Bagram, 1998 Covering the civil war between the Northern Alliance and the Taliban in late 1998, I met a soldier inside a bombed-out ruin along a frontline near Bagram Airfield, just north of the capital. It was his shell-shocked gaze that struck me first, but then I saw his prosthetic arms. He told me his story, which encapsulates the absurdity of war: I was not a soldier before. I used to work for an international non-government organisation trying to rid the country of landmines. One day I was de-mining when one blew off my arms a mine planted by the Taliban. It was then that I decided to join the Northern Alliance and learnt to shoot an AK-47 with my new arms, so I could take my revenge. Advertisement Anonymous portrait, Kabul, 2006. Credit:Stephen Dupont Anonymous portrait, Kabul, 2006 Of all the photographs I took in Afghanistan, one of my favourites is of this man in a dusty and busy Kabul bus station. Somehow the mans solemn look and the various emotions from the crowd make the shot simultaneously timeless and present. Maybe he is the face of all Afghans: proud, strong and confident but worried. Taxi delivering coffins, Jamhuriat Hospital, Kabul, 1993. Credit:Stephen Dupont Taxi delivering coffins, Jamhuriat Hospital, Kabul, 1993 With chaos all around the hospital, coffins arrived in the boot of a taxi as the morgue filled up. The dead were mostly civilians caught up in the fighting across Kabul. An another occasion, a cab rolled on up through the hospital gates with a shredded and bloody leg dangling out of the boot. Orphanage, Kabul, 1995. Credit:Stephen Dupont Advertisement Orphanage, Kabul, 1995 I was invited inside an orphanage for a photographic project about the children of Kabul and how they were affected by the war. Housed inside a Soviet-era apartment block on the outskirts of the city were hundreds of young war orphans. Walking inside one of the rooms, I came across this scene, which looked like a miniature Last Supper. Taliban POWs, Yangi Qala district, Northern Afghanistan, 1998. Credit:Stephen Dupont Taliban POWs, Yangi Qala district, Northern Afghanistan, 1998 Rather than condemn the Taliban prisoners to cells, the legendary Afghan warlord Ahmad Shah Massoud whose Northern Alliance troops were at the time fighting the Taliban had them work the fields and live in open compounds. He treated them more like compatriots than an enemy. Said Massoud: We will not be a pawn in someone elses game; we will always be Afghanistan! Wounded child, Gonbad village, Kandahar Province, 2005. Credit:Stephen Dupont Wounded child, Gonbad village, Kandahar Province, 2005 Advertisement A young boy is caressed by an elderly man whom I assume is his father. Im drawn to the sad tragedy of the scene; the shaft of light that crosses the childs face seems almost biblical to me. The man says the Americans shot the boy; its impossible to know. It was the same day that I took photographs of US soldiers burning the bodies of two dead Taliban soldiers, which became international news and eventually led to changed US military policy. But its the picture of this child that I think about more maybe because Im a father, too. Its a sad reality that innocent children too often become the victims of these adult war games. Helmand, 2009. Credit:Stephen Dupont Helmand, 2009 The only way to get a real sense of Afghanistans landscape is from the air. This was the common terrain US, Australian and British forces were fighting in Helmand Province, in the south. One US marine compared the landscape of fighting in Afghanistan to what he imagined it would be like fighting on the moon. Afghans call this stretch of desert Dasht-e Margo, the Desert of Death Faizabad, 1998. Credit:Stephen Dupont Faizabad, 1998 Advertisement Four ultra-Orthodox Jewish worshippers who attended an illegal gathering in Melbournes inner south this week have been fined, while another man has been charged over the alleged assault of a news cameraman. A 72-year-old St Kilda man was charged with recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault over an incident police allege took place outside a property on Glen Eira Road about 7pm on Tuesday. Police take details from people outside the synagogue on Tuesday night. Credit:Eddie Jim The man was issued with a $5452 fine for breaching the Chief Health Officer directions and will appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on February 21. The cameraman told the ABC the alleged assault was unprovoked and that members of the media were following police direction. Two fires north-east of Melbourne, that were allegedly deliberately lit, will be scrutinised at a hearing for two brothers accused of attempting a terror act, to determine whether they stand trial. Ari and Aran Sherani, aged 20 and 19 respectively, are accused of lighting a fire in bush in Humevale on February 18, an act that counter-terrorism investigators allege was an attempt to engage in a terror act. A court sketch of Ari Sherani from March. Credit:Mollie McPherson/Nine News The brothers, from Epping, were arrested on March 18, the day after Aran Sherani allegedly bought a knife that he intended to use in a terror attack. He is also accused of being a member of Islamic State. The brothers sat next to each other at a table in custody on Friday, as Melbourne Magistrates Court was told their lawyers wanted to test the evidence at a five-day hearing next year, where witnesses would be questioned over the fire at Humevale and another fire at nearby Kinglake West. Twenty years ago the world changed forever when 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial aircraft and launched a series of co-ordinated attacks on the United States. The images of planes flying into the twin towers in New York, the burning wreckage of aircraft in a field and at the Pentagon, and the devastation left as the towers collapsed, are burned into the memories of the entire world. The attacks left nearly three thousand people dead, changed air travel and began the two-decade War on Terror. With coalition troops having withdrawn from Afghanistan and the Taliban now back in control, reflecting on the moment that began it all has never been more poignant. The September 11 attack left an indelible mark on the lives of millions of people worldwide. We asked nine of them to reflect on that eventful day. Almost 3000 people were killed, including 10 Australians. It triggered a major US military intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq, enmeshing other allies including Australia for a generation. A third plane American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Department of Defence in Arlington, Virginia. Two of the planes American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City. On September 11, 2001, a group of 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four planes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. I threw on a shirt, jeans and open-toed shoes, the camera still around my neck. I slipped my useless mobile and keys into my pockets. When I got to the lobby the doorman ushered me through the front doors, I had to leave the building immediately. I turned on the radio, but all I could get was [radio disc jockey] Howard Stern. I grabbed my camera, stood at the window and used up half my roll of film. As I snapped another photo, I felt the sound and the heat as a 50-storey fireball blew through the South Tower. I didnt have a landline or a TV, so I rushed for my Nokia mobile phone to call my partner and left a voicemail before the connection went dead. I was about to step into the bathroom that morning when I heard an extremely loud plane. Something wasnt right. On my way to the windows, I heard the loudest bang I have ever heard. Not just a sound to your ears but a sound felt in the body. I looked out and saw a hole in the side of the North Tower. Tania Mattei, now General Counsel at the Takeovers Panel, was a lawyer working in mergers and acquisitions in New York in 2001. She had moved into an apartment one-and-a-half blocks from the World Trade Centre only 10 days before the attack. I started running up Park Row. I could hear on the radios in the stationary cars that there were more planes in the air. The Pentagon had been hit. I kept going. Both buildings streamed with smoke as black burning lines spread across the glass surfaces. Bodies fell from the gaping holes as people decided to stay or leap to their fate. Theyre going to fall. I said it out loud. I ran east and north. I realised police were herding people over the Brooklyn Bridge, but I was panicked by the prospect of being a sitting target. I reversed course and found myself back in front of my building. My mind raced. If they were targeting NY symbols, I needed to move to the unsymbolic. I knew my family wanted me home. But I was doing what I loved and I would not let that be taken away from me. And it did not feel right to walk away from a place to which I was now indelibly linked. It was a couple of weeks before we could access our apartment within the ground-zero perimeter. It was completely covered by the toxic ash. All our windows had been open slightly at the top. It was now a hazardous site like the smouldering wreckage visible from my window. I could no longer live there. People make their way from the World Trade Centre in New York on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Credit:AP/Gulnara Samoilova I was eventually able to get a call through to my partner and family. It has been over five hours since the first plane hit. A group of men sitting around a small TV and a water cooler in a grimy electric motor workshop took me in - for a few hours it was my sanctuary. The owner, Vinny, told me that he knew Id left in a rush as my shirt was buttoned up incorrectly. I ran as fast as I could, moving north. Finally, I stopped. My feet were cut. I saw people covered in ash. As I got to the next block, I heard a sound building behind me - I turned and saw the South Tower imploding. I was invited to stay an additional year, but I had done what I wanted and was ready to return to the law. I reached out to my old firm and they welcomed me back. I returned to New York, refreshed and enriched and with another whole aspect to my life. I informed my firm, accepted my spot at the Academy and made rush plans to move. I found a little apartment in the historic centre of Florence just down the street from a home once owned by Michelangelo. Following the September terrorist attacks, Tania Mattei decided to take a break from her legal career and study painting. Credit:Eddie Jim Once I was accepted, I was presented with the critical moment. Before September 11, I would never have contemplated an interruption to my legal career, but now a strict career path was less important to me. After three years, I ambitiously applied to the Florence Academy of Art. It was a long shot, but it was a dream opportunity. It was a struggle and my art wasnt quite what I had hoped but I loved it. One day I walked into class and met my future husband. I had always dreamed of painting like the old masters. I enrolled in classes at New Yorks historic Art Students League and attended when I could. I still paint when I can. THE SON Comedian Simon Kennedy, 46, was in Sydney when a plane carrying his mother, Yvonne Kennedy, 62, American Airlines Flight 77, crashed into the Pentagon. She was one of 10 Australians killed in the attacks. Simon Kennedy. Credit: I was at home with my girlfriend; wed gone to bed around 9.30pm when I woke up to a phone call from my brother in London. The attacks were all over the morning news there. Our mum was on holiday in America, so he wanted me to double-check her itinerary because shed left it with me. My first instinct was lets not jump to conclusions, but my confidence started to shake as the pieces fell into place: American Airlines Flight 77, Washington to Los Angeles. Logic told me mum was on that plane, but I made as many phone calls as I could to try and reverse that reality and look for hope. Maybe she missed the flight? Maybe she changed her plans last minute? For the 20th anniversary of his mother Yvonne Kennedys death, Simon says he will be with his family at home, having a simple and understated memorial, being grateful for his lot. It took a long time for any official confirmation of her death. No one knew what was going on and everyone on the plane was considered a suspect, so information was hard to come by. Four days after the fact, I got a call from a faceless government man who said, I cant tell you who I am, but I can tell you what you think has happened, has happened. Weeks later, I got a letter from American Airlines saying Yvonne Kennedy purchased the ticket, a boarding pass was issued on September 11, the flight crashed, and there were no survivors. Not only was it hard to grieve, but it was hard to grieve quietly. Everyone in the world was talking about the event my mother had died in, so we decided to keep our family out of the media and try to process it normally. There was a time when September 11, 2001, only represented pain - that was all it stood for. But 20 years on, Ive addressed the damage it has done to my life. I now know you can go through something shocking and stay in good shape. These days, I tend not to go back to the moment because there is no growth for me there. I dont think about how mum died; I think more about how she lived. I focus on how much I miss her, how much shes missing here. She has four grandchildren that came after, and thats sad for them, for her. I know shed be proud of my brother and me, the men weve become. She was boastful as a mother at the best of times. An updated edition of Simon Kennedys book 9/11 And The Art Of Happiness is available at amazon.com.au. THE NEWSREADER Sandra Sully, 56, was the first journalist in Australia to cover the attacks, broadcasting live with Ten Late News. The veteran anchor has since redefined her relationship with the date. Sandra Sully. Credit: I was anchoring Ten Late News that night, and it was 10:45 [in Sydney] when word came through to the news desk that a plane had flown into the World Trade Centre. We assumed it was a light plane, a terrible aviation failure. But then the pictures flooded through of what was clearly a jetliner, and I knew we were looking at an act of terror. There is no manual for an experience like that; it was just a feeling of horror and disbelief. Unfortunately for me, the newsroom was empty; nearly everyone had gone home. My executive producer had to marshal the troops, so I was on-air alone. Just keep talking, he said. Youll be right. People run from the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001. Credit:AP/Suzanne Plunkett It profoundly changed the world of broadcast television; we had to learn how to process these sorts of images and it hasnt stopped: the Iraq war played out on television, so did the Lindt cafe siege and the Christchurch massacre. I was glad I got through it as a broadcaster. I did the best I could, though I was numb for a long time afterwards. People who were watching live that night still come up to me and want to talk about it; we have a unique bond, living through the trauma of that initial shock. I always approach the anniversary with a degree of apprehension because I cant help but be taken back to that night. Ten years ago [in 2011], I deliberately chose to get married on September 10 to give me better memories of this time of year. But I will never forget that night, and I wouldnt want to. I happened to be the bunny in the headlights, as it were, but it was a privilege to have that opportunity to guide the viewers through it without inciting further fear, to find the right tone for a moment none of us was prepared for. THE INTELLIGENCE ANALYST On September 11, Mike Morell was a CIA analyst responsible for delivering the presidents daily intelligence brief. He would later serve twice as acting director of the CIA. He is now head of geo-political risk at Beacon Global and a columnist at The Washington Post, Axios and CBS. Mike Morell. Credit: As president George W Bushs daily intelligence briefer at the time, I was with him six days a week - wherever he was in the world. I briefed the president on the morning of 9/11 before any of the attacks. It was an uneventful briefing. On the morning of September 11 we were in Sarasota, Florida, for a visit to the Emma E. Booker Elementary School. As we pulled up to school [White House press secretary] Ari Fleischers phone rang. It was minutes after Flight 11 had hit the North Tower. Ari turned to me and asked if I had heard anything about a plane hitting the World Trade Centre. I hadnt. My assumption at that point was that the crash was an accident - perhaps a small plane that had lost its way in a storm or fog. All of us were stunned when we heard that a second plane had hit the World Trade Centre. Now we knew it was an act of terrorism. [White House chief-of-staff] Andy Card whispered in the presidents ear: A second plane has hit the world trade centre. America is under attack. President George W. Bush gathers information about the terrorist attack from a classroom at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida. Pictured second from left is CIA analyst Michael Morell with other White House staff. The president left the classroom and began making phone calls. I was becoming increasingly concerned about his safety. It was public knowledge that the president would be visiting Booker Elementary and I wondered if a plane might come crashing into the school. At the school, the president addressed the nation. He promised to hunt down those behind the attack and said that terrorism against our country will not stand. A few minutes after the president concluded his remarks, a plane carrying 64 passengers crashed into the Pentagon. For security reasons we were banned from making any cell phone calls, including to our family. We then rushed to Air Force One to head to a military base in Louisiana. On the plane we watched TV reports of people jumping to their deaths from the towers. A person falls from the north tower of New Yorks World Trade Centre. Credit: When we were 15 minutes away from the base the president asked to see me. He looked focused and determined. He asked me who I thought was responsible for the attacks. I told him I had not seen any intelligence, and it was only my personal view, but I was sure the trail would lead to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda. It turned out analysts at CIA headquarters had already tied al-Qaeda to the attacks. When I returned home to Virginia that night, I kissed my three children goodnight and thought of the thousands of children who would never see their parents again. Almost 10 years later, Morell was deputy director of the CIA when Osama Bin Laden was killed on May 2, 2011, after a decade of work by the agency to track him down. That was an incredible moment. And, you know, it wasnt a locker room atmosphere, you know, at CIA. It was sombre, actually. You know, there was we were certainly happy that we were right about the intelligence. And we were certainly happy that we took off the battlefield Americas number one enemy and that we did it without losing a single man. But it wasnt a locker room atmosphere. THE STUDENT Abbas Farasoo, 35, an academic at Deakin University, was a student in the majority-Hazara district of Jaghori in Ghazni province in Afghanistan when al-Qaeda attacked on September 11, 2001. Abbas Farasoo. Credit: There were very limited sources to know about what was going on beyond Afghanistan and within Afghanistan because there was no internet, no TV, nothing. TV was banned, music was banned. But we actually had a radio at home. It was a Japanese radio from the 1960s, a Panasonic R-100, and most of the time I was listening to that. It was the only source [that] connected me to the outside by listening to BBC Persian. We were listening to the radio when 9/11 happened, but we actually didnt know much about its implications and what it would mean. I feel many people just like me did not know much about al-Qaeda and the international terrorists in Afghanistan and their relationship with the Taliban. This 9/11 news was under the shadow of another news, the assassination of [Northern Alliance leader] Ahmad Shah Massoud by al-Qaeda on September 9. That had created a lot of frustration because that was the only hope to fight against the Taliban. The second aircraft flies into the World Trade Centre in New York. Credit:AP/ABC And quickly the BBC and other radio stations said the US will attack the Taliban. And that led to hope that the Talibans system of tyranny will be over. I remember the Taliban came to our school and forced us to pray for them, and were asked to pray the Americans not attack Afghanistan. However, after that, everyone went to a small shop near our school, brought grapes to pray for an attack And then a few days later the attack happened. It was another chance to hope for a different future. In fact, people celebrate the new Afghanistan with the US attack in Afghanistan basically, that was for many the beginning of a new history. Young people like me went to university, established schools, established businesses, and Kabul city changed to one of the most vibrant cities in the region. I went to Kabul ... I went to university [and] I studied journalism ... I worked at a newspaper for a long time called Hasht e Subh, where I was a columnist [he later joined the Foreign Ministry, rising to be a diplomat, including to Australia]. A Taliban soldier stands guard at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on September 5. Some domestic flights have resumed. Credit:AP Although the war had not fully ended, the country found a new face and identity. Despite the fact that there was a fragile government that suffered from corruption, Afghanistan found the chance to build its institutions and improved a lot. Beyond the government institutions, the rest of the population worked so hard and did a lot to change their lives and change the country. And now we see what is happening there. It tortures me, actually. The state is collapsed. Women are sent back home from the public domain, government offices, and business. Music is banned. Physical and cultural violence are the only things the Taliban has demonstrated to control a nation in the past few weeks. Although changes in the Taliban is an illusion, I hope they have learned from their mistakes in the past. THE POLITICIAN Assistant Defence Minister Andrew Hastie was a student at the University of NSW studying philosophy and dreaming of a career in journalism when the events of September 11 changed his life. Andrew Hastie. Credit: I was sitting in my living room with my family watching Sandra Sully on Channel Ten. The cross came to New York, and we sat there watching the hole in the first tower, then the second plane struck, and I think I stayed up until 4am or 5am until the towers collapsed. The world had fundamentally changed. War was coming. History had its hand at my back, and I thought: OK, life is going to be different, Im on a different path. But 9/11 also had a personal dimension. I went to Ashbury Public School, and my year two and three teacher was the late Mrs Giulia Ferraina. Her daughter Elisa perished in one of the towers. I knew her brother, Greg, who was a year below me. So for us, 9/11 was on the screens, and then over the next few days it became clear that someone close to me in suburban Sydney had been deeply impacted through the death of her daughter. New York City firefighters look at the destroyed facade of the World Trade Centre on September 13, 2001. Credit:Getty Images I was rattled over the week ahead. We lived under the Sydney flight path and I remember sitting bolt upright in bed as an early morning plane passed over. Over the next few days after 9/11, I had philosophy class and we had a discussion, and there was a moral equivalence argument mounted by the other students a couple of times: America had this coming, what did they expect? Thats OK, I have no problems with people making arguments that are contrary to my own, but I just didnt want to sit around for the next couple of years in that sort of environment. I had already felt like I was flailing a bit at university and it really crystallised in that moment: This is all academic chitchat. I want to get out in the real world. I joined the Army Reserves, I went away down to [the Australian Army training facility] Puckapunyal in early 2002, and then it just became clearer that full-time soldiering was the way ahead. I transferred to the University of NSW at Australian Defence Force Academy and became an officer cadet. My trajectory in the army was set. Andrew Hastie visiting the September 11 memorial in New York, standing at the plate that carries the name of Elisa Giselle. Twenty years later - with the evacuation of Kabul, the amount of blood and treasure invested in Afghanistan, the Middle East and elsewhere 9/11 has no doubt shaped the first two decades of the 21st century. It was right to respond to al-Qaeda - Ive learned that weakness is provocative. But we thought that we could go to places like Iraq and Afghanistan and reorder societies. But, as I saw with my own eyes, geography and culture are hard to overcome. And as weve seen lately, our attempt in Afghanistan ultimately failed. THE PILOT Richard Woodward was a Boeing 767 pilot on a three-day stopover in Manila bound for Sydney when coverage of the terrorist attack came on the restaurant TV. Richard Woodward. Credit: We went down to a lovely waterfront restaurant in Manila. The first officer and I were sitting there and the owner came over and said, You need to see this right now. We walked over to the television and the first tower had been hit and was burning. He said, an aeroplane flew into that. We both said, What! While we were standing there looking at the feed, a 767 which is the aeroplane we flew went smack into the second tower. I will never forget it, I turned to the first officer and said, Thats it. Aviation as we know it has changed forever. He said, What? and I said: This is going to cause massive ramifications for security and will fundamentally change the way we do business. And it did and it has. A day later my sister rang as I was sitting in the hotel saying: Please tell me you are OK? I said, Yes, sure why? She said, Apparently theres a terrorist attack in Manila. It turned out that a bunch of radical fundamentalists had apparently tried to attack the American consulate about two blocks away. A couple of my crew expressed a few concerns about flying, and I said: We are in the Philippines; they are not really related to this [9/11] and the company has extra screening in place here anyway. They were all happy to go home and we went home. Photos of missing people are shown outside Saint Vincents Hospital in New York City. Credit:Getty Images A lot of the security measures taken around the world were more of a public relations exercise than any effective changes to security. The passengers felt quite comfortable getting screened and seeing the crew screened too. I even had my nail clippers taken off me in Adelaide. The guy broke the nail file off and gave it back to me. I said, Are you kidding. Am I going to stab myself? He said, Aw captain, dont give me a hard time. Im an ex-military pilot and a former peacekeeper in the Middle East so I have seen more security-related problems than some. There were jurisdictions, including one very dear to our hearts where I know for a fact that a couple of those [airport] screeners were on the terrorist watch list. So here we were being screened by people who had much less requirement on them to be supervised and given background checks than we did, and yet they were giving us a hard time. THE SOLDIER Chris Creighton, from Townsville, was still at school when he watched the events of 9/11 unfold after his supermarket shift. Chris Creighton. Credit: Aged almost 15, I had just finished my four-hour Woolworths shift and was sitting at home with my mother watching TV. I was ready to go to bed when the breaking news came on. We both watched in horror. I didnt sleep too well and by morning both towers had collapsed. If this could happen in the US, where did we stand in Australia? I made the decision that when old enough, I would join the military to serve my country. In July 2004, aged 17, I joined the Army, 3rd Brigade. In 2006, I was in the first convoy into Innisfail after severe tropical cyclone Larry destroyed much of the region. I proudly helped save a babys life and dropped the father back home from the hospital in my army truck. A few months later I deployed to Timor-Leste in the initial force to help our friendly neighbour stabilise their country in the middle of unrest. I felt like I was giving back. Loading I was deployed to Afghanistan from June 2011 to January 2012. The War on Terror had been going on for eight years. The very hour I touched down Sapper Rowan Robinson (a friends brother) had been killed in action. I knew this deployment would be like no other. The biggest thing for me there was when the fuel truck I was driving was struck by an IED. I was one of the lucky ones. It felt like I had driven the truck into the side of a mountain at 100 kms an hour, but I was uninjured and fortunate enough to be able to get on with the job at hand. The next day I was up on the rear gun of a Bushmaster, once again part of a strong, professional and successful team. Seeing what is happening in Afghanistan now is pretty rough. I know fellow veterans are doing it hard - but fellow vets must remember we did what was asked of us. We all contributed to making the world a better place over 20 years ensuring the War On Terror was fought in their backyard and not ours, and gave a generation of Afghans hope. Be kind, stick together, stay strong for each other, and have your mates. Most importantly, never forget how precious life is, and how much we all have to be so grateful for. THE GOOD SAMARITAN Diane Davis, 57, was teaching at a primary school in Newfoundland when 38 diverted aircraft landed in her town. Diane Davis. Credit: I was teaching grade three French immersion at Gander Academy, and I looked up the hallway a little after 10am, and a mother said: A plane hit the Twin Towers - Im here to pick up my son, and I saw the two statements as completely unrelated. We didnt have cellphones at the time, so we knew very little. But we went to the airport in town, and the planes were already landing. From the angle of the runways it looked like the aircraft overlapped. I went to the Town Hall and they said they needed people to set up all the schools with places for people to sleep. We cleared all the furniture. Then bedding - dusty old gym mats - was set up on the floor. I put user-names and passwords on all the computer monitors, in case someone had email - remember, this is 20 years ago - or even knew how to use email away from work. Then we waited. Food began pouring in. Locals turned up by the dozen. Just under 7000 guests from all over the world came to us, and they stayed for five days. And it was everything that Id always been taught, about sharing and caring for people - clothing, feeding and reassuring them. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire chat with some of the citizens from Gander, Newfoundland, after the Broadway musical Come From Away in New York. Credit:AP The whole experience was made into a musical, Come From Away, which has gone around the world. Theres a character in the show who carries my name. Ive seen the show in Gander, and then theyve flown us to Toronto to see it open, and Broadway. Weve been to Seattle, Dublin, London and Melbourne. We would have been in Sydney except for COVID-19. I still believe everything we did was within the means of any other group of people, but its incredible how people have responded. The ushers say everyone is trying to find their seat at the start - jostling, checking their watch - but on their way out its After you, please and No, you go first! The mood changes. Loading The big lesson Ive learned is to say Thank you when someone offers to do something for you, rather than telling them they dont need to. Because I want them to feel that helpers high. If we dont give people the opportunity to be kind to us - with big things and little things - we dont give them the opportunity to know how good it feels to be kind. As told to Thomas Mitchell, Tim Barlass, Bianca Hall, Konrad Marshall, Matthew Knott, Anthony Galloway, CBS News Get a note direct from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here. In 1947, US State Department official George Kennan, using the pseudonym Mr X, published an article entitled The Sources of Soviet Conduct. It called for a policy of containment towards the Soviet Union and established the foundation of future US foreign policy. The Cold War had begun. More than 50 years later, the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon were a similarly transformative moment, one which led to the declaration of another type of war, the war on terror. The flying of planes into the World Trade Centre buildings in New York was far from the first act of terror the world had seen, but the image of the burning towers was so seared on our retinas that it seemed to demand action of a similarly serious kind: not just investigation and punishment, but the commencement of a war. Twenty years later, that war has obsessed Western nations for a generation. It is steeped in ambiguous victories and moral and military compromises. Its consequences profoundly affect us still. England's Royal Shakespeare Company has announced that artistic director Gregory Doran will take a period of compassionate leave to care for his husband, legendary Shakespearean actor Antony Sher, who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. In a statement, Doran said, "I am very sorry to say that my husband, Tony Sher, has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and in order to look after him, and with the agreement of the Board, I will be taking a period of compassionate leave with immediate effect. I expect to return in early 2022." The venue's deputy artistic director Erica Whyman will assume the role of acting artistic director until Doran's return. Sher, 72, earned a Tony nomination in 1997 for starring in the Broadway play Stanley, and also appeared on Broadway in Primo in 2005. Over the course of his five-decade career, the South African native became one of Britain's most esteemed classical actors, tackling roles including Richard III, Shylock, Titus, Macbeth, Prospero, Falstaff, and Lear. Most, if not all, were performed for his longtime theatrical home at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Prolific producer Elizabeth Ireland McCann, a nine-time Tony Award winner for bringing iconoclastic works like Edward Albee's The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? to Broadway, has died after a bout with cancer at the age of 90. Born March 29, 1931 in Manhattan, McCann was the daughter of Scottish immigrants and began her career in the theater as a production assistant and manager with Proscenium Productions at the Cherry Lane Theatre in the 1950s. A graduate of Manhattanville College, she completed a law degree at Fordham and later earned a master's degree in English Literature, intending to become a drama teacher. But Broadway came calling in 1967 when she was hired by James Nederlander Sr. to be his managing director, and she quickly became one fo the first women to command a place at a table populated largely by male producers. Partnering with Nelle Nugent, the pair formed the management and production company McCann and Nugent, earning Tonys for an unparalleled string of productions: Dracula and The Elephant Man in 1979, Morning's at Seven and Amadeus in 1980, and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby in 1981. They managed The Gin Game with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, produced Night and Day with Maggie Smth, Cyrano de Bergerac with Derek Jacoby, and Leader of the Pack, among other shows. In partnership with others, McCann earned Tonys for The Goat, Copenhagen, A View From the Bridge, and Hair. The Goat was one of several plays she presented as part of her prolific artistic relationship with Albee, a list that also includes the original production of Three Tall Women, the 2005 revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Play About the Baby, and Beckett/Albee. Having partnered with Daryl Roth on the Albee productions, McCann once again joined her for the Broadway premiere of Paula Vogel's Indecent. Her final Broadway credit was the brief run of Martin McDonagh's Hangmen, which closed during the pandemic, having never opened. McCann had long-standing relationships with theater owners across the country and was a fixture at Broadway opening nights. A great lover of cats, her most recent favorite, according to press rep Sam Rudy, was named Miss Sophie. INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), the worlds first autonomous racecar competition at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), has announced the IAC events currently scheduled for October 23, 2021, at IMS. Activities include the Autonomous Innovation Summit (invitation-only), bringing together global thought leaders and experts from industry, academia and government to discuss the status of the autonomous technology industry and explore ways to accelerate and amplify the benefits of an autonomous mobility future. The summit will include leaders from Cisco, Bridgestone, Microsoft, Aptiv, Luminar, Dallara USA, ADLINK, AutonomouStuff/Hexagon, Schaeffler, Valvoline, Raytheon, Trucks VC, Draper, Elevate Ventures and many others. In addition, a showcase of advanced technologies from competing university teams and IAC industry sponsors will be held on the IMS grounds. These activities will be in addition to the IAC university team racecar competition, featuring the Dallara AV-21 autonomous racecars. High school students from Indiana and beyond, interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) are invited to attend the events. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Indiana Department of Education and the STARTedUP Foundation are leading the effort to coordinate high school student attendance. This is an historic and exciting day for Indiana, which has taken the lead in hosting this first-of-its kind technology demonstration for the best and brightest of university students from around the world, said Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. Through our work with the IAC, we also want to inspire the next generation of innovators and technologists. Paul Mitchell, president and CEO of Energy Systems Network (ESN), one of the primary organizers of the IAC, announced the official list of university teams participating in the IAC at IMS and stated: The Indy Autonomous Challenge began with more than 500 students registered from 41 universities. Today, we have 21 universities from 9 countries that have formed 10 teams that will participate in the final stage of the prize competition currently scheduled for October 23. These teams have overcome tremendous technology challenges to operate fully autonomous racecars and have done so despite the COVID-19 global pandemic challenges and inability to gather together as teams for most of the competition. We applaud them all and celebrate their collective achievements. University Teams Competing in the Indy Autonomous Challenge There are 10 teams comprised of 21 universities competing in the Indy Autonomous Challenge: AI Racing Tech University of Hawaii, University of California San Diego University of Hawaii, University of California San Diego Autonomous Tiger Racing Auburn University Auburn University Black & Gold Autonomous Racing Purdue University, United States Military Academy at West Point Purdue University, United States Military Academy at West Point Cavalier Autonomous Racing University of Virginia University of Virginia EuroRacing University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy), University of Pisa (Italy), ETH Zurich (Switzerland), Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland) University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy), University of Pisa (Italy), ETH Zurich (Switzerland), Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland) IUPUI-IITKGP-USB Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (India), Universidad de San Buenaventura (Colombia) Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (India), Universidad de San Buenaventura (Colombia) KAIST Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (South Korea) Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (South Korea) MIT-PITT-RW Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pittsburgh, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Waterloo (Canada) Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pittsburgh, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Waterloo (Canada) PoliMOVE Politecnico di Milano (Italy), University of Alabama Politecnico di Milano (Italy), University of Alabama TUM Autonomous Motorsport Technische Universitat Munchen (Germany) Autonomous Innovation Summit The Autonomous Innovation Summit, hosted by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, will include sessions on R&D and talent development, the status of autonomous industry commercialization and investment, and the exploration of ways to accelerate and amplify the benefits of an autonomous mobility future. The invitation-only summit will be filmed and available on the IAC website for public viewing. Future Innovators Activation One of the primary goals of the IAC is to advance technologies for autonomous vehicles through STEM challenges that will lead to increased safety and performance in all modes of racing and commercial transportation. As such, the State of Indiana is inviting high school students across the state to IMS for the IAC activities. The activation, led by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the Indiana Department of Education, and the STARTedUP Foundation, will expose students to learnings and future opportunities in the R&D and commercialization of autonomous technologies. Students will have the opportunity to engage with industry leaders at the Technology Showcase demonstration area, network with teams and university representatives, and connect directly with university recruiters. The Indiana Department of Education will share more information with students, parents and educators this week. Showcase of Advanced Technologies A Showcase of Advanced Technologies will provide IAC university teams and industry sponsors the ability to demonstrate their technologies that have been at the center of the IAC. The IAC sponsors are: Cisco, ADLINK, Ansys, Aptiv, AutonomouStuff/Hexagon, Bridgestone, Clemson Universitys International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), Luminar, Microsoft, New Eagle, PWR, RTI, Schaeffler and Valvoline. In addition is support from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Juncos Hollinger Racing, and Dallara USA. To obtain information about the IAC events and register to attend, please visit https://www.indyautonomouschallenge.com/iac-events About the Indy Autonomous Challenge The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), organized by Energy Systems Network and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is a $1.5 million prize competition among universities to program Dallara AV-21 racecars and compete in the worlds first autonomous racecar event at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway currently scheduled for October 23, 2021. The primary goal of the IAC is to advance technology that can speed the commercialization of fully autonomous vehicles and deployments of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). These enhancements will lead to increased safety and performance in all modes of racing and commercial transportation. In addition, the competition is a platform for students to excel in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). For more information about the IAC and to access visuals of the Dallara AV-21, visit: www.IndyAutonomousChallenge.com. Join us on social media @IndyAChallenge; hashtag: #IAC2021 Contacts National/International: Diane Murphy, (diane@aquariusgroup.net) +1.310.658.8756 Indiana: Raquel Bahamonde, (rbahamonde@cicpindiana.com) +1.317.319.6875 Student Activation: Holly Lawson (hlawson2@doe.in.gov) AP Fact Check: Biden overstates UAW support for electric cars Electric Vehicles Solution Or Diversion? DETROIT August 9, 2021; The AP fact checker reported that President Joe Biden glossed over important details and oversimplified the facts in a boast about support from the United Auto Workers union for his effort to dramatically increase sales of electric vehicles by decade's end. In remarks Wednesday in which he praised labor's role in combating climate change, Biden failed to say that UAW did not endorse the EV targets he set in an executive order signed last month. The union's support is also dependent in part on robust government support for union-made cars in the form of tax credits in legislation pending in Congress something that is far from guaranteed to happen. A look at the claim: BIDEN, praising the work of UAW members: The main Big Three (automakers) have decided along with the support of those unions on building, going electric, so we own that market. THE FACTS: Not exactly. While UAW has expressed general support for more EV sales, it has repeatedly declined to back goals urged by Biden as part of his ambitious plan to combat climate change, including the 40% to 50% target agreed to by the largest automakers. Biden last month announced his plan to own the EV market over foreign competitors, signing an order setting a goal that half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 will be zero-emissions vehicles, which environmental groups say is needed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That would be a seismic shift in the U.S. from internal combustion engines to battery-powered vehicles. Transportation is the single biggest U.S. contributor to climate change. The United Auto Workers union, in fact, has voiced concerns about being too hasty with an EV transition because of the potential impact on industry jobs. Since electric vehicles generally have 30% to 40% fewer parts and are simpler to build, fewer workers will be needed to assemble them. That will likely mean a reshuffling of jobs, as workers who once made engines, transmissions and other components for gas-powered cars have to switch to electric motors and batteries. At the signing of Bidens order, UAW did not endorse a target, pointedly saying it stands behind the president to support his ambition not just to grow electric vehicles but also our capacity to produce them domestically with good wages and benefits. Both UAW and the Big Three" automakers Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler have made clear that a dramatic shift can only happen with incentives for electric vehicle purchases, adequate government funding for charging stations and money to expand electric vehicle manufacturing and the parts supply chain. In a bipartisan infrastructure bill awaiting congressional passage, there is $7.5 billion for grants to build charging stations, about half of what Biden originally proposed. He also had wanted $100 billion for tax credits and rebates to entice people into buying electric vehicles. At least some of that money was expected to be incorporated in a $3.5 trillion spending bill that is facing resistance in Congress. Road Trip: Master Sculptor, 98, Leaves 9/11 Elegy and Tribute in Desert Studio SEE ALSO: Art By John Henry Waddell SEDONA, Ariz., Sept. 10, 2021 -- As hearts fell on September 11, 2011, an adamant prayer for the redemption of the human spirit took flight in one artist's studio, a desert harbor of art and inspiration near Sedona, Arizona. On the day the Twin Towers collapsed, master sculptor John Henry Waddell (February 14, 1921 November 27, 2019) had lived nearly a century of the human story. Holding a Doctorate in Fine Art, Waddell had worked and taught in Europe, Mexico and the U.S. Now, upon hearing the tragic news from across the country, the figures in the earthbound bas relief Waddell had been working on in his desert studio, took flight. "the figures in the relief started to rise." Said Waddell "I thought, 'They can fly. They will express a hope for a kind of release and freedom.'" Other figures like warriors for peace, joined them, as if lifted by the spirits of those who'd lost their lives on that day. Over the decade it took for Waddell to sculpt this elegy, "Rising" grew to be a 30 figure, 50-foot-high bas relief."Rising" is Waddell's stubborn attempt to counterbalance that heartbreakingly dreadful site of bodies falling with his lifelong belief in our ability as humans to rise above adversity, to reach out to one another, to embrace our differences and celebrate life. It wasn't the first-time tragedy had brought voice to Waddell's humanitarian artworks. Over decades, Waddell tackled the social ills of society; intolerance, fear, injustice -- in search of higher meaning in hopes of sparking a dialogue of hope among onlookers. His well-known grouping "That Which Might Have Been, Birmingham 1963 " is his tribute to the four little girls whose lives were taken in the 1963 Ku Klux Klan bombing of the 16th Street Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama. Depicted symbolically as they might have grown to womanly maturity: four distinct individuals become a clear statement that "Black Lives Matter". In the documentary "The Reluctant Muse", Waddell admits it's not easy to define exactly what role art plays in modern society. "It is not anything that is material support of life; it's not saving life, it's not feeding life, it's a thought process and to be allowed to do it is very rare." But if we care to listen, art speaks. Art reminds us that there are always great acts of compassion and incredible feats of courage, humanity and forward thinking shaping this country. Art springs from the totality of human experience; the good, the bad and the ugly. Art holds keys to healing, to overcoming adversity and to our advancement as a culture. Twenty years have passed since September 11, 2001. John Henry Waddell is gone from this life, but from his studio, that desert harbor of art and inspiration, the figures in his last great work, "Rising", send a fervent prayer into the vast Arizona sky: "Rise above adversity. There is something higher than this, and we must never stop reaching for it." CONTACT: Amy Waddell, Art Harbor [email protected] 310.283.1355 SOURCE John Henry Waddell Auto Battery Maker ITALVOLT Buys 1 Million Sq Meters To Build Gigafactory MILAN Italy Sept. 10, 2021 Lars Carlstrom Europe Italy's and SCARMAGNO,--, founded byto create one of the largest gigafactories in, has signed an agreement with Prelios Sgr, manager of Fondo Monteverdi, for the purchase of an area of one million square meters. The purchased land is located in the municipality of Scarmagno, which is insecond largest region of Piedmont, where the former Olivetti factory stood. Italvolt's gigafactory, which once fully operational, is destined to become one of Europe's largest production and storage sites of lithium batteries for electric vehicles, with a planned capacity of 45 GWh. This represents one of the most important and largest industrial investment projects in Italy in modern times, involving an overall investment of around 3.4 billion euros. The site in Scarmagno has been selected for its existing infrastructure and strategic geographical location in terms of good road and rail connections. The site will be able to leverage Piedmont's productive capability, the leading region in Italy for automotive industrial production. The land will be reclaimed and repurposed by Italvolt, dedicating an area of 300 thousand square meters to constructing the new plant. Out of this, 20 thousand square meters will be dedicated to creating a Research & Development centre. The next step for Italvolt is obtaining building permits by the beginning of 2022 so work can begin in the second half of the year. Pininfarina's Architecture Division will design the new plant with a strong focus on environmental and social impact. Pininfarina intends to develop a new generation industrial plant integrated into the economic and social fabric of the region. Lars Carlstrom, CEO and Founder of Italvolt, stated: "The agreement with Prelios Sgr represents a crucial step in the implementation plan of our gigafactory project. We are delighted to have concluded the purchase of the land with input from local authorities. In recent months they have made a significant contribution to the promotion of Italvolt's project. The decommissioned site offers excellent potential to restore the local industrial heritage, offering jobs and environmental improvements." In the first half of 2021, the electric mobility industry saw a significant increase in growth, not only in Europe but globally. In Italy, for instance, in the first six months of 2021, registrations of electric and plug-in hybrid cars quadrupled, compared to the same period last year. As a result, the demand for lithium-ion batteries in Europe is expected to grow at a rate of 24% per year, driven by electric mobility exceeding 1,200 GWh in 2035. Lars Carlstrom added: "We are proud to be the promoters of a project that will become one of the largest gigafactories in Southern Europe. We are certain that this will pave the way for new industrial initiatives dedicated to battery production. To achieve the challenging goal, set by the European Commission, to complete the transition towards a zero-emission automotive industry by 2035, it is necessary to accelerate battery production, and Italvolt is ready to do its part." Patrick Del Bigio, CEO of Prelios Sgr, commented: "We are very pleased with the result achieved. The area that hosted the historic Olivetti will come back to life in the following months with a new industrial project focused on the business of electric mobility, which today presents itself as a highly strategic and innovative sector, just as Olivetti was in the 1960s in the IT sector. Therefore, the industrial heritage of the site remains intact with important socio-economic developments that will derive from the focus on green industrialization. With this focus, Prelios SGR has also been particularly committed and has contributed to the operation's success, working in close coordination with representatives of the public administration and all the other actors involved, as well as defining the best value of the real estate asset." Andrea Tronzano, Councillor for the Budget of the Piedmont Region, said: "This is a moment of great excitement for Piedmont. This step is extraordinarily important for the Canavese area and beyond and demonstrates Italvolt's willingness to build the battery factory on schedule. Piedmont wants a gigafactory, and this news can only give us great pleasure. Now we will support the business plans through helping government access the resources of Pnrr." Certain administrative matters associated with the agreement are expected to be met within 12 months from the signing. On legal matters, Italvolt was assisted by Dentons, with a team led by Managing Partner Federico Sutti and composed of Partner Federico Vanetti and Associates Lorenzo Ugolini and Cristina Garlaschelli. GDP assisted Prelios Sgr - Studio Legale e Tributario with a team led by Founding Partner Prof. Andrea Gemma, with Partner Elisabetta Mattozzi and Managing Associate Chiara Adele Pero. is building a Gigafactory with a 45 GWh production capacity for battery cells in Saramango, Italy. Our key goal is to contribute to the green industrialization by becoming one of the main suppliers of green batteries in Europe and establishing Italy's presence as a preeminent battery manufacturer. This also means playing our part in the circular economy and ultimately the regeneration of natural resources. Italvolt is also concerned with the rejuvenation of a historical power house of industry with ESG aspects at the forefront of its strategy and this includes creating an eco-valley of research and innovation through our 20,000 m2 advanced R&D centre. People, community and education are of particular importance with an open platform factory design that engages and involves local residents and that provides growth alongside a sustainable future. PRELIMS SGR PRELIMS SGR is the Prelios Group's fund manager. One of the leading Italian real-estate fund and asset managers, it promotes and manages alternative investment funds (investment funds and SICAFs) and separate accounts, and provides advisory services for major national and international investors on the formulation and execution of the best movable and immovable asset investment and management strategies across Italy. At December 2020, Prelios SGR had assets under management for approximately 6.4 billion Euro through 38 alternative investment funds, including one umbrella fund, and two SICAFs. Prelios SGR is a signatory of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment network, which works for the integration into investment practices of the six responsible investment principles incorporating environmental, social and corporate governance issues. Syringes loaded with shots of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in the pharmacy of National Jewish Hospital for distribution early Saturday, March 6, 2021, in east Denver. A man walks by two old Stanley Works factory buildings connected by a skyway on Myrtle Street in New Britain, Conn., Thursday, May 9, 2002. This is How Common Hate Crimes are in Illinois Compared to Other States Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announces updates on COVID-19 in the state, Friday, April 24, 2020, in Johnston, Iowa. Gov. Reynolds permitted statewide health systems to resume elective procedures as well as farmers markets under distancing parameters starting April 27. Reynolds stated the end of April as when the current "bulk of declarations" on business closings will expire. (Olivia Sun/The Des Moines Register via AP, Pool) Up for debate: Live legislation tracker Check out the latest developments on bills pending before state lawmakers in four key topics. This is How Common Hate Crimes are in Louisiana Compared to Other States Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signs HB349, creating the Missouri Empowerment Scholarships program, on Wednesday as Senate majority leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, and his son, Willem, watch with Representative and bill sponsor Phil Christofanelli, R-St. Peters. Sean Spicer is host of Spicer & Co. weekdays on Newsmax, president of RigWil LLC consulting firm, and adviser to Republican candidates. The former White House press secretary has been a House of Representatives communicator, National Republican Congressional Committee strategist, assistant U.S. trade representative and Republican National Committee communications director. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu speaks April 30, 2020, during a news conference at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Manchester, New Hampshire. Sununu was accompanied by inventor Dean Kamen (left) and U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. This is How Common Hate Crimes are in New Hampshire Compared to Other States Managing Editor Delphine Luneau is a veteran journalist with more than 20 years of experience. She was the editor of Suburban Life Media when its flagship was named best weekly in Illinois, and she has worked at papers in South Carolina, Indiana, Idaho and New York. News Updates Would you like to receive our newsletter? Get local, Wyoming, and national news, the weather forecast, and more, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up today! Instant unlimited access to all of our E-Editions and content on thechronicleonline.com. The Chronicle E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) Searcy, AR (72143) Today Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 68F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Batavia, NY (14020) Today Periods of rain. The rain will be heavy at times. High around 70F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low 52F. Winds light and variable. Towanda, PA (18848) Today Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 83F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain...mainly this evening. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Oneonta, NY (13820) Today Thunderstorms, accompanied by locally heavy rainfall at times. A few storms may be severe. High 79F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Oneonta, NY (13820) Today Cloudy early followed by heavy thunderstorms this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High near 80F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 58F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Oneonta, NY (13820) Today Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High near 80F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 58F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Click the image to the left and log in to get your exclusive reader perks. Melanie joined The Daily Times in the early 90s and has served as the Life section editor since 1993. A William Blount and UT alum, Melanie is generally the early arriver who turns on the lights in the newsroom. Follow Melanie Tucker Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today News 20th ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11: Blount native saw Pennsylvania field through her camera's lens Courtesy of Janet Craig FBI photographer Janet Craig, a native of Blount County, sifts through the crash site of United Airlines Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, in the days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Courtesy of Chuck Wagner Janet Craig (left), a member of Knoxvilles FBI response team in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, with Yachiyo Kuge, the mother of Flight 93 victim Toshiya Kuge, 20. The two formed a bond over their shared experiences. The photo was taken by Chuck Wagner and published in his book, Reflections from the Memorial. Courtesy of Janet Craig Janet Craig has kept memorabilia from her time as an FBI photographer at the crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, as well as from attending memorial services on the anniversaries of the terrorist attacks. Courtesy of Janet Craig The Flight 93 National Memorial in located in the field where the plane was crashed by the passengers in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to stop the terrorist on their flight. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Courtesy of Janet Craig The FBI's Evidence Response team from Knoxville is shown on the ground at the crash site of United Airlines Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Forty passengers and crew died in addition to the four hijackers. Its likely FBI photographer Janet Craig, of Seymour, would have never crossed paths with Yachiyo Kuge, of Japan, were it not for the worst day of Kuges life. It was Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. That was the day Kuges 20-year-old son, Toshiya, gave his life as United Airlines Flight 93 was commandeered by al-Qaeda terrorists, who it is believed had planned to fly it straight into the Capitol. The passengers and crew aboard had different plans, however, and together crashed it miles from the targeted site, in an empty field in rural Shanksville, Pennsylvania. All 40 brave, selfless passengers and crew on board were lost, as were the four hijackers; the heroism likely saved hundreds of others. The flight originated in New Jersey and was headed to California. Craig, a Blount County native, worked out of the Knoxville office on the FBI Evidence Response Team. She remembers that the terrorist attacks happened on a Tuesday morning, at three different locations: New York City, the Pentagon and Shanksville. She was on the ground in Shanksville by late Thursday night, Sept. 13, 20 years ago. Her first observation as she approached the crash site: A backhoe digging in the hole where the plane came down. The flight recorder has just been found before the Knoxville team arrived. Craig and the others on her team of eight from Knoxville worked 12-hour shifts for two weeks. They sifted through dirt and wreckage to salvage what they could: items of clothing, passports, wedding rings and other personal items that helped to piece the story together. Craig also was responsible for taking photos for the FBI. Every photo she snapped was handed over to the federal agency as evidence. Much of the work she did was digital with some film, Craig said. Anything I took, they used as evidence, Craig said. I did not get copies of those. I found a drivers license but I never saw my photos. Where is it all now? she pondered. In there an evidence room somewhere. It was also this teams job to fan out and search for mail that had been aboard the plane; Craig said she didnt find any. There were some who were assigned to climb trees, she said. Someone found a wedding ring embedded in a tree. It was given back to a woman. There was an inscription in it. Revisiting the site Craig has been back to the crash site many times, but not since 2019. She said the anniversary ceremonies are beautiful and great tributes to the victims and their families, but crowds are huge and she cant really get close to the families. One mother in particular she bonded with, and that was Kuge. Her son was a college student and was on his way back to Japan when his plane was chosen by terrorists for their suicidal murder mission. Craig said she was introduced to the Japanese mom by someone else working at the crash site. Kuge wanted to know what happened to her sons camera and its contents. It was still an emotional time, Craig recalled of a time not long after the crash. I tried to explain to her that there probably wasnt anything left. The planes impact was so great. ... We ended up friends. As someone trained to handle exactly these kinds of moments, Craig hasnt revealed all that she witnessed at this sacred site. Talking about remains is too personal, she said. Each of the members of the response teams also had counseling after they completed their mission to help them with the emotional and psychological toil of being first responders. Kuge has been back to Shanksville many times and has brought her other son and grandchildren with her. In the aftermath of this dark day, the families of Flight 93s victims were able to go through and pick out what they knew belonged to their lost loved ones. Everyone got something back, Craig said. For Kuge, it was a pair of her sons socks. Long before there was a permanent memorial at the Shanksville site, people came to express their appreciation and vow to always remember what happened here. A makeshift memorial sprang up as people left notes, teddy bears, flowers, flags, hats, crosses, pins, patches, plaques, carvings, license plates, superhero statues and other tokens of their grief all stuffed in and displayed along a perimeter fence. People left a ton of stuff, Craig said. Permanent reminder The groundbreaking for the Flight 93 National Memorial took place on Nov. 7, 2009. Presidents and/or their representatives have been to the site each year since the fateful day. There is a boulder at the site, marking where the plane came down. Visitors can go inside the visitors center to see and hear the details of what transpired as terrorists tried to take the plane into D.C. Pick up one of the phones there to listen to some of the last calls passengers made to their family members. Craig said she hasnt listened to many of them. There arent too many people who can because its too raw and emotional, she said. I have never seen anybody pick up all those phones, said Craigs husband, Steve. He has visited the site with her on several occasions. You cant get through them all. The helmet Craig wore as she worked at the crash site has been donated to the National Park Service, which oversees the memorial. She has tons of commemorative pins and coins from this moment in history. She carried a lantern during one of the ceremonies that marked the anniversary 40 lanterns for 40 brave souls, she explained. The annual ceremony is hosted by Friends of Flight 93. Some of her photographs were part of a slide show. In addition to working the Shanksville site, Craig also was sent to New York City in the weeks after the attack there. She poured over tons of debris looking for anything. Seeing countrys worst This FBI photographer spent 30 years of her life seeing our worst days. She went to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, spending two weeks in the Ninth Ward, one of the hardest hit areas. Ive never been back to New Orleans, she said. When American terrorist/bomber Eric Rudolph was evading arrest by living on the lam, Craig was assigned to go to North Carolina and track him. He later told authorities he was watching them as they combed the wooded areas and could have taken them out at will. He was captured in 2003. But it was the case of a man who was kidnapped and placed in a freezer that took the final toll on Craig. The mans nose and mouth were taped shut, all because of a car that thieves wanted from him. I said Thats it. I cant do this anymore. I am outta here. Paying respects The location where Flight 93 went down is a former mining site that had been covered over, Craig said. There is one place reserved for only family members to visit. Unidentified remains were buried in an area called the Sacred Ground, in 2011 during the 10th anniversary of the attacks. The Wall of Names puts the personal sacrifice on display. The impact crater was filled in with grasses and wildflowers. One of Craigs friends, Chuck Wagner, has written two books on the heroism of Flight 93 passengers and crew. His photos tell the story. One family member he talked with called them the first citizen-soldiers in the fight against terrorism. There is a photo of Craig and Yachiyo Kuge woven within the pages. Thankfully, Craig has suffered no ill health effects from her time in Shanksville and New York. Other first responders she has worked with havent been as fortunate. One of her team members has been treated at Mayo Clinic for something it deems Shanksville related. A member of another of the responding teams died. Those teams hailed from Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago and Louisville, Kentucky, plus Knoxville. Over the years, Craig has noticed the absence of some family members who came to the anniversary ceremonies early on in Shanksville. She said wives and husbands of some of the victims have found a way to move on. Those who continue to show up on the anniversaries of 9/11 are mostly the parents, brothers and sisters of the heroes of Flight 93. A lot of them have likely moved on, Craig said. At some point, I think I did, too. Meet Baker! Baker is an Australian Cattle dog that loves belly rubs, eating grass and chewing on water bottles. He can sit, is able to chase h Forest City, NC (28043) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 84F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Overcast with showers at times. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. A nurse prepares a Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination as part of a vaccine drive by the Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians in Arleta, Los Angeles on Aug. 23, 2021. (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters) 19 Governors, 2 AGs Resist Bidens Vaccine Mandates More than a dozen governors and two attorneys general late on Sept. 9 issued statements defying the Biden administrations impending vaccine mandates for federal workers and private-sector workers. President Joe Biden earlier in the day signed an executive order to require all federal workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. There would be no option to opt out via COVID-19 testing. The mandate also applies to government contractors and their employees. The president later announced he would direct the Department of Labor to create a rule to have companies with over 100 employees mandate vaccinations or weekly testing, a move that affects more than 80 million workers in the private sector. At least 19 governors and two attorneys general immediately issued statements disagreeing with the administrations move, with several vowing to defy it. They include the governors of Arizona, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. All are Republicans. They were joined by at least two state attorneys general, both Republicans, as of that nightSean Reyes from Utah and Todd Rokita from Indiana. Related Coverage RNC Announces Plans to Sue Biden Over Vaccine Mandate Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, the chair of the National Governors Association, said in a statement: I fully support continued efforts to increase vaccination rates across our nation, but the federal government mandates on private businesses are not the right answer. I have been consistent in freedom of businesses to require their employees to be vaccinated, and I have opposed the government from saying businesses cannot exercise that freedom. The same principle should protect the private sector from government overreach that requires them to vaccinate all employees. Multiple Republican governors, including for Arizona, Georgia, and South Dakota, hinted or announced that they would seek legal avenues to resist the mandates. The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective tools to prevent the disease, but getting the vaccine is and should be a choice, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said in a statement. These mandates are outrageous. They will never stand up in court. We must and will push back. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp wrote on Twitter, I will pursue every legal option available to the state of Georgia to stop this blatantly unlawful overreach by the Biden administration. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem wrote on Twitter, South Dakota will stand up to defend freedom. @JoeBiden see you in court. She later shared another Twitter post saying her legal team is prepared to stand up to the Biden administrations mandates. The Biden administration didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. President Joe Biden speaks about combating the coronavirus pandemic at the White House on Sept. 9, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) Biden earlier in the day commented on the issue of vaccine mandates in schools, saying, If these governors wont help us beat the pandemic, Ill use my power as president to get them out of the way. Biden said the matter of getting more shots into arms is not about freedom or personal choice. Its about protecting yourself and those around youthe people you work with, the people you care about, the people you love. Statements from the remaining governors and attorneys general as of late Sept. 9 are as follows: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (in part): I support the science and encourage folks taking the vaccine. However, I am absolutely against a government mandate on the vaccine, which is why I signed the vaccine passport ban into law here in Alabama. This is not the role of the government. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy: This is ridiculous and unenforceable. If there was ever a case for the 25th Amendment Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (at a press conference): I do not believe that people should lose their jobs over this issue, and we will fight that. If they try to do that through a rule like the Department of Labor, I dont think they have the legal authority to do that, but we obviously would want to support protections for people who are just trying to earn a living. Idaho Gov. Brad Little: Todays actions from President Biden amount to government overreach. Government should stay out of decisions involving employers and their employees as much as possible. Ive advocated for and championed fewer government regulations and mandates on business. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds: President Biden is taking dangerous and unprecedented steps to insert the federal government even further into our lives while dismissing the ability of Iowans and Americans to make healthcare decisions for themselves. Bidens plan will only worsen our workforce shortage and further limit our economic recovery. As Ive said all along, I believe and trust in Iowans to make the best health decisions for themselves and their families. Its time for President Biden to do the same. Enough is enough. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (in part): Vaccination protects us from serious illness, but the decision to get vaccinated is a private health care decision that should remain as such. My administration will always fight back against federal power grabs and government overreach that threatens to limit our freedoms. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves: The President has no authority to require that Americans inject themselves because of their employment at a private business. The vaccine itself is life-saving, but this unconstitutional move is terrifying. This is still America, and we still believe in freedom from tyrants. Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte: President Bidens vaccination mandate is unlawful and un-American. We are committed to protecting Montanans freedoms and liberties against this gross federal overreach. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts: President Bidens announcement is a stunning violation of personal freedom and abuse of the federal governments power. This plan isnt about public healththis is about government control and taking away personal liberties. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum: President Bidens misguided plan steers our country down a dangerous path away from states rights and the freedom of private businesses to make their own decisions on vaccinations. We stand opposed to this blatant federal overreach. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt: It is not the governments role to dictate to private businesses what to do. Once again President Biden is demonstrating his complete disregard for individual freedoms and states rights. As long as I am governor, there will be no government vaccine mandates in Oklahoma. My administration will continue to defend Oklahoma values and fight back against the Biden administrations federal overreach. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster: The American Dream has turned into a nightmare under President Biden and the radical Democrats. They have declared war against capitalism, thumbed their noses at the Constitution, and empowered our enemies abroad. Rest assured, we will fight them to the gates of hell to protect the liberty and livelihood of every South Carolinian. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee: This is not about freedom is a phrase that should never come out of a U.S. Presidents mouth. For a fight that requires working together, a lot of cynical and divisive edicts came out of the White House today pitting the vaccinated against the unvaccinated, businesses against employees, and the federal government against states. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott: Bidens vaccine mandate is an assault on private businesses. I issued an Executive Order protecting Texans right to choose whether they get the COVID vaccine & added it to the special session agenda. Texas is already working to halt this power grab. Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (in part): I have asked the Attorney General to stand prepared to take all actions to oppose this administrations unconstitutional overreach of executive power. It has no place in America. Not now, and not ever. Passengers board a Qatar Airways aircraft at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sept. 9, 2021. (Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images) 21 Americans Aboard Qatari Flight, Not Everyone Chose to Evacuate Afghanistan: Price The U.S. State Department confirmed that 39 Americans were invited on the first commercial flight allowed to take off from Kabuls airport on Sept. 9, although not everyone ultimately chose to depart Afghanistan, citing different reasons. We can confirm that, of the 39 we invited, 10 U.S. citizens and 11 Lawful Permanent Residents were on-board the Qatar Airways charter flight out of Kabul today, spokesman Ned Price said in a statement on Thursday. This is another concrete demonstration of our commitment to assist those to whom we have a special commitment, he added. The Qatar Airways plane left Hamid Karzai International Airport on the evening of Sept. 9 local time and landed successfully in Doha, the capital of Qatar, several hours later. An estimated 200 foreigners left the war-torn nation on the commercial flight with the cooperation of the Talibanthe first such large-scale departure since U.S. forces completed their frantic withdrawal over a week ago. Passengers prepare to board a Qatar Airways aircraft at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan on Sept. 9, 2021. (Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images) Not all of the Americans that were invited accepted to depart Afghanistan on Sept. 9, Price said during a news conference following the successful landing of the charter flight in Doha. In our engagement with them, they offered a number of different reasons, Price said, referring to Americans who chose not to take part in Thursdays evacuation. Some wanted more time to consider it. Others wanted to remain with extended family, at least for the time being. Others cited medical issues, he explained. Hundreds of other Afghans who say they are at risk for helping the Americans have gathered for more than a week in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, waiting for permission to board evacuation flights chartered by U.S. supporters. Many are believed not to have the necessary travel documents. Price confirmed during Thursdays briefing that no charter flights have taken off from the airport in Mazar so far. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price holds a press briefing on Afghanistan at the State Department in Washington, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) I can tell you that has nothing to do with any inaction or action by the part of the United States government, Price said. And we were very clear that we want to see the Taliban permit those who have expressed a desire to leave in this way to do so. According to Qatari envoy Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani, another 200 passengers will leave Afghanistan on Sept. 10 from the Kabul International Airport. Its still not clear how many Americans are stranded in Afghanistan. The Biden administration said between 100 and 200 were left behind when U.S. troops completed their withdrawal, but others have pegged the number around 500. The Associated Press contributed to this report. From NTD News Almost 2,000 Bikers Show Up and Show Out to Escort Hearse of 2-Year-Old Flood Victim Almost 2,000 bikers have rallied to honor a Humphreys County toddler who lost his life in the Tennessee floods. The 2-year-old who adored motorbikes had a procession, where members gathered to escort the little boys hearse to the funeral home, making the sendoff an absolutely emotional one. Bikers congregated in downtown Dickson, while another group met in Clarksville with their Yamahas and Harley-Davidsons humming in anticipation. Many had never met the boy, Kellen Burrow Vaughn; but they simply wanted to pay their respects. Two-year-old Kellen Burrow lost his life to the floods. (Courtesy of Allen Burrow via Mark Rose) They only asked for bikers to come and ride behind the hearse, but they got so much more, attendee Donna Steel Magnolia Douglas-Williams wrote on Facebook, sharing photos of the humongous turnout. Kellens grandfather Allen Burrow described his always happy grandson to the Tennessean as being much like himself. Just every time you hear a bike, you look around, see who it is, see if you know him, he explained. He just loved seeing bikes. Burrowa member of Tennessees Forbidden Shields motorcycle group alongside his wife, Mandytook to Facebook to ask fellow bikers to escort Kellen to his final resting place. His close friend Mark Rose was heartbroken to learn of Kellens passing, and took it upon himself to spread the word. (Courtesy of Donna Steel Magnolia Douglas-Williams) Rose went live on Facebook on Aug. 29. By the next morning, his post had amassed over 1,000 views, traveling fast via the hashtag #RideForKellen, a tag dreamed up by social media campaign contributor Alicia Schnepf and her 14-year-old daughter. At this point, I knew it was going to be huge, Rose told The Epoch Times. With Burrows and Kellens moms permission, he started making calls, and support gathered quickly. (Courtesy of Donna Steel Magnolia Douglas-Williams) Kellen was ripped from his mothers arms by floodwater currents on Aug. 21 outside the familys Waverly apartment. His mom, Brittney EleBri McCord, and his stepfather, Kalaub, fought hard and saved their other four children, WKRN reported. Tragically, Kellens body was retrieved days later, making him one of the flood victims who lost their lives. Dicksons Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the ladies auxiliary were the first people Rose contacted to ask for support at Kellens memorial, followed by the city police, the sheriffs office, Taylor Funeral Homewhere Kellens service was heldand several local businesses. This message shows me theres still so much good in the world, said Schnepf. We literally shut down Dickson for this child, which is absolutely amazing. The VFW ladies auxiliary arranged food, Rose told The Epoch Times, while he set up sound, lighting, and video, assigning street corners to volunteer guides to direct and count attending bikers. He credited the collective effort for the days success. Initially counting 770 bikers, Rose estimated that the eventual turnout was closer to 2,000. It was incredible! The biker community showed up and showed out, he said. Douglas-Williamswho had lost an infant herself and went on to foster 43 children, adopting 2pledged, Anything for a child. Its so hard to face Love heals some of the wounds, but you never forget. Among those blown away by Kellens memorial was Deputy Mike Webb, a 40-year law enforcement veteran of Humphreys County. It was a national news story that this little boy likes bikes, said Webb. His family wanted a turnout. Well, he got a turnout. Watch the video: (Courtesy of Donna Steel Magnolia Douglas-Williams) 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 Dr. Michael Rectenwald, a former professor at New York University and author of The Google Archipelago: The Digital Gulag and the Simulation of Freedom," in New York City, on Oct. 4, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Pro-America Group Launches Non-Woke Learning Platform, Forum A new online education platform, American Scholars, launches on Sept. 10, promising courses on history, economics, law, and other subjects, aimed at helping parents and students to inoculate themselves against the woke ideology currently spreading through schools. In addition to courses, the platform offers a discussion forum that will aid parents and students to discuss educational issues as well as organize their activities. The platform marks itself as pro-American, rejecting the woke political zeitgeist moving through academia that is based on quasi-Marxist ideas such as Critical Race Theory (CRT). The virtual courses are led by established lecturers from American universities and cover areas salient to the current cultural climate. The project was started by Matthew Pohl, a former admissions officer at the University of Pennsylvania. He saw traditional colleges as needlessly expensive as well as intellectually skewed by woke ideology. He founded American Scholars as an antidote to both, he previously told The Epoch Times. For chief academic officer, Pohl picked Michael Rectenwald, a retired liberal studies professor at New York University. Rectenwald was de facto pushed out of his teaching job after he started criticizing the woke. Hes since become an authority on corporate socialism, a convergence of government and business interest in establishing a kind of totalitarian, socialist rule. So far, hes picked four lecturers to create courses for American Scholars. Hes also personally working on one that will cover CRT. The subscription will start at $9 a month with the first several courses scheduled for release on September 10. The offerings should grow over time as the platform gains traction, Rectenwald told The Epoch Times via email. He stressed the discussion forum is an important piece of the project, describing it as a kind of non-leftist Reddit, if you will, where parents and other concerned citizens can discuss the challenges they face with K12 and higher education, and where they can organize to fight back against Critical Race Theory, socialist indoctrination, and other pernicious ideologies. Morality Key to a Free Market The first course on the platform is in economics and delves into the difference between free market and command economies. It was produced by Robin McCutcheon, associate professor of economics at Marshall University in West Virginia. The goal of my economics sessions is for students to self-reflect on what they see around them (in the world today) and decide for themselves how they would like to direct their own life, she told The Epoch Times via email. McCutcheon joined American Scholars because she saw it offering academic freedom which she couldnt find at mainstream universities, she said. She found universities replete with people who have been trained and believe in socialist, progressive, leftist all the words necessary to define an ideology of totalitarian, top-down power and control, where the elite hold absolute power/control and the rest-of-us are considered plebs/serfs. A society based on individual liberties and free commerce is superior to a socialist one, the professor said, but she felt the academic world has been hostile to dissenting ideas. Most of the elitist intelligentsia do not even know they are on the side of tyranny; they do not see it either in themselves or any colleague who espouses the same kind of philosophy, she said. But when someone comes around that does not espouse their philosophy, not only do they recognize an enemy, they set out to destroy them. Through her course, shed like to engage students in a multi-step process of self-reflection combined with recognition of their own actions in the market. In contrast to a top-down system, McCutcheon sees the free-market economy as the expression of the morality of all its participants. If you have a moral code (or code of ethics) that prescribes honesty in dealing with people, then your outcomes and consequences are more probable to be good ones. If you have a moral code (or code of ethics) that prescribes lying and cheating when dealing with people, your outcomes and consequences are more probable to be less than desirable. The outcomes in any market reflect the moral code of its participants, she said. Therefore, the type of market wherein participants hold a very high standard of moral code and ethics, will be the one with the best outcomes where the maximum amount of freedom is to be available for each participant. We call that kind of market the free-market. Honesty, kindness, hard work, quality of product or service, are some of the characteristics of people one sees in a free-market economy. A higher standard of living is possible for all who work to achieve it. A person subscribing to lying and cheating will have a hard time participating in voluntary exchange, in her view. It wont take very long for your customers to realize what kind of person you are, and they will avoid doing business with you, she said about people who lie and cheat. She sees America slipping deeper and deeper into a command economy and considers morality as a key to moving back to a free-market one. When students can recognize that a free-market is the polar opposite to a controlled market, and that the underlying character of the people involved in each is the mechanism that defines the market, most people will need to look within themselves to see what kind of moral code they hold dear, she said. As her next step, she said shed like to produce a course on personal finance. American History American Scholars will offer a course on American history produced by Aharon Zorea, associate professor of history at the University of Wisconsin Colleges. He sees the subject as most often abused (or corrupted) by the influence of more political agendas, he told The Epoch Times via email. We often hear about horror stories of students being told that our country is racist, sexist, and built on capitalist oppressionbut we do not often have the counter arguments to explain why those stories are wrong, and why they misrepresent (and abuse) American history, he said. Zoreas course aims to provide just such arguments. Everyone will benefit from a systematic discussion of American history from its founding to the present day, the history professor said. We not only provide the broader context to explain some of the more notorious myths about American history that are being taught in schools today, but we also provide the tools and methods to train our students to pursue their own research to combat these corrupted narratives head-on. He already has about 200 video segments planned with more on the drawing board. I start off with some basic historical themes, and provide some examples of how these themes are misinterpreted by current history curriculum. Then, as I lay that foundation, I will slowly fill in the gaps, Zorea said. In the future, hed like to add courses on the History of Western Civilization, World History, Ancient Civilization, and other special topics, he said. Internet and Freedom Another course on the Internet and the First Amendment is being produced by Lisa Nelson, associate professor of law at the University of Pittsburgh. The course focuses on the regulatory framework of the internet that has ironically given rise to censorship when we had originally hoped that it would produce an open and free internet, she told The Epoch Times via email. Shes been doing research on the topic of social media and censorship but felt frustrated about the difficulty in discussing it openly in academia. In a university setting it is becoming increasingly hard to talk about a variety of subjects because of the political divide that exists, Nelson said. Journey of Media Michael Nevradakis had been until recently a media and communications instructor at the American College of Greece. Hes producing a course on media history, tracing the development of communication technologies through the ages and up to the present time, along with the controversies, fears, and hopes that accompanied the introduction of each of these technologies into society, he told The Epoch Times via email. We live in a world that is not only increasingly media saturated, but also a world where more and more of our daily lives, activities, and the information and knowledge that we receive and are exposed to, are mediated through new technological platforms, he said. These platforms, in turn, have amassed what some would say is an extreme amount of power, control, and influence over our public discourse. In such a world, attaining a strong degree of media literacy is vital, as is gaining an understanding of how the media landscape operates and how we got to where we are today. Nevradakis, too, has a negative experience with the current climate at universities. Ive personally dealt with a ridiculous set of obstacles at one of the academic institutions Ive worked for previously; obstacles which seemed to have nothing to do with my academic or scholarly work or my professionalism, he said, without going into further detail. Target for Attack All the academics acknowledged that joining the project can make them targets of attacks. Honestly, this part of participating in American Scholars frightens me, but it also makes it important to do, Nelson said. I lived for a time in the USSR and I saw how individuals were forced to quiet their criticism and conform to political pressures to keep their family and livelihoods safe. I never thought I would see the day when America is reaching this point and I believe we have to start challenging the constraints that are being put on us to conform and to be quiet. McCutcheon acknowledged facing disagreement as a given. Frankly, I dont want all people to agree with what I sayId rather they use their logical thinking skills a little more to reason through ideas, rather than tear them apart because they dont like them, she said. I would like more talk and less griping. She said she expects the backlash to backfire. Im confident in my personal and professional foundations that anyone trying to attack me will find themselves exposed and vulnerable to criticism directed back at them, she said. Nevradakis expressed a similar sentiment, expecting personal attacks on himself to misfire. You can either prove that you are, in fact, as tolerant and open as you probably claim yourself to be, or you can prove your opponents correct by engaging in a campaign of ostracization against someone who you apparently consider to be, for whatever reason, a threat, he said. The choice is yours, but on my end, I am used to such battlesand I am used to winning them. Zorea said hes so far still encouraged to develop personal research projects at his university, but acknowledged pressure may mount if American Scholars receives substantial attention and he thus wont be able to fly under the radar anymore. You can never predict the extent to which the dominant culture of radicalized activists might go to silence the viewpoints that they disagree with. Yet, we have to speak and teach as we are called to do, he said. We will just have to see what comes of it. I am hoping that our parallel institutions will be able to sustain themselves without the dependency of the dominant social and cultural gatekeepers. That should help a great deal. If we receive support from our viewers, then we really cannot be canceled.' Australia At The Front of New Battle Ground With China: Treasurer Warns Australian business leaders have been told the country is at the front of a new battleground with China. Speaking at the Australian National Universitys Crawford Leadership Forum in Canberra on Sep. 6, federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Australia was on the front line of new strategic competition and facing increasing pressure to compromise core values from Beijing. We have faced increasing pressure to compromise on our core values, Frydenberg said. And when we have stood firm, as we always will, we have been subjected to economic coercion. Singling out the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as the source of the bullying, Frydenberg noted this coercion had included Beijings attempt to coerce the government to address its fourteen grievances with Canberra covering everything from Australias foreign investment laws to the governments willingness to call out cyber attacks. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg during a press conference in the Blue Room at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on June 2, 2021. (Sam Mooy/Getty Images) It is no secret that China has recently sought to target Australias economy, Frydenberg said. They have targeted our agricultural and resources sector, with measures affecting a range of products, including wine, seafood, barley and coal. He also noted that the Morrison government would remain steadfast in defending our sovereignty and our core values. Reacting to the comments, the Head of the ANUs National Security College, Prof. Rory Medcalf, said in a post on Twitter that Frydenbergs address shows that economics is now a security issue, labelling the comments a strong message to business. Main theme of @JoshFrydenberg speech on the economy to @ANUmedia ANU Crawford Leadership Forum right now Chinas economic coercion against Australia is not working, we will stand firm and keep making our economy more resilient. Economics is now a security issue. Rory Medcalf (@Rory_Medcalf) September 6, 2021 The speech comes amid increasing recognition that economic coercion was a routine foreign policy weapon wielded by the CCP, which is galvanising global opposition to Beijings tactics. Last month, European Union (EU) leaders and the United States expressed solidarity with Lithuania after Beijing froze rail freight to the Baltic country and suspended export permits for Lithuanian industries. A small European country, Lithuania, is being targeted by the CCP after it chose to open diplomatic offices in Taiwan. In a joint statement from the United States and the 13 chairs of EUs Foreign Affairs Committee, which is drawn from 11 EU member states, including Germany, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and France, said they stood firm with Lithuania. We, the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees, strongly condemn the political, diplomatic and economic pressure of the Peoples republic of China on Lithuania. The interference in the internal affairs of a European Union and NATO state are neither welcome nor appropriate, the statement read. We stand with Lithuania Free nations are standing together as China puts pressure on a sovereign people to change their policies. We stand together as @NATO and Europe. pic.twitter.com/dX0Ob9FnNZ Tom Tugendhat (@TomTugendhat) August 27, 2021 They also urged Lithuania to maintain its current course in rejecting Chinas behaviour. Despite the immediate economic threat posed by the CCP, the Australian government remained optimistic in the longer term, with Frydenberg telling the forum that the economic impact of the CCPs coercion was modest. The treasurer put this down to Australian exporters finding alternative markets in South Asia and worldwide, which he said were increasingly hungry for Australian goods. Frydenberg also urged businesses to diversify their markets, and not overly rely on any one country, pledging support for businesses to diversify and adapt to this new environment. However, Frydenbergs speech has faced criticism from Australia China Business Council board member Daryl Guppy in an opinion piece for the Chinese state-owned media CTGN, calling the treasurers diversification message wishful thinking. Guppy said that while some industries have found substitute markets for those lost in China, many businesses have not. The Royal Gorge Bridge spans the cliffs of the Royal Gorge. For several decades it was the world's highest bridge. (Courtesy of the Royal Gorge Region) Beyond the Bars in Canon City, Colorado Quite a few out-of-towners spend time in Canon City, but not for the right reasons. While this smallish city in south-central Colorado is within driving distance of fast-growing Colorado Springs and the former steel city of Pueblo, it is hardly a bedroom community for commuters. Instead, many of those living here are behind bars in the 11 prisons spread across Fremont County, which takes its name from the legendary 19th-century soldier, explorer, and politician John C. Fremont. One of the most infamous inmates, Joaquin Guzman, better known as the Mexican drug lord El Chapo, is locked up at the federal supermax prison. Those coming to Canon City for something other than a spell in the penitentiaries often do so for the Royal Gorge Route Railroad. The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey is open daily for tastings. (Courtesy of The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey) Sightseeing via Train The heritage line operates as many as four daily sightseeing trains along tracks first laid in the 1870s through the breathtakingly beautiful Royal Gorge, where granite cliffs soar a thousand feet above the Arkansas River. On weekends, a three-course dinner train runs with first-class seats in vintage cars. A few miles west of town, roughly parallel with U.S. Highway 50, is the gorge. While the county bears the name of Fremont, the first white man to see what some today call the Grand Canyon of Colorado was Zebulon Pike in 1806. Of course, Pike and Fremont wouldnt have seen the pedestrian bridgesomewhat uncreatively named Royal Gorge Bridgethat has spanned the cliffs since 1929 and was for several decades in the record books as the worlds highest bridge. Numerous roadside attractions are also located here, including zip lines. The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey was established years ago on the grounds of a now-closed Benedictine monastery. (Dennis Lennox) Downtown Back downtown, Canon City feels like one of Colorados best-kept secretsthe kind of place that will be dramatically different in just a few years. Revitalization is underway, starting with the landmark Hotel St. Cloud. The Second Empire-inspired building, rebuilt at its present location around 1887 after being dismantled and transported brick-by-brick from a silver mining town some 50 miles away, is slowly undergoing redevelopment. Around the corner is the stately former post office with the kind of architecture that nobody designs anymore. Today, it houses an arts center. Downtown Canon Citys Hotel St. Cloud, a landmark hotel from 1887, is undergoing redevelopment. (Dennis Lennox) Wineries And then theres the wine, which complements the apple orchards and cideries found in the Arkansas River Valley to the east of town. The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey was established years ago on the grounds of a now-closed Benedictine monastery. Between the Gothic revival chapel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the long history of monks making wine, the setting feels almost medieval. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad runs as many as four sightseeing trains every day. (Dennis Lennox) Under the ownership of Larry Oddo these days, a broad range of wine is produced using grapes grown mostly in the Grand Valley AVA, a Colorado appellation. Among the reds are a 2018 reserve cabernet sauvignon, 2019 syrah, and 2017 cabernet franc. For whites, their latest vintage viognier, a 2019, is a change of pace from the more usual chardonnay. Another member of Fremont Countys very fledgling wine scene is Legatum Cellars. In addition to more common varietals, their bottlings include a 2016 vintage tempranillo and an albarino from 2017. The two ancient grapesred tempranillo and white albarinofrom the Iberian Peninsula have done very well in the Colorado climate. The streets of Canon City. (Dennis Lennox) If You Go The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey (AbbeyWinery.com) is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The annual Harvest Festival featuring wine and local food takes place Sept. 25 and 26. At Legatum Cellars (LegatumCellars.com), tastings are available from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday. The Museum of Colorado Prisons (PrisonMuseum.org) occupies a former womens prison next to the castle-looking Territorial Correctional Facility, Colorados first prison. Operating hours through Oct. 1 are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Tickets are required to visit the Royal Gorge Bridge and its associated attractions (RoyalGorgeBridge.com). Hours vary by season. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad (RoyalGorgeRoute.com) dinner train departs at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday through the end of October. Tickets from $149 per person. Stay at the brand new Holiday Inn Express & Suites (HIExpress.com). The best restaurant in town is chef-owner Daniel Petits Le Petit Chablis (LePetitChablis.com). Alternatively, the Winery at Holy Cross Abbey offers al fresco dining Thursday through Sunday with a lighter sandwich menu available on other days. Getting to Canon City requires a car. The closest airport with commercial service is in Pueblo, although the airports in Colorado Springs and Denver have significantly more flights. Additional trip planning resources are available through the Royal Gorge Region website (RoyalGorgeRegion.com). Biden Administration Moves to Protect Key Alaska Watershed WASHINGTONThe Biden administration said on Thursday it will relaunch a process that could permanently protect a vital Alaskan watershed from the development of the contentious Pebble Mine project that has been pursued for more than a decade. The Department of Justice asked in an Alaska federal district court filing on Thursday that the court vacate a 2019 decision by the Trump-era Environmental Protection Agency to remove protection of the Bristol Bay watershed, home of one of North Americas biggest sockeye salmon fisheries. If the court grants the request, it would automatically reinstate the EPAs Clean Water Act Section 404 review process, which would enable the agency to resume an effort to protect certain waters in the Bristol Bay watershed. The Bristol Bay Watershed is an Alaskan treasure that underscores the critical value of clean water in America, said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. Whats at stake is preventing pollution that would disproportionately impact Alaska Natives, and protecting a sustainable future for the most productive salmon fishery in North America. In July 2019, the Trump administration EPA withdrew a proposed Clean Water Act Section 404(c) proposed determination from 2014 that, if finalized, could have permanently prevented development of the open-pit gold and copper Pebble Mine. But the Army Corps of Engineers under former President Donald Trump denied a key permit for the mine in November 2020 amid opposition to the mining project by Alaskas Republican U.S. senators and by Trumps son, Donald Trump Jr, who had lobbied to protect the areas fishing and hunting resources. The Pebble Limited Partnership, whose parent company is Canadian mining company Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd , which has been pursuing the mining project, had challenged the Army Corps decision in the courts. The Bristol Bays streams, wetlands, lakes and ponds are home to North Americas most productive salmon fisheries of five types of salmon: coho, Chinook, sockeye, chum and pink. By Valerie Volcovici A photo of then U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping making a toast during a state luncheon for China hosted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the Department of State in Washington, on Sept. 25, 2015. (Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty Images) Biden Tells Chinas Xi: Both Nations Mustnt Veer Into Conflict President Joe Biden on Thursday held his second phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping since becoming U.S. presidentthe first call between the two leaders in seven months. The White House in a short statement said the two leaders in their approximately 90-minute phone conversation had a broad, strategic discussion, including areas where our interests converge, and areas where our interests, values, and perspectives diverge. This discussion, as President Biden made clear, was part of the United States ongoing effort to responsibly manage the competition between the United States and the PRC [Peoples Republic of China], the statement added. The two leaders discussed the responsibility of both nations to ensure competition does not veer into conflict. According to multiple reports which cited senior Biden administration officials, the call was initiated by Biden with the aim of setting guardrails and parameters in the U.S.-China relationship. Beijing released a lengthy statement on the phone call, a contrast to the short statement from the White House. According to Chinas state-run media Xinhua, Xi told Biden that it was United States recent policies on China that have caused serious difficulties for the bilateral ties. The Chinese statement also said Biden told Xi that the United States has no intention of changing its one-China policy. Chinas hawkish state-run media Global Times has further twisted the Chinese statement to promote CCP propaganda. In a tweet, the outlet wrote Biden said the U.S. has no intention of change its one-China principle. The United States has long held a one-China policy, which asserts that there is only one sovereign state with the name China, but it is different from the one-China principle under which the Chinese regime asserts sovereignty over Taiwan. The Taiwan government has also rejected Chinas one-China principle. The Epoch Times has contacted the White House for comment. The call comes at a moment when there is no shortage of thorny issues between the two nations, including cybersecurity breaches originating from China, Beijings handling of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic, and what the White House has labeled as coercive and unfair trade practices by Beijing. The White House is hopeful the two sides can work together on issues of mutual concernincluding climate change and preventing a nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsuladespite growing differences. Beijing, however, has pushed back against U.S. pressure and increasingly has suggested it could remain broadly uncooperative until Biden dials down criticism on what it deems Chinese internal matters. The White House readout said the leaders during the call agreed to engage openly and straightforwardly on issues where the nations are at odds and where there is agreement. President Biden underscored the United States enduring interest in peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and the world, the White House statement said. Bidens comments on the Indo-Pacific were conspicuously missing from the Chinese statement. Instead, Biden allegedly told Xi that the United States was willing to have more candid exchanges and constructive dialogues with China, and the United States will bring the Sino-U.S. relationship back on track, according to the Chinese statement. Additionally, Biden also said the United States looks forward to strengthening communication and cooperation with China on climate change, according to the Chinese statement. Biden from the start of his presidency has sought to put greater focus on China, rallying allies to speak in a more unified voice about Beijings human rights record, its trade practices, and its militarys increasingly assertive behavior that has unnerved U.S. allies in the Pacific. He sees Beijing as the most significant economic competitor to the United States and a growing national security concern. Frank Fang and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A protester holds a sign and a flag as he takes part in a rally against COVID-19 vaccine mandates, in Santa Monica, Calif., on Aug. 29, 2021. (Ringo Chiu/AFP via Getty Images) Bidens New Vaccine Mandate Fascist: Rep. Donalds In response to President Joe Biden announcing his vaccine mandate for federal workers, Republican members of Congress have criticized the new rule for infringing on personal freedoms. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) called the mandate, fascist downright totalitarian. Listen, the president of the United States just simply doesnt have the authority for this kind of order. We cant even fire federal employees for not doing their job, but were going to fire them for not getting vaccinated. Thats gross. Its insane and it frankly violates the liberty of every federal worker, and its going to lead to this push-down effect, Donalds said during an interview with Newsmax on Thursday. Biden in a speech Thursday evening announced his mandate saying, Im announcing that the Department of Labor is developing an emergency rule to require all employers with 100 or more employees that together employ over 80 million workers to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated or show a negative test at least once a week. Biden said the mandate will include healthcare workers and the majority of federal employees. A total of 17 million health care workers. If youre seeking care at a health facility, you should be able to know that the people treating you are vaccinated simple, straightforward, period. Next, I will sign an executive order that will now require all executive branch, federal employees, to be vaccinatedall. Donalds said instead of mandating the vaccine, Biden should roll out testing and alternative treatments to combat the virus. We should be doing a number of things. Number one, like what were doing in Florida led by Governor DeSantis, making sure people are aware of Regeneron and other treatments that are there to help people get through COVID-19; number two, we need to be embracing antibody testing, not just COVID-19 testing, but testing for antibodies, because people have antibodies. Thats just like getting the vaccine, thats the purpose of getting the vaccine, is to have antibodies. Antibody testing should be much more a part of this, but we should not be mandating vaccines, said Donalds. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), in an interview with the American Thought Leaders program at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 28, 2021. (The Epoch Times) Biden called those who are not getting vaccinated as playing politics and Donalds said that Bidens decisions are not based on the facts but on fear. I know people are afraid. Theyre watching the news reports, theyre seeing many little stories from media, but we cannot be making fear-based decisions. We have to make data-based decisions and Joe Bidens not doing that. Hes running on politics, hes running on fear, said Donalds. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Donalds statements. Other Republican members of Congress joined Donalds, echoing that Bidens mandate infringes on citizens personal freedoms. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), who has been fully vaccinated, said the executive branch does not have the authority to make such rules. These mandates are yet another example of President Biden taking away individual freedoms with the stroke of a pen. Getting the vaccine should be a personal decision. As my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are fond of saying, my body, my choice, said Aderholt in a press statement on Friday. Chair of the House Republican Conference, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) slammed the new requirement for vaccines. Joe Bidens forced vaccine mandate impacting over 100 million Americans is unconstitutional, unlawful, and an authoritarian power grab that has become a hallmark of his failed Presidency, said Stefanik in a press release on Friday. Meanwhile, Democrats have largely been silent on Bidens new vaccine mandate, but some members have pushed for vaccine mandates for lawmakers. Nineteen Democrat members sent a letter to the attending physician of the U.S. Congress, Rear Admiral Dr. Brian P. Monahan, urging him to mandate the requirement. We write to you today to express our belief that the U.S. Congress should be considering a vaccine requirement for Members and staff of the U.S. Capitol complex or, at minimum, twice per week testing for those who are unable to verify positive vaccination, the 19 Democrats, led by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.), wrote in their letter. California Artist, 29, Became Paralyzed, but Learns to Create Stunning Artworks With His Mouth Everyone has their own battles in life. Something California artist Henry Salas knows only too well. The young man from Orange County has been fighting his battle since becoming a quadriplegic a decade ago. But, alongside faith, artwork has played an important role in that fight, turning into a positive force in the artists life. Salas lost the use of his four limbs after suffering an autoimmune attack that left him paralyzed in 2011. Basically, my immune system attacked itself, there were no symptoms or warning to the paralysis, he told The Epoch Times. It all happened within minutes45 give or take. Bless that when they called 911 the fire department was down street. Doctors said Salas had only three months to live. Since that fateful day, the 29-year-old became inspired by drawings hed seen on Pinterest, and strove to achieve a similar level of perfection. There was just one catch: he could only use his mouth to create his masterpieces. Controlling and making complex straight and clean lines without a lot of jitter is the hardest part, he said. The way I try to fix this is not breathe and go for it, sort of like a sniper shooter trying to hit the one-mile target, he added. Im exaggerating but you get the point. Pun intended. Salas recently posted on Facebook a number of monochromatic wildlife ink drawings he didutilizing traditional techniques of shadow and highlights on a toned ground to depict a harpy eagle and a bear roaring. He creates shadow using cross hatching, utilizing his honed straight-lines technique. But before his foray into traditional media (pen and paper), Salas would often use technology in his work to create digital paintingsincluding realistic portraits, figure paintings, and religious paintings, which are displayed on his Instagram page, aptly dubbed themouthninja. Among his favorite subject matters, spirituality is placed prominently amid his body of work, a subject which has played a major role in his life and found a special place in his heart. His mom, Magda, too, is right up there, he says. God has played the biggest part in my life! As well as my beautiful mother, the artist told the newspaper. Faith in God is what has gotten me this far and I keep thanking our Lord for all the blessings and strength Ive been given. I dont know His plan but I have faith it will be powerful. 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 California Legislature Passes Bill Targeting Warehouse Productivity Quotas California lawmakers passed a landmark bill on Sept. 9 that requires warehouses to disclose productivity quotas and prohibit targets that violate worker health and safety codes. The amended AB 701 passed the Assembly with a 5219 vote and is currently sitting on the governors desk for approval. The bill aims to protect warehouse workers at distribution centers such as Amazon from productivity quotas that need to be completed within a certain timeframe, thus resulting in missed meals and bathroom breaks. Weve heard disturbing stories of back-breaking working conditions in Amazon warehouses that use algorithms to enforce dangerous work speeds, author of AB 701 Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), the bills author, said in a statement. Amazon is pushing workers to risk their bodies for next-day delivery, while they cant so much as use the restroom without fearing retaliation. AB 701 gives workers the tools and protections necessary to be able to speak up and seek real relief against the health and safety abuses theyve experienced in these warehouses. Advocates of the bill view the legislation as an opportunity to enforce work quotas as warehouse employees report high-speed labor tasks where they are forced to skip breaks. Thanks to AB 701, warehouse workers at places like Amazon will no longer be fired for simply using the restroom in the middle of their shift, Ron Herrera, president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, said in a statement. Workers can finally make a living instead of making a trip to the emergency room. A worker assembles a box for delivery at the Amazon fulfillment center in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 30, 2019. (Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters) Yesenia Barrera, a former Amazon warehouse employee, shared her experience of keeping up with the companys high demand that resulted in injuries. The job is actually very physically demanding. On top of the work that we do all day, you know it takes a toll on workers mental health, Barrera said at an Aug. 30 press conference. As workers, were constantly lifting, were bending, were reaching, were twisting items up to 60 pounds, and thats 10 hours a day, five days a week, and that doesnt even include the mandatory overtime. This is where the injuries start to increase right at the time that Amazon calls peak. Anytime that you spend not on an item, not moving it around, it can lead to accumulating time off task, which does lead to injury, or it can lead to termination. Times off task can even accumulate, even if you use the restroom, if youre getting water. If youre cleaning off your station time, the time gets used against you. Barrera expressed the distress workers in the warehouse are in, attempting to move quickly so they dont lose their jobs. I personally got injured at Amazon, trying to keep up with their pace of work, Barrera said. In trying to keep up with my workload, the boxes that were incoming were too many, and my scanner got stuck. I was struck in the face. Barrera explained to her manager who approached her following the incident to see why she had stopped scanning products. She was taken to an on-site clinic and received a paper towel with cold water. According to Barrera, she was not asked if she was okay and was expected to head back to the workplace. Amazon is keeping these practices, keeping these workers working fast at high speed, but its costing them their bodies, she said. Were all here together to ask our representatives to pass the warehouse worker protection act, to be able to ensure that warehouse workers are protected, to be able to ensure that theres going to be more safer and sustainable jobs. Some business groups suggest the bill is intended to boost labor organizing efforts. Rachel Michelin, head of the California Retailers Association, suggested that while she supports accountability of workplace safety standards, the bill is too broad and lumps the entire warehouse industry together. If there is a business that is not living up to the workplace standards, they should be held accountable, we dont disagree with that, Michelin told NPR. But do we need this broad, sweeping legislation that impacts every aspect of the supply chain in California? I dont think so. Amazon and the California Retailers Association were not immediately available for comment. An Indian men fold the U.S. and Indian flags at a shop in Mumbai, India, on Jan. 24, 2015, in this file photo. (Rajanish Kakade/AP Photo) Chaotic Afghanistan Pullout Puts Important Relationship With India in Peril Commentary President Joe Bidens chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan has ruined, perhaps for decades, Americas most important bilateral relationship of this era. If Washington is going to deter a militant China, it needs the support of democratic India. Unfortunately, India looks like the country most immediatelyand perhaps most adverselyaffected by the Biden-created debacle. As a result, New Delhi could decide to side not with America but with a Chinese ally, Moscow. New Delhi was one of the staunchest supporters of the U.S.-backed Afghan government and was working alongside Washington in the war against the Taliban and other insurgents. For instance, Indian intelligence was instrumental in breaking up an Afghan ring of Chinese spies working with the Haqqani Network. The Trump administration believed that the Chinese members of that ring, taken into custody last December, were, among other things, offering cash to kill American troops in-country. India saw the Afghan government as a friend in blunting extremism in neighboring Pakistan, which has always defined itself as Indias enemy. Islamabad continually foments trouble in India-controlled Kashmir and has continually backed insurgents targeting India. The Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists who attacked targets in Mumbai in November 2008, for instance, came from Pakistan and relied heavily on Pakistani government resources. The fall of the Afghan government was, therefore, a blow to New Delhi. Worse, the inability of the Biden administration to orchestrate an orderly withdrawal resulted in compounding the damage to Indian interests. The U.S. left behind reinvigorated jihadist networks, tens of billions of dollars in weapons and communications systems, critical strategic infrastructure, and even, reportedly, intel not only on who was working with the U.S. but some who were working with India, Cleo Paskal of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told Gatestone. Physically, the closest target for this massively armed and confident jihadist resurgence is India. As a result of decisions taken in Washington, India is dramatically less secure today than it was a few months ago. To obtain security, New Delhi had been looking toward the United States. Consequently, Russias and Chinas friends in Indian policy circles were losing influence, a trend especially evident after the Chinese incursions in Ladakh beginning in May 2020. Russias friends were delegitimized by that event because Moscow had assured New Delhi that the movement of Chinese forces in Tibet, which occurred immediately before the invasion, was only a drill. As a result of Ladakh and other incidents, the government of Narendra Modi had been working fast to build military ties with the United States. In the wake of the fall of Kabul, however, relationships with Washington have been put on ice. Indian strategists who have been saying that the way forward is working more closely with the U.S. are being openly taunted by those who have a more pro-Moscow bent, Paskal, also associated with Chatham House, reports. There is a reassessment going on, she added. One possible outcome is that Delhi works more closely with Tokyo, and possibly Canberra and Taipei. Japan, Australia, India, and the United States form what is known as the Quad, which up until the fall of Kabul was coming together as an effective grouping. Now, all bets are off. Another scenario is that New Delhi decides to work more closely with Russia, reviving decades-old ties. Russia, of course, is increasingly aligned with China. In the wake of the fall of Afghanistan, Taiwan has become the critical test of American resolve, especially as Biden has justified the withdrawal as a strategic move to counter Russia and China. The world is changing, he said to the American people on Aug. 31. Were engaged in a serious competition with China. Were dealing with the challenges on multiple fronts with Russia. It is significant, therefore, that on Aug. 27, USS Kidd, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer, and USCG Munro, a Coast Guard cutter, transited the Taiwan Strait. The transits come on the heels of Vice President Kamala Harriss welcome comments in both Singapore and Hanoi on Chinas bullying in the South China Sea. The Biden administration may in fact be willing to defend Taiwan, but that is not all that counts at this crucial time. What also counts are perceptions, and the perceptions that especially count are those in Beijing. Chinese propagandists promoted two narratives as Kabul fell: The United States will not defend Taiwan and an America unable to deal with the Taliban cannot hope to stand up to China. Those two narratives appear to in fact reflect Chinese thinking, especially because the withdrawal from Afghanistan signaled to Beijing a complete failure of the U.S. intelligence community, the Pentagon, and the White House national security apparatus. Chinese exercises in areas adjacent to Taiwan in August and an Aug. 13 simulated attack on Taiwan with a short-range missile are, in this context, ominous. The other perceptions that count are those in New Delhi, which had been inching toward closer cooperation with Taiwan. Indian thinkers realized that they needed to challenge China in its peripheral seas as China was challenging India in its nearby waters. Indias close ties with Vietnam are an indication that India perceives its security as dependent on an open South China Sea and even East China Sea. Taiwan, which sits at the intersection of those bodies of water, is essential in keeping sea lanes there open. America more than ever needs Indias help in ensuring peace in the ring of countries surrounding China and its surrounding waters. Now, however, India could desert America as America has just deserted India. Said Paskal, To say there is a crisis in trust in current U.S. policymaking in New Delhi is an understatement. From the Gatestone Institute. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar (L) and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pose for a photo during their meeting in Tianjin, China, on July 28, 2021. (Li Ran/Xinhua via AP) China Will Bribe the Taliban and Take What It Needs From Afghanistan, Expert Says The communist regime in China will use bribery and corruption to get what it needs from Afghanistan, as Beijing continues to foster its ties with the Taliban, a China expert said during an EpochTV webinar on Sept. 8. Grant Newsham, a retired U.S. Marine Colonel and a senior fellow at the Washington-based nonprofit Center for Security Policy, said China has used the same tactics with other countries. You get in, you bribe enough of the elite, pay them off, and you create a constituency that benefits financially from the Chinese presence. You dont try to do too much in terms of transforming the society, and youve got [the] Chinese who are willing to go in there and do business at the front end, Newsham said, explaining how Beijing would advance its ties with the militant group. Then you just squeeze the juice out of the country, he added, If the Taliban can sort of establish any sort of order in the country. On Wednesday, Chinas foreign minister Wang Yi announced that it would donate 200 million yuan (about $31 million) in aid to the Taliban, including grains, winter supplies, medicine, and COVID-19 vaccine shots. In July, before the terrorist group seized Kabul, Wang welcomed a visiting Taliban delegation. Meanwhile, the Taliban has said it considers China to be its main partner and expressed the desire to continue being part of Beijings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI, also known as One Belt, One Road). They [China] know what they want and that is the resources that they can squeeze out of a place, Newsham said. China has a very fundamentally different approach to going into these countries than the United States, he added. The Chinese regime is hungry for natural resources to drive its economy. In 2008, a consortium of two Chinese companies was awarded a 30-year lease to mine Afghanistans Mes Aynak copper mine, which the U.S. Geological Survey estimated to hold 240 million metric tons of ore at 2.3 percent copper. In 2016, the Taliban agreed to offer security for the copper project. However, to this day, the project hasnt gotten off the ground because of security risks. Estimates show that Afghanistan has natural resources that are worth nearly $3 trillion, including copper, gold, rare earth metals, lithium, lead, and coal. Theres only so much they [China] want in Afghanistan, Newsham said, adding that the landlocked nation does not have any naval port that China would want to build a presence in. China rolled out BRI in 2013 to build land and maritime trade routes in an effort to build up its geopolitical influence. One of the maritime trade routes that Beijing seeks to build spans from China, the Indian Ocean, African, to the Mediterranean Ocean. To realize its maritime trade route, China has taken control of several seaports in the form of a lease in the Indian Ocean, including Pakistans Gwadar Port, Sri Lankas Hambantota Port, and Burmas (Myanmar) Kyaukpyu Port. Newsham speculated that the Chinese regime could end up having the Taliban sign a contract. And if the Taliban defaults on its loans, this would allow the regime to take control of Afghanistans Helmand Province or Bagram Airfield, a former U.S. air base. Helmand Province is located in southern Afghanistan bordering Pakistan, making the province a suitable option for Afghanistan to integrate into the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The corridor is a BRI infrastructure project linking Chinas far-western region of Xinjiang to Pakistan and the latters seaports, including Gwadar. A few years down the line, however, local Afghan people will not be happy about Chinas presence, Newsham said. The Afghans will tire of them or feel theyre not getting their cut of it. At that point, life can start to get nasty for those Chinese down at the local level in Afghanistan, he explained. Many developing countries have become indebted to China after joining the BRIin what critics say is Beijings debt trap diplomacy. One example is Kenya, a BRI member that has struggled to repay its Chinese debts. There have been incidents of Chinese companies in Kenya acting discriminately against Kenyans, leading to local protests. Newsham also raised doubts about the Biden administrations objective of shifting U.S. focus to Asia, by pulling U.S forces out of Afghanistan. I dont quite see how this shift to the Asia Pacific is going to work. Id like to think it would, but I dont see any evidence that the people running the show are going to pull it off, he said. Chinese prisoners board a bus under guard as they move to a newly constructed prison in Shenyang in northeastern China's Liaoning province on Aug. 20, 2005. (AFP/AFP/Getty Images) Chinas Top Security Prison Kills Dozens of Prisoners Annually Dozens of prisoners in China die every year because of the prison authorities corrupt system and their penchant for enslaving and torturing those in their care. Wang Yuyin (a pseudonym for safety) was a political prisoner in Shenyang First Prison, Liaoning, a coastal province of northern China. He told The Epoch Times on Aug. 19, The annual mortality rate of prisoners is higher than that of a rural village. He was talking on behalf of other prisoners who want to reveal the ongoing atrocities caused by the communist regimes corruption and brutality. Shenyang First Prison was reorganized in 2003 to become part of Shenyang Prison City, a first-level security prison, occupying about 60.54 acres of land, and holding prisoners serving sentences of 10 to 15 years, according to Baike.Baidu.com, a Chinese communist style of wikipedia. The Prison City has a total of 20 departments, 23 prison areas, four subsidiary units, and 18 prison-run enterprises and companies. Delayed Treatment Deaths The prisoners dont get to see a doctor unless the prison officials are bribed, thus, any prisoner unable to pay will not receive prompt and effective medical treatment. Wang said, The authorities delay treatment until the person is dying. By then, they are required to take the prisoner to the hospital because inmate deaths in prisons are not allowed. However, if a prisoner does die inside the prison, the authorities will shoot a video fabricating their attempts to resuscitate him to show their superiors during any subsequent inspection. The prisoners are all aware of the authorities malfeasance, Wang added. Freezing Torture Deaths Wang revealed an appalling form of torture: freezing to death. In the bitter cold of winter in northeastern China, the terminally ill prisoners were stripped of their clothes, showered with cold water, and left on a wooden bed covered with a few pieces of newspaper in a cell with an open window. The prisoners soon froze to death. Wang said. Wang explained: Such circumstances usually happen to prisoners who are sick, bedridden, and unable to take care of themselves. They will be carried to the shower room and doused with cold water. The prisoners will certainly not survive the dawn if the authorities want them to die in the middle of the night, Wang added. Documented Inhumane Imprisonment Cases involving use of the freezing torture were previously exposed by Minghui.org, a website offering first-hand, direct, and up-to-date reports on the Falun Gong community from across China and throughout the world. Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a peaceful mind and body spiritual practice, rooted in traditional Chinese culture, following the principles of truth, compassion, and tolerance, that is practiced by millions of adherents around the world. In 1999, former Chinese regime leader Jiang Zemin initiated the persecution of Falun Gong, which resulted in thousands of deaths and the imprisonment of a massive number of Falun Gong adherents that continues to this day. A report by Minghui.org in April 2019 exposed how former warden Wang Bin of Shenyang First Prison persecuted the prisoner to death using the freezing torture. Wenta Fan holds a sign with a portrait of his mother, Yanjie Luo, who in 2011 was sentenced to 13 years in prison in China for practising Falun Gong, outside Toronto City Hall on Aug. 25, 2016. Fan was among the Falun Gong adherents at the event appealing to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to stop the persecution of their spiritual discipline in China and to seek the release of 12 family members with Canadian ties jailed in China for practicing Falun Gong. (Yi Ling/Epoch Times) Wang Bin vacated the entire fifth floor of the prison hospital in 2012 and designated it as an area for the persecution of Falun Gong adherents, hoping to force 100 percent of them to renounce their faith. According a Minghui.org report, an unknown Falun Gong adherent transferred from No. 2 Prison was stripped of his clothes, dragged to the shower room, and sprayed with water for a long time. He was placed in an empty room, handcuffed, and left on a bed board in a cell with the window wide open in mid-winter. The next day, he developed a high fever and he died on the third day. An informed prisoner said, This prison is so [expletive] evil that it persecutes a healthy living person to death in three days. A Minghui.org report in May 2018, Brutal Persecution at Shenyang First Prison, stated that more than 40 prisoners die in Shenyang First Prison each year. According to the report, prisoners were not given treatment when they became sick. Many of them were seriously ill but left alone. Some were too sick to get up and were dragged by other prisoners to the shower room for a cold shower in winter. When they died, the authorities faked rescues, medical records, and time of death at will. Every department cooperates tacitly with the coverup. The entire prison staff, guards, and prisoners are aware of what is happening but dare not report it to the authorities. Wangs description and the reports by Minghui.org corroborate each other. Prisoner Suicides Among the many inhumane things that happen in the prison, Wang mentioned how a prisoner would be held on a tiger bench, handcuffed, and tortured to death. The tiger bench has been a common torture tool in the prison under the communist regime. Through this torture, prisoners either die or lose the ability to walk again. In the torture called tiger bench, depicted in this drawing, the elevation of the legs over time causes excruciating pain. Torture is routinely used in Chinas labor camps, and also in the brainwashing centers to which prisoners of conscience will be sent, now that China has officially abolished the labor camps. (Minghui.org) Wang said that some prisoners who he met in the prison had served sentences of over 20 years. The penalties have been stricter since Xi Jinping came to power, he said, The longest term is a reprieved death sentence, which is tantamount to a 30-year sentence. He said, For example, a prisoner begins his sentence at the age of 40 and will be released at 70. However, the prisoner will serve more than 30 years if his term is not reduced. Most prisoners cannot make it through. Life imprisonment is currently equivalent to serving a sentence of 25 years while it was merely a 20-year imprisonment. Given the circumstances, prisoners commit suicide every year. Many prisoners hanged themselves last year. When an Epoch Times reporter called several numbers for the Shenyang First Prison Politics Department to inquire about the situation they heard a recording saying the number you have reached does not exist or were disconnected. Corrupt Shenyang First Prison Wang said that Shenyang First Prison houses 3,000-plus prisoners, but makes a profit of tens of millions of dollars a year through multiple corrupt means. Wang disclosed that Shenyang First Prison buys many prisoners from prisons in Yunnan, southwestern China. Prisoners were bought at a high price and transported by train. The prisoners were needed to work in the prison factories. Some family members of prisoners from Yunnan filed complaints because the prisoners were badly treated in Shenyang. According to Wang, the prison guards work for a week and take two weeks off during the pandemic. The guards would leave with a suitcase full of clothes from the factory. There are more than 300 of us who make more than 10,000 pieces of clothing every day. The fabric belongs to the manufacturer. The guards take home as much clothing and fabric as they want, Wang said. Furthermore, the authorities have been cooking the books to line their pockets with arbitrary construction projects such as demolishing walls and gates every year. According to Wang, the authorities make thousands of dollars by changing prison gates that cost around hundreds at the most. Inmates work in a sewing room at a prison on March 7, 2008 in Chongqing Municipality, China. (China Photos/Getty Images) The prison guards purchase cigarettes and luxury goods for prisoners and sell them for a higher price. Wang said, For example, they charge prisoners $15 for a $5 item. Purge of Former Warden Wang Bin Wang Yuyin said that some information was deliberately leaked by prison guards, such as the arrest of the former warden Wang Bin. He said that Wang Bin was warden of Shenyang First Prison for more than 10 years. He was later promoted to the Liaoning Provincial Prison Administrative Bureau. However, the Bureau has dismissed many officials in recent years and The Epoch Times was unable to confirm Wang Bins dismissal. Wang said that all prisoners detested Wang Bin and many of them died at his hands. When Wang Bin was the warden, prisoners meals were prepared with rotten and unwashed food. There was sand at the bottom of the bowls, he said. The Epoch Times reporter found that Wang Bins online information seems to be hidden. The only item in 2014 on the Bureaus website that mentions his name shows a page not found error message. A message on one of Wang Bins cellphones said it was an empty number and the other two were not answered. Wang said: What I have said is my personal experience based on the facts. Prisoners often lash out at the regime and the prison authorities in private. We hope to unveil the atrocities. Prisoners can only count on those who are released from prison due to the closed environment of the prison. Even so, we dare not disclose the facts in China, or on the Internet. Given that prisons [in China] are of the same system and nature, what happens in Shenyang First Prison is a representative phenomenon. Customers queue to get their reserved iPhone 12 mobile phones at an Apple store in Shanghai on Oct. 23, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Chinese AI Company Seeks to Block Apples iPhone Sales Ahead of New Device Launch Just days ahead of Apples launch of the iPhone 13, a Chinese artificial intelligence company is seeking an injunction that would block Apples iPhone production and sales in China over a patent dispute involving digital personal assistant Siri. Shanghai Zhizhen Intelligent Network Technology, also known as Xiao-i Robot, filed an application with the Shanghai Higher Peoples Court on Sept. 3, requesting a preliminary injunction to block Apples manufacture, sales, and exports of all devices with Siri in China, claiming infringement on its patent. On Sept. 6, the Shanghai Higher Peoples Court confirmed that it had received Xiao-i Robots application and that its currently under review. The injunction request follows the Chinese companys lawsuit against Apple filed in August 2020, seeking compensation of 10 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion) for damages caused by alleged patent infringement. Xiao-i Robot began its legal battles with Apple over Siri in 2012. The Chinese company claims that it invented a virtual intelligent assistant and submitted a patent application in 2004. The company then obtained a Chinese patent for its invention in 2009. The scope of its patent protection includes a chat robot system that can conduct dialogue in natural language and provide information. Its patent was awarded before Apples first use of Siri in its iPhone 4 in 2011, according to the South China Morning Post. Apples Phil Schiller talks about Siri during an announcement at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., on Oct. 4, 2011. Apples Siri made a big splash when the wisecracking digital assistant debuted in 2011. (Paul Sakuma/AP Photo) Siri, Apples digital voice assistant, is currently deployed on the iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch, and the HomePod mini. In June 2012, Xiao-i Robot filed an infringement lawsuit in the Shanghai court against Apple over the chat robot patent. In November of the same year, Apple filed a request for invalidation of the Xiao-i Robots patent with Chinas Patent Reexamination Board of the State Intellectual Property Office. The board ruled that the patent was valid. Apple then filed a lawsuit against the patent ruling in the Beijing Higher Peoples Court. In 2013, Apple won the lawsuit and the Beijing court ruled that Xiao-i Robots patent was invalid. Xiao-i Robot appealed the decision to Chinas Supreme Peoples Court. In June 2020, the Supreme Peoples Court ruled that Xiao-i Robots patent was valid, but didnt grant an injunction to stop Apples production and sales of devices that included Siri. In August 2020, Xiao-i Robot filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple, seeking 10 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion) in damages. Apple released a statement at that time: Siri does not contain features included in their [Xiao-i Robot] patent, which relates to games and instant messaging. Independent appraisers certified by the Supreme Peoples Court have also concluded that Apple does not infringe Xiao-i Robots technology. Regarding the new injunction, Yuan Hui, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Xiao-i Robot, published a statement on the companys Chinese social media WeChat account. Apple continues to manufacture and sell products regardless of the facts of infringement, he said. It is not a practice of respecting intellectual property rights. Apple should immediately stop infringement, remove and stop selling the related products. If the injunction is granted, it would cause a huge loss for Apple, as the majority of its Asian supply chain is in China, including the worlds largest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou. The supply chain produces an estimated 90 million units of the iPhone 13, according to the SCMP. Apple is scheduled to launch its iPhone 13 at an online event on Sept. 14. Apple officials didnt respond to a request for comment by press time. Petitioners of Weihui City, Henan Province, China, hold banners in front of the municipal government asking for aid and compensation on Aug. 25, 2021, after a devastating July flood. (Courtesy of interviewee) Chinese Flood Victims Struggle to Receive Aid After more than a month since a devastating July flooding in Chinas central Henan Province, residents are struggling to get displacement subsidies of a maximum of $162 per person. Heavy rainfall poured down from July 17 to July 20 in Henan. Floods affected half of Weihui citys 600,000 residents, and displaced about one-third of the locals, The Epoch Times reported on July 30. This aerial photo shows a flooded area in the city of Weihui in Chinas central Henan province on July 26, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) At least 1,000 locals gathered in front of the government office complex on Aug. 25, asking officials to compensate them for their losses and explain why there was a delay in receiving subsidies. But the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) mayor of Weihui told representatives of residents to leave, and she did not offer any timeline for issuing displacement subsidies. Mr. Lin (an alias) is a resident of Weihui and the owner of two restaurants. He was one of the petitioners in front of the local government on Aug. 25. The Chinese edition of The Epoch Times interviewed him on Sept. 1. According to Lin, Weihui was not flooded by the heavy rains, but by the floodwaters released from dams by the local government without warning. He also said local officials did not offer help to flood victims. The CCPs official propaganda outlet Xinhua News Agency reported on Aug. 19 that Chinas State Council has formed an investigation work team to probe the July flooding disaster. Residents Suffer Huge Losses Lin said that both of his restaurants were flooded, amounting to a total loss of $15,500, but he knows people who suffered far more losses than he did. For example, the frozen foods wholesaler who he used to buy meats from owned three warehouses and lost over $150,000. The wholesalers employees told Lin that all the frozen meats in the warehouses spoiled and she spent nearly $5,000 to have people dispose of the bad meats. She was a very nice lady, and always chatted with us when we went for meats. Now she just sits there and looks rather dazed and delirious, Lin said sadly. There was a wholesale Chinese wine shop not far from Lins restaurants. They sell premium wines of the best brands in China. But all his stock in the shop was flushed away by the floods. His loss is between $460,000 and $620,000, Lin estimated. An elderly grandpa, who is over 70 years old, lived near the spinning mill in the old urban district. He came back home only to find nothing left, and he committed suicide, Lin said. Local Government Is a Rogue Government: Resident Despite the huge property losses and spiritual suffering of the local citizens, the local government does not do much to help, Lin said. The government promised to provide $23 per day for a maximum of seven days as a displacement subsidy, but many of us have not received a single cent, Lin said. Some residents who have received the money are required to return it, either because they do not have hukoua compulsory household registration system used in Chinain Weihui or because their businesses were on the second floor of buildings. The local government says the second floor is not flooded, and it does not care about these businesses, Lin said, This is a rogue government. Rescue workers evacuating residents following heavy rains in Xinxiang, in Chinas central Henan Province, on July 23, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images) Lin also said the mayor was incompetent. You cant see Li Jin [the mayor] at all. You cant see any disaster relief supplies at the displacement sitesshe did not distribute the food sent from other places. Buns and vegetables are just left to rot in huge quantities. The government is not working for us, Lin said. She finally showed up on Aug. 25, and she only demonstrated her authority, Lin recalled. She agreed to lift restrictions on dining in, and then she just told us to leave. The next day, when residents went back to the government office complex, they found it was strictly guarded by police. Local Government Detains Petitioners and Censors Internet: Resident Lin said Weihui municipal government tricked flood victims into a stadium and then locked them in before Chinese Premier Li Keqiang came for inspection. The officials told the petitioners that the government would offer them better living conditions, such as a standard hotel room for each person, three free meals, and $15 per day, Lin said. But they sent petitioners to the stadium, which was wired and locked. There were guards watching them. The petitioners could not get out and had to stay in the empty stadium. Elderly people could not sleep, Lin said. They were released after the premier left Henan. The local government has also strictly censored online information. People outside of Weihui know little about what really happened in the city. The self-media platforms and Douyin [Chinese version of TikTok] have all been censored. The videos we sent out could reach only within several kilometers. Civil rescue teams from across the country came to Weihui to offer help, and their videos, photos, and posts have been deleted, Lin said. The Epoch Times reached out to the interviewee again before the publication of this article, and he said many people have not received the displacement subsidy yet. Phone calls made by The Epoch Times to reach the local Office of Letters and Visitswhich is responsible for petitionsfor comments and information were not answered by the time of publishing. The Epoch Times called the municipal office and the local propaganda department. The municipal offices reply was, compensation and after-disaster work is not our responsibility. The propaganda department declined to comment. Hong Ning Chinese Regimes Plans in Afghanistan May Hit Blowback, Expert Says As the United States departed Afghanistan, the Chinese regime may seem poised to become the next superpower to dominate the Central Asian country. But, things may not go to plan for Beijing. Thats according to Conrad Black, an author and former publisher, who said that China is treading in unfamiliar terrain in Afghanistan, where local nationalism sentiment could quickly rise and work against the regime. Since no neighboring countries like the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) aggressive style of engagement, those countries may scorch the fingers of an overreaching China, Black said in an interview with EpochTVs American Thought Leaders. In the wake of the United States chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, CCP propaganda has played up the narrative suggesting that Washington would abandon Taiwan just like how it left Afghanistan. However, that comparison doesnt hold water for Black. The United States has shown long-standing support for Taiwan in its efforts to fend off growing CCP aggression, and is also a solid partner to other Asian countries such as South Korea and Japan, he said. Those countries and others are aware that the United States is a very effective and powerful ally most of the time. Theyre not going to show them [the United States] the door anytime soon, said Black. The Chinese regime, however, shouldnt be underestimated, he said, while noting that Beijing had not used diplomacy to make itself more popular in the world. Contrary to the CCP propaganda narrative, Black believes that the United States is not in decline, though it might be plateauing. The United States is still fundamentally an extremely powerful country, albeit in an unusual, confused, internal state, he said. The withdrawal from Afghanistan was an embarrassment and interruption, but not one the country cannot recover from, Black added. Meanwhile, Black isnt worried about Beijings possible expansion in the Central Asian region. Every cent they [China] spend in Afghanistan will be wasted, he said. But, in Blacks view, its crucial that the West, especially the United States, doesnt rebuff Russia too forcefully, and thus drive Moscow into the arms of the CCP. Going forward, Black recommends that NATO be repurposed as an alliance of democratic states with a presence in the Middle East. This configuration would thus serve as a containment strategy for China in the Far East and South Asia. Terri Wu Terri Wu is a general assignment reporter based in the Washington DC metropolitan area. People talk before the start of a rally against critical race theory being taught in schools at the Loudoun County Government Center in Leesburg, Va., on June 12, 2021. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) Critical Race Theory Aims to Turn Students Into Red Guards, Chinese American Warns Critical race theory (CRT) aims to indoctrinate students and turn them into Red Guards, akin to those during the Cultural Revolution in China, warned Xi Van Fleet, a Chinese-American living in northern Virginias Loudoun County, at a Rally to Save Our Schools event on Sept. 8. She called CRT communist race tactics with the goal of indoctrinating our kids, dividing Americans, and controlling Americans. She added that she would talk to Chinese-language media to tell Chinese-Americans not to stay silent. If you still want to enjoy the prosperity and the freedom of this country, now its your turnjoin the fight, she said. She said that upon taking over China in 1949, the first thing the CCP did was to indoctrinate teachers with Marxist ideology so they could teach it to students. Red Guards were the full display of what indoctrinated children could do, she said. The Red Guards were communist youth led by then-CCP leader Mao Zedong to persecute those identified as the CCPs class enemies during the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976. They beat up their teachers in public and tore down temples and statues. They became Maos bulldogs, said Van Fleet, adding that she saw a similar phenomenon in America during the so-called summer of unrest, referring to the riots during Black Lives Matter protests. Xi Van Fleet (C) speaks at the Rally to Save Our Schools event in Lansdowne Resort and Spa, Leesburg, Va., on Sept. 8, 2021. (Facebook/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) CRT adherents believe America is systemically racist, that racial oppression exists in every institution, and that an individual is either an oppressor or oppressed based on the color of their skin. Monica Gill, a Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) teacher who teaches Advanced Placement government, said that the LCPS was indoctrinating teachers with CRT tenets to trickle down the effect onto students. Though LCPS is not explicitly telling teachers to teach CRT to students, it is imposing this very distorted lens of race on kids, Gill said. Our kids are in this cultural battle with us And we have been asleep at the wheel, just thinking that everything in public schools is okay with the majority of teachersthey are teaching our kids the right thingsand thats not the case, Gill added. LCPS Public Information Officer Wayde Byard stated in an email to The Epoch Times, As LCPS has stated, repeatedly, Critical Race Theory is not part of its student curriculum. He didnt comment on Gills assertion of the LCPS indoctrinating teachers and students. Political Action Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin also attended the event. He accused his opponent, former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, of introducing CRT in Virginias schools during his administration in 2015 and that McAuliffe called concerns of CRT a right-wing conspiracy. The Epoch Times contacted McAuliffes campaign for comments and didnt receive them by press time. On June 30, in front of the LCPS school administration building in Ashburn, Virginia, Youngkin promised to ban CRT if elected on day one of his administration. He will end the use of divisive critical race theory in professional development and as an approach to education, a Youngkin campaign spokesperson wrote in an email to The Epoch Times on Sept. 9. I will preside over the largest education budget in the history of Virginia to reestablish expectations of excellence in the school systems across Virginia that used to be known nationally for the best place to send your kids, said Youngkin. McAuliffes campaign announced that Youngkins tax cut plan would result in Virginias schools losing funds, based on a new study by Virginia Excels, an education advocacy organization. Between the available surplus, remaining one-time federal funds, and expected future revenue growth, Glenns plan can provide significant tax relief to address the cost of living while making a significant investment in education, a Youngkin campaign spokesperson told The Epoch Times. Polls have shown a close race for the next Virginia governor. A new one by WPA Intelligence conducted for the Youngkin campaign shows him leading McAuliffe for the first time at 48 percent versus 46 percent. The poll, released on Sept. 8, surveyed 734 likely Virginia voters between Aug. 30 and Sept. 2. Its margin of error is 3.6 percent. Early voting in Virginia starts next week. A delivery person for Doordash rides his bike in the rain during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Manhattan borough of New York City, N.Y., on Nov. 13, 2020. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters) DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats Sue New York City Over Cap on Delivery Fees DoorDash and two other delivery service companies are suing New York City for capping how much they can charge restaurants. The city in May 2020 enacted caps presented as temporary on the rate that third-party platforms like DoorDash could charge restaurants. The law was slated to expire 90 days after on-site dining was allowed again. But the price controls were extended three times. The third was the passage of a law that would make the caps permanent. This now-indefinite legislation bears no relationship to any public-health emergency, and qualifies as nothing more than unconstitutional, harmful, and unnecessary government overreach that should be struck down. The Ordinance is unconstitutional because, among other things, it interferes with freely negotiated contracts between platforms and restaurants by changing and dictating the economic terms on which a dynamic industry operates, the service platforms said in their lawsuit, which was filed late Thursday in federal court in Manhattan. The Ordinance is also harmful. The cost of facilitating food delivery and marketing will likely shift to consumers, thereby reducing order amounts or volume, lowering restaurant revenues, decreasing earning opportunities for delivery couriers, and resulting in less tax revenue in the Citys coffers, the suit also stated. GrubHub and Portier LLC joined DoorDash in the legal action. Together, the companies run six popular ordering platforms, including Seamless, Postmates, and Uber Eats. A similar lawsuit was filed by DoorDash and Grubhub against a cap on fees in San Francisco in July. The Democratic-controlled New York City Council passed the law in question last month. The law aims to prevent third-party food delivery services from charging restaurants more than 15 percent per order and would also cap the services from adding more than 5 percent per order for all other fees, excluding transaction fees, in addition to charging more than 3 percent for transaction fees. The bill would also require the city to report to the mayor and council speaker every two years recommending either the maintenance or adjustment of the fee caps. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, has yet to act on it. De Blasios office did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for New York Citys Law Department told The Epoch Times in an email that the law is legally sound and well defend it in court. Councilman Mark Gjonaj, chairman of the citys Small Business Committee, told news outlets that the law and others like it simply seek to bring fairness to a system that all too often lacks it. You cant expect any better out of these greedy, out of touch, and unscrupulous billionaire companies, added Councilman Francisco Moya, a Democrat who introduced the law that would make caps permanent. These companies exploited mom-and-pop shops long before the pandemic and want to continue to exploit the most vulnerable during and post COVID. From the onset, they had the opportunity to do whats right and stand by small business owners like we do, and they still can. We need to stand by small business owners so these abuses dont happen again. European Commissioner for Inter-institutional Relations and Foresight Maros Sefcovic speaks during a news conference on Brexit at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on June 30, 2021. (Francisco Seco/Pool via Reuters) EU Rejects Reworking Northern Ireland Deal, Urges Calmer Tone BELFASTThe European Union rejected a British demand to renegotiate their deal governing the trading position of Northern Ireland, saying that to so would only bring instability and uncertainty. European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic, who oversees EU relations with post-Brexit Britain, said on Friday that the Northern Ireland protocol needed to be properly implemented. A renegotiation of the protocolas the UK government is suggestingwould mean instability, uncertainty, and unpredictability in Northern Ireland, he said in a speech at Queens University in Belfast. Under the protocol, Britain agreed to leave some EU rules in place in Northern Ireland and accept checks on goods arriving from elsewhere in the United Kingdom, in order to preserve an open land border with EU member state Ireland. The arrangement has effectively placed a border in the Irish Sea, angering pro-British unionists who believe it divides them from the rest of the United Kingdom and complicating the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that ended three decades of violence. London wants it changed. Sefcovic told a later news conference he was ending his trip on an optimistic note. He said the EU was seeking solutions for all, including those opposed to the protocol. I know it is possible for us to work together, if rhetoric on both sides is dialled down, he said. However, Gavin Robinson, a member of Northern Irelands largest pro-British party, the Democratic Unionist Party, described Sefcovics comments as belligerent, mistaken, and foolish. Sefcovic said any solutions could only minimise the effects of Brexit, not entirely remove them, given Londons choice to leave the EU single market and customs union. The commissioner said the two sides should continue discussions to limit the impact of the protocol on everyday life in Northern Ireland, while maintaining its special access to the EUs internal market. Under EU rules, imported food products are subject to certification and checks, while sausages and other chilled meat products cannot enter the bloc. For now, the EU has accepted British extensions to grace periods for such changes. The commissioner said he recognised Britain was unlikely to accept the EUs ready-made solution involving the alignment of agri-food rules that would remove most checks, but that with goodwill a fix could be found using the protocols flexibility. Britain has said it wants a normal treaty framework that is not policed by the European Court of Justice. Sefcovic said that would effectively mean cutting Northern Ireland out of the EU single market. By Amanda Ferguson Zamire Kimball and an aquaintance exit the Orange County Central Justice Center after his charges were dismissed, in Santa Ana, Calif., on Sept. 18, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Ex-Industry City Manager Pleads Not Guilty to Misappropriating Public Funds LOS ANGELESA former Industry city manager charged along with three other people in an alleged corruption scheme pleaded not guilty today to a felony count of misappropriation of public funds. Paul Jule Philips, 70, is due back in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Sept. 22 for the start of what could be a two-month hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to allow the case against him to proceed to trial. Outside court, his attorney Steve Cooleya former Los Angeles County district attorneysaid his client looks forward to the hearing. Philips has left his position as the city manager of Bell, effective Thursday, based on mutual agreement, according to a statement issued by the city, which noted that the criminal case does not involve his service with the City of Bell or that city in any way. The city has no evidence of any wrongdoing by Mr. Philips in the City of Bell. Nevertheless, it was concluded that it is in the best interest of both parties for Mr. Philips to be separated from the city so he may focus on conducting a vigorous defense of the charge. Accordingly, the council approved a separation agreement and waiver of claims, according to the city. Bell Mayor Alicia Romero said in the statement that the [city] council feels this action is in the best interest of the city and its residents. We were generally happy with Mr. Philipss services but his legal situation is a distraction and creates distrust and controversy in the community which is disruptive to the things we are trying to accomplish, the mayor said. Philips was charged Aug. 24 along with former state Sen. Frank Hill (R-Whittier), 67; La Jolla-based developer William Barkett, 63; and attorney Anthony Bouza, 60. Hill, who also served in the state Assembly, and Barkett made their first court appearances Tuesday, but their arraignment was postponed until Oct. 27. Hill is charged with two counts of having a financial interest in a contract or purchase made in an official capacity, while Barkett is charged with one count each of misappropriation of public funds, embezzlement, money laundering, and grand theft. Bouza is charged with one count of misappropriation of public funds and eight counts of having a financial interest in a contract or purchase made in an official capacity. His arraignment is still pending. The case stems from the alleged embezzlement and misappropriation of millions of dollars that was to be used to study whether a solar farm was suitable on land to be bought by the City of Industry, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys office. Public corruption erodes the trust of our citizenry and hampers progress. There is no place for it in Los Angeles County, District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement last week announcing the charges. The City of Industry entered into a land lease agreement between 2016 and 2018 with San Gabriel Valley Water and Power LLCwhich was owned by Barkettto examine a potential solar farm and agreed to advance certain costs that had to be repaid if construction began. Phillips and Bouza, an attorney hired by the city and a private contractor who allegedly helped draft an agreement, handled the funds, according to the District Attorneys office. Roughly $20 million in public funds was allegedly routed to an account controlled by Barkett during that time, in which some of the money was paid to other vendors and about $8.3 million was allegedly spent by Barkett on personal items, according to prosecutors. Bouza and Hill are accused of having a financial conflict of interest when they allegedly drafted or influenced contracts with the city, according to the District Attorneys Office, which noted that the case remains under investigation. In a statement obtained by the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Mayor Cory Moss said, For years, the city has alleged that [San Gabriel Valley Water and Power] and related parties submitted false and fraudulent invoices to the city for work that was never performed. It is my hope that the matter moves swiftly and that those who are responsible for this misuse of taxpayer funds are brought to justice. A civil case brought by the cityin which former Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas is representing Hillis still pending, the newspaper reported. Rackauckas is also representing Hill in the criminal case. Hill served a 46-month prison sentence for his 1994 conviction on federal extortion and money laundering charges stemming from a $2,500 payment he took from federal undercover agents in an FBI sting operation. Facebook Pairs With Ray-Ban to Launch Smart Glasses, Sparking Privacy Concerns Facebook has teamed up with Ray-Ban to launch a pair of smart glasses that the social media giant says are designed with privacy in mind, though the product is already sparking privacy concerns. The glasses, which were created in partnership with Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica, allow wearers to listen to music, take calls, or capture photos and short videos and share them across Facebooks services using a companion app, the company announced in a Sept. 10 release. Facebook insists that the spectacles, called Ray-Ban Stories, were designed with privacy in mind. As with any new device, we have a big responsibility to help people feel comfortable and provide peace of mind, and that goes not only for device owners but the people around them, too. Thats why we baked privacy directly into the product design and functionality of the full experience, from the start, the company said in the release, which features a video of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussing some of the products features. Zuckerberg touted hardware protections like a power switch to turn off the mic and camera, along with a light meant to alert people that the glasses are in capture mode. We put this LED light on the front of the glasses so that people around you will know when youre taking a photo or video, Zuckerberg said in the recording. It lights up to let people know that the camera is on. Facebook and Ray-Bans first smart glasses which launched on Sept. 9, 2021. (Ray-Ban and Facebook/Handout via Reuters) In remarks to Axios, Jeremy Greenberg, privacy counsel for the Future of Privacy Forum, praised the idea of an indicator like the LED light but noted it was hard to spot from a distance or by people with low vision. Hopefully we dont have folks using these for stalking, Greenberg told the outlet. Zuckerberg insisted in the presentation video that when the glasses are turned off, they are completely off. The mic is off and you cant take photos or record videos, the Facebook chief added. Facebook told The Wall Street Journal that it had reached out to privacy groups and experts like the National Consumers League regarding the products design. John Breyault, vice president for the National Consumers League, said his organization recommended an automatic disable function for the camera when the light was covered, or modifying the design to distinguish them from regular Ray-Bans to make it easier for people who dont want to be recorded to spot them and raise objections. Unfortunately, those features werent included in this first iteration of these smart glasses, Breyault told the outlet. Facebook, which reported revenue of about $86 billion in 2020, makes most of its money from advertising but has invested heavily in virtual and augmented reality, developing hardware such as its Oculus VR headsets and working on wristband technologies to support augmented reality glasses. Major tech firms including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Snap have raced to develop various smart glasses products, but early offerings like Google Glass proved difficult to sell to consumers put off by high price points and design issues. Facebook, which has in the past faced criticism over its handling of user data, said it would not access the media used by its smart-glasses customers without their consent. The company also said it would not use the content of the photos or videos captured using the glasses and stored in the Facebook View app for personalizing ads, and said the glasses would be an ads-free experience. Facebook has also launched a privacy-focused micro-site where it offers guidelines for responsible use of the smart glasses. Reuters contributed to this report. Facts Matter (Sept. 9): Senator Sends Faucis Name to Justice Department Over Potential Lying to Congress With the over 900 pages of newly released documents, which exposed the true nature of the research that the United States was funding in Wuhan, Dr. Fauci seems to have landed in some hot water. Thats because, over the last six months, he has on multiple occasions denied that the United States was funding gain-of-function research in China. However, these documents seem to suggest otherwise. And so, not only are senators now seeking answers, but Dr. Fauci has also now been referred to the Department of Justice for potentially lying to Congress. Resources: American Hartford Gold (866-242-2352): https://ept.ms/3biH9MN Dr. Fauci: https://ept.ms/3jUg2M6 https://ept.ms/3jV120y https://ept.ms/3BV7dYA https://ept.ms/3tsD8MZ https://ept.ms/3ld2XwK Congressional Investigation: https://ept.ms/3AdrUyF Stay tuned for our newsletter so you wont miss out on our exclusive videos and private events. Facts Matter is an Epoch Times show available on YouTube. Follow Roman on Instagram: @epoch.times.roman Follow EpochTV on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus A UPS logo is on the shirt of a driver as he enters a United Parcel Service store with packages in Jackson, Miss., on July 26, 2021. (Rogelio V. Solis/AP Photo) Fast Hiring: UPS to Hire 100,000, Many in 30 Minutes or Less NEW YORKBesides packages, UPS is promising to deliver something else fast: job offers. The package delivery company said Thursday that it plans to hire more than 100,000 people for the busy holiday shipping season, many of whom will get job offers within 30 minutes of applying. UPS needs to snap up workers as fast as it can because of the tight job market. Competition for hourly workers is fierce, and many companies are offering higher pay, sign-on bonuses, and even lowering their requirements, such as hiring those without a high school diploma. Take too long to hire, and an applicant can go elsewhere. Candidates want instant gratification, said Matt Lavery, UPSs global director of sourcing and recruiting. We wanted to take away as many barriers as we could. The speedy hiring applies to its most common jobs for seasonal workers: package handlers and driver helpers, who take a package from a truck and deliver it to doorsteps, but dont drive the vehicle. The company said it whittled down its hiring decisions to half-an-hour by having applicants submit all their paperwork online and forgoing interviews. Applicants could be working as soon as a day or two. Before it would take up to two weeks with all the scheduling that had to be done for interviews, according to Lavery. Atlanta-based UPS said it pays between $15 per hour and $22 per hour, depending where in the country the job is. In some areas of the country, where its tougher to find workers, it offers bonuses that could hike up the hourly rate, the company said. By Joseph Pisani Federal Agency Says Income Share Agreements Are Loans, Alleges Lender Misled Students The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) took action against a nonprofit company that offers income share agreements (ISAs) to help students cover the high costs of obtaining a college degree, alleging that the lender has misinterpreted the nature of those financial products. ISAs, which have gained popularity among college students as an alternative to traditional student loans, provide borrowers with education funding and, in exchange, require them to pay a percentage of their post-graduation income for a period of time. While terms may vary from provider to provider, ISAs can be designed in a way that borrowers have to pay back only when their earnings reach certain thresholds, and with a capped payment amounts. In a consent order announced Tuesday, the CFPB said it has settled with Better Future Forward, a nonprofit providing education finance plans. The Virginia-based company allegedly misrepresented its product by saying that ISAs are not loans and do not create debt, and allegedly denied consumers information necessary to fully evaluate their financial options, according to the federal agency. Under the settlement, Better Future Forward will stop saying that ISAs are not loans. It will also provide lending disclosures required under federal law, not object to any discharge of a students ISA in the case of bankruptcy, and not impose a prepayment penalty on the loan. The ISA industry has tried to evade oversight by claiming that its products are not loans, Dave Uejio, acting director of the CFPB, said in a press release. But regardless of the name on the label, these products are credit and have to comply with federal consumer protections. The ISA industry cannot pretend that core consumer protection laws do not apply to their products. In response to the CFPBs consent order, Better Future Forward CEO Kevin James said in a statement that the company has been a leader in advocating for policymakers to adopt clear and protective guardrails for the emerging ISA space. While there has been uncertainty about the application of the existing federal loan disclosure regime to risk-sharing tools like ISAs, we believe CFPBs oversight role is critical and are eager to work with the Bureau to bring clarity to these questions around how federal disclosures should apply to BFFs ISAs, James added. Proponents of ISAs, who range from scholars, conservative politicians, to college presidents, see them as a potential solution to the issue of mounting student loan debt. They argue that ISAs are more borrower-friendly than conventional loans, since the risk is expected to shift to the private lenders from students who wont be burdened with payments if their education doesnt pay off. A student borrows nothing but rather has his or her education supported by an investor, in return for a contract to pay a specified percentage of income for a fixed number of years after graduation, wrote Mitch Daniels, president of Purdue University, in an op-ed on Washington Post. At Purdue, hundreds of students use an ISA fund called Back a Boiler. Opponents of ISAs, however, argue that income-based contracts are not as pro-student as they may sound, considering borrowers with higher earnings could end up paying more under ISAs than through traditional student loans. Purdue Universitys Back a Boiler ISA program, for example, requires no payment for those with earned incomes of less than $20,000, wrote Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in a letter (pdf) to former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Yet, a student who makes just over that threshold could be required to pay 5 percent or more of her income toward the ISAa precarious situation for anyone, particularly someone with children or other obligations like medical expenses. The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) leaves its San Diego homeport on Jan. 17, 2020. (U.S. Navy via Getty Images) First US Navy Carrier Strike Group Carrying F-35C Stealth Fighters Enters the South China Sea A U.S. Navy carrier strike group carrying F-35C stealth fighters has entered the South China Sea for the first time during its current deployment and is conducting maritime security operations, officials said on Tuesday. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier the USS Carl Vinson, which departed San Diego last month, will conduct flight operations with fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, maritime strike exercises, as well as coordinated tactical training between surface and air units in the disputed region, the Navy said in a press release. The operations in the South China Sea are part of the U.S. Navys routine presence in the Indo-Pacific, officials said, noting that the strike group is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The freedom of all nations to navigate in international waters is important, and especially vital in the South China Sea, where nearly a third of global maritime trade transits each year, said Rear Adm. Dan Martin, commander of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group, in a statement. It is in all of our interest that the international community plays an active role in preserving the rules-based international order. F-35C stealth fighters are designed to operate explicitly on U.S. Navy carriers. Its configuration, embedded sensors, internal fuel, and weapons capacity allow pilots to evade enemy detection. Chinas hawkish state-run media Global Times called the arrival of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in the disputed seas a provocative deployment and said that the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command is on high alert. The spokesman for the PLA Southern Theater Command, Air Force Senior Col. Tian Junli, accused the U.S. Navy of violating Chinas sovereignty and security. The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as USS Benfold did here, the U.S. 7th Fleet said in a statement. Nothing [the Peoples Republic of China] says otherwise will deter us. China has tried to forcibly deny other countries in the region from accessing the rich fishing grounds in the disputed sea. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam all face territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea. In July last year, more than a dozen on board a Vietnamese fishing boat were forced to jump overboard after their ship was rammed by a Chinese vessel. In January, a Filipino fisherman said he was blocked by the Chinese Coast Guard from sailing to a fishing area near an island administered by Manila. In March, more than 200 Chinese vesselsbelieved to be crewed by Beijings maritime militiamoored at Whitsun Reef, one of the disputed reefs, islands, and atolls in the South China Sea. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, during a press conference in Vietnam on Aug. 26, repeated her criticism of Beijing for undermining the rules-based international order. We need to find ways to pressure and raise the pressure, frankly, on Beijing to abide by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and to challenge its bullying and excessive maritime claims, Harris said, adding that the United States would maintain a strong presence in the South China Sea to confront China. On Wednesday evening, President Joe Biden, in his second phone conversation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, underscored the United States enduring interest in peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, the White House said. Frank Fang contributed to this report. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis takes part in a roundtable discussion about the uprising in Cuba at the American Museum of the Cuba Diaspora in Miami, Fla., on July 13, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Floridas Ban on School Mask Mandates Reinstated Gov. Ron DeSantiss ban on school mask mandates is back in effect after an appeals court ruled in favor of the governor on Friday. The First District Court of Appeals, a state court, agreed to grant an emergency motion filed by the DeSantis administration late Wednesday. The appeal was filed hours after Circuit Judge John Cooper blocked the school mask mandate ban. Cooper told the court before the ruling that because children under the age of 12 are unable to be vaccinated, a danger exists and other mitigations such as masking should be considered by school boards. But appeals court judges said Friday they had serious doubts about the stay that Cooper vacated, citing concerns about standing, jurisdiction, and other threshold matters. These doubts significantly militate against the likelihood of the appellees ultimate success in this appeal. Given the presumption against vacating the automatic stay, the stay should have been left in place pending appellate review. Accordingly, we grant the appellants motion, quash the trial courts order vacating the automatic stay, and reinstate the stay, the judges wrote in the order. Christina Pushaw, the governors press secretary, celebrated the decision. The rule requiring ALL Florida school districts to protect parents rights to make choices about masking kids is BACK in effect! she wrote on social media. Students, some wearing protective masks, arrive for the first day of school at Sessums Elementary School in Riverview, Fla., on Aug. 10, 2021. (Chris OMeara/AP Photo) A group of parents filed the lawsuit last month on behalf of their children. Charles Gallagher, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, told The Epoch Times via email that we are disappointed by the ruling of the 1st DCA that reinstates the stay and will be seeking pass through jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Florida since this matter involves statewide issues. With a stay in place, students, parents and teachers are back in harms way, he added. Jannis Falkenstern contributed to this report. Commissioner Austin Cullen listens to introductions before opening statements at the Cullen Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia, in Vancouver, on February 24, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck) Former B.C. Lottery Director Says Hes Whistleblower on Money Laundering at Casinos VANCOUVERA former director of the British Columbia Lottery Corporations anti-money laundering office says he is the whistleblower that likely prompted the public inquiry examining how hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal cash flowed through the provinces casinos. Ross Alderson, who testified for more than four hours Thursday, said he was driven to leak information about the suspected extent of money laundering at casinos and bureaucracy to the activity at top levels. Did I leak information to the media? Yes I did, Alderson told the Cullen Commission public inquiry into money laundering. We wouldnt be here today, if I didnt. The New Democrat government appointed B.C. Supreme Court Justice Austin Cullen in 2019 to lead the money laundering inquiry after several reports concluded the flow of hundreds of millions in illegal cash linked to organized crime affected the provinces real estate, luxury vehicle and gaming sectors. Alderson, who worked in B.C.s gaming industry since 2008, resigned from the Crown-owned lottery corporation in 2017. He testified his anti-money laundering investigation and intelligence team was second to none, but efforts to combat illegal cash at casinos was hampered by indifference. I felt this needed to be out in the public forum, said Alderson about his decision to leak information about illegal money activities at casinos. I saw nothing being done. Nothing being done. The commission has heard previous testimony from other senior gaming investigators who said they raised concerns more than a decade ago with gaming and government officials, including cabinet ministers about increasing amounts of suspicious cash likely linked to organized crime appearing at Vancouver-area casinos. Former premier Christy Clark and former gaming minister Rich Coleman are among the 200 people, including former and current cabinet ministers, police officers, gaming officials, financial crime experts and academics to already testify. Alderson was granted standing to appear at the commission after Cullen decided his legal, reputational and or privacy interests may be impacted by the findings of the commission in respect of his acts and omissions in the gaming industry between 2008 and 2017. Alderson, who testified from Australia where he is now living, faced questions from the commission about his unresponsiveness to a summons to testify that was issued in March 2020. Commission lawyer Patrick McGowan asked Alderson why the commission had to conduct an international manhunt to locate the former lottery official. I wasnt exactly hiding in a cave in Afghanistan, said Alderson. I was in Australia, paying taxes. He said he was concerned with family matters and believed it was up to the commission to find him. There has been a global pandemic over the last year, he said. My priority has been the safety of my family. Im living on the other side of the world. Aldersons testimony is to continue Friday. Cullens final report, including recommendations, is due Dec. 15. By Dirk Meissner Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar, who was arrested on June 23 following a years-long corruption probe, is shown in a file photo. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Former Los Angeles Councilman Jose Huizars Attorneys File Motion to Dismiss Charges Attorneys representing former Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar have filed a defense motion of dismissal, arguing that his actions do not align with the charges against him outlined in the 41-count federal racketeering indictment. After being arrested in June 2020, Huizar was initially charged in a 34-count indictment that alleged a pay-to-play scheme to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Huizar allegedly agreed to accept at least $1.5 million in illicit financial benefits in exchange for favorable treatment on real estate projects. Federal prosecutors also indicted a few developers and other individuals connected to the case in November 2020. In addition to the RICO Act charge, Huizar and his associates were charged with additional counts, including honest services fraud, bribery, tax evasion, money laundering, and others. The Federal Investigation has revealed that Huizar operated a pay-to-play scheme in the City, utilizing and commodifying the powerful Council seat of CD-14, whereby he solicited and accepted financial benefits from international (primarily Chinese) and domestic developers with projects in the City in exchange for favorable official actions, according to a criminal complaint filed against Huizar in June 2020. Huizars attorneys now argue that the federal corruption statutes against Huizar and his associates are overly broad, violating both Supreme Court limits and the statute of limitations, according to City News Service (CNS). The defense attorneys also argue that Huizar was not involved in a bribery scheme but simply facilitated development in the city. They claim the federal prosecutors treated virtually everything that Huizar did as an official act no matter how informal or disconnected from government power, according to the motion for dismissal obtained by CNS. Huizars ability to raise money from developerswho, like other interests, supported him because he supported themhelped to fund not only homelessness initiatives, but the campaigns of some of the most prominent local, state, and national politicians, said Huizars attorneys, reported CNS. A hearing to discuss the motion is set for Nov. 15 in Los Angeles federal court. Huizar and his associates, including former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan, allegedly turn[ed] Huizars City Council seat into a money-making criminal enterprise, according to a statement released by Department of Justice. Those corrupt relationships were often facilitated by consultants, such as George Chiang, Justin Kim, and lobbyists, who interfaced between Huizar, his Special Assistant George Esparza, and developers willing to pay bribes to enrich themselves, keep Huizar in power, and facilitate Huizars succession plan, according to the complaint. The majority of Huizars associates pleaded guilty to federal charges last year, while Huizar pleaded not guilty. The corruption trial against Huizar is set for May 24, 2022. Travelers arrive at the Orly airport in Orly, near Paris, on Aug. 20, 2021. (Stephane de Sakutin/AFP via Getty Images) France Bans Non-Essential Travel for Unvaccinated Americans Americans not vaccinated against the CCP virus will no longer be allowed to visit France for non-essential travel starting next week as the European nation announced new travel restrictions for the United States and Israel. According to a French government decree that was issued on Sept. 9, the new rules will go into effect at midnight on Sept. 12, when the United States and Israel will be removed from the green list and get downgraded to the orange list. The downgrade means Americans and Israeli tourists who chose not to get vaccinated against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus are no longer able to visit France for non-essential travel. However, tourists from both nations who are able to provide an essential reason for their stay will be allowed in if they present a negative COVID-19 test and quarantine for seven days upon arrival. Prior to the proclamation, unvaccinated travelers only had to present a negative test result for entry. ????TRAVEL UPDATE Starting Sunday from???????????????? no change for vaccinated travelers, but for non-vaccinated travelers: Proof of compelling reason to enter FR Neg. PCR test taken <72hrs or neg. antigen test taken <48hrs 7 day self-isolation on arrival Read????https://t.co/H1AaxkKOe8 pic.twitter.com/qOI8NmtuSR French Embassy U.S. (@franceintheus) September 10, 2021 Trips to France that fall under the category essential include students beginning academic studies and essential business trips, or French citizens and residents returning home, but it doesnt include family visits or visits to second homes, The Local reported. Fully vaccinated travelers can still visit the country for any reason and dont have to present a negative COVID-19 test result. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination card is accepted as proof of vaccination at the French border, as well as restaurants, among other places, that require such documents. Frances implementation of a so-called COVID-19 health pass has since prompted massive protests across the country from opponents who denounce such rules, calling it a restriction to their freedom. Protestors during a demonstration against a mandatory COVID-19 health pass to access most public spaces, near Ecole Militaire in Paris, France on Aug. 7, 2021. (Stephane De Sakutin/AFP) To count as fully vaccinated, travelers must have received a shot approved by the European Medicines Agencyfrom Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, or Johnson & Johnsonat least two weeks prior to travel for double-dose vaccines and four weeks for a single dose. Other European nations that recently announced travel bans against unvaccinated American tourists include the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, and Italy, with Italy also adding entry requirements for those who are vaccinated. Sweden, meanwhile, banned all arrivals for foreign nationals outside the EU/EEA (European Union/European Economic Area) regardless of vaccination status. The travel rules in the Nordic country will remain in effect until the end of October. The restrictions on international travel come as the European Council, which represents the blocs 27 governments, decided on Aug. 30 to remove the United States, among other countries, including Israelone of the most vaccinated countries in the worldfrom its list of safe countries due to an increase in CCP virus cases. From NTD News Hong Kong Police Raid Tiananmen Massacre Victims Museum In another possible cover-up from the Chinese Communist Party, authorities claim there were no casualties as shockwaves from a massive explosion reportedly leveled houses in China. But residents say otherwise. Beijing works to quiet talk of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Hong Kong police raid the premises of a closed museum dedicated to honoring the massacres victims. A Chinese man is sentenced to prison by a U.S. court for smuggling submarine technology from the United States to China. Chinese regulators are now clamping down on foreign brands. This time, its winter jacket manufacturer Canada Goose, hit with a $70,000 fine. The online gaming industry also takes a hit. No new online games have been granted approval in China, as authorities take aim at the sector. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China. For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter. A man passes an Interpol logo during the handing over ceremony of the new premises for Interpol's Global Complex for Innovation, a research and development facility, in Singapore, on Sept. 30, 2014. (Edgar Su/Reuters) Interpol Must Reform or Perish Amid Beijings Abuse of the System Commentary Across Europe and beyond, Chinese nationals are paying a heavy price for Interpols acquiescence to the Chinese regime and other authoritarian states, and its refusal to effectively reform. Its been widely reported that Uyghur activist and software engineer Yidiresi Aishan, who has been living in Turkey for nearly a decade, is now sitting in a detention center in Morocco, literally fighting for his life, as China seeks his return through an extradition request. If Aishan is returned, there is good reason to believe that he may not make it out of prison alive. Yu Hao, a Chinese national living in the Netherlands, was taken in by police due to an Interpol red notice while visiting Poland. Again, China was seeking his extradition. Yu is no longer alive; he committed suicide. Its not hard to understand why. Chinese-born Swedish citizen Li Zhihui was sitting inside the very same facility as Yu, located outside of Polands capital of Warsaw. He was also taken away due to an Interpol red notice, and even though he successfully fought Chinas extradition request, he spent some two years alone in a cell. Even for those who succeed, there is a heavy human cost that is caused by Interpols failure to stop the misuse of its red notice system. China isnt the only culprit, of course. Bill Browder, a British investment banker and a human rights defender, has had six red notices issued against him by Russian authorities and was taken by police in Madrid in 2018, before he was released amid a media storm. It seems authoritarian states can continue to misuse Interpols red notice system without penalty; without penalty, quite frankly, why would they stop? The regime in Beijing may often fail in seeking extraditions of supposed fugitives back to China, but its abuse of Interpol red notices can still destroy the targets lives. Take the aforementioned Aishan as an example: Due to media attention on his case, Interpol first suspended the red notice, which had been filed as early as 2017, and later canceled it altogether. Thats of little help to Aishan, as he remains in custody in Morocco, still fighting for his life. Interpol died before, and perhaps it needs to die again. In 2023, Interpol will celebrate its 100th anniversary. However, during the late 1930s it came under control by Germanythen the Third Reichand by the time war broke out, it had become a tool for the German authorities. At the end of World War II, Interpol, like the Third Reich, fell apart and was effectively dead. From its ashes, rose a new and improved Interpol. Interpol President Meng Hongwei walks toward the stage to deliver his opening address at the Interpol World Congress in Singapore on July 4, 2017. (Wong Maye/AP) Interpol has recently been pushed to reform and has indeed undertaken changes to limit the damage caused by authoritarian states using its red notice system for political purposes. But as the aforementioned cases show clearlyand there are many more that Safeguard Defenders continues to monitorthose reforms came too little, too late. Interpol didnt do itself any favors when a member of the Chinese Communist Party and former vice head of the Chinese police was elected as its president in 2016. The same man, Meng Hongwei, would later disappear on a trip back to China from France in late 2018, while still serving as the president of the organization. Meng was detained in a secret location until he appeared in court and was sentenced to prison over corruption chargeslikely another casualty of Xi Jinpings purge of political opponents. The problem that authoritarian states can misuse red notices without penalty remains. Russia has now issued as many as six red notices against Browder. Each time one is canceled, a new one is issued simply by using slightly different allegations. Still, Russia is free to issue a seventh, eighth, and ninth red notice (and more) if it so pleases, with no penalty of any kind for doing so. Right now, there are no mechanisms to screen red notices that are filed before they become activeits automatic. This allows extensive misuse of the system. Interpol claims to be unable to perform such screenings. Far worse, even when a country has had numerous red notices canceled due to its misuse, there is no mechanism to place such a state on a watchlist to screen all its forthcoming red notice requests for a period of time. Such a screening mechanism would deter or significantly reduce misuse of the system and save lives. Yet Interpol remains silent, failing to respond to criticism and refusing meaningful reform. Interpol officials didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Perhaps, it isnt the worst thing if Interpol died again, as a new and improved Interpol could rise from its ashes. Its time for Western countries to apply maximum pressure on Interpol to initiate meaningful reform or to start walking away from it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Larry Elder walks with staff and residents of Venice Beach, Calif., through streets with high populations of homeless individuals on Sept. 8, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Its a Health Crisis, Its a Moral Crisis: Elder Lays Out Plan on Homelessness After Venice Beach Walk-Through Assault California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder laid out his plan to address homelessness after his walk-through of a homeless encampment in Venice was cut short due to harassment and attacks from protesters on Sept. 8. Elder was invited to tour the homeless encampments by Venice Beach residents. While Elder was joined by 30 media personnel and members of the public as he toured the homeless encampments on Rose Ave., a group of protesters shouted insults and hurled projectiles, including eggs. A member of Elders security detail attempted to stop a woman in a pink gorilla mask from throwing eggs; she struck the security guard, who was struck by another person moments later. Elders staff cut his walk-through short and escorted him into a white SUV; press members departed in a bus and met up with Elder to continue the press conference later. I didnt expect there to be a ticker-tape parade when I came here, Elder later told the press in response to a question about the protesters. Regarding the racist attacks? Please. Ive been in the public eye for almost 40 years; Ive been called worse by better. It comes with the territory. Venice resident and Venice Neighborhood Council Chairwoman Soledad Ursua, who invited Elder to tour the encampments, said she thought the harassment at the walk-through proved her point about homelessness in the neighborhood. Assault and violence is the norm. Larry Elder walked one day in the lives of a Venice resident, Ursua tweeted after the attack. Health and Moral Crisis Elder spoke to The Epoch Times about addressing homelessness in California. Look, its a hard problem. People are angry, people are mad. Many of them are mentally ill. This is a problem thats been festering and growing worse under Gavin Newsom, he said. Elder said mental health problems are the reason many people are on the streets in the first place. A percentage of [the homeless] that you saw are schizophrenic. These are people who are a danger to themselves and to others, and they need to be literally removed from the streets for themselves, and for the protection of the rest of the homeless population, Elder said. And for the rest of us, this is a health crisis. Its a moral crisis. And it needs to be solved, and it can be solved, he said. Venice resident Rick Swinger agreed that homelessness in Los Angeles posed a health crisis to residents. He told The Epoch Times that the increased use of meth and fentanyl among the homeless contributes to mental health issues faced among the homeless population. When [people] shoot up this meth, they have minor tremors, or minor strokes, and theyre not even aware of it, but their short-term memory goes, and then they just keep shooting up, Swinger said. In encampments, Swinger also said the human waste in the gutters drains into the oceans; the waste also attracts rodents and fleas, who carry diseases and find their way into nearby Venice residences. Venice resident Chie Lunn, a teacher at the Realm Creative Academy, told The Epoch Times she used to make a point to teach her students empathy when encountering a homeless person. She taught them to give their extra snacks to the homeless people, or have them earn money to buy clothes for the homeless and hand them out. Now, however, Lunn said she can no longer safely take her students on field trips because of the number of homeless people on drugs such as meth and fentanyl in the surrounding area. The difference now [with the drugs meth and fentanyl] is that its altering the way theyre thinking, Lunn said. Before, she said, the unhoused people they encountered were aware of the children and encouraged the students to listen to their teachers. The last time we went, the violence and the lack of awareness that children were there made it [unsafe] and made it hard for the children to learn empathy, Lunn said. And [the students] are like, well, I just cant stand to see that person. Why is he there? Whats going on? Mental Health and Affordable Housing There is a tension between Los Angeles officials who believe the solution to homelessness is providing housing and services, and others who believe its regulation of encampments and strict reinforcement. Elder said he thinks the solution is an all of the above approach. Well, all I know is that in the city of Houston, they have no encampment attitude. And they are building a low-cost house when youre feeding people and putting them in low-cost housing. And they dont have the same problem that were having right here. Elder spoke earlier in the week with Dr. Ben Carson, the former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who had a plan before the end of the previous administration to build housing on federal land at a fraction of the cost of the houses built now. Elder said he would declare a state of emergency on homelessness in the state, which would allow him to suspend the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) so he would be able to rapidly build the low-cost housing on federal land; the California Department of General Services previously evaluated 44,000 areas of federal land in the state as affordable housing opportunity sites. Elder said people on the streets should be treated for their mental illnesses, then placed in the housing built on federal land. Part of his plan to address homelessness also includes lowering taxes so people have more money to donate to causes. Government has proved itself to be ineffective in dealing with the mentally ill. Nonprofits can do it, community activists can do it, churches can do it, synagogues can do it, mosques can do it. They need to have the money, they need to have the resources, but not with government, because government always comes with strings attached, Elder said. The California Republican Party has declined to endorse a candidate. However, as of Sept. 9, a FiveThirtyEight poll estimates that 54.7 percent of participants will vote no on the recall, while 41.7 people will vote yes to recall Newsom. The same poll put Elder as the leading recall candidate, with 26 percent of the votes. Police in riot gear face a protest outside a police station against the killing George Floyd on May 30, 2020, in Miami. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images) Judge Blocks Floridas Anti-Riot Law, Says It Violates First Amendment Rights A federal judge has temporarily blocked Floridas new anti-riot law championed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, saying it violates First Amendment rights. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker on Sept. 9 didnt rule the entire statute likely violated the U.S. Constitution, but found that the state legislatures new definition of the word riot was too vague and confusing to satisfy free-speech rights guaranteed under the First Amendment. If this court does not enjoin the statutes enforcement, the lawless actions of a few rogue individuals could effectively criminalize the protected speech of hundreds, if not thousands, of law-abiding Floridians, the Obama-appointed judge wrote in a 90-page ruling that includes a three-page history of the civil rights movement in Florida dating back to 1956. The so-called anti-riot measure, known as HB1, was signed into law by DeSantis on April 19. The Republican governor said at the time that its the strongest anti-rioting, pro-law-enforcement piece of legislation in the country. The law increases criminal penalties for assault, defacing monuments, and vandalizing public property during riots. Local governments that interfere with law enforcement trying to contain violent demonstrations will be penalized. Protesters confront riot police in front of a burning police car during a protest against police brutality in Miami on May 30, 2020. (Adam DelGiudice/AFP via Getty Images) The bill changed the definition of what a riot is in the state of Florida. Under the law, a riot is defined as a violent public disturbance involving three or more people acting with a common intent that causes damage to public property or injuriesor can cause imminent injury or damage. The law also creates a new second-degree felonyaggravated riotfor any riot involving more than 25 people and resulting in grievous bodily harm or more than $5,000 in property damage. It would also apply if participants use or threaten to use a deadly weapon or block roadways by force or by the threat of force. DeSantis said during the signing event in April that the left-wing idea of defund the police that echoed throughout Black Lives Matter demonstrations last year is an insane theory and is not going to be allowed to ever carry the day in the state of Florida. Democrats and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have said that the law is designed to intimidate Black Lives Matter and related protesters. The ACLU and several other groups sued the governor, state Attorney General Ashley Moody, and others over the measure earlier this year. Demonstrators participate in a protest in Miami, Florida, on June 12, 2020. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) DeSantis in a written statement said that he vehemently disagrees with the judges decision. But this case was always going to be decided by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, the governor said. There is a difference between a peaceful protest and a riot, and Floridians do not want to see the mayhem and violence associated with riots in their communities. The ACLU of Florida welcomed the decision in a statement shortly after the ruling, saying that the law appears designed to target those who protest police violence. We are glad the court has agreed to suspend enforcement of this key provision while we continue to advocate to ensure that protesters in Florida can safely exercise their right to speak out against injustice, it said. Meanwhile, DeSantis said during a press briefing on Sept. 9 that Florida would be appealing the decision. Thats a foreordained conclusion from that court, DeSantis said, The Washington Post reported. I guarantee you, well win that on appeal. Jack Phillips and Reuters contributed to this report. Lori Vallow Daybell glances at the camera during her hearing, with her defense attorney, Edwina Elcox, right, in Rexburg, Idaho. on March 6, 2020. (John Roark/via AP) Judge: Woman Accused in Kids Slayings Still Unfit for Trial ST. ANTHONY, IdahoA judge has decided an Idaho woman charged with conspiring with her new husband to kill her two children is still not fit to participate in her own court proceedings. District Judge Steven Boyce made the decision Wednesday to extend Lori Vallow Daybells time in a state mental hospital by at least 180 days. The East Idaho News reports Daybell was committed to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare on June 8 after a mental health professional said she was not competent to stand trial. Last month, Boyce asked for a progress report on her condition after getting letters asking for her commitment to be extended. Daybell and her husband Chad Daybell are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder, among other crimes. The charges are in relation to the deaths of 7-year-old Joshua JJ Vallow, 16-year-old Tylee Ryantwo of Loris kidsand Chads first wife, Tammy Daybell. The childrens bodies were found in Chad Daybells backyard in Idaho in 2020. Chad Daybell also appeared during the Zoom hearing with his attorney John Prior to discuss moving his November trial to a later date. Boyce said the prosecution and defense still need to continue the exchange of evidence and a change of venue hearing still needs to be held. The complex case began in 2018, according to the indictment, when Chad and Lori Daybellboth still married to other peoplebegan espousing their apocalyptical system of religious belief. Lori Daybell was arrested in Hawaii in 2020 on an Idaho warrant. In Arizona, Lori Daybell is charged with conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the death of her previous husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed by Lori Daybells brother, Alex Cox, who claimed it was self-defense. Cox later died of what police said were natural causes. Chad Daybell has pleaded not guilty to all the Idaho charges. He doesnt face charges in Arizona. Lori Daybell has not yet entered a plea in the Idaho or Arizona cases. Members of the Supreme Court pose for a group photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, on April 23, 2021. Seated from left: Associate Justice Samuel Alito, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, and Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Standing from left: Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, and Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett. (Erin Schaff/Pool/Getty Images) Justice Breyer Issues Warning to Democrats Who Want to Remake Supreme Court Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer issued a warning on Democrats wanting to remake the Supreme Court, including expanding the institution with justices, suggesting that Republicans will exploit Democrats agenda. Breyer, in a wide-ranging interview with NPR, said he will not kowtow to calls from progressive lawmakers to retire due to his age. Im only going to say that Im not going to go beyond what I previously said on the subject, and that is that I do not believe I should stay on the Supreme Court, or want to stay on the Supreme Court, until I die, the 83-year-old justice told the partially publicly funded broadcaster. And when exactly I should retire, or will retire, has many complex parts to it. I think Im aware of most of them, and I am, and will consider them. When Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died last year and Amy Coney Barrett was nominated to the top court, left-wing Democrat lawmakers called for the expansion, or packing, of the Supreme Court with several more justices. In April, President Joe Biden signed an executive order that established an investigatory body to determine whether more seats should be added to the Supreme Court or whether term limits should be established for justices. There is no question that Justice Breyer, for whom I have great respect, should retire at the end of this term, Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) told news website Cheddar in April, referring to Ginsburgs death. My goodness, have we not learned our lesson? Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has issued similar statements. But Breyer, who dismissed such calls earlier this year, again said that such notions havent had an impact on the justices. What goes around comes around. And if the Democrats can do it, the Republicans can do it, Breyer told NPR while promoting his upcoming book, The Authority of the Court and the Peril of Politics. During the interview, Breyer also said that he welcomes in-person oral arguments after the court went virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I think its better to be there where you can actually see the lawyer and see your colleagues, and you get more of a human interaction, he said to NPR. Were not automatons. Were human beings, Breyer also said. And I believe when human beings discuss things face to face theres a better chance of working things out. Thats true with the lawyers in oral arguments, and its true with the nine of us when were talking. A person receives a bandage after their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at a mobile vaccination clinic at the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA in Los Angeles on Aug. 7, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) LAUSD Votes to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccine for Students Over 12 The LAUSD Board of Education voted 70 on Sept. 9 to require students over the age of 12 to receive a COVID-19 vaccination in order to attend in-person classes in the LA Unified School District (LAUSD). Students with qualified and approved exemptions under LAUSDs existing immunization policies are exempt from the vaccine requirement, according to the district. Todays decision furthers our longstanding commitment to ensure the safety of our students, families, and staff, Board President Kelly Gonez said in a statement. The vaccine is the single best way to protect students and schools from COVID-19. Los Angeles Unified is committed to meeting our families where they are and providing them with reliable medical information about this safe, effective vaccine. First, students who participate in extracurricular activities will be required to get at least one dose of the vaccine by Oct. 3 and are expected to be fully vaccinated by the end of the month. Then, all students over the age of 12 must receive the first dose by Nov. 21 and be fully vaccinated by Dec. 19. Other students must get their first vaccine dose no later than 30 days after their 12th birthday, and their second dose no later than 8 weeks after their 12th birthday. Currently, the two-dose Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine to have received emergency approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for 12- to 15-year-olds; it is fully approved for those over 16. According to the statement, the LAUSD will require proof of vaccination to be uploaded to the LAUSDs Daily Pass system by Jan. 10. So far, the Daily Pass system has been used to track COVID-19 tests after the LAUSD mandated weekly tests for students and employees regardless of vaccination status in July. Eligible students who do not have proof of vaccination against COVID-19 will not be permitted on school campuses and referred to the Districts independent study program at City of Angels, according to the districts FAQ page. The mandate would affect approximately 225,000 middle school and high school students, 80,000 of whom are not yet vaccinated, according to district officials. LAUSD staff are required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 15. Chow Han Tung, vice chairwoman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (C) is escorted by police in a van to a court, in Hong Kong, on Sept. 10, 2021. (Kin Cheung/AP Photo) Leaders Behind Tiananmen Vigil in Hong Kong Charged With Inciting Subversion A Hong Kong court charged three leaders of the group behind the citys annual Tiananmen Massacre vigil under the Beijing-imposed national security law for subversion on Friday. Three leaders are currently being held in custody. Chow Hang Tung, a prominent barrister and the vice-chair of the pro-democracy group, failed to secure bail in the West Kowloon Magistrates Courts on Friday. The chair Lee Cheuk-yan and the vice-chair Albert Ho are already in jail for their roles in unauthorized assemblies in 2019 and did not apply for bail. They were accused of inciting other people to organize, plan, commit or participate in acts by unlawful means with a view to subverting the state power under the national security law. When asked whether they understood the charge in the court, Chow said, [I] understand, this is a ridiculous allegation. Last June, the Chinese regime inserted the national security law into the former British mini-constitution, Basic Law. The draconian regulation criminalizes four broadly defined categories of offenses, including secession, subversion, and collusion with a foreign country. The group itself, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Democratic Movements of China, was also charged with inciting subversion. The Alliance is known for organizing the citys annual candlelight vigil to memorialize the victims of the bloody massacre at Tiananmen Square in China, the center of the capital Beijing. On June 4, 1989, the communist regimes leader sent troops to quash the protesting students who called for a more open society. The former British colony had been the only place on Chinese soil having large-scale public commemorations, although the Hong Kong police have been banning the vigils for the past two years, citing the pandemic. Thousands of people take part in a candlelight vigil to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre at a park in Hong Kong, on June 4, 2011. (Mike Clarke/Getty Images) The Hong Kong police had characterized the Alliance as a foreign agent, requesting it hand over its membership, operation, and finances before Sept. 7. The group strongly denied the accusation and said that it would not cooperate with the police at the press conference. Chow and her colleagues, Tang Ngok-kwan, Leung Kam-wai, Chan To-wai, and Tsui Hon-kwong were arrested on Sept. 8 for failure to comply with the submission requirements under Article 43 of the national security law. The five refused to plead guilty. The Secretary of the Security said in a letter on Friday he would give the Alliance two weeks to explain why it shouldnt be struck off the Companies Register. The group will be dissolved once the security bureau releases the removal notice. The polices national security department had already frozen $283,000 worth of assets belonging to the group. Police officers from the National Security Department take away exhibits featuring images of former Chinese Communist Party leader Zhao Ziyang (R) and pro-democracy activist Szeto Wah (L), after raiding the June 4 museum dedicated to the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, in Hong Kong, on Sept. 9, 2021. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP via Getty Images) Prosecutor Anthony Chau Tin-hang applied to adjourn the case to allow further investigation into the confiscated USB sticks, computers, and tablets. On Thursday, the police seized devices in a raid of the groups premises, including the June 4th Museum. The next hearing for the case is scheduled for Oct. 28. Under the national security law, people who are found guilty of incitement to commit secession could face five to 10 years in jail. Tong Ying-kit, the first person charged under the law, was sentenced to nine years in prison. He was convicted of inciting secession and terrorism after he drove a motorcycle carrying a banner bearing the slogan Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times in a 2020 protest. More than 100 people have been arrested under the national security law, leading to more than 60 chargesmostly against Democratic politicians, activists, journalists, and students. A former group member, Richard Tsoi, wears a black T-shirt reading people will not forget in Hong Kong, on Sept. 10, 2021. (Yu Gang/The Epoch Times) Dont Accept the Fate Chow said on her Facebook page on Friday, if the resistance could win back more time and space for the like-minded, I believe its worth it. As long as we still have the will to fight, we have not lost, the post read.Hong Kongers, dont accept the fate. A former group member, Richard Tsoi, attended the hearing in a black T-shirt reading people will not forget. I can only say that I hope Hongkongers will continue to uphold our conscience and keep concern for social affairs, and that everyone will continue to pay attention to the current situation in Hong Kong, he said when asked whether he worried about his own situation. Ye Zeyu, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report. (L-R) Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, Green Party Leader Annamie Paul, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole pose for a photo before the federal election English-language leaders' debate in Gatineau, Que., on Sept. 9, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick) Leaders Trade Barbs on Two Michaels, China Human Rights in English Debate A question on where the next prime minister will stand when it comes to the trade off between Canadas economic growth and recognizing the Chinese regimes human rights violations sparked fiery exchanges among party leaders during the English debate on Thursday night. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau was quick to jump in the moment NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh finished his argument that Canada has to do everything possible to secure the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who have been arbitrarily detained in China since December 2018. Thats exactly what weve been doing. Over the past three years, we have worked with international allies to put pressure on China in every single one of their meetings, Trudeau said. Trudeau said his government has worked closely with the United States and the G7, and has been challenging China on human rights, economic competitiveness, and holding the regime accountable to the rule of law. Canadas voice has been very strong on that, he said. Canadas voice has been absent Mr. Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin OToole countered. We have not worked with our allies on Huawei. We have not stood up for the 300,000 Canadians in Hong Kong. Weve not fought for the two Michaels and put the pressure on the communist regime. Weve not stood up for human rights, he said. Sir, you did not show up for a vote declaring a genocide towards the Uyghur people. You didnt show up. In February, a majority of MPs voted in favour of a motion to recognize that the CCPs campaign against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities constitutes a genocide. Trudeau and his cabinet did not show up except for Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau, who voted on behalf of the cabinet to abstain from voting on the motion. Trudeau responded by saying taking an aggressive approach with China wont work. If you want to get the Michaels home, you do not simply lob tomatoes across the Pacific. That is what Mr. Harper [former prime minister Stephen Harper] tried for a number of years, and didnt get anywhere, he replied to OToole. You need to engage in a sophisticated way with our allies. Green Party Leader Annamie Paul responded by saying that establishing trust is vital to Canada. When the Uyghurs ask us for help to declare a genocide and when we dont do that then our word doesnt count for much, she said. Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet also fired back at Trudeau. Throwing tomatoes might not be the solution, but I would submit humbly that doing nothing might not be the solution either, he said. Accusing Trudeau of not doing enough when it comes to human rights issues, Blanchet cited the plight of Kovrig and Spavor, Uyghur Muslims, and the situation in Hong Kong, among several examples. Agreeing with Blanchet, OToole said, We may be smaller than China with respect to population and economy, but we are a giant when it comes to our commitments to human rights, to dignity, and to the rule of law. He added that Canada must take a more serious approach on Chinas human rights violations, defend fair trade for Canadian workers, and make sure our voice is a principled one on the world stage again. Quebec Premier Francois Legault responds to reporters questions over the federal election debate, in Quebec City on Sept. 9, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot) Legault in Favour of Conservative Minority, Wary of Liberals, NDP and Greens In the wake of the Sept. 8 French-language debate, Quebec Premier Francois Legault said he is in favour of a Conservative minority government, while being critical of the Liberals, NDP, and Green Party. Legault praised Conservative Leader Erin OToole, particularly on his promise to increase health transfers to Quebec without conditions. The Conservative Party has been clear: they want to increase health transfers with no conditions, they want to transfer immigration powers, and Mr. OToole has committed to not funding opposition to Bill 21, he said during a press conference on Sept. 9. For the Quebec nation, Mr. OTooles approach is a good one. However, Legault said he is concerned the Conservative leader would scrap the $6 billion in child-care funding the federal Liberals promised to Quebec. The Conservatives full policy platform, released on Sept. 6, says a Conservative government would cancel the Liberals nationwide $30-billion child-care program and replace it with a refundable tax credit covering up to 75 percent of child-care costs for low-income families. As for the Liberals, NDP and Greens, Legault said theyre not ready to transfer power to the Quebec government in immigration, and they dont exclude to be part of the suit against Bill 21. So for the nation of Quebec, for those who would like to protect our nation, I think we have to be careful with those three parties, he said. I am a nationalist. I want Quebec to be more autonomous, to have more powers. There are three parties, the Liberal party, the NDP and Greens, who want to give us less autonomy. I find that dangerous. Asked for his position on the Bloc Quebecois, Legault dismissed Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, saying he cannot form the next government as he doesnt have enough candidates. Legaults approval of OToole sparked criticism from Quebec Liberal leader Dominique Anglade, who accused him of trying to abandon parents and children in his province. By wishing for the election of a conservative government,@francoislegault agrees to tear up the $ 6 billion agreement and abandons the parents, the children and the entire network of childcare services in Quebec, she wrote on Twitter. Legault said he would not tell Quebecers how to vote in the election. Its up to Quebecers to choose, but Ill tell you this. Im a nationalist. I want Quebec to have more autonomy and power. Live Q&A: Biden Plans New Vaccine Mandates Requiring Businesses to Vaccinate; DOJ Sues Texas President Joe Biden announced new mandates for COVID-19 that will make businesses with over 100 employees enforce vaccine mandates. The policy comes alongside additional mandates for health care workers and federal employees, and policies requiring certain businesses to enforce vaccine mandates for customers. In this live Q&A with Crossroads host Joshua Philipp, well discuss this story and others, and answer questions from the audience. Were being heavily censored by Big Tech. Our solution? Create our own independent platform free of censorship. Join us today on EpochTV. Weve got a country to save: http://epochtv.com/Crossroads Follow EpochTV on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV Parler: https://parler.com/#/user/EpochTV Workers pass by a sales person as they walk towards the City of London financial district as they cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London, Britain, on Sept. 8, 2021. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Londons Financial Workers Flock Back to Office in Hot Commuter Crush LONDONTheres no free lunch in financeexcept when banks are wooing workers back to the office. Londons financial sector, keen to return to a semblance of normality after the worst of the pandemic, is leading the charge to encourage employees back to their old lives, with some companies even offering free food and social events. It seems to be working; Londons transport operator said this week it recorded its busiest day since the pandemic hit in March 2020, as workers filled once-deserted trains into the capitals twin financial districts of the City and Canary Wharf. Canary Wharf Group, which runs that district, also said it was busier than at any time since last March. Crowds of office staff thronged its plazas, while City workers bustled on London Bridge and lounged by Tower Bridge in the resurgent September sun. It feels like London offices post the summer-holiday period should be starting to get back to normal in September and October, said Ian Williams, who works at investment bank Peel Hunt and was traveling back into his office in the City of London this week for the first time. Indeed Standard Chartered said that about 33 percent of staff were in the office this week, up from 20 percent last week and from a few dozen during lockdowns this year and last. The bank is among those getting creative in rewarding staff who make it into the office, in its case by providing free food. Meanwhile Goldman Sachs, whose CEO has called home working an aberration, is offering sweet temptation with a free gelato ice cream bar. The investment bank said around 3,000 workers came in to its Plumtree Court offices in Londons City this week. That was roughly 50 percent capacity, and up six times from the peak of lockdowns when the bank operated with just 400500 staff in per day, it added. Daily occupancy at HSBCs headquarters in Canary Wharf rose to 1,800 people out of a possible 3,500 this week, from a recent average of 1,0001,500, the bank told Reuters, and more are expected to join the crowd in the next few weeks. Theres no such thing as a free lunch there, though. The bank has not prioritized offering incentives like free food, its UK CEO Ian Stuart told Reuters, in recognition of the fact that some 10,000 branch staff have come in to work every day through the pandemic without such lures. We are trying to communicate very effectively that the offices are safe, the first hurdle is getting people to come in and try it and more and more are doing that, he said. A woman exercises with a dog near the City of London financial district, in London, UK, on April 30, 2021. (John Sibley/Reuters) Back Getting Crushed on Train A similar office influx is happening in the United States, albeit cautiously amid fears about the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant. Citigroup expects staff to come back to offices in New York and other big cities two days a week from Sept. 13, but only if they have been vaccinated. Investment bank executives have been among the most vocal on the need for staff to return to the office. They hope that the novelty of office working after a year and half at home, plus the lure of mingling with senior executives who might open the door to promotion, will outweigh health concerns among young City staff. JPMorgan has seen about 35 percent of its staff in its Canary Wharf office this week, the highest proportion since the first UK lockdown began and a number it expects to rise. Other companies are poised to follow suit, including retail bank NatWest, which is planning a phased return from next week starting with 50 percent occupancy in its offices in England and Scotland. Insurer Phoenix Group has adopted another novel strategy for helping staff readjust to returning to its offices, including in the City. It has run safely social events this week, where employees were offered free food and soft drinks as well as colored lanyards to show how comfortable they were with levels of interactionranging from Im keeping my distance to Im OK with high-fives. Long Beach Police Chief Announces Impending Retirement LONG BEACH, Calif.Long Beach Police Chief Robert G. Luna announced his impending retirement on Sept. 9. Luna said he will step down in December, though an exact date was not given. I have been so fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve this city for the past 36 years and it has been a true honor and privilege to serve as the chief of police for the last seven, Luna said in a statement released by the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD). Among the most rewarding experiences was the opportunity to be a part of this leadership team who has helped to craft innovative programs, initiatives, and strategies to make our department a true 21st century police department, he said. (Courtesy of Long Beach Police Department) Luna began his career at the LBPD as a reserve officer in 1985. He has been part of the LBPD command staff since 2001 and was sworn in as the departments 26th chief in November 2014. Long Beach has been incredibly grateful to have had Chief Luna lead our police department, said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. I have served with him since my early days as mayor and hes been an incredible partner and friend. I am so happy for him and his family and wish him well. Information on the selection process for the next chief of police will be announced by the citys human resource department in the near future, according to the LBPD. A group of elderly people enjoys a day in Beijing, China on 7 April 2007. China will expand its social security fund to at least $200 billion within a decade in a bid to meet the surging demand for pensions from its aging population, as the country currently has 144 million people who have already passed their 60th birthday, accounting for half of Asia's entire population in that age group, while another 100 million will be added roughly every 15 years and after 2030 the population that will be in the labour force to support those who are either too young or too old to work will shrink to less than half. (AFP/AFP via Getty Images) Chinas Aging Population Threatens Its Labor Force Chinas seventh national population census showed that 44.3 percent of its cities have an aged population. According to the World Health Organization, when the number of people over 65 years of age in a country or region exceeds 7 percent, it is called an aging society. When the number exceeds 14 percent, it becomes an aged society, and 20 percent is a super-aged society. On Sept. 5, China Business Network, a Chinese state-owned media, reported that 149 out of 336 censused cities in China had entered the designation of being an aged society, which accounted for 44.3 percent of the censused total. The 149 cities are primarily in the northeast region, the central region, the Yangtze River Delta, the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, and the Chengdu-Chongqing City Group. Forty-one percent of the cities are in the eastern coastal area, accounting for 27.5 percent; 36 in the northeast, making up 24.2 percent; 72 in the central and western regions, 48.3 percent. According to the census data released by the State Council of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on May 11, China has a total population of 1.4 billion (1,411,778,724), of which 190 million (190,635,280) is over the age of 65, accounting for 13.5 percent of the population. The overall population is only 0.5 percentage points away from becoming an aged society. Compared with the sixth national census ten years ago, the number of people over 65 has increased by 4.63 percent, suggesting a significant acceleration in the aging population. Among Chinas 31 provinces (including autonomous prefectures and municipalities), 12 provinces account for over 14 percent of the population that is over 65 (aged societies). Six provinces have between 13 and 14 percent of the elderly population, which are on the brink of being aged societies. Chinas seventh census data was initially scheduled for release in early April but was delayed for more than a month. It is unknown whether the CCP tampered with the data before making it public. On May 31, 20 days after its release, the CCP Politburo began reviewing its three-child policy. The three-child policy was then swiftly implemented and supplemented by various supporting policies. Before the implementation of the three-child policy, families were only allowed to have two children. But the Chinas National Health Commission in June said a large portion of families still decided not to give birth despite wanting another baby, due to the high costs of raising a child in China. The aging population will bring about a decline in the labor force. Chinas current legal retirement age is 50 for women in blue-collar, 55 for women in white-collar, and 60 for most men. A small number of senior intellectuals are allowed to work until 65. If the average age of retirement is 60, those born in 1961 will retire this year. CBN, a Chinese state-owned media, reported that in the next 10 years, roughly 270 million people, those born between 1962 and 1971, will reach the age of 60, the retirement age. On average, 27 million people will withdraw from the labor force each year. And the new labor force, those born after the year 2000, averages about 15 million per year, resulting in a net reduction in labor of 12 million per year. Yuan Xin, a professor at the Institute of Population and Development of Chinas Nankai University, told Red Star News, a Chinese state-owned media, that the decrease in the labor force will increase the price of labor, which, coupled with the increase in the elderly population that requires pension, will result in an enormous economic burden. There is additional trauma to understand when loss of a loved one is also marred by an act of violence. (Syda Productions/Shutterstock) Losing a Loved One to a Violent Death As September 11 comes again, we are reminded that some of us need help to grieve It was a beautiful Tuesday morning on September 11th, 2001. I was making rounds in the hospital greeting a couple of patients with a smile, as I knew they were well enough to go home that day. Others were holding steady but not quite ready to return home for their recovery. In another section, patients were either tenuous, holding onto life with whispered prayers and the modern machines of medicine, or they were preparing for the final paradigm shift of life. In my career, I spent the most time with the third group where death most commonly approaches like a steam engine. The whistle blows and is followed by the low rumble of the engine, and we can sense the friction of the wheels upon the track. When it finally rounds that last corner, we are prepared as it approaches because we know death is arriving. However, sometimes death arrives like a semi-truck that has run a stop sign. This morning, it arrived by planes hitting towers, government offices, and into fields. The world stopped. We held our breath. We couldnt have imagined what we were seeing on the small screens in our patients rooms. Death had arrived and no one was prepared. To this day I can remember the emotions of that daypatients and families just wanted to go home. They sought safety in their people and familiar surroundings. I had to convince some they were not well enough to go home. A sense of fear settled like a fog everywhere I walked. I reflect on this day and all the days since when death arrived suddenly at the hands of evil. Most people, thankfully, will never have to endure the horrors of a terrorist attack. But if our news feeds are any indication, countless people lose loved ones to senseless acts of violence every single day. What about them? At most funerals (especially at the services of those who have lived a long life) people eulogize the departed by mentioning the various good things they did in life. For many, the fact that the deceased lived a life full of meaning, guided by positive values, is the good to be found in death. Their worthy legacy is what is most remembered. This is not always the case with those who die violently and prematurely. All too often, the terrible way they died is what overshadows everything else. Survivors are not just forced to live without a loved one, but they are haunted constantly by the evil that marked their family members final moments. This is a different kind of suffering and a very complicated kind of grief journey. Personal factors like emotional regulation, secondary stressors, prior history of trauma, and access to support will play a major role in how each person responds. Professional counselors, grief support group leaders, clergy, and victim advocates vary in their ability to help victims navigate the grief that accompanies traumatic loss. The best professionals take special care to watch for and treat symptoms of complicated grief, depression, and PTSDall of which are common following traumatic loss. Most mourning parents tend to focus on the loss itself, or the stressors that are indirect consequences of the violence (such as having to work with the police), or they bounce back and forth between these two realities. It is important to understand that these are coping mechanisms, and everyone will react differently. The best way to help is to acknowledge that uniqueness in grieving is okay. As family, friends, and community seek to comfort those most closely affected, they must be willing to tread in the waters of their own discomfort and fears. Grief after a violent death shares many characteristics with grief from other kinds of death; however, the following reactions may also be expected: Shock with manifestations of anger, despair, disbelief, guilt, and anxiety Denial of the death Survivors guilt Yearning to see the person one more time Possible regret for the last words spoken before separation Restlessness, loss of concentration and loss of interest in life Panic attacks, nightmares, insomnia, or physical manifestations Inability to function Irrational thoughts and actions Fear of being alone, or isolating to cope Given the unique grief of those who have lost a loved one to violence, it is important to have an accurate window into the shock and trauma they are trying to navigate. The experiences below can offer a helpful guide for offering constructive compassion: I am in shock. I dont know what to say and I know you dont know either. Please sit with me; when I am ready, I will speak. I am in shock. I just want to go to sleep and wake up to a different reality. For now, can you sit in the other room so that I may rest? I am in shock. My mind is fearful, anxious, restless. Please get a doctor. I am in shock. I cannot believe he/she is gone. I am in denial. I need to see them, touch them, and say goodbye. I am in shock. I cant plan a funeral, take care of my children, or do the everyday aspects of my life. Please help me. I am numb and in a daze. I cannot remember yesterday, and I cant think about tomorrow. I need a counselor. I am in despair. I imagine all day what their final moments were like. I have nightmares all night. I need a counselor and/or a grief group, and I want justice. I am afraid. If this could happen in my safe world, then my world is no longer safe. What if this would happen to another family member or to me? Help me take the necessary steps to feel safer. I am alone. No one understands. Thats why I isolate myself and dont call you back, or go to the store for groceries, or do any of the things I once loved to do. I need you to break through these barriers that I keep creating. I am alone. I need to be with others who have also suffered this same fate, so that I may live. Help me find them. I am alone. I need to talk about my loved one even though it makes me cry. I need to remember who they were, not what happened. Will you sit with me and look at pictures and videos? Will you go with me into their room, which I am afraid to enter? I am alone. When you send me a card, a note, or a letter, I treasure iteven if I dont mention it. It is comforting. It shows me you care. Grief and loss do not have a time stamp. Grief never goes away; when it is processed healthily, it only becomes more bearable and less debilitating. It becomes a part of the imprint that is left on our hearts to remind us of the beautiful life that was lost. As we support those who lost so much on September 11, 2001, may we also support those that lost loved ones to violent and premature deaths. Dr. Pamela Prince Pyle is a board-certified internal medicine physician, who was one of three physicians selected in 1992 by Carolina Health Specialists to begin the first hospital-based internal medicine practice outside of a university setting in the United States. In 2009, Dr. Pyle began traveling to Rwanda for medical work with Africa New Life Ministries and was instrumental in the founding and growth of the Dream Medical Center in Kigali. She is the author of A Good Death: Learning to Live Like You Were Dying, coming in 2022. To learn more visit her website. A worker leaves a Top Glove factory after his shift in Klang, Malaysia on Dec. 7, 2020. (Lim Huey Teng/Reuters) Malaysias Top Glove Says US Lifts Import Ban Over Forced Labour KUALA LUMPURMalaysias Top Glove Corp. said on Friday it has been allowed to resume sales to the United States, after customs authorities lifted a year-long ban imposed for alleged forced labour found at the worlds largest medical glove maker. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had banned gloves made by Top Glove in July 2020, saying it had found abuses of migrant workers. In its latest statement, Top Glove said its disposable gloves would be admissible at all U.S. ports as of Sept. 10. Its shares, which have plunged about 40 percent since the ban, jumped as much as 10 percent on Friday. The company cited a CBP notice filed to the U.S. Federal Register, saying the customs agency had determined upon additional information that Top Gloves products were no longer being produced by forced labour. The notice is available on the Federal Register website. The CBP was not available for comment outside U.S. business hours. Top Glove has taken a hit to reputation and business from the ban, which came at a time when it was making record profits as the COVID-19 pandemic boosted demand for its gloves. Its glove production in Malaysia has dropped and a plan for a $1 billion Hong Kong listing has been delayed since the ban. The North American market accounts for 22 percent of Top Gloves total sales volume, according to most recent data. Improvements at Top Glove The CBP had prohibited imports of Top Glove products citing evidence of forced labour practices at the company, including debt bondage, excessive overtime, abusive working and living conditions, and retention of identity documents. A worker inspects disposable gloves at the Top Glove factory production line in Shah Alam on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Aug. 26, 2020. (Mohd Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images) While Top Glove said in April it had resolved all forced labour indicators, U.S. Customs had two of the companys shipments seized in May said. Rights activist Andy Hall, who had urged the CBP to investigate Top Glove, said he welcomed the decision to lift the ban in light of the considerable improvements in foreign workers living and working conditions at Top Glove. Top Glove has upgraded hostel facilities for its migrant workers, who account for a majority of its factory workforce, and promised to compensate them for the fee they paid to employment agents in their home countries. The fees result in debt bondage, labour activists say. Rivals Hartalega Holdings and Kossan Rubber have also since said they would pay back the fees. Two other Malaysian firms have also been hit with U.S. bans in the last yearSime Darby Plantation and FGV Holdings. The palm oil producers have both appointed auditors to evaluate their practices and said they would engage with CBP to address the concerns raised. By A. Ananthalakshmi and Rozanna Latiff A school bus driver is seen in a caravan demanding funding from Congress for the safe reopening of schools, in Los Angeles, Calif., on Aug. 13, 2020. (Mike Blake/Reuters) Man Fires Gun at Moving School Bus Driver in Buena Park A man fired a 9mm handgun at a moving school bus in Buena Park in an attempt to murder the bus driver, officials said. Homicide detectives identified the suspect Sept. 9 as Cedric Baxter, 60, of Compton. Baxter attempted to murder the school bus driver who is his estranged wife, Buena Park police spokesperson Sgt. Chad Weaver told The Epoch Times. Baxters wife had an active domestic violence restraining order against him. Baxter had a lengthy criminal history, and as a result of the latest domestic violence incident, Baxters parole had had been revoked. At the time of the incident, he was a parolee at large, Weaver said. Baxter was driving a grey Chevy Tahoe when he fired a gun at a moving school bus with a child inside the vehicle. The shooting took place in the area of Orangethorpe Avenue and Western Avenue, which is located near multiple schools. An officer who witnessed the shooting tried to stop the Baxter as he fled and a pursuit ensued. Baxter raced through the citys streets, drove through the Buena Park School District parking lot, came back out onto the city streets, and again tried to return to the school districts parking lot, Weaver said. When Baxter tried to drive back into the parking lot, he was obstructed by the entrance gates, which someone closed and locked. Baxter crashed into the gate and collided into a vehicle in the parking lot. Then, he exited his vehicle. An officer involved shooting occurred and Baxter was pronounced deceased at the scene. His firearm was located. There were no injuries reported during the incident. Weaver said this case is an isolated incident and there are three separate investigations occurring for this case. Less than a week later, a Buena Park High School (BPHS) student brought a gun to school and was arrested on Sept. 8, officials said. School staff notified the Buena Park polices School Resource Officers (SRO) that a student had a firearm with them. The student attempted to flee and was safely detained after a brief struggle, Buena Park police said in a statement. A loaded 9 mm pistol was located in the students pant pocket. The student was arrested and taken to Juvenile Hall. The identity of the suspect was not made public. The dome of the US Capitol is seen in Washington on Aug. 8, 2021. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Members of Congress, Federal Judges, Staffers Exempt From Vaccine Mandate On Thursday evening, President Joe Biden unveiled two executive orders that could mandate vaccinations for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus for millions of working Americans in both the public and private spheres. But absent from these mandates are similar requirements for members of Congress, federal judges, or their staffers. Bidens executive orders would unilaterally require vaccination for federal employees, the military, and government contractors. The president also asked Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to require that firms with over 100 employees either mandate vaccination or weekly CCP virus tests. In total, these mandates could affect over 100 million American workers, making it one of the widest-reaching vaccine mandates in world history. Biden wrote, It is the policy of my Administration to halt the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, by relying on the best available data and science-based public health measures. The order continued, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services has determined that the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to prevent infection by the Delta variant or other variants is to be vaccinated. In the second section, Biden lays out this rigorous policy, requiring all executive agencies to implement, to the extent consistent with applicable law, a program to require COVID-19 vaccination for all of its Federal employees, with exceptions only as required by law. Such exemptions are few and strictly defined. The order would cover civilian employees of executive offices like the State Department and Department of Defense, and would also require all military personnel to receive the vaccine. In total, this no-excuses order would affect millions of civilian and non-civilian federal employees. The president went beyond this, however, laying out a framework that would require private-sector employers to mandate vaccines or weekly testing for their employees. To achieve this, Biden turned to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal agency tasked with ensuring that companies protect the safety of their employees. OSHAs emergency temporary standards policy does allow for some immediate action from the agency. Under certain limited conditions, according to OSHAs website, OSHA is authorized to set emergency temporary standards that take effect immediately and are in effect until superseded by a permanent standard. To issue such a temporary order, OSHA must determine that workers are in grave danger from toxic substances or other physically harmful agents. If OSHA complies with the request from the president, workers in mid-sized to large firmsany firm with more than 100 employeesacross the country will be affected. These employees would be forced to choose between weekly testing and vaccination in an effort to further push the unvaccinated into getting the new medication. But not included in the executive orders are mandates for members of federal employees in the legislative or judicial branches, including members of Congress, their staffers, as well as federal judges and other court employees. Earlier in the year, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was asked about requiring that members of Congress be vaccinated. Public health officials are encouraging wearing masks indoors, Pelosi began. She continued: So heres the thingwe cannot require someone to be vaccinated. Its just not what we can do. The vaccination status of any member of Congress, Pelosi said, is a matter of privacy. She noted that she cannot go to the Capitol physician and say give me the names of people who arent vaccinated so I can go encourage them or make it known to others to encourage them to be vaccinated. Pelosi closed, So we cant do that. While Democrats in Congress claim to have a 100 percent vaccination rate, some Republicans in both chambers expressed hesitancy. It is unclear exactly what percentage of members are vaccinated. Under this executive order, holdouts in Congress would not be forced to get a vaccine. Likewise, because federal courts are not under the executive branch, federal judges and their staffers are not covered under Bidens sweeping mandate. Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard delivers remarks at the start of the U.S.-Mexico High Level Economic Dialogue (HLED) with the delegation from Mexico and the United States including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at the Eisenhower Office Building in Washington, on Sept. 9, 2021. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Mexico and US Agree to Work on Supply Chains, Migration MEXICO CITY/WASHINGTONThe United States and Mexico on Thursday agreed to work on making shared supply chains, especially for semiconductors, more competitive and invest in social programs to tackle migration, said top Mexican officials after high-level economic talks in Washington. The so-called High-Level Economic Dialogue (HLED) was held for the first time in several years and the two sides also signaled they need greater cooperation to combat challenges of climate change and workers rights. The two countries will create a bilateral working group on supply chains, Mexicos government said a the statement. The working group will aim to increase the resilience of cross border trade and manufacturing in the face of disruption as well as to attract production lines from other parts of the world. Mexico discussed the need to sit down with industries or companies and be able to detail the components of semiconductors to determine what parts would be manufactured in Mexico or the United States, said Mexican Economy Minister Tatiana Clouthier at a news conference in Washington. The United States agreed to give technical support including collaborating with Mexico on Sembrando Vida, its forestation program to provide work and support agriculture, and Jovenes Construyendo el Futuro, a jobs scheme for 18-to-29-year-olds in Central America and southern Mexico aimed at offering alternatives to migration, Mexico said in its statement. This dialogue drives improved job creation, global competitiveness, and reductions in poverty and inequalities, and that is to the benefit of U.S. citizens and Mexican citizens alike, said U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price. The talks in Washington came as the two sides seek to address a number of issues, including automotive rules requiring certain amounts of parts to be sourced in North America and the court-ordered resumption of the Stay in Mexico program, which sends asylum seekers outside the United States while their cases are processed. We have made clear that they can raise any issue of concern and that we would raise issues of concern, a senior U.S. administration official said in a briefing with reporters on Wednesday. The two countries share a 2,000-mile (3,200-km) border and a commercial relationship that generates more than half a trillion dollars in annual bilateral trade, supporting millions of jobs in both countries. The two governments did not discuss the U.S. remain in Mexico policy, formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program, according to Mexico Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, speaking at the news conference. In August, the U.S. Supreme Court denied President Joe Bidens bid to rescind the policy. The issue of MPP was not discussed in the dialogue, Ebrard said. One of the pillars (of the talks) includes the border. And on that, several infrastructure projects on the border were raised. Mexico and the United States have agreed on four pillars of focus for the high-level talks, and approved an agenda on Thursday. The first pillar is building back together, including a more resilient supply chain and modernizing the U.S.-Mexico border. The second is sustainable economic and social development in southern Mexico and Central America. The final two pillars deal with cybersecurity and workforce development, among other things. Mexicos delegation was led by Ebrard and Clouthier, while for the United States the talks were led by Vice President Kamala Harris. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and others were also in attendance. Epoch Times staff contributed to this report Mississippi Nurses Report a Toxic Work Culture Growing Between Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Describing a climate of vaccine shaming and bullying, two Mississippi nurses have reported once amicable work environments degenerate into a division between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. One nurse in Jackson, Mississippiwho requested to remain anonymoustold The Epoch Times that when faced with the vaccine mandate at her hospital, she quit and took another job paying $16 an hour more at another health care system that hadnt implemented the mandate. However, with President Joe Bidens announcement on Thursday to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for health care systems that participate in Medicaid and Medicare programs, the nurse said, even at her new job, her days could be limited. They said its not a matter of if, but when, she said. Bidens mandate also applies to private companies that employ 100 people or more, federal workers and contractors, and educators within the federal Head Start program. The mandates will affect more than 80 million workers in the private sector. This is not about freedom or personal choice, Biden said. For the nurse, it began in December 2020 when the vaccine was offered to staff and she declined. Then, we had a financial incentive, but eventually it became a mandate, she said. We had to take the shot in order to keep working there. Though she considered a religious or medical exemption, she said, eventually she decided that she didnt want to work in a place that would mandate the vaccine. Without having a plan, she put in her two-week notice. I was just going out on a limb and trusting God, she said. Before her two weeks were up, she landed her new job. For a nurse who had just graduated nursing school in May 2020, keeping a low profile became a navigation tool to get through most days, she said. Most people knew I hadnt taken the shot, and when it was mandated, some asked me if I were going to take it, but no means no, she said. Im not wavering. Hard to Watch As the mandate approached, she said she witnessed the workplace become toxic. Some doctorstwo of them that come to mindwent as far as to say that they did not think that unvaccinated people should be treated, she said. If unvaccinated people came to the hospital, she said the doctors claimed that they should have the door slammed in their face. There was another provider who was actually trying to turn patients away if they were not vaccinated, she said. I dont think she was able to go that far, but she definitely tried to have the front desk ask if patients were vaccinated, and if they said they werent, she wouldnt see them, or would only see them over the phone. Overall, she said, It was hard to watch. Obligation to Succeed In Hattiesburg, Mississippi, another nurse told The Epoch Times that the hospital where she works had become equally divisive after a clinic in the system was used as a test site for the Moderna vaccine trials. Several physicians had participated in the clinical trials, so there was an obligation on the clinics part to declare its success. Clinic and hospital employees were some of the first to receive the Moderna vaccine after clinical trials, she said. There were a lot who jumped on board, and then there were a lot who didnt, she said. And thats when the work culture changed, she said. Until then, she said, The environment had always been such a wonderful place to work. A Germ Source There were a lot of co-workers reporting that physicians would call them stupid or dumb for not getting vaccinated, telling them they will harm or injure others, or be responsible for spread, she said. Suddenly, the unvaccinated became this germ source. As time went on, it became even more evident that there was no science behind the claim, she said. She pointed to a study by the Oxford University Clinical Research Group published in The Lancet that showed vaccinated individuals who got infected with the Delta variant of COVID-19 carried 251 times the viral load in their nostrils compared to those with natural immunity from previous infection with older variants (pdf). In addition to being shamed, she said the unvaccinated are required to wear N95 masks, which she called a policy of bullying. Whats basically happening is: we are being told that if we dont want to get vaccinated, we will make you uncomfortable until you submit, she said. With the hospital already facing a staffing shortage, the N95 memo caused even more to quit, she said, because the masks make it difficult to breathe and can adversely affect people, causing a strain on the body that could result in conditions such as heart dysrhythmia. Though there are media reports of hospitals filling up because of COVID-19 patients, she said the story not being told is that this has more to do with a staffing shortage, not a lack of beds. Mississippi is already having trouble keeping staff due to lack of competitive pay, but with COVID there have been a large number of nurses that have left hospitals in our state, she said. To address staff shortages, Gov. Tate Reeves brought in federally funded staff for hospitals in the state, comprised of nurses who are being paid more than the local nurses. That, combined with the mandates and discriminatory behavior of employers, she said, caused even more to leave. The Imminent Mandate If she were to face the mandate, she said she would first file for religious exemption. They have to acknowledge that, she said. It would be a violation of my rights as a human and as a citizen if they dont acknowledge that. If that filing is rejected, the next step would be to go to the Equal Opportunity Employment office and file a complaint, which buys time until a resolution is reached. If the resolution isnt acceptable, she said, she would find another job. It Doesnt Add Up I consider myself an intelligent person, the nurse said. Ive been trusted to make intelligent, critical decisions for patients every day, and to think that now suddenly Im unable to do that for myself or to think critically, what they are saying doesnt add up. Within the hospital, she said the unvaccinated gravitated toward each other for support, and many others throughout Mississippi have found refuge in a political action committee called Mississippi Patriots for Vaccine Rights (MPVR), which, according to the nurse, connects health care workers throughout the state with attorneys who provide information on what an employees rights are regarding discriminatory practices within the workplace. MPVR President MaryJo Perry and Vice President Lindey Hughes Magee formed the nonprofit in 2012 as Mississippi Parents for Vaccine Rights as a hub to network parents whose children had suffered injuries as a result of vaccines. When the mandates rolled out, I had health care workers reaching out to me in a panic, so Lindey and I got together and we created of forum of health care workers to join together, said Perry. The MPVR gathers reports and connects healthcare workers who choose not to be vaccinated throughout the state. The consensus among health care workers is that the work environments in health care facilities have become hostile. And its not only hostile toward unvaccinated employees, Perry said. Its hostile toward unvaccinated patients. Missouri Police Chief Suddenly Resigns Along With Every Officer A Missouri police chief said that he and all of his officers tendered their resignations, saying the pay rate is too low and that his officers dont have the proper equipment to perform their duties. Kimberling Mayor Bob Fritz confirmed to local media outlets that the officers and former chief Craig Alexander submitted their resignations. Have I ever said no to you guys? No, you havent. So how can I explain this right here? I have no idea, the mayor said, according to Ozarkfirst. To deal with the issue, Fritz said he will lean on help from the Stone County Sheriffs Department and the nearby city of Branson West. A mutual aid agreement with Stone County Sheriffs Office and the City of Branson West in that theyll assist Kimberling City until our police department is at full capacity, the mayor said in a statement. As of today, we have eight resumes and some of them are unbelievable. And like I told the city administrator, start setting up interviews and everything too. I think we can have this taken care of this, Im hoping in the next few weeks or so. Letters signed by several of the officers cited different reasons for leaving the department, including low pay, a lack of staffing, better employment opportunities, and more, according to the local news website. Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader said that his office will handle emergency calls until the Kimberling department is fully staffed, although he admitted that it will be difficult to find qualified individuals to work there. It will be a struggle to fill the police department back up with qualified officers, but hopefully they can start working on that soon and get that accomplished, Rader said regarding the resignations at the Kimberling City Police Department. But until the staffing is complete, we will be answering all the calls in Kimberling City, we cant enforce city ordinances, but any other calls we will be handling at this time, he continued. Their resignations come in the midst of a wave of anti-police animus that was triggered during last summers riots and protests following the death of George Floyd. FBI data also suggests that crime, including violent crimes like homicide and rape, are on the rise across the United States. An analysis from The Epoch Times earlier this year revealed that numerous officers are retiring earlier or are simply resigning in the countrys largest police departments, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Travellers walk through a deserted Qantas terminal at Melbourne Airport in Melbourne, Australia on Aug. 26, 2021 (William West/AFP via Getty Images) More and More Australians Are Seeking to Leave the Country August saw the highest number of Australians apply to leave the country over the past year. According to figures from the Australian Border Force (ABF), 37,979 applications were received from individuals hoping to leave the country, with 14,900 of those looking to be overseas for three months or more. A large portion of the applications12,347were rejected. Australia is one of the few countries in the world that require residents to apply for permission before leaving the country. The latest figures (pdf) reveal that since Januarywhen the ABF received 20,976 applicationsAustralians have continued looking for opportunities to leave the country. There are literally tens of thousands of people out there on social media and elsewhere saying were done, we dont need this anymore, Andrew Cooper, president of LibertyWorks told the Daily Telegraph. This picture, taken on Aug. 27, 2021, shows a girl wearing a face mask walking through the empty streets of the central business district in Sydney, Australia, during the lockdown. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images) Theres definitely that feeling out therepeople saying Im done, he added. While Australia has enjoyed some of the lowest infection and death rates from COVID-19, it has seen state governments apply stringent health restrictions and domestic border closures at any sign of an outbreak. In several instances, entire cities have been placed under lockdownwith minimal movement allowedover the emergence of a single case. Currently, Greater Sydney and Melbourne have tried to contain outbreaks of the Delta variant of the virus, with both cities under extended lockdowns and stringent health restrictions including mask mandates, curfews, and travel limited to within 5km of a persons home. Melbourne entered its sixth lockdown on Aug. 4, which was originally planned for seven days, after eight cases emerged in the city. The lockdown was extended after new cases continued to emerge, and is currently ongoing. Meanwhile, Greater Sydney has been under lockdown since last June, which has been extended twice until Sept. 30. Frustrations with tough health restrictions have begun boiling over, with increasing protest activity and petitions against government-mandated restrictions, vaccine mandates, and passports. Recent figures have also revealed the damage lockdowns are causing Australians with mental health support service, Lifeline Australia, saying August was its busiest month on record. One in four Australians also reported knowing someone who had committed suicide in the past 12 months, according to figures from Suicide Prevention Australia, whose CEO Nieves Murray said increases in suicide occurred during periods of major social and economic upheaval. Lifeline 13 11 14 People participate in the rally outside the City Hall organized by firefighters and police unions to demand negotiations on the COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate in Newark, N.J., on Sept. 8, 2021. (Ella Kietlinska/The Epoch Times) Newark, NJ Firefighters and Police Unions Demand Negotiations on Vaccine Mandate Firefighters and police unions in Newark, New Jersey, held a rally on Wednesday to demand that the city government negotiate with them on the change in their work conditions due to the COVID-19 vaccination mandate imposed by the mayor. More than a hundred people demonstrated in Newark against the forced vaccination order by holding signs, shouting slogans, and marching outside around City Hall. Mayor of Newark Ras Baraka issued an Executive Order in August requiring all municipal employees including police and firefighters to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or face termination, according to New Jersey News Network. Employees who were not fully vaccinated were given 30 days to provide their proof of vaccination and also undergo weekly testing at their expense for 30 days. The city allowed medical or religious exemptions from vaccination against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 disease. The citys firefighters union was able to obtain from the state employment commission a restraining order, which temporarily prevents the city government from implementing the mandate, wrote Charles West, president of the Newark Firefighters Union, in a letter to union members. The restraining order applies also to police officers. West called on all members of the firefighters union to stop providing vaccination information until the city negotiates with the union. The city government opposed the temporary restraint motion but the commission upheld it, according to an interim decision by the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission (pdf). According to New Jersey laws, a public employer is obligated to negotiate with a majority representative a proposal to modify working conditions before changing them, the decision stated. The threat of discipline, including termination, set forth in the Executive Order, resulting in potential loss of income and health insurance benefits, carries severe personal impact to both the employee and the employees dependents, the decision said, No monetary award at the conclusion of these matters would redress the harm that could occur before that time. The harm to the City is relatively less harmful if the vaccine mandate awaits a finite period of negotiations on mandatory negotiable subjects. Vaccine Mandate Concerns President of Fraternal Order of Police in Newark, James Stewart Jr. told The Epoch Times that the goal of the protest was to compel the city to negotiate with the union members the change in the terms and conditions of employment caused by the mandate. The Mayors Executive Order requires employees to use their personal time for mandated vaccination and testing but the contract between the police union with the city stipulates that members should get paid for this, Stewart said. The city says if you cant produce a negative test result, were sending you home on unpaid sick leave. Well, the members here today, the union members, we dont have unpaid sick leave, we get paid for our sick time. The people that organize this [event] todayweve all been vaccinated already. This[rally] doesnt pertain to our issue about vaccine or no vaccine. This is about union members and the rights that they have, Stewart said adding that he also had been vaccinated. Tomorrow, they could create another Executive Order and take away more rights and benefits that these union members enjoy right now. And that cant stand, he added. Battalion Fire Chief at Newark Department of Public Safety Gerrell Elliott told The Epoch Times that the mayors order to force vaccination is like an act of someone who does not make mistakes. To illustrate his point Elliott cited how after about 20 years, pharmaceutical companies admitted their mistakes related to pills causing opioid overdoses some of which resulted in deaths. Mistakes were made by the tobacco industry admitting after several decades that their products might cause cancer, he said. First, people were told to get vaccinated, but now it turned out that they also need a booster, Elliott noted. During the pandemic I was on the frontline every day, said Elliott who has been a firefighter with the Newark Fire Department for the last 20 years. Im risking my life every day I go to work. I dont need you to put more risk in my life from inoculation, he said. When speaking at the rally, a community activist with New York Freedom Rally, Sylvia Ostrowska, encouraged attendees to participate in greater numbers in events protesting vaccine mandates, especially in New York City. European people just show up in hundreds of thousands, Ostrowska said, Nothing will change if we dont stand up, if we dont rise up. I grew up in Polandcommunism [is] very, very well known to me. We have to extend the answer; we have to say no because communism is around the corner. Ostrowska, who owns a Pilates studio in New York City, told The Epoch Times that the requirement to show a vaccine passport in order to get into restaurants, gyms, concerts, museums, or big venues is absolutely wrong because that would segregate people. I make people stay in shape, I help their immune system by making them strong. We have to exercise in order to stay healthy, to help our immune system, said Ostrowska. Now she is allowed to only let vaccinated people into her studio, Ostrowska explained. So as a business owner, I cannot comply with this order. Everybody has the right to bodily autonomy. I decide what goes into my body, not my governor, not my mayor. Mayor Baraka justified his vaccination mandate in an op-ed published by NJ.com in August. Mayor Baraka: Our cops, firefighters must be vaccinated to protect the public | Opinion https://t.co/myOcKwQVrR City of Newark (@CityofNewarkNJ) August 31, 2021 City employees come in constant contact with the public, either in the office or in the field, Baraka wrote in the op-ed. People who come to the city hall for various reasons should be confident their public servants have been vaccinated and they will not leave city hall infected, he said. The police and fire division personnel of our Public Safety Department are routinely in contact with members of the public in either emergency situations or while making routine rounds. Unions organizing members whose jobs are to protect the public have lost nine members to the disease, Baraka wrote. The Epoch Times reached out to the City of Newark for comments. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole takes part in the English-language leaders' debate in Gatineau, Que., on Sept. 9, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Justin Tang) OToole Touts Recovery Plan, Calls Debate Question on Quebecs Secularism Law Unfair Campaigning in Mississauga, Ont., on Friday, Conservative Leader Erin OToole touted his partys recovery plan while criticizing a question asked during Thursday nights leaders debate. We launched Canadas recovery plan with a relentless focus on job creation, helping troubled sectors, and putting upward pressure on wages, with our doubling of the Canada workers benefit, were going to give working families a $1 per hour raise with that commitment, OToole told reporters. When asked about the English-language debate, OToole said he found a question directed at Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet about Quebecs secularism law to be a little unfair. Debate moderator Shachi Kurl asked Blanchet about Bill 21 and Bill 96, calling them discriminatory laws that marginalize religious minorities, anglophones, and allophones. You denied that Quebec has problems with racism yet you defend legislation such as Bills 96 and 21, Kurl said. Bill 21 would ban civil servants and government employees from wearing religious symbols, and Bill 96 would make French the only official language in the province. Quebecers are not racist, and its unfair to make that sweeping categorization, OToole said, adding that, as prime minister, he would respect laws passed by the provinces. We have to make sure that we work together and we respect one another. Thats why I said I would never challenge a law passed by the National Assembly of Quebec, by Queens Park here in Toronto, or by any provincial assembly, he said. OToole added that he would never introduce a law like Quebecs secularism legislation federally. When asked about the rise of the Peoples Party of Canada in national polling, including several that show the party in the double digits, OToole said he will talk more the issue in the last few days of the election campaign. Im running to bring people together, not to divide them, he said. Pennsylvania Businesses Give Mixed Reaction to Bidens Vaccine Mandate Pennsylvania businesses have mixed opinions about President Joe Bidens mandate that employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or submit to a weekly COVID-19 test. Sam Denisob, vice president of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce, was in meetings much of Friday discussing the mandate. We are carefully reviewing the details of that mandate and ramping up to let our members understand what came down and what flexibility they will have, Denisob told The Epoch Times in a phone conversation. I suspect this will get challenged in the courts. Its evolving and our membership is quite diverse. We have to get an understanding of what it means for each one. Many companies said they were still analyzing and not prepared to speak about the new rule. We are looking into the legality of what the president is proposing. We believe that it violates a number of federal laws. Other than that, its too early for us to make an informed comment, Jodi DePorter, Director of Marketing at Kahr Firearms Group in Pike County told The Epoch Times in an email. Doug Henry, owner and CEO of Henry Molder Products in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, says his company doesnt have a current policy relating to vaccinations and he questions how Biden has authority to impose such a rule. Hes way out of bounds, Henry told The Epoch Times in a phone interview. Im not comfortable being in the position of being an agent of enforcement for the federal government. I dont think they are empowered to do this. Ive been exposed to plenty of governmental requirements, but this goes beyond anything Ive been exposed to in the past. My expectation is that I will not mandate employees to be vaccinated. Davis Landscape, a Harrisburg-based company serving the east coast, employs over 400 people and has had a plan in place for responding to COVID-19. Many Davis Landscape employees are vaccinated and anyone who has symptoms is sent to get tested. Each test costs the company $45. If I lose an employee for a week, its a lot more than 45 bucks, Bill Phillips Sr., director of fleet and safety told The Epoch Time in a phone interview. Since April 2020, the company has had 44 employees test positive for COVID. One was very sick and was off for many months. Workers have exposed each other when traveling in trucks together, Phillips said. One worker was asymptomatic but got a positive COVID-19 test. The worker had been in a truck for four hours with three other unvaccinated workers. They all got sick. In another case, one worker had COVID-19 but the other three were vaccinated. The three vaccinated workers did not get sick. One Davis Landscape district manager insisted all his workers get vaccinated and the company has seen far few sick days from that district, Phillips said. He is convinced the vaccine works. When vaccines became available, Phillips arranged for free vaccinations in the office and he has another opportunity panned for employees to get vaccinated at work. The company has now received letters from clients saying the clients will require everyone working on their property to get vaccinated. Some employees have said they will not get the shot. I know it is going to be challenging, Phillips said. I have to abide by my clients wishes. Especially places that serve food. I believe its going to come to this. Schools have long mandated you have a vaccine to register for classes. I see no reason COVID wont eventually fall into that spectrum. There are too many people who think its OK to take a horse dewormer rather than a vaccine. But he says testing every week is not practical. Ultimately, Phillips said, If OSHA mandates it, then we will say, OK, if you dont want the vaccine, you will have to pay for the test. David N. Taylor, president and CEO of Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association, agrees that vaccines work. He had COVID-19, got the vaccine, and recommends people talk with their doctor and get it cleared by their doctor. His objection to the mandate is not about the vaccine. The idea that the federal government can order individuals to take certain medications is wildly unconstitutional. If allowed to stand, it would really remake the relationship between the citizens and the state. It would render us subjects rather than citizens and that is unamerican, Taylor told the Epoch Times in a phone interview. It goes well beyond whether getting a vaccine is a good idea. This is about, does the executive branch of the federal government have the authority to order citizens to take specific medications? These are things individuals should be able to decide themselves. But the idea that the state can compel you, against your wishesthat the president can get up one day and say this is how it isthis is new, and unacceptable. It is deeply offensive and must not be allowed to come to pass. A file image of members of the ISIS terrorist group parading down a street in Raqqa, Syria, on Jan. 14, 2014. (ISIS Website via AP) Pennsylvania Couple Sentenced for Conspiring to Provide Support to ISIS A married Pennsylvania couple has been sentenced to prison for conspiracy to provide material support and resources to the ISIS terrorist organization according to a release from Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. Neither the release nor the U.S. Attorneys office has disclosed where in Pennsylvania the coupled lived. Shahidul Gaffar, 40, and Nabila Khan, 35, were sentenced to 18 months and two years in prison, respectively, by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson, who also sentenced both defendants to three years of supervised release. According to court documents, in 2015, Gaffar and Khan, originally from Bangladesh, provided and attempted to provide financial support to two of Khans brothers who traveled to Syria to join ISIS fighters. Gaffar and Khan discussed the brothers travel plans in detail with each other, as well as with the brothers and other family members, as early as September 2014. In January 2015, Khan asked her sister living in Bangladesh to sell some of Khans gold and provide the money to their oldest brother, J.K., in order to assist him in traveling to Syria. Khan then flew to Bangladesh to wish J.K. farewell before his departure in February 2015. Gaffar, who remained in Pennsylvania, sent supportive messages to Khans mother, stating: Be [p]roud mother for the noble cause and for the sake of Allah!!! the release said. Khans second brother, I.K., had come to the United States on a student visa and resided with Khan and Gaffar in Pennsylvania from June 2014 until February 2015, when he returned to Bangladesh. Over the next few months, Khan, who was still in Bangladesh, observed I.K. watching terrorist propaganda videos featuring Anwar al-Awlaki, a designated global terrorist who is now deceased. Around the same time, Gaffar began sending international money transfers to I.K. in Bangladesh. These funds had multiple purposes, but one was to support I.K.s travel to Syria to join ISIS. In June 2015, Gaffar sent a message to Khan, stating: Let [I.K.] know that I will manage and send 3000 dollars if Allah wills. Lets help him, my love, for the good cause who knows that might be enough to get forgiveness from Allah and accept[ance] [in]to heaven. In July 2015, Gaffar continued to communicate with Kahn regarding the conspiracy, saying in part: I feel bad for mom and dad, at the same time, I feel very proud. [W]hat a lucky mom and dad. In early July 2015, I.K. traveled to Syria to join ISIS. The next day, Gaffar and Khan discussed via electronic messages how Khan had tried to give I.K. more money right before he left, and days later, Kahn exchanged multiple electronic messages with a family member discussing I.K.s arrival in Syria and reunion there with J.K. Gaffar sent reassuring messages to Khan, stating that it was cool that she had been able to observe I.K.s radical Islamist changes from beginning to end, the release said. According to court documents, in May 2016, Khan received an electronic message that I.K. had been wounded in the fighting in Syria, and in August 2016, Khans mother sent a message to Kahn with photographs of I.K.s wounds sustained while in Syria. In September 2016, I.K. changed his online social media account profile picture to an image depicting himself, his brother, and another male sitting in front of the black ISIS flag with firearms on a table in front of them, overtly identifying himself and his brother as members of ISIS. I.K. was ultimately killed in the fighting in Syria in March 2019. This picture taken shows a discarded ISIS terrorist group flag lying on the ground in the village of Baghouz in Syrias eastern Deir Ezzor province near the Iraqi border, on March 24, 2019. (Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty Images) This case draws into sharp focus the first priority of the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorneys Office: protecting our Nation from all security threats, Williams said in the release. The defendants encouraged and financially supported the efforts of Nabila Kahns brothers to join the murderous terrorist group ISIS, which is a direct threat to the United States. The public can rest assured that our office is working tirelessly every day to protect all Americans from the threat of terrorism, she said. Bradley S. Benavides, acting special agent in charge of the FBIs Philadelphia Division said that money and manpower are the lifeblood of terrorist groups such as ISIS. Gaffar and Khan, while enjoying all the rights and privileges of living in America, conspired to support violent extremists who consider our country their sworn enemy, Benavides said. Know that FBI Philadelphias Joint Terrorism Task Force is working diligently around the clock to detect and disrupt anyone whose beliefs have crossed the line into terrorist activity. The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Wolfe and Robert Livermore. Persecution of Falun Gong Continues While CCP Tightens Control on PLAC: Leaked Documents The persecution of Falun Gong, which started in July 1999 in China, is still going on today. Leaked Chinese Communist Party (CCP) internal documents indicate that Beijing is tightening up control of its political and legal system while keeping the persecution going. Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient Chinese spiritual practice consisting of slow-moving meditation exercises and moral teachings that promote truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance in everyday life. Its popularity peaked in the late 1990s in China, with 70 million to 100 million adherents, according to official estimates. The CCPs top security agency, the Political and Legal Affairs Commission (PLAC), is a gigantic and powerful network of suppression. Its the main tool in the CCPs persecution of Falun Gong, and the PLACs power, as well as level of corruption, has grown incessantly as the persecution continues. First-Ever PLAC Regulations In January 2019, the PLAC Regulations, touted as the first-ever set of regulations for the PLAC by Chinas state-run media, was released. It consists of three parts, with only the first part, Regulations of CCP Political and Legal Work, being made publicly available. The second part, PLAC Internal Regulations, consists of 39 articles. The third part, Top Secret PLAC Internal Regulations, consists of 42 articles. The Epoch Times obtained a 161-page document (pdf) that includes the first two parts and the index of the third top secret part. The top-secret part is divided into political security, social stability, and legal affairs. Seven of the 17 articles under political security are directly related to the monitoring and transforming of Falun Gong practitioners. In the CCPs language, transforming Falun Gong practitioners means forcing them to sign papers to denounce their belief and promise to stop practicing, according to FalunInfo.net. According to state-run media reports, Beijing has been sending out inspection teams to tour the country and check on the implementation of the PLAC Regulations by provincial and municipal level PLACs. In CCP leader Xi Jinpings view, when conducting political and legal work, the PLAC system must ensure the absolute leadership of the CCP. Tasks to Carry Out the Persecution Another 76-page document (pdf), leaked from Tieling city, Liaoning Province, offers some details about the top-secret section of the PLAC Regulations. Dated April 2020, it includes a series of tables detailing quantifiable tasks to maintain political security. The tasks, mainly targeting Falun Gong practitioners, are to be carried out by the municipal PLAC and public security bureau. The major quantifying factor is the transformation rate, measured by the number of Falun Gong practitioners who signed a document saying they would give up the practice. The transformation rate is translated to scores for the agencies, and directly linked to their bonuses and compensation. A screenshot of a table of tasks to maintain political security and social stability, from a CCP internal document dated June 2020. (The Epoch Times) Cases of Persecution in Liaoning Province Chinas northeastern province of Liaoning is notorious for its heavy-handed persecution of Falun Gong, according to Minghui.org, a U.S.-based website that documents the CCPs persecution of Falun Gong. Tieling citys Public Security Bureau was headed by Wang Lijun for eight years. Wang later became the deputy mayor and police chief of Chongqing, the largest of the four direct-controlled municipalities in China. In February 2012, Wang Lijun fled to a U.S. Consulate with incriminating documents about his boss Bo Xilai. This event triggered a murder trial, an avalanche in the PLAC system resulting in the purge of Bo Xilai and Zhou Yongkang, the heads of the PLAC. In 2002, when Wang was the police chief of Tieling, he ordered the arrest of a group of Falun Gong practitioners who were secretly gathering video footage of persecution in local prisons and labor camps. The videos were supposed to be sent overseas. Through cell phone tapping, the police arrested the practitioners involved and confiscated the videos. Under Wangs orders, the police brutally tortured the practitioners. Wang said it was an important case and that the police would be heftily rewarded, according to a minghui.org report. (L) Yin Liping and her son before the persecution against Falun Gong adherents began in 1999. (R) Yin Liping holds up a picture of Masanjia Forced Labor Camp at a hearing in Washington on April 14, 2016. (Lisa Fan/The Epoch Times; Minghui.org) Yin Liping, a Falun Gong practitioner from Tieling, was among those arrested and tortured. Before she left China, she was arrested and incarcerated six times in Tieling and other cities in Liaoning Province. In April 2001, Yin and eight other female Falun Gong practitioners who refused to be transformed were secretly transferred from the Masanjia labor camp to another male-only labor camp. The female practitioners were sent to separate rooms where several male inmates were waiting. The guards at the labor camp gave the green light to the male inmates to do whatever they wished. After days of non-stop sexual abuse, some female practitioners died, some developed mental disorders, and some were permanently injured. Yin temporarily lost her memory and experienced mental breakdowns. Yin survived. When she was in the labor camp, Yin made a promise with fellow practitioners that if one of them could get out alive, she would expose those heinous crimes to the entire world. And that is what she has been doing since 2016 when she came to the United States under asylum. On April 14, 2016, 15 years after she was thrown into the male prison cells, she testified in Congress at the hearing on Chinas Pervasive Use of Torture. Her written testimony is available here (pdf). Falun Gong Practitioners Continue to Reveal the Truth in China Despite the persecution, Falun Gong practitioners in China continue to clarify the facts to the public. The Epoch Times obtained several documents from Liaoning Province dated 2012 to 2019. One document (pdf) talks about how Linghai city handles Falun Gong materials. The municipal government allocates funding specifically for each district in the city to remove Falun Gong materials from public places. Falun Gong posters seen in Tieling city, Liaoning Province, in September 2016. (minghui.org) The document states that each year about $18,000 is allocated for purchasing tools and hiring people to remove Falun Gong materials. Teams specialized in surveying the neighborhoods and removing materials were created. For example, in five days, they mobilized about 300 people in a residential area and removed 102 wall slogans, 1,790 posters, 28 CDs, 24 banners, 145 brochures, and 124 booklets, according to the document. Epoch Times commentator Li Linyi said that despite the 22-year-long ongoing persecution of Falun Gong, these internal documents show that Falun Gong has not been suppressed and that Falun Gong materials can still be found throughout China. On multiple occasions, the U.S. government has passed resolutions condemning the CCPs actions and has been calling for an end to the persecution. A vial of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is pictured at an Alberta Health Services vaccination clinic in Didsbury, Alberta, on June 29, 2021. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press) Pfizer Partner to Seek Approval Soon for Vaccine for 5- to 11-Year-Olds: Executives BioNTech, which developed one of the worlds most commonly used COVID-19 vaccines along with Pfizer, is attempting to gain approval soon for vaccinating children between the ages of 5 and 11 across the world, top executives with the firm announced Friday. Already over the next few weeks we will file the results of our trial in 5- to 11-year-olds with regulators across the world and will request approval of the vaccine in this age group, also here in Europe, Chief Medical Officer Oezlem Tuereci told German publication Der Spiegel. She added that her firm is now working to produce the vaccine, which is merely the same drug that is administered in adults but at a smaller dose. Things are looking good, everything is going according to plan, said BioNTechs chief executive, Ugur Sahin. In July, Israel, which heavily relies on the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, started administering doses in children aged 5 to 11 who have serious health complications, including heart, brain, or lung issues. The Chinese Communist Party in June started lowering the age limit of its immunization campaign, with regime health officials saying the Sinovac vaccine can be given to children as young as 3. Moderna, which also produces an mRNA vaccine, said on Thursday that it is trial testing its shot in children between 6 and 11 years. The firm is also working on a vaccine for infants as low as 6 months of age. If the vaccine for younger children is approved in the United States, some large school districts may impose mandates on elementary school children. The Los Angeles Unified School District board on Thursday voted to require COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 12 and older to attend classes. Some parents in Los Angeles suggested they would resist the mandate. We must be the ones who decide for our children, not the district, not anyone else, parent Carla Franca said to the school board on Thursday, CNN reported.If you want to take your own children to the killing fields, you do it, but you are not the one who should be deciding, she added. When you have your own kids, you can make your own crazy decisions. Meanwhile, a recent Mayo Clinic study found that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines efficacy declines over time, setting up the possibility for booster shot mandates. Israel became likely the first country in the world last month to declare that an individual isnt fully vaccinated with two shots of the Pfizer vaccine, saying that one can only be considered fully vaccinated if they receive a booster dose six months after the second dose. The countrys coronavirus czar recently called for the country to prepare for getting a fourth dose of the vaccine. Police Officers, Firefighters Make Silent Stand Against Mandatory COVID Vaccination in Calgary Protest held ahead of wave of nationwide demonstrations Police officers and firefighters stood in silent protest against mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations in front of Calgary City Hall on Sept. 7and theyre planning to do it again on Sept. 12. We gathered across the street from city hall, at Olympic Plaza, at 11 a.m., said participant Jonathan Hagel, also the Peoples Party of Canada candidate for the riding of Calgary Midnapore. The policemen and firemen seemed to have a plan among themselves, said Hagel, who was on hand for the protest but was not one of the organizers. The crowd at the protest walked across the street to stand in front of city hall, many of them carrying signs expressing their opposition to mandatory vaccinations. My body, my choice. No mask! No vaccine! read one. Saying no is my choice, read another. Then the roughly 55 police officers and firefighters in attendance stood silently in formation in front of the municipal offices for an hour in silent protest. Just before everything fell silent, one of the participants asked everyone in attendance to refrain from speaking with any and all journalists, urging them to answer any questions from reporters with no comment. People were pretty friendly, excited to be there, said Hagel. But when it went silent, it got quite a bit more sombre as people realized they were putting their jobs on the line. The protest against mandatory vaccinations by these front-line workers comes in the wake of the City of Calgarys announcement on Sept. 3 of a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for all city staff. As the second-largest employer in Calgary, the city has a duty to ensure that our workplaces are safe for both employees and citizens accessing city services, while also modelling for Calgarians the role every individual plays in ensuring the safety of others, city manager David Duckworth said in a statement. Under the new policy, which is slated to take effect Sept. 13, any municipal employee in Calgary who is unable to get the shot for a medical reason or for other protected grounds under the Alberta Human Rights Act will be reasonably accommodated. Those employees, though, will still need to undergo mandatory COVID-19 rapid testing and receive a negative result before being allowed back to work. Anyone who fails to comply with the policy can be disciplined and even fired. We must take this leadership role at this critical time to do our part to mitigate the impacts of COVID on our staff, our operations, and the citizens who depend on us every day, Duckworth said. Its simply the right thing to do. Municipal employees who are unvaccinated and who do not have a satisfactory exemption are required to have their first vaccine dose by Sept.13. They then have until Oct. 18 to get their second shot. A Calgary Freedom Central news page has been created on Facebook to provide information about the protests against the citys mandatory vaccination program. It notes another protest is being planned by Calgary firefighters, Emergency Medical Services staff, police officers, nurses, Alberta Health Services, and City of Calgary workers against what is being dubbed government mandates and medical coercion for Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. Wear a black or blue shirt to show your support and come with hands free so you may join in a silent arms-linked march through downtown, reads that Facebook post. The latest protests in Calgary come as Canada is facing a wave of protests against mandatory vaccination programs, lockdowns, and the mandatory wearing of face masks. Canadian Frontline Nurses is one group organizing protests throughout the country for the afternoon of Sept. 13 under the banner of what is being called the National Health Freedom Movement. Bring a flower & note to leave in honour of someone affected by COVID measures or share your story how youve been affected, the groups poster urges. The protests are being held in cities across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario; at Quebecs McGill University Health Centre; in front of the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital in New Brunswick; in Charlottetown and Halifax; and in Newfoundland. The backlash by public employees against COVID-19 public health measures gained steam in March this year when three groups, including Canadian Frontline Nurses, Police on Guard For Thee, and Ontario Civil Liberties, issued a joint statement expressing concern about the measures. We are active and non-active members in our respective fields. We are being censored, our jobs and licenses are under threat, and we are unable to advocate for our community, the statement read. The three groups, united under the umbrella group Professionals Against Lockdowns, claims Ottawas response to COVID-19 has lacked a risk-variant analysis on Canadas various demographic groups and is doing more harm than good. We devote our energy and efforts to the following just and compassionate objectives: to uphold and protect rights and freedoms, to allow for informed consent and medical transparency, to allow for censor-free dialogue, and to honour and protect our children as well as the elderly, reads a statement on their website. A Qantas plane takes off from the Sydney International airport on May 6, 2021. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images) Qantas to Ban Unvaccinated Passengers for International Flights Alan Joyce, the CEO of Qantas, Australias major airline and international carrier, has confirmed that the company will only allow fully vaccinated people to board international flights as Australia prepares to reopen its border by Christmas. Speaking at the Trans-Tasman Business Circle on Sept. 7, Joyce said the airline would adopt a policy of requiring proof of vaccination before boarding. Qantas will have a policy that internationally well only be carrying vaccinated passengers, Joyce said. Because we think thats going to be one of the requirements to show that youre flying safe and getting into those countries. Were hoping that can happen by Christmas. We think everybody should be protecting themselves, but we also have a requirement to protect our colleagues and our passengers. And then theres also a requirement to protect the community. The empty Qantas departure terminal at Melbourne Airport on Aug. 20, 2020. (William West/AFP via Getty Images) The New South Wales (NSW) government announced on Sept.9 that the state would open to domestic travel once 70 percent of the eligible population is vaccinated and resume international travel when reaching the 80 percent target, which is predicted to be in late October or early November. The NSWs plan was welcomed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who confirmed that the federal government would support opening international borders in states and territories which have 80 percent of eligible populations vaccinated. This means that while Sydneysiders will not be able to travel to Queensland due to the state border closure, they may be able to fly internationally. Currently, countries on the shortlist include the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and Fiji. Australian travellers may soon be able to visit beaches like this in Fiji as international travel comes back.(Copyright Fred J. Eckert) It is not clear yet whether Qantas will adopt the same vaccination policy for domestic passengers. Qantas has made COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for its 22,000 staff last month. All frontline employees, including cabin crew, pilots, and airport workers, are required to have received two shots by Nov. 15, while the remainder needs to be fully vaccinated by the end of March 2022. Meanwhile, Virgin Australia, the nations second-largest airline, also confirmed on Aug. 30 that it would require all its front-line facing staff to be vaccinated by Nov. 15 and all office-based members to do so by March 31, 2022. Both airlines have launched their vaccine incentive programs to encourage members to get vaccinated, with various prizes, including a big one of as high as 1 million frequent flyer points. A food delivery worker rides in the central business district of Sydney on June 26, 2021. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images) Record High Number of Australians Working Multiple Jobs A record number of Australians are juggling two or more jobs as COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions push workers into the gig economy, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has revealed. Newly released data from the ABS revealed that 6.5 percent of the Australian working population now had more than one job during the June quarter, the highest figure since the ABS began tracking the data in 1994. Prior to the pandemic, just under 6 percent of the working population held multiple jobs, a figure which dropped to a low of 4.9 during the June quarter of 2020 before rebounding. The highest increase in multiple job holding was seen from people who worked in administrative and support services, arts and recreation, and educationsome of the hardest hit sectors by COVID-19 restrictions. Secondary jobs increased by 33 percent over the 2020-21 financial year, from a low in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the June quarter of 2020, ABS head of Labour Statistics Bjorn Jarvis said. By June quarter 2021, they were 9 percent above pre-pandemic levels. However, Jarvis noted that despite the increase in job holdings, the average hours people worked in their secondary jobs had decreased. People are now working an average of 9.1 hours per week in secondary jobs, compared to 9.5 hours per week in the same quarter of 2019. The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) said the insecure financial situations brought upon by COVID-19 restrictions has forced people to take on more jobs to make ends meet. They called on the federal government to address the job security and assurance issues for insecure lines of work, which they expect to worsen in the aftermath of the pandemic. The Morrison Governments economic recovery cant be at the expense of some of our hardest working, lowest paid workers having to work multiple jobs, ACTU secretary Sally McManus said. An increasingly insecure job market means that workers dont have predictable, reliable hours of work that means they can plan their lives. Instead, theyre forced to work multiple jobs to pay for basics, McManus said. Meanwhile, job ad numbers have also continued its downward trend since the beginning of extended lockdowns in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, according to ANZ job ads. While still well above the lows of 2020, job ads in August dropped 2.5 percent nationally. The number of new job ads in NSW fell 10 percent in July while Victoria rebounded. Admittedly, it is likely that ANZ Job Ads will decline further over coming months But given the momentum going into lockdowns, policy support and signs that activity should rebound once restrictions ease, we think the setback will be temporary, ANZ senior economist Catherine Birch said. A special ballot voting package that voters will receive if requested is seen in Calgary, Alta., on Sept. 2, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh) Record-High Use of Mail-In Ballots Could Mean No Clear Winner on Election Night: Elections Canada Official Should record-high numbers of voters requesting special ballots use the mail-in option in this federal election, it may well leave Canadians wondering who won when they go to bed, hours after the polls have closed on Sept. 20, if there are a lot of tight races. In places where the races are tight, we may not know who won on election night, Elections Canada spokesperson Natasha Gauthier told The Epoch Times. We may not have an outcome. With only 10 days to go before the election, polls show the Conservatives and Liberals in what is essentially a dead heat. Tight election races at the riding level could leave mail-in ballots upsetting the anticipated results at the last minute. Mail-in ballots might only be counted by Sept. 25, five days after the election, says Gauthier. Depending on the volume of those special ballots, it could take two to five days to count them and get all the results, she says. Before they can even be counted, mail-in ballots have to be verified by Elections Canada staffers to ensure there is no election fraud. Then, all the mail-in ballots have to be counted by hand. There are no machines to tally them up. Voters who apply for special ballots have the option of voting either by mail or at any Elections Canada office across the country, instead of at their regular polling station. In the past, such voters typically included those not able to vote from inside their riding, such as students studying away from home or people living or travelling abroad or in another part of Canada. In the last federal election, 50,000 voted by mail-in ballot, and that includes 35,000 Canadians who live abroad, said Gauthier. The remaining roughly 15,000 who voted by mail-in ballot in the 2019 election were voters living in Canada. In addition, nearly 432,000 Canadians voted at an Elections Canada office, making a total of 481,427 special ballot voters that year. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has made a lot of Canadians much more wary of voting in person. Requests for special ballots are skyrocketing. On Sept. 10, the federal agency that administers elections reported that 795,606 Canadians had already requested to vote by special ballot, including 674,663 who live in the riding in which they are going to vote. That total number of special ballot voters this year is some 314,000 more than the number in the 2019 federal election in Canadaand voters still have until Sept. 14 to request the voting kits to cast their ballots through the mail or at an Elections Canada office. Gauthier says the agency is ready to handle that volume should a large majority of those voters mail in their ballots. During the third wave of COVID-19, Elections Canada started gearing up for what it then believed could be as many as five million votes coming through the mail. Since then, COVID-19 daily case counts have fallen and vaccination rates have risen, and so the agency has revised its expectations. It could be two to three million votes by mail, says Gauthier. Every election, theres always an uptick (in the number of mail-in ballots requested) on the last day. While its impossible to predict with certainty how many people will cast their ballots on election day, Elections Canadas figures show about 19 million Canadians voted in the last federal election in 2019. A similar voter turnout with two million mail-in ballots in this election would mean that more than 10 percent of the vote in this upcoming election would only be counted the days after the polls have closed. Thats more than enough of a margin to make all the difference between winning and losing in swing ridings. Although counting the mail-in ballots could take up to five days, every one of those ballots has to be received by Elections Canada before the polls close on Sept. 20. Voters who get their special ballot ahead of election day but too late to mail them back in time can take their ballot to any Elections Canada office before the polls close, said Gauthier. Anyone who requests a mail-in ballot and does not get it in time can also simply show up at the polling station and vote in person after taking an oath stating they never received the ballot. Republicans Raise Alarm on Vetting of Afghans After Man Convicted of Rape Allowed to Enter US Republican members of Congress are calling on President Joe Biden to detail the vetting process used by his administration to screen allies and others evacuated from Afghanistan after it was reported that a manwho had years earlier been convicted of rape and deportedmade it to Dulles Airport before being apprehended. Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) led over forty of her colleagues, including Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) in sending a letter to Biden, asking him to provide details about the vetting process being used to screen the Afghans coming to the United States, particularly those on evacuation flights. To be abundantly clear the United States should honor its promises to help Afghan nationals and their families who have risked their lives to support U.S. and Coalition forces, applied for the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, and are now fleeing the Taliban, wrote the GOP House members. Nonetheless, there are substantial and concrete concerns that in the course of your calamitous withdrawal of troops and evacuation efforts in Afghanistan, some individuals may have made their way into the country who are terrorists or have terrorist intent, are convicted violent criminals, or are otherwise dangerous persons, the letter continued. One of the Afghan nationals who managed to arrive in the United States recently was found to be a convicted felon, who had previously been deported by the Department of Homeland Security. The man, 47-year-old Ghader Heydari, was found guilty of felony rape in Idaho in 2010 and later deported to Afghanistan in 2017. The Washington Times said according to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson, that Heydari was arrested on August 27, after arriving at Washingtons Dulles International Airport after being evacuated on a flight out of Kabul. However, during a Monday interview, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas told CBS Evening News that Afghan nationals are vetted before arriving in the United States. We screen and vet individuals before they board a plane to the United States. An individual who does not satisfy our screening and vetting protocols is not admitted to the United States. And, if in fact, we learn information subsequently, we place those individuals in removal proceedings, so that they are set to leave the United States as swiftly as possible, Mayorkas said. When Mayorkas was asked if he can guarantee that the Taliban and those on terror watch lists are not making their way into the United States, Mayorkas said, I can guarantee you that we are doing everything possible to make sure that they dont. And we have no evidence that they have. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, on May 26, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Herrells district is home to Hollman and Fort Bliss military bases where about 20,000 Afghan nationals are being housed when they arrive in the United States. Herrell toured Hollman on Sept. 7 and said that the Afghans are allowed to leave the bases if they should so choose. They are unable to hold them there against their will, Herrell told the Daily Mail on Sept. 8. She said that if a refugee wants to leave the base, they can. She said that officials dont expect many to leave because at the base they have access to paperwork that will allow their status to be fast tracked. In the letter to Biden, the GOP lawmakers said, DHS has released illegal aliens screened under the same U.S. government databases who were wanted for murder, as well as known MS-13 members. DHS cannot reliably assess the criminal background of a person from Bolivia, let alone Helmand Province. In fact, this vetting has already failed in the case of Afghan nationals. U.S. military veteran Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) told Fox News in a Sept. 7 interview that according to his sources a large number of Afghan nationals arriving in the United States do not have documents to prove who they are and sources told him that some have left the military bases on their own. That is absolutely true. There are many of them that have zero documentation at all, a very large number of them like 2030 percent, said Green. Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), in an interview with the American Thought Leaders program at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 28, 2021. (The Epoch Times) We dont have any documentation. We cant prove the family units. I mean they can do DNA tests, but unfortunately, these people are just being allowed to leave the containment areas. They can just get up and walk out and thats from multiple sites not just Pickett. And, theyre not tracked. Theyre not accounted for. We have no way of knowing who they are, added Green. Green wrote a separate letter to The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken asking him to look into these allegations. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment but Blinken told reporters that because of the rushed nature of the evacuation, Afghan nationals were not properly vetted until arriving in their host country. In our effort to get as many people out as fast as we can, while we had the airport functioning, we focused on doing just that. And were doing accountings on the backend, as people arrive in the United States, Blinken said at a press briefing from Qatar on Sept. 7. Senate Bill Requiring Apparel Factories Pay Hourly Wage Passes the Assembly A Senate bill requiring all apparel factories in California to pay an hourly wage to their workers passed the Assembly with 42 votes on Wednesday afternoon. Due to the vicious price competition, Californias garment industry is rife in violating the minimum wage law, overtime law, and health and safety standards. The Garment Worker Protection Act, also known as SB 62, will ban garment manufacturers from paying garment workers by the piece or unit, and guarantee manufacturers and contractors share joint liability for the full amount of unpaid wages, damage, penalties as well as compensations. If sign into law, SB 62 will ban the long-standing piece rate system in California which often prevents garment workers from earning minimum wage. SB 62 was introduced by Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) to avoid wage theft and to hold fashion brand manufacturers accountable for their labor practices. These provisions will be enforced by giving the states Labor Commissioner the authority to issue stop orders or citations to manufactures. However, the main target for SB 62 will be the underground manufacturers who often do not provide proper employee benefits to their workers and are unable to meet the safety standards. Durazo posted on Twitter, Current laws have allowed companies to get away with blatant wage theft, and as a result, most garment workers make less than a third of minimum wage. Its time brands take accountability for the illegal conditions garment workers are subjected to. Our bill will end the outdated and discriminatory law that allows employers to pay Californians with disabilities less than $5 an hour. All work has dignity and value and all workers deserve a fair wage, Durazo said on Twitter. SB 62 is now heading back to the state Senate for its approval. The bill will be sent to the governors desk after the Senate approves the Assemblys amended bill. Meanwhile, experts and manufacturers are worried that SB 62 could eliminate job opportunities in California, as the manufacturers may opt to outsource the garment work overseas for cheaper labor. The California Chamber of Commerce has identified 25 job killer bills this year and SB 62 is one of them. These additional requirements will encourage companies to contract with manufacturers outside of California, thereby limiting the demand and workforce of garment manufacturers in California, according to the California Chamber of Commerce job killers list. Co-author of SB 62 Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) declined to comment for this article. Protesters take part in the School Strike 4 Climate rally in Melbourne, Australia, on May 21, 2021. (Graham Denholm/Getty Images) Stand up to BlackRock Like You Did to China: Former Senator Calls on Australian PM The Australian prime minister should resist pressure from overseas investments giantslike BlackRockon climate change action, in the same way, the federal government resisted the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) economic coercion. Ron Boswell, former National Party senator, said moves by business and political leaders in the United Kingdom (UK), United States, and European Union (EU) to pressure Australian industry to cut emissions were hypocritical and overrode the nations Parliament. I think this is a blatant disregard for Parliament and its elected representatives, who are trusted by the people of Australia to determine what is legal and what is illegal, he told the Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth. For Larry Fink [CEO of BlackRock] to come in like hes all-powerful and declare that no-one in the coal mining industry gets a go in Australia, to my way of thinking, is just power gone completely out of control, he said. That is why Im making this submission because Im thinking, Who is the next one on the block? Who controls this country? The elected representatives or Larry Fink and his BlackRock funding? Its time that we, in Australia, took a stand, he added. BlackRock Chair and CEO Laurence D. Fink attends a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, on January 23, 2020. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images) Ive seen the prime minister stand up and defend Australias rights and argue the China case. Surely, if we can draw a line on the Chinese, we can draw a line on BlackRock and defend Australian financial sovereignty, he said. The Joint Standing Committee is holding an inquiry into the financial sectors support of Australias export industries. One key theme to emerge over the course of the inquiry has been the reluctance of Australian banks, insurers, and wealth funds, to support or fund coal mining projects in the country. This, in turn, has led to increasing difficulties for small to medium-sized resource companies struggling to fund their projects and who warn that regional towns will ultimately lose out. Australian financial institutions have responded, saying there is increasing pressure from international investorswho Australian banks rely upon for offshore fundingfor more action on climate change, which may include withdrawing financial services to businesses participating in industries deemed to be major emissions generators. According to representatives from the National Australia Bank, Westpac, and ANZ, some of this pressure has come in the form of BlackRocks Larry Fink writing to all major CEOs outlining the investment giants expectations around climate change action and in the form of activist shareholder groups pushing for climate change initiatives during Annual General Meetings. Protesters take part in the School Strike 4 Climate rally in Melbourne, Australia, on May 21, 2021. (Graham Denholm/Getty Images) But Boswell said overseas institutions and governments were playing a double game and were simply outsourcing their emissions-intensive industries to developing countries. According to UN data, Chinas share of global manufacturing output climbed from 8.7 percent in 2004, to 28.4 percent in 2018, he said in his written submission (pdf). Over the same period, the manufacturing contribution to UK GDP more than halved from 25 percent to around 11 percent. Manufacturing in the U.S. has also hollowed out while over the last decade, while the EU has become a net importer of emissions-intensive steel, he added. Does this mean that the UK, the US and EU economies have stopped using emissions-intensive goods? Not at all. July figures released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) revealed electricity demand worldwide would rise five percent in 2021, and four percent in 2022. Most demand would come from Asia, with IEA estimating that China could account for over half of global growth and India around nine percent. However, the IEA also conceded that fossil fuels would be needed to supply that demand, despite growth in the renewable sector. Australia, meanwhile, has continued to face pressure to set more ambitious targets to cut carbon emissions in the country, a move it has resisted so far. This modular square shelter is what one of the reinforced models that Atlas Survival Shelter builds at its construction plant in Texas. (Company photo) Doomsday Bunker Builders Say Orders Going Through the Roof Over Fears of Violence, Social Unrest Years ago, the neighbors next door would have thought it strange if they saw you building an underground survival shelter in your backyard. Fast forward to 2021, and its not so fringe any more. Doomsday bunkers are a booming business, as society as weve known it seems to be on the verge of upheaval and collapse. For Gary Fetters, owner of ICF Specialist in Litchfield, Arizona, if you want to survive these uncertain times, you need a solid sheltera place to ride it out. Weve been doing bunkers for a very long time, 12 or 13 years. We do a lot of safe rooms, Fetters told The Epoch Times. When we mention it, theyre interested in connecting a walk-in or closet to a vault or safe room. Over the past five months, Fetters said hes gotten more requests from people looking to build a custom home with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF): hollow foam blocks that are stacked, much like Lego pieces, into the shape of exterior walls of a home or building. The blocks are reinforced with steel rebar, and then filled with concrete, making them 100-percent bullet-proof, Fetters said. While Fetters company specializes in ICF construction projects, he also builds Division 1 bunkers for below ground. These bunkers vary in size, price, and accommodations, and are FEMA code built with ICF materials to meet a range of climatic challenges and security needs. Most of the people we build for are building custom homes and looking for the safety of the system, rather than a bunker, he said. One bunker the company built boasts a theater room and bar, so they can live down there, and entertain down there, Fetters said. Another bunker comes with a gym and sauna. For the most part, Fetters said his customers are concerned about disaster preparation, and the proverbial social meltdown, where people are going to be fighting for supplies above ground. You need to be safe. I just built my daughter a house in Missouri. I built a shelter inside of the house, in case of violence, he said. Before the 2020 social unrest sparked by the death of George Floyd, Fetters needed three days lead time on a project, given the lower demand. Now, he needs at least 12 weeks notice, and thats the demand for the material, he said. The inside of an underground bunker built by Atlas Survival Shelters is homey and designed to accommodate a number of family members. (Company photo) Looking ahead, Fetters sees an increasing demand for safe rooms, vaults, and other fortified structures for when the proverbial doo-doo hits the fan. At Atlas Survival Shelters in Texas, owner Ron Hubbard said his phone has been ringing off the hook [with orders], especially since the Afghanistan thing. Ive gotten enough orders to hold me for two years. Its been pretty steady, Hubbard told The Epoch Times. I dont think the pandemic had much to do with it. What are his customers most concerned about? They just think the world is becoming an unsafe place. They want a Plan B against another pandemic or civil war, Hubbard said. The kinds of shelters Hubbard builds include fallout shelters, military-grade modular square shelters, round culvert and multi-plate shelters, concrete domes, drive-in shelters, and water-tight shelters. The company recently announced a new productFloort Knoxan underground fortified steel storage space for weapons and supplies. Hubbard said his largest order was for a 4,200-square-foot bunker that cost $2.2 million to build and install. He admits that many of his customers, who always remain anonymous, are well off financially. Whats more, these shelters arent just for merely surviving the perfect stormthese are underground homes built for comfort and style. They come fully equipped with an air filtration system, modern kitchen and sink, bedroom and bathroom, generator room, mudroom, and more. A typical family really needs a bunker with 500 square feet that can hold up to 10 people, Hubbard said. Ive got bunkers going everywhere throughout the United States and overseas. It is a steady, constant business for me right now. Not all people in the market for an underground bunker are doomsday preppers, said Cory Hubbard, owner of DEFCON Underground Manufacturing in Missouri. We are definitely seeing an increase in sales and in general interest in our underground shelters. A lot of people that are not normally preppers or general survivalists are showing a lot of interest. In fact, the majority of your customers are everyday people that could be your average neighbor, Hubbard told The Epoch Times. Gary Fetters, owner of ICF Construction in Arizona, shows one of the concrete underground bunkers his company builds for clients seeking safety and security in an uncertain world. (Allan Stein/Epoch Times) Hubbard said the main concerns driving the trend are the pandemic and just the general state of affairs around the world. Most of our customers believe things are not prone to get better but worse. A lot of them had their eyes open when you couldnt find simple things like toilet paper or common household goods at the store, Hubbard said. As bad as COVID-19 was, Hubbard added, things did level out fairly fast, as in groceries and such. These customers are worried now about something maybe two to three times worse and what that would look like. I mean, to be honest, could we make it through something like that? A lot of people for the first time are thinking maybe I do need a way to keep my family safe and provided for more than what was normal, Hubbard said. Vials containing doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are viewed at a clinic in Los Angeles, Calif., on April 9, 2021. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) Teenage Boys More Likely to Suffer Heart Inflammation From Vaccines Than COVID-19 Hospitalization: Study The two main COVID-19 vaccines used in the United States are more likely to land teenage boys in the hospital than COVID-19 itself, a new study has found. Researchers analyzing reports submitted to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a passive reporting system run by U.S. health authorities, discovered that the rate of cardiac adverse events for males between the ages of 12 and 15 without a serious underlying health condition after getting their second Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 dose was up to 6 times higher than their risk of COVID-19 hospitalization. Boys aged 16 or 17 without medical comorbidities were also more likely to suffer a serious side effect following the second dose of the vaccines, which are built on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, versus infection by COVID-19, a disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. The Pfizer and Moderna shots are by far the most widely used COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. Pfizers is the only one that has been approved by drug regulators and the only one used in children aged 12 to 17. Over 8 in 10 cardiac adverse events (CAEs) result in hospitalization. The researchers, led by Dr. Tracy Hoeg, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Davis, also said the data show that the same male population is less likely to need hospital care after vaccination if they have at least one medical comorbidity, or a serious pre-existing condition like kidney disease, and that young girls are much less at risk of heart inflammation or another cardiac adverse event. The researchers searched VAERS for reports filed between Jan. 1 and June 18 among adolescents 12 to 17 who received an mRNA vaccination against COVID-19. The symptom search included chest pain and three heart inflammation conditionsmyocarditis, pericarditis, and myopericarditiswith all reports needing to include the word troponin. A total of 276 reports met the search criteria, of which 18 were excluded due to no objective evidence of elevated troponins. All but one of the reports included in the final analysis were after Pfizer vaccination. The search parameters expanded on those used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to identify probable cardiac adverse event cases (CAE) by including the symptom of chest pain, which resulted in post-vaccination rates of the events being 2.5 times higher among boys 12 to 15 than those reported by the CDC. For boys with no underlying health conditions, the chance of either CAE, or hospitalization for CAE, after their second dose of mRNA vaccination are considerably higher than their 120-day risk of COVID-19 hospitalization, even at times of peak disease prevalence. The long-term consequences of this vaccine-associated cardiac inflammation are not yet fully defined and should be studied, the researchers concluded in their study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed and was published (pdf) on the medrxiv server. They said the United States could consider following the example of countries like Germany and Norway in holding off on recommending COVID-19 vaccination of healthy children, who are at low risk of developing series disease after contracting the disease. Another possible option is recommending a single dose of a vaccine built on messenger RNA. We seek nuanced policy which accommodates diff in risk between males and females, which starts [around] age 6, Allison Krug, an epidemiologist with Artemis Biomedical Communications who was one of the researchers, wrote on Twitter. Vinay Prasad, an associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, was among those circulating the study, describing as a bombshell finding that supports earlier reports about the risk of heart inflammation following vaccination in youth. Used vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine lay empty at a vaccination center at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, on Jan. 22, 2021. (John Locher/AP Photo) Others cast doubt on the findings, including Frank Han, a cardiologist based in Illinois, who argued that myocarditis cases can only be confirmed using MRIs. Why do we have MRI criteria for myocarditis? To avoid accidentally diagnosing every troponin positive teenager with myocarditis (and cry wolf). You release troponin just from exercise, he wrote on Twitter. The CDC, a top U.S. health agency, has said it does not comment or change policy based on studies not done by the agency. The CDC earlier this year reported higher-than-expected rates of myocarditis among vaccinated youth. During a meeting last month, the CDC said that data through Aug. 18 showed much higher than expected cases of myopericarditis after the second dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. There were 117 cases among males 12 to 15, for instance, when it was expected there would be no more than five. Dr. John Su, part of the CDCs COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force, told the meeting that the agency is conducting enhanced surveillance looking at longer-term outcomes among those suffering heart inflammation after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Nicola Klein of the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center presented data regarding post-vaccination heart inflammation from the Vaccine Safety Datalink, a database from the CDC and nine other healthcare groups, including five Kaiser Permanente facilities. That data also showed higher than expected cases among youth following vaccination. The CDC, though, is still recommending two doses of the COVID-19 shots, and President Joe Biden on Thursday urged parents to get their children vaccinated. The known risks of COVID-19 illness and its related, possibly severe complications, such as long-term health problems, hospitalization, and even death, far outweigh the potential risks of having a rare adverse reaction to vaccination, including the possible risk of myocarditis or pericarditis, the CDC states on its website. But the agencys vaccine advisory panel says that people who developed myocarditis or pericarditis after an initial dose of an mRNA vaccine should defer receiving the second dose until additional safety data are available. Most myocarditis cases result in brief phases of hospitalization, according to data presented during the recent meeting. No deaths have been confirmed among the cases, according to U.S. officials. Some countries recommend children get a COVID-19 vaccine, though there have been varying levels of differentiating between kids with or without serious underlying health conditions. The United Kingdoms Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, for instance, recommends healthy children not get a COVID-19 vaccine at present until more safety and efficacy data become available. The benefits do not outweigh the risks, the panel said in July, citing reports of post-vaccination heart inflammation. Both the Pfizer and Moderna shots were slapped with warnings by U.S. drug regulators over the summer regarding the heart inflammation cases seen following vaccination. The Pfizer Comirnaty vaccine, which is not yet available, is approved for people 16 years and older and under emergency use authorization for children between 12 and 15. No other vaccines are authorized for that population. Ayres Hall at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Anming Hu, a former associate professor at the university, was accused of lying about his affiliation with a Chinese university. (Nightryder84/ CC-BY-3.0/Wikimedia Commons) Tennessee Professor Accused of Concealing China Ties Acquitted of Charges A former University of Tennessee professor accused of hiding his ties with a Chinese university to get federal research funds has been acquitted of all charges. U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan on Thursday acquitted Anming Hu, a 52-year-old citizen of Canada charged with wire fraud and making false statements, of all charges, saying that the U.S. government hadnt proven its case. Hus case was part of the Justice Departments China Initiative, an effort started under the Trump administration to identify and prosecute individuals stealing intellectual property from American colleges and universities on behalf of the Chinese communist regime. Hu was first indicted in February 2020. The indictment alleges that beginning in 2016, Hu intentionally provided false statements to the University of Tennessee (UT) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to hide his affiliation with Beijing University of Technology (BJUT), one of 76 top-tier universities directly administered by the Chinese Ministry of Education. Under a federal law passed in 2011, agencies like NASA are banned from using appropriated funds on projects involving collaboration with Chinese-owned companies or universities. Federal prosecutors said Hus statements caused UT to falsely certify to NASA that it was in compliance with that law. UT officials testified to the court that a conflict of interest disclosure form they sent Hu asked him to list any outside work that earns him more than $10,000, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel. Hu earned less than $2,000 annually from his part-time work with BJUT, and failed to disclose his Beijing work on that form, although he mentioned his ties to BJUT in other required forms and in email exchanges with both UT officials and a NASA contractor. [E]ven viewing all the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, no rational jury could conclude that defendant acted with a scheme to defraud NASA in failing to disclose his ties with the Beijing University of Technology to UTK, the judge wrote in his decision. Varlan added that there was no evidence presented that defendant ever collaborated with a Chinese university in conducting his NASA-funded research, or used facilities, equipment, or funds from a Chinese university in the course of such research. Civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) welcomed the acquittal, with president and executive director John C. Yang saying in a statement that Hu is finally free to return to his life and be reunited with his family. We must work vigilantly to ensure that what happened to Dr. Hu and his family does not happen again to anyone, Yang added. Federal authorities are increasingly cracking down on U.S. academics and researchers over ties with China-based institutions and Chinas state-sponsored recruitment program known as the Thousand Talents Program due to concerns that it facilitates the transfer of sensitive U.S. research and intellectual property to the ruling Chinese Communist Party. GQ Pan contributed to this report. Texas Gov Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 1, also known as the election integrity bill, into law in Tyler, Texas, on Sept. 7, 2021. (LM Otero/AP Photo) Texas Governor Signs Law Allowing Users to Sue Social Media Companies Over Suspensions Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill passed by the GOP-led legislature that is designed to stop social media companies from censoring users based on their political statements or viewpoints. The measure was introduced earlier this year but was delayed when dozens of Democrat state lawmakers left the state to deny Republicans quorum and block the passage of a voting overhaul bill that Abbott, a Republican, signed several days ago. House Bill 20, the social media bill, was signed by Abbott on Thursday. It prevents companies from suspending users based on their politics and allows Texas residents to file lawsuits to reinstate accounts that are deemed to have been unfairly targeted and removed. Namely, the legislation targeted platforms that have at least 50 million users, which would include Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, among others. There is a dangerous movement by some social media companies to silence conservative ideas and values, said Gov. Abbott in a Facebook live video. This is wrong and we will not allow it in Texas. The Epoch Times has contacted Facebook, Twitter, and Google for comment. Other than allowing Texans to file lawsuits, the law also allows the Texas Attorney Generals office to take action. We will always defend the freedom of speech in Texas, which is why I am proud to sign House Bill 20 into law to protect first amendment rights in the Lone Star State, Abbott also said, echoing arguments that social media platforms serve as modern public forums that should allow people to engage in debate. Abbott, however, said that within social media firms, there is a dangerous trend that he said is designed to silence conservative viewpoints and ideas. Scholar and anti-critical race theory activist Christopher Rufo this week said he obtained information that Google has internally launched an initiative to portray the United States as a system of white supremacy. In one slide that was obtained via an alleged whistleblower, it shows a white supremacy pyramid that includes commentator Ben Shapiro and former President Donald Trump and suggests it leads to mass murder and included photos of mass shooters Anders Breivik and Brenton Tarrant. Florida earlier this year passed a similar bill, but it has faced legal challenges and hurdles to enforcement. The measure required firms to be open about their content-moderation policies and tell users about policy changes. A judge blocked enforcement of key provisions in the Florida law several months ago, claiming that it likely violated the First Amendment and violated federal laws. Since the 2020 election, some conservatives have argued for the repeal of Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which serves as a liability shield for companies against harmful content that a user may post. Some have argued that tech companies have utilized the rule to exert too much power over what information people can consume. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Army General Mark Milley, right, hold a press briefing about the US military drawdown in Afghanistan, at the Pentagon in Washington on Sept. 1, 2021. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) The Next Terrorist Attack Commentary For 20 years since Sept. 11, 2001, U.S. presidents have been saying their anti-terrorism policies have worked, as evidenced by no new attacks on America. While we should be grateful another attack hasnt occurred, past performance is no guarantee of future success. Fanatics are nothing but patient, as we have seen in Afghanistan. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley has said the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan could lead to civil war and the possible reconstitution of al Qaeda. That should come as no surprise as the goals of our enemies in the Middle East have been expressed openly for decades. Their actions have proven a commitment to killing Americans and destabilizing democracies and their economies. Underestimating ones enemy is always a fatal error as we saw on 9/11. President Obama once dismissed al-Qaeda as the JV team. In fact, they are the varsity. It is difficult to deter or destroy an ideology whose adherents are willing to die for its cause, especially when they believe they are carrying out orders from their god. In its March 2015 issue, The Atlantic noted a New York Times story about confidential comments made by Major General Michael K. Nagata, at the time the Special Operations commander for the U.S. in the Middle East. Gen. Nagata reportedly admitted he had yet to figure out the appeal of one of many terrorist organizations. About the Islamic State, he said, We have not defeated the idea. We do not even understand the idea. Whose fault is that? With their win in Afghanistan, terrorists by whatever name, can only be further motivated to conduct new attacks. What might those look like? From experience we know they prefer the big event, such as crashing airliners into buildings and blowing up high value targets. There are other options when big targets are not vulnerable. Lone suicide bomber incidents can also strike fear into a nation, especially if they are sustained and coordinated. In 2003, Tom Clancy wrote a novel called The Teeth of the Tiger about terrorists who sneak across the U.S.-Mexico border and in coordinated attacks shoot up suburban shopping malls. Fear of terrorists slipping over the border is not fiction, but of growing concern. Small-scale attacks, undetectable in advance, have been occurring since 9/11. Two recent incidents demonstrate what were up against. On the Sunday before the last American military planes left Kabul, a gunman shot and killed a Lyft driver in Garland, Texas. He then drove to a nearby police station and began shooting at people inside. The gunman was identified as Imran Ali Rasheed. Police killed him. The FBI said Rasheed may have been inspired by a foreign terrorist organization to commit these crimes. Ya think? Suspected terrorists are crossing our southern border at unprecedented level, according to the outgoing U.S. Border Patrol chief. In New Zealand, a man named Ahamed Aathill Mohamed Samsudeen stabbed seven people inside a store where he had bought a knife. Police shot and killed him. Authorities drew the obvious conclusion, calling it a terrorist attack. Who knows how manyif anyterrorists are among the thousands of Afghan refugees now pouring into America? The Biden administration claims the vetting system should weed out anyone who means us harm, but there are no guarantees and the radicals can be expected to lie and perhaps even have forged papers. After turning back German General Erwin Rommels forces in what Winston Churchill called The Battle of Egypt, Churchill famously said: Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. Given the commitment and resourcefulness of this modern enemy, Im not sure we are even at the end of the beginning. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The Vaccine Mandate Assault on the Common Good Commentary As President Joe Biden launches via executive order a sweeping vaccine mandate for all federal government workers, and now a brand-new initiative for private sector mandates, the issue has once again risen to the forefront of the national dialogue. United Airlines, for example, recently became the first U.S. airline to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for all its employees. United Airlines mandate takes effect on Sept. 27, and it might augur a broader trend: A poll conducted last month by insurance and advisory firm Willis Towers Watson, for example, suggests that 52 percent of private sector employers surveyed expect to have a workplace vaccine mandate by the end of 2021. As Bidens brand-new announcement of a Department of Labor rule for private sector vaccination requirement now makes clear, that poll was prescient. Against this backdrop, several Republican-leaning states have advanced laws or executive orders that prohibit private sector vaccine mandates for employees, customers, or in some other respect. That tally is now at least eight states: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Texas, South Carolina, and South Dakota. The legal mechanics and specifics differ from state to state. But the highest-profile and most mechanically straightforward Republican-led assault on vaccine mandates is the one in my new home state, Florida. In May, Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has emerged as a talismanic figure of sorts for those standing athwart COVID-induced hysteria, signed into law SB 2006. The legislation bans private businesses, local governments, and schools from issuing vaccine mandates for customers or members of the public. On Aug. 27, Floridas Department of Health announced that it will enforce SB 2006 via $5,000 fines per individual and separate violation. That rule will go into effect on Sept. 16, though DeSantis had previously already taken aim at mandatory private sector vaccinations via executive order even prior to the passage of SB 2006. Amid the pending Biden Department of Labor vaccination rule for all employers with 100 or more employees, there will now inevitably be mass litigation between the states and the federal government. But while that litigation begins to percolate, the battle lines were already clarified. Progressives, whose various echo chambers have led them to believe COVID is a modern-day apocalypse despite a 98 to 99 percent (at least) survival rate, predictably march in lockstep against bans on vaccine mandates. It is perhaps the only time progressives defend private enterprise against public regulation, broadly speaking. But those on the right have divided over the question of what role, if any, the state should play in regulating private sector vaccine mandate promulgation and enforcement. The private sector vaccine mandate, much like the roiling debates over Big Tech regulation, is a proxy for a broader intellectual fault line on the right. That divide is between the more adamantly classical liberal, libertarian-inspired pundits and politicians who believe the quintessence of sound governance is simply permitting individuals and private entities to do what they wish, and the more common-good-inspired figures who believe the breadth and depth of the threat from our wokeist ruling class is such that we must be less skittish about the prudential use of state power to secure the deplorables basic way of life. On this matter, as in many other matters, the DeSantis-style common-good conservatives have the better of the doctrinaire let businesses do whatever they want libertarian absolutists. It is important to understand why. President Ronald Reagan once said, The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, Im from the government, and Im here to help. That was probably true when the Gipper said it, but times have changed. The new, 21st century threat comes in the form of a sprawling, paninstitutional ruling class whose public and private sector branches alike worship at the secular altar of wokeism. That ruling class has no interest in abiding by any sort of neutral live and let live niceties; its interest is in banning conservative speech from social media, soft-banning conservative ideas from the academy by means of microaggressions and safe spaces, and so on. As I have argued, we should think of the new most terrifying words as, Im from the ruling class, and Im here to subjugate you. Vaccine mandates will be a convenient fig leaf for a ruling class already gung-ho at the possibility of precluding conservatives from the full panoply of in-person public life: air travel, concerts, or even private banking services. Accordingly, the governing imperative is to use state power to protect those who may harbor not-unreasonable reservations about the COVID vaccines against woke capital and woke businesses champing at the bit to forsake those who have made a different decision about what to do with their bodies than what our elites may wish. Dispensations will always be made, but the default legal rule should be a general ban on private sector vaccine mandates. Those still very concerned about COVID, after all, can always vaccinate themselves: The vaccines presumably work well, as we are constantly told. It is the obligation of patriots in 2021, to quote Claremont Institute senior fellow David Reaboi, to know what time it is. On vaccine mandates, that means following the DeSantis lead, and, as now appears to be necessary, launching strategic state-led lawsuits against an overzealous Biden administration dead-set on making COVID hysteria the law of the land. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street to deliver a statement on Afghanistan in the House of Commons in London, on Sept. 6, 2021. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) UK Conservative Party Falls Behind Labour in New Poll After Tax Hike A new opinion poll suggests Britains ruling Conservative party has fallen behind the main opposition Labour party, following the governments decision to break its election pledge by raising taxes. A YouGov survey found that backing for the Tories had fallen by five points to 33 percent after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced an increase to national insurance contributions. The dip sees Labour take the lead on 35 percentthe first time the party has been out in front since January. Labour takes the lead for the first time since January in our latest Westminster voting intention poll (8-9 Sep) Con: 33% (-5 from 2-3 Sep) Lab: 35% (+1) Lib Dem: 10% (+2) Green: 9% (-1) SNP: 5% (n/c) Reform UK: 5% (+2)https://t.co/LPKdjVUZp6 pic.twitter.com/YqdKEVfqPK YouGov (@YouGov) September 10, 2021 Johnson said the 12 billion ($17 billion) tax hike was needed to reform social care funding and to help the National Health Service (NHS) clear the backlog caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic, the virus that causes COVID-19. The move goes against a pledge Johnson personally made in the Conservative Partys election manifesto in 2019, in which he promised not to raise income tax, VAT, or national insurance. Talking to Sky News on Friday, cabinet minister Oliver Dowden downplayed the poll findings, saying opinion polls come and go. Dowden said he hates putting up taxesany Conservative hates putting up taxes. But he said the alternative would have been more borrowing, burdening our children and grandchildren. He said voters could still reward the Tory government at the next election for taking a decision on social care which he argued was designed to protect the long-term national interest. The tax hike has been controversial among Conservative ranks. Five Conservative backbenchers voted against the measure while another 37 did not vote when it was passed in the House of Commons on Wednesday in a 319248 vote. In the debate preceding the vote, Tory MP Jake Berry said the measure was fundamentally un-Conservative and would massively damage the prospects of the Conservative party. Steve Baker, another Conservative MP, said his party must rediscover what it stands for in an age of the ever-expanding welfare state. Allister Heath, editor of the conservative newspaper The Sunday Telegraph, said Johnsons government is no longer Thatcherite, or even conservative: it is Blue Labour. In a bizarre reversal of their traditional positions, the Conservative government attacked Labour for voting against the tax rise. Labour argued that funding the scheme through increasing National Insurance was unfair and a tax on jobs and that it would not end the need for people to sell their homes to meet the costs of social care. PA contributed to this report. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gives a joint news conference at the Mariinsky palace in Kyiv on Aug. 22, 2021. (Sergey Dolzhenko/AFP via Getty Images) Ukrainian President Admits Probability of Full-Scale War With Russia An all-out war between Ukraine and Russia has not been ruled out amid increased tensions between the two nations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday. Answering a question at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum on the possibility of full-scale war with Russia, Zelensky replied yes, that could happen. Thats true. Its the worst thing that could happen, but unfortunately there is that possibility, he added. Zelinskys remarks come as Russia and ex-Soviet ally Belarus launched Zapad-2021 on Sept. 9a large-scale strategic military drill involving tens of thousands of servicemen including those from Moscow-led defense bloc member Kazakhstan, as well as tanks, artillery, and aircraft. The exercises have alarmed Ukraine and some NATO nations. Indian service members attend a ceremony opening the military exercise Zapad-2021 staged by the armed forces of Russia and Belarus at the Mulino training ground in Nizhny Novgorod Region, Russia on Sept. 9, 2021. (Vadim Savitskiy/Russian Defence Ministry Press Service/Handout via Reuters) Russian service members attend a ceremony opening the military exercise Zapad-2021 staged by the armed forces of Russia and Belarus at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Brest Region, Belarus on Sept. 9, 2021. (Vadim Yakubyonok/BelTA/Handout via Reuters) Belarus Deputy Defense Minister Viktor Gulevich has previously responded to the concerns that the exercises carry no threat, neither for the European community as a whole nor for any neighboring countries. The relations between the two countries have been broken as a result of an ongoing conflict that started in 2014, according to Zelensky. More than 14,000 people have been killed in the fighting since then. The attitude from Ukraine and Ukrainians to Russians after this [conflict] was broken. There are no relations, the president said. Who we are now? Partners or friends? We became enemies. Thats another shelf of relations. We turned from friends to enemies. Can you imagine this abyss, this distance? And how can we shorten it, how can we cope with it? No one knows. Only time can help. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said while commenting on Zelenskys remarks about the possibility of a Russia-Ukraine war that the Kremlin wouldnt want to indulge in apocalyptic expectations, news agency TASS reported. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov arrives to attend the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Rosa Khutor, in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, on Feb. 7, 2020. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/ Pool/File/AP Photo) We would not like to indulge in some apocalyptic expectations, Peskov said, adding that the Kremlin had reacted to such a statement by the Ukrainian president with regret. Earlier this year, increasing ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine and a major Russian troop buildup near the border fueled fears by Kyiv and Western powers of renewed hostilities. Amid the tug-of-war with Moscow, Ukraine has pushed strongly to be allowed to join NATOa decision that would likely anger the Kremlin. Yes, I will say to you honestly that we didnt get a direct position [from the United States] as for Ukraine entering NATO, Zelensky said during Fridays YES forum. We are ready for NATO with our army level, with the level of our specialists first of all, with the reforms that we carry out. The Associated Press contributed to this report. From NTD News An undated file photo of the Protector drones from General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI). (Courtesy of the UK Ministry of Defence) UKs New Protector Drone Incredibly Important Tool Against Terrorism The new Protector drone unveiled on Thursday by the Royal Air Force (RAF) will be an incredibly important tool in Britains fight against global terrorism, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said. The UK has ordered 16 Protector aircraft from its U.S. manufacturer General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI). They will enter into service in 2024 and will be based at the RAFs Waddington base in Lincolnshire, England. A pre-production example of Protector took to the sky on Thursday at RAF Waddington, which will become an international centre for allies to train on the new drone. Talking to media at the event, Wallace said he believes the terrorist threat has become more global now, as the reservoir of people who might cross that line into violence is probably greater than it was before the 9/11 attacks. Protector is a huge leap forward in performance & technology. It can fly for 40hrs anywhere in the world protecting the UK & our allies. @RoyalAirForce receives our 1st of 16 aircraft in 2023. Trials this month at @RAFWaddington & @RAFLossiemouth are a taste of things to come. pic.twitter.com/8YJTLLqomx ACM Sir Mike Wigston (@ChiefofAirStaff) September 9, 2021 He said that NATOs withdrawal from Afghanistan could inspire terrorist groups to mount attacks and that Britain has the right to defend itself from such terror plots, The Times of London reported. He said he is ready to do whatever he has to do to protect British citizens lives and our interests and our allies when we are called upon to do so, wherever that may be. He said the Protector drone is not a silver bullet to deal with terrorism, but is an incredibly important tool in our armoury, The Telegraph reported. Also speaking at RAF Waddington, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, head of the RAF, called the new drone a giant leap forward in technology and aircraft performance over its predecessor Reaper. It can fly further for longer, for many more places around the world, with a much wider range of potential missions from flood monitoring to maritime patrol, to strikes on violent extremists who would do us harm, he said. The UK is vigilant to the increased terror threats as the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has heartened and emboldened Islamic extremists, Ken McCallum, director-general of the MI5 intelligence agency said on Friday. He revealed that Britains security services disrupted 31 late-stage terrorist plots in the last four years, including six plots during the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. Laboratory technicians wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) work on samples to be tested for COVID-19 at the Fire Eye laboratory, a COVID-19 testing facility, in Wuhan in China's central Hubei Province, on Aug. 4, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) US Scientific Collaboration With China May Support CCPs Military Programs, Experts Warn The United States should cut research collaboration with the Chinese regime so U.S. scientists dont inadvertently assist Beijings biowarfare program, security experts say. The warning has taken on fresh urgency after recently released documents show that U.S. funding went to coronavirus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), the facility at the center of the theory that the pandemic originated from a lab leak. According to the documents obtained by The Intercept, the National Institutes of Healthvia U.S.-based health organization EcoHealth Allianceawarded nearly $600,000 to the WIV to conduct research, including altering bat coronaviruses that were deemed likely to infect humans. Any Western funding or research collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) directly or indirectly supports the regimes military goals, including its biowarfare program, according to retired U.S. Army Col. Lawrence Sellin. Sellin has also previously worked at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases and conducted basic and clinical research in the pharmaceutical industry. Its important to recognize, in China, there is no distinction between military and civilian research, Sellin said, pointing to the CCPs national strategy of civil-military fusion. Civil-Military Fusion Beijings doctrine of civil-military fusion prescribes that technological advancements developed by the private sector be leveraged to further the regimes military development. The strategy was mandated by the Chinese Communist Partys 13th Five-Year Plan in 2016, although it was unofficially operating prior to this, Sellin told The Epoch Times in an email. Clare Lopez, a former CIA operations officer, said, There is a seamless collaboration between military and civilian laboratories in China, adding that this type of fusion doesnt exist in the United States. Chinese law requires military facilities to have access to everything performed in civilian labs, Lopez said. She said this became very evident when Peoples Liberation Army Maj. Gen. Chen Wei, an expert in biology and chemical weapon defenses, took control of the Wuhan lab during the initial stages of the pandemic in early 2020. While the WIV, which houses a P4 lab (the highest biosafety level), has denied any relationship with the Chinese military, the institute worked for years with military leaders on a state-sponsored project conducting laboratory animal experiments. A January fact sheet by the U.S. State Department also stated that the WIV has engaged in laboratory animal experiments on behalf of the Chinese military since at least 2017, and worked on gain-of-function research to engineer chimeric viruses. The P4 laboratory on the campus of the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on May 13, 2020. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images) Pandemic Origins Sellin believes that the pandemic was the direct outcome of a highly organized and extensive biowarfare program of the CCP. In support of that, Sellin said, one only needs to look at the structure of the virus to know that it contains features, in particular, the furin polybasic cleavage site, [which is] not found in any of hundreds of close bat coronavirus relatives from which the COVID-19 virus could have evolved. The furin polybasic cleavage site has, for over twenty years, been known to increase transmissibility and lethality in coronaviruses and Chinese Peoples Liberation Army scientists demonstrated the artificial insertion of such a sequence in 2013a genetic engineering technique that has been used for at least a decade. The U.S. intelligence community, which was directed by President Joe Biden to probe the origins of the pandemic, including the lab-leak theory, recently provided an inclusive report. US Scientific Collaboration According to Sellin, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army leverages international scientific knowledge and skills, particularly from the United States, through research collaboration and scientist exchange programs. China has made full use of [such collaboration], de facto colonizing specific U.S. research programs that could advance its military objectives, he said, noting that this includes the development of bioweapons. In a process he referred to as scientific chain migration, Sellin said Chinese scientists have established laboratories in the United States, invited their colleagues, and accessed not only knowledge and skills, but also U.S. government funding. As a result, he suspects that hundreds of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars have been used to directly or indirectly support the CCPs biowarfare program. Steps must be taken immediately to terminate the hemorrhaging of American knowledge, skills, and research funding, which continues to be funneled into Chinas biowarfare program, Sellin said. Holding the CCP Accountable Exposing the CCPs organization and operation of its biowarfare programs should be a top priority for the international community, according to Sellin. If the CCPs biowarfare program is going to be rolled back, he said it must begin with the United States taking action. Lopez agrees, but noted the difficulty in doing so. Theres no enforcement mechanism to truly hold the Chinese regime accountable, Lopez said, also the founder and president of Lopez Liberty. Both the United States and China are signatories to the Biological Weapons Convention, which forbids states from developing biological weapons. But the only remedy for complaint, she said, would be to go to the U.N. Security Council, where one of the five permanent members includes China, which would veto any action. As a result, Lopez said, theres not much incentive to take it to the U.N. To a large degree, rolling back the CCPs biowarfare program rests upon the backs of researchers who continue to turn a blind eye to the regimes continuing coverup of the pandemic origins, according to Lopez. She questioned whether U.S. researchers may have unwittingly assisted the efforts of the CCP. Its not that U.S. researchers are necessarily providing assistance, but they know perfectly well the labs in China are working together on bioweaponsand they dont care. At that level of international research, there seems to be a total disregard for the fact they know China runs such a massive bioweapon program, said Lopez. In the case of rising scrutiny on the WIV over being the potential source of the pandemic, Lopez said: U.S. researchers dont care; they want to do the research they want to do. And if this requires working with Wuhan, theyll do it anyway. This, according to Lopez, indicates complete disregard for international health security, [as its a] total disregard for the kind of research conducted in China that feeds into a biological weapons program. USPS Not Covered by Bidens COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate: Spokesman The United States Postal Service is not one of the agencies compelled to require COVID-19 vaccination under President Joe Bidens new executive order, a spokesman said Friday. The COVID-19 vaccination requirements included in the White House executive order issued on September 9, 2021, for federal employees do not apply to the Postal Service, a spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service, or USPS, told The Epoch Times in an email. Regarding other vaccination rules expected to be issued by the federal government, the Postal Service has no comment until those rules are issued and we have had a chance to review them, he added. Biden on Thursday ordered all federal employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine, with limited exceptions for approved medical or religious reasons. It is essential that Federal employees take all available steps to protect themselves and avoid spreading COVID-19 to their co-workers and members of the public, Biden said in the order. Biden said in remarks from Washington that the order would require all executive branch federal employees to be vaccinatedall. An Executive Branch Agency as defined in 5 U.S. Code 105 means an Executive department, a Government corporation, and an independent establishment. The Postal Service is an independent agency of the Executive Branch. It was established in 2006, replacing the Cabinet-level U.S. Post Office Department. The head of the Postal Service is chosen by a nine-person Board of Governors; the board members are appointed by the president and require confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Over 630,000 people work for the USPS. The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) and the White House did not respond to requests for comment. The union in a July statement responded to reports that the White House was mulling mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for federal workers. Maintaining the health and safety of our members is of paramount importance. While the APWU leadership continues to encourage postal workers to voluntarily get vaccinated, it is not the role of the federal government to mandate vaccinations for the employees we represent, the union said. Issues related to vaccinations and testing for COVID-19 in the workplace must be negotiated with the APWU. At this time the APWU opposes the mandating of COVID-19 vaccinations in relation to U.S. postal workers, it added. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. WAs $5.6 Billion Budget Surplus Has Doctors Association Demanding Hospital Crisis Be Dealt With The Western Australia (WA) governments $5.6 billion budget surplus has compelled the states leading medical association to call for more support amid rampant staff shortages and overcrowding at hospitals. The call comes after the economic impact wrought by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus left WAs coffers largely untouched after the state reaped the benefits of skyrocketing iron ore prices. WAs economy has outshone most jurisdictions for the duration of the pandemic, growing 5.7 percent since the December quarter of 2019almost double that of every other state combined. So far, the new budget has seen the government allocate $3.1 billion towards health, with $1.3 billion towards improving health infrastructure, $960 million to go towards the ongoing 2021-22 WA health budget, and $487 million for COVID-19 measures, including hotel quarantine and vaccination. The investment will see an extra 332 designated hospital beds, 100 new doctors, and 500 new nurses. WA Premier Mark McGowan handed down the new budget, having recently appointed himself as state treasurer. WA Premier Mark McGowan prepares to speak to media at Dumas House in Perth, Australia, on Apr. 23, 2021. (Matt Jelonek/Getty Images) This big-budget boost builds on our governments ongoing significant investments in hospitals and health services over the past four years, McGowan said in a media release. Read More Western Australia Govt Criticized for Appointing CCP Affiliates to Advisory Council Minister for Health Roger Cook backed the new budget allocation, saying the additional funding meant more services, more beds and more staff across our hospitals. But Australian Medical Association (AMA) WA President Dr. Mark Duncan-Smith said the new funding was completely inadequate. It is appalling the reset for health that doctors were seeking has failed to materialise in the state budget, Duncan-Smith said in a media release. WAs public hospitals have declared code yellow 490 times over the last 12 months, The West Australian newspaper reported. A hospital issues a code yellow when it can no longer take on more emergency patients. Of the 490 issued over the last year, 100 of those was directly linked to a lack of beds for patients. This week alone, three of WAs public hospitalsFiona Stanley, Sir Charles Gairdner, and Royal Perthdeclared code yellow on the same day. People queue for COVID-19 testing at Perths Fiona Stanley Hospital in Western Australia, Australia, on Jan. 31, 2021. (Paul Kane/Getty Images) Furthermore, August saw a record 6,500 hours of ambulance rampingthe total time patients were forced to wait sitting in an ambulance until hospital beds were made available. Consider the strain this is placing the health system under; the scrambling to care for patients in various states of distress, the difficulties for doctors who only want to produce the best standard of care they can possibly provide, Duncan-Smith said. We can expect outcomes to get worse and more patients to be exposed to poorer standards of care simply due to system overload. The bulging budget has made the medical association question why more support was not being funnelled to hospitals, particularly when states like New South Wales and Victoria were dealing with major COVID-19 outbreaks. Though he welcomed the increased investment in buildings and beds, Duncan-Smith warned there was no operational budget to run them. He said that despite an overall increase of 1.38 percent to the health budget, the operational budget had actually fallen. This budget just doesnt cut it, with the McGowan Government abandoning the healthcare of our community by reducing the operational budget of the healthcare system over the next two years, Duncan-Smith said. Premier and Treasurer Mark McGowan has today delivered more of what Western Australians have experienced under this government, which is a distressed and ailing health system lurching from crisis to crisis. We Cant Afford to Do Everything In $3.5 Trillion Budget: Democratic Congresswoman At a House Ways and Means Committee hearing Thursday, Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.) raised serious concerns about the spending in the House-advanced $3.5 trillion budget resolution. The expansive budget was advanced by Democrats during an emergency session of the House on Aug. 24. It has since been the top priority of Democrats across various House committees to write and markup the bill before going back to the floor for another vote in the House. After this, it will need to get through the Senate, where moderate Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) have expressed vocal opposition to the legislations expensive price tag. Because of this, a prime concern for Democrats while rushing to draft the legislation has been to ensure that the bill can win the support of moderates in the upper chamber. Not Gotten the Text of the Legislation: Murphy To pass the legislation through the Senate, Democrats are using the reconciliation process. This process is a parliamentary procedure that allows certain financial bills to advance through the Senate by a simple majority under certain conditions. Murphy said that she accepts the process is necessary to overcome Republican obstruction. But because of this party-line maneuver, the congresswoman insisted that it is critical [Democrats] legislate in a thorough and transparent wayeven though, and I think especially because Democrats are proceeding on our own. The legislation was initially advanced to the Senate from the House on a thin party vote without any Senate Republican support. In the House, a contentious hours-long debate ended with the advancement of the bill; With the entire House in attendance, Democrats unanimously voted for the legislation while Republicans unanimously opposed it. Murphy emphasized that Democrats should be focused on produc[ing] a good bill that can actually become law, referencing continuing challenges in the Senate. Both Manchin and Sinema have been hesitant about the price of the bill rather than its programs. In an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal, Manchin called for a strategic pause to give lawmakers time to examine the legislation. This is necessary, wrote Manchin, to allow for a complete reporting and analysis of the implications a multitrillion-dollar bill will have for this generation and the next. A spokesman for Sinema was even more emphatic that the senator will not support a budget reconciliation bill that costs $3.5 trillion. With this intention in mind, Murphy went on to criticize the lack of transparency on the bill, claiming that members of the Ways and Means Committee have not gotten the text of the legislation or Congressional Budget Offices (CBO) analyses of several subtitles of the legislation. To date, Ive only received the text of subtitle A through subtitle E, she said. Members of the Ways and Means Committee, she said, have not received either the CBO ratings of any of these other than subtitle B. In fact, she continued, I dont even know how many more subtitles there will be. Murphy then listed a slew of important policies about which the committee had little information. We havent seen the subtitle on prescription drug policy, or the subtitle that will strengthen tax incentives to promote clean energy and combat climate change, nor, she said urgently, have we seen the revenue subtitle that will pay for all of this. She concluded, As we begin the multi-day markup of this historic legislation, I dont know how much were spending, how much were raising, how were spending some of the money, how were raising any of the money. Democratic leadership has insisted since its inception that most if not all of the bill would be paid for by increasing taxes on the wealthy and on corporations. While some committees in the House have revealed how they would spend their portion of the funding, thus far no information has been released on the specifics the bill would use to raise revenue. Murphy insists that she and other members of the committee are just as in the dark on these mechanisms. Murphy Calls Legislation Rushed, Says Lawmakers Need More Time In part, Murphy blamed these problems on the rushed deadline to finish the legislation, which she said was driven by politics rather than policy. The current deadline for writing, marking up, and passing the bill is Sept. 27, cemented by an agreement Pelosi made with moderate members of the Democratic caucus. The agreement came after a weeks-long divide between the partys progressives and moderates. Progressives, controlling nearly 100 votes of the partys 212 members, refused to vote for the moderate-supported infrastructure bill before voting on and passing the budget; Moderates, on the contrary, refused to vote for the budget before passing the infrastructure bill. To overcome this impasse, Pelosi promised consideration of the infrastructure bill before the end of the month. But this has left Democratic lawmakers scrambling to draft, gather support for, and pass the bill. In total, they had ten legislative days and a little more than 20 out-of-session days to pull off this feat. Murphy opposed this brief window, insisting that Democrats need more time to get this process right. Lawmakers need to have time to see and read all the subtitlesnot just some of them. Before advancing the budget, there needs to be official [CBO] scores for all of the subtitlesnot just unofficial ones for some of them. Despite the best efforts of this committee, I find myself in an impossible situation, Murphy said, I cant properly evaluate the investments in subtitle A through E, no matter how worthwhile they appear in isolation, with the incomplete information I have. I cannot assess them if I dont know how were paying for them, the congresswoman continued. She admitted, I dont think we can afford to do everything. Murphy argued that she needs to see the bill in its entirety before voting on any part of itthat, she said, is asking for the absolute minimum. In view of these flaws, Murphy said that unless something changes, I have no choice but to vote no on each subtitle and on final passage. Concluding her comments, Murphy once again emphasized that the rushed nature of the proceedings to pass the legislation would doom the bill in the Senate. After all, it is only the bills that become law that improve the lives of our constituents. President Joe Biden speaks about combatting the coronavirus pandemic in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, on Sept. 9, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) White House, Democrats Push New Civilian Climate Corps In a callback to President Franklin Roosevelts Civilian Conservation Corps, the White House and Democrats in Congress are pushing a new Civilian Climate Corps in their expansive $3.5 trillion budget resolution. During President Joe Bidens April address to congress, the commander-in-chief tied meeting the climate crisis to the creation of new jobs. For me, when I think climate change I think jobs, the president explained. Biden pointed to his policy agenda for the passage of a $2 trillion American Jobs Plan as creating such jobs. This plan has since been reduced by approximately $800 billion dollars, and was passed by the Senate in August as the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Despite its lower price tag, the legislation has a slew of new environmental and energy-development programs. For example, it would dedicate billions in total to building new charging stations for electric cars, millions to universities and colleges to research and develop new transportation technology, and additional funds for research and development of clean energy ferries and school buses, among many other environmental initiatives. The construction of electric car charging stations, Biden said, will both allow the United States to own the electric car market and would create new jobs across the nation to build these stations. The president also spoke to a broader vision, expressing hopes that America could also become a leader in manufacturing electric cars and batteries. He contended that Theres no reason why American workers cant lead the world in the production of electric vehicles and batteries. Biden continued, theres no reason why blades for wind turbines cant be built in Pittsburgh instead of Beijing. There is no reasonnone, the president emphasized. Bidens climate agenda also involves upgrading farming and offering incentives to farmers. Under Bidens policy proposal, farmers would benefit by being paid by the government to plant cover crops to remove carbon dioxide from the air. Civilian Climate Corps Another key Democratic proposal endorsed by Biden is the Civilian Climate Corps (CCC). This program, an expansive new jobs program reminiscent of New Deal government job creation programs, is included in the much more partisan $3.5 trillion budget resolution, written by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). When Sanders introduced the budget, he explained what the program would be. The CCC, Sanders said, would give young people the opportunity to get decent pay and to roll up their sleeves in order to combat climate change. The inclusion of this program in the budget bill came after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) put his weight behind the proposal. Discussing these negotiations, Schumer promised in a press conference to fight to get the boldest CCC possible. Schumer was joined by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who took to the stage to defend the CCC. What if [the CCC] led to tens of thousands of new trails in our national forests and park service? she asked rhetorically. Ocasio-Cortez continued, This isnt something we have to imagine doingthat was the record of the original [New Deal-created] Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938. The program, she asserted, is not a pipe dream, and is not some big and progressive vision that is unrealistic.' Rather, this is what we have already done. The New Deal Civilian Conservation Corps, Ocasio-Cortez said was the largest peacetime mobilization of young Americans in American history. Ocasio-Cortez, who drafted the controversial Green New Deal and holds considerable weight in the House progressive caucus, wants modern Democrats to challenge that ambitious record. Ocasio-Cortez argued that Democrats mandate today is not just to revive some of the most ambitious programs and ideas, but so much of this is about how we go even bigger and better than we did originally. Natural Disasters Democrats are doubling down on this effort in the wake of widespread natural disasters that they allege to be the result of manmade climate change. Specifically, they pointed to the ongoing crises created by Hurricane Ida and still-raging wildfires across the west coast. Chuck Schumer said in a press conference after these disasters: Global warming is upon us, and its going to get worse, and worse, and worse unless we do something about it. Thats why its so imperative to pass the two bills. On Twitter, President Biden expressed the same sentiment. Biden wrote: The past few days of Hurricane Ida, wildfires in the West, and unprecedented flash floods in New York and New Jersey are another reminder that the climate crisis is here. We need to be better prepared. Thats why Im urging Congress to act and pass my Build Back Better plan. This plan, a keystone of the presidents policy agendas during the 2020 campaign, includes both the Senate-passed infrastructure bill and the broader budget bill. Debates about how much to put towards the CCC continue among proponents of the legislation. Biden asked for $10 billion for the program, but some Democratic lawmakers and environmental policy groups are pushing for a much bigger appropriation toward the program. Currently, the bill falls far short of either of these factions hopes, delegating only $3.5 billion to the program. During a debate in the Natural Resources Committee, Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) defended the program. He called the funding a bold investment in a robust Civilian Climate Corps that will train the next generation of American land managers, park rangers, [and] stewards of our natural resources. The CCC, said Neguse, is a necessary response to the climate crisis [and] will prioritize the maintenance and upkeep of public lands. Neguse pointed to a recent wildfire in his state that cost several Coloradans their lives. The CCC would help to ensure this does not happen again by invest[ing] billions of dollars towards doing this critical mitigation work in our national forests. The White House weighed in as well. Ali Zaidi, a deputy White House climate adviser warned that We must seize this opportunity to build a big, bold pathway to critical careers, for a diverse generation of Americans ready to take on this existential crisis that we face. White House Reveals Why Flights Carrying Afghans Are Being Blocked From Landing in the US Several measles cases halt US-bound flights with Afghan refugees The Biden administration said on Friday that the United States has temporarily suspended flights with Afghan evacuees on board from entering the country after several measles cases were confirmed among recent arrivals. Operation Allies Welcome flights into the United States have been temporarily paused at the request of the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and out of an abundance of caution because of four diagnosed cases of measles among Afghans who recently arrived in the United States, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Friday. Several of the individuals who tested positive for measles, she added, are being quarantined by the CDC. The agency started contact tracing to determine who may have been exposed to the viral infection. According to the CDC, measles is a highly contagious virus that can be spread by coughing, sneezing, and by people breathing contaminated air or touching contaminated surfaces and then touching their mouth or nose. Ninety percent of people who are close to a measles case and who are not immune can be infected, the agency says. Afghanistan is considered a measles hotspot. The CDC said that the country, which has a population of about 38 million, has the seventh-highest number of measles cases in the world. In Fridays news conference, Psaki did not say where the measles cases were located. Flights have been going from military bases located within Qatar and Germany to the United States in recent weeks. Last month, the Department of Defense acknowledged there may be unsanitary and terrible conditions at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar where thousands of evacuees were being stationed. We are aware of and as concerned as anybody about what had been some terrible sanitation conditions at Qatar that were facilitated by the sheer numbers and the speed with which those numbers got there, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters during a news briefing on Aug. 24. Tens of thousands of Afghan nationals fled the country starting in mid-August after the Taliban extremist group took over the country. The Biden administration has faced unprecedented criticism from a variety of groups, including veterans, members of Congress, and media pundits for how it handled the evacuation and withdrawal efforts. Now, the White House is grappling with how it will securely vet and resettle thousands of Afghans who fled. Around 60,000 people have arrived in the United States as part of the aforementioned Operation Allies Welcome, said the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday. The agency said that 11 percent are Americans, 6 percent are green card holders, and about 83 percent are Afghans. We've learned that food can affect our genes, and that means we need to relearn everything we thought we knew about eating.(Tatevosian Yana/Shutterstock) Why Food Is Actually Information Food can change our DNA but we've hardly begun to deal with this groundbreaking discovery Food, a precondition for the possibility of life as we know it, is rarely appreciated for its true power. Far beyond its conventionally defined role as a source of energy and building blocks for the body-machine, new discoveries on the frontiers of science reveal that food is also a powerful source of information. We are all hardwired to be deeply concerned with food when hungry, an interest that rapidly extinguishes the moment we are satiated. But as an object of everyday interest and scientific inquiry, food often makes for a bland topic. This is all the more apparent when juxtaposed against its traditional status in ancient cultures as sacred; or in contemporary religious traditions like Catholicism, in which the communion bread is believed to be changed into the Body of Christ (Eucharist). But as my previous investigations into the dark side of wheat have revealed, food is one of the most fascinating and existentially important topics there is. And in many ways, until we understand the true nature of food, and its profound impact on our consciousness, we will not be able to understand our own nature and destiny. How We Got Here Modern Western concepts of food are a byproduct of a centuries-old process of intense secularization. Food is now largely conceived of in terms of its economic value as a commodity and its nutritional value as a source of physical sustenance. In the nutritional regard, its value is quantified through the presence and molecular weight of macro- and micronutrients, or its fat-inducing calories. In the process of reducing foods value to these strictly quantitative dimensions, it has lost its soul. Food is no longer believed to possess a vital life force, much less a sacred one. But the very etymology of sacred, namely, to make holy, and the etymology of holy, which connects to heal, whole, and health, points us toward foods ability to make us whole. Food as Nourishment on All Levels If talk of food as sacred and whole-making sounds pseudo-scientific, consider how nature designed our very first experience of nourishment (if we were fortunate enough to not have been given a bottle full of formula): breast milk taken from the mothers breast was simultaneously a nutritional, physical, thermic, emotional, genetic, and spiritual form of nourishment. Food, therefore, cant and shouldnt truly be reduced to an object of biochemistry. And so, as we dig deeper, we discover that the topic of food is a highly cerebral one. And this begins with any simple act of eating, albeit in a slightly different way. Its called the cephalic phase of nutrition, in your head, which reflects how you are actually experiencing the food. Is it delicious? Does it give you pleasure? These subjective aspects profoundly affect the physiology of digestion and assimilation. My colleague Marc David has dedicated many years to awakening people to this amazing process. Food, therefore, begins in a context that transcends merely physiochemical conditions and concerns. The nocebo and placebo effects, which are powerful forces in the setting of clinical medicine, also apply to the field and experience of nutrition. And therefore, it is hard to ignore how this important layer of nutritionthe firsthand experience, and even our intention and level of gratitudehas been lost in the fixation on the chemistry and reductionism of food science. But the inquiring mind wants more specific scientific answers to the question: How does food make us whole? How does its arrangement of atoms possess such extraordinary power to sustain our species? Why cant we answer the most rudimentary questions that go back to ancient times, such as the still timeless mystery and miracle of how bread is transmuted into blood and flesh? Perhaps, the information (and intelligence) within food will help explain some of this mystery. After all, information literally means to put form into. This understanding will add much-needed depth and nuance to conventional nutritional concepts where food is still conceived as a bunch of essentially dead and uninteresting atoms and molecules. The Old Story of Food as a Thing Our concept of food is still generally constrained to the Newtonian view that all things are comprised of atoms, externally related to one another, and built up from there into molecules, cells, etc. The story goes that when we eat things, digestion breaks them down into their constituent parts and our bodies then take these parts and build them back up into our blood and bones. This very mechanical, simplistic view, while valid in limited ways, no longer holds true in light of the new biology and science. Along with this view of food as matter, is the correlate perspective, that food can be burned for energy and that, like a furnace or a car, our body uses food for fuel measured by calories to drive its engines along. Of course, this is reinforced by nutrition labels that make it appear that food is as simple as caloric content and the presence or absence of a relatively small set of essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. I will call this reductionistic view of food the old story of food, in recognition of Charles Eisensteins thinking. This narrative focuses on two primary dimensions: food as matter and food as energy. Food as Matter If we are looking at the material aspects of food, we are looking at the physically quantifiable or measurable elements. You could not, for instance, objectively measure taste, as it differs qualitatively from person to person. It is a subjective experience. And so, nutritional science focuses on what is presumably objective, namely, quantities like the molecular weight of a given substance, e.g., 50 mg of ascorbic acid, 10 grams of carbohydrate, or 200 mg of magnesium. These material aspects, while providing information, are not considered to be informational in the sense of giving off distinct messages to the DNA in our body, which can alter gene expression. They are considered part of the physical world. Therefore, while providing building blocks for our body, including its DNA, they are not understood to alter or control the expression of the DNA in a meaningful way. Food, therefore, is considered dead, and not biologically meaningful beyond its brick-and-mortar functions in building up the body-machine. Food as Energy Energy is commonly defined as the power derived from the utilization of physical resources, especially to drive machines. In this view, food provides the fuel to power the body-machine. Food energy is conventionally defined in chemical terms. The basic concept is that humans extract energy from food and oxygen through cellular respiration. That is, the body joins oxygen from the air with molecules from food (aerobic respiration), or creates energy without oxygen (anaerobic respiration) through reorganization the molecules. The system used to quantify the energy content of food is based on the food calorie. One food calorie is the amount of heat required at a pressure of one atmosphere to raise the temperature of a gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. The traditional way to ascertain the caloric content of a sample of food is using a calorimeter, which literally burns the food sample to a crisp, measuring the amount of heat given off (its caloric content). In order to account for the varying densities of material within a sample, e.g., fiber, fat, water, a more complex algorithm is used today, but either way, food isnt an informational substance in the biological sense (e.g., DNA), but simply a source of energy that can fuel the body-machine. The New Story: Food as Information The new view of food as replete with biologically important information, is based on a number of relatively recent discoveries in various fields of scientific research. For instance, the discovery that food contains methyl groups (a carbon atom attached to three hydrogen atoms (CH3) capable of methylating (silencing) genes, brought into focus the capability of food to profoundly affect disease risk as well phenotypal expression. If folate, B12, or Betainethree common food componentscan literally shut off gene expression with high specificity, food becomes a powerful informational vector, one which may actually supervene over the DNA within our body by determining which sequences find expression. This discovery of nutritions prime role in epigenetics opened up an entirely new realm of research, including the disciplines of nutrigenomics, which looks at nutrient-gene interactions, and nutritional genomics, which looks at gene-based risks that provide individualization of nutritional recommendations. Suddenly, almost overnight, food became infinitely more interesting to geneticists, biologists, and medical professionals. Its newly discovered information role could affect, and, in some cases, control, the expression of the DNAbiomedicines holy grail. Foods role as a source of methyl group donors capable of epigenetic modulation of DNA expression is a powerful demonstration of its informational properties, but this is not the whole story. Food also contains classical genetic information vectors, such as non-coding RNAs, whichlike methyl donorshave the ability to profoundly alter the expression of our DNA. In fact, there are estimated to be somewhere in the range of 100,000 different sites in the human genome capable of producing non-coding RNAs, far eclipsing our 20,000 to 25,000 protein-coding genes. Together, these RNAs orchestrate the expression of most of the genes in the body. They are, therefore, supervening forces largely responsible for maintaining our genetic and epigenetic integrity. These RNAs are carried by virus-sized microvesicles called exosomes found in all the food we eat. They are secreted by all plant, animal, and fungal cells, and survive ingestion to significantly alter our gene expression. In 2012, a groundbreaking study titled, Exogenous plant MIR168a specifically targets mammalian LDLRAP1: evidence of cross-kingdom (plant, animal, fungi, etc) regulation by microRNA, found that exosomal miRNAs from rice altered LDL receptors in the livers of Chinese subjects, effectively proving cross-kingdom regulation by microRNA exists and is occurring on an ongoing basis through the food we eat. Another study, this time in animals, found that exosomes in commonly consumed foods, like grapefruit and oranges, affect important physiological pathways in the animals bodies. Essentially, these food components talk to animal cells by regulating gene expression and conferring significant therapeutic effects. The ability of exosomes to mediate the transfer of miRNAs across kingdoms redefines our notion of the human species as genetically hermetically sealed off from others within the animal, plant, and fungi kingdoms. In this sense, foodborne exosomes are the mechanism through which all living things in the biosphere are intimately interconnected, perhaps even adding a new explanatory layer to how the Gaia hypothesis could be true. Another important though overlooked mechanism through which food components may carry and transfer energy and information is through so-called prionic conformational states (protein folding patterns). Prions have been primarily looked upon as pathological in configuration and effect. A classical example is the beta-sheet formation of brain proteins in Alzheimers. These secondary protein conformations act as a template through which certain deleterious folding states are transferred laterally between proteins. But prions arent always pathological. For instance, naturally forming prions are essential for the health of the myelin sheath in the brain, and likely perform many other important though still largely unknown functions. So, when we look at the phenomena neutrally, the fact that the conformational state (folding state) of a protein can hold and laterally transfer information essential to the structure and function of neighboring proteins, without needing nucleic acids, indicates just how important the morphology of food may be. Its possible, therefore, that food grown and prepared differently, will have vastly different protein folding patterns. This will carry radically different types of biologically vital information. This is another example where one can not exhaustively assess the value of food strictly through quantitative methods, e.g., measuring how much protein there is by weight. We need also to account for qualitative dimensions, e.g., the vast amounts of information contained within secondary, tertiary, and quaternary conformational states of these proteins. Microbiome of Food Full of Information Acknowledging the role the microbiome plays in the food we eat further deepens our understanding of food as information. In fact, the microbiome could be considered foods most profound informational contribution. When we consider the genetic contribution of all the bacteria, fungi, and viruses naturally found in food (especially raw and cultured varieties) this represents a vast store of biologically meaningful information. Some of this microbial information can even jump laterally from these micro-organisms into our bodys microbiome, conferring to us significant extra-chromosomal powers, essentially extending our genetic capabilities by proxy. For instance, a recent study identified a marine bacteria enzyme in the gut of Japanese people, presumably a byproduct of having consumed seaweed naturally colonized by it. This marine bacteria enzyme is capable of digesting sulfated polysaccharidesa type of carbohydrate that humans arent equipped to digest because it is marine-specific. This indicates that the genes provided by these microbes represent a genetic library of sorts, whose contributions may vastly extend the genetic capabilities of our species. Indeed, the human genome only contains genetic templates for 17 enzymes, whereas the gut bacteria contains genetic information capable of producing hundreds of different enzymes. And these are capable of degrading thousands of different carbohydrates. There are actually many other capabilities provided by these germs, including the ability to produce vitamins (including vitamin C) and other essential bio compounds. The microbiome of our food could, therefore, be considered an information storehouse. To learn more about how this ancient information (even millions of years old) is preserved in raw foods like honey, read my article: Could Eating Honey Be a Form of Microbial Time Travel? Water as Information Carrier in Food Another extremely important element is the role of water in food. Not only has water been found to carry energy and information, but water has also been identified as an instrument of biosemiosis. The water component of food, therefore, could contribute biologically important informationeven genetic and epigenetically meaningfully informationwithout needing nucleic acids to do so. To learn more about how water has memory, and can store and transmit genetic information, read about the DNA teleportation experiment performed by Nobel laureate Luc Montagnier. As discussed above, conventional food science starts on a completely dehydrated basis, focusing almost exclusively on the dry measurable material aspects of the food, or the amount of energy it contains, which ironically requires burning off the water to obtain measurements. All readily edible food is hydrated. Were it not, it would be dehydrated food, which is generally not considered ready to eat. As such, we cant talk about biomolecules without considering their hydration shells as integrally and inseparably bound to the dry components, e.g., amino acids, fatty acids, and sugars. Water has the capacity to carry information and to determine the structuration and therefore functions of the biochemicals and biopolymers it surrounds. Water, which is capable of taking in free energy from the environment (Pollacks infrared heat), has its own information and energy. This means, therefore, that food qua water content has the potential to carry relatively vast amounts of information beyond what is found in its material composition itself. As science progresses, both the quantitative and qualitative elements of water will increasingly be revealed to be vitally important in understanding food as information. Powerful Implications When food is looked upon as a vital source of biologically important information that can inform the expression of our genome, its much easier to understand how our ancestors considered its creation, production, harvesting, cooking, and consumption sacred. We can also understand how the seemingly poetic relationships between foods and the organs they nourish may have emerged, via the informational bridges described above (RNAs, prions, water). Today, as a wide range of industrial farming technologies change the quality (and informational component) of our food, it is no longer sufficient to look at only the material aspects of these changes. Irradiation, genetic modification, pesticides, soil quality, processing, and a wide range of other factors may greatly alter the informational state and quality of a good without being reflected in overt changes in grosser qualities like caloric and materially defined dimensions. No longer can we look at the difference, say, between infant formula and breast milk, strictly through the material or energetic lens of conventional nutritional analysis. On an informational level, they are qualitatively light years apart, even if they have so many similarities in crude nutritional metrics, e.g. similar carbohydrate and caloric content. This will be true for all areas of food production and nutrition where an essentially dead ontology governs the way we understand and interact with the things we eat. Once we understand the true implications of food as information, our entire worldview should change. Learn more by reading Sayer Ji and co-writer Ali Le Veres chapter in the recently published clinicians primer textbook: Revisioning Cellular Bioenergetics: Food As Information and The Light-Driven Body. Sayer Ji is the founder of Greenmedinfo.com, a reviewer at the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, co-founder and CEO of Systome Biomed, vice chairman of the board of the National Health Federation, and a steering committee member of the Global Non-GMO Foundation. This article was originally published on Greenmedinfo.com. A police officer talks to a driver at a gate at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, near Dayton, on Sept. 9, 2021. (Marshall Gorby/Dayton Daily News via AP) Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Given All-Clear After Reports of Active Shooter Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio was placed under lockdown for more than four hours on Thursday night following reports of an active shooter. As of 2:00 a.m. local time, the base has been given the all-clear, according to a Facebook post from the 88th Air Base Wings Facebook page. Col. Patrick Miller, Installation Commander at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base said no threat had been identified. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday evening, Miller noted that the incident began when two people approached the security desk and reported hearing one gunshot. The commander said it is not clear what led to the individuals believing they heard a gunshot and emphasized that there were no casualties. He noted that improvements in procedures and communications after a 2018 false alarm incident on the base had helped with communications with regards to the latest incident, and said it had influenced the response. Emergency responders arrived at the base at approximately 9:25 p.m following reports of an active shooter in the National Air and Space Intelligence Center in Area A, according to the post on the 88th Air Base Wings Facebook page. The National Air and Space Intelligence Center is headquartered at the base, and serves as the Department of Defenses primary source for analyzing military intelligence on foreign air and space threats. Security forces conducted a sweep of the building while the base was placed on lockdown, a spokesperson for the 88th Air Base Wing said. Meanwhile lockdown was played repeatedly over the bases intercom system. We understand the situation can cause stress. In regard to the sweep being conducted by Security Forces, NASIC is an 850,000 square foot building with three stories. The protocol for responding to this kind of situation requires a full building sweep, the 88th Air Base Wings post reads. We understand there are concerns and questions. Our first priority is to protect our people. All of our military and civilian employees are trained to quickly assess the situation and take appropriate action. More info will be provided once available, it added. Students and employees at nearby Wright State University were also advised to stay away from the base while officials responded to the incident, in a message sent to university members. Wright State Police have become aware of multiple reports that Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Police are responding to an active shooter incident on base and have initiated lock-down procedures, the university spokesperson said in a Facebook post. The most recent information identifies the active shooter threat at or near the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) Building. Wright State students and employees should stay clear of the areas toward the north end of campus, like Kauffman Ave. and Ohio State Route 844, and take appropriate safety precautions to protect themselves if necessary. Wright-Patterson AFB routinely conducts active shooter drills on the base and notifies the public in advance. The last training exercise was held August 18, according to WHIO-TV. WASHINGTON The Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington is participating in the Smithsonian Magazines nationwide event, Museum Day, Sept. 18. In this initiative, participating museums across the United States open their doors for free to those who download a branded ticket from the Smithsonian Magazines website. This event allows museums nationwide to emulate the spirit of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., which offers free admission every day, according to a statement. This year's theme, "Experience America," represents a return to normalcy in the safest possible way. The Institute for American Indian Studies will have safety precautions in place for this year's event so guests can comfortably enjoy their time at the museum. We are thrilled to join forces with Smithsonian Magazines Museum Day to bring educational experiences to families and children and to help foster a limitless quest for knowledge, said Chris Combs, Executive Director of the Institute. Museum Day goes beyond getting visitors through museum doors, it also serves as a reminder of people, places, and cultural experiences that have the power to educate and unite us all. Tickets are available for download at www.smithsonianmag.com/; click Get a Ticket and filter your search by state, location, or the type of museum. Patrons will be asked to enter their name, email address and to confirm the museum to visit before downloading a ticket. For free admission, guests must present an official Museum Day Ticket. This ticket provides general admission for the ticket holder plus one guest. Only one ticket may be downloaded per email address and once you download a ticket you cannot change your mind, because there are no takebacks. If you go to Museum Day with more than one guest, other guests will have to pay full admission. Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. We have an outdoor replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village, the award-winning Wigwam Escape, and a Museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present that allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut. WARSAW, Poland (AP) Poland's Senate voted on Thursday to reject a media bill seen as targeting a U.S.-owned television network's ability to keep broadcasting independent news that is often critical of the right-wing government. However, the Senate has no power to stop the bill altogether, as it will now return to parliament's lower house. If it passes there, it would then go to President Andrzej Duda who, however, has said he would not sign it into law in its current form. The bill, which passed parliament's lower house last month, would prevent any non-European entity from owning more than a 49% stake in television or radio broadcasters in Poland. Its practical effect would be to force Discovery Inc., the U.S. owner of Polands largest private television network, TVN, to sell its Polish holdings. The nationalist governing party, Law and Justice, argues that it's a matter of national security to prevent outside bodies from being able to influence public opinion within Poland. Bogdan Klich, a senator with the opposition party Civic Platform, called the law an act of war against freedom of speech. Pavol Szalaj, a representative of the Paris-based press freedom group Reporters Without Borders traveled to Warsaw to urge its rejection, saying to a group of protesters outside the Senate ahead of the vote that press freedom in Poland is under threat. He cited other threats in the past to media diversity and said that the today's target is TVN. TVN has been a jewel in the crown of Polish democracy for decades, he said. Senators in the 100-seat body voted 53-37 against the bill, with three abstentions. When it returns to the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, the vote on the bill will also be a test of whether the ruling party still has a legislative majority following some defections in the governing coalition. TVN also faces a separate challenge: A refusal to date by the broadcast authority to renew the license for TVN24, the network's all-news station, which expires later this month. Kasia Kieli, Discoverys president and managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said that despite the Senate's vote the company is still concerned about the future of TVN and independent media in Poland as the bill can still be passed by the Sejm and the license for our news channel TVN24 is still not renewed. Duda, though an ally of Law and Justice, last month called the bill a controversial solution that is incomprehensible" to the United States, citing the U.S. attitude toward the protection of property and freedom of speech. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last month that the U.S. was deeply troubled by the proposed legislation. EDWARDSVILLE Bethalto Police Chief Mike Dixon remembers watching the destruction of the World Trade Center at breakfast with his wife on September 11, 2001. Then a member of the Madison County Sheriffs Department, Dixon was assigned to the Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern Illinois. I remember waking up and seeing the very first plane, he said. I looked at her and told her it was an attack. I just remember being numb, he said. I was so sad for the people in our country at that moment. Numb and nauseous were phrases used by several current and former police to describe their immediate reaction to 9/11. Back then it was unusual, to be actually watching the first one. And then that second plane hits the tower live was just a nauseous feeling, said Chief Deputy Maj. Jeff Connor of the Madison County Sheriffs Department. Like many other aspects of society, 9/11 prompted major changes in law enforcement. Two of the biggest long-term changes have been an increase in information sharing and an emphasis on collecting intelligence data, as well as new equipment acquired with either federal funding or direct donations to local departments. While it has left law enforcement better prepared to respond to terrorist threats, it has also created concerns about infringement on civil liberties in the gathering of intelligence, and whether some of that equipment and how it is used is appropriate for civilian law enforcement. Limiting access Dixon said one of the immediate responses was the hardening or fortifying of buildings, such as police stations and federal buildings. Today that can be seen in a number of ways: limited access, closed-off areas and crash barriers in front of everything from courthouses to retail stores. East Alton Mayor Darren Carlton, who was police chief before being elected to the post in November, said there were some immediate changes in his department. I was teaching DARE class at the time, he said of 9/11. A bunch of the kids were worried about it. One of the departments more immediate responses was to increase patrols around the schools. Not because we were worried, he said. But to make the citizens feel safer, he said. We were on guard, but we werent hyped. We were a little bit more (security-) conscious when our guys made traffic stops or encountered people. Metro East industries such as Winchester also tightened security, and the East Alton Police Department took a firmer stance against trespassers at industrial properties. Connor, who was with the Granite City Police Department in 2001, said there was not a lot of difference in how officers were patrolling immediately after the incident. We were still responding to whatever calls there may be, he said. He agreed there were calls for increased security at some facilities. I do recall that for a long time the Corps (of Engineers) and Illinois American Water paid to have officers on site 24/7, he said. For months after I remember those places were hiring our police to monitor them. Lock and Dam 27 had long been feared to be a potential terrorism target because of its importance to commercial Mississippi River traffic. While the Corps never publicly confirmed those fears, tours of the facility were stopped and public access was greatly reduced. At the state level the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System was developed in 2002 and a more coordinated emergency response was put in place. ILEAS includes regional tactical response teams and includes more than 900 local units of government statewide. We developed local responses, Dixon said, including field forces and command centers and tactical teams. Shared information All three agree another post-9/11 response has been the sharing of information between local, state and federal agencies. The big change in law enforcement nationwide due to a spin-off of 9/11 was the intel, the intelligence information gathering that has taken place since then, Connor said. Before 9/11 there had been a long-time impression that federal agencies did not like to share information with local law enforcement agencies. Instead, information would make its way to whatever federal agency, and stay there. Now, Connor said, there is a give-and-take on both sides. The Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center (STIC), Illinois designated fusion center, or information clearinghouse, opened in 2003. It is part of the Illinois State Polices Intelligence Command which also includes the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Intelligence Support Unit and Digital Crimes Unit. Tony Falconio, director of Madison County Emergency Management, said because of the countys proximity to St. Louis they also receive daily briefings from Missouris fusion center. Since 9/11 there has been a push for better communication between federal, state and local, Connor said. That has to go both ways; you have to send it up and send it back down. Prior to 9/11 you have someone who threatens to blow up a school, blow up a building, you would handle that locally, he said. Now, you give the information to STIC and they are able to determine if that person or persons have been on the radar for other issues. Dixon agreed that sharing information was a major change after 9/11. But he also is concerned that may be changing. I feel that is potentially going to go away again, he said. It seems like its becoming more of an us-versus-them. Thats always been an issue, big brother not talking to the guys below them. Dixon said American society seems to have come full circle from the post-9/11 idea that the country and law enforcement need to rethink and prepare for terrorism. At the time we were attacked, we werent all together, he said. Everybody realized we need to prepare. Now everybody seems to want to take it away. He said much of that comes from social unrest over the past few years. New tools The creation of the Department of Homeland Security also led to major changes in local policing, primarily through grants. Connor said the grants have paid for everything from improved communications gear and ATVs to ballistic vests and weapons. It all boils down to more money is available to law enforcement to better equip themselves, Connor said. Different departments had different needs, he said. Some have a need for helicopters. We dont, he said. They do have several drones, he said, which have proven to be useful in situations ranging from intelligence gathering prior to a raid to searching for missing persons. The militarization of police has become a controversial aspects of terrorism-related grant programs. Some allege civilian law enforcement is adopting equipment and tactics better suited to combat instead of police work. War Comes Home: The excessive militarization of American policing, a 2014 report by the American Civil Liberties Union, raised numerous concerns. The militarization of American policing has occurred as a direct result of federal programs that use equipment transfers and funding to encourage aggressive enforcement, it stated. Begun in during the 1990s War on Drugs, it accelerated after 9/11 and the War on Terror. Since the early 2000s, the infusion of DHS money and assistance to state and local law enforcement anti-terrorism work has led to even more police militarization and even greater military-law enforcement contact, the report states. And DHS grants have allowed police departments to stockpile specialized equipment in the name of anti-terror readiness. Dixon said militarization concerns, at least in the Metro East, are often exaggerated. This region got two armored vehicles (Alton and Madison County) that are simply used to carry officers to risky situations, he said, adding the perception by some is that they now have tanks that can fire armor-piercing shells into buildings,. Carlton said that, under a previous chief, his department got a Humvee. They painted that up and use it for PR, he said. Prior to 9/11, most law enforcement agencies had begun rethinking how officers were armed. As a result of the War on Drugs, semi-automatic handguns had replaced revolvers. While shotguns remain in use, they have largely been replaced by semi-automatic rifles, the AR-15 platform being the most popular. Dixon said the big shift toward arming officers with rifles came after the 1997 Bank of America robbery in North Hollywood, California. Two men wearing body armor used automatic weapons to shoot 19 people before being killed. Police only had 9mm handguns and shotguns. It showed that law enforcement they couldnt take two guys, Dixon said. They had to go borrow guns from a pawn shop to take these guys down. The 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Colorado that left 13 dead also led to an almost immediate change in tactics for active shooter situations. Authorities now emphasize aggressively going after a shooter to limit casualties, rather than securing the perimeter to negotiate or bring in a tactical team. Some also have been critical of using tactical teams to serve warrants. Any time there is going to be a search warrant, there is an evaluation of that incident, Connor said. The experts can evaluate everything and make a determination of what level of response is necessary and would be the safest. All of that plays a part, and we let the experts who have been trained for that evaluation process to determine that. Despite all the changes, the basics of the job patrolling and responding to calls remains the same, according to Connor. It is necessary for the officer to be out there driving around, he said. They (people) feel safer when they see an officer, a squad car. CAIRO, Ga. (AP) Jury selection in the death penalty trial of a Georgia inmate charged with killing two prison guards was halted Thursday because an attorney in the case is being tested for the coronavirus. Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said a defense attorney in the trial of Donnie Russell Rowe is awaiting results of a COVID-19 test. Rowe is charged with murder in the slayings of Sgts. Christopher Monica and Curtis Billue, corrections officers at Baldwin State Prison who were shot with their own guns as inmates escaped a prison bus in June 2017. Jury selection in the case began last week. If the attorney's coronavirus test comes back negative, Sills said, proceedings will resume Tuesday. He told WGXA-TV that a positive test result would delay things until Sept. 27. Prosecutors say Rowe and another inmate, Ricky Dubose, killed the guards while escaping from a prison transfer bus southeast of Atlanta. They were arrested in Tennessee a few days later. Dubose also faces the death penalty and will be tried separately. Rowes lawyers had asked for the trial to be delayed, saying a surge in COVID-19 infections in Georgia could force a mistrial in the case. Putnam County Superior Court Judge Brenda Trammell denied the request. The trial is set to be held in Putnam County in central Georgia. Because the case garnered so much public attention, jury selection is being held in rural Grady County, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) away. ___ This story was first published on Sept. 9, 2021. It was updated on Sept. 10, 2021, to correct that a defense attorney, not a prosecutor, was being tested for COVID-19. ST. LOUIS For Teena Kilo, seeing the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and becoming a Red Cross volunteer turned into what has become a 20-year labor of love. I had worked for a dental office for 30 years and had just taken early retirement in February 2001 and my husband and I were in the middle of building a home, said Kilo, who lived in south St. Louis at the time of the attacks and now lives in Festus, Missouri. It was the morning of Sept. 11 and I had just gotten my morning coffee and sat down to watch TV. I turned on the Today Show and saw everything that was happening. They didnt know what was going on at the time other than there had been an explosion (at the World Trade Center in New York City) and thats when the second plane flew in and hit the towers. Immediately we knew that it was a terrorist attack. It was still morning, after the twin towers collapsed, that Kilo realized that she needed to do something more than just watching the tragedy unfold on TV. All that came into my head was that I needed to contact the Red Cross because I knew they would need help, said Kilo, who has been a volunteer for the organization ever since 9/11. I had never had any contact with the Red Cross before, but I knew that they helped people during disasters. I called the American Red Cross chapter headquarters on Lindbergh (in St. Louis County) and asked them what I could do. They took my name and number and called me back in the afternoon and asked me to come into the office the next morning. Chris Harmon, meanwhile, is now the Red Cross regional disaster officer for Missouri and Arkansas. But on Sept. 11, 2001, which was his birthday, Harmon was taking a day off from his new job as a casework specialist with the American Red Cross in Springfield, Missouri. I was looking forward to some downtime, but I got a phone call from my boss, who told me to turn on the news, said Harmon, who now lives in Imperial, Missouri. He said he would see in the office in a little while. By the time Harmon arrived at the office, it was already flooded with phone calls. Being new to the Red Cross and not knowing how powerful that symbol was, I wasnt even sure what was going to happen, Harmon said. People saw the need and they were trying to connect with an organization that would get them there. We were fielding calls for everything from people wanting to donate their barbecue grills to help feed people to doctors saying they wanted to go there to help. On Sept. 12, Kilo reported to the Red Cross headquarters in St. Louis. She was assigned to the phone bank, where she coordinated donations and blood drives and assisted family members seeking missing persons. In St. Louis, we have one of the largest (Red Cross) phone banks in the country, so the national Red Cross decided that St. Louis was the major hub for all of the 9/11 phone calls, Kilo said. The outpouring from the American people was unbelievable. A guy from New York called and said he was going to donate 500 pizzas (to rescue workers) and wanted to know where he should send them. I didnt know, but I took his name and number, and somebody got back to him to take care of that. Kilo stayed on the phone bank for a week before volunteering on a set schedule, assisting with spreadsheets to help track volunteer resources. I was very impressed by the organization and its leadership and its professionalism, Kilo said. They must have been up all night (after the attacks) because they knew exactly what they were going to do. The Red Cross is a givers dream, and this is where you go to fulfill your heart. All of these people were just like me, so I kept coming back. For four months, Harmon coordinated relief efforts from the Springfield office. He scheduled and trained volunteers, and then arranged their deployments to New York City. In what proved to be a pivotal moment in his Red Cross career, Harmon received his assignment to deploy in January 2002. For three weeks, he worked at a Red Cross respite center just a few blocks from Ground Zero. He provided casework to those affected by the disaster. I was nervous because it was my first ever disaster relief operation, Harmon said. I got there, and I wasnt prepared for the smells and the sights that I encountered. My job was to interview people and it was an awesome thing to help them, but I didnt have the counseling skills I needed. You quickly got trained on it and you had mental health workers there to help you as you listened to people. Many of the people that Harmon interviewed were full-time shoe shiners. They had their own stands and worked around the World Trade Center buildings, and each client interview took about two hours. About half of the interview was just them telling their stories, Harmon said. You didnt want to stop them even though there were people waiting. We were just doing our homework to verify that they were shoe shiners and thats a hard thing to do. We wanted to protect the donated dollar and make sure we were giving it to the right people. More than three months after the attacks, New York City was still grappling with the aftereffects. For some people, its a battle that continues today. It was a bustle and people were trying to get back to normal, but the response from the Red Cross and our partner agencies right in the middle of it was amazing, Harmon said. The building where I was giving services also had a place where firemen and other workers from Ground Zero would come in and get snacks and take a nap. I was on the other side of the building, and with these firemen walking in, you could see the dirt and muck and tiredness on their faces. But looking at them, you could also see the drive to do the job. Kilo continued her involvement with the Red Cross, volunteering for a variety of projects, including more than six months of work related to 9/11. I took all of the classes to go out to disasters myself and it took about a year to do all of the training, Kilo said. I did some local fires for the first year to help people that had just lost their home, but Ive probably been to at least 15 disaster sites. Ive been to hurricanes and floods and I was there after (hurricane) Katrina for three weeks and I also did hurricane Ivan. Ive been in Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri. Now I work virtually from my home and Im still involved with client casework. I know that 9/11 changed a lot of lives, but it changed my life for the better. It filled something that I didnt know I needed, and Ive never been the same since. After returning to Springfield, Harmon stayed involved with the 9/11 tragedy, as phone calls continued to come in and people continued to volunteer to help. His office deployed volunteers to New York City through 2002. We sent everything from logistics to drivers to health services and mental health services, whatever was needed, Harmon said. Since 2001, Harmon has moved up the ladder with the American Red Cross and now coordinates a staff of almost 30 disaster response employees in Missouri and Arkansas. But his experiences with 9/11 left an indelible impact on him, both personally and professionally. I got the bug and saw what the Red Cross does, and I believe in the mission of what we do, Harmon said. The clients that I spoke to and the stories they told about seeing people die, it really got to me. When I got back home and was responding to fires, I would hear clients tell their stories about trying to rescue their kids or their pets. They were doing the same thing as the people in New York City, and I was helping them the same way. From the beginning of 9/11 when I got a dose of our clients stories, Ive used those stories to inspire my team. As horrific as the events of 9/11 were, it also provided affirmation for Harmon of the good that people can do. It was an amazing response where the nation came together to help others, Harmon said. It was a tragedy that impacted a lot of us, but it also inspired a younger generation, like me, to join the military or join the Red Cross or whatever you can do to help people. LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) Veteran Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema appears on the verge of clinching the southern African countrys presidency, with a commanding lead in votes. The 59-year old businessman, contesting the presidency for the sixth time, has more than 2.3 million votes to President Edgar Lungus 1.4 million votes, according to results announced Sunday by the Electoral Commission of Zambia. Hichilema narrowly lost two previous elections to Lungu in 2015 and 2016. Lungu won by a margin of just 100,000 votes in 2016. The winner of the election held Thursday must garner more than 50% of the votes cast to avoid a second round of voting and Hichilema appears close to the 2.5 million estimated to be more than half of those who voted. The electoral commission has announced results for more than 100 of the countrys 156 constituencies. With victory in sight, I would like to ask for calm from our members and supporters. Let us be the change we voted for, tweeted Hichilema, whose United Party for National Development is in an alliance with more than 10 smaller parties. Celebrations by his supporters spread across the capital, Lusaka, and other parts of Africas second-largest producer of copper, ignoring calls by the Electoral Commission for people to wait peacefully for the final official results. Some of the 16 candidates who ran for president have already conceded defeat and congratulated Hichilema. But President Edgar Lungu has signaled that he may not accept defeat. Lungu asserted that the elections had not been free and fair in three provinces seen as opposition strongholds, citing violence and the killings of a few of his supporters, allegedly by the opposition. Lungu claimed that ruling party polling agents had been brutalized and chased away from voting stations, leaving his partys votes unprotected. Lungu said Saturday that although he notified the electoral commission of his concerns, they have continued announcing the results. His Patriotic Front party is consulting on the next decision we have to make, he said in a statement released by his office. Lungus statement indicates that he may challenge the validity of the election in order to stay in power, said analysts. The overwhelming turnout of voters, particularly of youthful Zambians, was a strong indication that Hichilema was going to do well in the poll, according to analyst Nic Cheeseman, professor of politics at the University of Birmingham, who is in Zambia to watch the crucial election. Youthful voters make up a majority of registered voters. The electoral commission noted that the large turnout was unprecedented. For some of Lungus supporters, this is more than just a defeat at the ballot box. In a country where a large number of youths are unemployed, many of Lungus supporters, from the wealthy to the poorest, have relied on patronage and fear losing access to jobs. Stanley Lungu, 23, is one of them. Although not directly related to the president, his association with the ruling Patriotic Front allowed him to run a car park and car wash business. I am now an orphan, I have lost a father, he said, anticipating a defeat for Lungu as he sullenly watched Hichilemas supporters dancing to loud music at a popular eatery where he charges 5 kwacha (about 30 cents) for parking spots. Lungus grassroots supporters control many of Zambia's parking areas, markets, bus terminals and street stalls. Hichilema's UPND officials say it is a practice they plan to eradicate, noting the money going into the pockets of the politically well-connected should instead be channeled to government institutions. Hichilema's supporters seem to have other ideas though. As results came in thick and fast Sunday following the tense, hard and sometimes violently fought election, his backers say they are preparing to take over these small-scale operations. Its our time!" said Hichilema supporter Tapiwa Chivandika, 27. "We are taking over the markets and bus stops!" You can find your client key on your subscription renewal statement or call us at the Mountain Mail at 719-539-6691. News Statue of Dr. Massey's dog planned for downtown Submitted An artist rendering shows where the statue of Dr. Masseys dog will be placed. Submitted photo This large slab of stone donated by Blalocks has been selected as the base for the new piece of public art coming downtown. SEVIERVILLE A new piece of public art is coming to Court Avenue downtown. The bronze statue will depict the dog owned by Dr. Zachary David Massey in the early 1900s. The dog was known to carry the doctors daily deposit from his office to Sevier County Bank and return with a deposit slip. We wanted a statue and we wanted something historic and tried to narrow down a person there were several to consider and I thought about Dr. Masseys dog and the part it played in the history of downtown Sevierville, said Carroll McMahan, Sevier County historian, who conceived the idea with the help of Austin Williams, chairman of the Sevierville Commons Association. The project was approved last week by the Historic Zoning Commission, and local sculptor Mary Ruden has been commissioned to create the life-sized statue. Everyone seemed to think that was a good route to go because everyone loves a dog, McMahan said. Itll be something children can pet. Itll be a good photo op. The statue will be placed on a large piece of stone on Court Avenue across the street from where the Dolly Parton Statue currently sits. Its near the historic location of Dr. Masseys downtown office. Its just a perfect place to put a statue and it turns out its going to be right across the street from the Dolly statue so you can get both statues in the same picture if you angle your camera the right direction with the Courthouse as the backdrop, McMahan said. This is the second piece of public art in the planning or construction phase downtown. The Sevierville Chamber of Commerce, where McMahan is also on staff, commissioned Brian Tomlinson of TMW Construction Inc. to create a sculpture using the historic railroad tracks dug up from the recent renovations to Bruce Street. The footer for the sculpture is already in place near the Downtown Gazebo. Both pieces will be included in future printings of the Sevierville Walking Tour brochure. Ruden has already began researching pointer dogs to better create a more realistic sculpture. I had to go out and study pointer dogs and learn a little bit more about their physical anatomy and how exactly they look. I learned from the breeders that theyre very loyal and very intelligent animals, Ruden said. The statue will be bronze. It will be life-sized. We have selected the stone that it will be anchored to. Blalocks is the one who donated that to us. We carefully selected one that will be the right shape and size. Ruden had a money pouch similar to one from that era to take with her on her visit with the pointer dogs to see how they would grip it in their mouths. The statue will feature the dog holding a money pouch similar to what would have been used at that time, although she said she doesnt know what Dr. Masseys actual money pouch looked like. We dont know. We dont have any photographs or drawings to know exactly what it looked like, but I did have one that was modeled up and it looks kind of rustic, but its the type of thing the dog would have carried in its mouth, she said. I put the pouch in the dogs mouth and I took pictures and did sketches and things. Ruden has done a number of bronze sculptures including her recent work on a bust of Ann Davis, known as the Mother of the National Park for her involvement in the early days of the Great Smoky Mountains. She is also called upon to do restoration projects for monuments across the state. I think its great that Sevierville has done so much with their downtown area and is beautifying it and putting a statue in there, she said. A lot of tourists come there and they stop and look at the Dolly statue and now they have another one to look at right across the street. Elizabethtown, KY (42701) Today Thunderstorms likely. High around 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, with mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Instant unlimited access to all of our content on thenewsguard.com. The News Guard E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Here The 9/11 attacks are the single deadliest terrorist attack in the history of the world, and they are also the single deadliest day ever for both firefighters and police officers in the United States. Governor expands Community Isolation quarantine centres PHUKET: Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew has announced that provincial officials will expand the number of Community Isolation centres on the island to help cope with the rising number of people being kept in quarantine on the island. COVID-19Coronavirushealth By The Phuket News Friday 10 September 2021, 06:48PM Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew (left) at the meeting this morning (Sept 10). Photo: PR Phuket Speaking at the Phuket Sandbox Operations Center this morning, Governor Narong said that the move was to accelerate the establishment of Community Isolation centres to support Green patients, those who have tested positive for COVID-19 but are suffering light symptoms of infection. According to the Ministry of Public Health head office in Bangkok, a Green patient is recognised as suffering mild symptoms of a sore throat; anosmia (loss of taste/smell); cough; runny nose; rashes; diarrhea; red eyes; and a body temperature over 37.5C. Joining the Governor were Vice Governors Pichet Panaphong and Piyapong Choowong, was well as Rewat Areerob, President of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO, or OrBorJor). Once the centres have been set up, all those involved are asked to report problems and obstacles in their operations, Governor Narong said. The PPAO is to provide transport shuttle buses for the movement of personnel and patients at the centres, he said. The departments under the Ministry of Public Health, Vachira Phuket Hospital and the hospitals in Phuket together are to create a drug kit to deliver to those who test positive who come to receive treatment in the waiting area, he said. On this occasion, all sectors were instructed to visit the community to take care of Group 608 [sic] patients closely. If they are found to be sick or at risk, they must be taken into the treatment process immediately, Governor Narong said. Wuttichai Bamrungrat, a local official at the meeting, explained that 10 new venues will open as Community Isolation centres across Phuket, as follows: Thalang District Splash Hotel, Mai Khao, 48 rooms, opens for patients on Sept 11 The Impress Resort, Thepkasattri, open for patients on Sept 16 Nai Yang Beach resort, Sakhu, 60 rooms, opens for patients on Sept 11 4 Wat Cherng Thalay, 200 beds, opens for patients on Sept 11 Muang District Access Resort & Villa Hotel, Karon, 130 rooms, expected to receive patients within the next week. Baan Phu Chalong Place, Chalong, 40 rooms, expected to receive patients within the next week. De Blue & Spa Rawai Hotel, Rawai, 59 rooms, expected to receive the patients by Sept 14 Bhukitta Hotel, Phuket Town, 38 rooms, expected to receive patients by Sept 13 Kathu District Patong Resort Hotel, Patong, 80 rooms, expected to receive patients within the next week. Di Pantai resort, Patong, 60 rooms, expected to receive patients within the next week The move to expand the number of Community Isolation centres on the island follows the number of people being held in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19 by an antigen test kit (ATK) only rising to 1,035, as of yesterday. People are held in the quarantine detention centres until they either test negative for COVID-19 by RT-PCR test, or develop more serious symptoms of infection and are moved to a field hospital or a regular hospital for medical care and supervision. However, the move also follows Phuket health officials on Monday (Sept 6) announcing that Green-coded patients will be asked to observe quarantine at home. Of note, the announcement today came ahead of Governor Narong joining a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall that was chai by Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow together with Minister of Culture Itthiphol Khunpluem. * Group 608 has become Phuket officials preferred term for higher at risk patients, comprising people over 60 years old (the 60), along with those suffering from any of the seven recognised medical conditions that place patients at higher risk of developing serious signs of infection, plus women more than 12 weeks prgnant (understood as 7+1=8,; hence 60+8, simply referred altogether as 608). Hospital hackers based in US: Police BANGKOK: The police cyber crime unit has located the group of hackers behind a recent hospital data breach, based in the United States, where more government agencies and private firms have been identified as victims. The police are now coordinating with international agencies in pursuit of the arrest. technologycrimehealthpolice By National News Bureau of Thailand Friday 10 September 2021, 10:15AM Photo: NNT The Royal Thai Police Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) yesterday (Sept 9) announced the update to their investigation of a data breach by hackers of a hospital, an incident in a series of cyberattacks in Thailand reported in recent days. The CCIB Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Kornchai Klaiklueng, said the group of hackers behind the attack was found to be located in the United States, following investigations that showed traces of the attack linked to India and a server in Singapore earlier, reports state news agency NNT. The police are now coordinating with US agencies and other international agencies to help with the investigation. The CCIB chief said other agencies and private firms, including CP Freshmart and several other hospitals, are now known to have been attacked by the same group. He said the CCIB is ready to assist with these cases if asked. He said the CCIB will continue pursuing the case in order to arrest the persons responsible, while the unit will keep on focusing on the suppression of cyberattacks along with illegal online trades. Since the CCIBs conception last year, the bureau has already captured suspects in 2,472 cases of the illegal trading of goods on online platforms. The CCIB is also working to introduce an online case filing system, allowing victims of online abuse to report their cases from home or at a local police station, without visiting the CCIB in person. The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) on Tuesday announced it is pressing charges against the hacker who has obtained and sold personal data from a hospital database in Thailand. The response from the Health Ministry came after an offer was posted on Sept 5 in an online forum to sell a set of data containing 16 million records hacked from a hospital in Thailand. Deputy Permanent Secretary of Public Health Dr Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn said the investigation and initial damage assessment launched by the ministry shows the information leaked is a set of 10,095 patient records obtained from a hospital in Phetchabun province, including personal information such as names, addresses and phone numbers. The leaked data also included hospital-related data such as shift rotations and appointment schedules. However, no information related to patients treatment is included. Dr Thongchai said the ministry believes the hackers involved in the case are the same group as those behind the ransomware attack at Saraburi Hospital last year. Dr Anan Kanoksilp, Director of the MOPHs Information and Communication Technology Center, said the hospital in this case is found to be using an open-sourced application requiring internet connection as part of its IT system, creating vulnerability to cyberattacks. To date, the hospital has disabled its connection to external networks, while its IT systems are still operational. The incident is also not a ransomware attack, where the hacker would encrypt the data preventing any access, and demand payment in exchange for the decryption key. Dr Suttipong Wacharasindhu, Deputy Secretary General of the National Health Security Office, commented that health-related personal information must be treated as confidential. The exposure of such information causing damage is considered a breach of personal rights, an offense punishable by the National Health Act with up to six months imprisonment, a B10,000 fine, or a combined penalty. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul said the ministry will be discussing the enhancing of cybersecurity measures, saying however that he believes each hospital already has adequate measures to safeguard patient information. Phuket police warn Krungthai Jaidee Loan confirmed fake news policeeconomicscrime By The Phuket News Friday 10 September 2021, 10:52AM The Krungthai Jaidee Loan notice circulating online has been confirmed to be fake. Image: Anti-Fake News Center PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police have issued a public warning that an invitation circulating online for people to take advantage of Krungthai Jaidee Loans of B,5000 to B100,000 is fake news. However, it has yet to be confirmed whether the fake advertisement, featuring the official logo of the state-owned Krungthai Bank, operated under the Ministry of Finance, was to lure people into a scam. The warning followed Pol Col Krishna Pattanacharoen, Deputy Spokesman of the Royal Thai Police, announcing in a statement yesterday that the Anti-Fake News Center operated by the Royal Thai Police had confirmed that the invitation was fake. A fact-check conducted by Krung Thai Bank found that the notice is false information, Col Krishna said. The banks logo and product name Krungthai Jaidee Loan were used to make people confused. The bank is not involved in any of the claims, he added. Therefore, people are asked not to trust such information, and we ask for cooperation to not send or share any information [about this notice] on various social media channels, Col Krishna said. If you find an SMS, email or LINE with a link impersonating a bank or found an abnormality You can notify via Facebook Fanpage Krungthai Care and Krungthai Contact Center call 02-111-1111 24 hours a day, he added. Col Krishna pointed out that fake news created to distort news which causes damage to the country by confusing people can be punished under Sections 14(2) and 14(5) of the Computer Crimes Act, which carries a penalty of imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine of not more than B100,000, or both. Perpetrators found guilty under the sections also may be considered as committing an offense under the Emergency Decree including other related laws, he added. The relevant authorities will continue to take serious and continuous legal action against all fake news producers and publishers, he said. If people find information about such wrongdoings, they can report it through five channels: website https://www.antifakenewscenter.com, Facebook ANTI-FAKE NEWS CENTER, Twitter @AFNCThailand, Line @antifakenewscenter, telephone channel GCC hotline 1111 ext. 87 and hotline 1599 center. anti fake news National Police Agency, Col Krishna said. On Demand We have a new story every day on the front page of thephuketnews.com. Also like us on our Facebook page (facebook.com/thephuketnews) and be the first to watch all the new stories. Finally you can watch any segment, any time by going to thephuketnews.com/tv where all the stories are listed for you to enjoy. All our programs can be enjoyed in High Definition when watching on the internet. In-Room VDO Virus scare sees Phi Phi self-isolate KRABI: Authorities have announced temporary restrictions to limit movement to and from Phi Phi Island in Krabi to curb the spread of COVID-19 there. CoronavirusCOVID-19healthtourism By Bangkok Post Friday 10 September 2021, 07:46AM Photo: Jason Bagley / Flickr Access will be limited from tomorrow (Sept 11) until Sept 18, after the island recorded seven confirmed COVID-19 cases. Two Koh Phi Phi police officers and five migrant workers at a wastewater treatment construction site camp were found infected, while 36 other workers were waiting for test results. Phi Phi Tourist Business Association president Prasert Wongna said the association has informed tourism operators and state agencies across the island about the outbreak. Ao Nang Tambon Administrative Organisation and Moo 7 and 8, administrative officials then ordered restricted movement to and from the island for seven days, starting from tomorrow to disinfect areas and conduct active case finding on the island. Tourists under Phuket Sandbox scheme can still travel to the island via its special boat service, which will also include health workers, rescuers and courier services. Those who need to contact Koh Phi Phi police directly must obtain a permit to do so first, a source said. Clearfield, PA (16830) Today Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 58F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. The 9/11 Memorial was commissioned by Montgomery County in 2003 and was designed and built by artist Sassona Norton to honor area victims and first responders. It was first installed in 2005, on the fourth anniversary of 9/11 at the Courthouse plaza in Norristown. Due to construction of the Montgomery County Justice Center, the 9/11 Memorial is being permanently relocated to the Emergency Operations Center. A Red Cross vehicle is parked at the entrance to a flooded community in Philadelphia in 2020. Among the nearly 3,000 people killed in the 9/11 terror attacks, Mychal Judge, a Catholic chaplain with New Yorks fire department, left a uniquely complex legacy that continues to evolve 20 years after his death. Some of his many admirers point to Judge a gay man who devoted himself to serving vulnerable populations as a reason for the U.S. Catholic Church to be more welcoming to LGBTQ people. And some argue passionately that Judge should be considered for sainthood, with a new initiative to be launched in the coming days. Though Judges religious order has not embraced that cause, a Rome-based priest who helps the Vatican investigate possible candidates for canonization is urging Judges supporters not to give up the effort. Judge died two decades ago after hurrying with firefighter colleagues to the burning World Trade Center. As he prayed in the north towers lobby for the rescuers and victims, the 68-year-old priest was crushed by debris from the falling south tower. Mychal Judge shows us that you can be gay and holy, said the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest who advocates for greater LGBTQ inclusion in the church. Father Judges selflessness is a reminder of the sanctity that the church often overlooks in LGBTQ people, Martin said via email. Heaven is filled with LGBTQ people. The son of Irish immigrants, Judge grew up in Brooklyn and decided while still in his teens to join the Franciscan religious order. He was ordained as a priest in 1961, battled alcoholism with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous and developed a passion for ministering to marginalized communities. After serving in localities across the Northeast, Judge became a pastor at St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City in 1986. At a peak in the AIDS crisis in 1989, he founded one of the first Catholic HIV/AIDS ministries, recruiting a handful of volunteers to visit hospitalized patients and their families. In 1992 he became a chaplain with the citys fire department, a post he held until his death. During those decades, only a few friends knew Judge was gay. It became more widely known after his death, when some in his inner circle wrote about it and passages from his diaries were disclosed. Yet according to friends and biographers, he honored his vow of celibacy. Many of Judges admirers took heart in 2017 when Pope Francis proclaimed a new pathway to sainthood, recognizing those who sacrifice their lives for others. After that announcement, the Rev. Luis Escalante, who has investigated possible sainthood cases for the Vaticans Congregation for Causes of Saints, began receiving testimonies supporting Judges canonization. Those accounts depicted Judge as the best icon of humanity, Escalante told The Associated Press via email this week. But there was a hitch: The Franciscans who would be expected to lead a sainthood campaign on behalf of someone from the order declined to do so for Judge. We are very proud of our brothers legacy and we have shared his story with many people, the Rev. Kevin Mullen, leader of the Franciscans New York-based Holy Name Province, told AP via email, We leave it to our brothers in the generations to come to inquire about sainthood. Escalante hopes supporters persevere and form a viable organization that could pursue sainthood in the coming years. Among the tasks: building a case that a miracle occurred through prayers to Judge. The negative decision of the Friars cannot be seen as a preclusion to going ahead with Fr. Judges cause, Escalante wrote. Its just a challenge to American people. Francis DeBernardo, leader of the LGBTQ Catholic advocacy group New Ways Ministry, was among those providing Escalante with favorable testimonies about Judge. DeBernardo told AP hell soon announce plans to form an association promoting Judges sainthood, ideally with help from firefighters, LGBTQ people and other communities he ministered to. It would be a testimony to Fr. Judges legacy if these diverse sectors of society came together to work for the canonization of a man that they all already know is a saint, DeBernardo said via email. Sal Sapienza, now a Protestant minister in Michigan, was a 20-something wavering Catholic in New York in 1989 when he saw an ad in a gay publication seeking volunteers to do AIDS/HIV outreach. Answering the ad, Sapienza met Judge at St. Francis of Assisi. Throughout their collaboration, Sapienza marveled at Judges faith and generous spirit. What is a saint? Sapienza asked. Part of it is they inspire us to want to rise higher along our spiritual path, to be the best versions of what God wanted us to be. Mychal was the best example of that. Particularly striking, Sapienza said, was how Judge interacted lovingly with others, whether they were homeless people or wealthy celebrities. The macho group of fire department guys, they kind of claimed him for their own, Sapienza said. The Catholic gay community also claimed him, thinking, Father Mychal is our guy, because he was really able to connect with everybody. Sapienza had joined the Marist Brothers, a Catholic order, and took a pledge of celibacy after leading an active gay social life. But within a few years, he left the church, no longer able to reconcile his faith with a disapproving view of homosexual relations as intrinsically disordered. He remains grateful to Judge for supporting that decision. To whatever extent he was saintly, Judge is remembered for earthly traits a vibrant sense of humor, a willingness to critique the church hierarchy. According to Sapienzas biography of Judge, the priest awoke one morning early in his career after a night of heavy drinking to discover hed acquired a shamrock tattoo on his buttocks. In 1974, long before settling in New York, Judge was pastor of St. Joseph Church in East Rutherford, New Jersey. John Barone, then a youthful truck driver and now the 68-year-old owner of an engineering firm, was impressed by Judges caring ministry to his family when his mother-in-law became seriously ill. Sometimes in church, Barone recalled, Judge would become so impassioned that hed descend from the pulpit and preach from the aisle. He was genuine you knew he truly walked in Christs shoes, Barone said. If someone was an underdog, he was their champion. On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced new vaccine mandates aimed at boosting COVID-19 vaccinations in the U.S. That drew the ire of Missouri Republicans including Gov. Mike Parson the same day, as Parson called Biden's action "an insult to our American principles of individual liberty and free enterprise." The new mandates include a requirement that employers with at least 100 workers mandate employee shots or weekly COVID-19 tests. Missouri is lagging the nation in coronavirus vaccines, as just 46% of the state was vaccinated as of Wednesday, ninth-worst in the U.S. Missouri had an average of 0.49 deaths per 100,000 residents over the last seven days, north of the U.S.'s 0.48 average and tied with Oregon for 20th worst in the nation. Thirty-four people were hospitalized per 100,000 residents on average over the same time, tied with North Dakota for 16th worst. "Vaccination protects us from serious illness, but the decision to get vaccinated is a private health care decision that should remain as such," Parson told the St. Louis Post Dispatch. "My administation will always fight back against federal power grabs and government overreach that threatens to limit our freedoms," Parson said. Numerous other Republicans made similar comments, including Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who said in a Twitter statement "Bidens historic overreach on vaccine mandates will not stand in Missouri." Schmitt has filed legal challenges to mask mandates in Missouri, including in St. Louis. Biden had harsh words for the 80 million unvaccinated Americans at the White House on Thursday. "Weve been patient. But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us," he said. The requirement for large companies to mandate vaccinations or weekly testing for employees will be enacted through a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that carries penalties of $14,000 per violation, per the Post-Dispatch. The White House did not immediately say when it would take effect, but said workers would have sufficient time to get vaccinated. The best defense against the further spread of the coronavirus and new variants is vaccination, health experts say. Studies show that vaccines prevent serious illness and breakthrough cases of coronavirus are rare and found mostly in those with immunocompromising conditions. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) An estimated 200 foreigners, including Americans, left Afghanistan on a commercial flight out of Kabul on Thursday with the cooperation of the Taliban the first such large-scale departure since U.S. forces completed their frantic withdrawal over a week ago. The Qatar Airways flight to Doha marked a breakthrough in the bumpy coordination between the U.S. and Afghanistans new rulers. A dayslong standoff over charter planes at another airport has left hundreds of mostly Afghan people stranded, waiting for Taliban permission to leave. A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to talk to the media, said the Taliban's foreign minister and deputy prime minister helped facilitate the flight. Americans, U.S. green card holders and other nationalities, including Germans, Hungarians and Canadians, were aboard, the official said. Qatari envoy Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani said another 200 passengers will leave Afghanistan on Friday. Ten U.S. citizens and 11 green-card holders made Thursdays flight, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. Americans organizing charter evacuation flights said they knew of more U.S. passport and green-card holders in Mazar-e-Sharif and elsewhere awaiting flights out. The White House said before the flight that there were roughly 100 U.S. citizens left in Afghanistan. But several veterans groups have said that number is too low because many citizens never bothered to tell U.S. officials they were in the country. And they said the figure overlooks green-card-carrying permanent U.S. residents living in Afghanistan who want to leave. Many thousands of Afghans remain desperate to get out, too, afraid of what Taliban rule might hold. The Taliban have repeatedly said foreigners and Afghans with proper travel documents could leave. But their assurances have been met with skepticism, and many Afghans have been unable to obtain certain paperwork. U.S. lawmakers, veterans groups and others are pressing the Biden administration to ensure that former Afghan military interpreters and others who could be in danger of Taliban reprisals for working with the Americans are allowed to leave. In the U.S., National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said that Thursday's flight was the result of careful and hard diplomacy and engagement and that the Taliban have shown flexibility, and they have been businesslike and professional in our dealings with them in this effort. This is a positive first step, she said, adding that the U.S. will continue trying to extract Americans and Afghan allies who want to leave. As Taliban authorities patrolled the tarmac, passengers presented their documents for inspection and dogs sniffed luggage laid out on the ground. Some veteran airport employees had returned to their jobs after fleeing during the harrowing chaos of the U.S.-led airlift. Irfan Popalzai, 12, boarded the flight with his mother and five siblings. He said his family lives in Maryland. I am an Afghan, but you know I am from America and I am so excited" to leave, he said. The airport was extensively damaged in the frenzied final days of the U.S. airlift that evacuated over 100,000 people. But Qatari authorities announced that it had been repaired with the help of experts from Qatar and Turkey and was ready for the resumption of international airline flights. I can clearly say that this is a historic day in the history of Afghanistan as Kabul airport is now operational, al-Qahtani said. He added: Hopefully, life is becoming normal in Afghanistan. The flight was the first to take off from the Kabul airport since American forces left the country at the end of August. The accompanying scenes of chaos, including Afghans plunging to their deaths from the sides of military aircraft on takeoff and a suicide bombing that killed 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members, came to define the end of Americas two-decade war. The airport is no longer the Hamid Karzai International Airport, but simply Kabul International Airport, with the name of the country's former president removed. Several Taliban flags flew from the terminal, which was emblazoned The Islamic Emirate seeks peaceful and positive relations with the world." Hundreds of other Afghans who say they are at risk for helping the Americans have gathered for more than a week in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, waiting for permission to board evacuation flights chartered by U.S. supporters. Many are believed not to have the necessary travel documents. In Mazar-e-Sharif on Thursday, an Afghan who worked 15 years as an interpreter for the U.S. military was moving from hotel to hotel and running out of money as he, his eight children and his wife waited for the OK from the Taliban to leave. Im frightened I will be left behind, said the man, whose name was withheld by The Associated Press for his safety. The interpreter said he was one of many former U.S. employees whose special visas the United States approved in the last weeks of the American military presence in Afghanistan. But with the U.S. Embassy closed when the Taliban took Kabul on Aug. 15, it has become impossible to get the visa stamped into his passport. He said he doesn't trust Taliban assurances that they will not take revenge against Afghans who worked for the Americans. No, never, he said. I never believe them, because they are lying. Afghanistan war veteran Matt Zeller, who founded the organization No One Left Behind to help Afghans who supported American troops, said he does not believe it is possible for applicants to the special immigrant visa program to get a visa without an embassy in Kabul. For all intents and purposes, these peoples chances of escaping the Taliban ended the day we left them behind," he said. Price said the United States is looking at such steps as electronic visas to overcome the lack of an embassy in Afghanistan. The organization War Time Allies estimates as many as 20,000 special visa applicants remain in the country, not counting those eligible under a more liberal rule change made in July. Add their families to that and the total amounts to more than 80,000 people, according to the group. ___ Associated Press writers Ellen Knickmeyer in Oklahoma City, Julie Watson in San Diego and Bernard Condon in New York contributed to this report. Sarah Gray, age 80, of Beech Bluff, TN passed away Sunday, September 12, 2021 in Jackson, TN. She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Oliver Gray, her parents, Charlie and Verna Hollin, and several brothers and sisters. Sarah is survived by her three children: Marsha (Karl) You John Tafone, left, Chorus of Westerly Resident Composer and Andrew Howell, the Marion and Bill Palm Music Director for the Chorus of Westerly, talk about the upcoming Summer Pops concert in Wilcox Park during an interview at the chorus headquarters on Thursday, September 9, 2021. Harold Hanka, The Westerly Sun Westerly, RI (02891) Today Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. High 77F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Variable clouds with showers at times, and perhaps a rumble or two of thunder, especially this evening. Low 67F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. What awaits Morrisons and its broader group of stakeholders when it falls into private equity hands is a matter of conjecture. Shareholders and chief executive David Potts may be looking forward to filling their boots, amid competing bids, but there can be little room for optimism for the group's 110,000 colleagues, the supply chain and for those who value financial stability. The tragedy is that in spite of lacklustre first-half results, the white-flag brigade in the Morrisons board, who surrendered without a real fight, have been doing a good job with Britain's fourth largest grocer. Turning a corner: Guff about honouring the legacy of the late Ken Morrison will be as nothing unless undertakings are extended beyond 12 months It has adapted to the online challenge with 'Morrisons on Amazon' which covers 60 towns and cities. As a user, I can testify to efficiency and quality of service. It also has a strong relationship with Deliveroo and is increasing its convenience store access with McColl's. Same store sales slipped in the six months to August 1 but over the last two years there has been an 8.4 per cent uplift. It is frustrating that the stock market has never properly valued Morrisons' property assets and importance in the 'levelling up' North. As a consequence, its fate will be decided by a Takeover Panel auction to be settled between the Terry Leahy-headed consortium of CD&R and the less alluring bid by Fortress, backed by unreliable Softbank. The 7billion or so competing bids for Morrisons may put some 20m into Potts' pocket and enrich advisors, but does very little for anyone else. To achieve the returns that private equity investors demand, there is going to be heavy cost-cutting and asset sales after loosely made bid promises unwind after 12 months. It may be fine for Morrisons, with 3billion of debt on its balance sheet, to be loaded up with more borrowing right now. But what happens when the happy-go-lucky years of free and easy money come to an end? Guff about honouring the legacy of the late Ken Morrison will be as nothing unless undertakings are extended beyond 12 months. As chairman, Andy Higginson could rescue his reputation and really ensure the future by demanding that pledges, such as retaining all freehold properties and production centres, are legally binding. This would give the Takeover Panel the right to take the buyers to court if stipulations were breached. That might lead the buyers to retreat in horror. But it would be for the greater benefit of UK food security, consumers and the broader public interest. Flight path At least the proposed buyer-merger partner for Easyjet comes from the aviation sector. Many of the world's biggest carriers have been built on mergers although not all have been roaring successes. Johan Lundgren, having had to put up with the slings and arrows of founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou, clearly feels confident he can see off Hungarian carrier Wizz. The London-quoted airline, with its network of Eastern European routes, has emerged stronger from Covid than Easyjet. It has focused on moving passengers from temperate northern climes to the Mediterranean and recovery has been hindered by confusing traffic light systems. The response of Lundgren to a sluggish return to the skies is to seek new capital of 1.2billion to ensure it has the financial firepower to come back stronger. Lundgren wants to use the war chest to buy up slots abandoned by other carriers in the pandemic. As Covid fades, Easyjet ought to have the slots, the reputation for better service than most no-frills carriers, and the fleet to bounce back. Desire for cheap European travel looks unrequited as Ryanair's response has demonstrated. BA's talk of a return to Gatwick with stripped-down service suggests the sector is not down and out. Wizz may have been sent packing, but if Easyjet doesn't get better soon, it could attract other suitors. They will still have Stelios to deal with. Life saver Next science triumph for the UK down the float slipway is Oxford Nanopore with its technology which sequences DNA. It demonstrated its worth in the pandemic when its platform was used around the world to identify Covid variations. Hurricane Energy shares rose by as much as 8 per cent on Friday as the beaten-down offshore UK oil producer said it received acceptances for its subsidiary to buy back US$78million of a US$230million convertible bond series, at 78p in the pound. Chief executive Anthony Maris highlighted that Hurricane had reduced the amount held by third-parties to US$152million and used only US$62million of free cash. Maris described it as 'a positive development' for the company. It provides the company and shareholders some relief. It is not so much a stay of execution but maybe, for now, it reduces the heft of the executioner's blade. Offshore UK oil producer Hurricane Energy saw shares rose by as much as 8 per cent on Friday When making the bond tender, Hurricane said it was a 'a proactive liability management exercise' that would give 'certainty of outcome for the bond holders that accepted'. The Lancaster field still produces some 10,000 barrels of oil per day, which is much less than originally estimated by Hurricane, nevertheless, an asset remains and so the story will continue for now. No such uncertainty at Somero Enterprises, which hit an all-time high this week. Shares climbed 14 per cent to 536p as the concrete-levelling equipment specialist's half-year results dazzled. Florida-based Somero's technology enables construction companies to install high-quality horizontal concrete floors faster, flatter and with fewer people. And business is booming thanks to demand for new warehouses to meet the surge in online shopping. Underlying profits of $24.6million and operating cash flow of $16million for the first six months of 2021 were the highest in the company's time on AIM, having floated in 2006. The board now expects full-year revenues of roughly US$120million, underlying profits of around US$42million and year-end net cash of close to US$36million. It is just 'amazingly active' at present said chief executive Jack Cooney. Another US-focused group doing well is theme park ticketing software group Accesso Technology. People have been flocking back to parks run by customers such as Six Flags since the easing of lockdown restrictions and revenue is back to 2019 trading levels or around US$117million. Cash and underlying earnings meanwhile will be significantly ahead of current market expectations for both the half and the full year, it added, sending the shares up to 1,005p or their highest for more than two years. One Media iP shares stomped and twirled higher after it snapped up the rights to more songs penned by northern soul legend Ian Levine. The latest batch includes a new recording deal Levine made with multimillion-selling artist Evelyn Thomas who topped the charts with 'High Energy' in 1984, with the pair now working on three new recordings due to be released before Christmas. Maestrano rose more than 10 per cent as Network Rail gave the go-ahead for its technology to be used across the UK rail network. The kit determines whether a different train will fit along a given route making it easier to introduce new trains onto the network, the AIM-listed firm said. Powerhouse Energy had a rollercoaster week as it surged on rumours of a deal with German chemicals giant Linde only for the more prosaic reality to take some wind out of its sails. A DMG licensee has been working with the German firm on a technical feasibility study said the waste-to energy group. 'HUI and Linde are in discussions to enter into an agreement to develop a plant in Konin, Poland, which would use Powerhouse's technology,' it explained. 'There can be no guarantee such an agreement would be finalised and any agreement regarding building a facility would be subject to material conditions including financing, permitting and planning permission.' Shares were 5 per cent higher on Friday to 5.4p, even so. On the downside, IQE was out of favour as the Wales-based semiconductor maker underwhelmed with its numbers at a time when everyone is complaining about chip shortages. Sales and profits were flat as was the mood after the numbers with the shares dropping over 10 per cent to 46p. Aim, too, had a low-key week generally with the junior market's all-share index down just over 1 per cent, mirroring falls among the big caps. Easyjet has rejected a takeover bid from rival Wizz Air and is instead seeking another 1.2billion from investors to survive the Covid-19 pandemic. The budget airline's board said it 'had no hesitation' in unanimously rebuffing the offer, which it said was far too low. It refused to name the suitor but it is widely understood to be Hungarian no-frills carrier Wizz. Failed swoop: Easyjet chief executive Johan Lundgren (left) and Wizz Air founder Jozsef Varadi Easyjet also said the bidder has now walked away and would not be making another offer. The failed swoop makes Easyjet the latest in a long line of London-listed companies to become takeover targets this year. Defence firms Ultra Electronics and Meggitt, inhaler maker Vectura and supermarket giant Morrisons are among the many that have been preyed upon in a sustained raid on UK plc. Easyjet said it would not rule out any deals in the future. But Easyjet shares plunged 10.2 per cent, or 80.8p, to 708.2p after it revealed it was going cap in hand to investors for 1.2billion of emergency funds. It has already raised more than 5.5billion since the start of the Covid crisis including 420m from shareholders. The no-frills carrier has also sold planes, furloughed staff and laid off up to 4,500 employees, or about 30 per cent of its workforce. Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, said: 'In true Oliver Twist fashion, having already raised 5.5billion since the start of the pandemic, the raising of another 1.2billion should give it a much better cash buffer. 'The outlook for airlines continues to be challenging with any sort of back to normal unlikely to come much before the second quarter of next year, which suggests Easyjet may not be the last airline to look at raising extra capital,' he said. Airlines have been pummelled by the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought international travel to a halt for months at a time during lockdowns. Easyjet reported its first ever annual loss last year of 1.3billion and has lost another 1billion in the first nine months of this financial year. It also spent much of last year in a boardroom spat with founder and biggest shareholder, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, who was outraged at the company's order for more than 100 new Airbus planes. By contrast, Wizz has used the pandemic to expand, despite racking up a loss of almost 500m in the year to March. Set up in 2003 by boss Jozsef Varadi, its focus on Central and Eastern European travel means it has been less badly affected and it has added a string of new routes to its roster. It now has more than 40 bases, compared with 25 before the Covid outbreak and has called for major airlines such as British Airways and Easyjet to give up their unused airport slots. In July a controversial bonus plan, which could hand Varadi more than 85m if share price and profit targets are hit, scraped through a shareholder vote with 50.5 per cent support. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: 'Wizz Air looks a possible candidate to have made the bid as it is incredibly ambitious and Easyjet would provide it with much greater coverage of Western European, having already established a strong position in Eastern Europe. It is financially stronger than many of its rivals and owning Easyjet could turbocharge its growth.' Easyjet chief executive Johan Lundgren, meanwhile, said the rebound from the pandemic presented a 'once in a lifetime opportunity' for the industry The boss of Funding Circle is stepping back after making 26m over the last six years. Samir Desai, who co-founded the online lender, will hand over the role of chief executive to Funding Circle's UK managing director Lisa Jacobs at the start of 2022. Desai has run the lender since its launch 12 years ago, but will become a non-executive director from next year. He was one of three friends who met at Oxford University and founded Funding Circle after first discussing their idea in a pub in 2008. The business matches investors who want to lend with businesses which need the money. Since 2016, Desai has been paid 4.9m in salaries, bonuses and share awards. He holds 15.4m shares in Funding Circle, worth 22.6m. On top of that, he cashed in 21m worth of shares when he sold down his stake in Funding Circle during its float in 2018. In its half-year results yesterday, it said profits swung to 35.4m from a 115.1m loss the same time last year. Lloyd's of London expects almost all of its staff to be back in the office over the coming weeks after its boss highlighted the importance of face-to-face meetings. The insurance marketplace is operating at around 35-to-40 per cent of its pre-pandemic staffing levels, and chief executive John Neal said he expects this number to double as more workers return this month. And while many businesses have used the pandemic to cut back on international travel, Neal said he was looking forward to the day when employees could get back on planes to meet their clients and colleagues abroad. Innovation: Lloyd's famous 'inside-out' building, towers over London's Leadenhall Market Lloyd's of London has been a key business in the City for more than 330 years, and its famous underwriting room provides a place for insurance syndicates to receive queues of brokers to their desks to haggle over the terms of contracts. But it was forced to shut out staff during lockdowns earlier this year and last year, and only reopened in May with a much-reduced capacity of a few hundred people. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Neal said: 'I think that we've proved that we can work digitally and do that efficiently. But there is little doubt that there is value in our ability to trade face-to-face and actually travel, to be honest with you bearing in mind that we are an international and global business. 'In our experience if you want people to collaborate, if you want people to be creative, and to connect and socialise, then you do need that face-to-face trading.' Lloyd's swung to a 1.4billion profit in the first half of the year, from a 400m loss the same time last year. And it paid out 9.4billion in claims over the first six months of the year, largely related to Covid. Neal added that the marketplace had still not decided whether or not to vacate its famous 'inside-out' building, which towers over London's Leadenhall Market. Sales at fast-growing sourdough pizza chain Franco Manca and The Real Greek restaurants have continued to accelerate above pre-pandemic levels as diners return after lockdowns, its owner said today. In a trading update, Fulham Shore said sales at its 75 restaurants across the country were 27 per cent ahead of the same period in 2019 between 17 August and 5 September. But revenues at its 17 restaurants in London's West End and other city centre locations, while showing improvement, still remained below pre-pandemic levels as many office workers continue to work from home. More restaurants: Fulham Shore has opened two Franco Manca pizzerias so far this year Overall sales growth was faster than in the previous eight weeks to 15 August though, when it had seen an 8 per cent increase on 2019. The trading update was well received by investors, with shares in London-listed Fulham Shore rising 4.7 per cent to 19p in morning trading on Friday. Chairman David Page said: 'We are very encouraged by the accelerating revenue growth trends during recent weeks despite continued challenging trading conditions. 'This reflects the popularity and relevance of both Franco Manca and The Real Greek, underpinned by their great food and fantastic value.' Page, the former boss of Pizza Express, also said the firm were on track to open 10 new restaurants in this financial year ending in March and continued to see 'a number of exciting growth opportunities'. It comes as the group announced it was looking to expand abroad, as well as in the UK, when it published its full-year results in August. It expects to treble its UK presence to over 230 restaurants before the end of the decade. At the time, it said it had identified more than 150 additional sites for potential new restaurants - some 125 for Franco Manca and 30 for The Real Greek. So far during this financial year, Fulham Shore has opened two Franco Manca pizzerias and launched its 20th Real Greek, this time in Norwich. In the last month the company has started fitting works on two new Franco Manca sites. Its lawyers are also working on getting contracts for a further 15 potential new sites for the pizza chain and Real Greek. The bounce-back in sales follow a tough year for the group, which saw revenues tumble 41 per cent to 40.3million in the year to 28 March, following the impact of enforced closures for large parts of the year. Operating losses also widened to 4.8million for the year, compared with a 1.8million profit from the previous year. But the group has been on an expansion spree, trying to take advantage of cheap sites that have been left empty by rivals which went bust during the pandemic. By Alexander Winning JOHANNESBURG, Sept 10 (Reuters) - China's Sinovac Biotech is in talks about setting up a vaccine production facility in South Africa to supply the African continent with shots against a range of diseases, the chief executive of its local partner said on Friday. Numolux Group CEO Hilton Klein made the comments at the launch of the South African leg of a global Phase III trial of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine in children and adolescents. "This clinical trial is a precursor to the establishment of a South African vaccine manufacturing facility partnered by Sinovac and Numolux Group that will cover the entire spectrum of vaccinations beyond just the COVID-19 response," Klein told a news conference. "We are in talks with Sinovac to set up a vaccine manufacturing facility. A phase one where we will do bottling and labelling so that we can get vaccines out to the people of Africa as soon as possible," he added. "Vaccines in Africa for Africa." Sinovac did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sinovac and Numolux are enrolling 2,000 participants in the South African leg of their study evaluating the efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of the CoronaVac vaccine against COVID-19 on children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years. The global trial will enrol 14,000 participants, also in Chile, the Philippines, Malaysia and Kenya. Professor Glenda Gray, president of the South African Medical Research Council, said vaccinating children against COVID-19 was critical, especially in low- and middle-income countries like South Africa where they can account for up to 30% of the population. "We are very supportive of children being enrolled in this study," she said. "Delay in the inclusion of children in vaccine trials involves the potential denial of clinical benefit to the child, their family and their extended family," said Gray, who was co-principal investigator of the local leg of Johnson & Johnson's global Phase III study. South Africa's government is considering using the CoronaVac vaccine in its immunisation programme alongside shots developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson which have been administered so far. The country's drugs regulator SAHPRA in July gave conditional authorisation for use of Sinovac's vaccine against COVID-19 for people aged between 18 and 59 years. But last month a senior health official told Reuters the government was looking for more information from the Chinese company on how its vaccine performs against the Delta coronavirus variant as well as in populations with HIV. South Africa's vaccination campaign started slowly due to onerous negotiations with pharmaceutical companies and the emergence of the Beta coronavirus variant, which scuppered plans to use AstraZeneca's shot from February. So far, more than 10.5 million of the country's 60 million people have received at least one dose of vaccine, equivalent to around 17% of the population. (Reporting by Alexander Winning Editing by Mark Potter, Louise Heavens and Susan Fenton) By Rajendra Jadhav and Nakul Iyer Sept 10 (Reuters) - Physical gold demand in India was subdued this week despite a correction in bullion prices, while consumers in most other Asian hubs also stayed on the sidelines as they hoped for a clearer trend in global prices. On Thursday, India's gold futures fell to their lowest level since Aug. 13, with premiums over official domestic prices - inclusive of the 10.75% import and 3% sales levies - unchanged at $2 an ounce. "Gold prices are fluctuating a lot globally and there is no clear trend, confusing Indian buyers," said a Mumbai-based bullion dealer with a private gold importing bank. After an initial decline earlier this week, global benchmark spot gold prices have settled into a narrow, choppy range around $1,800 an ounce. "Jewellers are waiting for next week's exhibition. They will make purchases based on the response they get at the exhibition," said Ashok Jain, proprietor of Mumbai-based wholesaler Chenaji Narsinghji. The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council's exhibition, where jewellers display their designs to buyers, kicks off in Bangalore next week. However, India's gold imports in August nearly doubled from a year earlier as jewellers stocked up for the festive season, a government source said. Top-consumer China saw a slight pick up in premiums to $3-$4 an ounce on average over global prices, from the $1-$5 levels last week, dealers said, although overall the market was still muted. But there was some "good buying" in China, said Bernard Sin, Regional Director, Greater China at MKS, adding that in Singapore, premiums were in the $1.20-$1.40 range as businesses gradually open up. Hong Kong markets were also relatively subdued, traders said, with premiums unchanged from last week at $0.50-$1.80, while gold traded flat to global benchmark prices in Japan. Japanese consumers were also largely "undecided" as they awaited a clearer direction in range-bound prices, a Tokyo-based trader said. (Reporting by Rajendra Jhadav in Mumbai, Ruma Paul in Dhaka, Nakul Iyer, Brijesh Patel and Eileen Soreng in Bengaluru Editing by Mark Potter) Instant unlimited access to all of our content on tillamookheadlightherald.com. The Headlight Herald E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) Cresaptown, MD (21502) Today Scattered showers and thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High around 85F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with more showers at times. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Cresaptown, MD (21502) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 84F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms this evening followed by a few showers overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Barre, VT (05641) Today Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 81F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Obituaries will be accepted only from funeral homes, or from an individual only when legal documentation is presented at our office, of that individual's executor status over the estate of the deceased. Obituaries must be received with prepayment before 4 p.m. for publication the following day. On holidays, obituaries must be received with prepayment before noon for publication the following day. If you have questions, please call 256-740-4709 Editorial: What are we doing to our children? He allegedly kicked a cop who had fallen to the ground, over and over. Battered another officer 10 times with a riot shield. Struck police 16 times with a baseball bat. Kicked a sergeant five times as he and another rioter pushed a door against the trapped officer's head. In 37 pages of clinical detail, each assault pinpointed to the exact second it was allegedly captured on video cameras, prosecutors laid out the spasm of violence they say Edward Lang committed for nearly two and a half hours against officers defending the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 against an invading mob of Trump supporters. Their conclusion: the 26-year-old Newburgh man was among the most violent of rioters in Washington, D.C., that day and should not be released from jail as he has asked. "His extreme and repeated violence that day puts him in a category all his own," wrote Melissa Jackson, an assistant U.S. attorney in Washington. Jackson and Lang's attorneys are set to argue before U.S. District Judge Carol Nichols next week about whether Lang should remain in the D.C. jail while his case is pending. The defense lawyers had filed a motion for his release last month, claiming he posed no public danger or flight risk and was being mistreated in jail. Jackson responded with a deluge of new details about Lang's alleged assaults against police, his extensive boasts about the siege, and his alleged role in inflaming the mob at the Capitol's Lower West Entrance, the site of some of the worst violence. Lang, who faces 11 criminal counts, is one of nine current and former Hudson Valley residents and roughly 600 people in all charged with taking part in the pro-Trump riot that erupted as Congress met to formalize President Joe Biden's election victory. Of the nine local defendants, only Lang remains in jail because of the severity of his charges. Prosecutors say Lang was one of the first rioters to approach the doors to that entrance at about 2:40 p.m., when they smashed the glass and began their assault. "This is our house!" Lang was recorded yelling at the officers. "You are enemies of the state!" Lang, who wrestled during high school and his one year of college, was soon summoning fellow rioters into the fray by saying, "We are the real men, we are the real men, get in there" as seen in a selfie video he allegedly took in the midst of the melee. At one point in the brutal account prosecutors pieced together from numerous recordings, Lang allegedly climbed over the heads and shoulders of the rioters to reach the line of embattled officers, and then grabbed and repeatedly hit one. "Essentially, he crowd-surfed to commit violence," Jackson wrote. Minutes later, a police detective fell to the ground, she said. Lang "repeatedly kicked the detective as he was down." A woman in the crowd exhorted the rioters to stop. Lang allegedly responded: "This is how the country was founded, woman!" Then, according to prosecutors, he beat a cop with a stolen riot shield, 10 times in all. "You work for us," Lang told the cop. His alleged assaults culminated just before 5 p.m. with his beating police again and again with an aluminum bat. Prosecutors say Lang stopped swinging only after he got shot in the foot with a rubber bullet. One cop he struck limped for days and had swelling for a month. Prosecutors argue Lang should remain in jail not just for the multiple attacks on police they allege, but for what they say were his boasts about the violence on social media and his efforts to recruit others to commit further mayhem in the days after the riot, up until his arrest in Newburgh on Jan. 16. "The Defendant did not just make one boastful claim that he later disavowed, rather he stopped repeatedly throughout the day to film his exploits for social media," Jackson wrote. "He then repeatedly discussed both what he had done and what he planned to do in multiple digital forums going so far as to state that the only way he could be stopped was to be killed. He even informed his mother what he had done, telling her she would be 'proud' of him for his extreme violence against law enforcement." Downtime is the best time Make the most of your Hudson Valley weekend, every week with our newsletter. Prosecutors say Lang used the encrypted messaging service Telegram after the riot to try to organize a militia to commit more violence, including disrupting Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20. "Can't wait for the 20th," he allegedly wrote on Jan. 8. "I'm getting a f---ing arsenal together." In a series of messages two days before his arrest, he told his group they should march with guns in Washington and state capitols and take action on Jan. 17 and Jan. 20, warning that Biden would label them "domestic terrorists" after taking office. "Our best and honestly easiest option right now is to make sure Joe Biden never gets in that office," Lang allegedly wrote. cmckenna@th-record.com ___ (c)2021 The Times Herald-Record, Middletown, N.Y. Visit The Times Herald-Record, Middletown, N.Y. at www.recordonline.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation ALBANY - The state Board for Historic Preservation has recommended adding 19 properties to the State and National Registers of Historic Places, Gov. Kathy Hochul's office said Thursday. In the Capital Region, the Consolidated Car Heating Company Complex, located in the city of Albany's "Warehouse District," is an industrial brick complex dating to the 1890s that reflects the city's history as a regional railroad headquarters, according to the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. SARATOGA SPRINGS The City Council has awarded the long-awaited eastside firehouse and EMS station bid to a Syracuse company that will charge nearly $250,000 more than the lowest qualified bidder, raising concerns among some City Hall employees. Hueber-Breuer Construction was unanimously awarded the bid of $595,320 on Tuesday night over three other lower-bidding contractors: Sano-Rubin Construction Services at $350,962 and GYMO, DPC at $369,460 and Colliers Project Leaders USA NE at $430,500. There was a number of bids and (Hueber-Breuer) wasnt the low bid, said Commissioner of Accounts John Franck, who brought the motion on the bid award forward at the meeting. But public safety (department) wanted to go with (Hueber-Breuer), even though there were lower bids. They said (the others) werent qualified to do it. That was their reasoning. But a string of internal city emails show that there was concern with going forward with the Hueber-Breuer bid for project director. City Assistant Purchasing Agent Stefanie Richards told Assistant Fire Chief Aaron Dyer that she needed justification as to why the department was going with a higher bidder. Richards told him she needed to make sure we have everything covered for the auditors. With this large of a pricing difference, we need the details please, Richards wrote him. She also wondered why GYMO was never interviewed for the job because they were the second lowest." In another email, Karen Perrino, of public safety, pressed Dyer to provide her with documentation/explanation as to why we arent going with the lower bidders. Dyer, in an email to Perrino, said it was the decision of the building committee, which was made up of Dyer, Fire Chief Joseph Dolan, Assistant Police Chief John Catone and City Attorney Vincent DeLeonardis. Marilyn Rivers, the city's director of risk and safety, was also concerned. In an email to DeLeonardis she wrote "given the tremendous pricing difference in the responses received ... I remain concerned about this situation. ... Please confirm the review process of the responses received and the award of bid is in no way violated any NYS OGS or NYS Comptroller regulations." The construction management bid summary reported that Colliers and Sano-Rubin have experience in construction of Fire/EMS/Emergency facilities. But it also noted that Hueber-Breuer has "the most relevant experience out of all the companies that submitted bids ... This experience is invaluable for this project. Commissioner of Public Safety Robin Dalton, who shared a portion of the document with the Times Union, said she didnt want to comment further on the cost. The city actually got six bids that meet all requirements for the station, two that were higher than Hueber-Breuer from C&L Contracting Corp. at $721,248 and DCI Construction Management Services at $787,120. Because Hueber-Breuer came on the high end, Franck said he wouldn't have proposed accepting the bid without City Attorney DeLeonardis' pre-approving the deal. Ive been called in by the state on other contracts, Franck said. I wouldnt have moved forward on it unless the city attorney signed off. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. DeLeonardis said all the bids were "thoroughly reviewed and provided due consideration" based upon the request for proposal criteria. "While cost is always an important factor, so too is experience and expertise and the evaluations were appropriately based upon the totality of the submissions and information provided during the in-person interviews with the selected firms," DeLeonardis wrote in an email to the Times Union. The city has estimated the entire project to come in at a cost of $6.7 million and was part of last year's capital budget. On Tuesday, the City Council also unanimously approve the bond for the project, thus said Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan, the money is there to pay for the construction. The station, that residents on the eastside have wanted for years, is planned to be a 16,000-square foot facility off Henning Road on state land bordering the Saratoga Race Courses Oklahoma Training Track. Despite the desire for the station, which would be the city's third, finding a location has been difficult. In 2014, the city agreed to a three-way land deal to secure property on Union Avenue by selling a piece of city property on Broadway. However, the deal was halted by the state Attorney General in 2017 when it was revealed the other two parties, Ben and Joel Aronson, were father and son. That issue hasn't been fully resolved. In July 2020, Ben Aronson filed suit against the city, seeking to complete the sale of 0.48 acres of land on Broadway to him, claiming the city kept his $1,000 deposit. That same month, neighbors to the current proposed site, including the Republican mayoral candidate Heidi Owen West, took the city to court to try to reverse the decision to build off of Henning Road. Supreme Court Judge Ann Crowell denied the request, allowing the city to move ahead with the station. Though Dalton didn't want to talk about costs, she did release a statement on the station's construction, saying it "will enable the city to provide public safety coverage for the long underserved eastern plateau. "As Commissioner of Public Safety, I will continue to work with council members and staff to ensure that nothing interferes with the completion of this project," said Dalton, one of three people running for mayor this fall. "Delivering long needed services to our fellow Saratogians is proceeding full steam ahead and is closer than ever before. In the ghastly rubble of ground zero's fallen towers 20 years ago, Hour Zero arrived, a chance to start anew. World affairs reordered abruptly on that morning of blue skies, black ash, fire and death. In Iran, chants of death to America quickly gave way to candlelight vigils to mourn the American dead. Vladimir Putin weighed in with substantive help as the U.S. prepared to go to war in Russia's region of influence. Libyas Moammar Gadhafi, a murderous dictator with a poetic streak, spoke of the human duty" to be with Americans after "these horrifying and awesome events, which are bound to awaken human conscience. From the first terrible moments, America's longstanding allies were joined by longtime enemies in that singularly galvanizing instant. No nation with global standing was cheering the stateless terrorists vowing to conquer capitalism and democracy. How rare is that? Too rare to last, it turned out. ___ Civilizations have their allegories for rebirth in times of devastation. A global favorite is that of the phoenix, a magical and magnificent bird, rising from ashes. In the hellscape of Germany at the end of World War II, it was the concept of Hour Zero, or Stunde Null, that offered the opportunity to start anew. For the U.S., the zero hour of Sept. 11, 2001, meant a chance to reshape its place in the post-Cold War world from a high perch of influence and goodwill as it entered the new millennium. This was only a decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union left America with both the moral authority and the financial and military muscle to be unquestionably the lone superpower. Those advantages were soon squandered. Instead of a new order, 9/11 fueled 20 years of war abroad. In the U.S., it gave rise to the angry, aggrieved, self-proclaimed patriot, and heightened surveillance and suspicion in the name of common defense. It opened an era of deference to the armed forces as lawmakers pulled back on oversight and let presidents give primacy to the military over law enforcement in the fight against terrorism. And it sparked anti-immigrant sentiment, primarily directed at Muslim countries, that lingers today. A war of necessity in the eyes of most of the world in Afghanistan was followed two years later by a war of choice as the U.S. invaded Iraq on false claims that Saddam Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction. President George W. Bush labeled Iran, Iraq and North Korea an axis of evil. Thus opened the deep, deadly mineshaft of forever wars." There were convulsions throughout the Middle East, and U.S. foreign policy for half a century a force for ballast instead gave way to a head-snapping change in approaches in foreign policy from Bush to Obama to Trump. With that came waning trust in America's leadership and reliability. Other parts of the world were not immune. Far-right populist movements coursed through Europe. Britain voted to break away from the European Union. And China steadily ascended in the global pecking order. President Joe Biden is trying to restore trust in the belief of a steady hand from the U.S. but there is no easy path. He is ending war, but what comes next? In Afghanistan in August, the Taliban seized control with menacing swiftness as the Afghan government and security forces that the United States and its allies had spent two decades trying to build collapsed. No steady hand was evident from the U.S. in the harried, disorganized evacuation of Afghans desperately trying to flee the country in the first weeks of the Taliban's re-established rule. Allies whose troops had fought and died in the U.S-led war in Afghanistan expressed dismay at Biden's management of the U.S. withdrawal, under a deal President Donald Trump had struck with the Taliban. THE HOMELAND In the United States, the Sept. 11 attacks set loose a torrent of rage. In shock from the assault, a swath of American society embraced the us vs. them binary outlook articulated by Bush Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists" and has never let go of it. You could hear it in the country songs and talk radio, and during presidential campaigns, offering the balm of a bloodlust cry for revenge. Well put a boot in your ass, it's the American way," Toby Keith promised Americas enemies in one of the most popular of those songs in 2002. Americans stuck flags in yards and on the back of trucks. Factionalism hardened inside America, in school board fights, on Facebook posts, and in national politics, so that opposing views were treated as propaganda from mortal enemies. The concept of enemy also evolved, from not simply the terrorist but also to the immigrant, or the conflation of the terrorist as immigrant trying to cross the border. The patriot under threat became a personal and political identity in the United States. Fifteen years later, Trump harnessed it to help him win the presidency. THE OTHERING In the week after the attacks, Bush demanded of Americans that they know Islam is peace" and that the attacks were a perversion of that religion. He told the country that American Muslims are us, not them, even as mosques came under surveillance and Arabs coming to the U.S. to take their kids to Disneyland or go to school risked being detained for questioning. For Trump, in contrast, everything was always about them, the outsiders. In the birther lie Trump promoted before his presidency, Barack Obama was an outsider. In Trump's campaigns and administration, Muslims and immigrants were outsiders. The China virus was a foreign interloper, too. Overseas, deadly attacks by Islamic extremists, like the 2004 bombing of Madrid trains that killed nearly 200 people and the 2005 attack on Londons transportation system that killed more than 50, hardened attitudes in Europe as well. By 2015, as the Islamic State group captured wide areas of Iraq and pushed deep into Syria, the number of refugees increased dramatically, with more than 1 million migrants, primarily from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, entering Europe that year alone. The year was bracketed by attacks in France on the Charlie Hebdo magazine staff in January after it published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, and on the Bataclan theater and other Paris locations in November, reinforcing the angst then gripping the continent. Already growing in support, far-right parties were able to capitalize on the fears to establish themselves as part of the European mainstream. They remain represented in many European parliaments, even as the flow of immigrants has slowed dramatically and most concerns have proved unfounded. THE UNRAVELING Dozens of countries joined or endorsed the NATO coalition fighting in Afghanistan. Russia acquiesced to NATO troops in Central Asia for the first time and provided logistical support. Never before had NATO invoked Article 5 of its charter that an attack against one member was an attack against all. But in 2003, the U.S. and Britain were practically alone in prosecuting the Iraq war. This time, millions worldwide marched in protest in the run-up to the invasion. World opinion of the United States turned sharply negative. In June 2003, after the invasion had swiftly ousted Saddam and dismantled the Iraqi army and security forces, a Pew Research poll found a widening rift between Americans and Western Europeans and reported that the bottom has fallen out of support for America in most of the Muslim world. Most South Koreans, half of Brazilians and plenty more people outside the Islamic world agreed. And this was when the war was going well, before the world saw cruel images from Abu Ghraib prison, learned all that it knows now about CIA black op sites, waterboarding, years of Guantanamo Bay detention without charges or trials and before the rise of the brutal Islamic State. By 2007, when the U.S. set up the Africa Command to counter terrorism and the rising influence of China and Russia on the continent, African countries did not want to host it. It operates from Stuttgart, Germany. THE SUCCESSES Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Over the two decades, a succession of U.S. presidents scored important achievements in shoring up security, and so far U.S. territory has remained safe from more international terrorism anywhere on the scale of 9/11. Globally, U.S.-led forces weakened al-Qaida, which has failed to launch a major attack on the West since 2005. The Iraq invasion rid that country and region of a murderous dictator in Saddam. Yet strategically, eliminating him did just what Arab leaders warned Bush it would do: It strengthened Saddams main rival, Iran, threatening U.S. objectives and partners. Deadly chaos soon followed in Iraq. The Bush administration, in its nation-building haste, failed to plan for keeping order, leaving Islamist extremists and rival militias to fight for dominance in the security vacuum. The overthrow of Saddam served both to inspire and limit public support for Arab Spring uprisings a few years later. For if the U.S. showed people in the Middle East that strongmen can be toppled, the insurgency demonstrated that what comes next may not be a season of renewal. Authoritarian regimes in the Middle East pointed to the post-Saddam era as an argument for their own survival. The U.S.-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq killed more than 7,000 American military men and women, more than 1,000 from the allied forces, many tens of thousands of members of Afghan and Iraqi security forces, and many hundreds of thousands of civilians, according to Brown Universitys Costs of War project. Costs, including tending the wars unusually high number of disabled vets, are expected to top $6 trillion. For the U.S., the presidencies since Bushs wars have been marked by an effort not always consistent, not always successful to pull back the military from the conflicts of the Middle East and Central Asia. The perception of a U.S. retreat has allowed Russia and China to gain influence in the regions, and left U.S. allies struggling to understand Washington's place in the world. The notion that 9/11 would create an enduring unity of interest to combat terrorism collided with rising nationalism and a U.S. president, Trump, who spoke disdainfully of the NATO allies that in 2001 had rallied to America's cause. Even before Trump, Obama surprised allies and enemies alike when he stepped back abruptly from the U.S. role of world cop. Obama geared up for, then called off, a strike on Syrian President Bashar Assad for using chemical weapons against his people. Terrible things happen across the globe, and it is beyond our means to right every wrong, Obama said on Sept. 11, 2013. THE NEWISH ORDER The legacies of 9/11 ripple both in obvious and unusual ways. Most directly, millions of people in the U.S. and Europe go about their public business under the constant gaze of security cameras while other surveillance tools scoop up private communications. The government layered post-9/11 bureaucracies on to law enforcement to support the expansive security apparatus. Militarization is more evident now, from large cities to small towns that now own military vehicles and weapons that seem well out of proportion to any terrorist threat. Government offices have become fortifications and airports a security maze. But as profound an event as 9/11 was, its immediate effect on how the world has been ordered was temporary and largely undone by domestic political forces, a global economic downturn and now a lethal pandemic. The awakening of human conscience predicted by Gadhafi didnt last. Gadhafi didnt last. Osama bin Laden has been dead for a decade. Saddam was hanged in 2006. The forever wars the Afghanistan one being the longest in U.S. history now are over or ending. The days of Russia tactically enabling the U.S., and China not standing in the way, petered out. Only the phoenix lasts. ___ Rising reported from Bangkok; Knickmeyer and Woodward from Washington. AP National Security Writer Robert Burns contributed to this report. ___ For an in-depth look at APs coverage of 9/11 and the events that followed, read September 11: The 9/11 Story, Aftermath & Legacy, available now. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas hospitals will receive $50 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds for extra pay for nurses to keep them on the job but will be required to report monthly on how many nurses theyve lost and why under a plan a state task force approved Friday. Kansas law required a bipartisan pandemic response task force to spell out how the $50 million would be spent, and the task force added the reporting requirement. The task forces meeting came a day after President Joe Biden imposed new vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans. Republican officials in Kansas and across the nation strongly criticized Bidens mandate. Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican and a task force member, proposed the reporting on nurses who've been terminated. He called Biden's new federal vaccine requirements dictatorial edicts. We've had frontline workers I mean, you can call them heroes on the front lines for the last year and a half, Masterson said. He also said he worries that "We're gonna get some of them premium pay and we are going to give some others a pink slip. Earlier in the week, Masterson proposed to make hospitals with vaccine mandates ineligible for retention incentives, a proposal that failed on a 5-2 vote. The task force also added requirements for hospitals to report monthly on their turnover rates among nurses. The change was requested by Jon Rolph, a Wichita restaurant company CEO that Kelly appointed to the panel. The retention incentives are capped at $13 an hour and $25,000 a year to comply with federal requirements. The program will last six months. Meanwhile, Attorney General Derek Schmidt signaled that he's likely to join other Republican state officials in challenging Biden's new vaccine requirements. Schmidt issued a statement saying that no president has the authority to issue the mandate that Biden did Thursday. The Democratic president's requirements affect federal government workers and contractors, health care workers and employees of companies with 100 or more workers. Private employers would have to get their employees vaccinated or tested weekly. Republican governors in Montana and Wyoming as well as Oklahoma's GOP attorney general have all vowed to fight the mandate. In Missouri, Republican Gov. Mike Parson is considering calling a special session of the Legislature to challenge it. Schmidt said: If the presidents overreaching rhetoric becomes federal action, then rest assured we will vigorously challenge it. Republicans in the state's congressional delegation also promised to fight the mandates. In a tweet, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall called it a terrifying glimpse of the new Marxist Dem Party. Kansas Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Alan Cobb said employers be allowed to decide whether to require vaccinations for their workers and neither states nor the federal government should either require vaccinations or prohibit vaccine mandates from employers. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The only Kansas Democrat in Congress, Kansas City-area Rep. Sharice Davids, avoided directly endorsing or criticizing Biden's actions, tweeting that listening to scientists would allow the U.S. to put this pandemic behind us. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly also avoided a public position for now. Spokesperson Sam Coleman said her office is seeking more guidance from the federal government and Kelly will make decisions "based on science, not politics. The more contagious delta variant has caused an increase in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations since late June. Kansas averaged 1,433 new cases, 35 new hospitalizations and 19 additional deaths a day during the seven days ending Friday, according to state health department data. Meanwhile, U.S. government data showed that Kansas continues to lag behind the nation as a whole in vaccinations, with 49.3% of its 2.9 million residents fully inoculated as of Friday. The national figure was 53.6%. ___ Andy Tsubasa Field 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. ___ On Twitter, follow John Hanna at https://twitter.com/apjdhanna and Andy Tsubasa Field at https://twitter.com/AndyTsubasaF I try to visit ground zero every year on Aug. 19. To avoid crowds, I get up very early or go very late. On the way to the place I dread the most, I buy an assorted bouquet of roses and other flowers. I pick out a selection of red, yellow and white those were my mothers favorite colors. Approaching the memorial pool, I scope out the far-left corner of the footprint of the World Trade Centers south tower, and there it is: Sol E. Colon, carved in black stone. I break off a few of the roses at the stems and tuck the flowers into the letters. Happy birthday, I tell her in my head. This visit gets harder every year, but for me its better than being there on Sept. 11, when the site is thronged by politicians as well as other grieving families. Ground zero is the spot on the map where too much of my heartbreak and lost memories are buried a literal pit of despair. I stopped going to that annual service a few years ago, when I turned 18. My father still goes every year wearing a shirt with my mothers bright, sweet face printed across it. He wants to hear her name read aloud. Many families of the lost visit the memorial on Sept. 11. It brings them solace to listen to the names of their loved ones be read by fellow mourners. Some wear shirts like my fathers; others carry framed photos or even the missing-person flyers that are artifacts from the immediate aftermath of the attacks. The eeriest element of the annual service is the bells that track the timeline of the attacks: At 8:46 a.m., the service comes to a dead stop and a bell rings to signify the minute when the north tower was struck. The site becomes devastatingly quiet; it feels like the moment of silence can be felt across the country. This happens several times throughout the memorial; the final bell marks the the moment after both towers were left in pieces, leaving more than 2,750 people dead. My mom was one of those lost. People who are just a few years older than I am can say exactly where they were when the twin towers fell. But I was only 3, and remember nothing about that day. Its a very different story for my father. Colon family photo Be careful On Sept. 11, 2001, Ben Colon drove his wife to work at the World Trade Center. They arrived early, so they sat in the car talking and eating buttered rolls from a coffee cart. They discussed the recent bomb threat at the twin towers. She worked for AON, a British-owned multinational insurance company that had offices on several of the upper floors of the south tower. Sol Valiente was a New York City native who grew up in the Bronx; my grandmother raised her as a single parent. My parents met at my aunts hair salon, and married in 1993. My sister was born two years later; I arrived three years after that. In September 2001, my mother was 39 years old. You have to be careful, he told her that morning. If you hear of anything, leave the building immediately. You have two daughters you need to come home to. Dont wait for anybody just get out of the building. The conversation continues to haunt him. After giving her his usual goodbye kiss and saying I love you, he drove to work in the Bronx. He and his co-workers at the city Department of Environmental Protection went to a blood drive in Queens. My father was in a chair giving blood when someone burst in. Hey, did you just hear? they shouted. A plane just flew into the World Trade Center. The north tower had been hit first, at 8:46 a.m. United Flight 175 struck the south tower 16 minutes later, tearing through the building a few floors beneath AONs offices. Ben grabbed his phone. My mothers line was busy. I tried several times, and then the lines went dead, he said. He and a co-worker whose mother worked in one of the towers sped toward lower Manhattan, and made it as far as South Street Seaport near the Brooklyn Bridge. We couldnt go any further because all of the people were coming from that area, and the dust was so thick that we couldnt even see past that point, Ben said. It was just horrible to see these people running away, covered in dust, coughing, choking, trying to get out of there. It was mass hysteria, he said. He waited there until night fell, and then started searching hospitals across the five boroughs. My father spent the week scouring emergency rooms, poring over sign-in sheets for her name while my sister and I stayed with my grandmother. There was no sign of her, he said. At that point, I started to get the feeling that she was gone. In the aftermath, he focused on a trait of my mothers that he loved the most it provided him with a possible reason why she never made it out of the building in the 73 minutes between the first planes impact on the north tower and the south towers collapse a minute before 10 a.m. Colon family photo She loved her job. She worked with these people for over 20 years and they were like a family, he said. She was the type of person who would give the shirt off of her back to someone who needed it. This isnt just a case of my father thinking good thoughts: Ben later talked to a friend and co-worker of my mother who saw her on the elevator exchange the concourse that served as a transit point for people using the bank of elevators that serviced the towers upper floors. When the woman asked my mother if she was leaving, Sol said not yet she was waiting for her boss and friends to make sure they got out. That will likely be the only thing Ill ever know about my mothers final minutes. Robbed of a good life I asked my dad what kept him going through the months and years that followed. He said it was his desire to give my sister and me the lives our mother had wanted for us. I feel that Ive been robbed of a good life with my wife, he said. I just tried the best I could, and at the same time tried to keep her memory going by remembering her in my heart. It wasnt until I was 8 that I discovered what 9/11 meant by watching the DVD of a CBS documentary that I pulled off my fathers shelf. I sat in his office and watched. I remember being overwhelmed at the footage of the planes striking the towers and people leaping to their death as fire engulfed the top floors. I felt heavy and anxious, like my chest was burning. And when I saw the towers fall, I started crying uncontrollably. My father had told me she had died in the twin towers, but there was something very different about watching footage of the towers burning and collapsing, and knowing she had been trapped inside. That was the day I finally understood why people often apologized when they asked me about her or realized why I missed school every Sept. 11. After that, I began to have nightmares about my mother trapped in the building, coughing, gasping from the smoke and reaching out for my hand; Id never be able to save her. In the summers, my sister and I went to Americas Camp in the Berkshires, a program specifically created for children who lost family on Sept. 11. It might have been the one place I felt completely safe, around others who felt all the same emotions and loss. One day in early May 2011, I walked into the living room and found my father watching CNN. He looked over at me and said, Shayla, did you see? They got him. Osama bin Laden had been killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan. My father didnt say anything else. When I recently asked him about that moment, he told me he was glad they had brought the mastermind of the attacks to justice but it didnt change anything for him. Those people who took my wife paid that same price, he said. Theyre gone, and all they did was ruin families, 3,000 or more families outside of ruining their own families. While some families have received partial remains of their loved ones, no trace of my mother has yet been identified. My sister has wanted me to give a DNA sample to the lab that helps identify the lost, but Ive resisted the idea. All my life, Ive avoided thinking about her death and focused on the few, happy flashes of memory I have of her. Id like to keep it that way. Instead, Ive held onto an old work ID card of hers from the 90s that has a photo showing her gentle smile. Thats closer to how I prefer to remember her. Some other fragments of her are ingrained in my memory. I think theyve shaped who Ive become this far into my life, from how I empathize with others to how I mourn, and why I became a journalist. Colon family photo People talk about mourning as if the sense of loss grows smaller or more manageable over time, but Im not so sure. The gaping hole left by my mothers loss can actually feel like its getting larger. I now realize that I normalized how my single father played both parenting roles. As Ive aged, her absence has become more of a disruption in my life. When my mother died, I knew her only in the awestruck way an infant looks at their parents. So shes the woman who would fall asleep watching telenovelas on our funky red couch, and awake to her small daughters and her husband throwing pillows at her. Shes the one who dressed my chubby toddler legs in holiday dresses and took me to the World Trade Center to have my picture taken with a Teletubby. Shes the person who bought my sister bouquets for each ballet recital. And for every fraction of a memory, there are thousands more in which I wondered why she couldnt be around. Ive had friends and relatives tell me the same thing for years: Youre just like her la misma Soledi. I want to ask them: Who is this Soledi I remind you so much of, this woman whose memory makes your eyes well up at the mention of her name? Shayla Colon covers business for the Times Union. She is in her second year with the Hearst Fellowship program. SARATOGA SPRINGS City police said they arrested two more Black Lives Matter activists on Thursday for blocking traffic during a July 14 rally prompting questions about why warrants are being filed against activists for minor charges more than two months later, and why most elected officials are silent on the issue. Jamaica Miles, co-founder of the racial justice group All of Us and a Schenectady school board member, turned herself in to police on Thursday morning after a warrant was issued for her arrest on disorderly conduct, a violation, and second-degree unlawful imprisonment, a misdemeanor. Saratoga police allege Miles and other protesters stood around a man's car and wouldn't let him leave during the rally on Broadway in July. That night the police allege the man called 911 to try and get the protesters to move because he said he needed to go home to take his heart medication. Two other protesters have been charged solely with disorderly conduct. Four protesters were charged Tuesday, with three of them being taken off the sidewalk in front of City Hall while they were protesting the first arrest in their group. A fifth protester was charged with throwing a water bottle at officers as they were detaining the other protesters, and allegedly resisting arrest when they took her into custody. In addition to Miles, Democratic candidate for Clifton Park Town Board, Alex Patterson, was also newly arrested, marking the seventh activist to be charged. He said he was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon by Saratoga County deputies while delivering pizzas. He was detained overnight on the same charges as Miles. He was arraigned Thursday morning, as was Miles, in City Court. Saratoga Springs police spokesman Robert Jillson said Thursday that more arrests are pending from warrants that were issued on Aug. 31 after an investigation into those who blocked the car in July. The police actions are the latest in a volatile back-and-forth between city police and Black Lives Matter activists since last year. Saratoga police and county deputies have responded to demonstrations on Broadway clad in riot gear, using large tactical vehicles, and in one incident shooting pepper balls at protesters. Assistant Police Chief John Catone held a press conference in June where he blamed violent incidents in the tony tourist destination on the social justice movement and Albany "gangs," and that he would "pull out every single connection my family has made over the last 130 years and I will stop your narrative," referencing his feelings that activists are painting his officers as racist. BLM leader Lexis Figuereo was not only charged for the July 14 protest on Broadway Tuesday, but also for his alleged conduct at City Council meetings July 6 and July 20. He is facing an obstructing governmental administration charge, a misdemeanor, in those instances. When asked Thursday if issuing warrants and taking people into custody for such charges was excessive, Jillson said it was not. Patterson was also held in jail for 14 hours awaiting arraignment. It happens quite often, Jillson said. These arrests are based on actions conducted by the people we are charging. It has nothing to do with suppressing their civil rights or suppressing their right to protest peacefully. Its to hold them accountable for actions that violated the law. Meanwhile the two Saratoga Springs elected officials who would have the most to say about such actions, Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton and Mayor Meg Kelly, have not spoken on the matter since the first arrests were made Tuesday. Kelly is not running for re-election, and Dalton is running as an independent for mayor. Commissioners John Franck and Anthony Skip Scirocco also did not returns calls for comment Thursday. Miles promised that protesters are not standing for it. We expect the First Amendment rights as everyone else, Miles said during a news conference on the steps of City Hall on Thursday after she was arraigned. It sends the message that those currently in positions of power are willing to abuse their positions to maintain that power. What we are seeing in real-time is government retaliation. James Montagnino, a trial attorney running as a Democrat for public safety commissioner in November, said he believes the action was taken to inconvenience the protesters. Its used as a deterrent, to keep them from doing what they are doing, said Montagnino, who was also at the Thursday news conference. He followed up with a written statement that said he was deeply troubled by the arrests. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Several individuals were charged with offenses arising out of a civil rights demonstration held in Saratoga Springs on July 14 of this year, his statement read. While I am not privy to any evidence or potential merit of the criminal charges that have been filed, there are some serious questions about the circumstances of these arrests that should be answered by (Dalton)." He said defendants could have been presented with a summons, therefore warrants could have been avoided. Why were police officers, members of the public and the defendants themselves put at risk by requiring full-blown custodial arrests for misdemeanor charges, when the far less intrusive alternative of a summons was available? Montagnino asked. Tracey LaBelle, the Republican candidate for public safety, did not respond immediately to an email requesting comment on the issue. Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan did respond to a Times Union request for comment, saying she knew nothing about the move to arrest people. I had no knowledge of the pending arrests or knowledge of the timing of said arrests, Madigan said. She instead said she is working on hiring a mediation service to bring together city leaders and BLM members. The city and Saratoga BLM have tried talking to each other, and it has not been productive, Madigan said. All involved parties feel they are not being heard and have grown increasingly frustrated. This is why I suggested we enter into professional mediation, a structured process where an impartial professional third-party can assist us all in resolving conflict and addressing our concerns. Our goal is to make progress, as previous attempts at unmediated dialog have been unsuccessful. Figuereo said he doesnt want the city to spend thousands of dollars on mediators and would rather see the money to go to something useful, like feeding homeless residents. He said the arrests will not dissuade him or others from protesting. "This is a political ploy, a political assassination of Black Lives Matter activists," Figuereo said. "They want us to shut down. We refuse to shutdown and we refuse to shut-up." Provided photo ALBANY A man wanted for an ambush-style slaying in Philadelphia last fall was arrested Friday after trying to evade capture by pushing an air conditioner from a second-story window and leaping out, police said. Carlos Morales, 27, was arrested by the NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force Albany, a consortium of regional agencies coordinated by the U.S. Marshals Service. ALBANY Nearly a decade after a Schenectady woman experienced a seizure at the Camp Bisco summer music festival that led to her eventual death, attorneys for her family, festival organizers and the Duanesburg venue where it was held are still battling over a wrongful death lawsuit. Heather Bynum was 24 when she attended the festival at the Indian Lookout Country Club in Mariaville on July 12, 2012. She took a mix of drugs and alcohol, suffered a seizure, stopped breathing and suffered irreversible brain damage that left her comatose and helpless until her May 6, 2016 death at 28. The annual electronic music gathering at the county's rural western edge had been controversial before and after Bynum's seizure. Over the years of Bisco at Indian Lookout, at least one other patron died, dozens were hospitalized in serious condition and hundreds were arrested on a range of charges, most related to drugs and alcohol. Bynum's mother, Deborah Bynum, sued Camp Bisco in state Supreme Court in Schenectady County, arguing that the venues lack of emergency services and inability to provide prompt treatment delayed her care and caused her injuries and death. The lawyer who represents Camp Bisco and Indian Lookout is asking the appeals court to dismiss the case before trial, arguing that Bynum's actions caused her death. The lawsuit, initially filed in August 2013, is now before the states second-highest court where arguments on both sides were aired Thursday in Albany. Drug use and drug overdoses at Camp Bisco were not only foreseeable. They were inevitable, Jason A. Frament, the Bynum familys attorney, told five justices with the Appellate Division of state Supreme Courts Third Department. Frament said two months before the event, an emergency medical technician told the venue that a year earlier he had witnessed 12 drug overdoses from Camp Bisco admitted to Ellis Hospital alone. Bynum needed to be stabilized on-site, the attorney said. Frament said illegal drug use was rampant and that no police were allowed on-site. Frament argued that additional security would have prevented people from doing drugs. He said while Bynum and her fiance, Ronald Elwertowski, were in the woods and not in a designated VIP area as expected, there were no signs prominently telling people not to go there. This was a free-for-all, he said. In a court brief, he called the summer event, which was sponsored by the Philadelphia-based band The Disco Biscuits, a "tox fest with a cover band." Schenectady County declined to issue a permit for the festival in 2015. Frament alleged that in 2012, Camp Bisco organizers lied about the size of the annual music event "over and over again," adding, And now theyre sitting here telling you they should get away with it. Frament said Camp Bisco claimed that 12,000 people would attend the festival but even by the venue's admission, 22,000 people attended. Frament argued that based on trends that showed increasing attendance at the event, more than 30,000 people attended. Under state law, that would mandate that a physician be on the site. Matthew J. Kelly, an attorney for Camp Bisco, told justices that some 26,000 people attended the festival over three days. He said the number never reached the level of needing a doctor. Kelly asked the justices to dismiss the case, arguing that Camp Bisco had a plan that had been approved and bore no legal responsibility for Bynum's injuries and death. In a court brief, Kelly said Bynum "chose to smuggle illegal drugs onto the premises" and split with her fiance 30 cans of beer, 10 doses of "Molly," identified as a purer form of Ecstasy, and used marijuana in less than nine hours. "This tragic outcome, however, was the result of (Bynam) personal decisions and not because of any negligence on the part of defendants," Kelly stated. Court documents show that before the 2012 event, Camp Bisco and the Duanesburg Volunteer Ambulance Corps (DVAC) entered into a contract to have one basic life-support ambulance on-site with at least one emergency medical technician, a driver and a standby ambulance offsite upon request. After it was agreed upon, Robert McHugh, an outreach physician from Ellis Hospital and medical director of DVAC, sent an email saying that he believed a physician should be on-site for triage and stabilization. "My concern is both the history of overdoses but also the potential for heat casualties and further toxicological events," McHugh wrote, according to court papers. "One [h]ot day or a bad batch of drugs and this can quickly turn into a public health disaster." Additional advanced life support was, in turn, added to the event. Peter Brodie, an EMT who worked at Camp Bisco, testified that he never thought an on-site physician was needed because he understood there were less than 30,000 people. Brodie swore in an affidavit that Bynum's decision to camp in deep woods and take alcohol and drugs were the reasons for her condition and the time it took to get her to the hospital. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. On Thursday, Kelly noted that McHugh testified that he agreed with Brodie that from an EMS plan perspective, the plan put in place "went well." Justice Molly Reynolds Fitzgerald asked Kelly: "The bottom line here is whether or not it's foreseeable you're going to have drug overdoses and you had 12 the year before, right? So is that foreseeable, number one, and number two, given if it's foreseeable, is your medical response plan reasonable?" Kelly said Camp Bisco had no legal duty to meet any requirements other than what was in the regulations for less than 30,000 people at the event. "The plaintiff's expert can certainly argue that we should have had a field hospital and 12 surgeons there," Kelly said. "That doesn't mean it's a duty of ours until the regulations are amended and say, 'this is what you have to do.' We met the regulations. ... The regulations set the bar that we have to meet. Once we meet that bar and it's accepted by the county, we've met our obligation." Kelly added: "I submit to you that that's the way the case should be decided. Unfortunately, the plaintiff's action were the sole proximate cause of her injury and it's regrettable." In 2013, Bynum's mother told the Times Union her daughter could no longer hold a spoon or do anything for herself. "Before she was an extreme overachiever, she worked two jobs, she put away money,' she said. "Now, she can't even brush her teeth." The case is before Fitzgerald and justices Sharon Aarons, Michael Lynch, Stanley Pritzker and John Colangelo. Farmington, WV (26555) Today Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High around 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening with a few showers possible overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Farmington, WV (26555) Today Thunderstorms likely this morning. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High around 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening with some fog possible late. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. This is How Common Hate Crimes are in Pennsylvania Compared to Other States Mattea is new host for West Virginia's Mountain Stage show A new host will be behind the microphone for the Mountain Stage show on Sunday in West Virginia The Nevada Supreme Court is considering a thorny question in a state where the part-time Legislature meets every two years and many lawmakers hold full-time jobs other than their elected positions: Should a person who makes the law also enforce the law For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, KELO-TV. Allied First Bank Chooses Finn AI Chatbots for Better Customer Experiences AI Chatbots are increasingly being used by businesses to help provide quality support via the online channel. These bots are steps ahead of the messaging applications of the past as they can provide accurate and personalized recommendations and intelligently respond to customer requests. Allied First Bancorp, a full-service bank in Oswego, Illinois which provides financial services to customers nationwide, has announced a new partnership with Finn AI, an AI-powered chatbot platform for banks and credit unions. As per their partnership, they will provide automated customer service to improve the banks customer satisfaction levels while giving backup and support to alleviate its live agent team. As part of the announcement, the company said it is also working with AnyHour Solutions, a contact center managed service provider, to help assist the banks support staff to deliver the best possible customer service experience. As more and more customers connect with businesses online they expect quality care they receive via digital activity to be flawless. With the pandemic, our contact center was buried in calls and service requests. We wanted a conversational AI chatbot to take pressure off our employees, provide an additional self-service channel, and reduce operating costs said Kenneth Bertrand, President and CEO of Allied First Bank. AnyHour and Finn AI address the unique needs of our industry. Plus, with their Turn-Key, Managed Service approach, we do not have to hire internal AI-app developers. The Finn AI chatbot was the perfect choice for their needs as it is specially trained for the banking industry. With the ability to understand over 800+ common banking questions it can quickly step in and remove some of the burden and pressure off of the banks contact center staff. The new, intuitive self-service option will be the first channel and when a live agent is needed they will be able to step in. Banks need to ensure their digital infrastructure can handle this new surge of traffic. Our chatbot can answer simple inquiries customers have automatically, without requiring a human agent. When they need to talk to a human, however, AnyHour can step in with a trained live agent to handle the conversation. The two service providers work together perfectly to greatly improve the speed and efficiency of the customer service experience, said Jake Tyler, CEO and Co-Founder of Finn AI. Edited by Luke Bellos [September 10, 2021] 3D Systems Advances Jewelry Design with Launch of VisiJet Wax Jewel Red Material Material enables new design styles for companys renowned 100% pure wax 3D printing solution for jewelry casting Facilitates more intricate designs with improved pattern durability and flexibility ROCK HILL, South Carolina, Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD), the jewelry market leader in 100% lost wax casting, today introduced VisiJet Wax Jewel Red the latest innovation to its materials portfolio that is transforming the art of jewelry production. VisiJet Wax Jewel Red enables jewelry manufacturers to design and produce more intricate, durable patterns - unlocking new design styles for 100% wax casting - as well as delivering improved production efficiency and reduced waste. This material in conjunction with 3D Systems wax 3D printing technology and additive manufacturing software integrates seamlessly into standard lost wax casting processes and delivers increased freedom of design with same-day pattern printing and casting while eliminating tooling time and costs. Wax 3D printing has become the recognized standard for the production of patterns for jewelry casting. However, some styles and designs require fine meshes and intricate details that are difficult to achieve. 3D Systems new VisiJet Wax Jewel Red is engineered specifically to address the needs of casting houses producing jewelry patterns that include fusion and stone-setting designs. The companys latest material delivers significantly increased flexibility which reduces breakage as a result of handling through the entire lost wax casting process, especially for features such as lightweight filigree and thin wire mesh designs. Casting houses using this breakthrough material as part of their workflow will be able to produce more durable, flexible patterns thus helping them reduce waste, time, and cost. Additive manufacturing has made its mark on the jewelry industry - allowing artisans to push the boundaries and take their creativity to new levels, said Dr. Edwin Hortelano, senior vice president, materials engineering & development, 3D Systems. We created VisiJet Wax Jewel Red as the next step in our 100% wax casting portfolio, specifically to enable the unmatched quality of lost wax casting for jewelry design styles with fine features. This addition helps artisans and casting houses deliver unique desigs while improving productivity and reducing costs. VisiJet Wax Jewel Red is the latest 3D Systems innovation to support the companys efforts to advance applications for jewelry manufacturing. This material expands the applications that can be addressed with 3D Systems jewelry additive manufacturing solution which also includes the companys ProJet MJP 2500W, 3D Sprint, and 3D Connect. The complete solution was developed to produce jewelry casting patterns that integrate into standard lost wax casting processes and deliver high-quality, reliable output every time. VisiJet Wax Jewel Red is planned to be available on September 20, 2021. For more information on this material, please visit the 3D Systems website. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from historical results or from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In many cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "believes," "belief," "expects," "may," "will," "estimates," "intends," "anticipates" or "plans" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based upon managements beliefs, assumptions, and current expectations and may include comments as to the companys beliefs and expectations as to future events and trends affecting its business and are necessarily subject to uncertainties, many of which are outside the control of the company. The factors described under the headings "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the companys periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other factors, could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected or predicted in forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove to be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or results will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included are made only as of the date of the statement. 3D Systems undertakes no obligation to update or review any forward-looking statements made by management or on its behalf, whether as a result of future developments, subsequent events or circumstances or otherwise. About 3D Systems More than 30 years ago, 3D Systems brought the innovation of 3D printing to the manufacturing industry. Today, as the leading additive manufacturing solutions partner, we bring innovation, performance, and reliability to every interaction - empowering our customers to create products and business models never before possible. Thanks to our unique offering of hardware, software, materials, and services, each application-specific solution is powered by the expertise of our application engineers who collaborate with customers to transform how they deliver their products and services. 3D Systems solutions address a variety of advanced applications in healthcare and industrial markets such as medical and dental, aerospace & defense, automotive, and durable goods. More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com. Investor Contact: investor.relations@3dsystems.com Media Contact: press@3dsystems.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ec8d433-1850-4ba3-b2fc-6bd8915d1f50 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] ALYI Highlights Strategy To Beat EV Industry Profit Trends Dallas, TX, Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alternet Systems, Inc. (OTC Pink: ALYI) (ALYI) today highlighted the companys strategy to beat electric vehicle industry profit trends after yesterday announcing a $2 million revenue target for 2021 from its first sales of electric vehicles. The company expects to begin delivery on an order of 2,000 electric motorcycles slated for service in the motorcycle taxi (boda boda) market in Africa. The global motorcycle taxi market was valued by Verified Market Research at $16 billion in 2018 and expected to grow to over 29 billion by 2026. ALYI will not just generate revenue selling electric motorcycles into the taxi market, ALYI will also generate revenue from participating in the taxi market itself. ALYI expects to acquire an equity stake in a motorcycle taxi business and generate revenue from taxi operations. ALYI plans to evolve the taxi operations long-term into a rideshare operation. Through participation in the taxi operations, ALYI expects to produce higher gross margins than typical Electric Vehicle (EV) businesses are designed to generate. Tesla, for instance, reported a 24% gross margin as of June 30, 2021 . Uber reported a 46% gross margin as of June 30, 2021 . ALYI plans to generate revenue not just from the sale of EVs, but also, for instance, from the rideshare business the company is delivering EVs to. ALYIs 2021 revenue target may increase with the addition of EV sales before year end in Ethiopia. The company has previously announced the expansion of an EV pilot into Ethiopia and management is optimistic the pilot may convert into additional EV sales before year end. While ALYI is generating its first EV industry revenues from the sale of electric motorcycles, ALYI is not just an electric motorcycle business. ALYI is seeding an extensive overall Electric Vehicle Ecosystem Business Strategy with an Electric Motorcycle Business. ALYI is building an entire Electric Vehicle (EV) Ecosystem that addresses the entire EV adoption environment from the perpetual design of best in class vehicles to the perpetual design of the myriad of mechanical and digital systems that go into a best in class vehicle; from the charging and maintenance infrastructure that goes into supporting consumer and commercial vehicles, to the EV value proposition itself that drives consumers and businesses to transition from combuston engines to electric powered vehicles. ALYI plans to make its EV Ecosystem Business a central brand name in the overall EV industry with the participation of major auto industry brand names. ALYI is building a core element into its Ecosystem that attracts, if not compels the participation of all would be brand name EV industry leaders in an annual EV symposium and conference. The EV symposium and conference will be anchored by an EV race event in Kenya that in addition to adding substantial revenue, comes with a substantial brand name. The EV race market was valued in 2019 at over $80 billion dollars and is anticipated to grow to over $200 billion by 2025 . ALYIs EV Ecosystem is founded on building participation in an EV race event as a central component in advancing EV technology and EV branding. ALYI has been developing a partnership with a major EV racing brand for more than two years now. Over a year ago, ALYI entered into a formal partnership agreement that includes that EV racing brand. The first milestone objectives contemplated under the agreement have been achieved and the next steps are imminent. ALYI expects the next steps to include naming the EV racing brand at which time, ALYI management anticipates ALYIs overall visibility within the global EV market to be substantially elevated. The objective of the EV symposium and conference anchored by an EV race is to advance EV technology by building EV solutions for the African market a power constrained, rugged environment with one of the lowest per capita transportation deployments in the world. EV solutions for the African market will be applicable the world around. EV solutions designed and built in Africa also contribute to building an autonomous African economy. ALYI expects to soon make an announcement in regard to taking an equity stake in an African EV race business related to the previously mentioned global EV race brand. ALYI has designed its EV ecosystem solution to include democratized participation. ALYI has partnered with RevoltTOKEN to finance ALYIs growth by offering participation in the EV ecosystem through the sale of Revolt Tokens. To learn more about RevoltTOKEN and how to participate in ALYIs electric vehicle ecosystem through the purchase of Revolt Tokens, visit https://rvlttoken.com/ . For more information and to stay up to date on ALYI's overall latest developments, please visit www.alternetsystemsinc.com . Disclaimer/Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act. The statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Among others, these risks include the expectation that any of the companies mentioned herein will achieve significant sales, the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of the companies' contracts, the companies' liquidity position, the companies' ability to obtain new contracts, the emergence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing. In the light of these uncertainties, the forward-looking events referred to in this release might not occur. For more information, please visit: http://www.alternetsystemsinc.com Alternet Systems, Inc. Contact: Randell Torno info@lithiumip.com +1-800-713-0297 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale Mobilizes BV Cares to Help Support Families of Haitian Staff Impacted by Earthquake Devastation With deep ties to Haiti, Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale staff members, local partners, and friends have mobilized BV Cares to create a fund that directly supports relief efforts for Haiti as the situation worsens - leaving Haitians in desperate need of medical and health care, emergency shelter, safe drinking water, food and sanitation assistance. "The earthquake caused a lot of damage and displaced many people from their homes including two of my aunts, who are single mothers, and their five children. Their home became uninhabitable from the damage, and they are temporarily living in a tent," says Loudeny Destin, Caregiver at Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale. "The people of Haiti need a helping hand right now, so it means a lot to me and many of my fellow co-workers that Belmont Village is raising money for relief efforts." Established in 2008, BV Cares has helped support employees and their families experiencing financial hardship or those affected by natural and catastrophic disasters. Examples include support for hurricanes Ike and Harvey, typhoon relief for the Philippines and winter storms in Texas, multiple California wildfires, COVID-19 and now, in Haiti, a crisis that touches the Fort Lauderdale community so greatly. Belmont Village has made an initial donation of $5,000 and will match further contributions dollar for dollar. As of September 8th, Belmont Village has raised nearly $7,000 in cash and $5,000 of in-kind donatons to aid the cause. 100% of the funds benefit Haiti relief efforts by Americares, a health-focused relief and development organization that responds to people affected by poverty or disaster with life-changing medicine, medical supplies, and health programs. "I'm proud of our staff, residents and families for jumping into action as soon as the earthquake hit Haiti," says Belmont Village founder and CEO Patricia Will. "When a member of our community is in need, BV Cares provides immediate support to ensure our communities have the resources they need personally or to best serve our residents." To donate: Text BV Cares to 76278 or visit https://bvcares.givesmart.com/. About Belmont Village Senior Living Founded in Houston in 1997, Belmont Village is an integrated developer, owner, and operator of high-quality seniors housing with more than 4000 employees. Its communities are renowned for distinctive design, high standards of life safety, reputation for quality of care and leading edge, award-winning programs. Belmont Village is certified as a Great Place to Work and has been ranked as one of FORTUNE Magazine's 50 Best Workplaces for Aging Services since 2018. Learn more about Belmont Village at www.belmontvillage.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210910005272/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] Mastercard Names Candido Botelho Bracher to Board of Directors Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE: MA) today announced that its board of directors has named Candido Botelho Bracher as an independent director, effective immediately. "Candido's deep and sophisticated experience across the private sector in Brazil and the broader Latin America region make him a valuable addition to the board," said Ajay Banga, executive chairman, Mastercard. "He is a thoughtful and innovative thinker, with a bias for action. In his four years at the helm of Itau, Candido deepened the bank's ties with key stakeholders, reinforced by the positive impact delivered to his customers and employees. We look forward to his guidance and contribution to the future of our company." Bracher brings more than 30 years of experience in global financial services to the Mastercard board. He is currently a member of the board of directors at Itau Unibanco Group, the largest financial coglomerate in the southern hemisphere. He served as the company's president and chief executive officer from 2017 to February 2021, a capstone to a 14-year career at Itau. During his term, the bank ushered in a new digital transformation and deepened its focus on customer experience. Bracher held positions at Banco Itamarati, Bahia Corretora, Banco da Bahia Investimentos and the Development Bank of the State of Sao Paulo. Early in his career, Bracher was part of the team that created BBA Creditanstal in 1988, helping to evolve it into a leading wholesale investment bank in Brazil. It merged with Itau in 2003 to form Itau BBA, the country's leading investment bank. Previously, he served as a member of the board of directors of B3 S.A. - Brasil, Bolsa, Balcao - and Companhia Brasileira de Distribuicao. Bracher holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the Fundacao Getulio Vargas (FGV), Sao Paulo, Brazil. About Mastercard (NYSE: MA) Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all. www.mastercard.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210910005294/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] Spaulding Ridge Named a Best Firm to Work For by Consulting Magazine for Third Consecutive Year. Ranks Fourth Among Top 21 Firms in the US. CHICAGO, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Spaulding Ridge, global cloud advisory and implementation firm, has been named by Consulting magazine as a 'Best Firms to Work For, 2021'. Ranked fourth out of 21 global firms recognized on the list, the rankings are based on employee satisfaction surveys of more than 300 firms focusing on the categories of culture, career development, client engagement, and firm leadership, as well as compensation and benefits. Even in the face of the pandemic, 2021 has been a banner year for Spaulding Ridge. This latest recognition by Consulting magazine follows accolades from the Chicago Tribune and Top Workplaces, who have both recognized Spaulding Ridge in their lists for 2021. And it also comes during a time of significant global expansion -- the firm recently opened offices in Australia and India, as well as increased headcount by 60% with 80% growth in revenue this year alone. "Despite thispast year's changes and challenges of a dynamic workplace environment, our strong commitment to creating a remote-friendly, collaborative culture across the globe continues to be recognized. This award which essentially comes from within reflects our 'employee-first' culture," said Jay Laabs, CEO, Spaulding Ridge. "I'm honored to work with such an impressive team as we bring best-in-cloud transformations to leading companies across the globe." Spaulding Ridge is a cloud advisory and implementation firm to enterprise companies across the globe. The company advises and implements only the very best in cloud applications all of which are recognized as leaders in Gartner's Magic Quadrant. This is Spaulding Ridge's third year to receive Consulting magazine's Best Firms to Work For, since its founding in 2018. About Spaulding Ridge An award-winning provider of Cloud solutions and advisory services, Spaulding Ridge helps leading companies deploy Best-in-Cloud solutions on a global scale. Spaulding Ridge enables organizations to accelerate operational efficiency, drive digital transformation, and increase competitive advantage. Spaulding Ridge partners with digitally savvy companies to help: Finance to gain control: Increase top-line revenue, gross margins, and profits through better insight. Connect financial planning to strategy and automate financial close processes. Sales to increase productivity: Manage quota and territories more consistently and effectively, automate customer contracts and onboarding. Operations to drive efficiency: Improve supply chain agility, automate strategic sourcing and purchasing, deliver superior customer service experiences. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spaulding-ridge-named-a-best-firm-to-work-for-by-consulting-magazine-for-third-consecutive-year-ranks-fourth-among-top-21-firms-in-the-us-301373303.html SOURCE Spaulding Ridge, LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] Tauriga Sciences Inc. Successfully Renews its Status as a U.S. Federal Government Vendor The Companys Diversified Product Lines Provide for Multiple Potential Government Contract Opportunities NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: TAUG) (Tauriga or the Company), a New York based diversified Life Sciences Company, today announced that it has successfully renewed its status as a U.S. Federal Government Vendor (CAGE Code # 8QXV4). The Company originally achieved this above-referenced status during early October 2020. Since then, the Company has vastly expanded, enhanced, and diversified its products and product lines. The Company believes that there are multiple potential government contract opportunities. The Company works directly with Federal Award Management Registration (FAMR) to both identify prospective opportunities and formalize the bidding process for potential U.S. Government Contracts (Contracts). These potential Contracts are presented by the Department of Defense (DOD). FAMR is an independent consulting firm that specializes in: Registrations, Certifications, and Federal Contracting. In other news, the Company will be a corporate exhibitor at an Additional upcoming industry tradeshow. The Company will operate an Exhibitor Booth (# 5,070) at the USA CBD EXPO CHICAGO (the Event), which takes place on October 28th 30th, 2021 at McCormick Place (Chicago, Illinois). This Event is the Nations Largest CBD/Hemp Event. Link to Event: https://usacbdexpo.com/chicago/exhibitor-list/ Please See Below, the Companys Updated/Revised Tradeshow Itinerary: 1) HAMPTON CANNABIS EXPO 2021 August 29th, 2021 (East Hampton, New York) STATUS: Completed 2) The AATAC C-STORE TRADESHOW September 22nd-23rd, 2021 (Richmond, Virginia) STATUS: Upcoming 3) The WHITE LABEL WORLD EXPO September 30th, 2021 (New York City, New York) STATUS: Upcoming 4) MJ BIZ CON 2021 October 20th-22nd, 2021 (Las Vegas, Nevada) STATUS: Upcoming 5) USA CBD EXPO CHICAGO STATUS: Upcoming 6) KOSHERFEST 2021 November 9th-10th, 2021 (Secaucus, New Jersey) STATUS: Upcoming ABOUT TAURIGA SCIENCES INC. Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (TAUG) is a revenue generating, diversified life sciences company, engaged in several major business activities and initiatives. The company manufactures and distributes several proprietary retail products and product lines, mainly focused on the Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG) Edibles market segment. The main product line, branded as Tauri-Gum, consists of a proprietary supplement chewing gum that is Kosher certified, Halal certified, and Vegan Formulated (CBD Infused Tauri-Gum Flavors: Mint, Blood Orange, Pomegranate), (CBG Infused Tauri-Gum Flavors: Peach-Lemon, Black Currant), (DELTA 8 THC Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Evergreen Mint), (Vitamin C + Zinc Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Pear Bellini), (Caffeine Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Cherry Lime Rickey), & (Vitamin D3 Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Golden Raspberry). The Companys commercialization strategy consists of a broad array of retail customers, distributors, and a fast-growing E-Commerce business segment (E-Commerce website: www.taurigum.com). Please visit our corporate website, for additional information, as well as inquiries, at http://www.tauriga.com Complementary to the Companys retail business, is its ongoing Pharmaceutical Development initiative. This relates to the development of a proposed Pharmaceutical grade version of Tauri-Gum, for nausea regulation (specifically designed for the following indication: Patients Subjected to Ongoing Chemotherapy Treatment). On March 22, 2021, the Company announced that it had Converted its U.S. Provisional Patent Application (filed on March 17, 2020) into a U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application. The Patent, filed with the U.S.P.T.O. is Titled MEDICATED CBD COMPOSITIONS, METHODS OF MANUFACTURING, AND METHODS OF TREATMENT. On December 18, 2020 the Company disclosed that it had entered into a Master Services Agreement with CSTI to lead the Company's clinical development efforts. The Company is headquartered in Wappingers Falls, New York. In addition, the Company operates two full time E-Commerce fulfillment centers: one located in Montgomery, Texas and the other in Brooklyn, New York. DISCLAIMER -- Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which represent managements beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. These forward-looking statements are often indicated by using words such as may, will, expects, anticipates, believes, hopes, believes, or plans, and may include statements regarding corporate objectives as well as the attainment of certain corporate goals and milestones. Forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on managements present beliefs with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences or timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in forward looking statements due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, such as are not guarantees of general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to consummate successful acquisition and licensing transactions, fluctuations in exchange rates, and other factors over which Tauriga has little or no control. Many of these risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in the Risk Factors section of Taurigas Form 10-K and other periodic filings made from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Tauriga assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Contact: Tauriga Sciences, Inc. 4 Nancy Court, Suite 4 Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 Chief Executive Officer Mr. Seth M. Shaw Email: sshaw@tauriga.com cell # (917) 796 9926 Company Instagram: @taurigum Personal Instagram: @sethsms47 Twitter: @SethMShaw Corp. Website: www.tauriga.com E-Commerce Website: www.taurigum.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 09, 2021] Worldwide Server Market Revenue Declined 2.5% Year Over Year in the Second Quarter of 2021, According to IDC According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker, worldwide server market revenue declined 2.5% year over year to $23.6 billion during the second quarter of 2021 (2Q21). Worldwide server shipments surpassed 3.2 million during the quarter, an increase of just 0.1% over the previous year. Volume server revenue was up 5.6% to nearly $20.0 billion. Midrange server revenue declined 30.0% to $2.4 billion, and high-end servers declined by 32.7% to $1.3 billion. "Broadly speaking, server market performance was muted in the second quarter as the market shifted slightly towards single socket server configurations," said Paul Maguranis, senior research analyst, Infrastructure Platforms and Technologies at IDC. "While servers purchased directly from ODMs declined year over year, some past backlog recovery within the hyperscale datacenter community contributed to a large jump in this segment when compared to the first quarter of this year." Overall Server Market Standings, by Company HPE/H3Ca ended the quarter in a statistical tie* with Dell (News - Alert) Technologies for the top position in the worldwide server market. The revenue shares for the two companies were 15.7% and 15.6% respectively. Inspur/Inspur Power Systemsb ranked third with 9.4% revenue share. Lenovo (News - Alert) was in fourth place while IBM came in at fifth, with 7.0% share and 5.0% share respectively. The ODM Direct group of vendors accounted for 26.7% of total server revenue and declined 8.8% year over year to $6.3 billion while accounting for 32.2% of all units shipped during the quarter. Top 5 Companies, Worldwide Server Vendor Revenue, Market Share, and Growth, Second Quarter of 2021 (Revenues are in US$ Millions) Company 2Q21 Revenue 2Q21 Market Share 2Q20 Revenue 2Q20 Market Share 2Q21/2Q20 Revenue Growth T1. HPE/H3Ca* $3,704.6 15.7% $3,582.4 14.8% 3.4% T1. Dell Technologies* $3,680.3 15.6% $3,339.8 13.8% 10.2% 3. Inspur/Inspur Power Systemsb $2,212.7 9.4% $2,532.9 10.5% -12.6% 4. Lenovo $1,651.5 7.0% $1,466.6 6.1% 12.6% 5. IBM (News - Alert) $1,170.8 5.0% $1,453.5 6.0% -19.5% ODM Direct $6,307.4 26.7% $6,917.6 28.5% -8.8% Rest of Market $4,912.1 20.8% $4,942.3 20.4% -0.6% Total $23,639.4 100.0% $24,235.1 100.0% -2.5% Source (News - Alert) : IDC Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker, September 9, 2021 Notes: * IDC declares a statistical tie in the worldwide server market when there is a difference of one percent or less in the share of revenues or shipments among two or more vendors. (a) Due to the existing joint venture between HPE and H3C, IDC is reporting external market share on a global level for HPE and H3C as "HPE/H3C" starting from 2Q 2016. Per the JV agreement, Tsinghua Holdings subsidiary, Unisplendour Corporation, through a wholly owned affiliate, purchased a 51% stake in H3C and HPE has a 49% ownership stake in the new company. (b) Inspur revenues include revenues and server units for Inspur Power Systems. Inspur is reported as a separate company with revenues including Inspur OEM systems and Inspur Power Systems locally developed and branded systems revenue. Per the JV agreement, Inspur Power Commercial System Co., Ltd., has total registered capital of RMB 1 billion, with Inspur investing RMB 510 million for a 51% equity stake, and IBM investing RMB 490 million for the remaining 49% equity stake. In addition to the table above, a graphic illustrating the worldwide market share of the top 5 server companies in 2Q21 and 2Q20 is available by viewing this press release on IDC.com. Top 5 Companies, Worldwide Server Unit Shipments, Market Share, and Growth, Second Quarter of 2021 Company 2Q21 Unit Shipments 2Q21 Market Share 2Q20 Unit Shipments 2Q20 Market Share 2Q21/2Q20 Unit Growth 1. Dell Technologies 529,804 16.4% 432,556 13.4% 22.5% 2. HPE/H3Ca 446,168 13.8% 456,642 14.2% -2.3% 3. Inspur/Inspur Power Systemsb 324,717 10.1% 353,329 11.0% -8.1% 4. Lenovo 201,554 6.2% 193,086 6.0% 4.4% 5. Super Micro 158,580 4.9% 152,319 4.7% 4.1% ODM Direct 1,039,601 32.2% 1,096,765 34.0% -5.2% Rest of Market 525,948 16.3% 538,402 16.7% -2.3% Total 3,226,372 100.0% 3,223,098 100.0% 0.1% Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker, September 9, 2021 Top Server Market Findings On a geographic basis, Asia/Pacific (excluding China and Japan) revenue was up 8.6% year over year. Server revenue in China grew 3.4% over the previous year, while Japan declined 21.2% year over year. Latin America revenue grew 4.6%, North America revenue declined 5.7%, and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) revenue declined 2.3% year over year. Revenue generated from x86 servers decreased 2.2% in 2Q21 to $21.4 billion. Non-x86 server revenue declined 4.5% year over year to around $2.3 billion. IDC's Server Taxonomy IDC's Server Taxonomy maps the eleven price bands within the server market into three price ranges: volume servers, midrange servers and high-end servers. The revenue data presented in this release is stated as vendor revenue for a server system. IDC presents data in vendor revenue to determine market share position. Vendor revenue represents those dollars recognized by multi-user system and server vendors for ISS (initial server shipment) and upgrade units sold through direct and indirect channels and includes the following embedded server components: Frame or cabinet and all cables, processors, memory, communications boards, operating system software, other bundled software and initial internal and external disk shipments. IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker is a quantitative tool for analyzing the global server market on a quarterly basis. The Tracker includes quarterly unit shipments and revenues (both vendor revenue and value of shipments), segmented by vendor, family, model, region, operating system, price band, CPU type, and architecture. The IDC Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker is part of the Worldwide Quarterly Enterprise Infrastructure Tracker, which provides a holistic total addressable market view of the five key enabling infrastructure technologies for the datacenter (servers, external enterprise storage systems, purpose-built appliances: HCI and PBBA, and datacenter switches). For more information about IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker, please contact Lidice Fernandez at 305-351-3057 or lfernandez@idc.com. About IDC Trackers IDC Tracker products provide accurate and timely market size, vendor share, and forecasts for hundreds of technology markets from more than 100 countries around the globe. Using proprietary tools and research processes, IDC's Trackers are updated on a semiannual, quarterly, and monthly basis. Tracker results are delivered to clients in user-friendly Excel deliverables and on-line query tools. Click here to learn about IDC's full suite of data products and how you can leverage them to grow your business. About IDC International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading tech media, data, and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter (News - Alert) at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights. All product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210909006193/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 09, 2021] Wholesale Investor to Host Venture and Capital Conference 2021 Event Highlights Wholesale Investor (WI), Australia's leading capital-raising platform, proudly hosts Venture and Capital 2021 (V&C 2021) from the 13th to the 17th of Septembera conference that greatly empowers innovation, ambition, and capital. leading capital-raising platform, proudly hosts Venture and Capital 2021 (V&C 2021) from the 13th to the 17th of Septembera conference that greatly empowers innovation, ambition, and capital. The virtual event will showcase 65+ innovative opportunities across the hottest high-growth global sectors, including Renewable Energy, Digital Assets, Blockchain, Robotics, AI, EdTech, HealthTech, FinTech, AgriTech, PropTech, and many more. and many more. It will prominently feature some of the world's most influential venture capital specialists, angel investors, and family office investors. To date, over 2,200 event participants have registered, with numbers continuing to increase as the event date draws near. Those who are interested in attending can still register and receive access to the event until the 13th of September 2021 . SYDNEY, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Wholesale Investor, Australia's leading capital-raising and investment platform, once again exclusively hosts the annual Venture and Capital Conference from the 13th to the 17th of September, right at the heart of one of Sydney's most vibrant business districts. The much-anticipated conference aims to fuel the exponential era of innovationit focuses on empowering advancements, encouraging ambition, and driving the rapid growth of capital to help build a brighter future for everyone. Across five days, the conference will present exclusive panel sessions, keynote speakers, and interactive Q&A breakout sessions. WI will stream three days of the conference live to an international audience expected to be in the thousands, and bring together leading founders, investors, and dealmakers. V&C 2021 offers a powerhouse suite of ASX and non-listed compnies with 65+ promising opportunities across many of today's high-growth sectors. These include, but are not limited to, Renewable Energy, Digital Assets, Blockchain, Robotics, AI, EdTech, HealthTech, FinTech, AgriTech, and PropTech. These sectors have garnered significant investor and consumer interest to date, and several companies within these spaces have admirably secured industry and government support despite the challenges brought about by the ongoing pandemic. The conference also features top-calibre speakers and presenters, including Yasser El-Ansary, Chief Executive of the Australian Investment Council; David Andrada of Fat Projects; Richard Lin, AirTree Investor; and Caroline Bowler, Chief Executive Officer of BTC Markets. Over 50 esteemed personalities, leaders, and influencers join these four industry experts in presenting offers, insights, professional tips, and actionable strategies relevant to the current industry landscape. Registered participants will have access to powerful event software that integrates seamlessly with WI's CRIISP platform, allowing them to engage in thought-provoking discussions, create meaningful connections with these personalities, and discover more about the businesses and the showcased opportunities. They will also receive invaluable knowledge that enables them to define and redefine their investment theses via in-depth sessions that cover timely topics such as Web 3.0, venture and angel investment 101, effective communication strategies, and structuring deals. According to Wholesale Investor's Co-Founder and Managing Director Steve Torso, this is a landmark event that industry players and their allies should not miss. "With Venture and Capital 2021, we have pulled out all the stops and stacked the decks for the benefit of all conference presenters and participants. Underscored by a passion for fueling innovation, ambition, and capital, we are proud to provide our guests, once again, the opportunity to access some of the best minds in the industry and have visibility on incredible growth companies and opportunities." Mr. Torso adds, "We designed the conference to be as close as possible to a live, personal event. By using cutting-edge technology, we bring forth an interactive experience that can be accessed wherever you are in the world. If you wish to be part of a global community of founders, investors, and dealmakers and want to finish the year strong, I highly encourage you to register today." V&C 2021 registrations are open until the 13th of September. More than 2,200 participants have already signed up for the event. Please visit (this registration page) to secure your slot. About Wholesale Investor Wholesale Investor (WI) is a leading global venture investment platform with a user base of over 30,000 high-net-worth investors, fund managers, family offices, PE and VC firms, government bodies, and industry subscribers. The company's track record includes seven unicorns, 63 exits via IPO or M&A, and dozens of companies that have gained 5x and 10x returns. WI's clients include leading startups, growth, pre-IPO, and small-cap listed companies. Through its proprietary AI-driven CRIISP platform, WI regularly hosts events and CEO interviews and provides simple, direct access to some of the most exciting innovative growth companies worldwide and exclusive content created by experts. SOURCE Wholesale Investor [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 09, 2021] Innity Adds Shoppable QuickBuy Feature to Its Shoppable Ads, Enabling Consumers To Add Products to Cart Directly from Ads SINGAPORE, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Innity, a leader in high impact digital advertising solutions, today launched Shoppable QuickBuy - a new innovative technology to further enhance the Innity Shoppable Ads solution that was launched last year. The first of its kind in the region, Shoppable QuickBuy allows consumers to shop directly from any digital touchpoint, including Innity's range of creative high-impact ad formats and interactive shoppable landing pages. With Innity's Shoppable QuickBuy tech, users are able to browse and add products to the retailers' cart all from within the ad format, retailers' landing pages, blog posts, or apps. Once shoppers click on the "Buy Now" button, they will be led straight to the Add to Cart page or Checkout page on th retailers' site. Innity's award-winning in-house creative team custom designs each creative experience so that it is unique to each brand. Innity Shoppable Ads solution was designed to effectively shorten and streamline the traditional consumer purchase journey - allowing users to go from discovery to purchase in an instantaneous and engaging experience, leading to greater profits for brands. The shoppable platform is also equipped with advanced data feed management to allow retailers to sync product feed across multiple sales and marketing channels to monitor, enrich and update product info or pricing simultaneously. Additionally, retailers can also create custom segments from their product catalogues to run dynamic ads that can highlight personalised products to shoppers who have already shown interest in the brand. "We're thrilled to be rolling out Shoppable QuickBuy to help more brands adopt and maximise the power of discovery commerce; to turn interests into purchases, and content into conversions more seamlessly. As a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, consumer behaviour towards online shopping has shifted for good, and we believe this change will continue beyond the pandemic. Hence, we're constantly on the lookout for new ways to improve and expand our Innity Shoppable Media platform, with the goal to make the online shopping experience more interactive, personalised, and instantaneous for everyone," said Phang Chee Leong, co-founder, and CEO at Innity. For more information on Innity's Shoppable offerings, visit https://shoppable.innity.com/ ABOUT INNITY Innity is a leading technology provider of high-impact digital advertising solutions in Asia that helps publishers monetize content while connecting brands to the right audience by offering best-in-class data-driven martech solutions that combine creative programmatic, ad-serving, data management, influencer marketing, and high-quality user engagement. Innity has presence in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Korea, with more than 300 staff to date. SOURCE Innity [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 09, 2021] State Street Corporation Prices Common Stock Offering State Street Corporation ("State Street") (NYSE: STT) today announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 21,724,217 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $87.60 per share. The offering is being conducted as a public offering registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The offering is expected to close on September 14, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. State Street intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to fund a portion of the cash consideration payable for, and certain costs associated with, the acquisition of Brown Brothers Harriman Investor Services ("BBH Investor Services"). Completion of this offering is not contingent upon the completion of the acquisition of BBH Investor Services. If the acquisition of BBH Investor Services is not completed, State Street will use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and BofA Securities are acting as underwriters for the proposed offering. The offering is being made pursuant to an effective registration statement on Form S-3 (including a prospectus) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC (News - Alert) "). Prospective investors should read the prospectus forming a part of that registration statement and the prospectus supplement related to the offering and the other documents that State Street has filed with the SEC for more complete information about State Street and this offering. These documents are available at no charge by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the prospectus and prospectussupplement relating to the offering, when available, may be obtained from Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, telephone: 1-866-471-2526, facsimile: 212-902-9316 and BofA Securities at BofA Securities, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the shares of State Street's common stock, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of the shares of State Street's common stock in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About State Street Corporation State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT) is one of the world's leading providers of financial services to institutional investors including investment servicing, investment management and investment research and trading. With $42.6 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration and $3.9 trillion* in assets under management as of June 30, 2021, State Street operates globally in more than 100 geographic markets and employs approximately 39,000 worldwide. *Assets under management as of June 30, 2021 includes approximately $64 billion of assets with respect to SPDR products for which State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC (SSGA FD) acts solely as the marketing agent. SSGA FD and State Street Global Advisors are affiliated. Forward Looking Statements Statements in this release that are not strictly historical, including statements regarding the terms of the proposed offering, the timing and completion of the offering, State Street's intended use of proceeds, the acquisition of BBH Investor Services and any other statements regarding events or developments that State Street expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, are "forward-looking" statements. There are a number of important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risks and uncertainties relating to capital markets conditions and completion of the offering, the ability of the parties to the acquisition of BBH Investor Services to satisfy the conditions to the acquisition on a timely basis and such parties' ability to complete the acquisition on the anticipated terms and schedule, including the ability to obtain regulatory approvals. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in State Street's SEC filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and its subsequent SEC filings. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release, and State Street does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events and developments or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210909006238/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] Sunway University Now Has 10 Scientists Listed In World's Top 2% KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The ever-growing reputation of research originating from Malaysia continues to project our country as a forward thinking, problem solving nation of talented scientists. Over the past few years, the number of research papers published by Malaysian researchers has increased impressively, along with the volume of publications included in highly-cited lists. A perfect 10 accurately describes the number of scientists from Sunway University who are listed in the top 2% of the most-cited scientists and academics in various disciplines from around the world by United States based Stanford University. With the latest addition of Professor Agamutu Pariatamby, Professor Chia Yook Chin, Professor Pervaiz K Ahmed and Professor Teo Kok Lay, Sunway niversity now has more career researchers, listed in the World's Top 2% Scientist produced by Stanford University, than any other private institution in Malaysia. "With more research pioneers joining us, Sunway University hope to create positive research impacts in various sectors such as engineering and technology, medical and health sciences, computing and information systems, business and management," said Professor Sibrandes Poppema, President of Sunway University. "The Stanford list comprises the top 2% of scientists and is based on the number of citations their publications have achieved in their specific field of research, either over their entire career or in recent years. The presence of such successful researchers in our institution serves as an inspiration for young scientists." One of the key reasons for Sunway University's continuous rise towards the pinnacle of research within Malaysia is its international collaborations with colleagues in some of the world's leading international universities like the University of Cambridge, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Professor Pariatamby joined Sunway University for the Special Studies Division of the Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia. Professor Chia Yook Chin is currently the Associate Dean for Sunway University's School of Department of Medical Sciences. Professor Teo Kok Lay is currently the Associate Dean (Research and Postgraduate Studies) for School of Mathematical Sciences while Professor Pervaiz K Ahmed joined recently as the Director of Institute of Global Strategy and Competitiveness & Professor of Management. Sunway University's other researchers listed in the Stanford University's World's Top 2% Scientist list are: Sunway University President Professor Sibrandes Poppema; Distinguished Professor and Head of Research Centre for Crystalline Materials Edward Tiekink; Distinguished Research Professor & Head of Research Centre for Nano-Materials and Energy Technology Professor Saidur Rahman; Associate Den (Research) and Head for Carbon Dioside Capture and Utilisation Professor Mohamed Kheireddine; Associate Dean (Education) and Head of the Department of Computing and Information Systems Professor Yau Kok Lim and Associate Professor Dr Adarsh Kumar Pandey. SOURCE Sunway Education Group [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] Evolon Secures $16 Million in Series A Funding to Accelerate Growth Evolon Technology, Inc., a developer of proprietary software technology that takes surveillance video and turns it into real time actionable information, announced the completion of a $16 million Series A funding. The new funding will help expand the team and rapidly accelerate research and product development efforts, enhance sales and marketing initiatives, implement new products and solutions, and drive growth in the perimeter surveillance software industry. "The avalanche of video security data in the coming years will drive the need for much better threat detection, nuisance alert reduction and accurate object classification," said Kevin Stadler, CEO of Evolon. "Market and technology trends are creating a perfect storm for rapid adoption of innovative and disruptive security solutions. Evolon is uniquely positioned to lead these advancements. This infusion of new capital will accelerate our ability to deliver better, faster and cheaper security solutions." Industry data shows the global security camera installed base is increasing at a rapid pace, with as many as one billion installed security cameras expected by the close of 2021. What's more, the video security ecosystem is extremely large, unstructured, and complex, opening the door for pioneering companies like Evolon to make significant advancements in detection technology. The market demand for our innovative Situational Intelligece solutions that combine patented advancements and emerging technologies to deliver industry-leading detection and classification accuracy has never been more pressing. Evolon's solutions satisfy this need by providing unique breakthrough edge-to-cloud capabilities that deliver hyper-accurate real-time detection of objects of interest with fewer nuisance alerts. National Securities Corporation acted as sole placement agent for the offering. The Liquid Venture Partners group at National Securities Corporation was responsible for sourcing and executing the offering. The Company's initial financing was led by ReignRock Capital Partners, LLC in November 2018 and November 2020. "The transformation of Evolon into a fast-growth product company has been very impressive," noted Douglas H. Kramp of ReignRock Capital Partners. "We look forward to this next chapter of Evolon's ability to be a disruptive force in an industry that seeks innovative solutions." About Evolon Technology, Inc. Evolon (formerly Jemez Technology) provides advanced, highly accurate perimeter surveillance software technology for critical infrastructure protection and central station monitoring, and its patented software & analytics transform video security cameras and security systems into smart devices by eliminating nuisance alerts. Evolon's award-winning edge-based video analytics and AI/deep learning solutions are fully scalable for commercial and government organizations that require real-time situational intelligence to enhance security effectiveness and to reduce the potential for loss due to criminal activity or business downtime. Evolon was founded by a talented team of former engineers and scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, with decades of national security experience in the design and deployment of advanced surveillance technologies. For more information, visit www.evolontech.com. Evolon and Situational Intelligence are registered trademarks of Evolon Technology, Inc. all rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210910005052/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. Sets October 13, 2021, as Date of Special Meeting of Series B Preferred Stockholders Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American: IMH) (the "Company"), today announced the date of a special meeting ("Special Virtual Meeting") of holders of shares of the Company's 9.375% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock ("Series B Preferred Shares"). This Special Virtual Meeting will be a virtual meeting via live audio webcast on the Internet on October 13, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time. The Company's Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on September 10, 2021, as the record date ("Record Date") for the determination of holders of Series B Preferred Shares entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Special Virtual Meeting. Only holders of record of Series B Preferred Shares as of the close of business on the Record Date, or their duly authorized proxies, who have properly registered to attend/vote at the Special Virtual Meeting will be entitled to attend/vote at the Special Virtual Meeting. Please visit http://www.viewproxy.com/ImpacSeriesB/2021/htype.asp to register to attend and vote at the Special Virtual Meeting. ALL REGISTRATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59 PM EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME ON (News - Alert) OCTOBER 10, 2021. If you are a holder of Series B Preferred Shares as of the Record Date, and you have timely registered to attend the Special Virtual Meeting, you will be able to attend the Special Virtual Meeting and submit your questions during the meeting. In order to both attend and vote at the Special Virtual Meeting, you will be required to provide a "legal proxy" and obtain a control number when you register to attend the Special Virtual Meeting. Additional information regarding how to register for and attend/vote at the Special Virtual Meeting can be found at http://www.viewproxy.com/ImpacSeriesB/2021/htype.asp. You will not be able to attend the Special Virtual Meeting physically. The purpose of the Special Virtual Meeting is for the holders of the Company's Series B Preferred Shares to elect two directors (the "Preferred Directors") to the Company's Board of Directors pursuant to the terms set forth in Articles Supplementary dated May 26, 2004 (the "2004 Articles Supplementary"). The 2004 Articles Supplementary and the Company's Bylaws contain certain advance notice and information requirements for he nomination of any individual for election as a Preferred Director, some of which have been waived by the Company's Board of Directors with respect to the nomination of any individual for election as a Preferred Director at the Special Virtual Meeting. In order to nominate an individual for election as a Preferred Director, the following steps must be taken: (a) notice of the proposed nomination of such individual must be provided in writing to the Secretary of the Company, or such person as the Secretary designates to receive notice, on or before September 20, 2021, by a person who is a beneficial owner of Series B Preferred Shares as of the date of such notice and as of the Record Date for the Special Virtual Meeting, (b) such notice must be accompanied by (i) the name, address and professional qualifications of such individual, (ii) such individual's consent to serving as a Preferred Director, if elected, and (iii) as to the person giving the notice, the name and address of such person and the number of Series B Preferred Shares held of record and beneficially by such person as of the date of such notice and as of the Record Date for the Special Virtual Meeting, (c) each individual so nominated, prior to the Special Virtual Meeting, upon the request of the Company, must provide a completed questionnaire (including a consent to conduct a background search) in form substantially similar as that provided to the Company's other directors in connection with the Company's annual meetings, with respect to information required to be disclosed by the Company with respect to its directors pursuant to applicable laws, rules or regulations or the rules of any securities exchange or quotation system upon which any securities of the Company are listed or traded and (d) the nomination must be properly presented at the Special Virtual Meeting by a stockholder in virtual attendance at the Special Virtual Meeting. Notice of nominations of individuals for election as Preferred Directors may be sent to the Company's Secretary by fax at (949) 377-3611 or email at Justin.Moisio@ImpacMail.com. After receipt of a timely and complete notice of a nomination, the Company will provide a questionnaire (including a consent to conduct a background search). This questionnaire must be completed and returned to the Company the day prior to the date of the Special Virtual Meeting in order for a nominee to be properly presented at the Special Virtual Meeting. Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. has not nominated any persons for election as Preferred Directors and is not soliciting proxies in favor of the election of any nominees for election as Preferred Directors. Holders of Series B Preferred Shares are requested not to send any proxies to Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. in connection with the Special Virtual Meeting. Camac Fund, LP has provided notice of its intent to nominate Eric Shahinian and Michael Cricenti for election as the Preferred Directors at the Special Virtual Meeting. No individuals may properly be nominated for election as Preferred Directors unless they complete and return to the Company the questionnaire and consent to a background search described above on or before the day before the date of the Special Virtual Meeting. The Company intends to issue a press release containing the names of any other individuals if proper notice of their nomination is received on or before September 20, 2021. Please refer to the charter of Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., including the 2004 Articles Supplementary, for a description of the Series B Preferred Shares. A copy of the 2004 Articles Supplementary and the Company's Bylaws will be made available upon request and can also be found as exhibits to the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission at its website at www.sec.gov. About the Company Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. (IMH or Impac) provides innovative mortgage lending and warehouse lending solutions, as well as real estate solutions that address the challenges of today's economic environment. Impac's operations include mortgage and warehouse lending, servicing, portfolio loss mitigation and real estate services as well as the management of the securitized long-term mortgage portfolio, which includes the residual interests in securitizations. For additional information, questions or comments, please call Justin Moisio, Chief Administrative Officer, at (949) 475-3988 or email Justin.Moisio@ImpacMail.com. Website: http://ir.impaccompanies.com or www.impaccompanies.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210910005097/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz Reminds Investors of Looming Deadline in the Class Action Lawsuit Against RenovaCare, Inc. (RCAR) The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz reminds investors of the upcoming September 14, 2021 deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in the case filed on behalf of investors who purchased RenovaCare, Inc. ("RenovaCare" or the "Company") (OTC: RCAR) securities between August 14, 2017 and May 28, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. On May 28, 2021, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (" SEC (News - Alert) ") issued a litigation release stating that RenovaCare was being charged with alleged securities fraud. According to the SEC's complaint, between July 2017 and January 2018, the Company's controlling shareholder and Chairman, Harmel Rayat ("Rayat"), "arranged, and caused RenovaCare to pay for, a promotional campaign designed to increase the company's stock price." Specifically, "Rayat was closely involved in directing the promotion and editing promotional materials, and arranged to funnel payments to the publishr through consultants to conceal RenovaCare's involvement in the campaign." When OTC Markets Group, Inc. requested that RenovaCare explain its relationship to the promotion, the complaint alleges that "Rayat and RenovaCare then drafted and issued a press release and a Form 8-K that contained material misrepresentations and omissions denying Rayat's and the company's involvement in the promotion." On this news, the Company's stock price fell $0.66, or 24.8%, over three consecutive trading sessions to close at $2.00 per share on June 2, 2021. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) that, at the direction of Rayat, RenovaCare engaged in a promotional campaign to issue misleading statements to artificially inflate the Company's stock price; (2) that, when the OTC Markets inquired, RenovaCare and Rayat issued a materially false and misleading press release claiming that no director, officer, or controlling shareholder had any involvement in the purported third party's promotional materials; (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were defective; and (4) as a result, Defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked reasonable basis at all relevant times. Follow us for updates on Twitter (News - Alert) : twitter.com/FRC_LAW. If you purchased or otherwise acquired RenovaCare securities during the Class Period, you may move the Court no later than September 14, 2021 to request appointment as lead plaintiff in this putative class action lawsuit. To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Frank R. Cruz, of The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-914-5007, by email to info@frankcruzlaw.com, or visit our website at www.frankcruzlaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210910005010/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] Wabtec Signs Memoranda of Understanding with Carnegie Mellon University and Genesee & Wyoming to Decarbonize Freight Rail and Improve Freight Rail Safety Wabtec (NYSE: WAB) announced today that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Carnegie Mellon University, a top university in engineering, artificial intelligence, battery technology, autonomy and robotics, which formalizes their joint aim to create technologies that will decarbonize freight rail transport, improve freight safety, and generate greater rail network utilization. In addition, Wabtec announced an MOU with Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W), the largest owner of short line and regional freight railroads, to pursue zero-emission battery and hydrogen freight strategies, as well as increase rail utilization across North America. The announcements, which are based on a joint vision of building a more sustainable freight transportation network, were made during a ceremonial gathering on Carnegie Mellon's campus, attended by U.S. elected officials and Pittsburgh dignitaries. This vision consists of two parts. One consists of powering locomotive fleets with alternative energy sources, such as batteries, and eventually, hydrogen fuel cells for a zero-emissions freight rail network pilot. The second focuses on advancements to current signaling systems and digital technologies to increase rail network capacity, utilization and safety across the U.S. To accelerate this effort, Carnegie Mellon University, Genesee & Wyoming and Wabtec aspire to create the Freight Rail Innovation Institute - the first-of-its-kind effort to create zero-emission locomotives, develop technology that increases freight rail utilization and improve safety by 50 percent, and create 250,000 jobs by 2030. "Pennsylvania has a long, proud history of railroads and railroad manufacturing. Freight rail is also already a relatively efficient means to move critical supplies around the country. This effort helps tackle the climate crisis by prioritizing electric and clean energy technology," said U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). "Transportation and economic development remain among my top priorities for our state. Today's announcement will place Pittsburgh - one of the leading science and technology hubs in the world - at the center of efforts to address climate change through transportation policy and will also spur significant job growth, reduce greenhouse gas emissions dramatically and allow the U.S. to lead internationally in creating zero-emission solutions for rail." To maximize utilization across the nation's mainline rail network, which is the cleanest, safest and most efficient way to move goods over land, Carnegie Mellon University will play a leading role in developing the engineering technologies that bring together the data, logistics and intelligence needed to optimize rail operations, while reducing emissions. "The time is right to accelerate the application of emerging technologies to transform the rail industry," said Farnam Jahanian, President of Carnegie Mellon University. "Advances in digital technologies and artificial intelligence will revolutionize freight rail by driving dramatic improvements in safety and network capacity, while simultaneously increasing efficiency across the nation's supply chain. As these emerging technologies converge with clean enery breakthroughs, we also see a tremendous opportunity to enable the decarbonization of freight rail. CMU looks forward to bringing our research capabilities and our proven track record of success with industry partners to this important effort." G&W's Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad will pilot technologies developed by the Freight Rail Innovation Institute, including a zero-emissions battery and hydrogen-powered train that is planned for revenue operation over 200 miles of track between Pittsburgh and Buffalo, N.Y. within the next three years. "While already the most environmentally friendly mode of surface transportation, freight railroads have a critical role to play in our nation's decarbonization strategy," said Jack Hellmann, CEO of G&W. "Through this partnership, we plan to transform the next generation of freight rail transportation by adopting advanced technologies that can eliminate emissions and increase rail utilization without requiring significant new rail infrastructure. The end result will be a cleaner environment, more competitive transportation for our nation's industrial producers, and a freight rail system that remains the most efficient in the world." Today's gathering also featured the inaugural display of Wabtec's FLXdrive, the world's first heavy-haul battery-electric locomotive. Earlier this year, the FLXdrive demonstrated its capabilities in revenue operations during a three-month pilot in California, covering more than 13,000 miles of track. The FLXdrive, operating at 2.4 megawatt hours, successfully reduced the overall fuel consumption by more than 11 percent across the entire locomotive consist - saving over 6,200 gallons of diesel fuel and reducing approximately 69 tons of CO2 emissions. The second generation of the FLXdrive locomotive, which is in development and will operate at more than 7 megawatt hours, will reduce fuel consumption by up to 30 percent across the train. Looking to the future, Wabtec will accelerate the shift to alternative clean energy solutions, through zero-emission hydrogen-powered locomotives. "This partnership with Carnegie Mellon University and Genesee & Wyoming further strengthens our efforts to decarbonize global rail transportation and will significantly increase freight rail utilization, efficiency, and safety throughout the rail network," said Rafael Santana, President and CEO of Wabtec. "The transportation sector is at a critical inflection point. With technologies providing increased battery and hydrogen power capacity, we have the potential to eliminate up to 120 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year in North America." About Wabtec Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) is focused on creating transportation solutions that move and improve the world. The company is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions and value-added services for the freight and transit rail industries, as well as the mining, marine and industrial markets. Wabtec has been a leader in the rail industry for over 150 years and has a vision to achieve a zero-emission rail system in the U.S. and worldwide. For more information, visit Wabtec at: www.WabtecCorp.com. About Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University, cmu.edu, is a private, internationally ranked research university with programs in areas ranging from science, technology and business, to public policy, the humanities and the arts. More than 14,000 students in the university's seven schools and colleges benefit from a small student-to-faculty ratio and an education characterized by its focus on creating and implementing solutions for real problems, interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. About Genesee & Wyoming G&W owns or leases 116 freight railroads organized in locally managed operating regions with 7,300 employees serving 3,000 customers. G&W's four North American regions serve 42 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces and include 113 short line and regional freight railroads with more than 13,000 track-miles. G&W's UK/Europe Region includes the U.K.'s largest rail maritime intermodal operator and second-largest freight rail provider, as well as regional rail services in Continental Europe. G&W subsidiaries and joint ventures also provide rail service at more than 30 major ports, rail-ferry service between the U.S. Southeast and Mexico, transload services, and industrial railcar switching and repair. For more information, visit www.gwrr.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210910005114/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] Milan to Power Fleet of 1200 eBuses Not Only with Clean Energy, But Also Green Power Infrastructure The innovative SM AirSeT medium-voltage switchgear, free of greenhouse gases, are deployed in Milan depots' charging infrastructure for its bus fleet, which will be 100% electric by 2030 depots' charging infrastructure for its bus fleet, which will be 100% electric by 2030 Digital and connected solutions allow smart and efficient energy management and ensure greater continuity of service MISSISSAUGA, ON, Sept. 10, 2021 /CNW/ - Schneider Electric's innovative and sustainable technologies are at the heart of the renewed medium-voltage electrical distribution system, delivered by Alstom for Milan's Azienda Trasporti Milanesi bus depots in Viale Sarca and Giambellino. Schneider Electric's new SM AirSeT medium-voltage switchgear uses air insulation and shunt vacuum interruption technology instead of the greenhouse gas SF 6 . It also has advanced digital capabilities and connectivity for improved safety, security, efficiency, modern asset management, and network optimization. From ambition to action In pursuit of its ambitious sustainability goals Azienda Trasporti Milanesi is committed to using electrical distribution panels without greenhouse gases. This is one of the first projects in which SM AirSeT has been used in the infrastructure sector. The switchgear are at the center of Azienda Trasporti Milanesi's new electrical distribution system and will support their goal of an all-electric bus fleet. The transport company plans to convert their entire fleet of 1,200 diesel-run buses to fully electric vehicles by 2030. Schneider Electric's innovative, environmentally-friendly SM AirSeT switchgear will support the necessary e-bus charging infrastructure. Using panels with this technology avoids 560 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, according to Azienda Trasporti Milanesi. In addition to improving sustainability, SM AirSeT also increases operational and maintenance efficiency by using Schneider Electric solutions for connectivity, communication, automation, and supervision. "Thanks to our capacity for innovation, we can satisfy the most stringent end-to-end sustainability requirements without any compromise in terms of performance, efficiency, and operational optimization," said Fabio Chiesa, Head of Transportation Infrastructure at Schneider Electric. Why SM AirSeT with pure air technology? Until recently, SF 6 switchgear technology was the best and only way for switchgear to meet installations' compact size and insulation requirements. The downside of SF 6 is its high global warming potential (GWP) and the need for it to be carefully handled when equipment is retired. Now, however, there is an SF 6 -free alternative technology called SM AirSeT to reduce environmental impact and eliminate costly gas treatment at the equipment's end of life. SM AirSeT uses only pure air insulation combined wth a new Shunt Vacuum Interruption (SVI)TM technology created by Schneider Electric. It is compact the same size as a traditional SM6 switchgear panel. It also features advanced digital functions that can be integrated into automation and supervision systems. In addition, it supports condition-based maintenance processes that maximize service continuity and use thermal monitoring technology to identify temperature anomalies that can lead to overheating. SM AirSeT has received Schneider Electric's Green Premium label for sustainable performance. This is reserved for Schneider Electric solutions that are designed for circular performance with features such as improved durability, upgradability, and recyclability. They also comply with environmental regulations, provide instructions for end-of-life handling, and include environmental disclosures such as the Product Environmental Profile (PEP). SM AirSeT also retains the same operating methods as traditional switchgear, so it is easy to use and requires no additional operator training. In addition, it uses arc flash mitigation technologies that increase operator safety and it supports new modes of interaction such as interfaces that use augmented reality for virtual switchgear access. So far Schneider Electric has supplied Alstom, the contractor in charge of execution, with 32 SM AirSeT switchgear units for this ongoing modernization project, which are complemented with switchgear and energy management systems (EcoStruxure), as well as maintenance and support by dedicated teams. About Schneider Electric Schneider's purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On. Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency. We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries. We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values. https://www.se.com/ca/en/ Follow us on: https://twitter.com/SchneiderElec https://www.facebook.com/SchneiderElectric?brandloc=DISABLE https://www.linkedin.com/company/schneider-electric https://www.youtube.com/user/SchneiderCorporate https://www.instagram.com/schneiderelectric/ http://blog.se.com/ Related resources: SM AirSeT page SM AirSeT video playlist Why transition to pure air blog post Achieving true net zero: not all greenhouse gases are created equal SOURCE Schneider Electric Canada Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] The Coretec Group Announces Participation at the H.C. Wainwright 23rd Annual Global Investment Conference on September 13-15, 2021 (Virtual Conference) The Coretec Group, Inc. (OTCQB: CRTG) (the "Company"), is pleased to announce that it will be presenting at the H.C. Wainwright Annual Global Investment Conference being held virtually September 13-15, 2021. Matthew Kappers, CEO of The Coretec Group, will provide an overview of the Company's business via a video presentation and will be available to participate in one-on-one meetings with investors who are registered to attend the conference. Matthew Kappers said, "the Wainwright team is a valued partner of The Coretec Group and we're glad to be part of their Global Investment Conference." If you are an institutional investor, and would like to attend the Company's presentation, click on the following link (www.hcwevents.com) to register. Once your registration is confirmed, you will be prompted to log into the conference website to request a one-on-one meeting with the Company. About H.C. Wainwright & Co. H.C. Wainwright is a full-service investment bank dedicated to providing corporate finance, strategic advisory and related services to public and private companies across multiple sectors and regions. H.C. Wanwright & Co. also provides research and sales and trading services to institutional investors. About The Coretec Group The Coretec Group, Inc. is developing a portfolio of engineered silicon to improve energy-focused verticals, including electric vehicle and consumer batteries, solid-state lighting (LEDs), and semiconductors, as well as 3D volumetric displays and printable electronics. The Coretec Group serves the global technology markets in energy, electronics, semiconductor, solar, health, environment, and security. For more information, please visit www.thecoretecgroup.com and follow The Coretec Group on Twitter and LinkedIn. Forward-Looking Statements The statements in this press release that relate to The Coretec Group's expectations with regard to the future impact on the Company's results from operations are forward-looking statements, and may involve risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control. Such risks and uncertainties are described in greater detail in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Since the information in this press release may contain statements that involve risk and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, the Company's actual results may differ materially from expected results. We make no commitment to disclose any subsequent revisions to forward-looking statements. This release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of offers to buy any securities of any entity. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210910005456/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] Origin Announces the Origin Diversity Program to Expand Financial Literacy Education to Marginalized Communities and Improve Diversity of Financial Planning Profession Financial education and services are unevenly distributed in the modern economy. Marginalized communities are apprehensive about working with financial systems or have been cut off from accessing opportunities to accumulate wealth. To expand financial literacy education and support the next generation of financial planners to be as diverse as the clients they serve, Origin, the employee financial wellness platform, announced the formation of their new philanthropic initiative - the Origin Diversity Program. Through the program, Origin has committed time, resources, and funds to further its mission of bringing financial wellness to every employee, no matter their income, net worth, or location. Origin is the first comprehensive employee financial wellness platform for the modern workforce. Its integrated solution helps employees manage compensation, benefits, and personal finances in a single place - side by side with financial professionals. Origin was founded on the belief that financial planning should be accessible to everyone at every stage of life. Yet, less than 3.5% of all the 80,000 CFP professionals in the United States are Black or Latinx, according to the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning, for example. "We've heard from customers that their employees want financial advice from financial planners who understand their unique challenges and goals, but the pool of Certified Financial Planners doesn't match the diverse workforces Origin serves," said Matt Watson, CEO and co-founder of Origin. "With the Origin Diversity Program, we hope to break down the barriers to financial wellness by tackling the problem at the root - making financial literacy accessible to marginalized youth and paving a path for underrepresented professionals to make a career in financial planning." Through the program's education initiative, Origin will provide digital financial literacy courses to high school students from low-income, underserved communities. The courses will cover the practical steps of managing personal finances and the skills to build lasting, healthy financial habits. Through the program's scholarship fund, Origin has committed to cover the cost of the CFP professional exam, training materials, and classes to support the advancement of underrepresented professionals in financial planning, awarding 10 grants valued at $50,000 in its inaugural year. Grantees will also have access to Origin's diverse financial planner network for mentorship and development. "The best time to start financial planning is yesterday," said Ryan Xue, head of strategy and business operations and the Origin Diversity Program lead at Origin. "Many employees who use Origin have big goals in their future but would have had better outcomes had they understood their finances and taken action earlier in their lives. Unfortunately, so many young people don't have access to the resources and education they need to learn healthy financial habits before they ever enter the workforce. By providing Origin's wealth of financial education to high schools in marginalized communities, we can help young people start on the right foot for an even brighter financial future." To partner with the Origin Diversity Program or learn more, visit the program website. ABOUT ORIGIN Origin was founded on the belief that financial planning should be accessible to everyone at every stage of life. Origin is the first comprehensive employee financial wellness platform for the modern workforce. Its integrated solution helps employees manage compensation, benefits, and personal finances in a single place - side-by-side with financial professionals. Origin is the first platform that combines human financial planners with cutting-edge financial technology that both educates employees and allows them to create, execute, and track their personalized financial plans. Origin's team is led by repeat founders and is backed by leading VC firms and investors like 01A, Founders Fund, Felicis Ventures, General Catalyst and Lachy Groom. With Origin, employees have on-demand access to their Origin planner and a video call or in-app chat conversation is one click away. For more information on Origin, visit http://www.useorigin.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210910005465/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] 400 Capital Management Closes $780mm Residential NPL Securitizations 400 Capital Management LLC ("400CM", "400 Capital" or the "Firm"), an alternative credit asset manager specializing in structured credit with over $5.2bn of assets under management, announced the successful closing of two securitizations backed by $780.2mm of residential non-performing loans ("NPLs") this summer. "400 Capital has a long history of investing in residential credit markets. We are excited to be able to work with our capital markets partners to open alternative sources of financing for our investment vehicles," said Chris Hentemann, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer. "The transactions help move the 400 Capital platform towards being a regular issuer in the capital markets across a range of asset types." The Firm entered into the securitizations in order to obtain term financing, remove mark-to-market risk, reduce cost and create scalable fixed-rate financing. Given the size of the loan pool, 400CM decided to offer two transactions with similar characteristics. 510 Asset Backed ("FTAB") 2021-NPL1 losed on June 29 and was backed by NPLs with an unpaid principal balance ("UPB") of $397.0mm. The offered notes achieved an 80% advance rate to UPB. The second transaction, FTAB 2021-NPL2, closed on August 11 and was backed by $383.2mm of NPLs, with an advance rate of UPB of 81%. The closings mark a significant milestone for the Firm and are reflective of the opportunity set in this corner of the residential credit markets. The servicers for the transactions are Rushmore Loan Management Services LLC and Columbus Real Estate Management LLC. The program administrator is Truman Capital Advisors, LP. About 400 Capital Management LLC 400 Capital Management LLC is an employee-owned alternative credit asset manager led by four partners with over three decades of trading, investment and risk management experience in credit and securitized credit markets with an established record of investing through multiple market cycles. Our leadership team has demonstrated the ability to generate returns, develop capital market businesses and consistently create innovative structures and securitization technologies utilized throughout the market. We offer access to a global platform of differentiated total return and absolute return alternative credit investment opportunities through multi-investor and separately managed account vehicles. We manage over $5.2 billion of client capital for global public and private pension plans, endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds, consultants, insurance groups, family offices and qualified high net worth individuals. Our team consists of 57 professionals with offices in New York and London. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210910005524/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] Capital Senior Living Announces Commencement of Rights Offering Capital Senior Living Corporation (NYSE: CSU) ("Capital Senior Living" or the "Company"), a leading owner-operator of senior living communities across the United States, announced today that it has commenced its previously announced approximately $70 million common stock rights offering. Under the rights offering, the Company will distribute to each holder of the Company's common stock one non-transferable right to purchase one share of the Company's common stock at a cash subscription price of $32.00 per share for each share of the Company's common stock held as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 10, 2021, the record date for the rights offering. Rights holders who fully exercise their rights will be entitled to subscribe for additional shares of the Company's common stock that remain unsubscribed as a result of any unexercised rights. The Company will not issue any fractional shares of the Company's common stock in the rights offering. The rights may be exercised at any time during the subscription period, which commenced on September 10, 2021. The rights will expire if they are not exercised by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on October 18, 2021, unless the Company extends the rights offering subscription period. The Company expects to issue up to an aggregate of approximately 2,190,599 new shares of its common stock in connection with the rights offering and, to the extent the rights offering is not fully subscribed, up to $42.5 million of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock to affiliates of Conversant Capital LLC ("Conversant Capital") in the form of a partial backstop to the offering (the "Backstop Commitment"). The Company expects to use the net proceeds received from the exercise of the rights and the Backstop Commitment for working capital, to repay debt and to fund accretive growth projects. The rights offering is being made pursuant to the Investment Agreement, dated as of July 22, 2021, by and between the Company and Conversant Capital (the "Investment Agreement") and is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including the receipt of stockholder approval to amend the Company's amended and restated certificate of incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock and the consummation of the transactions pursuant to the Investment Agreement. The Company expects to mail subscription certificates evidencing the rights and a copy of the prospectus and prospectus supplement for the rights offering to stockholders as of the rights offering record date beginning on or about September 10, 2021. Holders of shares of common stock in "street name" through a brokerage account, bank or other nominee will not receive physical subscription certificates evidencing the rights and must instruct their broker, bank or nominee whether to exercise subscription rights on their behalf. For any questions or further information about the rights offering, please call Georgeson LLC, the information agent for the rights offering, at 866-216-0462. Neither the Company nor its Board of Directors has made any recommendation as to whether stockholders should exercise their rights. Stockholders are urged to carefully review the prospectus supplement and subscription materials the Company will provide and consult with their own legal and financial advisors in deciding whether or not to exercise the rights. The rights will be non-transferable. As such, stockholders will not be able to sell their rights if they do not wish to exercise them. No Offer or Solicitation / Additional Information and Where to Find It This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor will there be any sale of any securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale wold be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. The rights offering is being made pursuant to the Company's shelf registration statement on Form S-3, which became effective on May 6, 2020, and a prospectus supplement containing the detailed terms of the rights offering filed with the SEC (News - Alert) on September 10, 2021. Any offer will be made only by means of a prospectus and prospectus supplement forming part of the registration statement. Investors should read the prospectus and prospectus supplement and consider the investment objective, risks, fees and expenses of the Company carefully before investing. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ THE PROSPECTUS, PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT MAY BE FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (THE "SEC"), AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE OFFERING. Copies of the prospectus and prospectus supplement, when they become available, will be mailed to all eligible stockholders as of the rights offering record date and may also be obtained free of charge at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov or by contacting the information agent for the rights offering, Georgeson LLC, toll free at 866-216-0462. In connection with the proposed transaction with Conversant Capital, the Company filed a proxy statement with the SEC on August 31, 2021. The Company may also file other relevant documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. The proxy statement is being delivered to stockholders of the Company. This communication is not a substitute for the proxy statement or any other document that may be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. Participants in the Solicitation The Company and its executive officers and directors and certain other members of management and employees may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed to be "participants" in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding the Company's directors and executive officers is available in its Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for its 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, filed with the SEC on November 3, 2020, and in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2021, as amended on April 30, 2021. These documents may be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is contained in the proxy statement and other relevant materials relating to the proposed transaction filed with the SEC. About Capital Senior Living Dallas-based Capital Senior Living Corporation is one of the nation's leading operators of independent living, assisted living and memory care communities for senior adults. The Company operates 75 communities that are home to nearly 7,000 residents across 18 states providing compassionate, resident-centric services and care and engaging programming. The Company offers seniors the freedom and opportunity to successfully, comfortably and happily age in place. For more information, visit http://www.capitalsenior.com or connect with the Company on Facebook or Twitter (News - Alert) . Safe Harbor The forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results and financial condition to differ materially, including, but not limited to, the Company's ability to obtain stockholder approval for the proposed transaction; the satisfaction of all conditions to the closing of the proposed transaction; other risks related to the consummation of the proposed transaction, including the risk that the transaction will not be consummated within the expected time period or at all; the costs related to the proposed transaction; the impact of the proposed transaction on the Company's business; any legal proceedings that may be brought related to the proposed transaction; the continued spread of COVID-19, including the speed, depth, geographic reach and duration of such spread; new information that may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19; the actions taken to prevent or contain the spread of COVID-19 or treat its impact; the legal, regulatory and administrative developments that occur at the federal, state and local levels in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; the frequency and magnitude of legal actions and liability claims that may arise due to COVID-19 or the Company's response efforts; the impact of COVID-19 and the Company's near-term debt maturities on the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the Company's ability to generate sufficient cash flows from operations, additional proceeds from debt refinancings, and proceeds from the sale of assets to satisfy its short and long-term debt obligations and to fund the Company's capital improvement projects to expand, redevelop, and/or reposition its senior living communities; the Company's ability to obtain additional capital on terms acceptable to it; the Company's ability to extend or refinance its existing debt as such debt matures; the Company's compliance with its debt agreements, including certain financial covenants, and the risk of cross-default in the event such non-compliance occurs; the Company's ability to complete acquisitions and dispositions upon favorable terms or at all, including the transfer of certain communities managed by the Company on behalf of Fannie Mae, Healthpeak, Ventas, and Welltower; the Company's ability to improve and maintain adequate controls over financial reporting and remediate the identified material weakness; the risk of oversupply and increased competition in the markets which the Company operates; the risk of increased competition for skilled workers due to wage pressure and changes in regulatory requirements; the departure of the Company's key officers and personnel; the cost and difficulty of complying with applicable licensure, legislative oversight, or regulatory changes; the risks associated with a decline in economic conditions generally; the adequacy and continued availability of the Company's insurance policies and the Company's ability to recover any losses it sustains under such policies; changes in accounting principles and interpretations; and the other risks and factors identified from time to time in the Company's reports filed with the SEC. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210910005542/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 10, 2021] Binance welcomes new Director of Audit and Investigations Aron Akbiyikian SINGAPORE, Sept. 10, 2021 /CNW/ -- Binance, the world's leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider, has welcomed Aron Akbiyikian to the Audit and Investigations team, where he will help to ensure that Binance and the larger crypto industry are a safer place for all users with a strong emphasis on removing the worst elements of the world from the ecosystem. His work will focus on identifying bad actors attempting to use Binance's platform and tracking their movements across the blockchain to help law enforcement agencies around the world take them down. His appointment is a significant step forwards in ensuring that Binance is on the leading edge of securing crypto for everyone. Aron brings a wealth of experience, joinng from TRM Labs and having previously led investigations at Chainalysis where he investigated and helped to prevent criminals using blockchain. Previously he demonstrated his commitment to fighting crime as a Detective in Mariposa County, California, where he had a strong focus on forensic analysis of digital media. Aron worked on a number of high-profile cases including 'Welcome2Video' where his work was instrumental in assisting global law enforcement agencies bring criminals to justice. He is especially keen to increase collaboration with others that are fighting the same fight, from government workers to non-profit organizations and other private sector services in the fintech space, and to keep evolving internal systems that proactively prevent facilitating illicit activity and respond to incidents of it already taking place. Aron Akbiyikian said: "I had to retire from law enforcement after an unfortunate helicopter accident which broke a few too many bones to carry on in that career. That was the catalyst to me joining the crypto world and I really consider myself fortunate to be able to continue to help make the world a better place through that and look forward to continuing this work at Binance. "Anytime we work to remove the worst elements of the world from the crypto ecosystem, we are helping secure the entire space. No one wants to be associated with the perpetrators of heinous crimes, and getting them out of crypto keeps crypto users safe from being inadvertently associated with them. At the same time crypto users can feel safer that they and their loved ones are less likely to be victims of certain crimes, because of the efforts of many dedicated individuals that are trying to make the crypto space, and the world, safer." View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/binance-welcomes-new-director-of-audit-and-investigations-aron-akbiyikian-301373623.html SOURCE Binance [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] TDOE & Niswonger Foundation Release Initial Participation and Enrollment Numbers for Free Online Advanced Placement and Teacher Training Program NASHVILLE, TN - Today, the Tennessee Department of Education, in partnership with the Niswonger Foundation, announced the launch of the states new AP Access for ALL program, which is providing online advanced placement courses this school year for nearly 1,200 high school students representing 102 school districts across Tennessee. AP Access for ALL is a grant program created by the Tennessee Department of Education and administered by its partner the Niswonger Foundation to provide students across the state with access to virtual AP courses, eliminating financial barriers and supporting student enrollment in AP coursework not currently offered at their home high school. Since June, AP Access for ALL has successfully onboarded over 75% of school districts that include high schools to participate in the program. Of the 102 participating districts, 21 districts are in counties classified as at-risk or distressed and 38 are rural districts. Students in these participating districts, many of whom previously had no access or only limited access to advanced placement courses, can now choose from 14 different advanced placement courses and earn free college credit while in high school. One of the most important things we can do for our high school students is help them explore potential postsecondary and career pathways and ensure they have access to robust academic coursework that helps them be successful in life after graduation, said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. Thanks to partners like the Niswonger Foundation, the AP Access for ALL program will have a huge impact on the state for years to come by training our teachers and advancing their skillsets, and importantly, providing students in school districts all across the state with opportunities for AP coursework that they have never been able to access before. In Houston County, which is designated as economically at-risk, students at Houston County High School have not previously had access to advanced placement courses. Now, through AP Access for ALL, 32 Houston County High School students are enrolled in AP Human Geography, Psychology, Statistics, and Art History. At Jackson Central-Merry High School, traditional advanced placement courses are not offered. However, this semester, 22 students are now enrolled in eight different advanced placement courses through AP Access for ALL, including AP Art History, Biology, Environmental Science, Human Geography, Language and Composition, Psychology, Statistics, and US History. Additionally, 143 students in Metro Nashville Public Schools are enrolled in AP Access for ALL courses, along with 102 students in Shelby County Schools and 72 students in Hamilton County Schools. With classes in session, AP Access for ALL is off to a fast start and is now creating new pathways for students to enter college prepared and confident, said Dr. Nancy Dishner, President and CEO of the Niswonger Foundation. We are excited to partner with Commissioner Schwinn and the Department of Education on this program and look forward to seeing how access and opportunity through AP Access for ALL will continue to grow and support Tennessee students and families for years to come. While these courses are virtual, many schools are providing time and computer labs for their students to complete coursework at school during their school day. Additionally, all AP Access for ALL courses are taught by certified and trained Tennessee teachers. We have spent the last few months planning the details of this program, preparing systems and infrastructure, onboarding districts, and training teachers, said Gina Pavlovich, Director of Niswonger Online and AP Access for ALL. Now, as students have returned to school and AP Access for ALL courses have begun, we are seeing the impact of access as students gain real experience with college coursework and are preparing for postsecondary success. Last summer, the Niswonger Foundation conducted online teacher training for more than 80 Tennessee educators and, in partnership with the College Board, sponsored AP Summer Institute training for nearly 150 teachers at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Fifty-three Tennessee educators are currently teaching AP Access for ALL online courses this fall. AP Access for ALL has made incredible gains to advanced placement access during its initial semester, and Tennessee Department of Education and Niswonger Foundation leaders are hoping to expand the program even more next spring and in coming years. Student enrollment for the spring semester opens in November and free AP training will once again be available for Tennessee educators in Summer 2022. Funding for AP Access for All is through the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) and Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funds. For a full list of participating counties, courses offered, and more information, visit tnapaccessforall.org. For additional information about Tennessees advanced placement courses, click here. For Tennessee Department of Education media inquiries, contact Edu.MediaInquiries@tn.gov. ### NASHVILLE The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security hosted the Three Stars of Tennessee Award and First Responder Recognition Ceremony today. The Three Stars of Tennessee Award honors public servants who have sacrificed their lives or suffered a career-ending injury in the line of duty. Governor Bill Lee, First Lady Maria Lee, Commissioner Jeff Long, State Senator Becky Massey (Knoxville), and Greg Mays, Director of the Tennessee Office of Homeland Security joined recipients, their family members and agency representatives to honor seven recipients with the Three Stars of Tennessee Award. This event is special and important to the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Commissioner Jeff Long said. Especially during these trying times, we are incredibly grateful for our brothers and sisters in law enforcement who have made the ultimate sacrifice to serve the people of Tennessee. Our hearts go out to their families and loved ones and we are honored to present them with this award. During this ceremony, 18 first responders were recognized with First Responder awards for their heroic actions. This ceremony has been a long-standing tradition in memory of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. State Senator Becky Massey spearheaded legislation to recognize law enforcement, firefighters and medical first responders who were either killed or suffered a career ending injury in the line of duty. The law (TCA 4-1-501) to allow for the Three Stars of Tennessee Award passed during the 2014 legislative session. The Three Stars of Tennessee Award honorees accompany this release, as well as a list of those individuals who received First Responder awards. Click here to watch a video recording of todays ceremony. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Securitys mission is to serve, secure, and protect the people of Tennessee. ### Three Stars of Tennessee Award Honorees Chief Ronald Ronnie Gene Spitzer Rocky Top Fire Department Officer Christopher Scotty Triplett Memphis Police Department Captain Anthony Jackson Shelby County Sheriffs Office Officer Toby Keiser Knox County Sheriffs Office Deputy Sheriff Ray W. McCrary, Jr. Shelby County Sheriffs Office Deputy Jeremy Smith Shelby County Sheriffs Office Officer Bobby R. Montgomery Memphis Police Department First Responder Recognition Recipients Amanda L. Johnston, Loudon County E911 Investigator Brandon Glover, Knoxville Police Department Investigator Brandon Stryker, Knoxville Police Departmen The Nashville 6: Sergeant Timothy Miller, Metro Nashville Police Department Officer Tylor Luellen, Metro Nashville Police Department Officer Amanda Topping, Metro Nashville Police Department Officer Brenna Hosey, Metro Nashville Police Department Officer James Wells, Metro Nashville Police Department Officer Michael Sipos, Metro Nashville Police Department Nashville Fire Department Edwin Hogan, Cheatham County Emergency Management Sergeant Eric Trout, Montgomery County Sheriffs Office Major Terence D. Jackson, Memphis Police Department Lieutenant Adrian Flagg, Shelby County Fire Department Firefighter/Paramedic Quinton Johnson, Shelby County Fire Department Firefighter Jeremy Roberts, Shelby County Fire Department Special Agent Forensic Scientist Kenna Icet, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Forensic Scientist Heather Lenzy, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation New orders from Prez Biden and recent shut downs in Kansas City signal that this new chapter of the pandemic once again targets small biz and workers in order to protect public health and fight against a global virus threat. Accordingly . . . In this post we take a peek at local biz shut down along with with today's healthcare declaration and then share news of the worsening COVID pandemic. We try our best to represent both sides of the argument with the caveat that this blog understand COVID-19 IS REAL and presents an existential threat to millions of Americans . . . Meanwhile, neither our citizenry nor elected leaders have been able to achieve any meaningful consensus on combating the plague that supersedes a destructive culture war. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . . COURTHOUSE ORDERS CLOSE!!! Rae's Cafe receives new notice from Jackson County ordering it to close BLUE SPRINGS, MO (KCTV) --- Rae's Cafe has received another notice from Jackson County to close. Rae's has been operating as a private club with a dress code requiring no masks. The notice comes after Jackson County officials announced late Wednesday night they would seek a court order to close the business. Season Of Lock Downs Ahead Rae's Cafe owner speaks out on 'Fox & Friends' BLUE SPRINGS, MO (KCTV) -- Amanda Wohletz, the owner or Rae's Cafe, spoke out on Fox & Friends regarding imminent court action by Jackson County to close her business. "I'm just waiting honestly," said Woheltz. She says customers have been supportive and amazing of her decision to transform her business into a private club. No Kansas City Comfort In Booze Kansas City bar loses liquor license after not following COVID-19 safety protocols KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The crackdown on businesses that are not following COVID-19 protocols continues in Kansas City, Missouri. The Scene KC Rock Bar lost its liquor license Wednesday after a hearing before the liquor control board. Investigators with Regulated Industries said it started with a routine checkup on bars and restaurants in November during Kansas City's emergency COVID-19 order. PREZ BIDEN DECLARES VAXX MANDATE!!! Sweeping new vaccine mandates for 100 million Americans WASHINGTON (AP) In his most forceful pandemic actions and words, President Joe Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant. NO VAXX, NO JOB!!! BREAKING: Biden To Force Private Companies To Mandate Vaccinations, Weekly COVID Tests: Report Companies with at least 100 employees must require their employees get vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID-19 tests under a new Biden administration plan to combat the coronavirus and encourage vaccination. President Joe Biden is scheduled to outline a revamped federal strategy to address COVID-19 that includes far more invasive regulations and restrictions than the federal government has put in place to date. Lesson In Local Student Surge KCPS deals with 200+ quarantines 2 weeks after start of new school year KANSAS CITY, Mo. - More than 250 students and staff within Kansas City, Missouri, Public Schools are quarantined, according to the district's COVID-19 dashboard. "Anything that's happening in the community is going to be reflected in the school," Sara Williams, KCPS' COVID-19 response coordinator, said during a KCPS Board of Education meeting Wednesday night. Talkers Discount Freedom Howard Stern rips anti-vax radio hosts who died: 'F-k their freedom' Howard Stern takes no pity on his peers. The iconic shock jock has typically strong opinions about the swelling list of outspoken anti-vaxxer media personalities - including several US radio hosts - who've died of COVID-19 after waging high-profile campaigns about their "freedom" being impinged upon. Ozark COVID Vaxx Effort Confronts Political Challenges Getting the vaccine can still feel like an act of treason in this hard-hit corner of rural America It felt like Covid-19 was closing in around us during the five days in August this CNN crew spent in Carter County, Missouri. COVID Cash Help Still Struggling In Kansas $50 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds stalled in Kansas A plan in Kansas to allocate $50 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds towards retention incentives for nurses and frontline workers has stalled. Top Republican legislators voiced concerns Wednesday about which hospitals would receive the money and how those funds would be spent. Joker Plays Doctor Jimmy Kimmel suggests packed hospitals should prioritize those who haven't taken ivermectin Jimmy Kimmel suggested this week that crowded hospitals should prioritize patients who have been vaccinated and who have not taken the deworming medicine ivermectin. Kimmel, who has been on vacation from hosting "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" since June, told his audience on Tuesday, "I leave you people alone for two months. Economy Plagued By Doubt It's Still the Coronavirus Economy Let's start with a bit of epidemiology. On July 12th, the United States reported 35,383 new cases of , according to the Times. A month later, as the Delta variant continued to spread in many parts of the country, the U.S. reported 138,709 new cases. Lesson In Public Health Blue Valley student, parent file lawsuit against Johnson County's mask order for schools JOHNSON COUNTY, KS (KCTV) -- On Aug. 5, the Johnson County Administration Building was filled with people both for and against masks who were waiting for the commissioners upstairs to vote on a new health order. JoCo Shares COVID Big Picture Health officials outline state of pandemic in Johnson County KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The weekly Johnson County COVID-19 data update given to the Board of County Commissioners shows a slight flattening or decline in the case rate - but experts warn to take that with a grain of salt. COVID Intercourse Causes Cringe 'High-risk activity': Ardern advises against sex with Covid patients during hospital visits New Zealand's prime minister Jacinda Ardern may have kept her cool through a global pandemic, but a question about a patient and a visitor having sex at an Auckland hospital had the typically unflappable leader struggling to contain her expressions. Winter Is Coming . . . Looming flu season worries COVID-19-strained Kansas hospitals Kansas' hospitals are worried about the upcoming flu season because they're already strained by the surge in COVID-19 cases.Wichita's four hospitals have been operating for weeks at full capacity, with limited beds and staff. You decide . . . A top ranking politico and candidate for Guv recently smacked down the latest order from the Commander-In-Chief. Here's his quote with an important caveat and a reminder that politics shouldn't determine health decisions . . . No president has the legal authority to decree a national vaccine mandate or to punish private businesses that refuse to discriminate against employees based on their health status. President Biden yesterday scolded this is not about freedom, but the rule of law most certainly is. If the presidents overreaching rhetoric becomes federal action, then rest assured we will vigorously challenge it. To be clear, I continue to support Kansans choosing to be vaccinated, as I have. But this important health-care decision is reserved for individual Americans not entrusted to the president and federal bureaucrats. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . . In this post we share quite a few news stories regarding police action, ALLEGED misdeeds and hopefully one or two nicer stories . . . Check the www.TonysKansasCity.com collection . . . Neighbors concerned about chase policy as suspect causes tragedy . . . Police: Motorcyclist killed in crash after fleeing KCPD officers KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A motorcyclist died in a crash just after midnight Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri. Officers were called to the area of 39th and Chaumiere streets about a crash involving a motorcycle, according to KCPD. Politicos consider new policies in the aftermath of Meth Town chaos . . . Independence city leaders discuss shooting at SantaCaliGon Days Festival INDEPENDENCE, MO (KCTV) -- Tuesday night, several Independence city leaders spoke about Sunday's shooting that injured four people at a carnival at the SantaCaliGon Days Festival. It was the first city council meeting in Independence since the shooting occurred. Wyandotte County Prosecutor dismisses case against accused priest following mistrial KANSAS CITY, Kan. - A decision by the Wyandotte County Prosecutor's office may have dropped the legal fight for a Kansas City, Kansas, priest, but that doesn't mean his battle has ended. Wyandotte County prosecutors dismissed the case against Father Scott Kallal last week, according to the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Grandview man indicted for allegedly detonating explosives in Overland Park KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) -- A Grandview man has been indicted for allegedly detonating explosives at an Overland Park business in an attempt to get into an ATM. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 43-year-old Josiah Lewis has been charged with arson, felony possession of an explosive, and transportation explosive materials. Former Olathe teacher found guilty of stalking young girl JOHNSON COUNTY, KS (KCTV) - On Wednesday, a 59-year-old man was found guilty of stalking one of his students while he was a teacher at an elementary school in Olathe. James Loganbill, from Lenexa, had been charged with first-degree reckless stalking and was arrested back on June 12, 2020. Forwarding this one to mama TKC if only to keep things running smoothly around this basement . . . Olathe man gets 30-year term for murder of emaciated mother A suburban Kansas City man has been sentenced to more than 30 years in prison in the death of his 75-year-old mother, who was emaciated and riddled with infected bed sores when she died at home in 2019.Raymond McManness, 54, was sentenced Wednesday to 374 months, the Kansas City Star reported. An uplifting note after a recent rescue . . . Update: KCPD locates family of boy found walking alone KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- UPDATE from the KCPD: "GOOD NEWS! Thank you Kansas City and the Northeast Community for your quick work, his parents were found and they were reunited together. Thanks for spreading the word so quickly in the neighborhood, especially." Previous coverage is below. Developing . . . After his Kansas City visit this morning . . . The Guv doubled down on objection to medical orders from the White House . . . Again, what's important here is that he's NOT against the VAXX . . . But focuses on objection to policy . . . "Vaccination protects us from serious illness, but the decision to get vaccinated is a private health care decision that should remain as such. My administration will always fight back against federal power grabs and government overreach that threatens to limit our freedoms." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . . Gov. Mike Parson responds to President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate KANSAS CITY, Mo. - On Thursday, President Joe Biden issued a sweeping mandate that will require around 100 million Americans to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson responded on Twitter, calling the action "heavy-handed." Vaccination protects us from serious illness, but the decision to get vaccinated is a private health care decision that should remain as such. Missouri governor weighs special session to respond to Biden COVID plan Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson is considering calling a special legislative session to challenge President Joe Biden's plan to require COVID-19 vaccination or testing for many workers.Parson told the Kansas City Star in an interview Friday that Missouri will oppose the White House initiative on "multiple fronts. Developing . . . Johnstown, PA (15901) Today Scattered showers and thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 79F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Johnstown, PA (15901) Today Cloudy early with scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High around 80F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Sponsored By: Dorsett Automotive Mark Bennett has reported and analyzed news from the Wabash Valley and beyond since Larry Bird wore Sycamore blue. That role with the Tribune-Star has taken him from Rome to Alaska and many points in between, but Terre Haute suits him best. Follow Mark Bennett Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Good for: Groups, Special Occasion Dining, Romantic Dining options: Lunch, After-hours, Dinner, Breakfast, Reservations Description: At Gauchos Steakhouse in Gibraltar, we celebrate the unique spirit of Argentina within the equally unique setting of one of the worlds iconic fortifications. The Rock of Gibraltar rises from the sea, one of the ancient Pillars of Hercules, and nestled within the stones of its city walls, the Gauchos expert chefs prepare the best Argentinian steak, accompanied by traditional Argentinian complementary dishes. Gauchos brings to diners vividly authentic flavours, capturing the scent of the traditional asado out in the pampas on a summer evening and the taste of some of the worlds most succulent cuts of meat. Superb wines and service that is distinguished by its excellence all come together to create an unforgettable dining experience. -:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:- Tripadvisor staff has removed this post because it did not meet Tripadvisor's forum guidelines with regards to off-topic chat. Please limit conversations to subject matter directly related to the host forum. For example: when in the London forum, please stick to topics that relate to travel within the London Metropolitan Area. Off-Topic Chatter is a forum for discussions gone afield from the topic of travel. Please note that the Off-Topic Chatter forum is un-moderated -- the Forum Posting Guidelines are not enforced, with the exception of pornographic images or text, hate speech, unauthorized re-prints of copyrighted text, and messages that promote or encourage illegal activities. Each user is expected to take responsibility for his or her own conduct. To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. Three of the nation's largest food delivery companies are suing New York City over a limit on fees it put in place during the pandemic to protect restaurants devastated by the forced closure of their dining rooms. The city has continued to extend those caps even as vaccinations allow more indoor dining which, according to the companies, cost them millions of dollars over the summer. In the suit filed late Thursday the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats call the fee caps government overreach. The companies say they were instrumental in keeping restaurants afloat and food industry workers employed after investing millions of dollars in relief for those businesses. They are filing for an injunction that would prevent the city from enforcing an extension on the fee caps adopted in August. The companies are seeking unspecified monetary damages as well as a jury trial. New York Law Department spokesman Nicholas Paolucci said in an email that the citys initiative is legally sound and will be defended in court. The city of New York first enacted the price cap in May 2020 in response to the pandemic, limiting the rate that third-party platforms could charge restaurants at 15% of an online order for delivery services, and 5% for all other services, including marketing. Last month, New York City Council passed a handful of bills it said would help small restaurants, like prohibiting some third-party delivery service charges and mandating that their phone numbers are listed on those delivery sites. It also pushed forward an extension on the fee caps that would not expire until at least early next year. Food delivery services, Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats among them, that experienced explosive growth during the pandemic are increasingly clashing with local governments who say restaurants and consumers are getting hit with exorbitant fees and high costs. Last month Chicago officials accused DoorDash and Grubhub of harming the citys restaurants and their customers by charging high fees and through other deceptive practices. Delivery companies have been the target of legal authorities in other cities and states before, but those efforts have targeted specific policies compared to Chicagos attack on numerous elements of the companies operations. The companies called Chicago's lawsuits baseless. San Franciscos district attorney has accused delivery companies of violating California law by classifying drivers as contractors. And Washington, D.C., reached a settlement with DoorDash in 2019 after alleging the company misled customers about how much drivers received in tips. The Massachusetts attorney generals office in July filed a lawsuit accusing Grubhub of charging restaurants illegally high fees during the pandemic. The state had capped fees for much of 2020. In the lawsuit filed late Thursday, Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats argue that New York city has continually pushed back the expiration date of the price caps and that now there's no date at all, making them permanent. They also claim that the law has cost them hundreds of millions of dollars" through July. The ordinance is unconstitutional because, among other things, it interferes with freely negotiated contracts between platforms and restaurants by changing and dictating the economic terms on which a dynamic industry operates," the lawsuit states. Food delivery companies, despite soaring revenues, have delivered mixed economic results even as they were transformed into a critical service during the pandemic. Orders handled by DoorDash reached unprecedented levels during its most recent quarter and while revenue growth slowed from the height of the pandemic, the company said last month that sales were still up an astounding 83%, to $1.24 billion. Yet the company lost $102 million. Start-ups have to invest large sums to grow and delivery start-ups say that has grown worse as they are forced to spend more to lure new drivers as infections rise. DoorDash said that fee caps cost it $26 million during the most recent three-month reporting period. In a prepared statement Friday, DoorDash said putting caps on fees can lead to higher prices for customers and hurt drivers if rising prices reduce orders overall. "Imposing permanent price controls is an unprecedented and dangerous overreach by the government and will limit the options small businesses rely on to compete in an increasingly competitive market, the company said. DoorDash has already filed suit to block a cap on fees put into effect by San Francisco. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The Justice Department on Thursday sued Texas over a new state law that bans most abortions, arguing that it was enacted in open defiance of the Constitution." The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Texas, asks a federal judge to declare that the law is invalid, to enjoin its enforcement, and to protect the rights that Texas has violated. The act is clearly unconstitutional under long-standing Supreme Court precedent, Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a news conference announcing the suit. The Justice Department argues the law unlawfully infringes on the constitutional rights of women and violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which says federal law supersedes state law. Federal officials are also concerned other states could enact similar laws that would deprive their citizens of their constitutional rights," he said. It is settled constitutional law that a State may not prohibit any woman from making the ultimate decision to terminate her pregnancy before viability, the lawsuit reads. But Texas has done just that. The Texas law, known as SB8, prohibits abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity usually around six weeks, before some women know theyre pregnant. Courts have blocked other states from imposing similar restrictions, but Texas law differs significantly because it leaves enforcement to private citizens through civil lawsuits instead of criminal prosecutors. Pressure had been mounting on the Justice Department not only from the White House President Joe Biden has said the law is almost un-American but also from Democrats in Congress, who wanted Garland to take action. Earlier this week, Garland vowed the Justice Department would step in to enforce a federal law known as the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. That law, commonly known as the FACE Act, normally prohibits physically obstructing access to abortion clinics by blocking entrances or threatening to use force to intimidate or interfere with someone. It also prohibits damaging property at abortion clinics and other reproductive health centers. The lawsuit filed on Thursday seeks an immediate injunction to prohibit enforcing the law in Texas. Under the statute, someone could bring a lawsuit even if they have no connection to the woman getting an abortion and could be entitled to at least $10,000 in damages if they prevail in court. The statute deputizes all private citizens, without any showing of personal connection or injury, to serve as bounty hunters authorized to recover at least $10,000 per claim from individuals who facilitate a womans exercise of her constitutional rights, Garland said. The obvious and expressly acknowledged intention of this statutory scheme is to prevent women from exercising their constitutional rights by thwarting judicial review. The attorney general also argued the Texas law could expose some federal employees at different agencies across the government to civil liability for doing their jobs. The Texas law is the nations biggest curb to abortion since the Supreme Court affirmed in the landmark 1973 decision Roe v. Wade that women have a constitutional right to an abortion. Abortion providers have said they will comply, but already some of Texas roughly two dozen abortion clinics have temporarily stopped offering abortion services altogether. Clinics in neighboring states, meanwhile, have seen a surge in patients from Texas. Texas Right to Life, the states largest anti-abortion group and a driver of the new law, said Thursday in anticipation of the lawsuit that it was already working with other states to pass similar measures. The Biden administrations ploy represents a desperate attempt to stop the life-saving law by any means necessary, the group said in a statement. Renae Eze, a spokesperson for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, said his office was confident the courts would uphold the law. The most precious freedom is life itself. Texas passed a law that ensures that the life of every child with a heartbeat will be spared from the ravages of abortion, Eze said. The law provides no exceptions in cases of rape or incest, which Abbott on Tuesday defended by falsely asserting that women still have at least six weeks to get an abortion. A woman who has regular periods and is carefully tracking her cycle could know of a positive result no earlier than about four weeks into a pregnancy. Abbott also said Texas would strive to eliminate all rapists from the streets. Recent surveys by the U.S. Department of Justice found that most rapes go unreported to police, including a 2019 survey that found that only about 1 in 3 victims reported they were raped or sexually assaulted. The Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Texas abortion clinics suing over the law, welcomed the Biden administration stepping in. Its a gamechanger that the Department of Justice has joined the legal battle to restore constitutionally protected abortion access in Texas and disarm vigilantes looking to collect their bounties, said Nancy Northup, the groups president. Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, said in a statement that the lawsuit is a critical first step "to righting this injustice for the people of Texas, and to prevent this catastrophe from playing out in other states that have pledged to follow Texas lead. Amiri said in an interview that she expected the lawsuit to move quickly, possibly reaching the Supreme Court within weeks. - Balsamo reported from New York City. AP reporter Jessica Gresko contributed to this report. Contributed Photo AVON Less than 24 hours after family and friends held a vigil for the missing teenager, Ronan Hernsdorf-Smith was found safe, according to police Lt. John Schmalberger. Hernsdorf-Smith, 17, was missing since Aug. 30 when they took an Uber to Enfield to meet with an acquaintance. Friends and family had no idea where the transgender teenager, who uses they/them pronouns, couldve gone next as they werent using their debit card, cellphone or social media accounts. Tullahoma, TN (37388) Today Mostly cloudy with some showers this afternoon. High 77F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. The number of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine has not changed significantly today, while at the same time there has been an increase in battalion tactical groups along the entire border of Ukraine amid the Russian-Belarusian West 2021 exercise. Thats according to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Valery Zaluzhny, who answered Ukrinforms question on how the number of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine has changed since May. "I can't say that it has changed for the worse. The Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus are conducting a scheduled event, which they have openly announced. In accordance with their plan for the exercises, there has been a certain increase in battalion tactical groups along the entire state border, as well as in Belarus. Were monitoring all of them and preparing, accordingly, to respond adequately," the commander-in-chief said. Answering Ukrinform's questions about the areas where enemy provocations are most possible, Zaluzhny said: We expect provocations everywhere, and especially in the Joint Forces Operation zone. Yes, of course, they are possible. Why? Because the enemy uses any pretext, any means to show their influence. Therefore, we are expecting them everywhere and will be ready to respond wherever possible. At the same time, he assured that the war in Ukraine has been going on for seven years already so the defenses at the borders, including the northern ones, have long been strengthened. As Ukrinform reported earlier, Russian and Belarusian military on Friday morning began the practical part of the Zapad (West) 2021 joint strategic exercise. The spatial scope of the drills is more than 2,000 kilometers from the Baltic Sea in Kaliningrad region to training grounds in the Nizhny Novgorod and Voronezh regions (near the borders of Ukraine). The practical part of the exercise started simultaneously at nine Russian training sites and in the Baltic Sea, as well as at five sites in Belarus. The exercises involve about 200,000 troops, more than 80 planes and helicopters, up to 760 units of military hardware, including more than 290 tanks, over 240 artillery units, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars, and up to 15 warships. Some 12,800 military are operating in Belarus, including up to 2,500 deployed Russian servicemen, more than 30 warplanes and helicopters, up to 350 units of military hardware, including about 140 tanks, up to 110 artillery units, MLR systems, and mortars. Read also: Zapad 2021 maneuvers and Anschluss 2023 without a chance to any maneuver At the same time, the Russian military claims that the maximum number of forces who are part of military units under a single operational command in Russia, covered by the Vienna Document of 2011 on confidence- and security-building measures, will not exceed 6,400. The strategic exercise will last until September 16. im Poland's political and technical support for the synchronization of the Ukrainian power system with the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) is extremely important. Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said this at a meeting with Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki as part of his official visit to the Republic of Poland on September 9, according to the Government portal. Shmyhal separately stressed the importance of Ukraines integration into ENTSO-E, as provided by the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU. "I am convinced that Poland understands and supports our aspirations to join the European energy system both against the background of the hybrid aggression of the Russian Federation and in the context of the prospect of Ukraine's membership in the EU," he said. For his part, the prime minister of Poland noted that Ukraine's integration into ENTSO-E is a symbolic accession to Europe, and Poland stands ready to support Ukraine on this path. In addition, Denys Shmyhal and Mateusz Morawiecki voiced their strong opposition to the completion of the Nord Stream 2 project, which poses a threat to the security not only of Ukraine and Poland, but of the entire European continent as well. The prime ministers also raised the issue of countering the COVID-19 pandemic. Shmyhal thanked Poland for providing Ukraine with medicines worth almost EUR 4 million on August 24, as well as the delivery of the first batch of 650,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine. At a joint press conference following the meeting, Shmyhal also invited Morawiecki to pay an official visit to Ukraine. iy Poland is interested in gas production in Western Ukraine, which will allow becoming more independent of Russia in the energy sector. Thats according to Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki who spoke at a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal within the framework of the XXX Economic Forum in Karpacz, Ukrinform correspondent reports. "We also want Polands oil and gas company PGNiG to expand cooperation with Ukrainian partners in gas production in Western Ukraine, which will make it possible to become independent of Russia," Morawiecki said. He recalled the recent decision of the EU court which did not allow Gazprom to monopolize the operation of the OPAL gas pipeline (ground extension of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline ed.). According to the Polish prime minister, this will help jointly work out mechanisms to support Poland's strategy as a gas hub. Morawiecki has also reiterated Polands support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, condemned Russia's aggressive actions in Ukraine, and welcomed the launch of the Crimea Platform initiative. Morawiecki said that during a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, the situation in Belarus and on the Polish-Belarusian border was discussed in detail. He says Warsaw wants to develop a partnership with Ukraine in many areas, including in developing border infrastructure, cross-border cooperation, and economic cooperation. Morawiecki noted that Poland has provided Ukraine with medications to combat the coronavirus pandemic, with the most recent delivery being a batch of 600,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses. The second such batch is set to be delivered soon. As Ukrinform reported earlier, in July, the EU court rejected Germany's appeal against a previous ruling of the European Court, which in 2019 declared unconstitutional the decision of the European Commission to grant Gazprom monopoly access to the OPAL gas pipeline. Photo: Denys Shmyhal's press service im Ukrainian Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba has said that funds received from the ExportImport Bank of the United States will be used for joint projects with the localization of part of production in Ukraine. He said this during an hour of questions to the Government held in the Verkhovna Rada on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported. Kuleba reminded that the ExportImport Bank of the United States opened a $3 billion line to finance projects in Ukraine. "These are the funds that will come here for the development of the Ukrainian economy. All discussions of joint projects, which took place in the United States, provided for the condition of localization of this or that part of production in Ukraine," Kuleba said. He assured that the Ukrainian side holds talks with partners about localization. As reported, the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy and the U.S. Export-Import Bank signed a memorandum of understanding, which provides for cooperation on projects in the infrastructure sector, agriculture, energy and digital economy. The parties are planning to consider options for using medium- and long-term guarantees, as well as direct loans from the U.S. bank to finance U.S. exports to Ukraine for at least $3 billion. iy The United States will expand its assistance to Ukraine in countering Russian aggression, Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova has said. She said this in an interview with Suspilne News, Ukrinform reports. "The United States has confirmed that they will actively help us resist Russian aggression. They have been actively helping us from the very beginning of the aggression, but the new stage of cooperation says that it will expand," she said. Markarova noted that the confirmation of intentions to help is enshrined in the framework agreement on the strategic foundations of defense partnership, signed during the visit to the United States. According to her, the document also provides for deepening cooperation in the Black Sea region and building up defense capabilities on land, at sea and in the air. "And also in the cybersecurity sector. This framework agreement is the basis for each of these priorities, on which we can hold conversations with our colleagues," the ambassador emphasized. As Ukrinform reported, on August 31, Ukrainian Defense Minister Andrii Taran and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin signed a framework agreement on the strategic foundations of defense partnership between the two countries. ish World Bank (WB) Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Anna Bjerde will pay her first official visit to Ukraine on September 12-15. The WB wrote this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports. During the visit, Bjerde will meet with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and other representatives of the Ukrainian government. She will also hold meetings with representatives of foreign embassies, partners from international development organizations, and representatives of Ukrainian scientific community. During the trip, the WB vice president will visit a private farm to get acquainted with the implementation of land reform, which is supported by the World Bank. As a reminder, Anna Bjerde became World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia on May 1, 2020. In this position, Anna leads the World Banks strategic, analytical, operational and knowledge work in the region. The World Bank has committed more than USD 1.4 billion to help countries in Europe and Central Asia cope with the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak. After April 2, 2020, approximately USD 490 million in funding was approved for new emergency response projects. ish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Senik discussed with Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Ukraine Salem Ahmed Ali Al-Kaabi preparations for the fourth meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation to be held in Abu Dhabi in late 2021 - early 2022. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports. During the meeting, the interlocutors discussed topical issues of cooperation between Ukraine and the UAE in the political, trade, investment, and agricultural spheres. "We are satisfied with the dynamics of the development of Ukrainian-Emirati cooperation, which was given a new impetus by the official visit of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to the UAE in February this year," Senik said. The diplomats also discussed in detail the schedule of contacts between Ukrainian and UAE officials. They exchanged views on holding a number of high-level and top-level bilateral events in the near future. In addition, the parties discussed opportunities to realise the tourism potential of Ukraine and the UAE. "We are pleased to note the increase in the number of tourists from the Gulf countries to Ukraine. As part of the foreign policy strategy, we will continue to work to open our state to the world," Senik noted. The ministry also reminded that the third meeting of the Ukrainian-Emirati Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was held in Kyiv on August 16-17, 2018. As Ukrinform reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates on February 14-15. ish First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzheppar has informed Director of the Estonian Center of Eastern Partnership (ECEAP) Gert Antsu about another wave of detentions in the Russian-occupied Crimea. According to Ukrinform, she posted this on Twitter. "I had a pleasure to meet Gert Antsu, a friend of Ukraine and director of Estonian Center of Eastern Partnership (ECEAP). I informed my Estonian colleague about current situation in temporarily occupied Crimea, particularly in context of another wave of house searches and detentions on Sep 3-4, and further activities of Crimea Platform," Dzheppar wrote. The parties discussed the state of relations between Ukraine and the European Union, as well as the priorities of cooperation in the run-up to the 6th Eastern Partnership Summit this year. According to the press service of the Foreign Ministry, Dzheppar presented Ukraine's expectations from the EaP summit and the goals that our state sets for itself for further mutually beneficial partnership cooperation within the framework of this initiative. For Ukraine, in particular, among such priorities is ensuring the gradual integration of associated partners into the EU internal market, as well as increasing attention within the initiative to security issues in the region, the first deputy minister said. The interlocutors paid special attention to the Associated Trio initiative, which was launched by Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova. In the context of preparations for the 23rd Ukraine-EU summit, which will be held in Kyiv on October 12, the parties expressed hope for its successful holding and the signing of important bilateral documents, in particular the Common Aviation Area Agreement between Ukraine and the EU. As Ukrinform reported, on September 3-4, Russian occupation authorities in Crimea conducted mass raids in Crimean Tatar households and made a number of detentions. In particular, Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Nariman Celal and four other Crimean Tatars Aziz Akhtemov, Asan Akhmetov, Shevket Useinov, and Eldar Odamanov were detained. Their whereabouts were unknown to their relatives, lawyers, or human rights defenders. On September 4, relatives of the missing and lawyers gathered near the FSB building in Simferopol. More than 40 people were detained trying to find out the whereabouts of five Crimean Tatars. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed a strong protest in connection with the repeated illegal searches and detentions in the temporarily occupied Crimea. The Ukrainian government called the Kremlins move a reaction to the launch of the Crimea Platform initiative, and demanded that all detainees be immediately released. ish Russia's occupation of Crimea remains a direct challenge to international security, with grave implications for the international legal order that protects the unity and sovereignty of all States. This was said in a joint explanation of vote by EU Member States and aligned countries on the inclusion of an item "The situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine" into 76th UNGA session agenda. Anita Pipan, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, announced the statement at a meeting of the UN General Assembly on September 9. The European Union reaffirms its resolute support to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We reiterate that we do not recognise and continue to condemn the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, which is a violation of international law, the document reads. The EU continues to call for full compliance with international human rights standards in the Crimean peninsula. All pending cases of human rights violations and abuses, such as enforced disappearances, torture and killings should be thoroughly investigated. International human rights observers must be granted full, free and unhindered access to the whole territory of Ukraine, including in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. The EU stressed the importance of enhancing negotiating efforts aimed at sustainable and peaceful resolution of the conflict in view of the full implementation of the Minsk agreements by all sides and of measures aimed at rebuilding confidence while underlining the responsibility of the Russian Federation in this regard. ish Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has received a special award dedicated to Ukrainian society at the official closing ceremony of the 30th Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland. The chairman of the Polish Sejm's foreign affairs commission, Marek Kuchcinski, presented the award to the head of the Ukrainian government, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. Jan Malicki, the head of the Center for East European Studies at the University of Warsaw, said that the award "is dedicated to the Ukrainian people for their endurance." This phrase received long applause from several hundred forum participants. According to Malicki, the past few years have been difficult for Ukrainians given Russia's aggression, and the threat continues. "This is a society that is struggling," he said. Receiving the award, Shmyhal said: "I thank Poland for solidarity, for supporting independent Ukraine." Read also: Shmyhal proposes holding Lublin Triangle summit at level of prime ministers Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa received the Man of the Year award at the Economic Forum in Karpacz. In addition, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki presented awards to Polish activists in Belarus, Andzelika Borys and Andrzej Poczobut, who are currently held in a Belarusian prison. The award was given to their colleagues who were forced to leave for Poland. op Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Jansa have discussed the deepening of bilateral relations and Ukraine's European integration course. The meeting was held as part of the Forum "Europe: Reconstruction" in Karpacz, Poland, on September 9, according to the Government portal. Shmyhal congratulated Slovenia on the beginning of its presidency of the EU Council and stressed that Ukraine expects that the Ukraine-EU rich agenda will be successfully implemented. "Ukraine seeks to strengthen and develop the Eastern Partnership through implementing certain effective projects. We are looking forward to the successful holding of the EU-Ukraine summit in October this year and Slovenia's support in resuming a trade part of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union," Shmyhal said. He stressed that Ukraine expects to conclude a Common Aviation Area Agreement with the EU, adding that he hopes Slovenia will help speed up the issue. The Ukrainian prime minister also noted that one of the important stages of Ukraine's European integration is the synchronization of the Ukrainian energy system with the European ENTSO-E network. "Our goal is to disconnect from the energy systems of Belarus and Russia and synchronize with the European energy network in 2023," Shmyhal said. The prime ministers of Ukraine and Slovenia also discussed the development of trade and economic relations between the two countries. Shmyhal proposed holding the ninth meeting of the Joint Ukrainian-Slovenian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. iy The Verkhovna Rada has adopted Law No. 3427 "On the Introduction of Amendments to the Law of Ukraine 'On Advertising' on Combating Discrimination on the Grounds of Sex." Some 307 MPs voted for this decision at a parliament meeting on Friday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. The law bans the use in ads of any discriminatory statements and/or images based on national origin, social and property status, race and nationality, sex, education, political views, religion, language, gender and occupation, place of residence, as well as those that discredit another person's goods. In addition, it is prohibited to place in advertising any statements and/or images about the intellectual, physical, social or other superiority of one sex over another and/or about the stereotypical role of men and women that promotes humiliating and degrading treatment, to degrade human dignity on the basis of sex, to demonstrate violence on the basis of sex, to use images of the human body (body parts) exclusively as a sexual object in order to attract consumer attention and/or references (words, sounds, images) to sexual relations that do not concern advertised products or methods of their consumption. At the same time, the liability for violating the legislation on advertising has been tightened, and the protection of the rights of advertising consumers has been strengthened. Bill No. 3427 "On the Introduction of Amendments to the Law of Ukraine 'On Advertising' on Combating Discrimination on the Grounds of Sex" was adopted at first reading on March 4, 2021. op The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted a statement calling on the international community to condemn another wave of repression against Crimean Tatars in the occupied Crimea. The relevant resolution, No. 6007, "On the statement of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine the illegal detention of First Deputy Speaker of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Nariman Celal and other representatives of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people of Crimea in the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea by the aggressor state of the Russian Federation" was supported by 293 MPs, Ukrinform reports. "The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ... calls on national governments and parliaments of foreign states, international organizations and their parliamentary assemblies to condemn a new wave of repressions of the Russian Federation against the indigenous Crimean Tatar people in the temporarily occupied Crimea, and to apply restrictive measures against all those involved in the organization, management and execution of these crimes," the statement reads. The Ukrainian parliament also calls on global community, during bilateral and multilateral contacts with the Russian Federation, to insist on an end to the illegal persecution of indigenous Crimean Tatar people and on the implementation of the UN International Court of Justice Order of 19 April 2017 lifting the illegal ban on the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people. MPs call on international partners to join the Crimea Platform Declaration signed in Kyiv on August 23, 2021 and to step up efforts to de-occupy Crimea, including within the governmental, parliamentary and expert dimensions of the Crimea Platform, to restore international rule of law. In addition, the Verkhovna Rada asks to hold hearings in parliamentary assemblies and parliaments on the latest criminal actions of the Russian Federation and to bring it to international responsibility with the involvement of the Crimea Platform mechanisms, in particular the Interparliamentary Coordinating Council of the Crimea Platform. MPs emphasize that another criminal acts of persecution of representatives of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people by the occupation authorities of the Russian Federation are part of the systemic policy of the occupying power to change the demographic composition of the population and oust the indigenous Crimean Tatar people from Crimea, which poses a threat to its very existence and requires a decisive response from the international community. Verkhovna Rada Chairman Dmytro Razumkov must ensure that the text of the statement is immediately sent to national governments and parliaments of foreign states, international organizations and their parliamentary assemblies. As Ukrinform reported, on September 3-4, Russian occupation authorities in Crimea conducted mass raids in Crimean Tatar households and made a number of detentions. In particular, Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Nariman Celal and four other Crimean Tatars Aziz Akhtemov, Asan Akhmetov, Shevket Useinov, and Eldar Odamanov were detained. Their whereabouts were unknown to their relatives, lawyers, or human rights defenders. On September 4, relatives of the missing and lawyers gathered near the FSB building in Simferopol. More than 40 people were detained trying to find out the whereabouts of five Crimean Tatars. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed a strong protest in connection with the repeated illegal searches and detentions in the temporarily occupied Crimea. The Ukrainian government called the Kremlins move a reaction to the launch of the Crimea Platform initiative, and demanded that all detainees be immediately released. ish Chief of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Ivan Bakanov and U.S. congressmen have discussed threats facing Ukraine, the SBU press service has reported. "The current threats from Russia are now related to the conduct of the strategic Russian-Belarusian military exercises West 2021 on our border, attempts to destabilize the political situation in our country, and elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation. We have information that it is planned to actively involve the local population of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in the voting," Bakanov said. Therefore, the main tasks for Ukraine remain the protection of territorial integrity, state sovereignty and countering the hybrid aggression of the Russian Federation, Bakanov said. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania congressman and co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said that Ukraine is a young country that has achieved a lot in 30 years of its independence and which has to face extremely serious threats. That is why the United States will continue to provide full support to the country, he added. The parties acknowledged that no less important threat to Ukraine is internal corruption, the fight against which is a priority for all government agencies today. op Those responsible for the death of Ukrainian citizen Dmytro Nykyforenko, 25, who died in late July this year after being detained by police in Wroclaw, must be brought to justice, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said. He said this on Thursday, September 9, at a joint press conference with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki as part of the 30th Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "Ukrainian diplomats cooperate with Polish law enforcement agencies in the context of investigating the circumstances of Dmytro Nykyforenko's death and keep in touch with his family. The Polish and Ukrainian sides will make every effort to find out all the circumstances of our citizen's death and bring the perpetrators to justice," Shmyhal said. He added that the position of the Polish prime minister is the same. "He is very determined to resolve this case quickly and bring the perpetrators to justice if their guilt is proved," Shmyhal said. Nykyforenko, born in Nemyriv, Ukraine's Vinnytsia region, died in Wroclaw on July 30 after he was detained by police and taken to a sobering-up station. According to Gazeta Wyborcza, Polish police used inadequate force against the man, which led to his death. op The opening of the Ukrainian House in Washington during the official visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the United States on September 1 was a dream of Ukrainian diplomats and has been actively discussed since 1991-1992, Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova has said in an interview with Suspilne News. "We are very happy that we managed to quickly create and open our Ukrainian House here in Washington during the president's visit. It was a dream," she said. Markarova added that she remembers that the idea of creating a Ukrainian House in Washington had been discussed since 1991-1992. "And now, in addition to the embassy, we have another House in Washington, which in synergy with the Embassy will be a meeting place of the majestic past and our modern future," she said. The diplomat said that she was working hard with the embassy team to make the Ukrainian House "a favorite place of the Washington community and everyone who is interested in Ukraine." On September 1, during his official visit to the United States, Zelensky officially opened the Ukrainian House in Washington and presented awards to representatives of the Ukrainian community in the United States. Photo credit: Dom TV channel, Ukrinform Russia's narrative of its own national diversity and peaceful coexistence of languages and cultures is not quite consistent with reality Speaking at the MGIMO University on September 1, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: "We have never tried to grind down the traditions, culture, language of those peoples who have inhabited the territory of our country since the Russian Empire, then the Soviet Union, and now the Russian Federation. But then why is the vast majority of languages in Russia endangered? And where have millions of Ukrainians disappeared? mid.ru The territory of Russia covers one-eighth of the entire land surface on Earth, with the population constituting 1.9% of the worlds, while languages spoken in Russia account for about 2% of all the worlds languages. At the same time, over 90% of these languages (121 out of 131) are threatened to a varying extent, according to UNESCO assessment. The report says 19 languages are vulnerable, while the rest are in an even more critical situation. In late 2019, a post by a High School of Economics Professor Gasan Guseynov made quite a splash in Russia, where he wrote that in the capital of a multinational country hosting hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and Tatars, nothing is available in languages other than Russian. Perhaps that is why, Guseynov wrote, it seems to some Russians that Russian speakers in Ukraine are unable to learn Ukrainian. The professor was soon fired. Despite Russias rhetoric about its multinational nature and multilingualism, the presidential Hotline only accepts questions in Russian, while letters to Ukrainian political prisoners in Russian prisons wont be delivered if written in any other language. Federal TV and radio broadcast entirely in Russian as well. It is the only available language of vocational and higher education, including the Single State Exam in secondary school. National languages, on the other hand, have not been mandated in schools since 2018. In September 2019, Albert Razin, a Russian scientist, set himself on fire in defense of the Udmurt language (the number of speakers dropped by a third from 2002 to 2010 alone), protesting against the innovation. The government turned a blind eye to the dramatic move. According to a 2010 census, some 552,000 Udmurts were living in Russia, along with 1.9 million Ukrainians, making the latter the third-largest ethnic group in the Russian Federation, after Russians and Tatars. They also make up for the worlds largest Ukrainian diaspora. Somewhat fewer (1.3 million) people of Ukrainian descent reside in Canada. Getty images However, overseas it is much easier than in the sisterly Russia to remain a Ukrainian, as noted by Forbes. Families are welcome to baptize a child either in a Ukrainian Orthodox or Catholic Church. The child is free to attend a Ukrainian kindergarten, and then, they can learn their native language and history in a municipal secondary school. There are 12 schools like that in Toronto and suburbs, and 25 in the Province of Ontario. In Russia, on the other hand, there are no government schools where Ukrainian is the language of command. Any attempts to open them, as explained by Mykhailo Ratushnyk, head of the Ukrainian World Coordinating Council, immediately get into the FSB focus, with its operatives starting to intimidate the initiators. Over the past 20 years, the Ukrainian diaspora in Russia has been under enormous pressure from the government, both at official and unofficial everyday levels, was mentioned at the V All-Ukraine Research Conference in 2013. Needless to say, it has become very inconvenient to be a Ukrainian in Russia since 2014. If we speak about Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, they are almost the most disempowered people in Russia. It is simply dangerous to be a Ukrainian or a Crimean Tatar. Going to a Ukrainian church, studying the language (you can do it in Kuban, but as a Russian dialect, Kuban-speak) it is all informally prohibited, said Director of the Oleksandr Nykonorov Foreign Policy Research Center and co-coordinator of the Kuban with Ukraine Committee Serhii Parkhomenko. On the other hand, being a Ukrainian had become dangerous in Russia long before 2014. According to a 1926 census, Ukrainians were the second-largest ethnic group in Russia. Back then, it was 7.8 million people. By the next census, the number more than halved in 1939, there were just 3.3 million Ukrainians in Soviet Russia. Over the past century, Ukrainians in Russia remained at a quarter of the previous number. Given the circumstances, it would be fair to call it cultural genocide. Kuban This genocide was most severe in the 1930s when forcible suppression of Ukrainians and their culture started in regions with a historically high Ukrainian population, particularly Kuban. The first general census of the Russian Empire of 1897 recorded more than 900,000 Ukrainian speakers in Kuban (62% of the total population). Manifestations of the Ukrainian culture were so strong in Kuban that soon after the revolution in the Russian Empire, Kuban Peoples Republic emerged, and its Legislative Council in 1918 adopted a resolution to join the Ukrainian National Republic in the form of a Federation. The merger never happened due to aggression by Soviet Russia. In 1920, Kuban People's Republic was destroyed by the Bolsheviks. However, insurgent units operated in the Kuban area until 1925. The Soviet census of 1926 showed there were 915,000 Ukrainians in Kuban. At the time of a 2010 census, there were 84,000 left. In 1992, film director Valentin Sperkach shot a documentary entitled Cuban Cossacks. For Two Hundred Years Now..., which tells the story of Zaporizhia Cossacks moving to Kuban and the genocide of Ukrainians in Russia. Kuban on the map of Ukraine, released in Vienna in 1919 or 1920 by the "Christoph Raiser and Sons" Publishing House. Artist "Verte", idea by G. Gasenko Its characters open up about their experiences: Why am I registered as Russian, not Ukrainian... Because we were being strangled, so help us God!.. The entire Krasnodar Krai was made Russian... We were Ukrainians, and now we no longer know who we are. Shapeshifters... In school, I studied in Ukrainian. And we spoke Ukrainian. And since 1933, everything has come to naught. On December 14, 1932, the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) and the SNC of the USSR adopted a resolution "On Grain Procurement in Ukraine, the North Caucasus, and the Western region," which radically changed approaches to national policy: the fight against Petliura's Ukrainization" in the Ukrainian SSR and against any manifestations of Ukrainization in the North Caucasus. The next day, the ban on the use of the Ukrainian language in education, office work, and press was extended to other regions of Soviet Russia with a highly dense Ukrainian population. This was accompanied by repressions. According to one of the characters of Sperchak's documentary, his family was saved from deportation after his father forbade him to enroll in a Cossack culture club at school. The families of all kids who had signed up were deported. Far East Another powerful Ukrainian center outside Ukraine, besides Kuban, was Green Ukraine a territory in the southern part of the Far East. Based on various estimates, Ukrainians constituted a third to a half of the population in the Far East. In some areas, they even accounted for 6080% of the population. This is a big Malorossiya village. The main and oldest street is Mykolska. Along the entire street, on both sides, white huts are lined up, occasionally still covered with straw... people from the Great Russian counties are barely noticeable among those from Poltava, Chernihiv, Kyiv, Volyn, and other Ukrainians they vanish among the primary Malorossiya element... People sport Ukrainian clothes. You can hear the joyful, populous, and lively Malorossiya speech everywhere correspondent Ivan Illich-Svitych wrote, describing the city of Ussuriysk in 1905. From June 1917 to January 1918, the Provisional Far Eastern Ukrainian National Committee, which was the main executive body of the Ukrainian Far Eastern Republic, was located here in Ussuriysk. Ukrainians also tried to form their state in the Far East. Throughout its existence, the state-building movement in Green Ukraine focused on unification with the Ukrainian People's Republic. The Second All-Ukraine Congress of the Far East, held in Khabarovsk in January 1918, appealed to the government of the Ukrainian People's Republic, demanding that the Russian government recognize Green Ukraine as part of the Ukrainian state. Of course, the conditions were hardly auspicious civil war between the Red and the White armies was already underway in the Far East. Both of them were very negative, even hostile, towards Ukrainians not only towards their aspiration for independence, but even towards their cultural needs, said Viacheslav Chornomaz, researcher of the Ukrainian diaspora in the Far East and its representative, editor of the encyclopedia Green Ukraine. Ukrainian Far East. But as soon as the 1930s, the Far East turned into a desert of Ukrainian culture, said Chornomaz. Ukrainians had no opportunity to preserve their identity. Siberia The third center was the Ukrainian communities of Grey Ukraine the territory of Ukrainian colonization in Siberia. After the February Revolution of 1917, the Ukrainians of Grey Ukraine established their own self-government and military units in Siberia. At the First Ukrainian Congress of Siberia in Omsk in July-August 1917, the Main Ukrainian Council of Siberia was elected. Seryi Klyn. Cossacks of the Hetman Petro Sahaidachny squad. In 1917-1920, a movement for Ukrainian state autonomy was launched Seryi Klyn. Ukrainian state movement in Siberia stretched across the regions of Western Siberia, where Ukrainians accounted for the majority of the population. At the time of the Ukrainian governmental movement in Grey Ukraine, Ukrainian press was available, Ukrainian unions and associations were created, and even Ukrainian national rallies were held, flying blue and yellow flags. After termination of the Ukrainian statehood in Grey Ukraine and the occupation of Western Siberia by the Bolsheviks, the Ukrainian population, which constituted about 40% of the 1.5 million people of Grey Ukraine, was destroyed or assimilated. Volga Region and Others In addition to Green and Grey Ukraine, there was also the so-called Yellow Ukraine, an ethnic Ukrainian territory in the Volga region where the presence of Ukrainians was so massive that the German Republic of the Volga region created by the Bolsheviks had three official languages German, Russian, and Ukrainian enshrined in the constitution. Moscow, however, never approved the constitution, and the autonomy was soon abolished. In 1926, Ukrainians made up more than 70% of the population of the Taganrog area but in 1939, the Soviet census showed that most Ukrainians in that region had mysteriously disappeared. While Ukrainians accounted for about 40% of the population in the Belgorod region in the 1897 census, the area has become practically mono-ethnic today: 94.4% of the population are Russians. Todays Russia In the aughts, Ukrainian social, cultural, and religious activists in Russia faced attacks, assaults, attempted and completed assassinations. Ukrainian organizations and establishments that emerged on the wave of democratic reforms were eliminated. In 2003, the vicar of the Moscow parish of St. Ignatius the Godbearer, Bishop Oleksandr Simchenko of Antioch (UGCC) was first assaulted by a group of unidentified men while on an Ivano-Frankivsk Moscow train. The priest spent several weeks in hospital but no criminal inquiry was opened. After that, he was assaulted five more times. The perpetrators were never found. In 2002, Volodymyr Poburynnyi, a businessman, philanthropist, and member of the "Dream" Ukrainian Cultural Society was killed in Ivanovo region. In April 2004, Anatolii Kryl, leader of the Ukrainian choir Horlytsia and doctor by profession, was killed in Vladivostok. In July 2006, Natalia Kovaliova, head of the Audit Commission of the Federal National and Cultural Autonomy of Ukrainians in Russia (FNCAUR), survived an assassination attempt in Tula. Two men attacked her, inflicting multiple grave injuries. A metal rod, found near the crime scene, was used to smash her face, break her teeth, and almost knock out her right eye. The woman suffered a fractured skull and intracranial bleeding. In December 2006, her husband, Volodymyr Senyshyn, member of the Council of the Union of Ukrainians in Russia and head of the Tula regional organization Parents' Roof, was killed in Tula. In 2008, the Ukrainian Educational Center was terminated in Moscow. In 2010, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation revoked registration of one of the two largest public associations of the Ukrainian minority, the Federal National and Cultural Autonomy of Ukrainians in Russia. In 2010, due to a criminal case, the only official library of Ukrainian literature in Russia was shut down to visitors (and eventually closed altogether in 2018). In 2012, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation ruled to close the second all-Russian public organization of the Ukrainian minority, the Union of Ukrainians in Russia. Roman Tsymbaliuk / hyser Roman Tsymbaliuk, an UNIAN staff writer in Moscow, said: Even before the invasion, the Russian authorities had done everything possible to destroy the Ukrainian movement in the Russian Federation. Center for Strategic Communications and Information Strategy | By Alex Likowski Following a summer hiatus, the regular program hosted by University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS Virtual Face to Face with President Bruce Jarrell returned Sept. 9 with a focus on safety and emotional health as members of the UMB community settle back in to working and learning in a mostly in-person environment. For many on campus, the return isnt exactly what was expected. Just four months ago, 3 million Americans were being vaccinated every day, prompting President Joe Biden to predict a summer of joy and prompting universities like UMB to gear up for full scale returns in the fall. To ensure the return was a safe one, Jarrell instituted a vaccine requirement for all students and University employees. As a result, the vaccination rate at UMB is currently over 95 percent. But as we adapt to COVID-19, COVID-19 as viruses tend to do is adapting to us. The most prevalent COVID-19 variant, the highly contagious Delta, accounted for just 3 percent of Maryland COVID-19 cases in May, but that number jumped to 93 percent in August, according to University of Maryland Medical System President and CEO Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, who is also the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Professor in Radiation Oncology. The World Health Organization has also added a new variant to its Variants of Interest watchlist Mu citing what it says is Mus apparent resistance to the antibodies produced by natural immunity, current vaccines, and monoclonal antibody treatments. The Mu variant has been reported in every state but Nebraska, but so far only in small numbers. As the Delta variant has grown to become the predominant strain, the number of cases has risen to very high levels, with new hospitalizations and deaths resulting from COVID-19 infection occurring almost exclusively among the unvaccinated. The American Academy of Pediatrics says the number of children testing positive for COVID-19 jumped exponentially between Aug. 5 and Sept. 2, with more than a quarter-million added just last week. At this writing, children under age 12 are not approved to receive a vaccine in the U.S. Unlike the vaccine approval process for adults, which required two months of trial data for review, the Food and Drug Administration is requiring six months of data for pediatric vaccines, said panelist James D. Campbell, MD, MS, professor of pediatrics and principal investigator of two pediatric vaccine trials at the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health. A quarter of all the cases now are children. Some pediatric hospitals in places where Delta is surging more than here are full, their ICUs are full, he said. We need additional tools. We know these vaccines work really well, we just need to have the data reviewed so we can determine whether or not they can be used safely in kids. Apart from medical concerns, UMB students and employees face an array of mental health challenges: the often complicated balancing of work and home life, stress induced by changing policies and requirements, and fear of working in close proximity with colleagues after working apart for so long. For both the students and for staff and faculty, its been a really hard year. Were already deciding to define this as another generation trauma, explained Cassandra Moon, PsyD, staff psychologist and outreach director of the UMB Student Counseling Center. You feel like you need to work a little bit harder, that your motivation is a little bit lower. You feel like your sleeps impacted a bit. Your moods lower. Everythings a bit more foggy, as I describe it. And because of that, if you try to set yourself up with the expectations of where you were in 2019, youre setting yourself up to fail. A challenge for many parents right now is how to balance the demands of work and home. I have staff who have kids who have been sent home from school because they were exposed [to COVID], said Susan McKechnie, MBA, associate vice president for financial services and university controller. Those parents are forced to take leave, often on short notice, creating a difficult situation for supervisors now that telework has been reduced to a minimum whats been described as "most of the people, most of the time" on campus. Could we get to, maybe, most of the people, some of the time? McKechnie asked. Maybe roll back to the [June 1] environment, where were not 100 percent telework. Im totally sympathetic to that. Obviously, we want flexibility to be the rule here, Jarrell replied. If thats happening with schools, then were going to have to step back and look at things again and try to make whats a reasonable decision thats respectful of what parents need to be doing at home. To watch the entire discussion, including questions from the audience, use the video link at the top of this page. Tut Yiech, a representative of the South Sudanese refugee committee, displays proof of his COVID-19 vaccine shot in Jewi refugee camp in Gambella, Ethiopia. UNHCR/Elisabeth Arnsdorf Haslund Tut Kiel Tut pulls out a wrinkled paper from his pocket and displays it confidently its proof of his first COVID-19 vaccine shot, which he received over a month ago. As one of the refugee health workers volunteering in Ethiopias Jewi camp, home to some 60,000 South Sudanese refugees, Tut got his first vaccine shot from the regional health bureau in Gambella. COVID-19 really created fear in the community, even more than from diseases like malaria and HIV, says Tut, 40, who has worked as an interpreter in the camps health center for years. He adds that news of how many people had died and how the virus was affecting everybody was rampant. When we learnt of a vaccine that could help protect us, people clapped their hands we were so happy, he adds. Ethiopia, Africas third-largest refugee hosting country, has included refugees in its national vaccination rollout, meaning that particularly vulnerable individuals and health workers at the front lines across the 26 refugee camps in Ethiopia can access vaccines. According to Ethiopias Agency for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA), a total of 1,951 refugees had been vaccinated in Gambella region alone, as of 15 June. The global pandemic has taught us that no one is safe until everyone is safe. It is so encouraging to see how refugees are helping at the front lines of the response, but also how the Government of Ethiopia is including refugees in their national vaccination program without discrimination, says Ann Encontre, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agencys Representative in Ethiopia. This is not only proof of true solidarity, but also a good thing to do, as the global pandemic has taught us that no one is safe until everyone is safe. South Sudanese health worker, Tut Kiel Tut, washes his hands at a handwash station outside the health centre in Jewi refugee camp, Ethiopia. UNHCR/Elisabeth Arnsdorf Haslund South Sudanese health worker Mary Nyabang, stands outside the health center in Jewi refugee camp, Ethiopia. UNHCR/Elisabeth Arnsdorf Haslund Tut understands that part of his responsibility in the health center, is also to help support the COVID-19 response and create more awareness, particularly on vaccination among the refugees and host community, even when he is off duty. There is still a lack of knowledge and some resistance towards the vaccine. So, we must push this communication everywhere at food distributions, in schools and here in the health center, explains Tut. I am now vaccinated, and I feel safe, but I still need to show a good example to others. Jewi health centre receives on average 250 patients a day and COVID-19 is not the only concern for the refugees seeking medical help here. Malaria, respiratory diseases, diarrhoea, and skin diseases are other common health issues. The doctors are supported by 163 refugee health workers like Tut and Mary Nyabang, 40, who has worked at the health center for six years, taking care of patients and cooking for them. Mary is vaccinated and happy that things are improving, as the pandemic has been gravely felt by the community. COVID-19 has been disastrous. Everything stopped and it was impossible to earn additional income to support my family. But now, the vaccines are available, and masks are being produced so things are improving, she explains. We need to take this vaccine. She feels its her duty to be a role model and help create COVID-19 awareness among her peers. I talk to my patients at the health centre, the children and my neighbours and I tell them what we should do to protect ourselves and each other, says Mary. I also tell them that we need to take this vaccine. Globally, UNHCR has called on countries to include refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless people in their national COVID-19 responses. UNHCR has also urged for stronger support for the COVAX initiative, a worldwide effort to achieve equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines by appealing to countries with surplus doses to share them with lower and middle-income countries and for manufacturers to boost supplies to the COVAX facility. Back in Jewi camp, the elected representative for the refugee community committee, Tut Yiech, is using his influence as a leader to encourage the community to take the vaccine. But he is also concerned about the availability of enough vaccines coming to the camp. People need more vaccines. I received it, yes, but what about the rest of my community? he asks. A Congolese family displaced by violence in North Kivu province pictured in Kibarizo village in September 2020. UNHCR/Justin Kasereka UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is alarmed by violence committed against civilians by armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that continues to cost lives and drive people from their homes. UNHCR and its partners recorded more than 1,200 civilian deaths and 1,100 rapes this year in the two most affected provinces of North Kivu and Ituri. UNHCR has recorded 25,000 human rights abuses this year. In total, more than a million Congolese have been internally displaced in the east of the country in 2021. Repeated displacement has put enormous pressure on those forced to flee and the host families that have taken in 94 per cent of DRCs forcibly displaced population. Host families have shown huge generosity towards their compatriots but are exhausted and in need of support if they are to continue as first responders. Harsh living conditions and a lack of food often trigger a premature return by displaced people to their place of origin, further exposing them to abuse and violence. Returnees account for 65 per cent of the serious human rights abuses recorded by UNHCR and partners. Attacks attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) armed group have increased in brutality since late 2020, and the frequency of killings of civilians has not abated despite the state of siege declared in early May 2021 to counter the activities of these armed groups. On 3 September, armed men identified as members of the ADF raided a village in Irumu Territory, killed 15 civilians, set fire to 10 houses and kidnapped two women. On 6 September, an armed group reportedly raped 10 displaced women in Djugu Territory, Ituri province. UNHCR and partners took the women to the nearest hospital where they received psychosocial and medical support. Following the state of siege, North Kivu and Ituri Provinces are now led by military governments, under which the national army has ramped up its operations and military tribunals have replaced civil courts. Some armed groups, seeing their territory shrink, have surrendered. Others counter military operations with reprisals against villages and individuals they perceive as supporting the government. Despite government efforts to reduce the abuses of armed groups, our teams continue to hear horrific accounts of sexual violence, extortion, and looting. UNHCR reiterates its call for urgent measures to protect civilians. We support local authorities and civil society groups who respond repeatedly to recurrent forced displacement, and continue to provide lifesaving aid, psychosocial and other support to people in need. Funding for this humanitarian crisis remains critically low, with the result that UNHCR is only able to respond to a small fraction of the population in urgent need. UNHCR is calling on the international community for more support. Less than four months from the end of the year, we have received just 51 per cent of the US$205 million required in 2021 for the operation in DRC. For more information on this topic, please contact: UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi visited the Turkish Red Crescent's community centre in Sanlurfa and met with refugees there. UNHCR/Emrah Gurel Turkey During a three-day mission to Turkey, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi praised the country for its continued commitment to protecting refugees and asylum-seekers and including them in public services like education, health and livelihoods. Turkey currently hosts some 3.7 million Syrians and around 330,000 others, the majority of whom are Afghans. Turkey is an example to the world not only in that it continues to protect millions of refugees, but is also a leader in how it hosts them," the High Commissioner said. "The Government and people have included refugees in public services, offering important opportunities for them to achieve their potential. Refugees have access to public services, such as education, legal work opportunities and national health care including testing and vaccination for COVID-19. This is real inclusion. However, responding to a refugee crisis and assisting refugees must be a global and shared responsibility as reiterated in the Global Compact for Refugees, Grandi added. Donors must also step up and help not just refugees but also the Turkish people who have generously hosted them. The High Commissioners mission included visits to Ankara, Sanliurfa and Gaziantep. He was received by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and held meetings with Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu and Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu. During his meetings, Grandi emphasized the importance of global cooperation to find solutions to displacement and refugee flows as well as the importance of scaling up assistance both in refugee hosting countries and countries of origin. The unfolding situation in Afghanistan was also a subject of discussions and Grandi briefed on UNHCRs operations inside the country to urgently help the 3.5 million displaced people ahead of the looming winter as well as UNHCRs activities in support of Afghan refugees and their hosts. Grandi also reiterated his public appeal to all member states to respect the right of Afghans to seek international protection. While in Sanlurfa and Gaziantep, Grandi met the respective governors and mayors and thanked them for their leadership in promoting harmonious relations between Turkish and Syrian communities. He also met with refugees to listen to their perspectives and experiences as refugees and their hopes and aspirations for the future. For more information on this topic, please contact: Mariam Amiri, center, joins about 100 other people from the local Afghan community Wednesday in Riverfront Park to protest the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. As a police traffic unit waits nearby in the photos upper right, a driver travels on High Drive, near 20th Ave. in Spokane, on Sept. 4, 2020. Inslee announces mask requirement for outdoor gatherings of 500 or more as COVID cases persist We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on. Get started! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests people avoid using public water fountains amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Dreamstime/TNS) Barak Mendelsohn teaches students on Aug. 31, 2021, during a class on terrorism at Haverford College. An expert in the Jihadi movement and Al-Qaeda, he has been teaching there since 2007. (Jose F. Moreno/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS) After more than four years, Donnie Russell Rowe Jr. will go to trial in connection with the murders of two state corrections officers during an escape from a state prison transport bus in Putnam County. Students wait in line to vote on Super Tuesday, Tuesday, March 4, 2020, on the third floor of the LBJ Student Center at Texas State. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2021) The economic situation in northeast Syria has deteriorated and is now worse than ever because of US sanctions imposed on the conflict-torn country, Syrian Democratic Council Representative in the United States and member of the Presidential Committee, Bassam Saker, told Sputnik. "To be honest, it is difficult situation now," Saker said. "The economic situation is worse now than before. Because even us, we are under sanctions, our region is under the Caesar Act sanctions. That's why the people, they still suffer there. I can say that the economic situation is worse than ever. It is complicated. That's why we need the political solution to be reached soon." Saker said they need waivers from the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) before anything can be done. "Anything you want to do in the area, you need an OFAC or exemption to do that. It means we are under influence of these sanctions," he added. "We have a problem with sanctions, because we use the Syrian Currency and the Syrian currency collapsed." Saker said he believes when the political process is solved, the sanctions should be removed. He also stressed the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which calls for an inclusive political solution to end the war. "It is the main job for America and Russia, and even Turkey, and Iran who [are] involved in Syria - they can do that, the political process and to make the 2254," he said. "If they will do that, I believe everything will be solved. It should be." Moreover, Saker added, the situation in the region is challenged by the continued attacks from Turkey, remaining sleeping cells of the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) as well as thousands of foreign fighters remaining in the prisons. In late 2019, then-US President Donald Trump signed the so-called Caesar Act that took effect the next year, targeting almost all areas of Syria's economy. The law has since sanctioned a number of domestic and foreign companies and individuals who do business with the government of President Bashar Assad, plunging the middle Eastern country into its worst socioeconomic crisis since the outbreak of the war. Damascus has repeatedly asked the international community to condemn the unilateral sanctions and take steps to lift them, pointing out that they have led to an increase in the number of Syrians in need and are violating basic human rights. The official Damascus does not recognize the authority of the so-called Autonomous Administration and its military wing, the SDF, over the country's northeast. The Syrian Democratic Forces, operating in the north of Syria, have played an active role in fighting IS and have placed thousands of captured militants and members of their families in prisons and camps. The US-led coalition of more than 60 nations has been carrying out airstrikes and other operations against the Islamic State in Iraq since August 2014 and in Syria since September 2014. However, the coalition has acted in Syria without the approval of the Syrian government or the UN Security Council. :Fiji has recorded 179 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and five new deaths from the pandemic, said the Ministry of Health on Wednesday SUVA, Sept. 10 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Sep, 2021 ) --:Fiji has recorded 179 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and five new deaths from the pandemic, said the Ministry of Health on Wednesday. Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health James Fong said 87 of the new cases were reported in the Western Division, 90 in the Central Division, one in Kadavu and one in Vanua Levu. Fong said there have been 403 new recoveries recorded since the last update. There have been 48,502 cases so far reported during the current outbreak that started in April 2021, and 48,572 cases in total since the first coronavirus case was reported in March 2020, with 34,318 recoveries. The coronavirus death toll currently stands at 533 in Fiji, including 531 in the current outbreak. There are currently 154 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Fiji. Fong said five of them are in critical condition. Fong said 96.5 percent of the targeted population in the country have received at least one dose (@FahadShabbir) Mongolia's COVID-19 tally rose by 3,963 to 240,042 in the last 24 hours, its highest daily increase of infections, the health ministry said Tuesday ULAN BATOR, Sept. 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Sep, 2021 ) :Mongolia's COVID-19 tally rose by 3,963 to 240,042 in the last 24 hours, its highest daily increase of infections, the health ministry said Tuesday. It also marked the seventh straight day to exceed 3,000 cases daily. Meanwhile, eight more patients, all aged over 40, died in the past day, pushing the national death toll to 976. The ministry said that more than 8,200 samples were tested across the country in the past day, and the latest confirmed cases were all local infections. A total of 50,078 COVID-19 patients, including 2,617 children and 710 pregnant women, are now being treated across the country, according to the ministry. Health authorities have urged the public to strictly follow all health protocols as the highly contagious Delta variant is spreading fast across the country and has been detected in most of the 21 provinces. Nearly 65 percent of Mongolia's population have been fully vaccinated since the Asian country launched a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign in late February. (@FahadShabbir) Washington, Sept 10 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Sep, 2021 ) :Australia carried out espionage operations in Chile in the 1970s in support of the US intervention against the socialist government of Salvador Allende, according to intelligence documents released Friday. The Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) installed a "station" in Santiago from 1971 to 1973 at the request of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), according to declassified Australian records published by the National Security Archive (NSA) a Washington-based research center. "After 50 years, the hidden history of concerted, covert U.S. efforts, with other proxies, to destabilize the democratically elected Chilean government of Salvador Allende continues to unfold," NSA historian Peter Kornbluh told AFP. "The verdict of history for countries like Australia and Brazil which also intervened in Chile, depends on this dark past being understood in its totality," he said. Allende, elected president of Chile in 1970 by the Popular Unity coalition of left-wing parties, was overthrown on September 11, 1973 in a coup led by General Augusto Pinochet. Surrounded by troops in the presidential palace at La Moneda, Allende committed suicide. Three years earlier, the CIA had requested assistance from ASIS to carry out covert operations in Chile. According to memoranda and reports cited by the NSA, in December 1970, Australian Foreign Minister William McMahon authorized the opening of a secret cell in the Chilean capital, whose teams and agents arrived in mid-1971. The operations, which involved recruiting Chilean assets and submitting intelligence reports directly to CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, lasted 18 months. By early 1973, the new Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, ordered the director of ASIS to end the operation in Chile, concerned at the possibility that Australian participation would be "extremely difficult" to justify if made public, according to the records. The Australian spy cell was apparently closed in July 1973, although an ASIS agent remained in Santiago until after the military coup of September 11. Australia declassified the documents following requests from Clinton Fernandes, a former Australian Army intelligence analyst and professor of international studies at the University of New South Wales in Canberra, who had filed freedom of information petitions. The Australian government provided Fernandes with files in June. Tillabri, Niger, Sept 10 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Sep, 2021 ) :The balance of power in Niger has shifted in the army's favour against the jihadists, President Mohamed Bazoum said Friday during a visit to the country's hard-hit west. "The balance of power has changed considerably and you will have observed that the enemy has changed its mode of operations," Bazoum said during a meeting with troops deployed in the Tillaberi region. "They are no longer looking for you because they know what awaits them," the president said. "They fall back on unarmed innocent people... unleash a large-scale massacre," he said. "Everywhere they attack peasants who are in the fields of the remotest villages, the furthest from the centre where they know they have no chance of meeting our forces," the president said. It is Bazoum's first visit since his election at the end of February to the Tillaberi region, the theatre of years of bloody attacks against civilians and soldiers mounted by jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. Human Rights Watch estimated in August that more than 420 civilians have been killed since the beginning of the year in western Niger. Since the start of the rainy season in June, attacks have been targeting mainly civilians working the land. "We have no doubt about this battle's outcome. We have won a part of it, we will win it outright," said Bazoum who acknowledged that since 2015 the situation in the region had not stopped deteriorating. He was due on Saturday to travel further north to the Anzorou area, where many civilians have been killed since 2020. Braslia, Sept 10 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Sep, 2021 ) :President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday backed off his heated attacks on Brazil's Federal institutions, insisting that his recent jabs at the Supreme Court just came "in the heat of the moment." "My words, sometimes forceful, were spoken in the heat of the moment," the far-right president said in a written statement after talking tough Tuesday to supporters at an Independence Day rally in Sao Paulo. Bolsonaro -- who has been squaring off publicly with the high court for weeks since it opened investigations against him and those around him -- took a menacing tone at the rally. "We do not want to fight with any power. But (...) we cannot allow a person to put our freedom at risk," said Bolsonaro, a clear reference to judge Alexandre de Moraes, who is handling his case. "Either the head of the (high court) puts (this judge) in his place, or else this power will suffer the consequences that nobody wants," he said. Some 125,000 Bolsonaro supporters rallied in Sao Paulo, police said, a packed rally but far short of the two million the president had hoped to gather. In his written statement Thursday Bolsonaro assured that he never had "any intention of attacking" any government institution. "I reiterate my respect for the institutions of the Republic, the driving forces that help govern the country," he wrote. This is typical Bolsonaro tactic, said Michael Mohallem, a law professor at the Universidad Catolica de Rio de Janeiro. "He pushes to the limit, then backs down," Mohallem said. "But he only backs off temporarily. Everything indicates that this will happen again ... It's very probable that in the next days his attacks against the Supreme Court will continue."Mohallem said the goal of Bolsonaro's letter is to negotiate with the legislature "and not be impeached," given that some parties have raised that possibility again. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Bukavu, DR Congo, Sept 10 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Sep, 2021 ) :Congolese Nobel laureate Denis Mukwege on Friday called for an international criminal court for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), whose eastern provinces have been wracked by armed groups for a quarter of a century. In a statement issued in the runup to the annual UN General Assembly in New York, Mukwege said impunity for brutal crimes was entrenched and local people lived "in fear and horror." Despite a regional state of siege imposed in May, "the security situation in these provinces does not seem to be improving," Mukwege said, referring to dozens of killings in recent months. "(T)his tragic and scandalous situation is no longer tolerable," he said. "In the face of political and security failures to find solutions, we are convinced that the path to lasting peace means having to use every mechanism of. .. justice," he said. Mukwege, a surgeon who practices in the deeply troubled South Kivu province, was awarded the 2018 Nobel Peace prize for treating hundreds of women victims of rape and sexual mutilation by armed men. He called on President Felix Tshisekedi to urge the United Nations to set up "an international criminal tribunal" for the DRC and approve a mission of inquiry that would start work without delay. Investigators, he said, should "exhume the numerous mass graves in the east of the country and collect and preserve evidence of acts likely to constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of genocide."South and North Kivu provinces and Ituri to the northeast were battered in the First and Second Congo Wars (1996-2003) and the civilian population today remains prey to a host of armed groups who massacre villagers and destroy their homes. Yaounde, Sept 10 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Sep, 2021 ) :Four suspected separatists in Cameroon's troubled anglophone regions have been sentenced to death over the killing of seven schoolchildren, the defence ministry announced on Friday. A military court on Tuesday sentenced the four to "execution in public by firing squad," it said in a statement to AFP. Seven children aged between nine and 12 were killed in October last year when armed men opened fire on their school in Kumba in the Southwest Region -- one of two English-speaking regions gripped by a long-running armed campaign for independence. Los Angeles, Sept 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Sep, 2021 ) :Covid-19 vaccines are expected to be made compulsory Thursday for Los Angeles schoolchildren aged 12 and over, the first such requirement by a major education board in the United States. The vote by the Los Angeles Unified School District -- the second biggest in the country -- comes as the nation grapples with surging coronavirus numbers, driven by the highly contagious Delta variant. It also comes as President Joe Biden is set to unveil vaccine mandates for Federal employees, as part of a plan to wrestle the Covid caseload under control. Around 600,000 students attend a public school managed by LAUSD, and the expected passage of the motion at Thursday's meeting could set a precedent for school boards across the country. The district already mandates regular testing for children, and masks are required on campus, both indoors and out. Staff must be vaccinated. Under the proposal, all children attending in-person classes would need to have their first dose by November 21, and their second by December 19. A child who turns 12 will have 30 days to get their first shot. The plan has the support of teachers' unions and many parents, but -- as elsewhere in the United States -- a significant and vocal minority is strongly opposed to vaccines, despite overwhelming scientific evidence that they are safe and effective. ISTANBUL, 9 sEPT (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Sep, 2021 ) -:- The scientist developing Turkey's virus-like particle (VLP) coronavirus vaccine candidate urged the country Thursday to get vaccinated with available vaccine doses in the country until it is released. Phase 2 trials of the VLP vaccine candidate -- which was included in the World Health Organization's list of COVID-19 vaccine candidates -- were successfully completed in August. The jab is among five VLP vaccine candidates in the world that have reached the clinical trial stage. Ihsan Gursel, a professor of molecular biology and genetics at Bilkent University in the capital Ankara, told Anadolu Agency that he and his wife, Mayda Gursel, a biology professor at middle East Technical University in Ankara, are preparing for Phase 3 trials of the domestic vaccine candidate. He noted that the VLP jabs will be also tested against the Delta variant in Phase 3 trials, adding no serious side effects were detected during the Phase 2 trials. (@fidahassanain) The Foreign Minister reiterated the call on the international community to take steps to avert economic collapse of Afghanistan. ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Sept 10th, 2021) The Foreign Minister however said the world community should immediately focus on averting humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. He expressed satisfaction that a conference is taking place in Geneva to raise funds for the country. Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan is contributing in its own way. One of our aircraft landed in Afghanistan yesterday with supplies of food and medicines. He said we will continue to extend humanitarian assistance through air and land routes. The Foreign Minister reiterated the call on the international community to take steps to avert economic collapse of Afghanistan. One of the ways is availability of resources and promoting economic activities. He suggested the decision of freezing the Afghan funds will not be helpful and be revisited. On bilateral relations, Shah Mahmood Qureshi there are great opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in different fields. Given the changed security situation in Pakistan, he urged the Spanish counterpart to review the travel advisory. In his remarks, the Spanish Foreign Minister said Pakistan is a very important partner for his country and the European Union. He said as both countries celebrate seventy years of the establishment of diplomatic relations, this is an excellent opportunity for us to reenergize the bilateral relationship. He expressed the strong desire to work closely with Pakistan and other regional countries to help the Afghan people. He said both Pakistan and Spain want stability, peace in Afghanistan and no spillover effect to the region. He said we want the humanitarian assistance reach the Afghan people. He said a donor conference on Afghanistan will be held on Monday where the pledges will be made. He said our agencies are ready to help the Afghan people. The Apex Committee of National Action Plan Thursday decided to set up a National Crisis Information Management Cell to ensure timely, correct and smooth flow of information about internal security issues ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Sep, 2021 ) :The Apex Committee of National Action Plan Thursday decided to set up a National Crisis Information Management Cell to ensure timely, correct and smooth flow of information about internal security issues. Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the meeting which also decided that the ministries of interior and information would be the lead bodies of the cell. The meeting was attended by Federal ministers for foreign affairs, defence, finance, interior, information, Chief of Army Staff, DG ISI, National Security Advisor, provincial chief ministers including Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir PM, federal secretaries, chief secretaries, IGs and other senior civil and military officials. The meeting reviewed progress made so far on various components of the National Action Plan. It also took into account the latest developments especially situation in neighbouring Afghanistan and its possible implications for the country. The committee reviewed short-term, medium and long-term targets of the revised National Action Plan and deliberated upon role and responsibilities of all stakeholders including federation, provinces and law enforcement agencies. It was decided that tangible key performance indicators would be set for each target with delineated timelines. The meeting decided to fast track implementation of various measures to meet emergent security challenges including cyber security, espionage, judicial and civil reforms. The measures including the capacity building of law enforcement agencies, counter violent extremism and other issues having direct bearing on national security were also decided. The meeting also reviewed various steps that have been put in place to ensure fool-proof security of the foreigners especially Chinese nationals working on CPEC and non-CPEC projects in the country. The Apex Committee also reviewed internal situation especially some recent incidents involving law and order. It was resolved that all measures would be taken to ensure internal security and miscreants would be dealt with full force of the law. The prime minister stated that the nation had paid a huge price in fighting the menace of terrorism. He paid glowing tributes to the armed forces, police, intelligence agencies and other law enforcement agencies for their invaluable contributions and sacrifices towards ensuring internal security. The prime minister emphasized upon the need for enhanced coordination and effective measures to achieve various short, medium and long-term target set under the revised National Action Plan. (@FahadShabbir) UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2021) Afghanistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ghulam Isaczai called on the UN Security Council not to recognize any government in Kabul unless it is genuinely inclusive. "I... ask you to withhold any recognition of any government in Afghanistan, unless it's truly inclusive and formed on the basis of the free will of the people," Isaczai said during UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan on Thursday. Isaczai said the UN Security Council should also reevaluate its approach to granting travel ban exemption to Taliban leaders who are sanctioned after they failed to resolve the conflict through peaceful means. Inauguration of the new Afghan government was canceled a few days ago, reports claiming that it will take place on Saturday are not true, Inamullah Samangani, a member of the Taliban's (banned as a terrorist organization in Russia) culture commission, said MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2021) Inauguration of the new Afghan government was canceled a few days ago, reports claiming that it will take place on Saturday are not true, Inamullah Samangani, a member of the Taliban's (banned as a terrorist organization in Russia) culture commission, said. "The inauguration of thew new Afghan government was canceled several days ago. To avoid confusion, the leadership [of the Islamic Emirate of Afgahnistan] announced the approval of a part of the cabinet that already started working. Rumors that the inauguration ceremony will take place tomorrow, on September 11, are not true," Samangani wrote on Twitter on Friday. A source in the Taliban movement earlier told Sputnik that Russia, China, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan and Iran were invited to the inauguration ceremony. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday Russia would not take part in the event. (@FahadShabbir) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2021) The Biden administration's new plan to combat COVID-19 includes federally mandating vaccination or testing of employees who work for companies with 100 or more people, the White House said on Thursday. "The Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is developing a rule that will require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require any workers who remain unvaccinated to produce a negative test result on at least a weekly basis before coming to work," the White House said in an outline of the plan posted to their website. The new mandate will impact over 80 million workers across the US, the White House noted. The new plan also includes new mandates for Federal government employees and contractors to be vaccinated, lest they risk termination. (@ChaudhryMAli88) BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2021) The European Commission declared illegal the state support in the amount of almost $1 billion allocated to the Italian state-owned airline Alitalia several years ago and decreed that the sum plus interest must be paid back. "The European Commission has concluded that two State loans for an amount of 900 million, granted by Italy to Alitalia in 2017, are illegal under EU State aid rules. Italy must therefore recover the illegal State aid, plus interest, from Alitalia," the statement, released on Friday, said. The state funding gave the company an unfair advantage over its competitors in violation of the EU rules, according to the commission. At the same time, the Italian government failed to assess the risks and prospects of loan repayment when making the decision, acting differently from a private investor, the EC noted. Alitalia, which has been on the verge of bankruptcy since the 2008 financial crisis, is set to cease operation and be replaced by the debt-free Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA), which will take over its assets and become an independent entity. "The European Commission has found that Italia Trasporto Aereo S.p.A. ("ITA") is not the economic successor of Alitalia and, hence, it is not liable to repay illegal State aid received by Alitalia," the commission said in a separate release. Alitalia will discontinue all operations starting October 15, while ITA is expected to launch flights early next month. Earlier in the day, hundreds of Alitalia employees rallied in central Rome, demanding that the government cancels re-certification of the company's staff and extends the emergency payment funding as the new air carrier plans to employ only a quarter of its predecessor's personnel. Around 100 passengers including Americans arrived in Doha after flying from Kabul airport Thursday, AFP correspondents said, the first flight ferrying out foreigners since a US-led evacuation ended Doha, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Sep, 2021 ) :Around 100 passengers including Americans arrived in Doha after flying from Kabul airport Thursday, AFP correspondents said, the first flight ferrying out foreigners since a US-led evacuation ended. Doha, a major transit point for Afghan refugees, has said it worked with Turkey to swiftly resume operations at Kabul's airport to allow the flow of people and aid. AFP correspondents said they saw passengers begin to disembark at Qatar's Hamad International Airport, marking the first successful flight of its type since the chaotic airlift of more than 120,000 people concluded last month. The Qatar Airways Boeing 777 had "around 113" passengers including Americans, Canadians, Germans and Ukrainians, with all passengers due to be received at a compound for Afghan refugees in Doha, a source with knowledge of the operation told AFP. Sources had earlier said that as many as 200 people were aboard. Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani praised the Taliban for allowing the flight. UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2021) Kazakhstan is ready to establish an alternative humanitarian hub in the city of Almaty to store and distribute aid to Afghanistan, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, Magzhan Ilyassov, said in a Security Council meeting. "We consider that it is necessary to establish an alternative regional hub for storing and distributing international humanitarian aid to Afghanistan," Ilyassov said on Thursday. "In that respect, given that... it takes less than two hours to fly from Almaty to Afghanistan, given the infrastructure and logistical possibilities, we're ready to engage with the UN on establishing an alternative humanitarian hub in Almaty to efficiently deliver this aid." Kenya's economy shrank for the first time in three decades last year as the country was battered by the coronavirus pandemic, and almost 740,000 people were thrown out of work, a new government survey said Nairobi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Sep, 2021 ) :Kenya's economy shrank for the first time in three decades last year as the country was battered by the coronavirus pandemic, and almost 740,000 people were thrown out of work, a new government survey said. Gross domestic product in the East African powerhouse dropped by 0.3 percent -- the first contraction since 1992 -- after expanding five percent in 2019, according to the report issued Thursday. However, Treasury Secretary Ukur Yatani said that the economy was set for a "significant rebound" in 2021, with forecast growth of around six percent. Overall GDP fell to 10.75 trillion Kenyan shillings ($98 billion/83 billion Euros) last year. A total of 738,000 jobs were shed, with informal workers such as small traders and artisans bearing the brunt, bringing the total number of people employed to 17.4 million. "Disruption in labour supply brought about by restriction of movement and social distancing meant to contain the spread of Covid-19 reduced demand for goods and services," the report said. The key tourism sector -- usually the biggest foreign exchange earner -- was the hardest-hit as revenue dropped almost 44 percent. Visitor numbers plunged more than 70 percent to just over half a million as international coronavirus travel curbs took their toll. Construction was one of the few bright spots, surging more than 11 percent on the back of an increase in government spending on infrastructure projects, including a major China-funded highway being built in the capital Nairobi. Agriculture, long the backbone of the economy, also bucked the trend. The sector grew 4.8 percent as generally favourable weather conditions boosted crop production, particularly of tea which jumped 24 percent. Ken Gichinga, chief economist at Mentoria Economics in Kenya, described the government's growth predictions for this year as "slightly ambitious". "Even as we speak, the economy is only partially open. Large swathes of the Kenyan economy remain closed because of the curfew restrictions (so whether) we can hit that target remains quite debatable."Kenya remains under a nationwide nighttime curfew and other curbs as coronavirus cases continue to rise although the country has been trying to ramp up its vaccination drive with the delivery of jabs from abroad. CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th September, 2021) Moroccan King Mohammed VI has appointed Aziz Akhannouch, the leader of the liberal National Rally of Independents (RNI), the country's new prime minister, the state-run broadcaster reported on Friday. Akhannouch will now have a mandate to form a new government. On Wednesday, Morocco held the parliamentary elections, with turnout about 50%. The RNI won the largest number of seats - 102 of 395, while the ruling moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (JDP) led by Prime Minister Saad Dine El Otmani suffered a crushing defeat, having received only 13 seats in the parliament. A day after, the JDP leadership decided to resign, calling the results "illogical" and mentioning the multiple violations during the elections and at different stages of their preparations. (@FahadShabbir) The international humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Friday it was forced to suspend its activities in several regions of Ethiopia, including conflict-torn Tigray, for three months following an order from the Ethiopian Agency for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO). MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2021) The international humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Friday it was forced to suspend its activities in several regions of Ethiopia, including conflict-torn Tigray, for three months following an order from the Ethiopian Agency for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO). "Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has suspended all activities in the Amhara, Gambella and Somali regions of Ethiopia, as well as in the west and northwest of Tigray region, to comply with a three-month suspension order from the Ethiopian Agency for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) on 30 July," the organization said in a statement. The MSF noted that it had undertaken all necessary actions to comply with the order and assist the ACSO with its investigation, including "putting all medical and humanitarian programmes into full suspension for a period of three months." However, this decision, according to the organization, resulted in people from regions suffering humanitarian crises being discharged from MSF clinics, leaving them with "even further limited access to healthcare." Additionally, the organization said that around 1,000 Ethiopian staff are on standby at home due to the suspension, while nearly all international staff have left the country. In the first half of 2021, the MSF provided over 200,000 people with outpatient consultations, admitted nearly 4,000 patients to hospitals and assisted about 1,500 women during childbirth in the four regions where the organization's services have been suspended, the release said. Ethiopia is currently dealing with a protracted armed conflict in one of its northern provinces. Fighting in the Tigray region broke out in November after the Ethiopian government accused the local ruling party Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) of attacking a regional military base to hijack weapons and arm the anti-government militia. An estimated two million of Tigray's six million people are reported to have fled their homes amid the hostilities, and an estimated 900,000 people are likely experiencing famine conditions. In addition, about 33,000 severely malnourished children are projected to face imminent risk of death if more aid is not forthcoming to the people of Tigray, according to UN figures. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2021) Russia and Belarus have agreed 28 roadmaps of the Union State, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday after talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. "I would like to note with satisfaction that all 28 programs have been agreed," Putin said. On Friday, it is intended to approve them at a meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Union State and then they should be approved by the Supreme State Council of the Union State before 2022, he said. Russia and Belarus agreed to create a unified macroeconomic policy, integrate payment systems and harmonize monetary policy, he noted. Putin said that the documents agreed by the countries deal with the integration of Currency systems, the principles of levying indirect taxes, and the fight against terrorism. By December 1, 2023, a document will be signed on the creation of a unified gas market for Russia and Belarus, Putin said. In addition, it is envisaged to conclude an agreement on the unification of oil and oil products markets, as well as an agreement on a single electricity market, he said. Russia and Belarus will develop common approaches to labor legislation, social insurance and pensions, Putin also said. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2021) Russia tops the list of countries regarding the number of nationals traveling to Cuba, with over 100,000 Russians having visited the country in 2021, Cuban Deputy Tourism Minister Maria del Carmen Orellana said in an interview with Sputnik. Russia has risen to the top of the list from the third position since last year, when the number of Russian tourists to Cuba stood at 74,019. "Since the opening of flights, and especially since April, when the [resort town of] Varadero opened, Russia has been the main market. So far this year, we have received 103,000 Russian tourists," the official said. Russia has always been an important partner of Cuba in the field of tourism, and the countries have a base for further cooperation in this area, Orellana added. (@FahadShabbir) To save one of the last wetlands on the French Riviera from rising sea levels, conservationists have taken the unusual step of removing its protective seawalls Hyeres , France, Sept 10 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Sep, 2021 ) :To save one of the last wetlands on the French Riviera from rising sea levels, conservationists have taken the unusual step of removing its protective seawalls. Instead, they have let nature take its course. The Vieux-Salins d'Hyeres salt marshes sit just below sea level with a stretch of vital but shifting sand beach that separates them from the open sea. "The coastline was receding with each winter storm," said wetlands expert Guirec Queffeulou, who helps manage the site located in the heart of the Cote d'Azur, the tourist-clogged French Mediterranean coast. Conservationists acquired the site through legal wrangling in the late 1990s after the former owner, a salt company that built the protective dykes, wanted to sell it do developers. But the dykes didn't really work -- even with two kilometres (just over one mile) of seawalls, the sea still crept inland more than 30 metres (around 100 feet). The beach along its outer edge disappeared, and it seemed inevitable that the rest of the wetland would one day be submerged. Then after years of studies, work began in 2019 to extract thousands of tons of fake boulders. - Biodiversity benefits - "We had to do it gently to avoid damaging the natural barrier of Neptune grass a few metres from the coast," says Richard Barety of the coastal conservation organisation that has owned the site for the last 20 years. Astonishingly, once the dykes were gone it only took a few months for a new landscape to emerge, including a wide beach with a small dune. Small Mediterranean dunes and leaves of dead Neptune grass -- an underwater plant vital to the ecosystem -- soon formed banks that serve as natural barriers against erosion. With its vast area separating the land from the sea, the salt marsh plays a crucial role in regulating the local climate and provides a habitat for a rich variety of animal species. "The interaction between the wetlands and the beach mean that biodiversity here has increased tenfold," says Barety. Norbert Chardon, who heads up the regional chapter of the Bird Protection League, says more than 300 bird species have been documented in the area, drawn by fish and insects prey that thrive in the salty water. - Nature-based solutions - At the world's biggest biodiversity summit this week, so-called "nature-based solutions" are at the forefront of ideas for adapting to unprecedented environmental change. Radhika Murti, who heads up global ecosystem management for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), says the scale of the climate crisis means we can't rely on technological solutions alone. "Engineering will never be enough because the disasters are going to get bigger and bigger," she says. Instead, we need to learn from the ways that nature has of changing and self-regulating. "Look at solutions that already exist in nature," she adds, "so we can work with it to meet our need rather than against it." The concept has been around for over a decade and last year the IUCN adopted eight criteria that define solutions as "nature-based" -- though so far no project has received the label. Its proponents emphasise that such solutions are often less expensive and more flexible than using infrastructure or technology. In Hyeres, residents hope the newly-formed beach will keep the Vieux-Salins from being submerged over the long term. The old Aleppo pines have died and in their place Tamarisk trees, more adapted to salt water, are taking their places, suggesting that the changes are taking root. The sea could also eventually seep into the basins, altering the site's unique water mixture -- a possibility long feared but today seen as potentially positive for biodiversity. Chardon says that whatever happens to the Vieux-Salins could serve as a teaching tool to illustrate the effects of climate change "gently, without frightening people". Between the Hand and Sky: The Art of Elizabeth Gould exhibit in the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture open until Saturday, Dec 4 2021. Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, the president of the Philippine Catholic bishops, has urged the faithful to pray for and show solidarity to those hit by Typhoon Jolina. By Robin Gomes The Catholic bishops of the Philippines have expressed their condolences for those hit by Typhoon Jolina (called Conson internationally) and urged prayers and solidarity for them. Condolences As one Church, I invite all of you to pray for our fellow Filipinos who were affected by the typhoon so that they may feel hope amidst their suffering, wrote Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao in a statement on Friday. On behalf of the bishops of the Philippines, I offer my condolences to those bereaved. May the souls of those who died be looked upon by God with mercy and compassion, wrote the archbishop, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). Typhoon Jolina slammed into the eastern Philippines on Tuesday, bringing sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour and gusts of 150 kph, causing destruction and power outages in several provinces. Citing the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), CNN Philippines reported on Friday that more than 109,000 people have been affected by Jolina. The Council confirmed 1 death, adding 13 other reported deaths still needed validation. Prayers and solidarity Expressing his closeness to the people, especially in Visayas and Luzon islands, Archbishop Valles said that the typhoon destroyed homes, opened economic deficiencies, left people missing, and unfortunately, declared a number of victims as deceased. The 70-year-old archbishop urged for prayers to Mary, the Comforter of the Afflicted, for consolation in the warmth of Gods love for those affected. He also encouraged the faithful to solidarity saying, As we all continue to strive under the hardship dictated by the pandemic, may our hearts be open to look upon our neighbors who are in a great need. Pope Francis - reciprocal help In this regard, the Philippine bishops president recalled the exhortation of Pope Francis when he visited Japan in 2019. The path to a full recovery may still be long, but it can always be undertaken if it counts on the spirit of people capable of mobilizing in order to help one another, the Pope said on November 25, when he met the victims of Japans earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear accident of 2011. Indeed, our healing takes time, but with the help of each other, through the words of Pope Francis, may we realize our duty to extend our hands rooted in our capability to love our neighbors as ourselves, Archbishop Valles wrote in his statement. Pope Francis visited the Philippines in 2015, particularly to show his solidarity and be close to those hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan, one of the deadliest tropical cyclones ever recorded. It killed more than 6,000 people, affected about 11 million people and left many homeless. Speaking in his homily during Mass at the rain-swept Tacloban airport on Leyte island on January 17, he said, When I witnessed this disaster from Rome, I felt that I had to be here. That is when I decided to come here. I wanted to come to be with you. Due to its geographical location, the Philippines is hit by seasonal monsoon rains and about 20 typhoons and storms each year, resulting in heavy casualties to human life and destruction of crops and properties. The country also lies in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a region prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, making it one of the worlds most disaster-prone nations. Another typhoon As Jolina moved away leaving behind a trail of destruction, another powerful typhoon, Kiko (Chanthu), was skirting past most of the Philippines in the north on Friday. The Philippine meteorological agency said Typhoon Kiko was on the cusp of becoming a category 5 super typhoon with sustained winds of 215 kph at its center and gusts up to 265 kph as it moved past the extreme northeastern portion of Cagayan province. Let us pray that Typhoon Kiko may not be as devastating as Typhoon Jolina. May God the Father embrace our country so we may find comfort and peace, Archbishop Valles urged. Covid-19 struggle The tropical storms are occurring at a time when the Philippines is struggling with surges in Coronavirus infections. The Philippines health ministry on Thursday reported 22,820 coronavirus cases, a new daily record since the start of the pandemic. It said total confirmed cases rose to more than 2.16 million. With 61 new deaths, casualties reached 34,733, after confirming 61 more fatalities. The all-time high Covid-19 cases come as the Philippines is dealing with the highly transmissible Delta variant that has crippled the healthcare systems of Southeast Asian countries, such as in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Great Britains new Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher John Trott, describes his hopes for his new mandate, bringing thirty years of experience as a British Diplomat to use as he looks forward to collaborating with the Pope and the Vatican in tackling global issues. By Francesca Merlo The United Kingdoms new Ambassador to the Holy See has over 30 years of experience in service in what was the Foreign Office and is now the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. Chris Trotts career began in Asia where he served in Burma, Japan and Afghanistan before serving in a number of African nations as well as a short stint in the South Pacific and the Solomon Islands, which he describes as an unusual posting. Ambassador Trott is confident that he is coming into this new role having spent a lot of time thinking about the issues we know concern the Holy Father very much. Some of those issues being development, humanitarian crises, conflict in Africa and given his last posting in South Sudan, Ambassador Trott has lots of experience in this area. From new to old Effectively, he says, he has gone from the newest country in the world to what you could argue is the oldest country in the world an extraordinary contrast, he adds. But the work is similar to an extent, in that you're talking about issues that are crucially important to people's lives, globally, he says. Bringin experience from South Sudan Explaining that South Sudan is a country that has been going through conflict almost since the day it got its independence from Sudan 10 years ago, he says: I know there's a great deal of interest inside the Vatican in some of the experiences that I've had and I'm very keen to build on that in my engagement with the Vatican. Listen to our full interview with Ambassador Trott Pope Francis has repeatedly appealed for South Sudan tirelessly pushing for peace in the nation, even personally hosting its warring leaders in the Vatican two years ago. Main points Ambassador Chris Trott goes on to describe some of the main topics he aims to focus on during his mandate as British Ambassador to the Holy See. The priority, at the moment, for him and his entire team, is climate. This is, of course, ahead of COP26, the climate conference coming up in Glasgow in November which Pope Francis hopes, he said, he will be attending. Once that is over, there will be a much broader discussion on issues of concern to the Holy Father and of concern to the Vatican, as well as on issues of concern to my government, says Ambassador Trott. Collaboration He notes that the Vatican has an extraordinary network of information gathering and has an extraordinary network of collaborators including the Solidarity with South Sudan network run by religious. The Vaticans networks are phenomenal, stresses Ambassador Trott. I mean, no government has sub-offices in every parish in every country, which the Vatican does, and that makes for a real win-win [scenario] for us because, as a government we can provide funding to organisations to do their work on the ground, but we can't reach down into local Communities. We work very closely with the churches in South Sudan both on the peace process and on conflict resolution. Conflict can be resolved by governments talking to governments, and politicians talking to politicians, but you also need communities that have been fighting each other to start talking to each other, and that needs to happen on the ground. That can only be done by people who understand local conditions, and often that is the Church. We then partner with the churches to deliver conflict resolution at grassroots level whilst we are having conversations in hotels in Juba at the national level. The hope is always that those work together, he explains.. In fact, he continues, I think we actually make a real difference on the ground. The Vatican Ambassador Trott says his horizons have been broadened 190 times, if that's how many countries there are in the world, by coming here. There is huge potential for us, he says, the British government works very well with the Vatican and with the network that the Vatican has in development across the globe. I know that these are things that matter to the Holy Father, the Ambassador concludes, that is why it is such a pleasure to be here and to be able to be work on things that matter to him as well as to the Vatican as a whole. Heroes Square in Budapest, the venue for the International Eucharistic Congress' closing Mass presided over by Pope Francis (AFP or licensors) Eduard Habsburg-Lothringen, Hungary's Ambassador to the Holy See, looks ahead to Pope Francis' arrival in Budapest for the closing Mass of the International Eucharistic Congress and recalls the deep ties between his country and Europe. By Delphine Allaire & Linda Bordoni As the people of Hungary and the participants of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress taking place in Budapest prepare to welcome Pope Francis on Sunday for the closing Mass, the Congress itself is in full swing, with a rich programme of Masses, concerts, exhibits, testimonies, and a film festival. Organizers of the Congress point out that the gathering is a unique opportunity for the more than one billion Catholics in the world to focus on the centrality of the Eucharist in Christian life. The Budapest event is also an occasion to discover Hungarys 1,100-year history of faith and respect for tradition, and a long-standing relationship between the countrys Church and State. The Hungarian Ambassador to the Holy See, Eduard Habsburg-Lothringen told Vatican Radios Delphine Allaire that the people of Hungary view the Popes presence in Budapest as "a real gift." Listen to the interview with Ambassador Habsburg-Lothringen They are thrilled, happy, and excited that the Holy Father comes to visit Budapest for the Eucharistic Congress, Ambassador Habsburg-Loghringen says, noting that everyone is well aware of the fact that this is something the Pope rarely does. A rare presence In fact, it has happened once in the 140 years of Eucharistic Congresses, and "we view the Popes presence to celebrate the final Mass of the Congress as a great gift," he says, "and as an honour." Regarding the role of the Catholic Church in the country, the Ambassador explains that, together with other religious communities, the Church is very visible in the Hungarian State. Thats partly because our Constitution states that while Church and State, of course, are very clearly distinguished from each other, Church and State work together for the good of society, he adds. That means the different churches and religious communities are very present in the public space and that many schools are run by churches. You will see the presence of religious leaders in Hungary as something very normal. Something you dont see often in other countries in the more western parts of Europe, he notes. Proud Europeans Ambassador Habsburg-Lothringen also highlights the deep connection between Europe and Hungarians, pointing out that the country is in a very central part of Europe historically it is part of Mitteleuropa and the people really feel they are at the heart of the Continent. Funnily enough, people sometimes say Hungary is going to leave the EU and I always tell him there are very few countries in Europe in which the enthusiasm for the European idea and for the EU are as high as in Hungary, and for instance, in Poland, he says. The Hungarians, he stresses, are very, very consciously aware of the importance of the European project. They are very much at home in Europe, they are something like the beating heart of Europe. Deeply tied to this scenario is the fact that the Hungarian Church is tightly connected to the Church in other European countries in Europe. Something, the Ambassador concludes, that is perhaps best symbolized perhaps by the fact that the Hungarian Cardinal, Cardinal Peter Erdo, was the President of the European Bishops Conferences for years. The horrors of September 11, 2001, unfolded in just under 102 minutes. On that day, 2,996 people died in the worst terrorist attack in modern history. What followed was 19 years, 10 months, three weeks and two days of war in Afghanistan, with the Department of Defense counting at least 2,325 American military deaths. No one knows exactly how many civilians were killed. On September 11, 2021, President Joe Biden will try to draw a line under those twin tragedies, paying his respects at the three sites, whose fiery suffering set alight America's longest war. The Global War on Terror, as it was called, stretched well beyond the small central Asian country of Afghanistan reaching into Iraq and other corners of the globe as distant as Africa. In Iraq, the conflict killed nearly 4,500 U. S. service members and hundreds of thousands of civilians. Since the controversial decision to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by the end of August, the Biden administration has made decisive moves to put the last 20 years behind it, by declassifying a trove of documents that may shed light on the events of September 11, and by maintaining a studied distance from the hardline theocratic Taliban government that seized power in Afghanistan as Americans withdrew. Three sites On Saturday, Biden will visit all three sites that lit the spark: New York City, where at 8:46 on that sunny September morning, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center and where, 17 minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175 hit the south tower. He will also visit the Pentagon, where American Airlines Flight 77 crashed 34 minutes later. And separately, he and Vice President Kamala Harris will pay their respects at a lonely field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the final resting place of United Airlines Flight 93. It is a scripted, almost cinematic close to the past 20 years, said history professor Jeremi Suri of the University of Texas at Austin. "The president is drawing a line under the last 20 years," he told VOA. "And he's acting as a historian and saying we've ended an era, just like the end of the World War II era, and it's now time to make new decisions in the ways in which Harry Truman made new decisions after the World War II era." Suri, whose books explore the office of the presidency and U.S. foreign policy, said historians see some logic in how the president is framing this moment. "But we will also see, as we always do, that one era does not end when a new era begins," he said. "I think we are in a different moment after the 2020 election, and we are in a different moment with the rise of China. But many of the issues from 20 years ago, they still don't have neat chapter endings in the way that we make them look like they do in our books." Deputy national security adviser Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall says what matters, as the world rounds two decades since 9/11, is that there hasn't been another major terrorist attack. Different challenge "Twenty years on, our challenge is different," she said, speaking this week to the Atlantic Council, a global affairs research group in Washington. "We have learned since 9/11 how to protect Americans from terrorism. It isn't fail-safe, and terrible things still happen. But through a combination of actions abroad and at home, we have thus far been able to disrupt and prevent another 9/11-style attack." But Vanderbilt University historian Thomas Schwartz predicts fallout beyond Saturday's era-ending commemorations. "I'm probably more critical on this because I don't think that this is something you can actually do," he said. "I think the enemy in a sense has a vote, and they can decide that even if we want to call it off after 20 years, they may not. And in that sense, I think the words of President Biden and the deeds of a fixed time for withdrawal from Afghanistan were a mistake and were an error in judgment that I think could affect the United States over the coming years." The president is likely to speak publicly on Saturday, but "words are not going to make a difference at this point," said Norman Ornstein, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative public policy research group in Washington. "Obviously, he has to give a carefully crafted speech on Saturday, I think in part saying that we have managed through several administrations to avoid another 9/11," Ornstein said. "We managed to capture and kill the man who was behind it, Osama bin Laden, that it's not over yet, and that we made a lot of mistakes along the way. And we're going to try to avoid making mistakes of that sort in the future." Lebanon in 1983 But he cautions that Americans should look to history to see how this will play out not to 2001, but to 1983, when President Ronald Reagan decided to withdraw American forces from Lebanon months after a bombing killed 241 U.S. service members. This, Ornstein said, is the fundamental difference between the America of today and the America of past decades. "We did not have calls for Ronald Reagan to resign, or moves to impeach him," he said, contrasting the situation in 1983 with Republican lawmakers who have harshly criticized the U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan. "We didn't have this breakdown along partisan lines, and it's a measure, in the not quite 40 years since then, of how much our politics have changed, that everything goes through a kind of tribal lens," he said. "And that is a disturbing element here that actually is at least as unsettling in terms of where the country goes in the future as some of these other threats that we face." Americans have continued to broadly back the president's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan in recent public opinion polls, but they have also criticized Biden over how his administration handled the evacuation. That is partly responsible for new polls indicating a 43% approval rating, the lowest of his presidency. For almost six years, Andrea Habermans burned wallet lay mostly untouched at her parents home in the American state of Wisconsin. It was placed alongside some of her other personal belongings her burned cellphone, eyeglasses and house keys. Those few objects were all that remained of a young life that ended when a hijacked airplane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Haberman was 25 years old and about to be married. She was on a business trip from Chicago. It was her first visit to New York City. For Habermans family, the belongings she had with her that day are a reminder of their great sadness. These are not the happy things you want to remember someone by, said her father, Gordon Haberman. To ease their pain, the family gave the items to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. The thousands of personal artifacts tell the story of the lives lost on that day. Some are shown at the 9/11 museum. Others are shown at other museums around the country. Each person who makes up part of that tally was an individual who lived a life, said Jan Ramirez. She is the museums chief curator and director of collections. We knew that families the people that have lost a loved one that day were going to need to have a place, have a way, to remember the person that never came home from work, that never came home from a flight, Ramirez added. Many of those personal items were found in the ruins of what was once the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center. Other items were donated by survivors or by the families of those who died. A collection of woodworking tools represents Sean Rooney, a vice president at Aon Corp. He died in the South Tower. Woodworking was his hobby. Rooney called his wife, Beverly Eckert, at their home in Stamford, Connecticut, after being trapped by fire and smoke on the 105th floor. He spent his last minutes alive talking about their life together. He said I love you to his wife as he fought to breathe. His body was never found. Beverly died eight years later in a plane crash while traveling to Buffalo, New York, to award a scholarship in the name of her husband. Before she died, she had set aside the woodworking tools. Robert Chins hobby was softball, a sport he loved. He played for his employer Fiduciary Trust International. After his first hit, his coworkers all signed the ball and gave it to him. Many of those coworkers also died on 9/11. Chins family gave the ball to the museum. Not all artifacts included in the collection represent someone who died. Some are from those who survived the terrorist attacks. Linda Raisch-Lopez gave the museum the blood-covered shoes she was wearing that day. She walked down from the 97th floor without shoes to move more quickly, cutting her feet. She later put the shoes back on to run away from the area. Only a small part of the museums collection of artifacts can be shown at one time; there are simply too many objects. When they are not on display, the artifacts are stored in buildings in New York and New Jersey. Ramirez called the artifacts palpable pieces of truth. She added that the collection brings purpose to what she does and will continue to do. Im Caty Weaver. The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ________________________________________________ Words in This Story wallet n. a small folding case that holds paper money, credit cards hijack v. to take control of (an aircraft) by force artifact n. : a simple object that was made or used by people in the past tally n. a recorded count of scores, votes curator n. a person who is in charge of the things in a museum hobby n. :an activity that a person does for pleasure when not working scholarship n. an amount of money that is given by a school, an organization, etc., to a student to help pay for the student's education palpable adj. obvious or noticeable We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page. The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has intervened to protect some villagers in Kaseke Village, Uzumba, in Mashonaland East province, who are at the risk of losing their homesteads, farming fields and grazing land to Heijin Mining Company. In a Facebook note, the ZLHR said their lawyer, Tinashe Chinopfukutwa, wrote a letter last week to the mining mommissioner for Mashonaland East province and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) seeking explanations regarding the existence of a prospecting licence authorising the miner to peg the village so as to conduct mining activities. Chinopfukutwa said in the event that a prospecting licence was granted to Heijin Mining Company, then the pegging of Kaseke Village is unlawful as a holder of a prospecting licence shall not exercise any of the rights conferred in terms of the prospecting licence on communal land without the consent of the occupier. The human rights lawyer stated that the pegging of Kaseke Village without consultation and the consent of the occupiers of the land is unlawful and that in terms of Section 31(1)(h) of the Mines and Minerals Act, no holder of a prospecting licence can proceed to peg communal land occupied as a village without the written consent of the Rural District Council of the area concerned. Chinopfukutwa has asked if any Environmental Impact Assessment was conducted in relation to the mining project and if so to be furnished with a copy of the certificate approving the prospecting and pegging of Kaseke Village by Heijin Mining Company. EMA spokesperson, Amkela Sidange, said they have not yet issued a clearance letter to the Chinese company. Sidange promised to call EMA officers to find out if the mining company has started its operations in the area. Human rights lawyer, Dewa Mavhinga, said Zimbabwe should stop such operations, which were displacing hundreds of people from their original homes. Local people are being forced, intimidated and their rights are violated to allow Chinese companies to engage in mining and to access various Zimbabwean minerals. This should stop. We expect the Zimbabwean government to promote the interests of local people. The Chinese miners are looking at extracting granite from the area where over 39 families may lose their homesteads located on traditional lands with sacred places and graves of former freedom fighters. Rutendo Mawere contributed to this article The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. A week after hurricane Ida crashed on Louisiana, hundreds of thousands of people remain without power. Lilia Anisimova spoke with New Orleans residents who lived through the hurricane. Anna Rice narrates her story. A Zimbabwean court is expected today to hear an appeal by former First Lady, Grace Mugabe, against a chiefs ruling that she violated traditional norms by laying to rest former President Robert Mugabe at the family homestead in Zvimba communal lands. Mrs. Mugabes attorney, Fungai Chimwamurombe, has asked Chinhoyi courts to make a judicial review of Chief Zvimbas ruling, compelling her to exhume her husbands remains and rebury them at the National Heroes Acre in Harare. The basis of the appeal, as cited by Chimwamurombe, is that there was "absence of jurisdiction, impropriety of relief granted, irregular service of summons and the judgement was biased. The Zimbabwean government wanted Mugabe to be laid to rest at a special mausoleum at the National Heroes Acre but his family refused, saying he wanted to be buried near the grave of his late mother, Bona. The chief fined Mrs. Mugabe five cattle and a goat for burying the former president at his homestead instead of the family cemetery in Kutama village. The Mugabe family rejected the village court order with the late presidents nephew, Leo Mugabe, saying they will fight the case to the bitter end. In an interview recently, Leo Mugabe said, Its a ruling against a widow and the widow has nothing to do with the burying of her husband This judgment is irrelevant, if you were to ask me, because in any case, Chief Zvimba does not preside over cases here. Mrs. Mugabe and other family members and Chief Zvimba were unreachable on their mobile phones. A VOA Correspondent contributed to this article Soldiers from 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York, were among the first to deploy to Afghanistan in 2001, and the unit is now among the last to return after the withdrawal. Our Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb was there for the troops' long-awaited return. Show more Show less It has been 20 years since the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. The Inside Story examines the impact of those attacks through the eyes of a firefighter's family, some of the first US troops into Afghanistan, some of the last to come back, and one woman who cannot get out. Also, the technology that will make the next generation of air travel safer. The Inside Story-9/11 Twenty Years Later airdate September 9, 2021. The West African bloc ECOWAS has suspended Guineas membership after a military coup that removed President Alpha Conde. ECOWAS leaders on Wednesday urged Guinea's coup leaders to release Conde and return to constitutional order. The West African bloc plans to send a high-level mission to Guinea to try to mediate the situation. Burkina Faso's foreign minister, Alpha Barry, announced the suspension late Wednesday after a virtual extraordinary meeting of all 15 member states of the Economic Community of West African States. ECOWAS leaders at the meeting demanded the immediate release of Guinea's ousted president Alpha Conde and his return to power. They also said a mediation mission will be sent to Guinea on Thursday to facilitate a return to constitutional order. Military forces led by lieutenant colonel Mamady Doumbouya overthrew president Conde's government on Sunday, sparking widespread criticism from leaders including Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. Godbless Otubure is the global president of Ready to Lead Africa, a nonprofit promoting constitutional democracy. He says Conde was the one threatening order in Guinea. "People's freedoms, people's ways of life and capacity to make decisions based on consensus have all been lost because one man's ambition had become too detrimental to the health of the democratic expression in Guinea," he said. Conde, 83, became the first democratic president to be elected in Guinea in 2010 and was reelected in 2015. But last year, he modified the country's constitution allowing him a chance at a third term in office. His victory at the polls was largely disputed and led to protests that killed dozens of people in October. General Secretary of the West African Civil Society Forum, Komlan Messie, says ECOWAS failed to act when it ought to. "Modifying the constitution is a constitutional coup, we condemn military coup but also we condemn constitutional coup. At that moment we would have expected ECOWAS to do the same thing they're doing today," he said. In May, ECOWAS suspended Mali for its second coup in months, after a military coup last August ousted Mali's former leader Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. Otubure and Messie say coups in Africa nations are setting back years of democracy in the region and impeding growth. A Zimbabwean magistrate has dismissed an application by the family of the late former president Robert Mugabe seeking to reverse Chef Zvimbas ruling that his remains should be exhumed from the family homestead and reburied at the National Heroes Acre. Magistrate Ruth Moyo dismissed the application filed by Bona Mugabe, Tinotenda Robert Jnr and Bellaimine Mugabe saying they have nothing to do with the chiefs ruling as the person cited in the case is their mother, former First Lady Grace Mugabe. Their attorney, Fungai Chinwamurombe, said he would advise the family about the way forward with indications that the matter will eventually be taken to the Supreme Court. The Mugabes had asked Chinhoyi courts to make a judicial review of Chief Zvimbas ruling, compelling Mrs. Mugabe to exhume her husbands remains and rebury them at the National Heroes Acre in Harare. The basis of the appeal, as cited by Chimwamurombe, is that there was "absence of jurisdiction, impropriety of relief granted, irregular service of summons and the judgement was biased. The Zimbabwean government wanted Mugabe to be laid to rest at a special mausoleum at the National Heroes Acre but his family refused, saying he wanted to be buried near the grave of his late mother, Bona. The chief fined Mrs. Mugabe five cattle and two goats for burying the former president at his homestead instead of the family cemetery in Kutama village. The Mugabe family rejected the village court order with the late presidents nephew, Leo Mugabe, saying they will fight the case to the bitter end. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. Contribute: Leave a comment if you find a particular report interesting or want to add to it. Flag as inappropriate. Mark as helpful or interesting. Send your own user report! Translate Ojochal, puntarenas Costa Rica (35.7 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : The jungle went weirdly quiet and then a few seconds later I felt my heavy bed get levitated slightly. It landed with a loud thud and skidding sounds that sent my cat running out from underneath and my dog running to get away from the bed. | One user found this interesting. Uvita (32.9 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) Light shaking. Doors and pictures rattling, bed shaking | One user found this interesting. (reported through (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) near San Isidro, Perez Zeledon (39.1 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Seemed small San Pedro, Montes de Oca (107 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s near San Isidro, Perez Zeledon (39.1 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Seemed small near Puerto Cortes, Osa, Puntarenas (35.5 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Laying in bed and it was strong enough I walked to a doorway Santa Ana, San Jose (113.1 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / very short : Laying in bed. Felt jolt. Heard creaking. Wall and window moved. San Isidro, Perez Zeledon (53.2 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Laying down in bed near Daniel Flores, Perez Zeledon, San Jose (31.8 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / very short : Horizontal shake Dominical Costa Rica / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / complex motion difficult to describe / 10-15 s : Was upstairs in a hotel. Kids were sleeping and got jolted in their beds, but did not wake up. Sliding glass doors and hotel room door were all creaking and moving making sounds Manuel Antonio / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Ballena, Punteranas (33.4 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Woke up to bed and house shaking huge sound of swimming pool sloshing waves. Bed moving.. this house is massive concrete construction.. Puntarenas / not felt : No se sintio en Puntarenas centro Dominical CR / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / very short San Ramon, Alajuela, Costa Rica (136.7 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : I only felt it because I was awake and still. uvita / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s Drake Bay / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Felt bef shaking for a couple seconds Near Dominical, CR / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Two distinct jolts, the 2nd longer than the 1st, windows rattled and building shook for a few seconds. No damage, nothing broken and nothing fell. Ojochal, Costa Rica (35.4 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : Weak shaking ROHMOSER / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Light Uvita / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s Matapalo, CR / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Shaiking Palmar Norte, Osa, Puntarenas Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s San Isidro de El general ..mande 30 seconds / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 20-30 s Alajuela / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s Quepos (56.4 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s My bed shake side ways for a few seconds. (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Villa Nueva, Perez Zeledon / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : On a second story so not sure of how it moved, but not alarmed enough to leave. Uvita (31.9 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Sleeping / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s Morristown, VT (05661) Today Mixed clouds and sun this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 77F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 52F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Stowe, VT (05672) Today Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 79F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Photo: Anjali Pinto The writer and social-justice facilitator adrienne maree brown thinks we can use organizing like time travel as a way to transport ourselves into a more communal and sustainable future. Even when responding to the moment, her projects look forward: In 2019, motivated by the exhaustion many felt after Trumps election, she released Pleasure Activism, an anthology of love letters from organizers about the meaning they find in their work. Last year, when fraught discussions of cancel culture permeated right- and left-wing circles alike, brown wrote We Will Not Cancel Us, a short book advocating for healthy and empathetic conflict. Now, as COVID-19 continues to put Black communities into unprecedented physical, emotional, and economic peril, brown releases her first long-form work of published fiction: Grievers, a novella about Black death during a pandemic. She started writing the book in 2012. I did not expect or predict this pandemic, but it was definitely interesting to compare my guesses of what a pandemic would look like in Grievers to what happened during COVID, brown says. In the book, for example, I said the CDC would not be on the ground, but theyd be making the calls. That was true to form. Capitalism is usually pretty predictable. Grievers follows Dune, a teenage girl living in Detroit, as she mourns the death of her mother due to H-8, a terrifying virus claiming the lives of Black folks all around the city. As she watches countless loved ones fall prey to the virus, Dune realizes that H-8 is forcing Black folks to sit in their grief, sending previously healthy people into deep comas of mourning from which they never wake a symptom that will either prove fatal or necessary to their survival. Browns writing artfully burrows into our darkest societal anxieties the fear, the exhaustion, the death, the grief and finds the light stubbornly gleaming underneath the surface. Dune realized that even if she didnt really have an idea of why she would continue living, she didnt want to die, brown writes. She particularly didnt want to die from H-8. The premise of Grievers is a crucial one: that perhaps in our mourning, we do not just grieve the dead we also grieve the realities of our own lives, which, in spite of everything, we still desperately want to live. After many years spent in Detroit, brown now lives in Durham, North Carolina. Vulture spoke with her about writing intimate, textured depictions of Black grief, the power of speculative fiction, and how to write about death without succumbing to despair. Mary Retta The Power of Genre Speculative fiction is where we get to practice the future. I think that science fiction is a form of organizing, and all organizing is science fiction. While writing Grievers, I first asked myself: Who are the Black people who are writing about grief? And it turns out most of us are. A lot of speculative Black fiction is actually trying to figure out what to do with Black grief. The stories are asking: How do we stay visionary? How do we imagine that we have a future? Photo: Courtesy of the Publisher Before and while writing, I read Tananarive Dues African Immortals series. She also has a book called The Good House, which is a really beautiful and intimate portrait of someone dealing with grief. It really moved me. I read N.K. Jemisins The Broken Earth trilogy, which came out more recently. My main go-to is Octavia E. Butler. She was one of the first people who taught me that you can write about Black people and whats happening to the planet from a speculative position that honors the pain thats happening, while also offering ways out, ways through, and ways forward. This is what I wanted to offer with Grievers. When I started writing this book, I was going through a lot of loss on a personal level, an economic level, a societal level. It occurred to me at the time that the unique situation with Black death and Black grief was that there was never a time where things slowed down so that we could actually experience our grief fully. That was the impetus for this book. What if we didnt have a choice? What if the grief reached a point where it completely takes over? The Protagonist Is the Portal I originally wrote the story from the perspective of Kama, Dunes mother. But I felt like I needed a protagonist who was young enough to feel the stakes of the moment, and to still have time to see the change that might take place. Were in this moment right now where everything needs to change. Theres something about the risks young people are willing to take, the kind of bullshit they are unafraid to call out, that really moves me. Dune felt like the right window to talk about grief, because so many young peoples lives have been shaped by it. For me, the biggest challenge while writing Dunes perspective was, how can I show that her grief is her gratitude for these people that she loved, and her reckoning with the power, the strength, the scale of love that she feels? Dune keeps records throughout the book of everyone who has died. She writes down what theyre wearing, where she found them, what she thinks they were feeling or little bits of their lives that she can decipher. Sometimes she takes pictures. I saw this ritual very much in the same vein of the #SayHerName movement that we see on social media today. Grief can come in different shades. Theres a moment in the book where Dune loses someone she was a caretaker for. Theres the relief that comes with no longer having to do that labor, while also a recognition that shes had time stolen from her. The complexity of that emotion felt important to include. But Dune isnt just grieving the dead. Shes also mourning life: the life she thought shed have, the time she thought she could spend with the people she loved. Holding that grief close is what pushed Dune to keep moving forward. The Truth of the Matter I didnt want Grievers to feel optimistic. I wanted it to feel realistic. Afrofuturism as a genre is about writing stories that make us want to stay alive given the conditions, rather than necessarily rewriting the conditions. Black grief is so overwhelming; its rare to get the space to even talk about how overwhelming it is. So often, we touch into the feeling, or we hashtag the feeling, or we try to move through it at the surface of the feeling. We rarely ever sit in it. One of the things Ive always wrestled with in Octavias work is even though we know her characters are losing people, we dont get to see their grief very often. Lauren Olamina in the Parable series, for exampleshes a feeler and an empath, yet we rarely get to see much of how she experiences her grief. Thats something I longed for in Afrofuturist work, and I think my longing shapes this text. The opening scene, for example, is a cremation. When I wrote it I was like, Holy shit. Theres no happiness inside of this moment. That might come later, but right now, its just the labor of grief. Its messy, and its physical, and I tried to capture it that way. As much as I wanted the book to have an arc toward life, I also felt it was important to include accurate portrayals of what its like to be sitting in grief in the moment. Ive never experienced grief without also feeling a powerful anger. My friend Prentis Hemphill has spoken about the idea that when Black folks get angry, we are actually trying to reclaim someones Black time from slavery, from Jim Crow, from the oppressions we live inside of, from the amount of time we spend in fear, from all the lives we lose too soon. I felt it last year when we took to the streets and protested police violence. How do we reclaim that time? I think that when we see Dune at her angriest is when we see her coming alive. One of the first offenses that happens in the book is when Dunes mother gets sick and she is denied treatment because she doesnt have health care. Dune is so angry, not just at the doctors but at this massive system that will not take care of the people she loves most. Theres so much power in that part of Dunes grief is her anger, and part of her anger is a knowledge that things dont have to operate this way. I think that anger is a large part of how we break with this current reality and begin to orient ourselves toward something else. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has released the identity of the woman killed in a single-vehicle crash Thursday in Morgan County. Lawanna Lindley Jones, 46, of Hartselle was fatally injured when the 2006 Hummer H3 she was driving left the roadway and struck a tree, according to troopers. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash happened about 3:15 p.m. on Shoal Creek Road near Spring Valley Trail Road, approximately three miles south of Priceville. Troopers continue to investigate. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said Friday she and her fellow Republican governors are united in fighting back against Covid-19 vaccination mandates from President Joe Biden. Here in Alabama, we dont put up with that nonsense, Ivey said in a statement released after a call with her other governors. Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new federal vaccine requirements that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly. Biden has also signed an executive order requiring vaccination for all employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government. No testing opt-out is expected to be included for the executive branch requirement. (Read more HERE and HERE) On Thursday, Ivey referred to those plans as outrageous, overreaching mandates and continued her call for all Alabamians who are able to get a Covid-19 vaccine. (See that full statement HERE) The Associated Press reported Friday that Biden called some Republican governors cavalier for resisting his new federal vaccine requirements. Biden also pushed back against Republicans, and some union officials, who have charged that he is overreaching his authority. Asked about potential legal challenges to the new vaccine requirements, Biden responded, Have at it, according to the APs report. Heres Iveys full statement from Friday: A conference call with Republican governors just wrapped up. President Biden has overreached with these new mandates, and were united in fighting back. Im partnering alongside my conservative colleagues across the country in this fight. This is a fight for businesses, our hardworking men and women, and our American liberties. I encourage Alabamians to take the vaccine have been since the beginning, but were never going to mandate it. And we certainly arent going to allow Washington, D.C. and this president to tell Alabama what to do. Here in Alabama, we dont put up with that nonsense. A Rogersville man found asleep at the wheel Thursday now faces drug and counterfeiting charges. Joseph Anthony Williams, 38, is charged with trafficking in meth, possession of counterfeiting tools, and several counts of possession of forged instrument, according to the Limestone County Sheriffs Office. The sheriffs office said Investigator Durden was driving eastbound on Hwy. 72 about 9:05 a.m. Thursday when he saw a blue 2007 Dodge Ram stopped in traffic in the lane. Williams was passed out at the wheel, according to the sheriffs office. When Durden checked on him, Williams woke up, started to drive away, and then stopped when he was told. The sheriffs office said Durden then saw a printer commonly used for printing counterfeit money was in the back seat of the truck in plain view. A search of the vehicle found more than 200 counterfeit bills, the printer, tools to produce the counterfeit money, and methamphetamine, the sheriffs office said. Limestone County Sheriffs Office Narcotics Investigators responded, as well as the United States Secret Service due to the large amount of counterfeit money. Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin added this statement to a news release: The commitment to the safety of our county is unwavering throughout the Limestone County Sheriffs Office. I would like to commend Investigator Durden for his quick observation that led to this arrest, that removed dangerous drugs and counterfeit money from being distributed in our county. I would also like to thank the City of Athens Police Department, Lincoln County Tennessee Sheriffs Office, and the United States Secret Service, for their assistance in this case. President Joe Biden on Thursday issued a new vaccine mandate for federal workers and large employers creating a new expectation that if you want to work, you must be vaccinated against coronavirus. "I think they have good intentions in mind," Austin Malone said. He's a local contractor who still hasn't gotten his COVID vaccine. "I'm healthy. The healthiest I've ever been! So for someone my age, young, that this hasn't been affecting people my age as much, I'd rather not do it because it's one of the quickest FDA-approved vaccines, and so there's some skepticism that goes on with that," Malone said. Malone doesn't anticipate the new order will impact him immediately since he works from home, but he expected a vaccine mandate to happen. "It seems like we saw this coming, so no big surprise," Malone said. He believes the government has people's best interests in mind, but he also has concerns. "This is crossing over the border of health care to politics, and no one wants that. Everyone wants the government to stay out and it seems they're getting their hands involved completely," Malone explained. "If we're taking away people's freedom to choose, then that seems difficult for some people to cope with." Malone says this decision removes people's ability to choose whether or not to get a COVID vaccine "I think they're worried about our safety as individuals, and this is what they feel is the best. I feel like that should be up to the people," Malone said. WAAY 31 reached out to several contractor companies like Boeing. The company says its evaluating the situation after the president's announcement. "The safety and health of our employees, their families, our communities and visitors is our top priority. Boeing continues to monitor COVID-19 information and public health agency guidance and is not requiring employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19 as a condition of employment at this time. "However, Boeing is encouraging employees to inform themselves about the vaccines, consult with their health care providers as appropriate, and take the earliest opportunity to get vaccinated. In some cases, vaccination may be required by Boeings customers, suppliers and/or applicable national, state or local laws in order to perform a statement of work or to participate in necessary travel for a statement of work. We evaluate these situations on a case-by-case basis, and expect to have more information on the companys position with regards to those requests soon," Boeing's statement reads. They expect to update the statement as the situation evolves. Lockheed Martin plans to follow the president's order. The company released the following statement: "Lockheed Martin plays an essential role as part of the national security industrial base, supporting the critical missions of our customers in the United States and abroad. As we have done throughout the pandemic, we continue to follow federal, state and local mandates, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to minimize the spread of COVID-19. We also use other best practices to mitigate risks and protect the health and well-being of our employees and partners, while ensuring we meet our commitments to national security. Parents in Italy now required to show Green Pass to enter schools. The Italian government has approved a decree expanding the covid Green Pass rules for the country's schools as the new academic year is set to begin. Under the new regulations, the Green Pass will be required by all adults who enter schools, including parents, as well as catering and cleaning staff. Italy's Green Pass - a digital or paper certificate showing that people have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from covid-19 - is already required by teachers and staff of schools and universities, as well as third level students. The Green Pass will not be required by school children. The Green Pass measures will remain in force in kindergartens, schools and universities until 31 December, when Italy's covid state of emergency expires. Extending the Green Pass requirements to parents will "create an enormous problem for schools," said Antonello Giannelli, president of the national association of school principals, who said the move will lead to queues forming outside and inside schools, resulting in the risk of crowds forming. Italy continues to expand the scope of the Green Pass which is required for indoor dining in restaurants, long-distance travel, and a host of cultural and leisure activities. The move to extend the Green Pass comes amid the government's plans to begin giving the third dose of the covid vaccine to people considered most at risk, such as cancer patients and transplant recipients, later this month. More than 80 per cent of the Italian population over the age of 12 has now had at least one dose of the covid-19 vaccine. Details about the Green Pass can be found - in Italian - on the Certificazione Verde website while for official information about the covid-19 situation in Italy - in English - see the health ministry website. Photo credit: Stefano Guidi / Shutterstock.com. Rome's Jewish community to snub ceremony which takes place weeks before mayoral elections. Rome mayor Virginia Raggi announced that the foundation stone of the Museo della Shoah, a museum to commemorate Italys Jewish victims of the Holocaust, will be laid next week. Raggi's unexpected announcement, just weeks before mayoral elections in which she is seeking a second mandate, has been met by scepticism from the city's Jewish community which says it will not participate in the event. In a Facebook post Raggi said she would like the development of the long-stalled project to be kept out of the "mud-slinging" of the election campaign, stating: "Memory is an important thing. It requires respect." However senior representatives of Rome's Jewish community told Italian news agency ANSA: "The concurrence with the electoral campaign makes a ceremony inappropriate for a project that should have been inaugurated years ago", reports newspaper Corriere della Sera. The mayor's announcement, less than a month before the end of her five-year term in office, comes after many years of delays and false starts for the city-funded museum which was first presented in 2005 by former mayor Walter Veltroni. The museum is set to be built on a site purchased by the city 17 years ago in the grounds of Villa Torlonia, the neoclassical former residence of Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini and his family from 1925 to 1943. Designed by Italian architects Luca Zevi and Giorgio Tamburini, the cuboid-shaped museum is to have high black walls bearing the names of Italian Jews deported to Nazi concentration camps during world war two. The museum's permanent exhibit is reportedly to include a large plaster reproduction of the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau, while there will also be an archive, library, conference hall and facilities for research and education. Workers have never had more power in the labor market: if someone quits rather than get a vaccine or needs to be fired, it will be very expensive and difficult to replace them. This puts a outsized burden on companies, especially ones on the smaller side, who have fewer than 500 employees. There are already lawsuits cropping up against employers, such as the one brought by George Mason professor, Todd Zywicki, who already has immunity after having had the virus. More inevitable lawsuits will pose more costs to employers and the economy. For example, the same day the CEPP dropped, a company that stores energy via the wonder of lifting and dropping giant lumps of concrete announced it would go public via what else? a SPAC, valuing it at $1.6 billion. One can only assume investors speed-read the description about blocks suspended on chains and thought this was a crypto play. In any case, thats the mojo Bidens after as he eyes future elections. This is less about getting to X percent of clean power in 2035, more about making sure his opponents cant slam on the brakes in 2025. Merkel came under renewed pressure from German lawmakers to drop the project after the 2020 poisoning of Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny. Her administration responded that construction of the pipeline should not be linked to individual cases such as Navalnys. Other opponents include Ukraine, Poland and Slovakia -- countries between Russia and Germany that collect transit fees on gas flowing through their territories. Their concerns were partially alleviated after Gazprom reached a deal to continue gas transits via Ukraine through at least 2024. Critics of the pipeline are concerned about what will happen after 2024. Merkel said Europe will do everything it can to make sure gas supplies continue to flow through Ukraine. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas called the U.S. accord with Germany a complete and total capitulation by U.S. President Joe Biden to Putin. At the same time, the U.S. needs to rebalance its investments in counterterrorism. This means spending smarter, not less. Upgrade government technology to help the intelligence community process data and track emerging threats. Help local governments around the world strengthen law-enforcement responses to terrorism and boost resilience against attacks. In countries where the U.S. and its allies have limited leverage, provide aid to civil-society and humanitarian organizations working to alleviate the conditions that lead to radicalization. Work with private industry to counter terrorist messaging on social media and harden critical infrastructure against cyberattacks. And broaden the scope to include not just teams of well-trained terrorists but also murderous individuals whove been radicalized online. The 2016 mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando was by far the deadliest jihadist attack in the U.S. since 2001. Eighteen states allow for the removal of a governor by referendum, and the District of Columbia allows recall of its top official, the mayor. Since the start of the pandemic, 14 governors have been the targets of recall efforts, said Joshua Spivak, a senior fellow at the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform at Wagner College, who runs a blog on recall elections. Most such efforts fail when organizers are unable to collect the required number of signatures by a certain deadline, a difficult and costly endeavor in normal times, made more challenging with the pandemic. Californias 2003 recall of Davis, a Democrat, was the first successful recall of a governor since North Dakota carried out the feat in 1921. In 2012, Wisconsin voters decided against removing their Republican governor, Scott Walker. My sister-in-law got the phone call at dinnertime the night before we were to drive to a Wyoming guest ranch for a five-day, three-generation family vacation. There was a coronavirus outbreak among the ranchs staff; in two days, the numbers had climbed from three to 18 infections. The staff members with the coronavirus and any others who had been in close contact with them were quarantined. The ranchs chief operating officer said we were still welcome to come but warned that the service would not be at the ranchs usual level. My brother and sister-in-law, who had booked and planned the vacation, opted to take the full refund the ranch offered, not because of how the outbreak would affect the service, but for safety. But legislation to expand vaccination or testing requirements for all domestic travelers would test the limits of how far the Biden administration is willing to go and it has already indicated earlier this year that it would not go that far, complicating the prospects for Beyers bill. In the first two weeks of the academic year, 29 staff members at Rocketships three campuses have been asked to quarantine. Twenty-seven of those employees were unvaccinated. Based on local and federal guidelines, vaccinated people who are asymptomatic do not have to quarantine if they come in contact with someone who has the virus. Bobo said most of these staff members were quarantined after they came in close contact with staff members, not students, who had the virus. For this trial, though, prosecutors had two additional key pieces of evidence. The first was enhanced forensic testing that revealed that Pantons DNA was found both on the outside of Radways car and on the inside whereas in the first trial prosecutors had only the outside DNA. Second, prosecutors were able to present to jurors audio evidence of Panton speaking while aboard a bus, saying, I got this. She said she had been sitting in her apartment when she got a phone call from a friend asking if shed heard the gunshots about six bangs, followed by another two. She hadnt, she said, because she hardly notices the sound of bullets anymore after living for 10 years in the area she described as known for its crime. But nearly two weeks after the U.S.-led airlift ended, both men remain in harms way along with their relatives who have the paperwork that should make them eligible for evacuation, they said. As charter flights carrying other Americans began to depart Kabul again Thursday, the one with a green card had yet to hear from the State Department whether he and his family would be included. The U.S. citizen, meanwhile, said he was told he could exit with his wife via Uzbekistan but must leave behind other relatives, including his mother-in-law, a California resident who has a green card. Parnas and Frumans ties to Giuliani played prominently in Trumps first impeachment proceeding, in which the president was accused of abusing his authority by threatening to withhold $400 million in military aid from Ukraine if officials there did not announce a criminal investigation into candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Giuliani worked with Parnas and Furman to search for intelligence overseas that would incriminate Biden in advance of the 2020 election. If confirmed by the FBI, the total number of hate crimes in 2020 would be the most since 2001, when the agency recorded 9,730 bias attacks across the country. That year, when al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four airplanes and attacked the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, the number of hate crimes against Muslims and businesses identified with the Islamic faith in the United States spiked from 28 in 2000 to 481 in 2001, a 17-fold increase. In recent weeks, as many as 5,000 Afghans per day have arrived outside D.C. at Dulles, which has received the majority of the evacuees. DHS is using a United Airlines hangar as an arrival hall for flagged passengers, some of whom face long waits to clear CBP security checks. Relief organizations are providing meals, clothing and other provisions to the families, most of whom will be temporarily housed at eight military bases while undergoing medical checks and preparing for the transition to life in the United States. In his Sept. 6 op-ed, Our duty to challenge Catholic politicians on their abortion support, Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco Salvatore J. Cordileone set forth the position of the Catholic Church on abortion. But he seemed to make no distinction between the legitimate realm of faith and the land of laws in which we live. No one is asking him to change his mind or keep silent about his beliefs. If the church lends its moral weight to the antiabortion argument in the public forum, that is a protected activity under the Constitution. The church oversteps in arguing for and supporting changes in the law of the land to enforce its moral positions on those who do not agree. Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy But Biden is finding that closing the book on the 9/11 era after two decades, as he promised during the 2020 campaign, is fraught with new perils and political uncertainty. The chaotic exit from Afghanistan last month showcased the challenges in the country in a way that Biden argued was the very reason for leaving. But his decision also has triggered warnings in some cases from the same national security advisers Biden has rebuffed through multiple administrations that his decisions have erased much of the work done over 20 years and effectively returned Afghanistan to the same place it was before any American involvement. The call follows disappointing or inconclusive trips to China by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in July, and climate envoy John F. Kerry last week, and it comes ahead of what the Biden administration hopes will be a deeper commitment to Chinese climate initiatives in November at a global climate summit backed by the United Nations. With Biden and Xi initially expected to travel to Europe for the summit in Scotland and a gathering a few days before of the Group of 20, in Rome, a meeting between the two had seemed possible. Kids are far less likely than adults to become seriously ill from coronavirus. Roughly 188 children statewide have been hospitalized with the virus since the pandemic first came to Idaho, according to numbers from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. But kids, like adults, can easily pass the virus to others, and in a state where only half of the residents are fully vaccinated, a schoolhouse outbreak could quickly become a major problem, said Dr. David Peterman, a pediatrician and CEO of Primary Health Group in southwestern Idaho. Hendrick died in 1944, and two years later, Thomas S. and Elma M. Moran bought the house. Thomas S. Moran, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, was a career naval officer, according to records provided by the Naval History and Heritage Command. He served as commandant of the naval operating base at Trinidad and was chief of staff of the Tenth Naval District in 1942. The Morans sold the house in 1964. The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isnt shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing. NEW YORK (RNS) Minister Onleilove Chika Alston went to high school right across from the Twin Towers. September 11, 2001, changed her life it changed the shape of her school neighborhood, destroyed the mall in which she would hang out during school days but even more so, she said, it changed the life of her best friends. Her Mali-American Muslim friend began to be bullied in the city that she loved, said Alston. Buzyn was only in office until the early days of the pandemic she resigned in mid-February 2020 and went on to unsuccessfully run for Paris mayor but the investigation against her could still spell trouble for President Emmanuel Macron, who is expected to run for reelection next spring. The pope is visiting Hungary for the concluding Mass of a week-long major Catholic conference, the International Eucharistic Congress. Before the Mass, he will have a brief meeting a private one with Orban and Hungarian President Janos Ader. Even when such meetings are held privately, the Vatican often provides a brief summary, and Francis is likely to be asked about it later. In the near future, Russia will supply us I wont say how much money or what with dozens of planes, dozens of helicopters and the most important air defense weapons. Maybe even S-400s. We need them very much as Ive said in the past, Lukashenko said last week, according to Belta, a state news agency. In a word, the most modern equipment. We will equip ourselves. As soon as the news about the capture of the two fugitives was confirmed Friday, a flurry of bitter posts expressing disappointment and shock filled the Palestinian social media sphere. There was no immediate reaction from the Palestinian Authority, but Abdeltaif al-Qanou, a spokesman for the Gaza-ruling Hamas movement, said despite the re-arrest, the prisoners have scored a victory and harmed the prestige of the Israeli security system. Marcelo Israel Sanchez, 39, waited in his home for authorities to tell him what his wife and three children should do. He did not want to leave the house until the area was secure, but also feared the potential for additional slides. More than 80 surrounding homes were evacuated in case more of the mountain came down. But all of the ministers owe their positions to political affiliations and will be accountable to the politicians who sponsored their inclusion. In accordance with the rules governing the formation of Lebanese cabinets, half of the ministers are Christians, half are Muslims and the allocation of positions has been calibrated to ensure that the different sectarian factions are accommodated. Wildfires some natural and others manmade are common in southern Europe during the hot, dry summer months, but have been particularly numerous around the Mediterranean this year following intense heatwaves. Worsening drought and heat also fueled wildfires in the western United States and in Russias northern Siberia region. As U.S. forces neared the end of their Aug. 31 withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years, Taliban fighters took control of province after province and entered the capital of Kabul on Aug. 15 without a fight. The Taliban takeover sparked a chaotic and harrowing rush to leave the country by foreigners and Afghans opposed to their harsh brand of Islam, which during its 1996-2001 rule saw women barred from almost all work and girls prevented from going to school. Charlene Thomas, 73, passed away while at the Daviess Community Hospital, Sept. 8, 2021. She was born April 23, 1948, in Washington, to Eugene Matteson and Eileen (Best) Matteson. Charlene was a homemaker who loved to play the piano, enjoyed genealogy, and liked to play cards and board games Trusted local news has never been more important, but providing the information you need, information that can change sometimes minute-by-minute, requires a partnership with you, our readers. Please consider making a contribution today to support this vital resource that you and countless others depend on. Drums pounded and electricity surged through the amplifiers flanking Amy Taylor. It was as if the wildly magnetic singer had been plugged in herself, shocked into a high voltage performance as Amyl and the Sniffers detonated under a barrage of stage lights. The mostly young, boisterous crowd packed in front of Taylor three years ago at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles eagerly soaked up the action, leaving the Melbourne band thrilled with a loud, sweaty and raucous night of rock n roll far from home. From left: Amy Taylor, Bryce Williams, Gus Romer and Dec Martens. Credit:Jamie Wdziekonski It was a sold-out show ... no gap between the audience and the stage was just the right height. It was high energy, recalls Taylor, now under her hometowns strict lockdown rules. It was pretty fun in L.A. ... theres some nice people there but theres also some absolute air heads. We stayed there for two weeks before we recorded the first album. Now with second album Comfort To Me released this week, Taylor is typically frank about what inspired the bands new songs, the joys of house-sharing with a really good hot chip shop around the corner and the exhilaration of pouring every ounce of energy into shows. Almost one in five jobs across parts of western Sydney has disappeared since lockdowns were put in place, with business leaders urging a rapid re-opening of the economy once 80 per cent of the adult population is vaccinated. In a sign of the hit to households across the country caused by the string of lockdowns affecting 15 million Australians, the number of people on payrolls fell by 0.7 per cent in the fortnight to August 14. Every region of NSW, including Wollongong, suffered a fall in the number of people on company payrolls through the first half of August. Credit:Wolter Peeters The Australian Bureau of Statistics said NSW bore the brunt of the impact, with the number of people on payrolls falling by 1.2 per cent in the fortnight and by 5 per cent since the middle of July. Every part of NSW has suffered a fall in the number of jobs on company payrolls since the start of lockdowns from mid-May. Wilmington, DE (19810) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 87F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms this evening with a few showers possible late. Low 69F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. As COVID-19 cases increase in Louisville, doctors begin to see signs of hope FILE - In this Tuesday, July 27, 2021 file photo, a medical worker prepares a shot of the Moderna vaccine during a vaccination campaign at Saint Damien Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (AP Photo/Joseph Odelyn, file) Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announces a $460 million settlement between the commonwealth and pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, as well as other opioid distributors, for what he says is their role in fueling the state's opioid epidemic. News conference took place on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Weber Cares Food Pantry Relocates to WSUs Stewart Library September 10, 2021 OGDEN, Utah The Weber Cares Food & Resource Pantry, which provides free food and resources to students in need of some extra help, has transitioned back to in-person shopping at its new location in Weber State Universitys Stewart Library Room 224. Stewart Library is excited to host the Weber Cares Food Pantry because it aligns with the librarys mission to support students and remove barriers to their education, said Wendy Holliday, Stewart Library dean. Moving to the library will expand the pantry space as well as provide the ability to open for more evening and weekend hours in the future. We also hope to see the pantry as a place where people can connect with a wide range of social and support services because that's what libraries do. Jordan Wheeler, a sophomore studying criminal justice, is the Weber Cares Pantry specialist at the Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL). Wheeler said the food pantry is important because it provides food, hygiene and resources to those in need. As a college student, money can be tight. We have a food pantry to help anyone who is struggling. We welcome all students with open arms and hope that everyone will feel like they can come to the pantry whenever they need, Wheeler said. Supported by CCEL, Weber Cares allows students to concentrate on their studies instead of worrying about where their next meal is coming from. The program uses a three-pronged approach: the food pantry offers healthy food at no cost; a voucher program provides an emergency $10 credit redeemable at any Weber Dining campus location; and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) gives food assistance from the state. Another important role we play in student success is our impact on student health in general, whether that be providing supplemental food resources or peace of mind knowing that food is available, if needed, said Patrick Tadlock, CCEL assistant director. We plan to continue growing our resources and options to help meet the needs of our students into the future. The Weber Cares Pantry relies primarily on food and monetary donations, such as those from Weber Dining, to operate. Weber Dining contributes by collecting extra food from its kitchens each day. The food is packaged and taken to the pantry with help from the Food Recovery Network, a student-driven volunteer program that aims to address food insecurity and reduce food waste on campus. After fully stocking the pantry, student volunteers deliver the remaining food donations to Lantern House, a local community shelter. On average, Weber Dining donates over 3,500 pounds of food every semester. The Weber Cares Pantry would like to thank everyone both on and off campus for their continued support of our programs over the years, Tadlock said, specifically for the outpouring of support we have received during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about the pantry, visit weber.edu/ccel/weber-cares. For photos of the pantry, visit this link. Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University. Allentown, PA (18103) Today Still rather warm and humid with partial sunshine and a late-day shower or thunderstorm.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. Few showers and thunderstorms possible. Reading, PA (19601) Today Still rather warm and humid with partial sunshine and a late-day shower or thunderstorm.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. Few showers and thunderstorms possible. (WFSB) - The Biden Administration is taking aggressive new measures in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Sweeping new vaccine mandates for 100 million Americans President Joe Biden on Thursday is toughening COVID-19 vaccine requirements for federal workers and contractors as he aims to boost vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant that is killing thousands each week and jeopardizing the nations economic recovery. President Joe Bidens plan will impact around 100 million workers across the country. It will also impact businesses in Connecticut. The Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA) president, Chris DiPentima, said his organization supports Biden for continuing to tackle the pandemic, but theyre worried the mandate could add to the labor shortage. As a part of a six-point plan to tackle the pandemic, the Department of Labor will be developing a rule that requires all employers with 100 or more employees to be fully vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. The plan will also require employers to provide paid time off for employees to get vaccinated. Businesses that dont comply could face hefty fines. The CBIA said the mandate will impact just over 5 percent of its member companies in Connecticut. The majority of businesses in Connecticut have less than 100 employees, but theres still some concern. Theres record numbers of job openings that businesses cant fill," DiPentima said. "Will employees now start to decide to stop working altogether because they dont want to get vaccinated? DiPentima said they surveyed members months ago. Thirty-seven percent were against a government vaccine mandate. The association has been encouraging businesses to promote and incentivize getting the vaccine, but it now has another hurdle. The testing alternative is a good thing right now, but what happens when the company has to start paying for the testing and now, they start incurring costs? questioned DiPentima. DiPentima said theyll be waiting for more guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to figure out how to roll out the federal mandate. I think this is just a first step in a series of mandates for vaccines that are coming down the road from the government, she said. Women (but strangely not men) are often told that, to know what they will be like as they grow older, they need look no further than their own mother. Never a truer word said in jest than in Martin McDonagh's Beauty Queen of Leenane, where this theory is taken to its very limits. Set against a backdrop of a pre-peace agreement Ireland, McDonagh weaves a story of an inter-dependent mother and daughter that loathe each other as much as they rely on one another. That same love/hate relationship between the Irish and the British is referenced throughout and somehow still sadly rings true in the post-Brexit world we currently find ourselves stumbling through. Leenane is a rugged town in County Galway on the West Coast of Ireland. Its charm and beauty mask its seclusion and isolation. Maureen is 40 and living with her ageing mother Mag, the two of them are trapped in a merry-go-round of chores, complaints and criticism. Maureen's two sisters have left and there is no mention of a father. Mag's daily ritual of Tea and Complan dominate her sickened and ageing life with a total if not always sincere reliance on her equally unhappy daughter. Maureen has suffered with her mental health and has spent time in some form of English mental institution earlier in her life. When love comes her way in the form of Pato a local man returning from England where he has been working it is a clear and much needed moment of hope for her to escape but her mother has other ideas. It is devastatingly selfish, brutally unfeeling and horrifically un-maternal. Orla Fitzgerald's Maureen is outwardly confident and seems to be able to stand on her own two feet. Yet her repressed anger towards her mother and her sheer frustration with life are always waiting to bubble over at any moment and Fitzgerald keeps her simmering nicely throughout. Ingrid Craigie's Mag is understatedly nasty. She shuffles around making her various demands and aims her barbed tongue at her own daughter with free abandon. There are frailties evident that subtly suggest that Mag's reasons for the control of her daughter are not just born out of sheer malice though. The relationship between the two is very obviously one of massive dysfunction but the performances by Fitzgerald and Craigie lack real psychological torment as they inflict emotional wound upon emotional wound on one another. As Fitzgerald's Maureen forces her mother to drink lumpy Complan it is less torture and more of gentle persuasion never fully wince-inducing. Rachel O'Riordan has directed this revival a co-production with the Lyric Hammersmith with a light touch to its very sinister themes. The second act is given more urgency and the tension is certainly ramped up. Following the perfectly framed opening monologue given by Adam Best's excellent Pato, we hurry towards the brutal crescendo that marks the culmination of Maureen and Mag's toxic relationship with audible gasps from many in the audience as they bear witness in the intimate Minerva. It's all engaging enough stuff but just manages to miss the mark with its levels of toxicity and torment on display. The comedy shines through but the savagery is more difficult to find. Stephen Schwartz, the prolific composer of Wicked, The Prince of Egypt, Pippin and more, came to London late last month to visit the theatre scene in the capital, and we had the chance to chat to the prolific musical maker. Stopping by the London revival of Pippin (playing into October), Schwartz reflected on the hit production of his classic musical (reinterpreted for eight performers), while also lambasting the UK government for their inaction in supporting commercial theatre. You can watch the first of our three videos below with more to come as Schwartz' work is celebrated in the latest episode of The Theatre Channel, arriving later this month. Dear Evan Hansen, the runaway Tony-winning hit that has wowed on both sides of the Atlantic, is a strange and unique stage musical. It's got two, in some ways axiomatically conflicting, issues at its heart: the first is the perpetuation and adoption of lies and false narratives (exacerbated by the internet and social media), while the second is a near-forensic examination of mental health in the young, as well as how generations handle their own sense of self while awash with grief. Unfounded lies and communal solidarity, coiling and intermingling across a two-hour spectacle. Which is, throwing the thesaurus aside, a long way of saying there's a lot going on. On stage, most of these topics are carried along by the epic, rousing numbers: you can put the anxiety away and latch onto the optimism and solidarity that are at the heart of earworms like "You Will Be Found", delivered by a cast of stage pros. But on film, does that still hold up? Evan Hansen (Ben Platt) and Jared Kalwani (Nik Dodani) 2021 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. It's worth, in this often rather all-consuming theatre bubble, trying to imagine what the everyday Joe on the street will make of the silver screen adaptation, directed by Perks of Being A Wallflower's Stephen Chbosky. Clocking in at over two hours (somehow cutting four numbers, almost all performed by the adult characters, makes this movie just about longer than the stage show), it feels as though you get a fair few Perks added in for good measure. It's in serious need of a trim, for sure, but there might be enough to give it heft. The story is meaty: a young, reclusive kid Evan (Ben Platt) blunders his way into a misunderstanding regarding the tragic death of a troubled classmate, Connor Murphy. Evan, an occasionally endearing loner desperate for connection, states he was friends with the dead boy and proceeds to fake a raft of emails to win the hearts of Murphy's grieving family. Finally, they sigh with relief, proof that Connor wasn't a compassionless arsehole. Everything snowballs from there Evan's lies begin to strain credulity, while those at his high school latch onto Connor's story to inspire a nationwide message of hope. No one deserves to be forgotten, you will be found, they espouse. Hashtags pre-prepared for the social media age, chanted by an online chorus. It's a longwinded premise that, eventually, crumbles into an awkward, unpleasant melange of melancholy and pain. Sometimes, amidst the desaturated earthiness that he used in Wallflower, Chbosky gets it all to work. The film format definitely bolsters aspects that were absent in the stage show: you get a real sense of the hubbub and coarse edge to Evan's school (something that isn't really possible with a cast of eight in a theatre), while the living, breathing, pinging, notifying immediacy of social media feels pressing. "Sincerely Me", where Evan and his friend Jared (a perfect comedy foil in form of Jared Kalwani (Nik Dodani) pen a series of made-up emails from Connor, is a delicious send-up of Golden Age Hollywood, using quintessential choreography to show how chipper tunes can put a positive sheen on what is essentially deplorable deceit. It's a similar trick to the one pulled in the sturdy Schmigadoon!, released earlier this summer. It's worth stressing that Steven Levenson, book writer and returning here to pen the screenplay, doesn't phone it in by any means using the transition to the screen to re-work the ending in a relatively successful way and flesh out a variety of side characters especially Connor, who no longer feels like an inert fulcrum for the plot. Though conceptually flawed conclusion, perhaps, the new ending does give emerging star Colton Ryan (Murphy) the chance to showcase some wonderful vocals. Show composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul add two new numbers (one, "The Anonymous Ones", sung and co-penned by Amandla Stenberg as Evan's classmate and high school president Alana, being another, though slightly tangential, high point in the show), both sitting neatly among many fan favourites. "What are you on?", Alana asks Evan sometimes confessing to being on medication for mental illness isn't a bitter pill to swallow. Cynthia Murphy (Amy Adams) and Larry Mora (Danny Pino) 2021 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. There are misfires: some moments, like the rousing "You Will Be Found", where an anthem carries across the waves of social media platforms, feel uncannily similar to the much more affecting "Unruly Heart" from the film version of The Prom, released on Netflix last Christmas. It's hard to shake the question: would it have, in a similar vein to Hamilton or Come From Away, been more successful to have released a pro-shot version of the stage production, given the set is currently lying dormant in New York. Onto the cast: leaving aside debates around the Tony-winners age (as it's a fruitless topic to discuss), Platt's performance is tricky to gauge. The show hinges on whether or not you want to, in spite of his unforgivable acts, understand why Evan is doing what he is doing. With his sunken eyes, awkward demeanour and fixation on Connor's younger sister Zoe, Evan comes across more as creepy than consumed with anxiety. One number, "If I Could Tell Her", with a montage of moments where the older Evan is near-stalking the young teen, makes for uncomfortable viewing. Sure, singing wise he's note-perfect, but few scenes, beyond an explicit mention of his flawed relationship with his father, really allow audiences to root for Evan. Other performances glow with less ambiguity Amy Adams is in solid form as Connor's mother Cynthia, while Julianne Moore makes a lot out of what feels to be a smaller role as Evan's mum Heidi. The tear ducts will have to try a whole lot not to be brought on when, in the middle of "You Will Be Found", Connor's stepfather Larry (Danny Pino) breaks down into the arms of his wife, finally confronted by the grief he had long compartmentalised. Kaitlyn Dever's Zoe has a further side of darkly relatable humour it's a fantastic evolution of a role that can often get swept away among Evan's lies. Ben Platt as Evan Hansen 2021 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. So it all adds up to a mystifying finish. Spectators will likely land on one of three outcomes: it's either passably interesting (though overly long), rousingly novel or terrifyingly awful all depending on whether or not you can empathise with Evan's so-called plight. That's something, I suppose. Animal Health Officer (ECTAD Deputy Regional Manager), Bangkok, Thailand Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Country: Thailand City: Bangkok Office: FAO ROAP Bangkok Closing date: Thursday, 30 September 2021 2102247 Animal Health Officer (ECTAD Deputy Regional Manager) Job Posting: 28/Aug/2021 Closure Date: 30/Sep/2021, 9:59:00 PM Organizational Unit : Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, RAP Job Type: Staff position Type of Requisition : Professional Project Grade Level : P-4 Primary Location: Thailand-Bangkok Duration : Fixed-term: one year with possibility of extension Post Number : 2008592 CCOG Code : 1H01 IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization. Organizational Setting The Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) is responsible for leading FAOs response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAOs priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and, in collaboration with the Regional Programme Leader (RPL), offices and divisions at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAOs strategic response to regional priorities. RAP also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organizations Programme of Work and Budget and implements approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. RAP develops and maintains relations with region-wide institutions including the Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs). The Regional Office supports regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development issues, facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships, and supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region. The post is located in the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease (ECTAD) in the RAP office. ECTAD RAP is dedicated to working with the governments in the region in preventing and controlling emerging infectious and zoonotic diseases working closely with national stakeholders in the animal production and health sector. Reporting Lines The Animal Health Officer (ECTAD Deputy Regional Manager) reports to the Senior Animal Health Officer (ECTAD Regional Manager for Asia and the Pacific), working in close collaboration with ECTAD RAP staff as well as with national programme counterparts. Technical Focus The Animal Health Officer (ECTAD Deputy Regional Manager) will be tasked to assist the ECTAD Regional Manager in the day-to-day management and oversee independently certain areas of work of the ECTAD programme at the regional level. Key Results Comprehensive technical and policy expertise to support the planning, development and implementation of programmes, projects, products and services in accordance with FAOs Strategic Objectives. Key Functions Plans and leads components of multidisciplinary teams, leads and/or participates in Organization-wide, cross-divisional committees, project teams, and working groups and/or provides specialized expertise on technical networks and/or international technical policy and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies; Develops technical, analytical, monitoring and reporting frameworks, and related methodologies, tools, systems and databases etc. to support the planning, implementation/delivery and monitoring of programmes of work, projects, products and/or services; Designs and conducts research, data collection, validation, analysis and/or reporting activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovative approaches and strategies, new tools, technologies, technical reports/publications, and/or policy proposals as well as the provision of technical/policy/ specialist/advice and expertise; Responds to country requests for technical and policy assistance, provides technical advice, assistance and solutions to Decentralized Offices and provides technical backstopping to field projects; Collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within member countries such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning materials, online tools; Promotes international cooperation/advocates best practices, increased policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international/inter-governmental meetings; Participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate strategy. Specific Functions Contributes to the development of a medium to long-term strategic vision for ECTADs work in Asia consistent with global strategies in animal diseases or emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) that impact animal or public health; Provides supervisory and technical advice to the assigned FAO-ECTAD country programmes and projects related to the control of avian influenza and other high impact transboundary animal diseases (TADs) and zoonoses in Asia; Coordinates the smooth implementation of FAO-ECTAD regional and national projects, in collaboration with international and national consultants; Provides strategic guidance to the development of regional ECTAD programmes and supervises the preparation of regional and country proposals, ensuring compliance with FAO technical quality and standards for timely submission to donors; Ensures efficient delivery of project work plans, including timely provision of appropriate inputs such as organization of workshops and training programmes in liaison with appropriate FAO and national contacts at country levels; Coordinates and ensures the timely preparation of briefs and comprehensive reports as per FAO and donor requirements; Liaises with international organizations, such as the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), World Health Organization (WHO) and FAO Reference Centres involved in policy and technical matters related to animal health, TADs and zoonoses control; Engages with regional organizations including relevant sections/units/working groups of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to enhance their participation in regional approaches to disease control ensuring broad principles of the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs) and other FAO platforms are applied; Organizes strategic and technical meetings that facilitate the exchange of information among country projects, subregions and other national/international organizations; Undertakes missions to the project countries to assist the ECTAD Country Team Leaders (CTLs) and Chief Technical Advisors (CTAs) and ensure good relationships with key government partners are developed and maintained; Leads the recruitment and supervises assigned personnel of FAO-ECTAD regional projects; Supports resource mobilization efforts for the regional ECTAD programme with financial resource partners, particularly in the formulation of concept notes and proposals; Promotes visibility of ECTAD with key development partners and target countries. CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING Minimum Requirements Advanced university degree in animal science, veterinary science/medicine, veterinary epidemiology or a related field; Seven years of relevant experience in animal health, infectious disease management, including regulatory aspects, standard setting, national and regional approaches to animal disease control and prevention; Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other FAO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish). Competencies Results Focus Tags animal diseases animal health animal production avian influenza capacity development continuous improvement country programmes data collection disease control economic integration food security infectious diseases international cooperation international instruments knowledge sharing monitoring and reporting organizational development programme implementation project identification regional cooperation regional organizations resource mobilization rural development south asia southeast asia standards of conduct training programmes transparency zoonotic diseases Teamwork Communication Building Effective Relationships Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement Technical/Functional Skills Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable; Extent and relevance of experience in priority transboundary animal diseases control and management activities (African swine fever (ASF), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), AI, ecology, epidemiology, laboratory diagnostics, etc.); Extent and relevance of experience in project identification and design, work planning and partnerships; Extent and relevance of experience in animal health projects and programmes management; Extent and relevance of experience in managing transboundary animal diseases including at least three years experience at international level in developing countries and experience in the Asian region is considered a strong asset; Familiarity with UN or other international agencies field programmes is an asset. Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency. GENERAL INFORMATION FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment Extension of fixed term appointments is based on certification of performance and availability of funds CONDITIONS OF SERVICE A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries allowances/salary.htm Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include: Dependency allowances Rental subsidy Education grant for children Home leave travel 30 working days of annual leave per year Pension fund entitlements under the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund International health insurance; optional life insurance Disability protection FAO encourages a positive workplace culture to increase inclusivity and diversity within its workforce. FAO applies measures in which all staff members contribute equally and in full to the work and development of the Organization. This includes: elements of family-friendly policies flexible working arrangements standards of conduct HOW TO APPLY To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications and language skills; Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile; Once your profile is completed, please apply and submit your application; Your application will be screened based on the information provided on your online profile; Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/ Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications; Incomplete applications will not be considered; Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered; We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date. If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org Link to the organizations job offer: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1630947812554 Willmar, MN (56201) Today Sunshine and a few clouds. High 76F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Mississippi is closing its only remaining parking garage field hospital set up to treat coronavirus patients during the delta variant surge, but it is still relying on out-of-state workers to help increase ICU capacity in state hospitals, officials said Wednesday. Health officials also reported the state's seventh child death from the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic and raised alarms about a string of deaths in unvaccinated pregnant women. State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said eight pregnant women with coronavirus have died over the past four weeks. We do know that COVID is especially problematic and dangerous for pregnant women, Dobbs said. The health officer said COVID can be deadly for babies in the womb, too. Very preliminary data collected by the Department of Health indicates that babies are twice as likely to die in the womb after 20 weeks in COVID-19 infected pregnant women than in women without the virus, he said. Its been a real tragedy," he said. Jim Craig, senior deputy for the Mississippi Department of Health and Director of Health Protection, said the state is seeing a small improvement in hospital bed availability, but ICU capacity continues to be very scarce. The bed capacity for ICU space is effectively zero still in the state of Mississippi, Craig said. Craig said the Department of Health has applied to extend the support of federal partners working at the Jackson and Biloxi Veterans Affairs hospitals, the 23-person Department of Defense military team at the University of Mississippi Medical center and a group working on monoclonal antibody administration at the university. A total of 1,660 people were hospitalized with coronavirus in Mississippi on Aug. 18, compared with 1,285 on Tuesday. A Johns Hopkins COVID-19 tracker showed that as of Tuesday, Mississippi had the ninth-highest COVID-19 rate in the U.S. The state had 79.5 new cases and 1.3 deaths per 100,000 residents. Craig said the field hospital set up by Christian relief charity Samaritans Purse was in the process of decommissioning. A different field hospital on the University of Mississippi Medical Center campus set up with health care workers from the federal government was already decommissioned last month. Craig said the field hospitals are closing because of the decrease in hospitalizations and the increase of health care workers coming in from out of state to support hospitals. Its been a rough month and a half of the delta surge. It has really been stressful. Its overwhelmed by our health system, and its caused a lot of unnecessary deaths," Dobbs said. "Fortunately, we are starting to see an inflection point with somewhat of a decline in hospitalizations, and daily cases." Dobbs said vaccine hesitancy continues to be a problem in the state. Mississippi is nearing 1.5 million almost half the state's population people who have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. We are making some progress," he said. "... But we don't have near enough people in the state who are immune. State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said Mississippi was reporting its seventh pediatric death of the virus since the start of the pandemic a child less than a year old. However, Byers said the state is seeing a slight decrease in coronavirus cases in schools. Schools are required to self-report information on cases and students quarantined to the state. For the week of Aug. 30 through Sept. 3, 15,000 students were on quarantine, compared with 23,000 in the previous week and 28,000 in the week before that. ___ Leah Willingham is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Winchester, VA (22601) Today Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High 87F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Variable clouds with showers and scattered thunderstorms. Storms more numerous this evening. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Winchester, VA (22601) Today Scattered showers and thunderstorms. High 87F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy with showers and a few thunderstorms. Low 63F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. OTTAWA - A national advisory panel recommended Friday people who are immunocompromised should receive a third vaccine dose against COVID-19. Barbara Violo, pharmacist and owner of The Junction Chemist Pharmacy, draws up a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, in Toronto, Friday, June 18, 2021. A national advisory panel recommends people who are immunocompromised to receive a third vaccine dose against COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette OTTAWA - A national advisory panel recommended Friday people who are immunocompromised should receive a third vaccine dose against COVID-19. It's the latest piece of advice to come from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), which says people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised are shown to have a weaker response to vaccinations. Even without the official advice, provinces like Ontario and Alberta have relied on their own health experts and gone ahead with offering third doses to those considered more medically vulnerable, such as seniors living in long-term care and patients who received transplants, are undergoing cancer treatments or are otherwise immunosuppressed. Saskatchewan announced Friday it too would begin giving a third shot to seniors starting in October. It said third doses would start being administered this week to those who are immunocompromised. The national committee affirmed that those with weaker immune systems stand at greater risk of developing complications and dealing with the infection for longer if they contract COVID-19. "An additional dose contributes to health equity by providing another opportunity for immunocompromised individuals to develop a better immune response which could offer better protection against COVID-19," NACI says in written advice. It recommends those who are not yet vaccinated to receive three doses of an approved mRNA vaccine, which in Canada means shots from either Moderna or Pfizer-BioNtech. The committee also calls for giving an additional dose of one of these shots to immunocompromised people who have been double vaccinated, including those who received mixed doses. "This is not unusual for immunocompromised groups, where we often recommend different vaccine schedules to help them achieve better protection," Dr. Shelley Deeks, committee chair, said in a statement. "This is different from a booster dose, which would be used to boost an immune response that has waned over time." It adds people should consider taking a viral-vector vaccine like AstraZeneca only if they have a medical reason that makes them unable to take one of the mRNA vaccines, or can't access one. Canada's chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the advice applies to people 12 and older whose immune systems are compromised for a variety of reasons like being treated for a tumour or having an untreated HIV infection that has advanced. "There's a very broad group of individuals who may have either underlying health condition or a treatment that's rendered them more immunocompromised," she said at a briefing Friday. "Talk to your health provider and discuss your particular situation." The advisory body says giving those who are immunocompromised a third dose is different than offering a booster shot to the general population because for most two doses of vaccine protect against COVID-19. The panel says it continues to study the need for booster shots for specific groups, like those in long-term care. The World Health Organization has called for wealthy nations to avoid giving their residents widespread access to booster shots so to see more supply sent to poorer countries that have less overall vaccination coverage, making their citizens more exposed to the virus. Health Canada reported Friday that 77 per cent of people 12 and older have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while around 84 per cent of individuals have received their first dose. The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Tam cautioned that new cases of COVID-19 could reach levels "higher than we've seen thus far" since March 2020 when the pandemic hit because of the fast-spreading Delta variant of the virus. "There is a risk that hospitalization rates could overwhelm capacity unless we quickly increase vaccine coverage or implement other measures to slow the continued acceleration," she said. "With 7.3 million eligible Canadians not yet fully vaccinated with two doses and 4.8 million too young to get the vaccine, there are still far too many susceptible people and opportunities for the virus to spread." Nationally, Tam said the average number of new daily cases has increased to more than 3,700, with an average of 1,600 COVID-19 patients being treated in hospitals in each day, including 546 people in intensive care. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2021. With files from The Associated Press FREDERICTON - New Brunswick is reporting 24 fresh cases of COVID-19, with once again the vast majority being people who haven't been vaccinated. New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs receives his second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which is being administered by Dr. Jennifer Russell, N.B. chief medical officer of health, in Fredericton, Friday, June 4, 2021. New Brunswick is reporting 24 fresh cases of COVID-19, with once again the vast majority being people who haven't been vaccinated. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Stephen MacGillivray FREDERICTON - New Brunswick is reporting 24 fresh cases of COVID-19, with once again the vast majority being people who haven't been vaccinated. The province says 92 per cent, or 22 people, who tested positive hadn't received two doses of vaccine. Public Health has been emphasizing the vaccination percentages in its daily reports, urging people to attend a clinic to receive their shots. To date, 76.6 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 85.4 per cent have received their first dose of a vaccine. There are six people hospitalized due to the virus, with three in an intensive care unit. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. There were also nine recoveries reported, leaving the current number of active cases is 136. Nova Scotia is reporting 11 new cases, but the province doesn't provide daily updates on vaccination status. Instead, it provides a global number that indicates that from March 15 until Friday, 92 per cent of 4,422 new cases were unvaccinated. Prince Edward Island reported four new cases on Friday, with three of them young children and one a person in their 30s. Public Health in P.E.I. says none of the children had been in schools or daycares. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2021. Three of the nation's largest food delivery companies are suing New York City over a limit on fees it put in place during the pandemic to protect restaurants devastated by the forced closure of their dining rooms. FILE - In this April 21, 2021 file photo, a delivery man bikes with a food bag from Grubhub in New York. The three biggest food delivery companies, DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats, are suing the City of New York, Friday, Sept. 10, over its law to permanently limit the amount they can charge restaurants that use their services.(AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) Three of the nation's largest food delivery companies are suing New York City over a limit on fees it put in place during the pandemic to protect restaurants devastated by the forced closure of their dining rooms. The city has continued to extend those caps even as vaccinations allow more indoor dining which, according to the companies, cost them millions of dollars over the summer. In the suit filed late Thursday the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats call the fee caps government overreach. The companies say they were instrumental in keeping restaurants afloat and food industry workers employed after investing millions of dollars in relief for those businesses. They are filing for an injunction that would prevent the city from enforcing an extension on the fee caps adopted in August. The companies are seeking unspecified monetary damages as well as a jury trial. New York Law Department spokesman Nicholas Paolucci said in an email that the citys initiative is legally sound and will be defended in court. The city of New York first enacted the price cap in May 2020 in response to the pandemic, limiting the rate that third-party platforms could charge restaurants at 15% of an online order for delivery services, and 5% for all other services, including marketing. Last month, New York City Council passed a handful of bills it said would help small restaurants, like prohibiting some third-party delivery service charges and mandating that their phone numbers are listed on those delivery sites. It also pushed forward an extension on the fee caps that would not expire until at least early next year. Food delivery services, Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats among them, that experienced explosive growth during the pandemic are increasingly clashing with local governments who say restaurants and consumers are getting hit with exorbitant fees and high costs. Last month Chicago officials accused DoorDash and Grubhub of harming the citys restaurants and their customers by charging high fees and through other deceptive practices. Delivery companies have been the target of legal authorities in other cities and states before, but those efforts have targeted specific policies compared to Chicagos attack on numerous elements of the companies operations. The companies called Chicago's lawsuits baseless. San Franciscos district attorney has accused delivery companies of violating California law by classifying drivers as contractors. And Washington, D.C., reached a settlement with DoorDash in 2019 after alleging the company misled customers about how much drivers received in tips. The Massachusetts attorney generals office in July filed a lawsuit accusing Grubhub of charging restaurants illegally high fees during the pandemic. The state had capped fees for much of 2020. In the lawsuit filed late Thursday, Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats argue that New York city has continually pushed back the expiration date of the price caps and that now there's no date at all, making them permanent. They also claim that the law has cost them hundreds of millions of dollars" through July. The ordinance is unconstitutional because, among other things, it interferes with freely negotiated contracts between platforms and restaurants by changing and dictating the economic terms on which a dynamic industry operates," the lawsuit states. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Food delivery companies, despite soaring revenues, have delivered mixed economic results even as they were transformed into a critical service during the pandemic. Orders handled by DoorDash reached unprecedented levels during its most recent quarter and while revenue growth slowed from the height of the pandemic, the company said last month that sales were still up an astounding 83%, to $1.24 billion. Yet the company lost $102 million. Start-ups have to invest large sums to grow and delivery start-ups say that has grown worse as they are forced to spend more to lure new drivers as infections rise. DoorDash said that fee caps cost it $26 million during the most recent three-month reporting period. In a prepared statement Friday, DoorDash said putting caps on fees can lead to higher prices for customers and hurt drivers if rising prices reduce orders overall. "Imposing permanent price controls is an unprecedented and dangerous overreach by the government and will limit the options small businesses rely on to compete in an increasingly competitive market, the company said. DoorDash has already filed suit to block a cap on fees put into effect by San Francisco. NEW YORK (AP) The state of New York and two large counties agreed Thursday a $50 million deal to end their lawsuits with drugmaker Endo International, in the latest of a progression of settlements of government claims over the opioid addiction and overdose crisis. NEW YORK (AP) The state of New York and two large counties agreed Thursday a $50 million deal to end their lawsuits with drugmaker Endo International, in the latest of a progression of settlements of government claims over the opioid addiction and overdose crisis. Under the deal announced Thursday night, the Dublin-based drugmaker and its subsidiary Par are to pay $22.3 million to the state attorney general's office and $13.85 million to both Suffolk and Nassau counties. Endo, which also settled claims recently with a group of local and county governments in Tennessee, admits no wrongdoing. This agreement ensures funding will be made available for critical abatement programs in a more expedited fashion, Jayne Conroy, the lead lawyer for Suffolk County and co-lead counsel in a series of lawsuits across the country over opioids. Conroy said a trial, which has been going on for about two months in New York, will continue against the remaining defendants, which include Teva Pharmaceuticals and Allergan Finance and their affiliates. The plaintiffs say that companies improperly marketed opioids, downplaying the addiction risks, and that big shipments were not flagged as suspicious. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Johnson & Johnson settled just before the trial began, and the nation's three largest drug distributions companies AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson have all since settled. Those four companies have since announced a tentative $26 billion nationwide settlement deal that would take months to finalize. Last week, a federal bankruptcy judge gave conditional approval to a plan to allow OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to settle some 3,000 claims it faces. Opioids, including prescription painkillers and illicit drugs such as heroin and illegally produced fentanyl, have been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the last two decades. As settlements are reached, it means companies are starting to fund drug treatment and education programs. Other trials are queued up across the U.S., including a federal trial next month over claims against pharmacies. The Food and Drug Administrations vaccine chief said Friday the agency will rapidly evaluate COVID-19 vaccinations for younger children as soon as it gets the needed data and won't cut corners. FILE - In this Tuesday, May 11, 2021 file photo, Dr. Peter Marks, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research in the Food and Drug Administration, testifies during a Senate health, education, labor, and pensions hearing to examine an update from federal officials on efforts to combat COVID-19 on Capitol Hill in Washington. On Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, Marks urged parents to be patient, saying the agency will rapidly evaluate vaccines for 5- to 11-year-olds as soon as it gets the needed data. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via AP) The Food and Drug Administrations vaccine chief said Friday the agency will rapidly evaluate COVID-19 vaccinations for younger children as soon as it gets the needed data and won't cut corners. Dr. Peter Marks told The Associated Press he is very, very hopeful that vaccinations for 5- to 11-year-olds will be underway by years end. Maybe sooner: One company, Pfizer, is expected to turn over its study results by the end of September, and Marks say the agency hopefully could analyze them in a matter of weeks. In the U.S., anyone 12 and older is eligible for COVID-19 vaccines. But with schools reopening and the delta variant causing more infections among kids, many parents are anxiously wondering when younger children can get the shots. Pfizers German partner BioNTech told weekly Der Spiegel Friday that it was on track in the coming weeks to seek approval of the companies' COVID-19 vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds. Moderna, which makes a second U.S. vaccine, told investors this week to expect its data on that age group by years end. Both companies also are testing their vaccines down to age 6 months, but those results will come later. FDAs Marks spoke with the AP Friday about the steps involved in clearing pediatric vaccines. The conversation has been edited for clarity and length. Q: Many parents had hoped for vaccines for children under 12 by the time schools reopened. Why is it taking so long? A: Before you can actually approve something in an age range, you actually have to study in that age range. ... Children under the age of 12, theyre not little adults, theyre not. And so one does actually have to study this and even change perhaps the dose thats being given and in fact, thats had to happen, change the dose. We have to then be able to look at the data at FDA when it gets submitted to us. Well look at it very rapidly and feel confident that when we that weve looked through the data that these are going to be safe and effective and that we can reassure parents that the benefits of their child getting one of these vaccines certainly outweighs any risks. Q: The American Academy of Pediatrics cited delta's growing threat to children in urging a faster decision, after FDA requested expanded child studies. Why does FDA want that extra data? A: Im not sure that theres much disagreement. We clearly want to see children in the age range 5 to 11 vaccinated as soon as possible. But the difference between the smaller dataset and the larger dataset is not very much in terms of time, because there were enough willing participants here parents who were very interested in having their 5- to 11-year-olds vaccinated that it didnt take that much longer. Well be able to give people I think a much better sense that these vaccines are indeed safe and effective for their children. Q: Could 5- to 11-year-olds be vaccinated by the end of the year? A: I am very hopeful in that regard. Very, very hopeful in that regard. Q: How fast can FDA act once the companies submit their data? A: Pfizer made a public statement that they intended to give us their data by the end of September. ... Were going to do a thorough job on that as quickly as we can so that at the end of the day, hopefully within a matter of weeks rather than a matter of months, well be able to come to some conclusion -- again, barring some finding that were not expecting. Q: How will the trials show effectiveness for kids? A: In the 12- to 15-year-olds, we saw an immune response that was actually as good or better in this case, it was for the Pfizer vaccine it was actually better than in 16 and up. And so wed want to see something similar to that. Q: Will the trials give information about very rare side effects like the heart inflammation sometimes seen in teens and young adults? A: Well know at least that its not ... happening at some much higher rate in younger children. That we can rule out. And well also make sure that there arent any other side effects that we havent seen in the older age range. Q: Two of FDAs top vaccine reviewers recently announced theyre leaving. The agency also is evaluating booster shots for adults. Is that making a child vaccination decision more difficult? Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. A: Im not worried that were going to suffer any delays because of that. ... We will be parallel processing. Q: There are reports that some parents are seeking adult vaccines for their kids. Whats your advice? A: My strongest advice is please dont do that. Please let us do the evaluation that we need to do to ensure that when you do vaccinate your child, you vaccinate the child with the right dose and in a manner thats safe. If you want to do something now for your child, make sure that youre vaccinated, that your household is vaccinated, that all the people that come in contact with your children are vaccinated and that your child knows how to wear a mask. ___ 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. NEW YORK (AP) A Florida businessman who gained notoriety for helping Rudy Giuliani seek damaging information on Joe Biden in Ukraine pleaded guilty Friday to a charge alleging he facilitated illegal foreign campaign contributions in an effort to build a marijuana business in the U.S. Activist with Rise and Resist follow Igor Fruman, right, as he arrives in Federal court in Manhattan with his attorney Todd Blanche, Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 in New York. Fruman, a businessman who helped Rudy Giuliani in his effort to dig up dirt on Joe Biden in Ukraine, is scheduled to appear in court for an expected guilty plea in a case involving allegations of illegal campaign contributions (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) NEW YORK (AP) A Florida businessman who gained notoriety for helping Rudy Giuliani seek damaging information on Joe Biden in Ukraine pleaded guilty Friday to a charge alleging he facilitated illegal foreign campaign contributions in an effort to build a marijuana business in the U.S. Igor Fruman, 56, entered the plea in federal court in Manhattan after reaching a deal with prosecutors. Fruman's plea agreement does not require him to cooperate in other cases, U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken said. Initially charged in a wide-ranging indictment, Fruman pleaded guilty to a single count of solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national. The plea resolves the case against him. Federal sentencing guidelines call for a punishment of 37 to 46 months in prison, though Fruman could get up to five years, the judge said. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21. The plea leaves two men Lev Parnas, another Soviet-born Florida businessman and Giuliani associate, and Ukraine-born investor Andrey Kukushkin to face trial next month. A fourth person, David Correia, was sentenced in February to a year in prison for fraud involving a company he ran that brought Giuliani on as a consultant. Mr. Fruman is not cooperating with the government and has determined that this is the fairest and best way to put the past two years of his life behind him, Frumans lawyer, Todd Blanche, said in a written statement after the plea hearing. He intends to continue to work hard, as he has his entire life, and raise his family in this country that he loves. We will not have any further public communications." Fruman was also charged with, but did not plead guilty to, arranging hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal donations to Republicans and political action committees while trying to get Americans interested in investigating Bidens son in Ukraine during the Democrat's successful run for president. Fruman apologized in court. He said he was not aware of laws prohibiting foreign campaign contributions at the time he engaged in the donation scheme. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos said in court Friday that Fruman sent text messages to the foreign national and that persons agent seeking $1 million in political contributions and that the foreign national wired two $500,000 installments for that purpose. In court Friday, Fruman said the donation scheme was part of an effort to encourage support for a fledgling marijuana distribution business that he and others were starting in states where the drug was being legalized. While prosecutors have kept the identity of the donor secret, a lawyer for one of the defendants revealed him during one court hearing to be Russian businessman Andrei Muraviev. Business and other court records show that Muraviev was an investor in a marijuana company with Kukushkin in California. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Some of the donations made during the campaign to win support for the marijuana business went into the campaign coffers of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican whose name has been floated as a potential presidential candidate. Giuliani, 77, has said he had no knowledge of illegal campaign contributions, but has acknowledged working extensively with Fruman and Parnas as he sought communications with Ukrainian figures. The Republican and former New York City mayor who once gained worldwide respect and admiration as America's Mayor after the Sept. 11 attacks was not charged in this case. But Giuliani has been under criminal investigation for his dealings with Ukraine while serving as a personal lawyer to then-President Donald Trump. In April, federal agents raided his Manhattan home and office and seized computers and cellphones, signaling a major escalation of the investigation. Authorities are deciding whether Giuliani's activities required him to register as a foreign agent. Giuliani has insisted his Ukrainian activities were conducted on behalf of Trump, not a foreign entity or person. Trumps efforts to press Ukraine for an investigation of the Bidens led the House to impeach the then-president, though he was acquitted by the Senate. TORONTO - The head of Canada's largest private sector labour union has a blunt message for Unifor staff: Get vaccinated or find another job. TORONTO - The head of Canada's largest private sector labour union has a blunt message for Unifor staff: Get vaccinated or find another job. The union recently advised its 425 staff membersthat they will be placed on an unpaid leave of absence until they get vaccinated against COVID-19. Unifor president Jerry Dias makes remarks to the De Havilland picket line at the Downsview plant in Toronto on Tuesday, August 24, 2021. is warning members who refuse to receive a COVID-19 vaccination that they could end up losing their jobs if their company adopts a vaccine mandate.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov "And if they don't get vaccinated within a reasonable period of time, well then that's fine," said Jerry Dias. "They can work for another organization. I'm not messing around with this." Dias also has a warning for Unifor members who are holding out against being vaccinated, saying they could end up losing their jobs if their employer adopts a vaccine mandate. "If people are terminated because they make the decision that they're not going to be vaccinated, then our lawyers are saying to us that they will stay terminated," Dias said in an interview. The growing number of vaccine mandates in the public and private sectors have exposed a fault line in Canada's labour movement. Canadian National Railway Co. and WestJet Airlines are among the latest large employers to announce their vaccination policies, following an Aug. 13 directive from Ottawa that requires all employees in federally regulated industries to be vaccinated. Both railways and airlines are members of that group, which also includes banks, telecommunications companies and employees of Crown corporations. Montreal-based CN will require all employees in Canada, contractors, consultants, agents, suppliers and anyone who accesses its Canadian properties to be vaccinated as of Nov. 1. It said requests for medical or religious exemptions will be considered on an individual basis. Calgary-based WestJet's mandate is effective Oct. 30. The airline said it will accommodate employees who are unable to be vaccinated but those who fail to attest their vaccination status by Sept. 24 or achieve full-vaccination status by Oct. 30 will face unpaid leave or termination. Like Air Canada, WestJet is not providing COVID-19 testing as an alternative to vaccination. Unifor's executive committee voted unanimously to support vaccine mandates, and Ontario unions for elementary and secondary teachers have voiced their support for mandatory vaccinations in schools. A pro-mandate position in the context of a pandemic is not surprising given the union's duty to protect the health and safety of its members, says Alison Braley-Rattai, assistant professor of labour studies at Brock University. "In a different context, however, that could change," she wrote in an email. "For example, if your employer wanted you to be vaccinated against some non-transmissible disease to reduce the risk of you being absent from work due to illness, a union would likely oppose such a policy." Whether employees should face job loss is also an open question given that we don't know how things will look a year from now, she said. "A union could readily argue that termination is an extreme response to a mandate that may end up being temporary, and that the worst thing one should face is a temporary unpaid leave." Unions opposed to vaccine mandates include the Toronto Police Association and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, which represents public transit workers in Toronto and the York Region. Police association president Jon Reid said it will "make every effort to protect all of our members and therefore, does not support this mandatory vaccination announcement or mandatory disclosure." ATU local 113 president Carlos Santos pushed back against the Toronto Transit Commission's mandatory vaccination policy. The union has urged members not to disclose any private medical information to the country's largest transit authority. "ATU Local 113 opposes this policy, and we will fight to defend your right to make your own personal health decisions and protect your private medical information," Santos said in a letter to members on the union's website. Santos added that the union will oppose any discipline imposed on members. However, Dias said the labour movement should be candid with people about whether unions can actually block terminations. "I think there's a lot of unions out there that frankly don't have the political will to be honest," he said, adding that the union isn't obligated to take a case to arbitration. "According to our lawyers, if they are fired for refusing to take a vaccine and they don't have a bona fide medical reason to do so that an arbitrator will very likely side with the employer." While the Canadian Labour Congress supports vaccinations, it says the country's unions are concerned that mandatory vaccinations will hand employers overreaching powers. "Any decision to impose mandatory vaccination policies must be based on scientific evidence and be made by public health officials, not employers or unions," it stated in a news release. It said unions must be consulted in the development and implementation of any mandatory vaccination policies with exemptions and accommodations and privacy protections being essential. The central labour body in Canada said it rejects threats of discipline or termination as an approach to increasing vaccination rates. "Unions will defend workers interests and insist employers respect the terms and conditions of the collective agreement and human rights codes." Various national unions similarly support vaccines in general while seeking oversight for sweeping employer mandates. The Canadian Union of Public Employees says governments and employers need to consult with unions before finalizing and implementing vaccine policies. It also says workers who cannot be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons must be accommodated under human rights legislation. "As a union, we recognize our obligation to those members who are not vaccinated," it stated, adding that alternate work arrangements, screening and testing before entering the workplace can be effective. Public Service Alliance of Canada national president Chris Aylward said it supports the government's goals but the verification of vaccination or medical status of members must respect their legal right to privacy. Doug Speirs | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) said it categorically reject terminations and discipline as leverage to increase vaccination rates. "Punitive policies are not conducive for a positive workplace and a healthy relationship with employees." Teamsters Canada questioned the urgency of the government's push for a vaccine mandate given alternative ways to encourage vaccination. "Canada already has one of the worlds best vaccination programmes, and other measures like provincial vaccine passport systems had promising potential." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2021. Companies in this story: (TSX:AC, TSX:CNR) BOSTON (AP) Harvard University will divest itself from holdings in fossil fuels, President Lawrence Bacow said Thursday. BOSTON (AP) Harvard University will divest itself from holdings in fossil fuels, President Lawrence Bacow said Thursday. Harvard Management Company, which oversees the universitys nearly $42 billion endowment, has already been reducing its exposure to fossil fuels and has no direct investments in companies that explore for or develop further reserves of fossil fuels, Bacow said in a message posted on the universitys website. The university has legacy investments in a number of private equity funds with holdings in the fossil fuel industry. Those indirect investments constitute less than 2% of the endowment, according to Bacow. The school has not made any new commitments to these limited partnerships since 2019 and has no intention to do so going forward, he added. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Bacow said the legacy investments are in runoff mode and will end as these partnerships are liquidated. Harvard has already committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the entire investment portfolio by 2050, he said. Given the need to decarbonize the economy and our responsibility as fiduciaries to make long-term investment decisions that support our teaching and research mission, we do not believe such investments are prudent," he wrote. The decision follows years of protests from students who have pressed Harvard to divest from fossil fuel companies. Harvard is building a portfolio of investments in funds that support the transition to a green economy, Bacow wrote. He said the university has made investments along with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in The Engine, a fund that, among other things, seeks to accelerate the development of technologies that promise to address the challenges posed by climate change. The university will also work to achieve "greater transparency in the greenhouse gas footprint of all of our investment managers, along with the development of protocols for assessing and reducing the footprint for entire investment portfolios." he wrote. We must continue to work with our investment managers and with industry if we are to bring about the transformation of our economy that climate change demands," he added. TORONTO - Some of the most active companies traded Thursday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (20,705.27, down 36.52 points.) Nevada Copper Corp. (TSX:NCU). Materials. Down one cent, or 11.11 per cent, to eight cents on 15.5 million shares. Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Energy. Up 32 cents, or 1.38 per cent, to $23.45 on 12.3 million shares. Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB). Energy. Down 55 cents, or 1.07 per cent, to $50.73 on 8.2 million shares. The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX:TGOD). Health care. Down one cent, or 5.4 per cent, to 17.5 cents on 7.6 million shares. Manulife Financial Corp. (TSX:MFC). Financials. Down two cents, or 0.08 per cent, to $24.59 on 7.5 million shares. Canadian Natural Resources (TSX:CNQ). Down 19 cents, or 0.44 per cent, to $42.56 on 6.4 million shares. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Companies in the news: Transat AT Inc. (TSX:TRZ). Down six cents or 1.2 per cent to $4.88. Transat AT Inc. has seen steady customer demand since resuming flights earlier this summer, but the travel company said Thursday it still doesn't expect to return to its pre-pandemic level before 2023. Montreal-based Transat began a gradual resumption of flying on July 30 after grounding its fleet on Jan. 29 when Ottawa requested a suspension of travel to Mexico and the Caribbean as well as the adoption of new quarantine measures and testing requirements. The airline has since ramped up to 50 flights per week for the month of September and will increase to 70 flights per week in October, with 11 aircraft in operation, said chief executive Annick Guerard. Transat said Thursday it lost $138.1 million in its latest quarter compared with a loss of $45.1 million in the same quarter last year. Revenue in what was the company's third quarter totalled $12.5 million, up from $9.5 million a year ago. The company said it has implemented a series of operational, commercial and financial measures, including new financing and cost reduction measures aimed at preserving its cash. As of July 31, 2021, cash and cash equivalents totalled $429.4 million, the company said. Scotiabank (TSX:BNS). Up nine cents to $78.15. Canadian bank CEOs say they are looking to grow their U.S. operations as the country shows a strong economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. Scotiabank CEO Brian Porter, speaking Thursday at the bank's virtual Financials Summit, said the country was showing a stronger rebound than other markets Scotiabank operates in like the Caribbean and Latin America. He said the U.S. is leading the pack with Canada not far behind, though in the second quarter the U.S. recorded GDP growth of 6.6 per cent, while Canada's GDP saw a revised dip of 0.3 per cent. Porter said Scotiabank is looking to expand its U.S. wealth business through an acquisition, though he said it wouldn't be sizable dollar-wise. RBC CEO Dave McKay said the bank is looking to use its base in the U.S. to tap into the potential $60 billion to $70 billion of mid-sized corporate revenue up for grabs in lending and transactions. The bank will use its base of City National Bank, the Los Angeles-based operation it acquired in 2015, plus its U.S. Wealth and Capital Markets segments to snag both corporate and high net-worth clients. Dollarama Inc. (TSX:DOL). Down $1.81 or 3.1 per cent to $55.69. Dollarama Inc. reported a second-quarter profit of $146.2 million, up from a profit of $142.5 million in the same quarter last year. The retailer says the profit amounted to 48 cents per diluted share for the quarter, up from 46 cents a year ago. Sales in the 13-week period ended Aug. 1 totalled $1.03 billion, up from $1.01 billion last year. Dollarama says comparable store sales fell 5.1 per cent due to a ban on the sale of non-essential products in Ontario in place for the first 5.5 weeks of the quarter due to the pandemic. It says for the 7.5-week period after the Ontario ban was lifted that comparable store sales rose 5.1 per cent compared with a year ago. Dollarama opened 13 net new stores in the quarter to bring its total store count to 1,381 compared with 1,314 a year ago. Empire Co. Ltd. (TSX:EMP.A). Down $1.38 or 3.4 per cent to $38.85. Empire Co. Ltd., which owns the Sobeys and Safeway grocery chains, says it earned $188.5 million in its latest quarter. The grocery retailer says its profit amounted to 70 cents per share for the quarter ended July 31. The result compared with a profit of $191.9 million or 71 cents per share a year ago when the company benefited from a significant real estate transaction partly offset by a lump-sum payment related to collective bargaining in Alberta. Excluding the two one-time items last year, Empire says its earnings per share in its latest quarter were up 4.5 per cent. Sales in what was the company's first quarter totalled $7.6 billion, up from nearly $7.4 billion in the same quarter last year, boosted by the acquisition of Longo's and higher fuel sales due to increased fuel prices and consumption. Same-store sales were down 0.5 per cent for the quarter, while same-store sales, excluding fuel, were down 2.2 per cent. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2021. WARSAW, Poland (AP) Poland's Senate voted on Thursday to reject a media bill seen as targeting a U.S.-owned television network's ability to keep broadcasting independent news that is often critical of the right-wing government. FILE - This Thursday, July 8, 2021 file photo shows the Warsaw headquarters of Poland's TVN broadcaster that is owned by the U.S. company Discovery Inc., in Warsaw, Poland. The U.S. company Discovery Inc. said Monday Aug. 16, 2021, it has been granted a Dutch license that would allow it to keep broadcasting its independent news channel TVN24 into Poland. The announcement comes as Poland's state broadcasting authority has for a year and a half refused to renew TVN24's license, which expires Sept. 26. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File) WARSAW, Poland (AP) Poland's Senate voted on Thursday to reject a media bill seen as targeting a U.S.-owned television network's ability to keep broadcasting independent news that is often critical of the right-wing government. However, the Senate has no power to stop the bill altogether, as it will now return to parliament's lower house. If it passes there, it would then go to President Andrzej Duda who, however, has said he would not sign it into law in its current form. The bill, which passed parliament's lower house last month, would prevent any non-European entity from owning more than a 49% stake in television or radio broadcasters in Poland. Its practical effect would be to force Discovery Inc., the U.S. owner of Polands largest private television network, TVN, to sell its Polish holdings. The nationalist governing party, Law and Justice, argues that it's a matter of national security to prevent outside bodies from being able to influence public opinion within Poland. Bogdan Klich, a senator with the opposition party Civic Platform, called the law an act of war against freedom of speech. Pavol Szalaj, a representative of the Paris-based press freedom group Reporters Without Borders traveled to Warsaw to urge its rejection, saying to a group of protesters outside the Senate ahead of the vote that press freedom in Poland is under threat. He cited other threats in the past to media diversity and said that the today's target is TVN. Doug Speirs | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. TVN has been a jewel in the crown of Polish democracy for decades, he said. Senators in the 100-seat body voted 53-37 against the bill, with three abstentions. When it returns to the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, the vote on the bill will also be a test of whether the ruling party still has a legislative majority following some defections in the governing coalition. TVN also faces a separate challenge: A refusal to date by the broadcast authority to renew the license for TVN24, the network's all-news station, which expires later this month. Kasia Kieli, Discoverys president and managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said that despite the Senate's vote the company is still concerned about the future of TVN and independent media in Poland as the bill can still be passed by the Sejm and the license for our news channel TVN24 is still not renewed. Duda, though an ally of Law and Justice, last month called the bill a controversial solution that is incomprehensible" to the United States, citing the U.S. attitude toward the protection of property and freedom of speech. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last month that the U.S. was deeply troubled by the proposed legislation. NEW ORLEANS (AP) Supply trucks are once again delivering beer on Bourbon Street and the landmark Cafe Du Monde is serving beignets, fried pastries covered with white sugar, even though there arent many tourists or locals around to partake of either. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, people walk across Bourbon Street, Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, in the French Quarter of New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) NEW ORLEANS (AP) Supply trucks are once again delivering beer on Bourbon Street and the landmark Cafe Du Monde is serving beignets, fried pastries covered with white sugar, even though there arent many tourists or locals around to partake of either. With almost all the power back on in New Orleans nearly two weeks after Hurricane Ida struck, the city is showing signs of making a comeback from the Category 4 storm, which is blamed for more than two dozen deaths in the state. More businesses are opening daily, gasoline is easier to find and many roads are lined with huge debris piles from cleanup work. Thousands are still struggling without electricity and water outside the metro area, and officials say oppressive heat is contributing to both health problems and the misery. It could still be weeks before power is restored in some areas, and many residents who evacuated haven't returned. A mule pulling a carriage ambles through the heart of the French Quarter in hurricane-tossed New Orleans on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021. With nearly all the power back on in New Orleans nearly two weeks after Ida stuck, the city is showing signs of making a comeback from the Category 4 killer. (AP Photo/Stacey Plaisance) It is not lost on anybody here at the state level and certainly not on our local partners just how many people continue to suffer, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday. While things are getting better and we can be thankful for that ... this is going to be a very long-term recovery. Around New Orleans, residents are seeing signs that life is getting back to normal after Ida. Philip Palumbo, who lives in the French Quarter and works at a bar that remains shuttered, said the citywide curfew being lifted should help restaurants and bars struggling to reopen get more customers. Theres not a lot around yet, but theyll be back, he said. Power crews reached a major milestone in the New Orleans area by restoring electricity to the vast majority of customers, Phillip May, chief executive of the state's largest power provider, Entergy Louisiana, said in a conference call with reporters Thursday. About 201,000 of Entergys 205,000 customers, or 98% percent, now have power, the company said, and those that don't had more severe damage. A pile of debris from Hurricane Ida blocks the view of Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021. With nearly all the power back on in New Orleans nearly two weeks after Ida stuck, the city is showing signs of making a comeback from the Category 4 killer. (AP Photo/Stacey Plaisance) More than 220,000 homes and businesses remained without power Friday in southeast Louisiana, according to the state Public Service Commission. And while Baton Rouge and New Orleans were almost completely restored, the four hardest-hit parishes -- St. John the Baptist, St. Charles, Terrebonne and Lafourche -- still had 80% or more of their utility customers without power. Now that power is mostly restored to New Orleans and Baton Rouge, more crews are heading south to the areas hardest-hit by the storm, May said Friday. As we move into those harder-hit areas, the effort to restore customers becomes greater, said May, who vowed to keep up the pace of restoring electricity across the region. Other parts of the state's health care network, which was slammed with COVID-19 cases even before Ida, are struggling. Executives of Ochsner Health System, Louisiana's largest care provider, estimate it will take about four weeks to get two of its damaged hospitals fully operational. Debris from Hurricane Ida sits on a curb beneath balconies in the French Quarter in New Orleans on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021. With nearly all the power back on in New Orleans nearly two weeks after Ida stuck, the city is showing signs of making a comeback from the Category 4 killer. (AP Photo/Stacey Plaisance) Across the system, heat illness is a big concern, said Dr. Robert Hart, Ochsners chief medical officer. Hart said emergency rooms have also seen several patients stricken by carbon monoxide, a common problem after big storms as people use gas-powered generators for electricity, sometimes indoors. Many of those have not had to be admitted, thank goodness. But it certainly is a good reason to keep reminding people that theyve got to be careful with their generators, he said. We had one family say they put the generator in their house because they were afraid it would get stolen. In one bright spot, Ochsner said the number of people being treating for COVID-19 is down significantly. Ochsner had 486 COVID-19 patients Thursday, down from 1,074 a month ago, chief executive Warner Thomas said. Weve continued to see a decline pretty much every day over the past couple of weeks, Thomas said. Around New Orleans, progress is showing up both in lights that are back on and piles of debris that line multiple streets. As residents return home they are stacking up wet mattresses, fractured lumber, tree limbs and other storm refuse along curbs. In the French Quarter, a big pile sat beneath balconies with decorative ironwork. In the New Orleans suburb of Gretna, Tiffany Scott and her family had a long pile of debris along the sidewalk outside her home. Scott said it has slowly gotten easier to get gas, ice and other supplies that were scarce immediately after the hurricane. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Weve been through this before, so most of us are used to knowing that we have to go drive and sit in a line, she said. But its a lot easier to find the things you need. Still, there is evidence the city has a ways to go before it is fully recovered. Sid Padil, visiting from San Francisco to check on gas stations and convenience stores he owns in Louisiana and Mississippi, said he was surprised by the devastation and swaths of blue-tarped roofs visible upon landing in New Orleans on Monday. He had a hard time finding a place to eat, and when he did, it was mostly locals and what appeared to be recovery workers, said Padil. I dont see many tourists right now, he said. ___ Reeves reported from Birmingham, Alabama. Associated Press reporters Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia, contributed to this report. JUNEAU, Alaska Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said President Joe Bidens effort to require millions of U.S. workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is ill conceived, divisive, and un-American. FILE - In this May 27, 2021, file photo, National Guard Spc. Noah Vulpi, left, administers the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to Ira Young Jr. during a vaccination clinic held by the National Guard in Odessa, Texas. Larger U.S. businesses won't have to decide whether to require their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Doing so is now federal policy, although many of the details have yet to be worked out.President Joe Biden announced sweeping new orders Thursday, Sept. 9, that will require employers with more than 100 workers to mandate immunizations or offer weekly testing. (Eli Hartman/Odessa American via AP, File) JUNEAU, Alaska Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said President Joe Bidens effort to require millions of U.S. workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is ill conceived, divisive, and un-American. At a time in which we are called to work together, forced medical procedures run counter to our collective sense of fairness and liberty, the Republican said in a statement. My administration is aggressively identifying every tool at our disposal to protect the inherent individual rights of all Alaskans. The statement did not describe what that might entail. Dunleavy has butted heads with the Biden administration on resource development issues. Dunleavy has faced some criticism in Alaska for not mandating masks or for not implementing a new disaster declaration to deal with a recent surge in COVID-19 cases. He has instead asked lawmakers to act on legislation aimed at addressing staffing concerns raised by health care facilities. In his statement Friday, Dunleavy said that it is clear from the data and empirical evidence over the last year that the vaccine is the most effective way to fight COVID-19. From what we are seeing in our hospitals, the very ill are mostly those who are unvaccinated. As Governor, and as someone who had COVID and has been vaccinated, I will continue to recommend that Alaskans speak to their healthcare providers and discuss the merits of the vaccine based on their individual healthcare needs, he said. ___ A couple wearing face masks walk through a path lined with restaurants during lunch time in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) MORE ON THE PANDEMIC: Virus claims Black morticians, leaving holes in communities Biden presses states to require vaccines for all teachers Court: DeSantis ban on school mask mandates back in force South Africa vaccinates some kids in test of Chinese vaccine Key parts of Bidens plan to confront delta variant surge ___ See AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. FILE - In this Wednesday April 21, 2021 file photo, people sit outside a restaurant for outdoor service in Roskilde Denmark, as cafes and bars reopened. After 548 days with restrictions to limit the spread of COVID-19, Denmark's high vaccination rate has enabled the Scandinavian country to become one of the first European Union nations to lift all domestic restrictions. The return to normality has been gradual, but as of Friday Sept. 10, 2021, the digital pass a proof of having been vaccinated is no longer required when entering night clubs, making it the last virus safeguard to fall. (Claus Bech/Ritzau Scanpix via AP, File) ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: JACKSON, Miss. - Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said Friday that President Joe Bidens new federal vaccine requirements are clearly unconstitutional and that he believes Biden issued the mandate to distract Americans from the fallout over his decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan. This is the same bait and switch, Reeves said at a press conference outside the Governors Mansion in Jackson. Biden wants us to talk about anything but Afghanistan, and sadly, hes willing to trample on the rights of 100 million Americans to try to help himself politically. That, to me, is disgusting. Reeves said a member of the executive branch of government does not have the authority to mandate workers be vaccinated. Its clearly unconstitutional for the president, to unilaterally with one signature, decide something of this magnitude, he said. He said he expects the Supreme Court to strike down the requirement and that Mississippi will join other states in filing a lawsuit. In essence, what the president saying is... hard-working Americans many of whom work here and live here in Mississippi hard-working Mississippians have to choose between either injecting themselves with something and potentially having the ability to earn a living to produce food for their family, he said. Thats a ridiculous choice. ___ A nurse prepares a COVID-19 vaccine at a back-to-school fair at Nay Aug Park in Scranton, Pa. on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021. (Christopher Dolan/The Times-Tribune via AP) HELENA, Mt. -- Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has promised to fight the new federal vaccine mandate in court. The Republican said on Friday that once the full guidelines for the mandate are released, he will file a lawsuit to strike it down. President Joe Biden announced Thursday the vaccine mandate that could affect as many as 100 million Americans, including all workers in businesses with 100 or more employees. The new mandate appears to conflict with a Montana law passed earlier this year that makes it illegal for private employers to mandate vaccines as a condition for employment. But University of Montana law professor Anthony Johnston says federal law will take precedence over state law if there is a direct conflict. ___ DETROIT A major health care provider in southeastern Michigan says 92% of its employees have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by a Friday deadline and another 3% have gotten a first shot. Under Henry Ford Health Systems policy, employees will be suspended if they dont get at least one dose by midnight or schedule an appointment. They will lose their jobs if theyre not fully vaccinated by Oct. 1. There are some exceptions. Henry Ford Health says in a statement: We remain confident that vaccination, along with masking, remains the most powerful tool we have against the pandemic. A minor receives Sinovac vaccine jab from a healthcare worker in Pretoria, South Africa, Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. South Africa starts phase three Covid-19 clinical trials investigating the efficacy of the Sinovac vaccine in children on Friday. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Separately, a lawsuit challenging the vaccine policy was suddenly dropped Friday ahead of a hearing in federal court. The Detroit-based health system employs more than 30,000 workers and has five acute care hospitals, four in the Detroit area and one in Jackson. It has treated thousands of COVID-19 patients. ___ MONTGOMERY, Ala. Alabamas chief health officer says a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations appears to have stabilized but the state still faces a real crisis of an overwhelming number of patients needing intensive care, nearly all of whom arent vaccinated. Dr. Scott Harris, head of the Alabama Department of Public Health reports that after threatening to reach an all-time high for coronavirus hospitalizations, state hospitals have seen a slight decline in recent days. He says hes thankful that there has been a little bit of a plateau over the last week. ... The numbers arent great. But the numbers at least have not continued to go up, he said. Still, Harris says, demand for intensive care beds is exceeding the states capacity. Patients who normally would be treated in ICU wards are instead in emergency rooms, normal beds or even gurneys left in hallways. ___ Brookland Middle School science teacher Michelle Taylor speaks to President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden as they tour Brookland Middle School, Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 in Washington. Biden has encouraged every school district to promote vaccines, including with on-site clinics, to protect students as they return to school amid a resurgence of the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) HONOLULU Hawaii Gov. David Ige is requiring government contractors and visitors to state facilities to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. State contractors must attest to their employees vaccination status or provide weekly tests for unvaccinated staff. Contractors also must wear masks and maintain physical distance while on state property. The order also applies to visitors to state facilities, but not to beaches or outdoor state properties. Inmates at correctional facilities, patients at state hospitals and children under 12 or students attending state public or charter schools are exempt, as are travelers arriving at airports. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that Iges executive order takes effect Monday. Hawaii has had a recent record surge of new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths. ___ ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. The on-again, off-again ban imposed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to prevent mandated masks for Florida school students is back in force. The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Friday that a Tallahassee judge shouldnt have lifted an automatic stay two days ago that halted enforcement of the mask mandate ban. The upshot is the state can resume its efforts to impose financial penalties on the 13 Florida school boards currently defying the mask ban. FILE - In this Tuesday, May 11, 2021 file photo, Dr. Peter Marks, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research in the Food and Drug Administration, testifies during a Senate health, education, labor, and pensions hearing to examine an update from federal officials on efforts to combat COVID-19 on Capitol Hill in Washington. On Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, Marks urged parents to be patient, saying the agency will rapidly evaluate vaccines for 5- to 11-year-olds as soon as it gets the needed data. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via AP) The U.S. Department of Education has begun a grant program for school districts that lose money for implementing mandatory masks and other coronavirus safety measures. DeSantis has argued the new Parents Bill of Rights law gives parents the authority to determine whether their children should wear a mask to school. School districts with mandatory mask rules allow an opt-out only for medical reasons, not parental discretion. Charles Gallagher, attorney for parents challenging the DeSantis ban, says in a tweet, students, parents and teachers are back in harms way. ___ SALT LAKE CITY Thirteen Utah hospitals will postpone many non-emergency surgeries starting next week, citing health care workers overwhelmed by surging coronavirus cases. Intermountain Healthcare announced Friday that the hospitals will postpone non-urgent procedures for several weeks starting Sept. 15. The announcement comes a week after state hospital leaders made emotional pleas for vaccinations and universal masking to stem a virus surge fueled by the delta variant. There were 516 people hospitalized for COVID-19 and ICUs were 93% full in Utah on Thursday, according to state data. Thats nearing its previous peak in December when ICUs were 104% full and 606 people were hospitalized. About 62% of Utah residents age 12 and older have been fully vaccinated. Utah reported 10 deaths on Thursday, bringing the confirmed total to 2,703. FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, file photo, students, some wearing protective masks, arrive for the first day of school at Sessums Elementary School in Riverview, Fla. The on-again, off-again ban imposed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to prevent mandating masks for Florida school students is back in force. The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Friday, Sept. 10, that a Tallahassee judge should not have lifted an automatic stay two days ago that halted enforcement of the mask mandate ban. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File) ___ JACKSON, Miss. Doctors who spread misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine could have their license to practice medicine suspended or revoked, according to a new policy adopted by the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure. The policy says doctors have an ethical and professional responsibility to practice medicine in the best interest of their patients and share factual and scientifically grounded information with them. Spreading inaccurate COVID-19 vaccine information contradicts that responsibility, threatens to further erode public trust in the medical profession and puts all patients at risk, it reads. Mississippi ranks among the lowest in the country with just 38% of its 3 million residents fully vaccinated. The department of health reported 1,892 confirmed cases and 35 deaths on Friday. Mississippi has registered at least 460,000 cases and 8,905 confirmed deaths. ___ WASHINGTON President Joe Biden is calling some Republican governors cavalier for resisting new federal vaccine requirements he hopes will contain the surging delta variant. FILE- In this Aug. 23, 2021, file photo, Miami-Dade schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, center, walks with students Oliver Angel, left, and Ariah Olawale, right, outside of iPrep Academy on the first day of school, Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, in Miami. The on-again, off-again ban imposed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to prevent mandating masks for Florida school students is back in force. The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, that a Tallahassee judge should not have lifted an automatic stay two days ago that halted enforcement of the mask mandate ban. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) Biden visited Brookland Middle School on Friday, just a short drive from the White House. He was making the case for new federal rules that could impact 100 million Americans. All employers with more than 100 workers must be vaccinated or tested weekly for the virus, affecting about 80 million Americans. About 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also must be fully vaccinated. I am so disappointed that particularly some Republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids, so cavalier with the health of their communities, Biden said during the visit. This isnt a game Republicans and some union officials say hes overreaching his authority. Asked about potential legal challenges to the new vaccine requirements, Biden responded, Have at it. ___ ATLANTA Protests from faculty members continue at Georgias public universities, although leaders of the state's university system are not backing down from their position that schools cant require masks or vaccines. Acting Chancellor Teresa MacCartney says those policies arent going to change, noting the system will follow the lead of Gov. Brian Kemp and Republican lawmakers who control the university systems purse strings. We are fulfilling our institutional missions to deliver higher education and services for students in a way that is best for them, MacCartney said. Those expectations have been made clear since before the semester started. It should be no surprise. There are consequences for those not following through and doing their jobs. Pallbearers carry the coffin of actor Jean-Paul Belmondo after his funeral service at the Saint Germain des Pres church, Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 in Paris. The star of the iconic French New Wave film "Breathless" died Monday aged 88. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) The remarks earned a round applause from regents, who were mostly unmasked. They were surrounded by dozens of university presidents and administrators, who were mostly masked. MacCartney spoke Thursday, the same day faculty groups at the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State University passed resolutions calling for mask and vaccine mandates. ___ WASHINGTON Senior Democratic senators are pressing Medicare to make information on nursing home COVID-19 vaccination rates easily accessible for consumers. Although the Biden administration is requiring vaccination for all nursing home staff, Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania say it could take months. Theyre asking Medicare to post vaccination rates among residents and staff of individual facilities on its Care Compare website. These data reside on entirely separate (government) websites, the senators wrote Medicare head Chiquita Brooks-LaSure on Friday. Even if a person could find these websites, the vaccination data for individual facilities are not prominently displayed, creating additional barriers. Medicare officials say theyre working on the problem. The senators cited an Associated Press report on outbreaks attributed to unvaccinated staff. Wyden and Casey chair the Finance and Aging committees, respectively. In this photo released by the Royal Palace, Morocco's King Mohammed VI, right, receives Aziz Akhannouch the president of the National Rally of Independents party (RNI), winner of the legislative elections at the Royal Palace in Fez, Morocco, Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. The monarch has charged the new head of state to constitute the new government. (Moroccan Royal Palace via AP) ___ PARIS France has announced new restrictions for U.S. travelers who are not vaccinated against the coronavirus. Starting Sunday, unvaccinated travelers from the U.S. who previously could enter with only a recent negative test must now show pressing grounds for travel. These grounds also apply broadly to returning French citizens, legal residents, relatives of French citizens, foreign health professionals coming to assist in the fight against COVID-19, transportation and diplomatic workers, and people transiting through the country. The restrictions do not apply to fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. The decision follows the European Unions recommendation last week that its 27 nations reinstate restrictions on U.S. tourists because of rising coronavirus infections there. ___ JOHANNESBURG South Africa has started vaccinating children and adolescents as part of the global Phase 3 clinical trials of Chinas Sinovac Biotech shot for children 6 months to 17 years. Maasai men queuing to receive the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine look over as a woman, who is not, Maasai receives a jab at a clinic in Kimana, southern Kenya Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Plans for COVID-19 booster shots in some Western countries are highlighting vast disparities in access to vaccines around the world. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga) The global study will enroll 2,000 participants in South Africa and 12,000 others in Kenya, the Philippines, Chile and Malaysia. The first children in South Africa were inoculated at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in the capital Pretoria to kick off the trials. The Sinovac company says others will get shots at six different sites across the country. South Africa has recorded 6,270 infections and 175 confirmed deaths in the last 24 hours. The 2.8 million total infections account for more than 35% of cases in Africa. The nation has 84,327 confirmed deaths. ___ COPENHAGEN, Denmark Denmarks high vaccination rate has enabled the Scandinavian country to become one of the first European Union nations to lift all domestic restrictions. The return to normality has been gradual, but as of Friday, the digital pass a proof of having been vaccinated is no longer required when entering nightclubs, the last virus safeguard to fall. More than 80% of people above age 12 have had the two shots. As of midnight, the Danish government no longer considers COVID-19 a socially critical disease. Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said last month that the epidemic is under control but warned: we are not out of the epidemic and the government will act as needed if necessary. ___ BERLIN Germanys standing committee on vaccination is recommending that pregnant women get vaccinated against COVID-19. The committee said Friday that after evaluating the available evidence, it is issuing a draft recommendation that women from the second trimester of pregnancy onward and breastfeeding mothers get two doses of an mRNA vaccine. It also recommended that all those of child-bearing age who havent yet been vaccinated get inoculated so they are protected from the coronavirus before any pregnancy. About two-thirds of Germanys population has received at least one vaccine dose and 61.9% have been fully vaccinated. The pace of vaccinations has slowed to a crawl recently, and officials are keen to encourage more people to get the shots before the winter. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. ___ LONDON A leading scientist behind the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine says booster shots may be unnecessary for many people. Oxford University Professor Sarah Gilbert tells The Telegraph newspaper that immunity from the vaccine is holding up well, even against the delta variant. She says that while older adults and those who are immune-compromised may need boosters, the standard two-dose regimen should protect most people. Gilbert says the worlds priority should be to get more vaccines to countries with limited supplies. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, a panel of experts that advises the British government, is expected to make recommendations in the coming days on the scale of any booster program. OTTAWA - Federal party leaders were defending Quebec against charges of racism on Friday a day too late, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet shot back as they returned to the road hoping to capitalize on any post-debate momentum as Canadians start voting in advance polls. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh makes a campaign stop in downtown Ottawa, Friday, September 10, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward OTTAWA - Federal party leaders were defending Quebec against charges of racism on Friday a day too late, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet shot back as they returned to the road hoping to capitalize on any post-debate momentum as Canadians start voting in advance polls. No stranger to recent federal election campaigns, the controversial issue of secularism in Quebec once again burst onto the scene at Thursday's English-language debate, when Blanchet objected strongly to the phrasing of a question by moderator Shachi Kurl. Kurl asked about Blanchet's support for "discriminatory" laws in Quebec such as one known as Bill 21, which bars some civil servants in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols or garb. Blanchet in turn accused her of painting all Quebecers as racist. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and Conservative rival Erin OToole in separate campaign events on Friday asserted Quebecers are not racist, while NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said it was unhelpful for the fight against systemic racism to single out any one province or territory. Quebec, with 78 seats, is a key battleground that could determine the outcome of the election. At dissolution, the Liberals held 35 seats in the provinces, the Bloc 32, the Conservatives 10 and the NDP just one. Quebec Premier Francois Legault, for his part, described the question about Bill 21 and Bill 96, which proposes to strengthen the role of French in Quebec, as unacceptable and an attack on the province. He called for Kurl and debate organizers to apologize. In statement Friday, the Debate Broadcast Group said Kurl's question about the bills were to give Blanchet a chance to explain his party's view on them. "The question addressed these bills explicitly; it did not state that Quebecers are racist," the statement said. Both Bill 21 and Bill 96 have been panned by civil liberties and human rights groups as discriminatory. Bill 21, which has widespread support in the province, has been challenged in court, though the province has pre-emptively used the notwithstanding clause to protect it from a challenge under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Blanchet defended both laws during the debate as legitimate and reflective of Quebecs values. He also objected to how the issue of systemic discrimination had become "a political tool" to use against Quebec. "It became a tool to say Quebec is this and that and racist and xenophobic and all of that, Blanchet said in the debate. The only leader to challenge Blanchet during the debate was Green Party Leader Annamie Paul, who invited the Bloc Quebecois leader to get educated about systemic discrimination. Trudeau has previously spoken out against Bill 21, including during the 2019 federal election, as well as a ban on face coverings adopted by the Quebec government. That issue also figured prominently in the 2015 election when the former Conservative government mulled a niqab ban for public servants. He reiterated his opposition to the secularism law on Friday. Yet the Liberal leader also said he was taken aback by the premise of Kurls question, saying during a campaign event in Hamilton.: It is wrong to suggest that Quebecers are racist. As a Quebecer, I found that question really offensive. Yes, there's lots of work to do to continue to fight systemic racism across this country and every part of this country. But I don't think that that question was acceptable or appropriate. Trudeau made the comments as the Liberals announced they were launching a new advertising campaign in Quebec. OToole went further, promising that as prime minister, he would never challenge a law passed by a provincial legislature. Quebecers are not racist, and it's unfair to make that sweeping categorization, the Conservative leader said during an event in Mississauga, Ont. They've made decisions and laws passed by their national assembly. I will respect that. Singh said during a news conference in Ottawa that systemic racism and discrimination are not isolated to one province or territory, suggesting one of the biggest examples is Ottawas failure to address boil-water advisories on First Nations. This is not a problem of any one province or territory, he said before flying to British Columbia to vote in an advance poll in his riding. It exists everywhere in Canada. And to tackle it, we've got to acknowledge that it's everywhere and work together towards eradicating it. Blanchet, who also voted in an advance poll on Friday, accused the other three leaders of coming too late to Quebecs defence. I will let Quebecers measure the credibility of these renewed affections, which did not appear when the time was right," he said in French. He also defended the law, saying in English: "Religion has never protected equality for women within the state and never will. We are not the ones working with discrimination in mind." Others were equally critical of Trudeau, OToole and Singh, but for different reasons: Not standing up to Blanchet and clearly denouncing Bill 21. When the other party leaders did not step in to argue that Bill 21 does engage in act of systemic discrimination, that's shameful," said Mustafa Farooq, chief executive officer of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, which is challenging the law in the Court of Appeal of Quebec. Canadians United Against Hate founder Fareed Khan accused Blanchet of getting all huffy during the debate, adding: I would say to Mr. Blanchet, if he was in front of me: If you don't want to be labelled as xenophobe and a racist then don't support xenophobic, racist legislation. Singh, meanwhile, revealed the NDP will release the full costs of its campaign promises on Saturday, as he faced several questions about why Canadians have yet to see the fine print on its platform with the final vote just 10 days away. Both the Conservatives and Liberals have released fully costed platforms. We've been working with the PBO, and it certainly does take time, the NDP leader said in reference to the parliamentary budget officer. The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The PBO is obviously very respected and they've got a great track record of being able to cost our platform. So we wanted to work with them, and we'll have our costed platform released on Saturday. On Friday, Statistics Canada reported the economy added 90,000 jobs in August the third consecutive monthly increase. The unemployment rate fell to 7.1 per cent for the month, compared with 7.5 per cent in July, bringing the rate to the lowest level since the onset of the pandemic last year. Gains were concentrated in full-time work and in the hard-hit service sector, led by gains in accommodation and food services as restrictions eased in much of the country. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2021. with files from Lee Berthiaume and Maan Alhmidi in Ottawa, Jacob Serebrin in Montreal and Allison Jones in Toronto. VANCOUVER - A former director of the British Columbia Lottery Corporation's anti-money laundering office says he is the "whistleblower" that likely prompted the public inquiry examining how hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal cash flowed through the province's casinos. Commissioner Austin Cullen listens to introductions before opening statements at the Cullen Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia, in Vancouver, on Monday, February 24, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck VANCOUVER - A former director of the British Columbia Lottery Corporation's anti-money laundering office says he is the "whistleblower" that likely prompted the public inquiry examining how hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal cash flowed through the province's casinos. Ross Alderson, who testified for more than four hours Thursday, said he was driven to leak information about the suspected extent of money laundering at casinos and bureaucracy to the activity at top levels. "Did I leak information to the media? Yes I did," Alderson told the Cullen Commission public inquiry into money laundering. "We wouldn't be here today, if I didn't." The New Democrat government appointed B.C. Supreme Court Justice Austin Cullen in 2019 to lead the money laundering inquiry after several reports concluded the flow of hundreds of millions in illegal cash linked to organized crime affected the province's real estate, luxury vehicle and gaming sectors. Alderson, who worked in B.C.'s gaming industry since 2008, resigned from the Crown-owned lottery corporation in 2017. He testified his anti-money laundering investigation and intelligence team was "second to none," but efforts to combat illegal cash at casinos was hampered by "indifference." "I felt this needed to be out in the public forum," said Alderson about his decision to leak information about illegal money activities at casinos. "I saw nothing being done. Nothing being done." The commission has heard previous testimony from other senior gaming investigators who said they raised concerns more than a decade ago with gaming and government officials, including cabinet ministers about increasing amounts of suspicious cash likely linked to organized crime appearing at Vancouver-area casinos. Former premier Christy Clark and former gaming minister Rich Coleman are among the 200 people, including former and current cabinet ministers, police officers, gaming officials, financial crime experts and academics to already testify. Alderson was granted standing to appear at the commission after Cullen decided his "legal, reputational and or privacy interests may be impacted by the findings of the commission in respect of his acts and omissions in the gaming industry between 2008 and 2017." Alderson, who testified from Australia where he is now living, faced questions from the commission about his unresponsiveness to a summons to testify that was issued in March 2020. Commission lawyer Patrick McGowan asked Alderson why the commission had to conduct an international "manhunt" to locate the former lottery official. "I wasn't exactly hiding in a cave in Afghanistan," said Alderson. "I was in Australia, paying taxes." The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. He said he was concerned with family matters and believed it was up to the commission to find him. "There has been a global pandemic over the last year," he said. "My priority has been the safety of my family. I'm living on the other side of the world." Alderson's testimony is to continue Friday. Cullen's final report, including recommendations, is due Dec. 15. -- By Dirk Meissner in Victoria. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2021. OTTAWA - Federal party leaders jousted over climate change, health care, foreign policy, the economy and Indigenous reconciliation during Thursday's English-language debate their last, best chance to sway voters before the Sept. 20 election. Conservative leader Erin O'Toole listens as Liberal leader Justin Trudeau and Green leader Annamie Paul discuss a point during the federal election French-language leaders debate, Wednesday, September 8, 2021 in Gatineau, Que. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - Federal party leaders jousted over climate change, health care, foreign policy, the economy and Indigenous reconciliation during Thursday's English-language debate their last, best chance to sway voters before the Sept. 20 election. But the format of the debate may have left many viewers unsatisfied. The five leaders frequently talked over one another. Leaders on the receiving end of accusations or loaded questions from rivals were often given no chance to respond. Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet repeatedly complained that he was being given less time than the others to speak. Right off the bat, the role of the moderator, Shachi Kurl, came under fire, with Blanchet taking umbrage at what he termed her suggestion that Quebec is racist. Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, asked Blanchet to explain why he supports "discriminatory laws" in Quebec, such as the secularism law banning some public servants in positions of authority from wearing religious garb or symbols. "Those laws are not about discrimination. They are about the values of Quebec," Blanchet responded. After the debate, Blanchet told reporters it was "extraordinary" to have the debate open with "a bunch of insults against Quebecers" by the moderator. He suggested that Kurl's question reflects a bias against Quebec that is shared in the rest of the country and that it shows Quebec's interests need to be protected. He noted that no other leader came to Quebec's defence. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who had rounded on Blanchet during Wednesday's French debate for questioning his devotion to Quebec, said the format didn't give him a chance to respond. He reiterated his opposition to the secularism law but added: "I want to say as a proud Quebecer, Quebecers are not racist." The debate was the last of three to be held during the campaign and came 11 days before election day and just as four days of advance polls are set to open Friday. Polls suggest the Liberals and Conservatives are stuck in a virtual dead heat, with the NDP and Bloc poised to determine which of the two main parties will form government. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, Liberal LeaderJustin Trudeau, Green LeaderAnnamie Paul, New Democratic Party LeaderJagmeet Singh and Bloc LeaderYves-Francois Blanchet participate in the federal election French-language leaders debate in the Grand Hall of the Museum of History, in Gatineau, Que., Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Trudeau was bombarded by attacks from all the other leaders, who accused him of putting his self-interest ahead of the interests of the country by calling an election in the midst of a fourth wave of COVID-19, wildfires in British Columbia and the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. On the latter, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said Trudeau should have focused on evacuating Canadians and Afghans who supported Canada's military mission rather than calling an election. "You called an election, sir. You put your own political interests ahead of the well-being of thousands of people," O'Toole said. When Trudeau tried to respond, he was told it wasn't time for open debate. O'Toole also went after Trudeau for failing to stand up to China and win the release of two arbitrarily detained Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. He noted that Trudeau did not show up for a vote in the House of Commons on a motion condemning China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims as genocide. "If you want to get the Michaels home, you do not simply lob tomatoes across the Pacific," Trudeau replied. On climate change, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Trudeau's government has missed all its targets for reducing carbon emissions. But Trudeau questioned, "How is it that the experts that have rated our plan on climate to be an A have rated your plan to be an F?" "I rate your track record to be an F," shot back Singh. "You've had six years." During a segment on sexual misconduct in the military, Green Party Leader Annamie Paul said she doesn't believe Trudeau "is a real feminist." If he was, she asserted, he wouldn't have pushed former ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott out of the Liberal caucus. "I think, Ms. Paul, you'll perhaps understand that I won't take lessons on caucus management from you," Trudeau retorted, alluding to the turmoil over Paul's leadership that erupted last spring after Green MP Jenica Atwin crossed the floor to the Liberals. The leaders also sparred over Indigenous reconciliation, with Singh accusing Trudeau of "taking a knee" as he did at an anti-racism rally on Parliament Hill last year even as his government was taking Indigenous kids to court. Singh was referring to Ottawa's controversial legal challenge of a pair of rulings involving First Nations child welfare. Trudeau shot back, saying cynicism is harming reconciliation efforts, and that his government has made progress by getting more Indigenous kids into quality schools and lifting more than 100 boil-water advisories. O'Toole said he would like to see the Canadian flag raised again on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, with a commitment to "move forward" on the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Canadian flag has remained at half-mast on the Peace Tower and other federal buildings since late spring to mark the finding of unmarked graves on the grounds of former residential schools. O'Toole has previously said Canadians "should be proud to put our flag back up." The two-hour debate began with tough questions for each of the leaders from moderator Kurl. To Trudeau, it was why he called an election just as a fourth wave of COVID-19 was sweeping the country. He argued that the debate would show voters have to choose among radically different views on how to finish the fight against COVID-19 and build back better. To O'Toole, the question was how can voters trust that he would be in the driver's seat if elected prime minister, and not his caucus, many members of which have decidedly more conservative views on issues like abortion, climate change and vaccinations. "I am driving the bus," O'Toole insisted, stressing that he's personally "pro-choice" and an ally to the LBGTQ community. The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Singh was asked to explain why he has yet to release the costing for his election platform. He did not directly respond while saying the NDP is the only party that would make the ultrarich pay their fair share. Perhaps the most devastating question went to Paul, who was asked how she could hope to lead the country when she's been unable to lead her own party members, some of whom spent weeks prior to the campaign trying to dump Paul as leader. Paul conceded she's been through a difficult period but said she's had to "crawl over a lot of broken glass" to get on the leaders' debate platform and is proud to be the first Black woman to do so. People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier did not meet the independent Leaders' Debates Commission's criteria for participating in either the English-language debate or the French-language debate on Wednesday. But dozens of his supporters showed up Thursday outside the debate venue the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., just across the river from Parliament Hill to protest his absence. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2021. QUEBEC - A question about two Quebec laws at Thursday night's English-language federal leaders debate was an unacceptable attack on the province, Premier Francois Legault said Friday. Quebec Premier Francois Legault walks out of a news conference at the end of a three-day pre-session caucus, Friday, September 10, 2021 in Quebec City. Legault criticized the first question asked by the moderator at the federal leaders debate. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot QUEBEC - A question about two Quebec laws at Thursday night's English-language federal leaders debate was an unacceptable attack on the province, Premier Francois Legault said Friday. In her first question to Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, moderator Shachi Kurl described two Quebec laws one restricting the wearing of religious symbols by certain government employees, the other a language law reform as "discriminatory." "You deny that Quebec has problems with racism, yet you defend legislation, such as bills 96 and 21, which marginalize religious minorities, anglophones and allophones," Kurl said in the preamble to her question. That was an attack on the Quebec nation, Legault told reporters in Quebec City, adding that Kurl and the group of broadcasters that organized the debate need to apologize. "That was an attack, for sure, against Quebec, against our responsibilities. I am responsible to protect French, to protect our values, and somebody is saying that I should not do that. Its unacceptable, he said. Legault took particular issue with the way Kurl asked the question -- stating as a fact that the laws were discriminatory. Claiming that protecting French is discriminatory, or even racist, its ridiculous, he said. Legault described Bill 21, which restricts the wearing of religious symbols by some government employees, such as police officers and teachers, as a "moderate law" democratically adopted by the province's legislature and supported by the "vast majority" of Quebecers. Bill 21 doesn't apply in the rest of Canada. So please, please, it's none of your business, he said. Bill 21 has been controversial in Quebec, where despite being shielded by the Constitution's notwithstanding clause it has been challenged by civil liberties groups and organizations representing Muslims. In April, a Superior Court judge upheld most of the law, striking down elements that applied to English-language school boards and the province's legislature. Bill 96, which remains before the legislature, would unilaterally change the Canadian Constitution to affirm that Quebec is a nation and that French is its official language. The bill would strengthen sign laws and language requirements for businesses, including those in federally regulated industries. Other provisions would cap enrolment at English junior colleges and grant new powers to the French-language watchdog. The law has been criticized by anglophone-rights groups in part, because, like Bill 21, it pre-emptively invokes the notwithstanding clause to shield it from constitutional challenges. Legault was not alone in his criticism of the moderator's question. Provincial Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade also described it as "unacceptable" and "Quebec bashing" in a post on Twitter. "There's no place for this kind of discourse," she added. The Angus Reid Institute, where Kurl is president, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday afternoon, but the Debate Broadcast Group provided an emailed statement. "Shachi Kurls question regarding Quebecs provincial Bill 21 and Bill 96 was asked to give Mr. Blanchet an opportunity to explain his partys view of these bills, both of which have been widely reported on and discussed since they were introduced in the Quebec National Assembly," said Leon Mar, a spokesman for the group. "The question addressed these bills explicitly; it did not state that Quebecers are racist." Legault also, for the second day in a row, criticized the NDP, Liberals and Greens, saying that the three parties want to diminish Quebec's autonomy. The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. We have three leaders now that are proposing to get into Quebecs jurisdiction, we have three leaders saying that they may oppose, in court, Bill 21, three leaders that are not ready to give us more responsibility to choose new immigrants," he said. On Thursday, Legault praised Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole's stances on health-care funding and immigration, as well as his promise not to join a challenge to Bill 21. However, the premier said he is worried O'Toole would scrap a $6-billion child-care deal between Quebec and Ottawa, adding that a minority government would be preferable to a majority. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2021. -- by Jacob Serebrin in Montreal This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. VANCOUVER - Jody Wilson-Raybould has one piece of advice to give her political successor in the Vancouver Granville riding: follow your own path, and don't reward their political party with blind loyalty. Independent candidate Jody Wilson-Raybould arrives at a polling station with her husband Tim Raybould in Vancouver, B.C. on Monday, October 21, 2019. Jody Wilson-Raybould has one piece of advice to give her political successor in the Vancouver-Granville riding: follow your own path, and don't reward their political party with blind loyalty. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jimmy Jeong VANCOUVER - Jody Wilson-Raybould has one piece of advice to give her political successor in the Vancouver Granville riding: follow your own path, and don't reward their political party with blind loyalty. Wilson-Raybould, who was Canada's first Indigenous minister of justice before being re-elected as an Independent, said she learned the downside of the hyper-partisan nature of politics and how quickly it can become toxic for candidates. "I think Vancouver Granville and whomever wants to represent it should ensure that they are speaking based on what they've heard from people in this riding and representing those voices in Ottawa," she said in an interview. "As opposed to running for a political party and representing the political party or the views of their leader in this riding." Wilson-Raybould was kicked out of the Liberal caucus after accusing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of pressuring her to secure a deferred prosecution agreement for SNC-Lavalin. In August 2019, the federal ethics commissioner concluded that Trudeau violated the Conflict of Interest Act by improperly pressuring Wilson-Raybould to halt a criminal prosecution of the Montreal engineering giant on corruption charges related to contracts in Libya. Wilson-Raybould announced she would not be seeking re-election earlier this summer, leaving the door open for the Liberals to retake the riding. In this election, Liberal candidate Taleeb Noormohamed, who also ran in the riding in 2019, will face a high-profile New Democrat opponent in Anjali Appadurai, while lawyer Kailin Che will represent the Conservatives. "The main thing for me is making sure we get to a place where Vancouver Granville has a member of Parliament that has a seat at the table where discussions and decisions are being made that affect us," Noormohamed said in an interview. Noormohamed acknowledged Wilson-Raybould's impact in being the first to represent the recently formed riding. He says he is looking forward to telling his story to voters, while relaying that he will advocate for his constituents' concerns on issues such as housing affordability with the government. But that message of housing affordability has been questioned by the New Democrats. Records show Noormohamed bought and sold more than 30 houses over 17 years, netting a profit of more than $4 million. Despite opposition parties claiming Noormohamed's activity would go against his own party's platform, he said he fully supports the Liberals' housing plan. The party has proposed an anti-flipping tax that would require homes to be held for at least 12 months. "While I have had business activities improving homes and would have been impacted by such measures to cool the housing market had they been in place, I am fully supportive of the Liberal plan," he said in a statement. "I have always been consistent in my support for a variety of measures to make housing more affordable, and as the MP for Vancouver Granville, it will remain a top priority." New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh has criticized Noormohameds actions as hypocritical. For the NDP candidate Appadurai, who has worked for Sierra Club BC, she said she's running as there is an "urgency in this moment" when it comes to the effects of climate change. She rose to prominence after addressing the United Nations climate summit in Durban in 2011 as a student, calling on countries to make dramatic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. Appadurai said she sees climate change and housing affordability as top issues for the area and believes the NDP is better placed than others to address them. "I think I am the only candidate who's running on the promise of any real climate action," she said. "We need something to fundamentally shift in our approach to tackling this climate crisis." The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Neither Conservative candidate Che nor the partys riding association returned requests for an interview. Gerald Baier, an associate political science professor at the University of British Columbia, said the Liberals face a fight in taking back the riding. "It's not just the legacy of Wilson-Raybould with the Liberals, but (Noormohamed) has to run against the likelihood there are progressive voters in the riding now who have a more obvious progressive choice in the form of an NDP candidate," he said in an interview. Noormohamed, who ran for the Liberals in the 2011 election in North Vancouver, also faces challenges in that he may be seen as someone connected to the party due to his previous campaigns, tying him closely to the Liberal legacy, Baier added. "He has to ride a Liberal wave into office more than a personal vote as he may be seen as someone running in different parts of the Lower Mainland until he finds a seat he can win," Baier said. This story was first published Sept. 10, 2021. MONTREAL - Premier Francois Legault on Thursday called the NDP and Liberals "dangerous" for Quebec and strongly suggested he preferred the Conservatives to win a minority government in the Sept. 20 federal election. Quebec Premier Francois Legault responds to reporters' questions regarding the federal election debate, before entering a pre-session party caucus Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot MONTREAL - Premier Francois Legault on Thursday called the NDP and Liberals "dangerous" for Quebec and strongly suggested he preferred the Conservatives to win a minority government in the Sept. 20 federal election. Legault praised Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole for promising to increase health transfers without conditions, to give the province more control over immigration and for pledging not to join a challenge to Quebec's secularism law, known as Bill 21. That law bans some public sector workers such as teachers and police officers from wearing religious symbols on the job. But the premier said he was unhappy the Tory leader is promising to cancel a $6-billion child-care deal the province signed with the Liberals, adding that O'Toole needed to explain himself on the issue. That money is without conditions, meaning it can be spent on sectors unrelated to child care. "We dont want to see religious symbols for people in authority, Mr. O'Toole respects this, so for the Quebecois nation, it's a good approach," Legault told reporters in Quebec City a day after the second French-language leaders debate of the federal election. "On the other hand, Mr. O'Toole wants to deprive us of $6 billion that comes without conditions, it's not nothing." But despite his satisfaction with the child-care deal, Legault said the Liberals would reduce Quebec's autonomy in the Canadian federation, adding that the NDP and Green Party would do the same. "I find that dangerous," he said. In particular, Legault said Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh want to impose national standards for health care, which he described as appropriation of provincial powers. "Mr. Trudeau, he has an approach where he wants to meddle in health care, he doesn't want to give us power over immigration, when it's important for protecting our identity, our nation," Legault said. "He has not ruled out opposing Bill 21, so it's very concerning for all Quebecers who are nationalists." And while Legault said the increased federal health transfers proposed by O'Toole aren't sufficient, he said Trudeau hasn't proposed any increases. Legault said he won't tell Quebecers how to vote, but he said given that no federal party is giving Quebec everything it wants, a minority government would be best for the province. "It's up to Quebecers to choose, but I'll tell you this, I'm a nationalist, I want Quebec to have more autonomy and power," he said. Daniel Beland, the director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, said he sees Legault's comments as a reaction to Trudeau's strong performance in the debate and Trudeau's defence of his identity as a Quebecer in a heated exchange with Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet. When Legault criticized Trudeau for his position on Bill 21 during the 2019 election campaign, the Bloc was the main beneficiary, Beland said in an interview Thursday. While Beland said the comments by Legault, who remains the most popular premier in the country, are likely to help the Conservatives and hurt the Liberals, it's hard to say how much impact it will have on election day. "Many francophone voters support Francois Legault, and certainly his opinion is something they're likely to take into account when they go vote, but how much will this improve the numbers of the Conservatives, how many seats they can get out of this, I'm not sure, but it's certainly bad for the Liberals," Beland said. The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The turn toward the Conservatives makes sense for the Coalition Avenir Quebec leader, despite the warming relations between Legault and Trudeau in recent months that saw the two leaders appear together on several occasions when they referred to each other by their first names. That "bromance," as it was described by some Quebec media outlets, was ultimately a "marriage of convenience," Beland said. "Ideologically, the CAQ is a right of centre party that supports a really decentralizing vision of the federal system and, frankly, it's much more aligned with the positions of the Conservative party than of the Liberal Party of Canada," he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2021. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole says hoisting the Canadian flag back up on Parliament Hill on the first national day marking the legacy of residential schools should be seen as a sign of commitment to build a better country. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole and his wife Rebecca wave from the steps of the airplane prior to departing Ottawa on Friday, September 10, 2021. Canadians will vote in a federal election Sept. 20th. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole says hoisting the Canadian flag back up on Parliament Hill on the first national day marking the legacy of residential schools should be seen as a sign of commitment to build a better country. At a Friday campaign event in Mississauga, Ont., O'Toole doubled down on his pledge from Thursday night's English-language debate to return federal flags to full-mast on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. They have flown at half-mast at the Peace Tower and other federal buildings since May 30 after the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves on the grounds of former residential schools. O'Toole said Orange Shirt Day, which honours children forced into the residential school system, is an opportunity to reFcommit to reconciliation and partner with Indigenous communities to make "real progress." "I'm very proud of our country, despite the scars of our past," he said, speaking outside a legion hall along the Credit River, an erstwhile fishing and trading route for the ancestors of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation. "We will then raise our flag as a sign of that commitment of building a strong and better Canada in the future." Throughout the election campaign, O'Toole has stressed pride in Canadian heritage, a theme he drives at his rallies in tandem with military appreciation. "If you don't love and recommit to your country, are you really going to dig deep to make progress?" he asked. O'Toole added that he has consulted with Indigenous leaders "literally every week or so" during his more than 12 months as Conservative leader, but did not specify whether any of the conversations concerned flags. Manitoba's NDP Opposition Leader Wab Kinew, who was an honorary witness to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, which heard testimonies from residential school survivors, tweeted Thursday the Canadian flag should fly at half-mast Sept. 30. "The day is about the Survivors and their descendants. And those who never came home," he wrote. Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald said last week that leaving flags lowered continues to honour the lives of Indigenous children who died at residential schools. If the flags were half-masted for one day for every child discovered so far, it would take between 11 and 17 years for them to be raised again, she said. Parliament hurried passage of the bill that created the statutory holiday in June after the discovery of what was believed to be the graves of 215 Indigenous children who attended a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. At the time, Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said the point of the national holiday was to create a chance for Canadians to learn about what happened in the residential school system and reflect on the experiences of survivors. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau rejected the notion that residential schools are relegated to the history books. "I think Canadians have seen with horror those unmarked graves across the country and realized that what happened decades ago isnt part of our history, it is an irrefutable part of our present," he said Friday. I plan to keep those flags at half mast until it is clear that Indigenous Peoples are happy to raise them again. "Unlike Mr. OToole, who will do it when he feels like it, I will continue to put reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in the hands of Indigenous Peoples." Less than an hour later, O'Toole said Trudeau has offered only "positive words and promises," pointing to the dozens of Indigenous communities that lack access to clean drinking water. Trudeau promised in 2015 to lift all drinking water advisories by this March, but the government acknowledged last December it would not meet that goal. As of Aug. 28, 109 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted since November 2015, while 51 remain in effect across 32 communities, Indigenous Services Canada said. The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh has said symbolic measures such as lowering flags are important, but must not supersede other priorities, including improving living conditions for Indigenous communities and locating more unmarked gravesites. Lynne Groulx, chief executive of the Native Women's Association of Canada, struck a hopeful note after a leaders' debate that touched on reconciliation, systemic discrimination and housing. "Party leaders all agree that trust needs to be rebuilt, and the way to do that is through action," she posted on Twitter on Thursday evening. "We hope tonights promises are more than empty words. Reconciliation is possible and were ready to work together to make it happen." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2021. With files from Stephanie Taylor in Ottawa The Latest on the English-language leaders' debate among Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet and Green Party Leader Annamie Paul (all times local): Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau arrives in an SUV prior to the English language leaders' debate, in Gatineau, Que., Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. Canadians will vote in a federal election on Sept. 20. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette The Latest on the English-language leaders' debate among Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet and Green Party Leader Annamie Paul (all times local): 12:15 a.m. Green Party Leader Annamie Paul says she has great respect for the people of Quebec. She says she would be willing to have a dialogue with Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet on the experience of dealing with systemic racism. She says she would extend her hand in friendship to Blanchet to talk more about the issue. Paul was speaking in a post-debate press conference after Blanchet levelled criticism against debate moderator, Shachi Kurl, for unfairly criticizing Quebec in how she framed questions. --- 12:01 a.m. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he would co-operate with other parties in a minority government for the good of all Canadians. Singh was responding to a report that Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet would rule out propping up a Liberal or Conservative minority government for any length of time in the House of Commons. In a post-debate news conference, Singh rejected suggestions that his climate change plan is too vague, saying his plan will take bold steps to tackle the problem. He was also forced on the defensive with questions about why he put forth a platform that is not fully costed for Canadian voters to evaluate. --- 11:50 p.m. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said a distinction has to be made between "mobs" of anti-vaxxers who have dogged his campaign and Canadians who have legitimate concerns about being vaccinated against COVID-19. But he reiterated his position that widespread vaccine uptake is key to emerging from the pandemic, in a post-debate press conference. Trudeau was pressed to defend his decision to call an election during the Afghanistan crisis. Trudeau reiterated his view that the Canada's military and diplomats managed to get 3,700 people out of Afghanistan and noted the evacuation of 43 more people out of Kabul with the help of Qatar that was disclosed today. --- 11:40 p.m. Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet levelled criticism against debate moderator, Shachi Kurl, saying she unfairly criticized Quebec in how she framed questions. Kurl had referred to the Quebec law that bans some public sector workers such as teachers and police officers from wearing religious symbols on the job, as discriminatory. Blanchet said horrible and rude accusations were made against his province in the preface of questions that suggested the province was racist or intolerant. Blanchet said Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau could have shown more support for Quebec during the debate instead of standing idly by. He said the debate was set up to prevent a discussion of issues of relevant to Quebec. --- 11:25 p.m. The federal leaders are taking questions after the conclusion of the English-language debate. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole dodged a question about how many of his candidates have been vaccinated against COVID-19. He also there should be greater emphasis on rapid testing to help bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. O'Toole reiterated that it was a failure of leadership for Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau to call an election with Afghanistan falling, and Canadians still in peril in the country. He said he wants to collaborate with the provinces more closely and eschew an Ottawa-knows-best approach as the country tries to emerge from the pandemic. --- 10:55 p.m. The federal leaders ended the English debate by arguing over their plans to help Canada recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole challenged Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau to balance the federal budget after promising tens of billions in new spending. Trudeau said Canadas economy can't recover from the pandemic if people don't have the support they need to get through it. --- 10:15 The federal leaders sparred over Indigenous reconciliation with Annamie Paul saying the issue should not be treated like a buffet. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh accused Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau of "taking a knee" as he did at an anti-racism rally on Parliament Hill last year while taking Indigenous kids to court. Singh was referring to Ottawa's controversial legal challenge of a pair of rulings involving First Nations children. Trudeau shot back, saying cynicism is harming reconciliation efforts, and that his government has made progress by getting more Indigenous kids into quality schools and lifting more than 100 boil-water advisories. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole says he would like to see the Canadian flag raised again on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, with a commitment to "move forward" on the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Canadian flag has remained at half-mast on the Peace Tower and other federal buildings since late spring to mark the finding of unmarked graves on the grounds of former residential schools. O'Toole has previously said Canadians "should be proud to put our flag back up." --- 9:45 p.m. Justin Trudeau and Jagmeet Singh had a heated exchange about their party's climate change policies. Trudeau said the NDP's climate change policy rates an F while saying that experts have given the Liberal plan high marks. Singh accused Trudeau of presiding over the worst record on fighting climate change in the G7 during his six years in power. Annamie Paul said Canada could become a renewable energy superpower, and all parties need to work together to combat the shared threat. --- 9:25 p.m. Foreign policy has been injected into the English leaders' debate with questions about the fall of Afghanistan and the ongoing imprisonment of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in China igniting sparring among the leaders. Erin O'Toole, Jagmeet Singh, Annamie Paul and Yves-Francois Blanchet piled on Justin Trudeau for calling an election while Afghanistan was falling to the Taliban. Trudeau shot back at his opponents for talking down the work by the military and diplomats to get 3,700 people out of Afghanistan, and 43 more with the help of Qatar earlier today. Trudeau also said his government is doing everything it can to get Kovrig and Spavor out of China, but that work can't be done by lobbing tomatoes at the People's Republic. --- 9:15 p.m. The debate kicks off with a discussion about leadership and accountability as the debate's moderator, Shachi Kurl, asks all five leaders different and challenging questions that put all of them on the defensive. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh deflected a question about his party platform, while Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau talked past a question about his decision to call an election during the pandemic. Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet shot back at a suggestion that his party backs discriminatory laws against minorities. Green Party Leader Annamie Paul is asked whether she can lead a country when she has such internal strife in her party and says she has crawled over a lot of broken glass to get to debate night. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole says he is a pro-choice ally of LGBTQ people when about his party members' differing stances on those issues as well as climate change and vaccination. --- 8:30 p.m. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has arrived at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., in a blue minivan. He stopped to talk to reporters about the need to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Singh says all leaders agree that getting vaccinated is one of the most important things they can do to fight the pandemic and keep people safe. Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet is already inside the museum, having entered through another door. --- 8:20 p.m. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has arrived at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., in a black SUV, surrounded by RCMP vehicles. A supporter of the People's Party of Canada screamed into a megaphone: "You're not my prime minister." Trudeau, wearing a red tie, waved to journalists but did not come to speak to them. A protester says through a megaphone: "Quebecers are sick of you." --- 8:05 p.m. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole has arrived at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., for tonight's debate. O'Toole stepped out of a black SUV and flashed a thumbs-up, replying "good" when someone asked him how he feels. O'Toole carried on into the museum without answering questions, as he did on Wednesday before the French-language debate. --- 8 p.m. Green Party Leader Annamie Paul has arrived at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., for tonight's debate. Paul didnt answer a question about whether she needs a good night to save her leadership, saying she is focused on the debate. She says she felt the need to jump into Wednesday's French-language debate when child care was being discussed because she was the only woman on stage and that's an issue that impacts women. The other leaders have yet to arrive. --- 7:25 p.m. A group of People's Party of Canada supporters have gathered on the street outside the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., across from Parliament Hill, where tonight's debate is being held. The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Dressed in purple, they are holding signs with slogans supporting Maxime Bernier, the party's leader, while others have anti-Justin Trudeau slogans. A speaker at a microphone is calling out the names of local candidates. The sun is setting and the leaders have not yet arrived at the museum for the debate, which is set to begin at 9 p.m. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2021. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version misspelled Green Party Leader Annamie Paul's first name in an introductory paragraph. OTTAWA - The Truth Test is a project of The Canadian Press that examines the accuracy of statements made by politicians. Each claim is researched and analyzed to provide Canadians with facts instead of spin. Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, left to right, Green Party Leader Annamie Paul, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, and Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole takes part in the federal election English-language Leaders debate in Gatineau, Que., on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang OTTAWA - The Truth Test is a project of The Canadian Press that examines the accuracy of statements made by politicians. Each claim is researched and analyzed to provide Canadians with facts instead of spin. The leaders of five federal political parties shared a stage at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Thursday night for the second of the two official televised leaders' debates. The Canadian Press examined statements by the party leaders who took part in the English-language debate to put them into context and add the details Canadians need to better understand the claims. Erin O'Toole, Conservative Party of Canada "Mr. Trudeau always forgets one fact: he has never made a target for climate change. He never meets his targets." Greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, increasing the temperature of the planet the phenomenon known as global warming that poses a grave threat. After winning the 2015 general election, Justin Trudeau's Liberals signed on to the Paris Agreement to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. Canada plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. As a result, it is too early to say that Trudeau has missed an emissions-reduction target. Justin Trudeau, Liberal Party of Canada "We are right now on track to exceeding those 2030 targets set (in) Paris down to 36 per cent and we've gone even further with that with a concrete plan that the experts have said is the only one that can achieve a 40 per cent reduction. That is what we're dealing with." The initial Liberal plan reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 was assessed as credible last December by Kathryn Harrison, a political-science professor at the University of British Columbia. "For the first time, a Canadian government is being honest about what it will take to meet our 2030 target and begin the transition to net-zero emissions," wrote Harrison, who has studied climate policy for three decades. "Yes, there are costs, but theyre less than the costs of inaction." Earlier this year, Trudeau said Canada would step up its fight against global warming, promising to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 to 45 per cent over the next nine years. He did not lay out a "concrete plan" to get there. He said policies including a national carbon price, set to rise steeply to $170 per tonne by 2030, would allow Canada to "blow past" its previous 30 per cent reduction commitment under the Paris Agreement. How realistic is the revised target? Critics have pointed out that Canada's greenhouse gas emissions have actually risen during the Liberal government's tenure. A June report by veteran earth scientist David Hughes said the oil and gas sector alone would cause Canada to miss its new 40 per cent reduction target. Before the election, the Liberals promised to soon publish an emissions reduction plan for the 2030 target that would include an interim greenhouse gas objective for 2026. It would be followed by three progress reports before the end of 2027. The Liberals have outlined several measures to meet their new target. Among them: requiring all passenger vehicles to be zero emission by 2035 and reaching a net-zero electricity grid by the same year. The party also promises in its election platform to make sure the oil and gas sector reduces emissions from current levels at a pace and scale needed to achieve net-zero by 2050, with five-year targets starting in 2025. However, there are no details on precisely what that would involve. Even so, these steps could get the Liberals to their goal, said Marc Jaccard, a climate policy modeller and director of the School of Resource and Environmental Management at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. "While I havent had time to precisely model these latest policies, my triangulation between our many simulations suggests they'll likely achieve the 40 target, albeit with a larger GDP impact of about 2.5 per cent," Jaccard wrote in a Sept. 3 article. "These are effective and economically efficient policies." Jagmeet Singh, New Democratic Party of Canada "We've got to change the RCMP's mandate. And that's something we can do at the federal level. That's something that Mr. Trudeau said he would do and yet has yet to do." Singh stressed the importance of transforming the national police force when asked about interactions between the authorities and Indigenous Peoples. In the 2020 throne speech, the Liberals promised to move forward on enhanced civilian oversight of law enforcement agencies such as the RCMP, along with other reforms, including a shift toward community-led policing by the Mounties. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair noted in the latest annual plan for RCMP that a critical focus of the force's coming work was to become an even more reliable and trusted policing service in the eyes of all Canadians. The RCMP reported some progress on those goals but, as Singh indicates, there were no bold initiatives from the Liberals following the throne speech. The Liberal election platform promises several measures, such as giving the force's current management advisory board full oversight powers and bringing forward clear timelines for compliance with Civilian Review and Complaints Commission recommendations. Annamie Paul, Green Party of Canada "Guaranteed livable income is a policy whose time has come. We saw at the beginning of the pandemic, how many people were thrown immediately into financial crisis because our patchwork system simply isn't working. There is a growing consensus." The Greens say a guaranteed livable income, or GLI, would replace separate federal and provincial programs with a single, universal, unconditional cash payment delivered through the tax system. Every Canadian would receive a regular minimum payment, with incentives for recipients to keep working and earn more. Those earning above a certain total income would pay money back through taxes. An April 2018 report by the parliamentary budget officer pegged the annual net cost of a federally implemented guaranteed basic income at $44 billion. It said more than 7.5 million people would benefit, with an annual per capita cost between $9,421 and $10,169 for the period 2018-2023. Support payments devised by the federal government to shepherd workers and families through the COVID-19 pandemic revived interest in a guaranteed income. However, the idea has detractors concerned about cost and efficiency. Earlier this year, an expert panel in B.C. recommended against a basic income, instead making dozens of recommendations to help achieve the same goals. "We have concluded that moving to a system around a basic income for all as its main pillar is not the most just policy option. The needs of people in this society are too diverse to be effectively answered simply with a cheque from the government." Yves-Francois Blanchet, Bloc Quebecois "(T)he problem is that Canada has failed many times to create some strong partnerships with other countries in order to be stronger facing a situation like Afghanistan." The Bloc leader suggested Canada's chaotic scramble to help people flee Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of Kabul was a result of Canada's weak ties with allies. Canada faced criticism for overly bureaucratic procedures and not doing enough to get more people safely on to flights. The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. But there was sustained teamwork with allies. Canada toiled with a dozen other countries on a U.S.-led air bridge to help many people, including Canadians and Afghans who had worked with Canadian Forces over the years, to flee the strife-ridden country. A G7 leaders statement, issued Aug. 24, affirmed commitment to a renewed humanitarian effort by the international community. "As part of this, our immediate priority is to ensure the safe evacuation of our citizens and those Afghans who have partnered with us and assisted our efforts over the past 20 years, and to ensure continuing safe passage out of Afghanistan," the statement said. "We will co-operate together, and with neighbouring and other countries in the region hosting refugees, on a co-ordinated approach to safe and legal routes for resettlement." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2021. CAMBRIDGE, Ont. - Waterloo Regional Police have arrested a man they allege threatened Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau while on the campaign trail in southern Ontario. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau announces green incentives towards climate change at a campaign stop during the Canadian federal election campaign in Cambridge, Ont., Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. Waterloo Regional Police have charged a man who they allege made threats toward Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette CAMBRIDGE, Ont. - Waterloo Regional Police have arrested a man they allege threatened Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau while on the campaign trail in southern Ontario. Police say the allegations stem from a campaign stop in Cambridge, Ont., on Aug. 29. It was one of many events in Ontario where Trudeau was dogged by protesters, with people sounding sirens and chanting expletives amid a visible police presence. Police say they started an investigation after viewing video of the event, speaking to witnesses and receiving information from the RCMP. Police say they have arrested a 32-year-old man from Kitchener, Ont., and charged him with two counts of uttering threats. They did not release his name. After a handful of gravel was thrown at Trudeau during a campaign stop in London, Ont., earlier this week, the People's Party of Canada says it has removed its president of the Elgin-Middlesex-London riding association, and police there have said they are investigating. The two cases have affected security on Trudeau's campaign. On Friday afternoon during a visit to Toronto, a local mounted unit showed up in gear clearly prepared to attempt to control any crowds that may appear. The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. While most of Trudeau's southern Ontario stops in this campaign have been interrupted by loud, often very angry crowds, there was none of that Friday. A small crowd gathered outside the Paramount restaurant, but only one voice called out anti-Trudeau sentiments, while dozens of others cheered and jostled with each other for a better position for photos. Still, the RCMP protective detail formed a tight barrier between them and Trudeau, and warned them they would be pushed back if they attempted to surge toward him when he came out. Trudeau stopped briefly to say hello to them before getting on his tour bus which was followed by a motorcade of at least a dozen police vehicles. In previous election campaigns, he has often waded right into such crowds, greeting people and posing for photos. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2021. What is being hailed as "fantastic police work" has resulted in the arrest of a man in connection with a string of sexual assaults along the city's river trail system between April and August. What is being hailed as "fantastic police work" has resulted in the arrest of a man in connection with a string of sexual assaults along the city's river trail system between April and August. Winnipeg police first arrested Jordan Andrew Bruyere, 29, in relation to the sexual assault of a teenaged girl that occurred on the trail near Churchill High School in the early hours of the morning on Aug. 8. Police released public warnings regarding a string of similar incidents along the river trail throughout the spring and summer and asked the public for help in finding Bruyere, who was arrested on Aug. 27. Police said on Friday that Bruyere, who was out on bail for his earlier charges, was charged Thursday with four additional assaults that occurred along the river trail. "Investigators did some fantastic police work and were able to make arrests in all five incidents," said Winnipeg police service spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon. "Investigators cast a very wide net and eventually their investigation became more pinpointed and we learned that (the suspect) was responsible for five of these incidents." McKinnon said police had put out warnings to the public in the last few weeks about the incidents on the river trail. "I think people always have to proceed with caution, but I think there is definitely a sigh of relief with the police work that was done," she said. McKinnon said the first assault took place on April 8, around 8 p.m., when a woman in her 30s was attacked from behind and pulled to the ground by a man with a knife while she walked along the trail east of the legislative grounds. She said when the woman screamed, the suspect released her and fled on foot. The victim suffered minor injuries and called police. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. McKinnon said that on June 4, around 4:30 a.m., a woman in her 20s was walking in the 300 block of Assiniboine Avenue when she stopped to ask an unknown man if she could borrow his phone. The man agreed but convinced the woman to walk with him towards Donald Street, ostensibly to get a better Wi-Fi connection. When she did, the suspect grabbed her from behind at the Donald Street bridge and pulled her towards the river at knifepoint, where he sexually assaulted her. The woman called the police and received medical attention after the suspect fled. McKinnon said a week later, on June 12, at about 5:30 p.m., a woman in her 20s was walking along the river trail near the 200 block of Churchill Drive when she was attacked from behind and pulled to the ground by a man. The suspect ran away after they struggled and the woman screamed. McKinnon said the final incident occurred on Aug. 8, at about 5:30 p.m., when a woman in her 20s, who was jogging on the river trail near Stradbrook Avenue and Harkness Avenue, was grabbed from behind and pulled to the ground by a man who had come up from the riverbank. The woman screamed and was able to escape while the suspect ran away. Bruyere, who last month was charged with sexual assault, invitation to sexual touching and sexual interference, was charged Thursday with two counts of assault, one count of assault with a weapon and one count of sexual assault. He was detained in custody. with files from Julia-Simone Rutgers kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca The city's former chief administrative officer, Phil Sheegl, was back before the court Thursday as the city lawyers argued he should be ordered to pay more than $700,000 for his alleged involvement in a kickback scheme tied to the construction of the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters. The city's former chief administrative officer, Phil Sheegl, was back before the court Thursday as the city lawyers argued he should be ordered to pay more than $700,000 for his alleged involvement in a kickback scheme tied to the construction of the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters. In a lawsuit filed in January 2020, the city alleges contractor Caspian Construction, "in concert" with two dozen other defendants, including Sheegl, conspired and "schemed" to inflate the cost of the project for their own benefit. The case against Sheegl was severed from that of the other defendants last year after his lawyer, Robert Tapper, argued the allegations against Sheegl are separate from the allegations that form the substance of the citys lawsuit. Lawyer Michael Finlayson, who represents the city, argued Thursday the evidence against Sheegl is clear. He urged Queens Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal to order that he pay $327,000 equal to the bribe he is alleged to have accepted from Caspian president Armik Babakhanians another $250,000 equal to the severance package he received from the city, and $150,000 in punitive damages. The city alleges in July 2011, shortly after Sheegl awarded the contract to Caspian, the company paid $200,000 to co-defendant Mountain Construction (also owned by Babakhanians), which then paid the same amount to Sheegls company, Financial Support Services Inc. A year later, Babakhanians paid Sheegl another $127,000. "The memo on that cheque said Re: consultant services and it was dated two days after the city had resolved to increase its budget for the Winnipeg Police headquarters project to an amount consistent with what was recommended by Armik Babakhanians, Phil Sheegl among others," Finlayson said. "This cheque was two days after the city, in the same resolution of council, had authorized Phil Sheegl to award the contract" for the project to Caspian, he said. The city alleges in July 2011, shortly after then CAO Phil Sheegl (above) awarded the police headquarters contract to Caspian, the company paid $200,000 to co-defendant Mountain Construction, which then paid the same amount to Sheegls company, Financial Support Services Inc. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files) The money wasnt a bribe, but payment for a real estate deal to purchase an acre of land Sheegl and then-Winnipeg mayor Sam Katz owned in Tartesso, Ariz., Tapper said. No criminal charges against anyone, including Sheegl, were laid after a five-year investigation by the RCMP. Police affidavits provided to court "make it clear that they cant exclude the reality that there was a transaction," Tapper said Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Court has been provided a handwritten court document Tapper alleges is evidence of the real estate deal, but which the city charges is a "phony deal" to cover up the alleged bribe. Finlayson said just because the Crown didnt charge Sheegl doesnt mean there was no bribe. "The onus in a criminal case is beyond a reasonable doubt," Finlayson said. "The onus here, despite what (Tapper) said is just a balance of probabilities. "The law of civil bribery has no place in the criminal law. The idea that somehow the Crowns decision not to prosecute for bribery has any bearing at all is a spurious argument." Further submissions are expected to be heard next week. dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca At 40 years old, Kimberley Levasseur Puhach learned her mother was a residential school survivor. At 40 years old, Kimberley Levasseur Puhach learned her mother was a residential school survivor. "Id gone through a life knowing there was a history, feeling the evidence of that legacy and trauma... but not being able to understand what it (was) rooted to," Puhach said of the 2007 revelation. She jumped into reconciliation efforts, eventually becoming the chairwoman of Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowmans Indigenous advisory circle. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Representatives from 30 organizations signed on to the City of Winnipeg Indigenous Accord pledge for reconciliation at city hall in a ceremony Thursday. On Thursday, she emceed the citys fourth annual Indigenous Accord signing. Thirty-nine organizations added their names to the documents pledge for reconciliation. "It just brings me such pride and optimism of whats possible in the future," Puhach said. Group after group approached the accord outside city hall masked, socially distanced and grabbing a spritz of hand sanitizer before signing while Puhach read aloud their promises of change. "Any commitment that aligns with either the Truth and Reconciliation (Commission of Canadas) calls to action, or the (National Inquiry into) Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (and Girls) calls for justice... is a commitment in the right direction," she said. Kimberley Levasseur Puhach read out the promises of change at the ceremony. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) The City of Winnipeg created the Indigenous Accord in 2017; 200 organizations have signed on. Thursdays additions spanned from travel agencies to post-secondary schools to non-profits. (The Winnipeg Free Press signed, saying it has and will continue to hire more Indigenous journalists and ensure representation in its pages.) Puhach said the recent news of unmarked gravesites at former Indian residential schools across Canada has amplified peoples views of the importance of reconciliation, but theres more work to be done. "We can do better," she said. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Around 100 guests joined Mayor Brian Bowman and representatives from 38 new Accord partners at City Hall to take part in the signing ceremony for Winnipegs Indigenous Accord. The document has furthered reconciliation over the past four years, according to Bowman. "We are seeing many positive changes in the community as a direct result of the... pledges." For its part, the city is focusing on education: it provided employees with Indigenous awareness training and it is filling the Bill and Helen Norrie Library with Metis-related books and artifacts. City staff are donating red dresses for installation in city hall, as part of an awareness campaign for missing and murdered Indigenous women. Winnipeg is also looking to rename Bishop Grandin Boulevard due to the namesakes past of championing residential schools. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "We have to remember where we were and where we are," Arlen Dumas, grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, told the crowd Thursday. "When First Nations do well, we all do well." MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Winnipeg Free Press publisher, Bob Cox, signs Winnipeg's Indigenous Accord at a ceremony at City Hall with 38 other organizations who were joined with around 100 guests and Mayor Brian Bowman Thursday morning. A bear paw was indented into Norman Meades silver-and-blue metal tie attachment; he wore it to connect with his grandmother, whod nicknamed him Little Bear. It gave him strength while performing the opening and closing prayers, he said. "The grandmothers are the ones who really carry us through the stuff we go through, doing the relationships in a good way and a proper way, and reconciliation is about that," he said. Meade, a Metis elder, has delivered prayers at the signings since 2017 (minus last year there wasnt an event due to the COVID-19 pandemic). "We are moving in the right direction, but we have to persevere," he said. gabrielle.piche@freepress.mb.ca WINNIPEG - Mounties have charged a Manitoba man in the killing of his neighbour. WINNIPEG - Mounties have charged a Manitoba man in the killing of his neighbour. Eric Wildman, who is 34, faces a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Clifford Joseph, whose body was found in July in the rural area of Stead, northeast of Winnipeg. SUPPLIED Clifford Joseph The 40-year-old was reported missing from nearby St. Clements on June 7. Officers had deemed the disappearance suspicious and named Wildman as a suspect. RCMP soon after began an extensive search for Wildman, warning he was armed and dangerous and that police tactical equipment and other items resembling uniforms had been found in his vehicle. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Eric Wildman (RCMP PHOTO) After a weeklong manhunt, Wildman was arrested in a shootout with police in Ontario. Ontario Provincial Police said when officers entered a home just outside of Belleville, east of Toronto, they were met with gunfire. They said crisis negotiators were eventually able to get Wildman to surrender. RCMP say the investigation into Joseph's death involved several departments, including search and rescue and air services, as well as assistance from five other agencies. More than 100 officers participated in the manhunt and the homicide investigation. "We could not have anticipated at the outset the events that would come next a manhunt, shots fired at officers and finally an arrest. Through all of it, our investigators worked tirelessly to find out what happened to Mr. Joseph," Supt. Michael Koppang said in a news release Friday. "We offer Mr. Joseph's family our sincere condolences on their loss. We hope that by laying this charge, we can offer Mr. Joseph's family some answers as to what happened to their loved one, and help them find some peace." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2021. The first full day of class at Volunteer High School in rural Tennessee was marred by a terrifying warning. The first full day of class at Volunteer High School in rural Tennessee was marred by a terrifying warning. "The caller claimed he had a gun, he was on campus, he was heading toward the gym, he was in one of the main restrooms and he was going to open fire," Hawkins County Schools director Matt Hixson told the Free Press in an interview Thursday. The prank call to the school Aug. 10 allegedly dialed from Fisher River Cree Nation by a Manitoba man led to a significant local police response and an investigation that spanned two American states and one Canadian province. "Anytime youre confronted with a realistic threat, a very real threat like what we experienced that day, your first concern is for staff and student safety and getting them accounted for and safe," Hixson said. Parents of students from Volunteer High School in Church Hill, Tenn., await news on Aug. 10 after reports of an active shooter, which was eventually declared a hoax and believed to have originated in Manitoba. (Larry N. Souders / The Associated Press files) On Wednesday, the RCMP said they were acting to assist the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of Homeland Security when Manitoba officers executed a search warrant Aug. 30 at a Fisher River home. Four hoax threats were placed in the two states in August, with the calls traced to the province, police said. An 18-year-old man was arrested and a number of electronic items were seized, RCMP said, but would not elaborate on any potential motive. The accused's name has not been released. He has been released and is to appear in court Dec. 7 at Peguis First Nation. Officials described the incidents two in Tennessee and two in North Carolina as "swatting," a name given to false reports that describe a life-threatening situation meant to provoke an armed police response. Students and staff at the Tennessee school were just trickling in at around 8 a.m. when "everything broke loose." "That call came in and simultaneously a female student had a seizure in our parking lot she was witnessed by several falling and hitting her head and bleeding in the parking lot so the arriving officer sees a student going down, bleeding in the parking lot, and the call was being made," Hixson said. Rhonda Lawson (centre) hugs her children, Donovan and Madison, as she describes to local media the moment she received the phone call of a possible active shooter at Volunteer High School in Church Hill, Tenn., on Aug. 10. (Larry N. Souders / The Associated Press files) "We had responders from other counties, state agencies and federal agencies there within a matter of minutes... I think it was estimated at just under 100 law enforcement officers." The county school went into full-blown lockdown, while students and staff not already inside were directed away from the building, some off the campus. Police blocked roads and set up two incident command stations. "Prior to that... (police) started going from room to room with SWAT personnel trying to locate the perpetrator trying to identify any injured, or worse, staff or students," Hixson said. Just over a week later in neighbouring North Carolina, a similar threat was called in to Watauga High School at the end of the school day Aug. 18. A law enforcement bulletin had circulated from Tennessee about the Hawkins County hoax, Watauga County Schools superintendent Scott Elliott told the Free Press, and dispatchers recognized the call was similar. Hawkins County Sheriff Ronnie Lawson (right) and Church Hill, Tenn., Police Chief Chad Mosley (centre), speak to journalists on Aug. 10. (Larry N. Souders / The Associated Press files) "Nonetheless and appropriately, they dispatched emergency response and law enforcement... and we initiated our emergency response procedures," he said. Police determined it was a hoax within about 40 minutes, but it was still disruptive to the rural school. "It's very alarming... even though, fortunately, often these kinds of events turn out to be false threats, we can never approach them that way," Elliott said. Swatting is a common prank in the online gaming world, Montreal-based cybersecurity expert Steve Waterhouse said. The goal in some cases is to see an adversary arrested or questioned by police on livestream. It can have deadly consequences. A lone Hawkins County Sheriff's Department patrol car sits outside the main entrance of Volunteer High School several hours after the building had been cleared. (Larry N. Souders / The Associated Press files) On Dec. 28, 2017, a Los Angeles man made a hoax emergency call that led to the fatal police shooting of a Kansas man. He was convicted and sentenced to 20 years after pleading guilty in 2019. He was also charged with public mischief, fraud and mischief after making a similar call in Calgary on Dec. 22 that year. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Lives are at risk every time you have a SWAT team being sent to an address," Waterhouse told the Free Press. "(The callers) create such an environment of stress and life-threatening scenarios that the police cannot take any chance and say, Well this must be another swatting attack and well just take it easy no, they jump on the gun and go rock and roll on the operation. They assume the worst." However, arrests aren't as common as the calls themselves. "If (the perpetrators) do the job correctly they will cover their tracks properly and complexify enough the work of finding out whos behind the mischief, and most often, theyre not found," Waterhouse said. Twitter: @erik_pindera erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca The Liberals and Conservatives are in a dead heat in Winnipeg, but a preference for the Tories among suburbanites could allow the party to pick up a seat or two. The Liberals and Conservatives are in a dead heat in Winnipeg, but a preference for the Tories among suburbanites could allow the party to pick up a seat or two. Methodology Click to Expand Leger surveyed 600 of its Manitoba panelists from Sept. 3 to 8, and weighed rules based on the 2016 census results for age, gender and education on a regional basis. Online surveys are not based on probabilities and thus cannot have a margin of error, however an equivalent telephone poll would have a margin of error of four per cent, 19 times out of 20. "There is a good reason to pay attention to what's going on here in Manitoba," said Leger executive vice-president Andrew Enns about a new Leger poll commissioned by the Winnipeg Free Press. "Particularly in the city of Winnipeg, there are going to be a couple of good races to follow." The firm surveyed 600 Manitobans from Sept. 3 to 8, a period that overlapped with Labour Day, the return to school and campaign pledges about firearms. For all of Manitoba, the Conservatives lead at 38 per cent among decided voters, followed by the Grits at 30 per cent and the NDP at 22 per cent. Yet in Winnipeg, the Liberals and Tories are tied at 36 per cent, while the NDP has 21 per cent support. That means a slight Conservative bump in the city compared with the party's 2019 results, and a slight drop in their rural stronghold. Party support in Winnipeg depends on where people live. Among Winnipeggers who say they live in the suburbs, 39 per cent support the Conservatives, versus 34 per cent who endorse the Liberals. Those numbers are switched for urban Winnipeg, where 39 per cent plan to vote Liberal and 33 per cent side with the Tories. University of Manitoba political scientist Christopher Adams noted that the Conservatives seem to have gained more support in the city since a Probe Research poll in June placed them at 26 per cent support. "It looks like the Conservatives have come back a bit more strongly in Winnipeg," he said. Enns and Adams argued that trend could determine tight races in the western and southern areas of the city. That's because the Tories always have more support on the outer edges of Winnipeg than they do downtown, including in ridings the Conservatives lost in 2015. When Parliament was dissolved last month, the governing Liberals had four seats in Manitoba, the Tories had seven and the NDP had three. The most contested riding in the province, Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley, is largely suburban and partly rural, and has flipped between the two parties since former MP Steven Fletcher lost the riding for the Tories in 2015. When the election was called, it was held by Tory Marty Morantz. He is working hard to fend off Liberal challenger Doug Eyolfson, who held the seat for one term, from 2015 to 2019. WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Tory Marty Morantz is working hard to fend off Liberal challenger Doug Eyolfson in the most contested riding in the province, Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley. Meanwhile, Winnipeg South, held by Liberal Terry Duguid, tends to be a bellwether riding that follows national trends, which currently dont favour the Liberals, but could change by the Sept. 20 election. "There is a general sense that Justin Trudeau has not run a great campaign, and there are concerns people have, that he should not have called an election during a pandemic," Adams said. Other ridings could shift if Conservative support rises, either by locking in a Tory incumbent, or switching NDP voters to the Tories and allowing a Liberal to prevail or even by giving the Liberals more of a case to urge NDP supporters to vote for them to keep a Tory out of office. The Liberals seem to be static, holding onto the same level of Winnipeg support as earlier this summer, but nowhere near the boost they had at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In rural Manitoba, eight per cent of respondents say they support the Peoples Party of Canada, which was formed by Maxime Bernier in 2018. Enns and Adams said while that is noteworthy, it likely won't be enough to split the vote in any ridings outside Winnipeg. "The Tories are down where they can probably afford to be down a bit, outside the city," Enns said. "They went by really large margins to the Conservatives (in 2019) so I think they've got some room here, before they have to be worried about vote splitting." (Leader) Erin OToole's efforts to take some of the rough edges off the Conservative party, with regards to having a fairly defined climate change policy and speaking to health care might be having a positive impact on this campaign. Leger executive vicepresident Andrew Enns The Tories are tied with the Liberals, at 29 per cent, for support from women with the Liberals; the NDP leads at 33 per cent among female voters. "(Leader) Erin OToole's efforts to take some of the rough edges off the Conservative party, with regards to having a fairly defined climate change policy and speaking to health care might be having a positive impact on this campaign," said Enns. The Free Press offered the three main parties a sneak peek at the results Thursday and asked for comment. The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The Liberals never responded. The Conservatives declined, but argued the partys economic platform is resonating in the province. "We know that Canadians did not want to have an unnecessary election during the fourth wave of the pandemic, and we see that in Manitoba, too," wrote spokesman Mathew Clancy. The NDP studied the results and didnt comment on the numbers. Instead, spokeswoman Charlotte MacLeod argued the two big parties haven't promised substantial change and "stood aside while Conservative premiers like Brian Pallister cut health care and attacked nurses." dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca THE president and CEO of St. Boniface Hospital is leaving after more than three years at the helm of the facility, during which staffing challenges and burnout became rampant throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. THE president and CEO of St. Boniface Hospital is leaving after more than three years at the helm of the facility, during which staffing challenges and burnout became rampant throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Martine Bouchard is stepping down for personal reasons, one of which is to take care of a Quebec-based family member with health issues, according to a Sept. 9 news release. Bouchard, a bilingual manager with a background in nursing who hails from Quebec, took on the position in spring 2018. She faced criticism for commuting back and forth to her home in Montreal since she took the job, including during the pandemic. Bouchard worked exclusively from her Quebec home between April and August 2020 and following the winter holidays, she received an exemption to self-isolate upon a return to Winnipeg. Tom Carson said the board of directors at St. Boniface will not remember the leader for the trips she took, but rather how much she could accomplish in 24 hours. "She was both a very determined and solid manager, and you dont get many of those in health care. She was a visionary," said Carson. In all of his 13 years of experience on the board, the chairman said he had never worked alongside a president who placed as much emphasis on the importance of human resources or communication with staff as Bouchard. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The release about Bouchards leaving applauds her work in negotiating with stakeholders for the hospitals emergency room and managing amid both the renovation and expansion of the emergency room and psychiatric wing. She will depart on Oct. 15, 18 months before her term was slated to end. The Free Press reported in 2019 that her salary was $275,000. The hospital is starting a recruitment process, which involves setting up a committee with representatives from the research field, hospital board, hospital foundation board and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, to select a replacement. Chief financial officer Nicole Aminot is to act as CEO in the interim. maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie For Kyle Penner, the effort to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19 in his community is personal. For Kyle Penner, the effort to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19 in his community is personal. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The associate pastor at Grace Mennonite Church in Steinbach, Man., has seen the devastating effect the illness caused by the novel coronavirus has had on those around him. "We all know people who died from COVID here," said Penner. "I have friends who work in the hospital and they were intubating more people in one shift than they had in their entire life. I have friends who have children who are immunocompromised, and for them it's been a long year and a half of staying at home, trying to protect their children." That's why as the province braces for a fourth wave of infections, Penner is encouraged to see a slow rise in the number of people in the southeastern Manitoba area getting their first vaccine shot. To read more of this story first reported by CBC News, click here. This content is made available to Free Press readers as part of an agreement with CBC that sees our two trusted news brands collaborate to better cover Manitoba. Questions about CBC content can be directed to talkback@cbc.ca. A woman and man have been arrested after trying to steal a vehicle in which a seven-month-old baby was strapped inside. A woman and man have been arrested after trying to steal a vehicle in which a seven-month-old baby was strapped inside. Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Jay Murray said Friday a woman jumped into the driver's seat of a vehicle, and attempted to drive off, when its owner popped into a restaurant in the 600 block of Pembina Highway for water and left the engine running Thursday afternoon. Murray said the owner rushed out and tried to prevent the vehicle from being driven away but she was dragged and injured. Murray said the vehicle was driven in a dangerous manner in the parking lot as the woman tried to pick up the man she was with. They were forced to run away after she struck a pole, hydro generator box, and at least one vehicle. He said witnesses flagged down police officers and pointed them in the direction of the two suspects. They were quickly arrested. Murray refused to give information about the relationship of the female owner of the vehicle and the child, the woman's age, and the baby's gender because he worried people would criticize her online. "I wrestled with this," he admitted. "Some people will blame the two suspects and some people will probably insinuate some fault on the woman. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "It is very tough. We are not in the business of clouding information, we want to release accurate information. These incidents are notable, they are often witnessed by a number of people. "This woman probably feels absolutely horrible about what happened and there will probably be a lot of online commentary that blame her somewhat for this. But at the end of the day, these two individuals committed a crime, they've been charged accordingly." Murray said the woman didn't need to go to hospital and the baby was not injured. Amie Tamara Kitchekeesik, 34, of Winnipeg, has been charged with robbery, forcible confinement, dangerous operation of a conveyance, assault with a weapon and failing to comply with a probation order, while 38-year-old Daniel Garson, of Winnipeg, has been charged with robbery. Both suspects were detained in custody. kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca Only the woman who climbed a seven-storey construction crane in Winnipeg knows why she did it. Only the woman who climbed a seven-storey construction crane in Winnipeg knows why she did it. Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Jay Murray said the 21-year-old woman was safely helped down from the crane at Sherbrook Street and Wolseley Avenue by members of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service around 7:30 p.m. Thursday. "You can only imagine what would have happened had there been an accident where that person slipped and fell." Const. Jay Murray "It's unclear at this time what the motive was," said Murray. "There are no outwards or immediate signs that there was any drug use or mental health concerns that prompted this. Those are still concerns that may (show up) later on, as this travels on through the judicial system but there was nothing obvious to officers who arrested this individual. Murray said there's nothing more construction companies can do to prevent a person from trespassing onto a site and climbing a crane if they are intent on doing it. "Our message with this advisory is: if you choose to climb or enter these construction sites and climb these pieces of equipment, you can and will be charged with a criminal offence. This person has been charged with mischief over $5,000. That over $5,000 relates to the emergency resources that were diverted to respond to this individual. "There was a substantial number of resources that were allocated to help ensure this person's safety. There were numerous Winnipeg police service vehicles used to block traffic and keep pedestrians out of the area and there were a lot of resources from the WFPS as well. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "It is a crime to enter these construction yards and climb these pieces of equipment. It is also very unsafe. This person was well over 100 feet, or 150 feet, up in the air. You can only imagine what would have happened had there been an accident where that person slipped and fell." Ihor Holowczynsky, the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service's acting deputy chief of operations and communications, said special personnel are trained for such a rescue. "It's not a regular occurrence, but it is not uncommon," said Holowczynsky. He added that while the woman refused to be lowered down by ropes, firefighters did make sure she was linked to safety gear before coming down. Mckayla Treasure Anita McKay has been charged with mischief over $5,000. She was detained in custody. kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca THE City of Winnipeg has proposed a progressive suite of changes to its Responsible Pet Ownership bylaw that could make Winnipeg One Great City for companion animals and wildlife. The proposals are wide-ranging, and address a number of key issues when it comes to the well-being of animals in the city. Opinion THE City of Winnipeg has proposed a progressive suite of changes to its Responsible Pet Ownership bylaw that could make Winnipeg "One Great City" for companion animals and wildlife. The proposals are wide-ranging, and address a number of key issues when it comes to the well-being of animals in the city. Predictably, it is the citys proposal to regulate the types of exotic animals that can be kept as pets that has garnered the most attention. Arguments against the proposal from the exotic pet industry and private animal owners tend to focus on the pleasure humans derive from keeping certain animals, or the money that can be made by breeding, importing or selling them. But restrictions on exotic animal ownership are sorely needed. The sad reality is that every year millions of wild animals are taken from their natural habitats or bred in captivity to become exotic pets, with many dying during transport or surviving and spending their lives suffering in captivity under conditions that do not even meet their basic needs. Most species of exotic wild animals are simply not well suited to life in captivity, despite their human guardians best intentions. For example, in the last 20 years Canada has imported more than 78,000 ball pythons a complex snake species from the grasslands and forests of Africa. Most are doomed to spend their lives in small containers in someones home, entirely unable to engage in natural behaviours. And enormously social, wide ranging macaws, cockatoos and other parrots, their wings clipped to render them flightless, may be kept alone, suffering from boredom and deprivation, sometimes for years. The city is proposing a positive list of animals that are allowed because they satisfy certain criteria, including that they present no human safety hazard, and that their basic biological and social needs can be adequately met in captivity. A positive list is simpler, more effective and less expensive to enforce than the current negative list approach, which allows tens of thousands of animal species to be kept by default, even if they suffer in captivity or are threatened in the wild. In addition to traditional companion animals such as cats and dogs, the city is proposing to allow dozens of reptiles, birds, fish and small exotic mammals. In fact, the list might even be too long as drafted, as it includes several wild animals that are not particularly well suited to life as pets. Animals already living in the city would be grandfathered under the new law, so city officials will not be knocking on doors and confiscating Winnipeggers beloved parrots and pythons. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Aside from regulating exotic animal ownership, the city is also proposing to introduce a suite of changes aimed at stopping irresponsible cat and dog breeders, who contribute to the citys overpopulation problem, and often place profit over the well-being of animals in their care. Requiring breeding permits and restricting the number of litters an animal can be made to have is a necessary step in the right direction. Winnipeg is also proposing to ditch its unscientific and ineffective ban on pit bulls and pit bull-type dogs. This move may sound dangerous, but evidence shows banning dogs based on their appearance does not improve community safety or reduce the amount or severity of dog bites. To truly protect companion dogs and the public, the city is wisely proposing to focus on irresponsible guardianship and the individual personalities and behaviour of dogs that may pose a risk to community safety, as well as creating new tools to protect dogs from neglect and mistreatment. The citys proposals would also protect wildlife from cruel and unnecessary products that cause prolonged suffering and death. This includes a ban on the outdoor use of some rodenticide poisons, as well as lethal snare and leghold traps that cause tremendous suffering in animals including companion animals. It also includes banning horrendously cruel glue traps, which cause animals to suffer long, agonizing deaths caused by starvation, dehydration and exhaustion as they struggle in vain to free themselves from strong adhesive. Mahatma Gandhi astutely observed that "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." The same can be said of cities. With city staff working on a report to present to the mayor and council this winter, now is the time for Winnipeggers to speak up and let our councillors know we support the proposed bylaw changes and want to live in a progressive, compassionate city that is a model for others to follow. Kaitlyn Mitchell is a Winnipeg-based staff lawyer with Animal Justice. Michele Hamers is a wildlife campaign manager with World Animal Protection. Rob Laidlaw is the executive director of Zoocheck. South Africas broader diversity and development compared to the rest of Africa often masks a nation mired in turmoil. Nearly three decades removed from apartheid, extreme inequality, ruling party factionalism and heavy economic blows from the pandemic provoked another wave of violent protest in July. Opinion South Africas broader diversity and development compared to the rest of Africa often masks a nation mired in turmoil. Nearly three decades removed from apartheid, extreme inequality, ruling party factionalism and heavy economic blows from the pandemic provoked another wave of violent protest in July. The palpable tension that has lingered since is reminiscent of the troubled twilight of white minority rule. Beginning in 1948, South Africas National Party constructed a state rooted in political and economic discrimination of non-whites one informed largely by Canadas Indian Act, after South African delegations visited Canada and consulted with Canadian government officials throughout the 1940s. International pressure and the African National Congress (ANC) the liberation movement turned political party led by Nelson Mandela eventually brokered the end of apartheid in the early 1990s after a decade of recurrent bombings, uprisings and repression. Another defining moment for the country occurred on July 7, when ex-president Jacob Zuma surrendered to authorities to serve a 15-month sentence for contempt of court. The "Rainbow Nation" has struggled with pervasive corruption and lack of accountability during the ANCs continuous time in power since 1994. Roughly US$34 billion in state resources were spirited away just during Zumas tenure from 2007 to 2016. Days later, Zumas supporters launched a series of riots calling for his release, which soon metastasized into a giant act of national self-harm. In 10 days, 337 people were killed amid some US$1 billion in looting and billions more in damages as hundreds of shopping malls, factories, banks, post offices and warehouses were destroyed. More than 45,000 businesses were affected in the coastal city of Durban alone. Key highways and ports were blockaded by paramilitary-style gangs, and President Cyril Ramaphosa was forced to deploy 25,000 soldiers to restore order. ANC figures loyal to Zuma the provider of many careers of self-enrichment masterminded parts of the unrest to sabotage the current government led by Ramaphosa, Zumas successor and intra-ANC rival. But the shocking burn-it-all-down nihilism displayed by countless other opportunists who joined in exemplifies the deep betrayal that millions of citizens, particularly Blacks, feel over political enfranchisement failing to produce better living conditions. Hardly any aspect of South African society has escaped the ANCs corrosive corruption. Despite possessing abundant natural resources, a young, digital-savvy population and thriving tourism industry, vast manufacturing capacity, self-sufficient food production and pockets of advanced infrastructure, South Africa remains the most unequal country in the world. The top 10 per cent of South Africans, predominantly white, own 93 per cent of national wealth. The pandemic has pushed unemployment above 34 per cent, but the countrys unemployment rate since 1999 has averaged 27.4 per cent, and youth unemployment has only briefly fallen below 50 per cent. State-owned companies and service providers have been run aground and bankrupted, with credit agencies variously downgrading the countrys investment rating to junk status. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The public education system ranks near the bottom globally. Private security guards in the country now far outnumber overwhelmed and indifferent police forces; more than 20,000 people are murdered every year, gender-based violence is rampant and enterprising immigrants suffer xenophobic attacks over being falsely blamed for the lack of jobs. Proper health care is nearly non-existent for 1.2 million households almost all Black or mixed race living with badly deficient housing, water, sanitation and the worlds highest HIV rates in the countrys 2,700 townships and informal settlements. Yet the default mode of political mobilization has remained the noise and fury of violent protest, not voting for a change in government. The ANCs firm base consists of around 60 per cent of the electorate, with many Black voters pledging unwavering support to the party of Mandela for winning them their freedom. These too, are equally harmful legacies of the apartheid era. Achieving a more stable, prosperous, and increasingly equal South Africa matters not just for its own citizens, but the whole of Africa. Despite its faults, the country with its free and inquisitive media, independent judiciary, marriage equality, renowned constitution and relatively progressive refugee policies remains a beacon of liberal democracy in a region mostly lorded over by authoritarians. A first step might be for the ANC to focus on governing, rather than waging internal battles especially with Zuma now released from prison on medical parole, ahead of another corruption trial against him resuming Sept. 21 and 22. A second step might be for many voters to realize they owe no debt of allegiance to a party that hasnt delivered a better life for them after more than a quarter century in power. Kyle Hiebert is a Winnipeg-based researcher and analyst, and former deputy editor of the Africa Conflict Monitor. Every year around this time, I follow an annual ritual, constructing in my mind a museum of digital artifacts salvaged from the wreckage of nearly three thousand lives. Desperate phone calls from the doomed towers. Photos of singed wallets. Cockpit voice audio from one of the planes. Every year around this time, I follow an annual ritual, constructing in my mind a museum of digital artifacts salvaged from the wreckage of nearly three thousand lives. Desperate phone calls from the doomed towers. Photos of singed wallets. Cockpit voice audio from one of the planes. And every year, I make a pilgrimage to the events first or best words. I re-read The Falling Man, writer Tom Junods exploration of one of 9/11s most controversial photos; I watch compilations of that mornings news coverage, struck by how we saw the gaping wound in World Trade Centers north tower flank, and briefly clung to the thought of a Cessna aircraft. This year, a rare new-to-me find: four hours of fire department dispatch audio, starting moments before the first plane hit and preserved online. I listened to the entire recording on Sunday morning, 20-year-old radio crackles breaking up the hum of the days laundry swilling in the machine. For years, I told myself I undertook this ritual as a journalist, although theres not much new to learn about the event itself. Still, its undeniably compelling to bear witness to how people respond in extremes of experience; we discover a lot about humanity, that way. Remembering 9/11: 20 years later Fire and smoke billows from the north tower of New Yorks World Trade Center on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/David Karp) Smoke billows from one of the towers of the World Trade Center as flames and debris explode from the second tower, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Chao Soi Cheong) - = A person falls from the north tower of New Yorks World Trade Center as another clings to the outside, left, while smoke and fire billow from the building, Tuesday Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) - Pedestrians in lower Manhattan watch smoke billow from New Yorks World Trade Center on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta) - Two women hold each other as they watch the World Trade Center burn in New York Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Ernesto Mora) - People flee the falling South Tower of the World Trade Center on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta) - Pedestrians flee the area of New Yorks World Trade Center in lower Manhattan on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta) - People cover their faces as they escape the collapse of New Yorks World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Suzanne Plunkett) - Thick smoke billows into the sky from the area behind the Statue of Liberty, lower left, where the World Trade Center was, on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Daniel Hulshizer) - Flames and smoke pour from a building at the Pentagon in Washington on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Will Morris) - Smoke rises from the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. Tuesday Sept. 11, 2001 as members of the Fairfax Co. Search and Rescue team approach after a terrorist attack. (AP Photo/ The Daily Progress, Dan Lopez) - Deputy chief of the Army Reserve, Col. Malcolm Bruce Westcott, comforts Pentagon employee Racquel Kelley while giving her medical aid outside the Pentagon in Washington on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Will Morris) - FBI agents, fire fighters, rescue workers and engineers work at the Pentagon, where a high-jacked American Airlines flight slammed into the building on Sept. 11. The terrorist attack caused extensive damage to the west face of the building. (Tech. Sgt. Cedric H. Rudisill/Department of Defense/MCT) - An FBI aerial photograph, taken Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2001, shows the crash site of hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pa. The Boeing 757 was headed from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco when it made an abrupt turn near Cleveland and veered back east across Pennsylvania before crashing in Shanksville, killing all 44 aboard. Flight 93 was the fourth plane to crash in a coordinated terrorist attack that included New Yorks World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and the only one that didnt take lives on the ground. (AP Photo/FBI/FILE) - Smoke billows through buildings in Manhattan as seen from Brooklyn after the collapse of New Yorks World Trade Center, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) - Harry Shasho sweeps up before being evacuated from his vitamin store after the collapse of New Yorks World Trade Center on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Suzanne Plunkett) - A fireman screams in pain as he is rescued shortly after both towers of New Yorks World Trade Center collapsed following a terrorist attack, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (Robert Mecea/Newsday via AP) - People flee the scene near New Yorks World Trade Center Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Diane Bondareff) - People walk over New Yorks Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan to Brooklyn following the collapse of both World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) - Pedestrians on Pierrepont Place in the Brooklyn borough of New York, watch as smoke billows from the remains of the World Trade Center in New York, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson) - A firefighter moves through piles of debris at the site of the World Trade Center in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Graham Morrison) - Firefighters work beneath the destroyed mullions, the vertical struts, of the World Trade Center in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) - The remains of the World Trade Center stands amid the debris in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Alexandre Fuchs) - Clearly, Im not the only one so compulsively drawn to revisit the event. To mark this 20th anniversary, there are 17 new documentaries, so many that some news outlets put out a viewers guide. Most of these are little more than a glossy retelling of stories weve heard before: the horror, the heroism, a little bit of hope. Some, however, find a different perspective. Recently, in a thoughtful piece for New York magazine, journalist David Klion reflected on The Outsider, a documentary exploring the debates during the creation of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, and the questions surrounding the museums mission itself. These questions, sometimes, produce uncomfortable answers. There is a scene in The Outsider where its central character, former creative director Michael Shulan, described 9/11 as having a "terrible beauty." According to Klion, the museum wanted the scene cut: still too soon, for many, to honestly name what millions of us saw. Yet maybe enough time has finally passed to wrestle with the fact that Shulan was right. As Klion writes: "A central aspect of 9/11 was spectacle. The terrorists didnt simply kill a lot of innocent people, they did so in a way that was mesmerizing on camera. The destruction of the twin towers was undeniably cinematic." I remember how I looked at the TV that morning, turned to my roommate and said "oh, are they making a movie?" It wasnt just the images. It was how they arrived. 9/11 unfolded with an entire narrative structure: the planes, the fires, the jumpers. The first collapse, then the second and then, for the denouement, the dust-covered firefighters trudging back to a mess of steel and a flag hoisted over rubble. Rising action, crisis, resolution. Reading Klions piece, I realized Ive been lying to myself. I undertake my annual ritual not as a journalist, but as a film student. Trying to understand the structure of the spectacle, and how that defined the feelings it inflicted even from the safety of distance; trying to understand why Im drawn to rewatch it over and over again. Or: each year, trudging back into a trauma mediated solely through images too terribly beautiful to forget. Yet what other truths have been obscured by the dominance of those images? One new documentary seeks to most honestly wrestle with that: Netflixs Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror, which alone of the new content draws the most stark connections between the horror of the attacks, and the horror of the ensuing wars. Its not the only place to see this. In this months New Yorker magazine, journalist Anand Gopal, one of the finest scribes of the United States 20-year disaster in Afghanistan, published a stunning piece tracing the impact of what Afghans call "the American war" on women and families in one rural Afghan region. With painstaking detail, Gopal documents the trauma inflicted on those civilians, finding that families there had lost an average of 10 to 12 people, many blown apart by American bombs while working their fields or in their beds. He reports the cruelty of U.S. allies, whose crimes left victims with no hope of justice. In its broad strokes, Gopals piece doesnt break anything new: the brutality and corruption of the American-backed powers in Afghanistan has been covered before. Yet it stands out because of how rarely journalism of this nature is printed in Western publications, done with such care for the wars least privileged, most suffering victims. The reason why is simple: audiences here just werent that interested. Last month, when photos began pouring out of the fall of Kabul, it briefly grabbed the worlds attention; but consider how, after a suicide bomb attack at the Kabul airport, headlines in some major Western newspapers mentioned only the 13 American soldiers killed. Only further down did they note that "many" Afghans also perished. The final tally of Afghan dead in that attack was at least 169. According to witnesses, some were killed when U.S. soldiers began firing into the crowd in the panic after the bomb went off. Three days later, the U.S. launched an air strike in retaliation that obliterated an innocent family of 10, seven of them children. News sped past that one. It is grimly fitting that the U.S. withdrawal should conclude with that, one last example of the disinterest the West has largely had towards Afghan dead. Americas post-9/11 foreign policy was enabled by that disinterest, or worse, by a sense that, by virtue of geographic proximity to al-Qaida, the people deserved it. Wounded Afghans lie on a bed at a hospital after a deadly explosions outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Mohammad Asif Khan / The Associated Press files) So the legacy of 9/11, an avoidable one, is that the world as a whole is worse now than it was before. Its legacy is the "war on terror," the invasion of Afghanistan, the invasion of Iraq on nakedly flimsy pretences, the destabilization of an entire region, the rise of ISIS, refugee crises and the mass death of innocents. Last year, a team from Brown University crunched the numbers, calculating the human cost of Americas post-9/11 wars. In total, the team found, over 387,000 civilians were killed through war violence. Many more died from linked causes, such as malnutrition or disease, and over 38 million people were forced to flee their homes. To put it more simply: for every innocent person killed on American soil in the 9/11 attacks, the price exacted by the ensuing American foreign policy decisions was over 130 innocent lives abroad, most of them Muslim, many of them poor and just trying to survive as their lives were torn apart by events far outside their control. For every innocent person killed on American soil in the 9/11 attacks, the price exacted by the ensuing American foreign policy decisions was over 130 innocent lives abroad. Yet their horror is given no museum, no painstaking documentation, no sleek documentaries to honour their heroes, no YouTube videos filled with promises to never forget. Americas trauma was spectacle, and the world shared in its grief; the trauma it inflicted in direct response was largely invisible. Two weeks ago, at rallies in Winnipeg and elsewhere in support of Afghanistans people, attendees held signs that read "Your 9/11 is our 24/7." That statement can be read in several ways, one of them fairly literal: we still describe 9/11 as "the day everything changed," but for the most part, it wasnt life here that didnt go back to normal. That, in the end, compounds the tragedy of 9/11. Its collective horror and trauma was never really healed: it was just shunted halfway across the world where it could be forgotten. Twenty years later, we turn our eyes once again to the images, we grieve, we remember: but we still struggle to learn its lessons, and to see that 9/11 never truly ended. Want more great journalism? Get our best news and features delivered in your inbox every weekday evening. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca Unvaccinated teachers, educational assistants and other support staff may not be required to undergo frequent testing for COVID-19 until Nov. 1 much to the frustration of families with young students who cannot get a jab. Unvaccinated teachers, educational assistants and other support staff may not be required to undergo frequent testing for COVID-19 until Nov. 1 much to the frustration of families with young students who cannot get a jab. Manitoba has yet to publish protocols for public-sector employees who do not present proof of immunization, but the school boards association has sent its members details about verifying status and related items. The document, which was sent after 3 p.m. on Tuesday, the first day of the 2021-22 school year, states rapid-testing kits for employee use are anticipated to arrive at schools during the first week of October. It is Pembina Trails understanding that educators who are not fully vaccinated by Oct. 31, will be required to provide negative test results up to three times a week, said superintendent Ted Fransen. "To be fair to employees who had up to this point, not (been) vaccinated, its only fair and appropriate that we give them a chance to respond. We cant go back and undo what they hadnt done," said Fransen, noting there are stages in the provinces plan. School staff are to have received an initial dose by Sept. 7 and a follow-up shot no later than two weeks before Halloween to forgo testing. "Its bonkers," said Chandra Mayor, the legal guardian of a fourth grader at Mulvey School. "I really believed that all the staff at (my granddaughters) school would either be vaccinated or would be on their way to being vaccinated and would be tested in the meantime." JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A month or more without clear testing requirements for staff is a failure on the provinces part, says Chandra Mayor, the legal guardian of a fourth grader at Mulvey School. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press) As far as Mayor is concerned, a month or more without clear testing requirements for staff is a failure on the provinces part. "Its not like its a surprise that school started on Sept. 8," she added. Winnipeg mother Julie Penner, who has two young school-age children, echoed those sentiments, saying she was "baffled" about the timeline. Penner said she wants the provinces largest division, in which her kids study, to be a leader on the file. "I know its obviously a super challenging time for everyone in education, but if you can see that other school divisions are able to do it, it shows you what is possible," she said, adding she encourages elementary school teachers who are vaccinated to proactively disclose their status to parents to give them peace of mind. Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. On Thursday, Louis Riel administration released a breakdown of staff status: almost 95.9 per cent of permanent and term employees are fully immunized; 2.1 per cent are "on a journey to be fully vaccinated;" and 1.9 per cent have opted for testing at present. Starting this week, staff who cannot prove full immunization status are required to submit negative tests throughout the work week a result of the boards proactivity in drawing up its own testing policy; unvaccinated individuals must get their nasal cavities swabbed at a provincial testing site until rapid-testing kits are made available through the province. While specifics on employee testing across Manitoba have yet to be ironed out, Seven Oaks superintendent Brian OLeary said the prospect alone has changed some of his staff members minds to get immunized. "We hope that people see it as a step that they can take that helps further protect vulnerable kids," said OLeary. "Its about everyones good and not individual choice, and I would hope people working in schools grasp that." maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie When Roselyn Advincula pictures an election, she pictures a party. In her home country of the Philippines, candidates bring in celebrity endorsements and crowd-rousing chants to inspire the electorate. Living near a polling station, she remembers sharing hellos and leaflets with the jubilant crowds walking past her door to vote. Roselyn Advincula (above) and her husband got their citizenship in March and will vote for the first time in the 2021 federal election. (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press) Advincula, 39, and her husband moved to Canada 13 years ago, but just got their citizenship in March. The couple will vote for the first time in the 2021 federal election, and are looking forward to bringing the familiar atmosphere to their "second home." "It's a mixed emotion for me, it brought back memories and excitement," Advincula said at a voting campaign event Thursday in Winnipeg's Central Park. "I felt emotional because after 13 years I will have that right that privilege to vote here in Canada, too." The afternoon before advance voting starts in the federal election, chants of "Got citizenship? Go vote!" rose from the dozen-strong crowd gathered in Central Park, urging passersby from newcomer and refugee communities who have Canadian citizenship and are 18 or older to get to the polls. Organizers and volunteers from the Ethnocultural Council of Manitoba, Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba, and Immigration Partnership Winnipeg provided informational election materials, food, water, fill-in-the-blank signs and a supportive atmosphere, as community members encouraged each other to exercise their rights. Perla Javate, president of the Philippine Heritage Council of Manitoba and member of the Ethnocultural Council, wants to remind people to vote because it is important to be part of the democratic process. (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press) "We have to remind each one of our brothers and sisters to come out and vote, because it is a right as a citizen, and it is important for us to be part of the democratic process," said Perla Javate, president of the Philippine Heritage Council of Manitoba and member of the Ethnocultural Council. "I understand that a lot of us come from different countries, and elections mean different things to different people, but it's just to encourage everyone to come out because it's safe and it's the way we can voice our opinions, our voices to be heard, so our needs and our concerns are met." Navigating language barriers, time challenges and a lack of easily accessible information on election processes can also prove challenging for newcomers interested in voting, said Reuben Garang, one of the event's organizers. "This event today is structured in a way to get the newcomer community's attention, so they know this election process is going on and for them to be able to participate," he said. JESSICA LEE/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS People filled out blank signs with slogans urging people to vote. (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press) The voting campaign started in the lead-up to the 2019 election, Garang said, and had success helping newcomers orient themselves with the process. The event Thursday, he said, was intended to catch public attention and disseminate information before advance polling starts Friday. The Writ The federal election occurs Sept. 20 and we have you covered. Get the latest campaign news, insights, analysis and commentary delivered weekly to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Garang noted groups have also filmed multilingual videos featuring members of the immigrant and newcomer communities to help educate others on how to participate in the election. Community groups also plan to share translated election materials with anyone interested. Advincula, who is supporting the Ethnocultural Council in translating election information and questions from voters, said she and her husband plan to join the voting party themselves during advanced polling days. Her excitement for the voting process and for encouraging others in her community to participate beamed through her laughter and sign-waving during Thursday's event. "I think people will see people from their communities, people that they trust," she said. "Maybe now will be the start of getting that awareness, so that people will know that election time is coming and we can use our voice." julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced Thursday that she has been treated for breast cancer that was found in February and the treatment went well. Klobuchar, 61, tweeted that the cancer was detected during a routine mammogram, and eventually she had a lumpectomy to remove it. She said she completed radiation therapy in May amid a busy hearing schedule, including one treatment two days after her father died. A checkup in August found she was doing well. She told ABC's Good Morning America that she's feeling much better now. For Democrats, Klobuchar's health update was a fresh reminder of their fragile hold on the Senate, which they control by a single vote. Klobuchar's announcement made no explicit statement on her future, but said the cancer gave me renewed purpose to my work. Klobuchar said her cancer was stage 1A, meaning it had not spread beyond the breast. She said she felt fortunate to have caught it early because she had delayed her mammogram because of the pandemic. Photo by Matt Addington Photography Winona County Dairy Princess Megan Meyer (center, in red), of Rollingstone, hugs Anna Euerle, of Litchfield, Minn., after Euerle was named the 2021 Princess Kay of the Milky Way at the Minnesota State Fair. Meyer was one of two runners-up for the statewide honor. Meanwhile, the newer Delta variant is almost twice as infectious, is affecting more young people, including babies, and seems to cause even more severe illnesses and deaths. Although schools in most states have just opened, more than 1,000 have already had to close because of the virus. Maybe if Republican governors and legislative leaders like Florida governor Ron DeSantis and Texas governor Greg Abbott, who oppose mask and vaccine mandates, were charged with second-degree murder every time someone in their state died of the virus, or if those lawmakers had to pay the medical bills of those who get seriously ill from it, theyd change their messages. And, if Americans were as united today as we were 20 years ago, and used the weapons available to defeat the enemy, hundreds of thousands of Americans would still be alive and mandates wouldnt be necessary. How many more have to die before the enemys enablers figure that out? JUNEAU A Dodge County Jury found an inmate from Dodge County Jail not guilty of battery by prisoner for throwing a chair across a room which hit a correctional officer. Gregory Howell, 45, appeared in the courtroom of Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Martin De Vries for the one-day trial. According to the criminal complaint, Howell was in the jail on May 19, 2020, at 3:20 p.m. attending an online court proceeding. He appeared to become upset when he was told that he would have to stay in jail for an extended amount of time. He got up, picked up his chair and threw it in the direction of the correctional officer. The chair struck the officer in the right wrist. Howell admitted to throwing the chair after becoming upset, but he said he never intended to hit anyone. Howell still faces a felony charge of first degree sexual assault of a child. He could face 60 years in prison on those charges and has a four-day jury scheduled to begin Oct. 4. According to the criminal complaint, the family was staying with Howell in a motel room in Watertown. On Dec. 8, 2018, the girl stayed at home with Howell. The girls grandmother later noticed blood in the girls underwear, and the girl said that Howell touched her. Stuart and Rosemary Russell, Oxford, Wis. My wife and I and her sister, Delores Ingraham, left for vacation on Sept. 1 to take a trip through eastern Canada. We had a very beautiful trip until that fateful morning. We were in northeastern Nova Scotia, and had just arrived at a lighthouse, which is as far north and east that you can drive in Canada. The name of the lighthouse was Cape North, Money Point. We pulled into the parking lot and the woman who lived at the lighthouse saw that we were from Wisconsin and she came running out of the house yelling at us to quick come in the house. She had her TV on and it showed the twin towers both in flames. We were very shocked. Then we heard that they had completely shut down the border. We had no idea how or when we would get out of Canada. We continued on our trip, arrived at Ellsworth, New Brunswick, two days later, hoping to get on the ferry, and were told that the border would be opened to Americans that afternoon which was when our ferry reservation was for. Needless to say, it was an experience that we will never forget. Elizabeth Robinson, Portage Actor Michael Constantine, best-known for playing the proud father in the hit movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," died last week, his agent told CNN. He was 94 years old. Constantine was a busy character actor for five decades, winning an Emmy for his role as school principal Seymour Kaufman in the ABC series "Room 222" in 1970. But his most memorable role was as family patriarch Gus Portokalos in the surprise independent film hit "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." In that movie, Constantine played a loving but overprotective father who was immensely proud of his heritage and insisted that virtually all minor physical maladies could be cured with Windex. Constantine reprised the role in a film sequel, as well as the short-lived TV series "My Big Fat Greek Life." Constantine's family says he died in Reading, Pennsylvania, on August 31 following a long illness, according to an article in the Reading Eagle which was confirmed to CNN by his agent, Julia Buchwald. Constantine was a native of Reading and the son of Greek immigrants, the paper said. Noting the decision was difficult, each of the three commissioners concluded that the project met the criteria outlined in state law. Commissioner Ellen Nowak said she struggled with the cumulative effects of solar development, which requires far more land than conventional power generation but without the planet-warming gases produced by burning fossil fuels. This is just going to get worse, Nowak said. The fights are going to get harder. Commissioner Tyler Huebner noted the inherent conflict in public comments: some wanted the land reserved for development while others wanted it preserved as farmland. The roughly 600-acre project, located between the villages of Brownsville and Lomira in northeastern Dodge County, is being developed by National Grid Renewables for Alliant Energy, which is seeking permission to buy the plant for $124 million as part of a plan to add nearly 1,100 megawatts of solar to its generation portfolio. Under state law, the plants owner would pay $400,000 a year in local government aid about $227,000 to the county, $150,000 to the town, and a little more than $22,000 to the village of Lomira. A man accused of killing two people and wounding three others at a holiday picnic in Milwaukee more than 15 years ago has been added to the FBI's list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, federal authorities said Wednesday. MADISON, Wis. (AP) The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources policy boards chairman on Thursday canceled a September meeting after a top department official told him no one from the agency would participate amid a partisan fight over whether he should leave his post. Fred Prehn, an appointee of former Republican Gov. Scott Walker, has refused to step down even though his term expired in May. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers appointed Sandra Naas to replace him, a move that would give Evers appointees majority control of the board. Prehn maintains he doesn't have to leave until the state Senate confirms Naas. Republicans who control that chamber have made no moves toward a confirmation vote. Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul has filed a lawsuit seeking a court order to remove Prehn from the board. Prehn said in a statement Thursday that DNR Deputy Secretary Todd Ambs told him the agency would not propose any agenda items for the board's Sept. 22 meeting in Superior. No DNR officials will attend the meeting and Prehn should cancel it, Ambs wrote. Prehn said in his statement that he had no choice but to cancel the meeting, calling the department's stance unprecedented. As of Thursday, Fort McCoy in Wisconsin had fewer than two dozen COVID-19 cases and one measles case among the thousands of Afghan refugees staying there, a spokesperson confirmed. Everyone who has been infected with either measles or COVID-19 was isolated, and those who were exposed were put in quarantine, Fort McCoy spokesperson Cheryl Phillips said. Before arriving at a base, all Afghan refugees are tested for COVID-19, offered a COVID-19 vaccine for free and given a medical screening, which includes "critical" immunizations against polio and measles, mumps and rubella, Phillips said. Fort McCoy is one of eight military bases housing Afghan refugees who fled from Afghanistan after the recent collapse of their country's government to the Taliban. Fort McCoy can host up to 13,000 people, and 8,780 refugees had arrived as of Sept. 3. On Saturday, Fort McCoy identified one refugee who had symptoms of measles upon arrival at the base, Phillips said. That person was immediately placed in isolation and tested positive for measles on Sunday. Kleefisch took aim at Evers immediately, accused him of siding with rioters and not doing more to quell violence that erupted last summer in Kenosha after Jacob Blake, a Black man, was shot by police. She also faulted Evers for closing schools early in the COVID-19 pandemic, but did not lay out any of her own plans for dealing with the increasing spread of the virus other than promising to keep schools open. He may shut down our schools, he may shut down our economy, he may shut down our churches but today we begin to shut down Tony Evers," Kleefisch said. Evers' campaign spokesman Sam Roecker countered that Evers has taken bold action to ... clean up the mess" that Kleefisch left behind during the Walker years. Because of Governor Evers' steady leadership, Wisconsin is bouncing back stronger than before with a record surplus, low unemployment and $4 billion in tax relief delivered in his first term, Roecker said. Alleged improvised explosives found during a Portage traffic stop led to charges for a father and son. Police said the men told officials the explosives were for fun and not intended to harm anyone. Nicholas R. Engle, 22, Scottsdale, Arizona, and Todd R. Engle, 56, Monona, have each been charged with a single count of possession of improvised explosives, a class H felony, in separate cases in Columbia County. Both were also charged with possession of THC and possession of drug paraphernalia, both are misdemeanor counts. Nicholas Engle remains in custody on $5,000 cash bond. Todd Engle is charged with felony bail jumping linked to a 2019 possession with intent to deliver THC charge in Dane County. Online records show Todd Engle has posted his $6,000 bond and is out of custody. According to the criminal complaint, the pair were stopped by a Columbia County Sheriffs Deputy on Highway 33 near County Road U in the city of Portage on Aug. 31. Todd Engle was driving the vehicle, which was registered to him. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Deputy Dan Medina reported Todd Engle told him there was marijuana in the glove box, along with a bong and a wooden dugout. Medina searched the vehicle and located two baggies and the pipes. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Buckminster said he worked at Big Joe Manufacturing and Badger Manufacturing during the off-season from the summer as well as sold cars. He was on the council for Bethany Lutheran Church in Wisconsin Dells. He was a charter member of the Wisconsin Dells Lions Club and a member of the Jaycees when both clubs were active. The couple have four adult daughters, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He isnt involved in any service clubs currently but has a hobby farm. Johnson, 96, said she moved to Wisconsin Dells with her husband Wilfred Tim Johnson in 1959 before moving back to Madison for his job for 10 years at Warf. The couple moved back to Wisconsin Dells in 1978 and remained lifelong residents ever since. According to Dorothy Johnson, her husband was involved in the Wisconsin Dells community including the manager of Fort Dells and its properties along with the upper Dells boat tours. He was also on the Colonial Apartments board and the Wisconsin Dells Visitor and Convention Bureau board. Tim Johnson was the Wo-Zha-Wa parades grand marshal 20 years ago, shortly before he died. They were married for 54 years. I always thought he deserved the honor more than me, Dorothy Johnson said. He was prominent in the community. Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine shows promise in protecting people with HIV The Wits Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytical (VIDA) research unit conducted the phase 1B/2A clinical trial. The findings, published in Lancet HIV on 17 August 2021, show that the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine is likely to work as well in people living with HIV compared with people who are HIV negative. These interim findings are vital for informing the clinical management of people with HIV during the Covid-19 pandemic. Clinical trials that evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of Covid-19 vaccines in people living with HIV are limited generally and virtually non-existent in Africa. This is despite the overwhelming prevalence of HIV infection in Africa and in South Africa particularly. We searched PubMed for peer-reviewed articles published between 1 January 2019 and 29 June 2021, using the terms safety and Covid-19 and vaccine, but we did not find any reports that evaluated safety and immunogenicity of Covid-19 vaccines in this population, says Shabir Madhi, Professor of Vaccinology and Director of Wits VIDA, which led South Africa and Africas first Covid-19 vaccine trial in June 2020. Understanding Covid-19 vaccination in people with HIV in SA People with HIV are at greater risk for infectious diseases and are at higher risk of dying when admitted to hospital for severe Covid-19 than are the general population. Furthermore, compared with HIV-negative individuals, people with HIV are at greater risk for infectious diseases, such as influenza, including during antiretroviral therapy (ART). Risk factors for severe Covid-19 in people with HIV include more advanced stage of HIV/AIDS, the HIV-1 infection not being virally suppressed, and CD4 counts below 500 cells per microlitre. About the HIV study in the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine trial in South Africa The study was an interim analysis of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1B/2A trial. Between 17 August and 12 November 2020, 104 people living with HIV were enrolled in the trial. Seventy HIV negative people were enrolled between 24 June and 29 July 2020. Eligibility criteria for people with HIV included being on ART for at least three months, with a plasma HIV viral load of less than 1000 copies per microlitre. The HIV study, which was a unique addition to the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial, aimed to assess safety and immunogenicity of this vaccine in people with HIV and HIV-negative people in South Africa. The primary endpoint in both HIV-negative participants and people with HIV was the safety, tolerability, and reactogenicity profile of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. Reactogenicity refers to the property of a vaccine of being able to produce common adverse reactions. The interim findings show that the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine was well tolerated and showed favourable safety and immunogenicity in people with HIV, including heightened immunogenicity in SARS-CoV-2 baseline-seropositive participants. These interim findings are vital for informing the clinical management of people with HIV during the Covid-19 pandemic, says Madhi. As the delta variant continues to dominate in South Africa and the C.1.2 variant emerges as a variant of concern vaccination remains the only option to avoid hospitalisation and death from Covid-19. WHITESBORO, N.Y. Community members gathered at Harts Hill Inn in Whitesboro Friday for The Genesis Groups annual 9/11 memorial prayer breakfast. The event is held each year to remember those lost on 9/11, including firefighters, law enforcement, emergency responders and military. This year, there was a special ceremony to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the attacks. Look what's happened in our world since then, and look what's happening now. For us you know we need an event like this to bring the community together, to not only never forget, and to remember and honor those that made the sacrifice 20 years ago, but to really pay our respect to those who are putting their lives out there today, said Ray Durso, president of The Genesis Group. The guest speaker was Roger L. Parrino, senior director of preparedness, intelligence and inspections for The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Gold star families and local clergy, police and firefighters were also in attendance, as well as representatives from the U.S. military. In 2020, the event was held outside because of the coronavirus pandemic. This year, seats were spaced apart and guests were asked to wear masks. For much of 2021, US passport holders have seen an expanding list of international travel options. But with the rise of the Delta variant of Covid-19, that list has started contracting a little. On August 30, the European Union recommended that Americans should be banned from nonessential travel to its member states, though it's still up to each country in the EU to make the final decision. Total US cases are around the 40.5 million mark since the pandemic started. The Delta variant grows more concerning by the week. Some nations are overwhelmed by Covid cases as well as some US states. In the end, it's up to you to decide whether travel to international destinations is a good idea. The health risks are obvious if you're not fully vaccinated. Nations might change their rules at any time. You may have to adhere to strict curfews and mask mandates. Violations could involve big fines and even jail time. If you want expert input into your decision, the US State Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide Covid-19 risk assessments by country. Both agencies rate many of the countries open to US travelers at Level 4, the highest risk for Covid-19. Also, remember that all air passengers 2 and older must show proof of a negative Covid-19 test that's no more than three days old to enter the United States. List of nations What follows is a curated, alphabetical list of countries and territories where it's still possible for US passport holders to go for a vacation. Click the links at the end of each destination for important information on: -- Presenting negative results from Covid-19 tests to enter (including time limits to take the test, types of tests allowed and additional tests upon arrival). -- Quarantines (if any) and health screenings. -- Possible exemptions from the rules for the fully vaccinated, people recovered from a recent case of Covid-19 or children. -- Health insurance requirements, curfews and lockdowns. -- Different rules if you're arriving from a third country vs. the United States. These are all things you need to research before you book your trip. People testing positive for Covid-19 upon arrival or while visiting can expect to go into quarantine. Rules for land entry may be different. Albania UPDATE: This southeastern European country has a gorgeous Adriatic coastline. Starting September 6, testing required; exceptions for the fully vaccinated or with proof of Covid-19 recovery. No quarantine. US Embassy. Anguilla This upscale British island in the Eastern Caribbean is open only to the fully vaccinated. Testing and quarantine requirements are in place. US Embassy | Anguilla International Travelers. Antigua and Barbuda This independent nation in the eastern Caribbean, known for sheltered bays and historical sites, is open. Testing required. Quarantine requirements differ based on vaccination status. US Embassy | Antigua and Barbuda government website. Armenia From the historic capital of Yerevan to wild national parks, Armenia is open to US tourists. Testing or proof of vaccination required; quarantines in some circumstances. US Embassy | Armenia's official Covid-19 travel website. Aruba Scroll down to the Dutch Caribbean entry below for information on Aruba and other islands in this group. Austria US citizens can now visit this Alpine nation renowned for its culture and food. Testing required to enter unless fully vaccinated or proof of past infection. Quarantine depends on vaccination status and your departure point. US Embassy | Austria Entry Requirements. The Bahamas Off the coast of Florida, this large chain of islands is loved for its many beaches. Testing required, even for the fully vaccinated. No quarantine in place. US Embassy | Bahamas travel website | Bahamas Travel Health Visa. Bangladesh On offer: beaches, interesting architecture and cultural experiences. Testing and quarantine requirements are in place. US Embassy. Barbados This is the most easterly island in the Caribbean. Testing and quarantine requirements are in place. US Embassy | Visit Barbados website | Rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers | BIMSafe travel app Belgium UPDATE: Home to historic Bruges and busy Brussels, Belgium is open only if you're fully vaccinated. No pre-travel test needed. Testing and quarantine required upon arrival. US Embassy | Belgium Embassy | Belgium color codes for nations | Passenger Locator Form Belize English is spoken in this Central American nation filled with wildlife spotting opportunities and stunning barrier reefs. Testing required, even for the fully vaccinated. No quarantine. US Embassy | Belize Tourism Board. Bermuda This island in the mid-Atlantic is renowned for its pink beaches and British flair. Testing and quarantine requirements are in place, with stricter rules if you're not fully vaccinated. US Embassy | Bermuda Tourism Authority | Specific instructions for immunized travelers. Bolivia This landlocked South American country offers surreal landscapes from Andean to jungle. Testing and quarantine requirements in place. US Embassy. Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina features cosmopolitan Sarajevo and gorgeous lakes. Testing required with exemptions for fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid. No quarantine in place. US Embassy | Bosnia Border Police Botswana This southern African nation is famed for its wildlife in the Okavango Delta and elsewhere. Testing required; quarantine is not. US Embassy. Brazil South America's largest country has the lure of Rio's festive atmosphere and the Amazon River's mystique. Testing required; quarantines are not. US Embassy | Health declaration. British Virgin Islands UPDATE: This pretty island group lies just to the east of the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. Testing required. Quarantine in place with exemption for the fully vaccinated. US Embassy | BVI government website | BVI Gateway website. Canada Canada has opened up to US leisure travelers. You must be fully vaccinated to enter. Testing still required. US Embassy | Canada Services Border Agency. Colombia Colombia offers Medellin, "the city of eternal spring," and lush landscapes throughout. No testing or quarantine required. US Embassy | Colombia's travel website. Costa Rica Costa Rica's rich wildlife and beautiful landscapes draw visitors. No testing or quarantines are required. US Embassy | Visit Costa Rica website | Health pass form. Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Cote d'Ivoire is a popular destination for people wanting to enjoy West African culture and food. Testing required; quarantine encouraged but not required. US Embassy | Travel declaration and fee. Croatia Croatia, the jewel of the Adriatic, is once again open to US leisure travelers. Testing required to enter; exemptions for the fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 infection. No standard quarantine in place. US Embassy | Croatia official entry form. Cyprus Both parts of this politically divided Mediterranean island are open to US tourists. The Republic of Cyprus and the northern third of the island administered by Turkish Cypriots (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) each have their own rules of entry and testing. US Embassy in Nicosia | Visit Cyprus. Czech Republic Czech Republic -- home to enchanting Prague -- has reopened to US citizens. Testing required; quarantine is not. US Embassy | Czech Ministry of the Interior | Passenger Locator Form. Denmark Often at the top of "happiest countries" lists, Denmark accepts US travelers. Testing required; exemption for fully vaccinated. Quarantine is not required. Stricter rules for Greenland and Faroe Islands. US Embassy | Denmark tourist information. Dominica This rugged Eastern Caribbean island with deep valleys and 365 rivers has testing requirements. No quarantine for vaccinated visitors who are medically cleared. US Embassy | Discover Dominica | Online registration portal. Dominican Republic This Caribbean nation, popular for its resorts and beaches, doesn't require tests or quarantines. US Embassy | GoDominicanRepublic.com | Electronic entry and exit form. Dubai Scroll down to the United Arab Emirates entry below. Dutch Caribbean islands Find out the important details on these various Dutch islands in the Caribbean -- renowned for their hospitality and ocean life -- by clicking on the links: Aruba: Testing required. No quarantine. Aruba's official tourism site | embarkation and disembarkation card | Aruba Visitors Insurance. Bonaire (update): Testing required. No quarantine. US is labeled very high risk; read the requirements closely. Bonaire Crisis | Health declaration form. Curacao (update): Testing required. No quarantine. US is labeled very high risk; read the requirements closely. Traveling to Curacao | Curacao news bulletins | Passenger locator card. Saba: Known more for its rugged landscape and hiking than beaches, little Saba is open. Click on links for latest requirements. Saba Tourism | Saba EHAS application. Sint Maarten: An autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it shares an island with the French collectivity of Saint-Martin. Testing required. No quarantine. Sint Maarten | Health authorization application | Covid-19 health insurance. Get more US consulate information on all of these islands here. Ecuador This Andean country at the equator also owns the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific. Testing required; fully vaccinated exempted. Quarantine required in some circumstances. US Embassy. Egypt The Nile River nation has been attracting people to see its wonders since antiquity. Testing required; quarantine is not. US Embassy. Estonia UPDATE: This Baltic nation is open to Americans. Testing required; exemption for the fully vaccinated. Quarantine required if unvaccinated. US Embassy | Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Health form | Zone list. France UPDATE: Starting September 12, US leisure travelers may enter France only if fully vaccinated. US Embassy | French Ministry of Foreign Affairs French Polynesia UPDATE: French Polynesia is the idealized South Pacific destination. Testing required; quarantine is not if fully vaccinated. Islands of Tahiti | FAQ document | Online ETIS form. Georgia Georgia is a geographical and cultural crossroads at the Caucasus Mountains. Testing required unless you're fully vaccinated. No self-isolation for the unvaccinated under certain conditions. US Embassy | Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Germany UPDATE: Germany has labeled the US a high-risk nation and is open to only the fully vaccinated or those recovered from Covid-19. Testing and quarantine required. US Embassy | German Missions in the US Ghana This West African cultural jewel offers historical sites, delicious food and surfing. Testing required. No quarantine. US Embassy. Greece UPDATE: Greece, with its many ancient ruins and islands, is open to US travelers. Testing required; exception for the fully vaccinated or those recovered from Covid. No quarantine. US Embassy | Ministry of Tourism | Passenger locator form. Grenada This Caribbean island with lush rainforests is welcoming US visitors if fully vaccinated. Testing and quarantine requirements are in place. US Embassy | Grenada's Ministry of Health | Travel authorization application. Guatemala This Central American country offers historical sites and stunning volcano landscapes. Testing required; exceptions for the fully vaccinated or those fully recovered from Covid-19. No quarantine. US Embassy | Online health pass. Honduras Honduras has epic diving off Roatan Island and other locations. Testing required; fully vaccinated travelers are exempt. Conditional quarantine in some circumstances. US Embassy | Online precheck form. Iceland UPDATE: Geysers, glaciers, hot springs and waterfalls await in Iceland. You must be fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid to enter. Testing and quarantine requirements in place. US Embassy | Iceland travel registration. Ireland UPDATE: Leisure travel to Ireland is open if you're fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19. Testing and quarantine required. US Embassy | Irish government travel page | Passenger locator form. Italy UPDATE: Through October 25, US travelers can visit Italy if either fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19. Testing required. US Embassy | Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation | Italy's rules for Americans | Entry form | Digital passenger locator form. Jamaica Jamaica's music, laid-back vibe, beaches and food draw visitors. Testing and quarantine requirements are in place. US Embassy in Jamaica | Visit Jamaica website | Online travel authorization form. Jordan Home to the amazing ruins of Petra, Dead Sea coastline and the dazzling landscape of the Wadi Rum, Jordan is open to US vacationers. Testing required; quarantine is not. US Embassy | Declaration form. Kenya Kenya is a favorite African safari destination, but Nairobi's urban beat attracts tourists, too. Testing required; no quarantine. US Embassy | Health form | Trusted Travel initiative. Liechtenstein This tiny nation is open. Scroll to Switzerland below for details. Lithuania UPDATE: This Baltic nation is made for history buffs and is open, No testing or quarantine if you're fully vaccinated; otherwise, testing and self-isolaton required. US Embassy | Travel Lithuania | Ministry of Health | Travel questionnaire. Luxembourg US citizens can visit. Testing required to enter; exemptions for fully vaccinated or proof of Covid recovery. No quarantine in place. US Embassy. The Maldives These Indian Ocean islands are a favorite among luxury travelers. Testing is required, including for vaccinated travelers. No mandatory quarantine. US Embassy | Maldives' official tourism website. Malta These sun-soaked Mediterranean islands are open to only US citizens who are fully vaccinated. No testing or quarantine required. US Embassy | Public Health Travel Declaration and the Passenger Locator forms. Mexico The land border between the US and Mexico remains closed through at least September 21, but US travelers can still fly there. No testing or quarantine requirements are in place. The US State Department lists numerous states to avoid because of crime. US Embassy. Monaco US jet-setters can visit the Mediterranean city-state without a test if they are fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid. Otherwise, testing is required. Embassy of Monaco | Principaute de Monaco. Montenegro UPDATE: This Balkan nation is allowing US travelers. Testing required; exemptions if fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid. US Embassy | Institute of Public Health of Montenegro. Morocco This North African favorite is open to US travelers. Testing required; even the fully vaccinated are suggested to get one. No quarantines in place. US Embassy | Visit Morocco. Namibia US citizens can visit this southern African desert nation that appeals to adventure travelers. Testing required; quarantine is not. US Embassy. Nepal US travelers can visit the landlocked Himalayan nation. Testing required. Quarantine requirements in place, regardless of vaccination status. US Embassy. Netherlands UPDATE: Starting September 6, the Netherlands will accept only fully vaccinated US citizens. Testing and quarantine required. US Embassy | Government of Netherlands | Quarantine declaration. Nicaragua Home to historical sites such as Granada and tropical beaches, Nicaragua is open. Testing required; quarantines are not. US Embassy | Avianca Airlines. North Macedonia UPDATE: North Macedonia has a part-Balkan, part-Mediterranean feel. Testing required; exemptions for fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid. US Embassy | TAV Macedonia. Panama Wildlife, beaches, mountain towns and a canal are Panama's calling cards. Testing required; quarantine is not unless you're unvaccinated and arrived from certain high-risk countries, including the United States. US Embassy | Visit Panama | Online health affidavit. Peru Peru offers up Incan history, mind-blowing scenery and delicious food. Testing required; quarantine is conditional. US Embassy | Lima airport protocols | Affidavit of health. Poland UPDATE: US passport holders can now see Krakow and Poland's other wonders. No testing required, but quarantine is unless you're fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid. US Embassy | Polish Tourism Organisation. Portugal Portugal is currently open to US citizens. Testing is required; quarantine is a possibility. Azores and Madeira may have different requirements. US Embassy | Visit Portugal. Romania Romania offers mystique, wooded and mountainous landscapes and lots of history. No testing required. Quarantine in place with exceptions. US Embassy | Romanian Embassy. Rwanda Rwanda's green hills and mountains are home to rare gorillas. Testing and quarantine requirements are in place. US Embassy | Visit Rwanda | Passenger locator form. Russia US citizens can once again visit Russia. Testing required; quarantine is not. US Embassy | Covid form (PDF) Saudi Arabia This desert wonderland is now open. Testing required. Quarantine depends on vaccination status. US Embassy | Health disclaimer | Tawakkalna application form. Senegal Senegal, known for its West African beaches and music, welcomes US tourists. Testing is required; no quarantine in place. US Embassy | Passenger location form. Serbia Serbia is steeped in historical sites and dramatic Eastern European scenery. Testing is required but quarantines are not. US Embassy. Seychelles These picture-perfect Indian Ocean islands way off the east coast of Africa are open. Testing required; quarantine is not. US Embassy | Seychelles Travel Advisory Updates | Travel authorization Slovenia This European nation of gorgeous lakes is open only to the fully vaccinated or those recovered from Covid-19. No testing or quarantine required. US Embassy. South Africa With superb national parks, wineries and the allure of Cape Town, one of the most popular destinations in Africa is open. Testing is required; quarantine is not. Be aware some nations aren't allowing entry to tourists who have recently been to South Africa. US Embassy. South Korea From busy Seoul to relaxing Jeju Island, South Korea is open. Testing and quarantine requirements are in place. US Embassy | Self-diagnosis app Spain UPDATE: Spain is open to US travelers only if they're fully vaccinated. You must fill out a form and then generate a QR code to enter. US Embassy | Ministry of Health | Spain Travel Health portal | Spain travel FAQs St. Barts This French Caribbean island is open. Testing required. Fully vaccinated exempt from quarantine and further tests. St. Barts entry protocols St. Kitts and Nevis UPDATE: This Caribbean escape allows only fully vaccinated tourists to visit. Age exemptions for children 17 and younger traveling with vaccinated parents. Testing and quarantine required. US Embassy | St. Kitts Tourism | Travel authorization form. St. Lucia Home of the steep and towering Pitons, waterfalls and volcanic beaches, the independent Caribbean nation of St. Lucia is open. Testing required. Quarantine for nonvaccinated travelers outside Caribbean travel bubble. US Embassy | St. Lucia travel website. St. Vincent and the Grenadines The Caribbean nation is open. Testing required; no exemptions for the fully vaccinated. Quarantine requirements are in place. US Embassy | Covid-19 protocol documents | Official prearrival form. Switzerland UPDATE: The country's famed Alps are open to Americans. Testing required with exemptions for the fully vaccinated or those recovered from Covid-19. Quarantine for unvaccinated or not recovered from Covid. US Embassy | Swiss Travel Check | Federal Office of Public Health. Tanzania A favorite for big-game safaris, Indian Ocean beaches and Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania is open. Testing required; quarantine is not. US Embassy | Health surveillance form. Thailand US passport holders can visit this Southeast Asian destination famed for its temples, beautiful beaches and spicy cuisine. Testing and quarantine requirements are in place. US Embassy | Royal Thai Embassy | Certificate of entry. Tunisia Tunisia offers ancient ruins, desert scenery and sunny Mediterranean beaches. Testing required; no exemption for the fully vaccinated. Quarantine in place for the unvaccinated. US Embassy | Online questionnaire. Turkey From cosmopolitan Istanbul to rural coastal escapes, Turkey is open. Testing is required; quarantine is not. US Embassy | Form for entry. Turks and Caicos UPDATE: This British overseas territory northeast of Cuba and southeast of the Bahamas is known for coral reefs, ripsaw music and a low-key vibe. All visitors 16 and older must be fully vaccinated to enter. Testing required; quarantine is not. US Embassy | Visit Turks and Caicos | Travel authorization form. Uganda This lush nation in Central Africa offers gorilla trekking, Nile River rafting and beautiful lakes. Testing required; quarantine is not. US Embassy. United Arab Emirates The UAE, with its glittering towers and luxury resorts, has emerged as a major world destination in the 21st century. Testing required. Quarantine protocols depend on the emirate. US Embassy. United Kingdom UPDATE: Leisure travel to the UK is open. The United States was on the "amber list" as of September 4. Testing required. Quarantine in place for the unvaccinated. Rules may vary between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. US Embassy | UK government | Red, amber and green rules | Declaration form. Zambia Known for Victoria Falls and wildlife, Zambia is allowing visitors. Testing and quarantine requirements are in place. US Embassy. Recently removed from the open list The following countries had been allowing US citizens to enter but have closed again or were removed by CNN Travel for other reasons: -- Bulgaria. Latest rules make direct visits difficult. US Embassy. -- Cambodia: The US Embassy reports the Southeast Asian nation has stopped issuing tourist visas; you can still apply for business-linked visas. US Embassy. -- Chile: It has closed its borders to almost all tourists through at least September 30. US Embassy. -- Ethiopia: CNN Travel has removed because of ongoing warfare in parts of the country. US Embassy. -- Israel: Temporarily closed to individual tourists. US Embassy | Israel Ministry of Health | Entry form -- Latvia: New rules make direct visits difficult. US Embassy. -- Sri Lanka: CNN awaits further information before returning this nation to the "open" list. US Embassy. -- Sweden: US tourists can no longer visit for vacation. US Embassy | Swedish Police Authority. Omitted countries This is a curated list and not a full listing. CNN Travel has omitted certain open countries if they had very limited numbers of US travelers before the pandemic; have ongoing or recent armed conflicts, terrorism or rampant crime and unrest; or have entry requirements so extensive and complicated that they put the country out of reach of almost all US citizens. However, you can click here to check for the status and entry requirements of any country or territory in the world you wish to visit. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. KIRKLAND, N.Y. A Utica woman who works at the Lutheran Home in Kirkland is accused of stealing jewelry from one of the elderly residents at the nursing home. According to Oneida County Sheriffs Office, the theft was reported on Aug. 18. Following an investigation, 22-year-old Mirella Perez-Rodriguez was arrested Friday, Sept. 10, and charged with third-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, both felonies. The charge of grand larceny in the third degree means the stolen property is worth $3,000 or more. She is being held at the Oneida County jail pending arraignment. The Kirkland Police Department assisted the sheriffs office with the investigation. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Indiana Republicans will show next week just how far theyll go in pushing their political control over redrawing the states congressional districts. The big question is whether they will focus on shoring up the suburban Indianapolis district that U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz narrowly kept in Republican hands last year to maintain their 7-2 control of Indianas U.S. House delegation. A more aggressive approach could see them try to carve up the northwestern Indiana district now held by U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan with the aim of ending Democrats decadeslong dominance there and gaining another GOP seat as Republicans look to regain U.S. House control in the 2022 midterm elections. Republicans have commanding majorities in both the Indiana House and Senate, giving them full control of the once-a-decade redistricting process under which new congressional and legislative districts are decided based on 2020 census data. They are slated to release on Tuesday proposed congressional and Indiana House maps drawn behind closed doors, with a timeline for final approval in about three weeks. Democrats and voting-right activists criticize that fast-tracked process as giving the public little time to study and comment on the new maps and question the move by legislative Republicans to hire a high-priced legal consultant from Washington. Indiana is keeping its nine U.S. House seats, while Illinois, Michigan and Ohio are all losing a seat starting with next years election. But there will be plenty of reshuffling of Indianas district maps as more than half of the states 92 counties lost residents over the past decade, and Indianapolis and its surrounding counties saw about three-quarters of Indianas population growth. Those shifts mean Spartzs district must shed about 51,000 people while Democratic Rep. Andre Carsons Indianapolis district has 33,000 people too many. On the other end of the equation, the southwestern Indiana district of Republican Rep. Larry Bucshon needs to pick up 39,000 people and GOP Rep. Greg Pences eastern Indiana district is 30,000 people short. A possible scenario is shifting the northern tier of Marion County from Spartzs district to Carson to boost her reelection prospects as Democratic candidate Christina Hale won 63% of that areas vote in last years election. Spartz, however, received 55% of the vote in the rest of the district that includes fast-growing Hamilton County to win the election by an overall 50%-46% margin over Hale. There are plenty of Republican-friendly voters to spare as Indianas other six GOP House members all won their 2020 elections with at least 61% of the vote. I think that the bulk of the city of Indianapolis population is going to likely be in one district, said Carol Rogers, who analyzes census data as co-director of Indiana Universitys Indiana Business Research Center. So, the surrounding counties could wind up being carved up among two or three or maybe even four congressional districts. State Republicans have given little sign of their redistricting inclinations other than saying that they will follow federal law, along with aiming to keep the new districts compact while avoiding splitting communities between districts. Republican map drawers would likely have to split up cities along and near Indianas Lake Michigan shoreline if they wanted to soften up the longtime Democratic hold on the 1st District for a possible GOP capture. Republicans havent mounted a serious challenge for the seat in decades, but with Mrvan having just won his first term in 2020 now might be their chance. National Republicans would certainly like an opportunity to gain an Indiana seat although such a move could weaken the GOP's strength in other districts, said Mike Murphy, a former Republican state lawmaker and Marion County GOP chairman. I would advise against it because there is a distinct temptation in politics when you get the power to get too greedy, Murphy said. Democrats and voting-rights activists have protested the move by Indiana House Republicans to hire Washington-based attorney Jason Torchinsky as a $1,300-an-hour legal adviser on the redistricting process. They point to his work defending Republican-drawn maps in other states and with GOP-oriented redistricting advocacy groups such as the National Republican Redistricting Trust and the Fair Lines America Foundation. Common Cause Indiana executive director Julia Vaughn criticized Torchinskys work as more political than legal to assist with partisan gerrymandering. Republican state Rep. Tim Wesco of Osceola, chairman of the House elections committee, defended the hiring as a necessary protection. Federal law is extremely complex, and we have to be very careful on how we go through that process and make sure that we do it right and do it legally, Wesco said. Legislative Republicans held nine public redistricting hearings around the state last month without any proposed maps for review. The only hearings planned with the maps in hand will start the day after they are released on Tuesday and will only be held on weekdays at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. Vaughn and other activists have unsuccessfully pushed for more hearings outside Indianapolis, arguing for more than the bare minimum required by law. People can see, they can feel their democracy slipping away, Vaughn said. They are looking for you to save it. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) High school students will strike from school and march through town as part of a rally to confront the climate crisis. The rally is slated to begin at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 24. The march will start at West Lafayette Jr./Sr. High School and end at the John T. Meyers Pedestrian Bridge. That's where State Sen. Ron Alting will announce a bill proposing a statewide climate task force. Alting has worked with the students for months to craft the bill. Sophomore Rahul Durai says the task force would bring to the table experts from a variety of industries and backgrounds. "Starting a conversation and getting a group of people to work together is one of the vital steps that we're trying to focus on going into the next legislative session," Durai says. The coalition of students and community members has hosted similar rallies in the past. The group was a driving force in the City of West Lafayette's climate emergency resolution. Senior Lily Shen says her peers wanted to take action when lawmakers wouldn't. "We're really putting in so much time and effort into this that we honestly shouldn't have to be putting in but we feel like our legislators are not doing what they should be doing on this issue and that we have to step up and do something about it," Shen says. At the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, a W&M alumna shares stories of courage and compassion Honoring heroes: Jennifer Joyce 11 stands in front of the firetruck belonging to FDNY Ladder Company 3. All 11 company firefighters responding to the North Tower fire perished when the building collapsed. Photo by Bob Handleman Photo - of - Hide Caption The following story originally appeared as an online exclusive for the W&M Alumni Magazine. - Ed. On the morning of September 11, 2001, Jennifer Joyce 11 was sitting in a middle school classroom in Chesterfield County, Virginia, unaware of the world-shattering events taking place in New York City, Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. When she got out of class, she heard fellow students in the hallway talking about a plane hitting the World Trade Center. But it wasnt until she got home and saw the look on her mothers face that she grasped the enormity of the situation. It took me a little while to process it, says Joyce, manager of interpretive programs at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. About a week later, I remember thinking, I wonder how well learn about this in 20 years? And now, here I am. Trained as a public historian, Joyce works with a team of docents and tour guides who interact directly with visitors, relating the events of 9/11 and providing broader historical context. Approximately 70 million people have visited the site since it opened a decade ago. People come here from all over the world, Joyce says. Youll hear 9/11 stories from anyone who was old enough it doesnt matter where they were. So the universal nature of the event is compelling and powerful. Actionable Stories Located at ground zero in lower Manhattan, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum honors the 2,977 people who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001 including 441 first responders as well as the six people killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Their names are inscribed around two outdoor reflecting pools formed in the footprints of the twin towers. As Joyce explains, the 110,000-square-foot indoor museum is built into bedrock so that the original steel column bases and concrete footings of the World Trade Center can be on public display. Along with a concrete slurry wall built to keep out Hudson River floodwaters and a portion of staircase used by people fleeing the towers, these surviving artifacts are considered archaeological assets and are federally protected. Within the museum, Joyce finds the 36-foot-high Last Column to be among the most moving of the artifacts displayed. Its removal from ground zero on May 30, 2002, marked the end of the rescue and recovery effort. Its covered with tributes and mementos that the recovery workers left there, she explains. It was a memorial that people made because they needed one. For me, its a reminder of how many people stepped up afterwards. There were thousands of recovery workers, and even more people supporting them, making sure they were getting fed and cared for. The huge steel column symbolizes a major theme that Joyce and her colleagues emphasize to visitors: the compassion and courage displayed by ordinary people in the face of terror. Theres a story I used to tell on my tours about two men, Pablo Ortiz and Frank De Martini, who died on 9/11, she says. Before the towers collapsed, instead of leaving the building, they decided to do a sweep of the floor they were on. They broke through jammed doors, and they managed to get an elevator open where people were trapped. The two men and several of their co-workers saved nearly 50 lives. There are so many stories like that, and I think those are perhaps the most important because theyre actionable, Joyce says.Its harder to put myself in the mindset of one of the police officers or firefighters who rushed in that day but someone who just went to work to sit at their computer, thats a much easier connection to make. What would I do in that situation? Reaching the Public Growing up in an area steeped in Civil War history, Joyce says, Ive always been attracted to more difficult history, history that people are still arguing about. She found William & Mary to be a perfect fit for pursuing a career in the field. I originally thought I was going to get a Ph.D. and teach history I was never going to leave the ivory tower. Then, in her senior year, she took a course in public history with Susan Kern Ph.D. 05, executive director of the Historic Campus. As part of her coursework, she interned in Colonial Williamsburgs film department, helping to develop CWs electronic field trips for schoolchildren. She also witnessed visitors engaged in misguided arguments with interpreters playing the roles of the nations founders, like Thomas Jefferson. Joyce realized she wanted to reach people more directly as a historian. It was a twofold realization: one, that people were misunderstanding history, and that made me very angry. And two, if you wanted to counteract that, the way to do it was probably not in an academic paper, although thats certainly important. For me, it seemed more effective to go where the general public is. After graduating from William & Mary, Joyce went on to earn a masters degree in public history at New York University. Finding herself in the right place at the right time, Joyce was offered a position at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in 2013 and began working at the museum portion of the site when it opened in 2014. Among her proudest achievements is developing training for interpreters on how to deal with difficult visitor interactions, which had become more frequent around the time of the 2016 election. Joyce challenged the interpreters to examine their own preconceptions in order to become more effective educators. This is something that we talked about in training. What is the difference between genuine ignorance and aggravation or malice? What can we do to make sure that were not contributing to this interaction? The curriculum Joyce developed is now an integral part of interpreter training. Im pleased to say its been very successful. 'An Amazing Moment' In her current position, Joyce manages all of the volunteer docents, who are stationed at positions around the site to provide further detail to visitors, complementing the work of the tour guides. Many of the docents are 9/11 stakeholders, who had direct experience of the event. Understandably, there are other stakeholders who have been reluctant to visit the site. For some, they dont want to go back because it was so traumatic. For others, there was a very real fear that the museum would not do the story justice, Joyce says. So its always very special when someone tells me, I wasnt ready before, but Im here now. Im so glad that I came. Joyce vividly recalls one particular interaction with a stakeholder. I had just wrapped up a tour and was answering questions. One of the gentlemen on my tour, who hadnt spoken previously, said, I was here at the twin towers. And he told me his story, Joyce says. Once he got out of the towers, the man starting walking north toward his home outside the city. By the time he got to Harlem, his shoes were falling apart. A stranger stopped him on the street, took off his shoes and gave them to him. And then this man called a friend who had a car and said, Were going to get you where you need to go. It was an amazing moment. Honoring History Being immersed in the retelling of the 9/11 story on a day-to-day basis is not an easy undertaking. Focusing on the facts, the concrete information, can help, Joyce says. But it sneaks up on you when you dont expect it for example, when someone on your tour looks emotional. We spend a lot of time as an institution talking about self-care and the importance of stepping back from time to time. And then of course theres the mission that feeling that youre doing something important in honoring these lives and telling these stories, she says. Its been a privilege to interact with the men and women who were part of the event, and those who werent and who want to learn about what happened here. Alumni Tribute In her work at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Joyce always finds it particularly rewarding when she encounters fellow members of the Tribe. When the site turned to virtual programming during the COVID-19 pandemic, Joyce saw an opportunity to continue engaging alumni. She reached out to the W&M Alumni Association, which sponsored two virtual tours this past fall. Joyce led the Memorial Plaza tour. William & Mary is where I discovered public history, and to be able to come full circle and present to alumni was really special, she says. The greatest honor for Joyce was being invited to speak a few words about the seven W&M alumni who perished on 9/11. Their names are inscribed at the memorial in permanent remembrance: W&M community remembers, reflects on 20-year anniversary of 9/11 attacks Day of Remembrance: Twin beams of light reach into the sky to represent the World Trade Center's Twin Towers. This photo was taken by David Brashear, director of W&M's Muscarelle Museum of Art, who has regularly attended anniversary commemorations of the 9/11 attacks in New York. Photo by David Brashear 9/11 Memorial: A forest of swamp white oak trees surrounds the two square reflecting pools where the Twin Towers stood at 9/11 Memorial site in Lower Manhattan. Photo by David Brashear Photo - of - Hide Caption When James Lynch 20 agreed to have a conversation about that horrific day, he knew exactly where he wanted to have it. Its difficult for him to talk about the day his father died, but its important for him to share the heroism Robert Henry Lynch, Jr. showed on Sept. 11, 2001, and its important to keep the memory of his father alive. So he willingly answered questions over the phone, recounting memories of an event that no one should ever have to endure. Early in the conversation, he was asked how often he visits the 9/11 Memorial in New York City, where the names of those who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are inscribed on bronze parapets around memorial pools. His father, a property manager at the World Trade Center, was killed that day. He is honored as a first responder for helping people escape the buildings. Im sitting there right now with one of my friends, said Lynch, who took the train from his Cranford, New Jersey home to the memorial to look at his fathers name as he talked about that day. Its sad to be here, but it reminds me of all the beauty that came out of it and bringing everyone together. Saturday is the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States, and William & Mary will mark the occasion with commemorations to honor those whose lives were lost or affected. William & Mary News asked members of the university community to reflect on that fateful day. A father, a lifesaver Robert Lynchs official title at the WTC was vertical transportation contract administrator. Its a fancy word for elevators, James said. Robert was helping evacuate people from the World Trade Centers South Tower when it collapsed. He was one of 2,977 people who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks that day at the WTC in Lower Manhattan, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and on United Airlines Flight 93, a hijacked airliner that passengers helped bring down in Pennsylvania to prevent it from hitting another target. My dad is remembered and honored as a first responder because he wasnt actually in the buildings when the first plane hit, James said. He was actually in the courtyard outside, but he went back into the building to do what he could, helping people get out of the building safely. James, one of five siblings, was three years old that day. He has no memories of Sept. 11, but he has heard plenty of stories from family and friends about his fathers actions that helped save lives. We have one survivors personal account, which is my dad went back in, went up to the elevators and started getting them to manually lower because once the plane hit the building, the elevators stopped, James said. He was trying to get them manually down to the lower floors so people stuck inside would be able to go down the stairs or out the front doors. James has precious few personal memories of his father, but family members have helped him better understand the kind of man he was. Anniversaries of the horrific day have been understandably difficult for him and his family. It was particularly hard when James first came to W&M and nobody knew about his grief. But over time, he made the best friendships of his life at the university and felt comfortable sharing with friends and teachers. In fact, Tamara Johnson, adjunct instructor of theatre, messages him every year around Sept. 11 to see how hes doing. That support means the world to me, for sure, James said. Words to unify the country The dark clouds of smoke that once over-shadowed the skyline of your great city have dispersed and the American flag that was raised above the rubble of what was once the World Trade Centers shines brighter than ever before. Those words, written by Jennifer Page Wall, were part of a message sent by the speaker of the House of Representatives to the people of New York City after 9/11. That message, along with another sent to the Pentagon, accompanied the U.S. flags that flew over the Capitol on that fateful day. As a communications manager for the speaker at the time, it was Walls job to help craft the messages intended to unify the country. She assisted in preparations for President George W. Bushs State of the Union address on Sept. 20, 2001. She was in the House chamber that night when Bush said, My fellow citizens, for the last nine days the entire world has seen for itself the state of our union, and it is strong. Just being in the center of it all, being a part of history and shaping that history, helping to shape that messaging, helping to shape all of the communications and also to do everything you can to help move our country into a better place was and continues to be very important to me, said Wall, who later served as Press Secretary for the Select Committee on Homeland Security and is now executive director of strategic communications at W&M. Wall said every Sept. 11 anniversary reminds her of the fear she felt that day and how fortunate she is to be alive. Wall was at the U.S. Capitol when the second plane hit the World Trade Center. A short time later, she sat in an emergency meeting in a conference room overlooking the National Mall when one of the speakers security details motioned vigorously toward the windows. A large plume of black smoke rose above the city when another plane hit the Pentagon. The sergeant at arms of the House of Representatives said, We think a plane may be coming our way to the U.S. Capitol. You need to get out now. We knew that this very well could be the end of us, said Wall, who quickly retreated with some co-workers to her home three blocks from the Capitol. As Wall sheltered in her home, a plane heading toward Washington was overtaken by passengers and brought down in a field in Pennsylvania. You were just on constant alert not knowing what was next and whether or not that was going to be your last day, Wall said. And then obviously watching everything unfold and seeing everybody who lost their lives, that was completely devastating. And hearing about the crash in Pennsylvania and knowing that those people risked their lives for your life. You cant put words on that. A harrowing time David Brashear, director of W&Ms Muscarelle Museum of Art, has a passion for architecture, and he has a special admiration for Michael Arad, who designed the 9/11 Memorial in Manhattan. I think Arads memorial is so moving that any time youre there, it really just projects this monumentality thats so appropriate for what happened, Brashear said. Its a very somber place. Arad spoke at the Muscarelle via Zoom in April, and some of his original drawings and a model of the memorial will be on display for a 9/11 exhibition at the Muscarelle called Forever Marked By The Day, that starts on Friday, Sept. 10. Brashear said the exhibit is for reflection and remembrance, something he does often about that day. He has a very personal connection to 9/11. Brashears father, James, worked at the Pentagon as an IT consultant and was in the building when it was struck by the plane. He was unharmed in the attack, but it was a harrowing few hours for his family as they frantically tried to locate him. David worked in Arlington at the time, and as soon as he learned a plane struck the Pentagon, he jumped in his car and headed that way. His drive didnt last long, as every major road leading to and from Washington was closed. All of the bridges coming out of the city were filled with pedestrians walking out of the city into Virginia, he said. David parked his car and started walking, first on a pathway along the Potomac River and then on the rivers edge itself. At one point, someone yelled out, Another plane is coming. I thought to myself, You know what, if another plane comes, Im just jumping in the river and whatever happens happens, Brashear said. Brashear reached the Pentagon, but he couldnt find his father, and he couldnt reach him by phone. He immediately drove to his home in McLean, where his father was waiting safe and sound. He knew a lot of the people that died, said Brashear, who also lived in New York for a time and regularly attends and photographs 9/11 anniversary commemorations. It changed him. He is very emotional about that day. Entire world view Evan Kikla 21 moved from Bahrain to the United States in June of 2001. The son of Naval officers, Kikla was in school in Chevy Chase, Maryland, during the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. I was already pretty well acquainted with terrorism, said Kikla, whose school in Bahrain was guarded heavily by Marines in hallways carrying M-16 rifles. Kikla joined the Marine Corps himself in 2009 at the age of 17. The events of 9/11 were a big influence on that decision. I dont want to say its the specific reason I joined the Marine Corps, but it almost just created the environment, said Kikla, who is currently attending medical school at the University of Colorado. My personal experience of living around terrorism and being kind of near the (terrorist attacks on the) USS Cole and 9/11 and then seeing the terrorism follow me back to the States, it kind of just set the entire world view that I had that led me to the Marine Corps. After serving in the Marine Corps from 2009 to 2014, Kikla became a wildland fire fighter out West and then earned his biology degree at William & Mary. He was recently commissioned in the Navy after accepting a Navy Health Care scholarship for medical school. Upon completion of his medical degree, Kikla will return to the Navy as a physician. Even though he was young, Kikla still remembers many details of 9/11 very vividly. Kikla recalls school letting out early on 9/11 and his uncle picking him up. His mom couldnt get there in time. She was working at the Naval Annex, located near the Pentagon. The plane actually flew right over her building, Kikla said. After the attacks, Kikla said he remembers the fighter jets guarding the airspace over Washington and nearby Maryland and Virginia. You could see the missiles on those things, he said. It wasnt routine ops, either. Kikla said he recalls sitting with his mom and watching Bushs State of the Union address. The same State of the Union address Wall helped plan. That moment, party was all put aside, said Wall, who sat in the back of the House chamber that night facing President Bush. We were all in that moment, and it was about what was best for this nation. Hearing that address was very moving, and it was in many ways meant to unite us, and on every anniversary, I think back on those moments. Consequences of the attacks For William & Mary students like Meghana Boojala 22, the details of 9/11 were learned through family accounts, in the classroom and from the video footage and images from the horrific day. Boojala, W&Ms Student Assembly president, hadnt yet turned 2 when the attacks occurred, and her mother was eight months pregnant with her brother. The daughter of immigrants, Boojala says, It was a complicated time for race, as well, in the country. While my mom took the terrorist attack on America as an attack on her home, her doctor advised her to be wary of entering the hospital for pregnancy check-ups due to the rise in hate crimes against people with the color of her skin. While Boojala has no remembrance of 9/11, she has surely felt the consequences of the terrorist attacks. America was at war in Afghanistan for most of her life. Recently, the United States ended its 20-year occupation in the country that began shortly after 9/11. I grew up thinking that our country was vulnerable, Boojala said. The tragedy occurred right before I turned 2, and in the years that I spent learning how to read and write, the United States drastically changed its foreign policy and made the decision to raise my generation in a state of war. I grew up fearing new terrorist groups and terrorist attacks. To this day, I still remember learning about ISIS with fear in my eighth grade history class. The country was unified in many ways by the collective patriotism that resulted from the attacks. We were taught to put fear aside and embrace patriotism and bravery whenever our world seemed to be under attack, she said. As time progressed, however, and I learned more about American military action in the Middle East, my sense of patriotism was joined by skepticism of our governments effectiveness. I have only lived in a world that encompassed the repercussions of 9/11, and as a voting citizen, I feel a collective responsibility for the ongoing tragedy in Afghanistan. Boojalas father immigrated to the U.S. in the 90s to get his masters in New York. On return trips to Manhattan, she says her fathers eyes automatically scan the sky to the place where the towers once stood. Anytime we talk about 9/11, though, it is a conversation filled with unwavering patriotism pain for those who lost their lives and gratitude for the first responders who risked theirs, Boojala said. When Lt. Col. Green returned to his post at Camp Grant following his expedition into the White Mountain area he filed a report to his superiors in California on Aug. 20, 1869. In that report he included his recommendation that a reservation be created for the Apache Bands living in the area The father of a man born in mid-Michigan who lost his life attempting to stop terrorists on 9/11 from taking over their plane before crashing into a Pennsylvania field is remembering what his son and other passengers did to save countless lives. Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the 13th BRICS summit via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 9, 2021. Xi delivered an important speech at the summit. [Xinhua/Huang Jingwen] BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on BRICS countries to promote global solidarity against COVID-19, uphold true multilateralism and enhance economic cooperation for mutual benefits. Addressing the 13th BRICS summit via video link in Beijing, Xi said BRICS should stay resolved, strengthen unity and further enhance the quality of practical cooperation. The virtual summit of the emerging-market bloc that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa was convened as the COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc around the world, the road to global economic recovery remains bumpy and tortuous, and the international order is going through profound and complex changes. "Facing these challenges, we the BRICS countries must step forward to make an active contribution to world peace and development and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind," Xi said. Global Solidarity Against Pandemic In order to enhance global cooperation on vaccines and realize the equitable access of vaccines for all, Xi announced at the summit that on top of the 100 million U.S. dollars donation to COVAX, China will donate an additional 100 million doses of vaccines to fellow developing countries within this year. To date, China has provided more than one billion doses of finished and bulk vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations, and will strive to provide a total of two billion doses by the end of this year. Speaking highly of China's efforts in combating COVID-19 pandemic, B.R. Deepak, professor and sinologist at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, said China has effectively controlled the pandemic by adopting swift measures, and at the same time, it also offered its assistance not only to the BRICS countries but various other nations in the world. At the summit, Xi also called on BRICS countries to support each other's COVID response, share relevant information and COVID control experience, and uphold a science-based approach to tracing the origins of the virus, and oppose politicization and stigmatization. Ruan Zongze, executive vice president of the China Institute of International Studies, said China's proposal for enhancing BRICS cooperation on fighting COVID-19 will help build the global immunity barrier as BRICS covers a vast region with a huge population. Closer BRICS cooperation on vaccines also marked another concrete step China has taken to fulfill its pledge to make the vaccines a global public good, promote equitable distribution and boost global anti-epidemic efforts, Ruan added. Championing Multilateralism "We need to promote the practice of true multilateralism, adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law," Xi said, calling on BRICS countries to make good use of BRICS mechanisms such as the meeting of foreign ministers and the meeting of high representatives for security, better coordinate their position on major international and regional issues, and send out an even bigger, collective voice of BRICS countries. Wang Lei, director of the Center for BRICS Cooperation Studies at Beijing Normal University, said Xi's remarks serve as a reminder for the BRICS countries to enhance coordination on international and regional issues, take an active part in the global governance and propose BRICS solutions for many global challenges. Deepak said that notwithstanding the challenges it has faced internally and externally, BRICS has achieved remarkable development to grow as a major economic bloc contributing tremendously to global economic governance, and has emerged as a fine example of multilateralism especially with the establishment of mechanisms like BRICS University League and BRICS New Development Bank. The above mentioned achievements have resulted from multilateral cooperation, and has contributed to improving the global governance, he said. Closer Cooperation for Win-Win "We need to promote openness and innovation-driven growth to facilitate a steady global recovery," Xi said, adding that BRICS members should strengthen economic cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefits, earnestly implement the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2025, and expand cooperation in such areas as trade and investment, technology and innovation, and green and low-carbon development. BRICS represents more than 26 percent of the world's landmass, 42 percent of the global population and over 20 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), which puts it in a good position to play a vital role in dealing with this changing world. Somododa Fikeni, a political analyst from South Africa, said the world expects BRICS to contribute significantly to the global economic recovery amid the lingering pandemic. In order to further enhance practical cooperation among BRICS members, Xi announced China welcomes the substantive progress made in expanding the membership of the BRICS New Development Bank, and proposed to hold a forum on the development of industrial Internet and digital manufacturing, a BRICS high-level meeting on climate change and a BRICS forum on big data for sustainable development, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges in the spirit of mutual learning, including opening an online training course for media professionals of the five countries in the future. Deepak said the expanding of the institutional mechanism such as the BRICS New Development Bank, which has approved about 80 projects in all of its members since its operations, demonstrates that the economic cooperation among BRICS countries will grow and the world looks forward to a bigger role of the bank in supporting the development of its members and in global economic and financial affairs. China will take over as the chair of BRICS and host the 14th BRICS summit next year. China looks forward to working with BRICS partners to deepen cooperation in all areas and build a closer and more results-oriented partnership to meet common challenges and create a better future, Xi said. Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the 13th BRICS summit via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 9, 2021. Xi delivered an important speech at the summit. [Xinhua/Yin Bogu] Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the 13th BRICS summit via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 9, 2021. Xi delivered an important speech at the summit. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the summit as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over it. [Xinhua/Yue Yuewei] (Source: Xinhua) A woman with Alzheimer's reported missing in Hopkins County has been found, troopers say First Afghan nationals who fled the country after Taliban seized power have arrived in Wales The first Afghan nationals who have fled their country after the Taliban seized power have arrived in Wales. 50 families, comprising of around 230 people are now resettling across Wales, many of them have supported UK armed forces in Afghanistan. Under the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme (ACRS) the UK will provide protection for people at risk identified as in need. Those include in the resettlement scheme have contributed to civil society or who face a particular risk from the Taliban because of their role in standing up for democracy and human rights, or because of their gender, sexuality or religion. The UK government has committed to welcome around 5,000 people in the first year and up to 20,000 over the coming years. The majority of those who have arrived have directly supported Wales-based and Wales-facing Armed Forces units in Afghanistan over the last 20 years. Earlier this year Wrexham Council announced it would support the resettlement programme and agreed to coordinate support for up to 10 families in the county borough. A Team Wales approach has ensured that collaborative multi-agency working has been delivered at pace to ensure Wales can truly embody our Nation of Sanctuary vision, the Welsh government has said. This has involved the Welsh Government, Welsh Local Authorities, Urdd Gobaith Cymru, the Ministry of Defence, refugee support organisations and local Welsh Afghans themselves. A collaborative national approach will continue in the coming weeks to ensure additional families can be brought safely to Wales and integrate effectively with our communities. Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt said: Today, we welcome the families and individuals that have served our country in Afghanistan. We have made clear our pledge of Wales being a Nation of Sanctuary and were committed to do all that is possible to ensure Afghan interpreters, refugees and their families are welcomed. Wales is a Nation of Sanctuary we will do all we can to provide a warm welcome in the short-term and our communities will, no doubt, be enriched by their skills and experiences in the very near future. All local authorities in Wales are participating in these schemes and have offered their support and assistance to the Afghan citizens who are being resettled in the UK. I want to thank all of our partners in this collaborative Nation of Sanctuary approach to coordinate this significant undertaking. I also want to place on record my particular thanks to Urdd Gobaith Cymru for having the humanitarian vision to ensure we can provide a distinctly Welsh welcome for our new Afghan friends. Chief Executive of the Urdd, Sian Lewis said: This has been a huge team Wales effort across all sectors, and we are grateful to our partners for enabling us to open our doors as a refuge to families seeking shelter and safety. As an organisation, we are proud to help and continue to share with our members the importance of loyalty to country and culture but also to humanity and a higher good. We have a moral obligation as a national youth organisation to support humanitarian projects and offer a hand of friendship and support to the Afghan community in their time of need. Colonel Sion Walker, Deputy Commander 160th (Welsh) Brigade said: 160th (Welsh) Brigade and its Joint Military Command (Wales) is structured to support Welsh Government and all local authorities when dealing with major situations as we have done throughout the COVID pandemic. By supporting all those agencies involved in by cohering and refining the Wales plan, it has enabled them to focus on their key areas of responsibility and enabled the Wales plan to be pulled together in little over a week. There are direct historical links with Wales based and Wales facing units and members of many of those families coming to Wales. They will have worked alongside each other during very difficult times in Afghanistan; our involvement is recognition of the support given and comradeships developed during those times and we are proud to have played a part in making Wales a nation of sanctuary. [Photo: MOD] Rossett Roman villa dig makes progress with coin discovered from around AD 337 as archaeologists hunt for bathhouse A cooperative effort between Wrexham and Chester is revealing the secrets of the past that have remained undiscovered for well over a millennium. The working partnership between Wrexham Museum and the University of Chester (UoC) sees an active dig taking place in a field in the Rossett area that appears to be confirming the existence of a Roman villa, with speculation of a bathhouse and fine Roman tableware being discovered meaning it could have had a high status resident. The site was discovered through the cooperation of local metal detectorists who discovered Roman material at the site, this sparked a remote sensing survey which revealed clear evidence of a buried structure. The remains appear to be of a fairly typical form with a number of stone and tile buildings surrounding a central courtyard, the survey also suggested its association with a field system, a trackway and other related buildings and structures. Fieldwalking at the site has yielded artefacts from the late 1st century to the early 4th century AD, suggesting that the villa was occupied for the majority of Roman rule in Britain. At this early stage it appears a corridor style villa is thought to be what has been uncovered so far around 30 metres long, with a possible courtyard. There is some speculation over if there is an eastern range of buildings on the site, or if there is a granary or workers quarters elsewhere in the field with two possible rooms. A trackway is thought to be heading south away from the site, and could be a target for future excavation work. Speaking yesterday during a third day of baking heat at the dig site Steve Grenter Heritage & Archives Lead at Wrexham Museum explained progress, We are in advance of where we expected to be, we did not expect the archaeology to be so close to the surface. The machine taking the topsoil off last week revealed the top of the wall that we can see. In other areas we think there will be much deeper deposits. Explaining the corridor layout Steve added, What we have here looks like a mirror image of the other end of the corridor and looks more preserved, and thats why we are investigating first. We have really been scratching our heads over the Roman period in northeast Wales over the years, there are a few sites that were aware of, but they all seem to have military connections. Weve had no real understanding of what was happening in the countryside really. So the possibility of a villa here suggesting there may well be more villas waiting around in the area. Dr Caroline Pudney, Senior Lecturer in Archaeology University of Chester detailed what had been found so far, We have got the outline of the villa itself, the walls, just as theyve been shown on the geophysics before. Thats fantastic in places theyve been robbed out. So it looks like people after the buildings presumably have collapsed, or its been demolished, theyve come in and taken the stone, be interesting to look at some of the farm houses locally, to see where it might have gone. And weve also inside the rooms, were getting some nice finds coming up. So bits of Roman pottery, some samian ware, imported from Gaul (France) and where theres some more locally made pottery in here in Britain. Dr Pudney explained the significance of a coin that had been found, Weve had also the coin from the house of Constantine, so that dates around AD 337 to AD 341. It tells us that this site was in use from the late first, early second century through into the fourth century, which at least lets us see that it might have been in use for quite a few years. Steve explained the goals of the dig, We have another two and a half weeks to go, with only a three week season this year. Were hoping by the end of that three weeks to have an understanding of the nature of the remains. Much more of a feel for what wall has been robbed out, what is a wall that is in situ? What was the state of preservation? Is that a bathhouse? Are there petitions inside the rooms? So overall getting much more of an idea and detail of the site than we currently have off the geophysics that gives you the outline of the site but doesnt really increase your understanding of the archaeology. That is the plan for this year and then use that as a springboard for subsequent seasons of work on the site. A public open day will be held on the 18th September and site tours will be organised for pre-booked groups. Note that the site is on private land and visits to the site will only be available via organised tours or pre booking onto the open day via the Eventbrite ticketing website as and when the link goes live. The Museum and the University are now planning a programme of work to further investigate the site over the next few years subject to funding and appropriate permissions. The work on the project to date has been funded by the Roman Research Trust and supported by Wrexham Museum and the University of Chester. Wales ready to implement covid booster vaccine rollout this autumn, says First Minister Wales is ready to rollout boosters of the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as UK government advisors give the go ahead, the First Minister confirmed today. The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advisory group is currently considering whether a third dose the vaccine should be rolled out to certain groups across the UK this autumn. In June the advisory body published interim guidance recommending that the booster campaign starts in September to reduce any further incidence of Covid-19 and maximise protection in those who are most vulnerable to serious infection, ahead of the winter months. It comes after new research found that protection from two doses of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines begins to wane within six to eight months. If given the green light by the JCVI it is expected that those with weakened immune systems will be offered a third dose as part of a targeted booster plan. At a Welsh Government press conference this afternoon First Minister Mark Drakeford said the NHS here in Wales will be ready to begin to implement it should the booster rollout be given the go ahead. Mr Drakeford said: We expect the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation to confirm the arrangements for the autumn booster campaign as emerging evidence from Israel shows that the effectiveness of vaccines may start to decrease after about eight months. That makes getting a booster job this autumn very important. Well be sending out the invitations, as soon as the announcement by the JCVI is made and our NHS has put itself in a position to make sure that it can start the program as soon as we get the go ahead. At the same time the four chief medical officers of the UK continue to discuss and take further expert evidence about whether the vaccine should be available to 12 to 18 year olds. Were expecting a decision about that next week and if the rollout is confirmed, the NHS here in Wales will be ready to begin to implement it. He also urged people to come forward for vaccination if they not yet done so, noting that many of those people hospitalised with the virus are under the age of 30 and who have not been vaccinated. 2,365,268 people across Wales have now received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, with 2,196,957 people now fully vaccinated. More recently the vaccination rollout has opened up to 16-17 year olds, 12-15-year-olds with specific underlying health conditions and children and young people aged 12 to 17 living with immunosuppressed adults. Mr Drakeford said: Our vaccination program continues to be one of the best in the world. Over 90 per cent of people have had their first dose of the vaccine and 74 per cent of the whole of the Welsh adult population have had two doses. Weve made really good progress in vaccinating 16 and 17 year olds, and more than two thirds of them have already had their first stops. These are really impressive figures, they are a real testament to the hard work of the thousands of people involved in the program. But there are still thousands of people who could be vaccinated who havent yet had the vaccine and therefore are even more at risk of catching coronavirus. We know many of those who are being admitted to our hospitals are people who have not been vaccinated and many of those are young people under the age of 30. It is never too late to be vaccinated in Wales. If you havent done so, please take this important step to protect yourself and your loved ones by getting vaccinated. You can book an appointment to be vaccinated in Wrexham and across North Wales on the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board website, here. An indefinite strike began on Thursday at state-owned hospitals in the German capital of Berlin. Following a three-day warning strike last week, between 98 and 99 percent of union members at Europes largest university hospital, the Charite, and those employed in subsidiaries for cleaning, kitchen services and transport by the Vivantes concern voted in favour of an indefinite strike. Demonstration by Charite and Vivantes strikers on 25 August 2021 The strike deserves the support and solidarity of the entire working population for two reasons. Firstly, the strike is directed against the consequences of years of austerity and staff cuts, which have increased stress at work to an unbearable level. Secondly, the strikers are opposing the destruction of the citys health care services, which are being cut to the bone in order to maximise profits. The health workers union Verdi expects up to 2,000 workers to take part in the strike. The unions negotiator, Meike Jager, said there had been a significant increase in the number of workers willing to walk out during the warning strikes held in during the past few days. According to estimates, 1,500 of the 9,000 beds manned by Charite and Vivantes will be put out of action by the strike. Verdi is negotiating a so-called relief contract agreement, which grants nursing staff binding compensation in the form of bonuses or time off for high workloads, such as those caused by understaffed shifts. At the same time, Verdi is calling for the salaries of employees of Vivantes subsidiaries to be brought into line with the contract agreement for public sector workers (TVOD). Currently, the 2,500 employees of the Vivantes subsidiaries receive several hundred euros less than those employed directly by the company who do the same work. However, the reasons for the industrial action lie much deeper. Nurses are carrying out vital work under inhuman working conditions and for miserable wages. The COVID-19 pandemic was the straw that broke the camels back. It is now clear that extreme workloads and low pay are to become the norm. Workers in the two state-owned hospital groups have related that they often work alone on a shift that would require two or three workers to provide good and safe care to patients. Even moderate estimates indicate there is a shortage of about 1,000 nurses at the state-owned clinics alone. Similar experiences are being made by countless workers in other sectors of the economy: train drivers and conductors on the railways, parcel delivery drivers, warehouse workers and increasingly workers in large factories. Their healthand in the pandemic, their livesare being sacrificed to ensure the flow of profits. Low wages, skyrocketing rents and rising prices are making life increasingly intolerable for masses of people. The Social Democratic Party (SPD), Left Party and Greens, which govern in a coalition in the Berlin Senate, are becoming increasingly nervous. On September 26, new elections will be held in Berlin for the Senate and for the federal parliament (Bundestag). These parties fear nothing more than an explosion of pent-up anger on the part of workers. That is why the leading candidates of these parties have claimed to support the strikersjust as they did at the rally on September 3but these are the very same parties and politicians who are responsible for the unbearable conditions and who are determined to make such conditions even worse after the election. The transformation of Berlins hospitals into two large corporations owned by the state but operating according to the profit principle, the constant reduction of staff and the low wages that drive many nurses out of the profession are all the responsibility of the SPD, which has governed Berlin for the past 20 years, together with its coalition partners: the Left Party and Greens. The system of flat-rate billing for hospital admissions, which serves as a lever for ever harsher austerity measures, was introduced at the beginning of the century by the SPD-Green coalition led by Gerhard Schroder. Matthias Kollatz most clearly embodies the utter hypocrisy of the governing parties. This SPD politician is both finance senator and chairman of the supervisory board of Vivantes. The trade union Verdi is playing a vile and dubious role in this dispute. An integral part of the network of personnel and politics connecting all three Senate parties, Verdi is trying to defuse the anger of strikers while at the same time doing everything it can to stifle the strike as quickly as possible. One can be sure that behind the scenes Verdi, the Senate and management are frantically seeking to divide the health workers and sell out the strike. Verdi negotiator Meike Jager announced Monday that she was ready for an enforced strike. It would be indefinite and would last until a result was achieved. At the same time, with an eye on the Senate and management, she promised that, despite the result of the strike ballot, the union was once again prepared to talk to the executives of the two hospital groups. Initially, Verdi only called out Charite nursing staff on strike Thursday, while it continued to negotiate with Vivantes on Wednesday, apparently without success. In a press release Wednesday afternoon, Meike Jager stressed, We say quite clearly: we want to reach an amicable solution through negotiations and are always ready to talk. What is currently on the table at Charite and Vivantes are moves in the right direction. Shortly before the strike began, the two hospital groups had presented what Charite personnel manager Carla Eysel called a detailed and attractive offer. This is not, however, the relief contract demanded by the strikers, which would compensate nurses for overtime and high workloads. Instead, it is a kind of fixed service agreement at the expense of patients. According to this agreement, certain treatments are to be postponed in the event of a lack of nurses. Nevertheless, Verdi negotiator Ivo Garbe described the offer as a great success that could be thrashed out with the employer when negotiations resumed. The parliamentary party leader of the SPD, Raed Saleh, had already promised last week that the adjustment of wages to the TVOD level at Vivantes subsidiaries would not fail to occur due to a lack of money. The SPD is evidently promising Vivantes fresh finances before the electiona promise the new Senate is under no obligation to abide by. The Berlin Senate, Verdi and the media will also try to put pressure on the strikers, citing the growing number of infected patients who are rapidly filling intensive care beds. On Tuesday, the seven-day rate in Berlin was 87.9, significantly higher than the previous day (82.5). Eighty COVID patients are currently receiving intensive care in hospitals. One week before, this figure stood at 50. Responsibility for this increase lies squarely on the criminal policy of the Senate, which, despite the urgent warnings of scientists, continues to encourage unhindered contagion by keeping the schools and other nonessential workplaces open. In this respect, it can also count on the support of Verdi. The striking clinic workers must not give in to this pressure. The struggle against intolerable working conditions coincides with the struggle for a health care system that serves the population and is committed to its protection and well-being, instead of providing massive payouts to a narrow layer of shareholders and hedge funds. To wage this struggle, independent action committees must be built, so the workers themselves, and not Verdi officials, direct the fight. Verdi has been sabotaging any serious resistance for years. One example is the Charite service company CFM, where it has been blocking the struggle against low wages for 15 years via ineffective protests and empty promises. New action committees must ensure that Verdi does not sign any agreement that does not meet the demands of the strikers. The committees must establish links with colleagues in other clinics and workplaces to organise a joint offensive, throughout the country and across national borders. The Socialist Equality Party, which is contesting the Berlin and federal elections with its own electoral lists, and its sister Socialist Equality Parties around the world, will support all workers in this struggle. The speech by President Joe Biden Thursday afternoon, laying out a six-point program to address the mounting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, was a declaration of his administrations determination to push ahead with the reopening of schools and forcing workers back to their jobs, regardless of the danger of infection and death. President Joe Biden speaks in the State Dining Room at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in Washington. Biden is announcing sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Biden gave the speech under conditions where the pandemic has taken a leap forward over the past two weeks that brings daily deaths perilously close to the highs reached last winter. As the ruling class program of full reopening of schools and businesses unfolds, the impact of the pandemic is likely to exceed even that harrowing toll. The US death toll for Thursday, September 9, almost certainly exceeded 2,000, a figure last reached in February. According to the Worldometers.info site, the total for the day had reached 1,929, with 10 states, including Michigan, Ohio, Missouri and Wisconsin, still to report, and with Florida reporting a suspiciously low nine deaths, despite averaging more than 100 deaths every day in August. Unlike the catastrophic winter spike in infections and deaths, which occurred before vaccinations had become widely available, the current explosion in the pandemic takes place at the point that nearly 75 percent of the US population 12 and over have been vaccinated. This was the focus of Bidens speech, in which he characterized the rising toll of infections and deaths as a pandemic of the unvaccinated, a phrase which has become a staple of his administrations propaganda. The purpose of this language is to focus on individuals who have failed to get vaccinated, or who refuse to do so, rather than targeting the institutions responsible for permitting the spread of pandemicabove all, the capitalist system itself. It is the profit requirements of the capitalist ruling class which have blocked the only rational strategy for combating the deadly pandemic, a full, society-wide lockdown, with full economic support for all families, to deprive the virus of the human hosts it requires to propagate, until mass vaccination and other public health measures can exterminate it. Scientists who participated in a forum last month organized by the Socialist Equality Party estimated that this could be accomplished in two months or less. As a statement of the SEP, published this week as a perspectives column in the WSWS, explained: Vaccination is a powerful tool. However, disconnected from a broader strategy aimed at rapidly reducing new infections to zero and thus eradicating COVID-19, vaccinations and other mitigations amount to nothing more than palliative care. Biden sought to accentuate the contrast between his preferred strategy, mitigation of the worst of effects of COVID-19, and the strategy of his opponents among the Republican governors, who oppose any mask or vaccination mandates in pursuit of a policy of herd immunity. Governors like Ron DeSantis in Florida and Greg Abbott in Texaswhom Biden singled out for criticism, without naming themoppose any restriction on the operation of schools or businesses (in the name of individual freedom). They are effectively demanding that the virus be given free rein to infect the entire population, after which the survivors of this holocaust would supposedly be immune. While the vast majority of the American population rejects this policy with revulsion, the mitigation strategy of Biden and the Democrats leads to the same destination, even if by a more circuitous route. This is demonstrated in his continued embrace of reopening schools and keeping them open regardless of the impact on the health and lives of children, teachers and their families. He declared, The third piece of my plan, and maybe the most important, is keeping our children safe and our schools open. Of course, these two are diametrically opposed. Children cannot be kept safe if they are sent back into schools without vaccinations being available to those under 12, the vast majority. Biden claimed, We know if schools follow the science and implement the safety measures like testing, masking, adequate ventilation systems that weve provided the money for, social distancing and vaccinations, then children can be safe from COVID-19. But the reality is that crumbling schools dont have adequate ventilation systems, overcrowded schools dont permit social distancing, testing is rudimentary, and masking alone (when it occurs) is not nearly enough to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. The president made this claim after a week in which 250,000 child coronavirus cases were reported, more than at any previous point in the pandemic, and a month in which 30,000 children were hospitalized, overwhelming the limited resources of pediatric hospitals, particularly in the Southern states. Despite Bidens notorious promise last February, to a small child in Wisconsin, that she was highly unlikely to contract the infection or bring it home to her parents, some five million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and they are just as likely to transmit the virus to others as adults are. The entire six-point program Biden outlined in his speech was tailored to the requirements of corporate America. For example, he proposed vaccine mandates for federal government workers, for the employees of federal contractors, and for hospitals and other health care facilities supported by Medicare and Medicaid. Many of these companies have already announced or implemented such mandates, which are completely justified. But Biden did not propose a vaccine mandate for air travel, something which is well within the powers of the federal government. Passengers boarding planes are barred from carrying deadly weapons, and they can just as rightly be barred from carrying deadly viruses. Such a mandate, however, would disrupt commerce and affect the profits of major corporations, including the airlines. As always from a US president, much of the speech consisted of brazen lies, an effort to tell the American people: Dont believe your eyes, pay no attention to the rampage of COVID-19 through schools and workplaces, this is not the fault of the policy of reopening schools in the midst of a global pandemic. Its just the result of bad people, who refuse to get vaccinated. Children are not refusing to get vaccinated. For those under 12, the vast majority, no vaccine is available. But they are being sent back into schools where the virus has ideal conditions to spread rapidly and is already forcing the shutdown of entire classes, grades and even buildings. Dozens of teachers and students have died, and schools have not even fully reopened yet. Biden boasted about how many Americans have been vaccinated since he became president. He was silent on how many Americans have died of COVID-19 since he became president270,000, added to the 400,000 who died while Trump occupied the White House. At the current rate, Biden will have presided over more deaths than his ignorant, anti-science predecessor by the end of this year. The Delta variant is the driving force of the current upsurge in the pandemic, Biden explained. But he neglected to say that the policy of living with the virus, rather than eradicating it, has allowed SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to develop new and ever more infectious and lethal mutations, with the ultimate danger that some variant will become invulnerable to the current vaccines. The policy of eradication is essential for defending the population from the impact of the lethal virus, not only in the United States, but around the world. The working class must fight for this policy against all factions of the corporate ruling elite. As the SEP statement explained: The sacrifice of tens of millions of lives on the altar of corporate profit ranks among the most horrific crimes in modern history. The herd immunity and mitigation policies of the ruling elites will not be reversed outside of the building of a mass movement of the working class. In every part of the country and globally, mass protests and strikes to close schools and nonessential workplaces must be prepared. Rank-and-file committees, independent of the teachers unions and both big business parties, have been formed throughout the US and globally to prioritize workers lives over profits. This network must be built in every school district and neighborhood to fight for the immediate closure of schools and nonessential workplaces, combined with the provision of ample resources to all workers affected and to provide high quality remote learning. Such a movement will quickly spread across industries and countries, as rank-and-file committees prove to be the only form through which the necessary measures will be implemented to eliminate and ultimately eradicate COVID-19 on a world scale. The Cross-Canada Educators Rank-and-File Committee is holding a meeting this Saturday, September 11, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern to discuss a fighting program to close schools to in-person learning as part of a comprehensive strategy to eradicate COVID-19. To participate, email the committee at cersc.csppb@gmail.com *** Ontario became the last province across Canada to reopen its schools, with almost one million students and two hundred thousand educators and support staff returning to crowded classrooms and poorly ventilated school buildings this week. The homicidal decision to open schools with almost no public health protections in place is supported by all provincial governments across the country, irrespective of their political composition. Protest against UCP government's plan to eliminate all anti-COVID 19 measures. (Twitter) Governments from John Horgans New Democrats in British Columbia to Doug Fords Tories in Ontario and Francois Legaults Coalition Avenir Quebec are demanding that schools reopen fully so that parents can be freed up to return to the labour force to generate profits for corporate Canada. They are enforcing this criminal policy as Canadas deadly fourth wave of the pandemic gathers pace. On Wednesday, the seven-day average for new infections stood at 3,824, a four-fold increase in the past five weeks. Scientific modelling suggests that Canadas fourth wave could be the pandemics biggest and deadliest to date. Last Friday, Canadas Chief Public Officer of Health warned that daily new COVID-19 infections could reach 15,000 a day by early October, if governments do not restore social distancing measures. In Alberta health care authorities have already been forced to cancel all elective surgeries in the Calgary region as hospitals buckle under a crush of COVID-19 patients. World Socialist Web Site reporters spoke to workers about their concerns over the threat posed to children and their families by reopening schools under these conditions. Five million children remain unvaccinated in Canada, leaving them fully exposed to the extremely infectious Delta variant. A teacher from the York region in Ontario explained the conditions he faced upon returning to the classroom. Back to 1,600 people in my building, he wrote to us. No social distancing going on in the hallway or classroom. Bumped into seven different kids walking down the hall. No place to eat my lunch. Do I stay in my classroom after 2.5 hours in a room with 26 kids and take my mask off and eat at my desk? Do I go to the staff room with no windows and sit with other teachers? I just went outside and ate in my car all by myself. Came back and hundreds of kids in the hallways, bumping into me. The teacher added, If I get up to help a kid, there are three of us within 5.5 feet. If I stand between desks, I can hit both desks with my hips and not even move my feet. Justin, a construction worker from the Hamilton area with two small children, commented on the return to school, It makes me feel very uncertain, scared, worried. I dont want my kids to catch it (COVID-19) or have any long-term health effects because of it. Its also tough because our eldest daughter is going to go back into a special class, due to a developmental speech delay. The problem with this is that she has to go to school physically, so it worries me. Whats the class size, 10? So its not very big but still. Its like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Florence, Justins partner, added, Im really worried about it, the numbers are climbing really quickly already. I think in Hamilton theyve staggered outdoor breaks, and kids will be wearing masks. I dont think they should be going back; I dont think kids should be in school. Its going to be really bad for the children, and it doesnt seem like that many people are as concerned as they should be. Not just for the kids but for everybody, the whole population, continued Justin. It could get very ugly. Also, seeing as the kids cant be vaccinated yet, they should have at least done something like put better ventilation in. They had months over the summer break where they could have done this. Both Florence and Justin were infected by COVID-19 at an earlier stage of the pandemic. I was pretty sick for two weeks, and I still have some lasting effects, explained Florence. I had a fever, and I was just exhausted. There were days where I couldnt even lift my cell phone off the table. I had no sense of taste, and its still a little bit off. I had to sleep all the time, and everything was aching. It was really horrendous. My lungs still have problems. A school worker from Toronto added, As a night caretaker I am not looking forward to going to work. Understanding the science of the Delta variant and how contagious it is means I must be vigilant at all times around students and other staff members. My colleagues are equally anxious about the resumption of schools. Most arent self-described socialists, but they know we are being exposed to COVID in all its variants to prop up the fragile financial dictatorship imposed upon us by the ruling class. Lisa, a former nurse from Ontario, drew attention to the joint push by the hard-right Conservative government of Doug Ford and the trade unions to reopen schools. I think that the government and unions should not be forcing the teachers and other affiliated staff to go back to work in the school system, especially during this increase in the Delta variant, she said. I have two family members who are retired teachers, two are currently working and one retired friend. It's too risky to open the schools again given the increasing Delta variant spread. A teacher from Ontario, who wished to remain anonymous, pointed to the lack of basic personal protective equipment and the lack of air filtration devices in school classrooms. Fellow education workers are wondering, he added, if theyll be disciplined by the Board for wearing their own personal protective equipment, particularly N95 respirators, which are the only thing capable of keeping COVID out at this point. Much better than the 3-ply blue medical masks were being provided en masse. The CERSC insists that the frustration and anger expressed by workers in these comments must find political expression in a mass, worker-led rebellion against the teacher trade unions, which are complicit in the dangerous reopening of schools. We call for the formation of rank-and-file safety committees in every school and educational institution to fight for an immediate halt to in-person learning, the shutting down of all nonessential production until the pandemic is brought under control, and the provision of full compensation to all workers so they can shelter at home with their families. These measures must be combined with a strategy to eliminate COVID-19, including mass testing, contact tracing, the isolation of infected individuals, travel bans and mass vaccination. Late last month, the opposition Labor Party again assisted the Liberal-National Coalition government to rush through parliament far-reaching bills that expand the already vast spying powers of the police and intelligence agencies. AFP officers patrolling Australian airport (Credit: afp.gov.au) In the space of several days, three bills were rammed through both the House of Representatives and the Senate, accompanied by guillotine motions to gag debate, in the same week that Labor and the Coalition combined to drive through anti-democratic electoral laws. Under the misleading banner of fighting serious crime, the most extensive bill allows the police and intelligence forces to secretly hack into online devices, collect, alter or delete data, and take over social media accounts. The Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Bill hands agencies, including the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), three new powers, which can be activated without informing those affected: Data disruption warrants give the police the ability to disrupt data by modifying, copying, adding or deleting it. Network activity warrants allow the police to collect intelligence from devices or networks. Account takeover warrants permit the police to take control of an online account (e.g., social media) to gather information. Currently, agencies can only take over a persons account with that persons consent. This power facilitates covert and/or enforced takeovers. None of these powers are confined to use against people alleged or suspected of committing an offence. They can be invoked against any third party whose accounts police say could generate material for investigation. Such people and system administrators can be compelled to assist the hacking operations, including by accessing passwords and cracking open encryption programs. Anyone refusing to comply can be jailed for up to 10 years. All the police have to assert is that they suspect on reasonable grounds that an offence is likely to be committed, and that the disruption of data is likely to substantially assist in frustrating the commission of offences. No judicial approvals are required. Most warrants can be issued by an Administrative Appeals Tribunal member, even by telephone, fax, email or any other means of communication. An emergency authorisation procedure also allows these activities without any warrant at all. During the token parliamentary sessions, both government and Labor representatives sought to justify the bills as intended to fight child exploitation and terrorism. But the bill authorises disruption of anyone linked to a suspected crime that is subject to imprisonment of three years. That covers a wide range of offences, notably foreign interference and other political offences, and even theft and tax evasion. In effect, the legislation makes the expanded powers available to the entire Australian intelligence network and its US partners. The bills official explanatory memorandum notes that the AFP and ACIC share information and facilitate joint operations with other members of the National Intelligence Community. Also, it is anticipated that the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) may provide assistance to the AFP and the ACIC in relation to data disruption. The ASD is the electronic eavesdropping agency that operates in close partnership with the US National Security Agency, as part of the US-led Five Eyes global mass surveillance operation exposed by imprisoned WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. The bill adds to the immense online surveillance powers imposed over the past two decades in the name of the war on terrorism, contained in the Surveillance Devices Act and the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act. The second law, the Foreign Intelligence Amendment Act, allows the domestic political spy agency, the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), to intercept foreign communications and collect overseas intelligence on Australian residents who are suspected of foreign interference. The third measure, the Counter-Terrorism Sunsetting Act, extends a range of police-state powers that were due to expire, including preventative detention, control orders and stop, search and seizure powers. In parliament, Labors shadow home affairs minister, Senator Kristina Keneally, emphasised Labors determination to keep partnering with the Coalition on such measures, despite describing them as extraordinary. Keneally said Labors backing for the bills serves as another example of how seriously Labor takes its commitment to constructive, bipartisan cooperation on national security legislation in the national interest. She publicly thanked Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews for working with Labor to deliver much-needed reforms and powers. The shadow minister professed to be concerned about the danger of surveillance creep. In reality, Labor has backed every law to permit mass political spying. That included the 2015 metadata retention legislation, which allows the agencies to collect and retain online data, such as a persons email contacts and web searches; a 2018 law that forces internet companies to facilitate the cracking of encryption, passwords and other privacy-protected communications, including WhatsApp and iMessage conversations, and the 2018 foreign interference legislation that expands the scope and penalties of the secrecy laws, and criminalises links with China or other foreign entities. Since the declaration of the war on terrorism in 2001, Labor has joined hands with the Coalition to pass more than 125 national security bills, containing over 14,500 amendments to previous laws. Greens Senators voted against the identify and disrupt bill, but said they would be prepared to support it if the government accepted amendments to insert safeguards. Senator Lidia Thorpe said: The Australian Greens will support it, in terms of keeping children safe and keeping our country safe, but there are innocent people who could be targeted through this bill. None of this legislation is about the safety of the population. The bipartisan drive to protect and bolster the police and intelligence apparatuses is aimed at preparing for political and class convulsions. A 2017 intelligence review pointed to the global and domestic concerns wracking the ruling elite. It warned that Australias national security environment was being reshaped by the decline in the global influence of the US, heightened tensions and instabilities and a growing sense of insecurity and alienation. That was before the COVID-19 pandemic, which has intensified these social and political tensions, and triggered growing working-class struggles. These bills are part of a deepening assault on basic democratic rights, including privacy, free speech and the right to organise, especially against the corporate and political establishment. Their purpose is to suppress dissent and social unrest. An entirely predictable crisis is unfolding in California hospitals, which are facing an influx of critically ill COVID-19 patients. More than one dozen counties have reached 100 percent ICU capacity and are redirecting patients to other areas and hospitals. In this Jan. 7, 2021, file photo, registered nurses Kyanna Barboza, right, tends to a COVID-19 patient as Kobie Walsh puts on her PPE at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, file) Particularly hard hit are the Central Valley region and rural areas throughout the state. The Delta variant is spreading rapidly, and health care workers at strained hospitals are beginning to relive the nightmare of last winters surge. As of Tuesday, 8,124 people were hospitalized in the state, a fivefold increase since July 1. Numerous hospitals are beginning to rely on travel nurses. At Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, California, four travel nurses walked off the job last week after receiving inadequate training and then being forced immediately to care for critically ill patients. The practice of short-staffing, which puts patients at risk for greater complications and mortality, is placing nurses and health care workers in impossible situations. Erin, a code blue nurse in Southern California, told the WSWS that she is concerned for herself and her co-workers. Our nurses are going out of ratio a couple times a week, she said. Its enough to cause even more burnout. Im struggling. I want to help people and I feel set up for failure. Its taken an emotional toll on me. Meghann, an emergency medicine doctor in rural Imperial Valley, said that a major influx of cases is straining staff and putting patients who need other specialty care at risk. One patient called around to a dozen other hospitals in the region, but no one would take him. We are all at risk when there are no beds. She also noted that staff are working to protect the critical ICU beds, with nurses in transitional care units making a great sacrifice, bearing a greater burden and breaking the mandated state ratio of one nurse to four patients. What Im seeing is that they are breaking ratios so that the ICUs dont have to. The San Joaquin Valley region is particularly hard hit, with only 8.4 percent of ICU beds available as of September 6. This triggered emergency health orders for the first time since the winter surges. The region includes Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Benito, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Tuolumne counties, in total home to some 4.3 million people, or 11 percent of the states population. The Greater Sacramento and Northern California areas are also headed quickly toward disaster. Available ICU capacity is at 14.8 percent as of Tuesday for Greater Sacramento, while Northern California is at 19.7 percent. The entire state of 40 million has only 1,696 ICU beds available. While the working class is told it must sacrifice and face dangerous working conditions while sending their children back into dangerous classrooms, the case rates and death toll continues to be carried primarily by the poor. This includes immigrant and native-born low-wage service and food sector workers in the restaurant, tourist, and hotel industries, which have boomed in recent weeks with the relaxation of all mitigation measures. The immigrant population that make up a large majority of farming, dairy, and livestock workers have remained on the job throughout the pandemic and are among the most impacted. The California Department of Public Health notes an ever-widening gap between case rates in poorer and wealthier areas. In the seven days that ended September 1, communities with a median income less than $40,000 had a case rate that is 34 percent higher than statewide averages, an increase of 13 percentage points compared to the month prior. Governor Gavin Newsom boasted Tuesday that more than 80 percent of Californians 12 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Currently, with 57.4 percent fully vaccinated, the state has among the highest vaccination rates in the country. Still, this has not halted the inundation of the hospitals, particularly since Newsoms relaxation of nearly all mitigation efforts on June 15. Despite the lie that vaccines alone can stop the spread of the quickly evolving and mutating virus, increased numbers of vaccinated individuals are also turning up in hospitals, while the majority of the critically ill and mortalities are dominated by the unvaccinated population. Both parties have washed their hands of any efforts to stop the pandemic. Adding to the horror is the increase in child COVID-19 infections and deaths, exacerbated by school reopenings. In the week ending September 2, at least 251,781 children were infected with COVID-19 nationally, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and 19 deaths were reported, bringing the total number of pediatric deaths in the last month to 77. For the first time in the pandemic, the percentage of child deaths compared to total deaths has reached 0.8 percent. The Socialist Equality Party demands that emergency measures be taken to eliminate and eradicate the COVID-19 virus. I call for the immediate closure of schools and non-essential businesses to put a stop to the inundation of the hospitals and burnout of nurses and staff who have suffered the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder for far too long. Teachers and parents, health care workers, and other sections of the working class must organize together and intervene and stop the pandemic! I call for workers to build rank-and-file safety committees in every hospital, school, and workplace to shut down non-essential businesses immediately and stop community spread! All workers affected by the measures necessary to stop the pandemic must receive full financial assistance, including an immediate moratorium on evictions, the halting of rent, loan payments, credit card debts, water, electricity, and phone bills. In the California gubernatorial elections, I am calling for a no vote because the campaign is being financed and driven by far-right forces that want to end even the most minimal restrictions on the spread of the pandemic. But absolutely no support can be given to Newsom and the Democrats, who, with the assistance of the unions, are implementing a policy that will guarantee mass infection and death. Vote for me, David Moore, in the California gubernatorial recall election! Build rank-and-file committees to develop a powerful counteroffensive in the entire working class against inequality, exploitation, and death! One month into the fall semester at Los Angeles Unified School District, the countrys second largest school district has witnessed a series of coronavirus outbreaks as children as young as six are packed into overcrowded classrooms. Kindergarten students sit in their classroom on the first day of in-person learning at Maurice Sendak Elementary School in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) The districts dashboard currently indicates 2,209 active coronavirus cases among staff and students. Implausibly, the school district claims that only 8 cases out of the 2,209 were linked to transmission within schools, with the remaining 99.7 percent of cases supposedly having come from off school campuses. Last Friday, September 3, the district experienced its third official school-wide outbreak. Halldale Elementary near Long Beach reported 17 positive coronavirus cases, of which 5 were officially deemed school-based transmissions. That same day, Plainview Academic Charter Academy in the San Fernando Valley area reported three positive cases, all of which were also categorized as the result of school-based transmissions. The two schools now bring the total number of campuses in LAUSD with official coronavirus outbreaks to three, however, this outbreak classification used by the district massively undercounts school-based spread. An alternative COVID dashboard for LAUSD has been set up by the group Parents Supporting Teachers, drawing upon the work of Dr. Jorge A. Caballero, a physician and data analytics researcher tracking pediatric COVID-19 cases. The dashboard was created after the group felt they were being completely left in the dark by the district as to the real spread of the virus in schools. Caballero noted the immense increase in pediatric COVID cases in Los Angeles in the immediate days prior to the LAUSD school reopening last month, making the decision to go forward with in-person learning all the more criminal. According to Caballeros research, 119 children were hospitalized at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles alone, a tripling of hospitalizations from four weeks earlier. Part of the reason that school-based transmission numbers offered by the district are so low is because the district defines school-based transmission as cases involving less than six feet of contact with an infected student or staff member for more than 15 minutes at a time. This has no basis whatsoever in the science of the pandemic. People have been confirmed to have contracted the new Delta variant of COVID-19 from close contact lasting only a few seconds. You cant adequately determine what a close contact is, said Jenna Schwartz, co-founder of Parents Supporting Teachers, so the entire class needs to be notified so parents can make a decision that feels good and safe for them. The district has a vested interest in keeping classrooms open. The reopening of LAUSD is considered pivotal in the Biden administrations school reopening drive. The initiative has the full backing of the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) teachers union, which has done everything in its power to herd children and teachers back into unsafe classrooms. At the national level, this has been spearheaded by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten (who makes $500,000 a year), who released a Labor Day statement promoting the AFTs Back to School for All campaign which entailed a get-out-the-vote-style campaign in support of in-person learning. Thats caring, fighting and showing up in action. The position of the unions throughout the pandemic is that schools can safely reopen provided that students remain masked indoors with teachers and students vaccinated. Most recently, the UTLA called for mandatory vaccinations within 12 weeks of all eligible students and staff. Even leaving aside the fact this would still leave more than 200,000 LAUSD children under the age of 12 completely defenseless against infection, the mitigation strategy pursued by the Democrats, who claim it is possible to live with the virus with piecemeal measures such as vaccines and masks, is being discredited by the rapid growth in cases nationwide over the past two months. The only correct course of action is the combination of masks, vaccines and contact tracing with the closure of schools and nonessential workplaces, as part of a comprehensive strategy to end the pandemic. At a recent online meeting held by the World Socialist Web Site entitled For a global strategy to stop the pandemic and save lives! Dr. Malgorzata Gasperowica of the University of Calgary explained that such an approach, including lockdowns lasting roughly two months, would be sufficient to completely eradicate the virus. To detract attention from the criminal consequences of their policies, the unions have launched various public relations campaigns feigning concern over the impact of the coronavirus in schools while studiously ignoring the need to shut down campuses. The UTLA is now arguing that the district had bargained in bad faith for attempting to put in place a plan for online learning for quarantined students without consultation with the union. The unions accusations could possibly lead to the filing of an unfair labor practice charge with Californias Public Employment Relations Board. The UTLAs alternative plan for quarantined student instruction actually involved an option for those infected students to come meet with teachers during office hours, on the bogus grounds that teachers, having been vaccinated, would not be able to contract coronavirus. This is a continuation of the Biden administrations lie that the current surge in cases is merely a pandemic of the unvaccinated. In fact, driven by the hyper-infectious Delta variant, tens of thousands of vaccinated people across the United States are becoming infected every week. Our bargaining team is bringing proposals to the table with educators and LAUSD families in mind, said UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz. Families who have had their lives upended by their child having to quarantine do not need a cookie-cutter mandatethey need under understanding, flexibility and options. The latest maneuver by the UTLA follows a sham return-to-school vote among the membership earlier in the summer, in which half of all teachers decided not to participate. The deal reached between the UTLA and the district provided no options for remote learning and presented in-person learning as a fait accompli. The only option available for online learning now is independent study, which is rarely granted and which the majority of impoverished LAUSD students and their families cannot successfully participate in due to the stringent academic demands of the program. The situation in the school district is poised to get far worse as the Delta variant continues to spread throughout the Los Angeles area. Los Angeles County has already recorded 167 cases of the Mu variant of the coronavirus. While it remains to be seen if the Mu variant poses dangers to the population on the scale of Delta, it nonetheless underscores the urgent need to shut down schools and enact stringent public health measures to contain the virus before it mutates into newer, deadlier variants. This essential public responsibility will not be met any figures within the political establishment, nor by the trade unions who no longer represent the working class and are criminally responsible for the reopening of schools and workplaces, ensuring that the coronavirus continues to burn through the population. Instead, workers and students must form and join their own rank-and-file committees of struggle. We encourage all teachers especially who agree with this perspective to contact the World Socialist Web Site and take part in the work of this important initiative today. Within days of schools reopening in England, cases of COVID-19 are rising exponentially, and deaths along with them. But still the Conservative government and local authoritiesmany Labour Party-runcontinue to insist that schools are safe, and parents who reject the lie and refuse to send their children into COVID infected classrooms are faced with threats of fines and imprisonment. In the week to September 8, 272,334 people tested positive and 6,748 were admitted to hospitala daily average of 863. Over 130 people were killed by the virus each day on average, 932 in total. Case rates are highest among those aged 0-19, especially in the 10-19 age group, 43,166 of whom tested positive in the last week. Primary school pupils return to a school in Bournemouth, England on Monday September 6, 2021 (WSWS Media) In Scotland, where schools opened on August 11, cases doubled by the end of the month. Children account for almost 40 percent of the new cases, 2,729 out of the 6,836 recorded on Thursday. On Wednesday, Dingwall Academy, one of the largest secondary schools in the Scottish Highlands, was forced to shut due to a significant number of COVID cases and the high number of staff having to self-isolate. The rest of the UK is following the same path as the ruling elite, and all the official parties, prioritise profits over lives. In Wales, Dr David Hepburn, Intensive Care consultant at the Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, tweeted that his Intensive Therapy Unit was now over 50 percent of our capacity with COVID patients and that patients are also younger this time around. In Northern Ireland, the Ulster Teachers Union said schools are on the verge of collapse under the strain of COVID-19, as a further 3,500 children tested positive in the last week. General Secretary Jacquie White said rising transmission rates, changes in guidance, as well as the lack of support and availability of tests is causing [schools] to be overwhelmed. But the union, like education unions across the UK, refuses to call any action to protect its members and those they teach. Instead, White appealed to the government and Education Departmentwhich are enforcing herd immunityto work along with the teaching unions and come up with solutions that will both make the situation manageable for teachers and keep children in schools. Deaths among children from COVID-19 are still, thankfully, proportionally low, although exact numbers are hard to quantify as the media parrot the official lie that children are at virtually no risk. This week another child reportedly died, bringing the estimated number of child deaths to 80. There have been 8,842 children admitted to hospital for COVID in the 299 days to September 9, and the numbers are rising daily. As COVID-19 is allowed to run rampant, enabling new variants to develop, these numbers will tragically rise, as seen in the US. Democratic Party President Joe Biden has doubled down on school reopenings even as 250,000 child coronavirus cases were reported in a week, with 30,000 children hospitalised in just one month. The supposed resilience of children to the virus also conceals the debilitating impact of Long COVID (which affects one in seven COVID infected children), and that high transmission rates among children present a life-threatening danger to teaching staff, family members and the community more generally. With good cause, a poll by Ipsos MORI shows a large majority of parents70 percentare concerned by the risk of COVID-19 infection of their children at school, despite the disinformation campaign. Nonetheless, most are forced to run the risk of sending their children to school or else lose their jobs, while local authorities, who are imposing government policy, seek to make examples of those who refuse. One of those targeted is Lisa Diaz, a parent and leading member of the SafeEdForAll (Safe Education For All) campaign group. Within days of schools reopening this month in England, Diaz, who has a genetic blood disorder and has been forced to keep her two childrenaged 11 and eightout of school, received a letter from her daughters primary threatening sanctions. She told the World Socialist Web Site, On day two of the schools reopening [Tuesday September 7] a generic letter was sent from Woodfield school, saying that attendance is mandatory and send your child in or face fines and prosecution. The next day, I received another letter from Wigan LA [local authority] repeating that attendance is mandatory and the risk to children is very low. On Thursday, there was another letter stating that a positive COVID case had been confirmed in my daughters primary school. But Im supposed to send her in! Another case was confirmed on Friday. Lisa posted a video on Twitterviewed over 43,000 timesin which she responded to the threats, citing world-renowned scientists on the dangers of COVID to children. She stated that she was fed up and bored being lied to, told that COVID is benign, absolutely fine and everyone can get it. It isnt fine, and we should be doing everything we can to protect them so enough of the gaslighting. Im absolutely sick of it. Lisa Diaz speaking on the video in which she responded to the threats from Labour Party-run Wigan local authority, citing world renowned scientists on the dangers of COVID to children. (Credit: Liza Diaz @Sandyboots2020) Lisa said the video was then retweeted and endorsed by Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, leading epidemiologist and Senior Fellow at the Federation of American Scientists in Washington DC. He retweeted it because the claims are a lie. One in seven children get Long COVID and suffer symptoms 15 weeks later. The latest figures are that in Scotland, one in 50 children will be hospitalised through COVID. That cannot be described as a very low risk. Then, just three days into the school reopening, there was a COVID positive case in primary year two and the school is just advising pupils with symptoms to get a test. Theres no mandatory isolation, the bubbles are not shut. Its just laughable. COVID is in school, and they are saying you have to send your children in. She told the WSWS that, in contrast to her sons school, Woodfield have never provided any work for my daughter for the duration of the pandemic. Not one lesson. I dont care what they put in the little book as the reason for absence so long as they dont threaten me with fines and prosecution. I want my children in school, but its just got to be safe. Not at this moment in time. Lisa Diaz with both of her children It looks like Wigan LA want to make an example of me but Im completely resolute. If theyre that stupid to take me to court, I will go to every news outlet in the country and make a big show of it. Schools can authorise absences or choose to bully parents. Im not having people telling me its fine for children to catch COVID. Im not having people telling me that classrooms are safe because theyre lies. I know children already learning at home when schools reopened because theyve got COVID and they have not even been reopened a week. Wigan is Labour-run. Ive got in writing from Lisa Nandy [Labours Shadow Foreign Secretary and Wigan MP] and Kate Green [the partys Shadow Education Secretary] that the Labour Party is firmly against punitive measures in the pandemic against parents like myself. But their council is doing that. Official Labour policy is not to fine parents but theyre doing it anyway. The World Socialist Web Site and Socialist Equality Parties internationally are fighting for the strategy to eradicate COVID-19 through the building of rank-and-file committees, independent of the unions and big business parties. This is in opposition to both the policies of herd immunity and mitigation, relying primarily on vaccination, which it describes as herd immunity with palliative care. Asked what she thought of claims that eradication is not possible, Lisa said, Thats a lie. The only way out of this pandemic is Zero COVID. Its the only policy. I would prefer one big lockdown, to get rid of it altogether, rather than this constant stream of death. Eradication is a viable policy. Look at Taiwan, Thailand, China and New Zealand. Its not some wild fantasy. Its not a pipedream. Its the only way to deal with it. I dont care if they say attendance in unsafe schools is mandatory. Its wrong. There are a lot of things that were mandatory and were wrong. There is a human law in all this. The Nuremburg trials showed that we were just following orders was not a good line of defence. The policies that the government is pursuing and headteachers and local authorities are blindly and religiously sticking to is murderous. Theyre going to have blood on their hands. Over the past week, New Zealands Labour Party-led government has released more information regarding the perpetrator of the September 3 stabbing attack in the Countdown supermarket in New Lynn, Auckland. The material raises questions about why the attack was not prevented. LynnMall in Auckland. (Source: Google Maps Streetview) Seven people were injured when 32-year-old Ahamed Aathill Mohamed Samsudeen picked up a knife in the supermarket and began stabbing people indiscriminately. The horrific attack sparked panic among shoppers, who fled for safety. Within about two minutes, armed police who had been tailing Samsudeen and monitoring his movements, arrived on the scene and shot him dead. On Wednesday, three victims remained in hospital in a stable condition. Like many terrorists in Europe and the United States, Samsudeen, who was inspired by Islamic State (ISIS) propaganda, was well-known to police and the intelligence agencies. He first came to the attention of authorities in 2016 after posting extremist statements on social media. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and other politicians had been briefed on the risk he posed. Ardern told the media immediately after the attack that everything possible had been done to try and keep Samsudeen in prison, and when this proved impossible he was put under constant police surveillance. The government was also in the process of trying to revoke his refugee status and deport him. Samsudeen came to New Zealand in 2011 as a Tamil refugee from Sri Lanka. His family, who are still in Sri Lanka, issued a statement saying, We are heartbroken by this terrible event We are thinking of the injured, both mentally and physically. They said Samsudeens mental health got worse and worse during the last 10 years or so and was not helped by spending time in prison. The prisons and the situation was hard on him and he did not have any support. He told us he was assaulted there. The government has characterised Samsudeen as a lone wolf attacker, radicalised online, but his mother told a Sri Lankan TV station she believed he was brainwashed by neighbours in New Zealand, who were from Syria and Iraq. Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson told TVNZ there was no evidence to support this claim. Samsudeen spent a total of four years on remand in prison, on various charges. In 2017 he was arrested and jailed after seeking to leave the country, apparently to fight for ISIS in Syria. The United States and its allies had fuelled the growth of ISIS by pouring weapons and funding into Syria in support of militias fighting to topple the Assad regime. In June 2018 he pled guilty to several charges, including the distribution of objectionable ISIS material. He was later charged with possession of a hunting knife, with intent to use it in a violent attack. In mid-2020 the Crown sought to charge Samsudeen with planning a terrorist attack, but a judge rejected this because there is currently no such offence in the law. The government is now seeking to rush an amendment to the Terrorism Suppression Act through parliament to make it a crime to plan a terror attack. Media reports mention that Samsudeen spent his final year in prison in the same maximum security unit as the fascist terrorist Brenton Tarrant, who massacred 51 people at two Christchurch mosques on March 15, 2019. They do not say that the two had any contact with each other, but being in close proximity to the violent white supremacist may well have fuelled Samsudeens own extremist views. Robertson said authorities had tried to address Samsudeens mental health issues but none of those attempts have been able to change the state of mind. In fact, reports indicate that authorities rejected offers to help with his rehabilitation. At the time of the supermarket attack, Samsudeen was on bail for another charge of allegedly assaulting a prison guard. He had been released just seven weeks earlier to live in a flat next to Masjid-e-Bilal, a small Auckland mosque. Corrections department spokesperson Rachel Leota described him to Radio NZ (RNZ) as a very, very difficult person to manage who was increasingly openly hostile and abusive toward probation staff. New Zealand Muslim Association (NZMA) president Ikhlaq Kashkari told RNZ on September 6 that the mosque, run by volunteers, was not equipped to deal with someone like that. He questioned whether the department had provided appropriate resources and assistance. Kashkari said he was baffled that Corrections had turned down the NZMAs offer to help rehabilitate Samsudeen. I feel that they did not want to have formal accountability once he was out because what I was asking for was for formal accountability and responsibility, he said. Criminologist Dr Clarke Jones wrote in the Guardian that during Samsudeens trial in 2018, his legal team and I offered to run a bespoke, community-led intervention program to support Samsudeen in his transition out of prison, with one of its aims to alter his extreme views. The crown acknowledged that the program had been successful with Muslim youth in the past, but the police opted for a different approach choosing surveillance and monitoring over rehabilitation. Jones wrote that in 2018 Samsudeen showed clear signs of depression and post-traumatic stress. He had suffered persecution, kidnapping and torture in Sri Lanka, being labelled a terrorist and held in solitary confinement with no professional support. The problems were made worse by his isolation from his family. Jones had advised the courts at the time that addressing his mental issues would be a critical factor for successful reintegration back into the community. Police have said that Samsudeen was extremely paranoid about being followed, indicating that he was aware of the states surveillance and this worsened his mental state. The government has given no clear explanation for why multiple offers to help rehabilitate Samsudeen were rejected, and instead he was housed next to a mosque that could not deal with his extremely challenging issues. Ardern repeated to the media on September 6: Im confident that agencies did everything within their power to keep the community safe. Meanwhile, the government is responding to the attack, as it did with the Christchurch massacre, by increasing the states powers. Ardern said the amendment to the Terrorism Suppression Act will be passed by the end of the month to make planning a terror attack a crime. Deputy PM Robertson has said the government will also review immigration laws to determine whether the process of deporting someone with refugee status can be made easier, and potentially increase the states power to detain someone while it seeks to deport them. The government is also seeking to pass hate speech laws, which could easily be used against left-wing and socialist criticism. The New York City Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee condemns the plans to open schools by New York Citys Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday, September 13. The exposure of hundreds of thousands of unvaccinated children to the highly contagious strain of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in the overcrowded conditions of the school buildings will result in the sickness of tens if not hundreds of thousands of children. An untold number of students will spread the virus to their families and communities. Vaccinated students and teachers will be exposed to the COVID-19 infection, which they can also transmit to the broader population. Teachers protest outside Franklin D. Roosevelt High School in New York City, October 2, 2020. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) The Delta variant is spreading like wildfire among children in school districts that have opened in recent weeks. Already, pediatric ICU beds are full in many areas where schools have reopened. The COVID-19 mitigation measures in schools offered by the de Blasio administration are a cruel joke. Social distancing is nearly impossible in the crowded conditions of the citys school buildings. Mask wearing by children will be irregular in classrooms and hallways and non-existent in cafeterias. Ventilation ranges from inadequate to non-existent in thousands of classrooms. The Department of Education (DOE) plan to test only 10 percent of children every other week, and only those who have submitted consent for testing, will be unable to assess the spread of the virus. What other conclusion can parents and educators draw except that this a deliberate effort to conceal the extent of infection among children? Isolation rooms are absent, and the DOE has said nothing about contact tracing. Vaccinated individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and are asymptomatic may continue to attend school. The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) has completely supported the back-to-school plan and has wrangled with the DOE over whether staff must be vaccinated. Through 18 months of the pandemic, the union has systematically opened the schools and dropped all test positivity benchmarks for closing them. In recent weeks, it has paid educators to go to families homes and encourage them to attend school in person, as part of a broader nationwide campaign orchestrated by the national teachers unions. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), headed by former UFT President Randi Weingarten, has called for a full resumption of in-person learning, regardless of the spread of the Delta variant. There is a method to this madness. New York City is the home of Wall Street and the politics of the Democratic Party, and the trade unions are in lockstep with the needs of the financial elite. Far from being a union in a conventional sense of the word, the UFT is a labor syndicate whose well paid officials seek to isolate educators and impose policies favorable to the corporations on them. The most urgent need for the ruling class and its two political parties is to fully reopen the economy, regardless of the toll in lives of students, parents or educators, and that is what the UFT, the AFT and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) seek to implement. One section of the Democratic Party, including members of the New York City Council, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and caucuses in the trade unions such as the UFTs Movement of Rank-and-File Educators (MORE), has rejected a call for fully remote learning and have instead called for a remote option by which parents could choose to continue remote learning for their children. Our committee opposes the call for a remote option for two reasons: First, it is a mitigation effort that it is disconnected from any broader strategy to eliminate and ultimately eradicate COVID-19. Many parents, who have been financially stricken by job losses or the threat of homelessness, will be forced to send their children into disease-ridden buildings. Other parents, who lack the necessary scientific education about pandemics and vaccines, should not have the option to send their children to deaths door. The schools should be closed, and instruction should be fully remote. Second, our committee does not believe that the struggle to shut the buildings should be disarmed by the politics of individual choice. We stand for a class policy in which working-class parents and educators of all races, religions and nationalities act collectively to preserve public health and adopt a program of action that will eradicate COVID-19 completely. The bottom line is that those organizations and politicians that advocate a remote option still want the schools to reopen. Schools must close as a first step to the eradication of the virus. Eradication cannot be accomplished by parents and educators by themselves. Only through the unification of the entire working class in the city will the necessary actions be taken to shut down schools and nonessential businesses while ensuring that all workers and small businesses do not suffer as a consequence. This is a fight that the city unions will oppose. The Metropolitan Labor Council, made up of the leaders of all the city unions, has so little regard for the health of retired city workers that it downgraded their medical insurance this summer. Workers all over the city along with educators and parents must form their own organizations to stop the pandemic. They must hammer out a program of action that will act for public health and safety. Our committee has fought since August 2020 to form new organizations in every school and every district so that parents, educators and older students will be able to express their views democratically, without fear of repercussions, and develop a program to fight for the right to health and life. We call for a massive expansion of this effort. The working class must be independent! Not only must committees be formed among school bus drivers, sanitation workers, transit workers and office workers, as well as delivery workers and logistics workers, but rank-and-file action committees must reach out to students and youth all over the city, including those in public and private universities, as well as faculty and staff. Committees must be formed at New York University, Columbia University, the New School and throughout the City University of New York (CUNY) system. The struggle to eradicate the virus cannot be limited to a single city, state or even country alone. It is a global struggle that must involve the entire international working class, fighting for mass vaccinations, lockdowns and support for workers who cannot work. Every person on the planet for whom the vaccine has been approved should receive it. On May 1, the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees was formed to promote this fight in every country. Eradication will also require the closest connection with scientists and physicians and a program of mass scientific education for the working class. In New York, we propose to take the first steps towards eradicationsteps that are long overdue because of the resistance of the Republicans, who have promoted the policy of herd immunity, and the Democrats, who have tried to compromise with the virus by various mitigation efforts: Strike action by parents and educators to completely close the schools and return to fully remote learning. A fund of trillions of dollarsto be taken from the income of the billionaires and multimillionairesto provide adequate income for parents who must stay at home. A restoration of unemployment benefits cut by the federal government and the state so that no worker is forced to seek work in an unsafe location and infect his or her family and neighbors. An immediate resumption of the eviction moratorium so that no working-class family is forced into homelessness. A program of mass testing, contact tracing and the safe isolation of all infected COVID-19 patients. Mandatory masking in all public venues. Mandatory vaccination for anyone eligible to receive it. Anyone who refuses to get vaccinated cannot be allowed to work beside others and should be furloughed until vaccinated. Training and hiring of hundreds of thousands of health care workers to alleviate the burden on a severely drained workforce. A program of mass scientific education on the nature of the pandemic, vaccines, and public health, to be created in the closest collaboration with trusted scientists and physicians. On Wednesday afternoon, President Joe Biden gave a Labor Day speech that presented a fairy tale version of the role of the contemporary trade unions. The trade unions, Biden said, are the principal defenders of the rights of working people today. They have secured healthcare, a pension, higher wages with a safer workplace that protects us from discrimination and harassmentthe eight-hour day, a weekend, time-and-a-half overtime, safety standards, sick days, victories for us all. Biden, who has spent his entire adult life cutting social programs and advancing the interests of the banks and Delaware credit card companies, gave his remarks before a White House gathering of executives from the UAW, USW, SEIU, AFT and many other leading trade unions. These officials, who have annual salaries of $200,000 to $500,000, all agree that life within a union is fantastic. Workers who join unions gain powerIn a simple word, a union means there is democracy, Biden told his captive audience. You gave workers a voice, you honor the dignity of the American worker. As the president concluded his fairy tale and mingled with the assorted bureaucrats, the UAW honored the dignity of 3,500 Dana workers by ordering them to continue working after the workers rejected a sweatshop contract by a nine-to-one margin last week. The no vote was a courageous rejection of the UAW and USW, which spent the last two weeks showing workers what union democracy looks like by threatening them, lying to them, and in one case even allegedly assaulting a worker in an attempt to force the contract through. The two-sentence get back to work order expresses the contempt that the unions have for the workers they suppress. After telling workers nothing about the contract and negotiations for weeks, the UAW notice reads, in its entirety, The Tentative Agreement (TA) was rejected and were continuing to work under a day-to-day extension. We are starting to meet with the locals to identify issues. The company simultaneously ordered workers to work mandated overtime this weekend in order to stockpile parts in case of a strike. As Biden praised the trade unions from the commanding heights of economic and political power, Dana workers angrily denounced the UAW and USW for conspiring with the company against them. These workers view the announcement as a slap in the face. They view the UAW and USW not as liberators, but as oppressors. As for the claim these organizations protect the eight-hour-day and 40-hour-week: at Dana, the UAW and USW actively oppose these demands. The UAW and USW force workers to labor under conditions worse than the 19th century. Many work for 12 hours a day, or 84-hours a week, for weeks or even months on end without an unpaid day off. Constant speed-ups are demanded to make driveshafts, axles and other critical parts for corporations like Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, and John Deere, as well as the US military. Many plants are dirty, hot, and dangerous. Injuries are common, and the company sends workers to company doctors who tell them they are fit to work. Workers describe Dana alternatively as hell, a prison, or a slave ship. The plants are Petri dishes for the coronavirus and the UAW and USW have kept workers on the job throughout the entire pandemic while corporate profits soar. There are 63 active cases at Danas plant in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, a fact which places the population of the town and entire region at risk. Some plants worked skeleton crews even in spring of 2020 when the Big Three plants were shut down. It was the UAW that ordered workers back to work after wildcat strikes shut down production in March and April 2020, making it possible for the corporations to end restrictions and restart production. Dana workers now fear their children are being sent back to school as more and more evidence emerges that the Delta variant is deadly for children. The main teachers unions, the American Federation of Teachers and National Educators Association, are forcing teachers back to school with deadly consequences. Dozens of teachers and young children have died as a result and millions more are getting sick. The same is true of the trade unions in every industry and in every country. In Germany, the head of the main union federation is denouncing striking train drivers who have been forced to bear the brunt of the pandemic. In Brazil, the trade unions call off strikes and hold the industrial working class back as the countrys fascist president, Jair Bolsonaro, threatens to establish a dictatorship. In countries like India that are too poor to have mass access to the vaccine, the unions force hundreds of millions to work as the pandemic devastates the working class. The unions rely on violence, deception, and isolation to force through the diktats of the governments and the corporations. The problem is not poor leadership and the solution is not internal reforms and new officials. Rather, the trade unions have been transformed from workers organizations into pro-corporate organizations of the capitalist state, inseparably integrated into the capitalist parties and imperialist armed forces. They engage in outright naked criminal activity against the workers. This week, two former UAW presidents, Dennis Williams and Gary Jones, began serving sentences at club fed minimum-security prisons for accepting corporate bribes in exchange for selling out workers. Their prison sentences are much shorter than the five-year prison sentence imposed by the Tentative Agreement, many Dana workers point out. The trade unions are not pursuing a mistaken policy. They are pursuing the class interests of the affluent social layer that comprises the trade union bureaucracy. These are not so much unions as they are corporatist Labor Fronts, state organizations aimed explicitly at controlling the workforce and suppressing the class struggle. The trade unions as a whole employ thousands and thousands of affluent people who occupy key positions in the Democratic Party, the corporate media, government bodies and academia. They control immense fortunes, acquired through decades of workers dues money. The United Auto Workers (UAW) has over $1.1 billion in assets and employs 450 people who make over $100,000. The United Steelworkers (USW) has assets over $1.5 billion, a 600 percent increase since 2000, a period over which USW membership has drastically decreased. This layer of the richest top 10 percent benefits from the heightened exploitation of the working class, from cheap labor, from reopening factories and schools in the pandemic. The union VEBA slush funds and their own personal stock portfolios depend on increasing profit margins at the expense of the mass of working people worldwide. These people have as little in common with the workers they represent as the workers do with the CEOs themselves. The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) could not muster even 15 percent of Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama to support a union drive. That is not because the workers in the area do not want to fight: in recent days, high school students in Bessemer walked out demanding COVID-19 safety, and nurses in neighboring Birmingham went on strike over pay and COVID-19 health protocols. It is because workers view the trade unions increasingly as obstacles, and not vehicles, for social progress. The growing militancy in the working class makes the ruling class and the affluent upper middle class extremely nervous. IMF reports warn of the growth of strikes and the economy is on a knifes edge, pumped up with free money from the central banks. In Bidens Labor Day speech, the president warned that if there was a strike movement, wed be in real trouble. He added to the gathered union executives: You guys sometimes underestimate the incredible value you bring to the safety, security and growth of the economy. The pseudo-left plays a critical role in this operation, propping up the trade unions and blacking out or denouncing workers who take independent action. Groups like the Democratic Socialists of America and Socialist Alternative, as well as publications like Jacobin and Left Voice, present the trade unions in glowing terms. These organizations have prioritized the PRO Act, which will facilitate AFL-CIO union drives, and they support Bidens demand that the government should encourage unions. None of these organizations or publications has mentioned the struggle of Dana workers because it cuts across their anti-socialist and anti-working class political agenda. These groups speak for the same affluent social layer that runs the trade unions. They support the trade unions not despite their never-ending attacks on the working class, but because of them. Nevertheless, in their emerging struggles against the global corporations and the policy of social murder carried out by all capitalist governments in response to the pandemic, the working class is coming into a head-on clash with the trade unions and their nationalist perspective. To confront global corporations, workers need to unite internationally. From Paris, Tennessee to Paris, France and Lima, Ohio to Lima, Peru, new organizationsrank-and-file committeeswill emerge to link workers across the lines of race, nationality, industry and continent in a common, unified struggle against social inequality. The UK government is stepping up its anti-immigration agenda by rolling out a pushback policy to turn away migrant boats attempting to enter the UK via the English Channel. The Home Office has utilised a spell of good weather, and consequent increase in the number of migrants and asylum seekers seeking to enter the UK, to announce it will intercept and turn around migrants small boats from France mid-Channel to prevent them reaching the UK. Around 1,500 migrants arrived on the UKs shores this week, with the right-wing media dedicating blanket coverage to demands to stop the flood. People thought to be migrants who made the crossing from France are brought into port after being picked up in the Channel by a British border force vessel in Dover, south east England, Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) According to the Telegraph, The Home Secretary has secured legal advice for Border Force vessels to start redirecting migrant boats away from UK waters and back towards France, where the French will have to return them to shore. Turning back migrant boats has already been extensively trialled for months by Border Force at sea, notes the newspaper, overseen by the Royal Marines, [and] is due to conclude this month, weather permitting. Sources said that the tactics were ready to deploy as soon as practical and safe. Due to the fact that the refoulement that Patel proposes is illegal under the international law of the sea, she has commissioned, according to the Telegraph, robust and detailed legal advice from Michael Ellis, the Attorney General, and expert QCs. The Times reported, She told law officers to rewrite Britains interpretation of international maritime law to allow the Border Force to intercept boats as they tried to enter British territorial waters. Officers would then contact the French coastguard to inform it that vessels in French territorial waters were in need of rescue, which would put the legal responsibility for the migrant boats on France. According to the Times, the government is proceeding on the basis that There would be a limited legal window to deploy the tactics and only if certain conditions were met. These would include ensuring that the migrant boat in question was not in danger of sinking or capsizing, was not over capacity and was able to return to the French coast. No-one should believe that such legal niceties will be adhered to. Given the perilous nature of the Channel crossings, with many migrants often crammed onto small unsafe boats, the policy must result in more deaths. The Home Office announcement was timed to coincide with a meeting in London Wednesday between Patel and her French counterpart Gerald Darmanin. Patel insisted in very tense talks that France had been lax in preventing migrants reaching Britain from its shores and must step up the enforcing of a previously agreed policy of stopping them at the French coastline. It emerged that Britain has even offered to provide the French state a plane to increase its shoreline monitoring. On Monday, Patel told Tory MPs that she was ready to cut or withdraw the tens of millions of pounds the UK gives to France to prevent migrant crossings. A further 54 million in funding was agreed between London and Paris in July. Patel said, Weve not given them a penny of the money so far and France is going to have to get its act together if it wants to see the cash. Its payment by results and weve not yet seen those results. The money is conditional. The Times reported that Patel committed to withdrawing funding if they [France] failed to stop three in four crossings by the end of this month. The mood among Tory MPs was, if anything, even more vociferous, with the Guardian reporting that Craig Mackinlay called for the immediate removal back to France of all who arrive via this illegal route and for the UK to disregard diplomatic niceties. Lee Anderson agreed, declaring, I said we should drop these illegal immigrants, not migrants, off on a French beach and send the French government a bill for the cost of the journey. The following day, Darmanin sent Patel a letter declaring that the existing system could be enforced and boasting that the rate at which small boat crossings are thwarted stands at 57.3%, i.e. a higher level than that recorded over the same period in 2020. He complained that the increase in migrants landing in the UK is mainly due to a new strategy by people smugglers of using larger boats which can now hold up to 65 people. While admitting disappointedly, These groups of migrants are made up of particularly vulnerable people (infants, young children and elderly or disabled people), which limits our means of action, Darmanin made the sinister accusation that their behaviour is increasingly violent. He noted the use of military-style detection technology you [Patel] are proposing and insisted All available intervention capabilities are permanently mobilized along the Channel coastline, promising that the number of security personnel on the French Channel coast would be doubled. Darmanin emphasised that his main concern was stopping migrants getting into France via the Mediterranean in the first place. He wrote, Migration pressure at our internal borders has never been greater The mobilization of our forces at our southern borders, as well as at the EUs borders through the Frontex Agency, must not weaken, when we know the risks of migratory movements which the crises in Afghanistan and Belarus are likely to generate. The French minister of the interior made a contemptible effort to cloak this falling out among Gestapo officers in a claimed concern for human rights, declaring, Safeguarding human lives at sea takes priority over considerations of nationality, status and migratory policy. He tweeted Thursday, France will not accept any practice that goes against maritime law, and will not accept any financial blackmail The UK must hold up its commitment. What passes for Britains liberal media responded with extraordinary complacency to Patels proposals, essentially writing them off as unworkable. This is despite the fact that her Nationality and Border Bill, which is presently going through Parliament, contains, as the Guardian noted, provisions to set up offshore processing centres and turn suspected migrant boats away from the UK. The newspaper cited the comments of Lucy Moreton, a professional officer at the right-wing Immigration Services Uniona splinter union founded to campaign for stricter immigration and border controls. Moreton claimed, In practical terms, if this happened even once Id be surprised There are understandably a lot of constraints around it and you cannot do this with a vessel that is in any way vulnerable and more importantly you need the consent of the French to do it. Another cited by the Guardian was Conservative MP Tim Loughton, who said, It sounds good pushing them back but its not going to work in practice. The fact is that pushback policies are routine at the borders of Fortress Europe and internationally. Patel is basing much of her anti-immigration policy on that being enforced by Greeces conservative New Democracy government, which she visited only last month to learn from its latest brutal measures. Greece has just completed the sealing off its northern border with Turkey with a massive 40km (25-mile) steel fence and new electronic monitoring system. This is why the Telegraph, among the firmest backers of Patels border strengthening policies, could write Thursday, UK is only following EU's lead on controversial migrant pushback policy. The governments announcement that it will push back migrant boats trying to cross the Channel has striking parallels with tactics used by both Greece and Italy. The article cited Felipe Gonzalez Morales, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, who said recently that Greece has engaged in the summary and collective expulsion of tens of thousands of migrants and asylum seekers. Italy, notes the newspaper, has essentially adopted pushback by proxy. Along with other EU countries, it gave training, financing and equipment to the Libyan coast guard, which essentially carries out the dirty work of intercepting migrant boats and driving them back to the coast. Over the past month, the city of Shepparton has been on the frontlines of a major COVID outbreak in the state of Victoria. At its height, the surge of the Delta variant effectively paralysed the regional centre, which is located 190 kilometres north of Melbourne, infecting more than one hundred residents and forcing another 20,000, a third of the population, into isolation. SPC in Shepparton [Source: Apple and Pear Ltd] While many of those compelled to quarantine were released from the stay and home order on September 2, there are still at least 78 active infections in the city. At least seven schools became exposure sites, including several primary schools and two campuses at Greater Shepparton Secondary College (GSSC), meaning that many families with children were hit with the isolation order. Goulburn Valley Health was impacted, with up to 530 staff being furloughed, and the towns supermarkets also faced major staffing shortfalls. While Victorian Labor Premier Daniel Andrews and other government representatives have made mealy-mouthed statements, thanking residents for pulling together, the official response has been grossly inadequate. The states emergency management deputy commissioner was deployed to the city, along with 80 army personnel. The prominence of the military reflects the gutting of health and welfare services and is part of a broader authoritarian push to normalise the involvement of the army in daily civilian life. Several townspeople spoke to the World Socialist Web Site about the difficulties their families have faced earlier this month. Colleen is a grandparent in Shepparton where a number of local schools were amalgamated, to create the GSSC super school. The food problem is probably the worst, Colleen said. The community does work well together here. There has been some really lovely stuff happening here. We do pull together and support each other. I dont think people mind giving up a few weeks of their lives to get rid of the virus, but to have to stay home with kids and practically no food is pretty hard. My daughter has three teenagers, so theyre big eaters. Theyre coping, but only just. She explained the situation when testing stations were overwhelmed early in the Shepparton outbreak: They were saying dont come unless youre in this particular group. My granddaughter had symptoms and wasnt allowed to go and get tested right at the beginning. Luckily, she tested negative, but she was in a tutoring room with somebody who had COVID for over an hour. Most of the people in that room had gone down with it. As infection sources spiralled, the town rapidly ground to a halt. Most of the public-school kids go after school to work, for pocket money. A lot of the GSSC kids do that. At McDonalds they have a messenger app where the kids can text and say, I cant work tomorrow night, can someone else take my place? and the bosses can talk to them about their shifts. And every single worker wrote in on the same day, at the same time, to say Im in isolation, I cant work for a fortnight. They had nobody. They were freaking out. If one family member is in isolation, the whole family must go into isolation. It is a huge impact on a community like this, especially with the combined travel and working. Colleen is particularly worried about the implications for her grandchildren: Im sure that they will insist on them going back, whether theyve had vaccinations or not. And that concerns me greatly. Frankly if it was my children, I wouldnt be sending them to school. Id be keeping them home and home-schooling them. One of the things that worries me is the students all being crowded in together, when it becomes one school, which will be dangerous with the pandemic. I know my kids are terrified for their kids. Weve been watching all the stuff from America, and what is happening to their children over there. And that poor little 13-year-old, who died within four days of getting it from going back to school. I would love to see the whole of Sheppartons parents stand up and say No were not going back till theyre all vaccinated, and until that happens, our kids wont be going back to school. Teachers and children must be inoculated, and well keep them home till then. Shepparton is a large multicultural community, with the biggest indigenous population of any Victorian town and a sizeable refugee community. Shepparton community protest over super school in 2019 [Source: Facebook] Colleen commented that the town is a working-class community: There is a definite divide in Shepparton. There is the elite and then there is the rest of us. Most people are just hard working. We have a good percentage of the population who are low income. A huge amount of people are low income, but working hard for their children and themselves. They are working-class people who do everything they can for their kids and want the best education and the best protection for them they can get. Theyve been neglected. Theyre the ones whose childrens education has been brought right down to the base minimum. Abid is originally from Uruzgan Province in Afghanistan, which he left in 2003. He lives in Shepparton and works on an orchard, picking and pruning. His son attends the McGuire campus of GSSC. Were at home quarantining for 14 days because my son goes to McGuire, Abid explained. The day after quarantine started my wife gave birth to our new baby. We went to hospital and I could only stay there for two hours and I had to leave my wife alone to have the baby. Friends have been delivering food and someone from Melbourne brought food yesterday. Abid is relying on Centrelink welfare payments for income. My English isnt great so we dont understand whats happening with COVID, he said. There is so much confusion on social media we dont know what to think. Sheppartons major industry is the SPC fruit cannery. James, who is a permanent worker there, said: Were still working three shifts even though 100 SPC workers are in quarantine. At the moment were working on baked beans, spaghetti and canning fruit from storage, as its the dormant season for fruit trees. I had my first vaccination last week at the showgrounds. SPC have made it compulsory to get vaccinated by January 1 next year. They said they did a survey and only four percent opposed getting vaccinated, but we didnt get surveyed. There are three guys in my area who arent going to have it. The union is backing people who dont want to get vaccinated. Melissa, a single mother with five children, is a self-employed photographer. During lockdowns, she has had five wedding jobs cancelled this year. Thats a few thousand each job. I sat there and cried. Ive received no extra assistance from the government. She has been in quarantine after visiting an exposure site. I needed medical assistance as my children needed prescription medicines, but doctors appointments werent available as they were quarantining. My sons schoolteachers friends helped me. Food supplies were days in arriving. I have a friend who is a single mum who has been living on cereals all week, in the end just having it with water. A lot of single parents dont store food and those that do have large families and it runs out quickly. A friend went grocery shopping for me, but out of a list of 15 items I needed, only two were available. Theres no one to stock the shelves and the delivery drivers are quarantined. Melissa strongly supported lockdowns. I agree with lockdowns. Weve been in lockdowns for too long to give up. If we have put all this work in, why give up on it? In New South Wales, by allowing it to continue, theyve overloaded the health system. Its a shock to think that what theyre doing there will bleed into the other states. In a town like Shepparton our health system crashed. She was very alarmed by the situation in the United States. We could eradicate COVID or well have a country that will be sick for a long time. The longer we can postpone widespread exposure, the longer scientists will have to deal with it. I have friends in the US. One who is 36-years-old and very fit and healthy, was on a ventilator for nine weeks. A photographer friend told me the reason they had to keep working was because the only benefit they would get was $146 per month! In a hearing last Wednesday, September 1, into the case of the Surfside, Florida, condominium collapse that killed 98 people in June, the Miami-Dade County Circuit Court heard a proposal to sell the site to a developer for $120 million. A counter proposal from a group of the families of victims to create a memorial on the site was contingent, Judge Michael Hanzman declared, on the citys willingness to sell its community center, in place of the site, to raise funds for the financial settlement ensuing from the disaster. Members of the city council intervened quickly to quash the sale of the citys property. Workers search in the rubble at the Champlain Towers South Condo, Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) At the same time, the judge set a date for initial visual inspections of the site as a preliminary step to sampling and testing the subsoils and building parts that constitute the scientific investigation necessary to determine the cause of the collapse for after the end of September. Immediately following the condo collapse in the early morning hours of June 24, the mayor of Miami-Dade County and the countys police department declared the site a crime scene and promptly blocked any scientific study of the cause of the catastrophe, ostensibly in the interest of preserving the evidence of a crime. Since then, such testing has been repeatedly postponed. On the same day as the hearing, the New York Times published a major report headlined The Surfside Condo Was Flawed and Failing. Heres a Look Inside, by Anjali Singhvi, Mike Baker, Weiyi Cai, Mika Grondahl and Karthik Patanjali. In it, the newspaper of record claimed to show how faulty design and construction could have contributed to the collapse of the building in South Florida. The authors assert, The New York Times created a 3-D model of the tower based on the original design drawings. That model, combined with a review of documents and interviews with structural experts, reveals how design errors, last-minute changes, dubious construction practices and years of worsening deterioration could have all contributed to the collapse. The authors take special note, for example, of the reinforcing steel embedded in concrete slabs and columns. Steel is crucial for structural integrity and resistance to catastrophic failure. There are signs, though, they state, that the tower was improperly built, with too much steel in some areas and too little in others. The Times authors continue to place special emphasis on these points. On the east side, the buildings thinner columns were designed with excessive steel reinforcement, they write, violating codes that seek to ensure that there is enough cohesive concrete to give the column its strength, a problem first reported by the Miami Herald. And again, citing a particularly famous photograph of the wreckage, they state, The design for this columnone of the thickest in the buildingcalled for four steel rods at the top, going in each direction. But in photos after the collapse, only two or three were visible, a potential construction flaw. The Times presents its story as if the causes of the tragedy have been established and the case all but closed. To review these findings, the World Socialist Web Site spoke with the eminent structural engineer and forensic expert Allyn Kilsheimer, founder of KCE Structural Engineers PC in Washington, D.C. He was hired by the town of Surfside on the day of the collapse to investigate the disaster but has yet to be allowed on site to begin his investigation. Kilsheimer was not prepared to condemn the original design nor the methods of constructing the building without first establishing hard, scientific evidence. On the contrary, he categorically repudiated the Times s analysis as premature and with no factual basis. They do not know that, he said. Thats all speculation. Regarding the crime scene restrictions imposed by the county, he said, From an engineering standpoint, there is no reason I can see why we have not been allowed to do what we have to do down there. We are not allowed to sample, or test, or view anything. A structural engineer with decades of experience in the most challenging circumstances, he dismissed the facile allegations of the Timess elaborate presentation. I dont know how they know that. There is nobody that can make definitive statements about any of it, he said. Nobody can say that the concrete was the wrong strength or deteriorated. Nobody can say that the reinforcing steel was the wrong strength or had deteriorated. Nobody can say that the number of rebar that were in the deck was inadequate. Nobody can say the placement of the rebar in the deck was inadequate. He concluded by plainly explaining, Nobody can say the thicknesses of slabs were inadequate because no one has been able to sample and test any of that stuff. For Kilsheimer, the record drawings do not constitute proof that the building was badly designed. I dont know how they know that, he said of the allegation. The drawings we are working with are the drawings that were in the records of the town of Surfside. I dont know of any other drawings that exist. I dont know of any information that talks about beams that were removed, or not removed, or added. All we have is those drawings, he said and went on to explain his more objective, scientific approach to the documents. Those drawings have different iterations of them. And most of them dont even have a date, so theres no way to determine which drawing preceded which. When there is a date, we use the latest one. As a veteran of dozens of structural forensic investigations, he said, I am not prepared to issue anything. Thats what I have said to everybody for the last two months. You wouldnt believe some of the stuff people are writing, he said. The Miami Herald did a huge article. They had it all figured out. ... Based on what? There is no evidence. No one has been able to look at and study and test the evidence. No one. As an example, the Times focused on the photograph of two pieces of rebar protruding from a column and claimed that only two bars had been installed when there were supposed to have been four. It is not supposed to be four, Kilsheimer said. The drawing says put 25 percent of the top steel in the flat slab in the width of the column. So, if it calls for 16 bars in the slab, there should be four at the column. Now in that picture, which I think I have seen, you cannot tell whether the steel is there but it was sheared off flush with the column. You need to get up close and personal to look at that column. So right now you dont know. You have vertical column reinforcing that comes up. You have horizontal slab reinforcing in two directions. And you have a relatively narrow column. You are not going to be able to fit all that in the width of the column. When we designed buildings back then and even today a little differently, we say put x number of bars within so many feet of the face of the column because you know you cannot fit it in. So, the guy putting in the rebar does the best he can do. Thats the way it happens all over the world. It is the way its done. Meanwhile, building officials in South Florida continue to uncover dangerous conditions and force buildings to be evacuated in the wake of the Surfside tragedy. Two apartment buildings in Bay Harbor Islands were evacuated last week after the towns building official deemed the properties unsafe for occupancy. After tenants of the Forum, at 1080 93rd St., were ordered out of their homes Wednesday, the town declared a second building at 1060 95th St. shut down the next day citing dangerous conditions, Town Manager Maria Lasday reported. The four-story Forum building, which was built in 1965, has 24 units. The two-story building at 1060 95th St., built in 1948, has nine units. City officials found significant structural defects in both, and all tenants were ordered to leave. High-rise condominiums line the south Florida coastline one after another in tight succession. Asked if any of them may be in danger, Kilsheimer replied, I must have been asked that question a thousand times. Until I can begin to investigate, I will not be able to answer it. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (right) and his wife Maria (center) wash a student's feet (Facebook) As Tennessee parents, teachers and school staff demand protection against the spread of COVID-19, including mask requirements in schools, Republican Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is striking a Christ pose by handing out free shoes in one of the poorest counties in the state as part of the effort to force children to return to unsafe schools. Lee and his wife, Mariaboth unmasked and sporting folksy grinsappeared at a Perry County elementary school as their public relations photographers snapped photos of the pair measuring the bare feet of one young girl. In another Facebook page post, Lee, again with no mask, sits on a gymnasium floor surrounded by smiling, unmasked children. He told reporters Thursday he thought the stunt was fine because he had been vaccinated for COVID-19. Children under 12 remain ineligible for vaccination. The event was sponsored by Samaritans Feet, a religious non-profit that states on its website to believe in foot washing and giving shoes that serve to inspire hope in children by providing shoes as the foundation to a spiritual and healthy life. Lee and his wife were involved in taking off childrens shoes and socks and actually washing their feet. As touching as that may seem, subjecting children to religious rituals in public schools is wildly inappropriate. Through the charitable deed of washing the feet of unvaccinated children, Lee hopes to wash his hands of any responsibility for the growing number of infections among students, teachers, staff and their families. A multimillionaire who lives on a 1,000-acre cattle and horse farm in the richest county in the state, Lee gives new, disgusting meaning to the concept of noblesse oblige. It was apparently lost on the governor and his entourage what it means in 2021 in the richest country in the world to have to provide shoes for children forced to return to school under the deadly threat of an uncontrollable virus. A Facebook post by the governors office drew quick responses, with many taking Lee to task for his cynical posturing. Wed love it if you would partner with our local school districts and empower them to make decisions to keep our kids safe, Poliala Mahoney Dickson wrote. Like being able to allow for virtual learning when large portions of their students are out sick or quarantined. That would be super!!!!! The Delta variant sends its thanks to you for creating perfect conditions for its spread, David Haskell said in his post. Perhaps the massive infection rate in TN will yield the next variant? We could name it for youa fitting acknowledgment of your unwavering commitment to making Tennesseans suffer and die. Brenda Butka was brief and to the point: another super-spreader event for the cameras. Helping spread the virus to children by your bad example. Pro life party MY ASS, John Neff wrote. What is WRONG with you and your wife? Terri Sterling Donovan asked. You are vaccinated but these children are not. You are an immoral person. As of September 7, there have been more than 1.1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tennessee and 13,422 new cases reported on that date, with 13,879 deaths so far and a 7-day average of 46 deaths per day. Perry County has had 1,382 confirmed cases and 31 deaths, placing it sixth for the highest per capita death toll in the state. Less than one-third of residents are fully vaccinated. It should be noted that with a little over 8,000 county residents, Perry likely still has the lowest population density of any county in the state, about one person for every 19 square miles (about 50 sq. km.). It has a median annual income of barely $32,000, and slightly more than one in five county residents live in poverty. Located in southwest Middle Tennessee, the county has a history of economic distress. During the Great Recession of 2008-2009 the countys unemployment rate peaked at 27 percent, the highest in the state and among the highest in the country. The surge in unemployment followed the 2009 closure of the Fisher & Company auto parts plant in the city of Linden, which resulted in hundreds of workers losing their jobs. Despite misinformation concerning children and COVID-19 promoted by President Joe Biden on down, school age children and younger can be victims of the virus, often with debilitating results and death. Just this week alone a quarter of a million children across the US contracted the virus, a record for the pandemic as more schools reopen. Children amounted to almost 27 percent of the new cases nationwide. About 2,400 have been hospitalized, according to the Washington Post. Tennessee State Department Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey reported in mid-August that children made up 36 percent of the states reported cases, and hundreds of students across the state in more than a dozen school districts have been forced to quarantine or isolate in this latest surge of the more infectious Delta variant. At least seven children under the age of 10 in the state have died from COVID-19 since March 2020. We had 14,000 pediatric cases in the last seven days, which is a 57 percent increase over the week prior, Piercey told reporters. A large portion of active COVID-19 cases in Memphis/Shelby County, 32 percent, are people 17 and younger, according to the Shelby County Health Department. It has the largest school district in the state, with 110,500 students, and is the 25th largest school district in the United States. To date some parents have looked to the courts for help. A lawsuit from parents of two children in Shelby County was upheld when a federal judge ruled that lifting the mask mandate for all students made it impossible for some children to safely attend school. Lee had issued an executive order allowing parents to opt out of having their children wear masks in school districts that mandate them. Plaintiffs have identified ways that they have been excluded from participating in school programs and activities, including from physical education classes, and socializing with their peers when within the school buildings and at lunch, U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman wrote in the ruling. The Governor has put the parents of medically vulnerable students in the position of having to decide whether to keep their children at home where they will likely suffer continued learning loss or risk placing them in an environment that presents a serious risk to their health and safety, the lawsuit states. A similar lawsuit in Knox County, the third largest school district in the state and home to Knoxville, was not considered for technical reasons and failing to file proper documents. The lawsuit is expected to be re-filed. A court victory in favor of mask mandates, in the final analysis, would represent only a tactical success for the implementation of a limited and inadequate mitigation measure. Parents and students must demand a strategy aimed at eliminating the virus. Unvaccinated and often unmasked elementary and middle school children cannot be sent back into poorly ventilated, overcrowded classrooms. Mitigation is not the answer. The fight against the pandemic cannot be left to the likes of Lee or his Democratic Party counterparts. The working class in Tennessee, the United States and the world must build rank-and-file committees to demand that schools be closed until the virus is stamped out and schools are fit places of learning. We call on all those who agree with this strategy to join the Tennessee Educators Rank-and-File Committee when it meets online this Sunday, September 12, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern. Click here to register. The Ukrainian government is moving forward with plans to exploit the countrys IT workers as it faces an uncertain economic future due to both the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the reorientation of American foreign policy. A person working at a computer (hippopx.com) Following his disappointing meeting with US President Joe Biden last Wednesday, Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky headed west to San Francisco where he met with leading investors, representatives of venture funds and Silicon Valley accelerators in an attempt to attract foreign investment to Ukraines IT sector. Our meeting here in Silicon Valley is a great opportunity to discuss the prospects for the development of the IT sector and innovations in Ukraine. Our country is rapidly transforming and adopting innovations. Over the past year, we have managed to make a real breakthrough in the digital sphere. At the same time, we still need to do a lot, Zelensky said. He went on to state that his government had hoped to raise the income of Ukraines IT sector from $6 billion to $16.5 billion per year within three to five years and expand the IT sector to account for 10 percent of the countrys GDP. Ukraines IT sector currently employs approximately 200,000 workers and the Zelensky government is hoping to increase that number to approximately 450,000 by 2025. For the Ukrainian ruling class, the countrys educated and talented IT workersthemselves a legacy of the Soviet Unions educational emphasis on science and mathrepresent a potentially lucrative source of foreign exchange in an economy that saw its GDP decline by 4.4 percent and saw exports decline by 4.6 percent in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Further undermining the countrys economic situation, in July the Zelensky government learned via the press that the Biden administration had reached a deal with Germany not to oppose the completion of the Russian-German Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Its completion is expected to significantly undercut Ukraines importance to European energy markets and potentially deprive it of approximately $2 billion in annual gas transit fees. Meanwhile, Ukraines IT exports grew by 20.4 percent in 2020, according to the National Bank of Ukraine. They now account for 8.3 percent of the countrys total exports. Junior software engineers in Ukraine earn just $600 a month. While this exceeds the average Ukrainians poverty wages of approximately $350 a month, it is a pittance in comparison to the average salary of a junior software engineer in the United States of approximately $90,000 a year. Like many IT workers globally, the bulk of Ukrainian IT workers are employed as independent contractors. As a result, they are not subject to the same labor laws regarding hours, conditions, vacation and benefits as workers employed as regular workers. IT workers all over the world are often forced to work exceedingly long hours to meet critical deadlines imposed upon them by employers. Zelenskys appeal to Silicon Valley coincides with his governments ongoing attempts to undermine the countrys existing labor laws in favor of the capitalist Ukrainian oligarchy. In March 2020, the Ukrainian parliament was forced to withdraw Draft Law No. 2708 after worker protests. Among other measures, the laws passage would have allowed companies to fire workers without reason, reduced overtime payments and permitted companies to institute a 12-hour workday. Since the draft labor laws failure, such labor reforms have been introduced as separate incremental proposals in order to avoid a direct confrontation with the Ukrainian working class. Zelenskys moves to restructure the Ukrainian labor market in favor of foreign capital has elicited support from the imperialist powers, and especially from Washington. Speaking with the right-wing American think tank the Atlantic Council, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, Andy Hunder, commented on Ukraines growing IT sector but urged further pro-market reforms. What helped achieve this years impressive results? Minimum red tape, the professionalism of Ukraines IT specialists, and a stable industry-wide tax policy, Hinder stated. It is vital to ensure sustainable and transparent conditions for the IT sector to stimulate further growth and development. Namely, this means preventing increased regulation. It is also essential to guarantee IT companies freedom of their activities, business models and forms of interaction with human capital. IT companies must be safeguarded from unlawful interference in legitimate business activities. While in California, Zelensky also met with Apple CEO Tim Cook. Apple is well known for its exploitation of workers all over the world, particularly through its partnership with the sweatshop electronics manufacturer Foxconn. Zelensky spoke glowingly of being granted the privilege to meet the billionaire Apple CEO. Following the meeting, he tweeted: Ukraine is already a global IT hub. We are interested in expanding Apples presence in Ukraine and implementing new ambitious joint projects. The attempts to intensify the exploitation of the working class, including IT workers, are the response of the Ukrainian the ruling class to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The economic crisis has hit Ukraine particularly hard due to its large number of migrant workers and crumbling health care system. Over 57,000 people have officially died from COVID-19 in Ukraine while hospitalization rates are climbing again due to the spread of the Delta variant and the low vaccination rate of just 10 percent of the country. With a population of less than 40 million, Ukraine has already officially recorded over 2.4 million COVID cases. Throughout the pandemic, medical workers in Ukraine have worked in desperate conditions with outdated and missing supplies. To make matters worse, Ukrainian medical workers have often gone for months without receiving pay and the National Health Service has continued to cut hospital staff and wages. Defying the Zelenskys government push to both reform the labor market and push workers back to work, during the summer a number of medical workers went on strike, demanding unpaid wages and COVID-19 hazard pay. In August, doctors and nurses in the eastern city of Kupyansk went on strike despite intimidation and threats of layoffs from hospital administration. Earlier in the month, 150 medical workers in the city of Valkov went on strike and blocked a major highway over unpaid wages. Similar strikes took place throughout the summer in Kiev, Lviv, Suma and Slovyansk. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTHI) - Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has issued a statement following President Joe Biden's Thursday evening announcement on new COVID-19 mandates. The part of President Biden's mandate that could impact the most people involves companies with 100 or more employees ensure their workers are either vaccinated or tested once a week. If a company doesn't comply, it could face thousands of dollars in fines. In his statement, Governor Holcomb says this measure is a "bridge too far," adding private businesses should be able to make their own decisions. See the governor's full statement below: I believe the vaccine is the number one tool that will protect us and our loved ones against COVID-19. It is the tool that will end the pandemic. However, I strongly believe its not the state or federal governments role to issue a vaccine mandate upon citizens and private businesses. This is the approach our administration has taken all along. The announcement from President Biden is a bridge too far. Private businesses should be able to look at their own mission, their staff and their goals and make the decision best for them that will keep their doors open. I believe it is fundamentally a citizens right to choose whether or not to get the vaccine. While I wish everyone would get the vaccine, we are a country built on this exact type of freedom. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - New employment opportunities are coming to Terre Haute. This comes after the city council voted to pass an economic revitalization resolution. This program has been something that has shown up on the agenda for several weeks now. News 10 was here at city hall for the city council meeting, where they passed a new resolution. It involves bringing in new jobs to the city. CHI Manufacturing is a company that works with metal. They are bringing 130 new jobs to Terre Haute because this resolution passed. These news jobs are going to pay workers 21 dollars per hour. Cheryl Loudermilk is a Terre Haute city councilwoman representing District 3. She proposed this resolution and says this opportunity cannot be passed up. "In economic times like it is...I'm quite excited that there's a company wanting to come in, locate to Terre Haute," said Loudermilk. Loudermilk says without the business, there would be no income. That is where things stand right now. She says in three to four months when CHI is here, that will start a profitable process. "For this business, we are not getting those taxes right now for that anyway, because that business is not here, so we're not gaining anything right now," said Loudermilk. With a 10-year tax abatement, CHI will pay more taxes each year, until the end of year 10 where they will pay full taxes to the city. That could not only benefit the city, but Loudermilk says, taxpayers as well. "Hopefully that would reduce taxes and also be able to make and help the city, you know, bring more things to the community," said Loudermilk. With the resolution approved, Loudermilk says opportunities for growth are on the horizon. This is something she says she has been looking forward to since the resolution came about. "I'm just really excited, I'm excited about the opportunity to have the opportunity for a new business to come to Terre Haute," said Loudermilk. These changes are expected to come rather quickly. CHI is located in Illinois about 60 miles from Terre Haute. They say this is part of its several-million dollar expansion project. We asked representatives from the company to speak with us. They declined. (CNN) -- The US Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it will need more time to decide whether the biggest-selling e-cigarette products may remain on the market -- a delay that infuriated pediatricians and anti-tobacco advocates. The FDA said it has taken action on about 93% of the submitted applications, something it called "significant progress." The agency did not announce a decision yet on products from the leading e-cigarette company Juul Labs. E-cigarette products have been allowed to remain on the market for years, even though none have been given the official green light by the FDA. Manufacturers were given until September 9 of last year to submit applications for the agency's authorization to remain on the market. The FDA had a year to review those applications. Now, the agency says it needs to do more. A long, regulatory road "However, there's more work to be done to complete our remaining reviews and ensure that we continue taking appropriate action to protect our nation's youth from the dangers of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, which remain the most commonly used tobacco product by youth in the United States," acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock and Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, said in a joint statement on Thursday. Advocacy groups slammed the delay. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the lobbying arm of the American Cancer Society, had joined a lawsuit to force the September 9 deadline. "The FDA's failure today to act on applications by JUUL, the manufacturer with the single biggest e-cigarette market share, is extremely disappointing and will allow the industry to further endanger public health and hook more kids on their highly addictive products," Lisa Lacasse, president of ACS CAN, said in a statement. "The FDA has had ample time to review the applications and allowing additional delays is unconscionable. There is overwhelming data to demonstrate the negative impact these kinds of flavored products have had on public health and their role in the youth e-cigarette epidemic. The time to act is now," Lacasse added. Dr. Lee Savio Beers, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said the FDA was in essence giving companies such as Juul a pass. "Even though products like JUUL are technically being marketed illegally, FDA signaled that it will not take imminent action to remove them. This is a reckless decision that will allow products proven to addict and endanger young people to continue being sold," Beers said. "The AAP, along with our public health partners, will be looking closely at our legal options to compel FDA to do the right thing and once and for all get dangerous e-cigarette products off the market. We must do everything we can to protect young people from nicotine addiction. We have not a moment more to waste when it comes to keeping children and teens safe." Robin Koval, president and CEO of the Truth Initiative, said millions of teens have become addicted to nicotine. "Postponing decisions on those with the lion's share of the market further empowers the big, rich, tobacco companies to continue to grow their business and profits on the backs of young people putting millions at risk for a lifetime of nicotine addiction," Koval said in a statement. Woodcock and Zeller said that, as of Thursday, the FDA has taken action on applications for more than 6 million products known as electronic nicotine delivery systems -- rejecting most of them, including refusing to file one company's applications for about 4.5 million products because required contents were missing. The FDA also issued 132 marketing denial orders for more than 946,000 flavored products, "including flavors such as Apple Crumble, Dr. Cola and Cinnamon Toast Cereal," the statement said. "We continue to work expeditiously on the remaining applications that were submitted by the court's Sept. 9, 2020, deadline, many of which are in the final stages of review," the statement said. "We are committed to working as quickly as possible to transition the current marketplace for deemed new tobacco products to one in which all products available for sale have undergone a careful, science-based review by the FDA and met the statutory standard." While many products under review have been on the market, "all new tobacco products on the market without the statutorily required premarket authorization are marketed unlawfully and subject to enforcement action at the FDA's discretion," the statement said. "The FDA is committed to completing the review of the remaining products as quickly as possible to provide regulatory certainty and will continue to keep the public informed of our progress." Even though e-cigarette products have been sold for years -- and are often marketed as tools to help adults quit smoking traditional cigarettes -- none have officially been authorized by the FDA. That means e-cigarettes have been on the market illegally, the FDA says. Prior to August 8, 2016, e-cigarettes, cigars and hookah products were not regulated by FDA. That's because, as the FDA notes, "the original grant of authority from Congress in 2009 only covered cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigarette tobacco, and roll-your-own tobacco." Then, e-cigarettes and other vape products became subject to the FDA's tobacco authority and have been somewhat in regulatory limbo since August 2016, according to the FDA. The products on the market at that time needed to have FDA authorization to be legally marketed, but the agency had deferred enforcement of the authorization requirements and no products had been authorized. A July 2019 court decision placed a 10-month deadline on e-cigarette companies to apply to the FDA for public health review. Any products that missed the May 2020 application deadline could have been pulled from the market by the FDA, while those that did apply could stay on the market for up to a year while under review. Then came Covid-19 -- and a four-month extension of that deadline to September 9, 2020. So for e-cigarette products and others deemed as a "new tobacco product," the FDA issued a policy allowing manufacturers to submit applications for authorization by September 9 of last year. That gave the FDA one year -- until Thursday -- to review applications for products and decide to approve or reject the sale of each product. In the meantime, such products have stayed on the market, pending review. "We respect the central role of the FDA and the required thorough science- and evidence-based review of our applications, which is key to advancing harm reduction and earning a license to operate. We remain committed to transitioning adult smokers away from combustible cigarettes while combating underage use," a Juul spokesman told CNN in an email. 'A winnowing of the market' Large vape companies, such as Juul, likely have limited concerns around the FDA's review -- whereas, smaller manufacturers could be worried, Kathleen Hoke, professor of law at the University of Maryland, said on NPR's "All Things Considered" on Wednesday. "I suspect the large players, the big market players like Juul Labs, are less worried. They have submitted substantial applications with likely a significant amount of science base, but there are many other manufacturers that probably submitted applications with a less strong science base," Hoke said. "Whether they get to bootstrap on some of the data presented by the other manufacturers or not is a question," she said. "So, I think we're going to see a winnowing of the market -- and so our major players will probably stay in the business and some of our smaller manufacturers will likely be out." As of late July, companies had submitted more than 6.9 million tobacco products to the FDA for review, all but a sliver related to e-cigarettes. In late August, the FDA denied marketing applications for about 55,000 flavored e-cigarettes, saying the products posed a public health threat to youth in the US. In deciding whether to greenlight certain vaping products, the FDA must decide their public health merit. Does the likelihood of smokers switching over to vapes outweigh the likelihood that others -- especially young people -- will start getting hooked on nicotine? A 'free-for-all market' In the past several years, while e-cigarette products have been on the market without authorization, they have grown in popularity among young people, leading to a vaping epidemic in high schools nationwide. Health advocates have been urging the FDA to act more quickly to limit e-cigarette sales. "We are encouraged that the FDA appears to be recognizing that flavors have to be taken off the market in the interest of protecting youth and public health, and menthol should absolutely be included. But we are very concerned that they did not prioritize and complete the reviews of the companies with over 75% of the e-cigarette market as they promised to do, especially category leader JUUL who started the e-cigarette epidemic in the first place followed by Vuse, blu and NJOY who round out the top brands," said Koval, whose group was formed out of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between states and the major tobacco companies. "Moreover, we believe adult smokers who might possibly benefit from a carefully regulated market with products that have proved they are safe and do what they promise are not well served by the continuation of a free-for-all commercial market." The use of e-cigarettes among high schoolers and middle school students declined significantly from 2019 to 2020 but remains high. A study published in June in the journal JAMA Network Open found that early 20% of high schoolers and almost 5% of middle schoolers reported last year that they currently vaped -- down from 27.5% and 10.5% in 2019. Most of the young students reported commonly using fruit-flavored products. Leading e-cigarette company Juul Labs stopped selling several flavored products in the United States in 2019. Only tobacco and menthol flavors have remained for sale. The long-term safety of vaping products is not yet known, said Marielle Brinkman, a senior research scientist at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. "At the Center for Tobacco Research, we have measured short-term effects in lung and heart health; we have measured harmful and potentially harmful constituents in the vapor that user's inhale from these products," Brinkman told CNN. "It is already established that there is no safe way for people under the age of 25 years to use nicotine," she wrote. "However, if you are a smoker, and you have failed at using FDA-approved cessation such as nicotine gum, lozenge, patch, etc., transitioning from combustible tobacco product use (meaning cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, hookah) to ONLY using e-cigarettes may be result in an unknown reduction of harm." But Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said the evidence is clear. "There is no public health justification for the FDA to allow the continued sale of any flavored e-cigarettes, including menthol-flavored products," Myers said in a statement. "There is overwhelming evidence that flavored e-cigarettes -- including menthol products -- appeal to kids and have fueled the youth e-cigarette epidemic, while there is a lack of evidence that flavored e-cigarettes are effective at helping smokers quit," Myers added. "It would be particularly harmful for the FDA to authorize the continued sale of Juul's menthol e-cigarettes given the fact that Juul was the main cause of the youth e-cigarette epidemic with its appealing flavors, massive doses of nicotine and slick, youth-oriented marketing campaigns. The Juul products pending before the FDA put kids doubly at risk. Not only do they come in menthol flavor attractive to kids, these products also have high nicotine levels -- equivalent to a whole pack of cigarettes -- that can rapidly addict kids." The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. VINCENNES, Ind. (WTHI) - Lou Caprino served in the FBI for 29 years. On the morning of 9/11, he learned of the attacks like many Americans. Caprino explains, "Having worked so much time in New York, ten years as an FBI agent, it was just surreal to me. I couldn't really put it all together." At the time Caprino was at the Australian embassy. Across the world, he was going to bed for the night when he saw the second plane hit the World Trade Center. Caprino says, "I was summoned to the US embassy in Australia. We set up a country team consisting of the FBI, the CIA, the defense attache, and others. That's where our work in Australia began." At the time there was a lot of unknown about what came next. Caprino says, "Back then there was not a single lede that an FBI agent could take and not respond to. No matter how bizarre it may have sounded." In many ways, the FBI and its agents changed how they worked. Caprino explains, "Prior to September 11th the FBI was a predominantly reactionary agency. Now it's a preventive agency. Now all of my students are trained to identify threats. To identify vulnerabilities." Every day students file into the homeland security building on Vincennes University's campus. Learning lessons from 9/11. Caprino says, "Many of my students were yet to be born. Others were only infants. So they don't really have an idea of just how impactful that day was." Caprino says law enforcement across the country is still feeling that impact. Caprino explains, "Whether they are man-made threats, domestic terror groups, are I believe probably more of a threat today than they were ever before in our history." WABASH VALLEY (WTHI) - The United States Drought Monitor is released every Thursday morning. It's produced by several federal agencies, including NOAA and the USDA. September 9th's update showed parts of the Wabash Valley were considered abnormally dry. Those areas included parts of Clay, Greene, Monroe, Owen, Parke and Vigo counties. On the drought monitor's legend, abnormally dry is the lowest of five categories, and it's not considered a drought. For Indiana, abnormally dry conditions can begin impacting local agricuture. Crops and pastures can become stressed and lawns can start turning brown, according to the drought montior's website. Precipitation trends over the summer in Terre Haute showed that the city has been drying out, especially over the past month. June and July both saw above average rainfall with close to a two-inch surplus in both months, but that wasn't the case for August. August usually averages nearly three inches of rain, but the Terre Haute Airport only recorded 1.86 inches this year. So far, Terre Haute is still running ahead of schedule for the year with more than 30 inches of rain to date. With no rain in the forecast until the middle of next week, there likely won't be much in the way of improvement for a while. If you're seeing any impacts from the dry weather, the creators of the drought monitor want to hear from you. You can submit your reports here. VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - If you have noticed your kids getting off the bus late after school, you are not alone. The Vigo County School Corporation says a bus driver shortage is to blame for longer route times. That shortage is not only happening here at Vigo County Schools, it is happening nationwide. Bill Riley is the director of communications at Vigo County School Corporation. He says this is a problem that has carried over from last year. Riley says they are training a handful of new drivers, but for the time being, he says if a driver is off work, it can cause other drivers to have to run double routes. This is what would cause students to be late off the bus. Riley says even though there are delays, he wants to ease the concerns of parents. "We're still gonna get every student to and from school, but we're wanting to communicate with parents to let them know that there could be some delays," said Riley. Riley says if you would like to become a bus driver, they are making a big push to hire. If you would like to apply, click here. VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - The Vigo County School Corporation says they will soon consider masking mandates for older kids in the school system. During the corporation's September 13 board meeting, the board of trustees will consider having kids in grades 7 through 12 wear masks while indoors. Right now, that group of students can take their masks off if they are in the classroom and facing forward. Kids in grades PreK through 6th grade must wear masks anytime they are inside. They said the potential change is based on the increase of COVID-19 cases along with hospitalizations in Vigo County. "The dashboard shows that COVID-19 is something that our community is struggling with. Specifically, we are concerned about the 39% rise in new cases in our community from last week to this week. Hospitalizations are a concern as well, as our hospitals have reported a 30% increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations from last week to this week," Vigo County School Corporation Superintendent Rob Haworth said. "Thankfully, our staff quarantines and positive cases remain low and we are hopeful that they continue to stay low so our schools can stay open. However, most of our positive student cases are at the middle and high school levels, and moving to universal masking at these levels will allow us to avoid quarantines in our middle and high schools and keep students in school." Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov conducted their second spacewalk in less than a week as they continue configurations for the new Nauka module for operations on the International Space Station. The spacewalk began Thursday at 10:51 a.m. and ended at 6:16 p.m. ET, lasting for seven hours and 25 minutes. The spacewalk continued as scheduled despite the fact that the space station crew was awakened by a fire alarm around 10 p.m. ET Wednesday night. The alarm sounded for a minute after sensors detected smoke in the Russian Zvezda module. The smoke and burning plastic smell was also present in the US parts of the space station. The crew reacted quickly and replaced air filters and all signs of smoke dissipated, according to NASA. However, the source of the smoke was not identified. This was the second of what could be up to 11 spacewalks by the cosmonauts as they work on Nauka, a multipurpose laboratory module that includes additional space for research and sleeping quarters. In July, Russia's newly docked module accidentally fired its thrusters, spinning the space station out of control. At the time, three NASA astronauts, two Russian cosmonauts, a Japanese astronaut and an astronaut with the European Space Agency were on board. Dmitry Rogozin, general director of Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, told CNN, "We did have a problem," and he blamed it on human error. Nauka launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on July 21 and docked on July 29. During Thursday's spacewalk, Novitskiy and Dubrov installed handrails and completed cable routing work left unfinished during the September 3 spacewalk, which kicked off power and ethernet cable connections for the module. They took photos and installed microbe exposure canisters outside of the module that can help study extreme environments. And they safely jettisoned a cable reel cover away from the space station. Novitskiy was extravehicular crew member 1 in the Russian Orlan spacesuit with the red stripes, and Dubrov wore the spacesuit with the blue stripes as extravehicular crew member 2. The outing was the third spacewalk for both Dubrov and Novitskiy, as well as the 243rd spacewalk in support of assembling, maintaining and upgrading the space station. Meanwhile, a spacewalk scheduled for August 24, which was to include NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, will now take place on September 12 -- with some changes. The August spacewalk was postponed a day before it was set to occur due to what NASA described as a "minor medical issue" experienced by Vande Hei. While no further details about this issue -- outside of the fact that it was not a medical emergency -- have been shared, Vande Hei will now provide internal support during the September 12 spacewalk as he continues to recover. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet will take his place alongside Hoshide. During the walk, Hoshide and Pesquet will install a modification kit that will prepare for future Roll-Out Solar Array installation work. This will be the first spacewalk conducted out of the orbiting laboratory's Quest airlock by two international partner astronauts at the space station, according to NASA. A 360-degree virtual reality camera will film Hoshide and Pesquet during their spacewalk, scheduled to begin on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. ET. Live coverage will air on NASA's TV channel and website beginning at 7 a.m. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. PONTOTOC Miss. (WTVA) - A 23-year-old woman is back home from the ICU after battling COVID for more than two months. I feel like a walking miracle," Lyric Smith said. COVID-19 survivor Lyric Smith and the medical personnel who helped her during her recovery. COVID-19 survivor Lyric Smith. COVID-19 survivor Lyric Smith. COVID-19 survivor Lyric Smith and the medical personnel who helped her during her recovery. When she got the virus in June, she didnt know she would be fighting for her life for months. COVID is real, it took all my strength away. Smith said on her third day in quarantine, she was unable to breathe. EMTs rushed her to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. Then doctors put her in an induced coma and on a ventilator. After a few days of being in the ICU, her mother, Monica Lindsey, said doctors told her that her daughter wasnt going to survive. But Lindsey didnt give up hope. I was like no. I just have faith that she will survive. She will live. You just do what you have to do on your end, the mother said. Smith was eventually transferred to a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. There, she was on life support for weeks. Lindsey said doctors then took her daughter off life support to determine if she could breathe without machines. Smith started to show progress. It was a thin line between life and death, and God brought her back. Smith eventually learned how to fully breathe, eat and walk on her own again. She credits her mother, the doctors and prayers for her survival. It just feels amazing to know that I had such a strong support system, Smith said crying. Prior to all this, she had zero pre-existing medical conditions. She urges everyone to get the vaccine so they dont have a similar experience. Link - Schedule vaccine appointment online in Mississippi Morgantown, WV (26505) Today Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 76F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Morgantown, WV (26505) Today Overcast. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High 76F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Kingwood, WV (26537) Today Cloudy skies. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High 77F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Charleston, WV (25311) Today Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High 77F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Clarksburg, WV (26301) Today Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High 76F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy overnight with a few showers. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. The Toronto International Film Festival marked a poignant in-person return on Thursday evening, with the opening night title Dear Evan Hansen. Before a single frame of the cathartic tearjerker starring Ben Platt was screened, festival co-heads Cameron Bailey and Joana Vicente primed the room at Torontos Roy Thomson Hall. Normally packed to the gills in pre-COVID times, the auditorium was a barely at 50% capacity thanks to social distancing measures in view of the ongoing pandemic. More from Variety Bailey and Vicente spoke of resilience and gratitude for the industry and public coming back together at TIFF. An officer of the Canadian film commission followed, underscoring that Dear Evan Hansen was the perfect film to welcome audiences back after an all-virtual edition in 2020 because of its simple message: You are not alone. Mayor of Toronto John Tory then surprised the crowd with an off-the-cuff speech, at one point nearly overcome, saying This is the greatest city in the greatest country in the world, and were stronger than ever. So, yeah, the room was ready to laugh and cry beside each other in the dark. Platt introduced the film with supporting cast Amandla Stenberg, Julianne Moore, Danny Pino, Colton Ryan and Nik Dodani. Director Stephen Chbosky, standing beside musical scribe and adaptive screenplay writer Steven Levenson, said as far is Im concerned, youre here for the opening night of cinema in North America. Stars Amy Adams and Kaitlyn Dever appeared via Zoom. A Tony-winning musical, Universals Dear Evan Hansen follows a lonely and troubled teen who is catapulted into the lives of a grieving family after a mix up over the authorship of a letter. As he gains the trust and affection of his new admirers, a chasm around his lie grows larger as connections from his old life erode. Story continues Audience members liberally embraced each other and wiped at their eyes during dramatic numbers, and shared glances and laughs as well. The reaction could well have been an advertisement for the moviegoing experience in general. After credits rolled and the cast and filmmakers took to the stage for a Q&A, Platt received a standing ovation. Hes become so wrapped up in who I am, Platt said of the titular role. Moore confessed that she had not sung aloud since I did The Music Man in high school, but found strength playing opposite this beautiful performance from Ben. Chbosky perhaps summed it up best when he was asked why he gravitates toward stories about coming of age (as he has in previous work like The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Wonder.) Whatever tragedies we may have experienced In our families over the last year, we are alive. We are here. The movie rocks, he said. This is Chboskys first time tackling a musical, though he has adapted screenplays for the filmed version of Rent and the Disney live action version of Beauty and the Beast. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, billed professionally as Pasek and Paul, wrote the music and lyrics. In an interview with Variety published Thursday, Chbosky detailed his determination that the movies singing feel live and urgent. To me, live singing was a cornerstone of this particular movie. I had an instinct that the more matter of fact we could be about the music, the more the dialogue and lyrics are almost indistinguishable in how we approach them, that the tone would be more grounded and real. Were dealing with real grief, real emotions; there really isnt any fantasy, he said. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. France is joining the list of European travel destinations tightening restrictions on U.S. tourists as COVID-19 cases surge because of the delta coronavirus variant. Beginning Sept. 12, only vaccinated visitors will be allowed to visit for vacation, the French Embassy confirmed Friday. Nonvaccinated travelers can visit only for essential reasons and need a negative coronavirus test. They also must isolate for seven days upon arrival. Until now, unvaccinated tourists needed only to show a negative test to enter France. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The moves come after the European Union's decision on Aug. 30 to remove the United States from its list of safe countries amid a spike in COVID-19 cases, essentially recommending a ban of nonessential travel such as vacations. It is only a recommendation; individual countries set their own travel policies. France already requires vaccination proof or a coronavirus test to visit restaurants and ride on trains as well as visit popular tourist destinations such as museums and the Eiffel Tower. International travel: European Union countries tightening COVID-19 restrictions for US tourists Travel testing: Here's what travelers should know about at-home COVID-19 tests The Netherlands, Spain and Denmark also are banning unvaccinated U.S. tourists, and Italy has added entry requirements, even for those who are vaccinated. The new restrictions add up to another confusing maze of requirements for travelers planning fall visits to Europe. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can Americans travel to France? Tourists will need COVID vaccine proof Photo credit: Raquel Langworthy For interior designer Alexis Hughes, a client's background had never before been such a strong influence on the project itself. She previously worked with the homeowners on their prior home in Tuxedo Park, NY, and reunited for their big move to the city. This new construction, an industrial warehouse turned into loft-style apartments in Tribeca, New York, hails massive 13-foot ceilings with tributes to the family's Bahamian heritage represented throughout. "It was a lot of fun to work on a very different space with this couple," Hughes says. "It was a big move for the kids, and making it feel like home for themlike bright, cheerful, and happy and have a nod to their background in the Bahamaswas a big component of it." The family of four came to Hughes with an expanding art collection, so showcasing their works throughout the space and designing around those pieces was a priority. They also wanted to highlight their Bahamian culture. (The mother had grown up in Harbour Island and Nassau in the Bahamas, where she met the father, who had been working there at the time.) A lot of the art that they collected was this Bahamian folk artist Amos Ferguson, who did all of those brightly colored oil paintings. That was the jumping off point," Hughes says. The home also features paintings by Caio Fonseco and prints by Andy Warhol and Jonas Wood. Hughes and her clients were also inspired after a stay at the home of Quadrille Fabrics owner John Knottwho is married to the company's Vice President of Marketing, John Fondasalso located in Nassau. They loved the couple's use of color, pattern, and layering, and wanted to transfer those joyous elements into their own space. "Knowing that this wasn't a beach residence, we also wanted it to be a sophisticated Tribeca loft, so marrying the two was probably the biggest challenge of the project," she explains. Kitchen Photo credit: Raquel Langworthy Square footage was not an issue in this spacious kitchen big enough for the whole family to cook together. Hughes complemented the modern walnut cabinetry with a bronze table accented with walnut banding from CJ Peters, and added in minimalist oak-and-leather Mater stools and a classic globe pendant from Urban Electric. After visiting the Urban Electric's work rooms in Charleston, SC, the family gravitated toward the artisan brand for their lighting fixtures. Story continues Hughes was also faced with altering the initial design of the kitchen to improve its functionality. "The mom is an avid chef and the developer initially placed the island far away from the refrigerator and the range," she says. "It took several onsite meetings and a lot of off-screen effort to allow for us to move the island to a more reasonable distance of about 44 feet off the opposite counter." Living Room Photo credit: Raquel Langworthy With 13-foot ceilings and enormous 40-foot columns overhead, Hughes carved out sweet intimate seating areas within the living room for the sons who are avid readers. She added subtle color with an antique Swedish rug from Doris Leslie Blau, custom embroidered pillows from Holland & Sherry, and a pair of Christopher Spitzmiller table lamps. There are also various textures mixed in, like a woven jute area rug from Stark Carpet and a vintage rattan-wrapped floor lamp. We stood back and realized we wanted more pink, she says, so they added the Manila Hemp wallpaper from Philip Jeffriesthe perfect finishing touch to make the room feel happy and sophisticated. The living room also features a custom bookcase and grand window treatments to elevate the eye and diversify the wall plane. Two customized light fixtures from Urban Electric soften the space, bringing all of the pieces together in perfect harmony. Bedroom Photo credit: Raquel Langworthy "In the bedrooms we felt like we could have a little more fun and let loose a little bit more on the Quadrille patterns. Bringing Quadrille into the home was really a big priority for the homeowners," she says. To tie in a beachy feel reminiscent of the Bahamas, she chose Phillip Jeffries grasscloth for the wallpaper and lively Quadrille patterns for the king-size bed and bed skirt. A light fixture from Urban Electric offers a slight modern touch against the blue-toned patterns. Bathroom Photo credit: Raquel Langworthy In the primary bathroom, Hughes wanted to make the space feel cohesive and dial down on the really modern elements that the developers had previously placed in the space. She utilized Ferguson's colorful and unique Bahamian folk art on the walls, making the room feel welcoming and homey. "To add interest to what was originally a blank slate, we were able to add a fun scalloped etagere to the large water closet for candles and books," she says. "To soften the more severe modern lines of the space, we continued the same Philip Jeffries Raffia wallpaper we used in the bedroom into the bathroom and replaced the lighting with a few favorites from Urban Electric." Kids Bedroom The kids' bedrooms were a chance for Hughes to experiment with the fun and colorful Quadrille patterns the family loved. They used Elizabeth Eakin's area rugs, colorful Urban Electric fixtures, and beautifully patterned Quadrille wallpapers on almost every surface in the rooms. "It was so much fun to work together," Hughes enthuses. "The mom was really up for everythingincluding running off to Connecticut to Elizabeth Eakin's annual sale, where we scooped up all of these great rugs. We really lucked out!" Follow House Beautiful on Instagram . You Might Also Like In just a few days, Apple will be hosting an event that were all but certain will be the iPhone 13 launch. The company sent out invites earlier this week that featured the words California Streaming, which of course led many of us in the industry to speculate like crazy what surprises might be in store. My money is on new TV+ or Apple Music content, while others are guessing game streaming or a cloud-based macOS might be possible. But as always, we already have a good idea of what to expect thanks to analysts, leakers and FCC filings. Heres a selection of the more-credible leaks that have been swirling around so you can catch up on all the iPhone 13 rumors ahead of the September 14th keynote. iPhone 13 Just as there were four iPhone 12 models last year, were expecting the same number of iPhone 13s next week. This was pretty much confirmed by an FCC filing about upcoming MagSafe updates, which didnt name them but referred to four New Phone items in addition to the existing generation. Those four devices are most likely the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, and Im personally glad Apple is keeping the baby iPhone around. As early as February this year, rumors of the new iPhones featuring Always On displays have been floating and have only gained traction since. This would allow Apple to constantly have the time and other system indicators appear on your lock screen. Another popular rumor suggests the next iPhones will have smaller notches, and that a 120Hz screen is coming to the Pro model. If thats true, Apple would be catching up to Samsung, though Google still hasnt hit that high of a refresh rate on its flagships yet. With the potential Always On display and faster refresh rates, battery life could be a concern for the new flagships. But it sounds like Apple might be mitigating that by using lower power LTPO (or Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) screens and bigger batteries. Theres also talk of an in-display fingerprint reader coming to the iPhone 13 line, though the reports on that are less consistent. Itd also be weird since the main iPhone series, havent had a Touch ID sensor since the iPhone X was launched in 2017. Story continues A person holding a blue iPhone 12 and blue iPhone 12 pro in each hand, with the devices' rear cameras facing up. Beyond their screens, the iPhones are also expected to get some camera upgrades. On the hardware front, were reportedly getting improved ultra-wide cameras across the lineup, with better sensors and lenses. As for imaging software, Apple is supposedly adding an automatic astrophotography feature and a portrait video mode that could blur out the background while you film. Samsung already offers this on its S21 series, so itll be interesting to see how the two compare. A surprising recent rumor suggests the iPhone 13 might even support satellite communications, which could let you make emergency calls if youre out of a typical cellular coverage area. This would be a unique feature in modern smartphones, and almost hard to believe. But the report said Apple would be using a modified Qualcomm radio to enable this, meaning the components could already be easily available, making it more possible this is coming this year. Externally, the phones arent expected to look significantly different from their predecessors, other than a potentially gripper texture on their backs. Reports seem to agree that the lightning port will remain, and that the updated MagSafe charger (and the phones) will have stronger magnets to prevent accidental slippage. Finally, as weve been referring to it throughout this article, the next generation is most likely going to be called the iPhone 13. Not the iPhone 12S or the iPhone 14, because apparently Apple is not superstitious. Which is cool. Courage. Apple Watch SE review Watch Series 7 In addition to new phones, its also quite likely that well see new Apple Watches next week. Specifically, were expecting the company to unveil the Watch Series 7 with larger cases and screens. Some reports suggest the new wearables will also sport thinner bezels, a flatter design, a faster chip and updated ultra-wideband functionality, which might improve its communication with doors, locks and other devices. And thats about all weve heard so far. According to various sources, anticipated features like a body-temperature sensor or blood sugar monitor wont be ready for this years Watch. Those waiting for a rugged variant will also probably have to wait till 2022 at least. AirPods 3 Speaking of waiting, were coming up on about two and a half years since Apple launched the AirPods 2nd gen in 2019. It took about the same amount of time for the company to introduce the follow-up to its original wireless earbuds, though, so its very likely well see the next generation come September 14th. At some point, rumors suggested they might arrive earlier this year. Were now well into the 2nd half of 2021, and all weve seen of the third-generation AirPods is a photo leaked in February. The image is purportedly of the regular model, not the Pro, and includes the devices carrying case. The holder appears wider than the second gens and the buds seem to have an in-ear design similar to the AirPods Pro. That fits with other rumors swirling around. Two white wireless earbuds on top of a white charging case. Image is covered with a translucent watermark with Chinese characters and the url Beyond what can be seen in the picture, the source 52Audio also claimed that the third-gen AirPods would support active noise cancellation and spatial audio. That contradicts an earlier Bloomberg report that said those features wouldnt make it. The Bloomberg story did say the AirPods would offer a new chip and longer battery life, though. iPad 9, iPad mini 6, MacBook Pro and more Those three product lines seem all but guaranteed to show up at next weeks launch, but lets not forget about the iPad. Apples next entry-level tablet should be the iPad 9 and multiple reports from sources like Digitimes and Bloombergs Mark Gurman suggest that itll arrive this month alongside the iPhones. An iPad mini 6 is also supposedly on the horizon. In general, rumors indicate that the iPad 9 is going to look quite similar to its predecessor, with a somewhat thinner design and slightly bigger screen. The more noteworthy upgrades are likely to be internal, with faster chips and more RAM being a popular speculation. If Apple does launch a new tablet next week, these incremental improvements do seem like a given. Its also possible that the iPad 9 may offer MagSafe support, though since a slate wasnt mentioned in the FCC filing I mentioned earlier, this seems unlikely. As for the iPad mini 6, it appears as if a redesign might be in the works that would make the compact tablet look more like the M1 iPad Pro, with thinner bezels and a squarer design. It could also come with a USB-C port instead of Lightning, as well as a potential Smart Connector for keyboards and other accessories. Thats a whole smorgasbord of Apple devices that might be unveiled next week, as the company readies new products for the upcoming holiday shopping season. But there could still be more surprises up its sleeve. Though a new Apple TV was already launched earlier this year, based on the words California Streaming on the invitation, well probably hear about new shows coming to TV+. Plus, Bloombergs Gurman also wrote in a newsletter that hes expecting a redesigned MacBook Pro between September and November this year, which means it could be announced alongside the iPhones. Or maybe Apple is saving that for another event later in the year. Whatever you might be most interested to see come September 14th, its clear Apple has plenty to show off. Well be hosting a live show on the Engadget YouTube channel when the event is over, so that we can all be disappointed or excited together with you in real time. I hope youll come hang with me and UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith and have some fun then! Photo illustration by The Daily Beast/Getty What the hell is Joe Manchin doing?! On the latest episode of The New Abnormal, Max Rose, who served in Afghanistan and won a term in Congress as a Democrat representing a red district in Staten Island and Brooklyn, explains where Manchin is coming from. Theres not another Democrat who could win that seatand without it Mitch McConnell is running the Senate, Rose says. Still, Rose warns host Molly Jong-Fast against people confusing talking points with economics as Manchin sometimes wants to position himself as against Democrats since his folks from a cultural perspective are not aligning with Democrats. Subscribe to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Overcast. To listen to our weekly members-only bonus episodes, join Beast Inside here. Already a member? You can listen here and sign up for new episode email alerts here. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. As for the people who supported Donald Trump when he wanted to pull out of Afghanistan but are ripping President Joe Biden for actually doing it, Rose says, Those folks are frauds. They shouldnt be even acknowledgedand neither should the foreign policy blob establishment, who got us in this mess in the first place, he says. Were All Just Living Under the Tyranny of Joe Manchin Then Molly has a great talk with American Crime Story: Impeachment producer Sarah Burgess about a really profound story about power dynamics and what emotions can lead us to. The two also discuss whether anythings really changed since what boiled down to an incredibly uncomfortable story about basically a sexual coercion with Paula Jones, and they look back on the cheap attacks on (Monica Lewinsky) from older women who are quote unquote feminist that were just beyond the pale. Says Burgess: When youre in a thing with the president of the United States, you cant call him, you cant go to his house. Its the 90s, you have to sit in your apartment and wait for a call, and thats not good for anybody. Story continues And finally, Molly talks with Arizona secretary of state and candidate for governor Katie Hobbs about Arizonas insane cyber ninja election audit. Listen to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and Stitcher. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Lauren Alaina Tyler Hynes Hallmark Roadhouse Romance Copyright 2021 Crown Media United States LLC/Luba Popovic Saturday night, September 11, kicks off Hallmark Channel's Fall Harvest lineup with Roadhouse Romance, starring one of the network's go-to leading men, Tyler Hynes. Making her Hallmark debut opposite Hynes is country music sensation, Lauren Alaina. Southern Living recently spoke with both stars about their new film, Alaina joining the Hallmark family, country music, and more. "First of all, everybody loves a Hallmark movie. I cannot do anything cooler for my family, ever, than to be in a Hallmark movie. When I go home for the holidays, I stay with my cousin Holly and my Aunt Kim. And Holly is bedridden due to some health problems, and we lay in bed and watch Hallmark. And I actually recently got to play my movie for Holly, and it was one of the sweetest accomplishments ever in my career," Alaina said of making her debut on the feel-good network. Roadhouse Romance is set in a fictional town outside of Nashville, and while they didn't actually film in Tennessee, there are several authentic nods that Southerners and country music fans especially will appreciate. Alaina plays Lieutenant Callie Jackson who has just arrived home after a long deployment to find that things back home are not quite as she left them. Her boyfriend has moved on and her family's BBQ restaurant and music venue, Tucker's Roadhouse, is now a struggling business after Grandpa Tucker's death. The roadside spot has long been woven into the fabric of their town, known equally for the delicious BBQ and as being a destination for yet to be discovered musical talent. Callie is determined to turn things around for her family business before starting her new job at the V.A. hospital in town. The fact that Alaina is playing a soldier and the film debuts on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 is not lost on the Georgia native. "It was really special to me to be able to be a Lieutenant in the Army. My dad's an Army veteran. So that was a nice nod to my father and to all of the service men and women out there And it's coming out on such an important day in our nation's history. It' is a day of tragedy and a day of celebration for us the way that our nation responded, and it feels really meant to be that my character is in the Army and it's coming out on 9/11 so that we can acknowledge them. Because we would not be this country without them." Story continues She then told us about her father's reaction to her character. "I called my dad the day I put the uniform on, and he cried like a baby on Facetime. Well, he cried and then he said, 'fix your hat,'" she said with a laugh. Hynes' character Luke is a big shot television director and finds himself stopping unexpectedly in Callie's town when his car breaks down. Hynes describes Luke as, "a guy who's sorta from this Hollywood world, this very beautiful car, and perhaps this beautiful life. Juxtaposing to this very sort of middle American sort of place that we're in. And all of the charisma that comes with that place and her [Alaina's] character. I think that the collision of those two worlds is a good quality about this movie and makes it sort of tasty to watch." Now, of course, Hallmark wasn't going to let Alaina's other talents go to waste, so you'll get her singing three songs in this film that they worked into the storyline seamlessly. Her family owns a country music venue, after all. Callie hops up on stage to perform during Tucker's open mic night and at the town's fall festival. You'll hear her sing her popular song "Run," "What Do You Think Of," which is on her brand new album, Sitting Pretty On Top of the World, and a beautiful cover of Keith Whitley's "When You Say Nothing at All." "She has a natural Southern charisma to her which is very nice. And obviously her voice is beautiful. When she was in her element on that day on that stage singing her heart out. That was very, very fun to watch," Hynes said of watching Alaina sing during filming. In the movie, Hynes' character knows very little about country music, and Hynes admits that's not too far off the truth. "I'm not a huge country music guy. I, like the character, I love Waylon Jennings, I like Johnny Cash, I love the roots and I love the essence of that whole world so I can appreciate it," Hynes told us, admitting that before working with Alaina he didn't know much about modern country music. Alaina's character Callie gives Luke an educational country music playlist, what she considers to be the essentials to make someone fall in love with the genre. So, of course, in real life we asked Alaina what she'd put on her playlist to showcase her favorite tunes she thinks everyone should hear. "'When You Say Nothing at All,' for sure. Probably, 'He stopped loving her today,' 'She's in love with the boy.' All things Dolly Parton. She's my favorite of all time. I'd probably put 'Fancy' by Reba on there. 'Friends in Low Places,' just because you got to. And for Dolly Parton how about do Dolly's version of 'I will always love you' because everyone needs to hear that," she said. She then added "'Don't take the girl,' I love that song! George Strait, 'Check yes or no.' and then Alan Jackson 'Chattahoochee' Oh! Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline." Clearly, she could go on and on and quite frankly so could we. WATCH: Exclusive: Hallmark Reveals Details of New Christmas Movie Staring Bethany Joy Lenz and Tyler Hynes Be sure to tune into Roadhouse Romance premiering on Hallmark Channel, Saturday September 11to find out what is on Callie's playlist for Luke. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer called it a farce that Premier League clubs remained unsure if they could field their Brazilian stars this weekend as the row over their refusal to release them for international duty continued. As it stood on Friday lunchtime, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Leeds were due to be without key players after the Brazilian federation asked FIFA to enforce rules preventing players from playing for five days if they failed to report for international duty. Premier League clubs made a collective decision not to release players for duty if it meant them travelling to red-list countries as they would face 10 days of quarantine on their return. It is understood the Premier League remains in talks with FIFA, the clubs and the Government over the issue. Solskjaer, who could be without midfielder Fred for Saturdays match against Newcastle, said: I think its a lose, lose, lose situation for everyone national teams, players, clubs. Its been a farce For me, Im disappointed with the whole thing. Common sense might not be so common anymore and we need to prepare a game without Fred. Manchester City face the prospect of being without Gabriel Jesus and goalkeeper Ederson away to Leicester, potentially prompting a recall for third-choice stopper Scott Carson given number Zack Steffen contracted Covid-19 while on duty with the United States. Right now, at 1.35pm, it is unclear, Guardiola said when asked if the pair could play. I dont know, hopefully they can play Argentina players can travel and they cant play the game. And after, Brazil asked to ban players who cannot travel. They cannot play there and they cannot play here. Its crazy. Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, who may be without Thiago Silva at home to Aston Villa, said he could not understand who benefitted. Story continues It makes no sense from which side you look at it, he said. Does it make sense for Brazil? No. Does it make sense for us? No. Liverpools Brazil forward Roberto Firmino will miss Sundays trip to Leeds through injury, but the situation for Alisson and Fabinho is unclear. The hosts could be without Raphinha, who missed what could have been his first cap for Brazil. Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa said the row was the product of a saturated calendar with too many matches. Its convenient for the industry that there are a lot of games, he said. They dont care if players are saturated, injured or play badly because they play too much. The (answer) is that we should all earn less then we can have fewer games. Everton were expected to have Richarlison available, with the Brazilian federation not complaining about the forwards absence after he did play at the Olympics. The situation did not only involve Brazil players Watfords Chile international Francisco Sierralta could also be prevented from playing. However, Mexico withdrew their complaint, freeing Wolves forward Raul Jimenez, while Newcastle boss Steve Bruce revealed an agreement had been reached meaning that Paraguay midfielder Miguel Almiron could travel to Manchester United. But Bruce was wary of a repeat next month, and said a proper plan had to be put in place. It is what it is, but its been even more difficult this time, especially with the South Americans involved going to countries which are red-listed, he said. Maybe the Government has to get involved the next time. While others hoped their players would be permitted to play, Spurs and Aston Villa will definitely be without the Argentina players who did travel only for their presence to lead to the abandonment of their match in Brazil as health officials dramatically intervened on the pitch. Dean Smith insisted Aston Villa were left in an impossible situation over Emi Martinez and Emi Buendia who are now quarantining in Croatia alongside Tottenhams Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso. It was a no-win situation all round. Each club had to come up with the best solution for themselves, Smith said. We were all in a rock and a hard place. More than 60% of American parents want their kids to learn about the ongoing effects of slavery and racism as part of their K-12 education, according to a new USA TODAY/Ipsos poll. But just half of parents support teaching critical race theory in schools even though the theory's main premise is that racism continues to permeate society. About 4 in 10 parents support restrictions on schools' ability to teach critical race theory. That disconnect underscores the heated feelings parents have about race-related conversations and how teachers should be handling that and other delicate topics. And, not surprisingly, the issue is firmly politicized: More than 8 in 10 Democrat parents believed their children should learn about the lingering impact of slavery and racism in schools, compared to fewer than 4 in 10 Republican parents, according to the poll's findings. Anxious history: Critical race theory bans have a "chilling effect" on lessons, teachers say A solid majority of parents, about three out of four, believe schools should teach slavery and racism as part of American history, the poll showed. That left some wondering about the respondents in the minority. "Who are those one out of four parents who don't want their kid learning history?" said David Hinojosa, a lawyer with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. that's investigating the effects of laws banning critical race theory in some states. "Or do they think American history should be taught, but without slavery?" A representative sample of about 2,000 Americans participated in the USA TODAY/Ipsos back-to-school survey, conducted between Aug. 30 and Sept. 1. About a fifth of participants are parents of schoolchildren. The poll had a credibility interval, akin to a margin of error, of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points. In addition to asking about critical race theory and history education, the poll surveyed parents about online learning, school mask and vaccine mandates, sexual education and media literacy education. Story continues Most parents, concerned about learning losses brought on by remote learning, support in-person learning with universal masking and teacher vaccination requirements. Roughly three in four parents also said they're in favor of schools teaching students about sex, as well as how to spot misinformation online. COVID prototols: 2 out of 3 parents support school mask mandates, poll shows Critical race theory, DEI: Here's what those terms actually mean Parents' race, politics influence feelings about critical race theory Opinions on discussions of race in schools are more mixed, poll results showed. Specifically, 63% of parents want their children to learn about the ongoing effects of slavery and racism in schools, while just 49% say critical race theory should be taught in schools even though the two topics are intertwined. Three in 10 parents oppose the teaching of CRT. How parents feel varies significantly by race. Just 37% of white parents are in favor of their childrens schools teaching critical race theory, compared to 83% of Black parents, according to the poll. Parents of color also support teaching about systemic racism at greater rates than white parents. The right way to teach about slavery: Give students the tools to debate, discuss Deborah Valentine, a 58-year-old Black grandmother of four schoolchildren in Martinsburg, West Virginia, said she believes such education is important "so history won't repeat itself." "At this point, the grownups seem to be having a hard time getting along and accepting others who are different from them," said Valentine. "If that is allowed to continue, the next generation won't do any better." Schools can teach about systemic racism in a way that's age-appropriate and avoids making white children "feel like they're being singled out," she added, by emphasizing mistakes made in the past, and that young people of all races have the power to make it right in the future. "Putting your hands over your eyes and acting like (racism) didn't happen when it did it's just not going to be good if we want to keep our country moving forward," said Valentine, a Democrat. Critical race theory encourages disadvantaged students to see themselves as victims when their education should teach them "tenacity and grit," argued Wayne Pittman, a Republican father of three in Monument, Colorado. "All racism is wrong ... that's not a debate," said Pittman, who's white. But "once you get into this blame game, it's automatically someone else's fault for the situation you're in you're never going to be able to break out of that cycle or that mindset." Walking away: Connecticut teacher resigns over critical race theory curriculum Almost 1 in 4 parents 22% said children should begin learning about racism in kindergarten. Overall, a majority feel it should at least start sometime before middle school. Still, nearly 1 in 5 respondents 17% said its never appropriate to teach schoolchildren about racism. The continuing fight over critical race theory education Battles over what critical race theory is and isn't, whether it's being taught in K-12 schools and why it even matters have made headlines for months. CRT is a framework developed decades ago by legal scholars who wondered why more progress hadn't been made on civil rights in America. The theory is commonly discussed in law schools, but rarely mentioned by name in K-12 schools, teachers and scholars say. But conservative critics believe elements of the theory's premise that racial inequality continues because racism is baked into societal structures and even embedded in humans' own subconscious is being taught as a form of progressive indoctrination in public schools. Christopher Rufo, a vocal critic at the conservative Manhattan Institute, a nonprofit in New York City, has written extensively about CRT, calling it "a new political education spreading everywhere." He's been featured on Fox News, which has run numerous stories on the theory and its connection to schooling. Protestors rally against critical race theory in schools in Virginia on June 12, 2021. Parents' views on the issue are divided sharply by political affiliation, according to the poll. About 82% of Democrat parents support schools teaching about the ongoing effects of slavery, compared to 38% of Republican parents. Justine Larison, a 51-year-old mother of two children in the Wilmington, Delaware, area opposes public schools teaching critical race theory. Such critiques have reinforced her decision to send her teenage son to a private Catholic school, said Larison, who's white. Larison and her family discuss critical race theory which she defines as the ways race and law intersect at home, though not in depth because she didn't learn about it in school herself, she said. Teaching kids about the history of slavery and racism is important, Larison said, but she's wary of public schools overemphasizing conflict between Black people and white people. "People are people," said Larison, a Republican, noting that she believed white people face just as many struggles as their Black peers. How did CRT gain traction? A national reckoning over racial injustices and police brutality began last year in the wake of George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis. The national discussion intensified after the publication of the New York Times' 1619 Project, which reframed the founding of America around slavery. Then last September, former president Donald Trump issued an executive order banning workplace training within the federal government and its contractors that aimed to address racial disparities. President Joe Biden's administration has since rescinded the order. But conservative critics have continued to focus on what they see as "critical race theory" embedded in schools. Republican lawmakers in GOP-controlled states have since pursued legislation that restricts how race and racism can be taught in public schools. At least 28 states have sought to restrict teaching about racism or bias in schools, according to Chalkbeat, a nonprofit education news site. Some have gone as far as restricting teaching "divisive concepts." Parents riled up by the issue have flooded school board meetings. Conservative organizations have offered tools to help them. The Manhattan Institute, for example, released a guide for parents concerned about "woke schooling." School board fights: Fanned by conservatives, Proud Boys protest CRT Read more on race and identity: Sign up for USA TODAYs This Is America newsletter "If you are a parent worried about your childs miseducation but afraid to speak up for fear of being called a bigot and a racist, recognize this: you are not alone, and thousands of parents like you are preparing to fight back," the guide says. Many parents and teachers are concerned the outcry over critical race theory in schools has spiraled out of control. They're worried the new laws not only limit freedom of speech, but also the teaching of accurate history. A newly formed group called the Learn from History Coalition, aims to rally teachers and parents behind teaching the full history of America, including the uncomfortable parts. "Our kids need the truth, so they can learn from the past," said Suzanne Schreiber, a school board member in Tulsa Public Schools, in Oklahoma, and a member of the new coalition. "Its our responsibility to teach kids that racism is wrong." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Critical race theory in schools is firmly politicized, poll finds Joe Don Rooney Courtesy Williamson County Sheriff's Office Joe Don Rooney Joe Don Rooney has been charged with DUI. On Thursday, the Rascal Flatts guitarist, 45, was arrested and charged with a DUI after he crashed his vehicle into a tree around 4 a.m. that morning near Franklin, Tennessee, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office tells PEOPLE. "The driver crashed into a tree line," a sheriff's office spokesperson tells PEOPLE. "[He] was arrested for DUI." The musician was booked into Williamson County jail Thursday morning before being released on $2,500 bail several hours later. It's unclear if Rooney suffered injuries. When reached, a rep for the former band had no comment. JD rooney Michael Tran/FilmMagic RELATED: Rascal Flatts Already Emotional About Final Concert That's Months Away: 'It Will Be So Bittersweet' Rooney's arrest comes weeks after Rascal Flatts was awarded the Cliffie Stone Icon Award from the Academy of Country Music. Rooney accepted the award alongside former bandmate Jay DeMarcus, though Gary LeVox was absent. Last year, Rascal Flatts canceled its farewell tour and declared they had no plans to reschedule it "for the foreseeable future." At the awards ceremony last month, DeMarcus declared himself "unemployed" and pitched himself to the industry members in the house. "I've got a specific skill set. I can sit on a bus for seven to nine hours straight in an empty parking lot. I can shake hands and pose for pictures with up to 80 people a night," he said. "I can play the same 28 songs in a row while remembering all the changes in all the lyrics, remembering where to stand and when I'm supposed to speak, whenever you need me to." FILE Emily Washines, a member of the Yakama Nation and board member for the CWU Museum of Culture and Environment, speaks to a crowd of attendees at a memorial near the museum in Dean Hall at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash., on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019. Hyundai foresees a hydrogen economy in which solutions like the fuel cell-powered Trailer Drone dramatically reduce carbon emissions in industrial areas, such as shipping ports. (Hyundai Motor Group) Its human nature to blame someone or something else when we screw up. We all do it, but onl LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Thursday said President Joe Biden's mandate that many private businesses require employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is the wrong approach for boosting vaccination rates. Hutchinson, a Republican who chairs the National Governors Association, compared Biden's order to a push by some conservatives to prohibit private businesses from requiring vaccinations. I have been consistent in the freedom of businesses to require their employees to be vaccinated, and I have opposed the government from saying businesses cannot exercise that freedom, Hutchinson said in a statement. The same principle should protect the private sector from government overreach that requires them to vaccinate all employees. The expansive rules announced Thursday mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated. The rules drew criticism from other Republicans, including a state senator who urged Hutchinson to call a special session in response. We must fight back against this massive government overreach," GOP Sen. Trent Garner tweeted. Some of Arkansas' largest employers already require employees to be vaccinated. Springdale-based Tyson Foods last month announced the requirement for its U.S employees. Bentonville-based Walmart is requiring that all workers at its headquarters as well as its managers who travel within the U.S. be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4.Several hospitals in the state have also announced vaccine requirements for their employees. Arkansas on Thursday reported 2,481 new coronavirus cases and 27 new deaths from COVID-19. The state's COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped by 15 to 1,194. There are 508 COVID-19 patients in intensive care units around the state and 315 on ventilators. Only 26 ICU beds are available in the state, though it's unclear how many are equipped for COVID-19 patients. Arkansas ranks 13th in the country for new cases per capita, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University researchers. Also on Tuesday a group of parents challenging the Bentonville School District's face mask requirement dismissed their lawsuit, which had been moved from state to federal court. Travis Story, an attorney for the parents, said he planned to file a new version of the lawsuit in state court this week. Bentonville is among more than 100 school districts that adopted a mask mandate after a judge blocked the state's law banning such requirements. The number of active virus cases among the state's public school students and teachers dropped by more than 1,000 since Monday to 3,804, according to figures released Thursday by the Department of Health. The department reported 577 active cases at colleges and universities. ___ This story has been corrected to show the number of active cases at the states public schools is 3,804. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. It was a regular morning as I made my way to the York Police Department as I did every day. Back then, I got daily call reports from the department and I picked the papers up in person. When I got into the police station, however, it was really strange as all the officers on duty (and a few who were off duty) were in the station at the same time, standing around a television. That was unheard of it was usually just Deb at the front desk who handed me my papers and chatted with me as everyone else was out on patrol. They informed me an airplane had hit the World Trade Center . . . and as we all stood there, watching the scene unfold, I heard an exclamation from the then-chief. He was a quiet spoken man yet, he uttered a swear word followed by another plane and we watched with horror as the second plane exploded upon impact. For some reason, I noticed an instinct by all those officers in that room they subconsciously and simultaneously gently rested their hands on their service weapons, almost like an instinctive protective motion. A few hours later, back at the York News-Times offices, as we worked to change the front page we had originally planned, my phone rang. It was Brian Ruckle, my good friend and former co-worker who had recently moved to China. He asked if we were OK and proceeded to remind me terrorists might want to bomb Nebraska because of Offutt Air Force Base he said he was surprised to feel safe in China and then wished me good luck, right before he hung up. That was the weirdest conversation and the strangest, most heart-breaking day in our nation. I think I cried every day for weeks, watching the nightly news, and wondering what our world had come to. New Delhi: US auto major Ford Motor on Thursday announced that is going to shut its two manufacturing plants in India in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and Sanand (Gujarat). Ford Restructures India Operations: To cease vehicle manufacturing in Chennai & Sanand; Progressively wind-down manufacturing of vehicles for export at Sanand plant by Q4 2021 & Chennai engine/vehicle assembly plants by Q2, 2022; To continue engine manufacturing for export, tweeted Ford. (Also read: Ola S1, S1 Pro electric scooter online sale postponed due to technical glitch) Ford Restructures India Operations: To cease vehicle manufacturing in Chennai & Sanand; Progressively wind-down manufacturing of vehicles for export at Sanand plant by Q4 2021 & Chennai engine/vehicle assembly plants by Q2, 2022; To continue engine manufacturing for export. pic.twitter.com/E1PXmW7Rgq Ford India (@FordIndia) September 9, 2021 The company's decision has left employees and dealers in lurch. Around 4,000 Ford employees in addition to another 40,000 employed with the dealerships are expected to be affected by the company`s restructuring. Although responding to users, the US based car company has said that it is not exiting the country, there is no clear direction as to how the company is going to compensate for its employees and dealerships. (Also read: Maruti's 4 best-selling cars launching soon in a new avatar Details here) Ford is NOT leaving India. The changes we have announced today are designed to create a new, asset-light business model, which is sustainably profitable in the longer term, Ford responding to several users on Twitter wrote. Ford will sell only imported vehicles in the country as part of a restructuring exercise. Going ahead, it would only sell imported vehicles like Mustang in the country. "Approximately 4,000 employees are expected to be affected by the restructuring. Ford will work closely with employees, unions, suppliers, dealers, government and other stakeholders in Chennai and Sanand to develop a fair and balanced plan to mitigate the effects of the decision," Ford India said. Meanwhile, The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) said the auto retail fraternity is "shocked" to learn about Ford India`s announcement. "While trying to handle dealer anxiety, Ford India President and MD Anurag Mehrotra called me personally and assured that they will adequately compensate the dealers who continue to offer vehicle service to the customers," said Vinkesh Gulati, President, FADA. Gulati said, "FADA has been requesting Government of India to roll out Franchisee Protection Act as due to its unavailability, Auto Dealers are not adequately compensated like their counterparts in Mexico, Brazil, Russia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Italy, Australia, Sweden and many other countries, where this law exists." Ford India is the fifth biggest exit from Indian markets since 2017 after General Motors, Man Trucks, Harley Davidson and UM Lohia, apart from multiple fly-by-night EV players, which have already left a market that had once promised exponential growth. Live TV #mute New Delhi: The much-revered Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chaturthi festival is being celebrated this year on September 10. With Maharashtra ushering in the celebrations on their major festival, not many are aware of the fact that this day holds great significance for the Kashmiri Pandit community as well. PANN POOZA RITUALS: It is that time of the year when almost every Kashmiri Pandit household smells of desi ghee, fresh flowers, and delicious looking Roth prasad. On Vinayak Chaturthi (Ganesh Chaturthi) every year, Kashmiris celebrate the day, known as Pann Pooza by praying to Goddess Beeb Garab Maej (Maej stands for Mother in Kashmiri) and Lord Vinayaka (Ganesha) respectively. No matter in which part of the world you are, the Kashmiri Pandit community celebrates Pann Pooza with utmost gusto and reverence to the Lord. On this day, Beeb Garab Maej is prayed to and the day is dedicated to her. SIGNIFICANCE OF PANN POOZA ON VINAYAKA CHATURTHI: Pann Puja or Pann Pooza as Kashmiris call it falls on the Vinayak Chaturthi (Vinayak Tchoram in Kashmiri) or Ganesh Chaturthi. It is originally associated with the spinning of newly produced cotton and worshipping the twin agricultural local goddesses, Vibha and Garbha to whom the devotees offer Prasad known as Roths. A Roth is a sweet bread kind of a preparation which is first offered to the Goddess and then distributed amongst each other. It is also believed that two local goddesses transformed into one, known as Beeb Garab Maejthe mother goddess who is prayed to on this day. Also, Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi are revered in the puja as well. Beeb Garabh Maej, the goddess who is worshipped on this day is seen carrying lota or a water pot which is placed at the Puja area. Then, most importantly, a single long cotton thread is tied to the pot's neck with a handful of dramun or runner grass kept inside it, pointing again to its agricultural origin. Some of the rice, flowers and dramun grass is then distributed amongst the family members who sit in the puja and the Roth preparations are kept in front of the goddess and earthen pot to signify the prasad offering to the goddess. Also, some fruits are offered to the mother goddess besides Roth. WHAT IS THE LEGEND BEHIND PANN POOZA: On this day, after the fruits and Roth prasad is offered to the Beeb Garab Maej, a legendary story of the goddess Beeb Garab Maej is read by one person while others attentively pay heed to it. The story is quite similar to the Satyanarayana Katha read during the Vrat. After the story (Katha) has been read, the people present at Pann Puja offer the dramun grass, rice and flowers to the pot and pray with folded hands to the goddess for prosperity and good health. The prasad of Roth and fruits is consumed by the devotees and the rest of the Roths are distributed amongst friends and family. There is also a tradition that goes - you distribute the exact number of Roths to particular families respectively and the practice of sharing the Roth prasad should continue year-after-year without a fail. In the same month, there are different dates when the Roth Prasad can be made and Pann Pooza conducted. But the majority celebrates it on Vinayak Chaturthi. It signifies prosperity, auspiciousness and holds greater significance in Kashmiri households. Pann Pooza Poshte Sareney, a Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to all! New Delhi: The Union Cabinet in its Wednesday (September 8) meeting, approved the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the textiles sector, a move that is aimed at making India into a manufacturing hub for textiles. The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PLI scheme will offer incentives to firms manufacturing textiles in India. Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that the government hopes to manufacture global champions in the textile industry, banking on the newly launched PLI scheme. The newly launched scheme for the textile industry is a part of the larger PLI scheme that was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. With a budgetary outlay of Rs 1.97 crore, the overall PLI scheme will cater to about 13 industries. Heres everything you need to know about the PLI scheme for the textile industry - The Central government will offer incentives worth Rs 10,683 crore to firms manufacturing textiles locally. - The scheme is also aimed at attracting fresh investments in the textile sector. The Centre is aiming to attract investments to the tune of Rs 19,000 crore in the coming years. - The scheme will also aim to increase the turnover of the textile industry by a whopping Rs 3 lakh crore over five years. - The Centre focus will to improve production in aspirational districts or Tier-3 and Tier-4 cities. The factories based around aspirational districts or Tier-3 and Tier-4 cities will be given priority, Goyal said. - Textile firms located in Gujarat, UP, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, among other states are likely to benefit the most from the PLI scheme. - The textile PLI scheme will promote the manufacturing of high-value Man-Made Fibre (MMF) fabrics, garments and technical textiles in the country. - Goyal said that scheme the has been approved so India can also contribute to the ecosystem of fabrics and garments made of MMF, which along with technical textiles, contribute two-thirds of international trade in textiles. - Incentives under the PLI scheme will be rolled in two phases, according to the official statements. - An individual or a firm willing to invest a minimum of Rs 300 crore to manufacture MMF fabrics or technical textiles will be eligible to apply for incentives under the first phase of the scheme. Also Read: OnePlus to unveil smartphones under Rs 20,000 in India: Report - An individual or a firm willing to invest a minimum of 100 crores to receive benefits in the second phase of the scheme. Also Read: Planning to sell your Ford EcoSports, Figo, Endeavour car? STOP and read this New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Dwarka Vinay Mishra has submitted a complaint to the District Magistrate against the Mayor of BJP-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mukesh Suryan. Suryan was found violating the COVID-19 protocols. He said that Mayor Mukesh Suryan was distributing slips to people who were in line to get vaccinated, in violation of the COVID-19 protocols. The incident took place in the primary school located at Dayal Park. He said that it is not the Mayor's job to distribute slips, yet Mukesh Suryan took the slips from the employees by intimidation and distributed them among the people. He said that Mayor Mukesh Suryan is working to spread COVID-19 instead of containing it and demanded the DM to immediately get an FIR registered against the Mayor under the DDMA Act so that others can also learn a lesson. Vinay Mishra said, There is a vaccination center in the primary school located at Dayal Park of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC). There are four sites there, and about 800 people get vaccinated daily. To get the vaccination done, some people get an online appointment, while the others are distributed slips. It is not the mayor's job to distribute slips to people to get vaccinated, rather it is the job of government employees, but BJP-ruled SDMC Mayor Mukesh Suryan took the slips by intimidating the employees and distributed them to the people on his own. He said, Mayor Mukesh Suryan has distributed the slips while violating the COVID-19 protocol. He was not even wearing a mask on his face. Also, by repeatedly applying saliva, they are distributing slips in the wrong way. Referring to the guidelines issued by DDMA, he said that if any person is found to contravene the directions issued by DDMA, then section 188 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and section 51 to 60 of other applicable laws should be put against the person. He said, Mayor Mukesh Suryan, in violation of the guidelines issued by DDMA, is working to spread the COVID instead of stopping it from spreading. I have given a complaint to the District Magistrate against the violation of the COVID protocols by the Mayor and also handed over the video of him distributing the slips. I have demanded from the District Magistrate to take action against the Mayor of SDMC Mukesh Suryan under the DDMA Act. Along with this, I have also requested him to immediately register an FIR against the Mayor, so that others can get a lesson. Sometimes, good oratory skills dont complement the content. The All India Majlis-e-Itthehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, has been booked for allegedly trying to spoil communal harmony through a provocative speech in Barabanki district. Owaisi alleged in his speech that the administration had earlier this year "martyred" a century-old mosque. He also used indecent language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the police said. SP Barabanki, Yamuna Prasad, said that Owaisi was booked on Thursday night under Indian Penal Code Sections 153a, 188, 169 and 170 along with relevant sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act for violating Covid protocol and the conditions laid down for the meeting. Earlier on Thursday, while addressing a public meeting in Barabanki, Owaisi referred to the mosque in Ramsanehi Ghat which was demolished in May by the administration. "A 100-year-old mosque was martyred in Barabanki," he said and blamed the administration for not following the law in the demolition and attacked Opposition parties for not speaking out against the incident. The AIMIM leader also termed it a "political demolition." The Barabanki administration had, in May this year, after carrying out the demolition, without making a reference to any mosque, said an "illegal residential complex" was found situated opposite to the sub-divisional magistrate residence in the Ram Sanehi Ghat tehsil compound. The SP said that through his comments that the administration had demolished a 100-year-old mosque and disposed the rubble, Owaisi had "instigated a particular community and tried to disturb communal harmony." Live TV New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA), which is conducting the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG) 2021, said on Thursday (September 9, 2021) released an important notice regarding the admit cards of the NEET (UG)-2021 exam. It said, "Numerous queries were received regarding the issue in pasting the Postcard size Photograph on the second page of Admit Card. This issue has been resolved now. So, the candidates who have already downloaded the Admit Card are advised to download the Admit Card for NEET (UG)-2021 again from NTA NEET (UG) website (https://neet.nta.nic.in/). The testing agency also advised candidates and their parents to keep visiting the official NTA websites at www.nta.ac.in and https://neet.nta.nic.in/ for the latest updates. "In case any candidate faces difficulty in downloading the Admit Card for NEET (UG) 2021, he/she can contact 011-40759000 or e-mail at neet@nta.ac.in," it added. It is worth noting that the National Testing Agency is conducting the NEET (UG) 2021 at different centres located in 202 cities throughout the country and abroad on September 12 from 02:00 to 05:00 pm in Pen and Paper mode. The NEET (UG)-2021 Admit Card was released on September 6 on the NTA NEET website at https://neet.nta.nic.in. Kolkata: In the run-up to assembly by-elections in West Bengals Bhabanipur constituency and elections in Samserganj and Jangipur, BJP has fielded advocate and BJP leader Priyanka Tibrewal in the Bhabanipur constituency. Bhabanipur is considered West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees turf, BJP had been looking for a strong candidate to give tough competition to the current Chief Minister. I have been fighting against Mamata Banerjee and West Bengal. Be it the case of post-poll violence or other cases of state-sponsored atrocities on BJP workers. I am not afraid of anything and I am ready to give a fight to Mamata Banerjee. I am sure I would win, said Priyanka Tibrewal. Tibrewal, who recently made headlines after she moved Calcutta High Court on the issue of post-poll violence and got a judgment in favour of the victims where the court-ordered CBI probe into cases of rape and murder reported during post-poll violence and SIT for cases of loot and arson. She has also held various instrumental roles in the BJP and has been the State Officer Bearer for the party in West Bengal. Incidentally, BJP announced names of its three candidates from Bhabanipur, Samserganj and Jangipur on the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was to file her nomination papers for the Bhabanipur constituency. Live TV New Delhi: The Rampur district administration has taken back more than 70 hectares of land from Mohammad Ali Jauhar University. The Allahabad High Court on Monday dismissed the SP MP Mohammad Azam Khans plea objecting to the state government move to take over all except 12.50 acres of the University land, for the violations of various conditions on which the land was allocated to the varsity. "The high court had rejected an appeal against the eviction process. Today, we have come here to take possession," Tehsildar (Sadar) Pramod Kumar told ANI. Earlier on Wednesday, the district administration said it was studying the High Court order that junked Azam Khans move against the state government action to acquire the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University land in Rampur. According to the High Court order, the breached conditions included building a mosque on the varsity campus despite the fact that land had been allocated to it only for educational purposes and not any religious purpose. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal dismissed the plea filed by Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust seeking quashing of a report submitted by Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in March 2020 on the constructions over the land as well as the order dated January 16, 2021, by Additional District Magistrate (Administration) Rampur for vesting of the land in the state. The Samajwadi Party MP from Rampur is the chairman of this trust, while his wife Dr Tazeen Fatima is its secretary and his son Abdullah Azam Khan is an active member. Notably, both Azam Khan and his son Abdullah are currently at Sitapur district jail and are facing several cases. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday (September 10) held wide-ranging talks with his Australian counterpart Peter Dutton to boost overall bilateral strategic ties. The talks took place a day ahead of the inaugural 'two-plus-two' dialogue between foreign and defence ministers of India and Australia. Expanding strategic ties will be the focus of the talks between the two defence ministers, said an official shortly before the meeting. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Dutton arrived at Delhi on Friday for the two-plus-two dialogue during which both sides are expected to deliberate on further solidifying bilateral defence and strategic ties besides exchanging views on the situation in Afghanistan. Despite the testing times of COVID19, your visit to India is a testimony of our strong friendship. India and Australia have shared stakes in a peaceful, cooperative, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pic.twitter.com/ngvbmflcaC ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2021 At the ministerial dialogue, the two sides are also expected to discuss ways to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in the face of China's growing military assertiveness in the region, diplomatic sources said. Both Australia and India are part of Quad or Quadrilateral coalition that resolved to work towards ensuring a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. The other two members of the Quad are the US and Japan. The sources said expanding bilateral cooperation in areas of maritime security is expected to be another area of focus at the two-plus-two dialogue. The dialogue between the foreign and defence ministers was instituted as part of an overall goal to expand strategic cooperation between the two countries. India has such a framework for talks with a very few countries including the US and Japan. The defence and military cooperation between India and Australia is on an upswing in the last few years. In June last year, India and Australia elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and signed a landmark deal for reciprocal access to military bases for logistics support during an online summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. The Australian Navy was part of the recent Malabar naval exercise that also featured navies of India, the US and Japan. Live TV New Delhi: In an order issued by the District Magistrate, government employees of Uttarakhand have been banned from wearing T-shirts and jeans in all government offices during meetings with higher officials. The DM of Bageshwar Vineet Kumar issued the order banning informal dressing, like wearing of jeans and T-shirts, in all government offices, as per an ANI report. He stated that all district officials, employees must follow the dress code in the office and not wear jeans, t-shirts during meetings with higher officials. Further, he warned that 'necessary action will be taken against those who do not comply'. It has come to my notice that some district-level employees and officials are sporting denim and T-shirts and also attending meetings of senior officials. This doesnt look decent for a government servant, the order written in Hindi quoted Kumar as saying. Uttarkhand | All district officials, employees must follow the dress code in office and not wear jeans, t-shirts during meetings with higher officials; due compliance of the order should be ensured or else necessary action will be taken against them: Vineet Kumar, DM, Bageshwar pic.twitter.com/vBllaDcEsP ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2021 This is the second time such an order has been issued by Uttarakhand authorities. Similar orders were issued in a district in Uttar Pradesh but it could not be implemented. The Maharashtra Government had imposed a ban on the wearing of T-shirts and jeans by the employees in the state secretariat and government offices. Live TV A huge uproar and a desperate cry for help by the residents of Noida society Lotus Boulevard, the local police have arrested eight people in connection with the case. A video had gone viral on social media in which the guards were seen mercilessly beating a 56-year-old resident. The police arrested eight persons including seven security guards of a residential society in Sector 100 for allegedly thrashing two residents with sticks following an argument. The incident took place in Lotus Boulevard housing society in which two residents were seen being hit with sticks by security guards on Wednesday morning and a video of the incident went viral. Rajesh S, DCP Noida said police took cognizance of the matter and a case was registered. "A case was registered and including the guard supervisor, a total of 8 people were arrested and are being sent to jail today. The three people seen in the video are yet to be arrested. We will soon arrest them too," the DCP said. "The name of the president and the secretary of the Apartment Owners Association (AOA) has been included in the FIR. We will take action against them if we find any evidence against them. The investigation is still ongoing," the DCP added. According to the DCP, the resident had asked for a key to set up an internet router but could not produce the required letter of permission after which he and the guards got into a scuffle and was allegedly beaten up by the security guards. The DCP said videos of the incident are being examined. Aditya, one of the guards of the society said, "I was not there at the time when the incident took place, but I heard that fight took place between a resident and guards. The fight took place over a key. The resident first had an argument with the guard whom he also slapped. Later when the security officer arrived, the matter escalated. We dont have permission to beat anyone." Suresh Singh, the resident who along with his son had been allegedly thrashed by the guards, said, "I am not feeling safe in this society. Not only me, but no resident is feeling safe in the society. No one came to contact us and to know the whole matter. Whichever people came here, they were trying to save AOA and security guards." "Police are investigating the whole matter. I have told police what happened and the police is conducting an investigation," he said. Tej Prakash, President of the societys AOA, said, "As far as my understanding, elections are around the corner. There are chances that this is completely politically motivated." Live TV Pala (Kerala): A church bishop in Kerala Joseph Kallarangatt has alleged that young Catholic girls were largely falling prey to "love and narcotic jihad" in the state and said that these tactics are being used to destroy non-Muslims while addressing devotees on Thursday. Speaking at a Church celebration in Kottayam district`s Kuruvilangadu, Kallarangatt said, "They have realised that in a democratic country like India, taking up weapons and destroying others is not easy and have adopted various tactics to target non-Muslims. In the eyes of jihadis, non-Muslims should be destroyed. Two weapons are being employed and that includes love jihad and narcotic jihad." The Bishop further alleged, "Jihadis, through love or other means use women from other religions for converting and misusing them for terrorist activities or to make economic gains," adding "Jihadis are those who are trained to lure a girl and brainwash them to disown their parents, their beliefs and religion." "These are not love marriages, it is a war strategy. We are opposing this love jihad," Kallarangatt said and claimed that the increase in the selling of drugs is ample proof of `narcotic jihad` where the life of a non-Muslim youth is being destroyed under the influence of drugs. The Bishop said that those trying to prove that there is no love jihad are feigning ignorance, adding "There is a plan going on to forcefully bring in Muslim thoughts and all Catholics should be aware of this and be watchful." It may be noted that the news of Keralites joining the IS came to the fore after the Kerala government contacted various Central agencies in 2016 about the veracity of reports about 19 missing people from the state. A few relatives of these reportedly stated that their kin has joined the IS. These 19 suspected included 10 men, six women and three children. Of these, most of them reportedly hail from Kasargode and a few from Palakkad districts and include Christian and Hindu converts. (With Agency Inputs) Live TV New Delhi: Union Minister Narayan Rane on Friday (September 10) slammed BJPs old ally, Shiv Sena, for imposing restrictions during the ongoing Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Maharashtra and called the state government anti-Hindu. Rane stated that Shiv Sena talks about Hindutva but their Hindutva ended the day they parted ways with BJP. Maharashtra Govt is imposing restrictions at the time of festivals, it's wrong. This is an anti-Hindu govt. They think of restrictions only when Hindu festivals come. Shiv Sena speaks of Hindutva but their Hindutva ended the day they parted ways with BJP, ANI quoted BJP MP Narayan Rane as saying. Maharashtra Govt is imposing restrictions at the time of festivals, it's wrong. This is an anti-Hindu govt. They think of restrictions only when Hindu festivals come. Shiv Sena speaks of Hindutva but their Hindutva ended the day they parted ways with BJP: Union Min Narayan Rane pic.twitter.com/MWDXy1d9W7 ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2021 His remarks come in the wake of the Maharashtra government prohibiting Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at public places in view of COVID-19. People have also been advised to celebrate the festival at home. Earlier, the state government had announced a near-total ban on the upcoming 'Dahi-Handi' celebrations during Janmashtami. Meanwhile, as per ANI report, Pune city police on Thursday issued a lookout circular against Narayan Rane's wife Neelam and son Nitesh in connection with cases related to unpaid loans taken from a financial institution. Commenting on the matter, Rane denied having received any such notice and said he will move the court against those trying to defame his family. It's wrong, we neither received notice nor do we have any info. We already paid off the loan of Rs 25 cr. We've asked bank to inform us about the amount of interest, for settlement, the date is 16th Oct. We'll go to court against whoever trying to defame us, Rane said. Narayan Rane has been in limelight since he was arrested last month and later granted bail for his alleged remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Rane had accused Thackeray of ignorance about the year of India's independence at an event and said "I would have given (him) a tight slap." Live TV New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday (September 10, 2021) fielded Priyanka Tibrewal to contest against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the by-poll to the Bhabanipur seat. After nomination, Tibrewal, a lawyer and one of the petitioners in the post-poll violence cases against the Mamata government, said that her fight is not against any individual but against injustice. "My fight is not against any individual but against injustice. This fight is to save the people of West Bengal. Yes, it is against one particular person (CM) who remained silent during violence in the state," Priyanka Tibrewal said. On being asked about her slogan for the by-poll, Priyanka said, "Bhabanipur nijer meyekei chaay. I was born in Bhabanipur, Mamata was not born in Bhabanipur." "She (Mamata Banerjee) has already lost from Nandigram. Now she is fighting this election to save the chief minister's chair. My task will be to reach out to the people of the constituency and inform them about the atrocities, torture and violence that her party unleashed on opposition workers after the assembly polls. I am confident that people of Bhabanipur will vote for me and defeat her," she asserted. Tibrewal had joined the saffron party in 2014 and is currently the state vice president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP's youth wing. She had contested the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections from the Entally seat and had lost to a TMC candidate by a staggering margin of over 58,000 votes. The by-poll to Bhabanipur was necessitated after Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, a cabinet minister, vacated the seat to facilitate Mamata Banerjee's return to the state assembly following her defeat in Nandigram to Suvendu Adhikari. (With agency inputs) Live TV The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh has made it clear that no office-bearer at the state level or district level would be eligible to contest elections. The party has said that if anyone was keen to contest polls, he or she would have to step down from the party post. State BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh has already warned party leaders not to put up hoardings in their respective constituencies and claim their candidature. According to sources, BJP's general secretary (organisation), Sunil Bansal made this rule amply clear at a party meeting. A BJP leader, who was present in the meeting, said that Bansal's directive became talk of the meeting in which there were ample indications that several sitting MLAs may not get the ticket again. Party sources said that the performance of the party in the panchayat elections would be one of the factors that would decide the fate of sitting MLAs. "The MLAs in whose constituency the party fared poorly in panchayat elections may not get a ticket. Besides, reports of the party's internal surveys about a legislator's performance, will also be a deciding factor," a party functionary said. The BJP, in the past, had declared that relatives of party leaders would not be given a chance to contest panchayat elections. However, the party later gave preference to the winnability factor and willingly gave tickets to sons, daughters and wives of its leaders. "In politics, rules are made to be broken and finally, it is the winnability factor that ultimately matters. It is only the performance of a legislator that can dilute the anti-incumbency factor. The party is determined to repeat its 2017 performance of 300+ seats and winnability is all that will matter," said the functionary. Live TV New Delhi: The Punjab government on Friday (September 10) extended the COVID-19 curbs in the state till September 30 in view of the upcoming festival season. Amid third COVID-19 wave threat, the Punjab government put a cap of 300 on all gatherings, including political. The government also directed officials to ensure strict compliance with COVID-19 protocols like wearing masks and maintaing social distancing. Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh orders extension of the existing Covid restrictions till Sept 30th, in view of upcoming festival season, with a limit of 300 on all gatherings, including political, and strict enforcement of wearing of masks as well as social distancing: Punjab CMO pic.twitter.com/MmG6wrXUvj ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2021 The Punjab CMO also said that state government employees who do not take the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine for any reason other than medical will be compulsorily sent on leave after September 15. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the measure has been taken to protect the people from coronavirus infection and to ensure that those who are vaccinated do not have to pay the price for continued vaccine hesitancy of others. Punjab government employees failing to take even the first dose of #COVID19 vaccine for any reason other than medical will be compulsorily sent on leave after September 15: Chief Minister's Office (CMO) pic.twitter.com/zREvZWzxG8 ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2021 Addressing a high-level virtual COVID-19 review meeting, the CM said vaccine effectiveness is evident from the data being analysed. Special efforts were taken to reach out to government employees, and those who continue to avoid getting vaccinated will now be asked to go on leave till they get the first dose, Singh added. Punjab logged 29 fresh coronavirus cases pushing the total caseload to 6,00,940, according to a bulletin on Thursday. With two more fatalities, the death toll reached 16,451. Mohali reported seven new cases, followed by four each in Barnala and Pathankot. The number of active cases in the state stands at 320. Meanwhile, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has urged people to partake in low-key celebrations to prevent the spread of coronavirus. "Low key celebrations of festivals should be encouraged to avoid the spread. Responsible travel rather than revenge travel should be practised," Director-General ICMR Dr Balram Bhargava said. Earlier, the Centre had said that the country is in the grip of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is yet not over. Live TV New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday (September 10) invoked his Kashmiri Pandit lineage and promised help to the community. Gandhi, who was on the last day of his two-day visit to Jammu, addressed the Congress office-bearers and workers at a party function and said his family belongs to the Kashmiri Pandit community. "I told my Kashmiri Pandit brothers that I will show by helping you. I do not tell lies," PTI quoted him as saying. He added that he belongs to the Kashmiri Pandit community and feels their pain. "Today morning, a delegation of Kashmiri Pandit brothers had come. When the members of the delegation were talking to me, it came to my mind that I am also a part of this community," the Congress leader said. Gandhi, who was seen exhorting office bearers to chant 'Jai Mata Di', said he feels like he is at home when he visits Jammu. "I had said in Srinagar that whenever I come to Jammu and Kashmir I feel that I have come home. Yesterday, I had gone to offer prayers at the Mata Vaishnodevi temple (in Reasi district) and I felt at home," the former Congress chief mused. #WATCH | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi exhorts party workers to chant 'Jai Mata Di' at office bearers gathering in Jammu city of Jammu and Kashmir pic.twitter.com/DV91VuwgH6 ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2021 "Jammu and Kashmir, which was a state, but now is a Union Territory, has a very old relation with my family," he added. Attacking the BJP-led central government, Gandhi said, "A delegation of Kashmiri Pandits told me that a promise of providing Rs 25 lakh compensation has not been fulfilled yet. It was the Congress that announced the compensation for the Kashmiri Pandits. Kashmiri Pandits had to flee from the Kashmir Valley to Jammu and other states in the early 90s soon after the erstwhile state was gripped by militancy. Meanwhile, BJP slammed Rahul Gandhi over comments that the saffron party and the RSS are "trying to break the composite culture of Jammu and Kashmir". Hitting out at Gandhi, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra called him "immature and irresponsible". "The problems of Jammu and Kashmir are the legacy of the Gandhi family. It was Jawaharlal Nehru who was responsible for the problems of Kashmir, Patra said at a press conference. Live TV New Delhi: NCP supremo Sharad Pawar gave a piece of advice to Congress, a partner in Maharashtra's ruling alliance, saying it should accept the fact that it no longer holds sway from 'Kashmir to Kanyakumari' like it once did. The NCP chief told a Marathi digital platform on Thursday that the country's oldest party should undertake a reality check. Sharad Pawar said, "There was a time when there was Congress from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. But not so anymore. This (reality) should be accepted. The closeness (with other opposition parties) will increase once there is a mentality (within Congress) to accept this (fact)." The veteran leader further said, "When it comes to leadership, my colleagues in the Congress are not in a mind to take a different point of view," adding that when told about Mamata Banerjee being the face of the united opposition for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Congress people say they have Rahul Gandhi. "All parties, especially colleagues in Congress, are not ready to take a different stance on their leadership," Pawar added. When asked if this was due to arrogance, Sharad Pawar cited an anecdote about "zamindars (landlords) who have lost most of their land and are unable to maintain their 'haveli' (mansion), adding "I had told a story about Uttar Pradesh zamindars who used to have huge land parcels and big 'havelis'. Due to land ceiling legislation, their lands shrunk. The Havelis remain but there is no capability (of the landlords) to maintain and repair them." Pawar further said, "Their agricultural income is also not (as much) as earlier. From a few thousand acres, their land has shrunk down to 15 or 20 acres. When the zamindar wakes up in the morning, he looks at the surrounding green fields and says all that land belongs to him. It was his once but doesn't belong to him now." Asked if Congress could be compared to a Patil (chief) of a barren village, the Maratha leader said that he wouldn't like to make that comparison. Sharad Pawar meets CM Uddhav Thackeray The NCP president met Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's official residence `Varsha' on Thursday, and handed over a cheque of Rs 2.36 lakh for the Chief Minister's relief fund on behalf of the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, a renowned educational institute. The meeting that lasted for about an hour also sparked off speculation about the issues the two leaders might have discussed. During the meeting, Maharashtra chief secretary Sitaram Kunte was reportedly present. The veteran leader did not speak to the media but late tweeted, "As chairman of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, I handed over a cheque worth Rs 2.36 lakh to CM Uddhav Thackeray for the CM relief fund. The fund is raised as one day salary by all the teachers and non-teaching staff of the Sanstha." "I hope the fund would be helpful for the state's ongoing measures to bring down COVID-19 cases," he further added. The meeting took place against the backdrop of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiating a probe against NCP leader and former home minister Anil Deshmukh in an alleged money laundering case. The central agency has also summoned Shiv Sena leader and minister Anil Parab in the same case. (With Agency Inputs) Live TV New Delhi: India's envoy to United Nations T.S. Tirumurti on Thursday (September 9, 2021) called for an "inclusive dispensation" in Afghanistan, comments come days after Taliban announced its government in the country. Taliban, earlier this week, announced a 33-member government, which is being led by Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund and two deputies, Maulavi Abdul Salam Hanafi and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Seventeen of the names which have been announced are on the United Nation's terror list. Speaking at the United Nations Security Meeting on Afghanistan, Tirumurti said, "inclusive dispensation" should "represents all sections of Afghan society", highlighting that a "broad-based, inclusive and representative formation" attained through an "inclusive negotiated political settlement would gain greater international acceptability and legitimacy." The government announced by the Taliban has no representation of women, no representation from the Hazara community, no ethnic minorities and includes 2 members of Haqqani--a known terror group. While the Taliban has been calling the government, acting, not many in the international community buy that. This was the first meeting of this month under the Irish Presidency of the security council on Afghanistan. India was the president of the council for the month of August and had chaired three meetings on Afghanistan, with a resolution being passed as well. Indian envoy pointed out to the "substantial and forward-looking" UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2593 resolution on Afghanistan being passed on 31st August, which took into account "collective concerns" in particular on terrorism, where it has noted the "commitment of the Taliban not to allow the use of the Afghan soil for terrorism, including from terrorists and terrorist groups designated under resolution 1267." A number of Pakistan-based international terror groups like Jaish E Mohammad and Lashkar-e-toiba have been listed under the 1267 resolution. India has a number of times, privately and publicly pointed out its concerns of Afghan soil being used by terrorists, the last being at the BRICS summit and NSA Ajit Doval's meetings with visiting Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, General Nikolay Patrushev. Recalling the August resolution on Afghanistan, envoy Tirumurti pointed out that it underlined that "Afghan territory should not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or to finance terrorist acts" and "commitments made in this regard are respected and adhered to." During the statement, the Indian envoy called the situation in Afghanistan "very fragile" and being an "immediate neighbour and a friend to its people", the current situation in the country is of "direct concern to us". Afghanistan witnessed a Taliban takeover in August, with the pace of Taliban's advancement shocking everyone. Talking about the "Uncertainties abound about the future of the Afghan people", the envoy reiterated the "need for the voices of Afghan women to be heard, aspirations of Afghan children to be realized and the rights of minorities to be protected". Kabul saw a major protest rally, many of its participants being women. Visuals from the rally showed the Taliban beating up women protestors. Two journalists were also beaten up by the Taliban for covering the rally. India said that the international community need to "come together, rise above any partisan interests" and to "stand together with the people of Afghanistan in their desire for peace, stability and security in the country". On UNAMA or United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan Mandate, Indian envoy called on members of UNSC to decide the future with a focus "centered on Afghan people and their expectations from the international community to stand by them in this hour of crisis." Live TV New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday (September 9, 2021) announced that the existing ban on festivals, political, social and religious gatherings in the state is being extended till October 31. The decision comes as part of a stringent measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to safeguard from the possible third wave of coronavirus. The Tamil Nadu CM while referring to the festivals, political, religious and social events as possible "super spreaders" said that the occasion calls for stricter protocols. Earlier on August 30, the state had announced the closure of beaches on Sundays for the public. The state had also extended the ban on religious places of worship on weekends and restricted religious festivals till September 15 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from Ganesh Chaturthi on Friday, October ushers in a string of events like Gandhi Jayanthi, Dussehra celebrations, Milad un-Nabi, Valmiki jayanthi and Karva Chauth. The Chief Minister also urged the people to celebrate festivals from the safety of their homes, while making the announcement of the extension of the ban of super spreader events till October end. Avoid crowded places and needless travel. Follow COVID-19 safety precautions, he advised. Pointing to the developments in neighboring state, Kerala, which is battling COVID-19 and Nipah virus outbreak, Stalin said the State government has banned the celebration of religious festivals in public places including Vinayaka Chaturthi in an attempt to contain the spread of the Coronavirus in the State. Public transport to Kerala has been suspended owing to the increase in fresh infections in that State, he said in a release here. "The present measure is being taken as per the Centre's advisory on a possible third wave in September-October," the chief minister said and added that due to the rigorous efforts of the state government, the active cases declined to about 1,600 now from nearly 36,000. On May 27. Relaxation has been given to garland the statues of freedom fighters by the district collectors with strict social distancing norms in place. Five members from the family of the freedom fighters and five from registered parties would be allowed to garland the statues with permission from the collectors concerned, the Chief Minister said. (With PTI inputs) Live TV New Delhi: As the Ganesh Chaturthi festival kicks in from Friday (September 10, 2021), Mumbai Police imposed Section 144 from Thursday onwards to curb the public celebrations to keep a check on the rising COVID-19 infections, said the order issued by Mumbai Commissioner`s office. No processions of Ganpati will be allowed and more than five persons can`t gather at a place, said the Mumbai police chief's office. The section 144 will be imposed in the city with effect from September 10 till September 19. Devotees have been advised to celebrate the festival at home and to take the darshan of Lord Ganesha online as they cannot visit mandapas across the city. "It is prohibited to visit the idol of Lord Ganesha or visit the mandap and darshan should be made available online or through electronic means," a statement released by the Maharashtra Home ministry said. Also read: Delhi govt bans public celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in capital, no processions allowed Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said that the third wave was at the "threshold of Mumbai". "Given the experience of the first two waves, it is in our hands to to stop it," Pednekar was quoted as saying by an official release. Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh and Delhi too have imposed restrictions on the public celebrations of the Ganesh Chaturthi. Live TV New Delhi: The Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance has released an Office Memorandum regarding the calculation of gratuity and cash payment in lieu of leave for the central government employees. The subject line reads central government employees retired during the period from January 2020 to June 2021 --calculation of gratuity and cash payment in lieu of leave. "...in regard to payment of Dearness Allowance (DA) during the period from 01.01.2020 to 30.06.2021 and to say that in terms thereof while the rate of DA during the said period shall remain at 17 percent of basic pay, the same has been enhanced to 28 percent to basic pay subsuming additional instalments arising on 0.1.01.2020 (4 percent), 01.07.2020 (3 percent) and 01.01.2021 (4 percent) payable with effect from 01.07.2021, reads the OM. The OM further noted that as per the existing provisions contained in Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules 1972, DA on the date of retirement or death is reckoned as emoluments for the purpose of calculation of gratuity. Also as per existing provisions contained in CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, pay admissible on the date of retirement plus DA on that are reckoned for the purpose of calculation of cash payment in lieu of leave. In view of the provisions of the aforesaid orders of this Ministry dated 23.04.2020 and 20.07.2021, calculation of gratuity and cash payment in lieu of leave in respect of central government employees who retired on or after 01.01.2020 and upto 30.06.2021 are required to be made based on the rate of DA at 17 percent of basic pay. Keeping in view that gratuity and cash payment in lieu of leave are one-time benefits admissible to employees on retirement and employees who retired from 01.01.2020 and upto 30.06.2021 have been allowed lesser amount than what would have been calculable bur for the aforesaid order of this ministry dated 23.04.2020 and 20.07.2021, the matter has been considered sympathetically with a view to allowing the same to such employees. Accordingly, it has been decided that in respect of central government employees who retired on or after 01.01.2020 and upto 30.06.2021 the amount of DA to be taken into account for calculation of gratuity and cash payment in lieu of leave will be under the following: The OM added that all other conditions as stipulated in CCS (Pension) Rules 1972 and the orders of the Department of Pension dated 26.08.2016 in respect of employees borne on National Pension System and CCS (Leave) Rules 1972, shall continue to be applicable while calculating gratuity and cash payment in lieu of leave respectively. Live TV #mute New Delhi: Looking on the bright side of Bitcoins after El Salvador showed an unprecedented adoption of bitcoin as legal tender earlier this week? You could perhaps take a cue from India's Central Bank and what it thinks about cryptocurrencies. The Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das has said the central bank continues to have "serious and major" concerns about the cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and has conveyed them to the government, adding that it is for the government to take a call on what to do in the matter. Do cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and others have government backing? Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are an alternative to government-backed money. These exist only in computer circuits and memory. It's based on data-scrambling cryptography and hence the term cryptocurrency. Private Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, are unregulated and mined through a complex process and have highly volatile prices. These cryptocurrencies are under the regulatory gaze in India despite their proliferation as an asset class. Calls have been made to treat it as a foreign asset, and the government is to decide whether to allow them fully or not. Lots of processing power and a distributed global ledger called a blockchain records all transactions. No central bank or other institution has any say in its value, which is set entirely by people trading Bitcoin. Although other countries have dabbled in cryptocurrencies, none has gone so far as El Salvador. RBI's take on cryptocurrencies and India's own digital currency The RBI had initially banned domestic lenders from facilitating investors' trade in such assets, which had to be allowed after the Supreme Court struck down the RBI order. As per reports, some banks have restarted their function. Earlier in March this year, Das had said that he has reasons to believe that the government is in agreement with the major concerns flagged by the RBI. India has also started working on its own digital rupee, as has been the case with many other economies, and intends to start trials on the same later this year. A couple of months ago, the Reserve Bank of India had said that it is working on phased introduction of its own digital currency. CBDC (central bank digital currency) is the same as currency issued by a central bank but takes a different form than paper (or polymer). It is sovereign currency in an electronic form and it would appear as liability (currency in circulation) on a central banks balance sheet. The underlying technology, form and use of a CBDC can be moulded for specific requirements. CBDCs should be exchangeable at par with cash. With PTI Inputs Live TV #mute New Delhi: OnePlus is reportedly planning to launch new smartphones priced under Rs 20,000 in India in a bid to take on affordable smartphone brands such as Xiaomi, Realme and Samsung. While the exact timelines of the launch havent been revealed by the Chinese brand, reports suggest that the first smartphone in the sub-Rs 20,000 segment could launch in Q2 2022. The speculation of the launch of an affordable smartphone has come after the OnePlus brand was merged with Oppo. Both the brands are owned by China-based BLK Electronics. The smartphone brands are also merging their operating systems - OxygenOS and ColorOS - to improve their efficiency while standardising the operating systems. The upcoming OnePlus smartphone could be launched in partnership with OPPO. According to data engineer and freelance journalist Yogesh Brar, OnePlus is planning to launch the smartphone for under Rs 20,000. Taking it to Twitter, Brar said that OPPO is dictating the terms in the merger. Oppo has always been linked to OnePlus one way or the other. But now they are dictating the terms. OnePlus is going through a shift, and sub 20k phones for India are on the cards. No defined timeline for now, could see them as early as next quarter or Q2'22, Brar said. Also Read: boAt IPO: Worlds fifth-largest wearable brand plans Rs 3,500 crore offer Oppo has always been linked to OnePlus one way or the other. But now they are dictating the terms. OnePlus is going through a shift, and sub 20k phones for India are on the cards. No defined timeline for now, could see them as early as next quarter or Q2'22 Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) September 8, 2021 OnePlus currently sells premium smartphones in India. The most affordable Nord range of smartphones launched by OnePlus has been priced more aggressively to compete in the sub-premium category. However, all the smartphones in the lineup are priced way more than Rs 20,000. Also Read: WhatsApp big update! Soon, users will be able to hide last seen, profile photos from select contacts Kabul: In another example of Taliban brutality, brother of former Afghanistan vice president - who has claimed presidential powers and duties, as acting president of Afghanistan since 17 August 2021 - Rohullah Saleh has reportedly been tortured and killed by the Taliban in Panjshir clashes. According to news reports, Rohullah Saleh was identified by the Taliban in Panjshir Valley during clashes on Thursday (September 9) night. Sources inform that he was tortured and executed by Taliban fighters. Meanwhile, the ousted Afghan government's ambassador to Tajikistan said on Wednesday that Panjshiri leader Ahmad Shah Massoud and former Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh have not fled Afghanistan and their resistance forces are still fighting the Taliban. Zahir Aghbar, envoy to Dushanbe under the government of ousted Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, told a news conference in Tajikistan's capital that he was in regular contact with Saleh and that the resistance leaders were out of general communication for security reasons. "Ahmad Massoud and Amrullah Saleh have not fled to Tajikistan. The news that Ahmad Massoud has left Panjshir is not true; he is inside Afghanistan," Aghbar said. "I am in constant contact with Amrullah Saleh, who is currently in Panjshir and running the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan`s government," he said. The Taliban swept to power last month and the militant group has said they have captured the Panjshir valley, a last holdout province, though the resistance has not conceded defeat. (With Reuters inputs) New Delhi: Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne will arrive in India on Friday (September 10, 2021) and will hold a `2+2` ministerial dialogue between the two countries. Payne will arrive at Air Force Station, Palam, around 12 noon. Defence Minister Peter Dutton will accompany Payne during this visit. Both ministers will hold a `2+2` ministerial dialogue with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi. Payne will also meet Union Minister Smriti Irani at Shastri Bhawan here. The relationship between India and Australia is at a historic high. The ministers will discuss issues including economic security, cyber, climate, critical technology and supply chains. Australia`s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday also said in a statement that their ministers will be visiting Indonesia, India, South Korea and the United States. This visit will attempt to advance Australia`s relationship with their close friends and strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific region, the statement said. Payne will also deliver a Keynote speech hosted by the Observers Research foundation. 2+2 meetings of Foreign and Defence Ministers will be conducted with all four countries across the Indo-Pacific region. This joint visit will strongly reinforce Australia`s active engagement in the region. Live TV Washington: In a luxury hotel along Doha`s coastline last year, Zalmay Khalilzad smiled as he shook hands with the Taliban`s co-founder Mullah Baradar in front of journalists and diplomats from around the world. "We have signed an agreement with the Taliban that achieves US objectives," Khalilzad, the United States` special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, wrote on Twitter later that night. Twenty months later, the US-backed Afghan government collapsed as the Taliban swept through the country at lightning speed and marched into Kabul unopposed. Khalilzad was left seeking the militant group`s help in a chaotic U.S. evacuation from Kabul. Current and former US officials told Reuters that in the three years Khalilzad has been in the role, he became the face of one of the largest U.S. diplomatic failures in recent memory. U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the veteran American diplomat relinquished leverage to the militant group, continuously undermined the Afghan government, and had little interest in hearing different viewpoints within the U.S. government. "How does he still have a job?" a U.S. official asked. "There is no longer any Afghan reconciliation left."Khalilzad declined to comment on the record. Some officials, lawmakers and foreign policy experts said that he is one of the few U.S. diplomats to have relations with the Taliban and was simply following orders from both U.S. Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden: get all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan. "Khalilzad looks bad. But I think that he was dutiful in the sense that he did what he was asked to do," said Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center think-tank. Khalilzad, while a major figure in America's humiliating end to a 20-year involvement in Afghanistan, was one of many people who made mistakes during four administrations - two Republican and two Democratic. Gave away the farm When Khalilzad, who was born in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, was appointed to be the special envoy in 2018, there was a growing political desire to leave Afghanistan. Having campaigned on ending "the endless wars", Trump had publicly talked about his desire to remove thousands of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. But officials said that despite his desire to leave, Trump had shown that he could order a withdrawal only to walk it back like he did in Syria.In negotiations, officials said Khalilzad gave away too much early by making clear that Washington was looking to withdraw all of its troops. A major concession, according to the officials, was Khalilzad agreeing to the Taliban`s demand that President Ashraf Ghani releases 5,000 Taliban prisoners. A second U.S. official said that move dealt a major blow to the Afghan government`s morale. Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, said he thought Khalilzad had been given an impossible assignment."I think he almost got caught up in that assignment, that he was going to be successful, he was going to get this deal cut, he was going to make a difference," McCaul said. 'Viceoy of Kabul' Afghan officials were skeptical from the moment the Trump administration entered into direct talks with the Taliban, without the Afghan government at the table. Roya Rahmani, who was the Afghan ambassador to Washington until July, recalled Khalilzad`s refrain earlier in the negotiations that "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed" a message meant to reassure Afghans and Americans alike. "What happened was there was an agreement that only ensured that the Taliban - during that period of time - would not attack U.S. personnel and soldiers, but then everything else is allowed," Rahmani said in an interview this week. During the negotiations, the United States and Afghan government clashed publicly. In March 2019, Hamdullah Mohib, Ghani's national security adviser, leveled a fierce attack on Khalilzad`s conduct, questioning whether he was perhaps seeking power himself. "The perception in Afghanistan and people in government think that perhaps, perhaps all this talk is to create a caretaker government of which he will then become the viceroy," Mohib said. The comments by Mohib were not new. As the US ambassador in Afghanistan from 2003-05, Khalilzad played an unusually hands-on role in Afghan politics and Afghans referred to him as the "Viceroy of Kabul." There was also widespread frustration within the Trump and Biden administrations that Khalilzad did little to listen to the Pentagon, Treasury Department and even parts of the White House, officials said. A source familiar with the matter defended Khalilzad, saying the U.S. military was giving conflicting messages to the Afghan government, potentially making them think that Washington may reverse its plans to depart. Khaliza's future White House officials have said in recent days that there are no discussions about firing people for a messy withdrawal that led to the deaths of 13 U.S. troops and scores of Afghans and left behind tens of thousands of people who helped the US government. One US official said that Khalilzad`s relationships with senior Taliban leaders were instrumental in getting the group to help protect Kabul`s airport. With US citizens and at-risk Afghans still looking to get out of Afghanistan and no American diplomatic presence there, officials said that Khalilzad could still play an important role as an interlocutor to the Taliban. But some lawmakers have pointed the finger at Khalilzad as the architect of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and say he must go. "Ambassador Khalilzad has provided you with poor counsel and his diplomatic strategy has failed spectacularly," Representative Michael Waltz, an Afghanistan war veteran, wrote to Biden last month. Khalilzad declined to comment on the record. "In light of this catastrophe, Ambassador Khalilzad should resign immediately or be relieved from his position," Waltz said. Live TV Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday urged the international community to adopt a "new positive approach" towards Afghanistan, warning that isolating the country will have "serious consequences" for the Afghan people, the region and the world at large. Qureshi made the comments during a joint press conference along with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, who arrived in Islamabad on Friday to discuss the latest Afghan situation. "Isolating Afghanistan will have serious consequences and will not be helpful for the Afghan people, the region and the world at large," said Qureshi, adding that the policy of intimidation, pressure and coercion did not work. "We have to adopt a new positive approach regarding Afghanistan," he said. He urged the international community to recognise the new reality in Afghanistan and engage with the Taliban for the sake of peace. Qureshi urged the world to focus on averting the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and expressed satisfaction that a conference was to take place in Geneva to raise funds for the country. He said Pakistan was contributing towards the improvement of the situation in Afghanistan and sent an aircraft on September 9 with food and medicine supplies and promised to extend more humanitarian assistance through air and land routes. Qureshi reiterated his call to the international community to take steps to avert the economic collapse of Afghanistan, which can be done by making available the resources and promoting economic activities. He suggested the decision of freezing Afghan funds will not be helpful and be revisited. Talking about the international commercial flight from Kabul to Doha on Thursday, he said this safe passage was in sync with the demand of the Europeans and "we need to encourage the Taliban to stay on course". Qureshi also regretted that the "spoilers" did not allow the intra-Afghan dialogue to reach a conclusion, saying if there had been progress on talks among various Afghan groups, things would have been calmer. World community's humanitarian support vital for lasting peace in Afghanistan Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Friday that the world community must engage constructively and provide humanitarian support to bring lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan. While chairing the 243rd Corps Commanders' Conference at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, Gen Bajwa reiterated Pakistan's firm commitment to peace, according to a statement by the Pakistan Army. "Constructive engagement and sustained humanitarian support for Afghanistan by the world community are imperative for enduring peace and stability," he said. Bajwa also said that close cooperation among all regional stakeholders was essential for a prosperous and peaceful region. He appreciated the Pakistan Army for its support and role in the evacuation of foreign and Afghan people from Afghanistan to other countries, the statement said. The Taliban swept across Afghanistan last month, seizing control of almost all key towns and cities in the backdrop of withdrawal of the US forces that began on May 1. On August 15, the capital city Kabul also fell to the Taliban, even as a large number of Afghans attempted in vain to flee the war-torn nation. New Delhi: As the Taliban-led caretaker government in Afghanistan gets ready to take oath, the criticism it faces of naming a non-inclusive government got deeper on Thursday when a spokesperson of the militant group made disparaging comments on women. In a televised interview to Tolo News, Taliban spokesperson Sayed Zekrullah Hashimi said that the women cant be ministers. He went on to say that it is like you put something on her neck that she cant carry. Further, in the interview, he said women women should give birth. While on the matter of protests by women, Sayed Zekrullah Hashimi said Women protesters cant represent all women in Afghanistan." WATCH VIDEO HERE: A Taliban spokesman on @TOLOnews: "A woman can't be a minister, it is like you put something on her neck that she can't carry. It is not necessary for a woman to be in the cabinet, they should give birth & women protesters can't represent all women in AFG." Video with subtitles pic.twitter.com/CFe4MokOk0 Natiq Malikzada (@natiqmalikzada) September 9, 2021 This statement from the Taliban comes at a time when Afghan women have been protesting on the streets against the insurgent group, risking their lives. The remarks have sparked concerns that the Taliban may be upto its old ways. While Afghan women protesting the all-male Afghanistan's new interim government in Kabul were driven away by the Taliban, local media reported. The Taliban used whips and sticks against the women protesters in the crackdown on dissent, CNN reported. During Taliban's rule from 1996 to 2001, women were not allowed to work, girls could not go to school and women had to cover their face and be accompanied by a male relative if they wanted to venture out of their homes. Live TV